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The history of motorcycling has many legendary figures. One of the most important was the pioneering American motorcycle manufacturer and early 20^th century speed-freak Glenn Curtis.

Glenn not only set the first (unofficial) land speed record of 136.36 mph back in 1907 (remaining the fastest man in the world until 1911 and the fastest motorcyclist until 1930) but was a leading figure in manufacturing aeroplanes, providing hi-spec aircraft for the US Army and Navy during WWI, and founder of a successful motorcycle and aeronautics company.

Glenn was born in a town called Hammondsport in upstate New York in 1878. He began his career as a Western Union bicycle messenger, couriering letters across the state. This early experience gave the young Glen a deep-seated love of bikes and before long he had his own shop.

However the charms of the humble push-bike were eclipsed when Glen was introduced to the rudimentary motorcycles of the period. He began to experiment with designs of his own and, in 1902, built his own single cylinder bike, adapting the carburettor from an old tomato soup can!

Glen died in 1930 in Buffalo, New York, after complications following an appendectomy, but his name lives on; you can ever see the bike on which he set the land-speed record in the Smithsonian museum in Washington DC.

What motorcycle legends do you most admire and do you have any suggestions about who we should profile next?

The Secretary.
Boundary 500 Motorcycle Group.
C/O Premier CAD.com Ltd.
Belasis Business Centre.
Belasis Tech Park.
Billingham.
Cleveland.
TS23 4EA
Tel No, 01642 343479

Email. sec.b500@yahoo.co.uk

There is also free camping at Kirkleatham and Workington. Please help us smash through the four hundred thousand barrier.
Ride Safe.
Brian

Ask any biker in the North of England the best place to take their bike on a sunny Sunday afternoon and you’re likely to hear the name Devil’s Bridge – nestled by the banks of the river Lune in the heart of some of the North-West’s most attractive countryside, it’s easy to understand why.

We’ve made the trip out a couple of times and there’s nothing quite like parking up your bike and sitting down by the side of the river with a good cup of tea and a burger from the nearby butty-bar.

Legend has it the bridge got its name way back in the 14^th century. The devil was bored and wanted to lure a soul into hell, so he built a bridge, designed in such a way that the soul of the first person to cross it would be forfeit. An old woman who needed to cross the river showed up, but rather than cross the bridge herself she threw a bun across the river. Her dog chased after the bun, crossing the bridge and the devil was forced back to hell empty handed.

Hmmmm, we’re a little sceptical, but it’s a great legend and gives you a good story to tell when trying to persuade your mates to try out somewhere new on a bank holiday!

If the location, butty bar and story isn’t enough of a reason to visit Devil’s Bridge is really easy to get to (it’s on the A65) and once you’re there you’re no distance at all from great biking in Lancashire, Cumbria and Yorkshire.

So why not check it out, wherever you are in the UK, we’re sure you won’t regret it!

Let’s just imagine that you’re riding along and up in the distance, just a bit to the right, you notice something. I don’t know what…let’s just say a funny shaped tree for now. So now the only thing you’re looking at is a tree that looks a bit like Elvis and you can’t stop looking at it. This, in case you didn’t know, is called target fixation and pretty soon you’re going to have collided with said tree simply because of your focus on it.

It doesn’t matter what the distraction is or where you are – if you focus too much on something when you’re riding you’ll travel in its direction.

Target fixation can become a bad habit for those with a tendency to panic when a hazard crosses their path – it’s difficult NOT to focus on something incredibly distracting and it can happen to anyone, no matter what vehicle they’re in or on. But, if you’re a bit more focused on the road as a whole as opposed to some shrubbery that looks like a celebrity, it’s only ever going to help.  Just practice looking into the horizon and build your confidence, learn to trust your own ability!

However, target fixation can also have a positive side. Instead of looking at the car ahead of you that’s constantly swerving and that you could well ride into, focusing on the lane and the direction you are travelling in will mean you can ride away from the hazard, following escape routes you’ve identified. As with any skill, it is something you will learn with practice, and hopefully avoid any near-miss accidents on the way.

Let us know what you think though. Has target fixation ever helped you? Or maybe you’ve fallen victim to it? Answers on a postcard, please. (Or you could just comment below – which is probably a lot easier for everyone involved.)

It’s happened to us all, we’ve booked the time off work, dusted off the bike and planned out a route, only for the weather to defeat us at the last moment – disaster!

However, no matter how heavy the rain, or how deep the snow, it needn’t mean that your day off becomes a complete wash-out. The UK has some of the world’s best motorcycle museums and indoor attractions and you really could do a lot worse than checking out one of the below next time you’re waiting out the weather.

The National Motorcycle Museum: It’s in Birmingham (so slap bang in the middle of England which makes it convenient for most English bikers) and it is, arguably, the best in the world. With over 650 machines in five massive exhibition halls the scale of this museum never fails to astound – the fact that the museum almost closed in 2003 after a horrific fire only makes its achievement all the more impressive. All motorcyclists should try to get here at least once in their lives!

London Motorcycle Museum: If you’re based in or around the capital (or are a visitor with a spare afternoon) you should seek out this hidden gem. London’s only motorcycle museum the LCM features 100 historic machines displayed at any one time, including a 1902 Ormonde, a 1903 Clyde and the last Triumph to come out of the Meriden factory gates in 1983.

Wheeldon Off-Road Centre: Of course nothing beats the open road, but a good indoor off-road centre comes close, and the UK’s only all weather, off-road adventure venue is certainly good! Since it opened in 2003 the centre has been providing devotees from the age of seven upwards with some of the world’s most exciting off-road events and training days. So get yourself down to Totnes in Devon, take in the beautiful countryside (and great biking roads) and check it out for yourself.

Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum: With a fantastic array of fully restored motorcycles, including some incredibly rare bikes, Sammy Miller’s museum is one of the UK’s best biking heritage sites. If you’re in Hampshire you owe it to yourself to get down and check out the exhibits, there are plenty of events taking place throughout the year, giving you all the excuse you need!

The Motorcycle Hall of Fame: Now visiting this bad-boy takes a bit more effort than our other recommendations, but it’s certainly worth it. Based in Pickerington, Ohio, in the old US of A the hall of fame celebrates the history of biking in the states. Located right next of the American Motorcyclists Association (AMA) headquarters this place has all the biking pedigree you could desire and some of the most historic bikes around – if you’re planning an American adventure make sure you put this in your itinerary.

So there it is, Keep Britain’s Biking favourite motorcycle attractions – have we missed out your favourite? Please let us know.