2003 Suzuki Dr-z 110cc Dirt Bike on 2040-motos

Moto blog

Rainy BSB tests are nothing new

THE combination of bad weather in the UK and a European testing ban means that most BSB teams will now start the season with very little track time. This sounds like a disaster for the top teams but history has proved this isn’t necessarily true and it sometimes doesn’t matter how much pre season preparation has taken place.  Back in 2002 Sean Emmett won on the IFC Ducati at the opening Silverstone round after first riding it in unofficial practice the same weekend. Steve Hislop took the other win on Pauls Bird’s well sorted Ducati. More recently in 2009, Leon Camier took an untested new model R1 Yamaha to victory at the Brands Hatch opener after GSE took delivery of the bike just the week before. Sylvain Guintoli won the other race on a well developed, well tested Crescent Suzuki. You could argue if no one has had testing then it is a level playing field but you have to feel for riders moving up to the superbike class in the world’s toughest national series.  Tyco Suzuki’s PJ Jacobson is one such rider but having spent some time with him over the past few weeks he seems to be taking it all in his stride. It may be the confidence of youth or maybe the fact he has won in every other class he has entered in his short BSB career, but I suspect he fancies at least standing on the Superbike podium at Brands (He also does a bit of ice racing which is not dissimilar to the this year’s UK testing).  The testing ban was implemented with all the best cost cutting intentions and if it had been any other year in the past decade all would be well. The teams may be feeling frustrated but the fans should be excited. With so many unknowns, the 2013 BSB opener at Brands Hatch could be the best ever!

Racer Yoshinari Matsushita Killed in Isle of Man TT Crash

Veteran racer Yoshinari Matsushita has died after crashing in a practice session for the 2013 Isle of Man TT. Matsushita crashed his Suzuki GSX-R600 at the Ballacyre section of the Isle of Man’s Mountain Course. He was trying to prepare to compete in the TT’s Supersport class for Tyco Suzuki.

Harley’s Ed Krawiec is 2011 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Champ

Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines rider Ed Krawiec is the 2011 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion. Krawiec clinched the title with a second-round win at the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway that eliminated Lucas Oil Buell rider Hector Arana Jr., the only rider in the field with a chance to overtake Krawiec for the championship. Krawiec advanced to the final round and lost to his Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines teammate Andrew Hines, who finished the season third in points. More from Harley-Davidson on Krawiec’s win: “I think this is really a statement on the season, to end it with an all-Harley final and the championship, and with Willie G.