Smart idea to beat fake kit sellers
Surely one way of tackling the fake kit problem as highlighted in your supplement (MCN, April 13) would be for manufacturers to impregnate legitimate gear with Smartwater security markings because fakers would not have the means of duplicating this and local trading standards officers could spot fakes easily using equipment supplied by Smartwater. The treatment is already used to great effect to combat theft of bikes and in many other areas and is simple to apply while remaining invisible to the naked eye.
P Cousins, email ‘I called for security’
It’s good to see the feature about fake kit. The cheek of the dodgy retailers to openly sell this stuff at bike shows is amazing. A few years ago at the NEC, I got caught up in such a situation. I was looking for a jacket and was scanning the outer edge stalls, when I spotted one that looked promising. The stallholder was very polite and took the jacket off the peg for me to try on. On closer inspection the stitching didn’t seem great, so I asked about the PPE rating, while I was looking for the correct tags. The seller got irate and tried to push me away. I wasn’t having any of that and called for security and the event manager. About an hour later, the stall was closed. One thing I will say is that not many can afford £2.5K for a suit. I can’t afford that for a bike! So the fake dealers will prey on those, like me, who are not millionaires.
Tony Anderson, Lincolnshire
Our own worst enemies Totally agree with your item on stamping out fake motorcycle gear, but we tend to be our own worst enemies. Almost every large show has a stand or two flogging cheap, unbranded tat.
Martin Rayner, email
Amazing start to BSB
What a fantastic first round of BSB at Silverstone and brilliant to see Glenn Irwin win all three races against all the favourites. Well done Glenn. I cannot wait to see what he does at the TT on the Fireblade. I will put money on him being the fastest rookie around the island. Alan G McLaughlin, email
It’s a road, not a track
I read your article on police targeting bikes (MCN,April 20) and am not at all surprised. I live in Lincolnshire and the routes to the coast are treated like race tracks. I was out visiting a friend on the bank holiday and witnessed some appalling riding. I feel qualified to make this judgment as I have ridden and occasionally raced since 1974 and ride with some vigour.
Mark Wardle, email
Big up your trips
Would it be possible to give more page space for ‘Your Trip’ articles? Sometimes it’s virtually impossible to follow the route pictured unless you have a magnifying glass.
Chris Brian, email
Ed: It is certainly something we could look at for the future. In the meantime, keep the trips rolling in at yourpics@ motorcyclenews.com – whether it is a few days in the UK or an epic to Mongolia, we want to hear about it…
Don’t just top it up
I can’t be alone in my frustration over seeing the phrase “Top up the brake fluid”. If your fluid is below the minimum line, it’s an indicator that you either have worn pads or you have a leak. By topping it up and assuming it’s fine you’re just inviting headaches - namely the annoying job of having to syringe out brake fluid when you suddenly realise your pads have nearly reached the metal and the system will be overfull when you fit new ones. Or worse, a leaky fitting that fails under load.
Ross Curtis, email
Not so green solution
I shouldn’t get too excited about extending battery longevity by adding niobium (MCN, April 13). Apparently significant virgin rainforest will be destroyed mining this mineral.
Tim Wombell, email
Cops need to think again
We all wish for safer roads and riders but police forces who target particular social groups are walking down a dark path (MCN, April 20). Lincolnshire Police should think twice. Setting the public to spy and inform on their fellow citizens seems to be a dangerous route reminiscent of some of extreme regimes around the world.
Trevor Fleming, email
Inspired by Maxwell?
John Faulkner’s letter last week, got me thinking. I have been watching the Robert Maxwell documentary which has been on the BBC. Do you think Stuart Garner was a student of the infamous Mr Maxwell of pension robbery fame?
Andrew Smithers, email