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Order Advance Calendar Bike Show Tickets Now!
The Must Attend Bike Show of the year!
Jim Guiffra / AFT Metric Customs & Models among many Top Bike Builder
Premiers at LA Calendar Motorcycle Show & Concours July 22nd 2012
The 2012 LA Calendar Motorcycle Show sponsored by Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys continues its now 21-year tradition on Sunday July 22nd 10am-6pm as the premier outdoor streetbike event in America with the upscale Calendar Bike Building Championship & Concours d' Elegance featuring top Celebrity Builders, World Premiers, live Calendar Girl Music and beautiful FastDates.com Calendar Kittens. The Show moves to an exciting new location this year on the tree shaded lawn of the Calabasas Inn alongside the Santa Mountains. The Calendar Show is broadening its focus to include the growing Collector Bike Market with Exhibitors and Bike Show classes for classic European, British and Japanese motorcycles, along with the popular American V-Twins and Customs. There is Low Spectator Admission and Free Parking.
 The Calendar Show features the world premier of the new return to production old 1936 Crocker Motorcycle.
America's top custom bike builders featured in the world renown FastDates.com Motorcycle PinUp Calendars will be attendance with their latest custom bikes again making their world premiers at this year's Show. Former Calendar Bike Building Championship Best of Show and Class Winning Builders confirmed to attend again include Shinya Kimura / Chabott Engineering, Jim Giuffra & Spokesmodels / AFT Customs, Russell Mitchell / Exile Cycles, Richard Pollock / Mule Motorcycles, Chris Redpath / MotoGPwerks, Michael Schacht of Crocker Motorcycle Company, Steve Storz / Storz Performance and Caleb Owens / Cro Customs.
 Jim Giuffra and Angela from AFTcustoms.com put the finisihing touches on 'Halia' for its Calendar Show world premier.
Among the Calendar Show's exciting custom bike world premiers this year will be Two-Time Best of Show and Five-Time Class Winners Jim Giuffra and the Spokesmodels from AFT Metric Customs, Jaskson, CA. premiering their latest build, as always, just for the Calendar Show. Following their tradition of naming their bikes after spirit gods, 'Halia' is a Honda Shadow based performance custom Cafe Sport Racer that will head for the Bonneville Salt Flats in August with the girls in the saddle for speed record attempts. The Halia name in this usage ( Ha lee a) is Hawaiian for "In memory of " is a nod to one of the team's all-girl builders Nalani who is Hawaiian, and in memory of three of AFT's staff have lost their fathers, as well as a tribute to those who have lost their lives on the Bonneville Salt.
 AFT Custom's 's 2011 Best of Show winning Honda CB750 is featured in the new 2013 Fast Dates Calendar premiering at this year's Show.
The Show's other activities include the Calendar Bike Building Championship, selected Vendors and Exhibitors, with Calendar Girl Music live performances featuring the Japanese girl rock band Nylon Pink, singer songwriters Rachel McGoye and Marina V. As always the Show marks the world premier of next year's new 2013 FastDates.com Motorcycle PinUp Calendars photographed by Calendar Show producer Jim Gianatsis and includes Fast Dates World Superbike and MotoGP machines, Iron & Lace Custom Motorcycles, and Garage Girls, hosted by beautiful Calendar Kittens and SBK World Superbike grid girls Sabella Shake and Kinzy Ray featured in the in the FastDates.com Calendars and Website.
Attendance capacity at the LA Calendar Motorcycle Show's new Calabasas Inn park location is limited, so purchasing advance online Spectator, Bike Contest, and Vendor Tickets is recommended. Spectator Admission is just $20, or $30 with Lunch, and includes Free Parking. Food and Beverages are provided by LA's premier food trucks including Baby's Badass Burgers, The Grilled Cheese Truck and Maui Wowi Hawaiian fruit and coffee smoothies, and Sugar Babies Cupcakery, with sponsorship support by Budweiser and Coca-Cola. The 2012 Calendar Motorcycle Show takes place at the Calabasas Inn, 23500 Park Sorrento, Calabasas, CA 91302, near the famed Sagebrush Cantina at the Valley Circle Exit off Hwy 101 at the west end of the San Fernando Valley. For additional information and to purchase Advance Tickets go to: FastDates.com/BIKESHOW.HTM
Meet World Superbike Girls Kinzy & Sabella Shake!
Kinsey Ray (above) is a professional makeup artist and model, Go-Go dancer, and was a World Superbike Grid girl for team Cresent Fixi Suzuki at this year's Miller USA World Superbike round where we met her dressed as a sexy schoolgirl with eye glasses on the starting line and were immediately smitten. We're flying the Kinz in to Los Angeles from Salt Lake City to be one of our new FastDates.com Calendar Kittens at the LA Calendar Motorcycle Show on July 22nd and shoot with the winning bikes the following day. Joining Kinsey both days will be another favorite Calendar Kitten, Sabella Shake (below) our offical Ducati Corse grid girl featured in the 2011 Fast Dates Calendar. Be sure to mark the date in your FastDates.com Calendars and join us to meet the Kittens and see some of the worlds top custom bikes.
 The Fast Dates World Superbike Calendar Presents a History, Track Tests,
Team Rider and Designer Interviews, and Pictures of All the
Ducati Corse World Superbikes
by Alan Cathcart and Jim Gianatsis
The year 2011 marked the 25th anniversary of the creation of the first, of a now legendary line of Ducati Superbikes with their trademark Desmoquattro 4-valve V-twin motors hung below a lightweight trellis tube frame, race bikes that went on to dominate the then new World Superbike Championship for next quarter of a century. Arguably the most significant motorcycle engine design of any kind since the CB750 Honda, and surely the most remarkable and successful volume production engine format ever used in world competition by any single manufacturer, the venerable Ducati 4-valve desmodromic engine recorded to this date 14 World Superbike Championship titles in the 24 year history of the world’s premier production bike based world roadracing series.
This book chronicles the development and history all five Ducati Corse World Superbike generations from the first Desmoquatro 750cc prototype to the revolutionary new 1199 Panigale Superquadro together with interviews with the Ducati designers, team racers and managers. This unique insight is provided by renown motorcycle racer and journalist Alan Cathcart who has had the envious and often exclusive opportunity to test ride every one of the factory Corse race bikes over the last 25 years, those tests of which are featured here. Photography of the Corse factory bikes and riders is proved by the world's most renown motorcycle roadracing photographers.
Adding icing to the cake, and to warrant this big collectors edition book, included are the incredible high definition photographs of the bikes taken by former racer, motojournalist and photographer Jim Gianatsis as featured in the Fast Dates World Superbike Calendars from those years with the beautiful Fast Dates Calendar Kittens who served as the official SBK and Team Ducati Corse grid girls at the race where the bikes were photographed.
This 224 page large format collectors edition book begins with a Forward by Massimo Bordi, legendary designer of the Desmoquattro back in 1974. Then it dives into the technical details, revealing photography and Cathcart’s exclusive tests of every one of the factory Ducati Corse Superbikes from the First Generation 851cc Daytona raced prototype, to Doug Polen’s Fast by Ferracci 888/926 World Championship winner. Followed by the Second Generation 916/955 machines, the Third Generation 999, the Fourth Generation 1098/1198, to the all-new Fifth Generation 1199 Panigale. Included along the way are interviews with all the factory riders and World Championship winners from Doug Polen, Carl Fogarty and Troy Corser, to Neil Hodgson, James Toseland, Troy Bayliss, Nori Haga and Carlos Checa. While the tradition continues with a detailed look at the new 1199 Panigale and a interview with the designers who created it, and an exclusive track test of the newest Generation 1199 bike by Cathcart and 3-time World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss.
This is a must have book for every Ducati and motorcycle roadracing enthusiast. Gianatsis Design has produced and published the book in a beautiful large format 12x12-inch hard cover design coffee table style Collectors Edition Book featuring 224 pages in full color printed on 100# dull coat art paper for the best possible reproduction and presentation. Books are individually shrink wrapped and have a printed cover wrapper.
Suggested Retail: USD $69.95 • UK £55.00 • EUR $55
Exclusive Autographed Collector's Package!
The all new Ducati Corse World Superbikes 224-pg book and the 2013 Fast Date World Superbike Calendar - World Release July 1st 2012
Personally autographed to you (or the name you request on the PayPal.com Order Form) by Jim Gianatsis and shipped direct to you.
For more information or to order the Book or the Calendar individually, unsigned, go to the Sportbike Books and Fast Dates Calendar order pages.
 From left: Thomas Sigi (Audi AG Human Resources), Rupert Stadler (CEO of Audi AG). GabrieleDel Torchio (President and CEO of Ducati).
"Ducati remains Ducati.”
Audi CEO addresses Ducati workforce as Audi completes purchase of Ducati
Borgo Panigale (Bologna). Italy, July 12 - Mr. Rupert Stadler, CEO of AUDI AG, accompanied by Mr.Thomas Sigi, responsible for AUDI AG Human Resources, visited the Ducati factory in Borgo Panigale , Bologna, Italy today, received by Ducati’s President and CEO, Gabriele Del Torchio and Ducati Management. After additional meetings with local RSU (Rappresentanza Sindacale Unitaria) union representatives, Mr. Stadler addressed the entire Ducati workforce of approximately 1000 people with a motivational speech that underlined Audi’s passion for the iconic Italian motorcycle manufacturer.
“What is true in every romance also applies to two companies - a good start is half the battle,” said Mr. Stadler from a special stagebuilt inside the Ducati factory. “You’ve probably wondered why we were interested in Ducati, a car manufacturer with no apparent ties to Ducati at first glance. But that's only at first glance. Ducati stands for extraordinary engineering artistry, passion, precision, performance andthe sheer joy of living. We're impressed by these achievements.
"I know that I'm looking at an outstanding group here, and that you are a strong team! Without you, Ducati would not be such an attractive company today. Audi and Ducati are both driven by the same passion. Neither of us will detract from the other, we will complement one another. And one very important aspect that means a lot to me is that we can be an inspiration to each other. There are many joint opportunities with high-performance engines, light-weight manufacturing and the skilled interplay between two strong brands on the global stage. Both companies, each with an eventful history of 'ups' and 'downs', can now benefit from being part of one big family – the Volkswagen Group. I am very pleased to report that the antitrust authorities approved the deal at the beginning of July and that eliminated the final obstacle en route to the start of our shared future. Ducati will officially be part of the Audi family by next week!
“This brings me to an important message that I would like to leave with you today. A message that is certainly uppermost in your minds. Ladies and gentlemen, this message consists of three words and you have my guarantee: Ducati remains Ducati.”
About Ducati:
Founded in 1926, Ducati has been producing sport-inspired motorcycles since 1946. Their motorcycles are characterised by “Desmodromic” performance engines, innovative design and avant-garde technology. Coveringseveral market segments, Ducati's range of motorcycles are divided into model families which include: Diavel, Hypermotard, Monster, Multistrada, Streetfighter and Superbike.
These authentic icons of “made in Italy” are sold in over 80 countries around the world, with concentration on the European, North-American and Asia Pacific markets. Ducati competes in both the World Superbike Championship and, with an official team, the World MotoGP Championship. In Superbike Ducati has won 17 Manufacturers' titles and 14 Riders' titles and in 2011 passed the historic milestone of 300 race victories. Ducati have participated in MotoGP since 2003, and took both theManufacturers' and Riders' titles in 2007.
FastDates.com Calendar Kitten and Hustler Cover Centerfold Bree Daniels rocks our world with her quick rubber changing and wheel nut tightening skills. She also rocks our world on the X-Art website where she and her girlfriend nail the rev limiter more times than you can count!
MotoGP World Championship, Round 10 of 18, Mugello, Italy
Lorenzo dominates at the Italian MotoGP
Gran Premio d'Italia TIM, Misano, Italy , July 15th 2012 - The MotoGP™ classes produced three hard-fought races at the Gran Premio d’Italia TIM at Mugello this weekend, where it was Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jorge Lorenzo who stormed to a dominant victory in the premier-class ahead of Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso.
Repsol Honda Team’s Pedrosa led into turn one, however Lorenzo got past into the lead within a few bends, as the grid diced for positions in the early stages. Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Andrea Dovizioso also pushed past Pedrosa, as Ducati Team’s Nicky Hayden and LCR Honda MotoGP’s Stefan Bradl fought for fourth. Repsol Honda’s Casey Stoner, the only rider to use the special construction rear hard tyre, did not have a great start, and had to fight his way past Pramac Racing Team’s Héctor Barberá to make up positions. Meanwhile San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Michele Pirro was black flagged due to a cutting the track as he was heading back into pit lane with a technical issue.
Two laps on, Pedrosa was all over the back of Dovizioso, as Lorenzo started to pull out a small gap at the front. Ducati’s Valentino Rossi had fought his way up to seventh, much to the delight of the home crowd, yet was having no easy ride, as Tech 3’s Cal Crutchlow was looking for a way past on his satellite Yamaha. With 15 laps remaining Stoner’s tyres had come up to temperature, and the Australian managed to push his way past Hayden into fifth. A lap later Bradl put in a brave move on Dovizioso in turn one to slot into third. This was followed up by big drama as Stoner ran off track into the gravel, managing to keep the bike upright and re-joining in tenth.
Avintia Blusens’ Yonny Hernandez meanwhile crashed out of 18th place, but managed to walk away unhurt. NGM Mobile Forward Racing’s Colin Edwards also had his race cut short as he retired with a mechanical issue. With eight laps remaining the grid had spread out, yet Crutchlow was still dicing with Rossi. A lap later Stoner had caught up to the back of San Carlo’s Álvaro Bautista, and put in an aggressive move, pushing the Spaniard wide and moving up into ninth. The final three laps promised further excitement as Dovizioso went past Bradl on the brakes into third, while Hayden, and the pursuing duo of Rossi and Crutchlow closed in on the podium battle. In the final lap Hayden made his way past Bradl, who fought back with a hard move, which pushed the American wide. This let Rossi through into fifth, with Crutchlow also taking advantage to nip into sixth.
Yet ultimately it was Lorenzo who took the chequered flag for his second successive victory at the track in front of Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso, who recoded his fourth podium of the season. Bradl was however one of the happiest riders, as he recorded his best ever finish in the premier class. Fifth spot went to Rossi, followed by Crutchlow, Hayden, Stoner, Barberá, Bautista and Yamaha’s Ben Spies, who was suffering from food poisoning. Top CRT spot went to De Puniet in 12th. Lorenzo now has a 19-point gap at the top of the championship ahead of Pedrosa and 37 ahead of Stoner.
Jorge Lorenzo. Position 1st, Time: 41'37.477 - “From the beginning I felt great on this track, the asphalt was completely different to Sachsenring which was a nightmare for us. From the first practice here I felt very strong, very good on the bike and a fast constant pace. It was a pity that we had the problem in the last lap of qualifying but the important thing was the race. Today I was hammering a lot to open a gap at the beginning of the race as I thought my competitors would have problems on cold tyres. Unfortunately I couldn’t do it immediately. Only hammering every lap and going faster and faster from 1’48.1 then into the 47s could I open a bit to Pedrosa then little by little it got better and I could start to breathe. It’s been a great win for the whole team’s efforts and for Yamaha who have given me such a good bike.”
Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda: 2nd - “I braked late at the first corner, but I missed something and Jorge was already there. Then a few corners later I was surprised by Dovizioso. He passed me also and it took a few laps for me to make the overtake on him as he was very strong into the first corner so I had to pass him in another part of the circuit. By this point Jorge had already opened up a small gap, but I tried to get back in my rhythm and I started to lap in the 47s. When I started to drop into these times though, my rear tyre began to spin a lot and I got some chatter so I was worried for the tyre. At this point I decided to slow down a little because to catch Jorge meant doing 47s. He was riding very strong, so I have to congratulate him. Finally for me a second place is a good result overall and I want to thank all the team for their hard work this weekend.”
Andrea Dovizioso, Position 3rd,Time +10.665 - “To get a podium is always special but to do it in front of the Italian crowd and after such a strong battle makes it feel even better. I got the perfect start and was third at the first corner and I felt very strong in braking at the start so passed Dani at Turn 5. Immediately though I could see that Lorenzo was faster in some parts of the track, but it was good to see again the small points I need to improve to get the best out of the Yamaha. The fight with Bradl for the whole race was fantastic and he did a great job. When he passed me he was making it look easy and I was having to push right at the limit to make sure he couldn't open up a gap that I couldn't recover. He was trying for his first podium and I was pushing hard to be on the podium in Italy, so it made for a great battle. I knew I was a little bit stronger in the brakes than him so with three laps to go I decided to attack and I was confident I could hold him off. He didn't give up but I am so happy with another podium and I want to say a big thanks again to my Monster Yamaha Tech 3 crew. We are working so well together and our results show it. After three podiums in a row now I am really looking forward to going to Laguna Seca.”
Stefan Bradl, LCR Honda MotoGP: 4th - “It’s a fantastic feeling for me and the whole Team. Doubtless a podium finish would have been simply perfect, but I am extremely happy about this great result on this track. I think that our bike was perfect from the beginning of the race because in the last couple of races we struggled a bit too much with a full fuel tank and could not feel the front tyre properly, but here we made a different set-up. It worked perfectly on this special layout but at the end of the race I missed a bit of front-end feeling on braking. So I preferred to stay calm and Dovi passed me, but after that I was trying to follow him and it was pretty easy for me. Then Hayden put in a brave move on me but he didn’t have the best exit on the right corner and I could pass him again. Probably my manoeuvre looked a bit aggressive on TV, but I think it was normal for a last lap. Being so close to the podium is fantastic and I feel happy for the team: they support me in the best way every weekend and especially Lucio. He is a hard worker and with this great result I want to give him something back.”
Casey Stoner, Repsol Honda: 8th - “It's definitely not the way we planned it. We thought today we could be fighting for the podium and maybe have the pace to stay with Dani. Jorge has ridden fantastically all weekend and hasn't really put a foot wrong but I think third position would have been good today. However, we just couldn't get the bike working. During our last attempts in warm-up we couldn't get anything to work, we weren't very happy with the bike today and I just didn't feel comfortable. I made a mistake in the race, I had a bit of a shake exiting turn 11 and when I arrived at turn 12 I had no brakes. I was squeezing them as hard as I could and thought I had enough brake power to stop before the edge of the track but I had too much momentum and had to ride through the gravel trap which wasted a lot of time. I'm sorry for the incident with Alvaro, I went to make the pass into turn two and he started to close my front off and I couldn't do anything. It's a disappointing end to a difficult weekend. I thought I might be able to salvage something from but unfortunately not.”
RESULTS MOTOGP RACE: (23 laps = 120.635 Km)
POS / RIDER / NAT. / TEAM / MOTORCYCLE / TIME / KM/H / GAP
1 / Jorge LORENZO / SPA / Yamaha Factory Racing / YAMAHA / 41'37.477 / 173.889 /
2 / Dani PEDROSA / SPA / Repsol Honda Team / HONDA / 41'42.700 / 173.526 / 5.223
3 / Andrea DOVIZIOSO / ITA / Monster Yamaha Tech 3 / YAMAHA / 41'48.142 / 173.15 / 10.665
4 / Stefan BRADL / GER / LCR Honda MotoGP / HONDA / 41'48.188 / 173.147 / 10.711
5 / Valentino ROSSI / ITA / Ducati Team / DUCATI / 41'49.172 / 173.079 / 11.695
6 / Cal CRUTCHLOW / GBR / Monster Yamaha Tech 3 / YAMAHA / 41'49.537 / 173.054 / 12.06
7 / Nicky HAYDEN / USA / Ducati Team / DUCATI / 41'49.712 / 173.042 / 12.235
8 / Casey STONER / AUS / Repsol Honda Team / HONDA / 42'08.094 / 171.783 / 30.617
9 / Hector BARBERA / SPA / Pramac Racing Team / DUCATI / 42'09.205 / 171.708 / 31.728
10 / Alvaro BAUTISTA / SPA / San Carlo Honda Gresini / HONDA / 42'12.066 / 171.514 / 34.589
11 / Ben SPIES / USA / Yamaha Factory Racing / YAMAHA / 42'35.339 / 169.952 / 57.862
12 / Randy DE PUNIET / FRA / Power Electronics Aspar / ART / 42'37.440 / 169.812 / 59.963
13 / Aleix ESPARGARO / SPA / Power Electronics Aspar / ART / 42'48.677 / 169.069 / 1'11.200
14 / James ELLISON / GBR / Paul Bird Motorsport / ART / 42'48.935 / 169.052 / 1'11.458
15 / Mattia PASINI / ITA / Speed Master / ART / 42'49.305 / 169.028 / 1'11.828
Pole Position: Dani PEDROSA 1'47.284 176.000 Km/h
Fastest Lap (New record): Dani PEDROSA 1'47.705 175.312 Km/h Lap 10
Old Circuit Record Lap: Jorge LORENZO 1'48.402 174.184 Km/h 2011
Circuit Best Lap: Dani PEDROSA 1'47.284 176.000 Km/h 2012
CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS TO DATE:
1 LORENZO 185, 2 PEDROSA 166, 3 STONER 148, 4 DOVIZIOSO 108, 5 CRUTCHLOW 95,
6 ROSSI 82, 7 BRADL 75, 8 HAYDEN 74, 9 BAUTISTA 73, 10 SPIES 66, 11 BARBERA 60,
12 DE PUNIET 28, 13 ESPARGARO 26, 14 PIRRO 16, 15 PASINI 13.
 Click to GO BIG
New 2013 Husqvarna TR650 Models
July 13th, 2012 - Husqvarna has unveiled its two new models - the TR650 Strada and TR650 Terra. While the former will be tarmac-biased, the latter will be more inclined to off-roading. Both the bikes will be powered by the single-cylinder 652cc engine from the BMW G650GS, tuned to produce 60PS.
Husqvarna will be kitting the Strada with ABS, a commitment BMW Motorrad recently announced as standard on their 2013 range of motorcycles. The Terra in the meanwhile will have ABS on the options list. The ABS though can be disengaged at the push of the button. Other optional extras include windshield, hand protectors, low seat, engine guard, heated grips, alarm system, rear softbag, topcase and side pannier. The motorcycles are expected to be on sale in by this September.
A record-breaking 65,000 enthusiastic visitors
Celebrating World Ducati Week 2012 photos by Max Olina / FastDates.com - Click to Enlarge
June 21-24th 2012 , Misano Race Circuit Adriatico, Italy - As the seventh edition of World Ducati Week comes to a close, the famous Italian motorcycle manufacturer prepares to return to its Bologna base having enjoyed an incredibly successful event which broke all previous WDW records. Held at the World Misano Circuit in Italy, the massive WDW2012 gathering, entitled The Planet of the Champions, ran from Thursday to Sunday, 21-24 June and attracted thousands of passionate Ducati owners from all over the world. With an incredible 65,000 visitors over four days, WDW2012 has been the biggest ever. CONTINUED
Yes Virginia, there is a Panigale World Superbike...
Revealing the 2013 Ducati 1199 RS World Superbike - Part 2
We just got finished showing you photos last week of the new Ducati 1199RS Panigale Superbike being raced in this year's British Superbike Championship, now our ace photographer Max Olina has sent us these pictures of the 1199RS Superbikes which both reigning World Superbike Champion Carlos Checa and retired 3-time World Champ Troy Bayliss were riding on the Misano track at World Ducati Week 2012. More Here
These two beautiful SBK World Superbike grid girls, Lilly and her girl friend Petra will be shooting with FastDates.com at the Brno World Superbike round in Czecheslovakia the July 21-2nd weekend.
There's more! Go to Pit Lane News Previous Week
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Ducati Corse
World Superbikes
by Alan Cathcart
& Jim Gianatsis
The most extensive book ever on the history of the winningest bikes in SBK World Superbike. Covers all 5 Generations of the Desmoquatro factory Ducati Corse World Superbikes from the first 750/851 prototypes to the new 5th generation 1199 Panigale with technical details and photos, interviews with all the engineers and factory riders, track tests of every bike, and full page photos of the bikes from all the Fast Date Calendars with the official Ducati Corse and SBK Calendar Kittens.
Photography by the world's top roadracing photographers including Gold & Goose, Kel Edge, Fabrizio Porrozzi, Max Olina.
This is a high quality Collectors Edition hard cover coffee table book, 224-pages in large 12x12-inch format printed on 100# dull coat art paper.
Click on the cover above to order individual copies from Amazon.com. Retail $69.95 ea.
Also at Amazon.com.uk
HRC ANNOUNCES MOTOGP LINE-UP FOR 2013/2014
JULY 15, MUGELLO, ITALY - On the eve of the Italian Grand Prix, Honda Racing Corporation has announced its Repsol Honda rider line-up for the next two years of the MotoGP World Championship. HRC has renewed terms with Dani Pedrosa and signed current Moto2 World Championship leader Marc Marquez.
The Spanish pair offers an ideal blend of youth and experience. Twenty-six year-old Pedrosa has ridden Honda machinery since he started his Grand Prix career in 2001 and has raced for Repsol Honda since 2006, recording 16 MotoGP victories for the team, including last Sunday's German Grand Prix. He is a former 125 and 250 World Champion.
Nineteen year-old Marquez only started his Grand Prix career in 2008, but has already scored 21 victories and one World Championship, the 2010 125 crown. Last weekend he increased his Moto2 points lead at the Sachsenring with another brilliant victory.
Dani Pedrosa
"I'm very happy to be able to announce my renewal with the Repsol Honda Team for the next two years. It's been a very long relationship with Honda and I had a strong desire to stay here. The fight for the championship this year is still open and the next two seasons will be very interesting for me. My whole career has been linked to Honda, since I entered the World Championships on 125s, then in 250 and since 2006 in MotoGP. I'm perhaps one of the riders with the longest history with Honda, which makes me feel very proud. I want to thank HRC once again for their support; I'm sure that we have great things to do together."
Marc Marquez
"To reach MotoGP next season with Repsol Honda is a dream come true and I want to thank HRC for their confidence in me. I am very proud to be part of the big Honda family for the future and I don't want to forget all the people have helped me since I began to ride motorbikes. Now my focus is on Moto2 where my team and I are working very hard and we are excited to achieve our goal, which is to win the World Championship in 2012."
Shuhei Nakamoto, HRC vice-president
"We are very pleased to renew our contract with Dani and welcome Marc to the Repsol Honda Team. Dani is enjoying a very strong season and currently fighting with Casey [Stoner] and [Jorge] Lorenzo for the championship, we are very pleased with his performance. Marc has already proved how fast he is in 125 and Moto2, and we believe that, giving him the right time to adapt to the new class, he will also be able to show this in MotoGP in the future."
Editor's Note: With Cal Crutchlow (see below) already confirmed as Ducati's number one MotoGP rider for next season, and Valentino Rossi having no opportunity to return to Honda next season and most cergtainly having to stay at Ducati, Nicky Hayden could be returning to his dad's used car lot in Kentucky next year.
Cal Crutchlow to Ducati MotoGP Team in 2013!
To replace Rossi or Hayden?
Assen , July 1st - July 1st is the unofficial deadline for the factory race teams to start making commitments to unsigned riders for the next season. The unofficial word at Assen this past weekend was that Yamaha Tech 3 rider Cal Crutchlow had been offered and accepted a factory rider with Ducati for the 2013 season.
The reasons for Crutchlow's move is very logical. As a current Yamaha support team rider, there's no chance that Cal will move up to replace Lorenzo and Spies on the factory squad, so he has to look elsewhere for a factory ride.
Meanwhile Ducati needs to divest itself of Valentino Rossi and / or Nicky Hayden who just are not delivering, even after a complete redesign of the Ducati GP12 bike to give it the flexi frame like the other factory bikes. Hayden has had 3 years on the factory Ducati and hasn't delivered a win - making his value as an American rider to appease Ducati's biggest sales market now a liability, not an asset. And with Rossi, there's a chance he might jump ship next season to returnto Honda to fill Casey Stoner's vacant seat. While Forbes magazine just revealed last month that Rossi is one of the Top Ten highest paid athletes in the world with a base salary from Ducati at $30 Million per year.
Ducati can't sell and build enough motorcycles to justify Ross's salary and thats one of the reason why they were $120 Million in debt when purchased by Audi a few months ago.
However, if Audi doesn't mind bleeding money there could be a 3-rider MotoGP team at Ducati next year, but based on current results they're better off restarting fresh with Crutchlow and some new young rider.
The Official SBK
World Superbikes
1987-2012
25 Year History Book
The Official SBK
2011-2012 Yearbook
These SBK Yearbooks are the Best Books Ever about World Superbike
They feature awesome color photography of the riders, bike and racing action. The feature a detailed revue of the past season in pictures and statistics, with a detailed look at the bikes and riders.
Plus a technical look data all the bikes, a preview of the upcoming season's Championship!
We buy this every year ourselves and highly recommend it!
SBK World Superbike Video Game
British Superbike Championship Round 6, Oulton Park Brookes and Byrne go 1-2-3 for 3 Races at Oulton Park
Oulton Park, Great Britain, July 8th 2012 - Michael Laverty bounced back from a first race crash in this triple header sixth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park to rack up strong points with fourth and fifth place finishes to consolidate his fourth place in the overall points standings. Tommy Hill – Yamaha won all three races to take a commanding lead at the top of the general standings.
It was not all plain sailing for Samsung Honda rider Laverty, who had qualified for the opening race on the front row, fourth fastest. He was running strongly, taking the fight to defending champion and race leader Tommy Hill only for his bike to swerve out of line at Brittens and throw him off.
Laverty was unscathed, the bike only superficially damaged, and he was full of running in the first of Sunday’s races, running fourth throughout and next time out he was third on the opening lap, but under fire from former World Superbike rider Noriyuki Haga.
Haga took him as did Shane Byrne and Josh Brookes before Laverty came out on top of a duel with WFR Honda rider Alex Lowes to take fifth place.
But Laverty’s Samsung Honda team-mate Jon Kirkham, returning to the Cheshire circuit for the first time since his horrific high-speed crash in the May round of the series, had a difficult time, with machine problems and two tumbles, recovering to score a couple of points in the third and final race of the weekend.
Kirkham’s woes had begun in free practice when he slid off in the wet conditions in Friday free practice at Knickerbrook and then after setting tenth best time in the second element of the grid decider he suffered an engine problem that prevented him going out in the race. The team changed the engine ahead of the Saturday afternoon race, but a recurring problem saw him sidelined.
The weekend’s problems continued for Kirkham into the first of the two Sunday races when he tumbled at Shell, but full of fighting determination, he ran in mid-pack next time out taking 14th place.
Ian Lowry, riding the Padgett’s Honda, tipped off at Brittens in Saturday’s race, but came back strongly to take sixth and seventh place finishes but his team-mate Luca Scassa, suffered a technical problem in the first race, then crashed suffering concussion in the second to be ruled out of the third.
Lowes, despite a crash on Saturday, hit back to take ninth and sixth places for WFR Honda while James Westmoreland was in the points in each of the three races with a best finish of fifth while Graeme Gowland took three top ten finishes.
RESULTS BRITISH SUPERBIKE
RACE1:
POS / RIDER / NAT / MOTORCYCLE / TIME / GAP
1 / Tommy HILL / GBR / Yamaha - Swan Yamaha / 25:57.830 /
2 / Josh BROOKES / AUS / Suzuki - Tyco Suzuki / 26:02.338 / 4.508
3 / Shane BYRNE / GBR / Kawasaki - Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki / 26:02.425 / 4.595
4 / Noriyuki HAGA / JPN / Yamaha - Swan Yamaha / 26:08.169 / 10.339
5 / James WESTMORELAND / GBR / Honda - Team WFR / 26:13.576 / 15.746
6 / Tommy BRIDEWELL / GBR / BMW - Supersonic Racing Team / 26:14.086 / 16.256
7 / Chris WALKER / GBR / Kawasaki - Pr1mo Bournemouth Kawasaki Racing / 26:14.633 / 16.803
8 / Peter HICKMAN / GBR / BMW - Buildbase BMW Motorrad / 26:14.900 / 17.070
9 / Graeme GOWLAND / GBR / Honda - Team WFR / 26:15.219 / 17.389
10 / Barry BURRELL / GBR / BMW - Buildbase BMW Motorrad / 26:27.930 / 30.100
11 / Patric MUFF / SUI / BMW - Supersonic Racing Team / 26:28.242 / 30.412
12 / Luke QUIGLEY / GBR / Honda - GBmoto Racing / 26:28.388 / 30.558
13 / Scott SMART / GBR / Ducati - Moto Rapido Racing / 26:28.460 / 30.630
14 / Michael RUTTER / GBR / Kawasaki - MSS Bathams Kawasaki / 26:31.562 / 33.732
15 / Mark AITCHISON / AUS / Kawasaki - Quattro Plant Kawasaki Superbike Team / 26:39.684 / 41.854
Fastest lap:
Alex LOWES GBR Honda - Team WFR Lap 3 1:36.481 161.65 Km/h
RACE2:
POS / RIDER / NAT / MOTORCYCLE / TIME / GAP
1 / Tommy HILL / GBR / Yamaha - Swan Yamaha / 29:07.975 /
2 / Josh BROOKES / AUS / Suzuki - Tyco Suzuki / 29:11.358 / 3.383
3 / Shane BYRNE / GBR / Kawasaki - Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki / 29:14.116 / 6.141
4 / Michael LAVERTY / GBR / Honda - Samsung Honda / 29:14.237 / 6.262
5 / Noriyuki HAGA / JPN / Yamaha - Swan Yamaha / 29:14.527 / 6.552
6 / Ian LOWRY / GBR / Honda - Padgetts Honda / 29:19.736 / 11.761
7 / Tommy BRIDEWELL / GBR / BMW - Supersonic Racing Team / 29:20.417 / 12.442
8 / Alastair SEELEY / GBR / Suzuki - Tyco Suzuki / 29:21.243 / 13.268
9 / Alex LOWES / GBR / Honda - Team WFR / 29:21.280 / 13.305
10 / Graeme GOWLAND / GBR / Honda - Team WFR / 29:22.990 / 15.015
11 / James WESTMORELAND / GBR / Honda - Team WFR / 29:23.317 / 15.342
12 / Chris WALKER / GBR / Kawasaki - Pr1mo Bournemouth Kawasaki Racing / 29:29.531 / 21.556
13 / Peter HICKMAN / GBR / BMW - Buildbase BMW Motorrad / 29:32.161 / 24.186
14 / Patric MUFF / SUI / BMW - Supersonic Racing Team / 29:35.369 / 27.394
15 / Scott SMART / GBR / Ducati - Moto Rapido Racing / 29:35.510 / 27.535
Fastest lap:
Josh BROOKES AUS Suzuki - Tyco Suzuki Lap 3 1:36.321 161.92 Km/h
RACE3:
POS / RIDER / NAT / MOTORCYCLE / TIME / GAP
1 / Tommy HILL / GBR / Yamaha - Swan Yamaha / 29:05.719 /
2 / Shane BYRNE / GBR / Kawasaki - Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki / 29:06.854 / 1.135
3 / Josh BROOKES / AUS / Suzuki - Tyco Suzuki / 29:07.202 / 1.483
4 / Noriyuki HAGA / JPN / Yamaha - Swan Yamaha / 29:07.338 / 1.619
5 / Michael LAVERTY / GBR / Honda - Samsung Honda / 29:09.017 / 3.298
6 / Alex LOWES / GBR / Honda - Team WFR / 29:12.812 / 7.093
7 / Ian LOWRY / GBR / Honda - Padgetts Honda / 29:15.684 / 9.965
8 / Tommy BRIDEWELL / GBR / BMW - Supersonic Racing Team / 29:16.017 / 10.298
9 / James WESTMORELAND / GBR / Honda - Team WFR / 29:16.583 / 10.864
10 / Graeme GOWLAND / GBR / Honda - Team WFR / 29:16.910 / 11.191
11 / Chris WALKER / GBR / Kawasaki - Pr1mo Bournemouth Kawasaki Racing / 29:17.872 / 12.153
12 / Peter HICKMAN / GBR / BMW - Buildbase BMW Motorrad / 29:26.442 / 20.723
13 / Alastair SEELEY / GBR / Suzuki - Tyco Suzuki / 29:26.617 / 20.898
14 / Jon KIRKHAM / GBR / Honda - Samsung Honda / 29:27.698 / 21.979
15 / Scott SMART / GBR / Ducati - Moto Rapido Racing / 29:38.641 / 32.922
Fastest lap:
Tommy HILL GBR Yamaha - Swan Yamaha Lap 12 1:36.194 162.13 Km/h
CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS TO DATE:
1 HILL 234, 2 BROOKES 206, 3 BYRNE 205, 4 LAVERTY 146, 5 BRIDEWELL 104,
6 HAGA 102, 7 LOWRY 98, 8 WALKER 82, 9 WESTMORELAND 80, 10 SEELEY 78,
11 LOWES 73, 12 EASTON 66, 13 GOWLAND 62, 14 KIRKHAM 53, 15 RUTTER 38.
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World Superbike Championship Expands to India in 2013
June 20th 2012 - India Lands World Superbike Championship sport bike race. The world’s second-largest motorcycle market- India will host the World Superbike Championship, with India’s Jaypee Sports International signing a four-year agreement with series organizers Infront Motorsports.
India’s first World Superbike round will take place March 9-10, 2013 at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, near New Delhi. The rest of the 2013 WSBK calendar is yet to be announced, but the Buddh round will likely be second on the schedule behind Australia’s Phillip Island round. The four-year deal will see Buddh host WSBK from 2013 to 2016.
The announcement comes months after Infront signed a five-year agreement to see WSBK race at Indonesia’s Sentul International Circuit. This year will also see the first WSBK round in Russia, with Moscow Raceway hosting the series Aug. 25-26.
“The inclusion of the Indian round in the 2013 FIM Superbike World Championship calendar represents a great achievement for our series and reflects our continuous target to further extend its international presence,” says Paolo Flammini, chief executive officer of Infront Motorsports. “India today is one of the most important motorcycle markets in the world, not only in terms of existing bike sales numbers but also growth and the upgrading of the range offered to the consumer. Undoubtedly the inclusion of this event will greatly benefit all the protagonists of our series and will create significant added value for the motorcycle manufacturers.”
The 3.2-mile Buddh circuit was designed by German engineer Hermann Tilke who also designed Mayasia’s Sepang International Circuit, the Yas Marina Circuit in the United Arab Emirates and Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. Buddh, which hosted its first Formula 1 race in 2011, features a couple of long straights and 16 corners including a multi-apex sequence through turns 10-12 designed to be a popular overtaking zone.
The new Buddh WSBK round represents the current shift in the motorcycle industry in India. For years, India’s motorcycle market had been dominated by small-displacement utilitarian models. In recent years however, the market has been maturing with major international manufacturers introducing high-end models including 1000cc sportbikes such as those used in WSBK.
“There are many in India who are passionate about bikes,” says Sameer Gaur, CEO of Jaypee Sports International. “I am sure they would love to watch famed motorcycle drivers compete against each other here at their own world class racing circuit.”
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