New knowledge has been launched to assist us discover the very best and worst roads within the nation.
The UK’s roads are notoriously tough. We’ve all seen it. We’ve all lived it; bobbling our means alongside again roads and being caught out by surprising, yet-to-be-filled potholes.
Fortunately, Lexham Insurance coverage have completed God’s work and sifted although the Division for Transport knowledge to establish the place we are able to discover the very best (and worst) maintained Tarmac within the nation.
High of the pile is the North East. A whopping 96 per cent of the area’s B and C roads had been thought of not in want of enchancment. Similar goes for its motorways. And it additionally options the bottom quantity ‘amber’ and ‘crimson’ that are markers indicating that repairs are wanted. Seems it’s alright up north.
On the different finish, there’s the East Midlands. A considerable 38 per cent of its A roads had been labelled ‘amber’ or ‘crimson’. Forty-two per cent of its B and C roads undergo the identical destiny, which makes it the area within the UK that wants probably the most repairs to its roads.
One other report by the Workplace of Rail and Highway (ORR) recommended that highway surfaces throughout the East of England are among the many worst within the nation. Its research recommended that main roads in Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Essex and Bedfordshire had been of ‘persistently decrease’ high quality than different components of England.
The Authorities has comparatively lately introduced plans to inject £8.3 billion of funding to assist deal with the issue throughout the nation. Again in November, Transport Secretary Mark Harper recommended that the money will permit over 5000 miles of highway to be resurfaced. The one drawback is his 11-year timeline – with money being launched to native authorities in £150 million chunks every monetary 12 months till 2034.
For now although, it appears such as you’ll be in with the very best likelihood of a clean journey by heading as much as the North East.
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Straight out of Washougal, Washington, a city of 17,039 inhabitants and named by a wild-eyed fur dealer named Alexander Ross method again in 1811, Levi Kitchen grew up with close by Washougal MX Park as one thing of a yard whereas he minimize his aggressive enamel as an novice racer. Now two years into his skilled profession and a member of Mitch Payton’s formidable Monster Power/Professional Circuit/Kawasaki organisation, Kitchen is three rounds into the 2024 250SX West Supercross Championship. And it has gone nicely for child straight out of the rolling hills and evergreen forests of America’s Most Scenic Raceway.
The third-place finisher on the season opener at Angel Stadium in Orange County, California, Kitchen soldiered on by the driving rain and flying mud of San Fran’s Oracle Park to come back up brief by an eyeblink margin of +0.913 seconds to put runner-up to Principal Occasion winner, Jordan Smith. One week later, additionally within the rain and dust, this time at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, Kitchen stalked down race chief and was seeking to make a move when he tipped over and fell. Kitchen charged again to fifth on the end line and is now a rock-solid second within the 250SX West factors heading into what will likely be a sunlit Angel Stadium this approaching Saturday in Anaheim, California.
“I’m fairly happy with the way it’s gone thus far,” answered the pleasant child out of the Pacific Northwest whereas ready out the rain this week. “I imply, final weekend felt just like the one which acquired away somewhat bit for me. I don’t know, speed-wise and stuff, I felt like I used to be in a great spot to win. However the positives had been… I suppose you may say that I’m feeling actually good on the bike and we’re nonetheless in a great spot points-wise. I imply I’m simply eight factors again from Jordan Smith. I’m glad and I’ve simply acquired to maintain plugging away. There’s quite a lot of racing left nonetheless. With that being mentioned, although, it additionally seems like there’s not a ton of racing left from a championship standpoint. I simply have to make some stuff occur fast in these subsequent few weeks. I simply sort of wish to flip it round somewhat bit. I imply, I’m proud of two podiums to begin off the season, however I have to get on somewhat little bit of a roll right here and attempt to click on off some wins.
With the competitors and the fierceness of all of it operating so very deep within the 2024 250SX West collection, there actually isn’t any margin for error in anyway. In actual fact, this author spoke with Jo Shimoda concerning the gap the Japanese rider is in solely three rounds into 2024. I additionally requested Kitchen to discuss the aggressive panorama and no margin for error.
“No, there’s not a margin in any respect,” declared Kitchen. “You already know, and I feel such as you mentioned, Jo’s like 30-something factors down now. I imply, statistically, he’s out of it. There’s completely no method now. With someone like Jo, I may get second behind him the remainder of the season and nonetheless get the championship. Jo’s off my listing and Nate Thrasher is now additionally off my listing. These guys have nice velocity, however it’s between Jordan Smith and R.J. Hampshire now. Garrett Marchbanks is using very well, too. However when you go down 25 factors, which is just about a race win, it’s gonna be fairly powerful to come back again within the championship. So I’m not too apprehensive concerning the others. I simply have to maintain doing my factor and see the place that takes me.”
Of his Anaheim 1 third-place podium trip, Kitchen was quietly happy.
“Yeah, it was it was alright for me. Nerves acquired to me actually unhealthy on race day. That was somewhat little bit of a bummer, however you understand, I feel going into this coming weekend at Angel Stadium, I feel the nerves will likely be just about gone. Final 12 months at A2 went nicely for me. I acquired my first supercross race win, so I’m actually wanting ahead to this weekend. I feel if I can simply trip like myself and calm down, I can for positive do some harm.”
Displaying glorious velocity and dedication at Snapdragon Stadium final Saturday, Kitchen laments what may need been if not for the small Principal Occasion miscue.
“For positive I used to be bummed about San Diego,” he mentioned. “Yeah, Spherical 3 was very irritating for me after I was finished, however on the identical time, issues could possibly be worse. I could possibly be off the tempo and questioning how one can be on tempo. So I feel if anyone goes again and watches the race and appears at instances, I undoubtedly had the velocity to win and I felt like I may catch folks each time I wanted to. It was simply arduous to execute a move there and that’s sort of what harm me. I used to be getting somewhat bit impatient behind R.J. [Hampshire] and I ought to have waited for a mistake from him. However I compelled it and it price me.”
Kitchen let it’s recognized in the course of the low season that he had left the Star Racing Yamaha organisation after the 2023 racing season to maneuver over to Monster Power/Professional Circuit/Kawasaki in an effort to achieve extra freedom and to, nicely, make a wanted change.
“Sure, there’s all the time questions on whether or not you made the suitable transfer,” defined Kitchen of shifting from Yamaha after a two-year run with the model. “I feel there’s all the time going to be professionals and cons to something you do in life, so for me I used to be actually stunned at how straightforward the transition was although. I began stressing as a result of Chase Sexton – and I practice with him now – he takes a reasonably lengthy low season after racing. He was going to a brand new workforce too in 2024 and mentioned to me, ‘Belief me, man. You’ll have loads of time on the bike. You’ll be good’.”
“I took virtually over a month off and Mitch and these guys had been in all probability like, ‘Man, what is that this man going to get again on the bike?’ And yeah, I did, and inside three weeks, I used to be completely snug. We acquired all the things sort of dialled in for me that I went to Florida for – three weeks and it was tremendous straightforward. I actually appreciated the bike. However going racing on it, it could possibly go the opposite method. You already know racing is clearly a bit completely different than practising. Even in a race atmosphere thus far, it has been nice. At Anaheim 1, we struggled somewhat bit with a few issues on the bike, however that’s sort of frequent it doesn’t matter what bike or workforce you’re on. Observe tracks are all the time completely different than the racetrack. So with the race bike, it was undoubtedly nothing out of the extraordinary. It was a very easy transition. The workforce atmosphere has been wonderful for me. It’s been unreal.
“And I take pleasure in it quite a bit and such as you mentioned, with the freedom-side, I can sort of change issues in my program if wanted,” continued Kitchen. “I feel for me, being somewhat bit happier has helped my mindset and my confidence. I’m actually assured as a result of all the things is how I need it. Clearly – and I feel with any athlete, particularly on the high stage – all of us take care of being somewhat bit egocentric at instances, however it’s sort of the way in which now we have to be in our mindset.”
And based on Kitchen, so far contained in the Monster Power/Professional Circuit/Kawasaki outfit, it has been a actuality of thus far, so good.
“Yeah, I’m actually loving it thus far,” he nodded with a smile. “You already know folks can say Mitch will be arduous on you or no matter. I don’t know… Coming from Star Yamaha, Bobby Regan was fairly old-school, and he will be fairly powerful on you too. It wasn’t stunning or something and thus far, for me, Mitch just isn’t actually that tough on me in any respect. He’s simply trustworthy and tells the reality with all the things. All the pieces Mitch says is smart to me, so I don’t blame him for ever saying something to me. You already know, that was one factor that when Mitch let me go to Florida, he was identical to, ‘Levi, don’t give me a purpose to take you away from Florida’.And I knew. I wish to win simply as unhealthy as Mitch desires to win. I would wish to win much more!”
Having received the second Anaheim Supercross spherical in 2023, Kitchen is absolutely centered on successful at Angel Stadium when he walks contained in the paddock come Saturday morning race day.
“It’s time to win,” he says matter-of-factly. “I’d wish to put three 1s up on the board and get the General on Saturday after which go proper into Glendale. Clearly the objective is to win, however podiums are nice, for positive. I feel after that fifth place this final weekend in San Diego, I sort of deliberate the entire season in my head and that fifth place now must be unhealthy race. I have to get it again collectively. You already know, it’s all the time been aggressive, however I really feel prefer it’s undoubtedly getting extra and aggressive as a result of I feel the taking part in area is getting somewhat extra whilst all people does comparable applications. That’s why I sort of needed to step away and do my very own factor as a result of I didn’t wish to do the identical factor as all people else. I needed to attempt to get the higher hand.”
Earlier than Kitchen packed all the things up and commenced wanting in the direction of this Saturday’s Anaheim 2 – and what all of us hope will likely be a sunny Saturday – we talked about what rising up with Washougal MX Park was like.
“Yeah, it’s all the time been part of my life. It acquired to the purpose after I was a youngster the place I liked this sport, however I purely appreciated it simply to have enjoyable with it. Successful wasn’t all the things at that stage in my life. As soon as I selected to do it extra significantly and practice on the weekends and stuff, that modified all the things for me as a result of after I began placing the work in, I didn’t need that to be for nothing. Then the mindset sort of modified to, ‘I have to win. I wish to win!’ You already know, it’s superior to do that, for positive. There are occasions when it’s a job. However now, and particularly this 12 months, it feels much less of a job for me. I’m having fun with it extra and I feel the happier I’m on race day, you’re going see higher outcomes from me. And I feel that’s exhibiting now.”
Final Saturday evening, only a few days after this interview was penned by Eric Johnson, Kitchen went 1-2-3 at Anaheim 2’s Triple Header format and took Spherical 4’s General win. He now shares the factors lead because the 250SX West Area takes a break and the championship heads to Detroit subsequent weekend.
“Right this moment at Anaheim 2 was all-around day,” Kitchen defined within the wake of his win at A2. “Qualifying went nicely, securing second General. Within the first Principal Occasion, I acquired the win after asking for it early on. In the second, I completed second, which is stable, and I felt like I had the velocity all through the evening. The third one started with begin, however I made a slight mistake. Nonetheless, I acquired behind Nate Thrasher, maintained focus, and realised I had a considerable factors hole. From there, I rode it in easily. It was an total nice evening, and having the purple plate is cool for me. I can’t thank my Monster Power/Professional Circuit/Kawasaki workforce sufficient. My KX250 was nice all day!”
250SX CLASS WESTERN REGION – POINTS (AFTER RD4)
The post INTERVIEW: LEVI KITCHEN – Transmoto appeared first on lickscycles.com.
From Kaleb Zink: Harley-Davidson Tracker for Flat Out Friday…
Within the early Nineteen Sixties, Harley-Davidson noticed the rising reputation of smaller displacement bikes like Honda’s OHC twins and reduce a deal to buy half of Italian firm Aermacchi. The “Italian connection” would final till 1978, leading to a sequence of rebadged H-D machines not like the rest to come back out of the Motor Firm.
Most folk don’t notice what a successful connection it will be. A Harley-Davidson Baja 100 positioned first in school on the 1971 Baja 1000, after which there have been the Grand Prix victories.
“Harley ought to be pleased with the Italian connection, as a result of it supplied the corporate with 4 worldwide GP racing victories when Italian road-racer Walter Villa received the 250 class in 1974, ’75 and ’76, doubling up in 1976 by successful the 350 class as nicely — using a parallel-twin two-stroke constructed by Aermacchi with Harley-Davidson writ massive on the fairing.” -Clement Salvadori, Rider
Within the mid-70s, the two-stroke SX sequence enduros appeared to compete with machines like Yamaha’s vastly profitable DT sequence.
“Aermacchi Harley-Davidson’s first actual counter-offering to the DT-1 got here 5 years later with the 1973 SX125, adopted rapidly by the 1974 SX175 and at last the SX250. The SX175 and SX250 have been basically similar other than the 250’s bigger cylinder bore.” –Bike Classics
Harley was critical about getting a piece of the enduro market, and the SX175 and 250 have been full of options reminiscent of adjustable Marzocchi suspension, quick-change ISDT-type rear hubs, built-in spark arrestors, and a breakerless CD ignition separate from the battery system, so riders might strip down the bikes for off-road using and racing. Whereas the SX sequence may not have carried out fairly in addition to its Japanese rivals, these bikes had one thing nobody else might declare: the title Harley-Davidson on the tank.
The SX175 flat tracker you see right here comes from 34-year-old former woods racer and present customized paint artist Kaleb Zink of Florence, Missouri…however the bike has fairly an extended historical past behind it.
“I had bought this bike 5 years in the past from my authentic motorbike mentor, Bob Jeffress, who had initially bought it new for his spouse, Linda, to commute backwards and forwards to school. Bob’s mother and father had owned a small Harley store within the small city of Syracuse, Mo. She made the commute practically 50 miles a technique for 2 years earlier than upgrading to a SS-250.”
After that, the Jeffress brothers stripped down the SX and took turns racing it. Rising up, aspiring woods racer Kaleb developed an early love for the Harley orange filth bike on the Jeffress home. After taking the bike off his mentor’s palms, Kaleb reconditioned the bike and confirmed it in “woods trim” at Gasoline Cleveland in 2022.
Then he bought the thought to race the bike at Flat Out Friday, the indoor flat observe occasion hosted each February through the Mama Tried Present…raced on cola syrup as a substitute of filth!
“This would be the second time competing at this occasion, and it solely appeared becoming to race a Harley in Milwaukee!”
The wheels have been swapped for a set of 19-inch D.I.D. DirtStar wheels wrapped in flat observe rubber, and the bike is now sporting a GSX-R entrance finish with the steering stem, bar mounts, entrance axle, and spacers machined by Kaleb’s father, Paul, who owns Zink Machine Device and Fabrication in Warsaw, Missouri. A Harley XR750-style tail part was modified to suit, and the rear outfitted with a hydraulic disc brake — no entrance brake, after all, as it is a flat observe bike.
After all, Kaleb himself dealt with the paintwork — the tank is the one absolutely authentic paint on the bike — and enlisted the assistance of native Missouri craftsmen and workshops for different wants: A&B Auto Trim for the seat, Pat Shull for the exhaust restore, and Jake Owens for the warmth treating and sharpening.
That is one beautiful flat tracker that oozes fashion and historical past, and a stunning tribute to a motorcycling mentor. We will’t wait to see Kaleb sling it sideways on the syrup subsequent month at Flat Out Friday — we’ll be rooting for you, Kaleb!
My title is Kaleb Zink from Florence, Mo. I’m creeping up on 35 yrs outdated and have been using bikes since I used to be 8. Most of my early using consisted of subject using, which changed into woods racing. I began hare-scrambling in 2004 and raced steadily till 2013. I fueled my love for bikes in 2011 by taking a place at our native Harley-Davidson dealership (Yeager’s Harley-Davidson) working on the elements counter. That’s the place the true habit for bikes started…
Within the evenings, I’m able to couple my ardour for bikes with my love for artwork and portray and mix the 2. I’ve been working towards customized paint work for 15 years and it appears that evidently the motorbike stays my favourite canvas.
I had bought this bike 5 years in the past from my authentic motorbike mentor, Bob Jeffress, who had initially bought it new for his spouse, Linda, to commute backwards and forwards to school. Bob’s mother and father had owned a small Harley store within the small city of Syracuse, Mo. She made the commute practically 50 miles a technique for 2 years earlier than upgrading to a SS-250.
The SX-175 then was stripped of its flip indicators and avenue tires and have become destined for the woods. The Jeffress brothers took their turns racing the bike for the following few years earlier than upgrading to the brand new MX-250. The unique tins for the bike have been stowed away on a shelf because the forks have been exhausting on gasoline tanks!
My household grew up with horses, not bikes, so each time there was a necessity for a contemporary spark plug or a quart of two-stroke oil for my first filth bike, Bob’s home was the place to go. Each time the door would open, right here sat this orange Harley-Davidson motorbike with knobby tires…I used to be hooked.
It has gone via its final transformation to have the ability to race within the classic class at Mama Tried’s Flat Out Friday occasion held in Milwaukee in February.
After I determined it was going with me up there this yr, there was just one approach to reintroduce the bike to the racing group: as a contemporary new motorbike! The gasoline tank paint is the one authentic paint left on the motorbike that has not had any re-conditioning. Powdercoat was executed by Certain Coat in Sedalia, Mo. Machine work was accomplished by my dad, Paul Zink, proprietor of Zink Machine Device and Fabrication in Warsaw, Mo. Bike was proven in its “woods trim” on the Gasoline Cleveland motorbike present in 2022.
I wished to create one thing with the race fashion that I like that was additionally fairly sufficient to stare at.
Solely have had a couple of check classes with the brand new tracker setup, however the bike was all the time enjoyable to journey, making enjoyable sounds during the RPM vary!
Finishing the bike in time to race Flat out Friday! Took many hours of sleepless nights to finish whereas sustaining a traditional daytime life.
Instagram: @kzink643
The post Harley-Davidson SX175 Flat Tracker – BikeBound appeared first on lickscycles.com.
The 2025 CFMOTO Ibex 450 is a good addition to the ADV phase. We gave it a correct thrash on the world launch in Palawan, Philippines, a...
