Rossi romps to record-equaling MotoGP victory

Valentino Rossi moved further ahead in the MotoGP standings with his third successive race victory as world champion Casey Stoner crashed out again in San Marino on Sunday.

Pole sitter Stoner, whose lapse in Brno handed the Italian victory in the previous race, lost control of his Ducati under no pressure while leading on lap six to allow Rossi to complete a three-second win ahead of Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo.

Rossi equaled the record of 68 career race titles in motorcycling's premier class previously held solely by Giacomo Agostini.He increased his lead in the world championship standings to 75 points over second-placed Stoner with just five races left. 

The Australian had seemed set to keep the title race alive after starting from pole for the seventh consecutive time, and had built a three-second lead after the second lap.
But he lost control of his bike and slid into the gravel trap to gift Rossi the lead, and is now only two points ahead of Dani Pedrosa after the Spaniard finished fourth behind compatriot Tony Elias.

"It is incredible to get three in a row," Rossi told BBC Sport. "It was another great battle with Stoner -- we know that Stoner is very strong. 

"To win my 68th race in my home town is incredible. I saw Giacomo Agostini before the race, and he was laughing. So I said to him I would try to win today. 

"We have a great advantage and we are one race closer to the title. Last year, in these three races, I took nine points, this year 75, so it's not too bad."

Earlier, Spain's Alvaro Bautista won the 250cc race from 11th on the grid while Hungary's Gabor Talmacsi took the honors in the 125cc event.

MotoGP results from San Marino:

1. Valentino Rossi (Italy) Fiat Yamaha 44min 41.884sec
2. Jorge Lorenzo (Spain) Fiat Yamaha at 3.163
3. Toni Elias (Spain) Ducati 11.705
4. Dani Pedrosa (Spain) Honda 17.470 
5. Chris Vermeulen (Australia) Suzuki 23.409
6. James Toseland (Britain) Yamaha 26.208 
7. Loris Capirossi (Italy) Suzuki 26.824, 
8. Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) Honda 27.591 
9. Marco Melandri (Italy) Ducati 33.169 
10. Colin Edwards (United States) Yamaha 36.529

Stoner takes pole at San Marino GP

         Casey Stoner boosted his hopes of narrowing Valentino Rossi's big MotoGP championship lead in Sunday's San Marino Gran Prix when he took pole position in qualifying on Saturday.
The Australian world champion lapped in 1:33.378 on his Ducati, over a half a second faster than Rossi's best of 1:33.888 and despite suffering a hand fracture in Friday's practice sessions.
"Hopefully it'll be OK tomorrow," Stoner told Mediaset television when asked about the injury after taking pole. "We've been strapping it up. It's not too bad."
Italian Rossi, who is 50 points ahead of Stoner in the standings after taking his total up to 237 with wins in the preceding races in the Czech Republic and the United States, will be joined on the front row by his Yamaha team mate Jorge Lorenzo.
Spaniard Lorenzo, who made a strong start to his debut season in MotoGP but has struggled in recent races after a series of falls, recorded a best lap of 1:33.964 at the Misano circuit near Rimini in Italy.French Honda rider Randy de Puniet is fourth on the grid, while Toni Elias qualified fifth on his Ducati.
Spain's Honda rider Dani Pedrosa, who is third in the standings with 172 points, completes the second row.Hungary's reigning champion Gabor Talmacsi took pole on his Aprilia in the 125cc class ahead of Britain's Bradley Smith, with French championship leader Mike di Meglio sixth on the grid.

KMD K-007 Tron: A $1,400 Dodge Tomahawk rip-off!

               From left: The US$550,000 Dodge Tomahawk and the US$1,400 KMD K-007 Tron

Back in 2005, Dodge actually sold 10 of its outrageous Tomahawk motorcycles. Powered by the Dodge Viper’s 8.3-litre, 500bhp V10, the Tomahawk could, in theory, accelerate from zero to 100km/h in 1.75 seconds and hit a top speed of 560km/h (or even 680km/h, depending on who you choose to believe!) Either way, it didn’t really matter, because at its price of US$550,000 it’s a wonder Dodge even sold 10 of these.

And if you’ve always wanted a Tomahawk but never had 550,000 bucks lying around in spare change, you now have a $1,400 Tomahawk rip-off from China. It’s called the KMD K-007 Tron and it’s fitted with a 150cc, 8bhp single-cylinder engine and CVT transmission from a scooter. It probably won’t do more than 75km/h, but if all you want to do is impress your girlfriend’s parents, rolling up on one of these should get it done…

For the full range of KMD scooters and motorcycles, visit their website here, and to buy a K-007 Tron, go here .

Yamaha R15 Makeover

Yamaha it seems want to continue riding on the R15 success and is all ready to intoduce a new colour scheme for the bike-red and black.

Yamaha is also planning to launch an array of accessories especially designed for the bike.
Remember the R15 displayed at the auto expo? The single seat crowl in additon to other goodies like a 
carbon fibre patterned tank protector pad,racing stand,an OLED flasher set,rim stripe tape and other accessories will soon be available at Yamaha dealers across the country. Ofcourse these do not come cheap. The specially designed bar-ends cost over half a thousand while the billet clutch lever will retail for a grand. Pay more for the billet brake lever! If you are a R15 fan,I am sure you won't mind shelling out the extra dough to further spice up the bike. 

Honda CBF Stunner Vs. Discover 135 DTS-i

The Indian motorcycling scene is definitely buzzing with hot launches all throughout the segment. While the big bikes attract only a niche set of buyers it's the 125cc executive commuter segment crown that most manufacturers are vying for.

The latest entrant in this already frenzied bunch is the Honda CBF Stunner. Based on the Honda Shine, the Stunner is a radical departure from the current crop of bikes it is bound to compete with. Not the one to take things standing, Bajaj decided to give its popular Discover 135 DTS-i a facelift as well. Not that the Discover was looking dated or something, but Bajaj being the dynamic company that it is decided to freshen up the bike anyways.

 Put both the bikes together and the Stunner clearly looks a segment bigger. With an all-new integrated-tank fairing the Stunner definitely makes its presence felt. The bike also features snazzy split seats which highlight the sporty intent. The speedo console consists of an analog speedometer with no rev counter, which is astonishing. The well proportioned looks are further complemented by the racy color schemes and the bike is a looker all the way.

The Discover after its facelift looks fresh if not as attractive as the Stunner. The top of the line 'Sports' version comes equipped with Nitrox gas rear suspension, front disc brake, wider rear tyre and racy stripes on the mag wheels. The bike now also features tank mounted shrouds with integrated indicators and striking new dual tone graphics. Like most other Bajaj bikes the Discover also gets the digital speedometer treatment which looks extremely classy and feels a cut above the Stunner's unit.

 The Stunner gets the same engine as the Shine with one major improvement. The 124.7 cc mill now employs a 5-speed gearbox with the conventional one down-four up shift pattern. Putting out 11 PS accompanied by 11Nm of turning force the Stunner blitzes to 60 km/h in 6.1 seconds going on to hit a top speed of 100.03 km/h. The bike feels smooth all throughout the rev range now further aided by the 5-speed gearbox. The new Discover features the same engine with changes being limited to the exterior only. At 13.10 PS the Discover makes marginally more power than the Stunner. Even the torque rating is slightly higher at 11.88 Nm. Even with better figures the Discover is edged out by the Honda with 60 km/h coming up in 6.3 seconds and the 4-speed box limiting the top speed to 99 km/h. Retardation is courtesy 240 mm discs and 130 mm drums on both bikes but braking on the Discover is more progressive while the Stunner being equally good feels the sharper of the two.

The fuel economy is a closely fought battle as well with the Stunner returning 68.38 kmpl and the Discover coming close with 64 kmpl giving both the bikes a very good range.Out on the road both bikes go about doing their business with precision but it's the Stunner that does everything better. The Disco though has a slightly better ride than the comparatively stiffly sprung Honda. The Stunner might be quick in outright acceleration but the Discover fights back with excellent in-gear acceleration. With just 4 cogs to play with, the Disco gets the better of the Stunner as far as the rideability factor is concerned. It's however the gear actuation which mars brisk progress on the Discover. It's clunky with false neutrals hampers the riding experience somewhat. The base model of the Stunner retails for Rs 48,720 while the basic Discover 135 DTS-i will set you back by Rs 45,710. These two may be bikes in the same segment but they way they go about doing their business is mighty different. Maybe it is time Bajaj ushers in the Pulsar recipe overall into the sub-150cc class as well. HMSI just did it with the Stunner. ‘Nuff said.

F1 Test: P220 vs R15 vs Apache F1

          The big Pulsar  may be over a year and a half old now but its presence on road is unmatchable. The quarter fairing that houses the projector beams may seem a tad oversized even for the big Pulsar, but the more you look at it, the more you fall in love with its design. The TVS Apache is at the other end of the spectrum with a rather contemporary design - simple, yet strikingly beautiful. The fuel-injected version now gets scoops on the tank to distinguish it from the carbureted version - a detail that gels well with the existing Apache design. Armed with a crew of snazzy colours to choose from, the Apache is attractive as hell, especially with that screaming racing stripe running along the centre. And then there's the Yamaha YZF-R15. The bike is like nothing seen on Indian roads yet - inspired by the DNA of the Japanese firm's 'R' series, designed and developed in Japan, made for India.

Engine:

The 150kg Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi has an air-cooled motor that's good for a 0-60km/h time of 4.76 seconds and a top whack of 127.06km/h. The Apache, with its 160cc, 16.5PS air-cooled engine manages the 60km/h mark in 5.07 seconds owing to its lower kerb weight but manages a top speed of only 118.70km/h. The Pulsar's extra cc's make themselves clearly evident when you consider the timings and even more so when you've just had your ride on the Apache and switch to the Pulsar to feel the bike accelerate harder and a lot more cleanly. This advantage though, is taken away by the Yamaha YZF-R15 owing to its liquid-cooled motor and comparatively feather-light kerb weight of just 120kg. The four-valve 150cc mill needs to be revved hard, but once in the power band will deliver like no other, crossing 60km/h in 4.50 seconds and pulling on to almost caress the 130km/h mark. 

On the road:

The Yamaha R15 comes equipped with a Deltabox frame and some of the best mechanical bits you can find on a bike the world over to deliver a package that is miles ahead than any other motorcycle ever conceived for this country. The resultant dynamic ability of the bike is so entertaining that you'll find yourself tackling corners like never before, you'll see lean angles that you never thought you could ever achieve - all that with the skinny 100/80x17 rear tyre which is in fact the stickiest rubber this side of a Pirelli. The riding position is aggressive and the rear-set foot pegs will egg you on to keep pushing harder and faster, all the while the smile under your helmet growing wider and wider. You'll end up staying neck and neck, if not beating any other rider when the lights turn green. You'll undoubtedly be the guy with the fastest lap time in a hoard of other 150s around a racetrack. Around a racetrack, 'cause that's where the YZF-R15 truly belongs.

The Apache takes top honours as far as commuting through heavy traffic is concerned owing to its tight dimensions, light frame and inane ability to squeeze through the smallest gaps. Its jerky power delivery though makes it just a tad unpredictable and could catch novice riders unawares.

The Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi is probably the easiest to live with overall. Extremely rideable in the city and rock solid on the highway, this bike still makes the most sense if you're the sorts who rides for the love of riding and not just on the pretense of a commute. The overall appeal of the bike is still pretty high and its long distance manners make it a pretty good touring machine as well.

Verdict:

The TVS Apache RTR-FI 160 is attractive, will run fast, give you decent fuel efficiency. Zipping around in the city will be enjoyable and you won't regret taking her out on the highway either. The TVS Apache presents itself as a great option if you're on a tight budget but still want your garage to boast of the latest technology that is on offer.

The Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi has great all-round capability . Fuel efficiency is good, is a dream to ride hard and will probably tire you the least after that long road trip because of it's comfortable riding posture. Equipment levels are high and the bike, though not exactly cheap, is affordable and justifiably so.

The Yamaha YZF-R15 needs some right-wrist wrestling to keep in the meat of its powerband and not every rider is going to be able to do that, especially in crowded cities like Mumbai. Fuel efficiency is great at 50.63kmpl overall but on the downside its costly at 1.1 lakhs.So what,you don't get world class motorcycling technology for peanuts.Perfect race replica which will make you an overnight star at the road signals.Go 4 it.

Bajaj Pulsar 220 Dts-Fi  

Engine : 220cc, single cylinder, air cooled
Power : 20.06 PS@8500 rpm
Torque: 19.12 Nm@6500 rpm
0-60 km/h: 4.76 s
Top speed: 127.06 km/h
Fuel efficiency: 47.4 kmpl
Price (Ex-Showroom Pune): Rs 81,515

Yamaha Yzf-R15

Engine: 149.8cc, single cylinder, liquid cooled
Power: 17 PS@8500 rpm
Torque: 15 Nm@7500 rpm
0-60 km/h: 4.50 s
Top speed: 130.15 km/h
Fuel efficiency: 55.63 kmpl
Price (Ex-Showroom Pune): Rs 97,450

TVS Apache Rtr-160 Fi

Engine: 159.7cc, single cylinder, air cooled
Power: 16 PS@8500 rpm
Torque: 13.10 Nm@6500 rpm
0-60 km/h: 5.07 s
Top speed: 118.70 km/h
Fuel efficiency: 49.67 kmpl
Price (Ex-Showroom Pune): Rs 64,990

Stunning victory for Rossi in Brno

    Valentino Rossi took victory in the Czech Republic Grand Prix after defending World Champion Casey Stoner crashed out at Brno. 

The seven-times World Champion was unchallenged after Ducati rider Stoner spun off on lap six - Rossi speeding to his second consecutive MotoGP win.

The result also means that the Yamaha rider has opened up a 50-point lead in the championship over Stoner with six of the season's 18 races remaining.

Spain's Toni Elias (Ducati) finished second with Italy's Loris Capirossi (Suzuki) completing the podium.

Stoner, who had battled with flu-like symptoms to claim his sixth successive pole position on Saturday, fell on a right-hand bend while holding a one-second lead over Rossi.

The Australian then slid across the track and into the gravel. He attempted to rejoin the race but damage to his motorcycle forced retirement.

Britain's James Toseland finished the race in 13th place.

The next race will be the San Marino Grand Prix on August 31st.

Czech MotoGP result: 

1. Valentino Rossi (Italy) Yamaha 43 mins 28.841 secs
2. Toni Elias (Spain) Ducati 43:43.845
3. Loris Capirossi (Italy) Suzuki 43:50.530
4. Shinya Nakano (Japan) Honda 43:54.700
5. Anthony West (Australia) Kawasaki 43:58.306
6. Chris Vermeulen (Australia) Suzuki 43:59.449
7. Marco Melandri (Italy) Ducati 44:05.294
8. Alex de Angelis (San Marino) Honda 44:05.591
9. Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) Honda 44:07.663
10. Jorge Lorenzo (Spain) Yamaha 44:08.414
11. John Hopkins (U.S.) Kawasaki 44:08.451
12. Sylvain Guintoli (France) Ducati 44:09.733
13. James Toseland (Britain) Yamaha 44:40.331
14. Colin Edwards (U.S.) Yamaha 44:49.974
15. Dani Pedrosa (Spain) Honda 45:05.879

Yamaha YZR-M1

         Here’s the Technical specification of 5 time motoGP champion Valentino Rossi’s Yamaha meant for the 2008 racing season.

Engine
Engine type: Liquid-cooled, in-line, 4-cylinder, 4-stroke with 16-valve DOHC
Displacement: 800cc
Ignition: Magneti Marelli with adjustable mapping - NGK spark plugs
Carburation: Fuel injection
Lubrication system: Wet sump - Motul Oils
Data recording: 2D
Maximum power: Around 200hp
Maximum speed: In excess of 320 km/h

Transmission
Type: 6-speed cassette-type gearbox, with alternative gear ratios available
Primary drive: Gear
Clutch: Dry multi-plate slipper clutch
Final drive: Chain

Chassis and running gear
Frame type: Twin-tube aluminium frame, multi-adjustable steering geometry, wheelbase, ride height, with aluminium swingarm
Front suspension: Fully-adjustable Öhlins inverted telescopic forks
Rear suspension: Braced aluminium swingarm with single Öhlins shock and rising-rate linkage
Front/rear wheels: 16.5 inch front, 16.5 inch rear, available in a variety of rim widths
Front/rear tyres: Michelin, 16.5 inch front, 16.5 inch rear, available as slick, intermediate, wet and hand-cut tyres
Front brake: Twin 320mm carbon discs with radial mounted four-piston Brembo calipers
Rear Brake: Single 220mm ventilated stainless steel disc with twin-piston Brembo caliper
Weight: 148kg, in accordance with FIM regulations
Fuel capacity: 21 litres, in accordance with FIM regulations.

Yamaha Bike Stations

          Yamaha Bike Stations to redefinebike buying experience. A look at their ‘Bike Station’ at Saket,New Delhi.

          The showroom is a new age, first of its kind, company-owned store which does a lot more than just showcase bikes. The place is designed to provide a complete biking ‘lifestyle’ experience, and also offers a range of accessories to fulfill the needs of the modern biker. Besides the latest super bikes, there is a clothing section with jackets, T-shirts and pants on display. The place also has a huge flat screen TV where customers can watch videos and also the MotoGP races during the season.

           The idea is to have a place for bikers to hang out and share common interests. There is also a small cafe in a corner providing a variety of shakes and hot drinks. Brilliant! If this isn’t enough, you can indulge yourself in playing games at the dedicated gaming console corner. The place also doubles up as a small dance floor with state-of-the-art sound system which will host live rock concerts every once in a while. Yamaha Motor India plans to set up 10 such concept stores in 2008 covering cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Lucknow. For a first hand experience, head to the MGF Mall in Saket, New Delhi.

First Ride:HONDA CBF stunner

          The CBF Stunner is a good looking machine and it outshines every other 125cc bike in the styling department. The all-new fairing upfront has design cues taken from Honda's big bikes sold in Europe. The freshly designed tank with functional knee-recesses provide perfect grip for the thighs and look great. The console holds an analogue speedometer and a fuel gauge with the usual tell-tale lights. A tachometer was a must-have for such a sporty motorcycle, but the blokes at Honda decided to do away with it to keep costs under check. The snazzy split-seat gels perfectly with the Stunner's sporty character, and Honda's idea to fasten two individual panels instead of one complete piece serve the purpose of giving a sharp, edgy look to the rear cowl.

          Unlike most Hondas, the suspension on the CBF Stunner is a little stiffly sprung in order to help the bike handle better through corners. Couple it with the strong mid-range of the 125cc motor and Honda's reputed diamond type chassis, the bike handles better than any other 125cc bike in India. Even at full whack the bike holds its line confidently through the tight corners and it tackles those mid-corner bumps minus any drama. Although the TVS tyres have good cornering ability, they fail to provide accurate feedback to the rider. The CBF Stunner borrows the engine from the Shine with one significant improvement. The 124.7cc motor now incorporates a 5-speed transmission with a one down - four up shift pattern. The new gearbox significantly smoothens out the power delivery on the Stunner as compared to the Shine. The shifts are slick and precise while the gearing is well-suited for daily commutes as well as weekend rides. The engine produces 11PS of power at 8000rpm and a torque output of 11Nm is available from 6500rpm. The bike does 0-60km/h in 6.1 seconds and goes on to record a top speed of 100.03km/h.The braking is spot on with progressive feel coming from the front brake lever to the rider. There is a 240mm dia disc for the front and a 130mm dia drum on the rear that takes care of retardation.

           Fuel economy is up to the mark in comparison to its rivals and under mixed riding environments, the CBF Stunner will run for 68 kilometres on one litre of petrol. Now that's not bad at all for a bike that feels like a 150cc motorcycle, has the style to ‘stun’ every on-looker and does 100km/h. The top-of-the-line model with disc brake and electric start will lighten your wallet by Rs 53,390 ex-showroom.

MOTO GP: Relentless Rossi

          If  you weren't even a betting man it would have been difficult for anyone to have placed bets on anyone but Casey Stoner and Ducati to win the US MotoGP at Laguna Seca. It wasn't only that Casey had won the previous three Grand Prix races (Assen, Donington Park and Sachsenring) coming into this race but the fact that he dominated both practice and qualifying in such overwhelming fashion that Rossi was joking in the post race qualifying press conference that "only a bullet" could stop Stoner from winning here.

KAWASAKI RACING WATCH

               An exclusive G-SHOCK watch from Casio custom designed for all you wannabe ROSSI out there .It sports race timer, count down timer, lap memory and much more to keep u ahead of your rivals. Available in green Kawasaki colour, it has got Kawasaki logo embedded on it. You can lay your hands on it at the Casio outlet for Rs 4500.Race your way towards the showroom as this beauty is available only in limited numbers.

NINJA 250 PICS

NINJA 250 AWAITED

         

          Now most of the bike lovers in India must be knowing that Bajaj is bringing in the Kawasaki ninja 250.This baby ninja is the fastest 250cc production bike in the world. Its 8V fuel injected and liquid cooled engine comes loaded with 33.5 bhp.Top speed will be around 150 km/hr, hey that’s enough to beat my uncle’s Indica on the Expressway. Expect Bajaj to price this beauty just under 2 lakhs .The Hyosung Comet GT 250 was only other Indian bike in the 250 cc category, but it was launched in limited numbers. Hence the baby ninja will definitely be a very good option for those who want to upgrade from an Indian performance machine.

Honda CBF stunner

          Yet another auto major Honda has decided to keep things hot in the new125 cc sports category. Earlier 125 cc bikes were considered mainly for executives but after Yamaha made some tweaks in the gladiator, others have launched their own models. The new bike from Honda comes with a 5 speed transmission and 11bhp of power. It’s muscular and sporty and at the same time easy on your pocket. The CBF will be available in 3 variants, namely disc n alloy, alloy, drum. Expect it to be priced around 54k for the top variant. Featured above is a concept racing model of CBF on display in auto expo 2008.