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.
Former 500cc World Champion Kevin Schwantz has certainly been in the news a bit these past few months, mostly for his involvement and falling out with the Circuit of the Americas and the Americas GP, but also more recently for his comments regarding Dani Pedrosa — we also sat down with Mr. Schwantz in Austin, and the Texan gave us some sobering insight into the future of American road racing. As if all that wasn’t enough, Schwantz is making a return to two-wheeled racing, and has entered the prestigious Suzuka 8-Hours endurance race with Team Kagayama racing alongside Noriyuki Haga and team owner Yukio Kagayama.
An interesting development on the aftermarket side of things has graced our desks, as Öhlins has released a “suspension control unit” (SCU) that upgrades the electronically adjustable suspension on the Ducati Multistrada 1200 S so that it becomes a semi-active suspension system. Whhhaaaat??! So, if you’re the proud owner of a pre-2013 Ducati Multistrada 1200 S, and you think that your electronically controlled Öhlins suspension is no longer boss, now that Ducati has released its Sachs-powered “Skyhook” semi-active suspension pieces on its new batch of Multistrada sport-tourers, there is a remedy for your motolust.
In case you missed our exhaustive coverage of the Grand Prix of the Americas, those fools at Dorna gave me pit lane access this MotoGP season. So while the whole paddock waits for the Spaniards to come to their senses, I don’t plan on wasting the opportunity to share with our readers our extreme access to motorcycling’s premier racing class. Accordingly, here comes another installment into our ever-continuing “Up-Close” series, featuring the very finest Iwata has to offer: the Yamaha YZR-M1. Thirty 2000px-wide photos are waiting for you after the jump.
And I thought it was being recalled because of the styling…
@Mark
Yeah I detest the asymmetrical design. I personally don’t see what the S1000RR offers, other than for its owner to proclaim they have the fastest street bike ever made. You can get them stock with heated grips though….I guess that’s cool.
It is literally on the bottom of my liter bike list in terms of appeal.
Aw, the bottom? I don’t know about the bottom… The GSXR has been largely unchanged for years now.. BMW have done a solid job right out of the gate though, I have to admit (even though I’m an Italian bike lover myself).
Nice Mark. Can I license that joke for April Fools next year?
I half agree about the styling. I think it looks pretty fresh in that blue though. The styling isn’t what would keep me from buying it though, oddly enough.
The RSV4..
Are you sure the recall is not related to the “causing erection” issues in your other post?
@Damo, your comment makes it violently clear that you’ve never ridden one of these on a racetrack. The bike could be pink and shape like a F(*&^%ing cupcake and it would still be an amazing bike…. I’m guessing you don’t “see what it offers” because you don’t know how to ride it for what it is designed for.
does this recall have anything to do with the the erection court case? ;-)
They need to make a Parody out of this one too like they did with Rossi, the GPXX, it’s many frames and Ducati.
B.S aside, good for them to man up and take care of their costumers.
I would love to know the dirty gritty details ( wrong alloy, wrong machining, someone forget the RED Loctite ? LOL )
STYLING:
I guess like with many things in life time takes care of it eventually:
I’m cool now with the ODD plastics and the “WTF Face” Headlight…it makes it a BMW, with out it it would be another RELIABLE, cookie cutter, mass produced comodity from Japan Inc.
P.S: I own Japan Inc Product.
@Tyler:
+1 on the Gixxer 1K…and some of the others too. Damn worldwide economy…(-_-)’
I always thought it was a tribute to Bill the Cat… Ack!
Seriously though, it’s a fantastic bike. In RWB it’s even, dare I say, attractive. It is a true rush in the canyons, with much of the handling of a 600 and a l l t h a t POWERRRRR.
It looks positively awful in blue in the flesh. Just awful. And cheap. I would even take the original mountain dew puke color over the blue.
But when you’re on the thing. Whoa. Seriously.
@Archer:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ackook/312627975/
After watching that, i agree completely…….that’s one trashy looking, F-up looking cat…LMAO.
I didn’t even know who he was. Bless Google.
@AlexOnTwoWheels
Holy crap! I guess I know someone who bought an S1000RR. Don’t make judgements on my riding ability based on my comments. I personally don’t like the ergonomics, maintenance schedule or styling of the bike. I have actually physically touched the bike, have you? I know the type of performance numbers the bike pulls, but spreadsheet surfing isn’t my thing.
If you have hung around this page for awhile you would realize that I am a high mileage street rider. I put 8,700 miles on my aprilia RSV1000 last year alone (and we have long winters in the North). Don’t worry about how I ride.
You must be one of those people that have ridden every liter bike ever around Big Willow and know everything there is to know about sport riding.
Besides if I wanted a bike to thrash around a track I would buy a used ZX6-R and save about $12,000. I’ll stick to torque heavy V-twins for my commute and twisty road blasts.
The number of people that bought this bike for the track is minuscule. Of those, they are most likely in one of two categories, those who can afford to, or those that are not very smart… The smart people buy a used 600cc or 1000cc bike to thrash about, or even a 250. Cause for most people its an economic issue…
Anyway, I like the bike personally, style, design, and engineering. Though the only things that would stop me from getting one, would be the RSV4 or the Panigale…
Oh and I forgot, the money, I would need more of it… I am also more fond of bikes in the 250-848cc range, those I might can afford…
hear that? sounds like a fastener supplier getting the boot
Sh*t happens. They fix it and move on…
@Westward
I with you 100% on that one.
I own an R1 09 has been riding it since 04, I ride on the track and on the streets hard!, I rode the BMW 2011 stock and my only complaint was that the throttle response was not as responsive as my R1, but then again my R1 has an unleash ECU and the BMW still has a catalytic converter and stock exhaust. The BMW has a super slippery clutch, ABS is outstanding, the Quick shifter is not as smooth and neither is the Traction control compare to the 2012 model, overall the BMW is an AWESOME bike!!
The complaint I have about the Panigale is that $24,000.00 with ABS when you sit on the bike the rear shock and the spring will rub with your leg when you are waiting for the traffic light. So I think that for $24000 that should have never happened……just my 02cents.
I ordered my BMW s1000rr on April 11, 2012, I have owned 3 kawasaki’s and I never will purchase another one because the dealership left my bike out in the rain with the intake off of the bike, and denied it completely about 2 years ago so I called corporate Kawasaki and the said they have no way of making the dealer fix my bike…… The bike hasn’t been running for 2 years now so I completly advise anyone to buy anything but Kawasaki! Another thing I looked at was a Ducati 1198s but then relized it cost $27,000… My BMW s1000rr cost $16,700 fully loaded with heated hand grips, abs/dts, shift assist, and an alarm system. But then with the taxes out the door cost is $18,188.00. You have to relize also if you get a Jap liter bike @ $13,999 and get the extended warrenty for it + $1,500=15,500, and I say the warrenty because the BMW comes stock with 3 year/36000 mile warrenty do what is another $1,200 for better power+quality+optimum options? To me it was worth it but I suggest to anyone test ride all of the bikes then go home and do your homework, and sleep on the decision for 1 week before you commit to a purchase. Ohh also on my Kawasaki I paid 295/month @22.99 interest rate though HSBC. With BMW my payments will be 327/month at 5.75 interest, and my Kawasaki was just an 07 zx6r not even a liter bike
@Kevin
I stopped listening after you said “jap liter bike”.
just simply said “Japanese” an obriviated version….. i dont understand why you got upset but i’m still sure that you finished reading my post even though you said you didn’t. who read 1/2 and article and finds something they don’t like and stop reading it. pretty much ajust a handful of people who will remain ignorant, because they are not willing to keep an open mind.
@Kevin
Ask a Japanese person how they like being called “jap” then get back to me. Ironic that you would make comments about being open minded.
But yes I did read the rest of your post, I was just being a turd. Also the base Ducati 1198 was only $16,480 last year.
But all political correctness aside, how the F did Kawasaki rope you into a 22.99 interest rate! That is absurd.
You can buy a brand new CBR1000RR at 1.1% right now for 60 months, on a $13,800 loan AND
Honda financial will give you back $800 instantly on the bike. That is $222.78 a month with no money down.
Although I do agree that BMW has a nice warranty, albeit a limited one.
I do all the time honistly, my buddy cotto was born and raised in japan, just never relized it had a negative meaning until i googled it when you mentioned it, when i bought the kawasaki i was 20 and got financed through HSBC and didn’t read anything before I signed for it… I know stupid move on my part. Kawasaki will rape you any way they can! Ya im sorry, I was looking at The 2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale comes with a two-year warranty and costs $17,995; the “S” version lists for $22,995; while the Tricolore goes for $27,995. & I doubt the base model will have the 183rwhp, plus that is no options on it. I got to admit I love Honda quality but I wanted something that stood out from the crowed and know I have something capable of beating most bikes out on the roads.
@Kevin
The BMW is for sure more unique than the Honda and I do agree BMW did a great job making a new sport bike from scratch.
I think the base Panigale comes with the horsepower, just not the suspension and brake upgrades. I could be wrong though.
I was told today by the Los Angeles BMW dealer that BMW is not making any additional 2012 S 1000 RRs other than the 1414 recalled units. The existing 1414 recalled units will be rebuilt either at dealerships or at the factory. I have the option of either buying a rebuilt recall unit in 2012 or wait until 2013 for a new model. Can anyone confirm this? Thanks.
@judy
I don’t believe this is true, they are probably trying to get rid of their old inventory instead of doing a new special order. I had a dealership tell me my credit app was good for 10 days and i would have to reapply after my 10 days, so i went to another dealership and they told me that is not true they are just trying to get me to close on a deal, and a app is good for 90 days. if i were you i would go to a different dealer and ask them.