U.S. Dakar Team Selected

U.S. Dakar Team Selected Cycle News

Magazine Report - MCN August 25, 2004

Ducati 749R Racing Plus Kit
Page 8 - Ducati has released an upgrade kit for the already ultra-trick 749R. The Racing Plus Kit includes

1. Ported and polished cylinder heads
2. A complete 57mm titanium exhaust system
3. New camshafts
4. Titanium Termignoni silencer
5. Racing ECU
6. Reprofiled carbon fibre airscoops
7. Carbon-fibre exhaust heat shield
8. Racing air filters

The resulting performance boost is claimed to be 19hp for a total of 136hp. All of this can be yours for only £5500 ($9845) or about $518 per hp.

Advanced motorcycle clothing
page 18-19 - MCN has a very interesting article about coming advances in motorcycle clothing. The article mostly highlights advances in materials.
Keeping you cool - Gore cool system
Keeping you cozy - Gore Airvantage
Regulate your bady heat - Schoeller phase change material
Toughest ever leather - Pittards Armortan
Saving your brain - Phillips headprotection system
Keeping you safe - Merhav airbag system
Keeping you dry and comfy - Gore-Tex Waterproof membranes
Super strong fabrics - Gore-Tex Armacor

Ducati Multistrada Long Term Test
Page 28 - Phil West loves the Multistrada. Here's what he has to say. "It’s a wonderfully unique machine which I love to bits. Its quirky mix and match design delivers a rich cocktail of experiences which nothing else on two wheels can beat." This week's article focuses on the upgrades Phil has added to the bike. MX style hand guards, Ducati Performance red chain, Ducati Performance alloy filler cap, Termignoni exhaust. If you have question for Phil about his experience with the Mulitstrada here is his email address. phil.west@emap.com

Centopassi
Page 28 - The second annual 1500km Centopassi was a five-day road-based rally taking in tight mountain roads, magnificent views and sweeping open valley roads, integrated with a touring concept – in other words all the elements which make up the Multistrada’s DNA.

Silly Season
Page 45 - Carlos Checa has admitted that Ducati has expressed an interest in him riding in its factory team in 2005. Checa’s Yamaha deal expires at the end of 2004. He said: “I have had a good relationship with Ducati and I know there is some interest”. Whoa! This is not good. Checa is not the rider that Ducati needs to turn the Desmosedeici into a race winner. Prior to Rossi's arrival he was unable to make any headway with the Yamaha M1. Every teammate that has shared a garage with Checa has dominated him. Please, please, please Ducati there has to be someone else. Anyone else. My mother maybe?

WCM + Blata = Fiasco
Page 48 - Current MotoGP privateer WCM has announced that they will be partnering with Czech firm Blata to field a V6 engined racer for the 2005 MotoGP Championship. Never heard of Blata? Blata is one of the world's leading manufacturers of pocketbikes. This has all the trappings of an incredible fiasco.

Parriott Second In BMW BoxerCup Race At Brno

Roadracing World

'I couldn't resist it' – Xaus falls for team.

Ruben Xaus is one of my favorite motorcycle racers. He's not graceful. He's not smooth. If winning were about force of will Ruben would already be a world champion.

Ruben Xaus was one of a number of fallers in today's final qualifying session for the Czech Grand Prix, but while most others complained of unpredictable grip loss, the Catalan's explanation was refreshingly different; he simply pushed too hard while trying to please his D'Antin Ducati team. Crash.Net

BMW MotoGP?

Many magazines, blogs and newsgroups have been buzzing off and on for a couple years about BMW possibly entering MotoGP. BMW's recent release of the K1200S has only further fueled the fire. A factory BMW MotoGP entry would certainly add another dimension to the BMW Motorcycle brand.

Dirck Edge has posted another speculative article on the subject on Motorcycle Daily.

Laguna Seca Selling US MotoGP Tickets

The track hasn't passed an FIM homologation and the event is based on an agreement "in principle" but that hasn't stopped people from getting into the USGP spirit. Laguna Seca started selling tickets for the 2005 USGP yesterday. SuperBike Planet

Gibernau beats weather for Brno pole.

The tempestuous Czech weather continued to torment the MotoGP field this afternoon at Brno, with rain returning just before the final qualifying session began – and playing into the hands of rain master Sete Gibernau. Crash.net

Final qualifying times - Brno.

Full MotoGP final qualifying times for the Czech Republic Grand Prix, at Brno, round ten of the 2004 world championship. Crash.net

Magazine Report - Ride September 2004

Ducati 999R
Page 14 - I spoke to several journalists the day of the launch event at Laguna Seca. Everyone of them raved about the new 999R. Smooth. Powerful. Based on Eric Bostrom's AMA Superbike the 2005 Ducati 999R is a significant update to the 2004 999R. The appearance of the bike has been cleaned up and simplified. The top fairing vents are gone. The fairing is slightly wider. The windscreen is taller. The rumor is that Pierre Terreblanche did not participate in the re-styling exercise.

Ducati + Aprilia merger news
Page 14 - By now this is an old and irrelevant story. The curse of print.

BMW K1200S
Page 20-22 - The new BMW K1200R is everywhere. At long last BMW has taken the plunge and produced a real sporting motorcycle. The big stories here are power and suspension. The inline-4 (gasp) is said to produce 165hp. BMW's Telelever susupension has evolved into Duolever. The new K is the first motorcycle to feature on the go suspension adjustments. Just press a button and small electric motors change the suspension settings while you ride. BMW calls the feature ESA. I can't wait to ride it.

Steering damper test
Page 62-66 - Ride does great product evaluations. This month Ride tests 8 different dampers. The Arrow product received the only Ride Best Buy rating.

Triumph Rocket III
Page 90 - 94 - Another bike that has been all over the press for the last couple months. This motorcycle is huge in every way. Power. Weight. The journalists seem to be quite smitten. The reports are that the bike is easy to ride, comfortable, powerful. It certainly has physical presence. Sitting on the new Rocket III I felt dwarfed.

Daytona Winner Boots
Page 108 - Frey Daytona makes great boots. Ride has a review of the Winner model in this month's issue. I have a couple pairs. They are easily the best boots I have ever owned. Link

Magazine Report - MCN August 18, 2004

KTM tests v-twin supermoto
Page 6 - Light and powerful the 942cc supermoto should be unveiled in Munich next month.

Ducati 999 engine upgrades
Page 8 - The 2005 999 will be getting an upgraded motor donated from this year's 136hp 999S. The 999S will receive a new 140hp motor derived from the new 999R.

Bimotoa DB5
Page 8-9 - Bimota is back from the grave. In addition to a new Tesi the Rimini firm has released plans to manufacture a new version of their famous DB range. The new DB5 will utilize the 992cc air-cooled Ducati v-twin currently used in the Ducati Multistrada. Bimota estimate the new DB5 will weigh in at a featherweight 160 kg (352 lbs)

MonsterMob considering switching from Ducati to Honda.
Page 46 - ‘I could run a two-man team on four cylinder bikes for the money I’ve spent this year’ PAUL BIRD, MONSTERMOB DUC

2005 MotoGP provisional calendar

SuperBike Planet Link

MotoGP: First qualifying at Brno

Crash.net Link

Lanzi faster at VIR

Ducati World Supersport star Lorenzo Lanzi lapped faster than Ducati Austin's Eric Bostrom at a recent test at VIR.

Read more at SuperBikePlanet.

Impressive Hardware

Pro Italia's Cafe Desmo saw a tremendous turnout of vintage bikes last night. It was an incredible display of hardware. Check out the photos.

MotoGP returns to Laguna Seca

Today's Monterey Herald features an article about the return of MotoGP to Laguna. The event will be officially named the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix and is tentatively scheduled for July 8-10, 2005.

Pro Italia Los Angeles]

More power for KR, and KTM engine test.

The end of Grand Prix racing's summer break takes Proton Team KR out of the workshop and back to the race-tracks, for this Sunday's Czech Republic GP at Brno.
[Crash.Net MOTOGP Newsfeed]

Ducati confident that new engine will succeed.

Speaking to the official MotoGP website, Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali admitted that this seasons results of the new Ducati have been dissappointing. However he claimed that the team are still on course for their long term objectives.
[Crash.Net MOTOGP Newsfeed]