Tag

test

Browsing

MotoGP testing has concluded at the Losail International Circuit just outside of Doha, Qatar, and sees Casey Stoner making a late push to take the top spot at what has become one of his top tracks in the past years. There was some doubt with Stoner though, as Rossi lead almost all of Thursday’s sessions, and was biting on Stoner’s heels today. Surprise appearances from the test come in the form of Ben Spies, Andrea Dovizioso, and Randy de Puniet. Spies finished Thursday third quickest, and was the fourth quickest rider overall. Dovi took the honors as the fastest Honda, but was challenged by de Puniet on Thursday for that spot. Thursday the French rider was 5th quickest, and managed to keep his shirt on despite the hot weather in Doha.

Friday saw Nicky Hayden make progress with the Ducati Desmosedici, while Colin Edwards slipped down the overall grid Friday, despite his strong numbers Thursday and consistent runs during both test days. Lorenzo and Pedrosa were both present for the track test, but not in spirit. Both riders were suffering from injuries, and it showed in their performance under the hot desert lights. Check past the jump for a full timing sheet.

After injuring his hand earlier this year, Jorge Lorenzo has been sitting out MotoGP’s testing days, trying to recover in time for the upcoming season. Now leaving a post on his Facebook page, Lorenzo confirms that he will be at the Qatar test later next month. Surely with this message, all eyes will be trained on the Middle-Eastern track, looking for the first signs that Lorenzo will be able to dethrone the reigning World Champion Rossi.

With the 2010 World Superbike Championship series getting underway in only one week’s time, WSBK riders are getting their last days of testing in at Phillip Island before the season opener next Sunday. If this weekend’s testing is any idication of what we can expect from next weekend while under race and qualifying conditions, then Michel Fabrizio looks like the man to beat. The Italian lead the testing sessions on his Xerox Ducati with a lap time of 1?31.650. Continue on for footage of the testing session by SuperbikeTV, and testing session times from Australia.

Moto2 testing was underway in Catalunya this week, but rain sidelined a substantial portion of that testing event. For the Moto2 teams, this meant a rare opporunity to get familiar with thier machinery was lost, but for the roving eye of Italian site GPone.com, it was an opportunity to take a gander at some very beautiful race motorcycles.

Despite all the teams having the same Honda-sourced, 600cc, four-cylinder, four-stroke motor, there is a large variety in body styling and chassis approach. Check the RSV, Moriwaki, BQR, Kalex, Tech3 Mistal, and Suter MMX bikes out after the jump.

Kawasaki UK has announced that it has setup a new website where interested riders can sign up to test ride a Kawasaki street machine from their local dealer. The site, kawasakitestride.co.uk, let’s riders search for new and used green machines by location, and then schedule a test ride directly with the dealerships. While this doesn’t affect us American riders too much, it’s a sign that the at least some portion of the Japanese motorcycle manufacturers are revaluating the motorcycle purchasing process.

Asphalt & Rubber has been out of the office for most of this President’s Day weekend, but we’re back now and eager to make it up to you. We’ve got some great stories that we’ll roll out this week, but while we put them together we thought we’d tide you over with this video that showcases the development process of the 2010 BMW S1000RR superbike. The video highlights the planning, designing, and testing of BMW’s first true sportbike, which gives an interesting perspective into the bike’s creation. Click past the break to watch the video, and go ahead and queue up your own music because this soundtrack is el horriblé.

MotoGP riders tested at Sepgang for the second time today, after waiting for the Malaysian track to dry out from the looming rains. For their second outing, Ben Spies gets the most improved award, as the Texan rookie moved up from yesterday’s 12th place testing position (2’03.142) to being the 5th quickest man around the track (2’02.266) today. Spies had complained of jetlag yesterday, but with nearly a second dropped off his pace, it would seem he got a full night’s sleep last night. The Malaysian outing has been especially good for Tech3 Yamaha, which saw Colin Edwards as the 3rd quickest man yesterday.

After Ducati’s launch of their 2010 Desmosedici GP10 at the Wrooom event, which saw the team’s return to a “big bang” firing order, Fiat Yamaha is set to also take the wraps off their 2010 MotoGP race machine, and will do so at the MotoGP test in Sepang, Malaysia scheduled for February 4th. The release will not only include the Fiat Yamaha team, but also showcase the M1’s new race livery (good money is on a blue/white color scheme).

Continuing to develop their MotoGP entry, FB Corse has announced their intent to participate in the Qatar testing session, which is schedule to start on March 17th. In confirming their attendance in Qatar, FB Corses Principal Andrea Ferrari also confirmed that the team would not be attending MotoGP’s testing session at Sepang, Malaysia in February. More on this and sneak photos of the FB Corse MotoGP race bike after the jump.

Those motorcycle journalists who braved the 12+ hour flight to Japan for the Tokyo Auto Show did not do so in vain as a select group got a chance to take the new 2010 Honda VFR1200F out for a spin on the track. In what is not only a rare glimpse of fine motorcycle journalism, we get to see footage of the look and feel of the new sport-tourer. Check out the video after the jump.

It would appear we do not need to wait until Fall to see the new VFR in its final, or near final form. MCN lead this morning with an article showing what they reputed to be leaked photos of the 2010 VFR1200 from Honda.

We, like many others, we skeptical of this news, both in part because of the source, but also because the reputed final version so closely matched mock-ups of the new bike that we’ve seen for months now.

Our skeptism may be unfounded this time, as auto news site Left Lane News has simultaneously released spy shots of the VFR testing in the California desert that would appear to rain on MCN’s parade of having “the scoop of the year”.