2011 Oulton Park: British SBK Qualifying

2011 British Superbike

Tommy Hill erased any lingering memories of his costly error in the final round of last year's MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park as he scorched his Swan Yamaha inside the lap record to claim the pole start for the Bank Holiday Monday round of the series at the Cheshire circuit.

Hill leads the early season title stakes by four points after a second place and a Superbike victory in the opening round. He had been consistently fast across free practice and increased the pace with a best lap of 1m 35.175secs to top the time sheets, 0.281secs ahead of his team-mate Michael Laverty.

Hill had been well placed to take the British Superbike title for the first time in his career, but a tumble in the final round cost him the chance, but he says that is behind him.

Tommy Hill (SWAN Yamaha YZF-R1) says: "I've forgotten about that. People ask if going into Lodge Corner comes back to haunt me, but it does not. I made a mistake and that was that. Now it is time to move on.

"In fact Oulton Park is my favourite circuit but now I have to concentrate on turning this pole into race wins. Things are looking good. I have been consistent across the weekend so far and now I have to get the job done in the races," added Hill.

Laverty who took a race victory at the circuit last year held off the late challenge of former MotoGP rider John Hopkins who moved his Samsung Crescent Suzuki into third place on the time-sheets on the final lap. That put him a split second ahead of French teenager Loris Baz riding for the Motorpoint Yamaha team to take his first front row start in the series.

Josh Brookes, with a lap in 1m 35.980secs, headed up the second row for the Relentless Suzuki British Superbike team, from Flying Scot Stuart Easton, a race winner in the corresponding round of last season. The winner of the opening race at Brands Hatch, Shane Byrne aboard the HM Plant Honda was seventh fastest ahead of James Westmoreland riding the Motorpoint Yamaha.

Ryuichi Kiyonari, who clinched his third British Superbike title with a winning hat-trick at the circuit last October, faces an uphill struggle, starting from the third row in ninth, with Michael Rutter riding the Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati alongside, just faster than Sorrymate.com Honda's Dan Linfoot.

Alex Lowes, the joint leader in the Mirror.co.uk BSB-EVO class completes the third row for the WFR Honda British Superbike team, though the Lincolnshire rider was only 0.052secs faster than his team-mate and title rival Glen Richards, with PR Kawasaki's Simon Andrews third fastest in class.

2011 British Superbike: Oulton Park Qualifying - top six times:
1.Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha) 1m:35.175s
2.Michael Laverty (Swan Yamaha) +0.291s
3.John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing) +0.628s
4.Loris Baz (Motorpoint Yamaha) +0.663s
5.Josh Brookes (Relentless Suzuki) +0.805s
6.Stuart Easton (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +

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AMA Pro Racing: Official Miller Test

AMA Pro Racing

The AMA boys (and girls) will be back on track May 2 and 3 for the official test at Miller Motorsports Park. The teams have had a chance to collect themselves following Daytona and now get ready to get the season into high gear.

Miller Motorsports Park, located in Toole, Utah (a 30-minute drive west of downtown Salt Lake City) is earning kudos as an exceptional facility (hence Miller having earned the only US round of World Superbike).

The majority of teams will take part in the two-day test, using the track time to fine-tune in prep for the 2nd round of the series, which takes place at Infineon Raceway (Sonoma, Calif.) May 13 through 15, before returning to Miller for the third round, which takes place alongside WSBK for what is billed as MMP's BigM Weekend, May 28 through the 30.

The Miller test is open to fans and provides a more relaxed atmosphere than race weekends, and access to the superstars of the series.

Fourteen AMA Superbike riders are registered for the test including reigning Superbike Champion Josh Hayes on his Monster Energy Graves Yamaha, and the current points leader, Blake Young, on the Rockstar Makita Suzuki.

Blake will be joined by teammate Tommy Hayden. 2010 Daytona Sportbike Champion, Martin Cardenas, aboard the Team M4 Suzuki, will be testing the Superbike-a new class for him-along with teammate Chris Ulrich.

Michael Jordan Motorsports' Ben Bostrom and National Guard rider Roger Hayden will be in attendance. BMW will have three riders present; most notably Foremost Insurance Pegram Racing's Larry Pegram, with Iron Horse BMW fielding Chris Perris and Tony Kasper, all aboard the S1000R.

In the Daytona Sportbike field twenty-two riders are registered for the Miller test, including Jason DiSalvo (Daytona 200 winner) on his Team Latus Motors Racing Ducati. Yamaha will be well represented with a total of eight R6s scheduled for the test, with Josh Herrin on the Monster Energy Graves Yamaha, Tommy Aquino, on the Y.E.S./Pat Clark/Graves Yamaha, and Melissa Paris on the HT Moto Yamaha. Also, P.J. Jacobson (Celtic Racing), and Jake Holden (DNA Roberson Motorsports), are slated to attend.

Suzuki will have a solid presence with Danny Eslick (Richie Morris Racing/Geico Powersports), M4 Suzuki's Dane Westby and Santiago Villa, and Vesrah Suzuki's Taylor Knapp and Corey West. One of the other ladies in the group, SuzukiScoop's Elena Myers, will be sitting out the test having broken her arm in a Supermoto fall last week. Eight of the riders competing in the popular AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 series will be testing at Miller, preparing for the big twins' first ever appearance at the Miller circuit.

The Miller test runs 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days, with five morning sessions and seven afternoon sessions. Fans are welcome and admission is free.

For directions and information, visit millermotorsportspark.com or call 435-277-RACE (7223). For additional information about the BigM Weekend presented by Lucas Oil, visit BigMweekend.com.

For information or tickets to AMA Pro Road Racing's upcoming Round 2, May 13-15 at Infineon Raceway, visit infineonraceway.com.

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2011 Estoril MotoGP: Press Conference

Portugal MotoGP

Valentino Rossi, Dani Pedrosa, Jorge Lorenzo, Casey Stoner and Alvaro Bautista were the riders in attendance at the Thursday press conference ahead of the bwin Grande Prémio de Portugal.

After an almost four-week break the 2011 MotoGP World Championship resumes on Friday, when the opening practice sessions for the bwin Grande Prémio de Portugal get underway, and the pre-GP press conference on Thursday set the scene for Round 3 of the campaign.

Leading the early standings after just two rounds - including a victory last time out at Jerez - and with a formidable premier class record at the Estoril circuit, Yamaha Factory Racing rider Jorge Lorenzo was first to speak as he got the press conference underway.

Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing YZR-M1) says: "It's a track I love. I've won three times here and took my first MotoGP win here too. But this year is different, in theory it's a tough year for us. We are leading the Championship because we have had two fabulous races, but now the circumstances are different and it's a different year."

Looking ahead to the official Test on Monday, Lorenzo added: "I think the bike needs to improve quite a lot and especially this year, but we don't have a bad bike, we can fight for the podium and I think this is what we need to fight for the Championship. I would like to fight for the same wins as last year, but maybe it's going to be hard so our target is to be as close as we can to first position."

Dani Pedrosa used the extended interval which followed Jerez to undergo surgery and remove the metal screws in his collarbone. The Repsol Honda rider has had admirable results in the two opening rounds (third and second) and hopes that with an improved physical comfort he can make further strides. He has finished on the podium at Estoril three times.

Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V) says: "The surgery was successful, and now we must see how much I can improve here. I've had a lot of rehabilitation, which included ten days of doing nothing. It's been tricky, because I had to exercise to be able to be here, but I couldn't push too hard."

"It's still a bit sore and stiff, but I hope I can test it here, get a good feeling and see if I can improve."

All eyes were on Casey Stoner and Valentino Rossi following their coming together at Jerez, and both appeared fully focused on this weekend's race.

Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda RC212V) says: "I've done lots of training and work and it's been a long break, which has been really nice. It's quite early to have that in the season but very enjoyable. It also gives a lot of motivation for the rest of the season."

The Australian is more than eager to recuperate the points lost in Spain in the last round, and said of his record at Estoril: "I've always been fast here, the last few years haven't gone the best, but in general we've been quite competitive here and this year with the Honda it should be easier. All we need to do now is accumulate points and get our Championship on track."

Ducati Team rider Rossi has had huge success at the track during his career, finishing on the podium ten times from 11 premier class races with five victories included.

Valentino Rossi (Ducati Team GP11) says: "In the past I've had some good races and a lot of points, it's a difficult track but I love it. We have worked a lot (on the bike) and have tried to improve some areas of it, but I think for the weekend the bike will remain more or less the same except for something on the electronics to improve the character of the engine. The Test on Monday will be very important."

Making his return from a broken left femur is Rizla Suzuki's Álvaro Bautista who will test his fitness in Friday's first practice session, after which he will take a decision on whether he will continue this weekend.

Alvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki GSV-R) says: "The crash in Qatar was horrible and it's been very hard, every day working 24 hours on the injury to improve and now I am here. Tomorrow I'll try with the bike. At the moment I'm very confident. I rode a supermotard yesterday and didn't feel too much pain, but a MotoGP bike is very different and we'll see what happens."

"After first free practice I will make a decision if I continue. It's very important, it's not just the injury but I also have to rediscover the feeling with the bike."

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Lieback’s Corner: A Welcome Note

Lieback's Corner / 4.29.11

I'll be honest. I'm sick of some blogs in the motorcycle industry, and hearing a bunch of garbage from people who have no passion for two wheels. Actually, I'm sick of blogs in general; most of them give weak minds a venue to vent.

One word throttles into mind: boring.

So I won't consider this a blog, but rather a weekly column-type something or other for our readers here at UltimateMotorcycling.com. Lieback's Corner will be just that...so far, anyway. And it all stems from my love for two-wheeled machines.

I'm obsessive with motorcycles, and they are currently my entire life. And just like everything in life, there's quite a story of how that happened. But not a dull story; rather one that involves striving to make it in music, unhealthy living issues, and ultimately a nervous breakdown.

But motorcycles came back into my life one day in 2007, and I can truly say they saved me. They made me more spiritual, broke some nasty habits, gave me a job after much hard work, and ascended my health towards levels I've never thought possible in my 30s.

But bits of that story will evolve in the future...

I have a general idea of where to start this web column, if that's what we want to call it, but have no clue on where it'll end up...a kind of mirror-image to real life, and that's the way I want to leave it.

No sugarcoating. No faking. True-life writings wrapped around my passion for motorcycles. No matter how many twists life throws my way, I can always rely on a quick ride to relieve the tensions of everyday life.

To simplify: motorcycles heal me.

And this healing is why I always make time to ride 12 months a year. For readers who traveled in Northeastern Pennsylvania, riding 12 months a year is quite the battle, especially in the winter. But when you're an addict, things like snow and below-freezing temps can't prevent a motorcycle junky from getting his fix.

As for styles of riding, the track is my obsession. I recently finished building an older Yamaha R6 for this year's track-day trainings as I prep for the 2012 WERA season.

Then there's the love of sport touring, which allow me to push mentality to new levels by long distances in the saddle. Then the Harleys. Then the dual-sports. Then the vintage bikes...well, you get the point.

With this column, I look forward to reaching new heights in the tangled world of web writings, and sharing the experience with the motorcycle community. So join me every week as I don't necessarily rant like a typical blogger, but rather share a few true-life stories etched from my love of motorcycles.

As for now, I have to break some leathers in before a trip to New Jersey Motorsports Park early next week to attend the Yamaha Champions Riding School, which I'll review here on UltimateMotorCycling.com.

And I'm sure there will be some maddening stories beyond the actual track experience. The stories that make us truly human...the ones that are far from simply venting.

Stay Twisted; Throttle yr Soul
- Ron Lieback

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Removing Chain Lube from Exhaust

Maybe I’ve been living under a rock, but I just discovered an amazingly simple way to remove chain lube or oil from a chrome motorcycle exhaust. I haven’t had to do this in a while. I’ve mostly been riding motorcycles with shaft or belt drive, so I haven’t needed to lube a chain or clean up chain lube from an exhaust.

Despite using chain lube that claims not to “fling off,” I still get chain lube all over my Triumph Bonneville T100 chrome exhaust pipe. Even worst, it then bakes onto the exhaust. Up until now, I’ve been cleaning the exhaust with chrome polish and a lot of “muscle grease.” It seemed to take forever. Most of the time if felt like I was just moving the chain lube around, and not actually removing it.

I’ve even searched the internet for recommendations on how to remove chain lube from chrome exhausts. Most recommendations involve some form of chrome cleaner and a lot of arm work. Some people even suggested using a fine steel wool. They promised it won’t scratch your exhaust to badly. That seems a little extreme to me. The other day I decided to do what I should have done in the first place. I visited my local Triumph expert.

Giving credit where it is due, the following method is from Arlie Ray Blackshear at California Triumph in Mountain View, CA. I showed up at Arlie Ray’s doorstep having spent considerable time trying to polish the exhaust myself. It didn’t look too bad from a distance, but when you got close, you could see the chain lube simply smeared around, not removed. He just laughed and gave me the normal abuse for not going to him first. Yes, Arlie Ray has told my endlessly that if I ever have any questions to just ask him. He walked to his desk, grabbed a cloth and a can of Tri-Flow Lubricant, and headed for my bike. In about 30 seconds he had removed all of the chain lube from the exhaust. And just to rub it in, he cleaned the other side exhaust and part of my chrome wheel rims. He said to then polish the chrome with Wizards Mist-N-Shine, and it would look great.

He then sent me to the parts department to buy some Tri-Flow and Wizards Mist-N-Shine, and go home to finished the job. Well, I did finish the job, and the exhaust and rims look amazing. In a matter of minutes the exhaust, chrome wheels and spokes, and even the chain cover, looked amazing. So, if you need to remove chain lube from a chrome exhaust, just go see Arlie Ray. Just kidding, although I’m sure he would help. If you are in the Mountain View, CA area, you can get Tri-Flow Lubricant and Wizards Mist-N-Shine at California Triumph (http://www.caltriumph.com). Otherwise, you can find them online. Tri-Flow Lubricant is available at http://www.triflowlubricants.com/Tri-Flow_Superior_Aerosol_Lubricant.html and Wizards Mist-N-Shine Detailer for Motorcycles is available at http://www.wizardsproducts.com/store/catalog/Mist-N-Shine-Detailer-for-Motorcycles-22-oz-p-80.html.

review: Motorcycle Reviews

Related posts:

1. Triumph Bonneville
2. Triumph Bonneville Review
3. Triumph Thunderbird Motorcycle Review

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If you thought the license test was hard in America

I’ll be the first to admit that the procedure to get a motorcycle endorsement (and a car license for that matter) in this country is incredibly easy. If you’re smart, you sit in a classroom for a few hours, answer some basic questions, learn all the controls, perform a simple riding test, and you’re off to the races.  Look at what the Japanese have to do to get their certification! Check out the video after the jump.

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Okay, so that’s not really the Japanese license certification test. It’s actually called “Gymkhana” and is a popular form of motorcycle sport in the land of the rising sun. The premise of gymkhana is pretty simple: whoever completes the course the quickest and with the least mistakes is the winner.

Whatever it’s called, you can’t deny the incredible bike control this particular rider has aboard his Honda CBR600RR. From what I can tell, the two major modifications this bike has is upright handlebars in place of the stock clip-ons and a massive rear sprocket. The handlebars no doubt allow him to wrestle the bike into tight maneuvers, while the huge sprocket gives him huge drive from one obstacle to the next. As a side benefit, since the course is so tight, it also lets him worry more about throttle control than shifting. The bike also has, what appears to be, safety cages on each side of the bike. Those aren’t there to protect the rider, but to protect the bodywork and mechanical bits should the rider run out of talent and drop the bike.

As weird as it might be, I think gymkhana is pretty cool and is a good demonstration of the kind of lean angles and agility motorcycles are capable of. So the next time you’re doubting whether your bike can make a tight U-turn or a certain lean angle, the answer is most likely yes. The question is…can you?

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Portugal MotoGP: Americans Preview

2011 MotoGP

Estoril, Portugal, round three of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship. An unpredictable circuit given its proximity to the ocean, where strong winds can whip in rain and cold. Or, just as easily deliver classic Portugal sun.

The circuit itself is a study in contrasts; the lowest average lap speed, yet owning one of the longest straightaways among the series' circuits.

American Nicky Hayden, aboard the Ducati, comes into Portugal fresh off a podium finish in Jerez. Hayden's best finish at Estoril was fourth in 2007 while aboard the Honda.

Nicky Hayden (Ducati MotoGP) says: "The Estoril circuit has some pretty tight, narrow places, but I'd say my favorite part is the fast kink on the back straightaway. We raced there recently in October but the weekend was completely wet until the race.

"Hopefully it's a little bit different this year because it would be nice to get some dry running time in as well. I know the team's been working hard and I'm also looking forward to the test that we have on Monday after the race. I can't wait to get back to the track and back on the bike. Hopefully we can go and get a good result."

Last year's rookie, Ben Spies, comes into Estoril with unusual precedent. Last year, having qualified fifth, Spies was tossed from his Tech3 Yamaha on the sighting lap and scored a DNS. The Texan is coming off a crash in Jerez three weeks ago while in podium position. This will be his second appearance at the circuit, and the first time on the full factory Yamaha.

Ben Spies (Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP) says:
 "I really enjoyed the first practice sessions here last year and was frustrated to have not made the race, I can't wait to get started on Friday morning and see what we can do."

Rounding out the three Americans currently competing in the premiere class, Texan Colin Edwards (Tech3 Yamaha) is intent on making up for his bad luck in Jerez, when a mechanical robbed him of his first podium finish since 2009. Over the course of his nine-year career in MotoGP, Edwards has earned two fourth-place finishes at Estoril.

Colin Edwards (Monster Tech 3 Yamaha MotoGP) says: :
"I like the Estoril track. I always seem to do pretty well there and it will be good to get back on the bike after a long break. The track seems to suit my riding style and with the extra performance we've got with the 2011 Yamaha YZR-M1, I'm confident we can have a strong weekend. The Yamaha has always worked well in Estoril and had a good balance there, so there is no reason why I can't go there and think about challenging for at least a top six."

The three Americans are hungry for victory (and if not victory, podiums). Wouldn't it be awesome if this threesome were to all be sitting atop the podium come Sunday afternoon?

Given the desire and the talent of these three men, along with the circumstances, and the unpredictability of racing, it's not out of the question.

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