Bench Racing & The Morning Reads

[mika]

Formula 1

Friday Practice Session Classifications:
Session 1
Session 2

Lap Times
Session 1
Session 2

FIA Communications for Friday
Doc. 8: Note to teams about wing use
Doc. 10: Note to teams about tyre issues
Doc. 34: Technical note - current engine use by teams
Doc.35: Technical note - Transmissions


Friday Press Conference
TEAM PRINCIPALS - Eric BOULLIER (Renault), Ross BRAWN (Mercedes), Paul
HEMBERY (Pirelli), Christian HORNER (Red Bull), Colin KOLLES (HRT), Monisha
KALTENBORN (Sauber)

formaula1.com: Friday analysis ÔÇô more to come from quietly confident Red Bull?

formula1.com: Pre-Sepang analysis ÔÇô storms to render the race a lottery?

reuters.com: Tyre trashing talk fills the Sepang Paddock

autosport.com: Malaysia Friday quotes ÔÇô Perelli

bbc.co.uk: Friday practice as it happened

[mika]

Members with Birthdays Today

SBK

worldsbk.com: 2011 WorldSBK live online on Eurosport Player

MotoGP

ducati.com: Valentino rossi rides the Ducati GP12 for the first time, at Jerez

roadracingworld.com: Rossi says Ducati DesmosediciGP12 is more enjoyable, more fun to ride

Ducati DesmosediciGP12 first time on track with Rossi


asphaltandrubber.com: Paul Denning explains the 2011 Suzuki GSV-R



video: MotoGP Rewind from Jerez

Formula 1

formula1.com: Friday Gallery for the Malaysian GP

f1technical.net: Burning fuel to gain downforce

autosport.com: Brawn – Teams may have to copy RBR

autosport.com: Degradation set to create Sepang thriller

Reuters thinks Mercedes improvements augur well for the weekend while a downbeat Alonso is writing off Ferrari’s hopes for the weekend.

SATURDAY – Malaysian GP

Practice
Classification
Lap Times

formual1.com: Final practice – Hamilton moves ahead in Malaysia

f1technical.net: HRT run new nose and front wing

auto-motor-und-sport.de: Red Bull with KERS and McLaren with Melbourne aero

Qualifying
All cars made it within the 107% mark and we will have a full grid on Sunday.

As three sessions wound their way down to the final two minutes of Q3 Hamilton was in control. On the last flying laps he would go through the sector timing and go purple only to have Vettel go purple when he went through. On the last lap of the Qualifying session Vettel pips Hamilton for the pole.

1. Vettel
2. Hamilton
3. Webber
4. Button
5. Alonso
6. Heidfeld
7. Massa
8. Petrov
9. Rosberg
10. Kobayashi
11. Schumacher
12. Buemi
13. Alguersuari
14. Di Resta
15. Barrichello
16. Perez
17. Sutil
18. Maldonado
19. Kovalainen
20. Trulli
21. Glock
22. D’Ambrosio
23. Luzzi
24. Karthikeyan

bbc.co.uk: Malaysian Grand Prix qualifying as it happened

I will post a wrap up latter today with FIA timing and news from today’s qualifying.

Other Racing

fim-live.com: Riders with the greatest number of FIM World Championship titles

fim-live.com: This week in Monster Energy Supercross – St. Louis

Highlights of the 1st round of the 2011 MAXXIS FIM Enduro World Championship in Ponts (Spain)


Modified BMW Z4 GT3 completes successful test programme.
08.04.2011
Press Release
Munich, 8th April 2011. The modified BMW Z4 GT3 has survived its baptism of fire: the GT customer sports car proved itself in a series of intensive tests in recent weeks. The goal of the latest modifications was primarily to improve aerodynamic efficiency in order to ensure the car's competitiveness in the many, hard-fought GT3 classes…more


On the Street

Bikes in the Fast Lane: U.S. Ambassador rides Harley Motorcycle in Chaina

cyrilhuzeblog.com: Big Dog Motorcycles admits it was seized and forced to close

motorcyclenews.com: Extreme motorcycle theft deterrent.

utlitimatemotorcycling.com: 2011 Moto Guzzi Norge 1200



webbikeworld.com: Tourmaster Flex LE Jacket review
webbikeworld.com: Tourmaster Flex Pants review

The Mothership

BMW Group and MINI reported the best first quarter ever.

Motorcycles
BMW Motorcycles significantly exceeded the previous year’s figures in the first three months of the year. Sales rose 10.9% to 23,109 units. BMW Motorcycles thus achieved the best quarterly result in its history. A total of 11,675 BMW motorcycles were delivered in March 2011 – an increase of 1.2%. Husqvarna Motorcycles delivered 1,940 motorcycles (+18.3%) to customers in the first quarter and 676 motorcycles (-17%) in the month of March…more
[Note: BWM uses a standard method for reporting sales for all brands. The percentages are technically accurate within this system but do not reflect the way the lead times for sales and production cycle which is very different.]


I have limited confidence in the accuracy of this translation from Japanese to English. That said the S 1000 RR has taken another award. Via BMW PressClub Japan:

Supertest World Association (SWA) by (s, Sen Earl Earl) BMW S 1000 RR was announced in December 2009, bee-m-w co., Ltd. (President and Representative Director: Roland Kruger) than is configured on the international journalist awarded "bike of the-year" for "2010 bike of the year" was crowned # 1. Celebration to honor Memorial Trophy was awarded than a young one motorcycle magazine "machine" SWA member.
(Motorrad) BMW Motorrad models to the bike of the year's top battle has become unprecedented feat.

BMW S 1000 RR made their debut in the Japan market in April 2010, is passionate and innovative high-performance technology and unparalleled without driving characteristics were developed in the model. Delivers the high level of engine and driving performance in driving outstanding accuracy, agility, good overall performance with European techniques of shows in the four-cylinder Super sport motorcycle segment.


BMW Mexico reported a strong first quarter including the Motorrad Segment

BMW Motorrad had its best quarter and still at the tip of spear with the marketing of 384 motorcycles, representing a 23.1% increase (1Q 2010: 312). These results have allowed him to be the first place in the segment of 500 cc up and cover more than 35% of the market. To continue to innovate, in January presented the renovated BMW G 650 GS; which reaffirms the leadership in the SUV field and account with a new reconfiguration in various parts of the body…bring your translator for more

FWIW

Caroline Casey: Looking beyond limits


Back to auto shop: Differentials 1937 style via thechicaneblog.com


Now the important Saturday stuff





Reference: :

Decorah Egles WebCam
Decorah Eagles

Total views: 11,167,542 First hatch 4/2/11.
24-hour collage of first egg pip and hatch
Second hatch 4/3/11.
First glimpse of second hatchling
Third hatch expected in a couple of days.

The Raptor Resource Project brings you the Decorah Eagles from atop their tree at the fish hatchery in Decorah, Iowa.

CHAT ROOM IS OPEN 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CDT DAILY.
To view and participate in chat you must be logged in. Chat room is typically full; refreshing your browser page will eventually give you access.

Shameless Trolling For Touring Tips

NHTSA.dot.gov Vehicle Recalls RSS

MSF Question of the Day: A majority of fatal injuries in motorcycle crashes are to what part(s) of the body?

MSF Tip of the Day: Make your first ride your best ride. Take the MSF Basic RiderCourse.

Gasbuddy.com: Search for local gas prices along your trip route.

Cycle-ergo.com motorcycle ergonomic simulator.

Woot of the Day

Bike Candy

Via BMW Motorrad Twitter and [ulr=http://www.khulsey.com/motorcycles/vintage_motorcycle_bmw.html]khulsey.com[/url]

[mika]

F1- Malaysian GP Qualifying update

FIA

Saturday Practice

Classifications
Lap Times

Qualifying

Classifications
Lap Times
Maximum Speeds
Sector Times
Speed Trap



POST QUALIFYING PRESS CONFERENCES TRANSCRIPT

DRIVERS
1 - Sebastian VETTEL (Red Bull)
2 - Lewis HAMILTON (McLaren)
3 - Mark WEBBER (Red Bull)

formula1.com: Qualifying analysis – are McLaren ready to challenge Red Bull?

formula1.com: selected team and driver quotes

redbull.com: Sebastian secures Sepang Pole

Ferrari.com: No surprise in Sepang qualifying

Ferrari.com: Costa “We must change our approach to development”

LotusRenaultGP: You better you bet

suaberf1team.com: Qualifying

Virgin Racing: Smooth and solid

HRT: Mission accomplished we will be on the grid

Reuters report round up
McLaren in contention after hard work pays off

Red Bull wary of improving McLaren in Sepang

Schumacher bemoans wing issue after qualifying

Renault snapping at the heels fo the big boys


Scuderia Ferrari Racing News


FWIW

Get set for a big battle between Red Bull and McLaren with their pilots paired for battle on the front tow rows. This should be an exciting race. With the Malaysian heat and Perelli tyre degradation problems there are four other cars I will be paying attention to if the front four run their tires off or just run each other off the track.

Before I get to those four lets quickly talk about Ferrari. While I am a Tifosi at heart I am afraid they are caught defense in the netherworld between the front lead teams of Red Bull/McLaren and the rest behind them. They are not in contact with the leaders and under serious challenge by several others.

Lotus Renault GP could very well put one of its drivers on the podium again this weekend. My head say Heidfeld my heart says Petrov. The car is coming together very nicely. It is not yet in the same league as the front runners but while Ferrari seems descending LRGP is definitely and ascending team. The ace in the whole for them this weekend is the nice bit of tyre management they did in Q2 which may payoff as race tyre and pit stop strategy plays out. The car is strong, the drivers are on their game and the team strategists have their head in the race big time.

Ignore Kamui Kobayashi in the Sauber C30 at your peril on race day. The Sauber team should feel the thrill of a top ten finish once again after having doubled that thrill taken away when both cars were disqualified after Melbourne. Kobayashi is a potential star. The C30 is a further refinement of the ideas the BMW Sauber team began working on in 2009 to prepare for this formula. The Ferrari supplier engine seems to be a very nice fit as power plant for this chassis where the A team Ferrari engine and chassis don’t seem to work together. It would not take much for the race to come to Kobayashi and his Sauber putting them on one of the podium rungs.

On race day the Mercedes GP in the hands of Michael Schumacher is another car I will watch. Nico Rosberg is the qualifying driver. For some reason Schumacher has never figured this form of qualifying out. The Mercedes GP that Brawn has offered this season still isn’t the fighter chassis that it needs to be but it is not the wide bodied jet of last year. Unlike Sauber I am not a fan of Ross Brawn, Norbert Hauge and think Schumacher should have stopped in Switzerland instead of going on to Stuttgart. Yet I can see the combination of racing conditions and Schumacher’s on track race day abilities working to fill a whole if one is made in the Malaysian GP grid as the race unfolds.

Finally the ATT Williams of Ruben Barrichello (I am counting the LRGP cars as one; it’s my thread and I get to count how I want) is my last car. Barrichello has an incredible fire in his racing heart. The Williams is a sound chassis. The team has been able two wring more out of the Cosworth engine than any of the other teams running this engine. It is a nicely balance package. It is a second tier package but a nice one. I don’t see a podium on a dry track for this team but expect they will score points and present some serious competition for others to deal with.

1. Hamilton
2. Webber
3. Petrov
4. Heidfeld
5. Alonso
6. Schumacher
7. Kobayashi
8. Massa
9. Buemi
10. Barrichello

Vettel and Button along with some others DNF


It is a really nice day here in Fly-Over-Land. Time to go for another ride and then maybe some ice cream or onion rings…heck why not a ride and both I have been good this week.

[mika]

Members with Birthdays Today

MotoGP

ducati.com: Nicky Hayden completes Ducati test at Jerez with the GP12

teamtech3.fr: Crutchlow begins recovery after successful arm surgery

Formula 1

So much for my prognostication ability

PROVISIONAL RESULTS

Penalties were handed out after these results were compiled

Race:
Stating Grid
Classsifications
Lap Chart
Lap Analysis
Sector Times
Speed Trap

Championship Standings
Driver
Constructior


formula1.com: Selected team and drive quotes

Team Releases:
ATT Williams
Ferrari
Red Bull
Lotus Renault GP

bbc.co.uk: Hamilton and Alonso hit with penalties

jamesallenonf1.com: Vettel keeps cool in all action Malaysian GP

On the Street

thevitagent: Trends, continued….

world.honda.com: Recovery situation of affected Honda facilities as of April 8

motorcycle.com: 2011 Triumph Speed triple 1050 review



indiancarsbikes.in: How to improve mileage on a motorcycle /scooter?

The Mothership





Reference: :

Decorah Egles WebCam
Decorah Eagles

Total views: 11,167,542 First hatch 4/2/11.
24-hour collage of first egg pip and hatch
Second hatch 4/3/11.
First glimpse of second hatchling
Third hatch expected in a couple of days.

The Raptor Resource Project brings you the Decorah Eagles from atop their tree at the fish hatchery in Decorah, Iowa.

CHAT ROOM IS OPEN 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CDT DAILY.
To view and participate in chat you must be logged in. Chat room is typically full; refreshing your browser page will eventually give you access.

Shameless Trolling For Touring Tips

NHTSA.dot.gov Vehicle Recalls RSS

MSF Question of the Day: What should you do if a tire goes flat while you are riding?

MSF Tip of the Day: Motorcycling excellence. You know the best defense to avoid trouble in traffic is to be skilled in the use of your eyes


Gasbuddy.com: Search for local gas prices along your trip route.

Cycle-ergo.com motorcycle ergonomic simulator.

Woot of the Day

Bike Candy

From the Husqvarna newsletter

[AZ-J]

Either the Birthday link is no good again, or no one today has a birthday, lol!

[mika]

Fixed.

FYI
Birthdays can be found at the bottom of the fourn front page.

[mika]

Members with Birthdays Today

SBK

[b]BMW Motorrad Italy Superstock team-CIV-Misano Adriatico]/b]
10.04.2011 press releases

Encouraging debut racing season for BMW Motorrad Italy Superstock Team in the first test of CIV-Italian championship held at the Misano World Circuit.

The team decided the race flag in view of the round the world program on this track in mid-June and will be at via del CIV also the first of may on the occasion of the second round of the Italian.

Sylvain Barrier and Lorenzo Zanetti had moved respectively from the first and second row, with the second and fifth time. The Frenchman was the author of a poor start that saw him to a fantastic comeback at the end of which climbed the second step of the podium behind winner Danilo Petrucci (Ducati). Lorenzo, meanwhile, was always in front of the head and the term has occupied the third place.

Serafino Foti, Sports Director of BMW Motorrad Italy Superstock Team said: "Bravo Petrucci with Ducati that today it was impossible to beat, our kids haven't made a good start, Reporters without borders (Sylvain) in the early rounds. However, we are quite happy because, for us this was a test, and we should avoid damage ahead of next Sunday's race. Lorenzo has finished the rubber before others, and in the last laps he had some problems, while Sylvain did a nice comeback. For us the Championship, which count begins next week. "

Next Sunday, in fact, at the circuit Assen Netherlands, begins the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup, won in the last edition by BMW Motorrad Italy Superstock Team with Ayrton Badovini in Superbike racing today, still riding the S 1000 RR of the Italian branch.

The RANKING of the RACE: 1st Danilo Petrucci (Ducati) 21 ' 37 "261-2nd Sylvain Barrier (BMW) 5723-3rd Lorenzo Zanetti (BMW) 6065-4th Ivan Clementi (BMW) 6355-5th Michele Magnoni (BMW) 6709-follow others



MotoGP



Formula 1

fia-com.com: Malaysian Post Race Press Conference
DRIVERS
1 - Sebastian VETTEL (Red Bull)
2 - Jenson BUTTON (McLaren)
3 - Nick HEIDFELD (Renault)

autosport.com: No quick fix for Red Bull KERS issues

Other Racing

fim-live.com: Stewart takes win in St. Louis

cyrlhuzeblog.com: Jesse James and Jeff Decker unearth on of the most famous racing motorcycles in American history

FWIW



Reference: :

Decorah Egles WebCam
Decorah Eagles

Total views: 11,167,542 First hatch 4/2/11.
24-hour collage of first egg pip and hatch
Second hatch 4/3/11.
First glimpse of second hatchling
Third hatch expected in a couple of days.

The Raptor Resource Project brings you the Decorah Eagles from atop their tree at the fish hatchery in Decorah, Iowa.

CHAT ROOM IS OPEN 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CDT DAILY.
To view and participate in chat you must be logged in. Chat room is typically full; refreshing your browser page will eventually give you access.

Shameless Trolling For Touring Tips

NHTSA.dot.gov Vehicle Recalls RSS

MSF Question of the Day: In addition to the checks you make before every trip, what should be checked at least once a week?

MSF Tip of the Day: Insulated riding suits are good in cold weather. These lightweight suits provide the warmth needed to prevent hypothermia.


Gasbuddy.com: Search for local gas prices along your trip route.

Cycle-ergo.com motorcycle ergonomic simulator.

Woot of the Day

Bike Candy

[mika]

Members with Birthdays Today

SBK

BMW Motorrad Motorsport - WSBK - Assen - Preview
ÔÇó 11.04.2011
ÔÇó Press Release
The Netherlands ÔÇô Assen.
Preview.


15 ÔÇô 17 April 2011
03 of 13 race weekends


Munich/Stephanskirchen, 11th April 2011. The BMW Motorrad Motorsport team is preparing for the third race weekend of the 2011 FIM Superbike World Championship, which will be held from 15th to 17th April at the iconic ÔÇ£TT CircuitÔÇØ in Assen (NDL). Assen is the capital of the Dutch province of Drenthe and is situated in the north-east of the Netherlands.

The team has reached another important milestone in the lead up to Assen: BMW Motorrad Motorsport now has exactly 500 World Championship points to its name since joining the FIM Superbike World Championship. This season, the two works riders Leon Haslam (GBR) and Troy Corser (AUS) have already picked up 69 points for BMW. In the ManufacturersÔÇÖ Championship, for which only the best race result counts, BMW is currently in fourth place on 53 points. Leon finds himself in third place in the RidersÔÇÖ Championship on 53 points with Troy in 13th place on 16 points.
more

hondaproracing.com: Castrol Honda Team heads home to Assen



worldshk.com: Superstock 1000 FIM Cup entry plays numbers game

MotoGP

reuters.com: Rossi faces uphill struggle ÔÇô Doohan

motogp.com: Capirossi goes for medical check


Formula 1

formula1.com: Red Bull victorious but not invincible


Other Racing

roadracingworld.com: Chip Yates reaches 190.6 mph on electic superbike at Mojave Mile Shootout



Motocross World Championship - Bulgaria - Round 1



BMW Team RLL is ready to defend its ALMS GT class lead at Long Beach.
ÔÇó 11.04.2011
ÔÇó Press Release
Munich, 11th April 2011. The contrast between racing the 12 Hours of Sebring (US) and racing on the streets of Long Beach (US) could not be greater, but BMW Team RLL is looking for a similar outcome ÔÇô a one-two finish in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) GT class with the BMW M3 GT.
In the four weeks since its strong performance at Sebring, the team has been preparing for a race only two hours long. Quick acceleration out of the tight temporary street circuit corners is critical to fast lap times at Long Beach, especially exiting the hairpin turn that leads onto the longest straight. Both cars will be aerodynamically trimmed to maximise downforce.
Last season the race at Long Beach produced a third consecutive podium finish for the team. With the one-two at Sebring, BMW Team RLL enters Long Beach in the lead of every ALMS GT championship category.
more

On the Street

dealernews.com: BMW F800RR gets slip-ons from Two Brothers

asphaltandrubber.com: Video ÔÇô Garage company by Michael Schmidt

thekneeslider.com: Natural gas conversions for motorcycles ÔÇô Would you buy one?

webbikeworld.com: Budget adventure touring

The Mothership



Reference: :

Decorah Egles WebCam
Decorah Eagles

Total views: 11,167,542 First hatch 4/2/11.
24-hour collage of first egg pip and hatch
Second hatch 4/3/11.
First glimpse of second hatchling
Third hatch expected in a couple of days.

The Raptor Resource Project brings you the Decorah Eagles from atop their tree at the fish hatchery in Decorah, Iowa.

CHAT ROOM IS OPEN 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CDT DAILY.
To view and participate in chat you must be logged in. Chat room is typically full; refreshing your browser page will eventually give you access.

Shameless Trolling For Touring Tips

NHTSA.dot.gov Vehicle Recalls RSS

MSF Question of the Day: Which of the following is true when carrying cargo on your motorcycle?

MSF Tip of the Day:

Gasbuddy.com: Search for local gas prices along your trip route.

Cycle-ergo.com motorcycle ergonomic simulator.

Woot of the Day

Bike Candy

Light is a trend in some areas of Bike Candy

From: boxerschmieded.de: R80GS Light







800cc/50PS (1000ccm / 60 to 82 HP possible)
Coated wheels / framework / stand / fork parts
TZ1 ignition
Stainless steel silencer
Digital Speedo
Mini headlights and indicators
Aluminium handlebar
Tires Conti TKC80
Motor new (innards remain trade secret)
New gear
Final-drive makes it easy

[Visian]

800cc/50PS (1000ccm / 60 to 82 HP possible)
Coated wheels / framework / stand / fork parts
TZ1 ignition
Stainless steel silencer
Digital Speedo
Mini headlights and indicators
Aluminium handlebar
Tires Conti TKC80
Motor new (innards remain trade secret)
New gear
Final-drive makes it easy

ooooohhh.... ahhhhhhh..... i wonder what those "trade secret innards" are?

ian

[jstrube]

What is that little black thing on the top of the engine? I like how they rounded off the top & made the piece to cover the starter area. Very slick looking engine!

[mika]

Members with Birthdays Today

SBK

worldsbk.com: WSBK arrives at “The Cathedral” of motorcycling

worldsbk.com: Checa becomes top target at Assen

Facebook – James Toseland: The wires are finally coming out on the 27th, I feel like Wolverine at the moment! Hoping to be ready ahead of Monza..

superbikeplanet.com: Fabrizio – I like a good fight


MotoGP

autosport.com: Pedrosa begins rehabilitation in Spain

motorcycledaily.com: Will Ducati get the jump on the competition again?


Formula 1

fia.com: Chinese GP Preview

jamesallenonf1: A deep dive into race strategies from F1 Malaysian Grand Prix

youtube.com: Malaysian GP highlights

f1technical.net: Force India introduce new wheels



Other Racing

ultimatemotorcycling.com: MotoGP to Circuit of the Americas, Austin
This will create three MotoGP rounds in the United States; the Circuit of the Americas will now join the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Red Bull Indy GP) and Laguna Seca (Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix).

motomatters.com: A very interesting press release – Indianapolis Motor Speedway speaks out on Austin MotoGP

FWIW : Coopratition, however it is spelled, is business concept that may seem counterintuitive at first in a world that wants to dominate markets and eliminate competition. In this alternate model a business like Indianapolis Motor Speedway sees the new facility and MotoGP as increasing the interest and appetite for motorcycle road racing in general thus helping not hurting them. In this model the market base expands because of the competing locations and products along with the quality of the product as the venues work to gain market share.Discussions of cooperatition tend to focus on competing locations and the ability of them to grow and expand markets. What is often overlooked is the ability of supplies to deliver product needed to make this work.

The FIM, Dorna and the tracks appear to be doing their part to create rules and venues to increase interest in MotoGP and its value. Is this enough to increase the number of suppliers? Cutting to the heart of the question, in the Munich race on Sunday sell on Monday analysis, is adding a third race in BMW’s largest non European market enough to lure it into MotoGP racing?


BMW Team RLL is ready to defend its ALMS GT class lead.
The contrast between racing the 12 Hours of Sebring and racing on the streets of Long Beach could not be greater, but BMW Team RLL is looking for a similar outcome – a one-two finish in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) GT class with the BMW M3 GT.…more


On the Street

sprotrider.com: Going Green revisited

usridernews.com: Arkansas launches Civil War tral

2011 Suzuki GSX1250FA super touring walkaround video


The Mothership




BMW Motorrad Motorsport - Chris Pfeiffer rocks India
• 12.04.2011
• Press Release
Chris Pfeiffer rocks India.

Streetbike freestyler Chris Pfeiffer thrills tens of thousands of fans around India on his BMW F 800 R.

Munich, 12th April 2011. Streetbike freestyle world champion Chris Pfeiffer (GER) found himself drawn back to the Far East. The freestyle rider returned to India following his successful tour in 2010. For two weeks the 2011 “Red Bull Chris Pfeiffer Street Tour” made its way across the country, with two trucks transporting the equipment just under 12,000 kilometres. The tour schedule took in a total of ten cities, at which the ace motorcyclist thrilled tens of thousands of fans with amazing freestyle tricks on his modified BMW F 800 R. The tour of India was presented by BMW Motorrad and Red Bull...more



MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD: THE HIGHEST IN EXCLUSIVITY.
• 13.04.2011
• Press Release
• Limited production model from the MINI Yours range of special edition vehicles and options
• Based on the MINI Hardtop, this special edition includes authentic Rolls-Royce materials, colors and accessories
• Production limited to 1,000 units worldwide
• Deliveries to begin spring 2012

WOODCLIFF LAKE, NJ – April 13, 2011—The MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD, which will make its world debut at the Auto Shanghai 2011, is an exclusive special edition that adds another layer to the MINI brand experience with a generous dose of automotive luxury and exclusivity in its highest form.

Close collaboration with the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars design team at the development center of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England has produced a limited-run special edition MINI, whose exterior and interior design is inspired by fine materials and the British luxury car marque’s commitment to absolutely flawless workmanship…[/url= https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/pressclub/p/us/pressDetail.html;jsessionid=4GlyNksbBSvLYxSQdnhrJP FVVJ9SjLB4hSMDZvFp1Qcp6Ry1bCDQ!2088410524?outputCh annelId=9&id=T0103874EN_US&left_menu_item=node__2311&status=published]more[/url]

Reference: :

Decorah Egles WebCam
Decorah Eagles

Total views: 11,167,542 First hatch 4/2/11.
24-hour collage of first egg pip and hatch
Second hatch 4/3/11.
First glimpse of second hatchling
Third hatch expected in a couple of days.

The Raptor Resource Project brings you the Decorah Eagles from atop their tree at the fish hatchery in Decorah, Iowa.

CHAT ROOM IS OPEN 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CDT DAILY.
To view and participate in chat you must be logged in. Chat room is typically full; refreshing your browser page will eventually give you access.

Shameless Trolling For Touring Tips

NHTSA.dot.gov Vehicle Recalls RSS



MSF Question of the Day: To reduce reaction time in high-risk areas, riders should do what?

MSF Tip of the Day:

Gasbuddy.com: Search for local gas prices along your trip route.

Cycle-ergo.com motorcycle ergonomic simulator.

Woot of the Day

Bike Candy

Re: Yesterday’s Bike Candy, I have written an email to the builder with some questions and asking for more information and pictures.

Laado by Rajputana Custom in India via silodrome.com

[mika]

Members with Birthdays Today

SBK

Suzuki-racing.com: Fabrizio looking for Assen luck




MotoGP

motomatterrs.com: Number Crunching – How much of a factor is weight in MotoGP?


Formula 1

formula1.com: Chinese GP Preview – Red Bull and KERS to take center stage?

reuters.com: Chinese Grand Prix facts and figures

Los MiniDrivers - Cap?¡tulo 3x02 - Malaysian GP



Other Racing

fim-live.com: World Supersport and Superstock at Assen

M1GP- little on bikes, big on fun



Craftsman Experience presents Erik Buell Racing
52:50




On the Street

vintagebmw.org: Classic BMW Motrr?ñder Magazine launches
The Vintage BMW Motorcycle Owners, Inc. (VBMWMO) is pleased to announce today the release of the first issue of a new, vibrant quarterly magazine entitled the Classic BMW Motorr?ñder. It promises to infuse its members’ passions with all things BMW, Pre-War, Post-War and Classics, while encompassing all BMW motorcycles twenty-five years and older. The Classic BMW Motorr?ñder will contain new and exciting informative articles from several new authors from all over the world.

Aprilia Tuono V4 R - Official Video


Zip Tie for Fork Gauge?


2011 Yamaha Grand Prix Racing 50th Anniversary Museum GGPP Japanese video



webbikworld.com: AFX FX-39 Helmet Review
Summary
The new AFX FX-39 DS (Dual Sport) helmet has improved quality, comfort and good looks all at a very reasonable price.

visordown.com: My S1000RR has landed – Long Termmers

sprotbikes.net: What gear to start out with

The Mothership

K 1600 dealer sales training at BMW Motorrad

In German, cc is English
TOPBMW at the 2011 Auto Shanghai.

As one of the world’s leading manufacturers of premium vehicles, the German carmaker BMW is presenting in addition to the latest products in its model range a number of groundbreaking concepts for individual mobility of the future…more


Reference: :

Decorah Egles WebCam
Decorah Eagles

Total views: 11,167,542 First hatch 4/2/11.
24-hour collage of first egg pip and hatch
Second hatch 4/3/11.
First glimpse of second hatchling
Third hatch expected in a couple of days.

The Raptor Resource Project brings you the Decorah Eagles from atop their tree at the fish hatchery in Decorah, Iowa.

CHAT ROOM IS OPEN 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CDT DAILY.
To view and participate in chat you must be logged in. Chat room is typically full; refreshing your browser page will eventually give you access.

Shameless Trolling For Touring Tips

NHTSA.dot.gov Vehicle Recalls RSS



MSF Question of the Day: If you need to leave the roadway to rest for a while, which of the following is the safest action?

Gasbuddy.com: Search for local gas prices along your trip route.

Cycle-ergo.com motorcycle ergonomic simulator.

Woot of the Day

Bike Candy

[mika]

Members with Birthdays Today

SBK

youtube.com: A lap in Assen with Luca Scassa's comment.


bmw-motorrad.com: An interview with Rainer B?ñumel
As BMW Motorrad Motorsport continues its third year in the Superbike World Championship, the teamÔÇÖs former Technical Director Rainer B?ñumel (44) has been involved since the beginning. Now Head of Race Operations, he discusses all the subtle but significant changes that are helping the team move forward with confidence in 2011

BMW Motorrad Italia Superbike Team - Assen - Preview
ÔÇó 14.04.2011
ÔÇó Press Release
BMW Motorrad Italia team committed to full team for the next race weekend in Assen (Nethelands).

In addition to the third round of the World Superbike Championship, for which Ayrton Badovini will race with Barry Veneman ÔÇô who will replace James Toseland for the Netherlands event, the FIM Superstock Cup season kicks off with Italian rider Lorenzo Zanetti and Sylvain Barrier.

At the Dutch circuit, Ayrton Badovini will try to increase his championship points haul. The Italian raced in Assen last year and won the round of the FIM Superstock Cup riding the S 1000 RR. Unfortunately, James Toseland will not be partaking in the event following his injuries sustained during a private test at Motorland of Aragon. James has won twice in Assen (with nine podiums in all) and he could have done well with four-cylinder German bike. He will be replaced by Barry Veneman who usually rides in the IDM German championship with the S 1000 RR.

It will be interesting to see the debut of the Superstock, where the BMW Motorrad Italia STK team are reigning champions, having won the 2010 FIM Cup with Badovini. The 2011 team riders will be Frenchman Sylvain Barrier and Lorenzo Zanetti, both of whom climbed on the CIV podium at Misano last Sunday. Sylvain raced with BMW last season for a French team, while Lorenzo is making his four cylinder debut.

Andrea Buzzoni, Director of BMW Motorrad Italia said: "This weekend starts the Superstock 2011 which was our start point in international competition last year and proved very rewarding. We are no longer rookies and start with the clear objective of confirming the S1000RR as the best bike in the category and also retaining our title from 2010. We understand that we will not get the same results as the wins recorded by Ayrton in 2010 and our aim is to win the championship with two riders who show a very promising performance: Lorenzo Zanetti and Sylvain Barrier. The two riders have very different characteristics but the same potential to be winners in the 2011 season, which is more competitive with new riders and bikes, and both are very motivated by competing with the team who won in 2010. I think there will, in fact, be a real championship fight, with exciting racing and the outcome will be more unpredictable than that of last year.

This weekend will be particularly intense and challenging for us with four riders involved in Superstock and Superbike.

I am pleased to announce that James will most probably be back on track for the races at Monza. He is recovering from his injury and is showing his commitment to the team and the entire staff of BMW Motorrad Italia, for example, by coming to the CIV event where he wanted to be in the pits and on the grid to support his Superstock team mates.

We are delighted to welcome Barry Veneman to the team to ride alongside Ayrton Badovini for the upcoming round at Assen. Barry knows the Dutch track and our bike (albeit in a different configuration), so we are confident that he will do well and wish him the greatest of luck! The engineers and the team are working well on refining the development of the bike following the preseason work being limited by adverse weather. "

TT Circuit Assen Length: 4.555 km
Corners: 11 left and 6 right Winners 2010
Race 1: Jonathan Rea (Honda) 35'38 "483
Race 2: Jonathan Rea (Honda) 35'43 "137
Fastest Lap: Jonathan Rea (Honda) 1'36 "312
Interview with ÔÇô
Leon Haslam
Troy Corser

worldsbk: A look back at 2010

worldsbk.com: Tissot makes move into Superbike as official timekeeper


Formula 1

fia.com: Chinese Grand Prix - Conference 1
14/04/2011
DRIVERS - Rubens BARRICHELLO (Williams), Lewis HAMILTON (McLaren), Vitantonio LIUZZI (HRT), Michael SCHUMACHER (Mercedes), Sebastian VETTEL (Red Bull),

fia.com: 2011 CHINESE GRAND PRIX
FRIDAY PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
15.04.2011
TECHNICAL DIRECTORS - Aldo COSTA (Ferrari), James KEY (Sauber), Paddy LOWE (McLaren), Naoki TAKUNAGA (Renault), Geoff WILLIS (HRT)

Friday Practice Timing
Session 1
Session 2

formula1.com: Selected driver quotes


formaula1.com: Technical ÔÇô Renault new from wing

jamesallenonf1.com: Strategy is more important now, says Massa as DRS is reviewed

reuters.com: Pirelli seek to reduce F1 toffee like tyre debris



On the Street

Onthrotle Video: Ask Dave- What Causes a Cold Tear?

YouTube.com: 2011 Triumph Tiger 800cc Australia dealer launch video

webbikeworld.com: Schuberth C3 Hi-Vis Yellow Helmet

motorcyclistonline.com : Street Savvy | How to avoid distracted drivers

cyrilhuzeblog.com: The inner workings of motorcycle suspension Part 1

Moto Morini was on the auction block today prompting AsphaltandRuber to ask, ÔÇ£ How many bids were made on Moto Morini today?ÔÇØ
Nada

The Mothership

video: Designer's Perspective Z4.

Video: BMW Concept M5. Customer review

FWIW

I may be having a Luddite mental breakdown or YouTube is not doing embedding the way they have in the past.

Reference: :

Decorah Egles WebCam
Decorah Eagles

Total views: 11,167,542 First hatch 4/2/11.
24-hour collage of first egg pip and hatch
Second hatch 4/3/11.
First glimpse of second hatchling
Third hatch expected in a couple of days.

The Raptor Resource Project brings you the Decorah Eagles from atop their tree at the fish hatchery in Decorah, Iowa.

CHAT ROOM IS OPEN 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CDT DAILY.
To view and participate in chat you must be logged in. Chat room is typically full; refreshing your browser page will eventually give you access.

Shameless Trolling For Touring Tips

NHTSA.dot.gov Vehicle Recalls RSS



MSF Question of the Day: Which of the following is true of a windshield on your motorcycle?
I ride a naked bike so I hate questions like this.

MSF Tip of the Day: Good riders reduce their risk by using MSFÔÇÖs 3-step SEE strategy: Search ÔÇô Evaluate ÔÇô Execute. P.20 http://bit.ly/MSFMOM


Gasbuddy.com: Search for local gas prices along your trip route.

Cycle-ergo.com motorcycle ergonomic simulator.

Woot of the Day

Bike Candy

More pictures and a bit of history of the 59 Club on silodrome.com

[mika]

SBK

A decent Friday Free Practice and 1st Qualifying for BMWÔÇÖs Enigma Cavalry as all four provisionally have advanced to the Superpole round at Assen. Coser and Haslam are currently listed 6 and 7 while Badovini and Veneman occupy the bubble slots back in P 15 and 16. Currently maximum speeds are in the right range for Corser and Haslam, but they are not able to get the lap averages up to the benchmark Smrz has set. Tyres are raised as an issue once again in the team reports.

worldsbk.com: Smrz holds off all Italian attack

Friday 1st Qualifying Session.

1 96 J. SMRZ CZE Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing Ducati 1098R 1'36.058 22 170,222 286,8

2 1 M. BIAGGI ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'36.287 0.229 0.229 28 169,817 294,6

3 33 M. MELANDRI ITA Yamaha World Superbike Team Yamaha YZF R1 1'36.494 0.436 0.207 23 169,453 293,0

4 84 M. FABRIZIO ITA Team Suzuki Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'36.550 0.492 0.056 26 169,355 293,0

5 66 T. SYKES GBR Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'36.747 0.689 0.197 22 169,010 286,0

6 11 T. CORSER AUS BMW Motorrad Motorsport BMW S1000 RR 1'36.876 0.818 0.129 25 168,785 289,8

7 91 L. HASLAM GBR BMW Motorrad Motorsport BMW S1000 RR 1'36.989 0.931 0.113 22 168,588 287,58 58 E. LAVERTY IRL Yamaha World Superbike Team Yamaha YZF R1 1'37.024 0.966 0.035 23 168,527 293,8

9 4 J. REA GBR Castrol Honda Honda CBR1000RR 1'37.063 1.005 0.039 23 168,460 289,8

10 41 N. HAGA JPN PATA Racing Team Aprilia Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'37.106 1.048 0.043 20 168,385 289,1

11 7 C. CHECA ESP Althea Racing Ducati 1098R 1'37.114 1.056 0.008 25 168,371 283,0

12 17 J. LASCORZ ESP Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'37.364 1.306 0.250 20 167,939 296,2

13 2 L. CAMIER GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'37.373 1.315 0.009 22 167,923 294,6

14 111 R. XAUS ESP Castrol Honda Honda CBR1000RR 1'37.424 1.366 0.051 19 167,835 293,0

15 86 A. BADOVINI ITA BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team BMW S1000 RR 1'37.613 1.555 0.189 20 167,510 286,0

16 37 B. VENEMAN NED BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team BMW S1000 RR 1'37.716 1.658 0.103 20 167,334 284,5

17 121 M. BERGER FRA Supersonic Racing Team Ducati 1098R 1'37.853 1.795 0.137 25 167,100 280,8

18 50 S. GUINTOLI FRA Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing Ducati 1098R 1'37.899 1.841 0.046 22 167,021 281,5

19 77 C. VERMEULEN AUS Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'38.452 2.394 0.553 14 166,083 286,8

20 44 R. ROLFO ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'38.487 2.429 0.035 25 166,024 273,0

21 8 M. AITCHISON AUS Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'38.713 2.655 0.226 23 165,644 283,7



BMW Motorrad Motorsport - WSBK - Assen - Qualifying Practice 1
ÔÇó 15.04.2011
ÔÇó Press Release
Weather conditions: Mostly cloudy.
Temperature: Air: 16 ÔÇô 20 ??C, Track: 18 ÔÇô 21 ??C
Number of riders participating: 21 from 12 teams
Fastest lap Free Practice: Jakub Smrz (Effenbert-Liberty Racing) 1:37.159 min
Fastest lap Qualifying Practice 1: Jakub Smrz (Effenbert-Liberty Racing) 1:36.058 min


Everything goes according to plan for Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport at the third round of the FIM Superbike World Championship 2011 in Assen (NED). Works riders, Troy Corser (AUS) and Leon Haslam (GBR), finished the first qualifying session on their BMW S 1000 RRs in sixth and seventh. To save their soft tyres for tomorrowÔÇÖs Superpole, both riders only went out on harder tyres. For a long time Troy and Leon lay first and second. They only slipped back in the classification in the last part of the session, when other riders switched to soft tyres to improve their lap times.

Troy Corser:
Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:37.583 min (P4)/Fastest lap Qualifying Practice: 1:36.876 min (P6)

ÔÇ£This Friday was fine, and this morning we had a good setting for the bike, based on last yearÔÇÖs settings and the test in Valencia. I was happy and comfortable with it. For this afternoon we made a few changes and went quite a bit quicker. At the beginning of the session we did a long run to get some laps on the tyre. That was quite consistent, so I am pretty happy with that as well. The setting of the bike is okay considering we only ran on hard tyres. I am happy. Of course it would be nice to be a bit further up the grid, but today itÔÇÖs not so important as itÔÇÖs only Friday. Everything is working the right way.ÔÇØ

Leon Haslam:
Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:37.606 min (P5)/Fastest lap Qualifying Practice 1: 1:36.989 min (P7)

ÔÇ£It was a pretty good Friday. ItÔÇÖs nice to be back at Assen, and I am feeling very confident on the bike. We made some progress in Valencia last week, so we were kind of making a set up with what we had there. I am feeling pretty confident. We were doing nearly the whole session with only one tyre. In Valencia we had a few new chassis parts, so setting them up for a new circuit was the priority today. Right now we need to concentrate on doing race runs. I am looking for tomorrow.ÔÇØ

Rainer B?ñumel (Head of Race Operations):
ÔÇ£We are very happy with today, as everything is going according to plan. We have not used soft tyres so far, but saved them for tomorrow and today only ran on race tyres. I am pretty confident because, while everybody was on race tyres, which was until the last quarter of an hour, we were in front. So I think tomorrow will be even better for us.ÔÇØ

Troy CorserÔÇÖs official website:
Assen - First qualifying: Troy happy with sixth on day one

Troy finished the first day of practice and qualifying at Assen with the sixth quickest time and is looking forward to tomorrow. The recent tests in Valencia allowed Troy and the team to try things out away from the pressures of a race weekend and that has allowed the bike to take another step forward. Hopefully, tomorrowÔÇÖs two sessions will show more improvement still and Troy can chase a front row grid position. Czech rider Jakub Smrz (Ducati) dominated both sessions today, ending with a lap of 1:36.058 - three tenths of a second inside the lap record set by Jonathan Rea last year. Second quickest is reigning champion Max Biaggi (Aprilia), with Marco Melandri (Yamaha) third and Michel Fabrizio (Suzuki) fourth. The top six bikes today were all different manufacturers and just one and a half seconds separate the top thirteen riders. Troy - 6th, 1:36.876 The bike is feeling easier to ride and the power delivery is smoother. The recent tests gave us a decent amount of time to try things, without worrying about getting a good set-up for a race. In a race weekend, we make quite a few changes, but often do not have the time to see how these changes affect the bike over a long distance. Valencia allowed us to do that. Now the tyres seem to be holding up pretty well. We were on the hardest tyres all day - front and rear - and thatÔÇÖs something that we donÔÇÖt normally do. We didnÔÇÖt even use any soft tyres today - and that makes me happy because I have a feeling that theyÔÇÖll not last a race distance. If it gets a lot hotter, then weÔÇÖll probably have to give the soft tyres a go. IÔÇÖm also happy because weÔÇÖve pretty much already got a race set-up. Our bike works well here, particularly accelerating onto the long straights. The bike is still physical to ride but, because the power delivery is smoother, it feels less physical. It is responding to changes better now and itÔÇÖs easier for our technicians to work out whatÔÇÖs going on and then come up with ideas to make progress. So, all in all, things have gone well here today and IÔÇÖm looking forward to more of the same tomorrow. See ya. Troy

BMW Motorrad Italia Superbike Team - Assen - Practice Day 1
ÔÇó 15.04.2011
ÔÇó Press Release

Ayrton BadoviniÔÇÖs fall partly affected the first qualifying session of the third round of the World Superbike Championship. The BMW Motorrad Italia Superbike Team rider, having been twelfth fastest in this morningÔÇÖs free practice, held the fifteenth fastest time in qualifying, after completing twenty laps during the hour available.
Barry Veneman, substituting for James Toseland at this event, has begun to get to grips with the S 1000 RR, which he had ridden in the German championship, but with different regulations, and at the end of qualifying finished in sixteenth place.

The BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock Team were content with Sylvain BarrierÔÇÖs second place on his first outing with the S 1000 RR. Only three tenths separated the Frenchman from Giugliano (Ducati), provisional pole-sitter. Lorenzo Zanetti, meanwhile, continues his learning of the four-cylinder German bike and currently occupies tenth position.

Serafino Foti, sporting director of BMW Motorrad Superbike Italia Team said: "Ayrton fell, and that was bound to have affected the tests. The important thing is that we have not done any damage. Veneman has been getting to know the bike and the team, continuously working with his engineers. Both riders will be trying to improve tomorrow. As for Superstock, Sylvain has made a good start. We have a few detailed adjustment changes that we will try tomorrow morning in practice. Lorenzo is a little behind, as he is not accomplished in taking advantage of new rubber at critical moments. Tomorrow we will try to move further up the grid."

RESULTS QUALIFYNG
SUPERBIKE: 1??J. Smrz (Ducati) 1'36.058 - 2?? M. Biaggi (Aprilia) 1'36.287 - 3?? M. Melandri (Yamaha) 1'36"494...15?? A. Badovini (BMW) 1'37.613 - 16?? B. Veneman (BMW) 1'37"716.
SUPERSTOCK: 1?? D. Giugliano (Ducati) 1'39.538 - 2?? S. Barrier (BMW) 1'39.915 - 3?? D. Petrucci (Ducati) 1'40.053 - 4?? L. Baroni (Ducati) 1'40.054 - 5?? A. Antonelli (Honda) 1'40"100...10?? L. Zanetti (BMW) 1'41.061.

[mika]

Members with Birthdays Today

SBK

WorldSBK releases its video magazine at the start of the next race weekend. LetÔÇÖs get warmed up for Assen by looking back to Donington Park


Alpharacing Newsfeed:
Friday, 15 April 2011. Weather conditions: Mostly cloudy. Temperature: Air: 16 ÔÇô 20 ??C, Track: 18 ÔÇô 21 ??C Number of riders participating: 21 from 12 teams Fastest lap Free Practice: Jakub Smrz (Effenbert-Liberty Racing) 1:37.159 min Fastest lap Qualifying Practice 1: Jakub Smrz (Effenbert-Liberty Racing) 1:36.058 min Everything goes according to plan for Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport at the third round of the FIM Superbike World Championship 2011 in Assen (NED). Works riders, Troy Corser (AUS) and Leon Haslam (GBR), finished the first qualifying session on their BMW S 1000 RRs in sixth and seventh. To save their soft tyres for tomorrowÔÇÖs Superpole, both riders only went out on harder tyres. For a long time Troy and Leon lay first and second. They only slipped back in the classification in the last part of the session, when other riders switched to soft tyres to improve their lap times. Troy Corser: Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:37.583 min (P4)/Fastest lap Qualifying Practice: 1:36.876 min (P6) ÔÇ£This Friday was fine, and this morning we had a good setting for the bike, based on last yearÔÇÖs settings and the test in Valencia. I was happy and comfortable with it. For this afternoon we made a few changes and went quite a bit quicker. At the beginning of the session we did a long run to get some laps on the tyre. That was quite consistent, so I am pretty happy with that as well. The setting of the bike is okay considering we only ran on hard tyres. I am happy. Of course it would be nice to be a bit further up the grid, but today itÔÇÖs not so important as itÔÇÖs only Friday. Everything is working the right way.ÔÇØ Leon Haslam: Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:37.606 min (P5)/Fastest lap Qualifying Practice 1: 1:36.989 min (P7) ÔÇ£It was a pretty good Friday. ItÔÇÖs nice to be back at Assen, and I am feeling very confident on the bike. We made some progress in Valencia last week, so we were kind of making a set up with what we had there. I am feeling pretty confident. We were doing nearly the whole session with only one tyre. In Valencia we had a few new chassis parts, so setting them up for a new circuit was the priority today. Right now we need to concentrate on doing race runs. I am looking for tomorrow.ÔÇØ Rainer B?ñumel (Head of Race Operations): ÔÇ£We are very happy with today, as everything is going according to plan. We have not used soft tyres so far, but saved them for tomorrow and today only ran on race tyres. I am pretty confident because, while everybody was on race tyres, which was until the last quarter of an hour, we were in front. So I think tomorrow will be even better for us.ÔÇØ

fim-live.com: Smrz bubbles up after fizzing first qualifying session

Suzuki-racing.com: Fabrizio 4th in Assen qualifying



Yamaha-racing.com: Melandri and Laverty visit Yamaha Motor Europe Headquarters

SBK News in the WSBK Pit Lane at Assen for 1st Qualifying


MotoGP

motorcycledaily.com: Combined rider and bike weight limit for MotoGP ÔÇô what do you think?

I received this from a fellow member about MotoGPÔÇÖs deal with the Circuit of the Americas,

Re: MotoGP coming to Austin,TX
________________________________________
We are still in the "can you believe it's happening for real?" stage as to how Austin got it over Houston/San Antone/Dallas, or anywhere else in the States for that matter. The local Ducati guy is smiling as well. To have this type of facility 45 minutes away from us is just too cool . I have had friends already telling me they are staying here when it debuts, so make room.
Included was a link to an article on a local TV station website.

I canÔÇÖt wait myself.

Formula 1

Friday leftovers

formula1.com Plenty to ponder in China

reuters.com: Ecclestone questioned by German state prosecutor

Saturday

Practice
Classifications
Lap Times

formula1.com: Vettel top as Webber hits trouble

Qualifying
formula1.com: Vettel Storms to Shanghai pole
formula1.com: Selected team and driver quotes

Classifications
Lap Times
Maximum Speeds
Sector Times
Speed Trap

Other Racing

roadracingworld.com: BMW Motorrad France 99 leads opening free practice at Bol dÔÇÖOr 24 Hour

fim-live.com: Suzuki Endurance Racing Team takes Bol dÔÇÖOr pole position

fim-live.com: FIM e-Power International Championship



2011 FIM SuperMoto World Championship - Busca (ITA)


motorsportretro.com: Legends ÔÇô Gary Nixon

Paroday: 10 years of the Suzuki DR-Z from AshpahltandRubber


On the Street

sciencefriday.com: How to balance a bicycle




Bikes in the Fast Lane: France ÔÇô 49% increase in motorcycle mortality for March 2011

cyrilhuzeblog.com: So you want to become a Harley-Davidson dealer
Maybe not but an interesting article anyway.

dealernews.com: MV Agusta recalls F4 due to faulty subframe

indiancarsbikes.in: Indian automobile engineering students make a motorcycle mounted ÔÇ£BicyvatorÔÇØ excavator

technologyreview.com: Online tracking bill of rights meets wave of gripes

webbikeworld.com: High Visibility Orange backpack review
I saw this and had a series of thoughts: What next? Make anything hi-viz and someone in the motorcycle press will review it .and the MOA community will endorse it as ATGAT. Is a thong hi viz by definition or color? Depends on your view I suppose. Never mind.

thekneeslider.com: Sora ÔÇô an electric street fighter from Lito Green Motion
With the exception of the $40k+ price tag, I LIKE IT!








The Mothership

Better informed with the latest issue
of Council News


Council News, the BMW Clubs International Council newsletter, provides you with regular detailed information about all events that take place within the BMW Club scene.
It contains all the latest club news as well as BMW Classic reports, club profiles and articles on other exciting BMW topics. Information about interesting national and international events, BMW Club meetings and other BMW activities is also covered.

Council News .pdf







FWIW

I came across this in my internet ÔÇÿwonderingsÔÇÖ today










Reference: :

There are some new additions to the Reference section form BMW-Motorrad.com. A member posted a link to BMW Denmark where owner manuals for current models could be downloaded. I posted a direct link in that thread and have added it here. While researching that link I came across some others on BMW-Motorrad.com that seem worthy of a place in the reference library.

BMW-Motorrad.com:

Download Manuals
Familiarise yourself with your new motorcycle so that you can ride it safely and confidently in all traffic situations. Please read your Rider's Manual carefully before starting to use your new BMW motorcycle. It contains important information on how to operate the controls and how to make the best possible use of all your BMW's technical features. In addition, it contains information on maintenance and care to help you maintain your motorcycle's reliability and safety, as well as its value.


Breakdown Dictionary
To make sure that you are never lost for words, we have put together the BMW Motorrad breakdown dictionary. We have collected the most important breakdown terms in a number of languages, to help you communicate your problem at any time.
Tyre Options
Tyres - the most important connection between your BMW motorcycle and the road. Would you like to get an up-to-date overview of the tyre options for your BMW? No problem - here you will find details of the tyre types and dimensions available. All you have to do is select the model series and model for your BMW motorcycle to get an overview of the wheel and tyre combinations.

Tips
Before every journey
Before a log trip
Before winter
How to clean your motorcycle

Decorah Egles WebCam
Decorah Eagles

Shameless Trolling For Touring Tips

NHTSA.dot.gov Vehicle Recalls RSS



MSF Question of the Day: What is the most important thing you can wear to improve your chances of surviving a crash?

MSF Tip of the Day: Night riding: if you can't seem to stay awake, find a suitable spot and take a short nap, or check in to a motel room for some sleep.


Gasbuddy.com: Search for local gas prices along your trip route.

Cycle-ergo.com motorcycle ergonomic simulator.

Woot of the Day

Bike Candy

Bigger isnÔÇÖt always better, even with bike candy. From JapanÔÇÖs The Gravel Crew viaSilodrome.com here is a tasty morsel