05
Letter
05 Sharp End
Akrapovič Lifestyle Magazine, Issue 3, October 2008 Akrapovič d.d., Malo Hudo 8 a, SI-1295 Ivančna Gorica, Slovenia www.akrapovic.com
Publisher: Korpmedia d.o.o., Tomšičeva 1, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia, www.korpmedia.si
ad
President: Miran Ališič Marketing and advertising manager: Mateja Kos Pregelj
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, Primož Jurman, Peter Kavčič, Alan Cathcart, Yenny Huber, Aleš Kovačič Contributing Photographers: Jernej Prelac, 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: Akrapovič exhaust tailpipes for the Porsche 911 GT3. Photograph by: Aleksander Štokelj for Studio 54
You have in your hands the third new issue of Sharp End Magazine, which I hope you will enjoy reading. For many, it has become an essential source of information about our company. Whenever I sit down to think about what my editorial should be about, I always come to the question of what current concern deserves mention. This issue has a distinctly automobile theme, and for good reason. You may already be aware that the Akrapovič company is entering the car market, but it’s worth mentioning that this market, as with any other, is divided into segments, sub-segments, niches, etc. It is in this last area that we’re looking for (and are certain to gain) a share of the market. The niche market is where buyers not only buy spare parts for their vehicles, but have a completely different perception of things. This difference in perception brings the added value that has made the car industry so successful and an integral part of our lives. The car has long stopped being just a means of transport. It has begun to signify a necessity, prestige, and entertainment. When we think about upgrades and improvements for cars, the list of components that genuinely add value narrows down to just a few – but an exhaust system is undoubtedly among them. For some buyers, it provides a different and likeable sound. For others, it provides more power. And for a third group, the low weight is important. But the majority of people just want all three in one. And this is our chance!
We have to admit that the world today is more dynamic and development-oriented than ever before. With every step we can feel the power of information technology, political and economic interests and, unfortunately, also of nature, which we have previously ranked as having lesser importance. But the consequences of pollution are undoubtedly the single most important item on the list of potential threats to humanity. Many people might view this statement as unusual, since I come from the exhaust systems industry, where the focus is on power. But, thinking about it for a minute, one can see that lower weight improves mileage. The car industry has woken up to this fact and has been pursuing this goal for quite some time – and herein lies another opportunity for us. The exceptionally dynamic economy, trends, the needs, desires of buyers are clear, and their impact on the way we do business is of key importance. Therefore, the Akrapovič company will continue to actively diversify in the future as well. We already have another ace up our sleeves … But more on that in the next issue of this magazine. Happy reading! Marko Adamič CEO / Managing Director
05
Letter
05 Sharp End
Akrapovič Lifestyle Magazine, Issue 3, October 2008 Akrapovič d.d., Malo Hudo 8 a, SI-1295 Ivančna Gorica, Slovenia www.akrapovic.com
Publisher: Korpmedia d.o.o., Tomšičeva 1, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia, www.korpmedia.si
ad
President: Miran Ališič Marketing and advertising manager: Mateja Kos Pregelj
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, Primož Jurman, Peter Kavčič, Alan Cathcart, Yenny Huber, Aleš Kovačič Contributing Photographers: Jernej Prelac, 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: Akrapovič exhaust tailpipes for the Porsche 911 GT3. Photograph by: Aleksander Štokelj for Studio 54
You have in your hands the third new issue of Sharp End Magazine, which I hope you will enjoy reading. For many, it has become an essential source of information about our company. Whenever I sit down to think about what my editorial should be about, I always come to the question of what current concern deserves mention. This issue has a distinctly automobile theme, and for good reason. You may already be aware that the Akrapovič company is entering the car market, but it’s worth mentioning that this market, as with any other, is divided into segments, sub-segments, niches, etc. It is in this last area that we’re looking for (and are certain to gain) a share of the market. The niche market is where buyers not only buy spare parts for their vehicles, but have a completely different perception of things. This difference in perception brings the added value that has made the car industry so successful and an integral part of our lives. The car has long stopped being just a means of transport. It has begun to signify a necessity, prestige, and entertainment. When we think about upgrades and improvements for cars, the list of components that genuinely add value narrows down to just a few – but an exhaust system is undoubtedly among them. For some buyers, it provides a different and likeable sound. For others, it provides more power. And for a third group, the low weight is important. But the majority of people just want all three in one. And this is our chance!
We have to admit that the world today is more dynamic and development-oriented than ever before. With every step we can feel the power of information technology, political and economic interests and, unfortunately, also of nature, which we have previously ranked as having lesser importance. But the consequences of pollution are undoubtedly the single most important item on the list of potential threats to humanity. Many people might view this statement as unusual, since I come from the exhaust systems industry, where the focus is on power. But, thinking about it for a minute, one can see that lower weight improves mileage. The car industry has woken up to this fact and has been pursuing this goal for quite some time – and herein lies another opportunity for us. The exceptionally dynamic economy, trends, the needs, desires of buyers are clear, and their impact on the way we do business is of key importance. Therefore, the Akrapovič company will continue to actively diversify in the future as well. We already have another ace up our sleeves … But more on that in the next issue of this magazine. Happy reading! Marko Adamič CEO / Managing Director
02 / 03
Contents
05 LETTER
06 SHARP DETAILS
10 MOTO ACTION I
Marko Adamič, Managing Director of the Akrapovič company: “This issue has a distinctly automobile theme, and for good reason. You may already be aware that the Akrapovič company is entering the car market, and it is in this last area that we’re looking for (and are certain to gain) a share of the market.”
For all true fans, the Akrapovič Company now offers you a brand new exclusive collection of apparel in their online store. Stay tuned for more exclusive products in the Akrapovič online store at www.akrapovic.com/store. And look for more hot stuff from the Akrapovič Workshop!
In Bergamo, our own Peter Kavčič visited the famous KTM Farioli Racing Team. When it comes to modern Italian off-road motorsports,everything began with family Farioli. Read why family ties are so important in the racing world and why you can eat the best pasta ever at the Farioli Team’s paddock.
12 MOTO ACTION II
14 REVOLUTION
Five minutes before the race started, we talked to Max Biaggi. The Italian racer has been a part of the motorcycle world for nearly two decades and has won four World Championship titles. We did an interview with Olaf Manthey, who’s been involved for 34 years with motorsports, especially Porsches. He explains how they won the ADAC 24-Hour Race Nürburgring, three times in a row this year with a brand new lightweight exhaust system from Akrapovič.
We’ll introduce you to the next big Akrapovič project in a high-technology facility: the car project. It’s about creating a stable base, with productive and solid foundations, that can support the slowly growing superstructure needed for the development and manufacturing process. This, in turn, results in high-class exhaust systems with excellent performance. Yes, appearance matters! And one of the basic requirements in making an exhaust system is that it looks attractive. This has been achieved by Akrapovič through the use of various modern and featherweight carbon components. Once shaped, they are lighter and more solid than products made from other comparable materials, such as steel. This is extremely important for boosting performance since lighter motorcycle and car parts yield pure gold in terms of technology.
// Si
NOTE All the longer articles in the Sharp
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.
28 FANTASTIC II
Contents
30 SHARP WORLD
36 CRAZY STUFF
We introduce you to all the latest hits: the new Kenzo Power fragrance, The Sonos Bundle 150, The extra-virgin olive oil Lambada, the laundry basket Vipp 441, the @-space Media Chair, “The Bottler” and much more!
Damjan Zabovnik, a record-breaking sportsman, has designed a bicycle that is in many ways special and different. A unique characteristic of his vehicle is that he lies down and rides it backwards, whilst navigating with the help of a mirror. Find out why! The frame of the bicycle is made of titanium, a strong and light-weight metal used by the Akrapovič Company.
Did you know that you can take a helicopter from New York’s JFK straight to Manhattan? And that those who can afford to spend approximately 200,000 euros will soon be able to undertake a 3-hour space trip? If you are into fashion, you can visit The Mobile Art Chanel Contemporary Art Container by Zaha Hadid, the first project of its kind – a movable museum.
20 FANTASTIC I
38 GO WILD
44 RIDE WITH US
50 ORIGINAL
Multi-position satellite speakers called “Oh”, a dumbbell-style alarm clock, The Bene AL_Kicker Foosball Table, the Pure-Fi Dream sound system by Logitech,Amosu’s incredible diamond-covered iPhone and much more for you to enjoy!
Berlin is a city that amazes. We traveled to the one of the world’s most exciting metropolises. We tell you why you should visit this city of music and theatre that only begins oozing its magical image in the late hours of the night. It is at once dark, intimate and comfortable.
22 IntERVIEW
56 HIGH GEAR
Our journalist Gaber Keržišnik got to race an Akrapovič Porsche 911 GT3 RS for one day, and took it for a couple of laps on the Nordschleife, an old track at Germany’s famous Nürburgring. “Despite completing it several times, you find it difficult to memorize all the parts of the long lap on the track that is visited daily by several hundred cars.” And, yes, you can do it yourself as well!
London-based Akram Khan is a leading British dancer and choreographer, acclaimed for the vitality he brings to cross-cultural expression, influenced by his training in Western contemporary dance and Kathak, the classical Indian genre. At this time, he’s doing a dance performance with Juliette Binoche, the famous French actress. Our own Yenny Huber asked him how it felt when he kissed her.
02
Why is the legendary SX superhero Jeremy McGrath still so popular? We talked to him and this was his answer: “I always like to put on a show for the fans. That’s one thing. The other thing is that I have no problem with fans. If somebody asks me for and autograph or wants to chat, I give them my attention and actually accept them into my life in a way, like some kind of an embrace.” No wonder his dad gave him the nickname “Showtime”! It fit so well that everyone started calling him that.
Our columnist Sir Alan Cathcart writes that bikers are inherently conservative people, and if it doesn’t look like a traditional motorcycle, by and large they’re not interested. Admire, yes - purchase, no. The bike-buying buck stops here. Out on the race track, it’s a different story. Looks don’t count - results do. Race teams and sponsors welcome novelty, and worship trickiness - so long as it delivers. Quickly. Motorcycles are indeed a sum of their parts, but the new ideas only work if all the component technology is in place.
03
02 / 03
Contents
05 LETTER
06 SHARP DETAILS
10 MOTO ACTION I
Marko Adamič, Managing Director of the Akrapovič company: “This issue has a distinctly automobile theme, and for good reason. You may already be aware that the Akrapovič company is entering the car market, and it is in this last area that we’re looking for (and are certain to gain) a share of the market.”
For all true fans, the Akrapovič Company now offers you a brand new exclusive collection of apparel in their online store. Stay tuned for more exclusive products in the Akrapovič online store at www.akrapovic.com/store. And look for more hot stuff from the Akrapovič Workshop!
In Bergamo, our own Peter Kavčič visited the famous KTM Farioli Racing Team. When it comes to modern Italian off-road motorsports,everything began with family Farioli. Read why family ties are so important in the racing world and why you can eat the best pasta ever at the Farioli Team’s paddock.
12 MOTO ACTION II
14 REVOLUTION
Five minutes before the race started, we talked to Max Biaggi. The Italian racer has been a part of the motorcycle world for nearly two decades and has won four World Championship titles. We did an interview with Olaf Manthey, who’s been involved for 34 years with motorsports, especially Porsches. He explains how they won the ADAC 24-Hour Race Nürburgring, three times in a row this year with a brand new lightweight exhaust system from Akrapovič.
We’ll introduce you to the next big Akrapovič project in a high-technology facility: the car project. It’s about creating a stable base, with productive and solid foundations, that can support the slowly growing superstructure needed for the development and manufacturing process. This, in turn, results in high-class exhaust systems with excellent performance. Yes, appearance matters! And one of the basic requirements in making an exhaust system is that it looks attractive. This has been achieved by Akrapovič through the use of various modern and featherweight carbon components. Once shaped, they are lighter and more solid than products made from other comparable materials, such as steel. This is extremely important for boosting performance since lighter motorcycle and car parts yield pure gold in terms of technology.
// Si
NOTE All the longer articles in the Sharp
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.
28 FANTASTIC II
Contents
30 SHARP WORLD
36 CRAZY STUFF
We introduce you to all the latest hits: the new Kenzo Power fragrance, The Sonos Bundle 150, The extra-virgin olive oil Lambada, the laundry basket Vipp 441, the @-space Media Chair, “The Bottler” and much more!
Damjan Zabovnik, a record-breaking sportsman, has designed a bicycle that is in many ways special and different. A unique characteristic of his vehicle is that he lies down and rides it backwards, whilst navigating with the help of a mirror. Find out why! The frame of the bicycle is made of titanium, a strong and light-weight metal used by the Akrapovič Company.
Did you know that you can take a helicopter from New York’s JFK straight to Manhattan? And that those who can afford to spend approximately 200,000 euros will soon be able to undertake a 3-hour space trip? If you are into fashion, you can visit The Mobile Art Chanel Contemporary Art Container by Zaha Hadid, the first project of its kind – a movable museum.
20 FANTASTIC I
38 GO WILD
44 RIDE WITH US
50 ORIGINAL
Multi-position satellite speakers called “Oh”, a dumbbell-style alarm clock, The Bene AL_Kicker Foosball Table, the Pure-Fi Dream sound system by Logitech,Amosu’s incredible diamond-covered iPhone and much more for you to enjoy!
Berlin is a city that amazes. We traveled to the one of the world’s most exciting metropolises. We tell you why you should visit this city of music and theatre that only begins oozing its magical image in the late hours of the night. It is at once dark, intimate and comfortable.
22 IntERVIEW
56 HIGH GEAR
Our journalist Gaber Keržišnik got to race an Akrapovič Porsche 911 GT3 RS for one day, and took it for a couple of laps on the Nordschleife, an old track at Germany’s famous Nürburgring. “Despite completing it several times, you find it difficult to memorize all the parts of the long lap on the track that is visited daily by several hundred cars.” And, yes, you can do it yourself as well!
London-based Akram Khan is a leading British dancer and choreographer, acclaimed for the vitality he brings to cross-cultural expression, influenced by his training in Western contemporary dance and Kathak, the classical Indian genre. At this time, he’s doing a dance performance with Juliette Binoche, the famous French actress. Our own Yenny Huber asked him how it felt when he kissed her.
02
Why is the legendary SX superhero Jeremy McGrath still so popular? We talked to him and this was his answer: “I always like to put on a show for the fans. That’s one thing. The other thing is that I have no problem with fans. If somebody asks me for and autograph or wants to chat, I give them my attention and actually accept them into my life in a way, like some kind of an embrace.” No wonder his dad gave him the nickname “Showtime”! It fit so well that everyone started calling him that.
Our columnist Sir Alan Cathcart writes that bikers are inherently conservative people, and if it doesn’t look like a traditional motorcycle, by and large they’re not interested. Admire, yes - purchase, no. The bike-buying buck stops here. Out on the race track, it’s a different story. Looks don’t count - results do. Race teams and sponsors welcome novelty, and worship trickiness - so long as it delivers. Quickly. Motorcycles are indeed a sum of their parts, but the new ideas only work if all the component technology is in place.
03
06 / 09
Hot Stuff from Akrapovič
Suzuki B-King +5.2 HP/6300 rpm -6.69 kg
Yamaha T-MAX 500 +2.9 HP/7620 rpm -5.11 kg
New at the Akrapovič online store
For all true fans, the Akrapovič company now offers you a brand new exclusive collection of apparel in their online store. You can choose from classic T-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, softshell jackets, cargo pants, knit caps or even baseball caps. They put all their dedication into even the smallest details, in order to provide you with top-quality products. Among the accessories, you will find Akrapovič-branded lanyards, key holders, USB flash drives made from purest carbon fiber, and heat resistant stickers for your exhaust. For the perfect look and performance of your motorcycle, they offer a wide range of carbon parts for most of the recent sports models. Stay tuned for more exclusive products in the Akrapovič online store at
www.akrapovic.com/store
Our team of development engineers studies every, even the most minute detail. It is difficult nowadays to improve on the already extremely capable factory-produced motorcycles. But we go one step further.
07
7
5 Aprilia SL Shiver 750 +1.4 HP/9200 rpm -6.34 kg
Sharp details
3 Honda CB 1000 R +8.1 HP/6850 rpm -4.64 kg
1
8 Kawasaki KX-F 450 2009 +2.5 HP/9900 rpm -1.19 kg
2
6
4 6 LANYARD
A very special Akrapovič piece, compact and of high quality that can be with you every day as a durable key holder.
1 FRONT FENDER
7
True racing design, a must have for all who accept no compromises in performance and design. Installation is simple and takes just a few minutes.
4
3 2 HOODIE Kawasaki ZX 10 R +14.9 HP/12400 rpm -7.85 kg
06
Color: black It’s all about style and sport with our hooded racing sweatshirt. Our unique design, a high quality metal zipper with a rubber Akrapovič puller and embroidered logos on the back, the front and both sleeves are a winning combination for the true Akrapovič fan. They use the finest, top quality materials. It is made of 67% cotton and 33% polyester.
SOFTSHELL JACKET
Color: Black/Black This all-weather softshell jacket will protect you from the wind and light rain. It features two different softshell materials for a perfect fit and comfort, three external pockets with Akrapovič rubber pullers, one internal pocket and embroidered logos on the back, front, and both sleeves. Technical characteristics comply with the UNI EN20811:93 and ISO 9237:97 standards.
T-SHIRT, men; Color: red
A classic T-shirt made of 100% high quality cotton with a large print of a scorpion on the front and the Akrapovič logo on the back and left sleeve.
USB flash drive This USB flash drive with 1GB capacity has been given the same amount of attention to detail they pay to their carbon fiber parts for sport motorcycles. A handcrafted carbon fiber sleeve makes it a true piece of art!
8 5 KEY HOLDER, vertical A small, but indisputably necessary piece for every true fan of the Akrapovič brand! This rubber key holder with a large stylized scorpion is the perfect match for the Akrapovič exhaust system on your motorcycle.
T-SHIRT, men
Color: black A classic T-shirt made of 100% high quality cotton with a large print of a scorpion on the front and the Akrapovič logo on the back and the left sleeve. The highest attention was placed on the smallest detail.
06 / 09
Hot Stuff from Akrapovič
Suzuki B-King +5.2 HP/6300 rpm -6.69 kg
Yamaha T-MAX 500 +2.9 HP/7620 rpm -5.11 kg
New at the Akrapovič online store
For all true fans, the Akrapovič company now offers you a brand new exclusive collection of apparel in their online store. You can choose from classic T-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, softshell jackets, cargo pants, knit caps or even baseball caps. They put all their dedication into even the smallest details, in order to provide you with top-quality products. Among the accessories, you will find Akrapovič-branded lanyards, key holders, USB flash drives made from purest carbon fiber, and heat resistant stickers for your exhaust. For the perfect look and performance of your motorcycle, they offer a wide range of carbon parts for most of the recent sports models. Stay tuned for more exclusive products in the Akrapovič online store at
www.akrapovic.com/store
Our team of development engineers studies every, even the most minute detail. It is difficult nowadays to improve on the already extremely capable factory-produced motorcycles. But we go one step further.
07
7
5 Aprilia SL Shiver 750 +1.4 HP/9200 rpm -6.34 kg
Sharp details
3 Honda CB 1000 R +8.1 HP/6850 rpm -4.64 kg
1
8 Kawasaki KX-F 450 2009 +2.5 HP/9900 rpm -1.19 kg
2
6
4 6 LANYARD
A very special Akrapovič piece, compact and of high quality that can be with you every day as a durable key holder.
1 FRONT FENDER
7
True racing design, a must have for all who accept no compromises in performance and design. Installation is simple and takes just a few minutes.
4
3 2 HOODIE Kawasaki ZX 10 R +14.9 HP/12400 rpm -7.85 kg
06
Color: black It’s all about style and sport with our hooded racing sweatshirt. Our unique design, a high quality metal zipper with a rubber Akrapovič puller and embroidered logos on the back, the front and both sleeves are a winning combination for the true Akrapovič fan. They use the finest, top quality materials. It is made of 67% cotton and 33% polyester.
SOFTSHELL JACKET
Color: Black/Black This all-weather softshell jacket will protect you from the wind and light rain. It features two different softshell materials for a perfect fit and comfort, three external pockets with Akrapovič rubber pullers, one internal pocket and embroidered logos on the back, front, and both sleeves. Technical characteristics comply with the UNI EN20811:93 and ISO 9237:97 standards.
T-SHIRT, men; Color: red
A classic T-shirt made of 100% high quality cotton with a large print of a scorpion on the front and the Akrapovič logo on the back and left sleeve.
USB flash drive This USB flash drive with 1GB capacity has been given the same amount of attention to detail they pay to their carbon fiber parts for sport motorcycles. A handcrafted carbon fiber sleeve makes it a true piece of art!
8 5 KEY HOLDER, vertical A small, but indisputably necessary piece for every true fan of the Akrapovič brand! This rubber key holder with a large stylized scorpion is the perfect match for the Akrapovič exhaust system on your motorcycle.
T-SHIRT, men
Color: black A classic T-shirt made of 100% high quality cotton with a large print of a scorpion on the front and the Akrapovič logo on the back and the left sleeve. The highest attention was placed on the smallest detail.
06 / 09
08
BMW to Enter the WSBK in 2009 Since BMW’s announcement that they would enter the Superbike World Championship in 2009, the project has been gathering pace and race fans around the world have finally been able to see the tangible aspects of the project for the first time. The new BMW S 1000 RR, equipped with an Akrapovič exhaust, has been tested at various racetracks in Spain and Germany. The three riders, Steve Martin, Kevin Curtain and Jeremy McWilliams, said that the basics of the S 1000 RR are very good, that the engine has good power, that the chassis and suspension are working well and that the bike already has the fundamentals of a Superbike racer. That sentiment was echoed by BMW Motorrad Motorsport General Manager Berti Hauser, who pointed out: “If our project continues at this pace, I think we could surprise a few people next year.”
Michael Schumacher Uses Akrapovič Exhausts
Akrapovič – Winner of the 2008 Nürburgring 24-Hour Race
Those who thought that seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher would lead a peaceful life after the end of his F1 career were wrong. He’s found a new challenge in the world of motorcycles and took part in a number of amateur races during the 2008 season. As a guest, he also participated in the KTM Super Duke Trophy, scoring an excellent result with his motorcycle, which was equipped with an Akrapovič exhaust system. This spurred rumors that Mr. Schumacher might turn his attention to motorcycle racing, but he insists he has no specific ambitions to compete in racing and is only looking for a bit of two-wheel fun.
This year’s winner of the prestigious 24-hour endurance race at the Nürburgring ring (“The Green Hell”) was the Manthey Racing team with drivers Timo Bernhard, Marc Lieb, Romain Dumas, and Marcel Tiemann. During the exciting race, which ran from the 24th to 25th of May, the Porsche 911 GT3-RSR Team racked up their third consecutive victory. (They won in 2006 and 2007 as well) It’s worth mentioning that the winning car was equipped with the Akrapovič exhaust system! With this tremendous achievement, they’ve proven the quality of their products and strengthened the value of the Akrapovič Company brand in the elite world of motorsports as well.
Around the World
Sala, Testing for Akrapovič Gio Sala, a six-time World Enduro Champion, tested prototype exhaust systems for the Akrapovič’s Racing R&D Department. At Akrapovič, they are aware that in addition to static noise levels with which their exhaust systems have no problems (94 dB at 13 m/s), dynamic noise levels are also extremely important. Namely, this is the noise we hear at a race or during recreational off-road riding. Even though official regulations that determine dynamic noise measurements do not yet exist, they are, because of the great importance of this issue, actively working on finding new solutions that can ensure the preservation of this sport that is so dear to all of them. We have successfully manufactured exhaust systems that decrease the dynamic noise level all the way down to 8 dB and at the same time have no negative impact on the efficacy and handling of the motorcycle.
There are few adventurers or motorcyclists who can say that they have circumnavigated the globe. But there are even fewer aftermarket exhaust systems that can call themselves globetrotters. Maybe this adventure didn’t get as much attention as the famous Long Way Around with Evan McGregor, but the Akrapovič company finds it priceless that one of its exhaust systems made it around the world without a glitch. Croatia’s Željan Rakela and his BMW R 1200 GS Adventure, equipped with the Evolution exhaust system, covered over 100,000 kilometres and proved the exceptional quality of the exhaust. The only thing that needed replacing after the feat was the damping wool in the mufflers.
Gio Sala
Chris Pfeiffer Visits the Akrapovič Plant During his visit to Slovenia, in which he thrilled audiences with his spectacular show, the World Stunt Riding Champion stopped by the Akrapovič plant in Ivančna Gorica to see the manufacture of exhausts for himself. Chris, considered a pioneer in wild stunt riding with three World Champion and three European Champion titles under his belt, was thrilled by what he saw. “I never imagined that the entire manufacturing takes part in one plant alone that they manufacture the pipes by themselves,” he said. He also took a shot at welding, although he admitted at the end that he would rather stick to riding on the front or back wheel of his motorcycle. Pfeiffer uses the Akrapovič Evolution exhaust systems on his F 800 S and G 450 X. BMWs. www.chrispfeiffer.com
Sharp details
09
Chad Reed Crowned World Supercross Champion
After his success in 2003, Chad Reed has triumphed again with the 2008 Supercross Champion title. He dominated the series, winning nine out of seventeen rounds, finishing on the podium thirteen times and leading with an incredible 153 laps over the season, three times more than any other rider. And, yes, he had his Akrapovič on his tail.
Drudi Selects Akrapovič The Italian motorcycle design icon Aldo Drudi chose the Akrapovič exhaust system for his BMW R 1200 GS motorcycle. Aldo is the person behind the outrageous design on Rossi’s helmet and his artwork is also spoted on the helmets of Haga, Edwards, Nakano or Brooks. In the past, he’s created helmet designs for the likes of Schwantz, Mamola and Doohan! He’s heavily involved with individual racing teams in the Moto GP and the WSBK series, while his designs are also used by motorcycle industry giants like Yamaha, Ducati, Spidi and Bikers.
You can read about the details at: www.Adventure-rakela.com
Akrapovič exhausts: a (literal) work of art Slovenian photographer Janez Vlachy has made art out of the Akrapovič exhaust system. The company was looking for something special, such as photos for a calendar or some image shots of the exhaust tubes. Then they saw Vlachy’s work, and were astonished at how he captured the secret life of a titanium tube, its inner energy, its sensuous look… Vlachy explains: “When I first saw the tubes, they looked very photogenic, titanium blue, brown colors. I decided to try my nearly 100year-old 8x10-4x5 inch Noba camera. I wanted to show respect for the best
exhaust tubes in the world, and was trying hard for a couple of days, but I just didn’t like what I was doing. I was frustrated: I moved into my studio, I slept there ... but I wasn’t getting anywhere. Then I found some interesting paper to use as a background, I got a completely fresh atmosphere, and the whole thing got this intellectual look -- the look that the tubes deserved.” The photos were published in Graphis (October 2008), The International Journal of Visual Communication, NY
06 / 09
08
BMW to Enter the WSBK in 2009 Since BMW’s announcement that they would enter the Superbike World Championship in 2009, the project has been gathering pace and race fans around the world have finally been able to see the tangible aspects of the project for the first time. The new BMW S 1000 RR, equipped with an Akrapovič exhaust, has been tested at various racetracks in Spain and Germany. The three riders, Steve Martin, Kevin Curtain and Jeremy McWilliams, said that the basics of the S 1000 RR are very good, that the engine has good power, that the chassis and suspension are working well and that the bike already has the fundamentals of a Superbike racer. That sentiment was echoed by BMW Motorrad Motorsport General Manager Berti Hauser, who pointed out: “If our project continues at this pace, I think we could surprise a few people next year.”
Michael Schumacher Uses Akrapovič Exhausts
Akrapovič – Winner of the 2008 Nürburgring 24-Hour Race
Those who thought that seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher would lead a peaceful life after the end of his F1 career were wrong. He’s found a new challenge in the world of motorcycles and took part in a number of amateur races during the 2008 season. As a guest, he also participated in the KTM Super Duke Trophy, scoring an excellent result with his motorcycle, which was equipped with an Akrapovič exhaust system. This spurred rumors that Mr. Schumacher might turn his attention to motorcycle racing, but he insists he has no specific ambitions to compete in racing and is only looking for a bit of two-wheel fun.
This year’s winner of the prestigious 24-hour endurance race at the Nürburgring ring (“The Green Hell”) was the Manthey Racing team with drivers Timo Bernhard, Marc Lieb, Romain Dumas, and Marcel Tiemann. During the exciting race, which ran from the 24th to 25th of May, the Porsche 911 GT3-RSR Team racked up their third consecutive victory. (They won in 2006 and 2007 as well) It’s worth mentioning that the winning car was equipped with the Akrapovič exhaust system! With this tremendous achievement, they’ve proven the quality of their products and strengthened the value of the Akrapovič Company brand in the elite world of motorsports as well.
Around the World
Sala, Testing for Akrapovič Gio Sala, a six-time World Enduro Champion, tested prototype exhaust systems for the Akrapovič’s Racing R&D Department. At Akrapovič, they are aware that in addition to static noise levels with which their exhaust systems have no problems (94 dB at 13 m/s), dynamic noise levels are also extremely important. Namely, this is the noise we hear at a race or during recreational off-road riding. Even though official regulations that determine dynamic noise measurements do not yet exist, they are, because of the great importance of this issue, actively working on finding new solutions that can ensure the preservation of this sport that is so dear to all of them. We have successfully manufactured exhaust systems that decrease the dynamic noise level all the way down to 8 dB and at the same time have no negative impact on the efficacy and handling of the motorcycle.
There are few adventurers or motorcyclists who can say that they have circumnavigated the globe. But there are even fewer aftermarket exhaust systems that can call themselves globetrotters. Maybe this adventure didn’t get as much attention as the famous Long Way Around with Evan McGregor, but the Akrapovič company finds it priceless that one of its exhaust systems made it around the world without a glitch. Croatia’s Željan Rakela and his BMW R 1200 GS Adventure, equipped with the Evolution exhaust system, covered over 100,000 kilometres and proved the exceptional quality of the exhaust. The only thing that needed replacing after the feat was the damping wool in the mufflers.
Gio Sala
Chris Pfeiffer Visits the Akrapovič Plant During his visit to Slovenia, in which he thrilled audiences with his spectacular show, the World Stunt Riding Champion stopped by the Akrapovič plant in Ivančna Gorica to see the manufacture of exhausts for himself. Chris, considered a pioneer in wild stunt riding with three World Champion and three European Champion titles under his belt, was thrilled by what he saw. “I never imagined that the entire manufacturing takes part in one plant alone that they manufacture the pipes by themselves,” he said. He also took a shot at welding, although he admitted at the end that he would rather stick to riding on the front or back wheel of his motorcycle. Pfeiffer uses the Akrapovič Evolution exhaust systems on his F 800 S and G 450 X. BMWs. www.chrispfeiffer.com
Sharp details
09
Chad Reed Crowned World Supercross Champion
After his success in 2003, Chad Reed has triumphed again with the 2008 Supercross Champion title. He dominated the series, winning nine out of seventeen rounds, finishing on the podium thirteen times and leading with an incredible 153 laps over the season, three times more than any other rider. And, yes, he had his Akrapovič on his tail.
Drudi Selects Akrapovič The Italian motorcycle design icon Aldo Drudi chose the Akrapovič exhaust system for his BMW R 1200 GS motorcycle. Aldo is the person behind the outrageous design on Rossi’s helmet and his artwork is also spoted on the helmets of Haga, Edwards, Nakano or Brooks. In the past, he’s created helmet designs for the likes of Schwantz, Mamola and Doohan! He’s heavily involved with individual racing teams in the Moto GP and the WSBK series, while his designs are also used by motorcycle industry giants like Yamaha, Ducati, Spidi and Bikers.
You can read about the details at: www.Adventure-rakela.com
Akrapovič exhausts: a (literal) work of art Slovenian photographer Janez Vlachy has made art out of the Akrapovič exhaust system. The company was looking for something special, such as photos for a calendar or some image shots of the exhaust tubes. Then they saw Vlachy’s work, and were astonished at how he captured the secret life of a titanium tube, its inner energy, its sensuous look… Vlachy explains: “When I first saw the tubes, they looked very photogenic, titanium blue, brown colors. I decided to try my nearly 100year-old 8x10-4x5 inch Noba camera. I wanted to show respect for the best
exhaust tubes in the world, and was trying hard for a couple of days, but I just didn’t like what I was doing. I was frustrated: I moved into my studio, I slept there ... but I wasn’t getting anywhere. Then I found some interesting paper to use as a background, I got a completely fresh atmosphere, and the whole thing got this intellectual look -- the look that the tubes deserved.” The photos were published in Graphis (October 2008), The International Journal of Visual Communication, NY
10 / 13
Moto Action
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Giovanni Sala
Ferro
10 / 13
Moto Action
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11
Giovanni Sala
Ferro
10 / 13
Moto Action
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10 / 13
Moto Action
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14 / 19
Revolution
Revolution
In Search
ComproA small and dedicated team is hard at work on the next big Akrapovič project in a high-technology facility.
14
15
by Aleš Kovačič photography Bor Dobrin
A large part of the exhaust system development is done on a dyno bench, which can measure engine strength up to 1,500 bhp.
Victory after 24 Hours on the Nürburgring Now also for Cars “Manufacturing exhaust systems requires constant development and a continuous search for an ideal compromise.” The words of engineer Matej Bulc could be taken to mean that everything at Akrapovič is happening in a monotonously ordinary and routine manner. However, to the astute observer, the additional level of activity of those employed in the workshops and offices of the Akrapovič facility speaks volumes. While even the most careful visitor would not be able to guess at the cause of this activity, the intensive creative glow in employees’ eyes gives an obvious clue that intensive ripples lie hidden just beneath the tranquil surface. Another telling fact that all that is seen is not just part of another ordinary day is the increased activity of workers late on Friday afternoon. However, my suspicions seem to be allayed by the motorcycles and their components that peek inquisitively from every nook and cranny and can be found alongside various tools and machines. Let there be no doubt: motorcycles still rule at Akrapovič, they are in the focus of the company, the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end… But really? If visitors were to cross the manufacturing section without looking up, they would certainly have every right to think so. But this is not the case, as proven by a stripped car with-
out its exhaust system that is hoisted on a hydraulic jack. A missing exhaust should raise no eyebrows in any mechanical workshop, but here it means that the boys at Akrapovič are definitely not resting on their laurels. The evolutionary phrase on the intertwining of progress and compromise, that at first seemed stereotypical and worn out, has taken on a new meaning. It has been rejuvenated and modernised. This rusty phrase that used to mean that everything was proceeding as usual in the Dolenjska plant has undergone a complete change and now means that the company has been for quite a while focusing its know-how and potential into an untapped area. The company made a bold claim to leave its mark on the manufacture of car exhausts for brands that represent the pinnacle of achievement and excellence in the sector. Because these attributes could also be ascribed to Akrapovič’s exhaust systems, cooperation with brands such as Porsche almost seems like a no brainer. Even though the challenges and pitfalls in designing car exhausts differ materially from designing their motorcycle counterparts, the basic tenets that allowed the Akrapovič brand to take the top spot and become a cult name in the world of motorcycle exhausts, remain the same.
The basic tenets for developing car and motorcycle exhausts are the same, as top–of-the-line exhaust systems have to meet the requirements and needs of the customers, especially with regard to their roaring sound, mean looks, light weight and breathtaking capabilities. Situated between these needs and a final product that must convince and please even the most picky user, is a lot of work. Engineers can draw, somewhat, on their motorcycle know-how. But the car project is about creating a stable base, productive and solid foundations that could support the slowly growing superstructure of the development and manufacturing process, which in the end results in high-class exhaust systems with excellent performance. Achieving the optimum weight of an exhaust system - a central requirement in professional motor sports - is done with the help special titanium alloys, which are even stronger than normal steel, boast high temperature resistance and weigh up to 40% less. This was confirmed during Akrapovič’s teaming up with the Manthey-Racing team that won the endurance race on the unforgiving Nürburgring in Germany with its Porsche 997 RSR Team, equipped with an Akrapovič exhaust that reduced the weight of the car by no less than 12 kilograms. But this is just the tip of the iceberg for the new project, which is an exercise in reaching the holy grail of exhaust system design – finding the perfect compromise between the basic tenets. The difference is merely in the category used for achieving speed – this now also includes four-wheeled
A titanium tailpipe
for the Porsche 91 1 GT3.
// Si
Nov projekt - avtomobili Ni dvoma; motocikli so pri Akrapovičevih še zmeraj zakon, primarni objekti podviga, alfa in omega, skratka začetek in konec vsega ... Res? Podjetje svoje znanje in potencial že nekaj časa usmerja na zanj deviško področje, in sicer izdelavo avtomobilskih izpušnih sistemov za vozila znamk, ki v tem svetu pomenijo krono stvarstva in odličnosti. Zato ker so njihovi atributi reprezentativni tudi za Akrapovičeve izpušne sisteme, se sodelovanje z znamkami, kot so bavarski BMW, Porsche in Audi, zdi skoraj naravno. Čeprav so izzivi in pasti snovanja avtomobilskih izpuhov precej drugačni, pa temeljne postavke, ki so med drugim znamki Akrapovič zagotovile vrhunsko pozicijo ter kultno ime na področju razvoja motociklističnih izpuhov, ostajajo nespremenjene.
An exacting activity for top-of-the-line products.
14 / 19
Revolution
Revolution
In Search
ComproA small and dedicated team is hard at work on the next big Akrapovič project in a high-technology facility.
14
15
by Aleš Kovačič photography Bor Dobrin
A large part of the exhaust system development is done on a dyno bench, which can measure engine strength up to 1,500 bhp.
Victory after 24 Hours on the Nürburgring Now also for Cars “Manufacturing exhaust systems requires constant development and a continuous search for an ideal compromise.” The words of engineer Matej Bulc could be taken to mean that everything at Akrapovič is happening in a monotonously ordinary and routine manner. However, to the astute observer, the additional level of activity of those employed in the workshops and offices of the Akrapovič facility speaks volumes. While even the most careful visitor would not be able to guess at the cause of this activity, the intensive creative glow in employees’ eyes gives an obvious clue that intensive ripples lie hidden just beneath the tranquil surface. Another telling fact that all that is seen is not just part of another ordinary day is the increased activity of workers late on Friday afternoon. However, my suspicions seem to be allayed by the motorcycles and their components that peek inquisitively from every nook and cranny and can be found alongside various tools and machines. Let there be no doubt: motorcycles still rule at Akrapovič, they are in the focus of the company, the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end… But really? If visitors were to cross the manufacturing section without looking up, they would certainly have every right to think so. But this is not the case, as proven by a stripped car with-
out its exhaust system that is hoisted on a hydraulic jack. A missing exhaust should raise no eyebrows in any mechanical workshop, but here it means that the boys at Akrapovič are definitely not resting on their laurels. The evolutionary phrase on the intertwining of progress and compromise, that at first seemed stereotypical and worn out, has taken on a new meaning. It has been rejuvenated and modernised. This rusty phrase that used to mean that everything was proceeding as usual in the Dolenjska plant has undergone a complete change and now means that the company has been for quite a while focusing its know-how and potential into an untapped area. The company made a bold claim to leave its mark on the manufacture of car exhausts for brands that represent the pinnacle of achievement and excellence in the sector. Because these attributes could also be ascribed to Akrapovič’s exhaust systems, cooperation with brands such as Porsche almost seems like a no brainer. Even though the challenges and pitfalls in designing car exhausts differ materially from designing their motorcycle counterparts, the basic tenets that allowed the Akrapovič brand to take the top spot and become a cult name in the world of motorcycle exhausts, remain the same.
The basic tenets for developing car and motorcycle exhausts are the same, as top–of-the-line exhaust systems have to meet the requirements and needs of the customers, especially with regard to their roaring sound, mean looks, light weight and breathtaking capabilities. Situated between these needs and a final product that must convince and please even the most picky user, is a lot of work. Engineers can draw, somewhat, on their motorcycle know-how. But the car project is about creating a stable base, productive and solid foundations that could support the slowly growing superstructure of the development and manufacturing process, which in the end results in high-class exhaust systems with excellent performance. Achieving the optimum weight of an exhaust system - a central requirement in professional motor sports - is done with the help special titanium alloys, which are even stronger than normal steel, boast high temperature resistance and weigh up to 40% less. This was confirmed during Akrapovič’s teaming up with the Manthey-Racing team that won the endurance race on the unforgiving Nürburgring in Germany with its Porsche 997 RSR Team, equipped with an Akrapovič exhaust that reduced the weight of the car by no less than 12 kilograms. But this is just the tip of the iceberg for the new project, which is an exercise in reaching the holy grail of exhaust system design – finding the perfect compromise between the basic tenets. The difference is merely in the category used for achieving speed – this now also includes four-wheeled
A titanium tailpipe
for the Porsche 91 1 GT3.
// Si
Nov projekt - avtomobili Ni dvoma; motocikli so pri Akrapovičevih še zmeraj zakon, primarni objekti podviga, alfa in omega, skratka začetek in konec vsega ... Res? Podjetje svoje znanje in potencial že nekaj časa usmerja na zanj deviško področje, in sicer izdelavo avtomobilskih izpušnih sistemov za vozila znamk, ki v tem svetu pomenijo krono stvarstva in odličnosti. Zato ker so njihovi atributi reprezentativni tudi za Akrapovičeve izpušne sisteme, se sodelovanje z znamkami, kot so bavarski BMW, Porsche in Audi, zdi skoraj naravno. Čeprav so izzivi in pasti snovanja avtomobilskih izpuhov precej drugačni, pa temeljne postavke, ki so med drugim znamki Akrapovič zagotovile vrhunsko pozicijo ter kultno ime na področju razvoja motociklističnih izpuhov, ostajajo nespremenjene.
An exacting activity for top-of-the-line products.
14 / 19
Revolution
17
by Aleš Kovačič photography Bor Dobrin
One of the basic requirements in making an exhaust system is that it looks attractive. This is achieved by Akrapovic through the use of various modern and featherweight carbon components.
EMOTIONAL EXTRA 16
The technology of joining and manipulating carbon fibres and epoxy resins, the s.c. duroplasts, is the
starting point for the manufacture of modern exhaust systems. Modern industrial processes are used at
Akrapovič to make the fibres the most visible parts of the final product of the company: the exhaust
system. Uninteresting? For the unknowing average
person, who is not moved by technical specifica-
the originally very uninteresting technological
ite items used to make the exhausts seem, at first
an emotional extra as the curvatures of an exhaust
tions, it is undoubtedly dull. The various composglance, to be a subject that could not keep a person
entertained. Stimulation, however, does come from the other positive characteristic of carbon com-
posite materials. It is their excellent flexibility that
gives them an edge over steel in shaping them into numerous seducing, functional and complex lines and curves. And these lines and curves transform
concept of the manufacture of components into
pipe can feel quite erotic to motorcycle enthusiasts and design aficionados. The product must not only be functional. Above all, it must look good, as the
maxim goes. But this does not mean that Akrapovič
carbon products are nothing more than shallow road models!
14 / 19
Revolution
17
by Aleš Kovačič photography Bor Dobrin
One of the basic requirements in making an exhaust system is that it looks attractive. This is achieved by Akrapovic through the use of various modern and featherweight carbon components.
EMOTIONAL EXTRA 16
The technology of joining and manipulating carbon fibres and epoxy resins, the s.c. duroplasts, is the
starting point for the manufacture of modern exhaust systems. Modern industrial processes are used at
Akrapovič to make the fibres the most visible parts of the final product of the company: the exhaust
system. Uninteresting? For the unknowing average
person, who is not moved by technical specifica-
the originally very uninteresting technological
ite items used to make the exhausts seem, at first
an emotional extra as the curvatures of an exhaust
tions, it is undoubtedly dull. The various composglance, to be a subject that could not keep a person
entertained. Stimulation, however, does come from the other positive characteristic of carbon com-
posite materials. It is their excellent flexibility that
gives them an edge over steel in shaping them into numerous seducing, functional and complex lines and curves. And these lines and curves transform
concept of the manufacture of components into
pipe can feel quite erotic to motorcycle enthusiasts and design aficionados. The product must not only be functional. Above all, it must look good, as the
maxim goes. But this does not mean that Akrapovič
carbon products are nothing more than shallow road models!
14 / 19
Revolution
18
16
The shine of newly lacquered carbon pieces.
LIGHT AND SOLID AS PURE GOLD
use of a motorcycle. A lighter and better distributed weight, a lower centre of gravity, can all be achieved with the use of carbon.
An important characteristic of carbon composites is that, once shaped, they are lighter and more solid than products made from other comparable materials, such as steel. This is extremely important for boosting performance since lighter motorcycle and car parts yield pure gold in terms of technology. Their value is measured in kilograms or grams that are quickly translated into a thousandth or a hundredth lost or gained on the track. The scale, however, does not only decide the winner or loser in motor sports, it also plays a key role in the everyday
In creating such products, the Akrapovič company, on one hand, utilises its considerable technological potential, which can be seen in the advanced and partly automated manufacture process of exhaust systems and parts that are made from carbon (mudguards, body, covers etc). But the company’s efficient machines and computers would be useless extras if it was not for the treasure trove of craftsmanship, knowledge and skills that is the ninety-strong team of employees in the Podpeč plant near Ljubljana.
Prepreg carbon awaits further treatment at -18°C.
19 On average, the Akrapovič exhausts are made of 20 or 30 components, including at least four made from carbon (muffler outer sleeve, end cap, heat shield and muffler clamps). Of course, the key characteristics and the basic design of exhaust systems depend on the motorcycle type and brand. The same goes for all other carbon decorative parts. New types of motorcycles, for which the exhaust needs to be developed, are first taken completely apart and then checked from the first screw to the last in the test laboratories of the facility in Ivančna Gorica. There, the guidelines are set for the first exhaust prototypes. The modelling, which is carried out in Podpeč, is then done by using 3D CAD software
with which the designers shape and mould the shapeless and characterless rectangular composite fibre into its alluring end shape. Just as any top model requires makeup to look perfect, the products made of composite materials require a special final treatment. The unique shine and resistance to UV rays is guaranteed through the special procedure of applying a dusty layer, and then by the use of the solidifying oven in the paint room. By doing so, the high-end exhaust systems and functional carbon accessories soar high above soulless industrial products and become accessories, made with pedantic precision, of which you can be proud.
// Si
Ogljikovi kompozitni manekeni Izhodišče izdelave sodobnih izpušnih sistemov predstavlja tehnologija spajanja in medsebojne manipulacije ogljikovih vlaken ter epoksidnih smol, t. i. duroplastov. Zaradi izjemne prožnosti ogljikovih vlaken jih je v primerjavi z jeklom neprimerno lažje preoblikovati v marsikatero zapeljivo, funkcionalno in zapleteno linijo in krivino. Končni izdelki, narejeni iz ogljikovih kompozitov, so tudi lažji in trdnejši.
High-tech manufacturing requires curing in furnaces.
Pri izdelavi tovrstnih izdelkov se podjetje Akrapovič na eni strani naslanja na svoj znatni tehnološki potencial, ki se izraža v visokotehnološkem ter deloma robotiziranem proizvodnem procesu ogljikovih sestavnih delov (blatniki, maske, pokrovi ipd.) in izpušnih sistemov. Vendar bi bili ti zmogljivi stroji in računalniki zgolj povsem nekoristni statisti, če na drugi strani z njimi ne bi upravljal devetdesetčlanski rokodelski zaklad mojstrskega znanja in veščin zaposlenih v obratu v Podpeči, kraju blizu Ljubljane.
14 / 19
Revolution
18
16
The shine of newly lacquered carbon pieces.
LIGHT AND SOLID AS PURE GOLD
use of a motorcycle. A lighter and better distributed weight, a lower centre of gravity, can all be achieved with the use of carbon.
An important characteristic of carbon composites is that, once shaped, they are lighter and more solid than products made from other comparable materials, such as steel. This is extremely important for boosting performance since lighter motorcycle and car parts yield pure gold in terms of technology. Their value is measured in kilograms or grams that are quickly translated into a thousandth or a hundredth lost or gained on the track. The scale, however, does not only decide the winner or loser in motor sports, it also plays a key role in the everyday
In creating such products, the Akrapovič company, on one hand, utilises its considerable technological potential, which can be seen in the advanced and partly automated manufacture process of exhaust systems and parts that are made from carbon (mudguards, body, covers etc). But the company’s efficient machines and computers would be useless extras if it was not for the treasure trove of craftsmanship, knowledge and skills that is the ninety-strong team of employees in the Podpeč plant near Ljubljana.
Prepreg carbon awaits further treatment at -18°C.
19 On average, the Akrapovič exhausts are made of 20 or 30 components, including at least four made from carbon (muffler outer sleeve, end cap, heat shield and muffler clamps). Of course, the key characteristics and the basic design of exhaust systems depend on the motorcycle type and brand. The same goes for all other carbon decorative parts. New types of motorcycles, for which the exhaust needs to be developed, are first taken completely apart and then checked from the first screw to the last in the test laboratories of the facility in Ivančna Gorica. There, the guidelines are set for the first exhaust prototypes. The modelling, which is carried out in Podpeč, is then done by using 3D CAD software
with which the designers shape and mould the shapeless and characterless rectangular composite fibre into its alluring end shape. Just as any top model requires makeup to look perfect, the products made of composite materials require a special final treatment. The unique shine and resistance to UV rays is guaranteed through the special procedure of applying a dusty layer, and then by the use of the solidifying oven in the paint room. By doing so, the high-end exhaust systems and functional carbon accessories soar high above soulless industrial products and become accessories, made with pedantic precision, of which you can be proud.
// Si
Ogljikovi kompozitni manekeni Izhodišče izdelave sodobnih izpušnih sistemov predstavlja tehnologija spajanja in medsebojne manipulacije ogljikovih vlaken ter epoksidnih smol, t. i. duroplastov. Zaradi izjemne prožnosti ogljikovih vlaken jih je v primerjavi z jeklom neprimerno lažje preoblikovati v marsikatero zapeljivo, funkcionalno in zapleteno linijo in krivino. Končni izdelki, narejeni iz ogljikovih kompozitov, so tudi lažji in trdnejši.
High-tech manufacturing requires curing in furnaces.
Pri izdelavi tovrstnih izdelkov se podjetje Akrapovič na eni strani naslanja na svoj znatni tehnološki potencial, ki se izraža v visokotehnološkem ter deloma robotiziranem proizvodnem procesu ogljikovih sestavnih delov (blatniki, maske, pokrovi ipd.) in izpušnih sistemov. Vendar bi bili ti zmogljivi stroji in računalniki zgolj povsem nekoristni statisti, če na drugi strani z njimi ne bi upravljal devetdesetčlanski rokodelski zaklad mojstrskega znanja in veščin zaposlenih v obratu v Podpeči, kraju blizu Ljubljane.
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Fantastic I
5
Record it! 1
Wake up, shape up Nothing will remind you of the importance of exercising like the Shape up dumbbell-style alarm clock. Fred and friends say that their alarm clock will help you start your day off right. Instead of hitting the off button, this alarm will only turn itself off in the morning when you’ve done 30 reps! You read that right: once the alarm wakes you up, the only way to shut it off is to do some exercise right away. Annoying at first, perhaps, but it will soon give your morning exercises that extra push you need to see results in just a matter of weeks.
20
Details >> www.worldwidefred.com
The world of DVD recorders has taken a leap forward with the Philips DVDR5570H mpeg2 recorder that features an analog and digital TV tuner and a hard drive with an impressive capacity of 250GB. This particular DVD recorder is set and ready to work miracles in conjunction with HD technology. This allows for the best quality sound and picture to be recorded on either the hard drive or DVD unit. It even has a detector for ads, so that the recorded program will automatically be ad-free for your optimal viewing pleasure! What’s more: a simple USB connector allows you to easily move files from the recorder’s hard drive to your portable unit and pass it on to friends. Or just plug in your digital camera and view photos on your TV. It’s not just a recorder, it’s an adventure! Details >> www.philips.com
21
4
Golfing perfection 2
3
A game for the office
Oh, how cute
Bene is a luxury office furniture manufacturer, which firmly believes that every office should help their employees blow off steam, relax and recharge their batteries. What better way to do that than to go nuts with a foosball table? The Bene AL_Kicker Foosball Table blends perfectly into the office environment – sleek, straight lines, elegant design and aluminum players in red and silver. When you’re done playing, you just cover up the field and the table transforms back into an office table, ready to have some work done on it. Bene does not want to disclose the price of this table, but you’re free to order it. It will undoubtedly bring endless fun to your workplace.
They’re small, adorable and very practical. They’re multi-position satellite speakers called “Oh” and they can be placed anywhere you want. You can hang them on any wall, directly on the ceiling or just place them on the ground next to your sound system. It all depends on where they can serve you best. With their careful design and impressive power, their service will be nothing short of perfection. They can handle 80W of power, eight ohms of impedance, and come in various colors ranging from pure white, redlined, and funky blue. And the best part is that you can rotate them for maximum results. You want your sound system to be special? Oh will make it happen.
Stewart Golf wanted to make his award winning tour golf bag carrier X3R even better. The team started from scratch, using their experience and the ideas learned from the original, until the F1 Lithium was born. It’s far from just being an update, it’s an impressive new product that will bring tears of joy to any avid golfer. F1 can be, much like the X3R, completely folded up for easier transportation. It runs on a Lithium Ion battery and uses an enhanced version of software derived from none other than NASA itself. The wheels are made of magnesium alloy and rounded with a thick tire for maximum functionality on hard ground. The carrier weighs just 14kg, and despite the name’s allusions to Formula 1, the F1 name actually originates from the design days when the carrier was nicknamed “the folding one”.
Details >> www.bene.com
Details >> www.ohbytutondo.com
Details >> www.stewartgolf.com
8
The sound of music 7
Apple’s iPhone is all the rage these days. With the introduction of the 3G version, the world has gone crazy. What will put you above the masses is this: Amosu’s incredible diamond-covered iPhone. It’s brighter than the sun, adorned with 61 brilliant cut 0.76 carat diamonds. The most anticipated mobile phone that became the world’s most popular gadget, is now dressed to kill. Just make sure you’re ready to update the phone’s software regularly, as this priceless toy is not going anywhere – you know that diamonds are forever, right?
There is a little bit of everything in the versatile sound system Pure-Fi Dream by Logitech. They called it Dream because it fits perfectly in your bedroom, and was designed as an alarm clock that is sensitive to movement and light. No more searching for buttons in the dark: the controls light up when they detect movement. This will allow you to optimize your sound in complete darkness, as Pure-Fi Dream not only offers an AM/FM radio, but high-efficiency speakers and Logitech’s innovative StereoXL technology that allows for the expansion of the sound field for an even grander musical experience. Your bedroom never sounded better.
On the outside, the new Yamaha DFC1M4 Disklavier Mark IV Grand Piano looks just like, well, a piano. But inside, this work of art is so much more. It has a computer-enhanced interior that offers a whole new dimension of features. The piano houses an 80GB hard drive to store your music, a karaoke player with microphone input for those classic evenings with champagne, a pocket remote control to operate its many features from across the room, some laser-powered key sensors, six hours of music already installed for your learning pleasure and even a direct connection to the internet where the key stroked can be downloaded straight into the piano. You’ll play like a pro in just one afternoon. But it will still cost you, as this masterpiece sells for 65.000 euros.
Details >> www.amosu.co.uk
Details >> www.logitech.com
Details >> www.yamaha.com
6
iDiamonds?
Dreams with sound
20 / 21
Fantastic I
5
Record it! 1
Wake up, shape up Nothing will remind you of the importance of exercising like the Shape up dumbbell-style alarm clock. Fred and friends say that their alarm clock will help you start your day off right. Instead of hitting the off button, this alarm will only turn itself off in the morning when you’ve done 30 reps! You read that right: once the alarm wakes you up, the only way to shut it off is to do some exercise right away. Annoying at first, perhaps, but it will soon give your morning exercises that extra push you need to see results in just a matter of weeks.
20
Details >> www.worldwidefred.com
The world of DVD recorders has taken a leap forward with the Philips DVDR5570H mpeg2 recorder that features an analog and digital TV tuner and a hard drive with an impressive capacity of 250GB. This particular DVD recorder is set and ready to work miracles in conjunction with HD technology. This allows for the best quality sound and picture to be recorded on either the hard drive or DVD unit. It even has a detector for ads, so that the recorded program will automatically be ad-free for your optimal viewing pleasure! What’s more: a simple USB connector allows you to easily move files from the recorder’s hard drive to your portable unit and pass it on to friends. Or just plug in your digital camera and view photos on your TV. It’s not just a recorder, it’s an adventure! Details >> www.philips.com
21
4
Golfing perfection 2
3
A game for the office
Oh, how cute
Bene is a luxury office furniture manufacturer, which firmly believes that every office should help their employees blow off steam, relax and recharge their batteries. What better way to do that than to go nuts with a foosball table? The Bene AL_Kicker Foosball Table blends perfectly into the office environment – sleek, straight lines, elegant design and aluminum players in red and silver. When you’re done playing, you just cover up the field and the table transforms back into an office table, ready to have some work done on it. Bene does not want to disclose the price of this table, but you’re free to order it. It will undoubtedly bring endless fun to your workplace.
They’re small, adorable and very practical. They’re multi-position satellite speakers called “Oh” and they can be placed anywhere you want. You can hang them on any wall, directly on the ceiling or just place them on the ground next to your sound system. It all depends on where they can serve you best. With their careful design and impressive power, their service will be nothing short of perfection. They can handle 80W of power, eight ohms of impedance, and come in various colors ranging from pure white, redlined, and funky blue. And the best part is that you can rotate them for maximum results. You want your sound system to be special? Oh will make it happen.
Stewart Golf wanted to make his award winning tour golf bag carrier X3R even better. The team started from scratch, using their experience and the ideas learned from the original, until the F1 Lithium was born. It’s far from just being an update, it’s an impressive new product that will bring tears of joy to any avid golfer. F1 can be, much like the X3R, completely folded up for easier transportation. It runs on a Lithium Ion battery and uses an enhanced version of software derived from none other than NASA itself. The wheels are made of magnesium alloy and rounded with a thick tire for maximum functionality on hard ground. The carrier weighs just 14kg, and despite the name’s allusions to Formula 1, the F1 name actually originates from the design days when the carrier was nicknamed “the folding one”.
Details >> www.bene.com
Details >> www.ohbytutondo.com
Details >> www.stewartgolf.com
8
The sound of music 7
Apple’s iPhone is all the rage these days. With the introduction of the 3G version, the world has gone crazy. What will put you above the masses is this: Amosu’s incredible diamond-covered iPhone. It’s brighter than the sun, adorned with 61 brilliant cut 0.76 carat diamonds. The most anticipated mobile phone that became the world’s most popular gadget, is now dressed to kill. Just make sure you’re ready to update the phone’s software regularly, as this priceless toy is not going anywhere – you know that diamonds are forever, right?
There is a little bit of everything in the versatile sound system Pure-Fi Dream by Logitech. They called it Dream because it fits perfectly in your bedroom, and was designed as an alarm clock that is sensitive to movement and light. No more searching for buttons in the dark: the controls light up when they detect movement. This will allow you to optimize your sound in complete darkness, as Pure-Fi Dream not only offers an AM/FM radio, but high-efficiency speakers and Logitech’s innovative StereoXL technology that allows for the expansion of the sound field for an even grander musical experience. Your bedroom never sounded better.
On the outside, the new Yamaha DFC1M4 Disklavier Mark IV Grand Piano looks just like, well, a piano. But inside, this work of art is so much more. It has a computer-enhanced interior that offers a whole new dimension of features. The piano houses an 80GB hard drive to store your music, a karaoke player with microphone input for those classic evenings with champagne, a pocket remote control to operate its many features from across the room, some laser-powered key sensors, six hours of music already installed for your learning pleasure and even a direct connection to the internet where the key stroked can be downloaded straight into the piano. You’ll play like a pro in just one afternoon. But it will still cost you, as this masterpiece sells for 65.000 euros.
Details >> www.amosu.co.uk
Details >> www.logitech.com
Details >> www.yamaha.com
6
iDiamonds?
Dreams with sound
22 / 27
Interview
Interview 22
JEREMY MC GR A T H
“FROM THE FIRST DAY I WAS HOOKED. IT WAS THE COMPETITION. I LOVED SHOWING PEOPLE THAT I WAS THE FASTEST OR COULD JUMP THE HIGHEST. PLUS I AM A SHOWOFF. WHEN THERE IS SOMETHING THAT I’M GOOD AT I LOVE TO SHOW PEOPLE WHAT I CAN DO.” -
23
by Peter Kavčič photography Piere Nardine, Thor archive
HE’S THE UNDISPUTED KING OF SUPERCROSS. HE DOMINATED RACING IN THE 90S AND LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK ON THIS SPORT. JEREMY IS THE HERO OF COMPUTER GAMES, BUT MOST OF ALL HE’S A ROLE MODEL TO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD. ALTHOUGH FIVE YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE
SO WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU DO?
YOUR RETIREMENT, YOU’RE STILL VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN THE SPORT. IS THIS HOW YOU IMAGINED YOUR RETIREMENT?
Absolutely not! I actually thought I wouldn’t be doing anything special. That I’d be doing things that I couldn’t as a racer because of all the commitments and the tight schedule. But I got bored really quickly. I just couldn’t sit by and watch, since there were so many fun things to do. And there are always enough races to allow me to do what I enjoy doing most -- and that’s riding a motocross bike. The best thing about it all is that the pressure of racing is gone. Now I ride a motocross bike once, twice, maybe three times a week, but I have most of the weekends off. The coolest thing with all of this is that I can still race some of the best bikes around.
01
SO YOU’RE ENJOYING A NORMAL
I do a lot of testing for the Honda factory team, helping them develop race bikes, and that’s great. And all that on Honda’s secret test track – I think that’s fantastic. I always get the best equipment, the best mechanics, and all the support that I used to get when I was a professional racer 24/7. I also do a lot of testing for Dunlop, but most of all I’m very involved in the development of motocross equipment by Thor. They supply me with new gear and I provide them with my opinion, comments, and suggestions on what is good and what they can change. This has allowed me to be very involved in the motocross arena in the US. 02
AND WHAT GIVES YOU THE MOST PLEASURE IN
FAMILY LIFE?
Yes, we sit around the table in the morning, have breakfast, and then have dinner together, and are together for the holidays. I wouldn’t change that for anything in the world. In fact, I’m there for my family as any normal father is. I play games with them, we draw together, I read them stories and things like that. 04 ARE YOUR DAUGHTERS FANS OF BIKES?
Yes, of course! They love it if I make them sit in front of me and we go for a slow ride around, you know, just for fun. My dad did the same with me when I was little.
LIFE AFTER RACING?
First and foremost, that I’m a father. I have two daughters and that’s great. Both are daddy’s little princesses, of course. 03
05
From the book of Jeremy McGrath:. Wide Open
22 / 27
Interview
Interview 22
JEREMY MC GR A T H
“FROM THE FIRST DAY I WAS HOOKED. IT WAS THE COMPETITION. I LOVED SHOWING PEOPLE THAT I WAS THE FASTEST OR COULD JUMP THE HIGHEST. PLUS I AM A SHOWOFF. WHEN THERE IS SOMETHING THAT I’M GOOD AT I LOVE TO SHOW PEOPLE WHAT I CAN DO.” -
23
by Peter Kavčič photography Piere Nardine, Thor archive
HE’S THE UNDISPUTED KING OF SUPERCROSS. HE DOMINATED RACING IN THE 90S AND LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK ON THIS SPORT. JEREMY IS THE HERO OF COMPUTER GAMES, BUT MOST OF ALL HE’S A ROLE MODEL TO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD. ALTHOUGH FIVE YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE
SO WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU DO?
YOUR RETIREMENT, YOU’RE STILL VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN THE SPORT. IS THIS HOW YOU IMAGINED YOUR RETIREMENT?
Absolutely not! I actually thought I wouldn’t be doing anything special. That I’d be doing things that I couldn’t as a racer because of all the commitments and the tight schedule. But I got bored really quickly. I just couldn’t sit by and watch, since there were so many fun things to do. And there are always enough races to allow me to do what I enjoy doing most -- and that’s riding a motocross bike. The best thing about it all is that the pressure of racing is gone. Now I ride a motocross bike once, twice, maybe three times a week, but I have most of the weekends off. The coolest thing with all of this is that I can still race some of the best bikes around.
01
SO YOU’RE ENJOYING A NORMAL
I do a lot of testing for the Honda factory team, helping them develop race bikes, and that’s great. And all that on Honda’s secret test track – I think that’s fantastic. I always get the best equipment, the best mechanics, and all the support that I used to get when I was a professional racer 24/7. I also do a lot of testing for Dunlop, but most of all I’m very involved in the development of motocross equipment by Thor. They supply me with new gear and I provide them with my opinion, comments, and suggestions on what is good and what they can change. This has allowed me to be very involved in the motocross arena in the US. 02
AND WHAT GIVES YOU THE MOST PLEASURE IN
FAMILY LIFE?
Yes, we sit around the table in the morning, have breakfast, and then have dinner together, and are together for the holidays. I wouldn’t change that for anything in the world. In fact, I’m there for my family as any normal father is. I play games with them, we draw together, I read them stories and things like that. 04 ARE YOUR DAUGHTERS FANS OF BIKES?
Yes, of course! They love it if I make them sit in front of me and we go for a slow ride around, you know, just for fun. My dad did the same with me when I was little.
LIFE AFTER RACING?
First and foremost, that I’m a father. I have two daughters and that’s great. Both are daddy’s little princesses, of course. 03
05
From the book of Jeremy McGrath:. Wide Open
22 / 27
Interview
24
25
YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR PARENTS OBVIOUSLY MEAN A LOT TO YOU?
My dad is my hero. I’ve always admired him and looked up to him. I hope that the girls will be able to say the same of me in the future. I remember my whole family went on trips for the weekend to the great outdoors. My dad and mom did some racing, but only for fun. We hung around with friends and raced around. 06 BUT YOUR SPORTS CAREER DID NOT BEGIN WITH BIKES, FOR EXAMPLE, IN MINICROSS, LIKE FOR MOST OF YOUR COMPETITORS? No, you’re right. I began in BMX cross, where I was pretty good, actually one of the best in southern California. The competition was extremely tough, which is why I learnt many things in BMX and used that in motocross. I got bored over time and my interest in bikes grew. When I was 15, I got permission at home to race in motocross. Although I got help from my parents, I also had to put in some of the money. I packed groceries in a supermarket, among other things. But if you really like something, you’ll do anything for it. 07
10
THEY SAY THAT YOU ADDED ANOTHER ZERO TO EARNINGS IN THIS SPORT. WHY?
WHAT ELSE DO YOU DO? DO YOU HAVE ANY HOBBIES NOT ASSOCIATED WITH BIKES?
Yes, they do say that. I think the turning point was when I went my own way and established my team. That was a risky move then, because I had to employ six people and everything depended on me. Today, the best guys earn 6-8 million dollars a year, but my contract back then was worth 2 million, which was a really unimaginable sum at the time. The earnings were in the hundreds of thousands of dollars before that. My competitors were actually my friends. We hung around together, had fun – although on the track, the friendship was forgotten. Today, racers keep more to themselves; they’re all more focused on success, since a lot of money is involved in this game. When I was starting out, we couldn’t imagine that we’d be able to earn even a little with racing. This has changed dramatically.
Yes, of course. I’m pretty good at golf. I’m not exactly a pro, but a part-time golfer. Golf is an extremely good exercise for concentration, which is extremely important in any type of racing. But it’s difficult sometimes to find the four hours to play the whole 18 holes if you have various commitments. I also race pick-up trucks, which is mostly for fun. But just like in motocross, I always drive to win. I hate to lose. The truck races take place near where I live and only once a month, which is not that bad.
08 BUT DID YOU GO EASY ON YOUR FRIENDS? FOR EXAMPLE, BY SPARING THEM THE »BLOCK-PASS«? No, not really. Maybe I’d overtake them more gently and not all out, as I would somebody else.
09
WHAT ABOUT ROAD BIKES? DO YOU HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE WITH THEM? Actually, very little. My father warned me against riding a bike on the road. There are always loonies out there who may crash into you even though it’s not your fault. But when I was 25, I secretly owned a Harley. My dad didn’t know about it at the time, since he said he would burn any road bike I brought home. In recent times, I’ve gotten increasingly excited about race tracks. I have a Honda CBR 600 RR, which I ride on occasion. It’s quite fun. Of course, everything is different because there is no sliding through the corners. But its still full of fun and excitement, when you’re on the verge of sliding out, leaning fully into a corner with your knee sliding on the tarmac chasing the ideal line. But I don’t have any racing ambitions for now – it’s all for fun. 11
Nac Nac by Jeremy McGrath.
22 / 27
Interview
24
25
YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR PARENTS OBVIOUSLY MEAN A LOT TO YOU?
My dad is my hero. I’ve always admired him and looked up to him. I hope that the girls will be able to say the same of me in the future. I remember my whole family went on trips for the weekend to the great outdoors. My dad and mom did some racing, but only for fun. We hung around with friends and raced around. 06 BUT YOUR SPORTS CAREER DID NOT BEGIN WITH BIKES, FOR EXAMPLE, IN MINICROSS, LIKE FOR MOST OF YOUR COMPETITORS? No, you’re right. I began in BMX cross, where I was pretty good, actually one of the best in southern California. The competition was extremely tough, which is why I learnt many things in BMX and used that in motocross. I got bored over time and my interest in bikes grew. When I was 15, I got permission at home to race in motocross. Although I got help from my parents, I also had to put in some of the money. I packed groceries in a supermarket, among other things. But if you really like something, you’ll do anything for it. 07
10
THEY SAY THAT YOU ADDED ANOTHER ZERO TO EARNINGS IN THIS SPORT. WHY?
WHAT ELSE DO YOU DO? DO YOU HAVE ANY HOBBIES NOT ASSOCIATED WITH BIKES?
Yes, they do say that. I think the turning point was when I went my own way and established my team. That was a risky move then, because I had to employ six people and everything depended on me. Today, the best guys earn 6-8 million dollars a year, but my contract back then was worth 2 million, which was a really unimaginable sum at the time. The earnings were in the hundreds of thousands of dollars before that. My competitors were actually my friends. We hung around together, had fun – although on the track, the friendship was forgotten. Today, racers keep more to themselves; they’re all more focused on success, since a lot of money is involved in this game. When I was starting out, we couldn’t imagine that we’d be able to earn even a little with racing. This has changed dramatically.
Yes, of course. I’m pretty good at golf. I’m not exactly a pro, but a part-time golfer. Golf is an extremely good exercise for concentration, which is extremely important in any type of racing. But it’s difficult sometimes to find the four hours to play the whole 18 holes if you have various commitments. I also race pick-up trucks, which is mostly for fun. But just like in motocross, I always drive to win. I hate to lose. The truck races take place near where I live and only once a month, which is not that bad.
08 BUT DID YOU GO EASY ON YOUR FRIENDS? FOR EXAMPLE, BY SPARING THEM THE »BLOCK-PASS«? No, not really. Maybe I’d overtake them more gently and not all out, as I would somebody else.
09
WHAT ABOUT ROAD BIKES? DO YOU HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE WITH THEM? Actually, very little. My father warned me against riding a bike on the road. There are always loonies out there who may crash into you even though it’s not your fault. But when I was 25, I secretly owned a Harley. My dad didn’t know about it at the time, since he said he would burn any road bike I brought home. In recent times, I’ve gotten increasingly excited about race tracks. I have a Honda CBR 600 RR, which I ride on occasion. It’s quite fun. Of course, everything is different because there is no sliding through the corners. But its still full of fun and excitement, when you’re on the verge of sliding out, leaning fully into a corner with your knee sliding on the tarmac chasing the ideal line. But I don’t have any racing ambitions for now – it’s all for fun. 11
Nac Nac by Jeremy McGrath.
22 / 27
Interview
“I TRIED TO INVENT A NEW STYLE ON MY OWN. NOT FOR STYLE’S SAKE, BUT WITH THE PURPOSE OF GETTING AROUND A SUPERCROSS COURSE FASTER THAN ANYONE EVER HAD.”
26 12
-
IN RECENT YEARS, WE’VE SEEN AN UNBELIEVABLE GROWTH IN POPULARITY FOR FREESTYLE MOTOCROSS. WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ON THIS? IS IT THE BEGINNING OF STUNTS ON MOTOCROSS BIKES?
27
I think what the best guys do today is great and unbelievable. It all began as a lifestyle thing. If you were a freestyler, you had to act like a rebel, wear different clothes to other people, have loads of tattoos and so on. Today, it’s all different and the best guys are actually athletes who have little in common with the rebel lifestyle. I really respect these guys, since they’re lifting the bar to heights that I couldn’t imagine. Today, a back flip is something completely normal, but when I was doing the nacnac or the can-can it was wild if you put your leg over the seat and let go of the handles. The people just went crazy with excitement. Oh, I remember my father, he was so angry if I did a nac-nac on the final lap. But it was all part of the fun and what would I be doing in motocross if not have fun? I think I’d be bored. But most of the tricks, including those that I performed, come from BMX, so I actually didn’t invent anything new. YOU’RE STILL THE KING AND VERY POPULAR AMONG THE FOLLOWERS OF THIS SPORT. WHAT MAKES YOU SO POPULAR?
// Si
I always like to put on a show for the fans. That’s one thing. The other thing is that I have no problem with fans. If somebody asks me for an autograph or wants to chat, I give them my attention and actually accept them into my life in a way, like some kind of an embrace. That way, I do something positive and I don’t have to think that I might have done something bad to someone or that I hurt them or acted arrogantly. Some of the racers don’t feel the same way and have big problems with this and carry such events with them, which hurts them in their racing. That isn’t good. In a race, you have to be 100% focused on one goal – and that is winning. 13 AND WHAT IS THE KEY TO YOUR SUCCESS? Focus. Confidence in myself and in my abilities. Your mind can be your biggest ally or your biggest enemy. It can make or break you. I was successful only because of my love and absolute dedication to this sport. That’s why I tell the young guys that you should race with your heart and not with the money in your pocket. It’s like in poker - you must play and take chances, but most of all you must have fun doing it. 14
Intervjuđ
Kralj superkrosa Jeremy McGrath je nesporni kralj superkrosa. Zaznamoval je devetdeseta in nedvomno vso zgodovino tega privlačnega športa. Jeremy je junak videoigric, predvsem pa vzornik množici mladih po vsem svetu. Med ljubitelji SX-športa ste še vedno kralj. Kaj vas dela tako priljubljenega? “Najprej to, da sem vedno rad naredil šov za gledalce, potem pa to, da nimam težav z navijači. Če me kdo prosi za avtogram ali želi le izmenjati nekaj besed, se mu posvetim, ga pravzaprav sprejmem v svoje življenje, kot neke vrste objem. S tem naredim nekaj dobrega, poleg tega pa se mi ni treba ukvarjati z mislijo, ali sem komu storil kaj slabega, ga prizadel, bil morda preveč vzvišen. Nekateri dirkači ne čutijo tako in imajo s tem velike težave; te dogodke potem vlečejo za sabo, kar pa jih na koncu tudi zmoti pri dirkanju. To vsekakor ni dobro, za dirko moraš biti 100-odstotno osredotočen le na en cilj, na zmago.” Ključ do vašega uspeha? “Osredotočenje, zaupanje vase, v svoje sposobnosti. Tvoja lastna psiha je lahko ali tvoj največji zaveznik ali pa največji sovražnik. Lahko ti pomaga ali pa te zlomi. Uspešen sem bil samo zaradi ljubezni in popolne predanosti do tega športa. Zato tudi danes pravim mladim fantom: Dirkaj s srcem in ne z denarjem, ki ga imaš v zadnjem žepu. To je kot poker, moraš igrati in tvegati; predvsem pa moraš uživati v tem, kar počneš.”
From the book of Jeremy McGrath:. Wide Open
22 / 27
Interview
“I TRIED TO INVENT A NEW STYLE ON MY OWN. NOT FOR STYLE’S SAKE, BUT WITH THE PURPOSE OF GETTING AROUND A SUPERCROSS COURSE FASTER THAN ANYONE EVER HAD.”
26 12
-
IN RECENT YEARS, WE’VE SEEN AN UNBELIEVABLE GROWTH IN POPULARITY FOR FREESTYLE MOTOCROSS. WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ON THIS? IS IT THE BEGINNING OF STUNTS ON MOTOCROSS BIKES?
27
I think what the best guys do today is great and unbelievable. It all began as a lifestyle thing. If you were a freestyler, you had to act like a rebel, wear different clothes to other people, have loads of tattoos and so on. Today, it’s all different and the best guys are actually athletes who have little in common with the rebel lifestyle. I really respect these guys, since they’re lifting the bar to heights that I couldn’t imagine. Today, a back flip is something completely normal, but when I was doing the nacnac or the can-can it was wild if you put your leg over the seat and let go of the handles. The people just went crazy with excitement. Oh, I remember my father, he was so angry if I did a nac-nac on the final lap. But it was all part of the fun and what would I be doing in motocross if not have fun? I think I’d be bored. But most of the tricks, including those that I performed, come from BMX, so I actually didn’t invent anything new. YOU’RE STILL THE KING AND VERY POPULAR AMONG THE FOLLOWERS OF THIS SPORT. WHAT MAKES YOU SO POPULAR?
// Si
I always like to put on a show for the fans. That’s one thing. The other thing is that I have no problem with fans. If somebody asks me for an autograph or wants to chat, I give them my attention and actually accept them into my life in a way, like some kind of an embrace. That way, I do something positive and I don’t have to think that I might have done something bad to someone or that I hurt them or acted arrogantly. Some of the racers don’t feel the same way and have big problems with this and carry such events with them, which hurts them in their racing. That isn’t good. In a race, you have to be 100% focused on one goal – and that is winning. 13 AND WHAT IS THE KEY TO YOUR SUCCESS? Focus. Confidence in myself and in my abilities. Your mind can be your biggest ally or your biggest enemy. It can make or break you. I was successful only because of my love and absolute dedication to this sport. That’s why I tell the young guys that you should race with your heart and not with the money in your pocket. It’s like in poker - you must play and take chances, but most of all you must have fun doing it. 14
Intervjuđ
Kralj superkrosa Jeremy McGrath je nesporni kralj superkrosa. Zaznamoval je devetdeseta in nedvomno vso zgodovino tega privlačnega športa. Jeremy je junak videoigric, predvsem pa vzornik množici mladih po vsem svetu. Med ljubitelji SX-športa ste še vedno kralj. Kaj vas dela tako priljubljenega? “Najprej to, da sem vedno rad naredil šov za gledalce, potem pa to, da nimam težav z navijači. Če me kdo prosi za avtogram ali želi le izmenjati nekaj besed, se mu posvetim, ga pravzaprav sprejmem v svoje življenje, kot neke vrste objem. S tem naredim nekaj dobrega, poleg tega pa se mi ni treba ukvarjati z mislijo, ali sem komu storil kaj slabega, ga prizadel, bil morda preveč vzvišen. Nekateri dirkači ne čutijo tako in imajo s tem velike težave; te dogodke potem vlečejo za sabo, kar pa jih na koncu tudi zmoti pri dirkanju. To vsekakor ni dobro, za dirko moraš biti 100-odstotno osredotočen le na en cilj, na zmago.” Ključ do vašega uspeha? “Osredotočenje, zaupanje vase, v svoje sposobnosti. Tvoja lastna psiha je lahko ali tvoj največji zaveznik ali pa največji sovražnik. Lahko ti pomaga ali pa te zlomi. Uspešen sem bil samo zaradi ljubezni in popolne predanosti do tega športa. Zato tudi danes pravim mladim fantom: Dirkaj s srcem in ne z denarjem, ki ga imaš v zadnjem žepu. To je kot poker, moraš igrati in tvegati; predvsem pa moraš uživati v tem, kar počneš.”
From the book of Jeremy McGrath:. Wide Open
28 / 29
Fantastic II
4 8
When Lighter is Better 4 28
The Slovenian company GS Composite is expanding their range of carbon nautical products. This year they unveiled their new, ultra-light hi-tech carbon gangways for use in luxury yachts. Carbon gangways are made from carbon fibres – a composite material that was created using Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Moulding (VARTM). This technology is primarily used in the manufacturing of jet fan blades and the blades of wind turbines. Nautical enthusiasts can choose between foldable or solid gangways, measuring 2.2 or 2.6 meters. Clients can also customize their gangways with different colors, can print the name of the yacht, or showcase their own designs. All of this can be further supplemented with a long range of accessories.
Details >> www.gs-composite.com
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7
5
Hello? The famous comedian George Carlin once made fun of people who wore wireless headsets that connected to their mobile phones. He was wondering why some people constantly kept the headset in their ear even when they were not actually using the phone. “Are they waiting in case the Pope calls?” he asked in jest. Well, with Jambra’s new and stylishly designed JX20 Pura Titanium Edition, the headset will be like part of your wardrobe. It has a futuristic look, no annoying blinking lights, and is almost like a fashion accessory with its minimalistic form and elegant Scandinavian design. And since it’s enforced with titanium, you can be sure it will last you a long, long time. Just remember to take it out of your ear before you go to bed!
6
Details >> www.jambra.com
29
3 2 1
Steady as she goes
More in one
Scandinavian design always combines elegance with functionality. The Danish company Vipp offers various bathroom accessories, among them the beautifully designed laundry basket Vipp 441, available in both white and black stainless steel. Inside you’ll find a dual-section inner bag that allows for simple and easy laundry sorting. When the basket fills up, the inside bag is removable for the easy transport of your dirty clothes to the washing machine. Still, you should have no problem moving the whole thing around: small rubber wheels at the bottom allow for the effortless movement of the whole basket. Just make sure you do occasionally empty it!
You may be the proud owner of a luxurious supersized yacht parked at a high class port, but nothing spoils the elegance of a fancy boat more than a bottle rolling out of control just because your precious yacht hit a small wave. That’s why Bottler BV, a famous Dutch company that specializes in yacht interior design, came up with “The Bottler”. Simple in name, hardcore in design. This is a bottle holder, crafted by hand, from concentric circles made out of precious metal (brass, nickel, gold -- prices start at $5,000). The inspiration was an Italian philosopher and mathematician Gerolamo Cardano, who developed cardanic suspension, which held the compass steady despite the ship movements. Apply that to your bottle of priceless Dom Perignon or Moet and have yourself a spill-free ride.
It used to be all-in-one, and they did pack everything possible into what started out being just a chair. The @-space Media Chair from BeeB is however far beyond just having it all in one. First of all, it has an impressive, outstanding design that will fit perfectly into your futuristic living room (you do have your living room designed like that, right?). Then there is a 19” flat screen, connected to a 2.1 speaker system for an optimal viewing experience. Along with that you have cables ready to connect to your computer and an ergonomic wireless keyboard and mouse that come with the chair. Play games, check your e-mail or log on to MSN and tell your friends why you‘ll never be leaving the house again! BeeB allows you to order it via their webshop. They’ll let you know what the price is once you start talking business.
Details >> www.vipp.dk
Details >> www.bottler.nl
Details >> www.beeb.se
Dirty laundry
6
7
8
A bundle of sound
Pure virginity
The power of smell
If you want to put as much music in your house as possible, consider the Sonos Bundle 150. The ZonePlayer 90 plugs into your stereo, while the ZonePlayer 120 with a built-in amplifier acts as a source of music in another room. With a wireless remote that has an impressive range, you can then easily control the music played in both rooms. The remote gives you instant access to your entire music collection along with internet radios and various popular online music services. It’s basically a whole world of music in the palm of your hand – and for two rooms in your house at once!
If you love only the best food ingredients in your kitchen, then you will absolutely adore this high quality extra-virgin olive oil. Lambda is what critics have called the “Rolls Royce of olive oils” and it just hit the stores this summer. The oil is produced from the finest Koroneiki olives found in the awardwinning Kritsa region of Greece. Lambda features superior taste, as it is produced via a unique process that accepts only carefully selected olives, handpicked from trees and then pressed the very same day. It tastes like nothing you’ve ever tried before and makes a perfect addition to your cuisine!
Women have been enjoying Kenzo’s famous fragrances for some time, and now men can too. Kenzo Power, with simple curves and dressed in mirrored metal, hides a fresh, innovative fragrance mixed not from one flower, but from several flowers. The bottle, crafted in the form of a sake bottle, was designed by Kenya Hara, a cult figure in Japanese design, who crafts his creations based on the idea of empty space. That is why the freshness of Kenzo Power walks hand in hand with its visual identity and does not hold back when giving you a fresh new identity.
Details >> www.sonos.com
Details >> www.speironcompany.com
Details >> www.kenzo.com
28 / 29
Fantastic II
4 8
When Lighter is Better 4 28
The Slovenian company GS Composite is expanding their range of carbon nautical products. This year they unveiled their new, ultra-light hi-tech carbon gangways for use in luxury yachts. Carbon gangways are made from carbon fibres – a composite material that was created using Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Moulding (VARTM). This technology is primarily used in the manufacturing of jet fan blades and the blades of wind turbines. Nautical enthusiasts can choose between foldable or solid gangways, measuring 2.2 or 2.6 meters. Clients can also customize their gangways with different colors, can print the name of the yacht, or showcase their own designs. All of this can be further supplemented with a long range of accessories.
Details >> www.gs-composite.com
2 3
1
5
7
5
Hello? The famous comedian George Carlin once made fun of people who wore wireless headsets that connected to their mobile phones. He was wondering why some people constantly kept the headset in their ear even when they were not actually using the phone. “Are they waiting in case the Pope calls?” he asked in jest. Well, with Jambra’s new and stylishly designed JX20 Pura Titanium Edition, the headset will be like part of your wardrobe. It has a futuristic look, no annoying blinking lights, and is almost like a fashion accessory with its minimalistic form and elegant Scandinavian design. And since it’s enforced with titanium, you can be sure it will last you a long, long time. Just remember to take it out of your ear before you go to bed!
6
Details >> www.jambra.com
29
3 2 1
Steady as she goes
More in one
Scandinavian design always combines elegance with functionality. The Danish company Vipp offers various bathroom accessories, among them the beautifully designed laundry basket Vipp 441, available in both white and black stainless steel. Inside you’ll find a dual-section inner bag that allows for simple and easy laundry sorting. When the basket fills up, the inside bag is removable for the easy transport of your dirty clothes to the washing machine. Still, you should have no problem moving the whole thing around: small rubber wheels at the bottom allow for the effortless movement of the whole basket. Just make sure you do occasionally empty it!
You may be the proud owner of a luxurious supersized yacht parked at a high class port, but nothing spoils the elegance of a fancy boat more than a bottle rolling out of control just because your precious yacht hit a small wave. That’s why Bottler BV, a famous Dutch company that specializes in yacht interior design, came up with “The Bottler”. Simple in name, hardcore in design. This is a bottle holder, crafted by hand, from concentric circles made out of precious metal (brass, nickel, gold -- prices start at $5,000). The inspiration was an Italian philosopher and mathematician Gerolamo Cardano, who developed cardanic suspension, which held the compass steady despite the ship movements. Apply that to your bottle of priceless Dom Perignon or Moet and have yourself a spill-free ride.
It used to be all-in-one, and they did pack everything possible into what started out being just a chair. The @-space Media Chair from BeeB is however far beyond just having it all in one. First of all, it has an impressive, outstanding design that will fit perfectly into your futuristic living room (you do have your living room designed like that, right?). Then there is a 19” flat screen, connected to a 2.1 speaker system for an optimal viewing experience. Along with that you have cables ready to connect to your computer and an ergonomic wireless keyboard and mouse that come with the chair. Play games, check your e-mail or log on to MSN and tell your friends why you‘ll never be leaving the house again! BeeB allows you to order it via their webshop. They’ll let you know what the price is once you start talking business.
Details >> www.vipp.dk
Details >> www.bottler.nl
Details >> www.beeb.se
Dirty laundry
6
7
8
A bundle of sound
Pure virginity
The power of smell
If you want to put as much music in your house as possible, consider the Sonos Bundle 150. The ZonePlayer 90 plugs into your stereo, while the ZonePlayer 120 with a built-in amplifier acts as a source of music in another room. With a wireless remote that has an impressive range, you can then easily control the music played in both rooms. The remote gives you instant access to your entire music collection along with internet radios and various popular online music services. It’s basically a whole world of music in the palm of your hand – and for two rooms in your house at once!
If you love only the best food ingredients in your kitchen, then you will absolutely adore this high quality extra-virgin olive oil. Lambda is what critics have called the “Rolls Royce of olive oils” and it just hit the stores this summer. The oil is produced from the finest Koroneiki olives found in the awardwinning Kritsa region of Greece. Lambda features superior taste, as it is produced via a unique process that accepts only carefully selected olives, handpicked from trees and then pressed the very same day. It tastes like nothing you’ve ever tried before and makes a perfect addition to your cuisine!
Women have been enjoying Kenzo’s famous fragrances for some time, and now men can too. Kenzo Power, with simple curves and dressed in mirrored metal, hides a fresh, innovative fragrance mixed not from one flower, but from several flowers. The bottle, crafted in the form of a sake bottle, was designed by Kenya Hara, a cult figure in Japanese design, who crafts his creations based on the idea of empty space. That is why the freshness of Kenzo Power walks hand in hand with its visual identity and does not hold back when giving you a fresh new identity.
Details >> www.sonos.com
Details >> www.speironcompany.com
Details >> www.kenzo.com
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Sharp World
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Sharp World
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Sharp World
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Sharp World
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Crazy Stuff
6
4
3
1
5 2
1
2
3
4
5
6
Great escape
Give me a lift
Expensive delights
Art in Motion
Singapore’s new attraction
Crystal City
Famous for its cave-like spa treatment rooms, which open out onto the ocean, the gorgeous wellbeing-oriented Hotel Hospes Maricel in Mallorca is opening a new oceanfront wing this month, entirely built out of traditional balearic stone. It boasts its own spa with fitness and pilates rooms, with both in- and outdoor pools heated by solar power (www.hospes.es).
Business Class passengers on Continental Airlines’ and Delta Airlines’ international non-stop flights to New York’s JFK can enjoy the privilege of fast access to Manhattan, thanks to complimentary helicopter service offered by both airlines.
If you’re among the best chocolatiers in the world, then you can charge a small fortune for your sweet inventions and don’t have to worry about losing any customers. Fritz Knipschildt, who in 1999 founded the confectionery Chocopologie by Knipschildt, sells the world’s most expensive chocolate: a handmade chocolate with 70 percent Valrhona cocoa powder rolled over a French Black truffle for $250.00 each or $2,600.00/pound. The chocolates are only available via pre-order.
The Mobile Art Chanel Contemporary Art Container by Zaha Hadid, the famed architect and winner of the Pritzker Prize, is the first project of its kind – a movable museum. The innovative project will host works by 20 artists inspired by CHANEL’s legendary quilted bag. The next stop for this fashion pavilion is in New York, this October. It will then move on to London and Moscow next year and Paris in 2010. www.chanel-mobileart.com
The Singapore Flyer promises a breathtaking panorama of the shimmering Marina Bay waterfront with all its historical landmarks dotting the city skyline. It is the world’s largest observation wheel. Standing at a stunning 165m, the Flyer is the height of a 42-story building – that’s roughly 30 metres taller than the famed London Eye. Taking a flight on this S$240 million dollar wheel is a one-of-a-kind experience you don’t want to miss. On the Flyer, you’ll be able to indulge yourself a little. Jewellery, luxury watches, exquisitely handmade Japanese accessories and more await the avid shopper. Level 2 boasts a fish foot spa - that’s right – a spa where Doctor Fishes (Garra Rufa) work their magic on your feet. These fish, imported from Turkey, have healing properties and will give you a pedicure you won’t forget (www.singaporeflyer.com).
As of 2014, the Moscow skyline will transform thanks to renowned architect Norman Foster’s Crystal Island. Covering a total of 25 million square meters it will comprise hotels, museums, and schools. www.fosterandpartners.com
37
36 / 37
36
Crazy Stuff
6
4
3
1
5 2
1
2
3
4
5
6
Great escape
Give me a lift
Expensive delights
Art in Motion
Singapore’s new attraction
Crystal City
Famous for its cave-like spa treatment rooms, which open out onto the ocean, the gorgeous wellbeing-oriented Hotel Hospes Maricel in Mallorca is opening a new oceanfront wing this month, entirely built out of traditional balearic stone. It boasts its own spa with fitness and pilates rooms, with both in- and outdoor pools heated by solar power (www.hospes.es).
Business Class passengers on Continental Airlines’ and Delta Airlines’ international non-stop flights to New York’s JFK can enjoy the privilege of fast access to Manhattan, thanks to complimentary helicopter service offered by both airlines.
If you’re among the best chocolatiers in the world, then you can charge a small fortune for your sweet inventions and don’t have to worry about losing any customers. Fritz Knipschildt, who in 1999 founded the confectionery Chocopologie by Knipschildt, sells the world’s most expensive chocolate: a handmade chocolate with 70 percent Valrhona cocoa powder rolled over a French Black truffle for $250.00 each or $2,600.00/pound. The chocolates are only available via pre-order.
The Mobile Art Chanel Contemporary Art Container by Zaha Hadid, the famed architect and winner of the Pritzker Prize, is the first project of its kind – a movable museum. The innovative project will host works by 20 artists inspired by CHANEL’s legendary quilted bag. The next stop for this fashion pavilion is in New York, this October. It will then move on to London and Moscow next year and Paris in 2010. www.chanel-mobileart.com
The Singapore Flyer promises a breathtaking panorama of the shimmering Marina Bay waterfront with all its historical landmarks dotting the city skyline. It is the world’s largest observation wheel. Standing at a stunning 165m, the Flyer is the height of a 42-story building – that’s roughly 30 metres taller than the famed London Eye. Taking a flight on this S$240 million dollar wheel is a one-of-a-kind experience you don’t want to miss. On the Flyer, you’ll be able to indulge yourself a little. Jewellery, luxury watches, exquisitely handmade Japanese accessories and more await the avid shopper. Level 2 boasts a fish foot spa - that’s right – a spa where Doctor Fishes (Garra Rufa) work their magic on your feet. These fish, imported from Turkey, have healing properties and will give you a pedicure you won’t forget (www.singaporeflyer.com).
As of 2014, the Moscow skyline will transform thanks to renowned architect Norman Foster’s Crystal Island. Covering a total of 25 million square meters it will comprise hotels, museums, and schools. www.fosterandpartners.com
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Go WIld
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Go WIld
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Go WIld
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44 / 49
Ride with us
Ride with us
TICKET TO HEAVEN
45
44
by Gaber Keržišnik photography Bor Dobrin
I drove onto the entry ramp and inserted a ticket worth €20 per lap into the slot. The gates to Heaven opened automatically and my Porsche 911 GT3 RS, rolling slowly on wide racing tyres, went into first gear.
Green Hell I gently caressed the Alcantara-clad stick, grasped the wheel with hand in glove, shifted to second, and pushed my foot flat on the gas. The six cylinders behind me roared through the titanium Akrapovič exhaust system and launched me into a different dimension. I was barely able to glance at the worried faces of the Akrapovič team at the side of the track that take care of the 911. In the German Championships, the car has been successfully driven by 21-year-old Julian Dercks, the German carting champion in 2002 and 2003, the winner of the last race of the season in Oschersleben and the winner of the race in Spa. The only thing my companions wanted was to for me return the car in one piece. My desires, though, were quite different: primarily, that my day on the legendary Nürburgring racetrack would never end. Nordschleife is indeed paradise for racers. This
track used to be called Green Hell and quite a number of racers met their ends here. If I were to ask Niki Lauda, who was engulfed in flames inside his racing car here, I’m sure he would convince me that the Nordschleife, as the track is called, is indeed hell. But for the average mortal doing a few laps behind the wheel of a 450 HP race car on a sunny morning, the track seems to be exactly the opposite. Heaven! Green, of course … The colour is indisputable. The entire length of the circuit is surrounded by a thick forest that keeps the circuit in the shade and cool even during the summer heat. It is the vegetation that makes the morning mist on some parts of the track more of a rule than an exception and thus gives the “Green Hell” its own special charm.
Like Flying … Tightly fixed in the Porsche’s narrow shell seat by a six-point race harness belt, I naturally only felt my
way through the track on the first lap, trying to get familiar with the legendary parts of the circuit which I had only known from black and white movies, pictures and videogames. I was more determined in the second lap and let the six cylinders fly. The forest became blurred and the graffiti, made by fans on the track, blurred more and more rapidly underneath my Porsche. My heart rate doubled and my breathing became shallow. At Nordschleife you feel like you‘re flying. The track is very diverse and its numerous rises and descents give drivers the feeling that they’re moving in three dimensions. Not just front and back, left and right, but also up and down through space. The straights, the corners, braking, acceleration, chicanes, open and closed combinations, hairpins, esses, … Despite completing it several times, you find it difficult to memorise all the parts of the long lap on the legendary track that is daily visited by several hundred cars.
Nordschleife – they call it the most beautiful country road in the world. Driving through the Caracciola-Karussell turn…
44 / 49
Ride with us
Ride with us
TICKET TO HEAVEN
45
44
by Gaber Keržišnik photography Bor Dobrin
I drove onto the entry ramp and inserted a ticket worth €20 per lap into the slot. The gates to Heaven opened automatically and my Porsche 911 GT3 RS, rolling slowly on wide racing tyres, went into first gear.
Green Hell I gently caressed the Alcantara-clad stick, grasped the wheel with hand in glove, shifted to second, and pushed my foot flat on the gas. The six cylinders behind me roared through the titanium Akrapovič exhaust system and launched me into a different dimension. I was barely able to glance at the worried faces of the Akrapovič team at the side of the track that take care of the 911. In the German Championships, the car has been successfully driven by 21-year-old Julian Dercks, the German carting champion in 2002 and 2003, the winner of the last race of the season in Oschersleben and the winner of the race in Spa. The only thing my companions wanted was to for me return the car in one piece. My desires, though, were quite different: primarily, that my day on the legendary Nürburgring racetrack would never end. Nordschleife is indeed paradise for racers. This
track used to be called Green Hell and quite a number of racers met their ends here. If I were to ask Niki Lauda, who was engulfed in flames inside his racing car here, I’m sure he would convince me that the Nordschleife, as the track is called, is indeed hell. But for the average mortal doing a few laps behind the wheel of a 450 HP race car on a sunny morning, the track seems to be exactly the opposite. Heaven! Green, of course … The colour is indisputable. The entire length of the circuit is surrounded by a thick forest that keeps the circuit in the shade and cool even during the summer heat. It is the vegetation that makes the morning mist on some parts of the track more of a rule than an exception and thus gives the “Green Hell” its own special charm.
Like Flying … Tightly fixed in the Porsche’s narrow shell seat by a six-point race harness belt, I naturally only felt my
way through the track on the first lap, trying to get familiar with the legendary parts of the circuit which I had only known from black and white movies, pictures and videogames. I was more determined in the second lap and let the six cylinders fly. The forest became blurred and the graffiti, made by fans on the track, blurred more and more rapidly underneath my Porsche. My heart rate doubled and my breathing became shallow. At Nordschleife you feel like you‘re flying. The track is very diverse and its numerous rises and descents give drivers the feeling that they’re moving in three dimensions. Not just front and back, left and right, but also up and down through space. The straights, the corners, braking, acceleration, chicanes, open and closed combinations, hairpins, esses, … Despite completing it several times, you find it difficult to memorise all the parts of the long lap on the legendary track that is daily visited by several hundred cars.
Nordschleife – they call it the most beautiful country road in the world. Driving through the Caracciola-Karussell turn…
44 / 49
Ride with us
46
Adventure for Everyone
There are of course no speed limits on the track that, due to its length and placement in the middle of a forest, mostly resembles a regular (albeit one-way) road. It is necessary to follow the rules, but you can floor the pedal as much as the vehicle allows you or as much as you dare. Nearly anybody can take to the circuit. You can meet a family of four in their fully packed minivan in the middle of the Pflanzgarten chicane or, just as you’re about to enter the steeply banked concrete CaracciolaKarussell carousel turn, you may behold a crashed BMW M3 with two distraught German youngsters collecting the remains of the headlamps and the bumper and already wondering how they will explain to Dad that they didn’t borrow the car to drive to a football match. The 20.8-kilometre old Nürburgirng track can be an adventure for anyone. Every day, from morning until nightfall, 365 days a year. If you don’t own a car, you can be taken around the track in a racing taxi -- for a price, of course. The wider you open your wallet, the more exclusive your ride will be. They range from the Renault Clio to the awesome racing Dodge Viper. Well, my car had only one mistake. It wasn’t really mine. The Porsche 911 GT3 is owned by Akrapovič, overhauled in line with racing standards and mainly used by the company to test and develop its technically complex and superior exhaust systems for cars. The testing had been going on since the company, until recently only known for its motorcycle exhausts, decided to enter the market for exclusive supercars. The GT3 RS is among Porsche’s top models. This beautiful machine, equipped with an engine but no turbo charger, sings its own tune. A sound system is the last thing a driver needs in it. The 911 is also the most common sight among sports cars at the Nürburgring. This is true even though one can see all kinds of Porsches here, both on the track and in the nearby villages where everything bears the mark of the “Green Hell,” the nickname first bestowed on this dangerous and demanding racetrack by racing champion Jackie Stewart.
47
At the start of it all in 1928.
The track is marked by various graffiti from fans.
“Über” Car and “Über” Track
Nürburgring archive
My lap with the Akrapovič Porsche was of course much slower than the magic 6 minutes 11 seconds and 13 hundredths of a second clocked by Stefan Bellof with the prototype Porsche 956 way back in 1984, but I still had the feeling that I was the fastest by far. At least until noon, when the sky above the Nürburgring slowly grew dark and raindrops started splattering on the asphalt. This is when the “Ring” truly turned into hell -- the brutal 911 skidded dangerously whenever I put my foot on the gas and I drove off the track after three wet laps, returning the car’s keys to Wolfgang Tietz from the Foxxpr company which, together with the Wieth Racing team, makes sure to keep the beast well oiled. Another perfect day was behind me. Well, it would have been even better without the afternoon rain. It truly is an “über” car and an “über” track. Maybe a Daytona in a NASCAR racing car or Le Mans in a super prototype from Manthey’s workshop could equal this experience, but until I try everything I believe that only doing acrobatics in a military jet fighter could elicit more adrenaline.
THE RING
The original team pits.
1. The Nürburgring is made of two tracks. The
new one and the old one. The short and the long. The modern complex and the new track, today used for Formula 1 racing, were built in 1984. But this track was of little interest to us during our trip. The old track, called the Nordschleife, is still in good condition despite having been constructed in 1927.
2. A lap around the 20.8-kilometre circuit will cost you €20 but you can buy a ticket for any
number of laps. An annual ticket that gives you unlimited laps between January and December will set you back €995. The Nordschleife has an interesting status. According to German law, a track is almost like a normal regional road and is open to everyday traffic, but without speed limits. Overtaking is only allowed on the left side. The police occasionally control traffic, usually by helicopter. You take to the track at your own risk and every user is also required to pay for any damages that he or she causes to the circuit —including damage to the protective fences, if they manage to careen off of it.
3. It’s worth noting the working hours before us-
ing the track, as they change often. The circuit is most likely to be open for “tourist rides” towards the end of the week, the weekends or in the afternoons. Races are still held on the Nordschleife. The most well known is the 24-hour race, where 220 vehicles and over 700 drivers from various categories navigate the circuit simultaneously. The event is watched every year by up to 290,000 spectators.
44 / 49
Ride with us
46
Adventure for Everyone
There are of course no speed limits on the track that, due to its length and placement in the middle of a forest, mostly resembles a regular (albeit one-way) road. It is necessary to follow the rules, but you can floor the pedal as much as the vehicle allows you or as much as you dare. Nearly anybody can take to the circuit. You can meet a family of four in their fully packed minivan in the middle of the Pflanzgarten chicane or, just as you’re about to enter the steeply banked concrete CaracciolaKarussell carousel turn, you may behold a crashed BMW M3 with two distraught German youngsters collecting the remains of the headlamps and the bumper and already wondering how they will explain to Dad that they didn’t borrow the car to drive to a football match. The 20.8-kilometre old Nürburgirng track can be an adventure for anyone. Every day, from morning until nightfall, 365 days a year. If you don’t own a car, you can be taken around the track in a racing taxi -- for a price, of course. The wider you open your wallet, the more exclusive your ride will be. They range from the Renault Clio to the awesome racing Dodge Viper. Well, my car had only one mistake. It wasn’t really mine. The Porsche 911 GT3 is owned by Akrapovič, overhauled in line with racing standards and mainly used by the company to test and develop its technically complex and superior exhaust systems for cars. The testing had been going on since the company, until recently only known for its motorcycle exhausts, decided to enter the market for exclusive supercars. The GT3 RS is among Porsche’s top models. This beautiful machine, equipped with an engine but no turbo charger, sings its own tune. A sound system is the last thing a driver needs in it. The 911 is also the most common sight among sports cars at the Nürburgring. This is true even though one can see all kinds of Porsches here, both on the track and in the nearby villages where everything bears the mark of the “Green Hell,” the nickname first bestowed on this dangerous and demanding racetrack by racing champion Jackie Stewart.
47
At the start of it all in 1928.
The track is marked by various graffiti from fans.
“Über” Car and “Über” Track
Nürburgring archive
My lap with the Akrapovič Porsche was of course much slower than the magic 6 minutes 11 seconds and 13 hundredths of a second clocked by Stefan Bellof with the prototype Porsche 956 way back in 1984, but I still had the feeling that I was the fastest by far. At least until noon, when the sky above the Nürburgring slowly grew dark and raindrops started splattering on the asphalt. This is when the “Ring” truly turned into hell -- the brutal 911 skidded dangerously whenever I put my foot on the gas and I drove off the track after three wet laps, returning the car’s keys to Wolfgang Tietz from the Foxxpr company which, together with the Wieth Racing team, makes sure to keep the beast well oiled. Another perfect day was behind me. Well, it would have been even better without the afternoon rain. It truly is an “über” car and an “über” track. Maybe a Daytona in a NASCAR racing car or Le Mans in a super prototype from Manthey’s workshop could equal this experience, but until I try everything I believe that only doing acrobatics in a military jet fighter could elicit more adrenaline.
THE RING
The original team pits.
1. The Nürburgring is made of two tracks. The
new one and the old one. The short and the long. The modern complex and the new track, today used for Formula 1 racing, were built in 1984. But this track was of little interest to us during our trip. The old track, called the Nordschleife, is still in good condition despite having been constructed in 1927.
2. A lap around the 20.8-kilometre circuit will cost you €20 but you can buy a ticket for any
number of laps. An annual ticket that gives you unlimited laps between January and December will set you back €995. The Nordschleife has an interesting status. According to German law, a track is almost like a normal regional road and is open to everyday traffic, but without speed limits. Overtaking is only allowed on the left side. The police occasionally control traffic, usually by helicopter. You take to the track at your own risk and every user is also required to pay for any damages that he or she causes to the circuit —including damage to the protective fences, if they manage to careen off of it.
3. It’s worth noting the working hours before us-
ing the track, as they change often. The circuit is most likely to be open for “tourist rides” towards the end of the week, the weekends or in the afternoons. Races are still held on the Nordschleife. The most well known is the 24-hour race, where 220 vehicles and over 700 drivers from various categories navigate the circuit simultaneously. The event is watched every year by up to 290,000 spectators.
44 / 49
Ride with us
48
“At Nor dschl you feel eife like you’re flying.”
49
// Si
48
Vozovnica za “Zeleni pekel” “Moja največja želja je bila, da se športni dan na le-
gendarni stezi na Nürburgringu nikdar ne konča. Z roko, odeto v rokavico, sem nežno pobožal prestavno ročico in volan, potegnil v drugo prestavo ter pogumno pohodil
stopalko plina. Porsche 911 GT3 RS, bokserski šestvaljnik za menoj, je zatulil skozi Akrapovičev izpušni sistem iz ti-
tana in me izstrelil v drugo razsežnost. Nordschleife, stara steza na Nürburgringu (20,8 kilometrov), je zares dirkaški raj. Stezo so nekoč poimenovali Zeleni pekel. No, res je,
da je tukaj žalostni konec dočakalo kar nekaj dirkačev, a danes se po njej lahko zapelje vsak smrtnik. Vsak dan od jutra do večera si za 20 evrov na krog lahko privoščite
pravo dirkaško avanturo. Če nimate svojega avtomobila,
vas bodo za primerno vsoto popeljali en krog z dirkaškim taksijem. Širše, ko boste odprli denarnico, ekskluzivnejši bo avtomobil, v katerega boste sedli. Od Renaultovega
Clia do strašnega dirkaškega Dodgea Viperja. No, moj Air and track temperature and an air pressure meter.
avto je imel samo eno napako. To, da ni bil zares moj.”
44 / 49
Ride with us
48
“At Nor dschl you feel eife like you’re flying.”
49
// Si
48
Vozovnica za “Zeleni pekel” “Moja največja želja je bila, da se športni dan na le-
gendarni stezi na Nürburgringu nikdar ne konča. Z roko, odeto v rokavico, sem nežno pobožal prestavno ročico in volan, potegnil v drugo prestavo ter pogumno pohodil
stopalko plina. Porsche 911 GT3 RS, bokserski šestvaljnik za menoj, je zatulil skozi Akrapovičev izpušni sistem iz ti-
tana in me izstrelil v drugo razsežnost. Nordschleife, stara steza na Nürburgringu (20,8 kilometrov), je zares dirkaški raj. Stezo so nekoč poimenovali Zeleni pekel. No, res je,
da je tukaj žalostni konec dočakalo kar nekaj dirkačev, a danes se po njej lahko zapelje vsak smrtnik. Vsak dan od jutra do večera si za 20 evrov na krog lahko privoščite
pravo dirkaško avanturo. Če nimate svojega avtomobila,
vas bodo za primerno vsoto popeljali en krog z dirkaškim taksijem. Širše, ko boste odprli denarnico, ekskluzivnejši bo avtomobil, v katerega boste sedli. Od Renaultovega
Clia do strašnega dirkaškega Dodgea Viperja. No, moj Air and track temperature and an air pressure meter.
avto je imel samo eno napako. To, da ni bil zares moj.”
50 / 55 Akram Khan
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50 / 55 Akram Khan
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Akram Khan
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Column / Alan Cathcart
Moto Action / 5 Gear minutes before the race Column / High
LOOKS VS. RESULTS We motorcyclists are a conservative bunch. We know what we like. Ever since the basic format of today’s motorcycle was established back in 1901 in France’s New
Werner - engine mounted low down between the wheels in a triangulated frame, with the fuel tank above, between the rider’s knees - we’ve wanted more of the same.
by Alan Cathcart illustration Natan
56
SO CONSERVATIVE Yet there have been many attempts to look outside the envelope of traditional design - many of them admirable, some misguided. Like the mid-20’s Megola from Germany, whose five-cylinder engine was mounted in the front wheel to deliver the benefits of FWD on the loose road surfaces of the day - but without the complication of a clutch. This meant that Megola-maniacs were advised to ‘orbit’ at the new-fangled traffic robots back then, in order to keep the engine running! Pursuing the holy grail of alternative front suspension systems has become a special obsession for famous motorcycle chassis designers. But while illustrious companies like BMW or Yamaha, or clever men like Nico Bakker, Claude Fior, Pierluigi Marconi in his Bimota days, or the late John Britten, have all gained success with products of their refusal to accept the engineering status quo, their mission impossible to convince the two-wheeled world at large how right they are, has largely failed. Bikers are inherently conservative people, and if it doesn’t look like a traditional motorcycle, by and large we’re not interested. Admire, yes - purchase, no. The bike-buying buck stops here.
Yet there are many intelligent engineers who are convinced that, just as fuel injection finally replaced carburettors on bikes, cast wheels replaced wired rims, twin rear shocks gave way to one, or drum brakes to discs, the march of technological progress is inevitable, and sooner or later the page will be turned to unveil a completely new chapter in streetbike design, in which even upside down telescopic forks will be as obsolete as steel girder front ends are now.
ONE STEP AT THE TIME Out on the race track, it’s a different story. Looks don’t count - results do. Race teams and sponsors welcome novelty, worship trickness - so long as it delivers. Quickly. This inevitably means one step at a time rather than a giant leap for mankind of the kind the succession of ELF GP racers all represented. So, don’t tear up the tele-forked criterion in favour of a hub-centre front end with push-pull steering like the ELF2. Better to do like Spanish engineer Antonio Cobas, and pursue a more rational path in essentially re-inventing the conventional metal frame. After creating the aluminium twinspar format in the early ‘80s, Cobas incrementally
improved the chassis package, first by incorporating upside-down forks borrowed from the MX world to replace flimsier conventional telescopics, and then designing a progressive-rate rear suspension to optimise handling and grip. Cobas moved forward methodically, systematically - and successfully - in developing the modern-day racebike one proven step at a time. One that’s evolved rather than been reinvented, that’s a process not a package. My two seasons racing the factory Bimota Tesi fifteen years ago taught me that hub-centre steering only works if everything’s in the right place - including a front tyre suitable for a bike that loads up the front end hard in turns. Braking deep into corners on such a motorcycle, in a way that just isn’t possible with a tele-forked bike, just rubbishes the rubber. Which only goes to show that motorcycles are indeed a sum of their parts, and that new ideas only work if all the component technology is in place. These lessons of history explain why Yamaha owned Ohlins, KTM possesses WP - and why Valentino Rossi was so insistent on having Bridgestone tyres on his MotoGP bike this season. I bet he’s glad he did so!
»KTM-RC8.net
»RC8 RULE
Photo: P. Friedl
5SJNP E E 1SJKBUFMKFWB DFTUB 5SFCOKF 4MPWFOJB
»YOU WANT TO BE OUT IN FRONT. THIS BIKE WILL TAKE YOU THERE.*«
8F PGGFS ZPV DPNQMFUF TPMVUJPOT
»KTM RC8 1190 Sharper and lighter than anything that calls itself competition: 120 Nm torque, 155 HP at 10,000 rpm and weighs less than 200 kilos fully tanked. Nonetheless, thanks to innovative solutions and meticulous detail work, we’ve achieved unsurpassed rideability – on the street and on the racetrack, in every situation – of life or riding. Experience it for yourself: at your KTM dealer from spring 2008.
< 4UFFM 1SF GBCSJDBUFE #VJMEJOHT >
LEGAL DISCLAIMER Should not be emulated. The riders illustrated are professional motorcycle riders. The photos were taken on a closed racing circuits or closed roads. KTM draws to the attention of all motorcycle riders that they should abide by all traffic laws and regulations, that they should wear the recommended protective clothing and always ride in a responsible way.
< 3PPGT BOE 'B¹BEFT > < 4UFFM $POTUSVDUJPOT > < $POUBJOFST >
www.kiskadesign.com
"LSBQPWJº *OEVTUSJBM )BMM 4MPWFOJB
XXX USJNP TJ
KTM Group Partner
»KTM-RC8.net
»RC8 RULE
Photo: P. Friedl
5SJNP E E 1SJKBUFMKFWB DFTUB 5SFCOKF 4MPWFOJB
»YOU WANT TO BE OUT IN FRONT. THIS BIKE WILL TAKE YOU THERE.*«
8F PGGFS ZPV DPNQMFUF TPMVUJPOT
»KTM RC8 1190 Sharper and lighter than anything that calls itself competition: 120 Nm torque, 155 HP at 10,000 rpm and weighs less than 200 kilos fully tanked. Nonetheless, thanks to innovative solutions and meticulous detail work, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve achieved unsurpassed rideability â&#x20AC;&#x201C; on the street and on the racetrack, in every situation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; of life or riding. Experience it for yourself: at your KTM dealer from spring 2008.
< 4UFFM 1SF GBCSJDBUFE #VJMEJOHT >
LEGAL DISCLAIMER Should not be emulated. The riders illustrated are professional motorcycle riders. The photos were taken on a closed racing circuits or closed roads. KTM draws to the attention of all motorcycle riders that they should abide by all traffic laws and regulations, that they should wear the recommended protective clothing and always ride in a responsible way.
< 3PPGT BOE 'B¹BEFT > < 4UFFM $POTUSVDUJPOT > < $POUBJOFST >
www.kiskadesign.com
"LSBQPWJº *OEVTUSJBM )BMM 4MPWFOJB
XXX USJNP TJ
KTM Group Partner