Moto blog
Suzuka Eight Hour capers
Mon, 05 Sep 2011Chatting to TT legend John McGuiness recently about his first Suzuka Eight Hour experience got me thinking of a few capers the boys and me managed a few years back at what is still Japan's most important race of the season. It is a unique event that starts at 11am and finishes at 7pm making it a pukka endurance race as the last hour is run with headlights on in the dark. It is essentially an eight hour sprint that showcases the trickest endurance machinery and manufacturer’s sales can be affected the following year depending on who wins or loses.
Can you identify this mystery Honda?
Mon, 05 Sep 2011Calling all motorcycle geeks. Can you identify this bike? It's from a Honda patent dating back to around 1992 and coinciding with both the original Fireblade design and the RC45 designs being patented.
Win tickets for Donington Park BSB
Thu, 01 Sep 2011The Showdown for the MCE British Superbike Championship kicks off next weekend at Donington Park (9-11 September) as the circuit hosts the start of the three round fight for the title between the top six riders. We've teamed up with Donington Park to offer ten pairs of weekend tickets (worth £30 each). To be in with a chance of winning head to Facebook.com/Visordown and answer the question.
Capirossi Announces Retirement at Conclusion of 2011 Season
Thu, 01 Sep 2011Loris Capirossi announced he will retire at the end of the 2011 MotoGP season, closing off a quarter century of racing including 22 years at the Grand Prix level and three World Championships. “It’s an important moment in my career, and the decision I made has come about after a lot of reflection,” says Capriossi. “I’m happy that after 25 years, of which 22 were in the world championship, I’m at a point where I can still have a smile on my lips as I part ways, even if it’s difficult to think that I won’t be riding a bike next year.” The announcement was made during a press conference at Misano for the upcoming San Marino Grand Prix, the final Italian stop of the 2011 season.
MSF Begins Year-long Real World Motorcycle Safety Study
Fri, 26 Aug 2011The Motorcycle Safety Foundation has started what it calls the first-ever naturalistic study of motorcycling, with 100 motorcycles equipped with data logging equipment to record real-world riding situations over the course of a year. The information will valuable data that will help shape the MSF’s rider education and rider training program and other safety initiatives. “Our priority with this research is to observe the participants on a day-to-day basis,” says Dr.
X-ray: Marquez's Suter Moto2
Mon, 22 Aug 2011Learning in the quickest and most painful manner with some huge crashes, Marc Marquez has grown into a championship contender in his first year in Moto2. A debut win in Le Mans saw the rookie go on to win four races in a row and become a glaring orange nuisance in the championship peripherals of Stefan Bradl. As success has gone Marquez's way there have been complaints from riders of the same chassis that this is down to Suter giving the Spaniard preferential treatment.
Schwantz School, the ultimate track experience?
Mon, 22 Aug 2011If having one-to-one instruction from an ex-MotoGP World Champion is your dream, then why not put the Schwantz School on your Christmas list for 2012. Ok, it’s in America and slightly more expensive than your average track day ($2750 for two days at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway) but many satisfied customers will argue this is the best rider training experience in the world. Your hard earned Dollar will see you alternate between the classroom and track from 8am until 4pm, then Kevin will take you on a track tour where he explains riding techniques and answers questions (he even drives the bus).
14-Year-Old Canadian Stacey Nesbitt First Woman to Win a National Road Racing Title
Mon, 22 Aug 2011Quebec teenager Stacey Nesbitt has won the Canadian Superbike Championship’s 2011 Honda CBR125R Challenge title. We’re still checking, but organizers are already calling Nesbitt the first woman to win a national road racing championship (excluding women-only categories). The 14-year-old from St-Lazare, Quebec, swept both Honda CBR125R Challenge races in the season finale at Mosport International Raceway in Bowmanville, Ontario, to win the title with 421 points, 52 points ahead of runner-up Austin Shaw-O’Leary.
Did you get your bike serviced at George White Slough?
Thu, 18 Aug 2011Unfortunately, The George White branch at Slough has closed which means the sales, clothing and servicing departments are all gone. I got to know a few of the guys there as they're local to me and helped put my 848 Challenge bike together. If you used to get your bike serviced there, you might wonder where you can now go to get it done.
2012 Honda CBR1000RR Leaked
Thu, 18 Aug 2011Pictures of the 2012 Honda CBR1000RR have leaked from a distributor in Hong Kong, revealing some updates including a Showa Big Piston Fork, updated display and styling facelifts. The photos show the new Honda Fireblade (as it’s known in other markets) in HRC tri-color trim which, judging from color options offered on other recent Honda models, won’t be available in the U.S. 2012 also marks the 20th year of the RR so an special anniversary paint scheme might be offered.