Rossi & Edwards - Christmas came early.

[Sir Limpsalot]

At a press conference organised by Yamaha at the Tokio Kaikan Hotel, the two riders were given a new Yamaha each.
"The Doctor" was presented with a new YZR-M1 while the "Texas Tornado" recieved a new YZF450F. Both machines being delivered in the Yellow/Black/White colour schemes used at Laguna Seca last year. At the end of the 2004 season Rossi was presented with his championship winning
M1 finished in the "Gauloises" blue. If this carries on he'll need to build an extension on his garage.
Recent tests at Sepang in Malasysia saw Rossi fastest with Marco Melandri in second place. Repsol Honda new boy Dani Pedrosa (riding the ex - Biaggi RCV211) leapfrogged team mate Hayden for third.
Colin Edwards posted the fifth fastest time.
Honda unveilled an all new bike for the 2006 season, the last in which the current 990cc capacity limit will apply, sending a clear message that they will do and spend whatever it takes to secure the title.
Coming to a racetrack, or TV screen, near you soon.
Si

[supermotoC]

I want to see Rossi ride this one somewhere.....fast.

[Sir Limpsalot]

To my shame, the whole "Supermoto" thing has rather passed me by. One of the Sales guys at my local Yamaha Dealers races a 450 (?) YZF (?) in the UK Supermoto Championship. It's a cracking looking thing (what in the old days we'd have called "cobby" looking) with great fat tyres, loads of suspension and acres of clearance. There's a round of the Championship at a track only about 30 miles from me, perhaps I should go and take a look.I might get hooked.
I vaguely remember seeing pics of a KTM (?) 450 V Twin that looked gorgeous, maybe I dreamed it?
Anything you can tell me about Supermoto bikes and racing will be welcome.
Cheers for now!
Si

[supermotoC]

It was probably the new Aprilia you saw - they have a new 450 & 550 V-twin Smoto & enduro bikes out for '06.
Go to a supermoto race - it's very entertaining, the skills & slides are unbelievable, and you can usually get very close to the action.
You won't be sorry.

Cheers!

[Dallara]

Hey, Si...

As Collyers (SupermotoC) said, the 450 twin you saw pretty much had ot be an Aprilia.

Here's what the production version of the Supermoto version looks like:

http://www.motoblog.it/uploads/ApriliaSVX.jpg


Here's a pic of one in a typically lurid Supermoto/Supermotard slide:

http://www.milfa.pt/imagens/racing/50high.jpg


And here's a pic of the really trick, really tiny, really incredible engine:

http://www.maxmoto.co.uk/images/aprilia_45_v2_3l.jpg


I sure hope they get these to the States soon. I'm curious just how much they are going to have to charge for it over here. I think a MX/Hare Scrambles pure off-road version of one of these would be a ball.

Cheers!

Allan (Dallara)

[supermotoC]

Apparently, the latest poop is.....

the Aprilias will get here this summer (June-ish), be around $8500 [for the 450!!], and NOT be street legal as far as mirrors/lights/horns, BUT, they WILL have the proper # of digits in the VIN # to make it very easy to add a Baja-Designs kit to MAKE them legal (especially here in Tejas). This saves mucho $$$ in "certifying" them the normal way, through DOT/NHTSA, et al.

for your viewing pleasure....

(click it, then click the new pic)
http://img145.imagevenue.com/loc273/th_bebc7_sxv_3_4_post.jpg (http://img145.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc273&image=bebc7_sxv_3_4_post.jpg)


http://img132.imagevenue.com/loc168/th_0a122_lat_dx_sxv.jpg (http://img132.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc168&image=0a122_lat_dx_sxv.jpg)


and Allan - how's THIS for a funbike on trackday????


http://img146.imagevenue.com/loc149/th_97ac5_950SMC.jpg (http://img146.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc149&image=97ac5_950SMC.jpg)

[Sir Limpsalot]

I'm sure you guys are right it must have been the 'Prilla I was thinking of. Isn't that engine simply lovely...................
I could have one of those in a glass case in the front room and just sit and look at it. A "petrol head's" pornography that's what that is!
Si

[Dallara]

Yep, Collyers...

Teh KTM 950 looks like one hell of a hoot! I was really looking forward to one until Ducati went and dropped the Hypermotard on us. Just something about Ducati's, and with fuel injection and being air-cooled I just think the Ducati will be less hassle for a street mount.

OTOH, if the Ducati's price comes in too high, and more than the Katoom, I might be changing my mind back again... Damn! Decisions, decisions!

Simon,

The Aprilia engine is more a work of art than maybe you realize. They really went all out on this engine, and Rotax didn't have anything to do with 'em (at least that's my understanding), unlike Aprilia's 1000cc Twins. They use a valve-actuation arrangement remarkably similar to Honda's overachieving CR-450 MX'ers, very short strokes, and an absolutely brilliant internal layout to save space - which actually makes them more mass-centralized (and particularly all the rotating mass) than even a like displacement single. In fact, according to some sources the little Aprilia V-twins produce more torque and horsepower for the amount of space they take up than any other production four-stroke motorcycle engine. Aprilia also went to great pains to try and make the engine as light as a single. They didn't quite get there, weighing less than most but not quite as light as some... But still, it is an amazing achievement. The complete engine actually weighs less than some two-stroke 250cc MX engines of only a dozen or so years ago!

This engine is going to have far, far reaching effects on the world of motorcycling in the next few years, and don't be surprised to see quite a number of its features and layouts copied by other manufacturers...

It's no fluke that the engine is in jeopardy of being BANNED by the AMA in the United States for moto-cross and supercross competition. It has the Big Four Japanese scared to death... Here's an excerpt from the AMA's proposed 2006 rules amendments:



'06 Rules Changes
The following rules change proposals were created utilizing input from AMA Pro Racing staff and the AMA Motocross/Supercross Advisory Committee. AMA Pro Racing’s Board of Directors has given preliminary approval to submit the following rule change proposals for a 30-day comment period as required by our rules making procedures. The proposals involve technical aspects of AMA Motocross/Supercross racing.

Proposal 1

The maximum sound limit will remain 102 DB/A for the 2006 season but will be reduced to 99 DB/A beginning at the first Supercross event of the 2007 season. This change will help reduce excessive noise in stadiums and at outdoor venues. Racing in many areas of the country may be threatened if the sound generated by such activities is not reduced to an acceptable level. AMA Pro Racing supports reasonable noise restrictions in motorcycle racing.

Proposal 2

All MX/SX motorcycles must be driven by rear wheel transmitted power only. Emerging technology involving front wheel drive could be detrimental to the balance of competition in MX/SX racing. Moreover, such equipment would dramatically increase the cost of racing.

Proposal 3

All MX/SX motorcycles must be powered by single-cylinder engines.This restriction would help preserve a sensible cost of equipment and keep practical maintenance at a tolerable level.

AMA Pro Racing competitors or credential holders have the opportunity to express opinions and offer suggestions regarding these proposals. We invite your comments by mail, fax or through the RIDERS ONLY section of our website. The comment period will end October 1, 2005. Following a review of comments submitted, these rules proposals may receive final approval from the AMA Pro Racing Board of Directors. The rule changes (except the sound reduction) would then become effective January 1, 2006.

When submitting comments, please reference the proposed rule number and state your remarks and suggestions as briefly as possible. If you are responding by fax, please send to: AMA Pro Racing – Rules Comment (614) 856-1924. If you are sending your response by mail, use the following address:

AMA Pro Racing - Rules Comment
13515 Yarmouth Drive
Pickerington, OH 43147



Notice how the friggin' AMA is proposing banning two-wheel drive, too. Two-wheel drive for motorcycles (and particularly dirt ones) has the potential for improving control and safety for all of us. Sure, the initial price will be high, but as with all technological milestones the cost of it will come down as it becomes more and more *productionalized*... And after all, aren't AMA moto-cross and supercross both series where the bikes have to be production-based?

In this instance you are seeing Honda, Kawasaki, and Suzuki scared to death of Yamaha since Yamaha's 2WD system is the most fully developed. Honda was developing their own system years ago but gave up on it. Yamaha licensed a more fully developed 2WD technology (and then evven bought the company that designed it) and stuck with it, and only now is it showing its true potential.

In both instances - 2WD and the Aprilia V-twin - the AMA is bowing to specific corporate pressure (read HONDA) to maintain the status quo and allow one company (with some help from Kawasaki and Suzuki) and stifle technological development to suit the lack of same in those areas.

Sad, actually... And detrimental to all of us in the end. Don't be surprised that if the AMA can be pressured into not allowing the Aprilia V-twins into MX and SX that they won't be pressured into banning them for US Supermoto as well.

If that happens, Collyers, you and I can kiss goodbye the prospect of the Aprilia 450 and 550 V-twins from coming to these shores, period.

Damn...

Allan (Dallara)

[Sir Limpsalot]

Allan, while I don't doubt for a second that it may be an Aprilia design I'd be prepared to bet it is actually made elsewhere. The Aprilia "factory" is actually only an assembly plant that has no manefacturing capability at all. No casting or machining or gear cutting, nothing at all in the way of "engineering".
All Aprilia's, while designed "in house" are made up of "bought in" components. Always have been, even the early F650 range that they assembled for BMW.As the take over by Piaggio was only a year or so ago I can't see that they've had enough time to design, build, test, produce and race a new engine from scratch.
Which raises the question, if Rotax aren't building the twin engine - then who is?????
As Yamaha are providing the engine for the new model 650 Pegaso, I wonder if they are involved?? It would certainly explain a lot!
It was of course Ivano Beggio's obsession with racing that bought the company's financial collapse (racing in three GP classes AND World Superbikes for Gods sake!!) and with Ducati currently going down the tubes for the same reason, it may not be long before the startlines are deprived of BOTH makes.
Unthinkable!:omg:
Si