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.

Álvaro Bautista Leaves Rizla Suzuki for Gresini Honda

11/09/2011 @ 2:21 am, by Jensen Beeler14 COMMENTS

Álvaro Bautista Leaves Rizla Suzuki for Gresini Honda Alvaro Bautista crash Valencia 635x422

UPDATE: Álvaro Bautista has signed with the San Carlo Honda Gresini team for the 2012 MotoGP season. The Spaniard is not expect to have a factory support within the team.

Rizla Suzuki has announced today that rider Álvaro Bautista has left the factory Suzuki team for the 2012 season. It has not been announced where Bautista will race next next year, though best guesses would peg the Spaniard as headed to the LCR Honda squad. Certainly linked to this news, Randy de Puniet was given the opportunity to test the 2011 Rizla Suzuki GSV-R yesterday, and the Frenchman has already made some impressions.

Fourth fastest on yesterday’s time sheets, de Puniet has been keen to get out of the Pramac Ducati garage, and onto a more competitive package. With Bautista, de Puniet, and John Hopkins all playing musical chairs around LCR Honda and Rizla Suzuki, Bautista’s departure at least progresses the game forward. The big question still remains though, with Bautista leaving the Rizla Suzuki squad, does that signal another rider’s entry into the factory team, or does it mean the Japanese company’s departure from MotoGP racing?

Next year’s MotoGP Championship has been full of question marks for Suzuki, as the Japanese company has yet to commit to the 2012 season. Reportedly given an ultimatum by Dorna to make a decision by this Friday, if the Rizla Suzuki squad does race in 2012, they would likely start the season on their current 800cc machine. Dorna has reportedly also dictated a stipulation that if Suzuki does stay in MotoGP next season, the team would have to race a 1,000cc machine by the Brno round.

“I am very sad to be leaving Suzuki after the two great years that I have had here,” said Bautista. “It has been a great team to work in and I have learnt a lot of things from everyone in the team. It was a fantastic experience working with an English/Japanese team and we have become like a big family, except we have never had any arguments and no-one falls out with each other!”

“I want to thank everybody personally for the last two years, sometimes it has been difficult, but nobody ever gave up and I felt like I always had their full support and commitment. I don’t feel like I am leaving a team, but a group of friends that I hope I will know for a long time. I want to say a special thank-you to Tom, Paul, Ken san and Sahara san, and wish them and the rest of the team all the best for the future.”

Source: Rizla Suzuki

Top 5 Related Posts:

  1. MotoGP: Alvaro Bautista Renews with San Carlo Gresini Honda for 2013 – All Prototype Seats Now Accounted For
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Comment:

  1. Beary says:
    November 9, 2011 at 3:16 AM

    Good luck to Alvaro ! He deserves more than being an also-ran. Hope he gets a Honda.

  2. Dawg says:
    November 9, 2011 at 3:37 AM

    It’s a shame Alvaro is leaving Suzuki he seemed to getting on well with the bike in the last few races. The bike is obviously handling well now and they seem to have decent pace.

    John Hopkins has been racing brilliantly in British Superbikes and seems to have real fire in his belly so would be a good choice for Suzuki.

  3. Butch says:
    November 9, 2011 at 4:00 AM

    Word is he’s signed with Gresini Honda, not LCR.

  4. 2ndclass says:
    November 9, 2011 at 5:40 AM

    Yup, signed with Gresini: http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2011/Rizla+Suzuki+and+Bautista+part+ways

  5. AC says:
    November 9, 2011 at 8:18 AM

    Bautista is a great rider and seems like he had a great off-track personality as well. Marco is irreplacable, but I do think Bautista will fit well within the Gresini team.

    I was actually hoping to see him stay with Suzuki…hopefully, with a greater push from Suzuki to actually win in the sport. And that’s coming from a Ducati guy.

  6. irksome says:
    November 9, 2011 at 11:11 AM

    The guy does an amazing job racing on an underfunded bike and you illustrate his career move with a picture of him getting pushed out of a gravel trap? Really?

  7. 76 says:
    November 9, 2011 at 11:50 AM

    Graveltrap pic is alittle questionable

  8. Jensen Beeler says:
    November 9, 2011 at 12:35 PM

    Sorry for partying.

  9. Dr. Gellar says:
    November 9, 2011 at 1:05 PM

    Alvaro likely did the best with what he could with the Suzuki, and he deserves kudos for that. He seems like a really good guy too.

    That being said, I don’t think the pic is that inappropriate. The two times I’ve seen him race at Laguna Seca in MotoGP, that is exactly where he finished…in the gravel trap.

  10. Beary says:
    November 9, 2011 at 1:30 PM

    Agree, pic of him in the gravel is entirely innappropriate.

    Use a pic of Abraham or Crutchlow in a gravel trap for a ‘Rookie of the Year’ article instead :)

  11. Carrie Silverman says:
    November 9, 2011 at 5:51 PM

    Awfully revealing appreciate it, It is my opinion your trusty followers will probably want way more reviews of this nature keep up the great hard work.

  12. SBPilot says:
    November 9, 2011 at 7:13 PM

    Reports are saying HRC wants a “northern” European rider like Bradl and would support such a rider if he were to race for HRC (ala on the LCR bike). Which suggests Alvaro would not get factory support and if anything, Bradl would get some limited factory support. On the other hand, a lot depends on how well the riders do too. I’m sure if Alvaro was doing top 6′s next year early on HRC would reconsider leaving him as the guy in the dust waiting on updates.

    What is more intriguing is that Randy DePuniet didn’t test the Suzuki the second day…and no word on Hopper either. Meaning, what is going on at Suzuki anyway….

  13. Jake Fox says:
    November 9, 2011 at 8:04 PM

    Let’s see. He crashed out of his last 3 races, DNF 5 times this season, and never placed higher than 5th. Yeah, I think Jensen is spot on with his photo choice.

  14. Beary says:
    November 9, 2011 at 11:37 PM

    Disagree Jake Fox. Bautista’s feedback and ability is one of the main reasons Suzuki has made such strides this year.