Ducati & Yamaha’s Gentlemen’s Agreement: Rossi to Test GP10 at Valencia – Announcement Delayed

Still waiting for an announcement from Ducati that they’ve signed Valentino Rossi? So are we, and as we know now the delay of the worst kept secret in MotoGP is due to a gentleman’s agreement between Ducati & Yamaha. In exchange for delaying the announcement until after the American round at Laguna Seca (now slated for the Monday after racing at Brno), Yamaha is allowing Rossi to test the Ducati Desmosedici GP10 when MotoGP stops at Valencia at the end of the 2010 season.

New Ducati Model to be Unveiled at Laguna Seca

UPDATE: Ducati will be unveiling to the public its 2011 Ducati 848 Superbike EVO, which will have a $1,000 cheaper “Dark” variant as well.

Get ready Ducatisti, a new Ducati model is coming in two weeks. To be launched at Laguna Seca’s Ducati Island during the GP weekend, Ducati is tight lipped as to what the new model could be. In our invitation to the event, we are told only that the unveiling will be “hosted by four very excited guests to whom this new model means quite a lot.” The unveiling will be at 1pm on Saturday, and we’ll be there with our cameras.

Brammo Empulse – This Changes Everything

We’ve been expecting an electric sportbike from Brammo for over a month now, getting our first clues from our Bothan spies last week that the bike’s launch was imminent. Now we can officially say that the Brammo Empulse is the latest creation from the Ashland, Portland based Brammo, Inc. Continuing Brammo’s electric motorcycle offering, the Brammo Empulse represents the first production sportbike to be available by consumers. The Empulse comes in three flavors (Brammo Empulse 6.0, Empulse 8.0, & Empulse 10.0) with differing amounts of on-board power each variant.

WSBK: Ducati Gets Another Weight Reduction

From the official results of World Superbike’s stop at Brno, the FIM has once again determined that twin-cylinder motorcycles, i.e. Ducatis, will get another minimum weight reduction. Averaging more than a five point deficit over the last three WSBK events (Miller Motorsports Park, Misano, and Brno), WSBK rules require that twins be given another 3kg weight reduction, as the rules have been deemed to “favor” the 1000cc 4-cylinder motorcycles too heavily.

Rumor: Shake-Up at Ducati North America

UPDATE: John Paolo Canton, Ducati PR Manager, has responded in the comments that Lock was last spotted slaving away in his office, and it’s business as usual in Ducati North America.

With all the commotion going on today, our last piece of breaking news is the developing shake-up that’s going on at Ducati North America. Presumably involving the departure of Ducati North America CEO Michael Lock, we’ve been told changes at Ducati N.A. are occurring at the highest levels. All day we’ve been unable to reach anyone at Ducati’s Cupertino office, so we cannot confirm the report at this time…hey guys, pick up your phones!

Valentino Rossi Signs Two-Year Contract with Ducati

Let’s avoid the the “scoops”, “exclusives”, and “OMG’s”, and just say that Asphalt & Rubber has received word from a trusted source that Valentino Rossi has signed a two-year agreement with Ducati, that’s set to be announced on Monday…and boom goes the dynamite (sorry, we couldn’t resist). The Rossi/Ducati fantasy has been put forth for years, with the fervor on the subject reaching its pinnacle this season, as Ducati reportedly wafted a €15 million salary (almost double Yamaha’s offer) in front of the nine-time World Champion.

BREAKING: Stoner Confirmed to Repsol Honda – Three Man Team with Pedrosa & Dovizioso

It didn’t take long for the other shoe to drop, and now it is official that Casey Stoner will race with HRC in 2011, after it was announced moments ago that the Australian would be leaving the Ducati MotoGP team. Perhaps the most unexpected development in this announcement is HRC’s intentions of keeping both Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso for the 2011 season. The likely result of this will be a two-man Repsol Honda team, and a second single-bike team, which is likely to be sponsored by Red Bull.

2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R Testing with Photos & Video

There’s a lot of pressure on Kawasaki for 2011. Team Green has exited MotoGP, and is completely un-competitive with its ZX-10R in World Superbike and World Superstock 1000. Looking to rectify the situation, Kawasaki has gone back to the drawing board with it’s liter bike offering, and have been testing the 2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R at Suzuka for the last two days this week. With test riders Hidemichi Takahashi & Akira Yanagawa on-board, we get our first glimpse at the rumored 190hp/190kg Superbike taking laps. Video confirms that a normal firing order is inside the four-cylinder motor (sorry, no cross-plane here), but traction control is rumored to come as a standard option.

Video: The Motus KMV4 GDI Engine

Motorcycle upstart Motus Motorcycles continues to press forward with its MST-01 sport-tourer, and has released a video that talks more about the development of their 1645cc gasoline direct-injection V4 motor: the KVM4. Balking at the advice of others not to build their own powerplant, Motus has teamed up with Katech to design an in-house motor for the Motus MST-01.

Video: Crocs vs. Asphalt

There’s so many things going on in this video, we’re not certain where to begin. Filmed on Mulholland Highway by the same fine folks who brought us video footage of the guy who crashed in front of a CHP officer, this new saga takes a different approach to riders exceeding their limits on city streets. Take an unsuspecting white Honda Elite scooter, a pair of Crocs shoes, and some invisible knee pucks, and you’ve got all the ingredients for a bizarre Sunday morning lowside that could have been much, much, much worse. While we’ll give bonus points for good dirt-tracking technique, be sure to check the slow-mo footage for the exact moment the rider’s shoes depart humanity, and dive over the cliff.

Canadian Superbike Championship Bans 2010 Yamaha’s from Racing – Makes DMG Look Good

Thu 12/10/2009 @ 6:02 pm, by Jenny Gun

Home » Racing » Canadian Superbike Championship Bans 2010 Yamaha’s from Racing – Makes DMG Look Good

Canadian Superbike Championship Bans 2010 Yamahas from Racing   Makes DMG Look Good big yamaha yzfr1 2009 b 10 01 560x420

We here in the United States have a hard enough time dealing with the antics of the Batman and Robin duo that is DMG and the AMA, but our Canadian brothers to the north have their own issues to deal with as well. In a surprising announcement, Canadian Superbike Championship has announced that it has banned the the entire 2010 Yamaha line from racing in its various series, while any year Yamaha YZF-R1 has been banned from the Canadian Pro Superbike class. More after the jump.

The announcement comes after Yamaha Canada announced that it was withdrawing from thee Canadian Superbike Championship, both in terms of series support, and team involvement. Previously, the six major manufacturers directly involved in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship contributed equally to the series, including support of its television broadcast package.

Because of Yamaha’s withdrawn support, the series has implemented these rules that all but remove the tuning-fork brand from Canadian motorcycle racing. As such, only 2009 model year or earlier, privateer YZF-R6’s will be racing professionally in Canada this day forth, or until this rule gets overturned. Seemingly, the 600’s are being sparred the knife only because of their pervasive use by privateers in the series.

“Our biggest concern is the privateer or club level racer with existing Yamaha equipment,” said Colin Fraser of the series organizers, Professional Motorsports Productions, in the release. “The vast majority of Yamaha riders utilize 600s, and we agreed that it was in everyone’s best interests to allow these existing machines to continue to compete.”

Organizers added that they plan, and look forward to, reinstating Yamaha in the future, when the manufacturer is able to return to participate in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship Series.

Source: Canadian Superbike via MotorcycleUSA

Top 5 Related Posts:

  1. Yamaha FZ8/Fazer 8 Coming to Canada – USA Next?
  2. Piaggio to Rebuild Canadian Dealer Network
  3. Spies to Yamaha, WSBK for 2010, MotoGP for 2011
  4. BREAKING: Kawasaki Quits AMA Pro Racing
  5. WSBK: Stiggy Racing Switches to Yamaha for 2010

Comment:

  1. Bob Bryant says:

    Canadian Superbike Championship Bans 2010 Yamaha's from Racing … http://bit.ly/5laZFj

  2. Cru Jones says:

    That has got to be some of the dumbest shit I’ve read in a long while. Poor form Canadian Superbike organizers, poor form.

  3. RT @Asphalt_Rubber: Canadian Superbike Championship Bans 2010 Yamaha's from Racing – Makes DMG Look Good – http://bit.ly/4vemRb #motorcycle

  4. Aj Marini says:

    As a Canadian, I am ashamed at this move by the series. The organizers should recognize that they have a quality issue on their hands and deal with it accordingly. Banning Yamaha shows poor form.

    I’m with drawing my support and won’t attend races because it isn’t worth the effort anymore. Will the organizers ban me as well?

  5. ted says:

    Colin Fraser is involved in running both the DMG/ama and Canadian Superbike Championships.

    This guy is unbeleiveable (in a bad way, obviously). He is almost singlehandedly destroying motorcycle racing in North America.

    If anybody should be banned from motorcycle racing – it should be Colin Fraser.

    Colin Fraser – what the are you DOING man ?

    Step back and take a look at the damage you’ve done to not only the Canadian superbike series, but the American superbike series too.

    Go away Colin Fraser, GO AWAY.

    It’s guys like you that are making real motorcycle racing fans turn to GREAT racing products like the BSB (British Superbike Championship), World Supersport, World Superbike, Moto 2, Moto GP, etc, instead of watching North American (CRAP – because YOU ruined them) racing series.

    When I read about the way you’re destroying motorcycle racing in north america, you make me ashamed to be Canadian.

    signed

    -a concerned motorcycle racing enthusiast.

  6. JB says:

    Roadracing fans in North American are in deep trouble between DMG and the Canada Superbike Series. With the world wide economic issues and the major impact it is having on motorcycle manufactures we have these “geniuses” running both series into the ground! Our only hope is that they completely kill it so a new organization can start a fresh series in the future. Edmondson and Fraser retire!!!!!

  7. Canadian Superbike Championship Bans 2010 Yamaha's from Racing … http://bit.ly/86qgH1

  8. TheAssassin says:

    I remember back in the 1990’s when roadracing at Shannonville was pretty sparsley attended and supported and no rules like this were invoked. This is ridiculous…..sounds alot like a rule that this ruling would come from a “money” based organization like NASCAR or something like that, not a “motorcycle enthusiast” supported and populated organization. I guess “big business” has come to Canadian Superbike Racing: No love, just money. Pay up Sucka or leave.

  9. richard says:

    Wow, that is all I can say. Fraser has singlehandedly f*#ked motorcycle racing in North America. The damage he has done will last many, many years and will not be easy to fix. Looks like I’ll be watching all my racing online next season since SPEED’s coverage of the international racing is just as bad as DMG’s management. I think there’s a NASCAR connection in there somewhere. I’m done. I can see why the big guys like Yamaha and Honda are running away, far far away.

  10. richard says:

    Oh, and go support your local club racing! It’s the only hope.

  11. Joe Rocket says:

    This is bullshit. No other way to say it. You didn’t see them ban Honda when they pulled their factory team a few years ago. You didn’t see them ban Suzuki when the Picotte/Blackfoot (basically Canadian Factory Suzuki) Team originally said they weren’t going to field a team in 2010. And hey, they also didn’t ban Kawasaki when they originally said they were withdrawing from the series. So what the f**k are they thinking banning Yamaha?!? Yamaha was the MOST SUCCESSFUL brand in the world last year. They won championships in World Supersport, World Superbike, World Endurance, motoGP, British Superbike, Dutch Superbike, Australian Superbike, and World Motocross. So what exactly are Colin Fraser and the other idiots running this gong-show thinking?!? I used to go to Mosport and Shannonville. Not anymore. It’s no longer worth my time, effort, and money. With gas prices, admission prices, camping fees, and a lack of any real talent on display, 2010 is shaping up to be a very easy year to skip. Canadian Superbike is screwed. Totally bent-over, up-the-arse screwed. We’ve lost Jordan Szoke this year too. Bloody hell…is it ever going to stop?!? Canada’s most winningest racer. Superbike/Supersport Champ 4yrs in a row, and the poor bastard can’t even get a renewal on his contract! WHAT THE F**K!!!! I can only hope that Mr.Szoke can land a ride somewhere else in the world, where the racing scene isn’t totally f**ked, and represent Canada the way we all know he can. But back to the original issue. I think Colin Fraser should be dragged out onto the pit-lane and shot in front of all the REAL fans. We’re the ones who built this sport in Canada. We’re the ones who support it. And guess what…WE’RE THE ONE’S WHO ARE GOING TO STOP SUPPORTING IT! I suggest that any of the real fans boycott anything related to DMG/AMA, Colin Fraser, Roger Edmonston, and Canadian Superbike. It’s the only way they’ll get the message. We’re the ones that make the difference. The general public will never change the channel from Opra or Dr.Phil, or Nascar to watch Canadian Superbike. In closing, someone, somewhere, please find Mr.Fraser and bring me his head. That is all. Goodbye Canadian Superbike.

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