PPIHC: Carlin Dunne Sets Outright Best Motorcycle Time at Pikes Peak Tire Test on a Lightning Motorcycle

The competitors for the 91st Pikes Peak International Hill Climb have just concluded a two-day tire test at the Colorado road course, and it should perhaps come as no surprise that our boy Carlin Dunne has posted the outright fastest lap for a motorcycle during the tire test (the Santa Barbara native set the outright two-wheeled course record last year on his Ducati Multistrada 1200 S). What is surprising about Carlin’s result at the tire test is that he was on the Lightning Motorcycles electric superbike. That’s right, the fastest bike so far for 2013′s Race to the Clouds is a 200+ hp electric superbike that is refueled with solar energy. Petrol heads, eat your heart out.

Report: Indianapolis “Opting-Out” of 2014 MotoGP Race?

Talking to the Indy Star, Mark Miles (CEO of Hulman & Co, the parent company to Indianapolis Motor Speedway) has put some doubt into the historic venue’s commitment to host the MotoGP Championship. Having a contract to run the race through the 2014 season, Miles said that IMS might opt-out of the final year in its agreement with Dorna (IMS apparently has this option for a brief window after the 2013 Indianapolis GP). However while the news has focused so far on IMS’s ability to opt-out, both Dorna and Indianapolis Motor Speedway have options in their contract to go through with the 2014 round, and with a bevy of variables in the air, we may or may not see three American GP rounds next year.

2014 Yamaha FZ-09 – Three Cylinders of Naked

Surprise! America will be getting a 847cc three-cylinder naked bike for the 2014 model year, the 2014 Yamaha FZ-09. Replacing the Yamaha FZ8 in the Japanese company’s line-up, the FZ-09 is the first motorcycle from the tuning fork brand to sport the Yamaha’s new line of three-cylinder engines. The Yamaha FZ-09 comes about as the MIC is reporting its second-consecutive year of growth in the 751+cc sport bike segment, as well as increase in commuter riding over short-distance sport riding. With those trends in mind, Yamaha has punched out the displacement on its middleweight naked bike, and focused on giving riders a comfortable, yet stout, motorcycle. Priced at $7,990 MSRP, we think Yamaha hit the nail pretty much on the head with this one.

Trackside Tuesday: The Mind-Killer

In the past few years I’ve come to believe that, while superior physical differences (their reflexes and fine motor skills) are significant, it’s the mental differences that are the most interesting. I suppose anyone who has ridden a motorcycle even a bit beyond one’s comfort zone can appreciate some part of the physical aspect of riding a racing bike. For most of us, even the speed of racers in local events is impressive compared to our street riding. While the skills with throttle, brakes, and balance are on a level similar to the best athletes in other sports, I think that what really sets motorcycle racers apart is their ability to overcome fear.

Video: Still Think Electric Motorcycles Are Slow?

The progress in the last five years on electric motorcycles has been astounding. Taking their first laps around the Isle of Man TT Mountain Course, a 87.434 mph pace was the best an electric motorcycle could do at the prestigious road race in 2009 — a pace that was on par with the 50cc record set in 1971. In just five years after the first laps were taken by electric motorcycles at Snaefell, these machines have grown their average lap speeds by over 20 mph at the TT Zero race, setting a new record of 109.675 mph in 2013, and boasting a rate of improvement of roughly 5 mph each year since 2009. If hitting 142.2 mph down the Sulby Straight speed trap wasn’t further proof of the speeds these bikes are achieving, maybe some visual evidence will help support the notion.

Here’s Your Feel Good Moment of the Week — Now, What’s Your Excuse for Not Riding Today?

Darius Glover is a dirt bike racer. Like you and me, he lives to ride, and when he is on two-wheels he feels the freedom that only other motorcyclists can truly understand. The thing is though, Darius is paralyzed from the waist down. Where others would give up their dreams and this sport, Darius at the age of 15 instead pushed onward. No pity parties, no excuses, just simply a daily example of where there is a will, there is a way, and a reminder that you can achieve anything that you put your mind to. It’s hard not to get a bit choked up listening to Darius tell his story, but you walk away feeling uplifted after feeling his attitude come across the screen.

Erzberg Rodeo – Red Bull’s S&M Playhouse for Motorcycles

Any race where 1,500 riders start, 500 qualify, and only 14 finish, has got to be an epic competition, and considering the fact that the Erzberg Rodeo starts in the excavation pit of an Austrian mine…well, it takes a special rider to be enticed by such an event. One such special rider is Graham Jarvis, who was the first of the fourteen men to reach the 20th and final checkpoint. Taking 2 hours and 52 seconds to complete the course, Jarvis made the 2013 Erzberg Rodeo look downright easy. However, with one look at the race-day conditions from this past weekend, we know it was anything but.

Controlling the Uncontrollable – The Role of Ritual in Racing

While normally, MotoGP fans never get enough of seeing Valentino Rossi on TV, there is one shot they would (for the most part) gladly be spared. As he leaves the pits, Rossi stands on the footpegs, and pulls his leathers from between his buttocks, before sitting back down again and leaving. These rituals – part useful limbering up, part invocation of Lady Luck – are something many riders perform, in their attempt to exert control over themselves, and over their environment. In a fascinating press release – by far the most interesting we have received in many months – the Aspar team today provided a discussion and explanation of what riders are trying to achieve through the use of these rituals.

Up-Close with the 2013 MotoCzysz E1pc

Hoping to make it four wins in a row, it goes without saying that the MotoCzysz crew is working hard to close the gap to the John McGuinness and the Mugen team. However, having Team Principal Michael Czysz stuck back in the US, undergoing cancer treatments, must certainly add another level of motivation for the on-island MotoCzysz crew. Making time in their busy schedule, Asphalt & Rubber got to take some up-close photos of the 2013 MotoCzysz E1pc. The most obvious changes made to the MotoCzysz E1pc for the 2013 TT Zero race are the use conventional suspension pieces. Of course, it’s not a completely standard suspension setup, as MotoCzysz has developed its own adjustable triple clamp that incorporates tunable lateral flex parameters.

MotoGP: Max Biaggi To Test Ben Spies’s Ducati at Mugello, Michele Pirro To Replace Spies at Barcelona

Max Biaggi is to make a surprise return to riding a MotoGP machine. The former 250 and World Superbike champion will take a seat on Ben Spies’ Ignite Pramac Ducati as part of a one-day test at Mugello, as part of Ducati’s testing program, according to Italian site GPOne. Spies was scheduled to stay on at Mugello to take part in a two-day test, but after the first day of practice at last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, it was clear to both Spies and Ducati that his shoulder was still too weak to ride a MotoGP machine. With work continuing on the Desmosedici, it was important for Ducati to get as much data as possible on their bike, and so Biaggi was offered the chance to ride the machine.

Ducati Completes Three-Year Strategic Plan

01/11/2011 @ 4:20 pm, by Jensen Beeler6 COMMENTS

Ducati Completes Three Year Strategic Plan Ducati Logo Diavel Carbon 635x423

Amidst all the fanfare over seeing Valentino Rossi wearing Rosso Corsa and sporting his new Dainese leathers, which surprisingly aren’t being sponsored by McDonald’s, one announcement has gotten little attention (and no, we’re not talking about Nicky Hayden). The 2011 Wrooom event signals the end of a three-year strategic plan that’s been going on internally at Ducati, which has seen the Italian company release 12 new models, increase sales across the board, and ship 36,200 motorcycles in 2010 alone.

Adopted in January 2008, Ducati’s three-year plan saw the company expand from being a Superbike oriented company, and move into other street segments. Starting with the Hypermotard, Ducati’s shining achievement this past three years has been the release of the new Multistrada 1200.

Selling 8,887 units worldwide (7,200 registered) with only eight months of availability in 2010, the MTS 1200 accounts for 14.3% of all bikes sold in its market segment last year. Due in part to the success of the Multistrada 1200, Ducati has increased its global market share to 8.6% (15% share in Italy), while increasing worldwide sales in 2010 by 5% (sales in North America and Far-East were up 64%).

Now striking a new three-years strategic plan in 2011, Ducati plans on continuing its growth not only in established markets, but also in emerging markets. While we can expect to see the company open up dealerships and distribution networks in rapidly growing countries (read: Asia & South America), it also remains clear that we’ll see Ducati continue to push the boundaries of suitable motorcycle segments for its brand, a point that can be seen already in the recently released Ducati Diavel power cruiser.

Already seeing the push-back from Ducatisti from the launches of the Hypermotard, Multistrada 1200, and Diavel, Ducati will not only have to balance its core brand identity with these new market segments if it doesn’t want to alienate its core riders, but also preserve its Italian heritage as it pushes itself farther across the map and becomes influenced by the pressures of globalization.

Source: Ducati

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Comment:

  1. Andrey says:
    January 11, 2011 at 5:40 PM

    And after 12 new models there is still nothing that is comfortable for a pillion passenger! And don’t tell me the Multi is …. the seat is so ridiculously high that many riders (my 1.8m, 5’11″ self included) cannot get one foot, let alone two, firmly on the ground. (And it looks weird as well but I guess thats part of the Multi design philosophy). There is nothing in the range like my old ’93 900SS. Look at the passengers legs in the Diavel photos …. can’t see many people do a weekend trip sitting like that! Wish they had the sense to realise that some of their customers have girlfriends and wives!
    Oh.. and while they may have introduced 12 models, they just cut the whole SportClassic line so you can take that number down a couple of models please. (yeah yeah I know, they still introduced them even if they cancelled them)
    Let the barrage of comments begin…….

  2. RD350 says:
    January 11, 2011 at 6:27 PM

    I would like to see Ducati produce a simple, light weight, air-cooled sportbike with premium suspension and brakes.

    The bike would be aimed at track day riders, club racers and Ducati street bike enthusiasts who dont want the weight, complexity, cost or big HP of the 4 valve twins.

    I suppose this would be an update of the 900SS/1000SS line which was sadly discontinued due to the last version’s extreme ugliness.

    This model would be easy for Ducati to produce as they already have the frame and 1000DS motor …

    Maybe they could persuade Tamburini to design the bodywork? If not, perhaps they could hire the boys at Rad (Radical) Ducati for styling guidance

  3. pokheng says:
    January 11, 2011 at 7:02 PM

    i hope with Rossi on their camp, Ducati will use the collaboration with the champion to build more powerful, good looking superbike..just like they do with desmosedici RR stoner version..

    when Rossi with Yamaha, the M1 has a lot change, not only about the engine, handling also the face of M1…so many change has been done..from ugly to very very smart bike…from garbage bike to champion…from zero to be hero…

    unfortunately, Yamaha doesnt know to use Rossi’s fluent to his die hard fans by produce the M1 prototype for road use..many fans only can see Yamaha riders ride M1 on the track, but they can have the same feel to ride the prototype of M1 just like the Yamaha racers…such a waste…they only rides M1 on their dream…huhuhuhu

    Ducati should take advantage of this opportunity.build the desmosedici GP11 and sell them to Rossi’s fan..and of course, make more money..

    Ducati, please produce Rossi’s replica for us….

  4. TeeJay says:
    January 11, 2011 at 11:39 PM

    RD350: “I would like to see Ducati produce a simple, light weight, air-cooled sportbike with premium suspension and brakes. ”

    Sure. Could you please force the EU to cease the emission control on bikes? Other way, I can’t see it possible. Even Harley went to liquid cooling to answer the emission requirements.

  5. BBQdog says:
    January 12, 2011 at 1:12 AM

    Let them build a simple nimble 125 kg SuperMono. If it is up to me a 450cc
    engine would be enough.

  6. RD350 says:
    January 12, 2011 at 3:30 PM

    TeeJay: Harley still sells mostly non-liquid-cooled bikes as does BMW, Moto-Guzzi and others. Ducati currently sells the HyperMotard and the Monster lines which are also not liquid-cooled.

    I dont see the problem?