Asphalt & Rubber

AMA Pro Racing Adds AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Spec Racing Series

You may remember that six month’s ago we published a rumor that AMA Pro Racing was considering the idea of adding a Harley-Davidson XR1200 spec racing class. Today, that rumor became reality as AMA Pro Racing announced at the Daytona Bike Week that it would be adding the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series to its calendar. The painful press release and our colorful commentary after the jump.

Video: Women Riders of the FIM

Usually when you see a video of lovely lady standing next to a motorcycle at an FIM sanctioned event, she’s holding an umbrella. Well the FIM is hoping to change that perception a bit, and is serving up this video with its resident ladies of motorcycling talking about what they do best. Featuring Leslie Porterfield (FIM World LSR Holder), Livia Lancelot (FIM Women’s Motocross World Champion) and Laia Sanz (FIM Women’s Trial World Champion), the video is a part of the new FIM campaign called “Women Ride” that hopes to encourage more femme fatal in our two-wheeled sport.

Brit Brothers Chicane Saddle: A Roller Seat Design That Dampens a High-Side

When was the last time you saw someone seriously rethink how a motorcycle seat functions and operates? To our knowledge this design from Brit Brothers is the first real attempt to rethink what our butts have known all along. With its eye catching design, and roller-style seat, Brit Bros says their seat has numerous benefits over your standard foam wrapped in vinyl garden variety seat, including the ability to help tame a high-side crash.

Ducati Desmosedici RR Trike Concept

Nicolas Petit, a 25 year old Frenchman who lives just outside of Paris, is a motorcycle mechanic by day, and motorcycle sketcher by night. With already an impressive resume of motorcycle design sketches and renders to his name, we think Nicolas can add one more stunning example to the list: the Ducati Desmosedici RR Trike concept. We’re not huge fans of trikes here at A&R, but when you base your concept off one of the most powerful streetbikes ever created, it certainly catches our attention.

Hands on with the MotoCzysz Battery Packs

By now you’ve surely read about MotoCzysz’s new eDD and it’s “suitcase” chassis design. Recently Asphalt & Rubber got a chance to take a peak into the Portland, Oregon based company’s service bay and take a closer look at the 2009 E1pc D1g1tal Superbike, with a specific interest in its quick-release swappable batteries and unique chassis design. We’ll be covering these innovations in a two-part series, starting today with a never before seen look at the MotoCzysz battery packs. More and photos from Peter Lombardi Kustom Photography after the jump.

Video: When Multistradas Meet Piano Bars

Ever wonder what great action footage of the 2010 Ducati Multistrada 1200 would be like if you set it to the music commonly found in a piano bar? Well never fear, Ducati has the answer for you. Watch the Multistrada 1200 take on four different riding situations without missing a beat. Beat! Get it! Uggh…we don’t get paid enough for this. Video after the jump.

MotoCzysz Electric D1g1tal Dr1ve: More Than Just a Glimpse into the 2010 E1pc Superbike

Today MotoCzysz is announcing its Electric D1g1tal Dr1ve (eDD), better known to us as “the suitcase”, which is essentially the housing for the E1pc’s proprietary controller, motor, and batteries. MotoCzysz will be using the eDD on their 2010 E1pc D1g1tal Superbike, and intends on letting other teams use the suitcase as well, helping fill the grid at electric motorcycle races.

This announcement is important on a variety of levels, and most electric motorcycling enthusiasts will be interested to get their first glimpse at technology beind Michael Czysz’s 2010 E1pc D1g1tal Superbike, which will for sure be at the TT Zero race at the Isle of Man this year. The suitcase contains MotoCzysz proprietary battery, motor, and controller designs, which are setting the bar higher in electric motorcycle racing.

Erik Buell Racing 1190RR: 185hp AMA/WSBK Spec’d

Erik Buell Racing has just updated its website, and releasd the first real clear shot of what the EBR 1190RR will look like it in its racing form. With 185hp being made at the rear-wheel (according to the optimistic DynoJet dynamometer), the EBR 1190RR sits at the top of the Buell totem poll.

Based off the 1125R chassis, the 1190RR is virtually anorexic, dropping 30lbs off the AMA Daytona Superbike racing machine, while still bumping up displacement by 65cc’s. With 93lb•ft of torque on hand at 9,500 RPM, the EBR 1190RR is sure to sling your eye balls into the back of your head…if you can find a racing series to race it in.

MotoCzysz C1 Makes More Than A Cameo in “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps”

“Greed, for lack of a better word…is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms: greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge, has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save motorcycling, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA.”

Nelis 1000R: A Re-imagining of the TL1000R

The Suzuki TL1000R is a special bike. It garnered little love from the media during its release; but despite being discontinued seven years ago, the TLR continues to foster a cult following, especially in Europe. So it doesn’t surprise us a great deal that when 25 year old fabrication apprentice, Mathijn Nelis, set out to create is first custom work under the careful gaze of master builder Nico Bakker, that the young Dutchman chose to work with the stout TL v-twin powerplant that dwarfed its Italain competitors during its initial release.

WSBK: Superpole Overcomes Slippery Imola Track

Sat 09/26/2009 @ 9:53 pm, by Jenny Gun

Home » Racing » WSBK: Superpole Overcomes Slippery Imola Track

WSBK: Superpole Overcomes Slippery Imola Track Michel Fabrizio Superpole WSBK Imola 560x370

With track conditions at the Imola causing a near mutiny during the practice sessions, there was a panic in the WSBK paddock as to whether racing would occur at the Bologna circuit this weekend. After track officials cleaned the Imola tarmac, it became too slippery to ride upon. Whether due to the mixture of oil and water on the track, or the absence of the usual layers of rubber forming on the race line, the conditions caused riders to refuse to take to the track over safety concerns.

Commenting about the conditions, Ben Spies stated the course was slipperier than full wet conditions. Max Biaggi was also heard saying that the course was too slippery for racing, and that Sunday’s races could not take place on the course under these circumstances. Despite this, WSBK Superpole action still occurred, read on for more.

Scrambling to correct the error, the folks at Imola cleaned the surface again, declared the problem solved, and sent out WSS riders to begin their practice session. With the matter apparently resolved, this weekend’s stop at Imola, Italy could recommence, and it seems fitting that an Italian rider should take the Superpole at the resurgence of this historic Italian track.

Michel Fabrizio won the Superpole, with a squeaker over American Ben Spies. Fabrizio would seem to be out of the Championship hunt, but Spies still seemed to prefer to have his 10th Superpole victory, making a comment afterwards that he was surprised that Fabrizio didn’t help him out on this one, after taking him out of Race 1 at Brno. Spies is feeling the heat from Noriyuki Haga, who barely trails Spies by 18 points. With Haga lurking only .15 seconds behind Fabrizio, tomorrow’s races are shaping up to be some good ones. This Championship isn’t over yet folks.

Superpole Results from World Superbike at Imola, Italy:

Pos No. Rider Bike Time Diff
1 84 M. Fabrizio Ducati 1098R 1′47.735 -
2 19 B. Spies Yamaha YZF R1 1′47.778 0.043
3 65 J. Rea Honda CBR1000RR 1′47.834 0.099
4 41 N. Haga Ducati 1098R 1′47.885 0.150
5 96 J. Smrz Ducati 1098R 1′48.156 0.421
6 3 M. Biaggi Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′48.665 0.930
7 67 S. Byrne Ducati 1098R 1′49.092 1.357
8 58 M. Simoncelli Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′49.338 1.603
Out after Superpole 2
9 11 T. Corser BMW S1000 RR 1′48.971 0.892
10 91 L. Haslam Honda CBR1000RR 1′48.992 0.913
11 57 L. Lanzi Ducati 1098R 1′49.060 0.981
12 10 F. Nieto Ducati 1098R 1′49.105 1.026
13 7 C. Checa Honda CBR1000RR 1′49.168 1.089
14 9 R. Kiyonari Honda CBR1000RR 1′49.340 1.261
15 14 M. Lagrive Honda CBR1000RR 1′49.641 1.562
16 66 T. Sykes Yamaha YZF R1 1′49.681 1.602
Out after Superpole 1
17 71 Y. Kagayama Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1′49.906 1.522
18 23 B. Parkes Kawasaki ZX 10R 1′50.012 1.628
19 111 R. Xaus BMW S1000 RR 1′50.152 1.768
20 31 K. Muggeridge Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1′50.414 2.030

Leave a Reply

 
The Latest From A&R StreetLevel:
as long as it’s Animal style ;) RT : Truth. RT : What’s the best thing about CA?…
By: peterlombardi @Tue, 30 Nov 1999 08:00:00