It’s all about the bike at bennetts.co.uk

Bennetts, the nation’s favourite motorcycle insurance provider, has launched a complete web experience for bikers through a refreshed website. The new look site at www.bennetts.co.uk follows the new gritty creative direction for the brand, bringing the site in line with the newly launched look and feel running through all brand activity with the strapline, ‘It’s all about the bike’.

As well as offering motorcycle, moped and scooter insurance online, there is now a new interactive section ‘For the Biking’. For those who are into everything bike there are image and video galleries, the ever popular Bennetts Babes, games, competitions, a complete 2008 race calendar and RSS feeds for all the latest biking news. There is also a specialist motorcycle route planner, screensavers, links to all the most popular social networking sites and many other resources for bike owners including links to training schools.

From this month, visitors to the site will also be able to see a behind the scenes video diary from Bennetts-sponsored World Champion James Toseland, which is exclusive to Bennetts and will be posted on bennetts.co.uk as a series across the 2008 season. The diary will be the only way to keep up with Toseland’s news and views as he tackles his first season in the top motorcycle racing series, MotoGP.

Mark Fells, Bennetts’ Marketing Director explains, ‘Bennetts has a passion for everything biking. We were the first company to offer online bike insurance quotes and we’re constantly looking for new ways to improve our products so bikers get a better deal. The new site offers an excellent consumer experience and a quick insurance quote as well as providing much more new and exciting content for bike lovers.’

For further information please contact Joanne Cooper on 01733 374690, email joanne.cooper@bennetts.co.uk or visit bennetts.co.uk

Toseland takes Bennetts behind the scenes

MotoGP enthusiasts and James Toseland fans will be able to access exclusive behind the scenes video footage of the British contender starting from next week. Following the opening race at Qatar on Sunday 9 March, James will film a personal diary piece for sponsor Bennetts, which will be broadcast on www.bennetts.co.uk and with media partner www.motorcyclenews.com

Each clip of diary footage will be a personal and informal chat with the 27-year-old about his progress on his debut in the MotoGP Championship. Bennetts – the nation’s favourite bike insurance provider – wanted to provide more personal access to Britain’s only contender throughout the 2008 season. The diary will chart James’s highs and lows from his own perspective and give viewers a true insight into the person inside the helmet.

2008 is a crucial year for the double World Superbike Champion as he tries to succeed in a career move where several other British contenders have previously failed. On testing reports and determination alone, the Yorkshireman is already being hailed as the next Barry Sheene and the most successful motorcycle racing figure of his generation.

James is hoping to make history with every race of the season and the Bennetts video diary will enable fans to witness and commemorate what could be some of motorcycling’s most important events.

“I’m really excited about doing the video diary,” says James. “It’s really special to be able to talk direct to the fans in my own words about my successes and frustrations. I’d like to thanks Bennetts for making this happen and I hope that people enjoying watching the clips.”

“James is already a popular rider and the interest in him seems to be growing enormously as he fast approaches his MotoGP race debut,” says Bennetts Marketing Director Mark Fells. “We wanted to use our privileged position as a personal sponsor to give something back to our customers and all motorcycle racing enthusiasts. There is no better way to chart James’ progress than through his own thoughts and words.”

For further information or to view the James Toseland video diary please visit www.bennetts.co.uk/biking/james-toseland/jt-video.asp

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For further information please contact Rebecca Brocklesby on 01652 680060 or email rebecca@rbplimited.co.uk

Bennetts continues to back British race series

The world’s leading domestic Superbike series will continue to be known as the Bennetts British Superbike Championship for the fourth consecutive year. The nation’s favourite bike insurance provider has agreed a title sponsorship deal with new championship rights holders MotorSport Vision.

Bennetts Marketing Director Mark Fells believes that its new relationship with Jonathan Palmer’s MotorSport Vision group will push the sponsorship further and provide a solid partnership for future success.

In addition to the circuit branding, event hospitality and ever popular Bennetts Babes, BSB fans will see the introduction of two Bennetts branded Buell course bikes which will accompany the safety car on its sighting laps ahead of every race.

Niall Mackenzie will be a guest rider for one of the 1125Rs course bikes at four key events across the season, the first being at the opening round at Brands Hatch on 4-6 April. The former British Superbike Champion will provide pillion rides for celebrities and competition winners at Cadwell Park, Donington Park and both Brands Hatch race days.

“The future for the Bennetts British Superbike Championship looks extremely promising,” says Mark. “We’re really excited about our additional sponsorship activities to further increase the value of the series, such as having James Toseland present at key events. We’re looking forward to a successful partnership with MotorSport Vision and hope that we can help to further boost the profile and support within the series.”

Jonathan Palmer, Chief Executive, MotorSport Vision comments: “I am delighted that Bennetts will be continuing as the title sponsor of the 2008 British Superbike Championship. BSB provides the greatest promotional platform for any bike related product in the UK and as the leading provider of bike insurance, Bennetts have confirmed their confidence in MSV’s determination to make a great sport even bigger.”

The deal also strengthens Bennetts’ involvement in motorcycle racing sponsorship. The insurance provider has already confirmed its series sponsorship of the 2008 World Superbike Championship including title sponsorship of the two British events and its personal sponsorship of MotoGP contender James Toseland is ongoing this year.

A new initiative launched this week also enables Bennetts to further extend its support of motorcycle racing at all levels. The Grass Roots referral scheme offers the potential for all motorcycle racers to increase their annual budget by encouraging friends, family and supporters to take out insurance policies with Bennetts via their own website or social networking pages.

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For further information please contact Rebecca Brocklesby on 01652 680060 or email rebecca@rbplimited.co.uk

Bennetts is a trading name of BISL Limited, Pegasus House, Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, Peterborough, PE2 6YS. Registered in England No. 3231094.

BISL Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.