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 The Ducati factory Superbike team during happier times just a few months ago at Miller World Superbike with their grid girls, our Fast Dates Calendar Kittens and Playboy Playmates Jaime Edmonson and Heather Rae Young
SHOCKER!
Ducati Not to Participate in the 2011 World Superbike Championship with a Factory Team
Borgo Panigale (Bologna - Italy), 27 August 2010 - Ducati, having participated with a factory team in every edition of the World Superbike Championship since it began in 1988, winning 16 Manufacturers’ world titles and 13 Riders’ world titles along the way, has decided to limit its participation to the supply of machines and support to private teams.
“This decision is part of a specific strategy made by Ducati, the aim being to further increase technological content in production models that will arrive on the market in the coming years. In order to achieve this objective, the company’s technical resources, until now engaged with the management of the factory Superbike team, will instead be dedicated to the development of the new generation of hypersport bikes, in
both their homologated and Superbike race versions,” declared Gabriele Del Torchio, President and CEO of Ducati. “I would like to thank Nori and Michel, and all of the riders that have contributed to the great history of Ducati in Superbike, but above all the Ducati employees; it is their hard work and professionalism that has allowed us to achieve such important results. A big thank you also to all of the partners that have supported us, first and foremost Xerox of course. I would also like to acknowledge the Flammini brothers who have managed the championship for so long, and the FIM, the organization with which we have continuous, constructive relations.”
By making this important decision Ducati aims to increase the speed and efficiency with which it transfers advanced technological solutions, currently tested in the prototype championship, to the production series. The task of testing innovative technical solutions in Superbike racing will therefore be entrusted to external teams in the coming years, teams that will have the chance to receive technical support from Ducati personnel. This choice will allow the teams to benefit from even more competitive machines and parts. Despite the decision to interrupt its official participation in the World Superbike Championship, Ducati will continue to work, in collaboration with the championship organizers, other manufacturers and the FIM, to define a technical regulation aimed at containing costs.
Strong in the sporting spirit that has always allowed this manufacturer to compete, line-up against its rivals, and win, it is fundamental for Ducati to identify, together with the other interested parties, solutions that can guarantee the future of the championship in the medium-long term.
Recently the Superbike World Championship, according to the current regulations, has been interpreted as moving more towards competition between prototypes rather than for bikes derived from production machines. This has led to an increase in costs, both for the manufacturers and the teams participating in the championship. This picture does not correlate with the current worldwide economic situation, which has made the securing of sponsorship even more difficult. Ducati trusts that the work carried out by all parties will lead to improvement also in this area.
Editor's Note: There are certainly a number of contributing factors to Ducati's president Gabriele Del Torchio's initially surprising announcement to withdraw the most successful team in World Superbike from racing next year. Among the reasons has to be the current world economy which has see Ducati's new bike sales fall about 30%, considerably less than the sales decline for the Japanese motorcycle manufacturers, but very significant non the less. The just is not much money available to spend on a race team and continue to develop new motorcycles which Ducati needs to do to remain competitive in the market.
And as we mention in the story below about the next 5th generation Ducati Superbike, the current intake restrictor regulation imposed on the 4th generation Ducati Superbikes in World Superbike, is a huge factor in the bikes no longer being as competitive as in past years. That together with the inconsistent riding this season of both Nori Haga and Michel Fabrizio, with no up and coming new riders to replace them, it is probably better to go ahead and disband the team for the coming season then to continue on with no chance of a 2011 Championship title victory.
Finally, with Valentino Rossi joining the 2011-2012 Ducati Corse MotoGP team, they will have more than enough positive publicity and possibly race wins to offset the departure of the Ducati WSB team. Plus, Rossi's signing salary and team demands for MotoGP have probably make a serious dent in Ducati's overall racing budget. Plus there is the question of sponsorship money. Has the economic recession affected Xerox's support of the Superbike team going into next year? Is Marlboro be reducing its sponsorship support of the MotoGP team, and will Fiat be following Valentino from the Yamaha MotoGP team to Ducati, or not? - Jim Gianatsis
MotoGP World Championship, Indianapolis USA, Round 11 of 18
Pedrosa Storms the Indy Brickyard
Indianapolis, Indiana USA , August 27-29th - Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V) continued his impressive 2010 season by winning his third MotoGP race of the season for the first time in his career, with today’s win coming in front of nearly 63,000 sun-drenched fans at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. American Ben Spies (Yamaha) finished second in front of Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha), with Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) fourth ahead of Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda RC212V). The win was worth 25 valuable championship points to second-placed Pedrosa, who took nine back from Lorenzo, the championship leader after 11 of 18 races. But today belonged to Pedrosa.
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Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V): 1st - “I’m really happy with this win and it was an especially tough one because of the heat today. I didn’t make the perfect start but I was quite quick through the first few tight corners and stayed close to the leaders. My rhythm was good today and even though Spies was strong in front I was able to close him down and make the pass. I’m really pleased with the performance of my bike because it was fast on the straights and also was working well in the corners. When I was out in front it was quite hard to stay focused and at the end of the race I was really tired - but I’m very happy because last year I crashed when I could have won and now I have made up for it. There were many crashes this weekend and it would have been easy to make a mistake in the race - you only need to go a little off line and you can be on the ground immediately, especially towards the end of the race when the tyres are worn. I’ve gone past the barrier of two MotoGP race wins in a season so I’m very happy. We are doing a good job and I hope we can maintain this momentum next weekend at Misano. I want to thank the team and all the people around me.” |
Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP Preview
The 2010 season continues its march towards the decisive part of the season with round 11 of 18 taking place at Indianapolis this weekend, and all eyes will once more be on Jorge Lorenzo as the Fiat Yamaha rider aims to maintain his phenomenal form this season. Victory last time out at Brno made the Spaniard only the third premier class rider in history to have placed inside the top two in all ten opening races of a season, and few would bet against him extending his win count this season to eight at a track he was victorious on last season.
With a 77-point advantage over Dani Pedrosa in the standings the Repsol Honda man will be eager not only to halt his rival’s run, but also to make up for last year’s Indy outing. Pedrosa dominated the weekend and started from pole, but crashed early in the race and eventually placed tenth. Fresh from second place in the Czech Republic he will be targeting a third win of the season, which would be a first treble of premier class wins in one year for the 24 year-old.
Casey Stoner’s consistent podium finishing over the past five rounds has lifted the Ducati Team rider to third overall, and still in search of a first win of the season the Australian will also be looking to make up for last year’s absence from this race due to illness. He will also be expecting a front-end improvement on his Desmosedici after testing new forks at Brno. Just four points behind him in the standings is Andrea Dovizioso, and the Repsol Honda man will want a solid result after his first DNF of 2010 in the last round. The Italian has finished fifth and fourth in his two rides at Indy, and will expect to go one better in the battle for third with Stoner.
Reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi continues to go from strength to strength as he regains full fitness, and has winning form on the track from 2008. Two points off the Italian in the standings is his prospective team-mate for 2011, Ducati’s Nicky Hayden. The American – still in search of a first podium of the campaign – will be desperate for a strong home display and will hope the injured left hand he sustained in Brno does not hinder those aspirations.
Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rookie Ben Spies will have identical aims to compatriot Hayden on home soil, whilst Randy de Puniet’s incredible return to action at Brno just four weeks after a broken leg will take its next step as the LCR Honda rider attempts to regain the highest privateer honour. Italian Marco Melandri (San Carlo Honda Gresini) and another proud American Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) complete the top ten as it stands.
Rookies Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini), Héctor Barberá (Páginas Amarillas Aspar) and Álvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) will all want positive first premier class runs at the circuit, whilst those with previous Indy experience in Loris Capirossi (Rizla Suzuki) and Pramac Racing pair Aleix Espargaró and Mika Kallio will look to pull on their knowledge in search of good results.
Having ridden at the Brno test for the first time in two months Hiroshi Aoyama (Interwetten Honda MotoGP Team) could make his return to action, but is waiting to make a decision. In the case the Japanese rookie does not Alex de Angelis will continue as his stand-in on the satellite RC212V.
 Man at the top, adored by fans.
Lorenzo is flying high after enjoying an incredible seven wins from ten races so far this season. The 23-year-old has a championship lead of 77 points over Dani Pedrosa and the Mallorcan knows he simply has to continue in the same consistent way to ensure a first premier-class championship later this year. After another comfortable win last time out in Brno and a useful one-day test afterwards he is feeling confident of another good result in Indiana. He has a good record with the track having taken a commanding win there last year and his first ever wet podium in 2008, the first year that MotoGP visited Indianapolis.
Rossi's injury-hit season suffered a low point in Brno when he could only finish fifth after being hopeful of something much better, but he and his team worked hard to understand what had gone wrong during the test and they are satisfied that they won't see a repeat this week. The reigning World Champion always enjoys racing in America and he was thrilled to take a brilliant podium in Laguna Seca last month, at just his second race back after breaking his leg. Rossi took a memorable win at the Inaugural Indianapolis Grand Prix in 2008, when the race was battered by Hurricane Ike, but last year he slid out when sparring with his team-mate, something he will be looking to make up for this time around.
With 257,000 permanent seats the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the largest spectator sporting facility in the world and fills to capacity for its flagship events, the Indy 500 and Allstate 400 car races. Originally constructed in 1909 with a 2.5-mile oval, an exciting 16-turn motorcycle road circuit, which includes part of the historic oval, was purpose-built for MotoGP.
Jorge Lorenzo - "Just good memories in America" - "The first back-to-back races in the second half of the season are coming, and this first one after a few days of holiday in the US for me. This weekend will be the second race in this country in 2010 and I am looking forward to it because I would like to repeat the same result as I got in Laguna! I just have good memories from America, last month in Laguna and last year in Indy. Last year was amazing, but this time I don't need to take too many risks. We can avoid it! Indy is a track that I like a lot and it has amazing history. The team and I are planning to continue our great season there this weekend."
Valentino Rossi - "A special place" - "Indianapolis is a special place, an amazing track and as always it's fun to race in America. I have great memories from 2009 when I won in the hurricane, even if it's not something I want to repeat! This year we arrive in a different situation to last year, fifth in the championship and not at 100% in physical condition, but I am feeling stronger all the time. Brno was disappointing but the test helped us to understand what went wrong and so we are hopeful that we can be back on good form in Indy."
Circuit Record: Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha - 2009), 1’40.152 – 151.545 km/h
Best Pole: Dani Pedrosa ( Honda – 2009), 1’39.730 – 152.186 km/h
 Casey and Nicky with a big Indy crowd on Friday
Casey Stoner Shows His Speed in Friday Practice
Practice, Friday 27th -
Casey Stoner may still be looking for his first win of the season, but the Australian certainly got his Indianapolis weekend off to a perfect start. The Australian was the fastest rider in today's opening practice with a lap time of 1'40.884, making him the only rider to dip below the 1'41s during the hour-long session. Stoner wasted little time getting to grips with the famous 'Brickyard' track despite missing the event here last year through illness - his fastest lap came on the 15th of 22 and made him the only rider to dip below the 1'42 mark today. Stoner was running with the new front fork that he tested at Brno on his Desmosedici GP10 and the result appeared to be more than positive this afternoon, as he edged championship leader, Jorge Lorenzo, for the top slot on the timesheet.
 Note the aerodynamic Canards or "Side Plate" wings adapted to only Stoner's GP10 Ducati bike 2 weeks ago at Bruno - a first in motorcycle racing. Aerodynamic downforce appendages work well on racing cars which maintain a 90° position to the track surface so the inverted wing pushes the vehicle to the ground for more traction in braking and cornering. The question in motorcycle racing though, comes in cornering when the bike leans past the 45° angle is the aerodynamic "push" going to cause the bike to slide out, instead? GP bikes corner with as much as a 60° lean angle. Making this a difficult calculation both on paper, and on the race track is the traction coefficient between the tires and the pavement, and the downforce which increases with speed. Either way, Ducati remains at the forefront of motorcycle technology (see the Ducati racebike article below) and if this really works, will Casey be taking the information to Honda with him next year? Maybe Ducati should have waited 3 months to save this possible technical advantge for Casey's replacment Valention Rossi. Also note the new larger megaphone exhaust hole in the bottom fairing.
Casey Stoner (Ducati Team) 1st (1'40.884) - "For the first two laps I didn't remember anything about the track from two years ago but after that it all came back pretty quickly! This is quite a unique circuit because of the different types of surface and the amount of bumps out there so we had to improvise a little today because it's not easy to pick the right line. We made a good start but I'm sure everybody will work things out better tomorrow and close the gap. Having said that this is a good situation to be in on the first day and for the first time in a while we feel there is potential to improve. We tried the new front fork today that we tested in Brno and it felt good, although this is not the kind of circuit where you can really push so it's hard to say if it improved the package."
Last year’s race winner Lorenzo was quick throughout the practice session, leading until just 15 minutes before the end. The 23-year-old Mallorcan's best time of 1'41.109 left him 0.225s off Stoner's best as he attempts to extend his 77-point advantage in the championship standings this weekend.
Nicky Hayden, keen to impress in front of his home crowd, got off to a positive start as he set the third fastest time, before crashing uninjured in the final 15 minutes of the session. The Ducati rider returned to the track aboard his number two bike, but was unable to further improve his lap time.
Nicky Hayden (Ducati Team) 3rd (1'41.405) - "At the start of the session I was feeling really good and I was going quite fast on a hard tyre. When we put the soft tyre in I felt even better and maybe got a little too excited because that's when I made a mistake. I was off line a little but I didn't force it, I just let it go because it's only first practice but 'bam'! I was down immediately. It was a bummer because my suspension guy had come up with some settings that were working really good and I really liked the feel. At least I didn't do any more damage to the wrist - all I got was a friction burn on my arm from digging it in trying to save the wrist. It's nothing major though and after finding a good base setting today I'm looking forward to possibly trying the new forks tomorrow."
Dani Pedrosa, who was in fast form at last year’s Indianapolis meeting, was fourth quickest aboard the factory Repsol Honda RC212V with a lap time of 1'41.421, just four-hundredths of a second ahead of reigning MotoGP World Champion, Valentino Rossi, who was fifth on his Fiat Yamaha M1.
 Motorcycle enthusiast jay Leno was at Indianapolis to serve as the event's Grand Marshall. Here he encourages Andrea Dovisioso to stick with motorccyle racing as a good way to keep the kid out of trouble, if not off Red Bull.
The American's were well represented in the top ten today, with Monster Yamaha Tec 3 rider Colin Edwards sixth fastest and teammate, Ben Spies, eventually finishing eighth fastest behind Repsol Honda's Andrea Dovisioso, despite a late crash that effectively ended the Texan's practice session five minutes early.Aleix Espargaro aboard the Pramac Ducati and San Carlo Gresini Honda's Marco Melandri completed the top ten. Hiroshi Aoyama finished 16th fastest today, on his return to competitive action following a nine week lay-off through injury.
Ben Spies secures his first ever MotoGP Pole at Indy
Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix - Day 2, Satur day August 28th - Ben Spies will start a MotoGP race from pole position for the first time on Sunday after he laid down a fantastic hot lap in qualifying for the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rookie posted a best time of 1’40.105 on his final flying lap to delight the home crowd and mark another highlight in what has already been an eventful weekend following confirmation of his factory ride for 2011. The Texan celebrates a first pole after already having tasted podium champagne at Silverstone in June in what is quickly becoming an impressive debut season in the premier class of motorcycle racing.
Spies had spent most of the qualifying session, which was run in searing temperatures that peaked at a punishing 33 degrees, concentrating on a crucial race set-up for tomorrow's 28-lap encounter. But as soon as the field switched to the softer compound Bridgestone rear tyre, Spies was in devastating form and always looked like challenging for a second successive front row start. There were 12 minutes left on the clock when a lap of 1.40.465 saw him rocket from ninth to the top of the timesheets. That impressive pace put him a fraction ahead of Jorge Lorenzo.
Spies was 0.220s quicker than Championship leader and last year’s race winner Jorge Lorenzo who took his Fiat Yamaha M1 machine round in the second fastest time, and there was further joy for the American fans as Nicky Hayden took his first Ducati front-row place with third. Hayden was just a hundredth of a second behind Lorenzo on the timesheet in a typically action-packed and frantic hour-long session.
Riders who were quick in the morning session found the going tough as the temperature soared and grip levels decreased, with Andrea Dovizioso holding top spot briefly before his best time of 1’40.559 eventually placed him fourth on the starting grid, with his Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa fifth just under eight-hundredths further back. A visibly frustrated Casey Stoner, who had been fastest in both free practice sessions, could only qualify in sixth as he lapped 0.559s off the pace of Spies on his Ducati Desmosedici GP10.
The third row will be headed up by Valentino Rossi (Fiat Yamaha) with the Italian left bewildered but uninjured when he fell at turn six with little over five minutes to go – his second fall of the day following an earlier one in practice. The reigning World Champion has struggled to match the speed of the front-runners this weekend and will hope to find some improvements with his crew overnight.
Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini) also had a crash in the final stages of the session but managed to secure eighth place, equalling his best qualification so far this season, with Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Loris Capirossi (Rizla Suzuki) completing the top ten. Hiroshi Aoyama (Interwetten Honda MotoGP Team) was 13th in his first qualifying practice since returning from injury, whilst Aleix Espargaró (Pramac Racing) had a fall at turn 13 and subsequently qualified in 14th.
Ben Spies - Position: 1st Time: 1.40.105 Laps: 28 - "This is a great feeling for me to get my first MotoGP pole position and for it to come in front of the American crowd and here at Indianapolis with all the history makes it even more special. And I'm glad for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team too. This team helped catapult me into this position and I've been trying to give as much for them as I can, even though I'll be moving to Yamaha's factory team next year. I've got to say I really put it on the line this afternoon. I'd come so close at Brno a couple of weeks ago to getting my first pole position and I really wanted to finish the job on home soil. And being on the front row with Nicky too is pretty incredible for MotoGP racing in America. There was no way coming into this weekend that I thought this result was possible. Bur I've been able to do it and now I'm going to concentrate on getting a good start and giving it everything in the race. I'd love a podium and my best result at home but I'm not going to get ahead of myself. But right now I'll certainly enjoy today."
Sunday's Race a Walkaway for Pedrosa
Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix - Day 3, Sunday August 29th - Dani Pedrosa narrowed the gap on MotoGP World Championship leader Jorge Lorenzo to 68 points with seven rounds of the 2010 season remaining by winning the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix on Sunday. It was the Repsol Honda rider’s third win of the campaign, the first time he has achieved three wins in a season in the premier class.Starting from the second row Pedrosa was on the pace early on and a fastest lap on lap two lifted him into second position, as he set his sights on pole holder Ben Spies. On the end of the seventh lap the Spaniard overtook the rookie on the start/finish straight and never relinquished the lead, eventually crossing the line 3.575s clear of Spies.
After the race Pedrosa commented, “I’m really happy with this win and it was an especially tough one because of the heat today. My rhythm was good and even though Spies was strong in front I was able to close him down and make the pass. When I was out in front it was quite hard to stay focused and at the end of the race I was really tired - but I’m very happy because last year I crashed when I could have won and now I have made up for it.”
For the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider Spies, second place marked his best result to date and a second podium in what has already been a fantastic debut season. Spies started from pole – the first of his MotoGP career – and his race result capped off a great weekend that also saw him confirmed as a factory Yamaha rider for 2011.
 Sixteen riders spead out over a 2 mile road course inside a huge superspeedway without much passing can get boring pretty quickly.
Completing the podium was series leader Lorenzo who had started from second on the grid but dropped to fifth at the start of the race. That failed to affect his concentration however and he battled his way past Andrea Dovizioso and into third just before the midway point of the race, finishing just over three seconds off Spies as his phenomenal record of having placed in the top two in every race this season was finally broken. He did however score a twelfth consecutive podium finish in the premier class.
A complicated weekend for Valentino Rossi (Fiat Yamaha) ended with the reigning World Champion placing fourth in the race, as he won the battle of the Italians with Repsol Honda rider Dovizioso taking fifth. Nicky Hayden was sixth having started from the front row for the first time in his Ducati career and battling with an awkwardly dislodged knee-slider throughout the race.
Rookies Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini) and Álvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) impressed with seventh and eight places respectively, with Aleix Espargaró (Pramac Racing) and Héctor Barberá (Páginas Amarillas Aspar) completing the top ten. Loris Capirossi, Hiroshi Aoyama – on his return from injury – and Randy de Puniet were the final three riders to finish the race.
Right: Dovizioso heads off the road course onto the Front Straight. We'd guestimate spectator attendance on
Sunday around 25,000. |
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Suffering the disappointment of DNFs were Marco Melandri (lap two) on his 200th Grand Prix start, Casey Stoner who lost the front end of his Ducati Desmosedici GP10 on lap eight whilst in sixth, Colin Edwards who was forced to retire with rear tyre issues (lap 17) and Mika Kallio who crashed in turn ten when he hit a bump. Lorenzo moves onto 251 points with Pedrosa now on 183 in second in the standings. Dovizioso is third on 126, with Stoner now seven points behind in fourth. Rossi remains in fifth while Spies moves up to sixth.
The obviously pro American crowd at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway were left thrilled on Sunday as home hero Ben Spies delivered a podium for them to celebrate, riding to second position from pole for his best result of his debut MotoGP campaign to date. The 26 year-old capped off a magnificent weekend in which he was confirmed as a Yamaha factory rider for 2011 with his second podium of the season, in a rookie year which continues to go from strength to strength.
“I'm really happy to have got my best result in MotoGP in front of the American crowd and at a track as famous as Indianapolis,” said Spies, who is now the highest placed rookie and satellite rider at sixth in the Championship standings. “I always said I wanted my best result in my home race, so it's mission accomplished.”
The result came from his first pole position start in the premier class, and he continued: “After the pole position I got a great start and it felt good to be out front for the first time in MotoGP. But I didn't have the pace for Dani (Pedrosa, race winner) today and he rode a great race. I'm happy because I didn't make too many mistakes when I was out in front and I was consistent for the whole race. When Dani passed me I knew I couldn't follow him, so I let him go and concentrated on keeping a gap to Jorge in third and that's what I achieved.”
Having finished ahead of factory riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi, Spies added: “I can't complain because it was a great weekend and to be top Yamaha rider when you look at who else is on that bike is pretty satisfying. It hasn't sunk in yet that I've finished second in my home race. But I'll enjoy it before I hop on a plane and try and do it again in Misano next weekend.”
It is a sign of just how dominant Jorge Lorenzo has been this season that in Round 11 he finished outside the top two for the first time this season, placing third in the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix on Sunday. The Fiat Yamaha rider started from second on the grid but dropped to fifth as the race got underway, reclaiming two positions to finish third. A podium was another solid result in the 23 year-old’s already impressive season, but he was not as satisfied with how he rode when he assessed the 28-lap contest.
"Of course I shouldn't be disappointed with third place but at the same time I'm not happy with my race today, I didn't ride as well as I could have and I didn't get a good start,” said Lorenzo, who still holds a substantial 68-point lead at the top of the Championship.
“The conditions were incredibly hard and I simply didn't have the physical strength to push as hard or do the same times I did in practice; it was like a race in Malaysia! The track was so slippery and it was very difficult to use the tyres as you wanted to, I think honestly I'm quite lucky to have finished third today. The good thing is we took some points and now I have to concentrate on recovering before Misano because we don't have much time."
Valentino Rossi took the positives from his fourth-placed finish at Indianapolis on Sunday, after he began to feel the physical strain towards the end of a demanding race in sweltering conditions. With the temperature hitting 35ºC the Italian’s recovering physical condition was tested to the maximum, but he coped admirably to rise from seventh on the starting grid and end the race inside the top four.
"This was a good race for us after the weekend,” said Rossi, who uncharacteristically crashed in the second practice session, qualifying and warm up – his highest ever number of falls in a GP weekend. “Fourth is quite good in the circumstances but the important thing is that my rhythm in the race was strong and I felt much happier on the bike. I did some good laps and I wasn't too far from the other Yamahas, but unfortunately I paid a lot for my lack of fitness in this heat and in the end I had to stop pushing because I didn't have any strength left in my body.”
“I'm happy though because we came back to a good setting and with me riding well, and if you consider I had three small crashes in the weekend, fourth isn't so bad. Now we will look forward to Misano, my home race!"
MotoGP Results: (28 laps = 118.048 km)
Pos / Rider / Nat / Team / Motorcycle / Time/ KM/H / Gap
1 / Dani PEDROSA / SPA / Repsol Honda Team / HONDA / 47'31.615 / 149.028 /
2 / Ben SPIES / USA / Monster Yamaha Tech 3 / YAMAHA / 47'35.190 / 148.842 / 3.575
3 / Jorge LORENZO / SPA / Fiat Yamaha Team / YAMAHA / 47'38.427 / 148.673 / 6.812
4 / Valentino ROSSI / ITA / Fiat Yamaha Team / YAMAHA / 47'44.248 / 148.371 / 12.633
5 / Andrea DOVIZIOSO / ITA / Repsol Honda Team / HONDA / 47'53.500 / 147.893 / 21.885
6 / Nicky HAYDEN / USA / Ducati Team / DUCATI / 48'06.753 / 147.214 / 35.138
7 / Marco SIMONCELLI / ITA / San Carlo Honda Gresini / HONDA / 48'08.355 / 147.133 / 36.74
8 / Alvaro BAUTISTA / SPA / Rizla Suzuki MotoGP / SUZUKI / 48'08.440 / 147.128 / 36.825
9 / Aleix ESPARGARO / SPA / Pramac Racing Team / DUCATI / 48'16.520 / 146.718 / 44.905
10 / Hector BARBERA / SPA / Paginas Amarillas Aspar / DUCATI / 48'22.983 / 146.391 / 51.368
11 / Loris CAPIROSSI / ITA / Rizla Suzuki MotoGP / SUZUKI / 48'27.001 / 146.189 / 55.386
12 / Hiroshi AOYAMA / JPN / Interwetten Honda MotoGP / HONDA / 48'29.518 / 146.062 / 57.903
13 / Randy DE PUNIET / FRA / LCR Honda MotoGP / HONDA / 48'35.754 / 145.75 / 1'04.139
Pole Position: Ben SPIES 1'40.105 151.616 Km/h
Fastest Lap: Dani PEDROSA 1'40.896 150.428 Km/h Lap 11
Circuit Record Lap: Jorge LORENZO 1'40.152 151.545 Km/h 2009
Circuit Best Lap: Dani PEDROSA 1'39.730 152.186 Km/h 2009
World Championship Positions:
1 LORENZO 251, 2 PEDROSA 183, 3 DOVIZIOSO 126, 4 STONER 119, 5 ROSSI 114,
6 SPIES 110, 7 HAYDEN 109, 8 DE PUNIET 78, 9 SIMONCELLI 63, 10 MELANDRI 61,
11 EDWARDS 57, 12 BARBERA 54, 13 CAPIROSSI 41, 14 ESPARGARO 39, 15 BAUTISTA 33.
 Tony Elias leads the Moto2 start. The celebrated wild card American team entry of Roger Hayden is at the rear and didn't finsh.
Elias takes MotoGP2 victory
Toni Elías won in the intermediate class with a characteristically measured ride on Sunday, taking a third consecutive GP win for the first time in his career as he tightened his grip on the inaugural Moto2 title. The Gresini Racing rider now leads the overall standings by 67 points after ten rounds, having topped the podium ahead of pole man Julián Simón (Mapfre Aspar) and Scott Redding (Marc VDS Racing Team).
The race was restarted and shortened to 17 laps due to two separate crashes on the opening lap of the original contest which brought out the red flag. Championship leader Elías made a fantastic getaway as he used the gap on the front row vacated by Simone Corsi (JiR Moto2) to advance into the lead on lap one. Corsi started from the back of the grid having qualified fourth as he experienced problems with his bike due to the crash, but rocketed up the field throughout the race.
Elías and Simón became involved in a duel for top spot with Redding watching from third as he kept tabs on the duo, and six laps from the end Elías made a superb overtake round the outside of Simón to assume the lead. He held that to the end, eventually crossing the line just over four-tenths of a second ahead of his compatriot.
Redding took his first Moto2 podium as he crossed in third, just under four seconds behind Simón having been strong throughout the weekend, with Andrea Iannone (Fimmco Speed Up) fourth having started from way back on the seventh row. Corsi completed the top five having made an admirable recovery from the back of the grid.
Iannone remains second in the standings, with Lüthi and Simón level on 108 points in third and fourth. Corsi rises to fifth thanks to his result. Absent from the race was Fonsi Nieto who underwent surgery on his fractured left ankle in Indianapolis today following his qualifying crash.
Moto2 Results: (17 laps = 71.672 km)
Pos / Rider / Nat / Team / Motorcycle / Time/ KM/H / Gap
1 / Toni ELIAS / SPA / Gresini Racing Moto2 / MORIWAKI / 30'27.480 / 141.188 /
2 / Julian SIMON / SPA / Mapfre Aspar Team / SUTER / 30'27.885 / 141.157 / 0.405
3 / Scott REDDING / GBR / Marc VDS Racing Team / SUTER / 30'31.707 / 140.862 / 4.227
4 / Andrea IANNONE / ITA / Fimmco Speed Up / SPEED UP / 30'33.458 / 140.728 / 5.978
5 / Simone CORSI / ITA / JIR Moto2 / MOTOBI / 30'34.538 / 140.645 / 7.058
6 / Sergio GADEA / SPA / Tenerife 40 Pons / PONS KALEX / 30'36.912 / 140.463 / 9.432
7 / Thomas LUTHI / SWI / Interwetten Moriwaki Moto2 / MORIWAKI / 30'37.295 / 140.434 / 9.815
8 / Gabor TALMACSI / HUN / Fimmco Speed Up / SPEED UP / 30'37.621 / 140.409 / 10.141
9 / Jason DI SALVO / USA / GP Tech / FTR / 30'45.044 / 139.844 / 17.564
10 / Anthony WEST / AUS / MZ Racing Team / MZ-RE HONDA / 30'45.072 / 139.842 / 17.592
11 / Dominique AEGERTER / SWI / Technomag-CIP / SUTER / 30'45.098 / 139.84 / 17.618
12 / Mike DI MEGLIO / FRA / Mapfre Aspar Team / SUTER / 30'48.007 / 139.62 / 20.527
13 / Claudio CORTI / ITA / Forward Racing / SUTER / 30'53.488 / 139.207 / 26.008
14 / Axel PONS / SPA / Tenerife 40 Pons / PONS KALEX / 30'55.833 / 139.031 / 28.353
15 / Yonny HERNANDEZ / COL / Blusens-STX / BQR-MOTO2 / 30'57.960 / 138.872 / 30.48
Pole Position: Julian SIMON 1'46.139 142.997 Km/h
Fastest Lap (New record) : Julian SIMON 1'46.580 142.405 Km/h Lap 2
Circuit Record Lap: New category
Circuit Best Lap: Andrea IANNONE 1'45.720 143.564 Km/h 2010
World Championship Positions:
1 ELIAS 186, 2 IANNONE 119, 3 LUTHI 108, 4 SIMON 108, 5 CORSI 84, 6 TOMIZAWA 82,
7 CLUZEL 74, 8 TAKAHASHI 72, 9 TALMACSI 70, 10 GADEA 59, 11 DEBON 46, 12 NIETO 41,
13 REDDING 39, 14 ROLFO 37, 15 ABRAHAM 33.
 The curent 1198 RS10 Corse Superbike with Calendar Kitten Jaime Edmonson. Is it really outdated in World Superbike, or just over restricted because of its displacemet advantage and an overly talented Troy Corser's 2008 Championship winning streak?
All New Ducati Superbike AND MotoGP production racer planned for 2012?
Pit Lane News, August 2010 - Ducati CEO, Gabriele del Torchio has confirmed that Ducati will have an all-new 5th generation Superbike model for the 2012 season. “We knew that we were going to face a tough year in World Superbike. The new rules don’t help; someone was allowed to bend them, and our 1198 has reached its ultimate potential. In two years, we shall be ready with our new 1200cc Twin.”
A filing in the U.S. Patent Office #474525 for a "Simplified Motorcycle" by Ducati MH in May 2009 points the way to a new bike possibly being a frameless design like the current Ducati Cose MotoGP bike. However, unlike other publications and websites which are claiming this to be the new 2012 Ducati Superbike, our own closer inspection of the patent drawings shows the engine in the drawings to have both a 6-bolt front monocoque mounting like a Ducati V-4 cylinder engine might have, with 2 bolts between the cylinder bores, rather than the 4-bolt head cover of a Ducati V-2 twin cylinder engine.
In the Ducati Patent drawings Fig. 3 & 4 shown here, we are looking at the current GP09/10 bike for which Ducati took a few months into the year to finalize the U.S. Patent paperwork for it, after it was already introduced and racing in the 2009 MotoGP Championship. The Patent is not so detailed, that it could also be used as the basis for next production based 999cc Ducati V-4 MotoGP bike which will need to have a current production based engine beginning in 2012. This patent design can be applicable to both Superbike and MotoGP production bike applications. But this particular drawing above has no provisions for carrying a passenger which a production street Superbike would need to do.
Above and below: The current 2008-2009 production Desmosedicci RR engine and chassis. Note the frame mounts on the side of the cylinder heads which are also shown on the Patent drawings for the frameless bike.
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Another curiosity in the above patent drawing is the engine has frame mounting lugs on the sides of the heads for use of a more conventional tube frame like on the production based Desmosedici RR V-4 engine (right) and on the production RR bike (below right).
You'll also note the engine in the Patent drawing (above) also uses a easy access Cassette Gearbox as found on the Desmosedici RR and MotoGP bikes. And the alternator on the right side of the engine in the Patent drawing is fairly small like on a race bike not having to power lighting equipment, and not as large as the alternator cover on the production street Desmosedici RR engine at right.
I believe we are looking at the current GP9/10 MotoGP bike in the Patent drawings, and not the next generation superbike as other folks might be assuming.
We know Ducati will introduce an all-new generation Superbike for 2012. It just might be a frameless design with front and rear monocoque sections attached to the engine as shown in the MotoGP bike Patent drawings. The frameless design makes sense because it could also reduce production costs. |
The next Superbike could could have gear driven cams for increased reliability and reduced maintenance. It does need to have the important cassette style transmission the Corse race team desperately needs to re gear the engine for different tracks. And it could have a new engine design with a shorter stroke for higher RPM's and more power, and a shorter engine length to allow for a longer swingarm. And maybe even less displacement (read below).
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Left: Not a Superbike yet! The carbon fiber front monocoque of Casey Stoner's current MotoGP09/10 bike matches the 2009 Patent drawings.
However, what Mr. del Torchio does not grasp is the reality of current Superbike racing and the rules. A new frameless 5th generation Ducati Superbike bike might be 20 pounds lighter than the current 1198, but Ducati already offers one of the the lightest production Superbike on the market today.
And if the Ducati starts winning races again with the new bike like an incredibly talented Troy Corser did with the current bike in 2008, then Ducati will again be handicapped by the FIM with additional weight above the 364 lb FIM Superbike class minimum race weight to nullify the advantage of it's V-twin motor's broader power band compared to that of a 4-cylinder bike. Currently team riders Nori Haga and Michel Fabrizio seem to lack Bayliss' persistence with the currently handicapped bike.
Certainly as rumored, Ducati can introduce an all-new short stroke V-twin desmo motor that makes more power. But is it really needed when the FIM is already restricting the Ducati 1198R's 58mm throttle bodies down to 52mm so the Ducati's larger 1200cc displacement engine is now making less peak power than the 1000cc
4-cylinder race teams? |
The current factory Ducati Corse Superbikes are restricted down to about 200hp, just what a stock Ducati 1198R is making with the full Termignoni race exhaust, while all the 4-cylinder race bikes are churning out around 220+hp unrestricted. A more powerful Ducati Superbike engine will only encourage the FIM to impose even smaller intake retractors on that engine to manage its power at a restricted level.
We certainly don't want Ducati to stop racing their venerable V-twin, but under the current intake restrictions for their 1200cc displacement, they could probably make more power by downsizing to an unrestricted 1000cc like the 4cylinder bikes. In sports car racing in the LeMans GT2 class the winning Corvette team had their 427ci engines restricted at the air intakes to keep them on par with the smaller displacement Porsches and BMWs. In dyno testing with their air retractors in place, the Corvette team found they could make more peak power with a smaller displacement 340ci engine than the bigger 427ci. So that's the engine the factory Corvette team is racing with now.
The current FIM Superbike and MotoGP rules are now making it much more attractive for Ducati to reduce their V-twin Superbike to 1000cc to race unrestricted, or to race a production based MotoGP bike in the Superbike class like the current or next generation 4-cylinder Desmosedicci RR. It makes no sense any longer for Ducati to race with a 1200cc restricted bike and struggle for race wins, when they can have a race winning 240+hp bike by going to smaller 1000cc engine, either in a 2 or 4-cylinder configuration. But if they will soon have a new 1000cc production based 4-cylinder engined bike to race in MotoGo for 2012, might they race this same bike in World Superbike too? Or do they continue tradition and stay with the V-twin format in Superbike, but this time with an equal 1000cc displacement to the inline 4 cyclidner bikes? We will know in the next 12 months. - Jim Gianatsis
Below: Casey Stoner's current MotoGP09/10 bike matches the 2009 Patent drawings.
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Yamaha confirm Spies factory place for 2011
The American MotoGP rookie will make the move from the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad to the factory set-up next season.
Friday, 27 August 2010 - Ben Spies’ solid debut season in MotoGP has been rewarded with confirmation that the American will ride for the factory Yamaha team in 2011. Having tested the early 2011 M1 prototype at the official Brno test Yamaha Motor Racing MD Lin Jarvis confirmed that talks were underway to bring the 26 year-old across from Hervé Poncharal’s satellite team.
The form of Spies in his first season in the premier class has seen him take a podium finish at Silverstone and impress with strong results throughout the ten rounds to date, and in seventh position he is currently the highest placed rookie and satellite rider in the Championship standings.
"We're delighted that Ben will join the factory team for next season," said Jarvis. "Ben has shown great promise in his first ten MotoGP races. He has learnt rapidly and recorded strong results, including a well-deserved podium finish at Silverstone - impressive for someone in their first full season.”
"We believe that Ben will be a future title contender and that he will be a good fit with our team. His mission next year will be to continue learning, consistently challenge for podium places and try to win some races. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Hervé Poncharal and the Tech 3 Team for taking care of Ben this season and for giving him such good training for the years ahead. I hope that he will repay them by getting some more podium results in the second half of this season and helping them to secure top satellite team status at the end of this year."
Spies was understandably delighted at the opportunity and outlined his aims for the future.
He said: "My first year in MotoGP has been a great learning curve and for that I have to thank Hervé Poncharal, all the team at Tech 3 and especially my American mechanics who have stuck by me throughout this great journey so far. Having previously been to only four of the ten tracks to date, I have to be pleased with where I am and with having achieved my first podium so soon. I'm especially pleased that Yamaha have recognised the potential in me and given me the opportunity to step up to the factory team so early in my GP career.”
“I believe that by working closely with the Yamaha staff and my mechanics we will be able to help develop the M1 and make the next step of challenging for regular podiums, followed by future Championships."
2011 Calendars!
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DUCATI ANNOUNCE A
2-YEAR DEAL WITH
NICKY HAYDEN
Editors Note: It has been widely rumored, but it will remain unsubstantiated, one of the conditions of Valentno Rossi moving to Ducati for 2011-2012 would that he would be the team's #1 rider, with no other rider on the team capable of beating him. This was Rossi's principal reason for leaving the Yamaha team where teammate Jorge Lorenzo was capitalizing on Rossi's development of the Yamaha M1 MotoGP bike and now had the riding skils as well to beat his mentor Valentino.
Based on his race finishes off the podium with the Ducati Corse MotoGP team these past 2 seasons American Nicky Hayden should not be keeping his Ducati ride going into 2011. But with Valentino's contract requirement for a lessor team mate on the team, Hayden has been given a reprive for another 2 years on with Ducati team that he probably hasn't earned
And or the very same reason, Casey Stoner could not reamin at Ducati if Rossi came there.
Hence, Casey's probably unwanted move to Honda for 2012.
PRESS RELEASE Bologna, Italy, Saturday Aug 28 2010 - Ducati is pleased to announce a renewed contract with Nicky Hayden that will see the American rider stay with the Italian factory's MotoGP effort for a further two years. His signature completes a new look of the Ducati Marlboro Team line-up for 2011, which will see the 29-year-old line up alongside Valentino Rossi.
Hayden, who over the past two seasons has won over the Ducatisti with his positive and determined attitude, currently lies sixth in the MotoGP World Championship standings and is confident for two successful seasons ahead, which he will tackle with his trademark enthusiasm.
Filippo Preziosi - Ducati Corse Director
“We are really pleased that Nicky will be staying with us for the next two years. It is no secret that he is a rider who never gives up, his whole racing history shows it. As a person his tenacity is an example for us all because he shows us that nothing is impossible if you truly believe. His progress since arriving at Ducati has been impressive and I am sure this trend will continue in the future. Nicky is also a special rider because of his attention to every detail and for him having Valentino as his team-mate means a huge contribution towards the development of an even more competitive motorcycle. I think it is these characteristics that have won the hearts of all the Ducatisti and that is the reason why a Ducati is the bike for him right now.”
Nicky Hayden - Ducati Marlboro Team
"I am very proud to be signing for Ducati again. Last year I felt like I rode for Ducati but now I really feel as if I am a Ducati rider. The team, sponsors and Ducati fans have really taken me in and supported me a lot and I really hope to pay them back with the results they deserve. Next year I'll be teamed with some guy named Rossi who knows a little something about bikes! We're going to have a strong squad - I won't predict results but I have no doubt this team will have some real passion, real worth ethic and a lot of fun. It is the start of a new era at Ducati and it is an honour for me to be a part of it."
Yamaha confirm Spies factory place for 2011
The American MotoGP rookie will make the move from the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad to the factory set-up next season.
Friday, 27 August 2010 - Ben Spies’ solid debut season in MotoGP has been rewarded with confirmation that the American will ride for the factory Yamaha team in 2011. Having tested the early 2011 M1 prototype at the official Brno test Yamaha Motor Racing MD Lin Jarvis confirmed that talks were underway to bring the 26 year-old across from Hervé Poncharal’s satellite team.
The form of Spies in his first season in the premier class has seen him take a podium finish at Silverstone and impress with strong results throughout the ten rounds to date, and in seventh position he is currently the highest placed rookie and satellite rider in the Championship standings.
"We're delighted that Ben will join the factory team for next season," said Jarvis. "Ben has shown great promise in his first ten MotoGP races. He has learnt rapidly and recorded strong results, including a well-deserved podium finish at Silverstone - impressive for someone in their first full season.”
"We believe that Ben will be a future title contender and that he will be a good fit with our team. His mission next year will be to continue learning, consistently challenge for podium places and try to win some races. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Hervé Poncharal and the Tech 3 Team for taking care of Ben this season and for giving him such good training for the years ahead. I hope that he will repay them by getting some more podium results in the second half of this season and helping them to secure top satellite team status at the end of this year."
Spies was understandably delighted at the opportunity and outlined his aims for the future.
He said: "My first year in MotoGP has been a great learning curve and for that I have to thank Hervé Poncharal, all the team at Tech 3 and especially my American mechanics who have stuck by me throughout this great journey so far. Having previously been to only four of the ten tracks to date, I have to be pleased with where I am and with having achieved my first podium so soon. I'm especially pleased that Yamaha have recognised the potential in me and given me the opportunity to step up to the factory team so early in my GP career.”
“I believe that by working closely with the Yamaha staff and my mechanics we will be able to help develop the M1 and make the next step of challenging for regular podiums, followed by future Championships.
Jay Leno Will Be Grand Marshal Of Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – August 18, 2010 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – Yamaha and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway are pleased to bring legendary comedian and late-night television host Jay Leno to serve as grand marshal of the Red Bull Indianapolis GP motorcycle race.
Leno, an avid motorsports enthusiast and collector of motorcycles and cars, will meet with MotoGP teams and riders on Race Day, Sunday, Aug. 29 at IMS and also present a trophy to a podium finisher.
IMS tickets: Tickets for the 2010 Red Bull Indianapolis GP are on sale now. A new structure offers additional value and flexibility to fans attending the annual MotoGP event.
Among the highlights of the new ticket structure are lower prices and single-day reserved and general admission tickets for Race Day, Sunday, Aug. 29. Children 12 and under will be admitted free any day of the event if accompanied by an adult holding a general admission ticket.
Fans can order tickets online at www.imstix.com, call the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700, or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area or visit the ticket office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street. Online orders can be made at any time. Hours for phone orders and the ticket office are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday.
General admission tickets provide access to the grounds, viewing mounds along the infield section of the circuit and selected grandstands, which provide excellent angles to see the greatest riders in the world.
Fans can now print their tickets – three-day reserved seat and Race Day-only general admission and reserved seat tickets – with their printer after ordering tickets online at www.imstix.com. Tickets for groups of 20 or more also are on sale. Contact the IMS Group Sales Department at (866) 221-8775 for more information.
Ducati pair left frustrated after Indy outing
Sunday, 29 August 2010
Nicky Hayden placed sixth in his home race having started from the front row, whilst Casey Stoner suffered a crash that ended his race on lap eight.
The Ducati Team were left to ponder what could have been at the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix after Nicky Hayden placed sixth having started from the front row of the grid, with Casey Stoner suffering the bitter disappointment of a DNF when he crashed out on lap eight.
Hayden had been on good form throughout the weekend at his home GP and that was consolidated with his first front row qualification spot on the Desmosedici. Just a few laps into the race the American – who was confirmed as a Ducati rider for the next two seasons on Saturday – lost his left knee slider, which consequently affected his ability to push as hard as he had intended.
“I still can't believe what happened - I am so disappointed,” said the 29 year-old. “I was being careful over the first few laps because in that heat the track was very greasy. I lost the front slightly on the third lap and caught my left knee on a drain cover on one of the kerbs, right where the knee slider attaches to the velcro. There are so many left-hand corners here... from that point on I had to take it really steady, I couldn't push anywhere and finished up with a huge hole in my leathers. I am incredibly disappointed because we had the pace to put in a performance today."
Team-mate Stoner suffered a recurrence of the front-end issues that affected the start of his campaign, as he was working his way up from his starting position of sixth. It brought to an end the Australian’s solid run of five straight podiums and he had expected to be able to challenge for a sixth at Indy.
“I am very disappointed - it was a nothing crash but obviously it was enough to leave me out of the race,” he said. “I know a lot of people have had front end crashes but apparently here at Indianapolis we have gone back to the situation we were in at the start of the season and we've struggled to find front-end feel in the corners. It is a real shame because we had good pace and I think we could have been on the podium."
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$3 for MV Agusta!
When 2 years ago Harley-Davidson bought Italian motorcycle maker MV Agusta for $109 million the US was already in a deep recession, Harley sales were sagging with a management extremely worried about its core baby-boomer customers getting older and losing their will to ride a motorcycle. MV Agusta was also in financial trouble.
Harley-Davidson never explained how this acquisition would help them acquire younger motorcycle enthusiasts. Was it an exchange of technology, an extension of the number of dealerships abroad, both? The only things we know is that the strategy didn’t work if even implemented. Then, in October 2009 new Harley President Keith Wandell announced his intention to sell MV Agusta as part of a new corporate strategy to focus resources on the Harley-Davidson brand. No potential buyers being found, Harley-Davidson announced on August 6, 2010 that the company “had concluded the sale of its subsidiary, MV Agusta, to Claudio Castiglioni and his wholly owned holding company, MV Agusta Motor Holding”, Castiglioni being the former owner of the Italian motorcycle maker.
It was reported that it looked like Harley-Davidson gave back MV Agusta to its former owner and that Harley being a public company it would have to report to the SEC (Securities Exchange Commission) the terms of the transaction. As a matter of fact the Wall Street Journal just reported that the 8-K filing with the SEC shows that Harley essentially paid MV Agusta’s former owners to take it back. The financial newspaper explains the content of the filing showing:
1- that Harley had previously wrote-down $162.6 million for the fair value of MV Agusta and began treating the unit as a discontinued operation after announcing its intention to sell it a year ago.
2- that Harley anticipates additional related losses from discontinued operations in the third quarter of 2010.
3- that Harley received “nominal consideration” from Cariglioni for the transaction. In a subsequent interview a Harley-Davidson spokesman said that the specific amount it received was $3 Euros.
Buell 1190 Racing Superbike Heads Towards Street Legal Roadbike?
Check out this video which has just surfaced indicating that Eric Buell might be hoping tobecome a motorcycle manufacturer one again with a street legal 1190.
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New Playstation!
Superbike & MotoGP
Castiglioni Brothers Buy back MV Agusta from Harley-Davidson
The Official Press Release From MV Agusta
Varese, August 6th 2010 – Claudio and Giovanni Castiglioni, through their family holding company have repurchased from Harley Davidson 100% of the shares of MV Agusta Motor S.p.A. which owns historic brands MV Agusta and Cagiva. Harley-Davidson announced in October 2009 its intention to sell MV Agusta to concentrate on its core business and brand.
In connection with the repurchase transaction Lazard and Co. have acted as the financial advisor along with counsel Alessandro Varrenti (CBA) and Giuseppe Galeano whom provided legal and tax assistance in conjunction with family counsellors Giuseppe Carteni (Leadlaw), Andrea Lanata and Sergio Caramella.
Along with Giovanni Castiglioni, the company will be headed by Mr. Massimo Bordi, a well known Italian manager. A 62-year-old engineer, Bordi took Ducati to success during the years when that company was owned by the Castiglionis and continued to manage it successfully under the ownership of Texas Pacific Group. Since 2003 Massimo Bordi has been the CEO of Same Deutz Fahr, contributing largely to the success of the company. Massimo Bordi commented that “MV Agusta has full capacity to once again become a major player in the high luxury brand motor bikes, this brand is one of the most recognized worldwide. We will implement a number of reorganization and managerial actions in the near future. Both the current and new models under development have a very strong character, great innovative features and a very unique design, I have no doubts about their future success.”
Claudio Castiglioni, the historic intimate soul of MV Agusta will continue as chairman, and will concentrate on the development of the new products. Upon signing the agreement with Harley-Davidson, Claudio Castiglioni stated “MV Agusta is the crown jewel of Italian motorcycles, I am thrilled to have completed this transaction. I have already won once together with Massimo Bordi, we made the most beautiful bikes in the world and we will continue with this tradition”.
plus Aprilia, BMW, KTM...
KTM RC8R
Vyrus 987
MV Agusta M4
Aprilia RSX1000
Kawasaki Z1000
Metric exports to the U.S. continue to decrease sharply
Powersports Business
Tuesday August 31, 2010
Metric manufacturers’ new motorcycle exports to the United States continued the 2010 trend in July, decreasing sharply.
Metric OEMs’ exports totaled 5,445 units, a 39 percent decrease compared to the year-ago month, according to the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA). The association includes Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki.
These manufacturers’ exports in the first half of the year also declined, falling 24 percent compared to the prior year.
Editor - In general compared to the industry sales high of some 4 years ago, we are looking at a overall sales decline of 80-90%!
We do not how the Japanese manufacturers, and in particular their US Distributor operations can remain in business much longer?
Motorcycle Print Magazines
struggle to survive with the internet and the loss of major adverting revenue
August 31st - You might have noticed that none of the US motorcycle print magazines are not running any new bike ads from the Japanese manufacturers. As new motorcycle sales have nearly stopped, the US distributors have been forced to pull nearly all their adverting.
Plus the Internet and racing coverage on TV provides motorcycle enthusiasts with all the new bike coverage and racing news immediately, long before print magazines can deliver it.
Reader Circulation and Editorial Page Count in American Motorcycle publications has declined drastically the last few years because of these 2 factors. The most recent casualties include:
2-Wheel Tuner will stop publication after with the current newsstand issue.
This stunt bike pinup magazine started publication in Georgia about 8 years ago. It was bought out my Advanstar (owners of the International Motorcycle Shows tour across America) and moved to their corporate headquarters in Santa Ana, CA. Many of the former staff off 2-Wheel Tuner went to work at the copy-cat magazine SuperStreet created by the publisher of Motorcyclist and Sportrider. We expect SuperStreet not to last much longer as well.
Publisher Larry Little Let
Go from Cycle World
Long time publisher Larry Little of the world's largest circulation motorcycle magazine Cycle World, who has been there some 21 years, has been let by the book's owner Hachette Filipacchi Media. With the loss of much of the magazines 's adverting. revenue, the publication could not afford to keep its highest paid employee who was not instrumental to the day-to-day workings of the magazine.
Just 9 months ago they let go long standing Senior Editor Dave Edwards. Editor Mark Hoyer now runs the ship
Senior Editor Paul Carruthers let go from Cycle News
Roadracing enthusiast and son of World 250cc GP Champion Kel Carruthers, Senior Cycle news Editor Paul Carruthers has been let go after some 25 years with the weekly newspaper. Carruthers was promoted to Senior Editor of Cycle News about 15 years ago when long time Senior Editor Jack Mangus was let go.
We have no sympathy for Carruthers who, like some others in the industry, do not like our pinup themed FastDates.com Motorcycle Calendars and went out of their way to malign us in their publication or deny us deserved coverage in racing news and national event coverage.
During the 1970's this FastDates.com Editor was also a staff and contributing editor to Cycle News covering all the major national races, testing bikes and writing feature articles. In the Cycle News' Looking Back section each week during his tenure as Senior Editor, Paul Carruthers intentionally removed my byline from all my reports or credited it to the Cycle News staff in general, even when the article was submitted by me as an outside contributor.
The year 1994 we produced a Supermoto National as part of our annual LA Calendar Motorcycle Show at the Queen Mary, Long Beach, Carruthers renamed the event in the Cycle News coverage so readers would not know it was associated with the Calendar Show.
Paul Carruthers, good riddance
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