MotoGP News - Miller: Mistake management a key MotoGP strength for Honda's Marquez
http://bit.ly/2W09Qmy Pramac Ducati rider Jack Miller says Marc Marquez's "mistake management" is a major asset in the reigning MotoGP champion's armoury Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport http://bit.ly/2uOa9Ei May 29, 2019 at 11:54AM
Motorcycle News - Adventurers Wanted – Fuel Moto Sponsorships
http://bit.ly/2QukbpH Every motorcyclist dreams of escaping the daily grind on their two-wheeled steed. Just imagine how fun it would be ditching work for a week, strapping a tent and sleeping bag to the back of the bike, throwing on a backpack filled with only the essentials and hitting the open road. Just you and your trusty motorcycle free to go where ever each day takes you. Unfortunately, life often has other plans and dreams such as these take a back seat. But what if someone gave you the cash to make it happen? Well, our friends over at Fuel Motorcycles are doing just that and you can apply now to be one of their lucky adventurers. Motorcycles via Return of the Cafe Racers http://bit.ly/2TaWClU May 29, 2019 at 01:48AM
Motorcycle News - Fathers Day Gift Guide
http://bit.ly/2Ihn6hZ Have a father? Plan on celebrating Father’s Day? Well, it’s time to get to gift giving. You’ve been searching for that perfect gift for the guy who’s spent your entire life being your dad, but you can’t decide what to get. Is your dad a motorcyclist? If so, things just got easier. Not only because buying any biker motorcycle-related stuff will be an instant win, but also because MO put together a super rad Father’s Day Buyer’s Guide with gifts guaranteed to win you the coveted favorite child award. Rest assured, when your pops tears the wrapping off of one of these bad boys, he’ll forget all about that other child and his lame robin’s egg blue tie. Motion Pro Tools – $ VariesGet your pops something that’ll keep him where he belongs: in the garage. Motion Pro is the name in high-quality moto-centric specialty tools. From valve spring compressors and fork alignment tools to titanium wrenches and magnetic parts dishes, Motion Pro has it all. Tools you (or your dad) never knew you needed are available from the good folks at Motion Pro, all designed to make those difficult jobs much easier. Any dad – or anyone else for that matter – is sure to be stoked to get a package that says Motion Pro on the outside. Kind of like getting a Tiffany’s blue box, it doesn’t matter what’s inside, you know it’s going to be good. Shop for Titanium Wrenches here Dainese Alger Nomad – $579.95For the cool dads out there. Dainese’s new Dunes Collection features Dakar-inspired jackets for men and women, as well as gloves, boots, pants, and more. The Alger Nomad jacket is a replica of the kit early Paris-Dakar rally racers would wear during the legendary race. Not only does the Dainese Alger Nomad look the part, it’s also a functional motorcycle jacket. Dainese has included removable CE-rated Pro Armor protectors at the shoulders and elbows as well as a pocket for a back protector (sold separately). A warm weather jacket, the Alger Nomad is made up of Nemes textile and tear-resistant Trixivent mesh to provide a comfortable breathable everyday moto jacket. Your pops will be the coolest dad on the block when he dons the Alger Nomad, and let’s be honest, dads can always use extra cool points. Shop for the Dainese Alger Nomad jacket here REV’IT! Quantum Race Suit – $1,249.99Give your pops the gift of protection this Father’s day. Whether he’s already a track daddy or aspiring to be one, the REV’IT! Quantum race suit will ensure he’s protected when tearing up the tarmac – figuratively, we hope. The Quantum track suit is made of Monaco cow hide and bolstered by protectors in the knees, shoulders, elbows, and hips while also featuring pockets for chest and back protectors (sold separately). Localized perforation and mesh will help keep your dad calm, cool, and collected as he’s dragging knee around the circuit. Styling of the Quantum suit is in-your-face with its snakeskin embossed leather and three color options of splatter-esque design. But hey, your dad’s cool. He can pull it off. Shop for the REV’IT! Quantum suit here Track Days – $ VariesMaybe your pops already has his closet stocked with track suits and just needs somewhere to go? Buy the guy some track time at his favorite track. There are tons of track day providers out there. A quick Google search of your area and track should pull up a handful of options. Here in southern California, there are more than a handful. Cali Track Days is one provider that focuses on bringing riders from the street to the track in a safe environment. They also manage to do so for a relatively low $100 per day. Again, there are lots of track day providers out there, so do some research and find the best deal for your daddy. Tires – $ VariesAny moto-father would be ecstatic to unwrap a fresh set of rubber Father’s Day morning. Tires, like chains and sprockets, oil and filters, are consumables, meaning they’ll always need replacing so there’s always a need for more. If the padre in your life spends his riding time suiting up in full leathers or spinning motos at the local MX track, he’ll appreciate a set of freshies even more. Edelweiss New Zealand Bike Tour – $7,000Wanna blow your old man’s mind? Set him up on a lavish international moto-excursion. That ought to do it. Imagine his face when you tell him he’ll be spending 14 days riding through the epic scenery in which his favorite fantasy trilogy was filmed (nerd). Edelweiss offers motorcycle tours around the globe. This is quite possibly the way to cement yourself as his all-time favorite human being. If you’ve got the funds, it’s a home run. Shop for the Edelweiss New Zealand Tour here HJC RPHA 90Nothing says dad like a modular helmet. The ultimate in practicality and convenience. We’ve got plenty of dads here at MO that swear by em. Your father’s desire to look “cool” faded into being practical just a few months into your existence, and that’s okay. Our own father of two, Troy Siahaan just recently reviewed the HJC RPHA 90 modular helmet. In his review, Papa Troy states the obvious when talking about modulars, “I love their practicality.” We know you do, Troy. In the subtitle, to put it bluntly, Papa T simply says, “A darn good flip-up.” If that isn’t a glowing recommendation from a father of not only one but two little girls, I don’t know what is. MO Tested: HJC RPHA 90 Helmet Review Wolfman Blackhawk Tank Bag – $184.99Speaking of practicality, what’s more practical than a good tank bag? Of course, your dad wouldn’t want some cheap knock-off moto-luggage manufactured who-knows-where. Not a chance! Your dad appreciates quality goods made right here in the greatest nation on the planet! Look no further than Wolfman Motorcycle Luggage. They’ve been designing and manufacturing bombproof motorcycle luggage in the U.S. of A. since before you were a twinkle in your father’s eye. Our very own managing editor, papa Evans Brasfield dadded-out during our most recent Big Bore Adventure Touring Shootout with his Wolfman Blackhawk tank bag, and we were all thankful for the extra batteries, sunscreen, and snacks he kept on hand throughout. Check out Evans’ review below. MO Tested: Wolfman Blackhawk Tank Bag Review Shop for the Wolfman Blackhawk Tank Bag here 2021 Yamaha Tenere 700If you really care about your father, his happiness and general mental health, the best thing you can do for him is to… buy him a new motorcycle! Heck yeah! He’ll forget he even has any other children when you surprise him Father’s Day morning with a kick-ass adventure bike he can conquer the world with. That “#1 Dad” mug that his #2 child gave him will slip from his shocked fingers and shatter to the ground when he gets a load of the rally-inspired long-travel-suspension-having 689cc Twin-powered ADV bike you just bestowed upon him. Congrats kid, you’ve won Father’s Day. 2020 Yamaha Tenere 700 Review – First Ride Shop for the 2021 Yamaha Tenere 700 here TimeIn a poll of MO Staff daddies, time came up more than once. Time to ride, time to wrench, time to do moto-stuff. Dads spend a lot of their time working hard to ensure their family is able to live happily and safely day-to-day. These unsung heroes give 110% of their time everytime. So, what can you do? Help your pops out by letting him take the day or weekend off to go ride or wrench. Let him know you’ve got everything covered on the home front so he can spend his time focusing on that trip he keeps talking about or that project that’s been sitting in pieces in the corner of the garage. We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works. The post Father’s Day Gift Guide appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Motorcycles via Motorcycle.com http://bit.ly/2ComzZy May 28, 2019 at 08:18PM
Motorcycle News - Motorcyclist Magazine Bites the Dust
http://bit.ly/2XeD2b0 Following in the footsteps of Cycle, Sport Rider, Dirt Rider, Hot Bike, Baggers, et al., Bonnier Corporation has decided to kill off the print version of Motorcyclist, though the online version will continue on with the same staff. Bonnier acquired Cycle World first early this decade, then bought Motorcyclist, Sport Rider, Dirt Rider, and one or two more a couple years later, nearly cornering the US motorcycle magazine market as it doubled down on print. The last two years have been an interesting time, as Motorcyclist and CW experimented with having the two big former competitors intermingle their staffs and resources; Cycle World was supposed to be more timely (a tough thing to do given the decision to make it a quarterly publication instead of a monthly), while Motorcyclist was to be a “lifestyle” bimonthly. Here’s the official release announcing the change: MOTORCYCLIST TO BECOME A DIGITAL BRANDMay 23rd, 2019, Irvine, CA — Bonnier Corp. will discontinue the printed edition of Motorcyclist after the July/August issue. The brand will continue online at motorcyclistonline.com, and across all social and video platforms. “Like other enthusiast-content segments, motorcycle readership has evolved to a truly digital audience,” said Andy Leisner, SVP Managing Director of the Bonnier Motorcycle Group. “There have been substantial shifts in consumer content preferences as well as advertisers’ desire to reach motorcycle consumers on these growing digital platforms.” The digital audience for Motorcyclist has grown substantially, led by the 1.18 million enthusiasts who interact with Motorcyclist’s social channels, including 630,597 Motorcyclist YouTube subscribers. In the past two years, Motorcyclist’s YouTube views have grown by 239 percent, and subscribers have grown by 494 percent. All existing Motorcyclist staff and production resources will be shifted to address the growth on these channels. Motorcyclist is available on motorcyclistonline.com, all major social platforms, syndication partners such as MSN, and through the successful YouTube series On Two Wheels, MC Garage and MC Commute. Motorcyclist will also continue to be featured in Bonnier Corp.’s motorcycle consumer events. ### ABOUT BONNIER Bonnier Corp. is one of the largest special-interest publishing groups in America, with more than 20 multichannel brands extending into all platforms including magazines, digital media, events, and product licensing. Bonnier Corp.’s brands include Popular Science, Saveur, Field & Stream, Yachting, Flying, Salt Water Sportsman, Cycle World, Working Mother, and Outdoor Life. Popular events include the Sand Sports Super Show; Field & Stream/Outdoor Life’s Turkey and Deer Expos; the NOOD Regattas; and the many conferences and seminars of Diversity Best Practices. Bonnier Corp. is owned by Swedish-based Bonnier AB, a multichannel media conglomerate operating in 15 countries. The good news is nobody seems to be losing their job in this latest move; the bad news is there were only two dedicated Motorcyclist staffers anyway. Editor in Chief Chris Cantle says, “It’s sad to see the print magazine come to an end. So many wonderful editors and contributors worked hard on making it into the institution that it is. Waheed and I [Adam Waheed, the hardest-working man in motojournalism] are the only Bonnier staff dedicated exclusively to the Motorcyclist brand, we’ll focus on keeping the website and YouTube channel growing—so look out! Just over a year ago, Bonnier had this to say: “We have done extensive research with our audience about their media consumption preferences,” said Bonnier Motorcycle Group SVP/Managing Director, Andy Leisner. “While advertisers seek more direct-response ad solutions that we deliver through our digital products, we still have a unique audience of affluent baby boomers plus millennials that value culture-rich, high-quality content delivered in good print magazines. Our focus groups have told us that they will pay more for a beautiful, quality product, so we are redesigning our print brands to deliver a great reading experience that they will covet and value.” Apparently that extensive research was a bit optimistic; you have to love the focus groups. I briefly considered buying the latest (thin) Cycle World at an airport last month, until I looked at the $12.99 price tag and went with a culturally rich double gin/tonic instead. We loved our motorcycle magazines as much as anybody once upon a time, but that was when their appearance in the mailbox meant our first look at all the latest news and bikes. (That was also when the CVS Pharmacy was Tower Records, the medical devices store on Newport Boulevard was Champion Motorcycles, and the average 30-year-old Joe could afford a new toy now and then.) We wish Bonnier and all our compatriots in the motojournalism biz – heck, the journalism biz period – the best, as the standards for reporting on everything under the sun are under attack from about 18 sides. As she stands, Rider magazine is the biggest paid monthly print magazine, with an audited circulation of 129,000. If Motorcycle.com had a print magazine, you know it would be yuuuge – but Ashley Hamilton knew better in 1994. The post “Motorcyclist” Magazine Bites the Dust appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Motorcycles via Motorcycle.com http://bit.ly/2ComzZy May 28, 2019 at 04:15PM
MotoGP News - Marquez's brother's part in Pramac's 2020 MotoGP machinery dilemma
http://bit.ly/2VSII96 The Pramac MotoGP team has been in contact with Moto2 frontrunner Alex Marquez, as it faces a conundrum over the specifications of the Ducati bikes it will run in 2020 Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport http://bit.ly/2uOa9Ei May 28, 2019 at 11:17AM
Motorcycle News - ‘Chilli Mussel’ Triumph T100 by Heiwa Motorcycles
http://bit.ly/30Om6u3 Written by Martin Hodgson. On the port of Hiroshima, in a nondescript two-story building with rust marks staining the roller doors, you’ll find the headquarters of Heiwa Motorcycles. Here amongst the crowded chaos of vintage motorcycles and associated parts you’ll find the team building some of Japan’s best classic customs. For fortunate Western Australian Tony Wong, a friendship with the company’s head honcho, Kengo Kimura, has resulted in a brilliant road going revival called ‘Chilli Mussel’. From the bare bones of a 1963 Triumph T100SS comes this gorgeous classic that’s full of subtle flavours. “I’ve always loved the Heiwa Motorcycle builds and style and became friends with Kengo when we met at the 2015 Mooneyes Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show. We’ve become really good friends since then and have met up at the Yokohama Show every year since,” Tony tells us. “I help organise the motorcycles for the annual WA Hot Rod and Street Machine Spectacular. Last year was the first time in its 22 year history that we had motorcycles represented in a more prominent way, so we brought Kengo over with his show winning ‘Master Peace’.” Throughout their friendship, Tony has visited Heiwa HQ a number of times, and the pair have discussed a custom that Kengo could build his friend and ship back to Australia. Sitting down one day the builder extraordinaire told Tony about the ’63 T100 that he picked up on a trip to the USA and said it was perfect for him. How could you say no to a legend? And the build was commenced with the trust so great between the two that no real brief or instructions were required. But there was one aspect that would differentiate the process from any other bike that Kengo has built to date: Tony wanted to ensure that the Triumph would be fully road legal in his home state of Western Australia. And with some help from the authorities, he was able to give the Heiwa team a list of must-haves to ensure it had all the usual show winning quality, with the ability to hit the streets without a worry from Mr Plod. Like all Heiwa builds, the T100 has been stripped down to its last nut and bolt and follows the familiar path of part restoration, part customisation. The frame is perfectly cleaned up and, with a new coat of black paint, looks better than the day it left the factory. While the front forks have been fully rebuilt, they also get a drop in height by a considerable 70mm that gives the build a flatter look. More modern progressive coil shocks at the rear make for a drastically improved ride. To turn the bike into a roller, the hubs have been renewed front and rear, and with the classic cable-operated drum brake it’s all nostalgia with a mechanical charm. A new set of rims, 19″ front and 18″ in the rear, are wrapped up in Kengo’s choice of Adlert Classics in 4.00 and 4.50 respectively. With the unusual step of a Heiwa bike wearing a full-length custom front fender, one of Tony’s friends was worried: “Oh no, he’s forgotten to remove the front guard!” But his fears were quickly allayed as he explained that this was part of making the bike both street legal and a truly unique piece just for Tony. The rear fender is another custom piece, but the true genius is laid bare with the stunning one-off fuel tank, subtle in style and yet somehow clearly communicating the distinctive Heiwa lines. The seat, with the perfect pick of rich leather and bold stitching, too highlights the sagacious selections of Kimura-san. The Triumph twin has been pulled down and purrs, with Heiwa treating it to a thorough going-over so Tony could have miles of trouble-free fun. The era’s own Amal carb sucks in the air via a stunning hand-turned velocity stack that is only overpowered by the exhaust, a fitting combination of sweeping header pipes flowing backward to a barking mad megaphone muffler, while the soft lines of a ’50s oil tank provide another vintage touch to the classic mechanical package. To give the bike its bobber touch, the raised bars get the result without being needlessly overpowering. With a small Bates headlight and Heiwa’s own custom tail light unit finishing out the bolt-ons before Six Shooter laid down the flawless paint, Tony couldn’t be happier: “I love my Heiwa bike because to some it may look like a stock restoration; to others they will see the subtle customisations.” But he is still yet to caress her lines, with the ship carrying Chilli Mussel now halfway between Singapore and Australia. Tony is understandably like a kid before Christmas. Motorcycles via Pipeburn.com http://bit.ly/2LvgxJz May 28, 2019 at 07:04AM
F1 News - Monaco GP: Putting Lewis Hamilton's 'miracle' in perspective
https://bbc.in/2XhAskB Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer, who left Renault during the 2017 season, is part of the BBC team and offers insight and analysis from the point of view of the competitors Lewis Hamilton won the Monaco Grand Prix with a perfectly measured drive - but was it really the "miracle" he talked about on the radio? Hamilton was clearly struggling with his medium-compound tyres, particularly his left front, as he held on against Max Verstappen's Red Bull in a race that had us all on the edge of our seats until the very end. Inside the car, it must have been hugely uncomfortable for Hamilton. Of all the drivers he could have been holding on against, Verstappen was probably the one he wanted behind him the least. The Dutchman is always so aggressive, and the fact he had a five-second penalty for an unsafe release put an extra element into the mix. Verstappen knew he had to pass Hamilton or he wouldn't even finish on the podium. That meant the risk-versus-reward balance of passing in Monaco was edging more towards risk for him. The role of Hamilton's radioHearing Hamilton's team radio undoubtedly made the race more exciting. He was frequently in discussion with his engineers, saying how difficult his job was and how he would never be able to do it. No matter what they came back with, Hamilton was insistent for a long time that this was a race he couldn't win. There are two ways to look at this. On the one hand, Hamilton was clearly uncomfortable in his car, and was not happy having Verstappen pressuring him so closely for the majority of the race. Any slip from Hamilton and Verstappen would have been through. Had he got into the lead on track, Verstappen's pace advantage meant he would surely have made up enough time out front to win the race, even with his penalty. With victory in the most prestigious race of the season at stake, it's perhaps unsurprising he sounded so anxious on the radio. For me, though, there was an element of showmanship in Hamilton's radio messages. It was all a bit 'Hollywood'. No other driver would have been on the radio in quite the dramatic way Hamilton was. In fact, we barely heard any other team radio throughout the race, apart from the odd gee-up from Verstappen's race engineer, in typically casual fashion. Making a drama out of a crisisYou could of course understand Hamilton questioning the tyre choice his Mercedes team made. Pitting Hamilton on to medium tyres instead of the hard, which both Ferrari and Red Bull opted for, made his life more difficult. If Hamilton had been on hard tyres, he would have easily had the tyre life to get to the end, and we almost certainly wouldn't have witnessed such a race. But having made his point and questioned it, the constant drama was escalating across the radio as the laps ticked by. Because nothing appeared to be changing - Hamilton still had Verstappen at a close, yet comfortable distance - the world champion's showmanship out front really added something to the grand prix. We were all thinking: 'Surely he can't do it; he knows he can't do it.' It had the ingredients of a Monaco classic. But in reality, Hamilton still had the race under control. Without a massive car advantage and a huge amount of risk, you can't pass at Monaco. Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel in third and Hamilton's team-mate Valtteri Bottas in fourth knew that for the entire race. They didn't seem to even think about giving it a go as they just circulated within five seconds of Verstappen for the 62 laps post-safety car and waited to head to the podium at the end. And while I really admire Verstappen for giving it a go, he never really got close enough to seriously challenge. How Hamilton stayed in controlThe problem Hamilton had was with his front tyres, not his rears. That meant he could always get perfect traction off the corners and disappear on the straights in the crucial places - into the chicane and into Sainte Devote. Verstappen tried his best - his lunge at the Nouvelle Chicane towards the end was a commendable attempt at doing the impossible - but it was never going to work. It was clear that Verstappen was driving on the limit in his attempts to engineer an opportunity. He had a few lock-ups, he was sliding on traction, he even had to cut the second part of the Swimming Pool chicane once because he had a huge slide on the entry. But Hamilton never even so much as locked a wheel under this mountain of pressure. On the one hand it goes to show how well he was dealing with it, but on the other it shows how in relative control he was, and his pace throughout the race backs that notion up. Just how slowly was Hamilton going?As soon as the safety car came in and the race restarted, Hamilton was lapping unbelievably slowly. At first he was two seconds per lap off Racing Point's Sergio Perez back in 17th place. Then even George Russell's Williams was a second faster than him, despite being on a harder tyre and qualifying over three seconds slower than his compatriot in the slowest car on the grid. Hamilton knew what he was doing. He was controlling the pace because the only way he could lose the race was if he pushed too hard and damaged his tyres. I don't think Hamilton ever really truly pushed during the grand prix, which is why he was so consistent with his driving, and probably why he was able to narrate the story of the race so well with his team over the radio. Yes, his tyres would have degraded at a higher level than the hard tyres, and different cars work their tyres differently as well. And after the race Mercedes accepted responsibility for the error of putting Hamilton on to the mediums and said it made his race harder, which it undeniably did. But further back, Renault also pitted Daniel Ricciardo on to the mediums at the same time as Hamilton and he faced no such issues. After running in fifth early on, Renault made another wrong call with the strategy and pitted Ricciardo into traffic that would ruin his race. But after Kimi Raikkonen's Alfa Romeo pitted and finally released Ricciardo into clear air at the end of lap 46, the Australian was actually 11.2 seconds quicker than Hamilton to the flag over the remaining 32 laps. What was even more clear is that when Haas driver Romain Grosjean was penalised for crossing the pit-exit white line with a few laps to go, and Ricciardo needed to push to get within five seconds of him to claim the place at the end of the race, he was able to find a super-quick pace. As soon as he was told on the radio, Ricciardo was able to lap 1-1.5 seconds quicker than he had been doing when dawdling along thinking his race was done. On the final lap, Ricciardo was more than a second and a half quicker than anyone, apart from Hulkenberg. Clearly there wasn't a lot wrong with his medium tyres at least. As I said, tyres don't necessarily behave the same on one car compared to another. It depends on the race and the exact minutiae of sliding and temperatures and how it all comes together. But convention says that Ricciardo spending 30 laps in traffic would have made his tyres worse at the end, because you slide more than when you are in clean air, as you have less downforce. How good was the win?Was this a great win for Hamilton? Absolutely. But I don't actually see this as anywhere near the level of the battle between Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell battle in Monaco in 1992. I'd urge those who do to rewatch the end of that grand prix, because Mansell on much fresher tyres and a faster car was crawling all over the back of Senna, to the point that Senna had to defend practically every corner and many straights as well in the closing laps. I only saw Hamilton defend once all grand prix, into the Loews hairpin. Without Hamilton's team radio and with Vettel in second instead of Verstappen, the perception of this race would be very different. It was a mixture of Hamilton's radio and Verstappen's aggression that made this race worth watching at all. After all, Vettel offered nothing in third this year and he offered nothing for the win this time last year when it was Ricciardo out front with a serious engine issue. Hamilton's dramatic radio is what turned the race into box-office entertainment. But as this will go down as a great Monaco race, maybe that's no bad thing. #F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://bbc.in/OHg7x6 May 28, 2019 at 01:21AM
Motorcycle News - DEI GRATIA TRX – YAMAHA TRX850 RACER
http://bit.ly/2EwX5Kn We love cafe racers trimmed to perfection. Bikes built for a narrow purpose. A ride with lights removed, brackets cut back and an impossible back-breaking, wrist-aching, groin-punching riding position. But there’s something special about a build done with a nod to practicality. Which is exactly what Manfred Schmidt did here, with his first motorcycle project — a gorgeous 1999 Yamaha TRX850 cafe racer. “My passion started when I saw a picture of a modified silver Yamaha TRX I found on Google,” Manfred recalls. “I wanted to build one myself. I’ve modified cars in the past for shows, but I wanted to have a cafe racer of my own. And my girlfriend loves to ride as a pillion, so it needed to be a two-seater.” Motorcycles via Return of the Cafe Racers http://bit.ly/2TaWClU May 27, 2019 at 11:46PM
Motorcycle News - 2019 Isle of Man TT Preview
http://bit.ly/2MfqLSo The 100th meeting of the Isle of Man TT is nearly upon us, with competitors getting ready to tackle the 37.73-mile Snaefell Mountain Course. Qualifying is already well under way, leading up to the first day of racing this Saturday, June 1, with the RST Superbike TT and Sidecar TT Race 1 (weather permitting, of course). As usual, our TT correspondent Andrew Capone will be filing reports from the scene, giving us a look around the paddock and around the Isle of Man. Here are some of the plotlines to watch as the 2019 TT Week unfolds. Return of John McGuinnessJohn McGuinness, the active leader in overall TT victories, will make his return to the Isle of Man after missing the 2017 and 2018 races due to injury. With 23 career TT wins to his name, the Morecambe Missile is just three short of the all-time record held by the legendary Joey Dunlop. This year, McGuinness will compete on the Norton SG8 in the Superbike and Senior TT as well as the Lightweight TT class on Norton‘s new Superlight 650, and in the TT Zero with Mugen. Over the weekend, McGuinness secured a ride with Padgett’s Honda to race the Supersport TT class on the CBR600RR. Can McGuinness return to the top of the podium after his prolonged absence? It’ll be tough, especially with the talent he’s up against and the relatively new machinery from Norton. No doubt many TT fans will be ready to raise a pint to cheer McGuinness on. Will Peter Hickman’s Overall Lap Record Hold?Last year’s TT saw new lap records set in every category, but the big one was Peter Hickman‘s overall record 135.452 mph lap set in the 2018 Senior TT on a BMW S1000RR. Dean Harrison has a good shot, after falling just 0.044 mph short in the same race. Michael Dunlop, who led all competitors last year with three wins, remains a threat. Dunlop and Hickman will both be riding the new 2019 S1000RR, so it’ll be interesting to see how the new BMW fares compared to the record-setting previous version. Can Anyone Beat the Birchall Brothers?You have to go back to the first TT in 2016 to find the last time the Ben Birchall and Tom Birchall were beaten in the Sidecar class. The brothers have won the last five Sidecar TT events and hold the lap record with an average speed of 119.250 mph. Their top challengers may be the two teams that joined them on the podium in last year’s TT. John Holden and Lee Cain finished second in both Sidecar TT races last year, with Tim Reeves and Mark Wilkes taking a pair of third-place results. Not to be forgotten is Dave Molyneux who will be looking to win his 18th career TT. Molyneux will be joined by a new passenger in Harry Payne, and a new LCR chassis. The Dunlop Family LegacyMichael Dunlop sits third overall in career TT wins with 18 victories (including three last year), but he’s still eight wins in arrears of his uncle, Joey Dunlop. While we celebrate his family’s winning legacy, we also acknowledge the Dunlop family’s losses. Michael’s uncle Joey (2000), his father Robert (2008) and last year, his brother William, all lost their lives road racing. It now falls to Michael Dunlop to carry his family’s name in this year’s TT. After his brother’s death at the Skerries 100 last July, Michael Dunlop took time off from racing to mourn and contemplate his career. Dunlop returned to racing at the North West 200 earlier this month, showing little signs of rust in taking a third-place podium finish in the Superstock class.
The post 2019 Isle of Man TT Preview appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Motorcycles via Motorcycle.com http://bit.ly/2ComzZy May 27, 2019 at 04:21PM
Motorcycle News - Dab LM-S: The first Euro4 certified custom motorcycle
http://bit.ly/2MaJpuM
Unless a custom job is purely aesthetic, it’s likely to compromise this engineering. Some bolt-on mods are undoubtedly improvements, but others—especially when one-off fabrication is involved—could compromise the integrity of the machine.
Dab was established in Biarritz in 2017 by Simon Dabadie, and for this project he’s been joined by another experienced engineer— Pierre Jayet, formerly of Peugeot. It’s a good match because both guys are passionate about 3D design technology, additive manufacturing, and cutting-edge materials.
“It represents the simplicity and essence of a motorcycle,” Simon tells us. “A fine silhouette, light weight, a playful engine and high-end equipment. It’s the ultimate toy for custom bike passionnés.”
Dab have chosen adjustable 48mm Kayaba suspension both front and rear, but can upgrade this to premium Öhlins MX 48 RXF forks and a TTX shock if the budget permits.
The 17-inch wheels have been developed by SM Pro, using hubs CNC machined out of 7116 aluminum. The spokes are stainless steel and attach via anodized nipples for longevity.
So far, so good. But it was the Euro4 certification that caused the biggest headaches for Simon and Pierre, and almost brought the project to its knees. It’s even harder than getting a notorious TÜV pass, because the list includes emissions tests, evaporative tests, electromagnetic compatibility tests, sound level tests, braking tests, lighting quality, and an inspection to check production processes.
The boys left Biarritz with a van full of spare parts, tools, and measurement equipment. They had to prepare the bike with multiple mounts for sensors. “We are not going to lie: we were sad when we saw that we had to damage our hard work to weld sensors everywhere, but this is how it‘s done.”
“The final days were more relaxed,” Simon recalls. “We verified the braking, lighting and smaller details, which was less stressful.” The upside is that LM-S can be legally sold throughout Europe and buyers won’t have to worry about the bike failing an inspection or being turned away on importation. Even better, Dab have an online configurator on their website, allowing customers to mix and match components and finishes before placing an order.
“It’s about opening your mind to revolutionary ways of doing things: 3D design, virtual engineering, 3D simulation, and rendering. This will change how we create and customize a motorcycle.”
Dab Motors | Facebook | Instagram Motorcycles via Bike EXIF http://www.bikeexif.com May 27, 2019 at 12:35PM |
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5/29/2019
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