Dernière course sur le sol américain pour Colin Edwards / Edwards on last U.S. race and the future of Americans in MotoGP™

Colin Edwards se prépare à disputer son dernier Grand Prix à domicile avant de mettre fin à sa carrière en MotoGP™ à l'issue de la saison 2014.

Après plus de vingt ans passés en compétition, Colin Edwards, arrivé en Grand Prix en 2003, s’apprête à mettre un terme à sa carrière de pilote professionnel cette année après la conclusion du Championnat du Monde MotoGP™ 2014.

Le Texan, qui courra aux Etats-Unis pour la dernière fois ce week-end, fait donc face à ses dernières courses avec NGM Forward Racing et a déclaré : « L’attitude n’a pas changé. J’ai annoncé mon départ pour la fin de l’année quand nous étions au Texas et je continue d’aborder chaque week-end avec l’envie de faire ce que j’ai fait pendant 22 ans. J’ai encore faim et j’ai encore la motivation mais on vieillit et on devient plus sage ! J’ai maintenant 40 et quand je tombe, ça fait plus mal que quand j’avais 20 ans ! »

« Nous sommes concentrés sur le développement et nous essayons de gagner un ou deux dixièmes de seconde à chaque tour. Dans mon cas, j’ai besoin d’une demi-seconde ici où là et j’essaye de faire en sorte que la moto fonctionne bien. C’est le plus important. »

Quant au fait qu’il se rende sur chaque circuit du Championnat du Monde pour la dernière fois, Edwards a ajouté : « Quand les séances sont terminées, je passe un peu plus de temps à saluer le public que d’habitude, parce que je sais que c’est la dernière fois que je suis au circuit sur une moto. Mais d’un autre côté, quand vous mettez votre casque et et que vous tombez la visière, peu importe l’âge que vous avez. »

Bientôt à la retraite, Edwards pense avoir, avec son compatriote Nicky Hayden, le devoir d’aider les prochaines générations de pilotes américains.

« En ce qui concerne les jeunes talents américains, j’aimerais avoir de meilleures nouvelles à donner, » a admis Edwards. « Je pense que Nicky et moi devons faire quelque chose ensemble. J’ai un programme d’entraînement au Texas Tornado Boot Camp. Nous devons faire quelque chose. Si vous voulez faire quelque chose dans ce sport, il faut aller dans le CEV (FIM CEV Repsol) afin d’être reconnu. Nous allons voir ce que nous réserve l’avenir mais ça fait partie du plan, aider quelques jeunes pour préparer l’avenir. »

As Colin Edwards prepares for his last Grand Prix in the U.S. the veteran rider provides an insight into his current approach to racing and his hopes for the future of American road racing talent.

After more than 20 years as a professional rider - and having raced in Grand Prix since 2003 - Edwards will bring an end to his successful and colourful career at the conclusion of the 2014 MotoGP™ World Championship.

Therefore, the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix is the last ever home round for the popular Texan rider and he will be much missed by fans around the World, by American fans in particular and by his numerous friends in the paddock.

Regarding his approach to races this year with the NGM Forward Racing team Edwards states, “The attitude has not changed. I announced my retirement at the end of this year in Texas and I come here to race every weekend wanting to do what I’ve done for the last 22 years. I still have the hunger and the drive. But part of it is that you get a little older and a little wiser! I mean I’m 40 now, so when I hit the ground now it hurts more than it did when I was 20!”

“But we are focused on development and just trying to squeeze out that next tenth of a second or two per lap. In my case I need a half second here or half second there so I’m just trying to make the bike work. That has been the main thing.”

On the feeling of visiting World Championship venues for the last time as a rider and his last ever race at IMS, he says, “There are mixed emotions, usually when practices are over, I spend a bit more time waving to the crowd than I used to. Just knowing and understanding that this is going to be my last time at the track on a motorcycle. But on the other side, once you put your helmet on and your visor goes down it doesn’t really matter how old you are.”

Meanwhile, Edwards believes that he and fellow American Nicky Hayden have a duty to help bring through the next wave of young U.S. riders to the top level.

“On young American talent I wish I had better news for you,” he admits. “I think Nicky and I should get together and do something. I have the Texas Tornado Boot Camp training facility. We need to do something. If you want to make it in the sport it seems like you have to go over to the CEV (FIM CEV Repsol International Championship) if you want to get recognised. We will see what the future brings, but that is definitely part of the plan, to bring some young kids through for the future.”

surf !!!

OFFICINE ROSSOPURO TRIUMPH

Filippo Barbacane of Officine Rossopuro is renowned for his ultra-slick Moto Guzzi builds, have a look at his previously featured work here. This time he takes a break from the shaft-drive twins, hewn on the shores of Lake Como and plumps for an offering from the banks of the Ashby de la Zouch canal. As you are fully aware Triumph’s Bonneville is a platform much modded and customised, with varying briefs and degrees of subsequent appreciation. As with all Officine Rossopuro builds, the machine shop was set to work, flexing their engineering muscle and producing beautiful components.

Improved performance and handling is a natural by-product of shedding weight, and something Filippo takes very seriously. Starting up front, forks are adjustable Marzocchi 45s with billet yokes that retain the standard bar mounts although Tomaselli clip ons, adjustable of course, hunker the rider down and keep the cockpit neat. A single Motogadget digital tacho and speedo unit keeps distraction to a minimum. Billet bar end indicators blend nicely into the vintage style grips. The headlight has been pushed back between the fork legs on a bespoke bracket to shorten the overall look.

The wheels have been replaced by tubeless Italian made Alpinas, and the rear extended to take a 160 tyre. Great for a more varied tyre choice and reduced rotating mass, essential for making the most of the coast road from the ORP HQ in Pescara, Italy. Bi-Turbo rear shocks deal with the increased rider enthusiasm and reduced road maintenance budgets in the region. Floating brake discs are Alth, again Italian made and top notch, mounting to a bespoke hub and allow for fitment of Brembo’s Gold Series callipers. You may have noticed a theme here, Filippo likes to support his fellow countrymen and buy Italian. And why not, they produce some of the best motorcycle components money can buy.

An industry/scene standard now is to remove manufacturers lazy weld splatter and unnecessary tabs from the frame, this Bonnie is no different. One thing that isn’t obvious is the tank dimension, it has been split down the middle and reduced by 100mm and welded back together. Aesthestics conquer practicality though as the fuel pump still has a home inside the tank. A few coats of metallic black paint and a hand-pinstripe will have you looking twice to see if your eyes are deceiving you, perhaps distracted by the oil temp gauge grafted into the top.

Easy candidates for a diet are mudguards, standard mild steel is out, svelte aluminium is in. Rear sets, sprocket and chain guard are machined from billet aluminium and drilled, which always makes things go much, much faster. A lithium ion battery hides along with reduced wiring under the humped, leather clad seat. Cone filters and a Mass exhaust add a couple of ponies and make the most of the reduced heft.

Anyone who’s raced just about anything, or been involved at least, will know the importance of reducing weight. It’s such an important and often overlooked route to improved overall performance and I’m glad more builders are going to greater lengths to showcase their engineering capability. We look forward to what Filippo brings to the ‘Shed next time.

For those of you without a CNC mill in the corner, get some decent drill bits and start making speed holes, you’ll look faster, go faster, reduce fuel consumption and save the planet. The benefits are endless, provided you leave some metal behind.

To see what else Filippo has built check out his site Officine Rossopuro and Facebook page

via The Bike Shed

Honda CBX750 ‘M1-21′ by Kerkus Cycles

Written by Ian Lee.

It takes a true artist to see the true beauty in something that is otherwise unappealing. It may take time, it may take effort, but the final product is something that makes all the trouble worthwhile. Today’s feature bike is one such example, a bike that in standard trim would hardly warrant a second glance, let alone be the bike to consider as a platform for a bitchin custom. Coming from Kerkus Cycles, (by their own description) a backyard builder based in Kuala Lumpur, this CBX750 café racer is a stripped down mean ass version of it’s former self. Definitely a far cry from the police spec bike it started life as.

When the bike first rolled into the Kerkus workshop, there were doubts as to it’s credibility as a custom platform. An upright riding position, boxy tank and a whole lot of superfluous fairings made for an awkward looking ride. According to the crew at Kerkus: “stripping down the bike was quite fun, we kinda hated the unnecessary stuff fixed to that bike which also helps to reduced the weight of the bike.”

Once the bike was a bare frame and the nightmare wiring removed, the build could begin. A 1980 CB750C fuel tank was fitted in order to give a different set of proportions to the machine. This also worked out to help cover the box backbone of the 80s cop bike.  An alloy Monza flip up fuel cap was mounted in order to give that old school look to the machine. The police spec fairing was ditched, in it’s place a half fairing, enveloping the CNC clip-on handlebars mounted with bar end mirrors. Mounted in the fairing is a 6.5 inch chrome headlight, finished with a yellow tinted lens and black crossed tape to give it a racing aesthetic.

To keep with the café racer spirit, the front end has been lowered 2.5 inches to give it a more sporting stance. At the front end sits a 450-18 Firestone M/C blackwall, while at the rear is a 16 inch Shinko. Also in this mindset, a pair of shorty reverse megaphone mufflers in chrome finish have been fitted, with the exhaust headers and piping painted black so all the attention is drawn by those skyward pointing beauties. In the words of the builders: “the sound of the muffler itself roaring is orgasm, hard for people NOT to notice it.”

Once the bike was reassembled, it was shipped out to the Bigcat Motorart workshop where it received a new coat of silver, black and brass paint. The new air intake arrangement was mounted and the big 750 was ready to rumble. The owner, impressed with the hard work Kerkus put into the bike, is glad he persevered with build. And so are we.

via PIPEBURN