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WSBK

WSBK Homologation Requirement Numbers Halved

By 11 COMMENTS

The continuing worldwide decline in sports bike sales has forced the Superbike Commission to reduce the minimum number of motorcycles to be produced for homologation, to be allowed to take part in the World Superbike series.

As of now, manufacturers wishing to race a particular motorcycle must have sold 250 bikes by the end of their first year of racing in WSBK, and 1,000 bikes by the end of the second year, half the requirements previously on the books. But manufacturers will still have to have produced 125 bikes before they can even embark on the homologation procedure.

The sales numbers have been reduced in response to the continuing decline in sales of large and middleweight sports bikes around the world, under pressure from increasing speed restrictions and monitoring on public roads. Even Honda is reportedly having problems selling the required numbers of the CBR1000RR SP, despite the popularity of the bike.

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WSBK

World Superbike Online Video Pass – $95 for a Full Season

By 25 COMMENTS

Dorna has revealed the pricing for its online video pass for the World Superbike Championship. The price for a full season of coverage via the WorldSBK.com website is to cost €69.90, or around US $95. Included in the price is live access to all World Superbike races, as well as the ability to play them on demand after the race is over. There will also be access to a highlights package of each race, and rider interviews, and exclusive features. There is also an archive of race and season reviews going back to 1993. The online package is very similar to the one offered by Dorna for the MotoGP.com website, with suitably revised pricing.

WSBK

FIM Confirms Erik Buell Racing Meets First Homologation Volume Requirement for WSBK – Denies Bimota

By 35 COMMENTS

The World Superbike racing season is rapidly approaching with its season-opener at Phillip Island on February 23rd, and with a bevy of OEMs set to enter World Superbike, the FIM has made house calls to make sure that the OEMs have met their first production volume requirements for homologation. Confirming that Erik Buell Racing has met its 125 unit obligation, before the first WSBK race, the FIM however could not say the same about Bimota. Bimota’s inability to produce the requisite 125 units of the Bimota BB3 is perhaps unsurprising, as the boutique Italian brand has only recently been acquired, and the new superbike model was just unveiled at the 2013 EICMA show.

WSBK

World Superbike Finally Gets Online Video Streaming

By 19 COMMENTS

I know that I have seen more than a few loyal Asphalt & Rubber readers lament the lack of an online video feed for World Superbike races, and that they hoped that the takeover of the premier production motorcycle racing class by Dorna would add this feature, which is already available with the MotoGP Championship. Well today, my good friends, that day has come. Dorna has revamped WorldSBK.com, and with those changes comes the WSBK VideoPass feature. From the limited description given by World Superbike, the WSBK VideoPass sounds pretty much exactly like its MotoGP counterpart, with video streams from the practice, qualifying, and race sessions being made available, along with exclusive behind the scenes footage and interviews.

MotoGP

Bimota Taps Alstare for Race Development and Support – Badovini & Iddon Will Ride World Superbike EVO Entries

By 6 COMMENTS

When Alstare split from Ducati Corse in World Superbike, there was some speculation as to where the Belgian-based racing team would land, and it would seem the trip hasn’t been a far one. Linking up with the recently acquired Bimota brand, Alstare has signed a five-year agreement to collaborate with the Italian brand, and will serve as the worldwide racing department for Bimota — with a key focus on developing Bimota’s Moto2 and WSBK racing platforms, the latter centering around the recently launched Bimota BB3.