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.
Honestly, they should have given this ride to Eugene Laverty. I mean he “only” came third in his WSBK debut for Yamaha. He’s young and highly talented, very adaptable rider…but MotoGP is all political crap which probably prevented Laverty from signing with Tech 3 or getting a test date. Now he’s with Aprilia. Yamaha screwed up on this one…Hayes…no disrespect to the guy but seriously…
SBPilot. Would have given it to Laverty if they could I’m sure, however, he is already signed with a competitive team in WSBK (well, would have been a competitor had Yamaha stayed). Nonetheless, can’t do while under contract with someone else.
Bravo for Hayes!
With two other Americans still racing, could they not have given another Brit rider a chance? Hows about Tommy Hill who road a Yamaha to a thrilling BSB title narrowly pipping the MotoGP bound John Hopkins? Just a thought…
SB, I think Laverty will do quite well on the Aprilia next season. It’s an awesome machine, even if Max himself didn’t deliver this time.
There was an interview with Lin Jarvis who said Tommy Hill is on the list should Ben not be able to ride (or to replace Lorenzo). He did not want all test riders but racers for the last round. May see Hill yet. No word on Ben’s condition at the moment but Lorenzo will not ride.
Well deserved for Hayes!
@Paul Davies – Do not over look Monster’s involvement in this, they sponsor both Tech 3, Graves Yamaha, and Josh Hayes. I would say that is a strong reason Hill didn’t get the nod. Also given the fact that Hayes has won Yamaha two AMA Superbike championships to Hill’s one BSB championship.
Well that might be interesting to see hayes actually pratice qualify and race now, before it was just testing, best of luck to him
@Redjet and Bob – I completely agree Laverty is in a good way right now having signed with Aprilia and I know he couldn’t have ridden the M1 this time around because he signed already. It’s just too bad he couldn’t come to terms with the Tech 3 squad prior to signing Aprilia.
@macguytpa – you are absolutely correct. MotoGP is all about sponsorship and internal politics. Monster is the major sponsor of Tech 3 and the Graves Yamaha, it was definitely Monster than played a crucial hand in getting Hayes the ride. I meant that in my original post about “politics” but didn’t get too detailed. Bang on though. I also think Tommy Hill would be a better candidate, he is young as well (yes he “only” won one BSB title but he was right up there last year).
I highly doubt he will replace Lorenzo or Spies since they are the factory team. Cal has underperformed, and Yamaha thinks so as well, otherwise he would have subbed in for Lorenzo instead of call in their test rider.
@SBPilot – FIrst and foremost I will come out and say I am Yamaha fan and a Hayes fan, but I in no way would ever deny that Hill is a hell of a rider. Hayes future is in AMA and I do not see this as being anything more than a reward for Hayes and a way for Monster and Yamaha to promote. Hill is defiantly younger and has a longer future ahead of him and hopefully he does get his chance on a MotoGP machine and if he doesn’t there is always WSBK.
On a side note I would love for the US to get better quality television feeds of WSBK and WSS races in addition to coverage of BSB series. Also if anyone wants to share a invite to any sites that would facilitate me getting my motorcycle racing fix I would be highly appreciative.
Hayes is a fine replacement. Why not really Stoke the fire if Spies and Lorenzo are out put Hill and Herrin on the bikes and really make it a joke.
3 non – Competes in the final race of the yr. Way to go Hayes wish you the best please finish the race and keep it off the Deck. Boz got a shot this yr 1 up him and finish ahead of at least one rider..
just my .02
the boz experiment was a bit of a disappointment, I mean he pulled in? I no way am I saying I could do better or anything remotely close but its a pro racers dream, to pull in was completely deflating.
Congratulations Josh…and good luck! I’ll be rooting for you…
If Hayes can adapt to the thing he should be respectable, given enough practice, The Bostrom stand in at Laguna was embarrasing. I still don’t know what was worse, his interview or his ride. All the best of luck to Hayes I hope he does well. Have a good time on that beast.
congrats Hayes, couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy! You earned it!
definitely recording this one for the archives…