Held Racer Report - Joe Sheldon-Shaw, National Superstock 1000

We're proud to have the charming young man that is Joe Sheldon-Shaw in Held leathers. Here's the race report from the Silverstone round of British Superbikes, from the man himself. Take it away, Joe!

So it’s been a rollercoaster of a weekend at round 3 of the BSB at Silversrone. The team had a few obstacles to overcome during FP1, FP2 and qualifying and I knew the races were going to be difficult. 

However in race 1 after starting in P29 I fought my way through to P17, which I was over the moon with. 

Race 2 was even better, starting in P20 and battling throughout the race for P14! Achieving championship points and my best finish in the superstock 1000 championship so far. I can’t wait to get to the next round now and be pushing for a top 10 finish! 

Thank you to all my team, family friends and sponsors for all your support. The protect my income GSXR1000 worked well with the help of Biturbo Suspension thank you for your help this year. 

Big shout out to all my sponsors!

Protectmyincome 

Held uk 

Athlone event catering 

Redline Trackdays ltd 

LS Racing

Maxfield Engineering

GB Racing 

Hi Fibre 

Fuchs Silkolene 

Biturbo Suspension

Joe wears Held leathers and gloves. For more information please visit www.held-uk.co.uk. Also hook up with us on Facebook, click here

Held Gear Care Tips: Leather

General hints for professional care and cleaning of leather

HELD apparel with leather or leather/textile construction.

Held's 'The Stan' stores his leathers like this- in a dry cabin, airing.

Each time using your garment, air it well and remove dirt with a soft brush and clean water. Do not store the products in air-tight plastic bags. Never treat leather with solvents or chemical products. Do not use a washing machine or spin-dryer for leather. We recommend only hand wash with tepid water (40°C) and leather detergent. Dry all leather products at room temperature and avoid direct sunlight, artificial heating or hairdryers.

Leather care

To slow the natural ageing process of leather (formation of tears, crazing, reduction in strength or waterproofi ng etc.), we recommend you use the following care products, available from Held retailers:

• Dubbin
• Leather-cream soap
• Nubuk protection

Remember that some treatments can change the original appearance of leather. You should not be concerned by this, since in use, the material and its characteristics will be improved by such treatment.

ATTENTION

When washing leather, it can lose some colour and the soft feel.

Held Racer Report: Leon Jeacock, Geo E Davies & Smirk Racing, National Superstock 1000

The Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit was the final destination for Leon and the Geo E Davies & Smirk Racing team in their 2018 Pirelli National Superstock1000 Championship season. On the back of the good form of recent meetings the team were very confident of a good result to end the campaign and also to build on for 2019.

Free practice one went well for the team and put in a time good enough for seventh position. The team made some adjustments for the second free practice session and Leon improved his time by half a second and took fifth fastest time. It wasn’t all good for Leon however as on his last lap of the session he crashed and got caught up in the wheel of the Suzuki, his leg taking the brunt of the damage. Despite this very painful injury he was determined to ride in the qualifying session on Saturday. He did a fantastic lap even with his troubles and took thirteenth on the grid.

The fourteen-lap race would be a trial for Leon but he rode a superb race. Making up a number of places on the opening lap he crossed the line in seventh position. He dropped to eighth position on lap two which he held for a number of laps. Losing another place to ninth he fought back in the later stages of the race and took eighth position at the chequered flag. This was a good result for Leon and the team after the accident on Friday afternoon.

The result leaves Leon in twelfth place in the final Championship standings. Speaking after Leon said “we had a great day Friday bar the last lap of free practice two where I was lucky to walk away from the crash, I wasn’t going to let the sponsors and team down though for the last race of the season and we battled through to get a great result of eighth place. I would like to add special thanks to all the sponsors who have made this season as spectacular as it has been”

Held are pleased to support and supply Leon Jeacock and Geo E Davies & Smirk Racing. 
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Held Racer Report: Leon Jeacock, National Superstock 1000, Oulton Park

Leon and Geo E Davies & Smirk Racing returned to Oulton Park for the second time in the Pirelli National SuperStock 1000 Championship season. A real riders track that Leon enjoys and was looking to continue his recent run of good form and consolidate his top ten position in the Championship. Both free practices held on the Friday were in wet and rainy conditions. 

Leon excelled in both sessions and you could tell he was enjoying the conditions as he posted a fourth and a sixth in the respective sessions. The team and Leon were confident for the all-important qualifying session on Saturday morning. An outstanding performance by Leon saw him take tenth position on the grid for race one. Another good opportunity to score some solid points again. 

Leon in action at Oulton Park. Photo: Neil Pidduck

Making a great start in race one Leon made three places up on the opening lap and was riding well within himself and a good pace. Just off the leading group he held seventh position until late in the race when he slipped to eighth place and took eight points. 

Confident of another good result in race two bad luck struck Leon and the team. Starting eighth in race two he made another great start and was up to fifth place on lap one and looking forward to moving further up the field. Lap three Leon felt a problem with the rear of the Suzuki and was losing grip badly and as he came in the first corner on lap five Leon crashed out finishing the weekend with a DNF, a result that his efforts certainly didn't deserve. 

The final round at Brands Hatch in a months time certainly cannot come quick enough for the team to finish the season on a high. There is of course the small matter of Leon racing in the Dutch Superbike Championship very soon in Assen! 

Held are pleased to support and supply Leon Jeacock and Geo E Davies & Smirk Racing. 
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Held Racer Report: Leon Jeacock, Geo E Davies and Smirk Racing, Silverstone

Leon and the Geo E Davies & Smirk Racing Team rolled into Silverstone for the latest round of the Pirelli National SuperStock 1000 Championship. This was a weekend of considerable progress for the team and left with confidence sky-high. A change from the norm as the Silverstone National circuit was being used instead of the GrandPrix layout due to the MotoGP debacle a couple of weeks before.

Leon quickly settled into a good rhythm on the National circuit and was inside the top ten in both free practice sessions. Having found a good set up this all went out the window for the qualifying session on Saturday morning as it was held in wet conditions, however Leon put in a faultless display and took a brilliant fifth place on the grid for the first of the triple header race weekend.

Leon took a ninth place finish in race one after losing a number of places in the closing stages as his tyre started to delaminate. This problem would rear its head all weekend. Race two proved fruitful for Leon again as he battled hard and came in eleventh place gaining valuable points after more tyre issues. 

Race three was held on Sunday and once again he was in the mix and put in a gritty performance as his tyre gave up laps before the end of the race. He made it a clean sweep of points finishes in the three races by taking twelfth place.

The outstanding performance of Leon and the team over the weekend have pushed him into the Top Ten of the Championship which is well deserved. Speaking after the round Leon said “Overall it was a great weekend for the team as it showed our pace and I am happy with the results despite the tyre problems which held us back in the races.

Held are pleased to support and supply Leon Jeacock and Geo E Davies & Smirk Racing. 
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Held Racer Report: Sean Neary, Zoek Racing, Silverstone

ZOEK RACING SILVERSTONE

The two Zoek Racing riders, Sean Neary and Craig Currie were racing at Silverstone last weekend in the penultimate round of the Ducati TriOptions Cup where Neary from Lymm in Cheshire secured a sixth and third place and Currie from Newark an 11th and 12th place in the two races.

Zoek Racing's Sean Neary!

 The racing was transferred to the short National circuit at the Northamptonshire venue because of problems with the International track normally used. This was because of the problems encountered two weeks ago which caused the MotoGP round to be cancelled.

Neary completed his qualifying in fifth position and began the first 15 lap affair from a second row grid position. But he was unable to match the pace of the leaders and completed the race in sixth position.

After some considerable changes to the bike overnight Neary once again started the race from the second row and maintained sixth position on the opening lap. But then he made his move forward and took up third place on lap two. Try as he may he was unable to make a pass on Lewis Rollo and although he remained within touching distance he crossed the finish line in third place just over a second behind his rival.

He said: “I cannot thank the lads in the team enough and Lee Jackson for their help in getting the bike sorted for me which gave me a podium finish in the second race. Massive changes were made to the bike overnight and it was so much better. It was a gamble but it paid off. I was gutted on Saturday as our team deserves better but I always give 100%. Thanks go to Zoek and our amazing sponsors for their support. I must also congratulate Rob Guiver for sealing the title today. I've shared a good few podiums with this lad over the last few years and for him to come back from a career ending smash last year to win it this year is unreal.”

Meanwhile Craig Currie was in good form at Silverstone and began Saturday’s race from a fourth row grid position. He rode well to claim 12th place at the flag to pick up another four championship points.

Starting Sunday’s race from the fourth row once again Currie made up places to 11th on the opening lap and soon became embroiled in a battle for position with Paul Slade and David Shoubridge. He passed Shoubridge on lap eight and began to pull away from Slade one lap later. He looked set to finish the race in 10th position but didn’t reckon on Michael Tustin homing in on him at a fast rate of knots.

With three laps to go Tustin overtook him and Currie was left to cross the finish line in 11th position to pick up five championship points bringing his total to 22.

The final round of the current campaign is at Assen in the Netherlands over the weekend of September 28-30 when both riders will be seeking some good results to end their season on a high note

pic credit Dave Yeomans.

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Held Racer Report: Zoek Racing, Oulton Park

ZOEK RACING OULTON PARK

It was a disappointing weekend for Sean Neary at his home circuit of Oulton Park when, despite securing a podium finish in the first race, he was forced out with a technical issue in the second 10 lap affair on Monday in round three of the Ducati Performance TriOptions Cup at the Cheshire circuit. His Zoek Racing teammate Craig Currie from Newark fared much better securing two strong points finishes in the two races over the weekend.

Zoek racing's Sean Neary

Starting the first race on Sunday from a second row grid position Neary from nearby Lymm was eighth on lap one and began to make his way forward but a rider crashed on oil at Hizzy’s chicane resulting in a number of riders following suite. Luckily neither Zoek Racing rider was involved and they took their place on the grid for the restart. This time Neary got a good start and moved up into fourth place on lap two and up into third on the fourth and penultimate lap. He held his position to cross the finish line in third place to pick up

16 championship points and a place on the podium.

He said: "Great work by the Zoek Racing Team today with third place. It's been a tough start to the season but nice to get back on the podium.  This was my first race on the Maxton Suspension and can't thank them enough for all the support. Great result for Craig and both bikes in top 10. Roll on tomorrow."

Zoek racing's Sean Neary on the podium

Starting the second race from a front row grid position Neary was shuffled back a place at Old Hall Bend but moved back into third place at the end of the first lap. He fell back into the clutches of Phil Atkinson and Levi Day who both managed to make their move at Shell Oils on lap five. But Day fell back with a problem and Neary passed Atkinson to retake his third place. But on lap six his Ducati suffered a problem which forced him to retire to the pits at the end of the lap, his race over.

Neary leaves Oulton Park in 10th place in the overall rider standings on 29 points which is not where he wanted to be and he said: "The bike began to cause me problems from as early as lap two and that is why I began to drop back.  Although the technical gremlins kicked in I did try to finish the race to get a few points but it just became unmanageable and I had to pull in.

Meanwhile Craig Currie started the first encounter from the fifth row and made good progress up to 11th on the first lap. He was running in 10th place when the red flag brought the action to a halt and at the restart he got a good start and moved straight into eighth place and held station to the chequered flag at the end of the five lap affair to pick up eight championship points.

Craig Currie- a good 8th place in race 1

Starting the second race from the third row Currie again got a flying start, moving up to ninth place on the first lap. But in the final laps he was reeled in by Mark Cheetham and Louis Dawson and crossed the finish line in 12th place to earn a further four championship points bringing his total to 33 and moving him up to eighth in the rider standings after three of eight rounds.

The championship takes an eight week break now to allow for the two major road races, the North West 200 and the Isle of Man TT and they reconvene at Snetterton on July 2.

pic credit Action – Dave Yeoman, podium Bonnie Lane  #10 Sean Neary  #42 Craig Currie

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Held Racer Report: BSB Round 7, Thruxton, Leon Jeacock

The ultra-fast speed bowl circuit of Thruxton in Hampshire held the latest round of the Pirelli National Superstock1000 Championship with Black Horse for Leon and the Geo E Davies Racing team. A circuit Leon enjoys due to its high speed nature he had high hopes to carry on his great points scoring form of the last few rounds.

Free practice did not go to plan for Leon and the team as the settings they thought would offer the best performance did not meet expectations, despite this he posted a time good enough for eleventh fastest. The team set about making changes to the BMW overnight and he was confident of going faster in the two qualifying sessions to be held on the Saturday.

Qualifying one was held on Saturday morning with second qualifying to be held later in the day. The overnight modifications worked well and Leon knocked a half second off his free practice time to finish in the top twelve. The hot weather and the abrasive tarmac of the Thruxton circuit meant going faster in the heat of the afternoon would be quite an achievement, despite the conditions Leon was able to slightly improve on his time which boded well for the race.

Starting from thirteenth on the grid Leon made a good start and held his position on the first lap. Trouble hit on lap two though as the BMW jumped out of gear and he fell down to twenty sixth place after taking avoiding action and running off the track. Leon set about clawing his way back up the field, carving his way through to sixteenth place and was looking to climb into the top fifteen for another points finish, however yet again the machine jumped out of gear, although he ran off track he was able to hold onto sixteenth place at the chequered flag.

Leon said after “I am very disappointed not to carry on my good run of form, but I am looking forward to the next round at Brands Hatch on the Grand Prix layout. I like the track and am happy about the way I fought back after my off track excursions. I would like to add my great thanks to all my sponsors, family and friends for their support”.

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Held Racer Report: Leon Jeacock, National Superstock 1000

Character building weekend for Held wearer Leon

After a solid start to his campaign in the opening round at Silverstone, Leon had high hopes going into round 2 of the ‘Pirelli National Superstock1000 with Black Horse Championship’ at Oulton Park Cheshire.

However bad luck struck and he went into free practice on Saturday morning feeling decidedly under the weather after falling ill the evening before. The session was held in driving rain and the circuit was sodden. Using the conditions to gain some wet settings he brought the Geo E Davies BMW home in one piece. Qualifying one was held four hours after free practice and the fickle British weather had turned from an unsettled and wet morning to a bright and dry afternoon. Leon provisionally qualified nineteenth despite his poor health. This proved to be his starting position on the grid as qualifying two on Sunday turned out to be a total washout.

Despite everything Leon was confident of a points score in the race even starting from row seven as he said “the BMW was mega around Oulton” Going for a wet front and dry rear tyre combination, the race plan went out of the window at the first corner as he was caught up the midpack shuffle. He was pushed out wide onto the extremely wet outer edge of the track and it took some skilful manoeuvring to keep out of trouble. Ending up thirty fifth at the end of lap one Leon put his head down and set about carving through the field and gained places lap after lap. Putting in a great comeback ride he just missed out on a points finish as he crossed the finish line in sixteenth position.

Speaking after he said “I am happy after the weekend I had to come through with the result I did especially after being pushed out wide onto the dirty wet part of the track at the first corner, we showed great pace and the BMW was awesome. It's been a great team effort in trying conditions”

To learn more about Leon Jeacock please visit www.leonjeacock.co.uk

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Held Racer update: Tom Weeden - Olivers Mount Gold Cup 2015

Tom Weeden - Olivers Mount Gold Cup 2015

Tom Weeden ended his 2015 road racing campaign with a weekend of highs and lows at the International Olivers Mount Gold Cup last weekend. The rising 21 year old pure roads racer was in high spirits going into the meeting on the back of a successful two weeks out on the Isle of Man for the Manx GP, where he walked away with an 8th and 6th place finish in the Junior and Senior races and a personal best average of 118.1mph around the 37.73mile course. 

Saturday proved to be the ideal conditions for Weeden as the rain came down strong in the morning. Tom favours wet conditions around the Olivers Mount circuit as it levels out the playing field against the top TT riders on far superior machinery. John McGuiness, Bruce Anstey, Michael and William Dunlop, Ryan Farquhar, Dean Harrison, Lee Johnston and Ivan Lintin who have all either won or been on the podium in Isle of Man TT races were in attendance. Racing against the big factory backed teams, the privateer “Dad and lad” team would have their work cut out for a top 10 finish amongst an extremely high quality field of riders.

Practice boded well for Weeden as he went 3rd fastest in both the 600cc category and the practice for the main event – the Gold Cup, in very tricky wet conditions. Tom followed this up with a brilliant 2nd position in the 600cc qualifying session to place himself in the centre of the front row for the race later that day. Unfortunately he made a slight error on his final and fastest lap in the Gold Cup qualifying session running slight wide at the end of the back straight. 

He ended up in 5th missing out on 4th place by 0.1second from William Dunlop. This didn’t deter Weeden, he knew if he got off the line well he could battle it out with the big names. He still had several top class riders on 1000cc machines behind him, whereas Tom was riding his own teams 2011 spec Triumph 675 with a huge a power deficit and considerably less electronics aids. 

The rain had subsided a little by the time of the first 600 race, but wet tyres were still the only option as it remained wet under the sections of track that were covered by trees. After getting off to a decent start, Tom held 3rd place half way through the first lap. Daley Mathison crashed out of the lead at Memorial Hairpin and Tom took the opportunity in the ensuing chaos to drive past Lee Johnston who had been tangled up in the crash although remained upright himself. 

This put Weeden into the lead. It didn’t last long however as Tom took a particularly tight defensive line into the Mountside Hairpin. By over defending his line to block anyone shooting past on the inside on the brakes Tom made the already extremely tight and slow hairpin even tighter. The front tyre gave way at the apex of the corner sending Tom and his bike sliding down the track. Fortunately it was a very slow crash and both Weeden and the bike were unscathed barring a broken footpeg. 

Understandably he was quite annoyed with himself after crashing out of the lead but remained positive for the next and last race of the day – The Cock o’ the North main race that was cancelled last time at Olivers Mount due to an oil spillage covering most of the circuit.

Starting from 6th on the grid Tom didn’t make a great start and dropped a position into the first corner to demote him into 7th at the end of lap 1. On lap 2 Mark Goodings ran wide at Drurys hairpin allowing Tom to move back into 6th before closing in the other Goodings, Mick. He remained calm and passed Mick on the brakes around the outside going into Memorial bend at the end of the back straight. On the 5th lap Ivan Lintin crashed out in front of Tom promoting him into 4th position. He pulled out a gap on Mick Goodings and cruised home into a creditable 4th place which made up for the earlier disappointment in the 600 race. 

The sun came out for Sundays day of racing, which meant it would be difficult to match the pace of the TT riders on far superior machinery. The organisers decided to make the riders requalify for all races as conditions were completely different and probably also because a few of the big names hadn’t qualified for the main race. A slightly unfair decision but there was nothing Tom could do about it so had to bite his lip and forget his qualifying positions from Saturday. 

The track was still wet in places but Tom decided to run dry tyres for the 3 lap requalifier as the wet tyres would be destroyed in a couple of laps and the team simply cannot afford to do that. A few of the team riders decided to go with wets or inters and Weeden couldn’t match their pace through the wet sections of the circuit.  He went 9th fastest in the 600cc session after making an error on the final lap and running over the curb, losing a chunk of time in the process. 

In the Gold Cup qualifying session Tom felt he was being held up by the riders in front of him on lap 2 so he sat up and allowed a gap to form so he could get one fast lap in on the 3rd and final lap. Unfortunately he made a slight error going into the final Farm Bends section of track and ran onto the grass on the exit. This washed out the front end causing him to hurtle into the bushes at a fast pace. Fortunately the bushes offered a relatively soft landing and once he had crawled out of them he realised the bike wasn’t too badly damaged either. 

Full credit to the Held leathers/gloves, Daytona boots and LS2 Helmets that Weeden uses which allowed him to walk away from the high speed crash with not a single mark on him and ready to compete in the rest of the meeting. After sitting up on his 2nd lap he lost a lot of time and only posted the 15th fastest time. Despite this he had still out qualified a few of the TT superstars who were then proceeded to be slotted in front of him on the grid, again making a mockery of the whole qualifying process.  Tom was due to start the Gold Cup race in 18th position and wasn’t particularly pleased about it after originally qualifying 5th on Saturday. 

First up was the Gold Cup race, by now dry tyres were the right call with only a few wet patches remaining under the trees. Weeden needed to get off the line well from so far back and he did just that. He went into the first corner aggressively and got past several riders into turn 1.  John McGuinness then went down in front of Tom giving him an extra position and 3 laps later so did Michael Dunlop. He kept his head down and caught a pack of riders. Unfortunately with the extra power of the 1000cc bikes it made it difficult to force a pass as he lost too much time along the straights and on the torque out of the hairpins. 

Tom found himself in 12 place with one lap to go. He forced his way past Jamie Coward on the brakes into turn 1 but was too far away from the riders in front to make a move. Weeden put in his fastest lap of the race in on the last lap to pull a gap and defend his 11th position to the line, eventually taking the chequered flag with a 2 second gap to 12th position. It was a case of making the best of a bad situation after a difficult qualifying process. 

With one race left of the season, Weeden was determined to make the 600 race a good one. He got a lightning start from 9th on the grid to slot into 7th on lap 1. Dan Hegarty slotted past on the second lap to demote Tom to 8th. He remained calm and passed Mick Goodings on lap 3 to briefly return to 7th before Lee Johnston went through on the next lap. Tom couldn’t match the pace of Johnston who quickly got away but clung on for long enough to bridge the gap that had formed to Dan Hegarty in front.  

Tom passed Hegarty and Bruce Anstey to move into 6th at the end of lap 5. The pack was starting to draw in William Dunlop and James Cowton in front for the battle for 4th. Unfortunately for Tom, Hegarty made a brave pass on him on the brakes into turn 1 causing him to sit up mid corner and lose a bit of time. 

Weeden tried to chase Hegarty down but wasn’t close enough on the last lap and had to settle for 7th place. He was happy enough with the result considering the class of the field, but felt a top 5 could have been possible. 

That’s the season complete for Tom. He is still undecided on whether to compete at the Manx GP again and go for glory or move up to the TT and also the Ulster GP. Ultimately it all relies on funding but wherever he ends up he’d  like to secure a ride on a Supertwin bike for the 2016 to add to the track time available at race meetings. One thing’s for sure, he’ll be back at the Olivers Mount circuit that he loves where he is hoping to secure more podium finishes. 

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Held Race News: Trayler 2nd at Brands

TRAYLER CELEBRATES PODIUM FINISH FOR MSS COLCHESTER KAWASAKI 

Jesse Trayler celebrated his first podium finish of his 2015 Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship at his home round of Brands Hatch last weekend, claiming a hard-fought second place, missing out on the win by just 0.0678s.

Jesse Trayler celebrates 2nd place

Jesse had got off to a flying start from the second row of the grid and was posting consistent times to hold third as ahead of him the leading pair in the standings, Alastair Seeley and Josh Elliot were scrapping for the lead. This gave Jesse the opportunity he needed and he closed the deficit over the closing laps and in a position to pick up the pieces.

Jesse was determined to hold on to his podium finish and looked set to claim third until Elliot crashed out on the final corner, promoting him to second place for his first podium finish of the season.

Trayler said: “We have been building up some good momentum leading up to Brands Hatch GP at the previous two rounds with good results. The weekend got off to a good start in practice and after qualifying fifth on the grid we knew we had a good pace for the race on Sunday. Myself and Mike at K-Tech worked really well to get the handling better after each session with just a few changes over the weekend, and for the race the bike was really consistent the whole way through.

Jesse Trayler on his way to second in the National Superstock 1000

“I got another good start and was up into fourth. The first few laps were banzai with some really strong lap times coming straight away. I was happy to hold third place strongly the whole way through unbeknown to me that I actually had a big gap over fourth come the end when I kept seeing +0 on the pit board!

“The last few laps were exciting as Alastair (Seeley) and Josh (Elliot) started to come back to me and I was catching them at quite a rate due to them tripping one another up battling for the lead. It was just out of reach for me on the final lap to be in a position to do anything about them and I think it was just as well I kept my nose clean with Josh sadly crashing out on the final corner on the last lap.

“We have been in the top five the past two meetings and it was so nice to finally top it off this weekend with a strong finish and my first podium in the Superstock 1000 class for MSS Colchester Kawasaki. It is so nice to repay everyone with this result for their hard work and commitment to get to this level now and be up the front, and I feel I can continue to do so.”

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Held Race News: TRAYLER CELEBRATES SEASON BEST RESULT AT SNETTERTON

TRAYLER CELEBRATES SEASON BEST RESULT AT SNETTERTON 

Jesse Trayler had his strongest result in the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship season so far at his home round of Snetterton yesterday (Sunday), scoring a hard-fought sixth place for the MSS Colchester Kawasaki team.

Jesse Trayler: Stunning Sixth at Snetterton

Trayler has been building momentum all season with his new team and in free practice the team worked hard to be ready to battle for the front two rows in qualifying on Saturday. A determined performance from Trayler and the team rewarded them a second row start and just 0.1 seconds adrift of the front row.

In the race Trayler was battling for the podium in the early stages with the leading pack, proving he has the pace to be fighting within the top five. A consistent end to the race gave the team and Trayler their best result of the season so far with fifth place that now moves them to sixth in the overall standings ahead of Knockhill in two weeks’ time.

Trayler said: “The weekend at Snetterton was just what myself and the team needed. We were instantly on the pace straight from qualifying one and I missed out on my maiden front row start by just 0.1, so that was a massive step forward for me as I've never been a good qualifier.

“The race got off very well with another good start and I was up to second on the first lap. It was good to hang with the two front boys for a bit before losing out down the two long straights by various BMWs!

“I've had a brilliant weekend and restored a lot of belief and confidence in my ability that I can run up the front. I think as a rider I turned a little corner last weekend and I cannot thank Nick (Morgan) and the boys at MSS Colchester Kawasaki enough for giving me the right tools for the job - the bike was faultless all weekend. I'm looking forward to Knockhill now and getting stuck in with it again!”

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NEWS: Burns Back On The Podium.

Latest BSB National Superstock 1000 news from Held wearing racer Joe Burns:
 

The team arrived in Donington Park highly motivated from the last result at Silverstone and with the determination to maintain the progress made with the performance of Joe and the bike. 

Free practice took place in dry and bright conditions and despite a traction control problem Joe ended the session 4th quickest with a gap to the top position of 1.274 seconds, the team used the time between free practice and Q1 to locate and fix the issues with the traction control. Qualifying 1 was completed with Joe in 5th position, but more importantly closer to provisional pole, the gap being just 0.865 seconds.
Qualifying 2 was run in cloudy but dry conditions and once again Joe was 5th quickest, the combined results of Q1 and Q2 left Joe in 5th with a gap to pole 1.226 seconds, but more importantly grid positions 2 to 5 were covered by just 0.392 seconds! A close race was in prospect.

Podium for Joe at Donington- photo courtesy of Jon Jessop Photography

In the race Joe achieved a great start and jumped straight into 4th place which he held through the first corner, at which point the race leader made a mistake and fell off, elevating Joe to 3rd. As the race developed it was clear that the leading trio of O’Halloran, Jenkinson and Burns were pulling away from the rest, however Lee Jackson made a big effort to catch the pack and on Lap 9 he managed to slip past Joe, however this swop of positions lasted only one lap, Joe retook 3rd place and showed his race craft by defending and maintaining the place for the last laps of the race. 

After the race Joe said’ “This is a great result for me, the team and all my sponsors, particularly JG Speedfit, Refresh Recovery and EACS, the season did not start as well for me as I had hoped but we have put in a lot of work, and today is the result of that effort. It was a good race for me and I enjoyed myself hugely, there was no way I was going to let Lee Jackson past me again, once in 3rd it was my place! I leave here really excited about the last races of the season.” 

With this result Joe now lies 7th in the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship.
The next race takes place at Silverstone 5th October.

To see more about Held motorcycle clothing and accessories in the UK please visit www.held-uk.co.uk, online catalogue too!

Talan Skeels-Piggins Castle Combe Report

Talan enjoying the sun and getting focussed

The weekend of 21/22 June saw Talan Racing attend the two day motorcycle race meeting at Castle Combe, with North Gloucester Road Racing (NGRR). The circuit has special meaning to Talan as it was the venue that saw him get back on a motorcycle having been paralysed. The staff and instructors helped Talan to overcome the difficulties that paralysis has for riding two wheels, then it became home to The Bike Experience charity in 2011.

Saturday began with a much needed free practice. Due to time constraints and work commitments, the Team had not been able to make a track day at the circuit to sort out gearing, set up and re-acquaint themselves with the whole layout. Within a few laps, Talan had remembered his way around and was dropping in lap times. The plan was to try and get as close to the previous years lap times as possible. At the same race last year, Talan had been doing regular track days and his confidence was high. This year is all about rebuilding that confidence after the near fatal accident last August.

The weekend had a number of positives for the Team. The first was a two day meeting at the circuit and the second was that NGRR had allowed Talan to race in the Pre-Injection 700’s & 1300’s as well, which meant another possible four races. He wouldn’t be scoring any points in the extra races, but it was valuable experience in starts and racing against more powerful machines.

In all the races on Saturday, Talan proved to be quick off the mark and quick on the opening lap. In one race alone he managed to overtake 15 other bikes on the first lap, something that surprised the riders and officials alike. The same went for Sunday, with lap times coming down to the 1min 25.8sec best set last year, and then dropping into the low 1.25’s before finally being taken to 1min 24.2sec. Confidence has certainly been restored!

Talan and his Performance of the meeting award

The performance put in by Talan and the Team was recognised by the officials of the NGRR with the ‘Performance of the Meeting’ Award being presented to Talan after the final Minitwin race of the weekend. Another bonus from the weekend was the appearance, at the Talan Racing tent, of none other than John McGuiness, who popped in to chat with Talan and find out a little bit more about the bike and how someone who’s paralysed can still ride.

John McGuinness and Talan talking bikes

Talan Skeels-Piggins is the only paraplegic solo motorcycle racer in the UK. Talan founded The Bike Experience- which gets disabled people back on to two wheels. www.tbex.co.uk. Talan wears Held Rider Equipment.

One of our coolest Summer Retro leather jackets :)

The Held 'Harvey', has that awesome retro look!  Ready for summer riding and leisurely times off the bike, the jacket is vented and comes equipped with highly effective, subtle protective D3O armour. the jacket is lovely soft cowhide, ultra comfy the FIRST time you slip it on.

The Held 'Harvey' retro leather jacket- super cool!

Super-cool details! The perfect marriage of style and motorcycle function! This is simply a great looking jacket: A slightly worn look to make it real from 'Day 1'; This jacket keeps you safe on the bike and it's got the looks for on and off the bike.

Another colour choice of the the Held 'Harvey' leather motorcycle jacket

Technical info:

Outer Shell:
• Soft cowhide
Lining:
• 100% polyester inner lining
Fit/Features:
• 4 external pockets
• 2 inner pockets
• Zips also adjust ventilation
• Soft collar
• Stone-washed look
• Hip adjustment
Protection:
• Revolutionary EN 1621-1 CE-approved D3O adaptive shoulder & elbow protection
• Special foam padding at back
• Optional EN 1621-2 back protector
• Connecting zip

Another colour choice of the the Held 'Harvey' leather motorcycle jacket

To see more of the UK range for Held and a list of UK retailers please visit www.held-uk.co.uk

British Electric Motorcycle Land Speed Record set by Held wearers

SAIETTA AND DARVILL RACING SET THE FIRST BRITISH ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE LAND SPEED RECORD

Saietta R demonstrates top performance and sets benchmark for electric road motorcycles:

The first British Electric Motorcycle Land Speed Record set by Saietta and Darvill Racing – a British made motorcycle and a British race team. 

New British Land Speed Record for Darvill Racing and Saietta

The Record was set at British National Records event at Elvington Airfield In Yorkshire on 17th May 2014.

Darvill Racing, a British racing team, have been successfully racing since 1960s and is now enjoying a resurgence.

Saietta R is one of the world’s leading British premium electric urban sports motorcycle brands, designed and made in London.

British electric urban sports motorcycle brand, Saietta R, in partnership with Darvill Racing, made history today by setting the first ACU sanctioned British Land Speed Record for electric motorcycles for the ‘Yorkshire Mile’ at British National Records event at Elvington Airfield in Yorkshire. Saietta R production model achieved its top speed of 101 mph when it made the record. Agility Motors has designed the Saietta R from the ground up, with the mission to create the most rewarding urban sports motorcycle experience and is developing a race bike model which will achieve record-setting speeds.

Well done!! 


To see The Held range of motorcycle equipment and clothing please click here

One piece look from a two piece suit- Held Yagusa

If you love the look, fit and safety of one-piece motorcycle leathers but often wish they could 'split' in the middle for convenience then the Held Yagusa is worth a look!

It's a race-spec two piece suit, based on Held's famous 'Slade' one-piece suit- as seen at race circuits and on the roads!

The Held Yagusa- in Black, Black/White, Black/White/Red RRP £899.99

The Yagusa is priced at £899.99 and offers excellent value for money. Take a look at the features:

Outer shell
• kangaroo leather (approx. 40%) / cowhide

Lining
• 3D comfort foam (100% polyester)
• breathable mesh inner lining (100% polyester)

Fit/features
• 2 inner pockets
• KEVLAR stretch panels at arm, crotch & back of knee
• stretch leather panels at knees, back & shoulders
• knee sliders
• front air-vent zipper
• cuff in stretch material

Protection
• EN 1621-1 CE-approved SAS-TEC 3D
shoulder & elbow protectors
• exclusive EN 1621-1 CE-approved Held cloverleaf SAS-TEC knee protectors
• titanium protectors on shoulders, elbows & knees
• double stitched
• KEVLAR stretch panels at under- and inner arms, crotch & calves
• double leather reinforcement on seat
• optional austauschbar mit CE Protektor Art. 9316
• EN 1621-1 approved SAS-TEC 3D protection on hips
• EN 1621-2 CE-approved SAS-TEC back protector
• SAS-TEC coccyx protection
• Velcro for optional breast protector, art. 9280
• hard plastic reinforcement at forearm
‘engineered by Skill Skin track performance’

Sizes
48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60
only in black 01 in stocky: 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
only in black 01 and black-white 14 in slim:
98, 102, 106, 110, 114

The Held Yagusa two piece motorcycle leather suit

With words such as 'Kangaroo', 'Kevlar',  'Titanium' and 'SAS-TEC' you can already see the value for money. The feel and fit of the suit as well oozes quality and is super comfortable. The jacket and trousers zip together to complete the one-piece feel. It's great though to be able to take the jacket off if you need to!!

To see the Yagusa in our online catalogue you'll need flash player and to navigate to page 24 here

For a list of UK stockists of Held please click here

The Held Slade suit- one piece perfection...

The Held 1-Piece leather motorcycle race suit 'Slade'- as seen at the British Superbikes! (and on UK roads too ;) ).  40% Kangaroo leather and 60% cowhide: together this makes for less overall weight. Titanium protective inserts on shoulders, elbows & knees. Perforated leather front. Integral 2-piece SAS-Tec back protection, as well as SAS-Tec protection on hips, shoulder, elbows and knees. 3D comfort airtec lining and front venting panel for the paddock time, or walking around at bike meets. 

Slade one-piece leather motorcycle suit from Held- RRP £899.99

 
Outer shell
 
• kangaroo leather (approx. 40%) / cowhide
Lining
• 3D comfort foam (100% polyester)
• breathable mesh inner lining (100% polyester)

Fit/features

• 2 inner pockets
• schoeller KEVLAR stretch panels at arm, crotch & back of knee
• stretch leather panels at knees, back & shoulders
• perforated leather panels
• aerodynamic racing hump
• knee sliders
• front air-vent zipper
• cuff in stretch material

8 times World Champion Phil Read in his Held Slade suit

 Protection
 
• EN 1621-1 CE-approved SAS-TEC 3D shoulder & elbow protectors
• exclusive EN 1621-1 CE-approved Held cloverleaf SAS-TEC knee protectors
• EN 1621-1 approved SAS-TEC 3D protection on hips
• EN 1621-2 CE-approved SAS-TEC back protector
• certified coccyx protector
• titanium protectors on shoulders, elbows & knees
• double stitched
• KEVLAR stretch panels at under- and inner arms, crotch & calves
• double leather reinforcement on seat
• optional austauschbar mit CE Protektor Art. 9316
• Velcro for optional breast protector, art. 9280
• hard plastic reinforcement at forearm
‘engineered by Skill Skin track performance'

Colours
 
black
black-red
black-white
black-fluorescent yellow

Or why not try our made to measure service if you're in the UK? Choose your own spec, colours, have numbers / names put on.. email guy@held-uk.co.uk if you want to know more!

For more information on Held Rider Equipment and a list of stockists please visit www.held-uk.co.uk