Aaron Plessinger Takes Career-First 450SX Class Victory in San Diego
Nate Thrasher Wins Thrilling 250SX Class Race
San Diego, Calif., (January 21, 2024) Red Bull KTM’s Aaron Plessinger earned a hard-fought and emotional win at Round 3 the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship inside a muddy Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. With the win, Plessinger took over the lead in the championship points.
Supercross returned to San Diego for the 41st time with Snapdragon Stadium hosting the event for its second year. Daytime rain saturated the track that slowly tacked-up throughout the night’s racing in front of the sold-out crowd. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Two-time champion Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb battled forward on the deep-rutted track to take second place and his first podium of the year. Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia took the runner-up spot under clear skies on the rain-soaked track at the 50th Anniversary Race which commemorates the sport’s 50th year. In the Western Regional 250SX Class, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Nate Thrasher earned the win after a thrilling battle that had the top three close and trading positions for the entire race.
Aaron Plessinger (7) took his career-first 450SX race win. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports.
“It feels really, really good. I guess it feels like it should. I got off to a good start and just rode a good race. Kenny [Roczen] was in front and then I just applied a little pressure and he ended up going down. Cooper [Webb] was just right there behind me keeping me on my toes, and so was Eli [Tomac, who was a lap down]. Yeah, it was a really good race, I just got a good lead and rode my own race, and stayed up. It seemed like we were lapping a lot of people, so it feels good and I’m ready to do it again next weekend.” – Aaron Plessinger
“I think I’ve had a great season so far, but on paper it hasn’t [looked that way]. Anaheim 1 was great but last weekend was not, so like we say, we’re hoping that’s the battle and I can charge on from here. And tonight was great to get those points back, get it back in the mix. I felt great on the track. I felt great all day. I was really wanting that win but it was overall a really good bounce back, and for me just to know that I’m in this thing for sure.” – Cooper Webb
“The rebound this weekend was absolutely awesome. I felt really good, just staying in my lane. I didn’t feel the greatest but I ride well in those conditions… I was just sitting back thinking about this table [with the three of us sitting here at the post race conference]. This is a really cool table. We all kind of grew up riding together, [in our] professional career we’ve all trained [together], we’ve all been teammates together on different teams, so this is a really cool podium and I’m super proud to be on this podium tonight. And yeah, I’ll just keep plugging along, getting stronger and hopefully [there will be] a lot more podiums with these boys.” – Justin Barcia
In the Western Regional 250SX Class Nate Thrasher took his fifth career win and his first podium of the year in a Yamaha podium sweep. After fighting into the lead, Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Garrett Marchbanks settled for second but kept Thrasher close right to the checkered flag. Rounding out the podium was Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Jordon Smith, who stretched out his championship points lead on his nearest competitor.
Nate Thrasher leading the 250SX race in San Diego. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports.
“[The track] was kinda coming around throughout the night; the dirt was starting to grip back up… I was just trying to do everything, like, ride it like it was dry. That was kinda of my goal going into the main event. It was tougher to ride cautious than it was to go out there and ride all-out. So that was my goal for the night: in the main, just go out there and ride all-out and whatever happens, happens, and it was good.” – Nate Thrasher
“Once I passed RJ [Hampshire] for the lead, I’d say for the first lap I was kinda like, ‘Holy crap, I’m actually leading.’ It’s been a really long time since Daytona that I’ve led some laps. I’d say after that it was more putting my head down, just acting like I was at the practice track, just doing some normal laps at ClubMX. Yeah, it is what it is, I got caught up with some lappers, I tried to change some lines up and it wasn’t the best I could do, and [Thrasher] got around me. Nate was riding good and yeah, it is what it is.” – Garrett Marchbanks
“I got off to a pretty good start, I think I was in third in the first couple laps with RJ [Hampshire] and Levi [Kitchen] right in front of me. We were still taking it pretty easy on the track, I would say. The lines weren’t cut in and I was just trying to be smart where I was. [It was a] long race, a lot could happen, and then I made a few mistakes and Nate [Thrasher] and Garrett [Marchbanks] both got around me and I just really – not that I tightened up but I was just making a lot of mistakes. I was not putting the track together… I kinda re-focused and then Jo [Shimoda] and Levi were right behind me and we actually were pushing really hard at the end. I think the last five laps were probably the best of the race for me. It was not really any kind of holding back at the end of the race there, it was trying to keep those guys behind me and push forward.” – Jordon Smith
The series now takes a short trip north for the second 2024 race inside Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Saturday, January 27th. The Anaheim 2 Supercross continues the season’s earlier start times with opening ceremonies beginning at 8:00 p.m. EST (5:00 p.m. local time). The race represents both Round 4 of the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross series and also the fourth round of the 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship. The SuperMotocross League is in its second year and draws points from the complete Supercross season and the 11-round AMA Pro Motocross season. In September, points are reset and the top racers are seeded into two Playoff rounds and one Final to crown the SMX champions.
All Supercross, Pro Motocross, and SuperMotocross rounds are available live on PeacockTV. Select rounds are also broadcast or streamed on NBC, USA Network, CNBC, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sport app domestically. Audio coverage is broadcast live on Sirius XM – CH 85. International coverage is available live with the SuperMotocross Video Pass (supermotocross.tv), where commentary is available in both English and Spanish.
Tickets are available now to catch a Supercross when it comes to a city near you. You can also catch up on the racing, see the track maps, get info on FanFest, and more. For all this, and for ticket purchases, please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.
TONE RT SYNCEDGE4413 BMW Racing announced the team structure for 2024 at the Tokyo Auto Salon venue (Makuhari Messe), at the TONE ALPHA booth. The collaboration with TONE Corporation marks its eighth year.
In the upcoming season, our ace rider, Tomoya Hoshino, will compete in the JSB1000 class, the premier category of the All Japan Series, using the 2023 BMW M1000RR. The team aims to consistently finish within the points range in races while continuing to work on machine setup and tire development.
Additionally, in the ST1000 class, alongside second-year rider Ainosuke Yoshida, we welcome newcomer Zechariah Kwame Dzegede. Yoshida will be supported for his long-term development as a young rider, utilizing his strengths to contribute as a rider for the next generation. Zechariah (Zech) has experience racing in Japan and participated in the Spanish Superbike Championship in the Stock 1000 class last year. The team aims to achieve top positions with his skills.
Regarding the Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race in the EWC World Endurance Championship, due to the absence of results in the previous year’s event, the team will start by competing in the 8 Endurance Tryout qualifying race on 4/14 to secure a spot. The goal is to win in the Superstock class for the first time since 2019. Details of the EWC participation will be announced when finalized.
Finally, the team expresses gratitude to sponsors such as TONE Corporation, BMW Corporation, Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. (DUNLOP), and others for their continued support. The team plans to engage in various promotional activities to introduce sponsors to a wider audience.
All Japan Road Race Championship Series Participation Structure
Team Name: TONE RT SYNCEDGE 4413 BMW
Chief Mechanics: Yoshihisa Takamura
Team Director: Yu Yamashita
JSB1000 Class:
Rider: Tomoya Hoshino
● Machine: BMW M 1000 RR
ST1000 Class:
Rider: Ainosuke Yoshida, Zechariah Kwame Dzegede
● Machine: BMW M 1000 RR
Tomoya Hoshino’s Comment:
“I’m grateful to be able to participate in the JSB1000 class again this season with TONE RT SYNCEDGE4413 BMW. Thank you to the sponsors and the team. I’ll strive to deliver exciting performances and results for those watching, just like last year. Also, in the team’s second year, I’ll support the development of Ainosuke Yoshida, so please continue to support us this season.”
Ainosuke Yoshida’s Comment:
“This is Ainosuke Yoshida, and I’m grateful to be running with TONE RT SYNCEDGE 4413 BMW for the second year. I appreciate Mr. Takamura and the team, as well as the sponsors. Last year, I gained valuable experience in my first year of participating in the All Japan Championship, including the Suzuka 8 Hours and Bol d’Or 24 Hours. Since the results weren’t satisfactory in All Japan, I want to focus on achieving better results this year, building on the reflections from last year. My goal for this year is to consistently score points with stable performances. Please continue to support me this year.”
Zechariah Kwame Dzegede’s Comment:
“I’m very pleased to participate in the All Japan Road Race Championship for the first time in three years since 2020. I’m excited to join the fantastic TONE RT SYNCEDGE 4413 BMW team, which has a track record of success in both sprint races and endurance races over the years. Leveraging my experience in the Spanish Championship and European Championship, I aim for top finishes in the ST1000 class!”
Yoshihisa Takamura (Chief Mechanic) Comment:
“This year, we will continue to compete in the All Japan with Hoshino, Ainosuke, and welcoming Zech for the first time. We will fight together as a team in both the All Japan and Suzuka 8 Hours. Regarding the bike, I believe that last year’s concept is functioning well. We will focus on engineering, provide the riders with a good machine, and do our best. We aim to win the Suzuka 8 Hours for the first time since 2019. I’m looking forward to this year’s activities. Thank you for your continued support, everyone.”
Yu Yamashita (Team Director) Comment:
“I’m grateful to be able to participate in the All Japan Championship and Suzuka 8 Hours again in 2024, and I sincerely thank all the sponsors, supporters, and team staff. While we’ve faced challenges without achieving good results in recent years, the team has been steadily evolving through continuous efforts and challenges. This year, with the addition of Zech as a new rider, we hope to gain further experience. We will fully support the three riders running this season and, as a team, aim to uplift their potential for the future. We will continue to challenge with all our might this year, so please continue to support us!”
Roadracing World MotoGP Editor and Isle of Man TT winner Mat Oxley and two-time World Championship-winning Crew Chief Peter Bom have started “The Oxley Bom MotoGP Podcast,” which will be focused on the FIM MotoGP World Championship.
This podcast is “Hail to the King, Baby – Interviewing Kenny Roberts.”
The original podcast can be found on BuzzSprout.com or listened to via other places you get podcasts.
From the Oxley Bom Podcast:
This week we give a royal welcome to our guest, the legendary Kenny Roberts. “King Kenny” not only won the world title three times, but he also changed the face of MotoGP forever through his legendary battle with the FIM over riders’ rights, than started his own world titles-winning race team and even became a racebike manufacturer. And that’s not even getting in to some of his other (in)famous exploits…
So join Mat and Peter as Kenny takes them on a wild ride through history, from heated battles on the track to the case of a missing testicle, and discover that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Let’s go!
With big thanks as always to Brad Baloo from The Next Men and Gentleman’s Dub Club, who wrote our theme song. Check out The Nextmen for more great music!
Gresini Racing officially introduced its 2024 MotoGP World Championship team of brothers Marc Marquez and Alex Marquez on Saturday in Italy. In conjunction with the formal team presentation, the team released the first official photos of the riders and Ducati Desmosedici racebikes in their 2024 liveries. Here are some of those photos.
Marc Marquez. Photo courtesy Gresini Racing.
Alex Marquez. Photo courtesy Gresini Racing.
Marc Marquez’s Ducati Desmosedici racebike. Photo courtesy Gresini Racing.
OSS, NL/MAROSTICA, IT – Italian custom racing gear specialist, Vircos, will move forward under the new name “REV’IT! TAILORTECH” as of January 2024. This change of name reflects the integration of REV’IT!’s innovative technology and design with the decades of experience, craftsmanship, and service that Vircos has made its name with.
REV’IT! TAILORTECH opens the door to an even wider audience. Providing fully bespoke, track-ready, leather one-piece suits for demanding sportive street riders, amateur track-riding enthusiasts, and budding pro racers alike. So that they, too, can experience the race-ready quality, tailoring craftsmanship, and the same on-point service that REV’IT! offers its professional riders in WorldSBK and MotoGP.
REV’IT! TAILORTECH further allows riders to express their own style with custom measurements and graphics, as well as the assurance riders take to the grid with high-quality fit and professional style, showcasing sponsors and matching bike livery designs. To maintain and even build on maintaining the highest levels possible in safety and service throughout the process, REV’IT! TAILORTECH will start this new chapter from its all-new, state-of-the-art headquarters in Marostica, Italy.
Vircos was originally founded by Aldo De Agnoi as an artisan leather company in 1982, before stepping into the world of producing leather racing suits at the turn of the century. Vircos and REV’IT!’s paths first crossed when the two started working together in GPs over 15 years ago.
A partnership that culminated in REV’IT!’s acquisition of the Italian brand in 2022 and the launch of REV’IT! TAILORTECH in 2024, cementing our new – shared – way forward.
Althea Racing doubles in World Supersport and launches the challenge in the Enduro World Championship!
Althea Racing continues its sporting tradition and renews itself by presenting its programs for 2024.
Protagonist on the track since 1996 with numerous national and world successes in Superstock1000, Supersport and Superbike, including a world rider title in the premier class, two rider titles in Superstock, and two manufacturer world titles brought to Ducati, Althea wishes to continue his commitment to international racing.
In the next season, the team from Civita Castellana will double its presence in the Supersport world championship where it will be at the start with two riders, the Italian Niccolò Antonelli and the Pole, Piotr Biesiekirski.
Niccolò Antonelli, born in 1996, former Italian 125cc champion, boasts solid experience in the world championship in Moto3 and Moto2 while Piotr Biesekirski, Polish, born in 2001, has experience in the national championships and in the CEV Moto2.
Althea Racing’s solid bond with Ducati continues and the two riders will be entrusted with a Ducati Panigale V2, a bike that has already allowed victories and podiums in the last championship.
The Team Manager of Ecosantagata Althea Racing, this is the new name of the team, will be Moreno Coppola, a technician with a lot of experience and equally important results achieved with Althea.
Althea will also be a protagonist in the Enduro GP world championship.
Swede Lucas Lucas Vågberg, 24 years old, his first experience in the premier class but already a protagonist in the 2023 Junior World Championship, will fight to excel in the top class riding a 2024 Husqvarna 450.
Niccolò Antonelli. Photo courtesy Althea Racing.
Niccolo Antonelli, Rider
I am very happy to be here in one of the teams that has made the history of Superbike and Supersport with great results. This will push me to give 200% every time I get on the track. Finally today is the presentation and I can’t wait to get to work.
Piotr Biesiekirski. Photo courtesy Althea Racing.
Piotr Biesiekirski, Rider
For me it’s a new category and a new championship and so I’m a curious because I don’t know what to expect exactly.
The Ducati is a different bike to those I have always ridden and therefore curiousI will need a bit of learning. After coming to Italy and testing the bike with the team, all my doubts went away. I fell in love with the riding style of the 955 and the team surpassed all my expectations. I am sure that we have an amazing package – both on the technical and personal side. Now I am focused on preparing myself as well as possible and I cannot wait to start the season in Philip Island!
Lucas Vagberg, Enduro GP Rider
I would like to thank Genesio for this great opportunity and I am sure that with his and their help I will be able to give satisfaction this season. I’ll do my best, I can’t wait to get started at full throttle!”
Genesio Bevilacqua, General Manager
We continue to believe in Supersport as a reference category because it allows our work group to be able to interact with opponents of different levels and potential, while developing the bike entirely within our racing team.
We are focusing on the rebirth of Antonelli and on a young man from Eastern Europe but with a Latin temperament.
However, 2024 will not just be about the track. It will be intense also thanks to the choice, after years of MotoGP and Superbike, to also compete in the World Enduro GP.
For me, another motorcyclist’s dream comes true, that of a passionate enduro practitioner, an absolutely satisfying discipline which allows me to spend my free time in nature and with the riders who are often my guests.
Ricky Brabec wins the 2024 Dakar Rally with Adrien Van Beveren on the podium in third
7,967 km of rallying across Saudi Arabia came to a conclusion by the breathtaking Red Sea at Yanbu with Monster Energy Honda Team’s Ricky Brabec taking the top step of the Dakar for a second time, making history as the only American to do so.
After spending much of the first week amongst the front runners, the 2020 winner took the reins after the grueling 48 Hour Chrono and despite a one second margin to second place Ross Branch at the end of stage seven, the Californian never looked back and rode to a faultless Dakar win with nearly eleven minutes in hand.
In what has been a calm and collected display throughout the rally by the 32 year old, he also added another stage win to the ten he has already collected in his Dakar career to date and leaves round one at the top of the 2024 World Rally-Raid Championship standings.
At his ninth attempt of the Dakar, Frenchman Adrien Van Beveren stood on the podium that has eluded him over the past few years after taking a hard fought 48 Hour Chrono stage victory, the sand specialist found his rhythm in the second week and had an immense battle with Ross Branch and teammate José Ignacio Cornejo for the podium. Despite a near miss with a camel yesterday, he fought right to the end for the runner-up spot but had to make do with the final podium place.
One of two Chilean riders in the Monster Energy Honda Team, ‘Nacho’ Cornejo had one of his career best performances at the famous rally, from the off he led in the standings and racked up a hat-trick of magnificent stage victories, also fighting for an elusive podium. Unfortunately a fuel pump issue put paid to his fight yesterday and his final sixth place did not reflect on what a truly outstanding performance he produced.
His fellow Chilean, Pablo Quintanilla has been the runner up twice at the Dakar and as the most experienced member of the team was eager to turn his twelfth participation into victory. Unfortunately for the Dakar Legend, the 48 Hour Chrono would put paid to his chances when he ran short of fuel on the first day of the tough stage. Despite the disappointment he battled on helping his teammates and also taking valuable points in the World Rally-Raid Championship.
With the new generation Honda CRF450 RALLY now a rally winner, the Monster Energy Honda Team put on a powerful display on their first outing in 2024 as the stage wins racked up over the course of the two weeks. Tosha Schareina opened proceedings with the prologue victory, Nacho Cornejo gained the accolade of the most stage wins this year with three, Adrien Van Beveren banked two and Pablo Quintanilla and Ricky Brabec took one apiece to make seven in all.
With the team fully deserving of some rest and recuperation, they will reconvene in April for the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid in Portugal from 2nd – 7th April.
Ruben Faria
We had one goal today and it was to win the Dakar Rally with Ricky. We are so happy for him as he did an amazing job to take victory at this really tough Dakar. Adrien pushed as hard as he could to get second as it was still possible for him to achieve at the start of today’s stage. Although he missed out, we’re also pleased that he took that final step on the podium.
Fighting for the podium three days ago, the fuel line issue for Nacho sadly stopped him from joining in the fight with Ricky and Adrien. He showed impressive speed and navigation skills which deserved a much better result than his sixth place.
After Pablo ran out of fuel during the 48 Hours Chrono this lost him a lot of time and ended his chance for the podium. We’re happy that he made it to the finish and that it gave him the possibility to test the bike during this last week.
Our main goal at the start of this event was to win the Dakar, we started with six bikes and managed to get four to the final Parc Fermé at Yanbu. The team did a great job and I’m so proud of them.
Now we continue our work as we want to achieve the same result at the 2025 Dakar. We also have the World Rally-Raid Championship to focus on this year with the next rally in Portugal and Spain in April.
Pablo Quintanilla 7
STAGE: 12TH OVERALL: 11TH
I’m happy to finish the rally, it was super tough and long this year. It wasn’t the result I was expecting, but I’m happy that I was able to manage all the issues I had during the rally and to finish my twelfth Dakar. I go home with a good feeling that I got to the end.
Ricky Brabec is now the only American to ever win the Dakar Rally twice. Photo courtesy HRC.
Ricky Brabec 9
STAGE: 5TH OVERALL: 1ST
It’s a nice way to start the year with a victory. It wasn’t easy as the course was really tough and so was the competition. Ross and my own team kept me on my toes, but not just me, I think we were keeping everyone on each other’s toes. It was definitely a fight to the end for everyone. I’m really happy we’re all here and all safe and we can go home. This time was a little bit different as I feel like this one was more earned as it was a lot tougher. In 2020, we had a big gap from the get-go. Here, I think me and Ross spent three days with a couple of seconds difference. It was a tight race for all of us. I think between first and third there are eleven minutes or something, whatever Adrien got, but it’s been a tight race and ten minutes is not a big gap here on the rally. I had two good days, two opportunities to make a good push, but also stage 11 was a scare factor for me because I knew Ross was starting behind me, 18 minutes behind, and if he caught me it would be over. Stage 11 was hard but I stayed focused, got to the finishing line and didn’t lose too much time, so I’m really happy with this and I’m really happy for the team. I’m happy for all of us, we did an excellent job all of the two weeks. I think number 9 will be my lucky number from now on.
José Ignacio “Nacho” Cornejo 11
STAGE: 10TH OVERALL: 6TH
I’ve finished another Dakar Rally that’s been a rollercoaster of emotions, from the excitement of doing really well during the two weeks and then the issue yesterday. But that’s racing and I’m happy for Ricky that he won and for Adrien that he got onto the podium too. I think we did really well as a team, we won a lot of the stages, we opened a lot of them and we showed that a lot of the hard work we’ve been doing paid off.
Adrien Van Beveren 42
STAGE: 4TH OVERALL: 3RD
After the last years and the difficulties I had, the crashes, all of that, overall, to be on the podium, finally on the podium of the Dakar, it tastes really good. I’ve been fighting until the end. We’ve finished third, but we were in the fight for victory. We are closer than ever to the dream. To step onto the podium is a step towards my dream of victory.
More, from a press release issued by American Honda:
American Ricky Brabec Wins Dakar Rally for the Second Time
January 19, 2024 — YANBU, Saudi Arabia
New-generation Honda CRF450 Rally rules in its debut
Fellow Monster Energy Honda rider Adrien Van Beveren finishes on the podium
For the second time in four years, Monster Energy Honda racer Ricky Brabec has attained victory in the prestigious Dakar Rally, which ended today on the Saudi Arabian shores of the Red Sea. In 2020, the Californian became the first American to win the Motorcycle class in the grueling event and, four years and two days later, he adds the 46th edition to his win list.
The Dakar Rally began in 1979 in Europe and Africa, and Honda first scored a win in 1982, at the hands of XR550-mounted Cyril Neveu. The Frenchman added a second victory four years later aboard the NXR750V, then repeated the following year. Italian Edi Orioli brought Honda a third-consecutive win in 1988 with the NXR800V, which Frenchman Gilles Lalay rode to victory the following year. A dry spell for Honda followed, but Brabec put the brand back on top with the CRF450 RALLY in 2020, by which point the rally was taking place in Saudi Arabia. Brabec’s then-teammate Kevin Benavides won the following year, and this year’s success marks the eighth win for Honda (and the first for the next-generation CRF450 RALLY, in its debut).
A desert-racing native of Southern California, Brabec won the 2014 edition of the SCORE Baja 1000 and earned AMA Hare & Hound National Championships in 2014 and 2016. A protégé of Baja legend and longtime Honda partner Johnny Campbell, Brabec signed with the Monster Energy Honda team for the 2015 season and campaigned the Dakar Rally four times before winning in his fifth try. (He had come agonizingly close the previous year, only to be thwarted by a late a technical issue.) Since that 2020 success, Brabec finished second and seventh in ’21 and ’22, before he a technical issue forced him out of last year’s race. Now he becomes the 13th rider to top the Dakar Rally on more than one occasion.
“It’s a nice way to start the year with a victory,” Brabec said at the finish. “It wasn’t easy as the course was really tough and so was the competition. Ross and my own team kept me on my toes, but not just me, I think we were keeping everyone on each other’s toes. It was definitely a fight to the end for everyone. I’m really happy we’re all here and all safe and we can go home. This time was a little bit different as I feel like this one was more earned as it was a lot tougher. In 2020, we had a big gap from the get-go. Here, I think me and Ross spent three days with a couple of seconds difference. It was a tight race for all of us. I think between first and third there are eleven minutes or something, whatever Adrien got, but it’s been a tight race and ten minutes is not a big gap here on the rally. I had two good days, two opportunities to make a good push, but also stage 11 was a scare factor for me because I knew Ross was starting behind me, 18 minutes behind, and if he caught me it would be over. Stage 11 was hard but I stayed focused, got to the finishing line and didn’t lose too much time, so I’m really happy with this and I’m really happy for the team. I’m happy for all of us, we did an excellent job all of the two weeks. I think number 9 will be my lucky number from now on.”
The fifth Dakar Rally edition held in Saudi Arabia, this year’s event kicked off with a January 5 prologue in the Northwestern city of AlUla and ran 4,766 miles to the east and back, before finishing in Yanbu on January 19. Along the way, competitors completed 2,878 miles of “specials” (timed sections that determine the winners), including a new two-day “48 Hour Chrono” stage in Saudi Arabia’s desolate Empty Quarter, where racers spent a remote overnight with no technical support and minimal communication with the outside world. Competitors regularly departed the overnight bivouacs in the pre-dawn hours and spent long, cold hours in liaisons (untimed transfer sections, completion of which was nonetheless obligatory). Only a single rest day provided reprieve from the harsh conditions.
Monster Energy Honda controlled the race for much of the way, with Spaniard Tosha Schareina topping the prologue and Chilean José Ignacio “Nacho” Cornejo assuming a one-day ownership of the overall lead after the fourth full stage. Brabec took over the top overall spot after the completion of the pivotal 48 Hour Chrono stage, never to relinquish it. The team was both fast (topping seven stages and the prologue, and sweeping stage podiums on two occasions) and balanced (with five of six riders taking wins); four riders reached the finish. In addition to Brabec’s overall win, his French teammate Adrien Van Beveren took an overall podium position, in third, with Cornejo finishing sixth.
“To Ricky and the entire Monster Energy Honda team, congratulations from the Honda family back here in the U.S., including associates, dealers and customers,” said Jeremy McGuire, Senior Manager of Customer Engagement at American Honda. “The team’s performance this year showed that its preparation and strategy were unmatched, and the skill, calculation and teamwork exhibited by all of the riders were nothing short of inspiring. With his second win in the most grueling off-road competition in the world, Ricky shows that Honda and America are serious forces to reckon with in the world of off-road racing.”
Unfortunately, Brabec’s countryman Skyler Howes (making his fourth Dakar appearance, but is first with the Honda team), was one of those who didn’t finish; the Utah resident was forced to drop out on the first day of the 48 Hour Chrono stage, but he’s eager to return to the Dakar podium in the future.
“It’s unfortunate that I had to exit the rally on stage 6 but there is always a silver lining,” Howes said. “We are able to learn from everything that happened and apply it to coming back even stronger next year. It is really impressive to see what the team was able to accomplish in just a short time with this new bike. I only joined the team in September and in the grand scheme of things, didn’t have much time to adapt to the new bike or learn the ways of the team. To see how quickly they could turn this CRF450 RALLY into a winning bike is amazing and to become as comfortable as I did on the bike and in the team is a really awesome feeling and gives me a lot of confidence heading into the future. I’m really excited to see the ways we can continue to improve to take on the challenges of the rest of the W2RC championship and next Dakar.”
With the team fully deserving of some rest and recuperation, they will reconvene in April for the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid in Portugal from 2nd – 7th April.
MotoAmerica VIP Superfan Experience Tickets Now On Sale
The MotoAmerica Superfan VIP Experience Is Back And Better Than Ever For 2024
IRVINE, CA (January 19, 2024) – The 2024 MotoAmerica Championship is stacking up to be one of the best in series history, and North America’s Premier Road Racing Series is pleased to announce that there’s no better way to experience the events than through its VIP Superfan Experience ticket packages.
So, if you’re in the mood to treat yourself to something truly special, then the MotoAmerica VIP Superfan Experience is for you. The ticket packages, which vary in cost depending on the round, feature full VIP Superfan Hospitality, including catering (continental breakfast, coffee and iced tea, lunch, snacks, cash bar – at select rounds – on Saturday and Sunday), a 2-Day VIP Superfan Experience (Saturday and Sunday), with a Friday general admission and a VIP Superfan parking pass.
The MotoAmerica VIP Superfan Experience also offers a discounted VIP Superfan Youth Hospitality ticket for children aged 5-12, who are accompanied by an adult. Children under five are admitted free to the VIP Superfan Hospitality when accompanied by an adult holding a valid VIP Superfan credential.
Those who purchase MotoAmerica VIP Superfan Experiences also get a voucher for discounted official MotoAmerica merchandise, participation in the Cardo Fan Lap; meet-and-greet sessions with racers, team owners, TV personalities, and industry professionals; a live TV feed in the hospitality area; photo-op with guest speakers; escorted pre-grid opportunities and photo ops, paddock tours, and on-the-podium experiences with race winners from selected classes; plus the VIP Superfan Experience digital magazine (https://issuu.com/541marketing/docs/vip_superfan_experience_2024?fr=xKAE9_zU1NQ) that will be e-mailed to you after each event you attend.
Packages range from one-day general admission tickets, to the MotoAmerica VIP Superfan Experience, to the Harley-Davidson Race Fan Ticket Package (for rounds that feature Mission King Of The Baggers races).
In addition, at the MotoAmerica events that feature Mission King Of The Baggers races, Harley-Davidson is offering Harley-Davidson Factory Race Fan passes that include admission, paddock access, a welcome gift, and access to product displays in the H-D activation area; Harley-Davidson motorcycle parking throughout the weekend; and the Harley-Davidson parade laps that allow helmeted Harley riders to join fellow Harley enthusiasts on a lap around the racetrack.
Camping sells out at many of the MotoAmerica events so reserve your spot as soon as possible. Additionally, buying tickets at the gate will cost more than purchasing your tickets in advance.
MotoAmerica is North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series. Established in 2014, MotoAmerica is home to the AMA Superbike Championship as well as additional classes including Supersport, Stock 1000, Twins Cup, Junior Cup, and King Of The Baggers. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership including three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey; ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland; motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges; and businessman Richard Varner. For more information, please visit www.MotoAmerica.com and follow MotoAmerica on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube.
The countdown is on: 2024 is just around the apex!
From team presentations to pre-season testing, new regulations and sustainable fuel, get ready for 2024
Friday, 19 January 2024
The countdown to the season opener in Qatar is on, but between now and our return to Lusail International Circuit from the 8th to the 10th of March, there’s plenty of MotoGP™ to look forward to. The first headline event of the season goes to Gresini Racing MotoGP™ as the Independent squad are the first to roll out their 2024 colours, in their case those ready to be raced by their blockbuster Marc Marquez-Alex Marquez line-up. That’s on Saturday the 20th of January.
With a host of moves for 2024 – and a superstar fresh face joining the grid as Pedro Acosta lands at GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 – the team presentations will be our first glimpse of all the new line-ups and colours. We’ll also get to see the race livery of the new Trackhouse Racing MotoGP™ team as they prepare to take on the world’s most exciting sport. The full calendar of presentations was revealed recently, so take a look through, with Gresini first up and Prima Pramac bringing the curtain down.
Track action and pre-season testing gets underway with the Sepang Shakedown from the 1st to the 3rd of February. This season it’s a blockbuster too, with Honda and Yamaha able to field their race riders to test alongside the rookie and factory test riders. In the case of Honda, that includes the Independent LCR Team: new arrival Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) and long-time competitor Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR). How? The new concession system has already come into effect. Below is where each factory stands and what they get, or don’t get, as we begin 2024. It gets re-assessed for the first time in summer!
That’s not the only key change in regulations. A more sustainable era also starts now: from 2024, fuel for all Grand Prix classes must be of minimum 40% non-fossil origin. This was first announced in 2021, and 2024 is only the first step. By 2027, all fuels in all Grand Prix classes must be 100% non-fossil origin.
Every premier class manufacturer has worked with their supplier to develop their own, and Moto2™ and Moto3™ are supplied by official fuel supplier PETRONAS. As the pinnacle of two wheels, MotoGP™ is a perfect platform to develop these more sustainable, drop-in fuels, and with no single proprietor, the initiative can create truly global impact.
After the Shakedown gives us a first glimpse this year of these fuels in action, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ reveal their 2024 livery as Alex Rins suits up alongside 2021 Champion Fabio Quartararo. The Sepang Test will then welcome the whole grid to the track for the first time this season, with three full days of testing action to take place from the 6th to the 8th of February. Then it’s reveal time for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, Repsol Honda Team, Honda LCR and Aprilia Racing ahead of another two full days of testing – this time at Lusail International Circuit for the Qatar Test. Finally, it’s Prima Pramac’s turn to take the covers off before we begin the final countdown to racing in our 75th anniversary season.
It’s not season number 75, it’s a celebration of 75 years. The chequered flag at the 2023 finale saw MotoGP™ complete 75 full seasons of competition since the world’s most exciting sport was born in 1949, and we’ve got plenty in store to celebrate. There’s even an all-new 75th anniversary page to check out some of the best content from then and now. More will be added throughout this historic season.
So let’s go! Get suited and booted for a record-breaking 2024 calendar and join us throughout the next few weeks as the countdown continues.
Munich/Phoenix/Verona. Custom motorcycle visionary Paul Yaffe has raised the bar once again with the revelation of his latest masterpiece, a one-of-a-kind customization of the BMW R 18 Transcontinental. Melding classic hot rod aesthetics with the distinctive BMW essence, this project is a testament to Yaffe’s excellence as a designer.
A legend of the US customizing scene:
Since 1991, the custom motorcycle world has known Paul Yaffe as one of the elite creators of motorized masterpieces. That’s because Paul is more than a builder or fabricator, he is truly a designer. Beginning with the establishment of American Legend Motorcycle Company, which later evolved into Paul Yaffe’s Bagger Nation, he has earned accolades such as three “World’s Most Beautiful Motorcycle” awards from the Oakland Roadster Show, two “Builder of Year” and three “Trendsetter of the Year” awards from Easyriders Magazine, as well as becoming an inductee into the Sturgis Hall of Fame in 2015. His custom bikes have been featured in over 300 magazine articles worldwide as well as on the Discovery channel, the History channel, and other television shows. His products, distributed through a network of partners in six countries, continue to inspire a generation of customizers.
Now, Paul Yaffe reveals his latest masterpiece — a one-of-a-kind customization of the BMW R 18 Transcontinental, which will debut at the MBE Show in Verona, Italy.
Preserving BMW Essence and Hot Rod Inspiration.
Before getting started, Paul spent time getting to know the BMW R18 Transcontinental, riding 3800 miles across the USA, and additional 2600 miles to Sturgis and back.
Once the customization process began, Paul knew he wanted to create a big wheel bagger like no one had ever seen. Crucial to the project was retaining as many original BMW components as possible. Paul wanted his custom creation to remain authentically BMW and knew that it should not be made from or look anything like parts from his existing product line.
He commissioned a 26” x 5.5” front wheel cut from a 400lb block of solid aluminium, which holds a handmade 180mm wide front tire. The frame had to be stretched and raked to accommodate the new front wheel and special triple trees had to be engineered to correct the trail measurement and optimize handling.
A rear view of the BMW R 18 Transcontinental customized by Paul Yaffe. Photo courtesy BMW Motorrad.
Embracing the look of an iconic 50’s Mercury Lead Sled the team crafted several
one-of-a-kind components and modified existing R 18 elements. The steel front fender was made from scratch. The original R 18 fairing was cut into several pieces and restructured to correct headlight position and flow into the new front wheel. To address the gap between the fairing and the fuel tank a unique chin spoiler was developed, strategically concealing the radiator. Additionally, an exclusive set of Yaffe Monkey Bars was crafted to complement the overall design.
“The team wanted to retain the saddlebag lids, latches and speakers so a new set of ‘skins’ was created to give the bags a completely new and unique stretched profile while retaining the excellent engineering and functionality that BMW had created for them.” Paul’s team extended the original rear fender by crafting a second R 18 rear fender, ensuring it seamlessly matched the profile of the new saddlebags.
As the build began to take shape, Yaffe rearranged the original R 18 taillights into the handmade filler panels and worked an area for the license plate into the fender in classic hot rod styling. He also stretched the original R 18 side covers to retain their original shape and cover more area to help the eye flow into the bags.
Classic Lead Sled Look.
Staying true to the classic Lead Sled aesthetic, Yaffe prioritized two crucial components: air suspension and side pipes.
Paul and his team designed a sophisticated air tank and distribution system as well as a dedicated frame beneath each side of the saddlebags to accommodate essential components, including the necessary air storage tanks, a sizable air compressor and all the controls, valving and solenoids necessary for the effective support and operation of the system.
Turning their focus to the side pipe design the fabrication team aimed to preserve the distinctive “BMW feel” that sets this build apart. Retaining the classic Boxer head pipes was non-negotiable in Paul’s vision. The catalytic converters were removed from the head pipes making way for a bespoke perforated high-flow baffle system. This innovation not only replaced the restrictive emissions system but also retained essential back pressure for optimal performance. To further enhance the auditory experience a precision-crafted
3-step muffler system was introduced for reversion. The final touch was a wide-open megaphone, delivering that quintessential classic hot rod sound.
It all comes down to cosmetics.
Shifting focus to cosmetics Paul wanted a classic hot rod feel without any distracting graphics, highlighting the bike’s elegant new stance and profile. The emphasis was on simplicity and allure. “We went to work perfecting all the fabricated body panels and smoothing everything to a glass-like finish.” After settling on a timeless deep gloss black finish, the team’s attention turned to achieving perfection for the body. Paul tasked his dedicated painter Hector Martinez, with applying the flawless gloss black paint. Recognizing the need for contrast, Paul decided on a classic ochs blood red interior. The art is in finding the perfect balance. “The trick is not to overdo it!” Guys Upholstery created the contemporary-style saddle and dash console and Hector mixed up a colour for the front callipers to match. “We think it came out spectacular!”
Disclaimer.
The vehicles shown may be modified and fitted with third-party accessories and/or proprietary parts that are not manufactured, distributed or tested by BMW. BMW accepts no liability for the modifications (including the fitting, characteristics and use of the accessories shown). NOTE: Modification of series production vehicles (including the fitting and use of third-party and self-made parts) can impair riding characteristics! Riding our vehicles in modified condition is at your own risk.
Round Three of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship took place at muddy Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports.
Aaron Plessinger Takes Career-First 450SX Class Victory in San Diego
Nate Thrasher Wins Thrilling 250SX Class Race
San Diego, Calif., (January 21, 2024) Red Bull KTM’s Aaron Plessinger earned a hard-fought and emotional win at Round 3 the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship inside a muddy Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. With the win, Plessinger took over the lead in the championship points.
Supercross returned to San Diego for the 41st time with Snapdragon Stadium hosting the event for its second year. Daytime rain saturated the track that slowly tacked-up throughout the night’s racing in front of the sold-out crowd. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Two-time champion Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb battled forward on the deep-rutted track to take second place and his first podium of the year. Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia took the runner-up spot under clear skies on the rain-soaked track at the 50th Anniversary Race which commemorates the sport’s 50th year. In the Western Regional 250SX Class, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Nate Thrasher earned the win after a thrilling battle that had the top three close and trading positions for the entire race.
Aaron Plessinger (7) took his career-first 450SX race win. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports.
“It feels really, really good. I guess it feels like it should. I got off to a good start and just rode a good race. Kenny [Roczen] was in front and then I just applied a little pressure and he ended up going down. Cooper [Webb] was just right there behind me keeping me on my toes, and so was Eli [Tomac, who was a lap down]. Yeah, it was a really good race, I just got a good lead and rode my own race, and stayed up. It seemed like we were lapping a lot of people, so it feels good and I’m ready to do it again next weekend.” – Aaron Plessinger
“I think I’ve had a great season so far, but on paper it hasn’t [looked that way]. Anaheim 1 was great but last weekend was not, so like we say, we’re hoping that’s the battle and I can charge on from here. And tonight was great to get those points back, get it back in the mix. I felt great on the track. I felt great all day. I was really wanting that win but it was overall a really good bounce back, and for me just to know that I’m in this thing for sure.” – Cooper Webb
“The rebound this weekend was absolutely awesome. I felt really good, just staying in my lane. I didn’t feel the greatest but I ride well in those conditions… I was just sitting back thinking about this table [with the three of us sitting here at the post race conference]. This is a really cool table. We all kind of grew up riding together, [in our] professional career we’ve all trained [together], we’ve all been teammates together on different teams, so this is a really cool podium and I’m super proud to be on this podium tonight. And yeah, I’ll just keep plugging along, getting stronger and hopefully [there will be] a lot more podiums with these boys.” – Justin Barcia
In the Western Regional 250SX Class Nate Thrasher took his fifth career win and his first podium of the year in a Yamaha podium sweep. After fighting into the lead, Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Garrett Marchbanks settled for second but kept Thrasher close right to the checkered flag. Rounding out the podium was Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Jordon Smith, who stretched out his championship points lead on his nearest competitor.
Nate Thrasher leading the 250SX race in San Diego. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports.
“[The track] was kinda coming around throughout the night; the dirt was starting to grip back up… I was just trying to do everything, like, ride it like it was dry. That was kinda of my goal going into the main event. It was tougher to ride cautious than it was to go out there and ride all-out. So that was my goal for the night: in the main, just go out there and ride all-out and whatever happens, happens, and it was good.” – Nate Thrasher
“Once I passed RJ [Hampshire] for the lead, I’d say for the first lap I was kinda like, ‘Holy crap, I’m actually leading.’ It’s been a really long time since Daytona that I’ve led some laps. I’d say after that it was more putting my head down, just acting like I was at the practice track, just doing some normal laps at ClubMX. Yeah, it is what it is, I got caught up with some lappers, I tried to change some lines up and it wasn’t the best I could do, and [Thrasher] got around me. Nate was riding good and yeah, it is what it is.” – Garrett Marchbanks
“I got off to a pretty good start, I think I was in third in the first couple laps with RJ [Hampshire] and Levi [Kitchen] right in front of me. We were still taking it pretty easy on the track, I would say. The lines weren’t cut in and I was just trying to be smart where I was. [It was a] long race, a lot could happen, and then I made a few mistakes and Nate [Thrasher] and Garrett [Marchbanks] both got around me and I just really – not that I tightened up but I was just making a lot of mistakes. I was not putting the track together… I kinda re-focused and then Jo [Shimoda] and Levi were right behind me and we actually were pushing really hard at the end. I think the last five laps were probably the best of the race for me. It was not really any kind of holding back at the end of the race there, it was trying to keep those guys behind me and push forward.” – Jordon Smith
The series now takes a short trip north for the second 2024 race inside Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Saturday, January 27th. The Anaheim 2 Supercross continues the season’s earlier start times with opening ceremonies beginning at 8:00 p.m. EST (5:00 p.m. local time). The race represents both Round 4 of the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross series and also the fourth round of the 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship. The SuperMotocross League is in its second year and draws points from the complete Supercross season and the 11-round AMA Pro Motocross season. In September, points are reset and the top racers are seeded into two Playoff rounds and one Final to crown the SMX champions.
All Supercross, Pro Motocross, and SuperMotocross rounds are available live on PeacockTV. Select rounds are also broadcast or streamed on NBC, USA Network, CNBC, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sport app domestically. Audio coverage is broadcast live on Sirius XM – CH 85. International coverage is available live with the SuperMotocross Video Pass (supermotocross.tv), where commentary is available in both English and Spanish.
Tickets are available now to catch a Supercross when it comes to a city near you. You can also catch up on the racing, see the track maps, get info on FanFest, and more. For all this, and for ticket purchases, please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.
TONE RT SYNCEDGE4413 BMW Racing (from left): Yoshihisa Takamura (Team Owner and Chief Mechanic),
Tomoya Hoshino (JSB1000 rider),
Zechariah Kwame Dzegede (ST1000 rider),
Ainosuke Yoshida (ST1000 rider), and Yu Yamashita (Team Director). Photo courtesy TONE RT SYNCEDGE4413 BMW Racing.
TONE RT SYNCEDGE4413 BMW
Team Announcement
TONE RT SYNCEDGE4413 BMW Racing announced the team structure for 2024 at the Tokyo Auto Salon venue (Makuhari Messe), at the TONE ALPHA booth. The collaboration with TONE Corporation marks its eighth year.
In the upcoming season, our ace rider, Tomoya Hoshino, will compete in the JSB1000 class, the premier category of the All Japan Series, using the 2023 BMW M1000RR. The team aims to consistently finish within the points range in races while continuing to work on machine setup and tire development.
Additionally, in the ST1000 class, alongside second-year rider Ainosuke Yoshida, we welcome newcomer Zechariah Kwame Dzegede. Yoshida will be supported for his long-term development as a young rider, utilizing his strengths to contribute as a rider for the next generation. Zechariah (Zech) has experience racing in Japan and participated in the Spanish Superbike Championship in the Stock 1000 class last year. The team aims to achieve top positions with his skills.
Regarding the Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race in the EWC World Endurance Championship, due to the absence of results in the previous year’s event, the team will start by competing in the 8 Endurance Tryout qualifying race on 4/14 to secure a spot. The goal is to win in the Superstock class for the first time since 2019. Details of the EWC participation will be announced when finalized.
Finally, the team expresses gratitude to sponsors such as TONE Corporation, BMW Corporation, Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. (DUNLOP), and others for their continued support. The team plans to engage in various promotional activities to introduce sponsors to a wider audience.
All Japan Road Race Championship Series Participation Structure
Team Name: TONE RT SYNCEDGE 4413 BMW
Chief Mechanics: Yoshihisa Takamura
Team Director: Yu Yamashita
JSB1000 Class:
Rider: Tomoya Hoshino
● Machine: BMW M 1000 RR
ST1000 Class:
Rider: Ainosuke Yoshida, Zechariah Kwame Dzegede
● Machine: BMW M 1000 RR
Tomoya Hoshino’s Comment:
“I’m grateful to be able to participate in the JSB1000 class again this season with TONE RT SYNCEDGE4413 BMW. Thank you to the sponsors and the team. I’ll strive to deliver exciting performances and results for those watching, just like last year. Also, in the team’s second year, I’ll support the development of Ainosuke Yoshida, so please continue to support us this season.”
Ainosuke Yoshida’s Comment:
“This is Ainosuke Yoshida, and I’m grateful to be running with TONE RT SYNCEDGE 4413 BMW for the second year. I appreciate Mr. Takamura and the team, as well as the sponsors. Last year, I gained valuable experience in my first year of participating in the All Japan Championship, including the Suzuka 8 Hours and Bol d’Or 24 Hours. Since the results weren’t satisfactory in All Japan, I want to focus on achieving better results this year, building on the reflections from last year. My goal for this year is to consistently score points with stable performances. Please continue to support me this year.”
Zechariah Kwame Dzegede’s Comment:
“I’m very pleased to participate in the All Japan Road Race Championship for the first time in three years since 2020. I’m excited to join the fantastic TONE RT SYNCEDGE 4413 BMW team, which has a track record of success in both sprint races and endurance races over the years. Leveraging my experience in the Spanish Championship and European Championship, I aim for top finishes in the ST1000 class!”
Yoshihisa Takamura (Chief Mechanic) Comment:
“This year, we will continue to compete in the All Japan with Hoshino, Ainosuke, and welcoming Zech for the first time. We will fight together as a team in both the All Japan and Suzuka 8 Hours. Regarding the bike, I believe that last year’s concept is functioning well. We will focus on engineering, provide the riders with a good machine, and do our best. We aim to win the Suzuka 8 Hours for the first time since 2019. I’m looking forward to this year’s activities. Thank you for your continued support, everyone.”
Yu Yamashita (Team Director) Comment:
“I’m grateful to be able to participate in the All Japan Championship and Suzuka 8 Hours again in 2024, and I sincerely thank all the sponsors, supporters, and team staff. While we’ve faced challenges without achieving good results in recent years, the team has been steadily evolving through continuous efforts and challenges. This year, with the addition of Zech as a new rider, we hope to gain further experience. We will fully support the three riders running this season and, as a team, aim to uplift their potential for the future. We will continue to challenge with all our might this year, so please continue to support us!”
Roadracing World MotoGP Editor and Isle of Man TT winner Mat Oxley (right) and two-time World Championship-winning Crew Chief Peter Bom (left). Photo courtesy Mat Oxley.
Roadracing World MotoGP Editor and Isle of Man TT winner Mat Oxley and two-time World Championship-winning Crew Chief Peter Bom have started “The Oxley Bom MotoGP Podcast,” which will be focused on the FIM MotoGP World Championship.
This podcast is “Hail to the King, Baby – Interviewing Kenny Roberts.”
The original podcast can be found on BuzzSprout.com or listened to via other places you get podcasts.
From the Oxley Bom Podcast:
This week we give a royal welcome to our guest, the legendary Kenny Roberts. “King Kenny” not only won the world title three times, but he also changed the face of MotoGP forever through his legendary battle with the FIM over riders’ rights, than started his own world titles-winning race team and even became a racebike manufacturer. And that’s not even getting in to some of his other (in)famous exploits…
So join Mat and Peter as Kenny takes them on a wild ride through history, from heated battles on the track to the case of a missing testicle, and discover that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Let’s go!
With big thanks as always to Brad Baloo from The Next Men and Gentleman’s Dub Club, who wrote our theme song. Check out The Nextmen for more great music!
Gresini Racing Team Owner Nadia Padovani (center) with riders Alex Marquez (left) and Marc Marquez (right). Photo courtesy Gresini Racing.
Gresini Racing officially introduced its 2024 MotoGP World Championship team of brothers Marc Marquez and Alex Marquez on Saturday in Italy. In conjunction with the formal team presentation, the team released the first official photos of the riders and Ducati Desmosedici racebikes in their 2024 liveries. Here are some of those photos.
Marc Marquez. Photo courtesy Gresini Racing.
Alex Marquez. Photo courtesy Gresini Racing.
Marc Marquez’s Ducati Desmosedici racebike. Photo courtesy Gresini Racing.
Vircos is moving forward under the name REV’IT! TAILORTECH and will produce custom one-piece REV'IT! leather racing suits. Photo courtesy REV'IT!.
REV’IT! RELAUNCHES VIRCOS AS REV’IT! TAILORTECH
OSS, NL/MAROSTICA, IT – Italian custom racing gear specialist, Vircos, will move forward under the new name “REV’IT! TAILORTECH” as of January 2024. This change of name reflects the integration of REV’IT!’s innovative technology and design with the decades of experience, craftsmanship, and service that Vircos has made its name with.
REV’IT! TAILORTECH opens the door to an even wider audience. Providing fully bespoke, track-ready, leather one-piece suits for demanding sportive street riders, amateur track-riding enthusiasts, and budding pro racers alike. So that they, too, can experience the race-ready quality, tailoring craftsmanship, and the same on-point service that REV’IT! offers its professional riders in WorldSBK and MotoGP.
REV’IT! TAILORTECH further allows riders to express their own style with custom measurements and graphics, as well as the assurance riders take to the grid with high-quality fit and professional style, showcasing sponsors and matching bike livery designs. To maintain and even build on maintaining the highest levels possible in safety and service throughout the process, REV’IT! TAILORTECH will start this new chapter from its all-new, state-of-the-art headquarters in Marostica, Italy.
Vircos was originally founded by Aldo De Agnoi as an artisan leather company in 1982, before stepping into the world of producing leather racing suits at the turn of the century. Vircos and REV’IT!’s paths first crossed when the two started working together in GPs over 15 years ago.
A partnership that culminated in REV’IT!’s acquisition of the Italian brand in 2022 and the launch of REV’IT! TAILORTECH in 2024, cementing our new – shared – way forward.
Riders Niccolò Antonelli (left) and Piotr Biesiekirski (right) with Althea Racing General Manager Genesio Bevilacqua (center). Photo courtesy Althea Racing.
Althea Racing doubles in World Supersport and launches the challenge in the Enduro World Championship!
Althea Racing continues its sporting tradition and renews itself by presenting its programs for 2024.
Protagonist on the track since 1996 with numerous national and world successes in Superstock1000, Supersport and Superbike, including a world rider title in the premier class, two rider titles in Superstock, and two manufacturer world titles brought to Ducati, Althea wishes to continue his commitment to international racing.
In the next season, the team from Civita Castellana will double its presence in the Supersport world championship where it will be at the start with two riders, the Italian Niccolò Antonelli and the Pole, Piotr Biesiekirski.
Niccolò Antonelli, born in 1996, former Italian 125cc champion, boasts solid experience in the world championship in Moto3 and Moto2 while Piotr Biesekirski, Polish, born in 2001, has experience in the national championships and in the CEV Moto2.
Althea Racing’s solid bond with Ducati continues and the two riders will be entrusted with a Ducati Panigale V2, a bike that has already allowed victories and podiums in the last championship.
The Team Manager of Ecosantagata Althea Racing, this is the new name of the team, will be Moreno Coppola, a technician with a lot of experience and equally important results achieved with Althea.
Althea will also be a protagonist in the Enduro GP world championship.
Swede Lucas Lucas Vågberg, 24 years old, his first experience in the premier class but already a protagonist in the 2023 Junior World Championship, will fight to excel in the top class riding a 2024 Husqvarna 450.
Niccolò Antonelli. Photo courtesy Althea Racing.
Niccolo Antonelli, Rider
I am very happy to be here in one of the teams that has made the history of Superbike and Supersport with great results. This will push me to give 200% every time I get on the track. Finally today is the presentation and I can’t wait to get to work.
Piotr Biesiekirski. Photo courtesy Althea Racing.
Piotr Biesiekirski, Rider
For me it’s a new category and a new championship and so I’m a curious because I don’t know what to expect exactly.
The Ducati is a different bike to those I have always ridden and therefore curiousI will need a bit of learning. After coming to Italy and testing the bike with the team, all my doubts went away. I fell in love with the riding style of the 955 and the team surpassed all my expectations. I am sure that we have an amazing package – both on the technical and personal side. Now I am focused on preparing myself as well as possible and I cannot wait to start the season in Philip Island!
Lucas Vagberg, Enduro GP Rider
I would like to thank Genesio for this great opportunity and I am sure that with his and their help I will be able to give satisfaction this season. I’ll do my best, I can’t wait to get started at full throttle!”
Genesio Bevilacqua, General Manager
We continue to believe in Supersport as a reference category because it allows our work group to be able to interact with opponents of different levels and potential, while developing the bike entirely within our racing team.
We are focusing on the rebirth of Antonelli and on a young man from Eastern Europe but with a Latin temperament.
However, 2024 will not just be about the track. It will be intense also thanks to the choice, after years of MotoGP and Superbike, to also compete in the World Enduro GP.
For me, another motorcyclist’s dream comes true, that of a passionate enduro practitioner, an absolutely satisfying discipline which allows me to spend my free time in nature and with the riders who are often my guests.
American Ricky Brabec (9) won the 2024 Dakar Rally on his Monster Energy Honda CRF450 Rally. Photo courtesy HRC.
Ricky Brabec wins the 2024 Dakar Rally with Adrien Van Beveren on the podium in third
7,967 km of rallying across Saudi Arabia came to a conclusion by the breathtaking Red Sea at Yanbu with Monster Energy Honda Team’s Ricky Brabec taking the top step of the Dakar for a second time, making history as the only American to do so.
After spending much of the first week amongst the front runners, the 2020 winner took the reins after the grueling 48 Hour Chrono and despite a one second margin to second place Ross Branch at the end of stage seven, the Californian never looked back and rode to a faultless Dakar win with nearly eleven minutes in hand.
In what has been a calm and collected display throughout the rally by the 32 year old, he also added another stage win to the ten he has already collected in his Dakar career to date and leaves round one at the top of the 2024 World Rally-Raid Championship standings.
At his ninth attempt of the Dakar, Frenchman Adrien Van Beveren stood on the podium that has eluded him over the past few years after taking a hard fought 48 Hour Chrono stage victory, the sand specialist found his rhythm in the second week and had an immense battle with Ross Branch and teammate José Ignacio Cornejo for the podium. Despite a near miss with a camel yesterday, he fought right to the end for the runner-up spot but had to make do with the final podium place.
One of two Chilean riders in the Monster Energy Honda Team, ‘Nacho’ Cornejo had one of his career best performances at the famous rally, from the off he led in the standings and racked up a hat-trick of magnificent stage victories, also fighting for an elusive podium. Unfortunately a fuel pump issue put paid to his fight yesterday and his final sixth place did not reflect on what a truly outstanding performance he produced.
His fellow Chilean, Pablo Quintanilla has been the runner up twice at the Dakar and as the most experienced member of the team was eager to turn his twelfth participation into victory. Unfortunately for the Dakar Legend, the 48 Hour Chrono would put paid to his chances when he ran short of fuel on the first day of the tough stage. Despite the disappointment he battled on helping his teammates and also taking valuable points in the World Rally-Raid Championship.
With the new generation Honda CRF450 RALLY now a rally winner, the Monster Energy Honda Team put on a powerful display on their first outing in 2024 as the stage wins racked up over the course of the two weeks. Tosha Schareina opened proceedings with the prologue victory, Nacho Cornejo gained the accolade of the most stage wins this year with three, Adrien Van Beveren banked two and Pablo Quintanilla and Ricky Brabec took one apiece to make seven in all.
With the team fully deserving of some rest and recuperation, they will reconvene in April for the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid in Portugal from 2nd – 7th April.
Ruben Faria
We had one goal today and it was to win the Dakar Rally with Ricky. We are so happy for him as he did an amazing job to take victory at this really tough Dakar. Adrien pushed as hard as he could to get second as it was still possible for him to achieve at the start of today’s stage. Although he missed out, we’re also pleased that he took that final step on the podium.
Fighting for the podium three days ago, the fuel line issue for Nacho sadly stopped him from joining in the fight with Ricky and Adrien. He showed impressive speed and navigation skills which deserved a much better result than his sixth place.
After Pablo ran out of fuel during the 48 Hours Chrono this lost him a lot of time and ended his chance for the podium. We’re happy that he made it to the finish and that it gave him the possibility to test the bike during this last week.
Our main goal at the start of this event was to win the Dakar, we started with six bikes and managed to get four to the final Parc Fermé at Yanbu. The team did a great job and I’m so proud of them.
Now we continue our work as we want to achieve the same result at the 2025 Dakar. We also have the World Rally-Raid Championship to focus on this year with the next rally in Portugal and Spain in April.
Pablo Quintanilla 7
STAGE: 12TH OVERALL: 11TH
I’m happy to finish the rally, it was super tough and long this year. It wasn’t the result I was expecting, but I’m happy that I was able to manage all the issues I had during the rally and to finish my twelfth Dakar. I go home with a good feeling that I got to the end.
Ricky Brabec is now the only American to ever win the Dakar Rally twice. Photo courtesy HRC.
Ricky Brabec 9
STAGE: 5TH OVERALL: 1ST
It’s a nice way to start the year with a victory. It wasn’t easy as the course was really tough and so was the competition. Ross and my own team kept me on my toes, but not just me, I think we were keeping everyone on each other’s toes. It was definitely a fight to the end for everyone. I’m really happy we’re all here and all safe and we can go home. This time was a little bit different as I feel like this one was more earned as it was a lot tougher. In 2020, we had a big gap from the get-go. Here, I think me and Ross spent three days with a couple of seconds difference. It was a tight race for all of us. I think between first and third there are eleven minutes or something, whatever Adrien got, but it’s been a tight race and ten minutes is not a big gap here on the rally. I had two good days, two opportunities to make a good push, but also stage 11 was a scare factor for me because I knew Ross was starting behind me, 18 minutes behind, and if he caught me it would be over. Stage 11 was hard but I stayed focused, got to the finishing line and didn’t lose too much time, so I’m really happy with this and I’m really happy for the team. I’m happy for all of us, we did an excellent job all of the two weeks. I think number 9 will be my lucky number from now on.
José Ignacio “Nacho” Cornejo 11
STAGE: 10TH OVERALL: 6TH
I’ve finished another Dakar Rally that’s been a rollercoaster of emotions, from the excitement of doing really well during the two weeks and then the issue yesterday. But that’s racing and I’m happy for Ricky that he won and for Adrien that he got onto the podium too. I think we did really well as a team, we won a lot of the stages, we opened a lot of them and we showed that a lot of the hard work we’ve been doing paid off.
Adrien Van Beveren 42
STAGE: 4TH OVERALL: 3RD
After the last years and the difficulties I had, the crashes, all of that, overall, to be on the podium, finally on the podium of the Dakar, it tastes really good. I’ve been fighting until the end. We’ve finished third, but we were in the fight for victory. We are closer than ever to the dream. To step onto the podium is a step towards my dream of victory.
More, from a press release issued by American Honda:
American Ricky Brabec Wins Dakar Rally for the Second Time
January 19, 2024 — YANBU, Saudi Arabia
New-generation Honda CRF450 Rally rules in its debut
Fellow Monster Energy Honda rider Adrien Van Beveren finishes on the podium
For the second time in four years, Monster Energy Honda racer Ricky Brabec has attained victory in the prestigious Dakar Rally, which ended today on the Saudi Arabian shores of the Red Sea. In 2020, the Californian became the first American to win the Motorcycle class in the grueling event and, four years and two days later, he adds the 46th edition to his win list.
The Dakar Rally began in 1979 in Europe and Africa, and Honda first scored a win in 1982, at the hands of XR550-mounted Cyril Neveu. The Frenchman added a second victory four years later aboard the NXR750V, then repeated the following year. Italian Edi Orioli brought Honda a third-consecutive win in 1988 with the NXR800V, which Frenchman Gilles Lalay rode to victory the following year. A dry spell for Honda followed, but Brabec put the brand back on top with the CRF450 RALLY in 2020, by which point the rally was taking place in Saudi Arabia. Brabec’s then-teammate Kevin Benavides won the following year, and this year’s success marks the eighth win for Honda (and the first for the next-generation CRF450 RALLY, in its debut).
A desert-racing native of Southern California, Brabec won the 2014 edition of the SCORE Baja 1000 and earned AMA Hare & Hound National Championships in 2014 and 2016. A protégé of Baja legend and longtime Honda partner Johnny Campbell, Brabec signed with the Monster Energy Honda team for the 2015 season and campaigned the Dakar Rally four times before winning in his fifth try. (He had come agonizingly close the previous year, only to be thwarted by a late a technical issue.) Since that 2020 success, Brabec finished second and seventh in ’21 and ’22, before he a technical issue forced him out of last year’s race. Now he becomes the 13th rider to top the Dakar Rally on more than one occasion.
“It’s a nice way to start the year with a victory,” Brabec said at the finish. “It wasn’t easy as the course was really tough and so was the competition. Ross and my own team kept me on my toes, but not just me, I think we were keeping everyone on each other’s toes. It was definitely a fight to the end for everyone. I’m really happy we’re all here and all safe and we can go home. This time was a little bit different as I feel like this one was more earned as it was a lot tougher. In 2020, we had a big gap from the get-go. Here, I think me and Ross spent three days with a couple of seconds difference. It was a tight race for all of us. I think between first and third there are eleven minutes or something, whatever Adrien got, but it’s been a tight race and ten minutes is not a big gap here on the rally. I had two good days, two opportunities to make a good push, but also stage 11 was a scare factor for me because I knew Ross was starting behind me, 18 minutes behind, and if he caught me it would be over. Stage 11 was hard but I stayed focused, got to the finishing line and didn’t lose too much time, so I’m really happy with this and I’m really happy for the team. I’m happy for all of us, we did an excellent job all of the two weeks. I think number 9 will be my lucky number from now on.”
The fifth Dakar Rally edition held in Saudi Arabia, this year’s event kicked off with a January 5 prologue in the Northwestern city of AlUla and ran 4,766 miles to the east and back, before finishing in Yanbu on January 19. Along the way, competitors completed 2,878 miles of “specials” (timed sections that determine the winners), including a new two-day “48 Hour Chrono” stage in Saudi Arabia’s desolate Empty Quarter, where racers spent a remote overnight with no technical support and minimal communication with the outside world. Competitors regularly departed the overnight bivouacs in the pre-dawn hours and spent long, cold hours in liaisons (untimed transfer sections, completion of which was nonetheless obligatory). Only a single rest day provided reprieve from the harsh conditions.
Monster Energy Honda controlled the race for much of the way, with Spaniard Tosha Schareina topping the prologue and Chilean José Ignacio “Nacho” Cornejo assuming a one-day ownership of the overall lead after the fourth full stage. Brabec took over the top overall spot after the completion of the pivotal 48 Hour Chrono stage, never to relinquish it. The team was both fast (topping seven stages and the prologue, and sweeping stage podiums on two occasions) and balanced (with five of six riders taking wins); four riders reached the finish. In addition to Brabec’s overall win, his French teammate Adrien Van Beveren took an overall podium position, in third, with Cornejo finishing sixth.
“To Ricky and the entire Monster Energy Honda team, congratulations from the Honda family back here in the U.S., including associates, dealers and customers,” said Jeremy McGuire, Senior Manager of Customer Engagement at American Honda. “The team’s performance this year showed that its preparation and strategy were unmatched, and the skill, calculation and teamwork exhibited by all of the riders were nothing short of inspiring. With his second win in the most grueling off-road competition in the world, Ricky shows that Honda and America are serious forces to reckon with in the world of off-road racing.”
Unfortunately, Brabec’s countryman Skyler Howes (making his fourth Dakar appearance, but is first with the Honda team), was one of those who didn’t finish; the Utah resident was forced to drop out on the first day of the 48 Hour Chrono stage, but he’s eager to return to the Dakar podium in the future.
“It’s unfortunate that I had to exit the rally on stage 6 but there is always a silver lining,” Howes said. “We are able to learn from everything that happened and apply it to coming back even stronger next year. It is really impressive to see what the team was able to accomplish in just a short time with this new bike. I only joined the team in September and in the grand scheme of things, didn’t have much time to adapt to the new bike or learn the ways of the team. To see how quickly they could turn this CRF450 RALLY into a winning bike is amazing and to become as comfortable as I did on the bike and in the team is a really awesome feeling and gives me a lot of confidence heading into the future. I’m really excited to see the ways we can continue to improve to take on the challenges of the rest of the W2RC championship and next Dakar.”
With the team fully deserving of some rest and recuperation, they will reconvene in April for the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid in Portugal from 2nd – 7th April.
Stefano Mesa (37) rolls into the podium area after winning MotoAmerica Supersport Race One at PittRace in 2023. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
MotoAmerica VIP Superfan Experience Tickets Now On Sale
The MotoAmerica Superfan VIP Experience Is Back And Better Than Ever For 2024
IRVINE, CA (January 19, 2024) – The 2024 MotoAmerica Championship is stacking up to be one of the best in series history, and North America’s Premier Road Racing Series is pleased to announce that there’s no better way to experience the events than through its VIP Superfan Experience ticket packages.
So, if you’re in the mood to treat yourself to something truly special, then the MotoAmerica VIP Superfan Experience is for you. The ticket packages, which vary in cost depending on the round, feature full VIP Superfan Hospitality, including catering (continental breakfast, coffee and iced tea, lunch, snacks, cash bar – at select rounds – on Saturday and Sunday), a 2-Day VIP Superfan Experience (Saturday and Sunday), with a Friday general admission and a VIP Superfan parking pass.
The MotoAmerica VIP Superfan Experience also offers a discounted VIP Superfan Youth Hospitality ticket for children aged 5-12, who are accompanied by an adult. Children under five are admitted free to the VIP Superfan Hospitality when accompanied by an adult holding a valid VIP Superfan credential.
Those who purchase MotoAmerica VIP Superfan Experiences also get a voucher for discounted official MotoAmerica merchandise, participation in the Cardo Fan Lap; meet-and-greet sessions with racers, team owners, TV personalities, and industry professionals; a live TV feed in the hospitality area; photo-op with guest speakers; escorted pre-grid opportunities and photo ops, paddock tours, and on-the-podium experiences with race winners from selected classes; plus the VIP Superfan Experience digital magazine (https://issuu.com/541marketing/docs/vip_superfan_experience_2024?fr=xKAE9_zU1NQ) that will be e-mailed to you after each event you attend.
Packages range from one-day general admission tickets, to the MotoAmerica VIP Superfan Experience, to the Harley-Davidson Race Fan Ticket Package (for rounds that feature Mission King Of The Baggers races).
In addition, at the MotoAmerica events that feature Mission King Of The Baggers races, Harley-Davidson is offering Harley-Davidson Factory Race Fan passes that include admission, paddock access, a welcome gift, and access to product displays in the H-D activation area; Harley-Davidson motorcycle parking throughout the weekend; and the Harley-Davidson parade laps that allow helmeted Harley riders to join fellow Harley enthusiasts on a lap around the racetrack.
Camping sells out at many of the MotoAmerica events so reserve your spot as soon as possible. Additionally, buying tickets at the gate will cost more than purchasing your tickets in advance.
MotoAmerica is North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series. Established in 2014, MotoAmerica is home to the AMA Superbike Championship as well as additional classes including Supersport, Stock 1000, Twins Cup, Junior Cup, and King Of The Baggers. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership including three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey; ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland; motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges; and businessman Richard Varner. For more information, please visit www.MotoAmerica.com and follow MotoAmerica on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube.
Moto2 World Champion Pedro Acosta, who is stepping up to the MotoGP World Championship with Pedro Acosta lands at GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3. Photo courtesy Dorna.
The countdown is on: 2024 is just around the apex!
From team presentations to pre-season testing, new regulations and sustainable fuel, get ready for 2024
Friday, 19 January 2024
The countdown to the season opener in Qatar is on, but between now and our return to Lusail International Circuit from the 8th to the 10th of March, there’s plenty of MotoGP™ to look forward to. The first headline event of the season goes to Gresini Racing MotoGP™ as the Independent squad are the first to roll out their 2024 colours, in their case those ready to be raced by their blockbuster Marc Marquez-Alex Marquez line-up. That’s on Saturday the 20th of January.
With a host of moves for 2024 – and a superstar fresh face joining the grid as Pedro Acosta lands at GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 – the team presentations will be our first glimpse of all the new line-ups and colours. We’ll also get to see the race livery of the new Trackhouse Racing MotoGP™ team as they prepare to take on the world’s most exciting sport. The full calendar of presentations was revealed recently, so take a look through, with Gresini first up and Prima Pramac bringing the curtain down.
Track action and pre-season testing gets underway with the Sepang Shakedown from the 1st to the 3rd of February. This season it’s a blockbuster too, with Honda and Yamaha able to field their race riders to test alongside the rookie and factory test riders. In the case of Honda, that includes the Independent LCR Team: new arrival Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) and long-time competitor Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR). How? The new concession system has already come into effect. Below is where each factory stands and what they get, or don’t get, as we begin 2024. It gets re-assessed for the first time in summer!
That’s not the only key change in regulations. A more sustainable era also starts now: from 2024, fuel for all Grand Prix classes must be of minimum 40% non-fossil origin. This was first announced in 2021, and 2024 is only the first step. By 2027, all fuels in all Grand Prix classes must be 100% non-fossil origin.
Every premier class manufacturer has worked with their supplier to develop their own, and Moto2™ and Moto3™ are supplied by official fuel supplier PETRONAS. As the pinnacle of two wheels, MotoGP™ is a perfect platform to develop these more sustainable, drop-in fuels, and with no single proprietor, the initiative can create truly global impact.
After the Shakedown gives us a first glimpse this year of these fuels in action, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ reveal their 2024 livery as Alex Rins suits up alongside 2021 Champion Fabio Quartararo. The Sepang Test will then welcome the whole grid to the track for the first time this season, with three full days of testing action to take place from the 6th to the 8th of February. Then it’s reveal time for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, Repsol Honda Team, Honda LCR and Aprilia Racing ahead of another two full days of testing – this time at Lusail International Circuit for the Qatar Test. Finally, it’s Prima Pramac’s turn to take the covers off before we begin the final countdown to racing in our 75th anniversary season.
It’s not season number 75, it’s a celebration of 75 years. The chequered flag at the 2023 finale saw MotoGP™ complete 75 full seasons of competition since the world’s most exciting sport was born in 1949, and we’ve got plenty in store to celebrate. There’s even an all-new 75th anniversary page to check out some of the best content from then and now. More will be added throughout this historic season.
So let’s go! Get suited and booted for a record-breaking 2024 calendar and join us throughout the next few weeks as the countdown continues.
A BMW R 18 Transcontinental customized by Paul Yaffe. Photo courtesy BMW Motorrad.
Munich/Phoenix/Verona. Custom motorcycle visionary Paul Yaffe has raised the bar once again with the revelation of his latest masterpiece, a one-of-a-kind customization of the BMW R 18 Transcontinental. Melding classic hot rod aesthetics with the distinctive BMW essence, this project is a testament to Yaffe’s excellence as a designer.
A legend of the US customizing scene:
Since 1991, the custom motorcycle world has known Paul Yaffe as one of the elite creators of motorized masterpieces. That’s because Paul is more than a builder or fabricator, he is truly a designer. Beginning with the establishment of American Legend Motorcycle Company, which later evolved into Paul Yaffe’s Bagger Nation, he has earned accolades such as three “World’s Most Beautiful Motorcycle” awards from the Oakland Roadster Show, two “Builder of Year” and three “Trendsetter of the Year” awards from Easyriders Magazine, as well as becoming an inductee into the Sturgis Hall of Fame in 2015. His custom bikes have been featured in over 300 magazine articles worldwide as well as on the Discovery channel, the History channel, and other television shows. His products, distributed through a network of partners in six countries, continue to inspire a generation of customizers.
Now, Paul Yaffe reveals his latest masterpiece — a one-of-a-kind customization of the BMW R 18 Transcontinental, which will debut at the MBE Show in Verona, Italy.
Preserving BMW Essence and Hot Rod Inspiration.
Before getting started, Paul spent time getting to know the BMW R18 Transcontinental, riding 3800 miles across the USA, and additional 2600 miles to Sturgis and back.
Once the customization process began, Paul knew he wanted to create a big wheel bagger like no one had ever seen. Crucial to the project was retaining as many original BMW components as possible. Paul wanted his custom creation to remain authentically BMW and knew that it should not be made from or look anything like parts from his existing product line.
He commissioned a 26” x 5.5” front wheel cut from a 400lb block of solid aluminium, which holds a handmade 180mm wide front tire. The frame had to be stretched and raked to accommodate the new front wheel and special triple trees had to be engineered to correct the trail measurement and optimize handling.
A rear view of the BMW R 18 Transcontinental customized by Paul Yaffe. Photo courtesy BMW Motorrad.
Embracing the look of an iconic 50’s Mercury Lead Sled the team crafted several
one-of-a-kind components and modified existing R 18 elements. The steel front fender was made from scratch. The original R 18 fairing was cut into several pieces and restructured to correct headlight position and flow into the new front wheel. To address the gap between the fairing and the fuel tank a unique chin spoiler was developed, strategically concealing the radiator. Additionally, an exclusive set of Yaffe Monkey Bars was crafted to complement the overall design.
“The team wanted to retain the saddlebag lids, latches and speakers so a new set of ‘skins’ was created to give the bags a completely new and unique stretched profile while retaining the excellent engineering and functionality that BMW had created for them.” Paul’s team extended the original rear fender by crafting a second R 18 rear fender, ensuring it seamlessly matched the profile of the new saddlebags.
As the build began to take shape, Yaffe rearranged the original R 18 taillights into the handmade filler panels and worked an area for the license plate into the fender in classic hot rod styling. He also stretched the original R 18 side covers to retain their original shape and cover more area to help the eye flow into the bags.
Classic Lead Sled Look.
Staying true to the classic Lead Sled aesthetic, Yaffe prioritized two crucial components: air suspension and side pipes.
Paul and his team designed a sophisticated air tank and distribution system as well as a dedicated frame beneath each side of the saddlebags to accommodate essential components, including the necessary air storage tanks, a sizable air compressor and all the controls, valving and solenoids necessary for the effective support and operation of the system.
Turning their focus to the side pipe design the fabrication team aimed to preserve the distinctive “BMW feel” that sets this build apart. Retaining the classic Boxer head pipes was non-negotiable in Paul’s vision. The catalytic converters were removed from the head pipes making way for a bespoke perforated high-flow baffle system. This innovation not only replaced the restrictive emissions system but also retained essential back pressure for optimal performance. To further enhance the auditory experience a precision-crafted
3-step muffler system was introduced for reversion. The final touch was a wide-open megaphone, delivering that quintessential classic hot rod sound.
It all comes down to cosmetics.
Shifting focus to cosmetics Paul wanted a classic hot rod feel without any distracting graphics, highlighting the bike’s elegant new stance and profile. The emphasis was on simplicity and allure. “We went to work perfecting all the fabricated body panels and smoothing everything to a glass-like finish.” After settling on a timeless deep gloss black finish, the team’s attention turned to achieving perfection for the body. Paul tasked his dedicated painter Hector Martinez, with applying the flawless gloss black paint. Recognizing the need for contrast, Paul decided on a classic ochs blood red interior. The art is in finding the perfect balance. “The trick is not to overdo it!” Guys Upholstery created the contemporary-style saddle and dash console and Hector mixed up a colour for the front callipers to match. “We think it came out spectacular!”
Disclaimer.
The vehicles shown may be modified and fitted with third-party accessories and/or proprietary parts that are not manufactured, distributed or tested by BMW. BMW accepts no liability for the modifications (including the fitting, characteristics and use of the accessories shown). NOTE: Modification of series production vehicles (including the fitting and use of third-party and self-made parts) can impair riding characteristics! Riding our vehicles in modified condition is at your own risk.
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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
