November

Year: 2014

Month: November

New BMW S1000RR race bike breaks cover

03 December 2014 by Gordon Ritchie

The all-new BMW S1000RR arrived on track with the BMW Motorrad Italia team and its lone rider Sylvain Barrier, setting its first laps in WSB race spec on Wednesday 26th November. “The engine is more...

WSB line-up nears completion

02 December 2014 by Gordon Ritchie

The 2015 Superbike World Championship entry should consist of 26 bikes, with the new EBR set-up run by Larry Pegram and Troy Corser’s JR Racing BMW squad included in that total. The 2014 /15 season...

Davies hits out at critics

01 December 2014 by Gordon Ritchie

Unlike many of his WSB rivals Chaz Davies (Ducati World Superbike Team) only began testing at Jerez on the third day of track action, making a steady start but still finding some issues after such a positive test the week before in Motorland Aragon. “Fairly steady away so far,” said Davies early in the afternoon. “We are having a few different things that are going to take a bit of tweaking...

Westmoreland completes line up at JG Speedfit GBmoto

29 November 2014 by Simon Patterson

James Westmoreland will complete the line-up at the GBmoto Kawasaki squad for the 2015 MCE British Superbike championship. Now running under the JG Speedfit Kawasaki colours, he will join James...

Weather forecasts fail as Barrier leads final day

28 November 2014 by Gordon Ritchie

According to all sources the final day of testing at Jerez was going to be plagued by the same kind of heavy rain and winds that blighted the previous day’s action. In reality the grey start and...

Aprilia working on seamless shift gearbox for 2015

28 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Aprilia is working on a new seamless shift gearbox ahead of its factory return to the MotoGP world championship in 2015. But Aprilia boss Romano Albesiano has said he can’t give any cast iron...

HRC outline RC213V plan for Crutchlow and Redding

28 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

The factory prototype RC213V machine that Cal Crutchlow and Scott Redding will race at the start of the 2015 MotoGP campaign will be a compromise of the spec used by official HRC duo Marc Marquez and...

Redding, Byrne, Dunlop and McGuinness shortlisted for prestigious Torrens Trophy

28 November 2014 by Simon Patterson

Four top British racers from MotoGP, BSB and road racing have been shortlisted for the RAC Club’s highly prestigious Torrens Trophy, awarded to recognise an individual or organisation considered to...

Burrows signs local talent Jamie Hamilton

28 November 2014 by Simon Patterson

2014 double Irish champion Jamie Hamilton will join former racer John Burrow’s BE Engineering team for the 2015 road racing season. He will replace Dan Kneen at the County Tyrone based team, with the...

Wet and wild at Jerez testing

27 November 2014 by Gordon Ritchie

The promised rains came along with a vengeance at the Jerez tests, accompanied by near gale force winds that effectively stopped any track action at times on Thursday. Michele Pirro took his MotoGP...

Honda extends Moto2 engine supply deal until 2018

27 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

The Moto2 world championship will be Honda-powered until the end of 2018 at least after HRC signed an extended three-year deal to be exclusive engine supplier to the intermediate class. Honda has...

Alex Marquez: Rabat talent key to Marc VDS Moto2 switch

27 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

The opportunity to learn off reigning Moto2 world champion Tito Rabat was a crucial factor in Alex Marquez opting to join the dominant Marc VDS Racing squad for the 2015 campaign. The newly crowned...

HRC boss: Jack Miller promotion a ‘big gamble’

27 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Honda boss Shuhei Nakamoto has admitted his personal mission to get Jack Miller fast tracked into MotoGP in 2015 is a ‘big gamble’. Aussie Miller is the first rider in over decade to be promoted from...

Melandri eases into MotoGP return

27 November 2014 by Gordon Ritchie

Marco Melandri (Aprilia Racing) found the swap from a factory WSB RSV-4 Aprila to the first version a factory Aprilia MotoGP machine a difficult one at Jerez. Tyres were his main concern, having to...

Dovi leads the Jerez testing hoardes

27 November 2014 by Gordon Ritchie

With the weather supposedly about to take a turn for the worst on Thursday and Friday all the teams who had planned a day off on Wednesday at Jerez went out again. They were joined by fresh teams from...

Ivan Lintin joins up with RC Express Racing for 2015 and 2016

27 November 2014 by Simon Patterson

Reigning TT Privateers champion Ivan Lintin has joined RC Express Racing on a two year deal for the 2015 and 2016 international road racing seasons. The Lincolnshire rider will replace Yorkshireman...

‘Racing Beefcakes’ calendars now on sale for Simon Andrews Foundation

27 November 2014 by Simon Patterson

Top racers have stripped off for charity, ditching their leathers to raise money for the Simon Andrews Foundation. Established by Simon’s family after his tragic loss, the charity is raising funds to...

Artist strips off for third edition of TT Milestones calendar

26 November 2014 by Simon Patterson

Motorcycling fan and artist Rachael Clegg has once again stripped off for the 2015 edition of her ‘TT Milestones’ calendar. Now in its third edition, the calendar features twelve shots from famous...

Woffinden to sit out British Elite League in 2015

26 November 2014 by Simon Patterson

British Speedway World Champion Tai Woffinden will sit out the UK’s Elite League competition next year, as he focuses his efforts on regaining the world title he lost to Greg Hancock in 2014. The 24...

Lowes fastest Superbike as Jerez finally dries out

26 November 2014 by Gordon Ritchie

Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) put in a strong lap on qualifying tyres to go fastest of all the regular WSB riders on the second day of Jerez private testing, his 1’40.730 being set late in the...

FIM celebrate Sidecar world champions with season highlights

26 November 2014 by Simon Patterson

With Tim Reeves emerging victorious from a two-way scrap with fellow British pairing Ben and Tom Birchall to take his fifth Superside Sidecar World Championship, the sport continues to be dominated by...

Former European Stock 1000 champion Iannuzzo BSB-bound with factory MV Agusta

26 November 2014 by Simon Patterson

2002 European Superstock 1000 champion Vittorio Iannuzzo is bound for the MCE British Superbike championship in 2015. The Italian will ride a factory supported MV Agusta for Hampshire Motorcycles...

Dixon joins Gowland at title winning Smiths Triumph in BSS

26 November 2014 by Simon Patterson

2014 British Supersport title contender Graeme Gowland is set to remain with the Smiths Triumph team that took him to third in the title in 2014 for the upcoming season. The Northerner will be joined...

Supersport champion McConnell goes BSB with Smiths

26 November 2014 by Simon Patterson

Reigning British Supersport champion Billy McConnell will step up to the MCE British Superbike championship for the 2015 season, but is set to remain with his Smiths of Gloucester team – albeit with a...

Original 1907 TT-winning bike to lead Norton celebration at Classic TT

25 November 2014 by Simon Patterson

Norton are set to play a key role in the 2015 Isle of Man Classic TT, as the classic racing festival harks back to the golden age of the British manufacturer in the rocker years of the late fifties...

Ducati back to the future in 2015

25 November 2014 by Gordon Ritchie

In the old days of WSB racing Ducati was not only one of the most dominant manufacturers but also supplied the vast bulk of the privateers on the grid. This was good business for Ducati, with bikes,...

New Pirelli tyres at Jerez

25 November 2014 by Gordon Ritchie

Pirelli two wheel racing boss Giorgio Barbier indicated that there were some new tyres to test for the teams at Jerez, in addition to the regular tyres they the teams must buy for this type of...

Big power shift for Van Der Mark

25 November 2014 by Gordon Ritchie

Reigning WSS Champion Michael van der Mark moves up to the WSB class in 2014 for his Pata Honda/ten Kate operated team, and he was out early at Jerez to try out his new bike. No stranger to a...

2014 British champions celebrated at Motorcycle Live

25 November 2014 by Simon Patterson

All eleven British title winners from 2014 have been celebrated on the main stage at Motorcycle Live, with MCE British Superbike champion Shane Byrne joined by Supersport winner Billy McConnell and a...

Camier signs for MV Agusta in WSB

25 November 2014 by Gordon Ritchie

Leon Camier will be the lone MV Agusta factory rider in the 2015 and 2016 Superbike World Championships after signing a deal with the Italian manufacturer at the EICMA show recently. Camier rode the...

Fabrizio sets out to rebuild his career

25 November 2014 by Gordon Ritchie

Michel Fabrizio left the Iron Brain Grillini Kawasaki squad many months ago after a disappointing start to his 2014 year on the privateer Ninja. Since then he has been evaluating his future and has...

Haslam scores big on day one of Jerez test

25 November 2014 by Gordon Ritchie

Leon Haslam (Red Devils Aprilia) opened his 2015 test account with the best time of all in setting a 1’43.4 lap, despite not trying for ultimate performance in iffy track conditions after overnight...

Terol finds his feet on 2015 Ducati

25 November 2014 by Gordon Ritchie

New Althea Racing Ducati rider Nico Terol had his first chance to ride the all-new 2015 spec machine delivered to his team by Ducati at the Jerez tests, on Monday 24th, after riding the Evo version at...

HRC fail to tempt Casey Stoner out of retirement

25 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Honda has failed with an audacious attempt to coax double MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner out of retirement. HRC boss Shuhei Nakamoto admitted he tentatively asked the Australian about a shock...

Jack Miller braced for shoulder surgery

25 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Jack Miller will make a rapid return to Europe after his second MotoGP test outing in Malaysia this week to undergo surgery on his right shoulder. The Aussie will take part in a three-day test at the...

Jack Miller looking forward to second MotoGP test in Sepang

25 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Jack Miller says he is excited to unleash more of the true potential of a MotoGP bike when he makes his second winter testing appearance at the Sepang track in Malaysia later this week. The Australian...