It was Scott Ogden who set the pace in testing ahead of Cameron Horsman, but the gap between the two was only 0.013 and Valencia is a very different venue to the fast behemoth of Silverstone. So despite the top ten in testing all proving veterans, there’s more than time for the timesheets to get a shake-up back on UK soil. There are also practice sessions and qualifying before the lights go out, giving the rookies a little more time to adjust.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
“How many surprises did that race bring up? Just completely unexpected,” says Hopkins, reciprocating what most of us were thinking after watching the events at the Circuit of the Americas unfold. “Going into the course of the weekend, I thought Marquez was going to run away with it, take off, clear off and the race was going to be for second. With Rossi coming from behind like he has done in the past, I expected him to be in second and then it even possibly just being a race for third. But obviously, MotoGP™ being the way it is this year it threw up such great surprises. The main one being of course, Suzuki.”
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
A win in Qatar, a third in Argentina and his fourth place in America sees the Italian sit on 54 points, three clear of his nearest challenger Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), with Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Repsol Honda Team’s Marc Marquez within nine points of Dovi. Meanwhile, Ducati currently sits top of the Constructors Championship too, with Mission Winnow Ducati also occupying top spot in the Team Championship.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
BMW have again chosen to showcase their new retro style Boxer engine, rumoured to be around 1800cc, in partnership with a specialist custom motorcycle builder.
The collaborative partner for the “The Revival Birdcage”, is Revival Cycles, a Texas based outfit that have previously made some pretty ‘out there’ designs.
This bike’s purpose in life is essentially to further publicise the new engine and confirm that BMW will enter the cruiser market with OEM models in 2020. It does make quite a statement.
There has already been a lot of speculation about the large-capacity prototype engine that BMW chose to first showcase in another custom build, the “Departed” from custom house Works Zon (Link).
Both the exterior geometry as well as the visible elements such as the push rods running in chrome-plated protection ducts are reminiscent of the BMW boxer engines that were built in the 1960s. Just that the cubic capacity is now much larger now and modern air-oil cooling is used.
The exclusive Revival Party on eve of the annually held Handbuilt Show in Austin/Texas was the occasion chosen to reveal the machine.
“This is the second fascinating custom bike built around the prototype of the new Big Boxer. We will also be soon showing a BMW developed concept bike featuring this engine.
“BMW will present a series production motorcycle with the Big Boxer for the Cruiser segment in the course of 2020.
“Naturally we want to keep growing. One step we will take to do so, certainly in the US market, is to enter the Cruiser segment.
“BMW Motorrad is consistently pursuing its growth strategy with the clear aim of becoming the number one in the Premium Big Bike Segment.”
The frame of the “Revival Birdcage” is made of titanium and was developed by Revival Cycle.
Alan Stulberg, head of Revival Cycles
“This was our first time to build a frame with titanium, that alone was already a significant challenge.
“Regardless, the frame came together very well in the end and we are very pleased with the result as it accomplished the goal of being nearly transparent.
“We wanted to focus attention on the engine and that is precisely what we achieved with this completely unique frame we designed.
“You can easily view the engine and the drivetrain from all angles.
“In addition, almost every single other part on the bike such as handlebars, footrests, shift lever, seat and unique carbon suspension components were all individually crafted.”
Alan Stulberg’s team was inspired by Ernst Hennes’ record-setting machines from the late 1920s and early 1930s and said that it took around six months to develop the motorcycle.
“We had already dreamed about this bike for years and in December 2018 we received the engine and could finally get to work. I have always been a fan of the boxer engine, but the pure physical size and aesthetic appeal of this prototype really inspired us.”
It will be interesting to see how BMW’s own machine will look, and whether, unlike this show pony, it will have reliable functioning brakes!
Source: MCNews.com.au
With the start of the European leg of the season in Aragon and Assen, Yamaha Racing wanted to discuss the ‘state of play’ for the Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team as it embarks upon a busy next stage of the season and reflects on progress to date. Team Principal Paul Denning answers the questions.
Yamaha returned to WorldSBK in 2016, thus this season marks the fourth in the project. How do you assess the project’s progress and what are the next steps, Paul?
“Competitive motorsport is always very challenging because whatever rates of improvement and targets we set as the reference Yamaha WorldSBK team, they are of course greatly affected by the efforts of our competitors. Evolution is never in a consistently straight line – this year, Alex’s third place overall race time in Thailand was 10 seconds better than the winner’s race time a year ago… but the 2019 winner had improved by 18 seconds! So, we have taken a good step forward but we, of course, need more.”
“That said, the R1 is a more complete package than it’s ever been. The work of the riders, engineers and team throughout 2018 and particularly in the 2018/19 winter tests has really taken the bike to a consistently good level. The experience of the team has grown both from a preparation and from an engineering point of view, and we have improved both the quality and quantity of the personnel.
“If we compare the performance of the total package – machine, team and riders – to 2016, we can be satisfied with the progress, but unless the Yamaha R1 is consistently winning there is always more to achieve!”
Are performance and reliability in WorldSBK down to the base package or a combination of factors?
“It’s a combination of the strength of the standard package because so many of the engine components must remain standard, as well as the work Yamaha Motor Racing Europe (“YMRE”) and the team. Early on in the project, the most often asked question was ‘what is needed to go forward?’ and that stage the only answer really could be time and experience.
“So from what has been learnt by the development engineers and what’s learned by the mechanics in preparing the bikes at the track, we’ve taken steps as a team to ensure we have a deeper integration with YMRE and that we continue to close any holes in communication and understanding so that every advantage can be taken!
“Ultimately one of the biggest restrictions in motorsport is always commercial. We had some fun at the end of last year with Lewis Hamilton and some of the guys from the Mercedes F1 Team, of course riding on track but also chatting about the two projects, and this highlighted the incredible difference between the two forms of motorsport. Considering Mercedes F1 has around 900 people working only to get two cars on the track, our guys should be proud of what has been achieved with such a low head count!”
You’ve had the same two riders since the beginning of 2017 – could you give us your honest assessment of Alex Lowes and Michael Van der Mark’s strengths and where they can improve?
“It’s helped us from a technical point of view to retain the same two riders in 2019, considering that the competitive level has moved forward so far during last 12-18 months.
“Michael really had a breakthrough year in WorldSBK during 2018 that saw him finish top three in the championship. His strengths start with his natural talent and simple raw speed; he’s also one of the best ‘passers’ in the game and able to turn a poor grid position into a very good race position almost immediately. He has an uncanny ability to sometimes look wild on the bike from a visual point of view, but in reality, his lap times show incredible consistency and once Michael has found his rhythm, he’s an absolute machine in terms of being able to knock off the laps. We know he’s in a good place when we can measure his lap times within a tenth or two-tenths of a second over a 10-12 lap stint.
“Michael is also extremely fit and works harder behind the scenes than he would like to admit! From a mental point of view, he has a strange strength in that his laid-back approach allows him not to get too focused on the result, but to stay calm and just give his best when it comes to the race itself. This approach makes him a formidable racer as almost nothing affects his mentality – and to see him rise to the occasion at Assen with a double podium gives us great hope for the rest of the season.
“Without the reverse grid for Race 2 this year, the consistency of Mikey’s qualifying performance is what we are actively working on in 2019 – there are some tracks where you really need to be on the first two rows to be able to challenge for the podium. In addition, looking at the 2018 results, we will be trying to find Mikey’s groove at all circuits and convert that into better results than last year at our “weaker” tracks.
“Looking at the start of the season, I would say we’ve already improved in that respect. Aside from all that, Michael is one of the easiest riders to manage. He’s very direct, very honest and overall an excellent team player which is always appreciated by everybody in the project.”
That’s Michael Van der Mark, what about the other side of the box with Alex Lowes?
“Alex has been with Crescent since 2014 and with the Yamaha project since the start in 2016. Honestly, “2019” Alex versus “2014” Alex is just two completely different people. Alex has been very impressive in terms of his work rate to understand what needs to be done to improve and this, aligned with his increased maturity and the ability to make better decisions, has turned him into a very strong and consistent competitor.
“Alex has always been extremely fast over a single lap so qualifying has never been an issue. His understanding of the dynamics of the R1, given his intelligence and experience of the bike, is very clear for everyone – Yamaha’s engineers take his feedback very seriously in terms of development.
“So far this year Alex has addressed what needed to improve from 2018 with flying colours, and largely that improvement is off the bike and more in the pit box by keeping his focus and keeping a calm approach. Alex is so ambitious and has such an intrinsic and deep desire to succeed, that in the past when things haven’t gone well it has created frustration and a hot-headed approach that has made it difficult for the team to give him what he has needed.
“Of course, the team doesn’t always get it right – very far from it – but Alex has realised that he’s the key instigator and driver of the team’s direction in terms of feedback and the way in which he delivers that feedback and encouragement. The best and most successful riders, in one way or another, ultimately lead their teams – Alex is now doing that and that’s created a big step forward over the last six months. He has been consistently impressive so far in 2019 and we believe there is a lot more to come.
“All in all, we’ve got two riders who respect each other on and off track, race extremely hard, are both extremely ambitious – and as they gain maturity and experience, are becoming more rounded athletes in every sense. Simply put, they are riders we can rely on to deliver the goods week in and week out.”
You’ve been quite positive about the number of Yamaha YZF-R1 WorldSBK machines on track this year which is maybe not the reaction most people expect. Could you explain this point of view?
“There are of course challenges behind the scenes when more bikes are supported, but from our side, as the Reference Team, we’ve already seen some positives to having more R1s on the track. With the bikes at the same spec and good riders on them, we’re now able to draw on the shared data of four riders and that’s advantageous for our team and for Yamaha as a whole.
“The overriding point that needs to be remembered is that with a permanent grid at this moment of only 18 riders, it is almost essential to have two more very good riders on very good bikes. From Yamaha’s point of view, it shows that after three years of development and hard work the bike has got to a point where it can be delivered to a team with a base level of technical support and be immediately competitive.”
How do you react when people express surprise if the ‘new’ team beats yours?
“It does make me smile a little when I get asked my feelings on why the ‘rookie team’ with the ‘rookie riders’ are able to run so competitively. In reality, the GRT Yamaha riders Sandro Cortese and Marco Melandri are both, in fact, older than our guys, they have more experience at World Championship level and they’re both World Champions! They are not exactly beginners…
“The bike is the same specification and they have the access to all our data both from the past and now – so there is absolutely no reason that they shouldn’t be competitive and it’s positive for everyone involved with Yamaha and the Championship that they are.”
What’s your take on the changes to the WorldSBK schedule this year, including the new Tissot Superpole Race?
“I think the qualifying race is a good thing, it shows a willingness on behalf of Dorna to give the live audience more content and it has created exciting action already! It also gives riders who had a poor qualifying the opportunity to gain a better position for the main points-paying second race.
“Given a choice, I still believe the two-race Sunday format we had in the past was the best for the live audience. The challenges of TV programming are a lot harder these days, but if there was a way to have a Superpole race on Saturday afternoon and two long races on Sunday afternoon – similar to the way MXGP is structured – that would make more sense to me.”
What about the ‘elephant’ in the room, that a new rider to the series has so far dominated the first eleven races?
“Alvaro Bautista is obviously a very high-quality rider, and you only need to look at his 2018 MotoGP season or his performance when he had the chance to prove himself on a factory machine to understand that. The quality of the rider is beyond question, but it also looks like he has arrived in WorldSBK at the perfect timing, as the bike he’s riding is probably closer to the MotoGP V4 bike in ethos and feel than the previous V-twin machine. The outright speed of the bike is a problem for everyone else, but the bike is of course built within the regulations.
“If we assess Race 2 in Thailand, Alex matched Alvaro over the whole 20 laps in sectors 3 and 4 but lost time in sectors 1 and 2 – essentially two acceleration areas followed by long straights. It was the same for four-time Champion Jonathan Rea, so the goalposts have moved from everyone’s perspective. But until the other riders on the same bike as Alvaro are able to achieve a similar performance level, it’s quite hard for Dorna and the FIM to legislate for one rider’s results.
“There are also circuits where outright acceleration and engine performance won’t be such an advantage and hopefully we can use the R1’s strengths to close the gap at those tracks Our focus is to get the absolute best out of the R1 and to take the winning opportunities as they come – the season is yet young and we are hungry!”
| Pos | Rider | Team | Pts |
| 1. | Bautista Alvaro | Aruba.it Racing–Ducati SBK Team | 236 |
| 2. | Rea Jonathan | Kawasaki Racing Team | 183 |
| 3. | Lowes Alex | Pata Yamaha Official WSBK Team | 126 |
| 4. | van der Mark Michael | Pata Yamaha Official WSBK Team | 115 |
| 5. | Haslam Leon | Kawasaki Racing Team | 93 |
| 6. | Davies Chaz | Aruba.it Racing–Ducati SBK Team | 76 |
| 7. | Melandri Marco | GRT Yamaha WorldSBK | 69 |
| 8. | Cortese Sandro | GRT Yamaha WorldSBK | 64 |
| 9. | Sykes Tom | BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | 54 |
| 10. | Torres Jordi | Pedercini Racing Kawasaki | 49 |
| 11. | Razgatlioglu Toprak | Turkish Puccetti Racing | 46 |
| 12. | Rinaldi Michael Ruben | Barni Racing Team | 36 |
| 13. | Reiterberger Markus | BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | 35 |
| 14. | Laverty Eugene | Team Go Eleven | 32 |
| 15. | Camier Leon | Moriwaki-Althea HONDA Racing Team | 26 |
| 16. | Mercado Leandro | Orelac Racing VerdNatura | 11 |
| 17. | Kiyonari Ryuichi | Moriwaki-Althea HONDA Racing Team | 10 |
| 18. | Delbianco Alessandro | Althea MIE Racing Team | 3 |
Source: MCNews.com.au
Australian to make Be Wiser Ducati racing debut at Silverstone.
Image: Supplied.
Josh Brookes is satisfied with his pre-season preparations ahead of Silverstone’s Bennetts British Superbike Championship (BSB) opener this weekend, which will mark his racing debut with Be Wiser Ducati.
The former champion has performed strongly in pre-season testing aboard the all-new Panigale V4 R, injecting confidence into the Australian as he makes a bid for a second BSB crown.
“I’m very pleased as everything is looking very competitive at this early stage going into the season,” Brookes explained. “To be so close to where we need to be is very promising considering we’ve found an excellent set-up at all the tracks we’ve tested at, without doing massive changes.
“Both at Silverstone last week and previously in Europe, at totally different tracks and opposing weather conditions, we have been towards the top of the times, so we have a good working area and hopefully that transpires into a good result this weekend.”
Compatriot Jason O’Halloran has taken up Brookes’ former position at McAms Yamaha this year, topping the timesheets in majority of pre-season tests. Rookie Ben Currie (Bournemouth Kawasaki) will make up the trio of Australians in the premier class of the British championship in 2019.
Source: CycleOnline.com.au
Until June 30, 2019
Normally $17,490 (MSRP) Ride Away
The 2019 iteration of Suzuki’s supersport GSX-R750 has arrived in Australian dealerships in two striking new colour schemes, and available under the ‘Own The Racetrack’ special ride away promotion for $13,990 ride away.
The GSX-R750 continues a legacy dating back to the model’s launch in 1985, where it took race replica motorcycles to a new level, with a direct link between the racetrack and the streets, delivering powerful performance with supreme handling, making it a truly individual street machine.
Powered by an advanced 750cc, four-cylinder engine, containing high quality internals such as forged pistons, shot-peened connecting rods, chrome-nitride-coated control rings, a race proven back-torque-limiting clutch and lightweight titanium valves.
Producing 110kW (148hp) of power, the GSX-R750 charges strong off the bottom, similarly to a larger 1000cc engine while it building high-pitched revs much like a 600cc in-line four cylinder powerplant, a combination that cannot be truly appreciated, until experienced.
The Suzuki Drive Mode Selector (S-DMS) optimises engine output and provides riders a selection of two engine maps to suit the conditions or their riding preference.
The GSX-R750’s chassis has been designed with an emphasis on weight reduction and compactness to improve overall handling and provide an ideal power-to-weight ratio. The lightweight twin-spar aluminium frame, made from just five cast sections and cast swingarm, delivers superb cornering with optimal rigidity.
Three-way adjustable foot pegs, adjustable shift lever, and short fuel tank help compose a comfortable riding position that allows for unrestricted movement when extracting maximum performance on the racetrack.
The GSX-R750 features inverted, lightweight Showa Big Piston Forks (BPF), developed on the racetrack for even more supreme handling. For superior stopping performance, Suzuki’s 750cc powerplant incorporates four-piston Brembo monoblock front brake calipers and 310mm dual floating discs, and a single piston rear brake caliper with a 220mm disc.
For further information on the 2019 Suzuki GSX-R750, interested customers should visit their local Suzuki dealer, which can be found through the Dealer Locator on via below.
Source: MCNews.com.au
Kawasaki is the latest manufacturer to indicate they will add radar systems to their bikes to detect imminent collisions and either warn riders or intervene with automatic braking.
The Japanese manufacturer has filed patents for their system which uses front and rear radars and controls the brakes and throttle.
Kawasaki’s patent drawings of what looks like a Versys, show the front radar will detect the distance to vehicles and hazards and apply brakes and throttle.
The rear radar will sense fast-approaching vehicles and supply the rider with an alert, probably with a light, alarm or vibration, so the rider can take evasive action.
Kawasaki is not alone in developing these radar-activated automatic braking safety systems.
It is believe the tech will be in the next-generation Honda Goldwing, Ducati will add its front and rear radar and cornering ABS to its entire range in 2020 and KTM will add adaptive cruise control and blind spot alert systems to their range in 2021.
Suzuki is taking a different and more proactive stance on radar technology with a deflector to make motorcycles easier for hi-tech automated cars to detect them.
These automatic or emergency braking systems have been endorsed in all new cars made in Europe from 2020. There is no word yet on mandatory introduction to motorcycles.
The decision is based on a joint study by Euro NCAP and Australasian NCAP which concluded that automatic emergency brakes would lead to a 38% reduction in real-world rear-end crashes at low speeds.
European politicians have also voted on a raft of other mandatory safety technology in all new vehicles including “black box” recorders and even automated speed limiters.
The technology will only apply to new vehicles and there is no talk yet of applying them to motorcycles.
However, as more and more motorcycle companies join the push toward this automated technology, we have to wonder how soon it will be made mandatory in motorcycles.
Don’t think it won’t happen. ABS was mandated in cars years ago and it is now mandated in motorcycles in Australia, Europe, Japan, India, Brazil and Taiwan.
Source: MotorbikeWriter.com
Honda has filed a patent application for a facial-recognition helmet that would act as a key fob to unlock your motorcycle.
It features a camera on the inside that identifies your face and then activates the motorcycle.
Don’t expect that this will happen any time soon. It’s sort of an answer to a question no one has asked.
And no, it’s not still April 1!
This patent filing simply shows that Honda is looking to the future and tying down patents for all sorts of ideas.
It follows recent Honda inventions and patent applications for a leaning trike, a hydrogen-powered bike, a cooling/heating seat, a self-balancing motorcycle and an air-conditioning unit for a motorcycle.
Remote key fobs are almost universal in cars, but only a few luxury motorcycle brands offer them.
They can be handy for riders.
How many times have you put your gloves on and then had to take them off to dig your keys out of your pants pocket?
It’s hardly an inconvenience, but anything that seems to add convenience is an extra selling point for a vehicle.
However, the problem with a helmet that acts as a key fob is that after about five years you should replace your helmet and we expect this lid would be quite expensive.
The other drawback is that it would add weight to the helmet.
Upcoming smart helmets already have a lot of included technology such as head-up display, 360-degree cameras, bluetooth units and more.
Source: MotorbikeWriter.com
(Sponsored post)
Marc Marquez missed out on a seventh successive victory at the MotoGP in Texas, but he remains the man to beat in this season’s championship.
Marquez was leading by almost four seconds when he lost control of his Honda on the ninth lap, allowing Alex Rins to claim a surprise victory at the Grand Prix of the Americas.
The result dropped Marquez to fourth in the standings, nine points behind Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso who finished fourth in the race.
However, the Spaniard is still favourite with many leading Australian betting sites to secure another title victory despite his misfortune in Texas.
The likes of Dovizioso, Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) and Jorge Lorenzo (Honda) will be eager to knock Marquez off his perch, but it’s difficult to imagine him being defeated.
With five world MotoGP titles already under his belt, the 26-year-old is already on his way to establishing himself as one of the best riders in the history of the sport.
His link-up with Repsol Honda has proved to be a match made in heaven, with the combination developing into a dominant force over the past few years.
Legendary Australian rider Mick Doohan previously won five consecutive world titles for the team in the 1990s and plenty of others have triumphed on their machinery.
This season’s RC213V machine is the culmination of a 25-year partnership between Repsol and Honda that has been used to enjoying success.
The team’s 2019 bike has received plenty of upgrades from last season’s version, with a modified chassis designed to enhance rigidity and balance amongst the improvements made.
The four cylinder “V” engine with 1,000 capacity has been built to produce maximum power, while remaining resilient enough to handle the 19-race season.
Manufacturers are limited to just seven engines to cover an entire campaign, meaning reliability must be at the forefront of any equipment they produce.
The RC213V also features Ohlins suspension front and rear, lightweight carbon fibre bodywork to improve aerodynamics, Michelin tyres and Brembo carbon fibre front brakes.
The package appears to be a solid one and leaves the team in good shape to claim a seventh constructor’s championship in the last nine seasons.
For that to happen they will need to see significant improvements from Lorenzo, with the team’s new rider enduring a difficult start to the 2019 season.
Injuries have hindered his progress so far, but the former world champion has the ability to win races for the team once he settles into his new surroundings.
However, Marquez is undoubtedly the star of the show within the Repsol Honda team and another championship success should be on the cards this season.
Source: MotorbikeWriter.com