The Trackhouse Racing introduction of its 2024 MotoGP team in Hollywood on Friday was a major event for American motorcycle road racing and for Aprilia. There were multiple World Champions and U.S. Champions on hand, as well as representatives from the top level of Aprilia’s motorcycle road racing efforts. 

Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola said that Trackhouse was important to the factory’s racing efforts. With four 2024-spec bikes on the track and in the hands of a team with close ties to the factory, Aprilia will gather more data, more feedback and thus follow Ducati’s example of using the maximum amount of information gathered on the track to hone its racebikes to their optimum on race weekends.

As is the case with most top-level motorsport launches, the machines displayed are not the actual vehicles the team will go racing with. Building a MotoGP machine is an incredibly complicated process, and Aprilia is still building the bikes for the upcoming season. Trackhouse Team Manager and former Grand Prix racer Wilco Zeelenberg said the 2024 machines that rider Miguel Oliveira will race already were in Malaysia for the first pre-season test. Interestingly, job one for the team from an on-track perspective is making sure that the 2024 machine is developed to a higher level of performance than the 2023 bike. Last year’s machine was good enough to win two races and nearly lock out the podium in Barcelona. Raul Fernandez, (who raced 2022 versions of the RS-GP in 2023), said when he got a chance to test the 2023 version of Aprilia’s RS-GP at the post-season test in Valencia, he had much, much more confidence tipping the bike toward the apex on the brakes, and his performance showed–he was fifth-fastest on the day, just behind eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez.

On hand were not only the current MotoGP riders and key personnel for the Aprilia project, but several U.S. racers who have competed at the sport’s highest level. Wayne Rainey and Kevin Schwantz, 500cc Grand Prix World Champions; Superbike World Champion, 250cc World Champion, and three-time 500cc Grand Prix race winner John Kocinski; Joe Roberts, America’s most recent Grand Prix winner (in Moto2); four-time MotoGP podium finisher John Hopkins; and four-time AMA Superbike Champion Josh Hayes; were all on hand. (Remember, in his first and only MotoGP event, Hayes filled in for the injured Colin Edwards on the Tech3 Yamaha YZR-M1 at Valencia in 2011, led the wet morning warm-up session, and finished seventh in the MotoGP race.) All spent time talking with young American racer Rossi Moor, who has won races and the 2022 Northern Talent Cup Championship (part of the Road to MotoGP program) in Europe.

The post More From The Trackhouse MotoGP Launch In Hollywood appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.

Levi Kitchen Wins 250SX Class, Marking Eight Different Winners In Four Events

Anaheim, Calif., – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb became the fourth different Monster Energy AMA Supercross winner in four rounds when he took the victory at the Anaheim 2 Supercross in front of 43,753 fans in Angel Stadium. Anaheim 2 was the first of three Triple Crown events this year which combine the results from three races to determine one winner on the night. Webb won the overall with (2-2-5) race results.

Going (5-7-1), Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac had the crowd cheering when he earned second place overall with a win in the final race of the evening as the sport celebrates 50 years of racing this year. Last week’s winner, Red Bull KTM’s Aaron Plessinger, earned third place with (6-4-3) and retains the points lead heading into Round 5. In the Western Regional 250SX Class, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen fought hard for the overall win with (1-2-3) race scores. And Supercross Futures, a part of SMX Next, held its first of five races to feature the future stars of Supercross; in what was the best battle of the night. Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Cole Davies emerged with the victory over Monster Energy Star Yamaha’s Gavin Towers.

“If you do really well the first two [races], the third one sometimes is easy… I had a lot of wiggle room [in Race #3] and could just, honestly, have a solo ride in fifth place. But it is a little bit weird, for sure, to not go over the checkered flag first. But I think that’s kinda the unique thing about the Triple Crown, is we’ve seen a lot of this happen. You can have big point swings, and you can have one bad race and then have two good ones [and] you end up on the podium and something like that. So it’s never over for sure in these kind of situations… I saw Jason [Anderson] right in front of me [in Race #3], he went down, and it probably wasn’t the best thing for me, because it was instantly like, ‘All right, I can just kinda chill,’ but I was grateful to put myself in that situation.” – Cooper Webb

“I was pretty frustrated after those first two [races]. I was like, ‘Okay, here I’m just – what am I now, fifth – seventh place guy right now?’ I don’t know. I just had to go do something, I had to get off the gate there, so it was good. It was good. Had a good flow. I was able to get the whoop combo down, and I felt like that was important for me, and yeah, felt good.” – Eli Tomac

“I knew Detroit was the next race and I really, really wanted to carry the red plate into Detroit given the events that happened last year.” [Plessinger crashed while leading Detroit 2023] “That’s gonna be a special race and yeah, I’m ready for it. I’m ready to get back to Florida this week and put in some work and then go up to the freezing cold and hopefully my moustache doesn’t break off in the 20 degree weather [laughs]. But no, I’m ready to get back up there and do some damage.” – Aaron Plessinger

The Western Regional 250SX Class held its second round and Levi Kitchen became the fourth rider in four rounds to take home a win. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire battled hard in the first two races but a flat tire in the third Race took his chances at an overall victory. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Nate Thrasher followed up a win last weekend with a third place finish at Anaheim 2.

“We’re all really close right now. Obviously I want to be the dominant guy, but yeah, it’s closer now. You can’t start in like fifth and sixth with these guys and have them up front. You’d have to have a pretty amazing – I don’t even know what you’d have to do to be able to get up to them. I think it’s tighter than in years’ past. Especially the top five of us, we’re all pretty experienced by now, so it’s definitely tight racing.” – Levi Kitchen

“For the first time in my career I had a flat tire on a Supercross track, so yeah, it was eventful. I knew something was wrong, didn’t necessarily know what until it shot me off in the whoops… I was fine the next couple laps, and then once that rear tire breaks the bead and it’s off the rim, that’s when it gets really, really scary. But overall it was an awesome night. That first and second moto were sick. If we could do that every weekend, I mean, we’d probably get paid a lot more because that was a show. [smiles]. But like I said, that was fun. All in all, it was a really solid day.” – RJ Hampshire  

“[The new bike is] the same motor package but a whole different chassis. So all the suspension characteristics are completely different. So we’re still leaning, but I think I got a good package this weekend. I felt like it was a big step in the right direction for me, and we’re still learning, still working, still trying to get a little bit better, but last week [in testing] I think we found a little bit and it showed this weekend… It was a very hardpack track out there today and on the bike I was racing a couple weekends ago I was struggling pretty bad with the hardpack. So yeah, it was definitely a little bit better spot for me.” – Nate Thrasher  

“It was an awesome battle. We were just going back and forth. And it was super tiring, I was breathing so hard and, you’re just glad to be on top… I couldn’t even feel myself. I was like so frickin – I was like in a dream it felt like.” – Cole Davies (#17) 

Others in attendance include: USA Olympic Skateboarder Nyjah Huston, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire director Gil Kenan, Influencers Ben Azelart and Hayes Grier, world-renowned drummer Jason Bonham of Bonham and Sammy Hagar’s “The Best of All Worlds” Van Halen Tour, rock guitarist Carlos Cavazo of Quiet Riot and Ratt, who was also recently inducted into the Metal Hall of Fame. 

Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan hosts Round 5 of the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship next Saturday, February 3rd. The Detroit Supercross will run on a daytime schedule rather than under the lights. The racing starts at 3:00PM Eastern Time. Doors open for fans attending the race at 8:00AM Eastern Time. The race will kick off the 9-round Eastern Regional 250SX Championship.

Each Supercross round also pays points toward the 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship. In its second year, the SuperMotocross League combines the Supercross season and the 11-round AMA Pro Motocross season to seed riders into two Super Motocross World Championship Playoffs and a Final in September.

Every race is available live on PeacockTV, with select rounds also viewable on NBC, USA Network, CNBC, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app. Fans around the globe can catch the action live, with both English and Spanish commentary, through the SuperMotocross Video Pass (supermotocross.tv).

For video highlights, race results, schedule information, broadcast airtimes, and to purchase tickets, please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.

The post AMA Supercross: Report And Video Highlights From Anaheim Two appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.

The finale episode of Thrill of the Race bringing you closer than ever before to the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at an incredible title decider at Brands Hatch. Relive all of the emotion, drama and intensity of the final round of the 2023 season at Brands Hatch in the final battle to become 2023 Champion We hope you enjoyed the ride

INTRO 00:00

PRE-WEEKEND TALK WITH TOMMY, GLENN & KYLE 00:54

PRE-RACE THOUGHTS FROM THE TOP 8 01:50

QUALIFYING 04:25

BIKE SOCIAL SPRINT RACE 08:26

POST RACE THOUGHTS WITH STUART HIGGS 16:00

POST RACE THOUGHT WITH TOMMY BRIDEWEL 16:34

THE DAY OF DESTINY 16:55

PRE-RACE 2 THOUGHTS FROM TOMMY, GLENN & KYLE 17:28

BENNETTS BRITISH SUPERBIKE RACE TWO 18:29

RACE 2 REACTIONS 25:25

BENNETTS BRITISH SUPERBIKE RACE THREE 27:02

TOMMY BRIDEWELL CELBRATIONS 36:58

CLOSING WORDS FROM TOMMY & GLENN 39:45

CLOSING WORDS FROM STUART HIGGS 41:15

OUTRO 46:07

#britishsuperbikes #bsb #bsb2023 #doningtonpark #superbikerace #superbikeracing #motorcycle #motorsport #ducati #honda #bmw #kawasaki #superbikes #motorbikes #racing #behindthescenes #onboard #motorsport #motorbikeracing #brandshatch #overtake #onboard #behindthescenes

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        An era ended quietly with the conclusion of the Moto2 race in Valencia. Dunlop was out of Grand Prix racing. And the next day a new era opened, with the first official test for the Moto2 and Moto3 teams on spec Pirelli tires.

        Already the control tire in World Superbike, World Supersport, and several National-level series, (as well as in Formula One car racing), Pirelli made a positive first impression in the smaller-displacement classes, beating the best-ever Moto2 lap times at Valencia and crushing the Moto3 lap record…

            “Pirelli Takes Over,” by Michael Gougis

            Giorgio Barbier, Racing Manager for Pirelli, was on hand in Valencia to give an overview of the first official test for Pirelli tires in the Moto2 and Moto3 classes, and he was quite pleased. Setting lap records will do that. Read his impressions in the latest issue of Roadracing World!

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

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PREVIEW  January 2024 Issue of Roadracing World

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Rev up your engines and mark your calendars as the 2024 Bagger Racing League promises an adrenaline-fueled season with the “Battle of the Baggers.” With a thrilling schedule featuring international showdowns and new classes, this season is set to redefine the world of bagger GP racing. 

**Round 1: Motorsport Park Hastings, NE (May 24-26) – Double Header**

Kicking off the season in grand style, Motorsport Park Hastings in Nebraska will host the inaugural races, treating fans to a double-header extravaganza. The intense competition is sure to set the tone for an action-packed championship. 

**Round 2: Gingerman Raceway, MI (June 28-30) – Double Header**

The excitement continues at Gingerman Raceway in Michigan, where riders will face off in another thrilling double-header. The challenging circuit promises to push competitors to their limits, ensuring every lap is a spectacle for fans.

**Round 3: Bridgestone Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, ON (August 9-11) – International Double Header**

The Battle of the Baggers goes international with Round 3 taking place at Bridgestone Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario. This Canadian showdown will not only test the skills of the riders but also add a global flavor to the competition. Get ready for an unforgettable double-header on Canadian soil.

**Round 4: Finals at Willow Springs International Raceway, CA (November 16-17) – Double Header**

As the season reaches its climax, the Finals at Willow Springs International Raceway in California promise to be a spectacular culmination. The double-header format ensures that every twist and turn of this iconic circuit will play a pivotal role in deciding the ultimate champion.

*Introducing the SUPER STREET CLASS.

Adding a new layer of excitement to the 2024 season, the Bagger Racing League introduces the SUPER STREET CLASS. This category will showcase the prowess of baggers in a unique setting, challenging riders to navigate the streets with speed and precision.

*Shane Narbone Defends His Title**

All eyes will be on the reigning champion, Shane Narbone, as he aims to defend his 2023 title in the bagger GP. Narbone’s skill, experience, and determination make him a formidable contender, but the competition will be fierce, and only time will tell if he can secure another championship. For more information and updates on the 2024 Bagger Racing League “Battle of the Baggers,” visit http://www.BaggerRacingLeague.com. Strap in and get ready for a season of high-speed thrills, intense rivalries, and the relentless pursuit of victory on the bagger racing circuit.

The post Bagger Racing League Announces Four-Round 2024 Race Schedule appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.

This podcast is “Tech Talk – The Terrible Throttle Tell-All.”

The original podcast can be found on BuzzSprout.com or listened to via other places you get podcasts.

From the Oxley Bom Podcast:

If you want to go fast, you hit the gas. But what actually happens when a rider goes full throttle? The answer, as you might expect of a cutting edge million dollar speed machine, is a little complex. Luckily, we’ve got our very own engineering expert! Join us as Mat asks Peter everything you’ve ever wanted to know about what happens when you turn that handle.

Oh, and make sure to stick around for the end of the episode for some very cool updates about the future of the podcast…

With big thanks as always to Brad Baloo from The Next Men and Gentleman’s Dub Club, who wrote our theme song. Check out The Nextmen for more great music!  

The post Oxley Bom MotoGP Podcast: “Tech Talk – The Terrible Throttle Tell-All” appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.

        Urban legend says Henry Ford once commissioned a study of Ford cars in junkyards. The researcher reported back that they found that the cars had died for all sorts of reasons: Transmissions, crankshafts, broken pistons, etc. The researcher did offer that, on the upside, all the king pin bushings in the front suspension were in excellent condition.

        “Make the kingpin bushings cheaper,” was Ford’s response.

         That unverified and argued-over anecdote could explain why the king pin bushings on my 1970 E100 were garbage. It also could illustrate how manufacturers may aim to have all the parts wear out at the same rate, as well as strive to deliver performance at a price point…

            “An Autopsy Of A 2020 Yamaha YZF-R1 Race Engine,” by Sam Fleming

            In the interest of science, Sam Fleming enlisted Michael Godin from KWS Motorsports to tear down a 4,000-mile Army Of Darkness race engine and provide an independent assessment of its condition and a recommendation for how to proceed if it was a track day/streetbike instead of an engine intended to win the 2023 N2 WERA National Endurance Championship. This is what Godin found—and it’s in the latest issue of Roadracing World.

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

Click here for a sample issue of Roadracing World magazine. (Print Edition, one sample issue per household, U.S. address only.)

PREVIEW  January 2024 Issue of Roadracing World

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

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In addition to Trackhouse founder and owner Justin Marks, a former NASCAR racer and owner of a NASCAR team, riders Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez were on hand, as well as former and current Grand Prix racers. They were joined by Massimo Rivola, CEO of Aprilia Racing, as well as Wilco Zeelenberg, the former 250cc Grand Prix racer who is the team manager for Trackhouse.

Wayne Rainey, a three-time 500cc Grand Prix World Champion and now President of MotoAmerica, and 1993 500cc Grand Prix World Champion Kevin Schwantz were both on hand, representing the period of Grand Prix racing that was utterly dominated by American riders. From 1978 to 1993, Americans won 13 of 16 500cc Grand Prix titles.

Trackhouse is based in North Carolina, but the satellite team will operate out of Noale, Italy, in conjunction with the Aprilia racing department. Oliveira will start the season on a 2024 RS-GP, while Fernandez will start racing on the 2023 version of the machine and transition to a 2024 during the season. Oliveira is a multi-time MotoGP winner with KTM, and Fernandez is a multi-time winner in Moto2 and runner-up in the Moto2 World Championship in 2022.

The post Trackhouse Racing Introduces 2024 MotoGP Team In Los Angeles appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.

Decatur, Texas-based 3D Motorsports has signed Hayden Bicknese as well as Alex Enriquez to pilot their Suzuki GSX-R750s in MotoAmerica Supersport in 2024. Both riders have tested with the team over the winter and feel confident for the 2024 season. 

Hayden Bicknese is no stranger to the MotoAmerica podium with six podiums in Junior Cup. He is up for the challenge in Supersport this year and feels he can run up front. 

“I’m excited to see what we can do with Hayden. We are lucky enough to be able to ride a lot during the year with him and believe we can develop both the bike and him to be a contender,” expressed 3D Motorsports owner Dustin Dominguez. 

Bicknese added, “I am very excited to be joining 3D Motorsports on the GSX-R750 for my first year in Supersport. I think that I have the opportunity to have a strong first year in the class with Dustin Dominguez and his team, and I can’t wait to see what I can do at Road Atlanta.”

Alex Enriquez had a great year in 2023 as he was selected to represent America in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. The teenager has also had success finishing on the podium in the North American Talent Cup in 2022. For 2024, the Californian will jump into the Supersport class. Enriquez stated, “I’m happy I will be racing in the MotoAmerica Supersport class on a GSX-R750 with 3D Motorsports. I’m so excited and can’t wait till the season starts!”

Dominguez spoke about Enriquez, “I went out to Chuckwalla in December and watched some races and saw Alex on a 600. I was impressed with his riding and lap times. I went to talk to his father and learned it was his first time ever on a Supersport bike. We’re excited to have him with us for 2024.”

3D Motorsports is excited about the future and plans to announce its Stock 1000 rider lineup soon. For more info about the team email 3dmotorsportsllc@gmail.com We want thank all our sponsors for the tremendous support, Btec Turbines, CG Law, Blud Lubricants, Drippin Wet, M4, Spears Racing, Orient Express, Ktech, Dunlop, AF1 Racing, and Southern Adrenaline.

The post MotoAmerica: 3D Motorsports Signs Bicknese, Enriguez For Supersport appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.

         While many manufacturers have used carbon-fiber for parts of their MotoGP machines, few have committed to full composite chassis. The most successful were the Ducati Desmosedici GP09 and GP10 models in the hands of Casey Stoner, but after going winless in 2011, the Italian company, which had used steel trellis frames until adopting the carbon monocoque design, fell in line with orthodoxy and built its GP12 with a twin-spar aluminum frame.

            KTM has been MotoGP’s technical rebel in recent years, sticking with a steel frame and its own suspension components when all others adopted variations on aluminum twin-spar frames and Öhlins…

            “Back To The Future,” by Michael Gougis

            Now KTM has gone where others have feared to tread, equipping its factory RC16 racebikes with full carbon-fiber chassis. KTM’s Technical Manager for MotoGP, Sebastian Risse, explains why the company feels it is not only the correct choice, but will soon be the only choice for MotoGP machines. It’s in the latest issue of Roadracing World!

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

Click here for a sample issue of Roadracing World magazine. (Print Edition, one sample issue per household, U.S. address only.)

PREVIEW  January 2024 Issue of Roadracing World

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The post MotoGP Analysis: Are Carbon-Fiber Frames Back For Good? In The January Issue… appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.