The oldest racing organization in the country dedicated soley to motorcycle road racing, the AFM is a Northern Californian non-profit racing organization that has helped hone the skills of riders like Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Kenny Roberts, and Steve Rapp — not mention a weekend warrior or two. Each year the racing league comes together for a banquet, and lately the tradition has been to include a highlight film of the year’s racing. I’m not sure what films in the past have been like, but if the latest AFM banquet video doesn’t give you goosebumps, you might want to check your pulse. Bonus points for the including the Versus “Second Place” monologue — it’s very apropos.
Grab some popcorn, because this video from Ducati North America is over 14 minutes long. Telling the story of Ducati at the 2011 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC), DNA has put together a great video that really captures how special the racing is at Pikes Peak, and how gorgeous the scenery is of the Colorado Mountains. With Santa Barbara Ducati’s Carlin Dunne winning the overall motorcycle category on his dealership’s Multistrada 1200 demo model, Alexander Smith from the Spider Grips Ducati Team made it a double podium for Ducati in the 1205cc class. If you’re new to racing at Pikes Peak, or wanted a quick re-cap of last year’s race, Ducati’s video pretty accurately sums up racing on the mountain and the anxiety around last year’s race.
Ducati has announced its factory team for the 2012 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC), and the Italian company has secured the services of last-year’s winner and Rookie of the Year Carlin Dunne as well as six-time PPIHC winner Greg Tracy. Ducati has also partnered with the Spider Grips team, who will help prepare the teams Ducati Multistrada 1200 for the “Race to the Clouds” on July 8th. For 2012, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will be fully-paved to the top of the mountain, which will surely see the speeds of competitors increase, and lap times drop on the 12.42 mile long course that ends at 14,110 feet.
I was flipping through some photos from the 2011 EICMA show, and found these shots of the Ducati 1199 Panigale’s Superquadro engine. Unfortunately at the show, Ducati had its 1199cc v-twin motor behind a Lexan case, which created a bit of a glare, reflections, and of course had smudges from the touchy-feely Italian crowd. But still, the photos give a good idea of what’s going on in Ducati’s most-advanced production engine to date, and are better than just looking at the CAD renders. If you look at the shots very closely, you can almost see where the 195hp and 98 lbs•ft of torque is lurking inside.
In addition to testing the factory Ducati Desmosedici GP12 “Phoenix” this week at Sepang, Valentino Rossi is also trying out a new lid from AGV. Aside from the carbon fiber goodness, and of course the Rossi stickers (which add 5hp & $200), AGV’s prototype helmet sports a noticably pronounced rear spoiler. Tucked in behind the windscreen, it is obvious why the Italian helmet manufacturer designed such a large protrusion off the back of the prototype helmet, as it looks to be clearly helping the flow off the back of the helmet, across the rider’s hump, and down his backside.
While Ducati Corse is busy playing hide-the-Desmosedici at Sepang, HRC is all business in Malaysia this week, and has debuted its 2012 Honda RC213V MotoGP-contender. Honda isn’t saying too much about the RC213V, simply stating that the race bike is all new, but is also a continuation of the company’s design with the 800cc Honda RC212V. Testing the Honda RC213V over the course of last season, reigning-World Champion Casey rode the new 1,000cc machine three times in 2011, while teammate Dani Pedrosa swung a leg over the RC213V twice (missing one test because of injury).
You may have been misled by some eager journalists today and yesterday, if you saw a Ducati Corse livery-clad Ducati Desmosedici GP12 that some sites were passing off as the first shots of the “90% new” GP12. With the alleged new GP12 looking surprisingly similar to the aluminum-framed “GP0″ that was tested at Valencia, Valentino Rossi’s mechanic has now Alex Briggs confirmed that the photos taken were not of the all new “GP12 Phoenix” that the factory team will race this season. While the Ducati lords can taketh away, they can also giveth, and Valentino Rossi himself has posted the first photo of the factory Desmosedici GP12, and the bike is clearly different.
Zero Motorcycles has announced the full-commencement of production for its 2012 model line, which is expected to hit dealers in February & March of this year. First off the line was the 2012 Zero DS back in December, though the electric motorcycle company has recently started building the Zero S, Zero XU, Zero X, and Zero MX at its Scotts Valley facility as well. A story we broke back in November, Zero Motorcycles debuted its important 2012 electric motorcycle line up at the 2011 EICMA show in Milan, with the 2012 range being a substantial improvement upon the company’s previous offerings.
Getting a look at Dainese & AGV’s 2012 collection, Asphalt & Rubber was down in Orange County earlier this week to see the highly anticipated Dainese D-Air Racing leather suit, which has a four liter airbag system that helps reduce the risk of injury during a motorcycle crash. Dainese has been working on the D-Air Racing system for 10 years now, and after soft-launching the airbag suit in Europe, the Italian company is ready to bring the game-changing technology to American soil.
Us Danes, we’re a strange breed. From the culture that taught you how to rape and pillage, Scandinavia is making yet another contribution to the motorcycling world with this latest video. Featuring Danish Supermoto Champion Andreas Mikkelsen, we get a RoToR camera-esque perspective (this rig is actually home made) on the Dane’s practice session at the Als Supermotard Club in Denmark. It’s videos like this that are slowly eroding my will-power to resist getting into supermotard riding. Also, I don’t know who was in charge of the music selection on this thing, but my hat is off to him/her. I love the nightlife. I’ve come to boogie.
RT @Asphalt_Rubber: BMW S1000RR Stunting: Warning The Video You Are About to See Might Offend You – http://bit.ly/df8N1c #motorcycle
Ha ha… “zie Germans.”
I wonder if his mama knows he rides like that. If so, I bet she cries herself to sleep every night.
@chazferrari Watch this vid of BMW S1000RR http://bit.ly/df8N1c #motorcycle
Way to make the S1000RR seem as common as every GSXR/R6/ZXR in southern California.
Sure, stunting has it’s place. So does the carnival.
And the punk/hipster/street attitude? ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz……
There, their, which to use, which to use
http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/banter/bmw-s1000rr-stunting-warning-video-offend/ S1000RRでスタント
BMW S1000RR Stunting: Warning The Video You Are About to See Might Offend You – http://bit.ly/df8N1c #motorcycle
Eh, stunting is empty calories but they were in a parking lot so no big deal. BMW prominently has used stunting in the promotion of the F800, so is this a surprise?
I like the way he loads it into the truck.
I can’t believe you guys are hating on this; It was a well edited clip and even if the riding is not the same brand that you use to define yourselves as unique and talented individuals was top notch. Do any of you think for even a fleeting second that the ability required to ride this smoothly couldn’t be translated to a canyon (which is illegal, where as riding in a lot is not) or a race track? It’s all throttle, clutch and brake regardless of what venue you apply it in.
That man has skills! The riding was good, the location was great (not on the road with others) but I can’t help but wonder how long until the videos showing how the new S1000RR comes apart after crashing one while stunting comes out?
This should further endear BMW to the Ride To The Gay Bar But Nowhere Else market.
I agree with Bill. They are doing it in a safe place, and, some of us hate to admit it, but they are far better than we (definitely me) will ever be.
It’s pretty amazing how well they can balance and control the throttle to maintain slow smooth wheelies.
Funny how scared people discount the stunters, their use of machinery and right to ride extreme. The ski industry had a similar opposition to snowboarders in the 80′s and 90′s. Good thing too, Snowboarding saved and financed both industries. Snowboarders now out number skiers and helped increase ski performance design by forcing radical design changes in ski shapes.
Motorcycle design is pushed forward by radical use and desired performance increases.
Racing , Stunting, etc. is a win-win for everyone!
These guys are pushing performance to the edge in different ways, old guys like me could not imagine 20 years ago.
I love that the guy is not afraid to flog an expensive performance bike to new potential. If something fails….BMW gets data that may address a concern for the rest of us, in the long run.
Brian and tc read my mind i completely agree well said.