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As expected, Ducati has unveiled an updated version of the Diavel power cruiser today at the Geneva Motor Show, during Volkswagen’s presentation. Expected to hit dealerships from April onwards, the 2015 Ducati Diavel features a Testastretta 11° DS engine, a new exhaust system, and a new full-LED headlight.

With the additional of the “Dual Spark” engine, top power remains the same as before, at 162hp, while mid-range power has been improved upon. Tipping the scales at 452 lbs dry, 11 lbs lighter than before, the updated Diavel is pretty much the same everywhere else though.

Last month, our friend John Shofner (you may have seen some of his work on A&R already) sent us a link to a project he was working on, and we couldn’t wait for it to become a reality.

So finally, we can talk about the full-length documentary, , that Shofner Films hopes to produce, which will tell the story behind America’s two-wheeled petrol racing culture.

To help raise the $400,000 that the It’s Something Inside project will need to produce the film, John has turned to the crowd-sourcing platform of Kickstarter.

If funded (your contributions only get collected if John meets his fundraising goal), and once completed, Shofner Films will then pitch the film to various film festivals, with the hope of ultimately getting a theater or TV deal for the film.

As you can tell from the trailer above, and the stills after the jump, John has a great photographic eye; and his previous work, including a documentary of the karting scene, shows his immense talent in storytelling as well.

We are pretty pumped to see this project go forward, and if you are too, we hope you will contribute some money towards his Kickstarter fund. Count us in for a couple bucks John!

Michael Dunlop’s shock announcement that he will be racing with a factory-backed BMW for the 2014 Isle of Man TT is still percolating through the road racing paddock.

It was only in November of 2013 that the Irishman announced that he was likely to sit out the 2014 season, after failing to come to an agreement with the factory Honda squad, the Honda TT Legends.

Winning four solo-races in the 2013 Isle of Man TT, Dunlop solidified himself as being the man to watch in 2014, and perhaps the racer with the best chance of challenging John McGuinness on race day.

With Honda keen to see McPint break Joey Dunlop’s record of 26 TT race wins (McGuinness has 20 thus far), the backstory for Dunlop seems fairly obvious to guess.

We have a little over three months before the 2014 Isle of Man TT, but as you may have noticed on Asphalt & Rubber, the news is just heating up about this iconic road race.

Any TT is worth remembering, as each race is a very special event for those who witness them. That being said though, 2014 is shaping up to be an important year as the TT goes through a series of transitions.

With only six more TT race wins until he ties Joey Dunlop’s record, John McGuinness is the man to beat on race day, and Mr. McPint is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

McGuinness does have some staunch competition though, namely Michael Dunlop. The nephew to Joey, Michael won four races in the 2013 gathering, and for 2014 Isle of Man TT, the duo are already being pitted against each other.

Hondas rule the roost at the Isle of Man, but BMW’s racing platform with the S1000RR has steadily improved. With Dunlop being backed by BMW Motorrad this year, he will have some stout machinery at his disposal as he takes on McGuinness and Honda.

It should be a cracking race. To further whet your appetite, the IOMTT has put out a goosebump generating video, for your road racing pleasure. Enjoy.

We are still getting over the loss of Tommy Aquino, who died while riding motocross in Southern California just last week. A popular rider in the AMA Pro Racing, British Superbike, and Spanish CEV series, the untimely passing of Tommy is being felt around the world.

A memorial service for Tommy will be held at 2PM on Saturday, February 15th at the Bishop Alemany High School (11111 North Alemany Drive, Mission Hills, CA). A remembrance is also scheduled afterwards at 28588 Santa Catarina Road, Saugus, CA — the Aquino Family encourages all to attend.

While we all continue to grieve, we do best to remember the good times, and as such Roversberg Productions has put together a nice tribute video of Tommy. Enjoy it above.

The “hipster” – legitimate cultural phenomena or overused punch line? As the young and the over-caffeinated discover ever more banal and superficial means of self-expression and fronting authenticity, the rest of society looks on in disgust.

Current trends indicate that the proliferation of hipsterdom has spurred on a parallel industry of bloggers, commentators, and inspired cynics to reaction. The quantity of rolled-eyes and judgmental stares is proportionally tracking the sales in raw denim and aviators.

Bullshit Hipster Bike Videos” is a relative newcomer to the cacophony of grumpy social critics incensed at the sight of the displaced café lumberjack. Since its inception in August of 2013, the author of the blog has excoriated these neo-café racers, amateur moto-philosophers, and urban aesthetes with their penchant for “classic” metal.

I don’t have a good excuse as to why I want to post this video up on the site, other than the Ducati 1199 Superleggera is probably the most awesome motorcycle to come out in the past decade (apologies to any Honda DN-01 owners in the crowd).

An exercise in engineering prowess, which saw Borgo Panigale drop shed some serious weight from its venerable superbike, it should come as no surprise then that the 155kg (dry) Superleggera was a model put forth by Claudio Domenicali, a man who rose from engineer to CEO at Ducati Motor Holding.

That being said, I’m not sure we need a good excuse to fawn over the Superleggera. A magnesium monocoque frame, forged magnesium Marchesini wheels, carbon fiber rear sub-frame and bodywork (with integrated R-spec aero-kit), lithium-ion battery, titanium exhaust system with stainless steel headers, titanium bolts and fasteners…I’m sorry, what was I saying?

If you don’t make it a point to watch the Moto2 races during the racing season, you are missing out. The tight battles on the track have meant close competition for the Championship, and the intermediate series has even brought about a new style of riding, with riders hanging way off their machines and dragging their elbows in the process.

For the 2014 season, Americans have another reason to watch Moto2: Josh Herrin. The reigning AMA Pro Superbike Champion, Herrin has left the domestic riding scene for international competition.

Herrin’s signing with the Caterham Moto Racing team is hopefully a sign that young talented American riders can once again find their way into the GP classes, and there is a lot of weight on Josh’s shoulders to do well this year.

For now though, the pressure if off, as we are still a few months out from the season-opener at Qatar. So until the green flag drops on March 23rd, Josh can enjoy the off-season testing and continue to learn this competitive class. You can share in the fun too, and take an on-board lap with Herrin and his Suter-built Moto2 race bike at the Circuito de Almeria. Enjoy!

It’s been a long tease with the MV Agusta Dragster, with Giovanni Castiglioni hinting at the machine’s debut as far back as the 2013 EICMA show. We still expect the machine to debut any day now, but MV Agusta has dropped some more details by adding scenes to its “Metallica” promotional video.

A few official studio photos have also leaked out of Varese, which if nothing else confirm the lines we have been seeing these past few weeks.

Borrowing heavily from the Brutale 800 platform, the Dragster 800 defines itself really with a lower seat height, a chopped tail section, and it 200 width rear tire. Will those differences be enough to distinguish the Dragster from the Brutale? We don’t think so.

As fanciful as the turbo rumor was, it at least created a reason for the Dragster to exist alongside the Brutale. It’s an attractive motorcycle, like all MV Agustas, but we suspect that it will serve only to cannibalize sales from the Brutale line.

The original premise behind supermoto was to create a sport that could be a melting pot and meeting ground for the hot racers from the  off-road and on-road worlds.

Essentially dirt bikes with street tires, the class is the mixed martial arts of motorcycle racing, and it requires riders to have both good street and dirt skills at their disposal. If you haven’t given it a try, we highly recommend it.

It is a little surprising then that supermoto wasn’t more than just a fad here in the US – the racing is spectacular, in the literal sense of the word. Helping prove that point is this short video by Chrome Capes, which follows SoCal’s resident supermoto fast guy, Tim Weig. We think you will enjoy it. Thanks for the tip Jason!

We are a little late in bringing you this, the second installment, of the “TT Legends” documentary about the Honda TT Legends road racing and endurance team, so apologies for that.  But, we think you will enjoy this 22 minute reprieve from the non-two wheeled world, as like the first episode, this is a great look into one of the top teams in racing.

Focusing on the 2012 Bol d’Or 24 hour race at Magny-Cours, perhaps the most prestigious event on the FIM Endurance World Championship calendar, episode two should be a treat for any road racing fan. Le Mans starts, rain, French fans, and Mr. McPint — there is a little something for everyone in this episode.