January

Year: 2008

Month: January

MotoGP Sepang test: Casey Stoner rues clutch problem in Sepang

23 January 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP Sepang test: Casey Stoner rues clutch problem in Sepang

A clutch problem cost Casey Stoner the chance to complete his first race simulation on Ducati’s new 2008 GP8 machine in Sepang today, but the MotoGP world champion still logged some impressive times...

MotoGP Sepang Test: James Toseland battles chatter in Sepang

23 January 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP Sepang Test: James Toseland battles chatter in Sepang

James Toseland managed to knock a second off his best Sepang time today despite battling with a chronic rear tyre chatter problem on the Tech 3 Yamaha YZR-M1. The double World Superbike champion...

MotoGP Sepang test: Dani Pedrosa to undergo surgery on broken hand

23 January 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP Sepang test: Dani Pedrosa to undergo surgery on broken hand

Dani Pedrosa will undergo an operation in Spain today to repair a double break in his right hand following a high-speed crash on the opening day of 2008 MotoGP testing in Sepang. Further medical...

Where's Max Biaggi?

23 January 2008 by faccipazzo

Why is it that one of the best modern day riders with any talent (Max biaggi) is not riding in MotoGP? Did he hurt someone’s feelings, or do they feel he has lost it? He could definitely hang

The state of today's racers

23 January 2008 by faccipazzo

Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini, Phil Read and Jim Redman, would run and hide on todays riders if they rode todays computerized race bikes. Maybe Rossi could hang if he had Casey Stoners particular Ducati – which is one fast motorcycle. The other factories need to step up

Moores Racing announce partnership with Sweatshop UK

22 January 2008 by Alfonso Lygo

Moores Racing announce partnership with Sweatshop UK

The very helpful Tony Jimenez has been in contact to tell us of early plans for Moores Racing and the 2008 HMRC motorcycle endurance racing season. Moores Racing are delighted to announce that...

Lougher on Yamahas

22 January 2008 by Gary Pinchin

TT star Ian Lougher and his long-time backers Blackhorse Motorcycle Finance have made a dramatic switch to Yamaha for the 2008 season. Team Blackhorse will become an official YMUK ‘Roads Team’, spearheaded by the vastly experienced Lougher with up-and-coming Olie Linsdell as his teammate. Welshman Lougher started racing back in 1982 and will continue in the combined role of motorcycle racer, team...

MotoGP Sepang test: James Toseland makes 2008 Yamaha debut

22 January 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP Sepang test: James Toseland makes 2008 Yamaha debut

James Toseland got his first taste of Yamaha’s new 2008 contender in Malaysia today, declaring himself satisfied with the winter improvements made on the much-maligned YZR-M1. The British rider posted...

MotoGP Sepang test: Casey Stoner upbeat after tough first day

22 January 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP Sepang test: Casey Stoner upbeat after tough first day

Reigning MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner remained in upbeat mood despite a tough first day of 2008 pre-season testing at the Sepang circuit. The Aussie completed just 36 laps as his new Ducati GP8...

MotoGP Sepang test: Valentino Rossi explains first Bridgestone crash

22 January 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP Sepang test: Valentino Rossi explains first Bridgestone crash

Valentino Rossi suffered his first crash with Bridgestone tyres today after a slow but spectacular crash as winter testing resumed in baking hot conditions in Sepang. The seven-times world champion,...

MotoGP Sepang Test: Colin Edwards bemoans "stupid crash"

22 January 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP Sepang Test: Colin Edwards bemoans "stupid crash"

American Colin Edwards walked away unhurt from an opening day spill that he branded “stupid” to set the seventh best time in Sepang. Testing a revised engine spec, but not the pneumatic valve YZR-M1...

MotoGP Sepang test: Dani Pedrosa suffers injury blow

22 January 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP Sepang test: Dani Pedrosa suffers injury blow

Honda’s pre-season preparations for the 2008 MotoGP world championship have been dealt a big blow after it was confirmed that Spaniard Dani Pedrosa suffered a broken right hand in the second of two...

Gallery: Rossi's spectacular Sepang highside

22 January 2008 by Angus Farquhar

Gallery: Rossi's spectacular Sepang highside

Valentino Rossi made an eventful start to the first day of MotoGP testing at Sepang, highsiding his Yamaha M1 in spectacular style. The Italian was caught out by the 2008 motorcycle, launched...

MX des Nations in UK

21 January 2008 by Paul Harris

MX des Nations in UK

The FIM has announced that the most prestigious race in the motocross calendar will return to the UK in September. The Red Bull Motocross of Nations is an annual event frequently labelled the...

Molyneux in shock Suzuki switch

21 January 2008 by MCN Sports Desk

Molyneux in shock Suzuki switch

Sidecar racing legend and 13-times TT winner Dave Molyneux has made a shock move from Honda to Suzuki for the 2008 season and will race under the team’s new banner of Team Molyneux Suzuki. The TT’s...

Lampkin’s disappointing Beta debut

21 January 2008 by MCN Sports Desk

Lampkin’s disappointing Beta debut

Dougie Lampkin made a disappointing debut on his factory Beta, as he finished a lowly seventh place at the opening round of the 2008 World indoor championship held in Marseile, France. This was...

Reed wins Anaheim2

21 January 2008 by Paul Harris

Reed wins Anaheim2

Yamaha’s Chad Reed seized control of the AMA Supercross championship on Saturday after James Stewart withdrew with an injury. The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider had been riding with a knee injury...

Video: Yamaha launch 2008 MotoGP team

21 January 2008 by Rob Hull

Yamaha officially launched it’s 2008 MotoGP team on Friday, with new team-mates Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo taking to the stage. Check out the video below to see the highlights of the glitzy event then click here to see the Ducati team launch the week previous.

Steve Plater assumes rider/manager role

21 January 2008 by Gary Pinchin

Steve Plater assumes rider/manager role

Steve Plater is now the team manager as well as BSB rider for AIM Yamaha. We spoke to him about his new role – and the forthcoming season. Click here to see Steve Plater’s thoughts on the 2008 North...

Video: Riders talk at North West 200 launch

20 January 2008 by Gary Pinchin, Chris Slade

The stature of the North West 200 road race meeting in Northern Ireland was underlined this week with Northern Ireland Secretary of State Peter Hain attending the launch of the 2007 races. The race is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 12 this year and we managed to catch up with some of the key riders during the launch. Zoom & Watch more videos on MCN |...

Jentin confirm Andrews for British Superbikes

18 January 2008 by Gary Pinchin

Jentin confirm Andrews for British Superbikes

Jentin Racing have confirmed Simon Andrews will stay with the team in BSB this year. The Lloyds British-backed Yamaha team are building two brand new 2008 R1s and 23-year-old Andrews said: “I’m really...

Valentino Rossi looks forward to 2008 Yamaha debut

18 January 2008 by Rob Hull

Valentino Rossi looks forward to 2008 Yamaha debut

Valentino Rossi has highlighted the early 2008 winter tests as vital to get his factory Fiat Yamaha adapted to Bridgestone tyres with the new premier class season just seven weeks away. With a right...

Valentino Rossi gives update on tax investigation

18 January 2008 by Rob Hull

Valentino Rossi gives update on tax investigation

As Yamaha completed the official launch of the 2008 Fiat-backed team in Italy today, Valentino Rossi could not escape questions about the tax investigation that rocked the 28-year-old sporting icon...

Jorge Lorenzo talks about MotoGP leap

18 January 2008 by Rob Hull

Jorge Lorenzo talks about MotoGP leap

Double world 250 world champion Jorge Lorenzo has spoken about his expectations for 2008 and how he is coping with the switch to MotoGP in Italy today. The Spaniard said: “The M1 is a bike I like very...

Embassy run official Triumph BSS effort

18 January 2008 by Gary Pinchin

Embassy run official Triumph BSS effort

Embassy Racing Moto has announced it will be the official Triumph factory-supported team in British Supersport in 2008. The team will run two riders in the hugely competitive Supersport class. Joining...

Valentino Rossi unsure on Qatar night race

18 January 2008 by Rob Hull

Valentino Rossi unsure on Qatar night race

Seven-times world champion Valentino Rossi has spoken about his reservations about the historic night race in Qatar that will start the 2008 MotoGP world championship. Rossi’s first chance to gauge...

Yamaha bosses play down risk of F1-style spy row

18 January 2008 by Rob Hull

Yamaha bosses play down risk of F1-style spy row

Valentino Rossi’s Fiat Yamaha team boss Davide Brivio has played down any possibility of spying amongst the factory Yamaha team next season, similar to that which tarnished last year’s Formula One...

Ten Kate finally get to test 2008 Honda Fireblade

18 January 2008 by Michael Guy

Ten Kate finally get to test 2008 Honda Fireblade

Ten Kate Honda will finally get to test their all new 2008 specification Honda CBR1000RR’s this week at Almeria in Spain. The Dutch team have been flat out for the last month preparing the new bikes...

Alstare test 2008 bikes

18 January 2008 by Michael Guy

Alstare test 2008 bikes

The Alstare Suzuki squad completed a further three days testing at Phillip Island this week despite persistent rumours that the teams 2008 plans could be in doubt due to a sponsorship shortfall. See...

Beowulf switch to Yamaha

18 January 2008 by MCN Sports team

Beowulf switch to Yamaha

Beowulf Racing has decided to switch to Yamaha for their 2008 UK and European campaigns. The team has run Suzuki machinery since 1997 but the change is down to machinery availability. Joint Team Owner...

Dakar could move to Chile

18 January 2008 by Dave Rawlings

Dakar could move to Chile

After 30 yerars in Africa the Dakar may be moved to South America from next year. The Chilean government has backed a proposal to host the Dakar after the cancellation of this year’s event due to...

World Superbike entry list confirmed

18 January 2008 by Michael Guy

World Superbike entry list confirmed

The 2008 WSB entry list has been announced with 28 permant riders confirmed in this years 15 round championship. WSB regulars will be joined by MotoGP men Carlos Checa and Makoto Tamada with BSB...

Casey Stoner expects Marco Melandri to star in 2008

16 January 2008 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner expects Marco Melandri to star in 2008

Reigning MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner has backed new Ducati recruit Marco Melandri to make the Bologna factory an even bigger threat in 2008. Aussie Stoner was the outstanding Ducati rider last...

Marco Melandri looking to tame Ducati

16 January 2008 by Matthew Birt

Marco Melandri looking to tame Ducati

Marco Melandri is hoping engine modifications he will try for the first time in Malaysia next week will help him improve his confidence and speed on Ducati’s new 2008 MotoGP contender. The former...

Max Biaggi sets the pace in Australian World Superbike test

16 January 2008 by Michael Guy

Max Biaggi sets the pace in Australian World Superbike test

Max Biaggi continued his impressive transition to his Sterilgarda Ducati 1098 F08 in the second three day Phillip Island test that ended today (January 16). Biaggi completed three days on the bike...

Video: Jonathan Rea lighting up his 600

15 January 2008 by Michael Guy, Gary Price (Video)

Jonathan Rea may be a World Supersport rider now, but nobody told him that he shouldn’t be lighting up his Hannspree Ten Kate Honda at Phillip Island. With the current crop of World Supersport bikes behaving like mini Superbikes Rea has been able to bring his committed all action riding style from BSB to the World Championship with spectacular results. At the awesome turn one in Australia Rea...