Pedrosa returns to winning ways in Malaysia / Pedrosa triomphe en solitaire au Grand Prix Shell Advance de Malaisie

With four races to go in 2013, Sepang marked the first event of a triple-header which next weekend takes the MotoGP™ fraternity to Australia, before racing in Japan on the final weekend of the month. Saturday saw Marquez storm to a fourth consecutive pole position as the newcomer attempted to edge ever closer to an historic title win.

Pedrosa’s victory came as his first for almost five months, having not stood atop the podium since Le Mans in mid-May. He narrowly missed out on taking the lead as Lorenzo swept through at the start, but overhauled the Mallorcan at the end of the first lap. As Lorenzo became involved in an intense battle with Marquez, who finally made the move stick at Turn 14 with just over 11 laps to go, Pedrosa extended his advantage to pick up a second successive victory on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.

The result means all three of the rostrum finishers retain mathematical possibilities of clinching the World Championship, although Marquez is the only rider who could claim the title at Phillip Island next weekend. Should he do so, the 20-year-old Catalan would become the first rookie premier class title winner for 35 years.

Outside of the top three at Sepang, multiple winner Valentino Rossi (Yamaha Factory Racing) experienced a somewhat lonely ride to fourth spot as Alvaro Bautista (GO&FUN Honda Gresini) came out on top in a battle with Cal Crutchlow (Monster Yamaha Tech3); the Spaniard now moves up to sixth place in the Riders’ Championship, ahead of LCR Honda MotoGP’s Stefan Bradl who was forced to miss the race because of a broken ankle. Tech3’s Bradley Smith and Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso were seventh and eighth, ahead of lead CRT runner Aleix Espargaro (Power Electronics Aspar) and Yonny Hernandez (Ignite Pramac Racing).

In 15^th spot, NGM Mobile Forward Racing’s Colin Edwards clinched the final point after he, Avintia Blusens’ Hector Barbera and PBM’s Michael Laverty were handed ride-through penalties for jumping the start. A total of five riders failed to finish, including 2006 World Champion Nicky Hayden who parked his Ducati Team machine on the start/finish straight after suffering technical problems.

Round 16 of 18, the Tissot Australian Grand Prix, will take place next weekend as Marc Marquez attempts to become the youngest ever MotoGP™ World Champion.

Bien malchanceux en Aragón, où sa chute et son abandon avaient sonné le glas de ses espoirs de remporter le titre mondial cette année, et encore gêné par une hanche douloureuse, Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) a fait preuve ce week-end au Grand Prix Shell Advance de Malaisie d’autant de talent que de caractère et remportait l’épreuve de Sepang pour la seconde année consécutive. Malgré sa victoire, le Catalan demeure toute de même à cinquante-quatre points de son coéquipier Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda) avant les trois dernières manches de la saison 2013.

Qualifiés en seconde ligne, le vice-Champion du Monde MotoGP™ 2012 et Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing), le tenant du titre, étaient côte à côte dans le premier virage, suite auquel Lorenzo passait en tête devant Pedrosa, Márquez, Valentino Rossi (Yamaha Factory) et Álvaro Bautista (GO&FUN Honda Gresini). 

En formation serrée, les cinq pilotes n’ont pas tardé à distancer le reste du peloton et Pedrosa s’est emparé de la première position dès le cinquième tour pour ensuite filer vers la victoire alors que Lorenzo se retrouvait en tête à tête avec Márquez.

Auparavant critique des avis des pilotes qui n’hésitent pas à aller au contact, Lorenzo, dont les dernières déclarations à ce sujet avaient été on ne peut plus ambigües, s’est montré particulièrement agressif pour défendre sa seconde place face au rookie catalan. Les deux rivaux ont offert un superbe spectacle du cinquième au neuvième tour, dans lequel Márquez est, après de nombreuses tentatives, passé pour de bon devant le Champion du Monde en titre. 

Suite à un festival de manoeuvres toutes plus osées les unes que les autres, le reste de la course a été beaucoup moins animé. Impérial, Pedrosa est resté hors de portée de Márquez, qui a vite creusé l’écart sur Lorenzo une fois passé devant le Majorquin. Les trois Espagnols et Rossi ont tous fini avec près de trois secondes d’écart entre chacun d’entre eux tandis qu’Álvaro Bautista (GO&FUN Honda Gresini) et Cal Crutchlow (Monster Yamaha Tech3) finissaient cinquième et sixième à l’issue d’une belle bagarre pour la place de premier pilote satellite, en l’absence de Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda), opéré de sa fracture de la cheville la veille au soir à Kuala Lumpur.

Complétaient le Top 10 à l’arrivée Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech3), Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati), Aleix Espargaró (Power Electronics Aspar) et Yonny Hernández (Ignite Pramac Racing) tandis que Randy de Puniet (Power Electronics Aspar) a fini douzième, derrière Hiroshi Aoyama (Avintia Blusens).

Nicky Hayden (Ducati) a dû abandonner sa Desmosedici contre le pit-wall suite à une casse moteur survenue avant la mi-course tandis que Colin Edwards (NGM Mobile Forward Racing), Héctor Barberá (Avintia Blusens) et Michael Laverty (PBM) ont tous les trois été pénalisés par un ride-through pour départ anticipé.

Grâce à sa seconde place, son quatorzième podium en quinze courses depuis son arrivée en MotoGP™, Márquez pourrait remporter le titre de Champion du Monde le week-end prochain à Phillip Island, au Grand Prix Tissot d’Australie, en marquant sept points de plus que Lorenzo et en ne concédant pas plus de quatre points à Pedrosa.

DAILY INSPIRATION: Rudge-Whitworth Custom by Jean-Claude Barrois

Rudge-Whitworth Custom

by Jean-Claude Barrois

Photos by Guerry & Pratt 

It's funny how certain things in life seem to hang low then present themselves at the most opportune moments. For instance, this Rudge-Whitworth custom build by Jean-Claude Barrois surfaced back in 2008. I completely missed it. But, looking back at myself during that time I know I would have never been able to truly appreciate it the way I do now. 5 years ago I had never even sat on a 2-wheeled machine and these days every spare moment outside the design studio is consumed by them. I've rebuilt motorcycle engines with discontinued parts that were only 40 years old so I can appreciate the countless hours and one-off pieces that must have gone into this 87 year old power plant. I've taken classes in welding, machining and fabrication so I can appreciate the Rudge-Whitworth's ground-up frame construction and perfectly arched backbone. I've been to the Harley Davidson museum multiple times, spending hours pouring over the board track racers of the 1920's so I can appreciate the history behind Jean-Claude's aesthetic nod. And I've been to the Bonneville Salt Flats during Speed Week so that I know how un-fucking-believably gorgeous this thing must have looked out there back in 2011 when Barrois chased the line. ...and how ballsy he was to even bring such a beauty to the most corrosive place on earth. 

Suicide knee shifter. Are you serious?

Enjoy this bike. Take in every detail. Most of these shots are desktop sized thanks to the equally elaborate photography of Guerry & Pratt.

What's the kicker is I found this bike by flipping through the 2011 BikeEXIF calendar that's been hanging in front of my desk, untouched since November of that year. The Rudge-Whitworth was December's bike, hanging one page turn away from sight all this time. Hrrmm, yes, quite opportune indeed.

via  motomucci

MOTO 5 The Movie

Been waiting for this one!!!!

From the creators of the epic film series “MOTO The Movie”, The Assignment Inc. is proud to present their latest and most anticipated installment to the film franchise, “MOTO 5″. Without reservation this is by far the biggest and baddest of the “MOTO The Movie” films.

Tag along with upcoming star Cooper Webb as he escapes to the exclusive Chaney Ranch to reflect on his first season as a pro; watch Tyler Bereman hone his bike skills in the Washingon Dunes and SoCal hills; see how Adam Cianciarulo shadows Ryan Villopoto in hopes of becoming one of the greats; go on a sand-blasting, soul-searching journey into the desert with X-Games superstar Ronnie Renner; watch Zach Osborne train to be one of the most diverse MX and off-road riders on the planet; follow Taylor Robert, Kyle Redmond, and Cody Wedd as they push each others’ ability to the limit on the wildest off-road freeride mission ever captured; get a whip lesson from Jimmy Decotis and Tom Parsons; wake up to lightning-filled skies with Blake Baggett as he annihilates Glen Helen all to himself; travel to the bottom of Australia with Josh Cachia and see what it’s like to ride without rules! Don’t miss all this and more on the newest installment of the most progressive motocross/off-road series of its time, “MOTO 5″.

Starring Ryan Villopoto, Adam Cianciarulo, Josh Cachia, Ronnie Renner, Cooper Webb, Justin Hill, Zach Osborne, Russell Bobbitt, Taylor Robert, Tyler Bereman, Jimmy Decotis, Kailub Russell, Tom Parsons, Kyle Redmond, Cody Webb and many more!

petits cubes !