F1 News - Russian GP grid penalties for Red Bull and Toro Rosso drivers
https://ift.tt/2lLYOFB All four drivers from the Red Bull and Toro Rosso teams will be hit with grid penalties at the Russian Grand Prix. Engine partner Honda has decided to fit all four cars with new engines to ensure they are in the best competitive shape for the subsequent race at its home in Japan. In Sochi, Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon and Toro Rosso's Pierre Gasly drop five places on the grid. Toro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat will start at the back for his home race on Sunday. The penalties are all for exceeding the permitted number of engine parts for a season. Kvyat's bigger penalty is because Honda is replacing five of the six constituent elements of his power-unit, the internal combustion engine, turbo, hybrid parts the MGU-K and MGU-H and console electronics. Only the battery on his car is not being replaced. The cars of Verstappen, Albon and Gasly are being fitted only with new internal combustion engines, because their history of engine changes this season is different. #F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://ift.tt/OHg7x6 September 26, 2019 at 04:48AM
Motorcycle News - DOUBLE DUTCH: Yamaha XT600 by Pancake Customs
https://ift.tt/2nrQ9sp Written by Martin Hodgson It’s long been said that travel broadens the mind and there is nothing like a trip to the Sahara desert to teach a great many lessons. It was there a few years ago amongst the enormous and unforgiving sand dunes that custom bike builder Boy Janssen found a new respect for the humble Yamaha XT. But back home in the Netherlands, he discovered they could be tuned to be just as good on the street and he’s been turning them out for clients ever since. Now the head honcho of Pancake Customs serves up a two-piece combo with matching Yamaha XT600e Desert Sleds that make the perfect pigeon pair. It was five years ago that Boy was in Africa with an XT, “I built it to bring along to the ‘Morocco Desert Challenge’, where we participated in the car class. I brought the XT to have some fun while we weren’t wrenching or racing,” he explains. Having proven its ability in the harsh North African conditions, Boy was keen to build an XT for the Dutch streets that didn’t compromise on the bikes ability to perform in the sand. It was an instant success and ever since he’s been commissioned to turn a bunch of Yamaha’s big singles into customs for clients. Having moved his workshop from the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam to the small town of Rheden, Boy had more room than he knew what to do with and it gave him an idea. “I wanted to build 2 similar bikes for some time, because 2 similar custom bikes look great next to each other and because I wanted to see if this would cut down on the build time.” Not being commissioned builds would also allow him more creative freedom and the search was on for two late0-model XT600e’s, the ones with electric start. With the bikes found they went up on neighbouring lifts and the first task was to pull off the copious amounts of plastic, lights and other accessories that are thrown on scattergun style to a modern motorcycle. With the rear fender off the subframe is huge, so Boy has fashioned a pair of slimmed-down versions with a slight upkick and fender mount, simple. Welded to the frame for a clean look the new chassis, swingarm and a host of other parts were sent out for powder coat. In the meantime, the hunt was on for the fuel tanks, with Boy keen to use a pair taken from the Yamaha DT175, although “it was hard to find a couple that weren’t totally dented.” The two he did find still needed work and were shaped, smoothed and stretched to fit over the XT frame before being sprayed with a neat graphic and covered in a semi-gloss clear coat. Having ripped up the sands of the Sahara, Boy knew a real desert sled requires fenders. Front and rear are both classic rolled items, with the unit out back hung from the subframe like an old Brit scrambler and the front end piece mounted high on the lower yoke. Above Boy then fashioned a cowling in the look of a number board that neatly houses the offset low and high beam lights for the perfect mix of form and function. While the seat is a generously padded leather unit on both bikes, stitched up by Silver Machine, with a tiny tail light deemed fit for the task. Powering the pair is Yamaha’s big 595cc single, with decades of development and a 4 valve head it has tractable power at any throttle position, no matter the gear. To ensure smooth running both engines were torn down and tidied up, before receiving a new set of gaskets and a lick of paint. Boy then fabbed up a pair of stainless steel exhaust systems that spit out of reverse cone mufflers. While the carbs have been rebuilt and jetted to suit the new filter and high flow exhaust combos. With the engine back in the frame, an entirely new wiring loom has been run to keep things tidy, featuring “an RFID ignition lock, and 2 smart pushbuttons that control all the functions.” With the new wide bars featuring only the bare essentials for a utilitarian look and feel. Suspension and brakes have been brought back to factory specs and to finish the builds off, two sets of K60 tires were chosen for their do it all abilities. The formula is a no-frills approach to crafting customs that are proven in the harshest of climates but still have the look to kick it at the local cafe. So if this sounds like you, give Pancake Customs a call as this pair of desert sleds is up for grabs for the rider who wants to tackle any terrain. [ Pancake Customs | Photography (medium format film) by Berber Theunissen ] Motorcycles via Pipeburn.com https://ift.tt/2LY9tnG September 26, 2019 at 03:31AM
Motorcycle News - BMW Trademarks Hint at M Versions of S1000RR, S1000XR and R1250GS
https://ift.tt/2nkrndx Last fall, BMW introduced a line of upgrades and accessories for the S1000RR, under the company’s M performance brand. BMW may be planning to expand that concept with a line of high performance M models, as the company has filed trademark applications for M 1000 RR, M 1000 XR and M 1300 GS. For the uninitiated, BMW M (formerly BMW Motorsport) is a subsidiary that produces higher-performance versions of several of the company’s car models. The BMW M4, for example, is the higher-spec version of a BMW 4-series. The three trademark applications, filed June 18 in Germany, could therefore translate to higher-spec versions of the S 1000 RR, S 1000 XR and R 1250GS. Typically, the first letter in BMW’s motorcycles indicates the engine type. “R” represented BMW’s boxer Twin models, “G” for Singles, “F” for parallel-Twins, and “K” (and eventually “S”) for inline engines of four or more cylinders. In the case of these new trademark filings, however, BMW may be bending the rules for motorcycles and bank on the strength of its M brand for higher performance models. So, what can we expect from these M models? The S1000RR’s M package and optional M equipment provide the obvious examples. The package includes a special paint job, carbon fiber wheels, a lighter weight battery, a sportier seat, a chassis kit with adjustable rear ride height and adjustable swingarm pivot, plus a Pro ride mode. An M1000RR would just be a natural extension of this M package, a street-legal HP4, perhaps. The M1000XR would receive similar upgrades, creating a more premium ex-works S1000XR. The M1300GS requires a bit more examination. BMW hasn’t used 1300 in a motorcycle name since the K1300R and K1300GT, but there has never been a K1300GS adventure bike. The more likely answer is an M-branded R1250GS, with the number rounded up to a nice even 1300. It may also hint at a larger displacement upgrade, though that might not be likely as Boxer’s 1254cc displacement is still relatively new. As with all trademark filings, there is no indication on how soon BMW may reveal what it has planned for these M-branded motorcycle names. Given the the esteem BMW holds for its M brand, we’re expecting something big. The post BMW Trademarks Hint at M Versions of S1000RR, S1000XR and R1250GS appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Motorcycles via Motorcycle.com https://ift.tt/2Std7JO September 25, 2019 at 06:47PM
Motorcycle News - Ask MO Anything: Where are all the Automatic Motorcycles?
https://ift.tt/2nid9Kc Dear MOby, Just read your article about automatic motorcycles, specifically Honda CTX700. I recently enrolled in a 20-hour motorcycle course where they train on manuals. The first five hours was classroom instruction. After the second five hours, I was so frustrated trying to deal with a clutch and gearshift I dropped out. I felt like I needed to be an octopus with several tentacles to ride a motorcycle. I figured since the manual automobile and everything else evolved to automatic, why not the motorcycle? I must say although it was frustrating, I began to research the motorcycle industry concerning statistics and trends…. such as a decade of declining sales, fatalities, and Honda’s entrance into manufacturing automatics to spark sales for the new generation of riders who don’t want the hassle of clutch and shifting. I also noticed a shift toward more powerful electric motorcycles by Zero. I don’t plan on racing on dirt tracks, off road adventures and the like. I don’t need an old ancient American iconic hog symbolic of the noisy bravado drinking character Rooster Cogburn in True Grit that wakes up the entire neighborhood. (Don’t get me wrong; I liked the movie, but a bike with the same character is a different story.) I just want a comfortable, modern, mindless, affordable automatic not-so-loud touring bike I can take for an occasional long or short nice leisurely ride to clear my head. Hence the Honda CTX700. However, here are things that give me pause….
Lawrence Wilson Dear Lawrence, Wow, you’ve hit on one of the great mysteries of modern motorcycling – the other one being, why don’t the AMA, the MIC, and every other Official Motorcycling Body push for legal lane sharing in all 50 states? Other than fear of becoming roadkill, it’s the fear of learning to shift gears that ranks right up there when people are asked why they don’t ride. Apparently that message hasn’t reached the people who design our motorcycles, as Honda is currently the only major manufacturer to offer a Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) in a few of its models. DCT is more an automatic clutch than an automatic transmission, but the result is the same: You push buttons and the bike goes. Aprilia started producing its Mana 850, with a scooter-type Constant Variable Transmission, in 2007, but it was discontinued a few years ago. Maybe the manufacturers aren’t so dumb, maybe there just aren’t enough people crying out for automatics to make them cost-effective? Maybe the older riders who still make up the biggest share of new bike buyers just like to clutch and shift gears? It really is one of the fun analog activities left to us in an increasingly digital world (especially when the bike has an electronic quickshifter…). Funny you should bring up the CTX700, as it happens to be the cruiser cousin of one of my favorite Hondas of all time, the NC700X, which is in fact a pretty blatant rip-off of the aforementioned Aprilia Mana 850; both are standard-style bikes with an automatic trans and a big storage compartment where the gas tank usually goes. No-Shift Shootout: 2014 Aprilia Mana GT Vs. BMW C600 Sport Vs. Honda NC700 DCT Most of us coastal types prefer the NC’s standard-bike ergonomics, but cruisers are cool, too, and the CTX700’s 670 cc parallel-Twin is identical to the one in the NC700. According to our man Colin Miller at Honda, the CTX was the same across all years, and there are two of them: The CTX700N just had a headlight, and the CTX700 has a sporty little bikini fairing. Currently the CTX700 is not in Honda’s lineup, Colin says, but that’s not to say it might not come back as the market evolves. Fewer miles is usually best when buying used, but even more important are the maintenance records and how well the bike was taken care of. The initial oil change should happen at 600 miles, then every 8000 miles, and the valve clearances should be inspected every 8000 miles. Look for a specimen that’s had the scheduled maintenance done, and a bike that’s led a sheltered life inside a garage is also the one you want. Hondas traditionally are known for their reliability. Sorry you don’t like chain drive, but in our experience, modern O-ring sealed chains like the one here are good for 20,000 miles or more, with nothing more than an occasional cleaning and spritz of lube – especially on a bike like the CTX that’s not exactly making gobs of power. (The interweb says the centerstand for the Japan-only NC700S will bolt right on, greatly simplifying an already easy task.) I’m seeing quite a few low-mileage units on Cycle Trader for around $3000 to $4000. Also, the most probable reason why Honda quit building new CTXs is because there are already enough in the supply chain. Driving a hard bargain on a new leftover bike from a dealer is worth a few extra dollars for lots of people, because a) you’re getting a brand new bike, and b) it comes with a one-year warranty that begins the day you buy it. Is this for real? $3,295 for a new 2016? Have a sit on an NC700 or 750X while you’re at the dealer, and see if you maybe don’t like your feet under you instead of ahead of you. And that NC storage compartment up front is sublime. Good luck and wise decisioning! Plenty more info at our CTX700 Forum. Send your moto-related questions to AskMOAnything@motorcycle.com. If we can’t answer them, we’ve taken the Hypocritic Oath and at least will attempt to do no harm in the time it takes to seek out a believable answer. And remember, we’re not real journalists, we’re motojournalists. These answers are for entertainment purposes only. Ask your doctor if you’re healthy enough to read MO. The post Ask MO Anything: Where are all the Automatic Motorcycles? appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Motorcycles via Motorcycle.com https://ift.tt/2Std7JO September 25, 2019 at 02:46PM
MotoGP News - Zarco can race or test for MotoGP rival while under KTM contract
https://ift.tt/2mFdaHC KTM motorsport boss Pit Beirer says that Johann Zarco has the company's blessing to test or race for a rival manufacturer while he remains under contract Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport https://ift.tt/2uOa9Ei September 25, 2019 at 06:50AM
MotoGP News - MotoGP race winner Gibernau won't stay in MotoE after 2019 season
https://ift.tt/2kZdl00 MotoGP race winner Sete Gibernau will not remain part of the MotoE grid after the 2019 season, the rider has told Autosport Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport https://ift.tt/2uOa9Ei September 25, 2019 at 05:20AM
F1 News - Russian Grand Prix preview: Can Ferrari break Mercedes' Sochi grip?
https://ift.tt/2kVYPGi Sebastian Vettel can breathe a sigh of relief after finally banking his first win of the season in Singapore. The most under-pressure driver on the grid heading into the heat of Marina Bay managed to pull a much needed victory out of the bag - with a little help from a pit-stop undercut on Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc. Leclerc couldn't convert his three consecutive pole positions into a triple winning streak and felt his team's strategy call to bring him in for a set of hard tyres cost him the chequered flag. Despite the team-mate tensions, Singapore was the first time since 2008 Ferrari had won three consecutive races. A stat even more surprising considering this was a circuit the Scuderia were expected to struggle at. "Obviously it is always difficult to lose a win like that but at the end it's a one-two for the team so I'm happy for that," runner-up Leclerc said. Four-time world champion Vettel looked close to tears as he accepted the winner's champagne. "It was a bit sweaty. I'm very happy," he joked. Mercedes' less than perfect day at the office didn't do much to derail the title race; Lewis Hamilton still leads the rest of the pack on 296 points. A third-placed finish for Max Verstappen in the Red Bull means the Dutchman is now level on points with Leclerc on 200 apiece. Time to turn off the floodlights off and pack the fireworks away for another year, there's a 4,156-mile trip to Sochi for the Russian Grand Prix to make. F1 dreams do come trueDesigned by German engineer Hermann Tilke, the Sochi Autodrom forms part of the legacy of the 2014 Winter Olympics, with the street circuit layout emerging from the internal roads that led to the Olympic Park. Located on the iridescent Black Sea, Sochi is a popular beach destination for fans who fancy a bit of autumn sunshine alongside their racing fix. After a few false starts in sourcing a venue - a project near Pulkovo Airport and a location just outside Moscow failed to get off the ground - former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone's 30-year desire to hold a race in Russia was finally granted with a little help from Russian President Vladimir Putin. The roadshow doesn't come cheap, however - it was reported in the build-up to the inaugural event in 2014 that Russia was paying $50m a year for the race, believed to be the the largest hosting fee of any grand prix. Putin is a regular attendee at the race, handing out the winning trophies and trying desperately to dodge the oncoming spray of expensive champagne. With a combination of long straights and 18 fast corners to contend with, it's not yet made it on to the list of all-time favourite circuits for fans and drivers. Turn Three, however, does provide a thrill for the spectators. With a 161 degree rotation and 789 metres in length, the left-hander takes approximately 10 seconds to navigate through the whole turn. It also zips past the Daniil Kvyat Grandstand, named in honour of the Russian driver who was born in Ufa, the capital city of the Republic of Bashkortostan. What's the form guide for Russia?In the five races that have been held in Russia, Mercedes have reigned supreme in every one. Hamilton has three wins at the Sochi Autodrom and took a giant step towards his fifth World Championship with victory in 2018. Last year's event also saw Valtteri Bottas feel the full force of Mercedes team orders, as the Finn was told to let Hamilton by to protect against the threat of title rival Vettel. The order was particularly hard to swallow for Bottas after he had edged out his British team-mate by 0.145 seconds to take his first pole position at the track a day earlier. It hasn't all been Russian doom and gloom for Bottas though, because the 30-year-old won his maiden Formula 1 race there in 2017. If Leclerc is hoping for a fourth pole position in a row in Sochi, he'll probably have to out-qualify a Mercedes again to do it. Vettel managed a front-row spot on the grid with his Ferrari in 2017 to break the cycle of Hamilton and former team-mate Nico Rosberg claiming the honour for the Silver Arrows three years on the bounce. It was also a lockout for Ferrari as then team-mate Kimi Raikkonen joined the German on the front row. From Russia with love - what are the drivers up to?How to follow on the BBCBBC Sport has live coverage of practice, qualifying and the race, across the website and BBC Radio 5 Live. There will be live digital coverage on the BBC Sport website and app - including audience interaction, expert analysis, debate, features, interviews and audio content. You can follow all the action and the latest news on the BBC Sport F1 page and via the BBC Sport app, and catch up with analysis and interviews with the BBC Radio 5 Live Chequered Flag podcast.
#F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://ift.tt/OHg7x6 September 25, 2019 at 04:18AM
Motorcycle News - MO Tested: Arai Regent-X Review
https://ift.tt/2n2am7R Arai Regent-X HelmetEditor Score: 91.75%
Arai was in a bit of a pickle. The company felt it was making the best helmets possible, but couldn’t get some riders to try them on. You see, the round shape of the Arai helmet made for a somewhat tight opening at the bottom of the helmet. Apparently, when trying on Arais, some folks were getting the helmet down to their ears and not liking how snug the opening was. Then they either decided not to try on the helmet or (worse) selected a larger size that slipped on easier but offered a less secure fit. Had they persisted and gotten the lid over their ears, they would have learned that the interior of Arais are as comfortable as you would expect from a helmet from a premium brand. This realization was the genesis for the Arai Regent-X. MO Tested: Arai Corsair-X Review While the design goal of the helmet was to create the most comfortable helmet possible for folks with medium-oval heads, there are certain facets of their helmets that Arai refuses to change. The round shell shape is one feature. Mitigating rotational brain injuries is currently a hot topic among helmet manufacturers and users. Where other manufacturers, such as 6D and Bell, use internal means of absorbing rotational forces, Arai’s philosophy is that round shell shape prevents the forces from entering the helmet in the first place. According to Arai, the round shape prompts slides by glancing off objects. Other manufacturers that have angular features on the shell could dig in and generate the rotational forces we want to avoid. (This explains why Arai’s air intakes and diffusers are all lightweight plastic that will crush and rip free in a slide.) With the Regent-X, the designers found that one seemingly small change, opening the chin bar on the front and the cheeks 5mm, made donning and doffing the helmet dramatically easier. The rest of the helmet’s fit is handled by Arai’s Facial Contour System. The shell is a helmet’s first layer of defense against impacts, and Arai takes the construction very seriously. Every Arai shell undergoes two key inspections for weight, thickness, and uniform application of the structural materials. At these stations, the specially-trained technicians have absolute veto capability to jettison any shell that isn’t up to specification. (We’ll be posting a factory tour article that covers the entire construction process in the near future.) The Regent-X’s shell is made up of no less than 20 different pieces of material, each designed to deliver a different kind of impact resistance. For example, the interior and exterior sections of the helmet are made of high-strength fibers that are randomly sprayed onto a headform, which Arai calls a bird’s nest because of its appearance in its unepoxied state. The random overlap of the fibers makes them extremely strong when fused together with resin. Between these two layers, fabrics and matts are sandwiched strategically to direct the crushing force of an impact outward along the shell’s surface, spreading out the force over a larger area. The eye port is the weakest portion of any helmet, but through its Formula One program, Arai developed and weaves its own super fabric that it places across the top of the opening to increase the strength of the shell in a process it calls Peripherally Belted Complex Laminate Construction. To ensure uniformity of the shells, the base and eye ports are laser cut by a specially developed robot. One of the changes Arai made to the process for the Regent-X was to utilize a new, less expensive resin as a cost saving measure – but without adding weight or reducing the level of protection offered. The end result creates a helmet that is both DOT and Snell M2020 certified – but more importantly, according to Arai, meets its stringent standards. The interior of the shell is typical Arai. The energy-absorbing liner is constructed of a single piece of variable-density EPS, allowing the damping of forces to be tuned to the specific need of each section of the liner. To maintain a comfortable fit around the rider’s face, the Regent-X uses the latest iteration of Arai’s Facial Contour System. The pads themselves are articulated to allow easy entry and exit from the shell, but when the rider is wearing the helmet the pads pop back out to wrap around the rider’s face for a snug, noise-reducing fit. A variety of pads are available to tune the fit. I found the 20mm pads to be too narrow for my face, but the 25mm ones delivered just the right amount of snugness without forcing my cheeks into my teeth. The pads also offer speaker pockets for communication systems. In the past, Arai’s visors were quite fussy to change. The current version, which is the same as used on the Corsair X, is much easier to master. I watched a helmet technician pop off and reinstall both sides of the visor simultaneously in just seconds. Quite an amazing feat – one which I was unable to repeat on my own. Since the Arai visor system is still a bit more complicated than many other helmets, I’ll have to practice to drop those times. Since Arai doesn’t use internal tinted drop-down visors in its helmets (because the company believes it compromises impact protection in the forehead area), I decided to try the optional Pro Shade, which features a flip-up tinted visor attached to a clear one. The beauty of this setup is that, as I rode through tunnels – some of which were more than a mile long – I could flip away the tinted shield for better visibility. Even with the tinted portion in the peak-like up position, I never felt it interact with the wind at highway speeds. The Regent-X comes with a Pinlock visor liner, and I was glad to have it installed on the introductory ride. And then came the rain. Although the Arai-sponsored ride on motorcycles loaned to us by Honda Japan featured amazing roads (Riding in the left lane!) and spectacular scenery, the ride back to the Arai headquarters in Omiya is what I’ll always remember. The rain was some of the heaviest I have ever encountered on two wheels, and we rode from rural two-lane roads onto divided highways and into progressively more intense traffic as the freeways got closer to the urban sprawl that surrounds Omiya. Throughout it all, the visor remained watertight with nary a drip making its way to the interior. In both the rain and the hot, humid air before the storm, the Regent-X’s venting was quite good. The five intakes and six outlets flow a good amount of air without adding noise. In fact, the helmet ranks right up there with my Shoei GT Air II in terms of quietness. In summary, my two days of riding in Japan with the Arai Regent-X were notable in a few details. First, the helmet’s fit allowed me to take off on an all-day ride, complete with extended periods of stop-and-go traffic in high temperatures and humidity – a situation that would make any fit issues come front-and-center – without any ill-effects or discomfort. Since then, the helmet has performed in a similar manner. The Regent-X felt like it was fully broken in from the first time I put it on. While I was never bothered by the tight opening of previous Arais I’ve tested, donning the Regent-X is noticeably easier. Second, the helmet is remarkably quiet at highway speeds with the vents open. (Comparable to the Shoei GT Air II but not quite as quiet as the 6D ATS-1R.) Finally, the Regent-X has the lowest retail price for a full-face Arai street helmet that I can remember. Solid colors cost $560, while graphics models tip the scales at $690. Sizing from XS-2XL is available. The Arai Regent-X will be available in December 2019. Shop for the Arai Regent-X here 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 and other articles. Learn more about how this works. The post MO Tested: Arai Regent-X Review appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Motorcycles via Motorcycle.com https://ift.tt/2Std7JO September 24, 2019 at 06:39PM
F1 News - Jolyon Palmer column: Sebastian Vettel the right winner for Ferrari
https://ift.tt/2mTvoFt 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. Sebastian Vettel badly needed a win after a drought stretching back more than a year, and getting one in Singapore - even if it came about in slightly fortunate circumstances - will have done wonders for his confidence. The race yielded the perfect result for Ferrari - a one-two - and probably the perfect order for them as well, whether that was intentional or not. The pressure has been mounting on Vettel all year, but it has become intense since Formula 1 returned from its summer break, as team-mate Charles Leclerc took victories in Belgium and Italy and Vettel made the latest in a series of errors at Monza. For Ferrari, the upside of this could be huge. Finally, in Singapore, Vettel was smiling again after the race. He drove perfectly once out front and looked back to his best in terms of race performance. The confidence he can take from ending his year-long drought of victories and hushing some critics should give him a boost heading to Russia this weekend. And if Vettel can now respond and raise the bar within the team even higher, the whole Ferrari team can find performance in it. With the latest one-two finish continuing their clean sweep of races since the summer break, they are marking themselves out as serious contenders and a threat to the Mercedes dominance, if not for 2019, then for next year. Leclerc is forcing Vettel out of his comfort zoneNothing focuses the mind like your team-mate doing a better job than you. It's the ultimate benchmark - someone who has the same equipment who is ultimately performing to a higher level. It means you dig deeper and find time you didn't think possible. And right now Vettel is probably having to do this on the regular basis. After years of beating former team-mate Kimi Raikkonen with ease, Vettel would have been assuming he was getting the most out of the car. But Leclerc has come in and the bar has been raised. Vettel had already shown signs before the race in Singapore that he had raised his game. He set the pace on the first runs in final qualifying - and it was Leclerc who had to go out and do better to take pole, which he did with a lap right on the ragged edge. Vettel's race was strong, but he needs to be at the front from the start to take further opportunities, at circuits where the race pace won't be as measured and reduced as it was in Singapore. He wouldn't have won this one had either Ferrari or Mercedes executed better race strategies. Leclerc should have won, from Hamilton and then Vettel, as they had qualified and started the race. The mistakes that led to a winThe fact Vettel won and not Leclerc came about as a consequence of some questionable actions from both Ferrari and Mercedes during the race. Firstly, people will point to the fact that Ferrari turned a one-three into a one-two. On paper, that looks like genius from the pit wall. But if Mercedes had pitted Hamilton when Ferrari pitted Vettel - as Hamilton was asking them to do - then Hamilton would have won the race, and Ferrari would have looked stupid for not pitting Leclerc to cover off the race lead. In Singapore, with everyone measuring their pace at the front to look after the tyres, the teams are all looking for a gap to open up back in the field, so they can pit, put on fresh tyres and run in clear air at their own pace. Do this right, and you will emerge ahead of someone who pits later than you, and win the race. This is what Ferrari did with Vettel, with the idea of getting him ahead of Hamilton. But Mercedes should have done the same on the same lap, and then Hamilton would have won the race. Vettel would not have got ahead of Hamilton, and it would have been Hamilton who leapfrogged Leclerc. Secondly, Ferrari did not tell Leclerc that Vettel had pitted. Had he known, Leclerc would surely have been able to raise his pace and likely would have stayed ahead of his team-mate. This was a source of major frustration for the youngster after the race. But Ferrari, in their defence, didn't expect Vettel to find more than the 3.5 seconds that he needed to jump Leclerc in just one lap. Ferrari did the obvious thing to pit Leclerc the lap after Vettel, with the thought that he would emerge ahead of his team-mate. But Vettel had put in a storming out-lap, using all his experience to know how critical the pit-stop phase of the race can be, and emerged ahead. At this point Hamilton could have pitted and covered off Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who was running behind him. But because he had already lost ground to the Ferraris, Mercedes chose to allow Verstappen through as well, in order to have better tyres for the end of the grand prix. This was the second mistake in a poor race for their pit wall. So Vettel took command of the Grand Prix as Leclerc had done in the opening stages, controlled the pace, and was impressive with his commitment in dispatching the slower midfield runners who hadn't yet pitted. This was an awkward situation for Ferrari. It is very unusual for a team to do a strategy that leapfrogs their second driver over their first, which is why it was so contentious, and why Leclerc was unhappy. But ultimately they were heading to a momentous one-two. And while the man who deserved to win the race was going to end up in second, he was behind a man who desperately needed a race win. But there could still be problems for FerrariIn terms of performance, did this mark a change inside Ferrari? Ultimately, no. Leclerc is still the faster of the two Ferrari drivers. He has out-qualified Vettel in the last eight races, and would have had a hat-trick of wins without Ferrari's strategy inadvertently favouring the German. The downside for Ferrari is that alongside a happy Vettel, they will have an agitated Leclerc. He is young and hungry, and always searching for more wins, especially ones he believes he has deserved, in a glamorous, tricky and gruelling race. Mercedes have a situation where Hamilton is number one and Valtteri Bottas is number two - not contractually, I'm sure, but dictated by performance. It's very clear and that was evident in Singapore last time out as well, where Bottas was used to protect Hamilton's track position before his stop. For the sake of their team performance, Ferrari need their drivers to push each other hard. But, critically, they need to keep it above board - which is threatening to become a problem. Tensions were already raised early in the season, with a series of questionable team-orders calls, which were largely in Vettel's favour. Ferrari even asked Leclerc to delay passing Vettel when he was much faster in Bahrain, an order Leclerc ignored. That situation dissipated through events more than anything else. Ferrari's title hopes faded, so the need to ensure one driver maximised his own personal points tally was reduced. And similar scenarios were happening less often in races. But then it reared its head again when Leclerc failed to give Vettel a tow at the end of qualifying in Monza, when Vettel had kept to his side of the bargain by towing Leclerc moments before. Vettel was unhappy. It was discussed behind closed doors. And after that, tensions were high and you could feel a bit of a grudge coming from one side of the garage to the other. Ultimately, though, with Vettel undoing his own Monza race early on, this was overlooked, as Leclerc won, just holding off the attacks of Hamilton and Bottas. But now Ferrari's strategy has taken a win from Leclerc and handed it to Vettel, the shoe is on the other foot, and Leclerc was quite rightly unhappy about it. For now, it seems Ferrari just about have their drivers under control. As personalities both Leclerc and Vettel are mature and respectful, without the super-egos of some others, and they seem prepared to accept that the team comes first. There have been a few flash points this season, but in the end both Vettel and Leclerc, after some heated comments in the car, calmed down after the race and played the team game. This should help in achieving a decent team harmony, but there are hints that it might not last forever. #F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://ift.tt/OHg7x6 September 24, 2019 at 06:12PM
Motorcycle News - 2020 Kawasaki KLX230R Review – First Braap
https://ift.tt/2n1sheT 2020 Kawasaki KLX230REditor Score: 82.5%
Similar to the street-legal KLX230 we covered last week, the 2020 Kawasaki KLX230R is designed purely for the trails. Changes are minimal between the R and it’s dual-sport sibling, though they make all the difference when riding off-road. We’re happy to see Kawasaki starting to bolster its off-road lineup with models like the new KLX230R and the KLX300R (keep an eye out for that review on the horizon as well) and hope to see the trend continue to bridge the gap between these recreational models and Kawasaki’s closed-course counterparts. 2020 Kawasaki KLX230 Review – First Ride Kawasaki sees this new KLX230R slotting in as a recreational vehicle for younger riders possibly outgrowing something the likes of the company’s KLX140 and also for less experienced or new riders all together. They also expect more experienced riders to be drawn to the KLX230R as a simple low-maintenance machine they can use as a tool, whether it be around the farm or on the back of an RV. The KLX230R features an all-new fuel-injected 233cc air-cooled SOHC engine with a bore and stroke of 67.0mm x 66.0mm being fed by a single 34mm throttle body. Kawi says it chose the simple single overhead cam design for its power characteristics and reliability. We can’t fault them since there’s always a case to be made for simplicity of ownership, particularly so for newer and younger riders. Observant readers may note the lengthy header pipe. Kawasaki chose a longer pipe to help boost the KLX230R’s low- to mid-range performance. Even with the long header pipe’s claimed benefits, on the trail gear selection is crucial in certain situations as the motor doesn’t have an overabundance of torque. Thanks to the six-speed gear box’s slickness and light pull at the lever, shifting is as easy as a Sunday morning. Should you find yourself constantly looking for more bottom end, it’s easy enough to change sprocket sizes from the stock 46/13 gear ratio, but you’ll sacrifice top speed. I managed a top speed of 77 mph on the plated KLX230. With the gear ratio change for the R – an additional tooth up front and one less in the rear – it may not reach the same top speeds as the road-going model, but speeds north of 55 mph should be easy for most. The KLX230R packs a lot of bike into a small package. With a wheelbase of 53.5 inches and a claimed curb weight of 253.6 lbs (258 lbs for the California model, thanks CARB), compared to 293.3 and 297.7 for the dual-sport version, the 230R feels exceedingly nimble. The R model receives an inch more suspension travel than its plated counterpart, with 9.8 inches from the 37mm fork and 9.9 from the Uni-Trak shock. Spring rates have been stiffened up as well, which made a significant difference off-road. The shock is adjustable for preload. The KLX230 felt fairly soft and was overwhelmed rather quickly once the pace ramped up off-road, whereas the R model left us all wondering why Kawi didn’t just use the same internals on the street-going model. For the folks on our ride pushing over 200 lbs with gear, the 230R still blew through the stroke, but for myself, about 180 lbs with gear, it was a significant improvement over the plated model. A 21/18-inch wheel combo gives the KLX230R proper off-road prowess, with its ability to cruise over obstacles and maintain compliance while doing so. Theses wheel sizes also give riders plenty of options for off-road rubber, though the stock Dunlop MX52s do a great job straight off the showroom floor. Gripped by a twin-piston caliper, the 240mm front disc gets the bike slowed down efficiently while being easy to modulate, as is the case with the rear’s single-piston caliper and 220mm disc. Ergos feel quite neutral and comfortable while seated, though some of the taller folks on our ride had an issue with the handlebars hitting their knee braces at full lock. While standing it felt like the handlebars were a bit far back and in my lap. Although I didn’t get a chance to roll the bars forward during our ride, I’m sure this would have alleviated my issues. The 36.4-inch seat height may sound lofty to those lacking of inseam, though once seated the suspension sags enough to quell the worries of shorter riders. The narrow nature of the seat and bodywork also helps riders get in contact with the ground easier than the spec sheet number might suggest. California-bound bikes come with a keyed ignition and a 1.7-gallon steel fuel tank whereas others will be fitted with a simple on/off button for power and a plastic tank of the same capacity. Low fuel and FI lights are included as well as an indicator to show the bike is powered on. Considering the competition in this category, the Kawasaki KLX230R stands out in a class of somewhat dated machinery. Things we may take for granted when looking at the market stand out in this class of trail bikes. Both the Yamaha TT-R 230 and Honda CRF230F are still carbureted and use drum-style rear brakes. Without a side-by-side comparison we don’t like to make assumptions, but it’s clear the Kawi is a more up to date package than others that have been on the market and unchanged for quite some time. The Kawasaki KLX230R also slots in right between the two aforementioned models at $4,399, $50 more than the Honda and $50 less than the Yamaha. Our day trail riding in southern Oregon consisted of time on the KLX300R and the KLX230R, and while there is plenty to like about the larger of the two, I really enjoyed the KLX230R. The lightweight and lower center of gravity made it easy to toss the bike around on tight trails. Throttle response is smooth and linear making the 230R easy to ride without the snatchiness of more performance-focused motorcycles. The KLX230R simply felt more planted and less top heavy than the 300R, making it fun to jump and slide at every opportunity. For riders young or old looking at the 230 range of trail bikes, the 2020 Kawasaki KLX230R is kind of a no-brainer. It’s a more up-to-date package at a great price point that will be easy to live with from a maintenance point of view. And like I mentioned in the KLX230 review, if you can’t have fun on a bike like this, you’re doing something wrong.
Motorcycles via Motorcycle.com https://ift.tt/2Std7JO September 24, 2019 at 05:39PM |
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