2009

Phillip Island WSS: First blood to Sofuoglu at Phillip Island

Phillip Island WSS: First blood to Sofuoglu at Phillip Island

2007 World Supersport champion Kenan Sofuoglu set the pace in first free practice at Phillip Island today. The Turkish Ten Kate Honda rider continues to make a seamless transition back to Supersport...

Phillip Island WSB: Hill suffers engine blow-up and fire

Phillip Island WSB: Hill suffers engine blow-up and fire

Tommy Hill survived a spectacular engine blow-up and fire during the opening free practice session at Phillip Island today. Despite the set back, the Altea Honda rider still managed to secure the 15th...

Phillip Island WSB: Spies sets pace in opening free practice

Phillip Island WSB: Spies sets pace in opening free practice

American Ben Spies started the 2009 season as he means to go on by setting the fastest lap time in the opening free practice session this morning at Phillip Island. The Yamaha World Superbike rider...

Jonathan Rea Countdown Diary – Day 9

Jonathan Rea Countdown Diary – Day 9

With the first round of the World Superbike Championship kicking off tomorrow, Britain’s Jonathan Rea has had a busy day getting ready. Having topped the timesheets at the two day test in Phillip...

WSB season ready for kick off

WSB season ready for kick off

A record 12 riders attended the Phillip Island pre season press conference today in preparation for the season kick-off tomorrow. WSB organisers historically invite four or five riders on stage to...

Shane Byrne in need of track time in Australia

Shane Byrne in need of track time in Australia

Shane Byrne admits that he’ll be playing catch up at the opening round of the WSB championship at Phillip Island having missed the latest round of testing at the Australian circuit. Byrne’s title...

WSB Blog: Why Haga will win the WSB title in 2009

WSB Blog: Why Haga will win the WSB title in 2009

During his ten years in WSB Noriyuki Haga has won 33 races and on his day is arguably one of the fastest rider in the world. During his decade of competition the one thing he’s lacked is consistency.

Jonathan Rea WSB countdown Diary – Day 7

Jonathan Rea WSB countdown Diary – Day 7

In last weekends two-day test at Phillip Island, Britain’s Jonathan Rea topped the time sheets with an impressive 1m 31.8s lap time. The Ten Kate Honda rider has hit form just in time for the opening...

Carlos Checa rates his title rivals

Carlos Checa rates his title rivals

Hannspree Ten Kate Honda rider Carlos Checa will start the 2009 season as one of the favourites. The veteran Spaniard now has a year of World Superbike experience and a year of developing his Honda...

Meeting Rea at the Belfast Show

Meeting Rea at the Belfast Show

Met JR last Friday 13/2/09 at Belfast Motorbike show and took a couple of photos of him with my son and his mates , they were all really pleased to meet him ,so thanks and good luck this year,

Neukirchner leads the way in Phillip Island test

Neukirchner leads the way in Phillip Island test

Alstare Suzuki man Max Neukirchner topped the time sheets on the opening day of the final two day test at Phillip Island. The 24 year old German riding the new 2009 GSXR-1000 set a time of 1m 32.5s to...

Jonathan Rea – WSB countdown diary – Day 5

Jonathan Rea – WSB countdown diary – Day 5

Having spent the last four days on the beach and having BBQ’s it was down to the serious stuff today with the first of a two day Superbike test at Phillip Island. “I made my usual start to the day...

Team personnel key to Troy Corser’s success at BMW

Team personnel key to Troy Corser’s success at BMW

Troy Corser has put his impressive testing pace onboard the new BMW S1000RR down to the strength of his immediate crew and professionalism of the German team. Get all the latest WSB news Corser is...

Jonathan Rea – WSB countdown diary – Day 4

Jonathan Rea – WSB countdown diary – Day 4

With the two day World Superbike test at Phillip Island kicking off tomorrow, Jonathan Rea has continued to make the most of his time and has clearly settled into the Australian way of life. He didn’t...

Jonathan Rea – WSB countdown diary – Day 3

Jonathan Rea – WSB countdown diary – Day 3

On day three of Jonathan Rea’s WSB countdown diary the young Brit has been talking tactics with his team ahead of this weekends test at Phillip Island. He’s also found time to relax, have another BBQ...

Haslam satisfied with Phillip Island WSB test

Leon Haslam believes he is ready to race after completing a two day test at Phillip Island. The Stiggy Honda rider has continued to work on machine set-up ended the test happy with his result after slashing a full second off his day one best lap time. He said: “It’s been good, we’ve worked a lot on set-up and been able to eliminate a lot of things. Phillip Island is different to where we’ve tested...

Biaggi fastest in three day Phillip Island WSB test

Biaggi fastest in three day Phillip Island WSB test

Aprilia’s Max Biaggi has ended the first round of testing at Phillip Island with the fastest time. Riding the Aprilia RSV4, Biaggi survived a day two fall at Honda Hairpin to get his pre season...

Jonathan Rea – WSB countdown diary – Day 2

Jonathan Rea – WSB countdown diary – Day 2

Jonathan Rea touched down in Australia yesterday ahead of the opening round of WSB at Phillip Island in nine days time. While Aprilia, Stiggy Honda and Altea continue to test Rea has had a much easier...

Jonathan Rea – WSB countdown diary – Day 1

Jonathan Rea – WSB countdown diary – Day 1

With just ten days until the World Superbike championship kicks off in Australia MCN will be following the build up to the race with Hannspree Ten Kate man Jonathan Rea. The 22 year old Brit has...

Craig Jones honoured in local communmity

Craig Jones honoured in local communmity

World Supersport man Craig Jones has been honoured with a memorial tree and bench on the Greenbank estate where he grew up. The 23 year old died following a crash at Brands Hatch in August 2008 whilst...

Yamaha unveil new WSB livery

Yamaha unveil new WSB livery

The Yamaha World Superbike squad of American Ben Spies and Brit Tom Sykes have unveiled its all-new livery for their 2009 R1. After being sponsored by Spanish financial giant Santander and running a...

WSB men get Imola testing date

WSB men get Imola testing date

The World Superbike and Supersport riders will get to complete a two day test at the famous Imola circuit in preparation for the 12th round of the championship on 27th September. The two day test will...

WSB hit by credit crunch

WSB hit by credit crunch

The worldwide credit crunch has claimed it’s first high profile victim in World Superbikes following the announcement that the Sterilgarda Ducati team will only field one rider in the opening two...

Brits flood 42 strong Superstock 1000 grid

Brits flood 42 strong Superstock 1000 grid

The 2009 Superstock 1000 FIM Cup promises to be a classic with 42 riders all under the age of 24 fighting for top honours onboard 1000cc fours and 1200cc twins. Last year four riders went into the...

Aprilia focus on aerodynamics

Aprilia focus on aerodynamics

The factory Aprilia World Superbike team have conducted a number of wind tunnel tests to optimise the aerodynamics of the all new Aprilia RSV4. Japanese rider Shinya Nakano spent a day in the wind...

Video: World Superbike men tryout flag to flag race simulation

In 2009 a new flag to flag ruling has been introduced into World Superbike, meaning races will run from start to finish and won’t be stopped for changing weather conditions. The same ruling was introduced in MotoGP in 2006 leading to exciting pit stops where riders would have to think tactically before coming in to swap bikes. In preparation for the forthcoming season, World Superbike organisers...

Video: Troy Corser stars at London Motorcycle Show

Video: Troy Corser stars at London Motorcycle Show

New BMW signing Troy Corser is at the London Motorcycle Show at ExCeL meeting fans and helping out on BMW’s stand. The 37-year-old was having a boys day out with his son Kalani as well as signing...

John Hopkins to WSB?

John Hopkins to WSB?

Former Kawasaki MotoGP rider John Hopkins could be poised for a sensational switch to the World Superbike Championship. MCN understands that the American is in negotiations with the Stiggy Honda...

Ten Kate Honda test Kayaba suspension

Ten Kate Honda test Kayaba suspension

After years of highly successful collaboration, Ten Kate Honda’s long term relationship with suspension specialists WP could be coming to an end. Ten Kate have won seven consecutive World Supersport...

Parkalgar WSB test news in brief

Parkalgar WSB test news in brief

Ten Kate Honda rider Ryuichi Kiyonari had two steering dampers one under the other fitted to his Ten Kate Honda in Portugal. Kiyonari likes his steering heavily damped and because he had to have his...

Parkalgar WSB test: Byrne again on final day

Parkalgar WSB test: Byrne again on final day

Shane Byrne made it three out of three by setting the fastest time once again on the third and final day of the World Superbike test at Parkalgar today (Sunday). Byrne set his best time during the new...

Parkalgar WSB test: Sofuoglu tops rain hit day three

Parkalgar WSB test: Sofuoglu tops rain hit day three

Former World Supersport champion posted the fastest time of day three on a rapidly drying track at Parkalgar today.   The Turkish rider on-board his 2008 specification Ten Kate Honda set a best time...

Parkalgar WSB test: Byrne stays top with fastest ever lap of Parkalgar circuit

Parkalgar WSB test: Byrne stays top with fastest ever lap of Parkalgar circuit

Shane Byrne fired yet another warning shot to his rivals on day two of the Parkalgar WSB test in Portugal by posting the fastest ever lap of the circuit to stay at the very top of the leader board.

Parkalgar WSB test: Pitt on top as track dries

Parkalgar WSB test: Pitt on top as track dries

World Champion Andrew Pitt set an impressive 1M 46.094s lap time to top the time sheets in the opening World Supersport test session of the day at the Parkalgar circuit in Portugal. The Hannspree Ten...

Parkalgar WSB test: BMW top first wet session

Parkalgar WSB test: BMW top first wet session

BMW men Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus secured first and second positions in the opening session on day two of the Parkalgar WSB test this morning. Although there has been no rain since lat night the...

Byrne blitzes first day of Parkalgar WSB test

Byrne blitzes first day of Parkalgar WSB test

Shane Byrne showed his undoubted pace on day one of the official World Superbike test at Parkalgar to set the fastest time in both wet and dry sessions today. The Sterilgarda Ducati rider picked up...