November

Year: 2008

Month: November

North West 200 drop Michael Rutter

25 November 2008 by Rob Hull

Michael Rutter has been pushed into the BSB shadows after being ditched by his 2008 team, North West 200 Ducati. Rutter looked to be the favourite to continue his partnership with the North West 200...

James Toseland looking forward to Bridgestone debut

25 November 2008 by Matthew Birt

British rider James Toseland is back on track in Jerez tomorrow (Wednesday), eagerly anticipating his debut on Bridgestone tyres at the Spanish circuit. The 27-year-old missed the post-season test...

Chris Walker to come back to BSB?

25 November 2008 by Rob Hull

Rob McElnea will announce one of the names for his 2009 BSB team line-up tomorrow, and it’s expected to be fans favourite Chris Walker. Walker has been away from BSB for a year after half a season...

Shinya Nakano gets first ride of WSB Aprilia RSV4

24 November 2008 by Michael Guy

Shinya Nakano got his first taste of the Aprilia RSV4 he will campaign in next years World Superbike Championship at Valencia today. The Japanese rider has spent his career racing in 250, 500 and...

Bradley Smith makes Aspar debut in Valencia

24 November 2008 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith kicked off his 2009 125GP world title bid in Valencia today, the British rider getting his first chance to work with the highly regarded Aspar Aprilia squad. Smith, who joined Jorge...

Chris Vermeulen desperate for engine upgrade

24 November 2008 by Matthew Birt

Chris Vermeulen is hoping Suzuki will have another upgraded version of its factory GSV-R motor ready to test in Phillip Island this week. Improving engine performance is one of the key targets for the...

Loris Capirossi: Phillip Island test is ‘massive’ for Suzuki

24 November 2008 by Matthew Birt

Italian Loris Capirossi insists his next winter test session will be crucial to the 2009 prospects of Suzuki’s factory MotoGP squad. Capirossi will make his final track appearance at a three-day test...

Hug from Rossi

21 November 2008 by wilf cook

At the Valencia GP this year Valentino Rossi put his arm over my shoulder, I put mine over his and gave him a right hug. It was fantastic meeting the KING. It was so emotional, I never got a photo, my wife Anne was so excited she never worked the camera for shouting ‘Valentino!’. He signed my Mike Hailwood book, I Also caught his righthand man Jeremy Burgess- the greatest, very down to earth and...

Jerry Burgess: Valentino Rossi tougher to beat in 2009

21 November 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s legendary Aussie crew chief Jerry Burgess believes the eight-times world champion will be tougher to beat in 2009 than at any other stage in his successful career. The 29-year-old...

Rossi tests a Ferrari F1 car at Mugello

21 November 2008 by James Keen

MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi tested a Ferrari Formula One car at Mugello yesterday as a gift from the Italian team for achieving his eighth championship title. Rossi apparently completed nearly 30 laps of the famous Italian circuit and recorded a respectable fastest lap time of 1 min 22.5 seconds. Rossi’s lap time wasn’t bad at all, considering that at Ferrari’s last Mugello test F1...

Phillip Island MotoGP pics

21 November 2008 by Howard & Jacky

Just got back from a brill holiday over in OZ. Had a fanastic day at the track on Phillip Island. It was so well organised, no rip off, food and merchandise ‘good price’, met some great Aussie bikers.

Yamaha MotoGP boss plays down Ben Spies swoop

20 November 2008 by Matthew Birt

Senior Yamaha race boss Lin Jarvis has insisted that the Japanese factory has no deal already in place to bring triple American superbike champion Ben Spies to MotoGP in 2010. Spies has made it clear...

Sete Gibernau to step up training regime

20 November 2008 by Matthew Birt

Spaniard Sete Gibernau will step up an intensive training regime in a bid to regain the fitness levels needed to compete in MotoGP next season. Gibernau, who will return to action for the first time...

Special Birthday Treat

19 November 2008 by PAULJOHNSCOTT

James Toseland made my son Aaron’s 12th Birthday very special on Saturday 8th November. Aaron was invited into a private room at Donnington park to meet his idol and have his picture taken with the GP...

Is Rossi really the best?

19 November 2008 by Al Rackham

I’ve been thinking about all the bike racing i’ve watched this year and it set me thinking about who really is the best. It seems to me that valentino rossi ain’t bad, but is he the best? yeah he might be the world champion at motogp, but it seems that he hasn’t had to work half as hard as troy bayliss to become champ this year (who, by the way, kicked all the motogp boys asses in his last...

Valentino Rossi: Dani Pedrosa must improve overtaking

19 November 2008 by Matthew Birt

Reigning world champion Valentino Rossi believes Honda rival Dani Pedrosa must become more ruthless in the heat of battle to stake a claim to the 2009 MotoGP world crown. One weakness Pedrosa has yet...

Aprilia wheel out liveried-up RSV4 WSB racer

19 November 2008 by Andy Downes

MCN has exclusively witnessed the next step in the story of Aprilia’s awesome new RSV4 superbike. The full race version, which is due to be campaigned by Max Biaggi in World Superbikes next year, was...

Jerry Burgess: 2004 still Valentino Rossi’s best MotoGP title win

19 November 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s crew chief Jerry Burgess reckons the Italian’s maiden world title for Yamaha back in 2004 still beats his impressive comeback in 2008. Rossi roared back to form last season with nine...

Hawk Kawasaki sign Tristan Palmer

19 November 2008 by Rob Hull

Tristan Palmer will ride for Hawk Kawasaki in 2009. 26-year old Palmer was one of the surprise packages of 2008 with the Tena for Men Honda, regularly causing problems for the factory supported...

Colin Wright: “It’s all going to come down to time”

18 November 2008 by Rob Hull

GSE Racing Team Manager Colin Wright told MCN it’s going to be a battle against the clock to get ready for the 2009 season following the team’s recent visit to the Factory Yamaha World Superbike...

Scott Redding stars in Blue Peter

18 November 2008 by Matthew Birt

What do you do if you want to find out how the likes of Valentino Rossi learned the skills that made him one of the greatest riders on the planet? Get riding lessons from British sensation Scott...

Honda offer Michael Schumacher WSB ride

18 November 2008 by Chris Newbigging

Reports have emerged that Honda Racing would allow former F1 multiple world champion Michael Schumacher a ride in World Superbikes in 2009. Honda Racing’s Carlo Fiorani told Italy’s Gazzetto dello...

Video: Walker talks dirt bikes and 2009 plans

17 November 2008 by Michael Guy

MCN caught up with World Superbike star Chris Walker at the Stoneleigh Park DirtBike show last week. Walker is an off road fanatic and spent the day cruising the show seeing what bike to buy for winter training and what goodies he wants for Christmas. Walker also revealed that his 2009 plans are taking shape and that he has a number of offers on the table that will see him back at the sharp end...

Watching WSB with dad

16 November 2008 by Gems557

This is a photo of my 5 week old baby watching the last round of WSB with his dad.

Sylvain Guintoli’s career in pictures

14 November 2008 by Rob Hull

Crescent Suzuki’s new signing, Sylvain Guintoli, might have had a two year spell in MotoGP, but how much do you know about his career before then? The Frenchman has graduated from being the youngest...

James Ellison says he’s getting Wii fit

13 November 2008 by Rob Hull

James Ellison has said he’s already started his preparation for the 2009 British Superbike season by working on his balance with a computer game. Ellison said in his latest GSE Racing blog that he’s...

Valentino Rossi looking forward to new Sete Gibernau battle

13 November 2008 by Matthew Birt

Reigning MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi says he is looking forward to renewing his rivalry with former foe Sete Gibernau in the 2009 MotoGP world championship. Rossi and Gibernau were once...

Scott Redding shortlisted for top BBC award

12 November 2008 by Matthew Birt

British 125GP sensation Scott Redding has made the shortlist for the coveted BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award. The 15-year-old, who created history in June when his stunning victory in...

Loris Capirossi ready for wind tunnel testing

12 November 2008 by Matthew Birt

Suzuki rider Loris Capirossi will fly to Japan for vital wind tunnel testing on the 2009 factory GSV-R machine next week. The veteran Italian will spend a day in Suzuki’s wind tunnel before he flies...

MotoGP Poor Value

12 November 2008 by Andy Anderson

I note with great interest the comments made by Valentino Rossi regarding MotoGP being boring. I have been involved in all forms of road racing for the best part of sixty years,travelling all over the world to support bike racing,and without doubt Moto-GP as stated by Valentino has become boring to watch (125s and 250s excepted). For fans to travel too Moto-GP and watch three races one, of which...

Valentino Rossi helmet of the day: COMPETITION

12 November 2008 by Rob Hull

To celebrate the launch of MCN’s exclusive 132 page Valentine Rossi tribute bookazine on sale now, today we’re bringing you a very special AGV helmet competition for readers. The MCN bookazine is a...

Relentless Suzuki sign Ian Lowry for Superbikes

12 November 2008 by Rob Hull

21-year old Irishman Ian Lowry will graduate to the Relentless Suzuki TAS British Superbike team next season. The double race winner in 2008 will make the step up to the full-on Superbike team after...

Valentino Rossi helmet of the day: The swords man

11 November 2008 by Rob Hull

To celebrate the launch of MCN’s exclusive 132 page Valentine Rossi tribute bookazine available on November 11, we’ll be bringing you a Valentino Rossi helmet of the day for you to poll on. The MCN...

Video: Sylvain Guintoli tests Crescent Suzuki

11 November 2008 by Rob Hull

MCN took advantage of catching up with British Superbike new recruit Sylvain Guintoli in his first test with the Crescent Suzuki team. The 26-year old Frenchman clocked an impressive 48.0-second lap in single-figure conditions during a track day at the Brands Hatch Indy circuit. Pick up a copy of this week’s MCN available on November 12 for the full report on how he got on during his first day...

Special Birthday thanks to JT

11 November 2008 by Paul Scott

James Toseland made my son Aaron’s 12th birthday very special on Saturday night at Donnington Park Paddock suite. The GP star along with his manager Roger Burnett invited Aaron backstage to have his photo taken and sign autographs. My son stated it was his best birthday ever. Many Thanks to James and Roger for making this an extra special treat.

Valentino Rossi helmet of the day: Flower Power

10 November 2008 by Rob Hull