GET UP TO SPEED WIN! WIN! WIN!
October 2016
It’s Stafford time!
Show guide INSIDE
A TomTom Rider 400 sat nav system worth
£400
MCM is FREE in dealers, clubs and biker cafés
YAMAHA’S TRACER 700
It’s utterly BRILLIANT! ● Go quick ● Go touring ● GO GET ONE
Guy Martin’s secret fast laps
Nurburgring test caught on camera
Usain Bolt’s motorcycle test!
2017 R6 image appears in Japan
Just weeks after winning his ninth Olympic gold medal in Rio Usain Bolt took to a London motorcycle training school to get to grips with two wheels. The Jamaican track hero wasn’t sticking to a small bike for his lessons though, opting to ride a Honda NC750S instead of a smaller bike option. More on Page 4
▲
Inside sources say this is the new bike
After winning nine Olympic gold medals the world’s fastest man switches to two wheels for his speed thrills
NEWS 3
2017 Yamaha R6 image appears in Japan
A WHOLE YEAR OF BIKING FOR JUST
£10
Call 01507 529529 or go to www.classicmagazines.co.uk/mcm20
It’s not a real photograph, but it is a computer-generated image based on what factory sources say is happening to the razor-sharp 600. This news comes to us from the same source that first revealed the piggyback exhaust ends on the Honda CBR250RR. That information was absolutely spot on – and now they’ve come up with this. Here’s what our source says the next generation of Yamaha R6 WILL look like.
Things to note about this bike: the front of the fairing is radical with its CFD winglets protruding from the nose; the secondary bank of LED bar lights sitting like eyes above the mini-searchlight round headlights which themselves sit like nostrils on either side of the R1-esque air intake scoop; and the R1-style vents in the front of the petrol tank cover. The current bike (left) makes 123bhp @ 14,500rpm. The new bike, according to our Japanese friends, is going to clear 130bhp at around the same redline. The compression ratio of 13.1:1 is likely to stay the same and the motor is going to stay at 600cc. The seat unit is coming in for some Aprilia-esque styling (the pillion pegs look very much like
Excitement builds for Snake River ‘take two’!
an afterthought) but it’s the fairing where the biggest and most obvious changes have happened. The sides of the fairing are split into various winged elements; one off the
shoulders of the main fairing, the other will sit just behind the radiator and the third is at the bottom section of the fairing in a similar style to the CBR250RR’s.
By the time you read this American stuntman Eddie Braun will be about to recreate the famous canyon jump attempted by Evel Knievel in his Skycycle X-2, 42 years ago. Braun will fire a modern version of the Skycycle over the Snake River Canyon in Idaho as the ultimate fan tribute to the legendary superstar.
CONFIRMED: Kawasaki developing artificial intelligence for motorcycles
M20 bridge collapse biker: “My first thought was for my crushed MT-07.” The biker who was injured when a pedestrian bridge collapsed on to the M20 last month has admitted that in the immediate aftermath of the devastation his first thoughts were for his crushed Yamaha MT-07. Jim Shaw, 73, of Thamesmead, South East London, escaped with just five broken ribs when the footbridge near Maidstone was hit by a lorry carrying a digger on August 27. Shaw said that he was travelling at 70mph and: “Chaos broke loose. Bits were flying everywhere. I moved to the outside lane. There was only one place to go. I threw the bike on the floor and went under.” Speaking to the BBC from his hospital bed in Tunbridge Wells, Mr Shaw said: “I was riding down the motorway, enjoying life as it goes by and then I saw that the bridge was coming down, almost like in was in slow motion, because it’s eating its way through the lorry. “But then it tore away from the other side. As that came down, it was a matter of ‘throw the bike on the floor and go for it’. I’ve a few broken ribs, but they mend. “My first thought when I came to rest was, ‘oh well, there goes my bike’. It was a great bike.”
Motor Cycle Monthly, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6JR Tel: 01507 529529 Email: editorial@motorcyclemonthly.co.uk
Editor Tony Carter Editorial design Fran Lovely Publisher Steve Rose Picture desk Paul Fincham, Jonathan Schofield Production editor Jack Harrison Divisional advertising manager Martin Freeman 01507 529538 Advertising Lee Buxton 01507 529453 Marketing manager Charlotte Park Publishing director Dan Savage Commercial director Nigel Hole Associate director Malcolm Wheeler Advertising deadline for November issue Thursday, September 29, 2016
Kawasaki has announced that it IS working on an artificial intelligence system that will let your bike communicate and adapt to your needs as you ride. The artificial intelligence system will not only be able to ‘talk’ and respond to a rider’s commands, but can change a bike’s set-up, power and handling character exactly as needed by the rider. All of this will be done via a live link to specific AI cloud computing. So far, so next-generation, but the biggest (and most ‘Knight Rider-y’ part of all of this) is that the AI on the motorcycle won’t ‘just’ be limited to shifting major bike components as needed, but will also feature what Kawasaki calls an ‘Emotion Engine’ which will interpret a rider’s emotions and could give the bike its own personality. p y Yep, p, yyour H2R
could literally have a mind of its own, and a mood to match. And it’ll be able to read your mood, too. And talk to you. The Emotion Engine isn’t the stuff of Arthur C Clarke though, it’s very real and already happening, developed by a company called Cocoro SB which is part of the mega tech giant SoftBank which, incidentally, has recently acquired ARM technologies just outside of Cambridge, one of the world’s leading developers of microchip and small-tech futures. Although the tech is pretty basic at the moment, the Emotion Engine is here and is moving forward at a rapid rate. Next stop – as officially announced by Kawasaki – is to implement it onto your bikes so your machine can talk to you and (more importantly) listen to you as you y ride.
MT-07 getting a facelift Secret drawings for the 2017 Yamaha MT-07 have revealed that the hugely popular middleweight is getting a new face for next year. The bike’s headlight set-up is being replaced with a MT-10-esque fourlight system. Each of the small round LED headlights give a stronger, more concentrated beam of light than a conventional-style larger headlight, but because the beams are so narrow there has to be four of them to ensure that enough of the road is covered while riding at night.
Vietnamese capital to ban all bikes by 2025
Customer services number 01507 529529 Telephone lines are open Monday-Friday 8.30am-7pm, Saturday 8.30am-12.30pm
Subscribe to MCM and just pay the postage! Call 01507 529529 or visit classicmagazines.co.uk/MCM
MCM recommends bikesafe.co.uk
or email help@classicmagazines.co.uk Motor Cycle Monthly is published monthly on the third Friday of the month by Mortons Media Group Ltd and printed by Mortons Print.
Independently proven pick up: 67,717 copies
How many motorcycles in a major city is too many? In excess of seven million is the answer – if you were wondering. Officials in Hanoi are predicting the number of bikes to hit that figure by 2025, and they’ve decided enough is enough. Moves are afoot by Nguyen Duc Chung, who is the chairman of the People’s Committee, to stop motorcycles entering the city altogether once the figure of registered motorcycles to Hanoi rises from the current 4.6 million to the predicted limit. Once banned, current riders are being told to switch to public transport instead.
10 FIRST RIDE
Yamaha Tracer 700:
The sum of the parts (and then some!) We all know what we’re getting with the Tracer 7. The only thing is… none of us expected this bike to be THIS good. WORDS: Tony Carter PHOTOGRAPHY: Yamaha
RETRO RIDE 17
KAWASAKI’S W800
The wrong time to leave the party
This recent retro-business, with its beards and the old-llooking bikes, has seen a real boom, yet Kawasaki has decided to not update this cool motorcyccle as needed. It’s a shame, that. Words: Bob Pickett With Euro 4 looming on the horizon (and no escape via Brexit), the W800 leaves Kawasaki’s line-up at the end of the year, with poor sales meaning it’s not worth the expense of developing the air-cooled parallel twin. But hold on! Wasn’t the same true of its predecessor – albeit with a four-year gap – the W650? In that case Euro 3 did for it, again with poor sales cited. Interesting aside: for years, the most popular bike searched for on sister publication Real Classic’s website? The W650. It seems people want the look, but without that tiresome maintenance business. To me, it seems the W800 didn’t gel with Kawasaki UK’s strategy. I recall going to a show in 2011 – the year the model launched – and it was squeezed into a corner at the back of the display where it was nearly impossible to get to, let alone sit on. But at least it was displayed that year. With the end nigh, Kawasaki is sending the not-so-old girl off in style, with nice variants on the basic theme. There is a great looking – and aptly named – Final Edition (all twin-tone
paint job and shininess), but the model I rode was the Black Edition. This is my favourite look; a mix of lustrous black paint on tank and frame mixed with matt black engine and peashooter exhausts, with just a touch of shiny chrome. What’s unchanged is the core machine. Small, narrow and light, this is an easy bike to paddle around, making it ideal for smaller riders and older riders who might struggle to support the weight of bigger bikes. To quote a hoary old line befitting the send-off of a retro-look bike, the controls fall easily to hand, the bars have a very slight backward curve, the mirrors work (!) and your view is graced with a twin-set of fantastic looking retro clocks which do a great job of feeding information at a glance. Thumbing the electric start (no kick-start nonsense thankfully), the engine thrums to life agreeably if quietly, a theme repeated throughout the day. Those peashooter exhausts hint at some serious noise, but in reality this is one quiet motorcycle. Not expecting to get up to sufficient
217kg The wet weight of the W800 Black Edition Kawasaki
24 MEGA MILES
The Middle East by Harley:
Mega miles made easy
If you're going to go and see a desert-y part of the world on two wheels, you should do it in comfort. And you could win a trip like this for yourself!
DAY ONE Atana Khasab Hotel
UAE Border Post
Jebel Al Jais
Ras Al-Khaimah
Banyan Tree Al Wadi
Words: Bruce Wilson Photography: Harley-Davidson and Anna Wilson The road kept winding, cutting its way along a valley surrounded on each side by towering sandy-coloured mountains; their magnificence exaggerated by the bright blue sky which embraced their impressive peripheries. A dry river bed, known locally as a wadi, shouldered the smooth surfaced route which was leading us towards Jebel Jais – the highest summit in the United Arab Emirates. Up until now the going had been easy for my Harley-Davidson Street Glide, but the introduction of switchbacks demanded a deeper level of commitment from its 1690cc motor. Laden with full panniers, my wife Anna, and myself, the torquey V-twin slogged its way up the initial ascent with relative ease. Higher and higher the road went, the sheersided drop being cautioned by the occasional road sign, adjoined by those of falling rocks and wandering goats. The latter were everywhere and about as unpredictable as a balloon in the wind. What was much more expectable was the steadfast handling of the Glide, casually
pitching into every hairpin with the customary acknowledgment of grinding footboards. We weren’t in a race, but the desire to reach the mountain’s 1934-metre summit was proving irresistible, as was the craving to look all around at the evermore magnificent vistas. Ten minutes in and we were still climbing, still awestruck by the sheer beauty ty of the road, which eventually terminated at a viewing point a couple of hundred feet short of the enormous rock’s peak. Construction machines were slogging away at the recently commissioned pass, which one day will bridge Dubai to Oman, but for now the route played a much simpler role; to highlight the wonders of this majestic land. This was not the Dubai I had in mind.
Taking it all in
When Harley-Davidson offered the chance to head out to the better known state of the UAE as part of its Discover More 2016 Tour, I really questioned the reasoning. What was there to see other than a metropolis? Where could we ride? What was the point? Dubai had always represented a commercial hub in my mind, crammed with tall buildings and not a lot else.
But, behind the visage of big business and exorbitant wealth lies one of the most cultural, beautiful and fascinating regions on this earth, as Anna and I were to discover on our two-day tour. No sooner had we touched down at the airport before a taxi whisked us away from the hubbub of the city, trading cars for camels, towering buildings for towering sand dunes. Fifteen minutes into the journey and it seemed as if we were in a different world, as remote as can be, travelling along a relatively empty and perfectly conditioned motorway. After the best part of an hour the driver turned off the main road, entering onto an unmade sand and rock trail, lined by dunes and sporadic palm trees. In an instant it felt as though we’d reached the edge of civilisation, which probably would have rung true had an enormous hotel, decorated in Harley-Davidson banners, not suddenly appeared around a corner. After a warm welcome, dinner and an overview of the visit, highlighting the 800km route and the plethora of 12 different Harley touring bikes available to test, plus a trike, the time had come to relax for the evening, rounding off with a spectacular quad trip into the surrounding dunes.
STAFFORD SHOW GUIDE | FREE 12 PAGE PULL-OUT 41
44 THE CAROLE NASH CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS SHOW PREVIEW The Autumn Stafford Sale from Bonhams
We’ve never had it so good…
Bonhams’ two annual Stafford sales have become among the most popular, well-attended and most valuable motorcycle auctions in UK, and the most recent events have seen record-breaking sales take place. This latest installment looks set to follow the trend with plenty of excitement surrounding the 1924 Croft-Cameron Super Eight which headlines hundreds of lots. With the Coventry-based company’s production only ever small-scale, this relatively rare example is expected to sell for upwards of £150,000. Among the other notable examples going under the hammer are an exworks Ducati, a 1948 Vincent Black Shadow, a 1907 Matchless V-Twin combination and a 1979 Kawasaki Z1000 TT racing bike.
The 1924 Croft-Cameron Super Eight, going under the hammer in Bonhams’ auction on Sunday, October 16, at the Stafford show.
The Cavalcade
The Stafford show is a celebration of modern classic motorcycles, and it’s a market more buoyant than ever. We asked Classic Motorcycle Mechanics editor Bertie Simmonds for his take on things… I would say we’ve never had it so good in the classic motorcycle market, and I say that even (or perhaps because of ) the uncertainty of Brexit. Classic Motorcycle Mechanics is in an enviable position to be able to focus on machines from diverse eras from the swinging sixties, the 1970s, 80s and across the spectrum of the Japanese manufacturers to Europeans, such as Ducati, Laverda, Moto Guzzi, BMW and the ‘modern’ Hinckley-era Triumphs of the 1990s, so it’s interesting to gauge how each sector of the market is behaving. Many of the ‘core classics’ of the 1960s and 1970s are now commanding big figures, and industry expert Paul Jayson, from The Motorcycle Broker – themotorcyclebroker.co.uk – is clear as to the reasons why. He says: “A familiar pattern is emerging. I have been in the industry since 1988, so when interest rates went rocketing and property crashed, I started exporting to mainland Europe in those preinternet days. “What has been happening since June 24 is that I have sold a lot of really, super-clean, original and unrestored machines. Decent Sandcast Honda CB750s are £30,000-plus and CBXs have properly hit £15,000-plus now. Why? When currencies are devalued investors run to tangible assets.” With the internet connecting the modern world like never before, the market for such machines is as widespread as ever with people communicating, buying and selling from sometimes thousands of miles away from each other. Paul adds: “The weakness of the pound is also pushing prices up as most investment grade classic motorcycles are imported. Customers are willing to pay extra to acquire the investment classic they want. Over the coming years expect classic motorcycle prices to harden up even more, for topend machines.
“As time rolls on, bikes from the 60s, 70s and then the 80s will also give way to machines from the 1990s and beyond, so the market is changing yearon-year as more machines move into the potential ‘classic’ category. “Prices, currently, are low for most machines, but with notable exceptions. Two-stroke race-replica values have been rising for years, along with prices of the limited-edition homologation four-stroke race-replicas of the 1980s/1990s. Thankfully, the ‘meat and two veg’ machines still offer good value for money even if we’ve seen values creep up over the years. “Mainstream machines popular back in the day show this: you could buy a very clean, early 1990s Yamaha YZF750 for £1500 four years ago. Today you’d need to spend at least £1000 more. I can’t see prices going any way but up.”
Making money
This means playing the investment game isn’t the preserve of the rich: we can all make a killing (percentage wise at least) off of a good investment bike, but better still we can enjoy them while making money, too. You wouldn’t want to put too many miles on your mint Honda VFR750R RC30, but go and enjoy a tour on your £1800 Honda Blackbird and still sell it for £400 more in a year’s time. Keeping your modern classic on the road is easier than ever too. With manufacturer-backed spares schemes such as Suzuki’s Vintage Parts Programme and many parts being reverseengineered and remanufactured there really isn’t a better time to buy, ride and restore the bike. Compare that to some of the classic car owners groups who are finding it harder than ever to keep their classic four-wheelers on the road. Every reason then to pay a visit to the Carole Nash Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show on October 15-16. I’ll see you there.
Laps around the main ring at Staffordshire County Showground will be taking place once again on the weekend of the event, as riders give visitors the chance to see several interesting machines in action. Bikes from the 1960s, 70s and 80s will be the focus, but Sunday’s session will see our guest stars Dave Aldana, Don Emde, Mert Lawwill and Gene Romero riding (see our news on page eight). That’s a sight not to be missed!
The Restoration Theatre
Expert advice from the Yamaha FS1-E Owners Club will be on offer at the Stafford show, with the group running the Restoration Theatre. There will be several presentations throughout the day offering advice on all types of bike along with live restoration and Q&A sessions. Check your show map and timetable for location details and further information on the line-up.
52 PRODUCTS
Triumph summer clothing range RRP: Various Triumph’s summer clothing range offers something to suit all tastes and styles. For a day out and about, Triumph’s Men’s White Vintage Logo T-shirt is the perfect choice (sizes in XS-XXXL). A comfortable fit made of 100% cotton, there’ll be no issue staying cool this summer. The Spring/Summer 2016 range is available now from Triumph dealerships nationwide. For further information: triumphmotorcycles.co.uk
SnapJack portable motorcycle jack RRP: £47.35 // Colours: Red or blue Jacking up your rear wheel during travel just got easier, with SnapJack portable motorcycle jacks by Tirox. SnapJack lifts the rear end off the ground with multiple adjustment heights. The high-strength low-alloy steel jack locks into place allowing the wheel to spin freely for lubing, cleaning and adjusting the drive chain. A secure strap ensures the safe removal of the jack, while an additional brake locking strap prevents rolling. The jacks are available in red or blue, and come with two protective floor pads and a carry case for portability. Full instructions are included. For further information: wemoto.com
Richa Scrambler jacket
X-Groove Gore-Tex boots
RRP: £169.99 // Sizes: XS-6XL // Colour: Black The Scrambler textile jacket has an outer shell made from British Millerain waxed cotton fabric and features antiqued brass-style fixings – including poppers, zips and waist adjustment buckles. There’s a waterproof and breathable fixed membrane and a removable quilt liner. CE-certified D3O elbow and shoulder protectors are included and a pocket is built in for a back protector. Quilted checker panels on the elbows and shoulders add to the nostalgic look. For further information: nevis.uk.com // 01425 478936
RRP: £144.99 // Sizes: EUR 36-48 // Colour: Black Forming part of the 24/7 line from TCX, and designed for those wanting to wear the boots all day – even when not on the bike – the X-Groove boots now come with a Gore-Tex liner to make them breathable and waterproof. CE-approved and made from suede leather, the boots feature protection at the malleolus area, toe and heel and fasten using a lace system. The sole is newly designed with a specific path to increase stability and grip in a slippery urban environment. For further information: nevis.uk.com // 01425 478936
Venhill VT15 tool roll RRP: £29.75 New from Venhill, the VT15 tool roll is made from traditional materials for a timeless appearance that will appeal to classic bike owners and riders who appreciate vintage style alike. Measuring approximately 24 x 36cm
(9.5 x 14in) when open, the VT15 is manufactured using heavy duty waxed cotton. Inside are nine pockets and an elastic strap for driver handles. Once rolled up it is fastened by two straps made from vegetable tanned
oiled leather, with robust metal buckles. For further information: venhill.co.uk // 01306 885111
56 NEW RIDER
Want to know exactly where to start your journey into becoming a biker? Or how to move up the ‘cc ladder’? Here’s our quick guide to motorcycle licence categories and which bikes you can ride at each stage.
CBT
A1 licence
At age 16 you can take your CBT (Compulsory Basic Training), which allows you to ride 50cc mopeds (don’t forget to apply for your provisional licence through gov.uk first). If you’re 17 you can take your CBT on a 125cc geared motorcycle, and then ride on the roads. The CBT certificate is valid for two years, after that you have to retake your CBT. At 17 you could ride: Aprilia RS4 125 Replica, £4071, aprilia.com
You need to be 17 years old or over to get your A1 licence. Before taking the practical test for the A1 licence you’ll need a valid CBT certificate and you’ll need to have passed your theory test. The practical test consists of Modules 1 (at a training facility) and 2 (on road). The e A1 licence allows you to ride motorcyycles up to 11K Kw (14.8bhp) with a power-tto-weight ratio that does not exceed 0.1kW (0.13bhp)) per kg — these are usually 125cc bik kes.
For scooter lovers: Kawasaki J125, £3799, kawasaki.co.uk
At 16 you could ride: WK Bikes 50TTR, £1049, wkbikes.com
A2 licence At age 19 you’re able to get your A2 licence. You ne eed a valid CBT certificate and theory test in place, then n after completing the practical test Modules 1 and 2 (same as for A1 licence but on a bigger bike) you’ll be legally allowed to ride motorcycles up to 35kW (46.9bhp) with a power-toweight ratio of no more than 0.2kW (0.27 7bhp)) per kg. This can Retro-cool option: Ducati include restricted d Scrambler Sixty2, £6450, motorcycles — i.e. scramblerducati.com bigger bikes thatt have been fitted with restrictor kits — but the bike must not be e derived from a vehicle more tha an twice its power.
Budget option: Sinnis RS125, £1595, sinnismotorcycles.com
British style: Triumph Thruxton 1200 R, £11,700, triumphmotorcycles.co.uk Naked hooligan: Yamaha MT-03, £4499, yamaha-motor.eu On and off road: Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin, £10,499, honda.co.uk
Full A licence
Once you’re 21 you’ll be able to get a full unrestricted licence if you’ve held your A2 licence for two years or more. Alternatively, if you’re 24 you can take the ‘Direct Access’ route, which gives you a full licence straight away. You’ll need to pass your CBT and theory test, plus your Module 1 and Module 2 test.
64 SPORT
Cruchlow wins in MotoGP First Brit to win in the top class since Sheene 35 years ago
You’ve seen it by now, but there’s absolutely no way we could leave Cal Crutchlow’s historic MotoGP win in Brno off these pages. The battling Brit came through the field after dropping back to 15th on track from 10th on the grid, to storm through the field to the win. The LCR rider was one of only two in the field to have chosen a hard option tyre for both the front and rear – the other being Frenchman Loris Baz – and the rubber came into its own as the laps ticked on; Crutchlow catching the top 10 and then the top five, before finally overcoming then race-leader Andrea Iannone. The Brit never looked back, sitting up around the final corner before coming over the line doing a stand-up wheelie. Speaking after the race, Cal, who recently became a father, said: “The biggest emotion I ever had was three weeks ago when Willow was born – having said that it’s the best day of my racing career. I’m really, really pleased for my team. We worked hard for this and I took the gamble. Not many other people did and as far as I’m concerned they’re all wimps! “I don’t know why if you choose one harder option you don’t choose the other. But anyway, we
did the best job today and I’m so pleased for the team. I smashed a bike yesterday and they didn’t leave the circuit last night until midnight – so this was a good way to repay them today. I almost crashed at Turn 10 when I changed into sixth instead of fifth, but once I knew Valentino wasn’t coming – no one was coming for me – I just rode around and didn’t take risks. Don’t get me wrong, winning the race is incredible but I had the best present a couple of weeks ago.”
Rossi: “I wasn’t as brave as Cal!”
The stats that matter The last British rider to win a premier-class race was Barry Sheene on a Yamaha in the 500cc Swedish Grand Prix at Anderstorp on August 16, 1981. Sheene’s win was the 300th 500 race in history, and was the 138th premier-class victory for British riders. Since Sheene’s win and until Brno, there had been 532 successive premierclass races without a British winner. ● At the age of 30 years 297 days, Crutchlow is the oldest rider to take his maiden win in the MotoGP class since Troy Bayliss in the final race of 2006 in Valencia. Crutchlow is the first British rider to win a premier-class GP race riding a Honda since Mike Hailwood won the Canadian 500 Grand Prix in 1967.
Sheene Suzuki raced again
● The win at Brno was also the 10th
MotoGP podium for Crutchlow, which is the greatest number of premier-class podium finishes for any British rider since Barry Sheene. ● Crutchlow is just the sixth rider to win a MotoGP race having never competed fulltime in any of the smaller classes of Grand Prix racing. In that particular category he is in the good company of Nicky Hayden, Makoto Tamada, Troy Bayliss, Chris Vermeulen and Ben Spies, which makes Crutchlow the only European to achieve the feat. ● Crutchlow is just the 17th rider to win in both the premier-class of Grand Prix racing and in the World Superbike Championship.
A fast-charging Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) took a second place finish in the Czech Grand Prix, coming through the field from a ‘desperate’ 12th place near the start to hone in on the front and slice through to follow winner Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) home. Rossi, who chose the harder option rear tyre but the softer option front, took some time to get up to speed before the red sectors started to appear and the veteran Italian used his superior grip to haul himself back into contention. Rossi said: “At the beginning I was desperate because I thought we made a mistake. But through the race the harder rear was coming better and it was a very long race. “You have to keep concentrating and not make any mistakes. “It was a great race and I’m very happy for these 20 points, because now I’m second in the championship and I think today we did a good job. And we made the right choice on the rear tyre. “Unfortunately we didn’t choose the hard front, that was because in the morning I already didn’t have a good feeling with the soft. “I wasn’t as brave as Cal.”
Bradley Smith: “The bike’s fork leg went through the BACK of my knee!”
Braking good – Silverstone’s most challenging stops You’ve seen the MotoGP action at Silverstone but do you realise how much work goes into stopping the world’s fastest bikes and riders? Stowe (turn seven) requires scrubbing speed by more than 130mph (210km/h) – the riders arrive at 205mph (330kmh) and brake for 4.5 seconds, applying 6.9kg of force in order to drop to 69mph (112kmh). They manage to do this in just 826-feet (252 meters), which is less than the length of the par 4, 9th hole on St. Andrews golf course. Brooklands (turn 16) is even longer in terms of the amount of time (4.9 seconds) and space (849feet or 259 meters) necessary – the bikes go from 185mph (299kmh) to 60mph (97kmh), but the load on the lever is ‘only’ 5.7kg. Vale (turn eight) is the corner taken at the lowest speed 40mph (65kmh). To go down to this speed, the brakes are on for 4.1 seconds and the system’s pressure reaches 11 bar. Becketts (turn four) is worth mentioning because to stay on the track the riders have to reduce their speed to 13mph (22kmh), but it only takes them 1.1 seconds and 150-feet (46 meters), less than the width of a football pitch.
Yamaha Tech 3 MotoGP rider Bradley Smith could miss the rest of this season after a horrific crash during a practice session for the Oschersleben 8 hours endurance. Smith was just days away from the British round of the MotoGP championship when he was involved in a sickening fall that happened as Smith passed a slower rider. The Brit suffered serious ligament damage to his left knee and was airlifted to hospital and operated on. Another bike ran over the Oxfordshire man as he was sliding on the grass alongside the track, and that bike’s fork leg went through the back of Smith’s knee. He said: “Little did I realise when I was sliding along the track at the Oschersleben circuit in Germany, already thinking about jumping up and getting back on the bike, what the outcome would be. “The next few hours are all a bit of a blur. A ride to the local hospital by helicopter, an operation with 15 stitches to close a wound at the back of my knee.
This is the Bennetts Suzuki team’s special livery for a Brands Hatch round of the BSB championship, which also doubled up as the 40th anniversary of Barry Sheene’s maiden world title. It’s inspired by the famous livery of Sheene’s XR14 Suzuki. The weekend at Brands Hatch also marked 40 years since Sheene won the last international Hutch 100 race, which raced anticlockwise around the Brands Hatch circuit.
A Monster trophy
Check out the trophy for this year’s King of the Mountain competition. Sponsored by Monster Energy the trophy was awarded to Leon Haslam who was the highest points scorer across BSB races at the Cadwell Park Bank Holiday race weekend. We like this trophy a lot. Very cool.
Nicky Hayden hosts Honda Racing TV
“Right now I’m clearer on everything and working hard to sort out what is best for the future. “I was passing a slower rider when he weaved into me and knocked me off. As I was sliding along the track another bike hit me and its fork leg went through the back of my right knee. “The result is that I’ve suffered serious damage to three main ligaments in the knee which will require surgery. I’m talking to the surgeons about when is the best time to have the operation because there is much to consider. Of course I want to be back racing as soon as possible, but I also want to be able to train properly by running and cycling which is so important for my general well-being as a human being. Also, I have to consider what is best for my current and future employers and so it’s a very important decision. “I’m positive about the future and have to be grown up enough to accept that I’ve sustained a very big injury, but it could have been worse. Now is the time to move on and make the right decisions for the bigger picture.”
Not to be outdone by the recent webisodes of Valentino Rossi’s internet series, Nicky Hayden has been doing his presenting-bit too. Episode five of the ongoing series from Honda Pro Racing has gone live online. Watch it on morebikes.co.uk. In the episode you follow the Kentucky Kid as he takes you on a tour of the Hayden ranch in Owensboro, visits the Goodwood Festival of Speed, introduces the latest Life Behind the Bars with TT legend John McGuinness, and looks at the evolution of the Honda CR.
Get up to speed daily
THE FREE WEBSITE