Q&A: Yukio Kagayama Talks About the Upcoming Suzuka 8-Hour with Kevin Schwantz & Noriyuki Haga

In case you missed the story last week, Kevin Schwantz is preparing to race in this year’s Suzuka 8-Hour endurance race. For the race, Schwantz will be riding on a team formed by Yukio Kagayama, who in addition to having raced in the MotoGP, World Superbike, and British Superbike Championships, is also a previous Suzuka 8-Hour winner with the Suzuki Endurance Race Team (also joining the three-rider team Noriyuki “Nitro” Haga). Releasing a Q&A about his team’s Suzuka 8-Hour entry, Kagayama-san walks us through how the team came together, what equipment the riders will use, and his outlook on the team’s competitiveness.

KTM RC4 Concept by Luca Bar Design

A single-cylinder hooligan-maker, the KTM 690 Duke is 330 lbs (curbside without fuel) and 67hp of two-wheeled fun, and we hope that the Austrians bring the KTM 690 Duke R our way as well. While we are on the topic of things missing from KTM’s American line-up, a decent supersport is painfully obvious, yet we can’t see the folks at KTM following the paths of other brands. That’s where our friend Luca Bar comes to mind with his latest concept: the KTM RC4. Using the KTM 690 Duke platform and its LC4 engine, Bar has designed a super-single full-fairing sport bike that takes the Austrian company’s “Ready to Race” DNA and applies it to an idea that is not all that disimilar to the Ducati Supermono.

Q&A: Claudio Domenicali Talks Frameless Chassis, Sacred Cows, & The Future for Ducati

When I sat down with Claudio Domenicali at the Ducati 1199 Panigale R launch, the now-CEO of Ducati Motor Holding was still just the General Manager of the Italian motorcycle company. Four weeks after our interview though, Gabriele del Torchio would leave Ducati for Alitalia; and Domenicali, a 21-year veteran of both the racing and production departments of Ducati, would take his place at the top of Italy’s most prestigious motorcycle brand. After reading our interview from Austin, Texas after the jump, I think you will agree too.

Is Yamaha Using A Seamless Gearbox? The Data Says No

That Yamaha is working on a seamless gearbox is no secret, with Yamaha’s test riders currently racking up the kilometers around tracks in Japan. Recently, however, Spanish magazine SoloMoto published an article suggesting that Yamaha has already been using its new seamless gearbox since the beginning of the season. My own enquiries to check whether Yamaha was using a seamless gearbox or not always received the same answer: no, Yamaha is not using the seamless gearbox. To test this denial, I went out to the side of the track on Friday morning at Jerez to record the bikes as they went by.

OCC Coming Back to TV? — Universe Collapses in on Self

After a very public father/son break-up between Paul Teutul Sr. and Paul Teutul Jr., a steroid-ring scandal involving Paul Sr., and finally a bankruptcy proceeding, it appears that Orange County Choppers is the impossible to kill multi-headed hydra of doom that we all knew it was, as the custom chopper shop is once again headed to the small screen and recruiting some talent, on and off the show. Looking for “someone who will work alongside Paul Senior, running the shop and helping build some of the best custom motorcycles in the world,” OCC says it will be back on television with a new show later this month. Please for the love of god, will someone give this man the attention he craves so dearly??! Or, just shoot us in the face.

Alstare Superbike Concept by Team Alstare

We love us some concept bikes here at Asphalt & Rubber, and we have featured more than a few pieces of stunning design and imagination on our pages. Though, we can’t remember the last time one of these works of art were brought to us by a legitimate racing team, but that is what we have here with the Team Alstare Superbike Concept. A nod to the former Suzuki team’s return to the World Superbike Championship as the Ducati factory squad with Carlos Checa and Ayrton Badovini, Alstare has enlisted the help of designer Serge Rusak of Rusak Kreaktive Designworks to ink the shape of its futuristic Superbike concept, while Tryptik Studios handled the 3D modeling prowess.

Transcript: The Gay Question at Jerez

If you didn’t watch Thursday’s pre-event press conference for MotoGP at Jerez, it is worth a viewing right to the end (assuming you have a MotoGP.com account). Building off the news about the NBA’s Jason Collins coming out as gay in a self-written feature in Sport Illustrated, my good colleague David Emmett had the courage to inquire about the culture and acceptance of the MotoGP paddock for homosexual riders. For the sake of accuracy, after the jump is a full transcript of David’s question, as put to riders Cal Crutchlow, Jorge Lorenzo, Marc Marquez, Andrea Dovizioso, Stefan Bradl, and Scott Redding, as well as those riders’ responses to David’s inquiry.

2014 Suzuki GSV-R Spotted Again

News that Suzuki plans on returning to the MotoGP Championship in 2014 should be old information for dedicated Asphalt & Rubber readers, and the Japanese company’s inline-four race bike was already spotted doing test laps last year by the eager eyes at Cycle World. Well the American print-mag has another set of eyebrow-raising high-quality photos of the 2014 Suzuki GSV-R to mull over from the Motegi race track, along with some technical insights provided by the venerable Kevin Cameron.

BMW F800GS Adventure – Germany’s Middleweight ADV

A surprise addition to BMW Motorrad’s 2013 model line-up, zie Germans have announced a new middleweight adventure-tourer, the 2013 BMW F800GS Adventure. Like its larger predecessor, the BMW F800GS Adventure is a more travel-ready and off-road capable build of the recently updated BMW F800GS motorcycle. Featuring a larger windscreen, panniers, and a bigger fuel tank capacity (2.1 gallons larger, for a total of 6.3 gallons of fuel), the BMW F800GS Adventure keeps the same 85 hp, liquid-cooled, 798cc, parallel-twin engine found on the F800GS, as well as the same chassis configuration. Pricing in the US will be $13,550 for the base model BWM F800GS Adventure.

Kevin Schwantz Returns to Motorcycle Racing – Enters the Suzuka 8-Hours with Team Kagayama

Former 500cc World Champion Kevin Schwantz has certainly been in the news a bit these past few months, mostly for his involvement and falling out with the Circuit of the Americas and the Americas GP, but also more recently for his comments regarding Dani Pedrosa — we also sat down with Mr. Schwantz in Austin, and the Texan gave us some sobering insight into the future of American road racing. As if all that wasn’t enough, Schwantz is making a return to two-wheeled racing, and has entered the prestigious Suzuka 8-Hours endurance race with Team Kagayama racing alongside Noriyuki Haga and team owner Yukio Kagayama.

Honda Crosstourer Gets Green-Lit for 2012

10/21/2011 @ 4:25 pm, by Jensen Beeler10 COMMENTS

Honda Crosstourer Gets Green Lit for 2012 Honda Crosstourer 635x476

After showing the Honda Crosstourer as a concept model at last year’s EICMA show, the Japanese company has announced that it will bring the V4 adventure-tourer to market for the 2012 model year. Bringing a very polished concept vehicle to Milan, Honda made no secret about the possibility of the Crosstourer becoming a reality. Honda is remaining tight-lipped regarding specifics about the new Crosstourer, saying simply that the bike will have a V4 motor and will have an optional dual-clutch transmission.

This news likely means the 2012 Honda Crosstourer will sport the same 1,237cc motor as the Honda VFR1200F, though Honda UK coyly only says in its press release that the Crosstourer will have a “V4 engine configuration – also found in the VFR1200F.” Honda has already produced some videos explaining the ethos behind the adventure-tourer, but we’ll have to wait until November for all the specifics. Press release from Honda UK after the jump.

Honda Crosstourer Concept Photos:

Honda Announces Plans for New Adventure Sports Tourer

Honda today confirms that the Crosstourer model unveiled as a concept at the 2010 EICMA show will go into mass production, and will be first revealed at the 2011 EICMA Milan show in early November, followed by its UK debut for customers to see at Motorcycle Live show from 19-27 November.

The Crosstourer will deliver all the fun and excitement of a sports-tourer, with the comfortable, upright riding position and manoeuvrability of an adventure machine. It combines sports touring features, such as the powerful V4 engine configuration – also found in the VFR1200F – with long travel suspension, adventure focused riding position and dynamic off-road machine styling.

Underpinned by Honda’s V4 expertise, the machine will also be offered with the option of Honda’s innovative second-generation Dual Clutch Transmission technology. The Crosstourer offers a unique and versatile package that will provide great all-weather, all-road capabilities.

Yosuke Hasegawa, leader of the Crosstourer development team said, “The Crosstourer offers a high-level fusion of vibrant off-road styling, upright riding position, V engine power and Dual Clutch Transmission that offers more direct power transmission and easy operation. We are convinced that we have successfully brought out new value in what can be termed the true crossover concept.”

Further information and images about the Crosstourer will be released in early November, at the same time as Honda announces its full range of new-for-2012 motorcycles and scooters.

To find out more about any of Honda’s great range of further products, Genuine Honda parts and accessories, latest news and forthcoming events, visit your local Honda dealer, go to www.honda.co.uk or call 0845 200 8000.

Source: Honda UK

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Comment:

  1. Bill says:
    October 22, 2011 at 6:27 AM

    Good looking BMW. I wish Honda would have been a little more original in their design, besides the motor.

  2. pavan says:
    October 22, 2011 at 10:05 AM

    this is nice for touring :)

  3. aaron says:
    October 22, 2011 at 12:53 PM

    why do it halfway? this thing should have the goldwing flat 6. everyone knows that piling on the mass is what is really important with these adventure bikes.

    meanwhile, in the real world, I’m dreaming of a 350lb triumph tiger ;)

  4. MikeD says:
    October 22, 2011 at 7:09 PM

    The fun and excitement of a sports-tourer, with the comfortable, upright riding position and manoeuvrability of an adventure machine. It combines sports touring features, such as the powerful V4 engine configuration – also found in the VFR1200F – with long travel suspension, adventure focused riding position and dynamic off-road machine styling.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    All written in the wall, by Honda no less. This thing is no DualSport anymore.

    If it has to be called something, call it ” Upright Riding Position Sports-Tourer “.

  5. MikeD says:
    October 23, 2011 at 3:53 PM

    The Triumph Explorer 1200 is out and INDEED, that BLUE does have a HUE of Yamaha on it.

    http://mcnews.com.au/

    Suddenly the Super Tenere is not that HOT anymore…

    I hope the Explorer is not priced thru the roof (BMW high).

  6. Raymond says:
    October 30, 2011 at 8:35 AM

    The good thing about it is that it has the DCT (kind of automatic transmission) system, which BMW still refuses to develop and propose to their clients.
    I have requested my dealer to enlist me in as soon as it will be possible. I am fed up ‘clutching’ all the time.
    :-)

  7. MikeD says:
    October 30, 2011 at 8:57 AM

    Peer Pressure does some crazy shiznit to people’s train of thought and ideas…give it time and it could happen…specially when money is included as a side effect.

    Specially if the Honda “tractor” takes off to some good sale #s.

  8. Raymond says:
    October 30, 2011 at 10:51 AM

    I didn’t get you Mike. Can u explain?

  9. MikeD says:
    October 30, 2011 at 11:27 AM

    In a few words, give BMW sometime and they’ll reconsider doing your “request”… depending if Honda’s plan takes off for good most probably they will follow their moves, strategies and maybe “it’s designs”(DCT Tranny) in their own BMW-ish way…if there’s money to be made im sure they’ll want to powder their noses into it TOO.

  10. Raymond says:
    October 30, 2011 at 2:15 PM

    Yes. Let competition do its job. By the time BMW will launch an automatic motorbike, it’ll be time for me to change. I usually change bike every 2-3 years
    :-)