Best of British Tour with Triumph & Birds of Prey!
New 2020 Sportbike Reveals at EICMA
Jorge Lorenzo Retires, Marquez and Marquez at Honda
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2019 World Superbike Ronathan Rae's 5th World title!
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Celebrity biker modeland avid rider Imogen Lehtonen with a custom Triumph Bobber built and owned by Rochard Jones.
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Triumph Motorcycles Best of British Tour with Birds of Prey
and Kitten Sara at House of Machines in Downtown Los Angeles
Los Angeles Arts District, CA - January 10th 2020 - Who could turn down an Eventbright ad that popped up in my Facebook feed saying "This is your exclusive invitation to experience the best of British motorcycling. Triumph Motorcycles is hosting an unforgettable evening of food, drinks, entertainment and the world's finest British motorcycles as we offer a VIP preview our our stunning new 2020 model lineup. Space at each party is extremely limited, so reserve your spot on the guest list today!
Visit www.TriumphOnTour.com for more details."
Calendar Kitten Sara on a
Triumph 675 Streetbike featured in the new movie Birds of Prey.
The new 2020 Honda Fireblade 1000RR R SP
New Sportbike Reveals at EICMA 2020 Milan, Italy Nov 4th 2019 - The motorcycle world's most import new bike reveals for teh coming year take place at the huge EICMA Bicycle & Motorcycle Show in Milan, Italy. This year Ducati didn't want be upstaged by the other manufacturers' all new bikes, so they choose to hold their own separate 2020 Ducati Model Year Premier for the Media and their Dealers a full week before EICMA, where they would show their new bikes again for the public. The most noteworthy bike at the Ducati 2020 premier was their much anticipated Streefighter V4 reveal, the pre-production version of the bike which Carlin Dunne raced at the Pikes Peak Hillclimb back in June, who was leading his run with a new record setting time before crashing in the final corner t the top of the mountain and being killed. Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicale made no mention of Carlin at the press introduction of the bike, obviously not to place a damper on the press introduction, but also obvious from its exclusion.
The other most important new bike at EICMA was Honda's reaveal of the long anticipated all new
CBR1000RR-R Fireblade, the bike which will mark the Honda factory's full return to World Superbike in 2020 with riders Alvaro Bautista and Leon Haslam.
Honda 2020 CBR1000RR-R Fireblade Standard and SP Nov 4th 2019 - The long anticipated new 2020 Honda Fireblade 1000RR R has finally been revealed at EICMA, and it is an all-new ground up inline 4-cylinder design design, not the replica MotoGP V4 bike we had been hoping for to battle head to head with Ducayti's MotoGP replica the Panigale V4.. Still. the new Fireblade RR-R is a potent machine with a claimed 240hp in stock form, a significant up-tick from Ducati's 2017hp rated base Panigale V4. Will Alvara Bautista be disappointed he left his winning Ducati V4RS in WorldSBK for the new Team Honda bike in 2020, or will Alvaro continue his winning ways? Joining Bautista on the all new HRC World SBK race team in 2020 is Leon Haslam who has left the factoy Kawaski team alongside Jonthan Rea. The exhaust is an Alrapovic Full Titanium Systemwith a power valve to help broaden the powerband, and we assume there is a catalytic converter.
Inside the all-new engine, the bore and stroke numbers (81.0mm x 48.5mm) are identical to the RC213V, and the finger-follower rocker arms allow for a higher-spinning engine, which should give tuners some opportunities to make power. New, 52mm throttle bodies (vs. 48mm before) allow more airflow, and DLC coating on the camshafts is a first for Honda.
On the chassis side, the new frame sees a longer wheelbase: 57.3 in. vs. 55.3 in., a slightly less aggressive rake angle: 24º vs. 23º, and more trail also: 4.01 in. vs. 3.77 in. The engine itself is placed 33mm farther from the front axle and 16mm higher, while the new swingarm is 30.5mm longer.
Suspension-wise, Öhlins NPX electronic fork and shock handle bumps and can adjust on the fly, similar to the Yamaha R1M. Brembo Stylema calipers bite on twin 330mm discs. Honda reps also noted that this is the first time they can remember a Brembo master cylinder being used on a production bike, too.
Electronically, the new CBR also joins the Bosch 6-axis IMU army, employing it to manage the 9-level Selectable Torque Control, aka Traction Control, and wheelie control, among others. There’s also a new Honda Smart Key which is basically a wireless/keyless ignition. In researching intake paths for the incoming charge of cool air, it was noticed the tumbler holding the physical key would partially block the flow. Removing it cleans up that path considerable, says Honda.
If you’re the type who likes to recite numbers and figures, here are some about the new CBR1000RR-R:
Thanks to its MotoGP design influence, it boasts the lowest coefficient of drag in the category. The finger-follower rocker arms reduce inertia by 75% from before. Valve drive loss is 35% lower than before.
*Each forged luminum piston is 5% lighter and with titanium connecting rods and bolts are half the weight as before.
• Torsional rigidity of the frame has gone up 9%, vertical rigidity is up 18%, horizontal rigidity of the frame is down 11% and the horizontal rigidity of the subframe is decreased 15%.
The CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP is coming to the U.S. in limited numbers by June 2020, technically making it a 2021 model year. The European market will also get a base version CBR1000RR-R (non-SP), but here in America our base model will be the current-generation CBR1000RR (unsold left overs) along with the new RR R SP.
MV Agusta Rush 1000
Nov 4th 2019 - Nothing short of jaw dropping is the suprise introduction at EICMA in the form of MV Agusta's new Rush 1000! It makes Ducati's new V4 Streetfighter look tame in comparison.Tthis bad-ass MV Agusta Streetfighter has our vote for the most beautiful bike at this year;sEICMA Show. Created on the basis of the Brutale 1000 RR, the MV Agusta Rush embodies the unique and irreverent appeal associated with drag racing bikes, engineered to offer huge thrills over just a few hundred metres, and strictly controlled by the stopwatch.
The only production bike utilizing radial valves and titanium connecting rods to assist in developing 208 hp in standard road homologation form (over 212 hp with non-homologated exhaust and updated ECU). The boundaries of the maxi-naked bike sector have been shattered, crossing into the exclusive world of the hyper-naked motorcycle, where performance and confidence-inspiring control are paramount.
Born as an exercise in style, celebrating the technical and stylistic evolution that created the new Brutale 1000 RR, production of the Rush 1000 is scheduled to begin in the next few months.
The stylistic and technical choices are consistently aimed at underlining the brief that defined this model, unique in terms of both technology and quality. It is a truly exclusive motorcycle, intended for an audience that does not fear original choices and individuality. There is a specific technical content, which accentuates and emphasizes the technology that is at the center of the design of this bike.
The front headlight unit, inspired by that of the exclusive RVS #1, offers a specific design and is distinguished with the technology implemented: it boasts is a Full LED unit with cornering function, designed to increase active safety and improve driving pleasure. The headlight support and the circular frame are in light CNC machined alloys, to enhance the design and functionality. The back cover of the optical unit is made of carbon fiber, a material also chosen for the minimalist passenger seat cover, as well as for the side panels of the tail. The tank cap is made of aluminum and is also CNC machined.
An exemplary element that defines the inspiration behind this model is the rear enclosed wheel, a typical configuration found on drag strips: the rear rim in forged aluminum is concealed by a carbon fiber cover, designed to obtain the best aerodynamic performance. The fixing nut of the single sided rear wheel is in CNC machined aluminum alloy. To reduce visual weight and contrast the front wheel is spoked.
The rear tailpiece, passenger seat area and integration of the rear light unit have been specially designed for this vehicle. An exclusive specific exhaust system, has been hand-crafted from titanium with a carbon fiber heat shield. The mapping of the control unit is specific for the exhaust system, so as to make the delivery linear and obtain exemplary power values.
More original than ever, the Rush 1000 boasts the technology and driving dynamics of the Brutale 1000 RR. The four-cylinder in-line engine with integrated MVICS ignition-injection system (Motor & Vehicle Integrated Control System) has 8 injectors, 4 lower Mikuni and 4 upper Magneti Marelli with increased flow rate. The Eldor EM2.0 engine control unit intervenes on the throttle body full ride by wire Mikuni; the pencil-coil coils are equipped with "ion-sensing" technology, detonation and mismatch control. There are four engine management maps (Sport, Race, Rain, Custom), while the disengageable traction control has 8 intervention levels and wheelie control with an inertial platform. The MV EAS 2.1 (Electronically Assisted Shift Up & Down) transmission system without friction has been further improved in terms of ease of use and speed of action. Technological features of the four-cylinder in-line, include the new crankshaft and the redesigned and lighter pistons. The completely revised combustion chamber has radial valves and was designed using the technology from Formula 1. The titanium connecting rods, derived from competition experience exploit MotoGP technical parameters and contribute decisively to reducing masses, loads and engine inertia. Again from the World MotoGP comes the choice of the central distribution chain, which is also traditional for MV Agusta: mitigating the effects of the camshaft twist at high rpm.
The suspension (fork, shock absorber and steering damper) utilize the Öhlins EC units with electronic management of the compression and extension hydraulics; this system allows you to choose between predefined configurations and manual settings, so as to enhance the chassis based on the rider's preferences and the course conditions.
The special kit combined with the bike includes a rich package of components that make the Rush 1000 even more precious and exclusive.
Creating, recording and sharing every journey in the seat of your Rush 1000 couldn’t be easier with the MV Ride App, which opens up a world of opportunities. For example you can customize the motorcycle’s electronics with just a few touches on your smartphone. If you want to share the best riding experiences, all you have to do is click... Navigation functions can also be easily accessed via mirroring on the dash with the MV Ride App.
MV Agusta Super Sexy Superveloce 800 Serie Oro
MV Agusta, June 1st, 2019 - The lines of the limited edition Superveloce 800 Serie Oro are a modern interpretation of the iconic stylistic concept of the MV Agusta. A fusion of vintage and contemporary ensures that the future incorporates the memories of good times gone by: 37 world titles, legendary victories, challenges that required going beyond the possible. Live the emotions that helped to create the Meccanica Verghera legend. This is a limited production run of just 100 Serie Oro, with pricing is around $43,000. More information at - https://www.mvagusta.com/en/superveloce-800-serie-oro
Ducati 2020 World Premier
What Ducati did with their first-generation Streetfighters – the 2009-2012 1100, and 2011-2015 848 taking thier leading sportbikes and stripping them down for slightly more comfortable ergonomics and aggressive styling. Ducati again follows that same strategy with the V4V Panigale Superbike and for 2020 hs introduced the new Ducati Streetfighter V4 and updated V4 S.
Ducati didn’t mess much with the 1103cc Desmosedici Stradale engine that’s also offered in the Panigale V4. The power numbers are slightly reduced due to more streetable engine maps.
Horsepower: 208 @ 12,750 rpm vs 214 @ 13,000 rpm on the Panigale V4
Besides that, the engine remains the same. Ducati makes it known in the press kit that the Streetfighter can produce 220 horsepower and 95.8 ft/lbs of torque if a full-racing Ducati Performance exhaust by Akrapovič is installed.
New Kawasaki Z H2 marks a new era in the Hypernaked class
Stretching back in an unbroken series of models over nearly fifty years to the iconic and ground-breaking Super Four model Z1 of 1972, Kawasaki has an enviable Z heritage in the naked class. Kawasaki is not looking back with its latest top level Z though. Instead, it encourages riders and fans to look to the future and anticipate meeting the most radical, most technically advanced and most powerful Z ever; the Z H2. Harnessing Kawasaki’s considerable in-house experience with the Ninja H2 and Ninja H2R, the Z H2 forces the world of motorcycling in a new direction with the ultimate Hypernaked machine.
Being at the pinnacle of the 2020 Z family is a huge responsibility which calls for a machine with a feature list satisfying the wants and needs of even the most demanding rider, delivering a specification that exceeds those demands thus creating “The Ultimate Z”. Echoing the core spirit of Kawasaki’s unique “Sugomi” design philosophy – where each styling innovation is matched equally by an engineering feature - the Z H2 literally bristles with interesting rider focused facets.
Of course, most attention will initially be focused on the majestic 998cc four-cylinder engine equipped with Kawasaki’s in-house developed and manufactured integrated balanced supercharger. With a targeted heady peak of 200PS (Suprisingly less peak horsepwoer than its non-supercharged Streetfighter rivals from Ducati and MV Agusta , the virtues of the design are a controllable yet invigorating flow of power building to a satisfying Ram Air asisted crescendo matched to more down to earth subtleties such as a rider friendly character that results in an eminently manageable ride.
So whilst the Z H2 will be attractive to highly experienced riders, its all-round manageability makes it accessible to the wide ture of this “ultimate Z” abound with a new take on Sugomi styling and visual updates such as all LED lighting including indicators and licence plate illumination. The easy to read TFT meter panel is instantly recognisable and – upon closer inspection – the up/down quick shifter is apparent plus, on the left bar cluster, adjustment for the standard fit cruise control and a host of other rider-centric features. Kawasaki’s much praised trellis type chassis as used on previous supercharged models is updated for the new Z while Brembo M4 calipers appear attached to the Showa BPF front forks attesting to the high quality specification of this class leading naked machine.
Deeper inside, Kawasaki engineers have worked hard to ensure a dynamic balance between performance and durability making a supercharged streetbike a practical yet exotic reality. With its assist and slipper clutch plus dog ring gearbox technology, clever use of oil as a coolant to eliminate the need for a bulky intercooler and manifest oil jets playing on key components, KHI engineers have married reliability to rideability in a way only they know how.
A large number of electronic rider aids via the Bosch IMU such as traction control, intelligent anti-lock braking, cornering management function, selectable rider and power modes, anti-wheelie control are matched in the tech league table by Bluetooth connectivity which – via the Kawasaki Rideology Smartphone app – allows riders to interface with their machine and discover more about their ride and machine status, all via the screen of their mobile phone. Allied to practical information such as fuel economy and journey facts, there are also features such as a lean angle meter recorder that are sure to be a popular function.
From its asymmetric supercharger air intake to one side of the menacing twin LED headlamps, via the reverse embossed “Supercharged” icon on the impeller unit to the aggressive Sugomi stance and dramatic colour coded trellis chassis with its imposing bodywork, the Z H2 is a symphony of sensation. Much anticipated, much talked about and perhaps most eagerly awaited of all 2020 Hypernaked machines, the Z H2 is here and ready to take its place at the head of the Z family and to take charge of the popular naked class.
SCRAMP Looses Management of Laguna Seca Raceway after 62 Years
World Superbike will not return to America in 2020
Report curtesy Marshall Pruitt / Racer Magazine
November 19th 2019 - Monterey County’s board of supervisors voted on Tuesday to hire the A & D Narigi, LLC (A&D) firm as the new track manager in charge of the county-owned park that contains WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
The five-person board voted unanimously to enter into contract negotiations with A&D. Provided both sides come to terms, the company led by former Monterey Plaza Hotel general manager John Narigi will replace the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP) at the onset of 2020.
The board’s decision serves as the second time SCRAMP has been on the losing end of a management contract vote. Following a scathing grand jury report compiled by the county in 2016 that documented systemic problems within SCRAMP’s business practices under a former CEO, the county spearheaded a worldwide search for new management firms.
The board ultimately chose the Friends of Laguna Seca group to replace SCRAMP, but was unable to conclude a deal with the management team. As a result, SCRAMP was given a new three-year contract to continue its management of the park, and with the term reaching its end, a new search began that promoted A&D as the county’s preferred vendor.
Assuming negotiations between the county and A&D are successful, SCRAMP’s 62-year tenure as Laguna Seca’s manager will come to an end ahead of the new racing season.
Separate from SCRAMP’s business infrastructure, the non-profit organization’s volunteer base is considered to hold the greatest value. Assembled over decades, SCRAMP’s volunteer group has facilitated the track’s major events throughout its tenure.
In SCRAMP’s pending absence, it’s unclear whether the hundreds of volunteers who’ve provided physical support, and allowed those events to operate without the vast expenses a paid staff would demand, would shift their allegiance to A&D.
Without the volunteers, it’s also unclear whether A&D would be able to form a similar volunteer base required to hold large events and meet its budget targets.
Team Hammer Suzuki To Replace Yoshimura Suzuki's 40 year reign in AMA Superbike
COSTA MESA, CA (December 13, 2019) – MotoAmerica has announced that Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. has reached an agreement with Team Hammer to become its official team for the 2020 MotoAmerica Series. In addition to its continued participation in Supersport and Twins Cup, Team Hammer will now field Suzuki’s premier Superbikes and add the Stock 1000 class to its list. The team enters the series as Team Hammer Suzuki. Riders for each class will be announced later.
Suzuki and Team Hammer have a long history together. With more than 30 years of valued partnership, Suzuki and Team Hammer have clinched numerous victories, proving Suzuki sportbikes are among the best in the world with power-driven performance and a championship-winning reputation.
Most recently, M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Bobby Fong became the 2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion aboard a GSX-R600 while Roadracing World Young Gun Alex Dumas took the Twins Cup title on an SV650 this past season. Team Hammer Suzuki is looking to build off that momentum and add more victories to the list as the team is set to field Suzuki’s premier Superbike team.
“We’re very happy that Suzuki is continuing its support of the MotoAmerica Series,” said MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey. “Suzuki has been with us from the beginning and has continued to use our series to both develop and sell their motorcycles. Congratulations also to Team Hammer. That team has worked hard, has been a fixture in racing for a long, long time and has shown the ability to win lots of championships. We know that Suzuki will be in good hands at the racetrack in 2020 and beyond.”
In 2020, Team Hammer will celebrate its 40th consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. In addition to a decorated list of accomplishments in various national and international championships, Team Hammer’s success at the AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National level is exceptional. To date, riders on bikes prepared and fielded by the team have earned an accumulated seven AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National titles while racking up 83 race victories and 234 podium finishes in MotoAmerica Superbike, MotoAmerica Supersport, MotoAmerica Twins Cup, AMA Formula Xtreme, AMA 750cc Supersport, and AMA Pro Daytona Sportbike.
Along with a record of preparing, developing, and fielding championship-caliber equipment, Team Hammer is known for its ability to identify and foster talent, whether it be up-and-coming riders, overlooked international riders, or established veterans looking to reignite their careers.
Superstars Kevin Schwantz, Ben Spies, Scott Russell, Josh Hayes, Jamie James, John Hopkins, and Thomas Stevens are among many who have ridden Team Hammer-tuned Suzuki race bikes at the start of their professional careers.
After over 40 years together, Yoshimura R&D will no longer field Suzuki Superbikes. Yoshimura will remain an important partner for marketing and R&D efforts for Suzuki but with a different focus and will continue to build upon their strong business relationship moving forward, according to the release from Suzuki.
Don Sakakura, President of Yoshimura R&D commented on the unparalleled relationship between Suzuki and Yoshimura that spanned some four decades: “Yoshimura’s partnership with Suzuki has been instrumental to our core business the past 41 years,” said Sakakura. “As a team, we accomplished tremendous racing milestones, leaving behind many special celebrations, as well as setbacks. Personally, it has been a true privilege to have worked closely with management and staff at Suzuki. The friendships I’ve developed will carry over my lifetime. Notably, the engineering team at Suzuki’s Japan headquarters has been extremely significant in our successes over the years.”
Suzuki echoed Sakakura’s comments and thanked Yoshimura for its contribution to 212 race wins and 14 Championships in the AMA Superbike class, the most of any manufacturer.
Kerry Graeber, Suzuki’s vice president of sales and marketing stated that the Suzuki Yoshimura relationship remains strong.
“Though Yoshimura won’t be operating our road racing team moving forward, we look forward to continuing together in many other aspects of our business.”
Graeber noted that Yoshimura remains integral with JGR/Suzuki, the company’s supercross/motocross race team, as well as several sales and marketing programs. Graeber sees that not only continuing, but also possibly expanding.
Team Hammer Suzuki will make its debut on March 10-11, 2020 at the 2020 MotoAmerica Preseason Test at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
Editor's Note: This is thethe reality of the sportbike market in America where Japanese sportbike sales have declined 90% since the 2008 Recession. American Suzuki can no longer afford to contract Yoshimura R&D of America to run their offiical AMA Superbike / Supersport Team.
John Ulrich's Team Hammer has always been essentially a Privateer Support Team for Suzuki, getting bikes and parts, and having to find their own sponsors to pay the bills, riders and mechanics. And this looks like what they will continue to do for 2020. Calling Team Hammer "Suzuki's Premier Race Team for 2020" is just a hollow PR title.
This shows the MotoAmerica Championship does not generate enough marketing publicity to justify funding a US Distributor racing team any more. The biggest selling sportbike brand in America is Ducati, and they haven't had a Superbike team here for 15 years.
Wayne Rainey and his MotoAmerica partners are doing the best job possible to keep AMA Superbike racing alive in America, and spending $millions to do so, but with changing cultural interests, demographics and small spectator attendance, the sportbike market and fan interest is no longer there despite MA's TV coverage and some top track venues.- Jim Gianatsis
Lorenzo with Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta
Jorge Lorenzo: a 5-Time World Champion retires The Spaniard announces his retirement from MotoGP™ after 18 seasons of stunning racing
November 14th 2019 - After 18 seasons in the MotoGP™ paddock, five-time World Champion Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team) has announced his retirement. The Spaniard was joined by Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta in a Press Conference at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia to break the news, bringing the curtain down on an incredible career.
Lorenzo made his debut in the 125cc World Championship in 2002, missing the first day of his first Grand Prix because he was still too young. But his 15th birthday fell on qualifying day and the young Spaniard headed out to do the first laps of what would go on to become one of the most successful careers of all time. By his fourth race he had scored his first points, and his best finish that year was seventh, taken in Rio de Janeiro. A year later in Rio, he would win his first Grand Prix.
>From there the momentum would grow. Three wins and four further podiums in the 125cc World Championship the following year saw him finish fourth overall, setting solid foundations for a move onto 250cc machinery in 2005. There he took six podiums as a rookie, and his first titles were just around the corner as he began 2006 with back to back wins. He’d wrack up another six by the end of the year, taking his very first World Championship after a stunning season that announced him as a serious force to be reckoned with. In 2007 he stayed in the class to defend the crown and did so, this time with an incredible nine wins. From there, MotoGP™ beckoned with Yamaha.
There are few better ways to make a splash in the premier class than taking pole for your first race, and that’s exactly what Lorenzo did – setting a new lap record that stood for ten years. He was on the podium in both of his first MotoGP™ races too before taking to the top step for the first time on only his third appearance. That was at Estoril, as he beat two men he’d continue to compete with for years to come: Dani Pedrosa and Valentino Rossi, then his teammate. Injury struggles and crashes would mar the rest of 2008 for Lorenzo as Rossi lifted the crown, but 2009 saw the Spaniard bounce back and make his first run at defeating the then eight-time World Champion on the other side of the garage. Rossi was victorious, but 2010 would turn the tables.
Lorenzo took podiums in the first 12 races of that year, only one of which was a third place. Seven were wins. By Malaysia, it was match point and the number 99 wrapped it up with another podium, becoming a MotoGP™ World Champion for the first time. He also rounded out the season with another two wins to make it nine victories overall in one of the most impressive seasons ever put together.
2011 was more difficult. As great rival Casey Stoner took back to the top, the bad luck that had hit Rossi the year before hit Lorenzo, and the Spaniard ceded the title fight after a crash at Phillip Island. But 2012 saw him back in the running from the off as he won the season opener, and he took podiums in every single race bar two – including six wins. At Phillip Island, he was crowned a two-time MotoGP™ World Champion, and then came 2013: a new era in the premier class.
In 2013, Stoner retired, Rossi returned to Yamaha and Marc Marquez made his debut in MotoGP™. The year became the reigning Champion vs the rookie, with the battle going all the way down to Valencia and the season finale. Marquez would ultimately come out on top, but Lorenzo would do everything he could to take him on – and some career-defining moments and races were created on the way.
The journey to the final round wasn’t a smooth one for the number 99. The first hurdle was a collarbone broken on Thursday at the TT Circuit Assen. Lorenzo had already put in a number of iron man-esque performances in his career, but this was another level. After having the collarbone plated after the crash, the number 99 returned to the track to race – and came fifth. It was a stunning statement of intent that he wouldn’t go down without a fight.
The next hurdle, however, came soon after. Another big crash at the Sachsenring damaged the collarbone once again and Lorenzo was forced to forfeit the round, but he was back by Laguna Seca and back on the podium at Indianapolis. Silverstone then staged one of the greatest races of all time as he and Marquez traded provisional pole on Saturday and duelled it out to the line on Sunday. Lorenzo was a man on a mission and a stunning move from the number 99 put him back on the top step and back in the game. Drama for Marquez in Australia saw the rookie disqualified for making a mandatory pit stop at the wrong time – and as the number 93 took home a 0, Lorenzo won. By the season finale, all Lorenzo could do to try and take the crown was win the race, and that he did. It wasn’t quite enough, but the season was an instant classic.
2014 saw Marquez hit top gear, with Lorenzo only winning his first race of the season at Aragon and the momentum remaining with the number 93. But 2015 would flip the form book once again as Lorenzo became the only man to beat Marquez to the crown so far – and the only other name on the trophy since 2011. The season was Lorenzo vs Rossi and one of the most dramatic ever, although it was Marquez and Rossi in the spotlight for a number of incidents. The biggest of which was at Sepang as the two clashed, leaving the Italian with the penalty of starting the season finale from the back of the grid. And Lorenzo? He would aim to take his third premier class crown from pole, and did so with his seventh win of the season.
2016 was another slightly tougher year, but the Spaniard once again took a slew of wins and podiums. And the last win of the season at Valencia was also his last with Yamaha as nine seasons together came to an end after 44 wins, 107 podiums and 39 pole positions. From now, Lorenzo would race in red...
His switch to Ducati was tougher at first, although a first podium wasn’t long in coming as he took third on home turf at Jerez. Flashes of speed shone through but it wasn’t till Aragon that Lorenzo was back on the rostrum, taking another third place, and he was close to the win at a wet Sepang later in the season. A warning shot for his rivals came at the same venue at the start of 2018 as Lorenzo smoked the lap record in testing.
It would take a few more races of speed that the ‘Spartan’ struggled to convert into podiums before a switch suddenly seemed to flick – and what a place for everything to come together. Mugello, Ducati’s home Grand Prix, had seen Lorenzo master its curves on many a Sunday. And in 2018 he did so once again for an emotional first win in red, destroying the opposition. Was this the start of something? Another win at Catalunya said it may well be.
Another of Lorenzo’s best races came later in the season as he won a stunning showdown at the Red Bull Ring in Austria, taking victory from Marquez by only just over a tenth. His final win so far, it was also another rider-defining display of excellence.
After crashes at Aragon and Buriram, injury would then strike again, however, and a difficult period followed. For 2019 though, Lorenzo was back and took on another new challenge as he moved to partner Marquez at Repsol Honda and once again began to adapt to another new bike. But injury struggles struck again, and broken vertebrae interrupted the season, necessitating a long recovery. Although the five-time World Champion once again showed his mettle as he returned to race, Lorenzo has now announced his retirement – bowing out on home turf, and one of the venues he has ruled more than many.
18 seasons, 68 wins, 152 podiums, 69 pole positions and 37 fastest laps: that’s five-time World Champion Jorge Lorenzo, one of the true greats. He will also be inducted as a MotoGP™ Legend next season at the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez.
Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and his new HRC MotoGP teammate, brother Alex Marquez testing at Valencia.
HRC sign Alex Marquez Honda Racing Corporation announce signing double World Champion Alex Marquez to join brother Marc Marquez in the premieror MotoGP Class fro 2020
November 18, 2019, Japan - The young Spanish rider will join the Repsol Honda Team on a one year contract.
He will move from the intermediate 600 class to partnerwith his brother, eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez in 2020 for his debut season in the premier class aboard the Honda RC213V.
Reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) made some more Honda headlines in MotoGP testing at Valencia this week. The number 93 rode around with his brother AND premiered the aero seen on Crutchlow yesterday, with the all-black Honda breaking cover bearing a 93 in the afternoon, and he ended the day in seventh after 71 laps. He also suffered a failed getaway earlier in the day, and his teammate for the test – in the garage at least – also suffered an issue on Wednesday as Stefan Bradl ground to a halt. Nevertheless the German was able to complete 53 laps by the end of play.
Meet the 5-time SBK World Superbike Champion
Algarve, Portugal, Sept 27-29th, 2019 - Jonathan Rea (KRT) took an all-time record fifth WorldSBK Riders’ Championship win today in Portugsl after finishing second in the Tissot-Superpole race and then winning Race Two. After overcoming a tough early season Jonathan Rea became the World Championship for a record fifth time in the best way possible - with a race win. No other rider has won five titles in this category, never mind five in succession.
The irishman Jonathan Rea celebrates his 5th consecutive World Superbike Championship at Magny Cours
Jonathan Rea, stated: “I am just super-happy. It has been the biggest challenge to date and we have just chipped away. The beginning of the season was really tough, to be beaten the way we were. But to mentally accept the challenge and keep working as a team - also away from the track – we kept strong. I have worked and kept working. We all go to each weekend looking for the opportunity and we have had lots of opportunities this year, and won a lot of races. It is beyond my wildest dreams to win the title here because after four rounds I would have bitten your hand off if you told me I was going to be champion. With yesterday’s race being quite chaotic I was nervous going into today because I did not understand the points situation. The target all weekend was to try and – realistically – win it in Argentina, so we could go to Qatar with less pressure. But we got another opportunity today and I felt a little bit better with the bike compared to yesterday. With the temperature going up the pace was not so fast I was able to manage the bike, and I could see my opportunity with Michael. He was struggling in some areas where we were strong. And we were weaker in some areas where he was strong. So I was putting that all together, learning that for a few laps and then putting my head down and getting the job done. Massive thanks to Kawasaki, the team, my sponsors, my family, all my friends and everybody in my corner. I am the guy taking the plaudits but it is such a big team effort and I am fortunate to be in this position.”
Alvaro Bautista (19) leads newly re-crown champ Rea, Toprak and van der Mark in Race One action. And yes, that's all the spectators in thr grsndstandat Losail, maybe 300? WorldSBK goes to oil rich Qatar in part, to help give world status to the Championhip, and because the Kingdon pays big money for the sanction, as opposed to Laguna Seca in America which probably pays almost nothing.
2019 Motul SBK World Superbike Championship, Motul Qatar Round 13 of 13
Johathan Rea Ties the Ribbon on his 5th Consecutive WSBK Rider Championship and the Manufacturers Title for Kawasaki Losail Circuit, Quatar, Oct 24-26th, 2019 -Five-Time World SBK champion Jonthan Rea added thr last 3 races of the 2019 World Superbike Championhip seasonat Losail International Circuit, ending a remarkable season with 17 victories in al and a points totl well into t he 600s.
In the last round of a truly memorable season Jonathan Rea took his run of career race wins to 88, by securing all three race victories under the floodlights in Qatar, even though scoring his first win of the year took until round five, at Imola.
In the short Tissot-Superpole sprint raceon Saturday moring, Rea led every lap and beat Alvaro Bautista by 2.027 seconds. In the 17-lap season finale he had pressure from two Ducati riders behind him, Davies who carded three 2nd place positions at the rfinal round and Bautista, but used his strong overall race package to push on in the final laps and take a winning margin of almost three seconds.
Rea’s historic fifth successive championship win was thus ended in a perfect way, especially after Rea started from pole position each time and Kawasaki won the Manufacturers’ Championship after Race One. He ended his year – which featured three races per weekend for the first time in WorldSBK – with 663 championship points, 165 more than his closest competitor.
Haslam had one positive and one tough experience on his final day in the KRT set-up, riding with skill and focus to come within 0.160 of a second of a podium finish in the ten lap sprint race.
Race Two had Haslam in the middle of the fight for the final podium place for a time, but after half race distance his front end grip dropped and he had to settle for ninth place. He ended his season seventh overall, with 281 points.
Chaz Davies, Jonthan Rea andAlvaro Bautisa share the podium after the 2nd Feature Race.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “Seventeen race wins this year and two triples – Donington and here - so this is special, super-special. I am really happy and content because to be honest we never expected to get beaten so bad in the beginning. Even in the middle of the season we knew we needed to enter these last two rounds with a gap in the championship to fight for it, but what we expected we didn’t find. I am really happy with the package of our bike because in these last two races, with the longest straights in the championship, and the fastest circuits, we have proved that you need more than a fast engine to win. I am super-proud of all my team. This weekend we changed the base set-up so many times, from Race One to Superpole to Race Two; you would not believe me is I told you what we did. We turned the bike upside down and each and every time we had some positives and negatives, so it just shows our bike is working inside a good window.”
Chaz Davies (7) charges through the field in Race One to try and catch Rea.
Rea victorious in Race 1 ahead of Davies and Lowes
Friday Oct 25th Race One - The 2019 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship launched racing action at the Motul Qatar Round, with the first of three races getting underway on Friday night. With first and second in the title race already sorted out, the attention and all eyes were on the battle for third, with the three protagonists spread out across the top ten. Taking the win in convincing fashion, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) led from lights to flag, giving Kawasaki the Manufacturers’ Championship.
Before the race even began, Jordi Torres (Team Pedercini Racing) crashed on the exit of Turn 1 on the Warm Up Lap. The Spaniard highsided all on his own accord in the middle of the pack was thankfully OK. However, his race was run before it started, as he retired to the pits after the eventual completion of his Warm Up Lap.
Steaming off from pole position, Jonathan Rea took the holeshot down into Turn 1, fending off a fast-starting Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). However, Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and Sandro Cortese (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK) got ahead of the BMW rider and the front four were as they were. Other good getaways came from Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati), up from 12th to sixth and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing), from tenth to seventh.
At the beginning of Lap 2, there was drama for Sykes, as he clipped the back of Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) at Turn 1, as the two outbroke themselves. Chaz Davies had now picked up the pieces and was up to fourth, whilst Haslam had slipped back into the clutches of Alvaro Bautista (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) courtesy of his collision with Sykes, as both of them were seventh and eighth. By the end of Lap 2, Bautista was seventh and Haslam had dropped to eighth.
It would be heartache for Cortese on Lap 6, as the German rider crashed out of fourth place at Turn 7, after just being passed by Davies. This promoted Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) to sixth, before the Dutchman scythed ahead of Razgatlioglu to pinch fifth. The battle for third however was looking like it would go the way of Alex Lowes, who was up in second, whilst teammate van der Mark and 2020 Pata Yamaha replacement Razgatliolgu were fifth and sixth. There was more despair downfield for Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura), who suffered a technical problem on the front straight.
Into the second half of the race, the gap at the front was still the same, with no move made from Lowes just yet. The duelling Brits at the front were running their own pace, whilst Lowes was getting the time to see where his rival was strong. Chaz Davies was still running a solid third, although he was incrementally closing the gap to the leaders.
With eight laps to go, Haslam took sixth place from Razgatlioglu at Turn 1, using the slipstream to get the job done. The ‘Pocket Rocket’ now set his sights on van der Mark ahead of him, whilst Razgatlioglu had to keep his eyes open behind him, as Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing – Yamaha) zeroed-in, just ahead of a revitalised Markus Reiterberger (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team).
With six laps to go, Toprak Razgatlioglu got it all wrong going into Turn 6, with his bike snapping sideways in an aggressive manner. The Turkish rider took to the gravel and somehow kept it upright, but slipped from seventh to 13th, seriously hurting the 23-year-old’s chances of third overall in the Championship. In the battle for fifth, Leon Haslam was now ahead of van der Mark, passing the Dutchman at Turn 1 with five laps remaining.
Chaz pulled off three runner-up positions at Losial behind Jonthan Rea.
Five laps to go and Davies passed Lowes at the final corner, parking his Ducati down the inside and now, began to hunt down Jonathan Rea out front, immediately slicing the gap to under a second. Davies was particularly quicker in the middle sectors. All the time, Alvaro Bautista was having a lonely race in fourth place.
Despite closing down the gap to Rea, Davies couldn’t get the better of the Northern Irishman’s metronomic consistency. Rea took another victory in 2019, his fourth at Losail and gave Kawasaki the Manufacturers’ Championship. Davies came from 12th to second in an impressive fightback, whilst Alex Lowes came home third. Alvaro Bautista was fourth in a quiet race for the Spaniard behind the all-British podium, whilst prevailing in the battle for fifth was Leon Haslam, seeing off Michael van der Mark on the run to the line.
Loris Baz was a strong seventh place, whilst it was a classy eighth place for Markus Reiterberger, with his first top ten since the Tissot Superpole Race at Imola. Ninth place went to Ireland’s Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven), who had a strong ride into the top ten, whilst Leon Camier (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team) made it all manufacturers represented inside the top ten. Toprak Razgatlioglu recovered to 11th.
WSBK Race 1- Complete Results Here
1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
2. Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing - Ducati) +2.732
3. Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +5.423
Jonthan Rae won the 10-lap Superpole race on Saturday morning which determines starting posions for the top 10 finishers for the afternoon's 25 lap 2nd Featute race.
Rea takes Race 2 victory ahead of Davies and Bautista Saturday Oct 26th RACE TWO The final race of the 2019 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship took place under the floodlights of the Losail International Circuit for the Motul Qatar Round. After a season of last lap battles, new rivalries, record-shattering performances and triumphant successes, the final race of the season saw yet more phenomenal World Superbike action. Relentless as ever, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) battled hard to beat Alvaro Bautista (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) in a race to remember in Qatar.
Powering off the line for the final time in 2019, Alvaro Bautista made the most of the Ducati power to lead the field to Turn 1, although the Spaniard went wide and allowed Jonathan Rea back ahead. Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) slotted in behind them whilst Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was right in the mix in fourth, with Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) in fifth. It was a disaster for Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing – Yamaha), who got Turn 1 all wrong and was plum last.
On Lap 2, it was all action and drama as Rea and Bautista began to battle between Turn 6 and 9, swapping paint and scything under one and other, whilst Alex Lowes was also getting in on the act. At Turn 15, van der Mark took third from Lowes but both ran wide, allowing Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing) to come through from nowhere, whilst Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) also capitalised on the squabbles. Leon Haslam was a big loser in the battle and was down to seventh.
After the frantic action had calmed down on Lap 4, Bautista began to close down Jonathan Rea for first, whilst Chaz Davies was now up to third. Bautista and then Davies set the fastest lap of the race, with just over a second covering the leading trio and less than half-a-second covering Rea and Bautista. Meanwhile, van der Mark and Lowes had pulled away from Razgatlioglu.
With 13 laps to go, Bautista made a move on Rea at Turn 1 but ran wide, with Rea slicing back through. Two laps later and the 34-year-old Spaniard tried again, but the Kawasaki of Rea was too strong on the brakes. With the swapping and changing, Chaz Davies continued to edge closer and now, just 0.273s separated a tantalisingly close podium. Soon, the gloves were off, and Bautista hit the front on Lap 9 at Turn 1, but Rea fought back and barged his way down the inside at the Turn 6 hairpin. Davies was even closer now, and it was a three-way heavyweight fight.
With seven to go, and outside the top six, Razgatlioglu had dropped behind Haslam, whilst Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven) was riding strongly on his final appearance on the Ducati V4 R. Loris Baz had recovered well and was now inside the top ten in ninth place, lapping faster than everyone ahead of him up to Chaz Davies. Meanwhile, van der Mark got the better of Lowes for fourth at Turn 6, although Lowes still occupied third overall in the standings and fought back at Turn 1 a lap later.
Out front, Jonathan Rea had pulled away and left the duelling Ducatis of Bautista and Davies to fight it out. At Turn 15 with four laps to go, Davies made his move and got ahead of his teammate; the last time the two will be in the same team. It would be a critical moment, as the podium places wouldn’t change from that moment on, despite Bautista’s best efforts.
Across the line for the final time, Rea took a 17th win of the season with a thrilling victory, whilst Chaz Davies clung on for another second place, ahead of Bautista, who bows out of Ducati with a podium. Alex Lowes took fourth and was third overall in the standings, whilst Toprak Razgatlioglu stormed through in a last lap shuffle to take fifth, ahead of a scintillatingly fast Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven) taking his best finish of the season. Van der Mark, Baz, Haslam and Sandro Cortese (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK) completed the top ten, whilst Cortese’s teammate, Marco Melandri, failed to score points in his final race in the Championship.
P1 - Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
"I wanted that race victory so much. My nanny is not well, so I text her this morning and tell her to watch the race because I wanted to win for her. This gave me a lot of motivation to not take one lap of rest and go all in from the first lap. Thanks to my team for giving me an incredible bike. We have changed massively the bike race to race, so it looks like our it works in a huge window. I achieved my biggest target in my career, which was finishing every single race of this season. I am so proud of this".
WorldSBK Race 2 - Complete Results Here
1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
2. Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing - Ducati) +2.978
3. Alvaro Bautista (ARUBA.IT Racing - Ducati) +3.100
Final 2019 WSBK Championship Standings after Race 2, Round 13 - Complete Championship Standings Here
1. Jonathan Rea (GBR) Kawasaki (663 points)
2. Alvaro Bautista (ESP) Ducati (498 points)
3. Alex Lowes (GBR) Yamaha(341 points)
Despite being 2nd in the Championhip
this year on the new Ducati V4RS, Losail would be Bautista's last race for Ducati, moving next year to the new Honda HRC factory team. Word had it that Honda offered Bautisa twice want Ducati could pay in ordert to entice a top line winning rider to their team.
V2R versus V4R - Is Newer Really Better?
The 2015 Ducati Panigale V2R compared to the 2019 PanigaleV4R Superbike - HERE
How a World Superbike differs from a Production Bike!
Carl Fogarty checks out the new 2020 "25° Anniversario 916" which is built on the mechanics of the Panigale V4 S.
Panigale V4 25°Anniversario 916:
the Ducati tribute to the bike that changed Superbike history
Pebble Beach / Laguna Seca, California (USA), 12 July 2019 – In 2019 a quarter of a century will have elapsed since the Ducati 916 arrived on the global stage, forever changing the Superbike world. Born from Massimo Tamburini’s sketches, this bike has revolutionized the world of motorcycle design and has made fans fall in love all over the planet. Incredibly innovative in its style, elegance, lightweight and compactness, by many it’s believed to be the sexiest and most iconic bike ever built.
The Ducati 916 wasn't just a beautiful bike and an enormous sales success. It also won World Superbike championships: the 916 SBK was a force to be reckoned with even as it made its debut in 1994, and the following years saw it win 120 races, 8 constructors' titles and 6 riders' titles, four of them with Carl Fogarty. The Englishman has won 55 races with Ducati, of which 43 riding a Ducati 916 SBK and 996 SBK. "King Carl" and the 916 remain the most successful "couple" in Ducati SBK
history.
The Ducati 916 SBK World Superbike of 1994 actually displaced 955cc
using the previous year's engine and displacement found in the 1993 Team Corse 888 World Superbike.
Ducati has decided to celebrate this anniversary by building a special 916-dedicated version of the Panigale V4. Hence the genesis of the Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916: a unique limited-edition bike of only 500 pieces, designed to let all true Ducatisti re-live the spirit of the 916.
The "25° Anniversario 916" is built on the mechanics of the Panigale V4 S. This has been upgraded with racing content from the Panigale V4 R such as the Front Frame, designed to Ducati Corse specifications. The look of the bike combines a special livery with forged magnesium wheels, a titanium type-approved Akrapovič exhaust and a long list of Ducati Performance components.
For its world-first preview, Ducati chose round nine of the Superbike World Championship, takingplace this weekend at Laguna Seca (California, USA). Here, Francesco Milicia (VP Global Sales & After Sales Director Ducati Motor Holding), Jason Chinnock (CEO Ducati North America) and Carl Fogarty unveiled the Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916.
The presentation of the bike was also an occasion of remembrance, honouring Californian Carlin Dunne, the Spider Grips Ducati team rider who recently died at Pikes Peak. Jason Chinnock announced Ducati's decision to remove the number 5 from selling, the same number that Dunne used to race with. The bike will be auctioned, with proceeds going to a fund-raising effort aimed at providing Carlin's mother with support.
"In all of modern motorcycling history, no bike has been as era-defining as the 916, both in terms of design and performance. I'm incredibly proud to present this exclusive version of our Panigale V4, itself a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the 916." stated Francesco Milicia during the event at Pebble Beach. "We've decided to present the bike together with none other than "King" Carl Fogarty himself. Presenting it on the American Superbike stage underscores our dedication to the US market, where bike enthusiasts and collectors alike will, I am sure, appreciate the uniqueness of the Panigale V4 25° Anniversary 916."
"I’m thrilled to be here at this event," stated Carl Fogarty after riding the Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916 onto the stage at Pebble Beach. "The Ducati 916 gave me some fantastic, unforgettable moments. It played a starring role in my career and in the history of the World Superbike Championship. On the wider motorcycling scene, it set a whole new standard of style and performance. I’m proud to have played a pivotal role in that success story, and equally proud to be here today and celebrate this important anniversary by officially unveiling this breath-taking bike."
Starting from Saturday morning, the Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916 will go on display at Ducati Island (the space Ducati traditionally sets aside for its fans during American races). Furthermore, Team Aruba.it Racing – Ducati riders, Álvaro Bautista and Chaz Davis, will compete on bikes with a livery inspired by the Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916. The Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916 will arrive in dealerships starting from October 2019 at a price of 41,900 Euro (USD $47,225) ex-works (price is country specific).
Sara Shoots with a new Mule XR1000 Street Tracker for FastDates.com
May 2nd, 2019 - We were excited to have legendary FastDates.com Calendar Bike Builder Richard Pollock(below) / MuleMotorcycles.net back in our studio this month with beautiful Calendar Kitten Sara Balint, to shoot two of Richard's latest builds that he was taking up to the Quail Motorcycle gathering in Monterey, CA. Our favorite of the bikes is this 1983 Harley-Davidson XR1000 which only keeps its origional frame and engine. It received the full Mule Street Tracker treatment with new suspension, brakes and wheels, and dirt track style seat assembly and a beautiful aluminum fuel tank. Look for a full feature on thios XR1000 with more photos of the bike and Sara with details in the Calendar Bike Garage in Member's Corner.
Click for Large Screensaver
Aprilia RSV4 X 2019 Limited Edition 1100cc Superbike
April 24th, 2019 - Just as the new Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory is starting to win in comparison tests arranged by the world's leading motorcycle magazines, thus reaffirming a long-standing technical superiority, Aprilia RSV4 X, the commemorative version built to celebrate ten years since the birth of the first model, sells out in a matter of hours.
Exclusively unveiled on 23 March at the Mugello circuit during Aprilia All Stars, the Aprilia-branded party that saw the participation of more than 10,000 motorcycle enthusiasts, Aprilia RSV4 X is developed by Aprilia Racing around the base of the RSV4 1100 Factory and produced in a limited run of just ten units. Note that this is a non-strret legal / track only bikes, and with its 1100cc displacement is not eligible for Superbike class racing where 4-cylinder engine displacement is limited to 1000cc.
Once online booking opened on factoryworks.aprilia.com, it was only a few hours before this jewel of Italian racing production sold out, a bike dedicated exclusively to the track and offered at a price of 39,900 Euro. The ten lucky buyers will collect their bikes directly from Aprilia Racing, the racing department in Noale opening its doors especially for the occasion.
The department's racing experience has been fully harnessed in order to lighten the Aprilia RSV4 X and achieve an exceptional dry weight of 165 kg. Aprilia Racing has selected a series of refined, lightweight components, such as the carbon fairing - enhanced with special dedicated graphics inspired by the livery of the 2019 MotoGP Aprilia RS-GP - as well as a more lightweight tank. Another obvious sports-derived element is the racing panel via which to adjust the main electronic controls of the RSV4 X. There are numerous billet aluminium details, such as the clutch lever, the front brake lever guard, the engine sump guards, the adjustable foot pegs and the upper steering plate, important details that make for a further weight saving. Marchesini forged magnesium wheels magnify the already spectacular handling of the RSV4 and mount Pirelli slick tyres.
The inimitable 1100 cc V4 engine is prepared directly by Aprilia Racing, the most advanced Piaggio Group platform for the development of technology applied first to racing bikes and then to factory models. This special preparation involves hand assembly and the subsequent fine-tuning of all tolerances, just as is done for competition engines. The distribution system is also overhauled, with the adoption of new intake camshafts, new valve return springs and caps, as well as brand-new rounded bucket tappets that, all sizes being equal, allow for the use of more aggressive, SBK-derived cam profiles.
The Akrapovic exhaust system features titanium collectors and a carbon outlet, while the air filter has been replaced with a Sprint Filter element, specifically the air filter that offers the highest permeability of those available on the market (as well as being waterproof), the same unit that Aprilia Racing uses in MotoGP. Electronic tuning is guaranteed by a specific ECU mapping, with dedicated track settings. These components ensure an increase in maximum power, from an already excellent 217 HP for the standard model, to the impressive 225 HP of the RSV4 X. The Aprilia V4 is equipped with the ANN system (Aprilia No Neutral), the gearbox with neutral positioned below first gear that speeds up shifting from first to second and prevents any up-shifting errors. A solution that derives directly from Aprilia's experience in SBK and MotoGP and that is made available on a model on public sale for the very first time.
Another world first comes in the shape of the Brembo braking system, the firm having selected the Aprilia RSV4 X for the debut of its sophisticated and extremely efficient GP4-MS billet callipers that act on a pair of steel discs with T-Drive technology and are controlled by a 19x16 billet radial pump.
Aprilia RSV4 X is part of the Factory Works programme launched by Aprilia Racing: unique in the world, it takes the technology developed for the Aprilia RSV4, a seven-time Superbike world champion, and makes it available to those planning to compete at high level in production-derived championships or who want a RSV4 with performance optimised for track-use.
Biaggi’s parade lap astride his 1995 world championship RS 250, the sensational race with all the riders astride Aprilia SR 150 scooters, won in the final stretch by Manuel Poggiali and the display in pit lane of the bikes that have written Aprilia racing history filled an extraordinary day on which the public of Aprilia fans were protagonists. Participants ranged from those who are simply fans of the Italian brand, filling the grandstands and paddock that was livened up by music and games to the hundreds of fans in the Bearacer community who were able to meet the riders and share in a day of celebration with the entire team. And at the end, there was a spectacular parade of Aprilia bikes that invaded the circuit, the same track where the bikes from Noale, the most victorious bikes on the Tuscan hillside, have triumphed no less than 23 times in World GP races.
Motorcycles and bad boys, look out girls, it's a road paved to hell....
Fast Dates goes to World Ducati Week 2018!! By Jim Gianatsis and Elia Mirashi
photos by Jim Gianatsis, Ducati Communications Dept. - Click on any Photo to Enlarge it
The Adriatic Coast and Misano World Circuit, Italy, July 20-22nd 2018 - What better way for a hard core Ducatista to spend their summer vacation than attending the 10th edition of World Ducati week for 2018 at Misano Adriatico on the north east coast of Italy at the famous race circuit Marco Simoncelli. This was my 3rd visit to a World Ducati event weekend which normally takes place every 2 years, having last attended when the event was less well known back in 2004 and then in 2012 when it had really grown. Needless to say, this year's 2018 event was even bigger and offered up more activities and sights than you could handle during the expanded 3 day weekend. Making it even more enjoyable, i always fly in a few days early from my home in Los Angeles to Ducati's home in nearby Bologna, Italy, to tour the factory, its museum, its factory retail store for bikes and official apparel, and now a cool American 1960's diner restaurant named Cafe America with a full menu of American burgers, diner food classics and drinks.
Ducati invoted a few of it closest friends which this year included MotoGP race winners Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Dovizioso, superbike riders Chaz Davies and Marco Melandri, along with legendary retired riders included Casey Stoner and Troy Bayliss, to meet with fans and put on display races. On Friday the riders took to the track for a few exhibition laps on their race bikes. Then on Saturday they returned to the Misano track for a 12 lap race on the new production Panigale V4S Superbikes in the "Race of Champions".
We have the Winners! The 2018 Rider RoundUp at the Ranch
& Calendar Bike Building Championship Sunday Oct 7th 2018
The 2018 LA Calendar Motorcycle Show continues its now 28-year tradition as one of the premier outdoor custom street motorcycle events in America now in partnership with the Rider RoundUp at the Ranch & Calendar Bike Building Championship taking place on Sunday October 7th 2018 in the Western Town movie set at Paramount State Park, Agoura, CA, produced by Calendar Bike Builder Russell Mitchell / Exile Cycles and Jim Gianatsis / FastDates.com. Featuring top Celebrity Custom Bikes & Builders, selected Vendors and Exhibitors, Live Music performances. And the world premier of next year's new 2019 FastDates.com Motorcycle PinUp Calendars featuring the world's top Sport and Custom Motorcycles with the beautiful Calendar Kittens in attendance at the Show. Select Builders and their Bikes will be invited to be photographed by producer Jim Gianatsis for the next FastDates.com Calendars. More Information on our Bike Show Page
2017 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
Fast Dates Calendar Celebrates 22 years of SBK World Superbike in America
with 2018 Fast Dates Calendar SBK Umbrella Kittens Kaustin & Alissa at
Laguna Seca World Superbike and the LA Calendar Motorcycle Show
By Jim Gianatsis Photos by Jim Gianatsis • Clink on any Photo to Enlarge It
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 the Kittens 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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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.
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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
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Chaz Davies on his Decision Not to race in Argentia on Saturday “Firstly, I’m disappointed with the way this day was managed. In my opinion it was important that all the riders were united but unfortunately this didn’t happen. Fifteen out of the 18 riders weren’t intending to take part in the race because of the difficult track conditions. Unfortunately, five minutes before the start some of them probably felt pressure to go on track, going against the decision taken before all together.
We had proposed modifying the schedule and do two long races tomorrow to give the organizers the opportunity to improve the track conditions but our wishes weren’t taken into account. From my point of view safety is paramount and in certain situations they have to listen more to the views of the riders. All this should be considered in a constructive manner to improve in the future.
We already discussed this issue in the various meetings of the Safety Commission. I’m sorry but it’s a shame to come and race at this fantastic circuit and find ourselves in this situation. Now let’s forget about today and focus on tomorrow’s races.”
World Superbike Team Rider Team Changes for 2020
Melandri retires from racing after 2019 season finale in Qatar
October 6th - Take a look back over the Italian star outstanding career.
After having announced his intention to retire at the end of the season back in July, Marco Melandri (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK) has taken part in his last ever race this weekend at Losail International Circuit, the final round of the 2019 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship.
The Italian star leaves the motorcycling competitions after a successful career that began more than 20 years ago, and that saw Melandri becoming an icon for the Italian fans alongside other big names such as Valentino Rossi, Max Biaggi and Loris Capirossi.
Melandri’s debut on the world stage happened back in 1997 at the Czech GP of 125-cc World Championship when he was only 15 years and 24 days old. With that start, he became the youngest rider to take part into a 125 cc Grand Prix in history. A few months later he left another indelible mark in his first full season in the championship, as he became the youngest rider to win a Grand Prix at the only age of 15 years, 10 months and 20 days. The record belonged to Meladri for a decade before being surpassed by Scott Redding and Can Öncu in recent years.
1999 saw more success coming the way of Melandri. With five victories and nine podiums, he went extremely close to winning the World Championship title, as he missed it for just one point. With his talent proved by every success he had taken, it became clear that it was time for Melandri to take a step further in his career and in in 2000 he moved forwards into the 250-cc class.
The Italian adapted quickly to the new category and by the end of the year, he had already four podiums in his tally and in 2001 his first win arrived. But it was in 2002 that Melandri was able to make his real breakthrough as with six consecutive wins he was able to clinch the 250-cc World Title becoming the youngest ever champion at the time.
Following his success in the middle class, Melandri moved to MotoGP™. The Italian struggled to adapt to his Yamaha, but in his second season, he took his maiden podium in the class. In 2005 he switched to Honda and finished as runner-up behind Valentino Rossi, with two consecutive wins at the end of the year. Riding for Honda, Kawasaki, Ducati until 2010, the Italian rider remained competitive in the class picking up a few podiums during those years.
Eager to take on a new challenge, Melandri moved over to WorldSBK in 2011. In his first year in the FIM Superbike World Championship aboard a Yamaha, the Italian rider was able to prove his talent and with four wins and 15 podiums is secured the runner-up spot in the championship behind Carlos Checa.
Melandri’s success didn’t stop there, and in 2012, he secured other six wins with his new BMW machine. Hindered by a crash in the penultimate round of the year, the Italian star missed the chance to remain in contention for the title. He finished again as runner-up, but this time behind compatriot Max Biaggi. After another strong year with the German manufacturer, Melandri moved to Aprilia in 2014. With six wins, the Italian finished fourth in the standings.
After a brief stint of in MotoGP, Melandri made his WorldSBK return in 2017, as he joined the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati squad for two seasons. Onboard the Ducati Panigale R, the Italian rider was able to score three more wins and a total of 23 podiums.
2019 opened a new chapter for Melandri, as the Italian decided to join the GRT Yamaha WorldSBK alongside Sandro Cortese. After having taken three more podiums this year, the Italian star made the decision to end his phenomenal career at the end of the year.
“The decision to retire was a tough one for me to make”, Melandri admitted in a press conference held ahead of the Geico U.S. Round last July. “I'd been thinking about it for some time and, before the Imola race, I finally decided to call it a day at the end of the 2019 season. I'm still competitive, and I think it's better to stop at this point, while I still enjoy racing, rather than waiting until the enjoyment and the results are more difficult to achieve”.
The 2019 season continued to unfold and Marco Melandri’s last race arrived this weekend at the scintillating Losail International Circuit, with the Italian making his last race start at the floodlit circuit.
Honda takes the wraps off the all-new Fireblade that will form the basis of its 2020 HRC World Superbike challenger, and has confirmed Leon Haslam as Alvaro Bautista's teammate next season.
Nov 4th 2019 -The CBR1000RR-R SP, which was revealed at the EICMA show in Milan on Tuesday, replaces the outgoing Fireblade that was campaigned in WSBK from 2017 to 2019.
It features MotoGP-inspired aerodynamic wings, much like Ducati's recently-introduced Panigale V4 R, as well as semi-active front forks and a power output 13 percent higher than that of its predecessor, while weighing in at 201kg.
The introduction of the new bike coincides with Honda putting in place a new structure for its factory WSBK team for the 2020 season under the direct control of HRC.
Honda nominally returned to WSBK as a full-factory entity in 2019 after 17 years away, but the squad was run by the Althea and Moriwaki teams and struggled to be competitive
Leon Camier, who spent a significant proportion of the season on the sidelines injured, ended up 17th in the standings with a best finish of seventh at Magny-Cours, while his teammate Ryuichi Kiyonari - returning to WSBK after a decade away - was 19th.
Bautista was confirmed as Honda's lead rider back in September, the Spaniard parting ways with Ducati after just one season, while Haslam has been lured away from Kawasaki to join the 2019 runner-up on the second works Fireblade.
Young Guns Caricasulo and Gerloff to Step up to WorldSBK in 2020
Oct 17th 2019 - Yamaha Motor Europe is pleased to announce that the GRT Yamaha Supported WorldSBK Team will field an exciting new international rider line-up for the 2020 FIM Superbike World Championship season, with Italian Federico Caricasulo joining American Garrett Gerloff in the team for their second season in the premier production class.
Caricasulo is already familiar with the GRT Yamaha squad, having contested the FIM Supersport World Championship with them in 2017 and 2018, taking his YZF-R6 to ten podium finishes and three race wins during his two seasons with the team.
The 23-year-old from Ravenna, Italy, is currently contesting the 2019 FIM Supersport World Championship on a YZF-R6 for a third consecutive season. He has already impressed with a total of nine podium finishes from twelve races, three of which were race wins, and is currently lying second in the championship standings, a slender eight points off the series leader with one round remaining.
Gerloff also comes with a winning pedigree. The 24-year-old Texan was the MotoAmerica Supersport Champion in 2016 and 2017 before joining the Yamaha Factory Superbike Team in 2018, where he made a blazing MotoAmerica Superbike debut with an incredible podium finish. Four more podium finishes followed that year, with Gerloff ending his rookie season fifth in the championship standings.
After a year of experience on Yamaha’s cutting-edge YZF-R1 machine, Gerloff remained with Yamaha in 2019, securing four race wins and 15 podium finishes on his way to finishing third overall in his second full season of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship.
In a bid to further their already impressive racing careers, both Gerloff and Caricasulo are looking forward to the new challenge of competing in the world’s premier Superbike series with Yamaha’s race proven YZF-R1 machinery and the GRT Yamaha squad, which for the 2020 season will be retitled as the GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team.
Alex Lowes to partner with Jonthan Rea on Kawsaki 2020 Superbike Team
Oct 10th 2019 - British rider Alex Lowes will join Jonathan Rea in the official Kawasaki Racing Team set-up in 2020. Lowes is a proven race winner and 18-times WorldSBK podium finisher, having been a regular in the series since 2014.
Lowes, a BSB champion before he joined the WorldSBK ranks, is a regular podium challenger and currently sits third in the 2019 WorldSBK points table, with two rounds and six races remaining. As well as his WorldSBK experience Alex has won the prestigious Suzuka 8 Hours race three times in succession, from 2016 to 2018.
Alex, brother of Moto2 rider Sam, will take the next steps on his career path inside the championship-winning KRT squad, riding alongside five-time champion Rea.
Kawasaki issues a warm welcome to Alex and looks forward to working with him to achieve the best possible results on the class-leading Ninja ZX-10RR.
Guim Roda, Team Manager, stated: “KRT welcomes a 27 year old rider with a lot of pace and good experience. Our target is to ‘polish’ Lowes and try to make him a candidate for the title too. And he has a long career ahead. He has shown very good skills during these years and for sure the potential is there. We’ll try to use all the tools at our disposal in KRT to help him show his best.”
Steve Guttridge, Kawasaki Europe Racing Manager, stated: “All at Kawasaki would like to send a warm welcome to Alex, who will join the elite Kawasaki Racing Team for next season in WorldSBK - partnering up with the all-time greatest Champion Jonathan Rea inside our Factory team. Alex is known to be a very hard worker and shows 100% commitment in every race. This attitude, combined with his talent and a clear enjoyment of his job, means that we are very confident that, along with the great staff we have inside KRT and on the Ninja ZX-10RR, this will be the start of a very exciting new era for all.”
Leon Haslam Parts Ways with Kawasaki WSBK
Oct 8th 2019 - British rider Leon Haslam will leave the official Kawasaki Racing Team at the end of the 2019 season after some strong showings in his first season back in the WorldSBK paddock after three years of successful BSB competition.
After winning the BSB Championship title in 2018 Leon was brought into the KRT WorldSBK set-up to join forces with record-breaking champion Jonathan Rea.
He had an immediate positive impact inside the overall KRT awning which culminated in winning the Suzuka 8 Hours race in partnership with Jonathan on the Ninja ZX-10RR.
Leon’s six podium scores – so far - in his comeback year prove that his 2019 adventure was another positive step along his incredible career path, spanning WorldSBK, BSB, MotoGP and EWC series, always competing strongly when he had competitive machinery.
In 2019 so far Leon has scored two podiums apiece at Phillip Island, Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli and his much loved home circuit of Donington Park in England. He also scored a wildcard podium finish on a Kawasaki in 2017, at Donington, while riding for Kawasaki Puccetti Racing team. With races in Argentina and Qatar yet to come, the 36 year old Derbyshire based rider may yet increase his 2019 tally on the KRT Ninja ZX-10RR.
In a career that has spanned over 20 years of top-level international competition, Leon has an enviable WorldSBK record, both with Kawasaki and no fewer than five other manufacturers.
All at Kawasaki and KRT wish Leon the very best of good fortune in his future career.
Guim Roda, KRT Team Manager, stated:
“KRT and KHI welcomed Leon into the team after a nine year period with Tom Sykes. It was an ideal chance for him to regain experience inside the WorldSBK paddock and an incentive after winning the British Superbike title plus previous success at the Suzuka 8-Hours.
“A primary target for 2019 was for Leon to experience the KRT way of working and to take his race rhythm and performance to a new level with goals like competing at Suzuka as a tempting prospect. Winning the 2019 8 Hours race with Jonathan Rea after a 25 year gap for Kawasaki was certainly an incredible achievement alongside regular top five placings in WorldSBK including several podium visits.
Toprak Razgatlioglu to Partner Michael van der Mark at Yamaha in 2020
Oct 1st, 2019 - Yamaha Motor Europe is pleased to announce that it has secured the services of Toprak Razgatlioglu for the 2020 FIM Superbike World Championship. Razgatlioglu, who claimed his first WorldSBK race victory in Magny-Cours at the weekend, will partner Michael van der Mark in the Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team.
Razgatlioglu arrived in the WorldSBK paddock in 2015 to contest the European 600 Superstock Championship, which he won in his debut season. A move up the European 1000 Superstock Championship followed, where the young Turkish rider was a title contender for two years before stepping up to the WorldSBK class in 2018.
Razgatlioglu immediately made his mark in the premier production class, securing two podium finishes in his debut season with second place at Donington Park and third place in the penultimate round in Argentina.
The 22-year-old has developed even more strongly in 2019, securing his first top-three finish of the season at the Italian WorldSBK round in Imola and finishing on the podium at every round since. Razgatlioglu secured his maiden WorldSBK win with a scintillating performance in Race 1 at Magny-Cours, which he started from 16th position on the grid. The young Turk backed that up with victory in the Superpole sprint race the following day.
Yamaha and Alex Lowes to Part Company at the end of 2019 Season
Sept 29th 2019 - Yamaha Motor Europe wishes to formally announce that they will part company with Alex Lowes after the final round of the 2019 FIM Superbike World Championship season in Qatar.
Lowes has been an integral part of Yamaha's WorldSBK program since the Japanese manufacturer returned to the premier production racing series in 2016. In a partnership that has spanned four seasons, Lowes and Yamaha together have completed 106 races, in which Lowes finished on the podium on no fewer than 15 occasions.
The highlight of Lowes' time with Yamaha undoubtedly came in 2018 at Brno in the Czech Republic, when the Briton got the better of his teammate in a closely-contested Race 2 to take his first WorldSBK race win.
But the successful partnership between Yamaha and Lowes extended further than just the WorldSBK paddock. The 29-year-old was also a key member of the Yamaha Factory Racing Team that took three consecutive victories at the prestigious 8 Hours of Suzuka, only missing out on an unprecedented fourth win this year by the narrowest of margins.
Bautista leaves Ducati for HRC Honda for 2020 WorldSBK championship charge!
Sept 23rd 2019 - The Spaniard remains in the paddock for a second year and takes on a whole new challenge by joining the all-new HRC project, eager to fight for victories from the start
Having enjoyed his2019 rookie season in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, Spanish rider Alvaro Bautista makes the switch from the ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati outfit to the all-new, much anticipated 2020 factory Honda team, supported by HRC. The
34-year-old has taken an unprecedented 15 wins in 2019 but inconsistent form has landed him 91 points behind four-time WorldSBK champion, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK).
11 of Bautista’s 15 wins came in the opening 11 races, before Jonathan Rea struck back at Imola. Two wins at Jerez before his first crash of the season, Bautista’s season unraveled in a blink of an eye from that point on. However, back on the podium in Portugal after a point-less Laguna Seca have shown signs that his debut season in WorldSBK has still been an impressive one. Taking all of his experience to Honda and having ridden the circuits for a season, Bautista will hope to bring the iconic Japanese manufacturer back to the front of the world’s fastest production-derived class.
Speaking about his move to the brand new HRC outfit, the 2006 125cc World Champion said: “I am really happy, because I believe a lot in the new project with HRC. They want to come back to the World Superbike championship as a full factory team, so this has motivated me a lot. To join the HRC factory is very important, as they are an important factory and want to win in WorldSBK again. The challenge for next year will be very difficult, but for sure, I will try and use my experience in the World Superbike championship from this season to develop the bike and hopefully, fight for victories.”
Bautista is no stranger to developing motorcycles, having done so with the Aprilia Gresini outfit in MotoGP™ for two seasons, before turning to the Angel Nieto Ducati team and being a consistent top eight finisher. In WorldSBK this season, he has been integral in the development of the Ducati Panigale V4 R, which has seen his experience prove to be pivotal in the bike’s results.
“It was not an easy decision to make for me, as I am really happy with the Ducati family,” said Bautista. “We started with the new bike and a new project, and we were winning a lot of races. It was not easy but the project that HRC offered me motivated me a lot, as we will start from zero. I feel like one of the most important people in this project.” (It is also rumored that Honda HRC offeerd Bautista twice what his offered 2020 salary from Ducati would be).
The Honda outfit in 2019 has had occasional strong results in the hands of Leon Camier and Ryuichi Kiyonari – the former of which has been injured since Round 5 at Imola in May. Three top ten results courtesy of Camier, his replacement at Misano – Yuki Takahashi, who achieved the bike’s best result of the season – and Alessandro Delbianco (Althea Mie Racing Team) have been the highlight of the Japanese manufacturer’s 2019 effort.
Seeing clearly into 2020, Bautista is cautious of predicting too much straight away, but wants to fight for victories throughout next season: “It is difficult to say now about the targets for 2020, but I want to work hard in the winter tests and arrive at the first round in the best way possible. I would like to fight for victories from the beginning, but we will see how everything is nearer the time.”
HRC President Yoshishige Nomura, stated his delight of Bautista joining the HRC family, in a bid to bring the Japanese manufacturer top results in WorldSBK: “We are very happy to welcome Alvaro Bautista to our WorldSBK racing project for next year. His arrival in the Honda racing family underlines our strong commitment to compete at full force in every motorsport category, fighting to achieve top sporting results and looking for the best technological innovations, in order to offer our fans and customers fun, joy and excellent products.
“Alvaro is a very fast, experienced rider who has already shown his strong racing attitude and competitiveness in his GP years and in his first season in the WorldSBK championship. We are confident that he will make a significant contribution to the growth and development of our project in the exciting and challenging Superbike World Championship.”
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Marco Melandri Announces his Retirement
July 9th 2019 - GRT Yamaha Supported WorldSBK rider, Marco Melandri, has announced that he intends to retire from racing immediately after the final round of the 2019 FIM Superbike World Championship in Qatar. The 36-year-old Italian's decision to hang up his leathers will bring to a close a World Championship career that has spanned three decades.
15-year-old Melandri burst onto the world stage in 1998 and immediately made his mark, taking his first win at Assen to become the youngest ever Grand Prix winner, a record that stood for 10 years. He went on to win once more that year and ended his debut Grand Prix season third in the World Championship. The following season Melandri won five races but missed out on being crowned 125cc World Champion by just a single point.
More success came with a step up to the 250cc World Championship. Melandri dominated the class in 2002, taking nine race wins on his way to being crowned 250cc World Champion. A move to the premier class followed, with Melandri's most successful MotoGP season coming in 2005 when he won the final two races and finished second in the World Championship to Valentino Rossi.
In 2011 Melandri made the switch from MotoGP to WorldSBK, winning four races in his first season aboard Yamaha's YZF-R1 to finish the year as vice-champion. Since making his debut in the premier production class, the Italian has secured 75 podium finishes, 22 of which were race wins, making him one of the most successful riders on the WorldSBK grid.
And while these results are already impressive, Melandri is determined to add to them before finally hanging up his leathers in Qatar and bringing to a close an incredible racing career.
"The decision to retire was a very difficult one for me to make. I'd been thinking about it for some time and, before the Imola race, I finally decided to call it a day at the end of the 2019 season. I'm still competitive and I think it's better to stop at this point, while I still enjoy racing, rather than waiting until the enjoyment and the results are more difficult to achieve.
Since making the decision I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders and now that everyone knows this is my final year, I'm even more motivated to push for good results in the final few races. In part it's for me, as I'd like to go out on a high, but it's also to repay the faith that both Yamaha and the GRT Yamaha team have shown in me.
It's been a difficult season, but they have worked so hard to help me realise my potential. They never gave up on me and I hope that my experience has helped the team adapt to racing in WorldSBK just that little bit quicker. I'm looking forward to seeing out my final season with them and I intend to give it my all, treating every lap like a qualifying lap and pushing to improve myself and bring the team the results they deserve. Then it will be time to move on and do something different with my life.
For me it's been a fantastic journey; thank you to everyone I met along the way." - Marco Melandri
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2017-2018 Yearbook These SBK Yearbooks are the Best Books Ever about World Superbike. They feature wesome color photography of the riders, bike and racing action. The feature a deailed revue of the past season in pictures and stactics, awith a detailed look at the bikes and riders.
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Indonesia to host WorldSBK in 2021
Lombok prepares to welcome the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship and MotoGP™
Feb 21st, 2019 - ITDC, Indonesia’s largest integrated tourism developer and operator, and Dorna Sports SL are delighted to announce that the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship and the FIM MotoGP™ World Championship will be racing in Indonesia in 2021.
The signing of the agreement was conducted by Mr Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of DORNA and Mr Abdulbar M. Mansoer, CEO of ITDC at DORNA’s headquarter in Madrid, Spain on the 28th January 2019, in front of Senior Management team of both parties and witnessed by Indonesian's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary for Spain, Drs. Hermono M.A.
The agreement confirms that Indonesia will welcome the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship and MotoGP™ in 2021 to the island of Lombok, more specifically within the Mandalika, which is a large-scale integrated Tourism Estate.
Delighted to welcome the most famous production-based motorcycle series and MotoGP™ in Indonesia, CEO of ITDC, Mr. Abdulbar M. Mansoer said: “We are very excited to have partnered up with DORNA and are delighted to be able to bring world-class motorsport events to Indonesia and the Mandalika in Lombok together.”
Dorna Sports SL CEO, Carmelo Ezpeleta commented: “What a unique project this will be, having an urban, world class circuit in a country where MotoGP™ has such a huge following. Indonesia is a key market for us with a considerable percentage of motorsport fans living here and the MotoGP™ atmosphere will be even stronger once the circuit is complete. Also, by including Lombok to the WorldSBK calendar makes this offer more attractive for local fans having two World Class events in the area during the year.”
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An Unfair Advantage?
Álvaro Bautista and the new Ducati V4RS
In previous years the Ducati V-twin always enjoyed somewhat of an advantage over the 4-cylinder bikes with 200cc more displacement and a broader power band to accelerate better out of the turns without destroying the rear tire. Plus Ducati always had great riders.
But remember with the outgoing Generation 5 V2 Panigale 1199 and the bike's first year 2014 in World Superbike, Ducati choose to concentrated all their budget on MotoGP with Rossi and turned the SBK team over to Althea that year with an undeveloped race bike and no factory race parts available (cams, pistons, etc). And everyone was up against the new 1000cc V4 Aprilia which won the Championship that year in the hands of Sylvain Guintoli, foreshadowing the advantage of a V4 engine.
The Italian Flammini brothers still ran the Championship that year an even invited Althea to upgrade the new 1199 Panigale with non homologated parts to try and keep up with Aprilias and Kawasakis, but there just were not any performance parts available from Ducati. And it would be another year after Ducati brought their SBK race team back in-house before they had the performance parts to compete against then then dominate factory Kawasaki and Jonathan Rae and Tom Sykes. The Paniagle V-twin's final 2018 season showed the Panigale V2 and Marco Melandri Chaz Davies had the ability to run with the Kawasaki ZX10R, but Chaz just couldn't match Rea's robotic consistency.
The new 2018 retail price cap for of USD $40,000 for the street version of a homologation Superbike, sounds like a good idea, but the allowable modification rules in SBK with complete changes in suspension, brakes, swingarm, modified gas tanks, bodywork, internal engine parts, electronics, means a competitive Superbike still costs close to USD $100,000 like the factory Ducati V4RS. If the price cap is to be realistic, WSBK class needs adopt the more production based Supersport rule book.
Homologation production numbers for Supersport spec Superbikes are fine at 500 examples, if only because all motorcycle manufacturers have seen their superbike sales drop significantly since the 2008 recession, and many manufacturers would struggle to meet any higher number.
Ducati has the potential to enjoy WSBK domination with their new V4RS because their engine is based on their MotoGP bike which is the most powerful motor in the GP paddock and has the potential to reach 18,000rpm and 280hp quite easily with its production desmodromic valve system. Where as the other Manufacturers are limited to about 16,000rpm and 240hp with our going to pneumatic valves like in their MotoGP bikes, not practical for a street based bike.
Now that all the manufacturers in WSK are running the save 1000cc displacement with 4-cylinder engines, the best way to balance the power between different manufacturers bikes is with varying RPM limits based on race finishes. However, this equalization formula will remain flawed as long as both WSBK and MotoGP do not factor and equalize the rider's body weight with their bike's weight. Just as Formula 1 factors their drivers and cars together, where the weight difference is far less significant with a 4-times heavier car.
In WSBK where we have a winning rider like Alvara Bautista probably weighing 30-40 pounds less than Chaz Davies on the same Ducati V4RS bike who can't get it to work, and a taller rider like Leon Camier on the Honda, both of whom have a hard time qualifying into top 10, the rider's weight is more a factor than anything else. Until the FIM imposes weight balances for the riders and their bikes, any type of performance balance between the different brands of bikes with varying RPM limits is an unfair factor.
- Jim Gianatsis, Editor
Jim Gianatsis Editorial Director
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2019 MotoGP
Season Preview Click Date for Race Report
DATE/REPORT TRACK LINK Mar 10 Qatar, Losail
Mar 31 Argentina, Rio
Apr 14 America, Austin TX
May 5 Spain, Jerez
May 19 France, Le Mans
Jun 2 Italy, Mugello
Jun 16 Spain, Catalunya
Jun 30 Netherlands, Assen
July 07 Germany Sachenring
Aug 04 Czech Rep, Brno
Aug 11 Austrian, Red Bull
Aug 25 UK, Silverstone
Sept 15 San Marino, Misano
Sept 22 Aragon Motorland
Oct 6 Thailand, Chang
Oct 20 Japan, Motegi
Oct 27 Australia, Phillip Is
Nov 3 Malaysia, Sepang
Nov 17 Spain, Ricardo
2018 British Superbike DATE/REPORT TRACK LINK
Apr 31-2 Donnington
April 13-15 Brands Hatch
May 5-7 Oulton Park
June 15-17 Snetterton
July 6-8 Knockhill
July 20-22 Brands Hatch
Aug 3-5 Thruxton
Aug 17-19 Cadwell Park
Sept 7-9 Silverstone GP
Sept 14-16 Oulton Park
Sept 28-30 Assen NL
Oct 12-14 Brands Hatch
2019 MotoAmerica DATE/REPORT TRACK LINK
April 5-7 Road Atlanta GA
April 12-14 Circuit Am TX
May 4-5 VIR VA
June 1-2 Road Am, WI
June 15-16
Utah Motor UT
July 12-14 LagunaSeca CA
Aug 10-11 Sanoma CA
Aug 23-25 Pittsburg PA
Sept 7-8 Jersey MotorSp
Sept 20-22 Barber, AL
Roadracing
World 63% Off! Just $1.50 a month
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for those messy oil spills
Sexiest Magazines Maxim, FHM, Stuff,
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MotoGP Performance Riding New 2nd Edition! Official MotoGP book, the second edition of this practical guide to motorcycle racing technique, aimed at racing and track day enthusiasts at all levels, has been expanded to include extra information as well as many new photographs and up-to-date quotes from MotoGP stars
The Making of the Fast Dates Calendar & World Championships
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