Valentino Rossi Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo finished second and third in the season-ending Grand Prix of Valencia this afternoon, the ninth time the pair have shared the podium this season. It ensured that Yamaha won the Triple Crown for the second year running after Rossi took the Riders’ title, Fiat Yamaha the Teams’ and Yamaha [...]
Valentino Rossi The indomitable and irrepressible Valentino Rossi took his ninth World Championship crown in Malaysia today, riding to third place in a dramatic rain-hit race at Sepang. It was the Italian’s seventh title in the premier class, his fourth for Yamaha - more than he has won with any other manufacturer - and his 163rd [...]
Rossi’s ninth In 2010 Valentino Rossi has continued to grow his legend and cement his place in the history of Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing. The Italian’s ninth career title is his seventh in the premier-class and his fourth since joining Yamaha in 2004. Here are some more statistics from the fourteenth season of his career: • Rossi [...]
Full Saturday free practice times from the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang, round 16 of the 2009 MotoGP World Championship. Niccolo Canepa, who injured his arm in Friday practice at Phillip Island last weekend, has been replaced by Aleix Espargaro. 1. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team 2min 0.518 sec 2. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team 2min 1.087 sec 3. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team 2min 1.254 sec 4. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team 2min 1.455 sec 5. Loris [...]
MotoGP World Champion completes his participation at the Bologna Motor Show, where he drove a Ford Focus WRC. Rally specialists prevented MotoGP rider Valentino Rossi from accomplishing his target of achieving a good result in the 2009 Findomestic Memorial Bettega, at the Bologna Motor Show this week. The Italian rider’s involvement in the Memorial Bettega was ended
Italian takes third place in the GT3 class, as he participates in the 19th edition of the 6 Hours of Vallelunga in a team with Andrea Ceccato and Alessio Salucci. Over 10,000 spectators gathered at the Vallelunga Circuit to watch Valentino Rossi on four wheels, as the MotoGP World Champion teamed up with Andrea Ceccato and [...]
MotoGP is the world’s premier motorcycling championship, with a season of 18 Grands Prix in 14 countries bringing together the world’s top motorcycle manufacturers such as Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Ducati, Kawasaki, Aprilia and KTM - plus an elite crop of riders from every corner of the globe.
The motorcycles used for MotoGP are purpose-built racing prototypes which are unavailable for purchase by the general public and cannot be legally ridden on public roads.
The Grand Prix Road-Racing World Championship was first organised by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) in 1949 and has been administrated by commercial rights owners Dorna Sports under the supervision of the FIM since 1992. It is the oldest motorsport World Championship in existence.
MotoGP began a new era in 2002 when revised regulations allowed for the participation of bikes with four-stroke engines. For the 2007 season the adaptation of MotoGP bikes from 990cc engine capacity to 800cc resulted in an even more exciting spectacle, with higher corner speeds and even more competitive races – patterns which are continuing this year.
Furthermore, in the opening round of 2008, MotoGP became the first motorsports World Championship to host a night-time Grand Prix, with the Losail International Circuit’s state-of-the-art new floodlight system permitting a superb start to the season in Qatar.
GRAND PRIX WEEKENDS
On a Grand Prix weekend there are three individual races, one for each of MotoGP’s three categories:
MotoGP – the ultimate test for the finest talents in motorcycle racing, in which maximum engine displacement capacity is now the aforementioned 800cc (four-stroke engines) and the minimum age for riders is 18.
250 – the intermediate category where maximum engine displacement capacity is 250cc (twin cylinder engines) and the minimum age for riders is 16.
125 – the class which offers young riders the chance to take their first step into Grand Prix, where maximum engine displacement capacity is 125cc (single cylinder engines), the maximum age for riders is 28 (or 25 years of age for wild-card riders or for newly contracted riders participating in a 125cc race for the first time) and the minimum age is 15 years old.
Races begin from a grid which is composed of three starting positions per row (four per row in the 250cc and 125cc classes), with starting places secured by qualifying times - the fastest rider earning the famous ‘pole position’. The races can vary between 95km and 130km in distance and usually last approximately 40-45 minutes, each being a spectacular sprint to the finish line, with pit-stops being rare rather than the norm.
Bike set-up and material selection (parts and tyres) are therefore absolutely crucial and is undertaken by the teams following consultation with their riders based on knowledge of the track, weather conditions and the 'feel' of the bike during free practice, qualifying and the pre-race warm-up sessions. A critical balance has to be found between grip and the endurance of the tyre, as soft, ‘gripping’ tyres permit quicker speeds and faster lap times but wear out quickly, whilst harder, less ‘sticky’ tyres last longer but do not assist the rider in achieving maximum velocity.
RIDERS
The current MotoGP World Champion is Italian Fiat Yamaha superstar Valentino Rossi who returned to the pinnacle with his sixth premier class title in true style in 2008. The championship saw Australian Casey Stoner of the Ducati Marlboro team, who sensationally won the 2007 title in just his second season in the premier class – finish runner-up behind Rossi.
Meanwhile, the likes of Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa and his new team-mate Andrea Dovizioso, along with riders such as Rossi’s Yamaha colleague and 2008 Rookie of the Year Jorge Lorenzo and Nicky Hayden - who joins Stoner at Ducati in 2009 - are also stars of the show.
Indeed, the level of racing ability throughout the MotoGP grid is exceptionally high, with the likes of Loris Capirossi, Chris Vermeulen, Colin Edwards, Toni Elias and James Toseland also competing for top five finishes.
The list of participants in each Grand Prix is composed of the permanent riders, contracted and nominated by their teams for the whole season, and wildcard entries – who are often local riders. Approximately 19 participants enter each MotoGP race, about 25 take part in each 250cc race and the 125cc races usually involve around 30 riders.
Riders from around the globe take part in the World Championships including the following countries: Australia, Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Romania, San Marino, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, UK and USA.
For profiles of every rider from all three Grand Prix categories visit our dedicated ‘Riders’ section.
2010 Piaggio MP3 will come with 500 cc engine. This Italian top models three wheels bikes will be refreshed next year.
Instead of Piaggio MP3 400 came MP3 500. Gilera Fuoco 500 - will now also be positioned under the main brand and get a trade mark Piaggio MP3 500 Sport.
In both sets the same 492-cc engine, single cylinder, liquid-cooled, with the variator CVT, issued on the mountain 40 hp.
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| Manufacturer | Kawasaki |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | Kawasaki ZX-10 |
| Successor | ZZ-R1200/ZX-12R |
| Class | Sport Tourer |
| Engine | 1052 cc 4-stroke, 4-cylinder, DOHC, liquid-cooled |
| Power | 108 kW (147 PS) @ 10,500 rpm 92 kW (125 PS) @ 9,500 rpm (UK) |
| Torque | 110 N·m @ 8,500 rpm 86 N·m (8.8 kgf·m, 63.7 ft·lbf) @ 4,500 rpm (Sweden) |
| Transmission | 6 speed |
The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11/ZZ-R1100 was produced from 1990-2001. It was marketed as the ZX-11 Ninja in North America and the ZZ-R1100 in the rest of the world.
The C-model ran from 1990-1993 while the D-model ran from 1993-2001. The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10 was the predecessor of the ZX-11 Ninja.
Now more accurately classified as a sports/tourer, this bike held the crown of "The World's Fastest Production Bike" for close to a decade with a record top speed of 283 km/h (176 mph). When the bike was introduced in 1990, the nearest production bike top speed was 16 km/h (10 mph) slower and it belonged to the ZX-10, the bike that Kawasaki was replacing with the ZX-11. The 11's quarter mile time was clocked at 10.25 seconds at 135 mph (217 km/h) by a popular motorcycle periodical in 1994. The ZX-11 was also the first production bike to be fitted with a ram air induction system. The "worlds fastest production bike" title was lost in 1996 when Honda introduced the Super Blackbird, an 1137cc powered sport/tourer.
In 2000 the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R was introduced. The ZX-12 was designed to be more of a pure sportbike. It was much anticipated since the Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa held the title for fastest production bike when it was introduced in 1999. Pre-production ZX-12R models were tested in Japan and were indeed faster than the Hayabusa, but European governments threatened to ban it altogether, leading Kawasaki to de-tune the ZX-12R prior to its release. Consequently the ZX-12R failed to de-throne the Hayabusa as top speed king, though terminal speeds for both models were very close. There are still disputes between the two to this day since all motorcycle manufacturing companies agreed to limit top speed to 300 km/h (186 mph) in the year 2000. In 2002 the Kawasaki ZZR1200 was released which is a sport tourer and more akin to the ZX-11.
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The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R is a Kawasaki middleweight sport bike. It was introduced in 1995 and has been constantly updated throughout the years in response to new products from Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha. The ZX series is what was known as the Ninja line of Kawasaki motorcycles in the 1980s and still carries the moniker today.
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Kawasaki Ninja Red & chrome combinations Style Sport
A competition based upon points for acrobatic ability on an MX bike over jumps.
Known in the US as "Observed Trials", it is not racing, but a sport nevertheless. Trials is a test of skill on a motorcycle whereby the rider attempts to traverse an observed section without placing a foot on the ground (and traditionally, although not always, without ceasing forward motion). The winner is the rider with the least penalty points.
Time and observation trials are trials with a time limit. The person who completes the route the quickest sets the "standard time" and all other competitors must finish within a certain amount of time of the standard time to be counted as a finisher (they received penalty points for every minute after the quickest finisher). This is combined with the penalty points accrued from the observed sections to arrive at a winner, who is not alway the quickest rider or the rider who lost the less marks on observation but the rider who balanced these competing demands the best. One of the most famous time and observation trials is the "Scott" trial held annually in North Yorkshire.
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| Manufacturer | Suzuki |
|---|---|
| Also called | GSX1300R, 'Busa |
| Production | 1999– |
| Class | Hyper sport |
| Top speed | 1999 188–194 mph (303–312 km/h) 2000– 186 mph (299 km/h) |
| Related | Suzuki B-King |
The Suzuki Hayabusa (or GSX1300R) is a hyper sport motorcycle made by Suzuki since 1999. It immediately won acclaim as the world's fastest production motorcycle, with a top speed of 188–194 miles per hour (303–312 km/h), surpassing the Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird by at least a full 10 miles per hour (16 km/h). After the much-anticipated[5][6][7] Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R of 2000 fell 4 mph (6 km/h) short of claiming the title because of being speed-restricted, the Hayabusa secured its place as the fastest standard production bike of the 20th century.
In 2000, fears of a European regulatory backlash or import banled to an informal agreement between the Japanese and European manufacturers to govern the top speed of their motorcycles at an arbitrary limit, allowing the Hayabusa's title to remain, at least technically, unassailable, since no subsequent model could go faster without being tampered with. Model year 2000 and later Hayabusas, as well as their competition, are electronically limited to 300 kilometres per hour (186 mph) giving the unrestricted, 190-mph 1999 models even more cachet with collectors.
Motorcycle speed tests, especially at high speeds, are prone to variation due to human error, limitations in equipment, and atmospheric factors like wind, humidity, and altitude. The published results of two otherwise identical tests could vary depending on whether the result is reported with or without industry standard correction factors calculated to compensate for test conditions. Rounding errors are possible as well when converting to/from miles and kilometers per hour. Media-reported values for the speed agreement in miles per hour were consistently 186 mph, while in kilometers per hour they varied from 299 to 303 km/h, which is typical given unit conversion rounding errors. Reported numbers for horsepower and torque will inevitably vary for similar reasons.
Besides its speed, the Hayabusa has been lauded by many reviewers for its all-around performance, in that it does not drastically compromise other qualities like handling, comfort, reliability, noise, fuel economy or price in pursuit of a single function. Jay Koblenz of Motorcycle Consumer News commented, "If you think the ability of a motorcycle to approach 190 mph or reach the quarter-mile in under 10 seconds is at best frivolous and at worst offensive, this still remains a motorcycle worthy of just consideration. The Hayabusa is Speed in all its glory. But Speed is not all the Hayabusa is."
In 2006 the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) converted a seized Hayabusa into a pursuit vehicle, setting up the bike with equipment including a radar unit, police lights and siren, and painting it in official colors and insignia. Impressed with the positive response from the public and the motorcycling community, the OHP purchased two more Hayabusas, to supplement their main fleet of Harley-Davidson police motorcycles. While they are used for patrol, the primary function of the Hayabusas is public relations and community outreach, due to the kind of attention the exotic bikes attract. According to the OHP, "There are clear lines dividing sportbike and cruiser motorcycle riders. We feel the sportbike community has not been given the proper amount of attention and focus in the area of community involvement and rider safety education."
Before there were choppers, there was the bobber, meaning a motorcycle that had been "bobbed," or relieved of excess weight by removing parts, particularly the fenders, with the intent of making it lighter and thus faster, or at least making it look better in the eyes of a rider seeking a more minimalist ride. An early example of a bobber is the 1940 Indian Sport Scout "Bob-Job" which toured in the 1998 The Art of the Motorcycle exhibition. Indian Scouts and Chiefs of the time came with extravagantly large, heavily valenced fenders, nearly reaching the center of the wheel on the luxurious 1941 Indian Series 441 while racing bikes had tiny fenders or none at all. The large and well-appointed bikes exemplified the "dresser" motorcycle aesthetic and providing a counterpoint to the minimalist bobber, and cafe racers. Choppers would grow into and explore the dimensions of the space between the stripped-down bobbers and weighed-down dressers.
In the post-World War II United States, servicemen returning home from the war started removing all parts deemed too big, heavy, ugly or not absolutely essential to the basic function of the motorcycle, such as fenders, turn indicators, and even front brakes. The large, spring-suspended saddles were also removed in order to sit as low as possible on the motorcycle's frame. These machines were lightened to improve performance for dirt-track racing and mud racing.
Forward-mounted foot pegs replaced the standard large 'floorboard' foot rests. Also, the standard larger front tire, headlight and fuel tank were replaced with much smaller ones. Many choppers were painted preferably all in either flat black or in shiny metallic “metal flake” colors. Also common were many chromed parts (either one-off fabricated replacements or manually chromed stock parts). According to the taste and purse of the owner, “chop shops” would build high handle bars, or later “Big Daddy” Roth Wild Child’s designed stretched, narrowed, and raked front forks. Shops also custom built exhaust pipes and many of the “after market kits“ followed in the late 1960s into the 1970s. Laws required (and in many locales still do) a retention fixture for the passenger, so vertical backrests called sissy bars were a popular installation, often sticking up higher than the rider's head.
While the decreased weight and lower seat position improved handling and performance, the main reason to build such a chopper was to show off and provoke others by riding a machine that was stripped and almost nude compared to the softer-styled stock Harley-Davidsons, let alone the oversized automobiles of that time.
In the United States servicemen returning from World War II were looking for a thrill. Many veterans had been trained to work on automobiles and motorcycles and were looking to add a little excitement to their post-war lives with their newly acquired mechanical skills. Motorcycles and Hot Rods were the perfect hobby for them. Motorcyclists bought up surplus military bikes and removed all the unnecessary parts like windshields and saddlebags to minimise weight. Rear fenders were "bobbed" or shortened just enough to handle a passenger and keep the rain and mud coming off the rear, and sometimes removed the mirrors, or replaced them with tiny ones, such as the type used by dentists in their work.
This type of home customization led to the rise of the "bobber". Then in the 60s, motorcyclists found that a longer front end allowed the bike to run smoother at faster speeds. The degree of neck rake and length of front end was modified on these bikes with this in mind. The Girder and Springer front ends were the most popular forks for extending in this fashion, although this does make the bike harder to handle at slower speeds. Nevertheless, some choppers have extremely long forks; as one biker said, "You couldn't turn very good but you sure looked good doing it."
To build or chop a traditional chopper an unmodified factory bike is used (usually a rigid Harley Davidson) and everything unnecessary to either move or stop is stripped or chopped off. Then the engine and transmission are removed and the frame is cut up and welded back together to make it lower and lighter. Performance parts are added or modified to increase speed.
Choppers have enjoyed a large following. Companies like Jesse G. James' West Coast Choppers have been successful in producing expensive traditional chopper-style bikes and a wide range of chopper-themed brands of merchandise such as clothing, automobile accessories and stickers.
A distinction should be noted between true chopper (or chopper-style) motorcycles, and custom motorcycles, or 'custom cruisers'. Despite the name, a large percentage of the motorcycles produced by popular companies such as Orange County Choppers, Indian Larry, Falcon Motorcycles, Warlock Motorcycles, and Von Dutch Kustom Cycles are better described as 'custom' bikes rather than choppers.
A distinction should also be made between choppers and bobbers. While both tried to improve performance by removing any part that did not make the motorcycle perform better, they differed in an important way: bobbers kept the original factory frame, while choppers have a modified form of the factory frame.
When individuals were stripping their stock motorcycles and bobbing their fenders, the term "bobber" was born. When individuals started cutting (or chopping) and welding their frames thereby repositioning/restyling them, the term "chopper" was born. Chopping was the next phase in the evolution that followed dirt track bobbing.
While people assume that the chopper style motorcycles were built purely for aesthetics, there is a real performance advantage to the raked front end on these choppers. These motorcycles have a much more stable feel at high speeds and in a straight line than motorcycles with original factory front suspensions. However, like any other modification, there is a downside: the raked front end feels heavier and less responsive at slow speeds or in curves and turns. This is due to the longer trail measurement associated with increased rake.
Changing the rake and trail of a motorcycle design requires modification of the design itself. This is a job that requires in-depth input from a motorcycle designer who is experienced with such design changes. A triple tree can be raked, or designed so the lower tree sticks out further than the upper tree, thus increasing the rake of the forks in relation to the steering head rake. What this does, is position the axle closer to the frame rake measurement line, or shortening the trail. Thus, when adding raked trees to a raked frame (which sports a longer trail), the trail is shortened to a more manageable level. Adding raked trees to a frame with short rake and trail can be hazardous, as shortening an already short trail measurement can lead to an unstable situation as speed increases.
Despite the personalized nature of choppers, and the wide availability of alternative designs, chopper builders have overwhelmingly chosen fat rear tires, a rigid-looking frame (even for a softail), and an original or replica air-cooled, pushrod v-twin engine. In the UK, due to the cost and lack of availability of the v-twin engine, many chose to use British engines from bikes such as Triumph or BSA; lately as availability has increased, Japanese engines have seen more use. Some people feel that the variety of engines and other components used more recently (especially on bikes built outside of the US) is diluting the signature appearance of the chopper style. Modern bobber builders tend to distinguish themselves from chopper builders with bikes styled before the chopper era. Modern bobber builder Jan Bachleda in Colorado builds custom choppers and bobbers using Triumph engines and frames from the 1970s and earlier. The look, though chopped, is distinctly modern and low. Today's custom choppers are usually seen as center pieces at bike night events around the United States.
The United States of America, where most custom choppers reside, is one of the few countries in the world that allow custom-built choppers to be licensed for highway use. Many of these types of choppers are regarded as dangerous to operate and don't follow basic design geometry and lack many safety features in their construction.
Finally, an often overlooked style of chopper is the chopper bicycle. Inspired by the smooth, low lines of chopper motorcycles, today's custom chopper bicycle designer builds bicycles that pay tribute to the motorcycles they resemble.
