Introducing MV Agusta F4 LH44

Three Time F1 World Champion, Lewis Hamilton, and MV Agusta have collaborated to design a brand new bike, the F4 LH44. This partnership follows the success of their first project on the Dragster RR LH.

The F4 LH44 is an offshoot of the F4 RC which is derived directly from the MV Agusta
Reparto Corse Superbike, the pinnacle of Italian 4-cylinder performance. Hence, the Corsa
Corta engine (bore 79 mm, stroke 50.9 mm) with central timing chain and radial valves,
which on this version puts out a maximum power of 205 hp (151 kW). The bike comes with
a kit that includes a titanium silencer and dedicated control unit, boosting power by 7 hp
to 212 hp (158 kW). It also features Lewis Hamilton's eye-catching Panther logo.

“I am very excited to continue my partnership with MV Agusta. I love working with
Giovanni and the guys at MV Agusta, their passion for engineering and attention to detail
produces stunning, original looking bikes. My projects with MV Agusta are a great way to
combine my love of riding bikes with my interest in creative design process so I am very
much involved with the CRC design team throughout.

I am particularly excited to introduce my new bike, the F4 LH44. It looks quite stunning
and I had the pleasure of riding on track a few weeks ago in Italy, it feels great and combines
the best of both worlds, a race bike for the road! There will be 44 bikes produced
so I hope the lucky owners will love it as much as I do”. (Lewis Hamilton)

The customisation that led to the creation of the F4 LH44 was based on a continuous,
direct, dialogue between the British Formula 1 champion and the CRC (Castiglioni
Research Center) workshop where every MV Agusta takes shape. Ideas, suggestions,
preferences, perception: the creative process was long, with attention paid to the bike's
every last detail. Each individual idea was meticulously assessed and checked in terms of
its feasibility, flair and functionality. Thorough analysis and creative comparison have made
the F4 LH44 much more than just a custom project: it is, rather, an unprecedented, unrepeatable
interpretation of the F4.

The first distinctive feature is the colour scheme, the result of close teamwork with Lewis
Hamilton. The candy apple red fairing and pearl white chassis makes an elegant impact,
enhancing the sensational design of the F4 and highlighting this Italian Superbike Replica's racing pedigree. This red colouring, one of many unique features on the F4 LH44,
is achieved with an exclusive, premium technique that uses ink-based paints as opposed
to traditional colour bases. The pearl white that cloaks the TIG-welded hand-built CrMo
steel trellis frame was also chosen for the sophisticated detail of the lower front fairing.
A touch of dynamism that unites the black graphics along the fairing and continues in the
sub-fairing and onto the tail section.

With the F4 LH44, the quest for a refined colour scheme extends to the suspension setup
that boasts premium suspension components: an Öhlins USD NIX 30 TiN-coated fork
- which offers separately adjustable hydraulic response in compression (left tube) and
rebound (right tube), plus pre-load - and an Öhlins TTX 36 rear shock with piggyback
reservoir, which, again, can be mechanically adjusted. The colour of the fork and rear
shock further heighten the uniqueness of the F4 LH44; the striking black anodized fork
outer tubes are the result of a specific agreement with Öhlins. Let's not forget that this
Swedish company has made gold outer tubes one of its hallmarks. The rear spring and
shock reservoir are also black, enhancing the sense of exclusivity.

The seat, which retains the much-appreciated racing ergonomics seen on the F4 RC, is
hand made using top quality materials such as natural leather and Alcantara, a winning
combination on a par with the very best automotive craftsmanship.

Colour continues to play a starring role on the engine. All-black, right down to its select,
lightweight magnesium alloy parts, it offers at-a-glance panache and a real racing feel.
The smoked screen - a first for an F4 production model - polishes the front end styling to
perfection. Extensive use of carbon fibre in components such as the main fairing sections
makes for a lightweight bike that boasts outstanding visual gusto thanks to an alternating
gloss-matt paint pattern, just one of the many unique features on the F4 LH44.

Dedicated components include a racing-style fuel cap, forged wheels and unique
items such as the rear wheel nut which, on the F4 LH44, has been CNC machined
after anodization.

Making the MV Agusta F4 LH44 even more exclusive are the Pirelli DIABLO™ Supercorsa
SP tyres (120/70 ZR 17 at the front and 200/55 ZR 17 at the rear), specifically designed by
Pirelli for the 44 edition of the F4 Lewis Hamilton bikes. These special-edition Pirelli DIABLO™ Supercorsa SP tyres stand out for their red sidewalls, which sport the LH44 logo, comprising Hamilton's initials and race number. Given the exclusiveness of the bike,
the tyres just had to be Pirelli DIABLO™ Supercorsa SPs, road-approved tyres that offer
outstanding racetrack performance.

MV Agusta F4 LH44: 44 times exclusive.

New bio marks 40th anniversary of Meat Loaf’s iconic album, Bat Out of Hell!

"I never wanted to be a big star. I just wanted to be the biggest at what I do! Powerful, unstoppable, heavy – when that word still meant something good!" – Meat Loaf, as told to Mick Wall

Like a Bat Out of Hell: The Larger than Life Story of Meat Loaf by Mick Wall will be published by Hachette Australia on 14 November 2017, Trade Paperback $32.99 eBook RRP $16.99

October 2017 marks the 40th anniversary of the release of Meat Loaf's iconic album Bat Out of Hell. Adored by rock fans and musicians alike, Bat Out of Hell has sold 12 million records in the UK alone, with 29 million in America and 25 million platinum albums in Australia, more than any artist on record. And on 14 November Hachette Australia will publish Mick Wall's blockbuster new book Like a Bat Out of Hell: The Larger than Life Story of Meat Loaf.

Mick Wall interviewed Meat Loaf on numerous occasions throughout his career, and in Like a Bat Out of Hell he pulls back the curtains to reveal the soft-hearted soul behind the larger-than-life character Meat Loaf created for himself. From a tumultuous childhood with an alcoholic father to the relentless abusive bullying from classmates and their parents alike, nobody could have predicted Meat Loaf's meteoric rise to fame. But when the messianic rock opera Bat Out of Hell was released in 1977, it became one of the biggest albums of all time, selling over 45 million copies worldwide to date. Its release marked the start of a rollercoaster ride of incredible highs and seemingly career-ending lows. By the 80s, Meat Loaf was battling with drug and alcohol addiction and escalating money problems that would eventually lead to a nervous breakdown. But just when it seemed like it was all over, the astonishing success of Bat Out of Hell II and the mega-hit 'I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)' marked an extraordinary new wave of success.

Like a Bat Out of Hell will draw on the hours Mick spent with Meat Loaf, both in interviews and on tour, as well as offering up a unique insight from those who have known him best. Mick is the bestselling king of rock bios, with some of his iconic works including bestselling titles on Led Zeppelin (When Giants Walked the Earth), Metallica (Enter Night), AC/DC (Hell Ain't a Bad Place To Be), Black Sabbath (Symptom of the Universe), Lou Reed, The Doors (Love Becomes a Funeral Pyre), the Foo Fighters, Lemmy, Prince and Guns n' Roses (Last of the Giants).

www.hachette.com.au

Lonely Planet's 'Epic Drives of the World'

Lonely Planet Explores the World's Most Thrilling Road Trips with Epic Drives of the World

Six Australian Road Trips Showcased

50 Classic Driving Routes * Six Continents * 200 Ideas for Great Drives

Buckle up for a lifetime of memorable road trips this August, with the publication of Lonely Planet's Epic Drives of the World.

This beautifully illustrated hardcover book is the second instalment in Lonely Planet's Epic series (following last year's best-selling Epic Bike Rides of the World).  It features 50 classic driving routes across the world (from Argentina to Zambia), and 200 ideas for great drives - ranging from easy-going cruises to back-country adventures.

Australia is represented by six driving routes highlighted in the chapters "The Great Ocean Road", "A Short Hop from Hobart to Queenstown", "Across The Kimberley: The Gibb River Road", "Following the Captain Cook Highway", "The Great Alpine Road", and "The Track: Alice Springs to Darwin".

"This book is intended to offer fresh inspiration for your next road trip," Lonely Planet says.  "We have routes written and ridden by motorcyclists and even a tour of Northern California by electric vehicle. A few of these drives take a day but others can be enjoyed over a weekend, a week or more."

"What they have in common," Lonely Planet continues, "is that the road tripper is always independent. Want to take a detour (and we suggest some gems) or stay an extra day? Go right ahead. It's all about the journey. Driving a car need not be a mode of transport that insulates you from your surroundings: if you stop regularly, explore, encounter local people and their culture, you'll have as rich and rewarding an experience as you could hope for."

How to Use Lonely Planet's Epic Drives of the World

The main stories in each regional chapter feature first-hand accounts of fantastic drives in that continent. Each includes a fact-box to start the planning of a trip – when is the best time of year, how to get there, where to stay. But beyond that, these stories should spark other ideas. We've started that process with the 'more like this' section following each story, which offers other ideas along a similar theme, not necessarily on the same continent. Drives are colour coded according to difficulty, which takes into account not just how long, remote and challenging they are but the logistics and local conditions. The index collects different types of drive for a variety of interests.

LONELY PLANET'S EPIC DRIVES OF THE WORLD

Published 3 August 2017 / 328pp, full colour, H260mm x W200mm, hardcover / RRP: $44.99

The Rag Tag Fleet

THE RAG TAG FLEET

Ian W. Shaw

Published by Hachette Australia in July 2017, format, RRP $32.99, Ebook RRP $16.99

A fascinating account of the part 3,000 Australian men - either too old or too young to join Australian regular forces - played in the war in the Pacific

This book conveys the fascinating - and unknown - story of the Rag Tag Fleet, a collection of hundreds of Australian fishing trawlers and schooners, organised by the US Army, which transported vital supplies for US and Australian forces across the South-East Pacific.

Boys under the age of 17 and men over 60, and those who weren't well enough to join the Australian regular forces formed the crews. Each boat was armed with one machine gun - and sailed under the American flag. Conditions on the boats were grim. Numerous crew members contracted diseases including malaria, dysentery and dengue fever. Vulnerable to aircraft attack, the boats were frequently strafed and bombed.

The story is told through the experiences of the Australian crew on half a dozen ships - including Jack Savage, boat builder extraordinaire; Ray Parer, air fighter, explorer and gold miner; and Norm Oddy, bandleader, drifter and mechanic.

The focus of The Rag Tag Fleet is the unknown story of the final months of 1942, when these men ran the gauntlet of Japanese air attacks, reefs and shallow, shark-infested waters to bring in the supplies and equipment for the US and Australian troops that defeated the entrenched Japanese forces at Buna on the PNG coast, and so helped turn the course of the war.

Ian W. Shaw lives in Canberra, and is the author of a number of books, including On Radji Beach and Ghosts of Roebuck Bay.

Kit Harington, Jon Snow in Game of Thrones, at Giffoni Film Festival 2017

"Winter is coming"

Kit Harington enchanted the Giffoni Film Festival 2017: well-known for his portrayal of Jon Snow in Game of Thrones, Mr. Harington was literally overwhelmed by the affections of his fans, many of which had been waiting all night at the Cittadella for their darling to arrive, eager  to get some sneak previews on the series as well as the actor's background.

"I don't think Jon Snow will ever become king, he's not ambitious enough for that, but I could see Tyrion sitting on the Iron Throne: I've always considered him the right person to rule over the Seven Kingdoms", said Harington, and went on declaring himself a great fan of Harry Potter – with a preference for the Gryffindor - and Italian director Matteo Garrone.

"What I like most of my character – he revealed - is the fact that he's always siding with the weakest. He's a man of action and I like fighting in movies. That's why this show fits me so well. The hardest scene to shoot? Maybe Ygritte's death".

From Ygritte's death to Jon Snow's death and resurrection the step was short: "When I read the script of the 5th season, which ended with something like: 'Jon Snow dies with his black curls', I tried to react without panicking and started waiting for an official mail of dismissal from the production, but a week went by, then two and three and nothing happened, until I was eventually summoned by the producers.  Then I thought: "That's it: they will either ditch me or tell me that somehow Jon is rising from the dead'. Luckily, the latter supposition proved to be right, but I was imposed the utmost confidentiality because only for people, including me, knew the forthcoming development of the plot. I took a great leap and shouted: 'Yeah! What a relief!"

He was only able to say "ciao" and "grazie" in Italian, yet his face clearly showed immense gratitude: "I'm always asked how fame has changed my life – he went on- but I really didn't expect anything like that. I just wanted to become an actor, not a celebrity, which, incidentally, is a word I'm not quite fond of. After all, fame is not about me personally but rather about the Game of Thrones series. In my future career I might not be able to find another role of the same relevance as this, and I will never stop to be grateful for it, even if I should be trapped in Jon Snow's shoes forever. After 9 years together he's a part of me, and I think he will always be".

Before leaving  the Cittadella, where he received the Giffoni Experience Award , Harington also mentioned his Italian holiday and confessed: "I really enjoyed my stay in Naples: they made me dance, eat and totally forget about myself!".

Kasbah Tamadot: Best Resort Hotel in North Africa and the Middle East

Kasbah Tamadot has been named Best Resort Hotel, North Africa and the Middle East in the Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards 2017 readers' survey.

To celebrate the Travel + Leisure award win, here are very latest photos from Kasbah Tamadot,  hot off the press.

Check out the new images for yourself.

When you book a stay for three nights or more, you'll be able to enjoy an extra night for free until the 10th September 2017.

Rates start from MAD 5,300 per room, per night and include your accommodation, breakfast and taxes.

Book now.

Deliveroo and TripAdvisor bring the restaurant to you in Europe

TripAdvisor and Deliveroo Announce Agreement Bringing Restaurant Delivery Services to Hungry Travellers and Locals throughout Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific

 
TripAdvisor® (NASDAQ: TRIP), the world's largest travel site, and Deliveroo, the on-demand food-delivery service, today announced the integration of Deliveroo's restaurant network into the TripAdvisor desktop website, mobile web and mobile app experiences across 12 countries throughout Europe, the Middle East and the Asia Pacific regions.

Consumers browsing TripAdvisor restaurant listings now have the option to order food from more than 20,000 of Deliveroo's restaurant partners spanning across 12 countries and more than 140 cities.

By simply clicking the "Order Online" button when browsing the TripAdvisor restaurant listing of one of Deliveroo's partners, consumers are brought to Deliveroo's online or mobile platforms to quickly and easily place an order.

The integration with Deliveroo expands TripAdvisor's food delivery service into 12 new countries:  United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia.

"Through this partnership with Deliveroo, we aim to give our restaurant listings a new way to engage with the TripAdvisor community – both at home and on-the-go. TripAdvisor is already a highly effective marketing platform for restaurants, and new services like food delivery create incremental value for both businesses as well as consumers," said Bertrand Jelensperger, Senior Vice President, TripAdvisor Restaurants. "Whether reading reviews, reserving a table through TheFork or placing a food order through Deliveroo, our goal is for TripAdvisor to serve as a one-stop-shop for diners around the world."

At Deliveroo we're always looking for new ways to bring great food to people's doors", says Will Shu, Founder and CEO at Deliveroo. "We're excited to partner with TripAdvisor to make it even easier for our customers to order delicious food from the best local restaurants, wherever they are in the world."

Terms and length of the agreement will not be disclosed.