mercredi 5 novembre 2014
MOTO GP ; Lorenzo et Rossi engagés dans un duel pour le titre de vice-Champion / Lorenzo and Rossi to do battle for runner-up spot at season finale
La dernière manche de la saison 2014 aura plusieurs enjeux importants pour les pilotes du team Movistar Yamaha MotoGP.
Séparés de seulement douze points, Valentino Rossi et Jorge Lorenzo se disputeront ce week-end le titre de vice-Champion du Monde MotoGP™ sur la piste du Circuit Ricardo Tormo de Valence. Les deux coéquipiers se battront pour un titre individuel mais joueront aussi le titre de Team Champion du Monde pour Movistar Yamaha MotoGP face à Repsol Honda.
Après une tournée outre-mer réussie, Rossi arrive en Espagne avec l’ambition d’ajouter un autre podium à sa saison 2014 et a déclaré :
« Ce ne sera pas une course facile. Je suis deuxième au championnat et avoir douze points d’avance est positif mais l’écart n’est pas suffisamment important pour que je puisse me relâcher ce week-end. Jorge est dans une bonne période. Il a été très rapide sur la seconde partie de la saison et il voudra gagner en Espagne pour me prendre cette deuxième place. Nous devons nous concentrer pour viser la victoire. Mon team et moi-même allons faire de notre mieux, comme toujours. Valence ne figure pas parmi mes circuits préférés mais ce n’est pas un problème. Cette saison, nous avons été forts sur des circuits qui ne me réussissent pas. Les trois dernières courses se sont bien passées et je pense que nous pouvons faire une autre bonne course à Valence. Je suis confiant. »
Vainqueur haut la main à Valence l’an dernier, Lorenzo espèrera profiter du soutien du public local pour terminer sa saison 2014 au sommet du podium. Le Majorquin s’est imposé à Valence en 2010 et 2013 et avait pris la troisième place en 2009.
« Nous arrivons à la dernière course du championnat et c’est toujours excitant de rentrer en Espagne pour terminer la saison, » a commenté Lorenzo. « Nous avons déjà assuré la troisième place au championnat à Sepang et j’espère me battre pour la victoire à Valence. Je pense que c’est une meilleure piste pour la M1 que celle de Sepang. J’avais gagné là-bas l’an dernier et j’espère que nous pourrons tenter d’en faire autant cette année. »
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP returns to Spain to wrap up the 2014 MotoGP™ season this weekend at the Gran Premio Generali de la Comunitat Valenciana.
With just 12 points separating Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo in their battle for second in the championship, the Ricardo Tormo Circuit sets the scene for an intense battle on Sunday. However, the teammates will not only be gunning for personal glory, as the Team’s Title is still up for grabs for Movistar Yamaha MotoGP.
After three successful weekends overseas Rossi arrives in Spain with the intention to defend his second place in the championship by claiming another podium finish. The highly experienced nine-time World Champion has taken two premier class wins at Valencia in 2003 and 2004 and claimed multiple other podiums there, with a second place in 2002 and 2009 and third places in 2005, 2008 and 2010.
Rossi commented, “It won’t be an easy race. I’m second in the championship and being 12 points ahead is good, but this gap is not sufficient enough to play a passive role this weekend. Jorge is in a good moment. During the second part of the season Jorge was very fast and he wants to win in Spain and try to take the second place from me. We must focus on finishing the season with a victory just like we aim to do at all races. My team and I will do our best, as usual. Valencia isn’t one of my favorite tracks, but that doesn’t bother me. In this season we were strong also in the tracks that aren’t favorable to me. The three races in a row went well, I won another race, and for this reason I think that we can do a good race in Valencia. I am confident.”
Having won a phenomenal race at the Valencia track last year, Rossi’s teammate Lorenzo arrives in his home country with confidence. He looks forward to the support of the passionate Spanish crowd as he aims to finish the season with another thrilling battle for victory. So far Lorenzo has claimed two premier class victories at this circuit in 2010 and 2013 and a third place podium position in 2009.
The Spanish rider stated, “Finally we face the last race of the championship and it’s always exciting to come back to Spain to close the season. We have already saved third position in the championship after the race in Sepang and I hope to fight for the win again in Valencia. I think this is a better track for our Yamaha M1 than Sepang. I won here last year and hopefully we get to try this again this year.”
CLUTCH CUSTOMS’ SUBLIME KAWASAKI KZ650
Kawasaki KZ650s don’t come across our desks too often. So we were intrigued to see this one from Monsieur Willie Knoll at Paris’ Clutch Custom Motorcycles.
Willie has an obsession with lines and details, and a knack for nipping and tucking a bike until everything sits just right. Equally impressive is his eye for finishes—Clutch bikes are delightfully grungy, but never looked slapped together.
It’s a style that the Kawasaki KZ650 wears well. For starters, Clutch have massaged its stance into place, by fitting an 18” wheel from a US-spec KZ1300 up front. They’ve also lowered the suspension eight centimeters at the front and four at the rear. The tires are Dunlop K180 in matching sizes: 18/5.00.
Hooked up to the new front wheel are forks and brakes from a Triumph Speed Triple, connected via a custom-machined triple tree setup and front axle. Out back is a pair of shocks from Hagon—built specifically to match the swingarm, which Clutch shortened.
As for the bodywork, the stock fuel tank is retained, but Willie’s redesigned the front and tunnelled it for a better fit. He’s edited the frame too—with a slight kick in the rear supporting a new hand-made seat.
Other hand-made items include the fenders, gas cap, battery box and foot pegs—for both rider and passenger. More discreet lighting components have been fitted too.
Clutch treated the 1981-spec engine to a full rebuild, installing a set of K&N air filters and a pair of Spark mufflers. They also rewired the bike using Motogadget components, including a new speedo and switches. Along with a set of clip-ons and Brooks leather-wrapped grips, it makes for a super-neat cockpit.
In typical Clutch fashion, the finishes are a subdued mix of raw and glossy textures and colors. The result is sublime: a Kawasaki KZ650 that looks perfectly at home in the style capital of the world.
Clutch Custom Motorcycles | Facebook | See our archive of previous Clutch builds.
via BIKEexif
Inscription à :
Articles (Atom)