WSBK : Le doublé et un premier titre mondial pour Guintoli / Guintoli wins World Championship by 6 points after Qatari double victory

Double vainqueur au Qatar, le Français remporte le Championnat du Monde Superbike 2014.

Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) a réussi à rattraper ses douze points de retard sur Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) aujourd’hui au Qatar pour se proclamer Champion du Monde Superbike 2014 à l’issue d’une soirée exceptionnelle sur la piste illuminée du Circuit International de Losail, avec six points d’avance sur le Britannique.

Qualifié en deuxième ligne, le Français avait dominé la première course et en a fait de même lors d’une deuxième épreuve décisive, qu’il a terminée avec plus de quatre secondes d’avance et une victoire synonyme du premier doublé de sa carrière en World Superbike. Né à Montélimar, Guintoli est le premier Français à remporter le Championnat du Monde Superbike depuis Raymond Roche en 1990.

Au départ de la course, Sykes avait pris l’initiative en s’installant en tête mais a rapidement été rattrapé par Guintoli ainsi que Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike Team), qui est parvenu à dérober la seconde place à son compatriote à deux tours de l’arrivée.

Marco Melandri (Aprilia Racing Team) a fini quatrième et concédait la troisième place du classement général à Rea tandis que Chaz Davies (Ducati Superbike Team) et Toni Elías (Red Devils Roma Aprilia) complétaient le Top 6 en course.

Sortie de piste en départ suite à une collision avec Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike Team), Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) a fini sa dernière course en World Superbike à la septième place, devant Davide Giugliano (Ducati Superbike Team), Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) et Haslam.

David Salom (Kawasaki Racing Team), le Champion de la catégorie EVO, a battu Niccolò Canepa (Althea Racing Team) sur la ligne pour s’offrir une nouvelle victoire EVO et finissait en onzième position.

Jérémy Guarnoni (MRS Kawasaki) a malheureusement fini sa saison sur une chute après avoir été percuté par un autre pilote. Eugene Laverty (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki), Aaron Yates (Team Hero EBR) et Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia) ont eux aussi été contraints à l’abandon.

Double victory gives the Frenchman and Aprilia the World Championship.

Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) is the 2014 eni FIM Superbike World Champion after a nailbiting season final race held under floodlights at the Losail International Circuit, Qatar.

The race began with Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) and Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) colliding at turn one, with Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) heading the pack.

Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) took over the reigns as race leader before he was overhauled by race one winner Guintoli, the Frenchman setting a new lap record as he took the first double victory of his career to seal the World title by 6 points!

Sykes and Rea battled race long to determine the final spots on the podium with the Honda rider just edging the outgoing champion for second in final 3 laps.

Five riders fought hard for 4th with Marco Melandri (Aprilia Racing Team) coming home ahead of Chaz Davies (Ducati Superbike Team) and Toni Elias (Red Devils Roma Aprilia).

Newly crowned Superbike EVO winner David Salom (Kawasaki Racing Team) was once again involved in a titanic fight for the best classified EVO rider coming home ahead of Niccolo Canepa (Althea Racing Ducati) in 11th, Canepa was 12th. Bryan Staring (Iron Brain Grillini Kawasaki) rode well to claim the 3rd EVO placing in a credible 13th overall.

Eugene Laverty (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki), Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Kawasaki), Aaron Yates (Team Hero EBR) and Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia)

In the final standings Jonathan Rea finished 3rd, 1 point ahead of Melandri.

Toyota Land Cruiser "Deep In The Woods"

Toyota Land Cruiser "Deep In The Woods" from Cool & Vintage on Vimeo.

Le Rallye du Valais en BD / A Rallye du Valais comic book

Le Tome 3 des aventures de Michel Vaillant, « Liaison Dangereuse », nous emmène dans les Alpes suisses, sur les spéciales du Rallye International du Valais.

Souvenez-vous, l’an passé, nous avions fait connaissance avec Philippe Graton (scénariste), fils de Jean, créateur de la série, Denis Lapière (scénariste), Marc Bourgne et Benjamin Benéteau (dessinateurs) à l’occasion du Rallye du Valais 2013.

Ils étaient venus en repérages pour le prochain album de la « nouvelle saison » qui marquerait le retour de Michel Vaillant en rallye. Pendant tout le rallye, ils avaient interviewé les pilotes, les team-managers, les médias, et pris des centaines de photos…

Après trois mois consacrés à l’écriture du scénario, puis six mois dédiés au storyboard, au dessin et au coloriage, « Liaison Dangereuse » sera disponible à la vente fin novembre.

Dans ce Tome 3, Michel Vaillant doit faire triompher la nouvelle Vaillante au Rallye du Valais, mais sa copilote, Carole, rend dangereuses les épreuves spéciales comme les liaisons. La seconde Vaillante est pilotée par Margot Laffite (fille de Jacques, ancien pilote de F1), pilote et journaliste automobile.

« Liaison Dangereuse », Graton Editeur - Edition Dupuis, 55 pages, sortie le 21 novembre 2014

The latest episode in the adventures of fictitious driver Michel Vaillant is Liaison Dangereuse. Action takes place in the Swiss Alps, with the Rallye International du Valais as backdrop.

Best-of-RallyLive visitors may remember that we met with Philippe Graton (storyboard), son of the character’s creator Jean Graton, Denis Lapière (storyboard) and artists Marc Bourgne and Benjamin Benéteau during last year’s Rallye du Valais.

They were in Switzerland to take notes for their latest comic book which marks Michel Vaillant’s rallying comeback. They spent the event interviewing drivers, team managers and media, and took hundreds of photos.

After three months writing the scenario, followed by six months working on the storyboard and artwork, Liaison Dangereuse is due in shops at the end of November.

In the latest volume, Michel Vaillant’s mission is to take the latest Vaillante car to victory on the Rallye du Valais. However, his co-driver Carole weaves a certain danger into the plot. A second Vaillante is in the hands of driver and motoring journalist Margot Laffite, daughter of ex-F1 star Jacques.

Liaison Dangereuse - Published by Graton Editeur / Dupuis. Fifty-five pages. Due out on November 21, 2014.

Watch the best Hard Enduro action of 2014

By Tom Bellingham
The 2014 Hard Enduro season was one of the closest and most exciting ever as Jonny Walker, Alfredo Gómez and David Knight all took event wins in the hope of ending Graham Jarvis' reign at the top of extreme racing. Watch all the best action in the video below.

© Philipp Schuster/Red Bull Content Pool

Jarvis started where he left off last season with victory at the Hell's Gate season opener in Italy but David Knight made a brief return to Hard Enduro to win the Tough One for the sixth time at its new venue, historic British motocross circuit Hawkstone Park.
Jonny Walker won his second Red Bull Hare Scramble on the 20th anniversary of Erzberg, to make it three winners from the first three rounds, before ending Jarvis' three-year winning run at the Red Bull Romaniacs in Romania to become the first rider to win two events in 2014.
Red Bull Sea to Sky on the Turkish coast saw Jarvis hit back, before Alfredo Gómez ended a difficult season on a high by taking his first ever Hard Enduro win at the Extreme XL Lagares.
In the end, Graham Jarvis once again retained his Hard Enduro crown in 2014, but 2015 could well see the King of Hard Enduro finally dethroned.

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Born A Bad Seed

Born A Bad Seed from LET 'EM HAVE IT! Productions on Vimeo.

HCG R100RT

It’s a sad state of affairs when the only time Argentina gets in the UK news is when the Top Gear buffoons chase cod-scripted sensationalism to get Daily Mail reader’s kecks all of a flutter. Thankfully in our little bikey world, Argentina is one of many Latin-American countries building outstandingly stylish steeds. After doing unspeakably delicious things to a CX500 and most recently a Hinckley Bonneville, Federico Lozada and German Karp of Herencia Custom Garage have turned their keen eye to the hardy perennial that is the BMW R100RT. Under the dowdy Merkel exterior hid trim Klum DNA, pert barrels and all. This Teuton can Tango.

This build was for an existing HCG client, so very happy was he with the #22 Triumph Bobber, it wasn’t the hardest sell to convince him a companion bike was a good idea. The condition was that the bike would be finished in time for the prestigious UtoClasica show. Held in San Isidro, a suburb of Buenos Aires, it takes place every year in October displaying the best vintage cars and motorcycles in the country alongside a Shed-tastic auto jumble. Held outdoors, at a horse racing track, the best customisers and restorers from Buenos Aires exhibit their cars and bikes for scrutiny under the sun.

With a project use case requiring that the bike handle city streets, highways and weekend jaunts to the country with equal aplomb the 1980 R100RT is a great donor. The lofty riding position of a street scrambler added to the big bore boxer engine ticked a lot of boxes. A reworked rear end to allow a slimmed yet comfortable tuck and roll seat keeps lines sleek, contrast white stitching picking up the the paint.The stripped and neatened frame was treated to silver powder coat, with the majority of the drivetrain and running gear in black it helps break up what could have been an overbearing look.

The engine was in great condition, requiring nothing more than a health check and a service before the tough cosmetic makeover. No retro touches, just  black powder and plenty of it. With 1000cc on tap, the Bing carbs and standard airbox setup provide reliability and ease of maintenance. The RT oil cooler has been kept, to help the big pots stay cool in the Argentine city heat haze, tucked beneath the header it it’s easily missed, but adds a nice safety net and piece of mind for Summer.

Key to the visual transformation, a NOS Kawasaki KZ400 tank was prized from the hands of a serial tank collector, sounds intriguing… The paintwork takes the original Kawasaki design but exchanges the colours for a more understated palette, with hints of a fine Argentinian Merlot in there. The tank shape fits very nicely on the frame, meeting the seat and rear subframe in a natural manner. Keeping either end of the bike short, both lighting and mudguards have been reduced, ensuring the visual bulk of the bike lies between the two axles.

Keeping an open dialogue with the client, each modification was proposed, discussed and developed, the in-house exhaust system a clear indication of the process involved. There’s more than a few hours spent welding the dozens of pipe sections, tucked close in to the side of the bike, terminating in a raucous stubby end can. Right calf protected from the heat by a neat shield, avoids the use of scratchy pipe wrap, while the high level scrambler look is maintained.

The Snowflake wheels remain, yet powdercoated black, the delicate design makes a strong case against the sought after spoked variants. Shod in Continental TKC80s, there’s plenty of on/off road performance on offer, the transition from Buenos Aries backstreets to Dakar dunes will be a fun one. Front forks were shortened slightly and a set of Koni shocks out back, puts enough spring in it’s step. Perhaps the bike will be back in the workshop later when the owner discovers how much fun the bike will be on gravel roads. The standard twin Brembo stoppers haul the bike up via handlebar mounted master cylinder removing the standard cable-hydraulic setup.

Rider controls appear to have succumbed to Latin-style austerity measures; there’s nothing there that isn’t essential. Simple Posh switches and a clean Koso gauge supply the necessaries and with indicators tucked down by the cylinders there’s an unobstructed view of the road ahead. Classic grips hold the bars with a light rise and sweep. The finely honed ergonomics of the original bike haven’t been tampered with too much; all day comfort on those sunny weekends was the brief.

There’s a definite class to this build, without being at all ostentatious. The basic colour palette, lifted by the flash of red lets the silhouette and finishes shine through the lens of Leandro Villamea. Equal thought given to functionality should make it a hoot and a half wherever it may roam. Herencia are carving out a chunk of their own heritage, it’ll be great to see where they go next.

Now firmly established builders, check out the Herencia Custom Garage website and Facebook page for more builds from the Argentine duo.

via The Bike Shed

PINCH RACING - BAJA CAMON 2014

Découvrez les aventures du Team Pinch Racing - #1 - CHAMPIONNAT DE FRANCE 2014 BAJA SSV à CAMON.

The American Eagle Flies Again - Louis "Rocket" Re

The American Eagle Flies Again - Louis "Rocket" Re from Andrew David Watson on Vimeo.

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