CAFÉ RACER 76

Vidéo : les meilleurs moments du Rallye du Mexique / Highlights - 2015 WRC Rally Mexico

Le team MotoGP™ de Suzuki s’appellera Suzuki Ecstar / Suzuki MotoGP™ team to be known as Suzuki Ecstar

Scott Redding était présent Madrid pour la présentation officielle du team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS.

Pour sa seconde saison en MotoGP™, Scott Redding sera l’unique pilote du nouveau team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS et retrouvera une partie de l’équipe avec laquelle il avait brillamment lutté pour le titre Moto2™ en 2013. Lors de la présentation officielle du projet, le Britannique a dévoilé la nouvelle livrée de son Honda RC213V Factory, qu’il pilotera bientôt au Qatar pour le dernier test de la pré-saison.

Scott Redding :

« Je suis vraiment content d’être dans une équipe dont je suis l’unique pilote, c’est quelque chose dont j’ai toujours rêvé et tous les efforts vont pouvoir aller vers un seul et même objectif. Je suis ravi de retrouver Marc VDS. Je connais déjà l’équipe et ça nous aidera à obtenir de bons résultats cette année. Il nous reste encore un peu de temps pour travailler afin d’être plus proches des pilotes les plus rapides au Qatar et de pouvoir apprendre de l’expérience de ceux qui sont devant à chaque course. »

La marque japonaise vient d’annoncer que son team MotoGP™ prendrait le nom de Suzuki Ecstar pour son retour dans la catégorie reine.

Suzuki a annoncé son partenariat avec Ecstar, la marque de lubrifiants appartenant au constructeur de Hamamatsu, lors d’une présentation officielle qui a eu lieu vendredi matin et lors de laquelle Aleix Espargaró et Maverick Viñales ont dévoilé la livrée définitive de la nouvelle GSX-RR.

Eiji Mochizuki, Directeur exécutif de Suzuki :

« Suzuki est enfin de retour en MotoGP, dans la catégorie reine du motocyclisme. Grâce à notre engagement au plus haut niveau, nous pourrons affiner nos technologies et les transférer aux modèles de série afin que les clients de Suzuki du monde entier puissent en profiter. Suzuki souhaite satisfaire ses clients à travers le monde, tant en compétition qu’avec nos produits. Nous espérons que nos fans soutiendront le Team Suzuki Ecstar. »

Scott Redding, talking at the launch of Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS Racing Team today, says he is excited about the 2015 MotoGP™ season.

Scott Redding will be the only rider for the team in the premier class as he returns to work with the squad that brought him so close to claiming the Moto2™ title in 2013. The Brit was on hand at the unveiling of the new livery for his factory spec Honda RC213V, and seems to be looking forward to his second season in MotoGP™ especially as he will be the sole focus of his teams attention.

Scott Redding:
"I'm really happy to be on a team where I am the only rider, it’s something I had always dreamed of, as all of the teams efforts will be focused solely on me. I'm happy to be back with Marc VDS, as I already know the team and that can only help us achieve good results this season. We still have some work to do to close the gap to the leading teams before we get to the first race in Qatar, and must learn from the guys who are faster than us.”

The factory racing team will officially be known as Suzuki Ecstar for their return to MotoGP™ when the season starts in Qatar.

Suzuki announced the partnership with Ecstar, the Japanese manufacturers own brand of engine oil, at the official team launch this morning along with unveiling their new livery. Aleix Espargaro, who finished seventh overall in the premier class last year, will be joined by 2013 Moto3™ Champion Maverick Viñales onboard the newly developed GSX-RR as Suzuki make their return to the top tier of motorcycle racing.

Suzuki’s Executive General Manager Eiji Mochizuki:

“Finally, Suzuki will make a comeback to the MotoGP, the world’s top motorcycle racing series. Through high-level competition, we will sharpen up our technologies, and aggressively feed them back to our production models and interact with Suzuki customers all over the world. Suzuki will challenge to improve satisfaction of customers all over the world to a higher level, through racing and our products. We ask our fans to support the Team SUZUKI ECSTAR.”

Roland Sands | After Hours

Famed bike builder Roland Sands has been creating custom motorcycles for just about his entire life. Son of Perry Sands, founder of Performance Machine, Roland grew up in the shop, sweeping floors until eventually working his way up to lead designer and founding Roland Sands Designs in 2005. Today, the sprawling headquarters of RSD in Lakewood, California, is nothing short of impressive. And his passion for motorcycles is palpable when you enter the RSD headquarters, as an amazing showroom full of bikes apparel, and custom accessories greet you when you step in the door.

Simply put, his once small endeavor has grown into one of the largest motorcycle accessories and aftermarket parts businesses in the industry, offering everything from apparel to exhaust to seats to everything in between. We stopped by to kickback and get an up-close look at the facility that our good friend has built from the ground up.

Roland Sands | After Hours from Fasthouse on Vimeo.

Bellini Nautica, where vintage Rivas are reborn

Imagine cruising across an Italian lake in a Riva: the sound of the engine, the sun reflecting off the varnished wood. No wonder we jumped at the chance to visit Bellini Nautica on the Lago d’Iseo, one of the most respected workshops for restoring, servicing and trading in the classic wooden boats…

The golden era

Here we met Battista Bellini, the grandson of the workshop’s founder, who told us the story of his family’s business.

Mr. Bellini, when did it all start?

My grandfather started his activity about 50 years ago, building Bellini wooden boats. Wooden boats were fashionable at the time: everyone wanted to look like Brigitte Bardot in her own Riva in St Tropez. It was a golden era. The boats were handcrafted and therefore expensive, so were only for wealthy customers. But as the years went by, plastic and resin boats became more prevalent and wooden boats became just old boats. My grandfather died when my father was 17, but before he died, he told him: “Don’t build boats, it’s too difficult to survive doing that now.” And so my father decided to focus on the servicing, storage, buying, selling and restoration of these old wooden boats.

A passion for wooden boats

And when did it start for you?

I would say the day I was born, although I only really began to work in the company five years ago. I have a passion for wooden boats, but also a passion for humanity – and meeting people. I just love to meet people to share my passion with them.

Preserving Riva history

Who works for your company now?

We are about 40 people, within two companies, and we have all the necessary skills in engines, wood, upholstery, electrics – and we also have our own varnishing workshop. Some Rivas require around 20 coats of varnish! We do between 10 and 15 partial or full restorations a year, and we service and store another 70 or 80 Rivas. We also work very closely with the brand Riva, which is just on the other side of the lake.

You also have a very special treasure: your Riva collection. Can you tell us about it?

Yes, we have 17 Rivas in our collection. We have almost every model and every evolution of each model. We feel it’s important to preserve the history of this legendary brand and have some of the rarest models that even Riva doesn’t have in its own collection. In addition, we have boats such as the Sebino, the second built of a series of 13 boats, and the Lancetta, one of the very first models built by Riva and the only example remaining in the world. For sure, there are some boats missing from our collection, such as the Scoiattolo (Italian for squirrel) from the very early years. There are only two or three remaining in the world.

Open to the public by appointment

What's your favourite boat in the collection?

I would say it’s the Sebino, with its wonderful yellow upholstery and yellow line along the hull, and the Ariston 1st series with its green-painted hull and incredible shape.

You’re currently refurbishing the display of your collection, is that right?

Yes, we’re working with Riva to improve the staging of the collection, to really appeal to the public. Everything should be finished for next spring, and the collection is always open to the public by appointment. You just have to give us a call or send us an email.

Sharing the passion

Why do you want to open a private collection to the public?

We don’t want to keep our boats hidden, just for us. Our aim and our philosophy is to share our values, to share our passion with the public. Rivas always have the reputation of being very expensive. That’s true for the most prestigious models, such as the Aquarama Special, for example, but Riva Juniors or Olympics are genuinely affordable boats.

Do you ever use your boats?

Certainly, as much as we can! For example, at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d'Este, some of the Rivas used as shuttles for the VIPs are from our collection. That’s another way to share our passion.

Don’t be jealous...

How would you describe your company today?

We’re extremely proud of our history and our philosophy – and I think our motto best summarises the company: “Don’t be jealous if we love your Riva more than you do.”