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Jensen Beeler

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Construction Resumes at Circuit of the Americas

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Construction of the Circuit of the Americas outside of Austin, TX has resumed, after the track finally secured its contract with Formula One for a 2012 round. Work at the Circuit of the Americas had been suspended indefinitely after a contract between F1 and CotA was not signed by its appropriate deadline. However with Formula One Boss Bernie Ecclestone now getting his blood money, construction can once again resume in Texas.

Announcing that Formula One would race on a street course in New Jersey, along the shore of the Hudson, Eccelstone sent an all-too-clear message to the Texan venue that it was not the only option for F1 in the USA. While entirely an issue of posturing within Formula One’s circles, the spill-over affect of the Circuit of the Americas shutting down construction had obvious ramifications for MotoGP’s intention of running a Texan GP in 2013. From the looks of things, the Texan MotoGP round should not be affected by stoppage in work, and should proceed as planned.

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Products

Star Wars Stormtrooper Leathers – Yes! Oh Baby Jesus Yes!

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With all of our subtle and not-so-subtle references to the franchise, you’d have to be a newbie to Asphalt & Rubber to miss the fact that we’ve seen the Star Wars movies at least a couple times. So of course it goes without saying that it tickles our fancy that UD Replicas has unveiled another motorcycle-friendly costume replica, this time a Stormtrooper leather motorcycle suit. Clearly the droids you are looking for, UD Replicas’ Stormtrooper suit is made from form-molded leather, and features CE armor throughout the suit.

For the Star Wars purists, there is the standard Imperial White Stormtropper uniform available, but those looking for something more appropriate for evening attire, a black Shadowtrooper variation is also available. For only $1,165 CAD (that’s $1,152 in US Freedom Dollars), you get the jacket, pants (which zip into the jacket), boots, and gloves. You’re on your own when it comes to a DOT-approved Stormtrooper helmet, but the AGV AX-8 Dual Sport in white might be a good start (UD shows a helmet made by eFXcollectibles). Thanks for the tips everyone!

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Banter

You Can Always Count on KTM for Some Good Photos

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We don’t cover the off-road sector of motorcycling too often (we’re really trying to put the “asphalt” in the Asphalt & Rubber around here), but KTM makes us wish we broke that vow to the tarmac more often. Sending us these photos of the official Red Bull/KTM Factory Supercross Team practicing at The Ranch in Anza, CA, the Austrian brand certainly seems “ready to race” (oh, brother), but with the lens of Frank Hoppen at the ready, Red Bull/KTM factory riders Ryan Dungey, Ken Roczen, and Marvin Musquin looked the business as well.

I’ve waxed on before about how KTM really is the standard by which other motorcycle companies should rate their marketing materials, and these photos are no different. Keep in mind that KTM employs a variety of photographers, over varying locations worldwide, yet consistently comes out with stunning well-shot photos, which all have a touch of the KTM style. That’s almost as impressive of a feat as the body of work itself. But enough about that, onto the goodness after the jump.

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Bikes

Up-Close with the MV Agusta Brutale 675

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Finally making its public debut, the MV Agusta Brutale 675 was easily one of the most anticipated motorcycles of the 2011 EICMA show. Representing Varese’s commitment to more affordable motorcycles, the Brutale 675 comes with a €8,990 price tag in the EU (US pricing is still up in the air, but should be competitive with the Triumph Street Triple). No exactly a surprise in its design, the 2012 MV Agusta Brutale 675 is true to the Brutale format, and follows the lines of the F3 supersport…without fairings of course.

In person, the MV Agusta Brutale 675 comes with the fit and finish you would expect from the historic Italian brand. For as much as I bag on MV Agusta for its various monetary and business troubles, the Italian factory is trying to make available a gorgeous motorcycle at a very attractive price tag. For all the concerns made about how MV Agusta was going “down market” with its brand, the basic bullet points of what defines an MV still remain true with the Brutale 675, which should make it a winner when it comes to market.

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Racing

MotoGP: Michele Pirro to Gresini on a FTR Honda CRT Bike

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Michele Pirro finished his 2011 Moto2 season on a high note, winning the final round at Valencia for the Gresini Racing team. Coming on the heels of MotoGP’s final tribute to Marco Simoncelli, the victory was an especially emotional one for the young Italian rider and his team. Finishing seventh in the Moto2 Championship standings, Pirro’s hard work has earned him a promotion into MotoGP, where the rookie rider will campaign a CRT bike with the San Carlo Honda Gresini team.

Gresini has confirmed that the team will use an FTR chassis, which will be custom-built to use a Honda CBR1000RR motor. This brings the total number of confirmed CRT entries up to five, with several more CRT entries still expected to commit to the 2012 MotoGP Championship. This news means we should see at least 20 bikes on the grid for the MotoGP opener at Qatar, though the question remains: how competitive will they be?

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Recall

126,000 Honda Goldwings Recalled for Faulty Brakes

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Honda has issued a recall with the NHTSA because of a fault with the master cylinder on the Honda Goldwing. Affecting 2001-2010 & 2012 models, the secondary master cylinder for the Goldwing’s combined braking system could have a fault that causes the rear brake to engage and drag.

Because this could destabilize the motorcycle, and poses a potential fire danger from heat caused by excessive friciton, Honda is recalling all 126,000 Goldwings the issue could potentially affect.

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Banter

Does Workers’ Comp Apply to Motorcycle Stunt Shows?

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As far as motorcycle stunt shows go, this one started out as one of the better we’ve seen in a while (we appreciate some showmanship in our stunt shows, rather than a rider aimlessly popping wheelies for hours on end). As you’ll see in the video after the jump, this show at the Beto Carrero World theme park in Brazil starts out well-timed, well-choreographed, and well-executed.

Of course it goes without saying that we’re showing you this post because all that changes at the end of the clip. For those concerned, we hear that the fallen rider had no major injuries, and even showed up for work the next day. We’d still try to make a workers’ comp. claim for that lost half-day though.

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Racing

Photos: 2003 Yamaha YZR-M1 Prototype

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It seems only fitting that after reviewing the BRD RedShift SM prototype, that we should turn our attentions to another prototype machine…or should we say, a prototype of a prototype. A glimpse into how lost in the woods Yamaha was with its MotoGP program pre-Rossi, the 2003 Yamaha YZR-M1 prototype is the work of a company desperately looking for a solution against Honda’s very potent RC211V. Employing two Öhlins rear shock absorbers, Yamaha’s philosophy and process of handling over power is very evident in this prototype’s design, though the implementation seems a bit murkier.

Laced with linear potentiometers through out the M1’s chassis, it is at least interesting to note the unit extending from one of the rear shock mounting points to the front of the frame — presumably measuring the flex of the chassis from front to back. With all the data acquisition that is on the 2003 prototype M1, you would think Yamaha would notice one of the most obvious mistakes with the design, namely how the exhaust routing was cramped in with both shock absorbers, surely cooking both units as the machine came up to temperature.

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Reviews

Ride Review: BRD RedShift Supermoto Prototype

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It is a rare opportunity when a journalist gets to swing a leg over a prototype motorcycle. Virtually assured by definition to have perceivable flaws, effectively all the companies in the motorcycle industry prefer to keep the public and media at arm’s length until they have massaged their work into something that is ready for primetime consumption. Testing the BRD RedShift SM electric supermoto at Infineon Raceway today, we could attribute our good fortune to the fact that BRD Motorcycles (faster-faster.com) does not subscribe to the motorcycle industry’s status quo.

Conversely, we could also just as easily say that the boys at BRD are easily crazy enough to let a couple moto-journalists test the only existing example of what nearly a million dollars in motorcycle technology builds you, and the fact that those journalists are online blogger internet nerd types, well that just proves BRD’s insanity, right?

That notion of craziness comes almost without question though, as you would have to be crazy to think that you can take on the major OEMs in their own backyard. You would have to be crazy to give up the security of your day job to start a new venture in the worst recession since the 1930’s, crazy to convert your successful existing business into a risky startup, crazy to spend your accumulated life savings so every dollar raised goes into the company’s shared vision.

There is something crazy about what is going on with a small motorcycle startup in the San Francisco Bay Area, and as I not-so-prudently signed my life away on the test ride disclaimer today, Asphalt & Rubber got to see what manifestations BRD’s farce had produced since we last saw the BRD RedShift SM in August of this year.

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Bikes

Confederate X132 Hellcat Breaks Cover

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It has been almost a year and a half since we first heard of the third generation Confederate X132 Hellcat, and today we get word that the “more affordable” Confederate has been finalized and is ready for pre-production orders. Borrowing on the namesake of its predecessors, the new Hellcat shares some of the basic characteristics of the original Hellcats, while still bringing a very unique look and style to the custom cruiser.

Set to begin production in January, Confederate is taking orders now with a price tag of $45,000 through February, though that price will go to $49,500 in March of 2012. With only 164 Confederate X132 Hellcats to be made, the Alabama-based company expects to make only two units a week.

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News

New Victory Motorcycle to Debut at IMS Long Beach

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Victory is set to debut a new motorcycle at the Progressive International Motorcycle Show at Long Beach next week, and is teasing the new model on . What will the new model be? Your guess is as good as ours, though it appears to have spoked wheels and a pinstripe paint job.

Judging from the imagery in Victory’s teaser video, we imagine a flat black murdered-out urban warrior on two wheels is the flavor du jour. The bigger question though is whether the new bike will take Victory into a new model segment, or just bolster its current offering. We hope it’s the prior, though we’ll have to wait until December 9th to find out.

Source: Victory (Facebook)

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