Stefano Mesa and Andrew Lee Double Down to Set New Motorcycle Track Records with Pirelli DIABLO™ Superbike Slicks
125/70-17 SC2 and 200/65-17 SCX Slicks Continue to Impress with Mesa at Nelson Ledges Road Course and Lee at High Plains Raceway
ROME, Ga. (September 4, 2020) – The Pirelli DIABLO™ Superbike range continues to impress in the new, larger World Superbike derived sizing as Stefano Mesa and Andrew Lee captured the brand’s fourth and fifth absolute motorcycle track record bounties of 2020. Mesa, who led the way with the most track records in 2019, set a new record lap at Nelson Ledges Road Course during the WERA National Challenge series in Ohio. Lee’s motorcycle track record came at High Plains Raceway in Colorado during the Motorcycle Roadracing Association (MRA) series. Both riders’ impressive feats came while competing on Pirelli-equipped Kawasaki NINJA® ZX™ – 10R motorcycles.
“We managed to lower the track record by almost a full second,” said Mesa. “On the last race, we tried something new with the grippers from Pirelli and put on the new SCX superpole tire provided by Metric Devil Moto. The tire was unreal and the grip it provided in the first three laps felt like a qualifier tire with the longevity of an SC0 for a sprint race. This tire is something special!”
Stefano Mesa (37) at speed at Nelson Ledges Road Course. Photo by Marty LLC / Marty Matuszak, courtesy Pirelli.
Mesa’s lap record of 1:04.192 was set during the Open A/Superbike race, topping Taylor Knapp’s track record of 1:05.173. Mesa’s ZX™-10R motorcycle was equipped with Pirelli’s DIABLO™ Superbike 125/70-17 SC2 front and 200/65-17 SCX rear slicks.
“It was great to get redemption and a track record on Pirelli’s new 200/65 SCX after being denied earlier this season due to weather at Summit Point,” said Mike Faillace, Metric Devil Moto, Pirelli trackside vendor. “It was satisfying to see both Mesa and Vasiliy Zhulin well under the existing lap record in the A Superstock race. We had already posted some very fast times on the SC0 rear in the sprints earlier in the day and I was confident we could push the pace even faster with the SCX. The data we get from weekends like this help us stay on top of our game. Mesa’s 1:04.192 is very impressive around the fast and flowing Nelson Ledges circuit where side and drive grip are critical to lap times. I’m very proud to have been part of another lap record effort with Stefano.”
Utilizing High Plains Raceway’s “west configuration”, Lee set a fast lap of 1:21.518 in the Open Superbike class to overthrow the previous best lap time of 1:22.698. Lee relied on the same tire options as Mesa with a 125/70-17 SC2 front and 200/65-17 SCX rear.
“It was awesome coming to Colorado with Kory and the Moto Station team again,” said Lee. “I had to learn a new track pretty quickly due to the weather but moving into Saturday I was pretty confident. We never even touched the suspension all weekend. We installed a fresh set of Pirelli’s and that’s all I needed. I have so much trust that the bike will do what I need with the new World Superbike slick, which helped me lower the record!”
“It’s great when we get to work with a rider as talented as Andrew,” said Kory Cowan, Moto Station, Pirelli trackside vendor. “His ability to ride at the limit every time he’s on the track and provide good feedback on the tires helps us better understand how they work in different track conditions. That’s information that we can use with other riders to help them achieve their personal best, which makes it a win for everyone.”
Pirelli continues to offer a tire credit prize for setting a new motorcycle track record and four different riders have managed to capture a track record so far this season.
For complete results from Nelson Ledges round of WERA, Click Here. To see results for the MRA round at High Plains Raceway, Click Here.
For more information about the complete line of Pirelli motorcycle tires, please visit Pirelli.com
IRVINE, CA (September 4, 2020) – MotoAmerica has announced that it will again host 10 rounds of the MotoAmerica Series in 2021, headlined by a 20-race MotoAmerica HONOS Superbike Series.
MotoAmerica has released its provisional 2020 series schedule, which will again consist of 10 rounds and 20 HONOS Superbike races. Photo by Brian J. Nelson
Eight of the 10 event dates have been finalized. Confirmation of the additional event dates will be announced soon.
“It’s always good to get the schedule out as early as possible,” said MotoAmerica Partner Chuck Aksland. “It helps our teams prepare and is also good for our fans to be able to do the same. This year has been very difficult as we all know and we’re hopeful that normality returns in 2021. Thanks to all involved in helping get the schedule set for next year.”
2021 MotoAmerica Series Schedule (Provisional)
April 30 – May 2 Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta Braselton, Georgia
May 21-23 Virginia International Raceway Alton, Virginia
June 11-13 Road America Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
June 25-27 The Ridge Motorsports Park Shelton, Washington
July 9-11 WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Monterey, California
August 13-15 Pittsburgh Int’l Race Complex Wampum, Pennsylvania
Sept. 10-12 New Jersey Motorsports Park Millville, New Jersey
Sept. 17-19 Barber Motorsports Park Birmingham, Alabama
Rinaldi Vs Rea: Independent star holds Champion at bay in FP2
Michael Ruben Rinaldi sets the pace on Friday as WorldSBK action continues at MotorLand Aragon
Michael Rinaldi (21). Photo courtesy Dorna.
MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship action continued with the Pirelli Teruel Round as Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team GOELEVEN) continued to show impressive pace at MotorLand Aragon with the Italian rider topping both Free Practice sessions on Friday running as he edged out the reigning Champion by just 0.001s.
Rinaldi posted a time of 1’49.840s in Free Practice 1, a good enough time to top the combined timesheets, ahead of five-time Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) by the smallest of margins as just 0.001s separated the duo after the two 50-minute sessions. Rea’s teammate, Alex Lowes, finished the session in third place as he made it two Kawasaki machines in the top three.
Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) finished the day in fourth place as BMW started to bounce back from a challenging Aragon Round at the same circuit while his BMW teammate, Eugene Laverty finished the day in 12th place as he also looks to rebound following a difficult weekend last time out.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team) was another looking to make a step forward following the Aragon Round and finished the day in fifth place while Michael van der Mark (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team) was in eighth place; Razgatlioglu lapping around eight tenths off Rinaldi’s pace.
Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) was sixth fastest after Friday’s action with the British rider chasing his eighth win at MotorLand Aragon while teammate Scott Redding (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) also finished inside the top ten with the ninth fastest time overall. Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC), looking to take Honda onto the podium in back-to-back weekends, finished the day in seventh place while teammate Leon Haslam was in tenth; capping a strong day for the Honda outfit.
Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) finished the day in 11th place despite a crash in Free Practice 2 at Turn 8; the Frenchman coming off his bike entering the corner. Xavi Fores (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) had a strong performance last time out at MotorLand Aragon and continued that today with 13th in Free Practice, ahead of Maximilian Scheib (ORELAC Racing VerdNatura), Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team) and teammate Federico Caricasulo.
Marco Melandri (Barni Racing Team) finished the day in 17th place ahead of Sylvain Barrier (Brixx Performance); Frenchman Barrier crashing at Turn 10 in Free Practice 1 but able to get out on track for the second session. Roman Ramos (OUTDO Kawasaki TPR) was classified in 19th place with Takumi Takahashi (MIE Racing Honda Team) and WorldSBK debutant Matteo Ferrari (Motocorsa Racing) rounding out the field.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Pata Yamaha Make Step Forward in Friday Practice Sessions at Aragón
The Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team with Rizla made some positive steps forward during the two free practice sessions in the Teruel Round of the FIM Superbike World Championship at MotorLand Aragón today.
Much of the excitement happened during FP1, with quick single-lap pace recorded across the board. Toprak Razgatlıoğlu made a sizeable jump in performance to set the fifth fastest time of 1’50.659, while Michael van der Mark continued his competitive run with a best lap of 1’50.765, earning him eighth on combined times.
Conditions were different to the Free Practice sessions held last week at the same venue, particularly without cooler winds helping to keep the track temperatures down.
The 50-minute afternoon session saw higher temperatures again and provided a good reference for the two Pata Yamaha riders to test improvements to their race set-ups in anticipation for the two 16-lap races over the weekend.
The Saturday schedule is a carbon copy of last week’s Aragon WorldSBK round, with one final FP3 at 09:00 local time (GMT+2), followed by Tissot Superpole at 11:00 and Race 1 at 14:00.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (54). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu: P5 – 1’50.659
“We are working to find more rear grip and now it is one step ahead of last weekend. I am feeling better so far. This morning I had a good feeling on the bike and we tried a different set-up to help the grip. This afternoon was not as good with the hotter temperatures, so I hope we will find an improvement on the morning set-up for these conditions. I am feeling OK but we need to make another step forward – the race is the important part and we will see what is possible.”
Michael van der Mark (60). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Michael van der Mark: P8 – 1’50.765
“It’s good to be back here this weekend, the conditions are a lot warmer than last time out, so we are still searching a little bit with the set-up of the bike, but the base is there right away. Everyone did a lot of laps last week, and today we focused a little bit on the rear tyre life and worked on the whole package to improve our race rhythm. This will come into play especially towards the second half of the race, where we have to improve. We did not do a “time attack” but I think we did some good quality, important work today.”
Paul Denning, Team Principal
“Same circuit as last weekend, but significantly different conditions with a 180-degree change in wind direction and higher temperatures. Michael’s Friday was more or less what we had aimed at, with step-by-step progression from last week to make the bike stronger towards the end of the race. The long run he did in FP2 will be really useful to help the team prepare for tomorrow. Toprak was quick in FP1, with a fifth best lap time but this afternoon in the hotter temperatures was a little bit of a struggle. He certainly wasn’t pushing for an outright lap time but we need to find a bit more performance, particularly in his R1’s turning ability, to provide confidence for him in these conditions.”
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
P2 And P3 For KRT
KRT official WorldSBK riders Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes (KRT) finished the opening day practice sessions at the Teruel Round of the championship second and third fastest respectively, with Jonathan just one one-thousandth of a second off the best lap time.
In what were generally hotter temperatures than the team experienced at this track last weekend during the Aragon round, both KRT riders started with a lot more data to work with today. This allowed them to make strong progress towards the head of the early qualifying rankings at the 5.077km long Spanish circuit.
Most of the faster times on Friday were set in the cooler conditions of FP1 this morning but a possibly more useful session was FP2. As the temperatures increased it moved the general track conditions closer to those the riders are expected to face during the two full distance races on Saturday and Sunday.
Rea, who won two races out of three last weekend, is now looking to refine his set-up with his technical staff to allow him to challenge for more wins as he looks to protect and ideally enhance his current ten point championship lead.
Lowes was on instantly fast form at circuit he has tested his Ninja ZX-10RR around even before last weekend’s first Motorland race weekend. He now looks to complete his pre-race set-up and tyre choices to approach the first 18-lap race at the Teruel round, to be held at 14.00 on Saturday 5 September.
Free practice three and then Superpole qualifying are the next two challenges Alex and Jonathan will face before the opening race tomorrow. On Sunday 6 September a 10-lap Tissot-Superpole ‘sprint’ and a final full distance race two will complete an intense recent period of track action for all inside the WorldSBK paddock.
Jonathan Rea (1). Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “We had a completely calm day on schedule. In FP1 we decided to do some tests with the screen, to have a little bit different shape and try to see if we could improve our aerodynamics and pick up some KMPH. It was very difficult to tell from the data but we had a positive feeling. In FP2 we stuck to the plan to do a long run on the soft tyre, having a race simulation to get some info for tomorrow. I did a full 18 laps. I felt very good physically and the tyre consumption was OK. We worked to our schedule and we were second fastest, so it has been a positive day. I need to make a big effort in Superpole tomorrow because track position is everything here. With my pace being quite strong it means that if I am starting from the front row I may be able to dictate the pace a little bit better.”
Alex Lowes (22). Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
Alex Lowes, stated: “We made a change to the bike set-up today and I felt good on the bike. This weekend it looks like the temperatures are going to be hotter than last time and the target is to have three really consistent strong races and get the best results I can. We do not know yet what we can achieve but we will focus on doing the best we can. We are using the settings we used at the test – also last Friday and Saturday – and it feels good; like I am quite competitive. If the temperature is higher this weekend then the races will be quite different from last time and that will be a challenge – and quite exciting, I think. It will not be the same pace or way of racing compared to last Saturday and Sunday.”
Xavi Fores (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was 13th today, making him the third fastest of the 11 independent riders in Spain this weekend. Maximilian Scheib (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) was 14th and Roman Ramos (Outdo Kawasaki TPR) 19th.
More, from a press release issued by Aruba.it Racing Ducati:
#TeruelWorldSBK FP. Chaz Davies and Scott Redding seventh and ninth respectively after first day of free practice at the Motorland circuit of Aragon (Spain)
The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team is back on track at the Aragon Motorland circuit for the fifth round of the 2020 WorldSBK season. Chaz Davies and Scott Redding worked intensively on the set up of their respective Ducati Panigale V4 R making progress through the two sessions despite their position in the combined standings see them respectively in seventh and ninth position.
Both Chaz and Scott, in fact, were among the few riders to have improved in the afternoon the lap time set in FP1 despite a much higher temperature of the circuit, taking confidence in view of Race-1 tomorrow in which the weather conditions should be similar to those experienced in the FP2.
Chaz Davies (7). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #7)
“I am quite satisfied with what we did today. It was an interesting day also because the weather conditions were different from those of a week ago with the temperature of the circuit much higher. That’s why we used these two sessions to understand the behaviour of the tires and fix some details on the bike. Tomorrow’s first goal is to get a good result in the Superpole so that we can start in the best possible way both in Race-1 and in the Superpole Race”.
Scott Redding (45). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing- Ducati #45)
“We struggled a bit today. It’s true: we improved in the afternoon but the others have also made progress. So it is difficult to assess how effective our improvements have been. However, I am confident also because we are in a better position compared to the free practice a week ago before the great result we got on Saturday’s Race-1. It will be fundamental to qualify in the first row. This would allow us to fight for victory from the very first laps and keep our chances for the championship unchanged”.
More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad Motorsport:
The BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team returns to Friday Free Practice in the top 4 at Motorland Aragón, Spain.
04.09.20
Motorland Aragón
The BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team today returned to the Motorland Aragón circuit in Spain just 5 days after Round 4 #AragonWorldSBK. Round 5’s Free Practice was a positive improvement from last weeks results with Tom Sykes getting himself into the top 4 in FP1 (1’50.537). Team-mate Eugene Laverty equally took some good steps forward on the BMW S 1000 RR in FP1 placing himself in P12 with a (1’51.113), just +0.113 from Leon Haslam in tenth position.
The afternoon’s FP2 session saw a considerable rise in track temperature which meant the likelihood of times improving were very slim. Tom Sykes went through his FP2 putting good long race simulations in. Despite not improving on his time in FP1 he would end the session in P9 (1’51.037), Overall P4 on combined session. #50 Eugene Laverty similarly did not improve on his FP1 time however, after making fork height and head angle changes to his BMW S 1000 RR made a good step forward in set-up from FP2 going into tomorrow Superpole and Race 1.
Shaun Muir, Team Principal:
“FP1 and FP2 was a good to start the weekend. Tom and Eugene both got solid runs in, we tried the SC0 and SCX tyres as well, so that was good to get runs on both compounds. We are confident we made a good step forward from last week, we had no issues whatsoever and both guys got some good race runs in, so we are feeling positive heading into tomorrow. If we can continue the pace we had today and take that into Superpole, I can see us being in a stronger situation than we were last week. We have put the difficulties of last week behind us now, and are fully focused on getting the results this weekend.”
Tom Sykes (66). Photo courtesy BMW.
Tom Sykes:
“I think we made some steps forwards today. I honestly feel that the BMW S 1000 RR is working very well in the corners, corner entry, and mid turn so we have so many positives to work with, its just the straight line performance that makes our life difficult. We saw this morning when I was out riding alone that I could do what I wanted with the bike, the consistency and lap times were there but we already had some signs that we were on the limit with the braking system, which shows the input I’m giving to the bike. I want to get where we all deserved to be, even this afternoon in the hot conditions the lap times were not too bad, but I was really on the limit with the front and rear so that’s where we need to improve for tomorrow.”
Eugene Laverty (50). Photo courtesy BMW.
Eugene Laverty:
“I’m happy with the progress we made today because we changed the bike radically for this morning. We found some benefits but the negative was clear as we expected. Sometimes you have to make a compromise, that’s been the aim for FP2 to make a compromise but keep the gain we achieved this morning in the long corners. I think its been a good testing day but we are clearly not in the position we want to be in. The key for tomorrow is to get into those front two rows, but right now we don’t have the pace for that. That’s always been my aim but if we can get a good qualifying position for tomorrow, in the hot conditions It will be interesting to see where we end up.”
More, from a press release issued by Team Go Eleven:
TWO SESSIONS, ONE LEADER: MICHAEL RUBEN RINALDI!
A perfect Friday, for Team Go Eleven, in the hot day at Motorland Aragon! Michael Rinaldi and his Ducati V4-R set times unattainable for all rivals, both in the morning and in the afternoon. First overall in the combined and first time in both sessions, for both Michael and Go Eleven it is a “First time ever”!
The FP 1 starts with an asphalt temperature similar to last weekend’s races. Michael enters with a really similar to race 2 set-up, and after some excellent laps he returns to the pits to try something different on the rear. Immediately he finds better sensations, he is constantly the fastest in the first and last sector, and ends his Run in third position. In the last ten minutes of the session it is time-attack, Michael completes two perfect laps, without mistakes, and gets ahead of the five-time World Champion Jonathan Rea by just one thousandth!
Free Practices 1:
P 1 M. Rinaldi 1.49.840
P 2 J. Rea +0.001
P 3 A. Lowes +0.507
In FP 2, with more similar conditions to those that will face in the races, Team Go Eleven starts with a very specific goal: the race simulation. The first 10 minutes are used to try a small change from the morning; Michael finds well and then the long distance test begins. In the first laps he immediately set two great laps, necessary to take the first place with a margin of three tenths over Rea; then he continues managing the tyre drop lap by lap, always maintaining a pace between the high 50 and 51.7. For some laps he also found Jonathan, also in race simulation, and seeing them together could be the starter of tomorrow’s race.
Free Practice 2
P 1 M. Rinaldi 1.50.377
P 2 J. Rea +0.274
P 3 C. Davies +0.347
As an Independent team, completing two sessions in first position is something unique; the bike looks magical in Michael’s hands, let’s enjoy the moment and see what happens over the weekend!
Michael Rinaldi (21). Photo courtesy Team Go Eleven.
Michael Rinaldi (Rider):
“I’m very happy with how the day went because we improved the feeling compared to last weekend, managing to go a little faster. We still need a little bit to be more consistent in the race pace, but in the afternoon we did the race simulation and I’m satisfied. The work has been good, now we try to take another step forward and I can’t wait for tomorrow!”
More, from a press release issued by Barni Racing:
#TeruelWorldSBK: Melandri (P17) struggles in free practice at Aragon
Aragon (SPA), 4 September 2020. A few days after the Prosecco Doc Aragon Round, the Barni Racing Team and Marco Melandri are back on track for the fifth round of the World Superbike Championship. For the first time in history two races in a row are taking place in the same circuit, the Motortland of Aragon, located in Spain, in the province of Teruel. The province gives the name to the fifth round of the WorldSBK. At the end of the first two free practice sessions, Marco Melandri – riding the Ducati Panigale V4 R – finished seventeenth in the combined timetable, stopping the time in 1’51.632. However, the day of the #33 has gone in a crescendo.
In the first free practice session, the rider from Ravenna recorded his best time of the day, reaching the fifteenth position in FP1, half a second from the Top 10.
In the afternoon session, with slightly higher temperatures, the track was slower and only a few riders were able to improve. Among them was not Melandri who focused on a preparatory work for tomorrow afternoon’s race. With temperatures more similar to those the riders should find in the race, (30°C of the air and over 40°C on the asphalt) Marco set the fourteenth fastest time of the FP2 (1’51.675) and he got even closer to the Top 10 of the session with a gap of two tenths of a second.
The Superbike will be back on track tomorrow morning, at 9:00 am, for the third free practice session before the Superpole (11:00 am) and Race 1 (2:00 pm).
Marco Melandri (33). Photo courtesy Barni Racing.
Marco Melandri
P17 (1’51.632 )
“We have made some progress, but I still can’t ride in the way I would like to. We are continuing to change a lot on the bike, my feelings change, but unfortunately not the results. Hopefully tomorrow we will be able to take advantage of the soft tyre trying to start a little bit further and try to make a comeback race.”
Marco Barnabo, Team Principal:
“This afternoon, with the hottest track, we took a few more steps forward and were a bit closer to the group ahead. We still do not have a setup that can allow Marco to express himself as he knows and we are not able to be further ahead in the standings because in the meantime also the others are improving session by session. Anyway, the results of the FP2 are encouraging for tomorrow.”
More, from a press release issued by GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team:
Teruel Day 1: the GRT team at work to adapt to high temperatures
In the most bizarre season in recent WorldSBK history, today saw the teams return to the track on the same track they raced just a week ago, for the first day of free practice of the Teruel round.
The FP1s that kicked off the second weekend in Spain proved a little more complicated than expected for the GRT team duo, with Gerloff 16th, and Caricasulo even 18th due to an engine problem. The second session then signaled a big improvement by the two rookies, who finished 10th and 12th, respectively. Especially in the case of the Italian, however, the setup is not yet perfect, and will require further changes tomorrow to aim for a good placing in the Tissot Superpole and in race 1.
Garrett Gerloff (31). Photo courtesy GRT Yamaha.
Gerloff expected a better performance in the first round, but he is very satisfied with the work done in the afternoon: “I thought I would be faster in the first session, especially after the good sensations of last week, but we didn’t even expect to be among the first,
because we decided to use only one set of tires for the whole session . However, we found
some useful information for FP2, and we did a good job that allowed me to feel good on the bike in the heat of the afternoon. Despite the much higher temperatures than in the last round, I managed to get to just one tenth of my best time in last weekend’s race. We also tried several solutions, some good and others less, but all useful to understand in which direction to go tomorrow. I’m happy to have been the second best Yamaha in FP2 and to know what to improve over the rest of the weekend. ”
Caricasulo, on the other hand, did not have a simple Friday, but he has clear ideas about the objectives to be achieved in order to aim high tomorrow: “It was not an easy day because we lost FP1 due to an engine problem, and we had to change it. In FP2, on the other hand, we immediately tried a long run but we weren’t very effective. We are now doing a shift analysis to understand where our problems have been, which we will work on to improve tomorrow. ”
For Technical Coordinator Damiano Evangelisti, the main obstacle of this weekend will be to adapt to the temperatures, which are higher than last weekend: “It is true that the track is the same as seven days ago, but we hadn’t come to terms with the different weather conditions: the heat is back, and there is no more wind, and already this afternoon we climbed to almost 50 ° temperature on the asphalt. It seems that these will be the conditions for the rest of the weekend as well, so we will also find the same situation in the two races tomorrow and Sunday as this afternoon. We need to review the plans we had made a bit after last Sunday’s good performances, because the change of the track when you go above 40 ° is enormous. It is true that everyone’s times tend to go up in this heat, but we have lost a bit too much performance compared to last week, while other pilots held closer. Unfortunately, this has distanced us a little from the group where we aim to be, and we have to fill this gap. Garrett is a little closer, also when it comes to setting up the bike, and, having continually tried new solutions, he has never even ridden with the ideal setup, which we will try in the morning. For Federico it was a slightly different day: he has always suffered from hot races, and we will have to work harder to fine-tune his bike, but it is also true that we have more information than in the past. We remain confident that tomorrow we will get close to the performances that allowed us to make a qualitative leap in the last race. We therefore remain calm and aim to improve. ”
The changes made this evening can be verified tomorrow, starting from FP3, which will open the dance at 9 am. Subsequently, the first important placements of the weekend will be up for grabs, in the Tissot Superpole and in race 1, at 11 and 14, respectively.
BREAUX BRIDGE, LA USA – September 3, 2020 Thrashed Bike Racing and LIQUI MOLY USA/Canada are thrilled to announce that they have strengthened their ties for the forthcoming season of the MotoAmerica Honos Superbike class competition.
The Thrashed Bike Yamaha YZF R1 has proudly used LIQUI MOLY products since 2018. Likewise, the team’s support vehicle has also used LIQUI MOLY products over the course of thousands of miles around the USA attending all the rounds of the MotoAmerica championship series. The LIQUI MOLY oils and additives still support the team, but to support the team further, Thrashed Racing has upgraded to a larger support transporter.
This new transporter will haul the team’s bikes, spares, parts and LIQUI MOLY products to each race throughout the MotoAmerica championship series. Receiving a complete LIQUI MOLY wrap and well-stocked with LIQUI MOLY products, it will have the capability to provide on-site resources as well, further advancing the awareness of LIQUI MOLY products in MotoAmerica,.
Team Owner Tim Ivanoff commented “We have a great relationship with the LIQUI MOLY team and have admired and appreciated their products for years. This continued and expanded support will grow the presence of Thrashed Bike Racing and LIQUI MOLY at tracks nationwide—a true win/win for both of us! The new, larger truck will help significantly and once the graphic artists complete the design, I know it will make a great impact on the road and at the track. Thank you to the entire team at LIQUI MOLY for making this happen.”
“We are excited for this expanded partnership with the Thrashed Bike Racing team,” LIQUI MOLY USA/Canada CEO Sebastian Zegler said. “It’s been a pleasure supporting rider Max Flinders and to continue to provide him and the team LIQUI MOLY 5w40 Race oil and more with this grander scale is a fantastic opportunity for both parties. Max is always a great partner and enthusiastic contributor on the MotoAmerica circuit. Our entire team is looking forward to another season working together.”
Rider and LIQUI MOLY fan Max Flinders added, “It’s great spending time with the LIQUI MOLY guys. They have adopted me as one of team and I have had fun with them at shows, events and even in their homes. It will be a pleasure to continue to represent their products at events and even visiting some of their customers during our travels this season. It will be a little sad to say goodbye to our “little yellow truck” but I can’t wait to see the new graphics on the bigger truck as I’m sure it’s going to look sick!”
About Thrashed Bike Racing
Thrashed Bike Racing is a Louisiana-based superbike team competing in the MotoAmerica national series. We are committed to showcasing the best young talent at the highest level of US motorcycle sport. We know the challenges are difficult and the cost of running a season at this level is high but our resolve is firm and we will continue to be one of the smallest, friendliest and most consistent teams in the paddock.
Thanks to – Arrow Aviation, LIQUI MOLY, Friendly Powersports, Arai Helmets, Used Bikes Direct, Moto-D, Moto-tech, Superbike unlimited, Bonamici, Spark exhausts, Rides and Drives and the army of fans. SEE YOU AT THE RACES!
About LIQUI MOLY USA – Canada
LIQUI MOLY USA – Canada is a subsidiary of LIQUI MOLY GmbH, a global motor oil and additive company based in Germany selling products in more than 150 countries. LIQUI MOLY offers more than 4,000 items globally covering automotive, powersports, commercial vehicles, boats and watercraft and more. LIQUI MOLY USA – Canada is actively involved in motorsports in numerous capacities highlighted by teams in IMSA USA and IMSA Canada, TC America and Trans AM. For more information, visit www.liqui-moly.us.
The 2020 season marks Team Hammer Inc.’s 40th consecutive year of competing as a professional road racing team. This year, Team Hammer is running the MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship as M4 ECSTAR Suzuki, fielding Superbike riders Toni Elias & Bobby Fong, Supersport riders Sean Dylan Kelly & Lucas Silva, and Stock 1000 rider Alex Dumas, as well as providing technical support for several other teams and riders. The story of America’s longest continuously operating professional road racing team continues…
Model honors the past while offering modern on- and off-road trekking performance
September 3, 2020 — TORRANCE, Calif.
Sixty years after Honda introduced customers to the joys of casual on- and off-road riding, the all-new 2021 Honda Trail 125 ABS (CT125) resurrects a revered brand by injecting a healthy dose of practical design and hassle-free technology to create a miniMOTO that—much like the Super Cub and Monkey—pays tribute to the past while adapting easily to modern lifestyles.
Debuted in 2019 as a concept model at the 46th Tokyo Motor Show, the CT125 received rave reviews, along with requests for a production model. That wish is now granted with the introduction of the 2021 Honda Trail 125, which expands upon the scope of the popular Super Cub C125 to include casual riding in rural settings, including two-track roads and trails.
This was accomplished by strengthening the C125 chassis, increasing suspension travel and improving fuel range. The engine is the same 125cc four-stroke, single-cylinder overhead-camshaft design operating two valves, but with a high-mounted air intake and upswept exhaust that enhance low-end and midrange power. As with the Super Cub, the Trail 125 has a four-speed semiautomatic transmission. The engine guard adds protection from obstacles like large rocks and tree stumps.
Honda’s designers maintained the distinctive look that propelled the purchase of hundreds of thousands of CT-series machines over six decades. With the launch of the Trail 125, Honda taps into the success of similarly nostalgic miniMOTO models to introduce riders to the joys of trekking on roads and trails.
“When American Honda was established in 1959 and began offering the Honda 50, Idaho dealer Herb Uhl started modifying it for off-road use, resulting in Honda producing the Trail 50,” said Lee Edmunds, Senior Manager of Powersports Marketing for American Honda. “That model became ubiquitous in American campgrounds and on motorhome bumpers in the ’60s and ’70s and led to a number of successors. For that reason, the CT brand has a special history with the U.S. market, and it’s great to see it return with the Trail 125 which, like the Super Cub and Monkey, harkens back to a golden era of American motorcycling but with modern technology and reliability.”
The 2021 Honda Trail 125 is scheduled for release in November and will be available in Glowing Red. The MSRP is $3,899.
“An offer [to buy WERA] was made by the owner of Track Day Winner, John Cook, who is currently still in litigation with WERA Motorcycle Roadracing over a lawsuit he filed. The offer was substantial enough that I showed some interest and asked what the Terms and Restrictions would be. After trying to work with Mr. Cook and seeing his demands and restrictions I was no longer comfortable with the offer. Mr. Cook posed deadlines that due to my ongoing operations of running WERA Motorcycle Roadracing were impossible to meet and he has now rescinded his offer,” said Evelyne Clarke, owner and CEO of WERA Motorcycle Roadracing. “In reality I am relieved at this point and am looking forward to 2021 and making WERA Motorcycle Roadracing even better!”
WERA Motorcycle Roadracing was founded in 1973 and remains the foremost place to develop talent in the sport of motorcycle Roadracing. The legacy of Pro riders on a National and World level is legendary. All events are run by WERA Motorcycle Roadracing with a co-sanction by the AMA and they go coast to coast offering entry level racing with the WERA Sportsman Series as well as a Pro-Am Series with the WERA National Challenge Series, WERA Motorcycle Roadracing also offer Vintage Racing and limited Endurance Racing with Track Day Partners N2 and Sportbike Track Time. WERA Motorcycle Roadracing was voted the 2017 AMA Track Organizer of the Year.
For more information on WERA Motorcycle Roadracing please check out our web site at wera.com
Rancho Cucamonga, CA: There are humble heroes all around us—the ones you don’t hear about, who forego sleep and work impossible hours in constant danger, the ones who battle on the front lines of the pandemic and put themselves last to take care of us first.
There are many words to describe them—professional, compassionate, selfless, dedicated, brave, tireless—but we simply call them Heroes.
At Dunlop, we want to honor these Humble Heroes by giving you the opportunity to nominate a healthcare worker or first responder who went above and beyond during the pandemic, and we’ll reward one individual with a new 2020 Harley-Davidson® XL1200 Sportster Roadster™.
Dunlop has a special appreciation for those who stepped up during the pandemic. Our factory in Buffalo, NY was designated essential early in the crisis, and our associates showed up, masked up and continued to do what they do best every day—build premium tires for the American motorcyclist.
Harley-Davidson’s Sportster Roadster was a natural for this project. Dunlop has been a trusted original-equipment tire supplier to Harley-Davidson for more than 35 years—over ten million Dunlop tires have rolled off the motor company assembly line—and the iconic Sportster is popular among new riders and offers many customizing variations.
To emphasize this, Dunlop Motorcycle Tires is collaborating with long-time partner Roland Sands Design (RSD) to create custom variations of the Sportster over the coming months featuring different Dunlop tires. The winner of this contest will receive a new 2020 Harley-Davidson XL1200 Sportster Roadster in stock condition. RSD’s builds will showcase what a great platform the stock Sportster is for customizing, and you will be able to follow along through Dunlop and RSD social networks: #humbleheroes, #wearedunlop, #ridedunlop, @rolandsandsdesigns, @ridedunlop.
“Nobody has seen a crisis with the global effects of Covid-19 before, and hopefully nobody ever will again,” said Mike Buckley, Senior VP, Sales and Marketing, Dunlop Motorcycle Tires. “Hard to imagine how much worse this could have been without the health care heroes and first responders on the front lines every day and night. The Humble Heroes Project is our way of giving a little back and saying thanks for all you have done.”
Make sure you view the contest information about The Humble Heroes Project as soon as the program kicks off on September 3, 2020. Click here to enter: www.dunlopheroes.com.
Andrew Lee (18) in action at High Plains Raceway. Photo by Brandon Wren, courtesy Pirelli.
Stefano Mesa and Andrew Lee Double Down to Set New Motorcycle Track Records with Pirelli DIABLO™ Superbike Slicks
125/70-17 SC2 and 200/65-17 SCX Slicks Continue to Impress with Mesa at Nelson Ledges Road Course and Lee at High Plains Raceway
ROME, Ga. (September 4, 2020) – The Pirelli DIABLO™ Superbike range continues to impress in the new, larger World Superbike derived sizing as Stefano Mesa and Andrew Lee captured the brand’s fourth and fifth absolute motorcycle track record bounties of 2020. Mesa, who led the way with the most track records in 2019, set a new record lap at Nelson Ledges Road Course during the WERA National Challenge series in Ohio. Lee’s motorcycle track record came at High Plains Raceway in Colorado during the Motorcycle Roadracing Association (MRA) series. Both riders’ impressive feats came while competing on Pirelli-equipped Kawasaki NINJA® ZX™ – 10R motorcycles.
“We managed to lower the track record by almost a full second,” said Mesa. “On the last race, we tried something new with the grippers from Pirelli and put on the new SCX superpole tire provided by Metric Devil Moto. The tire was unreal and the grip it provided in the first three laps felt like a qualifier tire with the longevity of an SC0 for a sprint race. This tire is something special!”
Stefano Mesa (37) at speed at Nelson Ledges Road Course. Photo by Marty LLC / Marty Matuszak, courtesy Pirelli.
Mesa’s lap record of 1:04.192 was set during the Open A/Superbike race, topping Taylor Knapp’s track record of 1:05.173. Mesa’s ZX™-10R motorcycle was equipped with Pirelli’s DIABLO™ Superbike 125/70-17 SC2 front and 200/65-17 SCX rear slicks.
“It was great to get redemption and a track record on Pirelli’s new 200/65 SCX after being denied earlier this season due to weather at Summit Point,” said Mike Faillace, Metric Devil Moto, Pirelli trackside vendor. “It was satisfying to see both Mesa and Vasiliy Zhulin well under the existing lap record in the A Superstock race. We had already posted some very fast times on the SC0 rear in the sprints earlier in the day and I was confident we could push the pace even faster with the SCX. The data we get from weekends like this help us stay on top of our game. Mesa’s 1:04.192 is very impressive around the fast and flowing Nelson Ledges circuit where side and drive grip are critical to lap times. I’m very proud to have been part of another lap record effort with Stefano.”
Utilizing High Plains Raceway’s “west configuration”, Lee set a fast lap of 1:21.518 in the Open Superbike class to overthrow the previous best lap time of 1:22.698. Lee relied on the same tire options as Mesa with a 125/70-17 SC2 front and 200/65-17 SCX rear.
“It was awesome coming to Colorado with Kory and the Moto Station team again,” said Lee. “I had to learn a new track pretty quickly due to the weather but moving into Saturday I was pretty confident. We never even touched the suspension all weekend. We installed a fresh set of Pirelli’s and that’s all I needed. I have so much trust that the bike will do what I need with the new World Superbike slick, which helped me lower the record!”
“It’s great when we get to work with a rider as talented as Andrew,” said Kory Cowan, Moto Station, Pirelli trackside vendor. “His ability to ride at the limit every time he’s on the track and provide good feedback on the tires helps us better understand how they work in different track conditions. That’s information that we can use with other riders to help them achieve their personal best, which makes it a win for everyone.”
Pirelli continues to offer a tire credit prize for setting a new motorcycle track record and four different riders have managed to capture a track record so far this season.
For complete results from Nelson Ledges round of WERA, Click Here. To see results for the MRA round at High Plains Raceway, Click Here.
For more information about the complete line of Pirelli motorcycle tires, please visit Pirelli.com
Jake Gagne (32) leads Cameron Beaubier (1), Toni Elias (24), Mathew Scholtz (11) and the rest of the MotoAmerica Superbike field early in Race One at Road Atlanta. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
MotoAmerica Announces Provisional 2021 Schedule
10 Rounds, 20 Superbike Races planned for 2021
IRVINE, CA (September 4, 2020) – MotoAmerica has announced that it will again host 10 rounds of the MotoAmerica Series in 2021, headlined by a 20-race MotoAmerica HONOS Superbike Series.
MotoAmerica has released its provisional 2020 series schedule, which will again consist of 10 rounds and 20 HONOS Superbike races. Photo by Brian J. Nelson
Eight of the 10 event dates have been finalized. Confirmation of the additional event dates will be announced soon.
“It’s always good to get the schedule out as early as possible,” said MotoAmerica Partner Chuck Aksland. “It helps our teams prepare and is also good for our fans to be able to do the same. This year has been very difficult as we all know and we’re hopeful that normality returns in 2021. Thanks to all involved in helping get the schedule set for next year.”
2021 MotoAmerica Series Schedule (Provisional)
April 30 – May 2 Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta Braselton, Georgia
May 21-23 Virginia International Raceway Alton, Virginia
June 11-13 Road America Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
June 25-27 The Ridge Motorsports Park Shelton, Washington
July 9-11 WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Monterey, California
August 13-15 Pittsburgh Int’l Race Complex Wampum, Pennsylvania
Sept. 10-12 New Jersey Motorsports Park Millville, New Jersey
Sept. 17-19 Barber Motorsports Park Birmingham, Alabama
Rinaldi Vs Rea: Independent star holds Champion at bay in FP2
Michael Ruben Rinaldi sets the pace on Friday as WorldSBK action continues at MotorLand Aragon
Michael Rinaldi (21). Photo courtesy Dorna.
MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship action continued with the Pirelli Teruel Round as Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team GOELEVEN) continued to show impressive pace at MotorLand Aragon with the Italian rider topping both Free Practice sessions on Friday running as he edged out the reigning Champion by just 0.001s.
Rinaldi posted a time of 1’49.840s in Free Practice 1, a good enough time to top the combined timesheets, ahead of five-time Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) by the smallest of margins as just 0.001s separated the duo after the two 50-minute sessions. Rea’s teammate, Alex Lowes, finished the session in third place as he made it two Kawasaki machines in the top three.
Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) finished the day in fourth place as BMW started to bounce back from a challenging Aragon Round at the same circuit while his BMW teammate, Eugene Laverty finished the day in 12th place as he also looks to rebound following a difficult weekend last time out.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team) was another looking to make a step forward following the Aragon Round and finished the day in fifth place while Michael van der Mark (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team) was in eighth place; Razgatlioglu lapping around eight tenths off Rinaldi’s pace.
Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) was sixth fastest after Friday’s action with the British rider chasing his eighth win at MotorLand Aragon while teammate Scott Redding (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) also finished inside the top ten with the ninth fastest time overall. Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC), looking to take Honda onto the podium in back-to-back weekends, finished the day in seventh place while teammate Leon Haslam was in tenth; capping a strong day for the Honda outfit.
Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) finished the day in 11th place despite a crash in Free Practice 2 at Turn 8; the Frenchman coming off his bike entering the corner. Xavi Fores (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) had a strong performance last time out at MotorLand Aragon and continued that today with 13th in Free Practice, ahead of Maximilian Scheib (ORELAC Racing VerdNatura), Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team) and teammate Federico Caricasulo.
Marco Melandri (Barni Racing Team) finished the day in 17th place ahead of Sylvain Barrier (Brixx Performance); Frenchman Barrier crashing at Turn 10 in Free Practice 1 but able to get out on track for the second session. Roman Ramos (OUTDO Kawasaki TPR) was classified in 19th place with Takumi Takahashi (MIE Racing Honda Team) and WorldSBK debutant Matteo Ferrari (Motocorsa Racing) rounding out the field.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Pata Yamaha Make Step Forward in Friday Practice Sessions at Aragón
The Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team with Rizla made some positive steps forward during the two free practice sessions in the Teruel Round of the FIM Superbike World Championship at MotorLand Aragón today.
Much of the excitement happened during FP1, with quick single-lap pace recorded across the board. Toprak Razgatlıoğlu made a sizeable jump in performance to set the fifth fastest time of 1’50.659, while Michael van der Mark continued his competitive run with a best lap of 1’50.765, earning him eighth on combined times.
Conditions were different to the Free Practice sessions held last week at the same venue, particularly without cooler winds helping to keep the track temperatures down.
The 50-minute afternoon session saw higher temperatures again and provided a good reference for the two Pata Yamaha riders to test improvements to their race set-ups in anticipation for the two 16-lap races over the weekend.
The Saturday schedule is a carbon copy of last week’s Aragon WorldSBK round, with one final FP3 at 09:00 local time (GMT+2), followed by Tissot Superpole at 11:00 and Race 1 at 14:00.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (54). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu: P5 – 1’50.659
“We are working to find more rear grip and now it is one step ahead of last weekend. I am feeling better so far. This morning I had a good feeling on the bike and we tried a different set-up to help the grip. This afternoon was not as good with the hotter temperatures, so I hope we will find an improvement on the morning set-up for these conditions. I am feeling OK but we need to make another step forward – the race is the important part and we will see what is possible.”
Michael van der Mark (60). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Michael van der Mark: P8 – 1’50.765
“It’s good to be back here this weekend, the conditions are a lot warmer than last time out, so we are still searching a little bit with the set-up of the bike, but the base is there right away. Everyone did a lot of laps last week, and today we focused a little bit on the rear tyre life and worked on the whole package to improve our race rhythm. This will come into play especially towards the second half of the race, where we have to improve. We did not do a “time attack” but I think we did some good quality, important work today.”
Paul Denning, Team Principal
“Same circuit as last weekend, but significantly different conditions with a 180-degree change in wind direction and higher temperatures. Michael’s Friday was more or less what we had aimed at, with step-by-step progression from last week to make the bike stronger towards the end of the race. The long run he did in FP2 will be really useful to help the team prepare for tomorrow. Toprak was quick in FP1, with a fifth best lap time but this afternoon in the hotter temperatures was a little bit of a struggle. He certainly wasn’t pushing for an outright lap time but we need to find a bit more performance, particularly in his R1’s turning ability, to provide confidence for him in these conditions.”
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
P2 And P3 For KRT
KRT official WorldSBK riders Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes (KRT) finished the opening day practice sessions at the Teruel Round of the championship second and third fastest respectively, with Jonathan just one one-thousandth of a second off the best lap time.
In what were generally hotter temperatures than the team experienced at this track last weekend during the Aragon round, both KRT riders started with a lot more data to work with today. This allowed them to make strong progress towards the head of the early qualifying rankings at the 5.077km long Spanish circuit.
Most of the faster times on Friday were set in the cooler conditions of FP1 this morning but a possibly more useful session was FP2. As the temperatures increased it moved the general track conditions closer to those the riders are expected to face during the two full distance races on Saturday and Sunday.
Rea, who won two races out of three last weekend, is now looking to refine his set-up with his technical staff to allow him to challenge for more wins as he looks to protect and ideally enhance his current ten point championship lead.
Lowes was on instantly fast form at circuit he has tested his Ninja ZX-10RR around even before last weekend’s first Motorland race weekend. He now looks to complete his pre-race set-up and tyre choices to approach the first 18-lap race at the Teruel round, to be held at 14.00 on Saturday 5 September.
Free practice three and then Superpole qualifying are the next two challenges Alex and Jonathan will face before the opening race tomorrow. On Sunday 6 September a 10-lap Tissot-Superpole ‘sprint’ and a final full distance race two will complete an intense recent period of track action for all inside the WorldSBK paddock.
Jonathan Rea (1). Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “We had a completely calm day on schedule. In FP1 we decided to do some tests with the screen, to have a little bit different shape and try to see if we could improve our aerodynamics and pick up some KMPH. It was very difficult to tell from the data but we had a positive feeling. In FP2 we stuck to the plan to do a long run on the soft tyre, having a race simulation to get some info for tomorrow. I did a full 18 laps. I felt very good physically and the tyre consumption was OK. We worked to our schedule and we were second fastest, so it has been a positive day. I need to make a big effort in Superpole tomorrow because track position is everything here. With my pace being quite strong it means that if I am starting from the front row I may be able to dictate the pace a little bit better.”
Alex Lowes (22). Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
Alex Lowes, stated: “We made a change to the bike set-up today and I felt good on the bike. This weekend it looks like the temperatures are going to be hotter than last time and the target is to have three really consistent strong races and get the best results I can. We do not know yet what we can achieve but we will focus on doing the best we can. We are using the settings we used at the test – also last Friday and Saturday – and it feels good; like I am quite competitive. If the temperature is higher this weekend then the races will be quite different from last time and that will be a challenge – and quite exciting, I think. It will not be the same pace or way of racing compared to last Saturday and Sunday.”
Xavi Fores (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was 13th today, making him the third fastest of the 11 independent riders in Spain this weekend. Maximilian Scheib (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) was 14th and Roman Ramos (Outdo Kawasaki TPR) 19th.
More, from a press release issued by Aruba.it Racing Ducati:
#TeruelWorldSBK FP. Chaz Davies and Scott Redding seventh and ninth respectively after first day of free practice at the Motorland circuit of Aragon (Spain)
The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team is back on track at the Aragon Motorland circuit for the fifth round of the 2020 WorldSBK season. Chaz Davies and Scott Redding worked intensively on the set up of their respective Ducati Panigale V4 R making progress through the two sessions despite their position in the combined standings see them respectively in seventh and ninth position.
Both Chaz and Scott, in fact, were among the few riders to have improved in the afternoon the lap time set in FP1 despite a much higher temperature of the circuit, taking confidence in view of Race-1 tomorrow in which the weather conditions should be similar to those experienced in the FP2.
Chaz Davies (7). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #7)
“I am quite satisfied with what we did today. It was an interesting day also because the weather conditions were different from those of a week ago with the temperature of the circuit much higher. That’s why we used these two sessions to understand the behaviour of the tires and fix some details on the bike. Tomorrow’s first goal is to get a good result in the Superpole so that we can start in the best possible way both in Race-1 and in the Superpole Race”.
Scott Redding (45). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing- Ducati #45)
“We struggled a bit today. It’s true: we improved in the afternoon but the others have also made progress. So it is difficult to assess how effective our improvements have been. However, I am confident also because we are in a better position compared to the free practice a week ago before the great result we got on Saturday’s Race-1. It will be fundamental to qualify in the first row. This would allow us to fight for victory from the very first laps and keep our chances for the championship unchanged”.
More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad Motorsport:
The BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team returns to Friday Free Practice in the top 4 at Motorland Aragón, Spain.
04.09.20
Motorland Aragón
The BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team today returned to the Motorland Aragón circuit in Spain just 5 days after Round 4 #AragonWorldSBK. Round 5’s Free Practice was a positive improvement from last weeks results with Tom Sykes getting himself into the top 4 in FP1 (1’50.537). Team-mate Eugene Laverty equally took some good steps forward on the BMW S 1000 RR in FP1 placing himself in P12 with a (1’51.113), just +0.113 from Leon Haslam in tenth position.
The afternoon’s FP2 session saw a considerable rise in track temperature which meant the likelihood of times improving were very slim. Tom Sykes went through his FP2 putting good long race simulations in. Despite not improving on his time in FP1 he would end the session in P9 (1’51.037), Overall P4 on combined session. #50 Eugene Laverty similarly did not improve on his FP1 time however, after making fork height and head angle changes to his BMW S 1000 RR made a good step forward in set-up from FP2 going into tomorrow Superpole and Race 1.
Shaun Muir, Team Principal:
“FP1 and FP2 was a good to start the weekend. Tom and Eugene both got solid runs in, we tried the SC0 and SCX tyres as well, so that was good to get runs on both compounds. We are confident we made a good step forward from last week, we had no issues whatsoever and both guys got some good race runs in, so we are feeling positive heading into tomorrow. If we can continue the pace we had today and take that into Superpole, I can see us being in a stronger situation than we were last week. We have put the difficulties of last week behind us now, and are fully focused on getting the results this weekend.”
Tom Sykes (66). Photo courtesy BMW.
Tom Sykes:
“I think we made some steps forwards today. I honestly feel that the BMW S 1000 RR is working very well in the corners, corner entry, and mid turn so we have so many positives to work with, its just the straight line performance that makes our life difficult. We saw this morning when I was out riding alone that I could do what I wanted with the bike, the consistency and lap times were there but we already had some signs that we were on the limit with the braking system, which shows the input I’m giving to the bike. I want to get where we all deserved to be, even this afternoon in the hot conditions the lap times were not too bad, but I was really on the limit with the front and rear so that’s where we need to improve for tomorrow.”
Eugene Laverty (50). Photo courtesy BMW.
Eugene Laverty:
“I’m happy with the progress we made today because we changed the bike radically for this morning. We found some benefits but the negative was clear as we expected. Sometimes you have to make a compromise, that’s been the aim for FP2 to make a compromise but keep the gain we achieved this morning in the long corners. I think its been a good testing day but we are clearly not in the position we want to be in. The key for tomorrow is to get into those front two rows, but right now we don’t have the pace for that. That’s always been my aim but if we can get a good qualifying position for tomorrow, in the hot conditions It will be interesting to see where we end up.”
More, from a press release issued by Team Go Eleven:
TWO SESSIONS, ONE LEADER: MICHAEL RUBEN RINALDI!
A perfect Friday, for Team Go Eleven, in the hot day at Motorland Aragon! Michael Rinaldi and his Ducati V4-R set times unattainable for all rivals, both in the morning and in the afternoon. First overall in the combined and first time in both sessions, for both Michael and Go Eleven it is a “First time ever”!
The FP 1 starts with an asphalt temperature similar to last weekend’s races. Michael enters with a really similar to race 2 set-up, and after some excellent laps he returns to the pits to try something different on the rear. Immediately he finds better sensations, he is constantly the fastest in the first and last sector, and ends his Run in third position. In the last ten minutes of the session it is time-attack, Michael completes two perfect laps, without mistakes, and gets ahead of the five-time World Champion Jonathan Rea by just one thousandth!
Free Practices 1:
P 1 M. Rinaldi 1.49.840
P 2 J. Rea +0.001
P 3 A. Lowes +0.507
In FP 2, with more similar conditions to those that will face in the races, Team Go Eleven starts with a very specific goal: the race simulation. The first 10 minutes are used to try a small change from the morning; Michael finds well and then the long distance test begins. In the first laps he immediately set two great laps, necessary to take the first place with a margin of three tenths over Rea; then he continues managing the tyre drop lap by lap, always maintaining a pace between the high 50 and 51.7. For some laps he also found Jonathan, also in race simulation, and seeing them together could be the starter of tomorrow’s race.
Free Practice 2
P 1 M. Rinaldi 1.50.377
P 2 J. Rea +0.274
P 3 C. Davies +0.347
As an Independent team, completing two sessions in first position is something unique; the bike looks magical in Michael’s hands, let’s enjoy the moment and see what happens over the weekend!
Michael Rinaldi (21). Photo courtesy Team Go Eleven.
Michael Rinaldi (Rider):
“I’m very happy with how the day went because we improved the feeling compared to last weekend, managing to go a little faster. We still need a little bit to be more consistent in the race pace, but in the afternoon we did the race simulation and I’m satisfied. The work has been good, now we try to take another step forward and I can’t wait for tomorrow!”
More, from a press release issued by Barni Racing:
#TeruelWorldSBK: Melandri (P17) struggles in free practice at Aragon
Aragon (SPA), 4 September 2020. A few days after the Prosecco Doc Aragon Round, the Barni Racing Team and Marco Melandri are back on track for the fifth round of the World Superbike Championship. For the first time in history two races in a row are taking place in the same circuit, the Motortland of Aragon, located in Spain, in the province of Teruel. The province gives the name to the fifth round of the WorldSBK. At the end of the first two free practice sessions, Marco Melandri – riding the Ducati Panigale V4 R – finished seventeenth in the combined timetable, stopping the time in 1’51.632. However, the day of the #33 has gone in a crescendo.
In the first free practice session, the rider from Ravenna recorded his best time of the day, reaching the fifteenth position in FP1, half a second from the Top 10.
In the afternoon session, with slightly higher temperatures, the track was slower and only a few riders were able to improve. Among them was not Melandri who focused on a preparatory work for tomorrow afternoon’s race. With temperatures more similar to those the riders should find in the race, (30°C of the air and over 40°C on the asphalt) Marco set the fourteenth fastest time of the FP2 (1’51.675) and he got even closer to the Top 10 of the session with a gap of two tenths of a second.
The Superbike will be back on track tomorrow morning, at 9:00 am, for the third free practice session before the Superpole (11:00 am) and Race 1 (2:00 pm).
Marco Melandri (33). Photo courtesy Barni Racing.
Marco Melandri
P17 (1’51.632 )
“We have made some progress, but I still can’t ride in the way I would like to. We are continuing to change a lot on the bike, my feelings change, but unfortunately not the results. Hopefully tomorrow we will be able to take advantage of the soft tyre trying to start a little bit further and try to make a comeback race.”
Marco Barnabo, Team Principal:
“This afternoon, with the hottest track, we took a few more steps forward and were a bit closer to the group ahead. We still do not have a setup that can allow Marco to express himself as he knows and we are not able to be further ahead in the standings because in the meantime also the others are improving session by session. Anyway, the results of the FP2 are encouraging for tomorrow.”
More, from a press release issued by GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team:
Teruel Day 1: the GRT team at work to adapt to high temperatures
In the most bizarre season in recent WorldSBK history, today saw the teams return to the track on the same track they raced just a week ago, for the first day of free practice of the Teruel round.
The FP1s that kicked off the second weekend in Spain proved a little more complicated than expected for the GRT team duo, with Gerloff 16th, and Caricasulo even 18th due to an engine problem. The second session then signaled a big improvement by the two rookies, who finished 10th and 12th, respectively. Especially in the case of the Italian, however, the setup is not yet perfect, and will require further changes tomorrow to aim for a good placing in the Tissot Superpole and in race 1.
Garrett Gerloff (31). Photo courtesy GRT Yamaha.
Gerloff expected a better performance in the first round, but he is very satisfied with the work done in the afternoon: “I thought I would be faster in the first session, especially after the good sensations of last week, but we didn’t even expect to be among the first,
because we decided to use only one set of tires for the whole session . However, we found
some useful information for FP2, and we did a good job that allowed me to feel good on the bike in the heat of the afternoon. Despite the much higher temperatures than in the last round, I managed to get to just one tenth of my best time in last weekend’s race. We also tried several solutions, some good and others less, but all useful to understand in which direction to go tomorrow. I’m happy to have been the second best Yamaha in FP2 and to know what to improve over the rest of the weekend. ”
Caricasulo, on the other hand, did not have a simple Friday, but he has clear ideas about the objectives to be achieved in order to aim high tomorrow: “It was not an easy day because we lost FP1 due to an engine problem, and we had to change it. In FP2, on the other hand, we immediately tried a long run but we weren’t very effective. We are now doing a shift analysis to understand where our problems have been, which we will work on to improve tomorrow. ”
For Technical Coordinator Damiano Evangelisti, the main obstacle of this weekend will be to adapt to the temperatures, which are higher than last weekend: “It is true that the track is the same as seven days ago, but we hadn’t come to terms with the different weather conditions: the heat is back, and there is no more wind, and already this afternoon we climbed to almost 50 ° temperature on the asphalt. It seems that these will be the conditions for the rest of the weekend as well, so we will also find the same situation in the two races tomorrow and Sunday as this afternoon. We need to review the plans we had made a bit after last Sunday’s good performances, because the change of the track when you go above 40 ° is enormous. It is true that everyone’s times tend to go up in this heat, but we have lost a bit too much performance compared to last week, while other pilots held closer. Unfortunately, this has distanced us a little from the group where we aim to be, and we have to fill this gap. Garrett is a little closer, also when it comes to setting up the bike, and, having continually tried new solutions, he has never even ridden with the ideal setup, which we will try in the morning. For Federico it was a slightly different day: he has always suffered from hot races, and we will have to work harder to fine-tune his bike, but it is also true that we have more information than in the past. We remain confident that tomorrow we will get close to the performances that allowed us to make a qualitative leap in the last race. We therefore remain calm and aim to improve. ”
The changes made this evening can be verified tomorrow, starting from FP3, which will open the dance at 9 am. Subsequently, the first important placements of the weekend will be up for grabs, in the Tissot Superpole and in race 1, at 11 and 14, respectively.
Max Flinders (88). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Thrashed Bike Racing.
LIQUI MOLY & Thrashed Bike Racing strengthen ties
BREAUX BRIDGE, LA USA – September 3, 2020 Thrashed Bike Racing and LIQUI MOLY USA/Canada are thrilled to announce that they have strengthened their ties for the forthcoming season of the MotoAmerica Honos Superbike class competition.
The Thrashed Bike Yamaha YZF R1 has proudly used LIQUI MOLY products since 2018. Likewise, the team’s support vehicle has also used LIQUI MOLY products over the course of thousands of miles around the USA attending all the rounds of the MotoAmerica championship series. The LIQUI MOLY oils and additives still support the team, but to support the team further, Thrashed Racing has upgraded to a larger support transporter.
This new transporter will haul the team’s bikes, spares, parts and LIQUI MOLY products to each race throughout the MotoAmerica championship series. Receiving a complete LIQUI MOLY wrap and well-stocked with LIQUI MOLY products, it will have the capability to provide on-site resources as well, further advancing the awareness of LIQUI MOLY products in MotoAmerica,.
Team Owner Tim Ivanoff commented “We have a great relationship with the LIQUI MOLY team and have admired and appreciated their products for years. This continued and expanded support will grow the presence of Thrashed Bike Racing and LIQUI MOLY at tracks nationwide—a true win/win for both of us! The new, larger truck will help significantly and once the graphic artists complete the design, I know it will make a great impact on the road and at the track. Thank you to the entire team at LIQUI MOLY for making this happen.”
“We are excited for this expanded partnership with the Thrashed Bike Racing team,” LIQUI MOLY USA/Canada CEO Sebastian Zegler said. “It’s been a pleasure supporting rider Max Flinders and to continue to provide him and the team LIQUI MOLY 5w40 Race oil and more with this grander scale is a fantastic opportunity for both parties. Max is always a great partner and enthusiastic contributor on the MotoAmerica circuit. Our entire team is looking forward to another season working together.”
Rider and LIQUI MOLY fan Max Flinders added, “It’s great spending time with the LIQUI MOLY guys. They have adopted me as one of team and I have had fun with them at shows, events and even in their homes. It will be a pleasure to continue to represent their products at events and even visiting some of their customers during our travels this season. It will be a little sad to say goodbye to our “little yellow truck” but I can’t wait to see the new graphics on the bigger truck as I’m sure it’s going to look sick!”
About Thrashed Bike Racing
Thrashed Bike Racing is a Louisiana-based superbike team competing in the MotoAmerica national series. We are committed to showcasing the best young talent at the highest level of US motorcycle sport. We know the challenges are difficult and the cost of running a season at this level is high but our resolve is firm and we will continue to be one of the smallest, friendliest and most consistent teams in the paddock.
Thanks to – Arrow Aviation, LIQUI MOLY, Friendly Powersports, Arai Helmets, Used Bikes Direct, Moto-D, Moto-tech, Superbike unlimited, Bonamici, Spark exhausts, Rides and Drives and the army of fans. SEE YOU AT THE RACES!
About LIQUI MOLY USA – Canada
LIQUI MOLY USA – Canada is a subsidiary of LIQUI MOLY GmbH, a global motor oil and additive company based in Germany selling products in more than 150 countries. LIQUI MOLY offers more than 4,000 items globally covering automotive, powersports, commercial vehicles, boats and watercraft and more. LIQUI MOLY USA – Canada is actively involved in motorsports in numerous capacities highlighted by teams in IMSA USA and IMSA Canada, TC America and Trans AM. For more information, visit www.liqui-moly.us.
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki rider Alex Dumas (16). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy M4 ECSTAR Suzuki.
The 2020 season marks Team Hammer Inc.’s 40th consecutive year of competing as a professional road racing team. This year, Team Hammer is running the MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship as M4 ECSTAR Suzuki, fielding Superbike riders Toni Elias & Bobby Fong, Supersport riders Sean Dylan Kelly & Lucas Silva, and Stock 1000 rider Alex Dumas, as well as providing technical support for several other teams and riders. The story of America’s longest continuously operating professional road racing team continues…
A 2021-model Honda Trail 125. Photo courtesy Honda.
All-New Trail 125 Joins Honda’s 2021 Lineup
Model honors the past while offering modern on- and off-road trekking performance
September 3, 2020 — TORRANCE, Calif.
Sixty years after Honda introduced customers to the joys of casual on- and off-road riding, the all-new 2021 Honda Trail 125 ABS (CT125) resurrects a revered brand by injecting a healthy dose of practical design and hassle-free technology to create a miniMOTO that—much like the Super Cub and Monkey—pays tribute to the past while adapting easily to modern lifestyles.
Debuted in 2019 as a concept model at the 46th Tokyo Motor Show, the CT125 received rave reviews, along with requests for a production model. That wish is now granted with the introduction of the 2021 Honda Trail 125, which expands upon the scope of the popular Super Cub C125 to include casual riding in rural settings, including two-track roads and trails.
This was accomplished by strengthening the C125 chassis, increasing suspension travel and improving fuel range. The engine is the same 125cc four-stroke, single-cylinder overhead-camshaft design operating two valves, but with a high-mounted air intake and upswept exhaust that enhance low-end and midrange power. As with the Super Cub, the Trail 125 has a four-speed semiautomatic transmission. The engine guard adds protection from obstacles like large rocks and tree stumps.
Honda’s designers maintained the distinctive look that propelled the purchase of hundreds of thousands of CT-series machines over six decades. With the launch of the Trail 125, Honda taps into the success of similarly nostalgic miniMOTO models to introduce riders to the joys of trekking on roads and trails.
“When American Honda was established in 1959 and began offering the Honda 50, Idaho dealer Herb Uhl started modifying it for off-road use, resulting in Honda producing the Trail 50,” said Lee Edmunds, Senior Manager of Powersports Marketing for American Honda. “That model became ubiquitous in American campgrounds and on motorhome bumpers in the ’60s and ’70s and led to a number of successors. For that reason, the CT brand has a special history with the U.S. market, and it’s great to see it return with the Trail 125 which, like the Super Cub and Monkey, harkens back to a golden era of American motorcycling but with modern technology and reliability.”
The 2021 Honda Trail 125 is scheduled for release in November and will be available in Glowing Red. The MSRP is $3,899.
Anthony Norton (521) leads Sahar Zvik (161) and Brian Evans (125) en route to a WERA West Formula One win at Buttonwillow Raceway Park Photo by Caliphotography.com.
WERA MOTORCYCLE ROADRACING HAS NOT BEEN SOLD!
“An offer [to buy WERA] was made by the owner of Track Day Winner, John Cook, who is currently still in litigation with WERA Motorcycle Roadracing over a lawsuit he filed. The offer was substantial enough that I showed some interest and asked what the Terms and Restrictions would be. After trying to work with Mr. Cook and seeing his demands and restrictions I was no longer comfortable with the offer. Mr. Cook posed deadlines that due to my ongoing operations of running WERA Motorcycle Roadracing were impossible to meet and he has now rescinded his offer,” said Evelyne Clarke, owner and CEO of WERA Motorcycle Roadracing. “In reality I am relieved at this point and am looking forward to 2021 and making WERA Motorcycle Roadracing even better!”
WERA Motorcycle Roadracing was founded in 1973 and remains the foremost place to develop talent in the sport of motorcycle Roadracing. The legacy of Pro riders on a National and World level is legendary. All events are run by WERA Motorcycle Roadracing with a co-sanction by the AMA and they go coast to coast offering entry level racing with the WERA Sportsman Series as well as a Pro-Am Series with the WERA National Challenge Series, WERA Motorcycle Roadracing also offer Vintage Racing and limited Endurance Racing with Track Day Partners N2 and Sportbike Track Time. WERA Motorcycle Roadracing was voted the 2017 AMA Track Organizer of the Year.
For more information on WERA Motorcycle Roadracing please check out our web site at wera.com
A 2020 Harley-Davidson XL1200 Sportster Roadster. Photo courtesy Dunlop.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA: There are humble heroes all around us—the ones you don’t hear about, who forego sleep and work impossible hours in constant danger, the ones who battle on the front lines of the pandemic and put themselves last to take care of us first.
There are many words to describe them—professional, compassionate, selfless, dedicated, brave, tireless—but we simply call them Heroes.
At Dunlop, we want to honor these Humble Heroes by giving you the opportunity to nominate a healthcare worker or first responder who went above and beyond during the pandemic, and we’ll reward one individual with a new 2020 Harley-Davidson® XL1200 Sportster Roadster™.
Dunlop has a special appreciation for those who stepped up during the pandemic. Our factory in Buffalo, NY was designated essential early in the crisis, and our associates showed up, masked up and continued to do what they do best every day—build premium tires for the American motorcyclist.
Harley-Davidson’s Sportster Roadster was a natural for this project. Dunlop has been a trusted original-equipment tire supplier to Harley-Davidson for more than 35 years—over ten million Dunlop tires have rolled off the motor company assembly line—and the iconic Sportster is popular among new riders and offers many customizing variations.
To emphasize this, Dunlop Motorcycle Tires is collaborating with long-time partner Roland Sands Design (RSD) to create custom variations of the Sportster over the coming months featuring different Dunlop tires. The winner of this contest will receive a new 2020 Harley-Davidson XL1200 Sportster Roadster in stock condition. RSD’s builds will showcase what a great platform the stock Sportster is for customizing, and you will be able to follow along through Dunlop and RSD social networks: #humbleheroes, #wearedunlop, #ridedunlop, @rolandsandsdesigns, @ridedunlop.
“Nobody has seen a crisis with the global effects of Covid-19 before, and hopefully nobody ever will again,” said Mike Buckley, Senior VP, Sales and Marketing, Dunlop Motorcycle Tires. “Hard to imagine how much worse this could have been without the health care heroes and first responders on the front lines every day and night. The Humble Heroes Project is our way of giving a little back and saying thanks for all you have done.”
Make sure you view the contest information about The Humble Heroes Project as soon as the program kicks off on September 3, 2020. Click here to enter: www.dunlopheroes.com.
A “press release” is promotional text issued by a rider, team, company or organization to inform
the public about an event, product, or service from the issuer’s own point of view, and if deemed
to have news value, may be placed on roadracingworld.com as a service to our readers.
A press release is not an article written by Roadracingworld.com staffers. When a post is labeled with the words “press release”, it means that Roadracingworld.com is not responsible for its content and that Roadracingworld.com makes no guarantee that it is accurate. Not all press releases are posted and Roadracingworld.com may reject press releases if the content is too heavy on commercial promotion with little or no news value or if the press release contains obvious errors.
Accessibility
Accessibility modes
Epilepsy Safe Mode
Dampens color and removes blinks
This mode 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
Improves website's visuals
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
Helps to focus on specific content
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
Reduces distractions and improve focus
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
Allows using the site with your screen-reader
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.
Online Dictionary
Readable Experience
Content Scaling
Default
Text Magnifier
Readable Font
Dyslexia Friendly
Highlight Titles
Highlight Links
Font Sizing
Default
Line Height
Default
Letter Spacing
Default
Left Aligned
Center Aligned
Right Aligned
Visually Pleasing Experience
Dark Contrast
Light Contrast
Monochrome
High Contrast
High Saturation
Low Saturation
Adjust Text Colors
Adjust Title Colors
Adjust Background Colors
Easy Orientation
Mute Sounds
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
November 12, 2026
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
