mika
Still Wondering
dealernews.com: Special Report ÔÇô Credit crisis and the [motorcycle] industry
Say it ainÔÇÖt so! In the midst of my own economic meltdown I have held out hope of heading out to California in May for this event.
thevintagent.blogspot.com: 2009 Legend of the Motorcycle postponed.
motoring.co.za: SA bike sales profile changes as cash crunch bites.
The motorcycle market is shifting, or is it?
londonbikers.com: Aprilia showcase automatic 850cc Mana-X Twin
The automatic has be something of technology non grata in the heavyweight class of bikes. Will the scooter boom create a rider market that demands an automatic in the future? I donÔÇÖt know but ApriliaÔÇÖs offering looks cool.
Recently we had a forum debate on the EPA regulations and their potential to kill the motorcycle industry. No doubt the industry is working hard to meet the ever demanding regulations. Cyrilhuzeblog.com reports that Viper Motorcycles has obtained 50 state certification for its new Viper 152 cubic inch V-twin.
Dang, my first car was a ÔÇÖ64 Falcon with a six that was only a few c.i. bigger than that!
Taking the EPA issue is the way Honda may be going in 2010.
solomoto.com: Honda revolution ÔÇô Electric superbike for 2010
Hemmings.com blog writers visited the Harley-Davidson Museum and have some pictures to share. H-D fan or not the new museum is a good ride destination.
BMW has dominated the European police bike market much in the same way Harley-Davidson dominates the US market. That dominance is being challenged by Moto Guzzi. An announcement of Italian police departments buying native is not surprising but 35 Moto Guzzi Norge bikes to the Berlin police has to be a shock to the BMW system.
PiaggioÔÇÖs acquisition of Moto Guzzi offers many good things on the horizon for fans of that marquee. They may have stumbled in managing the move of the historic Moto Guzzi manufacturing plant but the move into new markets shows a commitment to making the brand viable for the long term. For BMW it adds another front to the fight for market share in its own backyard and in Europe in general.
Quantya Swiss electric bikes. Who says you canÔÇÖt have two wheeled fun in winter and be environmentally friendly?
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roadracingworld.com: KTM to campaign 1190 RC8 R in German SBK.
Privateer DMZ or overture for D?®tente?
amasuperbike.com: Currently approved motorcycles to remain eligible for 2009 AMA Pro Racing Season
Grandfathering is not a new concept when rules change. Grandfathering 2008 bikes, under the 2009 AMA Pro Racing rules, has different meaning for privateers, factory teams and fans.
Changes to class and homologation rules are problematic in the best of times for privateer racers. Running on a much thinner dime their equipment must meet the same standards that the factory teams run under. Development periods for privateers are often measured in seasons rather than rapid development programs between races. Changes to rules as AMA Pro Racing announced for 2009 superbike can mean the end of a racing teamÔÇÖs participation rather than the start of a new development program.
Grandfathering in factory terms has its advantages also. It allows a longer development time for the new development. The new a new bike or car may not be ready for the first race. Grandfathering lets the team and riders participate and capture points toward the championship until the new ride is ready.
Fans are a gluttonous group and just want to see good wheel to wheel racing down through the starting grid. With more bikes on the grid there are more chances for interesting duels to develop. Back markers have a way of leveling one factory teamÔÇÖs advantage over another by providing passing challenges that level factory power and return it to the race to a rider against rider event.
Continuity in change is the theme of this announcement. Continuity gives the privateer a DMZ of sorts that allows them to continue to compete and goes a long way to guaranteeing AMA Pro Racing has a field of bikes on the grid while the Alphabet Soup wars wage on. Economics may be the real reason why Honda announced its departure from AMA Pro Racing; however, grandfathering may be an offer of d?®tente to all of factories to stay and race. For the fans ÔÇô we will have a starting grid and wheel to wheel racing.
roadracingworld.com: Aprilia USA announces AMA Pro Racing Program
Aprilia is not announcing a NA ÔÇô SBK effort with this announcement but it may not be far behind. The Japanese have had NA to themselves. Aprilia gave an impressive performance in the recent South African World SBK testing. They have to be worried about what new brands like Aprilia and hopefully BMW appearance on the track will make in the showroom.
worldsbk.com: New BMW set to be a contender.
A fluff piece from SBK to be sure, yet it gives a glimpse at the decisions that need to be made to pull a team together. BMW appears to have made English the official language of its Bavarian superbike garage.
FIM press release
FIM Superbike & Supersport World Championship, Superstock 1000cc, FIM Cup
Championnat du Monde FIM Superbike & Supersport, Coupe FIM Superstock 1000cc
New permanent Race Director ÔÇô Nouveau Directeur dÔÇÖEpreuve permanent
The FIM-SBK Permanent Bureau, composed of Messrs. Vito Ippolito FIM President and Maurizio Flammini, President of FGSport, unanimously decided to nominate Gian Franco Carloia as Permanent Race Director for all FIM Superbike/Supersport World Championships and Superstock FIM Cup events ÔÇô replacing Mr Alberto Fantini.
Gian Franco Carloia, 46 years old, who has been working for FGSport since 1993, holder of a FIM licence for Clerk of the Course since 2000, has been Assistant to the Race Director since 2001 and FGSport representative in the Race Direction as from 2004.
FIM Sports Director Ignacio Verneda said:
ÔÇØFor such an important task it is essential to have an experienced, capable person, and I am convinced that Gian Franco is the right person, as he has already gained a lot of experience in all these years working as assistant to Alberto Fantini and I have no doubt he will do an excellent job. On behalf of the FIM, I would also like to thank Mr Fantini for his very professional job as Race DirectorÔÇØ.
Paolo Flammini, CEO of FGSport declared:
ÔÇ£First of all, IÔÇÖd like to thank Alberto Fantini for his invaluable contribution to the growth of the FIM Superbike World Championship since the very first event in which FGSport was involved. Now itÔÇÖs time for Gian Franco Carloia to take up this important heritage and responsibility. IÔÇÖm sure that Gian Franco will do an outstanding job and I wish him the best possible success in his new position.ÔÇØ
focus-fen.net is reporting that the FIM and the Bulgarian Motorcycle Federation have reached agreement for a new track to be constructed in Bulgaria and join the 2011 MotoGP calendar.
American and Canadian tracks compete on a world stage for the rights to host events. They have existing facilities that have to be paid for, upgraded to meet new rules, accommodate the increasing performance of all the vehicles that compete on them and hopefully make a buck. BFM apparently sees a chance to do all of that. The appeal for a nation like Bulgaria to spend the money to get on the world racing stage is the huge tourism and support businesses that can result from this investment. Put simply race fans leave hard currency behind if you are successful.
New tracks give new venues for fans to see competition in person or on TV. For fans TV is the silver lining to this announcement. Trouble is its lining a cloud over Europe instead of North America.
roadracingworld.com: Mansfield Motorsports Park closing, not Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
A blast from the past
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BMW looses the Clone Wars
autopsies.com Battlestar BMW lost its court case to the Cylon Chinese over the claimed X5 Clone
autocar.uk: Mercedes SLR Sterling Moss revealed as a no topped speedster supercar to mark the end of the SLRÔÇÖs six year run.
autobloggreen.com: Ethanol turns out be the worst type of renewable energy
motoring.co.za: Watch your wheels, scientists begs Dakar racers.
Bow wow : topgear.com Okay itÔÇÖs not you usual small econo box but who says small cars have to boring when you can stuff 380bhp into a KTM X-Bow?
Environmentalist dogged the Dakar when it was in Africa. Now in South America archeologists are raising concern the race could damage future dig sites. Chilean government officials claim that fear has been addressed.
worldofbmw.comRising from the ashes. (The UK promotional piece catches up with the BMW MOA forum.)
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Need to do some last minute shopping for that motorcyclist on your Christmas list? Mike Werner over at Bikes in the Fast Lane has a new helmet that just may be the hot touring gift of the year!
If Santa stuffs you Christmas stocking with cash consider spending it on books for winter reading. Redline Books appears to have an interesting series of books on racing motorcycles in a variety of national flavors.
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WOOT.com
Bike Candy
via: suicidewheels.blogspot.com
Suicide Wheels didnÔÇÖt offer any information but I am still a sucker for a good engine picture. Enjoy.
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