Episode 44 of the Two Enthusiasts Podcast is very special, because we have our very first guest on the show, Michael Lock from AMA Pro Racing. Some of you might know Lock as the man behind the freshly rebranded American Flat Track series, and he has deep roots in the motorcycle industry, leading the US efforts for Ducati and Triumph, as well as working for Honda in the UK and across Europe. As such, we had a very interesting time picking Lock’s brain about the current state of the US motorcycle industry, what is wrong with road racing, and what he is doing with flat track (with a bevy of side topics along the way, of course). You will want to grab some provisions before hitting the play button on this show, because this one is super long (two hours) – we just didn’t want to cut out any of Lock’s insights.
KTM is the new kid on the block, for the 2017 MotoGP season – and it is clear from the test times at Phillip Island that the Austrian brand has some work left to do on its V4-powered race bike. The 2017 KTM RC16 is notably slower than its competitors, though shows a great deal of promise – especially as just a newcomer to the series. KTM’s riders, Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro, will be looking to tame KTM’s monstrously powerful engine into something that can put the power to the tarmac, and they will also be looking to refine the steel-tube chassis into a proper scalpel on two wheels. In other words, the 2017 season will be a development season. Though a rookie season it will be, KTM’s partnership with Red Bull means that the squad is no stranger when it comes to marketing and presentation.
After three glorious days for MotoGP testing, the weather at Phillip Island has taken a turn for the worse. The…
Elena Myers hung up her leathers a little over a year ago, saying that she could not secure enough funding for the 2016 season – a common enough story in the American road racing paddock – but seemingly other issues were percolating below the surface of that statement. Giving an extensive account to the Philadelphia magazine, Myers describes a narrative about how a sexual assault during a hotel massage changed not only her life, but also lead to her quitting the sport she loved. The account is a disheartening one, and it goes beyond just allegations of an assault by a masseur, as it spills into the all-too-familiar reality of how the indifference and unwillingness of others come part and parcel with what is already a serious crime.
On Friday at Phillip Island, shortly after a quarter to four in the afternoon, local time, a new chapter started…
The new superbikes from Honda and Suzuki have been grabbing the headlines recently, but its the updated Aprilia RSV4 RR and Aprilia RSV4 RF superbikes that we are most excited to see for 2017. The factory in Noale, Italy has been smart about consistently updating the RSV4, keeping its stout superbike package constantly relevant – the 2017 model year machines are no different. New for this year is improved suspension, brakes, and electronics (now with cornering ABS), along with Euro4 homologation, which comes without a power decrease, thanks to an extra 300 rpm from the lighter engine components. The 2017 Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 RR and Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 Factory get similar upgrades, and help to round out Aprilia’s sport bike lineup.
Wanted: Tall, Leggy, Blonde who is capable of holding an umbrella….and looking really good while she does it. Bonus if…
