With the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship heading to the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” for the 2023 Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round, now is the perfect opportunity to purchase your tickets for the round and enjoy sensational on-track action and incredible off-track activities, including the Motul Racing Lab. Tickets for the Emilia-Romagna Round include paddock access and can be purchased HERE so you can enjoy the full, immersive WorldSBK experience in Italy.
WorldSBK action is once again joined by WorldSSP and WorldSSP300, as well as the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Championship, as well as another support class to give three full days of incredible track action at the iconic Misano circuit. With access to the paddock, fans will be able to enjoy and be a part of all the emotions of the parc ferme and podium celebrations, as well as other activities held at the Paddock Show.
The Paddock Show at Misano will once again feature several activities for fans to enjoy and get involved with. From chat shows with various riders throughout the weekend on the Paddock Show stage to meet and greet sessions, fans will be at the heart of the pure WorldSBK experience. There will be game shows for fans to enjoy when there’s a break in the on-track action whilst all three days will feature live music to add to the experience for the fans at the circuit.
Aside from all the on-track action and Paddock Show activities, the Motul Racing Lab will be in the WorldSBK Paddock to give you the chance to analyse the lubricants running in your engine. This service will be available for FREE to competing teams as well as the public with paddock access. The process searches for metal elements in the lubricant to help detect engine wear or to highlight any coolant leaks or fuel dilution that could damage the engine. You can find out more information about the Motul Racing Lab HERE.
Purchase your tickets for the 2023 Emilia-Romagna Round HERE and don’t miss out on any of the action!
Michele Pirro, Ducati MotoGP™ Test Team: “Most of my sporting career has been with Ducati, and I can’t imagine myself in any other colour than the red of the Borgo Panigale manufacturer. I arrived here in 2013, probably during the most difficult years for Ducati Corse, but now I am also experiencing the best ones for the company. I am very proud of what we have done together. I have worked closely with the new generation of Italian riders and always learn something new from them. As always, I will work hard to continue contributing to developing the Desmosedici GP and the Panigale V4. I thank Claudio, Gigi, Paolo and Davide, and all the people who believe in me. Forza Ducati always!”
The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship returns to action at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” for the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round, with plenty of on-track action for to enjoy throughout the round. Track action starts at 09:00 Local Time (GMT+2) with the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Championship, while WorldSSP300 action starts at 09:45 with Free Practice 1. WorldSBK FP1 follows at 10:30 and then WorldSSP at 11:25. WorldSSP300 Free Practice 2 is at 14:15 with WorldSBK at 15:00 and WorldSSP at 16:00. On Saturday, action starts with WorldSBK Free Practice 3 at 09:00 before jumping into crucial Tissot Superpole sessions: WorldSSP300 at 09:45, WorldSSP at 10:25 and WorldSBK at 11:10. Racing action starts at 12:40 with WorldSSP300 Race 1, WorldSBK Race 1 at 14:00 and WorldSSP Race 1 at 15:15. WorldSBK again starts the action on Sunday at 09:00 with Warm Up, followed immediately by WorldSSP and WorldSSP300, while racing action starts at 11:00 with the Tissot Superpole Race. WorldSSP Race 2 is at 12:30 and WorldSBK Race 2 at 14:00 before WorldSSP300 Race 2 ends the weekend’s action at 15:15.
Watch every moment from Misano LIVE and UNINTERRUPTED using the WorldSBK VideoPass!
Friday, 2nd June (all times Local Time, GMT+2)
09:00-09:30 – Yamaha R3 European Championship Free Practice
09:45-10:15 – WorldSSP300 Free Practice 1
10:30-11:15 – WorldSBK Free Practice 1
11:25-12:10 – WorldSSP Free Practice 1
13:30-14:00 – Yamaha R3 European Championship Superpole
14:15-14:45 – WorldSSP300 Free Practice 2
15:00-15:45 – WorldSBK Free Practice 2
16:00-16:45 – WorldSSP Free Practice 2
Saturday, 3rd June
09:00-09:30 – WorldSBK Free Practice 3
09:45-10:05 – WorldSSP300 Tissot Superpole
10:25-10:45 – WorldSSP Tissot Superpole
11:10-11:25 – WorldSBK Tissot Superpole
11:45 – Yamaha R3 European Championship Race 1 (10 laps)
12:40 – WorldSSP300 Race 1 (15 laps)
14:00 – WorldSBK Race 1 (21 laps)
15:15 – WorldSSP Race 1 (18 laps)
16:15 – Yamaha R3 European Championship Race 2 (10 laps)
Argentina GP: Bezzecchi became a premier class winner. There are now only eight riders on the grid who have not yet won a premier class Grand Prix: Zarco, A Marquez, Pol Espargaro (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3), Raul Fernandez (CryptoData RNF MotoGP™ Team), Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) and rookie Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3).
We head to one of the most passionate and atmospheric rounds on the whole 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship calendar, as the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” gets ready to host the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round. With the Ducatisti set to be out in full force, Championship leader Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) will hope to dazzle in front of the partisan Ducati crowd, whilst his rivals and a strong Italian contingency themselves will look to knock the #1 off his perch. It’s also a special round for Event Main Sponsor Pirelli, who celebrate 20 seasons of being WorldSBK’s Official Sole Tyre supplier at this very round.
RACE PACE BATTLES: Bautista and Razgatlioglu set for head-to-head classic?
During the recent test at Misano Test, Bautista and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) were seemingly in their own league. You can get a full analysis of their race pace here, but to put it simply, they’re looking like the favourites. Last year at Misano, Bautista was able to win the two full length races, whilst Razgatlioglu was relentless in the Superpole Race to take a first win of the 2022 season. Toprak also won in 2021’s Race 2, denying Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) a triple at home. Bautista leads Razgatlioglu by 69 points: can the Turk take advantage of Misano not requiring big top speeds and reel in the #1? He comes into the round with his future secure, leaving Yamaha at the end of the year and chasing a new challenge with BMW for 2024.
HOME HEROES AT ODDS: sparks to fly with Rinaldi vs Bassani at Misano
It was a major talking point last time out in Barcelona, when Michael Ruben Rinaldi and Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) clashed not once but twice, with the second occasions leaving Rinaldi in the gravel and not best pleased with his fellow countryman and Ducati rider. Now, both head to Misano and there’s reason to believe both will be in close proximity to each other once more. Rinaldi is a double race winner at Misano from 2021, whilst in that same season, it was Bassani’s breakthrough round as he stormed to a career-first top six in just his eighth race in World Superbike. A fourth and two seventh place finishes last year at Misano, Bassani will be eager to shine through for a podium, or perhaps more, and show that he’s the rider who deserves Rinaldi’s seat for next year. Rinaldi has the aim of repeating his 2021 success and leapfrogging Bassani in the title race; he’s currently 19 points behind the #47. In between both in the standings, Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) has been in the top eight in all of the last six races, can he continue that form?
LOCATELLI VS REA: can Misano be their biggest round?
It’s the battle for third in the Championship at the moment and so far, it’s going the way of Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK), who is 33 points ahead of Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and arrives to Misano with a new two-year deal in his pocket with Yamaha. However, Locatelli has yet to take a podium at Misano and usually, his form dips at this track, with three sixth places from 2022 and three ninth places from 2021. By that form, he should find himself on the rostrum if his previous improvement is anything to go by, but that’ll be tough. Not at the Misano Test but completing a private test at Jerez in hotter conditions and thus more beneficial for the Kawasaki ZX-10RR, Rea arrives at Misano with eight wins there and podiums in every Kawasaki year. Despite difficulties at the start of 2023, he’ll be there again and perhaps it’ll serve as a good opportunity to close down Locatelli in the Championship. Rea won his first race at Misano back in 2009 for Honda, so there’re always fond memories for him.
TOP 10 BATTLE: who will make hay at Misano?
Currently in eighth place, it’s been a consistent start to 2023 for Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) and he relished a new overslung swingarm in the recent Misano Test, whilst his teammate Iker Lecuona was left wanting more. In between both in the standings is Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), and with a fifth and fourth in the last two races, could he be destined for a podium battle at a circuit he’s yet to take a rostrum at aboard Kawasaki machinery? Last year for Honda, it was one of Vierge’s strongest rounds, with a fine Superpole Race of fourth seeing him push Jonathan Rea for the final podium position, whilst a fast Race 2 crash saw him pick up a hand injury. Lecuona was a double top five man on Sunday last year, so is a podium within reach? Misano is a circuit which offers high grip, something that Vierge will relish. Perhaps, with it being his first WorldSBK round on home-soil, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) can shine at the track where he was on the podium at in MotoGP™ back in 2017. He’s completed a recent test at Mugello, where a new swingarm and setup options seemed to help him with feeling and continue his adaptation to Pirelli tyres.
BMW BOUNCING BACK? Redding lines up a fight back as Sykes returns to factory team
After a first weekend without scoring points in Barcelona, Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) will be hungrier than ever to get BMW back to the pointy end of race action. Last year at Misano, the 30-year-old Brit was battling for the top ten, with two top ten results in the full races but only 11th in the Superpole Race. It’s a track where he’s tested at before, including just a couple of weeks ago, when he was partnered up with the rider he replaced within the team in 2022, Tom Sykes. The Yorkshireman and 2013 World Champion is back in the factory BMW outfit for Misano and until Michael van der Mark is back from injury, where he took them to a podium in 2019. Whilst Sykes said that “it would be great to repeat” such a result, it’s a good chance to see if he can still pull a lap out of the bag and put himself within top ten contention in the races.
COMPLETING THE ORDER: expect surprises from big names and rookies
12th in the Championship standings and eager to put on a strong display, Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) will hunt down a return to the top ten in the Championship standings come the close of the round, whilst Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) is right in behind him, just seven points adrift of the Australian. Gerloff comes to Misano off the back of three top ten finishes in Barcelona and is keen to continue his form and consolidate his status as top BMW rider in the standings. Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) aims for a first top ten since Phillip Island as he races for Ducati on Italian soil, as Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) chases a first top ten of 2023.
Lorenzo Baldassarri (GMT94 Yamaha) was very quick at the Misano Test and up inside the top five and looks on for a good results, whilst Hafizh Syahrin (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team) and teammate Eric Granado will need to pass a medical check before returning to action after being declared unfit in Barcelona. Brad Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) is likewise keen to shine and get more good points on the board for his third event of the season after a best result of 12th last time out. Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing MOVISIO), Isaac Vinales (TPR by Vinales Racing) and Gabriele Ruiu (Bmax Racing) all seek their first points of the 2023 season.
Wunderlich Side Wind Deflectors fit 2017-18 R 1200 GS and 2019-23 R 1250 GS models (but not GS Adventure models) and are available in clear or tinted (shown).
After more than 17 years of riding successive generations of BMW RTs, I recently switched to riding a 2020 R 1250 GS. Even though my new-to-me GS is equipped with an oversized Puig Touring windshield, the amount of turbulence and wind noise at speed is significantly higher than it was on my former RTs. My last was a 2015 R 1200 RT equipped with the superb Werks Quiet Ride windshield, which enveloped the rider in a still pocket of calm air regardless of how fast the bike was moving. In fact, I’ve hosted several conference calls for work while traveling down the highway at extra-legal speeds, and nobody even knew I was in motion.
Wunderlich Side Wind Deflectors installed on my new-to-me 2020 BMW R 1250 GS.
In fairness, I never expected this level of protection from the GS, which is designed for adventure touring, not sport-touring like the RT. But for long highway trips and especially on cold days, I wanted more wind protection than what the stock bike offers. The hunt for solutions led me to Wunderlich Side Wind Deflectors, which fit 2017-18 R 1200 GS and 2019-23 R 1250 GS models, but not GS Adventure models.
Wunderlich’s deflectors are made of scratchproof, shatterproof 5mm acrylic plastic, and they’re available in clear or the dark tinted finish shown here. The kit includes two deflectors, a one-page installation sheet, and mounting hardware. Two brackets per side provide anchor points for the winglets, secured in place with standard M5 T25 Torx hardware running through a series of stabilizing collars and sleeves. There’s a bit of play for adjustability and fine tuning, if necessary.
Wunderlich Side Wind Deflectors are larger than the ones that come as standard on BMW GS Adventure models.
As expected, it’s easiest if you install everything loosely at first, and then tighten down only once final adjustment is completed. Final installation as shown took less than an hour, working methodically. The Wunderlich winglets themselves, each measuring roughly 13 x 4.25 inches at the edges, are quite a bit larger than the stock deflectors on GS Adventure models, which measure roughly 10.5 x 3.5 inches.
Out on the road, the Wunderlich Side Wind Deflectors had a significant impact on the level of wind blast, overall turbulence, and noise experienced at highway speeds. The stock GS has moderate protection for the rider’s torso, but heavy airflow to the rider’s arms. I found that adjusting the windshield to a forward position (nearly vertical) in conjunction with the installed winglets notably diverted air around both my torso and my arms. This provided significant relief on long days gobbling up miles on the slab, which can get tiresome if the rider is being blown all over the place. For hot weather rides or if otherwise desired, the winglets can be quickly removed via 3x M5 T25 Torx bolts per side, allowing for maximum airflow.
Overall, the Wunderlich winglets are a worthy addition for BMW GS riders who partake in long trips at sustained high speeds, cold weather journeys, or otherwise desire a more composed operating environment. They’re priced at $289.95. (They’re also available for 2015-19 BMW S 1000 XR models for $271.95.) – Moshe K. Levy
The new black midrise handlebar and blacked-out powertrain on the R 18 Roctane definitely make it stand out from its siblings.
In my early days with Rider, the BMW R 18 caught my eye. I had never ridden a BMW, and as a cruiser guy it was right up my alley. When one of my fellow editors, Allison Parker, got a chance to ride an R 18 at the BMW U.S. Rider Academy, I expressed interest to Rider EIC Greg Drevenstedt about doing the same.
A few weeks later, BMW announced a new R 18 – the Roctane – and invited Rider to get a first ride on the bike in Germany, so I made my pitch. The ride would coincide with the recently opened 100 Years of BMW Motorrad exhibition at the BMW Museum in Munich, so I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to get a little additional perspective on how we got to this point.
I came away from the trip not only wiser but after two days of riding through the Bavarian and Austrian Alps, much happier.
BMW R 18: A Growing Family
At this stop by Lake Plansee in Austria, it was hard to know what to pay more attention to, the Roctane or the scenery.
The 2024 BMW R 18 Roctane is the fifth member of the R 18 family, which launched its first model in 2020 and was inspired by the iconic BMW R 5 from the 1930s. The Roctane, which BMW describes as a “cruiser, a bagger, and everything in between,” joins the standard R 18, the R 18 Classic, the R 18 B (Bagger), and the R 18 Transcontinental.
The increased trail on the R 18 Roctane contributes to better straight-line stability, an attribute that BMW believes will be appealing to American cruiser riders.
As with the other R 18s, the Roctane has an air/oil-cooled “Big Boxer” Twin engine displacing 1,802cc (or 110ci in the parlance of American cruisers) and mated to a 6-speed transmission, a single-plate dry slipper clutch, and a nickel-plated driveshaft. We dyno’d the 2021 R 18, and it made 109 lb-feet of torque between 2,000-4,000 rpm at the rear wheel.
It’s hard not to argue that if you saw this bike coming your way, you’d want to get a second look as it passed you by.
This thing is a monster, figuratively and literally. The afternoon I arrived in Munich, I went to the BMW Museum. There are some amazing sights to be sure (more details are available here), but one area of note is dedicated to the R 18. It includes a display stand with the 1,802cc Boxer mounted on it. I had seen this display in a photo, but it wasn’t until I was standing in front of the massive engine that I truly realized why it is called the “Big Boxer.” With the partial exhaust pipes coming out of the cylinder heads and hooking down in front like mandibles, it looked like a giant alien insect head dipped in chrome.
Of course, that could’ve been the jetlag and an overactive imagination, but it was still pretty striking.
The insect overlord is here to lead the R 18 troops into battle. OK, I definitely needed sleep at this point in the trip.
Beyond the engine, the R 18 Roctane also shares the same braking and suspension systems as its siblings, with 4-piston calipers biting dual 300mm discs up front and a single 300mm disc in the rear and a 49mm telescopic fork and central rear shock with travel-dependent damping, adjustable spring preload, and 4.7/3.5 inches of travel front/rear.
As to what makes the Roctane unique from other bikes in the R 18 family, one only had to step back and look at it next to other R 18 models at the launch, including the beautiful 100 Years Edition.
Although the R 18 Roctane has the same Rock, Roll, and Rain ride modes as the other R 18s, on a day like this, I’d say there is really only a need for one: Rock.
The Roctane has a blacked-out engine and drivetrain, a Dark Chrome exhaust, a black midrise handlebar, and a larger 21-inch front wheel.
The Roctane’s chassis geometry and seating position falls between that of the standard R 18 cruiser and the R 18 B(agger). Its 7.3 inches of trail is 1.4 inches longer than the R 18 but similar to the R 18 B, while its 67.7-inch wheelbase is right in the middle of the two bikes. At 28.3 inches, its seat height is about an inch taller than the R 18 and again similar to that of the R 18 B.
I didn’t mind the Big Boxer cylinder restricting the forward movements of my legs, but I would’ve preferred bigger footboards and better shift lever and brake pedal positioning.
In the BMW Museum, there was a fascinating wall display of some of the different instrument panels used on the company’s motorcycles over the years, starting with the round analog speedo of the 1930s BMW R 61 and R 71 progressing to the much larger, rectangular display of the present-day BMW R 1250 RT and K 1600 GT.
This display at the BMW Museum shows how the times have been a-changin’, but the instrument cluster on the R 18 Roctane turns back the clock. (Don’t mind the BMW Museum typo next to the bottom TFT display.)
BMW took a different tack with the newest member of the R 18 family. Again inspired by the 1936 R 5, the Roctane’s instrument cluster is incorporated into the top of the metal headlight nacelle, with a classic analog speedometer and an inset multifunction digital display. Some may wish for a little more than the understated display, but for a cruiser, the simplicity works. On the Roctane, in addition to speed, ride mode, and gear selection, you can scroll through other info such as rpm, time, odometer, trip meters, and fuel economy.
But wait, where’s the fuel gauge? Seriously, no fuel gauge? I’d like something more than just a warning.
The 2024 BMW R 18 Roctane has a minimalist instrument cluster built into the headlight nacelle. The time of day is displayed in this photo, but the rider can also choose from a number of other options.
Personally, I love that the ride modes of the R 18 family are called Rock, Roll, and Rain. While somewhat unorthodox, there’s no question of what you’re getting here, and I sampled all three modes on our ride – Rain not necessarily by choice, but it sure is pretty in Germany this time of year.
Each mode moderates throttle response, traction control, and ABS but not the power, and while Roll and Rain were more sluggish, even in Rain, during a couple moments when I needed to overtake a car, the Roctane had what I needed. I just had to twist the throttle harder to get it. In Rock, there was no hesitation, and I was pleased to find that it wasn’t snatchy. Throttle response was immediate, powerful, and smooth, even polishing out some of the engine vibration present in Roll.
The Metzler Marathon Ultra tires were tested – and performed admirably – in a variety of weather conditions.
I would argue – and a BMW rep actually agreed with me – there isn’t really a need for Roll. Besides starting off the ride in Roll and using it coming down from the breathtaking cliffside Burghotel Falkenstein on some narrow, frost-heaved switchbacks that were wet from the previous night’s rain, I mostly kept it in Rock or Rain.
When it came to rocking, the Roctane’s ample trail contributed to reassuring straight-line stability. Blasting down the autobahn at 140 kph (that’s about 87 mph to you and me, kids), it felt solid. There was a decent amount of windblast at those speeds, so if I had to do much of that, I’d be inclined to install one of BMW’s accessory windshields.
The Roctane’s blacked-out engine nicely complements the high gloss chassis bits and Dark Chrome exhaust.
Among the journalists on hand during our ride, the general consensus was that the Roctane would be a better bike for cruising wide-open roads in the U.S. than bending through all the twists and turns in the Alps. Besides the highway stints, most of our high-speed riding over the two days consisted of long sweepers rather than twisties. Those were a true joy on the Roctane, but even for the few spots that were a little tighter, I didn’t have any problem flopping the bike from side to side, even with its 825-lb curb weight.
I was also pleased with the Metlzer Ultra Marathon tires, which were grippy in all conditions, from dry to wet to really wet on some occasions. This is a bike I would gladly take over the well-known Hogback of Scenic Byway 12 in my home state of Utah.
One of the many sweeping corners on our test route, this one wrapping around Lake Plansee in Austria, enhanced the joy of riding the Roctane.
And even though the Roctane is a long, heavy bike, the Big Boxer helps keep the weight low and provides better than expected balance and maneuverability at low speeds. The R 18 Roctane can also be equipped with optional Reverse Assist and Hill Start Control, both of which would be especially handy if the bike was loaded to capacity.
There are a few areas in which the R 18 Roctane could be improved, the first being the position of the foot controls. As we noted in our review of the R 18 Classic, the location of the shift lever relative to the footboard made it nearly impossible to get my boot underneath it. I was able to upshift with the side of my big toe sometimes, but more often than not, I just used the heel shifter. However, given the midmount controls and my 32-inch inseam, it felt awkward. The rear brake pedal seemed similarly difficult to access with my boot. I love the long footboards on my cruiser at home, but on the Roctane, I found myself envious of the guys riding the R 18s with footpegs.
“Filler stripes” that cover the space between the 27-liter top-loading, locking hard cases and the bike can be selected as accessories.
The second area in need of improvement is braking. Like other R 18s, standard equipment on the Roctane includes BMW Motorrad Integral ABS, where the hand lever applies braking force to both wheels but the foot pedal applies braking force only to the rear wheel. This is the first bike I’ve ridden with integral ABS, and while I was able to shed speed when necessary, I was surprised that the brakes didn’t feel more responsive, especially considering those big dual discs up front. I had to apply more pressure at the lever – while also trying to get my boot on that elusive rear pedal – than I would’ve guessed.
The Roctane shares the same braking as other members of the R 18 family, with 4-piston calipers biting dual 300mm discs up front and a single 300mm disc in the rear.
Finally, the top-loading, locking hard cases are stylish and easy to use, but at just 27 liters of capacity in each side, they are on the small side. (The saddlebags on the R 18 B and R 18 Transcontinental are the same size.)
What’s Next for the BMW R 18 Roctane? A Matter of Faith
BMW may not be aiming to be “the better Harley-Davidson,” but that new 21-inch front wheel on the Roctane feels like all-American cruiser.
Those who are considering the R 18 Roctane probably fall into one of three groups: 1) Those who appreciate cruisers and are curious about this one; 2) Those who love all-things-BMW Motorrad; or 3) Those who like Harley-Davidsons and have an open mind.
In any discussion of heavyweight cruisers, Harley-Davidson is always the elephant in the room, even if everyone tries to ignore it. At dinner on the first night, I had an illuminating conversation with Christian Pingitzer, BMW Motorrad’s head of product management, after he asked me about my personal bikes and I told him my main ride is a 2004 Heritage Softail Classic.
“We’re not trying to be the better Harley-Davidson,” he said at one point. “Harley is like a religion.”
One of the beautiful stops along the way during two days of riding the 2024 BMW R 18 Roctane.
It’s no secret that the R 18 models have not sold as well on this side of the pond as BMW might have hoped, and there’s no denying the Roctane bike looks more the part of an American cruiser than its predecessors. On the second day, Tim Diehl-Thiele, head of communications, said that the company was “fully on track” with sales of the R 18s in China and Europe, but “in the U.S., we need time.”
Then he went on to call H-D a “super cool brand” and also referred to it as a religion.
This is interesting to me. I’m a cruiser guy and I’m not religious, but I do agree that Harley-Davidson is like a religion. However, what I’ve come to believe since I’ve been with Rider is that BMW is something of its own religion, and they have their own passionate adherents who love the brand and ignore all the others.
The 1,802cc “Big Boxer” Twin engine is an imposing feature of the R 18 family, but it’s also a unique look that drew me to the cruisers.
Similar to how I choose to dabble when it comes to matters of faith, I also enjoy dabbling in a lot of motorcycle brands. When it comes to the Roctane, I enjoyed the thrill of the power coupled with the confidence it inspired and the comfortable cruising. And I look forward to seeing – and hopefully dabbling in – the future developments of the R 18 lineup.
The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship heads to the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” for the 2023 Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round at the start of June but, before then, we are taking a trip down memory lane to get you warmed up for the round. This time, you can watch Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Toprak Razgatlioglu, then at Kawasaki Puccetti Racing, duel it out for victory in one of their now-famous classic battles. Less than half a second separated the pair at the end of the 21-lap race and you can watch the full race for FREE by clicking the video at the top of this article.
Whilst the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is in the final week of a spring break between round four and round five, there’s been plenty of testing for teams and riders across the paddock. After the Supported Test at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) was at Mugello, and he was joined by Nicolo Bulega, who was part of a Ducati test team for Ducati Corse aboard the Ducati Panigale V4 R, for a second test on Superbike machinery.
Speaking about the test, Bulega stated that he was more than happy with his track time and that he’s wishful for future opportunities too: “I was very happy to test the Panigale V4R at Mugello and I thank Ducati and my team for this opportunity. The sensations during the test were very positive, it was an intense two days. I’m very satisfied because I felt good with the bike right away and I was also able to lap quite fast. It was a solid experience and I hope to have other opportunities to test the Panigale V4R, which I really liked.”
In terms of the rider market, there have been plenty of riders linked to the factory Ducati seat alongside Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati). Michael Ruben Rinaldi is Bautista’s current teammate but with a deal that takes him to the end of this season, whilst Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) has made it clear that he wants to occupy that seat. Danilo Petrucci has also stated his intentions of moving up, whilst Bulega himself is in fine form. Get a full look at the grid and silly season here!
Photo credit: Alex Farinelli
A breath-taking season is well underway, watch it all unfold in style with the WorldSBK VideoPass!
“Yeah, Pedro (Acosta) is one of the most promising riders since his Moto3™ years and we know he has a connection with KTM, which is understandable. Tony Arbolino is also doing a good job. Let’s see, it’s a little too early, we need a couple more races before considering next year,” said Ciabatti.
