UPDATE 2: The 2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R has been out testing at Suzuka, click here for photos and video.
UPDATE: Kawasaki has released a concept sketch and teaser video of the 2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R
MotoRevue’s Jérôme Vannesson has been at it again with his Photoshop mastery. This time the Frenchman imagines what the 2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R could look like, and if the real deal is anything close to this work, Kawi fans are in for a real treat. Well done Jérôme.
TTXGP will be getting an added layer of transparency for 2011, as the Azhar “The Czar” Hussain has put his electric motorcycle racing series rule book up in wiki form, and invited competitors and experts to make, modify, and discuss the regulations that TTXGP competitors will have to adhere to in 2011. Acting as arbitrator and moderator over the wiki is lawyer Harry Mallin, which electric motorcycle fans might know better as Brammofan.
After much back and forth, Kawasaki has finally announced that Tom Sykes will be joining Christopher Vermeulen on its factory World Superbike team, riding the 2010 Kawasaki ZX-10R. Sykes, who is currently Ben Spies’ partner at Sterilgarda Yamaha, will be making the switch to Team Green, where he will once again be playing second fiddle.
All the factory rides in MotoGP are now officially tied up as both Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso have signed contracts with Repsol Honda for next year’s MotoGP season. Specifically, Pedrosa has agreed to a one-year extension on his contract, while Dovizioso has signed a deal for 2010, with an option for the 2011 season.
It’s official, Yamaha announced today that Ben Spies will remain in World Superbike with the Yamaha factory team for the 2010 season. However in 2011, Spies will move up to MotoGP series, where he’ll join a Yamaha satellite team (likely Tech3 Yamaha).
As we reported earlier this week, Ducati has allegedly handed Lorenzo a very generous monetary offer to ride for the Bologna team for the next two seasons, replacing the ill and questionable Casey Stoner. Reliable sources are now stating that Lorenzo and Marlboro/Ducati have come to a basic agreement, and that a deal could be announced at the Indianapolis GP.
You may remember that we reported earlier in July that Jorge “Aspar” Martinez was closing-in on realizing his dream of racing in the MotoGP series. Well, that day is finally upon us now. While at Donington Park this past weekend, Aspar announced that a deal with Ducati had indeed been reached.
The Spanish team principle will run a satellite Ducati team with a solitary bike, however a rider has yet to be determined. Alvaro Bautista, the most logical choice to pilot Aspar’s Ducati, has said that within the next few weeks he will make a decisions as to whether he will join MotoGP. Should he decide to move up to the premiere class, you can bet that he will land on the Spanish team.
MCN is reporting that there will be no new ZX-10R debuted this year, as Kawasaki is breaking out of their 2-year production cycle in order to focus on a WSBK killer for the 2011 season.
You’ll have to scroll all the way down the 18th spot in the World Superbike Championship standings if you want to seen Team Green represented. Even BMW with their brand new bike, and first entry into true sportbike territory, has found greater success in the world production motorcycle racing venue (currently 16th & 17th in the WSBK standings).
We’re not sure how accurate this rumor is at this point, but it is clear that if Kawasaki wants to be a “race on Sunday, sell on Monday” company, they have room for improvement.
Source: MCN
MotoGP’s CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta has just signed an agreement to have a round of the the 2011 MotoGP season be hosted in Singapore. Now, all that needs to happen is for there to be a MotoGP caliber track in Singapore that the 2011 two-wheeled warriors can actually race around.