Canet sets new outright lap record to top Moto3™ FP3

Yesterday’s pace setters, Estrella Galicia 0,0’s Sergio Garcia and Alonso Lopez, did improve from yesterday but slipped back to seventh and eighth place respectively. They finished just ahead of another pair of teammates in Leopard Racing’s Marcos Ramirez and Lorenzo Dalla Porta, who rounded out the top ten.

Source: MotoGP.comRead Full Article Here

Tips for Staying Safe While Riding at Night

(Sponsored post)

Going on a night ride can be a calming and exhilarating experience for any motorcycle enthusiast. The absence of traffic and more quiet surroundings are just some of the reasons why riding at night is worthwhile.

But apart from quiet and open streets, bikers still face considerable risks as the streets go darker and darker. Accidents are more likely to happen during the night, so you will have to be extra careful when they begin their journey at sundown.

For that, let’s take a look at a few practical tips to keep yourself safe and secured.

  1. Check your lights

Perhaps the most important bit of maintenance you should be routinely performing is checking and testing your lights. For this, focus on the headlight and turn signals. Electrical issues can cause these lights to malfunction, so you should be able to check for wiring problems. Most commonly, you will just need to replace the bulbs for when they burn out. The last thing you want as a biker on the roads at night is for people driving a car or truck to be unable to see you.

  1. Keep yourself visible

You could thank street lamps for illuminating your path, but when you’re in certain areas where you’re almost invisible, you might want to make sure that you and your bike are highly visible to other motorists. One option is to install LED lights. You can also wear reflective jackets and pants and add reflective tape to certain parts of your motorcycle. Not only will these approaches help you avoid oncoming traffic, but they will also protect you from the dangers lurking behind every corner.

  1. Drive sober

If driving under the influence during the day is considered dangerous, then a night ride after a few drinks is a deathwish. Many motorcycle accidents are caused by irresponsible riders. Going on a late night drinking spree won’t be all that worthwhile if you’d end up spending the rest of the night in the hospital, or worse. Never give in to the temptation if you really want to get home in one piece. But often, there will be a traffic collision in which you’re not the one who’s intoxicated. Especially if you’re left with major fractures and made to go on an extensive hospital stay, you will need to work with a drunk driving lawyer who can help you get properly compensated after an accident.

  1. Stay alert

Drunk drivers are the only risks you should worry about during a night ride. You also need to be cautious of places where animals cross as well as other obstacles on the road such as open manholes, road bumps, and traffic cones. As a good rule of thumb, you should be able to regulate your speed. Doing so gives you enough time to react on the last minute after spotting an obstruction.

You can’t really avoid going on a night ride where there are too many risks to your safety. But with these tips in mind, you can avoid being another casualty in the dark.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Noise cameras to nab loud exhausts

Australian police and transport authorities will monitor the British development and trial of prototype noise cameras that can detect loud motor vehicle exhausts.

The UK Department of Transport will test the prototype cameras in the coming months, but will not fine offenders.

Yet!

Noise cameras

“New camera technology to be trialled by the government aims to measure the sound levels of passing vehicles to detect those that are breaking the law on noise limits, and could use automated number plate recognition to help enforce the law,” the UK Department of Transport notice says.

“Research commissioned by the Department for Transport, found that a noise camera system could help tackle extremely noisy vehicles which breach legal noise limits.

“It could also help to catch those who rev car or motorcycle engines beyond legal limits, making life a misery for those who live close by.”

While the UK DoT could not supply us with any images of the camera, they did provide this tiny drawing showing a camera pointed at an oncoming car.

noise cameras
(Image: UK Department of Transport)

Surely the camera should be behind the vehicle!

The DoT says exhaust noise enforcement is reactive and relies on the subjective judgement of police which some motorcycle representatives claim is fatally flawed.

However, the noise cameras would take away the subjectivity and provide authorities with a method of fining offenders like a speed camera.

Call to challenge exhaust noise fines sign noise cameras
Police conduct roadside noise test at Mt Tamborine

Australia is watching and listening

We contacted police and road authorities in each state to gauge their interest in the noise cameras.

We received mainly non-committal replies saying they monitor the development and introduction of all traffic enforcement technologies around the world.

WA Police were the only ones to admit they are aware of the UK prototype noise cameras.

“While there are no current plans to trial such a camera in Western Australia, as with all emerging technologies, WA Police Force will monitor the activity in the UK and seek information on its operational effectiveness,” a media spokesperson told us.

UK Motorcycle Industry Association CEO Tony Campbell supports the trial.

“With growing pressure on the environment, including noise pollution, illegal exhausts fitted by some riders attract unwanted attention to the motorcycle community and do nothing to promote the many benefits motorcycles can offer,” he says.

“All manufacturers produce new motorcycles that follow strict regulations regarding noise and emissions and we welcome these trials as a potential way of detecting excessive noise in our community.”

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Important safety tips for returned riders

Returned riders who have had several years off the motorcycle for various reasons, may be over-represented in the crash statistics, but that is no reason not to ride. (Above photo used for humour reasons only!)

Some say the statistics are a furphy, while others (such as Professor Narelle Haworth of the QUT Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety) suggest returned riders should re-sit their licence.

Click here for more on this hot topic!

However, there is little support for her suggestion, even among police!

So you are still within your right to use your valid motorcycle licence.

And so you should!

A motorcycle can restore the inner youth you feel you may have lost when you stopped riding to concentrate on your career and/or family.

However, there are several important points returned riders should consider.

The motorcycle

Silent auction for dumped motorbikes returned riders
Just needs a coat of paint and some WD40!

If you are going to ride the bike that’s been parked up in your garage for several years, it will need a thorough safety inspection.

Tyres, battery, oils, etc will all need either upgrading, replacing or some TLC.

Click here to find out more about restoring a bike to running order after hibernation.

If you are thinking about buying one of those shiny, new, high-powered sports bikes like the racers ride or that you used to race, you probably should reconsider.

Your ageing body might not be able to tolerate the crouched riding position any more. Perhaps a more upright type of bike would be better.

Seriously consider what type of riding you want to do, ask fellow riders for their tips and search through our reviews section.

Are you going to ride to your local cafe, commute daily, tour long distances or ride off the beaten track? This will determine what type of bike you should buy.

The Adventurists Monkey Bikes Monkey Runs Romania tall returned riders
Make sure the bike suits your needs … and your height!

You don’t necessarily need the newest, biggest, most powerful or the most technological bike.

In fact, if you are a little wary you could drop it in your driveway, it might be best to start with a cheaper and lower-powered bike to get back into riding.

After all, you definitely will be upgrading your bike every couple of years. That’s just standard practice among mature-aged riders.

Be aware that most modern bikes at least have ABS which you may not be used to on a motorcycle.

When it was introduced to cars, there were many crashes where drivers felt the unusual pulse through the brake pedal and let go of the brakes.

The same can happen with a motorcycle.

Returned riders

Returned rider joke road safety course
Just kidding, folks!

Which brings us to the rider.

If you’ve not ridden a bike with ABS, you will need to learn how to use it correctly.

That means going back to school, or at least an advanced rider class.

There are many available and they are all pretty good and a great amount of fun.

If the courses are graded, start at the bottom and work your way up to advanced levels and maybe even track days on a closed circuit.

You can also brush up on your riding theory by checking out the many articles in our Tips/training section.

Riding requires a 100% commitment to concentrating on the road and its many hazards. Anything less can be lethal.

Don’t push yourself too far, too soon.

Try to join a group of like-minded riders, but avoid groups where peer pressure forces you to ride outside your capabilities.

Groups can be helpful with riding tips as well as looking out for you on organised rides.

Your safety gearGoldtop leather clothing

In the 1970s, my riding gear consisted of army surplus clothing and boots. When it rained, I wore a raincoat and fishing waders.

These days there is a host of motorcycle-specific gear that will suit any sort of riding, terrain or weather.

The safest gear is a full leather race suit with race gloves and boots, plus an expensive full-face helmet.

But that gear would be hot, uncomfortable and restrictive on a touring bike, cruiser or an adventure bike.

So find the appropriate gear for your riding style.NeonMoto Electroluminescent Motorcycle Leather Jacket returned riders

Ensure it has legitimate European certification (look for labels with “EN” followed by a series of numbers).

You can also check the safety and comfort ratings of jackets, pants and glove on the Australian MotoCAP website.

Check helmet ratings on the NSW Consumer Rating and Assessment of Safety Helmets (CRASH) site or the UK’s SHARP helmet rating system which is more comprehensive.

Always go for safety over fashion and quality over a bargain!

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Quartararo tops Friday MotoGP practice at Catalunya

Image: Supplied.

Frenchman Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) came straight out of the blocks at Catalunya’s seventh round of the 2019 MotoGP World Championship to top Friday’s timesheets.

Quick in FP1 and his fastest in FP2 enough to take over at the top, he ends Friday clear of the competition by almost three tenths. That competition made it an impressive four factories in the top four, however, with Andrea Dovizioso (Mission Winnow Ducati) in P2, Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) in third and Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) in fourth.

The morning session was a fairly quiet one by MotoGP standards, with a bit of a hairy entrance into turn 10 for Australian Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) and a little snap at the same place for Marquez two of the stand outs.

But it would nevertheless prove a crucial session for the reigning champion as he was the only rider in the top 10 who didn’t improve his lap time in the afternoon. He didn’t fit a new soft tyre but was able to stay in ninth, so the ‘extra’ tyre on Saturday could prove a masterstroke.

Marquez also ran with the Ducatis in the afternoon – much to their mild chagrin – as Dovizioso and teammate Danilo Petrucci (Mission Winnow Ducati) had headed out in tandem. They kept the advantage on the combined timesheets though, with ‘DesmoDovi’ in second and ‘Petrux’ taking P8, just ahead of the number 93.

So behind the four-factory fight at the top and those standout performances from the likes of Nakagami and Pol Espargaro, who impressed next? Second rookie Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) put his Ducati in fifth and would doubtless have been the rookie talking point of the day if not for the Frenchman at the top, and Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) took P6 to again make it both the Independent Team Yamahas ahead of the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP bikes.

It wasn’t by much at Catalunya, however, with Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) an infinitesimal 0.003s behind compatriot and VR46 Riders Academy member Morbidelli. After a tougher run of late, especially on Friday and Saturday, it was a big step forward for the ‘Doctor’ at a venue he’s reigned more than anyone.

Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol), meanwhile, completes the top 10 to slot in behind Petrucci and Marquez. The Brit was only 0.01s0 behind Marquez, too, with those two Hondas trailing Nakagami’s best lap by a couple of tenths. But then the number 93, as aforementioned, didn’t pop in a fresh soft tyre.

And neither did Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), who finishes Friday in P11 and therefore outside the automatic graduation zone to Q2. The Suzuki rider also suffered a crash, but the weather forecast is fine for the weekend and Saturday is another day, so both he and Marquez will be gunning for a hot lap in FP3.

The likes of Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team) in P14 and Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) in P15 will be rushing to join them too, with Vinales one who, along with Jack Miller, dropped down the timesheets in the afternoon.

FP1 pacesetter Tom Luthi (Dynavolt Intact GP) kept Moto2 day one honours at Catalunya after his 1m44.673s went unbeaten in the afternoon, with Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and HDR Heidrun Speed Up’s Jorge Navarro completing the top three and just 0.067s between them. Australian Remy Gardner (SAG Racing Team) was eighth fastest.

Alonso Lopez led rookie teammate Sergio Garcia to an Estrella Galicia 0,0 1-2 in the Moto3 category, with the two Spaniards having topped FP1 and no one able to overturn them in the afternoon. FP2’s quickest man was Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing), and he slots into third on the combined timesheets as he chases the Championship lead this weekend.

Details results

Source: CycleOnline.com.au

2020 KTM 1290 Super Duke R Spied In Austria

There’s also likely some notable revision to the engine and electronics too, most likely in order to reach Euro 5 compliance. These are hinted at with the rerouted pump hose, seemingly larger radiator, and updated exhaust setup. Known for its thunderous, torque-laden power delivery, the existing 1,301cc LC8 V-twin may be changed though we can’t tell, but expect some sort of performance upgrade.

Source: MotorCyclistOnline.com

Arai Has Some New Graphics and Models

Who’s not a sucker for a nice new helmet? Especially when it’s a hand-built super-zoot high-end one from Arai. Our lead photo is the new HONDA XD-4 AFRICA TWIN, with officially licensed Honda graphics. But wait, there’s more.


Arai Press Release:

CORSAIR-X ISLE OF MAN GRAPHIC

Arai’s new 2019 Corsair-X Isle of Man Limited Edition graphic is available with an intermediate-oval interior shape and features all of Arai’s latest features and benefits. The new graphic arrives in dealerships early June.

SIGNET-X DYNO

The Signet-X Dyno graphic is new to the model line up with an MSRP of $829.95, and is available in Red, Yellow or White Frost.

ARAI DT-X SUZUKI ECSTAR

The Suzuki exclusive Arai DT-X Suzuki Ecstar, with an Intermediate Oval interior shape, can be found online or at Suzuki dealerships.

THE ALL-NEW ARAI RAM-X

Arai’s new open face RAM-X helmet is now in authorized Arai dealers. It comes packed with features, such as the Pro Shade, Pinlock Lens, and new VAS-Z shield system.

The post Arai Has Some New Graphics and Models appeared first on Motorcycle.com News.

First all-weather motorcycle glove

Just days after we lamented there was no such thing as an all-weather waterproof glove, along comes the Sibirsky Adventure Glove from Siima.

As this video shows, you can convert the gauntlet glove into a short summer glove in seconds and then quickly pull a fully waterproof cover over them.

The goat skin gloves are not cheap at €179.99 (about 294) but they may the only pair of gloves you will ever need. They also only come in sizes large to 3XL.

Siima founder Giorgos Evripidou says the gloves are Euro approved, designed in Cyprus and made in Indonesia.

He says that since I had written about the lack of such an all-round, all-weather glove, he would send me a pair to review, so stay tuned.

All-weather travel gloveSiima Sibirsky Adventure Glove for all weather conditions

The Sibirsky Adventure Glove is designed for riders who spend long days in the saddle, travel a long distance and in all types of weather.

They feature a four-way air mesh in between fingers to allow a steady air flow for the hot summer months, while the inner shell is Thermolite for warmth.

It will be interesting to see how these seemingly conflicting vents and liner work in different temperatures.

You could always pull on the thin but fully waterproof overglove to add some warmth.

We are also interested to see if the overglove makes them cumbersome and isolates the feeling of your fingers from the throttle and levers.

Siima says the gloves have 11 “protection points” of armour or extra leather thickness on the palm, knuckle, fingers and wrist.

Some other great features are a wiper blade on the left index finger, a pull string on the overgloves to seal against the rain and a grip patch on the palm for better throttle grip.

They also feature touchscreen-sensitive index and middle fingers. We’ve tried these before on other gloves and found some work better than others, so we shall see.

Sibirsky Adventure Glove tech specsSiima Sibirsky Adventure Glove for all weather conditions

  • TPR flexible ventilated knuckle protector,
  • TPR finger knuckles,
  • Superfabric palm slider,
  • Carbon PU upper wrist protector,
  • Superfabric back thumb reinforcement,
  • Drum-dyed goatskin (outer shell),
  • Thermolite insulation for all-season temperature regulation (inner shell),
  • 180gr bemberg +5mm sponge (inner shell),
  • Reflective stripes for night visibility (gloves & rain overgloves),
  • Inside lining: tri-fleece liner,
  • Elastic mesh on the wrist (short cuff),
  • YYK durable zipper to transform into short cuff,
  • Shield wiper (left index finger),
  • Pull string “auto-cuff (rain overgloves),
  • Grip patch at palm,
  • Wrist velcro closure,
  • 4way air mesh ventilation,
  • 100% waterproof rain overgloves,
  • Touch screen friendly index & middle fingers,
  • Stretch panels on thumb and fingers,
  • Double stitched,
  • Reflective stickers.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Fabio Quartararo fastest at Catalunya MotoGP Day 1

Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya

Friday FP1 & FP2


Fabio Quartararo has taken top honours on Friday at Catalunya, topping the timesheets and leading the way following arm pump surgery, proving fast in FP1 and fastest in FP2, with a three-tenths lead in Saturday. That competition made it an impressive four factories in the top four, however, with Andrea Dovizioso in P2, Takaaki Nakagami in third and Pol Espargaro in fourth – with all three within 0.033 on the chase.

Fabio Quartararo

“Today was a great day. We were first on the combined timesheets and I had a great feeling. I didn’t know how my arm would react after my operation, but things went very well. I had some pain to deal with, but I feel good. The first run was hard, but after a while everything went better. It was a matter of getting used to the pain, but I didn’t expect to go so well at this Grand Prix. We have to stay calm, which is the most important thing. We have a lot of work to do tomorrow morning and of course we will do our best to get onto the front row, but right now our goal is to be on the first three rows and go straight into Q2. We’ll see if we can have a good qualifying.”

MotoGP Catalunya Fri Fabio Quartararo
Fabio Quartararo – Catalunya MotoGP 2019

The morning session was a fairly quiet one by MotoGP standards, with a bit of a hairy entrance into Turn 10 for Jack Miller and a little snap at the same place for Marquez two of the stand outs. But it would nevertheless prove a crucial session for the reigning Champion as he was the only rider in the top ten who didn’t improve his laptime in the afternoon. He didn’t fit a new soft tyre but was able to stay in ninth, so the ‘extra’ tyre on Saturday could prove a masterstroke.

MotoGP Catalunya Fri Dovizioso
Andrea Dovizioso – Catalunya MotoGP 2019

Marquez also ran with the Ducatis in the afternoon – much to their mild chagrin – as Dovizioso and teammate Danilo Petrucci had headed out in tandem. They kept the advantage on the combined timesheets though, with ‘DesmoDovi’ in second and ‘Petrux’ taking P8, just ahead of the number 93.

Andrea Dovizioso

“I’m satisfied with our performance in this first day of practice, I had a good feeling with the bike and we’ve been fast. As it often happened here in the past, grip is very low and the track’s layout makes tyre management particularly difficult, especially considering the higher temperatures forecast for the rest of the weekend. However, I believe everyone is struggling under this aspect. We have work left to do ahead of the race: we’re still evaluating the different tyre compounds available and we need to improve the front-end feeling, but my sensations are good and so are the lap times, so I’m confident.”

MotoGP Catalunya Fri Andrea Dovizioso
Andrea Dovizioso – Catalunya MotoGP 2019
Danilo Petrucci

“My feeling on the bike is quite good, even though this morning we encountered an atypical issue with rear grip, which slowed our program down a little bit. In FP2 we made a big step forward, even though there is still room for improvement. We’re not far from the front in terms of pace, while we’re still not at our best on the flying lap because I struggle in corner entry as I feel little support from the rear. We have clear ideas about what changes to make on the bike and we defined our work program for tomorrow, so I’m optimistic.”

MotoGP Catalunya Fri Danilo Petrucc
Danilo Petrucci – Catalunya MotoGP 2019

So behind the four-factory fight at the top and those standout performances from the likes of Nakagami and Pol Espargaro, who impressed next? Second rookie Francesco Bagnaia put his Ducati in fifth and would doubtless have been the rookie talking point of the day if not for the Frenchman at the top, and Franco Morbidelli took P6 to again make it both the Independent Team Yamahas ahead of the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP bikes.

Franco Morbidelli

“It’s been a good day for us. In the morning we found things a little harder, but we improved a lot in the afternoon. The grip level was not fantastic, so we suffered in that aspect, but our speed and pace were good, and I felt strong when going for a fast time. I finished sixth, which is not bad. We will have to see what the weather is like on Saturday, but so far I have a good feeling. Tomorrow morning will be different, because it will be colder. Speed is going to be the main aspect for us to improve, and then in the afternoon we’ll have to see what our pace is like.”

MotoGP Catalunya Fri Franco Morbidelli
Franco Morbidelli – Catalunya MotoGP 2019

It wasn’t by much at Catalunya, however, with Valentino Rossi an infinitesimal 0.003 behind compatriot and VR46 Riders Academy member Morbidelli. After a tougher run of late, especially on Friday and Saturday, it was a big step forward for the ‘Doctor’ at a venue he’s reigned more than anyone.

Valentino Rossi

“The track is good, I like it a lot and, sincerely, today was a positive day for us, because I felt good with the bike and could ride quite well. My pace is not so bad, and I was able to stay inside the top-10 in the morning and in the afternoon. In FP2 it was already hot, but I didn’t feel so bad. It’s true that it wasn’t very, very hot, so we’ll have to see. The first thing is that we’ll try to improve tomorrow, we still have a lot of work to do. Today we worked well and in the afternoon we were able to improve the bike. The most important thing is to stay inside the top-10 tomorrow morning so we can get into Q2, and after that we’ll see what happens in the afternoon in qualifying.”

MotoGP Catalunya Fri Rossi
Valentino Rossi – Catalunya MotoGP 2019

Cal Crutchlow, meanwhile, completes the top ten to slot in behind Petrucci and Marquez. The Brit was only 0.010 behind Marquez, too, with those two Hondas trailing Nakagami’s best lap by a couple of tenths. But then the number 93, as aforementioned, didn’t pop in a fresh soft tyre.

Marc Marquez

“Not a bad day today. We had to change our strategy from the last GP a little bit because it’s important to understand the tyres. If you check the FP2 times, we look like we are far but we were able to do a lot of work and try many tyres and some setup changes. We’re not bad and the position isn’t our real one. I’m happy with all the information that we were able to get.”

MotoGP Catalunya Fri Marquez
Mark Marquez – Catalunya MotoGP 2019

And neither did Alex Rins, who finishes Friday in P11 and therefore outside the automatic graduation zone to Q2. The Suzuki rider also suffered a crash, but the weather forecast is fine for the weekend and Saturday is another day, so both he and Marquez will be gunning for a hot lap in FP3.

The likes of Jorge Lorenzo  in P14 and Maverick Viñales in P15 will be rushing to join them too, with Viñales one who, along with Jack Miller, dropped down the timesheets in the afternoon.

Jack Miller

“In general a positive day. The feeling with the bike is very good even if in the second part of the FP2 the soft tires used did not allow me to push. However, we have collected important data for the race. However, there is great confidence in tomorrow’s qualifications.”

MotoGP Catalunya Fri Jack Miller AX
Jack Miller – Catalunya MotoGP 2019

See how the cards play out in FP3 as it decides those heading straight through to Q2 at 9:55 (GMT +2) before qualifying begins at 14:10 and the grid for Round 7 is decided.

MotoGP Combined Practice

Pos Rider Motorcycle FP1 FP2 Gap
1 F.Quartararo YAMAHA 1’40.803 1’40.079 0.000
2 A.Dovizioso DUCATI 1’41.030 1’40.360 0.281
3 T.Nakagami HONDA 1’41.040 1’40.381 0.302
4 P.Espargaro KTM 1’41.410 1’40.393 0.314
5 F.Bagnaia DUCATI 1’41.530 1’40.471 0.392
6 F.Morbidelli YAMAHA 1’41.160 1’40.517 0.438
7 V.Rossi YAMAHA 1’41.190 1’40.520 0.441
8 D.Petrucci DUCATI 1’41.624 1’40.599 0.520
9 M.Marquez HONDA 1’40.692 1’40.963 0.613
10 C.Crutchlow HONDA 1’41.243 1’40.702 0.623
11 A.Rins SUZUKI 1’41.142 1’40.727 0.648
12 K.Abraham DUCATI 1’41.972 1’40.727 0.648
13 J.Zarco KTM 1’41.390 1’40.771 0.692
14 J.Lorenzo HONDA 1’41.621 1’40.816 0.737
15 M.Viñales YAMAHA 1’40.872 1’40.847 0.768
16 A.Espargaro APRILIA 1’41.213 1’40.878 0.799
17 J.Miller DUCATI 1’41.049 1’40.948 0.869
18 T.Rabat DUCATI 1’41.603 1’41.007 0.928
19 J.Mir SUZUKI 1’41.355 1’41.070 0.991
20 M.Oliveira KTM 1’41.920 1’41.331 1.252
21 A.Iannone APRILIA 1’41.825 1’41.524 1.445
22 H.Syahrin KTM 1’42.448 1’41.527 1.448
23 S.Guintoli SUZUKI 1’42.363 1’41.987 1.908
24 B.Smith APRILIA 1’42.168 1’42.156 2.077

Moto2

FP1 pacesetter Tom Lüthi kept Moto2 Day 1 honours at the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya after his 1:44.673 went unbeaten in the afternoon, with Alex Marquez and HDR Heidrun Speed Up’s Jorge Navarro completing the top three and just 0.067 between them. The afternoon’s quickest man was Augusto Fernandez and he took P4 overall as one of only three men in the top ten to go faster in FP2.

MotoGP Catalunya Fri Tom Lüthi
Tom Luthi – Catalunya MotoGP 2019

Enea Bastianini continued his impressive season in fifth, with the rookie just 0.068 off Fernandez on Friday and ahead of veteran Xavi Vierge. Second rookie honours went to Nicolo Bulega, with the Italian taking P7 as well as putting in a miracle save in the afternoon.

Remy Gardner took P8 despite a crash in the afternoon, with Championship leader Lorenzo Baldassarri down in ninth. He, along with tenth-placed Luca Marini, joined Fernandez in the afternoon improvers’ club. Brad Binder was P11, ahead of rookie Fabio Di Giannantonio, Andrea Locatelli and Simone Corsi.

MotoGP Rnd COTA Gardner GP AN Cover
Remy Gardner

There were a few key incidents on Friday, one of which was a crash for Navarro as he lost the front at Turn 5, and an off for 15th quickest Marcel Schrötter, who’s left as the first of those needing to improve in FP3 to head straight through to Q2. Sam Lowes and Philipp Öttl also crashed.

The intermediate class will be back out on track for FP3 from 10:55 (GMT +2) on Saturday, with Q1 qualifying starting to decide the grid from 15:05.

Moto2 Combined Practice

Pos Rider Motorcycle FP1 FP2 Gap
1 T.Luthi KALEX 1’44.673 1’44.870 0.000
2 A.Marquez KALEX 1’44.733 1’44.910 0.060
3 J.Navarro SPEED UP 1’44.740 1’45.099 0.067
4 A.Fernandez KALEX 1’44.820 1’44.782 0.109
5 E.Bastianini KALEX 1’44.850 1’44.994 0.177
6 X.Vierge KALEX 1’44.905 1’45.301 0.232
7 N.Bulega KALEX 1’44.934 1’45.451 0.261
8 R.Gardner KALEX 1’44.950 1’45.579 0.277
9 L.Baldassarri KALEX 1’45.173 1’44.955 0.282
10 L.Marini KALEX 1’45.484 1’45.021 0.348
11 B.Binder KTM 1’45.101 1’45.245 0.428
12 F.Di Giannanto SPEED UP 1’45.472 1’45.151 0.478
13 A.Locatelli KALEX 1’45.292 1’45.227 0.554
14 S.Corsi KALEX 1’45.309 1’45.228 0.555
15 M.Schrotter KALEX 1’45.250 1’45.462 0.577
16 T.Nagashima KALEX 1’45.428 1’45.329 0.656
17 B.Bendsneyde NTS 1’45.793 1’45.349 0.676
18 I.Lecuona KTM 1’45.393 1’45.900 0.720
19 S.Lowes KALEX 1’46.034 1’45.419 0.746
20 J.Folger KALEX 1’45.701 1’45.588 0.915
21 D.Aegerter MV AGUSTA 1’45.668 1’45.954 0.995
22 S.Odendaal NTS 1’46.360 1’45.804 1.131
23 J.Martin KTM 1’45.832 1’46.310 1.159
24 S.Manzi MV AGUSTA 1’46.133 1’46.176 1.460
25 D.Ekky Pratam KALEX 1’46.473 1’47.029 1.800
26 S.Chantra KALEX 1’47.352 1’46.712 2.039
27 J.Dixon KTM 1’46.724 1’46.839 2.051
28 L.Tulovic KTM 1’47.509 1’46.725 2.052
29 M.Bezzecchi KTM 1’46.901 1’46.815 2.142
30 J.Roberts KTM 1’47.222 1’46.942 2.269
31 P.Oettl KTM 1’48.374 1’47.340 2.667
32 X.Cardelus KTM 1’47.830 1’47.632 2.959

Moto3

Alonso Lopez led rookie teammate Sergio Garcia to an Estrella Galicia 0,0 1-2 on Day 1 at the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, with the two Spaniards having topped FP1 and no one able to overturn them in the afternoon. FP2’s quickest man was Lorenzo Dalla Porta, and he slots into third on the combined timesheets as he chases the Championship lead this weekend.

MotoGP Catalunya Fri Moto Alonso Lopez
Alonso Lopez – Catalunya MotoGP 2019

Brief spots of rain affected FP2 but the weather was largely fine on Friday, although conditions didn’t see everyone improve in the latter session. So it’s a mix of FP1 and FP2 best efforts that decides the Friday combined timesheets, with the top three followed by Gabriel Rodrigo from his FP1 time and Tatsuki Suzuki from his FP2 time.

Next up it was a solid opening day for Darryn Binder in sixth, ahead of rookie Can Öncü in a much improved performance for the Turk. Romano Fenati was P8, with Albert Arenas and Niccolo Antonelli completing the top ten.

Kaito Toba, Kazuki Masaki, Marcos Ramirez and Makar Yurchenko complete the fastest fourteen, denying Jaume Masia and John McPhee provisional graduation to Q2.

Lopez was one crasher, down in FP2, and Toba and Dennis Foggia suffered falls in the morning. The fastest 14 on the combined timesheets after FP3 go straight through to Qualifying 2. Tune in to see how it shuffles on Saturday morning from 9:00 (GMT +2), before qualifying begins from 12:35.

Moto3 Combined Practice

Pos Rider Motorcycle FP1 FP2 Gap
1 A.Lopez HONDA 1’49.167 1’50.444 0.000
2 S.Garcia HONDA 1’49.184 1’49.606 0.017
3 L.Dalla Porta   Ita HONDA 1’50.626 1’49.213 0.046
4 G.Rodrigo HONDA 1’49.214 1’49.451 0.047
5 T.Suzuki HONDA 1’50.309 1’49.375 0.208
6 D.Binder KTM 1’49.377 1’50.123 0.210
7 C.Oncu KTM 1’49.465 1’50.179 0.298
8 R.Fenati HONDA 1’49.692 1’49.630 0.463
9 A.Arenas KTM 1’49.642 1’49.791 0.475
10 N.Antonelli HONDA 1’50.774 1’49.693 0.526
11 K.Toba HONDA 1’51.527 1’49.714 0.547
12 K.Masaki KTM 1’49.748 1’49.811 0.581
13 M.Ramirez HONDA 1’50.207 1’49.750 0.583
14 M.Yurchenko KTM 1’49.809 1’50.802 0.642
15 J.Masia KTM 1’50.159 1’49.827 0.660
16 J.Mcphee HONDA 1’49.836 1’50.228 0.669
17 C.Tatay KTM 1’49.852 1’50.056 0.685
18 A.Canet KTM 1’49.938 1’49.893 0.726
19 R.Fernandez KTM 1’50.028 1’50.035 0.861
20 R.Rossi HONDA 1’51.050 1’50.088 0.921
21 R.Yamanaka HONDA 1’50.768 1’50.089 0.922
22 A.Migno KTM 1’51.155 1’50.105 0.938
23 J.Kornfeil KTM 1’50.465 1’50.245 1.078
24 T.Arbolino HONDA 1’50.544 1’50.314 1.147
25 C.Vietti KTM 1’51.935 1’50.323 1.156
26 F.Salac KTM 1’50.434 1’50.880 1.267
27 A.Sasaki HONDA 1’51.522 1’50.447 1.280
28 V.Perez KTM 1’51.677 1’50.518 1.351
29 T.Booth-Amos KTM 1’50.899 1’52.158 1.732
30 D.Foggia KTM 1’51.728 1’50.907 1.740
31 A.Ogura HONDA 1’51.548 1’51.536 2.369

Source: MCNews.com.au

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