Category: Superbikes

1. GP ace Danny Webb to make Isle of Man TT Races Debut with KMR Kawasakii

   Posted on 9:10am Thursday 23rd Jan 2014

   GP ace Danny Webb to make Isle of Man TT Races Debut with KMR Kawasaki

   Danny Webb, one of the UK’s leading 125cc Grand Prix and Moto 3 contenders, will make his real road racing debut at the 2014 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy, riding for KMR Kawasaki.

   The Kent youngster will contest the Dainese Superbike, RL360º Superstock, bikesocial.co.uk Lightweight and PokerStars Senior TT Races and will benefit from the expert Mountain Course knowledge and support of KMR team manager and owner Ryan Farquhar.

   The 22-year old has long been considered one of the countries brightest prospects, a claim supported by his seven years of Grand Prix level competition. He achieved an impressive twenty top-ten finishes in the 125cc and Moto 3 divisions, arguably one of the most competitive classes in motorcycle racing.

   Riding for the highly experienced Molenaar/De Graaf, Andalucia Cajasol and Ambrogio Racing teams, Webb achieved a best finish of fifth at the 2008 Portuguese GP, with his best Championship standing coming in the 2010 season when he took 10th overall with 93 points.

   Having led races on a number of occasions, Webb was also chosen to spearhead the Indian manufacturer Mahindra’s first ever assault on the GP trail in 2011. Indeed, he gave them first ever pole position at the Valencia GP.

   The Tunbridge Wells rider hails from a racing family with father Jimmy enjoying a successful career as a sidecar passenger and his elder brother James was a front runner in both the Virgin Mobile R6 Cup and British Supersport Championships, competing in the latter as team-mate to 20-times TT winner John McGuinness at Padgetts Racing.

   Having left the Moto 3 arena midway through the 2013 season, Webb turned his attention to the World Supersport Championship, competing in a number of races for PTR Racing, who not only played an instrumental part in the success of Michael Dunlop at the 2013 TT Races but also took Eugene Laverty and Sam Lowes to numerous wins and podiums on the World stage. Webb soon proved his talent on the 600cc machine too, scoring a best position of 11th at the final round in Spain.

   Speaking about his TT debut, Danny commented: “I’m a big TT fan. I've already been to the event and I have always said that I wanted to do it one day. It’s something that has been going through my mind more and more of late, and the opportunity came along to work with Ryan Farquhar who puts out some of the best bikes on the grid, so I simply couldn’t say no.”

   He continued: “It’s going to be a big change for me after years in the Grand Prix paddock, but it is something I am really looking forward to. I don’t see this being a one off thing either and I know it will take me many years to really learn my way around but for now I just can’t wait to get out there and make my debut.”

2. The first 2014 Superbike test for the Aprilia Racing Team and Marco Melandrii

   Posted on 8:09am Tuesday 21st Jan 2014

   THE ALL-ITALIAN DUO THAT WILL TAKE ON WORLD SUPERBIKE ESTABLISHES ITSELF AT PORTIMAO 

   Portimao, 20 January 2014 - The Portuguese Portimao track was the setting for the first tests of the season held by Aprilia Racing, the reigning Manufacturer World Champion team, concentrated on three days of testing with newcomer Marco Melandri, working side by side with test rider Alex Hofmann.

   For the rider from Ravenna, the natural candidate for a key role in the World Championship that will start on 23 February in Australia, this was the first contact with his Aprilia RSV4 since the winter break. After regaining some familiarity with it, Marco focused on preparing for the first race of the season. Despite difficult weather conditions, with rain on the first two days and an average of low temperatures, the Italian team was able to take advantage of the session to fine tune the bike that is the reigning Manufacturer world champion.

   The intermittent rain on the first two days of testing forced the riders to lap in less than optimum conditions. The third and final day, on the other hand, allowed everyone to push hard, with the obvious limit of a track which was cold and not very rubberised.

   Over the three days Melandri put in 175 laps with a best time of 1'43.1.

   Sylvain Guintoli was absent from the Portimao tests, having just come through the second operation on his right shoulder which he injured last year. The return of the French rider, who is going through physical therapy, is expected for the first race at Phillip Island. The Superbike Test Team was also in the Aprilia garage with test rider Alex Hofmann (150 laps, best 1'45.0).

   Marco Melandri: "Considering the difficult weather conditions, the first two days were a bit wasted. The last day was a particular day. We made a lot of progress with the electronics but we had a few problems with the chassis set up. The track improved little by little and the settings had trouble coping. Toward the end of the test we began to figure out which direction to go for my riding style, but it's a shame that we lost the last half hour (due to oil on the track - editor's note) where we could have tried to put in a fast lap. I'm disappointed about that but the good thing is that we have a clearer idea now. I hope we can get back onto the track for some more testing before the first round at Phillip Island".

   Romano Albesiano, Aprilia Racing Manager: "During these three days first of all we decided on the 2014 suspension which was one of our goals. Melandri was also positive about the electronics updates, where the chassis set up is concerned there is still work to be done to adapt the RSV4 to the rider's needs. We're on the right path but we still need to take that final step to define a base set up that will allow us to take best advantage of the bike-rider package".

3. 2014 Pata Honda Team presentation

   Posted on 7:28am Friday 17th Jan 2014

   It is with great pleasure that we invite you to join us for the presentation of the 2014 Pata Honda team at Motor Bike Expo to be held at the Verona Fiere in Italy on Saturday 25 January.

   Contesting the 2014 World Superbike and World Supersport championships, the Pata Honda team will compete with the same rider line-up as in 2013 with the clear aim of securing race victories in order to battle once more for two championship titles.

   Following a difficult 2013 season, in which they both sustained serious injuries, British riders Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam will climb aboard the new Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP that was launched in Milan last September.

   Meanwhile, Dutch flyer Michael van der Mark will once again team up with Italian ace Lorenzo Zanetti on Honda’s CBR600RR machine to build on the experience and podiums gained in their World Supersport rookie seasons in 2013 when they finished in fourth and fifth places respectively.

   The 2014 Pata Honda team will be presented at 15.00 hrs on Saturday 25 January and the presentation will be followed by opportunities to interview the riders, team management and Honda personnel.

   Please let us know if you can join us by replying to [email protected], and we look forward to welcoming you to the Verona Motorbike Expo and a new championship season with Pata Honda.

   With best wishes

   The Pata Honda Team

4. Pata Honda riders test new Fireblade SP

   Posted on 8:06am Saturday 21st Dec 2013

   Pata Honda’s World Superbike pairing of Leon Haslam and Jonathan Rea ended their riding year this week with a play on Honda’s new-for-2014 Fireblade SP at the Losail circuit in Qatar.

   The lastest and sharpest version of the bike that Haslam and Rea race for the Pata Honda team in the World Superbike championship was being presented by Honda Motor Europe to motorcycle journalists from all over the world.

   Boasting front and rear adjustable Öhlins suspension and Brembo monoblock brakes, the new Fireblade SP also features a blueprinted engine and a single seat unit to offer owners even greater focus on trackday action.

   For Haslam and Rea the launch also offered an opportunity to re-acquaint themselves with the Losail circuit which returns to the World Superbike championship calendar in 2014 for the first time since 2009.

   “What a week!”, said Haslam after returning from Qatar. “It was the best fun ever to ride around Losail with all the journalists on the Fireblade SP. It’s an awesome machine and the circuit lets you have a lot of fun, so I ended up doing about 300 laps, I think!”

   Rea, who flew in from Australia, where he is spending the winter, also enjoyed himself, saying: “It was like ‘a-smile-a-mile’ and I had great fun with Leon, his dad Ron and my TT legend mate, John McGuinness. Sometimes I just think to myself: ‘I have the best job in the world!’”

5. British Superbike championship regular Martin Jessopp to make TT debut in 2014

   Posted on 8:57am Thursday 5th Dec 2013

   British Superbike Championship competitor Martin Jessopp has confirmed he will make his much-anticipated Mountain Course debut at the 2014 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy.

   The 28-year old will campaign a BMW S1000RR in the Dainese Superbike, Royal London 360º Superstock and Pokerstars Senior TT Races for his regular Riders Motorcycles team, owned and run by father Phil.

   With the exception of 2012 – when he contested the World Supersport Championship – Jessopp has been an ever present in the British Championship paddock since 2004 when he entered the British Superstock Championship on Ducati machinery. The Yeovil rider moved to the British Supersport Championship for the following three seasons enjoying his best season in 2007 when he finished 11th overall with a best result of fifth.

   A switch to Honda and a move to the premier British Superbike series followed and Jessopp took second and third in the 2008 and 2009 Privateer’s Cup before making the step up the BSB series proper. Back on Ducatis, and with Michael Rutter as team-mate, Jessopp impressed in 2010 with five top ten finishes from the first eight races including a maiden pole start at Thruxton before a broken leg at the fifth round halted his charge. However, he bounced back in style in 2011 to claim 11th overall with a best finish of fourth at Donington Park and 11 top ten finishes.

   However, it’s his road racing results that will have made the most impact on TT fans with excellent performances at both the Macau Grand Prix and North West 200. Having made his debut at Macau in 2007, he proved his talent in 2011 when he took second to Rutter, pushing his more experience teammate all the way, and he repeated the result in 2012 for another superb result.

   He made his North-West debut in 2006 and has had numerous top fifteen finishes although cancelled races have prevented him from finishing higher than the 11th he took in the 2008 Superbike race. Indeed, he qualified in second place for the 2011 Superbike Races before becoming the fastest ever man through the speed trap the following year at a phenomenal 208mph on his way to qualifying fifth.

   Speaking about the news that he will make his TT debut Martin said: “Having gained road racing experience at the North West 200 and the Macau Grand Prix, I now feel ready to make my TT debut. The TT is the pinnacle of road racing and I am very excited about the opportunity to finally race there. My plan is to work hard and learn the circuit without any pressure to get a result. Hopefully after a few years I’ll have learnt enough to push on and start to challenge towards the front as I have been able to do at the North West 200 and Macau Grand Prix.”

   Paul Phillips, TT & Motorsport Development Manager, Isle of Man Government added: “Martin is a rider we have been talking to for a number of years and we are delighted that he feels the time is right to come and take part in our event. He has proven quality on the roads and will add real quality to an already superb entry. It’s also fantastic to have another top quality team in the paddock with Riders Motorcycles who have had such a significant presence in the British Superbike paddock for so many years.”