Motorcycle Sport & Bike Racing News | MotoGP, World Superbikes & More

Mackenzie and Whitham race Harley-Davidsons

29 December 2008 by Gary Pinchin

Niall Mackenzie and James Whitham will take guest rides in the all new Harley-Davidson XR1200 Trophy series at BSB rounds next year. Harley UK’s Greg Willis said: “Niall and James are confirmed as...

Steve Plater third in Scunthorpe shorttrack

28 December 2008 by Gary Pinchin

HM Plant Honda’s Steve Plater finished third in Saturday’s Shorttrack UK Christmas Cracker meeting, his best finish yet in the annual meeting on the Scunthorpe speedway oval. Plater borrowed a Honda...

Pete Boast wins Christmas Shorttrack

28 December 2008 by Gary Pinchin

Peter Boast won the Silkolene Shorttrack UK Christmas Cracker meeting at Scunthorpe Speedway on Saturday afternoon. The event promoter and Shorttrack UK Thunderbike champion made light work of heavy...

BSB Review: Difficult first season for Atsushi Watanabe

28 December 2008 by Rob Hull

Atsushi Watanabe may have arrived in Britain with a glowing reference and a CV good enough to make any Superbike team salivate, but the two-time Japanese Superbike champion had a difficult opening...

BSB Review: Why Tom Sykes is the most promising

27 December 2008 by Rob Hull

Tom Sykes might have finished fourth in the championship, but a late performance surge and impressive wildcards made him one of the hottest properties to come out of BSB in 2008. Sykes had a torrid...

Haslam under lap record in Cartagena test

26 December 2008 by Michael Guy

Leon Haslam finished off his 2008 season in the best way possible with a positive two day test at Cartagena last week. The 25 year old Brit got to ride the newly prepared Stiggy Honda CBR1000RR in...

Bayliss and Rossi agree WSB is more fun than MotoGP

25 December 2008 by Michael Guy

Three times WSB champion Troy Bayliss says he agrees with seven times GP Champion Valentino Rossi that WSB is more fun than MotoGP. Rossi made the controversial comments over the closeness of racing...

Racing on Roads 2009

25 December 2008 by MCN News Desk

Racing on public roads isn’t just about the TT or even the amazing Irish scene. There’s a world of traditional racing on public roads still out there. Some of the races are now consigned to classic...

BMW focussed on 2009 World Superbike campaign

24 December 2008 by Michael Guy

Following the first official top teams Pirelli test in South Africa, BMW have revealed their intentions to be fighting for top five finishes by the end of the 2009 season. The German manufacturer will...

Shorttrack racing: The Framers and DTX

24 December 2008 by Gary Pinchin

If you go to the annual Silkolene Shorttrack UK Christmas Cracker meeting at Scunthorpe speedway on Saturday, December 27, not only will you see BSB stars Steve Plater, Guy Martin and Karl Harris...

Alistair Kennedy: Why we didn't go with Ducati

23 December 2008 by Rob Hull

Alistair Kennedy has spoken out about the decision to take North West 200 backing to Rob McElnea’s Yamaha team over forming his own squad and running Ducati machinery. Kennedy was contemplating...

Leon Camier takes on gold medal-winning cyclist

23 December 2008 by Rob Hull

Three-time British Superbike race winner Leon Camier took time out of his training regime to go head-to-head in a cycling contest with Beijing Olympic double gold winning sprinter, Jason Kenny. The...

Bayliss tips Haga for 2009 WSB crown

23 December 2008 by Michael Guy

Troy Bayliss believes that Noriyuki Haga is one of three men capable of fighting for the World Superbike Championship in 2009. Haga has replaced Bayliss in the factory Xerox Ducati squad for 2009 and...

Shorttrack: Busting the jargon

23 December 2008 by Gary Pinchin

Saturday’s annual Silkolene Shorttrack UK Christmas Cracker meeting at Scunthorpe Speedway is unique in bringing together top BSB stars Steve Plater, Guy Martin and Karl Harris against the top men...

Video: GSE Racing workshop tour

22 December 2008 by Rob Hull

As well as changing manufacturer to Yamaha from Ducati for 2009, GSE Racing has also moved into a new headquarters. The 2008 British Superbike Champions have moved into the former HQ of the Petronas...

Kawasaki satisfied after first round of testing

22 December 2008 by Michael Guy

Broc Parkes and Makoto Tamada got their first taste of the 2009 specification Kawasaki ZX-10R’s they will be campaigning in the World Superbike championship in 2009. The factory Kawasaki squad now run...

James Ellison hoping for extended GSE career

22 December 2008 by Rob Hull

James Ellison has told MCN that he’d love to race for GSE Racing for more than just 2009. The 28-year old penned a year-long contract with the 2008 British Superbike Championship winning team. But in...

Pick your fantasy fight

22 December 2008 by Matthew Birt

The bike racing world is currently awash with speculation and rumour about a possible dream World Superbike clash between record-breaking MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi and Aussie Troy...

How the single tyre rule will work in MotoGP

22 December 2008 by Matthew Birt

Details of the single tyre rule that will be introduced in MotoGP for the first time in 2009 have finally been confirmed. The new rule, which was exclusively revealed by MCN back in August, will see...

KTM to debut RC8 R in 2009 German superbike series

19 December 2008 by Matthew Birt

KTM has taken to its first steps towards a World Superbike assault in 2010 with the Austrian factory confirming today it will enter the German Superbike championship next season. German Stefan Nebel...

Video: Biaggi satisfied with new Aprilia RSV4 at Kyalami test

19 December 2008 by Michael Guy

Max Biaggi finished the Kyalami test an encouraging eighth fastest onboard the all new Aprilia RSV4. The Italian remained satisfied with the progress he and the team had made, but sighted corner entry...

Bayliss: ‘I’d need £1million to race Rossi’

19 December 2008 by Michael Guy

Troy Bayliss has revealed he’s tempted by the gauntlet thrown down by MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi for a one off race on Superbikes in 2009, but he’d need a lot of money to do it. Bayliss who...

Valentino Rossi leads prestigious sports poll

19 December 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi is currently leading a poll by the Telegraph newspaper in its search for the most important sports star of 2008. The Fiat Yamaha rider, who won nine races to...

MotoGP stars help Red Cross

18 December 2008 by Matthew Birt

Spanish MotoGP duo Jorge Lorenzo and Sete Gibernau were among a star-studded line-up that took part in a special charity sporting event this week. 250GP rider Alvaro Bautista joined the pair as world...

Cash injection not answer to improving Suzuki GSV-R

18 December 2008 by Matthew Birt

Factory boss Paul Denning doesn’t believe Suzuki has to increase its budget to compete with the likes of Yamaha, Ducati and Honda in the 2009 MotoGP world championship. Chris Vermeulen and Loris...

Sofuoglu talks about his blistering pace at Kyalami test

18 December 2008 by Michael Guy

Kenan Sofuoglu was in stunning form at last weeks Pirelli tyres test in Kyalami. The 2007 World Supersport champion has been reunited with the Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR after a tough season in World Superbike with the one goal of retaining the title. During the three day test, Sofuoglu was significantly quicker than his team mate and 2008 World Supersport Champion, Andrew Pitt, but the humble Turk...

Yamaha hoping to remain dominant in 2009

18 December 2008 by Matthew Birt

Top Yamaha boss Lin Jarvis is confident the 2009 YZR-M1 will remain the dominant brand in MotoGP next season. The Japanese factory had a phenomenal return to form last season by collecting a clean...

Shane Byrne: “No Ducati is sad for the fans”

18 December 2008 by Rob Hull

Reigning British Superbike Champion Shane Byrne says the championship will be missing an important element without the presence of Ducati in 2009. Byrne took his second BSB title this season and his...

Dougie Lampkin to make last appearance at Sheffield Indoor Trials

17 December 2008 by Sarah Carnell

Twelve times World Trials champion Dougie Lampkin will make his final appearance at the Sheffield Indoor Motorcycle Trials in the new year. Lampkin will take on the current world indoor and outdoor...

Yamaha play down Valentino Rossi/Troy Bayliss WSB scrap

17 December 2008 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha has again played down persistent reports linking star rider Valentino Rossi with a sensational one-off World Superbike clash against Troy Bayliss. Ever since Rossi claimed that World...

Maxtra 125GP boss happy with progress

17 December 2008 by Matthew Birt

Maxtra 125GP team boss Garry Taylor has declared himself satisfied with progress so far on the Chinese-backed world championship venture. The former factory Suzuki MotoGP team chief though admits...

BSB title winning bikes for sale

17 December 2008 by Rob Hull

How does a British Superbike championship winning Ducati 1098 sound to you? Well owning one could well become a reality because GSE Racing has all four of their ’08 British Superbike machines up for...

James Toseland eager to test 2009 Yamaha

17 December 2008 by Matthew Birt

British rider James Toseland is confident that reigning world champion Valentino Rossi will make Yamaha’s factory YZR-M1 an even more formidable package in 2009. Rossi has been conducting in-depth...

Video: Rea on the pace in World Superbike Kyalami testing

17 December 2008 by Michael Guy

Jonathan Rea made his mark on the World Superbike paddock by finishing his first official test onboard the Ten Kate Honda fourth fastest. The 22 year old Brit lapped faster than his experienced team-mates Carlos Checa and Ryuichi Kiyonari on the final day having spent the opening two days establishing a base setting for the Superbike. MCN spoke with the 2008 World Supersport runner-up for his...

Ducati UK confirm BSB split

17 December 2008 by Rob Hull

It’s official: there will be no top Ducati team in British Superbikes in 2009. A statement has been released by Ducati to confirm they will not have any representation in the championship next...

Rob Mac confirms 2009 team

17 December 2008 by Rob Hull

Rob McElnea will have a busy 2009 after confirming his full line-up for next season. A new Superbike, new sponsors and four new riders have come on board with McElnea as he goes in search of his...

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