Saturday, February 28, 2009

Bulgaria MotoGP Races In 2012


The FIM MotoGP World Championship will arrive in Bulgaria as of 2012, following a preliminary agreement reached between the Bulgarian Motorcycle Federation and Dorna Sports, the commercial rights holder for MotoGP.

The new five year deal, which will take MotoGP to Bulgaria from 2012 to 2016, was signed in Sofia by Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta and the President of the Bulgarian Motorcycle Federation Bogdan Nikolov, in the presence of the Chairman of the Bulgarian Grand Prix Organizing Committee Rumen Petkov and the President of the Bulgarian State Agency for Youth and Sports Vessela Letcheva. Following the press conference, an additional meeting was held between Carmelo Ezpeleta and the Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev to further discuss the project.

Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta commented, “This is the first step in bringing MotoGP to Bulgaria, which is an exciting project for us. The Bulgarian government demonstrated great interest in bringing a Grand Prix here and it will be an important development for us, having never staged a race here before. We are highly confident in Bulgaria’s ability to host and organise Grands Prix efficiently and safely.”

The meeting in Sofia also saw the announcement that Bulgarian free-to-air national broadcasters BNT will have exclusive live television rights to the FIM MotoGP World Championship from 2009, which will see all MotoGP races broadcast live in Bulgaria.

Sources: www.motogp.com

09' MotoGp Second Test In Qatar Floodlights


The 2009 MotoGP field head to the Losail International Circuit in Qatar this weekend to commence their second test since the winter break, with three evening sessions awaiting them under the floodlights at the desert track from 1st-3rd March.

World Champion Valentino Rossi will be hoping to further familiarise himself with his 2009 Yamaha M1 machine and the new-generation Bridgestone tyres at a circuit where he found the going tough last year, during MotoGP’s first ever night time Grand Prix.

Rossi qualified seventh and finished fifth in last year’s season-opening Losail race, just one of two non-podium finishes for the Italian in 2008, and is therefore keen to increase his competitiveness around the Middle Eastern circuit. The MotoGP title-holder started 2009 in good form at Malaysia despite stitches in his left hand and foot following a domestic accident.

The man who got closest to Rossi in 2008 and the fastest rider at the aforementioned first test of 2009 at Sepang, Casey Stoner, will be testing the condition of his left wrist which was operated on last November and which caused him discomfort in Malaysia, preventing him from undertaking long runs on the Desmosedici GP9. Stoner is a top performer at Qatar having won the last two MotoGP races there.

Another rider looking to increase test his stamina levels at Losail is Dani Pedrosa, the former 250cc and 125cc World Champion, who left Sepang on the second of the three days of the test, due to pain in his left knee which he hurt in Australia late last season and had surgery on in December.

Pedrosa’s compatriot Jorge Lorenzo aims to up his game too having made improvements on the last day of the Malaysia test. Last season in Qatar Lorenzo sensationally took pole at his very first MotoGP event and rode a brilliant race to finish second, so he will be looking forward to making further improvements to his Fiat Yamaha M1 package there as of Sunday.

Andrea Dovizioso was also impressive in Qatar last year, finishing fourth on his MotoGP debut, and he anticipates the second test of 2009 as a chance to further evolve his new factory Honda RC212V package.

Having impressed in his first two tests with Ducati Marlboro at the end of 2008 in Valencia and Jerez, Stoner’s new team-mate Nicky Hayden was off the pace in Malaysia and will hope for an improved rhythm this time out.

Colin Edwards, meanwhile, was highly satisfied with the test results at Sepang as he finished the last day in fourth place, just 0.370s off pace-setter Stoner’s best, as the Tech 3 Yamaha squad got their first experience of the new M1 prototype. Edwards was more than 2.5 seconds quicker than his colleague James Toseland who had a heavy crash on the first day in Malaysia and now looks to rebuild his confidence.

The opening test of the year was considered a positive outing for Rizla Suzuki colleagues Loris Capirossi (fastest on the first day) and Chris Vermeulen, who now strive to confirm the apparent increased competitiveness of the GSV-R800 at a second track.

Although veteran rider Sete Gibernau misses the test due to a recurrence of a shoulder injury his fellow satellite Ducati riders Mika Kallio and Niccolo Canepa will be present, alongside San Carlo Honda Gresini pair Toni Elias (the fastest Honda rider at Sepang) and Alex de Angelis, LCR Honda’s Randy de Puniet and Scot Racing Team rookie Yuki Takahashi.

In addition, Marco Melandri gets back on Kawasaki machinery for the first time since his Valencia and Phillip Island practice runs at the end of 2008, as he returns to MotoGP testing. Although Kawasaki announced the withdrawal of their factory team from the World Championship early in January, they will nonetheless provide material for Melandri to run in MotoGP this season and the Italian star will therefore test the 2009 bike which Olivier Jacque recently debuted in a private test at Eastern Creek.

The 2009 FIM MotoGP World Championship will commence in Qatar with the first GP of the year on 10th-12th April.

Sources: www.motogp.com

Friday, February 27, 2009

One-Rider Kawasaki Team For 09' MotoGP

Kawasaki have announced that after constructive talks between themselves, Dorna and additional third parties, a new one-rider team will participate in the 2009 MotoGP World Championship.

Melandri with Kawasaki Racing at the Valencia test

The decision was made after negotiations which followed Kawasaki’s January 2009 announcement to suspend its factory supported MotoGP activities, due to the global economic downturn.

The rider for the new MotoGP team will be the Italian 26 year-old Marco Melandri. The team will be equipped with Kawasaki motorcycles and supporting materials.

That Kawasaki has arrived at this new team approach is the result of both the need for a significant reduction of MotoGP racing investments and the simultaneous necessity to come to a constructive solution for all related parties.

The new team will disclose more details about its 2009 season plans shortly.

Sources: www.motogp.com

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Sandal For Bikerz By BATA

Last year Bata launched their exclusive ‘Motor Sandal’ in Bangladesh, which is specifically designed for bikers who evidently welcome ankle burns and road rash. “The sandal has been specifically designed to protect their feet while riding bikes,” Bata’s Bangladesh marketing manager, said at a press briefing in Dhaka.

Safety was clearly the first and foremost objective as the Motor Sandal features a fiberglass reinforced sole, gear shifter protector, heat resistant rubber, toe bumper and fluorescent rear strap, which is also removable in case you want to make them into slippers. And why wouldn’t you!?

Why stop there? Why not go one step further and make construction worker-specific, work boot-inspired sandal? The Motor Sandal is currently available in five different styles across Bangladesh for a mere 900 Taka a pair, which is about $13 USD. If you happen to value convenience and your foot tan more than safety, check out Bata’s website to pick yourself up a pair.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Sources: www.blog.motorcycle.com


Tuesday, February 10, 2009

H-D Unveils New Dark Custom Sportster

H-D unveils new Dark Custom Sportster Harley-Davidson is introducing the latest member of its Dark Custom line, the Iron 883.

Since their introduction in 1957, when the modern rebel culture was being bred from restless veterans and hot rod pioneers, Sportster motorcycles became the starting point for many legendary choppers of the 1960s, while also getting pumped up for championship dirt racing and dare devil stunt riding in the 1970s.

The Iron 883 model continues that tradition with responsive handling, smooth clutch effort and durable carbon reinforced drive belt within a minimalist design. Decked in black from fender-to-fender, the new Harley-Davidson Iron 883 motorcycle features an 883 Evolution engine with front fork gaiters, a drag style handlebar and side-mount license plate holder. The Iron 883 starts at $7,899 MSRP.

“The Iron 883 defies the plastic conventions of other motorcycles at this price,” says Mark-Hans Richer, chief marketing officer for Harley-Davidson. “It’s got old school style, a new school ride and gives the owner a platform for creative customization.”

The Iron 883 joins Harley-Davidson's blacked-out Dark Customs line.

The Iron 883 joins Harley-Davidson's blacked-out Dark Customs line.

With Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) and performance tuning with a broad torque curve, the Iron 883 delivers plenty of power for the city scene. The pipes on the straight cut short dual exhaust flow the distinctive Harley-Davidson V-Twin sound.

The black chopped rear fender with its combination stop/turn/tail lights shows more of the 150 mm rear tire and black, 13-spoke cast aluminum wheel, while the front tire also rides on a black wheel. The rest of the Iron 883 gets a darker-suited presence with black front forks and fender supports, fuel tank, oil tank cover, belt guard, drag style handlebar and mid mount foot controls.

A one-piece, solo classic seat with a height of 25.3 inches fits the lone rider, while a passenger seat and a backrest in complementing black finishes can be added as accessories. The Iron 883 is available in Black Denim and Brilliant Silver Denim colors.

As the latest of the Harley-Davidson Dark Custom motorcycles, the Iron 883 is stripped down and ripe for custom creativity alongside the Nightster, Night Train, Cross Bones, Fat Bob and Street Bob motorcycles.

Sources: www.motorcycle.com

Terminator Salvation Features Futuristic Killer Bikes

Cool and scare factor high on bike props in new Terminator film


Wired magazine’s interview with McG (really, that’s his name), director of the upcoming “Terminator Salvation,” provides insight and cool images from the latest installment of the “Terminator” franchise.

The magazine’s blog article features a number of sneak peeks of props and scenes from the movie. The interview also reveals how the director hopes to bring back respect for the series following “Arnold Schwarzenegger’s much-maligned 2003 swan song, ‘Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.’”

Of particular interest to me are the “remote-controlled motorcycles dispatched by Skynet to destroy the humans.” These things look like Alien mated with a streetfighter.

Sources: www.motorcycle.com

Valentino Rossi In Jakarta 9th February 2009

Rossi Admits Archrival Stoner Is Biggest Threat

No matter how hard he tries or where he goes, Valentino Rossi cannot seem to shake Casey Stoner.

Speaking at a press conference at Jakarta’s Mulia Hotel, the 27-year-old Rossi said Stoner was still his chief challenger.

“The results show that my biggest rival this season will still be Stoner,” Rossi said, referring to finishing second to the Ducati Marlboro rider three times during official testing at the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia from Feb. 5-7.

The 2008 MotoGP world champion was addressing the media before departing for Istora Gelora Bung Karno, where he was to meet 3,000 fans from across the country.

Rossi and Stoner each suffered off-season injuries, though in much different circumstances. Rossi suffered his injury in a domestic accident earlier this month, slipping while closing curtains and falling into a glass table. He received stitches on his left ring finger and the sole of his left foot.

Stoner, on the other hand, injured his left shoulder while testing at the Jerez Circuit in Spain in November.

“It was a strange situation. Both Stoner and I got injured, but we were still able to lead in testing,” Rossi said, showing the crowd his bandaged finger.

Rossi will ride his new Yamaha YZR-M1 this year and said he still needed time to adapt to the bike.

“We have to improve the bike. The type of tire is very different, and we need to set up the acceleration. We will see if our team is competitive,” he said.

Indonesian rider Doni Tata Pradita was also in attendance at the press conference, and said Rossi’s visit to Indonesia meant a lot to him.

“His visit will be my motivation to do my best and achieve more. His discipline is a good example for me to follow, so I may be like him one day,” he said.

Doni competed in the MotoGP 250cc class in 2008, gaining one point after finishing 15th in the China GP. He will spend 2009 competing in the Superbike World Championship, however, after Yamaha decided to withdraw from the 250cc class, citing poor results and a lack of product development.

Doni said he had been adapting to his new bike for two weeks in Geneva, Switzerland, home base of the Yamaha Indonesia Team, and believed he could complete the 14 series of Superbike with it.

The 2009 MotoGP season starts at the Losail Circuit in Qatar on April 12.

Photo: 2008 MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi of Italy at an event in Jakarta on Monday. (Jurnasyanto Sukarno, JG)

Sources: www.thejakartaglobe.com

Saturday, February 7, 2009

MotoGP: 2009 Sepang Test Day 3 Results

Sepang test concludes with Stoner on top

As the first MotoGP test of 2009 concluded it was Ducati’s Casey Stoner who sat proudly at the top of the Sepang timesheets.

Ducati Marlboro’s Casey Stoner set the pace on the third and final test day in Malaysia on Saturday, registering a hot lap of 2’01.043 on the last of his 38 turns of the Sepang circuit to keep him ahead of the pack.

Having complained of continued pain in the wrist which hindered him in the second half of the 2008 season - the Australian is still recovering from the corrective surgery he underwent in November - Stoner kept his workload to a minimum but was still quick enough to end the day on top, by a 0.094s margin from rival Valentino Rossi.

Stoner commented, “Today wasn’t bad! The more I ride the GP9 the more we understand how to improve the set-up of the new chassis and today we made a big step forward with improving grip and feel with the new bike. Considering that I have recently had an operation and my wrist has still not full recovered, to be the fastest rider here is a dream to be honest. Now I have to work hard on improving my physical condition and recovering the level of movement I need to ride the bike properly without pain.”

”Now I know that I can step up training on my arm and hopefully the situation will have improved for the Qatar test. The fact we’ve gone to a single tyre rule doesn’t seem to have an adverse effect on the performance of the Bridgestones - they’re doing a great job, as usual.”

Fiat Yamaha star Rossi and his compatriot Loris Capirossi of Rizla Suzuki were both on the pace again, having also featured in the top three on Thursday and Friday. Capirossi went round 0.219s behind former team-mate Stoner, continuing with an encouraging rhythm onboard the significantly updated 2009 GSV-R.

Also in good form over the three days in Sepang, Tech 3 Yamaha’s Colin Edwards was the fastest rider on satellite machinery, lapping fourth quickest on the new Yamaha M1 which he debuted on Thursday. Toni Elias’ best effort, meanwhile, was just half a second off Stoner’s pace and his performance on his factory spec San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V ensured there was top five representation on the timesheet from all four manufacturers present at Sepang.

Suzuki’s Chris Vermeulen and MotoGP sophomores Jorge Lorenzo (Fiat Yamaha) and Andrea Dovzioso (Repsol Honda) also featured in the top eight. Dovizioso demonstrated a good pace but opted against a full race simulation as he resolved setting problems and further acquainted himself with his new Bridgestones, whilst Lorenzo enjoyed a successful race simulation and overcame some braking issues which had hindered him in the previous 48 hours as he too familiarised himself with new Japanese rubber.

The top ten was completed by an improved Mika Kallio, who overcame hitherto restrictive handling issues and fellow Ducati rider Nicky Hayden, the only crasher of the day on a troublesome piece of asphalt at turn two which had caught out other riders on the previous two days.

The results from the concluding day at Sepang.

Session 3 Results - 07/02/09

PosRiderTeamFastest lapPrev. GapLead. GapLaps
1Casey STONERDucati MarlboroTeam2:01.043--38
2Valentino ROSSIFiat Yamaha2:01.137+0.094+0.09443
3Loris CAPIROSSITeam Suzuki2:01.262+0.125+0.21960
4Colin EDWARDSTech3 Yamaha2:01.413+0.151+0.37022
5Toni ELIASSan Carlo Honda Gresini2:01.560+0.147+0.51743
6Chris VERMEULENTeam Suzuki2:01.666+0.106+0.62348
7Jorge LORENZOFiat Yamaha2:01.907+0.241+0.86461
8Andrea DOVIZIOSORepsol Honda2:01.955+0.048+0.91254
9Mika KALLIOPramac Racing2:02.386+0.431+1.34361
10Nicky HAYDENDucati Marlboro Team2:02.497+0.111+1.45462
11Alex DE ANGELISSan Carlo Honda Gresini2:02.523+0.026+1.48032
12Sete GIBERNAUGuinea Ecuatorial 2:02.727+0.204+1.68442
13Randy DE PUNIETLCR Honda2:03.418+0.691+2.37550
14Yuki TAKAHASHIScot Racing Team 2:03.474+0.056+2.43158
15Niccolo CANEPAPramac Racing2:03.901+0.427+2.85841
16James TOSELANDTech3 Yamaha2:03.953+0.052+2.91036
17Yamaha TestYamaha Factory2:04.328+0.375+3.28538
18Yamaha TestYamaha Factory2:04.614+0.286+3.57133



Sources: www.motogp.com





























Friday, February 6, 2009

MotoGP: 2009 Sepang Test Day 2 Results




Second day in Sepang sees Stoner on top

Australian makes the most of limited laps with time faster than 2008 pole position.

The second day of 2009 preseason testing saw times dropping and the MotoGP riders getting further acquainted with the latest prototypes of their 800cc machines. Ducati’s Casey Stoner was the fastest rider on track over the course of the Friday run, despite putting in the least laps of the regular premier class field.

Having lamented a lack of fitness on his day back from scaphoid surgery, Stoner balanced conserving energy with the need to further push the limits of his Desmosedici GP9 with aplomb, taking just 22 laps to drop the fastest time from day one. The Australian performed a further seven laps after his scorching 2’01.483, nearly a tenth of a second quicker than Dani Pedrosa’s 2008 pole position time.

Hot on Stoner’s heels, Loris Capirossi continued to show that there has been no rest in the Suzuki camp over the long winter break –and that the redesigned GSV-R looks a strong prospect for the coming season. He was just 0.072 down on Stoner’s time as the second quickest rider on Friday.

More comfortable than expected in the seat of the Yamaha M1, despite stitches and swelling affecting his hand and foot, MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi upped his lap total and reduced his fastest time by seven tenths of a second. Pedrosa made sure that a representative from each of the four MotoGP manufacturers at the test had a presence in the top four, the Repsol Honda man the final rider to breach the 2’02 mark.

Typically high temperatures and a dry track made conditions helpful for the riders, who were free to pace their time on the asphalt unabated by the weather. All 17 of the regular riders had begun their testing work for the day by 1pm, with the most laps -65 over the course of the day- coming from Scot Racing rookie Yuki Takahashi.

Going round within a second of Stoner’s time were the remainder of Friday’s top eight, consisting of Chris Vermeulen on the second Suzuki, Honda rider Toni Elias, Tech 3 Yamaha’s Colin Edwards and Repsol Honda new boy Andrea Dovizioso.

Testing in Sepang concludes on Saturday.

MotoGP Official Test at Sepang, Malaysia

Session 2 - 06/02/09

PosRiderTeamFastest lapPrev. GapLead. GapLaps
1Casey STONERAUS2:01.483- -29
2Loris CAPIROSSIITA2:01.555+0.072 +0.07245
3Valentino ROSSIITA2:01.626+0.071 +0.14340
4Dani PEDROSASPA2:01.860+0.234 +0.37751
5Chris VERMEULENAUS 2:02.086+0.226 +0.60352
6Toni ELIASSPA2:02.232+0.146 +0.74951
7Colin EDWARDSUSA2:02.241+0.009 +0.75837
8Andrea DOVIZIOSOITA2:02.434+0.193 +0.95144
9Nicky HAYDENUSA2:03.034+0.600 +1.55158
10Jorge LORENZOSPA2:03.056+0.022 +1.57351
11Sete GIBERNAUSPA2:03.308+0.252 +1.82540
12Alex DE ANGELISRSM2:03.518+0.210 +2.03540
13Mika KALLIOFIN2:03.774+0.256 +2.29155
14Niccolo CANEPAITA2:04.021+0.247 +2.53845
15Yamaha TestJPN2:04.312+0.291 +2.82936
16Yuki TAKAHASHIJPN2:04.332+0.020 +2.84965
17Randy DE PUNIETFRA2:04.507+0.175 +3.02448
18Yamaha TestJPN2:04.536+0.029 +3.05350
19James TOSELANDGBR2:04.597+0.061 +3.11436





Sources:www.motogp.com










































MotoGP: 2009 Sepang Test Day 1 Results


Good showing for Suzuki in first test of 2009

Loris Capirossi set the fastest time on the first day of the official MotoGP test session in Sepang, Malaysia, Feb. 5.

Riding an updated GSV-R800, the Rizla Suzuki rider set the top time of 2:01.869 on the last of his 37 laps on the Sepang International Circuit. Capirossi’s teammate, Chris Vermeulen set the fourth fastest time which bodes well for the 2009 GSV-R which features a new engine, chassis and carbon fiber frame.

Casey Stoner recorded the second fastest time, 0.169 seconds behind Capirossi. The test was the Ducati Marlboro rider’s first time on the Desmosedici GP9 since undergoing surgery on his wrist Oct. 30, 2008. Despite the positive results, Stoner says his wrist is still not fully healed.

“My wrist is still in a lot of pain and I honestly hoped it would be in better shape than this after three months since the operation,” says Stoner. “Even though the lap times were good from the start the wrist was still giving me a lot of problems – it is weak and painful under braking, especially in the first left-hand turn. I can’t do more than four or five laps at a time and there’s nothing I can do about that at the moment, other than hope that it improves over time”


Reigning MotoGP Champion Valentino Rossi recorded the third fastest time despite suffering from some injuries of his own. Rossi received stitches to his left hand and foot after falling on a glass table at his home. The Fiat Yamaha rider also had a low-speed crash early in the test and ended the day early after 31 laps, the fewest among all participants.

“I stopped quite early this afternoon because I wanted to keep myself in good shape for tomorrow and the day after,” says Rossi. “After some laps my finger was hurting and it was also beginning to swell up. Tomorrow we will try something new with the electronics and we will also have to change the engine, because the one I used today was the same one that we used at the Jerez test and its mileage is now over.”

Toni Elias completed the top five riding his San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V. Elias’ top time was 0.202 seconds faster than the factory Repsol Honda bike piloted by Andrea Dovizioso.

Colin Edwards recorded the seventh fastest time for Tech 3 Yamaha while fellow American Nicky Hayden was 11th for Ducati Marlboro.

“The bike feels good on the brakes and it is stable and precise in the fast corners,” says Hayden. “I’m struggling a bit on corner exit though because it still tends to pump quite a lot and I’m not used to that yet. We’re working to reduce it and we’ve got a couple of ideas that we’ll check out over the next two days.”

The riders will return to the track for two more days of testing Feb. 6-7 in Sepang.

2009 MotoGP Sepang test day one results
Pos. Rider Team Time
1st Loris Capirossi Rizla Suzuki 2:01.869
2nd Casey Stoner Ducati Marlboro 2:02.038
3rd Valentino Rossi Fiat Yamaha 2:02.324
4th Chris Vermeulen Rizla Suzuki 2:02.803
5th Toni Elias San Carlo Gresini Honda 2:02.886
6th Andrea Dovizioso Repsol Honda 2:03.088
7th Colin Edwards Tech 3 Yamaha 2:03.254
8th Dani Pedrosa Repsol Honda 2:03.312
9th Sete Gibernau ONDE 2000 Ducati 2:03.750
10th Jorge Lorenzo Fiat Yamaha 2:03.894
11th Nicky Hayden Ducati Marlboro 2:04.002
12th Alex De Angelis San Carlo Gresini Honda 2:04.396
13th Mika Kallio Pramac Ducati 2:04.405
14th James Toseland Tech 3 Yamaha 2:04.502
15th Randy De Puniet LCR Honda 2:04.882
16th Toshihiko Fujiwara (test rider) Yamaha Factory Racing 2:05.024
17th Yuki Takahashi Scot Racing Honda 2:05.098
18th Wataru Yoshikawa (test rider) Yamaha Factory Racing 2:05.140
19th Niccolo Canepa Pramac Ducati 2:05.270

Sources: www.motorcycle.com

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Sepang Awaits For MotoGP In 2009 Test Opener

Malaysian track hosts opening 800cc test of 2009 from February 5th

MotoGP Group in action in Spang

Over two months since their last runout on track, the MotoGP premier class riders return to action from February 5th. The Malaysian circuit of Sepang will host three days of 2009 season-opening testing, featuring new bikes, new paintwork and all the star riders set to thrill over the coming months.

Fastest at the final test of 2008 and winner of last year´s race at Sepang, reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi returns from an off-season of training, relaxation and rallying appearances to resume his work with the Yamaha M1. Rossi is joined for a second year in the Fiat Yamaha team by Jorge Lorenzo and, whilst the Italian has declined the opportunity to change his racing number, his Spanish counterpart will be switching his from 48 to 99 as of this test.

Tech 3 Yamaha will also be running the 2009 M1, doing so for the first time after tests with the 2008 version at Jerez.

Present at Jerez in November only to give advice to new colleague Nicky Hayden, Ducati Marlboro´s Casey Stoner will have his first taste of 800cc action since undergoing wrist surgery. The Australian is uncertain as to whether he will be at 100% fitness for the visit to Malaysia, but appears confident in the direction taken with the Ducati Desmosedici GP9.

Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso will be running the latest prototype of the RC212V at the test for Repsol Honda, whilst the factory-spec version of the bike will be used for the first time by San Carlo Honda Gresini´s Toni Elias. The remaining factory participation comes from Suzuki´s Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen, who this week have both praised the work undertaken on the 2009 GSV-R over the winter break.

Satellite riders from Honda and Ducati, as well as possible appearances by test riders, completes the lineup for the February 5th-7th test.

Footage and interviews from the Sepang test, as well as regular reports from the track, will be available on motogp.com.

Sources: www.motogp.com

2005 - 2006 GSX-R1000 & 2006 - 2009 FJR1300 Recall Notices

Suzuki is performing a voluntary safety check on the GSX-R1000 and Yamaha is recalling its FJR1300.

American Suzuki is conducting a safety improvement campaign on 2005-2006 GSX-R1000 sportbikes. The safety campaign addresses a problem with cracking or breakage of the frame behind and below the steering neck.

In documents submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Kenneth Bush, associate director of government relations for American Suzuki, says reported incidents of damaged frames on 2005-2006 GSX-R1000 motorcycles are likely the result of hazardous riding maneuvers such as extreme or extended wheelies and other stunts. Bush says repeated landings from such stunts may cause stress on the frame.

Because the frame damage is believed to be caused by driving activities considered “reckless” and, if performed on public roads, illegal, the risk of damage to the frame is not considered to be a defect. Suzuki is not required to issue a recall notice under the safety act but the manufacturer has decided to respond to the issue as if it were a full safety recall.

Suzuki dealers will examine this portion of the 2005-2006 GSX-R1000's frame for signs of damage.

Suzuki dealers will examine this portion of the 2005-2006 GSX-R1000's frame for signs of damage.

Yamaha has discovered a potential problem with the ignition switching on its FJR1300.

Yamaha has discovered a potential problem with the ignition switching on its FJR1300.

Owners of the 26,082 motorcycles covered under the safety campaign are asked to visit a Suzuki dealer for an inspection. Dealers will examine the affected area for cracks. If no damage is found, dealers will install a reinforcement brace to the frame using bolts and epoxy adhesive. The brace is composed of aluminum and is said to weigh less than two pounds and will fit underneath the top spar of the frame behind and below the steering neck. Should dealers find cracks in the frame they will provide a replacement with the reinforcement brace installed. Both the brace and the replacement frame will be installed at no charge to the owner and will be covered under a five-year warranty beginning from the date of installation.

Yamaha is issuing a recall on 2006-2009 FJR1300 Supersport Touring motorcycles. The internal ignition switch wiring on these bikes may become disconnected, stopping electrical current flow and potentially causing the engine to stall.

Dealers will replace the ignition switch on affected motorcycles at no charge. An estimated 9,300 motorcycles are included in the recall.





Sources: www.motorcycle.com