World Superbikes

Video: Biaggi satisfied with new Aprilia RSV4 at Kyalami test

Video: Biaggi satisfied with new Aprilia RSV4 at Kyalami test

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’

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

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...

Sofuoglu talks about his blistering pace at Kyalami test

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...

Video: Rea on the pace in World Superbike Kyalami testing

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...

Video: World Superbike Kyalami video blog

MCN’s World Superbike reporter, Michael Guy spent three days at the first official top team Pirelli test in South Africa last week. With Noriyuki Haga riding the Xerox Ducati for the first time, Brits Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes on track, plus the first public appearance of the BMW Superbike there was a lot going on at the Kyalami track.  Watch the video below to hear Guy’s thoughts on the test...

Video: First look at Haga on 2009 Xerox Ducati

Noriyuki Haga completed a successful debut onboard the 2009 specification Xerox Ducati at Kyalami. The Japanese rider overcame three crashes on the first day to end the test third fastest and finally feel comfortable on the 1200cc v-twin Ducati. Although the 2009 bike doesn’t look any different to Troy Bayliss’ title winning machine it has a number of changes including new fly by wire throttle,...

Tom Sykes suffers broken foot on final day of Kyalami test

Tom Sykes suffers broken foot on final day of Kyalami test

Tom Sykes has broken his right foot and sustained tissue damage in his right shoulder after crashing at the end of the final day of testing in Kyalami on Friday. The Yamaha Italia rider who had been...

Kyalami Test: Michel Fabrizio finishes on top

Kyalami Test: Michel Fabrizio finishes on top

Xerox Ducati man Michel Fabrizio maintained his dominance of the three day Kyalami test by topping the time sheets for the third consecutive day. The young Italian has been in sublime form throughout...

Rea holds second with less than two hours of test remaining

Rea holds second with less than two hours of test remaining

Jonathan Rea made the most of his qualifying tyre to jump up the leader board with a blistering lap first thing this morning, good enough for the second fastest time of the test in Kyalami. Rea has so...

Kyalami latest: Troy Corser becomes latest crash victim

Kyalami latest: Troy Corser becomes latest crash victim

Troy Corser became the latest crash victim of the three day WSB test at Kyalami. The Australian BMW rider lost the front at turn eight in what was his first ever crash on the BMW S1000R. Fortunately...

Kyalami latest: Fabrizio sets the pace, Rea goes second

Kyalami latest: Fabrizio sets the pace, Rea goes second

Michel Fabrizio became the first man to break the 1m40s bracket with a blistering 1m 39.714s on the final day of the three day test at Kyalami. The young Italian made the most of the cooler...

Michel Fabrizio keeps top spot at Kyalami WSB test

Michel Fabrizio keeps top spot at Kyalami WSB test

Michel Fabrizio held on to his advantage to end the second day of testing at the top of the table in Kyalami today. The 24 year old Italian set a benchmark 1m 40.7s lap at the beginning of the day...

Michel Fabrizio still on top in Kyalami

Michel Fabrizio still on top in Kyalami

Italian Michel Fabrizio became the first man to dip into to the 1m 40s bracket at Kyalami this morning. The Xerox Ducati rider topped the timesheets at the end of day one and took less than ten laps...

Fabrizio tops timesheets, whilst Haga suffers third crash of the day in Kyalami

Fabrizio tops timesheets, whilst Haga suffers third crash of the day in Kyalami

The new look Xerox Ducati team suffered mixed fortunes at the first day of the three day test in Kyalami. Italian Michel Fabrizio ran consistently at the front throughout the day before putting his...

Latest lap times from Kyalami WSB test

Latest lap times from Kyalami WSB test

Despite two crashes this morning Xerox Ducati rider Noriyuki Haga is at the top of the time sheets mid way through the afternoon session of the opening day. Yamaha Italia rider Tom Sykes sits at the...

Second crash for Noriyuki Haga at Kyalami

Second crash for Noriyuki Haga at Kyalami

Noriyuki Haga has crashed his Xerox Ducati for the second time during testing at the Kyalami circuit this morning. In his first crash the former Yamaha man collided with Briton Jonathan Rea in only...

Haga crashes out two laps into Ducati WSB debut

Haga crashes out two laps into Ducati WSB debut

Noriyuki Haga crashed his new Xerox Ducati 1098 F09 on only his second flying lap after a collision with Ten Kate Honda rider Jonathan Rea. Riding the Ducati for the first time, Haga was cruising and...

Top WSB teams ready for South Africa test

Top WSB teams ready for South Africa test

WSB’s top teams will kick off testing for the 2009 season at Kyalami on Wednesday for what promises to be the most competitive season of racing in recent years. Xerox Ducati, Ten Kate Honda, Alstare...

Shane Byrne targets strong start to next years WSB campaign

Shane Byrne targets strong start to next years WSB campaign

Shane Byrne believes that a strong start to next years World Superbike championship will be the key if he wants to fight for podiums and race wins in 2009. The reigning British Superbike Champion has...

Tommy Hill on the pace in first test back

Tommy Hill on the pace in first test back

Tommy Hill finished the final day of the two day test in Cartagena in Spain delighted with his pace after dropping nearly a second off his day one lap time with a string of consistent 1m 35.4s...

Tommy Hill satisfied after first day of Superbike test

Tommy Hill satisfied after first day of Superbike test

Tommy Hill got his first taste of the Hannspree Altea Honda CBR1000RR Superbike he’ll be racing in WSB next season in a test at Cartagena in Spain on Wednesday. The 23 year old Brit was forced to sit...

World Superbike 2009 dates confirmed

World Superbike 2009 dates confirmed

The FIM has released the final calendar for the World Superbike Championship for 2009. WSB will be a big focal point for British motorcycle racing fans with an influx of home-grown talent wading into...

Ducati ready for life without Troy Bayliss

Ducati ready for life without Troy Bayliss

The Xerox Ducati squad have spent the last four weeks since the season finale in Portugal preparing for life without Troy Bayliss and are about to begin a new chapter with Japanese start Noriyuki Haga...

Video: Leon Haslam on new teams bike development and testing

Leon Haslam believes that his new Stigy Honda Motorsports squad have the potential to be front runners in next years World Superbike championship. Speaking to MCN, Haslam revealed the progress the team are making and the squads winter testing plans.

Video: Ruben Xaus on new BMW WSB project

MCN caught up with World Superbike start Ruben Xaus on the BMW stand at the NEC Motorcycle Show. The Spaniard flew in to unveil the all new S1000R he’ll be campaigning in next years World Superbike Championship. Xaus has so far completed a two day test at Valencia alongside new team-mate Troy Corser and will get three more days in South Africa from 8th December to further develop the new bike.

Video: Jonathan Rea talks testing

Jonathan Rea has revealed his intentions for the forthcoming top teams World Superbikes test at Kyalami South Africa. MCN caught up with the World Supersport series runner up at the NEC Motorcycle show this week where he spoke about being back on the Superbike and the competition he faces in 2009.

Video: Cal Crutchlow talks World Supersport future

Cal Crutchlow made a seamless transition to the factory Yamaha World Supersport bike after a year on the HM Plant Honda Superbike in recent testing. The 22 year old showed blistering pace first time out on the bike and revealed to MCN how much he is enjoying riding the new bike.

Exclusive pictures of 2009 Alstare Suzuki

Exclusive pictures of 2009 Alstare Suzuki

The factory Alstare Suzuki squad completed their first shakedown test of the all-new GSX-R1000 in Phillip Island Australia last week and MCN have exclusive pictures of the new bike. Riding unbranded...

Shinya Nakano impressed with Aprilia potential

Shinya Nakano impressed with Aprilia potential

Shinya Nakano is confident that Aprilia’s new RSV4 World Superbike contender has the potential to become a race winner in its debut season. The Japanese rider made his debut on the new bike in...

Have your say: Is MotoGP doomed?

Have your say: Is MotoGP doomed?

With companies like Aprilia and BMW using the production-based WSB series to develop new motorcycles and technologies, you have to ask why we need such an expensive racing series like MotoGP? BMW...

Shinya Nakano concludes two day Aprilia test on the pace

Shinya Nakano concludes two day Aprilia test on the pace

WSB rookie Shinya Nakano ended his two day test at Valencia satisfied after setting an impressive 1m 35.3 best at the Valencia race track in Spain. Riding the Aprilia RSV4 for the first time, the...

Shinya Nakano gets first ride of WSB Aprilia RSV4

Shinya Nakano gets first ride of WSB Aprilia RSV4

Shinya Nakano got his first taste of the Aprilia RSV4 he will campaign in next years World Superbike Championship at Valencia today. The Japanese rider has spent his career racing in 250, 500 and...

Aprilia wheel out liveried-up RSV4 WSB racer

Aprilia wheel out liveried-up RSV4 WSB racer

MCN has exclusively witnessed the next step in the story of Aprilia’s awesome new RSV4 superbike. The full race version, which is due to be campaigned by Max Biaggi in World Superbikes next year, was...

Colin Wright: “It’s all going to come down to time”

Colin Wright: “It’s all going to come down to time”

GSE Racing Team Manager Colin Wright told MCN it’s going to be a battle against the clock to get ready for the 2009 season following the team’s recent visit to the Factory Yamaha World Superbike...

Honda offer Michael Schumacher WSB ride

Honda offer Michael Schumacher WSB ride

Reports have emerged that Honda Racing would allow former F1 multiple world champion Michael Schumacher a ride in World Superbikes in 2009. Honda Racing’s Carlo Fiorani told Italy’s Gazzetto dello...

Watching WSB with dad

Watching WSB with dad

This is a photo of my 5 week old baby watching the last round of WSB with his dad.