Sylvain Guintoli dislocates shoulder, but will try to race in Moscow

Besides riding motocross bikes, cycling is also another sport that riders use to train, while motocross incidents are more common - even riding a bicycle, riders can sustain injuries, like when former World champion Troy Bayliss was thrown from his pushbike after hitting a manhole in Montecarlo, back in 2008.

Just days before the Moscow round Sylvain Guintoil fell from his bicycle and dislocated his right shoulder and also sustained cartilage damage.

According to the press release Guintoli will be at Moscow with his team and there the rider, his team and the doctors of the Clinica Mobile will assess his conditions decide whether or not he is fit to participate in the races.

Guintoli lost the lead in the WSBK standings to Tom Sykes during the Imola round, when the Frenchman suffered a DNF in race 1 due to a technical issue on his Aprilia and in race 2 took a third place, while the Kawasaki rider took two victories.

“Last Sunday I had a bicycle accident and dislocated my collarbone. After many thoughts, I took the decision to ride in Moscow. It is going to be a very hard challenge and a very painful weekend but my aim is to fight for the Championship,” said the Aprilia rider.

from Twowheelsblog

WSBK : 2013 Moscow: Davide Giugliano takes maiden pole position

After two damp sessions, this afternoon’s World Superbike session at the Moscow Raceway was fortunately dry so the riders could use their slick tires and not the hated intermediate ones.

Tom Sykes seemed to be on his way on taking his 7th Superpole of the season, dominating both sessions, but he lost the front of his machine at the start of SP3, at turn 3, leavging him out of final contention and down in 9th.

The Kawasaki rider was the first to break into the 1.34 barrier (1′34.863) in SP1, and on race tires. In SP2 with his first qualifying tire, he stopped the clock in 1′34.546 and not even Davide Giugliano, who eventually took the pole could reach Syke’s benchmark.

Giugliano has been fast all weekend so far, and the Aprilia rider not only took his maiden pole position, but he also was faster than both factory riders, Eugene Laverty and Sylvain Guintoli who qualified 3rd and 8th respectively, with the Frenchman struggling with his injuries and after sitting out QP2 and FP2.

Chaz Davies took second and this was his first front row start since the Aragon round and where he claimed a double victory.

Opening the second row will be Jonathan Rea with Marco Melandri and Carlos Checa who shook off his heavy crash in the earlier free practice. Checa seems to more competitive with his new set-up (they raised the Spaniard’s riding position), but the Panigale is still lacking top speed.

Leon Camier could only qualify 10th and he’ll open the fourth row, while his team mate Jules Cluzel (who was on pole position and took third in last year’s Supersport round on the Russian track) was able to enter in QP3 and take 7th.

Max Neukirchner will start tomorrow’s races in 11th and a very frustrated Loris Baz was will take off from 12th

Leon Haslam and Ayrton Badovini couldn’t get past SP1 and will start in 13th and 14th respectively, while Michel Fabrizio will start in 15th after crashing his Aprilia when he was on his final flying lap and improving.

2013 WSBK Moscow Superpole results:

1. Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′34.676
2. Chaz Davies (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 1′34.833
3. Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′34.934
4. Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike) Honda CBR1000RR 1′35.058
5. Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 1′35.115
6. Carlos Checa (Team Ducati Alstare) Ducati 1199 Panigale R 1′35.220
7. Jules Cluzel (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1′35.256
8. Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′36.113
9. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′34.546
10. Leon Camier (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1′35.761
11. Max Neukirchner (MR-Racing) Ducati 1199 Panigale R 1′35.788
12. Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′36.033

from Twowheelsblog

THE RED TRACKER – YAMAHA SCORPIO ’08

from studiomotor

Aston Martin Racing Selling V8 Vantage GTE and DBR1-2

Aston Martin has announced that their racing division is selling two racing cars to collectors for the bargain price of £250,000 each. The first is a V-8 Vantage GTE chassis No. X2 that competed in the Le Mans 24 Hour race in 2012. It qualified in third place in the GTE AM class but retired from the race. As it’s been prepared for display purposes, Aston has taken the engine and gearbox out to make the car lighter and easier to transport. We’ve not been told if the buyer can opt to have the engine and transmission replaced.

The other car that’s being offered is an Aston Martin DBR1-2 that saw action in the LMP1 class during the 2009 to 2011 seasons. It took fourth place overall at Le Mans and won the Le Mans Series Championship in 2009, achieving these results with gas rather than petrol power. Its last major win was at the 2011 Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.

Aston is expecting the cars to be sold to businesses rather than collectors, as the British super car maker believes they’ll be used for promotional purposes. To solidify that part of the deal includes advertising space on the doors of their No. 97 GTE PRO car which is being campaigned in the World Endurance Championship. The buyer will also have the chance to bring 10 guests to a race in the championship and to enjoy Aston’s luxurious hospitality.

Aston Martin V8 Vantage GTE and DBR 1-2

It would be a shame to see two racing cars altered for promotional purposes as Astonsuggest, so we hope that they change their mind and sell to a collector who will preserve them in their existing liveries and bring them out for historic car events like the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

from Eurocarblog

Cafe Racer Dreams Kz 750 Twin

Hands up, we admit it. We love Cafe Racer Dreams‘ bikes – and we make no apologies for it, and the reason is simple; builds like this Kz750 Twin brat. In many ways, the brat style take on any late 70s or early 80s Japanese bike will always follow a simply formula: Strip off the ugly bits, hide the electrics, chop the rear subframe, add a loop and fit a flat seat, etc, but even when you follow the rules some bikes just come out a bit ‘righter’ than others.

This bike is very right indeed. It might be those twin shotgun pipes, or the way the short seat balances out the length of the tank, but whatever it is, it makes me want one.

Interestingly enough this bike is not one that Pery at Cafe Racer Dreams is overly excited about. Like most custom builds, it has been built to the customer’s spec and wishes, rather than to the builders own tastes, and for Pery the paintwork doesn’t quite carry the usual CRD trademark style, but even in these more modest tones the bike still screams ‘built in Madrid’ to us. It’s lovely.

Another reason is that the Kz650 has been done to death by the likes of the Wrenchmonkees which means builds like this will be compared to bikes that have rolled out of the WM workshops, but no matter – as far as we are concerned this is a Cafe Racer Dreams beauty.

Keeping the rear subframe clear of battery and electrics is a part of the Cafe Racer Dreams trademark, as is the balance and overall weighting of the bike from axel to axel. A tucked-in Bates style headlamp practically hides between the front forks, while wide black upswept scrambler style bars sit behind a simple black crinkle finish speedo. Indicators are there but black, small and subtle.

The rear of the bike has a cutdown black fender to complement the item on the front, with a small Highway Hawk style rear lamp craning over the number plate. The small wire wheels wear big fat Firestones that always polarise the biking community, but having ridden a bike wearing these recently I can report they are indeed motorcycle tyres, and I did not find myself being ejected from the bike every time I came upon a corner or had to use the brakes. In other words, they work just fine and they look good – and this is not a performance machine.

So, here she is. Another top-tier custom beauty from one of our favourite workshops. We hope you enjoy looking at the pics as much as we do. I wish just wish she was parked outside the house right now, but then I wouldn’t be sitting here typing. Thanks again to Pery & Co at Cafe Racer Dreams for sharing. Keep ‘em coming.

the BIKE SHED 

Electric Blue: 50 electric Bluebird sports cars to go on sale

Two new Bluebird cars are about to be unveiled… but this time, they’re electric. Built to commemorate next year’s 50th anniversary of Donald Campbell’s land and water speed records, the run of 50 electric sports cars will have “acceleration to match a Porsche”.

Of all the historic brands resurrected and adopted for limited-edition production runs, few have the kudos of Bluebird – the name on the land speed record-breaking cars of Sir Malcolm Campbell and his descendants. The new 360bhp Bluebird DC50 has two, electrically operated ‘scissor’ doors and a range of up to 200 miles, but don’t bother ordering one in red; it only comes in Bluebird blue.

There will also be an electric race car – the Bluebird GTL – designed for the forthcoming FIA Formula E series, an all-electric global race series that is scheduled to start in 2014.

Both cars will be revealed to the world on Saturday 28^th September, at the Sustainable MotoExpo – held at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. Don Wales, grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell and nephew of Donald Campbell, explains that the museum is home to a wonderful historic land speed display celebrating the achievements of the Campbell family, and hence it “seems only fitting that we will be launching both the Bluebird DC50 electric sportscar and Bluebird GTL electric race car at Beaulieu”.

via Classic Driver

TRITON BY MADE IN METAL

We get quite a few Tritons sent in to Bike EXIF—maybe one every couple of weeks. I’m a big fan of the genre and always enjoying looking at them. But I sometimes think once you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.

Then this modern take on the classic Triton dropped into my inbox, and my jaw hit the floor. Has there ever been a more beautiful marriage of the Triumph T150 engine and a Norton Wideline featherbed frame?

This Triton comes from a small company called Made In Metal, run out of a shed behind a pub in Staffordshire, England. But it’s no amateur operation. The bikes built by Neil Adams and Paul Stead are masterpieces of craftsmanship, full of beautifully-fabricated parts and assembled with a sympathetic eye for design.

Made In Metal’s client wanted the absolute best in fabrication, so the bike took several months to build. (Don’t ask what it cost …) The engine has been boosted to 850cc and runs Megacycle cams, Omega pistons and Carillo rods. A substantial helping of magnesium alloy has dropped the weight by 10 kg over a stock T150 motor.

The gearshift is on the right-hand side and operates a Quaife five-speed ‘box. The frame is built from T45 tubing—a carbon-manganese steel popular in the aircraft industry—and is brazed rather than welded. And the exhaust is coated with Zircotec, a high temperature heat barrier used by several F1 race teams.

There’s a great tale behind this build, which started with a bet over a pint of beer at last year’s Isle of Man TT. Head over to The Rider’s Digest for the story.

via BIKEEXIF

Meet your heroes: The icons of the Gulf Collection

In the late 60s, blurred flashes of orange and powder blue captivated many a youngster: the unmistakeable Gulf cars were making history. Decades later, one of those schoolboys was able to fulfil his childhood dreams to the fullest extent...

"The life-sized version seemed like an apt place to start..."

When the German entrepreneur in question found himself with the means to complete his wish, there was no toe-dipping. He made an enquiry to Adrian Hamilton (of Classic Driver dealer Duncan Hamilton & Co) about a significant Gulf-liveried Ford GT40 the dealership was offering. He bought it and, around two years later, it had been joined by more than 20 stablemates, hand-picked (and subsequently looked after) by Hamilton on the entrepreneur's behalf.

Classic Driver was able to look over the fluorescent fleet, and we chose our favourites – not an easy task, given the eminence of each one.

Ford GT40 - Where the dream began

They say never meet your heroes; but they didn’t say anything about not owning one. Our German collector vividly remembers the model GT40 that took pride of place in his bedroom as a youngster, and the life-sized version seemed like an apt place to start when circumstances allowed. This particular car (chassis 1084) took 4^th place in the 1968 Spa 1,000km.

Porsche 917K - Le Mans legend

Many members of the ROFGO collection, as it's known, competed at Le Mans (the collection also contains a pair of Mirages and a Kremer), but the 917K was a soldier in one of the greatest battles. With Richard Attwood and Herbert Müller taking turns to man the turrets, it was only narrowly beaten at the 1971 Le Mans 24 Hours by the equally famous Martini-liveried 917 K.

McLaren F1 - Long in tooth and tail

Despite its now-legendary competition prowess, the F1 was, of course, originally built as a road car. It took a gentleman racer – Englishman Ray Bellm – to persuade McLaren to serve up a 'GTR' racing version; he then orchestrated a deal with Gulf to reignite the previously fruitful partnership (the ROFGO collection includes 7 of these fruits).

Bellm won the GT title in 1996; in 1997, he upgraded to this revised ‘longtail’ F1 GTR to fend off the challenge of the Works CLK GTRs and 911 GT1s from Stuttgart.

Aston Martin DBR9 - It could at least have been washed...

It might seem oddly grubby next to its gleaming siblings, but that’s not any old dirt. One of the pair of DBR9s in the ROFGO collection, it proudly wears the filth gathered at Le Mans – where it won both the 2007 and 2008 GT1 classes, reminding us of its namesake DBR1's legendary 1959 outright win.

What's next...?

With most significant Gulfs currently in happy homes, there doesn’t appear to be much scope to expand the collection at the moment: it already even includes a period Mercedes transporter (one of three built) which remains in the appropriate livery. The next project is to construct a purpose-built home for the group – Gulf-themed, of course.

Perhaps our dedicated German also has fond memories of a die-cast Martini Porsche...?

Photos: Jan Baedeker

via Classic Driver 

The Boss Hunting Truck

If you live near Melbourne, Florida and the thought of using a pickup truck or off roaders for your hunt doesn’t appeal you could hire this thing. According to it’s makers The Boss Hunting Truck is a “luxury hunting truck of the future”. The Boss Hunting Truck starts at just $200,000 (£131,000) but taking various options quickly pushes the cost to $500,000 (£327,000).

As you’ve probably guess it’s based on a Hummer H1 K10 Series which has been adapted to include an updated 6.5-litre turbo diesel. It’s four-wheel-drive, as you’d expect for a hunting truck that’s been designed for big game hunting in Africa, Alaska and the middle-east. Thetruck’s looks have been changed which results in a futurisic look that softens the Hummer’s military appearance.

Inside the truck you’ll find five monitors showing views from six external cameras, a CB radio and ammo and gun storage areas. Additional gun storage areas are optional as is a drone plane that can be controlled by an iPad. The truck’s suspension is bespoke, as are the 44-inch Super Swamper wheels that are equipped with an all-terrain conquering inflate/deflate system. If you find yourself in trouble there are 12000lb winches on the front and rear bumpers.

The Boss Hunting Truck

Parker Brothers is selling the truck from their shop in Florida at the moment, so availability in Europe is unclear. With the size and weight of the machine you’d probably not want to get one shipped across the Atlantic, but if you’re hunting on the American continent you might come across one.

via Eurocarblog