In the features you can hear from the Legends first hand; riders like Freddie Spencer, Mick Doohan, Nicky Hayden…and we’ll cover different rivalries and topics. The series began on the 14th February with our Sepang Test episode, and now you can also listen to the first feature on RIVALRIES. Here are a few videos to whet your appetite for some of the riders we cover…
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
“It’s always risky to talk about expectations before a new season,” says Massimo Rivola, the new Aprilia Racing CEO, “but it is only natural when it’s an award-winning racing department like Aprilia Racing. Our trophy case in and of itself demands constant growth, a collective effort to arrive at a competitive level in MotoGP as well. On my arrival, I found a group with no lack of skill and passion, as well as extraordinary loyalty to the team colours which will be a fundamental part of our project. We can count on two extraordinarily talented riders who, although very different from one another, share the same extraordinary passion for this sport. It is no exaggeration to think of us as a ‘David’ against the giants of world motorcycle racing and I have no problem with this comparison since, in the end, David triumphed.”
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
For the last three years, I’ve used Sena’s 10C to record my adventures, communicate with my riding companions, listen to my GPS and occasionally take phone calls. I like it because it simplifies my life: an action camera and Bluetooth helmet communicator in one, with the caveat that it’s a better communicator than camera. With the 10C Pro, Sena has upped its camera game and, while it’s still not up to the levels of the latest and greatest dedicated action cameras, the Pro is a solid improvement over the original.
Communicator features are mostly unchanged: the 10C Pro can connect with up to three other riders using Sena products, or one non-Sena user, and it pairs with your phone, GPS or motorcycle via Bluetooth 4.1. I found pairing to be fuss-free and straightforward, and the unit gives you voice prompts to let you know it’s working. Voice audio quality is quite good, to the point where I’ve had phone conversations and the other person couldn’t tell I was riding a motorcycle (I use the 10C Pro in a full-face helmet).
Camera functions, meanwhile, have been improved. The Pro can now shoot 2K video in QuadHD (1440p/30fps or 1080p/60fps) at a resolution of 3.7 megapixels and a 16:9 aspect ratio, and it has an increased 135-degree field of view. One of my favorite features of the 10C is its ability to record not just video, but also my voice and those of riders I’m connected with. The Pro steps up its game by adding in switchable Smart Audio Mix, which mixes in music that I’m listening to from my phone along with the intercom audio, and Advanced Noise Control, which reduces background noise. On a street ride I leave the ANC enabled to cut wind noise, but off-road I can disable it to allow the burble of the exhaust to be heard.
The other huge improvement is the ability to preview video and download files to my phone using the new Sena Camera App. It’s always been easy to adjust the vertical angle and 30-degree rotation of the 10C’s camera lens to achieve the ideal frame, but I had to wait until I got home and could watch the video to see how well I did. With the Pro, I can preview my camera lens angle and make sure I’ve got it framed perfectly before setting out.
With its big buttons and jog dial, I’ve found the 10C Pro to be easy to use with gloves on. Battery life is similar to the original 10C: it lasts a whole 10-hour day on intercom, but heavy camera use will sap that quickly. If you have a long enough cord it can be charged while in use, or shut it off and give it about 3.5 hours to fully recharge. If you don’t need 4K video quality and like the two-in-one concept, the 10C Pro now has the features and improvements that make it an attractive choice, and at $349 it’s a lot of whiz-bang for the buck.
For more information, visit sena.com.
Source: RiderMagazine.com
Icon brings some exciting gear to the table
Source: MotorCyclistOnline.com
Interest in alternative energies prompts purchase
Source: MotorCyclistOnline.com
A positive day. We had a lot of information from two days of testing that we put together and I am very proud of the guys because this morning we rolled out with a completely fresh package, based on all the information we had gathered. I am happy with the result. Thanks to Pere and the guys who worked on both Wednesday and Thursday after testing. I felt really good with the bike this morning and the target today was to understand the different tyres that Pirelli brought here. So in FP1 we did a long run, and put race distance on tyres on both Friday sessions. We ticked that box. Very clearly there was one package I preferred and we still have more track time tomorrow morning. I feel good here and I feel that I have good pace to fight for the podium, but we need a little bit more to race for the win.
Source: Jonathan Rea On Facebook
Prospective riders can get half off the Riding Academy New Rider Course until March 3
Source: MotorCyclistOnline.com
Moto mall-style for the teenage masses
Source: MotorCyclistOnline.com
Kawasaki Racing Team duo Rea and Haslam complete top three.
Image: Supplied.
The final session of the opening day of the 2019 FIM Motul Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) concluded with Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) taking over at the top of combined times. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and teammate Leon Haslam finished in second and third positions.
Bautista’s time was the fastest in the individual FP2 session. The Spaniard was once again quickest in the speed trap and was by far the fastest of the all-new Ducati Panigale V4 Rs. The Rookie set a blistering lap time of 1m30.327s to go ahead of Rea in the final minutes by just 0.014s! Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) had work to do in 14th position overall.
From the front three, Haslam was the first to improve – the 35-year-old five-time race winner has been impressive since the Yamaha Finance Australian round got underway. Spending some time on circuit with Bautista, the British rider was able to go fractionally quicker, before making big in-roads with less than 15 minutes left on the clock, finishing third overall.
Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) quietly went about his business, not troubling his lap time from FP1 in the session, remaining fourth overall. Teammate Markus Reiterberger also continued his development with the new BMW S1000RR but like Sykes, didn´t improve on his time with 20 minutes left, finishing in eighth overall and just over half a second off Bautista.
Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) jumped up the order to fifth position, making amends for FP1. The Lincolnshire rider then continued to improve his lap times, consistently fast although he took a tumble in the middle of the session. Dutchman Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) also continued the theme of great improvement for Yamaha, although remained ninth.
Sandro Cortese (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK) continued as a revelation, closing the day seventh on combined times for much of the session. Cortese has started to understand the YZF R1 much better over the course of testing and subsequently is up at the sharp end. Teammate Marco Melandri continued to struggle, in 13th for most of the session.
Leon Camier (Moriwaki Althea HONDA Team) had a good session, consolidating his pace and moving up to sixth on the combined times. On the other side of the garage, Kiyonari was one of the first improvers as he continues to re-adapt to WorldSBK. The Japanese rider crashed towards the end of the session.
Completing the top 10 was Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing), taking his Kawasaki to within 0.800s of the top time posted by Bautista. Australian wildcard Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing) was 19th in the classification.
WorldSSP to come.
Source: CycleOnline.com.au
Despite a concerted time attack from Jonathan Rea towards the end of FP2, it was Alvaro Bautista that remained atop the timesheets when the 50-minute session came to a close just after 1550 this afternoon at Phillip Island.
Bautista’s benchmark was a 1m30.327 to Rea’s 1m30.341. KRT’s Leon Haslam was also right there with a 1m30.482.
While Bautista put in plenty of very fast laps it would be a brave man to bet against the KRT duo when it comes to race pace over a 22-lap race distance come tomorrow.
Tom Sykes heads the second row as the fastest BMW rider alongside Alex Lowes (Yamaha) and Leon Camier (Honda), which makes it five different manufacturers across the front two rows of the grid.
Wildcard entrant Troy Herfoss is obviously still not comfortable with this WorldSBK spec’ bike, lapping more than a second slower than he managed only an hour earlier on his ASBK Superbike spec’ Fireblade.
Compulsory pit-stop introduced for Phillip Island race
It has been announced that the first race of the FIM Supersport World Championship season will take place under flag-to-flag rules, with a mandatory entry to the pits to change tyres for all bikes.
After speaking with the teams and based on the information gathered during the official two-day test here at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, FIM and Dorna WSBK Organization have decided to implement this format for Sunday’s race, adding a new challenge for the 24 riders set to line up on the grid.
Riders are free to choose when to do their pit-stop, under the condition that no tyre is used for more than 10 laps. Race distance has also been shortened to 16 laps.
This decision does not affect any of the three World Superbike races, which are scheduled to be run in regular conditions as more flexible regulations for teams ensure that proper safety conditions will be met.
Gregorio Lavilla
WorldSBK Executive Director of Sporting & Organization
“Due to specific track conditions seen at Phillip Island since Monday and some concerns regarding tyre life in race conditions, we decided that the best way to fully guarantee the safety of the WorldSSP riders and avoid any problems would be to do a flag-to-flag, which is in compliance with WorldSSP rules. This is unfortunate, but we believe that it is the best course of action and will guarantee an exciting race this weekend”.
Tickets and on-circuit camping for the Yamaha Finance-sponsored WorldSBK round are available at Ticketek or at the gate. Gates open 8am Saturday and Sunday. On-circuit camping open 24/7 for arrival and check in at any time… via gate 2.
Source: MCNews.com.au