Motorcycle News, Motorcycle Racing, News, WSBK

Redding tops opening day of WorldSBK Testing at Catalunya

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WorldSBK riders testing at Montmelo

WorldSBK riders returned to a scorching Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya overnight for the opening day of a two-day test on the 4627 metre circuit situated near the Kawasaki Racing Team’s headquarters in Granollers. While it was home turf for KRT it was 27-year-old Scott Redding onboard the Aruba Ducati that topped the time-sheets in the dying minutes of the final session of the day.

All five manufacturers were in the top six though with World Champion Jonathan Rea second and Ten Kate Yamaha’s Loris Baz third quickest after putting in 100 laps on a track temperature that was nudging 50-degrees.

Jonathan Rea

“In the January test I kind of understood where the Montmelo track went, and I really enjoyed it, but we were not really riding in anger. Today I really enjoyed the track and did a lot of laps. I felt like I just picked up automatically and I can feel the bike really well. The bike is turning great and that is the biggest issue we have had in the past – especially at Jerez. When the temperature comes up it is hard to turn around those long corners. I used the rear tyre so much because I was turning on the rear all the time. But it seems like we made a huge step in that direction because the bike is turning really well. I felt things were happening quite normally today.”

Jonathan Rea – GeeBee Images

Alex Lowes was fourth quickest ahead of Team HRC’s Alvaro Bautista while Tom Sykes was the fastest BMW in sixth. Sykes was testing with new crew chief Ian Lord at the Montmelo circuit, with the 2013 Champion beating team-mate Eugene Laverty by four-tenths of a second.

Sandro Cortese (OUTDO Kawasaki TPR) also improved in the afternoon session to finish the day in seventh placed, with Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (PATA Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team) following just behind with the two riders separated by a tenth. For Turkish sensation Razgatlioglu, today was about getting back up to speed following Phillip Island; since then, Razgatlioglu had only been riding on a small track in Turkey.

Pata Yamaha – GeeBee Images

Razgatlioglu’s Yamaha team-mate, Michael van der Mark was 11th as he lapped the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya 1.2-seconds slower than pace-setter Redding. Like his team-mate, van der Mark had not been on a WorldSBK machine since Phillip Island; his only outing coming on a standard bike at TT Circuit Assen.

Leon Haslam (Team HRC) was able to get back out on track following his crash in the morning session and finished 12th fastest overall; completing 29 laps in the afternoon session and 53 laps overall. Haslam finished ahead of Leandro ‘Tati’ Mercado (Motocorsa Racing Team) and Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team). Gerloff was classified 14th overall but improved significantly in the afternoon session as he ran as high as fifth before the times started tumbling late in the day.

Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team), Maximilian Scheib (Orelac Racing) and Sylvain Barrier (Brixx Performance Ducati) rounded out the field as the day’s running came to a close.

WorldSBK Catalunya Test 2020 Day One

  1. Scott Redding (ARUBA.IT  – Ducati) 1’41.727
  2. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) +0.183
  3. Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +0.253
  4. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team) +0.591
  5. Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) +0.593
  6. Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad Team) +0.728

2020 WorldSBK Championship Standings

  1. Alex Lowes – Kawasaki 51
  2. Scott Redding – Ducati 39
  3. Toprak Razgatlioglu – Yamaha 34
  4. Jonathan Rea – Kawasaki 32
  5. Michael van der Mark – Yamaha 31
  6. Alvaro Bautista – Honda 20
  7. Loris Baz – Yamaha 20
  8. Chaz Davies – Ducati 19
  9. Leon Haslam – Honda 17
  10. Tom Sykes – BMW 17

2020 WorldSSP Championship Standings

  1. Andrea Locatelli – Yamaha 25
  2. Raffaele De Rosa – MV Agusta 20
  3. Jules Cluzel – Yamaha 16
  4. Corentin Perolari – Yamaha 13
  5. Lucas Mahias – Kawasaki 11

2020 WorldSBK Calendar

  1. March 1 – Phillip Island, Australia
  2. August 2 – Jerez, Spain (WSBK-WSSP-WSSP300)
  3. August 9 – Portimao, Portugal (WSBK-WSSP-WSSP300)
  4. Aguust 30 – Aragon, Spain (WSBK-WSSP-WSSP300)
  5. September 6 – Aragon, Spain (WSBK-WSSP-WSSP300)
  6. September 18 – Catalunya, Spain (WSBK-WSSP-WSSP300)
  7. October 4 – Magny-Cours, France (WSBK-WSSP-WSSP300)
  8. October 11 – Circuito San Juan Villicum, Argentina (TBC) (WSBK-WSSP)
  9. November 8 – Misano, Italy (WSBK-WSSP-WSSP300)
    TBD – Donington Park, UK (WSBK-WSSP-WSSP300)
    TBD – Assen, Netherlands (WSBK-WSSP-WSSP300)
    TBD – Losail, Qatar (WSBK-WSSP)

TBD = To be determined
TBC = To be confirmed

Source: MCNews.com.au

Motorcycle News, News

Former Norton boss to sell properties

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Properties owned by former Norton Motorcycles boss, Stuart Garner, have hit the market at £13m, which is £1m short of the amount he owes to investors.

Last month, Garner was ordered to pay back £14m to pensioners who invested in retirement funds not knowing he was dishonestly using the money to prop up his ailing motorcycle company.

The order to pay back the money will not affect Norton Motorcycles which was bought in April by  Indian company TVS who are investing heavily and promise to produce all current and promised models as well as some new models.

The UK Pensions Ombudsman is now chasing Garner to repay funds from three pension schemes he set up which fraudulently funnelled money into his company.

Norton boss Stuart Garner at Donington Castle
Garner in his home at Donington Castle

Properties up for sale

Garner now says he hopes to pay back all the money through the sale of property assets.

The property portfolio includes Donington Hall, the Priest House Hotel (which has recently been operated by Legacy Hotels since going into administration), Hastings House, The Lansdowne Buildings and Kings Mills Caravan Park, all set in more than 80 acres.

They are estimated to be worth about £13m.

Garner also says the administrators are sitting on £16 million cash from [the] Norton asset sale.

“The money is not ‘missing’. It is all in the business and its assets,” he told Business Live.

“No-one has agreed what the pension investor amount is yet. But with £16 million in cash and several million of property assets to come in, it looks likely they will receive all their capital back.

“I’ve lost everything with Norton, so I’ve no idea what the future holds yet.”

Norton Motorcycles Donington Hall factory crowd
Norton’s Donington Hall factory

Pensions scheme

In 2012 and 2013, 228 pensioners invested in five-year pension funds (Commando 2012 Pension Scheme, the Dominator 2012 Pension Scheme, and the Donington MC Pension Scheme) which invested primarily in Norton Motorcycles.

Garner was trustee of all funds and sole director of their provider, Manocrest Ltd.

The pensioners claim their investment was not returned years after the lock-in period had expired and £14 million in investments were lost in the company collapse.

In February, Garner failed to appear at a public hearing held by the Pensions Ombudsman to investigate complaints about the pension schemes

Pay back time

The Ombudsman issued this statement:

“The trustee [Garner] has acted dishonestly and in breach of his duty of no conflict, his duty not to profit and his duty to act with prudence.

“The investments made by [Garner into Norton] on behalf of each of the schemes were made in breach of the trustee’s statutory, investment and trust law duties.”

The ombudsman ordered Garner to make a “restorative payment” to all the scheme members as well as paying £180,000 to the original 30 fund applicants for “exceptional maladministration causing injustice”.

Garner, a former export “poster boy”, has blamed Brexit for his company’s downfall.

Norton CEO Stuart Garner Norton Motorcycles pay back
“Poster boy” Garner
Norton Motorcycles which went into administration in January following £300,000 in unpaid taxes.  While the debts were piling up, Garner and his wife, Susie, were spotted dining out at an elite restaurant, The Ivy, where a steak costs about £30 (about $A60). Motorcycle journalists also report that Garner had attended international motorsport events and put on lavish motorcycle launches. He also lived in lavish surroundings in Donington Castle where Norton motorcycles are also manufactured.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

Indian opens in two Queensland dealerships

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Indian Motorcycle Australia has announced two new dealerships in Queensland to replace the company dealership in Brisbane.

The opulent two-storey Fortitude Valley dealership will close on 24 July 2020.

Motorcycle industry dealer showroom deal stores
Brisbane Indian Motorcycle dealership is in a mainstream motor vehicle retail area

Existing dealerships

It will be replaced by joining two existing multi-brand dealerships.

One will be a TeamMoto dealership in Moss St, Springwood, south of Brisbane, and the other an Ultimate Motorbikes dealership on Lawrence Drive, Nerang, on the Gold Coast.

In January, the company surprised its customers when it announced it would close its four company-owned dealerships in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

Sources told us it was part of a long-term plan to move from company-owned dealerships to independent dealerships.

In February, they signed an agreement with TeamMoto, the biggest dealership network in Australia. Its owner, MotorCycle Holdings has 48 franchises operated from 31 dealerships and eight retail accessory locations in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and The Australian Capital Territory.

The deal did not preclude the company from signing on more dealers as this latest announcement shows.

Ultimate Motorbikes also has dealerships in Springwood and Ipswich.

TeamMoto will also sell Indian motorcycles at Penrith and Auburn in western Sydney, and Keilor East and Dandenong in Melbourne.

A statement on a dealer for Perth is yet to be made.

stores Victory-Indian-Perth-Dealership-Artistic-Render.jpg
Perth store opened in 2016

An official Indian Motorcycle Australia statement says the new dealerships will include:

  • Indian Motorcycle trained sales staff;
  • Full model lineup of Indian Motorcycles;
  • Demo fleet for test rides;
  • Indian Motorcycle trained technicians for all service and warranty work;
  • Large range of accessories and apparel on display; and
  • Shop rides and events (when possible).

“The expansion of our dealership network and moving out of the central city locations will give our customers greater and easier access to our dealerships nationwide and provide more than one location in each of the state capitals, providing more options for our customers,” they saids back in February.

“We have very high standards when it comes to how and where the Indian Motorcycle brand is represented and the level of service our dealerships offer our customers.”

Their statement said parent company Polaris was working with MCH to keep current staff employed at the new dealerships.

No other market around the world had experienced the luxury of palatial company-owned Indian dealerships which offered a heightened customer service for the revived brand. 

Many in the industry and in the company, as well as customers, acknowledged that it was an excessive and unsustainable business model.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

Christini AWD Launches All-Wheel Drive E-Bikes

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You may know Christini from its all-wheel-drive dirtbikes, or perhaps you knew they made two-wheel-drive bicycles too. Well, now the company is entering the burgeoning e-bike sector.

Begin Press Release: 

CHRISTINI AWD LAUNCHES E-BIKE SERIES OF PRODUCTS

All-Wheel Drive Off-Road E-Bicycles to be Manufactured in USA by Christini AWD

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — CHRISTINI AWD is launching a new generation of All-Wheel Drive bicycles utilizing the same revolutionary technology that has been providing traction and control benefits to off-road riders for years. But now these remarkable pedal-driven machines will have a high power electric-assist mid-drive motor to launch them over slippery rocks and wet roots like no other single, rear-wheel driven e-bicycle. Available in a 27.5” hardtail and several FAT tired models, these electric-assist mountain bicycles provide the ultimate in traction control allowing a rider to conquer conditions most thought to be un-rideable. The added benefits will dramatically extend ride length and climbing capabilities. Customers will be able to ride miles further and climb hills never before summited!

Inventor and entrepreneur, Steve Christini, announced this week he is looking to offer his unique machines via a select dealer network which understands the added performance a second-driven wheel provides to an e-bicycle. “E-bikes are taking over the world because they provide an off-road riding experience to a wider demographic than ever before. With AWD (all-wheel drive) added to that mix, riders will gain a go-anywhere level of confidence never available until now.”

Christini AWD Bicycles incorporate a mid-drive Bafang 1500W motor with torque sensing pedal-assist abilities all for under $5600 MSRP. These bikes are appropriately balanced – and offer a true mountain bike experience – without the burden of heavy hub motors found on some other 2WD utility bikes.

AWD Hardtail Plus Specs

  • Frame 6061 T6 aluminum
  • MRP Raven Air 35mm fork
  • 1500W Bafang mid-drive motor with color-display and torque sensing
  • 27.5” Sun Ringle rims with Wheelsmith spokes
  • Quality SRAM cassette, shifter, derailleur, brakes, calipers, rotors & levers
  • Weight: 49 pounds

MSRP: $5595

See www.christinibicycles.com for more information.





The post Christini AWD Launches All-Wheel Drive E-Bikes appeared first on Motorcycle.com News.

Motorcycle News, News

Snake hitches ride on Royal Enfield

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The thought of a snake hitching a ride on your motorcycle sends shivers down the spine, but it has happened.

In the latest incident, a Mumbai man was alerted by another motorist to a snake under the seat of his Royal Enfield.

The rider stopped in the middle of Indian traffic and used a stick to coax the snake out.

A video of the incident was posted on Twitter.

Despite the Twitter caption, it’s a common cat snake (scientific name Boiga trigonata) which is semi-venomous and a good climber.

Snakes are fairly common in India in monsoon season.

Back in February an Indian man rode 11km with a snake in his helmet before he discovered it!

snake
Rider finds snake in his helmet

Snake tales

Snakes have not only been known to hitch rides on planes, but also on motorcycles before as these videos show.

In Brisbane, a rider reports he once had a tree snake crawl across his handlebars and up his arm.

He didn’t know which end he was grabbing, but he picked it up and threw it off as he rode 100km/h along the M1 without falling off.

He did get a fright, but says he wasn’t too worried as he suspected it was only a tree snake as they climb (like the cat snake) while deadly brown snakes don’t.

Snakes are attracted to the warmth of the engine as well as the dark and warmth of the cavity under the seat.

The reptile usually boards the bike while it is parked somewhere.

We have run over many snakes while riding and none has been flicked up on to the bike.

They also like to climb up into cars as this Gladstone driver found this week.

Spiders are also common unwelcome hitchhikers.

I once rode almost 500km from Bateman’s Bay to Mudgee with a big spider on my jacket which I had stupidly placed on the ground while I drank my coffee.

Never, ever put your helmet or jacket on the ground! Lesson learnt.

On another occasion I had a hornet in my jacket that repeatedly bit me for several kilometres until I could find it and kill it.

If you are bitten by a snake, spider or other venomous creature, obviously seek medical attention as soon as possible.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service has a Fast First Aid booklet with advice for people with no medical training on how to manage first-aid situations. It includes managing a heart attack, snake bites, choking, burns and severe bleeding.

It is free in NSW and ACT only. To receive your copy text ‘NOW’ to 0428 044 444.

According to the University of Sydney, Australia is home to 60 species of snakes, including the 10 most lethal in the world.

There are about 3000 reported snakebites each year resulting in between 200 and 500 requiring anti-­venom and an average of one or two fatalities.

Mt Tamborine Goat Track crashes
Tar snakes … not to be confused with real snakes!

RFDS guide on snake bites

  • Do try to note the colour, size, distinctive markings and patterns of the snake without putting yourself at risk. A positive identification will help medics get the correct anti-­‐venom into the patient more quickly.
  • Do NOT wash the area of the bite or try to suck out the venom. It is extremely important to retain traces of venom for use with venom identification kits.
  • Do NOT incise or cut the bite, or apply a high tourniquet. Cutting or incising the bite won’t help. High tourniquets are ineffective and can be fatal if released.
  • Do stop the spread of venom – bandage firmly, splint and immobilise. All the major medical associations recommend slowing the spread of venom by placing a folded pad over the bite area and then applying a firm bandage. It should not stop blood flow to the limb or congest the veins. Only remove the bandage in a medical facility, as the release of pressure will cause a rapid flow of venom through the bloodstream.
  • Do NOT allow the victim to walk or move their limbs.
  • Use a splint or sling to minimise all limb movement. Put the patient on a stretcher or bring transportation to the patient.
  • Do seek medical help immediately as the venom can cause severe damage to health or even death within a few hours.

Have you ever had a snake, spider or other unwelcome guest on your motorcycle? How did you deal with it? Leave your comments below.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Facebook, News, WSBK

Barcelona Test Starts Well For Rea

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In the January test I kind of understood where the Montmelo track went, and I really enjoyed it, but we were not really riding in anger. Today I really enjoyed the track and did a lot of laps. I felt like I just picked up automatically and I can feel the bike really well. The bike is turning great and that is the biggest issue we have had in the past – especially at Jerez. When the temperature comes up it is hard to turn around those long corners. I used the rear tyre so much because I was turning on the rear all the time. But it seems like we made a huge step in that direction because the bike is turning really well. I felt things were happening quite normally today. http://jonathan-rea.com/news/barcelona-test-starts-well-rea


Jonathan Rea enjoyed a full opening day of testing at KRT’s home circuit of Montmelo in Catalunya, ending the first day of the two-day te
Source: Jonathan Rea On Facebook

Motorcycle News, News

Ducati puts smile on Mona Lisa’s face

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No wonder Mona Lisa is smiling!

“Ducati Mona Lisa” is the name of the work of art created by the French artist Jisbar (born Jean-Baptiste Launay) which will be auctioned on Thursday 16 July 2020 to raise funds for the #RaceAgainstCOVID.

The charity was organised by the Borgo Panigale motorcycle manufacturer in support of the rehabilitation programs that the Polyclinic of S. Orsola in Bologna has developed for patients in post Covid-19 convalescence.

It follows the recent release of the very limited-edition Scrambler 1100 Sport PRO with €500 from the sale of each going to help the recovery of Bologna COVID-19 patients.

Scrambler Ducati Club Italia
Limited edition Scrambler

Ducati Mona Lisa

The painting is part of the “Mona Lisa” series, where Jisbar reinterprets Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous masterpiece in different ways through his imaginative and colourful style, which is consecrating him as one of the most interesting emerging youngsters on the pop-art scene world.

In “Ducati Mona Lisa” the female figure in the centre of the picture is surrounded by visual and graphic elements that recall the history of Ducati, its models in the range and some of its most famous riders. The French artist created this work with great enthusiasm and has now made it available for free to support the #RaceAgainstCOVID initiative organised by Ducati.Ducati Mona Lisa aids COVID recovery

“Ducati Mona Lisa”, an acrylic on canvas of 141 x 106cm, will be put up for auction by Cambi Aste on the morning of Thursday 16 July 2020, during auction #481 dedicated to modern and contemporary art, photography and comics, starting at 10am (Bologna time) until the end of the last batch. The auction will be streamed online and offers can be placed directly from the page of the site which can be accessed via a link obtained during the registration phase.

Registrations are already open on www.cambiaste.com. The site is available in Italian, English, French and Chinese, while the auctioneer’s live streaming will only be in Italian.

The proceeds from the sale of the work will be entirely donated to the Policlinico di S. Orsola in Bologna.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

Is a Ducati really a Ducati if it’s white and not red?

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White is the new red at Ducati after last week unveiling a gorgeous White Rosso livery for the Panigale V2 and now a Multistrada 950 S in “GP White” livery.

To many, a Ducati is only a Ducati if it’s red. The same could be said for Kawasaki’s that are not green, Yamahas that are not blue and Harleys that are not black. But Ducati really “owns” the colour red!

However, I have owned three Ducatis and only one was red!

Which do you think looks most like a Ducati?

Of course red is faster, especially Ducati Red, and many great Ducatis have been red, but I do like the pearly white paint Ducati uses on their bikes.

White is more

Mind you, it will cost extra.

The white V2 is expected to be in European showrooms next month and in Australia in September.

Price in Australia will be $23,350 ride away which is $450 more than the red V2, although it does a few minor upgrades including a more comfy seat.

Ducati Panigale V2 in white
Ducati Panigale V2 in white

And, of course, there is Ducati Red in the rims, the front air intakes and the deflectors of the upper half-fairings.

The Multistrada 950 S “GP White”, both in the alloy wheels and spoked wheels versions, will be available in Ducati dealers within July and should be in Australia in September.

Ducati Multistrada 950 S white red
Ducati Multistrada 950 S in GP White

There is no word yet on the price of the Multistrada 950 S, but it also features Ducati Red in the frame and in the graphics on the alloy wheels.

To launch the Multistrada 950 S, Ducati released this video set among the unmistakable landscapes of the Motor Valley in Emilia-Romagna.

Multistrada 950 S comes with a suite of hi-tech components: electronic suspension with Ducati Skyhook Suspension Evo (DSS) system, Ducati Quick Shift up & down (DQS), full-LED headlamp with Ducati Cornering Lights (DCL), 5” colour TFT display, Hands Free system, Cruise Control and backlit handlebar controls, as well as Bosch ABS Cornering.Ducati Multistrada 950 S white red

For the 2021 model year, all Multistrada 950 models will be powered by the Testastretta 11° engine (937cc and 113hp) that comply with Euro 5 standard in all countries where it is in force.

On all models of the Multistrada family, Ducati offers a “4Ever Multistrada” warranty, valid for four years with unlimited mileage.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

Zero Motorcycles Announces Cash for Carbon Motorcycle Trade-In Program

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Trade-in your gas bike for a Zero and get even more cash thrown on top of the trade-in value.

Begin press release:

Zero Motorcycles, the global leader in electric motorcycles and powertrains, today announced the brief return of its most successful incentive program, Cash for Carbon. The ongoing lockdown restrictions have created a surge in new and returning motorcyclists flooding to find adventure. For the last 13+ years Zero has been working to perfect the motorcycle riding experience to ensure every moment on a Zero Motorcycle is one to remember. With award-winning and effortlessly powerful electric motorcycles, Zero Motorcycles is proud to make the transformational riding experience of an electric motorcycle more attainable than ever with this trade-in promotion.

Cash for Carbon increases the trade-in value allowed by an authorized Zero Motorcycles dealer of any titled gas motorcycle a rider uses as trade towards the purchase of a new 2020 SR/F or SR/S. From now until August 15, 2020, buyers who bring in a gas bike as trade-in towards the purchase of a new Zero will be given an additional $1,500 credit on top of the trade-in value assessed by the participating dealer on a given motorcycle.

When a rider takes advantage of this opportunity, he or she will also still be eligible for the 10% Federal Tax Credit available for all Zero’s electric motorcycles, plus any available state or local tax incentives, creating up to $4,000 or more in value on the purchase of a new model. The SR/F and new SR/S are the pinnacle models from the brand that defined the category of electric motorcycles and represent the purest connection between the rider and the road that you can find on two wheels.

“Our dealership network has some of the best operators in the world and they’re fielding more inquiries about electric motorcycles than ever before,” said Mike Cunningham, Zero Motorcycles Vice President of Sales, Americas. “This trend has been intensifying and the Cash for Carbon program will empower riders to get the experience they’ve dreamed about that’s only available on a Zero electric motorcycle,” Cunningham added.

The SR/S was released as a new model in February 2020 and joins the SR/F, its award-winning sibling, as the company’s two most powerful and premium offerings. The effortlessly powerful motorcycles are driven by Zero’s proprietary powertrain that produces an astounding 110 hp and 140 ft-lb of torque. Each model can charge through any wall socket or at over 90% of the public EV charge network through fast, Level 2 chargers. The unbridled SR/F is capable of up to 201 city miles of range per charge with an available Power Tank and the sleek and aerodynamic full fairing of the SR/S allows for up to 13% more range when riding in a tucked position. Additionally, each bike is powered by Zero’s proprietary operating system, Cypher III, which controls every subordinate technology on the bike including the full complement of Bosch Motorcycle Stability Controls like straight line and cornering ABS, Drag Torque Control, and Traction Control.

Zero Motorcycles are designed and assembled in the USA and supported by dealerships all over North America. A complete list of their locations, along with all other information on the motorcycles, their technology, or the Cash for Carbon promotion can be found at ZeroMotorcycles.com/cash-for-carbon/.

The post Zero Motorcycles Announces Cash for Carbon Motorcycle Trade-In Program appeared first on Motorcycle.com News.

MotoGP, Motorcycle News, Motorcycle Racing, News

MotoGP vs Formula One: Which is Faster, Two Wheels or Four?

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While it was very nice of MotoGP to put out droves of content for free, nothing quite compares to the thrills of live, high-speed motorbikes. After a long wait, MotoGP has returned with a new schedule, with a sleek stack of races across Europe and a few more earmarked to take place in North America, South America, and Asia, pending confirmation. As of 19 July, MotoGP is back, with the Circuito de Jerez hosting the first of a confirmed 13 races that’ll give the super-powered bikes a place to burn some rubber and compete for the championship. Alongside MotoGP, another high-velocity sport has made its return, Formula One, so we thought it prudent to check out the two racing tournaments side-by-side to see if two wheels are faster than four.

The insane speeds of MotoGP bikes

The Qatar tests from February 2020 laid down some incredible speeds. Top of the pile was Jack Miller on a Ducati, clocking in at 355.2 kph (220.7 mph). Close behind was Danilo Petrucci at 352.9 kph, Francesco Bagnaia at 351.7 kph, and Johann Zarco at 350.6 kph; all of whom were also riding a Ducati bike. It may be surprising that, despite his dominance, Marc Marquez doesn’t have the fastest bike in MotoGP, with his Honda reaching a top speed of 346.1 kph. The top speed of these Qatar tests wasn’t too far off of the record, with the Ducati of Andrea Dovizioso hitting 356.5 kph (221.5 mph) at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley.

Away from the track, manufacturers are pushing the limits of what we thought was possible on two wheels with absurdly fast models. In the electric motorcycle space, Venturi’s BB2.5 prototype hit a staggering 495 kph (307.6 mph) in testing, while they say their BB3 model can hit unheralded heights of 700 kph (434.96 mph). As for what can be purchased on the market, the 2019 MTT 420RR is claimed to be the fastest motorcycle, with a top speed of 273.4 mph (440 kph). The speeds put up by the stars of MotoGP and commercial companies have set the bar very high for four-wheeled vehicles.

Four wheels competing at the highest level

Formula One is regarded as one of the most intense sports in the world, with the top speeds of F1 cars during races hitting absurd heights. In 2005, the bar was set at the Italian Grand Prix, with the McLaren-Mercedes driven by Juan Pablo Montoya getting to 372.6 kph (231.5 mph). It took 11 years, but during practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, one Valtteri Bottas crept over the bar by hitting a top speed of 378 kph (234.9 mph) in 2016. Much like in MotoGP, having the fastest car doesn’t necessarily lead to victory, with the Ferrari hitting the fastest speed of 336.7 kph (209.1 mph) in 2020, and yet they don’t lead the way.

He may be the clear back-up driver to Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, but Bottas is still laying down some incredible speeds to take points, finishing the race headlining F1’s return, the Austrian Grand Prix, in first place. Bottas claimed the top spot, Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari came in second, and Lando Norris in the McLaren-Renault came in third after Hamilton was deducted points. Such a display from Bottas and his historic speeds have earned the Finn a lot of favour and, as of 6 July, he’s the second-favourite at 2/1 to win the Drivers’ Championship while topping the standings. Of course, not everyone can drive an F1 car, with the fastest four-wheeler on the market being the almighty Bugatti Chiron Sport, which hits 261 mph (420 kph) with the pedal down.

Two vs Four: split decision

When comparing motorbikes and cars at the highest levels of competition, the vehicles of MotoGP come up just a little bit short on those of Formula One. At 221.5 mph on a bike to 234.9 mph in an F1 car, Moto GP is slower, but both are incredible speeds to hit in the heat of competition and while utilising the skill required to navigate tracks and other drivers. As reaffirmed by Red Bull, F1 cars can go faster around a track than MotoGP motorbikes. On the commercial side, however, those seeking the fastest speeds should opt for a top-of-the-range motorbike, with the 2019 MTT 420RR’s top speed of 273.4 mph eclipsing that of the Bugatti Chiron Sport’s 261 mph.

So, in the world of motorsport, the conditions are in place to allow the four-wheeled Formula One cars to go faster than MotoGP’s two-wheelers. However, if you want to own the fastest bike or car, you’ll find the top speeds in a motorbike.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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