MOTORRADonline.de - bis 10.02.2013

[MOTORRADonline.de]

		Stefan Bradl geht in seine erste MotoGP-Saison
		Teamchef Lucio Cecchinello glaubt an die Klasse des Deutschen
		Der Moto2-Weltmeister ließ bei den Testfahrten in Sepang mit guten Zeiten aufhorchen und steht laut seinem Teamchef vor einer großen Zukunft. ... > weiter

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

After the dust has settled on the first round of the Superbike World Championship and the majority of the teams and riders have returned to their normal European base of operations, analysis of the opening round can now begin in earnest.

Races one and two have shown that a few rule changes introduced in the winter - designed to cut costs again and still keep the class competitive - have had some desired effects already. By that we mean that all manufacturers, no matter which engine configuration they elect to use for their production machines, have already shown they will have the chance to be competitive in 2012. In fact, most have been competitive already.

Of all six manufacturers regularly involved in the series this year four of them posted podium finishes in the first weekend alone (Aprilia 2, Ducati 2, BMW 1 and Kawasaki 1). Honda only just missed out by one place and a fraction of a second in race two after Jonathan Rea spent two laps in the lead and 21 laps in a podium position before he had to submit to the final push of Tom Sykes's Kawasaki.

Aprilia and Ducati scored one fastest lap apiece in Australia, thanks to race winners Max Biaggi and Carlos Checa. Of course, the two most recent champions Checa and Biaggi are class acts who have won SBK races on more than one type of machine. In the real racing world the sheer talent and experience of certain riders will always affect results, no matter which machine they are on at any one time.

Other subjective indicators show that only time is needed or some teams and riders combos to find their fastest feet. No one in the SBK paddock thinks that Suzuki, embarking on an all-new way of going Superbike, will not find the missing engine power that stopped Leon Camier (Crescent Fixi Suzuki) from making more of an impact on raceday very soon. As his lap times at Phillip Island at one stage demonstrated, when the set-up is right his full package will also be podium ready in 2012. And as Kawasaki and Honda riders showed, a conventional four-cylinder is still a potent way to go SBK racing in general.

Traditionally SBK racing has allowed many marques the chance to compete on broadly level terms, with some tracks better for one type of machine and other tracks better for others, as is normal in any form of racing. The first evidence the 2012 season indicates that things should be no different this time around. Next stop Imola, with raceday on 1 April.

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[MOTORRADonline.de]

		28. MOGO in Husum am Ostersonntag
		Motorradgottesdienst nördlich von Hamburg
		Für norddeutsche Biker gehört der Motorradgottesdienst in Husum zu Ostern wie das Eiermalen. Am 8. April 2012 versammeln sich wieder tausende Motorradfahrer und Zuschauer auf dem Marktplatz vor der Marienkirche in Husum. In Lübeck wird dagegen leider der Korso zum Motorradgottesdienst abgesagt. ... > weiter

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

As part of the build-up to the Miller Motorsports Park race on Monday 28th May the circuit, in collaboration with Infront Motor Sports, regularly conducts question and answer sessions between local journalists and top SBK competitors. The most recent participant was with none other than Carlos Checa, the undisputed king of MMP in terms of recent results there. And the 2011 SBK champion for Althea Racing Ducati, of course.

His first reply to the question of where he will find motivation again for 2012's title push - having achieved his long held ambition in 2011 - was very illuminating. "The same as every year," said Carlos, unequivocally. "Each year I set out to improve, both as a rider and as a person. It was fantastic to win last year, but this year we must start over and face the championship as a new challenge, as if last year never happened. I have always put importance on self-development; we never stop learning and I approach racing in that way - every race will teach me something new, every race will help me to grow."

Checa was also asked about what he thought of the decision from Ducati not to compete on their all-new Panigale 1199 in 2012, keeping it for Superstock use only. "I think Ducati's strategy to race the 1199 in the Superstock championship before moving into the SBK championship in 2013 is a good one, as it gives them more time to ‘fine-tune' it, just like they did in 2007 with the 1098. From a personal point of view, I was very comfortable with the 1198 in 2011 and, together with this bike, I took the SBK title - so I admit I was a little wary of changing to the 1199, which seems to be a very different bike. I've heard great things about it, but I haven't ridden the 1199 yet so I can't say any more, but from what I've heard it definitely sounds like the potential is there."

Even though his SBK 1098R is the same in broad terms as it was in 2011, Checa, and all the other riders on twin-cylinder machines, have some extra kilos to carry by regulation. After one round has been held under the new rules, Checa is not 100% sure which circuits will prove more difficult than others to get around, but he has some idea. "We have always struggled with top speed, and this is most obvious at tracks with long straights, so Monza and Portimao, for example," quoted Checa. "Adding any extra weight is a disadvantage, of course; the whole philosophy of racing is based on making the bike as light as possible, so 6kg more than last year is for sure a problem. We have evaluated how best to distribute this weight, and that is all we can do."

After one weekend with the new single bike rules in place Checa was asked about his opinion of this new initiative, designed to save money and make riders thing through their weekend more clearly. He stated, "It basically gives teams a lot more work to do. I was very sceptical when I first heard about the planned changes. Although the idea is for teams to cut costs, each team still needs to have enough parts to build a "second" bike from a rolling chassis in case of emergency. Maybe people thought that riders would go more carefully and there would be fewer crashes, but look how many crashes there were just at Phillip Island! So I don't know how much money teams are really saving. Sessions have been spaced out to give teams a fighting chance of repairing any crashed bikes in between, but it's not easy. I crashed in Race 1 at Phillip Island, and my boys worked like crazy to build a new bike for me for Race 2."

Of his special relationship with MMP, and how he could improve on his already outstanding success there, Checa turned back to his personal mantra of improvement at every step. "Like I already said, I feel there is always room to learn something new," asserted Carlos, the true king of MMP in SBK mode. "I always like to see if I can improve on ‘personal bests,' and so that's what I'll be aiming for once more at Miller this season. The extra weight will be a hindrance (as it is at every track), especially in light of this year's stiff competition! I basically approach every weekend, mentally speaking, as if it was the first, and then we see what we can do."

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[MOTORRADonline.de]

		Neues vom Insolvenzverfahren
		Polo trennt sich von Geschäftsführer Klaus Esser
		Rechtsanwalt Horst Piepenburg, der als Insolvenzverwalter für das in Schwierigkeiten geratene Unternehmen Polo arbeitet, hat mitgeteilt, dass Klaus Esser nicht mehr Geschäftsführer von Polo ist. ... > weiter

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[MOTORRADonline.de]

		Moto Morini Rebello 1200 Giubileo
		Jubiläumsmotorrad zum 75. Jahrestag der Marke
		Die im Jahr 1937 im italienischen Bologna gegründete Motorradmarke Moto Morini feiert seinen 75. Jahrestag mit dem Jubiläumsmodell Rebello 1200 Giubileo. Eine geheimnisvolle Verkaufsaktion im Vorfeld soll erste Käufer für das auf 600 Exemplare limitierte Motorrad locken. ... > weiter

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

Leading Italian publisher Black Bean Games proudly announces that a new exclusive SBK® videogame is being developed by Milestone Studios, Italian software developer, and is scheduled for release in May 2012 for PlayStation®3, the Xbox360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC.

Following the successful international launch of SBK®2011, both Black Bean Games and Milestone are looking forward to setting a new standard in the bike racing genre. SBKâ„¢GENERATIONS will meet racing fans expectations following the most accurate feedback collected from international critics, gamers, and worldwide customers.

Regarding the official content available on launch day, SBKâ„¢GENERATIONS will deliver the usual official package of the next Championship Season made up of classes, riders, and tracks from the 2012 roster. SBKâ„¢GENERATIONS will not only be your ultimate motorbike racing experience, but also the largest motorbike game. Follow us for more details in the upcoming weeks!

Live the Official Experience of the Superbike World Championship like never before!

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[motogp.com]

Diesen Donnerstag und Freitag werden verschiedene CRTs (Claiming Rule Teams) in Vorbereitung auf ihr Debüt in der Kategorie beim Commercialbank Grand Prix von Katar weiter testen.

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[MOTORRADonline.de]

		JG-Motorradbestattungen für die letzte Fahrt
		Biker-Beerdigung jetzt auch in Deutschland
		Biker-Bestattungen existieren bislang nur in Ländern wie den USA und England. Seit Oktober bietet der Bestattungsplaner Jörg Michael Grossmann in Usingen "eine würdevolle letzte Fahrt" auch in Deutschland an. ... > weiter

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[MOTORRADonline.de]

		Honda-Preisaktion zum Saisonstart
		Sonderangebote für Hornet, CBF 600 S und CBF 1000 F
		Während die Spritpreise an der Tankstelle explodieren, senkt Honda zum Saisonstart seine Preise für drei aktuelle Modelle: Hornet, CBF600S und CBF 1000 F. Der Preisvorteil liegt bei rund 1000 Euro gegenüber der unverbindlichen Preisempfehlung des Herstellers. ... > weiter

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[motogp.com]

Aufgrund starker Winde und extremer Wetterbedingungen im MotorLand, gab es am ersten Testtag der CR-Teams fast keine Aktivität.

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[motogp.com]

Die MotoGP™ History App bietet Ihnen die Chance, die wichtigsten und aufregendsten Momente des MotoGP-Jahrzehnts noch einmal zu erleben und sie ist nun neben der englischen Version auch auf Spanisch und Italienisch erhältlich.

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

The talented young Australian Adrian Nestorovic has signed up for a second season with the successful Belgian team, MTM Racing. Following his rookie year in Europe, competing on a Yamaha R6 in the European Superstock 600 Championship alongside eventual champion Jed Metcher, Nestorovic was again offered a ride in 2012.

In his first year in Europe, Adrian competed against some of the category's best riders, in a new team and on unfamiliar circuits and yet he managed a couple of good results in both Spain and Germany. His rookie year was rounded off with a respectable 16th position, out of a field of 39.

"After a relaxing off-season back in Australia, I am very happy to have signed up for a second season with the 2011 winning Belgian team, MTM Racing," declared Nestorovic. "This year I look forward to riding alongside a new Aussie team mate Corey Snowsill from Sydney, and I know we will both give it our very best. Having trained hard during off-season, I am physically and mentally fit and raring to go. I definitely have a lot more confidence this year. I am familiar with our team, the bike and all the European circuits. I also have the mind-set required for the extreme intensity of competition at this level. My aim is to get a podium finish at every race and to accumulate as many points as possible. I feel reasonably confident that, given the right circumstances, I can achieve a top-3 finish in the championship. I have just arrived in Brussels, Belgium where I will be based this year. We will begin our pre season testing next week in Spain , before the first round in Italy. Looking forward to a great 2012 season!"

Ludo Van Der Veken (MTM Racing Team owner) added: "We are all really happy with Adrian's progress during 2011 and when it came to re-signing him for the 2012 season we did not have to think too hard. Adrian has exceeded our expectations given the fact that this was his first season of racing in Europe. He's working well within the team and giving really great feedback. We are all looking forward to a successful 2012 racing year".

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

Ducati Grandstands return to the Imola, Monza and Misano rounds of the World Superbike Championship ready for hundreds of passionate Ducatisti to support their favourite Ducati riders.

Team Althea Racing's reigning World Superbike Champion, Carlos Checa and Superbike newcomer and last year's Superstock 1000 Champion, Davide Giugliano, head a list of Ducati-powered riders that include Jakub Smrz, Sylvain Guintoli and Niccolo' Canepa.

With the additional excitement of the brand new 1199 Panigale making its debut in the 2012 Superstock Championship, the "home race" Ducati Grandstands should be louder than ever. The Superstock debut is set for the Imola round on 1 April, where Ducati Grandstand tickets include Ducati bike parking and a storage area for free-of-charge riding gear check-in.

Tickets and detailed circuit and event information for these exciting events are available from the official Ducati website.

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

The fourth edition of Motodays, the Bike and Scooter trade fair in Rome, had its inauguration day yesterday with Spanish rider Carlos Checa on hand as guest of honour to cut the tape.

The 2011 Superbike World Champion was then invited onto the stage together with the Fiera di Roma president Mauro Mannocchi and Infront Motor Sports CEO Paolo Flammini to answer questions from La7 TV journalist Luigi Vignando.

"It's great every time I come to Italy because my bike, sponsors and manager are all Italian," declared Checa, who came to Motodays through Nolan, his helmet company. "The Althea Racing Team has its headquarters close to here so coming to this great event is like being at home and all the fans in this area are very enthusiastic. I'll be 40 years of age soon but it's not your date of birth that counts when you race and I'm still very motivated. Physically I'm in great shape and my win in race 2 after my bad crash in race 1 shows that I still have all the right cards to fight for the title again in 2012. As for me and Biaggi, both of us are ‘old guys' but we're in good shape and it'll be great to battle with him again this year on the track."

Great interest also revolved around another World Superbike protagonist Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad Motorsport). "I used to come to Rome to see the Colosseum and Forums but it's great to know that Rome now has its own bike show," said Melandri. "I've seen this show grow up and attract lots of visitors in the last four years. As for my 2012 season, it was great to score a podium at the first round but I know it'll be tough to close the gap on the leaders: we'll be doing our best to score some more podiums and even a few wins".

Other Superbike riders scheduled to appear at Motodays include Michel Fabrizio (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet SBK), Raffaele de Rosa (Pro Ride Real Game Honda) and Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team).

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

The second year of this single make competition, now using KTM machinery, has seen interest from eligible younger riders increase greatly, and there will be fully 26 full time competitors in the class, including two permanent wildcards, one determined by KTM and one by Moto Vidu.

These young hopefuls, including several female riders as well as a majority of male riders, hail from 13 countries, with Spain providing the biggest single entry, six. Poland and the UK provide three each, New Zealand and France two each. Riders will also come from Italy, Pakistan, USA, Ukraine, India, Norway, Latvia and Australia - a truly cosmopolitan talent base.

Some riders, like brother and sister duo Jean-Francois and Amelie Demoulin, and Brandon Kyee are returnee competitors after last year's inaugural series but most others will be new to the excitement of a series that will now visit eight SBK rounds.

Out of the eight events, the first is scheduled for the Dutch Round at Assen on April 22, while the next two will be on Italian soil, Monza on May 6 and the second at Misano on June 10. These will be followed by Aragón (July 1), Brno (July 22), Silverstone (August 5), Nürburgring (September 9) and Magny-Cours (October 7).

The full entry list can be found here.

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[motogp.com]

Am Abend des zweiten Testtages in Aragon herrschten verbesserte Testbedingungen, die fünf anwesenden MotoGP-Fahrer versuchten daher soviel wie möglich von ihrem Testprogramm durchzuziehen.

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[MOTORRADonline.de]

		Aufwärmübungen für den Saisonstart
		Sicherheitstraining mit Honda und dem ADAC
		Zum Saisonstart bietet Honda gemeinsam mit dem ADAC Hessen-Thüringen nahe Frankfurt mehrere Sicherheitstrainings für Einsteiger, Wiedereinsteiger und Führerscheinneulinge an. Motorrad und Sicherheitsausrüstung sind im Preis von 115 Euro pro Person inbegriffen. ... > weiter

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[motogp.com]

Das Casino von Venedig am Canal Grande war am Samstag Gastgeber der CAME IodaRacing Projekt Teampräsentation mit den Fahrern Danilo Petrucci und Simone Corsi.

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[motogp.com]

Der Yamaha Factory Racing Pilot traf sich beim offiziellen Jorge Lorenzo Fanclub-Offroad-Rennen in Montmelo letzten Samstag mit motogp.com, um über seine Vorbereitungen für die MotoGP™ Saison 2012 zu sprechen.

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[motogp.com]

Der AC Mailand ehrte den Champion kurz vor ihrem Serien A Spiel gegen Lecce am Sonntag durch die Aktion von 58 Kindern der Mailänder Fußballschule in Coriano.

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

One of the most eagerly-awaited riders in this year's Superbike World Championship which got under way at Phillip Island two weeks ago, was Japan's Hiroshi Aoyama. The last-ever 250cc GP champion in 2009, "Hiro" began his new adventure on production-derived machines for the first time at Phillip Island, and managed to come away with a handful of points in his debut appearance.

On board the new 2012-spec CBR 1000RR Fireblade 2012 prepared by the Honda World Superbike Team, Chiba-born Aoyama scored a total of 15 points with an eighth and a ninth place in the two races, but more importantly in the race he was able to sort out the various problems he had encountered in qualifying, in which he was the final grid starter in 16th place. Opting for the softer rear tyre in both races, the Japanese rider fought through to the top ten in race one, while a small set-up change allowed him to make it a double in his debut SBK outing.

"I think it's not so bad for my first Superbike weekend. We had a not-so-easy start on Friday when I had one crash and we had a lot of problems. That didn't help us to go much faster and we tried many things but couldn't improve. In the races we managed to finish in the top ten with eighth and ninth and I want to say thanks to all the guys who worked for me. It was a tough weekend but ended up not too bad. I'm looking forward to the next race in Imola - of course I've never ridden there, so it's going to be tough for Friday. We have month to improve the bike a little bit and, if I can find a better feeling, I can push a little bit more and this is what I am looking for. Anyway, considering the situation now, it's not so bad!"

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[MOTORRADonline.de]

		Auktion: Ducatis MotoGP-Rennmaschinen GP10 und GP11
		Stoners und Rossis Bikes unter dem Hammer
		Ducati versteigert die Desmosedici-Motorräder von Valentino Rossi und Casey Stoner in Monaco. Die Rennmaschinen wurden in den MotoGP-Saisons 2010 und 2011 bewegt und kommen nun unter den Hammer. ... > weiter

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[MOTORRADonline.de]

		Polo: Neues vom Insolvenzverfahren
		Neuer Polo-Eigentümer - Alle Filialen sollen bleiben
		+++ UPDATE: Am 13. März 2012 unterzeichneten Rechtsanwalt Horst Piepenburg als Insolvenzverwalter der Polo Expressversand Gesellschaft für Motorradbekleidung und Sportswear mbH mit Paragon Partners und Tempus Capital den Kaufvertrag für die neu gegründete Polo Motorrad und Sportswear GmbH. Zur künftigen Geschäftsführung wird Manfred Steffens gehören, der seit 1998 für Polo tätig ist. ... > weiter

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

After just one ride for the Pro Ride Real Game Honda team at the opening round in Australia last month Raffaele de Rosa is now leaving the team and will be replaced by Lorenzo Alfonsi. According to an official press release from the team the new partnership will start from the Imola race onwards, with the 31-year-old former Superstock 1000 champion now making the squad an entirely Tuscan effort, as Alfonsi comes from in the same region as the team is based in. The agreement was made last Saturday at Pro Ride headquarters in Lucca.

Alfonsi, born in 1980 in Florence, started in World Superbike in 2005 and he is a well-known rider in the SBK paddock, having begun in Superstock 1000 racing in 2001, then making many subsequent appearances in various Supersport and Superbike teams, before returning to ride in Italy for the past few seasons.

Marco Nicotari, Team Manager and Technical Director of Pro Ride Motorsports, said of his new rider, "I have known Lorenzo since 2007 and since that moment I have been always in contact with him about our projects. Each year we took different roads but I always saw him as a great rider. A sportsman that has grown up inside the paddock in a very honest and professional way and that absolutely deserves to come back to World Superbike. A rider that will bring to us his talent and so many ‘kilometers' on Superbikes. We will assemble for him a reliable bike, made and based on his profile. There will be so much work ahead for his first race with us at Imola. We are full of confidence and I am personally happy for this new challenge."

Lorenzo Alfonsi, Superstock Champion in 2004 after taking four race wins, said, "I am very happy to come back to the World Superbikes! I want to immediately take to the bike, both me and Pro Ride staff are motivated to make everything work well in this season. I have known Marco for such a long time and we get along well together. I really want to make it right and I believe in this project. It is for sure a great opportunity to come back to World Superbike and I thank both Pro Ride and Helios for believing in me and for the support. We will work together to get so many points for the championship. And as we have known each other for some years, we are already working well and are full of energy to make a good result at Imola."

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