October 2010 - Page 5 of 9 - Asphalt & Rubber

Racing

Ben Spies Named MotoGP Rookie of the Year

By Jensen Beeler 10/17/2010 2 Comments

Ben Spies clinched the MotoGP Rookie of the Year award while a racing at Phillip Island this weekend, adding another bullet point to the Texan’s impressive resumé, and achieving the next logical step in his GP career. Currently the highest ranking American in the MotoGP series, Spies holds a 11 point advantage over the Kentucky Kid Nicky Hayden. Both Americans have had a great season this year, and it will be exciting to watch the pair finish out the last two races of the season.

Moving up to the factory Yamaha team for the 2011 season, Spies will play second fiddle to Jorge Lorenzo, the reigning MotoGP World Champion. We’ll have to anxiously await Spies’ arrival on the factory-spec bike at the test in Valencia, following the conclusion of the 2010 MotoGP season, where we’ll get our first glimpse at what Spies can do on the more powerful factory M1. Team Texas: 1, Team Marco: 0.

Photo: Ben Spies (Personal Website)

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Racing

Biaggi Contract Announcement Fails to Materialize in Noale

By Jensen Beeler 10/17/2010 2 Comments

After all the hype in the Italian media about Friday’s festival in Noale to celebrate the World Superbike Championship victories of Max Biaggi and Aprilia Racing, Biaggi’s announcement for his contract renewal failed to materialize, much to our chagrin. With the build-up and rumors before the event suggesting, and some reputable publications downright saying (ourselves included, minus the reputable part) that Biaggi had signed again with Aprilia, and that the team was set to make the announcement in front of a huge home crowd, the absence of official statement has caused reactions that range the gamut of possibilities.

Some media sources say Biaggi and Aprilia didn’t want to announce the contract right before the MotoGP race at Phillip Island, while others say Biaggi is still holding out for more money. Taking things to the next level, other media outlets have even also gone on to suggest that this is further proof that the 38-year-old Biaggi is set to retire from racing altogether. Deciphering which outlet to believe at this point is really just guesswork, and seemingly everyone is trying to shoehorn their personal view to work with the facts available. And for now, the only fact is that an official announcement hasn’t been made.

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Racing

Valentino Rossi Will Test with Ducati at Valencia

By Jensen Beeler 10/17/2010 4 Comments

Announced during the Phillip Island press conference, Yamaha Racing has decided to release Valentino Rossi from his contractual obligations at the end of the MotoGP season, thus allowing the Italian rider to test with Ducati Corse during the testing sessions at Valencia, which follow immediately after the Valencian GP. While many in the MotoGP paddock expected Yamaha to come to this decision, it’s taken quite some time, and a lot of lobbying and consternation from Rossi to get the Japanese factory to see things his way.

“I spoke this morning Furusawa, and he gave me the go ahead to test the Ducati in Valencia,” said Rossi. “It Seems like a nice gesture, you see that Yamaha has given value to what I’ve done in recent years.”

Likely wanting to hold onto the Rossi’s star power for as long as possible, and afraid the growing rift between Rossi and Lorenzo could turn into backlash against Yamaha, the Japanese manufacturer has delayed its response to Rossi’s request for as along as seemingly possible. Supposedly honoring it’s gentleman’s agreement with Ducati, Yamaha Racing will have it’s own star-studded cast on-hand for the Valencia test: the newly crowned Rookie of the Year Ben Spies, and FIM MotoGP World Champion Jorge Lorenzo.

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News

Jesse James Closes Down West Coast Choppers

By Jensen Beeler 10/16/2010 19 Comments

This one hits us out of the blue, but according to Cyril Huze, Jesse James has shutdown for good his custom chopper business: West Coast Choppers. If true, it’s not clear what will become of James’ Long Beach based company, but it looks like West Coast Choppers’ frames and parts will be produced by Daytec and Belt Drive LTD respectively, and sold through Custom Chrome. More info as we get it, but considering this news is hitting us during the weekend, we don’t expect to hear much before Monday.

Source: Cyril Huze Blog via Basem Wasef; Photos: West Coast Choppers

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Racing

Pedrosa Bows Out of Australian GP

By Jensen Beeler 10/16/2010 No Comments

Repsol Honda fans were delighted to hear that Dani Pedrosa would return to MotoGP racing for the Australian GP at Phillip Island this weekend, but the good news was short-lived, as today the Spanish rider has decided not to race on Sunday. Participating in both Saturday sessions, Pedrosa could only muster a 15th place position for the MotoGP race grid, battling with the pain from his broken collarbone.

Realizing that his return to racing since his injury two weeks ago at Motegi was too much too soon, Pedrosa has obviously been battling too fresh of an injury, and was unable to meaningfully compete at the GP level. Accordingly the Repsol Honda squad has announced the mutual decision that Pedrosa will not race at Phillip Island, and instead pegs the Spaniard’s return to occur at Estoril for the Portuguese GP in two weeks.

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Bikes

Honda NRS250 Teased – The Moto3 Racer Cometh

By Jensen Beeler 10/15/2010 10 Comments

Honda has begun teasing its NRS250 race bike, which many believe will be the basis to the company’s involvement in the Moto3 racing class that will replace 125GP racing in 2012. NRS stands for “Next Racing Standard”, not to be confused with NSR series of two-stroke machines from Honda (Editor’s note: Great naming convention, right?), and not much is known about the bike beyond these dark photos.

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Racing

2010 Malaysian GP MotoGP Infographic

By Peter Lombardi 10/15/2010 4 Comments

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News

Honda VFR Adventure Concept – A Naked VFR1200F?

By Jensen Beeler 10/14/2010 6 Comments

Released in Italy today, Honda has taken the wraps off a concept drawing that shows a new crossover motorcycle, based off the VFR1200F. Super-imposed over the shape of the new VFR, this new concept rendering shows a largely reduced fairing, in anticipation of its more “adventurous” segment orientation. If rumors are to believed on the internet, the bike may not share the same 1237cc displacement as its sport-touring cousin, and instead will sport a middleweight displacement (800cc’s seems to be a popular number).

This new VFR is one (or two?) of eight new models Honda has said it will debut in Milan. One of the other rumored models is a 1200cc concept bike, which will reportedly be a 2012 model year motorcycle with Honda’s dual-clutch transmission, we’ll have to wait a bit longer to find out the rest of what Honda has in store for us.

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Racing

Max Biaggi Signs with Aprilia for Another Two Years

By Jensen Beeler 10/14/2010 1 Comment

Many expected Max Biaggi to retire at the end of the 2010 World Superbike season, but the 39-year-old still has some fight in him yet, as he’s signed-on with Aprilia Racing for another two years according to reports out of the Italian press. Expected to be announced tomorrow in a festival at Noale (home of Aprilia), Biaggi is the first Italian to win the World Superbike Championship, and this year also the first time an Aprilia has ever won the World Superbike Championship. You can expect the party in Noale to be appropriately rowdy.

Source: Il Messaggero via MotoBlog.it

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Racing

Carlos Checa Comes Back to MotoGP, Riding for Pramac Ducati at Estoril And Valencia – Replaces Mika Kallio

By Jensen Beeler 10/14/2010 2 Comments

Now before we get ahead of ourselves, we should preface that Carlos Checa is not making a MotoGP comeback, but the former GP rider will ride the last two rounds of the 2010 MotoGP season. Checa has just signed a two-year contract renewal with Althea Ducati, after having a very strong season on the satellite Ducati squad, and has impressed many top-level players in the Ducati squad. The same however cannot be said of Mika Kallio, who looked to be a promising upcoming rider in his rookie year last season, has been an utter disappointment this season, and currently sits last in the standings of full-time riders.

Pramac Ducati, which despite its satellite status is basically the factory training ground for Ducati Corse, has obviously struggled this year as well, and would like to at least finish the season on a high note. Inviting Carlos Checa out to Mugello on Tuesday, the Spanish rider got rewarded for his hard work in WSBK, and took the Ducati Desmosedici GP10 out for a romp. According to the Spanish media, Checa has been given the green light to race for Pramac in Estoril and Valencia instead of Kallio. There has however been no official word from Ducati on the rider switch.

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Bikes

2011 Triumph Tiger 800 XC Breaks Cover

By Jensen Beeler 10/14/2010 16 Comments

The first official photo of the much hyped 2011 Triumph Tiger 800 XC has hit the internet, finally showing us clearly what the off-road oriented adventure bike will look like in its final form.

Clad with knobbie tires, tubes, and a 21″ front wheel, the Triumph Tiger 800 XC will differ from its road warrior cousin the Triumph Tiger 800, which will have a 19″ front tire, sans tubes.

Triumph has already told us that the 2011 Triumph Tiger 800’s will have a steel frame, and you can expect the larger motor to have more horsepower and torque compared to the Triumph Daytona 675.

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