26667 Used 1978 Honda Cb on 2040-motos

Moto blog

Official 2014 MotoGP Entry List Released

The International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) released the official entry list for the 2014 MotoGP Championship including 23 riders representing 13 teams. The final entry list also lists each rider’s status as either a Open or Factory class rider. The eight Factory riders are allowed to use their teams’ own proprietary ECU software but are otherwise limited by a freeze on engine development, a limit of five engines for the whole season and just 5.3 gallons of fuel per race.

R&G announce cheaper engine case cover kits

R&G Racing has reacted to the rising cost of official motorcycle parts from manufacturers by creating money saving packages on its Engine Case Covers.As a reaction to the parts price rise, the crash protection leader has created a kit package on its Engine Case Covers (ECC) – offering an overall saving of more than 10% when compared to buying the items individually. The ECCs are designed to protect the engine cases and the inner workings of the motor in the event of a drop by acting as a sturdy ‘second skin’.By simply bolting over the original items, fitting the durable Engine Case Covers doesn’t require draining any engine fluids or replacing gaskets. Extensively developed in the ACU R&G Racing Suzuki GSX-R600 Trophy, as well as being tested and approved by the California Superbike School in the UK and USA, the covers can allow a bike to be ridden after a crash or prevent terminal engine damage from oil leaks or casing punctures.Protection benefits aside, financial savings for riders are evident by looking at official parts prices; to replace only the clutch cover on a Suzuki GSX-R1000K7 would cost £206 including a new gasket, but all three R&G Engine Case Covers for this bike cost only £143.

Schwantz and Mackenzie on the Nurburgring box

A 500GP bike never fails to stop me in my tracks and that’s exactly what happened when I spotted this Schwantz example from the early nineties, proudly displayed on the Arai stand at the recent Motorcyclelive show.  On loan from Crescent Suzuki and accompanied by a rostrum publicity shot from the 1990 German GP at the Nurburgring, I felt the urge to write a few words on that special weekend. I started the year running my own 250 GP team with fairly standard TZ Yamahas but was drafted in as Kevin Schwantz’s team mate after Kevin Magee suffered a serious head injury at the second Grand Prix in Laguna Seca.  With no testing and some major Spanish food poisoning I finished 8th at the next round in Jerez then followed that up with a 5th place in Misano. Next up was the Nurburgring and after qualifying on the second row of the grid, my crew chief Geoff Crust informed me he had a premonition of a race day rostrum finish. He also told me I better make it come true as he was already looking forward to a few post race celebratory refreshments. While I hoped Crusty was the new mystic meg, the truth was I would have been more than happy to buy the beers if I made it to the flag inside the top five. I had an outside chance of catching one major scalp as Wayne Rainey was riding with a nasty hand injury but I suspected adrenalin would see him through the day. I also followed Mick Doohan a fair bit in practice but he was beginning to find his feet on the Rothmans Honda so was going to be another problem.  When the lights went out Schwantz and Rainey went straight to the front I while I hung in behind Doohan and Pier Francesco Chilli, and then it happened. Coming out of the bottom right hand hairpin, Doohan and Chilli simultaneously high sided in one of the most spectacular crashes of the season. I never liked seeing any fellow riders crash but I made the most of this early race gift and rode my 160bhp/115kg RGV hard to the flag, claiming my first podium of the season.  We partied hard (win or lose we always did) that night and I went on to have my best ever season finishing fourth overall in the championship. After the last round in Australia, I finished second to Kevin at Sugo in Japan then won in Malaysia at another international race that KS didn’t attend. I also tested at Eastern Creek for the following season but then was flicked from the team for reasons that still remain a mystery. Hey Ho!