Moto blog
2013 AMA Supercross Houston Race Report
Mon, 08 Apr 2013Ryan Villopoto captured his fifth-consecutive AMA Supercross win and sixth in seven rounds with a victory in the main event at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider passed holeshot-taker Mike Alessi on the opening lap and led the rest of the way for the win. Alessi, riding the Motoconcepts Racing Suzuki RM-Z450, remained in the hunt for the first few laps but soon gave way to a group including Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Trey Canard, Red Bull KTM‘s Ryan Dungey and Yoshimura Suzuki’s James Stewart.
KTM E-Speed Electric Scooter Concept Revealed in Tokyo
Fri, 22 Mar 2013KTM unveiled a new electric scooter concept at the 2013 Tokyo Motorcycle Show called the E-Speed. The E-Speed is the second electric model from KTM, following the Freeride E dirtbike. The E-Speed actually shares the same electric battery and motor technology as the Freeride E, but repurposed for urban mobility.
2013 KTM Freeride 350 Gets CARB and EPA Approval
Wed, 20 Mar 2013The KTM Freeride 350 has cleared emission certification testing in the U.S. including the state of California, getting approval from both the Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board. A leaked powerpoint slide from KTM’s North American dealer meeting in 2011, listed the Freeride 350 for 2013 and they may still happen.
2013 AMA Supercross Indianapolis Race Report
Mon, 18 Mar 2013Ryan Villopoto continues to be in championship form, taking his third consecutive victory and sixth of the season with a win at Lucas Oil Stadium for the Indianapolis round of the 2013 AMA Supercross Championship. The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider had a calculated, methodical race to take the win and expand his championship lead to nine points ahead of Davi Millsaps. Millsaps took the holeshot in a chaotic start to the main event that saw several riders go down at the opening corner.
KTM Announces 2013 Factory Team, Bids Farewell to Cyril Despres
Tue, 12 Mar 2013(ED: Updated with a message from Cyril Despres.) KTM introduced its 2013 Rally Racing team while bidding farewell to five-time Dakar Rally winner Cyril Despres. Despres won all five of his Dakar victories with KTM, winning in 2005, 2007, 2010, 2012 and 2013. He leaves the team to pursue a new challenge, with Honda rumored to be seeking his services for its newly-revived rally racing program.
2013 AMA Supercross Daytona Race Report
Mon, 11 Mar 2013Ryan Villopoto won his fifth main event race of the year at Daytona to take over the lead in the 2013 AMA Supercross championship standings. The win is the third at Daytona in the Monster Energy Kawasaki racer’s career, matching the totals set by Bob Hannah, Mike Kiedrowski, Jeremy McGrath and Chad Reed. Only Ricky Carmichael, who designed the sand-based Daytona track, holds more Supercross wins at Daytona with five victories.
Movie: The John Penton Story
Wed, 06 Mar 2013John Penton was one of the most influential figures in the development of off-road motorcycle racing in America during the 1960s and ’70s. His life’s story is triumphant and tragic. When his attempts to convince Husqvarna to produce a smaller, lighter motorcycle fell on deaf ears, Penton created his own design and commissioned KTM, a small moped and bicycle maker in Austria, to build it. The motorcycle was an instant success in off-road competition and led KTM to expand its efforts in the motorcycle realm, initially in conjunction with Penton and ultimately on its own.
KTM X-Bow GT Unveiled at 2013 Geneva Motor Show
Tue, 05 Mar 2013KTM is best known for its off-road motorcycles, but how can we forget the exotic X-Bow sports car? The Austrian manufacturer has now introduced a new version of the X-Bow at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. The KTM X-Bow GT adds a number of new features that make it a bit more street-worthy.
2013 AMA Supercross St. Louis Race Report
Mon, 04 Mar 2013Ryan Villopoto captured his series-leading fourth win of the season in a red-flagged main event before a record crowd of 60,178 at St. Louis’ Edwards Jones Dome, as the 2013 AMA Supercross season reaches its midway point. The race started with MotoConcepts Suzuki rider Mike Alessi taking the holeshot with Muscle Milk Honda‘s Justin Barcia and Yoshimura Suzuki‘s James Stewart on his tail.
India Raises Import Duty on Motorcycles to 75%
Thu, 28 Feb 2013The government of India has laid out its budget for 2013-2014, increasing the import duty for large motorcycles. The news will impact several major manufacturers hoping to gain a stake in the world’s second largest motorcycle market. India has become the hotspot for manufacturers but one of the biggest obstacles they face is the duty India levies on luxury goods.