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May 21
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BMW M 1000 RR 50th Anniversary celebrated with Insane List of Extras

By General Posts

by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com/

This year, the letter M takes the center stage in the automotive world.

German carmaker BMW is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its high-performance division, a half a century of history that started with the 3.0 CSL homologation special.

In the time that has passed since, BMW M’s reach has grown powerful enough to leave its mark on motorcycles as well. Just a couple of years ago, for instance, BMW’s Motorrad division got touched by the M hand, and the mighty M 1000 RR was born as the first-ever BMW M-developed superbike.

Already present in several competitions on various tracks around the world, the motorcycle also became this week the center of M celebrations, with the launch of the special M 1000 RR 50 Years. Not significantly modified from a mechanical standpoint from the regular models, this anniversary one makes use of the full complement of extras BMW M has on the table for motorcycles.

Wrapped in Sao Paulo Yellow, the model is fitted with the M Competition Package as standard, which comes with things like an M carbon package and M milled parts package. It also gets a lighter swingarm, now in silver anodised aluminum, the unlock code for the M GPS laptrigger, the M Endurance chain, and pillion package.

Otherwise, the 50 Years is your regular 1000 RR, if such a word can be used to describe it. It has a water-cooled four-cylinder in-line engine in its frame, developing 212 hp and 113 Nm of torque, M brakes under M carbon wheels, and five riding modes.

The model has been envisioned as a limited edition one and will be available for order only between Saturday, May 21, and November 30. Pricing details were not announced, and we’re also not informed if there’s a production cap on this.

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PRESS RELEASE FROM BMW: 20 MAY 2022

To mark the 50th anniversary of BMW M GmbH, founded in 1972 as BMW Motorsport GmbH, BMW Motorrad presents the M 1000 RR 50 Years M anniversary model in Sao Paulo Yellow finish and with the historic 50 Years BMW M emblem.

With its striking M colours, this anniversary model lives up to the M philosophy and the racing spirit from almost 100 years of motorcycle construction by BMW Motorrad and 50 years of BMW M vehicles. The M RR 50 Years M is therefore fitted with the M Competition Package as standard. In addition to the extensive M milled parts package and the exclusive M carbon package, both a lighter swingarm in silver anodised aluminium, the unlock code for the M GPS laptrigger as well as the M Endurance chain, pillion package and pillion seat cover are part of the standard equipment.

M – the most powerful letter in the world.

At the end of 2018, BMW Motorrad already introduced the successful BMW M automobile range strategy for motorcycles and has since been offering M special equipment and M Performance

Parts. The BMW M 1000 RR – known as the M RR for short – finally celebrated its world premiere in September 2020 as the first M model from BMW Motorrad based on the S 1000 RR.

Today, as in the past, BMW Motorrad follows the philosophy of the most powerful letter in the world: M is synonymous worldwide with racing success as well as the fascination of high-performance BMW models and is aimed at customers with particularly high demands for performance, exclusivity and individuality. Last but not least, the BMW M RR has also been the base bike for the BMW Motorrad World SBK Team since 2021, as well as many other racing teams around the world.

BMW Motorsport GmbH and BMW M GmbH (since 1993).

The BMW Motorsport GmbH was founded in 1972 with the idea of uniting all BMW motorsport activities under one roof and building up high-performance racing vehicles and racing engines for motorracing. The BMW 3.0 CSL (CSL = Coupe Sport Light Construction) made its debut as the first racing car of BMW Motorsport GmbH in 1973 and on the occasion of the foundation of BMW Motorsport GmbH, Robert A. Lutz, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG for Sales in 1972, stated at the time: “A company is like a human being. If it does sports, it stays fit, enthusiastic, more effective and powerful.”

The BMW 3.0 CSL made its debut in the European Touring Car Championship in the 1973 season, and with it a racing team’s uniform appearance in the three BMW Motorsport colours of blue, violet and red on a snow-white background that is still defining to this day. This colour scheme in the updated version Blue – Dark Blue – Red determines the appearance of the BMW M logo and the BMW M vehicles until today.

The legendary colour scheme can already be found on the first BMW M vehicles developed for the road in the second half of the 1970s and also characterises the racing vehicles to come and their motorsport successes. For example, in 1978 the M1 super sports car and from 1980 onwards the Formula 1 racing cars with which Nelson Piquet won the Formula 1 World Championship in 1983.

From the Isle of Man to Dakar – BMW Motorrad and motorsport.

But it is not only since 1972, and not only in BMW automobiles, that the BMW brand has been driven to win. Outstanding racing successes and innovations also stem from motorsport. Even in the first decades of the company’s history, BMW and motorsport were linked with unforgotten names such as Ernst Jakob Henne and Georg “Schorsch” Meier. The legendary victory of “Schorsch” Meier with his supercharged BMW in the 1939 Senior Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man is unforgotten.

And in 1976, exactly 37 years later, Helmut Dähne and Hans Otto Butenuth celebrate fifth place in the Production TT. In this class up to 1000 cc they set the fastest time with their BMW R 90 S, but due to a handicap rule that applies there, they were listed in fifth place in the classification behind two 250cc and two 500cc machines. Nevertheless, given the fastest time, this fifth place was celebrated like a victory.

75 years after “Schorsch” Meier’s success in the Senior TT, Michael Dunlop succeeds again in 2014 on the BMW S 1000 RR. And in the years that followed, the RR left its unmistakable mark on the Tourist Trophy with further victories.

But the BMW M colours are also represented on BMW motorcycles off the beaten track. For example, on the BMW GS factory bikes with which Hubert Auriol and Gaston Rahier dominated the Paris-Dakar Rally in the early 1980s.

Like no other BMW motorcycle to date, the M RR 50 Years M model carries this historic motorsport DNA within it. This exceptional motorcycle can only be ordered between 21 May and 30 November 2022.

Apr 03
Love0

Pirelli Announces 2022 #PirelliNation Road Race Community Program

By General Posts

For the second consecutive year, Paasch captured the victory and Rolex

Submit Your Application by April 15 for the Opportunity to Join Pirelli’s Road Racing Community

Join racers like two-time defending Daytona 200 winner Brandon Paasch as a part of the #pirellination road racing community.

ROME, Ga. (April 1, 2022) – Pirelli Tire North America is pleased to announce the launch of its new #pirellination road race community for the 2022 racing season. As the official tire of the MOTUL FIM World Superbike Championship, Pirelli and its DIABLO™ Superbike lineup is the go-to tire by racers around the world. Pirelli remains dedicated to the grassroots part of the sport, continuing with its motto “we sell what we race, we race what we sell”, and all riders may purchase the same race compound tires found on the bikes of their favorite professional riders and World Champions like Jonathan Rea and Toprak Razgatlioglu.

The road race community program will ensure racers are the first to know about the latest brand news, be notified of Pirelli’s newest products, receive updates on national marketing opportunities within the brand, and be given access to technical advice and service at select races. Pirelli’s team will also be identifying and selecting several candidates who will have the opportunity to purchase race compound tires at preferred pricing and provided with Pirelli team-branded gear.

Residents of the United States and Canada are eligible for the program.

“Pirelli is extremely excited about building up its racer community with the all-new #PirelliNation program,” said Oscar Solis, road race manager, Pirelli. “Everything we do from the very top as a brand, including product development with World and National Championship racers, trickles down to the local, club level racer. Our goal remains to provide the everyday rider and racer with access to the latest technology and the very best products available on the market. With this new community, it will allow us to strengthen our bond with those racers, educate them on our products, and provide them with the knowledge and ingredients needed to succeed.”

Pirelli’s high-performance DIABLO Superbike lineup offers several different compounds including SC1, SC2, and SC3 on the front and SCX, SC0, SC1, SC2, and SC3 on the rear.

View the complete range of DIABLO Superbike tires on the Pirelli website.

CLICK HERE to submit your application for the 2022 #pirellination program. All applications must be submitted no later than April 15, 2022.

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Sep 14
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Pirelli chosen by VR46 Riders Academy as Partner for their Motorcycle Fleet

By General Posts

VR46 Riders Academy Chooses Pirelli  as Partner for their Motorcycle and E-MTB Fleet.

Thanks to this collaboration with the VR46 Riders Academy, one of the most renowned schools in the world for professional racers, will equip its training fleet with Pirelli tires, from road bikes to motocross and E-MTB machines.

Milan, Italy September 14, 2021 – Pirelli has been chosen by the VR46 Riders Academy as technical partner and tire supplier for several of the team’s training activities. Thanks to this collaboration, the riders of the academy will be equipped with tires of the Italian manufacturer during their trainings on road bikes, motocross and E-MTBs.

The VR46 Riders Academy was founded with the aim of helping young Italian motorcyclists on their journey towards a racing career in the two-wheeled world. The staff that follows the riders of the VR46 Riders Academy are the same who support Valentino Rossi in the races so every advice and every decision is the result of years of experience.

The partnership involves the use of Pirelli tires for the training activities of the VR46 Riders Academy riders: from circuit sessions with road bikes, to off-road exercises using motocross bikes and training on E-MTBs.

The YZF-R1 and YZF-R6 motorcycles are used for training on circuit, which thanks to this partnership will be equipped with Pirelli DIABLO Superbike tires in the different compounds present in the range and in the same sizes used in the FIM Superbike World Championship. DIABLO Superbike is the tire used by all riders in the world championship of production-derived motorcycles and over the years it has undergone a constant improvement in performance thanks to the intense research and development carried out by Pirelli engineers.

For off-road training, the VR46 Riders Academy will rely on the performance of the SCORPION MX tire family, which boasts 74 world titles in motocross among its many successes, and the SCORPION E-MTB product range dedicated to electric mountain bikes.

Claudio Zanardo, Senior Vice President Pirelli Moto & Cycling, commented on the agreement: “I am pleased to announce the collaboration between VR46 Riders Academy and Pirelli, which has always supported and invested in the growth of young riders. The confirmation of Pirelli as tire supplier for the motorcycles and E-MTBs used in the training sessions of the VR46 Riders Academy further strengthens Pirelli’s position both in the sporting and in the marketing fields. This partnership is a clear recognition of the consolidated reputation enjoyed by Pirelli motorcycle tires, developed thanks to decades of participation in top international competitions, with the addition of our latest tires specially developed by the Cycling division for performing E-MTBs. We are pleased that the VR46 Riders Academy has chosen to rely on the performance and safety offered by Pirelli tires for its training activities.”

Aug 14
Love0

Aprilia Tuono V4 Review

By General Posts

by Geoff Hill from https://www.mirror.co.uk

Big bikes don’t come with big scares any more

Back in the day, powerful bikes were thrilling and terrifying, but this naked Italian beauty has all the thrills and none of the terror thanks to a brain that works faster than the rider’s. Well, Geoff’s, although that’s not saying much.

I started doing bike tests in 1846, before bikes were even invented, so I just sat on a fence making bike noises, then hauled out a quill pen and a sheet of parchment and sent in my review to Velocipede Monthly on a passing donkey.

When bikes finally came along, I remember being simultaneously thrilled and terrified by some superbikes, such as the Kawasaki ZX-10R.

You got the feeling that at any moment it would fling you over the hedge, leaving you draped over a baffled cow called Gertrude, although it did get less frisky when Kawasaki fitted a steering damper to later models.

However, I realised at the launch a while back on the Suzuki Hayabusa that I wasn’t a bit scared.

There are several possible explanations for this. Either I’ve taken on board the advice I read from a psychiatrist recently that fear and excitement are just two sides of the same coin in your brain, so when you feel afraid, pretend it’s excitement.

I tried it on my first time back flying after lockdown, and it worked.

Another alternative is that I have become an astonishingly skilled rider, but since that’s highly unlikely, I suspect the answer is that bikes today such as this one are fitted with so many safety features that you’d need to be a complete idiot to end up draped over Gertrude.

I’m talking about cornering ABS, cornering traction control, anti-wheelie control, launch control, adaptive cruise control and so many other controls that before long we’ll be able to send bikes out on their own, and they can come back and tell us what a great day out they had.

And don’t laugh – BMW has already shown off an R 1200 GS which can tootle around without a rider, and that was back in 2018.

Anyway, where was I? Ah yes, just about to climb on board the Aprilia Tuono V4 Factory, the Factory bit meaning that it’s got electronically adjustable semi-active suspension, lower bars, better tyres and a more comfortable pillion position than the £15,500 base model.

In spite of the lower bars on the Factory, it’s surprisingly comfortable, even for the taller motorcycling chap, which is a welcome relief from the days when sportsbikes hunched you over like the love child of Quasimodo and Richard III and left you calling by the chiropractor on the way home.

Which left me free to admire the rather useful mirrors and a 5in TFT screen which is much clearer than on the previous Tuono, with bigger, brighter graphics which show you everything you need at a glance, including road riding modes, which can be either Tour, Sport and User, where you can geek out to your heart’s desire. There are also three track modes.

Acceleration, even in Tour mode, is gloriously lusty, accompanied by a visceral howl from the V4, handling is sublimely light and precise, and braking is as brutal but seamless as acceleration.

It’s a bike that’s impossible to unsettle no matter how ham-fisted you are in and out of corners, even on rough surfaces. Remarkable.

I spent a very happy hour getting lost on the rural A and B roads of Armagh, Northern Ireland’s apple country, feeling like I was on a bike I’d owned for years, rather than just picked up an hour ago.

Tweaked fuelling from the old model, and a firm but slick quickshifter to snick up and down the six-speed box just add to the feeling that this is a very well-sorted package indeed – fast but safe, agile but stable, and sporty but comfortable.

Switch to Sport mode, and it’s as if the bike’s been given a large and probably illegal dose of steroids, and yet even with the suspension firmer and the acceleration even more ludicrously breathtaking, it still never feels unsafe or unsettled, with the bike’s brain working faster than yours can to keep the bike stable under all conditions.

Well, my brain, anyway. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll put away my quill pen and roll up the parchment, since I see a donkey approaching, and the editor of Velocipede Monthly is an impatient sort of chap.

Aprilia Tuono V4 Factory
Engine: 1077cc liquid-cooled V4
Power: 173bhp @ 11,350rpm
Torque: 89 lb ft @ 9,000rpm
Colours: Black/red
Price: £18,100

Jul 30
Love0

Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP Races its Superbike Counterpart

By General Posts

by Sebastian Toma from https://www.autoevolution.com

Honda has pitted the new CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP against its racing version on a track to prove how fast it can be in the right hands. With slick tires, the sport bike is as close to a street-legal MotoGP racer as possible.

The resemblance between the two is normal, as British Superbike rules mandate that the race bike must be developed from the homologated production motorcycle. Therefore, the chassis and the engine are identical, but the race bike has a few tweaks within regulations to allow it to be even faster.

According to the rulebook, the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP’s racing version must have a spec ECU, which allows it to rev even higher than its street-legal brother. The gearing can also be changed according to various necessities, depending on the track and rider preference, along with a minimum weight of 168 kg (370.37 lbs.).

To prove just how fast the street-legal version of this bike can be, Honda Racing UK British Super Bike racer Glen Irwin took both bikes on the same day at Oulton Park International Circuit. We are talking about a 2.69-mile (4.33 km) track in the UK and identical riding conditions. Honda even fitted both bikes with the Pirelli Diablo Racing slicks (SC0 compound) to allow a direct comparison between the two bikes.

The street bike was still fitted with the stock mirrors, standard toolkit, and everything else one gets when buying a new Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP. The slick tires were the only change from the stock condition, and the team did not alter any settings on the bike.

Glenn Irwin rode each bike for six laps, and he managed to set a time of 1’39.054 on the production CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP, which is just 2.872 seconds more than what he did with his British Superbike Fireblade.

Trap speed was 210.5 km/h (130 mph) on the street-spec bike, which is just 6.8 km/h (4.2 mph) slower than the race model, which goes to show how far have sport bikes gone in past years. The only thing left is for their riders to improve their skills on the track before thinking about changing anything on a stock super sport motorcycle.

Jun 09
Love0

GTM museum finally welcomes the dream machine Triumph Hurricane

By General Posts

by Felicity Donohoe from https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk

Grampian Transport Museum (GTM) finally welcomes the dream machine Triumph Hurricane to the floor as Mike Ward finishes up his final year as curator.

After 37 years at the helm of GTM, motorcycle lover Mike Ward made sure to see out his last season before retirement with a rare Triumph Hurricane gracing the display alongside the other classic bikes – including an even rarer Triumph Bandit.

Mike said: “With 2021 being my last season at GTM, I was determined to have a Hurricane in this year’s exhibition.

“They are extremely rare, very valuable and much sought-after, but they’re not being used on the roads and to find one was difficult.”

The Hurricane will sit with the dedicated British Motorcycle Charitable Trust (BMCT) display for just this season.

GTM is open Thursday-Tuesday with plans to resume seven day weeks in summer, tel: 01975 562292. To book tickets go to gtm.org.uk

Mike employed the help of the Triumph Owners Motor Cycle Club, before Scottish-based club member David Currie, from Irvine, rode to the rescue and offered to loan his rare motorcycle to the museum.

Mike’s love affair with Triumph motorcycles began in the early 70s when he was at Lincoln College of Art studying museum conservatorship. As an 18-year-old student, he was the proud owner of a 350cc Triumph 3TA “café racer” complete with clip-on handlebars.

BSA / Triumph had just swept to success with their 750cc triple production bikes, the Triumph Trident and BSA Rocket 3, with the most famous Trident, “Slippery Sam” – so called after springing major oil leaks in an early race – winning five consecutive production 750cc class TT races at the Isle of Man from 1971-75.

The Triumph Trident and BSA Rocket 3 was made by Triumph Engineering and BSA (both part of the Birmingham Small Arms Company) from 1968-75. The high-performance bike was technically advanced, bringing a fresh face to street bikes and marking the start of the superbikes era.

Mike said: “That was the golden era of the Triumph Triple just ahead of the Japanese multi-cylinder tsunami which swept the British motorcycle industry aside. Every young enthusiast coveted one, and as soon as I graduated and found employment in 1976, I remember rushing out with my first pay cheque and buying one of the last Triumph Trident T160’s – a dream come true!”

However, with Japanese superbikes hot on their heels, BSA decided a revamp was on the cards. The company sent one of their Rockets over to American fairing creator Craig Vetter to boost the showroom appeal of their Triples.

Vetter employed a sweeping fibreglass combined fuel tank/seat and extended front forks giving it the now-vintage “Easy Rider” look. With its stunning paint job and outlandish triple exhaust, the bike stood head and shoulders above the standard BSA range and, winning popular public appeal, the X75 Hurricane was badged as a Triumph motorcycle.

Norton Villiers Triumph (1973-78) was liquidated in 1978 and in the end only 1,172 Hurricanes were built. Since then, the Hurricane has remained a rarity and one of Britain’s most exciting motorcycles of the 1970’s.

“The Triumph Hurricane has such an amazing story attached to it, said Mike. “It’s a really colourful and cheerful machine – and everyone needs cheering up just now, don’t they?”

 

Apr 15
Love0

Pirelli Unveils 2021 RYAO Program at Upcoming CCS/ASRA Events

By General Posts

The program, which will kick off at New Jersey Motorsports Park on April 24-25, will consist of 11 events and encourages Pirelli-equipped riders to compete in multiple classes.

Pirelli Tire North America has unveiled its 2021 RYAO program that will take place at upcoming Championship Cup Series (CCS) and American Sportbike Racing (ASRA) events throughout the nation. The program, which will kick off at New Jersey Motorsports Park on April 24-25, will consist of 11 events and encourages Pirelli-equipped riders to compete in multiple classes. Riders on Pirelli race compound tires who register to compete in one class will be eligible to race in as many additional classes as they wish with no extra registration fees.

“The RYAO program was really positive for us last year and a challenge that was well received by riders across North America,” said Oscar Solis, road racing manager, Pirelli. “We’ve been able to expand the program in 2021, which is something we’re excited about. We look forward to seeing more riders and their DIABLO™ Superbike slicks join us in the challenge. Every racer wants to get in as many laps as possible on the weekend and this allows them do that by entering as many races they are eligible for while only paying a low fixed entry fee.”

For each of the events, Pirelli’s local trackside vendor will have certificates for Pirelli riders when they register. There will be 50 certificates available per event that can be used for either pre-entry or post-entry and they will be good for regular sprint and twin sprint classes. Certificates will not be eligible for the team challenge or practice day.

As an additional incentive, Pirelli will be keeping track of all Pirelli-equipped riders and the points that they accumulate each race weekend. The rider who earns the most points at the end of each weekend will receive a set of Pirelli racing slicks at no charge.

2021 Pirelli RYAO Events in Conjunction with CCS/ASRA

April 24-25: New Jersey Motorsports Park (vendor – Metric Devil Moto)
June 12-13: Summit Point Raceway (vendor – Metric Devil Moto)
Round TBD
July 31-August 1: Blackhawk Farms Raceway (vendor – Farrell Performance)
July 31-August 1: North Carolina Bike (vendor – Podium Motorsports)
August 21-22: Roebling Road Raceway (vendor – Podium Motorsports)
August 21-22: Autobahn Speedway (vendor – Farrell Performance)
September 4-5: New Jersey Motorsports Park (vendor – Metric Devil Moto)
September 17-19: Blackhawk Farms Raceway (vendor – Farrell Performance)
Round TBD
December 4-5: Homestead International Speedway (vendor – Mark Tenn Motorsports)

To learn more about how to get your RYAO registration certificate, contact your Pirelli local trackside vendor listed above.

For more information about the complete line of Pirelli motorcycle tires, please visit Pirelli.com

Oct 23
Love0

Ducati partners with Lenovo for designing superbikes

By General Posts

The bike manufacturer will use a Lenovo high-performance computing cluster that will help the company to drive rapid innovation.

Ducati Motor Holding has joined hands with Lenovo for the design of its superbikes.

The bike manufacturer will use a Lenovo high-performance computing cluster that will help the company to drive rapid innovation.

As the brand says, it is continually looking for innovative ways to make its vehicles faster, safer and even more attractive.

Konstantin Kostenarov, Chief Technology Officer at Ducati, said, “Our HPC environment is the engine that drives the development and design of our road and racing bikes.”

He also added, “We use advanced aerodynamic and fluid dynamic modelling tools to calculate how a particular design or bike feature will react in different riding conditions. We don’t just do this for the superbikes that we sponsor on the racecourse, but for our road models too, so all bikers that choose Ducati enjoy an exceptional riding experience.”

Previously, Ducati used its own HPC infrastructure for the design process, but recently, it found that is no longer delivering the performance, reliability or flexibility which is needed in order to test new designs within tight deadlines. Hence, Ducati decided to use Lenovo’s HPC infrastructure.

Stefano Rendina, IT Manager at Ducati, said, “Previously, we had to transfer the results of our models and stress tests from the HPC environment and then use an entirely different workstation to transform this data into easy-to-understand visualizations. The process of transferring data in this way was both time-intensive and expensive—slowing down research and development.”

News Source https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com