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Sharp End

Akrapovič Lifestyle Magazine, Issue 1, November 2007 Akrapovič d.d., Malo Hudo 8 a, SI-1295 Ivančna Gorica, Slovenia www.akrapovic.net

Publisher: Korpmedia d.o.o., Tomšičeva 1, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia, www.korpmedia.si President and CEO: Miran Ališič Marketing and advertising manager: Mateja Kos

Sharp End, Akrapovič Lifestyle magazine Editor-in-chief: Lidija Petek Photo editor: Bor Dobrin Art directors: Neja Engelsberger, Saša Kerkoš Contributors: Gaber Keržišnik, Jasmina Dvoršek, Tina Torelli, Primož Jurman, Peter Kavčič, Inga Walton, Alan Cathcart Contributing Photographers: Blaž Zupančič, Branko Cvetkovič Printing: Printing House Dalmatin, Ljubljana, Slovenia Number of printed copies: 25,000 Distributed in more than 50 countries to all Akrapovič sales representatives, dealers and costumers. Magazine is not for sale On the cover: Part of the Akrapovič Exhaust System Photograph by: Aleksander Štokelj for Studio 54

Letter

Sharp End The Sounds of Life Put into Words

You are looking at the first ever issue of Sharp End, the Akrapovič Lifestyle magazine. By publishing it we are trying to get closer to you, dear readers, and to find the right means of communication to pass information to a lot of people. This is why we have come up with the idea of publishing a corporate magazine which will make it possible for us not only to inform you about issues that have to do with our company, but also to provide you with some lighter reading, enjoyable to the point that you will find it difficult to put the magazine down. Since our exhaust systems can be bought in more than 50 countries around the world, Sharp End will travel all over the globe. Hence the decision to publish the magazine almost entirely in English, although part of it will be in Slovene, the language of the country the Akrapovič company comes from. The primary focus of our company is stability and profitability of our activities, however, at the same time we are earmarking a considerable part of the value added in investment, as we believe this is of utmost importance for assuring further growth, as a basis for the company’s strategic orientation. The Akrapovič brand and its strengthening has become an ever bigger part of our market-

ing activities – we perceive this as one of the key instruments in becoming part of the global market in the long run. This was the reason for refreshing our corporate image, redoing our website (www.akrapovic.net) and developing a new concept of our presence at fairs, part of all of which is also the Akrapovič lifestyle magazine Sharp End, which you are flipping through at this very moment. I am perfectly aware of the fact that the value of a company can nowadays no longer be determined by looking merely at financial indicators. The human and intellectual capital are gaining in importance. They are an inexhaustible source of competitive advantages and prosperity of a company – they are a sign of its power and position in the market. You are kindly invited to join our enjoyable racing adventure, actually our gripping magazine, which should keep you entertained with stories about motorcyclists, their sweethearts (their motorcycles, of course) and other small things that make life an enjoyable experience. We wish you a pleasant read.

Marko Adamič CEO / Managing Director

Kawasaki Racing Team

Contents

05 LETTER

06 SHARP DETAILS

Marko Adamič, General Manager of the Akrapovič company, will not be telling us why its exhausts are the hottest in the world. Instead he is taking us on a trip through the corporate magazine SHARP END to enjoy the technology, motorcycling, sports, and all the small and beautiful things that make our life happier.

The Akrapovič company decided to change the design of their logo. Have a look. The company employs over 370 workers, including 66 women, 18 % of all the employees. Did you know that some of them are better welders than men?!

10 MOTO ACTION

18 FANTASTIC I

We had a quick talk with Randy De Puniet, a Moto GP racer. The 26-year old Randy is a calm person off the track, but very aggressive on it. The Frenchman is also known to be very fast through the corners and does not need a lot of time to get used to a new motorbike or a new track. Also check where the Akrapovič company got World Champions titles this year.

A special, limited edition fridge, decorated with 3,500 Swarovski crystals. A mobile device dressed in 18-karat gold frame. Currently the most luxurious, expensive and fascinating laptop. Exquisite, probably the finest speaker system in the world and much more.

20 IntERVIEW 14 REVOLUTION

The sound matters, so says Igor Akrapovič, the founder of the company producing the most technologically advanced exhaust systems in the world today. Being light-weight, modern looking, having a high quality finish and adding plenty of oomph to the engine are in his opinion the keys to a good exhaust system. And of course one cannot forget the sound. The sound matters! And you know that coming from a sound enthusiast, a collector of rare audio components and a fan of good music, this must be true.

We are giving you 10 reasons why Akrapovič exhausts are the best exhausts in the world. Akrapovič employees work with a passion. Are levelheaded. Have the know-how. Their technical solutions put them at the sharp end of the world’s best. Also because of the company’s continued investment into knowledge and constant development. And what is available to the world’s best performers in racing, is now available to all riders.

// Si

End magazine will include a text that will be marked with the // Si sign and placed in a special frame. The Akrapovič company is based in Slovenia and this is why we decided to keep this part of the text in Slovenian as well.

Bor Dobrin

NOTE All the longer articles in the Sharp

02 / 03

Contents

26 FANTASTIC II

34 GO WILD

Electronic books, beds of luxury, extreme snowmobiles, navigational and on-the-road information you need while traveling on your motorcycle and much more.

We visited magical Florence and stayed in the colourful Lungarno hotels, owned by the famous fashion family Ferragamo. You have no idea how you can indulge yourself and come home with a new wardrobe.

48 FIRE BACK Play and win! If you know in which year the Akrapovič company got their first World Superbike Title, you can win a great gift!

40 RIDE WITH US

32 CRAZY STUFF

Motocross of Nations 2007 took place after 20 years in America’s Budds Creek. This is the once a year special occasion when the best racers from around the world compete against each other. Read if the Americans have beaten the rest of the world and discover whether Ricky Carmichael’s tears were those of joy or sorrow.

When did you first hear of Slovenia? Have you ever heard of Slovenia? If your answer to the second question was a no, prepare yourself, for the little country at the crossroads of the Alps and the Mediterranean, being independent for only 16 years, is becoming one of the main discoveries of Europe and its roads an attraction for motor bikers.

Do you want to sleep in an ice hotel or just want to enjoy on a private island? How about flying to the moon or seeing the eerie remains of the Titanic? We traced the biggest motorcycle in the world ... and more crazy things for you to try.

Matjaž Krivic

28 CYCLE WORLD

Peter Kavčič

50 ORIGINAL Yenny Huber is a young artists from Vienna, who has lived in Australia for the past seven years. We are presenting Yenny’s photographic art from on-going project “48stunden” (48 hours). The concept originally started in Sydney and has now included shoots in Melbourne, Sydney, Monaco, Vienna, Barcelona, and the latest instalment in Ljubljana. For this project, she uses a Lomo LC-A Compact Automat camera where the emphasis is on a spontaneous, candid, and photo vérité approach.

56 HIGH GEAR Alan Cathcart, our columnist, is a freelance motorcycle journalist. He told us why the World Superbike looks set for a big growth spurt in the next two years, with as many as ten rival manufacturers in a single race series. It could be that production-based racing will play a greater role in world-class motorcycle sport in future years.

Akrapovič Logo - a Mirror in Time and Space Our age is an age of sym-

And Akrapovič has one

at the root of the name

ates a recognizable whole.

forms take on the essence

scorpion, the leading mo-

are reading right now,

therefore a very interest-

bols. These often abstract and the core of what they represent. They include the philosophy and the values of what is pre-

sented. Companies have

their symbols too - logos.

as well. The concept of a

tif of their logo, originates from the surname of the

company’s founder Igor Akrapovič (in Turkish

Akrap means Scorpion).

A similar reason also lies

of the magazine that you as Sharp Ended means

Scorpio (the Scorpion) in

Latin. Combined with the company’s philosophy

that is aimed at excellence

A look into the history is ing experience, reflected in the company’s rapid

growth and its continued focus on perfection.

and quality, the image cre-

06 / 09

Sharp details

The New AkrapoviÄ? Logo is: Contemporary / Corporate / Archetypal (cross in the logo) / Pictogramic (visibility of scorpion as the starting

point of the logo) / Technologically superior (reflecting the achievements of the company) / Unique/exclusive / Communicative / Sporty and at the same time sophisticated

2007

The History of the AkrapoviÄ? Logo: 1990-1991

1992-1994

1994

1997

2001

10 / 13

Moto Action 5 minutes before the race

Randy De Puniet

Moto Action / 5 minutes before the race

AkrapoviCč Records NumerousšščćŠČ Successes at the End of 2007 Season

The exhausts, manufactured by the Akrapovič company, recorded considerable successes in this year’s season as well:

Randy De Puniet is a 26-year old with a pleasing nature and a great love for sports, especially motorcycles and racing. He is a calm person off the track, but very aggressive on it. He is also known to be very fast through the corners and does not need a lot of time to get used to a new motorbike or a new track. He can be fast after riding for only a few metres. 2. When will Randy De Puniet become world champion? Ha, ha well as soon as possible. Maybe in two to three years. I’d like to consistently place among the top ﬁve next year. If everything goes according to plan, I’d want to have the title behind my belt by, let’s say 2010. 3. Your favourite place in the world and the reasons for it. Undoubtedly my native France. I want to spend as much time at home as possible.

Randy is very fast through the corners.

Motocross MX1: 1st place Steve Ramon – Suzuki 2nd place Kevin Strijbos- Suzuki Motocross MX 2: 2nd place Tommy Searle - KTM Motocross MX 3: 2nd place Swen Breuglemans – KTM

FIM Superstock Cup: 1st place Niccolo Canepa – Ducati

Enduro

AMA Supersport: 1st place Roger Hayden – Kawasaki 2nd place Jamie Hacking – Kawasaki

Enduro E1: 1st place Juha Salminen – KTM

British Superbike Championship: 1st place Ryuichi Kiyonari – Honda 2nd place Jonathan Rea – Honda

Enduro E2: 2nd place Samuli Aro - KTM Enduro E3: 1st place Ivan Cervantes - KTM 2nd place Marko Tarakkala - KTM

Canada Superbike Championship: 1st place Jordan Szoke – Kawasaki Canada Pro 600 Sport Bike Championship: 1st place Jordan Szoke – Kawasaki

photography Kawasaki Racing Team

1. Who is Randy De Puniet ?

World Superbike Championship: 2nd place Noriyuki Haga – Yamaha 5th place Troy Corser – Yamaha Yamaha is a Manufacturers Champion Supersport World Championship: 2nd place Broc Parkes – Yamaha

by Gaber Keržišnik

Motocross

It’s nice to travel around the world, but there is no place like home. I’m not one of those who want to live abroad and use every spare moment to return home. When my career is over, I’ll deﬁnitely return to France.

because we are both French. I also work well together with Anthony West, who really is a nice guy.

4. Where is the Moto GP class going?

I’d ﬁrst and foremost forbid all electronic aides on motorcycles. I feel as if electronics is killing racing. I remember the duels and the rides from the time when the racers were competing in the class of up to 500 cc. Those were real masters.

Judging by the response in my France or around the world, it’s going up. The interest in the races is increasing every year and there is more money in it as well. I think that superstars, such as Valentino Rossi, really are a good advertisement for the sport. While Moto GP still does not enjoy the popularity of Formula 1 racing, the interest is high and rising. 5. What would Randy De Puniet do if he was not racing? Hmm, tough question. I’m a sports person by heart and I’d deﬁnitely be involved in sports. But I really do not know which one. I’ve been in racing my whole life. Before I started riding motorcycles, I was doing motocross, which I still watch. Well, I also watch football and supermoto races. I really am a sports fan. In my free time I like to read various magazines, from fashion to sports.

7. If you could change one thing in your sport, what would that be?

Troy Corser, Yamaha

Jordan Szoke, Kawasaki

Noriyuki Haga, Yamaha

Ryuichi Kiyonari, Honda

Kevin Strijbos, Suzuki

Juha Salminen, KTM

Steve Ramon, Suzuki

Niccolo Canepa, Ducati

Tommy Searle, KTM

8. Who is the childhood hero of Randy De Puniet? Kevin Schwantz, undoubtedly. Young, fast, fearless and always ready to take a chance. One of the bravest riders of all time. I liked his style of riding. 9. What would we ﬁnd in your garage? Motorbikes, mainly. I own a 250 cc bike for motocross, which I use for stamina practice and fun, a 450 cc supermoto for practicing my corners, four mountain bikes for trips to nature, a new Ferrari F 430 for pleasure and a tiny Smart for everyday use.

6. Who would you choose as your teammate if you had that option?

10. What would be your advice to all motorcyclists of this world?

This is not important for me. It only matters that the racers understand each other. It’s vital that the person is simple and fast. I had a great teammate last year in Shinya Nakano and I got along very well this year with Oliver Jacques,

Guys, be careful on the road. A race track is much better and safer for releasing adrenalin. And never ride your motorcycle without all your safety gear.

Yamaha Racing, Suzuki Racing, Edmunds J. / KTM images, Jordan Szoke Team, Dukati, Honda Racing

10 WHY QUESTIONS FOR RANDY DE PUNIET

Road racing

10 / 13

Moto Action 5 minutes before the race

Randy De Puniet

Moto Action / 5 minutes before the race

AkrapoviCč Records NumerousšščćŠČ Successes at the End of 2007 Season

The exhausts, manufactured by the Akrapovič company, recorded considerable successes in this year’s season as well:

Randy is very fast through the corners.

Motocross MX1: 1st place Steve Ramon – Suzuki 2nd place Kevin Strijbos- Suzuki Motocross MX 2: 2nd place Tommy Searle - KTM Motocross MX 3: 2nd place Swen Breuglemans – KTM

FIM Superstock Cup: 1st place Niccolo Canepa – Ducati

Enduro

AMA Supersport: 1st place Roger Hayden – Kawasaki 2nd place Jamie Hacking – Kawasaki

Enduro E1: 1st place Juha Salminen – KTM

British Superbike Championship: 1st place Ryuichi Kiyonari – Honda 2nd place Jonathan Rea – Honda

Enduro E2: 2nd place Samuli Aro - KTM Enduro E3: 1st place Ivan Cervantes - KTM 2nd place Marko Tarakkala - KTM

Canada Superbike Championship: 1st place Jordan Szoke – Kawasaki Canada Pro 600 Sport Bike Championship: 1st place Jordan Szoke – Kawasaki

photography Kawasaki Racing Team

1. Who is Randy De Puniet ?

World Superbike Championship: 2nd place Noriyuki Haga – Yamaha 5th place Troy Corser – Yamaha Yamaha is a Manufacturers Champion Supersport World Championship: 2nd place Broc Parkes – Yamaha

by Gaber Keržišnik

Motocross

because we are both French. I also work well together with Anthony West, who really is a nice guy.

4. Where is the Moto GP class going?

7. If you could change one thing in your sport, what would that be?

Troy Corser, Yamaha

Jordan Szoke, Kawasaki

Noriyuki Haga, Yamaha

Ryuichi Kiyonari, Honda

Kevin Strijbos, Suzuki

Juha Salminen, KTM

Steve Ramon, Suzuki

Niccolo Canepa, Ducati

Tommy Searle, KTM

6. Who would you choose as your teammate if you had that option?

10. What would be your advice to all motorcyclists of this world?

Guys, be careful on the road. A race track is much better and safer for releasing adrenalin. And never ride your motorcycle without all your safety gear.

Yamaha Racing, Suzuki Racing, Edmunds J. / KTM images, Jordan Szoke Team, Dukati, Honda Racing

10 WHY QUESTIONS FOR RANDY DE PUNIET

Road racing

Moto Action Shots of adrenalin

to Coach KTM Teams

Rossi

Rossi’s next challenge.

almost Certain to Do Rally GB Valentino Rossi has been reported as saying that a deal to use a Prodrive-run Subaru Impreza WRC car in Wales is ‘95 per cent’ sorted. Rossi is looking almost certain to compete on the Rally GB, the ﬁnal round in the 2007 FIA World Rally Championship, which runs from November 30 to December 2.

Rumours meanwhile continue to suggest that he might switch to rally after 2009, when his contract with Yamaha expires. Fiat, which currently sponsors the Yamaha team, is understood to be keen to get him to drive in the Punto Super 2000 races. However, Rossi has recently hinted that he may change teams after 2008, should his Yamaha not improve, suggesting that any four-wheel switch is still some way off.

COLIN MCRAE (1968-2007) “Colin had a competitive spirit like I’ve never seen in any other individual in my life,”

“I know that Fiat wants to return to the WRC with the Punto S2000 turbo, but I am not part of that programme,” Rossi was quoted as saying

said his former boss at Subaru, David Richards. “He was one of those people who had an extraordinary spirit that you just can’t deﬁne. It’s a terrible loss,” the Prodrive-man summedup his emotions in the aftermath of McRae’s untimely death.

Sebastien Tortelli

Slovenians in Daytona Again

More www.crash.net Akrapovič in Daytona again!

Will Rossi stay with Yamaha?!

Primož Jurman, the Head of PR office at Akrapovič, rode the BMW “safety bike” at the Moto GP race in Brno. We hope that you will envy him at least a little bit (just as we do), as the feelings were unforgettable. Saturday 1 PM The event began in the BMW hospitality area, followed by the move to Dorna’s tent for a briefing on the start procedure. We met Carlos Pratola there, the man in charge of the start procedure. The Spaniard is the man responsible for contacts with the race director and decides when the warm-up motorcycles and cars go on the track for a warm-up lap. Carlos’s right hand, Pepe, is meanwhile the man who gives the go signal. Carlos takes me to the warehouse, where I get a BMW black-greyred Airflow 3 motorbike suit, and sporting a MotoGP logo on the back. The suit comes with a helmet, gloves and boots. Fitted out, I then go to the race direction room, located on the ground floor of the tower next to the main stand. This is where our meeting point will be tomorrow.

Sunday 1:30 PM

in the same report.

Yamaha Racing

Ford

More www.mxlarge.com

“It is 95 per cent certain I will participate in the Wales Rally GB,” said Rossi. “However we do not have the budget completely together yet. We would like to drive on Michelin tyres. We hope to do some tests beforehand too.”

Colin Forever

Colin’s spirit will live forever.

Rick Johnson, seven-time AMA National Champion, and Sebastien Tortelli, two-time FIM World Motocross Champion, have joined forces with KTM to serve as rider coaches for the KTM Factory Junior SX/MX Team as well as the MDK KTM Factory Racing and MDK KTM Lites teams. They have been working together since 2003.The strength of their relationship is evident from their joint venture to renovate and acquire the 50-year old Perris Raceway facility and establish the Champ Factory Schools, a riding school for riders of all ages and riding levels. Johnson and Tortelli will coach their students in stamina building and riding technique.

KTM

Prodrive

24 MINUTES OF HEAVEN

Having successfully completed the last season, the Slovenian Inotherm racing team is already gearing up for the ﬁrst event of the new season, the Daytona 200 race in Daytona, Florida. Under the technical patronage of the Akrapovič trademark, racers Boštjan Pintar and Boštjan Skubic and their Yamahas R6s will try to improve on their last year’s positions when they ﬁnished the event at 10th and 14th place, respectively. This was an exceptional result, especially after taking into account the fact that the completely privatelyowned team will again be competing against factory teams with top professional riders at the legendary race.

D Day. I’m waiting for the motorcycle in front of the control tower. The BMW R1200S is of a metallic grey colour, painted with BMW’s M series colours and roars away with an open Akrapovič exhaust. And when I say roars, I mean it. I meet my co-rider, Victor from the Czech Republic, who will be riding besides me at the other side of the track. Pepe gives us the go sign with his hand. Action! Let’s go! Damn, I feel butterflies in my stomach. I’m sorry, but only a little bit sorry, to have decided to do this. I start the engine and slowly ride out. I position myself at the right side, near the wall, ten metres behind the starting line. The Czech is on my left and we are separated by a BMW M3. I turn off the engine and stand down beside the bike. The adrenaline kicks in and my thoughts are becoming muddled. I get such an adrenaline surge that I ask myself “Shit, which direction for the first? Up or down?” Panic. I collect myself. The straight in front of me is long, very long, and the first corner cannot even be seen. I turn back and take a look at the crème of motorcycle racing: Stoner, Rossi, Hayden and others, all lined up at their starting positions.

1:50 PM A minute to go. “Gentlemen, start your engines!” This is it! I start my engine and yes, the ﬁrst gear is downwards. I crank up the gas in a more determined manner and the engine roars with a deep bass.

1:51 PM I make a gentle, but determined start. “Safety is paramount, so don’t overdo it on the track!” were Carlos’s words. I am continuously aware of Victor, always present on my left, we are well coordinated, we ride in parallel and not more than 130 kilometres an hour. Down and to the left, we round a small forest and then … then we see a hill full of people. Thousands, no, make that tens of thousands of them. It is f-u-l-l. “Full house”. My hands shake, the spine tingles, the blood freezes and even the track seems to get slippery. I try not to look up, not to look at people and concentrate on the bike. I hear the whistles, the noise of rockets being fired and the howling of the sirens. Through more turns, down a slope and I am at the lowest part of the track. From here on I climb through a left-right turn and then back to the finish straight, where I can let go a little and open up the throttle. On the left side, on the stands, are a lot of people who react with roars to the booming noise of the Akrapovič exhaust. The entrance to the pits is just after the final combination of turns and slowly we come back to where we started from. I am glad that I made it and the burden of responsibility slowly eases up.

1:54 PM I park the motorcycle in the safety area, get off and, feeling really pleased with myself, watch the ﬁrst laps of the race.

1:49 PM Pepe indicates that we will be go in two minutes. I get on my motorcycle, catch Victor’s eye and we nod to each other. For encouragement. I really needed that. Still alive is the memory of my fall at Rijeka Circuit a month and a half ago and I would not want to make a spectacle of myself – this time in front of the world’s best. Be gone negative thoughts, away from me!

Hopkins

to Race for Kawasaki in 2008 Season

Suzuki Racing

Johnson and Tortelli

Moto Action / Shots of adrenalin

American John Hopkins, one of the most talented racers at the moment, has surprised the world motorcycle elite by deciding to race for team Kawasaki in the Moto GP category. The surprise comes, because Hopkins, who had from the start of his career sworn by Suzuki, was still saying recently that he wanted to begin and end his career at Suzuki, much as the 1993 World Champion Kevin Schwantz. It seems that Hopkins was drawn in by Kawasaki’s potential as the green team surprised everyone in the new 800 cc motorbikes era by showing that they had an extremely fast bike. The green-clad Hopkins will undoubtedly be one of the favourites for the top spots at all the races of the next season. Lukasz Swiderek

10 / 13

Worried, but happy - Primož Jurman on the starting grid.

Moto Action Shots of adrenalin

to Coach KTM Teams

Rossi

Rossi’s next challenge.

COLIN MCRAE (1968-2007) “Colin had a competitive spirit like I’ve never seen in any other individual in my life,”

“I know that Fiat wants to return to the WRC with the Punto S2000 turbo, but I am not part of that programme,” Rossi was quoted as saying

Sebastien Tortelli

Slovenians in Daytona Again

More www.crash.net Akrapovič in Daytona again!

Will Rossi stay with Yamaha?!

Sunday 1:30 PM

in the same report.

Yamaha Racing

Ford

More www.mxlarge.com

Colin Forever

Colin’s spirit will live forever.

KTM

Prodrive

24 MINUTES OF HEAVEN

1:54 PM I park the motorcycle in the safety area, get off and, feeling really pleased with myself, watch the ﬁrst laps of the race.

Hopkins

to Race for Kawasaki in 2008 Season

Suzuki Racing

Johnson and Tortelli

Moto Action / Shots of adrenalin

10 / 13

Worried, but happy - Primož Jurman on the starting grid.

TEN REASONS WHY AKRAPOVI»?

Revolution 14

Photography / Akrapovič, Bor Dobrin

The only way to win is to be the fastest, to be unstoppable, to be unbeatable in every way. This is the motto of Akrapovič, a company that employs over 370 workers, ranging from highly motivated engineers to skilled workers, who are able to transform innovative ideas from computer screens into finished exhaust systems. The employees think of them as works of art. However, the idea that its exhaust systems are indeed works of art and represent the best that money can buy did not originate in the company’s marketing department. These are solid facts that are based on comparisons and articles by leading global motorcycle magazines and on the successes that racers have achieved using the company’s exhausts. This is also confirmed by their winning the “Best Brand” award for two years in a row from the Europe’s largest motorcycle magazine, Motorrad, based on reader surveys. So what makes them the best?

1.ONLY THE BEST MATERIALS ARE USED //////////////////////////////////////////////////

Three basic materials are used for creating the exhaust systems: titanium, stainless steel and carbon fibre.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////

The titanium compound used for all parts of the Evolution series of exhaust systems and for some parts of other exhaust systems is a unique formula manufactured under an exclusive contract by a Japanese supplier. Titanium is a lightweight and stiff material, but too sensitive to the high temperatures generated by motorcycle engines. Akrapovič titanium, however, can handle temperatures in excess of 800°C – the temperature reached by exhaust fumes as they leave the engine. It is also three times stronger and more resistant to oxidation at high tempera-

tures than the titanium used by other exhaust system manufacturers. The titanium used by Akrapovič is stronger and 40% lighter than stainless steel. //////////////////////////////////////////////////

Stainless steel is used in the company’s less expensive exhaust systems or when compromises need to be made and where weight reduction is not a must. These include exhaust systems for recreational use and in basic modifications of the original exhaust systems. //////////////////////////////////////////////////

Carbon fiber is an important element of many exhaust systems. Akrapovič uses only top quality ultra light and compact impregnated carbon fiber, with high tensile strength and temperature resistance.

2. USE OF HIGH TECHNOLOGY IN A STATEOF-THE-ART FACTORY //////////////////////////////////////////////////

Hydroforming is a process of forming header tubes using machines that mould metal with pressurized water (from 1,000 to 4,000 bars). The material also does not lose its strength in the process. This is necessary because exhaust fumes flow optimally through the tube only when its form is ideal and in line with calculations.

14 / 17

Revolution

EVERYTHING, EVEN THE BLACKBIRD Titanium is used in medicine, aeronautics and space industry. Indeed, the use of titanium has made space exploration possible. The Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo capsules were made largely from this metal. The space shuttle has many titanium parts as does the international space station. Titanium is also widely used in military hardware such as jet fighters, missiles, tanks, ships and submarines. The famous Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft is wholly made of titanium. Slavko Trstenjak (left), the head of the R&D department, searching for new solutions.

CNC machines and lasers cutting equipment allow for the creation of the precise components requested by development engineers and at the same time allow the highest possible quality of the final product. Autoclaves allow the company to achieve the highest possible quality of its carbon fiber products.

3. IN-HOUSE DEVELOPMENT AND MANUFACTURING DESIGNED AND CREATED IN THE FACTORY ////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Because Akrapovič wants to stay independent of outside suppliers and maintain 100% control over quality, it designs and manufactures its exhaust systems in their entirety. This process also allows the company to create exhaust tubes to its own specifications without having to adjust to others, meaning that the workers can produce the precise optimum shape determined by the R&D department, resulting in maximum performance. The only items that Akrapovič does not make by itself are the stickers, clamps and muffler damping wool. These are manufactured by subcontractors under the watchful eye of Akrapovič’s quality supervisors.

The company built the most advanced laboratory for meeting the conditions for type approval and certificates.

4. IN-HOUSE DEVELOPMENT ////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The R&D department is the heart of the company. The skilled and highly motivated team uses state-of-the-art equipment, including two dynamometers for motorcycles and a 3D scanner and 3D printer that allows the creation of full-size prototypes from ABS plastic.

5. INVOLVEMENT IN MOTORCYCLE RACING

////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Akrapovič works with numerous factory teams and is present in nearly all racing categories. The company boasts a total of 29 World Championship titles!

6. A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE ////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Igor Akrapovič’s daring vision of industry supremacy was based on his ingenuity, while he added cutting edge technical skills and a desire for perfection to the experience gained on the racetrack as a competitor. The 1990s were a time of risks, maturing and confirmation of success of the by then already well-established company. The excellence of the brand was also corroborated by the fact that in the late 1990s all Japanese teams in the World Superbike Championship used exhaust systems that bore the Akrapovič logo. The turn of the millennium was also a milestone for the company as it gained visibility and became a reference name for quality exhaust systems. A wide range of world championship titles in various categories made them the leading exhaust system manufacturer. Alongside its proven quality and the various world championship titles, the company also made

inroads into other segments of the fourstroke internal combustion world.

7. INNOVATION IN DESIGN ////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Their proprietary and patented hexagonal shape of sound mufflers caused a storm in exhaust systems. The shape transformed the conception of an exhaust systems as it replaced the standard oval-shaped muffler into a designer product that added aesthetic value to the motorcycle. According to trends, each motorcycle will in the future carry its own exhaust system design.

8. MEETING THE MOST STRINGENT ENVIRONMENTAL DEMANDS ////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The Akrapovič exhaust systems for road use meet the most stringent norms for exhaust gas emissions and noise. But the company did not stop there! Its new manufacturing facility houses a state-of-the-art laboratory, allowing them to meet the conditions for type approval and certificates.

9. ATTENTION TO DETAIL

////////////////////////////////////////////////////

For Evolution and Racing systems they use conical header tubes shaped by hydroforming, thereby reducing the negative impact of exhaust fume turbulence. Because the inner sleeves, flanges and header tubes are independent using floating couplings connected with just a couple of springs, the assembly is quick, while reduced vibration also puts less stress on the material. Systems that use interference crossover tubes or additional chambers have additional reinforcement in order to reduce the chance of cracking. Using sleeve joints (crafted using precision

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Revolution

<<< PRESSURE, USED IN HYDROFORMING

Can you imagine how much is 100 bar, 1,000 bar or even 4,000 bar? The pressure of 1 bar is the weight of water that a diver feels 10 metres below the surface. The pressure, used by Akrapovič in creating their special exhausts, is meanwhile the same as experienced at 10 or 40 kilometres under the surface of the sea. The deepest measured point on the ocean floor, located in the Marianna Trench in NW Pacific, is just under 11 kilometres below the surface. The pressure in the trench is the same as the lowest working pressure of Akrapovič’s Hydroforming machine.

The R&D department is the heart of the company.

// Si

V STRAST UJETA TEHNIKA

Pri Akrapoviču delajo s strastjo. In s trezno glavo. Imajo znanje. S tehničnimi rešitvami so v ozkem krogu najboljših. Tudi ali pa prav zaradi vlaganja v znanje in neprestan razvoj. Le predanost delu in nenehno iskanje tehnološke popolnosti rojevata prvake. A tudi ti ne zmagujejo brez vrhunske opreme, zato so Akrapovičevi izpušni sistemi na jedilniku prvakov zadnjih nekaj let. In kar je na voljo najboljšim dirkačem na svetu, je pri njih dosegljivo vsakemu motoristu! V čem je skrivnost:

CNC procedures) attached with siliconshielded springs, the highest possible level of compactness of the entire system and constant contact between the tubes is achieved. The interior of the muffler is made using sandwich construction, so that the damping material maintains its qualities for longer. This also prolongs the prescribed noise level and guarantees maximum engine performance. Another special feature of Akrapovič workmanship is TIG welding, which is the only way to guarantee the stiffness, durability and smoothness of the welds.

1. UPORABLJAJO LE NAJBOLJŠE MATERIALE Za izdelavo izpušnih sistemov uporabljajo tri osnovne materiale: titan, nerjavno jeklo in ogljikova vlakna. Obvladujejo visoko tehnologijo v vrhunsko opremljeni tovarni - Hydroforming je način preoblikovanja cevi s pomočjo strojev, ki oblikujejo kovino na osnovi visokega tlaka vode (uporabljajo tlak od 1000 do 4000 barov). Ob tem material ne izgubi svoje trdnosti. Zakaj je to potrebno? Izpušni plini namreč najbolje potujejo po cevi takrat, ko je njena oblika idealna oziroma taka, kot zahtevajo izračuni.

10. TECHNOLOGY IN COMBINATION WITH PASSION

2. LASTEN RAZVOJ Srce podjetja Akrapovič je razvojni oddelek. Izkušena in izjemno motivirana ekipa uporablja najsodobnejšo opremo, predvsem je treba izpostaviti dve merilni mizi za motocikle in 3D-tiskalnik, ki omogoča izdelavo prototipov v razmerju 1 : 1.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Akrapovič employees work with a passion. They are levelheaded and have the knowhow. Their technical solutions put them at the sharp end of the world’s best, due to the company’s continued investment in knowledge and constant development. Only dedication and the never ending search for technological perfection results in victory. But even they cannot win without cuttingedge equipment, which is why the exhaust systems developed and manufactured by Akrapovič have been the staple of champions in recent years. And what is available to world champions is now available to all riders.

3. OBLIKOVALSKA INOVATIVNOST IN POZORNOST DO DETAJLOV Z lastno in patentirano heksagonalno obliko dušilcev so povzročili pravo revolucijo na področju izpušnih sistemov. Predrugačili so pojmovanje izpuha; namesto tradicionalno ovalnih oblik so dušilci postali oblikovalski izdelek, ki je motociklu dodal estetsko vrednost.

4. BOGATE IZKUŠNJE UPOŠTEVAJO NAJSTROŽJE OKOLJEVARSTVENE ZAHTEVE Izpušni sistemi podjetja Akrapovič, ki so namenjeni uporabi v cestnem prometu, zadostujejo najstrožjim normam emisij izpušnih plinov in glasnosti. A šli so še korak dlje! V novih proizvodnih prostorih so opremili tehnološko najnaprednejši laboratorij za pridobivanje ustreznih homologacij in certifikatov.

Fantastic I

Designed by bikers for bikers, the Garmin zĹŤmo 550 offers all the navigational and on-the-road information you need while traveling on your motorcycle. It is operated through a glove friendly touch screen, protected against UV and as such easily readable in sunlight, tested for vibrations and waterproof. It has an adjustable mounting hardware so you can attach it anywhere on your bike and even customize the colors to better suit your style. It is also Bluetooth compatible and has an integrated XM antenna to allow XM subscriptions (for those, who signed up on Garminâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s web page) in case you also require regular weather and traffic information or just want to listen to the radio. Handy and biker friendly for all your navigational needs, this little toy is available for around 795 euros.

Details // www.garmin.com

Philips has been known to constantly push for new limits to their incredible TV innovation called Ambilight, where specially created frame projects predominant colors on the screen into the room around it. This effect brings a new dimension to your viewing pleasure as the light gives a feeling that the whole room is sucked into the action on-screen. The next step in this technology is Aurea By Philips, which was unveiled at a special Paris event as the next generation in the Ambilight line of products. Available only in 42-inch size and costing 4,000 euros, this active-frame flat TV (the frame can also be turned off, mind you) is where designing your home cinema should begin.

Details // www.aurea.philips.com

The Slovenian Gorenje company manufactured a special, limited edition fridge that combines functionality with style. It includes a touch screen through which you operate the fridge and control its functions. It has several compartments allowing you to keep different cooling temperatures depending on stored food types, as well as a special scent filter that removes the unwanted mixture of food smells. Along with that, the fridge has a radio receiver and can record your voice messages, so you can leave notes for your family or yourself. And, to make it really special, the front cover of this otherwise black design is decorated with 3,500 Swarovski crystals. Current local price is 1,725 euros.

Details // www.gorenje.si

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People usually say that the best way to test your home audio system is to play classical music at extremely high volume. If you hear hums, cracks or any other unwanted noise, then you will know your system could use an upgrade. Kharma, a company that prides itself on creating a million dollar audio system, has kept in mind those who demand only the best sound quality from their speakers. This is why it created Exquisite, probably the finest speaker system in the world. Made with special care to provide the listener with the most authentic sound possible, this audio miracle showcases a woody exterior, Kevlar subwoofer and in-house diamond tweeters. Everything inside is connected by the latest Kharma technology using silver-gold wiring. And at 1,000 W dynamic power you can also count on waking up the neighbors.

Details // www. kharma.com

Fantastic

Nokia 8800 was one of the most popular stylish phones since 2005 when the first model of the series was unveiled. It is fairly light (134g), small, allows up to 8 days in stand-by and has a wide range of accessories including a high-resolution digital camera. So it was only prudent to make some additional versions of this popular phone, for example the always attractive Nokia 8800 Sirroco Gold, now dressed in 18-karat gold frame that adds just the style you need from your mobile device. Prices vary depending on provider and are mostly around 1,000 euros.

Details // www.nokia.com 19

Currently the most luxurious, expensive and fascinating laptop has to be the Ego. An oval shaped fusion of style and technology. It offers cutting-edge features from the laptop perspective: a completely customizable keyboard, anti-reflection screen for indoor and outdoor use, CD and DVD recordable unit, integrated webcam, unique bass reflex sound system, titanium hooks that just won’t let go when you are carrying it around and an integrated microphone. To match this with the requirements in the style section, this laptop allows changing of skins from golden (for her) to brown leather and casual black (for him) with a bonus fun skin of black and white horse fur imitation. They call it the “Rancher”. We call it amazing. Along with the price, which on Limited Edition stands at around 258,000 euros.

Details // www.tulip-ego.com

Interview / Igor AkrapoviÄ?

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Interview

by Gaber Keržišnik photography Bor Dobrin

SO SAYS IGOR AKRAPOVI»,

the founder of the company producing the most technologically advanced and hottest exhaust systems in the world today. Being light weight, a modern look, having a high quality finish and adding plenty of oomph to the engine are in his opinion the keys to a good exhaust system. And of course one cannot forget the sound. The sound matters! And you know that coming from a sound enthusiast, a collector of rare audio components and a fan of good music, this must be true.

WHERE DID YOU GET THE IDEA TO START PRODUCING MOTORCYCLE EXHAUST SYSTEMS?

It all stems from my love of motorcycles and racing. I first began to tune bikes when I was still actively involved in motorcycle racing. It didn’t take long for my friends and other racers to start bringing their bikes to me soon I was inundated with bikes to work on. Working on them, I soon concluded that the market was short on well-made and stateof-the-art motorcycle exhaust systems, so I figured this could be a niche market.

SO THE MOTORCYCLE WORLD WAS IMMEDIATELY AT YOUR FEET?

No, no - unfortunately not. It wasn’t so simple. Right at that time the former Yugoslavia, which made up most of my market, fell apart. Slovenia became an independent country, and its two million inhabitants were not a big enough market for exhaust systems. I had to look abroad, and I first tried to break into the Italian market. I turned to a world famous Ducati tuning shop, and when they tested my products they realised that mine were much better than theirs and those of their competitors. So they started to sell my exhaust systems. At the beginning, I was mostly making exhaust systems for Ducati bikes, but I soon began to cater for Japanese four-stroke bikes. It was only two or three years before virtually all teams competing in what was then the very competitive German Superbike Championship were using our exhaust systems. And so the German market was captured as well.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WAS THE TURNING POINT IN YOUR CAREER?

I think it was in 1996, when German rider Jochen Schmidt, who was then at the top of the German Superbike Championships, rode in a Grand Prix race with his Kawasaki. His bike was the fastest. It was much faster than the factory bikes, so straight after the race the Japanese ordered our exhaust systems. After testing them and opening them up, they established that our exhaust systems were far better than theirs, and in 1997, the Kawasaki team became the first to compete in the World Championships using our exhaust systems. It was only a year later that all of the Japanese manufacturers, meaning the Kawasaki, Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha factory teams, were racing with our exhaust systems.

I REMEMBER YOUR FIRST SHOP, WHICH WAS ADVANCED FOR ITS TIME, BUT RIDICULOUSLY SMALL COMPARED TO TODAY’S. HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO PRODUCE WORLD-BEATING EXHAUST SYSTEMS WITHOUT ALL THE MODERN EQUIPMENT - EVEN FOR MEASURING POWER OUTPUT? We did a lot of testing. Since Slovenia does

The other racers used to call me a fanatic because I truly lived and breathed motorcycles, but I always remained sufficiently level-headed and made it out without injuries. not have a race course, we tested our exhaust systems in neighbouring Croatia, on the Grobnik circuit near Rijeka, which used to be the home of the Yugoslav Grand Prix. I used the technical know-how I had obtained from tuning motorcycles. At the time all the producers were making exhaust systems with outlets that were too wide, which meant that the exhaust gases were exiting too slowly. We went about things differently - and the results were soon obvious.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO WORK WITH THE FACTORY TEAMS BACK THEN? Well, it’s pretty much as it is today. Sometimes you get an order several months in advance, and sometimes things have to be done literally overnight. However, we can now send things by courier anywhere in the world, whereas we used to have to bring them to the race in plastic bags. If I add that we had to make frequent border crossings, you can imagine what it was like. It wasn’t nearly as simple as it is today.

GIVEN YOUR LOVE FOR MOTORCYCLES, I WOULD EXPECT THAT YOU STILL RIDE ONE TODAY?

I do own a bike, but I only rarely get to ride it. Not enough at all. There is no time. When I go on a trip, I usually go with my family, meaning that I can only take the car. However, my son recently got involved in motocross, so I regularly attend cup meets to watch him now, and also make several visits to the Moto GP and Superbike races each season. Perhaps 5 or 6 races, depending on the need.

WHAT BRANDS WOULD YOU SAY ARE YOURS? WHAT DID YOU SWEAR BY IN THE PAST AND WHAT TODAY?

As far as motorcycles go, I’m a fan of Kawasaki. It has no deeper meaning than the fact it was my first bike and you always have fond memories of your first one. Despite the fact that Honda was technologically superior even at that time. Later, I spent years racing

and working on Moto Guzzi, and moved on to Suzukis after that. I raced on two-stroke Yamahas of various engine sizes.

WHAT ABOUT TODAY?

When it comes to brands, the heart prevails over the mind. I bet on quality. For everyday driving I use an Audi - I used to have a Porsche 911 Turbo, which I replaced with a BMW M6. These are my toys. As far as watches go, I’m a loyal IWC fan, since they have a number of models that are made exactly to my taste. I have no favourite clothes brands.

YOU USED TO COMPETE MOSTLY IN STREET RACES AND ON MAKESHIFT CIRCUITS?

That’s true. It was dangerous stuff. But I should admit that I was always wise enough not to start when I thought the course was too dangerous. If the race was on city streets and I saw that the tarmac was so bad that you could not go full out even in a straight line, I couldn’t see any sense in that. I was always into races where you could show your skills and the advantage of having a homemade motorcycle. Races that depended only on the courage of the rider were not my thing. The other racers used to call me a fanatic because I truly lived and breathed motorcycles, but I always remained sufficiently level-headed and made it out without injuries.

YOU DID A LOT OF YOUR RIDING ON THE STREETS BACK THEN. WAS IT AN ART TO STAY ALIVE?

Actually, much less than it is today. It is true that the motorcycles were not as good, but they were also not as quick. Although what matters most is that there was much less traffic back then.

THERE’S A STORY FROM YOUR TIME OF THE LEGENDARY CURVE ON THE ROAD LEADING UP TO THE LJUBLJANA

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Interview

“If you owned a bike, you automatically got a police record. You were a potential criminal. Motorcycles were a way of life back then. If I’m living for motorcycles today, I truly lived for motorcycles then.”

CASTLE. IS THIS A MYTH OR WAS THAT TRULY A POPULAR RACING LOCATION?

All the riders in Ljubljana knew each other back then. That was a kind of meeting point for all the bikers of the time, since there were very few of us. In communist times, there were no bikes with big engines. You couldn’t buy a new one in a shop and it was forbidden to import them. So we looked for Slovenes living abroad who returned to Slovenia for permanent stay. They could import a motorcycle - and if you paid them enough, you could buy a motorcycle abroad using their name and then import it. The problem was that the person importing it could not sell it for at least two years, so we had to ride using their documents. If

the police caught you using a motorcycle that wasn’t yours, they would impound it - forever! This is why we mostly didn’t stop for the police. But since we had awesome and well-tuned motorcycles, it was not too hard to get away. Yes, it was plenty of fun back then. If you owned a bike, you automatically got a police record. You were a potential criminal. Motorcycles were a way of life back then. If I’m living for motorcycles today, I truly lived for motorcycles then. The curve leading up to the Ljubljana Castle was truly enjoyable and was one of the few curves at the time where you could lean to touch the tarmac with your knee and get sparks flying off your exhaust. It was in fact our testing ground, where everyone got

the chance to show what they were made of in the heart of the city.

LEGENDARY SWEDISH SKIER INGEMAR STENMARK SAID ONCE THAT HE WAS SO SUCCESSFUL ONLY BECAUSE HE THOUGHT ABOUT SKIING NIGHT AND DAY. IS IT THE SAME FOR YOU - DO YOU THINK ABOUT EXHAUST SYSTEMS ALL THE TIME?

I would absolutely have to agree with him. Well, I may not be thinking about exhaust systems all the time. Much of my energy goes into plans for the development of the company. There is always something new. Just recently we launched a new laboratory for testing metals that will allow us to control

“Maybe my father was not too keen about the idea of exhaust systems at the outset, but he soon realised that this was something I loved doing and was therefore a road to success.”

the materials and welds using microscopes. It’s an investment of over 300,000 euros. At the same time, I’m also starting the construction of a new facility that will house a titanium foundry. These two projects are in my head all the time. And then there is the construction of a new 19,000 square metre production plant - there is no shortage of things to occupy my mind.

IN WHICH DIRECTION IS AKRAPOVI» DEVELOPING?

In four different directions. One of them is the development of a department that already employs 65 people and deals with composite materials, especially carbon fibre, basically products made out of what is known as carbon. The second backbone of the company will be the future tita-

nium foundry, the construction of which will begin in a month. This will - if I stretch it - allow us to make anything, from exhaust components to artificial hips. The third segment is continuing the production of motorcycle exhaust systems, while the fourth is making car exhaust systems, since we have now started to work with Porsche. We have developed a titanium exhaust that will be built into the production version of the top-end 911 GT 2.

DOES THE SHIFT TO CAR EXHAUST SYSTEMS MEAN THAT YOU HAVE ACHIEVED EVERYTHING THERE IS TO ACHIEVE IN THE BIKE SEGMENT?

Not yet. I think that our sales of motorcycle exhaust systems will only peak in two to three years. I keep saying that we

need to find an alternative at the right time. I see a lot of untapped potential in the car segment, especially in the area of exhaust systems made of titanium and other rare metals.

AND WHAT WOULD IGOR AKRAPOVI» BE DOING IN HIS LIFE IF HE WAS NOT THE EXHAUST KING? I think I’d be making speakers. I’m a true audio aficionado and acoustics is my passion. At night, when I find the time, I lock myself in my music room and enjoy in the supreme sound of my rare music components. I listen to jazz, rock, blues ... it all depends on the mood. It’s my way of getting away from everything.

FROM WHERE DOES THIS LOVE OF MUSIC COMPONENTS STEM?

It goes back to my youth. I was interested in good amplifiers, clear and powerful sound and sound systems from an early age. I even made speakers when I was young. This was my other hobby, along with motorcycles. I needed money to start my motorcycle business, which is why I sold all my equipment - but today I can play around with that again, and I follow all the latest trends and news.

THEY SAY THAT BEHIND EVERY SUCCESSFUL MAN, THERE IS A SUCCESSFUL WOMAN. IS THAT TRUE FOR YOU?

Of course! My wife has been involved closely with the development of my company. Her opinion is always important to me - in fact, it was she who convinced me to start my own business. Since she is an architect

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Interview

by profession, all the new company buildings are her work, while she has also been involved in the design and selection of the new logo, the company brand, printed materials and many other things.

SO AKRAPOVI» IS A FAMILY COMPANY?

When it comes to my wife and me, Akrapovič is by all means a family company, but I have no intention of forcing my daughter and son into something they do not want to do. If they decide to carry on my business and take it over someday, I will by all means be happy, but I have no intention of making them do so if they have no such desire. My father also has his company that he still runs even though he is 83 years old, and I don’t think that he has ever been angry with me for not taking over his company. Maybe he was not too keen about the idea of exhaust systems at the outset, but he soon realised that this was something I loved doing and was therefore a road to success.

MOTORCYCLISTS ARE YOUR MAIN CLIENTS. WHAT WOULD YOU OFFER THEM UPON THEIR ARRIVAL IN SLOVENIA? Most of all the beautiful landscape and the ideal roads for riding. I would probably take them out for a motorcycle tour of the gorgeous Gorenjska region or for a winding ride around the Dolenjska hills.

NEW ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS MEAN THAT DEVELOPMENT IS FOCUSED ON REDUCING EXHAUST GAS EMISSIONS. BUT LIMITS HAVE ALSO BEEN IMPOSED ON NOISE EMISSIONS?

That is true. People often choose to change their exhaust because they want their bike to have a better sound. I think that the motorcycles of today are too quick, which makes them more dangerous. This means that drivers notice you later, and find it much harder to react and assess your speed. Reasonable limits should apply. More effort should go into the quality rather than the quantity of the exhaust sound. Loud sounds do not have to be a nuisance. There are certain tones that make you feel uneasy, but there are also frequencies that are pleasing to the ear. In the development of an exhaust, we analyse its sound and check the frequencies of individual tones. We are always careful that there are no metallic sounds, which are not pleasant. In making our exhaust systems, we pay a lot of attention to the sound they make. They have to be music to the ears. The sound absolutely does matter.

// Si

ZVOK sTEJE ... ...pravi Igor Akrapovič, ustanovitelj podjetja, ki danes proizvaja tehnološko najbolj popolne in najboljše izpušne sisteme na svetu. Manjša teža, sodobna oblika, kvalitetna izdelava in seveda povečana motorna moč, so po njegovem odlike dobrega izpušnega sistema. In jasno, ne smemo pozabiti na zvok. Zvok šteje! Če tako pravi Akrapovič, v prostem času zaprisežen ljubitelj audio tehnike, zbiralec eksotične akustike in ljubitelj dobre glasbe, potem to nedvomno drži. ... KAM GRE RAZVOJ PODJETJA AKRAPOVI»?

V štiri različne smeri. Ena izmed njih je razvoj oddelka, ki danes zaposluje 65 ljudi in le ta se ukvarja s kompoziti, v glavnem z ogljikovimi vlakni, torej z izdelki iz tako imenovanega karbona. Drugi steber podjetja bo livarna za titan, ki jo pričnemo graditi v kratkem. Kjer bomo, če se malce pošalim, lahko izdelovali vse: od delov za izpuhe do umetnih kolkov. Tretja veja ostajajo izpuhi za motocikle in četrti del so izpuhi za avtomobile, kajti začeli smo sodelovati s Porschejem. Razvili smo izpuh iz titana, ki bo serijsko vgrajen na njihovem novem, najprestižnejšem modelu 911 GT 2. ALI POMENI SELITEV V AVTOMOBILSKO INDUSTRIJO TO, DA STE V SVETU MOTOCIKLISTI»NIH IZPUHOV DOSEGLI SVOJ MAKSIMUM? Še ne. Menim, da bomo vrh prodaje izpuhov za motorna kolesa dosegli v dveh ali treh letih. Zagovarjam tezo, da se je potrebno pravočasno preusmeriti drugam. V avtomobilski industriji vidim še velik in neizkoriščen potencial, še posebno na področju izdelave izpuhov iz titana in podobnih eksotičnih kovin.

Fantastic II

While there is nothing like holding a freshly bought book, the future holds something else in store for all book lovers. The Sony Portable Reader is a friendly device that can store up to 80 books in its memory, allowing you to read anything and everything on the go. This should save up some luggage space on your travels, as well as give you access to all the best-seller titles, sometimes even before they hit the book stores. The Sony Portable Reader can be connected to your PC to access the internet from where you can purchase over 15,000 book titles in digital form. The Portable Reader is small enough to fit right into your pocket and can also play mp3s and display jpeg photos. Along with that, the device has a specially designed screen that does not reflect background light, so the reading is easy on the eyes even in bright daylight. So go ahead, bring it with you to the park.

Details // www.sonystyle.com

An innovation in style and design has been shown at the 2007 Copenhagen International Furniture Fair. The Dekka daybed combines Danish and Arabic design for an award winning, aesthetically incredible piece of furniture. If you are not sure - it is in fact a bed. The frame is made out of polished aluminum and joined with the unique yet very comfortable pattern with the result being more of an art installation than a piece of furniture. But, since it has a practical use for sitting, you might just as well go for it. It is available in limited edition for 34,000 euros.

Details // www.furnid.com

There is very little reason these days not to own your private safe. Be it for important documents, jewelry, that expensive bottle of cognac you ordered from New York or just some extra cash you have lying around the house. However, when it comes to personal safes, style is an important factor. That is why the German Doettling company has been providing demanding customers with only the best in luxury and safety when it comes to safes. Designed by their skilled masters, crafted by hand and using only the finest materials, these little treasure boxes will keep all your riches safe while some of them will also come with a humidity cigar box on top. Made by order in rustic or modern (Bel-Air) style with prices beginning at 80,000 euros.

Details // www.doettling-safes.com

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Fantastic

The Perfect Pencil is a pencil, but it costs 9,000 euros. This limited edition pencil from Graf Von Faber-Castell has been crafted from 250-year old olive-tree wood and sports white gold handles and sharpener. Only for the richest collectors.

Details // www.faber-castell.de

As presented at the Tokyo Motorshow this year, Yamaha Tesseract is definitely something many bikers would refuse to even call a motorcycle. It is a concept for the future, has 4 wheels for superior stability and both a V-Twin engine as well as an electric motor. No issues with parking and a fortune to be paid once this is available on the market.

Details // www.tokyo-motorshow.com

Out there is a battle we do not even know about. The battle between wet and dry shaving. So it now boils down to you either being a traditionalist, using foam and a razor to get the smoothest shave possible, or you would rather trade a little of that extra smoothness for a more mobile option. Philips now created a completely new brand of electric dry shavers called Philips Arcitec (260 euros). They redesigned their old form into a thinner, more practical shape, allowing the flexible head and the lift and cut technology to get possibly the best shave out of an electronic shaver. It looks futuristic and it does the trick. Even on the neck. And what is even better, you now get a special cleaning unit with it. Just insert the shaver, press the button and it cleans the heads while you are off to work.

Details // www.philips.com

This winter, the rides just got better. With extreme snowmobiles from Polaris, redesigned and upgraded for the new winter season. With Polaris IQ Cruiser standing out of the crowd as the one snowmobile that will not leave you stranded. Extendable seat for the passenger, adjustable steering for extra comfort and control, stronger engine and lighter front skis that allow for easier turning with less effort. Weighing in at just under 300 kilos and packing 140 HP, you can count on its raw power to get you through the whitest winter you can imagine. Prices on the IQ model range start at 7,800 euros.

Details // www.polarisindustries.com

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Cycle World

Cycle world

MX of Nations 2007 – Budds Creek

by Peter Kavčič photography Ray Archer

I STILL VIVIDLY RECALL THE WAVING FLAGS THAT WERE PROUDLY FLYING ABOVE THE FRESHLY PREPARED MOTOCROSS TRACK IN AUSTRIA IN 1993. THERE WAS PRIDE IN THE AIR AND I FELT IT. I FELT THE PRIDE OF EACH INDIVIDUAL COMPETITOR AND THE COUNTLESS NUMBER OF FANS. THIS WAS NOT JUST ABOUT A RACE, THIS WAS ABOUT HONOUR!

WHEN EMOTIONS EXPLODE

“This is it, this is where the best racers from around the world compete against each other”. The thought raced through my mind, the mind of a kid who had just celebrated the passing of his driving exam by attending the Nations Cup in Schwanenstadt. Damn it, I still nearly believed in Father Christmas then! This year, in Budds Creek, USA, not far from Washington D.C., it was as if I turned back the time. It was all the same, a perfect track, countless fans and the same excitement before the race – who is going to win? Will the Americans and their dream team snatch the victory or can the rest of the motocross world perform a miracle and beat them at their own turf? Every motocross expert would nod, saying that was the race that was the peak of the season. It always takes place in the autumn, when the world champions have already been decided. The world cup points have all been dealt out and the racers can perform without any pressure. This is an ideal opportunity for some racers to confirm their supremacy, for others to avenge defeats. Powerful emotions meet each other in a single afternoon at a small part of the world. And one other thing also characterizes every Nations Cup race. This is the moment when racers from a single country forget about their rivalries and give

it their best for the final victory of the team. An individual’s success is not important, what counts is the final achievement of three racers under a single flag. To win the Peter Chamberlain Cup is a moment that has no match in a career of a racer. It is all about appearing, or even better, wining, to become part of an event with 60 years of tradition. Something like that simply cannot be compared to anything.

WHEN EVEN THE WORLD’S BEST ARE NERVOUS

The jubilee edition in Budds Creek broke several records. Some 75,000 fans gathered alongside the course, twice as much as at the annual race for the American Outdoor Championships. The home fans did not hide their excitement, many wore flags and painted their faces with stars and white and red stripes, but no one could beat John from California. The wife made the avid motocross racer pants, jacket and even a hat from an American flag. I also believe that John held the record in being invited for a free beer. He was adored by both the home and the foreign fans. The only stars larger than him were Ricky Carmichael, Ryan Villopoto and Tim Ferry, the home team racers, who were built a proper Olympic Village in the paddock. But also the stars of the American motocross have shown that they are great

The flying Steve Ramon.

Ryan Villopoto got the holeshot.

Vaaaauuu!

Crazy home fans!

1st USA, 2nd France, 3rd Belgium.

patriots. Images of the most popular flag in Budds Creek could be found on racing outfits and even boots. The Americans were followed in their patriotism by fans from Great Britain, France and Estonia. Judging by their loudness, the British did not lag far behind the Americans. Could it be the influence of football? Moreover, the fans’ sirens failed to leave anybody indifferent. Even superstar Ricky Carmichael said that “the feeling was incredible, I was quite nervous in front of all these fans. Also because I wanted to prove to the critics that my semi retirement in this season wouldn’t endanger the team’s success. This was my last race as a professional motocross racer and believe me, I had several reasons for shedding tears of joy!” The American team of Ricky Carmichael, Tim Ferry and Ryan Villopoto finished the race with a fairytale result as well as took the majority victories in individual categories, as Ricky won the MX1 category and Ryan took gold in MX2. The French came in as second and the Belgians were third. Who else could comment on the outcome if not Belgium’s Stefan Everts, the most successful motocross racer of all time? The ten-time World Champion and currently the race director and mentor of the Factory KTM Racing Team, was frank: “The speed of the American racers fascinated me, their style of driving is completely different from let’s say European racers. They ride far more aggressively and use every centimetre of the track to improve

their lap time. The biggest surprise was definitely the only 18-year old Ryan Villopoto. I am convinced that Europe has enough talent, all we need is determination and hard work. With such a strong team of racers as the USA has now, and if nothing unforeseen happens at the track, it will be difficult to beat them for at least three more years!” But it was not always like that, at least not in the first 20 years of the event! The racers first met for the prestigious victory only two years after the end of the World War Two. But it was not the tanks but motorcycle engines that rumbled back then! In 1947, the British team won its first title and went on to win another 15! Statistically speaking, only the USA is better, as their racers bagged a total of 18 trophies.

WOMAN ON THE START FOR THE FIRST TIME

But let us not only talk of superpowers. Even those who place more stress on the

Winners The prestigious MX of Nations event has been won the most times by the USA (18 victories), followed by Great Britain (16), Belgium (14), Sweden (7), the USSR and Italy have two victories each, while France and the Czechoslovakia have one apiece.

Olympic slogan “the most important thing is not to win but to take part”, are part of this history. The first woman racer, Tarah Gieger from Puerto Rico, inscribed her name on the list of legends in Budds Creek. The always smiling blonde, who celebrated her birthday only three days before the race, is one of the fastest women in the mud and consistently placed in the past two years among the top three in the World Cup for Women. The girl, who currently lives with her grandmother in the USA and trains there, is also an enthusiastic rider and surfer.

ONCE IN A LIFETIME

However, to have a fairytale ending, one needs more than luck. Nobody usually mentions the heroes in the background, the hard-working people at the home club. The head of the team that prepared the race track throughout the year, had such a bad accident in the spring when checking the track with his vehicle that he was all covered in plaster.

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Cycle World

Italian David Philipaerts on KTM with the Akrapovič exhaust system!

Statistics The Nations Cup race was seen by 50 million people, reported on by 300 journalists and enjoyed by nearly 80,000 fans at the race course.

But ten days have barely passed when he was back on the job, as soon as he could work in the bulldozer. He left nothing to chance! “If something went wrong, if the race would be cancelled because of my mistake, I could never forgive myself! To host such an important race on your own courtyard after 20 years (when the last Nations Cup was held in the USA), only happens once in a lifetime!” This is also the conclusion to which every bystander, every fan that attends such an event live comes to as well. An unforgettable experience that has no parallel in the world of motocross. I did not forget my first race for the Nations Cup, it is written on my memory’s “hard drive”. And the race in Budds Creek is also stored there. See you again in September 2008 in Italy! The hard drive is not yet completely full …

// Si

V imenu naroda Če še niste bili na dirki za Pokal narodov v motokrosu, potem boste težko razumeli, zakaj je to dirka, na kateri imajo tremo celo najboljši dirkači na svetu. Po dvajsetih letih se je letos najprestižnejša dirka sezone vrnila v ZDA. V Budds Creeku se je odločalo o tem, kdo se bo zapisal v zgodovino, ki se piše že okroglih 60 let, ali Američani ali katera od evropskih velesil. Posameznikov uspeh ni pomemben, šteje le to, kar naredi celotna ekipa treh dirkačev pod eno zastavo.

Ob stezi se je zbralo 75.000 navijačev, kar je dvakrat več kot ob vsakoletni dirki, ko tu tekmujejo v ameriškem prvenstvu. Domačini niso skrivali navdušenja, mnogi so nase navlekli zastave, si poslikali obraz z zvezdami in belo-rdečimi črtami, a najdlje je šel John iz Kalifornije. Sicer navdušenemu motokrosistu je žena posebej za to priložnost sešila hlače, suknjič in še klobuk iz ameriške zastave. Celo superzvezdnik Ricky Carmichael je priznal: “Občutek je bil neverjeten, imel sem precejšnjo tremo pred vsemi temi navijači. Tudi zato, ker sem želel kritikom in skeptikom dokazati, da moja napol upokojitev v letošnji sezoni ne bo ogrozila ekipnega uspeha. To je bila tudi moja zadnja dirka v vlogi profesionalnega motokrosista in, verjemite mi, imel sem kar nekaj razlogov za solze sreče!” Na dirki so s pravljičnim rezultatom slavili Američani v postavi Ricky Carmichael, Tim Ferry in Ryan Villopoto. Drugo mesto so zasedli Francozi, tretje pa Belgijci. Naslednje leto bo dirka v Italiji.

Crazy stuff by Jasmina Dvoršek

Here Today, There Tomorrow

The most expensive cigar bears the brand of La Escepcion, which was made at the Partagas factory until 1985. The “Jose Gener Gran Gener” was the best cigar ever made by La Escepcion and is now a collector’s item. This full flavored medium strength Havana now sells at 530 euros apiece.

A single-room hotel that can be booked for one night only has breakfast delivered to the door and a fully stocked mini-bar, all included in the price. And you never know where you will stay, because the hotel itself is moving! The project by the Swiss artist duo of Sabina Lang and Daniel Baumann was first developed for the Swiss national exhibition in 2002 in Burgdorf. Later it started its tour through Yverdon on the lake Neuchatel and Leipzig in Germany and is temporary residing on the roof of Palais de Tokyo in Paris, where it will stay until the end of 2008. www.everland.ch

L/B

Holy Smoke!

Take me to the Moon

On the heavenly beaches of Sri Lanka lies an incredible resort called The Fortress. The name represents its form - a luxuriously-styled stronghold, embraced by a wonderful mix of water and gardens. Its formidable exterior hides many pleasures – a free-flow swimming pool, wine cellar, restaurants, comfortable rooms and a serving of the most expensive dessert - The Fortress Aquamarine served at the Wine3 restaurant in the resort. Created in the shape of the resort’s logo and decorated with an 80-carat aquamarine gem, this slice of deliciousness costs 11,000 euros. www.peraquum.com >>>

<<< Have you ever dreamt about flying to the moon? Now, if you have 100 million dollars, you can! Your adventure begins when you travel to Star City, Russia, and the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre. As part of an elite group of prospective space travelers, you study the basics of becoming a cosmonaut and train in both Soyuz spacecraft and International Space Station simulators. Approximately two weeks prior to launch, you and your DSEAlpha crewmembers travel to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in the Republic of Kazakhstan. At this world-famous complex, final launch preparations commence for the first leg of your lunar mission, a launch to the ISS. And then, off you go for a 21-day adventure on the moon! The first flight could be launched as early as 2008. www.adrenalin.com.au

www.adrenalin.com

Heaven on Earth

Sir Branson’s Invitation Owner of the Virgin group, which incorporates travel, mobile, financial services, leisure, retail and music business, Sir Richard Branson owns a private island and if you have at least a remote chance to earn as much as he does, you can visit his Necker Island, located in the British Virgin Islands in an unspoiled part of Caribbean. And they even have a special offer. A couple can have the island for themselves for “only” 22,500 dollars a week! www.neckerisland.com

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GowildLungarnoHotelsFlorence

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Crazy Stuff

“Cool” Hotel

Big Ben Production

200 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle in Sweden, winter was a time when nature and people went into hibernation. But in 1990 a special igloo was built on the River Torne to house an exhibition. One night a group of foreign guests decided it would be a good idea to use the cylindrical shaped building as accommodation. The following morning the brave group raved about the unique sensation of sleeping in an igloo. Hence, the concept of ICEHOTEL was born. From the beginning of December till the end of April, a true work of art is carefully chiseled from ice to host one of the most extraordinary hotels in the world. Do not forget to warm up in the absolutely coolest Absoult Icebar! www.icehotel.com

Cheers!

A Big Guy

Bierdrome, a London bar, sells Vielle Bon Secours beer for 1,000 dollars per bottle, but the bottle holds 26 pints which works out to 38.46 dollars per beer.

Gregory Dunham from Stockton, California, is a proud owner of the biggest motorcycle in the world. When you put a person in the picture you get the full grasp of what a nearly 3.5-metre-tall motorcycle looks like. The handlebars span 4.2 meters, the bike weighs in at 2,950 kilos, has tires with nearly 2-metre diameter and needs a 8-litre V8 engine to make it go.

With exclusive access to over 5,000 square kilometers of exceptional bowls, snowy ridges and powder basins to choose from, your guide and pilot will every day choose a heli ski location based on snow and weather conditions and your groups’ wishes. Heli ski week is for clients who are seeking an absolute world class heli ski experience combined with 6 star luxury accommodation in several high ranges near Mt Cook, NZ’s highest mountain as well as total relaxation in a private and exclusive mountain lakeside environment. And all that for 7,950 euros. www.adrenalin.com.au

Visit the Legend So you have seen the film, worn the T-shirt and bought the soundtrack, but have you ever wandered what it must be like to take a trip to the seabed to see the eerie remains of the best known ship in the world? For 40,000 dollars, you can take a journey to the Titanic aboard the MIR I and II submersibles, deep-dive vessels capable of reaching ocean depths of over 6,000 metres. Each MIR’s habitat compartment is 2.1 metre in diameter, accommodating three persons. There are no traditional bathroom facilities on board. As you reach your destination you are 3,800 metres below the surface, where MIR’s large halogen-mercury-iodine lights will unveil to you the remains of the R.M.S. Titanic. www.adrenalin.com.au

www.adrenalin.com

www.luxurycarts.com

The number one most expensive golf cart is the Hummer Golf Cart with a price tag of 16,600 euros. It is built on an all aluminum club car chassis and houses a 3.75 hp electric motor. It has a 450 amp controller for speeds of up to 20 miles per hour. It comes complete with two passenger seating, street legal NEV, 6 inch spindle lift kit, head lights, turn signals, brake lights, Hw body kit which is licensed by General Motors, cooler box under the hood, storage box under the seat, chrome front grille, license plate frame in the rear, custom side rails, tinted half windshield, H2 side logos and Hummer stamped on the rear bumper. Other accessories include the rear side panels, 12-inch aluminum sport wheels, fog lights, glove boxes, fold down tailgate, front and rear receiver hitch and drink holders. Your choice of custom wood grain or carbon fiber dash with H2 embroidered into the seats. With a golf cart like this, no one will be looking at your score. www.luxurycarts.com

Ski with Style in New Zealand

www.monster-cycles.com

Hole-in-one

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Ride with us Slovenia

A view of the Julian Alps.

Ride with us / Slovenia

A Small Wonder

by Jasmina Dvoršek

photography Matjaž Krivic

When did you ﬁrst hear of Slovenia? Have you ever heard of Slovenia? If your last answer was negative, prepare yourself, for the little country at the crossroads of the Alps and the Mediterranean, living its independent life for only 16 years, is becoming one of the main discoveries of Europe and its roads an attraction for motor bikers.

Want a true Challenge? Try the road across the Vršič mountain pass.

Well Hidden I met Lucia at the opening of an exhibition at the National Gallery in Ljubljana, Slovenia’s main art gallery. The Croatian, who has been guiding foreign tourists through Croatia and Slovenia for the last ten years, told me her guests mostly don’t have any idea where they are coming.

“They have heard about the beauties of the Croatian coast, but when I mention Slovenia, I get a blank stare. They come “tabula rasa” – like a blank piece of paper, but are astounded by the beauties of this miniature country and are overwhelmed with the neatness, professionalism and pleasantness of its people. Unfortunately our visit is limited to only a couple of main attractions. I would love to show them some of my personal discoveries. I come from Dalmatia, which is why one of my favorite places is the medieval coastal town of Piran. But even more than the coast, I adore the Karst. The scattered villages, so pleasant, but struck so hard by the strong burja wind, they tell a

story about you Slovenes. The fruits of the Karst, especially the prosciutto and teran wine, might be known elsewhere, but yours are unique – as you are, preserving your own language and culture.” We spoke in Ljubljana, the Slovene capital and with around 300,000 inhabitants also the country’s biggest city. “Ljubljana reminds me of Prague; the old part of town between the Ljubljanica River and the castle hill is similar to Salzburg and the banks of the Ljubljanica, with their numerous cafes, looks like Amsterdam. But none of those cities have such a strong mark, left by one architect, as Ljubljana has. Jože Plečnik! A genius who transformed the town’s bridges, squares and ediﬁces, but didn’t deprive them of their Central European baroque charm.” Ljubljana – only about two hours drive from Venice, four hours from Vienna or Salzburg and about an hour and a half from Zagreb – is also a big university center, which promises a vibrant nightlife. During a Friday evening walk along the lively banks of the Ljubljanica, foreign visitors conﬁrmed Lucia’s words. Another pleasant surprise was the fact that the relatively high prices in Slovenia stopped wild European youths looking for cheap alcohol from invading Ljubljana en masse.

Forest on the Jelovica plateau - almost half of Slovenia is covered with forests.

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Ride with us Slovenia

A view of the Julian Alps.

Ride with us / Slovenia

A Small Wonder

by Jasmina Dvoršek

photography Matjaž Krivic

Want a true Challenge? Try the road across the Vršič mountain pass.

Forest on the Jelovica plateau - almost half of Slovenia is covered with forests.

Ride with us Slovenia

Urban Golob

STO archive

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A Little Bit of Sweet Wine… It was a crisp Saturday morning and Mark and I were drinking coffee on one of the terraces above the Krka River in Novo mesto. Mark left on a mission a couple of years ago to visit all of the capitals of the new members of the European Union. “I don’t understand a couple of things: your currency is the Euro, but at the entrance to Slovenia I still have to show my passport. You call yourself thrifty introverts, but I have never met so many generous people. You ﬁght over two kinds of beer that taste the same?!!” I was able to explain Slovene membership in the European Union from 2004, and also the new currency (Slovenia adopted the Euro at the beginning of 2007) and the soon-to-be-abolished passport controls.

“Ahh, the food! After years of boring English cookery, Slovene cuisine is a real treat! I am looking forward to the late autumn and the time of “koline”, when the simple task of slaughtering a pig becomes a true little holiday for the family,” Mark explained ecstatically.

But it was a harder task to explain the features of our soul to a Brit who visited Slovenia two years ago and wanted to learn about this tiny country in three days, but ended up staying. Today he is the proud owner of a small vineyard in the south of Slovenia. I talked about the soul that kept its identity despite centuries of foreign rule, joyfully embraced its independence in June 1991 and bravely defended it in the ten-day war that followed. After living in Slovenia for two years, Mark is starting to understand the country and its people, especially the Dolenjska region, the part he chose as his new home. The hilly landscape, vineyards, medieval monasteries, castles and towns situated on river islands enchanted him. “‘Dolenjci,’ the people of Dolenjska, are my kind of people. Hard working, open, sometimes greedy and envious, exceptionally curious and always ready for a toast with a glass of local wine, that is how my dear neighbors are,” said Mark about his new life over lunch at the Rakar restaurant near Trebnje.

We were not served “koline” at Rakar, because we decided to enjoy the tastes of Western Slovenia, which is exposed to the influences of the Adriatic Sea. We chose fresh sea bass, and although the Rakar restaurant is far from the seaside, we were not disappointed. The Rakar family is well aware that the quality is far more important than the number of dishes on the menu, which is why they use only fresh ingredients. We both agreed that fish has to swim in wine, and chose Movia wine to accompany the main dish. Aleš Kristančič, who is the man behind the Movia brand, was chosen among fifty best wine producers in the world by leading wine magazine Wine Spectator. Cheers, or as we say in Slovenian - Na zdravje!

The Postojna Cave is the most visited Slovenian natural attraction.

“God was so generous when he adorned Slovenia, he had to hide some of its beauties under the surface of the earth,” the guide in Postojna Cave proudly explained. The Postojna Cave is the most visited Slovene natural attraction, seen by more than 800,000 visitors last year.

Julian Alps (Trenta valley): Kekčeva domačija, Trenta 76 www.kekceva-domacija.si, tel.: +386 (0)41 413 087 Julian Alps (Kobarid); Nebesa, Livek 39, Kobarid; tel.: +386 5 384 4620; www.nebesa.si Nova Gorica: Perla Casino & Hotel, Kidričeva 7, Nova Gorica, tel.: +386 5 336 3000, www.hit.si Portorož: Grand Hotel Palace, tel.: +386(0)5 692 9001, www.lifeclass-portoroz.com Dolenjska: Posestvo Pule, Drečji vrh 16, SI-8231 Trebelno, tel.: 07 349 9700, www.pule.si Ljubljana: Antiq hotel, Gornji trg 3, Ljubljana, tel.: +386 1 421 3560, www.antiqhotel.si

Later I was driving towards the renaissance Predjama Castle, wrapped in fairy-tales and legends. The road led past the huge parking lot for the Postojna Cave. At the sight of masses of people walking towards the entrance, part of me agreed with the limitation rules at Križna Cave.

The 5 km (almost 3 mile) route through the caves is probably the only really crowded place in Slovenia, mostly because the train ride and 45 minute walk through the most beautiful part of the cave are less strenuous than exploring other caves. So far, more than 9,000 caves have been discovered in Slovenia, but not all of them are open to visitors. Solitude seekers and ﬁtter visitors might prefer to enter the deep canyon of the underground Reka River in the Škocjan Caves.

The magical Slovenian Karst with vineyards and the strong burja wind.

One of the better-known Slovenian attractions - the white Lipizzaner horses.

Urban Golob

Because of their extreme beauty and unspoiled nature, the Škocjan Caves have

Accommodation:

Slovenia is also heaven for sports climbers.

STO archive

A Maze Underneath

been placed on the UNESCO world natural heritage list. A real gem among Slovene Karst caves is the Križna Cave, one of the largest water caves in the world. Because of the extremely sensitive ground composition, visits to the cave are limited, so everybody who wants to visit the cave has to have a prior reservation with a guide.

Ride with us Slovenia

Urban Golob

STO archive

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The Postojna Cave is the most visited Slovenian natural attraction.

The magical Slovenian Karst with vineyards and the strong burja wind.

One of the better-known Slovenian attractions - the white Lipizzaner horses.

Urban Golob

Because of their extreme beauty and unspoiled nature, the Škocjan Caves have

Accommodation:

Slovenia is also heaven for sports climbers.

STO archive

A Maze Underneath

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// Si

Slovenija - Majhen cudež Majhna dežela na prepihu med Alpami in Sredozemljem, ki samostojno živi šele dobrih 16 let, postaja eno glavnih evropskih odkritij in njene zavite ceste zanimivost za motoriste.

Dobro skrita

Večina gostov, ki obišče Slovenijo, ne ve ničesar o njej; ko pa jo spoznajo, so nad njo navdušeni. Hrvatica Lucija obožuje srednjeveški obmorski Piran, še bolj kot Primorje pa jo navdušuje Kras: “Prijazne raztresene vasice, ki pa so bičane od ostre burje, govorijo zgodbo

Ride with us Slovenia

vas, Slovencev, ki vam je lasten jezik in kulturo uspelo ohraniti kljub stoletjem tuje nadoblasti.”

Podzemni kaos

Postojnska jama je najbolj obiskana naravna znamenitost Slovenije, saj jo je le lani obiskalo več kot 800 tisoč turistov. Zaradi izredne naravne lepote in nedotaknjene narave so Škocjanske jame uvrščene na Unescov seznam svetovne naravne dediščine. Resnični dragulj v Sloveniji pa je Križna jama, ena največjih vodnih jam na svetu.

Sladko vince piti …

Mark je Britanec, ki si je Dolenjsko izbral za svoj novi dom. Očarali so ga gričevnata pokrajina, vinogradi, srednjeveški samostani, gradovi in naselja na rečnih

otokih. Najbolj pa se navdušuje nad slovensko hrano, ob kateri sva uživala tudi v gostilni Rakar pri Trebnjem, kjer sva poskusila jedi in vina jugozahodne Slovenije.

Podoba raja

Vasilij Žbogar je nosilec bronaste medalje z olimpijskih iger v Atenah in na svoji športni poti nenehno ugotavlja svoje nepoznavanje Slovenije. Takšne težave bremenijo tudi najuspešnejša slovenska veslača Iztoka Čopa in Luko Špika, ki sem ju opazovala med treningom na Blejskem jezeru, “podobi raja”, kot ga je opisal največji slovenski pesnik France Prešeren. A raje kot obilico letovišč in masovni turizem imamo Slovenijo, ki ostaja dobro varovana skrivnost. Odkrijte jo le tistim, ki želijo edinstveno doživetje daleč stran od glavnih turističnih poti. The Radensko ﬁeld.

An Image of Heaven In one of our conversations, Vasilij Žbogar, the winner of an Olympic bronze medal in sailing in Athens, admitted how he was bothered by people’s lack of familiarity with Slovenia. Vasilij, as well as other popular Slovene sportsmen and sportswomen, is ﬁghting, as it seems, an eternal ﬁght with the organizers of sport events around the world. “One time I was standing on a podium as the winner and instead of the Slovene, they played the Slovak national anthem. I just walked off the podium,” he says, recalling one of the unfortunate events. Through numerous achievements of Slovene sportsmen, artists and scientists, more and more people around the world are recognizing this nation of only two million.

The Lake Bled - “ a Slovenian image of heaven”.

While walking around the most recognizable Slovene tourist attraction, “a Slovene image of heaven” as our greatest poet France Prešeren called Lake Bled, I admired the synchronized moves of rowers Luka Špik and Iztok Čop. These two, the most successful sportsmen in the history of Slovenia, probably face the same problems. And while I was admiring the peaceful surface of the glacial lake and the spectacular castle on a steep rock precipice above the lake, I wondered why Slovenia was such an unknown member of the European family. But why not? After all, we don’t want the shores of Lake Bled or Lake Bohinj to become new huge all-inclusive resorts, or Triglav, the highest Slovene mountain at an altitude of 2864 meters (9400 feet), to be just another ski slope. We don’t want masses of tourists on our purest river, the Soča, either. Let Slovenia remain a well-kept secret and let it reveal its beauties only to those

who want a unique experience away from the main tourist highways.

In the distance I could hear a bell ringing from a church on the island in the middle of Lake Bled. It is a wishing bell, and the visitors were ringing it full of hope, desires and optimism. May their wishes come true and may they talk about Slovenia when they come home, but only to their real friends, the ones who deserve to be told about he best-kept secret Eden of Europe. 45

Morning mists covering the Barje marshlands.

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// Si

Dobro skrita

Ride with us Slovenia

vas, Slovencev, ki vam je lasten jezik in kulturo uspelo ohraniti kljub stoletjem tuje nadoblasti.”

Podzemni kaos

Sladko vince piti …

Mark je Britanec, ki si je Dolenjsko izbral za svoj novi dom. Očarali so ga gričevnata pokrajina, vinogradi, srednjeveški samostani, gradovi in naselja na rečnih

otokih. Najbolj pa se navdušuje nad slovensko hrano, ob kateri sva uživala tudi v gostilni Rakar pri Trebnjem, kjer sva poskusila jedi in vina jugozahodne Slovenije.

Podoba raja

The Lake Bled - “ a Slovenian image of heaven”.

who want a unique experience away from the main tourist highways.

Morning mists covering the Barje marshlands.

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Ride with us Slovenia

Urban Golob

Riders, welcome to Ljubljana!

Take me home… Slovenia is a country of mountains and hills and beautiful wining roads leading to hidden surprises. The following roads are a must for motorcycling enthusiasts: Ljubljana, Kamnik, Gornji Grad, Ljubno ob Savinji, Luče, Solčava, Logarska dolina, Pavličevo sedlo, Vellbach (Austria), Zgornje Jezersko, Kokra, Preddvor, Cerklje, Vodice, Ljubljana. Length of route: 198 km (118 miles) Highlight: Logarska dolina valley with the

Rinka waterfall, Slovenia’s highest waterfall Logatec, Godovič, Črni vrh, Vipava, Sežana, Lipica, Škocjan Caves, Kozina, Markovščina, Ilirska Bistrica, Pivka, Postojna, Predjama, Hrušica, Logatec Length of route: 203 km (120 miles) Highlights: Lipizzaner stud farm in Lipica, UNESCO protected Škocjan Caves, Postojna Cave, Predjama Castle Škofja Loka, Cerkno, Most na Soči, Tolmin, Kobarid, Bovec, Predel, Trenta, Vršič,

Kranjska Gora, Jesenice, Bled, Bohinjska Bistrica, Sorica, Železniki, Škofja Loka Length of route: 386 km (230 miles) Highlights: Medieval town of Škofja Loka, WWI museum in Kobarid, Trenta valley, Vršič mountain pass, Kranjska Gora ski resort, Bled, Bohinj valley

Krka River, Krka River valley, Pleterje monastery

Novo mesto, Trebnje, Ivančna Gorica, Muljava, Žužemberk, Kočevje, Nemška Loka, Črnomelj, Metlika, Novo mesto Length of route: 173 km (103 miles) Highlights: Stična monastery, source of the

Maribor, Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Poljčane, Ptuj, Velika Nedelja, Ljutomer, Križevci, Dokležovje, Melinci, Beltinci, Murska Sobota, Radenci, Gornja Radgona, Sladki vrh, Šentilj, Pesnica, Maribor Length of route: 300 km (188 miles) Highlights: Žiče Carthusian monastery, gothic church on Ptujska gora, town of Ptuj, Radenci spa

Restaurants:

Ljubljana means Beloved.

Julian Alps: Hiša Franko, Staro selo 1, Kobarid, tel.: +386 5 389 4120, www.hisafranko.com Gorenjska: Krištof, Predoslje 22, Predoslje pri Kranju, tel.: +386 4 234 1030 Gorenjska: JB Podvin, Mošnje 1, Radovljica, tel.: +386 4 532 5280 Ljubljana: Gostilna As, Čopova ulica 5a, tel.: +386 1 425 8822, www.gostilnaas.si Ljubljana: Pen Club, Tomšičeva ulica 12, Ljubljana, tel.: +386 1 251 4160 Ljubljana: Cubo, Šmartinska 55, tel.: (01) 521 1515, www.cubo-ljubljana.com Ljubljana, Restavracija JB, Miklošičeva cesta 17, tel.: +386 1 433 1359, www.jb-slo.com Ljubljana: Kamrca, Slovenska cesta 56, Mengeš, tel.: +386 1 723 9520, www.kamrca.si Dolenjska: Gostilna Rakar: Gorenje Ponikve 8 Trebnje, tel.: +386 7 346 6190, www.rakar.si Prekmurje: Gostilna Rajh, Bakovci Soboška ulica 32, Murska Sobota, Tel.: +386 2 543 9098, www.rajh.si Primorska: Istrska klet, Pomjan 17, Šmarje, tel.: +386 5 656 9520, www.istrska-klet.com Primorska: Dvorec Zemono, Vipava, tel.: +386 5 368 7007 Primorska: Žeja, Ozeljan 32i, Šempas, tel.: +386 5 308 8459

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Ride with us Slovenia

Urban Golob

Riders, welcome to Ljubljana!

Krka River, Krka River valley, Pleterje monastery

Novo mesto, Trebnje, Ivančna Gorica, Muljava, Žužemberk, Kočevje, Nemška Loka, Črnomelj, Metlika, Novo mesto Length of route: 173 km (103 miles) Highlights: Stična monastery, source of the

Restaurants:

Ljubljana means Beloved.

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Fire Back Qustionnaire & Win a Prize

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Original YennY

Original / YennY Photographic Art By YennY

The Restless Lens by Inga Walton

It is

12.34 AM

and Yenny Huber is calling from her apartment in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Le Maraisâ&#x20AC;? (a district in Paris on the Right Bank of the Seine) to discuss her latest projects.

48 Stunden / Sydney

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Original YennY

Original / YennY Photographic Art By YennY

The Restless Lens by Inga Walton

It is

12.34 AM

and Yenny Huber is calling from her apartment in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Le Maraisâ&#x20AC;? (a district in Paris on the Right Bank of the Seine) to discuss her latest projects.

48 Stunden / Sydney

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LIKE A NIGHTINGALE I THINK THE REASON FOR MY LATE NIGHTS IS SIMPLY THAT I WORK BETTER AT NIGHT. I prefer the peace and quiet to the busy energy during the day. I can concentrate better and ﬁnd myself more intensely involved with my own state of mind and creative thoughts and ideas. That said, I really enjoy walking the streets, subways etc during the day, even at rush hour, because it is the best time to observe and watch. Something I then later build in into my work when no one is around anymore late at

night,” explains the young artist on why she is always working while most other people are sleeping. Yenny has been in Paris since the start of July and is now used to the “nomadic” lifestyle she has been leading since she left Vienna in 2000, but particularly in the last few years. “Paris for me, as for many artists in the world, has been one of the most inspiring cities to work from,” she enthuses.

“It is a pulsing place, a city with a sense of cultural understanding that is felt in every aspect of life.”

48 HOURS Over the next several years Yenny developed “48stunden” (48 hours), the on-going project that has most recently brought her to the Slovenian capital Ljubljana. “The concept originally started in Sydney, when I was ﬂying up for 24 hours to photograph some work for a competition”, Yenny remembers, “I really enjoyed being under a restricted time frame, and having to work with whatever circumstances I was confronted with.” She continues, “Yet I found 24 hours was a fraction too limiting, particularly if you don’t have a good knowledge of the place.” The initial concept has now included shoots in Melbourne, Sydney,

Monaco, Vienna, Barcelona, and of course the latest instalment in Ljubljana, where Yenny enjoyed a two month studio residency.

SEEKING NEW CHALLENGES Born in Vienna, Yenny undertook studies at the University of Vienna and in 2000 she went to Australia for a projected six months of study and travel. Yenny’s initial plans went somewhat awry when she decided to complete a Bachelor of Arts degree in photography at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), and Textile Printing & Design at the Melbourne School of Fashion. Of her unexpected seven-year stint Yenny reﬂects,

world,” she says, “I thought that otherwise my arts practice, which over the years had continuously strengthened and formed, would stagnate.”

Original YennY

A STUDY OF LIGHT LYS’ (Norwegian for ‘light’) is Yenny’s multimedia study that is to be produced next year in Northern Norway. Several generations back her ancestors lived on the Lofoten Islands (Yenny’s mother comes from Norway).

“The project focuses on the observation of natural light above the arctic circle during the peak and low point of its annual luminosity circle. During each period of 5 weeks, several

daily photographic images will document the change of light, colour, mood, and its direct visual effects on its surrounding,”

Yenny explains enthusiastically.

“One thing I have always very much appreciated about the Australian culture is the outward look towards the future, the lack of fear of ‘the new’. Such fondness is nonetheless tempered by the need to seek out new challenges. “In recent years I have been feeling more and more that I needed to spend time back in Europe and other parts of the 48 Stunden / Melbourne

“I am fascinated with how quick everything is in our contemporary culture. Time has become a big controlling factor of our lives and society,” she explains, “so in a way, having a set timeframe can often encourage [us] to experience life and people with far greater intensity ... and the same for a city. And why is it that we often know the least about the city we live in, and every hidden treasure of a place we have only visited for two days…?”, Yenny ponders.

48 Stunden / Ljubljana

YennY is represented by Galerija Fotografija, Ljubljana, Slovenia www.galerijafotografija.si and by Über Gallery, Victoria, Australia www.ubergallery.com

For more about the artist visit www.yenny.com.au

“ART IN ONEWAY OR ANOTHER ALWAYS DRAWS FROM EXPERIENCE, ONE’S SURROUNDINGS AND EMOTIONS.” 48 Stunden / Vienna

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“It is a pulsing place, a city with a sense of cultural understanding that is felt in every aspect of life.”

Monaco, Vienna, Barcelona, and of course the latest instalment in Ljubljana, where Yenny enjoyed a two month studio residency.

world,” she says, “I thought that otherwise my arts practice, which over the years had continuously strengthened and formed, would stagnate.”

Original YennY

“The project focuses on the observation of natural light above the arctic circle during the peak and low point of its annual luminosity circle. During each period of 5 weeks, several

daily photographic images will document the change of light, colour, mood, and its direct visual effects on its surrounding,”

Yenny explains enthusiastically.

48 Stunden / Ljubljana

YennY is represented by Galerija Fotografija, Ljubljana, Slovenia www.galerijafotografija.si and by Über Gallery, Victoria, Australia www.ubergallery.com

For more about the artist visit www.yenny.com.au

“ART IN ONEWAY OR ANOTHER ALWAYS DRAWS FROM EXPERIENCE, ONE’S SURROUNDINGS AND EMOTIONS.” 48 Stunden / Vienna

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Original YennY

TRAVELS WITH YENNY Yenny’s work traverses the boundaries of contemporary experience, and explores the complexity of the technical and conceptual processes involved in articulating her vision. “It is something about appreciating the moment, capturing what is there, opening ones eyes and ﬁnding something new in an environment ... that is very important to me,” she observes. If Yenny’s life seems nomadic, she is pragmatic about the integral place travel has in the development of her work, and about warding off complacency. “As an artist who strives to continuously evolve, I believe it is very important not to get stuck in any ‘comfort zones’ like that,” she says.

“Art in one way or another always draws from experience, one’s surroundings and emotions.” We see in Yenny’s artwork all the qualities and preoccupations of the artist herself; compelling but elusive, expressive yet enigmatic, prepared to unsettle expectations. Yenny is drawn to the mysterious and evocative, whether it is concealed within the individual psyche, or present in the neglected alcoves of a world-famous city. She will seek it out. To experience Yenny’s world-view is to travel without moving ... wherever she happens to take you.

54 48 Stunden / Sydney

48 Stunden / Vienna

48 Stunden / Ljubljana

Why Red? “Maybe a late reaction to being surrounded by a lot of red in my childhood – red curtains, red tablecloths, a red Red RED toilet! My mum obviously also went through her “red period”. Then I started having red red hair as a rebelling teenager and then my

55 ﬁrst pair of red shoes when I was about 15. But it only became a real ‘obsession’ and also a trademark of mine in my early twenties. Nowadays people that know me almost get upset if I don’t wear at least a red bag or something, because it has just become such a symbol for me.”

O YENNY Yenny Huber je mlada umetnica z Dunaja, ki je zadnjih sedem let živela in delala v Melbournu v Avstraliji. V Ljubljani se je pred časom predstavila s fotografskim projektom 48 ur (48stunden), v katerem je poleg slovenske

prestolnice predstavila še Sydney, Melbourne, Monako, Dunaj in Barcelono. V vsakem mestu si Yenny za opazovanje in fotograﬁranje čas omeji na 48 ur. V svojih delih raziskuje mnoge obraze mesta, njegove različnosti in nasprotja. Ne ozira se le k delom mesta, ki izžarevajo bogastvo in napredek, mir in tišino, temveč tudi k predelom, ki so zapuščeni

in pozabljeni. Poigrava se z globoko kompleksnostjo, ki je utelešena v vsakem središču zgodovine in kulture, ter jo vizualno vzporeja z osamljenostjo, ki je sestavni del vsake metropole. “Glede na to, da je čas tisti, ki nadzoruje naše življenje, je omejitev na dva dni neke vrste spodbuda, da doživljam ljudi in mesta veliko močneje. In

zakaj mesto, v katerem živimo vse svoje življenje, zelo slabo poznamo; v mestu, kjer smo preživeli le dva dni, pa najdemo najbolj skrite kotičke,” razmišlja Yenny. Vsi posnetki za 48stunden so narejeni s fotoaparatom, imenovanim LOMO, ki naj bi ga vohuni nekdaj uporabljali v ruskem podzemlju.

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Original YennY

54 48 Stunden / Sydney

48 Stunden / Vienna

48 Stunden / Ljubljana

High Gear

“World Superbike The Category That Counts?” by Alan Cathcart

illustration Natan

World Superbike looks set for a big growth spurt in the next two years, with as many as ten rival manufacturers competing in a series identified by marketing experts as a key ingredient in sportbike sales - and one where each year I’m honoured with the chance to test ride each marque’s leading contender in the championship. I know - it’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it! In the 20th year since productionbased racing first appeared on the world stage back in 1988, SBK is surfing a wave of success fuelled by the courageous decision of series promoters FGSport to opt for a control tyre format in 2004 - a move since imitated by Bernie Ecclestone in Formula 1, though not yet by Dorna in MotoGP. Equally decisive was the move to raise the four-cylinder SBK capacity limit to 1000cc, ignoring the controversial restrictors championed by the Honda-led MSMA manufacturers’ cartel.

The result has been thrilling, spectacular racing from the 2007 season kickoff, with more than one race where the lead changed three times on the final lap. This yielded five different winners in the first eight races (one of them a home-town privateer on a yearold V-twin!), with four different makes of bike occupying the top four places in the championship points table at season’s end, with two different engine configurations. You can’t ask for much more – and the contrasting decline in MotoGP grids, fuelled by the higher costs of participating in a series with zero direct link to customer products, stands out. And when Rossi & Co. bemoan MotoGP races being decided by tyre manufacturers, rather than the excellence of bike and/or rider, the Flamminis can take a bow for addressing this issue so bravely via control tyres.

the shadow of MotoGP – even though six of the seven largest motorcycle manufacturers in the world are committed to it. That’s the four Japanese marques, each with varying degrees of direct factory involvement, plus BMW and KTM, who’ll join them in 2009 - KTM with its RC8 1200cc V-twin, BMW most likely with a K1000RS in-line four. But as well as the Big Six, Ducati will continue to participate in SBK with its new 1200cc 1098R, while MV Agusta has declared it plans to return to racing officially for the first time since the day the music died at Brands Hatch in October 1976 – the last time the red-and-silver twowheeled Ferraris actually raced. Aprilia’s new Superbike with a 65-degree V4 engine will also be on the grid in 2009, while the new Buell 1125R with its

72-degree V-twin Rotax engine represents a Superbike done the American Way. Its creator Erik Buell confirms a full-fairing race version is coming, with the aim of competing in World Superbike in coming years. If HarleyDavidson does indeed join in via its Buell subsidiary, that’d make all seven of the world’s largest manufacturers joining the World Superbike party… Ten different manufacturers in a single race series – and that doesn’t include such as Bimota and Benelli who are known to be developing suitable bikes for future launch. Just as NASCAR rules in the USA, where Formula 1 has retired hurt, it could be that production-based racing will play a greater role in world-class motorcycle sport in future years.

Yet in media terms World Superbike has continued to linger in

Alan Cathcart

Alan Cathcart is a freelance motorcycle journalist, with articles published today in 67 different magazines on a regular basis, in a total of 35 countries, with a combined readership of more than 15,000,000 people.