Special Day at 666 Cycles in Brooklyn, NY

Today is 6/6/06 …I couldn’t have picked a better day to introduce 666 Cycles located right in the heart of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. The owner, Franco Le Piane, or better, Ciccio, is well known in the neighbor after being with his shop on 18th Ave for more than 12 years. His passion for motorbikes started 47 years ago in Cosenza, Italy, when only 14 convinced his mother to sign a "release of responsibility" form to participate at his first race with a Garelli 50cc that was soon modified to 98cc. Shortly he started racing on regular basis restricted only by a volatile budget available for his sport. In any case when only 19 years old, Ciccio was able to race the Italian Championship and share the track experience with the most famous riders of that time. He was racing in Riccione, Rimini (Italy) on 4/4/1971, when under a torrential rain that had already distressed the top class race, Bergamonti Angelo died after loosing control of his MV on a straight. Bergamonti was right behind his teammate Giacomo Agostini, the greatest rider in the history of our sport. That accident marked the beginning of a historical process aimed at improving the safety in road racing.
In 1972 Ciccio moved to the Unites States and after a few years, in 1978 he decided to start racing again. This time with a Japanese bike, a Yamaha 350 with witch, one year later, moves to the Expert class. He raced Summit, Bridge Hampton, New Hampshire and other racetracks, collecting 4 victories and several solid finishes in the top 10. His last race was in Bridge Hampton 1982. Unfortunately he crashed out in the first lap in a 6th gear turn to avoid another rider already on the ground. Physically and financially concerned, he decided to stop racing to focus only on his family. Over the years Ciccio has worked for well known dealers like Cardinal Honda, Crossbay Honda, and Staten Island Kawasaki. In 1994 he opened his first shop on 18th Avenue that eventually became today’s 666 Cycles.
I have posted a few pictures in a sort of chronological order that ends with the last one taken yesterday with Ciccio (red shirt) behind the counter with his crew: from the left, Chino, Almos and Nancy.

MotoGp Music : Suzuki Rizla

Music (only with Internet Explorer) for our ears offered by Suzuki Rizla

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What a ...lucky rider!

A Bike Accident - video powered by Metacafe

Normally I don’t like to post videos of motorbike accidents for obvious reasons and then for this kind of reports we have FOX News. In any case for the above one I had to bend my rules. The guy is riding with NO helmet (just tons of hair), NO jacket, NO gloves, NO long pants, and … YES nothing happened to him. After being hit on the side, somehow he fell back on his own legs! Unbelievable! No foggy idea on his language too: is he coursing, thanking God or threatening the woman?

Also as you can note, with the exception the other rider, nobody stopped on the scene of the accident .... this is just crazy.

Happy Birthday Sal

Our friend Sal Benanti AKA "The Old Man" this month turned 70. As I have already mentioned in a previous post Sal is a sort of living myth for all of us motorbike lovers. At his age he is still racing motocross every weekend during the season. It's something so sensational that Ace Motocross a couple of weeks ago has dedicated a racing weekend to the 70th birthday celebration of the "District's Oldest Active Rider". That weekend ACE has commemorated the event by giving award plaques to the racers with Sal's riding image on it. Also the organization has given to Sal a life time waive of all the racing fees!




Representing the whole Brooklyn motorbike crew I would like to wish to Sal many other decades of health and rejuvenating moto cross racing!
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

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ound 14: GMC Australian Grand Prix

Does anybody need to use the world famous Butt Past to sooth the Sunday after race rash? My guess is that this race left more than one rider dissatisfied. It could be Valentino that in the first leg of the race was hammering every body and had left Hayden in the no point dust zone area. Or the recently superfast Capirossi that somehow had a really grey performance last Sunday. Or what about Pedrosa that was lapped …,yes lapped, by more that one rider. Even Gibernau, whose great post injury performance, was shadowed by the diabolik Valentinik that passed him on the last turn grabbing the 3rd place after erasing the huge gap that was separating the two (Rossi two year ago jinxed the spaniard stating that Gibernau would never win any race as long as he races …and now even the 3rd has been forbiden!).

I do not want even to try to comment in detail the race in consideration that last Sunday the rain and the consequential change of the bikes have drammatically affected the whole show. Marco Melandri AKA Macho won under rain conditions with a fat gap over a fast Vermuellen, but I wonder where the Championship standing would be if it didn’t rain.
Useless mental exercise! Let’s stick to reality: Hayden is still leading the World Championship but lost 2 points advantage on Valentino, now in 2nd position at only 21 points. Pedrosa is now 3rd with Melandri at 32 points. With 3 races to go do not even think to miss the end of MotoGp Show.

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Robert Lombardi's School: Pocono East Course

What a beautiful day we had in Pocono on the 7th of September. The school had 14 students, maybe the biggest class we have handled so far this year with the NYSB club. Robert and I wouldn’t have been able to handle the size of the class on the track without the help of the other two instructors of our school: Todd Cuso and Joe Ribeiro. It’s never easy to handle a big group of riders because the normal differences in performance, experience and natural skills are amplified by the size of the group. Everybody deserves a “personalized instruction and track experience” so the challenge was somehow to level the crowd by sharing the technical foundation of the art of riding and then to work with each and every student to unlock his/her potential. At the end of the day I think that we, as school, have achieved our goal: every body was much faster, smother, in control and …. nobody crashed.
I have found a few enthusiastic comments about the school on the NYSB b. board:
“Thank You NYSBC, I had a great day. Rob and the rest of the crew, thanks for a great day last Thursday Sept 7th on the beginner class. I learned so much its unbelievable and I can’t wait to go back. Already making plans for the 29th. This class builds a great foundation and starts the brick work for a better rider out on the track with lots of advanced tips thrown in for people to think about for later stages also.

The weather was fantastic and everybody in the pits just seemed to be having fun doing what they like to do best.

Mark thanks for putting this together and for the loan of the suit.

Patric
This day was one of my best day ever on a motorcycle!! Rob aka TV Superstar, Alessandro, Todd, Joe they were all great, fantastic control riders. The way how they explain those riding technics on the track and in the classroom is unbelievable. I personally learned a lot and I did that in a very safe environment what these guys provided at NYSBC. I can only recommend the NYSBC Sportbike Basic School with Rob Lombardi to everyone. It worth it!!! Now I want to go every week to a trackday!!!
Almano
I agree with Patrick and Almano. The instructors were great and even though I have been on a track before, it's been awhile and the course brought things back to basic for me. Can't wait for the 29th and this time, I hope to bring more that one of my friends along! Thanks to all and especiall Rob, Alessandro, Todd, and Joe for a great class and learning experience! See you all again on the 29th!

~Darr

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Alex 555 2000 R6 for Sale

I am selling my beloved year 2000 R6 for $3,800. Clean title, never raced, only club and school events.
It comes with:
Shark Skin body
Penske rear shock (high and low compression adjuster) valved-sprung for 180 lbs
Traction Dynamic fork valved-sprung for 180 lbs
Hindle full exhaust system (stainless can)
K&N filter
Set of Carbs jetted by Brian Livingood (former best AMA privateer)
Woodcraft rear set - standard
Woodcraft clip-ons
Scott damper
Stainless steel brake lines
Frame Sliders
Double bubble screen (not shown in the picture)
Fully safety wired
Good spare set of wheels

For more pics click on my album

Also, I am adding spare forks, brake levers, sprockets, brake pads, etc,

Robert Lombardi's School in the media

NYSB and Robert Lombardi’s basic School recently have been receiving a lot of attention from the media. The club and our school were portrayed on the Speed Channel with the show “Super Bikes!” and on the monthly magazine, Full Throttle.
In the article there is a presentation of the club and the school with several pictures. In one of them, I have recognized two ex students of mine: the rider with a bike # 99 is Antonio followed by Naim with a yellow Suzuki. You can easily perceive their huge improvement at the racetrack by comparing this picture with the ones linked to their names.

Round 13: Marlboro Malaysian Motorcycle G.P.

The Italian Job, this is the title of latest movie with Rossi and Capirossi dicing in the intriguing Malaysian circuit. A movie with only two protagonists and tons of suspense. Yes, we had other actors in the play but with no chance to get into the “action scenes”. Not that we even needed them given the battle between the two Italians: I cannot even recall how many times they have passed each other. Even the commentator got confused with the replays showed while another pass was taking place. Capirossi had a faster bike and it seems more efficient on the brakes while Rossi looked better with his M1 in carrying more momentum in the part of the circuit characterized by several turns in sequence.
Both of them tried to take off but the distance separating the two riders was always filled as soon as the person in second place was riding his favorite section of the track. At the end Valentino Rossi won but it could have been Capirossi as well: both deserved to win. Probably Valentino’s acumen made the difference: the final pass was done on the brakes going into a left turn on their last lap. In the previous laps, going to that turn when Capirossi was leading, Rossi on the brakes went right to his competitor’s tail without showing the tire to take the measurements for his future attack. Also I recall him leading to the same turn and braking at the last few feet with such aggression that greatly challenged the stability of his Yamaha: even then he was probably testing another potential scenario…

The third place went to the “small but big” champion, Pedrosa : his performance was epic in consideration that on Friday he crashed and suffering a hole on his knee as big as a teaspoon and a couple of toes broken. Great mental strength for someone only 20 year old! I say mental because the physical pain must have been well in control with the magical painkillers provided by Dr. Costa’s team of specialists: I can not even imagine to bend an injured knee in a tight and oppressive leather suit without any heavy duty drug, but which one? In the past I heard that they were receiving a sort of anesthesia, but if that’s the case shouldn’t they loose their sensibility? Talking about injured people, Gibernau looked good on the red missile. I just hope for him to ride strong in the last 4 races so to improve his odds to get a good bike for next year: so far Ducati has renewed the contract only to Capirossi. On the other hand Hayden got a 4th place; no bad, but not enough from someone who is still leading the championship. Unfortunately the impression is that he is there only when the big guys are injured or suffering mechanical issues. And on this note I would like to ask a question: what is it happening to Melandri? How is it possible that the Fortuna Team so regular and competitive at the beginning of the season is not able to perform adequately at the end? Yes, I am a bit malicious but knowing what Honda has done in the past, I would not be surprised if they were “affecting” a bit the other satellite team to help the two official Team Repsol riders. Can you imagine if last Sunday Pedrosa and Hayden had made 4th and 5th because of a Melandri?

What a ...lucky rider!

A Bike Accident - video powered by Metacafe

Normally I don’t like to post videos of motorbike accidents for obvious reasons and then for this kind of reports we have FOX News. In any case for the above one I had to bend my rules. The guy is riding with NO helmet (just tons of hair), NO jacket, NO gloves, NO long pants, and … YES nothing happened to him. After being hit on the side, somehow he fell back on his own legs! Unbelievable! No foggy idea on his language too: is he coursing, thanking God or threatening the woman?

Also as you can note, with the exception the other rider, nobody stopped on the scene of the accident .... this is just crazy.

Slow speed turns ...

My friend Antonio from Techline LLC has signaled this video. It’s a gymkhana, a contest where the competitors test their balance skills: the winner is the rider who completes the course in the shortest time without touching the ground with his feet. This type of competition seems to be very common in Asia. What’s interesting to notice is the technique: to make a tight turn at slow speed the rider has to shift his body position far outside the bike with his weight on the outside peg. The farther away the rider moves from his bike the more will lean the bike and the tighter will be his turn. Just the opposite technique used in high speed turns (see Antonio’s picture).

I have never raced in a gymkhana but I grew up in Rome with tight roads and bumper to bumper traffic, a perfect field to challenge your balance and reflex.

Round 12: Gauloises GP Ceske Republiky

Welcome back MotoGp! We missed you …. Almost a month went by since the last race in Laguna Seca. Time that riders have used to recharge their “batteries”and in some cases to recover from the consequences of injuries. In the meantime the team have been busier than ever fine tuning the present bikes for last leg of the championship and developing the new 800cc for next season. Team and riders managers have probably started meeting each others in restaurants, bar, behind dark sunglasses to re-build new business relationships or consolidate old ones. August went fast for everybody, even for us: vacation trips and outdoor activities replaced the time spent in front the TVs or our computers. Personally I have not taken care of my beloved Pure Motorbike Passion for almost 2 months, but I am back with the intent to post one or two pieces on a weekly basis.
The first surprise of the weekend happened on Friday: Valentino shocked everybody by setting up the bike with qualifiyng tires. Unheard strategy with unquestionable results given his pole position on Saturday. The obvious goal was to put an end to the terrible string of qualifying results accumulated so far. With the exception of the GP in Italy and in Catalunya, Valentino this year started almost every race in the 3rd or 4th row. Sunday was Showtime: DESMOCapirossi was untouchable taking the lead of the race since the first lap and winning the race at a pace that could not be matched by anybody else. Before easing off on the last lap he had 8 seconds on Valentino. I call him DESMOCapirossi because it’s with the Ducati DESMO16 that last Sunday he was able to mark a new record: he is the only winning rider still active after 16 years from his first GP victory.
Behind Capirex, Valentino had his own challenge with an aggressive Pedrosa that after starting in 9th position, in only 8 laps was able to reach the third position and for a while to aim at getting the second place. The battle between two champions was breathtaking, with several attacks of the Spaniard blocked going to the apex of the turn. For two times the young talent was able to pass Rossi who retook the position immediately after on both occasions.

Behind them Kenny Roberts Jr. lead a dynamic group followed by Melandri, Stoner, Hopkins, Nakano and Hayden. For the Kentucky Kid was the worst result of the year. He blamed a poor grip on the rear tire and a malfunctioning slipper clutch. Something must have happened because he lost positions after positions without any particular resistance.
The Cech Gp has once again revealed the potential skills of ex 250cc riders Pedrosa, Stoner and Elias. They look totally confortable with the big 4 stroke bikes, but how much credit they do deserve? As my brother Roberto keenly points out, the evolution of the electronic in the traction control and in the slipper clutches along with the use of the fat rear rubbers make the bikes less prone to spin the tires. Clean and smooth styles are rewarded with faster laps and competitive results. We have the Michelin technicians claiming that Pedrosa’s riding style is very similar to Biaggi’s one. But he stopped racing last year … someone could argue. Well, with the MotoGp bikes reduced to 800cc for 2007 is just a coincidence that Ducati is looking at him as rider in a satellite team?

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NESBA: Pocono Raceway FUSA course Aug 12th

What a blast! The FUSA course at the Pocono Raceway marks the middle of the summer. As usual NESBA had it on Saturday and it was typically overcrowded. The track is organized by two straights and a banking borrowed from the oval and the rest from the infield. Everybody has a love/hate relationship for the layout of the circuit (marked in red in the picture).

In my opinion the biggest issue is that it doesn’t flow well, especially for the bumps and patches that characterize the infields. This summer I was there on Thursday with the school and on Saturday with NESBA, so I had plenty time to get used to the rough surface.
The weather was stunning and the riders upbeat. Whoever has been there knows the magic atmosphere that hundreds of bikes and their owners can create under the long opened garage: loud music, comments, bikes that come and go, some of them with the scars of an unfortunate crash. Beginners are the most thrilled: they can enjoy the high speeds of the straights without being to concerned with the following turns, because they are shaped like funnels so lines, brake markers and turn points are less critical than in more typical situations. Saturday I was assigned as Control Rider to the Beginners but I ended up riding with the Intermediates as well, and of course with the Advanced group; just a couple of breaks for gasoline, water and some chitchat with my numerous friends.

I attached a few pictures of us: Naim Behdzet (from the back … my former student!),Frank Aluzzo # 326, Steven Lombardi # 324, and myself.

Pictures:
- for more pics covering the event visit Racedayphoto
- Pocono Raceway Track

European "Banzai"

My friend Almos is suggesting a very funny video of an European (Austria, Vienna) amateur endurocross race. Somehow it reminds me those Japanese games where the participants are never able to go from one station to the other one without falling ruinously. In TV the Japanese contenders keep smiling and laughing, in this video we cannot tell because of the helmets but my guess is that they are, at least, “displeased” … (LOL).

MotoGp Poll: Gas British Grand Prix

Once again ... I have listed the first 7 riders in the championship as potential candidates. Scroll up and down to read the whole list and click on one of the choices. The poll will be immediately updated.

Last Saturday in Assen, until the end, Nakano (13th in the World Championship) was in 3rd and Pedrosa 4th. They became 2nd and 3rd only because Colin Edwards crashed in the very last turn of the race.

Round 8: A-Style TT Assen

Who needs you? Yes, last Saturday in Assen the Americans run the show … well the Italians were there but in what physical condition? The carnage in Catalunya not only eliminated Gibernau for a few Gps, but also pounded heavily Melandri and Capirossi. Also last Thursday Valentino Rossi too crashed fracturing his ankle, his wrist and bruising his thorax.



Anyhow the 3 Italian riders had better luck than the Spaniard Elias forced to return home after breaking his shoulder during free practice.
The day of the race the final grid saw in order Hopkins, Nakano and Edwards on the first row; Hayden, Pedrosa and Vermeulen in the second row. Surprisingly Melandri was in the 7th position, when Capirossi in 15th and Rossi only in the last position, 18th.
The race was almost tedious: Edwards took immediately the lead that he maintained up to the last 2 laps. During the race only Hayden was able to remain in sight with Edwards, because the 3rd rider, Nakano had accumulated a gap of 5’. It was only on the last couple of laps that Hayden was able to fill the gap and to attack Edwards going into a very fast chicane. The Honda rider took the inside line and Colin was left with no option to stand his bike and going straight down the escape road to get back on the track 1’ behind Hayden.. At that point it seemed that Nicky had the victory in his hand but the Texas Tornado in half lap was able to make up the distance and pass again the Kentucky Kid with 2 turns to go. Going into the last chicane Edwards took the inside while Hayden tried the impossible attacking him on the outside at a speed that could have never managed thru the turn. Both of them, on the brakes with a torpedo attitude, had already missed the turn point area: Hayden suddenly took the gravel area while Edwards off line, missed the apex and running over the cement edge and the synthetic grass, high-sided from his Yamaha. The lucky man, Hayden rejoined the track and won his first race of the season. Edwards was able to remount the bike and finishing 13th. Personally I didn’t enjoy the end of the race, and maybe even the winner felt strange about it because during the comments with the media Nicky didn’t mention at all what happened in the last lap. Nakano got the 2nd place and Pedrosa 3rd after dicing with Stoner and Roberts Jr. in the last part of the race.

And the Italians? Melandri 7th @ 18’’, Rossi 8th @ 23’’ and Capirossi 15th @ 1’ 17’’.
By looking at the gaps among the riders more than a motorbike race it looked like a mountain stage of the Tour de France with all the participants separated by big gaps at the end, but then ,if you analyze the fastest lap of each person you will discover that the injured Rossi’ best time was 1’17’’77 vs. Hayden’s best time of 1’17’10. Let's think about ...

MotoGp Music : Honda Fortuna #33

Another taste of MotoGp Music, this time offered by Marco Melandri, Team Fortuna

Revving ...too much!

Over the years I have heard about different mechanical accident but never in relation to a piston blowing through the head and ... forearms.

Round 7: Gran Premi Cinzano De Catalunya

It was supposed to be a turning point in the championship for a lot of riders and it has been ..but not for everybody. Four out of the first seven riders in the world championship did not finish the race in Catalunya. A hecatomb that initiated right at the start of the GP before T1 when Gibernau crossed his line with Capirossi and after hitting his leg, causing him to crash, flied over the handlebars of his bike. The 2 red Ducati, at this point out of control, plowed the group leaving on the ground other 4 riders.
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Video 2

The race was obviolusly red flagged and after 20’ the riders formed the grid again but only for another delay. Vermuellen had stalled his bike while Hopkins had to stretch his cramping back after his escape in the sand from the previous crash. When the race final started it was spiced up by the 20 year old Stoner that led the group for 8 laps before crashing right after being passed by Rossi. I have read an interview where he claims that he lost his front end, but the impression that we got in TV was that he lost the rear tire as if he was leaning too much. Only 2 laps later it’s definitely Pedrosa to lowside: too bad because it was in 5th position, having charged from 11th in the grid. To my count the young Spaniard Sunday crashed 3 times in less than half race: at the start, trying to jump start the bike and during the race.
From this point on the Gp of Catalunya settled with Valentino in total control of the race, Hayden in a confortable 2nd position and Kenny Roberts Jr in 3rd, back on the podium on a remarkably fast KR211V.
As of today, Tuesday, Gibernau will not partecipate at the next Sunday race in Assen. After the accident he had a surgery to replace a plate in a previously injured shoulder. For Capirossi and Melandri we will have to wait until Friday to find out about their attendance.
The World Championship is still opened for surprises as Sunday race has proved, but Hayden seems to lead with the confidence typical of the person aware that he his riding the upper side of the wheel of fortune: a podium here, a win there, a competitor not finishing a race and … his dream ….PUFF ….will became true.
Like an Aladdin’s lamp the MotoGp is going to create different scenarios in the coming months: last Sunday I noticed two small clouds of smoke during the race: the first one created by Gibernau locking his front wheel before crashing and the second one caused by Rossi spinning his rear tire on the last lap right before raising his left hand indicating that, indeed, he is still the #1 with his … flying yellow carpet.

For the series … amazing escapes (2)

Another great escape from … an inevitable crash, this time in Summit Point, WV. Beside luck in this case the R6 rider proved to be cold and focused in acting upon the double trap created by the RC51 rider. Not only he was able to avoid to run over the “rolling” body but he also steered clear of the “crossing” bike. His patience showed in T3 with the slower guy was more than rewarded in the fast chute to T4.

Video source

Should Suzuki issue a recall ?

Last year Robert Lombardi came back from a race in Summit Point in West Virginia with two pics: a smiling racer standing in his dusty leather suit and holding, by the handle bars, the front end of his “ex brand new” 2005 Suzuki (I guess it was a GSX R 1000) and another photo with the rest of the bike in horrific conditions laying on the asphalt by his pit area. After inquiring I learned that this guy split the bike in two pieces in a high speed crash during the race. Luckily he didn’t get hurt but the separation of the fork/head from the rest of the frame left everybody suspiciously surprised.
This morning I have received an interesting email from my friend Moe with a video that suddenly brought back to my memory the accident in Summit.
As a result, I decided to search this topic on Internet and I found an article where the dynamic of the accident and the detailed pictures bring up the case of another frame that could have been defective.

MotoGp Poll: Gran Premi Cinzano De Catalunya MotoGp Poll: Gran Premi Cinzano De Catalunya

Once again … but with a change: in the last two races Capirossi came second twice, so from this MotoGp on we will guess the 3rd place rider’s name. I have listed the first 7 riders in the championship as potential candidates. Scroll up and down to read the whole list and click on one of the choices. The poll will be immediately updated.

Last time 56% of people voted for Meladri when only 25% was for Capirossi.

For the series … amazing escapes (1)

The video is an excerpt from the last 250 cc race in Turkey. Two riders, Hector Barbera and Alex De Angelis, passed on either side of a third rider Hiroshi Aoyama (in a straight going to the final chicane on the last lap) and they end up colliding by crossing their lines. De Angelis was very lucky for having “enough” run off on the side to regain control of his bike that seemed aiming the wall.

Round 6: Gran Premio d'Italia Alice

It seems that my request to the goddess Fortuna to have Rossi to finish a race has been more than satisfied: Valentino has finished the Gran Premio d’Italia Alice in first place!
I think that we should celebrate last Sunday’s race in Mugello for several reasons that, for convenience, I am going to organize by rider.



Sunday, Rossi won his 5th consecutive race in Mugello, reaching a total of 55 victories in MotoGP/500cc. Now he is the second rider with the highest number of wins in this class, right behind the other Italian, Giacomo Agostini, with his 68 GPs won in his career. Also this victory keeps Valentino in race for the World Championship. Well, he has to win all the remaining races but like his grandfather Learco Rossi explained, if Vale last year won 11 races, this year could win 12 races as well, providing that his bike is up to the challenge; and it will be in consideration that right last week Valentino Rossi announced that is going to race until 2007 with Yamaha or, we could say, that he is not leaving us for Formula 1 for another full season!
Capirossi almost won his second race of the season in the Ferrari/Ducati circuit in front a big, passionate and enthusiastic crowd. He was able to overcome a terrible start from the second place in grid that relegated him in 8th position. A dubious choice of tires (hard compound) made the first part of the race very difficult, but once these issues were digested, it didn’t take much for Capirex to get to the front of the group. At the 15th lap Valentino decided to let him pass by going wide at the entrance of a turn (and with Capirossi, passed Gibernau, Hayden and Melandri too) in order to assess the situation. Well, it was only at the last lap that Valentino was able to take back the lead of the race with only a few turns to the end. The Capi-Rossi battle Sunday was epic, breathtaking but fair: on the podium Valentino Rossi hugged and lifted Capirossi stating that both of them have won the Mugello race. Capirossi with 99 points is now leading with Haydens the Championship.
In my opinion last Sunday, Hayden had his best race from the beginning of the season. He got a solid 3rd place right behind Capirossi and if the two Italians in front of him had tangled in a turn, Nicky would have probably won the race. Sunday he was not only fast and consistent: at the end of the race with the tires worn he didn’t make his typical mistake of backing out the bike and sliding it sideway to the entrance of the turn. This is his 8th podium in 9 races having missed one 2 weeks ago in France. If Mugello was for Nicky the beginning of a “new riding level” I wouldn’t be surprised if he will win more the Laguna Seca race during the season.
Pedrosa has passed the Mugello's test: it seemed a bit nervous with the MotoGp bike in this very technical and physically tiring track where the rider constantly has to aim the front end to the entrance of the next turn. He finished fourth in the race and holds the 4th place in the World Championship Classification. Also, he is leading the Rookie of the Year Classification with 86 points, 21 more than Stoner.
Gibernau is back with an incredible pole position and a very authoritative performance during the race. He lead the race for 3 laps and was in 2nd position right behind Valentino for other 10 laps until he lost his toe slider injuring his little toe. Regardless, Sete was able to end the race in 5th position helping DUCATI to celebrate its 80th anniversary by maintaining the 2nd place in the Constructor Classification.
Melandri didn’t seem perfectly “ in the money” after winning the last race in France. He seemed too focused in passing on the brakes or defending his position versus working to get to the front of the race. His tactic would have been more appropriate at the end of the race and not during it: bottom line in one of his late braking actions he could’t make the turn ending in the grass. His final 6th position was overall a good result because helped him to maintain the 2nd place in the Championship.
I would also celebrate the 8th place for Kenny Roberts Jr., using a brand new chassis on his father’s KR211V: quite impressive considering that he finished the race in front Tamada with the Konica Minolta Honda RC211V.

Let's enjoy the last 4 laps of this epic race

Cheers!

"Road" Racing in Ireland

Often I found myself criticizing the safety of different racetracks, stating that it was like racing in the streets. Obviously I have never been at the Cookstown 100 in Ireland!

Japanese Grand Prix '91: final laps

Kevin Shwantz name is linked to Suzuki. A bike that gave him a 500cc World Championship in 1993 and 25 Grand Prix victories in his carreer, but that never looked faster than his competitors' bikes, Honda and Yamaha. Regardless, Kevin Schwantz always seemed to fill this performance gap with his own determination, his will to win at all costs like in this great video. I am sure that everybody is able to recognize the 4th rider's helmet, my favorite one for a long time.
Also scroll down the list of names in the final classification (as per europark.com), there is a certain Alex Barros .... 15 years ago!

500cc Race Classification

P.No. Rider Nat Total Time km/h Diff. Motorcycle

1 34 K.SCHWANTZ USA 48'35.747 159.147 Suzuki
2 3 M.DOOHAN AUS 48'35.951 159.136 0.204 Honda
3 1 W.RAINEY USA 48'36.001 159.133 0.353 Yamaha
4 19 J.KOCINSKI USA 48'36.303 159.117 0.556 Yamaha
5 5 W.GARDNER AUS 49'11.058 157.243 35.311 Honda
6 7 E.LAWSON USA 49'20.662 156.733 44.915 Cagiva
7 6 J.GARRIGA SPA 49'31.577 156.157 55.830 Yamaha
8 10 A.PONS SPA 49'44.063 155.504 1'08.316 Honda
9 41 K.IWAHASHI JPN 49'44.120 155.501 1'08.373 Honda
10 12 A.BARROS BRA 49'51.049 155.140 1'15.302 Cagiva
11 21 D.CHANDLER USA 49'51.342 155.125 1'15.595 Yamaha
12 20 A.MORILLAS FRA 49'54.675 154.953 1'18.918 Yamaha
13 9 K.MAGEE AUS 49'56.646 154.851 1'20.899 Suzuki
14 27 D.RADIGUES BEL 49'58.219 154.769 1'22.472 Suzuki
15 46 P.GODDARD AUS 49'58.443 154.758 1'22.696 Yamaha
16 28 S.ITOH JPN 50'14.578 153.930 1'38.831 Honda
17 45 T.HOMMA JPN 50'17.444 153.783 1'41.697 Yamaha
18 37 K.MACHII JPN 50'17.652 153.773 1'41.905 Yamaha
19 40 S.TSUJIMOTO JPN 50'30.699 153.111 1'54.952 Suzuki
20 36 H.MIYAGI JPN 50'30.960 153.098 1'55.213 Honda
21 25 T.ARATA JPN 49'15.463 149.872 1 Lap Yamaha
22 16 C.DOORAKKERS NED 50'16.054 146.861 1 Lap Honda

Would you ride the racetrack along with cars?

The title of this video is "Nurburgring - Doohan and the Speedfreak vs the ring taxi". Doohan? Don't ask me. The interesting component is the mix of cars and bikes. I wouldn't feel confortable with a car trying to pass me on the brakes, and you?

1991 Hockenheim: Schwantz vs Rainey

Kevin Schwantz's rivalry with Wayne Rayney characterized the MotoGp era that goes from the end of the 80’s to the beginning of the 90's. I started watching those races because of my brother, but it didn’t take much before those epic battles became my passion. Beside Schwants and Rainey I remember other incredible talents as Mamola, Gardner, Lawson and Doohan that raced until 1999 when he left his Honda to Valentino.
The video is emblematic because recalls Schwantz’s typical pass on the inside of his competitor, with the rear of his bike fish-tailing in a way so different from today's rear brake controlled sliding.

A good laugh … only for the Italian friends

A tribute to Capirossi's self control

Round 5: Alice Grand Prix of France

At this point I do have a request for the goddess Fortuna: spin that wheel because we want Rossi to be able to finish a race. After being t-boned by Elias in Jerez and withdrawing from the race because a faulty front Michelin tire in China, last Sunday in Le Mans Valentino ended his race because of the engine of his Yamaha at only 8 laps to the end when he had almost 4 sec on the second rider, Danny Pedrosa. Since the free practice on Friday, Rossi seemed optimistic about the race because of the new frame built to eliminate the chattering of his bike. On Saturday he qualified only 7th but he was very consistent during the hour, as he seemed to work more on the set up than the actual grid: regardless, the first row with Pedrosa, Nakano and Hopkins was not at his reach.
On race day the show was on: the TV was focusing on Hopkins and Pedrosa flying ahead of the rest of the group when Valentino appears on the “on board camera” mounted on Pedrosa’s bike. My impression was that Valentino had overshot the turn trying to pass the Spaniard, but right afterward the surprise effect was doubled when Rossi effortlessly passed Hopkins during the 4th lap. From that point on Valentino left the group in the dust until his engine stopped working at the 20th lap. Pedrosa potential victory didn’t last much: he had chosen soft front – soft rear claiming his concern for the wind and the low temperature in a track with long straights. My feeling is that Danny technically is still with a foot in the 250cc world and is still learning how to manage a lot of hp in poor gri conditions. In any case, Pedrosa in the last 5 laps was passed at beginning by Melandri and then, right at the last few corners, by the aggressive Capirossi.
Interesting to notice is that in Le Mans, for the first time in the last 8 races (2005/2006) Hayden didn’t make the podium. One thing is certain: if Valentino misfortune will end, he is not going to give away the first place on the podium to anybody so the rest of the contenders will race only for the other “two steps”.