Latest Posts:
Asphalt & Rubber
Tag

satellite

Browsing
MotoGP

Suzuki or Yamaha: The Dilemma of Marc VDS Racing

By No Comments

The Tech3 team’s decision to switch from Yamaha to KTM is having major consequences. With the Yamaha satellite bikes available, and with Suzuki ready to step up and supply a satellite team with bikes, teams are having to make choices they have never considered before.

This luxury is indicative of the current health of the MotoGP grid: once upon a time, a satellite Yamaha or Honda team would never even consider switching to another manufacturer. Now, there are four competitive satellite-bike suppliers to choose from.

So who will end up with the satellite Yamahas for 2019 and beyond, and where does that leave Suzuki?

Speaking to some of the protagonists involved in the situation, it seems that although nothing is settled as of this moment, a decision is likely to be taken soon. Meetings are planned for Jerez which will play a crucial role in sorting out the satellite bike shuffle for next season.

The key player in all of this is the Marc VDS MotoGP team. The Belgian team has the financial resources, the staff, and the riders which allow them to pick and choose their partners.

They have made no secret of their intention to leave Honda, after disappointment over the level of support they have received. But they have been caught between Yamaha and Suzuki now for the past couple of months.

Keep Reading
By
MotoGP

Fast Factories vs. Suffering Satellites – Hervé Poncharal on the Plight of Independent Teams in MotoGP

By 28 Comments

“I am not a very happy man,” Tech 3 boss Hervé Poncharal told us on the Thursday before Barcelona. His problem? Attracting competitive riders to take the seats vacated by Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro.

Their destination was emblematic of Poncharal’s problem: at Barcelona, Espargaro announced he would be reunited with his Tech 3 teammate in the factory KTM team in 2017 and 2018.

So Poncharal found himself with the looming likelihood of fielding two rookies in 2017. The Tech 3 boss signed Jonas Folger back in Le Mans, while Johann Zarco is the prime candidate to fill the second Tech 3 seat.

Zarco is currently in Japan testing Suzuki’s GSX-RR MotoGP machine. He is expected to sign with Tech 3 once Suzuki have announced they are signing Alex Rins to partner Andrea Iannone.

The original hope was either to keep Pol Espargaro alongside Folger, to ensure consistency of results, or welcome Alex Rins into the fold on a factory Yamaha contract.

Either way, it would ensure the publicity which is vital to keeping sponsors happy. Two rookies and no factory connections is a lot less appealing to the people who help provide the €8-€9 million it costs to run the Tech 3 team.

Keep Reading
By
Reviews

Ride Review: Riding the BMW S1000RR Superstock, Satellite Superbike, and Factory World Superbikes

By 2 Comments

Our good friends over at OmniMoto.it have shared with us today their experience riding BMW’s World Supersport and World Superbike S1000RR machinery. Getting a chance to flog the bikes of Sylvain Barrier, Lorenza Zanetti, Ayrton Badovini, James Toseland, Leon Haslam, and Troy Corser around the famous Monza circuit in Italy, OmniMoto’s Lorenzo Gargiulo certainly had a tough day in the office. Even translated into English, this Italian bike tester is well…very Italian in his assessments, but we think the subtle differences between the Superstock, satellite Superbike, and factory Superbike shine through in his writing. Enjoy. — Ed.

There are opportunities in the moto-journalism profession that are to be jumped on, and this is one of them. I could tell you the story about how today, in order to reach Monza to try the three motorcycles I’m about to write about, I slept only 3 hours, or how I had to work on a Saturday, and how I had to somehow fit in 1,000 other obligations and make up a lot of excuses in order to free my schedule, but the basic fact is the following: the opportunity to ride on a track, three SWBK motorcycles is so overwhelming that everything else became of secondary relevance.

So, when I received the invite from BMW to go ride around Monza with the very best of its motorcycles, my response was simply the most obvious one… I’m COMING!

Keep Reading
By
Racing

Colin Edwards Signs One-Year Contract with Tech3

By 4 Comments

Officially announced after today’s Aragon GP, Colin Edwards has signed-on with Monster Yamaha Tech3 for another year of racing with the satellite team. In what was Edwards’ 100th appearance on a Yamaha, the Texan had a disappointing finish, but has seen his best results while on the French team. Edwards will join his new teammate for next year, Cal Crutchlow, and help the British rider come up to speed on the 800cc Yamaha MotoGP bike, and the pair is highly favored to be the top satellite riders next season.

“I am delighted to have signed a new one-year contract with the Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team,” said the Texan Tornado. “I want to say a big thanks to Yamaha and to Tech3 for their unwavering support. I am honoured to continue my long and successful relationship with Yamaha, Herve Poncharal and all at Tech3. I love the team and feel like part of a big family and I’m thrilled that our adventure together is continuing next year.”

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

Aprilia RSV4 Biaggi Replica: 200hp, 175kg, €50,000

By 8 Comments

UPDATE: Aprilia has confirmed that the Aprilia RSV4 Biaggi Replica will not be available for purchase directly in the US, and is bought directly from Aprilia Racing in Italy. The Aprilia RSV4 Biaggi Replica is also upgradeable via Aprilia Racing’s catalog, which means gear-driven cam shafts, Biaggi swingarms, and all the other fun go-fast parts that are “publicly” available to meet WSBK regulations.

Well the rumors were true, as the Aprilia RSV4 Biaggi Replica was launched this weekend at the World Superbike races being held at Monza, Italy. Boasting the goodies found on Max Biaggi’s Aprilia RSV4 race bike, the RSV4 Biaggi Replica has an astounding 200hp motor strapped to its anorexic 175kg (385lbs wet sans fuel) frame. For that level of performance, you can expect some sticker shock, and the Aprilia RSV4 Biaggi Replica is no exception. Owning this true race replica will set you back €50,000, but it’s totally worth it, right? Photos and more after the jump.

Keep Reading
By
Rumors

Aprilia RSV4 Race Replica Coming?

By 4 Comments

MotoBlog.it is reporting that Aprilia is set to release a race-spec replica of its RSV4 superbike. While the rumor is not clear if this will be a track-only model, or street-legal race rep like the Desmosedici RR, what is clear is that the bike is expected come with a WSBK spec motor, chassis, and electronics package.

With a price tagged rumored to be around €50,000, the race replica RSV4 certainly won’t be cheap if it’s built, but compare that price to the €90,000 price tag that comes on Ducati’s 1198RS race bike that teams have to purchase from Bologna if they want to compete in WSBK, and the RSV4 starts looking very affordable. However, with most rumors, we’re not sure this story is all that it’s cracked up to be. Keep reading for our analysis and thoughts.

Keep Reading
By
Racing

Honda Satellite Teams Can Pay-to-Play in MotoGP

By 1 Comment

One of the big criticisms of MotoGP is that it is all but impossible for satellite teams to compete against the factory supported squads. Besides having smaller budgets, satellite teams also have to contend with the fact that their machinery is many revisions behind what the lastest spec is, and in some cases they are relegated to using bikes from the previous season.

The end result of this practice is essentially the 2009 season, where the only riders on the top step were from factory teams (not counting the freak outing at Donington Park), and on any given Sunday, the same four riders are the day’s favorites. Honda however is set to change that in 2010, and is structuring its satellite teams on a pay-to-play basis.

Keep Reading
By
Racing

Randy de Puniet Re-Signs with LCR Honda

By No Comments

There’s no doubt that Randy de Puniet has had an amazing season this year. Finding his rhythm, and staying out of the gravel traps has allowed the sometimes shirtless frenchman to carry the flag for the Honda loyal…all while on a satellite spec machine. It therefore comes as no surprise that de Puniet has seen his contract with LCR extended to next year, and as an added bonus, he will compete in 2010 with a higher spec RC212V.

Keep Reading
By
Racing

Aspar Ducati Satellite Team Official – No Bautista Yet

By 2 Comments

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.

Keep Reading
By