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MotoGP Qatar Test Results: Stoner on Top as Spies Finishes Qatar 4th Fastest Overall

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MotoGP testing has concluded at the Losail International Circuit just outside of Doha, Qatar, and sees Casey Stoner making a late push to take the top spot at what has become one of his top tracks in the past years. There was some doubt with Stoner though, as Rossi lead almost all of Thursday’s sessions, and was biting on Stoner’s heels today. Surprise appearances from the test come in the form of Ben Spies, Andrea Dovizioso, and Randy de Puniet. Spies finished Thursday third quickest, and was the fourth quickest rider overall. Dovi took the honors as the fastest Honda, but was challenged by de Puniet on Thursday for that spot. Thursday the French rider was 5th quickest, and managed to keep his shirt on despite the hot weather in Doha.

Friday saw Nicky Hayden make progress with the Ducati Desmosedici, while Colin Edwards slipped down the overall grid Friday, despite his strong numbers Thursday and consistent runs during both test days. Lorenzo and Pedrosa were both present for the track test, but not in spirit. Both riders were suffering from injuries, and it showed in their performance under the hot desert lights. Check past the jump for a full timing sheet.

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News

Ducati Applies for Frameless Motorcycle Patent

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Modular motorcycle design is the wave of the future, and it would seem Ducati agrees with this same sentiment that we’ve been harping on for the past 9 months or so. Perusing through the USPTO’s records for patent applications, we found this interesting nugget submitted by Ducati Motor Holdings S.p.A. Known better as Patent Application #US 2009/0308677 A1, or “Simplified Motorcycle”, Ducati’s patent application outlines a motorcycle that is devoid of a frame, and instead has all the components of the motorcycle bolt on directly onto the motor.

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Bikes

Fischer MRX 650 L: Shorty’s American Sportbike

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Fischer has just released a shorter version of its MRX sportbike, designated the Fischer MRX 650 L. The “L” in the name represents the lower seat height the 650 L comes with in order to accommodate shorter riders, while otherwise the “L” is visually identical to its taller sibling the MRX 650. The Fischer MRX 650 has an adjustable seat height of 29.5in-31.5in, which makes the 650 L about 2 to 3 inches shorter in comparison. The lower seat height is possible be a new suspension design, photos and more after the jump.

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Bikes

More Photos of the Erik Buell Racing 1190RR

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Erik Buell Racing has posted some more photos of the EBR 1190RR to its Facebook page. With the 1190RR’s black paint, and fairly “buellesque” lines, there isn’t too much here that will surprise people. However, we did find the head-on view interesting as it shows the 1190RR’s almost tear drop profile. The curve of the fairings going from top to bottom almost look like an airplane foil, which should make for good ground clearance during full lean. Check the photos out after the jump.

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Racing

Dorna Slaps FB Corse on the Wrist for Overstatement

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It’s refreshing to see that the Dorna is about as amused as we are here at Asphalt & Rubber over FB Corse’s “extremely positive” press release after the Italian MotoGP-hopeful team was denied entry into the premiere motorcycle prototype racing class. At the request of Dorna delegates, FB Corse has issued a second press release that rescinds their previous statement of being admitted into MotoGP, and now clarifies the situation with some prose that’s a little bit closer to the reality and truth of the matter.

The big takeaway from the situation is that FB Corse must now prove the FB01 in a race simulation test, which would have the race bike complete a race distance at race pace to show not only the bike’s competitiveness, but also its reliability. FB Corse’s new press release follows after the jump.

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News

Hands on with the MotoCzysz Frame

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Ending our two-part series that looked at the the MotoCzysz E1pc, we ask ourselves: why do motorcycles look the way they do? Probably the best answer to this question is that motorcycles today represent an amalgamation of 100 years of design evolution centered around the internal combustion engine. When we look at motorcycle racing, we see the design in its purest embodiment of function over form. While surely some semblance of aesthetics remains, the ultimate goal is to shave the next tenth of a second off a lap time. Each minor improvement adds up, and these aggregated can translate into substantial improvements when racing the clock and the competition.

So it surprises us when we look at electric motorcycle racing and see so many teams approaching their designs with the same ideas and concepts that were born out of this century of internal combustion engine (ICE) racing. While the two offshoots of the same branch carry over with them many similarities, the fundamentals of attaching wheels, suspension, and seat to a running motor has changed, and with that change surely there would be a large movement to rethink the way we build motorcycle frames. The fact of the matter however is that many electric motorcycle designers choose to pursue cramming an electric motor and batteries into a frame, and ultimately into and architecture, that was refined for a gasoline pumping motor and doesn’t fully integrate the chassis’s from with its function.

In an industry that rethinks motorcycles from the ground up, the biggest paradigm shift has been left out by all but a few teams and manufacturers. Looking for the next generation in motorcycle chassis design, Asphalt & Rubber recently got to sit down with Michael Czysz to get an up-close look at the 2009 MotoCzysz E1pc electric motorcycle, and also got a sneak peak at the 2010 frame and chassis. As one of the few entities to rethink how a motorcycle should be design and produced, Czysz’s insights into his design give a glimpse as to what the next 100 years of motorcycle evolution will look like.

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Products

Ducati: We’ll Put Our Logo on Anything

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Ducati owns probably the most valuable brand name in motorcycling, and like many brands Ducati finds ways to monetize this asset by licensing it out to other companies. One great marriage and example of this is the Ducati branded apparel available from Puma, which sees both brands benefitting from a racing/apparel association. One not so great example of this concept however is the Toshiba Satellite U500 Ducati Edition laptop, which sees the vanilla of portable computers get stamped with the mark of Corse Rosa.

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Racing

Hungarian GP Officially Cancelled – MotoGP Adds 4th Spanish GP to 2010 Schedule

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For those following the construction of the Balatonring in Hungary, the news that the Hungarian GP has been officially cancelled by Dorna and the FIM should be of little surprise. After having a myriad of problems, especially finding funding, the Hungarian track was a dealt a death blow this Monday when the Hungarian Development Bank declined to underwrite a loan for the track. With no money in sight, Dorna and the FIM had no choice but to officially cancel the venue, and implement Plan B, which sees MotoGP stopping at four, yes four tracks in Spain for 2010. Read more after the jump.

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Racing

Vermeulen Hopes for WSBK Return at Portimao

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After a nasty crash during Race 2 of World Superbike’s stop at Phillip Island, Christopher Vermeulen will not have to undergo surgery on his knee, meaning the Australian rider could compete in the upcoming Portimao race that is on March 28th. Vermeulen reportedly doesn’t have full movement of his leg, but the he still hopes to be on his PBM Kawasaki at the Portugese track, gobbling up points in what he hopes could be a run for the WSBK Championship. See Chris talk about his condition after the jump.

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Racing

FB Corse Spins MotoGP Rejection, Will Enter at Jerez

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Literally no sooner did we finish our piece on FB Corse missing the boat to start MotoGP at Qatar, than the want-to-be race team released its own press statement, putting some spin on the situation. In what seems to defy logic, FB Corse claims that they have been admitted into MotoGP, and will start at Jerez round of the series, which seems to “enhance” the statement by Dorna that the team may be able “to join the grid once the MotoGP paddock returns for the European stage of the championship.”

This is of course not the first time the team has put a positively rose-colored perspective on a situation, one example of which being their adamant statements that John Hopkins was confirmed to ride for the team (this would latter prove to be a false statement). Continue reading for the rest of this racing melodrama.

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Racing

FB Corse Denied Entry into MotoGP

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Hopes were dashed in Valencia today as FB Corse was denied the opportunity to enter the 2010 MotoGP series with the rest of the field at Qatar on April 11th. The FB Corse team was at the Spanish track the past few days testing their FB01 race bike with Garry McCoy at the helm. Today being the final day of testing, representatives from Dorna and the IRTA were on hand to assess the condition of the FB Corse team and bike, and to make a determination as to whether they would be included in the 2010 series. Despite all of the media hype, Dorna’s Franco Uncini’s determined the team was not ready for MotoGP, but could maybe enter the series midway through if they where then ready.

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