2002

Year: 2002

Month: ALL

Walker’s face paralysed by illness

18 February 2002

Chris Walker has partial paralysis of the face caused by a disease known as Bell’s Palsy. One of his eyes doesn’t blink, he can’t move his lips or swallow properly. He’s having to wear a patch over...

Chat live with Neil Hodgson

11 February 2002

WSB star Neil Hodgson will be in our VIP Lounge for a live web chat on Friday, February 22. The session will be held in the afternoon, as soon as he’s finished his first day of WSB testing at...

First Hodgson column of 2002

04 February 2002

MCN has again signed up top British rider Neil Hodgson to write a regular column for us throughout the new World Superbike season. In the first instalment of 2002, Neil gives you a behind the scenes...

Aprilia plays down reliability fears

04 February 2002

Noriyuki Haga’s Aprilia team has dismissed the mechanical disasters it suffered at the Phillip Island WSB tests as a normal part of pre-season shake-downs. Haga blew up three of the latest versions of...

Moodie back in the saddle

04 February 2002

It’s been more than a year, but Jim Moodie has finally returned to full-on riding action in preparation for the World Supersport season. He has been out of action recovering from a badly smashed...

Walker: I’m going slow what ever I try’

04 February 2002

Chris Walker is facing an uphill battle to restore his shattered confidence before for the next WSB test at Valencia, Spain. He came away from Australia’s first tests as the slowest of all the WSB...

Foggy WSB project up against it

04 February 2002

Foggy won’t know if his WSB project has any hope of getting off the ground this year until the end of April. By then the first three-cylinder engine must have completed extensive bench testing, or the...

Bostrom: In his own words

01 February 2002

Belfez: Ben, During last season you had a terrific run of form with back to back wins. But then at the next race you seemed to only do a little practice, (according to the commentators) and you were seen lounging around the pit lane as if you couldn’t be bothered trying, or perhaps you had proved a point and/or had orders from above. So do tell, why did things go pear-shaped? BenBostrom: After...

Bayliss fastest, Walker slowest in Oz

01 February 2002

Troy Bayliss made it clear to his rivals that he won’t be giving up his world title without a struggle, after posting the fastest time of the first official test of the WSB year. As everyone suspected...

Foggy: We’re on course despite Suter switch

28 January 2002

Carl Fogarty remains upbeat and is convinced his team is on schedule to start testing the new FP1 superbike early in April, despite the switch from Sauber to Suter Racing Technology (SRT). According...

Bayliss fastest, Hodgson and Walker happy after day one of Oz test

28 January 2002

Reigning World Superbike champion Troy Bayliss was fastest after Wednesday’s first sessions of the official WSB testing at Phillip Island in Australia. Bayliss managed to take his new Ducati 998R to a...

Walker among crashers in Oz test

28 January 2002

Strong winds stopped any faster times being logged by the top World Superbike riders at Phillip Island on Thursday – but did cause a spate of crashes. Winds whipping in off the sea, just a few yards...

Edwards says Honda needs more bhp to compete

28 January 2002

Colin Edwards matched world champion Troy Bayliss on time in the first major WSB test of the year, but said his Honda needed more power to have a chance of catching Bayliss’s new Ducati in the heat of...

Chili badly battered by crash in testing

28 January 2002

Frankie Chili’s first test on the NCR Ducati at Valencia has ended in a highside on cold tyres which sent him to hospital with concussion. Chili had completed 12 laps of the final afternoon session on...

Bostrom Webchat: Full transcript added

28 January 2002

Ben Bostrom has his fingers crossed for Chris Walker this season and he’s hoping to see him among the front-runners in WSB. In a live web chat on this site on Thursday morning, Bostrom said: ” I want...

Edwards has trouble with birds at Ducati WSB test

21 January 2002

Colin Edwards got his first taste of his new Honda VTR SP-2 on Wednesday but spent more time missing the local wildlife than going for fast times. Former WSB champion Edwards finished the first of...

Petronas admits Sauber is off Foggy project

21 January 2002

Rumours that the Foggy Petronas racing team is no longer using Sauber to continue developing its bike have turned out to be true with the appointment of replacements, Swiss firm Suter Racing...

More WSB, and Suzi, on the Beeb

21 January 2002

The BBC is kicking off its ” bigger and better ” coverage of WSB a week before the first round of the series. Their 30-minute preview show will include a round-up of all the news from the official...

Chili tries his Duke for the first time

21 January 2002

Frankie Chili took his first ride on the Ducati 998R he’ll race this year on Friday, and declared he loves it – even if it does feel weird compared to the Suzuki GSX-R750 he has ridden for the past...

Foggy welcomes Suter on board to develop engine

21 January 2002

Carl Fogarty has welcomed the news that Eskil Suter has been appointed as the engine developer for the Petronas race and road bike projects. The former racer’s Swiss company, Suter Racing Products,...

Petronas’ official statement

21 January 2002

PETRONAS, Malaysia’s national petroleum corporation, has appointed Suter Racing Products (SRP) to further develop and manufacture its high-performance motorcycle engine in preparation for the Foggy PETRONAS Racing team’s entry in the World Superbike Championship later this year. SRP is a Swiss-based company with expertise and competency in advanced motorcycle engineering and development as well...

Hodgson’s new-look Ducati unveiled

14 January 2002

The new look of Neil Hodgson and James Toseland’s GSE Ducatis was unveiled on Tuesday lunchtime. Here we’re bringing you the first pictures and later this week we’ll be adding video interviews with...

GSX-R750 chassis updates for 2002

14 January 2002

Suzuki is hoping a raft of chassis changes to the GSX-R750 will change its fortunes in World Superbikes next year. This year’s changes include a different swing-arm pivot point and revised steering...

Hodgson and Toseland exclusive video interview

14 January 2002

Who does Hodgson see as his greatest threats in 2002? Where does Toseland see himself finishing in the new WSB season? Both men were ready with all the answers when we filmed this exclusive video...

Watch the three-minute video

14 January 2002

Watch as MCN’s WSB reporter Andy Downes introduces us to the official launch of Hodgson’s 2002 Ducati team and goes on to interview its riders. Select from Quicktime (MOV) or Real Player (RM)...

Full transcript of latest Hodgson webchat

14 January 2002

World Superbike star Neil Hodgson joined in a live web chat on this site on Thursday at 5pm… and joked about his initimate relationship with his glove puppet, why Bayliss has the worst style in WSB...

Neil Hodgson: In his own words

14 January 2002

Geoff: Congratulations on last years performance. Did you see Hizzy over Christmas and how do you fancy your chances against him in the 2 UK WSB rounds? NeilHodgson: I’ve not seen anything of Steve actually. I think he went to Tenerife or somewhere like that for Christmas, and I didn’t see much of him before because I was really busy with getting married, doing stag dos, and doing the 2 week book...

2002

Walker’s face paralysed by illness

Chat live with Neil Hodgson

First Hodgson column of 2002

Aprilia plays down reliability fears

Moodie back in the saddle

Walker: I’m going slow what ever I try’

Foggy WSB project up against it

Bostrom: In his own words

Bayliss fastest, Walker slowest in Oz

Foggy: We’re on course despite Suter switch

Bayliss fastest, Hodgson and Walker happy after day one of Oz test

Walker among crashers in Oz test

Edwards says Honda needs more bhp to compete

Chili badly battered by crash in testing

Bostrom Webchat: Full transcript added

Edwards has trouble with birds at Ducati WSB test

Petronas admits Sauber is off Foggy project

More WSB, and Suzi, on the Beeb

Chili tries his Duke for the first time

Foggy welcomes Suter on board to develop engine

Petronas’ official statement

Hodgson’s new-look Ducati unveiled

GSX-R750 chassis updates for 2002

Hodgson and Toseland exclusive video interview

Watch the three-minute video

Full transcript of latest Hodgson webchat

Neil Hodgson: In his own words

Bayliss is relaxed and ready to win again

Aussie showdown for Walker and Hodgson confirmed

No Petronas test until April… if all goes well