Tag Archives: superbike

Wedding Bells Ring for WSB Championship as Eurosport and Dorna Sports Extend Partnership

Who doesn’t love a little competition?

I love the thrill of the chase as much as the next person, and the seasonal appearance of WorldSBK has always been a regular tradition for me – the past year in particular, with increased hours at home and less to do.

So when I heard of the new extended partnership between Doran Sports and Eurosport, I was more than a little excited.

According to a report from MCN, Doran Sports has just renewed its historical partnership with Eurosport. This will reinforce extended exclusive broadcasting of the World Superbike Championship until the end of the 2025 season. 

And with the WorldSBK season starting next weekend, we couldn’t be happier about it.

Racers Compete Against Each Other in World Superbike Race

Discovery’s leading multi-sport brand confirmed the partnership this week, along with a few additional details – namely, that they now have exclusivity in 32 territories, and that they will be broadcasting the World SBK alongside the WorldSSP300 and WorldSSP300 classes, continuing the tradition as the championship home in the UK and Ireland with rights also shared to Portugal, Spain, Germany, Austria, and 17 other countries. 

The championship will have Matt Roberts hosting the live coverage, with giants like Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne and James Whitham to provide input 

Manuel Arroy, Managing Director at Dorna Sports

Quotes from MCN on the words of Manuel Arroy, Managing Director at Dorna Sports, read as follows:

“We are thrilled to renew and reinforce our historical partnership with Eurosport. This renewal will ensure that our championship will be available to the largest audience of fans across Europe through one of the biggest sports broadcasters. The competition promises to be exceptional with fresh changes to the rules and Dorna is very excited to be bringing a new look WorldSBK to millions of people via Eurosport’s established audience.”

“Eurosport’s dedicated coverage to the Championship combined with the track action will make for more content hours for fans to enjoy a truly immersive WorldSBK experience, and another memorable era of the Championship for everyone involved.”

Eurosport will be available to viewers digitally in available markets via discovery+, as well as the Eurosports app and on the Eurosport 1 and Eurosport 2 channels.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Design museum inducts Honda Fireblade SP

Honda’s CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP superbike has been inducted into the prestigious Red Dot Design Museum in Essen, Germany.

It took centre stage along with their electric car, the Honda e, in a “Milestones in Contemporary Design” exhibition, as one of the 76 best products of 2020 and a current marker in international product design.

The CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP was awarded a Red Dot for outstanding design in the motorcycle category while the Honda e was recently awarded the highest award, the ‘Red Dot: Best of the Best 2020’ for product design.

Red Dot awards

Each year since 1955, the “Red Dot Design Award” has been assigned to the most original and worthy entries in terms of design and innovation.

A jury of 40 international design experts made their selections after evaluating more than 5500 products in a host of categories.

Winners are permitted to display a prestigious Red Dot label on their product.

There are awards in 36 categories including, furniture, watches, electronics, financial services and retail.

Red Dot awards are handed out to many of the entries, but only the cream of the crop receive a Best of the Best.

Companies use the distinction to position their brands and thus highlight their quality and design leadership around the globe.

Earlier this year Ducati Diavel won the company’s third “Best” win in the Red Dot Awards, following the successes of the 1199 Panigale in 2013 and the XDiavel S in 2016.

Fireblade SP judgementFireblade SP

Red Dot CEO Peter Zec says their judges put the superbike through its paces over several days to test its performance, in addition to assessing its functionality and design.

“The Fireblade deserves the Red Dot because the jury liked it very much – and we have really crazy judges that challenged the bike, including a professional racing bike rider,” he says.

“It’s not just good design – it has perfect performance too, which is the main reason why it received the Red Dot.”

In its assessment, the judging panel commended the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP for its racing-inspired design, well balanced lines and aerodynamic styling.

Judges also praised the fun experience it delivered and outstanding performance when tested.

Its minimalist frontal area, aggressively angled side fairings and extended lower fairings – plus a variety of apertures, slits and air-channelling shapes – combine to create a best-in-class drag coefficient.

Aerodynamic ‘winglets’ as used on Honda’s MotoGP RC213V racing bike combine eye-catching form with uncompromising function, hugely increasing downforce and stability for ultimate control of the most powerful inline four-cylinder engine Honda has ever made.

Honda e

The electric car received the highest honour as well as an award in the meta-category ‘Smart Products’.

The Honda e is a key part of Honda’s commitment to see all its car model ranges in Europe electrified by 2022.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

5 Top End Superbikes you can buy today – if you’re lucky

By Victoria Chase: freelance writer and digital marketer*

Sometimes a superbike comes along, and you can’t imagine how anything that comes after could ever possibly be better. These bikes are amazing feats of engineering with a whole bucketload of passion thrown in.

It’s always difficult to narrow down the list of the top 10 superbikes, even harder still to whittle that list down by half. Read on to find out some of the best superbikes you can buy today – if you’re very lucky.

Ducati 1299 Superleggera

2017 Ducati Superleggera
Ducati Superleggera

A bike truly bursting with new tech, and with the high price tag, you’d expect it to be! But, don’t get on the phone to your local superbike dealer just yet. Only 500 were built and they all sold out before they went into production. If you keep your ear to the road you may be able to snap one up – don’t expect to get it for the original asking price though.

This breath-taking superbike is built with enough carbon fibre that its kerb mass is only 167kg. The 1299 Superleggera is one of the best superbikes on the market – if you can get your hands on one.

Spirit GP Street R

Spirit GP Sport R
Spirit GP Sport R

A limited edition, handmade superbike built in Britain. What’s special about this superbike is that it was designed for the racetrack but then built for the road. This uber-modern model features a wonderful selection of handmade bespoke touches, including a swingarm made to MotoGP specs.

If you want your chance to take one of these stunners for a spin, you’ll need some very good connections in the bike world, only 50 were made.

Kawasaki Ninja H2

Kawasaki H2 paint
Kawasaki H2

If speed is what you’re craving, then this hunk of madness is what you need to ride. Even though the electronically-limited speed only reaches the standard 186mph (300km/h), you can feel how fast this bike wants to go. That missile-like power is thanks to the supercharger that’s been added to the 998cc inline-four engine.

This isn’t a bike for a beginner, or even an intermediate rider – if you don’t know what you’re doing the Ninja H2 will leave you behind in a cloud of tyre-smoke and asphalt.

MV Agusta F4CC

MV Agusta F4CC
MV Agusta F4CC

This could be the most controversial choice in this list, but the F4CC is very much able to hold its own here, so is definitely deserving of its place. It’s also deserving of the hefty price tag; only 100 were made and almost immediately they were all sold to collectors. This bike can boast to almost all of its components being handmade, and with a top speed limited to 195mph (314km/h), it’s easy to see why they were all bought up so quickly.

Claudio Castiglioni, who was in charge of MV at the time the bike was built, loved it so much he put his name on it.

Aprilia RSV4 RF

Aprilia RSV4 RF
Aprilia RSV4 RF

On a lot of superbikes, there is always the problem of sacrificing pure, unadulterated power for the latest in tech. This isn’t the case with the RSV4, which delivers both in bucketloads. This machine is built with some of the smartest electronics available, and the sole desire to be the fastest superbike in its segment. And with over 50 championship titles under their belt, Aprilla know what they’re doing.

Riding this bike is something all superbike lovers should aim to do at least once – although, once you speed away, we can’t guarantee you’ll ever want to get off.

  • Victoria has written for numerous publications in the business, automotive and motorsports spheres. She has a keen interest in anything on two wheels. 

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com