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COVID-19 & MotoGP, Where Are We Now? How Marshals May Be the Next Stumbling Block

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On the day that practice was supposed to get underway for the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez, we are still a very long way from any racing happening.

Instead of riders warming up for the fifth race of the season, they are preparing for the third eSports race of 2020, to be played on the brand new MotoGP 20 computer game. It is also the first Virtual Grand Prix, featuring riders from all three classes, instead of just MotoGP.

It’s something, for many fans, but it’s not the same. Seeing bikes battle it out for an hour so in a computer game, and enjoying the banter between the riders, is entertaining, but it misses the visceral pleasure of real racing. Three days of practice, the roar of engines, the squeal of rubber, the scraping of kneepads over asphalt, the smell of hot oil.

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Recall

Get Ready for Another Big Brembo Brake Worldwide Recall

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Our Bothan spy sources are telling us the the Ducati 1299 Superleggera recall from yesterday is just the tip of the iceberg of what is coming from Brembo, as the Italian brake supplier’s affected brake pads are in multiple makes and models throughout the USA and worldwide (editor’s note: we see Triumph now making the same recall today as Ducati).

For those keeping track, this is the second time that Brembo has seen a large recall for its brake pads because the friction material might become separated from the backing plate. And like the Brembo recall for its master cylinder piston failure, this is something that is going to affect a number of motorcycle brands, as Brembo is a large OEM supplier.

Our sources are telling us that thousands of bikes in the United States will be affected by this recall, though thankfully the fix for the brake pad failure is pretty easy – one only has to change out the brake pads for new ones.

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News

Ducati 1299 Superleggera Recalled for Brake Pad Failure

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If you are the lucky owner of a Ducati 1299 Superleggera, then you should pay attention to this recall from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as it pertains to all 97 of these bikes that are in the USA.

The recall comes from an issue with the brake pads, which may see the brake pad’s friction material detaching from the brake pad’s back plate. This can happen specifically, but not exclusively, for motorcycles that have been operated in corrosive environments.

According to the recall documents, if this occurs, the distance between the braking plate and brake disk cannot be balanced with a single action on the brake master cylinder, rendering the brake pad ineffective and defective. Accordingly, potentially defective pads can increase vehicle stopping distances.

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Recall

KTM 790 Adventure Recalled for Rear Brake Failure

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If you are one of the lucky few who have managed to put a KTM 790 Adventure or KTM Adventure R in your garage, well today’s news won’t sound quite as lucky. This is because the Austrian brand is recalling these models for an issue with the rear braking system.

The issue stems from the fact that the rear brake hose can overheat during hard use, which can lead to the brakes failing. This is obviously a safety hazard, hence the recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In total, 3,164 units are involved in this recall.

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MotoGP

When Will We Go Racing Again? Nobody Knows

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Red flag at the 2019 Australian GP for MotoGP

When we will be able to go racing? That’s the question everybody wants an answer to, as MotoGP and WorldSBK rounds are canceled seemingly every week.

The COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak has cast a pall over the world that not even motorcycle racing can escape. This week, MotoGP was canceled at Mugello and Barcelona.

Last week, it was MotoGP at Le Mans, the week before that, Jerez MotoGP and Assen WorldSBK. Each race is canceled as it heaves into view on the calendar.

So when will we be able to go racing again? I don’t know. You don’t know. The truth is, nobody knows, not even Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta or FIM president Jorge Viegas.

Because it is out of their hands. Organizing a world championship motorcycle race is complicated, and requires large numbers of people and equipment to cross multiple national borders using various modes of transport.

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News

Indian Challenger Recalled for Insufficient Lube

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2020 Indian Challenger

The Indian Motorcycle brand is recalling its newest creation, the Indian Challenger because the engine output shaft bearing may not have been sufficiently lubricated during the motorcycle’s assembly, which could possibly result in the bearing failing at a very low mileage.

This gets us to a recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration because operating a motorcycle that was assembled with an improperly lubricated output shaft bearing may result in unintended or sudden deceleration, which may increase the risk of a crash.

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News

MV Agusta Closes Factory After New Government Restrictions

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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.

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Recall

BMW Is Recalling A Bevy of Models for Faulty Brake Lights

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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.

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News

Harley-Davidson Halts US Production After Positive COVID-19 Case

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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.”

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News

Ducati Factory Will Remain Closed Through March 25th

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As the spread of the coronavirus continues, motorcycle manufacturers in Europe (especially in Italy) are having to continuously adjust their plans and expectations.

Accordingly, we get news that Ducati Motor Holding will continue to suspend and augment its factory activities through March 25th, pushing back its reopen date as the situation in Italy continues to worsen.

For the Italian brand, the move isn’t a total disruption, as the factory was already slated for closure between March 13th and today, March 18th.

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