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.

Öhlins Releases a Semi-Active Suspension Upgrade for the Ducati Multistrada 1200 S – But, What’s Next?

An interesting development on the aftermarket side of things has graced our desks, as Öhlins has released a “suspension control unit” (SCU) that upgrades the electronically adjustable suspension on the Ducati Multistrada 1200 S so that it becomes a semi-active suspension system. Whhhaaaat??! So, if you’re the proud owner of a pre-2013 Ducati Multistrada 1200 S, and you think that your electronically controlled Öhlins suspension is no longer boss, now that Ducati has released its Sachs-powered “Skyhook” semi-active suspension pieces on its new batch of Multistrada sport-tourers, there is a remedy for your motolust.

2013 WSBK Official Phillip Island Test Day 2 Times: Checa Takes Charge From Title Candidates

02/19/2013 @ 12:15 pm, by David Emmett14 COMMENTS

2013 WSBK Official Phillip Island Test Day 2 Times: Checa Takes Charge From Title Candidates carlos checa wsbk ducati alstare phillip island 635x573

Carlos Checa has removed any lingering doubts about the competitiveness of the Ducati 1199 Panigale R, after controlling the second and final day of testing for the World Superbike class at Phillip Island, and ending the test as fastest overall. The Spaniard started the day fast, and ended the day fast, maintaining a strong pace throughout.

Checa was fastest in both wet – or rather, damp – conditions and in the dry. The second day of testing started out with a damp track, a number of riders choosing to stay in the pits instead of risking uncertain conditions on the newly resurfaced track, but the track soon dried out, and conditions improved greatly in the afternoon.

Behind Checa, Marco Melandri took 2nd slot, the Italian finding a little more pace than on the first day. The BMW rider led a very close group, with just over a tenth of a second separating Melandri in 2nd from Pata Honda’s Jonathan Rea in 5th.

Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes demonstrated that he will not be slowed too much by a cracked radius, grabbing the 3rd slot, while Michel Fabrizio was the fastest of the Aprilia riders, putting the privateer Red Devils Roma RSV4 into 4th slot. The other Aprilia men occupied places 7th through 9th, with just a few hundredths separating Davide Giugliano, Sylvain Guintoli, and Eugene Laverty.

The Suzukis were not as fast as they had been on Monday. Leon Camier, fastest on day 1, was six tenths slower on the FIXI Crescent Suzuki GSXR-1000 on Tuesday, ending the test in 10th, though still 4th fastest overall on the two days of the test. Jules Cluzel, still banged up from the private test late last week, highsided in the final corner on Tuesday, though he walked away unhurt.

In addition to testing the bikes, the teams got a workout too. With just a single bike, and the scrapping of race restarts, the WSBK men now have to come in to the pits and change wheels and tires if it rains. Several teams practiced their pit stops, testing out modified components – mainly borrowed from the World Endurance Championship – to assist in the fast changes of wheels and brakes.

How that works out on a race weekend remains to be seen: it must be feared that riders will choose to stay out on the track on unsuitable tires, rather than risk losing time and coming in to change tires, which could lead to potentially dangerous situations. The wisdom or otherwise of the new rules – made to ensure that the races can take place inside of the scheduled TV broadcast window, and do not overrun – will only be demonstrated in practice.

Official Times from the 2013 World Superbike Pre-Season Test at Phillip Island — Day 2:

Pos.No.RiderTeam/BikeTimeDiff.Prev.
17Carlos ChecaDucati Panigale 1199R1:31.059 - -
233Marco MelandriBMW S1000 RR1:31.2370.1780.178
366Tom SykesKawasaki ZX-10R1:31.2610.2020.024
484Michel FabrizioAprilia RSV4 10001:31.3500.2910.089
565Jonathan ReaHonda CBR1000RR1:31.3560.2970.006
691Leon HaslamHonda CBR1000RR1:31.5490.4900.193
734Davide GiuglianoAprilia RSV4 10001:31.6400.5810.091
850Sylvain GuintoliAprilia RSV4 10001:31.6580.5990.018
958Eugene LavertyAprilia RSV4 10001:31.7120.6530.054
102Leon CamierSuzuki GSX-R10001:31.8140.7550.102
1116Jules CluzelSuzuki GSX-R10001:32.0440.9850.230
1219Chaz DaviesBMW S1000 RR1:32.1021.0430.058
1314Glen AllertonBMW S1000 RR1:32.1591.1000.057
1421Jamie StaufferHonda CBR1000RR1:32.2551.1960.096
1576Loris BazKawasaki ZX-10R1:32.6251.5660.370
1631Vittorio IannuzzoBMW S1000 RR1:32.8801.8210.255
1723Federico SandiKawasaki ZX-10R1:32.9641.9050.084
1818Ivan ClementiBMW S1000 RR1:33.2932.2340.329
195Alexander LundhKawasaki ZX-10R1:33.4472.3880.154
2086Ayrton BadoviniDucati Panigale 1199R1:33.6862.6270.239

Official WSBK lap records at Phillip Island

Pole record2011Carlos ChecaDucati 1098 R1:30.882
Lap record2012Max BiaggiAprilia RSV4 10001:31.785

Photo: Ducati Alstare

This article was originally published on MotoMatters, and is republished here on Asphalt & Rubber with permission by the author.

Top 5 Related Posts:

  1. 2013 WSBK Official Phillip Island Test Day 1 Times: Camier Impresses ahead of Haslam
  2. 2013 WSBK Private Phillip Island Test Day 2 Times: Camier Fastest Amidst Another Crashfest
  3. 2013 WSBK Private Phillip Island Test Day 1 Times: Laverty Leads as New Surface Causes Crashfest

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Comment:

  1. JD says:
    February 19, 2013 at 12:54 PM

    Wow thats great I was not in doubt about the Ducati(well kinda), Im hoping Checa will put his foot up some asses though

  2. Kyle says:
    February 19, 2013 at 1:45 PM

    6 brands in the top 10. All within 1 sec. WSBK is still great racing. Hope we get some viewing options for 2013 in the US.

  3. Brian says:
    February 19, 2013 at 2:03 PM

    Why does Ducati not have to run the hideous headlight NASCAR stickers like everyone else?

  4. Superlight says:
    February 19, 2013 at 2:24 PM

    The Ducati headlights are tucked up into those large fairing openings, so the decals are probably right there, mostly hidden from view.

  5. Brian says:
    February 19, 2013 at 2:33 PM

    Ahh…nice job Ducati!
    Best solutions to compulsory NASCAR stickers: hide them

  6. dc4go says:
    February 19, 2013 at 3:54 PM

    Wow all kinds of different manufactures in the top 10!! Gotta love WSBK !! Checa, well he has got to be one of the classiest dudes around bar none!! Super dude and fast as ever!! WSBK RULES!!!

  7. Tyler says:
    February 19, 2013 at 4:30 PM

    Well slap me and call me something… I will be surprised if Ducati remains competitive throughout the championship.. now if only we could get coverage in the USA…

  8. 2ndclass says:
    February 19, 2013 at 5:03 PM

    Great to see that the ASBK wildcards aren’t too far off the pace.

  9. Trane Francks says:
    February 19, 2013 at 5:03 PM

    “now if only we could get coverage in the USA…”

    Yeah. And Japan, please.

  10. dc4go says:
    February 19, 2013 at 5:58 PM

    Being SPORT is broadcasting the WSBK series this year in the US.!!!

  11. jet says:
    February 19, 2013 at 7:11 PM

    I smell Championship all ready……………………….fo sho !

  12. smiler says:
    February 20, 2013 at 1:33 AM

    Great alternative to the Rossi fan club Spanish championship in MotoGP. Hopefully Dorna will not ruin WSB as well. Looks like iot will be a good year. 6 manufacturers & several riders from different countries as well.
    I bett Ducati are breathing a sigh of relief though. Mind you Bayliss did say it was really good. Just a shame he will not be putting in some wildcard appearances like Stacey this year. I think Ducati owe him.

  13. Sniils! says:
    February 20, 2013 at 2:55 AM

    With some great racing action and the promotion capabilities of Dorna I hope there will come some change of mind in the heads of motorcycle fans also in europe. I would love to see the moto gp fanatics realize that wsbk has more to offer for lower ticket costs. I think there is a real chance for Rossi coming to wsbk if the technical rules aren’t changed dramatically. With Rossi there would come Yamaha and perhaps some smaller manufacturers like MV, KTM or Bimota trying to use the increasing attention to the series.

    There has to be a fast change so that there a arguments for keeping the championship as it is, without cutting down the technical limits too far. My suggestion for reducing costs was to allow two bikes for each rider, but limiting the numer of crew-members (mechanics and engineers) at the track.

  14. pooch says:
    February 20, 2013 at 5:04 AM

    @Smiler

    If you think Stoner is going to wildcard anywhere full stop, then you’re a sucker who believes anything the media throws at you.