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Asphalt & Rubber
KTM’s Stefan Pierer Gobbles Up 25% of MV Agusta
News

KTM’s Stefan Pierer Gobbles Up 25% of MV Agusta

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The BMW M1000RR Superbike Takes Another Step Forward for 2023
Bikes

The BMW M1000RR Superbike Takes Another Step Forward for 2023

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The BMW S1000RR Gets Wings and Updates for the 2023 Model Year
Bikes

The BMW S1000RR Gets Wings and Updates for the 2023 Model Year

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Racing

Husqvarna Rally Team by Speedbrain – 2013 Dakar Rally

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With the sale of Husqvarna to Pierer Industrie AG, the 2013 Dakar Rally marks the last time that the BMW Group will collaborate with Speedbrain GmbH for its rally and off-road racing duties — a partnership that has lasted since 2006.

Helping commemorate their last outing together, the Speedbrain’s factory-backed Husqvarna team has put together a little tribute video of its final Dakar campaign. Will the team live on with another brand? Only time will tell, but it would seem BMW’s off-road racing days are over.

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News

Ducati Reports 21% Sales Gain in 2012

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As was predicted, Ducati Motor Holdings has posted a very impressive 2012 sales report, with 44,102 motorcycles being delivered to customers last year. Appeasing its new German owners, Ducati also grew 16% in revenues over its 2011 figures. Perhaps more importantly, the American market has solidified its position as the brand’s most important market (the US market posted 21% sales gains as well). With this news, 2012 now officially marks Ducati’s high-water mark in terms of yearly sales figures. Swish.

Racing

KTM’s 2013 Factory Rally Team: Despres Out, Caselli In

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After a last-minute appointment to replace the injured Marc Coma in KTM’s factory rally team for the 2013 Dakar Rally, American Kurt Caselli impressed many with his stellar rookie performance on the South American course. Taking two stage wins, Caselli will join Marc Coma and Ruben Faria on KTM’s factory-backed rally team, which will go by the “Red Bull KTM Factory Racing” name. With Chilean rider Francesco ‘Chaleco’ Lopez also getting full-factory equipment, noticeably absent from KTM’s announcement is five-time Dakar Rally winner Cyril Despres, who is leaving the KTM squad “to move on and face new challenges.”

Racing

Video: Belgian Classic TT

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A video we should probably save for a Throwback Thursday, we bring you this short film by Tim Buys, which features last year’s Belgian TT Classic. A race open to any motorcycle of 40 years age or older, the Clas­sic Racing Motor­cycles Bel­gium (CRMB) holds the Classic TT in Gedinne, Belgium on a short road course that measures 3.15 miles in length. With 22 proper turns and one chicane, it is interesting that the longest straight on the course is only 200 meters long, still the road course is considered to be quite fast for the vintage bikes that race on it. If you like your race bike older than their racers, and your race courses on public roads then we’ve got a special treat for you.

Opinion/Editorial

Motorcycle Racing vs. Social Media: How Dorna Could Turn Losing the Battle into Winning the War

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO8wER-7jrs”

When the news that Dorna would be taking over World Superbikes broke, there was a wave of outrage among fans, expressing the fear that the Spanish company would set about destroying the series they had grown to love. So far, Dorna has been careful not to get involved in debates about the technical regulations which seem to be so close to fans’ hearts, its only criteria so far appearing to be a demand that bikes should cost 250,000 euros for an entire season. Yet it has already make one move which has a serious negative impact on the series: it is clamping down on video footage from inside the paddock.

Bikes

Radical Ducati 7½ Sportiva

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It has been a while since we posted about those crazy Spaniards at Radical Ducati, but long-time readers will remember fondly the exquisite custom motorcycles that Pepo and Reyes have created from the various pieces of Ducati’s finest. It is hard to pick a favorite from machines from the boutique firm, but our moto-lust keeps bringing us back to the Radical Ducati 9½ – a café racer styled motorcycle that uses an ST2 motor, a Monster 900 frame, and a 916 fuel tank and swingarm. Getting its name from the ST2’s 944cc engine displacement, the 9½’s designation should tip-off where the Spanish firm has gone in its creation with the Radical Ducati 7½ Sportiva.

News

Listen to the Pierobon X60R

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Ok, so we here at Asphalt & Rubber may sort of have a growing crush on the Pierobon X60R, an Italian-made sport bike that features an 1,078cc air-cooled Ducati v-twin motor that is wrapped around the company’s custom aluminum tube frame. Your answer to a light air-cooled track weapon, the Pierobon X60R is quite the looker too, and given its power plant pedigree, sight and touch aren’t the only senses it pleases. Check the exhaust note (powered by Termignoni) after the jump.