WSBK : Tom Sykes on Superpole at Istanbul

Tom Sykes has taken his 7th pole position of the 2013 season during today’s first ever World Superbike Superpole session at the Istanbul Park raceway.

The Kawasaki rider who hasn’t sat in pole position since Imola (three rounds have gone by) posted a 1.54.872 lap that was enough to pip championship title rival Sylvan Guintoli by a mere 0.022s, leaving the Frenchman in second on the starting grid in an Aprilia domination.

Unexpectedly the third spot on the grid went to Althea Racing’s Davide Giugliano who so far this Turkish weekend hasn’t been that incisive and opening the second row in fourth and fifth. were another two Aprilia riders, factory rider Eugene Laverty and a very impressive, and debuting Toni Elias on the Red Devil’s branded RSV4.

The first ever Moto2 World champion was 0″674s from Sykes and ahead of Jules Cluzel.

BMW Goldbet’s Marco Melandri (who suffered a crash SP1) and Chaz Davies, will start on the third row in 7th and 8th respectively, while Leon Haslam who still isn’t completely fit will take off in 9th.

Opening the fourth row will be Team Pedercini’s Mark Aitchison who is substituting for the third consecutive round injured Alexander Lundh, while Federico Sandi was 11th and ahead of Michel Fabrizio who is replacing Jonathan Rea in the Pata Honda World Superbike team.

Local wild cards Tolga Uprak (BMW Sampiyon 169 Team) and Yunus Ercelik (Kawasaki CMS-Eypbike Racing Team) qualified 13th and 14th as Vittorio Iannuzzo had technical problems.

With Loris Baz not taking part in this weekend’s proceedings and Carlos Checa, Leon Camier and Max Neukirchner ruled out, only sixteen riders will take part in tomorrow’s two races.

2013 WSBK Istanbul Superpole results:

1. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′54.872
2. Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′54.894
3. Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′55.073
4. Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′55.340
5. Toni Elias (Red Devils Roma) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′55.546
6. Jules Cluzel (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1′55.614
7. Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 1′56.402
8. Chaz Davies (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 1′56.416
9. Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike) Honda CBR1000RR 1′56.463
10. Mark Aitchison (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′57.001

from TWOWHEELSBLOG

Moto GP ; Marc Marquez breaks lap record in qualifying at Misano

Not even a crash at the Curvone in FP4 could stop Marc Marquez from dominating the weekend’s proceedings at Misano, as he ripped apart the exsisting lap record at the Italian circuit to take his sixth pole position of the season, after poles at Austin, Le Mans, Sachsenring, Indianapolis and Silverstone.

Not even changing out of his scraped leathers, the galvanized Repsol Honda rider attacked, posting a very impressive 1′33.404, with his first soft tire, and then during his last flying lap blasted out at a 1:32.915, and breaking Casey Stoner’s 2011 Misano record (1’33″138).

Jorge Lorenzo tried his best to catch the wild Marquez and he had almost caught him in the first part of the session, but in the finale the Yamaha rider ended up second and massive and highly disappointing 0.513s adrift. Valentino Rossi scored his second front row start after the Sachsenring round, with his third spot and he was just 0.145 from his team mate.

Dani Pedrosa was will start in fourth, and he certainly wasn’t happy in the first part of the session giving a small punch to his RCV as he had to wait for his mechanics to register his clutch and his Honda team mate made him eat dust again, leaving him more than eight tenths adrift.

Despite losing the end piece of his exhuast system from his Yamaha M1 that bounced around the track surface, Cal Crutchlow pulled up his socks and was able to qualify in fifth after going through QP1. Aleix Espargaro concluded the spectacular qualifying session in sixth and ahead of Stefan Bradl, Alvaro Bautista and all four Ducati riders, Andrea Dovizioso, Nicky Hayden, Michele Pirro and Andrea Iannone.

2013 MotoGP Misano Qualifying 2 results:

01- Marc Marquez – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC213V – 1’32.915
02- Jorge Lorenzo – Yamaha Factory Racing – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.513
03- Valentino Rossi – Yamaha Factory Racing – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.658
04- Dani Pedrosa – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC213V – + 0.811
05- Cal Crutchlow – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 1.099
06- Aleix Espargaro – Power Electronics Aspar – ART GP13 – + 1.113
07- Stefan Bradl – LCR Honda MotoGP – Honda RC213V – + 1.183
08- Alvaro Bautista – GO&FUN Honda Gresini – Honda RC213V – + 1.315
09- Andrea Dovizioso – Ducati Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP13 – + 1.423
10- Nicky Hayden – Ducati Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP13 – + 1.447
11- Michele Pirro – Ignite Pramac Racing – Ducati Desmosedici GP13 – + 1.552
12- Andrea Iannone – Energy T.I. Pramac Racing – Ducati Desmosedici GP13 – + 1.604

2013 Misano Starting Grid:

01- Marc Marquez – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC213V
02- Jorge Lorenzo – Yamaha Factory Racing – Yamaha YZR M1
03- Valentino Rossi – Yamaha Factory Racing – Yamaha YZR M1
04- Dani Pedrosa – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC213V
05- Cal Crutchlow – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1
06- Aleix Espargaro – Power Electronics Aspar – ART GP13
07- Stefan Bradl – LCR Honda MotoGP – Honda RC213V
08- Alvaro Bautista – GO&FUN Honda Gresini – Honda RC213V
09- Andrea Dovizioso – Ducati Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP13
10- Nicky Hayden – Ducati Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP13

from TWOWHEELSLOG

Luke Robinson’s XS750 Cafe/Brat

After seeking out Robinsons Speedshop in Essex to chase down a story on his tastefully crafted GS750 cafe racer, we were greeted by an inbox full of quality photos of Luke’s other builds, all put together since he gave up his day job as an engineer, and turned his camper-van renovation skills to the most noble cause of all. Bike building to order.

The xs750 shaftie has been the donor for quite a few really pretty customs from the likes of Spirit of the Seventies, and Ugly Motorcycles that end up being genuine Bike Shed favourites. The combination of the pretty three cylinder mill and a frame that allows for massive spaces to be left open and uncluttered, and the clean lines of a shaft drive, make it a bike predestined to produce an aesthetically pleasing build (when done properly) and this example from Luke’s workshop is picture perfect, even with the side panels left on.

The build was commissioned by a customer who’d seen Luke’s previous black & white XS and wanted something similar but with a brat style seat instead of a bump-stopped cafe racer unit. As well as the flat seat what really sets the bike off is the colour combination of blue & white bodywork with brown seat and grips, and beige-wrapped headers on the two-tone engine paint.

With forks pushed up through the yokes for a mean and low front end, no front fender, minimal clocks and a sidemounted plate and rear lights, the whole bike is as low, lean and uncluttered as you can get. Drop in a blue sky, a modest castle, and Bob’s yer proverbial uncle for images worthy of a teenager’s bedroom wall.

Check out more from Robinson’s Speedshop on their Bike Shed page, and his Website, and look out for more from Luke on The Bike Shed in the coming couple of weeks.

1979 BMW R45 CUSTOM

By Wesley Reyneke | Rather Be Riding

It’s hard to believe that Louis Nel is only a part-time builder. The bikes that roll out of his South African garage are a testament to his passion and keen eye for detail. Until now, most of his builds have been personal projects—this 1979 BMW R45 is his first commercial build.

The owner had been following Nel’s progress on a R65, and wanted his bike customised in the same vein. Nel was reluctant at first—he’d had carte blanche with the R65, despite it being a friend’s bike. This proposed R45 was to be a near carbon copy, limiting his creativity. But Nel eventually accepted, and when the donor R45 arrived, he gave it a clean bill of health—leaving him free to focus purely on cosmetics.

Nel set about shortening the sub frame and fabricating a new seat, ensuring it was long enough to accommodate a pillion. The seat was then covered in brown leather – by the same gentleman that upholstered Nel’s grandfather’s Jaguar many years ago. The plastic air box was replaced with a more traditional R65 cast unit, and the engine covers with traditional “peanut” covers from Flatracer in the UK.

7 Metal West in the USA supplied the fenders, which are complemented by aluminium number boards. Nel fitted a PIAA headlight up front, with Posh indicators and rear light. The bars are from Renthal, with white Posh barrel grips to match the understated white paint.

Stock BMW mirrors and a Motogadget Mini speedometer keep things legal, while SuperTrapp mufflers provide the soundtrack. Kenda trail tyres further enhance the R45′s undeniably cool scrambler motif.

Could this be the start of a new chapter for Nel? Probably not. As he puts it, “I build for fun, and the enjoyment I get from fabricating and fixing…selling is just a way of financing the next project!”

Nothing wrong with that.

from BIKEEXIF