Stefan Pierer’s acquisition of Husqvarna continues to baffle me. You will note I say Pierer, and not KTM, bought Husqvarna, since the Austrian CEO used Pierer Industrie AG in the transaction as a means to help side-step European antitrust issues. After all, we can’t have Europe’s largest dirt bike manufacturer, nay largest total motorcycle manufacturer, gobbling up even more brands in the two-wheeled world. But, I digress. Developing three road bikes (Husqvarna Nuda 900, Husqvarna Strada 650, & Husqvarna Terra 650), with three more concepts waiting in the wings (Husqvarna Moab, Husqvarna Baja, & Husqvarna E-G0), it is with even more confusion that we learn that Pierer & Co. intend to kill the Husqvarna Nuda project and its other street siblings.
In case you missed the story last week, Kevin Schwantz is preparing to race in this year’s Suzuka 8-Hour endurance race. For the race, Schwantz will be riding on a team formed by Yukio Kagayama, who in addition to having raced in the MotoGP, World Superbike, and British Superbike Championships, is also a previous Suzuka 8-Hour winner with the Suzuki Endurance Race Team (also joining the three-rider team Noriyuki “Nitro” Haga). Releasing a Q&A about his team’s Suzuka 8-Hour entry, Kagayama-san walks us through how the team came together, what equipment the riders will use, and his outlook on the team’s competitiveness.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
all in good fun…racing needs more of this in my opinion. Part of the reason AMA is so much fun to watch (aside from the crazy close racing) is because you get to feel the real personalities of the riders. And Colin ran a damn good race too! To win you must first finish.
What did Jorge say?
Video: How Colin Edwards Got In Trouble with His Wife at Silverstone – http://aspha.lt/n4 #motorcycle
RT @Asphalt_Rubber: Video: How Colin Edwards Got In Trouble with His Wife at Silverstone – http://aspha.lt/n4 #motorcycle
Jorge says ” we are in love”.
GP & AMA both would make excellent reality shows, much better than ANOTHER show seeking out singing/dancing talent.
Jensen I’m sure you can attest that there is some ridiculous drama going down any given Sunday within the ranks of any given AMA/GP/WSBK team.
I think would make for the best television, smaller paddock (relationship-wise). WSBK and MotoGP are more divided by country of origin…with most of it being Spain vs. Italy.
Somebody get the hook. Edwards is an embarassment and a fool. Not high?, Yeah right! Yep, he can ride a motorcycle and he’s great at that. When he retires from racing, I hear they have an opening on the show Jack Ass.
Who the fuck is Steve?
We know who Steve is, but I thought Jim Morrison was dead
Certainly not – and who’s we?
lighten up “Steve-O”
Robby…I’m good. But I don’t think old Jim liked what I said about his pal Edwards. I was referring to Jim Morrison of “The Doors” by the way. He must be a little sensitive. That’s ok, I understand.
Edwards is ok by me anyday. The guys speaks his mind and doesn’t hold back like the pussies of Nascar with their canned responses to the same question week in and week out. MOTOGP will thrive the more is stays fresh and fun without the suits coming in and putting people on notice for saying what they think. So Steve, relax and be thankful you are able to still hear a man speak his mind in a top level sport.
Well Steve, it looks like Colin’s got Jimmy Hendrix and Jim Morrison on his side so maybe this might be a good time to reconsider…………
On another note altogether I have to say there’s an impressively high standard of comment on all matters MGP on this site – are some of you guys journos or rogue mechanics?.
Please keep it up.
Steve,
Go watch “Good Morning Vietnam” and figure out which character you resemble.
I wish I had not read your negative comments on Colin or Ryan.
Ok, let me see if I have this right. Edwards is on stage admitting to taking pain meds and being so wasted that he misses his brake marks and saying how dangerous it was. Nice. It also looked like he was under the influence during the interview as he plays to the crowd who seem to be cheering him on. I thought he came off like a moron for most of it and was embarassed for him. And as far as having Jimmy Hendrex and Jim Morrison on his side….. that would make sense to me…. if you recall what happened to them.
All kidding aside….I didn’t mean to upset the hero worship jar here. I’ve been following Edwards from the time he rode 250′s in the AMA and later when he got screwed by Honda after winning the championship and will take nothing away from his talent as a rider. However, I wish I had not seen this video. I thought Edwards acted like a fool. I’m all for people speaking thier mind in any level of pro sports but not when they admit to being high on drugs when they do it. So how is Barry Bonds liking retirement these days?
And Jeff, OK…I’ll be Robin Williams… and by the way, I was in the draft during Vietnam…. Where were you? Watching TV?
shut up steve. go watch boat racing you tool.
Steve, you seem to be one of those unfortunates who suffer a complete inability to comprehend the subtleties of human discourse. This must make things difficult for you but perhaps you try harder not to process all inputs quite so literally?
Steve, you really take things way too literally and the way Colin is presenting himself is all in good fun and heart. Yes he was on painkillers, so are many riders when they ride with injuries. When he’s saying he got high and missing brake markers it’s a light/funny way of explaining to laymen that he prefers not to be on painkillers when he rides because it effects him too much. If he gets all technical and talks like Dani Pedorosa the crowd would sleep. It’s a PR event for christ sake.Some riders like to ride with painkillers. You on the other hand actually think he was high as a kite on “drugs” riding a motorbike, taking what he said the wrong way.
Colin is a super relaxed guy, probably the only one in the paddock that doesn’t have some rigorous workout routine and still rides top level, finishes top 6 on a satellite last year bike, podiums and develop bikes like no other. If you see his interviews that’s how he acts these days. Hell he’s even chewing tobacco.
Thankyou Chris. I know you spent a long time with that in depth response. I can see your trying to improve you writing skills while expressing yourself and it’s really coming through. Great work!
And Dave, you must be naturally smart, having the ability to convey abstract thoughts in your writing without even thinking about what it is you are trying to say. That’s a gift. I just had one question though. When you mentioned the term, “subtleties of human dicourse”, does that mean when Edwards takes pain medication to the point he has no idea what he’s doing then hops on his Moto GP bike without telling anybody…. then thinks it’s funny? You know your right it is difficult for me to understand, I should work on that. The term Moron comes to mind. Not you Dave, you’re smart.
SBPilot….
If you are too hurt to ride without taking pain meds (Narcotics, which are most pain meds) that impare your judgement, don’t ride. Period. I’m not questioning his ability to ride a motorcycle, I’m questioning his common sense and judgement of which he seems to have little of.
Ah Steve, you’re actually getting quite amusing now. Still sticking up for your fuddy-duddy opinion when all around you, everyone is saying lighten up, you’re barking up the wrong tree. Still not getting it, are you? Never mind. Everyone else is wrong, and you are right.
There’s a commonly used word for people like you. Troll. You are clearly too old to get this discussion, so kindly take your negativity elsewhere old man. We like Colin, we like what he does, we like how he acts, we like his straight talking, his joking, he is probably the guy in the paddock that most fans can relate to.
Are you getting it yet? The hole you have dug for yourself with your nanny state comments is plenty deep enough now. Kindly settle into it, there’s a good chap.
Well, I see I was wrong. It wasn’t a hero worship (jar) I’ve rattled…. it’s a bucket. This is getting interesting. Chris in “oz” So from the sound of it, you may be from England? That’s great. How’s that tan coming? You know when you refered to me as a Troll (“ouch”) I could only imagine you must be upset with my comments about Edwards using drugs and riding his moto GP bike while under the influence. Does this mean we’re not going to be friends?
Ok Chris, I’ll say this one more time and I’ll use small words so you can understand. Edwards acted like an idiot during most of that interview and thought it was a joke and funny that he was wasted on pain killers while riding his Moto GP bike. You like that and think it’s ok. We’ll… it looks like he’s in good company.
Troll, you’re making me yawn. *yawwwwwnnnn*
In case you hadn’t noticed, everyone thought it was funny. The crowd, the presenters, this forum – everyone that is, except you, old man steve, in your nursing home shaking your walking stick at the youngsters.
Now put your false teeth in a jar, and nod off to sleepy-bye byes.
Seeya!
Chris I understand that you have never raced a motorcycle on a racetrack and for whatever reason you’ve decided to enjoy a go at Moto GP from you couch while choaking down some didscusting warm beer to feed your love handles. How nice for you. As a matter of fact many people whom I’ve spoken with, thought Edwards acted like a fool And I’m Curious what Dorna’s possition would be. Maybe a little random drug test now and then. Oh, and if you hadn’t noticed the presenters were real nervous and tryed to get the mic back from Mr. comedian on several occasions. I guess as long as there are morons like you who lick the boots of you little heros they will continue to act and say stupid things. What a shame.
Why are we having this discussion when there are good solid guys like Hayden and Spies on the grid that present a good healty image for the sport. I’m sure Edwards is a solid guy too and capable of rational desisions when he’s not riding his race bike while taking too much pain medication endangering himself and other riders as well. You don’t see that do you. Ok Chris, put down the beer, get off the couch and get real close to the TV and watch the clip again. C’mon Chris I have faith in you. You can’t be that stupid, I know you can do it. While you’re doing that, I’ll come up with a fun nickname for you…….No, I just can’t get past “Bluberous Mass”. That’s too long but I’ll work on it as I’m sure it’s going to take some time for you to realize how shortsided and limited you are in your thinking. Kinda like sitting in a cart behind the horse watching it’s ass go down the road. Your not a forward thinker are you? That’s ok, don’t worry about it…… somebody has to do it. Good luck Chris and I respect that you have an opinion…. Just not much.
Wow, somebody needs to get to their nearest hospital to get the stick surgically removed out of their butt.
Ha ha. Richard I agree, but unfortunately this wanker can’t be told, no matter how many of us tell him. It’s to do with being senile, unfortunately.
Hey Richard….You’re right, And Chris, Here’s your bucket back. XXOOXX
Alyssia has nothing to worry about, she should know Colin’s personality by now… A loveable Larakin of the MotoGP paddock