MOTO GP ; Lorenzo et Rossi engagés dans un duel pour le titre de vice-Champion / Lorenzo and Rossi to do battle for runner-up spot at season finale

La dernière manche de la saison 2014 aura plusieurs enjeux importants pour les pilotes du team Movistar Yamaha MotoGP.

Séparés de seulement douze points, Valentino Rossi et Jorge Lorenzo se disputeront ce week-end le titre de vice-Champion du Monde MotoGP™ sur la piste du Circuit Ricardo Tormo de Valence. Les deux coéquipiers se battront pour un titre individuel mais joueront aussi le titre de Team Champion du Monde pour Movistar Yamaha MotoGP face à Repsol Honda.

Après une tournée outre-mer réussie, Rossi arrive en Espagne avec l’ambition d’ajouter un autre podium à sa saison 2014 et a déclaré : 

« Ce ne sera pas une course facile. Je suis deuxième au championnat et avoir douze points d’avance est positif mais l’écart n’est pas suffisamment important pour que je puisse me relâcher ce week-end. Jorge est dans une bonne période. Il a été très rapide sur la seconde partie de la saison et il voudra gagner en Espagne pour me prendre cette deuxième place. Nous devons nous concentrer pour viser la victoire. Mon team et moi-même allons faire de notre mieux, comme toujours. Valence ne figure pas parmi mes circuits préférés mais ce n’est pas un problème. Cette saison, nous avons été forts sur des circuits qui ne me réussissent pas. Les trois dernières courses se sont bien passées et je pense que nous pouvons faire une autre bonne course à Valence. Je suis confiant. »

Vainqueur haut la main à Valence l’an dernier, Lorenzo espèrera profiter du soutien du public local pour terminer sa saison 2014 au sommet du podium. Le Majorquin s’est imposé à Valence en 2010 et 2013 et avait pris la troisième place en 2009.

« Nous arrivons à la dernière course du championnat et c’est toujours excitant de rentrer en Espagne pour terminer la saison, » a commenté Lorenzo. « Nous avons déjà assuré la troisième place au championnat à Sepang et j’espère me battre pour la victoire à Valence. Je pense que c’est une meilleure piste pour la M1 que celle de Sepang. J’avais gagné là-bas l’an dernier et j’espère que nous pourrons tenter d’en faire autant cette année. »

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP returns to Spain to wrap up the 2014 MotoGP™ season this weekend at the Gran Premio Generali de la Comunitat Valenciana.

With just 12 points separating Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo in their battle for second in the championship, the Ricardo Tormo Circuit sets the scene for an intense battle on Sunday. However, the teammates will not only be gunning for personal glory, as the Team’s Title is still up for grabs for Movistar Yamaha MotoGP.

After three successful weekends overseas Rossi arrives in Spain with the intention to defend his second place in the championship by claiming another podium finish. The highly experienced nine-time World Champion has taken two premier class wins at Valencia in 2003 and 2004 and claimed multiple other podiums there, with a second place in 2002 and 2009 and third places in 2005, 2008 and 2010.

Rossi commented, “It won’t be an easy race. I’m second in the championship and being 12 points ahead is good, but this gap is not sufficient enough to play a passive role this weekend. Jorge is in a good moment. During the second part of the season Jorge was very fast and he wants to win in Spain and try to take the second place from me. We must focus on finishing the season with a victory just like we aim to do at all races. My team and I will do our best, as usual. Valencia isn’t one of my favorite tracks, but that doesn’t bother me. In this season we were strong also in the tracks that aren’t favorable to me. The three races in a row went well, I won another race, and for this reason I think that we can do a good race in Valencia. I am confident.”

Having won a phenomenal race at the Valencia track last year, Rossi’s teammate Lorenzo arrives in his home country with confidence. He looks forward to the support of the passionate Spanish crowd as he aims to finish the season with another thrilling battle for victory. So far Lorenzo has claimed two premier class victories at this circuit in 2010 and 2013 and a third place podium position in 2009.

The Spanish rider stated, “Finally we face the last race of the championship and it’s always exciting to come back to Spain to close the season. We have already saved third position in the championship after the race in Sepang and I hope to fight for the win again in Valencia. I think this is a better track for our Yamaha M1 than Sepang. I won here last year and hopefully we get to try this again this year.”

CLUTCH CUSTOMS’ SUBLIME KAWASAKI KZ650

By Wesley Reyneke | Rather Be Riding

Kawasaki KZ650s don’t come across our desks too often. So we were intrigued to see this one from Monsieur Willie Knoll at Paris’ Clutch Custom Motorcycles.

Willie has an obsession with lines and details, and a knack for nipping and tucking a bike until everything sits just right. Equally impressive is his eye for finishes—Clutch bikes are delightfully grungy, but never looked slapped together.

It’s a style that the Kawasaki KZ650 wears well. For starters, Clutch have massaged its stance into place, by fitting an 18” wheel from a US-spec KZ1300 up front. They’ve also lowered the suspension eight centimeters at the front and four at the rear. The tires are Dunlop K180 in matching sizes: 18/5.00.

Hooked up to the new front wheel are forks and brakes from a Triumph Speed Triple, connected via a custom-machined triple tree setup and front axle. Out back is a pair of shocks from Hagon—built specifically to match the swingarm, which Clutch shortened.

As for the bodywork, the stock fuel tank is retained, but Willie’s redesigned the front and tunnelled it for a better fit. He’s edited the frame too—with a slight kick in the rear supporting a new hand-made seat.

Other hand-made items include the fenders, gas cap, battery box and foot pegs—for both rider and passenger. More discreet lighting components have been fitted too.

Clutch treated the 1981-spec engine to a full rebuild, installing a set of K&N air filters and a pair of Spark mufflers. They also rewired the bike using Motogadget components, including a new speedo and switches. Along with a set of clip-ons and Brooks leather-wrapped grips, it makes for a super-neat cockpit.

In typical Clutch fashion, the finishes are a subdued mix of raw and glossy textures and colors. The result is sublime: a Kawasaki KZ650 that looks perfectly at home in the style capital of the world.

Clutch Custom Motorcycles | Facebook | See our archive of previous Clutch builds.

via BIKEexif

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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

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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 ...........

SHOP VISIT: DEUS MILANO

Welcome to a new series on the world’s best motorcycle shops. We’re kicking off with Deus Milano, because this week is EICMA week—when Milan hosts the world’s most exciting motorcycle show.

EICMA is open to the public for just four days. But that’s enough time for half a million people to squeeze through six giant pavilions, ogling the latest bikes (and the bored models astride them).

When you tire of the maddening crowds, take the subway to Isola, Milan’s famed ‘motorcycle district.’ It’s an oasis of charm in an otherwise unprepossessing city, and the home of Deus Milano—a stylish refuge containing a workshop, a retail store and a restaurant.

The Italian outpost of the Australian motorcycle brand is already a major player on the European bike-building scene, with commissions from Yamaha Europe as well as local riders.

How did it get so far, so fast? Deus co-founder Filippo Bassoli (above) provides the answers.

How long has Deus Milano been going? We opened Europe’s first “Temple of Enthusiasm” on 15 March, 2013. I remember the precise date because it was also my birthday!

Did you deliberately choose the Isola district? Yes, we really like this neighborhood. We spent eight months scouting for the right location, and looked at dozens of places. But we fell in love with this location straight away, which was originally a space for live events.

Who are your partners in this venture? We’re a group of friends and associates. Everyone has retail or motorcycle industry experience. And like the people we employ, we’re all full of passion. That’s the first requirement to work here, and we’ve got a great team.

What’s your background? Before Deus I started an editorial network called Blogo.it. That included the sites Autoblog.it and Motoblog.it, which get millions of visitors every month. They’re two of the most-clicked websites in Europe in their categories.

How would you describe your customers? Variegated and trendsetters. We see people of every age: men, women, youngsters and old timers, and from every social strata.

Take a look at the big communal table in the Café, and you’ll get a snapshot of the kind of people who visit. You’ll find university students, business people, tattooed bikers and locals with kids and strollers sharing the same table. It’s a unique situation in Italy.

What’s your approach to retail? We look for products and objects that are curious, rare and interesting. But the best-selling items in the store are from the Deus Collection.

Has the store been a success so far? Yes, we’re really satisfied. We’re proud of starting a ‘new’ project, a fresh concept, in a very difficult economic environment. Before we opened, our friends regarded it as rather heroic. But now we’re thinking about further openings in Italy and Europe.

What’s your own ride? I’m a ride-a-holic: it’s quicker to tell you what I don’t drive or ride! However, I’ve always loved the off-road scene. At every opportunity I register for an Endurance or Rally Raid event. Lately, I’ve also been on the hook with vintage motorcycles—and of course, being part of Deus doesn’t help these addictions!

My latest bike is from the Deus workshop, based on a BMW R80/7. It’s an old German police bike and I call it Derrick, after the German detective TV series of the same name.

You’re sure to get a lot of visitors during EICMA. What are your hours? We’re open every day, all week long. The store is open until 10pm, and the Café stays open until 1am during the week and 2am during the weekend. In benzin veritas!

Deus Milano, Via Thaon Di Revel 3, 20159 Milan, Italy. Deus Customs | Deus Café

VIA 

WSBK ; Guintoli décroche son premier titre mondial / Guintoli, the difference maker in the season finale

Le Français entre dans l'histoire en tant que Champion du Monde Superbike 2014.

Sylvain Guintoli vient de réaliser son rêve en devenant Champion du Monde aujourd'hui à Losail, où il a remporté le titre WSBK 2014 dans la toute dernière course de la saison. Á 32 ans, le Français est parvenu à rattraper ses douze points de retard sur Tom Sykes, le Champion 2013, en s'imposant haut la main dans chacune des deux courses du Qatar, pour prendre le titre avec six points d'avance sur le Britannique.

Guintoli est le deuxième Français à remporter le Championnat du Monde Superbike après Raymond Roche, qui avait été titré en 1990. Alors que Régis Laconi avait concédé le titre à James Toseland dans la dernière course de 2004, Guintoli a de son côté réussi à s'imposer sur son rival britannique, lors d'une dernière manche dont il repart avec le titre mondial mais aussi son premier doublé de victoires en World Superbike. 

« Guinters » conclut sa deuxième saison en tant que pilote officiel d'Aprilia avec un total de 5 victoires, 16 podiums et 2 pole positions. Comme en 2013, le Montilien s'est distingué par une exceptionnelle régularité et a fini toutes les courses de l'année, même la deuxième épreuve de Portimao, où il était tombé suite à un contact avec Marco Melandri et était reparti pour prendre la septième place.

The Frenchman joins the elite of the World Superbike Champions
 Sylvain Guintoli has finally achieved his life long dream of becoming World Champion today, as he clinched the 2014 World Superbike title after an impressive performance at Losail International Circuit, Qatar. In what was the final race day of the year, the 32 year old Frenchman managed to overcome a 12 point deficit to last year’s champion Tom Sykes and, by taking an impressive double under the Qatari floodlights, he edged out the Briton by just six points at the end of an enthralling season.

Guintoli is the second champion in the WSBK history from France after Raymond Roche, who won the title back in 1990. Unlike in 2004, when Regis Laconi lost to James Toseland in the final race of the year, it was the French rider this time to come out on top against an English rival.

In his second year as official Aprilia rider, ‘Guinters’ had a tally of 5 wins, 16 podium finishes and 2 Pole Positions, and making his remarkable consistency count in results: he never failed to make it to the finish line. Even in race two at Portimao, when he rejoined after colliding with teammate Melandri, he nevertheless claimed a seventh place at the chequered flag.