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Jensen Beeler

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Limited Edition Bimota BB3 TTrofeo Debuts in the UK

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We already know that Bimota plans to go racing at the 2015 Isle of Man TT (and other road races) with Brit Ben Wylie and American Brandon Cretu — the duo riding on a pair of Bimota BB3 superbikes.

What we didn’t know is that Bimota will make 60 replicas of these race bikes available to consumers, calling the machines the Bimota BB3 TTrofeo.

The BB3 TTrofeo bikes will have the same race livery as the road racing superbikes, along with “select performance upgrades” which we take to mean bolt-on goodies, not engine work.

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Bikes

Mugen Shinden Yon (神電 四) Electric Superbike Debuts

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Racing again in the TT Zero event at the 2015 Isle of Man TT, Team Mugen will defend its results from 2014 on-board the Mugen Shinden Yon.

The fourth iteration of the Japanese electric superbike, riders John McGuinness and Bruce Anstey should have potent weapons to tackle the Mountain Course with, come a few months’ time.

The main contender for the top podium spot, the Mugen Shinden Yon shows some modest changes from the Shinden San. The tailsection is clearly different in shape, as are the body panels on the front of the machine. We suspect, however, that the significant changes are beneath the skin.

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Racing

Casey Stoner Will Race in the Suzuka 8-Hour

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Well, the rumors were true…Casey Stoner will return to motorcycle racing, competing as one of Honda’s MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO three racers in the Suzuka 8-hour endurance race.

For those who don’t follow the Suzuka 8-Hour, the MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO team won last year’s event, and is a top Honda entry every year for the prestigous Japanese race. Joining Stoner on the team will be Michael van der Mark and Takumi Takahashi.

Van der Mark is of course Honda’s factory World Superbike racer and the current reigning World Supersport Champion, while Takahashi splits his time racing in the MFJ All Japan Road Race JSB1000 Championship and testing for HRC.

The threesome will be looking to clinch Honda’s sixth-straight victory at Suzuka. They will of course be racing on the EWC-spec Honda CBR1000RR, which Stoner tested at January’s Sepang test. The Australian will test it again on the CBR in July 7th & 8th and July 14th and 15th.

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Racing

Video: Dane Westby at the COTA Tire Test

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The American road racing community is still coming to grips with the loss of Dane Westby this week, after the 28-year-old died tragically while riding his street bike in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

While his family, friends, and fans work through their grief over the loss of Dane, we can at least remember “The Wolverine” for the competitor that he was.

As such, Yamaha has put together a nice video of Dane at the MotoAmerica tire test at COTA. Set to race in the Superstock 1000 class this year, Dane clearly was measuring himself against the faster guys in the Superbike class — the true mark of a true competitor.

That’s just one of the reasons why everyone liked him so much

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Bikes

2015 MV Agusta F4 RC – Varese’s Homologation Special

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It’s finally here. After much speculation and teasing, the 2015 MV Agusta F4 RC superbike is finally officially official, with official pictures and official specs to boot.

Confirming much of what we already knew, MV Agusta’s spec sheet has the F4 RC making 212 hp with the race exhaust, or 202.5 hp in street trim, while peak torque is 84.8 lbs•ft in either configuration.

Thanks to carbon fiber fairings, titanium connecting bolts and exhaust, lithium-ion battery, forged aluminum wheels, and magnesium casings, the MV Agusta F4 RC is 33 lbs lighter than the RR model, with a 386 lbs dry weight.

As expected, the 2015 MV Agusta F4 RC is equipped with the MVICS 2.0 electronics system, which includes traction control, ABS, rear-wheel lift control, and quick-shifter.

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Bikes

Yamaha 03GEN-x Concept Is Ready to Get Dirty

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If the Yamaha 03GEN-f concept is supposed to be a sport-oriented three-wheeled leaning scooter, then consider the Yamaha 03GEN-x concept its dirty cousin. Based on Yamaha’s leaning multi-wheel (LVM) technology, the Yamaha 03GEN-x take the same idea, but applies it to off-road duty.

Laced with a spoke-wheel wheelset, a headlight guard, and tall handlebars, the Yamaha 03GEN-x concept is an interesting take on the dual-sport space.

The idea of course is to bring the stability of the LVM concept, as seen on the Yamaha Tricity, to the off-road segment. We’re not sure how the feet-forward scooter sitting position is going to play on rougher trails, but for gravel and fire roads, the 03GEN-x could be a unique style of fun. What do you think?

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Bikes

Yamaha 03GEN-f Concept

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Yamaha Motor released two concept trikes today, based on the company’s “refined dynamism design” philosophy. Both concepts build off the leaning multi-wheel (LMW) Yamaha Tricity, which is a trike that uses two wheels in the front and one wheel in the back.

Built like a scooter, with a feet-forward sitting position, Yamaha’s 03GEN-f concept expands on the Tricity’s on-road focus, but with sportier motion in mind.

Yamaha says that it will continue to explore concepts under the “GEN” name, meaning we could see some more LWM models from the tuning fork brand in the future.

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MotoGP

Video: Two Minutes at COTA With Kevin Schwantz

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The eyes of two-wheeled fans may be honed in on Qatar right now, but our mind is already thinking of MotoGP’s first stop in the USA this season, at The Circuit of the Americas. Helping whet our appetite for the Texan race is local boy himself, Kevin Schwantz.

Now that COTA and Schwantz have settled their differences, the former-World Champion is passing his time as an ambassador for the Americas GP. As such, we have a video of #34 going around the 3.4-mile GP circuit, explaining the course’s various aspects while aboard the 2015 Suzuki GSX-R1000.

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Racing

Racer Dane Westby Has Died

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It’s with a heavy heart that we regretfully inform you of the passing of AMA Pro Road Racing and MotoAmerica racer Dane Westby, who died on Monday night while riding his street bike to his parents’ house in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Early reports say Dane struck a utility pole with his Honda Hawk street bike, and according to a report on RoadRacing World that quoted Westby’s friend and former-mechanic Dustin Meador, the 28-year-old may have been trying to avoid a collision with another vehicle at the time of the crash.

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