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Nicky Hayden Promotes Safe Riding for the Armed Forces

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Back in October,  about how motorcycle related deaths have killed more Marines in the past 12 months than enemy fire in Iraq. Similarly, the US Navy is finding a similar rise in motorcycle accidents by military personnel. Taking this cause to heart, Nicky Hayden has decided to help the American Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) promote safe riding to U.S. armed forces personnel.

The 2006 MotoGP title winner participated in a photo shoot to promote the safety campaign at the Los Alamitos air base in Southern California. The pictures and video from the photo shoot will be used in all U.S. armed forces bases here in the States, and in military installations across the globe.

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Source: Two Wheels Blog

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Bikes

Pictures & Details Underneath the Hood of the Aprilia RSV4 WSBK

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Ever wonder what a World Superbike contender looks like with its clothes off? Well here you go: Max Biaggi’s Aprilia RSV4 a la mode. In the details we can see the amazing number of data acquisition points that Aprilia, and likely other manufacturers, are using. Other points of interest are the CNC markings on the casings, and the styling to the carbon fiber tail.

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News

Chinese Motorcycle Manufacturer Qianjiang Invests $26 Million into Benelli

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Chinese motorcycle manufacturer Qianjiang Motor, which in 2005 acquired the Pesaro Benelli, is now investing an additional $26 million into Benelli to help revitalize the Italian brand.  Talking at a press conference two days ago, Qianjang General Manager Haimei Yan stated that “[although] we have not yet turned a profit in the budget, we are here to stay, and believe in the company.”

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Racing

Kawasaki to Drop Support for Hayate After Jerez Test

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When Marco Melandri signed with Hayate, he knew that Kawasaki would only be doing limited development on the ZX-RR in 2009. According to MCN that limited development will be quite limited after all, with Kawasaki ceasing to update the ZX-RR at the end of March, shortly after the Jerez tests. From then on, the factory will provide a maintenance service only, with no more upgrades, leaving Hayate to update the bike if they wish.

 

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News

BeOn Makes Bolt-On Dirt Bike to 450GP Race Bike Kit

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Spain’s BeOn Automotive has developed a kit capable of converting popular 450cc motocross bikes into single-cylinder road racers for little effort and cost. The concept isn’t new, Roland Sands Designs has been making single-cylinder racers for some time now, and the racing class is alive and well in Southern California, but having a bolt-on kit like this is much needed first. Like the RSD SuperSingles, the Project 450GP kit utilizes the stock frame frame and engine, and only swaps components like the suspension, bodywork and wheels.

 

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News

Roehr Open Sales Office in Santa Monica, California

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It looks like manufacturer, Roehr Motorcycles, has recently announced the opening of their new Santa Monica, California sales office. The new office is located on the beach in Santa Monica, CA in the heart of the Southern California motorcycle scene, making this the first business decision Roehr has gotten right since borrowing heavily from Italian motorcycle designs and a GM/Ford business model. Well done boys.

The Roehr 1250sc will be available in Santa Monica for private demo’s beginning in April.

Source: Roehr Motocycles via 2 Wheel Tuesday

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Racing

Ben Spies Wins Second Superpole in Qatar

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Our very own Ben Spies has done it again and won the Superpole for the second time this year at the second round of World Superbike in Qatar, braking the lap record at the Losail circuit. Spies took his Yamaha YZF-R1 to a best time of 1.57.280 ahead of Guandalini Ducati rider Jakub Smrz,the Czech earning his first front-row start of the season. Aprilia’s Max Biaggi also put the RSV4 on the front row for a second successive race.

 

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News

Husqvarna to Move to New Manufacturing/R&D Facility in Italy

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Husqvarna (which BMW bought in 2007) will be moving to its new headquarters in Italy by the end of May this year. The move is part of BMW’s plan to have all the Husqvarna business units in one facility. This means that all the engine, testing, development, styling, and racing divisions of Husqvarna will exist under one roof at the Cassinetta di Biandronno facility, in the Varese district of Italy.

Part of BMW’s motivation behind the move is to reduce costs and to sort out Husqvarna’s problems with quality control and supplies of spare parts. While Husqvarna only sold 12,000 bikes in 2007, BMW hopes to increase sales by over three times the current levels over the next 2 to 3 years. In fact, the new manufacturing facility will have the capacity to produce up to 40,000 Husqvarna motorcycles every year.

BMW intends to keep Husqvarna as an off-road specialist brand and use R&D inputs from the company to improve/develop its own dual-purpose and off-road machines.

Source:

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