Suzuki Boulevard Motorcycles, page #43

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Moto blog

Moto3. Recession racers?

I've sat through enough manufacturer' presentations recently to know that we're in trouble. Ignoring the still booming Asian markets, the rest of the motorcycle World is in free-fall. Even looking at the figures optimistically we're still only selling half the volumes we were in pre-crash 2006.

Oh yes. You can win this Rizla Suzuki beanie

I dug this beanie out of the Visordown storage room and it could be yours. It is a one-owner model first registered in 2007, only a few miles on the clock but could do with a service (wash). It'll go the one lucky randomly selected person who reviews their GSX-R in our Motorcycle Reviews section.

GSX-R600 long-termer update

When MF asks me if I fancy riding the Visordown test GSX-R 600 for a bit, I hesitate for about a millisecond before accepting. Why? ‘Cos my own courier’s favourite Diversion 900 may be heavy and utterly unexciting, but it is also a comfortable and trusty commuter ride that suits the Smoke very nicely, thanks.

Stafford Bric-a-Brac. Misery and Sadness in excess

Just got back from the Stafford show. It was packed. Largely with groups of silver-haired men.

GSX-R600 and CBR250R the glass is half full

Suzuki’s GSX-R600 might not look that much different to the outgoing model but I suspect this bike could be very much a dark horse in 2011. I say this because two years ago I was definitely not building my hopes up en route to the K9 GSXR 1000 launch. The leaked pictures suggested the biggest change from the 2007 version would be some fresh graphics but I was so wrong.  As it turned out, I was greeted in Almeria with a brand new bike, built from the tarmac up and it proved to be more than a match in every department for the much hyped 2009 Yamaha R1.

Racing vows renewed at Motegi

Over the weekend, an aged Japanese racer reacquainted himself with one of his early loves. Celebrating 50 years of Suzuki racing, Mitsuo Ito took his former flame, the RM63, for a trip down memory lane and a lap around the Motegi circuit. The miniscule 50cc race bike was born from the legend of MZ employee Ernst Degner's defection from East Germany to Japan during the early days of the Cold War.

Niall Mackenzie Blog number 4

My favourite ever BSB brolly dolly has to be Keith Flint. He joined me on the grid back in 1997 at Brands Hatch before I nailed down my second championship with two race wins. A nicer bloke you couldn't ever wish to meet so it’s good to see him out and about regularly on his Crescent Suzuki prepared GSXR 1000.

Leon Haslam replica Arai RX-7 GP

This just in from Arai: "Locked in battle for the World Superbike championship, and putting pressure on current leader Max Biaggi, Alstare Suzuki rider Leon Haslam has a lot going on as the season rolls into autumn. He also has a brand new Arai RX-7 GP replica to show off, which has just arrived into stock at Arai’s UK importer Phoenix Distribution. Leon’s suitably chuffed with his new paintwork: “I’m really pleased with this evolution of my helmet design.

Get down on your knees and play

This remarkable shot of Eddie Lawson is taken by Rich Chenet. It was August 1980 and Lawson was undergoing a titanic scrap for the AMA title with Wes Cooley and Freddie Spencer here at Pocono Raceway in Philladelphia. The circuit is known as the 'Tricky Triangle' amongst the NASCAR drivers but the superbikes used a mix of infield and sections of the banked circuit.

Niall Mackenzie blog No.2

It was good to catch up with my old mate Daryl Beattie last weekend in Misano. Daryl was pushing Mick Doohan hard for the 500cc World Championship in 1995 until he high sided and broke his collar bone in Assen mid way through the year. He eventually finished runner up in the series but then some fairly big tumbles from his Lucky Strike Suzuki in 1996 brought his career to a premature end.