Tag

Monza

Browsing

It was Suzuki who drew first blood, breaking the 200mph barrier at Monza, but it was Max Biaggi who set the bar the highest today during World Superbike FP1 practice. Clocking 203.21 mph (nearly 327 kph) down the straight, Biaggi broke the WSBK top speed record, but still fell short of the all-time superbike record, which was also set at Monza, and also by an Aprilia.

Last week, Fabrizio Pellizzon clocked 203.4 mph on his CIV spec’d Aprilia RSV4. Either way you look at it, the Alitalia Aprilia team is sure to be a force in Italy this week.

After getting grounded by a run amuk volcano, Team Yoshimura Suzuki is set to race in WSBK at the upcoming round in Monza, Italy. The team was originally set to race at Assen this past weekend, but having to fly from Japan, that possibility was dashed as flights were cancelled in and out of Europe.

Now as flights are once again moving, the team has merely shifted its wildcard racing plans, and set its sights on the Italian circuit. At Monza the team will used a modified version of its 2010 Suzuki GSX-R1000, which just won the Suzuki 8 Hours endurance race. At the helm of the Yoshimura Suzuki will be team rider Yukio Kagayama.

max-biaggi-monza-wsbk

The first chicane of the Monza circuit is notorious for accidents and hated by all racers because it tightens into a dangerous and tight funnel. Race 1 of the World Superbike Championship at Monza would not be spared of the dangers of the first chicane as a terrifying accident brought the race to an almost immediate halt with five riders seriously involved. Race 1 would continue to prove itself to be full of surprises as more riders ran in to different sorts of difficulty throughout the race’s duration. Continue reading for more and spoilers.

bmw-s1000rr-street-bike-monza-green-1

Before the World Superbike race at Monza this weekend, BMW officially revealed the S1000RR street bike that they have been teasing us with over the past 6 months. The bike isn’t the prettiest, but it has it where it counts. Tipping the scales at 183kg dry (403lbs), and 204kg wet (449.7lbs), the S1000RR makes a claimed 193hp at 13,000 RPMs, and 82.5 lb•ft of torque at 9,750RPMs. The S1000RR will also feature a four-stage ABS and race-derived traction control system. All this, and a price tag that BMW promises will be competitive against the Japanese manufacturers.

The S1000RR’s other features include a slipper clutch, six-speed gearbox, fully adjustable 46mm USD forks, fully adjustable rear monoshock, ride height adjustment at the rear, Brembo brakes (with radial-mount callipers at the front), and an aluminium chassis that uses the engine as a load-bearing member. The swingarm features an eccentric pivot, enabling different adjustments to raise and lower the height of the S1000RR in order to change the bike’s steering geometry. What’s not to like?…Besides the headlight. Tons of photos and a video after the jump.