WRC ; Sordo reste chez Hyundai / Sordo to stay at Hyundai

L’Espagnol Dani Sordo reste dans l’équipe Hyundai Motorsport en 2015 et 2016 où il aura pour équipier Thierry Neuville. Il disputera au moins dix rallyes la saison prochaine avant de mener une campagne complète en 2016.

Après Volkswagen Motorsport qui a reconduit ses trois pilotes – Ogier, Latvala, Mikkelsen - pour la saison prochaine à l’occasion du dernier RallyRACC, Hyundai Motorsport a annoncé aujourd’hui ses deux pilotes pour 2015 et 2016.

Comme Thierry Neuville, l’Espagnol Dani Sordo va poursuivre l’aventure avec le constructeur sud-coréen. A 31 ans, Dani a disputé 116 rallyes WRC, signé 37 podiums et remporté sa seule et unique victoire en 2013 au Rallye d’Allemagne. Champion du monde Junior en 2005, il a ensuite été pilote officiel Citroën, Mini, Ford et Hyundai cette saison, pour le retour de la marque en WRC.

Dani a disputé six rallyes au volant de la Hyundai i20 WRC/Michelin. Il était 3^e du Rallye Monte-Carlo avant son abandon. Il a offert le premier temps scratch à cette nouvelle voiture au Rallye du Portugal où il avait pris la tête à l’issue de l’ES3. Dani a terminé deuxième et assuré un doublé historique pour Hyundai au Rallye d’Allemagne.

« Dani a fait preuve d’une grande régularité cette saison sur différents types de terrain », a résumé le boss Michel Nandan. « Nous sommes heureux de poursuivre notre collaboration avec lui en 2015 et 2016. L’an prochain, il participera à au moins dix rallyes au côté de Thierry, avant une saison complète en 2016. »

Hyundai Motorsport n’a pour l’heure pas communiqué sur l’engagement d’une troisième voiture en 2015. Rappelons que l’équipe coréenne va homologuer une nouvelle i20 WRC la saison prochaine.

 

 

Spaniard Dani Sordo will remain with Hyundai Motorsport until the end of 2016 alongside Thierry Neuville. He will contest at least 10 rallies in 2015 ahead of a full campaign the following year.

Following Volkswagen Motorsport’s recent confirmation that it will keep Ogier, Latvala and Mikkelsen for 2015, Hyundai Motorsport has announced its two drivers for 2015 and 2016...

Like Neuville, Sordo is to stay with the South Korean carmaker.

The 31-year old has taken part in 116 WRC events and finished 37 times on the podium. He secured his only win date in Germany in 2013.

After claiming the 2005 Junior world title, he became a factory driver for Citroën, Mini and Ford before being recruited by Hyundai for its WRC comeback season this year.

Dani has taken part in six events in the Hyundai i20 WRC/Michelin and was running third overall on the Rallye Monte-Carlo before retiring. He earned the new car’s first stage victory in Portugal where he emerged in front after SS3. He later came second on the Rallye Deutschland to contribute to the make’s resounding one-two triumph in Germany in August.

“Dani has demonstrated impressive consistency this season on different types of terrain,” says team boss Michel Nandan. “We are pleased to continue our collaboration with him into 2015 and 2016. Next season, he will take part in at least 10 WRC events, alongside Thierry, before a full season in 2016.”

Hyundai Motorsport still hasn’t committed to a third car for 2015 when it is expected to homologate a new i20 WRC.

‘86 Benelli 654 Sport – Inglourious Basterds Cycles

You have to admit, the global custom motorcycle scene at the moment is anything but boring. While the current generation waxes lyrical about their new-school café racers and brats, the old school revel in their baggers, billet and bobbers. Each to their own, we say. But what if your own isn’t one or the other? Well, here’s a perfect case in point; Bologna’s Inglourious Basterds Cycles. Equally comfortable with classic Americana builds as they are with old-school bobbers and retro racers, they’ve just taken their second AMD trophy in as many years with a bike that couldn’t be more different from their previous builds. Introducing “Madiba.”

The boy’s Benelli 654 Sport is a build channeling a rather cool late 7os-style café racer vibe with some neat aesthetic and technical additions that make it a whole bunch of unique. “The idea of placing the air intakes inside the gas tank was really as an homage to the tradition of the in-line four and it’s unique ‘rack’ carb set-up,” says head basterd, Vincenzo Ciancio. “We wanted to take the bike’s defining technical feature and make it an amazing visual feature as well.”

Other notable modifications to the bike include the rear suspension and the cleverly recessed exhaust pipes. “The rear was designed with a shock absorber working in an extension rather than a compression mode. It allows the owner to vary the geometry of the tail modifying the trim on the vertical axis as well as the stiffness/softness of the spring.” Vinny also notes that the hand-tailored stainless steel mufflers rotate the spent dino gasses upwards and past the carb intakes via a 2 mm reduction in the pipe’s diameter to improve the power low in the rev range. The muffler stage takes the exhaust pipes from four to two and on into a twin-hole escape port neatly built into the bike’s tail.

“Considering that ‘Madiba’ was conceived to be a sports bike, we decided to make some of its newer parts out of magnesium and aluminium in an attempt to make the bike lighter and easy to ride. And if you look closely, you can also see our new ‘stardust’ metal finishing effect. It’s a brand new technique that adds a beautiful, shimmering on the bike’s rims and engine parts.”

As the café racer concept is a sport, DIY and urban genre all rolled into one, Vincenzo was careful to balance the elegant, aggressive and sporty aspects of the build. But when it came to the trait that gave the bike its name, the ever-powerful biker idea of freedom was the clear winner. “The name ‘Madiba’ was given to the machine in honor of Nelson Mandela. We finished the build during the same night that the great man departed.”

Vincenzo, along with his friend and workshop assistant Massimo, started the Inglourious Basterds Cycles project in early 2013. Immediately after they created “Calliope,” an Indian Chief which pulled in the gold at the 2013 Italian Nation Championships. Their second creation was “Bastarda senza Gloria” (or Bastards without Glory – the name of the aforementioned Tarantino film in Italy), 1st place winner at the 2013 AMD show. “And our latest is what you see here; a Benelli 654 Sport.”

“In our company we manufacture and sell bikes, custom pieces and special accessories that are all handmade. Our motorcycles are conceived to be ridden and enjoyed, not just to be flaunted in showrooms. We are always excited to build new custom bikes for our customers. Interpreting their desires and needs, we hope to create machines that are perfectly suited to their owners. Our philosophy is to create one-of-a-kind motorcycles and our usual approach is to be as different as possible from all the other builders.”

And in case you were wondering, it just so happens that Madiba is currently up for sale. Get in touch if you have a cool €27,000 burning a hole in your pocket. Trust us, your pants will thank you.

Vincenzo (R) and his second in charge, Massimo (L)

[Photos by Antonio Cellini]

via PIPEBURN

DIRTY GEISHA: MARIA MOTORCYCLES XT600

By Wesley Reyneke | Rather Be Riding

Turning old dualies into retro customs is all the rage lately. We’re not complaining—done right, the results are sharp looking, easy-going bikes.

The process comes with challenges: Most thumpers built in the ’80s and ’90s celebrated function over form. They’re delightfully utilitarian, but that means builders have to contend with clumsy bodywork and awkward lines.

That’s why Maria Motorcycles almost didn’t take on this particular project, a 1992 Yamaha XT600. “It’s one of the most common bikes here in Portugal,” says Maria’s Luis Correia, “but definitely a very difficult base to work on.”

Correia and his crew decided to fuse the vibe of old, small-capacity city bikes with the go-anywhere attitude of a dual-sport. Their first hurdle was the XT600’s asymmetrical, oil-carrying frame. Working around it, they managed to fabricate a new subframe and reroute the exhaust headers—adding a Spark muffler in the process.

After much effort, they also managed to fit an old Honda CB360 fuel tank. Right behind it is a hand-made seat, wrapped in leather. The electrics and a Lithium-ion battery are tucked away in a custom-made aluminum box underneath.

The motor’s been stripped, rebuilt and repainted entirely in black. Maria also lowered the forks and installed a Hagon spring kit, and re-laced both wheels. The front has dropped in size from 21” to 18”—giving the XT a little more visual balance.

A tidier headlight, taillight and speedo, and a set of vintage enduro-style handlebars round off the package. The tires are Heidenau K60s—a popular choice among dual-sport riders.

Most of the XT600’s finishes are dark and subtle, but Maria couldn’t resist adding a splash of color. “Most people see it as a dirty and aggressive bike,” says Luis, “but the lollipop color of the tank suggests the lovely curves of bikes like Vespas.”

“That’s why we’ve named it the ‘Dirty Geisha': a beautiful and elegant girl crossed with a rough, all-terrain truck!”

As for the dash of orange on the headlight: that was added just for kicks.

Maria Motorcycles | Facebook | Instagram

via BIKEexif

CARL FOGARTY’S DOMINATOR

You don’t become 4-time WSBK Champion, IOM TT lap record holder, GP racer, NW200 winner, Macau GP winner etc etc. without knowing a thing or two about what makes a good motorcycle. Perhaps more importantly than that is knowing who makes a good motorcycle. Impressed by the IDP Moto Dominatrix builds from the Silverstone based outfit, Carl Fogarty headed down to their workshops for a design day. The guys at IDP knew Carl wasn’t the average customer, so weren’t surprised when he pitched up with a polished ally fuel tank under his arm.

A decent ’99 NX650 Dominator had been sourced and before a complete strip down was gently coaxed into accepting the ex-CCM fuel tank. Carl subsequently sent down a fibreglass tail section that he wanted to be incorporated. If you’re going to have a particular customer then you want one that supplies his own ideas and parts to suit, I bet more builders wish they could say that.

Once bare, the subframe was shortened and adapted to accept the new tail and give a proper flat line; many Dominator builds miss the aesthetic mark by plonking a seat directly onto the upswept rear. Satin black powder coat was the finish of choice for chassis components leaving the shiny bits to do the talking.

Being well connected always helps in life. While Marc Marquez was busy making his colleagues look like also rans, his suspension man Andy Dawson built an Öhlins shock for the Dominator, proper bespoke! Meanwhile, Co-Built Geoff, F1 exhaust fabricator extraordinaire, created this gorgeous twin-exit system with welds so perfect you’d swear a robot had taken his place in the workshop.

IDP Moto’s customer base is packed with racers, ex-champions, film makers and generally folk whose attention to detail has afforded them the ability to commission a custom build. As a result corners remain something to be worked around and not cut. There’s nothing worse than seeing a beautiful bike on a plinth at some bike show with a rusty or mismatched bolt lurking out of sight; there’s no such place. Equally, a bucket full of lurid titanium fasteners can spoil to a similar degree. So, that’s a roundabout way of saying; Carl’s nuts and bolts were all sent off for zinc plating.

Whilst buffing the tank, the top yoke and engine casings were given a shine-up, and the engine treated to a few coats of silver enamel. Polished Talon rims maintain the raw theme and Continental TKC 80s suggest the off-road ability. In-house painter Spidey laid down silver to the tail, shortie mudguard and swingarm to match the bare aluminium before adding number boards to the side panels. Carl wasn’t fussed about ruining the bike with lights and indicators so a DTRA spec number board was fitted, complete with the Foggy Eyes and Öhlins yellow airbrush work by Purple Fayz.

Seat man Steve Adams upholstered a simple pad from water resistant synthetic suede, providing the grip for Foggy’s penchant for wheelies.

On a typical British damp and grey day the bike was delivered, but wheeled straight into the garage; far too many polishing hours to be undone by the wet roads. Luckily the sun got its act together and gave Carl plenty of opportunities to enjoy the country lanes around his home. Although he has admitted to popping out to the garage, just to have a peek at his new toy.

Could there be a greater reward for the guys at IDP Moto than hearing that? I don’t think so.

The queue is building so if you fancy commissioning a project, get in touch with Daryll via the IDP website and keep an eye on the latest builds on Facebook.

via The Bike Shed

2014 FIM Endurance World Championship - Season Review

vague ...........