Episode 135 of the Paddock Pass Podcast is out, and as you might expect from the title of the show, this one covers just one single rider: Fabio Quartararo.
In order to deep-dive on the Frenchman, we have Steve English, Neil Morrison, and David Emmett on the microphones.
But, we also have a number of interviews with paddock insiders and those around Quartararo, to help talk about his rise in the grand prix paddock.
What something to look forward to once the coronapocalypse is over? Reports from Europe are telling us to expect the Honda CT125 to become a production machine, perhaps as early as the 2021 model year.
For those that missed the bike’s “concept” debut at the Tokyo Motor Show, the machine takes a riff on the old “CT” bikes from the 1960’s and adds a modern touch, as well as the 125cc single-cylinder engine found in the Honda Grom.
Some shocking news from down under, as former AMA Pro Superbike champion Mat Mladin has been arrested and charged for a variety of sex crimes with a child.
The news comes from Australia’s Daily Telegraph – which we feel obligated to say is considered the least trustworthy major news outlet in Australia – and outlines several different crimes that Mladin is accused of committing.
Cleveland Cyclewerks is known better for its low-cost small-displacement gas motorcycles, but now they have something a bit more electrifying in their lineup.
Say hello the Falcon, an electric motorcycle that continues the Cleveland Cyclewerks focus, but in a new way.
The electric Cleveland Cyclewerks Falcon has a futuristic look to match its modern drivetrain, but it still fills that small-displacement role that the American brand has carved out for itself.
As you can imagine, the coronavirus outbreak has disrupted many plans in the motorcycle industry, especially as the virus comes right during the new-bike launch season. With events canceled left and right, brands are either having to postpone the debut of their new models, or think creatively on how to adapt.
Tomorrow, Asphalt & Rubber gets to see Ducati’s solution to this problem, and you do too, as the Bologna brand is going to live stream to the public the launch of the new Streetfighter V4.
To be honest, it was a bit of surprise when last week MV Agusta announced that it was going to keep its factory open in Varese.
Situated in the hard-hit Lombardy region of Italy, the move seemed counter-intuitive to what was happening to the region because of the coronavirus.
Now, we get word that MV Agusta is going to close its factory, after the Italian Prime Minister announced on Sunday night more restrictive measures for prevention and containment of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Well before the firing of Harley-Davidson CEO Matt Levatich (and it was a firing, no matter how much the Bar & Shield brand touts its “mutual decision” narrative), there has been a wrestling of control over the future of the iconic American motorcycle brand.
Dwindling share prices on the New York Stock Exchange necessitated a change of regime at Harley-Davidson, as shareholders saw a continued loss on their investment with the Milwaukee firm; and thus, a loss of confidence in management’s ability to run the company.
Now with Matt Levatich out and Jochen Zeitz taking on the role of interim CEO and President of Harley-Davidson, a new battle is being fought – what is known in the investing world as a proxy fight.
Where will you be in 100 years time? It is certainly an interesting question, especially when you consider what we have seen in the past century of time.
Before the internet, before cellphones, before computers or televisions…before even sliced bread…there was Suzuki. That is right, this stalwart of the motorcycle industry just clocked its 100th birthday.
What you are looking at here is a Ducati Hypermotard 1100. Well…it started life as a giant Italian supermoto, but after finding itself in the workshop of Russian outfit Balamutti, this Bologna Bullet is leading a very different life as a three-wheeled ice machine.
If you look closely, you can still see the Hypermotard’s steel trellis frame, single-sided swingarm, and its air-cooled v-twin engine. But, you will also notice the extra wheel at the front of the leaning reverse-trike, as well as a supercharger, studded tires, and controls that look like they belong on a Star Wars speeder.
This is because Balamutti’s Vitaliy Selyukov intends to race the machine, which he calls “Yondu” (after the Guardians of the Galaxy character), at the Baikal Mile – an ice speed festival that takes place each year in Siberia, near the Mongolian border…and Selyukov intends on making his ice runs in style.
It would perhaps be easier to list which models BMW Motorrad USA is not recalling today with NHTSA, as many of the brands newer motorcycles fall afoul of the vehicle code pertaining to rear brake light operation.
Nevertheless we will give it a go, as the following bikes (4,026 units in total) are being recalled for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment”:
BMW F900R, BMW F900XR, BMW S1000RR, BMW F750GS, BMW F850GS, BMW F850GS Adventure, BMW R1250GS, BMW R1250GS Adventure, BMW R1250RS, BMW R1250R, BMW RnineT, BMW RnineT Pure, and BMW RnineT Scrambler from the 2020 model year. The 2019-2020 BMW S1000R motorcycles are also affected by this recall.
It was perhaps only a matter of time before Harley-Davidson would have to halt the production lines at its US factories, but that time is now, and it comes after the Bar & Shield brand discovered yesterday that a worker tested positive for COVID-19.
The employee worked at the Pilgrim Road Powertrain Operations facility, and tested positive Wednesday afternoon for the coronavirus. As a result, Harley-Davidson is halting production at this factory, as well as suspending operations at its York and Tomahawk facilities.
Harley-Davidson says that it will close these factories until March 29th, in order to help “support employee health and further bolster coronavirus containment efforts.”