BMW Motorrad USA proudly presents the exclusive 2025 R 12 S.
With the BMW R 12 S, BMW Motorrad expands its Heritage range with a fitting tribute to the iconic R 90 S, which in 1973, set an exclamation mark for BMW Motorrad with 67 hp, a top speed of 124 mph (considered the “sound barrier” for motorcycles at the time), double disk front brakes and sporting riding dynamics. Chief Designer at the time, Hans A. Muth, skillfully expressed the sporting ambitions in the design language, marking the R 90 S as the world’s first production motorcycle with a handlebar fairing designed according to aerodynamic principles. A red “90” in the R 90 S emblem of the engine, subtly pointed to the capabilities of the new BMW and the model became very popular with buyers at the time.
Racing successes helped the BMW R 90 S to achieve an iconic image.
It did not take long for the image of the R 90 S to also benefit from racing successes. At the 1976 Production TT on the Isle of Man, Hans-Otto Butenuth and Helmut Dähne celebrated a class victory. In the same year, Steve McLaughlin (No. 83) won the prestigious 200 Miles of Daytona on a Butler & Smith prepared R 90 S, and his teammate Reg Pridmore (No. 163) went on to become the very first AMA Superbike Champion in history, with McLaughlin finishing the season in second place. Today, the R 90 S is, as it was then, one of the most sought-after BMW motorcycles
The BMW R 12 S transfers the spirit of the R 90 S into the here and now.
More than the Concept Ninety study presented by BMW Motorrad in May 2013, the new BMW R 12 S takes up the spirit of the R 90 S in its overall concept as well as in many details and transfers it skillfully into the present day. Based on the R 12 nineT, it embodies an authentic and sporty retro motorcycle and blends several ingredients that make up a skillful homage to the R 90 S.
“The defining design elements of our R 12 S include the handlebar-mounted cockpit fairing with the tinted windshield, the seat with contrast stitching, and the Lava Orange Metallic paint finish as a nod to the legendary R 90 S Daytona Orange from 1975. The design is perfectly complemented by details such as the red-laid ‘S’ on the side covers, the red double coach line, and the brushed and clear-lacquered aluminum surfaces of the tank and seat hump,” explains Alexander Buckan, Head of BMW Motorrad Design.
Option 719 Wheel Classic II, Billet Packs Shadow and Shadow II, Headlight Pro, Shift Assistant Pro, and much more.
The claim to a sporty retro motorcycle is underlined by the R 12 S with numerous standard product features such as the Option 719 Classic II wheels with wire spokes and naturally anodized aluminum rims. The handlebars and fork tubes are in finished in black, and the components of the Billet packs Shadow and Shadow II make for attractive accents. Components of the Billet Pack Shadow are the left and right ignition coil covers, the oil filler screw, and the cylinder head covers coated in Avus Black Metallic Matte. The Billet Pack Shadow II includes the footrest system with foot brake and gear shift levers, the pillion footrests, the hand brake and clutch levers, the expansion tank covers for the front brake and clutch, as well as the handlebar end mirrors.
Further standard features include Hill Start Control, Gear Shift Assist Pro, Heated Grips, Cruise Control and short rear tail with swing arm mounted license plate holder. For even more safety during night rides, the adaptive cornering light Headlight Pro ensures better illumination of the road in corners.
Comprehensive list of Original BMW Motorrad Accessories for customization.
The BMW R 12 S is based on the BMW R 12 nineT, and therefore all accessories, such as titanium exhaust systems, soft bags, or the navigation preparation can be added. Additional factory-installed options such as Tire Pressure Control (RDC), Anti-Theft Alarm System (DWA), Intelligent Emergency Call, Connected Ride Control, and the digital display with micro-TFT display as an alternative to the classic round instruments.
R 12 S Standard Equipment
Like all 2025 model year BMW motorcycle models, the new R 12 S includes the Ultimate Care Break-In Service, or “600 Mile Service” as standard. This included service further provides BMW customers with a truly premium experience. Time and mileage limits apply – maximum 6 months from the in-service date or maximum 750 miles – whichever comes first.
1,170 cc 2-cylinder air/oil-cooled Boxer engine 6-speed gearbox, DOHC cylinder head with 4 radially arranged valves, Shaft Drive, Cast aluminum wheels, BMW Motorrad ABS Pro, BMW Motorrad Paralever, Twin disc front brake with radial brake caliper, DTC Dynamic Traction Control, Rear Preload Adjustable, Steering Stabilizer, Upside down fork with adjustable rebound, compression and preload, 12V Socket, Speedometer and Revolution counter, Electronic Immobilizer, LED turn indicators, LED Headlight and tail light, USB Port, On-Board Computer, Ride Modes, Adjustable handbrake and clutch levers, Keyless Ride, Chrome plated Header, Aluminum Fuel Tank, Intelligent Emergency Call, Ultimate Care Break-In Service.
R 12 S Daytona Package
Lava Orange Metallic Paint.
Cockpit Fairing.
Short rear tail with integrated LED lighting.
Black license plate frame attached to swing arm.
Option 719 Classic II Wheels.
Hill Start Assist.
Headlight Pro.
Shift Assistant Pro.
Single Seat and Rear Hump Cover.
Heated Grips.
Cruise Control.
Billet Pack Shadow. Milled Shadow ignition coil covers, oil filler plug, Avus Black Metallic Matte cylinder head covers.
Billet Pack Shadow II Milled shadow foot shift and brake levers, rider and passenger footrest systems, hand brake and clutch levers, brake reservoir cover, bar end mirrors.
Malcolm Smith, Legendary Motorcyclist and AMA Hall of Famer, Dies at 83
PICKERINGTON, Ohio — Malcolm Smith (1941 – 2024), who many consider to be America’s most-renowned and best-loved motorcyclist, has died from complications of Parkinson’s disease, which he battled for more than two decades. He was 83.
Smith passed away at home in Riverside, Calif., on November 26, peacefully and surrounded by family. He is survived by his wife Joyce, daughters Louise and Ashley, sons Joel and Alexander, granddaughters Evie, Adeline, Amelie, Miley and Claire, and grandsons Ethan, Malcolm and Conrad.
In his final year he welcomed his newest grandchildren, Malcolm, Conrad and Claire, and was thrilled to watch his granddaughters learn to ride motorcycles.
During his 83 years, Smith did it all: Rider. Racer. ISDT gold medalist. Shop tech. Service manager. Repair shop owner. Aftermarket distributor. Retail store owner. Actor. Sponsor. Philanthropist. Pro-motorcycling advocate. Husband. Father. Grandfather. Friend. And much more.
Malcolm Smith off-road at speed, on a Husqvarna.
But over and above all that, Malcolm Smith was everyman’s motorcyclist, an enthusiastic, fun-loving, driven and talented example of what motorcycling could do and be for the everyday enthusiast, and how the sport could affect our lives in unimaginable ways.
“Malcolm Smith embodied so much of what’s good about motorcycle enthusiasts and the sport of motorcycling,” said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. “Not only did he excel in riding, racing and business, but Malcolm was also a great example of how to get the most out of motorcycling and give back and support our sport, which he did during much of his life — and always with a grin.”
Funeral and memorial services are pending. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to Malcolm’s favorite charity, the Malcolm Smith Motorsports Foundation, which supports the children of Baja, at www.malcolmsmithmotorsportsfoundation.org/ .
More than decade ago, Malcolm Smith wrote these words for the final chapter of his acclaimed 2015 autobiography: “It all started for me on March 9, 1941, in a small rural hospital in the village of Ganges, on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, Canada…
“Where it will end, no one knows. But you can be sure I’m going to enjoy every minute I have left, with a smile on my face, and my family nearby. Can’t ask for more than that.”
You can’t, and he didn’t…and the world’s motorcycling fans are better for it.
Godspeed, Malcolm.
About the American Motorcyclist Association
Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. Besides offering members money-saving discounts on products and services, the AMA also publishes American Motorcyclist, a recently revitalized and monthly full-color magazine (and digital version of same) that covers current events and motorcycle history with brilliant photography and compelling writing. American Motorcyclist is also North America’s largest-circulation magazine. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.
The bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team (BbKRT) has now completed its second off-season test at the Circuito de Jerez Angel Nieto, setting the leading pace in the final period of track action before the start of the traditional winter break.
The BbKRT squad was on site at Jerez for both days of the Jerez test but regular riders Axel Bassani and Alex Lowes rode the new KB998 bimota on the second day only. Team test rider Florian Marino set laps on the first day, in preparation for the BbKRT riders to take to the 4.423km long circuit in Andalusia.
Bassani and Lowes found warm and sunny conditions on track on Wednesday, with both putting in an impressive lap count and working through their test plans in a methodical fashion. Alex recorded 83 laps on the final day and Axel 86.
With a 1’38.355 best single lap time Lowes was the quickest rider on track across both days of action, with Axel only just behind with his 1’38.358 – just a few thousandths of a second away.
A wide variety of machines shared the track with the BbKRT squad, including WorldSBK and EWC Superbike machines, WorldSSP bikes, BSB spec Superbike and Supersport machinery and even some MotoGP/Moto2 prototypes.
A winter break begins now for the team and riders, but the work on improving the performance of the already impressive KB998 will continue behind the scenes to be ready for the next test – once more at Jerez – which is scheduled to take place between 22-23 January 2025.
Alex Lowes on the winged Kawasaki-powered bimota World Superbike at Jerez. Kawasaki Europe photo.
Alex Lowes, stated: “It was a good day of testing, and a busy day. I spent a lot of years on the Kawasaki so there were two main targets for me. To be on the bike a bit more, and understand how to ride the bike in the best way. This is something I need to think about during the winter break. It was important to see if I have to change my style a bit. We did a long run and tried to work on used tyres to get a feeling with the bike. I started to work a bit on my confidence with the front. I had a little crash in T6, pushing the front to understand a bit more. We used one qualifying tyre only and we made a good step with that. Even if that was not our main target, it was nice to be fast. With all the information we have, I am sure we can improve quite a lot. We have an understanding of the bike but I know also where I need to work to just refine my style to get the most out of it.”
Axel Bassani, stated: “We worked a lot on race pace and I am quite happy. It was really good and I am also quite happy about doing a fast lap. I am not the best of all but we ran the same pace of Alex and he is one of the best riders in the world over one lap. We did more or less the same lap time, so that is really good. I think we understand which way we have to take during the winter break. Now, I think everyone needs to relax a little bit, to enjoy home and family. For sure we will think about the bike but it is also important to stop and relax and we will see everyone again next year. Thank you to everybody.”
Pere Riba, Crew Chief for Alex Lowes, stated: “This is the second test we have done with Alex, after we were here in Jerez one month ago. The bike is similar but we have some different items to let the rider be more comfortable on the bike, with the riding position and these kind of things. You can imagine how early in the project we are. This bike has a different character from the Kawasaki we raced in the past, in terms of riding. So the approach from the rider has to be a little bit different. We are working to understand how to create a base bike for Alex to be comfortable, to understand it and get the feeling. We have been testing quite linear changes in terms of set-up, not big up and down changes, as I want to give time for the rider to really understand the new bike. We made some changes in terms of balance to understand the direction we want to go in. We are still at the beginning, but even like this the lap times are quite promising. Alex used only one Q tyre to set a good lap time. It was a very positive test.”
Marcel Duinker, Crew Chief for Axel Bassani, stated: “First of all I would like to thank everybody for the big effort that they have all put into the project. Everybody has done an incredible job from the start until now. I think everybody can be happy and satisfied now that we are going into the holiday period. Axel feels very comfortable on the bike and is riding with a lot of confidence. He put on a good show and on both race tyres and Q tyres he was one of the fastest guys. His pace on a race tyre was honestly very impressive. We also did a long run and tested some small items. This was only our second day of testing with this machine. We made some small changes to the bike where we knew we needed to improve, and we got some positive results.”
The venue for the first two ‘private’ pre-season tests will now be the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve:
Portimão Moto3 Test: 10th – 11th February
Portimão Moto2 Test: 12th – 13th February
The official test at Jerez, with the track shared between Moto2™ and Moto3™ sessions, remains from the 18th to the 20th of February.
In-season dates for the lightweight and intermediate classes are confirmed as:
Le Mans Moto3 Test: 12th May
Le Mans Moto2 Test: 13th May
Brno Moto2 Test: 21st July
Brno Moto3 Test: 22nd July
About MotoGP
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Americans Rossi Moor and Max Toth battled over ninth place in the 17-lap FIM JuniorGP Moto2 season finale at Circuito Estoril in Portugal, with wild card entry Rossi making a last-lap pass on Toth to take the position.
American Rossi Moor In action on an MMR JuniorGP Moto2 racebike at Aragon. He finished 9th in the season finale at Estoril and hopes to join the series for 2025. Photo courtesy MMR Racing.Moto2_Race American Max Toth (27) in FIM JuniorGP Moto2 at Aragon earlier this season. Photo courtesy AGR Team.
More, excerpted from a press release issued by AGR Team:
In the Moto2 ranks, Max Toth, of the United States, produced a strong performance to clinch P10, despite dealing with painful arm pump. “I guess I can’t complain considering where we have been at. I think every time you achieve something you think you’re going to be satisfied but the reality is you get that much closer to that next goal and that’s kinda where I had my eyes focused,” he said. “If I didn’t have those forearm issues, the result could have been very different. It was a shame because we could have been fighting closer to the top five. But overall, a top 10 is something to be happy about considering the disaster of a season we have endured at times. It’s a positive ending.”
American Kristian Daniel Jr was the highest AGR finisher in the European Talent Cup division in P13. “I got into the 46’s in terms of lap times which really was my goal. My fastest time prior to this was a 47.8 so I went 1.1 seconds faster so I’m happy about that,” he said. “In order to be in the front group, my start needed to be perfect. Unfortunately, it was just a regular start so it wasn’t enough even though I knew I had the pace to be up there battling. It’s bittersweet but still a good way to end the season with my team.”
Max Toth (27) in the FIM JuniorGP Moto2 race at Estoril, Portugal on Wednesday, November 27, 2024. The race was moved to Estoril after Valencia was flooded, and had to run mid-week. Photo by Manutormo/courtesy AGR Team.Max Toth in action at Estoril on Thanksgiving eve. Photo by Manutormo/courtesy AGR Team.
The complete AGR Team press release follows:
BUCHANAN DELIVERS PODIUM FAREWELL FOR AGR
November 27, 2024
In a fitting farewell to the team, New Zealand racer Cormac Buchanan delivered AGR a third podium of the season at the FIM JuniorGP World Championship at Estoril. Buchanan, who will move up to the Moto3 World Championship in 2025, demonstrated his progression in the sport in his last outing in the junior ranks to secure second in the opening race. Tussling at the front throughout, Buchanan punched out of the final corner and dominated the fight to the finish line, missing the win by just 0.048 seconds to Guido Pini, of Italy.
“I’m really happy with today – it feels like I saved my best JuniorGP races until the very end. It was a such a nice way to sign off with AGR and reward them for the last three years and the massive part they have played in my development as a racer. They have made me who I am and I feel ready to fight it out in the world championship,” he said. “We managed the race really well. It almost felt like I was riding around knowing I had the race under control. Although, when I was sixth going into the last corner, I knew that I just had to close the eyes, as they say and push. Thankfully it was enough to cross the line in second and so close to my first win.”
Buchanan was again in the mix throughout race two, leading in stages and never more than a second from the front, but was forced to settle for seventh across the line. He was then demoted one place for breaching track limits. “It was another good race and I felt really calm. Unfortunately, I kept getting sucked into the slipstream under braking and it meant I had to do a lot of work to recover. In the end we just ran out of laps and I got punted wide in the last lap and got demoted for that which is unfortunate.”
A strong points haul in the final round boosted him up the championship ranks to 5th equal overall, just one point from fourth. “That track limits proved especially costly in the end but fifth in the world is an incredible result for this season. We were in the hunt for top three overall right until that last lap,” he said.
Owen van Trigt, of the Netherlands, narrowly missed out on points in race one with P17 but was unsatisfied with his efforts in the second race, finishing P25. “The first went well – I had a bad start but managed to get some places back,” he said. “We chose the softer tyre compound for the second race and that did not go to plan. I struggled with the grip. Overall, it was not the best but also not the worst. We will continue to work hard and prepare for a full championship season in 2025.”
In the Moto2 ranks, Max Toth, of the United States, produced a strong performance to clinch P10, despite dealing with painful arm pump. “I guess I can’t complain considering where we have been at. I think every time you achieve something you think you’re going to be satisfied but the reality is you get that much closer to that next goal and that’s kinda where I had my eyes focused,” he said. “If I didn’t have those forearm issues, the result could have been very different. It was a shame because we could have been fighting closer to the top five. But overall, a top 10 is something to be happy about considering the disaster of a season we have endured at times. It’s a positive ending.”
American Kristian Daniel Jr was the highest AGR finisher in the European Talent Cup division in P13. “I got into the 46’s in terms of lap times which really was my goal. My fastest time prior to this was a 47.8 so I went 1.1 seconds faster so I’m happy about that,” he said. “In order to be in the front group, my start needed to be perfect. Unfortunately, it was just a regular start so it wasn’t enough even though I knew I had the pace to be up there battling. It’s bittersweet but still a good way to end the season with my team.”
Travis Borg, of Malta, delivered a memorable debut, snatching his first point with a P15 result – despite dropping 13 positions earlier in the race. “It was my first ETC race so I fell back a lot to 27. It was kind of a difficult race because I had to push a lot to climb back but I got up to P15 again,” he said. “It was a good start to my career here and I want more so let’s see what I can achieve next year.”
Portugal’s Alfonso Almeida earned his place in the main race with an epic P2 finish in the last chance event earlier in the day. He then executed a credible race to claim P23. “Three of us escaped from the other riders and on the last lap I was able to move into P2 and achieve my goal of racing again today,” he said. “In the main race, I started from P30 and finished P23 and, while I’m not happy with the result, I am happy for all the work my team and I have put in to achieve my evolution this season. Next year we will make another step.”
More, from a press release issued by the FIM JuniorGP World Championship:
Championships decided as Carpe takes FIM JuniorGP™ crown on dramatic final day
A Wednesday to remember in JuniorGP™ as major drama made for some of the most remarkable stand-offs of the season
The 2024 FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship has come to an end with new race winners and Champions all in the same day. In the JuniorGP™ class itself, Guido Pini (Seventy Two ARTBOX Racing Team) and Maximo Quiles (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) won races but it was Alvaro Carpe (STV Laglisse Racing) who took the crown. In the Moto2™ European Championship, victory was all for Unai Orradre (STV Laglisse Racing) who was victorios but Roberto Garcia (Fantic Cardoso Racing) lifted the title trophy with fifth. The European Talent Cup was its usual unpredictable self but a first win went to Argentinean Valentin Perrone (Frando Racing VHC Team) whilst in the Stock™ European Championship, Dino Iozzo (IUM Motorsports) won his first race of his career but the title, after a hard-fought battle, was won by Mario Mayor (GV Tamoil Racing).
A thrilling Race 1 erupted into life in true JuniorGP™ fashion as Carpe went for gold from the start. He was soon enraged in a battle with the likes of Adrian Cruces (Finetwork Team) and Guido Pini, his teammate Brian Uriarte and Cormac Buchanan (AGR Team). Maximo Quiles’ quest for a first race win in the class was halted early on as he fell at Turn 4 after contact with hard-charging Jesus Rios (MRE Talent), originally set to start from P7 but in the end, had to start from the back of the grid due to slow riding in qualifying. Rios was in the top five when disaster struck title favourite Carpe, who crashed with Casey O’Gorman (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) at Turn 12 with just six laps to go; the Championship now not in his hands. Rios was a race leader two laps later but peaked too soon as Pini came back through. On the last lap and at the last corner, Rios – placed second – tried to ride round Pini but the Italian held firm and a tiny bit of contact disrupted Rios’ run, shuffling the Spaniard back down the field in seventh. Pini won his third race of the year ahead of Buchanan and Marcos Uriarte (CFMOTO Aspar Junior Team) but Carpe, despite not crossing the line and crashing out, was crowned Champion with joyous scenes in the box.
Race 2 was a slightly calmer affair to begin with, as everything now hinged on who was going to take P2 overall in the standings. The usual suspects were at the front with added spice from Uruguayan star Facundo Llambias, who was a race leader in the closing stages. Going to on the final lap and Quiles had battled his way to the front, with Cruces right there, Pini having his say and 18-year-old Austrian Jakob Rosenthaler (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP Junior Team) looking for a first podium in over a year and a half. On the run to the line, Quiles grabbed victory – his first in the class – with Pini taking P2 and Rosenthaler third. Newly-crowned Champion Carpe strutted home in sixth with a special gold livery to round out a special season of racing.
In the Moto2™ ECh, it was also the Championship-crowning day as Roberto Garcia (Fantic Cardoso Racing) needed just a top ten to secure the title. Going from fifth, he made a good launch but was soon pegged back and returned to his original starting position. Up front and a big battle was brewing between long-time race leader Alberto Surra (Team Ciatti-Boscoscuro) and Unai Orradre (STV Laglisse Racing). Orradre, chasing a first win of the season, pounced in the second half of the race and Surra didn’t have an answer despite a late error from the race-leading #10. Mattia Casadei (Team Ciatti-Boscoscuro) was Garcia’s main title rival but unable to get on terms with the race leaders. With the podium set in that order at the chequered flag, the title was agiven for Roberto Garcia, who rode a calm and solid race to take a first Championship crown. With four wins to his name and a total of six podiums, he’s a worthy title winner.
Moving onto the already-decided European Talent Cup title fight, Carlos Cano (Seventy Two ARTBOX Racing Team) was looking at becoming the first-ever ETC rider to secure seven wins in a season but he’d have to fight hard. In the early stages, the race was dominated by Giulio Pugliese (CFMOTO Aspar Junior Team) and Mallorcan star Fernando Bujosa (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) but he’d soon drop down field with a mechanical issue. At the pointy end of the race though, things heated up in the closing stages as Valentin Perrone, Pugliese, pole-sitter David Gonzalez (AC Racing Team), Beñat Fernandez (Frando Racing VHC Team) and Marco Morelli (MLav Racing) battled hard. On the run to the line, Perrone held on to become the fourth different winner of the season, whilst Pugliese secured third in the title race with P2 and Gonzalez salvaged third. Cano, already Champion, took P6 in the race whilst Morelli’s P5 was enough for second in the standings.
A belting Stock™ ECh race got underway with a second pole of the season being converted into a holeshot for Dino Iozzo before a red flag came out for an incident involving Rodrigo Valente (PS Racing), Eric Molina (Fifty Motorsport) and Cristian D’Arliano (Pinamoto RS). The medical team were on-site immediately and all riders reported to be conscious before being transported away. On the restart, Iozzo once again got a bright start but fellow front row starter Archie McDonald (MRE Talent) briefly led before the two swapped back by the end of the opening lap. A huge battle for the title was shaping up though as Mario Mayor (GV Tamoil Racing) and teammate Lorenzo Dalla Porta scrapped relentlessly for P3. In what was one of the best battles of the racing year, they both swapped places more than ten times and even rubbed wheels into Turn 6.
In the end, Dalla Porta won the battle for P3 but it wasn’t enough to take the title from teammate and good friend Mayor. Iozzo won his last race in the class with a fairytale farewell, whilst McDonald came home P2. The #48 of Dalla Porta was on the rostrum but the big celebrations were for his Championship-winning teammate Mayor. Demis Mihaila (MDR Competicion) was in contention on-track until a mechanical at Turn 12 ruled him out. Six different winners in the Stock™ European Championship’s second year, a fine way to conclude the 2024 FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship season.
For all the results from the past, present and future and more news regarding the Championship, www.fimjuniorgp.com
The Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association (CMRA) is excited to announce its 2025 schedule! Seven action-packed rounds with an eighth round being finalized, racers won’t be waiting long to take to the track again.
Changes for 2025 include:
Hallett Motor Racing Circuit and Motorsport Ranch-Cresson will be 2 day events – no Friday practice.
No Weekend License fee for other racing organizations’ licensed racers! Come race with us for a weekend and only pay race entry fees!
Our partnership with WERA is still in place, and points can be earned in select classes towards the WERA Grand National Finals held at the end of the season at Barber Motorsports Park! You must be a WERA licensed racer, and can purchase the WERA license any time at a CMRA event.
A detailed schedule will be released when finalized. 2025 CMRA license applications are available now. Go to: https://cmraracing.com/ for additional information, or call us at (817) 570-9779 during office hours; 9 am-5 pm Monday-Friday.
2025 CMRA Schedule
FEB 14 – 16 MSR Houston – Angleton, TX
MAR 22 – 23 Hallett Motor Racing Circuit – Hallett OK
APR 26 – 27 TBA
JUN 6 – 8 NOLA Motorsport Park – Avondale LA
JUL 5 – 6 Motorsport Ranch – Cresson TX
AUG 8 – 10 Eagles Canyon Raceway – Decatur TX
SEPT 6 – 7 Hallett Motor Racing Circuit – Hallett OK
OCT 24 – 26 Eagles Canyon Raceway – Decatur TX
More, from a press release issued by Jeff Bean:
Jeff Bean Wins 2024 CMRA Lightweight Expert Overall Championship
Finishing up strongly at the final CMRA round (Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association) at Eagles Canyon, in Decatur, Texas, Jeff Bean secured the points necessary to win the overall Lightweight Championship. Thus earning him the #1 plate for this division, which includes twin cylinder, water-cooled motorcycles, less than 700cc.
Jeff Bean, 2024 CMRA Lightweight Championship Winner, pictured with Dale Keiffer, of Racer’s Edge Performance, Dunlop’s west coast race tire distributor.
In this eight-event series, spanning February through October, Jeff competed on five different tracks throughout Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana; accumulating 19 podiums and 9 wins. Riding a Yamaha FZ-07, wrapped in Dunlop Ntec slicks, Jeff thanks Dale Keiffer, with Racer’s Edge Performance, Dunlop’s west coast race tire distributor, for his help and input. Dale had this to say: “I’m very proud of Jeff Bean‘s accomplishments this year. I got to know Jeff a few years ago when he ventured out west to race a few rounds at CVMA (Chuckwalla Valley Raceway), but I didn’t realize how fast he was around on those tracks that CMRA races on!”
On the same Yamaha platform, Jeff also had a strong showing in the MotoAmerica Twins Cup in 2024; finishing 15th overall, including five top-ten placings.
After multiple years in the Lightweight class, Jeff is bumping up to Supersport for 2025 and IS currently testing a Ducati Panigale V2 Next Gen motorcycle.
MotoAmerica To Host Official Test At Podium Club In Arizona
Official Preseason Test Scheduled For Podium Club, February 22-23
IRVINE, CA (November 26, 2024) – MotoAmerica, North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series, has announced that it will hold an official preseason test at the Podium Club in Casa Grande, Arizona, February 22-23.
The two-day test will have sessions for four MotoAmerica classes – Superbike, Supersport, Twins Cup, and King Of The Baggers. Stock 1000 and Superbike Cup riders may also apply to attend if they have Superbike-level qualifying lap times. Each class will be allotted four 20- to 30-minute sessions per day.
“We’ve been eager to bring back a preseason test for some time now,” said MotoAmerica COO Chuck Aksland. “The Podium Club is a relatively new circuit that several of our race teams have utilized over the past year. It offers the advantage of reliable weather conditions, which can be a challenge at other tracks that early in the season. We’re anticipating a strong turnout of teams and riders and are looking forward to a productive test.”
All participants must submit an entry to participate in the test, including those with season entries, and riders must be registered with MotoAmerica in order to apply.
The Podium Club features a 2.32-mile, 15-turn racetrack and is located a half a mile south of Interstate 8 and eight miles west of Interstate 10 in Case Grande, Arizona.
“We are thrilled to welcome MotoAmerica to the Podium Club for their official preseason test,” said Podium Club General Manager John Mabry. “The positive feedback we’ve received from riders and teams who have already tested here speaks to the quality of our track and our unwavering commitment to safety and performance. This opportunity reflects our dedication to advancing motorsports in Arizona and providing a professional and safe venue for top-level teams and organizations.”
About MotoAmerica
MotoAmerica is North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series. Established in 2014, MotoAmerica is home to the AMA Superbike Championship as well as additional classes including Supersport, Stock 1000, Twins Cup, Junior Cup, and King Of The Baggers. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership including three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey; ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland; motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges; and businessman Richard Varner. For more information, please visit www.MotoAmerica.com and follow MotoAmerica on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube. To watch all things MotoAmerica, subscribe to MotoAmerica’s live streaming and video on demand service, MotoAmerica Live+
Austria – 26 November, 2024 – KTM CEO Stefan Pierer and Co-CEO Gottfried Neumeister today addressed the company’s more than 5,000 employees, unveiling a comprehensive plan to navigate the current financial challenges and ensure a robust future for KTM.
KTM Co-CEO Gottfried Neumeister (left) and KTM CEO Stefan Pierer (right). KTM photo.
Making KTM robust for the future
Stefan Pierer, CEO of KTM AG: “Over the past three decades, we have grown to become Europe’s largest motorcycle manufacturer. We inspire millions of motorcycle riders around the world with our products. Now we are taking a pit stop for the future. The KTM brand is my life’s work, and I will fight for it.”
KTM, which has grown from 160 employees and a production volume of 6,000 units in 1992 to a capacity of up to 1,000 motorcycles per day, is now facing significant hurdles. To address these, KTM will initiate a legal restructuring proceeding with self-administration. The application will be submitted on Friday, 29 November, with the goal of concluding the process within 90 days.
Since September 2024, Gottfried Neumeister has joined the Executive Board as Co-CEO. Stefan Pierer: “Gottfried Neumeister has brought impressive experience and a breath of fresh air and has made a significant contribution to addressing the current situation. I am convinced that together we will get the company back on track for success.”
Gottfried Neumeister, Co-CEO of KTM AG: “The enthusiasm of our employees is our most important competitive advantage. Their passion is the reason why KTM is globally synonymous with peak performance. We build our motorcycles reliably and robustly for every race, for every terrain. Now it’s about making the company robust. Robust for the future. So that we can quickly focus again on what we do best: building the coolest motorcycles in the world.”
Pierer and Neumeister emphasized the importance of the employees’ commitment and support during this period. “Together, we have made KTM a success story, and together, we will carry KTM into the future,” they stated.
Pedro Acosta recently testing a 2025 KTM RC16 MotoGP racebike. He’s running #37 in 2025 instead of the #31 he ran in 2024 MotoGP because his preferred #37 (which he ran in Moto2) was already taken (and now isn’t ). Photo by Michael Gougis.
KTM North America’s Take:
KTM North America’s Media Relations Manager Andrew Jefferson issued the following statement from the company’s California headquarters:
“Regarding today’s announcement pertaining to KTM AG’s financial news, at this time we don’t have any additional comment to make beyond the press release (below). One important detail to note is that this is a legal restructuring procedure pertaining to KTM AG.
“(KTM) North America and all other KTM subsidiaries are not included.
“Thank you for your patience, we will have more comment as information becomes available.”
They warned us about the goats. Still, it was a bit unsettling to see a chubby little one on the edge of the road, nonchalantly noshing away at the foliage 18 inches off of my line. The goat was just one of the many reminders – tour buses, cyclists, pedestrians, and the occasional hiking group in the road – that we were riding in the real world, on the roads people use every day for getting about with their lives.
The island of Mallorca was the perfect place to showcase a performance bike built for the real world. Triumph brought journalists from around the world here to let them sample the new 2025 Speed Twin 1200 and Speed Twin 1200 RS, the latter a hot-rodded addition to Triumph’s lineup.
Both models are upgrades from the prior Speed Twin 1200, and both are designed to evoke the design of the company’s iconic models without imitating them. Both are aimed at delivering performance that is easy to access in a package that is easy on the body. And after 120 miles of endlessly twisting roads, it’s safe to say that Triumph has largely hit its design target.
Tech Briefing
Triumph engineers redesigned the 1200cc parallel-Twin’s engine case covers to save a little weight and to modernize their styling, and while they were in the engine bay, they pumped up the power output another five bhp to a claimed 103.5 bhp. The engine still puts out 82.6 lbs.-ft. of torque. The power peaks at 7750 rpm, while max torque hits at 4250 rpm, and the engine now redlines at 8000 rpm. Both models get cornering optimized traction control and ABS.
The frame remains the same, while the suspension has been altered. The base model comes with a pair of remote reservoir Marzocchi shocks and an upgraded 43mm inverted Marzocchi fork. The shocks have a softer spring rate and more damping. The RS model has a higher-spec, fully adjustable Marzocchi fork and fully adjustable Ohlins remote reservoir shocks. The RS features Brembo Stylema calipers and gets a Brembo master cylinder for the front; both bikes have 320mm front discs.
Engineers also made the RS sharper in the riding position, with the pegs moved rearward 40 mm and up 6.5 mm. This change also allows Triumph the space to install a clutchless up- and down-quickshifter. The RS gets a Sport power mode added to the base model’s Road and Rain modes. The base model gets sporty Metzeler Sportec M9RR radials, while the RS gets really sporty Metzeler Racetec RR tires in the K3 compound, the longevity version of the road-legal race/track tire.
Styling falls somewhere between the hyper-naked machines that have appeared in recent years and the purist recreations of traditional-look British vertical Twins. The exhaust is prominent and large, all the wiring and devices for electronic rider aids have been hidden, and the visual space around the engine remains. But the flat seat, bobbed fender and especially the new side covers evoke much more modern styling cues.
Riding The Speed Twin 1200s
Triumph moved the handlebars forward a bit for both models, and the riding position for each was incredibly comfortable from the moment I sat on them. This was to prove beneficial, as the route included just a taste of city riding and a whole lot of second-gear twisties. The flat bench seat proved supportive, and the vibration from such a big twin was pleasant rather than distracting.
The updated Marzocchi suspension on the base model was indeed comfortable and composed up to more than reasonable speeds. The springs are softer in the rear, while damping was increased. The bike was stable mid-corner, and only approaching triple digits did it start to feel vague and move around.
The engine pulled hard from just over 2000 rpm, with a step in power just above 4000 rpm – right about where the torque curve peaks. The ample torque allowed for a choice of gears in any given corner, and the bike just pulled away with enthusiasm from even tight, uphill first-gear hairpins. And it’s legitimately fast, even though it may seem a bit deceptive. There’s no screaming inline-Four wail, just the thrum of the 270-degree crank engine note, but the speed builds rapidly.
If the base model is really good, the RS takes that a step further. The more refined fork and Ohlins shocks keep the platform stable over ripples and dips that left the standard model moving more than you’d like, and they did so without any major compromises in ride quality. The more rearset pegs were just as comfortable for my 5-foot-10 frame. Triumph needed the space created by moving the pegs back and up for the quickshifter mechanism, which worked reasonably well on upshifting – some of the shifts were abrupt – and which worked remarkably well on downshifts. It is such a luxury to go barreling into a tight downhill turn, hard on the brakes, and be able to just stab at the shift lever for the downshifts instead of coordinating clutch, brake, throttle and shift lever.
Both versions of Metzelers were more than up to the task, and the bike flicked easily and held its line through and out of the corner. In the RS model’s Sport mode, the throttle response was quick and direct, yet still easy to modulate.
It’s easy to see why Triumph picked Mallorca for the global intro of the Speed Twin 1200s. The tight, twisty roads rewarded agility, torque and comfort, and the bikes deliver in those areas. They are entertaining to ride, easy to enjoy, and a pleasure to look at. Triumph says it has sold nearly 20,000 Speed Twins since the line was re-booted for the 2019 model year, and by modernizing the machines, it hopes many, many more find their way into the garages of enthusiasts worldwide.
Suggested retail for the base model is $13,595 and the RS retails for $15,995.
THE SHOWDOWN AWAITS: Estoril closes 2025 JuniorGP™ season with titles on the line
With so much at stake across the JuniorGP™ paddock, the next stars are ready to be crowned as one last hurrah awaits
In a season full of records, milestones and achievements, the biggest prizes remain up for grabs across the FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship, coming from the Circuito Estoril. The final round was set to take place in Valencia before the devastating flooding that has affected the region. JuniorGP™ continues to echo the message of support sent by MotoGP™ and stands with the Community of Valencia. This time, Sunday will be the day for setting up with track action starting on Monday and the races bringing new Champions on Wednesday. In JuniorGP™, Alvaro Carpe (STV Laglisse Racing) has the ball in his court, as does Roberto Garcia (Fantic Cardoso Racing) in the Moto2™ European Championship. It’s a slender ten-point gap between Mario Mayor (Yamaha GV Macrobonsai Racing) and teammate Lorenzo Dalla Porta in the Stock European Championship, whilst Carlos Cano (SeventyTwo Motorsports Artbox) already has the European Talent Cup title to his name.
JuniorGP™ riders have two races to look forward to but with a 43-point lead in the title race, Carpe can be anywhere inside the top eight to guarantee himself the title, regardless of what chief rival Jesus Rios (MRE Talent) can do. Both have three wins each and have dominated the season – Rios in the first half, Carpe in the second. At Estoril earlier in the season, neither were able to get inside the top eight, with Rios making a tyre choice mistake whilst Carpe had to come from 30th on the grid for P9. Maximo Quiles (Estrella Galicia 0,0) is tied on points with Rios and is thus mathematically in contention for the title despite not having won a race this season.
One point adrift of Quiles, Adrian Cruces (Finetwork Team) had finished every race in the points until his only race out of the points all season last time out at Aragon. Earlier in the year, Estoril welcomed Rico Salmela to winning ways, the first Finnish rider to win in the class. Guido Pini (SeventyTwo Artbox Racing Team) is fifth overall after two wins in the last four races, whilst Marcos Uriarte (CFMOTO Aspar Racing Team) – a podium finisher at Estoril in May – is sixth.
Moving on to the Moto2™ ECh, Garcia has a 19-point advantage over Mattia Casadei (Team Ciatti-Boscoscuro), meaning a top ten finish is good enough regardless of what the Boscoscuro rider can manage. Casadei must be in the top two to have any chance, something he’s not managed since Estoril earlier in the season when he was P1 and P2 in Race 1 and Race 2 respectively. Casadei’s teammate Alberto Surra is 25 points back but due to the countback of wins, can’t be crowned Champion even if he matches Roberto Garcia’s tally. Both the #31 of Garcia and the #40 of Casadei won at Estoril in May but the late November date could bring a late title twist.
The European Talent Cup’s title race is already settled after Cano took victory in Race 2 last time out at Aragon and with it, the crown for 2024. Seeking to cap off a season to remember, with six wins including a double at Estoril and five wins in seven races. Only off the podium three times, the 14-year-old seeks to set a new record in the class. Already equalling Izan Guevara’s 2020 tally for most wins in a season, he now has a the chance to make it seven. Behind Cano, Argentinean Marco Morelli (MLav Racing) should have P2 sown up but Giulio Pugliese (CFMOTO Aspar Junior Team) and David Gonzalez (AC Racing Team) can mathematically make it to the runner-up placing.
Concluding in Stock ECh, it’s the most uncertain of all the titles yet to be wrapped up with 16 points covering the top three, meaning it can still all very much change. Mario Mayor has won just once compared to the two wins of Dalla Porta but has finished every race. Dalla Porta failed to add to his tally at Portimao, proving consistency is key. Demis Mihaila (MDR Competion) has likewise finished every race but hasn’t racked up as many points as the others but a vital win last time out at Aragon – his first in the class – means he remains in contention. In all, 2024’s Stock ECh season has welcomed five winners and ten podium finishers.
The Wednesday race schedule for the final round of the FIM JuniorGP™ is as follows:
11:00 – JuniorGP™ Race 1: 16 laps
12:00 – ETC: 15 laps
13:00 – Moto2™ ECh: 17 laps
14:00 – JuniorGP™ Race 2: 16 laps
15:00 – Stock: 17 laps
You can also find all the results, videos, photos and information regarding the championship on the official website: www.fimjuniorgp.com
BMW Motorrad USA proudly presents the exclusive 2025 R 12 S.
With the BMW R 12 S, BMW Motorrad expands its Heritage range with a fitting tribute to the iconic R 90 S, which in 1973, set an exclamation mark for BMW Motorrad with 67 hp, a top speed of 124 mph (considered the “sound barrier” for motorcycles at the time), double disk front brakes and sporting riding dynamics. Chief Designer at the time, Hans A. Muth, skillfully expressed the sporting ambitions in the design language, marking the R 90 S as the world’s first production motorcycle with a handlebar fairing designed according to aerodynamic principles. A red “90” in the R 90 S emblem of the engine, subtly pointed to the capabilities of the new BMW and the model became very popular with buyers at the time.
Racing successes helped the BMW R 90 S to achieve an iconic image.
It did not take long for the image of the R 90 S to also benefit from racing successes. At the 1976 Production TT on the Isle of Man, Hans-Otto Butenuth and Helmut Dähne celebrated a class victory. In the same year, Steve McLaughlin (No. 83) won the prestigious 200 Miles of Daytona on a Butler & Smith prepared R 90 S, and his teammate Reg Pridmore (No. 163) went on to become the very first AMA Superbike Champion in history, with McLaughlin finishing the season in second place. Today, the R 90 S is, as it was then, one of the most sought-after BMW motorcycles
The BMW R 12 S transfers the spirit of the R 90 S into the here and now.
More than the Concept Ninety study presented by BMW Motorrad in May 2013, the new BMW R 12 S takes up the spirit of the R 90 S in its overall concept as well as in many details and transfers it skillfully into the present day. Based on the R 12 nineT, it embodies an authentic and sporty retro motorcycle and blends several ingredients that make up a skillful homage to the R 90 S.
“The defining design elements of our R 12 S include the handlebar-mounted cockpit fairing with the tinted windshield, the seat with contrast stitching, and the Lava Orange Metallic paint finish as a nod to the legendary R 90 S Daytona Orange from 1975. The design is perfectly complemented by details such as the red-laid ‘S’ on the side covers, the red double coach line, and the brushed and clear-lacquered aluminum surfaces of the tank and seat hump,” explains Alexander Buckan, Head of BMW Motorrad Design.
Option 719 Wheel Classic II, Billet Packs Shadow and Shadow II, Headlight Pro, Shift Assistant Pro, and much more.
The claim to a sporty retro motorcycle is underlined by the R 12 S with numerous standard product features such as the Option 719 Classic II wheels with wire spokes and naturally anodized aluminum rims. The handlebars and fork tubes are in finished in black, and the components of the Billet packs Shadow and Shadow II make for attractive accents. Components of the Billet Pack Shadow are the left and right ignition coil covers, the oil filler screw, and the cylinder head covers coated in Avus Black Metallic Matte. The Billet Pack Shadow II includes the footrest system with foot brake and gear shift levers, the pillion footrests, the hand brake and clutch levers, the expansion tank covers for the front brake and clutch, as well as the handlebar end mirrors.
Further standard features include Hill Start Control, Gear Shift Assist Pro, Heated Grips, Cruise Control and short rear tail with swing arm mounted license plate holder. For even more safety during night rides, the adaptive cornering light Headlight Pro ensures better illumination of the road in corners.
Comprehensive list of Original BMW Motorrad Accessories for customization.
The BMW R 12 S is based on the BMW R 12 nineT, and therefore all accessories, such as titanium exhaust systems, soft bags, or the navigation preparation can be added. Additional factory-installed options such as Tire Pressure Control (RDC), Anti-Theft Alarm System (DWA), Intelligent Emergency Call, Connected Ride Control, and the digital display with micro-TFT display as an alternative to the classic round instruments.
R 12 S Standard Equipment
Like all 2025 model year BMW motorcycle models, the new R 12 S includes the Ultimate Care Break-In Service, or “600 Mile Service” as standard. This included service further provides BMW customers with a truly premium experience. Time and mileage limits apply – maximum 6 months from the in-service date or maximum 750 miles – whichever comes first.
1,170 cc 2-cylinder air/oil-cooled Boxer engine 6-speed gearbox, DOHC cylinder head with 4 radially arranged valves, Shaft Drive, Cast aluminum wheels, BMW Motorrad ABS Pro, BMW Motorrad Paralever, Twin disc front brake with radial brake caliper, DTC Dynamic Traction Control, Rear Preload Adjustable, Steering Stabilizer, Upside down fork with adjustable rebound, compression and preload, 12V Socket, Speedometer and Revolution counter, Electronic Immobilizer, LED turn indicators, LED Headlight and tail light, USB Port, On-Board Computer, Ride Modes, Adjustable handbrake and clutch levers, Keyless Ride, Chrome plated Header, Aluminum Fuel Tank, Intelligent Emergency Call, Ultimate Care Break-In Service.
R 12 S Daytona Package
Lava Orange Metallic Paint.
Cockpit Fairing.
Short rear tail with integrated LED lighting.
Black license plate frame attached to swing arm.
Option 719 Classic II Wheels.
Hill Start Assist.
Headlight Pro.
Shift Assistant Pro.
Single Seat and Rear Hump Cover.
Heated Grips.
Cruise Control.
Billet Pack Shadow. Milled Shadow ignition coil covers, oil filler plug, Avus Black Metallic Matte cylinder head covers.
Billet Pack Shadow II Milled shadow foot shift and brake levers, rider and passenger footrest systems, hand brake and clutch levers, brake reservoir cover, bar end mirrors.
R.I.P. Malcolm Smith, Star Of On Any Sunday Movie Inspired A Generation Of Motorcyclists. Photo by Joe Bonnello/courtesy AMA.
Malcolm Smith, Legendary Motorcyclist and AMA Hall of Famer, Dies at 83
PICKERINGTON, Ohio — Malcolm Smith (1941 – 2024), who many consider to be America’s most-renowned and best-loved motorcyclist, has died from complications of Parkinson’s disease, which he battled for more than two decades. He was 83.
Smith passed away at home in Riverside, Calif., on November 26, peacefully and surrounded by family. He is survived by his wife Joyce, daughters Louise and Ashley, sons Joel and Alexander, granddaughters Evie, Adeline, Amelie, Miley and Claire, and grandsons Ethan, Malcolm and Conrad.
In his final year he welcomed his newest grandchildren, Malcolm, Conrad and Claire, and was thrilled to watch his granddaughters learn to ride motorcycles.
During his 83 years, Smith did it all: Rider. Racer. ISDT gold medalist. Shop tech. Service manager. Repair shop owner. Aftermarket distributor. Retail store owner. Actor. Sponsor. Philanthropist. Pro-motorcycling advocate. Husband. Father. Grandfather. Friend. And much more.
Malcolm Smith off-road at speed, on a Husqvarna.
But over and above all that, Malcolm Smith was everyman’s motorcyclist, an enthusiastic, fun-loving, driven and talented example of what motorcycling could do and be for the everyday enthusiast, and how the sport could affect our lives in unimaginable ways.
“Malcolm Smith embodied so much of what’s good about motorcycle enthusiasts and the sport of motorcycling,” said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. “Not only did he excel in riding, racing and business, but Malcolm was also a great example of how to get the most out of motorcycling and give back and support our sport, which he did during much of his life — and always with a grin.”
Funeral and memorial services are pending. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to Malcolm’s favorite charity, the Malcolm Smith Motorsports Foundation, which supports the children of Baja, at www.malcolmsmithmotorsportsfoundation.org/ .
More than decade ago, Malcolm Smith wrote these words for the final chapter of his acclaimed 2015 autobiography: “It all started for me on March 9, 1941, in a small rural hospital in the village of Ganges, on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, Canada…
“Where it will end, no one knows. But you can be sure I’m going to enjoy every minute I have left, with a smile on my face, and my family nearby. Can’t ask for more than that.”
You can’t, and he didn’t…and the world’s motorcycling fans are better for it.
Godspeed, Malcolm.
About the American Motorcyclist Association
Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. Besides offering members money-saving discounts on products and services, the AMA also publishes American Motorcyclist, a recently revitalized and monthly full-color magazine (and digital version of same) that covers current events and motorcycle history with brilliant photography and compelling writing. American Motorcyclist is also North America’s largest-circulation magazine. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.
Alex Lowes tested the Kawasaki-powered bimota World Superbike at Jerez. Kawasaki Europe photo.
The bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team (BbKRT) has now completed its second off-season test at the Circuito de Jerez Angel Nieto, setting the leading pace in the final period of track action before the start of the traditional winter break.
The BbKRT squad was on site at Jerez for both days of the Jerez test but regular riders Axel Bassani and Alex Lowes rode the new KB998 bimota on the second day only. Team test rider Florian Marino set laps on the first day, in preparation for the BbKRT riders to take to the 4.423km long circuit in Andalusia.
Bassani and Lowes found warm and sunny conditions on track on Wednesday, with both putting in an impressive lap count and working through their test plans in a methodical fashion. Alex recorded 83 laps on the final day and Axel 86.
With a 1’38.355 best single lap time Lowes was the quickest rider on track across both days of action, with Axel only just behind with his 1’38.358 – just a few thousandths of a second away.
A wide variety of machines shared the track with the BbKRT squad, including WorldSBK and EWC Superbike machines, WorldSSP bikes, BSB spec Superbike and Supersport machinery and even some MotoGP/Moto2 prototypes.
A winter break begins now for the team and riders, but the work on improving the performance of the already impressive KB998 will continue behind the scenes to be ready for the next test – once more at Jerez – which is scheduled to take place between 22-23 January 2025.
Alex Lowes on the winged Kawasaki-powered bimota World Superbike at Jerez. Kawasaki Europe photo.
Alex Lowes, stated: “It was a good day of testing, and a busy day. I spent a lot of years on the Kawasaki so there were two main targets for me. To be on the bike a bit more, and understand how to ride the bike in the best way. This is something I need to think about during the winter break. It was important to see if I have to change my style a bit. We did a long run and tried to work on used tyres to get a feeling with the bike. I started to work a bit on my confidence with the front. I had a little crash in T6, pushing the front to understand a bit more. We used one qualifying tyre only and we made a good step with that. Even if that was not our main target, it was nice to be fast. With all the information we have, I am sure we can improve quite a lot. We have an understanding of the bike but I know also where I need to work to just refine my style to get the most out of it.”
Axel Bassani, stated: “We worked a lot on race pace and I am quite happy. It was really good and I am also quite happy about doing a fast lap. I am not the best of all but we ran the same pace of Alex and he is one of the best riders in the world over one lap. We did more or less the same lap time, so that is really good. I think we understand which way we have to take during the winter break. Now, I think everyone needs to relax a little bit, to enjoy home and family. For sure we will think about the bike but it is also important to stop and relax and we will see everyone again next year. Thank you to everybody.”
Pere Riba, Crew Chief for Alex Lowes, stated: “This is the second test we have done with Alex, after we were here in Jerez one month ago. The bike is similar but we have some different items to let the rider be more comfortable on the bike, with the riding position and these kind of things. You can imagine how early in the project we are. This bike has a different character from the Kawasaki we raced in the past, in terms of riding. So the approach from the rider has to be a little bit different. We are working to understand how to create a base bike for Alex to be comfortable, to understand it and get the feeling. We have been testing quite linear changes in terms of set-up, not big up and down changes, as I want to give time for the rider to really understand the new bike. We made some changes in terms of balance to understand the direction we want to go in. We are still at the beginning, but even like this the lap times are quite promising. Alex used only one Q tyre to set a good lap time. It was a very positive test.”
Marcel Duinker, Crew Chief for Axel Bassani, stated: “First of all I would like to thank everybody for the big effort that they have all put into the project. Everybody has done an incredible job from the start until now. I think everybody can be happy and satisfied now that we are going into the holiday period. Axel feels very comfortable on the bike and is riding with a lot of confidence. He put on a good show and on both race tyres and Q tyres he was one of the fastest guys. His pace on a race tyre was honestly very impressive. We also did a long run and tested some small items. This was only our second day of testing with this machine. We made some small changes to the bike where we knew we needed to improve, and we got some positive results.”
The venue for the first two ‘private’ pre-season tests will now be the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve:
Portimão Moto3 Test: 10th – 11th February
Portimão Moto2 Test: 12th – 13th February
The official test at Jerez, with the track shared between Moto2™ and Moto3™ sessions, remains from the 18th to the 20th of February.
In-season dates for the lightweight and intermediate classes are confirmed as:
Le Mans Moto3 Test: 12th May
Le Mans Moto2 Test: 13th May
Brno Moto2 Test: 21st July
Brno Moto3 Test: 22nd July
About MotoGP
Welcome to the most exciting sport on earth. The fastest bikes. The most forward-thinking manufacturers. The world’s most fearless riders. This is the hunt, and there can only be one winner. Come with us to the edge of possibility and the edge of your seat.
Max Toth (27) chases fellow American Rossi Moor (92) in their FIM JuniorGP Moto2 battle at Estoril in 2024. Both finished in the top 10 and earned 2025 rides in the series. Photo by Manutormo/courtesy AGR Team.
Americans Rossi Moor and Max Toth battled over ninth place in the 17-lap FIM JuniorGP Moto2 season finale at Circuito Estoril in Portugal, with wild card entry Rossi making a last-lap pass on Toth to take the position.
American Rossi Moor In action on an MMR JuniorGP Moto2 racebike at Aragon. He finished 9th in the season finale at Estoril and hopes to join the series for 2025. Photo courtesy MMR Racing.Moto2_Race American Max Toth (27) in FIM JuniorGP Moto2 at Aragon earlier this season. Photo courtesy AGR Team.
More, excerpted from a press release issued by AGR Team:
In the Moto2 ranks, Max Toth, of the United States, produced a strong performance to clinch P10, despite dealing with painful arm pump. “I guess I can’t complain considering where we have been at. I think every time you achieve something you think you’re going to be satisfied but the reality is you get that much closer to that next goal and that’s kinda where I had my eyes focused,” he said. “If I didn’t have those forearm issues, the result could have been very different. It was a shame because we could have been fighting closer to the top five. But overall, a top 10 is something to be happy about considering the disaster of a season we have endured at times. It’s a positive ending.”
American Kristian Daniel Jr was the highest AGR finisher in the European Talent Cup division in P13. “I got into the 46’s in terms of lap times which really was my goal. My fastest time prior to this was a 47.8 so I went 1.1 seconds faster so I’m happy about that,” he said. “In order to be in the front group, my start needed to be perfect. Unfortunately, it was just a regular start so it wasn’t enough even though I knew I had the pace to be up there battling. It’s bittersweet but still a good way to end the season with my team.”
Max Toth (27) in the FIM JuniorGP Moto2 race at Estoril, Portugal on Wednesday, November 27, 2024. The race was moved to Estoril after Valencia was flooded, and had to run mid-week. Photo by Manutormo/courtesy AGR Team.Max Toth in action at Estoril on Thanksgiving eve. Photo by Manutormo/courtesy AGR Team.
The complete AGR Team press release follows:
BUCHANAN DELIVERS PODIUM FAREWELL FOR AGR
November 27, 2024
In a fitting farewell to the team, New Zealand racer Cormac Buchanan delivered AGR a third podium of the season at the FIM JuniorGP World Championship at Estoril. Buchanan, who will move up to the Moto3 World Championship in 2025, demonstrated his progression in the sport in his last outing in the junior ranks to secure second in the opening race. Tussling at the front throughout, Buchanan punched out of the final corner and dominated the fight to the finish line, missing the win by just 0.048 seconds to Guido Pini, of Italy.
“I’m really happy with today – it feels like I saved my best JuniorGP races until the very end. It was a such a nice way to sign off with AGR and reward them for the last three years and the massive part they have played in my development as a racer. They have made me who I am and I feel ready to fight it out in the world championship,” he said. “We managed the race really well. It almost felt like I was riding around knowing I had the race under control. Although, when I was sixth going into the last corner, I knew that I just had to close the eyes, as they say and push. Thankfully it was enough to cross the line in second and so close to my first win.”
Buchanan was again in the mix throughout race two, leading in stages and never more than a second from the front, but was forced to settle for seventh across the line. He was then demoted one place for breaching track limits. “It was another good race and I felt really calm. Unfortunately, I kept getting sucked into the slipstream under braking and it meant I had to do a lot of work to recover. In the end we just ran out of laps and I got punted wide in the last lap and got demoted for that which is unfortunate.”
A strong points haul in the final round boosted him up the championship ranks to 5th equal overall, just one point from fourth. “That track limits proved especially costly in the end but fifth in the world is an incredible result for this season. We were in the hunt for top three overall right until that last lap,” he said.
Owen van Trigt, of the Netherlands, narrowly missed out on points in race one with P17 but was unsatisfied with his efforts in the second race, finishing P25. “The first went well – I had a bad start but managed to get some places back,” he said. “We chose the softer tyre compound for the second race and that did not go to plan. I struggled with the grip. Overall, it was not the best but also not the worst. We will continue to work hard and prepare for a full championship season in 2025.”
In the Moto2 ranks, Max Toth, of the United States, produced a strong performance to clinch P10, despite dealing with painful arm pump. “I guess I can’t complain considering where we have been at. I think every time you achieve something you think you’re going to be satisfied but the reality is you get that much closer to that next goal and that’s kinda where I had my eyes focused,” he said. “If I didn’t have those forearm issues, the result could have been very different. It was a shame because we could have been fighting closer to the top five. But overall, a top 10 is something to be happy about considering the disaster of a season we have endured at times. It’s a positive ending.”
American Kristian Daniel Jr was the highest AGR finisher in the European Talent Cup division in P13. “I got into the 46’s in terms of lap times which really was my goal. My fastest time prior to this was a 47.8 so I went 1.1 seconds faster so I’m happy about that,” he said. “In order to be in the front group, my start needed to be perfect. Unfortunately, it was just a regular start so it wasn’t enough even though I knew I had the pace to be up there battling. It’s bittersweet but still a good way to end the season with my team.”
Travis Borg, of Malta, delivered a memorable debut, snatching his first point with a P15 result – despite dropping 13 positions earlier in the race. “It was my first ETC race so I fell back a lot to 27. It was kind of a difficult race because I had to push a lot to climb back but I got up to P15 again,” he said. “It was a good start to my career here and I want more so let’s see what I can achieve next year.”
Portugal’s Alfonso Almeida earned his place in the main race with an epic P2 finish in the last chance event earlier in the day. He then executed a credible race to claim P23. “Three of us escaped from the other riders and on the last lap I was able to move into P2 and achieve my goal of racing again today,” he said. “In the main race, I started from P30 and finished P23 and, while I’m not happy with the result, I am happy for all the work my team and I have put in to achieve my evolution this season. Next year we will make another step.”
More, from a press release issued by the FIM JuniorGP World Championship:
Championships decided as Carpe takes FIM JuniorGP™ crown on dramatic final day
A Wednesday to remember in JuniorGP™ as major drama made for some of the most remarkable stand-offs of the season
The 2024 FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship has come to an end with new race winners and Champions all in the same day. In the JuniorGP™ class itself, Guido Pini (Seventy Two ARTBOX Racing Team) and Maximo Quiles (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) won races but it was Alvaro Carpe (STV Laglisse Racing) who took the crown. In the Moto2™ European Championship, victory was all for Unai Orradre (STV Laglisse Racing) who was victorios but Roberto Garcia (Fantic Cardoso Racing) lifted the title trophy with fifth. The European Talent Cup was its usual unpredictable self but a first win went to Argentinean Valentin Perrone (Frando Racing VHC Team) whilst in the Stock™ European Championship, Dino Iozzo (IUM Motorsports) won his first race of his career but the title, after a hard-fought battle, was won by Mario Mayor (GV Tamoil Racing).
A thrilling Race 1 erupted into life in true JuniorGP™ fashion as Carpe went for gold from the start. He was soon enraged in a battle with the likes of Adrian Cruces (Finetwork Team) and Guido Pini, his teammate Brian Uriarte and Cormac Buchanan (AGR Team). Maximo Quiles’ quest for a first race win in the class was halted early on as he fell at Turn 4 after contact with hard-charging Jesus Rios (MRE Talent), originally set to start from P7 but in the end, had to start from the back of the grid due to slow riding in qualifying. Rios was in the top five when disaster struck title favourite Carpe, who crashed with Casey O’Gorman (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) at Turn 12 with just six laps to go; the Championship now not in his hands. Rios was a race leader two laps later but peaked too soon as Pini came back through. On the last lap and at the last corner, Rios – placed second – tried to ride round Pini but the Italian held firm and a tiny bit of contact disrupted Rios’ run, shuffling the Spaniard back down the field in seventh. Pini won his third race of the year ahead of Buchanan and Marcos Uriarte (CFMOTO Aspar Junior Team) but Carpe, despite not crossing the line and crashing out, was crowned Champion with joyous scenes in the box.
Race 2 was a slightly calmer affair to begin with, as everything now hinged on who was going to take P2 overall in the standings. The usual suspects were at the front with added spice from Uruguayan star Facundo Llambias, who was a race leader in the closing stages. Going to on the final lap and Quiles had battled his way to the front, with Cruces right there, Pini having his say and 18-year-old Austrian Jakob Rosenthaler (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP Junior Team) looking for a first podium in over a year and a half. On the run to the line, Quiles grabbed victory – his first in the class – with Pini taking P2 and Rosenthaler third. Newly-crowned Champion Carpe strutted home in sixth with a special gold livery to round out a special season of racing.
In the Moto2™ ECh, it was also the Championship-crowning day as Roberto Garcia (Fantic Cardoso Racing) needed just a top ten to secure the title. Going from fifth, he made a good launch but was soon pegged back and returned to his original starting position. Up front and a big battle was brewing between long-time race leader Alberto Surra (Team Ciatti-Boscoscuro) and Unai Orradre (STV Laglisse Racing). Orradre, chasing a first win of the season, pounced in the second half of the race and Surra didn’t have an answer despite a late error from the race-leading #10. Mattia Casadei (Team Ciatti-Boscoscuro) was Garcia’s main title rival but unable to get on terms with the race leaders. With the podium set in that order at the chequered flag, the title was agiven for Roberto Garcia, who rode a calm and solid race to take a first Championship crown. With four wins to his name and a total of six podiums, he’s a worthy title winner.
Moving onto the already-decided European Talent Cup title fight, Carlos Cano (Seventy Two ARTBOX Racing Team) was looking at becoming the first-ever ETC rider to secure seven wins in a season but he’d have to fight hard. In the early stages, the race was dominated by Giulio Pugliese (CFMOTO Aspar Junior Team) and Mallorcan star Fernando Bujosa (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) but he’d soon drop down field with a mechanical issue. At the pointy end of the race though, things heated up in the closing stages as Valentin Perrone, Pugliese, pole-sitter David Gonzalez (AC Racing Team), Beñat Fernandez (Frando Racing VHC Team) and Marco Morelli (MLav Racing) battled hard. On the run to the line, Perrone held on to become the fourth different winner of the season, whilst Pugliese secured third in the title race with P2 and Gonzalez salvaged third. Cano, already Champion, took P6 in the race whilst Morelli’s P5 was enough for second in the standings.
A belting Stock™ ECh race got underway with a second pole of the season being converted into a holeshot for Dino Iozzo before a red flag came out for an incident involving Rodrigo Valente (PS Racing), Eric Molina (Fifty Motorsport) and Cristian D’Arliano (Pinamoto RS). The medical team were on-site immediately and all riders reported to be conscious before being transported away. On the restart, Iozzo once again got a bright start but fellow front row starter Archie McDonald (MRE Talent) briefly led before the two swapped back by the end of the opening lap. A huge battle for the title was shaping up though as Mario Mayor (GV Tamoil Racing) and teammate Lorenzo Dalla Porta scrapped relentlessly for P3. In what was one of the best battles of the racing year, they both swapped places more than ten times and even rubbed wheels into Turn 6.
In the end, Dalla Porta won the battle for P3 but it wasn’t enough to take the title from teammate and good friend Mayor. Iozzo won his last race in the class with a fairytale farewell, whilst McDonald came home P2. The #48 of Dalla Porta was on the rostrum but the big celebrations were for his Championship-winning teammate Mayor. Demis Mihaila (MDR Competicion) was in contention on-track until a mechanical at Turn 12 ruled him out. Six different winners in the Stock™ European Championship’s second year, a fine way to conclude the 2024 FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship season.
For all the results from the past, present and future and more news regarding the Championship, www.fimjuniorgp.com
Walter Walker III (43) leads JC Camacho (91), Marshal Rosas (82), and Kasey Lewis (272) in CMRA action at NOLA. Photo by David Gillen/dgillenphoto.com
The Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association (CMRA) is excited to announce its 2025 schedule! Seven action-packed rounds with an eighth round being finalized, racers won’t be waiting long to take to the track again.
Changes for 2025 include:
Hallett Motor Racing Circuit and Motorsport Ranch-Cresson will be 2 day events – no Friday practice.
No Weekend License fee for other racing organizations’ licensed racers! Come race with us for a weekend and only pay race entry fees!
Our partnership with WERA is still in place, and points can be earned in select classes towards the WERA Grand National Finals held at the end of the season at Barber Motorsports Park! You must be a WERA licensed racer, and can purchase the WERA license any time at a CMRA event.
A detailed schedule will be released when finalized. 2025 CMRA license applications are available now. Go to: https://cmraracing.com/ for additional information, or call us at (817) 570-9779 during office hours; 9 am-5 pm Monday-Friday.
2025 CMRA Schedule
FEB 14 – 16 MSR Houston – Angleton, TX
MAR 22 – 23 Hallett Motor Racing Circuit – Hallett OK
APR 26 – 27 TBA
JUN 6 – 8 NOLA Motorsport Park – Avondale LA
JUL 5 – 6 Motorsport Ranch – Cresson TX
AUG 8 – 10 Eagles Canyon Raceway – Decatur TX
SEPT 6 – 7 Hallett Motor Racing Circuit – Hallett OK
OCT 24 – 26 Eagles Canyon Raceway – Decatur TX
More, from a press release issued by Jeff Bean:
Jeff Bean Wins 2024 CMRA Lightweight Expert Overall Championship
Finishing up strongly at the final CMRA round (Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association) at Eagles Canyon, in Decatur, Texas, Jeff Bean secured the points necessary to win the overall Lightweight Championship. Thus earning him the #1 plate for this division, which includes twin cylinder, water-cooled motorcycles, less than 700cc.
Jeff Bean, 2024 CMRA Lightweight Championship Winner, pictured with Dale Keiffer, of Racer’s Edge Performance, Dunlop’s west coast race tire distributor.
In this eight-event series, spanning February through October, Jeff competed on five different tracks throughout Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana; accumulating 19 podiums and 9 wins. Riding a Yamaha FZ-07, wrapped in Dunlop Ntec slicks, Jeff thanks Dale Keiffer, with Racer’s Edge Performance, Dunlop’s west coast race tire distributor, for his help and input. Dale had this to say: “I’m very proud of Jeff Bean‘s accomplishments this year. I got to know Jeff a few years ago when he ventured out west to race a few rounds at CVMA (Chuckwalla Valley Raceway), but I didn’t realize how fast he was around on those tracks that CMRA races on!”
On the same Yamaha platform, Jeff also had a strong showing in the MotoAmerica Twins Cup in 2024; finishing 15th overall, including five top-ten placings.
After multiple years in the Lightweight class, Jeff is bumping up to Supersport for 2025 and IS currently testing a Ducati Panigale V2 Next Gen motorcycle.
MotoAmerica will hold an official preseason test at the Podium Club in Casa Grande, Arizona, February 22-23. Jake Gagne (1) and his new Attack Yamaha teammate have already been testing there. Photo courtesy Podium Club.
MotoAmerica To Host Official Test At Podium Club In Arizona
Official Preseason Test Scheduled For Podium Club, February 22-23
IRVINE, CA (November 26, 2024) – MotoAmerica, North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series, has announced that it will hold an official preseason test at the Podium Club in Casa Grande, Arizona, February 22-23.
The two-day test will have sessions for four MotoAmerica classes – Superbike, Supersport, Twins Cup, and King Of The Baggers. Stock 1000 and Superbike Cup riders may also apply to attend if they have Superbike-level qualifying lap times. Each class will be allotted four 20- to 30-minute sessions per day.
“We’ve been eager to bring back a preseason test for some time now,” said MotoAmerica COO Chuck Aksland. “The Podium Club is a relatively new circuit that several of our race teams have utilized over the past year. It offers the advantage of reliable weather conditions, which can be a challenge at other tracks that early in the season. We’re anticipating a strong turnout of teams and riders and are looking forward to a productive test.”
All participants must submit an entry to participate in the test, including those with season entries, and riders must be registered with MotoAmerica in order to apply.
The Podium Club features a 2.32-mile, 15-turn racetrack and is located a half a mile south of Interstate 8 and eight miles west of Interstate 10 in Case Grande, Arizona.
“We are thrilled to welcome MotoAmerica to the Podium Club for their official preseason test,” said Podium Club General Manager John Mabry. “The positive feedback we’ve received from riders and teams who have already tested here speaks to the quality of our track and our unwavering commitment to safety and performance. This opportunity reflects our dedication to advancing motorsports in Arizona and providing a professional and safe venue for top-level teams and organizations.”
About MotoAmerica
MotoAmerica is North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series. Established in 2014, MotoAmerica is home to the AMA Superbike Championship as well as additional classes including Supersport, Stock 1000, Twins Cup, Junior Cup, and King Of The Baggers. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership including three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey; ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland; motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges; and businessman Richard Varner. For more information, please visit www.MotoAmerica.com and follow MotoAmerica on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube. To watch all things MotoAmerica, subscribe to MotoAmerica’s live streaming and video on demand service, MotoAmerica Live+
A prototype 2025 KTM 990 RC R. Photo by Rudi Schedl/courtesy KTM.
KTM Announces Strategic Restructuring Plan
Austria – 26 November, 2024 – KTM CEO Stefan Pierer and Co-CEO Gottfried Neumeister today addressed the company’s more than 5,000 employees, unveiling a comprehensive plan to navigate the current financial challenges and ensure a robust future for KTM.
KTM Co-CEO Gottfried Neumeister (left) and KTM CEO Stefan Pierer (right). KTM photo.
Making KTM robust for the future
Stefan Pierer, CEO of KTM AG: “Over the past three decades, we have grown to become Europe’s largest motorcycle manufacturer. We inspire millions of motorcycle riders around the world with our products. Now we are taking a pit stop for the future. The KTM brand is my life’s work, and I will fight for it.”
KTM, which has grown from 160 employees and a production volume of 6,000 units in 1992 to a capacity of up to 1,000 motorcycles per day, is now facing significant hurdles. To address these, KTM will initiate a legal restructuring proceeding with self-administration. The application will be submitted on Friday, 29 November, with the goal of concluding the process within 90 days.
Since September 2024, Gottfried Neumeister has joined the Executive Board as Co-CEO. Stefan Pierer: “Gottfried Neumeister has brought impressive experience and a breath of fresh air and has made a significant contribution to addressing the current situation. I am convinced that together we will get the company back on track for success.”
Gottfried Neumeister, Co-CEO of KTM AG: “The enthusiasm of our employees is our most important competitive advantage. Their passion is the reason why KTM is globally synonymous with peak performance. We build our motorcycles reliably and robustly for every race, for every terrain. Now it’s about making the company robust. Robust for the future. So that we can quickly focus again on what we do best: building the coolest motorcycles in the world.”
Pierer and Neumeister emphasized the importance of the employees’ commitment and support during this period. “Together, we have made KTM a success story, and together, we will carry KTM into the future,” they stated.
Pedro Acosta recently testing a 2025 KTM RC16 MotoGP racebike. He’s running #37 in 2025 instead of the #31 he ran in 2024 MotoGP because his preferred #37 (which he ran in Moto2) was already taken (and now isn’t ). Photo by Michael Gougis.
KTM North America’s Take:
KTM North America’s Media Relations Manager Andrew Jefferson issued the following statement from the company’s California headquarters:
“Regarding today’s announcement pertaining to KTM AG’s financial news, at this time we don’t have any additional comment to make beyond the press release (below). One important detail to note is that this is a legal restructuring procedure pertaining to KTM AG.
“(KTM) North America and all other KTM subsidiaries are not included.
“Thank you for your patience, we will have more comment as information becomes available.”
A 2025 Triumph Speed Twin 1200 RS in Mallorca, Spain, overlooking the Mediterranean. Photo by Michael Gougis.
They warned us about the goats. Still, it was a bit unsettling to see a chubby little one on the edge of the road, nonchalantly noshing away at the foliage 18 inches off of my line. The goat was just one of the many reminders – tour buses, cyclists, pedestrians, and the occasional hiking group in the road – that we were riding in the real world, on the roads people use every day for getting about with their lives.
The island of Mallorca was the perfect place to showcase a performance bike built for the real world. Triumph brought journalists from around the world here to let them sample the new 2025 Speed Twin 1200 and Speed Twin 1200 RS, the latter a hot-rodded addition to Triumph’s lineup.
Both models are upgrades from the prior Speed Twin 1200, and both are designed to evoke the design of the company’s iconic models without imitating them. Both are aimed at delivering performance that is easy to access in a package that is easy on the body. And after 120 miles of endlessly twisting roads, it’s safe to say that Triumph has largely hit its design target.
Tech Briefing
Triumph engineers redesigned the 1200cc parallel-Twin’s engine case covers to save a little weight and to modernize their styling, and while they were in the engine bay, they pumped up the power output another five bhp to a claimed 103.5 bhp. The engine still puts out 82.6 lbs.-ft. of torque. The power peaks at 7750 rpm, while max torque hits at 4250 rpm, and the engine now redlines at 8000 rpm. Both models get cornering optimized traction control and ABS.
The frame remains the same, while the suspension has been altered. The base model comes with a pair of remote reservoir Marzocchi shocks and an upgraded 43mm inverted Marzocchi fork. The shocks have a softer spring rate and more damping. The RS model has a higher-spec, fully adjustable Marzocchi fork and fully adjustable Ohlins remote reservoir shocks. The RS features Brembo Stylema calipers and gets a Brembo master cylinder for the front; both bikes have 320mm front discs.
Engineers also made the RS sharper in the riding position, with the pegs moved rearward 40 mm and up 6.5 mm. This change also allows Triumph the space to install a clutchless up- and down-quickshifter. The RS gets a Sport power mode added to the base model’s Road and Rain modes. The base model gets sporty Metzeler Sportec M9RR radials, while the RS gets really sporty Metzeler Racetec RR tires in the K3 compound, the longevity version of the road-legal race/track tire.
Styling falls somewhere between the hyper-naked machines that have appeared in recent years and the purist recreations of traditional-look British vertical Twins. The exhaust is prominent and large, all the wiring and devices for electronic rider aids have been hidden, and the visual space around the engine remains. But the flat seat, bobbed fender and especially the new side covers evoke much more modern styling cues.
Riding The Speed Twin 1200s
Triumph moved the handlebars forward a bit for both models, and the riding position for each was incredibly comfortable from the moment I sat on them. This was to prove beneficial, as the route included just a taste of city riding and a whole lot of second-gear twisties. The flat bench seat proved supportive, and the vibration from such a big twin was pleasant rather than distracting.
The updated Marzocchi suspension on the base model was indeed comfortable and composed up to more than reasonable speeds. The springs are softer in the rear, while damping was increased. The bike was stable mid-corner, and only approaching triple digits did it start to feel vague and move around.
The engine pulled hard from just over 2000 rpm, with a step in power just above 4000 rpm – right about where the torque curve peaks. The ample torque allowed for a choice of gears in any given corner, and the bike just pulled away with enthusiasm from even tight, uphill first-gear hairpins. And it’s legitimately fast, even though it may seem a bit deceptive. There’s no screaming inline-Four wail, just the thrum of the 270-degree crank engine note, but the speed builds rapidly.
If the base model is really good, the RS takes that a step further. The more refined fork and Ohlins shocks keep the platform stable over ripples and dips that left the standard model moving more than you’d like, and they did so without any major compromises in ride quality. The more rearset pegs were just as comfortable for my 5-foot-10 frame. Triumph needed the space created by moving the pegs back and up for the quickshifter mechanism, which worked reasonably well on upshifting – some of the shifts were abrupt – and which worked remarkably well on downshifts. It is such a luxury to go barreling into a tight downhill turn, hard on the brakes, and be able to just stab at the shift lever for the downshifts instead of coordinating clutch, brake, throttle and shift lever.
Both versions of Metzelers were more than up to the task, and the bike flicked easily and held its line through and out of the corner. In the RS model’s Sport mode, the throttle response was quick and direct, yet still easy to modulate.
It’s easy to see why Triumph picked Mallorca for the global intro of the Speed Twin 1200s. The tight, twisty roads rewarded agility, torque and comfort, and the bikes deliver in those areas. They are entertaining to ride, easy to enjoy, and a pleasure to look at. Triumph says it has sold nearly 20,000 Speed Twins since the line was re-booted for the 2019 model year, and by modernizing the machines, it hopes many, many more find their way into the garages of enthusiasts worldwide.
Suggested retail for the base model is $13,595 and the RS retails for $15,995.
American Rossi Moor In action on an MMR JuniorGP Moto2 racebike at Aragon. He finished 9th in the season finale at Estoril and hopes to join the series for 2025. Photo courtesy MMR Racing.
THE SHOWDOWN AWAITS: Estoril closes 2025 JuniorGP™ season with titles on the line
With so much at stake across the JuniorGP™ paddock, the next stars are ready to be crowned as one last hurrah awaits
In a season full of records, milestones and achievements, the biggest prizes remain up for grabs across the FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship, coming from the Circuito Estoril. The final round was set to take place in Valencia before the devastating flooding that has affected the region. JuniorGP™ continues to echo the message of support sent by MotoGP™ and stands with the Community of Valencia. This time, Sunday will be the day for setting up with track action starting on Monday and the races bringing new Champions on Wednesday. In JuniorGP™, Alvaro Carpe (STV Laglisse Racing) has the ball in his court, as does Roberto Garcia (Fantic Cardoso Racing) in the Moto2™ European Championship. It’s a slender ten-point gap between Mario Mayor (Yamaha GV Macrobonsai Racing) and teammate Lorenzo Dalla Porta in the Stock European Championship, whilst Carlos Cano (SeventyTwo Motorsports Artbox) already has the European Talent Cup title to his name.
JuniorGP™ riders have two races to look forward to but with a 43-point lead in the title race, Carpe can be anywhere inside the top eight to guarantee himself the title, regardless of what chief rival Jesus Rios (MRE Talent) can do. Both have three wins each and have dominated the season – Rios in the first half, Carpe in the second. At Estoril earlier in the season, neither were able to get inside the top eight, with Rios making a tyre choice mistake whilst Carpe had to come from 30th on the grid for P9. Maximo Quiles (Estrella Galicia 0,0) is tied on points with Rios and is thus mathematically in contention for the title despite not having won a race this season.
One point adrift of Quiles, Adrian Cruces (Finetwork Team) had finished every race in the points until his only race out of the points all season last time out at Aragon. Earlier in the year, Estoril welcomed Rico Salmela to winning ways, the first Finnish rider to win in the class. Guido Pini (SeventyTwo Artbox Racing Team) is fifth overall after two wins in the last four races, whilst Marcos Uriarte (CFMOTO Aspar Racing Team) – a podium finisher at Estoril in May – is sixth.
Moving on to the Moto2™ ECh, Garcia has a 19-point advantage over Mattia Casadei (Team Ciatti-Boscoscuro), meaning a top ten finish is good enough regardless of what the Boscoscuro rider can manage. Casadei must be in the top two to have any chance, something he’s not managed since Estoril earlier in the season when he was P1 and P2 in Race 1 and Race 2 respectively. Casadei’s teammate Alberto Surra is 25 points back but due to the countback of wins, can’t be crowned Champion even if he matches Roberto Garcia’s tally. Both the #31 of Garcia and the #40 of Casadei won at Estoril in May but the late November date could bring a late title twist.
The European Talent Cup’s title race is already settled after Cano took victory in Race 2 last time out at Aragon and with it, the crown for 2024. Seeking to cap off a season to remember, with six wins including a double at Estoril and five wins in seven races. Only off the podium three times, the 14-year-old seeks to set a new record in the class. Already equalling Izan Guevara’s 2020 tally for most wins in a season, he now has a the chance to make it seven. Behind Cano, Argentinean Marco Morelli (MLav Racing) should have P2 sown up but Giulio Pugliese (CFMOTO Aspar Junior Team) and David Gonzalez (AC Racing Team) can mathematically make it to the runner-up placing.
Concluding in Stock ECh, it’s the most uncertain of all the titles yet to be wrapped up with 16 points covering the top three, meaning it can still all very much change. Mario Mayor has won just once compared to the two wins of Dalla Porta but has finished every race. Dalla Porta failed to add to his tally at Portimao, proving consistency is key. Demis Mihaila (MDR Competion) has likewise finished every race but hasn’t racked up as many points as the others but a vital win last time out at Aragon – his first in the class – means he remains in contention. In all, 2024’s Stock ECh season has welcomed five winners and ten podium finishers.
The Wednesday race schedule for the final round of the FIM JuniorGP™ is as follows:
11:00 – JuniorGP™ Race 1: 16 laps
12:00 – ETC: 15 laps
13:00 – Moto2™ ECh: 17 laps
14:00 – JuniorGP™ Race 2: 16 laps
15:00 – Stock: 17 laps
You can also find all the results, videos, photos and information regarding the championship on the official website: www.fimjuniorgp.com
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Hide Images
Hide Emoji
Reading Guide
Stop Animations
Reading Mask
Highlight Hover
Highlight Focus
Big Dark Cursor
Big Light Cursor
Cognitive Reading
Virtual Keyboard
Navigation Keys
Voice Navigation
Accessibility Statement
www.roadracingworld.com
June 25, 2025
Compliance status
We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience,
regardless of circumstance and ability.
To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level.
These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible
to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.
This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific
disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.
Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML,
adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.
If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email
Screen-reader and keyboard navigation
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with
screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive
a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements,
alongside console screenshots of code examples:
Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website.
In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels;
descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups),
and others. Additionally, the background process scans all the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag
for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology.
To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on
as soon as they enter the website.
These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
