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    samedi 28 juin 2014

    Leg 2 - 2014 WRC Rally Poland


    WRC Rally Poland, après ES19 : Ogier (VW/Michelin) contrôle / Ogier (VW/Michelin) in command


    Il reste la fameuse Superspéciale de Mikolajki à parcourir ce soir. Parti en 2e position ce matin, Sébastien Ogier est désormais leader avec près d’une minute d’avance sur son équipier Andreas Mikkelsen. La bagarre pour la 3e place s’annonce superbe entre Neuville et les Finlandais Hirvonen, Hanninen et Latvala groupés en 25 secondes.
    Il s’est passé beaucoup de choses au cours de cette longue 3e journée qui avait débuté sous un beau soleil avant de se terminer sous la pluie. Pas un pilote du top-ten à l’issue de l’ES9 hier n’est rentré dans la même position à Mikolajki ce soir !
    Le temps fort de cette journée fut sans aucun doute l’ES14, 1er passage dans Goldap (35,17 km), où Elfyn Evans (Ford), Robert Kubica (Ford), Jari-Matti Latvala (VW) et Mads Ostberg (Citroën) ont semble-t-il tous touché la même pierre, avec plus ou moins de conséquences : retrait pour Evans et Ostberg, crevaison pour Kubica, suspension cassée pour Latvala. Kris Meeke (Citroën) a lui aussi perdu du temps dans cette spéciale (sortie).
    Cette ES14 a donc bouleversé le classement général, mais pas la hiérarchie entre Sébastien Ogier et Andreas Mikkelsen, établie après l’ES12 où les deux pilotes VW avaient effectué chacun une petite faute au même endroit. Le Norvégien a mis un peu plus de temps pour reprendre la route, puis le Champion du monde 2013 a commencé à creuser l’écart. Avant la Superspéciale de Mikolajki, Ogier compte près d’une minute d’avance sur Mikkelsen.
    L’ES14 ayant retardé les pilotes figurant aux 3e, 4e et 5e positions, Juho Hanninen (Hyundai), Mikko Hirvonen (Ford), Thierry Neuville (Hyundai), se sont donc retrouvés en pleine bagarre pour la dernière marche du podium. Le Belge a signé le meilleur temps de l’ES18 et pris la 3e place provisoire devant les Finlandais Hirvonen (4e), Hanninen (5e) et… Jari-Matti Latvala (6e), revenu très fort en fin d’étape. Ce sera une des bagarres à suivre demain, pour la 4e et dernière journée de course (49,18 km chronométrés).
    Autre bagarre, celle pour la 7e place entre Hayden Paddon (Hyundai), Henning Solberg (8e, Ford) et Kris Meeke (9e, Citroën), groupés en une vingtaine de secondes. Martin Prokop (Ford) complète le top-ten, devant le leader WRC-2 Ott Tanak (Ford Fiesta R5).
    Ce fut une journée noire pour les pilotes polonais : Krzysztof Holowczyc (Ford) est sorti dans l’ES13, Robert Kubica (Ford) a arraché une roue dans l’ES17. La veille, Michal Solowow (Ford) était lui aussi sorti de la route.
    En WRC-2, derrière Tanak, Jari Ketomaa (Ford) est toujours 2e devant Yazeed Al-Rajhi (Ford). Martin Kangur (Ford) et Sébastien Chardonnet (Citroën, sortie) ont dû se retirer de l’étape. Hors championnat, le triple champion de Pologne Bryan Bouffier (Ford) figure en 4e position de catégorie RC2.
    En Junior, Stéphane Lefebvre (Citroën DS3 R3/Michelin) compte désormais une belle avance (2min11s) sur Alastair Fisher et Christian Riedmann séparés par une dizaine de secondes.
    Demain (dimanche), quatre spéciales sont au programme. Toutes ont déjà été parcourues par les concurrents jeudi et samedi.
    With only this evening’s super-special in Mikolajki to come today, Sébastien Ogier has moved up from overnight second into a handsome lead, almost a minute clear of team-mate Andreas Mikkelsen. There’s an interesting battle developing for third place between Neuville and Finns Hirvonen, Hanninen and Latvala who are covered by 25 seconds.
    It’s been a dramatic third day in Poland which started out sunny and ended in rain. Not one of yesterday’s top 10 has figures in the same position after today’s action.
    The turning point of the leg was undoubtedly the first attempt at Goldap (SS14, 35.17km) when Elfyn Evans (Ford), Robert Kubica (Ford), Jari-Matti Latvala (VW) and Mads Ostberg (Citroën) all seem to have hit the same rock, with differing consequences. It eliminated Evans and Ostberg, saw Kubica pick up a puncture and resulted in big suspension damage for Latvala. Kris Meeke (Citroën) went off on the same stage.
    Despite all this drama, it had no effect on the top two, with Ogier running ahead of Mikkelsen after both VW drivers made mistakes at the same spot on SS12. The Norwegian lost time getting back on the road, allowing the world champion to pull out a gap which stands at almost a minute prior to tonight’s super-special..
    After SS14 delayed the drivers in third, fourth and fifth positions, Juho Hanninen (Hyundai), Mikko Hirvonen (Ford) and Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) suddenly found themselves battling for third spot. The Belgian was fastest on SS18 to get a footing on the podium, ahead Hirvonen and Hanninen, chased by Latvala who fought back well later in the day. The last leg features 49.18km of competitive kilometres to sort out this little fight.
    There’s also a scrap for seventh spot between Hayden Paddon (7th, Hyundai), Henning Solberg (8th, Ford) and Kris Meeke (9th, Citroën) who are covered by around 20 seconds. Martin Prokop (Ford) rounds off the top 10, ahead of WRC-2 pace-setter Ott Tanak (Ford Fiesta R5).
    It hasn’t been a good day for the Poles, since Krzysztof Holowczyc (Ford) went off on SS13 and Robert Kubica (Ford) pulled a wheel off on SS17. Michal Solowow (Ford) also went off on Friday.
    Behind Tanak, the WRC-2 order is Jari Ketomaa (Ford), ahead of Yazeed Al-Rajhi (Ford). Martin Kangur (Ford) and Sébastien Chardonnet (Citroën, off) both failed to finish the day. Meanwhile, the three-time Polish champion Bryan Bouffier (Ford) is third in the RC2 class.
    The Junior standings are led by Stéphane Lefebvre (Citroën DS3 R3/Michelin) who is 2m11s clear of Alastair Fisher, with Christian Riedmann (3rd) around 10 seconds further down.
    Sunday’s four stages have already been covered by competitors on Thursday and today.

    Assen 2014 - MotoGP : Deuxième podium de l'année pour Dovizioso / Dovizioso secures second podium of 2014


    Deuxième derrière Marc Márquez à l’Iveco Daily TT Assen, l’Italien a été l’auteur d’une course quasi-parfaite, terminée avec une bonne avance sur Dani Pedrosa.

    Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team, NED RACE

    Face à des conditions mitigées pour le départ de la huitième manche de la saison MotoGP™ 2014, Andrea Dovizioso a choisi de jouer la sécurité, comme la grande majorité des pilotes, et est donc parti sur pneus pluie. Malgré sa septième position sur la grille, l’Italien s'est très bien élancé et a brièvement mené devant Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda) sur le premier tour avant de suivre ce dernier en direction de la pit-lane un peu plus tard afin de changer de pneu. 
    Le pilote Ducati a ensuite profité d’une petite erreur de Márquez pour creuser l’écart mais, comme il pouvait s’y attendre, n’a pas pu rivaliser avec l’imbattable Espagnol sur la longueur de la course et a fini isolé en deuxième position, avec quatre secondes d’avance sur Pedrosa et une seconde apparition sur le podium avec Ducati cette année.
    « Au début nous avions compris où la piste était mouillée et où elle était sèche, nous pouvions donc pousser très fort. Et nous avions la même stratégie que Marc, je crois que c’était le meilleur moment pour changer, » a expliqué Dovizioso. « Sur les premiers tours avec les slicks, Marc a poussé un peu trop fort et il a eu un sursaut parce que le flanc gauche de son pneu était froid. Je savais qu’il était plus rapide alors j’ai essayé de rester avec lui le plus longtemps possible. »
    « La course a été très dure du début à la fin. C’était important de bien comprendre la piste, la couleur à Assen est un peu particulière et c’est parfois difficile de voir où c’est sec et où c’est mouillé. Sur les premiers tours, nous essayions de garder le régime moteur assez bas pour limiter le patinage mais Marc et moi avons ensuite décidé de pousser à 100%. »
    MotoGP Podium, NED RACE
    Andrea Dovizioso claimed second place at the Iveco Daily TT Assen, ahead of Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda), registering a Ducati podium result for the second time this season.
    Worsening weather saw the start of Saturday’s MotoGP™ contest delayed and the race eventually being declared wet.
    Like the majority of the grid Andrea Dovizioso decided to play it safe and run wets, despite a drying track. The experienced Italian battled Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) in the initial stages of the race, both riders switching to slicks on the same lap.
    Dovizioso was briefly able to lead after Marquez made a mistake and ran wide. Despite the Ducati rider’s best efforts he was unable to hold off the young Spaniard whose pace was simply higher. This is his and Ducati’s second podium of the season, the first coming in Austin.
    Marquez was 6.714s clear of Dovizioso at the end of the race, with Pedrosa four seconds behind the Italian.
    Dovizioso commented, “At the begining we undersood where it was wet and dry, so we could push very hard. And we made the same strategy as Marc, it was the best moment I feel. In the first lap on the slicks Marc pushed a little too much and had a moment of the left hand side of the tyre that was cold. I knew his pace was quicker so I stayed with him as long as I could.”
    “It was a very hard race from beginning to end. It was important to understand the track, the colour at Assen is quite strange so it can be hard to see the wet and dry spots. In the first laps we tried to keep the RPM low to limit the spins, but then both Marc and I decide to push 100%,” he added on the importance of the early stages.


    WRC : Rally Poland : Le Grand huit de Mikolajki / Rally Poland: Mikolajki’s ‘figure-of-eight’ showpiece


    Vue du ciel, la Superspéciale de Mikolajki ressemble à un Grand huit tracé près du complexe hôtelier de Golebiewski. Les concurrents du Rally Poland 2014 la parcourent tous les jours et il s’y passe toujours quelque chose.
    Tracée dans un champ de 15 hectares, cette Superspéciale offre deux pistes parallèles qui s’entrecroisent grâce à un pont. Elle a été inaugurée en 2009 et est utilisée chaque année par le Rally Poland et, le reste du temps, par une école de pilotage et diverses opérations sportives et d’évènementiel.
    En 2009, cette Superspéciale a été rendue célèbre par Jari-Matti Latvala (Ford Focus WRC), 2edu classement général au départ cette dernière spéciale du rallye. Le Finlandais a percuté un rail, cassé sa direction et dût abandonner, privant Ford d’un doublé. Un crash stupide. « Le plus mauvais souvenir de ma vie, pas seulement de ma carrière sportive », a confirmé Jari-Matti en conférence de presse avant le départ du rallye. « J’étais en pleurs. Mais je me souviens aussi des mots d’encouragement des photographes qui étaient là. » Le Finlandais avait une « boule au ventre » jeudi soir en prenant le départ de cette Superspéciale.
    Mikolajki Arena figure au programme de chaque journée du Rally Poland 2014 : à 20h00 jeudi soir, puis à 22h00 vendredi et samedi juste avant des concerts donnés sur la scène dressée tout à côté. Demain, dimanche, elle sera parcourue avant la Power Stage. Tribunes, buvettes, motor show, stands, concerts : les organisateurs ont prévu tout un tas d’animation autour de cette Superspéciale qui attire chaque soir 10 000 spectateurs.
    Sur un plan sportif, outre la mésaventure de Latvala en 2009, il se passe toujours quelque chose dans cette Superspéciale. Par exemple, le leader du Rally Poland a changé jeudi et vendredi soir à l’issue de cette spéciale-spectacle. Elle a même créé davantage d’écart que les « vraies » spéciales (2s7 ES4, 1s9 ES10) et Sébastien Ogier y a repris la tête de l’épreuve à deux reprises.
    « Contrairement aux autres ES, il y a beaucoup de grip, alors on peut se « lâcher ». Au 1erpassage, la piste était bien balayée pour moi. Hier, les organisateurs avaient arrosé pour éviter la poussière. Avant de partir, j’ai regardé passer la voiture 0 puis j’ai demandé à son pilote comment était l’adhérence, il m’a dit que c’était OK, alors je ne me suis pas posé de questions. Comme c’est parti, le rallye pourrait se jouer là, dimanche, avant la Power Stage. Mais attention, car c’est une spéciale qui « râpe » beaucoup les pneus. »
    Alors, que va-t-il se passer dans cette Superspéciale ce soir et demain ?
    Seen from the sky, the Mikolajki super-special forms a big figure of eight alongside the Golebiewski hotel complex. This year, Rally Poland competitors face four visits in total, and something always seems to happen on this show stage.
    The stage is located in a 15-hectare field and takes the form of two parallel tracks which cross via a bridge. The test was first used in 2009 and, in addition to featuring on Rally Poland’s menu, it serves as a driving tuition centre, as well as for a variety of sporting and special events.
    In 2009, it was made famous by Jari-Matti Latvala (Ford Focus WRC) who was second overall before starting the rally’s ultimate stage. The unhappy Finn smashed a guardrail, broke his steering and had to retire, depriving Ford of a welcome one-two finish. “It’s the worst memory of my life, not just of my rallying career,” he admitted at the pre-start press conference. “I was in tears. I remember the words of consolation the photographers who were there gave me.”
    Unsurprisingly, the Finn was extremely tense at the start of Thursday evening’s super-special…
    Mikolajki Arena figures on the menu every day this week: at 8pm on Thursday, then 10pm on Friday and Saturday, just before the concerts which close each leg’s programme. Then, on Sunday, it will be run ahead of the Power Stage. For the casual spectator, it’s the ideal spot, with grandstands, food and drinks stands, a motor show, displays, concerts, etc. Every evening, there’s a crowd of around 10,000.
    In addition to Latvala’s mishap in 2009, something invariably happens on this stage. On Thursday and Friday evenings, for example, the lead changed hands here, with Ogier recovering top spot both times.
    “Unlike the other stages, there is plenty of grip, so you can really ‘go for it’. On Thursday, the surface had been swept clean for me, then, yesterday, the organisers sprayed it with water to keep the dust down. After the driver of the ‘zero’ car went through, I asked him what the grip was like. He said it was ‘okay’, so I didn’t hesitate to push. The way it’s going, the outcome could be decided on this stage on Sunday, before the Power Stage. That said, it’s quite hard-wearing for the tyres…”

    RUOTE RUGGINOSE MINERVA


    Minerva 1
    For a motorcycle named after Minerva – the Roman Goddess of War – you may have expected a touch more brute force and anger apparent in the finished form, but it was Minerva’s less aggressive tendencies, specifically her patronage of craftsmen, that prompted her name to grace this beautiful little Ducati.  Simone Ceccarelli from Viterbo, near Rome, is the man for whom the Goddess played Muse and she surely would be delighted by the level of craftsmanship which he has bestowed upon his creation.
    “I love old Motorbikes with a racing attitude and a little bit of artistic blood” begins Simone, the one man band behind Ruote Rugginose or Rusty Wheels (not that there is anything rusty about these wheels!).  A 1971 Ducati 250 mark 3 procured from a deaf, grumpy, old motorcycle collector provided all the stimulus he needed to let his artstic ideas flow.
    Minerva 3
    “The Vision was a racing motorbike (café racer if you want) that recalled classic materials like wood, brass, iron, glass and bronze, belonging to the past.”  This desire to vary his use of materials manifests itself most strikingly in the fairing, which Simone with help from friend Davide Aresi, fabricated out of wood.  No doubt Davide’s job at KD Kustom furniture benefitted in this extraordinary process. At first glance you would never realise this bold choice of material such is the execution of the finished product, yet it adds a warmth, beauty and unique talking point to the little machine, channelling the Italian artisan cabinet makers of yore.
    Minerva 2
    When Simone was finished with the planes and wood saws he turned to more traditional motorcycle tooling to cut and clean the frame before creating the long curvaceous tank and classically profiled tail piece out of fibreglass. The seat unit conceals the minimal electrics and was finely upholstered by Alessandro Starace Seats. The exquisite 250 single was then restored and tuned before slotting back into the black frame married to a wrapped exhaust.
    Minerva 7
    The Beretta wheels were donated from another vintage Ducati and are pulled up short by Racing Grimeca drum brakes.  The handlebars came courtesy of Menani, and are fitted with the original Domino throttle, Menani also provided the rearsets. The forks have been slid through the yokes to maintain the long, low sloping lines of a racer, pushing the single Smith’s RPM guage high into the fairing.  To light the way a headlight from an unknown origin has been secured low to the left front fork, allowing that masterfully smooth fairing to be free from interruption.
    Minerva 8
    The paint has a base of gold leaf with a candy red overcoat and was applied by Greaser Garage in Genova, the colour ties in beautifully with the deep lustre of the wood, the combination of matte and deep shine finishes satisfying the initial ambition to recall and combine classic materials.  Simone entered the bike into the IMC Italian Motorcycle Championship and was delighted with both the response and his third place in what must have been a very stiff competition.
    Minerva 5
    The Goddess must no doubt be proud to have her monicker emblazoned upon the product of Simone’s year of hard work that embodies traditional Italian craftsmanship in a two wheeled form. Glorious stuff Simone, and fittingly beautiful Italian picture locations, we look forward to seeing what the future holds for Ruote Rugginose!
    The Bike Shed 

    Moto GP Assen :Márquez s’impose à nouveau dans la Cathédrale d’Assen/ Fantastic Marquez maintains winning form in complicated TT race


    Marc Márquez a décroché sa huitième victoire en autant de courses depuis le début de la saison 2014 samedi à l’Iveco Daily TT Assen, dans une épreuve qui avait commencé sur piste mouillée. Andrea Dovizioso, brillant et sur le podium pour la deuxième fois de la saison, et Dani Pedrosa étaient à ses côtés sur le podium.

    Décidément, rien n’arrête Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda), pas même les difficiles conditions météo d’Assen, où l’épreuve de la catégorie MotoGP™ a été déclarée course sur piste mouillée quelques minutes avant le départ. 
    Seul pilote en pneus slick sur le tour de formation, Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) rentre immédiatement aux stands afin de passer sur pneus pluie, quitte à devoir partir de la pit-lane, en compagnie de Broc Parkes (PBM), victime d'un problème technique quelques instants plus tôt.
    Deuxième sur la grille derrière Aleix Espargaró (NGM Forward Racing), Márquez réussit son départ mais se fait brièvement devancer par Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati), qui aura au final été son seul réel adversaire ce samedi aux Pays-Bas. Sur piste mouillée mais en l’absence de pluie, Márquez et Dovizioso creusent l’écart et rentrent en même temps aux stands dans le cinquième tour pour repartir sur leurs secondes motos chaussées de pneus slick. Les deux pilotes sont imités par la plupart de leurs concurrents alors que Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech3) ou encore Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda) attendent un peu plus tard pour effecteur le changement.
    La piste est néanmoins encore mouillée et Márquez part à la faute dès son premier tour sur slicks. Reparti du garage Ducati sur le pneu tendre réservé à la catégorie Open, Dovizioso en profite pour prendre le contrôle de la course ainsi qu’une bonne avance sur le Champion du Monde en titre. Ce dernier rattrape cependant ses quatre secondes de retard sur l’Italien un peu plus tard et le passe dans le quatorzième tour pour ensuite filer vers la victoire. 
    Andrea-Dovizioso-Ducati-Team-NED-WUP-573340
    Derrière eux, Aleix Espargaró (NGM Forward Racing), qui, comme Dovizioso, roule sur pneu tendre, rivalise avec Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) pour la troisième place mais abdique en fin de course, se contentant volontiers de la quatrième place.
    Passé par les stands sur le même tour que Márquez et Dovizioso, Rossi réalise sur la seconde partie de la course une impressionnante remontée pour finir dans le Top 5 après s’être battu avec Andrea Iannone (Pramac Racing), Álvaro Bautista (GO&FUN Honda Gresini), Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech3) et Cal Crutchlow (Ducati).
    Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda) prend quant à lui la dixième place, devant un formidable Broc Parkes (PBM), dans les points pour la deuxième fois. L’Australien termine devant Scott Redding (GO&FUN Honda Gresini) et Lorenzo, qui aura de nouveau connu bien des déboires à Assen après s’y être fracturé la clavicule l’an dernier.
    Mike Di Meglio (Avintia Racing) prend au final la vingtième place tandis que Pol Espargaró (Monster Yamaha Tech3) est le seul pilote à abandon.
    Grâce à cette huitième victoire consécutive, Márquez dispose de 72 points d’avance sur Rossi et Pedrosa, désormais ex aequo. Dovizioso passe quant à lui devant Lorenzo, à la quatrième place, avec dix points de plus que le Majorquin.
    Cliquez ici pour accéder aux résultats


    MotoGP™ World Champion Marc Marquez produced a masterclass in difficult conditions at the Iveco Daily TT Assen to make it eight wins from eight races in 2014, ahead of fellow podium finishers Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) - after an entertaining flag-to-flag contest.
    Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team, NED RACE


    In a race which started after a delay due to wet conditions Marquez judged the 26-lap challenge to perfection, running with Dovizioso at the front in the early stages and asserting his authority as the riders changed to dry set-up machines on the seventh lap.
    Marquez eventually clinched the win by 6.7s seconds to become the first rider since the great Giacomo Agostini in 1971 to win the first eight premier-class races of the year.
    Dovizioso stepped onto the rostrum for the second time in 2014, with Pedrosa completing the podium after holding off the pursuing Aleix Espargaro (NGM Forward Racing) for several laps. Espargaro rode well to hold fourth, having started on pole on the ‘Open’ Forward Yamaha.
    Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) took fifth having shown great pace in the second half of the race, his problem being a late decision to swap back from slicks to wets at the start. Rossi started from pit lane on wets, therefore, and recovered considerable ground before and after eventually the swap back to slicks.
    Andrea Iannone (Pramac Racing), Alvaro Bautista (GO&FUN Honda Gresini), Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech3), Cal Crutchlow (Ducati Team) and Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda MotoGP) completed the top ten.
    Broc Parkes (Paul Bird Motorsport) rode superbly to 11th having started from pit lane following a problem on the warm up lap. Pol Espargaro (Monster Yamaha Tech3) retired with six laps to go after crashes on slicks and then wet tyres.

    TRIUMPH ENDURO BY 32 TO ONE


    triumph_enduro_motorcycle_3
    The Triumph Scrambler has quickly become a prime target for custom motorcycle builders, it’s based on the Bonneville and because of this, there’s a huge aftermarket parts catalogue rivalled only by the likes of Harley-Davidson.
    The Triumph you see here started life as a Scrambler, before being rebuilt after it was wrecked with just 900 miles on the odometer. Santiago Ares decided to take the project on and it all started with a strip down – to gauge the damage and begin the process of figuring out what could be kept and what needed to be thrown out.
    Santiago is a long time fan of the classic enduro motorcycles of the ’70s and so he saw this build as an opportunity to take a Scrambler and turn it into its own arch rival. One of the first new additions to the bike was that huge Baja 1000 headlight, apparently it throws out as much illumination as a Cessna’s landing lights – meaning that drivers can see the bike coming from a very, very long way away.
    He then called in the services of Mark, a former Boeing engineer with some serious fabrication capabilities. Mark hand-built the new aluminium dashboard and bash plate – Personally I much prefer it to the official Triumph part.
    A new ProTaper handlebar was then added, with Joker levers and grips by British Customs. A set of lightweight scrambler pipes were bolted into place and the bike was finished off in a colour from the Porsche catalogue by the team at Perfection Auto.
    The completed bike is weighs in at 25lbs less than stock and has improved off-road abilities according to Santiago – who makes a regular habit of taking it up abandoned fire roads whenever he has the chance.
    If you’d like to see more from Santiago, you can visit his website here.
    triumph enduro motorcycle 22 1480x982 Triumph Enduro by 32 To One
    triumph enduro motorcycle 19 1480x1064 Triumph Enduro by 32 To One
    triumph enduro motorcycle 18 1480x982 Triumph Enduro by 32 To One
    triumph enduro motorcycle 12 1480x982 Triumph Enduro by 32 To One
    triumph enduro motorcycle 9 1480x982 Triumph Enduro by 32 To One
    triumph enduro motorcycle 8 1480x982 Triumph Enduro by 32 To One
    triumph enduro motorcycle 7 1480x982 Triumph Enduro by 32 To One
    triumph enduro motorcycle 6 1480x982 Triumph Enduro by 32 To One
    triumph enduro motorcycle 2 1480x982 Triumph Enduro by 32 To One
    triumph enduro motorcycle 1 1480x982 Triumph Enduro by 32 To One
    via SILODROME

    A Transformation with a History: 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Group 4


    1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Transformation Groupe 4
    Images thanks to Artcurial
    The only 365GTB/4 with period racing history in Asia, this car has a unique history and is immaculately well prepared. It’ll head to auction at Artcurial’s upcoming 2014 Le Mans Classic Sale.
    It was originally imported into Singapore, where it remained unregistered until 1979 and was used purely as a competition car in events such as the Kallang Sprint, Dover Kilo and Pasir Gudang.
    1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 DaytonaTransformation Groupe 4
    When it moved on to its second owner it was handed to Customer Support at Maranello for preparation work, before changing hands again and going to Stanley Long, who competed with the Singapore Motor Sports Association, Johor Motor Club and Classic Car Club of Hong Kong.
    After an accident in the early ’90s the car was rebuilt to Group 4 Specifications, and 2001 saw it survive an engine fire, for which it received body repairs in Singapore before going to England in 2003 for a complete mechanical re-build by GTO Engineering.
    1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 DaytonaTransformation Groupe 4
    Having survived an eventful three and a half decades the car entered a quiet period in the mid ’00s, eventually being registered in 2012 and making its way to its current owner.
    The car is in great condition with superb Group 4 preparations and FIA documentation that’ll gain it entrance into the world’s most prestigious historic events. Storied and sorted, it looks like a great buy.
    It’ll head to auction on July 5th, 2014, at Le Mans Classic 2014 by Artcurial Motorcars, and you can get the full details at Artcurial’s official website here.
    Via Artcurial
    Images thanks to Artcurial
    1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 DaytonaTransformation Groupe 4
    1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 DaytonaTransformation Groupe 4
    1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 DaytonaTransformation Groupe 4
    1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 DaytonaTransformation Groupe 4
    1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 DaytonaTransformation Groupe 4

    HONDA CBN400 BY ED TURNER MOTORCYCLES


    Honda CBN 400 1
    This rather unusual looking Honda CBN400 is the work of Ed Turner Motorcycles, a French custom motorcycle garage run by a friendly chap by the name of Karl. The name “Ed Turner” is a play on the phrase “head turner” and not, as I’d first assumed, the name of the garage’s proprietor.
    CB400 is a name that’s been appended to at least 6 different Honda models over the years, the CBN400 was never officially sold in the USA and reliable information on it is relatively scarce. It was fitted with a 395cc SOHC, 3-valve parallel twin which was mated to a 5-speed transmission – all of the CB400s were designed to fit in above the smaller displacement bikes and below the likes of the range-topping CB750.
    This mid-range appeal led to the bikes being quite popular and seeing solid sales figures, the famous Honda-reliability kept them on the road for years after many of their contemporaries breathed their last. This bullet-proof engineering makes them ideal candidates for customisation – so in a way it’s surprising that we haven’t seen more of them.
    The Honda CBN400 you see here has been reimagined into a cafe-racer-super-moto hybrid and despite the fact that its looks will divide opinions, I really like it. Karl added polished CBR forks and 17” supermoto wheels, he cropped the rear subframe, removed the original twin shocks and converted it to mono, the swing arm was extended, the wiring harness was minimised and that eye-catching low-profile fuel tank was bolted into place.
    The completed bike looks like it’d be a hell of a lot of fun to ride, I’m sure it’ll attract the usual anoraks with their comments about seat comfort, practicality and exhaust noise – but I’ve found it’s best to ignore these arm-chair-mechanics. They just don’t know how to have fun.
    Honda CBN 400 740x493 Honda CBN400 by Ed Turner Motorcycles
    Honda CBN 400 14 740x740 Honda CBN400 by Ed Turner Motorcycles
    Honda CBN 400 11 740x493 Honda CBN400 by Ed Turner Motorcycles
    Honda CBN 400 10 740x493 Honda CBN400 by Ed Turner MotorcyclesHonda CBN 400 9 740x493 Honda CBN400 by Ed Turner Motorcycles
    Honda CBN 400 6 740x1108 Honda CBN400 by Ed Turner Motorcycles
    Honda CBN 400 3 740x493 Honda CBN400 by Ed Turner Motorcycles
    Honda CBN 400 2 1480x1480 Honda CBN400 by Ed Turner Motorcycles
    via SILODROME

    Moto GP ; Aleix Espargaró : « Me battre avec les Factory le plus longtemps possible » / Aleix Espargaro reflects on securing first pole position


    Aleix Espargaro, NGM Forward Racing, NED Q2

    Qualifié en pole position pour la première fois de sa carrière à l’Iveco Daily TT Assen, sur son circuit favori, Aleix Espargaró sait que la course de samedi sera difficile et demeure réaliste quant à ses objectifs.


    Alors que la plupart des pilotes MotoGP™ sont partis de la pit-lane dès l’ouverture des qualifications, Aleix Espargaró a décidé de patienter un peu pour éviter d’être gêné par le trafic, une décision qui a au final été cruciale dans l’obtention de sa toute première pole position en Grand Prix. 
    Le pilote du team NGM Forward Racing a attaqué dès le début pour signer le meilleur chrono et a vite été confirmé en pole lorsque la pluie s’est fait plus insistante à partir de la mi-séance. 
    « Les qualifications ont été étranges, comme toujours ici à Assen. Il pleuvait au début de la séance et toute l’équipe m’avait dit de me dépêcher mais je voyais les autres partir et c’était un peu le chaos. J’ai pris un risque et j’ai attendu vingt secondes. Je suis ensuite parti tout seul et je voyais onze pilotes devant moi. J’ai attaqué et j’étais beaucoup plus rapide qu’eux, » a commenté Espargaró.
    « C’est fantastique de remporter ma première pole sur mon circuit favori. Nous cherchions cette pole depuis le Qatar, j’avais fait de grosses erreurs là-bas et c’est génial de la remporter ici. Demain sera une journée spéciale et nous avons un bon rythme. Ce sera bizarre d’être en première position devant Márquez. Mon objectif est de me battre avec les Factory durant le plus de tours possible. Notre rythme est assez bon. »
    « Je préfèrerais courir sur le sec parce que j’ai un bon feeling et un bon rythme. Nous n’avons pas de configuration électronique pour la pluie. Quoi qu’il en soit, ce sera dur de battre les Repsol Honda, » a conclu le Catalan.
    Aleix Espargaro, NGM Forward Racing, NED Q2
    NGM Forward Racing’s Aleix Espargaro claimed his first pole position in Grand Prix racing in a hectic Q2 at the Iveco Daily TT Assen.
    Several MotoGP™ riders left the pits at the same time, eager to beat the rain as the 15-minute dash got underway, whilst Espargaro held back slightly - a decision that would prove critical. The ‘Open’ Yamaha rider was able to pick his way through the field on their one dry flying lap.
    A 1’38.789s put Espargaro 1.405s clear of Marc Marquez in second before the rain came, cementing the Spaniard’s first pole position in 150 GPs.
    “It was a strange qualifying, but that is usual in Assen. At the beginning of the session it was raining and all my team and the Bridgestone guy told me to go quick. But I saw all the other guys going in a bit of chaos. I took a risk and waited 20 seconds. I went alone on the track and I saw 11 riders ahead of me. I pushed and I was a lot faster than them,” commented Espargaro.
    Looking ahead he added, “It is fantastic to get my first pole at my favourite track. Since Qatar we have been hunting for pole, I have made some big mistakes so it is great to claim it here. Tomorrow will be a special day and we have a solid pace. It will be strange to be P1 ahead of Marquez, my objective is to fight with the factory guys for the maximum laps. Our pace is quite good.”
    “I prefer it dry as I have a better feeling and pace. In the wet we don’t have any electronics settings. Regardless it will be hard to follow the Repsol Honda bikes,” he concluded on Saturday’s chance of rain.
    Aleix-Espargaro-NGM-Forward-Racing-NED-FP2-573070

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