Riding Ducati’s Superleggera V4 Winged Wonder! In the August Issue

Trudy Ulrich

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August 27, 2020

Riding Ducati’s Superleggera V4 Winged Wonder! In the August Issue

Featured In the August 2020 issue of Roadracing World: Ducati Superleggera V4

I was a little nervous as I threw a leg over the Superleggera V4 (SL V4) before heading out for the first of my two scheduled sessions at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca.

I had good reason: I was sitting on top of a pre-production version of Ducati’s limited edition 2020 SL V4 that made a claimed 234 bhp in the configuration we were testing and cost a cool $100,000. It was a rare opportunity to test a Superleggera. In normal times we’d be left off the invite list as only five journalists from around the globe would get the opportunity to test ride the SL V4 in Europe, but COVID-19-related travel restrictions put in place by various countries eliminated a worldwide intro.

The United States is Ducati’s largest market and American dealers will sell more SL V4 models than dealers in any other part of the world. So Ducati North America created its own launch, shipping a few pre-production SL V4 models directly from Italy to Laguna Seca where a handful of U.S.-based journalists would each get 10 or 12 laps on the bike …

—Chris Ulrich, Racing Editor

It’s a bike so advanced, so well-developed, that in some ways Ducati’s Superleggera would be illegal on the grid of a MotoGP race. Racing Editor Chris Ulrich got an opportunity to rip perhaps the most cutting-edge street-legal sportbike on the planet around one of the world’s most iconic race tracks. Get the details in the August issue of Roadracing World!

Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology is THE definitive source for motorcycle racing, riding, and tech information.

PREVIEW the August 2020 Issue of Roadracing World!

Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine is available in print and digital formats. SUBSCRIBE NOW . Or call (909) 654-4779, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.

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MotoAmerica: Can Escalante And His 636cc ZX-6R Be Beaten By The 600cc Riders At The Ridge?

David Swarts

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August 27, 2020

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MotoAmerica: Can Escalante And His 636cc ZX-6R Be Beaten By The 600cc Riders At The Ridge?

MotoAmerica Support Class Preview: Ridge Awaits

Debut Races In Pacific Northwest For All Six Classes
IRVINE, CA – Will an extra two days of testing help Sean Dylan Kelly catch up to Richie Escalante? Dominic Doyle has been working on his starts. Will that keep him in contact with Rocco Landers? Can Landers keep Kaleb De Keyrel behind him? Will Cameron Petersen and Corey Alexander continue to exchange blows?

All those questions will likely get answered this weekend when MotoAmerica returns to action with the Komatsu Superbikes at the Ridge event at Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington.

Escalante and his HONOS-backed Kawasaki arrive in the Pacific Northwest as the hottest duo in the MotoAmerica paddock. Escalante has seven wins in eight races, and he was second in the only race he didn’t win. That has put M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Sean Dylan Kelly on his back foot and taking punches to the stomach. He’s now 50 points behind – and that’s with a win and six second-place finishes. In a normal season, those results don’t put you 50 points behind. But this is no normal season when it comes to Escalante’s pure speed and consistency. To put it mildly, he is on a roll that is proving difficult to stop. But Kelly won’t give up and he at least comes to the Ridge with two days of testing under his belt while Escalante will lay eyes on the place for the first time in Thursday’s test day.

Celtic HSBK Racing’s Brandon Paasch is the other consistent podium finisher in the bunch with Escalante, Kelly and Paasch making up the podium in six of the eight races. Paasch is 29 points behind Kelly and 79 behind Escalante.

Doyle and his BARTON Kawasaki Ninja 400 started the season with three straight wins in the Liqui Moly Junior Cup class, but Norton Motorsports/Ninja400R/Dr. Farr/Wonder CBD’s Rocco Landers has reversed all that with five wins in a row. Doyle knows his starts have been hurting his results and he’s worked on those in the few weeks off between races. Now we will see if it makes a difference for the South African to try and thwart Landers, who is fresh off two weekends of intense racing in the Red Bull Rookies Cup in Austria.

Celtic HSBK Racing’s Samuel Lochoff has proven to be the best of the rest with six podiums and third in the title chase heading to the Ridge. He’s 25 points behind Doyle and 59 in arrears of Landers.

To Kaleb De Keyrel, Landers is just another guy to beat and he’s proven capable of that with wins in three of the five Twins Cup races thus far in 2020. SportbikeTrackGear.com Roadracingworld.com Suzuki’s Landers has won the other two races, and only trails De Keyrel and his 1-833-CJKNOWS Accident & Injury Law-backed Yamaha FZ-07/MT-07 by 13 points.

Hayden Schultz is third in the championship with podiums in the last three races, but he won’t be making the trip to the Ridge and will likely surrender that spot to Jason Madama, the Coloradan just eight points behind Schultz.

Right now, the Stock 1000 title chase is being fought out between Cameron Petersen and his Altus Motorsports-backed Suzuki GSX-R1000 and the Ride HVMC Racing Kawasaki ZX-10R of Corey Alexander with those two separated by just three measly points. What may worry both of them, however, is the trajectory of young Alex Dumas’ learning curve in his first season on the M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Dumas started his debut season in the class with a seventh-place finish. From there he jumped to fourth, then third, then two seconds and another fourth. The seconds came at two different tracks – Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta and Pittsburgh International Race Complex – and he was oh-so close to his first win at PittRace where he was narrowly beaten by doubleheader winner Petersen. Dumas’ first win isn’t far away and the other two know it.

Dumas is third in the title chase, 24 points behind Petersen and 21 behind Alexander. Behind those three, Stefano Mesa, Travis Wyman and Michael Gilbert are fighting over fourth in the championship – the trio separated by just 19 points.

The Mini Cup by Motul round will also take place at the Ridge, with some 22 entries spread over three classes in the series’ debut season. The Ridge round is the finale in the debut, three-round 2020 Mini Cup by Motul Championship season.

MotoAmerica: More Heritage Cup Entries Announced For Laguna Seca

David Swarts

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August 27, 2020

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MotoAmerica: More Heritage Cup Entries Announced For Laguna Seca

CSRA Moto America Heritage Cup Laguna Seca Monterey event Oct. 23rd-25th to include Pros, an International flavor, and Guzzis.

Classic Superbike Racing Association has announced additional racers for their October event. Thad Wolff, Tom Montano, Andrew Gray, and Rick Reddick will be joining the grid at Moto America’s Heritage Cup Monterey Laguna Seca event presented by CSRA. A couple of real veteran pros, an international racer, and booming Guzzis, it just gets better with each announcement.

Darrin Gauvin spokesperson for CSRA says “We are really pleased to have Thad Wolff on our grid at Laguna, Thad’s racing history, being a Trailblazer, and his immediately identifiable Suzuki Superbike are a real plus. Thad has some really great moments at Laguna over the years and his entry line into the famed Corkscrew is legendary which makes Thad a true Trailblazer”.

Gauvin continues, “Additionally, Tom Montano who raced with CSRA in Sonoma at our first ever event will again be on our grid and we are very pleased to have him join us at Laguna. Montano is the 2001 AMA Pro Thunder Champion and will be aboard Team Guzzi Nerd’s Moto Guzzi. Montano will no doubt be fast as he knows how to hustle any motorcycle around a race track and he will certainly be at home on the twin cylinder machine, we look for Tom to be near the front again.”

Thad Wolff: Former regular on the AMA Superbike grids in the early 80s during the heyday of American Superbike racing will race his Minaru “Matsu” Matsuzawa built 1979 Suzuki GS1000. Thad’s AMA Superbike top finish was at Loudon in 1982, a podium 3rd place. Thad remembers that day on the podium with Wayne Rainey winning his first Superbike race and Eddie Lawson just ahead in second. “To look back and think I finished on the podium with these two great champions that day is a point of pride in my racing career” says Wolff. Thad was inducted into the AMA Trailblazers with the 2015 class, another point of pride for Wolff. Thad raced abroad on his Superbike in the Spring of 1982 at Imola finishing 3rd against the likes of Jimmy Adamo, Roberto Pietri, Richard Chambers, and a host of international competitors.

Wolff says “It’ll be great to be back on my Suzuki Superbike after all these years and racing it again at Laguna Seca with other heritage bikes from back in the day. CSRA has really focused on getting the original bikes from this golden era back on the track. They really have a quality field of period machinery and racers planned for Laguna and it’s great to be included in this event”

Tom Montano: Was the fastest American in history around the Isle of Man TT until 2003, earning six silver replicas in the process. Montano’s international career includes racing in the FIM World Endurance Championship at famed tracks such as Spa Francorchamps, Le Mans, and Manga Cours. Montano has been a regular with the AFM since 1982 when he began racing on a GS750 at Sears Point. Tom won the AMA Pro Thunder Championship riding a Ducati 748 for Monroe Motors of San Francisco in 2001. Montano explains, “It was great to be a part of the first Moto America- CSRA Vintage Superbike national event at Sonoma and I had a really great time two years ago. The chance to show what a Team Guzzi Nerd bike can do against the Japanese multi cylinder bikes is going to be a real challenge”. The Moto Guzzi Tom will ride was originally built by an east coast racer Ron Maas who finished 2nd in the 1987 Daytona BOTT with two other 2nds at Road Atlanta and Pocono. The Guzzi will be presented as it was raced back in the day with quick release Forcella forks, 18” front Marvic wheel and a very nice 2 into1 EPA exhaust developed by the the well-known Guzzi genius Dr. John.

Andrew Gray: A Brit and known as the “international man of mystery” of CSRA, Gray has been really fast this season and continues to get quicker every round. At the last CSRA Buttonwillow round Gray was out front leading before getting hunted down by the pack. His builds are some of the fastest Guzzis racing in the states today with a real period intent and look. Andrew started as he calls it “Guzzi racing” at the age of forty in 2007. Gray explains, “I built a 1982, 1100cc, Lemans 3 based bike for Ahrma Vintage Superbike Heavyweight and campaigned regularly for three years at all the west coast events while also being a regular at OMMRA and WMRRA Vintage Days in the Northwest, even did a one off Ahrma event at Mid-Ohio in 2009”. Gray continues, “In 2011 I converted the bike into an endurance racer and shipped it to Spa Francorchamps to compete in the Bikers Classic four-hour endurance race. My riding partner and I were the first USA based team to finish the race finishing 18th out of 70 starters. My bike was built for endurance and vintage superbike racing. Being English my racing effort is naturally fueled by VP race gas and strong tea.”

Rick Reddick: Born in Houston where he started racing with WERA in the early 90s. Reddick achieved class wins and podiums with WERA, AMA, and in the Formula USA series. Interestingly, Rick’s first given WERA race number was 289 like another famous Houston resident Kevin Schwantz. Reddick is a bit of a renaissance man who’s professional career began as a therapist before moving to Los Angeles after writing and producing a successful play in Texas. Although being the next great play write didn’t pan out as yet, Reddick became a TV producer for a time and now owns his own Visual Effects company for TV and film. Like Reddick his Moto Guzzi has had many successful careers, first being built to road raced in the 80s by Mike Tiberio. Mike road raced the big Guzzi until 1997 winning several championships with a proud moment coming the 1987 by winning the AMA District 7 road race championship. Having conquered road racing wasn’t enough for Tiberio so the Guzzi was converted to a land speed motorcycle, setting multiple world records 2017. Reddick’s bike has been converted back to a road race spec which he has been campaigning with CSRA over the last couple of years. With land speed oil and championship history running through the bike and Reddick’s veins look for this Guzzi to be fast over the hill at Laguna Seca.

Stay up to date for more announcements from CSRA and the Moto America Heritage Cup Laguna Seca event at www.csra.us, join Classic Superbike Racing Association on Facebook to purchase tickets for the event go to www.motoamerica.com

Former Factory Race Team Technician J.J. Matter Opens “Suspension Matters”

David Swarts

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August 27, 2020

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Former Factory Race Team Technician J.J. Matter Opens “Suspension Matters”

Race Technician J.J. Matter Opens Shop In SoCal

Experienced motorcycle technician and suspension specialist Jim “J.J.” Matter (father of former AMA Pro road racer Ryan Matter) has opened his own shop, Suspension Matters, in Azusa, California.

Matter, who has worked with several AMA teams and stars as well as with Race Tech Suspension, moved into the facility over the summer and held its official grand opening earlier this month.

Suspension Matters offers general motorcycle maintenance and suspension upgrades and maintenance for streetbikes, racebikes and dirtbikes, as well as ATVs. No stranger to the AMA Pro Road Racing paddocks of the past, Matter also offers race preparation services. And the shop also features a small gym area where Matter works out between jobs, and will soon offer an old-school video arcade motorcycle racing game.

“I started thinking about doing this about a decade ago, but I was probably a little afraid to do my own thing, plus I usually had a really good job,” Matters says. “Everything has gone well so far – actually, I’m busier than I had hoped to be, and now it’s a matter of getting everything out the door!”

Suspension Matters is located at 1143 W Foothill Blvd, Azusa, CA 91702, (626) 633-0335, www.suspensionmatters.com.

Liquid Asset Partners Holding Collector Car & Motorcycle Auction In September

Press Release

David Swarts

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August 27, 2020

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Liquid Asset Partners Holding Collector Car & Motorcycle Auction In September

Grand Rapids, MI – Liquid Asset Partners of Grand Rapids, Michigan, will be hosting its first annual Michigan Collector Car & Motorcycle online auction in September. The auction features Indian, Vincent and Honda motorcycles, an original 1966 Corvette C2, Ferrari Testarossa, an original 1969 Porsche 911E, McLaren 570s, and original memorabilia owned by actor Steve McQueen. The event is a first of its kind for West Michigan and provides residents an easy option to test the market for selling their collector cars or motorcycles.

The online auction is being held on September 26, 2020 and lots begin ending at 11:00AM EST with an in-person preview scheduled for September 23 – September 25 from 9:00AM – 4:00PM by appointment. Local and global bidders are welcome, and the auction is open to the public. Those looking to register to bid can visit LiquidAP.com for more information. Liquid Asset Partners is now accepting consignment cars & motorcycles for this auction.

Liquid Asset Partners will be welcoming other consignments of quality motorcycles, cars, or memorabilia. Please call (616) 719-5917 for consignment information or see below.

About Liquid Asset Partners:

Since 1974, Liquid Asset Partners, based in Grand Rapids, MI, is an acquisition and disposition leader in motorsports, retail and wholesale industries across North America. Liquid Asset Partners specializes in creative ways to assist companies in unlocking value from underperforming assets. Some notable projects include Assets of John Parham’s (owner of National Motorcycle Museum), Skip Barber Racing School, Erik Buell Racing (motorcycles), BarcLounger, Circuit City, the Indian Motorcycle Company, and more.

For more information, visit www.LiquidAP.com, call (616) 719-5917.

Video: A Kid’s First Time On A Stacyc Electric Stability Cycle

David Swarts

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August 26, 2020

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Video: A Kid’s First Time On A Stacyc Electric Stability Cycle

Test rider Nicholas Duffy on a Stacyc 16e electric balance bike. Photo by John Ulrich.

We wondered how long it would take a kid to adapt to the twist-grip throttle on a StaCyc 16-inch electric bike and recruited Nicholas Duffy, age 6. He had ridden a pedal bicycle and a small four-wheel ATV with a thumb throttle, but had not ridden a powered two-wheeler with a twist-grip throttle. But Nicholas did great, starting with the StaCyc in its lowest power setting and working through the middle power setting and up to full power in about 40 minutes. He rode the bike for another 20 minutes before the battery needed a recharge–and he obviously had a good time.

Podcast: Greg’s Garage Pod With Jason Pridmore Episode 90

David Swarts

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August 26, 2020

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Podcast: Greg’s Garage Pod With Jason Pridmore Episode 90

Greg’s Garage Pod with Co-Host Jason Pridmore p/b ARAI Helmets – A motorcycle racing Pod about MotoGP, MotoAmerica, and World Superbike, Pro Motocross, American Flat Track, Supercross and more. In this episode Co-Hosts Greg White and Jason Pridmore talk:

News – American Flat Track update on winners, including a MotoAmerica National Champ with a big career win. Pro Motocross from TN.

MotoGP – The chat about what happened at the Red Bull Ring 2 in Austria. Oliveira wins his first MotoGP race, Viñales jumps off an M1 with no brakes, a bit of green decides the Moto2 race and… a race broke out in Moto3.

Race Calendar – From MotoAmerica, WorldSBK, Pro Moto race going on all over the world.

Royal Enfield’s 2021-Model Himalayan Gets Switchable ABS

David Swarts

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August 26, 2020

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Royal Enfield’s 2021-Model Himalayan Gets Switchable ABS

Editorial Note: ABS control of the rear brake can be deactivated on the 2021 Himalayan.

Royal Enfield Introduces 2021 Himalayan

Pre-orders for the Himalayan begin September 1, 2020

Milwaukee, Wis – August 26, 2020: Royal Enfield, the global leader in the middleweight motorcycle segment, announced today the launch of the 2021 Himalayan with new features adding to the already impressive legacy of the 411cc adventure motorcycle. Since its introduction in 2016, the Himalayan has earned the respect and admiration of discerning motorcyclists and aspiring adventure riders.

Starting September 1, 2020 interested consumers may reserve a 2021 Himalayan at www.RoyalEnfieldNA.com. Quantities are limited and are only available through the website. Once reserved, consumers will present a unique buyer’s code at participating Royal Enfield dealers within seven days of receipt to confirm the reservation.

The 2021 Himalayan retains the original versatility and durability of the motorcycle, with added features to improve the riding experience. New for 2021 is a switchable antilock braking system (ABS) providing riders with more control when navigating challenging off-road conditions. The new Himalayan also features a revamped rear brake mechanism that improves brake engagement and rider feel for decreased stopping distances. Additional features in response to customer feedback also include an improved side-stand design and hazard light switch in case of road or trail side emergencies.

The new Royal Enfield Himalayan will be available in three new colorways, Lake Blue and Rock Red, and Gravel Gray, adding to the existing portfolio of Snow White, Granite Black and Sleet. The motorcycle comes with a three-year warranty and will be available across all Royal Enfield dealerships in North America starting at $4,999.

“The Himalayan continues to be one of the best-selling units in North America,” said Krishnan Ramaswamy, interim Business Head and President of Royal Enfield Americas. “The affordability, versatility and capability of the Himalayan has established it as a must-have adventure bike and with these updates, it’s better than ever before. Simplicity and a great riding experience are the center of who Royal Enfield is as a brand. We’re pleased that the Himalayan continues to deliver that experience to riders across the globe. It’s not only an approachable bike for the young and entry level rider but also a good dual-purpose addition to the stable of an experienced biker.”

The Himalayan includes a wide variety of Genuine Motorcycle Accessories as well, allowing riders the freedom to customize the Himalayan according to their pursuits. To see the full lineup of accessories and apparel, visit www.RoyalEnfieldNA.com/accessories.

The Himalayan, which was launched primarily for the Indian markets, has become one of the best adventure touring motorcycles in its segment globally. It has paved the path for more accessible forms of adventure touring and the new Himalayan will further strengthen this underserved category.

The perfect motorcycle companion for adventure touring and exploration has just gotten even better.

About Royal Enfield

The oldest motorcycle company in continuous production in the world, Royal Enfield made its first motorcycle in 1901. A division of Eicher Motors Limited, Royal Enfield has created the mid-size motorcycle segment in India with its unique and distinctive modern classic motorcycles. With its manufacturing base in Chennai, India, Royal Enfield has been able to grow its production rapidly against a surge in demand for its motorcycles. Royal Enfield is a leading player in the global middleweight motorcycle market.

Royal Enfield North America (RENA) is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is developing a growing network of more than 125 dealers in North America, including the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. RENA currently offers the Bullet 500, Classic 500, Himalayan and the all new 650 Twins: INT 650 and Continental GT 650 motorcycles along with a range of genuine motorcycle accessories and apparel.

For more information on Royal Enfield North America, please visit www.RoyalEnfield.com/us/en/, https://www.instagram.com/royalenfield_na/ and www.Facebook.com/RoyalEnfieldNorthAmerica.

MotoAmerica: Scholtz Looking To Roll Snake Eyes At “The Ridge”

David Swarts

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August 26, 2020

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MotoAmerica: Scholtz Looking To Roll Snake Eyes At “The Ridge”

Tulsa, OK – Round five of the 2020 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship starts this Friday at the Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington, and riders Mathew Scholtz and Cody Wyman, along with the entire Westby Racing team, are excited about MotoAmerica’s first foray into the Pacific Northwest.

Mathew, the team’s Superbike rider, rolled a pair of three’s last month at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta when he finished on the podium in both of that weekend’s races. Then, at Pittsburgh International Race Complex a couple of weekends ago, Mathew rolled a pair of two’s when he finished as runner-up in both races at PittRace. So, if the team is following suit—and you’d better believe they are—then Westby Racing is hoping to come up “snake eyes” at the Ridge with a pair of Superbike victories this weekend.

Mathew knows it’ll be a tall task against four-time and defending MotoAmerica Superbike Champ Cameron Beaubier, who is aboard essentially the same Yamaha YZF-R1 Superbike as Mathew and has won all but one race so far this season.

“I’m really pumped to race at the Ridge this weekend,” Mathew said. “The last race weekend at Pittsburgh was really good for us. It got us really excited for the rest of the season and to continue on this pathway of success. I’m riding as well as I ever have, and the team has got this Westby Racing Yamaha Superbike working really, really well. Right now, things are just jelling for us, and I am in a really happy place. I can’t wait to get back out on the racetrack again.

“From the videos I’ve watched, the Ridge is going to be a difficult track to get hold of but, you know, I’ve become quite accustomed to learning new circuits. I know that we’ll have to do a little bit of catch-up to the (Team Hammer) M4 (ECSTAR Suzuki) and the (Monster Energy) Attack (Performance Yamaha) guys who were at the Ridge for a two-day test earlier this summer. But fortunately, MotoAmerica has scheduled a full test day tomorrow, so we’ll be taking the necessary time to find the right gearing and setup so we can carry on with our charge up to the front.”

Superbike Superpole is on Saturday at 11:15 AM Pacific, Superbike race one will go green on Saturday at 3:00 PM Pacific, and Superbike Race 2 is on Sunday also at 3:00 PM Pacific. Saturday’s race will be broadcast LIVE on FOX Sports 2 (FS2), and Sunday’s race will be broadcast LIVE on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). In addition, both races will be broadcast LIVE on Eurosport and streamed on MotoAmerica Live+.

Westby Racing’s MotoAmerica Junior Cup rider Cody, who lives in Las Vegas, is excited to not only race his #34 Yamaha YZF-R3 at a track that’s located closer to “his side” of the country but also a new track that he and his competition have never raced on. He is confident that those factors will weigh in his favor.

“It’s always a great feeling rolling into a track that’s brand-new for me,” Cody said. “Honestly, I really enjoy the challenge of seeing a new piece of road and trying to figure out the fastest way around it. I believe that it may even the playing field out a little bit. I’m really excited to get this Yamaha set up for the Ridge and use the extra day of testing to get comfortable and up to speed. I’ve been watching videos online to try and learn the course, and I have a plan going into the weekend. Unfortunately, having no spectators at the track is a bummer, but I hope everyone will watch all the action on MotoAmerica Live+ and also on FS2 when both races air at a later time.”

Junior Cup race one starts on Saturday at 2:15 PM Pacific, and Junior Cup race two is on Sunday also at 2:15 PM Pacific. Both races will be broadcast via tape-delay on FOX Sports 2 (FS2). Check your local listings for FS2 airtimes. In addition, both Junior Cup races will be streamed on MotoAmerica Live+.

For more updates about Westby Racing, including news, photos, and videos, visit https://www.WestbyRacing.com

Also, follow “Westby Racing” on your favorite social media sites.

World Superbike: Davies Has “Great” Expectations At Motorland Aragon

David Swarts

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August 26, 2020

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World Superbike: Davies Has “Great” Expectations At Motorland Aragon

Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team on the starting blocks at Motorland (Aragon, Spain) for Round 4 and 5 of the 2020 Superbike World Championship

The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team is already working to prepare the first of two consecutive WorldSBK rounds that will be held at the Motorland circuit of Aragon (Spain).

With the first free practice session scheduled on Friday morning (h. 10.30 CET), Chaz Davies and Scott Redding will be back on their respective Ducati Panigale V4 R just a couple of weeks after the two days of testing held on the same circuit.

Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #7)

“I’m excited to go back to racing also because we will have two consecutive race weekends on the same circuit where we have got important results. That’s why our expectations are great. The competition is stiff and it will not be easy to repeat those result but we will go on track with all the confidence and the potential to fight for the podium in every race”.

Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)

“They will be two very important race weekends in Aragon. The test we did two weeks ago allowed us to make improvements on the bike that will help me during the race and for this I am very happy. It will be important to find the right feeling from the very first laps to be competitive throughout the weekend. I can’t wait to get on track”.

Riding Ducati’s Superleggera V4 Winged Wonder! In the August Issue

August 27, 2020

Jeremy Toye aboard the $100,000 Ducati Superleggera V4 during an action photo re-shoot on the tight, twisty Streets of Willow road course at Willow Springs International Raceway. The bike surprised Toye with its handling on the bumpy track. Photo by Kevin Wing.

Featured In the August 2020 issue of Roadracing World: Ducati Superleggera V4

I was a little nervous as I threw a leg over the Superleggera V4 (SL V4) before heading out for the first of my two scheduled sessions at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca.

I had good reason: I was sitting on top of a pre-production version of Ducati’s limited edition 2020 SL V4 that made a claimed 234 bhp in the configuration we were testing and cost a cool $100,000. It was a rare opportunity to test a Superleggera. In normal times we’d be left off the invite list as only five journalists from around the globe would get the opportunity to test ride the SL V4 in Europe, but COVID-19-related travel restrictions put in place by various countries eliminated a worldwide intro.

The United States is Ducati’s largest market and American dealers will sell more SL V4 models than dealers in any other part of the world. So Ducati North America created its own launch, shipping a few pre-production SL V4 models directly from Italy to Laguna Seca where a handful of U.S.-based journalists would each get 10 or 12 laps on the bike …

—Chris Ulrich, Racing Editor

It’s a bike so advanced, so well-developed, that in some ways Ducati’s Superleggera would be illegal on the grid of a MotoGP race. Racing Editor Chris Ulrich got an opportunity to rip perhaps the most cutting-edge street-legal sportbike on the planet around one of the world’s most iconic race tracks. Get the details in the August issue of Roadracing World!

Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology is THE definitive source for motorcycle racing, riding, and tech information.

PREVIEW the August 2020 Issue of Roadracing World!

Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine is available in print and digital formats. SUBSCRIBE NOW . Or call (909) 654-4779, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.

Available at Cycle Gear and other motorcycle retailers.

Visit www.roadracingworld.com daily for breaking news and events.

Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/roadracingworld

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com @roadracingworld

Follow us on Instagram https://instagram.com @roadracing_world

MotoAmerica: Can Escalante And His 636cc ZX-6R Be Beaten By The 600cc Riders At The Ridge?

August 27, 2020

Richie Escalante (54). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.