Valentino Rossi’s personal track, the Biscia, is already home for a number of his cronies, and he often welcomes other riders from the Moto3 and Moto2 championships to train and have fun at his motoranch, where they often organize races.
Rossi’s latest invitation went to fellow MotoGP rider and rival Marc Marquez during the pre-event press conference last week in Barcelona, and apparently during yesterday’s test at Aragon, the Italian reiterated his invitation to the Repsol Honda rider.
“Valentino already invited me a while ago, but I never managed to plan it well enough. It would be interesting for sure,” said Marquez speaking to the official MotoGP website. “We often chat about how and where we train in between GPs, but if there’s a small opportunity to, I will go there!”
“Last year, we were there with Colin (Edwards), Corti, Corsi and a lot of Italian riders - we might organize something again this year - I don’t know when yet as we have to check when it will possible but maybe before Misano when Marc is in Italy,” said Rossi.
40 years ago this week Peter Williams, road race legend and motorcycle development engineer accomplished a unique achievement winning the Isle of Man TT on a motorcycle of his own design.
Peter’s engineering designs gave him the advantage on the race track and set the trend for what motorcycles are today. Now exactly four decades later, the highly limited edition Peter Williams Motorcycles’ Replica will celebrate and commemorate Peter’s legendary victory.
Peter Williams Motorcycles is now taking orders for replicas of his 1973 F750 TT-winning John Player Norton. Just 25 of the monocoque-framed Commandos will be built. The original monocoque has passed into biking lore as the machine Williams won the 1973 F750 TT on, lapping at 107.27mph, just off Mike Hailwood’s 1967 outright record on a works Honda. Impressive stuff from an air-cooled, push-rod Commando engine. He was also the highest points scorer in that year’s victorious Transatlantic Trophy team. An innovator throughout his career, Williams can be credited with introducing and establishing the viability of many of the things we now take for granted, including cast wheels, disc brakes and beam frames.
A stainless steel chassis that formed the fuel tank as well as the frame lent the bike its ‘monocoque’ name. The new replicas will follow the layout of the 1973 bikes, however whereas each original monocoque frame took 12 man-weeks to construct, this time CAD design and CNC laser cutters will improve accuracy and hasten the production process. Engines will be built by renowned Norton specialist Mick Hemmings using all new parts, including Peter’s own cam design. The replicas will feature a host of bespoke parts such as cast magnesium wheels and forks, created from the original ‘70s drawings. Where drawings were not available, new parts have been created by referencing and digitising two of the original race bikes.
PWM hope that the first of the monocoque replicas will be ready for production in 2013, the 40th anniversary of Williams’ epic Isle of Man win. Just four originals were built and are now valued in excess of £250,000 apiece, putting Williams’ expected £65,000 price tag for the replicas into perspective.
The JPN project was conceived to raise working capital and as a showcase for investment into Williams’ pet project – a modern motorcycle with a carbon-fibre monocoque chassis. He produced the first prototype in conjunction with Lotus, proving the concept. Development is now underway of a new model for low volume production.
Peter Williams Motorcycles Ltd. comprises the man himself, Greg Taylor of motorcycle engineering firm GTME and Mark Wells & Ian Wride of design consultancy Xenophya Design. Williams said: “Working with the team brought fresh ideas and a different perspective on how to make the whole monocoque chassis motorcycle project a reality. Starting with the replicas of my 1973 TT-winning bike, we will show investors what we are capable of, and present collectors and enthusiasts with a unique opportunity. “With the 40th anniversary of the TT victory, we have the ideal opportunity to bring the JPN replica to market. We already have a number of interested purchasers. The ‘designed for manufacture’ version will be of equal elegance and efficient function of the original JPN monocoque. As soon as we receive firm orders we can press the button and the new bikes can be created.
There's nothing quite like a motorbike that has been painted matte black. Sure, these days you see the use of matte black on everything, hell, I've even seen a 'murdered out' Rolls Royce recently. But nothing beats a blacked out motorcycle, they just look tough. Add a good set of knobby tires and it instantly turns the look of the bike into something Steve McQueen would outrun Nazi's on, or you'd find in a vintage motocross race. And that's exactly the look these Italian brothers from Anvil Motociclette were going for. The latest bike to roll out of their Milan based shop is this rugged looking Triumph Scrambler, and they've done more than just add some knobby tires.
Let's start with the basics, the donor bike is a 2006 Triumph Scrambler and in true Anvil fashion nearly everything has been painted matte black. The large stock Triumph tank has been swapped for a smaller vintage tank which is 60 years old and they found in the markets, which has been restored and painted black with silver – one of the only parts on the bike that received a different colour. The square black headlight is off a tractor and adds to the brawny look from the front.
The bikes name, 'A.R.D', is an abbreviation of the word Ardito, which means bold and daring. "To design the 'A.R.D' we took inspiration from regular bikes British, we have tried to simplify as much as possible the line of the bike" says Marco from Anvil. "We attempted to make a Triumph in a modern bike with the same charm of the past. All changes were made to make it look like a motorcycle out of an old motocross race."
The stock Scrambler seat has been ditched for a hand made leather one – Italian leather, of course. Customised mufflers, the engine, aluminium hand made rear fender and motocross handlebars have all been given the Anvil matte black treatment. The tires are Continental TKC 80's – they love the road almost as much as they love getting dirty.
To make the bike more agile, they have lowered the centre of gravity of the bike to give it a motorcross feel by replacing and lowering the rear shock absorbers and the front forks.
Before handing the bike over to the eager customer, the guys had to take it for a test ride around the roads and fields behind their workshop and straight away they knew they were successful in what they set out to achieve, creating a timeless scrambler that looks like one, but more importantly rides like one.
