L’histoire des Grands Prix Moto à Brno : Ce qu’il faut savoir /

Le Grand Prix bwin de République Tchèque 2014 sera le 45e GP organisé à Brno.

- Le seul circuit à avoir accueilli plus de Grands Prix que Brno est le circuit d'Assen, aux Pays-Bas, où a eu lieu le TT Assen à chacune des 66 années de l'histoire du Championnat du Monde.

- Le premier GP de Tchécoslovaquie eut lieu à Brno en 1965. Mike Hailwood (MV Agusta) s'imposa alors en 500cc dans une course de 13 tours, sur un circuit de 13.94 km, en un temps d'1h, 11m et 23.2s

- Le circuit a été raccourci à 10.92 km en 1975 afin de garantir plus de sécurité.

- La dernière course de la catégorie reine sur circuit de routes à Brno eut lieu en 1977 et fut remportée par Johnny Cecotto sur Yamaha. Le circuit fut ensuite jugé trop dangereux pour les machines de grosse cylindrée.

- Les machines de plus petites cylindrées continuèrent à courir sur le tracé de routes jusqu'en 1982, avant que l'épreuve ne soit retirée du calendrier des Grands Prix, pour des raisons de sécurité.

- Le circuit actuel de Brno fut utilisé pour la première fois en Grand Prix en 1987 et a accueilli le GP de Tchécoslovaquie jusqu'en 1991. L'épreuve de Brno était absente du calendrier en 1992 mais revint en 1993 en tant que GP de République Tchèque et a depuis eu lieu chaque année.

- Le circuit actuel accueille son 27e Grand Prix cette année et n'a pas connu beaucoup de changements : quelques petites modifications furent apportées au tracé en 1996, lorsque la longueur passa de 5.394 à 5.403 km.

- Depuis l'introduction des MotoGP™ 4-temps en 2002, Yamaha et Honda ont tous les deux remporté cinq victoires à Brno et Ducati, deux. Les pilotes Honda se sont imposés à Brno ces trois dernières années après la victoire de Jorge Lorenzo avec Yamaha en 2010.

- Un seul pilote tchèque est monté sur le podium du circuit actuel de Brno : Lukas Pesek, troisième en 125cc en 2007, avec une Derbi.

- Le meilleur résultat tchèque en MotoGP™ à Brno est la neuvième place de Karel Abraham en 2012.

- Les deux pilotes qui ont remporté le plus de victoires à Brno sont Max Biaggi (4 x 250cc, 2 x 500cc, 1 x MotoGP) et Valentino Rossi (1x 125cc, 1 x 250cc, 1 x 500cc, 4 x MotoGP), avec sept victoires chacun.

This year’s bwin Grand Prix České republiky will be the 45th GP to be held at Brno.

Below is a brief history of Grand Prix racing at this famous venue:

- The only venue that has hosted more Grand Prix events than Brno is Assen in The Netherlands, which has hosted the Dutch TT in each of the 66 years of the motorcycling World Championship.

- The first Czechoslovakian Grand Prix was held at Brno in 1965. The 500cc race held over 13 laps of the original 13.94 km long road circuit was won by Mike Hailwood (MV Agusta) in a time of 1hr 11 min 23.2 sec.

- The circuit was shortened to 10.92 km in 1975 in an effort to improve safety.

- The last premier class race held on the road circuit at Brno was in 1977 and was won by Johnny Cecotto riding a Yamaha. The circuit was subsequently considered too dangerous for the large capacity machines.

- The smaller capacity machines continued to compete in Grand Prix races on the Brno road circuit until 1982 before it was removed from the Grand Prix calendar for safety reasons.

- The current circuit was first used for Grand Prix racing in 1987 and hosted the Czechoslovakian GP through until 1991. Brno did not appear on the calendar for 1992, but the event was revived in 1993 as the Grand Prix of the Czech Republic and has taken place every year since.

- This will be the 27th time that the current circuit has hosted a Grand Prix event, during which time the circuit has remained virtually unchanged; minor modifications were made to the circuit in 1996 which extended the length from 5.394 km to the current 5.403 km.

- Since the introduction of the four-stroke MotoGP™ class in 2002, both Yamaha and Honda have had five victories at Brno and Ducati have had two. Honda riders have won at Brno for the last three years, the last Yamaha win was with Jorge Lorenzo in 2010.

- There has only been one podium finish by a Czech rider at the current Brno circuit across all classes – Lukas Pesek’s third place in the 125cc race in 2007 riding a Derbi.

- The best result by a Czech rider in the MotoGP class at the Brno circuit is Karel Abraham’s ninth place finish in 2012.

- The two riders with most Grand Prix wins at the current Brno circuit, each with seven wins, are Max Biaggi (4 x 250cc, 2 x 500cc, 1 x MotoGP) and Valentino Rossi (1x 125cc, 1 x 250cc, 1 x 500cc, 4 x MotoGP).

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BSMC GEAR GUIDE #21

Italian inspiration, good old American quality  and new-wave British innovation all feature in this week’s Gear Guide, covering boots, jackets and bubble visors.

PAGNOL LEATHER JACKET

Pagnol is a new motorcycle jacket brand created by Paulo Rosas, owner of Speed Machines Design in Los Angeles, CA, a studio that has worked for the likes of the Drive/Aspar team in MotoGP 2014, Alpinestars, AMA Pro racing and more.

Paolo’s background comes from years of experience in the motorcycle apparel industry, notably with Alpine Stars. Influenced by the new crop of bike builders, “….where retro meets new tech and performance.”, his motivation was to create a moto jacket that would stand the test of time,
with a “modern design of classic features”, something that can be worn regardless if you are “…a Naked or Cafe Racer, Ducati, Triumph, Norton rider.”

It’s made from premium 1 to 1.2mm Tumble aged Cowhide, with 1/4” Shock absorption padding on shoulders. The leather is perforated on the center zip panel, under sleeves, and inner top pockets. The jacket has full body and sleeve ventilated mesh rayon lining with inserts for optional protection pads. It’s a slim fit, and not designed for multiple layers.

It features elbow stretch accordion panels and contour sleeves with hip/waist zippers and snap buttons on the sleeves. It has two chest pockets/air vents, two lower pockets, and one inner zip pocket.

The jacket has an extended lower back hem and extra sleeve length for coverage in the riding position. It has a center back slit with inner elastic bands for shoulder blade extension. It features under arm stretch Kevlar fabric inserts by Schoeller and a stretch Lycra insert on the sleeve lining for mobility.

The jacket is finished with embossed logos and antique Brass hardware.

The Pagnol is a handsome jacket that is fit for purpose.

http://www.pagnol-moto.com

PRODUCT REVIEW BY THE BMSC’S VERY OWN ‘LITTLE BIG NOISE’ – VIKKI VAN SOMEREN. REDWINGS CLASSIC MOC 8138

So what’s a girl to do, one day before a trip to Wheels and Waves in Biarritz, the weather’s HOT HOT HOT and I can’t decide what boots or bikes to take!  Ok I hear you gents mumble, what’s new… ?

Well I settled for taking two bikes (ahem… one of which broke down within TWO minutes of getting there) and buying some new boots (“Idiot” I hear you say)!  Yup, taking a brand new pair of boots to a long weekend of biking and climbing hills with a bunch of blokes…. genius!

The boys had been banging on about the Redwings and how comfortable they are for years, so I popped into Son of Stag and a few quid lighter, I have my boots!

Off I go to W&W, boots in tow and the token flip flops. When I first put them on I was like “…oh sh*t they’re a bit heavy and make me look even shorter!”  But after about thirty minutes, I actually forgot about them and at the end of the first day I was two inches taller and a happy girl.

They were instantly comfortable and perfect for all terrain.  They needed no breaking-in and once you get use to the weight and had a few beers you literally forget about them, as well as a few other things.  After the first night of chaos, I got back to the apartment and remember slurred something to Dutch about my feet not hurting, just my head!

Five months later and I just love them. I feel safe (well, as safe as you can be in a boot with no official protection – for all those haters out there!), they still look great despite being put through their paces and now (thanks to Dave Buonaguidi) I have a matching leather Shifty to protect the top when changing gear. See acmestudio.bigcartel.com.  If you haven’t got one, get one, Dave can still be found wondering around Biarritz blurry eyed, saving the world from f***ed left boots!

Anyway, back to the Redwings; well made, thick and sturdy leather, perfect fit and despite five months of abuse they still look great.

They come up big, so maybe go down a size, plus for all the inbetweeners they come in half sizes.  They look great with skinny jeans or with a thick turn up.  I really do need a few more colours to match my bikes & handbags.

http://www.redwingheritage.com/

PRODUCT REVIEW – HEDON BUBBLE VISORS

North West London’s very own Hedon not only make an outrageously cool range of open face lids, they manufacture some pretty good accessories too. We’ve already featured the Hannibal face mask. They also produce a range of excellent bubble visors, which although designed for their lids, are universal.

You can choose the snaps to match your lid; you can select brass, copper or gunmetal. The bubble visors come in a wicked array of colours including blue, amber, dark smoke, desert smoke, rainbow and of course the ubiquitous clear. I’ve go the blue.

For me the bubble visor is ideal for summer blasts with an open face, they leave enough room for air circulation, but ample protection from kamikaze wasps and dive bomber bugs. The Hedon visors are well formed with minimal if any distortion. They have a narrower profile than may of their competitors.

Hedon also manufacture flat visors known as The Shield.

In 2011 Lindsay and Reginald, with extensive experience in design and helmet crafting, came together  to create Hedon. Tired of conventional style, they set out on a mission to manufacture protective headwear that’ s bold, refined and nostalgic with “…comfort as a driving point above all else.”

Here at the Shed, we reckon they’ve succeeded!

http://www.hedon.com

 PRODUCT REVIEW – OUTDOOR RESEARCH CIRQUE JACKET

As the summer looks like drawing to a rainy end, it’s nearly time to start digging out the layers. One thing I hate is bulky clothing bunching up under my leathers. Technical sports layers can act useful alternatives to big wooly jumpers and thick sweats.

I work alot outside, and in winter months I despise getting cold. Over the years I’ve tried many different solutions. I discovered Outdoor Research when working in the US. Formed in Seattle nearly thirty years ago by mountaineer Ron Gregg, it has grown into a trusted brand for outdoor enthusiasts worldwide. Outdoor Research manufacture a range of products designed for adventurers, whether  it be mountaineering, back country skiing, hiking, or riding motorcycles.

“Truly useful gear is the result of a process that begins by paying careful attention to the needs of outdoor adventurers.For us, Outdoor Research products are Designed By Adventure”.

The Cirque jacket is great for wearing under leathers, as it’s slim profile and thin soft shell sit well into the contours of the jacket, creating a comfortable insulating layer. The sleeves and back are long enough not to ride up on the bike. Water and wind resistant, it is durable and breathable. It has a single DWR coated front zipper with an internal storm flap. It has a Napoleon chest pocket and two zippered hand pockets. It also features a drawcord hem. It’s 50% nylon, 43% polyester, 7% spandex, double weave, stretch-woven.

Another really important feature is it’s size. it can folded down tightly and stashed in your seat hump or in a pack. Worn with a set of thermal undergarments this keeps you warm even when the temperature has dropped considerably.

The Cirque looks pretty good off the bike too. it’s subtle design means that when you’ve peeled off your leathers and sat in the pub nursing your ale, you don’t look like some Eddy the Eagle wannabe in your eighties luminous ski shell, or a shipwrecked trawler-man in a damp mouldy sweater.

http://www.outdoorresearch.co.uk

STYLMARTIN INDIAN BOOTS

Stylmartin are an Italian company specialising in protective motorcycle footwear. Rooted in motorsport, they are the sponsors of several road-racing and off-road riders.

Stylmartin’s Urban footwear features the application of racing-derived technology to everyday riding. “Stylmartin’s Urban footwear allows motorcyclists to ride in utmost safety even in warm weather, and can be worn comfortably on a daily basis.”

The Indian is a take on the classic army boot, with five hole and three quick release hook lacing, an anti-slip commando style Vibram sole, with full grain writer leather upper with a tough shifter patch, and a breathable waterproof inner lining. It also features a removable anatomical lining. A padded ankle section gives extra comfort and it comes with inside and outside ankle reinforcement. It’s provided with changeable red or brown laces.

If you love the casual, classic aesthetic of a handsome leather boot but want something with motorcycle specific protection, the Indian is a good choice.

http://www.stylmartin.it

via The Bike Shed

1975 Honda CB750 ‘Titan’ by Gasser Customs

It’s not every day you ride past Jay Leno and your freshly built bike catches his eye. So much so that he then tracks you down to appear in an episode of Jay Leno’s Garage. Well, that’s what happened to Adam Gaspic from Gasser Customs. It also helped that Gasser Customs is located in North Hollywood, just down the road from Jay’s garage – so it wasn’t very hard to find him. The concept of this project started when Adam decided he wanted to build something in the spirit of the Hot Rods and Gassers of the 1950s and 60s but with some modern technology. So in between clients builds, Adam has built this mean looking Honda frankenstein named ‘Titan’.

To keep with the Hot Rod theme, Adam chose white wall tires. “We’ve never built a bike with white wall tires and felt that that was an aspect that needed to be there.” He says. “This bike is as custom as it gets, starting with heavy frame mods for added strength and functionality. The engine has been bored up to an 836cc and has various other Go Fast mods giving Titan the ability to don the ton and then some!”

Adam has created loads of one-off fabricated components for this bike including a GC billet aluminum top triple tree, custom oil tank, twin carb set-up and custom made shocks from Works Performance. A custom brat style seat was made, as well as a custom battery box and electronics re-located under the new 3″ extended aluminum swing arm.

Gasser Customs also retro fitted the front end from a VF750F interceptor blending two decades of 750′s from Honda together. ‘Titan’ also features GC clear points cover, full electronic Dyna ignition system with upgraded charging system.

They also added some nice Rizoma bling – imported straight from Italy – including the clear master brake reservoir, turn signals and foot pegs. They also made a custom gauge bracket to fit the new Motogadget Motoscope Pro Digital Instrument. Rounded out with Tarozzi clip-on bars, four-into-one exhaust system and upgraded EBC brakes: “This bike stops on a dime and sounds incredible!” says Adam.

Theres obviously been a lot of work put into this build and it looks like this CB750 is receiving the attention it deserves. Not only was it featured on Jay’s Garage but it also recently picked up 1st place at the LA Motorcycle Show in the cafe racer/bar hopper class.

[Photography by Jay Leno's Garage]

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