And with that ….
Source: Jonathan Rea On Facebook
Lack of diversity and narrowed availability make a flat no bueno for any dynamic motorsports event, least of all Moto2, when you’re apparently having difficulty landing a diversity of sponsors for your bikes.
According to an interview held between Speed Week and Sito Pons – the owner of the Flexbox HP40 and Pons Racing 40 – brand diversity has been a worsening issue in Moto2. Pons himself has been with a Moto2 team since 2010 and has been faithful to his own manufacturer – Kalex – before KTM and MV Agusta (Moriwaki, FTR, TSR, MZ, Suter, and NTS) left.
Today, the Moto2 circuit sports nearly all Kalex machines, with only two (Boscoscuro) machines from another maker for the previous season, threatening Moto2’s future of turning into a Kalex brand cup.
“At the end of the day, KTM and the other manufacturers pursue a clever concept, because they advertise GASGAS or KTM and Fantic on the bikes, so viewers believe that these brands are hidden underneath,” explains Pons.
“The advertising effect is huge, the effort is manageable, and this saves these [teams] a lot of money…[and we lack the support of a manufacturer.”
“Other Moto2 teams have such a ‘back-up,’ [so] it would be nice if we could have help from a manufacturer like Aprilia, Yamaha, or Honda.”
In short, Pons wants “more initiative from the Moto2 team operators of Yamaha, Honda, Fantic, KTM, GASGAS and Husqvarna, who could build their own chassis” – a fair demand to make, considering the slim pickings.
What do you think?
Be sure to comment below, subscribe to our newsletter for the best of the latest hand-delivered to your inbox, and as always – stay safe on the twisties.
Source: MotorbikeWriter.com
It was an exciting return to action at Silverstone, with it being an all action race. Poleman Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) crashed out from a winning position, while Quartararo slid down the pack after he completed his LLP. At the front, Viñales was doing his level best to reel in Bagnaia, hovering all over the GP22’s rear tyre right until the final lap, but the Aprilia man went wide at Stowe and Vale, handing the win to the Italian who took 25 crucial Championship points.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
If you’ve ever sat in appreciation of a top-tier build, swung a leg over a truly seamless vintage machine (or simply enjoyed rubbing shoulders with other motorsport enthusiasts), then you’ll be just as excited as us to take a gander at the new dates dropped for The Quail 2023.
Here are the dates for 2023, according to The Quail’s most recent press release:
“Over its 19 years of celebrations, The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering has become one of the most esteemed automotive events in the world with a truly one-of-a-kind atmosphere,” enthuses Kai Lermen, the Manager of the iconic Quail Lodge & Golf Club.
“The Peninsula Signature Events team is thrilled to welcome back collectors and enthusiasts, along with our partners, for this monumental occasion.”
With The Quail Ride encompassing a stunning 100-mile trip through the Monterey Peninsula (nuncheon/dinner included!), this coming season is sure to dazzle even the most devoted of drivers/riders.
Stay tuned for updates; ticket availability/pricing hasn’t been released yet, so we’ll be sure to let you know when that happens.
Have you ever been to The Quail? Give us your story (or opinion) below to get the conversation started, and as always – stay safe on the twisties.
Source: MotorbikeWriter.com
The 2022 MotoGP™ World Championship delivered some incredibly exciting moments, which our cameras were always on hand to capture. Here are ten of the best images from the year:
MotoGP™ made its debut at the Mandalika track in 2022 and returned to Indonesia’s stunning landscape after 25 years.
Aprilia Racing’s Aleix Espargaro calls his family back home in Spain after securing the first win of his Grand Prix career.
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) photographed from the famous tower in Austin. Spectacular!
The arrival of MotoGP™ in Europe led Remy Gardner’s RC16 to slide on the Algarve track.
A new session covered in water revealed a beautiful reflection of Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda) on the back of his Honda in one of the puddles of water created on the circuit.
The public were not disappointed, but it was necessary to take shelter from the scorching heat.
MotoGP™ from another angle.
MotoGP™ from another angle.
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) rewrote Ducati history with his poker victory.
With the world at his feet after securing the MotoGP ™ crown, Pecco melted into the arms of his partner, Domizia Castagnini.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
Kawasaki’s just added to their Adidas partnership range – and this season, it’s a sweet set of silver-and-green trainers to add to the daily ‘drobe.
Since 1984, Adidas has challenged the footwear industry with competitive (often underrated) sneaks; now, we’re given a silver unit with pops of lime green, reflective accouterments, and a straight-shaped mudguard. (via Adidas)
The sneaker’s BOOST cushioning sports recycled materials, adding a synthetic upper, textile lining, and rubber outsole for an overall future-driven theme.
Expect the 2022 ADIDAS ZX22 KAWASAKI sneakers to come in sizes 3.5-14 (depending on availability) for an MSRP of $200 USD and the following list of perks:
Are these ZX22’s your style of sneak?
Let us know in the comments below; Be sure to also stay up-to-date on the best of the latest by subscribing to our newsletter, drop a commune below letting us know what you think, and as always – stay safe on the twisties.
Source: MotorbikeWriter.com
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) started from pole position and bolted into in an early lead, with the Championship’s top two Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ Team) in hot pursuit, but, on the fifth lap, the Frenchman went down at Turn 5 which took the Aprilia rider with him into the gravel. Both riders rejoined the race, Espargaro in P15, and Quartararo at the back of the back.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
When I tell people I have a motorcycle, I get one of three responses. The first is that motorcycles are dangerous and not worth the risk. The second is that a Honda Rebel 250 isn’t a “real” motorcycle. The third response – and my favorite by far – is delivered in the form of a story about someone’s trusty first bike that they’ll never forget.
See all of Rider‘s Honda coverage here.
I’ve heard the horror stories of life-changing accidents. These stories I can respect. They come from a place of caring, sometimes a place of loss. They’re not fun stories, but they are stories that deserve to be heard.
As to the second response, I have lost patience with those who say the Rebel isn’t a real motorcycle. The Rebel 250 is small, that’s true. You won’t find it on a list of the top 10 most powerful motorcycles. You won’t find it on anyone’s list of dream bikes. But if people who tell me the Rebel 250 isn’t a real motorcycle could hear some of the third type of responses, they might have a different perspective.
The third response is my favorite because it is the one that most aligns with my own experience. It comes from riders who have owned a Rebel 250, usually as a first bike. When I tell these people what motorcycle I have, they light up. They tell me about how they learned to ride on a Rebel. Or how they left work in a trail of dust on a Rebel when their spouse was going into labor or taught their sons and daughters to ride on a Rebel. I can relate to these stories because they are fueled by that first joy of sitting on a bike.
When I decided I wanted a motorcycle, I searched everywhere. I printed off Craigslist postings and asked my friends and family what they thought of them. I took pictures of motorcycles with “For Sale” signs on the side of the road. I didn’t really know what I was looking for until I saw a posting for a 2014 Honda Rebel 250.
I took my dad with me to look at it the very next week. It was the least intimidating motorcycle I had seen so far. It was gorgeous, with shiny black paint and a stylish “Rebel” sticker on the gas tank. I admit, my enthusiasm about finally finding a motorcycle that was affordable, small enough for me to sit on comfortably, and in great condition might have clouded my judgment, but I still think it’s a beautiful bike.
Some things are beautiful not because of their complexity but because of their simplicity. The Rebel wasn’t trying to be anything it wasn’t. Likewise, I wasn’t trying to impress anyone with a thundering loud exhaust or state-of-the-art technology. I just wanted to be what I was: a new rider comfortable and happy on her first motorcycle.
Before I ever sat on a motorcycle, I rode horses. My horse is named Chief. I still have him, although now he spends his days grazing through retirement. He is a gentle giant, calm and steady. He stuck with me through thorn briars and winding wooded trails. We even have the same hair color. One thing I learned from Chief was how to trust what carries you. I developed a similar trust with the Rebel.
My Rebel has been my loyal mount for six years. It has carried me from Dover, Tennessee, up to Grand Rivers, Kentucky, a town of about 400 people nestled between the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers with a fantastic restaurant called Patti’s. To get there, I go up the Trace through Land Between the Lakes. I stop for a break in front of the old iron furnace. I ride by the elk and bison range. I swing by the planetarium and watch a Beatles laser show. Before long, I’m dining at Patti’s, chowing down on bread baked in a clay flowerpot and a 2-inch-thick pork chop.
My Rebel has also carried me to Aurora, Kentucky, home of the Hot August Blues Festival and Belew’s Dairy Bar. The memory of a Belew’s double cheeseburger with the patty edges crispy with grill flavor still makes my mouth water. At the Hot August Blues Festival, folks from all walks of life stretch out on the riverbank and catch up while bands get down with it. You never meet a stranger in Aurora, even if you’ve never seen a single person there before. Through all these experiences, my Rebel was with me.
I’m not trying to convince you to go buy yourself a Rebel 250. If you’re new to motorcycles and want one that is easy to ride, dependable, and not very expensive, then a Rebel is a good choice. It’s not flashy or impressive, but it has a character of its own. Nor am I trying to convince myself that I made the right choice. If I could do it over again, I wouldn’t change a thing. All I want is for new riders to cherish their time with their first bike and for experienced riders to take a moment and remember what that felt like.
Allison Parker joined the Rider staff as assistant editor in August 2022. This is her first story for the magazine, and it appeared in the December 2022 issue. –Ed.
The post A Girl and Her Honda Rebel first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com
Back in 2020, Tom Cruise rode a Honda bike off a cliff in Norway, completing a BASE jump while surrounded by unforgiving rocky walls on either side.
A stunt like this looks surreal even on the best of days – which is why we were intrigued when Christopher McQuarrie, the writer, and director of “Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning” (2023), shared that Cruise has a ‘Master Plan’ to keep everything ship-shape when prepping for a death-defying feat like this.
“The only things you have to avoid while doing a stunt like this are serious injury or death,” supplies a helpful BASE jumping coach by the name of Miles Daisher.
“You’re riding a motorcycle, which is pretty dangerous, on top of a ramp that’s elevated off the ground, so if you fall off the ramp, that’s pretty bad. You’re falling, so if you don’t get a clean exit from the bike and you get tangled up with it, or if you don’t open your parachute, you’re not going to make it.”
All told, director McQuarrie tells us that Tom Cruise’s ‘Master Plan’ involved multiple components; one for the airborne part, one for the bike part, and one for putting the two together without knocking any further inches off of Hollywood’s beloved
Tom Cruise signed himself up for a full year of skydiving training, during which he worked his way up to 30 skydives a day. Added to this were the actor’s lessons in motocross jumps, where Cruise purportedly logged well over 13,000 jumps of every length and height.
The final component was hooking the man to a zipline with cushioning at the end of a large jump; this is the one we’re expecting cost a Band-aid or two, but learning Cruise’s trajectory as he launched off his cliff was critical to understanding where to build the ramp and how to prep the whole scene.
“Then, it came time for Cruise to execute the stunt – driving a motorcycle up a long ramp, which led to a cliff, launching off of it, and BASE jumping to the bottom – Cruise first jumped out of a helicopter over the cliff to practice, before attempting the full stunt for the cameras.”
Six scene takes later, and Cruise is still in one piece – prepped for the July 2023 debut of “Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning” (2023).
Stay tuned for updates, as we’re sure to hit further footage of this insane action flick in the coming months.
Hope y’all get to swing a leg over your machine of choice these holidays, and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
Source: MotorbikeWriter.com
After purchasing Yokohama Tires in 1998, the Shinko Group built up an impressive tire portfolio for the motorcycle and scooter aftermarket. The Korean company now offers 64 distinct street, off-road, and track products in such disparate segments as dragracing and trials, touring and motocross, cruisers and enduro, sport- and adventure-touring, and more.
Shinko’s 003 Stealth Radial tires are go-fast street radials intended for contemporary sportbikes. They’re narrowly focused, with two 17-inch front sizes (120/70 and 120/60) available in either standard street and ultra-soft track compounds. The rear choices are a bit broader, with eight different sizes – six 17-inch sizes (three available in ultra-soft), 180/55ZR18, and 120/80-12 for minibikes. We fitted a pair of standard-compound Stealth Radials to a Yamaha FZ-09, a 120/70-ZR17 F003RR up front ($137.95 list price) and a 180/55-ZR17 R003RR in back ($201.95).
Related: 2017 Yamaha FZ-09 | First Ride Review
Inflated to Yamaha’s recommended pressures (36 psi front/42 psi rear cold, far above racetrack settings), the feel of the tires was immediately appealing, providing light, natural steering dynamics at all speeds (they’re rated to 168 mph). Initial turn-in response was quick, and the transition to full-lean linear was predictable and reassuring. The Stealths worked well together and complemented the FZ-09 chassis, just one of many similar models for which they were designed. At the pressures noted above, the ride quality was somewhat firm, suggesting a stiff sidewall befitting the needs and intent of a no-nonsense performance tire.
On the subject of tire construction, the Stealths have nylon sidewall belts front and rear. Tread construction includes two nylon and two aramid belts up front and one nylon and three aramid belts in back to handle both weight and power. For our particular application, the tires’ load capacity is 520 lb front and 805 lb rear, giving a total allowable bike/rider/cargo weight of 1,325 lb – more than enough for even an FZ in serious sport-tour mode.
Read all of Rider‘s tire reviews here.
We threw miles at the Stealths in the city, on the freeway, and up and down snaky mountain roads. In aggregate, the tires encountered most everything that sport riders normally would – with the exception of rain (thanks for nothing, Mr. Drought). However, for this eventuality, the Stealths’ particular “slick/dimple” tread design incorporates multiple columns of short, mostly closed-ended drainage grooves. Positioned from the tire centers all the way to the edges, these small sipes provide maximum rubber footprint while still remaining DOT compliant – an ideal formula for high-performance road or track duty.
Overall, Shinko 003 Stealth Radials provide good sport performance at a reasonable price.
The post Shinko 003 Stealth Radial Tires | Gear Review first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com