mika
Still Wondering
thevintagent.blogspot.com: Behind the podium at Las Vegas
V-ery interestingeffectively cut off one cylinder decrease your displacement in half while converting that cylinder into a supercharger and adding more horses in the process.
thekneeslider.com: Ducati V-One Twin to supercharged single conversion
gizmag.com: Xtreme GreenÔÇÖs US$8000 65mph electric motorcycle set for launch.
Honda has spent the last couple years building new production plants in Japan while shutting down then redoing or redefining plants elsewhere in the world. Does Honda know something about 2009?
dealernews.com: Honda plans three-month production freeze in S.C.
Discussed at length on the forum in several threads, Cyrilhusblog.com confirms that Myrtle Beach city council has gone forward with their intended actions.
cyrilhuzeblog.com: Effective 2009 Myrtle Beach will no longer host motorcycle rallies
And some members complain about having to travel 90 miles to a dealer.
cyrilhuzeblog.com: Paying tribute to the only Harley repair mechanic in Cuba
motorcyclenews.com: Review ÔÇô 2009 BMW G650GS
mc24.no: No crisis for BMW
I have been looking through some old Morning Reads and mining some other blogs to find different sources. In the process I came across an old source I had misplaced along the way.
thebeachcruiser.com: Brad PittÔÇÖs bike breakdown
ATTGAT with style?
Bikes in the Fast Lane: Steel Denim ÔÇô Motorcycle Jeans
burszilla.com: Arai XD3 review
supebikeplanet.com: Ducati 851, where it all started
Kawasaki still has not made its NA plans clear. But their European arm that runs the WSBK and WSS team has. Hope springs enternal.
worldsbk.com: Full speed ahead for Kawaskai SBK and SS racing programmes
This may seem a redundant story but the focus here isnÔÇÖt Kawasaki moved its WSBK effort to Paul Bird and in the process of withdrawing from MotoGP there were questions if it and its other production teams would be able to retain or acquire new sponsors.
roadracing world.com: Paul Bird Kawasaki Superbike team renews with primary sponsors
The
motogpmatters: Ilmor ÔÇ£Interested in Moto2ÔÇØ
oliepeil.nl: Norton in 600GP?
amaproracing.com: AMA Pro announces sanctioned 2009 Test Days and Regulations
MJM will be racing in the AMA
roadracingworld.com: Michael Jordan Motorsports confirms deal with American Suzuki
motorsport.com: MX sports news
formula1.com: Formula1.com welcomes technical illustrator Giorgio Piola
Rumors continue to surround the F1 team formally know as Honda. A dozen names have been associated with purchasing it. One of the questions is what engine the team would sport, would it be last years Honda engine modified to meet the new regulations of would another manufacturer supply and engine.
Michael Schumacher was rumored as a potential buyer. This was in part linked to what role Schummi would play after the end of his current contract with Ferrari. Suddenly Ferrari was suggested as an engine supplier and as quickly Ferrari has denied that it would supply engines.
Now grandprix.com asks ÔÇô A Honda-Mercedes-Benz?
Mercedes-Benz TV: Detroit Motor Show 2009
<object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,16,0" width="496" height="309" id="fullscreen" align="middle"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://iptv.mercedes-benz.tv/player.swf?clipId=868&channelId=0&lang=en" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#333333" /><embed src="http://iptv.mercedes-benz.tv/player.swf?clipId=868&channelId=0&lang=en" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" bgcolor="#333333" width="496" height="309" name="fullscreen" align="middle" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" /></object>
BMW-web.tv: BMW at the NAIAS
<object width="425" height="271"><param name="FlashVars" value="requestUrl=http://www.bmw-web.tv/en/stage/playerxml?items%5B0%5D=9aQYPyl"/><param name="movie" value="http://www.bmw-web.tv/en/player.swf?requestUrl=http://www.bmw-web.tv/en/stage/playerxml?items%5B0%5D=9aQYPyl" /><embed src="http://www.bmw-web.tv/en/player.swf?requestUrl=http://www.bmw-web.tv/en/stage/playerxml?items%5B0%5D=9aQYPyl" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="271" allowfullscreen="true" FlashVars="requestUrl=http://www.bmw-web.tv/en/stage/playerxml?items%5B0%5D=9aQYPyl"></embed></object>
LetÔÇÖs start a rumor. We can call it bench racing speculation but that is how rumors get started some times. All good rumors blend just enough fact with pure speculation that they take on a life of their own.
In December the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme, the FIM, announced it in 2011 it will replace the current 250 GP two stroke series with a four stroke series to be called Moto2 and be based around four stroke engines with a maximum of 600cc.
Cost containment is built into this series. This has become something of the Holy Grail for sanctioning bodies and promoters these days in any racing series. The FIM has taken a different spin of sorts when it came to developing the rules and focus of this class.
In simple terms the rules take a four stroke engine with a limit of 600cc and limit what can be done to develop the engine. There are limits on induction systems, valve trains, rev limits to increase engine life and all the things that other series worry will make their series boring.
There are cost savings to be had in other areas. The electronics such as traction control and other electrical systems will be limited or not allowed. The ECU will be provided by the promoter. No carbon fiber brakes and list of permitted construction materials will be issued in the future.
What makes this series proposal interesting is the rules are focused on prototype chassis development. No production bike parts will be permitted for the frame, swing arm, fuel tank, seat and cowling, meaning that these aspects of the machine will also be left to the manufacturer and designers?? discretion.
That is the background for the new series. Now it is time to tie our bench racing rumor to another series and rumor. The Super Sport class in the World SuperBike series has a similar 600cc four stroke limits. The chassis is a production based chassis. There have been many rumors floating around that BMW will enter this class which have been reported in the Morning Reads and now in MOTORREADS. I have been particularly partial to the one which has BMW developing a 675cc triple permitted under the Super Sport class rules.
That is until December. Now I wonder why they would enter the Super Sport class and am intrigued with the idea of BMW entering Moto2 with a four cylinder bike.
The race engine for Moto2 should not be a great development leap for BMW. At the same time they could develop a street engine that may only share the same capacity but when released will gain exposure from BMWÔÇÖs participation in Moto2.
The thing that captures my imagination and it seems I hope captures BMWÔÇÖs also, is the focus of Moto2 on chassis design. Here is a chance for BMW to take on the rest of the racing world with a clean sheet of design paper at the same time they are forced by the new class to do the same. BMW has something of history of innovation with suspensions as an early adopter of the hydraulic fork, the telaleaver and duoleaver suspensions. Shaft drives have required innovations in chassis design. In the process of experimenting and demonstrating chassis innovations they will be showing the motorcycling buying world they are a technology leader.
What if they were to incorporate the transmission and swing arm design of the G450 into a Moto2 bike? Would incorporating this allow the space within a sport performance wheelbase to take the duolever racing? If the materials list allows carbon fiber in the frame why not develop a carbon fiber frame?
I can make all sorts of arguments why this makes sense from business marketing and racing standpoints. How this chance to innovate in chassis design could trickle down to the street over the years and be a benefit to all who ride BMWs in the future. I havenÔÇÖt worked them all out yet but heck the FIM hasnÔÇÖt worked out all the rules for the class yet.
Here are links to the FIM announcement and MotoGPs description of the new class. Take a look at them and see what you think. After you have had a chance to read them lets do some bench racing maybe start a rumor and influence BMWÔÇÖs racing plans in the process.
FIM rule announcement pdf
MotoGPÔÇÖs overview of the new class
<script src="http://nmp.newsgator.com/NGBuzz/buzz.ashx?buzzId=81524&apiToken=E138700B37294DFBA31F8D381F0BDC47&trkP=&trkM=1EE7D72C-FFAF-F80B-7991-6E32E1044168" type="text/javascript"></script>
WOOT.com
Bike Candy
Via-ottonero.com
Comments:
