Wednesday, September 30, 2009

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.

Monday, September 28, 2009

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

Friday, September 25, 2009

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.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

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.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

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

Monday, September 21, 2009

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.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

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.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

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.

Monday, September 14, 2009

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.

Friday, September 11, 2009

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.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

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.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Bike Of The Week – Royal Enfield Musket

Royal Enfield is a manufacturing company that’s been around since 1893. The company started out as a manufacturer of bicycles, but in 1901 they built their first motorcycle. Royal Enfield motorcycles were originally manufactured in England, but over time the company’s base of operations has shifted and they are now an Indian company.

In 1939 the company introduced a single cylinder, 350cc motorcycle called the Bullet that became one of their more popular bikes. Over the years the company improved the bike and increased the engine size, but it was the 350cc Bullet engine that was the basis for the Royal Enfield Musket.

Growing up in India Aniket Vardhan was inspired by the sound of a Harley Davidson
he heard as a small boy . He held on to that inspiration as he studied industrial design and dreamed of building his own V-Twin Enfield using two 350cc Bullet engines. The result of that inspiration and dream is a bike that Vardhan calls the Royal Enfield Musket. Paul Crowe over at thekneeslider.com brought this project to light, and Aniket has created his own website to publicize the Musket. The site tells the story of the Musket, and has video/audio of a bike and sound you won’t soon forget.

Royal Enfield Musket Slideshow


Royal Enfield Musket Video

Friday, September 4, 2009

World Superbike Update - Spies Staying With Yamaha

The end of the season is always a time when everyone is trying to guess who will be riding where next year. In World Superbike many were wondering where Ben Spies would be riding in 2010. One theory circulating through the paddock was that Spies would move on to MotoGP if he won the championship this year. Yamaha has ended the mystery by announcing that Spies will be riding in WSBK in 2010 and moving over to their MotoGP satellite team (Tech 3 Yamaha) in 2011. The following is the official announcement from Yamaha:

Yamaha Motor Company., Ltd and Yamaha Motor Europe N.V. are delighted to announce that an Agreement has been concluded with Ben Spies for his participation with Yamaha for 2010 and 2011. The program foresees a season in 2010 with the Yamaha World Superbike Team based in Gerno di Lesmo, Italy and a switch to Yamaha’s satellite MotoGP team for 2011.

Laurens Klein Koerkamp, Racing Manager Yamaha Motor Europe said – “We got to know Ben this season in our Yamaha World Superbike Team as a very talented, professional and dedicated person whom we are thrilled to continue working with. Not only is the relationship between Ben, the team and Yamaha in general very successful but also it’s a pleasure to work with him. This early agreement permits Yamaha and Ben Spies to now fully focus on their 2009 World Superbike campaign in their challenge to achieve their first World Superbike Championship titles together.”

Lin Jarvis, Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing said – “We are truly excited about the prospect of Ben’s arrival into our future MotoGP program. Ben is doing a great job for Yamaha in his first season in the World Superbike Championship. He is in great shape to challenge for the title this year and we will be rooting for him at the remaining four events this season. Ben’s primary mission is to win both his and Yamaha’s first World Superbike title. After that when Ben eventually makes the move to the MotoGP championship we will be ready for him and, in line with the new MotoGP regulations, we will create a place for him within the Yamaha satellite team and give him the support he needs for his next challenge".

Ben Spies:
"I am very happy to say that I will remain a part of the Yamaha family and will continue in the WSB series for 2010. This is an exciting period of my racing career and I look forward to even more. Yamaha has been great in the warm welcome that I have received entering the world level and I want to thank them for all they have done, and giving me their trust for a next career step into MotoGP in 2011."

In other Yamaha World Superbike news David Emmett over at motogpmatters.com is reporting that Stiggy Racing will be changing from Honda to Yamaha bikes for the 2010 season. The team will reportedly be sticking with a rider lineup of Leon Haslam and John Hopkins.

AMA Road Racing – New Jersey Round

The AMA is contesting their first ever event at the New Jersey Motorsports Park in the final round of the season this weekend. It’s also Mat Mladin’s final round in an AMA career that’s included 82 trips to the top of the podium. Mladin’s talent, determination and competitive nature raised the level of everyone around him, and riders like Nicky Hayden and Ben Spies were better for having raced against him. Mladin’s age (37) and his disagreements with the AMA made him a candidate for retirement, but having just clinched his seventh Superbike championship it’s clear that he’s still competitive.

Mladin has raced in MotoGP (500cc) and World Superbike, but he’s had his greatest success in the AMA. The fact that he’s only had success in a national series has led many to down play his talent over the years, but Ben Spies success in the World Superbike Championship has changed that opinion. Early in his MotoGP career Nicky Hayden told crash.net what he thought of the Australian, "Right now Mat Mladin is for sure the strongest rider in America, and I think he could get it done over here no problem. He's definitely capable of making some headlines over here without a doubt".

As competitive as he is Mladin will be looking to go out with a win. Many were hoping that he would head over to World Superbike in 2010, but he’s made it clear that the AMA round in New Jersey will be his last. Here’s hoping he changes his mind.


American Superbike Race #1 Results

American Superbike Race #2 Results

Daytona SportBike Race #1 Results

Daytona SportBike Race #2 Results

Supersport Race Results

Pictures #1

Pictures #2

Pictures #3

Thursday, September 3, 2009

MotoGP – Misano Preview

The world championship heads to Misano for round thirteen just one week after Valentino Rossi’s crash and Jorge Lorenzo’s win at Indianapolis tightened up the title fight. Rossi now leads the championship by 25 points over Lorenzo, and he’ll be tough to beat at his home circuit, “I quickly want to forget the mistake of Indianapolis! Last year at Misano was incredible, to win in front of all my fans and so close to home was a great emotion and after missing out in Mugello this year we are really focused on trying to get the best result there”. But Lorenzo has shown that he has the talent to beat his teammate, "Misano is one of the tracks where I was very fast in the past. I won in 2007 on my 250cc bike, and last year I was not far behind Valentino in second. I know how hard it will be to be the best at Valentino's house”.

2009 Qualifying Results - Rossi quickest

2008 Misano Race Results

1. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha)
2. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha)
3. Toni Elias (Ducati)


With five rounds left in the championship there are plenty of points up for grabs. Dani Pedrosa’s run from last to tenth after crashing while leading has put him within nine points of the absent Casey Stoner. Colin Edwards will have a hard time fighting off Andrea Dovizioso on the factory Honda for fifth place. Dovizioso has a first and two fourths in his last three outings, and he’ll be switching over to Ohlins forks and shocks for the rest of the season.

212 Valentino Rossi
187 Jorge Lorenzo
150 Casey Stoner
141 Dani Pedrosa
123 Colin Edwards
120 Andrea Dovizioso
88 Alex De Angelis
86 Loris Capirossi
84 Randy De Puniet
79 Marco Melandri
77 Chris Vermeulen
73 Nicky Hayden
72 James Toseland
70 Toni Elias
42 Mika Kallio

The points chase after the top six is up for grabs with seventh through fourteenth separated by just 18 points. Nicky Hayden has seen gradual improvement, and although he benefited from the crashes of Pedrosa and Rossi to finish third at Indianapolis it looks like he’s finally getting a handle on the Ducati. The Kentucky Kid got a confidence boost with the announcement that he will be riding the factory Ducati in 2010, “After the good result in Indy, now to renew the deal with Ducati is exactly what I wanted. I’m very happy. I always had faith and believed that we could achieve good results”. Hayden missed last year’s race at Misano due to injury, but started third in 2007.

Randy De Puniet has gone from consistent crasher to consistent finisher on the LCR Honda satellite team this season. The French rider has been working with a trainer, but the switch from Michelin to Bridgestone tires is one reason why he’s crashing less. Riders say the Bridgestone front tire gives them better front end feel, and Casey Stoner is another rider who stopped crashing when he moved to Ducati and started riding on Bridgestone tires. De Puniet recently broke his ankle training on a motocross bike, and x-rays show the damage and how the doctors repaired it so that he could continue to race. Although De Puniet has yet to sign a contract for 2010 it looks like he’ll be back in MotoGP in 2010. He seems to have lock on returning to LCR Honda, but he’s also been mentioned as a possible rider on the Tech 3 Yamaha team.

Dorna has been working in conjunction with the Cameron/Pace designed 3D Fusion system to bring 3D to MotoGP. The camera crew tested the system at the Laguna Seca round earlier this year, and brought a demonstration reel to Indianapolis. Dani Pedrosa liked what he saw, "It was amazing. When you see the images it's really impressive. It's like actually being there at the racetrack". Implementation of 3D is a long way off, and a more logical step for MotoGP would be to start broadcasting the races in HD.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Indy MotoGP Weekend

Growing up a few miles away from tracks that hosted races run by the likes of A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti I’ve always considered Indianapolis Motor Speedway to be my mecca. The track just has a certain aura that hasn’t changed since my first visit there, and when I talk about it to people who have been going there a lot longer than I have they feel the same way.

I headed out there this past weekend for the MotoGP round, and as usual I wasn’t disappointed. Three great days of racing with practice and qualifying on Friday and Saturday and races on Sunday. They opened up the pits on Friday morning so that fans could check out the bikes and get a first hand look at the garage areas and the yard of bricks at the start-finish line. The place is so immense there are plenty of places to go to check out the action on the track whether it’s in the grandstands on the front straight across from the pits or on the spectator mounds in the infield section of the circuit.


The infield was also the location for all of the manufacturers and vendors. Lots of motorcycles to look at and food to eat. If you love bikes you had to visit Ducati Island to check out all of the Ducatis that people brought to the race. Another highlight at the Island was NCR’s updated version of the Ducati that Mike Hailwood rode to win the 1979 Isle of Man TT. This classic bike is yours for just $130,000.


You can’t talk about Indianapolis without talking about some of its idiosyncrasies. How about those bathrooms? In an age of urinals with sensor controlled flushing Indy is sticking with the trough style that handles multiple users. Things have improved since the 60’s when Graham Hill first ran in the 500. The Englishman was appalled when he visited the men’s room and found that there were no doors on the stalls. Management took note and made the necessary improvements.


The Speedway is one of the oldest functional stadiums in the world, but they’ve resisted the temptation to charge fans for the personal seat licenses that are the first step towards buying a ticket at some of the new stick n’ ball stadiums. That being said, some of the seats at Indy look like they’ve been there since the first race in 1909. It’s always a good idea to bring a cushion with you if you’re in attendance at the track that hosts “the greatest spectacle in racing”. But that’s just a minor inconvenience that can be avoided with a little preparation. How about this. . .free parking, courteous attendants and cleanliness that borders on OCD. Seriously, I can’t remember seeing any trash on the ground on a weekend when 146,000 people hit the turnstiles. Free parking at a major sporting event. What else can I say? Courteous attendants. Okay maybe there’s the occasional officious security guard, but not bad considering there are almost as many attendants as there are fans.


Being the frugal type, not cheap. . .frugal, I love the ticket prices for the MotoGP race. For $75.00 I can buy a three day ticket that gets me into practice, qualifying, three races on Sunday, free parking and anything else that happens inside the Speedway. Since it’s a general admission ticket you have to get there early on race day to get the seat you want, but who cares. They’ve got stunt riders, music, videos and three practice sessions to keep you occupied. The other thing is that for my money they’re the best seats in the house. I can’t tell you where they are because the track might find out and start making them reserved and charging more money for them. Just take my word for it and figure it out.


Forget about the Speedway for a moment because the best racing of the weekend takes place at the Indiana State Fairgrounds on Saturday night. That’s where the flat trackers battle it out on the legendary Indy Mile in heats and finals that will make you think you’ve never seen real racing before. Valentino Rossi was one of many European spectators taking in the action, and his wide-eyed appreciation as he leaned on the infield fence and watched the riders fly into the first turn was confirmation that on that night he was a fan like everyone else. Later that night Kenny Roberts let everyone know that he’s still the man when he went out and turned some hot laps on the Yamaha TZ750 that took him to a memorable Indy victory in 1975 and led to his infamous “they don’t pay me enough to ride that bike” quote. The flat track night alone is worth the trip, but get your tickets early because it’s an SRO event.


Road racing purists will contend that the Indianapolis circuit leaves something to be desired and it’s hard to argue with that point of view, but there are places to pass and the action on the track has been good. It’s not Assen or Donington. It’s Indy. This year’s race drew 75,000 people on race day which is nearly double what Laguna Seca can hold, but it’s down from the 100,000 people who came to last year’s race in a hurricane. The place is so huge that 75,000 people looks like 25,000. As usual the American riders upped their game on home soil with Nicky Hayden finishing on the podium and Colin Edwards coming home in fifth. Whatever the reasons for the drop in attendance I’m hoping it’s just minor blip on a racing weekend that is a must see for every motorcycle racing fan.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

World Superbike – Nurburgring Preview

After a six week break World Superbike returns to action at Germany’s Nurburgring this weekend. The long break has benefited the walking wounded who inhabit the WSBK paddock these days. That list includes championship leader Noriuki Haga who needed time to recover from fractures to the ulna bone in his right forearm and his left shoulder blade, “I’m feeling much stronger,and after a relaxing holiday back home in Japan, I’m totally ready to continue the fight for the world title.” Haga took both races at last year’s Nurburgring round on a Yamaha.

Haga's lead over Ben Spies is down to seven points, and with four rounds left in the championship it’s anyone’s guess who this year’s champion will be. Spies returns to action healthy and well rested after a crash in race one and a win in race two at the last round in Brno. That crash was caused by Michel Fabrizio’s misguided attempt to pass Spies for the lead, and it certainly prevented Spies from taking over the championship lead from Haga. Fabrizio trails teammate Haga by 53 points in the championship.

With six weeks off the teams have had time to improve their bikes, and the BMW team will be one of the teams to take advantage of that time. The team has made great strides in their inaugural WSBK season with Troy Corser leading both races at the last round in Brno. Teammate Ruben Xaus had hoped to race at the Nurburgring after fracturing his right femur in race one at Brno, but his doctor felt that he needed more time to heal. The Spaniard will be replaced at the Nurburgring by Richard Cooper who will be making his first start in WSBK.

Max Neukirchner is another rider who will miss the Nurburgring round to recover from injuries. The German rider will miss his home race after fracturing several vertebrae at the Imola test in July. Australian Karl Muggeridge will ride Neukirchner’s factory Suzuki this weekend.

Stiggy Racing has had a solid first season in WSBK with Leon Haslam standing on the podium at six races. The English rider’s efforts have him sitting in sixth place just twenty points behind Max Biaggi in fifth. Teammate John Hopkins has seen limited action due to injuries, but the long break should see the American in his best physical condition since joining the team at Valencia in May.

Rider movement in MotoGP always seems to have an effect on WSBK. Although they haven’t been ruled out of getting a ride in MotoGP there is a chance that James Toseland and Chris Vermeulen will be returning to WSBK next season. Both riders have been outperformed by their teammates this season, and Suzuki has already confirmed that Vermeulen will be replaced by 250cc rider Alvaro Bautista next year. Neither Toseland or Colin Edwards have been confirmed for the Tech 3 Yamaha team, and in an interview with MotoGPMatters.com Tech 3 boss Herve Poncharal confirmed that several riders are still in the mix for the team. According to Poncharal Ben Spies is negotiating with Yamaha and “to have him in 2011 in MotoGP is almost 100% sure”, but he might return to WSBK in 2010.

It looks as though Regis Laconi is on his way to a full recovery after his serious practice accident at Kyalami in May. The French rider has nearly completed his rehabilation, and will make an appearance at the Imola round in September. In other news Troy Bayliss will make his V8 Supercar race debut at Phillip Island in September. The three time world champion will follow that up with a run in the Bathurst 1000 in October.

2008 Nurburgring Results:

Race 1
1. Haga (Yamaha)
2. Bayliss (Ducati)
3. Neukirchner (Suzuki)

Race 2
1. Haga (Yamaha)
2. Corser (Yamaha)

3. Neukirchner (Suzuki)
 
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