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Motorcycle News - Ducati Scrambler Motard and DesertX
https://ift.tt/3gKAzyG We love a good concept motorcycle, even if it isn’t a cafe racer styled ride. These two Ducati concepts are named the Scrambler Motard and Scrambler DesertX. They entered the spotlight at EICMA in 2019 and are slated as potential future additions to the Ducati Scrambler range. Both bikes feature styling befitting of the Scrambler moniker with one pitched as a track-ready Motard and the other an adventure-ready offroader. Motorcycles via Return of the Cafe Racers https://ift.tt/2M9riRb August 10, 2020 at 05:02AM
F1 News - Toto Wolff challenges rivals to protest against Mercedes over Racing Point row
https://ift.tt/3acCaL7 
Team principal Toto Wolff has challenged rivals to protest if they believe Mercedes have broken the rules in the Racing Point 'copying' row. Racing Point have been docked 15 points and fined 400,000 euros for illegally copying Mercedes' brake ducts. Rivals have questioned whether Mercedes fully complied with rules that forbid the sharing of key parts. Wolff said: "If someone thinks we have done something wrong, they should protest. We are happy to go to court." Wolff said he believed both his team and Racing Point had fully complied with the rules. "We have not been protested," he said. "We have done nothing wrong; I strongly believe Racing Point have done nothing wrong. "I believe if it goes to the international court of appeal, the lawyers have a strong opinion that this is a case that has very solid pillars and therefore everybody's in a good place about that. "Our reputation is important but it is intact." Racing Point have lodged an intention to appeal against the verdict, as have four of their rivals, Ferrari, McLaren, Renault and Williams. Racing Point hope to clear their name, while the four other teams are seeking to clarify issues that arise from the ruling. Racing Point's punishment was based on the stewards' belief that they had broken a rule that says teams have to design certain key parts of the car, known as 'listed parts', themselves. Brake ducts, which play an important role in the aerodynamics of Formula 1 cars, were added to this list of performance differentiators for this season. Racing Point were legally supplied with the design details of Mercedes' 2019 brake ducts last year, but the stewards penalised them on the basis that they were not allowed to use the same design this year. Stewards likened Racing Point's design process to "using tracing paper to copy a shape/drawing". Team principal Otmar Szafnauer said the stewards were "wrong in that assessment". Among the points of contention for rivals teams are that the rule changing the status of listed parts for 2020 was sanctioned by governing body the FIA in April last year, yet Mercedes kept supplying the data after that; and that Mercedes supplied Racing Point with a set of brake ducts in January this year, after the rule on their status had come into force. The FIA ruling said giving the brake ducts to Racing Point in January this year "did not constitute a breach of the regulations worthy of censure as the parts in question were not used and did not expand the information that had previously passed from Mercedes to Racing Point quite legitimately". But Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said: "I am sure those questions will get asked, because if the team in question are guilty of receiving, surely the team that has provided has been also in breach of the regulations. But that is something for the FIA to deal with." Wolff said: "The rule came in place for the 2020 season. So you were allowed to supply drawings and data in 2018 and 2019; it was permitted." He added that it was not Mercedes' responsibility to check how Racing Point used parts it had been legitimately supplied. "I don't know what we should think what Racing Point does," Wolff said, "but I think even using them on the 2020 car was not something that was regulated." #F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://ift.tt/OHg7x6 August 10, 2020 at 05:18AM
MotoGP News - Morbidelli: Maiden MotoGP podium because of "big brother" Rossi
https://ift.tt/31QxSFJ Franco Morbidelli says his maiden MotoGP podium in the Czech Grand Prix is "mostly because of" his mentor Valentino Rossi, who he says is "like a big brother" to him. The Petronas SRT rider led for the first 12 laps of Sunday's Brno race on his Petronas SRT Yamaha, before ultimately taking his first podium in second place after eventual race winner Brad Binder passed him on the 13th tour. Morbidelli made his MotoGP debut in 2018 as the reigning Moto2 world champion, becoming the first rider from the VR46 Academy to make the step to the premier class. The Italian's route to MotoGP was unconventional, having stepped to Moto2 from the European Superstock 600 series. Commenting on the role Rossi played in his Brno podium, Morbidelli said: "I am here mostly because of him, because he believed in me when I was a nobody. "So, I know it's a bit of a strange situation because we race one against the other, but finally when the race is over we are... he is a great friend of mine. "He's like a big uncle to me, even more, he's like a big brother. "So after the race I just wanted to hug him, I wanted to huge all the academy riders, [Andrea] Migno, [Celestino] Vietti and [Marco] Bezzecchi, they were there. "It was a great moment."
Rossi - who was fifth in the Brno race - expressed his pride in Morbidelli's podium, and says he "deserves it" having been strong from the winter tests to now. "We are very proud of Franco, he did a great race after a great weekend," Rossi said when asked by Autosport for his thoughts on Morbidelli's podium. "He was always very fast, very strong. "He deserves the podium because this year already from the winter tests he was very strong. "We are very proud of Franco and all the riders of the Academy. "I think we do a very good job, because we helped them to find a good team, a good bike, so not just managing and training. "It's very difficult, because Franco, Pecco [Bagnaia]... in MotoGP, there's not a lot of good bikes. "But we were able to put them in good teams with good bikes and I think they can demonstrate their value. "I think they are very strong and I think they can be protagonists for the future." Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport https://ift.tt/2uOa9Ei August 10, 2020 at 04:59AM
MotoGP News - Vinales "very lucky" to finish 14th in Czech MotoGP with grip issues
https://ift.tt/30Isdlz Yamaha's Maverick Vinales says he was "very lucky" to even finish 14th in the MotoGP Czech Grand Prix having battled an "impossible" lack of grip from the first lap. Vinales started from fifth on the grid, but slipped to eighth after the opening lap and continued to tumble down the order at Brno, eventually taking the chequered flag almost 20 seconds from the win in 14th - his worst finish as a Yamaha rider. Vinales joined half the field in running the soft rear tyre along with eventual podium finishers Franco Morbidelli and Johann Zarco. But from the first lap Vinales says he had a lot of spinning on the rear tyre, and admits towards the end the bike became "unsafe" to ride. "In the race, since the first lap, it was impossible, [I had] a lot of spin [on the rear tyre]," Vinales said. "Lap by lap it increased, and then at the end it was very unsafe to ride the bike. "So, I tried to make my best as always, I tried to make my best. So that [14th] was the best we could do." He added: "For sure I think Yamaha is much more hurt than myself because it's difficult to finish in P14. "And I was very lucky, because if not, I don't even take one point. "So, these two points will count a lot in the championship. "I didn't give up, I tried to push and not make any mistake."
Vinales says it's "hard to say" what exactly his problem was, but all weekend there was "something we missed" in getting the tyres to work. "It's something we miss," Vinales replied when asked if his woes were tyre related, or a result of the poor track conditions. "All weekend we have been struggling with the tyres. "For me it's hard to say, because it's difficult to understand why in warm-up I could be second and so fast, and then in the race I was P14. "The only thing we can do is keep a positive mind, we have to work very hard to understand that nothing is perfect in life, also we make mistakes. "So maybe today we didn't find out where to go or the set-up we needed to use. "Was difficult to ride the bike, but we know we have potential. And we're going to try to take it out, try to improve. "This is the most important thing. "I think now Yamaha has valuable data to understand the problem, because in Austria I think the tyres are very similar to here." Some riders complained of inconsistency with Michelin's tyres at Brno, but Vinales reckons his problems with the rubber were "much more related to the bike". Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport https://ift.tt/2uOa9Ei August 9, 2020 at 12:11PM
Motorcycle News - Church of MO: 2010 Electric Motorcycle Shootout
https://ift.tt/3ipVAiI As the world turns, dominus vobiscum, it seems we have made quite a bit of progress on the electric bike front over the last ten years, even if it doesn’t always seem like it. Of this trio, only one of which is still standing, the longest range was but 40 miles and the toppest speed only 67 mph. Now, the latest Zero can do way better than that, the Harley-Davidson LiveWire is in play (I don’t think anybody saw that coming ten years ago), Tesla became the most valuable US automaker ever last January – and who knows what Polaris has in store for Brammo, which it acquired in 2015? Herein, the dearly departed 2010 MO crew tries to get a grip on current affairs. Brammo Enertia vs. Native S vs. Zero S
By Jeff Cobb Aug. 04, 2010
Photos by Fonzie Video by Fonzie
Who would have thought even three years ago that we’d be comparing three U.S.-manufactured electric street motorcycles priced for popular consumption, and with no less a mission than to change the world?While Zero, Brammo and Native may only sometimes allude to this intent, anyone paying attention to all the rhetoric pouring forth can see this is a goal in which these small startups seriously hope to play a significant role.Accordingly, the Zero S, Brammo Enertia and Native S are part of the gambit by tech sector entrepreneurs wagering that they’ll do for the transportation sector what others among them have already done to transform virtually everything else in this global civilization.
Pioneers As previously covered in our e-bike primer, these under-$10,000 electric motorcycles were created as the most logical leg-up by environmentally-motivated transportation enthusiasts to start making workable solutions now.
Both Zero and Brammo have benefitted from millions in venture capital to bring reasonably refined products to market. Native, as the off-shoot of Electric Motorsports, is unique in that it’s made from the know-how and parts-sourcing prowess of an electric vehicle (EV) parts distributor.
Included among unknowns to these emerging technology creations are answers to questions about future resale value, long-term durability and reliability. Each of these bikes makes up one big electrical system, with practically as much computing power as a laptop rolling down the road. On the other hand, they lack many of the complex moving parts in a traditional Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) bike, so potential mechanical pitfalls are actually reduced. All three makers say they use reliable electrical connectors, and have engineered these bikes to last years and years. As new battery technology comes along, they’re intended to accept upgrades – assuming this will be truly cost effective during a predicted period of rapid evolution. Putting the “e” in e-Bikes
The heart of these bikes consists of their air-cooled motors, motor controllers, and batteries with integrated battery management systems (BMS) and on-board charger. Brammo uses a brushless AC motor from the well-regarded manufacturer, Perm. Zero uses a brushed DC motor from the race-winning Agni Motor company, and Native uses an Etek-style brushed DC motor. The Enertia is powered by a 72-volt lithium iron magnesium phosphate battery system that’s made with components sourced from Texas-based Valence. It weighs 86 lbs, and is comprised of six modules in series. Each contains 120 “18650” cells for a total of 720 cells tied together to make one 3.2 kWh system. Zero’s founder, and former NASA engineer, Neal Saiki developed a 4.0 kWh, landfill-approved 58-volt lithium-ion manganese battery for his Zero S (and Zero DS). This 90-lb powerpack is made up of 336 cells, Saiki says. The Native’s 72-volt, 3.2 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery also weighs about 90 lbs, and utilizes 24 large format cells supplied by the Chinese EV power manufacturer, Thundersky.
About Those Super Expensive Batteries These e-bikes’ battery systems account for about one third of their weight and 30-40% of their purchase price. As a discerning shopper, would you like to learn more about them? To begin with, they have less energy density than those intended for consumer electronics, but can deliver as much as six times the number of charge cycles as some laptop batteries, for example, so they should last longer. They are also better protected against “thermal runaway” that can cause consumer electronic batteries to burst into difficult-to-extinguish flames.
When thinking of li-on batteries, understand these are not mere cells, but closely-monitored systems built around the cells. As such, their BMS regulates discharging and recharging, and prevents deep discharge or over-charging respectively. Typically, these battery packs are permitted to discharge 80% of their total voltage, with 20% remaining. Depleting them further becomes potentially damaging, so the system prevents that. The Native S battery is rated at 3,000 charge cycles, the Brammo Enertia’s is rated at 2,000 charge cycles, the Zero S battery is rated at 1,800 charge cycles. When a manufacturer describes the number of “charge cycles” a particular battery can take in its lifetime, the estimate is based on a full discharge (to 80% depletion), and a full recharge. Harlan Flagg, an electrical engineer, and partner at the Los Angeles-based e-bike dealership, Hollywood Electrics says that topping off a battery after less than a full discharge does not necessarily count toward the estimated total. More frequent recharging should therefore extend the lifespan of an e-bike’s battery, he says, using the Brammo Enertia’s 2,000 charge cycle rating as an example.
“They’re talking about full charge cycles. If you ride this thing, and only deplete the battery to 20%, [instead of 80%] some of these batteries can make 10,000 charge cycles,” Flagg says, adding that this is only a rough estimate. In fact, battery life – just like real life – is not black and white, Flagg say, elaborating on what may reasonably be expected. “I think that for a lot of these batteries, you’re going to be reaching your maximum capacity after like maybe 50 cycles,” he says, “and then after 50 cycles that’s when, you know, you’re talking about it’s going to start dropping off.” Decreases in charge holding capacity will be imperceptible, and may not be noticed for years, Flagg says. Li-ion batteries are the least susceptible to memory and gradual degradation, but they are not immune. And even a battery that’s considered fully used still retains a fair percentage of its usable power. “After 2,000 cycles you’re only going to have 80% of your battery capacity, so you’re still going to have 80% of your range, which isn’t too bad,” Flagg says, “It’s not that after 2,000 cycles this battery is going to be completely dead, and it’s going to be just a worthless brick sitting in your garage.” e-Biking in Paradise The Motorcycle.com crew took on this atypical evaluation by e-cruising between SoCal beach towns on milder than usual shake-down runs. We’d already experienced an Enertia that left us flat after 24 miles of what we thought was moderate use, and didn’t want to push our e-bikes’ estimated range of 20-40 miles (based on how hard you use them).
Each of these single-geared machines is light, and unintimidating – for the most part. Both Duke and Speedy Pete found the Zero’s 34-inch-high saddle too tall to flat foot with their 5-foot, 8-inch frames, and disliked the squared-off edges of its Corbin saddle.
Both the Brammo and Native are lower to the ground, but Duke was less than enthralled with the Brammo too. “The Enertia’s saddle (with attractive white stitching) is too hard, especially for a vehicle designed for short hops,” he says, “Legroom is generous due to a seat that is taller than it needs to be. Really short people won’t like that.” On the other hand, at 6-feet-tall, I fit the Enertia fine, and never felt any discomfort. As short-range runabouts, these machines offer reasonable utility and a fair degree of sophistication. The Zero’s work-of art brushed alloy perimeter frame and matching swingarm, designed by company founder Neal Saiki, are held up by an inverted fork and rather light-duty monoshock – each made by FastAce, and offering 8 inches of travel for the 56.8 wheelbase e-motard.
Not far behind is the Brammo Enertia’s nicely-designed black-finished alloy perimeter frame. Its 56-inch wheelbase is suspended by a Marzocchi Shiver inverted fork, and Elka shock offering a more street-oriented (and reasonable) five inches of front/rear travel. The Native’s steel perimeter frame and aluminum alloy box-section swingarm balance between an upside down fork and twin rear shocks that are adequate for this 51.75-inch wheelbase machine. Riding Down to Electric Avenue Start-up for the 275-lb Zero is as simple as turning a key. The 285-lb Native is also easy, with the additional step of pushing a button. The 324-lb Brammo adds a “start-up sound” for this “laptop on wheels” upon boot up, and more buttons and switches to sequence through. Brammo says this extra complication is to prevent accidental acceleration from the machine which, like them all, is silent when powered up. All three offer instruments displaying a fair degree of data, in addition to the usual speed and trip distance – with no tach needed.
The Zero and Brammo offer not only on-road energy data, but also show status while charging – indicating charge of the battery, with the Enertia even showing state of charge for individual cells. The Native offers only a state of charge meter. Acceleration from a stop shows the 20.8-hp Zero to be a king among flyweights (see video), and its top speed of 67 mph (some have seen as high as 71 mph), bests the 13.4-hp Brammo’s 63 mph, and the 12.3-hp Native’s 60 mph top speed.
None is a sportbike, but of the three, the Zero, with its dirtbike-like seating position, broad alloy pegs, fairly sticky Duro-branded 110/70-16 front and 140/70-16 rear tire seems confidence inspiring with the most ground clearance. At least, this is my view, filtered through my ever-adaptable use-the-tool-you’ve-been-given attitude. However, Brissette objected to the Zero’s perceived heavy steering, high center of gravity and more. “When riding in a straight line I found I constantly had to center the front wheel, Pete says, “The bike had a tendency to migrate left or right of center. Kevin suggested this issue could be overly tight steering head bearings.” Otherwise, Kevin had good things to say about it.
“Of this trio, the Zero S feels closest to my enthusiasts’ proclivity,” he says, “It feels like a real motorcycle, and its lovely aluminum frame and swingarm wouldn’t look out of place on an Aprilia, and it has the highest top speed – it makes an experienced rider feel most at home.” We also liked the Brammo, which falls neutrally into turns – albeit with limited steering lock which makes on-street turnarounds tight. Otherwise, it’s confidence inspiring, and will eventually drag its lower alloy platform pegs which complete its Sportster-like riding position. Its 100/90-18 front and130/80-17 rear Avon Road Rider Tires offer adequate grip for city/suburban purposes. Of the three, the Native feels most diminutive, while offering a sporty and purposeful riding position – although it’s too compact for my 6-foot frame. “It has a newbie-friendly riding position,” Kevin notes, “with a low seat that will appeal to shorties, but its short seat-to-peg distance won’t suit tall riders.” Oddly, the Native is the only one with a passenger seat and pegs. If intending to carry a friend on the Native, make sure she’s light, or you don’t plan to travel very far. Limitations aside, Pete especially liked the Native, and found it to be “the most neutral and best handling of the three.”
Its narrow 90/80-17 front and 100/80-17 rear IRC EagleGrip tires made steering super easy, and contribute to its range and speed, having the least rolling resistance. When nursed at moderate speeds, this bike has been known to go as far as 50 miles on a full charge, which the Zero would be hard pressed to match and the Brammo never could. “Considering the relative lack of capital Native is working with compared to its higher-profile rivals, its S proves to be a very usable and competitive design,” Kevin observes. “This said, it falls a bit short by feeling like more of a kit bike than a cohesive package.” All these bikes have hydraulic front and rear disc brakes with the Brammo’s Brembos being tops. The Native’s Tiger-branded binders are next in stopping power, and the Zero’s Hayes stoppers left us scratching our heads.
Sure, Zero has evolved e-bikes from mountain bikes to dirt bikes, and now is selling these light street bikes – sped’d as all Zeros are, with a bias toward the lightest parts available within reasonable costs. But squeezing the bantamweight front binder is uninspiring, and attempting one little stoppie ruined the whole day. The system lost half its lever feel as though a big air bubble got in the line. It left us thinking this otherwise competent bike should get an upgrade on par with what the Brammo comes with stock. A Few More Details
Each bike has redeeming characteristics and shortcomings. For example, the Native’s throttle response is notchy, and not as progressive as the Zero’s or Brammo’s. It’s a curiosity to this new breed of motorcycle that while they attempt to imitate traditional ICE machines, they may randomly go off in their own design directions seemingly for no other reason than to be innovative, or merely different. Take, for instance, Zero’s lightweight brake rotors designed by Saiki with “cooling fingers.” The idea of reduced braking temperatures was good, but rather than designing original components, wouldn’t it have been more effective to spec off-the-shelf? The focus on trick rotors seems particularly wasted considering the rest of the system’s performance is barely adequate. Similarly, the Zero’s square-tubed alloy kickstand seems like overkill to some MO staffers, but alternately could be looked at as burley and unique. The same could be said of the Brammo’s cast kickstand with “Brammo” embossed as evidence of yet another high-quality touch to this most thoroughly-sorted machine. On the other hand, the Enertia’s green jellybean appearance may or may not work for traditionalists – but then, if rumors are true, what young rider would care? In the e-bike race pits a short while ago at the FIM e-Power race at Laguna Seca, some enthusiasts were going on about how eco-friendly bikes are “chick magnets” and good for meeting people with a disposition toward green thinking.
If we find this conjecture to be true, we’ll be sure to drop our endorsements for pheromone-laced cologne, and “how to meet your match” video tutorials in favor of the E-Bike Factor. Yes, among things we’re waiting to see is whether they will help with personal relationships, social image, and an overall sense of well-being. In any event, you can get help finding out the answers to these questions and more with financial aid from Uncle Sam and a growing list of state governments by way of tax incentives and rebates.
Conclusion
In all seriousness, potential consumers can make their own minds up about fit and aesthetic considerations, but we otherwise feel most confident with the $7,995 Brammo Enertia, over the $9,995 Zero and $7,500 Native S, in this order. Although not able to match the Zero’s power-to-weight ratio, and lacking some of the assiduously thought out weight-saving details, the Brammo has its own qualities and is the most all-around solid. If the Zero had better brakes and suspension, it would have been closer, but despite the Brammo’s slightly lower range potential, its 20% lower price tips us over the edge in its favor. “The Enertia feels solid and well-engineered,” Kevin comments. “It’s what I imagine Honda might’ve built if it had taken the plunge as early as Brammo.” Further, Brammo’s dealer support may be best, especially if the company’s plans to roll out a national network come to pass. Zero’s determination to make all sales flow through its California Web-based distribution model along with regional sales reps is questionable, and the Native has spotty support as well. Any one of these bikes should be investigated further – and based on new offerings from Brammo already, and promises by Zero for 2011, who knows what innovations next season’s models may offer in this rapidly developing field? To be sure, it’s an unusual time, in which questions arise faster than we can provide answers, so we’ll just cut it here: At this juncture at the dawn of the proposed EV revolution, our e-bike pick of the day is the Brammo Enertia. Related Reading The post Church of MO: 2010 Electric Motorcycle Shootout appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Motorcycles via Motorcycle.com https://ift.tt/2Std7JO August 9, 2020 at 11:39AM
MotoGP News - Espargaro: Zarco "didn't want to" avoid contact in Czech MotoGP race
https://ift.tt/2XIDvV6 Pol Espargaro says Johann Zarco could have avoided the contact which took him out of the MotoGP Czech Grand Prix, but says the Avintia rider "didn't want" to. The KTM rider endured an unlucky weekend at Brno, with a yellow flag infringement - which he protested, but to no avail - robbing of a front row start in qualifying, and the collision with Zarco on lap 10 ruling him out of potentially taking KTM's first ever victory. Espargaro says the collision for Zarco was "win-win", because it moved him into podium contention, which he was able to hold onto owing to the long lap penalty at Brno being "a joke". "The crash was as you saw," Espargaro said. "I was just leaning [into Turn 1], he could have avoided contact, he didn't want to, he gave throttle and he took me away from the line. "It was win-win [for him]: he took me out and he just do a long lap penalty, which in this track it's a joke. "And he got the podium. "So, imagine, he took me out of the way, I was the one guy in front of him, so he would not be in the podium. "I don't want to talk so much about it because I'm hot now." Zarco served his long lap penalty on lap 14 of 21, and managed to hold onto third place despite dropping back into the clutches of Fabio Quartararo.
The Avintia rider believes his punishment was fair, and expected Espargaro to have seen him at the corner after he ran out wide. "About my penalty with Pol, I think it's fair anyway with the rules we have," Zarco said. "But I would see, he went wide and I tried to come in because there was space, and I think I came in quite well, thinking he was going to see me. "But when we had the contact it seems he did not see me. "But in the race, you have to try things and you don't have all the time a big margin to overtake. "He's always braking very strong and coming hard into the corner. "So he's not easy to overtake on the brakes. But that's also why he went wide in that corner. " Ducati was furious with the race directors' decision to impose a long lap penalty on Zarco, believing the fault for the contact lay fully at Espargaro's door for running wide. "It was totally the wrong decision from race direction from our opinion, because Pol Espargaro made a mistake," Ducati boss Paolo Ciabatti said. "He knew, for the first corner after the riders go through the start/finish line and they see a pitboard, so he knew Zarco was zero seconds behind him, and he made a mistake, eventually went wide and Zarco just went inside, his normal line. "If a rider goes wide and has to come back to the normal line, he should look because he's not alone on track, and Espargaro knew it because he saw the pit board for sure. "So, we cannot see what was the mistake from Zarco, he was in his line, on the inside, could not brake because he was leaning a lot." Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport https://ift.tt/2uOa9Ei August 9, 2020 at 11:36AM
MotoGP News - Binder: Czech MotoGP debut win after three races "scary"
https://ift.tt/3ku70nm MotoGP Czech Grand Prix winner Brad Binder says his dream of scoring a premier class victory coming in just his third race is "scary". Binder stunned on Sunday at Brno by charging to the front of the Czech GP on lap 13 to dominate by 5.2 seconds to score his and KTM's first MotoGP victory. The MotoGP rookie showed great pace during practice and qualifying for the two Jerez races last month, but two mistakes ruled him out of possible podium contention. Now the first rookie winner since Marc Marquez in 2013, Binder was left stunned by the result. "Today, it was the most incredible day in my life so far," he said. "It's that day I've dreamed of since I was a child. "Gosh, for it to come true in my third grand prix is scary. "I honestly, I can't believe it. "It's been from the day of starting in the Red Bull Rookies Cup, it's just been a consistent grind trying to get [here]. "And you know, I came through all of the classes with Red Bull KTM. "We're on top and we finally won in MotoGP." The RC16 looked to be one of the most settled bikes during a Czech GP tough on tyres, with both Binder and team-mate Pol Espargaro in the podium hunt before the latter's crash.
But Binder says he was in a "completely different boat" after Friday's practice, though his team was able to turn around the situation to allow him utilise his "insane" bike in the race. "On Friday we were in a completely different boat," he said when asked by Autosport why the RC16 worked so well. "I could barely touch a throttle and I felt like I was going to get flicked up in the air. "So, Friday night the guys did their home work and before I left the track I remember speaking to my crew chief and the boss Mark and said 'don't stress out, tomorrow they will sort it out'. "And they did. Yeah, from FP3 already my bike was so much more stable and I just felt really, really good. "It also comes a lot down to just the guys put together an amazing package. "This new bike is insane. I've been telling the guys since the first time I rode it. "I said 'guys, this thing is not bad'. Definitely see a big advantage when I ride with the other guys. "For sure we have places where we struggle a bit more than the others but where we are strong we have a big advantage. "To have it pay off in the race today it's insane. "I can't thank my team enough, I can't thank everyone that has helped me get here today and I look forward to many, many more." Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport https://ift.tt/2uOa9Ei August 9, 2020 at 10:18AM
F1 News - Max Verstappen wins 70th Anniversary Grand Prix
https://ift.tt/31uTuHk 
Red Bull's Max Verstappen took a sensational surprise victory in the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix to bring Mercedes' domination to an end. Verstappen's win was founded on his car being kinder to its tyres than the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas and the Dutchman capitalised brilliantly. Hamilton fought back from early struggles to catch and pass Bottas for second place with two laps to go. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was outstanding in taking fourth on a one-stop strategy. It was an unexpectedly thrilling race, a fitting testament to the occasion as F1 celebrated 70 years since the F1 championship started at Silverstone in 1950. More to follow #F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://ift.tt/OHg7x6 August 9, 2020 at 09:42AM
MotoGP News - Czech Republic MotoGP: Binder stuns for KTM to take maiden win at Brno
https://ift.tt/3gKVKki Brad Binder dominated the Czech Grand Prix to claim a shock maiden win for him and KTM in MotoGP, while points leaders Fabio Quartararo, Maverick Vinales and Andrea Dovizioso struggled. In just his third race in the premier class, 2016 Moto3 champion Binder was promoted to the factory KTM team from Tech3 for 2020 after Johann Zarco's exit from the squad and eased to the chequered flag for an historic victory. Poleman Johann Zarco botched his launch off the line at the start and dropped to sixth, while Franco Morbidelli put his Petronas SRT Yamaha into the lead having been tipped by many pre-race as the favourite for victory. Team-mate Fabio Quartararo followed him in second, but Aprilia's Aleix Espargaro took the position away from him at Turn 4. Quartararo regained the position when Espargaro went wide at Turn 1 on lap two, but Morbidelli was already a second clear and pulling further away. Behind, the KTM duo of Pol Espargaro and Binder swapped fourth place, with Binder getting ahead of the other Espargaro brother for third on lap three. Binder then piled the pressure on Quartararo for second, taking the position away from the Frenchman at Turn 3 on lap nine as the SRT rider began to encounter grip issues. Pol Espargaro followed him through at Turn 11 on the same lap, though ran wide at the penultimate turn and let Quartararo back through. This allowed Zarco to get a run into Turn 1, with the Avintia rider scything up the inside as Espargaro ran slightly wide. Contact was made as Espargaro came back towards the apex and crashed out, with Zarco given a long lap penalty on lap 14.
Ahead of that incident Binder began to reel in Morbidelli hand over fist, and took the lead on lap 13, immediately pulling out a gap. The South African continued to open up a lead, with it standing at 5.2 seconds when he took the chequered flag to become the first rookie since Marc Marquez back in 2013 to win a race. Morbidelli began to drop pace in the latter stages, but held on to claim a maiden MotoGP podium in second. Zarco held third after expertly taking the long lap penalty, keeping the fading Quartararo at bay, but came under massive attack from the charging Suzuki of Alex Rins as the Ducati rider battled rear grip issues. Rins couldn't find a way through, with Zarco pinching his first podium since Malaysia 2018 and the first for Avintia. Rins' fourth came as he continues to recover from a fractured arm suffered at Jerez last month, with Valentino Rossi rising to fifth from 10th as top factory Yamaha runner. Miguel Oliveira took his best MotoGP result in sixth on the Tech3 KTM, heading Quartararo, Takaaki Nakagami (LCR), Pramac's Jack Miller and Aprilia's Espargaro. In a woeful day for the factory Ducati team, Andrea Dovizioso was 15s from the win in 11th ahead of Danilo Petrucci, while Maverick Vinales plummeted to a mystifying 14th on the sister factory Yamaha. Alex Marquez took the last point on the works Honda. Vinales' miserable afternoon means Quartararo extends his championship lead to 17 points over his Yamaha stablemate, with Morbidelli now third after ending Sunday's race as top Yamaha runner. Czech Republic Grand Prix race results - 21 laps:
Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport https://ift.tt/2uOa9Ei August 9, 2020 at 08:10AM
F1 News - Racing Point: Owner Lawrence Stroll 'extremely angry' at suggestions of cheating
https://ift.tt/2DD0k5z 
Racing Point owner Lawrence Stroll says he is "extremely angry" at suggestions his team have cheated in Formula 1's "copying" controversy. Racing Point have been docked 15 points and fined £361,000 for illegally copying Mercedes' 2019 rear brake ducts for use on their car this season. Stroll said accusations from Racing Point's competitors were "completely unacceptable and not true". And he said he was "shocked and disappointed" by the FIA ruling. Four of Racing Point's rivals have lodged an intention to appeal against the verdict seeking further clarity on the ramifications that arise form it, while Racing Point have done the same seeking to overturn the sanction. In a rare public statement, Canadian billionaire Stroll said: "I am appalled by the way Renault, McLaren, Ferrari and Williams have taken this opportunity to appeal, and in doing so attempted to detract from our performances. "They are dragging our name through the mud and I will not stand by nor accept this." The punishment arises from a change of status on brake ducts within the regulations from 2019 to 2020, for which they have been added to the category of so-called "listed parts" that teams have to design themselves. The FIA stewards likened Racing Point's design process to "using tracing paper to copy a shape/drawing" after Mercedes legally supplied drawings of their 2019 brake ducts to Racing Point last year. Team principal Otmar Szafnauer said the stewards were "wrong in that assessment". One point of contention for rival teams is Mercedes' decision to supply brake ducts to Racing Point in January this year, after the rule on their status had changed. Stewards said this "did not constitute a breach of the regulations worthy of censure as the parts in question were not used and did not expand the information that had previously passed from Mercedes to Racing Point quite legitimately". Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff said the team felt "100% comfortable with our position" and had "zero worry" about the case Stroll said: "There was an absence of specific guidance or clarification from the FIA in respect to how that transition to listed parts might be managed within the spirit and intent of the regulations. "The rules, as they are written, state that after 2019, no further information on brake duct design can be shared or acquired. "At that point, what you know and have learned, is your own information. From that point onwards, you are on your own. Which is exactly what we have done." He added: "I intend to take all necessary actions to prove our innocence. "My team has worked tirelessly to deliver the competitive car we have on the grid. I am truly upset to see the poor sportsmanship of our competitors." #F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://ift.tt/OHg7x6 August 9, 2020 at 07:12AM |
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Will we need as much of the black slippery stuff we’re now fighting wars over, if these e-bikes and other EVs prove viable in the long run?
In operation, the bikes are as environmentally friendly as a bicycle and ride nearly as quietly – not as good for the aerobic side of things though.
Zero’s Neal Saiki developed a non-toxic battery that’s the most powerful of the bunch, and landfill approved.
We made sure to charge them all fully prior to testing.
Yep, that’s us riding in the bicycle lane. If the cagers get away with it, we almost qualify. Note how low my 6-foot frame (right) looks when cramped on the Native, next to the 5-foot, 8-inch guys on the taller bikes to the left.
Humming down the road is the Brammo (left), Zero (middle), Native (right).
The Native S we rode was a well-worn demo, and not sorted like a press fleet bike would be from a large OEM. An otherwise identical lead acid battery version of this machine for $4,500 is also worth checking out.
Although we went to a trendy part of town, no one jumped off the sidewalk to meet us while sporting our cute, eco-friendly rides.
Horsepower data only provided. While e-bikes make peak torque from 1 rpm, our dyno could not measure it, due to lack of a sparkplug lead.
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