WSBK: World Superbike Philip Island Highlights 2011

Kawasakis Still Suck

Not that I particularly dislike them on the street or anything, but come on. Kawasaki supposedly poured its heart and soul and lots of money into becoming a serious force in World Superbike.

They withdrew from MotoGP (after consistently running at the back of the pack). At the beginning of every World Superbike race for the past several years you could see a nearly comedic sea of neon green lagging 5 seconds behind everyone before the first corner. I can see why they wanted to just focus on this and get it right.

Yet what did was see last weekend at Philip Island? This was the all-new Ninja that's supposed to be tickling the BMW S1000RR's horsepower levels and has been relabelled "ZX" explicitly - a race bike - , while the new "Ninja 1000" assumes the former's former dual street/race role. This is a team that's been in Superbike since the early days in some shape or form.

Yet what did we see? A sea of neon green at the back of the pack. What is the deal?

Philip Island World Superbike Results 2011

Carlos Checa and Ducati rose like a pair of phoenixes at Philip Island, pulling off a double win and leading virtually every minute of both race one and two.

Carlos Checa came to World Superbike from MotoGP in the twilight years of his racing career (and probably in the the eyes of many pissed them away on a Honda he showed moments of untouchable speed on but mostly mediocrity). At the end of last year, The long-time headline attraction of World Superbike made the shocking and upsetting announcement that they were withdrawing factory support from the series (this was around the time they announced they'd hired Rossi for 90 zillion dollars).

None of that mattered on the opening weekend of the 2011 World Superbike Championship season. Checa simply walked away in both superbike class races. Mind you, as the announcers repeatedly mentioned, Philip Island is a historically Ducati-oriented track... but then again, in WSBK, what track hasn't been dominated by Ducatis? Checa was incredibly smooth - almost boringly - and the race for third place was some of the best I've seen in years. MotoGP continues to become more Formula 1-ish in its anti-climactic racing, but Superbike has been on the warpath for the past half-decade.

Max Biaggi had to be the second-best rider of the day, not only utilizing his Aprilia RSV4's monsterous power extremely well, but cutting through the field like a hot knife through butter after a poor start in race two. You could really see how unique and gradual his lines are compared to the rest of the field, and there were admittedly moments I were I thought he'd T-bone someone but he just cruised by like they weren't moving.

The whole time, Marco Melandari was getting the better of his Yamaha teammate Laverty and Leon Haslam was showing that last season was no fluke. Fellow BMW rider actually chased down and outpaced Haslam for a short stint, but headbanged in anger after offshooting a turn mid-race. Seeing all-of-the-above 4, even 5 wide through top gear chicanes was quite a spectacle.

The biggest surprise for me was in World Supersport. Luca Scassa isn't an old rider but seems nonetheless like he's been around forever. He's ridden a lot of bikes and been in some hellish crashes. I just didn't imagine him winning the opening supersport championship race in 2011,, but obviously I was wrong.

Supersport:

1. Luca Scassa ITA ParkinGO Yamaha YZF-R6 21 Laps
2. Broc Parkes AUS Kawasaki Motocard.com ZX-6R +0.009s
3. Sam Lowes GBR Parkalgar Honda CBR600RR +0.033s
4. David Salom ESP Kawasaki Motocard.com ZX-6R +0.272s
5. Robbin Harms DEN Harms Benjan Honda CBR600RR +16.969s
6. James Ellison GBR Bogdanka PTR Honda CBR600RR +23.943s
7. Florian Marino FRA Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR +31.788s
8. Vittorio Iannuzzo ITA Lorenzini Kawasaki ZX-6R +31.837s
9. Alexander Lundh SWE Cresto Guide Honda CBR600RR +31.870s
10. Danilo Dell'Omo ITA Suriano Triumph Daytona 675 +32.817s
11. Ronan Quarmby RSA Suriano Triumph Daytona 675 +43.799s
12. Ondrej Jezek CZE SMS Honda CBR600RR +56.116s
13. Bastien Chesaux SUI Moto-Academy Honda CBR600RR +1min 00.055s
14. Balazs Nemeth HUN Team Hungary Toth Honda CBR600RR +1min 05.909s
15. Imre Toth HUN Team Hungary Toth Honda CBR600RR +1min 06.318s

16. Vladimir Ivanov UKR Step Racing Honda CBR600RR +1min 14.472s
17. Marko Jerman SLO MD Jerman Triumph Daytona 675 1min 24.183s
18. Chaz Davies GBR ParkinGO Yamaha YZF-R6 +1 lap
19. Luca Marconi ITA Bike Service Yamaha YZF-R6 +1 lap
20. Roberto Tamburini ITA Bike Service Yamaha YZF-R6 +1 lap

Not Classified

21. Fabien Foret FRA Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR 15 lap completed
22. Massimo Roccoli ITA Lorenzini Kawasaki ZX-6R 15 laps completed
23. Miguel Praia POR Parkalgar Honda CBR600RR 10 laps completed
24. Pawel Szkopek POL Bogdanka PTR Honda CBR600RR 10 laps completed
25. Gino Rea GBR Step Racing Honda CBR600RR 5 laps completed
26. Mitchell Pirotta AUS Kuja Honda CBR600RR 1 lap completed

SBK Race 1:

1. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1098R 34mins 16.503s
2. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +4.365s
3. Leon Haslam GBR BMW Motorrad S1000RR +10.719s
4. Eugene Laverty IRL Yamaha WSBK YZF R1 +11.266s
5. Marco Melandri ITA Yamaha WSBK YZF R1 +11.293s
6. Michel Fabrizio ITA Suzuki Alstare GSX-R1000 +12.039s
7. Jakub Smrz CZE Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1098R +20.294s
8. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki RTS ZX-10R +20.742s
9. Noriyuki Haga JPN PATA Aprilia RSV-4 +22.421s
10. Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR +25.822s
11. Roberto Rolfo ITA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +29.270s
12. Jonathan Rea GBR Castrol Honda CBR1000RR +31.059s
13. Leon Camier GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +31.721s
14. Ayrton Badovini ITA BMW Italia S1000RR +36.389s
15. Bryan Staring AUS Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +36.470s

16. Ruben Xaus ESP Castrol Honda CBR1000RR +41.928s
17. James Toseland GBR BMW Italia S1000RR +55.239s
18. Josh Waters AUS Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 +1min 00.312s
19. Mark Aitchison AUS Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +1min 00.316s
20. Maxime Berger FRA Supersonic Ducati 1098R +1min 30.125s

Not Classified

21. Joan Lascorz ESP Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 13 laps completed
22. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1098R 6 laps completed

SBK Race 2:

1. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1098R 34mins 15.041s
2. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +1.188s
3. Marco Melandri ITA Yamaha WSBK YZF R1 +1.406s
4. Jonathan Rea GBR Castrol Honda CBR1000RR +10.563s
5. Leon Haslam GBR BMW Motorrad S1000RR +10.885s
6. Leon Camier GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +16.914s
7. Noriyuki Haga JPN PATA Aprilia RSV-4 +17.558s
8. Michel Fabrizio ITA Suzuki Alstare GSX-R1000 +17.679s
9. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki RTS ZX-10R +18.070s
10. Ruben Xaus ESP Castrol Honda CBR1000RR +19.053s
11. Jakub Smrz CZE Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1098R +19.060s
12. Roberto Rolfo ITA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +23.771s
13. Josh Waters AUS Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 +23.956s
14. James Toseland GBR BMW Italia S1000RR +28.713s
15. Eugene Laverty IRL Yamaha WSBK YZF R1 +32.673s

16. Mark Aitchison AUS Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +33.226s
17. Bryan Staring AUS Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +42.598s
18. Maxime Berger FRA Supersonic Ducati 1098R +51.819s
19. Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR +55.738s

Not Classified

20. Joan Lascorz ESP Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 14 laps completed
21. Ayrton Badovini ITA BMW Italia S1000RR 0 laps completed

Did Not Start

Sylvain Guintoli FRA Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1098R

Chris Vermeulen Anxious to Return to WSBK

There was a lot of hype around the entry of former MotoGP star Chris Vermuelen (not to mention the even more ill-fated Hopkins) which failed to climax due to a serious knee injury not long after his debut. Vermeulen says that it's up to Kawasaki to decide when/if he returns to the series and team, but hopes to be back by Sepang. The Australian recently rode a motorcycle for the first time since his injury:

"I had my first ride on a motorbike today, on a little flat track circuit at my house, which has got a few left and right corners around it. Not motocross or anything like that, just a flat dirt track. I was pretty steady but it was good to get back on a bike. I only rode for about 20 minutes but I hope to ride every couple of days from now on. It wasn't actually that weird a feeling, but that was the first time I had ridden any motorbike since the Brno WSBK round."

2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R photos

2011 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R revealed...

World Superbike Monza 2010 Highlight Videos

World Superbike Monza 2010 Highlight Videos. Superbike races 1 and 2 + Supersport.

BMW S1000RR: More stock Horsepower than a Hayabusa

I caught these graphs online and was very surprised. Hopefully Chip at KWS Motorsports in SC won't mind me giving his shop a little free advertising, but if he does I'll be happy to take them down. Either way, the S1000RR topped both the GSX1000R and Hayabusa in stock horsepower. It put down 196.4 ponies, which is the first bike I've seen bordering the monumental "200 HP stock". that's compared to much bigger, heavier, higher-displacement Hayabusa's 183.9.

German engineering has legitimately entered the sportbike world.

As always, click images to see full versions.

S1000RR vs GSX1000R


S100RR vs Hayabusa

WSBK: World Superbike from Asen 2010 Highlight Videos

SBK Video Press Releases

WSBK Asen 2010 Superbike Race 1 Highlights:



WSBK Asen 2010 Superbike Race 2 Highlights:



WSBK Asen 2010 Supersport Highlights:

WSBK: World Superbike 2010 Philip Island Highlight Videos

Superbike Race 1 Highlights:



Superbike Race 2 Highlights:



Supersport Highlights:

2010 World Superbike Season Begins With Closest WSBK Finish Ever

0.004 seconds

That's the span which ultimately separated Suzuki's Leon Haslam and Ducati's Michel Fabrizio at the end of Sunday's WSBK season opener at Philip Island. Race 1 was so close that Michel was presumed winner during the cool-down lap. Upon further review, Haslam was handed his first-ever World Superbike victory. After a valiant chase, the race came down to a full-throttle, full-tuck drag race.

Austrlian fans also witnessed MotoGP veteran and former factory Honda man Carlos Checa heroically piloting his privateer Althea Ducati to a race 2 victory, making a spectacular final-moments pass on race one's winner, Haslam.

It was a tough day for some other Moto GP converts, including ex-Rizla Suzuki pilot Chris Vermuelen and former WSBK champion James Toseland, both of whom were forced to retire.

In the supersport class, Laverty made a profound statement early in the season with a dominant win at the Philip Island circuit.

Full Results:

Superbike Race 1:

1 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 34'13.435 (171,442 kph)
2 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 0.004
3 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 0.769
4 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 10.201
5 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 1000 F. 10.782
6 50 Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 11.079
7 7 Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 11.208
8 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 16.522
9 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 20.291
10 57 Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 26.352
11 2 Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 1000 F. 29.775
12 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 30.155
13 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 31.951
14 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 31.957
15 88 Pitt A. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 55.082
16 31 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'10.932
17 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'11.237
18 95 Hayden R. (USA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'17.357
19 25 Brookes J. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR
RET 35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1
RET 77 Vermeulen C. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R
RET 52 Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1

Superbike Race 2:

1 7 Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 34'16.428 (171,192 kph)
2 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 0.307
3 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 0.434
4 50 Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 0.837
5 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 3.453
6 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 11.530
7 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 12.026
8 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 1000 F. 13.068
9 35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 14.401
10 52 Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 14.707
11 2 Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 1000 F. 14.743
12 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 14.851
13 57 Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 15.143
14 25 Brookes J. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 30.947
15 88 Pitt A. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 41.855
16 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 48.844
17 31 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'06.866
18 95 Hayden R. (USA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'07.751
RET 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R
RET 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R
RET 77 Vermeulen C. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R
RET 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R

Supersport:

1 50 Laverty E. (IRL) Honda CBR600RR 33'37.836 (166,536 kph)
2 26 Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 4.359
3 54 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR600RR 4.500
4 25 Salom D. (ESP) Triumph Daytona 675 11.779
5 99 Foret F. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 17.266
6 55 Roccoli M. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 25.034
7 127 Harms R. (DEN) Honda CBR600RR 27.834
8 40 DiSalvo J. (USA) Triumph Daytona 675 30.102
9 117 Praia M. (POR) Honda CBR600RR 31.931
10 4 Rea G. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 31.991
11 37 Fujiwara K. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-6R 40.552
12 7 Davies C. (GBR) Triumph Daytona 675 40.556
13 16 Charpentier S. (FRA) Triumph Daytona 675 1'28.553
14 33 Cazzola P. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR
15 9 Dell'Omo D. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR
RET 51 Pirro M. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR
RET 5 Lundh A. (SWE) Honda CBR600RR

Ben Spies 2009 World Superbike Champion

Good luck next year in MotoGP on the Tech 3 Yamaha team

Buell 1125RR to Race in AMA/DMG Superbike Class

Buell Press Release:

"(July 15) Buell Motorcycle Company today introduced the 1125RR, a race-use only motorcycle intended for competition in the AMA Pro Racing American Superbike class.

"The 1125RR is designed to give privateer racers a turn-key machine to compete in the American Superbike class in AMA Pro Racing. We want to build on our program that has proven so successful for privateers in the Daytona SportBike class," said Erik Buell, Chairman and Chief Technical Officer, Buell Motorcycle Company.

The Buell 1125RR features a modified Helicon 1125cc (103mm bore x 67.5mm stroke) liquid-cooled 72-degree V-Twin engine. Power increases come from components including a larger airbox and intake manifold, revised valves and camshafts, a higher compression ratio, titanium exhaust system and other weight-reduced components.

The 1125RR chassis is the standard 1125R design with fuel-in-the-frame, plus a billet axle adjustment system and chain-drive to allow gearing changes. Suspension travel is managed by fully adjustable units, with a Showa 43mm front fork and a remote-reservoir rear shock. A ZTL2 (Zero Torsional Load) eight-piston front caliper is mated with a modified front rotor."

_____
END



The presence of Buell and the role DMG sees Buell playing in their series can't be disputed. I have Buell coming out of my ears, even as someone who is disinterested in the AMA (hence the general lack of published AMA results on this blog). From the Sportbike class controversy to the new Buell "pacebike", to this, Buell is not going away any time soon.

Is the 1125rr a bad thing? It's almost definitely a hypocritical thing: It was only months ago that Mat Mladin was 'busted' for an illegal crankshaft; a part required to be within AMA homogenization specifications. The Buell 1125rr will come out-of-the-box with "custom" parts which would normally be subject to similar homogenization, such as the camshaft.

Yet, is it bad for the sport? It depends. Would the podium ability of the "rr" mean the gradual end of the presence of the "stock" 1125r in the Sportbike class?

Even the most casual motorcycle racing fan knows what cubic centimeters and pistons are. It's been asked for a long time why a modern, liquid-cooled v-twin machine pushing a dozen hundred cc is racing 600cc inline-fours half its size rather than Ducati 1098 Superbikes. The valves, camshaft, and other hypocritical details on the "rr" will not be nearly as blatant an unfair advantage to the spectators. That may be a step in the right direction.

For that I say: Let Buell sidestep homogenization requirements for the remainder of this season. It's a small price to pay if we can divert Buell's invasion of US roadracing from the Sportbike class into the Superbike class, where sadly I doubt cams, valves, and other tidbits will give a bike which previously raced 600s the extra 400-600 cubes of power to compete with the bikes of Mladin, Pegram, and co., not to mention the chassis.

To Buell: It's great that you're supporting roadracing to a dramatically increased degree, but how about next time around you just design a quality, purpose-built sportbike from the get-go? I doubt Ducati would maintain the amount of racing prestige it currently enjoys by racing bikes with 3000cc engines. Sure, the racing could be close: That 3000cc bike may have the worst handling on the market and match up perfectly with the laptimes of an R1 at Monza, but does anyone care?

Rea Fastest at Imola WSBK testing, Spies 3rd, Neukirchner Injured AGAIN!

"Max Neukirchner, back on his Alstare Suzuki for the first time since the Monza incident, high-sided at the Tamburello ninety minutes into the morning session. He was stretchered to the medical centre but a further X-ray scan at Imola hospital revealed a D12 dorsal vertebra fracture in his lower back as well as three minor cracks in the right L1, L2 and L3 lumbar vertebrae. Neukirchner will return to Germany and must remain at total rest in a plaster cast for 30 days."
Superbike:

1 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'48.670
2 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'48.847
3 19 Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'49.262
4 57 Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'49.309
5 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'49.422
6 121 Hopkins J. (USA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'49.443
7 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'49.467
8 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'49.555
9 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1'49.577
10 56 Nakano S. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'49.645
11 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'49.736
12 9 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'50.226
13 14 Lagrive M. (FRA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'50.265
14 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'50.310
15 100 Tamada M. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'50.414
16 10 Nieto F. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1'50.423
17 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'50.486
18 71 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'50.518
19 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'50.583
20 53 Polita A. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'50.743
21 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'51.077
22 77 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'52.547

Supersport:

1 54 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR600RR 1'51.552
2 35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R6 1'51.705
3 50 Laverty E. (IRL) Honda CBR600RR 1'51.890
4 99 Foret F. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'52.531
5 24 McCoy G. (AUS) Triumph Daytona 675 1'53.152
6 1 Pitt A. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1'53.612
7 69 Nannelli G. (ITA) Triumph Daytona 675 1'53.767
8 117 Praia M. (POR) Honda CBR600RR 1'53.803
9 13 West A. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1'53.931
10 8 Aitchison M. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1'53.963
11 15 O'Halloran J. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1'54.316
12 16 Lowes S. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1'54.331
13 9 Dell'Omo D. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 1'54.346
14 105 Vizziello G. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 1'54.778
15 132 Morais S. (RSA) Triumph Daytona 675 1'54.882
16 25 Laverty M. (IRL) Honda CBR600RR 1'55.502

A Day at the Office with Team Yamaha (MotoGP)

AMA Results from 2009 Laguna Seca Round

Supersport:

1 Ben Bostrom Yamaha Yamaha YZF-R6
2 Chaz Davies Factory Aprilia Millennium Technologies Team Aprilia RSV
3 Josh Herrin Team Graves Yamaha Yamaha YZF-R6
4 Tommy Aquino Team Graves Yamaha Yamaha YZF-R6
5 Robertino Pietri Team E.S.P. Yamaha Yamaha YZF-R6
6 Steve Rapp Bazzaz / Pat Clark Motorsports Yamaha YZF-R6
7 Chris Peris Erion Racing Honda CBR600RR
8 Danny Eslick Daytona Racing/RMR Buell Buell 1125R
9 Jamie Hacking Monster Energy Attack Kawasaki Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R
10 Bobby Fong
11 Michael Barnes GEICO Powersports Buell 1125R
12 Michael Beck Team Beck Racing Yamaha YZF-R6
13 Shawn Higbee Higbee-Racing.com Buell 1125R

Cardenas and Di Salvo: DNF/Crash

Superbike:

1 Mat Mladin Rockstar/Makita/Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000
2 Blake Young Rockstar/Makita/Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000
3 Aaron Yates Jordan Suzuki Brand Suzuki GSX-R1000
4 Joshua Hayes Yamaha Motor Corp Yamaha R1
5 Ben Bostrom Yamaha Motor Corp Yamaha R1
6 Neil Hodgson Corona Extra Honda Honda CBR1000RR
7 Jake Holden Holden Racing Honda CBR1000RR
8 Tommy Hayden Rockstar/Makita/Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000
9 Geoff May National Guard Jordan Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000
10 Larry Pegram Pegram Racing Ducati 1098R
11 Taylor Knapp Taylor Knapp Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000
12 Chris Ulrich Roadracingworld.com Suzuki GSX-R1000
13 Hawk Mazotta
14 Aaron Gobert AGR Inc. Honda CBR1000RR

Major confusion throughout the race - pace cars sitting on track, multiple jump starts, red flags, restarts, re-restarts... not a good show from DMG

USGP: MotoGP from Laguna Seca 2009 Results

1 Dani Pedrosa Repsol Honda Honda
2 Valentino Rossi Fiat Yamaha Yamaha
3 Jorge Lorenzo Fiat Yamaha Yamaha
4 Casey Stoner Ducati Marlboro Ducati
5 Nicky Hayden Ducati Marlboro Ducati
6 Tony Elias San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda
7 Colin Edwards II Tech 3 Yamaha Yamaha
8 Chris Vermeulen Rizla Suzuki Suzuki
9 Randy De Puniet LCR Honda Honda
10 Marco Melandri Hayate Racing Kawasaki
11 Alex De Angelis San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda
12 Niccolo Canepa Pramac Racing Ducati
13 Andrea Dovizioso Repsol Honda Honda
14 Sete Gibernau Grupo Fransisco Hernando Ducati
15 Loris Capirossi Rizla Suzuki Suzuki
16 Gabor Talmacsi Scot Racing Honda
17 James Toseland Tech 3 Yamaha Yamaha

World Superbike 2009: Donington Highlight Vids

Superbike Race 1



Superbike Race 2



Supersport



The Triumph 675 Daytona makes podium!

WSBK: Monza and Kyalami 2009 Highlights

Monza, Race 1:



Monza, Race 2:



Kyalami, Race 1:



Kyalami, Race 2:

The 2009 1000cc/Literbike Shootouts: Who Won?

Earlier this year we posted a preview of the 2009 lineup of 1000 - 1200cc sportbikes and superbikes, and the time has rolled around again where most of the major websites and magazines have put (some of) these machines head to head.

Unfortunately, probably due to availability or objections from the Japanese factories, bikes like the KTM rc8, Aprilia rsv4 and BMW S1000RR (which still isn't widely available for "first rides" at the time I'm writing this) are absent in most. The Ducati 1198 and 1198s were also sidelined from several.

MCN was somewhat of an outlier this year, ranking the Yamaha ahead of all other machines in it's class - even the RSV4. However it's overall "sportbike of the year" was the spectacular Triumph 675.

Motorcycle USA (which included the 1198 in their shootout) chose the Honda CBR1000RR as their #1 pick on the track with the new R1 rolling in at dead last with the slowest average lap time and a "disappointing" motor.

Roadracing World magazine (did not include the 1198) came to a simular conclusion, ranking the Honda first and Yamaha last of this years bikes. However where Motorcycle USA ranked the Suzuki in 2nd place, Roadracing World chose the Kawasaki ZX10R as this year's runner-up.

Motorcycle.com (which included the 1198 in a cheesy "side shootout" due to Japanese objections to it being directly compared to their offerings) also chose the Honda and ranked the Yamaha last, noting that with the right setup the Ducati would "leave them crying".

My personal favorite test (even though I can't read Spanish), the Masterbike test, which is a collaboration between Spanish moto mag Motociclismo and several other contributors (and usually has the widest variety of tested machines due to it's prestiege and handy location), chose the RSV4 as it's 2009 champion. This was over the likes of the KTM RC8, Ducati 1198, the "big four" Japanese machines, and the aging former champion due for a replacement, the MV Agusta F4.

While the Honda seems to be the overall preference in the literbike class (with exotics like the Aprilia and Ducati surpassing it in some areas, especially price), the supersport/600cc class is a bit more hotly disputed. The new Kawasaki zx6r has pulled off several major shootout wins, but you'll find many editors picking the CBR600RR as their "personal choice" due to the aftermarket appeal. MCN chose the Triumph 675 (which has been the reigning Masterbike supersport champion for multiple years now).

WSBK: 2009 World Superbike Results from Miller Motorsports Park, Utah

Race 1:

1 19 Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 38'30.945 (160,527 kph)
2 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 9.394
3 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 12.742
4 9 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 14.276
5 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 14.915
6 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 15.461
7 2 Hacking J. (USA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 22.901
8 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 25.425
9 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 25.870
10 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 26.093
11 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 26.181
12 71 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 29.275
13 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 38.365
14 36 Lavilla G. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 39.454
15 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 39.513
16 10 Nieto F. (ESP) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 48.889
17 57 Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 50.747
18 98 Zemke J. (USA) Honda CBR1000RR 51.446
19 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 54.472
20 25 Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX 10R 58.525
21 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'07.572
22 64 Nigon E. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'18.092
RET 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R
RET 56 Nakano S. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory
RET 31 Muggeridge K. (AUS) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9

Race 2:

1 19 Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 38'25.391 (160,914 kph)
2 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 9.080
3 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 14.357
4 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 15.636
5 9 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 17.156
6 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 17.546
7 56 Nakano S. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 19.659
8 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 23.455
9 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 30.489
10 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 31.775
11 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 33.246
12 71 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 36.758
13 10 Nieto F. (ESP) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 36.887
14 57 Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 37.290
15 98 Zemke J. (USA) Honda CBR1000RR 42.639
16 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 42.777
17 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 45.596
18 25 Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'09.237
19 2 Hacking J. (USA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'26.703
RET 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR
RET 36 Lavilla G. (ESP) Ducati 1098R
RET 64 Nigon E. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R1
RET 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR
RET 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R