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.

Max Biaggi Officially Retires from Motorcycle Racing

11/07/2012 @ 8:46 pm, by Jensen Beeler9 COMMENTS

True to speculation, Max Biaggi’s media presentation today announced the retirement of the reigning World Superbike Champion, at the ripe age of 41. A six-time World Champion, Biaggi’s latest stars to his leathers have come from his involvement in the factory Aprilia Racing team in WSBK, with the other four stars coming from his consecutive 250GP World Championships.

Winning his crown by half a point, in what will surely be the narrowest margin ever in World Superbike history, Biaggi’s last season went right down to the wire until the end of the season at Portimao, as the Roman Emperor had to fend off strong contentions from both Tom Sykes and Macro Melandri throughout the 2012 Championship.

“It ‘s been the longest night, but I’m happy to leave now. I do not want to be like politicians attached to the chair. I thought about it a lot, I said to myself continuous 1 or 2 years or I stop? And I decided to leave now,” said Biaggi during his announcement at Vallelunga, the circuit where he started his racing career.

A polarizing figure, Biaggi found himself in World Superbike after his popularity in the MotoGP paddock waned because of comments he made about HRC, which lead to the Japanese manufacturer helping route the Italian into a one-year hiatus from motorcycle racing, before returning to motorbike racing in WSBK.

The antagonist to popular riders like Loris Capirossi and Valentino Rossi, Biaggi’s role in GP racing has often be likened to the role of the villain, a casting only perpetrated further by Biaggi’s prickly and temperamental persona.

Said to be the most highly-paid athlete in the WSBK paddock, by an extra digit on the paycheck, Biaggi was also the linchpin to Aprilia’s racing effort in the premier production-based racing class. His absence next season will surely be felt by the Italian team, and his successor has yet to be named, though Sylvain Guintoli is a heavy favorite to fill the role.

Retiring to spend more time with his family, Biaggi has ruled out racing again, though hinted at some sort of collaboration with Aprilia Racing in possibly in the future — let the speculation begin on that chapter.

“The family has counted in my decision. I think I’ve taken enough time to my children and my wife and I think it is right to devote to them because time passes and you can not stop. But today I want it to be a sad day. I quit because I want to stop and not because I was not competitive,” he continued.

“I have written important pages in the history of motorcycles. I gave up a contract with Aprilia identical to that of this year, same money, same bike, but I leave with no regrets. In fact I thank all those who have accompanied me in these 20 years. It ‘was still a very hard choice, but not forced by anyone, today let stand on my legs, others had serious injuries. I’m thinking of a collaboration with the Aprilia off the track, you will soon have news about it.”

Tagged under: Aprilia, Aprilia Racing, Max Biaggi, MotoGP, retire, retirement, Vallelunga, World Champion, world superbike, WSBK

Comment:

Buellbafett says:
November 7, 2012 at 10:35 PM
A career to be proud of. I’ll miss the roles he has played and the performance he displayed in the MotoGP and WSBK “operas.” Well done Max!
Halfie 30 says:
November 7, 2012 at 11:28 PM
Good on you Max! What a career!
Westward says:
November 8, 2012 at 5:56 AM
The writing was on the tarmac, Melandri’s surge and BMW’s technology will soon surpass the Aprilia. Even Ducati seems to be a threat now that the ballast weight was lifted for the new Panigale.
It is perfect timing, six championships and all with Aprilia is an awesome thing. Besides, he was never going to race or beat Rossi again. It is far better to stop while he is on top of the heap…
It would have been a different story if he had won this season in dominating fashion…
Good luck Max, enjoy the rest of your years, and can’t wait to see what you and Aprilia plan to collaborate on in the near future…
Dc4go says:
November 8, 2012 at 8:35 AM
Great career Max nothing like going out on top the #1 plate on that beautiful Rsv4!!!!
Victor Knowles says:
November 8, 2012 at 11:18 AM
I didn’t like him , it seemed he was a bit of a whiner. But after he got into WSBK I learned to respect him and admire him. He will be missed.
Tyler says:
November 8, 2012 at 12:09 PM
BMW & Ducati.. sure they are moving forward, and this season was the best WSBK season in recent years in my opinion.
But Aprilia isn’t standing still either… and I am certain a new version of the RSV4 will be upon us before too many more years… add to this Yamaha’s possible return and we will have a very, very interesting championship.
Cheers to Max – congrats for going out on top, as so few can.
Trane Francks says:
November 8, 2012 at 5:53 PM
I remember almost trying to dislike Max, but every time I watched/heard him speak of racing, his passion put an end to it. I’ll remember him for his championships, but also for being rare in winning his very first race in the 500 class. Unreal.
Well done, Max. Great to see you stepping down from such a wonderfully high note.
Gutterslob says:
November 9, 2012 at 6:06 AM
The thing I remember most about Max was that crazy wheelie he did on a 500, where he nearly flipped himself (and the bike) backwards. A very un-Max thing, but mad nonetheless.
MotoGuru says:
November 9, 2012 at 1:51 PM
WOW!!! THIS CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD!

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