MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi came in first this weekend in the Czech Republic and so managed to stand 50 points apart in the overall provisory top. Teammate Jorge Lorenzo wasn’t that lucky as he crashed out during his attempt to take the lead.
Dani Pedrosa was the second rider to pass the finish line and Toni Elias occupied the third position of the podium.
Read the race results after the jump.
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Ducati collectors are now offered the chance to bring a new rare piece of history to their spacious garages. This Ducati Supermono can be found on eBay UK and a trained eye will immediately recognize it as being part of a 70 examples lot that came out the Bologna factory back in the mid 1990s.
Weighing in at 269lbs and disposing of 81hp, the Ducati Supermono was created for track use only, where it is perfectly able to make quite an impression even today and compared with modern bikes.
This particular one is the 14th Supermono in the limited edition series and it was manufactured in 1995. What makes it even more special is its “new” condition, but also the fact that it is one of just 25 of the 572cc models produced.
The bid starts at £50,000 (around $84,000) and it ends today. Good luck!
Casey Stoner’s health state has determined him and his medical staff from Australia to take the decision of missing from the next three MotoGP races. Ducati Marlboro team has made the news public together with the mention that Stoner will return to MotoGP racing in October, at the Portuguese GP. He will meanwhile be replaced by Mika Kallio on the Ducati Marlboro factory bike.
Apparently, the Australian MotoGP rider suffers from chronic fatigue determined by a virus – most likely caught during the Barcelona race – and also by the fact that Stoner pushed himself so hard during these last five races.
Together with this decision, Stoner is forced to give up to his current 3rd place in the Championship as well. Afflicted, he commented:
“After five extremely difficult races due to my health, I returned to Australia to visit the sports doctors who have looked after me for many years. We have taken the difficult decision not to contest the next three rounds of the championship, to allow my body time to recover from the recent stress. The doctors believe that during the Barcelona race I was suffering from a virus, and, that I subsequently pushed my body too hard, leading to problems that have caused my fatigue since then. The doctors are continuing with many tests to try to understand these problems and make sure it does not happen again. I have spoken with Ducati and thank them for their understanding at this time. I feel very sorry for the factory, my team, my sponsors and the fans and I am also disappointed because the bike in the last races has been very competitive. I will be doing everything possible to come back at full strength for Portugal.”
During the British Supersport race at Brands Hatch on Sunday, Chris Martin’s Kawasaki motorcycle broke down, locking the rear wheel. The rider was thrown from the seat and sent bouncing way over the barrier during what has to be one of the most dangerous crashes of this racing season. In fact, this ended the season for Chris Martin, but he is expected back on two wheels next year.
Team Gearlink Kawasaki has issued a report regarding the crash:
Chris has suspected 3 broken vertebrae, will not know for sure until neck/back specialist has seen him. He has broken his ankle and will now be out of action for the rest of the season.....:-((
The video follows the jump.
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If you thought that a 24-hour endurance race in a car or on a motorcycle is an enormous physical and psychical challenge, Le Mans is coming with a new and an even harder one: a 24-hour endurance race, but this time on...bicycles. The race will take place on the Le Mans Bugatti track starting August 22nd.
According to the organizers, the 4185 meters race will get a number of 3000 competitors. The rules say that at the start line, teams can be composed from one to eight members.
To sign up, teams will have to pay between 25 euros for a one-person team to 800 euros for an eight-person team. If you want to sign up, you will have to apply until the date of August 10.
Furthermore, Stephane Sarrazin is only one of the celebrities expected to take part of this race, a fact that makes things sound even more interesting and challenging.
This attracting sight represents KTM’s RC8 R McWilliams replica, a machine produced in a limited number (100 units) both to honor Jeremy McWilliams, KTM’s racer in the IDM German Superbike Championship, and to offer club racers the possibility to get their hands on a machine that looks like nothing ordinary (not that the stock RC8 does, but this is yet another step forward).
Apart from the cool new livery, the KTM Club Racer kit includes an Akrapovic EVO4 full system, hi-lift cams and datalogging. The total number of break horsepower reaches 180, which is 10 bhp more than on the standard model.
Street legality is always the sacrifice in the quest for more power and that is why the KTM RC8 R McWilliams addresses to club racers. Sure, you can always convert it to road spec, but what’s the point in buying it if that’s the plan?
This year’s British Grand Prix was a surprise and, luckily, not one related to the weather. Andrea Dovizioso won his first MotoGP first place and it was followed by Colin Edwards and Randy de Puniet. How’s that for the Donington Park podium?
Hit the jump to read the race results.
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Yoshimura uses the experience gained in AMA Superbike racing to create a limited edition Suzuki GSX-R1000. Features such as the high-lift cams, a quick shifter, numerous suspension upgrades and a full titanium-carbon exhaust are surely enough to help make an impression on the bike that comes as a clearly superior alternative to the recently unveiled Buell 1125RR racing motorcycle, which will compete in the AMA Superbike series.
The fact that the Buell motorcycle is not for sale to the general public determined Mat Mladin, former AMA Superbike Champion, to contest the AMA’s decision to let Buell’s turnkey racer compete in the series. As a contradiction to this fact, the Suzuki GSX-R1000RR is street-legal and also available to the public, which shows how racing experience always stands out when it all reduces to the facts/benefits.
Price and availability are yet to be announced, but those who miss their exemplar can very well built their own by simply buying the Yoshimura aftermarket parts and having them mounted on a standard Suzuki GSX-R1000.
Hit the jump to read the bike’s impressive features.
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Troy Corser left his S1000RR Superbike in favor of Nick Heidfeld’s F1 car, for a test run on the Nürburgring track. The swap was found interesting by both BMW pilots, but we understand that Corser had a 500bhp advantage, which is nothing to be neglected.
Although the BMW Sauber F1 car puts down 700bhp and the BMW S1000RR Superbike disposes of 200bhp, the bike is still the one catching the most of our attention simply because Superbike racing is much more spectacular than F1 racing.
See the video and what the pilots have to say about this interesting swap after the break.
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Valentino Rossi won the German MotoGP round after taking off from pole position. He was closely followed by teammate Jorge Lorenzo, while Dani Pedrosa had to comply with third place.
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