Don tests the Indian FTR1200 - with Moore Speed Racing, Poole

Today, I took some time out of the office to visit Colin Moore & his colleagues at Moore Speed Racing in Poole. A great day to do ~100 miles: fine dry weather!

I love going to bike shops, playing with new toys (buying them too!). Usually the guys & gals who work in bike shops are nice peeps. Colin & his colleagues at Moore Speed have just raised the bar! Everyone who I chatted with (maybe a dozen people) was friendly, polite & helpful. Moore Speed have a fantastic selection of new & used bikes, upgrades, parts & clothing. Their engineering facilities are especially impressive - from bike customisation to bespoke product machining!

I was really impressed with the Indian FTR1200. Colin had two demo bikes: a standard stock machine (which I rode & loved) & his own one which had the entire toy shop thrown at it (stunning!). The FTR that I rode was a lot of fun! When most people think of an American motorcycle, they think Harley. This isn't a Harley! It is compact, sporty - most definitely not a cruiser! Powerful - with a V-Twin 1200cc engine. Crack the throttle & the response is immediate. Handling is light & dynamic, with superb road-holding. Build quality is great, finish is lovely.

So, to sum up. If you are around Poole, or just fancy a trip to the south coast - visit Moore Speed Racing for a real treat. If you are undecided about your next bike, do checkout the FTR - it's a truly superb machine - I'd love one. Here are some pix from my visit, including my lovely tin mug which reads "Indian Test Rider" :0).

www.moorespeedracing.co.uk

MOTs set to resume in England, Scotland and Wales from 1 August

On 30 March, drivers were granted a 6-month exemption from MOT testing. Lockdown restrictions are easing, and all drivers with an MOT due from 1 August are being urged to book an MOT test. This is a legal requirement.

Drivers who have an MOT test due before 1 August will still be granted the 6-month extension. For example, if your MOT is due on 31 July, it’ll be extended to 31 January 2021.

But even if your vehicle is exempt, you should take it to the garage immediately if you notice something wrong. You can still be prosecuted for driving an unsafe vehicle. A few garages UK-wide remained open during the outbreak to conduct essential repairs. Now, 90% of garages are open across the country.

Roads Minister Baroness Vere said: “As people return to our roads, it is vital that motorists are able to keep their vehicles safe. That’s why as restrictions are eased, from 1 August MOT testing will again become mandatory. Garages across the country are open and I urge drivers who are due for their MOT to book a test as soon they can.”

If you’re vulnerable or self-isolating and your car needs a repair or your MOT is due, contact your local garage. They may be offering safe pick-up and drop-off services.

Check out our MOT checklist for some tips to keep your car roadworthy. If you’re not sure when your MOT is due, take a look at our MOT checker.

www.confused.com

Ex-Norton CEO ordered to repay £14 million

The former CEO of Norton Motorcycles, Stuart Garner, has been ordered to repay approximately £14 million to three pensions funds he controlled in a ruling by the Pensions Ombudman. 

As the BMF has previously reported, Mr Garner failed to appear at a public hearing held by the Pensions Ombudsman on February 13th to investigate complaints made about the three pension schemes – the Commando 2012 Pension Scheme, Donington MC Pension Scheme and Dominator 2012 Pension Scheme – which were affected by the collapse of Norton. It is understood that money belonging to more than 200 savers was lost. 

The Pensions Ombudsman upheld a number of complaints, and ruled that Mr Garner “acted dishonestly and in breach of his duty” and that maladministration had occurred. He was ordered to pay the money back with interest, and payments to recognise the “distress and inconvenience” of the applicants who brought the complaints were also ordered.   

This is not the first ruling the Pensions Ombudsman has made regarding Mr Garner. In an earlier ruling about the Commando 2012 pension scheme, the Ombudsman sharply criticised Mr Garner as being in “dereliction of his duties as trustee” and said that “I find his behaviour inexcusable.”  

www.bmf.co.uk

Olympus quits camera business after 84 years

Olympus, once one of the world's biggest camera brands, is selling off that part of its business after 84 years. The firm said that despite its best efforts, the "extremely severe digital camera market" was no longer profitable.

The arrival of smartphones, which had shrunk the market for separate cameras, was one major factor, it said. It had recorded losses for the last three years.

Surely everyone had an Olympus Trip, and "lusted" after an OM-10. 

A sad day for photography buffs :0(

www.bbc.co.uk

Amazon (finally!) establishes new Counterfeit Crimes Unit

Amazon is launching a new Counterfeit Crimes Unit, dedicated to bringing counterfeiters attempting to list counterfeit products in its store to justice. The global team, made up of former federal prosecutors, experienced investigators, and data analysts, will support the company's substantial efforts already underway to protect its store from counterfeits.

Amazon’s primary focus continues to be in preventing a counterfeit from ever being listed in its store. In 2019, Amazon invested over $500 million and had more than 8,000 employees fighting fraud and abuse, including counterfeit. Amazon’s efforts have blocked over 2.5 million suspected bad actor accounts before they were able to make a single product available for sale and blocked over 6 billion suspected bad listings in 2019. However, it’s critical that Amazon, brands, and law enforcement also go on the offensive and hold counterfeiters accountable for their crimes.

"Every counterfeiter is on notice that they will be held accountable to the maximum extent possible under the law, regardless of where they attempt to sell their counterfeits or where they’re located," said Dharmesh Mehta, Vice President, Customer Trust and Partner Support, Amazon. "We are working hard to disrupt and dismantle these criminal networks, and we applaud the law enforcement authorities who are already part of this fight. We urge governments to give these authorities the investigative tools, funding, and resources they need to bring criminal counterfeiters to justice because criminal enforcement—through prosecution and other disruption measures such as freezing assets—is one of the most effective ways to stop them."

The Counterfeit Crimes Unit enables Amazon to more effectively pursue civil litigation against suspected criminals, work with brands in joint or independent investigations, and aid law enforcement officials worldwide in criminal actions against counterfeiters. Amazon welcomes the partnership of brands and law enforcement in the shared objective of stopping counterfeiters and holding them accountable.

blog.aboutamazon.com

Reading for today: on living a good life - as an end in itself

The idea of reaching “a good life” without Christ is based on a double error. Firstly, we cannot do it; and secondly, in setting up “a good life” as our final goal, we have missed the very point of our existence. 

Morality is a mountain which we cannot climb by our own efforts; and if we could we should only perish in the ice and unbreathable air of the summit, lacking those wings with which the rest of the journey has to be accomplished. For it is from there that the real ascent begins. The ropes and axes are “done away” and the rest is a matter of flying.

By: C.S. Lewis

From: God in the Dock

Zoom to offer end-to-end encryption free to everyone

Zoom CEO Eric Yuan announced in a blog post Wednesday that Zoom is extending its end-to-end encryption (E2EE) offering to all Zoom account holders.

Zoom released the first draft of its E2EE plan in late May as part of a response to criticism of its security flaws, which became public as Zoom signups skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The initial plan for end-to-end encryption on Zoom was reserved to paid customers only, a choice that Zoom explained as allowing it to cooperate with law enforcement investigations into fraudulent free accounts.

Pressure on Zoom hasn't let up: More than half a million accounts have been found for sale on the Dark Web, a third of Zoom users have concerns over privacy issues, and Zoom faced criticism for recently blocking the accounts of Chinese Zoom users holding memorial vigils for the Tiananmen Square massacre despite the fact that the users were located outside of China (the accounts have since been unblocked).

www.techrepublic.com