Recall: Kawasaki Concours 14 Police Bikes

Police officers take note, your Kawasaki Concours 14 patrol bike might be up for a recall. In total, 194 units of Kawasaki’s police Concours 14 and 14ABS motorcycles may have electrical problems, as the added police accessories may cause the 30 amp main fuse to blow, and the wiring harness may chafe, leading to a short-circuit.

Because blowing the main 30 amp fuse will cause the engine to stall, and thus increase the risk of a crash, Kawasaki is recalling these units (made between May 8, 2008, to February 20, 2013), and filed a recall with NHTSA.

With the recall already underway, Kawasaki has notified the affected police departments, and will send trained personnel to repair the motorcycles, free of charge.

Concerned police departments may contact Kawasaki customer service at 1-866-802-9381, and reference recall number MC15-02 (note: this recall is an expansion of recalls 12V-134, 13V-370 and 13V-387). As always, the NHTSA is also available at 1-888-327-4236 and safercar.gov.

Source: NHTSA

Source : asphaltandrubber[dot]com

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EnduroX: X Games Austin Step Up Qualifier Announced

Endurocross Media Press Release:

X Games has announced that there will be an X Games Austin Moto X Step Up Qualifier held in collaboration with Round three of the 2015 GEICO AMA EnduroCross Championship Series on May 1, 2015, at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

The qualifier will take place the evening before the Monster Energy Supercross finals and will be open to 30 riders, with the top 10 riders advancing to the evening show. The final top three athletes will be invited to compete at X Games Austin on Thursday, June 4, in front of the Texas State Capitol in downtown Austin.

Three additional riders also qualified for the X Games Enduro X during the Daytona GEICO EnduroCross opener in Daytona Beach, Florida this past weekend. Factory Beta’s Kyle Redmond earned a spot with a third place finish in the main. Kevin Rookstool was the second rider to earn an invite to X Games Austin with an eighth place finish during a weekend in which he raced EnduroCross on Friday, Supercross on Saturday and the GNCC on Sunday. And the third rider to qualify was sixteen year old Ty Cullins, who won his heat race to make the main during his first pro EnduroCross race.

Three more riders will qualify for X Games Enduro X at each of the two upcoming GEICO EnduroCross events in Salt Lake City, Utah and Las Vegas, Nevada.

The next round of the GEICO AMA EnduroCross series will take place at Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah on Saturday, March 21st.

If you have never been to an EnduroCross, get to an event in 2015. You will be blown away by the exciting show and amazing talent on display. And if you want to see how your riding skills match up to the EnduroCross track, there are classes for Open Amateur, Vet 35+, Women and TrialsCross that anyone can enter!

All 2015 GEICO AMA EnduroCross events will air full one hour shows on CBS Sports Network. The Daytona, Florida event is scheduled to air on Wednesday, March 18th at 7:00 PM ET.

2015 GEICO AMA EnduroCross Championship Schedule *:

March 6, 2015 – Daytona Beach, Florida.  Ocean Center (Friday Daytona Bike Week)
March 21, 2015 – Salt Lake City, Utah.  Energy Solutions Arena
May 1, 2015 – Las Vegas, Nevada.  Orleans Arena (Friday – Supercross weekend)
June 5, 2015 – Austin, Texas.  X Games, Circuit of the Americas
September 26, 2015 – Sacramento, California.  Sleep Train Arena
October 3, 2015 – Denver, Colorado.  National Western Complex
October 17, 2015 – Everett, Washington.  XFINITY Arena
November 7, 2015 – Boise, Idaho.  Ford Idaho Center
November 20/21, 2015 – Ontario, California.  Citizens Business Bank Arena

*Schedule is provisional.

Tickets are available HERE.

For more information: www.endurocross.com

Source : cycleworld[dot]com

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Ducati CEO Leaves the Door Open for a Scooter Model

In a recent interview by Moto.it with Claudio Domenicali, the Ducati CEO fielded a number of questions about the Italian company’s business and its relationship with its German owners (read it here in Google English), but one question was of particular interest: a Ducati Scooter.

The often rumored, often debated, and often denied subject is perhaps the most feared topics for Ducatisti, and it ranks generally just below discussions on which oil to use, which tires are best, and how to break-in a motorcycle engine properly.

That being said, it seems we are headed for another round of debate, as Domenicali is quoted as saying the following to Moto.it: “a scooter marked Ducati is not blasphemy.”

Domenicali goes on to say that Ducati has never ruled out a scooter model, which isn’t exactly true; but since Ducati is a brand, it can be applied to virtually any commercial good, like a cup of coffee or even a scooter model (the two examples Domenicali gave Moto.it).

The key for Ducati, according to Domenicali, and something I have echoed in my own writings on the subject, is that any scooter from Borgo Panigale must hold true to Ducati’s core brand elements, i.e. high in performance, high in design, and high in product lust.

If Ducati can stick to those elements, the company should be able to produce any model it wants, especially now that the Ducati brand incorporates sport bikes, sport-cruisers, adventure-sports, and scramblers alike.

The Italians at Borgo Panigale may not call a Ducati scooter by the dreaded s-word, but a quick look at the BMW brand shows that a premium European motorcycle company can easily balance a couple scooter-type models within an already robust offering of other two-wheeled vehicles.

Of course, such models will have to make economic sense for Ducati to produce in the first place, but considering that huge swaths of the riding populations in Southeast Asia, India, China, and South America that ride small-displacement machines — many of which are just knock-offs of the venerable original Honda Cub design — Ducati will eventually have to get in to the game if it truly wants to be a global brand, not just a western one.

And when the Ducati brand does eventually go there, one can expect the Italian brand to draw deep connections to its long-lost product lines of generations before us, as it has done in “resurrecting” the Scrambler line, because as many forget…Ducati has already built a scooter model.

In the meantime, will we see a scooter unveiling during the fall trade shows? You certainly can’t rule it out, though we imagine we will see several other models from Ducati before we get to the s-word.

Source: Moto.it

Source : asphaltandrubber[dot]com

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ENDURO: KTM Factory Racing – Jonny Walker Interview

KTM Racing Press Release:

Jonny Walker has continued his winning ways in 2015, claiming victory at The Tough One extreme enduro. Topping the event for the first time ever having lead from start-to-finish, Walker is now two-for-two having also topped Hell’s Gate three weeks earlier…

Jonny, a first win at The Tough One. How’s it feel to have finally won a major extreme enduro event on home soil?

Jonny:

“I’m really pleased with this result. Graham [Jarvis] is a hard guy to beat, but I really wanted to keep things rolling on from my Hell’s Gate win. Conditions were night and day different to that race, but this win wasn’t easy. My plan was to try and get a good start, which I was able to do. After that I just managed my lead. It’s great to finally be able to get a Tough One win.”

A lot of riders suffered with arm pump in the early laps, but you seemed to be able to push hard from the start…

Jonny:

“It’s always hard going from cold to full-speed straight away. But I guess the run to my bike warmed me up. Maybe also racing the SuperEnduro events helped, as there’s not much warm-up with indoor races. Like I said I just tried to not make mistakes, which having got a good start was a little easier to do. I felt pretty good from the start.”

You lost a little time mid-race, why was that?

Jonny:

“I didn’t read my pit board properly. I thought it said last lap, which thinking about it there’s no way it could have been, and I slowed down a little. The board said something like ‘1 lap till final hour’. It wasn’t too much of a problem as I still had a good lead. I managed that gap and stayed out of trouble during the final hour so everything was fine.”

What was the track like this year, did you prefer the drier conditions?

Jonny:

“I was ready for whatever the conditions were going to be really. It was much nicer than the cold and snow we had at Hell’s Gate, but not what everyone’s used to at Nantmawr Quarry. When things are drier it makes some of the climbs and the rocks a little easier, but it was still tough. It was still easy to make a small mistake and for that become a bad lap. I was pleased that I only made one mistakes.”

You were also in action in the Barcelona Indoor Enduro, how was that?

Jonny:

“It was great. Not the result I’d hoped for finishing fifth but a really enjoyable event. It was good to get back on my 250cc four-stroke ahead of this weekend’s SuperEnduro final round. That’s going to be an important race for me after my issues in Brazil. I’ve got some work to do…”

Results – Tough One 2015

1. Jonny Walker (KTM) 13 laps 2:31.12
2. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 13 laps 2:33.28
3. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 2:43.00…

Results – Barcelona Indoor Enduro:

1. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 49 points
2. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 45
3. Mathias Bellino (Husqvarna) 44
5. Jonny Walker (KTM) 35…

For more information: www.ktmusa.com

Source : cycleworld[dot]com

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Video: Dragging Elbow on the Vyrus 986 M2

We already told you that the Vyrus 986 M2 was going racing in the Spanish CEV Moto2 Championship, with British rider Bradley Ray on-board, and now we get to see the first fruits of those labors.

Testing at the Cartagena circuit in Spain, Ray helped Vyrus develop a number of aspects on the Moto2 machine, especially the chassis, suspension, and air box, which Vyrus hopes to implement at another test later this month.

Until then, we leave you with this slightly frantic helmet rotor cam of Bradley Ray, dragging elbow, on the Vyrus 986 M2. Enjoy!

Source: Vyrus Racing

• ka1ju

  I don’t know why I thought you couldn’t pop a wheelie on a Vyrus.

  Man, I wish I could afford a street legal version. Or, even better (im my opinion), a Vyrus with Yamaha’s MT-09 engine fitted into it.

• mudgun

  That video gave me motion sickness so bad I had to stop pushing the replay button.

Source : asphaltandrubber[dot]com

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ArenaX: Round #8 Race Day Two Report – Council Bluffs

ArenaCross Media Press Release:

The eighth round of the 2015 AMSOIL Arenacross, featuring Ricky Carmichael’s Road to Supercross, came to a dramatic conclusion on Saturday inside the Mid-America Center. As has been the case on several occasions this season, a tiebreaker was needed in order to determine the overall winner in the Arenacross Class, but this time it came down to a trio of riders.

In the end, a dominant performance in the final Main Event of the evening allowed Team Babbitt’s Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki‘s Matt Goerke to capture his third victory of the season over Husqvarna teammates Gavin Faith and Kyle Regal. In the Western Regional Arenacross Lites Class Main Event, current championship points leader Daniel Blair raced to his third victory of the season aboard his KTM, extending his points lead.

Regal made the first statement of the evening by grabbing the holeshot in the first Arenacross Class Main Event, ahead of Kawasaki teammates Chris Blose and Jacob Hayes. Earlier in the evening Blose claimed the win in the Head 2 Head Challenge, while Hayes was looking for his second straight victory after claiming the overall victory on Friday night.

Hayes, the Arenacross Class championship leader entering the evening, encountered misfortune on Lap 2 and crashed in the whoops, dropping to the tail end of the 16-rider field. That allowed Blose to assume control of second, while Faith took over third. KTM’s Gared Steinke sat fourth, while Goerke moved into fifth. Several laps later Goerke slotted himself into fourth to put himself in podium contention. Regal maintained his lead over the field for the entirety of the 15-lap Main Event, but Blose was pushing hard to catch him and ultimately went down in the whoops on Lap 13. Faith took advantage of the misfortune to take over second, while Goerke moved into third. As the checkered flag flew, the top three remained the same with Regal, Faith and Goerke. Hayes fought his way back up to eighth, while Blose had to settle for 10th.

Regal had the opportunity to select the inversion for the second Main Event, and was fortunate enough to select the case with the number zero, meaning no riders would be inverted.

As the second Main Event got underway, ThermoTec/FMC Racing Yamaha’s Bobby Kiniry raced to the holeshot just ahead of Hayes and Goerke. On the opening lap Hayes and Kiniry made contact in the whoops, forcing Hayes to fall and drop back to the tail end of the field, remounting nearly a lap behind. Kiniry stayed on two wheels, but fell all the way to eighth. Goerke seized the opportunity to put himself at the front of the field and took over the lead. Faith and Regal followed to move into second and third by the conclusion of Lap 1.

The torrid pace set by the top three and the consistency of Goerke, Faith and Regal meant there was little change up front throughout the duration of all 15 laps. Goerke took his fourth Main Event win of the season, with Faith following in second and Regal third. Hayes did all he could to recover from his early troubles and fought his way back to an 11th-place finish.

The identical first and third-place finishes by Goerke and Regal locked them into a tie for first in the overall classification, while Faith’s consistent pair of runner-up finishes made him a third player in the tiebreaker. In the end, Goerke’s win in the second Main Event gave him the advantage over the other two, while Faith’s second-place finish slotted him ahead of Regal’s third-place effort. TZR Woodstock KTM’s Travis Sewell finished fourth (5-4) while Steinke rounded out the top five (4-5).

Regal, who entered the night 14 points out of the lead, took over the Arenacross Class points lead as a result of Hayes’ tough night, finishing ninth overall. Hayes and Goerke sit in a tie for second, just one point behind Regal as the schedule heads into the final round before the season-ending Race to the Championship begins.

Blair was dominant in the Western Regional Arenacross Lites Class Main Event, racing to the holeshot ahead of KTM’s Scott Zont and Yamaha’s Josh Cartwright, and never looking back. As Blair opened up a lead, Cartwright applied pressure on Zont for second and took the position on Lap 2. Blair and Cartwright asserted themselves out front, while KTM’s Dave Ginolfi was on a charge through the field, overcoming a seventh-place start to move into podium position on Lap 12. As the checkered flag flew, Blair cruised to a wire-to-wire victory ahead of Cartwright and Ginolfi.

Blair extended his lead in the championship standings to 19 points over TZR Woodstock KTM’s Cody VanBuskirk, who finished sixth. Team DirtBikeMike Yamaha’s Brandon Glenn, who finished fifth, sits third, 21 points back.

Arenacross Class Results – Main Event 1:

Kyle Regal, Grand Prairie, Texas, Husqvarna
Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Husqvarna
Matt Goerke, Temecula, Calif., Kawasaki
Gared Steinke, Temecula, Calif., KTM
Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM
Bobby Kiniry, Holland Patent, N.Y., Yamaha
Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki
Jacob Hayes, Liberty, N.C., Kawasaki
Dave Ginolfi, Boston, N.J., KTM
Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki

Arenacross Class Results – Main Event 2

Matt Goerke, Temecula, Calif., Kawasaki
Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Husqvarna
Kyle Regal, Grand Prairie, Texas, Husqvarna
Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM
Gared Steinke, Temecula, Calif., KTM
Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, KTM
Bobby Kiniry, Holland Patent, N.Y., Yamaha
Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki
Dave Ginolfi, Boston, N.J., KTM
Brandon Glenn, Mesquite, Texas, Yamaha

Arenacross Class Results – Overall (Main Event Finishes)

Matt Goerke, Temecula, Calif., Kawasaki (3-1)
Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Husqvarna (2-2)
Kyle Regal, Grand Prairie, Texas, Husqvarna (1-3)
Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM (5-4)
Gared Steinke, Temecula, Calif., KTM (4-5)
Bobby Kiniry, Holland Patent, N.Y., Yamaha (6-7)
Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki (7-8)
Dave Ginolfi, Boston, N.J., KTM (9-9)
Jacob Hayes, Liberty, N.C., Kawasaki (8-11)
Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, KTM (16-6)

RMATV/MC Head 2 Head Challenge Results:

Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki (2 points)
Gared Steinke, Temecula, Calif., KTM (1 point)
Kyle Regal, Grand Prairie, Texas, Husqvarna (1 point)
Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Husqvarna (1 point)
Matt Goerke, Temecula, Calif., Kawasaki (1 point)
Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM (1 point)
Jacob Hayes, Liberty, N.C., Kawasaki (1 point)
Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki (1 point)

Western Regional Arenacross Lites Class Results:

Daniel Blair, Lodi, Calif., KTM
Josh Cartwright, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha
Dave Ginolfi, Boston, N.J., KTM
Scott Zont, Algonquin, Ill., KTM
Brandon Glenn, Mesquite, Texas, Yamaha
Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM
Dylan Rouse, Florence, Ky., KTM
Tanner Moore, Auburn, Kan., KTM
Jake Locks, Dixon, Calif., KTM
Mason Wharton, Brush Prairie, Wash., Kawasaki

Arenacross Class Points (Race 12 of 20)

Kyle Regal, Grand Prairie, Texas, Husqvarna – 308 (4 Main Event wins)
Jacob Hayes, Liberty, N.C., Kawasaki – 307 (6 Main Event wins)
Matt Goerke, Temecula, Calif., Kawasaki – 307 (4 Main Event wins)
Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM – 248
Bobby Kiniry, Holland Patent, N.Y., Yamaha – 242 (1 Main Event win)
Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki – 230 (4 Main Event wins)
Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, KTM – 227 (1 Main Event win)
Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Husqvarna – 225 (4 Main Event wins)
Gared Steinke, Temecula, Calif., KTM – 207
Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki – 168

Western Regional Arenacross Lites Class Points (After Race 5 of 9)

Daniel Blair, Lodi, Calif., KTM – 69 (2 Main Event wins)
Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM – 50
Brandon Glenn, Mesquite, Texas, KTM – 48
Jake Locks, Dixon, Calif., KTM – 26
Mason Wharton, Brush Prairie, Wash., Kawasaki – 24
Clay Elliott, Buford, Ga., KTM – 22
Dalton Oxborrow, Lehi, Utah, Kawasaki – 18
Benjamin Nelko, Aliquippa, Pa., KTM – 18
Jason McConnell, , Canonsburg, Pa., KTM – 18
Tanner Moore, Auburn, Kan., KTM – 17

The 2015 AMSOIL Arenacross continues next weekend with the ninth round of the championship from Southaven, Mississippi, on Friday, March 13, and Saturday, March 14. Both nights of action inside the Landers Center begin at 5 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. CT / 8 p.m. ET.

Tickets for each round of AMSOIL Arenacross are on sale HERE.

The entire AMSOIL Arenacross season will air on FOX Sports 1, including re-airs on Fox Sports 2.

For more information: www.arenacross.com

Source : cycleworld[dot]com

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Q&A: Alvaro Bautista – “No Pressure To Get Results”

Alvaro Bautista is a much happier man than he has been for a few years. Now a factory rider once again, he has found new motivation, despite knowing that there is along road ahead to make the Aprilia RS-GP a competitive machine.

At the official launch of Aprilia’s MotoGP, World Superbike and FIM Superstock projects in Milan, I spoke to Bautista about the progress Aprilia have made during testing, his experience of the bike so far, and his expectations for 2015.

Q: How has the progress been between the two tests?

Alvaro Bautista: Progress is quite good. Not a big step, but we did a step forward. Especially on the electronics, because the first test, the electronics were a bit inconsistent. So we spent one day just to adjust the electronics. Still it’s not perfect, but we did a small improvement.

Then once we decided the frame we will race for the start of the season, we already decided this in the first test. On the second day of the last test we tried different settings of the bike, we changed basically all of the bike to see if something is good or not, or what can help us or not.

So it was not really a good day, because we didn’t find anything, but we had to try. In the last day, it was good because we started with our base setting, then we make a long run.

I was quite happy because I did it in the worst conditions, it was 3pm, so it was hot conditions, but I felt so good. The rhythm was quite good. My feeling on the bike on the long run was comfortable. So I think the only real step we did was with the electronics.

Q: What are the strengths and weakness of the bike?

AB: I think the strongest point is the manageability. It’s so easy to ride. And the point we have to improve is basically everything, electronics, frame.

We have to improve on the engine, because also we need more power, especially in fourth, fifth and sixth gear. Especially top power. There is not a big problem anywhere, just lots of small ones.

Q: Which frame exactly did you use? There was a 2015 frame at Sepang 1, and a frame you tested at Valencia?

AB: We chose the same frame I used at the Valencia and Jerez tests last year, because the first test, they brought a new spec, but it didn’t work.

Q: What was wrong with it?

AB: No turning, no feeling, no grip. So everything… What was the problem? The frame was the problem! [laughs]

Q: Is it a good feeling to be a factory rider again?

AB: For sure! Because all my requests, they work to give me them. For me, it has been a strong point to decide to come here, because I can develop the bike myself, with my requests.

Q: But you know that you won’t be able to win this year…

AB: I know!

Q: It means you will have to be patient for a whole year while the bike is developed. Are you willing to invest the time needed?

AB: Yes, I’m ready for that. I’m prepared for this year, I know that we will have good moments, but also more bad moments. But anyway, my target is to go back to winning, and I know that in 2015, it will not be possible.

But maybe in 2016, if we make a good job this year and we can make a competitive bike for next year. With the rule change for next year, I think it’s an opportunity for us to be in front again.

Q: How does that affect your attitude and your mentality? Because you have to change your mentality from fighting for the best position possible to working on the bike…

AB: Just patience, and knowing exactly what is your position. I know that now, for this year we have no pressure to get the results. This is only good, also because you can stay focused on the development of the bike, you don’t have to develop the bike and try to do your best result at the same time. It’s only the bike performance that counts.

Q: Do you have any personal objectives for this year? A race or two where you want to do well?

AB: At the moment, I don’t think about that. First of all, we have to find a base to start the championship with, because still, our base is not clear.

It is still not decided about things like the tank and the seat on the bike, so we have to decide after the Qatar test on the bike to race. Then we will start to think about the results or something. But at the moment, I don’t think I would like to finish here or here.

Photo: Aprilia Racing

This article was originally published on MotoMatters, and is republished here on Asphalt & Rubber with permission by the author.

Source : asphaltandrubber[dot]com

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ArenaX: Round #8 Day One Race Report – Council Bluffs

ArenaCross Media Press Release:

The eighth round of the 2015 AMSOIL Arenacross, featuring Ricky Carmichael’s Road to Supercross, kicked off the first of two nights inside the Mid-America Center. After a pair of Arenacross Class Main Events, Team Babbitt’s Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki‘s Jacob Hayes added to his championship lead by earning his third overall win of the season. In the third round of the Western Regional Arenacross Lites Class Championship, Slaka Wear KTM’s Steven Mages grabbed his second straight victory.

Team Babbitt’s Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki’s Chris Blose grabbed the hole-shot in the first Arenacross Class Main Event ahead of Hayes and Husqvarna TiLUBE TUF Racing’s Kyle Regal. Hayes kept the pressure on his teammate throughout the opening laps and was able to pass Blose on the straightaway on Lap 3. Once out front, Hayes opened a small gap over the field and in an effort to keep him within striking distance, Regal made a pass on Blose on the ensuing lap right after the finish line. However, Blose responded and took the position back, only to have Regal reclaim second in the whoops.

The top three remained that way for several laps before Regal closed in on Hayes for the lead with two laps to go. As he looked to track down Hayes for the top spot, Regal went down and lost several positions, reentering the race in fifth. That allowed Hayes to take the checkered flag for the win ahead of Blose, Husqvarna’s Gavin Faith, KTM’s Travis Sewell and Kawasaki’s Matt Goerke rounding out the top five. Regal followed in sixth.

Hayes had the opportunity to select the inversion for the second Main Event, and with the help of the crowd he chose the case with the number eight, meaning half of the 16-rider field would be inverted.

As the second Main Event got underway, Hayes overcame the inversion to grab the holeshot ahead of Faith, and Goerke. The leaders remained the same until Lap 4, when Faith, an Iowa native, made an aggressive move after the whoops. Hayes nearly went down but saved, ultimately costing him another position to Goerke.

While the top three asserted themselves out front, Regal and KTM’s Gared Steinke engaged in a heated battle for fourth in the closing laps. After several attempts, Regal finally made the pass stick for fourth. A few moments later on Lap 13, Goerke challenged Faith for the lead in the whoops and took over the top spot, only to crash before the finish and lost valuable positions. That allowed Faith to reclaim the lead, which he carried through to the finish in front of the hometown crowd. Hayes followed in second, with Regal third. Steinke was fourth, Suzuki‘s Cory Green was fifth, while Goerke failed to finish the Main Event after his crash, finishing 12th.

Earlier in the evening, Regal took the win over Steinke in the Head 2 Head Challenge, earning an additional championship bonus point.

Hayes’ 1-2 finishes were enough to give him the overall victory over Faith in second (3-1) and Blose third (2-5). Regal finished fourth overall (6-3), while Sewell rounded out the top five (4-7).

In the Arenacross Class championship standings, Hayes, who entered the night with a one point lead over Goerke, moved to 14 points over Regal, who took control of second. Goerke, who finished eighth overall, sits third, 15 points out of the lead.

The start of the Western Regional Arenacross Lites Class Main Event saw Yamaha’s Josh Cartwright grab the hole-shot in his first race with the team ahead of Mages and KTM’s Dave Ginolfi. Mages immediately challenged Cartwright for the lead and the pair went side-by-side on Lap 2, with Mages eventually taking control of the Main Event. Once out front, Mages opened up a comfortable lead while Cartwright and Ginolfi waged battle for the remainder of the race. Mages took the win in dominant fashion, with Cartwright second and Ginolfi third. KTM’s Cody VanBuskirk was fourth, with championship leader Daniel Blair rounding out the top five aboard his KTM.

Blair, who entered the night with a five-point lead, now holds a 14-point lead over VanBuskirk, who took over second. KTM’s Brandon Glenn is third, 17 points back.

Arenacross Class Results – Main Event 1:

Jacob Hayes, Liberty, N.C., Kawasaki
Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki
Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Husqvarna
Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM
Matt Goerke, Temecula, Calif., Kawasaki
Kyle Regal, Grand Prairie, Texas, Husqvarna
Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki
Gared Steinke, Temecula, Calif., KTM
Dave Ginolfi, Boston, N.J., KTM
Bobby Kiniry, Holland Patent, N.Y., Yamaha

Arenacross Class Results – Main Event 2:

Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Husqvarna
Jacob Hayes, Liberty, N.C., Kawasaki
Kyle Regal, Grand Prairie, Texas, Husqvarna
Gared Steinke, Temecula, Calif., KTM
Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki
Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki
Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM
Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, KTM
Dave Ginolfi, Boston, N.J., KTM
Josh Cartwright, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha

Arenacross Class Results – Overall (Main Event Finishes)

Jacob Hayes, Liberty, N.C., Kawasaki (1-2)
Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Husqvarna (3-1)
Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki (2-5)
Kyle Regal, Grand Prairie, Texas, Husqvarna (6-3)
Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM (4-7)
Gared Steinke, Temecula, Calif., KTM (8-4)
Cory Green, Nowata, Okla., Suzuki (7-6)
Matt Goerke, Temecula, Calif., Kawasaki (5-12)
Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, KTM (11-8)
Dave Ginolfi, Boston, N.J., KTM (9-9)

RMATV/MC Head 2 Head Challenge Results:

Kyle Regal, Grand Prairie, Texas, Husqvarna (2 points)
Gared Steinke, Temecula, Calif., KTM (1 point)
Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM (1 point)
Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Husqvarna (1 point)
Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki (1 point)
Jacob Hayes, Liberty, N.C., Kawasaki (1 point)
Matt Goerke, Temecula, Calif., Kawasaki (1 point)
Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, KTM (1 point)

Western Regional Arenacross Lites Class Results:

Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, KTM
Josh Cartwright, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha
Dave Ginolfi, Boston, N.J., KTM
Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM
Daniel Blair, Lodi, Calif., KTM
Dylan Rouse, Florence, Ky., KTM
Scott Zont, Algonquin, Ill., KTM
Jason McConnell, Canonsburg, Pa., KTM
Benjamin Nelko, Aliquippa, Pa., KTM
Keaton Ward, Bozeman, Mon., KTM

Arenacross Class Points (Race 11 of 20)

Jacob Hayes, Liberty, N.C., Kawasaki – 291 (6 Main Event wins)
Kyle Regal, Grand Prairie, Texas, Husqvarna – 277 (3 Main Event wins)
Matt Goerke, Temecula, Calif., Kawasaki – 276 (3 Main Event wins)
Travis Sewell, Westville, Ind., KTM – 222
Bobby Kiniry, Holland Patent, N.Y., Yamaha – 221 (1 Main Event win)
Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki – 218 (4 Main Event wins)
Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, KTM – 215 (1 Main Event win)
Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Husqvarna – 194 (4 Main Event wins)
Gared Steinke, Temecula, Calif., KTM – 181
Willy Browning, Pleasantville, Ohio, KTM – 156

Western Regional Arenacross Lites Class Points (After Race 4 of 9)

Daniel Blair, Lodi, Calif., KTM – 53 (1 Main Event win)
Cody VanBuskirk, Harvard, Ill., KTM – 39
Brandon Glenn, Mesquite, Texas, KTM – 36
Jake Locks, Dixon, Calif., KTM – 18
Mason Wharton, Brush Prairie, Wash., Kawasaki – 17
Clay Elliott, Buford, Ga., KTM – 17
Josh Struebig, Crown Point, Ind., KTM – 16
Jason McConnell, , Canonsburg, Pa., KTM – 15
Chase Marquier, Newcastle, Okla., Honda – 13
Dalton Oxborrow, Lehi, Utah, Kawasaki – 12
Travis Bannister, Calhan, Colo., Honda – 12

The Council Bluffs stop of AMSOIL Arenacross continues tomorrow with the second night of action on Saturday, March 7, inside the Mid-America Center. Racing begins at 5 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. CT / 8 p.m. ET.

Tickets for each round of AMSOIL Arenacross are on sale HERE.

The entire AMSOIL Arenacross season will air on FOX Sports 1, including re-airs on Fox Sports 2.

For more information: www.arenacross.com

Source : cycleworld[dot]com

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IOMTT: 2015 TT Superbike Start List Revealed

IOMTT Press Release:

Entries closed for the 2015 Isle of Man TT Races at the end of February, and race organizers have confirmed a truly stellar line-up.

As in previous years, every class was oversubscribed, presenting the organizers with the huge headache of selecting who made the final start list but they have produced a world class entry suitable for the greatest motorcycle race in the world.

The Superbike and Senior races will again create the most intrigue and headlines.  With the top 20 seeded riders all having lapped comfortably over 127mph, it’s the strongest top end of the field ever witnessed. It’s no less impressive further down the order with the top 70 riders having already lapped at over 120mph and with 91 entrants targeting the 72 starting places that are up for grabs, this year’s two six-lap races should be absolutely barnstorming affairs.

Honda Racing’s John McGuinness, the 21-times TT race winner now back to full fitness, will lead the field off at number 1.  He will be eager to reclaim his King of the Mountain title from Michael Dunlop, whose eight wins in the last two years have seen him rightfully grab the headlines. Now on board the all-new Milwaukee Yamaha R1, Dunlop goes off at number three with James Hillier, another member of the 131mph club, sandwiched between them on the Quattro Plant Bournemouth Kawasaki.

Bruce Anstey, the current outright lap record holder, will start from his customary number five position. The Kiwi is again on the Valvoline Racing by Padgetts Honda and will have that elusive first Superbike victory in his sights.

After Dunlop’s feats of 2014, there are three BMW-mounted riders in the top ten. The Tyco pairing of William Dunlop and Guy Martin go off at numbers six and eight respectively with Michael Rutter starting at number four. The Midland’s based rider is expected to switch to the Penz13.Com team.

Gary Johnson, last year’s opening Monster Energy Supersport race winner, will again take the number seven plate, which this time will be the JG Speedfit Kawasaki, Mark Smith-Halvorsen’s BSB team making their debut at the TT. The top ten is completed by 2010 hero Ian Hutchinson (PBM Kawasaki) and Conor Cummins, the Ramsey Rocket continuing in the Honda Racing set up where he’ll be looking to get his first win after a second and a third last year.

Dean Harrison, riding for the Mar-Train Racing team, is onboard the second front running Yamaha at number 11 with Keith Amor, making his big bike return, lining up at number 12 on the RigDeluge BMW. Another Superbike returnee, Ryan Farquhar sets off 20 seconds later on his KMR Kawasaki, the former team-mates starting either side of 2013 TT Privateer’s Champion Lee Johnston (East Coast Construction BMW) who will again assume the number 13 plate.

Dan Kneen is set to go at number 15 although the talented Manxman is still in the process of finalising his plans having seen his proposed ride with Millsport Racing fall through. David Johnson (Smiths BMW) goes at 16 followed by last year’s sensational newcomer Peter Hickman (Briggs Equipment BMW), Dan Stewart (Wilcock Consulting Honda), the rasping Norton of Cameron Donald and Steve Mercer who completes the top twenty on his privateer Honda.

Dan Cooper, Ivan Lintin – set for a strong season on the RC Express Racing Kawasaki – Russ Mountford, Jamie Hamilton and consistent Italian rider Stefano Bonetti are all just outside the top twenty. Horst Saiger, who almost broke the 125mph barrier last year, will surely achieve that feat this year with regular top privateers Ben Wylie, Rob Barber, Davy Morgan and Robert Wilson back for more.

Some of last year’s leading lights – James Cowton, Martin Jessopp, Michael Sweeney and Daniel Hegarty – give further proof of the strength in depth of the entry with Jamie Coward and Derek Sheils returning to the fold having both missed out on last year’s meeting.

The entry has further been bolstered by a large influx of leading Manx GP competitors who are already knocking on the door of 120mph+ laps, most notably the winners of last year’s Junior, Senior and Lightweight races, Andy Lawson, Andrew Soar and James Neesom, which adds further strength and means the line-up from 20th to 70th is arguably the strongest it’s ever been. Others to make the step up include overseas visitors Kamil Holan, victor in the 2012 Newcomers race, Marco Pagani and Bjorn Gunnarsson and Frank Gallagher, Sam West, Anthony Redmond, Ben Rea and Matthew Rees.

The quality of entry is so high this year that just four newcomers go in the Superbike class with former World Supersport Championship contender Robbin Harms from Denmark the most notable newcomer. Current Irish Supersport champion Derek McGee, the latest rider of great potential to receive backing from Wilson Craig, former Thundersport Champion Tom McHale and Franck Petricola, the Frenchman now fully recovered from injuries sustained at last year’s North West 200 meeting are all expected to perform well on their mountain course debuts.

Isle of Man TT Preview 2015:

For more information: www.iomtt.com

Source : cycleworld[dot]com

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Interesting Entries for the 2015 Pikes Peak Hill Climb

The 93rd running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb may be over three months away, but the historic American road race released its official entry list this week, with some interesting participants for 2015’s Race to the Clouds.

So far with 78 motorcycle entries confirmed, our attention was piqued with the entry of a 2015 Kawasaki H2 sport bike by Japan’s Takahiro Itami — an unsupported race entry according to Kawasaki USA.

Bringing things more locally, Colorado-based Ronin Motorcycles has an entry with one the company’s 47 heavily modified Buells, with Pikes Peak class-winner Travis Newbold at the helm.

Coming straight from the Isle of Man TT, Rob “The Bullet” Barber will compete in the electric class with The Ohio State University’s Buckeye Current team.

Other entries of interest include a Ducati 1299 Panigale S by Eric Foutch, a still to-be-determined ride for Cycle World’s road test editor Don Canet, and a TOBC Racing Suzuki GSX-R600 for Asphalt & Rubber contributor Shelina Moreda.

While Pikes Peak has several “To Be Determined” motorcycle entries still to disclose, noticeably absent from the entry list are many of the race’s recent top-finishers.

Fastest man up the mountain on two wheels (9’52.819), Carlin Dunne is absent from the entry list at this point in time. Dunne has the added distinction of winning Pikes Peak in his rookie debut, as well as being the fastest electric motorcycle entry ever up the Colorado peak.

Rumors of Brammo entering the race have so far not panned out to be true. As Dunne’s name had been mentioned in the same breath as Brammo’s in the past, those two fates may be intertwined.

Alta Motors has been another name mentioned as a possible entry, and with the company’s 250cc-class electric MX and supermoto bikes to come out later this year, Pikes Peak could be a good showcase for the San Francisco startup.

Last year’s winner Jeremy Toye is also not on the entry list. Toye came very close to Dunne’s record last year, lapping 9’58.687 on his Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R.

Ducati’s uber presence, powered by the Falkner/Livingston Racing team, seems to be absent for 2015, though the venerable PPIHC squad could still power Canet’s ride again, as they did last year.

All of this could mean that 2015’s title for “King of the Mountain” could be up for grabs, for a number of riders. Could a new rookie come to Pikes Peak and shatter the record? Will we see an electric entry continue to disrupt the fun for the petrol heads? Time will tell.

Let’s just hope though for safe racing conditions for all the competitors involved.

Source: PPIHC; Photo: © 2014 Jamey Price / Jamey Price Photo – All Rights Reserved

• j

  tremoto?

• Petzi_baer

  Kawasaki H2 -makes sense in high elevations ….

Source : asphaltandrubber[dot]com

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WSBK: Round #2 Ducati Aruba.it Race Preview – Thailand

Ducati Corse Press Release:

The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike Team is pleased to announce that three-times world champion Troy Bayliss will return to the track with the Italian team and the Panigale R for Round 2 of the World Superbikes, taking place from 20-22 March at the Chang International Circuit in the Buriram province of Thailand.

Bayliss, who will turn 46 on March 30, already competed alongside Chaz Davies at the opening round of Phillip Island in place of Davide Giugliano, injured during the first day of testing, and will substitute for the Italian rider once again, this time at the Thai track, new not only to the Australian but to all of the Superbike riders.

Troy Bayliss:

“I’m really excited to be able to ride the Panigale R again and I thank the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike Team for the opportunity. It will be great to work with the team again. Compared to the Phillip Island round, organized pretty much at the last minute, this time I’ve had the chance to train and prepare myself properly. I’m really motivated and feeling ready; I can’t wait to get back on track!”

Davide Giugliano continues with his recovery, which requires him to rest for another few weeks before recommencing with a measured training program. He aims to be back on his Panigale R in time for the fifth championship round of Imola, taking place from 8-10 May.

No decision has yet been taken by the Italian squad with regard to the substitution of Giugliano for the rounds of Aragón (12 April) and Assen (19 April).

For more information: www.ducati.com

Source : cycleworld[dot]com

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Watch Ducati Assemble the New Multistrada 1200

When you think about the assembly process involved in making a motorcycle, it is pretty staggering. Not only do Ducati engineers have the task of making the best motorcycle possible, but they also need to design the machine to be easily built by the factory workers at Borgo Panigale.

Which parts should go on before the next? where a cable should be routed through the frame and bodywork? The planning that must go into building out an assembly line is certainly an undertaking I would not want to have.

So while the latest video from Ducati is perhaps not the most ouvertly entertaining, it is certainly impressive nonetheless to watch Italy’s finest assemblying a 2015 Ducati Multistrada 1200.

Note how much time is spent building the Testastretta DVT engine, versus the rest of the Multistrada 1200. That’s because the engine is one of the few things that Ducati still “builds” versus “assembles” on its bikes, with many OEM parts suppliers making the rest.

Source: Ducati

• Justin

  I love these inside-the-factory glimpses, there was a series called twist the throttle back in 09 that went inside some of the major factories that this reminds me of.

• Jack Meoph

  The engine guys wasn’t wearing any gloves, and had on rings, bracelets, and watches (people still wear them?). I’m surprised necklaces weren’t dangling out. And no one was wearing safety glasses or hearing protection (assembly line floors are LOUD). WTF! I was in charge of safety as one aspect of my last job, and this was fail.

• PastramiBob

  haha. According to the article, those guys are Italy’s finest.

Source : asphaltandrubber[dot]com

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Kawasaki Trademarks “Ninja R2″ with USPTO & Others

Let the rumors fly as to what Kawasaki has up its sleeve, because Team Green has registered “Ninja R2″ with the US Patent and Trademark office, as well as similar offices internationally.

The trademark application is fairly broad in what the name can be used for, but knowing Kawasaki’s product line, a new motorcycle can be expected from the “Ninja” name.

What that motorcycle could be, is up for debate. Some draw a line between the “Ninja R2″ name and the recently revived “Ninja H2″ model, and thus see another supercharged machine to come from Kawasaki. Others hear the whispers of a small-displacement sport bike, perhaps one with a stratospheric rev-limit (our pick).

The honest answer is that no one really knows, and the fact that there isn’t an obvious hole for moto-journalists to plug this bike into means we could be in for quite the surprise, as anything is on the table.

Of course, it is just as easy that we could be letting our imaginations get ahead of ourselves, but Kawasaki has slowly shaking off the bonds of the recession.

First updating the Ninja ZX-10R (albeit, detuning the machine for US consumption — thanks EPA), then defining the small-displacement category with the powerful Kawasaki Ninja 300, and just recently blowing the doors off the competition with the supercharged H2 and H2R hyperbikes, clearly Kawasaki hasn’t been holding back its punches.

With the US trademark filed for in August 13, 2013, Kawasaki has had some time to develop its new model, which means we could be seeing it as early this year in teaser or trade show form.

Leave your guess as to what you think the new model could be in the comments. Time will tell who gets a cookie.

Source: USPTO

• racerX

  Supercharged 4-cyl 250…do it

• Superlight

  Don’t you think your statement “blowing the doors off the competition with the supercharged H2 and H2R hyperbikes” is a little overblown? Neither bike has been tested yet by, ahem, objective journalists, so who knows what these machines are about. What we do know is that both are fugly to the extreme.

Source : asphaltandrubber[dot]com

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IOMTT: Paton Motorcycles Announces 2015 TT Campaign

IOMTT Press Release:

Team ILR are delighted to announce that Paton Motorcycles have asked Ian Lougher to oversee the fortunes of their Lightweight (Supertwin) bike at the 2015 Isle of Man TT races under the banner of Paton/Team ILR.

The machine in question is the Paton S1, which was homologated last year just in time for the TT when Olie Linsdell rode and grabbed a very creditable 6th place finish.

With Linsdell a non-starter at this year’s TT, Paton approached the Team ILR manager with a view to running Michael Rutter on their bike, a request which Lougher didn’t need asking twice.

The world renowned motorcycle company have worked closely with the highly respected Welshman in recent times, culminating in a dramatic win in last year’s 500cc Classic TT on board Steve Linsdell’s Team Flitwick 1968 CMM Paton BIC 500 when, despite being awarded a 30-second penalty for jumping the pits at the start of lap two, Lougher put in a typically determined performance to win yet again round the 37.75-mile Mountain Course.

Michael Rutter has recorded four TT victories in his Isle of Man career since making his debut in 1994 including two SES TT Zero race wins.  He recorded a third place finish in the Lightweight class in 2013.  He has a fastest lap of 130.637mph, which makes him the tenth fastest rider of all time around the Mountain Course.

Ian Lougher (Team ILR manager):

“For me as a Team owner it’s a great honor to be asked by such a well respected company like Paton, to run their S1 650cc Twin at this year’s TT race festival.  I have been a big fan of the Italian manufacturer for a long time, and followed their racing exploits for many years through the two stroke era in 500cc GP’s to the present day, where Olie took a fantastic top 6 finish in last year’s race. With so much more development this time around, and with Michael sat in the hot seat, I am sure together we can put Paton back on the rostrum where they belong.”

Roberto Pattoni (Paton founder):

“We have a strong relationship with the Isle of Man since our birth in 1958. Last year we did a big effort racing in the Lightweight class with our first and new road legal product, the Paton S1, thanks to Steve and Olie Linsdell. They did a very good job and created this year the opportunity to rely on Ian’s team and Michael’s ability to present our bike in perfect shape and carrying the latest tuning and set up.”

Mario Pagani (Paton CEO):

“Paton is a demonstration of what can be done with a limited amount of economic resources but a great passion for racing and quality products. Thanks to our efforts and continuous development our clients have great satisfactions in the Classic TT since many years and now our focus is the Lightweight class.  For us it was a great honor receiving the positive answer from Ian and Michael and we will give them all our technical ability and support for a positive performance.”

Michael Rutter:

“I am really excited to be asked to ride the Paton in the Lightweight race. Paton is a small passionate Italian company who are steeped in racing history and renowned for building great motorcycles. The bike looks fantastic, and considering how little testing time Olie had on it last year, due to the last minute homologation checks etc, he still ended up 3rd quickest in practice, and was able to bring it home in 6th position in the race, so I can’t wait to ride it.”

For more information: www.iomtt.com

Source : cycleworld[dot]com

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