Isle Of Man TT: Sidecar TT Race Two Report

David Swarts

-

June 7, 2023

Isle Of Man TT: Sidecar TT Race Two Report

BIRCHALLS BREAK LAP RECORD ONCE MORE IN 3WHEELING.MEDIA SIDECAR TT RACE 2

Ben and Tom Birchall made history once more at the 2023 Isle of Man TT Races when a new lap record of 120.645mph helped them to victory in today’s second 3wheeling.Media Sidecar TT Race.

The duo came home nine seconds ahead of Pete Founds/Jevan Walmsley, who also broke the 120mph barrier, with the Manx pairing of Ryan and Callum Crowe in third. It was the Birchalls 11th win in a row and 14th in total, the latter figure drawing them level with the great Mike Hailwood.

With overcast skies all around the Mountain Course, the Birchalls (Wyckham Blackwell – Birchall Racing Honda) led through Glen Helen first time around, their advantage over Founds/Walmsley (FHO Motorsport) 2.8 seconds and it was the Crowes who slotted into third on their Haven Homes Honda a further 4.2 seconds adrift. John Holden/Maxime Vasseur were running in fourth, the Blackburn driver having his final TT race, with Gary Bryan/Phil Hyde and Dave Molyneux/Dan Sayle rounding out the early top six.

Over Ballaugh Bridge and the Birchalls had added a further four tenths of a second to their lead and by Ramsey Hairpin, they’d stretched it out more to 3.9 seconds, but further down the order former winners Conrad Harrison/Andrew Winkle were forced to retire with passenger Winkle suffering with a shoulder injury.

Daryl Gibson/Tom Christie, sixth in race one, were also early retirements having stopped at Barregarrow but the Birchalls were having no such issues and an opening lap of 118.904mph gave them a 4.5s lead over Founds/Walmsley with the Crowes comfortable in third but some 15s adrift of second place.

Holden/Vasseur were still in fourth, but Tim Reeves/Mark Wilkes had fought their way back up to fifth after being down in ninth through Glen Helen. Molyneux/Sayle remained in sixth just ahead of Bryan/Hyde and Steve and Matty Ramsden.

The Birchalls upped the tempo at the beginning of lap two and their lead had gone out to 8.1 seconds at Glen Helen and whilst third to fifth remained the same, the Ramsdens had now moved up to sixth at the expense of Molyneux/Sayle, albeit by just 0.094 seconds.

They were then promoted up a place as Holden/Vasseur slowed with Molyneux/Sayle then retiring at Sulby but as the lap progressed, the Birchalls were on course to better their four-day old lap record and sure enough, they did exactly that as they went 2.8 seconds quicker with a speed of 120.645mph.

That saw them extend their lead over Founds/Walmsley to 11.6 seconds as they themselves lapped at 119.887mph and although the Crowes continued to circulate in third, the changes behind meant that the running order behind was now Reeves/Wilkes, the Ramsdens – who set a new personal best lap of 114.405mph – and Bryan/Hyde. Holden/Vasseur had recovered to seventh as eighth placed Greg Lambert/Andrew Haynes set their first 110mph+ lap.

On the final lap, Founds/Walmsley were continuing to keep the Birchalls honest, the lead hovering around the 13 second mark, and whilst the Nottinghamshire brothers came home for their second win of the week, the eventual winning margin was 9.1 seconds as Founds/Walmsley joined the 120mph club at 120.079mph.

The Crowes got their first finish of the week in third with Reeves/Wilkes finally seeing the chequered flag in fourth as the Ramsdens finished fifth to round out their successful time at TT2023. Bryan/Hyde, Lambert/Haynes, Wayne Lockey/Matthew Rostron and John and James Saunders completed the top ten.

AHRMA: Joyce Wins Both Vintage Cup Races At Motorsport Park Hastings

David Swarts

-

June 7, 2023

0

AHRMA: Joyce Wins Both Vintage Cup Races At Motorsport Park Hastings

Joyce dominates AHRMA Vintage Cup at Motorsports Park Hastings

(June 7, Knoxville, TN) – The four-stroke vs. two-stroke face-off continued during the second half of the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association’s (AHRMA) back-to-back race events in the heartland of America.

Sponsored by Hagerty Insurance, Roadracingworld.com, and NYC Norton (nycnorton.com), AHRMA’s 2023 Vintage Cup features the Formula 750 (F750) class which includes 750cc two and four-stroke powered machines built up to 1972.

The seventh and eighth rounds of the 2023 Bridgestone Tires National Road racing series took place in the home of Koolaid at Motorsports Park Hastings, Hastings, NE.

Tim Joyce, riding an NYC Norton Nourish Racing Engineering (NRE) Seeley, took an early lead and then victory both days ahead of Colton Roberts on a Yamaha RD400.

The race for third pitted Jeff Hargis on his Yamaha XS 750, Brian Filo on a custom-framed Yamaha XS 750-powered machine, and Brian Larrabure on a Ducati 750SS Imola replica.

Filo was able to hold off Hargis and Larrabure both days for the last step on the podium with his beautifully turned-out Shell Truitt bumblebee yellow machine.

The balance of the grid included, in order of finishing on Saturday, Larrabure, David Crussell on a 1972 Kawasaki H2R, and Mike Dixon riding a 1970 Yamaha XS. On Sunday, Larrabure was fourth again, with Dixon fifth, and Crussell sixth.

“Last weekend, Tim Joyce swapped victories with Christopher Spargo who was on a two-stroke Yamaha and this weekend Tim had to deal with another two-stroke. This series is putting on full display the diversity of road racing motorbikes during the 70s,” said Carl Anderson, AHRMA’s 2023 Chairman of the Board. “I can’t wait to see what happens during the rest of the season.”

“Nebraska is the home of the fruited plains, a far cry from the skyscrapers of New York. I couldn’t be happier to spend the weekend in the sporadic sunshine watching NYC Norton’s rider Tim Joyce bringing home the trophies,” said Kenny Cummings of NYC Norton. “But as a class sponsor, I’m also proud to see the depth of field of the Formula 750 class remain incredibly strong. I can’t wait to do it again for rounds nine and ten at our home track at New Jersey Motorsports Park’s beautiful Thunderbolt Raceway in Millville, NJ circuit later this month.”

The annual Vintage Cup spotlights one of AHRMA’s road racing classes with extra attention on competitors in the selected class during each race event. Enhanced awards for the Vintage Cup competitors are presented separately from other class trophies during the Saturday awards ceremony at each AHRMA National Road Race event.

Highlights from each Formula 750 race will be reported in RoadracingWorld.com’s online edition. At the conclusion of each season, the perpetual Vintage Cup trophy will be engraved with the national champion winner’s name and presented to the winner at the National Awards Banquet to keep for one year.

2023 Bridgestone Tires AHRMA Roadracing Series, Formula 750 – Vintage Cup Results

Saturday, June 3, 2023

1 – Tim Joyce, 1968 Seeley NRE 750, Springfield, VT

2 – Colton Roberts, 1976 Yamaha RD400, Pawnee, IL

3 – Brian Filo, 1972 Yamaha XS650, Livermore, CA

4 – Jeff Hargis, 1972 Yamaha XS 650, Battle Creek, MI

5 – Brian Larrabure, 1972 Ducati Imola 750SS, Calabasas, CA

6 – David Crussell, 1972 Kawasaki H2R, Pleasanton, CA

7 – Michael Dixon, 1970 Yamaha XS, Wataga, IL

Sunday, June 4, 2023

1 – Tim Joyce, 1968 Seeley NRE 750, Springfield, VT

2 – Colton Roberts, 1976 Yamaha RD400, Pawnee, IL

3 – Brian Filo, 1972 Yamaha XS650, Livermore, CA

4 – Jeff Hargis, 1972 Yamaha XS 650, Battle Creek, MI

5 – Brian Larrabure, 1972 Ducati Imola 750SS, Calabasas, CA

6 – Michael Dixon, 1970 Yamaha XS, Wataga, IL

7 – David Crussell, 1972 Kawasaki H2R, Pleasanton, CA,

About AHRMA:

The American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to competing on fantastic classic and true vintage machines along with a wide range of modern motorcycles. With over 3,000 members, AHRMA is the largest vintage racing group in North America and one of the biggest in the world. The association has grown steadily over the years, reflecting the increasing interest in classic bikes.

MRA: Thornton, Yee Take Wins At PPIR

David Swarts

-

June 7, 2023

0

MRA: Thornton, Yee Continue To Dominate

Thornton and Yee Triumphant in MRA Round Two at Pikes Peak International Raceway

Fountain, CO – The second round of the 2023 MRA Championship Series took place at Pikes Peak International Raceway in Fountain, CO over the weekend of June 3-4. PPIR is the shortest track on the MRA calendar with the infield course being only 1.3 miles long. The oval banking and dropping onto the apron area of the track makes for some very exciting racing with Turn One being one of the highest speed corners of the Colorado series.

The weather for the weekend was very unpredictable as the area had rain showers throughout the day Saturday and most of the morning on Sunday. Despite the weather challenges, all the races throughout the weekend ran without a hitch. Race of The Rockies (RoR) qualifying on Sunday morning was conducted on a partially damp track which caused some racers to use their rain tires while others gambled on slicks. Unfortunately, the track was too damp for the racers using slicks to take full advantage of the sticky rubber. Ken Yee took pole position on his Kawasaki ZX-6R running on intermediate rain tires with a time of 1:03.8 followed by Alex Cusick (1:04.22) and David Lambert (1:04.29).

The start of RoR GTO race saw Brad Hendry get an incredible start coming from 14^th to take the lead by the end of lap one. By lap two the number one plate holder Mike Applegate had made up eight positions and was sitting in third behind James Wilkerson. Applegate, Wilkerson, and Lambert were hot on the tail of Hendry, but Hendry managed to hold them of until lap six when Applegate made an impressive pass to take the lead. Lambert had the best pace of the group, clicking off mid to high 57’s and by lap 10 he overtook Applegate for the lead. Once out in front he put his head down and started to break free from the rest of the field. Lambert was looking like he was going repeat his victory from here last year but unfortunately a mechanical issue on lap 16 caused him to retire from the race. By this point with only two laps remaining, the leading trio was Applegate, Ray Thornton, and Wilkerson. Thornton was looking for any opportunity to strike and he finally made his move on the final lap of the race to take the lead and secure the victory. Applegate managed to maintain his second place, while Wilkerson took third, rounding off a tense and exciting race.

In Race of the Rockies GTU, Yee took the lead and proceeded to mix it up with the liter bikes for first few laps of the race. Meanwhile, trailing closely behind were Salvatore Rizzo and Tyrel Diekemann, who held their ground through the initial 11 laps. Colton Wulf wasn’t far behind and continued to claw his way up the field eventually stealing third place from Diekemann on lap 12. Despite valiant efforts from all contenders, no one could keep up with Yee’s remarkable pace, consistently clocking low to mid 1:00 laps. Ultimately, Rizzo secured a valiant second place finish, with Wulf rounding out the podium in third.

Next up, the MRA returns to High Plains Raceway in Byers, CO for Round Three on June 24-25. Once again, the SuperStreet class will be held on Saturday afternoon, giving street riders a chance to try real track motorcycle road racing with minimal cost & preparation. See SuperStreet Information – Motorcycle Roadracing Association (mra-racing.org) for details.

MRA Final Results Round 2

100th Loudon Classic Headlines Laconia Motorcycle Week

David Swarts

-

June 7, 2023

0

100th Loudon Classic Headlines Laconia Motorcycle Week

100^th Annual Loudon Classic Headlines Motorcycle Week at NHMS

New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a must-stop destination with racing, camping, demo rides and entertainment for riders during Laconia Motorcycle Week.

LOUDON, N.H. – New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) is a top destination for riders visiting the area during Laconia Motorcycle Week, June 10-18, with on- and off-track events throughout nine days of motorcycle mayhem. The 100^th Annual Loudon Classic headlines a week-long motorcycle celebration that also features vendors, demo rides, camping and more.

“We’re thrilled to be a part of this century-long tradition in New Hampshire,” said New Hampshire Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager David McGrath. “We can’t wait to welcome thousands of riders from all over the country to NHMS as they roar in to New Hampshire. We’ll have lots of thrilling racing on the road course, highlighted by the 100^th Annual Loudon Classic with an incredible purse this year, as well as a new motorcycle skills challenge, a variety of vendors, charity rides, demo rides and more.”

NHMS is home to the best racing action in the region, and there will be no shortage of action on the 1.6-mile full road course with nearly 50 races throughout five days. The United States Classic Racing Association kicks it off with the FIM North American Vintage Championships, June 10-11. A variety of classes, ranging from 1950s tank shifters to modern small bike twins provide a plethora of vintage racing action.

The racing continues June 16-18 when Northeast Motorcycle Road Racing (NEMRR) competes in round three of racing, highlighted by the 100^th Annual Loudon Classic Middleweight Grand Prix on June 17, which has been held on site since long before the speedway was built, when it was simply a road course named Bryar Motorsports Park. Known as the longest-running motorcycle race in America, this year’s Classic will feature riders from all over the world competing to take home a piece of the $250,000 purse with $55,000 going to the winner, making it the richest motorcycle road race in U.S. history.

Penguin Road Racing School will host instructional sessions for riders looking to improve their skills June 14-15.

Katancha and Harley-Davidson will host the largest demo ride course in the area along with a vendor mall and food court June 10-17. The nearly nine-mile route will take riders through and on- and off-property experience to test out the latest and greatest that the top motorcycle manufacturers in the world, such as Harley-Davidson, Indian, Yamaha, BMW and Live Wire, have to offer. Members of Harley Owners Group, the official riding club of Harley-Davidson, can pick up their commemorative rally pin. On top of the demo rides, there will be a plethora of vendors on site with gear, accessories, sound systems and more for bikers.

Riders can support children in need throughout New England by participating in two events that will benefit the New Hampshire Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities (SCCNH), the official charity of NHMS.

New this year, NHMS and ProRider 603 are joining forces to host the Top Cop for Kids Motorcycle Skills Challenge presented by Laconia Harley-Davidson, which will put the region’s finest motorcycle riders to the test to see who has what it takes to be named Top Cop. ProRider 603 will set up two timed courses, designed to test accuracy and speed, for three divisions of riders – police, expert civilian and novice civilian. One course will be designated for police and expert riders while the second course will be for novice riders. There will also be a fun course open for any licensed motorcycle rider to attempt. The timed courses will be open Friday and Saturday, June 9-10 for practice with the timed challenge and trophy presentation taking place on Sunday, June 11. Registration is $50 per rider for the timed courses and $10 per rider for the fun course. Riders can sign up for the fun course in person on the day of the event, but are strongly encouraged to register for the timed courses in advance, as spots are limited.

Back for a third year, the Ride to the Racetrack cruise from Laconia Harley-Davidson to NHMS is on June 13 and includes two laps on the 1.6-mile full road course. Registration is $20 per rider or passenger, and all proceeds benefit SCCNH.

With the speedway centrally-located on Route 106, the main corridor to Laconia and just 20 minutes south of Rally Headquarters, it has become the perfect home-away-from-home during Motorcycle Week. Dry and full hookup spots are available with amazing views of the racetrack.

Riders can also visit the New England Racing Museum, located on Route 106 North in front of The Flat Track next to the speedway’s South Entrance. The museum will be open 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 10-11 and Friday – Sunday, June 16-18. Newly-displayed historic motorcycles and race car exhibits will be featured, as the museum refreshes exhibits every year.

Schedule:

June 9-11: Top Cop for Kids Motorcycle Skills Challenge presented by Laconia Harley-Davidson to benefit the New Hampshire Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities (S2 Lot)
June 10-11: USCRA FIM North American Vintage Championships (1.6-mile full road course)
June 10-11: New England Racing Museum open
June 10-17: Demo rides, vendor mall and food court open (S1 Lot)
June 10-18: Camping available (NHMS)
June 13: Ride to the Racetrack to benefit the New Hampshire Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities (Laconia Harley-Davidson to NHMS)
June 14-15: Penguin Road Racing School (1.6-mile full road course)
June 16-18: Northeast Motorcycle Road Racing (1.6-mile full road course)
June 16-18: New England Racing Museum open
June 17: 100^th Annual Loudon Classic (1.6-mile full road course)

Riders are encouraged to check the speedway website (NHMS.com) and social channels for the most up-to-date information regarding events happening as a part of Motorcycle Week at NHMS.

Follow Us:

Keep track of all of New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s events by following on Facebook (@NHMotorSpeedway), Twitter (@NHMS) and Instagram (@NHMS). Keep up with all the latest information on the speedway website (NHMS.com) and mobile app.

Yamaha Champions Riding School Launches “ChampBody”

David Swarts

-

June 7, 2023

0

Yamaha Champions Riding School Launches “ChampBody”

Yamaha Champions Riding School Announces ChampBody

June 2023 – Yamaha Champions Riding School, the premier motorcycle riding school in North America, is proud to announce a new Champions University digital curriculum: ChampBody

Have you heard this truism: Motorcycling is 95% mental and 95% physical? In other words, it all counts! This isn’t a video game: Riding a motorcycle is a physical activity with real-world physical consequences. Our first two Champ U courses target the mental side of the question; now it’s time for the physical: ChampBody.

10 years ago, we created ChampBody as part of the in-person 2-Day ChampSchool curriculum. ChampBody is an expansion of the concept of Champions Habits: The techniques, approaches, skills, and the mindsets of the best riders in the world. Instead of simply focusing on riding techniques, ChampBody focuses on the physical preparation of the best riders in the world to take your riding to the next level.

We partnered with Dr. Matt Tolstoy and Jenn Peris to provide foundational knowledge of physical fitness, flexibility, mobility, recovery, sleep, hydration, and diet as it relates directly to riding motorcycles.

While there are a million fitness, mobility, and diet programs that can get you in shape, help you lose weight, or make you stronger, only one is specifically designed to make you better at riding motorcycles: ChampBody.

ChampBody is available now at https://ridelikeachampion.com/courses-page/

About Yamaha Champions Riding School:

Yamaha Champions Riding School (ChampSchool) is the nation’s premier motorcycle training program. ChampSchool is the evolution of the Freddie Spencer High-Performance Riding School and is led by racer, author, and former right-hand man of Spencer, Nick Ienatsch. ChampSchool uses “Champions Habits” to teach all riders the skills and techniques used by the top riders in the world to go faster safer, while concentrating on the way in which modern motorcycles are designed to be ridden. ChampSchool is dedicated to making all motorcycle riders safer and more in control of their riding, no matter what type of riding they do. For more information visit www.champschool.com

Yamaha Champions Riding School is proudly sponsored by: Yamaha Motor Corporation USA, Dunlop Motorcycle Tires, Dainese, Arai Helmets, YamaLube, GYTR, Chatterbox, GB Racing, ModOp, Chickenhawk Tire Warmers, Techspec, Payless Rental Cars, and N2 Track Days.

WorldSBK: Razgatlioglu Given His Championship-Winning Yamaha

David Swarts

-

June 7, 2023

0

WorldSBK: Razgatlioglu Given His Championship-Winning Yamaha

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu Gifted His 2021 Title-Winning Yamaha R1 in Misano

The 2021 FIM Superbike World Champion, Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, was reunited with the Yamaha R1 on which he won the world title during an emotional ceremony at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” on Saturday afternoon.

With the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team and an enthusiastic crowd watching on, Razgatlıoğlu was presented with the bike by Eric de Seynes, President and CEO of Yamaha Motor Europe, who was joined on the WorldSBK Paddock Show stage by Olivier Prevost, Vice President of Yamaha Motor Europe, Alessandro Ghezzi, President and Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Research and Development Europe, Andrea Dosoli, Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing Manager and Riccardo Tisci, Yamaha Motor Research and Development Europe Project Leader.

The presentation, compered by WorldSBK Paddock Show host Michael Hill, brought back memories of an epic 2021 season, in which the battle for the World Championship was only decided at the final round in Indonesia.

And it was the bike on which Razgatlıoğlu secured his first World Championship after an incredible Indonesian showdown that the 26-year-old was presented with in Misano. A fitting gift to mark the indelible memories that Razgatlıoğlu’s title win created both for himself and everyone at Yamaha.

The atmosphere was one of gratitude and appreciation when the rider had his winning machine unveiled before being joined on stage by the entire team who took him to the title. Toprak jumped onboard the R1 for a photo before warmly embracing his team and the representatives from Yamaha Motor Europe.

Eric de Seynes, President and CEO, Yamaha Motor Europe

“It’s an emotional moment. First of all, every time we look back at the video from 2021 we can’t help but remember all the things that we have achieved and experienced together. We returned to Superbike in 2016, and we were convinced that the R1 could be a winning machine in the hands of a top rider. It was lucky because I was in Suzuka in 2019, and I saw Toprak doing extremely well but not actually racing there in the end. I think it was a good opportunity to propose a deal with him and give him the possibility to become World Champion with us. And finally, this is what we did; in 2021 the dream became reality, Toprak won the championship and made our R1 a title winning bike. It wouldn’t be possible to achieve this result if the rider wasn’t fully connected with the bike – we wanted the R1 to become Toprak’s bike. It’s also not possible to win if the team is not connected with the bike and knows perfectly how to find the optimum settings to make it perform at the highest level. It was super emotional to achieve all these things and the title, and this is why tonight is also an emotional moment because we always said to Toprak ‘if you win the title one day, you will get your bike’. Honestly, I was hoping we could give him his 2024 and also 2025 World Champion bike, but finally we have to accept that at least for now it’s over. We recognise that today and this is why we would like to offer Toprak his bike in recognition of all his support and his contribution. It’s not our bike, this is his bike, so we feel happy that it will be in his hands.”

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu: Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK

“First of all, when I was watching the video from the 2021 season I was very emotional and I felt tears coming; it brought back so many memories – starting from 2019 when Yamaha showed their belief in me and we signed together. It took us two years to get the world title, but we did it and I will remember that feeling forever. Now, after four years, I’m very sad to leave, but at the same time I’m happy because Yamaha is a true family and we did it together, it wasn’t just me, there was a team of great people by my side. I want to say thanks for this unbelievable gift, I’m very surprised and touched to receive it, and thank you very much for everything Yamaha have done for me.”

More On Harley-Davidson’s New CVO Street Glide & CVO Road Glide

David Swarts

-

June 7, 2023

0

More On Harley-Davidson’s New CVO Street Glide & CVO Road Glide

NEW HARLEY-DAVIDSON CVO MOTORCYCLES DELIVER EXTRAORDINARY DESIGN, PERFORMANCE AND TECHNOLOGY

CVO Street Glide and CVO Road Glide Powered by Milwaukee-Eight VVT 121 Engine

MILWAUKEE (June 7, 2023) – Harley-Davidson elevates the motorcycle riding experience with the mid-year introduction of two premium 2023 models from Custom Vehicle Operations™ (CVO™). The new CVO™ Street Glide® and CVO™ Road Glide® models showcase advanced technology, enhanced rider comfort and dynamic performance propelled by the powerful new Milwaukee-Eight® VVT 121 engine. Exclusive and dramatic new visual designs present a transformative revision of the Harley-Davidson® Grand American Touring platform.

“With the all-new CVO™ Street Glide® and CVO™ Road Glide® models, our mission is to advance every aspect of the Grand American Touring motorcycling experience,” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO of Harley-Davidson. “These models set a new standard for Harley-Davidson performance, technology and style, accelerating the evolution of the world’s most desirable motorcycle brand.”

Iconic Design, Redefined

The new CVO™ Street Glide® and CVO™ Road Glide® models feature stunning new design clearly evolved from the familiar shapes of previous Harley-Davidson® Grand American Touring motorcycles. Both models feature fairings with integrated venting and LED signature lighting with integrated turn signals. Additional design elements include a trimmed front fender, a new 6-gallon fuel tank with a distinctive side bevel, and saddlebags with a three-dimensional shape in harmony with the fairings and fuel tank. The new Combo Cast Laced wheels make a bold custom statement with a black machine-cut cast-aluminum rim and laced spokes. Each model will be offered in two highly detailed finish options.

Pinnacle Performance

The new 121-cubic inch V-Twin Milwaukee-Eight® VVT 121 engine establishes a new benchmark for factory-installed torque and displacement available in a Harley-Davidson® Touring motorcycle and features optimized liquid-cooled cylinder heads with a new cooling system, variable valve timing (VVT), a new intake tract and performance exhaust system.

Harley-Davidson's new CVO Road Glide. Photo courtesy Harley-Davidson. — Harley-Davidson’s new CVO Road Glide. Photo courtesy Harley-Davidson.

Every aspect of design that could impact overall performance and the comfort was carefully considered during the development of the CVO™ Street Glide® and CVO™ Road Glide® models. Dry weight has been reduced significantly – by 31 pounds for the CVO™ Street Glide® model and by 35 pounds for the CVO™ Road Glide® model – compared to the models they replace. High-performance front and rear SHOWA suspension components promote confident handling and provide a dramatic improvement in rider comfort compared to previous CVO™ models, with rear suspension travel increased by 50 percent. Premium Brembo™ braking components offer outstanding braking feel and performance for added rider confidence.

For the first time the CVO™ Street Glide® and CVO™ Road Glide® models offer selectable Ride Modes – Road, Sport and Rain – that electronically control a specific combination of power delivery, engine braking, Cornering-Antilock Braking System (C-ABS) and Cornering-Traction Control System (C-TCS) settings.

Aero and thermal comfort are informed by all-new fairings with a “floating” windshield design, and by adjustable air-control vanes. In wind tunnel testing, subjective helmet buffeting is reduced by an average of 60 percent compared to equivalent 2022 models. The new engine cooling system will further improve thermal comfort for the rider compared to previous CVO models.

All-New Infotainment Powered by Skyline™ OS

The CVO™ Street Glide® and CVO™ Road Glide® models introduce an all-new suite of infotainment technology powered by the new Skyline™ OS. A 12.3-inch TFT color touch screen replaces all analog instrumentation and most switches. This premium display is customizable within three distinct view options and is compatible with Apple and Android devices. Wi-Fi connectivity enables wireless connection to a rider’s device, and a Bluetooth® receiver for wireless headsets is built into the system. Both models feature expanded media storage compartments with a USB-C connection point. A premium, high-performance Harley-Davidson® Audio powered by Rockford Fosgate® Stage II four-speaker audio system is powered by a new 500-watt RMS amplifier.

Harley-Davidson's new CVO Street Glide. Photo courtesy Harley-Davidson. — Harley-Davidson’s new CVO Street Glide. Photo courtesy Harley-Davidson.

The CVO™ Street Glide® and CVO™ Road Glide® models will make a U.S. public debut in Milwaukee during the Harley-Davidson Homecoming™ Festival, July 13-16, 2023. Both models will reach authorized Harley-Davidson® dealer showrooms globally in mid-July.

Harley-Davidson stands for the timeless pursuit of adventure and freedom for the soul. Go to H-D.com to learn more about the complete line of 2023 Harley-Davidson® Grand American Touring, Sport, Adventure Touring, Cruiser and Trike motorcycles, Harley-Davidson Certified™ pre-owned motorcycles, Harley-Davidson® Genuine Motor Parts & Accessories, Harley-Davidson® MotorClothes® apparel and accessories, and Harley-Davidson Financial Services.

Isle Of Man TT: Supersport TT Race Two Report

David Swarts

-

June 7, 2023

0

Isle Of Man TT: Supersport TT Race Two Report

RECORD BREAKING WIN FOR DUNLOP IN MONSTER ENERGY SUPERSPORT TT RACE 2

Michael Dunlop set the first ever 130mph lap in the Supersport class this afternoon as he won the second Monster Energy Supersport TT Race of the 2023 Isle of Man TT Races.

Michael Dunlop (6). Photo courtesy Isle of Man TT Press Office.

Dunlop (MD Racing Yamaha) saw off the challenge of Peter Hickman (K2 Trooper Beer Triumph), who also broke the 130mph barrier, by just over nine seconds to take his fourth win of the week and his 25th win in total, now just one behind Uncle Joey’s record of 26 victories. Dean Harrison (BPE by Russell Racing Yamaha) was again third.

Dunlop grabbed the lead from the outset, but it was close, extremely close, as his lead over Harrison at Glen Helen on the first lap was only 0.1 seconds and with Hickman and Davey Todd (Milenco by Padgetts Honda) only a further 1.7 seconds back, less than two seconds covered the top four riders. Harrison’s team-mate James Hillier slotted into fifth with Craig Neve (Bathams Racing Triumph) in a brilliant sixth ahead of Rob Hodson, James Hind and Michael Evans.

Dunlop’s lead over Harrison shot up to 2.6 seconds at Ballaugh with Hickman now only 0.8s behind the Bradford rider whilst Coward jumped up to sixth after being down in 11th through Glen Helen.

Round Ramsey Hairpin for the first time, Dunlop had doubled his advantage to 5.2 seconds with Harrison and Hickman setting almost identical sector times from Ballaugh. Todd was continuing in fourth, but Hillier had retired at Whitegates and it was now Coward and Hind (Bass Tyre Services Yamaha) in fifth and sixth.

An opening lap of 128.809mph gave Dunlop a 6.6 seconds lead over Harrison who’d pulled 2.4s clear of Hickman as Todd dropped back slightly in fourth. Coward, tucked in behind Dunlop on the road, ran in sixth ahead of Hind, Paul Jordan (PreZ Racing Yamaha), Neve, Hodson (SMT Racing Honda) and Dominic Herbertson (Dafabet Racing Yamaha).

Dunlop added another two seconds to his lead on the second run to Glen Helen but whilst Harrison and Hickman continued in second and third, Coward had overhauled Todd for fourth as he remained glued to Dunlop’s rear wheel.

The lead continued to increase at every timing point and after moving up to 11 seconds at Ballaugh, it had moved out to 12.5 seconds as Dunlop rounded Ramsey Hairpin for the second time but it was Hickman who was now in second, the Triumph rider having nosed 1.4s ahead of Harrison. The difference between Coward and Todd was even closer with now less than a second between them.

A second lap of 129.370mph, just outside his own lap record, put Dunlop firmly in the driving seat as he came into the pits for his solitary pit stop, but the advantage over Hickman was still only 11.6 seconds as Hickman also posted a 129mph+ lap.

He’d edged 5.4 seconds clear of Harrison but Todd was back in front of Coward the duo both lapping a shade under 128mph. Hind was still going great guns in sixth as Jordan, Herbertson, Neve and Hodson rounded out the top ten at half race distance.

The gap remained practically the same through Glen Helen on lap three, but Hickman was having to work his way by Todd, Jordan and Johnson on the road. Nevertheless, the difference between the two at Ballaugh was 11.9 seconds as Dunlop and Hickman practically matched each other on the second sector.

Going through Ramsey for the penultimate time, Hickman had cut Dunlop’s lead to 10.4 seconds and over the tramlines at the Bungalow it had come down further to 8.98s. And as they started the final 37.73 miles, the difference stood at 8.1 seconds.

Hickman could only take three tenths of a second out of Dunlop’s lead on the final run to Glen Helen and the latter responded to get his advantage back up to 8.2 seconds as they leapt Ballaugh Bridge for the fourth final time.

The gap crept out further, to 9.4 seconds, at Ramsey and Dunlop was managing the race perfectly albeit as both he and Hickman roared round the Mountain Course at 130mph pace and he got the verdict by 9.617 seconds after a stunning final lap of 130.403mph.

Hickman was also over the 130mph mark, with a lap of 130.219mph, whilst Harrison also bettered the old lap record in third. Todd and Coward took comfortable fourth and fifth place finishes and Hind’s superb ride was rewarded with sixth, his first top six TT finish.

Jordan finished seventh with Neve taking a career-best eighth ahead of David Johnson and Herbertson.

AHRMA: Race Results From Motorsport Park Hastings

Uncategorized

David Swarts

-

June 7, 2023

0

AHRMA: Race Results From Motorsport Park Hastings

Race results from the Bridgestone Tires AHRMA Roadracing Series event June 3-4 at Motorsport Park Hastings, in Hastings, Nebraska.

Use the scroll and zoom tools in the PDF viewer to better see all of the results.

RRW 2023 Motorsports Park Hastings - Weekend Results

WorldSBK: Coverage To Stream On Chinese Social Media Platform

David Swarts

-

June 7, 2023

0

WorldSBK: Coverage To Stream On Chinese Social Media Platform

Dorna WSBK Organization and China Sports Media team up to accelerate WorldSBK coverage on Douyin

A new partnership between Dorna WSBK Organization and China Sports Media (CSM) brings comprehensive live coverage of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship to Douyin, the vibrant social media platform often dubbed as the Chinese TikTok, from the same parent company, ByteDance.

Douyin, anticipated to reach an astounding user count of 800 million in 2023, firmly establishes itself as one of the globe’s most sought-after social media platforms. Through CSM’s streaming of the exhilarating racing action of WorldSBK on Douyin, Chinese fans can now immerse themselves in every moment of the Championship in real-time, forging an unprecedented level of engagement.

This partnership, in place for the 2023 and 2024 seasons, not only serves as a significant milestone for WorldSBK but also reflects the growing interest of Chinese manufacturers in the world of motorsport. Among them, Kove, a prominent Chinese bike manufacturer, who now takes part in the fiercely contested WorldSSP300 category.

Chinese racer Zhou Shengjunjie (98) at speed on a Kove 321RR at Assen. Photo courtesy Dorna.

Chinese fans now have the opportunity to closely follow Kove’s racing endeavours and passionately support their favourite riders in the WorldSSP300 category, heightening their overall viewing experience. Douyin’s interactive features and expansive user base make it the perfect platform to connect with motorsport enthusiasts across China, fostering a vibrant community of passionate fans.

This partnership perfectly aligns with Dorna’s steadfast dedication to remaining at the forefront of digital innovation and catering to the ever-evolving preferences of motorsport fans. By embracing the power of Douyin, WorldSBK embraces a new avenue of engagement, enabling fans to experience the Championship in an immersive and captivating manner.

The rise of new stakeholders such as broadcasters and manufacturers onto the global racing scene not only underscores China’s rising influence in the automotive industry but also amplifies the country’s commitment to shine globally. This collaboration serves as a testament to the convergence of competition and entertainment, as Chinese manufacturers seize new opportunities within the dynamic motorsport landscape, igniting a new era of excitement.

Isle Of Man TT: Sidecar TT Race Two Report

June 7, 2023

Ben and Tom Birchall (1). Photo courtesy Isle of Man TT Press Office.