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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Usually I’d say no to extra fees but current registration is so low in MN ($10) that $3 tacked on for safety programs sounds nice. I’d also be for mandatory safety programs (like the MSF course) for new riders.
i would if it meant free riders safety courses (the one you need to take to get your license) also they could bump up the penalty for riding without a license. I rode 7 years without an endorsement because the 100.00 safety course was more than the 35.00 ticket. It could also fund better recognition via advertising that bikers are nice people sometimes.
Great point Steveo. The $3 should go towards free/reduced fee courses.
The MSF course is free in PA. More states should get on board with that sort of opportunity.
I would totally pay $3 to subsidize a rider course that all new riders have to attend.
Like the posters on this article, I would be more than happy to help out the MSF with 3 bucks. However, I disagree that it should be mandatory. Riding safe is your responsibility and yours alone. This true for whether you decide to take a riders course, wear a helmet, or close the bar down and ride home, these are all your choice, and I feel it should remain that way. I would be really miffed if I had to put off riding (legally) for season just because the riding course was full.
Don’t get me wrong, I am for educating new riders, I just don’t want it be mandated.
I’ve heard there’s some really excellent riding in Oklahoma. Lotta canyons to carve.
As a kid, I went to hunter safety classes. Anything to make riders safer so we don’t have to listen to that lie “loud pipes save lives” anymore because more people will actually know how to ride is all great.
Sounds good and three bucks isn’t a big bit *but* I really wonder if it will be used for its intended purpose?
I’m stunned. Jeff, you pay $10 registration for your motorcycle? Over here in Victoria, Australia I’m paying $400+. This includes a $50 safety levy for funding “motorcycle safety initiatives” such as giving the money to the police to purchase new BMW police bikes to enforce motorcycle speed compliance. The situation in other Australian states is not much better and in at least one state is much worse.
When I go to pay my rego they don’t even offer to buy me a drink before they fuck me.
Oklahoma Motorcyclists Will Pay a $3 Safety Fee Starting November 1st – http://bit.ly/b0TTNl #motorcycle
Bjorn does that $400 include compulsory third party insurance though?
Here in NSW rego is about $100 but compulsory third party insurance can add as much as $400+ depending on what you ride.
Rider safety programs are one of the many things we pay tax for. Having to pay extra for the govt to do their job properly is unacceptable. You guys in VIC are being screwed with that safety levy.
Hi Sean,
Third party is not compulsory in Vic. the $400 is just rego.
I’ve gone back to school to do a degree. As a student, I’ve got a health care card, but I don’t get the same discount on my rego that I’d get if I drove a car. Darling wife and I are now both students and we pay the same to register my 750 as her Landcruiser. I’m not that fussed about the discount; it helps, but it feels like discrimination against me ‘cos I ride.
Back in the ’30s my grandfather, like many at that time, rode a bike because it was a good way to save money. Now the Govt. makes it as expensive as possible, despite the lower impact on the roads and environment.
I’ll stop ranting now.
@Bjorn
Man, thats tough as.
Its kinda similar here in NZ. 12 months rego here for my FZR250 is $405. If you have a 600cc or over, its $517. Not including any insurance either.
There was a big price increase in the last year for ACC levys. They blamed bikers for a huge amount of the accident claims, so they raised the levy by a crazy amount. ACC is meant to be blame free here…ridiculous
We pay that extra amount, and what do we get? Shitty, pot-holed, gravel/grit covered roads, “cheesecutter” road barriers and cops that ping you for speeding if your over the limit by 3kph.
Some of the roads are nice, but coming across umarked fresh roadworks midcorner is not nice.