The Chuckwalla Valley Motorcycle Association (CVMA) is excited to announce the addition of a new racing class for the 2024/2025 Winter Series. With the growing interest in the Super Hooligan racing in MotoAmerica and across the country, CVMA has added a class to accommodate various “Standard” or “Naked” style motorcycles. For details, check out the rulebook. The CMVA Hooligan class is derived from the MotoAmerica Super Hooligan rules.
The updated rule book has been published on the CVMA website and is available for download. CVMA will continue to offer classes to race MotoAmerica spec Stock 1000 and NextGen Supersport equipment in addition to classes for Open, Middleweight, Lightweight, Ultra-lightweight, Baggers, and now Hooligan motorcycles.
The first round of the CVMA 2024/2025 Winter Series is fast approaching. Join us on October 18th-20th for some of the most competitive club racing in the U.S.!
CVMA offers two full days of racing every race weekend and also includes Saturday qualifying for grid position in all classes, amateur, and expert, as well as a wide variety of classes to choose from.
CVMA offers free reciprocity as a means of encouraging racers from other clubs to come out and compete. CVMA also offers a New Racers School for those starting in racing on the Friday before each race weekend. Log on to www.cvmaracing.com to sign up or for more information.
CVMA. Built for racers by racers and offering the best racing experience around!
Yamaha Sign Miguel Oliveira as Factory MotoGP Rider
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. is delighted to announce the signing of Miguel Oliveira. The Portuguese MotoGP star will be riding for the Prima Pramac Yamaha Factory Team for the 2025 and 2026 MotoGP season.
Misano Adriatico (Italy), 5th September 2024
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. is delighted to announce the signing of Miguel Oliveira. The Portuguese MotoGP star will be joining the Prima Pramac Yamaha Factory Team for the 2025-26 MotoGP seasons.
Oliveira is in his sixth year in the MotoGP class and his fourteenth year in the paddock. The vastly experienced 29-year-old has many premier-class and lower-class achievements to his name, including 17 race wins (5x MotoGP, 6x Moto2, 6x Moto3) and 41 podiums (7x MotoGP, 21x Moto2, 13x Moto3) and a MotoGP Sprint podium at the Sachsenring this year.
For 2025-26, Yamaha as well as MotoGP fans can look forward to Oliveira’s run on a, to him, new bike: the Factory Yamaha YZR-M1. Moreover, the number-88 rider will enjoy the full support of Yamaha.
LIN JARVIS
Managing Director, Yamaha Motor Racing
We are pleased to announce that a professional and experienced rider like Miguel Oliveira is joining the Yamaha line-up for 2025-26, and we bid him a warm welcome to the Yamaha MotoGP Project.
Miguel is a rider who has the technical know-how, experience, speed, and precision needed to improve the performance of the Yamaha YZR-M1. We are really looking forward to working with him as a key member of the Yamaha MotoGP project, and he can count on our full support.
MIGUEL OLIVEIRA
It’s a great privilege for me to represent such an iconic brand in our sport as Yamaha. Through my years of progression and arriving in MotoGP, I’ve always looked upon the blue bikes with great enthusiasm.
It’s now a reality, and I want to thank Yamaha Motor Company for its commitment to me in such an important transition phase of the project. Mr. Lin Jarvis was a key figure in starting discussions and making this happen. I believe I can be useful in this transition period of bringing the bike back to the top.
I want to thank Mr. Campinoti, Gino Borsoi, and all the Pramac staff for embarking on this journey together. I can’t be happier and more excited to get this new chapter started.
Every Sprint and every Grand Prix race will be shown live across the U.S. in 2024
Thursday, 07 March 2024
MotoGP™ has a new broadcast home in the U.S. through an expanded media rights agreement with TNT Sports. Beginning with this weekend’s Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar, fans across the U.S. will be able to watch every Tissot Sprint and Grand Prix race live in 2024 across TNT Sports’ networks and platforms.
truTV and Max’s B/R Sports Add-On will show every race of this record-breaking MotoGP™ season live, including top quality pre-race coverage. Max’s B/R Sports Add-On will also stream every session for every Grand Prix class across all three days of track activity, including the MotoGP™ qualifying shootout and the Grand Prix races for Moto2™ and Moto3™.
This partnership between MotoGP™ and TNT Sports represents a new era for live MotoGP™ coverage in the U.S., bringing TNT Sports’ world-class production and coverage to a U.S. audience that is passionate for high-octane motorsports.
MotoGP™ joins Max’s B/R Sports Add-On, which offers exceptional value with a full slate of premium live sports content included, such as the MLB, NHL, NBA, NCAA Men’s March Madness, U.S. Soccer, 24 Hours of Le Mans and a variety of non-live sports programming to appeal to every fan.
Fans can start tuning in to the record-breaking 2024 MotoGP™ season on truTV and Max’s B/R Sports Add-On this weekend as the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar marks the return of the world’s most exciting sport from the 8th to the 10th of March.
About TNT Sports
TNT Sports is a global leader in the delivery of premium sports content. The TNT Sports U.S. portfolio includes expansive, multi-platform partnerships with the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, National Hockey League, United States Soccer Federation, NASCAR (coming in 2025) and a premier golf franchise in The Match. Owned and operated platforms are highlighted by Bleacher Report, the #1 digital destination for young sports fans, along with House of Highlights, HighlightHER, Golf Digest, and a full suite of digital and social portfolio brands. Additionally, TNT Sports co-manages NBA Digital — comprised of NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE Pass, the NBA App and NBAGLEAGUE.com — as well as NCAA.com and NCAA March Madness Live. TNT Sports in Europe and the Republic of Ireland includes partnerships with the NBA, Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UFC, WWE and more, as well as much-loved brands Eurosport, Global Cycling Network (GCN), Global Mountain Bike Network (GMBN) and multi-sport programming and content on discovery+ and Discovery’s free-to-air TV networks.
About MotoGP™
MotoGP™ is the world’ most exciting sport. The pinnacle of motorcycle racing, 22 of the fastest riders compete on purpose-built motorcycles on some of the world’s greatest racetracks, reaching top speeds above 360 kilometers per hour (223 miles per hour) and lean angles of over 60 degrees. Since 1949, the sport has grown to comprise more than 20 Grands Prix across five continents, with the television broadcast reaching hundreds of millions around the world.
Dorna Sports and the FIM renew MotoGP™ agreement until 2060
The FIM and Dorna Sports announce long-term renewal of their agreement, securing the rights to MotoGP™ and all Dorna-run FIM World Championships
Thursday, 05 September 2024
MotoGP™ rights holder Dorna Sports and the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) are delighted to announce an extension of their long-term agreement securing the promotion rights for all Dorna-run FIM World Championships until 2060. The continuation of this successful partnership guarantees unparalleled value, continuity, and opportunity for MotoGP™ in a rapidly evolving global sporting landscape.
Dorna first secured the promotion rights of the FIM Grand Prix World Championship in 1992. Together, the partnership has expanded the success and popularity of the sport for fans around the world and continues to do so, with MotoGP™ enjoying an impressive trajectory of global growth over recent seasons.
Working in tandem with the teams’ association (IRTA) and the manufacturers association (MSMA), the partnership between the FIM and Dorna underpins an enviable ecosystem within MotoGP™, built on an unrivalled level of consensus that puts the sport first.
In addition to its successes in driving the global growth of MotoGP™, the partnership has also expanded the popularity and reach of motorcycle racing around the world – from grassroots to the highest levels of professional competition. FIM World Championships considered under this agreement, including the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship since 2015, the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Championship since 2019, the FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship since 2019 and the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship since 2023, can now look forward to many more years of success thanks to this extension.
Jorge Viegas, President of the FIM: “This is an incredibly important moment and one that provides long term clarity and security regarding the pinnacle of motorcycle sport. This is not only important for all those directly involved in MotoGP™, but also for the wider motorcycle racing community that reaps the benefits from the global status, value and presence of this leading series.
“The ongoing and ever closer collaboration between the FIM, Dorna Sports and the other key stakeholders is something that has been built over many years, the trust and co-operation that now exists alongside this long-term agreement offer great foundations for the future development of MotoGP™ plus all the related championships. On behalf of the FIM, I would like to express my most sincere gratitude for the work that Dorna Sports has done since 1992 and look forward with great confidence to combining our efforts to ensure the continued growth and success of MotoGP™ for many more years to come.”
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of MotoGP™ rights holder Dorna Sports: “We’re very proud to announce this agreement with the FIM. It is fantastic news for the sport, and our fans around the world, that this partnership is guaranteed to continue. We have built something truly special and will continue to grow the sport even further, working together.
“Being able to come to such a long-term agreement adds incredible value for MotoGP. In the sports and entertainment landscape of today, the level of consensus we enjoy in MotoGP is something we’re privileged to be part of, and it lays fantastic foundations for our sport to continue its trajectory of growth. We want to thank the FIM for their support and we look forward to making MotoGP even bigger and better than ever as we continue our partnership.”
“Cool ******* bikes!” the rider on the Suzuki GSX-R shouted at us. He had to shout over his machine, but ours were dead silent. We were test riding the all-electric Maeving RM1S down Sunset Boulevard and through the heart of Beverly Hills, where private security guards drove around in Teslas and driver-less electric taxis glided eerily through streets packed with tourists and students.
The Maeving RM1S turns heads, even those of the jaded fashionista of Beverly Hills. Photo by Jamie Robinson.
“Cool,” I found myself thinking a week later, whispering home on the Kawasaki Ninja e-1 late at night on the dark, empty streets of eastern Los Angeles County, the scenery whipping past to the soundtrack of wind noise past my helmet and nothing else.
The Kawasaki Ninja e-1 looks the part of a traditional sportbike, and the fit and finish is on par with other Kawasaki models. Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
The bikes couldn’t look less different. The Ninja looks like a Ninja, perhaps drawn to a slightly smaller scale than its gas-powered siblings, but absolutely reflecting the current design state of a Kawasaki supersport machine. The Maeving looks like it was ripped out of a history book, and based solely on the styling, I wouldn’t have been surprised to find a hand-shifter onboard.
Board tracker, bobber, and café racer styling elements are evident in the Maeving RM1S. Photos courtesy Maeving.
But these machines both represent a new way of thinking about electric motorcycles. Instead of trying to replicate the performance of internal-combustion machines, these are designed to deliver city-oriented performance, affordability, and ease of use. And they are designed to more accurately meet the needs of the people most likely to be looking for such a motorcycle.
Electric motorcycles can make a lot of sense in dense urban environments. There’s no noise pollution, no exhaust emissions. They are cheap to maintain and torquey leaving a stoplight. There’s a reason more than eight million electric motorcycles and scooters are sold in China every year, and that the popularity of such machines is soaring in crowded population centers worldwide.
The problem has always been charging. A relatively short range isn’t a problem if the bike can be recharged quickly. But the buyer for a city motorcycle is likely to live in an apartment or condo, and they may not have access to an outlet in a garage to charge the vehicle. Near my home in Vancouver, I have seen people drop extension cords from their third-story apartments to charge an electric motorcycle sitting in a ground-level parking lot. Not ideal.
The Ninja e-1’s batteries remove easily for charging away from the motorcycle. Diagram courtesy Kawasaki.
Honda offered one solution with its Motocompacto, the electric scooter that folds into itself and slides under the couch while charging. California-based Ryvid offered a battery pack that drops down onto a set of wheels and rolls around like luggage to the nearest standard outlet.
The Kawasaki and Maeving take this idea one step further. Both can be charged with the batteries on board. But, and this is the evolutionary step, both offer removable batteries that can be charged in an apartment, a condo, or anywhere there’s an outlet. Each individual battery weighs about as much as a big bag of dog food. If you’re like me, and enjoy spending time in coffee shops (a writer in a coffee shop is a cliche, I know), there’s no reason you couldn’t carry a battery in with you and charge it while you get charged on a double espresso.
The Maeving RM1S has two batteries which slide out sideways and can be charged away from the machine. Photo courtesy Maeving.
And it’s an answer–a pretty good one–for the people who wanted an electric bike for the city but didn’t have anywhere to charge it.
Maeving RM1S
The Maeving RM1S, as I like to say, looks like what a non-motorcyclist thinks of when they hear the word “motorcycle.” The company says its design is inspired by the board track racers of the 1920s and the café racer era. The styling is critical to Maeving, which went to great lengths to evoke the impression of a classic or vintage machine. The tube that carries cables from the battery compartment rearward evokes the image of a high-mounted exhaust pipe. There are cool bar-end mirrors, an analog speedometer, and a diamond-stitched seat.
The propulsion system of the Maeving RM1S is futuristic and the styling is historic. The company blends the two into a distinctive identity. Photo courtesy Maeving.
The single-downtube steel-cradle frame surrounds the dual battery pack, while a rear hub-mounted motor delivers a claimed 14 bhp. The company claims a curb weight of 293 pounds, and the seat height is 30.9 inches.
Conventional damper-rod forks handle suspension duties up front, and twin shocks– adjustable for preload only–mounted directly to the steel swingarm soak up bumps at the rear. The linked braking system features a single 300mm disc mated to a three-piston caliper and a wire-spoked wheel in the front, and a single 180mm disc is clamped by a single-piston caliper at the rear.
There is no clutch or transmission. There are three ride modes–Ride, Sport and Eco. The company claims a top speed of 70 mph and a range of 80 miles, and a zero-to-full charge time of just over four hours from a 120-volt home wall socket. Charging is via a port on the side of the bike or by removing the batteries and charging them someplace else.
Options include carbon-fiber fenders, seat and tank colors, and upgraded suspension. The company sells directly to the customer. Buy one and a company representative will deliver it and shows the buyer how it operates. If it needs repair, a company technician comes to get the bike, takes it back to the shop, fixes it, and brings it back.
Suggested retail for the RM1S (the upscale, twin-battery model) begins at $8,995. The base single-battery RM1 is sold out.
Kawasaki Ninja e-1
Kawasaki took the opposite approach when it styled the Ninja e-1. Taking full advantage of the fact that sportbikes have full fairings, Kawasaki wrapped bodywork around the electric Ninja’s battery pack. It takes a careful look to spot the electric motor, mounted behind the battery compartment, and the only other real clue that it’s an electric bike is the lack of an exhaust pipe. The fit and finish is right up there with Kawasaki’s other sporting motorcycles, and it slots right in with the other sportbikes in a parking lot.
The left side of a Kawasaki Ninja e-1. Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
The steel-tube frame cradles the dual battery compartment, and like the Maeving, the area traditionally occupied by the gas tank is a lockable storage container. Conventional damper-rod forks mount to a lightweight alloy rim and a single 290mm disc with a dual-piston caliper. A gas-charged monoshock, adjustable for preload only, handles suspension at the rear, where a dual-piston caliper works with a 220mm disc.
Kawasaki engineers avoided the extra unsprung weight of a hub-mounted motor, so the Ninja e-1 has its motor mounted just ahead of the swingarm. A traditional sprocket-and-chain system transmits power to the rear wheel. Kawasaki claims 12.06 horsepower from its air-cooled, interior permanent magnet motor, a range of 41 miles, and a top speed of 55 mph. The claimed maximum torque, 29.7 lbs.-ft, is just two lbs.-ft. shy of the claimed max torque of the new Ninja 500, and the e-1 delivers its peak torque starting at 500 rpm.
On the Roadracing World scales, the e-1 weighed in at 313 pounds, and Kawasaki also claims a seat height of 30.9 inches. Kawasaki says the charging time is approximately 3.7 hours.
The e-1 has two ride modes, Eco and Road, plus ABS braking. There’s also a little button on the right handlebar called e-boost, which delivers a short burst of power for leaving stoplights or merging with traffic. The machine also offers a Walk mode that limits the speed to 3.0 mph, but the cool thing is that it works in reverse as well as forward, making parking easier. Suggested retail starts at $7,899.
Riding The Electric Bikes
The Maeving looks every bit the part that the designers intended. Maeving’s engineers–formerly of Triumph, the company says–opted for a classic, timeless look, and onlookers responded positively. Drivers stopped their vehicles and started shouting questions and praise. Impressive when you’re cruising through a global nexus of fashion like Rodeo Drive, where it seems like every other car is a Ferrari or Porsche.
Leaving a stoplight in Sport mode, the Maeving was just quick enough to leave traffic behind initially, but the rate of acceleration faded quickly. It’s powerful enough to manage city traffic, but acceleration is by design soft and unintimidating. Maeving’s target audience includes riders moving up from e-bicycles, and the power delivery is meant to be manageable for them. Highways are a bit intimidating with the lack of top end, but if jumping on the freeway for a couple of exits makes the trip shorter, and there’s enough room to build up speed, the Maeving is game. The trade-off for the softer, manageable power is the greater range. Even with the convenience of removable batteries, more range means less time spent charging and greater usability.
The seat feels low, the bike is easy to maneuver, and the brakes are adequate for the task. The bike feels vintage when the pace picks up, and that’s not necessarily a good thing. All that weight at the end of the swingarm makes its presence known going over bumps, with the rear shocks unable to completely handle the most aggressive pavement irregularities. The chassis feels flexible through faster turns, and having identical tires front and rear also adds an element of unfamiliarity to the experience. It has to be said, though, that this is at the very limit–or beyond–of the bike’s design brief, and most riders will be too busy basking in the admiration of passersby to notice. When ridden as intended, the seat is comfortable, the riding position relaxed, and the quiet, vibration-free experience quite enjoyable.
The Ninja delivers a much more typical riding experience. Bumps don’t upset it nearly as much, since the electric motor isn’t unsprung weight. And while the suspension is small-bore Ninja standard, it’s more than adequate for anything city streets will throw at it. The single-disc front brake delivers a solid lever feel, and ABS is there in case the rider gets the braking wrong.
Kawasaki says the Ninja e-1 tops out at 55 mph, but I got it up to an indicated 60 mph. The Eco mode is definitely cruise-around-the-neighborhood mode, while Road mode works best for faster boulevards. Using the e-boost button turned out to be a giggle. Punch the button before leaving a light and pin the throttle, and the Ninja moves with much more authority than the Maeving. It’s not going to rip your arms off, but it delivers almost as much torque as the new Ninja 500, more torque than a Ninja 400, and serves it up starting at 500 rpm. I used the e-boost button to leave stoplights while lane splitting, turned it off once up to cruising speed, and thoroughly enjoyed using the little Ninja as my around-town scoot for a couple of weeks.
I’ve ridden bigger, more powerful electric bikes and enjoyed them–the acceleration is amazing. The Maeving and Ninja e-1 are made for a different audience, and within their performance envelope, they do everything that they promise. I’m lucky enough to have a garage and solar panels at my Southern California home, and it did not escape my attention that not only did I never have to stop at a gas station, I stopped paying attention to gas prices. For a rider looking for electric city transportation that is cheap and convenient, with charging flexibility, these are worth a look.
Specifications: 2024 Kawasaki Ninja e-1
Engine Configuration: Interior Permanent Magnet, Electric Motor
Gloves off, visors down: MotoGP™ arrives in Misano
The battle lines are drawn as the world’s most exciting sport arrives on turf poised to serve up a storm
Wednesday, 04 September 2024
Hallowed ground. Home turf. Enemy territory. All are true at once for the MotoGP™ grid at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, with the stage set for an intriguing showdown this weekend in the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini. Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) heads behind enemy lines with an advantage of 23 points atop the standings, holding off home hero Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team). The incentive to defeat the reigning Champion on his own turf, and for his own Italian team, will be matched only by the determination of the #1 to stop him doing just that. Especially as Bagnaia looks to bounce back – something he’s seemingly magically able to do when he most needs to.
Meanwhile, Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) was back on the top step in Aragon, 1043 days after winning his last Grand Prix. And that just happened to be the Emilia-Romagna GP at Misano in 2021. He is the rider with most wins across all at Misano, and he’d love to add another. His incentives likewise set up a showdown to remember: enemy territory. Future teammate territory. And current team home turf…
The rider with the next most podiums and an exemplary record at Misano, meanwhile, is another home hero: Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team). The Beast’s nightmare Practice and Q1 left him with work to do in Aragon but he did it, slicing up the order as ever to get back to the front and only cede third place overall by just a single point. It may not have been the weekend he’d expected, given the 2022 Aragon GP, but it was far from a disaster by conclusion. Misano is likely to see Bastianini gunning for glory once again.
The home heroes don’t stop there. Last year Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) took two podiums and he’ll hope some home magic will be added to the mix too in a tougher season. Teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio just had the edge still before a tyre pressure penalty in Aragon, however, and with another few days to get back to better strength he’ll be one to watch on his and the team’s home turf. Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) continues an impressive trajectory of progress over recent rounds too, with Misano another chance to put it all together and try to attack for the podium.
Attacking for that podium was exactly what Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) was doing for much of the Aragon GP, before both he and Bagnaia ended up tangled in the gravel. Opinion columns aside, each got to make their case and the result of the FIM MotoGP™ Stewards investigation was: no further action. We can likely expect more action of a different kind as the #73 takes on the home round for Gresini and Ducati in front of what could prove a partisan crowd more partial to the Pecco Bagnaia side of the argument, but there are plenty of races in even recent memory where the incentive to prove a point has been a powerful one.
Aprilia, meanwhile, have plenty of home glory on the line for their machine and factory, and after a tougher Aragon GP, they’ll want to bounce back quickly. On Day 1 all four RS-GPs were in the top ten: Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) on Marquez’ tail, and Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez flying the flag for Trackhouse. But come Saturday it got tougher, and they’ll want a lot more from Misano. Viñales has a standout record at the track too…
Then comes KTM and GASGAS. Back nearer the front at Aragon with two podiums for Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) hot on his heels after his own good form in Austria, there were plenty of positives and Misano has hosted some for the marque before. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) is having an up and down ride with some impressive speed and then bad luck or trouble at times so will be looking for a smoother weekend, and Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) had some positives from MotorLand too. Misano awaits with another chance to reset – and another wildcard for Pol Espargaro with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.
Stefan Bradl will also be on track for the HRC Test Team, and for Honda, there was a first of 2024 at MotorLand as Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) moved directly through to Q2, showing some impressive speed all weekend despite unfortunately crashing out on Saturday. Still, that’s a good tick in one box as the Japanese marque look to move forward, and Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) will be especially keen to do so this weekend on home turf. Teammate Joan Mir had the upper hand at MotorLand on his. But of all, it was Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) who actually took Honda’s best Sunday result so far this season, coming home in P11 when all penalties were said and done. As his future as development rider is confirmed, his value seemed underlined once more.
Yamaha, meanwhile, have recently done their own private test at Misano so it will be interesting to see where they pick up as we return to race. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) put in a more than solid Saturday at MotorLand to battle Bagnaia and take Sprint points, but a crash out on Sunday leaves a little what could have been behind. What was, for teammate Alex Rins, was a top ten though – a good result even if now leaving the factory to focus on cutting down the time deficit. What will be at Misano? It’s traditionally a strong track for the Yamaha.
The Championship remains close but there’s ever more pressure pouring into the duel at the top, with the momentum suddenly back in Martin’s corner. But a Bagnaia needing a result is a Bagnaia to underestimate at your peril, and Marc Marquez has now been back on the top step. And all the while, Bastianini looks through his trophy cabinet, drives down the road to his local racetrack, and looks to steal the spotlight and chip away at that gap to the top…
Who’s taking the spoils? Join us this weekend for the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini to find out:
What’s happening at the #SanMarinoGP?
On Thursday afternoon, MotoGP™ podcast Last On The Brakes will welcome Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 empresario Herve Poncharal.
Then we’re into the press conferences, with the first set to host Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team).
Then, rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) will be joined by Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) for the second.
The FIM Enel MotoE™ World Championship returns to action across the weekend and for the grand finale. Misano will decide the 2024 Champion and four riders are in contention, but Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) has a 38-point lead heading in.
On the Road to MotoGP™, the Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup will also be decided at Misano. Race 1 is on Saturday and Race 2 on Sunday, with the top two contenders split by 13 points on the way in.
Moto2™: Dixon dares to dream as the deficit comes down
Four races ago, Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) sat 105 points adrift of World Championship leader Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI). Now, heading to the San Marino GP, that deficit has shrunk to 43 points after the Briton claimed a second win of the year in Aragon. And what a weekend it was at MotorLand, with Dixon converting his first pole of the season into a win that has propelled the #96 into the Championship chase equation.
That’s partly because it was another weekend where title favourites failed to pick up sizable points tallies. Garcia retired from Sunday’s race in what was, truth be told, a weekend to forget for the current Championship pacesetter. Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) – on his injury return – dug deep to pocket eight crucial points in P8, while Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing) and Fermin Aldeguer (BetaTools SpeedUp) both suffered tougher ends to their Aragon GPs with crashes.
That meant race winner Dixon and Alonso Lopez (BetaTools SpeedUp) – the Spaniard finishing P4 – were the big movers in the title race. Lopez, a bronze medallist at Misano in 2023, is now P3 behind the MT Helmets – MSI duo, 31 points off Garcia, with Dixon P5. 50 points split the top six – Garcia to Aldeguer – as we land at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. Now that’s what we call a Championship battle.
Obviously, we can’t go racing again without mentioning the other two riders who stood on the Aragon rostrum – Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo). The former made his way onto the box for the first time this season and ran Dixon close, as Öncü strung together a fantastic weekend to claim his debut intermediate class rostrum. More of the same will be craved from both between now and Valencia.
Moto3™: Alonso marches on as Veijer takes up the chase
History was made on Sunday morning in Aragon as Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) etched his name alongside the greats by becoming the 400th different Grand Prix winner. Rueda’s first Moto3™ triumph was the #99’s first podium since the Catalan GP and the third of his sophomore year, and one that moved the Spaniard up to P6 in the overall standings.
Also moving up in the Championship was second place finisher Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP). The Dutch star is now P2 in the title chase after earning a sixth podium of the season, as Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) put in a fine ride to secure his first Grand Prix podium in P3 ahead of his and the team’s home race at Misano.
And speaking of Misano, who won there last year in Moto3™? Ah yes, a certain David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team). Despite finishing off the podium for just the fourth time this year – albeit in P4 – the Colombian stretched his healthy points advantage out to 75. Veijer now acts as the chief chaser, and with Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) and Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) picking up a lowkey P12 and P9 respectively, a big response is needed this weekend as the pack attempts to reel in the #80 before time runs out.
American Nathan Gouker Takes Top 5 Finish in ESBK Moto4 in Estoril, Anthony Lupo Jr. Takes Top 15 Finish in Moto4, Kensei Matsudaira in PreMoto3
Round 5 of the RFME ESBK Spanish Superbike Championship was held this
past weekend at Circuit Estoril in Portugal with Americans Nathan Gouker
and Anthony Lupo Jr. racing in Moto4, and Kensei Matsudaira in the
PreMoto3 category.
Despite missing round 3 held at Circuit Estoril in July due to injury,
Nathan Gouker made a strong impression on his debut at the circuit
qualifying in 9th and achieving his best finish in Moto4 of 5th place in
Saturday’s race 1. He followed that up on Sunday in race 2 with another
impressive top 10 finish in 8th place.
Nathan Gouker:
“It was great to be back with my Ajevo Racing Team in Estoril, Portugal
for Round 5 of the ESBK championship this past weekend. I’m super happy
to come away with 2 top 10 finishes and get my first top 5 of the year.
I’m excited to finish the season strong with the team and know we are
going to push to the front. As always, thank you to the fans,
supporters, and sponsors for all their positive energy.”
Meanwhile, Anthony Lupo Jr. made his best qualifying result of the
season of 12th, and followed that up with a 13th place in race 1
matching his best result so far of the season, and a 15th place finish
in race 2.
Anthony Lupo Jr.:
“It was an okay weekend, it took me a little while to get up to speed
but I had some good battles. I’m looking forward to Navarra and I’m
excited to learn a new track.”
In the PreMoto3 category, Kensei Matsudaira had his second best
qualifying of the year in 14th, 1.9 seconds behind pole. In race 1
Kensei made a great start and gained more than six positions on the
first lap, and was up as high as 6th place racing in the top group until
an unfortunate mechanical issue with his clutch on lap 5 forced him to
drop back. Kensei continued to fight to finish the race, finally
crossing the line in 12th. On Sunday in race 2 Kensei had a good start
but after contact with another rider on the first lap, lost touch with
the front group and finished the race in P12, leading his group.
Kensei Matsudaira:
“In race 1 I started out really strong and though that I could be in the
fight for a podium. After the clutch issue though all I could do was to
finish the race and manage my position. Race 2 was tough. I got a decent
start but got hit in the first lap and lost the front group. I finished
at the front of my group but just didn’t have the pace to catch anyone
out front. We have a bit of a break now so I’ll definitely be putting my
head down and training even harder to finish the season much stronger.”
Round 6 of the RFME ESBK Spanish Superbike Championship will be held at
Circuito de Navarra in Los Arcos, Spain on October 26-27.
The Ajevo Nox#27 Racing Team is supported by: Comodity Window Films,
Alquilocar, FRC Fercometal, Reprocenter, Nadalfret, Viel Carrocerias
Anthony Lupo is supported by: Hans King, American Supercamp, Nanelli
Riders Academy, MadLabs Minimoto, LS2 Helmets, Mini Moto Alliance, 73
Moto Parts
Kensei Matsudaira is supported by: Evike.com, Iconic Motorbikes, HJC
Helmets, Dave Designs, Bullit Electric Cycles, Bison Track, TJ Corse,
Alpinestars, Almassera El Teular, Project SLUSH, Moto Tecnica,
California Superbike School, Slacker by Motool, Bickle Racing, MadLabs
Minimoto, 73 Moto Parts, D.I.D Chain, Yoshimura R&D, NLAB Studio &
Wraps, Karen E. Ott Photography, VNM Sport, Galfer USA, Vortex Racing,
Hans King, The Starting Grid, Moto Survival School, Mini Moto Alliance,
Live 100 Moto
About Our Sponsors
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house that builds, restores, and sells classic sportbikes and
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Matthew Chapin, Ivan Debord, Stefano Mesa, and Gus Rodio won ASRA National sprint races August 31-September 1 at the newly repaved New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP), in Millville, New Jersey.
Chapin won the ASRA 400 race, Debord got first place in ASRA Thunderbike, Rodio rode to victory in the ASRA Sportbike event, and Mesa triumphed in ASRA Superstock.
The final round of the 2024 ASRA Championship series — along with the AMA Road Race Grand Championship – is October 18-20 at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Florida.
The season finale kicks off with the Team Hammer Advanced Riding School & Pro Practice on Thursday, October 17.
More, from a press release issued by Karns Performance:
CFMOTO Scores Its first Expert Win in USA at NJMP Labor Day Weekend!
2024 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion Matthew Chapin Scores CFMOTO its first Expert win in the USA.
Matthew Chapin (79/95) at speed on the Karns Performance CFMoto 450SS. Photo by Noiseless Productions, courtesy Karns Performance.
Starting from the third row for the Lightweight Supersport Expert race, Matthew had quite a fight on his hands. For seven laps he battled the Aprilia RS 660s and Yamaha YZF-R7s on the little CFMOTO 450SS, catching the leader with three laps to go. After swapping the lead several times, Matthew took the win at the line.
Matthew Chapin: “The race was a lot of fun. After riding the bike in the morning, we made some setup changes and it handled perfectly. The bike was solid in the corners allowing me to make up ground and get a very good drive onto the straight. It is fast, really fast. I want to thank Karns Performance for the opportunity to give it a try.”
Team Owner Jason Karns: “We wanted to see what the bike was capable of, so Matthew said he would help us with some setup. His lap times looked competitive before we made changes to the bike. We decided to make the changes and see what the CFMOTO 450SS with a stock engine could do up against the much more powerful competition. Watching Matthew extract the full capability out of the CFMOTO was really something fun to watch. I want to thank Matthew for really putting it out there securing CFMOTO its first win in the USA. He has a lot of talent and is very patient, and it really showed today. He is going places.”
Niccolò Canepa to Retire from Racing After Bol d’Or
Yamalube YART Yamaha Official EWC Team rider Niccolò Canepa will retire from racing after the 2024 FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) season finale at the Bol d’Or on September 12th-15th, with the Italian looking to end his career on a high note by securing back-to-back EWC titles.
The 36-year-old has had an illustrious career spanning over two decades, during which time he has raced in MotoGP, WorldSBK, Moto2, WorldSSP, and MotoE and has become the most successful Italian EWC rider in history.
Canepa, who hails from Genoa, began his career in the Italian national championships before making his WorldSSP debut in 2005. After finishing second in the 2006 European Superstock 600 Championship, he went on to be crowned the 2007 FIM Superstock 1000 Cup Champion.
Following this success, he made his WorldSBK debut the following season with a couple of wildcard rides and became a MotoGP test rider before stepping up to the premier class full-time in 2009. After finishing an impressive 16th overall during his debut MotoGP season, he switched to Moto2 in 2010 and made 11 starts before returning to the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup in 2011. A full season in WorldSBK followed in 2012, and he then finished as runner-up in the 2013 FIM Superstock 1000 Cup.
He returned to WorldSBK for the 2014 and 2015 seasons before starting his long association with Yamaha when he joined the GMT94 Yamaha EWC Team in 2016, finishing as runners-up in the Endurance World Championship that year, with Canepa also becoming the official Yamaha Motor Europe WorldSBK test rider.
His test rider role saw him substitute for an injured Sylvain Guintoli for four races during the 2016 WorldSBK season, securing four top-ten finishes. He also filled in for the sidelined Florian Marino in two races that year in the STK1000 European Championship, recording a podium (3rd) at Donington Park.
In just his second year with GMT94 Yamaha Team, he became the first Italian to win an FIM Endurance World Championship as they lifted the 2016/2017 crown, and in the process, he also became the first Italian to claim victory at the Bol d’Or, before following this up by finishing as runners-up the following season.
Canepa continued to make wildcard appearances in WorldSBK for the Pata Yamaha Team in 2018, contesting both races at Donington Park and then Misano, scoring points during both outings. He then joined the YART Yamaha EWC Official Team for the 2018/2019 EWC season, immediately tasting success as they went on to win the 8 Hours of Slovakia Ring to finish the season in fourth.
In 2019, he also made his MotoE World Cup debut, finishing ninth overall, a result he would repeat the following year, showcasing his ability to be fast whatever the machinery. In his second season with the YART team, victories at Estoril and Sepang meant they secured second overall in the 2019/2020 FIM Endurance World Championship.
During this time, he also became the Yamama WorldSBK rider coach, taking an even more active role in the paddock alongside his test rider duties, which paid dividends in 2021 when Yamaha won the WorldSBK championship. He returned to the MotoE World Cup in 2022, securing his first podium in the class on his way to ending the season in seventh while also competing in the Italian CIV Superbike Championship.
Canepa added another EWC title in 2023 after a stunning season that saw YART win the 24H SPA EWC Motos and secure second at the 24 Heures Motos in Le Mans before finishing fourth at the Bol d’Or to be crowned champions once more.
The Italian is bidding to bow out on a high by winning his third FIM Endurance World Championship crown at his final race, with the YART team heading to the Bol d’Or leading the overall standings by six points after finishing second at the 24 Heures Motos at Le Mans, winning the 8 Hours of Spa Motos and securing a dream podium (2nd) at the legendary Suzuka 8 Hours.
While winning another championship title would be the perfect ending to an incredible career, whatever happens at the Bol d’Or, Canepa will go down as one of the most successful EWC riders of all time and is a member of an elite club of people to have won all three major 24-hour races (Spa, Le Mans, and the Bol d’Or).
Niccolo Canepa. Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Niccolò Canepa
Yamalube YART Yamaha Official EWC Team
“It has been a fantastic journey! I started racing minibikes when I was just nine years old, and at 19, I was already riding a MotoGP bike. I have been lucky to have enjoyed an incredible career; of course, there have been some difficult moments, but as a child, I would never have imagined that I would have had so much success and got so much enjoyment from this sport. I gave everything to racing, but I got back much more than I expected, and I have won two EWC titles and one in Superstock. Hopefully, we can make it three in EWC after the Bol d’Or. I have had the opportunity to race in many championships, such as MotoGP, WorldSBK, EWC, WorldSSP, Moto2, and MotoE. I am happy with what I have achieved. As a rider, you know when it is time to stop, and it feels like the perfect moment to retire after the Bol d’Or. I am already thinking about new challenges and starting a new chapter in my life. Of course, I will miss racing, my teammates, and my R1, but I think the time is right. I want to thank everyone who has supported me throughout my career, especially my family and girlfriend and those I have crossed paths with who helped me or taught me something. It has been a pleasure to meet so many people along the way, and I am excited for the next adventure, which will see me continue to wear Yamaha blue!”
Mandy Kainz
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team – Team Manager
“It has been a real pleasure to work with Niccolò. Not only is he an incredible rider, but also a great guy. He has been integral to YART’s success since he joined the team, and his attitude, ability, and teamwork are second to none. We are one big family at YART, and Niccolò has been a huge part of that ever since he joined. I am extremely proud of what we have achieved together, and he will be sorely missed. I want to thank him for everything he has given to the team. It feels fitting he is bowing out after such an incredible season, and I know the Suzuka podium was a long-held dream for him, just as it was for myself and the rest of the team. He will already go down in history as one of the most successful EWC riders ever, but he has the chance to write his name in the records book once more at the Bol d’Or by securing a third title for him and back-to-back titles with YART. We want to finish on a high and create even more history together so he can end his illustrious career in the best way possible.”
Andrea Dosoli
Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing and R&D Manager
“Niccolò has enjoyed an incredible career and has been a part of the Yamaha family for almost ten years. He has raced in and tasted success in every major championship, showcasing his fantastic riding ability, regardless of the machine. When he joined GMT94 in 2016, he immediately gelled with the R1 and made an instant impact, finishing as runners-up in his first EWC season before winning the title in his second. He has also played a huge part in our success in WorldSBK, not only as the official test rider but also as a rider coach and mentor. It is hard to explain how significant an impact he has had at Yamaha, with his wealth of experience, engineering background, and amazing attitude towards teamwork, all contributing to his success, and he can be very proud of what he has achieved. Over the years, he has lost none of his pace and competitive edge, which was showcased by YART’s sensational 2023 EWC title victory, and he will go down as one of the most successful endurance riders of all time. It would be the perfect way to cap off such an illustrious career by securing his third EWC title at the Bol d’Or, but whatever happens, Niccolò can hold his head high and be very proud of what he has achieved. While his career as a rider may be ending, it does not mean he will be leaving the Yamaha family, and we are already looking forward to working with him on some exciting new projects in the future.”
Alexander Calloway (76) on a Hooligan-style racebike at a CVMA event. Photo by CaliPhotography.com, courtesy CVMA.
CVMA Hooligans Class Added
The Chuckwalla Valley Motorcycle Association (CVMA) is excited to announce the addition of a new racing class for the 2024/2025 Winter Series. With the growing interest in the Super Hooligan racing in MotoAmerica and across the country, CVMA has added a class to accommodate various “Standard” or “Naked” style motorcycles. For details, check out the rulebook. The CMVA Hooligan class is derived from the MotoAmerica Super Hooligan rules.
The updated rule book has been published on the CVMA website and is available for download. CVMA will continue to offer classes to race MotoAmerica spec Stock 1000 and NextGen Supersport equipment in addition to classes for Open, Middleweight, Lightweight, Ultra-lightweight, Baggers, and now Hooligan motorcycles.
The first round of the CVMA 2024/2025 Winter Series is fast approaching. Join us on October 18th-20th for some of the most competitive club racing in the U.S.!
CVMA offers two full days of racing every race weekend and also includes Saturday qualifying for grid position in all classes, amateur, and expert, as well as a wide variety of classes to choose from.
CVMA offers free reciprocity as a means of encouraging racers from other clubs to come out and compete. CVMA also offers a New Racers School for those starting in racing on the Friday before each race weekend. Log on to www.cvmaracing.com to sign up or for more information.
CVMA. Built for racers by racers and offering the best racing experience around!
Miguel Oliveira (left) and Lin Jarvis (right). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Yamaha Sign Miguel Oliveira as Factory MotoGP Rider
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. is delighted to announce the signing of Miguel Oliveira. The Portuguese MotoGP star will be riding for the Prima Pramac Yamaha Factory Team for the 2025 and 2026 MotoGP season.
Misano Adriatico (Italy), 5th September 2024
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. is delighted to announce the signing of Miguel Oliveira. The Portuguese MotoGP star will be joining the Prima Pramac Yamaha Factory Team for the 2025-26 MotoGP seasons.
Oliveira is in his sixth year in the MotoGP class and his fourteenth year in the paddock. The vastly experienced 29-year-old has many premier-class and lower-class achievements to his name, including 17 race wins (5x MotoGP, 6x Moto2, 6x Moto3) and 41 podiums (7x MotoGP, 21x Moto2, 13x Moto3) and a MotoGP Sprint podium at the Sachsenring this year.
For 2025-26, Yamaha as well as MotoGP fans can look forward to Oliveira’s run on a, to him, new bike: the Factory Yamaha YZR-M1. Moreover, the number-88 rider will enjoy the full support of Yamaha.
LIN JARVIS
Managing Director, Yamaha Motor Racing
We are pleased to announce that a professional and experienced rider like Miguel Oliveira is joining the Yamaha line-up for 2025-26, and we bid him a warm welcome to the Yamaha MotoGP Project.
Miguel is a rider who has the technical know-how, experience, speed, and precision needed to improve the performance of the Yamaha YZR-M1. We are really looking forward to working with him as a key member of the Yamaha MotoGP project, and he can count on our full support.
MIGUEL OLIVEIRA
It’s a great privilege for me to represent such an iconic brand in our sport as Yamaha. Through my years of progression and arriving in MotoGP, I’ve always looked upon the blue bikes with great enthusiasm.
It’s now a reality, and I want to thank Yamaha Motor Company for its commitment to me in such an important transition phase of the project. Mr. Lin Jarvis was a key figure in starting discussions and making this happen. I believe I can be useful in this transition period of bringing the bike back to the top.
I want to thank Mr. Campinoti, Gino Borsoi, and all the Pramac staff for embarking on this journey together. I can’t be happier and more excited to get this new chapter started.
TNT Sports is the new U.S. broadcast home of MotoGP races. Photo courtesy Dorna.
MotoGP™ partners with TNT Sports in the U.S.
Every Sprint and every Grand Prix race will be shown live across the U.S. in 2024
Thursday, 07 March 2024
MotoGP™ has a new broadcast home in the U.S. through an expanded media rights agreement with TNT Sports. Beginning with this weekend’s Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar, fans across the U.S. will be able to watch every Tissot Sprint and Grand Prix race live in 2024 across TNT Sports’ networks and platforms.
truTV and Max’s B/R Sports Add-On will show every race of this record-breaking MotoGP™ season live, including top quality pre-race coverage. Max’s B/R Sports Add-On will also stream every session for every Grand Prix class across all three days of track activity, including the MotoGP™ qualifying shootout and the Grand Prix races for Moto2™ and Moto3™.
This partnership between MotoGP™ and TNT Sports represents a new era for live MotoGP™ coverage in the U.S., bringing TNT Sports’ world-class production and coverage to a U.S. audience that is passionate for high-octane motorsports.
MotoGP™ joins Max’s B/R Sports Add-On, which offers exceptional value with a full slate of premium live sports content included, such as the MLB, NHL, NBA, NCAA Men’s March Madness, U.S. Soccer, 24 Hours of Le Mans and a variety of non-live sports programming to appeal to every fan.
Fans can start tuning in to the record-breaking 2024 MotoGP™ season on truTV and Max’s B/R Sports Add-On this weekend as the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar marks the return of the world’s most exciting sport from the 8th to the 10th of March.
About TNT Sports
TNT Sports is a global leader in the delivery of premium sports content. The TNT Sports U.S. portfolio includes expansive, multi-platform partnerships with the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, National Hockey League, United States Soccer Federation, NASCAR (coming in 2025) and a premier golf franchise in The Match. Owned and operated platforms are highlighted by Bleacher Report, the #1 digital destination for young sports fans, along with House of Highlights, HighlightHER, Golf Digest, and a full suite of digital and social portfolio brands. Additionally, TNT Sports co-manages NBA Digital — comprised of NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE Pass, the NBA App and NBAGLEAGUE.com — as well as NCAA.com and NCAA March Madness Live. TNT Sports in Europe and the Republic of Ireland includes partnerships with the NBA, Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UFC, WWE and more, as well as much-loved brands Eurosport, Global Cycling Network (GCN), Global Mountain Bike Network (GMBN) and multi-sport programming and content on discovery+ and Discovery’s free-to-air TV networks.
About MotoGP™
MotoGP™ is the world’ most exciting sport. The pinnacle of motorcycle racing, 22 of the fastest riders compete on purpose-built motorcycles on some of the world’s greatest racetracks, reaching top speeds above 360 kilometers per hour (223 miles per hour) and lean angles of over 60 degrees. Since 1949, the sport has grown to comprise more than 20 Grands Prix across five continents, with the television broadcast reaching hundreds of millions around the world.
The start of the MotoGP race at Algarve International Circuit, in Portimao, Portugal. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Dorna Sports and the FIM renew MotoGP™ agreement until 2060
The FIM and Dorna Sports announce long-term renewal of their agreement, securing the rights to MotoGP™ and all Dorna-run FIM World Championships
Thursday, 05 September 2024
MotoGP™ rights holder Dorna Sports and the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) are delighted to announce an extension of their long-term agreement securing the promotion rights for all Dorna-run FIM World Championships until 2060. The continuation of this successful partnership guarantees unparalleled value, continuity, and opportunity for MotoGP™ in a rapidly evolving global sporting landscape.
Dorna first secured the promotion rights of the FIM Grand Prix World Championship in 1992. Together, the partnership has expanded the success and popularity of the sport for fans around the world and continues to do so, with MotoGP™ enjoying an impressive trajectory of global growth over recent seasons.
Working in tandem with the teams’ association (IRTA) and the manufacturers association (MSMA), the partnership between the FIM and Dorna underpins an enviable ecosystem within MotoGP™, built on an unrivalled level of consensus that puts the sport first.
In addition to its successes in driving the global growth of MotoGP™, the partnership has also expanded the popularity and reach of motorcycle racing around the world – from grassroots to the highest levels of professional competition. FIM World Championships considered under this agreement, including the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship since 2015, the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Championship since 2019, the FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship since 2019 and the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship since 2023, can now look forward to many more years of success thanks to this extension.
Jorge Viegas, President of the FIM: “This is an incredibly important moment and one that provides long term clarity and security regarding the pinnacle of motorcycle sport. This is not only important for all those directly involved in MotoGP™, but also for the wider motorcycle racing community that reaps the benefits from the global status, value and presence of this leading series.
“The ongoing and ever closer collaboration between the FIM, Dorna Sports and the other key stakeholders is something that has been built over many years, the trust and co-operation that now exists alongside this long-term agreement offer great foundations for the future development of MotoGP™ plus all the related championships. On behalf of the FIM, I would like to express my most sincere gratitude for the work that Dorna Sports has done since 1992 and look forward with great confidence to combining our efforts to ensure the continued growth and success of MotoGP™ for many more years to come.”
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of MotoGP™ rights holder Dorna Sports: “We’re very proud to announce this agreement with the FIM. It is fantastic news for the sport, and our fans around the world, that this partnership is guaranteed to continue. We have built something truly special and will continue to grow the sport even further, working together.
“Being able to come to such a long-term agreement adds incredible value for MotoGP. In the sports and entertainment landscape of today, the level of consensus we enjoy in MotoGP is something we’re privileged to be part of, and it lays fantastic foundations for our sport to continue its trajectory of growth. We want to thank the FIM for their support and we look forward to making MotoGP even bigger and better than ever as we continue our partnership.”
The Kawasaki Ninja e-1 is similar in performance to a full-size scooter and solves the problem of where a rider can charge their electric motorcycle if they don't own a garage. Photo by Sandy Gougis.
Charging Into Phase Two Of Electric Motorcycling
By Michael Gougis
“Cool ******* bikes!” the rider on the Suzuki GSX-R shouted at us. He had to shout over his machine, but ours were dead silent. We were test riding the all-electric Maeving RM1S down Sunset Boulevard and through the heart of Beverly Hills, where private security guards drove around in Teslas and driver-less electric taxis glided eerily through streets packed with tourists and students.
The Maeving RM1S turns heads, even those of the jaded fashionista of Beverly Hills. Photo by Jamie Robinson.
“Cool,” I found myself thinking a week later, whispering home on the Kawasaki Ninja e-1 late at night on the dark, empty streets of eastern Los Angeles County, the scenery whipping past to the soundtrack of wind noise past my helmet and nothing else.
The Kawasaki Ninja e-1 looks the part of a traditional sportbike, and the fit and finish is on par with other Kawasaki models. Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
The bikes couldn’t look less different. The Ninja looks like a Ninja, perhaps drawn to a slightly smaller scale than its gas-powered siblings, but absolutely reflecting the current design state of a Kawasaki supersport machine. The Maeving looks like it was ripped out of a history book, and based solely on the styling, I wouldn’t have been surprised to find a hand-shifter onboard.
Board tracker, bobber, and café racer styling elements are evident in the Maeving RM1S. Photos courtesy Maeving.
But these machines both represent a new way of thinking about electric motorcycles. Instead of trying to replicate the performance of internal-combustion machines, these are designed to deliver city-oriented performance, affordability, and ease of use. And they are designed to more accurately meet the needs of the people most likely to be looking for such a motorcycle.
Electric motorcycles can make a lot of sense in dense urban environments. There’s no noise pollution, no exhaust emissions. They are cheap to maintain and torquey leaving a stoplight. There’s a reason more than eight million electric motorcycles and scooters are sold in China every year, and that the popularity of such machines is soaring in crowded population centers worldwide.
The problem has always been charging. A relatively short range isn’t a problem if the bike can be recharged quickly. But the buyer for a city motorcycle is likely to live in an apartment or condo, and they may not have access to an outlet in a garage to charge the vehicle. Near my home in Vancouver, I have seen people drop extension cords from their third-story apartments to charge an electric motorcycle sitting in a ground-level parking lot. Not ideal.
The Ninja e-1’s batteries remove easily for charging away from the motorcycle. Diagram courtesy Kawasaki.
Honda offered one solution with its Motocompacto, the electric scooter that folds into itself and slides under the couch while charging. California-based Ryvid offered a battery pack that drops down onto a set of wheels and rolls around like luggage to the nearest standard outlet.
The Kawasaki and Maeving take this idea one step further. Both can be charged with the batteries on board. But, and this is the evolutionary step, both offer removable batteries that can be charged in an apartment, a condo, or anywhere there’s an outlet. Each individual battery weighs about as much as a big bag of dog food. If you’re like me, and enjoy spending time in coffee shops (a writer in a coffee shop is a cliche, I know), there’s no reason you couldn’t carry a battery in with you and charge it while you get charged on a double espresso.
The Maeving RM1S has two batteries which slide out sideways and can be charged away from the machine. Photo courtesy Maeving.
And it’s an answer–a pretty good one–for the people who wanted an electric bike for the city but didn’t have anywhere to charge it.
Maeving RM1S
The Maeving RM1S, as I like to say, looks like what a non-motorcyclist thinks of when they hear the word “motorcycle.” The company says its design is inspired by the board track racers of the 1920s and the café racer era. The styling is critical to Maeving, which went to great lengths to evoke the impression of a classic or vintage machine. The tube that carries cables from the battery compartment rearward evokes the image of a high-mounted exhaust pipe. There are cool bar-end mirrors, an analog speedometer, and a diamond-stitched seat.
The propulsion system of the Maeving RM1S is futuristic and the styling is historic. The company blends the two into a distinctive identity. Photo courtesy Maeving.
The single-downtube steel-cradle frame surrounds the dual battery pack, while a rear hub-mounted motor delivers a claimed 14 bhp. The company claims a curb weight of 293 pounds, and the seat height is 30.9 inches.
Conventional damper-rod forks handle suspension duties up front, and twin shocks– adjustable for preload only–mounted directly to the steel swingarm soak up bumps at the rear. The linked braking system features a single 300mm disc mated to a three-piston caliper and a wire-spoked wheel in the front, and a single 180mm disc is clamped by a single-piston caliper at the rear.
There is no clutch or transmission. There are three ride modes–Ride, Sport and Eco. The company claims a top speed of 70 mph and a range of 80 miles, and a zero-to-full charge time of just over four hours from a 120-volt home wall socket. Charging is via a port on the side of the bike or by removing the batteries and charging them someplace else.
Options include carbon-fiber fenders, seat and tank colors, and upgraded suspension. The company sells directly to the customer. Buy one and a company representative will deliver it and shows the buyer how it operates. If it needs repair, a company technician comes to get the bike, takes it back to the shop, fixes it, and brings it back.
Suggested retail for the RM1S (the upscale, twin-battery model) begins at $8,995. The base single-battery RM1 is sold out.
Kawasaki Ninja e-1
Kawasaki took the opposite approach when it styled the Ninja e-1. Taking full advantage of the fact that sportbikes have full fairings, Kawasaki wrapped bodywork around the electric Ninja’s battery pack. It takes a careful look to spot the electric motor, mounted behind the battery compartment, and the only other real clue that it’s an electric bike is the lack of an exhaust pipe. The fit and finish is right up there with Kawasaki’s other sporting motorcycles, and it slots right in with the other sportbikes in a parking lot.
The left side of a Kawasaki Ninja e-1. Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
The steel-tube frame cradles the dual battery compartment, and like the Maeving, the area traditionally occupied by the gas tank is a lockable storage container. Conventional damper-rod forks mount to a lightweight alloy rim and a single 290mm disc with a dual-piston caliper. A gas-charged monoshock, adjustable for preload only, handles suspension at the rear, where a dual-piston caliper works with a 220mm disc.
Kawasaki engineers avoided the extra unsprung weight of a hub-mounted motor, so the Ninja e-1 has its motor mounted just ahead of the swingarm. A traditional sprocket-and-chain system transmits power to the rear wheel. Kawasaki claims 12.06 horsepower from its air-cooled, interior permanent magnet motor, a range of 41 miles, and a top speed of 55 mph. The claimed maximum torque, 29.7 lbs.-ft, is just two lbs.-ft. shy of the claimed max torque of the new Ninja 500, and the e-1 delivers its peak torque starting at 500 rpm.
On the Roadracing World scales, the e-1 weighed in at 313 pounds, and Kawasaki also claims a seat height of 30.9 inches. Kawasaki says the charging time is approximately 3.7 hours.
The e-1 has two ride modes, Eco and Road, plus ABS braking. There’s also a little button on the right handlebar called e-boost, which delivers a short burst of power for leaving stoplights or merging with traffic. The machine also offers a Walk mode that limits the speed to 3.0 mph, but the cool thing is that it works in reverse as well as forward, making parking easier. Suggested retail starts at $7,899.
Riding The Electric Bikes
The Maeving looks every bit the part that the designers intended. Maeving’s engineers–formerly of Triumph, the company says–opted for a classic, timeless look, and onlookers responded positively. Drivers stopped their vehicles and started shouting questions and praise. Impressive when you’re cruising through a global nexus of fashion like Rodeo Drive, where it seems like every other car is a Ferrari or Porsche.
Leaving a stoplight in Sport mode, the Maeving was just quick enough to leave traffic behind initially, but the rate of acceleration faded quickly. It’s powerful enough to manage city traffic, but acceleration is by design soft and unintimidating. Maeving’s target audience includes riders moving up from e-bicycles, and the power delivery is meant to be manageable for them. Highways are a bit intimidating with the lack of top end, but if jumping on the freeway for a couple of exits makes the trip shorter, and there’s enough room to build up speed, the Maeving is game. The trade-off for the softer, manageable power is the greater range. Even with the convenience of removable batteries, more range means less time spent charging and greater usability.
The seat feels low, the bike is easy to maneuver, and the brakes are adequate for the task. The bike feels vintage when the pace picks up, and that’s not necessarily a good thing. All that weight at the end of the swingarm makes its presence known going over bumps, with the rear shocks unable to completely handle the most aggressive pavement irregularities. The chassis feels flexible through faster turns, and having identical tires front and rear also adds an element of unfamiliarity to the experience. It has to be said, though, that this is at the very limit–or beyond–of the bike’s design brief, and most riders will be too busy basking in the admiration of passersby to notice. When ridden as intended, the seat is comfortable, the riding position relaxed, and the quiet, vibration-free experience quite enjoyable.
The Ninja delivers a much more typical riding experience. Bumps don’t upset it nearly as much, since the electric motor isn’t unsprung weight. And while the suspension is small-bore Ninja standard, it’s more than adequate for anything city streets will throw at it. The single-disc front brake delivers a solid lever feel, and ABS is there in case the rider gets the braking wrong.
Kawasaki says the Ninja e-1 tops out at 55 mph, but I got it up to an indicated 60 mph. The Eco mode is definitely cruise-around-the-neighborhood mode, while Road mode works best for faster boulevards. Using the e-boost button turned out to be a giggle. Punch the button before leaving a light and pin the throttle, and the Ninja moves with much more authority than the Maeving. It’s not going to rip your arms off, but it delivers almost as much torque as the new Ninja 500, more torque than a Ninja 400, and serves it up starting at 500 rpm. I used the e-boost button to leave stoplights while lane splitting, turned it off once up to cruising speed, and thoroughly enjoyed using the little Ninja as my around-town scoot for a couple of weeks.
I’ve ridden bigger, more powerful electric bikes and enjoyed them–the acceleration is amazing. The Maeving and Ninja e-1 are made for a different audience, and within their performance envelope, they do everything that they promise. I’m lucky enough to have a garage and solar panels at my Southern California home, and it did not escape my attention that not only did I never have to stop at a gas station, I stopped paying attention to gas prices. For a rider looking for electric city transportation that is cheap and convenient, with charging flexibility, these are worth a look.
Specifications: 2024 Kawasaki Ninja e-1
Engine Configuration: Interior Permanent Magnet, Electric Motor
The start of the Tissot Sprint race Saturday at MotorLand Aragon. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Gloves off, visors down: MotoGP™ arrives in Misano
The battle lines are drawn as the world’s most exciting sport arrives on turf poised to serve up a storm
Wednesday, 04 September 2024
Hallowed ground. Home turf. Enemy territory. All are true at once for the MotoGP™ grid at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, with the stage set for an intriguing showdown this weekend in the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini. Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) heads behind enemy lines with an advantage of 23 points atop the standings, holding off home hero Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team). The incentive to defeat the reigning Champion on his own turf, and for his own Italian team, will be matched only by the determination of the #1 to stop him doing just that. Especially as Bagnaia looks to bounce back – something he’s seemingly magically able to do when he most needs to.
Meanwhile, Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) was back on the top step in Aragon, 1043 days after winning his last Grand Prix. And that just happened to be the Emilia-Romagna GP at Misano in 2021. He is the rider with most wins across all at Misano, and he’d love to add another. His incentives likewise set up a showdown to remember: enemy territory. Future teammate territory. And current team home turf…
The rider with the next most podiums and an exemplary record at Misano, meanwhile, is another home hero: Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team). The Beast’s nightmare Practice and Q1 left him with work to do in Aragon but he did it, slicing up the order as ever to get back to the front and only cede third place overall by just a single point. It may not have been the weekend he’d expected, given the 2022 Aragon GP, but it was far from a disaster by conclusion. Misano is likely to see Bastianini gunning for glory once again.
The home heroes don’t stop there. Last year Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) took two podiums and he’ll hope some home magic will be added to the mix too in a tougher season. Teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio just had the edge still before a tyre pressure penalty in Aragon, however, and with another few days to get back to better strength he’ll be one to watch on his and the team’s home turf. Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) continues an impressive trajectory of progress over recent rounds too, with Misano another chance to put it all together and try to attack for the podium.
Attacking for that podium was exactly what Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) was doing for much of the Aragon GP, before both he and Bagnaia ended up tangled in the gravel. Opinion columns aside, each got to make their case and the result of the FIM MotoGP™ Stewards investigation was: no further action. We can likely expect more action of a different kind as the #73 takes on the home round for Gresini and Ducati in front of what could prove a partisan crowd more partial to the Pecco Bagnaia side of the argument, but there are plenty of races in even recent memory where the incentive to prove a point has been a powerful one.
Aprilia, meanwhile, have plenty of home glory on the line for their machine and factory, and after a tougher Aragon GP, they’ll want to bounce back quickly. On Day 1 all four RS-GPs were in the top ten: Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) on Marquez’ tail, and Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez flying the flag for Trackhouse. But come Saturday it got tougher, and they’ll want a lot more from Misano. Viñales has a standout record at the track too…
Then comes KTM and GASGAS. Back nearer the front at Aragon with two podiums for Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) hot on his heels after his own good form in Austria, there were plenty of positives and Misano has hosted some for the marque before. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) is having an up and down ride with some impressive speed and then bad luck or trouble at times so will be looking for a smoother weekend, and Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) had some positives from MotorLand too. Misano awaits with another chance to reset – and another wildcard for Pol Espargaro with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.
Stefan Bradl will also be on track for the HRC Test Team, and for Honda, there was a first of 2024 at MotorLand as Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) moved directly through to Q2, showing some impressive speed all weekend despite unfortunately crashing out on Saturday. Still, that’s a good tick in one box as the Japanese marque look to move forward, and Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) will be especially keen to do so this weekend on home turf. Teammate Joan Mir had the upper hand at MotorLand on his. But of all, it was Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) who actually took Honda’s best Sunday result so far this season, coming home in P11 when all penalties were said and done. As his future as development rider is confirmed, his value seemed underlined once more.
Yamaha, meanwhile, have recently done their own private test at Misano so it will be interesting to see where they pick up as we return to race. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) put in a more than solid Saturday at MotorLand to battle Bagnaia and take Sprint points, but a crash out on Sunday leaves a little what could have been behind. What was, for teammate Alex Rins, was a top ten though – a good result even if now leaving the factory to focus on cutting down the time deficit. What will be at Misano? It’s traditionally a strong track for the Yamaha.
The Championship remains close but there’s ever more pressure pouring into the duel at the top, with the momentum suddenly back in Martin’s corner. But a Bagnaia needing a result is a Bagnaia to underestimate at your peril, and Marc Marquez has now been back on the top step. And all the while, Bastianini looks through his trophy cabinet, drives down the road to his local racetrack, and looks to steal the spotlight and chip away at that gap to the top…
Who’s taking the spoils? Join us this weekend for the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini to find out:
What’s happening at the #SanMarinoGP?
On Thursday afternoon, MotoGP™ podcast Last On The Brakes will welcome Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 empresario Herve Poncharal.
Then we’re into the press conferences, with the first set to host Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team).
Then, rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) will be joined by Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) for the second.
The FIM Enel MotoE™ World Championship returns to action across the weekend and for the grand finale. Misano will decide the 2024 Champion and four riders are in contention, but Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) has a 38-point lead heading in.
On the Road to MotoGP™, the Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup will also be decided at Misano. Race 1 is on Saturday and Race 2 on Sunday, with the top two contenders split by 13 points on the way in.
Moto2™: Dixon dares to dream as the deficit comes down
Four races ago, Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) sat 105 points adrift of World Championship leader Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI). Now, heading to the San Marino GP, that deficit has shrunk to 43 points after the Briton claimed a second win of the year in Aragon. And what a weekend it was at MotorLand, with Dixon converting his first pole of the season into a win that has propelled the #96 into the Championship chase equation.
That’s partly because it was another weekend where title favourites failed to pick up sizable points tallies. Garcia retired from Sunday’s race in what was, truth be told, a weekend to forget for the current Championship pacesetter. Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) – on his injury return – dug deep to pocket eight crucial points in P8, while Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing) and Fermin Aldeguer (BetaTools SpeedUp) both suffered tougher ends to their Aragon GPs with crashes.
That meant race winner Dixon and Alonso Lopez (BetaTools SpeedUp) – the Spaniard finishing P4 – were the big movers in the title race. Lopez, a bronze medallist at Misano in 2023, is now P3 behind the MT Helmets – MSI duo, 31 points off Garcia, with Dixon P5. 50 points split the top six – Garcia to Aldeguer – as we land at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. Now that’s what we call a Championship battle.
Obviously, we can’t go racing again without mentioning the other two riders who stood on the Aragon rostrum – Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo). The former made his way onto the box for the first time this season and ran Dixon close, as Öncü strung together a fantastic weekend to claim his debut intermediate class rostrum. More of the same will be craved from both between now and Valencia.
Moto3™: Alonso marches on as Veijer takes up the chase
History was made on Sunday morning in Aragon as Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) etched his name alongside the greats by becoming the 400th different Grand Prix winner. Rueda’s first Moto3™ triumph was the #99’s first podium since the Catalan GP and the third of his sophomore year, and one that moved the Spaniard up to P6 in the overall standings.
Also moving up in the Championship was second place finisher Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP). The Dutch star is now P2 in the title chase after earning a sixth podium of the season, as Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) put in a fine ride to secure his first Grand Prix podium in P3 ahead of his and the team’s home race at Misano.
And speaking of Misano, who won there last year in Moto3™? Ah yes, a certain David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team). Despite finishing off the podium for just the fourth time this year – albeit in P4 – the Colombian stretched his healthy points advantage out to 75. Veijer now acts as the chief chaser, and with Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) and Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) picking up a lowkey P12 and P9 respectively, a big response is needed this weekend as the pack attempts to reel in the #80 before time runs out.
Nathan Gouker (19) took his first top-five finish in ESBK Moto4, at Estoril. Photo by Benaisa Photography, courtesy Ajevo Nox#27 Racing Team.
American Nathan Gouker Takes Top 5 Finish in ESBK Moto4 in Estoril, Anthony Lupo Jr. Takes Top 15 Finish in Moto4, Kensei Matsudaira in PreMoto3
Round 5 of the RFME ESBK Spanish Superbike Championship was held this
past weekend at Circuit Estoril in Portugal with Americans Nathan Gouker
and Anthony Lupo Jr. racing in Moto4, and Kensei Matsudaira in the
PreMoto3 category.
Despite missing round 3 held at Circuit Estoril in July due to injury,
Nathan Gouker made a strong impression on his debut at the circuit
qualifying in 9th and achieving his best finish in Moto4 of 5th place in
Saturday’s race 1. He followed that up on Sunday in race 2 with another
impressive top 10 finish in 8th place.
Nathan Gouker:
“It was great to be back with my Ajevo Racing Team in Estoril, Portugal
for Round 5 of the ESBK championship this past weekend. I’m super happy
to come away with 2 top 10 finishes and get my first top 5 of the year.
I’m excited to finish the season strong with the team and know we are
going to push to the front. As always, thank you to the fans,
supporters, and sponsors for all their positive energy.”
Meanwhile, Anthony Lupo Jr. made his best qualifying result of the
season of 12th, and followed that up with a 13th place in race 1
matching his best result so far of the season, and a 15th place finish
in race 2.
Anthony Lupo Jr.:
“It was an okay weekend, it took me a little while to get up to speed
but I had some good battles. I’m looking forward to Navarra and I’m
excited to learn a new track.”
In the PreMoto3 category, Kensei Matsudaira had his second best
qualifying of the year in 14th, 1.9 seconds behind pole. In race 1
Kensei made a great start and gained more than six positions on the
first lap, and was up as high as 6th place racing in the top group until
an unfortunate mechanical issue with his clutch on lap 5 forced him to
drop back. Kensei continued to fight to finish the race, finally
crossing the line in 12th. On Sunday in race 2 Kensei had a good start
but after contact with another rider on the first lap, lost touch with
the front group and finished the race in P12, leading his group.
Kensei Matsudaira:
“In race 1 I started out really strong and though that I could be in the
fight for a podium. After the clutch issue though all I could do was to
finish the race and manage my position. Race 2 was tough. I got a decent
start but got hit in the first lap and lost the front group. I finished
at the front of my group but just didn’t have the pace to catch anyone
out front. We have a bit of a break now so I’ll definitely be putting my
head down and training even harder to finish the season much stronger.”
Round 6 of the RFME ESBK Spanish Superbike Championship will be held at
Circuito de Navarra in Los Arcos, Spain on October 26-27.
The Ajevo Nox#27 Racing Team is supported by: Comodity Window Films,
Alquilocar, FRC Fercometal, Reprocenter, Nadalfret, Viel Carrocerias
Anthony Lupo is supported by: Hans King, American Supercamp, Nanelli
Riders Academy, MadLabs Minimoto, LS2 Helmets, Mini Moto Alliance, 73
Moto Parts
Kensei Matsudaira is supported by: Evike.com, Iconic Motorbikes, HJC
Helmets, Dave Designs, Bullit Electric Cycles, Bison Track, TJ Corse,
Alpinestars, Almassera El Teular, Project SLUSH, Moto Tecnica,
California Superbike School, Slacker by Motool, Bickle Racing, MadLabs
Minimoto, 73 Moto Parts, D.I.D Chain, Yoshimura R&D, NLAB Studio &
Wraps, Karen E. Ott Photography, VNM Sport, Galfer USA, Vortex Racing,
Hans King, The Starting Grid, Moto Survival School, Mini Moto Alliance,
Live 100 Moto
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Max Pagliaroli (610) leads Ryan Wolfe (66), Valen Gomez (64X), and the rest during the ASRA 400 race at NJMP. Photo by Vae Vang/Noiseless Productions, courtesy ASRA.
Matthew Chapin, Ivan Debord, Stefano Mesa, and Gus Rodio won ASRA National sprint races August 31-September 1 at the newly repaved New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP), in Millville, New Jersey.
Chapin won the ASRA 400 race, Debord got first place in ASRA Thunderbike, Rodio rode to victory in the ASRA Sportbike event, and Mesa triumphed in ASRA Superstock.
The final round of the 2024 ASRA Championship series — along with the AMA Road Race Grand Championship – is October 18-20 at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Florida.
The season finale kicks off with the Team Hammer Advanced Riding School & Pro Practice on Thursday, October 17.
More, from a press release issued by Karns Performance:
CFMOTO Scores Its first Expert Win in USA at NJMP Labor Day Weekend!
2024 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion Matthew Chapin Scores CFMOTO its first Expert win in the USA.
Matthew Chapin (79/95) at speed on the Karns Performance CFMoto 450SS. Photo by Noiseless Productions, courtesy Karns Performance.
Starting from the third row for the Lightweight Supersport Expert race, Matthew had quite a fight on his hands. For seven laps he battled the Aprilia RS 660s and Yamaha YZF-R7s on the little CFMOTO 450SS, catching the leader with three laps to go. After swapping the lead several times, Matthew took the win at the line.
Matthew Chapin: “The race was a lot of fun. After riding the bike in the morning, we made some setup changes and it handled perfectly. The bike was solid in the corners allowing me to make up ground and get a very good drive onto the straight. It is fast, really fast. I want to thank Karns Performance for the opportunity to give it a try.”
Team Owner Jason Karns: “We wanted to see what the bike was capable of, so Matthew said he would help us with some setup. His lap times looked competitive before we made changes to the bike. We decided to make the changes and see what the CFMOTO 450SS with a stock engine could do up against the much more powerful competition. Watching Matthew extract the full capability out of the CFMOTO was really something fun to watch. I want to thank Matthew for really putting it out there securing CFMOTO its first win in the USA. He has a lot of talent and is very patient, and it really showed today. He is going places.”
Niccolo Canepa (1), as seen during the 2024 Bol d'Or 24-hour World Endurance race.. Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Niccolò Canepa to Retire from Racing After Bol d’Or
Yamalube YART Yamaha Official EWC Team rider Niccolò Canepa will retire from racing after the 2024 FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) season finale at the Bol d’Or on September 12th-15th, with the Italian looking to end his career on a high note by securing back-to-back EWC titles.
The 36-year-old has had an illustrious career spanning over two decades, during which time he has raced in MotoGP, WorldSBK, Moto2, WorldSSP, and MotoE and has become the most successful Italian EWC rider in history.
Canepa, who hails from Genoa, began his career in the Italian national championships before making his WorldSSP debut in 2005. After finishing second in the 2006 European Superstock 600 Championship, he went on to be crowned the 2007 FIM Superstock 1000 Cup Champion.
Following this success, he made his WorldSBK debut the following season with a couple of wildcard rides and became a MotoGP test rider before stepping up to the premier class full-time in 2009. After finishing an impressive 16th overall during his debut MotoGP season, he switched to Moto2 in 2010 and made 11 starts before returning to the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup in 2011. A full season in WorldSBK followed in 2012, and he then finished as runner-up in the 2013 FIM Superstock 1000 Cup.
He returned to WorldSBK for the 2014 and 2015 seasons before starting his long association with Yamaha when he joined the GMT94 Yamaha EWC Team in 2016, finishing as runners-up in the Endurance World Championship that year, with Canepa also becoming the official Yamaha Motor Europe WorldSBK test rider.
His test rider role saw him substitute for an injured Sylvain Guintoli for four races during the 2016 WorldSBK season, securing four top-ten finishes. He also filled in for the sidelined Florian Marino in two races that year in the STK1000 European Championship, recording a podium (3rd) at Donington Park.
In just his second year with GMT94 Yamaha Team, he became the first Italian to win an FIM Endurance World Championship as they lifted the 2016/2017 crown, and in the process, he also became the first Italian to claim victory at the Bol d’Or, before following this up by finishing as runners-up the following season.
Canepa continued to make wildcard appearances in WorldSBK for the Pata Yamaha Team in 2018, contesting both races at Donington Park and then Misano, scoring points during both outings. He then joined the YART Yamaha EWC Official Team for the 2018/2019 EWC season, immediately tasting success as they went on to win the 8 Hours of Slovakia Ring to finish the season in fourth.
In 2019, he also made his MotoE World Cup debut, finishing ninth overall, a result he would repeat the following year, showcasing his ability to be fast whatever the machinery. In his second season with the YART team, victories at Estoril and Sepang meant they secured second overall in the 2019/2020 FIM Endurance World Championship.
During this time, he also became the Yamama WorldSBK rider coach, taking an even more active role in the paddock alongside his test rider duties, which paid dividends in 2021 when Yamaha won the WorldSBK championship. He returned to the MotoE World Cup in 2022, securing his first podium in the class on his way to ending the season in seventh while also competing in the Italian CIV Superbike Championship.
Canepa added another EWC title in 2023 after a stunning season that saw YART win the 24H SPA EWC Motos and secure second at the 24 Heures Motos in Le Mans before finishing fourth at the Bol d’Or to be crowned champions once more.
The Italian is bidding to bow out on a high by winning his third FIM Endurance World Championship crown at his final race, with the YART team heading to the Bol d’Or leading the overall standings by six points after finishing second at the 24 Heures Motos at Le Mans, winning the 8 Hours of Spa Motos and securing a dream podium (2nd) at the legendary Suzuka 8 Hours.
While winning another championship title would be the perfect ending to an incredible career, whatever happens at the Bol d’Or, Canepa will go down as one of the most successful EWC riders of all time and is a member of an elite club of people to have won all three major 24-hour races (Spa, Le Mans, and the Bol d’Or).
Niccolo Canepa. Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Niccolò Canepa
Yamalube YART Yamaha Official EWC Team
“It has been a fantastic journey! I started racing minibikes when I was just nine years old, and at 19, I was already riding a MotoGP bike. I have been lucky to have enjoyed an incredible career; of course, there have been some difficult moments, but as a child, I would never have imagined that I would have had so much success and got so much enjoyment from this sport. I gave everything to racing, but I got back much more than I expected, and I have won two EWC titles and one in Superstock. Hopefully, we can make it three in EWC after the Bol d’Or. I have had the opportunity to race in many championships, such as MotoGP, WorldSBK, EWC, WorldSSP, Moto2, and MotoE. I am happy with what I have achieved. As a rider, you know when it is time to stop, and it feels like the perfect moment to retire after the Bol d’Or. I am already thinking about new challenges and starting a new chapter in my life. Of course, I will miss racing, my teammates, and my R1, but I think the time is right. I want to thank everyone who has supported me throughout my career, especially my family and girlfriend and those I have crossed paths with who helped me or taught me something. It has been a pleasure to meet so many people along the way, and I am excited for the next adventure, which will see me continue to wear Yamaha blue!”
Mandy Kainz
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team – Team Manager
“It has been a real pleasure to work with Niccolò. Not only is he an incredible rider, but also a great guy. He has been integral to YART’s success since he joined the team, and his attitude, ability, and teamwork are second to none. We are one big family at YART, and Niccolò has been a huge part of that ever since he joined. I am extremely proud of what we have achieved together, and he will be sorely missed. I want to thank him for everything he has given to the team. It feels fitting he is bowing out after such an incredible season, and I know the Suzuka podium was a long-held dream for him, just as it was for myself and the rest of the team. He will already go down in history as one of the most successful EWC riders ever, but he has the chance to write his name in the records book once more at the Bol d’Or by securing a third title for him and back-to-back titles with YART. We want to finish on a high and create even more history together so he can end his illustrious career in the best way possible.”
Andrea Dosoli
Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing and R&D Manager
“Niccolò has enjoyed an incredible career and has been a part of the Yamaha family for almost ten years. He has raced in and tasted success in every major championship, showcasing his fantastic riding ability, regardless of the machine. When he joined GMT94 in 2016, he immediately gelled with the R1 and made an instant impact, finishing as runners-up in his first EWC season before winning the title in his second. He has also played a huge part in our success in WorldSBK, not only as the official test rider but also as a rider coach and mentor. It is hard to explain how significant an impact he has had at Yamaha, with his wealth of experience, engineering background, and amazing attitude towards teamwork, all contributing to his success, and he can be very proud of what he has achieved. Over the years, he has lost none of his pace and competitive edge, which was showcased by YART’s sensational 2023 EWC title victory, and he will go down as one of the most successful endurance riders of all time. It would be the perfect way to cap off such an illustrious career by securing his third EWC title at the Bol d’Or, but whatever happens, Niccolò can hold his head high and be very proud of what he has achieved. While his career as a rider may be ending, it does not mean he will be leaving the Yamaha family, and we are already looking forward to working with him on some exciting new projects in the future.”
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
July 4, 2025
Compliance status
We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience,
regardless of circumstance and ability.
To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level.
These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible
to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.
This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific
disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.
Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML,
adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.
If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email
Screen-reader and keyboard navigation
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with
screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive
a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements,
alongside console screenshots of code examples:
Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website.
In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels;
descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups),
and others. Additionally, the background process scans all the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag
for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology.
To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on
as soon as they enter the website.
These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
