Latest Posts:
Asphalt & Rubber
Archive

July 2010

Browsing
News

Stoner Making His Honda Debut after Valencia

By 1 Comment

It would seem all the OEM’s are playing nice with each this year, as all four of the aliens are up for contract renewal. In past years we’ve seen teams hold their riders to the full extent of their contract limits, rather than letting testing begin after the last GP races, as is the established custom. As such, we’ll see Valentino Rossi testing at Valencia after the final GP race, per Yamaha and Ducati’s gentlemen’s agreement, and now MCN‘s Matthew Birt is reporting that we’ll also get to see Casey Stoner begin testing with HRC after the Valencian GP round as well.

Keep Reading
By
Rumors

Ok Buell, We’ll Bite…

By 22 Comments

The question is a bit rhetorical in nature since it’s the company who is asking it, but why would Erik Buell Racing be putting turn signals and radiator fans on an EBR 1190RR race bike? Well if you were a company that was rapidly approaching the rumored end of a non-compete agreement, wouldn’t you like to get ready to stick it to the man? We’re still not sure about the whole rock band thing though. Maybe if Erik played Freebird more often we could get into it.

Source:

Keep Reading
By
Racing

The Countdown to V-Day

By 11 Comments

No it’s not Victory Day, nor Valentine’s Day, and not even the next showing of the Vagina Monologues, the countdown to V-Day in the motorcycle world is the day that Valentino Rossi announces his move to Ducati in MotoGP racing. Slated to occur at Brno during the Czech GP because of a gentlemen’s agreement, Valentino Rossi’s announcement will be the crack in the doors that opens the flood gates of other announcements. Like a line of domino’s strewn about the MotoGP paddock, Rossi’s plans for 2011 are the tipping stone that sets the rest of the paddock in motion…and we’re sure he’d have it no other way.

Keep Reading
By
Racing

A Postscript on e-Power at Laguna Seca

By 14 Comments

Asphalt & Rubber got this email late last night from one of the competitors at the e-Power race at Laguna Seca this past weekend. It shows a rare glimpse into the electric racing scene, that even our own coverage can’t compare to in storytelling ability. The letter talks about sportsmanship: the sportsmanship that riders and teams share with each other, but also more importantly the sportsmanship that makes others take notice, and strive to be better. Read the letter after the jump.

Keep Reading
By
Recall

Recall: 2010 Harley-Davidson Dyna Fat Bob

By 6 Comments

Harley-Davidson is recalling a handful of 2010 Dyna Fat Bob (FXDF) motorcycles because the wrong fork springs were installed in the fork tubes. Affecting only bikes made in February of this year, Harley-Davidson will be recalling only 70 motorcycles in total.

The incorrectly assembled forks could cause reduced suspension effectiveness on the road, and improper lean angles when parking the hog. Reading in-between the lines on this notice, you can only help but feel there’s a new guy working in the mail room.

Keep Reading
By
News

Ducati Will Run Six Bikes in MotoGP Next Year

By 18 Comments

Karel Abraham has just confirmed that he will be riding a Ducati Desmosedici GP11 in next year’s MotoGP Championship series. Who is Abraham you may be asking? Well he’s the son of Karel Abraham of course. Yeah…we didn’t think that would explain things very well either. Let’s put it this way, Abraham Sr. is the owner of the GP track at Brno, and Abraham Jr. is his son that has never won a race, let alone a podium, at any GP level race.

Swelling Ducati’s numbers on the MotoGP grid, Karel Abraham (Jr.) will be the sixth Ducati on the grid, which includes the two factory Ducatis of Marlboro Ducati, the two semi-factory Ducatis of Pramac Ducati, and the satellite Ducati of Team Aspar. That’s a lot of Desmos.

Keep Reading
By
Recall

Recall: 2009 Yamaha VMAX

By 1 Comment

Yamaha is recalling certain 2009 Yamaha VMAX motorcycles for excessive electrical resistance in the ground wire from the accelerator position sensor (APS) and throttle position sensor (TPS). The issue, which affects 700 motorcycles, could cause the wrong signal to be sent to the bike’s ECU, resulting in an unstable idling speed, and in-turn an unsafe idling speed could precipitate a crash. The issue only affects VMAX’s built between June 2008 and March 2009.

Keep Reading
By
News

Riders for Health Day of Stars at Laguna Seca

By 2 Comments

The USGP at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca kicked off on Thursday with the Riders for Health Day of Stars, a fundraising event that included a group ride along the scenic Monterrey Peninsula and private tours of the MotoGP pit boxes lead by American Grand Prix legend, Randy Mamola.

One of the highlights of the day’s events was the signing of the Rossi Yamaha M1. A project conceived by Daytona 200 winner Don Emde, the one of a kind street bike was signed by Valentino Rossi and will be auctioned this fall, all proceeds from the sale going to benefit Riders for Health.

Keep Reading
By
Banter

You’re Doing it Wrong!

By 1 Comment

Emptying out the memory cards from the Red Bull US GP weekend, we came across a few blooper shots that we just had to share with you (like this one of Aleix Espargaró re-enacting “The Pass” that Rossi pulled on Stoner in the 2008 US GP). We often place MotoGP riders on a pedestal, looking to them as gods, but it’s good every now and then to remind ourselves that they are mortal men after all. Flip through this short series of photos after the jump for a couple of laughs.

Keep Reading
By