The inaugural FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship season is proving to be a memorable one, with six races and three rounds down and not a great deal to split Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Racing) and Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros. Racing Yamaha Team) at the top of the standings. With four and two wins respectively, seven points is all that separates them in a season of racing that has seen every race decided by less than a second – in the case of the last round at Portimao, both were decided by 0.060s or less.
RACE STORIES: a hint of what could come
Race 1 saw Maria Herrera demonstrate her prowess by leading for the vast majority of the race, retaliating instantly if Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) was to pass her for the lead. Despite this, Sanchez made one last ditch attempt on the run to the line, exiting the final corner strongly but ultimately, not able to pass Herrera for a first win in the Championship.
However, that weakness was highlighted by Carrasco and Sanchez in Race 2 on Sunday as once again, coming out of Turn 15, Herrera wasn’t as strong as her rivals but this time, she was punished. Carrasco got ahead whilst Sanchez was able to come through for P2, with both of them keeping up their 100% record of finishing on the podium. Herrera and Carrasco scored the same points as each other and the gap remains just seven with half of the season already completed, whilst Sanchez is 21 points off the top.
IN THEIR WORDS: “The strategy was clear”
Speaking about their battle on Sunday, both Carrasco and Herrera gave their perspectives, with the #22 of Carrasco stating: “I’m really happy with this victory because after Race 1, I was quite disappointed with all the problems. In the end, my team solved everything for Sunday. From the first start, my team felt really good. The red flag was a big shame but when we restarted, the strategy was the same. The last sector was my best one and when I was behind, I came onto the straight so fast. The strategy was clear: to be second going onto the straight and lead across the line. I
“I’m really happy to win again, we kept the same points gap as when we arrived, we’re close in the Championship and that’s really important. We’ll keep working like that and try to keep the Championship alive until the last race. At Cremona, the target will be to get the lead of the Championship and keep it until the end.”
“I did a perfect race, battled hard and put on a spectacular show on track,” began a deflated Maria Herrera after Race 2. “The straight was the point where they beat me and I’m a little bit angry for this situation but I have to understand this. I’m happy for the team as we’re still leading the Championship and we have to continue in this way. The next track is Cremona which has a long straight; I’m fast in the corners but I have to understand and be focused on where I can improve. I’ll have to reduce weight so that I can win on the straight too!”
After missing the seventh round of the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship at Portimao, Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) returned to track action at Estoril on testing duties. An opportunity to learn the track, get back into the swing of things and check the strength of his shoulder, the 33-year-old set 51 laps and whilst it was positive overall, still had some pain. It comes after he fractured his left collarbone in a Superpole Race crash back at Most but now, his aim is to return for Magny-Cours.
“It felt great to be back on the bike after this recent lay-off and the laps I completed today were positive,” began the rookie, hitting the track for the first time since Most where he suffered the fall. “I’ve never raced at Estoril before, so this was a good opportunity to learn the track and get an understanding of lines and braking markers for when we come back in October.
“A key part of the test though was to understand where I’m at with the recovery of the shoulder and while it went well, I still have some pain. And the shoulder area is still quite weak, so I will go away now and work hard on making sure I am in the best possible shape for Magny-Cours. It was just nice to be back on the bike though and being with the team again and I’m really looking forward to racing in France.”
The UBCO 2×2 Special Edition is an accessorized version of the street-legal 2×2 Adventure electric utility bike. (Photos by Monica Wiesblott & the author)
I don’t know about where you live, but electric bikes have invaded like a swarm of locusts here in Ventura, California. They silently climb steep trails with ease, zip along bike paths, and book it down city streets.
Most e-bikes have pedals that can be used to assist in the generation of motive power, and depending on an e-bike’s class (1, 2, or 3) and state laws, speeds are typically limited to 20-28 mph.
In addition to its special sage green paint, the UBCO 2×2 Special Edition is accessorized with two Giant Loop Pronghorn straps for the front rack, a 12-liter center carry-all bag, a 30-liter rear rack bag, and a Peak Design smartphone mount. (Photo by Monica Wiesblott)
But there are also electric motorbikes that forego the pedals and rely purely on electrons to keep the wheels turning. A popular choice among teenagers here in Ventura is the Surron Light Bee X, a 100-lb electric dirtbike that’s delivered with a 16-mph speed limit but can be “hacked” to allow speeds of 50 mph or more. Some talented daredevils on Surrons rip endless wheelies down city streets, all but terrorizing local folks who complain endlessly about those “crazy kids” on NextDoor.
Enter the UBCO 2×2, an electric utility bike built by a company based in New Zealand that has a U.S. headquarters in Bend, Oregon. UBCO bikes were originally designed for use on farms and trails, their “utility” evident in the beefy trellis step-through frame, front and rear racks, and knobby tires.
In each of the UBCO 2×2’s wheel hubs is a 1-kW motor, and their combined output is 4 hp. (Photo by Monica Wiesblott)
What intrigued me about UBCO bikes is the “2×2” part – with a 1-kWh motor in each wheel hub, they are 2-wheel-drive. I’ve always wondered what it was like to ride a 2WD Christini dirtbike, so I figured the UBCO would give me a taste. Putting a motor in each wheel hub makes sense. It not only improves traction with two driven wheels but also simplifies packaging of the drivetrain since there is no chain or belt and no sprockets.
UBCO’s lineup includes four models. There are two off-road-only models: the 2×2 Work utility model ($3,999 for 2.1 kWh, $4,999 for 3.1 kWh) and 2×2 Hunt Edition ($6,499, 3.1 kWh only), a kitted-out model aimed at game hunters. And there are two street-legal dual-sport models: the 2×2 Adventure ($4,999 for 2.1 kWh, $5,999 for 3.1 kWh) and the 2×2 Special Edition ($6,999, 3.1 kWh only), which is the focus of this review.
The center carry-all and rear bag are secured to the frame with hook-and-loop straps. UBCO sells other accessories for the front and rear racks, including cargo decks and pannier racks and bags. (Photo by Monica Wiesblott)
The 2×2 Special Edition has a unique sage green paint job and includes several accessories that set it apart from the base-model 2×2 Adventure, including two Giant Loop Pronghorn straps for the front rack, a 12-liter center carry-all bag, a 30-liter rear rack bag, and a Peak Design smartphone mount.
You can buy an UBCO from a dealer, or you can have it shipped directly to your home, which is what I did (all orders incur a $450 shipping charge). It arrived in a recyclable cardboard crate and required minor assembly – straightening and tightening the handlebar, bolting on the turnsignals, and installing the mirrors, luggage, and smartphone mount.
The UBCO 2×2 SE comes with a Peak Design smartphone mount, and pairing the UBCO app to the bike allows riders to display vehicle info and change settings. The only thing that seemed cheap on the UBCO were the mirrors. While adjusting one, the glass cracked. Replacement mirrors cost only $14/pair. (Photo by Monica Wiesblott)
Atop the tapered aluminum handlebar is a metal, color-matched nacelle that houses the LED headlight and a digital instrument panel, which has bar gauges for battery level and regenerative braking as well as readouts for speed, motor temperature, odometer, and clock. Pairing the UBCO app to the bike through a smartphone and then mounting it just behind the steering stem allows the rider to view a more vivid, feature-rich display and access functions like ride modes (Normal, Boost, and Eco) and regen level (Low, Medium, and High).
The center carry-all is the perfect size for two six-packs or a 12-pack. We used it to carry a Kryptonite New York Chain to secure the bike when parked. Under the seat is a “field kit” with an owner’s manual and tools. (Photo by Monica Wiesblott)
Even though it has a boxy frame, the UBCO 2×2 is narrow between the knees and has a compact cockpit thanks to its short wheelbase. The wide, plush solo seat is 32 inches high, and it flips up to provide more access to the center carry-all (which is the perfect size for two six-packs). Under the seat is a “field kit” with an owner’s manual and a toolkit.
Operationally, the UBCO is a breeze. Press the red button near the right grip “throttle” to turn the bike on, press it again to switch from neutral to drive, and then twist and go. Like many electric bikes, acceleration from a stop is brisk. The weight immediately shifts to the rear wheel, causing the driven front wheel to chirp or slip a bit as it tries to grab traction.
During braking and while coasting down hills, the UBCO 2×2’s regenerative system will feed power back into the battery. (Photo by Monica Wiesblott)
The 2×2 Adventure and 2×2 Special Edition are both street-legal, but their top speed is 30 mph (and therefore, they are classified as mopeds in most states). That’s just 2 mph faster than the mandated speed limit for Class 3 e-bikes, and it’s slower than most vehicular traffic even in a 25-mph zone. As a result, I relegated myself to the bicycle lane on city streets.
The UBCO 2×2 is great for cruising around town, but given its speed limit of just 30 mph we mostly stuck to bike lanes. (Photo by Monica Wiesblott)
With tires that are just 2.75 inches (70mm) wide and a total weight of just 156 lb, the UBCO is effortless to maneuver. Since it looks like an e-bike, I took the UBCO on paved bike paths, local trails, and even the beach. Two-wheel-drive came in handy on sketchy, uneven single track and it was a revelation in deep sand – the UBCO just tractored right along where bigger, heavier, more powerful bikes with one driven wheel would have plowed the front and been a handful.
Thanks to its 2WD and light weight, the UBCO 2×2 tractors through deep sand with relative ease. (Photo by the author)
Where the UBCO struggled was on really steep hills. We have a few city blocks in Ventura that rival the steepest streets in San Francisco, and the UBCO didn’t have enough grunt to climb them. (In a side-by-side comparison with a Yamaha TW200 on UBCO’s website, UBCO claims the 2×2 produces 4 hp.)
The UBCO 2×2 is fun and surefooted on unpaved trails. (Photo by Monica Wiesblott)
Thanks to the UBCO’s low speed limit and light weight, it doesn’t run down the battery as quickly as faster, heavier electric motorcycles. On one ride, I cruised up the Ventura River Parkway Trail, a paved rails-to-trails bike path that goes from the beach in Ventura to the mountain town of Ojai, climbing from near sea level to about 1,000 feet. I kept the “throttle” pinned for most of the trip, and after 26 miles and 1 hour and 10 minutes of riding, the battery had dropped from 100% to 46%. The UBCO comes with a 10-amp fast charger that plugs into a normal 110V wall outlet, and a full charge takes 4-6 hours.
The Ventura Pier has a seafood restaurant, a taco stand, and an taproom run by MadeWest Brewery. What more do you need? (Photo by Monica Wiesblott)
Living in a small surf town like I do, the UBCO is the perfect runabout because there are plenty of bike lanes, bike paths, and trails. Its racks and bags make it easy to tote gear down to the beach, bring beers home from local breweries, or pick up a few items at the store.
All that’s missing is a surfboard rack and some tasty waves. The battery is contained within the lower, black-painted part of the frame, which keeps the center of gravity nice and low. (Photo by the author)
The UBCO has a steering lock, but our 2×2 SE test bike didn’t come with a key. There’s no “ignition” key either, so when parked there was nothing to stop some knucklehead from starting it up and riding away. I kept a Kryptonite New York Chain in the center carry-all and locked it up when necessary.
The UBCO certainly looks cool. Its mil-spec (ish) green paint and tubular trellis frame make it look like a two-wheeled jeep, and it received lots of double takes and “What’s that?” questions from folks on the street.
Ready for adventure. (Photo by the author)
But the $6,999 price tag is a big ask for a street-legal electric motorbike that only goes 30 mph, especially if you end up riding in the bike lane most of the time. There’s a lot of competition in the two-wheeled EV world – the Surron Light Bee X costs $4,400, Super73 electric bikes cost $2,995-$4,595, and there are plenty of 28-mph Class 3 e-bikes out there for less than $2,000.
The UBCO 2×2 Special Edition is special, but not quite special enough to justify the price.
The UBCO 2×2 Special Edition is fun but expensive. (Photo by Monica Wiesblott)
The Spidi Air DPS Airbag Vest provides peace-of-mind for riders and is easy to use. (Photos by the author)
Airbag vests have come a long way since I started wearing them eight years ago. The primary evolution has been the introduction of electronic/battery powered airbag vests and the steady improvement of mechanical ones like this Spidi Air DPS.
In general, I prefer the simplicity of mechanical vests – there’s less to go wrong, so long as the rider simply remembers to buckle up before each ride. There are no batteries to degrade or to forget to recharge and no additional electronics to fail. However, other riders (especially those who get on and off the bike often, like delivery service providers) prefer the convenience of electronic vests.
Either way, the safety benefits of wearable airbags have now been confirmed by hundreds (if not thousands) of online testimonials by riders who have walked away from what should have been far more serious injuries after crashing. I’m a believer, as is the Rider staff, who now wear airbag vests on every test bike and press launch!
Spidi’s Air DPS vest is a mechanically actuated airbag that the rider wears over their usual jacket. Once aboard, a coiled wire leash attached to the motorcycle is snapped to a matching tether on the vest. If the rider is ejected from the motorcycle, the tether on the vest is violently pulled, activating a piston, which then punctures an integrated 60cc CO2 cartridge. The released gas then inflates a 26-liter series of air chambers, which wrap the rider’s neck, back, chest, and hips, insulating the rider from whatever their torso is going to hit when they land.
The whole process takes all of 0.2 second – a fraction of the blink of an eye.
Quality of construction and materials is excellent. Two beefy, glove-actuated clips hold the vest firmly in place over any jacket, and the straps themselves are adjustable to fit any size, from svelte to bulky. The aforementioned CO2 cartridge, piston, and tether cord assembly reside on the lower right side of the vest, hidden by a zippered access cover.
The black exterior shell is comprised of Spidi’s TexTech fabric, with high-viz swatches on the front and generous gray reflective stripes throughout for added conspicuity at night. A Level 1 back protector pad is included in a dedicated pouch for supplementary protection. Out on the road, the Air DPS is a comfortable companion, and at only 2lbs total, it never feels unwieldy.
I activated it to test coverage, and all the vital organs on the body’s front are covered. The neck is held firmly in position, and the air chambers inflate all the way from the chest and ribcage down to the hips and pelvic region. After triggering the canister, the vest self-discharged the gas within approximately 8 minutes. Don’t worry about accidentally activating the inflation process – the tether requires an extremely strong pull, not something that a rider can typically do by getting off the bike and forgetting to unbuckle it.
The vest configuration allows the rider to use whichever jacket fits the specific riding occasion. Likewise, the Spidi is fairly breathable and did not significantly block airflow during hot summer riding. So long as the rider remembers to clip the tether to the bike on each ride, they can rest assured of a substantially higher level of protection than a jacket alone in the event of the unexpected.
The Spidi Air DPS vest carries an MSRP of $699.90 and is certified according to the EN 1621-4:2013 FB European standard that governs motorcycle airbag garments.
Just days after the conclusion of the seventh round of the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, Team HRC couldn’t quite pack their suitcases for holidays as they headed north from Portimao to Estoril for testing duties. Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge had to cut their testing schedule down from two planned days to just one after strong winds hampered Wednesday running; whilst temperatures were higher on Thursday, winds were lower, enabling them to get down to business quickly, with new components, electronics setup and suspension setup being just a few things on their agenda, yielding encouraging results to move on from.
“SUPER-PRODUCTIVE DAY OF TESTING” – breakthrough for Vierge?
After a strong Portimao yielded a double top ten on Sunday, Vierge explained the positivity of the test at Estoril: “We were finally able to ride today, and it was the right decision to wait because the track conditions were much better than they were on Wednesday. The surface was a bit dirty at first due to the wind, but lap by lap we started to clean it and ended up having a super-productive day of testing—one of the best so far, I’d say. It’s true that we were last here in 2022, and everyone has improved a lot since then. But we need to compare it with the data we have, and we can see a step forward in terms of both pace and speed, so we’re happy about that and with the work we’ve done.
“We made some adjustments to the bike setup and suspension, which gave me a bit more confidence into the turns. We also worked on the electronics throughout the day and found something that gave me that little extra. We made two ‘Superpole’ long runs with two different bike setups, and the positive thing is that I was able to be fast with both. We were able to explore and understand the strengths of each, which is great and will give the technicians important data to analyse. Once again, a big thank you to the team for the well organised and productive schedule today, and to everyone who is working so hard to make this project successful.”
“WE CLARIFIED MANY THINGS” – Lecuona pleased with progress, SCQ tyre gains
On the other side of the box, Lecuona also enjoyed himself on track despite a small crash at Turn 1: “Having not been able to ride yesterday due to the conditions, today was quite a busy day. Everything went pretty well, to be honest. We worked on some new items and setups, conducted back-to-back tests, and, as always, some things worked better than others. At the end of the morning, I had a small crash through Turn 1, nothing major at all, so I just picked up the bike and completed the session. In the afternoon, the grip dropped significantly and the wind picked up but despite this, we managed to set some good lap times on race tyres while working our way through a very clear and well-defined schedule to set up the bike and test some updates.
“Everything went smoothly, both on track and in the garage, so at the end of the day, we put in two ‘SCQ’ tyres. It was one of the few times we didn’t have to adjust the bike to use the soft tyres, and we were able to take full advantage of the extra grip they offered, which I was pleased about. Overall, we clarified many things for the Japanese engineers and for ourselves too, so I think we’ve done a good job. Now for some rest before heading to France for the next round.”
It’s been a 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship season to remember for Team GoEleven as the Italian team returned to the podium in the first race of the season with headlining rookie Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven). The MotoGP™ Grand Prix winner is back after a four year absence and has shown his potential to fight for victories. Reviewing 2024 so far and also whether or not ‘The Maniac’ will be back with them for 2025, team manager Denis Sacchetti spoke of all the major topics.
“IT’S BEEN AN EMOTIONAL SEASON” – a return to form for Team GoEleven
“Better than last year” began a blunt and humorous Sacchetti. “I think that we’ve had a big challenge with Andrea this year and I think we’ve already won the challenge. After four years, he’s having a season like this which is really good and we are really happy. We know that he is still competitive and that he can fight for the podium in every race. We have big potential that we haven’t used until now. There’re many things that we can improve together but because it’s the first year in this Championship for Andrea on these tyres, at new tracks with a bike he doesn’t know… he’s a real rookie here. Every race, there’s something new to learn but we’re there. I’m happy about the feeling between the team and rider. It’s been an emotional season but we’re really happy to be working together with him and Ducati this year.”
Speaking of the material they have at their disposal, Sacchetti said of the similarities to the bikes in the Aruba.it Racing box: “The bike is really similar compared to the official bike; for sure, more support from the manufacturer can help us but I’m really happy with our relationship with Ducati because they can really help us in every area. The main problem is that we need time to know everything, to create a package and use it at its best. This is our goal for the final rounds of the year.”
“WHEN I SAW ANDREA LEAD AT TURN 1, I THOUGHT ‘WOW’…” – magic from ‘The Maniac’
Casting his mind back to Phillip Island and Andrea Iannone getting the first holeshot of the year, ex-racer Sacchetti was in awe: “The first race in Australia was incredible because it was so unexpected from everyone. When I saw Andrea lead into the first corner, I just thought ‘wow’, it’s so difficult to say. The emotion was really, really high. I believed in him and perhaps there were many people that didn’t after four years. But he did what he did and I trusted him a lot.
“It will be fantastic and we’ll try our best. I think Andrea deserves it this year. After Magny-Cours, he’ll have three circuits that he knows better at Aragon, Estoril and Jerez. So, this can help us a lot because he knows the track and we start from a different situation. We can focus everything on the setting of the bike.”
“WE’LL KNOW BEFORE THE END OF AUGUST… WE ALREADY HAVE OTHER OPTIONS” – 2025 talk
Attention turns to 2025 and whether or not Iannone will stay: “I think we are really close to knowing what will happen next year. For us and him, it’s important to understand our future and we will know before the end of August. In 10 or 15 days, we’ll know the future of whether we’re together or not. For me, it’s the best solution if we stay together; I’d be really happy because after the first year, the second one will be with more knowledge about the tracks, tyres and the Championship. We could do a big step and be on the podium in every race. I am sure about this. If we don’t find a solution to stay together, I’ll be happy for him if he finds an official bike and team because he deserves it. Anyway, we already have other options that can bring another challenge, emotion and situation to discover. We will enjoy what will happen. The options aren’t just in WorldSSP but also in Superbike… we’ll wait for Andrea. You can understand that there are many riders looking for a bike next year, so there are more riders than bikes. Huertas is really good but there are many good riders in World Supersport, so we’ll see.”
The track-only KTM 450 SMR, built on the platform of the KTM 450 SX-F, has been updated for 2025, with improvements to the frame, fork, and styling.
The most significant update to the KTM 450 SMR is the frame, which now has visible cutouts and tube-wall-thickness changes around the front. The engine and rear shock mounts have also undergone some changes. These upgrades shave a bit of weight off the bike, which weighs 240 lb without fuel, while also improving chassis flex characteristics and cornering behavior, according to KTM. Also new are smaller footpegs to maximize lean angles.
The SMR’s suspension has also been updated for 2025. The previous AER 48mm fork has been replaced with a fully adjustable 48mm WP XACT closed-cartridge spring fork with a new mid-valve piston concept for optimized oil flow. The new hydro stop in the last part of the stroke is said to help keep a maximum of reserve for scenarios like big jumps and hard landings. The WP XACT shock returns with an updated linkage featuring new seals and smaller-diameter linkage bolts. Suspension travel is 11.1 inches in the front and 10.4 inches out back.
Air intake has improved with a one-piece inlet sleeve and snorkel design to prevent deformation thanks to a more robust and stiffer construction. The updated fuel tank mount is said to help protect the frame. Fuel capacity is 1.9 gallons.
The bike also receives new tank shrouds with bi-composite plastics on the upper and lower flanks, which contribute to the SMR’s new look. The full-orange bodywork with red and black graphics and a black seat, which KTM says is more durable than the previous seat, also contribute to the bike’s updated look.
Returning to the SMR are the Metzeler Racetec SM K1 Supermoto tires, which replaced the Bridgestone tires used since the 2023 update. The Metzelers are wrapped around 16.5-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels.
The KTM 450 SMR remains powered by a liquid-cooled 449.9cc Single with SOHC that makes a claimed 63 hp. Braking is provided by Brembo, with a 310mm front disc paired with a 4-piston radially mounted caliper. The bike also features a quickshifter that allows clutchless upshifts from 2nd to 5th gears, two ride modes, traction control, and launch control.
Pricing for the 2025 KTM 450 SMR has not yet been announced, but KTM says the bikes will be arriving in dealerships starting in November 2024.
The sunset schedule of the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s Pirelli Portuguese Round proved to bring history in abundance and a new dawn for records to be shattered in the future. A weekend that a new all-time WorldSBK win streak established, spooky numbers tallying up and impressive opening lap starts, the key stats tell all-important stories below.
365 – 365 points for Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), the second-highest a rider has achieved in the three-race format after 21 races since 2019. The most is Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) with 391 from last year.
300 – The 300th race in the points for Ducati; they only have their own record ahead of at 344 set from 1991 to 2005.
100 – Becoming the seventh rider in WorldSBK to achieve 100 podiums, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) took his 100th rostrum in Race 1 at Portimao.
54 – It was a 54th win for the #54 as Toprak Razgatlioglu made it a fourth triple in succession, the first rider to achieve this. He also moved ahead of Troy Bayliss in the win rankings and into fourth overall.
43 – Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) is on 43 podiums after Race 2 at Portimao, one more than 2014 World Champion Sylvain Guintoli.
39 – Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) has gained a total of 39 positions from his starting positions in 2024 so far on opening laps, with 20 of those coming in the last two rounds. Two add onto that, he has always gained positions from Misano’s Superpole Race onwards, with the exception of Race 2 at Portimao where he started in P7 and finished Lap 1 in P7, although he was a high as P5 in the opening sector.
22/2 – 22 front row starts for the #22 of Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who took two podiums on Sunday. It was also his second consecutive P2 starting position at Portimao, following on from last year and his fourth front row for Kawasaki there in five events, missing out in 2021.
17 – Starting from a 17th pole, Toprak Razgatlioglu equalled Doug Polen for poles and is tied in sixth overall in the pole rankings.
15 – Even after just seven rounds, Toprak is enjoying his best season in terms of wins with 15 in total.
13 – As well as his 54 wins, Toprak also set a new record for consecutive wins – 13, beating the 11 previously set by Jonathan Rea and Alvaro Bautista.
9 – Race 2 gave Alex Lowes a ninth podium of the year, equalling his best season tally fro 2019.
5 – Five poles in 2024 for Toprak, a new personal record, beating his tally of four from 2022 and 2023.
4 – For the fifth time this year, a BMW rider was 4th; none of those were by Razgatlioglu, but by 3 different BMW riders (Van der Mark and Redding twice and Gerloff once).
4 – A best result of the year by Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) with P4 in Race 1, matching his best with BMW which also came at the same circuit.
1 – For the first time in his WorldSBK career, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) led a lap in Race 1 at Portimao.
0.035s – The closest finish of the 2024 season in Race 2, Razgatlioglu beating Bulega.
The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s visit to the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve was a fruitful one for Honda and Team HRC, with both Xavi Vierge and Iker Lecuona able to fight inside the top ten during the round. Vierge twice recorded a finish in the top ten positions while Lecuona’s weekend was compromised by a crash in the Tissot Superpole session but, despite that, he was able to make progress throughout the field.
In Friday’s running, Vierge set a 1’41.112s to claim top Honda honours by just 0.007s ahead of his teammate with the pair in 11th and 12th respectively. In Superpole, Vierge secured 13th on the Race 1 grid with a best time of 1’40.592s. The #97 finished 13th in Race 1, 16 seconds away from race winner Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and just a couple away from the top ten. In the Tissot Superpole Race, Vierge secured P7 to give him a third row start for Race 2 before backing that up with ninth in the final race of the weekend.
Reviewing Sunday’s action, Vierge said: “We’re happy with how our Sunday has gone, finally a solid day. Already at Most, I felt that we had a bit more potential, but we just weren’t able to fully realise it, a bit like yesterday when we were missing something. We worked so hard with the team after Saturday’s race, making changes to the bike setup for the Superpole Race and then more changes for Race 2. The strategy worked well enough, and at least gave me the opportunity to fight with the others a little more. We are still struggling with acceleration but now we are able to at least compensate for that in braking and corner entry. Knowing how important it was to gain positions in the Superpole Race, I did my best to start well and move as far inside the top ten as possible. P7 gave us a third row start for Race 2. Of course, that race was tougher, especially after ten laps when we were always on the limit. But we fought hard, all the way to the last corner, enjoyed a good battle, and completed a solid Sunday. I’m very happy with that, and with the small gains we’ve been making lately. As I said yesterday, it’s like a breath of fresh air that spurs us on.”
Lecuona’s weekend was disrupted by a Superpole crash at Turn 14 which left him last on the grid, but he was able to salvage points in both Race 1 and Race 2. He valiantly fought his way into 12th in Saturday’s race, directly ahead of his teammate, before finishing in 13th in Race 2 to make sure he left Portugal with some reward after showing strong pace but crashing in Superpole.
Owning up to the crashes and praising Honda’s speed at Portimao, Lecuona said: “After the race, I told my team that I was the first to mess up our weekend, with Superpole. Anyway, that’s racing; it happens when you’re trying to give your very best, and it happened to me. I want to apologise to the team, because we really had good speed here. We made a good comeback in Race 1, and then today we tried something different for the Superpole race that I wasn’t totally happy with, but it was meant to work in the slow corners. We kept working and made further adjustments for Race 2. I made a good start in that race, but then for the first few laps, I was kind of blocked. I couldn’t really find a consistent level of performance until around mid-race. At that point, when the tyres dropped off a bit and the fuel load lightened, I started to be much faster and more consistent. Especially over the last seven laps, I was able to close in on the group ahead, make a few passes, and finish inside the points. Of course, the position is what it is, but my speed in the second half and the fact we were able to score a few points and stay focused gives me good motivation for the upcoming test at Estoril. Let’s see what happens over the next few days.”
It’s been a tough year for Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) so far following his switch to Yamaha for the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, but perhaps there’s some light at the end of the tunnel for the six-time World Champion after a decent showing at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve. He was fighting at the front in Race 1 before a technical issue forced him to the lower end of the points, before he secured 10th in the Tissot Superpole Race and sixth in Race 2.
The #65 started the weekend with sixth in Friday’s combined classification, lapping just three tenths slower than Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) who was fastest on the first day of track action. In Tissot Superpole, Rea was directly behind teammate Andrea Locatelli as they led away the third row, but it was Race 1 where Rea showed big potential for the weekend. Before a problem with his quickshifter, he was running as high as fifth in the first seven laps, but he was in the mix in the lead group. He eventually finished 15th.
In Sunday’s action, it was a bit more challenging for Rea. He was 10th in the Tissot Superpole Race, meaning he lost his third-row grid position for Race 2 and started from 11th, but was soon able to fight inside the top ten. He had a fierce fight with Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) which cost him time but, once he got ahead of the Honda rider, he was able to make more progress and finish in sixth ahead of Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW).
Reflecting on the weekend as a whole, Rea said: “It’s been a positive weekend in some ways, as we improved my feeling with the R1 a lot, but Portimao has highlighted where we need to improve. Yesterday in Race 1 I had a good rhythm and pace until we had the technical issue, and today in the Superpole race I got a good start but fighting in the group proved difficult when everyone had grip. That compromised our start position for Race 2, I had to start P11. I made a good start, but I got involved in a few fights, especially with Vierge, I struggled a lot to pass him, and it dictated my race a bit as he was not as strong over the lap, but stronger down the straight so it was a bit of a fight before I could get through. When I got through, I focused on both van der Mark and Petrucci and even though the gap was there, I managed to close them down as one of our strengths with the R1 is pace on used tyres, so I was able to make use of that and stick a strong pass on Mikey on the last lap. I’ve got mixed emotions as it’s the best I’ve felt with the bike from a chassis point of view and was able to use the bike’s strengths much better. All in all, it’s been a confidence inspiring weekend as from a feeling point of view, and with the electronics, I’ve gained more trust to ride the bike more like I should. Credit to Andrew and the crew as they arrived with a set-up which gave me some more direct feedback from the rear of the bike, so hopefully we can take this on to Magny-Cours. Thanks to all the travelling supporters, it’s those people who really give me strength in tough times!”
In his debrief from Yamaha, Andrea Dosoli, the Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing Manager, provided a more thorough analysis of Yamaha and Rea’s performances over the weekend. The Italian said: “Overall, it has been a tough weekend for us as a whole, although there have been some positives including the podium finishes in Supersport and Jonathan Rea’s overall feeling with the R1 improving. However, it is clear we have been struggling and for sure we cannot be satisfied with the performance achieved. “In Superbike, our strongest result was sixth place with Jonathan Rea in Race 2. In the first race, he was unlucky as he got a very strong start and had the chance to stay with the top group fighting for the podium. Unfortunately, he almost crashed but managed to save it, which lost him a couple of positions and then a couple of laps later an issue developed with the quickshifter which compromised his race. In the Superpole race, he was unlucky in the first laps and this left him 11th on the grid for Race 2 – which was a tough race as he was fighting the whole race long, but without a single mistake, so this was a very good effort. There is no doubt that our competitors have done a better job in Portimao, so we need to improve to close this gap. Despite the gap from the winner, and the fact the track was slower this year due to conditions, Jonathan was the only top rider to improve his 2023 race time – he has taken a step forward and his feeling with the R1 is getting better and better, so there are positives to take away from the tough weekend.”
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