The Honda Gold Wing is already a comfortable motorcycle, but there’s always room for improvement to suit your personal tastes. That’s where the new HeliBars duo-position risers come into play.
Begin press release:
HeliBars is proud to introduce its first-ever duo-position motorcycle handlebar risers. The new Tour Performance Duo Position Handlebar Relocation Adapters take the sport-touring-focused 2018 Honda Gold Wing’s ergonomics almost one step forward and more thantwo steps back, respectively, in their Sport and Touring riding positions.
In either setting, these risers make the ‘Wing more comfortable and competent than when it rolled off the showroom floor – during parking-lot maneuvers, flowing through corners and out on the open road.
Tour Performance Duo Position Handlebar Relocation Adaptersare simply installed between the motorcycle’s handlebars and their mounts, perfectly integrating with stock components. When set in Sport mode, the adapters elevate each bar 5/8-inch, relocate the handgrips 3Ž4-inch forward and place them 1-1/4-inch farther apart, offering optimal ergonomics for fully-engaged riding and making the bike feel even lighter on its feet. When set in Touring mode, the Duo Position relocators also move the bars 5/8-inch higher, but bring the grips 2-3/4-inch closer to riders, allowing ‘Wing pilots to sit back in the saddle with more relaxed arms, neck, shoulders and back.
The strong, light adapters are machined from 6061 T-6 aluminum and have drain holes in their recessed mounting bores to eliminate corrosion from pooling water. They also feature a hard-coat, black-anodized finish and come with high-grade 10.9 hardware. To reduce cost and complexity, everything integrates with the Honda’s original wiring, cables and hydraulic lines, so messy, time-consuming re-routing and fluid bleeding are not required.
The Duo Position Handlebar Relocation Adapters don’t adversely affect the Wing’s unique double-wishbone front suspension system. They’re also engineered to perfectly integrate with the Honda’s tank-top controls. Meticulous fit testing ensures that the Heli-bolstered handlebars still move freely from lock-to-lock and steer clear of the bike’s wide windscreen.
Installation doesn’t require permanent modifications. The process is straightforward, using common tools and following the comprehensive installation manual, which is illustrated with photos every step of the way. This printed guide is included with the Tour Performance Duo Position Handlebar Relocation Adapterkit and conveniently available online.
Since 1987, HeliBars has custom-engineered more than 80 different applications that greatly improve the ergonomics on bikes of every genre: ADV, cruiser, naked, retro, sport, and sport-touring, standard and touring machines — without changing their overall looks — allowing motorcyclists to venture further and more often in greater comfort.
HeliBars products are designed, tested and proudly manufactured in the US of A. They’re backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee via Heli’s 30-day return policy, and come with a one-year warranty.
For more information about HeliBars comfort solutions, to find a dealer or place an order directly, please visit HeliBars.com or call 800-859-4642, then visit the company’s Facebook page, YouTube channel and Twitter postings.
Italian motorcycle helmet manufacturer Momodesign has added a fan that activates at low speed to keep the airflow going to your head in the hot summer months.
The Aero helmet features a Tornado Ventilation System that switches off at high speeds and only activates at low speeds thanks to a built-in GPS.
It’s not the first helmet with a cooling solution.
The Ducati Supersport is being recalled because their mirrors may vibrate too much, affecting their usability. The recall affects 1,676 motorcycles, including both the base model and the Supersport S version, from model years 2017 to 2019.
According to recall documents released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, certain frequencies created by a combination of vehicle and engine speeds as well as gear position, may cause the mirrors to vibrate enough to distort visibility of the reflection.
The problem was first identified in September 2018 as a result of ongoing testing by Ducati North America. The North American branch alerted the parent company which decided to initiate a recall on Nov. 8.
Ducati dealers will install redesigned mirrors on recalled Supersports. The new mirrors add a reinforcement plate behind the mirror (pictured in green below) that should reduce vibration. Unfortunately, the new parts are not expected to arrive until February.
If you’ve been thinking about trying an EagleRider tour but have been on the edge because of pricing, now’s the best time to give it a try.
Begin press release:
Retailers may look forward to holiday shopping every year but travel companies are fast becoming the biggest beneficiaries of the season of giving. Experiences have quickly become one of the fastest-growing segments of the gift industry, as research has shown experiences make us happier than consumer goods do. And with the growth of experiential gift options – from gift cards to subscription services to actual travel bookings – some of the leading American travel companies have learned to capitalize on the trend with incredible holiday promotions.
EagleRider, the world’s largest motorcycle travel company, is offering a 50% discount on motorcycle rentals for winter getaways. For a rental of a new Harley that normally costs $149 a day, EagleRider is only charging $79 per day.
“The growth of the experience economy has been incredible for us because these consumers want exactly what we offer: authentic adventures on the wide open road with some help from experienced professionals,” said Chris McIntyre, CEO and Co-Founder of EagleRider. “We have always delivered premium experiences for people and it’s exciting that such a business can still thrive today.”
If you’re interested in sharing more about the gift of riding, please visit: www.eaglerider.com.
Maverick Viñales (Yamaha Factory Racing) took the first honours of 2019 track action at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, setting the quickest time of 1:31.416 to head 2018 World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) by 0.302, with Valentino Rossi (Yamaha Factory Racing) third on the timesheets.
Maverick Viñales
Onlookers also witnessed Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team), Johann Zarco (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and others get to grips with their new machines – although it was an earlier end to the day than anticipated after rain cut action short in the late afternoon.
The day also began with similar weather problems, with the skies dry but the track a little damp, and that delayed proceedings a little. Once it did get underway, the day ushered in a new era.
At the Repsol Honda Team, Marquez was a threat near the top for much of the day and the reigning Champion had two other black-liveried bikes in the garage – a 2019 development bike and an all-new bike for the coming season.
Marc Marquez
But arguably the biggest talking point from the test was Lorenzo’s debut on an RC213V machine. The five-time World Champion didn’t head out until around 1pm local time, but eventually completed 30 laps before rain stopped play at around 15:20.
Jorge Lorenzo
Still not up to full fitness after his wrist injury, Lorenzo ended Day 1 with the 18th fastest time; his 1:32.959 was 1.543 off Viñales as he begins his adaptation from Ducati to Honda.
Marc Marquez
“Unfortunately, we weren’t able to try everything we had planned to, as the track was still half-and-half in the morning and it started raining again later in the afternoon. So we only did 25 laps. Anyway, we tried three different bikes, starting with the current one but moving immediately to two other bikes, each with slightly different specifications. It was a positive test; there’s still a lot of work to do but we’re on the right path and the first feeling is good. Tomorrow we’ll continue with the same plan, trying to understand the bike’s balance because it changed a bit, and we still have to test the other small modifications. Pre-season just started, so we look forward to improving step by step.”
Marc Marquez
Viñales was the later improver to take to the top. The Spaniard’s main focus was on the engine, and he began with some time on the ‘old’ bike before changing to a new engine option which helped put him on the top of the timesheets.
Maverick Viñales
“We tried to make a step forward with the engine, and I just felt really good going out. We still need to amend the engine in terms of acceleration, because the engine is different from what we had during the 2018 season. We need to keep going and I’m really happy. Tomorrow we might have another engine with another step. Maybe we will try that, but I’m quite happy with what we have now, so I want to make laps and set up the electronics really well, because it changes a lot over the whole track and we didn’t have time to do it today. I did my best lap with the new engine. I feel the direction we’re going in is the right one, because I feel much better in the corners, which is where we needed to improve, so now we can focus on acceleration.”
Maverick Viñales
Teammate Valentino Rossi, meanwhile, was also near the top – and he had positive things to say about the engine he tried, that it stresses the tyre less. He also gave a peek of what he’ll be working on tomorrow – another spec.
Valentino Rossi
Valentino Rossi
“Today we tried one (engine) and tomorrow we’ll try the other one, which is similar but different. Tomorrow, the most important thing is try the second spec. For me, these two tests are not crucial, but are important. We have time until next February to choose the engine, but in this test we can give a good indication to work more in one way.”
Valentino Rossi
Ducati was a slightly different story, with 2017 and 2018 runner-up Andrea Dovizioso left a little frustrated after Day 1. With no dry laptimes from the weekend as a reference, the Italian worked on an updated GP18 to lay down some laps to use as a comparison for the new bike – but then it rained.
Andrea Dovizioso
Tomorrow the number 04 will be looking to get that base and then begin work in earnest if the weather proves better, but he did finish Day 1 only 0.001 off Rossi.
Andrea Dovizioso
“Unfortunately the day wasn’t very productive because in the morning, with the track surface still partially damp, there weren’t the conditions to go out on track. We had to wait a lot, in the end we didn’t do many laps, and in addition we had to prepare a base set-up with the 2018 bike, because during the race weekend we were unable to lap in the dry. The tests we had scheduled must be done well and in a precise way, because the decisions we will take during these tests will have an effect on the definition of the bike we will use next year. We wanted to do a good back-to-back test but when we were ready, in the afternoon, it began to rain. Tomorrow morning, we hope to find the track dry and to be able to lap all day.”
Andrea Dovizioso
On the other side of the garage, newcomer Danilo Petrucci described it as the first day at school as he debuts in factory colours, and had no negatives to report back.
Danilo Petrucci
Danilo Petrucci
“My first day in the factory team was a fantastic feeling, for me it was like the first day at school! The team welcomed me so well and I immediately felt at ease with them. We were able to work with both bikes, and it’s a pity the rain came when I was lapping strongly and there was a lot of rubber on the track. We did a lot of laps with used tyres and we were quite quick. The new bike is an excellent starting point and doesn’t have any negative aspects, but I’ll also have to work to improve my riding style. It was a good start and I hope to continue this way also tomorrow.”
Danilo Petrucci
Test rider Michele Pirro, meanwhile – the only rider to crash on the opening day – headed out on a GP19 for 19 laps to set the tenth fastest time, 0.804 from the top.
Michele Pirro
“Today we did several tests on various components and we gathered some useful information, but unfortunately the weather wasn’t much help and we started our laps late and finished early. However, we’ve already been able to identify the path we have to follow over the winter months, and this is a positive fact. Unfortunately, I also crashed because the shoulder I injured at Mugello is not quite right yet and even though the painkillers have an effect, I don’t always have total control of the situation. When you have this type of physical problem, these things can happen, but it’s just a matter of gritting my teeth until the end of the month and then I’ll have an operation to finally resolve the situation.”
Michele Pirro
Behind Dovizioso, LCR Honda Castrol’s replacement rider Stefan Bradl completed the top five after 51 laps, putting in a 1:32.015, with teammate Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) a little further down the timesheets in P13.
In sixth came one of the most impressive performances of the day from new team on the grid Petronas Yamaha SRT. Franco Morbidelli, fresh from being crowned 2018 Rookie of the Year, was only two tenths off Rossi and using a hybrid of Johann Zarco’s former 2018 bike with a new engine from the factory.
Franco Morbidelli
“It has been a great first day, I felt good with the bike as soon as I got in it and the connection with the team is really good. I managed to get some laps in this afternoon that were solid and fast. I have more time to find in my riding, as I get to know the bike and understand its strengths and weaknesses, to get the most out of this test. I have been surprised how smooth the Yamaha is to ride and how easy it is to understand.”
And on his first ever outing on a MotoGP machine, teammate Fabio Quartararo was able to get 38 laps under his belt to set a quickest time of 1:33.850 – 2.434 off Viñales. The biggest change? The Frenchman reported it was the power – and where he has to brake in the premier class compared to the intermediate.
Fabio Quartararo
“The first day of the test has gone really well. It was a shame we didn’t get to do more laps because of the conditions, which weren’t the best, but I am happy because each time I went out onto the track I improved. So far in the middle of the corner and the exit we are quite strong but I am losing time in braking. The team are encouraging me to believe in the brakes because at the start you think you’re not going to be able to get stopped but in the end you can do it and I enjoyed that. The most impressive thing about my first outing on the Yamaha was the power, especially on the first straight, and also the brakes. Hopefully we can have good conditions tomorrow because we want to work on braking and improving the feeling.”
Fabio Quartararo
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was satisfied and positive after Day 1, too. The Spaniard was working on updates and hopes the machine will be the basis of their 2019 bike, and he was up the timesheets from early in the track action and eventually finished up in P7.
Aleix Espargaro
“These tests started off on the right foot. In addition to the technical upgrades, there were some new faces in my garage: crew chief Antonio Jimenez and electronics engineer Gianluca Giorgini. From this point of view, the initial impact was more than good. The engine upgrade that I tested today also had some positive sides, especially in terms of power distribution management. This is an aspect that should let us be more effective in conditions with very used tyres, in other words, in the final laps which are often the decisive ones in the race. In any case, I want to delve farther and compare the different configurations calmly in order to avoid any rushed decisions.”
New teammate Andrea Iannone also took to the RS-GP for the first time. The Italian was only able to get 15 laps under his belt to as he ended the day in P19, while test rider Bradley Smith was able to get to grips with his new bike – 17 laps completed for the British rider, with a best time of 1:33.709.
Behind Aleix Espargaro and Petrucci was the hero of the hour for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing on Sunday: Pol Espargaro. The Spaniard was positive after Day 1 and ended up P9, putting in 35 laps due to the decreased track time and eager to go again tomorrow. The focus, he says, is currently on electronics – where KTM could stand to make a key gain as they aim to establish themselves as regular runners nearer the podium they took in the Grand Prix on the weekend.
New teammate Johann Zarco, meanwhile, reported a 50/50 day – the Frenchman said he initially struggled to find a base setting but is delighted with the feeling in the team and the factory support; another eager to head out again on Wednesday. Zarco was P17 overall, seven tenths off his new teammate.
The fastest rookie of the day was Francesco Bagnaia, who joins Alma Pramac Racing. He impressed in P11 just behind Pirro, and was focusing on simply putting in the laps and settling in.
Pecco Bagnaia
“Unfortunately the rain stopped us after only 38 laps. But I’m really very satisfied with this first day. Honestly, we just tried to lap as much as we could. We’ll start working on the setup tomorrow. My first feeling? The bike is impressive.”
Pecco Bagnaia
His teammate Jack Miller, meanwhile, said his new bike has almost nothing in common with the old and had positive reports – although the Australian’s day was brought to an even earlier end due to a small technical problem they’ll have rectified for Day 2. Miller ended the day in P14.
Jack Miller
Jack Miller
“Feelings are very positive. I feel that the new much is better in many ways. Unfortunately, we had a technical problem that forced us to stop the test earlier. I can’t wait to get back on track tomorrow”.
Jack Miller
Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins slots into P12 after Day 1. A podium finisher on Sunday, Rins was straight back to business in testing and, much like Dovizioso at Ducati and Marquez at Honda, was about to head out to begin some key work when the rain came down. The Spaniard was suited and booted to start evaluating the Hamamatsu Factory’s new engine, but that will now be a task for tomorrow.
Alex Rins
Alex Rins
“Today was a bit of a shame, because at the beginning we could do some positive work, but when we were ready to go with the new engine the rain arrived and we had to give up. We were still able to put in some laps and try some small things, but we haven’t really tried anything major yet. The grip level was quite low so riding wasn’t easy today, we hope tomorrow will be drier and we can fit more laps in. I have a lot more experience now and this gives me bigger confidence to help develop the bike, we have a lot of confidence in each other when it comes to preparing for next season. Joan has a lot of potential and we’ll see how he continues, he did a great job today.”
Alex Rins
Rookie teammate Joan Mir, meanwhile, ended the day in P15 just behind Jack Miller – and only a few tenths off Rins after an impressive first day of ‘official’ experience – having briefly tested the Suzuki in Japan previously.
Joan Mir
“My feeling was really good. It’s my first real day as a MotoGP rider, and my first day in Suzuki colours and I’m super happy. I have a great crew around me and I feel comfortable with them and also quite comfortable with the bike, so that’s important. It’s a big challenge to adapt from Moto2 to MotoGP. Compared with Moto2, you spend a lot more time braking, and you must brake very hard. And, of course, the acceleration is much more powerful. Electronics will be one of the things that will require more efforts to learn. It’s only the first day, but I’ve already found it useful to compare info with Alex. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
Joan Mir
Davide Brivio – Suzuki Team Manager
“It’s been a good day but it could have been better because the rain arrived. Alex wasn’t able to complete his plan to test the new engine, so we hope it will be dry tomorrow so that we can do it then. We still tried some things, which of course is always useful, but we lost a lot of time in the morning due to the conditions. It’s been positive for Joan, he was able to do a lot of laps in the afternoon before the rain, he is learning, understanding, and adjusting. Everything is on schedule with him. He really enjoyed riding and that’s always a good way to start.”
Joan Mir
Just behind Mir came Tito Rabat (Reale Avintia Racing). The Spaniard, out of action since his crash at Silverstone, said he was positively surprised how he felt on the bike and his sixteenth-place finish on the first day showed once again that the former intermediate class Champion is made of steel.
His new teammate, Karel Abraham, was four-tenths off him as the Czech rider moves in one leap from a GP16 to a GP18. He spent most of the day settling in, and reported he made some big changes already.
Jonas Folger (Yamaha Test Team) was another man back in action as he begins working as a Europe-based test rider for the Iwata factory. He did 30 laps on the first day and was 0.040 ahead of Quartararo.
The final names on the timesheets were Hafizh Syahrin and Miguel Oliveira, who both begin new eras – as does the Tech 3 team. Beginning a new chapter with KTM, the KTM Tech 3 Racing riders put in 20 and 33 laps respectively as the Malaysian adapts from the Yamaha and Oliveira adapts from Moto2.
Hafizh Syahrin – P24
“I’m very happy to be in the KTM garage and part of this family. We were not able to do many laps today, because this morning the track was still wet and many riders were waiting. I did 20 laps and we planned to continue, but the rain suddenly came nearly two hours before the official end of the test, so we had no chance to do more laps on a dry track. At the moment, I have the feeling the bike is quite good in handling and more powerful, but obviously we need to change some things to adapt to my riding. Anyway, I’m very happy to be riding the RC16 and can’t wait to keep on working with it.”
Hafizh Syahrin
Miguel Oliveira – P25
“I’m really happy to officially sit on the MotoGP bike for the first time. Everything feels obviously quite strange. We spent our runs on trying to get a sensation for the commands like the throttle, brake, gearing, also rear brake while trying to get an overall feeling for the bike, plus trying to understand a little bit how the electronic works. We were just getting the laps in, so I am happy for that. Obviously we were pretty slow, but I’m sure I’m getting my time to understand and make solid steps.”
17-year-old Max Whale from Coondoo QLD, Australia has accomplished much in his young career, and displayed his developing talent during his introductory year in the AFT Singles class in 2018.
Max finished the year 14th in the series standings, an impressive run considering he missed two rounds due to an injury mid-season.
Max Whale
Whale had several top-10 finishes, including a fifth place finish at the OKC Mile and finish of fourth at the Williams Grove Half-Mile. These results have led Weirbach Racing to support Max Whale in the AFT Singles class, aboard the new 2019 Kawasaki KX450.
Max Whale
“I am really excited to join Weirbach Racing for the 2019 season,” said Whale of his upcoming season. “I’m looking forward to working with a great group of guys with plenty of experience. My goals for 2019 are to run in the top 5 consistently and to reach the top step of the podium at a national race.” He added, “I’m thrilled to be riding the 2019 Kawasaki KX450; this is the best KX I’ve ever ridden. With a year underneath my belt in the AFT series I’m ready to build on that experience and keep progressing.”
Max Whale
The team is busy building, preparing and testing motorcycles over the winter months, with its sights aimed at a successful 2019 season.
About Weirbach Racing
Weirbach Racing is run by Ted Weirbach and his father Dick Weirbach. Dick is a veteran of the flat track scene for better than 35 years. He ran as a novice in the late 60’s and owned a Bultaco motorcycle shop for eight years. Weirbach racing was founded in 2000 and is committed to the success and development of up and coming professional riders. In 2009, the inaugural year of the AMA Pro Singles Championship, Weirbach Racing’s James “the Rocket” Rispoli took second place overall and in 2011 Mikey Martin won the Pro Singles Championship. Other notables to ride for Dick & Ted are Briar Bauman, Bronson Bauman, Henry Wiles, Sammy Halbert, Aaron King, Jesse Janisch, and Davey Durelle and Rob Pearson.
This morning was a very big start to the next stage in many riders careers as testing got underway at Valencia ahead of MotoGP season 2019.
For Moto2 graduates such as Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha), Francesco Bagnaia (Alma Pramac Ducati) and Miguel Oliveira (KTM) the first opportunity to get a taste of the mind-bending performance that a 1000cc MotoGP machine making almost twice the horsepower that a Moto2 can muster had to wait. Fellow debutante Joan Mir (Team Suzuki) had already thrown a leg over the GSX-RR earlier this year in Japan so he has a little head start on his fellow class of 2019 newcomers.
Early morning rain had left the circuit damp when pit-lane opened and it was a couple of hours before any machines turned a Michelin around the 14-turn, 4.005km Circuit Ricardo Tormo, also known as Circuit de Valencia.
After a stellar year for KTM in Moto3 and Moto2 the Austrian brand double up their efforts in MotoGP for season 2019 with now four riders astride the KTM RC 16. Their testing program will also receive a major boost with Bradley Smith becoming a full-time test rider along with five wilcard appearances during the season, while Dani Pedrosa will also join KTM as an official test rider next year.
Both Tech3 Yamaha riders have moved over to KTM with Johann Zarco and Hafizh Syahrin in orange for 2019. It was Zarco that first braved conditions as he turned his initial familiarisation laps with the KTM RC16. The track now dry, but a moment for the 28-year-old showed that grip was still at a premium. After a couple of laps Zarco was back in to the pits for some adjustments, this first day will largely be spent getting the Frenchman comfortable on the Austrian machine. Of course the KTM is quite unique, it utilises a steel trellis frame to house its V4 engine and runs on WP suspension, so the RC16 will certainly feel very different to the Tech3 Yamaha he is familiar with.
Johann Zarco exits pitlane on the KTM – Image by AJRN
Pol Espargaro continues with the KTM squad he rode with in 2018 while KTM’s Portuguese Moto2 rider Miguel Oliveira graduates to the premier class. With Espargaro already holding the #44 plate in MotoGP, Oliveira elected to double his regular number from Moto2 to #88 for MotoGP.
Red Bull KTMs in test livery ready for debutante Miguel Oliveira and young Malaysian star Hafizh Syahrin at Valencia
Yamaha had their troubles in season 2018 and a lot of people suggested that Yamaha’s lack of a European test team was a contributing factor to their problems. Today marks the start of a new Yamaha Factory Racing European Test Team with rider Jonas Folger. Despite a one-year absence, the 25-year old German is familiar with the YZR-M1 as he rode a Tech3 Yamaha throughout the 2017 season.
Lin Jarvis – Managing Director, Yamaha Racing
“It is no secret that Yamaha has had a challenging season in 2018. Though we made progress towards the end, we are convinced that the extra support from a European test team will be greatly beneficial to the development process of the YZR-M1. Jonas Folger will be Yamaha’s new European MotoGP test rider and he will start his duties here in Valencia during the official IRTA Test. We are very pleased to welcome him back to Yamaha‘s MotoGP programme. Jonas showed great skill and excellent speed when he was a Yamaha satellite rider in 2017. His past experience with the YZR-M1, as well as his youth and drive, will surely make him a great asset to our 2019 campaign. We look forward to having him working closely with our four MotoGP-class riders and our development engineers to further improve the YZR-M1.”
Jonas Folger
With Tech3 making the switch to KTM machinery Yamaha have partnered with the new Sepang International Circuit Racing Team which will race under the banner of Petronas Yamaha SRT. 2018 MotoGP Rookie of the Year Franco Morbidelli and MotoGP debutante Fabio Quartararo at the controls of latest spec YZR-M1 machinery for the Malaysian funded team.
Fabio Quartararo checks out his new machine at Valencia this morning – AJRN Image
Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinales both continue with the existing Movistar MotoGP Yamaha squad but the Spaniard has switched to a new crew chief. Vinales has poached Esteban Garcia, Bradley Smith’s crew chief from KTM. The pair had previously worked together when Vinales was in Moto3 back in 2013.
Vinales’ previous crew chief Ramon Forcada has switched to Yamaha’s new SIC Racing satellite team to work with Franco Morbidelli. The 23-year-old Italian starts the test on the YZR-M1 Maverick Vinales rode at last weekend’s Valencia MotoGP.
Franco Morbidelli with Ramon Forcada – Image by AJRN
Vinales made the decision to split with Forcada back in July after a frustrating season, but the Spaniard then got the monkey off his back late in the season and started scoring results, thus it will be interesting to see if he regrets his earlier frustrations that caused him to jettison the very well regarded Forcada.
Maverick Vinales with crew chief Ramon Forcada, Vinales sacked the well regarded technican and wanted a new crew chief after being frustrated by his lack of results in season 2018.
Over at Honda of course the big news is Jorge Lorenzo joining the Factory Repsol squad alongside World Champion Marc Marquez.
It is without doubt that Lorenzo will achieve success on the Honda, it is just a matter of how long it takes him to adapt and achieve it. We all witnessed his turn-around in form when he found a solution at Ducati, from zero to hero in one foul swoop. How long will it take him to find form on what seems to be a very difficult to ride Honda…?
As Repsol Honda fired up their machines this morning at Valencia in their first warm-up procedures it was humorous to see senior Ducati and KTM technical personnel crowd around as close as they could get to the new Honda. HRC boss Tetsuhiro Kuwata came out and made some friendly gestures suggesting that they piss off somewhere else but it all seemed in good humour, for the cameras anwyay…
At Ducati Danilo Petrucci makes the step up from the satellite Alma Pramac squad to take over Lorenzo’s spot in the Factory garage.
Joining Jack Miller at Alma Pramac Ducati is debutante Francesco ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia. The Australian was on 2017 machinery in 2018, and will jump straight to the latest 2019 spec’ machine for next season, bypassing the 2018 model altogether. A much smoother power delivery has been promised by Ducati for 2019.
Alma Pramac squad getting ready for action this morning at Valencia – AJRN Image
Andrea Iannone has moved from Suzuki to Aprilia where he joins Aleix Espargaro, while previous incumbent Scott Redding heads to British Superbike with Ducati.
Taking Iannone’s spot at Suzuki is 21-year-old Spaniard Joan Mir. Alex Rins seems to be particularly excited about the prospects of the 2019 iteration of the GSX-RR with a big boost in engine performance expected for the new season.
Tito Rabat and Karel Abraham will ride for Reale Avintia Racing Ducati.
Takaaki Nakagami and Cal Crutchlow continue with LCR Honda while at today’s test Honda test rider Stefan Bradl is also on an LCR machine.
With all of the high profile changes and the new blood coming into the category MotoGP season 2019 has plenty of promise. The absolutely stellar season we enjoyed this year though will certainy take some beating.
Today’s test will finish up at 0300 AEDT Wednesday morning and we will be here to report what went on tomorrow morning. At the time of publishing the piece, 2200 AEDT, there was five hours remaining on the clock, and still only Zarco had been on track to turn a couple of laps. All other riders remained in their pit garages awaiting better conditions.
Indian-based motorcycle tour company Legendary Moto Rides is offering Motorbike Writer readers a 10% discount on their three 2019 Himalayan tours riding the highest motorable roads in the world.
To score the discount, just type in the code “MBW10%” when making a booking. Riders can save from about $A330 to $A450 with the 10% discount.
Prices before the discount are $US3300 for a rider, $US5800 for rider and pillion and $US2700 for a car passenger.
If you want some privacy, add $US395 to the prices for all tours for a single room.
Costs include just about everything except your flights and even include a farewell dinner with “unlimited beer”. Now that’s value, especially the way some of us Aussies drink!
Altitude sickness
All tours include riding the Khardung La Pass which is the highest civilian motorable road in the world at 5606m above sea level.
I’ve ridden to the top of Pikes Peak in Colorado at 4302m and felt like I had a slight hangover and feet of lead.
An extra 1.3km straight up should really be a challenge.
Legendary Moto Rides spokesman Bharat assures me that riders will have time to acclimatise.
“In Trans Himalayan we start from Manali (altitude 3979m) and slowly slowly we go on high altitude so we get habitual with altitude and do not face any altitude sickness,” he says.
“Other High Himalayan Heights Motorcycle Tour we need one day complete to get acclimatised or maybe two days.”
Apart from literally taking your breath away, riders will see ancient monasteries, deserts, snow, waterfalls and colourful local villages.
Along the way they will stay in hotels or “glamping” tents.
Glamping
Legendary Motor Rides tours include accommodation, most meals, all ground transfers from arrival to departure, motorcycle hire, fuel, English-speaking road captain and staff, first-aid medical kit, refreshments during rides, luggage support vehicle, plus all fees, taxes and permits.
Exclusions:International flights, domestic flights to and from Leh if relevant ($US250 extra), lunch, personal medical insurance (compulsory), bike damage, extra drinks, visa fees and items of personal nature such as tips, laundry and alcohol.
Bringing you the Best Motorcycle News from Around the Web!
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok
