MOTO NEWS

Kawasaki Talk to Hopkins, Melandri - Elias to Suzuki.

2007-06-05T11:30:00.000+03:00

Confident that they have now produced a bike capable of winning races, Kawasaki are now seeking riders who can deliver results and have already opened talks with Rizla Suzuki's John Hopkins and Gresini Honda's Marco Melandri for 2008. Normally this kind of discussion only surfaces later in the season, but such is the frenzied state of almost everything in MotoGP these days that several teams have

High five for Hopkins in Italy

2007-06-04T14:14:00.000+03:00

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP racer John Hopkins powered his way through the MotoGP field during today’s Italian Grand Prix at Mugello to finish in a fantastic fifth place.Hopkins started from ninth position on the grid and started his fight right from the beginning of the 23-lap race. By lap eight he had moved up into fourth place and was challenging for a podium. The Anglo-American was unable to match

MotoGP: Konica Minolta Honda on their way to United States Grand Prix

2006-07-19T10:06:00.000+03:00

The 2006 MotoGP calendar is very strict. After the German Grand Prix held on the Sachsenring circuit last week end, Makoto Tamada and his Team are already travelling to America where, on Sunday July 23rd, only the MotoGP riders will be on track again for the 2006 eleventh GP at Laguna Seca in California, before summer break.

HAYDON GETS SUZUKI CALL

2006-07-19T10:02:00.000+03:00

Steve Plater has been drafted in by Rizla Suzuki as replacement for injured James Haydon for round nine of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park in Cheshire on Sunday.Plater, four times a race winner in British Superbikes, teams up with Shane Byrne for the weekend."The chance to race the Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000 at Oulton Park this weekend is a dream come true," admitted Plater

D&D Performance Exhaust Releases the Ultimate Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14 Exhaust Pipe

2006-07-17T13:15:00.000+03:00

D&D Performance Exhaust Delivers Dyno-tuned Performance in a new slip-on high performance exhaust pipe with consistent manufacturing excellence for the ultimate Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14 Motorcycle. Fort Worth, Texas (PRWEB) July 16, 2006 -- D&D Performance Exhaust introduces a new slip-on performance exhaust pipe for the all-conquering Kawasaki ZX14 Ninja Motorcycle that increases

Ducati Limited Edition Paul Smart Print

2006-07-17T13:12:00.000+03:00

July 12, 2006 - Ducati has announced the availability of a limited edition, fine art print of Paul Smart on a Ducati at Imola in 1972. Why Imola in 1972? This setting and date are engraved Ducati's racing heritage. When Paul Smart and Bruno Spaggiari came first and second in the inaugural 200-mile race, the Superbike era had officially arrived. Engineer Fabio Taglioni's unproven

German GP: Bridgestone race notes

2006-07-17T12:52:00.000+03:00

Fine Fifth as Five Finish in Top Ten All five of the Bridgestone-shod riders who completed this afternoon's gruelling race at the Sachsenring were classified in the top ten with Ducati's Loris Capirossi heading the quintet with a fine fifth-placed finish. Capirossi was lapping regularly in the 1m23s for two-thirds of the race and ultimately took best-of-the-rest honours leading Kawasaki's

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP ready for Sachsenring?s twists and turns

2006-07-12T09:43:00.000+03:00

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP arrives in Germany this weekend for round 10 of the 2006 MotoGP World Championship, with both its riders eager to continue their recent run of good form.John Hopkins heads to the technical German track on the back of four consecutive top-10 finishes, looking to improve on his current 10th position in the Championship table. Chris Vermeulen secured his best dry qualifying

Strong showing for Yamaha in first Silverstone qualifying

2006-05-29T09:35:00.000+03:00

Yamaha Motor Italia rider Noriyuki Haga shone in first qualifying at a damp and windy Silverstone today, ending the day in fourth place with team-mate Andrew Pitt an equally strong sixth.Morning practice took place in wet conditions and although the track was mostly dry for the one-hour afternoon qualifying, the tricky conditions caught out many big name riders and led to two stoppages caused by

ROBERTS KEEPS GSX-R POLE

2006-05-29T09:32:00.000+03:00

Team Suzuki Press Office ? May 27, 2006 - Jarno van der Marel was the fastest in the wet Suzuki GSX-R Cup Qualifying session today at Silverstone, setting the fastest time of the 40-minute session, but it will be Aussie Brendan Roberts on pole position for tomorrow?s race because of his lap of 1:31.570 yesterday in the dry.Second on the grid for the third round of the Championship is series

Hill storms to surprise pole spot

2006-05-29T09:21:00.000+03:00

British wildcard entrant Tommy Hill claimed pole position for Sunday's two races in round five of the World Superbike Championship at Silverstone.The Yamaha racer clocked one minute 38.001 seconds to finish two-tenths of a second clear of championship leader Troy Bayliss of Ducati.Fellow Briton Chris Walker of Kawasaki was third while reigning world champion Troy Corser was 10th on a

Troy Corser on third row

2006-05-29T09:17:00.000+03:00

Troy suffered tremendous grip problems in Superpole this afternoon at Silverstone and ended with only the tenth fastest time.Because of the heavy rain yesterday both practices took place on a wet track. Although the rain virtually stopped before Superpole began, the organisers decided that it would be a ?Wet Superpole?, with the top sixteen riders having fifty minutes in which to complete a

Nakano, Kawasaki Bring Motogp Back to Spa

2006-05-29T09:05:00.000+03:00

FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium -- The Spa Francorchamps circuit in the Belgian Ardennes reverberated to the sound of a factory Grand Prix race bike for the first time in 16 years on Thursday, as Shinya Nakano put the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR through its paces, watched by Kawasaki riders from Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg.The demonstration ride by Nakano was part of an event organised by Kawasaki Benelux,

MotoGP: Rossi to stick to bikes

2006-05-25T15:36:00.000+03:00

World champion will not switch to Formula 1 and Ferrari (ANSA) - Milan, May 24 - Italian motorcycling ace Valentino Rossi disappointed scores of Ferrari fans on Wednesday when he made it official that he would not be making the switch from two to four-wheel motor racing . In a statement to Italian news agency ANSA, the

MotoGP 250: Red Bull KTM Rider Hiroshi Aoyama Takes Fourth At Le Mans

2006-05-25T15:35:00.000+03:00

Hiroshi Aoyama, the 24-year-old Red Bull KTM GP 250 rider underlined his outstanding performance in the 250cc class with an excellent fourth place finish in the French Grand Prix on the Le Mans circuit. Aoyama settled into fourth place shortly after the start of the 26-lap race and despite a bitter struggle with his opponents,

RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP BEFORE CHINA GP

2006-05-11T12:08:00.000+03:00

Team Suzuki Press Office - May 9, 2006.Rizla Suzuki MotoGP is on its way to the Far East for round four of the 2006 MotoGP World Championship, as the team hopes to build on the encouraging performance in Turkey last week.The Polini Grand Prix of China will be only the second time that MotoGP has visited Shanghai and, during last year?s inaugural race, Rizla Suzuki rider John Hopkins led his first

rizla suzuki motogp ready for turkey

2006-04-27T10:27:00.000+03:00

Apr 25, 2006 Team Suzuki Press Office ? April 25, 2006.Rizla Suzuki MotoGP racers John Hopkins and Chris Vermeulen are eager to get back on their Suzuki GSV-Rs as the MotoGP spectacle heads to Turkey. Both riders are looking forward to returning to a circuit they enjoy racing on: Hopkins is fired up and ready to push his Rizla Suzuki to the limits in search of the podium finish that he is looking

Team Alstare Suzuki Misano test 2006-04-13

2006-04-14T12:50:00.000+03:00

PRODUCTIVE TEST FOR TEAM ALSTARE The two-day tests at Misano proved to be very productive for Team Alstare and all three riders were happy to leave Misano having done good jobs. The weather behaved itself during the two days and for once rain did not spoil play. Troy Bayliss (Ducati) ended up the fastest rider, but that was no surprise as Misano is well regarded as a circuit for 'twins',

Yamaha FZ6: The antidote to super-sizing

2006-04-14T12:41:00.000+03:00

Bigger is better. There's no substitute for displacement. Yeah, right. And gasoline still costs a dollar a gallon, too. If you're like me, you're ready to re-examine some of the conventional wisdom that drives the motorcycle market in the United States. The fact is, while we've all been focused on supersizing our bikes, our houses, ourselves and everything else, the motorcycle

Motorcyclists in bus lanes?

2006-04-14T11:58:00.000+03:00

This column is dedicated to the lady in the red VW Beetle who nearly turned my journey to collect my son from football into a trip to casualty. She didn't see my big, brightly coloured motorcycle filtering past her as she turned right without indicating. She was shocked when I sought an explanation. Then she rallied and told me it was my "own fault for trying to jump the queue". My concern is

The eurocrats should get on their bikes

2006-04-14T11:48:00.000+03:00

It is, seemingly, inconceivable that any of these officials has ever ridden a small motorcycle'Published: 15 November 2005Xenophobic motorcyclists exist, but they are usually folks who have not yet taken their bikes across the channel. Outings on French roads create a favourable impression. Discovering that the Spanish approve of bikes and Italians adore them can melt the most visceral Europhobia

RSV 1000

2006-04-14T09:40:00.000+03:00

Instead of sticking with tradition and opting for a 90° layout like the Ducati, Suzuki or Honda offerings, the RSV Mille uses a 60° cylinder angle for a shorter, more compact engine.The engine also has a dry sump for extra rigidity and even more compactness, and to prevent starvation to the front cylinder when the front end?s wheelie-ing to the heavens. And that does tend to be something sporty

SUZUKI AIMS FOR SPANISH PODIUM

2006-04-12T16:21:00.000+03:00

The FIM MX1 World Championship resumes this weekend with Team Suzuki, armed with the potent RM-Z450, hoping to resurrect hopes of a Grand Prix podium at the Bellpuig circuit in Catalunya, Spain on Easter Sunday.After a weekend break, in which Kevin Strijbos and Steve Ramon gained second and third positions respectively at Neeroeteren for the third round of the Belgian Championship, the team has

BSB: British Superbike Round 3 Preview Thruxton

2006-04-12T16:09:00.000+03:00

Ryuichi Kiyonari, the exciting young Japanese rider, heads for the ultra-fast Thruxton on Easter Monday intent on taking a winning double in the third round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship as he plays 'catch-up' on Gregorio Lavilla, the title holder and series leader. The Spaniard has won two of the four races

'Rossi will switch to F1'

2006-04-12T16:07:00.000+03:00

Valentino Rossi's hugely speculated switch to F1 has been backed by a motorcycle chief. KTM team boss Heinz Kinigadner told Die Presse that he reckons the authoritarian MotoGP champion will eventually race a Ferrari. "I believe he will," Kinigadner said. "What has he got to wait for in bike racing? To be beaten by a faster, younger rival?" 27-year-old Rossi would likely have to take a

The Race / Second Victory for Jorge Lorenzo

2006-04-12T15:52:00.000+03:00

[Fortunaracing] 2006-04-10Jorge Lorenzo claimed his second consecutive win at the Qatar Grand Prix to start the 2006 season in perfect style by pulling clear at the top of the championship. The FORTUNA APRILIA rider pipped Italian Andrea Dovizioso on the line after an intense battle between the two riders throughout the race. Lorenzo, who was on pole, lost a

Camel Yamaha Team Riders Valentino Rossi And Colin Edwards Improved The Setting Of Their Yamaha M1 Machines

2006-04-11T11:45:00.000+03:00

[Yamaha Racing] 2006-04-09MotoGP : Camel Yamaha riders riders make progress ahead of desert testRound: 2 - 2006 MotoGP QatarCircuit: Losail CircuitDate: 7 April 2006Temp: 32ºCWeather: DryCamel Yamaha Team riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards improved the setting of their Yamaha M1 machines for tomorrow's Grand Prix of Qatar despite struggling for a fast

Ducati GT 1000

2006-04-11T11:01:00.000+03:00

[Ducati] 2006-04-11DUCATI APPAREL Refinement, a unique sense of aesthetics, and a clearly marked style are the guiding principles infused into the Ducati apparel collection designed to suit any need, whether on the bike or off during leisure time.The use of logos and colours from Ducati?s history has inspired a series of lines stamped with a 1960s and 1970s

Qatar MotoGP Images

2006-04-11T10:59:00.000+03:00

Brit broadcaster Toby Moody said that Hayden's chances in the new young gun epoch were so bad he'd leave the Honda team after Valencia. Somebody needs to re-read the chapter on recognizing trends vs blips. Outta my way, fat man! Colin Edwards II finished ninth in Qatar after front end chatter returned like a bad house guest. Qatar's podium: note the lack of young guns. 'And also,

NON-STOP WORK FOR THE DUCATI MOTOGP TEAM

2006-04-11T10:46:00.000+03:00

Motivated by the extremely positive result in the Qatar GP, a circuit considered to be the most difficult in the MotoGP World Championship (3rd place for Loris Capirossi and 4th place for Sete Gibernau), the Ducati MotoGP Team men today continued their unrelenting development work on the Ducati Desmosedici GP6 and Bridgestone tyres.With less wind than yesterday's race day, a very determined Loris

Yamaha: 2006 bike best, despite chatter

2006-04-11T10:44:00.000+03:00

Valentino Rossi may have won Saturday's Qatar Grand Prix, but the chatter problems that struck so badly at Jerez were still present - albeit on a smaller scale - and Camel Yamaha spent Sunday's

GSX-R750 in demand

2006-04-11T10:37:00.000+03:00

Suzuki?s GSX-R750 was the most searched for bike in our Bikes for Sale section last week with nearly 800 people looking to buy one. The bike has grown massively in popularity since it became the only sports 750 left on the market and it is now

2006-04-10T09:51:00.000+03:00

Rossi: We've woken from the nightmare.After a disastrous time at Jerez, Valentino Rossi said his Qatar victory was like 'waking up from a nightmare' - and it's likely to be the MotoGP World Champion's opposition which loses sleep from now on.After the chronic chatter problems, and then a first turn fall, at the Spanish season opener - Rossi arrived at Qatar 23-points behind Ducati's Loris

Yoshimura's Steve Meyer Builds Engines

2006-04-05T12:21:00.000+03:00

You might see Yoshimura's Steve Meyer handling Ben Spies' wheels and tires at the track, but make no mistake -- his main focus is building the fire-breathing engines for the Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike. In the US, Meyer started out with Erion Honda, building Formula Xtreme motors in the wild and wooly days of the big-bore class, but moved to Yoshimura. When Ben Spies jumped to Superbike last

Kawasaki's Yanagawa Takes Opening Round Of All-Japan Superbike Series At Motegi

2006-04-05T12:19:00.000+03:00

Team Yoshimura Suzuki?s Atsushi Watanabe raced to third position in the opening round of the All Japan Superbike Championship at Twinring, Motegi after the race was red-flagged due to rain.GSX-R1000-mounted Watanabe and team mate Kousuke Akiyoshi led from the start and held strong lead when the race was stopped on the 12th lap. But on the 8-lap restart, Watanabe gated a lowly eighth and Akiyoshi

A circuit in the desert waits for Tamada

2006-04-05T12:11:00.000+03:00

Makoto Tamada Qatar will be the country to welcome the second race of the 2006 MotoGP World Championship.The circuit of Losail in Doha, inaugurated in 2004, will open its own paddock, for the third consecutive year, to the MotoGP convoy which will arrive to the Arab Country tonight.The race will be characterized by the torrid climate, typical of

Jodie Marsh opens Donington

2006-04-05T12:09:00.000+03:00

Donington Park officially opened its new pit and paddock area on Friday with Jodie Marsh cutting the ribbon.The new development cost over £5million - when last year's track resurfacing is added in.The circuit now boasts 38 garages - 12 more than before - as well as improved media facilities - vital for a MotoGP venue. Race organisers and commentators have more space and better tech spec,

Pramac D?antin MotoGP in Qatar for The Second Race of The Season

2006-04-05T12:07:00.000+03:00

[D'Antin] 2006-04-04 The Team PRAMAC D?ANTIN MOTOGP is ready to face the second race of the season that will take place in Qatar. This Grand Prix is the hottest one of the year, the Circuit of Losail is actually located in the middle of the desert where, for the first time, the race will be in April instead of October. This will allow the Teams, riders, and

Melandri is focussed and motivated

2006-04-05T12:04:00.000+03:00

The World Championship series is now well under way. After the opening round of the 2006 season at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit in Spain, the bikes, parts and equipment have been boxed up and transported to Qatar, where the second race of the campaign will take place on the 8th April. MARCO MELANDRI: ?I am really confident about the next GP. The day of testing after the race in Jerez was

Tommy Hayden's Superbike Quest

2006-04-05T10:14:00.000+03:00

Kawasaki's Tommy Hayden is the reigning Supersport champion, but this season he and Kawasaki have returned to Superbike racing. How's it going for the Ownesboro, Kentucky, native? "So far, it's been busy. Been doing a lot of testing, riding, and trying to get ready. Trying to get the bike better and myself better, too," said Hayden. "I think we're making steps and that's the important thing. We

RIZLA SUZUKI READY FOR QATAR RACE

2006-04-03T15:34:00.000+03:00

iRizla Suzuki MotoGP is in the desert for this weekend?s race as the MotoGP spectacle heads to the heat of Qatar.John Hopkins and Chris Vermeulen will need to draw on their reserves of stamina and fitness in the hot surroundings of the Losail International Circuit as the high temperatures will take their toll on riders and bikes alike. The race has been moved from its usual October date to

Yamaha MT-01 - hard-hitting urban warrior

2006-04-03T09:31:00.000+03:00

A launch ride ? for any bike ? is usually pretty frantic; half your brain is trying to suss out a bike you're riding for the first time while the other half is trying to stay out of the way of some of the world's craziest riders.Bike ? and car ? companies lay out launch routes with the emphasis on safety and simple navigation; they tend to be mostly fast, open roads, not really representative of

Yamaha Tests V8 Superbike

2006-04-03T09:30:00.000+03:00

This just in from Yamaha Motor France: Team Yamaha Motor France - Ipone Positive tests for new 8 cylinder Yamaha R8 After Phillip Island, the Team Yamaha Motor France - Ipone tested the new Yamaha R8 in Kyalami (South Africa) and Aprilfool (Canada). Norick Abe, Sébastien Gimbert and Shinichi Nakatomi were very happy with the progress of the new prototype, even if it was not possible to start

SUZUKI RACING: Team Suzuki Press Office

2006-04-03T09:27:00.000+03:00

Steve Ramon qualified in fourth position on the RM-Z450 at a breezy Zolder circuit this afternoon on the first day of the 2006 FIM Motocross World Championships with team mate Kevin Strijbos close behind in fifth place.The Grand Prix of Flanders began in less than ideal weather conditions with showers coating the Belgian venue throughout Friday evening and Saturday morning.The weather conditions

Night riding at Qatar!

2006-04-03T09:17:00.000+03:00

Spanish Grand Prix winner Loris Capirossi will be one of several riders taking to the Losail circuit, venue for next weekend's Qatar Grand Prix, after dark

SUZUKI SET FOR ZOLDER MX1 OPENER

2006-03-30T11:12:00.000+03:00

The 2006 FIM MX1 Motocross World Championship commences this weekend with the first round of fifteen in a six month, three continent trek. The Karcher Grand Prix of Flanders will be entertained by the Zolder circuit in Belgian for the third consecutive year.The season will involve participation from six manufacturers in the 15 GP, 30 race contest. Team Suzuki, with the works RM-Z450s this season

World Superbike 2006 - Valencia Test - Day 3

2006-03-30T11:09:00.000+03:00

Steve Martin produced superb form on the final day of the Superbike World Championship official test at Valencia, Spain, to finish the three days as the fifth fastest rider. The Australian hacked a further second off yesterday?s best time with a stunning lap of 1:35.178, two seconds quicker than his time on qualifiers at last year?s race. And he was then fourth

Productive Test - Yoshimura Suzuki

2006-03-29T14:04:00.000+03:00

In spite of some inclement weather, Team Yoshimura Suzuki concluded a successful two-day test at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala., today. Reigning AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin, 2005 AMA Superstock Champion Aaron Yates and their teammate Ben Spies put in laps aboard their respective Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-Rs on the scenic 2.5-mile road race course. ?This test was a very productive

Chattering problems for Toseland

2006-03-29T14:02:00.000+03:00

The second day of the Valencia SBK tests proved to be not as hot as day one, but still provided a good platform for the World Superbike riders to get down to work. A light wind characterised the day but without disturbing the work in progress on track too much. For the Supersport boys, Charpentier and Sofuoglu, it was another day in front of everybody while real improvements were made by Karl

DUCATI MOTOGP TEAM SET QUICK TIMES ON RACE TYRES IN ONE-DAY AT JEREZ

2006-03-29T13:59:00.000+03:00

Just 24 hours after the celebrations over the victory of Loris Capirossi in the opening round of the 2006 MotoGP season, the Italian team was back at work today at Jerez for a one-day scheduled test on the Andalusian circuit.The Italian rider focussed mainly on testing new Bridgestone tyres and continuing the Ducati Desmosedici GP6's development schedule. Loris lapped consistently around the

Motorcycling-Rossi seeks answers with last year's bike

2006-03-29T13:57:00.000+03:00

ONDON, March 28 (Reuters) - Yamaha have brought Valentino Rossi's 2005 bike out of retirement to help the MotoGP champion overcome problems with his new machine. The 27-year-old Italian fell at the first corner and finished 14th in Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix, the first time in six years that he has not won the season-opener. Rossi stayed on at the Jerez circuit on Monday for an afternoon of

2006 Yamaha FZ1 - First Ride

2006-03-28T10:36:00.000+03:00

3/27/2006By Kevin Duke"Thy fate is the common fate of all; into each life some rain must fall" - Henry Wadsworth LongfellowAnd so it was that I found myself riding Yamaha's new FZ1 in a pounding rainstorm surrounded by the verdant fields north of San Francisco. Introductory press rides such as this aren't supposed to be sullied by inclement weather, and it was hard to imagine how I was supposed

Pesek achieves biggest Czech success in motorcycling for decades

2006-03-28T10:29:00.000+03:00

Lukas Pesek has become the first Czech to reach the podium in a motorcycling Grand Prix for 35 long years. After taking pole position in Friday's heats in the 125 cc category, Pesek - just 20 years old - finished second in Sunday's race at Spain's Jerez. The Czech's previous best placing was sixth. Lukas Pesek, who races for the Derbi team, had this to say after the race. "I had a great start,

SUZUKI GSR600

2006-03-27T12:39:00.000+03:00

SUZUKI?S new GSR600 is aimed at Yamaha?s Fazer and Honda?s Hornet ? and, with its B-King-derived styling and GSX-R-based engine, should be in a position to give them a pretty tough time.While the 600cc machine isn?t quite as stunning as the B-King concept to look at, its £5000 price tag should help soften that blow.The engine might be based on the GSX-R600, but its power is significantly lower at

Valentino Rossi for Tony Elias

2006-03-27T11:49:00.000+03:00

The Italian - 7 times world champion, said he was not annoyed by Tony Elias behaviour in the first corner, of the first race of the year though, he encourage him (on his usual style) next time he will be so late to remember braking and hit another bike instead of him!!

Race results - Jerez

2006-03-27T11:13:00.000+03:00

Full MotoGP race results from the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez, round one of the 2006 world championship.1. Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team 45min 57.733 secs2. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team 46min 2.108 secs3. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team 46min 7.729 secs4. Toni Elias SPA Fortuna Honda 46min 7.868 secs5. Marco Melandri ITA Fortuna Honda 46min 17.28 secs6. Casey Stoner

Rossi down at turn one!

2006-03-27T10:37:00.000+03:00

Valentino Rossi's chances of victory in the season opening Spanish Grand Prix have ended at the very first turn, after the Italian superstar fell from his Camel Yamaha following contact with Toni Elias. Rossi's rear wheel was hit by Elias at the apex of turn one - the Italian being sent spinning across the asphalt before springing to his feet and punching the air in disgust. The seven

Capirossi's Victory

2006-03-27T10:31:00.000+03:00

MOTOGP NewsSunday, 26th March 2006Capirossi beats Pedrosa for Jerez victory.Ducati's Loris Capirossi has taken victory in a dramatic season opening Spanish Grand Prix - after finally breaking the amazing challenge of MotoGP rookie Dani Pedrosa with just two laps to go.The race started with high drama when reigning five times MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi - winner of the first race of the

QUANTUM F (MCN )

2006-03-24T16:11:00.000+02:00

There's no getting away from it - Arai helmets are pricey. But after the umpteenth version of: "Once you've had an Arai you'll never wear anything else'' wafted into my lugholes, I decided to try one for size.That was two years ago (review from 2002) and the Haga rep I finally went for - £379.99 then, £399 now - still looks as good as new.It's simply a bloody good helmet. The fit is excellent and

Gardner: MotoGP is on thin ice

2006-03-24T10:40:00.000+02:00

Australia's first 500cc World Champion, Wayne Gardner, has warned that MotoGP is on "thin ice" at the moment and would be in "a bit of trouble" if it wasn't

MotoGP is up for sale

2006-03-24T10:35:00.000+02:00

MotoGP is up for sale on the eve of the new season - in a deal which will mean British Superbikes must also put up the ?For Sale? sign. Current rights owner Dorna is owned by private equity firm CVC. CVC wants to buy Formula 1's commercial holding company. The European Commission has ruled that?s ok ? as long as they sell off Dorna, according to motorsport.com Dorna also owns the rights to

Denning: It's time for the guessing to stop.

2006-03-24T10:31:00.000+02:00

This weekend's season opening Spanish Grand Prix should show exactly how much winter progress has been made by Rizla Suzuki - and if they can, at last, enjoy

ROAD RACING - Kawasaki Raring To Go

2006-03-24T10:29:00.000+02:00

After a long but successful winter test programme spanning four months and three continents, the Kawasaki Racing Team return to the Jerez circuit in Andalusia, Southern Spain this weekend for the opening race of the 2006 MotoGP World Championship season. It was at this circuit 12 months ago that Shinya Nakano secured his best result of 2005, bringing his Ninja ZX-RR home in fifth place. One year

Tailing becomes R&D and production base for Suzuki scooters

2006-03-24T10:26:00.000+02:00

Japan's Suzuki Motor Corp. recently decided to move its R&D and production of high-unit-price, under-150cc powered two-wheeler (PTW) products to Taiwan. This will make the island an important manufacturing base for Suzuki products exported to Japan, Europe, and the United States.To accommodate its more important role in Suzuki's global division of labor, the Tailing Motor Co., Suzuki's local

Emmett the 'underdog', at his most dangerous.

2006-03-24T10:19:00.000+02:00

After spending recent seasons with leading outfits Monstermob Ducati and Virgin Yamaha, Sean Emmett is "taking on the millionaires" by returning to the role of underdog for the 2006 Bennetts British Superbike season - a situation he "thrives on".Emmett will be riding an Ipone Racing Kawasaki on a

Top teams gravitate to Spain

2006-03-24T10:16:00.000+02:00

Troy Bayliss After the first two long-haul rounds of the 2006 World Superbike Championship have been completed, the entire World Superbike circus returns to Europe for the start of the second phase of the 13- round/26-race campaign.In preparation for the first European round at Valencia the forthcoming official test, at the same venue, will

Motorcycling-Boy racer Smith raises British hopes

2006-03-24T10:09:00.000+02:00

By Alan Baldwin LONDON, March 23 (Reuters) - Bradley Smith is undeniably a boy racer. One day he could also be Britain's answer to Valentino Rossi. The 15-year-old Oxfordshire schoolboy, still too young to ride a scooter on public roads, makes his world championship debut at this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix in the ultra-competitive 125cc category. A graduate from the MotoGP academy, and

Q&A: Harald Eckl The Manager And Racing Engineer Of The Kawasaki Moto GP Racing Team

2006-03-23T10:58:00.000+02:00

2006-03-23In almost 30 years of professional Grand Prix racing, Harald Eckl honed not only his skills as a rider, but also as a manager and racing engineer. At a time when motorcycle manufacturers provided only the technical base, and competitive speed and horsepower depended largely on the initiative and ingenuity of the teams, Eckl always shone with ultra-fast and painstakingly prepared

Yamaha's Fazer becomes even more brutal

2006-03-23T10:48:00.000+02:00

Taken from http://www.gizmag.co.ukMarch 23, 2006 Way back in the Northern hemisphere autumn of 2000, Yamaha released the Fazer 1000 ? a more upright, naked version of its R1 1000cc supersport machine for riders who wanted maximum power but didn?t want the "praying mantis" riding position because they spent a goodly proportion of their time on city streets. Over the last few years, as competition

Awesome New Street Sports Bikes From Yamaha

2006-03-23T10:41:00.000+02:00

2006-03-23Yamaha has tuned the legendary 20 valve fuel injected R1 supersport engine for astonishing real-world performance and bolted it into our trickest streetbike chassis yet. The result is awesome to behold - a squat, muscular powerhouse that will take your breath away, every day.The FZ1's brutal 'monolite" styling concentrates mass around the engine, right down to

Suzuki GSX-R600 - Review

2006-03-23T10:35:00.000+02:00

Taken from http://www.mcnews.com.au/Introduction and Tech OverviewSuzuki have come out swinging for 2006 in their quest for a bigger slice of the huge 600cc road bike market with an all new GSX-R600 that is leaps ahead of its predecessor. Suzuki engineers left no bolt untouched in their efforts to make their latest and greatest middleweight the best it could be, and

New teams and bikes for season opener

2006-03-23T10:28:00.000+02:00

After a preseason packed with team changes, beaten circuit records and new and improved bikes, the MotoGP World Championship 2006 season gets under way this weekend in Spain. Sunday?s Gran Premio de España will be the first chance to see all the old favourites, young pretenders and surprise packages set to wow spectators over the next 17 races. Reigning MotoGP World Champion, Valentino Rossi,

Father-and-son Team Roberts take on big guns

2006-03-23T10:25:00.000+02:00

March 23, 2006By Alan BaldwinLondon, England - Motorcycling's King Kenny, three times 500cc World champion Kenny Roberts, is looking forward to the start of the MotoGP season this weekend more than he has in years.The 54-year-old Californian has come back from the brink after a 2005 nightmare that threatened to sink his British-based MotoGP team.Team KR missed a fistful of races after engine

MotoGP Season Preview 2006: Part One

2006-03-23T10:24:00.000+02:00

Experience Versus Youth -- The Challenge Beginsby toby hirstWednesday, March 22, 2006The eyes of the road-racing world will be trained on the Circuito de Jerez this coming weekend as the 2006 MotoGP World Championship roars into life in Spain. The Spanish Grand Prix is the curtain raiser for what looks set to be one of the most unpredictable seasons in recent years.The gruelling winter tests are

Big names head to Cobden for Supermoto title chase

2006-03-22T14:57:00.000+02:00

The fourth round of the Ssangyong Australian Supermoto Championship hits the small South West Victorian township of Cobden this weekend (Mar-26) and with over 100 entries so far it promises to be an action packed weekend. This is the second time the Cobden venue has been used for a title round. The first event was a round of the Victorian Supermoto Championship. On that occasion over 80

Suzuki and the air-valved 2006 GSV-R

2006-03-22T14:48:00.000+02:00

?It's certainly a big improvement? [21/03/06 - 09:59] The 2006 GSV-R uzuki's launch of their 2006 GSV-R MotoGP prototype lifted the lid on the worst-kept secret in the paddock - the redesigned motorcycle's use of pneumatic valve springs, dubbed air valves.The change is part of a major transformation to the Bridgestone-shod Suzuki, which in pre-season

SUZUKI RACING: HURLEY SWITCHES TO RM-Z450

2006-03-22T14:47:00.000+02:00

Australian Motocross Champion Daryl Hurley will contest the 2006 Supercross Masters Series aboard a four-stroke Suzuki RM-Z450 for the first time at Perth?s Claremont Showground this weekend.Supercross has traditionally been the domain of two-stroke machines, but Hurley joins the ranks of Pro Open riders who have traded their two-stroke machines for new four-strokes.After a stellar performance

Supercross Masters 2006 - Round Two - Perth

2006-03-22T14:39:00.000+02:00

Australian Motocross Champion, Daryl Hurley will contest the 2006 Supercross Masters Series aboard a four-stroke Suzuki RM-Z450 for the first time at Perth's Claremont Showground on 25 March. Supercross has traditionally been the domain of two-stroke machines, but Hurley joins the ranks of Pro Open riders who have traded their two-stroke machines for new

Repsol Honda team ready for action

2006-03-22T14:33:00.000+02:00

Jerez : Repsol Honda - Preview [21/03/06 - 15:10] Nicky Hayden he Repsol Honda Team returns to the heat of battle this weekend as the 2006 MotoGP season begins at the Jerez circuit near Seville in southern Spain.In what promises to be a gripping and unpredictable year of racing, riders Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa form a young and exciting new

MotoGP 2006 season begins this weekend at Jerez

2006-03-22T14:32:00.000+02:00

After a preseason packed with team changes, broken circuit records and new and improved bikes, the MotoGP World Championship 2006 season gets underway this week. Sunday?s Gran Premio betandwin.com de España will be the first chance to see all the old favourites, young pretenders and surprise packages set to wow spectators over the next 17 races.Reigning MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi will

Aprilia out in full for GP season

2006-03-22T14:15:00.000+02:00

Italian bikemaker dominates 125cc and 250cc classes (ANSA) - Milan, March 21 - The Italian motorcycle company Aprilia will be out in full force in the upcoming Grand Prix season especially in the 250cc and 125cc classes . Aside from the two bikes in the premiere MotoGP class, Aprilia will field 14 bikes in the 250cc class

preview race of 2006 Motogp

2006-03-22T14:14:00.001+02:00

Preview - Spanish Grand Prix.Valentino Rossi starts what could be his final MotoGP campaign at Jerez on Sunday, when the Italian superstar brings his five consecutive world titles to the season opening Spanish Grand Prix.With Rossi's current Yamaha contract expiring at the end of the year, and with the Ferrari Formula One team making no secret about their interest in the Italian, speculation

MotoGP 250: Lorenzo, Barbera In High Spirits Ahead Of Jerez

2006-03-22T14:14:00.000+02:00

Team Fortuna Aprilia, headed by Jorge Lorenzo and Héctor Barberá, head into the opening round of the 250cc World Championship at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit in high spirits this weekend. In preparation for the Spanish Grand Prix the two riders were in Milan (Italy) today for the 'Race Me' party organised by Aprilia, as they made

Pramac D?Antin Motogp At Home For The First Race Of 2006 Championship

2006-03-22T14:12:00.000+02:00

The PRAMAC D?ANTIN MOTOGP Team will be at home for the first Grand Prix of the 2006 season at Jerez de la Frontera in Spain. The Technical Base of the Team is in Madrid, the Team Manger LUIS D?ANTIN is from Madrid too, and JOSE LUIS CARDOSO, one of the two riders of the Team together with ALEX HOFMANN, is from Seville, a splendid Iberian city located at only 100km from the circuit. A very special

MotoGP debut for Rizla Suzuki at Jerez

2006-03-22T14:09:00.000+02:00

2006-03-22Rizla Suzuki MotoGP will make its racing debut at the first round of the MotoGP World Championship at Jerez in Spain on Sunday 26th March.John Hopkins and Chris Vermeulen are eager to race again after a gruelling and thorough winter testing schedule. Both riders are full of confidence for the season opener after promising showings at recent tests. Anglo-American Hopkins has flourished

Jerez, a very complete circuit

2006-03-22T14:05:00.000+02:00

Repsol rider´s comments [22/03/06 - 09:04] Dani Pedrosa et in a sunny valley only a few kilometres away from the city of Jerez in the south of Spain, this circuit was born in 1985 out of the passion the people of Jerez have always felt for motorsport.With Pedro Pacheco, mayor of the city, as driving force of the project, the circuit hosted its first

MotoGP: BMW Continues Reign As MotoGP Safety Car Supplier

2006-03-22T14:02:00.000+02:00

As the countdown to a brand new Grand Prix motorcycle racing season fast approaches, it has been announced that BMW is to continue its support for this exciting sport by confirming its status as official safety car supplier for the MotoGP World Championship series until 2009. For the past seven years, BMW has enjoyed a

Leon Haslam stars at the Thundersprint 2006

2006-03-22T13:46:00.000+02:00

Leon Haslam By Frank Melling - March 20 2006 The Thundersprint has played host to many famous riders, but the red carpet will really be rolled out for 22-year-old Superbike star Leon Haslam when he takes to the unique Northwich town centre track on Sunday, 7th of May. Thundersprint organiser, Frank Melling, said:â€œIt will be great to have one of the fastest young riders

Opening round of the 2006 World Enduro Championship

2006-03-22T13:25:00.000+02:00

2006-03-20Enduro 2 : Aubert third on WEC debutRound: 1 - SwedenCircuit: Ã–stersundDate: 19 March 2006Crowd: 4500Temp: 5ÂºCWeather: SunnyUFO Corse Yamaha rider Johnny Aubert finished the opening round of the 2006 World Enduro Championship with two impressive third place positions in the competitive Enduro 2 class. Making his WEC debut at the Swedish event, the former motocross rider showed that

YAMAHA: MX2: Everts takes another win at Valance

2006-03-22T13:19:00.000+02:00

Rinaldi Yamaha rider Stefan Everts continued his victorious pre-season form by taking another overall triumph at the Valance International in France yesterday.The Belgian and reigning MX1 World Champion has won every major â€˜warm-upâ€™ event since the motocross calendar cranked into life at Mantova, Italy in February. His fifth success in as many weeks arrived thanks to another 1-1 set of

Yamaha's new fly-by-wire throttle system explained

2006-03-20T11:29:00.000+02:00

Yamaha has introduced fly-by-wire technology for the first time ever on a production motorcycle, the 2006 model YZF-R6. The YCC-T (Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) uses a conventional motorcycle fuel injection system with twin fuel injectors per cylinder to regulate volume in accordance with calculations based on sensor input. Sensors measuring engine rpm,

World Enduro Championship (Maxxis FIM) - Round One - Sweden

2006-03-20T11:27:00.000+02:00

Australian duo Stefan Merriman (Yamaha) and Jake Stapleton (TM) enjoyed mixed fortunes at round one of the 2006 Maxxis FIM World Enduro Championship in an ice and snow-laden Sweden last weekend. The first-ever world championship â€˜Winter Enduroâ€™ saw Merriman (YZ450F) struggle in the slippery conditions at Ostersund, with the 32-year-old only finishing fifth and

Rossi: new arrivals and new rivals

2006-03-20T11:26:00.000+02:00

â€œI'll have to work out their strengths and weaknessesâ€� [18/03/06 - 16:19] Valentino Rossi alentino Rossi defends his MotoGP title from a host of new riders this year after an influx of young talent from the 250cc and World Superbike categories.Dani Pedrosa (Honda), Casey Stoner (Honda), Randy de Puniet (Kawasaki) and Chris Vermeulen (Suzuki) have

Bikes: Yamaha spreads joy of six

2006-03-20T11:23:00.000+02:00

18 March 2006 Mark Hinchliffe Aussie Kevin Curtain and Frenchman Sebastien Charpentier are set to fight out World Supersport supremacy. After two rounds of smooth circuit racing, Charpentier's Honda (50 points) and Curtain's Yamaha (40) are well clear of the field. And on our imperfect potholed roads, it will again be a red versus blue war. Honda has usually had the upper hand

Alonso rejects Rossi's challenge

2006-03-20T11:17:00.000+02:00

World champion Fernando Alonso has politely rejected Valentino Rossi's proposal that the pair go head-to-head to settle the question of who is quicker. Rankled by Alonso's claim that he could join the MotoGP ace on a podium, rider Rossi challenged the Spaniard to a battle waged on motorcycles, F1 and rally machinery. Asked if he had heard about Rossi's dare, Renault's 24-year-old Alonso said in

Colin Edwards driving towards success

2006-03-20T11:16:00.000+02:00

In his second season with Yamaha [18/03/06 - 16:24] Colin Edwards olin Edwards is entering his second season with Yamaha, the first for him in MotoGP without a switch of team and bike during the winter.Lengthy pre-season tests, as well as valuable data gathered last year, have given the American a crucial platform for the new campaign â€“ as evidenced

Ready to begin title defence

2006-03-20T11:15:00.000+02:00

Jerez : Camel Yamaha - Preview [18/03/06 - 16:15] Back in Jerez for the first race of the year ! he Camel Yamaha Team returns to southern Spain next weekend to begin the defence of its MotoGP World Championship titles.With Valentino Rossi taking the riders' crown for the fifth successive season, adding to both the team and manufacturers' titles in the

Australian Off-Road Championship 2006 - Round One - Preview

2006-03-20T11:13:00.000+02:00

After last yearâ€™s hugely successful inauguration, the 2006 instalment of the Yamaha Australian Off Road Series will commence at Gulgong (NSW) on March 18-19. Once again, the cream of Australiaâ€™s enduro talent will be on display across the five rounds, including multiple gold medallists in the International Six Daysâ€™ Enduro, and a whopping 18 riders who

Denning: Honda wrote the 800cc rules...

2006-03-20T11:11:00.000+02:00

Rizla Suzuki team manager, Paul Denning, is hoping that the new-for-2007 800cc rules will help shake up the established order in MotoGP - but expects Honda to start with some form of advantage after "pretty much writing the regulations".2006 will mark the final season of 990cc four-stroke engine capacity, which was introduced in 2002 to replace 500cc two-stroke machinery. However, only three

Hopkins: Valentino wonâ€™t have it easy this season

2006-03-20T11:09:00.000+02:00

Rival John Hopkins says Yamahaâ€™s Valentino Rossi will face a more difficult time in his title bid this year. LONDON: Suzuki MotoGP rider John Hopkins believes world champion Valentino Rossi will be nowhere near as dominant this season. â€œI don't think there's going to be one clear winner throughout the entire year,â€� the 22-year-old American said at a MotoGP presentation in