8 Heures de Suzuka : Team Green en pole provisoire / Team Green grabs provisional pole

Le team Green a créé la surprise en signant le meilleur temps des essais qualificatifs de la 38ème édition des 8 Heures de Suzuka, deuxième épreuve du Championnat du monde FIM d’Endurance (EWC). La Kawasaki n° 87 devance les teams officiels, Yamaha Factory Racing team et Musashi Harc-Pro Racing Team.

Les 8 heures de Suzuka dérogent au règlement du Championnat du monde FIM d’Endurance. Contrairement  aux autres épreuves, on ne retient pas ici la moyenne des meilleurs temps des trois pilotes mais uniquement le temps du meilleur pilote.

Avec 84 équipes inscrites, les pilotes ont été partagés en deux groupes pour disputer les qualifications. Les cinq teams plus rapides de chaque groupe à l’issue des qualifications sont qualifiés pour disputer la Superpole, Top 10 Trial, qui redistribue les 10 premières places sur la grille de départ. Les teams choisissent deux pilotes pour un seul tour lancé. Le moins rapide part en premier.

L’étonnant Kazuki Watanabe a battu le record en endurance de Takuya Tsuda réalisé lors de la Superpole 2014 en 2.06.703. Watanabe a bouclé son meilleur tour lors de la deuxième séance qualificative en 2.06.656 et hisse la Kawasaki n°87 en pole provisoire des 8 Heures de Suzuka.

Yamaha Factory Racing Team (Espargaro/Smith/Nakasuga) pointe en deuxième position avec un chrono de 2.06.877 signé par le pilote japonais. Pol Espargaro a chuté lors de la deuxième session endommageant lourdement la Yamaha n°21 mais sans gravité pour l’Espagnol.

Le Team Kagayama (Kagayama/Kiyonari/Haga), Musashi Harc-Pro Racing Team (Stoner/Takahashi/Van Der Mark), YOSHIMURA SUZUKI Shell ADVANCE (Waters/Lowes/Tsuda), MotoMap Supply, Eva RT Test Type 01 Trick Star, FCC TSR Honda (Hookes/Aegerter/Smith), Honda Dream RT Sakuraï Honda et Toho Racing with MORIWAKI sont qualifiés pour la Superpole.

Sixième du groupe A et première équipe permanente, le YART (Parkes/Silva/Morais) qui a enlevé la pole position en 2012 et 2013, échoue de peu aux portes de la Superpole malgré un tour en 2.08.973 de Broc Parkes. L’équipe autrichienne s’est montrée cependant plus rapide que le quatrième du Groupe B.

Malgré une piste sèche, on dénombre de nombreuses chutes dont notamment celles de Takumi Takahashi, coéquipier de Casey Stoner sur la Honda officielle, Grégory Leblanc et Matthieu Lagrive (SRC Kawasaki), Bastien Mackels (BMW Motorrad France Penz13.com), Anthony Delhalle (SERT), Freddy Foray (Honda Racing Team).

Les dix premières équipes ont rendez-vous demain à partir de 15h30 (Heure locale, 8h30 heure française) pour disputer le Top 10 Trial.

Team Green was the surprise winner of qualifying for the 38th 8 Hours of Suzuka, round two of the 2015 FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC). The N°87 Kawasaki outpaced the Yamaha Factory Racing Team and Musashi Harc-Pro Racing Team machines.

In contrast to the other rounds of the EWC, the qualifying order for the Japanese classic is not based on the average of the three riders’ best laps. Instead, positions are simply dictated by the fastest time of each bike.

Given the 84-strong entry, the riders were split into two groups for the session, with the five fastest teams in each group going on to take part in Saturday’s Top 10 Trial shootout which will decide the first 10 places on the grid. Teams have to nominate two riders each for a single flying lap and the slowest of the pair starts the race.

The surprising Kazuki Watanabe established a new EWC track record by bettering Takuya Tsuda’s 2m6.703s set in 2014’s ‘super-pole’ session. His effort of 2m6.656s put the N°87 Kawasaki firmly on provisional pole.

Yamaha Factory Racing Team (Espargaro/Smith/Nakasuga) was second best with a 2m6.877s (Nakasuga), but Pol Espargaro fell in the second session. He escaped unhurt but the N°21 Yamaha sustained severe damage.

Team Kagayama (Kagayama/Kiyonari/Haga), Musashi Harc-Pro Racing Team (Stoner/Takahashi/Van Der Mark), YOSHIMURA SUZUKI Shell ADVANCE (Waters/Lowes/Tsuda), MotoMap Supply, Eva RT Test Type 01 Trick Star, FCC TSR Honda (Hookes/Aegerter/Smith), Honda Dream RT Sakurai Honda and Toho Racing with MORIWAKI also earned a ticket for the Top 10 Trial.

The best-placed EWC-registered team was the race’s 2012 and 2013 pole-winner, YART (Parkes/Silva/Morais). Broc Parkes’ lap of 2m8.973 was the sixth-fastest in Group A, spelling the end of his team’s qualifying bid, even though the Australian would have come fourth in Group B!

Despite the dry conditions, there were several falls. Main victims were Casey Stoner’s factory Honda team-mate Takumi Takahashi, SRC Kawasaki’s Grégory Leblanc and Matthieu Lagrive, Bastien Mackels (BMW Motorrad France Penz13.com), Anthony Delhalle (SERT) and Freddy Foray (Honda Racing Team).

Saturday’s Top 10 Trial will start at 3:30pm local time (GMT+7).

Murray Racing Parker 250 2015

RUA MACHINES #6

That’s it, I am moving to Portugal. We have for a while now been banging the drum proclaiming the glory of the machines coming out of the Iberian Peninsula and yet there seems to be no let up in the flow of utterly gorgeous motorcycles. This little 1974 Honda CB360 is the latest head turner to reach our digital shores, courtesy of the gentlemen at Rua Machines.

Armando Fontes, Marco Mendes and Victor Rocha founded Rua Machines back in 2011.Many nights spent nostalgically musing over their two wheeled childhood day dreams convinced them that an outlet was required for their pent-up creativity and thus Rua was born. The Bike Shed was founded that very same year but it was not until February this year that our paths crossed. RUA #7, a beautiful Kawasaki Z650, was soon followed up with pictures of Armando’s personal steed, RUA #1, an elegant Suzuki GS450. Now circuitously we find our pages graced by RUA build #6.

The little Honda had been left forgotten in a Garage for 11 years before it found salvation in it’s present owner that cherished it for a further twenty before rolling the now dishevelled machine through the doors at Rua headquarters.
Armando takes up the story.
“When he contacted us to transform the bike, he wanted one like RUA #1. But we were thinking of a different thing, we did not want to undress very much the 360 personality, we did not want to remove the side covers. Our idea was to take advantage of all of her personality and make a scrambler with caffeine and blood of dirt.”

The small Honda twins, be they CB or CJ, 350 or 360, always seem to come out of a customisers hands looking just right. The proportions of the original machine are spot on and the engine is a simple, handsome lump. A little nip and tuck in all the right places produces as pure and simple a motorcycle as you could possibly wish for, Rua’s version offers further proof.

They started by subtly altering the stance by raising the original rear suspension close to 2 cm to give a slight forward slope, the tilt in the tank line lending the CB a more purposeful intent. The engine was thoroughly worked over and received hours of arduous cleaning and a splash of satin black. The electrical system and all running gear also received a thorough refresh. Tyres are matching Heidenau K67 4.00-18s front and rear.

The beautiful tailpiece was crafted in steel, wrapping the taillight like a vintage american car. For the paintwork an understated bronze was chosen with flat black panels, the slice of black through the tail unit elegantly extends the visual lines of the bike whilst giving away Armando’s day job as a fashion designer. A subtle number six in those lovely original side panels designates its place in the Rua bloodline.

The seat is finished in waterproofed Alcantara adding a further texture to the ensemble of matte, shiny, exhaust wrap and rubber. A Motogadget Tiny speedo, Biltwell grips, underslung mirror, a 6′ headlight with custom rim, custom mudguard and bars from a ’72 CB125 complete the details. Rua also changed the starting process so that it starts off the key to keep the bars tidy.

The little Honda was presented at the last Art & Moto event in Lisbon, which judging by what we have seen of the scene in Portugal must have gathered one fine collection of motorcycles. Time to start learning the language I reckon, starting with Rua – Street. This is going to be easy…

via The Bike Shed

Yamaha XSR700 - Born tomorrow

The first production motorcycle defined by Yamaha’s Faster Sons philosophy has arrived. Taking everything cool from Yamaha’s rich heritage of iconic machines, including the legendary XS650, the XSR700 adds cutting edge technology to the mix for an amazing riding experience. If you want the best of both worlds, the XSR700 is here to deliver.