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.

AMA Tips from The Sparrow: Duhamel & Hopper

Sat 03/13/2010 @ 10:53 am, by Jenny Gun2 COMMENTS

AMA Tips from The Sparrow: Duhamel & Hopper The Sparrow 560x417

Known only to us as “The Sparrow“, we just got some tips from our insider in the AMA. The Sparrow goes on to tell us that rumors of Miguel Duhamel making a return to AMA racing at Fontana are untrue, and the actual rider listed as “TBA” is instead Tyler Odom. The Sparrow also goes on to say that John Hopkins has been incredibly unhappy with the performance of his GSX-R1000, faulting the motor as having less power than the rest of the field. While indications seem to suggest that’s not the case, Yoshimura has put together a new lump for Hopper that looks to have plenty of juice, but will it pass scrutineering after the races? Continue reading for the full report from The Sparrow.

Erik Buell Racing 1190RR: 185hp AMA/WSBK Specd Erik Buell Racing 1190rr

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. Erik Buell Racing has spec’d the machine to be legal in both the AMA and WSBK, but the 1190RR is not homologated for neither the AMA American Superbike class (yet?), nor for WSBK (even bigger question mark).

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. Full technical specifications after the jump.

Former AMA Board Chairman Sentenced After Embezzling $100,000 in Travel Costs AMA Logo1 560x420

Dal Smilie is certainly not smiling this week. The Former American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Chairman was sentenced yesterday for embezzling $100,000 in fraudulent travel reimbursement claims to the not-for-profit organization.  Smilie received a sentence of eight months in prison, and two years probation after pleading guilty for his misappropriation of organization founds over the course of years, ending in 2007. He was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and court costs.

AMA Making Forward Progress: Reduces Corporate Elected Board Member Positions AMA Logo 560x420

The American Motorcyclist Association has announced its plan to reduce the number of corporate-elected seats on its board of directors. If you’re like this author, and don’t follow the politics of the AMA, you’re probably saying to yourself, “there’s corporate-elected seats on the AMA?” Yes, now doesn’t that explain some things? Previously there were six corporate-elected seats on the AMA Board of Directors, which meant that motorcycle companies controlled 50% of the Board’s voting power. This new measure, which was ratified on February 13th, will reduce that number to four seats, or 33% of the voting power.

John Hopkins Confirmed for AMA with M4 Suzuki

Sat 01/30/2010 @ 6:10 pm, by Jenny Gun6 COMMENTS

John Hopkins Confirmed for AMA with M4 Suzuki John Hopkins M4 Suzuki 2 560x372

We can finally retire the Hoppergate tag (saying this pretty much assures its continued use unfortunately), M4 Suzuki has issued a press release that confirms what Asphalt & Rubber already knew (hat tip to The Sparrow), John Hopkins will be riding in the AMA American Superbike team with Team Hammer. This news comes despite the fact that FB Corse has repeatedly insisted that the American rider was committed to them for the 2010 season, and they now chastise Hopper for backing out of the team at the last minute.

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John Hopkins Testing in the AMA   Adios FB Corse? john hopkins rizla 560x394

Something is up in the John Hopkins camp. First the American GP/WSBK racer was linked with MotoGP upstart FB Corse. A few days after the team announced a deal with Hopper, his manager said nothing was signed, and rumors about his involvement in the AMA began to ramp up.

While FB Corse continues to insist that Hopper will be riding with the Italian team next season, the American seems to be making every indication that he will be returning home with RoadRacing World is reporting that Hopkins will testing a Suzuki GSX-R 1000 with Team Hammer (aka Team M4 Suzuki) at Fontana on Februrary 2nd & 3rd.

Roger Lee Hayden to Kawasaki World Superbike

Tue 01/05/2010 @ 6:13 pm, by Jenny Gun3 COMMENTS

Roger Lee Hayden to Kawasaki World Superbike Roger Lee Hayden corner 560x324

Roger Lee Hayden, younger brother to former MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden, has signed with Team Pedercini for the 2010 World Superbike season. Roger Lee rode the Kawasaki ZX-6R to an AMA Supersport Championship, so theoretically he should feel at home again on Team Green satellite team in WSBK. However, the liter-bike class has proven difficult for the younger Hayden. In his three years on the Factory Kawasaki AMA Superbike team, two of those years were shortened by serious crashes.

Mladin Stays Put…For Now

Tue 12/22/2009 @ 2:56 pm, by Jenny Gun3 COMMENTS

Mladin Stays Put...For Now Mat Mladin Suzuki 560x373

In 140 characters or less, Mat Mladin has signaled that he won’t be jumping to WSBK anytime soon. Linked to Reitwagen’s satellite BMW racing effort, Mladin’s possible seat on the team went to Andrew Pitt just last week. Mladin created some buzz with his tweet two weeks ago, which hinted that the ex-AMA racer was considering making the transition to World Superbike racing.

 
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