Jensen Beeler, Author at Asphalt & Rubber

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Dakar Rally Claims the Life of Rider Terry Pascal

By Jensen Beeler 01/07/2009 No Comments

UPDATE: The cause of death was due to pulmonary edema according to the autopsy. The forensic report also said his body showed no signs of injury or dehydration, and he would have died between nightfall on Sunday and dawn on Monday. This is truly sad news.

It is unfortunate news that we report that the 30th running of the Dakar Rally has suffered its first fatality. 49 year old French rider Pascal Terry (Yamaha #192) died sometime between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning from a cause not yet determined.

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KTM Concepts Show Diversity in Future Product Lines

By Jensen Beeler 01/07/2009 No Comments

What is orange, black, white, and has well-defined edges? Just about everything KTM makes, and that would include the concept vehicles made in collaboration with industrial design students at FH Joanneum University. The Austrian company has shown its desire to expand from dirtbikes in streetbikes, and now into Superbikes and track-ready cars. In total, the effort produced 6 concept vehicles with unique purposes. Continue reading to see the pictures and descriptions of the proposed concepts.

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Bikes

MOTOrepublic Beta Electric Bike Concept

By Jensen Beeler 01/07/2009 No Comments

Designers from MOTOrepublic have released a more developed render of their electric bike concept: Beta. While the bike is more an exercise in aesthetics than function, the designers hope to have a fully running prototype built some time soon in the future. The concept bike is reported to include composite bodywork, which will also double as the bike’s frame, lightweight wheels, and of course an electric motor.

There seems to be some fanciful thought in the design, as far as packing batteries and a drive train into the otherwise spartan layout. We’re also a little dubious about the bodywork being stress-bearing, but MOTOrepublic gets points for originality and vision. Someone has to push the envelope, it might as well be them. Good on yah boys, let us know when we can take the prototype out for a spin.

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Bikes

Ducati Enduro Spotted in the Wild

By Jensen Beeler 01/06/2009 No Comments

While not exactly the most revealing photo we’ve seen, the much rumored Ducati R1200GS killer has been spotted in the wild. Rumors have been flying , about Ducati’s lastest creation, which will replace the Multistrada and serve as Ducati’s entrance into the Enduro market.

Sources close to the production of the bike have stated that it will be powered by the liquid-cooled 1098cc superbike motor (and not the 1200cc air-cooled motor rumored before). This will likely mean the same motor as found in the Ducati Streetfighter, which makes around 150hp. It is also reportedly to be very similar in design to the Moto Morini Granpasso, and features a single-sided swingarm, with an upright sitting position. In other news, engineers in Bavaria were put on notice today.

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Racing

The Curious Case of Marco and Hopper

By Jensen Beeler 01/06/2009 No Comments

The dust has settled, and the boys in green are officially out of MotoGP. With Kawasaki withdrawing from MotoGP just a few months after the end of the 2008 season, there are few, if any, opportunities for Marco Melandri and John Hopkins in motorcycle racing. Typically by January all teams are well settled on their plans for the coming season, and the addition/replacement of a new rider is almost entirely out of the question. With MotoGP out of the realm of possibilities, what options are there for these two rider? Continue reading after the jump to find out.

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Racing

Piaggio Group Gets 150 Million Euro Loan for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles.

By Jensen Beeler 12/31/2008 No Comments

The Piaggio Group, which owns Piaggio, Vespa, Gilera, Aprilia, Derbi and Moto Guzzi, has just been given the green light on a seven year, €150 million loan from the European Investment Bank (). The money is ear-marked to be used for R&D, with a focus on hybrid and electric vehicles. Read more about the loan after the jump.

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The Return of Cagiva?

By Jensen Beeler 12/31/2008 1 Comment

Spanish magazine Solo Moto has gotten word that Harley-Davidson has put together a plan to revive the Cagiva brand. Cagiva, like many Italian marks, has struggled the past years because of poor financing and business management. In its deal to acquire MV Agusta, Harley-Davidson also acquired Cagiva with that hopes that the American company could provide a remedy to these problems, and has recently laid out its plan on how it is going to achieve those goals. Read more about their road map for Cagiva after the jump.

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Rumor: Kawasaki Pulls Out of MotoGP

By Jensen Beeler 12/30/2008 No Comments

Rumors are shooting across the web that Kawasaki is retiring from MotoGP for the 2009 season. Allegedly, Kawasaki has notified Dorna Sports that it will be pulling out of the series, with a public announcement to come Monday next week. More on the announcement after the jump.

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Miller Motorsports Park Wins WSBK Organizer of the Year Award

By Jensen Beeler 12/29/2008 No Comments

FGSport, organizer of the World Superbike Series, announced today that the Miller Motorsports Park circuit, located in Salt Lake City, Utah, has been given the “2008 Organizer of the Year Award”.

This commendation is award to the WSBK venue that shows the the highest level of professionalism, and is able to provide the highest level of standards from an organizational, promotional and sporting point of view. This is obviously a prestigous award to win, if you own a WSBK quality track, but it is especially impressive as this is only Miller Motorsports Park first year partnering with FGSport.

Paolo Flammini, FGSport CEO, declared: “I express my warmest and most sincere congratulations to the circuit management and all its staff and wish them the very best for the season ahead.”

The 2009 round of the Superbike World Championship at the Miller Motorsports Park circuit will take place on May 31st.

Source:

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Bikes

French Voxan’s New 2009 Roadster

By Jensen Beeler 12/29/2008 No Comments

10 years ago French builder Voxan added the Roadster to their growing line-up. After positive traction in France, and slippery black ice traction just about everywhere else, a new Roadster is joining the line-up.

Voxan is hoping to level out their rocky past with this brand new take on their popular Roadster model. Slotted to be released in the 1st quarter of 2009, the Roadster will continue to make use of Voxan’s unique 72°, 996cc, 100hp, v-twin motor. The Roadster features 4 valves per cylinder head, and the model shown above is rumored to be close to what the final project will look like, meaning a new more aggressive look for Voxan.

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