World Superbike - Valencia Test

The World Superbike teams returned to the track for the second official test since the season ending round at Portimao. This time the teams were in sunny Valencia for two days of testing on Wednesday and Thursday. Absent from the test were BMW (T. Corser, R. Xaus), Ducati (N. Haga, M. Fabrizio), Althea Ducati (C. Checa, S. Byrne) and Kawasaki (C. Vermulen, T. Sykes).

After two days on the track Max Biaggi came away with a quick time of 1.33.8 on the factory Aprilia. He was followed closely by Leon Haslam who posted a time of 1.34.0 on the Alstare Suzuki. Six of the eight riders at the test were riding for new teams so most of the riders were still getting accustomed to riding new bikes and working with a new crew. Ben Spies superpole time for the 2009 Valencia race was 1.33.3.

1.33.8 - Max Biaggi - Aprilia Racing
1.34.0 - Leon Haslam - Suzuki Alstare
1.34.1 - Cal Crutchlow - Yamaha World Superbike
1.34.2 - Jonathan Rea - Hannspree Ten Kate Honda
1.34.3 - James Toseland - Yamaha World Superbike
1.34.7 - Max Neukirchner - Hannspree Ten Kate Honda
1.35.0 - Sylvain Guintoli - Suzuki Alstare
1.35.2 - Leon Camier - Aprilia Racing

Yoshimura Suzuki recently announced that they will be competing in several WSBK races next season with Yukio Kagayama when he’s not racing in the British Superbike series. The team will continue to race in the AMA Superbike Championship with Tommy Hayden and Blake Young next year, but they are withdrawing from the Japanese Superbike Championship. The mere mention of Yoshimura competing in WSBK brings the recently retired Mat Mladin to mind, and Mladin fueled speculation about a return to competition with this Twitter post on Wednesday, "A couple of World Superbike offers have come my way in the past month. One of them very good in regards to machinery. Decisions, decisions. ;-)". The 37 year old Mladin retired after winning the 2009 AMA Superbike Championship so he’s still competitive, and it was just over a year ago that a 39 year old Australian named Troy Bayliss won the 2008 World Superbike Championship.

Employee Cuts and Changes At Suzuki & Yamaha

Rumors of employee cuts at American Suzuki and an official press release on changes in Yamaha's U.S. racing program were announced yesterday. The rumors regarding American Suzuki have the company terminating employees in their press department. This apparent cut follows a 15% cut in their work force back in April. The cuts don't come as a surprise in a U.S. market that has seen a 44% decrease in motorcycle sales that led to the recent closing of the Buell Motorcycle Company.

In an official press release Yamaha announced that they would be making changes that will result in the loss of jobs in their racing department. Graves Motorsports will continue to be a Yamaha partner in AMA racing and will assume additional responsibilities for the 2010 season. Yamaha finished second in the American Superbike and Daytona SportBike championships with Josh Hayes on a YZF-R1 and Josh Herrin on a YZF-R6.

The global economy and the sale of the AMA's race sanctioning rights to the Daytona Motorsports Group has led to cataclysmic change in U.S. road racing. The DMG initiated a multitude of changes that infuriated manufacturers and riders alike. The racing was often competitive, but inequities in the rules, safety concerns and a dictatorial management style led to dissatisfaction and low attendance at many tracks.

The changes at Suzuki and Yamaha follow Honda's announcement that they will be pulling out of AMA road racing for the 2010 season. It's hard to say whether the economy or the changes that the DMG has made to AMA road racing have led to the cuts and changes at the three companies. Whatever the case may be many AMA riders and teams are unsure about what they'll be doing next year. AMA riders like Jamie Hacking, Jake Zemke, Chaz Davies and Martin Cardenas had wild card rides in World Superbike and World Supersport during the course of the season, but most of those rides are taken for next year. Buell is out of business, Honda is pulling out of AMA road racing and the AMA has yet to announce the schedule for the 2010 season. There are going to be some sleepless nights this winter for anyone who makes their living in AMA road racing.

Ben Spies – The Winner And Still Champion

In an up and down season that included fourteen wins and coming back from being 88 points down in the championship Ben Spies and his Yamaha team left the final round of the season with the World Superbike championship in their pocket. It was the first World Superbike championship for Yamaha who also took titles in World Supersport with Cal Crutchlow and MotoGP with some guy named Rossi. For Spies it was his fourth consecutive superbike championship after beating Mat Mladin for the AMA title in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Spies trailed Noriyuki Haga by ten points coming into the final round at Portimao. He knew that he would win the championship if he won both races so he and his team did what they had to do to make that happen by winning superpole and getting out to an early lead in race one. Haga struggled all weekend, qualifying ninth, and he lost the front end and crashed out in race one as Spies led from start to finish. The champ talked about his day, "We had a really good first race, in the second we did what we had to do to win. It was quite difficult to keep it in check as the pace was pretty fast, I saw I had a couple of people behind me and I knew that if Nori won I had to be in sixth and that's where I was so I tried to get a bit of a gap on them and stay out of trouble. Max (Biaggi) came through the inside of me and ran off a couple of times which really freaked me out so I went to get past him, and then settled in for some nice fast laps to the end." Spies finished fifth in race two, and Haga finished second behind teammate Michel Fabrizio.

Winning the championship proves that Spies has the talent and the mental strength to be one of the best riders in the world, but many credit his years of on and off track battles with Mladin as having prepared him for anything that motorcycle racing at the world level can throw at him. Never known for being close with his former teammate the now retired Mladin has nothing but good things to say about Spies these days, "Ben World Champ. Collecting some cash today. Everyone in Australia scoffed at me when I said he would win. Suckers."

World Superbike has a reputation for being a paddock with a relaxed atmosphere, especially when compared to the dog-eat-dog world of MotoGP. After enduring several years in the bitter rivalry with Mladin Spies' season in WSBK was a breath of fresh air. He battled with Haga for the entire season, but the two rivals got along well enough to spend time together away from the track. After ten full seasons in the series and now three second place finishes in the championship Haga was the sentimental favorite for the title, but the eternally optimistic and likeable Nitro Nori wasn’t bitter about getting beat by a rookie, "My compliments go to Ben who has been such a strong rival this year and even though he is going to MotoGP next year, I am sure we will remain friends. This week we'll start testing in preparation for next year. This year was a new adventure with Ducati, and we'll continue to give 100% in 2010."

From here Spies and crew chief Tom Houseworth move on to MotoGP and the Tech 3 Yamaha team. Spies rode three races in MotoGP on the factory Suzuki in 2008 so he has some idea of what to expect, but a full season in the top class will be a new experience. Mladin summarized his former teammate’s career and his future in MotoGP on 800cc bikes, "What an amazing career he's had to date. If they go back to 1000cc MotoGP bikes, Look Out! 800's a little harder for him. He's not a midget".

Ben Spies Championship Winning Interview (On The Throttle)

Portimao Superbike Race 1 Results

Portimao Superbike Race 2 Results

2009 World Superbike Final Rider Standings

World Superbike – The Final Round

You can go through all the permutations of what has to happen for Ben Spies or Noriyuki Haga to win the World Superbike title, but the bottom line is that if Spies scores ten more points than Haga he wins. If he doesn’t Haga takes home the championship that’s eluded him for so long.

The last round of the championship happens at the year old Portimao track that was the scene of a double win for Troy Bayliss last year when he dominated the field on the factory Ducati in the final race of his career. Haga struggled on the Yamaha in last year’s race with a mechanical problem in race one, and a jump start in race two led to a ride through penalty and a fourteenth place finish. As usual Spies finds himself at a track where he’s never raced before, but he did test at the track in the spring. Crew chief Tom Houseworth talked about the team’s approach to the race, “Though we have quite a lot of data from testing, the engine and chassis spec has changed quite a lot from pre-season so there will be some variables to work on. We will be looking for maximum grip and quick direction change as Portimao is quite a twisty circuit with elevation changes and a variety of corners. Our goal is to be set up quick and then pick race tires so we can get time on them in an attempt to find the 'perfect' race set up. Once traction and wheelie control are dialed in we will hope for good weather on Sunday and see if we can get it done."

The one thing that Spies knows is that if he wins both races this weekend he is the champion, "I can't wait to get to the circuit and get set up for Sunday's races. My focus is completely on going for two race wins on Sunday.” Haga seems to have the same plan as Spies, "Last year at Portimao didn't go to plan. I had some bad luck. This year I am in a better position and now everything comes down to this last event. My strategy won't be any different from normal. I always go out with the aim to win and I always give 100%.”

Former MotoGP rider Sylvain Guintoli is moving up from British Superbike to ride for the Alstare Suzuki team next season. Guintoli will be riding for his new team at Portimao this weekend.

Two more WSBK riders have signed with new teams for the 2010 season. Tom Sykes is leaving the Yamaha factory team for the Paul Bird Kawasaki team to race alongside Chris Vermuelen, and Carlos Checa is leaving Ten Kate Honda to race for the Althea Ducati team.

Chaz Davies will be racing with fellow AMA Daytona SportBike rider Martin Cardenas in the World Supersport race. Cardenas is riding in place of the injured Robbin Harms on the RES Software Veidec Honda Racing Team. Cardenas finished third in the inaugural season of the AMA’s Daytona SportBike championship.

The World Superbike teams will be testing at Portimao on Tuesday and Wednesday. Two-time champ James Toseland will be flying in from the MotoGP round in Malaysia to take part in the tests with the Yamaha factory team.

Portimao Superbike Free Practice 1 Times – Jakub Smrz quickest

Motorcycle Sales Report

The good news. Motorcycle sales are forecasted to increase in the next few years. The bad news. Not in the U.S. It seems that Harley-Davidson’s shuttering of Buell is just a harbinger of things to come for motorcycle sales in this country. Total U.S. motorcycle sales through the first nine months of the year were 434,370. A 44% decrease from the 771,950 bikes that were sold during the time same period in 2008.

The outlook for the global market is more optimistic with a research organization known as the Freedonia Group forecasting 7.6 percent annual growth through 2013. China and India are the two biggest markets for motorcycles, and both of those markets will continue to grow. Yamaha of India reported that sales for the month of September increased from 10,142 to 26,394 units sold when compared to September of 2008. The company’s success with selling bikes like the YZF-R1 has led them to selling the VMax in the Indian market.

Hero Honda is another Indian motorcycle company enjoying increased sales. The company that’s been the world’s largest manufacturer of two-wheeled transportation for the last seven years announced a 28.5 percent increase in sales for the second quarter (July-Sept). That increase is in comparison with the second quarter of 2008 and represents 972,095 units sold and a 50 percent growth in profit after tax. Honda Motor Company has a 26% stake in Hero Honda which features bikes like the Hunk and the Splendor in its lineup.

In other motorcycle news rumors that Volkswagen is interested in buying Ducati are resurfacing. The German auto manufacturer considered purchasing Ducati back in 1985 when the Italian company was struggling financially, and Volkswagen chairman Ferdinand Peich's recent comment that, "I would still like a small, valuable motorcycle manufacturer”, was all that was needed to fuel the Volkswagen-To-Buy-Ducati stories. At this point the Ducati rumors are just that, but it wouldn’t be that much of a stretch for the company that also controls Lamborghini, Bugatti, Bentley and Audi to add the Ferrari of motorcycles to their lineup.

Casey Stoner - No Respect

Casey Stoner doesn't know the meaning of take it easy. In the world of MotoGP where every millisecond counts Stoner is known as the man who is always at full throttle. After winning five races and challenging Dani Pedrosa for the 250cc title in 2006 he made the jump to MotoGP with the LCR satellite Honda team. He showed promise with a pole at the second race of the season, but his hard charging style led to a series of accidents that gained him a reputation as a crasher. He finished eighth in the 2006 championship, and his rookie season in the top class impressed Ducati officials enough for them to offer him a ride alongside Loris Capirossi on the factory team.

Stoner repaid Ducati's faith in him by taking five of the first eight races of the 2007 season, and lost his crasher label along the way. Many attributed his winning ways and maturity to getting married in the off season, but more than likely it was the combination of talent, a fast bike and Bridgestone tires with good front end grip. Stoner and the Ducati seemed to be a perfect match, but Capirossi struggled to one podium in the first nine races on the other factory Ducati. The Italian became the first of several Ducati riders who were unable to match the pace of Stoner. Stoner went on to win ten races and the championship by 125 points over Dani Pedrosa.

When Stoner won the 2007 MotoGP title he became the champion of a series that had been the personal playground of Valentino Rossi. The Italian's run of five straight championships had been interrupted by the Nicky Hayden's consistent run to the title the previous season. Rossi's post-race theatrics and Hayden's easygoing personality were in stark contrast to Stoner's hard driving, no-nonsense style. When Rossi won championships he dominated the competition, but he kept the racing close and often let other riders lead until the closing laps of a race when he took the lead to win. Stoner's style was to dominate the competition and win by a wide margin. Rossi's playful personality was a public relations dream while Stoner's all-business persona didn't always sit well with some members of the media and Rossi fans.

In spite of his incredible season on the Ducati there were many who claimed that it was the bike and not Stoner's talent that led to title. Hard to believe when Capirossi only had one win and finished seventh in the championship on the same bike. Stoner followed up his championship winning season with six wins, but finished second to Rossi who took the 2008 title with nine wins. Marco Melandri was a consistent backmarker on the second factory Ducati while Toni Elias and Sylvain Guintoli finished twelfth and thirteenth on the satellite Ducati team.

Fast forward to 2009 and order has finally been restored to the MotoGP championship for the legions of Rossi fans now that their man is back on top. The predictions of a continuation of the Ross-Stoner title fight looked on target after Stoner beat Rossi in the first race at Qatar, but when Jorge Lorenzo took two of the next three races a new contender was thrown into the mix. Lorenzo is a character in the mold of Rossi. A proven winner who celebrates his wins with flair, but a first year MotoGP crasher like Stoner. Lorenzo is Rossi's teammate and his success led to the erection of a wall in the garage the two riders share, but even though he's challenging Rossi he's becoming a fan favorite.

Stoner managed to win two of the first five races, but midway through the season he began to suffer from an energy sapping ailment that saw him fading as the race progressed. Stoner eventually came to the decision that he needed to stop racing to get well. An unusual decision in a sport where riders routinely ride the beast that is a MotoGP bike with broken bones and other injuries. Never a man of many words Stoner headed home and began a reclusive recovery away from the track and the media.

The Casey criticism and the theories about the true nature of the ailment began as soon as his departure was announced. How can he do this, he's not really sick, he can't take the pressure, he's too high strung and just another victim of Rossi's mental games. But it wasn't just the media. The head of Marlboro (his sponsor) and former world champions Kevin Schwantz and Wayne Gardner weighed in on the Stoner sabbatical, and Ducati tried to persuade Lorenzo to ride for them in 2010 in case Stoner was unable to recover.

Well he's back now, and it's like he never left. Following a solid second in his first race back at Portugal, Stoner put in a flawless performance at his home grand prix ahead of the man some said had gotten into his head. He's still not certain that he's put the mystery illness behind him, but he hasn't had any symptoms since his return. Remarkably, he is third in the championship ahead of Dani Pedrosa.

In a politically correct world where your personality and how you relate to the media directly influence how you are judged and perceived, sports figures with a no nonsense attitude like Stoner don't always get the credit they deserve. When he finished second in his first race back he said that he was glad to silence the critics so the negative comments clearly bother him. If Stoner is able to put his illness behind him he should be back at the front challenging for wins next year. At 24 he’s a young man in a young man's sport so he has more than enough time to win another championship, and that may be what he has to do to get the respect that he deserves.

Buell Motorcycle Company - A Burst Of Glory

The recent news that the Buell Motorcycle Company is going out of business came as a shock to many, and followed a year of controversy for Buell in AMA roadracing. Harley-Davidson’s sport bike division has struggled to compete with the likes of Honda, Yamaha and Ducati, but they were ultimately defeated by the global economy. The company recently celebrated their first AMA roadracing championship in the Daytona SportBike division with Danny Eslick riding a Buell 1125R to the title. Eslick won the championship in the final round at New Jersey against a field that included the Yamaha YZF-R6, Honda CBR600RR, Suzuki GSX-R600, Ducati 848 and Aprilia RSV1000R.

The fact that the 1125R was racing in a series where many of the bikes were powered by 600cc engines made the bike’s presence controversial from the start, but Eslick didn’t dominate the competition. The bike did have a power advantage, but the more nimble 600cc bikes had an advantage on the tighter circuits while the Buell showed it’s strength on tracks where it could stretch its legs. The company also introduced a customer race bike for the American Superbike class called the 1125RR during the season. The fact that the bike was built for the sole purpose of racing and didn’t adhere to the AMA’s requirement of being certified for the street led to more controversy.

In the end it comes down to more people being out of jobs in an economy where unemployment continues to move in the wrong direction. The Daytona SportBike championship produced exciting racing week in and week out despite the power advantage of the Buell. With Buell’s demise and Honda’s recent withdrawal the future of AMA roadracing after a turbulent season under new management is at a crossroads. Recently retired and newly crowned American Superbike champion Mat Mladin summed up his feelings on Twitter, “I just met Eric Buell at New Jersey for the first time. Don't know him personally, but seemed like a great bloke. I have detached myself from the racing since the last race, but with Buell’s demise today it is hard to not feel sad about racing in the USA”.

World Superbike – 2010 Rider Update

It's over a week until the final round of this year's World Superbike Championship, but there's been no shortage of news since the last round at Imola where a first and a second gave Noriyuki Haga a ten point lead over Ben Spies in the fight for the superbike crown. Most of the news has to do with who will be riding where next year. A situation that has become clear since it was announced that Spies will be riding a Yamaha in MotoGP next year. Here are some of the riders who have signed for next season:

Max Biaggi – Aprilia

Troy Corser & Ruben Xaus - BMW

Michel Fabrizio & Noriyuki Haga – Ducati Corse

Jonathan Rea & Max Neukirchner – Ten Kate Honda

Chris Vermuelen – Paul Bird Kawasaki

Sylvain Guintoli & Leon Haslam – Alstare Suzuki

Cal Crutchlow & James Toseland – Yamaha

One of the surprises on this list is that Max Neukirchner will be riding for Ten Kate Honda in 2010. The German rider has had an injury plagued year that left him on the sidelines for most of the season. A dispute with his Alstare Suzuki team over the treatment of his injuries and when he should return to action has led to the team issuing a statement and ending their association with Neukirchner. Sylvain Guintoli moves up from BSB, and Leon Haslam moves over from the financially struggling Stiggy Team to complete the team’s lineup for 2010. Yukio Kagayama leaves Alstare for the British Superbike series.

There are only a few good rides left with many good riders still sitting on the sidelines. Those riders include Shane Byrne, Leon Camier, Carlos Checa, Alex DeAngelis, Toni Elias, John Hopkins and Tom Sykes. The best seats still up for grabs are at the Aprilia factory team and the Paul Bird Kawasaki team. Aprilia recently stated that they would be fielding a second team in 2010.

Max Neukirchner is just one of several WSBK riders who have been injured this year. Here’s a list of crash victims who suffered the most critical injuries. Only Haga was able to recuperate without missing any races:

Noriyuki Haga – broken arm, fractured shoulder blade
John Hopkins – head trauma, hip, leg, shoulder & wrist injuries
Shinya Nakano – broken collarbone
Max Neukirchner – broken femur, fractured vertebrae
Brendan Roberts – severe bruising
Makoto Tamada – broken fingers, concussion
Ruben Xaus – broken femur

The World Supersport teams are testing at Portimao this week ahead of next week’s final race at the Portuguese circuit. Chaz Davies will once again be riding on a Triumph supersport bike, and Leon Camier will be riding the Aprilia superbike in place of the injured Shinya Nakano. The final weekend will see the conclusion of the Haga-Spies championship battle, and more revelations about who will be taking those remaining seats in 2010.

Honda VFR 1200 Introduced

After months of anticipation and hype the new Honda VFR 1200 has finally been introduced. The bike continues the sport touring tradition of the VFR 750 and the VFR 800 adding the option of an automatic transmission. Both versions of the bike (manual & automatic) use a shaft drive, and weigh in at 591 and 613 pounds. The bike will be available at Honda dealers in the Spring of 2010.

Honda VFR1200F - 6-speed Manual Transmission
VFR1200F - Dual Clutch Automatic Transmission

Engine Type: 1237cc liquid-cooled 76° V-4
Bore and Stroke: 81mm x 60mm
Compression ratio: 12.0:1
Valves: SOHC; four valves per cylinder
Induction: PGM-FI 44mm throttle bodies
Ignition: Digital electronic

Transmission: 6-speed
Six-speed automatic with two modes and manual mode

Final Drive: Shaft

Suspension
Front: 43mm; 4.7 inches travel
Rear: Pro Arm single-side swingarm with Pro-Link® single gas-charged shock; 5.1 inches travel

Brakes
Front: Dual 320mm discs, CBS 6-piston calipers with ABS
Rear: Single 276mm disc, CBS two-piston caliper with ABS

Tires
Front: 120/70 ZR17 radial
Rear: 190/55 ZR17 radial

Wheelbase: 60.8 inches (1545mm)
Rake: 25-deg
Trail: 101.0mm (4.0 inches)

Seat Height: 32.1 inches (815mm)
Fuel Capacity: 4.9 gallons
Color: Candy Red
Curb Weight: 591 lbs (VFR1200F)
613 lbs (VFR1200F with Dual Clutch Automatic Transmission)

MotoGP – The Championship Battle

Jorge Lorenzo’s wire-to-wire win at Estoril doesn’t put him in the same class as Valentino Rossi, but it does certify him as one of the few riders who can dominate an entire MotoGP weekend. Since Rossi started racing in the top class back in 2000 the only other rider who’s been able to do that on a consistent basis has been Casey Stoner. Speaking of Stoner, contrary to the reports of his demise the Aussie finished second after a two month absence due to a stamina sapping illness, "It is great to be competitive again and to stay that way right to the end of the race. I maybe could have been faster over the opening few laps, but I made a little mistake which caused my foot to slip off the peg. It broke the footrest support and it was moving around in all the right-handers, so my foot was slipping off. As the laps went by I was able to alter the footpeg position a little, but I wasn't able to go any faster. Obviously Jorge was too fast for us today”.

Lorenzo’s win moved him to within eighteen points of Rossi who struggled to finish fourth, "It was a very difficult race for me. I was never able to be fast because I did not have enough grip in the rear and our tire did not work well, but I think it was more a problem of setting. After a few laps I was in great difficulties, and I immediately understood that this was not going to be "our" race.” Pedrosa finished third in the race and he’s third in the championship, but Stoner is only three points behind the Spaniard.

The battle that everyone will be watching is the title fight between the two Yamaha teammates. Rossi struggled at Estoril, and Lorenzo had the perfect weekend at the track where he won his first MotoGP race last year. In the competitive world of MotoGP you’re only as good as your last race, but a look at the last six gives some perspective:

Last six races:

Rossi – 3 wins, 4th, 5th, retirement (99 pts)

Lorenzo – 2 wins, 2 seconds, 2 retirements (90 pts)

Fairly close, but the second retirement hurt Lorenzo. A look back at the last three races of 2008 shows a marked difference between the two riders results:

2008 Results (Phillip Island, Sepang, Valencia):

Rossi – 2nd, 1st, 3rd (61 pts)

Lorenzo – 4th, retirement, 8th (21 pts)

Prior results can be an indicator of future performance, but at this point in the season the two riders are about even. It seems more than likely that Lorenzo will improve on last year’s performance in the final three races. The new factor thrown into the equation is the return of Casey Stoner. Both Rossi and Lorenzo will be fighting for points with Pedrosa and Stoner who will be going for wins since they can’t win the championship. The mountain that Lorenzo will have to climb is Rossi’s eighteen point lead.

Honda Motor Company – Bad News, Good News

The worldwide recession has had a negative effect on most corporations. Even the Honda Motor Company. A leader in any industry it decides to enter HMC has had to cut back in these difficult times. The company recently announced that they will be closing their European car and motorcycle design studios in Germany. This follows the closing of their British factory for the first four months of the year.

On this side of the pond the company shut down their motorcycle plant in Marysville, Ohio where they have been building Gold Wing motorcycles since 1979. The move was announced prior to the global meltdown so it probably had more to do with Honda’s long term plans than the difficult economy. In the future all Gold Wings will be imported from Japan.

On the motorsports side Honda sold their Formula 1 team in March due to the financial crisis. The company had dominated F1 as an engine supplier to McLaren in the late 80’s and early 90’s, but their return to the championship as a team had produced marginal results. The team was sold to Ross Brawn who changed the cars over to Mercedes-Benz power, and at this point in time the team’s two cars sit first and second in the world championship. In motorcycle racing news Honda has decided not to participate in the AMA’s Superbike Championship in 2010. In making the announcement the company said, “the current AMA/DMG racing environment does not align with our company goals”, so the decision to leave the championship has more to do with their disagreements with the sanctioning body than it does with current economic conditions.

While Honda’s automotive sales generate more profits for the company, motorcycle sales play an important role in the company’s bottom line. Former president and CEO Takeo Fukui talked about the fiscal impact of motorcycles, “History shows that motorcycles remain strong in a difficult market environment and have always supported Honda in difficult times. People showed renewed interest in the value of motorcycles which consume less fuel for commuting purposes as well as for their easy-to-own/easy-to-use efficiency.”

The U.S. is an important market for Honda, but for the most part motorcycles in this country are considered luxury items. With a limited amount of growth expected in the U.S. and other countries HMC will be looking to other areas to increase their market share, “Honda will continue to look to the newly emerging countries in regions such as Asia and South America where motorcycles are being used for everyday transportation, long-term and steady market growth is expected despite some external factors such as changes in economic conditions. Worldwide, the company is focused on developing battery technology in order to produce a quality electric motorcycle for consumers”.

That said the company is still clearly focused on creating motorcycles for markets like the U.S. and Europe. A great deal of media coverage has been dedicated to their newest bike the VFR 1200. The bike will have it’s official introduction on Wednesday and preliminary information from Honda can be found a this website.

World Superbike – Magny-Cours Review

A first and a second by Noriyuki Haga and a first and a fourth by Ben Spies at this weekend’s World Superbike round at Magny-Cours have stacked the championship deck of cards in the Japanese rider’s favor. Haga leaves the French circuit with a ten point lead in a title fight that features a final round at Portimao. The task ahead for Spies is clear. Win both races and he wins the title.

Haga looked strong in both races, and nearly took the win from Spies on the final lap of race one, "The whole first race had some good parts and bad ones. We made some small mistakes, costing us a tenth here and a tenth there letting the riders come back and not really taking advantage of the lead. I made a mistake on the last lap and let Nori through, so I had to get on the outside and get back past.” Spies win in race one put him back in the championship lead, but Haga was still happy with his effort, “In race one I really enjoyed myself, it was a fantastic race. I didn't make the best start and then it took a lot of laps before I was able to pass Max. Once I got past him I realized I didn't have many laps left in which to catch Ben. If I'd had just one extra lap, I think I'd have won.”

Race two saw Haga jumping out to an early lead, and Spies unable to match the pace of the top three riders, “Honestly I'm just super disappointed with the second race. We made a rear tire choice which was neither better nor worse, but the front tire we had on in the second race was hard to go at a pace with. I was consistently half a second off what we were doing in practice. I'm honestly surprised we didn't finish in tenth with the way the bike felt.” Haga finished first ahead of Max Biaggi and Jonathan Rea, and was in control from start to finish, “In the second race, we made some small changes to my bike and they worked, giving me more confidence. This victory is truly a great result as we have regained a small advantage.”

With the championship coming down to the wire Haga has had the better results in the last four races at Imola and Magny-Cours:

Haga – first, second, second, first

Spies – fourth, fifth, first, fourth

It would be easy to say the difference between the two riders/teams performance is based on one reason or another, but variables like experience, track knowledge, bike characteristics and pressure are all part of the equation. A veteran of championship pressure Spies is keeping things in perspective, “Even if we had won today we would still go to Portimao having to win both races so it doesn't really change too much.", and for his part Haga knows that the championship is far from over, “Now we go to Portimao where Ben and I will fight for the 2009 title. I can't wait." Should be good.

Race 1 Results

Race 2 Results

Championship Standings

MotoGP – Estoril Preview

With Casey Stoner back in the paddock, Ben Spies confirmed for MotoGP in 2010, James Toseland and Chris Vermuelen returning to World Superbike the MotoGP championship battle was on the back page of the sports section leading up to this weekend’s round at Estoril. Jorge Lorenzo quickly dispelled any notion that he had given up on his effort to dethrone teammate Valentino Rossi by being quickest in practice and qualifying. The high flying Mallorcan trails Rossi by thirty points with four races and 100 points remaining.

Lorenzo’s run to the pole was his fifth of the season and .260 of a second quicker than Rossi who will start the race in second. Any doubts about Casey Stoner’s health and resolve were forgotten as the Australian quickly resumed his role as one of the fastest riders in the field qualifying third ahead of Dani Pedrosa. Both riders were less than half a second off Lorenzo’s time so it looks like a return to normalcy with the Big Four fighting for the podium, and the rest of the field contesting the remaining spots. The only question that remains is whether or not Stoner has the stamina to finish an entire race.

The rest of the field was led by Colin Edwards in fifth, just under a second off Lorenzo’s time. The 35 year old Texan has shown that he still has what it takes by consistently beating teammate Toseland who is heading back to World Superbike to make way for Spies on the Tech 3 Yamaha team. Randy DePuniet returned to comeback-rider-of-the-year form with his run to sixth place on the grid. The French rider recently re-signed with his LCR Honda team, and is back on form after breaking his ankle in a training accident. Nicky Hayden qualified ninth, just over a second behind Stoner and ahead of Mika Kallio who just re-signed with Pramac Ducati.

The lastest news on the Ben Spies front is that he’ll be getting a wildcard ride in the season ending MotoGP race at Valencia. The race takes place two weeks after the last WSBK race at Portimao. The wildcard ride should benefit Spies who is entering a series that has cut back on preseason testing and race weekend practice. David Emmett over at motomatters.com is reporting a rumor that Michael Jordan will be sponsoring that ride.

In other MotoGP news the FIM has published the entry list for the new Moto2 series that replaces the 250cc class in 2010. The original announcement of the new class was met with skepticism, but that negative reception has been replaced by overwhelming support. The new class will feature the return of Team Roberts to World Championship racing.

Estoril Qualifying Results – Lorenzo quickest

SPEED Television Coverage – Sunday (10/04):

250cc Race – 5:00pm (EST)

MotoGP Race – 6:00pm (EST)

World Superbike – Magny-Cours Preview

All of the news leading up to this weekend’s round in France has been about riders moving to and from World Superbike. Here’s some of the changes that were announced this past week:

Ben Spies to Tech 3 Yamaha (MotoGP)
James Toseland to Yamaha (WSBK)
Cal Crutchlow to Yamaha (WSBK)
Chris Vermuelen to Kawasaki (WSBK)
Leon Camier (BSB champ) riding Aprilia for last two rounds

Definitely an eventful week, but with that out of the way the riders can get down to the real business at hand which is a championship fight that has Noriyuki Haga leading Ben Spies by three points with a hundred points up for grabs. Haga came away with a first and a second at the last round while Spies struggled to a fourth and a fifth. Haga’s teammate, Michel Fabrizio, could have easily let him win the second race at Imola, but he was clearly the stronger rider. It will be interesting to see if Fabrizio’s tactics change in the last two rounds.

Spies talked to superbikeplanet’s Dean Adams about last weekend’s round at Imola:

Spies said the pre-race premonition he had that Imola is a 'Ducati track' feels like it came true. "It's not an excuse, at all," he said. "I rode, again, as hard as I could. If you look at the past year, you look at how the bikes were - the Aprilias and the Ducatis, the Aprilia's kind of not really a four-cylinder, not really a twin. It's kind of like a GP bike. It's a good package. And the Ducati, any place you go to that's bumpy and has low grip, just the way the Ducati's built, it's going to be better than most of the bikes.”

"That's what it comes down to. Valencia, Kyalami and here, they've definitely got an advantage. We've got advantages at other tracks. Miller, the bike worked good. Qatar it worked good. Phillip Island. Portugal it's going to work really good. And I think Magny-Cours. I haven't been there, but I think, besides the two first-gear corners, I think the bike's going to be strong there. So yeah, like I said, I knew it coming in. I said it. But that didn't stop me from trying to beat them, but we just knew we were going to have to really have all our stuff together to do it. I think we did a good job. We lost the championship lead, but we still got - basically, we got four races to go, so we got plenty. We got 100 points on the table."

So it’s all come down to the last two rounds of the season. Some will say that the pressure is on Spies because he’s leaving the championship for MotoGP and Yamaha wants to win their first WSBK title now. But Spies grew up dealing with the pressure of fighting for titles with Mat Mladin, and won the 2007 AMA Superbike Championship by one point. After nine full seasons in WSBK Haga has finished second or third six times, but he’s never been able to come away with the title. In all likelihood both riders will be feeling the pressure, and with so many strong riders in the field they’ll be fighting more than each other to get the points they need to win the championship. Should be interesting.

Practice Session #1 – Rea quickest (Haga 3rd, Spies 7th)

SPEED Television Coverage on Sunday (10/04):

Race #1 – 3:00pm (EST)

Race #2 – 4:00pm (EST)

To Twitter Or Not To Twitter. . .

Having a Twitter account wasn’t even a thought, let alone a question, but now that I’m doing it I can’t stop. The diversity of people on Twitter these days ranges from Ellen DeGeneres to Mat Mladin. Right. . .him too. I’m following 24 people/feeds at this point with most of them having something to do with motorsports. Some tweets are just short messages about what the person is doing while others are links to articles and pictures. Here are some of the motorcycling related people I'm following:

BenSpies11 – comments and pictures from Ben Spies

MatMladin – the life and times of everyone’s favorite racer

BenBostrom – motorcycle racer, surfer, cyclist, climber, etc

Hayes131 – AMA superbike rider Josh Hayes

ChazDavies – AMA, WSS, 250cc, MotoGP rider Chaz Davies

TobyMoody – thoughts from the MotoGP commentator

OnTheThrottleTV – reports from the world of motorcycle racing

MotoGPMatters - reports from the world of motorcycle racing

AutoMotoPhoto – pictures & comments from a world class photographer

WheelSports – news from the world of automobiles & motorcycles

That's just a sampling of what’s out there. I’m sure you’ll find something you’ll like. Oh yeah, there are models on twitter too.

Spies To MotoGP In 2010

After weeks of speculation Yamaha has made it official. Ben Spies will be moving to MotoGP next year, and James Toseland will be heading back to World Superbike. Spies will be riding alongside fellow American Colin Edwards on the Tech 3 team, and Toseland will be riding on the Yamaha WSBK factory team. The following is taken from Yamaha press releases:

Yamaha Motor Company herewith confirms that Ben Spies will be moving to the MotoGP Championship in 2010 to join the Tech 3 Yamaha Team. The Texan recently signed a two-year deal with Yamaha, which originally planned for him to remain in World Superbike for one more year before moving to MotoGP in 2011, but Spies and Yamaha together have decided to advance the move by one year.

Ben Spies:

“I want to thank Yamaha globally for their faith in me. They have treated me like royalty! Yamaha just recently allowed me to rethink my contract for 2010-2011. I did sign for WSB for 2010 but after Indy I began thinking of the competition and my age versus waiting until 2011. This was not an easy decision, the Yamaha World Superbike Team crew and especially Massimo Meregalli have been fantastic and it’s been great fun to put in a season together. I am hoping that I can give Maio, Laurens Klein Koerkamp and everyone else a championship to remember this year with me. Herve Poncharal at Tech 3 is showing his support by allowing me to come on board with my Crew Chief Tom Houseworth and Gregory Wood, my mechanic, who have both been with me since AMA days. We will have learning curves to overcome next year but I am up for the new goal. I hope to have a good year and my goal is to try and stay in the top 6-8 which, given the talented line up, will be a tall order.”

Yamaha's World Superbike team will feature James Toseland and Cal Crutchlow who replaces Tom Sykes.

James Toseland:

“I’m looking forward to return to World Superbikes. I want to show I’m still the rider that can win world titles. Of course there is some disappointment at losing my opportunity in MotoGP as I believe the challenge was still achievable, but the R1 has proven to be beyond the strongest bikes in Superbike and I know many of the Yamaha World Superbike Team guys, so I’m going to pick up where I left off and give 100% to achieving good results with the team. Within Superbike there were a few options available to me, however the way Yamaha have treated me since I joined them has been outstanding.”

Honda V4 Website

Honda has a thirty year history with V4 engines that started back in 1979 with the NR500. The company has incorporated the engine into their racing bikes and a variety of production models. Their newest V4 powered bike, the VFR 1200, has yet to be introduced, but it’s been the subject of numerous articles and spy shots. With the formal introduction of the VFR 1200 just around the corner the company has created a website that documents the history of their V4 motorcycles.

World Superbike – Imola Review

This weekend’s WSBK round at Imola didn’t follow the script that many had written for the twelfth act of the championship. Ben Spies came into the weekend leading the championship with an eighteen point lead over Noriyuki Haga, and the expectation was that both riders would be at or near the front like they have been in most of the races this season. Spies qualified second, but he wasn’t a factor for the win in either race and ended up with fourth and fifth place finishes. "In race one we didn't have enough power coming out of the bike and we struggled with grip a bit as well. The second race we had the pace for sure to battle for the lead, but a combination of things held us up. Rea got pretty greedy early in the race, passing me in the gravel trap three different times. I had a couple of laps where I wasn't riding well at all then I got myself together and caught up to Simoncelli and Biaggi. They bumped and Biaggi ran off the track, when he came back on it was either hit him or go off into the gravel. If you would have told me after the first race that we would only be losing the championship by three points I'd be happy because there were a lot of guys who could beat me this weekend."

Imola is a home race for Ducati, and the team had a history of running well on the track's previous configuration. Michel Fabrizio gave the tifosi something to cheer about when he beat Spies by .043 of a second to take his first career superpole. Haga qualified fourth on the other factory Ducati and Rea was third so the stage was set with the top four riders in the championship sitting on the front row. Both Rea and Spies had their problems in both races, but Haga came away with a first and a second, and Fabrizio took a third and a first. Fabrizio’s win in race two was surprising because he passed Haga for the lead when they were far enough ahead of third place to allow Haga to take the win and pad his points lead. There were clearly no team orders on the factory Ducati team, and Nitro Nori had no complaints, "Congratulations for Michel for winning and for Marco with his first time in Superbike, third position today. During the race the bike started moving a lot, after Michel passed me I tried to catch him up but he was quite fast today and I couldn't find where I could pass him".

Marco Simoncelli’s performance was probably even a surprise to people who have followed the career of the reigning 250cc champion. The Italian was a last minute addition to the factory Aprilia team after testing the RSV4 earlier in the week at Mugello. He was about 1.6 seconds off Fabrizio’s superpole time, but he quickly moved up to fifth from eighth on the grid. He had the pace to pass other riders, but crashed when he lost the front end. The Italian had a good start in race two, and moved up to fourth after passing Spies and Byrne. The next rider in sight was teammate Max Biaggi who had slowed after battling with Haga and Fabrizio for the lead. Apparently Aprilia had no team orders either because Simoncelli made a hard pass on Biaggi in a chicane, and went on to take third in his second World Superbike race.

AMA Daytona SportBike rider Chaz Davies rode the first of three World Supersport rounds for the ParkinGO Triumph BE1 Racing team this weekend. Davies had a good weekend qualifying eleventh and finishing fourth ahead of teammate Gary McCoy on a Triumph Daytona 675.

David Emmet is reporting that Aprilia will have a second two-bike team in World Superbike next year. The news came out of an interview with Aprilia’s Alain Roger who also said that Troy Bayliss had talked to Aprilia about riding for them next season. This news follows recent Bayliss quotes that range from him saying that he was looking for a World Superbike ride to he only missed motorcycle racing when he came back to Europe. Stay tuned. . .

Spies trails Haga by three points with this weekend's round at Magny Cours and the final round at Portimao on October 25th remaining. Spies has had his share of retirements (4) and finishes outside the top five (3) this season, but last weekend was the first time he didn’t come away from a round with at least one podium finish. If Spies goes on to win the championship he may look back at Imola as the weekend he saved the title, but he and his Yamaha team will have to bounce back quickly. Haga looks fully recovered from his injuries, and ready to fight for the championship that has eluded him.

Race #1 Results

Race #2 Results

Championship Standings

Pictures #1

Pictures #2

Pictures #3

Pictures #4

World Superbike – Imola Preview

World Superbike makes it’s return to Imola this weekend for the first time since 2006. Ben Spies comes to Imola with an eighteen point lead, and for once he’s riding on a track where he has some experience, "It wasn't that long ago that we were 88 points down and now we're leading with three rounds to go. We had a good test here and the bike was working well, so let's see where we end up on Sunday and then decide the strategy for the next four races”. With 150 points up for grabs other riders still have a mathematical chance at the title, but the man with the best chance of overtaking Spies is Noriyuki Haga, “I know this track very well. I like Imola, but I haven't won a race here. The start of the season went well, then I had a crash mid-season, but the title battle is not yet over. I'm at 99%, but in the last three rounds I must win to return to the top of the championship table".

The battle for the championship looks like it’s going to be a good one, but so does the battle for third. Michel Fabrizio, Jonathan Rea and Max Biaggi are only separated by 65 points, and they have all won a race this season. Rea took his second win of the season at the last round in Germany, and he was the fastest rider at the Imola test in July. Team manager Ronald ten Kate likes what he sees in the 22 year old, Irish rider so the team signed him to a new two year contract, "We are delighted to continue with the plan which brought Jonathan from British Superbike, through our own World Supersport squad and on to his World Superbike challenge. He has grown up a lot this season, both as a rider and as a person, and he is an absolute joy to work with. I believe we are just beginning to see the great potential that Jonathan has”.

The most surprising news coming into the Imola round is that reigning 250cc World Champion Marco Simoncelli will be racing alongside Max Biaggi on the Aprilia factory team this weekend. Simoncelli tested the bike earlier this week at Mugello, and after coming close to the times of Michel Fabrizio on the Ducati he decided to race this weekend. The Italian sits third in this year’s 250cc championship, and will be riding for Gresini Honda in the 2010 MotoGP World Championship.

The Imola circuit has been changed since WSBK was last here, but the only current rider to win a superbike race at the old circuit was Ruben Xaus and he did it three times. Xaus is still recovering from his injuries at Brno, but he’s hoping to race at Imola, "My physiotherapy and rehabilitation has gone very well and I think I will be able to race. I should really not be on a bike at all before Portimao, but everything has gone well so far and I am very eager to get on my bike and race”.

Three-time WSBK champion Troy Bayliss was invited to Imola to be honored for his legendary career. Bayliss has been working on making the transition from racing bikes to racing cars, but apparently that change hasn’t been working out so well. David Emmet over at motomatters.com is reporting that Bayliss wants to race in World Superbike next season.

Normally we would have been able to report times from the first practice session at this point, but the riders went out for two laps and complained that there is no grip. Apparently the track was washed down after some car races last weekend and all the rubber was removed. Tom Sykes crashed during the abbreviated session, and has an unreported injury.

Motorcycle Land-Speed Record

Pending ratification, the AMA has announced that the BUB Racing Team has set a new world and national land-speed record of 367.382 mph for a motorcycle in the measured mile. The record was set at the Bonneville Salt Flats with Chris Carr at the helm of the BUB Seven Streamliner. Known more for his prowess as a seven-time Grand National Flat Track Champion Carr has been working with the BUB team since 2006. Dennis Manning is the owner, designer and builder of the BUB Seven Streamliner, and he’s been chasing the outright land-speed record for over forty years.

MotoGP Update

The MotoGP championship is on a brief hiatus as they prepare for the last four races of the season. The series was scheduled to race at the new circuit in Hungary last weekend, but the race was canceled due to financial and construction issues. The teams will be back in action next weekend at Estoril in Portugal.

Championship leader Valentino Rossi has been in the news lately, but not for the usual reasons of winning races and championships. Rossi has made it know that he is unhappy with the re-signing of Jorge Lorenzo as his teammate on the Yamaha factory team. The eight-time world champion has won six of thirteen races this year, but his toughest competition has come from the other side of the garage. Rossi contends that it’s unprecedented for two top riders to be on the same team, and that Lorenzo is the beneficiary of all the work that he and his team have done to make the once uncompetitive M1 the best bike in the paddock. Rossi has gotten the better of Lorenzo on several occasions and he has to be considered the favorite for the championship, but he is feeling under appreciated by Yamaha. A feeling that led him to leaving the Honda factory team for Yamaha back in 2003. Rossi’s contract with Yamaha runs through next year when he turns 31, but the Italian always has other options. Honda has said that he could ride for them, he has expressed an interest in World Superbike and the rumors of an F1 ride in a Ferrari are always in the air. But Rossi is a motorcycle rider first and he is aware of his place in history. He is within nineteen wins of the career record set by Giacomo Agostini (122) so it’s hard to believe that he would leave MotoGP with that record in site. The question is, if he stays, where will he go?

One more rider has fallen into to place in the season ending contest of musical chairs. After putting together his best season in MotoGP Randy DePuniet has re-signed with the LCR Honda team. The French rider was one of the more consistent riders in the championship this year, and in an interview with motomatters.com he put his improvement down to the move to Bridgestone tires and a new training program. A motocross training accident that left him with a severely broken ankle has hurt his results of late, but there’s no reason to think that he won’t return to form once his body has healed. The good news for DePuniet and the LCR team is that Honda has said that they will be selling factory spec equipment to their satellite teams next year.

There’s still no word on who will be riding the second Tech 3 Yamaha alongside Colin Edwards next season. The latest rumors have Ben Spies moving to the team in 2010 whether he wins the World Superbike Championship or not, but there’s been no official confirmation of that from Yamaha. It seems likely that James Toseland will be back in World Superbike next season, and that Chris Vermuelen will follow him back to the series where they both made their names.

The remaining question marks for the 2010 season are at Pramac, Scott, Hayate and the new FB Corse team. Mika Kallio will ride for Pramac, but the second rider on the team is still to be determined/announced. Gabor Talmasci moved to the Scott team from 250cc halfway through the season and has struggled ever since, but no word on who will ride the bike next year. The Hayate team stated earlier that they would not return in 2010, but then there were rumors that the Kawasaki bike would be back with Yamaha power. The final spot would be with the new FB Corse team that is hoping to enter the MotoGP ranks next season. If they are able to put together a program their first season will be a struggle for the rider and the team. At this point the remaining riders left out in the cold are Toni Elias, Alex DeAngelis and Niccolo Canepa.

Marco Simoncelli is the reigning 250cc champion and one of three 250cc riders (Bautista, Barbera) moving up to MotoGP in 2010. With the series in the middle of a break Simoncelli accepted an invitation from Aprilia to ride the World Superbike team’s RSV4 at Mugello this week. After testing the bike at the Tuscan circuit and coming close to the times of Michel Fabrizio on the factory Ducati, Simoncelli has decided to race the bike in the World Superbike round at Imola this weekend as a teammate to Max Biaggi. Simoncelli has four wins in the 250 class this season, and is forty points behind championship leader Hiroshi Aoyama with four races remaining.

Brembo was keeping track of MotoGP riders braking points at the end of the back straight at the recent round at San Marino. Turns out that the rider who brakes the latest at the end of a 170 mph straight is the same rider who wins the race. Here’s the Top 10 Late Brakers:

1 Valentino Rossi
2 Andrea Dovizioso
3 Jorge Lorenzo
4 Loris Capirossi
5 Dani Pedrosa
6 Marco Melandri
7 Nicky Hayden
8 Randy De Puniet
9 Colin Edwards
10 Mika Kallio

Apparently Rossi isn’t just late at braking. After the Italian accounting firm of Cesaroni-Cappellini saved Rossi millions of euros on taxes he had failed to pay the Italian government the firm is claiming that the world champion owes them between 1.7 and 2.5 million euros.

Bike Of The Week - Honda VFR750

The Honda VFR750 was first introduced back in 1986 as a replacement for the VF750 sportbike. The VF750 had a successful racing career, but it had suffered from cam-chain tensioner problems so the engine was redesigned and the new bike was given the VFR designation. The VFR was powered by a 750cc V4, but there were also 400cc and 700cc versions of the bike between 1986-1994. The bike came with an aluminum beam perimeter frame, a full front fairing and a 90 degree V4 engine that put out 105 horsepower.

Honda decided not to import the VFR750 in 1987 so the only VFR available in the U.S. was the 700, but they continued to sell the VFR750F version of the bike in other countries. Honda also produced a race version of the bike called the VFR750R (RC30), and in 1987 they changed the rear suspension on the RC30 to an "Elf Designed" single sided swing arm. American Fred Merkel rode the the redesigned RC30 that year, and won the first World Superbike Championship.

In 1990 they continued to develop both the 750F and 750R (RC30) versions of the bike, but the F version was designed for the street and the R was strictly for the track. The big change for the 750F was the addition of a single sided swing arm and the factory focused on refining the bike for the street. Over the years the bike moved into the sport touring class as Honda continued to refine the bike's handling and comfort level. The bike was usually rated at the top of its class, and it was known for it's durability.

In 1997 Honda replaced the VFR750 with the VFR800. The new bike came with fuel injection and other improvements, but it never achieved the popularity or critical acclaim of its predecessor. Honda has announced that a new VFR will be introduced this Fall and go on sale in Spring. The new VFR will be a 1200cc V-4.

Honda VFR Road Tests

World Superbike News

This week the World Superbike paddock returns to action at Imola, and while the championship is far from being decided there’s a lot of speculation about who will be riding where next year. As usual rumors of where Ben Spies will be riding in 2010 are making the rounds, and both MCN and VisorDown are reporting that the American will be riding alongside fellow Texan Colin Edwards on the Tech 3 MotoGP team whether he wins the WSBK championship or not. There has been neither confirmation or denial from Yamaha or Spies at his point, but railbirds have questioned where he would be next year every since an official Yamaha press release stated that they "forsee" Ben Spies riding a Yamaha in WSBK in 2010.

If Spies does move on to MotoGP that would leave an opening on what could be the championship winning team, and Tom Sykes sub-par season on the second bike might mean that the team will have to replace both riders next year. That's the same situation that the team was in at the end of last year, and they shouldn't have a problem finding two topflight riders if they need them. Cal Crutchlow has been dominating the World Supersport series on a Yamaha this year so he is a prime candidate for moving up to the WSBK team. If Spies does make the move to Tech 3 that means James Toseland would be out of a ride, and there would be a lot of interest in getting the two time champ back into the series. Chris Vermeulen has already lost his Suzuki MotoGP ride, and the former WSS champion has been talking with Yamaha and other teams about the possibility of riding in WSBK. Those are some of the bigger names that are in the mix for 2010, but Leon Camier's dominant, sixteen win season in British Superbike on a Yamaha makes him a contender for a ride on one of the top teams.

The Ducati Xerox team has just announced that they have resigned Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio for the 2010 season. Haga sits second in the championship with six wins and fourteen podiums. Fabrizio is in third place with one win and twelve podiums. The team will be streaming live video from Haga’s garage at this weekend’s Imola round. The feed will come from the ducati.com website during Superpole, Sunday warm-up and the races.

The 2010 season will be the first season for Moto2. The series replaces the 250cc class that travels around the world with MotoGP and 125cc bikes. Moto2 was originally open to four stroke 600cc production engines, but that raised the ire of the Flammini brothers who run WSBK because their agreement with the FIM gives the World Supersport championship the exclusive rights to race 600cc bikes internationally. The FIM agreed, and DORNA, who run MotoGP and Moto2, changed the rules so that now all of the competitors in the series are now limiting to running a spec Honda 600cc engine in their own chassis. That seemed to satisfy the Flammini brothers, but the new series has generated tremendous interest forcing DORNA to deny the applications of nearly half of the teams who applied to compete in the series. Good news for a series that met with widespread skepticism when it was announced, but seemingly bad news for WSBK who will now be getting more competition for riders who are more interested in riding a 600cc four stroke in front of MotoGP decision makers than in WSBK or WSS.

After John Hopkins’ first lap crash in the last round at the Nurburgring it was thought that for once the Anglo American had come away from an accident unscathed, but upon further examination it was determined that he had suffered more serious injuries, "My doctor reviewed the scans and found a big bruise and bleeding on the brain. I had to see a neurologist to determine the severity of the condition, and he has confirmed the bruise on the brain, but no further bleeding. My shoulder has tendon and ligament damage which require surgery, as well as my wrist. For the next six to eight weeks I have been instructed to rest and then have another scan to see if the bruising has gone".

Hopkins injuries will keep him out of action for the rest of the season, and the Stiggy Racing team has decided not to replace him for the final three rounds. Instead the team will focus their efforts on Leon Haslam who sits sixth in the championship, 23 points behind Max Biaggi.

With the AMA roadracing series running their last round in New Jersey two weeks ago Chaz Davies has taken the opportunity to finish out the World Supersport season with ParkinGO Triumph BE1 Racing. Davies will ride alongside Australian Gary McCoy on a Triumph 675 in the final three rounds of the championship. The 22 year old Davies has experience in 125cc, 250cc, MotoGP, won the 2008 Daytona 200 and finished ninth in the AMA's Daytona SportBike class this year on an Aprilia RSV 1000R.

The V8 Supercar career of Troy Bayliss has been put on hold due to technical difficulties. The three time WSBK champ was scheduled to make his debut at Philllip Island, but a broken alternator belt on the warm-up lap ended the team’s day. Bayliss did finish 29th in a support race, and his next V8 Supercar effort will come at the Bathhurst 1000 in October.

Bonneville Salt Flats – Electric Bike Sets Record

"The times they are a changin", but just how fast that change takes place is the question. Stories in the press about electric motorcycles are more frequent these days. Articles about electric dirt bikes, Best Buy selling electric street bikes and a new FIM sanctioned roadracing series for electric motorcycles in 2010 have appeared in print and on the internet.

The story that got the most play was about the first race at the Isle of Man TT for zero-emission bikes called the TTXGP. The race attracted sixty different teams when it was first announced, but in the end only sixteen bikes came to the Island to compete. The Pro Class was won by the Agni team who put their bike together in two months with a budget of $30,000. That compared favorably with other teams that had spent years and millions of dollars to get their bikes to the starting line.

Mission Motors is an American team that finished fourth in the pro class at the TTXGP with a speed of 74.091 MPH. A speed that was just over thirteen mph slower than the winning team. Even the Agni bike was over forty mph slower than the fastest gas powered bikes at the TT, but the TTXGP was hailed as an environmental breakthrough. The Mission team would have preferred winning to finishing fourth, but their long term goal is to produce an electric sportbike for the street.

With the TTXGP being just one step toward reaching their ultimate goal the San Francisco based Mission team moved on to the Bonneville Salt Flats to break the land speed record for electric bikes. Using the same bike that they rode at the Isle of Man the team set a new record at the salt flats with an average speed of 150.059 mph over two runs with a high speed of 161 mph in one of the runs.

Mission Motors is serious about putting their bikes on the street. The bikes they race are production prototypes, and they say that they are on-schedule to reach their goal of selling 300 street legal electric bikes by the end of 2010. If they’re able to reach that goal the times may be changing faster than we think.

Mission Motors Bonneville Salt Flats Video

National Geographic Channel – Motorcycle Crash Tech

The National Geographic Channel is premiering a documentary called Motorcycle Crash Tech on Thursday (9/17/09) at 9:00 pm (EST). The film explores improvements in motorcycle technology that help riders avoid crashes and new riding gear that prevents injuries in a crash. The film also includes interviews with former World Superbike champion Neil Hodgson and 15 time World Champion Giacomo Agostini who discuss some of their crashes and the dangers of racing motorcycles at the highest level.

The film was produced by Cry Havoc Productions who also produced the recent Twist The Throttle series that examined the history of Honda, Ducati, Yamaha, BMW and several other motorcycle manufacturers. The documentary was shot in HD, and the film crews were given access to the research and development facilities of Alpinestars, Brembo, Nolan and MV Agusta.

Motorcycle Crash Tech Video Promo

Bike Of The Week - Suzuki GSX-R750

These days the highways and backroads are heavily populated with bikes that are as comfortable on the street as they are on the track. Hearing the sweet sound of a sportbike accelerating away from a traffic light is a common occurrence, and one of the bikes that set the standard for today's street legal racers was Suzuki's GSX-R750.

When the bike was introduced in 1986 there were other bikes that fell into the superbike category, but Suzuki raised the bar with the GSX-R750. The bike was built to win races, but it was also legal to ride on public roads. The technical specs included a 100 HP in-line four, responsive flat slide carburetors, 18 inch wheels and a dry weight of 388 pounds. Weight reduction was a focal point of the design philosophy and Suzuki did this by using lightweight parts, an alloy frame and an air/oil cooling system that was 10% lighter than water cooling. To increase the bike’s power on the track the factory sold a tuning kit that raised the engine's output to 130 BHP.

The bike was built for skilled riders who could handle the engine's power delivery and light weight. Kevin Schwantz was a factory Suzuki rider when the bike came out, "I rode for Yoshimura Suzuki from 1986-1988 and during that time rode the current year model. The 1986 GSX-R750 handled great, but the problem was getting power and reliability at the same time. It was an awesome bike to ride, though I didn't win any races. The 1987 GSX-R750 bike will always be my favorite. It was so reliable, I don't even remember breaking in a race. The bike was light and actually quite nervous, which I feel like got me ready for a GP bike because it was styled in that direction. Every time I got on it, I felt like I could win".

The GSX-R750 continues to be a mainstay in Suzuki's sportbike lineup, but it's been superseded by the GSX-R1000 and other liter bikes, but there are many who consider the power/handling of the GSX-R750 to be a better package for the street. No matter your opinion whenever you hear the high-pitched scream of in-line four off in the distance think of that first GSX-R750 that was the inspiration for all the sportbikes that followed.

VisorDown wrote about the different iterations of the GSX-R750, and Jamie Whitham talked about his on-track experiences with the bike and added some of his not-so-understated wit to the article.

Buell Halting Production

Buell Motorcycle Company will be halting production at their East Troy factory in Wisconsin for two months. The facility will close on October 30th and reopen on January 4th. Buell recently won their first AMA road racing championship. Danny Eslick took the 2009 Daytona SportBike championship on a Buell 1125R over Josh Herrin in the final round of the championship at the New Jersey Motorsports Park.

Buell is a subsidiary of Harley-Davidson which has closed down several plants permanently and others temporarily. The good news for H-D is that they recently completed negotiations that will see them selling their bikes in India in 2010. India’s economy is growing, and they are the second largest bike market in the world behind China.

Ben Spies Interview

Ben Spies domination of the World Superbike championship has confounded the experts. Everyone knew that he was a solid performer after winning three consecutive AMA Superbike titles over Mat Mladin, and his solid performances in three MotoGP wild card rides last year was further proof that he could compete on the world stage. Spies maintains a reserved persona at the race track so it’s hard for fans to know what he’s really like, but a recent interview with the Texan reveals his true nature and the reasons for his success.

Ben Spies Interview

World Superbike – Nurburgring Review

With three rounds to go Ben Spies has taken an eighteen point lead in the World Superbike Championship. Spies had his worst qualifying performance of the season (5th), but managed to come away with a first and a second in the two races at the Nurburgring. Former championship leader Noriyuki Haga took his first superpole of the season, but he was less fortunate on race day with a second in race one and a retirement in race two after colliding with eventual race winner Jonathan Rea.

Haga had been passed for the lead on the previous lap by Carlos Checa, and was being followed in third by Rea as they approached the turn, “Rea came up fast on the straight and hit me. There was nothing I could do and I couldn't restart the bike. I'm angry as it is the second time this has happened. I guess the only consolation is that I'm not hurt." The accident left Haga perilously stranded in the middle of the turn with riders passing him on both sides, but he got away safely. Race commentator and former superbike rider Steve Martin called it a “racing incident”, and Rea had a similar opinion, “Haga ran quite wide and I went on the inside, and although I didn't see him I felt a big bang and only found out he crashed after the race. I'm sorry for that but don't think it was my fault and I wouldn't blame him”.

Spies fifth place starting spot in the second row was his worst in a season that’s included nine poles in eleven rounds. "The first race was tough and Nori got away so I had to reel him back in. When I got to him I knew he was really strong in the first few corners so I slowed the pace a bit and controlled him through there. With three laps to go we pulled the pin and got back down to some fast laps. The second race was a tough one. I didn't get a great start and had to spend some time working through the pack. When I eventually got up to Rea he had a great pace. I used up a lot of my tires fighting through the pack and was starting to slide around a bit at the end so tucked in and took the points".

Rea’s win was his second of the season, and it moved him within forty-five points of Michel Fabrizio who sits third in the points. Fabrizio struggled to seventh and ninth place finishes, and with 150 points up for grabs in the remaining three rounds the ever improving Rea has a realistic chance of capturing third in the championship if Fabrizio continues to struggle. Rea has a win, two thirds and a fourth in his has last four outings, and Fabrizio has a third, seventh, ninth and a retirement.

John Hopkins’ seemingly endless string of bad luck continued when he was involved in a first lap crash in race one, “I knew the start would be tough, and I had to be somewhere tactical to get myself into the top 10 by the end of the first lap. I ran a bit wide coming out of turn one and then got hit from behind in the second turn and high-sided into Broc Parkes. I was unconscious for 10 minutes before waking up in the ambulance. A bike ran over my chest, but apart from that I have no serious injuries”. Teammate Leon Haslam had a solid weekend with a sixth in race one and a fifth in race two. He was running second in race two, but was slowed by front end chatter. Haslam sits sixth in championship just twenty-three points behind Max Biaggi.

Troy Corser looked strong again on the BMW S1000 RR. The Australian ran near the front early in both races and finished in sixth in race one and eighth in race two, "The bike is easier to ride, more comfortable, more consistent and I'm having fun riding it! I am waiting for the team to make the next step up, so that I can consistently challenge the leaders”. Teammate Ruben Xaus is still recovering from his injuries at Brno, and was replaced by British rider Richard Cooper who crashed in both races.

Yamaha’s press release over the weekend stating that they had signed Spies for the next two seasons has come under close scrutiny. At first glance it would seem that Spies will be riding in WSBK in 2010 and MotoGP in 2011, but the phrasing “the program forsees a season in 2010 with the Yamaha World Superbike team” leaves the door open for Spies moving to MotoGP in 2010. Giving further credence to that theory Michael Scott of GPWeek.com has this quote from Lin Jarvis, Yamaha’s managing director of motor racing, “Ben’s primary mission is to win Yamaha’s first World Superbike title, then we will be ready for him in MotoGP”.

As of this weekend the only two Yamaha rides that remained in MotoGP were with the Tech 3 Yamaha satellite team, and after the race at Misano Colin Edwards announced that he would be riding for the Tech 3 team in 2010. It’s highly unlikely that the team will resign James Toseland for the 2010 season, and team owner Herve Poncharal has already stated that he would like to have Spies on the team so if he can win the championship it looks like he’ll be in MotoGP next year.

The next round of the World Superbike championship is at Imola on September 27th.