FIM Shocker! MotoGP drops from 1000cc to 800cc in 2007
Will 1000cc Superbikes Soon Rule the Roost?

Saturday June 4th, Mugello, Italy - The Grand Prix Commission, composed of Messrs. Carmelo Ezpeleta (Dorna, Chairman), Claude Danis (FIM), Sito Pons (IRTA) and Takanao Tsubouchi (MSMA), in the presence of Mr Paul Butler (Secretary of the meeting), in a meeting held today at the circuit of Mugello, unanimously decided to introduce the modifications below to the MotoGP World Championship Regulations..

For immediate application:
1.2 Events: To delete Art. 1.2.2 (“all events in the Championship must cater for all three classes”)
1.19 Ride Through Procedure: During the race, the rider will be requested to ride through the pit lane; stopping is not permitted. He may then rejoin the race.

- For application as from June 9, 2005 (Gran Premi Gauloises de Catalunya):
1.14 Technical Control: 1.14.1 Second paragraph, to delete “In the classes 250cc and 125cc,”
1.21 Behaviour during practice and race: 1.21.12 To delete “two way radio voice communication”

- For application as from 2007, valid for 5 years minimum:
2.2 Classes: 2.2.1 As from January 1st, 2007, in the Motogp class the maximum engine size capacity will be 800cc and 2-stroke engines will not be allowed.
2.6 Fuel tank: 2.6.5 The maximum fuel tank capacity will be of 21 litres

Our beautiful new Calendar Angels for Brands Hatch include Monica McDermott (left) and Gemma Gleason (right) who are also confirmed to serve as umbrella girls on race day for reigning World Championship Team Ducati Corse and their riders James Toseland and Regis Laconi.

World Premier of the 2006 SBK Fast Dates Calendar - Photography for 2007!
Fast Dates at Brands Hatch World Superbike Aug 5-7th
Team Ducati confirms Fast Dates Angels for the Grid
Meet Us in the SBK Paddock Show!

June 1st, 2005: America isn't where its at his year when it comes to National and International Superbike racing, but it sure gives FastDates.com a great reason to travel to the world Mecca of Superbike racing, the Brands Hatch round of the SBK World Superbike Championship on August 5-7th 2005 in Kent, England, just southeast of London to photograph the next edition of the world's premier race bike swimsuit calendar, the SBK endorsed Fast Dates Calendar sponsored by Performance Machine & Jardine Performance.

We are also excited to announce the european World Premier of the SBK World Superbike endorsed 2006 Fast Dates Racebike Pinup Calendar will take place in the Brands Hatch SBK Paddock Show display during the World Superbike Weekend. Right along side the top factory riders holding their press conferences and signing autographs for fans, our beautiful Fast Dates Calendar Angels will be there as well to meet everyone and autograph the new Calendar. Assisting us with the sales of the calendars will be our British FastDates.com Calendar distributor Crossbow-Calendars.com, giving the beautiful models lots of extra time to pose for photos with fans.

Meet the beautiful Monica McDermott (above left), Gemma Gleason (above right) and Aaliayah (right) who we found at the London based motorsports oriented model agency Universal Models. Needless to say we are nervous going to the biggest race on the WSB calendar where 125,000 crazed British sportbike fans are wearing war paint, armed with air horns and high on bangers and Guinness! Armed with no more than a bikini and a smile, were we'll be counting on Monica, Gemma and Aaliayah to protect us from their superbike crazed countrymen. We are also excited to announce, as in the great tradition of previous Fast Dates Calendar shoots on a World Superbike weekend, both Monica and Gemma have bed confirmed by Team Ducati Corse press officerJulian Thomas to serve as their official team umbrella girls on Sunday for reigning World Champion James Toseland and his runner up team mate Regia Laconi.

---

Rossi (46) fights to hld off Melandri (33) and Biaggi (3) a tmid race, with Capirossi is just out of sight and reeling them back in after leading the start.

2005 MotoGP World Championship, Italian Alice Grand Prix Round 5 of 17

Rossi Leds at Battling Top 4 at home Mugello MotoGP!
Mugello, Italy, 3rd, 4th & 5th June 2005 - Valentino Rossi extended his lead at the top of the MotoGP World Championship standings to 49 points after a dramatic home victory ahead of a trio of compatriots at the Gran Premio Alice d’Italia on Sunday. As Sete Gibernau sensationally crashed out of the race on the sixth lap to the delight of the 88,367 crowd, Rossi came under intense pressure from Max Biaggi, Marco Melandri and Loris Capirossi. All three took turns leading the race before a typical late charge from Rossi that saw him take the flag by 0.359 seconds from Biaggi, with Capirossi holding off an attack from Melandri in the final corner to clinch Ducati’s first podium of the season in third place.

“That was an incredible race and the best possible finish for the crowd, with four Italian riders in the top four positions,” said Rossi. “It was a great battle – full of passes and full of attacks. In the beginning I tried to go alone but I had some problems with the front tyre and decided just to concentrate on my rhythm. Then Melandri arrived and we had a great fight, also with Biaggi after that. We set a high pace to the finish, I made my attack with three laps to go and it worked so of course I am very happy.”

Fourth place for Melandri maintains second place in the championship for the youngster whilst Biaggi now moves up to third ahead of Gibernau with fifteen rounds still remaining – the first of those coming in just a week’s time at the Spaniard’s home circuit of Catalunya. Carlos Checa completed an enjoyable home round for Ducati as he clinched fifth place after a race-long battle with Honda’s Nicky Hayden, whilst Alex Barros fought his way from the 13th on the grid to take seventh at the flag.

Makoto Tamada returned from injury in style with an impressive eighth place ahead of Colin Edwards just seven weeks after breaking his wrist in Portugal, whilst Shinya Nakano banished the memories of his 300km/h crash here one year ago to clinch the final top ten position. Alex Hofmann also made an encouraging return from his wrist injury to take twelfth behind John Hopkins, with Troy Bayliss, Rubén Xaus and Kenny Roberts completing the points.

PREVIEW: Italian Alice Grand Prix
Mugello, Italy, 3rd, 4th & 5th June 2005 - MotoGP fever rising at Mugello!

Who is Alice? For you Americans who don't get out much, Alice is a European telecommunications giant sponsoring MotoGPs this season. Their present marketing campaign features a beautiful girl (Alice?) and promotes calling anywhere in Europe all day for 1 Euro. Looks and sounds good to us!

Eager anticipation surrounding the Gran Premio Alice d’Italia rose hand in hand with the temperatures today as warm sunshine greeted the MotoGP World Championship paddock to Mugello. With the team trucks, tents and pit garages resplendent beneath the clear blue skies, some of the most famous sporting personalities in the land came face to face ahead of what promises to be one of the most intriguing contests of the season. Valentino Rossi has won his home Grand Prix for the past three seasons and, after an electric start to his latest MotoGP title defence, is eager to repeat the incredible scenes of his victory celebrations here last year. “I was unlucky in my first two seasons with the 500 here but since then I have won some great races – especially last season,” commented Rossi, who took victory one year ago by just three tenths of a second from Sete Gibernau. “I have a lot of good memories from here but seeing the crowd underneath the podium last year is one of the best of my career. I have never seen so many people at a MotoGP podium before. Hopefully we will see the same thing on Sunday. The weather today is fantastic, like summer is here for real, and I hope it stays that way all weekend.” Whilst Gibernau will again be hoping to be Rossi’s main challenger this weekend as he continues his recovery from a disappointing start to the season, three Italian riders with past successes at this track will also be gunning for home glory. Marco Melandri, in particular, has his sights set on the top step of the podium.

“This is a special race for all of us but I will try to put the pressure onto Valentino and concentrate on my job,” commented Melandri, who lies second in the championship just four races into his first season with Honda and has had four previous podiums here in the 125cc and 250cc classes. “I competed in my first ever race at this circuit in the Italian Championship so it is the track I know best and I will be looking for my best ever result in MotoGP.”

Loris Capirossi also knows this track better than most, having become the first Italian ever to win here five seasons ago and having racked up the kilometres during hours of winter testing with Ducati. “The Ducati factory is only 60 kilometres from here so the test team have done a lot of work at this track and the setting of the bike should already be good for tomorrow morning,” said Capirossi, who has now fully recovered from a cracked bone in his ankle. “I feel 100%, the bike improved in a recent test at Le Mans and I’m ready.”

The other rider in search of home glory this weekend is Max Biaggi, who has also made the most of an extra week between races to rest and recover. “I had a big crash in the warm-up in Le Mans and rode through the pain in the race but I was unable to test afterwards,” explained Biaggi, who has taken three wins here in the 250cc class. “Luckily we had the extra week off and I’m feeling okay now. I have a lot of fans here and I hope they will be celebrating with me on Sunday.”
Meanwhile, Kawasaki rider Alex Hofmann was back in the paddock after a seven-week absence since breaking his wrist in a pre-event accident at the second round in Portugal. Hofmann will test the injury in tomorrow’s first free practice but his replacement for the past two rounds, Olivier Jacque, is on standby.

“I've done everything possible to make sure I'm fit for this race, but racing a MotoGP bike at a track like Mugello is physically demanding, and I'll only really find out if all the preparation has been successful when I take to the track on Friday morning. I'm fairly confident that everything will be fine, and I'm definitely looking forward to racing the bike again after such a long lay off," said the German.

The Gauloises Yamaha Team’s MotoGP World Championship challenge resumes this weekend with the team in better shape than ever ahead of their home event, the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello. Whilst a brief two-week respite has given riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards a vital opportunity to recharge their batteries, the team’s engineers have taken the chance to make further improvements to their YZR-M1 machines on the back of a valuable day of tests after the last round at Le Mans.

The stop-start nature of the French circuit and the tight and twisty turns of Shanghai will be a distant memory as the riders now prepare to tackle three of the fastest racetracks in the world - Mugello, Catalunya and Assen – over the next four weekends. The characteristics of the circuits will provide a wholly different challenge for the YZR-M1 and the team has worked specifically to adapt the machines accordingly in the recent test.

Rossi reported positively on new engine parts that the factory’s engineers are now aiming to incorporate to the bikes in time for Mugello, a circuit that demands optimum horsepower down the second longest straight on the calendar – measuring some 1,141m. Meanwhile, work has been continuing on the swiftly improving electronics and engine mapping as the engineers look to optimise the bike’s acceleration capabilities, with the riders aiming to hit incredible top speeds of over 330km/h.

Whilst progress continues to be made with their machines, the riders are also growing in stature with every Grand Prix that goes by and they arrive in Italy in confident moods after a dominant showing at the last round in France, where they took the front two places on the starting grid and both finished on the podium in the race. Whilst Rossi’s third victory from four races extended his championship lead to 37 points over Marco Melandri (Honda), third place for Edwards saw him close in on fifth overall and made further steps up the championship standings ladder a realistic target over the coming weeks.

As well as consolidating the riders’ positions in the World Championship standings, their success at Le Mans also extended the Gauloises Yamaha Team lead in the Teams’ World Championship and kept Yamaha on top in the Manufacturers’ rankings. It is an ideal base for the team to work from at Mugello, which lies deep in the Tuscan hills just over 300 kilometres from the team’s base at Gerno di Lesmo, near Milan.

VALENTINO ROSSI: A BUSY WEEKEND AHEAD!
As arguably the biggest name in Italian sport at the moment, Valentino Rossi is in for another busy weekend as his home Grand Prix brings a host of extra pressures. As well as an expectant capacity crowd, the demands of the local media are sure to make life harder for the reigning World Champion.

“Mugello is always the busiest weekend of the year for me, but the most important thing is what happens on the track” explained Rossi, who took victory for Yamaha in a rain-interrupted race at Mugello last season. “Of course Mugello is very special because it is my home race, and I hope a lot of people will come. Last year was unbelievable – it was hard to explain the emotion I felt when I heard the crowds cheering for me on the last few laps. It’s nice to arrive there on top of the championship and hopefully we can put on a good show.”

After an energy-sapping start to the season, his best since 2002, Rossi says he was glad of the chance to relax for the past two weekends and is now ready to return to his best form at a crucial stage of the campaign. “We’ve had an extra week of holiday which has been really important because now we have three races coming up in four weekends, at Mugello, Catalunya and Assen, and they will all be very hard. When you have a few races so close together a lot of things can change in a short space of time, so it is important to keep the concentration and continue in the way we have started the season.

"The test in Le Mans has given us some good things to take to Mugello and hopefully we'll be able to use the new engine parts there and put to practice the things we've learnt. We continued to work on the general set-up and also tested some new tyres with Michelin, from which we found some good options to use in Mugello. We tried quite a lot of new things that I think will help us in Mugello so I am feeling positive.”

DUCATI MARLBORO MEN 'A TUTTO GAS'
The Ducati Marlboro Team comes home to Italy for some full-throttle action around majestic Mugello, arguably MotoGP's greatest racetrack. Urged on by Italian oxygen and the cheers of the Ducatisti, the Bologna-based squad is ready to achieve the results that recent events have promised but not delivered.
Riders Loris Capirossi and Carlos Checa have both shown impressive speed at various stages during the first four GPs, they just need a little luck to bring them back to the front of the pack.

"Both guys are very motivated and confident for the Italian GP," says Ducati MotoGP project leader Livio Suppo. "We had a good test session at Le Mans after the French GP. We tried tyres that worked really well, with good durability. The weather so far this year has been dreadful - four GPs and three affected by rain - so we are really hoping for four hours of dry practice and then a dry race at Mugello. It would be fantastic to give the 3000 fans in the Ducati Grandstand a great performance!".

Mugello should be a great track for the team's awesomely quick Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP5. The circuit is fast and flowing, the kind of layout that really suits the GP5's character.
"I think the bike is well suited to Mugello," affirms Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli. "The track's dominant features are its fast straight and high-speed chicanes. But it's a very complete circuit, with uphill and downhill sections, so you need a well-balanced bike. For sure it will be a crazy weekend with all the fans around, but we are looking forward to it."

Of course, the Ducati Marlboro Team can count on the support of thousands of Ducatisti who will throng the hillsides around the high-speed track. There's even a special Ducati grandstand for 3000 Ducatisti at Correntaio, the 180-degree right-hander that sees riders begin the run back to the final corner.
CAPIROSSI - 'ARRABBIATA IS A REAL THRILL!'

An Italian rider on an Italian bike at an Italian racetrack - all eyes will be on Loris Capirossi at Mugello. But the 32-year-old Ducati Marlboro Team man is used to the pressures of racing in front of his countrymen, this is his 16th Italian Grand Prix.

"Mugello is a great track and I still have great memories of 2003, when we finished second on the first Desmosedici," smiles Capirossi. "I love the track, so does the bike and I'm confident that the Bridgestones will be really good there. Mugello is always a major challenge for riders and engineers, because there is so much to understand. You need a very well-balanced bike, so you have confidence to attack the fast, downhill corners with negative camber and bumps. My favourite part of the circuit is Arrabbiata, especially the final part, because it's really fast, bumpy and difficult, plus the exit over the brow of the hill is totally blind. When you get it right it's a real thrill!"

Capirossi won the premier-class Italian GP in 2000 and finished second in 2001 and 2003

Rossi Shatters the Lap Record on Saturday to Take Pole
Saturday 4th June - Gauloises Yamaha Team rider Valentino Rossi delighted his army of fans at the Mugello circuit in Italy today with a stunning final lap that saw him seal a new pole position record and the front slot on the grid for tomorrow’s fifth round of the MotoGP World Championship. The reigning World Champion was in second place behind Sete Gibernau (Honda) with just two minutes remaining but made a last-gasp tyre change before returning to the track and clocking a time of 1’49.223 at the chequered flag. The time smashed Srte Giberneau's outright lap record from 2004 set at1' 49.553.

The session did not end quite as spectacularly for his Gauloises Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards, who set a decent race pace throughout the session but again struggled for rear grip when pushing for a fast time. Despite lapping less than a second off Rossi’s pole lap the American rider, who qualified second at the last round at Le Mans before taking third in the race, will have to settle for a place on the fourth row of the grid tomorrow as he plots another characteristic charge through the field from twelfth place. Rossi will be joined on the front row by Gibernau and Max Biaggi (Honda).

VALENTINO ROSSI – (Pole position - 1’49.223, 25 laps) “It was a very difficult session but at the end very good – I’m happy. It was a great practice and a hard battle for this important pole position. At the beginning we started to work on the bike for tomorrow and at the end I tried with a qualifying tyre. I was already quite fast with the first one but then I took the second one and went a little bit faster. I saw I was in second position and I knew I didn’t have much time to stop but I came in two and a half minutes from the end and the team did a great job to change the tyre in a short time. It gave me the chance to use the last lap and I was able to improve a little bit and take pole – it was a great job from the team. Tomorrow will be a hard race for everybody. There are a lot of riders near to me so we need to set the bike to the maximum in the morning.”

Capirossi (65) leads the opening lap ahead of Rossi (46), Giernau (15) who would crash out with his title hopes, followed by Checa (7) and (33) melandri.

Race Day - Rossi Tops a 4-Way Itaian Podium Fight
Saturday 4th June - Gauloises Yamaha Team rider Valentino Rossi produced one of the best performances of his career today as he outwitted a trio of Italian compatriots to take a stunning home victory at Mugello. The World Champion was passed by a handful of riders from pole position but fought his way aggressively through the pack to lead the way at the end of the first lap. Chased by Marco Melandri, Sete Gibernau and Max Biaggi (all Honda) in the opening stages, Rossi set an electric pace but was unable to shake off his pursuers. He was passed by Melandri on the 11th lap as he began to struggle with front-end problems.

By that time Gibernau had already crashed out of the race and it was left to Loris Capirossi (Ducati) to join in the combat and provide a home crowd of over 90,000 with a thrilling all-Italian battle. Biaggi grabbed the lead on the 17th lap but was stalked all the way by Rossi, who planned his move to perfection and passed his rival with just three laps remaining, opening up a crucial advantage that saw him take the chequered flag by 0.359 seconds. The fight for the final podium position raged behind them, with Capirossi clinching third place after holding off an attack from Melandri in the last corner. Whilst Rossi's win extends his championship lead to 49 points, his Gauloises Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards continued to struggle with the set-up of his YZR-M1 machine today and could only manage ninth place. However, the American will look to bounce back as the season continues at the Catalunya Grand Prix in Barcelona next weekend.

In the lead up to the Spanish Grand Prix Ruben Xaus (Fortuna Yamaha Team) finished a credible 14th after a lonely race ahead of Kenny Roberts (Suzuki). Meanwhile his temporary team-mate David Checa ended his MotoGP debut in 19th position after being forced to pit with traction issues. He returned to the fray to continue familiarizing himself with the M1 just in case Fortuna Yamaha rider Toni Elias is unable to make his comeback and Checa receives the opportunity to ride again in Barcelona.
Valentino Rossi (Gauloises Yamaha Team) 1st

"That was an incredible race and the best possible finish for the crowd, with four Italian riders in the top four positions. It was a great battle - full of passes and full of attacks. In the beginning I tried to go alone but I had some problems with the front and decided just to concentrate on my rhythm. Then Melandri arrived and we had a great fight, also with Biaggi after that. We set a high pace to the finish, I made my attack with three laps to go and it worked so of course I am very happy. My team once again did a great job and everybody at Yamaha has worked so hard to provide me with the bike I wanted - this is our reward. I want to thank them and also the amazing crowd here at Mugello; it was an honour to race in front of them."

Round: 5 - Mugello MotoGP Circuit: Mugello Circuit Length: 5245 Lap Record: 1' 50.117 (Max Biaggi, 2005) Fastest Lap Ever: 1' 49.223 (Valentino Rossi, 2005) Race: 23 Laps Pos. Rider Manufacturer Nat. Total Time 1 V. Rossi Yamaha ITA 42' 42.994 2 M. Biaggi Honda ITA +0.359 3 L. Capirossi Ducati ITA +3.874 4 M. Melandri Honda ITA +3.979 5 C. Checa Ducati ESP +7.898 6 N. Hayden Honda USA +8.204 7 A. Barros Honda BRA +11.572 8 M. Tamada Honda JPN +25.394 9 C. Edwards Yamaha USA +25.485 10 S. Nakano Kawasaki JPN +36.549 11 J. Hopkins Suzuki USA +41.637 12 A. Hofman Kawasaki GER +43.659 13 T. Bayliss Honda AUS +43.916 14 R. Xaus Yamaha ESP +51.575 15 K. Roberts Suzuki USA +1' 10.275 16 S. Byrne Proton KR GBR +1' 12.582 17 R. Rolfo Ducati ITA +1' 13.047 18 F. Battaini Blata WCM ITA +1 lap(s) 19 D. Checa Yamaha ESP +1 lap(s) Fastest Race Lap: 1 M. Biaggi Honda ITA 1' 50.117

Championship standings MotoGP Pos. Rider Manufacturer Nat. Points 1 Valentino Rossi Yamaha ITA 120 2 Marco Melandri Honda ITA 71 3 Max Biaggi Honda ITA 67 4 Sete Gibernau Honda ESP 53 5 Alex Barros Honda BRA 52 6 Colin Edwards Yamaha USA 48 7 Loris Capirossi Ducati ITA 39 8 Nicky Hayden Honda USA 36 9 Shinya Nakano Kawasaki JPN 33 10 Carlos Checa Ducati ESP 28 11 Olivier Jacque Kawasaki FRA 26 12 David Checa Yamaha ESP 26 13 Troy Bayliss Honda AUS 24 14 Jurgen vd Goorbergh Honda NED 18 15 Ruben Xaus Yamaha ESP 18 18 Toni Elias Yamaha ESP 15 Full Results

250cc to Pedrosa
Dani Pedrosa became the first Honda rider to win the 250cc race at Mugello since 1997 as he clinched his second successive victory and extend his championship lead to 21 points over Andrea Dovizioso, who suffered from technical problems and could only take eighth. Jorge Lorenzo clinched his first podium finish in the class in second place after starting from pole position, making him the second youngest rider in history to do so by just five days from Marco Melandri. Alex de Angelis completed the podium after snatching third place on the line from Casey Stoner, who now lies just one point behind Dovizioso in the championship.

---

Sudco Introduces Hammergouchi Full Titanium Race Systems
Only 9lbs for complete system, 8-20% overall power increase, just $1595
Sudco International is the exclusive importer from Japan of the incredible new Hammergouchi full Titanium Racing Exhaust System for late model Japanese sportbikes. These systems are higher quality with computer cut and welded with CNC alloy spigot flanges, and perform better than anything the industry has seen before. The "Ti Hammer" has all the trick works bike features and more including tapered header pipes, tapered internal diffusers inside the pipe junctions, and spring assembled sections to eliminate vibration cracking. Their complete omplete Honda CBR1000RR systems show a 8% power gain, while the CBR600RR shows and incredible 20% power gain. Also available are Hammergouchi Titanium Slip-On Rear Silencer Kits.
Call Sudco weekdays (01) 323-728-5407 • www.Sudco.com

Fast Dates Calendar Motorcycle Roadracing News. Complete coverage of the SBK World Superbike, AMA National Superbike and MotoGP World Championship. Fast Dates Calendar and Umbrella Girls. Max Biaggi, Valentino Rossi, Ben and Eric Bostom, James Toseland, Regis Laconi, Loris Capirossi, Troy Bayliss, Troy Corser, Noriyuki Haga. Ducati 999 Monster Multistrada, Yamaha R6 R1, Honda CBR600RR CBR1000RR, Kawasaki ZX6 ZX6RR ZX10, Suzuki GSXR600 GSXR750 GSXR1000, Aprilia Mille, MZ Agusta F4 Brutale

2006 FastDates.com Calendars World Premiers!
Here On Line July 1st!
And Live with the Angels,,,
LA Bike Show July 16-17th
Brands Hatch SBK Aug 7th

Exclusive Early Preview!
Get a full look NOW of all the 2006 Calendar photos in the Members Corner Calendar Gallery

World Superbike Girls!
Our official SBK Fast Dates World Superbike girls are featured in
Member's Corner!
Includes FREE Access with to
Paddock Garage

It was Treblanch who took over and spearheaded the design department at Ducati in the mid 1990's after legendary designer Massimo Tamburini left the company. It was Tamburini who designed the landmark Ducati 916 Superbike, the most successful and argueably the most attractive sportbike design ever. Treblanche left some big shoes to fill, and now works with MV Agusta where he designed the even more beautiful MV F 4.

Unlike his predecessor, Treblanche's bike designs have always been somewhat less inspiring and controversal. The most noteable being the ME900 Hailwood Replica, the current 999 Superbike models and the Multistrada. And while Treblanche's designs have never been called beautiful, both the current 999R Superbike and Multistrada S have been named by many publications including FastDates.com and Cycle world as Bike of the Year for being the best bikes on the market or in their respective categories.

Due to be released this fall is the much anticipated line of Ducati Sport Classics, a line of attractive 3 retro bikes which Treblanche, who has a passion for classic bikes, also created.

Criticism was that Treblance wasn't a leading edge designer and Ducati's bike sales may have suffered because of it. But then again, not as many bikes have earned the long term sales success and enthusiastic fan base that Ducati has achieved. Particular withDucati's design department being kept under tight budget restraints to the benefit of huge racing program and an industry leading marketing department.

There is no immediate word on where Treblance may end up working. Susposedly he has a 2 year non compete clause in his contract which will prevent him from designing any where for that period.

David Checa to race at Mugello with Fortuna Yamaha
Mugello, Italy, 31/5/2005 - Reigning World Endurance Champion David Checa will compete in the Italian Grand Prix next weekend with the Fortuna Yamaha Team. The Spanish rider will replace Toni Elías, who is still recovering from an injury sustained during a day of tests following the French Grand Prix at Le Mans.

Elías underwent an operation in Barcelona after fracturing the radius and scaphoid of his left wrist and rupturing the ligaments that link the triquetral bone and the radius. The rider also fractured the outside of his left fibula and his leg was put in a cast. According to Doctor Xavier Mir from the Instituto Dexeus in Barcelona, who has been responsible for the treatment issued to Elías, the Fortuna Yamaha rider requires a five-week recovery period from the time of the crash, assuming the injuries recover in a favorable manner.

Elias' misfortune gives Checa the opportunity to make his debut in MotoGP, the world's premier motorcycle racing series, with a factory he already knows well. This season Checa and Yamaha already enjoyed a spectacular victory at the 24 Hours race at Le Mans.

Checa, 25, competed in the 250cc World Championship from 2000 until 2002, firstly with Honda and then later with Aprilia, taking a best ever finish of sixth place in his final appearance at the 2002 Valencian Grand Prix. The rider from Sant Fruitós de Bages (Barcelona, Spain) has been racing since 1996 and regularly competes in four-stroke categories such as the World Endurance, Supersport and Superbike championships.

The Biggest Streetbike Show in America!
July 16-17th 2005
$70,000 in Awards!
• World Record Jardine Dyno
• 2-Wheel Tuner Sportbike Class
MotoCreations.com Ducati Class
• AMD World Championship of Bike Building Qualifying Round
Exhibitor Information

DJ Samantha Lee and Ballentine appearing at
LA Calendar Bike Show
Long Beach , July 16-17th - Beautiful DJ Samantha Lee (Samanthalee.com) has just been confirmed to spin her original tunes both days in the exciting new Metric Midway at this July's LA Calendar Motorcycle Show. The Metric Midway features our exclusive, Jardine West Coast Horsepower Dyno Shootout, the new Motocreations.com Ducati bike display, and the 2Wheel Tuner magazine Sportbike Contest.
Stop by Sammys website to preview her tunes which will rock the Midway all weekend between blasts of the Jardine Dyno

Plus, just one of the incredible bands performing on stage throughout the weekend at the other end of the Queen Mary Park is Ballentine, an LA based pop/punk/rock band, began by touring internationally with the USO. Shortly after, they signed an "In-Theater" documentary deal with MovieTunes, which led to having numerous songs from their album, "4U" played in over 20,000 AMC/Carmike Theaters nationwide. Heather (lead vocals) and Frank (bass/vocals) starred on ABC's nationally televised summer reality show, "The Ultimate Love Test" which exposed Ballentine's music to millions of viewers.

Most recently, Ballentine signed a recording contract and national distribution deal with OME (Original Man Entertainment) and Lightyear / WEA (Warner/Electra/Atlantic).
Their album "4U" is now available in stores nationwide. Ballentine's approach to music effortlessly blends Pop-Punk and Rock & Roll, creating their signature Rock/Pop-Punk fusion.

Get the Ballentine 4U CD!

DUCATI NORTH AMERICA’S GROWTH LEADS TO RESTRUCTURE OF MARKETING DEPARTMENT
With sales in North America up 18% YTD, Ducati strengthens marketing efforts.
Cupertino, CA – June 2nd, 2005 – Ducati North America’s marketing department is undergoing changes as a result of the increased success of the brand in North America. Year-to-date sales are up 18% and Ducati will take advantage of this position to restructure the marketing department to continue the momentum into 2006.

Dan Carson joins the Marketing department as Event Manager. He has been a contractor for Ducati the past 8 years. Carson possesses a wealth of experience and first-hand knowledge of all Ducati’s major events.

Vincent Chiaro will have a revised role with the addition of Dan Carson as Event Manager. Chiaro will now focus on press fleet activities, press relations, as well as website and press release content in his job of PR Coordinator.

Sian Goad is new to Ducati in the Marketing Coordinator role. Most recently, Sian served for two years as Vice President of Marketing for a motorcycle luggage and apparel company. Her responsibilities include co-op advertising, dealer marketing support and advertising coordination.

Director of Marketing, John Porter, will be leaving the company at the end of June. He made significant progress in the turn-around of Ducati North America after the move from New Jersey to California. Ducati CEO, Michael Lock, will act as both CEO and Director of Marketing during this interim period. Lock has vast experience in marketing from his years as Marketing Director for Triumph in Europe and as a Marketing Manager with Honda Europe where he was responsible for four European countries. His expertise will be vital to overall strategy of Ducati marketing in North America.

Coordinating all the efforts of the Marketing Department will be the responsibility of Sarah Bogosian, Marketing Manager. She will run the daily operations of all marketing projects and report directly to Michael Lock.

Super Angel Janelle
We just added some super hot new pictures of SBK Fast Dates Calendar Angel Janelle Perzina in her Portfolio in the Meet the Models Gallery. Click on the photo above to get ahead.

Win the ultimate Track Attack Premier track day with Niall Mackenzie at Donington Park, England
YOU could win a Track Attack Premier track day with Rizla Suzuki Team Performance Co-ordinator and triple BSB Champion Niall Mackenzie at the full Donington Park GP circuit worth £195 in this free to enter competition.

You'll need your own bike for the track day on Saturday, July 2nd, at the Leicestershire circuit. You'll get 20-mins per hour on track between 9am and 5pm. All abilities of rider are welcome and there are top-quality instructors on hand for your benefit.
As the winner of this competition you'll get special attention from Niall as well as a pillion ride around the track if you are brave enough!

There are plenty of activities on the day with computer games and Scalextric to try your skills in-between sessions. There is a free all day buffet, starting with bacon sandwiches followed by a hot lunch and afternoon tea. That's on top of free tea and coffee all day long - and there is a free gift for every participant and a cloakroom to boot!

For further details on these fantastic Track Attack Premier track days, call Caroline on (011) 44 1332-819503 now. If you book a track day and mention Rizla Suzuki, you will receive a complementary pillion ride with Niall, normally costing £20, absolutely free.
To enter the competition, simply log on to www.rizla-suzuki.co.uk and go to the Express Insurance Competition Corner and answer the simple question.
The competition ends on Monday 27th June 2005 at 4pm.

DUCATI ANNOUNCES SPECIAL PARKING PASS PROCEDURE FOR 2005 DUCATI ISLAND AT RED BULL U.S. GRAND PRIX
Free Ducati-only parking still available for free on Ducati Island during the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix but be sure to pre-register!
Cupertino, CA – June 3rd, 2005 – Anticipation continues to build for the 2005 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca as American fans prepare to see exotic prototype motorcycles, like the Ducati Desmosedici, for the first time on their home soil. Ducati owners enjoy a privileged status at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, many making Ducati Island their home base for the weekend. The Island is located just inside turn three and has been a staple of the Ducati experience since 1998 with special hospitality, gear check, vendors, autograph sessions, and Ducati-only parking available to all Ducati owners. Due to the overwhelming success of Ducati Island, parking for the GP will be limited this year.

In order to accommodate as many Ducati parking spots as possible on Ducati Island, Ducati has created a pre-registration procedure. This new procedure must be completed online at www.ducatiusa.com . Owners will receive a Ducati Island parking pass by mail valid for parking one motorcycle on Ducati Island. Keep in mind, that a parking pass is required to park on Ducati Island this year but does not guarantee a place on the Island. Parking is limited by physical capacity and will be first come, first serve to anyone with a pass. Parking passes are valid for all three days of the race weekend.

McGuinness wins delayed Isle of Man TT
Superbike race
John McGuinness powered to victory in the delayed Isle of Man TT Superbike race, breaking the outright race record time as he chalked up his seventh success on the Island.

The Morecambe rider was hot on the charge from the start, completing his first lap of the 37.73 mile Mountain Course in a remarkable time of 17m 59.94secs, an average speed of 126.879mph which was just the job to take him eight seconds clear.

Ulsterman Richard Britton was riding strongly, and pushing hard aboard his Honda, but the unrelenting pace of McGuinness was giving him no opportunity to make up any ground, and as they pitted for the first of two pit-stops to change rear tyres and take on fuel the Yamaha rider had increased his lead to 19 seconds, maintaining an average speed of a little over 126mph.
Adrian Archibald, riding the TAS Suzuki was running third, but by the end of the third lap had moved ahead of Britton who was experiencing some machine problems that led to his eventual retirement from the race.

McGuinness was having no problems, stretching his lead to 28 seconds at half distance, although on the fourth lap, Archibald matched his time to give some hope to his team of better things to come.
However, a super-quick pit-stop by McGuinness gave him a seven seconds bonus on his rival, leaving him 35 seconds clear after five laps, and having sufficient advantage to even consider easing off a little on the sixth and final dash around the Island.

“I decided to use the same tactics that earned me three wins last year – that was to get my head down and go for it from the start, making a good break. The bike felt really strong, particularly over the Mountain.”
His victory, by 36.3 seconds over Archibald came in a record time of 1hr 49m 25.74s, an average speed of 124.124mph. “Brilliant, what else can I say – it was a relatively trouble free all of the way – there were on or two damp patches, and I had a slide or two, but nothing to worry about.”

“The organisers certainly made the decision by postponing the race from Saturday – the conditions were horrible then, today they were 99.9% perfect.”

Archibald had to settle for second best with Honda rider Martin Finnegan in third, some 76 seconds down on Archibald with Ian Lougher, also riding a Honda Fireblade, a further half minute back fourth, from the Yamaha of Ray Potter and Guy Martin on a Suzuki.

Isle of Man Results
Po / Name / Machine / Time
1 / John McGuinness / 1000 Yamaha R1 / 1h 49' 25.74"
2 / Adrian Archibald / 1000 Suzuki GSXR / 1h 50' 02.04"
3 / Martin Finnegan / 1000 Honda CBR / 1h 51' 18.16"
4 / Ian Lougher / 1000 Honda CBR RR / 1h 51' 42.70"
5 / Raymond Porter / 1000 Yamaha R1 / 1h 52' 09.16"
6 / GUY MARTIN / 1000 Suzuki / 1h 52' 22.87"
7 / Jason Griffiths / 1000 Yamaha / 1h 52' 26.88"
8 / Chris Heath / 998 Honda CBR / 1h 53' 05.38"
9 / Jun Maeda / 1000 Honda CBR RR / 1h 53' 55.19"
10 / Ian Armstrong / 1000 Yamaha R1 / 1h 55' 03.55"
11 / Nigel BEATTIE / 1000 Yamaha / 1h 55' 07.12"
12 / GARY CARSWELL / 1000 Yamaha R1 / 1h 55' 23.25"
13 / John Barton / 1000 Suzuki GSXR / 1h 55' 32.99"
14 / CHRIS PALMER / 1000 Yamaha R1 / 1h 55' 33.64"
15 / PHILIP STEWART / 1000 Suzuki GSXR / 1h 56' 01.32"

Round Seven – Bennetts British Superbike Championship
Kiyonari At The Double Knockhill, 27 June - Ryuichi Kiyonari charged to a brilliant winning double in the seventh round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, finishing comfortably ahead of his HM Plant Honda team-mate Michael Rutter, at Knockhill.

The 22 year old Japanese rider forged clear from his pole position in each of the 30 lap races, winning the first by twelve seconds, and then taking the second race by seven seconds.

"It was very hard for me – Michael is riding fast and well, so it was necessary for me to get away and ride hard and well to keep clear of him," smiled Kiyonari who has now won eight races this season.

Rutter admitted: "I have do something about him – I can’t let him keep getting away like this and need to start winning some races."

The two Honda riders romped clear of the pack, twice in the opener, Kiyonari broke the lap record and then Rutter in his vain pursuit in the second race reduced the record to 49.651seconds, an average speed of 94.15mph.

It left the rest playing catch-up, but Michael Laverty was rising to the challenge, taking his and the Stobart Honda team’s first podium of the season with a first race third.

Results Bennetts British Superbike Championship – Round Seven – Knockhill

Race One – 30 laps
1 R Kiyonari HM Plant Honda 25m 04.260
2 M Rutter HM Planrt Honda 25 16.798
3 M Laverty Stobart Honda 25 28.952
4 G Richards Hawk Kawasaki 25 30.621
5 L Haslam Airwaves Ducati 25 30.992
6 G Lavilla Airwaves Ducati 25 31.653

Race Two – 30 laps
1 R Kiyonari HM Plant Honda 25m 06.287
2 M Rutter HM Plant Honda 25 13.409
3 G Lavilla Airwaves Ducati 25 21 809
4 M Laverty Stobart Honda 25 22.977
5 L Haslam Airwaves Ducati 25 23.760
6 J Reynolds Rizla Suzuki 25 25.435

Pit Lane News
Contents
• The Pit Board
  • News Index • Editorial
  • Mail • 2004 Race Dates
  • 2003 Race Coverage
• Sportbike Features   Tests, Specifications
• Sportbike Links 
  Teams, Riders,
   Clubs, Manufacturers
• Fast Dates News
   SBK Superbike Girls
• Iron & Lace News   Sexy Centerfold Models
• Calendar Girls News
  Garage Girls Play Dirty
• Meet the Models
  Our Calendar Angels

More News...
2 months ahead of print!
RETURN: FRONT PAGE

• May 2005 Page 1 News
• May 2005 Page 2 News
• May 2005 Page 3 News
• May 2005 Page 4 News
• Apr 2005 Page 1 News
• Apr 2005 Page 2 News
• Apr 2005 Page 3 News
• Apr 2005 Page 4 News
• Mar 2005 Page 1 News
• Mar 2005 Page 2 News
• Mar 2005 Page 3 News
• Mar 2005 Page 4 News
• Feb 2005 Page 1 News
• Feb 2005 Page 2 News
• Feb 2005 Page 3 News
• Feb 2005 Page 4 News
• Jan 2005 Page 1 News
• Jan 2005 Page 2 News
• Jan 2005 Page 3 News
• Dec 2004 Page 1 News
• Dec 2004 Page 2 News
• Nov 2004 Page 1 News
• Nov 2004 Page 2 News
• Nov 2004 Page 3 News
• Nov 2004 Page 4 News
• Oct 2004 Page 1 News
• Oct 2004 Page 2 News
• Oct 2004 Page 3 News
• Oct 2004 Page 4 News
• Oct 2004 Page 5 News
• Sep 2004 Page 1 News
• Sep 2004 Page 2 News
• Sep 2004 Page 3 News
• Sep 2004 Page 4 News

• 2004 Pit Lane News

New Sport/Race Bikes!
Tests & Reviews

Sportbike INDEX
• Aprilia Index
• Ducati Index
• Foggy Petronas
• Honda Index
• Kawasaki Index
• KTM RC8 Superbike
• MV Agusta
• Poggipolini Millona
• Poggipolini Nera
• Suzuki GSXR Index
• Yamaha Index

Editorial, Bike Tests
News Features
• Marco Melandri MotoGP's    hottest new star!
• Ducati Multistrada S
   2005 Bike of the Year
• AMA Pro Racing and the
  Decline of US Roadracing
• 2005 SBK Superbike   Season Preview
• Pirelli 2005 Calendar
• MV Agusta F4-1000
   Rockin' Robin's 1st test
• Pirelli Calendar 2005   Supermodels get naked   in Rio de Janero
• Who is Ten Kate?   
  Private Hondas Kick Ass
• Ducati Factory & Museum
• Ducati 999R05 First!
  Rockin' Robin tests it!
• 2004 LA CalendarShow
  Now World Class!
• Ducati Corse Race Shop
  Exclusive Visit!
• World Ducati Week 2004
  Sportbike Heaven
• Ducati 04 Desmosedici
   D16 GP4 MotoGP Bike
• Torque Movie Review
   with our Jaime Pressly
• British Sportbike
   Magazine Review
• Neil Hodgsen Interview    Superbike Champion
• Aprilia 2004 RSV1000R
   First USA test!
• AMA Superbike Rules
• Valentino Rossi
  Biography of a Champ.
• SBK Fast Dates Girls   
  Our offical Ducati Corse   umbrella girls at Laguna
• Paris Motorcycle Show
  Well Worth the Trip

Sportbike Mags &
Pinup Calendars
A Very Revealing Expose!
• Pirelli Calendar 2005
• Pirelli Calendar Review
• Bike Calendar Review
• Buy Pinup Calendars
• Brit Sport Mag Review

Chicks That
Kick Ass!
Bring them home to mom.
• Jessica Biel
• Kristen Bell
• Maria Sharapova
• Mila Jovovich
• Kate Beckinsale
• Fast Dates Girls

RACE COVERAGE
2005 SBK Superbike
Preview 2005 SBK Season
Feb 26 Qatar Doha Losail
April 3 Phillip Island AU
April 24 Valencia Spain
May 8 Monza Italy
May 29 Silverstone GB
July 17 Bruno Czech Rep
June 26 Misano Italy
Aug 7 Brands Hatch GB
Sept 4 Assen Netherlands
Sept 11 Lausitzring DM
Oct 2 Imola italy
Oct 9 Magny-Cours FR

2005 MotoGP
Preview MotoGP 2005
April 10   Spain Jerez
April 17   Portugal, Estoril
May 1     China Shanghai
May 15   France Le Mans
June 5   Italy Mugello
June 12 Catalunya
June 25 Assen NL
July 10  Laguna Seca USA
July 24  Donington Park GB
July 31  Sachsenring DM
Aug 28  Brno Czech Rep
Sept 18 Motegi Japan
Sept 25 Malaysia Sepang
Oct 1     Doha Qatar
Octr 16  Phillip Island AU
Oct 23 - Turkey, Istanbul
Nov 6 -  Valencia, Spain

2005 AMA Superbike
March 10-12 Daytona FL
April 22-24   Barber AL
Apr 29-May 1 CA Speedway
May 13-15   Infineon CA
May 21-22   Pikes Peak CO
June 3-5      Road America
June 25-26  Brainerd MN*
July 8-10      Laguna Seca
July 22-24    Mid-Ohio OH
Sept. 2-4      Road Atlanta
Sept. 17-18  VIR VA
• Track Website Links

2005 British Superbike
Preview 2005 BSB Season
Mar 26–28   Brands Hatch
Apr 8–10     Thruxton
Apr 22–24   Mallory Park
May 1–2      Oulton Park,
May 13–15  Mondello Park
Jun 3–5       Croft
June 24–26 Knockhill
July 8–10    Snetterton
Aug 19 -21  Silverstone,
Aug 2 -29    Cadwell Park
Sept 9–11   Oulton Park
Sept 23–25 Donington
Oct 7–9       Brands Hatch

Additional Racing
• Isle of Man TT 2004
• British Superbike 2004
• Supermoto 04 World Final

2004 Race/News Index