Archive

November 2010

Browsing

Although Honda likely needed to explain its thought process more fully regarding the 2011 Honda Crossrunner, the Japanese company has also put together a quick video clip with designer Yosuke Hasegawa, and his vision behind the Honda Crosstourer Concept. The more purposeful occasional off-roader, Honda’s Crosstourer Concept takes the V4 motor from the VFR1200F, and mates it to an adventure-based platform.

We imagine the idea is that the Crosstourer picks up where the Crossrunner leaves off, and it is interesting to note how Honda’s naming scheme for both bikes encourages that idea. Cross for crossover concept, the Crossrunner is sportier with its “runner” designation, while the Crosstourer seems destined for more of a “it’s the journey, not the destination” thing with its “tourer” badge. Again don’t take our word for it, watch Hasegawa-san explain his creation after the jump.

The was finally debuted at EICMA this year, after teasing us with several sketches of the concept. Designed to be a crossover motorcycle, the Crossrunner 800 sits somewhere between a sport-tourer and an adventure-tourer in our eyes. Sitting high up with its elongated suspension and upright sitting position, the Crossrunner has some component protection, but clearly invisions a sporty priority with its single-sided swingarm and aggressive minimalist fairing.

Of course that’s just our take on the motorcycle, so check out the video above for Honda’s opinion on its own creation (did you know one of the design inspirations was the personal water craft?), and extrapolate your own conclusions. For bonus fun, there is a very well done promotional video awaiting you after the jump.

There is a reason why Nicky Hayden is rapidly becoming one of our favorite riders in the MotoGP paddock (behind Randy de Puniet of course). The Kentucky Kid always tells it how he sees it, is constantly up-beat, and is perhaps one of the most personable riders in the sport, often cracking jokes and egging-on the journalists during press conferences and rider debriefs.

It therefore comes with no surprise that Hayden brought his A-material to Thursday’s press conference in Valencia for MotoGP’s last stop on the 2010 calendar. When asked about his thoughts on joining Valentino Rossi as a teammate again on Tuesday for the 2011 season (Hayden and Rossi were teammates during 2003 with the Repsol Honda team), Hayden was quick with his wit in his response to their reunion at Ducati Corse.

After much hemming and hawing, Suzuki has finally committed to fielding only a single rider for the 2011 season. There has been much speculation that Suzuki would have only Alvaro Bautista at the helm of the Suzuki GSV-R next year, but Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta made it very clear that he was going to keep Suzuki to its commitment to field two bikes in MotoGP.

Suzuki seems to be taking its chances with Dorna’s legal threats though, and rumors suggest that the Japanese company has struck a deal with the MotoGP rights holder that extends its MotoGP involvement in exchange for this contractual concession.

Announced at Valencia this weekend, the GP Commission has finally released the details on the upcoming Moto3 class, which will replace 125GP racing in 2012. Based around a four-stroke 250cc single-cylinder motor with an 81mm maximum bore size, Moto3 aims to reel in the spiraling costs of GP racing, with numerous provisions that are designed to limit how much money teams and manufacturers can sink into the sport to buy victory.

Perhaps the biggest provision designed to help lower the cost of GP racing’s intro class is the spec-ECU rule, which sees teams limited on the level of electronics they can implement, and institutes a hard-cap on the engine’s maximum RPM (14,000 RPM). With multiple manufacturers able to offer motors and chassis for the racing class, Moto3 should be more open thatn the single-motor Moto2 series. The GP Commission has included a laundry list of other provisions, you can find them bullet-pointed after the jump.

A&R Patron Saint, Randy de Puniet confirmed this weekend at Valencia that he has signed with the Pramac Ducati team for the 2011 season. Making his announcement at the conclusion of Saturday’s qualifying session, de Puniet is the second-to-last unconfirmed rider for next season, as now everyone waits to hear Gresini Honda’s confirmation of Hiroshi Aoyama to its quasi-satellite team.

The Gresini squad is likely waiting for the Repsol Honda team to confirm how it will handle having three marquis riders under one tent, as HRC has signed Dani Pedorsa, Casey Stoner, and Andrea Dovizioso. At one point there was talk of having Dovi take a seat in Gresini, with the promise of factory support from HRC.

We’ve got a special treat for you this Friday as Yamaha Racing has released a video that talks about the evolution of the YZR-M1 over the past seven seasons, which is narrated by The Doctor himself. Valentino Rossi and his team were integral to the success of Yamaha, turning what was considered to be the worst bike in the paddock into the star it is today. Giving a great account of each bike’s progress over the next, Rossi points out each model’s strengths and weaknesses, and what each M1 meant to him. Grab a beverage and enjoy the video after the jump.

If you are like us, you were left wanting more when the first images of the 2011 KTM 1190 RC8 R leaked ahead of its EICMA debut. It is hard to imagine how KTM could improve upon the RC8 R platform, but the Austrian company did so anyways, upping the performance level to 175hp, while adding some hot new color schemes for 2011. If you have the means to afford one, we highly recommend picking up this v-twin monster – it’s simply superb. Check out the 18 photos after the jump, and bring a washcloth.

Yamaha Racing announced this week that Davide Brivio, the Team Manager for Valentino Rossi’s side of the garage, will be leaving the team at the end of the season. Taking on a management role in Rossi’s VR46 brand, Brivio will be replaced by Massimo “Maio” Meregalli, the former factory Yamaha World Superbike team manager. Meregalli’s appointment to the position likely has to to with the entry of Ben Spies into the factory team, as he and Spies reportedly became close during the Texan’s WSBK stint with Yamaha.