January 2023

Magazine Issue

Trudy Ulrich

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January 1, 2023

On the Front Cover: Racing Editor Chris Ulrich put the 2023 BMW S 1000 RR through its
paces in Almeria, Spain. Read about it and the new 2023 M 1000 R
roadster starting on page 14. Photo courtesy BMW Motorrad.

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

—

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

Log in HERE to read the January 2023 issue of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology with your online subscription.

JANUARY 2023 ISSUE

FEATURES

Inside Info: BMW Commemorates 100 Years, Ducati Celebrates
With World Champion Replicas, KTM Upgrades Its 890 Adventure,
WorldSBK Testing In Spain, And More…

Historic Racebike Illustrations: 1971 Suzuki TR500

Intro: 2023 BMW S 1000 RR & M 1000 R—Best Electronics Ever!

MotoGP Analysis : Who Can Dethrone Ducati In 2023, And How?

Interview: MonkeyGripp Tank Extenders Inventor Nick Kaplan

Shops: KurveyGirl.com, Sells Stuff That’s Hard To Find, And Ships It Fast

RACING

Army Of Darkness: The Racing River Flows On In 2022, Part One

World Superbike: Gagne & Attack vs. The World! Part Three

COLUMNS

Letters To The Editor: Defining “Assembly Line”

10 Years Ago: Casey Stoner & Dani Pedrosa Win Races But
Jorge Lorenzo Wins Second MotoGP World Championship;
Mat Oxley Looks at Riding Styles; Shops Visits K-Tech Suspension;
Jeremy Toye Develops A ZX-10R Racebike; And More…

Number & Trivia: Jake Gagne’s Career

Kids’ Page: Stanley Gustafson

The Crash Page: : Marc Marquez At The 2022 MotoGP Finale At Valencia

New Products: Racing Parts For The Yamaha YZF-R7

Racing, School, & Track Day Calendar: Where & When To Ride

Classified Ads/Advertiser Index

High Performance Parts & Services Directory

Chris Ulrich: Adventures Of An Ex-Racer: Saying Goodbye to Auto Club Speedway

Mountain Motorsports Continuing To Support USMCA

David Swarts

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December 31, 2022

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Mountain Motorsports Continuing To Support USMCA

Mountain Motorsports Announces USMCA Support for 2023

Temecula, California – The USMCA is proud to announce its continued partnership with Mountain Motorsports as we near the end of 2022. Mountain Motorsports has been a strong believer and supporter of the USMCA and MotorcycleCoaching.org and are heading into its third continual season of supporting the coaching association.

“As we head into 2023, we are excited to announce this continued partnership with Mountain Motorsports,” States USMCA Executive Director, Lindsey Scheltema. “We plan to expand our grassroots in the Southeast region with this long-lasting partnership and announce a learn to ride day in Georgia sometime in the new year. We hope this will attract new riders and, in return, create lifelong motorcyclists”.

“We are excited to once again partner with USMCA for 2023”, said Robert Ross, Vice President of Mountain Motorsports. “We believe that an organization like theirs is the foundation of Powersports as it focuses on riders learning and progressing in a safe and controlled environment regardless of their level. We believe that supporting coaching organizations will lead to longer and more enjoyable enthusiast ownership cycles and also increase the number of younger riders”.

About Mountain Motorsports, LLC

At our core, we are a deeply passionate and competitive team of people. Mountain Motorsports began as, and remains to this day, a family owned and operated business. Our company was founded in 1999 by lifelong friends Ryan Hardwick and Justin Price. Our first location opened as a single-line Honda dealership in Sevierville, TN and has since grown into one of the largest powersport dealership groups in the nation. We currently own and operate nine dealerships, two are in East Tennessee, two in Alabama and five surrounding Atlanta, Georgia.

At Mountain Motorsports, we continuously strive to be leaders in our industry. We do this through building long lasting relationships with our customers, by thoroughly training and serving our team members and by being the powersports sales, service, and special event center of our communities. We believe in reinvesting in our people, communities, and Dealerships.

Mountain Motorsports employs a team of over 300 amazing and driven people and represents 12 of the world’s leading brands of motorcycles, ATV’s, utility vehicles and personal watercraft.

About the U.S. Motorcycle Coaching Association (USMCA)

USMCA is an association where riders and parents can connect to motorcycle coaches they can trust through the network, www.MotorcycleCoaching.org.

All USMCA Certified Coaches are required to adhere to a code of conduct, pass a background check and hold certifications in abuse prevention, CPR/First Aid, concussion protocol, heat illness & cardiac arrest training.

For more information on the USMCA or become a USMCA Certified Coach, visit www.USMCA.org.

R.I.P. Retired ASRA/CCS Official Jeanne Muse

David Swarts

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December 30, 2022

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R.I.P. Retired ASRA/CCS Official Jeanne Muse

Editorial Note: Jeanne Muse died December 29 in Asheville, North Carolina. She was 71.

The following is a post made by Ginger Muse, Jeanne’s daughter, on Facebook:

It was with great sadness that we post news of the passing of Jeanne Muse and express that she is already greatly missed. Jeanne was hospitalized with a Flu infection the day after Christmas, and unexpectedly, her health rapidly and severely declined. Jeanne died peacefully and without pain in hospice just days of first being admitted to the hospital. Jeanne had a sharp mind and was a kind soul who brought sunshine to many of us through her easy going demeanor, warm smile, and creative skills. Jeanne enjoyed sewing beautiful creations, the warm Caribbean breeze, working diligently at the races, and countless nights spent with friends on the Muse porch in Arden. These positive memories we share of Jeanne are how she wanted to be remembered. Jeanne wished to be cremated and to have her ashes scattered into the Caribbean ocean that both her and Alan loved so much, but she did not want to have any service. She is survived by myself (her daughter), beloved husband Alan Muse, and sister Barbee Norby. We are devastated by the loss of Jeanne in our lives and appreciate any thoughts and prayers you can give during this time. Thank you

– Alan and Ginger [Muse].

The following was posted by Jeanne Muse on her Facebook page on November 20, 2022, following the announcement that ASRA/CCS had changed ownership:

Dear CCS/ASRA racers and friends,

My husband, Alan, and I have been connected with the Championship Cup Series in various capacities since the 1980s. We’ve seen CCS go through several different owners (including Pace Motorsports & Clear Channel), and we were the creators of the iconic “ROC” trophy sculpture when our company was named The Awards Center (correction). I, personally, was tasked with creating a new CCS website early on and continued in this capacity all through the following years – up until this month in fact.

Our relationship started when the original founder, Roger Edmondson, walked into our store needing to buy a weekend’s worth of plaques in a hurry. Not only did we fill his order, but we also became his official trophy supplier, started going to races and eventually became a part of the CCS staff. I was promoted to Head Clerk and Alan to Race Control. We became embroiled in CCS and hauled the supply trailer up and down the east coast, something Sue & Dave inherited when we “retired.”

Those years were the most fun, and exhausting, times of our lives. It’s hard to let go .. but since we are in our 70s now, it is time to say goodbye. It’s like watching your children grow up and leave the nest! Sad, but at the same time satisified with a job well done.

Let CCS/ASRA continue to grow and “evolve” (pun intended) for many years to come!

Historic Racebike Illustrations: Classic Race Engines IX, Plus Racing in the ’70s in the UK

Trudy Ulrich

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December 30, 2022

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Historic Racebike Illustrations: Classic Race Engines IX, Plus Racing in the ’70s in the UK

Featured In the December 2022 issue of Roadracing World:

“This is a description of road racing in the UK during the 1970s. When I emigrated to the USA in 1980 I found the road race scene very different over here; normal for you guys but strange to me. Bear in mind this is what I experienced in the 1970s; it’s different again now, but it’s still the sport we all love!

“In the UK if you mentioned you raced motorcycles, everyone would assume you meant road racing, so you would not have to describe it in great detail!”

“Historic Racebike Illustrations: Classic Race Engines IX,” by Mick Ofield

Mick Ofield had some adapting to do when he came to the United States, not the least of which was learning what motorcycle road racing was like here. Read his description of what it used to be like in the UK. Speed trials, gridding by drawing lots, and more. Also, Classic Race Engines IX, featuring 12 more technical drawings of engines from back in the day. It’s all in the latest issue of Roadracing World!

Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine is available in print and digital formats.

PREVIEW the December 2022 Issue of Roadracing World!

—Purchase the December 2022 print issue.

Click to SUBSCRIBE NOW ! Or call (909) 654-4779, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.

—Read the December 2022 issue of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology with your online subscription. Log in HERE

Available at Cycle Gear and other motorcycle retailers.

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

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

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

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

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Video: Army Of Darkness Tours TM Racing Factory, Part Five

David Swarts

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December 30, 2022

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Video: Army Of Darkness Tours TM Racing Factory, Part Five

Roadracing World‘s Sam Fleming and Melissa Berkoff visited the TM Racing factory in Pesaro, Italy in April 2022.

TM Racing makes arguably the most exquisite racing motorcycles for MX, Enduro and Supermoto in the world. They also made a championship-winning Moto3 road race bike!

Join Sam and Melissa on a very in-depth tour of the factory including the machine shop(s), the handcrafted engines and the assembly.

These videos are unscripted and had to be shot contemporaneously with the tour so forgive any verbal slips and/or the handheld nature of the camera work.

Part 5 of 5

00:19 Wheels

01:45 Heat Treating Oven for Frames

02:55 Frickin’ LAZER Beams

08:49 Shipping

11:17 Moto3 bike (82kg, 82hp!, 250cc!)

13:59 Post Tour Debrief

We hope you find this look inside the factory as fascinating as we did.

Please let us know in the comments!

You can read Sam’s report on their visit to TM Racing in the November 2022 issue of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology.

Subscribe to the print magazine at http://roadracingworld.com

See an archive of other Army Of Darkness articles at http://armyofdarkness.com

@roadracingworld @tmracing @tmracingtube

Royal Enfield Parent Company Buys Stake In Electric Motorcycle Manufacturer

David Swarts

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December 29, 2022

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Royal Enfield Parent Company Buys Stake In Electric Motorcycle Manufacturer

Eicher Motors Ltd., Parent Company of Royal Enfield, Announces Strategic Investment In Stark Future SL

The Board of Eicher Motors Ltd. (EML) has approved an equity investment of 50 million euros, and plans for collaboration with the electric motorcycle manufacturer.

Milwaukee, WI (December 29, 2022) – Eicher Motors Ltd., leading Indian multinational automobile company, and parent company of Royal Enfield, global leader in the middleweight motorcycles segment (250cc-750cc), today announced a strategic collaboration in the space of electric motorcycles with Spain-based Stark Future SL. As part of this collaboration, the Board of Directors of Eicher Motors Ltd. has today approved an investment of € 50 million for a close to 10.35% equity stake in Stark Future. With this investment, Eicher Motors Ltd., will have a seat on Stark Future’s Board, and will explore further opportunities to collaborate in the space of electric mobility.

This investment has strategic significance for both Royal Enfield and for Stark Future, as both companies are keenly invested in creating innovative and sustainable solutions in global mobility. Stark Future recently launched its first high-performance electric motocross bike, the Stark VARG, which received an exceptional response from global media, professional riders and dealers.

Speaking about Stark Future and this partnership, Eicher Motors Ltd Managing Director, Siddhartha Lal says, “We love the vision, passion and focus of the amazing team at Stark Future. Leisure motorcycles do not easily lend themselves to EV technology at this stage, due to challenges like the battery range, packaging, weight and cost. This has resulted in stunted growth of this segment till now. Stark Future has been able to understand and harness the potential of EV technology by dramatically outperforming ICE offerings, without compromising on range, weight, packaging and cost. They have created an absolutely astounding motocross motorcycle – the Stark VARG as their entry into the EV world. We believe that Stark Future has the highest potential for real breakout growth in the EV leisure space with this model, and the potential to use this strong base to extend into other contiguous segments and beyond.”

At the helm of affairs at Royal Enfield, B Govindarajan, CEO of the company, feels this is a perfectly symbiotic partnership, and says, “We are very excited to closely collaborate with Stark Future who are as focused as we are on challenging norms, pushing the boundaries and building uniquely differentiated offerings for riders. In addition to the sheer potential of Stark Future, we see immense synergies in this partnership. While they are scaling up and planning their market entry soon, we will support Stark in the industrialization process. While they are thought leaders in EV technology, particularly in lightweight components and innovative solutions, we at Royal Enfield will draw on these capabilities for developing our EV platforms and will also plan to share some EV platforms in the future.”

Also speaking about this partnership, Stark Future Founder and CEO, Anton Wass says, “We aimed to challenge and inspire the motorcycle industry with the creation of the Stark VARG and by bringing our electric technology from the drawing board to reality. To now partner with one of the very first motorcycle brands in history and be part of their journey towards sustainability is a huge inspiration for us at Stark. We have now worked closely with Sid, Govind and team for a few months, and have been deeply impressed by what they have created in the past 25 years, as well as the mindset and focus to continue to build and develop Royal Enfield into the future of sustainable motorcycling. With the Stark VARG we believe we have a launch model that will reset benchmarks, so to know that the bike’s technical basis will spread much further and filter into more machinery and products is another source of pride for us. It has been a short, intense and incredible journey for us so far but our link with Royal Enfield and what lies in store in the coming years are brilliant signs for the future.”

Stark Future is a European electric motorcycle manufacturer with specific focus in the area of performance electric motorcycles. With a vision to inspire the motorcycle industry towards sustainable mobility, Stark Future endeavors to build sustainable products that are superior to traditional technology in performance, emotion and design. Stark Future has deep understanding in the EV space and connected technology, with several patents on its newly developed Stark VARG.

Royal Enfield has made huge strides on its EV journey over the last few years. The company’s R&D programs have included a major focus on sustainable mobility technologies, and there are several ideas in advanced stages of testing. The company has been aggressively building a sharp and insightful understanding of the EV space with an intention to create uniquely differentiated electric motorcycles with strong Royal Enfield DNA, in the middleweight segment. Royal Enfield has been building several thoughts and approaches towards design and development and also towards bringing in the right talent and resources.

About Royal Enfield

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

A division of Eicher Motors Limited, Royal Enfield operates through more than 2100 stores across all major cities and towns in India and through nearly 850 stores in more than 60 countries around the globe. Royal Enfield also has two world-class technical centers, in Bruntingthorpe, UK, and in Chennai, India. The company’s two state-of-the-art production facilities are located at Oragadam and Vallam Vadagal, near Chennai. Across the world, Royal Enfield has four modern CKD assembly facilities in Brazil, Thailand, Argentina and Colombia. With more than 37% CAGR for the last five years and sales in international markets up 108% in 2021-22, Royal Enfield is the leader in the global midsize motorcycle market.

Royal Enfield North America (RENA) is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is developing a growing network of more than 150 dealers in North America, including the contiguous U.S. and Canada. RENA currently offers the all-new Scram 411, Classic 350, Meteor 350, Himalayan and the 650 Twins (INT650 and Continental GT 650) motorcycles, along with a range of Genuine Motorcycle Accessories and apparel.

For more information on Royal Enfield North America, visit www.RoyalEnfield.com/us/en/, www.Instagram.com/RoyalEnfield_NA, www.Facebook.com/RoyalEnfieldNorthAmerica.

The Path To MotoGP Success: Innovation Or Optimization?

David Swarts

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December 29, 2022

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The Path To MotoGP Success: Innovation Or Optimization?

First Person/Opinion:

by Michael Gougis

It’s always worth arriving at the track and getting out onto pit lane as early as possible in the morning of a MotoGP weekend. The mechanics roll the machines out of the garages just after the sun comes up, it seems, on rear wheel stands. They fire them up, bring them to full operating temperature, run the bike through all six gears, then shut them off and roll them back into the garage and slam the door. The observer on the spot can get very, very close to the bikes, as the mechanics are busy and the people who like to shoo you away from the machines haven’t arrived at the track yet.

When the HRC mechanics rolled Pol Espargaro’s bike out of the garage on Sunday morning at Valencia for the 2022 season-ending race, my first thought was, why bother?

Espargaro’s bike was entirely different than the one Marc Marquez was racing. They both bore the RC213V logo, but the differences between the two were so striking that if these were production machines, the company probably would have come up with different model names for them.

Note the differences between Marc Marquez' RC213V and that of the factory RC213V wheeled out of the garage for Pol Espargaro on Sunday morning for his last ride for HRC. Different wings, no tail stabilizers, different frame, different swingarm and different aero at the fairing lower. Photo by Michael Gougis. — Note the differences between Marc Marquez’ RC213V and that of the factory RC213V wheeled out of the garage for Pol Espargaro on Sunday morning for his last ride for HRC. Different wings, no tail stabilizers, different frame, different swingarm and different aero at the fairing lower. Photo by Michael Gougis.

The differences that could be spotted with the naked eye alone included a different frame, different swingarm, different front wings, different aero on the tailsection and different aero on the fairing lowers.

The machine Marquez rode had a chassis with welds along the aluminum spars. The fairing had ducting on the lower leading edge to move air toward the center and bottom of the bike. It had vertical fins (the “stegosaurus” fins) on the tailsection. It had an aluminum swingarm.

Espargaro’s bike had a carbon swingarm, a different set of front wings, no fairing ducting, no welds on the frame spar and no vertical stabilization fins. And elsewhere in Honda-land, Takaaki Nakagami’s RC213V had the Marquez front wings and chassis as well as the vertical stabilizers, but a carbon swingarm and no side ducting.

Yet a third configuration for the Honda RC213V at Valencia, this one for LCR Honda rider Takaaki Nakagami. The chassis looks the same as the one on Marquez' machine, as are the front wings and it has the tail stabilizers, but the swingarm is different and it lacks the ducting at the fairing lower leading edge. Photo by Michael Gougis. — Yet a third configuration for the Honda RC213V at Valencia, this one for LCR Honda rider Takaaki Nakagami. The chassis looks the same as the one on Marquez’ machine, as are the front wings and it has the tail stabilizers, but the swingarm is different and it lacks the ducting at the fairing lower leading edge. Photo by Michael Gougis.

The reason that the wide disparity in configurations struck me as so unproductive was something that has been said multiple times about Ducati’s MotoGP effort in 2022–data sharing works.

It’s something that seems fundamental to success in the category nowadays, but it goes deeper than trying to determine which tire to run on any given Sunday. And what it hints at is that while innovation is important, optimization may be even more critical.

Early in the season, the factory Ducati effort was struggling, upstaged by the Gresini satellite team–or, specifically, by the very rapid Enea Bastianini on last year’s Desmosedici. Bastianini’s bike, the GP21, was well sorted, with a season’s worth of data available, allowing the team to get the bike dialed in quickly.

The factory riders, Francesco Bagnaia and Jack Miller, were struggling, in part because they had rejected the factory’s 2022-spec engine, and the engineers quickly settled on a powerplant that was a combination of 2021 and 2022-spec parts. But that decision came late in the day, so to speak, so during the first few rounds, the factory team was still trying to optimize the new bike/engine combination when the season started in Qatar. Bagnaia complained that he never rode the same bike twice all weekend, that the electronics were off, that other settings were off. In contrast, Bastianini said that all his team had to do was “put fuel in the bike” and let him ride it.

One of the things I noticed during the season was that when the factory Ducati team tried something new and it worked, it was quickly distributed to the other Ducati teams. Looking at the Ducatis in the cold post-dawn air on pit lane in Valencia, the uniformity was striking. Only Luca Marini had a bike without the tail fin stabilizers–and that was on only one of his two machines. All of them had the latest-spec fairing ducting. Paint them all in primer, and you’d be hard-pressed to pick the one ridden by Miller from Jorge Martin’s bike.

The increasing complexity of a MotoGP racebike means that there are more and more ways to be slightly off when it comes to the optimal set-up for the bike when the lights go out. The more data you have, the better chance you have of making the right decisions on set-up, electronics, aero, etc. Data analysis has gotten more and more important, especially considering how hard the engineers are working for even incremental gains. How much did Yamaha suffer in 2022 because Franco Morbidelli was still physically–if not mentally–recovering from his shattered knee; Darryn Binder was out of his depth; and the soon-to-be-retiring Andrea Dovizioso had one foot out the door?

It stands to reason that the closer a given brand’s racebikes are in specification, the more relevant the data is. Looking at the similarities of the Ducati machines, it seems more likely that the engineers could compare and contrast the data from the Prima Pramac, Gresini, VR46, and factory Lenovo squads because all of the bikes were running in similar configurations. They didn’t have to factor in whether one of the bikes was running without tail stabilizers or fairing ducting. They didn’t have to account for one machine running a carbon swingarm and another using an aluminum swingarm. Other than Johann Zarco’s bike, which was used for testing purposes when new parts became available, the data from one bike was generated by a machine that was configured like the other bikes.

Innovation is critical. But with the ever-tightening rules, maybe the route to the front isn’t just innovation, but optimization of what you’ve got to work with.

World Superbike: Gagne & Attack vs. The World, Part 2

Trudy Ulrich

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December 29, 2022

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World Superbike: Gagne & Attack vs. The World, Part 2

Featured In the December 2022 issue of Roadracing World:

Friday had gone about as well as could be expected for two-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champions Attack Racing and Jake Gagne in their Superbike World Championship wild card entry. When Saturday dawned, the team was ready to spend the day making smaller changes in more areas, looking for a better overall package for the undulating, fast Autodromo Internacional do Algarve.

“We’re working on a lot of little things. Electronics. Suspension. We’re trying to bring the bike and the rider together,” Attack Racing’s Richard Stanboli said.

The team had settled on its tire choices, which came at a cost. The way that World Superbike allocates its tires is to give each team a number of stickers that can be used over the weekend. Once the rider leaves the pits with a tire, it is considered part of the team’s tire allocation. Without a real reference point, Gagne was trying them all, and trial and error at this level is expensive.

“We put a tire on and he rode it for one lap and knew that he wasn’t going to use that one,” said Oscar Solis, U.S. Road Racing Manager for Pirelli, who was working in the Attack garage for the Algarve round…

“Attack The World! Part Two,” by Michael Gougis

MotoAmerica’s Superbike Championship winning team packed their gear and headed for Portugal to take on the world’s best Superbike riders and teams at the Algarve circuit. Read about the adventures of two-time Superbike Champion Jake Gagne and the rest of the crew as they fought some of the greatest riders in Superbike—they’re in the latest issue of Roadracing World!

Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine is available in print and digital formats.

PREVIEW the December 2022 Issue of Roadracing World!

Click to SUBSCRIBE NOW ! Or call (909) 654-4779, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.

—Purchase the December 2022 print issue.

—Read the December 2022 issue of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology with your online subscription. Log in HERE

Available at Cycle Gear and other motorcycle retailers.

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

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

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

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

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WorldSBK & Supersport: 2023 Entry Lists

David Swarts

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December 29, 2022

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2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship provisional entry lists unveiled

New riders and new teams add their names to a star-studded 2023 season
The FIM and Dorna WSBK Organization (DWO) have unveiled the 2023 provisional entry lists.

WorldSBK

With the 2022 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship now in the history books, attention is turning to the 2023 season which starts in February. The provisional permanent entry list for WorldSBK in 2023 has been released with 23 riders set to take to the track next year when the season gets underway and, while there are no changes at the factory teams, there have been plenty of changes up and down the grid at the Independent outfits.

2023_WorldSBK_Permanent_Provisional_Entry_List

WorldSSP

30 full-time riders are set to tackle the FIM Supersport World Championship in 2023 with the full details of the provisional entry list now available. Honda make a return to the Championship with the CBR600RR machine, bringing the total manufacturers on the grid to six, while there are changes at the teams who have fought for the title in recent seasons. Out of the 30 riders, eight are set to contest the WorldSSP Challenge and compete in the European rounds only.

2023_WorldSSP_Permanent_Provisional_Entry_List

WorldSSP300

The list of riders, teams and manufacturers set to compete in the 2023 FIM Supersport World Championship season has been revealed. The Chinese manufacturer Kove will join the Championship for next season becoming the fourth manufacturer on the grid, and the fifth in the Championship’s history. There have also been rider line-up changes up and down the grid including in front running teams from 2022. New nationalities will make history in 2023 by competing in the Championship while some familiar faces return as they look to be crowned the seventh World Champion in WorldSSP300.

2023_WorldSSP300_Permanent_Provisional_Entry_List

January 2023

January 1, 2023

On the Front Cover: Racing Editor Chris Ulrich put the 2023 BMW S 1000 RR through its
paces in Almeria, Spain. Read about it and the new 2023 M 1000 R
roadster starting on page 14. Photo courtesy BMW Motorrad.

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

—

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

Log in HERE to read the January 2023 issue of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology with your online subscription.

JANUARY 2023 ISSUE

FEATURES

Inside Info: BMW Commemorates 100 Years, Ducati Celebrates
With World Champion Replicas, KTM Upgrades Its 890 Adventure,
WorldSBK Testing In Spain, And More…

Historic Racebike Illustrations: 1971 Suzuki TR500

Intro: 2023 BMW S 1000 RR & M 1000 R—Best Electronics Ever!

MotoGP Analysis : Who Can Dethrone Ducati In 2023, And How?

Interview: MonkeyGripp Tank Extenders Inventor Nick Kaplan

Shops: KurveyGirl.com, Sells Stuff That’s Hard To Find, And Ships It Fast

RACING

Army Of Darkness: The Racing River Flows On In 2022, Part One

World Superbike: Gagne & Attack vs. The World! Part Three

COLUMNS

Letters To The Editor: Defining “Assembly Line”

10 Years Ago: Casey Stoner & Dani Pedrosa Win Races But
Jorge Lorenzo Wins Second MotoGP World Championship;
Mat Oxley Looks at Riding Styles; Shops Visits K-Tech Suspension;
Jeremy Toye Develops A ZX-10R Racebike; And More…

Number & Trivia: Jake Gagne’s Career

Kids’ Page: Stanley Gustafson

The Crash Page: : Marc Marquez At The 2022 MotoGP Finale At Valencia

New Products: Racing Parts For The Yamaha YZF-R7

Racing, School, & Track Day Calendar: Where & When To Ride

Classified Ads/Advertiser Index

High Performance Parts & Services Directory

Chris Ulrich: Adventures Of An Ex-Racer: Saying Goodbye to Auto Club Speedway

Mountain Motorsports Continuing To Support USMCA

December 31, 2022

A USMCA banner on display at a Mountain Motorsports dealership. Photo courtesy USMCA.

Mountain Motorsports Announces USMCA Support for 2023

Temecula, California – The USMCA is proud to announce its continued partnership with Mountain Motorsports as we near the end of 2022. Mountain Motorsports has been a strong believer and supporter of the USMCA and MotorcycleCoaching.org and are heading into its third continual season of supporting the coaching association.

“As we head into 2023, we are excited to announce this continued partnership with Mountain Motorsports,” States USMCA Executive Director, Lindsey Scheltema. “We plan to expand our grassroots in the Southeast region with this long-lasting partnership and announce a learn to ride day in Georgia sometime in the new year. We hope this will attract new riders and, in return, create lifelong motorcyclists”.

“We are excited to once again partner with USMCA for 2023”, said Robert Ross, Vice President of Mountain Motorsports. “We believe that an organization like theirs is the foundation of Powersports as it focuses on riders learning and progressing in a safe and controlled environment regardless of their level. We believe that supporting coaching organizations will lead to longer and more enjoyable enthusiast ownership cycles and also increase the number of younger riders”.

About Mountain Motorsports, LLC

At our core, we are a deeply passionate and competitive team of people. Mountain Motorsports began as, and remains to this day, a family owned and operated business. Our company was founded in 1999 by lifelong friends Ryan Hardwick and Justin Price. Our first location opened as a single-line Honda dealership in Sevierville, TN and has since grown into one of the largest powersport dealership groups in the nation. We currently own and operate nine dealerships, two are in East Tennessee, two in Alabama and five surrounding Atlanta, Georgia.

At Mountain Motorsports, we continuously strive to be leaders in our industry. We do this through building long lasting relationships with our customers, by thoroughly training and serving our team members and by being the powersports sales, service, and special event center of our communities. We believe in reinvesting in our people, communities, and Dealerships.

Mountain Motorsports employs a team of over 300 amazing and driven people and represents 12 of the world’s leading brands of motorcycles, ATV’s, utility vehicles and personal watercraft.

About the U.S. Motorcycle Coaching Association (USMCA)

USMCA is an association where riders and parents can connect to motorcycle coaches they can trust through the network, www.MotorcycleCoaching.org.

All USMCA Certified Coaches are required to adhere to a code of conduct, pass a background check and hold certifications in abuse prevention, CPR/First Aid, concussion protocol, heat illness & cardiac arrest training.

For more information on the USMCA or become a USMCA Certified Coach, visit www.USMCA.org.

R.I.P. Retired ASRA/CCS Official Jeanne Muse

December 30, 2022

Editorial Note: Jeanne Muse died December 29 in Asheville, North Carolina. She was 71.

The following is a post made by Ginger Muse, Jeanne’s daughter, on Facebook:

It was with great sadness that we post news of the passing of Jeanne Muse and express that she is already greatly missed. Jeanne was hospitalized with a Flu infection the day after Christmas, and unexpectedly, her health rapidly and severely declined. Jeanne died peacefully and without pain in hospice just days of first being admitted to the hospital. Jeanne had a sharp mind and was a kind soul who brought sunshine to many of us through her easy going demeanor, warm smile, and creative skills. Jeanne enjoyed sewing beautiful creations, the warm Caribbean breeze, working diligently at the races, and countless nights spent with friends on the Muse porch in Arden. These positive memories we share of Jeanne are how she wanted to be remembered. Jeanne wished to be cremated and to have her ashes scattered into the Caribbean ocean that both her and Alan loved so much, but she did not want to have any service. She is survived by myself (her daughter), beloved husband Alan Muse, and sister Barbee Norby. We are devastated by the loss of Jeanne in our lives and appreciate any thoughts and prayers you can give during this time. Thank you

– Alan and Ginger [Muse].

The following was posted by Jeanne Muse on her Facebook page on November 20, 2022, following the announcement that ASRA/CCS had changed ownership:

Dear CCS/ASRA racers and friends,

My husband, Alan, and I have been connected with the Championship Cup Series in various capacities since the 1980s. We’ve seen CCS go through several different owners (including Pace Motorsports & Clear Channel), and we were the creators of the iconic “ROC” trophy sculpture when our company was named The Awards Center (correction). I, personally, was tasked with creating a new CCS website early on and continued in this capacity all through the following years – up until this month in fact.

Our relationship started when the original founder, Roger Edmondson, walked into our store needing to buy a weekend’s worth of plaques in a hurry. Not only did we fill his order, but we also became his official trophy supplier, started going to races and eventually became a part of the CCS staff. I was promoted to Head Clerk and Alan to Race Control. We became embroiled in CCS and hauled the supply trailer up and down the east coast, something Sue & Dave inherited when we “retired.”

Those years were the most fun, and exhausting, times of our lives. It’s hard to let go .. but since we are in our 70s now, it is time to say goodbye. It’s like watching your children grow up and leave the nest! Sad, but at the same time satisified with a job well done.

Let CCS/ASRA continue to grow and “evolve” (pun intended) for many years to come!

Historic Racebike Illustrations: Classic Race Engines IX, Plus Racing in the ’70s in the UK

December 30, 2022

The 1973 version of what started life as a 500cc Norton Dominator, now with a Commando 750cc engine, Norvil disc brake and Manx seat. Photo courtesy Mick Ofield archives.

Featured In the December 2022 issue of Roadracing World:

“This is a description of road racing in the UK during the 1970s. When I emigrated to the USA in 1980 I found the road race scene very different over here; normal for you guys but strange to me. Bear in mind this is what I experienced in the 1970s; it’s different again now, but it’s still the sport we all love!

“In the UK if you mentioned you raced motorcycles, everyone would assume you meant road racing, so you would not have to describe it in great detail!”

“Historic Racebike Illustrations: Classic Race Engines IX,” by Mick Ofield

Mick Ofield had some adapting to do when he came to the United States, not the least of which was learning what motorcycle road racing was like here. Read his description of what it used to be like in the UK. Speed trials, gridding by drawing lots, and more. Also, Classic Race Engines IX, featuring 12 more technical drawings of engines from back in the day. It’s all in the latest issue of Roadracing World!

Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine is available in print and digital formats.

PREVIEW the December 2022 Issue of Roadracing World!

—Purchase the December 2022 print issue.

Click to SUBSCRIBE NOW ! Or call (909) 654-4779, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.

—Read the December 2022 issue of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology with your online subscription. Log in HERE

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Video: Army Of Darkness Tours TM Racing Factory, Part Five

December 30, 2022

Go inside the TM Racing factory in Italy. Photo by Sam Fleming.

Roadracing World‘s Sam Fleming and Melissa Berkoff visited the TM Racing factory in Pesaro, Italy in April 2022.

TM Racing makes arguably the most exquisite racing motorcycles for MX, Enduro and Supermoto in the world. They also made a championship-winning Moto3 road race bike!

Join Sam and Melissa on a very in-depth tour of the factory including the machine shop(s), the handcrafted engines and the assembly.

These videos are unscripted and had to be shot contemporaneously with the tour so forgive any verbal slips and/or the handheld nature of the camera work.

Part 5 of 5

00:19 Wheels

01:45 Heat Treating Oven for Frames

02:55 Frickin’ LAZER Beams

08:49 Shipping

11:17 Moto3 bike (82kg, 82hp!, 250cc!)

13:59 Post Tour Debrief

We hope you find this look inside the factory as fascinating as we did.

Please let us know in the comments!

You can read Sam’s report on their visit to TM Racing in the November 2022 issue of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology.

Subscribe to the print magazine at http://roadracingworld.com

See an archive of other Army Of Darkness articles at http://armyofdarkness.com

@roadracingworld @tmracing @tmracingtube

Royal Enfield Parent Company Buys Stake In Electric Motorcycle Manufacturer

December 29, 2022

Stark Future's VARG electric motocross bike. Photo courtesy Stark Future.