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MotoGP: Pirelli Supplying MotoGP Tires From 2027

Michael Gougis
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MotoGP: Pirelli Supplying MotoGP Tires From 2027

Pirelli will become the official tyre supplier to MotoGP from 2027. A new five-year contract until 2031 inclusive, currently being finalised, will coincide with a new era for the sport as new MotoGP bikes and technical regulations debut in 2027.

The strategy of having a single supplier in the paddock will provide the perfect development ladder for the champions of tomorrow to hone their craft on their way to the top. Further details on the tyre allocations and specifications to be supplied by Pirelli will be announced soon.

Pirelli currently supply Moto2, Moto3 and much of the Road to MotoGP. Now, their presence in the sport will expand to the pinnacle of racing, MotoGP, and into MotoE™, the electric World Championship.

Michelin will remain the exclusive supplier for MotoGP and MotoE until the end of the current technical regulations, at the close of the 2026 season.

Over the next two seasons Michelin will continue to provide its technical support, its products and world class technology, assuring the safety, performance and racing which makes MotoGP the most exciting sport on Earth.

As a pioneer in world-class electric motorcycle racing, Michelin will remain committed to MotoE throughout 2025 and 2026, continuing to innovate and to make its tyres—already featuring a high percentage of renewable and recycled materials—even more sustainable.

MotoAmerica: Herrin Going For Fourth Daytona 200 Win

Michael Gougis
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MotoAmerica: Herrin Going For Fourth Daytona 200 Win

Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Josh Herrin will roll into Daytona International Speedway this week riding high with a level of confidence that only comes from winning two Daytona 200s in a row, and three overall. He’s not “Mr. Daytona” yet, but a fourth win would put him just one trip to Victory Lane away from making it a three-way tie with Scott Russell and Miguel Duhamel, who both have five wins.

But first things first. There’s a race to be run and it is historically one of the more difficult to win. You need to be quick, and you need a motorcycle that is fast and a pit crew that is both fast and mistake-free. You also need to have the instinct of being in the right place at the right time to win a last-lap battle to the tri-oval and the checkered flag that awaits there.

And you need Lady Luck riding pillion.

Case in point: Most of the winners of the Daytona 200 have only won once in the race’s 82-year history. Seven racers have won twice, six have won three and one has won four. Only Russell and Duhamel have won five.

And none of them have won three in a row.

Herrin and his three victories will be joined on the grid by another multi-time winner, TOBC Racing’s Danny Eslick. “Slick” has four Daytona 200 wins (2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018) and he’s back for another try in 2025.

Herrin’s first win, meanwhile, came in 2010, 14 years before his third win in the 82nd edition of “The Great American Motorcycle Race” this past March.

The Daytona 200 – Can Someone Stop Herrin?

Thirty-six riders will attempt to qualify for the 83rd running of the Daytona 200 on five different brands of motorcycles. The grid is again international with riders from six different countries represented with the Brits leading the foreign charge with six entries, one of whom is a 14-time Isle of Man TT winner and the all-time lap record holder on the Island with an average speed of 136.358 mph – Peter Hickman. The PHR Performance Triumph-mounted Hickman will be making his second start in the 200 after making his debut in the race last year.

Speaking of the TT, Ulsterman Michael Dunlop (yes, the 29-time Isle of Man TT winner) will compete in his second Daytona 200, and he’ll be aboard a Milwaukee Ducati MD Racing Panigale V2 this time around. In 2021, Dunlop finished 11th on a Kawasaki ZX-6R.

Last year, the Daytona 200 wasn’t the thriller we’ve come to expect. As always, there was a large pack of riders in the lead group until the pack was thinned down during the first pit stop. For all practical purposes, Herrin won the race in the first pit stop with his team turning in a quick performance while his closest challenger, Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante, had a stop that was quite the opposite. From that point forward, Herrin was never threatened.

Escalante will be back this year, hoping Lady Luck speaks better Spanish than she does English. Escalante was robbed of what seemed to be a sure second place last year when he ran out of gas, coasting around for what would end up being a fourth-place finish. On the track, Escalante was fifth, but he moved up a spot when Bobby Fong was DQ’d for having a fuel tank that exceeded the legal size.

Escalante’s teammate, 19-year-old Tyler Scott, will be back with another year of racing under his belt. Scott took full advantage of Escalante’s bad luck last year to finish second, some 45 seconds behind Herrin. Scott did a lot of learning, and he should prove to be a threat in this year’s big race.

Hayden Gillim rode the Vesrah Suzuki to third place last year, but he won’t be racing in this year’s 200. The fan-favorite will, however, be in the two Mission King Of The Baggers races this weekend.

The fastest of the Brits in 2024 was Hickman’s PHR Performance Triumph teammate, Richard Cooper. Cooper is one to watch for as he ran in the lead pack until a crash took him out of the race.

As previously mentioned, four-time Daytona 200 winner Danny Eslick is entered for the 200 on a TOBC Racing Triumph Street Triple 765 RS. Eslick certainly isn’t a favorite to win a fifth 200, but this is Daytona. Anything can happen.

Brandon Paasch has two Daytona 200 wins to his credit, and he’s self-entered on another TOBC Racing Triumph. Paasch is serious about Daytona and is spending his own money to make it happen. If he pulls it all together, he is an obvious favorite.

Another Daytona first timer with a wealth of racing experience is Brit Danny Webb. Webb, a former 125cc GP, Moto3, World Supersport, Endurance World Championship, and Isle of Man TT competitor, will ride a Team Classic Suzuki GSX-R750 in the 200.

The Truelove brothers, Harry and Matt, are back for another Daytona 200 on their Truelove Brothers Racing Suzuki GSX-R750s.

Mission King Of The Baggers: Going Euro

The most American championship series in the history of American road racing is bringing two riders from across the pond to compete for the 2025 Mission King Of The Baggers Championship, giving the series a truly international flair.

With Australian Troy Herfoss returning to defend his 2024 Mission King Of The Baggers title, three of the six factory rides are now in the hands of international stars.

The newbies to the championship are Frenchman Loris Baz, who will join Herfoss and Tyler O’Hara as the third rider on the S&S/Indian Motorcycle “Wrecking Crew,” and Brit Bradley Smith, who joins the Harley-Davidson x Dynojet Factory Racing team of Kyle Wyman and part-timer James Rispoli.

Former World Superbike, MotoAmerica Superbike and MotoGP racer Baz finished fifth in last year’s MotoAmerica Superbike Championship on a factory Ducati Panigale V4 R but was left looking for a ride at season’s end when the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team announced that they would run just one Superbike in 2025, and it would be ridden by defending MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Josh Herrin. Baz was part of a tryout/test with Indian in the offseason. He was fast and a deal was done, making him the first Frenchman to take part in the American V-twin series.

Baz’s Baggers debut on his Harley-Davidson Road Glide will also be his initiation to racing on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway, which has been the Frenchman’s childhood dream.

When 35-year-old Smith lines up at Daytona, it will be his MotoAmerica debut and his first laps at Daytona. The well-traveled Brit has competed in MotoGP, Moto2, MotoE, 125cc GP (now Moto3), World Supersport and the World Superbike Championship. He most recently served as a test rider for BMW’s World Superbike effort.

Even though Baz and Smith have impressive international racing resumes, Herfoss will begin the season as the favorite and rightfully so after his seven-win 2024 season earned him the title in his rookie season of both Mission King Of The Baggers and MotoAmerica. Almost every track that Herfoss visited in 2024 was new to him, Daytona included, but he proved to be a quick study. The Aussie learned a lot in the two Daytona Baggers races last year as he finished a close second in both races to the man he battled with in a championship fight that went to the very last race of the season.

That man was Harley-Davidson x Dynojet Factory Racing’s Kyle Wyman, the winningest rider in Mission King Of The Baggers history with 18 career victories. Wyman has a zillion laps around Daytona International Speedway, including the all-important last laps and the drafting battles that can win or lose you races in Daytona.

Wyman will have two teammates at Daytona. The aforementioned Smith and Rispoli, who is back for a second year with the factory team. This time it will be on a limited schedule that includes at least Daytona and Road America. Rispoli will also be making his Mission Super Hooligan National Championship debut on a KWR Racing Harley-Davidson Pan America.

RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson will field the same team as last year, with 2023 Mission King Of The Baggers Champion Hayden Gillim again teaming up with rising star Rocco Landers, who ended the 2024 season fourth in the series standings with two victories late in the season. Gillim, meanwhile, ended up in a tie with his teammate for third in the title chase, but the Kentuckian earned the spot with three victories to Landers’ two wins.

The Saddlemen Race Development team will be a two-man effort for 2025 with Cory West and Jake Lewis set to ride the team’s Harley-Davidson Road Glides.

New to Mission King Of The Baggers racing is South African Cameron Petersen. Petersen will see double duty this year as he will ride the SDI Racing Indian Challenger, making his debut in the class at Daytona. Petersen will also ride a Celtic/Economy Lube & Tire by Warhorse HSBK Ducati Panigale V2 in the MotoAmerica Motovation Supersport Championship.

TAB Performance Racing will field Kyle Ohnsorg on an Indian Challenger with perennial privateer and fan favorite Max Flinders (also an expat who was born in Great Britain) returning to the class on his Lyndall Brakes/M3 Harley-Davidson Road Glide.

Eight Harley-Davidson Road Glides and five Indian Challengers will be on the grid for the series-opening Daytona round.

SC-Project Twins Cup – Youth Is Served

Thirty-five riders will take part in the opening round of the 2025 MotoAmerica SC-Project Twins Cup Championship at Daytona International Speedway, led by 16-year-old defending series champion Alessandro Di Mario on his Robem Engineering Aprilia RS 660.

The list of challengers is long and begins with 2024 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion Matthew Chapin. The 17-year-old from Maryland had two outings in Twins Cup last year in the series finale at Circuit of The Americas, finishing an impressive fourth and fifth in the two races. Chapin will ride a Suzuki GSX-8R from under the RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki awning where he will be able to draw from the experience of his two teammates Hayden Gillim and Rocco Landers – especially Landers, who finished second in last year’s Twins Cup series on the team’s GSX-8R and is also a former champion in the class.

With Di Mario and Chapin leading Aprilia’s and Suzuki’s charges, respectively, the Yamahas will likely be led by the Giaccmoto Yamaha Racing team and Dominic Doyle. The South African finished third in the championship last year with two wins and six total podiums on the Yamaha YZF-R7.

With three of the top five riders from last year’s championship – Landers; Gus Rodio, who won both Twins Cup races at Daytona last year; and Rossi Moor, who will be racing in Europe – moving to other classes or series, the next-highest-ranked rider taking to the grid at Daytona is Sean Ungvarsky. The Arizona native will be joined by Monaco resident Romeo Chiavini on the team’s Yamaha YZF-R7s.

Bad Boys Racing’s Avery Dreher, the 2023 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion, won a Twins Cup race last year and finished seventh in the title chase. Dreher will be racing another of the Suzuki GSX-8Rs.

A horde of former Junior Cup racers have moved up to the SC-Project Twins Cup class, including Karns/TST Industries’ Isaac Woodworth and his teammates Levi Badie and Elisa Gendron-Belen, Speeddemon Racing’s Logan Cunnison, and Wolfe Racing’s Ryan Wolfe.

There are also plenty of veterans, including Ghetto Customs’ Chris Parrish, MotoAmerica’s first Twins Cup Champion in 2018.

Mission Super Hooligan National Championship – Loaded For Bear

Led by defending series champion Cory West and his Saddlemen Race Development Harley-Davidson Pan America, the 2025 Mission Super Hooligan National Championship is stacked with talent, featuring 49 entries racing across nine different brands of motorcycles.

West will lead the loaded Saddlemen Race Development team where he will be joined by Jake Lewis, third in the championship a year ago, and Travis Wyman.

Harley’s effort is strong and deep with a factory-backed KWR Harley-Davidson team featuring the threesome of James Rispoli (Rispoli will also race for Harley in the Mission King Of The Baggers series at Daytona and a few other select events), Cody Wyman, and Hayden Schultz.

With Indian pulling its factory team out of the series to focus its efforts on the Mission King Of The Baggers Championship, the series is now heavy on Harley-Davidson Pan Americas (11) and KTMs (14 of the 890 and 990 DUKE Rs).

The entry list, however, also features Yamaha MT-09 SP (seven), Triumph 765RS (eight), Suzuki SV1000 (three), Ducati (two), a lone Aprilia Tuono, and the sure-to-be-attention-getting ARCH 2S-R. ARCH Motorcycles is owned by actor Keanu Reeves, and the 2S-R will be raced at Daytona and beyond by Corey Alexander, who will see double duty after Daytona in the Motovation Supersport class on his Rahal Ducati Moto Panigale V2.

Other notables set to battle include South African Dominic Doyle, who will be aboard a Giaccmoto Yamaha Racing MT-09 SP, as well as Hawk Mazzotta on a Strack Racing Yamaha MT-09 SP, and Competition Werkes Racing’s Andy DiBrino on his Triumph 765RS.

Pre-Daytona Notes…

Tyler Scott earned pole position for last year’s Daytona 200 with his 1:48.047 coming in the Time Attack qualifying session. Scott’s best was just .100 of a second faster than Stefano Mesa’s 1:48.147. Bobby Fong completed the front row with his 1:48.697. The 2024 race winner Josh Herrin started from the middle of the second row. In all, the top six riders all lapped in the 1:48s.

The fastest lap in the race went to fourth-place finisher Richie Escalante with his 1:48.625 barely besting Karel Hanika’s 1:48.628. Race winner Herrin had the third-fastest time – a 1:48.869.

Suzuki leads the way in entries for the 2025 Daytona 200 with 11 of the GSX-R750s That’s four more than Ducati’s seven entries. The other three manufacturers are Yamaha, Triumph, and Kawasaki – each with six motorcycles attempting to qualify.

Yamaha is the winningest brand by far in Daytona victories with 27 wins since the first Daytona 200 was held on the old beach circuit in 1937. The winner of that first Daytona 200 was Ed Kretz, who was riding an Indian. Harley-Davidson sits second on the all-time manufacturer wins list in the 200 with 16 victories, the last of which was Cal Rayborn’s victory in 1969. The third-highest win total goes to Honda with 11 victories, with Jake Zemke being the last rider to win on a Honda in 2006.

The first Daytona 200 to be run at Daytona International Speedway was in 1961 with Roger Reiman taking victory on his Harley-Davidson.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of then-23-year-old Freddie Spencer’s historic victory in the Daytona 200 in what was the first year of Superbikes taking over from Formula One machines in the premier event of Bike Week.

Superbikes were featured in the race until 2005 when 600cc Formula Xtreme bikes took over. The FX class ran in the Daytona 200 until 600cc Daytona SportBikes were used, beginning in 2009 with Ben Bostrom’s victory on a Yamaha YZF-R6.

This year’s 200 will mark the start of MotoAmerica’s fifth season of using the FIM’s “Supersport Next Generation” rules in the race, with the class featuring Ducati’s Panigale V2, Suzuki’s GSX-R750, Kawasaki’s ZX-6R, Triumph’s Street Triple 765 RS, and Yamaha’s YZF-R6. Seven countries will be represented in this year’s Daytona 200. The last non-American to win the race? That would be Welshman Chaz Davies, who won “The Great American Motorcycle Race” in 2008.

Harley-Davidson Introduces $110,000 “Race Spec” Bagger Streetbike

John Ulrich
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Harley-Davidson Introduces $110,000 “Race Spec” Bagger Streetbike

NEW LIMITED-PRODUCTION HARLEY-DAVIDSON CVO ROAD GLIDE RR MOTORCYCLE BRINGS RACE-SPEC PERFORMANCE AND PRECISION TO THE STREET

Most Powerful Production Harley-Davidson Big Twin Ever Sets New Benchmark for Street-Legal Bagger Performance

Harley-Davidson has set a new benchmark for performance baggers with the introduction of the CVO™ Road Glide® RR model, the most powerful and dynamic production motorcycle ever offered in the company’s 122-year history. Leveraging knowledge and components developed by the Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing Team competing in the MotoAmerica™ Mission King of the Baggers road-racing series, the CVO™ Road Glide® RR model combines extraordinary performance with the obsessive attention to custom detail that is a hallmark of Harley-Davidson® Custom Vehicle Operation™ (CVO™) limited production motorcycles.

“Taking inspiration from the track and onto the street, the Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide RR is truly the ultimate in performance,” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, CEO and President. “With this limited series of motorcycles, we’ve taken all the lessons from the track and created the pinnacle of street-legal bagger performance.”

Production of the CVO™ Road Glide® RR model will be limited to 131 hand-assembled, serialized motorcycles available through select authorized Harley-Davidson® dealers in the United States only, with a retail price of $110,000 that includes Harley-Davidson’s 24 Months/ Unlimited Miles Limited Warranty.

Race-Inspired Styling

A graphic design inspired by the livery created for the 2025 Harley-Davidson Factory Racing Team motorcycles competing on the MotoAmerica™ Mission King of the Baggers series establishes the high-performance attitude of the CVO™ Road Glide® RR model. Solid Racing Orange color “disintegrates” into a series of bars that form the shape of the Bar & Shield logo on the fairing, tank, side covers and saddlebags. On select areas of the bodywork the dark carbon fiber weave pattern is revealed under a clearcoat finish. A white “Screamin’ Eagle” graphic flows from the fuel tank to the fairing sides. The engine is finished in Hog Black with Racing Orange highlights on the lifter tubes and rocker boxes. Wheels are finished in Gloss Black with red “CVO RR” laser etched in the rim of the front wheel.

The Harley-Davidson CVO ROAD GLIDE RR has unique graphics.

An Exclusive Powertrain

A new Screamin’ Eagle® 131 V-Twin engine is the most-powerful Milwaukee-Eight® variant ever offered factory-installed in a production Harley-Davidson® model, rated at 153 peak horsepower (114 kW) at 5750 RPM and 150 lb. ft. (204 Nm) peak torque at 4750 RPM. Displacement of 131 cubic inches (2147cc) is the same as that of the engines powering the Harley-Davidson Factory Team competition Road Glide® motorcycles. Assembled by Harley-Davidson with Screamin’ Eagle® Stage IV components, the engine is tuned to produce abundant torque at low RPM with a camshaft profile and high-volume intake designed to carry that torque through a broad powerband, with redline elevated to a 6500 RPM. The Screamin’ Eagle® 131 engine is exclusive to the CVO™ Road Glide® RR model. Key features include:

Screamin’ Eagle® 131 V-Twin engine is the most-powerful Milwaukee-Eight® variant ever offered factory-installed in a production Harley-Davidson® model.

· Screamin’ Eagle® Stage IV CNC ported cylinder heads feature fully CNC machined combustion chambers and ports. Intake (42mm) and exhaust (34mm) valves are 2mm larger than standard Milwaukee-Eight® valves for enhanced flow. Exhaust valves are fatigue-resistant Inconel. Multi-angle valve seats are fully blended to the ports and combustion chamber. The cylinder heads are liquid-cooled.

· The high-performance SE8-550 Camshaft with 0.550-inch valve lift offers increased flow at high RPM for maximum horsepower.

· A new race-inspired intake features a 68mm throttle body and a matching aluminum intake manifold to contribute to increased power output. The manifold is CNC machined to precisely match the intake ports for the smoothest possible air flow and shaped to minimize weight and to offer extra rider leg clearance. The engine breathes through a washable Screamin’ Eagle® High Flow air filter.

· These Screamin’ Eagle® internal components contribute to durability under extreme duty: Screamin’ Eagle® high-capacity valve lifters, Screamin’ Eagle® high-performance valve springs, Screamin’ Eagle® high-capacity inner camshaft bearing, and a Screamin’ Eagle® high volume oil pump. The 6.8 grams/second fuel injectors ensure adequate fuel flow at high RPM.

· A 30-tooth (30T) output sprocket provides a lower final drive ratio than the standard Road Glide® model 32-tooth sprocket (2.27:1 with 30T vs. 2.13:1 with 32T) to boost acceleration performance in every gear.

· The new Billet Clutch Basket designed by Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing is machined from U.S.-sourced high-strength 7075 aluminum with a MIL-SPEC anodized finish. It is designed with precision tolerances to reduce wear and lost motion from friction disk chatter.

· New billet aluminum powertrain covers reduce weight and have the same machined finish as covers on the Factory Race Team race bikes. The primary cover is shaped to provide additional lean angle and features added cooling fins.

· The new Akrapovič designed for Harley-Davidson Factory Racing Full Titanium Exhaust features lightweight titanium 2-into-1 header pipes, carbon fiber exhaust shields and titanium muffler shells with titanium fiber end caps. This exhaust system is more than 10 pounds lighter than a standard Milwaukee-Eight® exhaust. The high-flow design unlocks engine performance while maintaining noise and 50-state emissions compliance. Exhaust tone and level are enhanced to produce an exhilarating sound, especially on acceleration.

· A new Screamin’ Eagle® Racing King 6 Transmission has been battle-tested on Factory Race Team motorcycles and engineered for smooth shifting performance and durability. Key features include modified back-cut angles on the shift dogs to improve gear engagement and gears and shafts shot peened for strength.

High-Performance Suspension

The CVO™ Road Glide® RR motorcycle is equipped with fully adjustable premium race-spec front and rear suspension.

· Inverted 43mm Öhlins FGR 253 Hypersport Superbike forks were developed in partnership between Öhlins and Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing to offer no-compromise front suspension performance for confidence-inspiring handling. Rebound/compression damping is adjustable. Pre-load adjustment may be used to set suspension height for rider weight and desired vehicle attitude. Micro-polished inner tubes reduce friction for smooth performance, while pressurized TTX25 cartridge technology maintains damping at higher frequency to improve control, noticed by the rider as improved tire contact feel. Billet aluminum triple clamps are designed to maximize the performance of the Öhlins FGR 253 fork and use race-proven geometry combined with enhanced strength-to-weight ratio.

· Dual outboard Screamin’ Eagle® Öhlins Remote Reservoir shock absorbers feature the same technology developed for the race-prepared Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing Road Glide® bikes. Rebound/compression damping is adjustable. Pre-load adjustment may be used to set suspension height for rider weight and desired vehicle attitude. Total shock length of 14 inches (375mm) is adjustable on the rear eye +8/-2 mm. Remote reservoirs exposed between the rear fender and each saddlebag keep the shock oil and gas separated to maintain shock performance under demanding conditions.

· Front and rear suspension is designed to raise the motorcycle ride height by 2 inches which contributes to an increase in lean angle to facilitate aggressive cornering. Lean angle is 36 degrees right and 35 degrees left, an increase of 3 degrees left and right compared to the CVO™ Road Glide® ST model.

The 18-pound swingarm is CNC machined from billet 6061 aluminum.

· A new billet aluminum swingarm designed for Harley-Davidson® Factory Team race motorcycles using advanced computer-aided engineering techniques including topology optimization is 10 percent stiffer and 10 percent lighter than the steel Road Glide model swingarm to contribute to precise handling in dynamic situations. The swingarm is CNC machined from a 220-pound billet of 6061 aluminum to a state-of-the-art 18-pound performance part.

Premium Braking Components

Brembo™ braking components provide outstanding braking feel and performance for added rider confidence.

Brembo™ GP4-RX CNC front calipers combine unrivaled stability with near-MotoGP levels of braking performance. The 2-piece calipers are machined from a solid block of billet aluminum, delivering outstanding strength and tighter machining tolerances. Brake pads slide within the caliper body on special guides machined directly into the caliper body, eliminating pad pins. The GP4-RX features a nickel-plated finish adapted from MotoGP which enables enhanced heat dissipation. The hydraulic system has been painstakingly optimized with four 32mm-diameter pistons for increased braking power, consistent performance and optimized feel. The front brake hand lever is adjustable for reach to best match rider hand size or preference.

Brembo™ T-Drive front rotors have the same fixing concepts used by the Harley-Davidson Factory Race Team motorcycles. Brembo’s patented T-drive system was developed for the highest level of racing at WSBK and utilizes a fully floating action in both radial and axial directions to transfer torque more efficiently between the contact area of the rotor and carrier and optimized weight reduction. These revolutionary 320 mm rotors have an increased thickness (5.5 mm) and a premium stainless steel braking surface.

The single rear brake features a four-piston Brembo™ caliper. The rear brake rotor diameter is 300mm.


Weight Reduction

Racers understand that every pound of weight reduction is like free horsepower and can also contribute to improved fuel economy, braking performance and handling. Through the use of alternate materials and emphasizing performance features the CVO Road Glide RR model has an as shipped weight of 750 pounds, 50 pounds less that the CVO Road Glide ST model.

· Mufflers and exhaust headers are formed of lightweight titanium. Exhaust shields are lightweight carbon fiber.

· Lightweight woven carbon fiber composite is used to form the front and rear fenders, side covers, tank console, fork nacelle, and radiator shroud. Further enhancing durability, an industry first carbon fiber and Kevlar layup is used on the front faring, saddlebags, and lids.

· Billet aluminum foot peg mid controls replace traditional footboards.

· Lightweight billet aluminum powertrain covers replace standard cast covers.

· A lightweight billet aluminum swingarm replaces the standard steel swingarm.

· Lightweight Brembo T-Drive front brake rotors replace standard brake rotors.

Rider Safety Enhancements

The CVO™ Road Glide® RR model is equipped with Rider Safety Enhancements by Harley-Davidson, a collection of technologies designed to enhance rider confidence during unexpected situations or adverse road conditions. Rider Safety Enhancements are designed to match motorcycle performance to available traction during acceleration, deceleration and braking. The systems are electronic and utilize the latest chassis control, electronic brake control and powertrain technology. The elements of Rider Safety Enhancements by Harley-Davidson include:

Cornering Electronically Linked Brakes (C-ELB)

Cornering ABS (C-ABS)

Cornering Traction Control (C-TCS) with modes

Cornering Drag Torque Slip Control (C-DSCS)

Vehicle Hold Control (VHC)

Tire Pressure Monitoring (TPMS)

Ride Modes

The CVO™ Road Glide® RR model features selectable Ride Modes that electronically control the performance characteristics of the motorcycle and the level of technology intervention. Each Ride Mode consists of a specific combination of power delivery, engine braking, Cornering Antilock Braking System (C-ABS) and Cornering Traction Control System (C-TCS) settings. The rider may use the hand control MODE button to change the active ride mode while riding the motorcycle or when stopped. A unique icon for each mode appears on the display when that mode has been selected.

The CVO™ Road Glide® RR model features selectable Ride Modes.

· Road Mode: Intended for daily use, Road Mode delivers balanced performance. This mode offers less-aggressive throttle response and less mid-range engine power than Sport Mode, with a balanced level of C-ABS and C-TCS intervention.

· Sport Mode: In Sport Mode the rider can experience the full performance potential of the motorcycle in a direct and precise manner, with full power and the quickest throttle response. C-TCS is set to a lower level of intervention, and engine braking is increased.

· Rain Mode: This mode is designed to give the rider greater confidence when riding in the rain or when traction is otherwise compromised. Throttle response and power output are programmed to significantly restrain the rate of acceleration, engine braking is limited, and the highest levels of C-ABS and C-TCS intervention are selected.

· Four Custom Modes: Within each Custom Mode the customer may use the touch screen to select their combined preference of engine torque delivery characteristics, engine braking, throttle response, and C-TCS and C-ABS intervention, within specific ranges.

· Track Mode: Designed specifically for “track day” riding on a dry track/closed course, this mode was developed with input from Harley-Davidson® Factory Team racer Kyle Wyman with the desired throttle mapping for best feel of torque delivery in a racetrack environment. This gives the rider smooth, repeatable throttle response on corner exits. Full power performance is on tap. Rear-to-front electronically linked braking is disabled to allow independent rear trail braking capability and consistent front lever feel. C-ABS and C-TCS intervention are set to a reduced level of intervention to allow greater rider control.

· Track Plus Mode: This mode is intended for experienced riders who want maximum control on a dry track/closed course with benefits of Rider Safety Enhancements working in the background. In addition to the specially tuned power delivery of Track Mode, Track Plus Mode disables electronically linked braking entirely, giving full independent control of both brakes to the rider. The C-ABS setting has an even further reduced level of intervention which permits a significantly higher level of rear wheel slip under braking or aggressive downshifts to further enhance rider control in a track setting. The C-TCS intervention is set to its lowest level to maximize both straight line and cornering acceleration and put control in the rider’s throttle hand.

Performance Ergonomics

Ergonomics have been designed to place the rider in a position that combines comfort with confident control in any street or track riding environment.

· New mid-mount foot controls replace footboards to maintain the increased lean angle achieved by elevating the ride height. Pegs are positioned to optimize the rider triangle and to make shifting and braking more efficient during dynamic riding. Foot pegs and controls are machined from billet aluminum to reduce weight and provide race-ready style.

· A new race-inspired solo seat places the rider in an athletic riding position, enhances vehicle control by optimizing rider center of mass and improves the rider triangle related to the mid-controls. The seating position is elevated by approximately 1 inch to facilitate a comfortable rider triangle distance to the mid-mount foot controls. A raised rear bolster helps hold the rider in position during aggressive riding. The padded pommel on the rear of the fuel tank is a racing-derived feature which allows the rider to brace their inner thigh under hard braking and support themselves while using body position to enhance cornering control. Laden seat height is 28.9 in. (735 mm) which is 2.3 inches higher than the Road Glide® model.

· A Moto Bar handlebar and 6-inch riser put the rider in a more upright position compared to the Road Glide® model. The riser is 2.2 inches taller than the Road Glide® riser, while the Moto Bar handlebar has a much flatter bend than the Road Glide® handlebar.

High-Performance Audio

The CVO™ Road Glide® RR model debuts a new premium, high-performance Harley-Davidson® Audio powered by Rockford Fosgate® Stage III audio system. Two fairing-mounted Harley-Davidson® Audio powered by Rockford Fosgate® Stage III 3-way, 6.5-inch speakers are rated for 250 watts RMS power handling per speaker. The system is powered by a Harley-Davidson® Audio powered by Rockford Fosgate® 4-channel, 500-watt RMS amplifier. The speakers feature Racing Orange Stage III trim rings and grille inserts.

Additional Features

· The aggressive and aerodynamic Road Glide® model fairing incorporates a brilliant LED headlamp and LED signature lighting with turn signal lamps seamlessly integrated within the outer portions of the signature lighting, eliminating separate signals for a cleaner over-all look. The inner fairing incorporates left and right-side media storage compartments, each sized to hold most current mobile phones in a case. The right compartment is equipped with a USB-C connection point.

· A 5-inch dark smoke Wind Splitter windshield offers the ideal combination of effective airflow management and performance styling.

· A suite of infotainment technology, powered by the exclusive Skyline™ OS, is presented on a 12.3-inch (diagonal measurement) touchscreen display. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® enable wireless connection to a rider’s device or headset for wireless Apple CarPlay and to provide live services such as traffic, weather and map updates. Embedded navigation is factory-activated. The CVO™ Road Glide® RR ships with a single wireless headset. Over The Air (OTA) software updates may be downloaded through the Skyline™ OS when the system is connected to a Wi-Fi network.

· Hard-shell saddlebags offer 2.42 cubic feet of lockable luggage capacity.

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 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.

About Harley-Davidson

Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company of Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services. Our vision: Building our legend and leading our industry through innovation, evolution and emotion. Our mission: More than building machines, we stand for the timeless pursuit of adventure. Freedom for the soul. Since 1903, Harley-Davidson has defined motorcycle culture with an expanding range of leading-edge, distinctive and customizable motorcycles in addition to riding experiences and exceptional motorcycle accessories, riding gear and apparel. Harley-Davidson Financial Services provides financing, insurance and other programs to help get Harley-Davidson riders on the road. Learn more at www.harley-davidson.com

Daytona 200 Monument “Gathering of Champions” Honoring Michelle Lindsay (RIP) March 5th

John Ulrich
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0
Daytona 200 Monument “Gathering of Champions” Honoring Michelle Lindsay (RIP) March 5th

DAYTONA 200 MONUMENT 2025 “GATHERING OF CHAMPIONS” ANNUAL EVENT

This year’s event is set for Wednesday, March 5, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. till noon at the
DAYTONA 200 MONUMENT.

The Daytona 200 Monument is located beach side on the Boardwalk next to the Historic Bandshell and in front of the Hilton Hotel Beachside (100 N. Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL). Please note there is no beach front boardwalk parking at the monument, so attendees can park in the Ocean Walk public parking garage on A1A and it is a short walk to the Monument. The event is open to the public and all motorcyclists in town for Daytona Bike Week.

 

During the 2025 Daytona 200 Monument’s “Gathering of Champions” event there will be 10 new personalized granite plaques unveiled and 54 personalized paver bricks.

This year’s plaque unveilings include:

• Dave Despain, well-respected announcer, and TV personality

• Mike Trimby, Daytona 200 racer and founder of IRTA and his wife, Irene

• Gary “Too Fast” Fisher, road racer

•The late Michelle Lindsay Wilson, four-time Daytona 200 Champion TOBC Racing Team Owner

• Bobby Decker, dirt track racer

• Mikey Buman II, Speedway racer

• Roger Crump, 1974 Daytona Short Track racer

• Drag Racer Curly Jim Fontaine and his wife Kim

• Donald “Skip” Eaken, legendary tuner

• Kathy Rall Estep, Dave Estep, Donnie Estep, Ronnie Rall and Norbert Rall,
Estep Rall Racing

The event is hosted by Cristy Klamfoth, daughter of Daytona 200 Monument founders Bev and Dick Klamfoth, along with her husband, Al Charles.

Noted race announcers Richard Chambers and Pat Gonsalves will emcee the event and introduce this year’s plaque and brick sponsors and help us relive Daytona racing stories of the past.

The celebration continues Thursday, March 6, 2025, at 8:00 am with the annual “Over The Hill Gang” Breakfast at the Eagles Lodge (5130 South Ridgewood Ave, in Port Orange).
There are no reservations required, and tickets are available at the door.
Bring your stories and claim your bragging rights.

The Daytona 200 Monument was the dream of three-time Daytona 200 Champion Dick Klamfoth and his wife Bev as a place to honor the great riders who had won on the Beach.

Over the years, the Daytona 200 Monument has grown to embrace all the Daytona 200 Champions as well as Champions from all forms of racing and the Motorcycle Industry. Daytona Beach Bike Week attendees continue to support the Monument and return each year to celebrate and remember their visit to this famous beach.

For more information contact Cristy or AL Via email [email protected] or visit daytona200monument.com.

MotoAmerica: Sean Dylan Kelly On The GSX-R1000R: “The Bike Is Fast …”

Michael Gougis
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0
MotoAmerica: Sean Dylan Kelly On The GSX-R1000R: “The Bike Is Fast …”

2021 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion Sean Dylan Kelly was enthusiastic after his first three days of testing the Team Hammer Suzuki GSX-R1000R Superbike at The Podium Club in Arizona. On the final day, Kelly was 0.935-seconds off the best time set by five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier, and Kelly did his time on a harder-compound rear tire.

 

Sean Dylan Kelly, right, confers with data technician Nick Ciling during the MotoAmerica test at The Podium Club. Photo by Michael Gougis.

Kelly spent 2024 on a BMW M 1000 RR Superbike in MotoAmerica, and will work in 2025 with his crew chief from last year, Jeremy Toye. Nick Ciling will handle electronics for Kelly. Ciling was the electronics technician last year for Bobby Fong, who won two Superbike races, led the Championship and ultimately finished third on a satellite Yamaha YZF-R1.

“It’s definitely a change. First impressions are definitely positive. The bike has power. The bike is fast. There’s definitely a lot of grip. I need to suit the bike to my riding style, and I need to adapt to the bike. We’ve definitely got work to do, and that’s why we’re out here,” Kelly said at the track.

Moving to the MotoAmerica Superbike class was good for Kelly as a racer. He won his first Superbike race toward the end of the year, adding it to several podiums throughout the season. He really enjoys the step up in power from the Moto2 class where he raced the two years prior, although the step comes with the complication of adding electronic riding aids into the mix.

“Superbike right now as a class is the most fun I’ve ever had. Jumping from the Moto2 to the BMW for me last year was amazing. It was obviously a lot to learn, too, being the first time I’ve ever run with electronics. So there was a lot to learn. But every weekend, more came, and at the end of the day it showed with the results as well.”

Familiar surroundings and a fast, fun motorcycle mean that Kelly is looking forward to the upcoming season.

“I’m happy that I have a really good crew, and everyone is motivated to put this bike back on the top,” Kelly says.

MotoAmerica: Dunlop Details Tire Changes For 2025 Season

Michael Gougis
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0
MotoAmerica: Dunlop Details Tire Changes For 2025 Season

MotoAmerica’s Supersport competitors will be using softer tires on the rear this season, and Talent Cup competitors will be using new profile tires to match the needs of the pure racing chassis on the new Kramer APX-350 MA machines they will be racing.

Dunlop’s Tony Romo told Roadracing World during the recent MotoAmerica pre-season test at The Podium Club that the standard Supersport rear tire will change from a 180/65 to a 180/60. The change will give competitors more grip at corner apex at the cost of less grip as they transition to driving out of the corner.

 

The Dunlop tent at The Podium Club for the pre-season MotoAmerica tire test. Photo by Michael Gougis.

In addition, the rear will be offered in the softer R4 and R6 compounds, to change the balance between speed and lap time and increased tire degradation. The idea is to add more of an element of strategy and tire management to the races. One of the comments Moto2 World Championship riders made about the slicks Dunlop used to provide for that class was that the tires were not the stickiest but were absolutely consistent throughout the entire distance of a Moto2 race. Riders appreciated the consistency but it reduced the importance of tire management, a key variable in the racing.

The Talent Cup tires will be nominally the same size as the tires on the Junior Cup machines that have been replaced for the 2025 season. However, the profile – especially on the rear – will change to wrap the tread further around the edges of the tire. The Kramer, with its purpose-built chassis, is capable of much greater lean angles than the streetbikes used in the Junior Cup, so require tires that provide the necessary footprint at those lean angles.

Tires for the other classes – Superbike, King of The Baggers, Twins Cup and Super Hooligans – will be the same as last season, Romo said, although testing of new tires will be ongoing.

The 2025 MotoAmerica season starts with the non-points-paying Daytona 200 on March 8, and the Talent Cup is scheduled to kick off at the MotoGP World Championship round at Circuit of The Americas March 28-30.

Supercross Results From Daytona

John Ulrich
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0
Supercross Results From Daytona

Ken Roczen Conquers Daytona Supercross

RJ Hampshire Earns Win in 250SX Class

Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen became the sixth different Monster Energy AMA Supercross winner of the season in just the first eight rounds of racing. Roczen put in a strong charge just before the race’s midpoint to push from fourth place into the lead and earn his career-first Daytona Supercross victory in his 11th attempt. The win also marked Suzuki’s first since 2009 at the iconic speedway.

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb challenged for the lead in the later laps but after a small mistake, settled for second place. His fifth runner-up finish inside the Daytona international Speedway Trioval helped him retain the title points lead. After leading laps early, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger grabbed his first podium of the season when he crossed the checkered flag in third place. In the Eastern Divisional 250SX Class, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire took the win at Round 3 of that Championship to also claim his first victory at the storied venue.

Daytona 450 Supercross winner Ken Roczen. Feld Motorsports photo.

450SX Winner Ken Roczen: “I honestly still can’t believe it… I had some really good lines. When you make those passes you have to put your head down or else they’ll retaliate and come back. I was just charging the whole time, trying to get a gap. Coming out of these turns it was really rutty, and very easy to make a mistake, but I just kept my head down and charged the whole way. I seriously cannot believe that this finally happened… This is a dream come true.”

Cooper Webb finished second in the 450 Supercross race at Daytona, and retained the red number plate signifying that he’s leading the points. Feld Motorsports photo.

450SX Second Place Cooper Webb’s championship lead grew from 5 points to 10 points with his Daytona finish: “You can’t make mistakes, as many as I did, and expect to win. I’m a little bit bummed. Kenny rode great. He was charging through, he got around me, he made the pass stick on AP, and he pulled away. That put the urgency on me and I just made too many mistakes after that. So I’m a bit bummed, but overall from a points perspective it was a great night. Yeah, another second place here… We’ll regroup, try to get it going again in Indy, and not be so complacent this next weekend..”

Aaron Plessinger finished third in the featured 450cc Supercross class at Daytona. Feld Motorsports photo.

450SX Third Place Aaron Plessinger: “I’m pretty satisfied [with this podium], after the start of the season. First off, I want to dedicate this to my buddy who just got diagnosed with cancer. Jessie Waters, he’s back at home watching, this one’s for you… After two 22nd place finishes, a 7th, 8th, 9th, it’s been a ride. But we pulled it off. I love this track, I love this place, and you know we’re always doing it for Dale [points to his Dale Earnhardt #3 shirt he threw over his jersey]. It’s a good night..”

450SX Class podium (riders left to right) Cooper Webb, Ken Roczen, and Aaron Plessinger. Feld Motorsports photo.

 

250SX

In 250SX Class racing, RJ Hampshire fought hard to capture an emotional first win at Daytona. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle captured the Holeshot and set the pace for the early laps. He relinquished the lead to Hampshire shortly before a red flag re-start tightened up the pack with under eight minutes left on the race clock. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker rounded out the 250SX Class podium after a pass late in the race with less than two laps remaining.

RJ Hampshire celebrated an emotional 250SX race win, remembering his recently deceased father. Feld Motorsports photo.

250SX Winner Class RJ Hampshire was alternatingly poignant and joyous on the podium: “It’s special. I lost my dad a few months ago and this was his race. Growing up as a kid, this is where I came with him. It was the only Supercross I came to. And he was with us today. Some guy came up to me in the pits and had his old jersey that he raced with back in the day, that was something I never had. He gifted me that and – it just felt different today, man, like my dad was definitely here… Finally got to burn one [a victory burnout on the banked track] down here in Daytona, that was for my dad, for sure.”

Tom Vialle (#1) finished second in 250SX at Daytona. Feld Motorsports photo.

250SX Second Place Tom Vialle: “I was leading for a couple laps and [Hampshire] passed me in the race [before the re-start]. It was hard. The track is really tough and tricky here. We were pretty much the same speed, for the entire moto I was not far [behind], but I couldn’t make a move, to be honest… I made a few mistakes on the rhythm… and maybe that cost me the win tonight. But I’m happy to be on the podium. It’s still a long championship and we are right there.” – Tom Vialle (#1 in photo)

250SX Third Place Seth Hammaker: “I’m really pumped to get back up here on the podium. It’s two years in a row I’m here on the podium in Daytona. This track never lets you down; it’s a fight out there, and I fought hard all the way until the end. I feel really good about that one. We’ll keep the momentum rolling into the East/West Showdown next weekend.” – Seth Hammaker

The SMX Next series raced its second round of 2025 and Kawasaki Team Green’s Landen Gordon took the win in an action-filled race, repeating his win from the first SMX Next event earlier this season at the Glendale round. Nabbing second was Kawasaki Team Green’s Enzo Temmerman, who locked handlebars with another rider at the start and fought his way all the way to second place; Like Gordon, the result duplicated Temmerman’s Glendale finish. Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Jesson Turner rounded out the podium after clawing his way to third in the closing laps.

SMX Next Class Winner Landen Gordon: “The fans are – it’s insane and I truly have no words. I’m just trying to soak it all in. I was a little fortunate there that Fedortsov’s bike malfunctioned [with what appeared to be a flat rear tire while Fedortsov was leading], but I’ll take it how I can get it. I’m super pumped on my bike and my team. All the hard work we’ve put in, my dad, my mom, my family watching back home. Yeah, I’m just going to soak it in, that was awesome.”

The Daytona Supercross pays points toward both the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross season as well as toward the SMX World Championship post-season, which seeds racers from Supercross and the AMA Pro Motocross championships into two Playoffs and the SMX World Championship.

For fans awaiting the Supercross season to come to their city, live and on-demand viewing is available on Peacock. Select events are also broadcast or streamed on NBC, CNBC, USA Network, and NBC Sports digital platforms. Telemundo Deportes’ Facebook and YouTube channels provide Spanish-language coverage in the US, while live international coverage can be accessed through the SuperMotocross Video Pass (supermotocross.tv) with English, Spanish and French language broadcasts. Each round can also be heard live on NBC Sports Audio on SiriusXM Channel 85.

The series returns to a domed stadium on Saturday, March 8th, inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Round 9 will also serve as the series’ annual Love Moto Stop Cancer race, honoring patients of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The first gate drops at 7:00 p.m. ET next Saturday. The Indy Supercross will host the season’s first of three 250SX Class East/West Showdowns in which racers from each division compete for single-event points. For more information, race results, live timing, video highlights, and ticket sales to attend an event please visit SupercrossLIVE.com.

450 results
https://results.supercrosslive.com/results/?p=view_race_result&id=5724284

250 results
https://results.supercrosslive.com/results/?p=view_race_result&id=5724219

MotoGP : World Championship Race Results From Thailand

Mathilde Gasnier
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0
MotoGP : World Championship Race Results From Thailand

Pole-sitter and Sprint Race winner Marc Marquez won the MotoGP World Championship race Sunday at Chang International Circuit, in Thailand. Riding his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25 on Michelin control tires, the six-time MotoGP World Champion won the 26-lap race by 1.732 seconds.

Alex Marquez was the runner-up on his BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici.

Two-time MotoGP World Champion Francesco Bagnaia placed third on his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25.

Franco Morbidelli took fourth on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team Ducati.

Impressive rookie Ai Ogura crossed the finish line fifth on his Trackhouse MotoGP Team Aprilia RS-GP.

For the championship, Alex Marquez is 8 points behind his brother Marc Marquez who has 37 points. Francesco Bagnaia is third with 23 points.

 

MotogpRaceClassification
 Motogpworldstanding

 

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

 

Strategic masterclass sees Marc Marquez double up in Buriram stand-off. Becoming the first rider to win on their Ducati Grand Prix debut since Casey Stoner in 2007, Marc Marquez departs Thailand with a perfect start to his title charge. 

The goosebumps of the season-opening Grand Prix are always special and the moment finally came to fruition as the PT Grand Prix of Thailand launched MotoGP™ in 2025. A tactical race with plenty of talking points, it was six-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) who bagged 25 points in a race where the results don’t tell the entire story.

AS IT HAPPENED: Marquez holeshots before relinquishing lead

Grabbing the holeshot and seizing the initiative in a repeat of the Sprint on Saturday, Marc Marquez lead them through the opening laps. Brother Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) was second whilst Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) occupied P3. Another good start from Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) saw him briefly inside the podium places on Lap 1 but he was soon shuffled back. Pedro Acosta’s (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) charge in the leading places soon came to an abrupt end with a fall at Turn 1 on Lap 4.

The race looked to be taking a familiar tone to the Sprint but you can never guarantee anything in the most exciting sport on Earth. On Lap 7, coming out of Turn 3, leader Marquez seemingly slowed down with no apparent or visual reason. He slotted in behind his brother, who assumed the lead of the Grand Prix; whilst Marc may not have led every lap of the year, a Marquez has. Whether it was for tyre pressure concerns, tyre/fuel conservation or another factor, we now had a tense Grand Prix at the front between the rival siblings.

BATTLES ELSEWHERE: Miller in contention, Mir top ten goes begging

Further back, there was a good fight for sixth place with Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP), Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) and Joan Mir (HRC Honda Castrol). However, for Mir, the 2020 World Champion’s optimism turned to despair as he fell on Lap 16 at Turn 12, tucking the front and unable to remount.

Maintaining the status quo for the next handful of laps at the front, Marc remained glued to his brother; on Lap 18, Pecco was likewise just a second back but after a couple more laps, started slipping back but was in a safe third place ahead of the #21 of Franco Morbidelli. Having initially looked as if he didn’t have the pace to go with the leading brothers, the #63 closed back in.

DECISIVE MOVE: Marc attacks with 3 to go

It came too late to have a say though as on Lap 23 at Turn 12, Marc attacked Alex and retook the lead. All eyes were now on whether or not the #73 had anything left in the locker the six-time MotoGP Champion had it all under control. 93 Grand Prix weekends after he last led the World Championship, Marc Marquez doubled up at the Destination of Speed and took his first Grand Prix victory in the red of Ducati. A 112th podium, he matches ex-teammate at Honda Dani Pedrosa in the rostrum rankings.

Bagnaia closed in on Alex as the race reached its climax but couldn’t have a say, with Alex holding on and joining his brother on the podium. Pecco’s third place means the top three from the Sprint emphasized their strength with a repeat showing in Sunday’s Grand Prix. Morbidelli clinched fourth place ahead of an impressive Ogura, who can be proud of a double top five on his debut weekend to welcome him up to MotoGP. Ogura’s result is the best by a rookie in a Grand Prix since 2013 – some kid called Marc Marquez back then. It’s also the first top five for a Japanese rider in a Grand Prix since 2021’s Styrian GP, with Takaaki Nakagami also in P5. Bezzecchi fought through for P6 ahead of a late-charging Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR), already bettering Honda’s best result from last year at the same Grand Prix.

BEST OF THE REST: Binder and Bastianini come through

Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) had a quiet race to P8, ahead of a resurgent Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) who turned his pre-season woes into Grand Prix gains in ninth; Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) came through to deny Jack Miller the final place within the top ten, although Miller’s first Grand Prix with Yamaha saw him as the top representative for the Iwata manufacturer.

With Miller taking P11, Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) was next up and saw off pressure from rookie Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), Miguel Oliveira (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), with the 2021 World Champion having a nightmare opening lap where he was as low as 18th and never really recovering. Home-hero Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) took 18th, just five seconds from points on his debut.

 

Moto2: World Championship Race Results From Buriram

Mathilde Gasnier
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0
Moto2: World Championship Race Results From Buriram

Manuel Gonzalez won the FIM Moto2 World Championship race Sunday at Chang International Circuit, in Thailand. Riding his Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex on Pirelli control tires, the Spaniard won the 22-lap race by 2.600 second.

Spaniard Aron Canet was the runner-up on his Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO Kalex.

Australian (and the winner’s teammate), Senna Agius, was third. 

Brazilian Diogo Moreira finished fourth on his Italtrans Racing Team Kalex.

Spaniard Marcos Ramirez  took fifth on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex and his teammate and American Joe Roberts finished the opening race 18th. 

MOTO2RaceClassification
 Moto2worldstanding

 

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Gonzalez unbeatable in Buriram as Agius earns P3. The #18 produced a dominant ride to beat Canet by over two seconds in Thailand, with Australia’s Agius recovering from a Long Lap penalty to grab a podium. 

Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) produced an inch perfect performance at the Thai Grand Prix to collect the first Moto2 victory honours of the season. Aron Canet (Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO) claimed a solid second place as Senna Agius makes it two Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP riders on the rostrum despite being handed a Long Lap penalty following an incident with Celestino Vietti (Team HDR Heidrun).

The early frontrunner on his Triumph-powered Boscoscuro was Vietti but Gonzalez was clinging right onto the tailpipes of the Italian, with the latter’s teammate Agius enjoying a fantastic start to the race to sit in P3. By Lap 12 of 22, Gonzalez was at the front and beginning to pull the pin. The gap was up to 1.9s as Agius locked onto the back of Vietti.

Then, drama. Agius showed a wheel to Vietti’s left hand side through Turn 10 and there was contact made. It was enough to see Vietti slide out of contention, Agius was wide and lost a heap of time, which allowed Canet to climb into second place. That controversial collision meant Gonzalez was now over three seconds ahead at the front, with Agius handed a Long Lap penalty for his involvement.

In the closing stages, Gonzalez and Canet were comfortable in P1 and P2, with Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) – who picked off Agius after the Australian’s mistake – starting to come under pressure from the recovering #81. The move came at Turn 12 with three laps to go, before Moreira bit back at Turn 1. Agius was back into P3 at Turn 3, but Moreira didn’t throw in the sweat drenched towel. The duo exchanged positions five times on Lap 21 of 22, with Agius holding the final podium spot coming onto the final lap.

And after the superb Gonzalez clinched a second Moto2 win, and Canet crossed the line to collect a valuable 20 points, Agius held onto third place to beat Moreira by 0.251s. Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing Team) rounded out the top five, the Andalucian eventually fending off Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO) and Jake Dicon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) by just over one and a half seconds – the Briton acting as the lead Boscoscuro rider in Thailand.

Top rookie honours went the way of the incredibly impressive Daniel Holgado as the CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team star bagged P8, the Spaniard finishing ahead of Filip Salač (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) and Alonso Lopez (Team HDR Heidrun).

Further down, there were points gained by rookie Adrian Huertas (Italtrans Racing Team) in P14, with Indonesia’s Mario Aji (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) picking up a fifth P15 finish.

Victories don’t get much more comfortable than that. Gonzalez lays down an early gauntlet in Moto2 as attention turns to Round 2 in Argentina.

Moto3 : World Championship Race Results From Thailand

Mathilde Gasnier
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0
Moto3 : World Championship Race Results From Thailand

Jose Antonio Rueda won the FIM Moto3 World Championship race Sunday at Chang International Circuit, in Thailand. Using his Pirelli-shod Red Bull KTM Ajo, the Spaniard won the 19-lap race by 7.276 second.

His rookie teammate and Spaniard Alvaro Carpe was the runner-up.

The Spanish rider Adrian Fernandez was third, just 0.065 second behind Carpe, on his Leopard Racing Honda. 

 

Moto3RaceClassification
 moto3worldstanding

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Rueda eases to Buriram victory, teammate Carpe stuns in P2. In a chaotic Moto3™ Grand Prix, it was Jose Antonio Rueda’s experience that saw him take victory whilst his rookie teammate grabbed attention on his debut. 

Grand Prix Sunday is off to flying start as the Moto3™ World Championship rocketed into life at the Chang International Circuit. The PT Grand Prix of Thailand’s main race day started with plenty of talking points but coming out of the drama unscathed and opening his victory account in 2025, Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) stayed clear of trouble to take a second career victory.

RACE STORY: early incidents with big impacts

As we so often see in Moto3, the opening exchanges were hotly contested, with Rueda leading from the front from polesitter Matteo Bertelle (LEVEL-UP MTA), but the second-place baton was being swapped plenty of times as the riders fought for position. There was opening lap drama for rookies Cormac Buchanan (BOE Motorsports) and Eddie O’Shea (GRYD – MLav Racing), with the New Zealander taking out the Brit in a last corner-first lap incident.

With 13 laps to go, a lead group of 13 had formed after home hero Tatchakorn Buasri (Honda Team Asia) crashed out of contention with Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3). Then, Buasri’s teammate Taiyo Furusato had his podium hopes ended at Turn 3 with 12 laps to go. Now, it was a front bunch of 12 riders but two more then dropped out of the podium fight. Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) went off at Turn 3 after a collision with David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Intact Dynavolt), the latter receiving a Long Lap Penalty but crashing out on Lap 13 before he had the chance to take it.

With all the incidents and scrapping in the group, Rueda took his opportunity to bolt clear and instilled a two-second gap between him and the likes of Stefano Nepa (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) and rookie revelation Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo). With just five laps to go, Joel Kelso (LEVEL-UP MTA) got it all wrong at Turn 12 and took out Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI). The latter rejoined but Kelso was out.

CLOSING STAGES: a fierce fight for P2

The final laps were all about the battle for P2; Fernandez was looking at equalling his career-best finish, Carpe at a debut podium and Nepa – with more starts than any current Moto3 rider on the grid – a career-first podium. Up the road by 7 seconds, Rueda took a second win of his career and would find his teammate alongside him in P2, a magnificent debut for Carpe. Fernandez took P3 and denied Nepa a first appearance on the rostrum, whilst Matteo Bertelle took P5 despite starting from pole.

There was late heartbreak for Britain’s Scott Ogden who crashed at the last corner on the last lap after contact with David Almansa (Leopard Racing) and despite his best efforts to not crash, it ended in the gravel, just metres from the finishing line. Dennis Foggia’s (CFMOTO Aspar Team) return to Moto3 thus saw him in P6, with Almansa P7, Rossi promoted into eighth and the top ten rounded out by Joel Esteban (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) and the recovering Lunetta. Points were scored on his debut for Ruche Moodley in 11th, whilst the rest of the scorers were Piqueras, Marco Uriarte (GRYD – MLav Racing), Adrian Cruces (CIP Green Power) and Buchanan, who remounted after his Lap 1 fall to take the final place and point.

 

MotoGP: Pirelli Supplying MotoGP Tires From 2027

Start of the Moto2 World Championship race in Barcelona. Pirelli supplies tires for the Moto2 and Moto3 World Championships. Photo by Michael Gougis.

Pirelli will become the official tyre supplier to MotoGP from 2027. A new five-year contract until 2031 inclusive, currently being finalised, will coincide with a new era for the sport as new MotoGP bikes and technical regulations debut in 2027.

The strategy of having a single supplier in the paddock will provide the perfect development ladder for the champions of tomorrow to hone their craft on their way to the top. Further details on the tyre allocations and specifications to be supplied by Pirelli will be announced soon.

Pirelli currently supply Moto2, Moto3 and much of the Road to MotoGP. Now, their presence in the sport will expand to the pinnacle of racing, MotoGP, and into MotoE™, the electric World Championship.

Michelin will remain the exclusive supplier for MotoGP and MotoE until the end of the current technical regulations, at the close of the 2026 season.

Over the next two seasons Michelin will continue to provide its technical support, its products and world class technology, assuring the safety, performance and racing which makes MotoGP the most exciting sport on Earth.

As a pioneer in world-class electric motorcycle racing, Michelin will remain committed to MotoE throughout 2025 and 2026, continuing to innovate and to make its tyres—already featuring a high percentage of renewable and recycled materials—even more sustainable.

MotoAmerica: Herrin Going For Fourth Daytona 200 Win

The lead pack, including race winner Josh Herrin (2), heads through the tri-oval at Daytona International Speedway a year ago. Herrin’s win was his second Daytona 200 victory in a row and his third overall. Photo By Brian J. Nelson.

Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Josh Herrin will roll into Daytona International Speedway this week riding high with a level of confidence that only comes from winning two Daytona 200s in a row, and three overall. He’s not “Mr. Daytona” yet, but a fourth win would put him just one trip to Victory Lane away from making it a three-way tie with Scott Russell and Miguel Duhamel, who both have five wins.

But first things first. There’s a race to be run and it is historically one of the more difficult to win. You need to be quick, and you need a motorcycle that is fast and a pit crew that is both fast and mistake-free. You also need to have the instinct of being in the right place at the right time to win a last-lap battle to the tri-oval and the checkered flag that awaits there.

And you need Lady Luck riding pillion.

Case in point: Most of the winners of the Daytona 200 have only won once in the race’s 82-year history. Seven racers have won twice, six have won three and one has won four. Only Russell and Duhamel have won five.

And none of them have won three in a row.

Herrin and his three victories will be joined on the grid by another multi-time winner, TOBC Racing’s Danny Eslick. “Slick” has four Daytona 200 wins (2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018) and he’s back for another try in 2025.

Herrin’s first win, meanwhile, came in 2010, 14 years before his third win in the 82nd edition of “The Great American Motorcycle Race” this past March.

The Daytona 200 – Can Someone Stop Herrin?

Thirty-six riders will attempt to qualify for the 83rd running of the Daytona 200 on five different brands of motorcycles. The grid is again international with riders from six different countries represented with the Brits leading the foreign charge with six entries, one of whom is a 14-time Isle of Man TT winner and the all-time lap record holder on the Island with an average speed of 136.358 mph – Peter Hickman. The PHR Performance Triumph-mounted Hickman will be making his second start in the 200 after making his debut in the race last year.

Speaking of the TT, Ulsterman Michael Dunlop (yes, the 29-time Isle of Man TT winner) will compete in his second Daytona 200, and he’ll be aboard a Milwaukee Ducati MD Racing Panigale V2 this time around. In 2021, Dunlop finished 11th on a Kawasaki ZX-6R.

Last year, the Daytona 200 wasn’t the thriller we’ve come to expect. As always, there was a large pack of riders in the lead group until the pack was thinned down during the first pit stop. For all practical purposes, Herrin won the race in the first pit stop with his team turning in a quick performance while his closest challenger, Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante, had a stop that was quite the opposite. From that point forward, Herrin was never threatened.

Escalante will be back this year, hoping Lady Luck speaks better Spanish than she does English. Escalante was robbed of what seemed to be a sure second place last year when he ran out of gas, coasting around for what would end up being a fourth-place finish. On the track, Escalante was fifth, but he moved up a spot when Bobby Fong was DQ’d for having a fuel tank that exceeded the legal size.

Escalante’s teammate, 19-year-old Tyler Scott, will be back with another year of racing under his belt. Scott took full advantage of Escalante’s bad luck last year to finish second, some 45 seconds behind Herrin. Scott did a lot of learning, and he should prove to be a threat in this year’s big race.

Hayden Gillim rode the Vesrah Suzuki to third place last year, but he won’t be racing in this year’s 200. The fan-favorite will, however, be in the two Mission King Of The Baggers races this weekend.

The fastest of the Brits in 2024 was Hickman’s PHR Performance Triumph teammate, Richard Cooper. Cooper is one to watch for as he ran in the lead pack until a crash took him out of the race.

As previously mentioned, four-time Daytona 200 winner Danny Eslick is entered for the 200 on a TOBC Racing Triumph Street Triple 765 RS. Eslick certainly isn’t a favorite to win a fifth 200, but this is Daytona. Anything can happen.

Brandon Paasch has two Daytona 200 wins to his credit, and he’s self-entered on another TOBC Racing Triumph. Paasch is serious about Daytona and is spending his own money to make it happen. If he pulls it all together, he is an obvious favorite.

Another Daytona first timer with a wealth of racing experience is Brit Danny Webb. Webb, a former 125cc GP, Moto3, World Supersport, Endurance World Championship, and Isle of Man TT competitor, will ride a Team Classic Suzuki GSX-R750 in the 200.

The Truelove brothers, Harry and Matt, are back for another Daytona 200 on their Truelove Brothers Racing Suzuki GSX-R750s.

Mission King Of The Baggers: Going Euro

The most American championship series in the history of American road racing is bringing two riders from across the pond to compete for the 2025 Mission King Of The Baggers Championship, giving the series a truly international flair.

With Australian Troy Herfoss returning to defend his 2024 Mission King Of The Baggers title, three of the six factory rides are now in the hands of international stars.

The newbies to the championship are Frenchman Loris Baz, who will join Herfoss and Tyler O’Hara as the third rider on the S&S/Indian Motorcycle “Wrecking Crew,” and Brit Bradley Smith, who joins the Harley-Davidson x Dynojet Factory Racing team of Kyle Wyman and part-timer James Rispoli.

Former World Superbike, MotoAmerica Superbike and MotoGP racer Baz finished fifth in last year’s MotoAmerica Superbike Championship on a factory Ducati Panigale V4 R but was left looking for a ride at season’s end when the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team announced that they would run just one Superbike in 2025, and it would be ridden by defending MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Josh Herrin. Baz was part of a tryout/test with Indian in the offseason. He was fast and a deal was done, making him the first Frenchman to take part in the American V-twin series.

Baz’s Baggers debut on his Harley-Davidson Road Glide will also be his initiation to racing on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway, which has been the Frenchman’s childhood dream.

When 35-year-old Smith lines up at Daytona, it will be his MotoAmerica debut and his first laps at Daytona. The well-traveled Brit has competed in MotoGP, Moto2, MotoE, 125cc GP (now Moto3), World Supersport and the World Superbike Championship. He most recently served as a test rider for BMW’s World Superbike effort.

Even though Baz and Smith have impressive international racing resumes, Herfoss will begin the season as the favorite and rightfully so after his seven-win 2024 season earned him the title in his rookie season of both Mission King Of The Baggers and MotoAmerica. Almost every track that Herfoss visited in 2024 was new to him, Daytona included, but he proved to be a quick study. The Aussie learned a lot in the two Daytona Baggers races last year as he finished a close second in both races to the man he battled with in a championship fight that went to the very last race of the season.

That man was Harley-Davidson x Dynojet Factory Racing’s Kyle Wyman, the winningest rider in Mission King Of The Baggers history with 18 career victories. Wyman has a zillion laps around Daytona International Speedway, including the all-important last laps and the drafting battles that can win or lose you races in Daytona.

Wyman will have two teammates at Daytona. The aforementioned Smith and Rispoli, who is back for a second year with the factory team. This time it will be on a limited schedule that includes at least Daytona and Road America. Rispoli will also be making his Mission Super Hooligan National Championship debut on a KWR Racing Harley-Davidson Pan America.

RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson will field the same team as last year, with 2023 Mission King Of The Baggers Champion Hayden Gillim again teaming up with rising star Rocco Landers, who ended the 2024 season fourth in the series standings with two victories late in the season. Gillim, meanwhile, ended up in a tie with his teammate for third in the title chase, but the Kentuckian earned the spot with three victories to Landers’ two wins.

The Saddlemen Race Development team will be a two-man effort for 2025 with Cory West and Jake Lewis set to ride the team’s Harley-Davidson Road Glides.

New to Mission King Of The Baggers racing is South African Cameron Petersen. Petersen will see double duty this year as he will ride the SDI Racing Indian Challenger, making his debut in the class at Daytona. Petersen will also ride a Celtic/Economy Lube & Tire by Warhorse HSBK Ducati Panigale V2 in the MotoAmerica Motovation Supersport Championship.

TAB Performance Racing will field Kyle Ohnsorg on an Indian Challenger with perennial privateer and fan favorite Max Flinders (also an expat who was born in Great Britain) returning to the class on his Lyndall Brakes/M3 Harley-Davidson Road Glide.

Eight Harley-Davidson Road Glides and five Indian Challengers will be on the grid for the series-opening Daytona round.

SC-Project Twins Cup – Youth Is Served

Thirty-five riders will take part in the opening round of the 2025 MotoAmerica SC-Project Twins Cup Championship at Daytona International Speedway, led by 16-year-old defending series champion Alessandro Di Mario on his Robem Engineering Aprilia RS 660.

The list of challengers is long and begins with 2024 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion Matthew Chapin. The 17-year-old from Maryland had two outings in Twins Cup last year in the series finale at Circuit of The Americas, finishing an impressive fourth and fifth in the two races. Chapin will ride a Suzuki GSX-8R from under the RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki awning where he will be able to draw from the experience of his two teammates Hayden Gillim and Rocco Landers – especially Landers, who finished second in last year’s Twins Cup series on the team’s GSX-8R and is also a former champion in the class.

With Di Mario and Chapin leading Aprilia’s and Suzuki’s charges, respectively, the Yamahas will likely be led by the Giaccmoto Yamaha Racing team and Dominic Doyle. The South African finished third in the championship last year with two wins and six total podiums on the Yamaha YZF-R7.

With three of the top five riders from last year’s championship – Landers; Gus Rodio, who won both Twins Cup races at Daytona last year; and Rossi Moor, who will be racing in Europe – moving to other classes or series, the next-highest-ranked rider taking to the grid at Daytona is Sean Ungvarsky. The Arizona native will be joined by Monaco resident Romeo Chiavini on the team’s Yamaha YZF-R7s.

Bad Boys Racing’s Avery Dreher, the 2023 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion, won a Twins Cup race last year and finished seventh in the title chase. Dreher will be racing another of the Suzuki GSX-8Rs.

A horde of former Junior Cup racers have moved up to the SC-Project Twins Cup class, including Karns/TST Industries’ Isaac Woodworth and his teammates Levi Badie and Elisa Gendron-Belen, Speeddemon Racing’s Logan Cunnison, and Wolfe Racing’s Ryan Wolfe.

There are also plenty of veterans, including Ghetto Customs’ Chris Parrish, MotoAmerica’s first Twins Cup Champion in 2018.

Mission Super Hooligan National Championship – Loaded For Bear

Led by defending series champion Cory West and his Saddlemen Race Development Harley-Davidson Pan America, the 2025 Mission Super Hooligan National Championship is stacked with talent, featuring 49 entries racing across nine different brands of motorcycles.

West will lead the loaded Saddlemen Race Development team where he will be joined by Jake Lewis, third in the championship a year ago, and Travis Wyman.

Harley’s effort is strong and deep with a factory-backed KWR Harley-Davidson team featuring the threesome of James Rispoli (Rispoli will also race for Harley in the Mission King Of The Baggers series at Daytona and a few other select events), Cody Wyman, and Hayden Schultz.

With Indian pulling its factory team out of the series to focus its efforts on the Mission King Of The Baggers Championship, the series is now heavy on Harley-Davidson Pan Americas (11) and KTMs (14 of the 890 and 990 DUKE Rs).

The entry list, however, also features Yamaha MT-09 SP (seven), Triumph 765RS (eight), Suzuki SV1000 (three), Ducati (two), a lone Aprilia Tuono, and the sure-to-be-attention-getting ARCH 2S-R. ARCH Motorcycles is owned by actor Keanu Reeves, and the 2S-R will be raced at Daytona and beyond by Corey Alexander, who will see double duty after Daytona in the Motovation Supersport class on his Rahal Ducati Moto Panigale V2.

Other notables set to battle include South African Dominic Doyle, who will be aboard a Giaccmoto Yamaha Racing MT-09 SP, as well as Hawk Mazzotta on a Strack Racing Yamaha MT-09 SP, and Competition Werkes Racing’s Andy DiBrino on his Triumph 765RS.

Pre-Daytona Notes…

Tyler Scott earned pole position for last year’s Daytona 200 with his 1:48.047 coming in the Time Attack qualifying session. Scott’s best was just .100 of a second faster than Stefano Mesa’s 1:48.147. Bobby Fong completed the front row with his 1:48.697. The 2024 race winner Josh Herrin started from the middle of the second row. In all, the top six riders all lapped in the 1:48s.

The fastest lap in the race went to fourth-place finisher Richie Escalante with his 1:48.625 barely besting Karel Hanika’s 1:48.628. Race winner Herrin had the third-fastest time – a 1:48.869.

Suzuki leads the way in entries for the 2025 Daytona 200 with 11 of the GSX-R750s That’s four more than Ducati’s seven entries. The other three manufacturers are Yamaha, Triumph, and Kawasaki – each with six motorcycles attempting to qualify.

Yamaha is the winningest brand by far in Daytona victories with 27 wins since the first Daytona 200 was held on the old beach circuit in 1937. The winner of that first Daytona 200 was Ed Kretz, who was riding an Indian. Harley-Davidson sits second on the all-time manufacturer wins list in the 200 with 16 victories, the last of which was Cal Rayborn’s victory in 1969. The third-highest win total goes to Honda with 11 victories, with Jake Zemke being the last rider to win on a Honda in 2006.

The first Daytona 200 to be run at Daytona International Speedway was in 1961 with Roger Reiman taking victory on his Harley-Davidson.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of then-23-year-old Freddie Spencer’s historic victory in the Daytona 200 in what was the first year of Superbikes taking over from Formula One machines in the premier event of Bike Week.

Superbikes were featured in the race until 2005 when 600cc Formula Xtreme bikes took over. The FX class ran in the Daytona 200 until 600cc Daytona SportBikes were used, beginning in 2009 with Ben Bostrom’s victory on a Yamaha YZF-R6.

This year’s 200 will mark the start of MotoAmerica’s fifth season of using the FIM’s “Supersport Next Generation” rules in the race, with the class featuring Ducati’s Panigale V2, Suzuki’s GSX-R750, Kawasaki’s ZX-6R, Triumph’s Street Triple 765 RS, and Yamaha’s YZF-R6. Seven countries will be represented in this year’s Daytona 200. The last non-American to win the race? That would be Welshman Chaz Davies, who won “The Great American Motorcycle Race” in 2008.

Harley-Davidson Introduces $110,000 “Race Spec” Bagger Streetbike

Harley-Davidson's limited production CVO ROAD GLIDE RR makes a claimed 150+ horsepower and 150 ft.-lb. of torque, and has a 6,500 rpm redline. Its Milwaukee-Eight® is the most powerful engine ever delivered in a production motorcycle from Harley-Davidson.
Harley-Davidson's limited production CVO ROAD GLIDE RR makes a claimed 150+ horsepower and 150 ft.-lb. of torque, and has a 6,500 rpm redline. Its Milwaukee-Eight® is the most powerful engine ever delivered in a production motorcycle from Harley-Davidson.

NEW LIMITED-PRODUCTION HARLEY-DAVIDSON CVO ROAD GLIDE RR MOTORCYCLE BRINGS RACE-SPEC PERFORMANCE AND PRECISION TO THE STREET

Most Powerful Production Harley-Davidson Big Twin Ever Sets New Benchmark for Street-Legal Bagger Performance

Harley-Davidson has set a new benchmark for performance baggers with the introduction of the CVO™ Road Glide® RR model, the most powerful and dynamic production motorcycle ever offered in the company’s 122-year history. Leveraging knowledge and components developed by the Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing Team competing in the MotoAmerica™ Mission King of the Baggers road-racing series, the CVO™ Road Glide® RR model combines extraordinary performance with the obsessive attention to custom detail that is a hallmark of Harley-Davidson® Custom Vehicle Operation™ (CVO™) limited production motorcycles.

“Taking inspiration from the track and onto the street, the Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide RR is truly the ultimate in performance,” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, CEO and President. “With this limited series of motorcycles, we’ve taken all the lessons from the track and created the pinnacle of street-legal bagger performance.”

Production of the CVO™ Road Glide® RR model will be limited to 131 hand-assembled, serialized motorcycles available through select authorized Harley-Davidson® dealers in the United States only, with a retail price of $110,000 that includes Harley-Davidson’s 24 Months/ Unlimited Miles Limited Warranty.

Race-Inspired Styling

A graphic design inspired by the livery created for the 2025 Harley-Davidson Factory Racing Team motorcycles competing on the MotoAmerica™ Mission King of the Baggers series establishes the high-performance attitude of the CVO™ Road Glide® RR model. Solid Racing Orange color “disintegrates” into a series of bars that form the shape of the Bar & Shield logo on the fairing, tank, side covers and saddlebags. On select areas of the bodywork the dark carbon fiber weave pattern is revealed under a clearcoat finish. A white “Screamin’ Eagle” graphic flows from the fuel tank to the fairing sides. The engine is finished in Hog Black with Racing Orange highlights on the lifter tubes and rocker boxes. Wheels are finished in Gloss Black with red “CVO RR” laser etched in the rim of the front wheel.

The Harley-Davidson CVO ROAD GLIDE RR has unique graphics.

An Exclusive Powertrain

A new Screamin’ Eagle® 131 V-Twin engine is the most-powerful Milwaukee-Eight® variant ever offered factory-installed in a production Harley-Davidson® model, rated at 153 peak horsepower (114 kW) at 5750 RPM and 150 lb. ft. (204 Nm) peak torque at 4750 RPM. Displacement of 131 cubic inches (2147cc) is the same as that of the engines powering the Harley-Davidson Factory Team competition Road Glide® motorcycles. Assembled by Harley-Davidson with Screamin’ Eagle® Stage IV components, the engine is tuned to produce abundant torque at low RPM with a camshaft profile and high-volume intake designed to carry that torque through a broad powerband, with redline elevated to a 6500 RPM. The Screamin’ Eagle® 131 engine is exclusive to the CVO™ Road Glide® RR model. Key features include:

Screamin’ Eagle® 131 V-Twin engine is the most-powerful Milwaukee-Eight® variant ever offered factory-installed in a production Harley-Davidson® model.

· Screamin’ Eagle® Stage IV CNC ported cylinder heads feature fully CNC machined combustion chambers and ports. Intake (42mm) and exhaust (34mm) valves are 2mm larger than standard Milwaukee-Eight® valves for enhanced flow. Exhaust valves are fatigue-resistant Inconel. Multi-angle valve seats are fully blended to the ports and combustion chamber. The cylinder heads are liquid-cooled.

· The high-performance SE8-550 Camshaft with 0.550-inch valve lift offers increased flow at high RPM for maximum horsepower.

· A new race-inspired intake features a 68mm throttle body and a matching aluminum intake manifold to contribute to increased power output. The manifold is CNC machined to precisely match the intake ports for the smoothest possible air flow and shaped to minimize weight and to offer extra rider leg clearance. The engine breathes through a washable Screamin’ Eagle® High Flow air filter.

· These Screamin’ Eagle® internal components contribute to durability under extreme duty: Screamin’ Eagle® high-capacity valve lifters, Screamin’ Eagle® high-performance valve springs, Screamin’ Eagle® high-capacity inner camshaft bearing, and a Screamin’ Eagle® high volume oil pump. The 6.8 grams/second fuel injectors ensure adequate fuel flow at high RPM.

· A 30-tooth (30T) output sprocket provides a lower final drive ratio than the standard Road Glide® model 32-tooth sprocket (2.27:1 with 30T vs. 2.13:1 with 32T) to boost acceleration performance in every gear.

· The new Billet Clutch Basket designed by Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing is machined from U.S.-sourced high-strength 7075 aluminum with a MIL-SPEC anodized finish. It is designed with precision tolerances to reduce wear and lost motion from friction disk chatter.

· New billet aluminum powertrain covers reduce weight and have the same machined finish as covers on the Factory Race Team race bikes. The primary cover is shaped to provide additional lean angle and features added cooling fins.

· The new Akrapovič designed for Harley-Davidson Factory Racing Full Titanium Exhaust features lightweight titanium 2-into-1 header pipes, carbon fiber exhaust shields and titanium muffler shells with titanium fiber end caps. This exhaust system is more than 10 pounds lighter than a standard Milwaukee-Eight® exhaust. The high-flow design unlocks engine performance while maintaining noise and 50-state emissions compliance. Exhaust tone and level are enhanced to produce an exhilarating sound, especially on acceleration.

· A new Screamin’ Eagle® Racing King 6 Transmission has been battle-tested on Factory Race Team motorcycles and engineered for smooth shifting performance and durability. Key features include modified back-cut angles on the shift dogs to improve gear engagement and gears and shafts shot peened for strength.

High-Performance Suspension

The CVO™ Road Glide® RR motorcycle is equipped with fully adjustable premium race-spec front and rear suspension.

· Inverted 43mm Öhlins FGR 253 Hypersport Superbike forks were developed in partnership between Öhlins and Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing to offer no-compromise front suspension performance for confidence-inspiring handling. Rebound/compression damping is adjustable. Pre-load adjustment may be used to set suspension height for rider weight and desired vehicle attitude. Micro-polished inner tubes reduce friction for smooth performance, while pressurized TTX25 cartridge technology maintains damping at higher frequency to improve control, noticed by the rider as improved tire contact feel. Billet aluminum triple clamps are designed to maximize the performance of the Öhlins FGR 253 fork and use race-proven geometry combined with enhanced strength-to-weight ratio.

· Dual outboard Screamin’ Eagle® Öhlins Remote Reservoir shock absorbers feature the same technology developed for the race-prepared Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing Road Glide® bikes. Rebound/compression damping is adjustable. Pre-load adjustment may be used to set suspension height for rider weight and desired vehicle attitude. Total shock length of 14 inches (375mm) is adjustable on the rear eye +8/-2 mm. Remote reservoirs exposed between the rear fender and each saddlebag keep the shock oil and gas separated to maintain shock performance under demanding conditions.

· Front and rear suspension is designed to raise the motorcycle ride height by 2 inches which contributes to an increase in lean angle to facilitate aggressive cornering. Lean angle is 36 degrees right and 35 degrees left, an increase of 3 degrees left and right compared to the CVO™ Road Glide® ST model.

The 18-pound swingarm is CNC machined from billet 6061 aluminum.

· A new billet aluminum swingarm designed for Harley-Davidson® Factory Team race motorcycles using advanced computer-aided engineering techniques including topology optimization is 10 percent stiffer and 10 percent lighter than the steel Road Glide model swingarm to contribute to precise handling in dynamic situations. The swingarm is CNC machined from a 220-pound billet of 6061 aluminum to a state-of-the-art 18-pound performance part.

Premium Braking Components

Brembo™ braking components provide outstanding braking feel and performance for added rider confidence.

Brembo™ GP4-RX CNC front calipers combine unrivaled stability with near-MotoGP levels of braking performance. The 2-piece calipers are machined from a solid block of billet aluminum, delivering outstanding strength and tighter machining tolerances. Brake pads slide within the caliper body on special guides machined directly into the caliper body, eliminating pad pins. The GP4-RX features a nickel-plated finish adapted from MotoGP which enables enhanced heat dissipation. The hydraulic system has been painstakingly optimized with four 32mm-diameter pistons for increased braking power, consistent performance and optimized feel. The front brake hand lever is adjustable for reach to best match rider hand size or preference.

Brembo™ T-Drive front rotors have the same fixing concepts used by the Harley-Davidson Factory Race Team motorcycles. Brembo’s patented T-drive system was developed for the highest level of racing at WSBK and utilizes a fully floating action in both radial and axial directions to transfer torque more efficiently between the contact area of the rotor and carrier and optimized weight reduction. These revolutionary 320 mm rotors have an increased thickness (5.5 mm) and a premium stainless steel braking surface.

The single rear brake features a four-piston Brembo™ caliper. The rear brake rotor diameter is 300mm.


Weight Reduction

Racers understand that every pound of weight reduction is like free horsepower and can also contribute to improved fuel economy, braking performance and handling. Through the use of alternate materials and emphasizing performance features the CVO Road Glide RR model has an as shipped weight of 750 pounds, 50 pounds less that the CVO Road Glide ST model.

· Mufflers and exhaust headers are formed of lightweight titanium. Exhaust shields are lightweight carbon fiber.

· Lightweight woven carbon fiber composite is used to form the front and rear fenders, side covers, tank console, fork nacelle, and radiator shroud. Further enhancing durability, an industry first carbon fiber and Kevlar layup is used on the front faring, saddlebags, and lids.

· Billet aluminum foot peg mid controls replace traditional footboards.

· Lightweight billet aluminum powertrain covers replace standard cast covers.

· A lightweight billet aluminum swingarm replaces the standard steel swingarm.

· Lightweight Brembo T-Drive front brake rotors replace standard brake rotors.

Rider Safety Enhancements

The CVO™ Road Glide® RR model is equipped with Rider Safety Enhancements by Harley-Davidson, a collection of technologies designed to enhance rider confidence during unexpected situations or adverse road conditions. Rider Safety Enhancements are designed to match motorcycle performance to available traction during acceleration, deceleration and braking. The systems are electronic and utilize the latest chassis control, electronic brake control and powertrain technology. The elements of Rider Safety Enhancements by Harley-Davidson include:

Cornering Electronically Linked Brakes (C-ELB)

Cornering ABS (C-ABS)

Cornering Traction Control (C-TCS) with modes

Cornering Drag Torque Slip Control (C-DSCS)

Vehicle Hold Control (VHC)

Tire Pressure Monitoring (TPMS)

Ride Modes

The CVO™ Road Glide® RR model features selectable Ride Modes that electronically control the performance characteristics of the motorcycle and the level of technology intervention. Each Ride Mode consists of a specific combination of power delivery, engine braking, Cornering Antilock Braking System (C-ABS) and Cornering Traction Control System (C-TCS) settings. The rider may use the hand control MODE button to change the active ride mode while riding the motorcycle or when stopped. A unique icon for each mode appears on the display when that mode has been selected.

The CVO™ Road Glide® RR model features selectable Ride Modes.

· Road Mode: Intended for daily use, Road Mode delivers balanced performance. This mode offers less-aggressive throttle response and less mid-range engine power than Sport Mode, with a balanced level of C-ABS and C-TCS intervention.

· Sport Mode: In Sport Mode the rider can experience the full performance potential of the motorcycle in a direct and precise manner, with full power and the quickest throttle response. C-TCS is set to a lower level of intervention, and engine braking is increased.

· Rain Mode: This mode is designed to give the rider greater confidence when riding in the rain or when traction is otherwise compromised. Throttle response and power output are programmed to significantly restrain the rate of acceleration, engine braking is limited, and the highest levels of C-ABS and C-TCS intervention are selected.

· Four Custom Modes: Within each Custom Mode the customer may use the touch screen to select their combined preference of engine torque delivery characteristics, engine braking, throttle response, and C-TCS and C-ABS intervention, within specific ranges.

· Track Mode: Designed specifically for “track day” riding on a dry track/closed course, this mode was developed with input from Harley-Davidson® Factory Team racer Kyle Wyman with the desired throttle mapping for best feel of torque delivery in a racetrack environment. This gives the rider smooth, repeatable throttle response on corner exits. Full power performance is on tap. Rear-to-front electronically linked braking is disabled to allow independent rear trail braking capability and consistent front lever feel. C-ABS and C-TCS intervention are set to a reduced level of intervention to allow greater rider control.

· Track Plus Mode: This mode is intended for experienced riders who want maximum control on a dry track/closed course with benefits of Rider Safety Enhancements working in the background. In addition to the specially tuned power delivery of Track Mode, Track Plus Mode disables electronically linked braking entirely, giving full independent control of both brakes to the rider. The C-ABS setting has an even further reduced level of intervention which permits a significantly higher level of rear wheel slip under braking or aggressive downshifts to further enhance rider control in a track setting. The C-TCS intervention is set to its lowest level to maximize both straight line and cornering acceleration and put control in the rider’s throttle hand.

Performance Ergonomics

Ergonomics have been designed to place the rider in a position that combines comfort with confident control in any street or track riding environment.

· New mid-mount foot controls replace footboards to maintain the increased lean angle achieved by elevating the ride height. Pegs are positioned to optimize the rider triangle and to make shifting and braking more efficient during dynamic riding. Foot pegs and controls are machined from billet aluminum to reduce weight and provide race-ready style.

· A new race-inspired solo seat places the rider in an athletic riding position, enhances vehicle control by optimizing rider center of mass and improves the rider triangle related to the mid-controls. The seating position is elevated by approximately 1 inch to facilitate a comfortable rider triangle distance to the mid-mount foot controls. A raised rear bolster helps hold the rider in position during aggressive riding. The padded pommel on the rear of the fuel tank is a racing-derived feature which allows the rider to brace their inner thigh under hard braking and support themselves while using body position to enhance cornering control. Laden seat height is 28.9 in. (735 mm) which is 2.3 inches higher than the Road Glide® model.

· A Moto Bar handlebar and 6-inch riser put the rider in a more upright position compared to the Road Glide® model. The riser is 2.2 inches taller than the Road Glide® riser, while the Moto Bar handlebar has a much flatter bend than the Road Glide® handlebar.

High-Performance Audio

The CVO™ Road Glide® RR model debuts a new premium, high-performance Harley-Davidson® Audio powered by Rockford Fosgate® Stage III audio system. Two fairing-mounted Harley-Davidson® Audio powered by Rockford Fosgate® Stage III 3-way, 6.5-inch speakers are rated for 250 watts RMS power handling per speaker. The system is powered by a Harley-Davidson® Audio powered by Rockford Fosgate® 4-channel, 500-watt RMS amplifier. The speakers feature Racing Orange Stage III trim rings and grille inserts.

Additional Features

· The aggressive and aerodynamic Road Glide® model fairing incorporates a brilliant LED headlamp and LED signature lighting with turn signal lamps seamlessly integrated within the outer portions of the signature lighting, eliminating separate signals for a cleaner over-all look. The inner fairing incorporates left and right-side media storage compartments, each sized to hold most current mobile phones in a case. The right compartment is equipped with a USB-C connection point.

· A 5-inch dark smoke Wind Splitter windshield offers the ideal combination of effective airflow management and performance styling.

· A suite of infotainment technology, powered by the exclusive Skyline™ OS, is presented on a 12.3-inch (diagonal measurement) touchscreen display. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® enable wireless connection to a rider’s device or headset for wireless Apple CarPlay and to provide live services such as traffic, weather and map updates. Embedded navigation is factory-activated. The CVO™ Road Glide® RR ships with a single wireless headset. Over The Air (OTA) software updates may be downloaded through the Skyline™ OS when the system is connected to a Wi-Fi network.

· Hard-shell saddlebags offer 2.42 cubic feet of lockable luggage capacity.

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 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.

About Harley-Davidson

Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company of Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services. Our vision: Building our legend and leading our industry through innovation, evolution and emotion. Our mission: More than building machines, we stand for the timeless pursuit of adventure. Freedom for the soul. Since 1903, Harley-Davidson has defined motorcycle culture with an expanding range of leading-edge, distinctive and customizable motorcycles in addition to riding experiences and exceptional motorcycle accessories, riding gear and apparel. Harley-Davidson Financial Services provides financing, insurance and other programs to help get Harley-Davidson riders on the road. Learn more at www.harley-davidson.com

Daytona 200 Monument “Gathering of Champions” Honoring Michelle Lindsay (RIP) March 5th

Michelle A. Lindsay (center) with husband Myles Wilson (to Lindsay's immediate right), riders Danny Eslick (left) and Brandon Paasch (right), and the rest of the TOBC Racing team ahead of the 2022 Daytona 200. Photo courtesy Triumph.
The late Michelle Lindsay (center) will be personally honored as a four-time Daytona 200-winning team owner on March 5th. She is shown here with husband Myles Wilson (to Lindsay's immediate right), riders Danny Eslick (left) and Brandon Paasch (right), and the rest of her TOBC Racing team ahead of the 2022 Daytona 200. Photo courtesy Triumph.

DAYTONA 200 MONUMENT 2025 “GATHERING OF CHAMPIONS” ANNUAL EVENT

This year’s event is set for Wednesday, March 5, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. till noon at the
DAYTONA 200 MONUMENT.

The Daytona 200 Monument is located beach side on the Boardwalk next to the Historic Bandshell and in front of the Hilton Hotel Beachside (100 N. Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL). Please note there is no beach front boardwalk parking at the monument, so attendees can park in the Ocean Walk public parking garage on A1A and it is a short walk to the Monument. The event is open to the public and all motorcyclists in town for Daytona Bike Week.

 

During the 2025 Daytona 200 Monument’s “Gathering of Champions” event there will be 10 new personalized granite plaques unveiled and 54 personalized paver bricks.

This year’s plaque unveilings include:

• Dave Despain, well-respected announcer, and TV personality

• Mike Trimby, Daytona 200 racer and founder of IRTA and his wife, Irene

• Gary “Too Fast” Fisher, road racer

•The late Michelle Lindsay Wilson, four-time Daytona 200 Champion TOBC Racing Team Owner

• Bobby Decker, dirt track racer

• Mikey Buman II, Speedway racer

• Roger Crump, 1974 Daytona Short Track racer

• Drag Racer Curly Jim Fontaine and his wife Kim

• Donald “Skip” Eaken, legendary tuner

• Kathy Rall Estep, Dave Estep, Donnie Estep, Ronnie Rall and Norbert Rall,
Estep Rall Racing

The event is hosted by Cristy Klamfoth, daughter of Daytona 200 Monument founders Bev and Dick Klamfoth, along with her husband, Al Charles.

Noted race announcers Richard Chambers and Pat Gonsalves will emcee the event and introduce this year’s plaque and brick sponsors and help us relive Daytona racing stories of the past.

The celebration continues Thursday, March 6, 2025, at 8:00 am with the annual “Over The Hill Gang” Breakfast at the Eagles Lodge (5130 South Ridgewood Ave, in Port Orange).
There are no reservations required, and tickets are available at the door.
Bring your stories and claim your bragging rights.

The Daytona 200 Monument was the dream of three-time Daytona 200 Champion Dick Klamfoth and his wife Bev as a place to honor the great riders who had won on the Beach.

Over the years, the Daytona 200 Monument has grown to embrace all the Daytona 200 Champions as well as Champions from all forms of racing and the Motorcycle Industry. Daytona Beach Bike Week attendees continue to support the Monument and return each year to celebrate and remember their visit to this famous beach.

For more information contact Cristy or AL Via email [email protected] or visit daytona200monument.com.

MotoAmerica: Sean Dylan Kelly On The GSX-R1000R: “The Bike Is Fast …”

Sean Dylan Kelly testing the Team Hammer Suzuki GSX-R1000R at The Podium Club. Kelly is using leathers from his 2021 title-winning season with the squad, but had to have the forearms and biceps expanded because of the muscle he put on racing a Superbike last season. Racing one of these things is hard, physical work. Photo by Michael Gougis.

2021 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion Sean Dylan Kelly was enthusiastic after his first three days of testing the Team Hammer Suzuki GSX-R1000R Superbike at The Podium Club in Arizona. On the final day, Kelly was 0.935-seconds off the best time set by five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier, and Kelly did his time on a harder-compound rear tire.

 

Sean Dylan Kelly, right, confers with data technician Nick Ciling during the MotoAmerica test at The Podium Club. Photo by Michael Gougis.

Kelly spent 2024 on a BMW M 1000 RR Superbike in MotoAmerica, and will work in 2025 with his crew chief from last year, Jeremy Toye. Nick Ciling will handle electronics for Kelly. Ciling was the electronics technician last year for Bobby Fong, who won two Superbike races, led the Championship and ultimately finished third on a satellite Yamaha YZF-R1.

“It’s definitely a change. First impressions are definitely positive. The bike has power. The bike is fast. There’s definitely a lot of grip. I need to suit the bike to my riding style, and I need to adapt to the bike. We’ve definitely got work to do, and that’s why we’re out here,” Kelly said at the track.

Moving to the MotoAmerica Superbike class was good for Kelly as a racer. He won his first Superbike race toward the end of the year, adding it to several podiums throughout the season. He really enjoys the step up in power from the Moto2 class where he raced the two years prior, although the step comes with the complication of adding electronic riding aids into the mix.

“Superbike right now as a class is the most fun I’ve ever had. Jumping from the Moto2 to the BMW for me last year was amazing. It was obviously a lot to learn, too, being the first time I’ve ever run with electronics. So there was a lot to learn. But every weekend, more came, and at the end of the day it showed with the results as well.”

Familiar surroundings and a fast, fun motorcycle mean that Kelly is looking forward to the upcoming season.

“I’m happy that I have a really good crew, and everyone is motivated to put this bike back on the top,” Kelly says.

MotoAmerica: Dunlop Details Tire Changes For 2025 Season

Cameron Petersen (45) at the MotoAmerica preseason Dunlop tire test at The Podium Club. Photo by Michael Gougis.

MotoAmerica’s Supersport competitors will be using softer tires on the rear this season, and Talent Cup competitors will be using new profile tires to match the needs of the pure racing chassis on the new Kramer APX-350 MA machines they will be racing.

Dunlop’s Tony Romo told Roadracing World during the recent MotoAmerica pre-season test at The Podium Club that the standard Supersport rear tire will change from a 180/65 to a 180/60. The change will give competitors more grip at corner apex at the cost of less grip as they transition to driving out of the corner.

 

The Dunlop tent at The Podium Club for the pre-season MotoAmerica tire test. Photo by Michael Gougis.

In addition, the rear will be offered in the softer R4 and R6 compounds, to change the balance between speed and lap time and increased tire degradation. The idea is to add more of an element of strategy and tire management to the races. One of the comments Moto2 World Championship riders made about the slicks Dunlop used to provide for that class was that the tires were not the stickiest but were absolutely consistent throughout the entire distance of a Moto2 race. Riders appreciated the consistency but it reduced the importance of tire management, a key variable in the racing.

The Talent Cup tires will be nominally the same size as the tires on the Junior Cup machines that have been replaced for the 2025 season. However, the profile – especially on the rear – will change to wrap the tread further around the edges of the tire. The Kramer, with its purpose-built chassis, is capable of much greater lean angles than the streetbikes used in the Junior Cup, so require tires that provide the necessary footprint at those lean angles.

Tires for the other classes – Superbike, King of The Baggers, Twins Cup and Super Hooligans – will be the same as last season, Romo said, although testing of new tires will be ongoing.

The 2025 MotoAmerica season starts with the non-points-paying Daytona 200 on March 8, and the Talent Cup is scheduled to kick off at the MotoGP World Championship round at Circuit of The Americas March 28-30.

Supercross Results From Daytona

Daytona International Speedway delivered a thrilling and dramatic night of racing at its 52nd running of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross. The legendary speedway has held a Supercross round during every season of the championship since the sports’ inception.

Ken Roczen Conquers Daytona Supercross

RJ Hampshire Earns Win in 250SX Class

Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen became the sixth different Monster Energy AMA Supercross winner of the season in just the first eight rounds of racing. Roczen put in a strong charge just before the race’s midpoint to push from fourth place into the lead and earn his career-first Daytona Supercross victory in his 11th attempt. The win also marked Suzuki’s first since 2009 at the iconic speedway.

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb challenged for the lead in the later laps but after a small mistake, settled for second place. His fifth runner-up finish inside the Daytona international Speedway Trioval helped him retain the title points lead. After leading laps early, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger grabbed his first podium of the season when he crossed the checkered flag in third place. In the Eastern Divisional 250SX Class, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire took the win at Round 3 of that Championship to also claim his first victory at the storied venue.

Daytona 450 Supercross winner Ken Roczen. Feld Motorsports photo.

450SX Winner Ken Roczen: “I honestly still can’t believe it… I had some really good lines. When you make those passes you have to put your head down or else they’ll retaliate and come back. I was just charging the whole time, trying to get a gap. Coming out of these turns it was really rutty, and very easy to make a mistake, but I just kept my head down and charged the whole way. I seriously cannot believe that this finally happened… This is a dream come true.”

Cooper Webb finished second in the 450 Supercross race at Daytona, and retained the red number plate signifying that he’s leading the points. Feld Motorsports photo.

450SX Second Place Cooper Webb’s championship lead grew from 5 points to 10 points with his Daytona finish: “You can’t make mistakes, as many as I did, and expect to win. I’m a little bit bummed. Kenny rode great. He was charging through, he got around me, he made the pass stick on AP, and he pulled away. That put the urgency on me and I just made too many mistakes after that. So I’m a bit bummed, but overall from a points perspective it was a great night. Yeah, another second place here… We’ll regroup, try to get it going again in Indy, and not be so complacent this next weekend..”

Aaron Plessinger finished third in the featured 450cc Supercross class at Daytona. Feld Motorsports photo.

450SX Third Place Aaron Plessinger: “I’m pretty satisfied [with this podium], after the start of the season. First off, I want to dedicate this to my buddy who just got diagnosed with cancer. Jessie Waters, he’s back at home watching, this one’s for you… After two 22nd place finishes, a 7th, 8th, 9th, it’s been a ride. But we pulled it off. I love this track, I love this place, and you know we’re always doing it for Dale [points to his Dale Earnhardt #3 shirt he threw over his jersey]. It’s a good night..”

450SX Class podium (riders left to right) Cooper Webb, Ken Roczen, and Aaron Plessinger. Feld Motorsports photo.

 

250SX

In 250SX Class racing, RJ Hampshire fought hard to capture an emotional first win at Daytona. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle captured the Holeshot and set the pace for the early laps. He relinquished the lead to Hampshire shortly before a red flag re-start tightened up the pack with under eight minutes left on the race clock. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker rounded out the 250SX Class podium after a pass late in the race with less than two laps remaining.

RJ Hampshire celebrated an emotional 250SX race win, remembering his recently deceased father. Feld Motorsports photo.

250SX Winner Class RJ Hampshire was alternatingly poignant and joyous on the podium: “It’s special. I lost my dad a few months ago and this was his race. Growing up as a kid, this is where I came with him. It was the only Supercross I came to. And he was with us today. Some guy came up to me in the pits and had his old jersey that he raced with back in the day, that was something I never had. He gifted me that and – it just felt different today, man, like my dad was definitely here… Finally got to burn one [a victory burnout on the banked track] down here in Daytona, that was for my dad, for sure.”

Tom Vialle (#1) finished second in 250SX at Daytona. Feld Motorsports photo.

250SX Second Place Tom Vialle: “I was leading for a couple laps and [Hampshire] passed me in the race [before the re-start]. It was hard. The track is really tough and tricky here. We were pretty much the same speed, for the entire moto I was not far [behind], but I couldn’t make a move, to be honest… I made a few mistakes on the rhythm… and maybe that cost me the win tonight. But I’m happy to be on the podium. It’s still a long championship and we are right there.” – Tom Vialle (#1 in photo)

250SX Third Place Seth Hammaker: “I’m really pumped to get back up here on the podium. It’s two years in a row I’m here on the podium in Daytona. This track never lets you down; it’s a fight out there, and I fought hard all the way until the end. I feel really good about that one. We’ll keep the momentum rolling into the East/West Showdown next weekend.” – Seth Hammaker

The SMX Next series raced its second round of 2025 and Kawasaki Team Green’s Landen Gordon took the win in an action-filled race, repeating his win from the first SMX Next event earlier this season at the Glendale round. Nabbing second was Kawasaki Team Green’s Enzo Temmerman, who locked handlebars with another rider at the start and fought his way all the way to second place; Like Gordon, the result duplicated Temmerman’s Glendale finish. Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Jesson Turner rounded out the podium after clawing his way to third in the closing laps.

SMX Next Class Winner Landen Gordon: “The fans are – it’s insane and I truly have no words. I’m just trying to soak it all in. I was a little fortunate there that Fedortsov’s bike malfunctioned [with what appeared to be a flat rear tire while Fedortsov was leading], but I’ll take it how I can get it. I’m super pumped on my bike and my team. All the hard work we’ve put in, my dad, my mom, my family watching back home. Yeah, I’m just going to soak it in, that was awesome.”

The Daytona Supercross pays points toward both the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross season as well as toward the SMX World Championship post-season, which seeds racers from Supercross and the AMA Pro Motocross championships into two Playoffs and the SMX World Championship.

For fans awaiting the Supercross season to come to their city, live and on-demand viewing is available on Peacock. Select events are also broadcast or streamed on NBC, CNBC, USA Network, and NBC Sports digital platforms. Telemundo Deportes’ Facebook and YouTube channels provide Spanish-language coverage in the US, while live international coverage can be accessed through the SuperMotocross Video Pass (supermotocross.tv) with English, Spanish and French language broadcasts. Each round can also be heard live on NBC Sports Audio on SiriusXM Channel 85.

The series returns to a domed stadium on Saturday, March 8th, inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Round 9 will also serve as the series’ annual Love Moto Stop Cancer race, honoring patients of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The first gate drops at 7:00 p.m. ET next Saturday. The Indy Supercross will host the season’s first of three 250SX Class East/West Showdowns in which racers from each division compete for single-event points. For more information, race results, live timing, video highlights, and ticket sales to attend an event please visit SupercrossLIVE.com.

450 results
https://results.supercrosslive.com/results/?p=view_race_result&id=5724284

250 results
https://results.supercrosslive.com/results/?p=view_race_result&id=5724219

MotoGP : World Championship Race Results From Thailand

MotoGP Race. Photo courtesy Dorna.
This photo was taken at the start of the Sprint Race on Saturday, but it's a cool shot and the same riders were on the podium for the MotoGP Race on Sunday. Photo courtesy Dorna.

Pole-sitter and Sprint Race winner Marc Marquez won the MotoGP World Championship race Sunday at Chang International Circuit, in Thailand. Riding his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25 on Michelin control tires, the six-time MotoGP World Champion won the 26-lap race by 1.732 seconds.

Alex Marquez was the runner-up on his BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici.

Two-time MotoGP World Champion Francesco Bagnaia placed third on his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25.

Franco Morbidelli took fourth on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team Ducati.

Impressive rookie Ai Ogura crossed the finish line fifth on his Trackhouse MotoGP Team Aprilia RS-GP.

For the championship, Alex Marquez is 8 points behind his brother Marc Marquez who has 37 points. Francesco Bagnaia is third with 23 points.

 

MotogpRaceClassification
 Motogpworldstanding

 

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

 

Strategic masterclass sees Marc Marquez double up in Buriram stand-off. Becoming the first rider to win on their Ducati Grand Prix debut since Casey Stoner in 2007, Marc Marquez departs Thailand with a perfect start to his title charge. 

The goosebumps of the season-opening Grand Prix are always special and the moment finally came to fruition as the PT Grand Prix of Thailand launched MotoGP™ in 2025. A tactical race with plenty of talking points, it was six-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) who bagged 25 points in a race where the results don’t tell the entire story.

AS IT HAPPENED: Marquez holeshots before relinquishing lead

Grabbing the holeshot and seizing the initiative in a repeat of the Sprint on Saturday, Marc Marquez lead them through the opening laps. Brother Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) was second whilst Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) occupied P3. Another good start from Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) saw him briefly inside the podium places on Lap 1 but he was soon shuffled back. Pedro Acosta’s (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) charge in the leading places soon came to an abrupt end with a fall at Turn 1 on Lap 4.

The race looked to be taking a familiar tone to the Sprint but you can never guarantee anything in the most exciting sport on Earth. On Lap 7, coming out of Turn 3, leader Marquez seemingly slowed down with no apparent or visual reason. He slotted in behind his brother, who assumed the lead of the Grand Prix; whilst Marc may not have led every lap of the year, a Marquez has. Whether it was for tyre pressure concerns, tyre/fuel conservation or another factor, we now had a tense Grand Prix at the front between the rival siblings.

BATTLES ELSEWHERE: Miller in contention, Mir top ten goes begging

Further back, there was a good fight for sixth place with Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP), Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) and Joan Mir (HRC Honda Castrol). However, for Mir, the 2020 World Champion’s optimism turned to despair as he fell on Lap 16 at Turn 12, tucking the front and unable to remount.

Maintaining the status quo for the next handful of laps at the front, Marc remained glued to his brother; on Lap 18, Pecco was likewise just a second back but after a couple more laps, started slipping back but was in a safe third place ahead of the #21 of Franco Morbidelli. Having initially looked as if he didn’t have the pace to go with the leading brothers, the #63 closed back in.

DECISIVE MOVE: Marc attacks with 3 to go

It came too late to have a say though as on Lap 23 at Turn 12, Marc attacked Alex and retook the lead. All eyes were now on whether or not the #73 had anything left in the locker the six-time MotoGP Champion had it all under control. 93 Grand Prix weekends after he last led the World Championship, Marc Marquez doubled up at the Destination of Speed and took his first Grand Prix victory in the red of Ducati. A 112th podium, he matches ex-teammate at Honda Dani Pedrosa in the rostrum rankings.

Bagnaia closed in on Alex as the race reached its climax but couldn’t have a say, with Alex holding on and joining his brother on the podium. Pecco’s third place means the top three from the Sprint emphasized their strength with a repeat showing in Sunday’s Grand Prix. Morbidelli clinched fourth place ahead of an impressive Ogura, who can be proud of a double top five on his debut weekend to welcome him up to MotoGP. Ogura’s result is the best by a rookie in a Grand Prix since 2013 – some kid called Marc Marquez back then. It’s also the first top five for a Japanese rider in a Grand Prix since 2021’s Styrian GP, with Takaaki Nakagami also in P5. Bezzecchi fought through for P6 ahead of a late-charging Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR), already bettering Honda’s best result from last year at the same Grand Prix.

BEST OF THE REST: Binder and Bastianini come through

Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) had a quiet race to P8, ahead of a resurgent Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) who turned his pre-season woes into Grand Prix gains in ninth; Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) came through to deny Jack Miller the final place within the top ten, although Miller’s first Grand Prix with Yamaha saw him as the top representative for the Iwata manufacturer.

With Miller taking P11, Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) was next up and saw off pressure from rookie Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), Miguel Oliveira (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), with the 2021 World Champion having a nightmare opening lap where he was as low as 18th and never really recovering. Home-hero Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) took 18th, just five seconds from points on his debut.

 

Moto2: World Championship Race Results From Buriram

Moto2 Race Start. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Moto2 Race Start. Photo courtesy Dorna.

Manuel Gonzalez won the FIM Moto2 World Championship race Sunday at Chang International Circuit, in Thailand. Riding his Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex on Pirelli control tires, the Spaniard won the 22-lap race by 2.600 second.

Spaniard Aron Canet was the runner-up on his Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO Kalex.

Australian (and the winner’s teammate), Senna Agius, was third. 

Brazilian Diogo Moreira finished fourth on his Italtrans Racing Team Kalex.

Spaniard Marcos Ramirez  took fifth on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex and his teammate and American Joe Roberts finished the opening race 18th. 

MOTO2RaceClassification
 Moto2worldstanding

 

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Gonzalez unbeatable in Buriram as Agius earns P3. The #18 produced a dominant ride to beat Canet by over two seconds in Thailand, with Australia’s Agius recovering from a Long Lap penalty to grab a podium. 

Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) produced an inch perfect performance at the Thai Grand Prix to collect the first Moto2 victory honours of the season. Aron Canet (Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO) claimed a solid second place as Senna Agius makes it two Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP riders on the rostrum despite being handed a Long Lap penalty following an incident with Celestino Vietti (Team HDR Heidrun).

The early frontrunner on his Triumph-powered Boscoscuro was Vietti but Gonzalez was clinging right onto the tailpipes of the Italian, with the latter’s teammate Agius enjoying a fantastic start to the race to sit in P3. By Lap 12 of 22, Gonzalez was at the front and beginning to pull the pin. The gap was up to 1.9s as Agius locked onto the back of Vietti.

Then, drama. Agius showed a wheel to Vietti’s left hand side through Turn 10 and there was contact made. It was enough to see Vietti slide out of contention, Agius was wide and lost a heap of time, which allowed Canet to climb into second place. That controversial collision meant Gonzalez was now over three seconds ahead at the front, with Agius handed a Long Lap penalty for his involvement.

In the closing stages, Gonzalez and Canet were comfortable in P1 and P2, with Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) – who picked off Agius after the Australian’s mistake – starting to come under pressure from the recovering #81. The move came at Turn 12 with three laps to go, before Moreira bit back at Turn 1. Agius was back into P3 at Turn 3, but Moreira didn’t throw in the sweat drenched towel. The duo exchanged positions five times on Lap 21 of 22, with Agius holding the final podium spot coming onto the final lap.

And after the superb Gonzalez clinched a second Moto2 win, and Canet crossed the line to collect a valuable 20 points, Agius held onto third place to beat Moreira by 0.251s. Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing Team) rounded out the top five, the Andalucian eventually fending off Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO) and Jake Dicon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) by just over one and a half seconds – the Briton acting as the lead Boscoscuro rider in Thailand.

Top rookie honours went the way of the incredibly impressive Daniel Holgado as the CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team star bagged P8, the Spaniard finishing ahead of Filip Salač (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) and Alonso Lopez (Team HDR Heidrun).

Further down, there were points gained by rookie Adrian Huertas (Italtrans Racing Team) in P14, with Indonesia’s Mario Aji (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) picking up a fifth P15 finish.

Victories don’t get much more comfortable than that. Gonzalez lays down an early gauntlet in Moto2 as attention turns to Round 2 in Argentina.

Moto3 : World Championship Race Results From Thailand

Moto3 race start in Thailand. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Moto3 race start in Thailand. Photo courtesy Dorna.

Jose Antonio Rueda won the FIM Moto3 World Championship race Sunday at Chang International Circuit, in Thailand. Using his Pirelli-shod Red Bull KTM Ajo, the Spaniard won the 19-lap race by 7.276 second.

His rookie teammate and Spaniard Alvaro Carpe was the runner-up.

The Spanish rider Adrian Fernandez was third, just 0.065 second behind Carpe, on his Leopard Racing Honda. 

 

Moto3RaceClassification
 moto3worldstanding

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Rueda eases to Buriram victory, teammate Carpe stuns in P2. In a chaotic Moto3™ Grand Prix, it was Jose Antonio Rueda’s experience that saw him take victory whilst his rookie teammate grabbed attention on his debut. 

Grand Prix Sunday is off to flying start as the Moto3™ World Championship rocketed into life at the Chang International Circuit. The PT Grand Prix of Thailand’s main race day started with plenty of talking points but coming out of the drama unscathed and opening his victory account in 2025, Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) stayed clear of trouble to take a second career victory.

RACE STORY: early incidents with big impacts

As we so often see in Moto3, the opening exchanges were hotly contested, with Rueda leading from the front from polesitter Matteo Bertelle (LEVEL-UP MTA), but the second-place baton was being swapped plenty of times as the riders fought for position. There was opening lap drama for rookies Cormac Buchanan (BOE Motorsports) and Eddie O’Shea (GRYD – MLav Racing), with the New Zealander taking out the Brit in a last corner-first lap incident.

With 13 laps to go, a lead group of 13 had formed after home hero Tatchakorn Buasri (Honda Team Asia) crashed out of contention with Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3). Then, Buasri’s teammate Taiyo Furusato had his podium hopes ended at Turn 3 with 12 laps to go. Now, it was a front bunch of 12 riders but two more then dropped out of the podium fight. Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) went off at Turn 3 after a collision with David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Intact Dynavolt), the latter receiving a Long Lap Penalty but crashing out on Lap 13 before he had the chance to take it.

With all the incidents and scrapping in the group, Rueda took his opportunity to bolt clear and instilled a two-second gap between him and the likes of Stefano Nepa (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) and rookie revelation Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo). With just five laps to go, Joel Kelso (LEVEL-UP MTA) got it all wrong at Turn 12 and took out Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI). The latter rejoined but Kelso was out.

CLOSING STAGES: a fierce fight for P2

The final laps were all about the battle for P2; Fernandez was looking at equalling his career-best finish, Carpe at a debut podium and Nepa – with more starts than any current Moto3 rider on the grid – a career-first podium. Up the road by 7 seconds, Rueda took a second win of his career and would find his teammate alongside him in P2, a magnificent debut for Carpe. Fernandez took P3 and denied Nepa a first appearance on the rostrum, whilst Matteo Bertelle took P5 despite starting from pole.

There was late heartbreak for Britain’s Scott Ogden who crashed at the last corner on the last lap after contact with David Almansa (Leopard Racing) and despite his best efforts to not crash, it ended in the gravel, just metres from the finishing line. Dennis Foggia’s (CFMOTO Aspar Team) return to Moto3 thus saw him in P6, with Almansa P7, Rossi promoted into eighth and the top ten rounded out by Joel Esteban (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) and the recovering Lunetta. Points were scored on his debut for Ruche Moodley in 11th, whilst the rest of the scorers were Piqueras, Marco Uriarte (GRYD – MLav Racing), Adrian Cruces (CIP Green Power) and Buchanan, who remounted after his Lap 1 fall to take the final place and point.

 
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