This Month in the Fast Dates World Superbike Calendar ...
FastDates.com Calendar Kittens and SBK Podium Girls Jitunka amd Petra with #86 Ayrton Badovini's Alstare Bimota World Superbike powered by BMW's potent S1000RR Superbke motor.
FastDates.com Calendars are highest quality full color 15 x 15" wire spiral bound printed on heavy art stock
revealing 16 months beginning with September.
Click on the Calendar Picture Above or Here to Order

See more of our beautiful Kittens and Calendar Bikes in the
Calendar Bike Garage and in Members Corner.

      All Three Editions of this new 2017 FastDates.com Calendars feature our official SBK Fast Dates World Superbike Calendar Kittens Sara Horvath, Alena Pyshnaya from the Ukraine, and Alena Sovostikova from Russia, who spent the summer in America with Calendar photographer Jim Gianatsis to shoot and work at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca USA World and AMA Superbike, and the LA Calendar Motorcycle Show. Follow the action behind the scrnes at the link above, and in our FAST 2017 Digital Magazine Yearbook in Members Corner.

World Premier New 2017 Fast Dates Calendar!
Our official SBK Podiumand Grid Kittens Sara, Alena S and Alena P gets up close and personal with Jonthan Rea's 2015 SBK World Championship winning Motocard Kawasaki ZX10R at Laguna Seca USA World Superbike. FastDates.com Calendars are highest quality full color 15 x 15" wire spiral bound printed on heavy art stock revealing 16 months beginning with September.

Order the New 2016 and 2017 FastDates.com Calendars...
Click on the Calendar Picture Above or Here to Order

See More of the Bikes and Beautiful Calendar Kittens in -
Calendar Bike Garageand Members Corner and Meet the Models

FAST 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 Digital Calendar Magazines
Go Behind the Scenes for the Making of the FastDates.com Calendars!
Each year's FastDates.com Calendar Digital Yearbook features 120 pages of exciting hi-resolution digital photography that takes you with us behind the scenes to our photo shoots at SBK World and AMA Superbike, the LA Calendar Motorcyle Show, and in our photo studio. You'll meet the beautiful Calendar Kitttens in sexy biography pictorials, the top Factory Racers and Custom Bike Builders,and see detailed photo features on the top calendar and race bikes. Take a track day with World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss at Misano, take an Edelsweiss Ducati World Superbike tour of the Ducati Factory & Museum and across Italy, ride a Vespa scooter around Paris and party at the Crazy Horse and the Moulon Rouge. Hang with beautiful teen rock star Taylor Momsen of the Pretty Reckless. Did we forget anything?

Oh yes, and you'll see every page in the new Fast Dates, Garage Girls, Iron & Lace Calendars!

The Los Angeles 6th Street Bridge Remembered
One of the many features in the new FAST 2017 Calendar Digital Yearbook available for viewing now in
FastDates.com Members Corner

Calendar Bike Show Winner
Now in the FastDates.com Calendar Bike Garage!
Mike LaFountain's 2016 LA Calendar Bike Show class winning 1967 Kawasaki W1 Cafe Racer with SBK Fast Dates World Superbike Calendar Kitten Jessica Harbour in Big Screen Saver Size Pictures and bike details - http://www.FastDates.com/IronLaceGarage.HTM

We're Back! Riding Edelweiss Motorcycle Tour - From Paris to Omaha, France
Versailles, France, August 2016 - How we spent our summer vacation! On the exciting Edelweiss Bike Travel 2016 Paris to Omaha Beach 10-day motorcycle tour across western France visiting the histroric battle sites of World War II where editor Jim Ginatsis father, B26 bomber pilot Capt. James Gianatsi played a pivital role in te D-say invasion and liberating France. We rode 2-up two-up with awesome FastDates.com SBK World Superbike Calendar Kitten Kaustin "Kaussie" Rose in a story for the FastDates.com Website. Our bike of choice would be the newly introduced BMW R 1000 XR Sport Tourer, based on the potent BMW R 1000 RR Superbike. For the Complete Story Click on the Photos or Check Out the Complete Story Here

For complete Pricing, Bikes, and Booking Information visit the Edelweiss Website Here

FIM Superbike & Supersport World Championships Changes to the Regulations for 2017
          In an attempt to make the racing even more exciting between the Two Races per Class on a WSBK Race Weekend,
Saturday's Superpole Results WILL NOT be used for both Stary Line Grid Positions on Saturday and Sunday. Rather for Sunday's 2nd Race of the Weekend, the Front 3 Grid Row Positions will be reversedbased on Saturday;s Race Finishes, so the winning riders will now have to move up through half the starting gird as described below:

          December 6th 2016 - The Superbike Commission composed of Messrs Gregorio Lavilla (WSBK Sporting Department Director), Takanao Tsubouchi (MSMA Representative), Rezsö Bulcsu (FIM CCR Director) in the presence of Messrs Daniel Carrera (Dorna), Paul Duparc, Charles Hennekam and Scott Smart (FIM) in a meeting held in Madrid (ESP) on 01 December, made the following changes to the 2017 MOTUL FIM Superbike & Supersport World Championships Regulations:

1. The formation of the grid for Race 2 will now be decided following race results from Saturday. Superpole results will continue to define starting positions for riders who finished in 10th position or lower, however the front of the grid will now be determined on Race One results.
   

   • Top three riders move back to row three and see 1st and 3rd reverse their positions.
   • Riders who finished in 4th, 5th and 6th will be promoted to the front row.
   •  Riders who finished in 7th, 8th and 9th will start from the second row.

SBK Motul World Superbike Championship Round 13 of 14, Jerez, Spain

Chaz Davies Doubles Down Race Wins Again in Qatar Superbike Finale
Kawasaki Riders Rae and Sykes Take 1-2 in Championship for Kawasaki
Losial, Qatar, October 29-30th 2016 - A remarkable year for Kawasaki and KRT riders Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes was rounded off by a 1-2 finish in the Riders’ Championship, as Sykes retained his overall second place with a second place finish. He came home just ahead of Rea after a shortened ten-lap race two at Losail. Jonathan Rea had won the championship itself the day before but the final points scores ended up Rea 498 and Sykes 447 after the very last race of 13-round season.

Complete Qatar World Superbike 2017 Season Final Coverge from Qatar Here

Revealed! The 2017 Ducati 215hp / 368 lb 1299cc Superleggera
Bologna Italy November 5th 2017 - Ducati has revealed a new limited edition lightweight version of their latest big bore 1299cc V-Twin Superbike, the 1299 Superlegera. The previous2014 year limited edition 11999 Superlegera retailed for USD $68,000, so expected this new model to be priced even higher with the addition of its Carbon Fiber Airbox Subframe to attach the front forks, and new lightweight carbon fiber wheels. This is a pure Collector's bike as the larger 1299cc engine dispersant and carbon fibre wheels make it ineligible for FIM / AMA racing. It should also be noted the Superquadro engine performance upgrades which premiered in the 2014 model year 1199cc Superleggera became available the following year in the 2015 homologation 1199R Superbike for $33,000.

ENGINE Superquadro: L-twin cylinder, 4 valve per cylinder, Desmodromic, liquid cooled
DISPLACEMENT 1,285 cc
BORE X STROKE 116 x 60.8 mm
COMPRESSION RATIO 13.0:1
POWER 158.1 kW (215 hp) @ 11,000 rpm
The power values indicated above are measured using a chassis dynamometer. Homologated power data, as quoted in the Bike Registration Document, are measured using an engine dynamometer according to the homologation regulation. The two power values may differ because of the different measurement equipments.
TORQUE 146.5 Nm (108,0 lb-ft) @ 9,000 rpm
FUEL INJECTION Mitsubishi electronic fuel injection system. Twin injectors per cylinder. Full Ride-by-Wire elliptical throttle bodies with aerodynamic valve and optimized trumpets
EXHAUST 2-1-2 system, primary tubes in titanium. Twin titanium mufflers. 2 lambda probes and 2 catalytic converters
GEARBOX
6 speed with Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) up/downPRIMARY DRIVE
Straight cut gears; Ratio 1.77:1
RATIO 1=37/15 2=30/16 3=27/18 4=25/20 5=24/22 6=23/24
FINAL DRIVE Chain; Front sprocket 15; Rear sprocket 39
CLUTCH Hydraulically controlled slipper/self-servo wet multiplate clutch
FRAME Monocoque in carbon fiber
FRONT SUSPENSION Fully adjustable 43mm USD Öhlins FL 936 fork with TiN treatment, billet fork bottoms and lightweight stress-optimized outer tubes, lightweight springs
FRONT WHEEL 10-spoke carbon fiber 3.50" x 17"
FRONT TYRE
Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP 120/70 ZR17
REAR SUSPENSION
Fully adjustable single Öhlins TTX36 shock with titanium spring, adjustable linkage between progressive/flat. Carbon fiber single-sided swingarm
REAR WHEEL
10 spokes carbon fiber 6.00” x 17”
REAR TYRE
Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP 200/55 ZR17
WHEEL TRAVEL (FRONT/REAR)
120 mm (4.7 in) - 130 mm (5.1 in)
FRONT BRAKE 2 x 330 mm semi-floating discs, radially mounted Brembo Monobloc Evo M50 4-piston callipers with Cornering ABS, Brembo MCS 19-21 adjustable-ratio front brake master cylinder, remote lever adjuster
REAR BRAKE 245 mm disc, 2-piston calliper with Cornering ABS
INSTRUMENTATION Colour TFT display
DRY WEIGHT 156 kg (343.9 lb)
KERB WEIGHT 167 kg (368.2 lb)
SEAT HEIGHT 830 mm (32.48 in)
WHEELBASE 1.456 mm (57.32 in)
RAKE 24°
FRONT WHEEL TRAIL 98 mm (3.86 in)
FUEL TANK CAPACITY 17 l - 4.5 gallon (US)
NUMBER OF SEATS Single seat
STANDARD EQUIPMENT Riding Modes, Power Modes, ABS cornering, DTC, DWC, DSC, DPL, DQS u/d, EBC, DDA+ w/GPS module, Fully RbW. Rapid setting DTC, DWC, DSC, EBC
ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT Track Kit: Titanium racing exhaust, racing windshield, machined mirror block-off plates, license plate mount removal plug, side-stand removal kit, front and rear paddock stands, paddock bike cover
WARRANTY (MONTHS) 24 months unlimited mileage
MAINTENANCE (KM/MONTHS) 12,000 km (7,500 mi) / 12 months
VALVE CLEARANCE ADJUSTMENT (KM) 24,000 km (15,000 mi) - street use

From the left: Builder Hirokai Takai, Calendar Show producer Jim Gianatsis, Calendar Kitten Kaustin Rose, Best of Show winner Yuichiti Yoshizkwa, Kittens Alissa Bourne and Daria Dali.

We Have a Winner!
Yuichiti Yoshizkwa takes 2016 LA Calendar Motorcycle Best of Show
Calabasas, CA, July 23rd, 2016 - Yuichiti Yoshizkwa / Custom Works Zou, flew his bike in from Japan to take Best of Show at the 2016 LA Calendar Motorcycle Show. This was the 5th year in a row that Asian Builders had claimed the top spot at America's premier custom motorcyce show with their unique had craft builds. Yuichiti's Cafe Racer themed bike features a front swingarm suspension with its Amrican V-Twin replica Shovel Head fed by a exhaust driver turbocharger!

Complete coverage if this year's 2016 LA Calendar Motocycle Show HERE

Raccia Customs took 1st Place Cafe Racer with this incredible retro moded1967 Kawsaki W1. You'll find this bike featured in the Calendar Bike Garage.

FIM 2016 MotoGP World Championhip, Round 18 of 18 Valencia Spain

Lorenzo Says "Good Bye" to Yamaha
with a dominating 2016 Season Finale Weekend at Valencia
Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana, Sunday, 13 November 2016 - In his 250th Grand Prix start, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo said goodbye to that title in stunning style, as the ‘Spartan’ took a lights-to-flag signature victory in his final appearance in Yamaha blue before moving to Team Ducati next season. A record-breaking pole saw the Spaniard then escape at the front, holding off a late charge from reigning World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team). An Italian battle royale decided the final podium place, with Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team) taking P3 on the penultimate lap.

Lorenzo sets a new lap record on Saturday in the final 2017 race weekend before wings are banned in MotoGP.

The ‘Spartan’ starts his last dance in blue from an imperious pole position
Superpole Saturday 12th - Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) decimated his previous Best Lap during qualifying at the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana, set last season, as the Yamaha rider blasted straight into the 1:29s before eventually taking six tenths off his 2015 best by the end of the session. Smooth, controlled and ominously fast, only Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was left with a gasp at knocking his great rival off pole - but the number 93 eventually crossed the line three tenths back. The Repsol Honda rider was both the only other man to get into the 1:29s and the only other man to get within the previous record.
 
Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) got over some of his Friday afternoon woes in Q2 to complete the front row – but remained seven tenths off the pace of teammate Lorenzo on pole. The ‘Doctor’, celebrated for his Sunday miracles, will be looking to cut the gap as he tries to spoil the hometown Spanish party for the third time in 2016.
 
Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Maverick Viñales heads the second row in his final appearance for the Hamamatsu factory, ahead of Sepang winner Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Pol Espargaro in his last appearance for the Tech 3 squad.
 
Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team) qualified in P7 as he continues to recover from cracked vertebrae sustained in Misano, with Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) impressing on his return to competition - despite his ongoing recovery following a collarbone break in Motegi. The ‘Baby Samurai’ went straight through to Q2 and then qualified in P8 for the 2016 season finale.

The Last Race For Wings
Race Day Sunday 13th - Under the blue skies of a long-awaited dry race day, Lorenzo got the holeshot from pole, but it was Iannone who was the big winner into Turn 1 as the Italian blasted through on the inside to take second. With the ‘Spartan’ imperious at the front, Iannone led the chase as Maverick Viñales (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), Marquez and Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) joined him in the battle behind the lead, after the number 93 suffered a bad start off the line.

Rossi (46) in the early race, battling with Marquez (93) and Viñales (25).

After getting past Viñales, Rossi and Iannone fought it out at the head of the second group as the number 99 began to disappear into the distance, with Marquez and Viñales in close company. As Rossi got to the head of the chasers, Iannone hit back again – and so began Round 2. It was the ‘Maniac’ who initially came out on top, before Marquez saw his shot and got through – gapping the fight to start a charge after Lorenzo at the front, eventually cutting more than three seconds off the number 99's lead.

The podium decider was left to a brutal, classic battle between Iannone and Rossi - with the rider from Tavullia seeming to have got the better of his younger compatriot, until Iannone hit back with an aggressive move that also gave him a gap he was able to hold onto over the line. Viñales completed his final weekend with Suzuki in P5.

Dovizioso eventually dropped slightly back from the front group into the clutches of Aleix Espargaro (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and brother Pol (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) to fight for P6 after grip issues – with younger brother Pol finally taking the honours over the line in a photo-finish against Dovizioso, and Aleix seeing the flag in eighth.

Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) unfortunately suffered a crash to bid adieu to his fantastic latter half of 2016 – but he takes the title of Top Independent rider although bettered by Pol Espargaro on the day. Crutchlow’s compatriot Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) had another impressive ride as he gets back to fitness following a crash ahead of the British GP and two knee surgeries, taking P9 in his final race with Tech 3 before he moves to Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.

Alvaro Bautista had a stunning ride in his final race with Aprilia Racing Team Gresini in their special “Red” livery, completing the top ten to round out a year of impressive progress. Returning Repsol Honda Team rider Dani Pedrosa crashed out after an impressive weekend despite a recent collarbone break, and wildcard Mika Kallio, debuting the new KTM RC16, was sadly unable to see the flag after technical trouble - but the Austrian factory now head into the 2017 pre-season with vital information after lining up for the first time.

The final 2016 podium with Lorenzo on top sided by Marquez, and Lannone in his last ride for Ducati. Check out the Motul twins.

After a history-making 2016, MotoGP™ will return in pre-season testing on Tuesday - with Lorenzo in red at Ducati as the pack shuffles and prepares its hand for another incredible season of motorcycle racing.

MotoGP™ Valencia Race Results - Complete Race and Season Results Here
1 - Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) YAMAHA 45.54.228
2 - Marc Márquez (SPA) HONDA +1.185
3 - Andrea Iannone (SPA) DUCATI +6.603

No more inter team rivalries as Lorenzo and Rossi say "Good Bye" in their pits. It was Yamaha's early resigning of Rossi to a new 2-year contract back in March that saw the then reigning World Champion Lorenzo feel slighted and make the decision to leave Yamaha for Ducati in 2017.

Maverick Viñales / Movistar Yamaha MotoGP in a one-time set of leathers and bodywork.

It's Lonely at the top: Viñales Dominates on Lorenzo’s Yamah!a
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP's new signing tops both days of testing in Valencia
MotoGP Official 2- Day Test , November 15-16th 2016 - Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) is settling into his new home well – fastest on day one at the Valencia test and then repeating the feat on day two for an amazing debut. A 1:29.975 in the afternoon saw the former Moto3™ World Champion take over at the top, after completing 66 laps on his second day at Yamaha as Jorge Lorenzo's relapacement. With blue skies once again and good, seasonal temperatures, conditions were nigh on perfect for one of the paddock’s key days of the pre-season.
 
Viñales’ teammate Valentino Rossi ended the day a little further down the timesheets in P7, completing a program of 45 laps and suffering no crashes – after losing some track time on day one following a fall on when testing back to back 2016 and 2017 equipment. The 9-time World Champion put in a best of 1:30.709, and next up heads to Malaysia alongside Viñales to test in Sepang – with most on the grid instead heading for Jerez next week.
 
Repsol Honda Team were testing a multitude of different engine and frame combinations and evolutions from 2016 and 2017, with reigning Champion Marc Marquez suffering a fall between Turns 1 and 2 after running on and then heading into the gravel slowly; just unable to keep the Repsol Honda upright. Marquez did a total of 58 laps with a best of 1:30.171 and went second – doing some longer runs later in the afternoon, and taking advantage of the final minutes of track time for a practice start.
 
Dani Pedrosa was out the box a little later than his teammate Marquez, as he continues to recover from a broken collarbone – amongst other injuries – sustained at the Twin Ring Motegi, and the ‘Baby Samurai’ accordingly put in a lesser 38 laps on day two, including a good amount of time on the black liveried 2017 bike. Pedrosa ended the day around half a second off his teammate, in P5 with a 1:30.686.

Jorge Lorenzo in his one-time set of non manufcturer brand leathers on the Ducati.

Jorge Lorenzo was first out once again from his new Ducati Team pit box, eager to get down to work. It was another positive day for the Mallorcan in his new home, eighth fastest and only 0.035 behind former teammate Valentino Rossi on the Movistar Yamaha. The Spaniard’s best was a 1:30.744 after riding the 2017 bike for much longer than his first initial run on Tuesday, and Lorenzo ended the day with a practice start; one of the last on track as the sun began to set. 41 laps and many runs gathering maximum information was vital for the number 99, as he will not be allowed to take part in the Jerez test next week.
 
Andrea Dovizioso was the fastest of the Ducati Team on track on day two. Putting in 33 laps throughout the hours, the Italian was P3 on the timesheets with a 1:30.443, 0.468 off Viñales’ best of the day. The Sepang winner tested both the 2016 and 2017 machines once again on day two, and will also sit out the Jerez test as the Ducati test team take over from him and Lorenzo.
 
Team Suzuki Ecstar riders Andrea Iannone and Alex Rins had a mixed second day. Both riders suffered crashes at Turn 12; the latter from Iannone, on only his fourth lap, bringing out the red flag to assess the track safety conditions. With extra protection added to the run off area at the corner, action got underway once again with Iannone then improving in the afternoon to go P4, a 1:30.599 after a brave 47 laps and one of the only men getting faster later in the session.
 
Alex Rins’ crash in the morning saw the MotoGP™ rookie fall only a few minutes before his teammate – with severe damage to the bike. Rins was taken to the Medical Center at the track before then going to hospital for further investigation – with initial reports of a compression fracture to vertebrae in his upper back, and at least a month of rest required for the Moto2™ and Moto3™ race winner. The Spaniard will sit out further testing later in November at the Circuito de Jerez.
 
Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) was fastest Independent Team rider, fitting with the title he secured in 2016, and put in a best of 1:30.709 after completing 45 laps. The LCR rider avoided the crash he suffered on day one, getting in a good program of work.
 
Aprilia Racing Team Gresini rider Aleix Espargaro impressed on his second day out with his new team, taking ninth on the timesheets with a 1:30.885 on his fastest lap of 45. Teammate Sam Lowes sat out day two after a late crash on day one, instead ready to get back on track in Jerez next week.
 
New Monster Yamaha Tech 3 teammates Jonas Folger and Johann Zarco had an impressive day two. Folger just got the better of his two-time Moto2™ World Champion teammate after dueling it out for supremacy, 0.067 ahead of the Frenchman on the timesheets. The pair put in 62 and 55 laps respectively, and will be joining Movistar Yamaha at Sepang for another test in place of the Jerez choice of many of the other teams in the paddock.
 
Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS had a chassis update – the one used by race winner Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) from Silverstone onwards. Finding improvements, Jack Miller’s fastest was a 1:31.069 to put him in P12 on the timesheets despite a crash in the afternoon, with Tito Rabat registering a 1:31.918 in P18. Miller completed 40 laps; Rabat 36.
 
Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) was P14 on day two with a 1:31.186 over 69 laps – the most of the day - but did suffer a crash earlier in the session. Teammate Karel Abraham, riding the 2015 Ducati after beginning on the 14.2 yesterday, had his day cut short with a major electrical problem that the team were unable to fix on the day – left wanting some more track time on his return from WorldSBK.
 
Octo Pramac Yakhnich rider Scott Redding put in 42 laps with a best of 1:31.118 to go P13 despite a crash, with temporary teammate Michele Pirro, standing in for Danilo Petrucci, in P16. Avintia Racing’s Hector Barbera completed the top fifteen after 39 laps, with a best of 1:31.244 – with teammate Loris Baz doing a best of 1:32.161 after 36 laps.
 
Red Bull KTM Factory racing’s Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith completed 33 and 34 laps respectively as they ventured out on track for the second time with the new project from the Austrian factory. Espargaro put in a fastest of 1:31.833, 1.8s off Viñales, and ended the day in P17 in a good first representative, comparative test for the RC16. Smith suffered a crash later in the day; rider ok, ending the day in P20 as he continues to get back to full strength following two surgeries after injuring his knee in a crash in practice for the Oschersleben 8H endurance race.
 
Next, Jerez or Sepang await the grid for more testing, before the winter test ban comes into effect. Then, the whole paddock will head for Malaysia for the first test of 2017 – beginning on 31st January at Sepang International Circuit.

New Norton V4 RR 1200cc Superbike
Bitmingham Englans, November 23rd, 2016 - Born on the Isle of Mann this past summer in the heat of battle, the new Norton V-4 in SS Street Configuration and RR Track Configuration was premiered in production form at this past weekends Birmingham NEC Motorcycle Show in England.

Chassis design was developed at the world's most rigorous race track - the Isle of Man TT. The geometry, weight distribution & ergonomics were all tested and developed on the SG5 TT race bike which finished seventh at the Superbike TT and achieved a 131mph average speed lap in 2016 at the hands of Australian rider David Johnson.

Engine: Norton 72-degree liquid-cooled V4, 1200cc. Chain-driven cams with idler gear for reduced engine height. Titanium inlet valves. Slipper clutch. Bore x Stroke: 82mm x 56.8mm
Compression: 13.6:1, Power: 200bhp + @ 12,500rpm, Torque: 130Nm @ 10,000rpm
Fuel Injection: Electronic fuel-injection system. Constantly variable inlet tracts. 8-fuel injectors. Full drive-by-wire system independent of front and rear banks of cylinders for ultimate control and feel

Chassis: Aluminium twin tube shotgun chassis, cast outriggers and headstock, polished tubes. (tbc). Engine acts as a structural member
Bodywork: Full Carbon Fibre, availabe in Clearcoat or Silver Chrome Paint
Front Suspension: Ohlins NIX30 system front fork. Fully-adjustable. Rear Suspension: Ohlins TTXGP Norton bespoke
Front Brake: 2 x 330mm full-floating discs. Radially-mounted Brembo monobloc calipers. Brembo discs and Brembo master cylinder
Dry Weight: 179kg Wheelbase: 1430mm

GB Price: £28,000 inc VAT. / USD $34,887        More at: http://www.nortonmotorcycles.com

Options: Full titanium race system aftermarket tune, approx 8kg lighter and approx 10bhp+ as optional accessory
- Note: RACE EXHAUST NOT FOR ROAD USE
Chrome Race Replica bodywork
Carbon Fibre BST Wheels

Marc Marquez celebrates his 5th World Championship with his brother Alex

Marc Marquez: The Story of a Champion
A third premier class crown in four years for the 2016 MotoGP™ World Champion
 
The end of 2015 saw Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) lose the title of World Champion for the first time since moving into the premier class of motorcycle racing, as the historic battle between Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) took over at the top of the table and Marquez suffered his mistakes. Crashes, struggles and controversy marked the toughest year of Marquez’ premier class career – and 2016 saw the rider from Cervera stage an incredible comeback. Controlled, poised and willing to play the long game: this was the new Marquez, and he was here to take back his crown.

Marquez made his debut in the World Championship in 2008 at 15, and although his rookie season was curtailed by injury, he made headlines by achieving a podium result in just his sixth race. He picked up another podium result in 2009, before becoming 125 World Champion for the first time in 2010 - winning an incredible ten of the last 14 races of the year.

In the Moto2™ class the following season, the rider from Cervera had a tough start before going on an incredible winning run, taking seven victories to hunt down the mammoth lead accrued by title rival Stefan Bradl – including a podium in Phillip Island from 38th on the grid. A crash in practice for the Malaysian Grand Prix then halted the season, and Marquez was forced to cede the title fight with serious problems with his eyesight. Not knowing whether the problem could be solved, Marquez had a tough off season with his career in doubt  - until surgery was able to correct the problem, and he was finally able to get back on the bike. When he did, he obliterated the opposition and took the 2012 Moto2™ World Championship – including an unbelievable win from the back of the grid at the season finale Valencian GP.

Fresh from that historic win, the newly crowned Champion of the intermediate class then got to try his new MotoGP™ bike for the first time at the Valencia test – joining Repsol Honda and finding big shoes to fill as Casey Stoner retired.
On the podium first time out and winning his second ever premier class Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas, Marquez became the youngest ever rider to clinch the premier class world title in MotoGP™, thanks to a truly amazing debut season. He also became the first rookie premier class World Champion for 35 years.

The 2014 campaign saw Marquez raise the bar as he built up a huge lead in the Championship with ten successive victories in the opening ten rounds of the season. Teammate Pedrosa then halted the streak with a victory in Brno, a result that started a mid season blip that saw him off the podium in three races in four. Back on top by Silverstone, Marquez wrapped up the title in Japan at the Twin Ring Motegi – the home of manufacturer Honda.

2015 began well, with a win in Texas second time out and Marquez looking to defend his crown. But too many crashes and points lost as the Yamaha charge of Rossi and Lorenzo gained traction saw Marquez out of contention by the time the flyaways came around – but a stunning win in Phillip Island saw Marquez back on the top step. After taking victory in one of the greatest races of all time, Marquez and Rossi then clashed next time out in Sepang – with Marquez crashing out and Rossi awarded a penalty for the incident. Valencia saw the rider from Cervera take another home podium in P2 to complete the year, ready to recharge over the winter and take back his crown from new World Champion Lorenzo.

The scars of last season have created a new rider. Where 2015 saw the Spaniard push too hard and make mistakes, this season has replaced those flaws with calm and control – pushing when the victory is there to be taken, and taking the points when the stakes are too high. The strategy – that Marquez explains as the way to win a title rather than win the most races – has seen the 2013, 2014 and now 2016 MotoGP™ World Champion equal great rival Lorenzo with a third premier class crown – his fifth World Championship. Taking the title at the home of Honda at Motegi - as he did in 2014 - Marquez' ride to a stunning fifth win of the season was enough, as Rossi and Lorenzo crashed out of both the race and the Championship fight in the high drama in Japan.

Wins in Texas, Argentina, Germany and Aragon saw the Spaniard 52 points clear ahead of the Japanese GP at Motegi. The only rider to score points in every race, the 2016 MotoGP™ World Champion is Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez – once again.

Leslie Graham riding the AJS Porcupine in 1949

Marc Marquez to take RC213V for a spin
with the first GP winner, the 1949 AJS Porcupine E90
The most recent winning bike in the premier class to join the first – from 1949 –
in a lap of the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana

Nov 12th 2016 - The most recent winning bike in the premier class to join the first – from 1949 – in a lap of the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana. In an incredible one-off event to mark the end of the 25th anniversary celebrating the collaboration between the FIM, Dorna, the MSMA and IRTA, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) will be joined by the AJS Porcupine E90 – the winning bike of the first 500cc World Championship in 1949 - in a special lap of honour at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo after MotoGP Warm Up. Sammy Miller will ride alongside Marc Marquez on the legendary machine that won the first ever World Championship.

Living legend Miller is an eleven-time British Trials Champion, twice European Trials Champion, and a multiple World Championship podium finisher. The Northern Irishman now presides over one of the biggest collections of motorcycles in the world in the Sammy Miller Museum – the home of the AJS Porcupine E90.

The Honda RC213V ridden by Marquez will share the lap of honour with the bike taken to that historic first premier class title by Leslie Graham in 1949, proving the perfect final piece in both a history-making 2016 season and the 25th anniversary celebrations - bringing together the first and the most recent winning motorcycles in the premier class of Grand Prix racing.

Bikes & Girls 2017 Wall Calendar from Presco
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our image licensing partner Presco offers this beautiful 13" high x 19" wide wire spiral bound Girls & Bikes 2017 Wall Calendar featuring 12 of our best Iron & Lace Calendar photos from the previous 2 years. It's available from our dealer Calendars.com

SBK Motul World Superbike Championship Round 13 of 14, Jerez, Spain

Chaz Davies Doubles Down Again in Spain
Gaerne Spanish Round, Circuit de Jerez, October 15-16th th 2016 -After taking the top step of podium in Race 1 on Saturday, the Aruba.it Racing - Ducati team did the double in Jerez de la Frontera (Spain) on Sunday with Chaz Davies. The Welshman rider thus seized his fourth win in a row and ninth of the season – tied with championship leader Rea – to maintain the momentum that saw him win five out of six races after the summer break.  Coverge Continues Here

BMW S1000 RR HP4 Special Carbon Edition
Nov 8th, 2016 Munich/Milan- At this year’s EICMA, BMW Motorrad reveals an initial glimpse of the most exclusive model in its history to date: the BMW HP4 RACE. It was initially left open as to how far the advanced prototype reflected what the final motorcycle would look like. The only definitive information provided by the Stephan Schaller, President BMW Motorrad, related to the frame and wheels: “The HP4 RACE will feature the full carbon fibre main frame and carbon fibre rims as shown here. We will reveal more about this model next spring.”

This limited edition special order bike has a carbon fibre perimeter frame, carbon fibre bodywork and wheels, as wells as full SBK Ohlins suspension. BMW is now jumping on the Ducati bandwagon to offer highly profitable high-end collector bikes. The HP4 would not be homologated to race in FIA competiton with its carbon fibre wheels, and unless 500+ examles are sold.
For now this is a spcial order bike, no prie has yet been anounced as details are finalized, and production / delivery is planned for the 2nd hald of 2017. See you BMW if money is no object.

2017 Kawasaki ZX-10RR Homologation Special
November 1st 2016 - Homologation specials used to make a very shouty visual statement, but Kawasaki have gone completely the other way with their ZX-10RR for 2017. Available only in this wildly subdued Winter Edition black paintjob, the new RR is a true homologation limited edition of 500 units, and is as race ready as you can buy – although it would be more accurate to say ‘race enabled’ rather than ‘ready’.

There are some nice touches, though. The stock wheels have been ditched in favour of lightweight 7-spoke Marchesini rims, wearing the same size 120/70 R17 and 190/55 R17 tyres as the stock R, but supplied as standard with Pirelli’s superb Supercorsa SP rubber.

The lighter rims – which can also be fitted to the standard ZX-10R – reduce gyroscopic effect and the moment of inertia, resulting in faster acceleration, braking, and direction changes.

The big changes are on the inside, though. The RR gets a modified cylinder head that’s ready to accept high-lift cams, although they’re not fitted as standard (they can be ordered as part of the Race Kit). The tappets get DLC coating for reduced friction, and the crankcases are reinforced to deal with the rigors of a race-tune.

Making its debut on the RR is also a new bidirectional KQS (Kawasaki Quick Shifter) that allows seamless shifting up and down the gearbox. This links in with the six-axis IMU that ties traction control, electronic engine brake control, launch control, intelligent anti-lock brakes and KCMF cornering management system together.

It comes as a single-seat option only, saving around a kilo of mass, gets its RR moninker engraved into the engine covers, and you get a special RR emblazoned key, too.

2017 Triumph Bobber
Nov 1st 2016 - Brutally beautiful, the new Bonneville Bobber is a genuine factory custom. It perfectly encapsulates the minimalistic styling principles, muscular stance and purposeful engineering attitude of a genuine Bobber.
Stripping the Bonneville T120 back to its purest essence it delivers all the hallmarks of a real bobber. With clean lines and low stance, single seat, wide flat bars, minimal bodywork and headlight, sculpted tank, wire spoked wheels, with wide rear wheel and that all important hard tail look.

An all-new chassis, suspension and frame deliver a supremely confident, dynamic and comfortable category defining ride. With an innovative elegantly engineered adjustable seat and clock position to suit the rider and riding style. The stunning ‘swing cage’ hard tail set-up and hidden mono-shock suspension make the bobber as dynamic and thrilling to ride as it is to look at.
All electronic components are hidden from view so as not to compromise its clean lines. Rider focused technology and the signature Bonnie straight-line ‘hidden cat box’ exhaust run, are all neatly incorporated without interfering with the Bobber’s stunning looks.

At the heart of the Bobber is a category-leading, high-torque Bonneville 1200cc engine with a dedicated Bobber tune for even more torque and power low down and twin slash cut sawn off peashooter silencers and unique twin airbox and filters to surround the rider in a pure Bonneville hot rod sound. The Bonneville Bobber has over 150 additional accessories available to enhance its beauty further and make it truly unique.

The new Base model Ducati Supersport will retail for just $12,995 USD. Click on any picture to enlarge.

New Sport Bike Introductons at Intermot 2016
Cologne, Germany, October 4, 2016 – A few majort motorccyle manufacturers unveiled their long awaited new generation Superbikes at the Intermot 2016 Motorcycle Show in Colone Germany this month. The most anticipated were Honda and Suzuki who unveiled all new generation CBR1000RR and GSXR1000 bikes respectiverly, both significantly ligher and producing close to 200hp in stock form, with all the latestest electornic aids. Disappointing is the fact they just caught up with the major European brands Ducati, Aprilia and BMW who introduced these updates on their current generation Superbike some 3 years ago.

Most disapointing was Honda, who was expected to replace their in-line four cylinder CBR1000R with an affordable version of their MotoGP V-4 derived 2016 Honda RC213V-S Superbike introduced last June 2015 at a price of $184,000. No trickle down tchnology for the once industry leading Japanese manufacturer.

Ducati, on the otherhand, certainly stole the show at Intermot with the re-introduction of an all new SuperSport, the model which they stopped updating and tookout of producton some 10 years ago, leaving a big gaping gap in their model lineup between their around town Monster playbike, and their hard edged Panigale Superbike. The new Supersport enplys the previous generation Testastretta Superbike eing in a smaller 937cc displacement, their trademark trellsi fame, and more comfortable higher position handlebars for both sport and town riding. The low prices for the two Supersportmodels will put it right in competion with Ducati's own Monster modls, the BMW 90T, and Triump's new watercooled Bonneville and Thruxton models. Expect the new Ducati Supersport to be a huge hit!


The new Ducati Supersport S model upgrades to Ohlins suspension front and rear for just $14,995 USD.

Ducati SuperSport
Ducati took advantage of the special press-only day at INTERMOT 2016 to unveil the first of a series of new bikes for 2017. At the Cologne motorcycle fair, Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali took to the stage to present the SuperSport, the company's latest sport motorcycle.

The Ducati SuperSport is designed for those who want a sport-inspired bike that still provides comfort and easy handling on everyday roads. A fun bike that's versatile and accessible, with the style and soul of a real Ducati thoroughbred .A lean and mean road machine with a decidedly approachable feel thanks to easy handling, the confidence-inspiring Ducati Safety Pack (Bosch ABS + Ducati Traction Control), the awesome price-quality ratio of the equipment and the long maintenance intervals.

A lean and mean road machine with a decidedly approachable feel thanks to easy handling, the confidence-inspiring Ducati Safety Pack (Bosch ABS + Ducati Traction Control), the awesome price-quality ratio of the equipment and the long maintenance intervals.

Powering the SuperSport is a twin-cylinder 937 cm³ Testastretta 11° engine, delivering 113 hp and a full yet linear torque curve. Thanks to the three Riding Modes (Sport, Touring, and Urban), the SuperSport's temperament can be adapted to maximize enjoyment whatever the riding conditions. Agile on city streets, comfortable on the motorway and superlative on twisting country roads, the SuperSport is super-versatile. Relaxed rider and passenger positions, good airflow deflection from the height-adjustable screen and the mileage provided by the 16-litre fuel tank also make the new Ducati SuperSport a cool companion on medium-distance rides.

The Base Ducati SuperSport MSRP is $12,995. The SuperSport S version featuring fully adjustable Öhlins suspension, the Ducati Quick Shift up/down system and a rear seat cover: the latter are also available as accessories for the SuperSport. SuperSport S MSRP is starting from $14,795, First USA deliveries begin in April.

Honda's new 2017 CBR1000RR SP and SP2 Fireblades both feature Ohlins Suspension.

New Honda CBR100RR, CB1100
Twenty-five years since the launch of the original CBR900RR Fireblade, the 25th anniversary of the ground-breaking machine sees the introduction of two new versions: the comprehensively upgraded CBR1000RR Fireblade SP and new CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2.

Since its introduction, the Fireblade has always placed weight, handling and agility at the top of the Super Sports agenda. In keeping with this tradition of ‘Total Control’, the 2017 year model Fireblade SP places the focus squarely on power to weight ratio, with a 15kg weight reduction and 8kW top end power boost. The resultant 14% improvement in the power to weight ratio brings it to a level hitherto unseen in the Fireblade’s history.

For 2017, the Fireblade SP and SP2 move into ‘Next Stage Total Control’ with a comprehensive electronic control package, developed with reference to the RC213V-S street legal version of Honda’s MotoGP machine, that supports the rider in all situations. Multiple power modes, engine braking settings and Honda Selectable Torque Control are available, plus Quickshifter, Downshift Assist and new ABS. The Öhlins Electronic Control Suspension can be programmed to unrivalled levels of precision.

In a first for the Fireblade, also available in 2017 will be the Fireblade SP2. The SP2 features lightweight Marchesini wheels and redesigned valves, combustion chamber and pistons; a kit will be available to make it ready for circuit use for racing and leisure.

Also unveiled at Intermot were the upgraded CB1100 EX and new CB1100 RS, two examples of beautifully crafted Honda engineering. The fuel tank has been reshaped and now has no visible welding seams. Side covers, seats, rear fender and footpegs have all been reworked to give even stronger, authentic CB character. New LED lights add a more modern touch to the retro design; the shorter exhaust muffler creates a more characterful engine note.

Whereas the CB1100 EX has even more classic appeal from its 40-spoke 18” zinc-coated stainless steel wheels, the new CB1100 RS has a more sporty, café racer style, with new cast 17” aluminium wheels fitted with wide, sporty tyres and a more upright caster angle and lower handlebars.

Suzuki GSX-R 750, 1000
October 4th 2016) - The GSX-R line is the heart and soul of Suzuki. For 2017, the heartbeat is quicker and stronger, pumped up by the all-new 2017 GSX-R1000. With significant influence from Suzuki’s MotoGP racing program, the new GSX-R1000 is ready to set a higher performance level for racers and for street riders. A new engine, new chassis and a spectrum of advanced electronics features make this GSX-R1000 the king of sportbikes.

The Suzuki sportbike family includes another trio of top performers. The GSX-R750 – the original racer-replica sportbike – returns with a reputation for delivering an ideal combination of power and lightweight handling performance. The GSX-R600 continues to prove itself on the street and on the racetrack as a middleweight sportbike leader. With an attitude and character like no other sportbike, the Suzuki Hayabusa returns to deliver unmatched power and endless rider satisfaction.

New aluminum, twin-spar frame is narrower and positions the engine angle backwards 6-degrees to help increased chassis stability and improve aerodynamics

2017 GSX-R1000, GSX-R1000 ABS & GSX-R1000R ABS
The King of the Sportbikes has returned to own the racetrack, and dominate the streets. The 2017 GSX-R1000 models effectively blend Suzuki design philosophies with advanced electronics to deliver motorcycles that can adjust themselves to their environment and fine tune performance to suit a rider’s intentions. To make sure any rider can enjoy the benefits of GSX-R ownership, Suzuki has developed three models with graduated levels of performance features; starting with a base GSX-R1000, a GSX-R1000 ABS, or the consummate GSX-R1000R ABS.
 
The GSX-R1000 renaissance begins with an all-new 999.8cc liquid-cooled DOHC inline-four cylinder engine that produces exceptionally high top-end power without sacrificing low to mid-range power thanks to innovations such as Suzuki’s exclusive Variable Valve Train (VVT) system. Proven in MotoGP competition, VVT uses centrifugal forces to rotate the intake camshaft’s drive sprocket so valve timing is optimal at any engine’s speed.  Complementing the VVT are Suzuki’s Racing Finger Followers which increase valve response at higher engine speeds that can reach up to 14,500 RPM.
 
This GSX-R1000 debuts Suzuki’s Ride-by-Wire throttle bodies which are precisely controlled by the new, 32-bit dual-processor ECM to match the throttle grip rotation of the rider’s hand. The result is a strong, seamless engine power delivery from idle to redline. Complementing the four, primary fuel injectors mounted in the new throttle bodies are four Suzuki Top Feed Injectors (S-TFI) that spray fuel from the top of the air box directly into the intake funnels for higher peak power, more efficient combustion, and a higher level of fueling control.
 
Using race-winning MotoGP knowledge, Suzuki has fitted an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) on the new GSX-R1000. The BOSCH, six-axis IMU lets the GSX-R1000 recognize its position on the street or race track to help the rider achieve an extraordinary level of riding performance via  instantaneous adjustments made electronically to the engine and chassis components.

Depending upon which GSX-R1000 a rider has chosen, the IMU supports a wide menu of new performance features. These features include the ten-mode Motion Track Traction Control System* (MT-TCS), three mode Suzuki Drive Mode Selector (S-DMS), the Motion Track Anti-Lock Braking System**, the Suzuki Launch Control System and the Suzuki Bi-directional Quick-shift System. Other electronic features new to the GSX-R1000 include the Suzuki Easy Start System and the Low RPM Assist feature.
 
The new aluminum, twin-spar frame is narrower and positions the engine angle backwards 6-degrees to help increased chassis stability and improve aerodynamics. The new swingarm has equalized bracing to the main beams to provide balanced support and movement to the shock absorber to improve racetrack handling while conveying a consistent suspension feel to the rider. The GSX-R1000 and GSX-R1000 ABS models employ SHOWA’s renowned Big Piston Fork (BPF) and complementary remote-reservoir rear shock for superb handling. The GSX-R1000R ABS uses race-level technology to bring a new standard of damping force responsiveness to a SuperSport motorcycle with the SHOWA’s Balance Free Fork (BFF) and Balance Free Rear Cushion lite (BFRC-lite) shock.
 
The innovation of the GSX-R1000 extends further into its chassis with the 320mm front BREMBO T-drive Brake Rotors that have five conventional floating rotor spools and five new-design T-drive fasteners that enable the rotor to absorb more braking energy than a disc with conventional spools alone. Combined with the BREMBO Radial Mount Brake Calipers the new GSX-R1000 has more braking force available to the rider than ever before.

Race-worthy bodywork has always been a trademark of the GSX-R line, so new aerodynamic bodywork was created by Suzuki styling designers and engineers using numerous wind tunnel tests to achieve a slippery shape with a compelling appearance.  Narrower than ever before, the GSX-R1000’s shape directly aids performance by improved handling and top speed on the racetrack. The new Suzuki Ram Air Direct (SRAD) intake ducts are positioned closer to the center of the fairing nose, where air pressure is highest to boost top speed performance. These intake ducts are also larger, thanks to the compact LED headlight and are accented by arching LED position lights on the GSX-R1000R ABS model..
 
Color and Pricing for the GSX-R1000, GSX-R1000 ABS and GSX-R1000R are TBA with the GSX-R1000 and GSX-R1000R hitting dealership floors on May 2017 and the GSX-R1000 ABS hitting dealership floors on June 2017.

KTM Unveils Its New MotoGP Bike to Race in 2017
August 2016 - The Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, at the Austrian round of MotoGP Championsgip, saw KTM officially present its MotoGP project, the KTM RC16. There had been months of testing, with press releases and photos issued. There had been KTM's participation in the private MotoGP test at the Red Bull Ring in July, alongside the rest of the MotoGP teams. But at the Austrian GP, the fans and media got their first chance to see the bike close up.

There are few surprises: 1000cc V4 engine, using pneumatic valves, housed in a tubular steel trellis frame and an aluminum swing arm. Suspension is by WP, while brakes are by Brembo, and exhaust by Akrapovic. Electronics are the spec MotoGP Magneti Marelli ECU.

Big Horsepower Numbers
Really interesting are the numbers for maximum engine revs and horsepower. Like all official numbers on values such as torque, horsepower, and revs, they are not to be trusted, but these both seem highly inaccurate. KTM claims the RC16 makes 250hp. It certainly makes that, and probably 10% more, given that most MotoGP engines are believed to make somewhere between 260 and 275 horsepower.

Reports from the track said that the KTM was not short of top speed, though test rider Mika Kallio told a group of reporters that he believed they were still down a little on the Ducati. "On the engine side, we are on the good level," the Finnish test rider told us. "There is still room to improve, at the moment the Ducati is still the fastest bike on the straight, so we are not there, but we are close to the other bikes." Those who saw the speeds through the speed traps reported KTM as being very fast indeed, though no one would be drawn into revealing actual speeds.

19,000 RPM?!
Where does that horsepower come from? On the corporate blog, KTM report the maximum revs as being 19,000 RPM. If that number is accurate, it is insanely high: MotoGP adopted the engine bore limit of 81mm precisely to limit engine speeds, after the manufacturers rejected a mandatory rev limit. Conventional engineering wisdom had it that reliable engines would not be able to rev much above 16,000 RPM, as engine speeds above that would place too much stress on pistons and conrods, causing them to fall apart. A mean piston speed (MPS) (link is external) of 26 m/s was believed to be a fairly firm limit.

That has not turned out to be the case. The bikes were soon revving well up towards 17,000 RPM, and making further inroads into the laws of physics. According to our research, the Ducatis can rev to 18,000 RPM, the Hondas to 17,750 RPM, the Yamahas to 17,250 RPM (with satellite bikes having engine limits set several hundred RPM below the max revs of the factory machines). Ducati was already achieving an MPS of 29.1 m/s, a seemingly impossibly high number. If KTM really are revving to 19,000 RPM, that would be an MPS of 30.7 m/s, which is up in drag engine territory. Dragsters have to cover around 1200 meters between engine rebuilds. MotoGP bikes have to hang together for close to 2000 kilometers.

How do KTM – or Ducati, Honda, and Yamaha, for that matter – achieve such engine speeds? MPS – mean piston speed – is a rough approximation, but it is not an accurate reflection of the stresses placed on the engine. What matters is the amount of acceleration and deceleration which the piston and connecting rod undergo as they slow down for bottom and top dead center, then speed up again towards the middle of the stroke. The weight of components such as pistons, wrist pins and conrods is a factor here, as force is acceleration times mass, and force is stress.

Clearly, the factories are working to find clever ways of reducing stress, which will include lighter weight components, paying close attention to mass distribution, the location of the wrist pin, and smoothing the transition between acceleration and deceleration as much as possible. What they are doing is impossible to know, nor how they are doing it. But the lessons learned will at some point pass down into production vehicles, though we may have to wait a few years to find out.

The KTM V-Four
What we do know about the engine is layout of the engine. Though KTM Technical Director Sebastian Risse was cagey when asked directly what layout the engine used, he tacitly acknowledged it was a 90° V4. When I put it to him that the aim of running the bike without a balance shaft had implications for engine design, he replied, "This is true, yes." Not an admission as such, but as close as you might expect from a factory engineer.

The engine firing order is also not yet fixed. When asked whether the engine would have a big bang (cylinders firing together) or screamer (each cylinder firing separately) firing order, Risse answered that KTM had not yet made up their minds. "We are still doing some investigations about this," Risse said. "Especially now with the electronics, there's not just the mechanical firing order, there's more about it, and you can play a lot with it." What he is implying is that although two pistons may reach TDC at the same time, the charges in the cylinders can be ignited a degree or so apart. That can help smooth the power delivery, and reduce the load placed on the crankshaft.

A Different Chassis and Suspension
While we may never know details of the engine internals, there are a couple of things which KTM cannot hide. The two biggest differences between the KTM and the other bikes on the grid are the suspension and the chassis. KTM will be the only bike on the grid to use WP suspension rather than the Öhlins used by everyone else. And it is the only bike on the grid to choose a tubular steel frame over an aluminum beam frame.

Will this be a disadvantage for KTM over the rest of the field? After all, the other factories are all using the same suspension and chassis design for a reason, right? And Ducati dropped the trellis frame, for a carbon fiber frameless design, and then swapped that for an aluminum beam frame, and now they are starting to become competitive.

In an informal conversation, a senior member of a rival factory was impressed by the way the bike looked during the test. "The bike doesn't move at all in the corners," they said. "It's much more stable than we expected." The fact that the KTM RC16 was a second off the Yamahas, and 1.9 seconds off the fastest Ducati, proved it was already a competitive package. Mika Kallio was just five hundredths of a second behind Ducati test rider Michele Pirro.

Full factory WP Suspension
Choosing WP over Öhlins is a logical choice for KTM. WP is a subsidiary of KTM, and the two have worked closely in every motorcycle racing discipline they have been involved in. WP supply the factory KTM machines in Moto3, and will be the official name of KTM's Moto2 project. They have gained a lot of experience in Moto2 – so much so that some teams using WP in Moto2 have started referring to the Ajo squad as the "WP factory Moto2 team" – which will be applicable in MotoGP.

Above all, KTM will have the full support of WP. "This will be a full factory effort," one source close to KTM told me privately. The two factories are just a short cycle ride away in Mattighofen, Austria, so communication is extremely direct. Updates will be fast and frequent.

A Trellis Frame!
Pol Espargaro, who will race for KTM in MotoGP next season, was more concerned about the trellis frame. "We need to check if the tubular chassis works," he told us at Barcelona. "If the tubular chassis is not working we will struggle so much. I prefer a slow bike that is good in the corners than a fast bike on the straight and impossible to manage. I think [the chassis] will be harder than we are used to do with Yamaha. It’s a different system."

So far, the performance of the KTM RC16 has not given much cause for concern, though there are still areas that need work. "We need to improve the rear grip somehow on the exit," Mika Kallio told us at the launch. "We have a lot of power in the engine, but on the exit side, we can't really use everything, all of the potential. So we need to find some way to do this. Everyone can see Ducati are really good on that side."

But a lack of rear grip is not unique to the KTM. Both Maverick Viñales and Aleix Espargaro have complained of exactly the same thing, especially once temperatures rise. The Honda suffers even worse problems, either spinning the rear wheel or wanting to wheelie out of corners. The Yamaha is much better, but still lacks grip compared to the Ducati.

The Ducati gets a lot of its advantage from its aerodynamics, however. The vast array of winglets make a big difference in keeping the front wheel down and providing drive to the rear wheel. Those winglets are banned from next year, so the difference between the KTM and the Ducati could be much smaller in 2017. With KTM currently working hard on a bike without winglets, they may well get an advantage. Sources familiar with the situation report that Ducati have been testing without winglets for next year, and suffering real problems with wheelie. Part of their advantage will be gone.

The tubular steel frame will pose a set of challenges for both Pol Espargaro and current and future teammate Bradley Smith when they switch to KTM. Having spent all their lives racing an aluminum beam frame, they have an intimate understanding of how that frame feels and responds. A trellis frame, such as the KTM RC16 uses, responds differently.

I asked Mika Kallio if he could feel the difference with the tubular steel frame. "Yes," he responded. "Also for the rider, it was not easy to jump to this bike. It gives you a different feeling, this frame, and I needed to learn first how I felt with this bike, and then I needed to make a lot of laps to see exactly how to give the right comments on which way we need to go on the development. It has also been a big challenge for me, to learn the bike and this feeling that this frame gives."

Would it take Espargaro and Smith some time to get to grips with the different frame? "I believe it will take a few laps more to understand, but there's no problem, anyway. We have been testing many different kind of frames, about the stiffness and that kind of thing, and there were some interesting things that we could find."

The reason for choosing a tubular steel frame over an aluminum beam frame was simple: KTM has a vast amount of knowledge and experience with this kind of frame, which they would be throwing away if they went with an aluminum chassis. "KTM has a lot of history with this tubular frame," Kallio said. "I think they know what they are doing, so I believe that there is something how we can be better than the competitors. Like we saw in the other races in the past, Ducati was using a same kind of tubular frame and they were fast. So I don't see any problem why we can't be OK with that."

The fear of using a tubular steel frame was that the many different components and welds would make it difficult to produce two identical frames. Kallio told us he had never noticed that problem. "I was impressed that all the bikes that I tested, I felt different, and then if there were two similar frames, I couldn't feel the difference between the bikes."

That is not to say that KTM did not consider an aluminum beam frame. "Already in past projects, like Moto3, of course we were considering it," KTM Technical Director Sebastian Risse told me. "There we also had the experience from 125 and 250. So it was a decision which was really well thought through. We even had some aluminum frames running, but in the end, it was a conscious decision. We know more about the steel frame, we didn't find any disadvantages, we knew our strong points and can use them, and we know also what to work on to reach the similar level to aluminum."

Winning by being different?
Can the KTM RC16 be a competitive package in MotoGP? Given the Austrian company's approach and success in other areas, there is no reason they will not succeed in the premier class. They have dominated almost every series they have entered, first in off-road disciplines, and now in road racing. As KTM continues to grow, they have the budget and the knowhow to build competitive motorcycles. They have the backing of Red Bull, and a healthy balance sheet to invest.

KTM wants to make a mark as the premier European sports motorcycle brand. Success in MotoGP has become a cornerstone of that objective. They have learned from previous failed projects, and from success in Moto3. They are doing so while trying to retain their identity, sticking to steel tubular frames and WP suspension rather than just copying others. That, in itself, is to be applauded. Expected to se the new KTM RC run at a few remaining rounds of the 2106 season as a wild card entry, with a full-on 4-year commitment to Dorna having just been signed to field a full 2-riderKYM factory team beginning in 2107

Aerodynamic Wings in the MotoGP Class
 The Grand Prix Commission, composed of Messrs. Carmelo Ezpeleta (Dorna, Chairman), Ignacio Verneda (FIM CEO), Herve Poncharal (IRTA) and Takanao Tsubouchi (MSMA) in the presence of Javier Alonso (Dorna) and Mike Trimby (IRTA, Secretary of the meeting), in a meeting held on 25th. June at Assen, made the following decisions:

The Commission unanimously agreed that, with effect from the 2017, the use of aerodynamic wings in the MotoGP class will be banned. The actual regulation will replicate those for the Moto3 and Moto2 classes where the use of wings is already prohibited.
 
Wings that comply with current technical regulations may continue to be used for the remainder of the 2016 season.

Post-Race Noise Tests
 Since the introduction of four-stroke machinery in all classes, no machine has ever failed the mandatory post-race noise checks. Accordingly, the requirement for the first three machines to be routinely checked after the race is cancelled with immediate effect. The Technical Director may still decide to carry out noise tests at his discretion.

Friends of Laguna Seca looks to have won
the right to manage track, maybe, probably, it seems
MONTEREY COUNTY BOARD KEEPS OTHER TWO CONTENDERS HANGING ON IN CASE THINGS DON’T WORK OUT

Reprinted from Autoweek, October 15th 2016 - The non-profit Friends of Laguna Seca is on the way to managing the storied track and bringing it back to fiscal health. Unless, that is, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors decides it wants to go with two other groups vying for management control of the race facility.

Specifically, Friends of Laguna Seca won the right to “negotiate initially” with the county for a concession agreement. The county board would have to approve any agreement that comes out of the negotiations. If things don’t go well in the concession agreement process, then the board can pick up with either of the other two groups that had turned in proposals. Those groups are Chris Pook’s (he who made the Long Beach Grand Prix into a great event) World Automotive Championship of California, and the existing managers, Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (or SCRAMP, which has been running the track since it was built in 1957). SCRAMP bid in partnership with International Speedway Corp. ISC owns and operates 13 tracks, from Daytona to Watkins Glen.

The decision to change track management came out of a civil grand jury report released last July that said the Monterey County Parks Department and SCRAMP were not managing the facility well. If you wanted to cut SCRAMP some slack, you could point out that the troubles date back to 2008, when a recession hit the country and many businesses took a hit. Nonprofit race tracks were among those suffering the effects.

The Friends of Laguna Seca includes local racer and race car restoration and sales expert Bruce Canepa and motorsports entrepreneur Gordon McCall, who puts on The Quail A Motorsports Gathering, The Quail Motorcycle Gathering and the big kickoff event to car week popularly known as The Jet Party, held at Monterey Airport. We’d be happy with those guys running things. Friends leadership also includes vintage racer Jonathan Feiber, Porsche Club and kart racer Ross Merrill, historic racer, karter and food industry executive Thomas Minnich, racer and realtor Warren “Ned” Spieker Jr. and motorsport executive Lauri Eberhart.

On its website, Friends president Ross Merrill said, “We are committed to managing Laguna Seca with fiscal responsibility and for the benefit of our community. We’re driven by a passion for motorsports, a dedication to our community, and a desire to transform nearly six decades of renowned racing legacy into a new engine for our local economy. Ultimately, our aim is to restore the raceway’s former glory.”

The Friends proposal includes a 25-year commitment to rebuild the LSRA complex and implement a new business model that will include:

– A $50 million dollar capital improvement plan with $25 million invested in the first five years
– Establishing a profitable mix of events that will use all the assets of the LSRA
– Maximizing sponsorship opportunities and race track rentals
– Developing premium camping areas and an upgraded rifle/pistol range
– Enhancing the end-user experience facility-wide
– Bringing new events and premium programs to increase utilization within current restrictions, taking particular care to respect neighbors on Highway 68.

We wish them all the best and offer them this item of advice to begin with: Don’t be afraid to call it Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca a couple of times, just to keep your naming rights sponsor happy. But they already knew that.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON UNVEILS XG750R FLAT TRACKER
Next Generation, Liquid-Cooled Factory Harley-Davidson XG750R Flat Track Bike based off new water-cooled Street 500/750 platform Breaks Cover at AMA Pro Springfield Mile

MILWAUKEE (May 26, 2016) – A new-generation Harley-Davidson® flat-track motorcycle is ready to race. The Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle® Factory Team is unleashing the XG750R, its first all-new flat track race bike in 44 years, to battle in fierce, adrenaline-filled competition on dirt ovals across the U.S. The XG750R will make its official competition debut Sunday, May 29, at the AMA Pro Flat Track Springfield Mile in Illinois.

Powered by the fuel-injected, liquid-cooled Harley-Davidson Revolution X™ V-Twin engine, the XG750R will be raced by Factory Team rider Davis Fisher on the AMA Pro Harley-Davidson GNC1 presented by Vance & Hines flat track series. The new XG750R motorcycle is strictly for race competition and will not be offered for sale at this time.

The new flat tracker is powered by the 750cc Revolution X™ V-Twin engine designed for the Harley-Davidson Street® 750, a motorcycle built for maximum urban maneuverability with rebellious Dark Custom™ attitude. Tuned for the track, this modified Revolution X engine will power the new XG750R in the extreme heat of competition as it fights to be first to the finish line.

The race-modified Revolution X engine and a racing frame for the XG750R were developed by Vance & Hines Motorsports. Vance & Hines also is the partner for the factory Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle®/Vance & Hines drag racing program where V-Rod® motorcycles have won eight of the past 12 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle drag racing championships.

“After decades of flat-track racing success behind the Harley-Davidson XR750 flat track motorcycle, we knew it was time to develop the next-generation Harley-Davidson to compete in one of the best spectator racing sports out there today,” said Kris Schoonover, Harley-Davidson racing manager. Fisher, in his first season racing with the Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle Factory Team and a rookie on the GNC1 series, will be the first racer aboard the XG750R. The 18-year-old racer from Warren, Ore., won the 2015 AMA Pro GNC2 championship.

“We wanted a young rider with plenty of raw ability for the XG750R program, and Davis proved himself in the GNC2 class,” said Schoonover. “We are excited to have the opportunity to bring an emerging talent like Davis up to the GNC1 series to develop the new bike alongside an experienced champion like Brad Baker.”

Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle Factory Team rider Brad Baker, 23 years old and the 2013 AMA Pro Grand National Champion, will continue to race aboard the proven Harley-Davidson XR750 motorcycle while Fisher races the XG750R through its developmental stage.

At the May 29th 2016 Springfield Mile, H-D factory rider Davis Fisher finished 8th on the new Harley XG750R, behind behind a slew of Kawasaki Ninja 650 in-line twins, and 9 seconds down behind podium finishers factory Harley Rider Brad Baker in 3rd on the old XR750, privateer Jared Mees also on an XR750, with Bryan Smith on a Kawasaki Ninja 650 taking the race win. The more advanced design of the 4-valve DOHC Kawasaki engine proving highly competitive despiteits smaller displacement.

“The XG750R has shown great potential in testing and the first few races this season,” said Schoonover. “But as with any new racing motorcycle, there will be work to do. We’re excited to continue testing the XG750R in real world competition, and as we make our way through the season, we will evaluate the performance of the bike and our factory riders to see if Baker might switch to the new bike.”

Check Harley-Davidson.com for a full listing of this season’s races; also follow Harley-Davidson on Facebook for racing updates.

MV Agusta and Pirelli, the new DIABLO ROSSO™ III and new Brutale 800:
a special project to celebrate ‘Made in Italy’
The two Italian brands created a special version of the latest naked from the Schiranna-based company which selected the brand new Pirelli tyres as original equipment for this model

"Diablo Brutale", as this single unit has been renamed, is a tribute to design, craftsmanship, sportiveness and high technology of the latest supersport tyre of the DIABLO™ family

Varese/Milano, 17 May 2016 – MV Agusta and Pirelli have been working together for several decades and, since 2011, the
historic Italian motorcycle manufacturer has decided to rely only on the brand of the elongated P symbol to equip all its
models. MV Agusta and Pirelli are both well-known and appreciated brands all over the world: they have managed to make design and showcase ‘Made in Italy’. They combine maximum sportiveness and innovation, their core values which are recognised by all motor fans and, in this specific case, by motorcycle lovers.

On the one hand, the last technological evolution of the DIABLO™ range, the DIABLO ROSSO™ III, which is the new supersport
tyre from Pirelli, born from the track to the road, redefining the concept of sports riding taking it to the new level. Its strong
points are sports handling, a high level of grip also in the wet and with long lasting performance.

On the other hand the Brutale 800, a motorcycle whose original project dates back to 2001 and that – year after year – was
renovated in its style and spirit, to remain loyal to itself, and to its ability to amaze and conquer new generations of
enthusiasts. The new Brutale 800 is an example of Made in Italy technology that has dictated new design guidelines in its
segment.

The Diablo Brutale is a single unit of the new MV Agusta Brutale 800 which was born as a tribute to design, sportiveness and
high technology of the last supersport tyre of the Pirelli DIABLO™ family, which was chosen as original equipment for this
machine. It also celebrates the historical partnership between MV Agusta and Pirelli, two companies which have long and
worldwide appreciated traditions in the motorcycling world.

Diablo Brutale presents an attractive matt black color which is interrupted only by a luminous red as a reference to the tyre
logo. MV Agusta has decided to pay homage to the new Pirelli tyre through some graphical elements. The DIABLO ROSSO™ III
logo appears on the tank’s side, while the typical ‘thunder’ groove of the tread pattern, which represents a tyre’s trademark,
appears on the tank as well as on the front fender plus both sides of the tail. Both the Pirelli logo and the red “D” of DIABLO™
appear next to the MV Agusta logo on the top of the tank.

Pirelli has decided to equip this special with a set of DIABLO ROSSO™ III with a red color dedicated graphic, just like the details
that give the Brutale the unique spirit of the Diablo.

With the new Brutale 800, MV Agusta questioned the style, engine, equipment and chassis of the previous model with a
unique goal: giving birth to the best Brutale ever. The same goal achieved by Pirelli with the development of the DIABLO
ROSSO™ III, the direct descendent of the renowned and highly rated DIABLO ROSSO™ II, which raises the bar of sport riding
even higher than the previous model and extends the qualities of its predecessor, strengthening its features in terms of
handling and grip, with long lasting performance.

The Brutale 800 has DIABLO ROSSO™ III tyres as original equipment with the following sizes: 120/70 ZR17 M/C (58W) TL front,
180/55 ZR17 M/C (73W) TL rear.

Now in the Calendar Bike Garage...   The World's Coolest Naked Ducati!
Beauitful FastDates.com Calendar Kitten Sara takes us for a ride on the world's most exotic and expensive Ducati streetbike
ever - a $110,000 Vyrus NCR 983 Superleggera in the Calendar Bike Garage and in Members Corner.

Now in the FastDates.com Calendar Bike Garage!
David Beckham's Amazon Triumph Scrambler build by legenday Calendar Bike Builder Rickard Pollock / Mule Motorcycles, photographed with Calendar Kitten and Penthouse Pet Aleska in BIG full screen saver size photos.

Now in the Calendar Bike Garage...     Sam Kao's LA Calendar Show Winner
Beauitful FastDates.com SBK World Superbike Calendar Kitten Petra looks fantastic with Samuel Kao's JSK Desgn Sportster
featured in the Calendar Bike Garage / Members Corner and in the new 2016 Iron & Lace Calendar

Now in the Calendar Bike Garage...
Samuel Kao's Calendar Bike Show class winning BMW R 90T Bar Hopper with beauitful FastDates.com SBK World Superbike Calendar Kitten Sara featured in the Calendar Bike Garage / Members Corner and in the new 2016 Iron & Lace Calendar

Meet me at the Gas Station
Visit the Gas Station NOW! Order the new 2017 Garage Girls Calendar HERE

Fast Dates Calendar Celebrates 22 years of SBK World Superbike in America
California, USA, July 17-20th 2016 - For the 22nd year since SBK World Superbike first came to America at Laguna Seca Raceway in 1995, the FastDates.com Calendars and myself, producer / photographer Jim Gianatsis were excited to continue
our ongoing association with SBK World Superbike and the UmbrellaGirlsUSA.com to bring 2 more beautiful FastDates.com Calendar Kittens; Kaustin Lanae and Alissa Bourne to shoot with me at the 2016 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca United States SBK World Superbike and AMA National race weekend July 8-10th. There they served as the official SBK Podium Girls and helped me shoot the next Fast Dates World & AMA Superbike Calendar. Then, two weekends later they both would work the
26th annual LA Calendar Motorcycle Show and Calendar shoot in Los Angeles on July 23-24th. Continued Here

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