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Randy Mamola Will Race This IndianxWorkhorse Scout Bobber

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Here is a recipe to make something we will instantly like, and it requires only three ingredients. Take a modern motorcycle, and put a dustbin fairing on it; take that machine out racing; and put grand prix legend Randy Mamola behind the handlebars.

The result is the IndianxWorkhorse Scout Bobber, and as the name implies, it is a collaboration between Indian Motorcycle and Workhorse Speedshop, as they aim to celebrate 100 years of Indian Scout motorcycles.

The bike – named “Appaloosa” – will race at the upcoming Sultans of Sprint Series, and while we don’t need to repeat saying who will be racing the machine, it is just cool to see Randy Mamola involved with this project.

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A&R Pro

Getting the PBM Ducati Panigale V4 R Ready for Road Racing

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The check boxes are getting ticked by the Ducati Panigale V4 R. WorldSBK race winner? Check! British Superbike race winner? Check! Road Racing winner? Not just yet.

The Ducati Panigale V4 R was designed and developed to dominate, and Gigi Dall’igna has said that the goal is to make the bike the most sought after Superbike in every paddock.

Last year the Italian spoke about how important it was to win the North West 200 because this was a race that Ducati had never won. Breaking new ground was important 12 months ago, and it’s even more important now.

The new bike is one that can, in theory, be a contender at the Suzuka 8 Hours, and finally give Ducati a reliable platform to compete at races such as that. The North West 200 is also a potential precursor to once again seeing Ducati on the roads of the Isle of Man.

This bike has the potential to be a real challenger, but it will take success this weekend to really show just how good the Panigale V4 R can become.

To find out what goes into making a bike into a contender on the roads Asphalt & Rubber talked with Paul Bird Motorsport to find out exactly what it takes.

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Event

At the 11th Annual Quail Motorcycle Gathering

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The Quail Motorcycle Gathering always feels special. The amazing selection of bikes, the beautiful setting, and the great food always make this gathering feel different from other motorcycle events. But this year was special for me for a couple of different reasons.

First, this is the start of my fifth year with Asphalt & Rubber. Back in 2015, Jensen and I ran into each other at MotoGP in Austin, and in one of those serendipitous moments, my motorcycle journalism adventure began. The 2015 Quail was the first event I covered for A&R and number five was no less special. Thanks, Jensen!

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Bikes

Aprilia SVX by Simone Conti Motorcycles

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In our mind, the Aprilia SXV 550 (and its smaller sibling, the Aprilia SXV 450) is one of the most impressive motorcycles made in modern time…with one caveat.

The 77° v-twin SXV made headlines with its impressive power figures (70hp for the 550cc version), as well as its tendency to blow itself apart.

A true race bike with lights, the SXV line was a bit of a disaster for Aprilia, in terms of customer reliability, and unfortunately that made the limited number of supermoto and dirt bikes produced by Noale very short-lived with their owners.

So, it warms our heart whenever we see the SXV engine used for other projects, if for no other reason than it makes us wonder what could have been.

Take for example this sport bike custom from Simone Conti Motorcycles, which turns the SXV into something that is quite far from the original design intent.

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Rumors

Suzuki Supermono Schematic Shocks and Surprises

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A patent application by the Suzuki Motor Corporation is causing some waves, and for good reason, as the Japanese manufacturer is teasing an engine that looks very familiar…if you have ever seen the inside of the Ducati Supermono engine.

While Suzuki’s patent centers around the lubricating structure for a motorcycle engine, the diagrams being used for the patent application concern a single-cylinder engine type that includes a dummy cylinder for a balancer.

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Bikes

This Is The Most Powerful Production Triumph Motorcycle Ever

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What you are looking at is the most powerful motorcycle ever created by Triumph. It has 168hp, and makes 163 lbs•ft of peak torque from its three-cylinder engine. A massive 2,458cc of fire and pistons, this rocket ship isn’t a new Daytona or Speed Triple, instead it is the new Triumph Rocket 3 TFC.

There is perhaps a commentary to be made that the most powerful Triumph ever created by Hinckley is in fact a cruiser, or that such a bike is the second machine to get the “Triumph Factory Custom” treatment from the British brand.

Such is the state of affairs from the marque that brought us the original production streetfighter. But nonetheless, the Triumph Rocket 3 TFC offers the cruiser-loving realm a machine that boasts some impressive performance figures.

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Bikes

Check Out This Ducati Panigale V4 Tribute Bike for Nicky Hayden

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The retirement of Nicky Hayden’s racing number at the Grand Prix of the Americas wasn’t the only tribute being done for America’s beloved motorcycle racer. This is because on stage at Ducati Island, a special tribute bike was unveiled  that remembers the Italian brand’s history with the Kentucky Kid,

The special Ducati Panigale V4 is the work of the folks at MotoCorsa, and it imagines what Nicky’s Ducati MotoGP race bike would look like in street bike form.

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WSBK

Too Many Photos of WorldSBK at Assen

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While the MotoGP paddock was busy in Austin, Texas dealing with the rain, the WorldSBK riders were contending with their own weather, as the snow halted racing activities on Saturday.

Thankfully, the Sunday brought better weather, and WorldSBK racing fans were treated to the show that the richly deserved.

Assen is perhaps one of the most revered tracks on the World Superbike Championship schedule, even after changes to the circuit removed some of its best turns.

The Cathedral always provides good racing, and this outing was no different, including a photo-finish with local hero Michael van der Mark.

Helping us relive the magic is photographer Stephen McClements, with this ample gallery of WorldSBK photos from The Netherlands. We hope you enjoy them!

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News

1,800cc BMW Cruiser Confirmed for 2020 Model Year

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One of the highlights at the Handbuilt Show in Austin, Texas was the a custom bike built by hosts Revival Cycles, which is called the Birdcage. You may have seen the Revival Birdcage making the rounds on custom sites. It is quite striking.

The bike features a large air-cooled boxer-twin engine (more on that in minute), with a web of titanium rods welded together to make the frame and basic body outline. It is a very minimalist approach, and it is designed to showcase the giant 1,800cc engine that is at the bike’s core. There is a good reason for that too.

The purpose of the Revival Birdcage is to help tease a new motorcycle model from BMW Motorrad, which will use this giant push-rod powered lump as the basis for a proper cruiser motorcycle, which will debut in 2020.

This little tidbit at the end has seemingly been missed by many, but it is a big, big deal – both literally and figuratively.

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MotoGP

Too Many Photos of MotoGP at the Circuit of the Americas

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For this year’s Americas GP, I made a conscious effort to get out of the confines of the media center, and to watch the on-track sessions for the MotoGP riders.

Part of this was because of all the talk about the track conditions, but the other reason is due to the fact that you can pick up on a great deal from seeing the bikes circulate in person, which is lost from the media feed.

Who is pushing hard every lap? Who is waiting for a tow, and from whom? Who looks comfortable through a particularly difficult section of the track? How do the bikes and riders compare on approach, apex, and exit? And so on.

For bonus points, I brought my camera long with me as well.

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WSBK

WorldSBK Photos from Assen – Sunday Edition

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A day full of racing, that is what the fans at Assen got this Sunday – thanks in no part to the snow that fell on the Saturday before. Back on the track and ready to ride, WorldSBK fans were treated to some good racing at The Cathedral, despite the names in the Top 3 not changing.

If there is on thing that we have learned from the 2019 season so far, it is that the assumptions from 2018 and before are completely up for grabs. The other lesson is that the Ducati Panigale V4 R is the real deal.

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