MotoGP News

Nach drei Rennen, die nicht seinen Vorstellungen entsprachen, blickt MotoGP-Neuling Alex Márquez gespannt auf das erste Rennen in Spielberg. Er erwartet Regen und möchte die neue Herausforderung mit seiner Honda stemmen.

Für den Österreich-GP meldet sich ServusTV schon mit den freien Trainings aller WM-Klassen am Freitag live vom Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. Was am Wochenende sonst noch wo zu sehen ist.

Riferimento nel segmento delle moto dal sapore vintage, ha ciclistica raffinata e 148 CV. Infinito il catalogo di accessori

Die Organisatoren in Spielberg sind bereit für die MotoGP-WM im Doppelpack auf dem Red Bull-Ring und münzen nun das bewährte Formel 1-Konzept auf den Motorrad-Tross um.

US motorcycle sales got a boost in Q2 2020, with the MIC reporting a 6.4% gain for the year so far. The post Dirt Bikes Sales Lead US Motorcycle Industry to a 6.4% Gain for the First Six Months of 2020 appeared first on Asphalt & Rubber.

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Nicht jeder Hardcore-MotoGP-Fans nimmt das «closed doors»-Protokoll für bare Münze. Im Schutze des Waldes pirschten sich Dutzende Fans an den Masarykring heran.

L’INTERVISTA “Zarco e Bagnaia sono più avvantaggiati perché hanno meno esperienza con la Ducati. KTM? Non mi ha sorpreso, arrivano alle gare con 15 giorni in più di test rispetto a noi”  

Seit dem Neustart der Motorrad-WM arbeitet der MotoGP-Tross in seiner Blase mit strikten Vorgaben gegen die Ausbreitung der Corona-Pandemie. Ein Blick hinter die Kulissen.

Quartararo and Morbidelli head to Austria eager for more glory PETRONAS Yamaha SRT looking to continue their strong start to the 2020 MotoGP season at the Red Bull Ring – Spielberg this weekend Fresh from achieving their tenth podium at Brno, PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team, with riders Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli, are heading to the Grand Prix von Österreich confident of obtaining more strong results. As current leaders in both the riders’ and teams’ championships, the squad travel to Austria in high spirits. Although the CzechGP wasn’t the best for Quartararo, with increased tyre in the race wear preventing him from making the most of his front row start, the Frenchman was still about to rack up nine more championship points. Aware that it could be another tricky weekend, with extremely varied weather conditions predicted, Quartararo is keen to ensure that he is back on the podium on Sunday – especially as he finished third in Austria last year. Team-mate Morbidelli will arrive at the Red Bull Ring – Spielberg bolstered by achieving his first ever MotoGP podium last weekend. The Italian raced with a mature head, knowing that his tyres were dropping off, to ensure that his bike crossed the line second. Despite the perception that the 4.3km circuit is not one of the strongest for the Yamaha YZR-M1, Franco is confident that he can still be at the sharp end of the grid and fight for another podium finish. He will arrive at the Austrian GP third in the championship. The Grand Prix von Österreich will get underway for the MotoGP riders with FP1 at 9.55am local time (3.55pm MYT) on Friday. Sunday’s 28-lap race is due to start at 2pm local time (8pm MYT). Fabio Quartararo It wasn’t the best weekend at Brno, but we will go to Austria with nine more points in the championship. That was important to do. The Austrian track is one that I really like and I’m really looking to these next two races there. We know that KTM will be strong again as they’ve tested a lot there, which means they will have a lot of important data to use in the races. Of course, we will have to see what the conditions are when we arrive, as at the moment the weather forecast is very mixed, but I think we can be quick there and be back on the podium. We will definitely be trying to repeat, at least, the top-three finish from last year. Franco Morbidelli I think it has finally sunk in that I achieved my first MotoGP podium last time out! I’m really happy because it has given us a big injection of confidence going into these two races in Austria and the knowledge that we can fight at the front. On paper it doesn’t look like one of our strongest tracks, but that is just on paper! We will have to see what the conditions are like and how we feel in the first practice session on Friday. I’m really looking forward to it though and can’t wait to be back on track after these next few days.

The post MotoGP: Quartararo Looking To Get Back On Podium In Austria appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.

The South East Mini Roadracing Association (SEMRA) is excited to return to the world of racing! We are an organization that is devoted to providing a professional, safe environment for racers and fans of all ages to enjoy the great sport of road racing.  Those of you who have been part of the SEMRA organization can attest that there is no better environment to craft your skills on a motorcycle.  Whether you are a young rider on the way to MotoGP or just enjoy having fun on a bike, SEMRA is the place for you!  In addition to a fun and safe environment, SEMRA will have a MyLaps system for timed qualifying and race scoring.  Now you and your friends can compete for pole position and compare lap times just like the pros! Our first organized event will be a SEMRA Reunion Trackday later this year.  We will have more details to follow.  To stay up to date, please visit us at our website here: https://www.semra.org/.  Be sure to join our forum to learn more about the organization, rules, classes and provide input on future events.  We look forward to connecting with you and enjoying some good ol’ fashioned bench racing.  We look forward to seeing you at a racetrack soon!

The post Reviving South East Mini Roadracing Association (SEMRA) appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.

Travis Wyman claims first podium finish in more than a year at MotoAmerica Superbikes at Pittsburgh BMW rider also scores two top-10 finishes in Superbike races aboard repaired motorcycle WAMPUM, Pa. — Travis Wyman is no stranger to making the podium in MotoAmerica competition, but the third place he scored in Sunday’s Stock 1000 race at Pittsburgh International Race Complex was a symbolic triumph over adverse circumstances. Despite racing through pain in his surgically repaired left elbow to contending with numbness in his right arm and leg late in races –- and having to do a motor swap on the team’s 2020 BMW S 1000 RR on the Thursday before the race –- Wyman’s performance at the Aug. 7-9 event was his best of the season. It was his first podium appearance since Round 3 of the 2019 season at VIRginia International Raceway. Wyman had his freshly repaired BMW’s potential on full display Friday. He finished both qualifying sessions in second place and claimed his first front-row starting grid spot of the 2020 season. He missed taking pole position by 0.072 seconds. Saturday ended on a high note for the team. In the morning practice session, the team opted to test a new set-up, but it didn’t work out as planned and Wyman ended the practice session in seventh. In the Saturday Stock 1000 race, Wyman got good start and was running in fourth when the race was red flagged due to a crash that collapsed a section of air fence. When the race restarted with eight laps to go, Wyman got another good start and was running in second for the first two laps of the race. Though he dropped to fourth place on Lap 3, Wyman was in the group vying for the race lead when a false neutral at Turn 1 sent him off-track. He rejoined the race in eighth place and was able to make up a position to finish seventh. In the Saturday Superbike race, Wyman finished 10th and had the best finish of the Superbike Cup riders. Sunday’s Stock 1000 race was the team’s shining moment so far in 2020. Wyman got another good start and was running second – hounding the race leader – in the race’s early stages. However, numbness in Wyman’s right arm and leg – a result of Wyman having to change his riding style to accommodate his nagging left elbow injury – caused his pace to slow. Despite the setback, Wyman still finished on the podium and showed that he will be contending for Stock 1000 victories as soon as his elbow has fully healed. In the Superbike race, Wyman was able to maintain a consistent pace – even with the pain in his elbow increasing as the race went on – to claim his second top-10 finish of the weekend in Superbike. Though there were some setbacks, the Travis Wyman Racing BMW team ended the weekend in as good a position as it had started it. Wyman maintained fifth place in the Stock 1000 Class standings and second place in the Superbike Cup points. It will be Wyman’s first time racing at Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Wa., when the next MotoAmerica round takes place there Aug. 28-30. Travis Wyman / #10 “We were fast right out of the gate this weekend, and it was the first time I’ve been able to push the bike from the get-go. I felt really good about the bike heading into Saturday’s races, and I was hanging with the leaders for most of the race. The false neutral was unfortunate and caused me to run off track, but we still came away with good points from that race. We made an adjustment to the shifter before the Superbike race, and it was great being the top-finishing Superbike Cup rider on Saturday. We made some setup changes to our BMW S 1000 RR Sunday morning, and my fastest lap in the day’s Stock 1000 race was about two seconds faster than my previous best lap at Pitt Race. I got a good start and was pushing hard to stay with the race leader as long as I could. Though the numbness in my right limbs kept me from maintaining the pace of the leaders, it was great to be back on the podium. The weekend as a whole was a win for the team, because we keep progressing even with all the setbacks we’ve had with me and the bike. We’re finally getting into the cusp of it and running up front. Steve Weir and Alex Torres did a stellar job again this weekend, and I can’t thank Mark Buche from BMW North America enough for getting us this new engine that we raced this weekend.”       More, from a press release issued by LaRoche Racing: Bellaire business owner LaRoche scores top-10 finish in pro motorcycle races at Pittsburgh International Race Complex Ohioan puts in best career performances in MotoAmerica competition at home track WAMPUM, Pa. — Bellaire, Ohio, resident C.J. LaRoche put in the best performances of his professional motorcycle racing career when MotoAmerica — the nation’s official motorcycle road racing championship — visited Pittsburgh International Race Complex Aug. 7-9. The owner of Bellaire’s LaRoche Tree Service scored 11th- and ninth-place finishes in MotoAmerica’s Supersport Class races on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. It was his first time finishing in the top-15 and top-10 in Supersport. He raced aboard a new-to-him 2019 Yamaha YZF-R6, which he had not had many opportunities to ride on a racetrack before the PittRace event. LaRoche began racing professionally in 2016 and has competed part time in MotoAmerica’s Supersport and Superstock 600 classes. His previous best performances were two top-10 finishes in Superstock 600 at Pitt Race in 2017. Superstock 600 was a feeder class for Supersport, MotoAmerica’s premier middleweight class. LaRoche had endured challenging weekends the last two years at his home round on the MotoAmerica schedule. He qualified 22nd and 18th in 2018 and 2019, respectively. In 2018, he finished 16th in one race and failed to finish the second contest. At the 2019 edition of the event, LaRoche finished 16th in the Saturday race and crashed out of the Sunday race. LaRoche credits his improved racing performance to Ken Hill, a motorcycle road racing instructor LaRoche met through teaching at several Yamaha Champions Riding School events. MotoAmerica’s Supersport Class features lightly-modified production-based motorcycles – road-legal sportbikes that can be purchased at a local motorcycle dealership. MotoAmerica took over operating the AMA Superbike Championship in 2015 and features the nation’s top motorcycle road racers competing in five competition classes at racetracks across the country. The series is sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association, which also sanctions AMA Supercross and thousands of recreational and competition-oriented motorcycling events throughout the nation each year. C.J. LaRoche / #20 “It was a great weekend and, without a doubt, the team’s most successful to date. There are a lot of very talented riders competing in MotoAmerica’s Supersport Class, and working with Ken [Hill] helped close the gap to them. I’m surrounded by a fantastic team that kept my Yamaha R6 in top condition.  It felt great rewarding them for their hard work with two strong finishes. The entire team is looking forward to more good results at the Indianapolis round.”

The post MotoAmerica: Even More From The Races At PittRace appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.

A bevy of photos of the 2021 Honda CBR600RR have emerged, which give us a better look at this upcoming 600cc supersport. The post More Photos of the New Honda CBR600RR Emerge appeared first on Asphalt & Rubber.

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Stop a più di 5.000 presenze negli avvenimenti sino al 30 ottobre. Continua a preoccupare la situazione contagi in Spagna nella regione di Barcellona e Aragon

CSRA Vintage Superbikes revisit Buttonwillow with the AFM for round 2   Cooler temperatures greeted the competitors for the latest installment of CSRA Saturday Superbike Shootout which runs in conjunction with AFM events. The thermometer in Californian’s Central Valley might have read a bit lower than round 1, but the race action was still hot as ever. As the green flag fell the ever fast-starting Terry “The Colonel” Cheney (Hon) lead the charge into turn one with Mark “Birdman” McKinney (Suz), Kevin McKee (Kaw), and the rest of the field following closely. The battle for the lead got even closer when McKinney made his move on Cheney as they headed up the “Grapevine” on lap one causing Cheney to miss a shift as McKinney went for the pass. McKinney got “high, wide, and handsome” running out of real estate and into the dirt on the exit for what was no doubt a tense few moments. McKee in third took advantage of his fellow combatants’ simultaneous misfortune to rocket into the lead heading towards the bus stop. The action continued its torrid pace through lap one with McKinney taking a shot on the outside of Cheney through Riverside and was finally able to overtake Cheney in the braking zone making it stick into the sweeper before the run up through the esses. At the end of lap one McKee on his ex-Bob Sherwood Kawasaki Z1 warhorse “Jethro” was taking over at the front and trying to set sail and settle the issue early. With the leaders in sight, Darrin Gauvin making a guest appearance on the ex-Bernd Koegler Racing Honda CB750F had his hands full with CJ Bonura’s JES Built Honda 900F, Anthony Guarderas (Suz), and Mike Butler on his Rick Oats-tuned Suzuki as the field started to settle in. As the laps continued to wind down, the order throughout the field had pretty much sorted itself out and positions stabilized. It was McKee, McKinney, Cheney, Gauvin across the checkered flag without positions in doubt. There was one more battle yet to be decided, when coming into the final turn, Bonura lost a bit of pace with the rookie Butler closing in on his heels and Guarderas looking for the spoils if things didn’t work out. As they straightened up out of the final corner for the run to the finish, Bonura was showing his beast the whip all the way to the line. Butler had different ideas he made the pass at the line for 5th place overall and top Novice. Butler seems intent on letting his fellow competitors know he is not satisfied fighting for middle of the pack positions and plans to be at the sharp end of the field in short order. Onlookers continue to remark on how quickly Butler has gotten up to speed and think he is one to keep an eye on. Guarderas and Andrew Gray (Guzzi) rounded out the field with Gray unable to make the green flag as his booming V-twin Moto-Guzzi lost its bellow on the warmup lap. Paul “Kelly Leake” Kieffer (Suz) had a DNS as his disappointing season continues, maybe Oats can sprinkle some magic his direction next round. Hellfritsch (Kaw) DNS with a Friday afternoon withdrawal as social media showed cam issues. We are half way through the shortened four-race season as the series moves up the coast to Thunderhill for Round 3 Sept. 19th-20th before the final round at Laguna Oct. 23rd-25th with MotoAmerica. Please keep an eye out for information or stay up to date by following us at www.csra.us or on Facebook@Classic Superbike Racing Association  

The post Kevin McKee Wins CSRA Vintage Superbike Race At Buttonwillow appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.

A “Celebration of Life” for the late Phil McDonald has been scheduled August 16, in Tulsa Oklahoma. Racer, mechanic, and tuner McDonald died August 5 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. According to his brother, former AMA Pro racer Sam McDonald, Phil McDonald was fixing a leak in the roof of his home when he fell two stories and landed head-first on a concrete patio and brick planter. Phil McDonald suffered a fractured skull, a brain injury, and numerous other bone fractures. He was 64. In addition to being a successful AMA Formula One racer, Phil McDonald served as the Crew Chief for Mike Baldwin on Team Honda. Among McDonald’s many survivors are his father, AMA Hall of Famer and K&N Filters co-founder Norm McDonald; nephew Tyler McDonald, a former AMA Pro road racer; and another nephew current MotoAmerica Twins Cup racer Cooper McDonald. The Celebration of Life will be held beginning at 1:00 p.m. local time at 2020 N. Wild Mountain Rd, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. No RSVP is required as everyone is welcome. Those attending are encouraged to ride their motorcycles. Anyone with questions can call (918) 688-9903.  

The post Phil McDonald “Celebration Of Life” Planned August 16 In Tulsa appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.

Ducati-Star Andrea Dovizioso (34) steht noch immer ohne neuen Vertrag da und lässt nach Brünn und ungewohnt tief in sein Seelenleben blicken: «Es ist klar, dass alles sich ein bisschen auswirkt. Wir sind Menschen.»

Red Bull Ring calling the Repsol Honda Team Forecasts are predicting a wet and wild Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring as Alex Marquez and Stefan Bradl look to launch a rejuvenated challenge. The MotoGP World Championship arrives in Austria for the first of two races at the Red Bull Ring hot off the back of the Czech GP. It proved to be a trying weekend for the Repsol Honda Team, but both riders are ready to put the weekend behind them and focus on adapting their respective Repsol Honda RC213V machines to the Austrian circuit. At 4.3-kilometre-long, the Red Bull Ring is characterised by hard braking and heavy acceleration, producing memorable last laps in recent years. After three hot weekends, the weather looks set to turn at the Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich with heavy rain predicted throughout the weekend. For MotoGP rookie Alex Marquez, riding in the wet conditions will be another new challenge but the Moto2 World Champion has been quick to adapt to the wet in the past. Marquez currently sits second in the Rookie of the Year standings and is aiming to continue his perfect run of point scoring finishes in the premier class this weekend. Stefan Bradl will once again join the Repsol Honda Team, filling in for the recovering Marc Marquez. It was a busy weekend in Brno for Bradl as he adapted to the 2020 RC213V and worked through a number of items for HRC. Although he finished outside of the points, Bradl showed strong progress over the course of the Czech weekend. The German joined the factory Honda team at the Red Bull Ring last year and raced to 13th place, returning to the points his objective for his second weekend aboard the RC213V. Action at the Red Bull Ring begins at 09:55 Local Time with Free Practice 1 with a 90% chance of rain. Alex Marquez “The second of three MotoGP races in a row and the second time we will have more than one race at the same circuit. In Jerez we were able to benefit a lot from having two races so I think it will be an interesting couple of races. It looks like it will rain, a lot, so I will need to adapt to the RC213V in the wet. It’s a new challenge, but being a rookie is all about accepting the challenges and learning. Our goal for the weekend is to keep understanding the MotoGP class and close the gap to the front.” Stefan Bradl “After an intense and busy weekend I am looking forward to riding at the Red Bull Ring as I have a race under my belt and understand what we need to do. I think we will have another busy weekend, but maybe the weather will change it a bit. I am really pleased to be back with the Repsol Honda Team again and I’m sure we can have a more competitive weekend. Let’s see how the weekend unfolds, I am confident we can be closer to the MotoGP regulars.”

The post MotoGP: Bradl Continuing In Place Of Marc Marquez In Austria appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.

Off-Highway and Dual-Purpose Motorcycle Sales Soar IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 11, 2020 — Off-highway motorcycle sales rocketed 50.3 percent in the first half of the year compared with the same period last year, while dual-purpose motorcycle sales jumped 20.9 percent in the same time frame, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council Retail Sales Reporting System. “Riding dirt and trail bikes has always been one of the best ways to spend time with family and friends,” said Erik Pritchard, president and CEO of the Motorcycle Industry Council. “Now, with the pandemic, it has amplified what’s positive about getting out on motorcycles. You can get out of the house, have fun with your loved ones, and still maintain social distancing.” Off-highway motorcycles include dirt bikes, trail bikes, competition motorcycles, and other motorized two-wheelers that cannot be used on public roads. Dual-purpose motorcycles are street legal and are also designed to be used on off-road trails. On-highway motorcycles saw sales dip 9.6 percent, while scooter sales rose 4 percent. Combined with off-highway and dual, this puts total motorcycle sales in the first half of the year up 6.4 percent compared with 2019. The MIC recently launched a Commuter Distancing campaign to encourage people to consider motorized two- and three-wheelers as transportation alternatives. “There are many benefits to motorcycles and scooters,” Pritchard said. “In normal times, studies have shown that they help alleviate congestion. During this pandemic, being on a motorcycle means being able to avoid crowds and lessening the chance of spreading and picking up germs. And many riders say it adds fun to a normally mundane commute. Our Commuter Distancing social media posts are a reminder of these benefits.” The Commuter Distancing posts point people to FindYourRide.org, where they can quickly find information on how to get rider training and where to find a bike. “It’s just a first step, and many in the powersports industry are waiting to help riders-to-be explore their options,” Pritchard said. “Sales from the first half of the year indicate growing interest in powersports products and we’re excited to help them on their journey.” The MIC Retail Sales Reporting System gathers new motorcycle sales data from the 14 leading manufacturers and distributors in the U.S., providing a strong indicator of sales trends. The Motorcycle Industry Council exists to preserve, protect, and promote motorcycling through government relations, communications, media relations, statistics and research, aftermarket programs, data communications standards, and involvement in technical and regulatory issues. As a not-for-profit national industry association, the MIC seeks to support motorcyclists by representing manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and retailers of motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, ROVs, motorcycle/ATV/ROV parts, accessories, and related services, and members of allied trades such as insurance, finance and investment companies, media companies, and consultants. The MIC is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., with a government relations office in metropolitan Washington, D.C. First called the MIC in 1970, the organization has been in operation since 1914. Keep up with the industry association on Twitter @followMIC and at MIC.org.

The post MIC: Off-Highway Motorcycle Sales Up 50.3% appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.

Honda ha deciso di regalare un'estetica degna della sorella maggiore alla media di casa, ma ancora non è sicuro il suo arrivo in Europa. Non è certo che sia omologata Euro 5

Il manager che ha portato la Casa austriaca al successo in MotoGP: "Non smetto di sorridere da domenica, siamo partiti da un foglio bianco e ce l'abbiamo fatta. In MotoGP non ci sono scorciatoie"