MOTO GP : Lorenzo s’empare de la pole et du record du circuit à Phillip Island / Lorenzo grabs dramatic Phillip Island pole

profitant d’une piste rénovée et d’un bien meilleur grip que par le passé, Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing) a pulvérisé le record du circuit de Phillip Island et est devenu le premier pilote à passer sous les 1’28 avec un impressionnant chrono d’1’27.899. Le Champion du Monde en titre s’est ainsi assuré sa troisième pole position de la saison, après celles qu’il avait obtenues au Qatar et à Jerez en début d’année, et semble bien parti pour empêcher le sacre de Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda), qui dispose de sa première balle de match ce week-end. 

Le rookie catalan, qui doit marquer au moins huit points de plus que Lorenzo pour repartir d’Australie avec le titre mondial, est lui aussi passé bien en-dessous de l’ancien record du circuit, établi par Casey Stoner en 2008, mais a été battu d’un peu plus de deux dixièmes de seconde.

A 0.748s de la pole, Valentino Rossi (Yamaha Factory Racing) partira de la première ligne pour la seconde course consécutive tandis qu’Álvaro Bautista (GO&FUN Honda Gresini), Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) et Cal Crutchlow (Monster Yamaha Tech3) s’élanceront de la deuxième en ayant fini juste derrière l’Italien.

Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech3), Nicky Hayden (Ducati), Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) et Andrea Iannone (Energy T.I. Pramac Racing) complétaient le Top 10 devant Colin Edwards (NGM Mobile Forward Racing) et Randy de Puniet (Power Electronics Aspar), tous les deux tombé en début de séance.

With only three rounds remaining in the 2013 MotoGP™ season and Marquez able to clinch an historic premier class title win this weekend, the qualifying session at Phillip Island would prove to be one of the most incident-packed of the year.

Ultimately, Lorenzo clinched his third pole of the campaign – his first since Jerez in May – courtesy of a best lap of 1’27.899, but this was only after the reigning World Champion’s Yamaha Factory Racing bike clipped a seagull. The margin at the front would be two tenths of a second, with Marquez able to secure the world crown on Sunday if he ends the race with a points advantage of 51 or more. The 20-year-old newcomer has now also amassed a points margin large enough to become unassailable in the BMW M Award, successfully winning the prize on his first attempt.

In third place, Rossi – who on only three occasions in his career has failed to finish on the podium at Phillip Island – will start on the front row for the second consecutive race, ahead of GO&FUN Honda Gresini’s Alvaro Bautista who qualified fourth but went off-track at the end of qualifying. Fifth will be Sepang winner Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) - who is the only rider other than Marquez and Lorenzo who retains a mathematical possibility of winning the championship - from Monster Yamaha Tech3’s Cal Crutchlow, who will start sixth. Row 3 will be occupied by Tech3’s Bradley Smith plus Ducati Team pairing Nicky Hayden and Andrea Dovizioso.

Tenth on the grid will be Energy T.I. Pramac Racing’s Andrea Iannone, who entered the Q2 shootout from Q1, as was also the case with Dovizioso. It was towards the end of Q1 when Iannone was involved in an on-track disagreement with Power Electronics Aspar’s Aleix Espargaro, who failed to feature in Q2 for only the fourth time this in 2013. In the meantime, Colin Edwards set the CRT pace as he qualified 11^th for NGM Mobile Forward Racing, one position in front of Randy de Puniet while the Frenchman’s teammate Espargaro will be 13^th on the grid; both de Puniet and Edwards suffered incidents in the Q2 shootout.

LCR Honda MotoGP’s Stefan Bradl has taken no further part in the weekend since attempting to ride in opening practice, having fractured his right ankle at Sepang one week ago; the German hopes to return at Motegi next weekend. Australian Bryan Staring will start his home race 21^st on the Gresini CRT bike, with fellow countryman Damian Cudlin having qualified 23^rd for PBM on his 31^st birthday.

Sunday’s Tissot Australian Grand Prix begins at 4pm local time (GMT +11).

via Moto GP.com

Glenn’s Triumph 650 Tracker

When it comes to rear-end style and comfort Glenn Moger is the man, being responsible for many of the high quality seats and upholstery to be found on the UK builds on the Bike Shed’s pages. We first came across Glenn when he was recommended by Steve from Redmax Speedshop, after which he went on to make the seat for our Bike Shed’s KZ1000 build by Untitled Motorcycle and later featured on BikeEXIF. It’s no surprise then, that when Glenn wanted a Triumph 650 tracker, he turned to Redmax for help with the build.

The build came about when Glenn went hunting for a Triumph engine and knew there was a part finished Triton up for grabs. Glenn ended up buying the bike for himself with plans to build a bike around a Metisse frame, but when Steve at Redmax showed Glenn one of their C&J replica frames the plan changed again, and the tracker project began.

However, this build wasn’t your average eight-week project as the bike ended up being the rolling testbed for many of Redmax’s parts. The bike was completed over two years in fits and starts, as time and cashflow allowed, with Steve donating workshop space, parts and good advice – which Glenn often ignored, at his peril.

The donor engine that started it all is a standard 650 1969 T120, mounted in a Redmax Speedshop C&J replica frame with a Redmax Trackmaster tank and Redmax Knight seat unit. The entire front end and wheels come from a Harley Sportster, courtesy of Si Harris at Attitude Customs. The Harley brake was retained at the front with the rear brake being a Brembo unit made for a BMW.

Steering is taken care of with Triumph handlebars wearing AJS levers and mastercylinder, while the speedo is from Digitial Speedos. Lighting is old school; Bates style at the front and Lucas at the rear. When it comes to finishes, the Powdercoating was taken care of by Trestans at Woolston with polishing by Glenn’s mate Dave (we all need a few useful Daves) while the paint was by Mark and decals by Steve Clarke.

The pipes were made by Glenn with help from Steve and Stevo in Oakhanger. All the rest of the work, including the seat of course, was done by Glenn with help from his son Shaun who apparently also supplied Glenn with “a few kicks up the arse when I was struggling with incentive or enthusiasm.”

It’s hard not to love trackers. They define motorcycling at it’s most simple and enjoyable, with punchy power, easy handling and the kind of road manners that inspire confidence, and this Redmax/Moger build is a lovely example. Thanks to Glenn & Steve for sharing and to Greg Moss for the lovely pics.

frm The Bike Shed

Stunning Time-Lapse Video: Elemental Iceland

Photographer Stian Rekdal combined thousands of photos to create this time-lapse video showcasing Iceland's natural beauty. He spent three weeks—and more than 3,000 miles—on the road and took more than 40,000 photos. He used about 3,500 of these to make the video.

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© Videographer and Editor: Stian Rekdal. Music: Thomas Tipi

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