superbike championship

FIM Approves 1000cc MotoGP Engine

noreply@blogger.com (wan_toya) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 23:22:00 +0000

Vito Ippolito president of the FIM, motorcycle racing's governing body, says 1000cc engines are the future for MotoGP, and denies it leading to conflict with the World Superbike Championship.

Earlier this year Carmelo Ezpeleta, the MotoGP rights holder had proposed using production-based 1000cc engines from 2012 onward, and it now seems likely a modified version of this plan will be adopted, where production-derived engines would be eligible but not mandatory.

Ippolito believes that moving back to a 1000cc motor will be welcomed by the MotoGP teams, since the change from 990cc to 800cc engines in 2007 hasn’t produced the desired effect of lower costs and reduced cornering speeds.

"MotoGP manufacturers want 1000cc engines, so that's the way now," Ippolito said.

"The 800cc formula hasn't worked because power is more or less the same [as 990cc], but cornering speed has increased. And costs have increased too."

In response to superbike promoter Infront Motor Sports angry reaction to Ezpeleta's initial suggestion of a 1000cc MotoGP formula, Ippolito says even if some of the engines had production origins, MotoGP bikes would remain prototype racing machines, thus creating adequate separation between the two series.

"The difference is the rule about homologation: a bike is or isn't homologable," Ippolito explained. "The discussion starts and ends here. It doesn't matter whether the engine is 1000, 1200, or 750cc - MotoGP can't be homologated, so it can have whatever engine it wants, since the discriminating factor is another one."

Ippolito also feels the two racing series cater for different audiences and will be able happily co-exist whatever regulations are in place.

"We are satisfied with both series, because they meet the requests of the fans," said Ippolito. "SBK offers the opportunity of racing and showing off to people who have less resources, while MotoGP is the global image of motorcycle racing.

"So we need both, but it's important to keep a difference between the two: someone who watches Superbikes watches his own bike racing. MotoGP is different, and someone who watches it wants to see something else."

KTM Will Continue Racing In IDM German Superbike Championship In 2010

noreply@blogger.com (wan_toya) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 22:56:00 +0000

KTM, the Austrian sports motorcycle manufacturer, has confirmed its engagement in the International German Championship in 2010 at the finale of the IDM. As well as the official Superbike team, there will also be a private KTM 125ccm machine competing in the IDM.

The move underlines the "Ready to Race" philosophy of Europe's second largest motorcycle producer and confirms its activity in the IDM in 2010 with an official Superbike team and in other racing activity on series near motorcycles.

Positive first season
"After a very positive first season for the factory-supported team headed by team boss Konrad Hefele, which included numerous highlights and podium places, it is logical from a sporting perspective to continue this project," said RC8 Project Leader Wolfgang Felber. "As well as its great sporting significance and the very strong competition, the IDM is a perfect platform for a manufacturer from the German-speaking region. These factors added weight to our decision to continue our commitment. There are still many unanswered questions about the coming season but the financing at KTM has been secured and the decision stands: We'll be on the attack again in 2010," he added.

2010: Private 125ccm KTM machines in the IDM paddock
In addition, KTM will support selected teams in Germany but also in other national championships with committed talent and 125 ccm racing machines in 2010. However there will be no official KTM team in the 125 cc class of the IDM. As has already been confirmed, the 13-year-old junior talent Philipp Oettl will contest the championship on a KTM 125ccm within the framework of a purely private structure. KTM thus continues to expand its support of the next generation of racers in addition to its engagement in the international Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and top class national series.

Point system

noreply@blogger.com (wan_toya) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 21:51:00 +0000

**Points System**
Position	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
Points	25	20	16	13	11	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1

For the Manufacturers' Championship, only the highest finishing motorcycle by a particular manufacturer is awarded the points for that position, as in MotoGP and most other forms of motorcycle racing.

Superbike motorcycles

noreply@blogger.com (wan_toya) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 21:50:00 +0000

Superbike racing motorcycles are derived from standard production models. In the past, however, manufacturers took advantage of loopholes in the rules to create "homologation specials" — motorcycles with low production numbers made especially for racing.

Motorcycles that raced in the Superbike World Championship include:

Ducati: 851, 888, 916, 996, 998, 999, 1098, 1198 (currently)
BMW: S1000RR (currently)
KTM: 1190RC (from 2010 season)
Honda: RC30, RC45, RC51, CBR1000RR (currently)
Yamaha: FZR750,YZF750, YZF-R7, YZF-R1 (currently)
Kawasaki: ZXR750,ZX-7RR, ZX-10R (currently)
Suzuki: GSX-R750, GSX-R1000 (currently)
Bimota: YB4EI, SB8R (withdraw)
Aprilia: RSV Mille R, RSV 4 (currently)
Petronas: FP1 (withdraw)
Benelli: Tornado Tre 900 (withdraw)
MV Agusta: MV Agusta F4 (withdraw)

2007 World Superbike motorcycles by all 5 participating manufacturers
Lorenzo Lanzi riding the Ducati 999F07	James Toseland riding the Honda CBR1000RR	Max Biaggi riding the Suzuki GSX-R1000 K7	Noriyuki Haga riding the Yamaha YZF-R1	Fonsi Nieto riding the Kawasaki ZX-10R

Rider

noreply@blogger.com (wan_toya) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 21:48:00 +0000

Riders from all over the world compete in the Superbike World Championship. The championship is perhaps most closely followed in Italy because of Ducati and the United Kingdom where superbike racing has been the most popular form of motorcycle racing. National-championship superbike racing is conducted in several countries, including the United States, the U.K. and Japan. Riders from Australia and the United States have traditionally been successful in the world championship, though no American rider won a race since Colin Edwards won the 2002 championship and no Americans competed between 2003 and 2007.

British rider Carl Fogarty has the record of being the most successful rider in the championship's history, winning the championship 4 times, and amassing a total of 59 race wins.

Many riders successful in the Superbike World Championship have gone on to MotoGP, such as 2002 champion Colin Edwards, 2007 champion James Toseland, and 2005 runner-up Chris Vermeulen. The championship has seen several former MotoGP riders move to it, usually after failing to earn competitive rides. The 2008 field includes five former MotoGP winners: Max Biaggi, Carlos Checa and Makoto Tamada all raced exclusively in MotoGP before joining SBK, while Troy Bayliss, Noriyuki Haga, and Régis Laconi had alternating spells in both.

Except for Frenchman Raymond Roche, who won the championship in 1990, all Superbike World Champions have been native English speakers. Italian riders Davide Tardozzi and Marco Lucchinelli won the first two races of the series, and Frenchman Adrien Morillas was also victorious in 1988; Germany had to wait for Max Neukirchner to achieve this in 2008, although Austrian Andreas Meklau was the first German-speaker to win a race, in 1994.Spain´s first race winner was Ruben Xaus in 2001

History of SBK

noreply@blogger.com (wan_toya) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 21:47:00 +0000

The Superbike World Championship began in 1988, being open to modified versions of road bike models available to the public. For many years, the formula allowed for machines with 1000 cc V-twin engines (principally Ducati, but later Aprilia and Honda) to go up against the 750 cc four-cylinder engines (Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki). For the first few seasons Honda won with the RC30, but gradually the twins got the upper hand. Using 1000 cc V-twin engines benefited Ducati and it was able to dominate the championship for many years. From 1993 to 1999 Carl Fogarty and Ducati dominated, Fogarty won the title a record 4 times and finished as runner-up twice on factory Ducatis. Troy Corser also won the 1996 title and finished as runner-up in 1995, both times on a Ducati.

Carl Fogarty has won the Superbike World Championship a record 4 times with Ducati

Realizing that 1000 cc V-twin engines suited the superbike racing formula more, Honda introduced its own V-Twin powered motorcycle the VTR1000/RC51 in 2000. The result was clear right away as Colin Edwards won the championship in the bike's first year of competition. Ducati regained the title in 2001 with Troy Bayliss.