Two Wheels

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WSBK »
WSBK Laguna Seca: Ducati's Davies sets Laguna Seca practice pace
17 July 2015

Chaz Davies leads the way for Ducati on the first day of World Superbike action at Laguna Seca, ahead of Tom Sykes and Davide Giugliano.

• 
  
  WSBK Laguna Seca: Ducati's Davies sets Laguna Seca practice pace
  
  CLICK HERE for full WSBK FP2 results
  
  Chaz Davies has topped the timesheets on the first day of World Superbike Championship action at Laguna Seca as Ducati and Kawasaki set the pace in the United States.
  
  Having been deposed late on in FP1 by the improving Kawasakis of Tom Sykes and Jonathan Rea, Davies turned the tables in FP2 by striking to the front with three minutes remaining, his lap of 1min 23.633secs around the Californian track putting him more than a tenth clear.
  
  Setting his fastest time early in the session, Sykes settled into second position, ahead of Davies' team-mate Davide Giugliano – who suffered a fall at turn two in the final minutes -, while dominant championship leader Rea ended the session fourth.
  
  In only his second weekend back with the Althea Ducati team, Niccolo Canepa completed the first day inside the top five, ahead of Red Devils Aprilia duo Leon Haslam and Jordi Torres, while Randy de Puniet enjoyed arguably his strongest start to a race weekend in 2015 with eighth best, in front of Suzuki team-mate Alex Lowes.
  
  A tough day for the PATA Honda duo, Sylvain Guintoli slipped to tenth in FP2, while Michael van der Mark faces a task to reach Superpole 2 automatically down in 14th place as he learns his way around the iconic American circuit for the first time.
  
  As well as Giugliano, Leandro Mercado and Ayrton Badovini also suffered tumbles during the session, leaving them 17th and 12th respectively.

WSBK »
WSBK Laguna Seca - Free practice results (2)
17 July 2015

Full free practice results (2) from the ninth round of the 2015 World Superbike Championship at Laguna Seca, United States

• 
  
  WSBK Laguna Seca - Free practice results (2)
  
  Full free practice results (2) from the ninth round of the 2015 World Superbike Championship at Laguna Seca, United States
  
  1. Chaz Davies GBR Aruba.it Racing Ducati 1199R 1m 23.633s
  2. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 1m 23.789s
  3. Davide Giugliano ITA Aruba.it Racing Ducati 1199R 1m 23.858s
  4. Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 1m 24.021s
  5. Niccolò Canepa ITA Althea Ducati 1199R 1m 24.143s
  6. Leon Haslam GBR Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 1m 24.240s
  7. Jordi Torres ESP Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 1m 24.384s
  8. Randy de Puniet FRA Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 1m 24.598s
  9. Alex Lowes GBR Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 1m 24.628s
  10. Sylvain Guintoli FRA PATA Honda CBR1000RR 1m 24.742s
  11. David Salom ESP Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 24.820s
  12. Ayrton Badovini ITA BMW Italia S1000RR 1m 24.824s
  13. Leon Camier GBR MV Agusta F4 RR 1m 25.496s
  14. Michael van der Mark NED PATA Honda CBR1000RR 1m 25.636s
  15. Matteo Baiocco ITA Althea Ducati 1199R 1m 25.810s
  16. Roman Ramos ESP GO Eleven Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 26.393s
  17. Leandro Mercado ARG Barni Ducati 1199R 1m 26.534s
  18. Gabor Rizmayer HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR 1m 26.879s
  19. Christophe Ponsson FRA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 27.117s
  20. Santiago Barragan ESP Grillini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 27.579s
  21. Gianluca Vizziello ITA Grillini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 28.164s
  22. Imre Toth HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR 1m 28.532s-

 

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[wino]

Victory’s Isle of Man TT Racer Stolen! Electric bike raced by Lee Johnston at the Isle of Man has been stolen from the Brammo Company headquarters in Oregon.
July 17, 2015 By Cycle World


From Victory: Victory Motorcycles and Brammo Engineering wish to alert traditional and social media outlets that the historic Isle of Man TT racer piloted by Lee Johnston has been stolen overnight from Brammo Headquarters in Talent, Oregon. The specific time of night has yet to be determined and police are reviewing security footage for further information.

The motorcycle was on display with its complete race bodywork, as shown in the attached image. Johnston’s Racer #3 was on this particular machine. However the body may have been removed or over-painted to mask its origin.

The Frame VIN is stamped #004 and there is a $1000 reward for information leading to the recovery of this historically significant motorcycle. Individuals with information or who feel they may have seen this motorcycle should contact:

INVESTIGATING OFFICER: BILL MAY, CASE# 15-2149, at the Talent. Oregon, Police Department at 541-535-1253

The teams from Victory and Brammo are gutted that thieves made off with this important piece of motorcycling history, and appreciate the diligence and assistance of motorcycle enthusiasts across the country. We request in particular that those in the Pacific Northwest be on the lookout. We will update both the Brammo Facebook and Victory Motorcycles Facebook pages as new information becomes available.

 

[wino]

Did not expect this ! the Ducs must be hooking up really well at Laguna. Good luck to Davies he's had a good year and deserves to win one.

WSBK »
WSBK Laguna Seca: Davies delivers with maiden WSBK pole
18 July 2015

It has taken 45 attempts, but Chaz Davies will start a World Superbike Championship race from pole position for the first time at Laguna Seca.

• 
  
  WSBK Laguna Seca: Davies delivers with maiden WSBK pole
  
  CLICK HERE for full WSBK Superpole qualifying results
  
  Chaz Davies will start a World Superbike Championship race from pole position for the first time in his career as he led a Ducati 1-2 in qualifying for round nine of the season at Laguna Seca.
  
  An upset of sorts given Kawasaki's Tom Sykes and Jonathan Rea had headed up the timesheets coming into Superpole, the factory Aruba.it Ducati team unleashed its full potential when it mattered as Davies and Davide Giugliano duked it out for the top spot.
  
  However, it was Davies that would prevail with a best lap of 1min 22.101secs, while Giugliano was forced to settle second, just under two tenths behind, after fluffing his first effort on new tyres and being forced to push on the second run instead.
  
  Though a relative veteran of 89 World Superbike races, this is the first time Davies has notched up a WSBK pole position since his debut in 2012. As a measure of his surprisingly meagre qualifying record, Davies was only ever a one-time pole winner in 28 World Supersport starts too.
  
  Davies and Giugliano will be joined on the front row by Red Devils Aprilia rider Jordi Torres, the Spaniard coming on strong in Superpole to put himself at the head of the field and keep the Kawasakis at bay.
  
  Indeed, Kawasaki will be forced to do its work from row two after neither Sykes nor championship leader Rea were able to hook it up over a single lap, the pair starting fourth and fifth respectively, with Leon Haslam completing an all British second row in sixth position.
  
  Niccolo Canepa heads up row three on the privateer Althea Ducati, ahead of Alex Lowes – who may have some choice words for Giugliano for baulking one of his fast laps –, while defending champion Sylvain Guintoli gets away from ninth.
  
  Making it through from SP1, Leon Camier went on to secure a fine tenth place starting spot for MV Agusta, with David Salom and Ayrton Badovini rounding out row four.
  
  Further back, Michael van der Mark's difficult weekend continued on, the Dutchman down in 15th position as he struggles to get to grips with the Californian circuit, while Randy de Puniet, having shown top ten pace in practice, couldn't manage any better than 17th aboard the Voltcom Crescent Suzuki.

WSBK »
WSBK Laguna Seca - Superpole qualifying results (2)
18 July 2015

Full Superpole qualifying results (2) from the ninth round of the 2015 World Superbike Championship at Laguna Seca, United States

• 
  
  WSBK Laguna Seca - Superpole qualifying results (2)
  
  Full Superpole qualifying results (2) from the ninth round of the 2015 World Superbike Championship at Laguna Seca, United States
  
  1. Chaz Davies GBR Aruba.it Racing Ducati 1199R 1m 22.101s
  2. Davide Giugliano ITA Aruba.it Racing Ducati 1199R 1m 22.297s
  3. Jordi Torres ESP Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 1m 22.414s
  4. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 1m 22.526s
  5. Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 1m 22.941s
  6. Leon Haslam GBR Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 1m 22.991s
  7. Niccolò Canepa ITA Althea Ducati 1199R 1m 23.256s
  8. Alex Lowes GBR Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 1m 23.285s
  9. Sylvain Guintoli FRA PATA Honda CBR1000RR 1m 23.406s
  10. Leon Camier GBR MV Agusta F4 RR 1m 23.990s
  11. David Salom ESP Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 23.998s
  12. Ayrton Badovini ITA BMW Italia S1000RR 1m 24.663s
  
  SP1 determines grid positions 13-20
  
  13. Matteo Baiocco ITA Althea Ducati 1199R 1m 24.146s
  14. Leandro Mercado ARG Barni Ducati 1199R 1m 24.166s
  15. Michael van der Mark NED PATA Honda CBR1000RR 1m 25.461s
  16. Roman Ramos ESP GO Eleven Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 24.619s
  17. Randy de Puniet FRA Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 1m 24.771s
  18. Christophe Ponsson FRA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 25.485s
  19. Gabor Rizmayer HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR 1m 26.489s
  20. Santiago Barragan ESP Grillini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 26.968s
  
  Did not progress to Superpole, grid positions determined
  
  21. Gianluca Vizziello ITA Grillini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 27.480s
  22. Imre Toth HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR 1m 28.254s-

 

[wino]

http://www.montereycountyweekly.com...cle_1078990c-2e8a-11e5-9304-63351bb5db43.html

 

[wino]

UPDATE: Two riders dead in chaotic crash at World Superbike races at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Nic Coury

Medical personnel attend to downed riders just after the start of the MotoAmerica Superbike race on Sunday.

Posted: Sunday, July 19, 2015 7:50 pm | Updated: 8:15 am, Mon Jul 20, 2015.

• by Nic Coury
  

Two motorcycle racers died following a massive crash involving multiple riders at Laguna Seca on Sunday evening.

The crash took place just before 5pm, moments after the start of MotoAmerica Superbike/Superstock 1000 race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

It appeared that up to five bikes collided on the first lap, tossing riders into the dirt runoff to the right of the start/finish bridge.

According to a press release from MotoAmerica, 35-year-old Bernat Martinez of Alberic, Valencia, Spain was transported from the raceway by ambulance to Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula where he died from his injuries.

Daniel Rivas Fernandez, 27, of Moana Galicia, Spain, was taken by helicopter to Natividad Medical Center in Salinas where he died.

As medical personnel arrived on scene, one rider tried to sit up on his own, but was screaming in pain. Medics held him down in order to administer help.

A second injured rider tried to walk away from the scene, but began limping and was helped to the ground by medical personnel.

The race was the final one of the day and a support class for the larger World Superbike headlining race.

MotoAmerica was formerly known as the American Motorcycle Association Superbike races, which typically ran before MotoGP races in previous years.

"I really don't have any words to describe what we all feel," said MotoAmerica president Wayne Rainey in a statement. "First and foremost, is the loss to the families and loved ones. Our sincere condolences goes out to each and every one of them as well as the MotoAmerica family. They are in our thoughts and prayers."

"We are deeply saddened to learn the news of the passing of Bernat Martinez and Daniel Rivas," added Gill Campbell, CEO and general manager of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. "Our prayers and hearts go out to their families and teams."

Mark C. Anderson contributed to this report.

 

[Rastis Jones Jr.]

 

[wino]

MotoGP »
Suzuka 8 Hours: Spills but ‘strongest team’ for Espargaro, Smith
24 July 2015

“To have three riders within half a second is great, we are definitely the strongest team at the moment” - Bradley Smith.

• • StumbleUpon
  
  
  Suzuka 8 Hours: Spills but ‘strongest team’ for Espargaro, Smith
  
  MotoGP riders Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith each suffered a fall during the second day of preparations for their debut in the prestigious Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race.
  
  But both escaped injury and, led by experienced team-mate Katsuyuki Nakasuga, the Factory Yamaha squad safely claimed the top 10 place needed for Saturday's Superpole.
  
  While only the best time by each team counted towards Superpole entry, all three Yamaha riders set a high standard in their individual qualifying sessions.
  
  Nakasuga delivered the second best time of the day, 0.221s behind Kawasaki's Kazuki Watanabe. Espargaro was just 0.198s slower than Nakasuga for the fifth fastest combined time and Smith 0.233s further back in sixth.
  
  No other team saw all its riders feature in the top ten Friday lap times.
  
  But the day wasn't without incident for the #21 R1: Smith slipped off in free practice, while Espargaro suffered a big accident in the second of his two qualifying sessions.
  
  "The bike is working very well and the lap times are good. This is the good part; the bad part was that I crashed,” said the Spaniard, who was caught out while trying to pass a slower rider on the approach to the hairpin.
  
  “It's difficult because in MotoGP when someone is slow, the difference is not this big and they usually go off the race line when they see you, while here it's the opposite, but I'm learning.”
  
  Smith said his morning fall acted as a kind of wake-up call for how easily things can go wrong.
  
  “I was playing around with the braking mark and lost the front of the bike. It's good to have made that mistake, because it shows how easy those kinds of things can happen in the race,” he said.
  
  The Englishman, who was pitted against retired double MotoGP champion Casey Stoner for his qualifying sessions, added:
  
  “In the afternoon I wanted to push, and I was happy with my lap time [2m 7.308], which is very close to Nakasuga and Pol's. I didn't want to take too many risks and was still third quickest, which is not bad. I was happy, because these were the first fast laps that I've done here, because before I've just been focusing on race pace.
  
  “To have three riders within half a second is great, we are definitely the strongest team at the moment,” Smith confirmed.
  
  Looking ahead to Saturday, Espargaro said: “I don't know what to expect for tomorrow, because here we ride short laps and tomorrow we have Superpole so we have just one lap, close your eyes and push until the end.
  
  “It's a new experience and I will give my 100%. I'm having so much fun and I'm riding this bike with a smile on my face!"
  
  Nakasuga admitted he had been out to salvage some pride after being outpaced by Espargaro on day one.
  
  "I was able to get a lap time of 2m 6.877 today even though the machine spec we were using was for the race and not for time trials. This really proves how well the machine has progressed,” he began.
  
  “Yesterday, Pol [Espargaro] got the best time overall for the day with 2'07.282, and today I was out to set a top time, so you might say my lap in the 2m 6s range was a show of my pride as a rider. I didn't take risks in order to get that time either; it was a natural result of the way all three of us are inspiring each other.
  
  “Of course, we're all motivated because we're competing this time as Yamaha's Factory team, and having two high-level MotoGP riders as my partners has created a great environment to compete in.
  
  “These factors also bring pressure, but if all three of us do our jobs, I think a good result will follow naturally. We obviously will be going for pole position in the Top 10 Trial and we'll be focused on getting good lap times."
  
  Team manager Wataru Yoshikawa summed up the highs and lows from Friday:
  
  "Today Bradley [Smith] and Pol [Espargaro] each fell once, but the bike was heavily damaged in Pol's crash. Just as Pol had started one of his flying laps he came up on a slower rider at the Degner Curve and fell when trying to avoid him. Fortunately, there were no rider injuries, but now the team has a lot of work to do to repair the machine.
  
  “Still, as the air and track temperatures began to rise during the first qualifying session, Nakasuga was able to record a lap time of 2m 6.877s. Then Pol clocked a 2m 7.075s lap in the second session [just before his fall]. Bradley had to run the second session on the main machine and was extra careful, but still managed to record a time of 2m 7.308s.
  
  “So overall, everything is going well. There are no doubts about the abilities of our three riders, so one thing I want to do is make sure that they remember to keep a good margin of space when they come up on slower riders and to ride without taking unnecessary risks."
  
  Yamaha has put together a full factory entry to try and claim its first Suzuka win since 1996. Stoner has joined reigning champion's Musashi RT Harc-Pro Honda for his first two-wheel race since the 2012 Valencia MotoGP.
  
  Suzuka 8 Hours: Top 10 teams through to Pole Shootout
  1. #87 Team Green Yanagawa/Watanabe/Yudhistira (Group A)
  2. #12 Yoshimura Suzuki Tsuda/Lowes/Waters (Group B)
  3. #21 Yamaha Factory Racing Nakasuga/Espargaro/Smith (Group A)
  4. #778 FCC TSR Honda Hook/Aegerter/Smith (Group B)
  5. #634 Musashi RT Harc-Pro Takahashi/VD Mark/Stoner (Group A)
  6. #71 Sakurai Honda Herfoss/O'Halloran/Uramoto (Group B)
  7. #17 Team Kagayama Kagayama/Haga/Kiyonari (Group A)
  8. #01 Trickstar Deguchi/Izutsu/Nigon (Group B)
  9. #104 Toho with Moriwaki Yamaguchi/Elias/Wilairot (Group A)
  10. #32 MotoMap Supply Konno/Aoki/Ogata (Group B)
  
  Unofficial top 10 riders list:
  Ranking by best lap time set during qualifying
  1. Watanabe Kawasaki 2m 6.656s
  2. Nakasuga Yamaha 2m 6.877s
  3. Tsuda Suzuki 2m 6.958s
  4. Stoner Honda 2m 6.963s
  5. Espargaro Yamaha 2m 7.075s
  6. B. Smith Yamaha 2m 7.308s
  7. Kagayama Suzuki 2m 7.594s
  8. Yamaguchi Honda 2m 7.622s
  9. Lowes Suzuki 2m 7.717s
  10. Aegerter Honda 2m 7.798s
  
  
  
  

MotoGP »
Suzuka 8 Hours: ‘More to come’ - Stoner
24 July 2015

“I'm very happy about the lap time and I can say that there are still more possibilities for improvements” - Casey Stoner.

• • StumbleUpon
  
  
  Suzuka 8 Hours: ‘More to come’ - Stoner
  
  Friday at the Suzuka 8 Hours saw retired double MotoGP champion Casey Stoner take part in his first two-wheel qualifying since Valencia 2012.
  
  With each rider in a team getting their own sessions, the Australia showed few signs of cobwebs as he went straight to the top of his Q1, then claimed second place behind Kawasaki's Kazuki Watanabe in Q2.
  
  Stoner - the star signing for the factory Musashi RT Harc-Pro Honda team, as it seeks to win a third Suzuka 8 Hours in a row - finished the day as one of only four competitors to break the 2m 7s barrier and was the fastest CBR1000RR rider.
  
  The 29-year-old set the fourth best lap time of the day, just in front of current MotoGP stars Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith, who are making their Suzuka debuts with Yamaha.
  
  "Our machine setting is heading toward a good direction so overall it was a very good day for us,” Stoner said.
  
  “We didn't have enough time to actually gasp the machine yesterday, and there were many machines out in the track, so it was quite difficult for me to get the actual feeling of the machine but today turned out to be very profitable for the team and us.
  
  “I'm very happy about the lap time and I can say that there are still more possibilities for improvements. This is all because of the hard work of everyone in the team and I am very thankful for that."
  
  Stoner is sharing a bike with WSBK star Michael van der Mark and HRC test rider Takumi Takahashi, the race winners for the past two years.
  
  "Today was a very stressful day for me,” said the young Dutchman. “We were working on the set up of the machine since yesterday but I still feel that there is more to be done. I also couldn't do enough laps so I myself was not quite satisfied with the result but as for the team, I think we are very strong and Casey is very fast so if we get a little more consistency then we have nothing to worry about. We need to work a little more on the set-up and reach lap time consistency."
  
  The top 10 places on the grid will be decided in Saturday's Superpole session, with Stoner taking part in his first motorcycle race since 2012 on Sunday.
  
  
  
  
  

 

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MotoGP »
Suzuka 8 Hours: Espargaro puts Yamaha on pole
25 July 2015

Stunning lap by MotoGP's Pol Espargaro puts Yamaha Factory Racing on pole position for the Suzuka 8 Hours.

• 
  
  Suzuka 8 Hours: Espargaro puts Yamaha on pole
  
  Yamaha Factory Racing will start the Suzuka 8 Hours from pole position after a stunning Superpole lap from MotoGP's Pol Espargaro.
  
  Despite being unfamiliar with the single lap Superpole format, the Spaniard - the 13th of 20 riders to take his turn on track - blasted to a record time of 2m 6.000s.
  
  That was over one-second faster than his Friday qualifying best and proved too much for the others to match, although team-mate Katsuyuki Nakasuga got to within just 0.059s of Espargaro's effort.
  
  But since only the best lap time from each team determines grid position, the #21 machine took pole by 0.287s over Kawasaki's Kazuki Watanabe, who had been fastest heading into Superpole.
  
  “It was amazing. I'm still shaking! It was a team effort. Everyone has been an amazing but the big thing is tomorrow,” said Espargaro.
  
  Retired double MotoGP champion Casey Stoner set the fourth best lap time for the Musashi Harc Pro Honda team (+0.335s), putting them third on the grid.
  
  Two riders from each of the Top 10 teams after Friday qualifying took part in Superpole, which followed the old WSBK format, with each rider going out alone for a single flying lap.
  
  Yamaha Factory Racing fielded Japanese champion Nakasuga and Espargaro, with fellow Tech 3 MotoGP rider Bradley Smith watching his team-mates from the pits.
  
  Musashi Harc RT Pro Honda relied on Stoner and HRC test rider Takumi Takahashi, meaning Michael van der Mark did not participate.
  
  Other familiar names that did take part in Superpole included Moto2's Dominique Aegerter and Ratthapark Wilairot, WSBK's Alex Lowes, BSB's Ryuichi Kiyonari, plus Japanese veterans Yukio Kagayama and Nobuatsu Aoki.
  
  Honda has been beaten just twice in the last 18 years at Suzuka, regarded as Japans most prestigious motorcycle race, while Yamaha's last win was with Colin Edwards and Noriyuki Haga in 1996.
  
  Espargaro, Smith and Stoner will be making their '8 Hours debut in Sunday's race, which starts at 11:30am.
  
  Suzuka 8 Hours: Top 10 grid positions
  1. Espargaro*/Nakasuga/B. Smith Yamaha Factory #21 2m 6.000s
  2. Watanabe*/Yanagawa/Yudhistira Team Green #87 2m 6.287s
  3. Stoner*/Takahashi/VD Mark Musashi Honda #634 2m 6.335s
  4. Tsuda*/Lowes/Waters Yoshimura Suzuki #12 2m 6.516s
  5. Kagayama*/Kiyonari/Haga Team Kagayama #17 2m 7.990s
  6. Aegerter*/K. Smith/Hook FCC TSR Honda #778 2m 8.076s
  7. Yamaguchi*/Wilairot/Elias Toho with Moriwaki #104 2m 8.382s
  8. Nigon*/Deguchi/Izutsu Trickstar Kawasaki #01 2m 8.950s
  9. Uramoto*/O'Halloran/Herfoss Sakuri Honda #71 2m 9.409s
  10. Ogata*/Aoki/Konno Motomap Suzuki #32 2m 11.019s
  *Set the team's fastest lap in Superpole.
  
  Superpole lap time by each rider
  1. Espargaro Yamaha Factory #21 2m 6.000s
  2. Nakasuga Yamaha Factory #21 2m 6.059s
  3. Watanabe Team Green #87 2m 6.287s
  4. Stoner Musashi Honda #634 2m 6.335s
  5. Tsuda Yoshimura Suzuki #12 2m 6.516s
  6. Lowes Yoshimura Suzuki #12 2m 7.144s
  7. Takashashi Musashi Honda #634 2m 7.697s
  8. Kagayama Team Kagayama #17 2m 7.990s
  9. Aegerter FCC TSR Honda #778 2m 8.076s
  10. Yamaguchi Toho with Moriwaki #104 2m 8.382s
  11. Hook FCC TSR Honda #778 2m 8.472s
  12. Kiyonari Team Kagayama #17 2m 8.806s
  13. Nigon Trickstar Kawasaki #01 2m 8.950s
  14. Yanagawa Team Green #87 2m 9.006s
  15. Uramoto Sakuri Honda #71 2m 9.409s
  16. Wilairot Toho with Moriwaki #104 2m 9.877s
  17. O'Halloran Sakuri Honda #71 2m 10.391s
  18. Deguchi Trickstar Kawasaki #01 2m 10.771s
  19. Ogata Motomap Suzuki #32 2m 11.019s
  20. Aoki Motomap Suzuki #32 2m 11.681s

 

[wino]

 

[wino]

Kevin Magee on the Suz on the left at home a long time ago

 

[wino]

Honda files patents for brand new, fuel injected two-stroke engine
By Loz Blain - July 19, 2015 6 Pictures

Honda plans to revive the two-stroke engine, according to patent documents lodged earlier this month

Image Gallery (6 images)
Two-strokes are far simpler machines than four-stroke engines. They’re also lighter, easier to work on, and downright angrier, pumping out a lot more power per cubic centimeter of displacement, which has won them a lot of fans. But they’ve had a reputation for belching out a fair bit of smoke and unburned fuel, a situation that just couldn’t fly alongside tightening emissions regulations around the world, so they’ve fallen out of favour. But now there’s a glimmer of hope. Earlier this month, Honda submitted a patent application for a brand new two stroke motor that uses direct fuel injection for a cleaner burn and better piston cooling. We may yet see a resurrection of the ring-dingers.

• 
• 
• 
• 

Uncovered by eagle-eyed patent hawks at Morebikes, the new patent describes a new two-stroke engine with a fuel injection system mounted on the back of the cylinder, pointing upwards toward the back wall of the cylinder bore. The injector is set to spray the fuel when the piston is near top dead center, so that unburned fuel won’t get swept out with the exhaust gases, and the fuel is aimed such that the cylinder and piston can both be partially cooled as the fuel evaporates against them.


Honda believes this design can help eliminate some of the complexity of other injected two-stroke designs, helping bring the production and maintenance costs down and potentially making them relevant for manufacture again.

It’s widely believed that Husqvarna and KTM, among others, are sitting on injected two-stroke motor designs and waiting on the right time to debut something. But word is, KTM expects its injected two-strokes to be so complex that they'll end up being as expensive and heavy as a four stroke engine, which could well kill demand. Perhaps with this design, Honda has managed to break down some of that complexity and find a package that can welcome the braappers back into the modern motorcycle landscape.


But language in this Honda patent, as well as the design drawings, suggest that this might not be conceived as a motorcycle engine at all – at least, not in its current form. In the first background paragraph of the application, Honda states that "the two-stroke engine is often preferred over the four-stroke engine in the field of general purpose engines because of the simplicity in the structure."

Furthermore, that diagram would seem to show a long-stroke engine with a pushrod valve system and a thick mounting flange at the bottom. In addition, the patent wording states that "the liquid fuel may consist of diesel oil or any other fuel that is provided with a lubricating property." All of which points toward an industrial generator-type machine rather than a high-performance motorcycle engine.

Even so, it shows Honda is still looking to innovate and develop in the two-stroke world – and there is most certainly a market (including Gizmag’s own highly emotional Mike Hanlon) that would love to see efficient, clean two-strokes come into the modern era. Stay tuned.

Source: USPTO via Fresh Patents

 

[wino]

Drawing the Line
The Need For A Low-Cost Tubeless Spoked Wheel
It’s said that necessity is the mother of invention.

By James Parker Posted June 25, 2015
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Innovative spoke mounts invented by the author create an affordable tubeless spoked wheel.

It’s said that necessity is the mother of invention, but all the inventions I’ve been involved in have typically been driven by more than one necessity. And when an invention is first proposed, it may happen that all the necessities—all the problems to be solved, in other words—are not readily apparent. In some cases, during the process of developing an invention, new and more pressing problems surface and need to be resolved.

Consider spoked wheels. Problem: Conventional wire-spoke wheels aren’t compatible with modern tubeless tires. Solution: Design a wire-spoke wheel to be compatible with modern tubeless tires.

There are, of course, many tubeless-compatible spoked wheels out there. The simplest solutions use conventional rims with the spoke nipple holes sealed, though this still presents a risk of leakage. The best solution may be BMW’s rim with its spoke attachments along the outer edge, outside the area that must retain air. Still another approach is to use a rim that has a center flange (or flanges) on the surface of the rim that faces the hub for the spokes to attach to. This is the method used on the Yamaha Super Ténéré, the Triumph Explorer, and the new MV Augusta Brutale 800 Dragster.

I used this last method when designing the wheels for the Eller Indian project in 1998 and for Bernard Li’s Vincent prototypes in 2002. For both those projects I used rims made by BBS in Germany that had a substantial center flange that was “blank” and could be shaped and drilled for spokes. BBS has since discontinued these rims.

A friend and machine shop operator recently approached me about building spoked wheels for supermoto racing. Those bikes use tubeless roadracing slicks, but a lot of racers still install tubes for reliability—which also adds weight and increases tire heat. Could we come up with a relatively inexpensive, proprietary tubeless spoke wheel? Tooling for a forged rim is very expensive. First we tried making a spun rim (spinning involves forming the rim from sheet stock spinning on a lathe) from two halves that were welded together at the center flange. The rims looked like the BBS rims, but we couldn’t get reliable strength and hardness. They didn’t hold up to supermoto punishment.

This is where the new “necessity” entered the project. The tooling, development, and testing of unique rims was beyond our cost limits. Was there a way we could repurpose already available standard dirt bike rims? To do this, we would have to abandon the center flange spoke attachment location. And since conventional rims are drilled for spokes, we would have to get undrilled rims direct from a manufacturer. That turned out to be possible.

In our new design, the spokes attach to the rims through small aluminum plates, two spokes per plate. The plates are actually doubled, with an inner plate resting against a shallow machined flat on the tire side of the rim. The outer plate holds the spoke nipples. Two short, 6mm screws attach the outer plates to the inner plate, through holes in the rim that are sealed with O-rings sitting against the machined flat surface. Once the two plates are screwed together, they don’t need to be disturbed again even to replace spokes, and the O-ring seals have proven absolutely reliable.

How does the wheel work? Husqvarna-supported racer Sean Butterman, son of the project’s machinist partner Johnathan Butterman, won the 2014 AMA Pro Supermoto 250 Championship and placed third in the 450 Championship using these wheels. The wheels have proven reliable through two full seasons of racing, including dramatic jump landings that trashed other wheels.

This project started out to design a tubeless applicable spoke wheel, but the job description changed to designing a tubeless spoke wheel using an absolutely standard manufactured rim. This invention had more than one mother.

 

[wino]

Duke Axial Prototype: The Ultimate Motorcycle Engine Design? | UP TO SPEED
NEW TECH: A smaller, lighter, more efficient motorcycle engine?

By Justin Mendenhall Photos: Duke Engines Posted April 14, 2015
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  Duke’s axial layout promises an appealing power-to-weight ratio, but is there room for yet another ICE engine configuration in the motorcycle industry?
  
  
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The past few decades have seen astounding technological advances in the world of motorcycles—electronic controls that rival fighter jets, space-age chassis construction, exotic materials inside and out—yet the basic properties of the internal combustion engine have remained largely the same. The team at Duke Engines in New Zealand, hard at work on an axial engine prototype , wants to change this.

Duke’s axial layout promises an appealing power-to-weight ratio, but is there room for yet another ICE engine configuration in the motorcycle industry?

Duke has been working on its axial engine design for 17 years. The prototype looks nothing like a conventional internal-combustion engine from the outside, and the differences extend inside the cases as well. Five conventional, 200cc cylinders are arranged around the engine’s centerline—with the cylinders parallel to the crankshaft—like chambers in a revolver, for a total displacement of 1,000cc. There are no camshafts, pushrods, rocker arms, valves, or springs—a series of sliding seals similar to a rotary engine take care of intake and exhaust duties. The cylinder group rotates counter to a “Z” crankshaft, at roughly 20 percent of the crank’s rotational speed, to significantly reduce vibration and torque reaction. Power output is competitive; the firm claims 125 hp and 88 pound-feet of torque at 7,500 rpm, the maximum engine speed.

The company is currently working on aerospace, marine, and automotive applications, but the benefits for motorcycle use are many, including significantly reduced engine weight and physical size. Duke says its five-cylinder prototype weighs just 86 pounds and measures roughly 17 x 10 x 10 inches. That’s about two-thirds the weight and half the size of a conventional 1,000cc inline-four. The symmetrical axial design produces little to no vibration, and without a heavy transverse-mounted crankshaft, the Duke engine would have a greatly reduced gyroscopic effect.

Duke’s development process has resulted in significant empirical data that proves its performance on the test bench; now the company is just waiting for investment to bring the design to market. The firm says the most likely first use would be unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) or small aircraft—literally getting the design off the ground. Could a motorcycle application be far behind?

10 Axial Advantages, According to Duke CTO Mike Fry

1. Duke DNA—high power density, small size, and low weight—make this engine very suitable for a motorcycle application.
2. The counter-rotating cylinder group and crankshaft tend to cancel out gyroscopic reactions. Counter-rotating parts also accelerate/decelerate in opposing directions during firing, reducing the associated torque reaction.
3. The Duke engine shape is more akin to the shape of an electric motor, offering a new set of possibilities for design and integration into a motorcycle chassis.
4. The Duke engine still uses a conventional gearbox and drive system for easy ratio changes.
5. The five-cylinder Duke engine fires three times per revolution of the output shaft—the same as a conventional six-cylinder engine. The smooth power delivery would have less tendency to break traction than the “lumpy” torque delivery associated with four cylinders or less.
6. The axial design offers complete primary balance and negligible secondary vibration.
7. The internal rotating structure carries the majority of reciprocating inertial loads so the external engine case can be made very light. Think “outer shell,” not “cylinder block.”
8. The output drive shaft can be taken from either end of the engine for maximum packaging flexibility.
9. The five cylinders share three injectors and spark plugs as they slide past each in turn. The result is a 1-2-3 firing order as the engine rotates around the three spark plugs in turn.
10. The center of gravity of the Duke engine lies on the crankshaft axis, just like a boxer engine or Wankel, and is much lower than in a typical “stand-up” inline layout.

 

[wino]

Revealed: Suzuki's hybrid sports bike
Patent for Suzuki's semi-automatic hybrid sports bike

Posted: 21 July 2015
by Tom Rayner








SUZUKI is developing a hybrid sports bike with an inline-four engine and a second electric motor.

These patent diagrams show a GSX-R1000-style frame and exhaust packed into the squat and sporty dimensions of a conventional supersports 600cc... but there's nothing conventional about the hybird powertrain.

Look closely behind the cylinder heads and an electric motor is nestling above the crank case, revealing Suzuki's fresh new direction for its sports bike range. The electric motor - labelled number 43 in the diagram - is capable of providing full drive or assistance to the conventional engine.

The battery is located under the seat (number 32) and its size suggests the electric motor would only be used to power the bike short distances around town, with the petrol engine cutting in once the throttle is opened wider in a similar way to hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius.

A switch on the right handlebar also lets the rider manually select between electric, dual and petrol power modes.

The semi-automatic transmission will provide clutchless gear changes. The rider still uses a traditional left-foot lever but the change is electronic rather than mechanical, with the ECU controlling engine speed during upshifts and downshifts.

This isn't be the first electric hybrid motorcycle in development - earlier this year we reported on the SilentHawk military bike and back in 2011 Honda was exploring its own hybrid Goldwing, a patent which has so far failed to fruit.

Fully-electric bikes are gaining traction in the market but perhaps Suzuki's hybrid is a better compromise for bikers who support the idea of green technology but aren't quite ready to ditch the distinctive howl of an inline four sports bike.


Suzuki's nascent hybrid is stil only in its patent stage, so there's a long way to go before it goes into production - if it ever does - but we reckon they might be onto something with this idea. What do you think? Let us know.

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Read more: http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle...s-hybrid-sports-bike/27961.html#ixzz3gtjRMnF1

 

[wino]

Suzuka 8 hour live and about to start

http://www.crichd.tv/eurosport-2-hd-live-stream.php

 

[wino]

Update on Suzuka

Stoner kills a Honda !

Game over.

 

[wino]

Suzuka 8 Hours: Big accident takes Casey Stoner out of race lead
26 July 2015

Big accident for Casey Stoner will leading Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race.

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  Suzuka 8 Hours: Big accident takes Casey Stoner out of race lead
  
  Retired double MotoGP champion Casey Stoner suffered a big accident while leading Sunday's Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race.
  
  The 29-year-old Australian took over the #634 Musashi Honda from team-mate Takumi Takahashi just before the end of the first hour, moving into the lead when the Factory Yamaha of Katsuyuki Nakasuga pitted soon after.
  
  Taking part in his first motorcycle race since Valencia 2012, disaster struck when Stoner lost the front of the CBR1000RR on the grass during the fast approach to the hairpin – sending rider and bike somersaulting.
  
  Stoner was fortunately unharmed but the Musashi team's hopes of a third straight Suzuka win were well and truly over. A safety car was needed to remove Stoner's battered Honda from the middle of the track.
  
  
  Australian Josh Hook then led the race after the restart, before being passed by Nakasuga's team-mate Bradley Smith. Smith will later hand the #21 machine over to fellow Tech 3 rider Pol Espargaro.
  
  Stoner would have handed over to WSBK star Michael van der Mark.

 

[wino]