2009 Superbike World Championship

[Simon James]

top rider will be missed
R I P
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXrBR1FIEIw[/media]

 

[Simon James]

Parkalgar, the new motor racing circuit in Portugal that owns the Parkalgar Honda World Supersport team that Craig Jones raced for, has announced two long-lasting tributes to its rider, who died following injuries received in last Sundays' race at Brands Hatch.

It will name the most technical and difficult corner on the track after Craig in recognition of his talent and skill and it will also be erecting a memorial to him at the circuit so that all visitors can pay their respects. The full unveiling will take place with Craig's family at the final round of World Superbikes at the circuit in November.

A tribute to Craig is also being planned for the Donington Park World Superbike round on September 7th.

R I P JONESY

 

[Roy Carless]

R I P

What a waste of a talent.

:frown::frown::frown::frown:

 

[Simon Trendell]

Not a bike fan but you can't ignore an incident like this

RIP

And really strange to think that just a week earlier I was there at the WTCC

 

[STRATOSpeed]

BMW enters Superbikes

BMW s1000rr specs

A 1,000cc inline-4 that produces 190 horsepower
A weight of less than 419 lbs
Traction control and ABS

 

[Wido Rossen]

Looks pretty cool.
Any test results yet ?
Wonder if they can compete with the big one`s ?
But a nice addon to the series.

 

[Ross Balfour]

Motorcylcing Videos

Post them here -

Some very close finishs

Lorenzo vs Dovizioso 125cc Qatar 2004

[media]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fYva1kXQPSg&feature=channel[/media]

Nakano vs Jacque Phillip Island 250cc 2000

[media]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6S2Tn0A5iG8[/media]

 

[Gareth Hickling]

Legends: The late dunlop brothers

[media]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=O-j7vs_9ODo[/media]

 

[David Lemon]

[media]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=O-j7vs_9ODo[/media]

The Dunlop brothers were absolute legends not only in Ireland but across the world, Roberts death was a real shocker and not really an error on his part, also the guy pointing at the camera in the clip was another legend called Owen McNally but was also unfortunately killed at the UGP in '99 , thanks for this little tribute Gareth.

BTW: I'm in that clip!!!! about 35 secs in on a little red bike behind Joey and Robert, I think that was the '91 UGP

 

[Lee Downham]

PICS ... World Superbike final race (of season and for Bayliss ) - Portugal 2008

Just posted up a bunch of pics from this weekend's final WSBK round at my new fantastically stunning local track (Parkalgar) in Portimão :thumb: (website for track)
Comments from riders include words like fantastic, amazing ... bits of it likened to Brands, Assen, Philip Island, Cadwell, Zandy ... is a seriously cool track, can't wait to do a track day on my bike :bananamario:

Next weekend, Spanish GT plus Portuguese TCC ... €15 for a weekend pass!!!!

Pics over in a Picasa web album ... Looky Looky

Teaser pic ...

Also ... RIP Craig Jones ... very sad loss :rip:

 

[Sander Hogendoorn]

Amazing rider, Troy Bayliss. A double victory in his last two races of his career :clap2:

3 times world champion, 52 victories in 152 races.

 

[Lee Downham]

So true ... showed his class by not being at all phased and took everyone to pieces yesterday ... in fact, all weekend. Feel very honoured to have been able to see his last 2 races

Other high point of his career for me overshadowed by other events that day was his MotoGP win at Valencia (2006) ... bike was sorted and suited him perfectly (unlike his other unfortunate 2 years riding in MotoGP) and he really showed the Motogp world what he is capable of.

Would really have been nice to have seen some battles with him on that very sorted Ducati of Stoner's and battling hard against Rossi ... but alas no more, we just have that little wining Oz to put up with now.

Haga on the WSBK Ducati next year ... should be interesting - always liked and admired Haga ... defo a lot of respect for him and proper hard man of the game

 

[Lee Downham]

BTW ... forgot to mention there was one of these there too this weekend ...

 

[David Lemon]

Here's a classic Irish 125 road race from 1998 at the Tandragee 100, sadly of the top six finishers only Dennis McCullough is still living, is roadracing worth the risk? the answer is NO but once you've been bitten by the bug it's very hard to shake, all the riders, including Darren Lindsay in 6th were immensely talented and friendly guys and are greatly missed

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOVc1voHOlk[/media]

 

[Wido Rossen]

All news regarding the 2009 season in here please.

 

[Wido Rossen]

Provisional calendar 2009

March 1 Australia Phillip Island
March 14 Qatar Doha/Losail*
April 5 Spain Valencia
April 26 Netherlands Assen
May 10 Italy Monza **
May 17 South Africa Kyalami
May 31 United States Salt Lake City
June 21 San Marino Misano
June 28 Great-Britain Donington Park
July 26 Czech Republic Brno
September 6 Germany Nürburgring
September 27 Italy tba
October 4 France Magny-Cours
October 25 Portugal Portimão

* Saturday race
** Subject to contract

(Brands is missing on the calendar.)

 

[Wido Rossen]

Changes sor far known for 2009

The following changes for 2009 are made public.

*Noriuky Haga moves from Yamaha to Ducati Xerox.

*Max Biaggi moves from Ducati to Aprillia.

*Shinya Nakano moves from MotoGP to WSBK to team up with Max Biaggi on the Aprillia RSV4.

*Kawasaki Motors Europe Are terminating the co-operation with the PSG-1 Corse World Superbike Championship team.

*Roberto Rolfo joins Team Stiggy in 2009, he will be teaming up with british Leon Haslam, son of legendary Ron Haslam.

*The new BMW team has contracted Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus for the 2009 season.

*Ben Spies and Tom Sykes replace Haga and Corser at Yamaha Italia in 2009.

*Karl Muggeridge enters the 2009 WSBK with the new Suzuki GSX-R1000K9 .

*Régis Laconi will drive a DFX Ducatti in the 2009 season.

.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Testing at Portimao.

Only a few teams stayed back, mainly the teams with new riders and bikes.

Unofficial times:
1. Shane Byrne (Ducati) 1'43"6;
2. Ben Spies (Yamaha) 1'43"9;
3. Max Biaggi (Aprilia) 1'44"1;
4. Tom Sykes (Yamaha) 1'44"5;
5. Nakasuga (Yamaha) 1'44"5;
6. Alex Polita (Ducati) 1'44"6;
7. Leon Haslam (Honda) 1'44"6;
8. Roberto Rolfo (Honda) 1'45"0;
9. Regis Laconi (Honda) 1'45"4;
10. Lorenzo Lanzi (Honda) 1'46.0"

I think/hope that Ben spies dose really well this year, he deserves to after being kinda let down by Rizla Suzuki in Moto GP.

 

[David Lemon]

Here's a race at my home circuit of Kirkistown which is only a few miles from where I live, it's in two parts but well worth a look even to see the mighty high side crash of tiny Tim Stott at the chicane:beat-up:

Part 1: [media]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Wcs5JCYYcZI&feature=related[/media]

Part 2: [media]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zdmPk2PKzjQ&feature=related[/media]

 

[David Bischoff]

Schumacher offered SBK Ride

Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher has been offered a ride in the World Superbike Championship next year by Honda. The German, who retired from Formula One racing at the end of the 2006 season, has been taking part in German superbike races during the year.
He also tested for the Ducati MotoGP team.
"Michael is convinced that the German championship is right for him at the moment," Honda Racing's Carlo Fiorani was quoted as saying by Gazzetta dello Sport. "For the moment he has not asked us to race in the 2009 world championship.
"But if he wants to, there is a way for him (to do it). All he has to do is ask us."
Schumacher has always maintained, however, that he had no intention to start a serious racing career on bikes.