All is not well regarding the new MV Agusta F3, several sources have now told Asphalt & Rubber. Apparently teased early to help prove demand for MV?s new product offering, this new ethos unfortunately has apparently done little to sway creditors and investors on the viabiliy of the brand, especially since the names associated with driving MV Agusta into the ground are still associted with the decidedly not-so-new regime. According to our sources that are close to MV, the Italian company has had a hard time raising additional working capital, and has also found negotiations with parts suppliers to be difficult, with the outside firms demanding to be paid up-front for their wares.
Despite the turnout, all 17 MotoGP riders showed up for the Indy GP, as the MotoGP Championship was far from its conclusion this season. Looking to further secure his lead in the points, Casey Stoner started today?s race on pole, followed by Ben Spies and Dani Pedrosa. With the Yamaha poised to disrupt the flow of the factory Hondas, most fans? eyes were on the Texan as he attempted to mount a race victory in front of his home crowd. As conditions ripened for a record setting race lap, you?ll have to read after the jump to see who set it.
With rumors swirling around where Colin Edwards will land next year, we grabbed a moment with the Texas Tornado to ask him about one rumor that keeps cropping up: him on a claiming rule team for the 2012 season. Of course, you don?t just ask Colin Edwards direct questions, and expect direct answers, as the Texan enjoys a good laugh. Getting some MotoGP-rookie hazing, Edwards had some fun with A&R while talking about CRTs, but what the Texan did say (or in some cases, didn?t say) is pretty interesting. One thing is for certain, the two-time World Superbike champion was very keen on having a pepped-up production motor inside a prototype chassis for his bike next year. With an official announcement likely to come at Misano, the question now is where Colin will end up for 2012. Welcome to Silly Season 2011 ladies and gentleman.
Taking a slew of laps around The Brickyard?s GP layout, Myers, to our knowledge, is the first rider on a GP bike to go around the newly paved infield section (Nicky Hayden lapped last week on a production Ducati Superbike 1198 SP). Eager not to crash one of �lvaro Bautista?s race bikes, the 17-year-old rode a smooth and consistent pace around IMS, but still managed to open up the Suzuki a bit with a top 306 km/h (190 mph) speed down the front straight. More of a chance for Myers to try out the MotoGP machinery than an actual test, her GSV-R was race-spec sans for some steel brake rotors (MotoGP bikes typically run carbon fiber brake discs).
With the top riders collected at Ballacraine, there were more than a few live cameras on the gathered motorcycles, which brings us to this video of Guy Martin, John McGuinness, Cameron Donald, Bruce Anstey, Michael Dunlop, Dan Kneen, and Chris Kinley of Manx Radio discussing the day?s ride. Trading stories on how racer nearly killed themselves on the past lap and a quarter, what surprise sus in this video isn?t the content, but instead the carefree attitude each rider has towards how close they came to meeting their maker. A funny breed these TT racers are (don?t even get us started about the Dunlop brothers).
Making 87hp, Hailwood?s NCR was underpowered compared to the favored Honda of Phil Read, but that didn?t stop ?Mike the Bike? from racing one of the most legendary races in history of the sport. Bringing out the same bike that Hailwood road on the TT course, this 1978 Ducati 900 NCR shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d?Elegance is comprised of the Hailwood?s race bike with a rebuilt motor from that season. A true contender for the superlative ?Greatest of All Time?, this ?78 NCR is truly special machine for racing enthusiasts as it comes from one of Hailwood?s all-time best races. Accordingly, the judges at Pebble Beach awarded it Third in Class at this year?s Concours d?Elegance.
Judging from its upload date on YouTube, this isn?t exactly a new video; but since it?s new to us, we thought we would share in what we?re pretty sure is the world?s first front-wheel burnout on a motorcycle. This unlawful exhibition of speed was perpetrated by the twisted minds down at Roland Sands Design, at their happy hunting grounds near the LA river. The front-wheel drive system comes from Christini (not Ducati Corse), while RSD?s Rodney Aguiar built the 450cc super single motorcycle that AWD system is mated to for an episode of Nitro Circus.
Our sources close to the development of the Ducati Superbike 1199 Superquadrata have confirmed the rumors that the new Bologna bullet will do away with the tradition belt-driven camshaft and instead feature a gear-driven cam configuration. The same type of technology that Aprilia used to cheat win the 2010 World Superbike Championship title, a gear-driven camshaft configuration should help increase power by 3-5hp throughout the rev range on the Superquadrata motor, as compared to Ducati?s traditional belt configuration.
While Ducati might not be getting a two-wheel drive system in MotoGP anytime soon, the Italians are apparently in the process of running a parallel program to its MotoGP racing effort that explores the concept of Ducati Corse switching to an aluminum twin-spar frame. Uncovered by French journalist Thomas Baujard of the French magazine Moto Journal, Ducati Corse has apparently enlisted the help of a third-party chassis manufacturing and engineering firm to construct a prototype aluminum chassis. Not wanting to start from zero, Ducati hopes that with aid from a third party, the Italian company can come up to speed on the twin-spar design.
Naw?we?re just having some fun today, but not as much fun as Nicky Hayden?s pit crew during the Brno test. Staging this photo of the team supposedly starting up the Desmosedici?s new two-wheel drive system, the photo plays right into the rumors that Ducati is literally trying anything under the sun to make the GP11 work for Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden. With Filippo Preziosi essentially saying there are no sacred cows at the Italian racing effort, we honestly wouldn?t put it past Ducati Corse to give the two-wheel drive system a go?too bad its banned by MotoGP rules.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AsphaltandRubber/~3/bP-HpSRJGag/
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