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Metzeler Debuts Track Day Focused Racetec TD Slicks

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Today we have some interesting news regarding tires, as Metzeler has released a unique track slick into the market.

Called the Metzeler Racetec TD, the German brand says this slick has been made with the track day enthusiast specifically in mind, and one of its many features is that it doesn’t require a set of tire warmers to be used properly.

The Metzeler Racetec TD is sort of a sister tire to the Pirelli Supercorsa TD, which is a DOT-legal street tire that has been optimized for track use – and also without the use of warmers.

As you can imagine, the Metzeler Racetec TD is a track only slick, but it follows the same line of logic as the Pirelli Supercosa TD.

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MotoGP

Pol Espargaro to Repsol Honda; Alex Marquez Moves to LCR Honda; And Crutchlow to…Aprilia?

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As the MotoGP Championship gears up for its first race of the 2020 season this coming weekend, we get a bevy of announcements from Jerez, Spain.

The first item is that Franco Morbidelli will be continuing with the Petronas Yamaha squad, signing a two-year contract with the satellite Yamaha team. This surprised no one.

More surprising was the silence about the future of Valentino Rossi, as the Italian is expected to announce his move to the Petronas Yamaha garage this week. However, The Doctor may have held his tongue because of the news that was coming from the Honda contingency.

Confirming the paddock rumors, HRC announced that it had signed Pol Espargaro to the Repsol Honda squad on a two-year deal, thus displacing Alex Marquez from the factory-backed team before the Spaniard had turned a single racing wheel with the Japanese manufacturer.

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Bikes

Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R Debuts, 50hp & Cheaper Than We Thought

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After much teasing, and much waiting, the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R has finally debuted in Indonesia, which means we can finally answer some of our most pressing questions about this rad little machine.

First off, the Ninja ZX-25R makes 50hp (37.5 kW) with Kawasaki’s dubious “RAM Air” power rating, which in normal numbers should mean a 49hp machine (though it seems to make 41hp on Akrapovic’s dyno).

The second big piece of information is pricing on the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R, which Team Green has set at 96 million IDR (roughly $6,700). Now, there is an up-spec version, called the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R ABS SE, which include ABS and a KRT Livery option, and it pops for 112.9 million IDR (roughly $7,800).

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News

Harley-Davidson Letting Go of 700 Jobs Worldwide, CFO Steps Down

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Harley-Davidson has taken another step forward with its “Rewire” plan, as CEO Jochen Zeitz is set to cut 700 jobs from the company worldwide, with 500 employees expected to be cut by the end of the year.

As a result of this news, the company’s current CFO, John Olin, is stepping down from his role effective immediately, thus ending his 17-year tenure at the Bar & Shield brand.

Replacing Olin as the interim-CFO at Harley-Davidson is Treasurer Darrell Thomas, who will hold the spot while the motorcycle manufacturer looks for a more permanent replacement.

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Bikes

So Many Photos of the MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RR

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I am not sure why all the motorcycle publications are covering the MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RR this week, as if 1000cc streetfighter was just unveiled as a new model. Well actually, I do know why – it is because MV Agusta held a media presentation for the bike, in lieu of a on-road press test.

You can’t fault MV Agusta for trying to salvage a press launch during a global pandemic, though it is curious why my colleagues are reporting this bike as if they have never seen it before. Maybe they were asleep during EICMA?

For those who feel that they need their memories refreshed, the “RR” model isn’t that different from the “Serie Oro” model we saw in 2018, though it has some key high-end pieces missing.

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MotoGP

Paddock Pass Podcast #152 – The Calm Before the Storm

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Episode 152 of the Paddock Pass Podcast is out, and this one sees Neil Morrison and Steve English catching us up once again on the rider market movements in the MotoGP paddock, as well as some news from the WorldSBK Championship.

As such, the show looks at some turns in the grand prix silly season, starting with the possibility that Andrea Dovizioso might sit out the 2021 season.

There is also talk that Cal Crutchlow could end up in the Aprilia squad, especially if Andrea Iannone’s doping appeal doesn’t go his way. Lastly, there is the rumor that Jorge Lorenzo could return to racing, with the Ducati Corse team.

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MotoGP

Austin MotoGP Round Has Been Canceled for 2020

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The Grand Prix of the Americas, which had been moved to November 13-15th because of the coronavirus outbreak, has now been canceled.

The news comes from the track’s Instagram account, which states that the Austin round will return in 2021, on April 16-18th.

The cancelation of this year’s American round is of little surprise, as the COVID-19 situation in the United States grows more dire with each passing day, especially in Texas.

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