December 2016 - Page 3 of 6 - Asphalt & Rubber

A&R Pro

Ask Me Anything: Snowpocalypse Edition

By Jensen Beeler 12/16/2016 36 Comments

One of the perks of being an A&R Pro member, is having more direct contact with our editorial team. So, from time to time I want to have a loosely structured conversation with loyal readers about...well, anything.

I see these forums as a good opportunity to ask any questions you have about happenings in the motorcycle industry or in the various motorcycle racing series; get advice and opinions about motorcycles, gear, and accessories; and follow-up on any questions that might be lingering from recent stories.

I will try to answer questions to the best of my knowledge, but if I don't know something (like, why did Honda put a titanium fuel tank on the CBR1000RR), I'll dig into my robust contact list, and get some answers.

To get the ball rolling, here are some possible topics that I see as ripe for discussion:

The best motorcycles from the 2016 model year
Predictions for the 2017 MotoGP & World Superbike Championships
Riding with the new AGV Corsa R and Pista GP R, and general questions about helmets
Changes in the moto-media landscape
Why it's a damn shame that not everyone owns a supermoto
Best tips for winterizing your motorcycle
Why you should never get involved in a land war in Asia
How to use the three seashells
And of course, questions and feedback about A&R Pro

If you're an A&R Pro member, come on in, and let's have a chat in the comments section of this story.

To continue reading this story, you need to have an A&R Pro subscriber account. If you have an A&R Pro account, you can login here.

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MotoGP

The Aki Ajo Monster Interview, Part 2: On Moto2

By David Emmett 12/15/2016 No Comments

Aki Ajo is one of the most significant figures in the Grand Prix paddock. The Finnish manager has seen a long string of talent pass through his team on their way to greater success.

Ajo explained how he goes about identifying talent in the first part of this two-part interview. In the second part, he gives more insight into the process of building a winning team.

Ajo talks about how he nearly ended up working with Romano Fenati in 2017, and some of the factors which prevented it. Ajo also explains why he believes Moto2 is the toughest category in motorcycle racing, and the daunting challenge stepping up to the intermediate category can be.

The Finnish team manager also dives more deeply into the importance of a team, and surrounding a rider with the right pieces to help him get the best out of himself.

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Racing

How to Watch the 2016 Superprestigio Flat Track Race

By Jensen Beeler 12/15/2016 2 Comments

Not in Barcelona this weekend and wondering how you can watch Marc Marquez and Brad Baker bang bars together at the 2016 Superprestigio? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered…or we should say that the folks at American Flat Track have you covered.

Once again hosting a live stream of the flat track series, American racing fans will be able to watch this year’s Superprestigio via the internet, on FansChoice.tv.

The feed is totally free thanks to work between DMG and RPM-MKTG, the Spanish promoter of the Superprestigio. The feed will begin streaming at 1200 EST (0900 PST) through 1530 EST (12300 PST).

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Recall

Recall: CSC Motorcycles Cyclone

By Jensen Beeler 12/15/2016 7 Comments

CSC Motorcycles is recalling 392 units of its Cyclone model, as the motorcycles might not have a label that reminds the owners to clean the brake reservoir before adding brake fluid. and to use DOT 4 brake fluid from a sealed container.

The recall affects only 2015 and 2016 CSC Cyclone models, which were manufactured between April 4, 2015 and November 10, 2016, and comes about because the motorcycles thus fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 122, “Motorcycle Brake Systems”.

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MotoGP

The Aki Ajo Monster Interview, Part 1: On Identifying Talent

By David Emmett 12/15/2016 1 Comment

Aki Ajo is one of the most significant figures in the Grand Prix paddock. The Finnish manager has seen a long string of talent pass through his team on their way to greater success.

The list of champions and great riders he has produced is almost endless: Marc Marquez, Johann Zarco, Jack Miller, Sandro Cortese, Luis Salom, Danny Kent to name just a few.

To find out how he does it, I sat down with Aki Ajo at Valencia and spoke for nearly half an hour. The results of this interview were fascinating, and offer a great insight into the how to get the best out of a rider, to help them achieve success.

In the first part of this interview, he shares his philosophy of racing and team management, of motivation, and what keeps him going. He also talks about the difference it makes working with a rider the second time around, and why he is happy with his current crop of riders in Moto2 and Moto3.

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Products

Gear Review: AGV Corsa R Helmet

By Jensen Beeler 12/14/2016 23 Comments

New for 2017, the AGV Corsa R is the Italian company’s update to its top-of-line sport bike helmet offering. Building off the success of the Corsa that proceeded it, the Corsa R makes a number of modifications to the already robust helmet package, thankfully listening to the feedback of customers.

As such, it is evolution not revolution for the AGV Corsa R, but we think that riders will enjoy the bevy of changes made to the Corsa R. Standout improvements include a liner that is more plush, improved air ventilation, and a more stout visor package.

For this review, we took the AGV Corsa R helmet for a spin at the race track (Buttonwillow Raceway), and the street (PDX), to see how the Corsa R compares to its predecessor, and we came away pleased with the result.

The AGV Corsa R should be on your short-list – that is, if you are in the market for a near-$1,000 sport-focused helmet.

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Dirt

Preview of the 2016 Superprestigio Flat Track Race

By Steve English 12/14/2016 9 Comments

Christmas is in the air (regardless of David Emmett’s protestations) and that means one unfortunate fact; the racing season is almost finished. We’re drawing towards the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, but thankfully there is a bright light in the sky to guide us.

It’s not a star leading to a manger, where a new born baby lies in wait to save us all, but rather one last event of the racing calendar. Flat Track takes center stage this weekend and the Superprestigio in Barcelona has quickly become one of the most anticipated events of the year.

Rebirthed in 2014, the event has grown in popularity, and on Saturday night we will once again see Brad Baker take on the best that Europe has to offer. The American is a former AMA Pro Flat Track champion, and generally regarded as one of the biggest talents to come out of the US series in years.

Baker and Marc Marquez were born a day apart in February 1993, and both have captivated their relative championships in recent years and gained reputations for their bravery and spectacular styles. This is the one weekend a year where they battle for supremacy on track together.

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Recall

Indian Recalls 23,000+ Motorcycles for Possible Fuel Leak

By Jensen Beeler 12/13/2016 2 Comments

Indian Motorcycle is recalling seven different models, amounting to 23,746 units, for an issue with a fuel rail that may contact other components and result in a fuel leak.

The recall pertains to the Chief Classic, Chief Dark Horse, Vintage, Chieftan, Chieftan Dark Horse, Springfield, and Roadmaster models, for the 2014 to 2017 model years (manufactured between April 15, 2013, to July 15, 2016).

Since leaking fuel could be ignited by a spark, resulting in a fire hazard, Indian filed a recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

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WSBK

Video: Earl Hayden Talks About His Son, Nicky

By Jensen Beeler 12/13/2016 8 Comments

The Honda WorldSBK team has put together an intriguing video, where they interview Earl Hayden, father to Nicky Hayden. In the video, Earl talks about how Nicky grew up wanting to be a world champion, and the great lengths he would go through in order to achieve that goal one day.

He also talks about how becoming the MotoGP World Champion in 2006 didn’t really change the person that his son was, and how Nicky has always remained down-to-earth around his friends and family.

Of course, anyone who has spent some time with the Kentucky Kid would know this to be true already. Still, it is a neat video, with some touching words from a proud father. We highly recommend watching it, and then calling your folks. They miss you.

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Racing

Trackside Tuesday: The Curse of Macau

By Tony Goldsmith 12/13/2016 12 Comments

My journey to Macau for the 50th Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix didn’t get off to the best of starts. I had just boarded my flight from Madrid to London, and discovered my tablet and laptop were missing from my bag.

After a few moments of panic, I came to the conclusion that they must have been stolen. I had spent three hours in the lounge at Madrid – someone must have taken them then.

It then slowly dawned on me what happened. When going through security, I had taken the laptop and tablet out of my bag as normal. After scanning my bag the security guy wanted all my camera gear out of the bag and sent me back.

I have no idea what makes Madrid security different to any other I have ever gone through, but obviously I wasn’t going anywhere if I didn’t do as instructed, so I emptied my gear into several trays and sent it back through.

Once everything was cleared I packed all my gear back into my bag, but left my laptop and tablet behind!

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News

Two Enthusiasts Podcast #40 – Adverse Possession

By Jensen Beeler 12/13/2016 5 Comments

Episode 40 of the Two Enthusiasts Podcast is a busy one, as we are back in the studio (my living room) after our live show in Portland.

The show starts with a talk about the new A&R Pro premium accounts on Asphalt & Rubber, and then morphs into a discussion about the changing media landscape. Obviously, that makes it a good time to talk about the changes occurring over at Motorcyclist as well.

We then turn our attention to a recent press launch with AGV, where I rode with the new AGV Corsa R and AGV Pista GP R helmets. Quentin gets his first taste of them on the show, which is funny in a way only Quentin can make it.

We wrap-up that conversation with a discussion about heavy metals near Bakersfield, CA – home of Buttonwillow Raceway, as well as my first impressions of the new Michelin Power RS street tires.

Lastly, our final topic turns to MV Agusta, which is about to sign a financing deal with Black Ocean, a Russian investment group the hopes to make Italian motorcycles great again. All in all, it’s a jam-packed show.

You can listen to the show via the embedded SoundCloud player, after the jump, or you can find the show on iTunes (please leave a review) or this RSS feed. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter as well. Enjoy the show!

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