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.
凄いのが売りに出てる→”Ex-Works 1986 Buell RR1000R for Sale on eBay” http://bit.ly/9j3ee2
Ex-Works 1986 Buell RR1000R for Sale on eBay – http://bit.ly/dctc3T #motorcycle
RT @Asphalt_Rubber: Ex-Works 1986 Buell RR1000R for Sale on eBay http://bit.ly/dctc3T
This bike was not an orignal Buell RR1000, but was constructed from a chassis and an engine later obtained. It is a bike that Buell did not build or sell. Still a cool replica.
Blake
Blake your statement is not accurate and somewhat misleading.
The chassis 100% Buell RR confirmed by Henery Duga, it’s true that Buell did not build this bike to this condition, however it was previously built up by Buell into a (race) bike a stripped sometime in the early 1990′s.
The chassis was bought from Erik Buell as parts kit, I have the original documentation confirming the sale (frame, swing arm, Ohlins shock, breather tank, seat, exhaust and engine mountings).
The engine also came from Buell and again I have documentation. Recently Erik stated that the engine was Scot Zampaks race engine.
End….
What Blake states is indeed accurate. The article is misleading and inaccurate:
“Up for sale is an ex-works 1986 Buell RR1000R” ?
No, it is not. It is a bike built from parts, some obtained from Erik Buell.
“Bought from Erik Buell himself, this RR1000R”?
Clearly implies the bike was purchased intact from Erik. It was not.
Ok i accept the forks , the wheels, brakes and the minor parts were not purchased from Buell but actually i never said they were; please read the add in full. However the core of the bike was; Frame, swing arm, all of the engine mounting system, rear shock, the engine complete (but rebuilt later), seat and breather/separator tank all came from Mr Buell. Or rather the IMPORTANT stuff and 80% of the bike.
It’s an 86 frame (one other known to exist i am informed) and works engine. What more do you want.
Everything to rebuild the bike to period race spec is easily obtainable, M1R forks, Dymag wheels (dymag are currently not producing but will be up a running very soon) and lockheed calipers (though why any one would fit a 4 piston rear caliper is bordering on sucidal). The disc’s i can make blind folded.
I think you are also quoting out of context certain passages from the add which is a little unfair Mr Buell Forum.
Surely as a rare motorcycle or at the very least the 80% basis of a very very early buell one would think the Buell Forum might be a little more generous. However I am guessing that Mr Buell Forum is a last word freak!