The FIM Magazine - Ride With Us - N° 67

R I DE

.67

/ / / M ay J u n e 2 0 0 9

T H E

F I M

M A G A Z I N E

WITH US!

SUPER JAMES

2009 MONSTER ENERGY SUPERCROSS, AN FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON REVIEW

CARMELO EZPELETA INTERVIEW

BEN SPIES UNSTOPPABLE

2009

COLLECTION Find your sports motorbike on the online store

ENDURANCE

MOTOCROSS ENDURO

MotoGP

TRIAL

SUPERBIKE

FREESTYLE

SUPERCROSS

SPEEDWAY

Just one click away from FIM OFFICIAL PRODUCTS

FIM-STORE .COM

.67

MAY JUNE 09 5

Editorial ride

6-7

The Iberian effect: How MotoGP has grown in Spain PADDOCK MOTOGP

8-9

Carmelo Ezpeleta Interview PADDOCK MOTOCROSS

10-13

Shifting shapes: The new breed and style of Motocross Grand Prix Stars VINTAGE

14-1 6

Honda in Road Racing Grand Prix STANDINGS

18-19

Fim Indoor Enduro World Cup: triumph of Ivan Cervantes FEATURES

Publishing Director: Guy Maître

20-21

Chief Editor: Isabelle Larivière

Interview Greig Craft: Founder of the Asia Injury Prevention Fondation STANDINGS

Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme 11, route Suisse – 1295 Mies – Suisse Tel : +41-22 950 95 00 – Fax : +41-22 950 95 01 @ : fim@fim.ch – Internet : www.fim-live.com

22-25

2009 Supercross Season: Expectations, Drama & Glory GALLERY

Photos: Frank Hoppen David Reygondeau Stan Perec & Lukasz Swiderek Dorna Sports S.L. Ray Archer Maurice Bula Collection/FIM RPM Racing FIA Foundation BMW Motorrad Walter Wermuth TTXGP Stefan Lodeston Eric Malherbe

26-27

Super James Stewart FIM INSIDE

29-31

Ride Green: 2009 World Environment Day MARKET PLACE

32-34

“Born on the SBK Racetrack” VINTAGE

36-37

Lay-out & Printing: Oiko Service Via Verrotti 60 65126 Pescara - Italy

Coupes Moto Legende in France TECH TALK

FIM Magazine n° 67 Issued May-June 2009 Past issued available on request The articles published in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the official position of the FIM.

38-41

Back to the Future - with TTXGP

42-43

FIM INSIDE GALLERY

The correct of this publication is based on the best knowledge and information available at the time the articles were written.

44-47

Spies, Unstoppable

49-50

ROAD BOOK JULY/AUGUST

3

FIM-LIVE.COM FIM-STORE.COM

editorial

Vito IPPOLITO FIM President

Dear Readers, One of the most important challenges for a sports federation like ours is communication. The FIM is made up of almost 100 Federations from countries with different languages and cultures.

Thus, we need to discuss ideas or action plans in common to set common objectives for this big community which we hope will increase in quantity.

Sport, like some arts, aims directly at feelings. We do not need words to understand it; we only need to put our body in motion.

Those feelings that often turn into passion are what we want to show. We could also say that promoting our sport is our “passion”.

We want as many people as possible to know what it feels like to be on a motorcycle and to ride on a circuit or simply watch others riding for the sheer pleasure of it.

Making plans to expand our presence needs a lot of work, discussions and… words. We have significant means to carry out these plans, such as Ride With Us! The FIM Magazine, the FIMLive.Com, the FIM Moto Show, etc.; but we have only one tool: language. The most popular language in the world is English. In practice, we can make ourselves understood in any place in the world by speaking English only.

However, making ourselves understood is one thing, but communicating easily is another. It means not imposing on anyone the effort of reading a foreign language and mainly making ourselves understood in our own language. Actually, considering the number of countries affiliated to the FIM, we should have more language tools. Our magazine as well as the web site should be read in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish… and many more languages besides!

This would be an important and challenging target. Unfortunately, in order to achieve it, we need considerable financial resources to cover the costs of these publications and of hiring qualified staff. But the more we promote the image of our championships through TV, photos and our own branding, the sooner we will obtain the necessary funds to achieve it. I hope that this will become a reality in a short time.

It will be with great pleasure that I will see you again in the next FIM Magazine.

5

///

ride

THE IBERIAN EFFECT HOW MOTOGP HAS GROWN IN SPAIN

It was the first visit to Jerez, back in 1989 that showed what was coming. The new Andalusian venue was completely overwhelmed. I recall 500 rider Tadahiko Taira, in full leathers and carrying his helmet, climbing out of the Yamaha factory-team car in the nose-to-tail traffic jam that stretched almost all the way back to town, and jogging the last few miles to the pits.

Only that way would he be in time for race morning warm-up.

Everybody knew well enough that Spain loved motorbike racing, but previous visits had been mainly to tracks in or near big cities: Montjuich Park in Barcelona or Jarama by the freeway outside Madrid.

The scale hadn’t been so obvious.

Out here, in the rolling empty land of sherry, with its big skies and quaint little country roads, the true size of the invasion was staggering. And these fans had travelled long distances to the new track, converging to swamp the quiet and dignified old town, and its surroundings for some miles around.

The success of Jerez as a fan trap was a major portent. It came before Dorna and the much-increased Spanish influence in MotoGP, and signalled an event that would come to break all sorts of modern records for crowd attendance.

Fast forward to 2009. The circuit, with its fine new buildings, is served by a major road network and massive new car-parks: 15 years of traffic travail have evolved into a system so slick that the free flow into the circuit this year made it seem as if the crowds must have stayed away, hit by the credit crunch.

Far from it.

Race day attendance was more than 120,000 - admittedly down by about 10,000 on the year before. But that 2008 race-day figure of 131,563 swelled to set a new record when Friday and Saturday crowds were added, for a full weekend attendance of more than 243,000.

6

Cer tainly Sunday’s crowd made the Spanish GP the best-attended one-day sporting event in Spain. Bear in mind that this is just one of three GPs in Spain (plus one just over the border in Portugal), and that both Catalunya and Valencia reliably bust the 110,000 mark on race day. This is a measure of just how popular MotoGP has become to the people of Spain. Not just to watch it on TV, but actually to get out there, brave the traffic and the crowds, and get track-side, where you can really be part of the whole experience.

So how exactly do the numbers stack up?

Let’s start with the broadest possible context. In world terms, the biggest spor ting crowds are for the Olympic Games. But the Olympics involve a whole panoply of dif ferent spor ts in many different arenas, albeit inter-connected; and take place over a couple of weeks.

They stand alone.

The same is true of the major tennis tournaments: add up the crowds day by day over the week or more of the event, and the numbers soar. But the capacity of Wimbledon’s Centre Court means that only 15,000 spectators can be court-side to watch the final.

Football? To be fair, the same restriction of stadium capacity ultimately determines the size of the crowd. Even if every seat is sold, and for big games you can count on this happening, the record crowd numbers all fall short of 90,000. All three Spanish races easily outranked any single football

FI M M AGA ZI NE . 6 7 / / / M AY JU N E 2 0 0 9

ride

game, giving some credence to the claim that MotoGP is more popular than football on the Iberian peninsula.

The comparison is thin, however. The Spanish national football league runs almost 400 games in the course of the season, at stadia large and small. With an average attendance just short of 30,000 (2006 figures), this gives a total number of spectators over the year of more than 11 million. MotoGP comes nowhere near.

The 2008 full weekend tally for all three Spanish events was 654,142.

Dorna’s 2008 figures are more impressive when you take the whole world, and the full season, into account. Last year, MotoGP put more than 2.4 million bottoms on trackside seats.

Spain’s contribution to this total is the most signif icant. Italy, by comparison, where Rossi fever is a national epidemic, had two races. Two thirds the number of events, but a combined spectator tally little over one third as big, at 225,349.

But there is no real need to fiddle with the

F I M MAG AZ INE .6 7 /// M AY J UN E 2009

///

figures to boost bike racing’s importance in Spain. It’s quite obviously right up there, and still growing. The simple numbers prove it without any manipulation.

average now at 110,000. This is less than Spain’s 2008 race-day MotoGP average of 120,834.

Not ver y much, in fact. The average attendance for the main series, NASCAR oval-track events, was measured in 2003 at 186,000, according to one source. But things have fallen off there while MotoGP has been growing: current claims from the France organisation put the NASCAR

Let’s hope they don’t all decide to come to Jerez next year, because they will just jam the place up again.

Nothing, however, can compare with a Last year’s Formula One race at Catalunya, couple of single motor racing events. The the only car grand prix in Spain, pulled a Le Mans 24 - Hour c ar r ace count s race-day crowd of 132,600. This did top spectators in the hundreds and thousands the 113,150 bike fans who came to the - more than 230,000 on a good year. same track earlier in the year to watch But back to America, and hold on to your Dani Pedrosa outrace Valentino Rossi by hats.

2.8 seconds. But nobody would say as a result that F1 was more popular in Spain The Indianapolis Motor Speedway does than MotoGP, because it simply and n o t d i s c l o s e f i g u r e s f o r r a ce - d ay attendance for the Indy 500 race, but the patently is not true. stadium can seat more than a quarter of a All the same, let’s get it in proportion. We million on the grandstands lining the oval, know that everything in America is bigger and another 140,000-odd on the infield. and better.

Conser vative estimates put race day How much so, in motorsport? crowds at more than 350,000.

by Michael Scott

7

///

PADDOCK

Carmelo Ezpeleta INTERVIEW

FIM: As President of the Grand Prix Commission, what do you think about the various changes in the rules that have been decided since the beginning of the season?

Carmelo Ezpeleta: When the economic crisis started, the manufacturers contacted the FIM President and myself in order to share their concerns with us. In particular, the Kawasaki team had decided not to continue, and we worked together in order to keep them in the Championship, even with another name. The manufacturers made some proposals aimed at reducing costs as of 2009 but also at preparing for the future. The Grand Prix Commission studied the impacts of the changes to be enforced, in particular on the sporting aspects of the Championship. Our objective is to find the best possible compromise between cost reduction and maintaining the quality and interest of the Championship. The most important changes will be enforced next year. Not everything has been decided yet but we will keep on working in order to adapt all the proposals for changes to the needs of the Championship.

FIM: Can you explain how and why Honda was designated to provide the engines for the Moto2 class? Don’t you think that to have 250cc 2-stroke and 600cc 4-stroke racing together could pose some problems?

C.E.: It was the manufacturer members of MSMA who unanimously proposed to have a unique engine in Moto2 in order to significantly reduce the costs. This class is intended to allow the development of the rider and his team so it is necessary that the technical aspect, which is very expensive, is less important. We therefore asked the manufacturers who were interested to give us their proposals. Finally, Honda was chosen because the engine they can offer as from 2010 will be the most successful and reliable one. We are still working on the set-up of this new class, on the technical points and maintenance. It is still too early to give more details on the logistic aspects.

To have both classes racing together until 2011 was suggested in order to allow KTM

8

and Aprilia to stay in the competition and be able to respect their commitments. KTM has already decided not to enter next year. We have received a large number of requests for the Moto2 class and we will wait until the Portuguese Grand Prix to have more information on the future set-up of the 27 teams which have been provisionally

accepted. We should also have about 40 riders on the Moto2 starting grid in 2010.

FIM: The season is now well underway: what is your feeling about this first part?

How do you see the near and mid-term future?

C.E.: After the Catalunya Grand Prix, the classifications of the three classes of the FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix are really very close. In MotoGP we even have three riders who are even on points in first place! These results confirm the validity of the decisions which have been taken. I am very happy to say that so far all the accepted changes were decided unanimously by all the parties concerned. We think that we must continue to work in the same direction.

FIM: The FIM is also working on the improvement of its image. What do you think about the work achieved so far?

What is your relationship with the FIM? C.E.: The FIM and Dorna have been partners since 1991. We are in permanent contact, more than partners. The FIM is the owner of the Championship whereas Dorna is the commercial rights’ owner. Throughout this time, we have always made a balance bet ween the spor ting par t and the commercial part. This Championship is, above all, a sporting competition and our priority is to manage it by putting the sporting aspect first. Afterwards, of course, business is important for us as well as for everybody else, allowing the FIM to invest in other disciplines. But I can tell you that after these 18 seasons, we are very happy with our relationship with the FIM. FIM: After the celebration of its centenary, five years ago, the FIM started to work on a strategic plan in order to redefine its targets at mid and long term. As a promoter, do you understand the meaning and the need for this approach by the FIM? C.E.: I think that the most important thing we have in this world championship is history. The FIM is 100 years old and the Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is more than 60 years old! This is the oldest competition of racing motorcycles

FI M M AGA ZI NE . 6 7 / / / M AY JU N E 2 0 0 9

PA DD O C K

and it has grown up in an extraordinary way thanks to incredible World Champions. After all these years the FIM wishes to redefine itself and this is a good thing. We must all work together and the FIM can count on Dorna’s collaboration to help on the work of redefining its image.

FIM: On a more personal aspect if you don’t mind, after all these years, which year or event had the most impact on your career? Can you explain why? Do you think you will continue to invest yourself for a long time in defending motorcycling competition at world level?

C.E.: It was the fatal accident of Kato in Suzuka in 2003. It was a terrible thing and the worst situation in all these 18 years. We had always treated the question of safety as a priority, with the utmost seriousness, but this accident of Kato led us to take very important decisions for the future of the championship and for the riders’ safety. The FIM decided to create the Safety Grand Prix Commission chaired by the Road Racing Commission President with the participation of the riders. We are working together relentlessly in order to ensure the highest possible level of safety on all circuits.

Concerning my own projects? After these 18 years I am not thinking about retiring! As long as I am able to fulf ill my duties completely, I am not considering any retirement. If one day I am no longer able to come to the events, or I feel I am no longer up to the job, then it will be different and I know that there are people in Dorna capable of succeeding me. Today, as long as my health allows, I think I still have some time to be here!

by Isabelle Larivière

F I M MAG AZ INE .6 7 /// M AY J UN E 2009

about Carmelo Ezpeleta Place & date of birth: Barcelona (Spain), 17 July 1946 Marital status: Married with two children. Closely involved in motorsport (bikes and cars) from a young age as an amateur rider.

Five-time Spanish Champion with the ‘Cesta Punta’ Catalan team Studies in engineering.

Professional Career: • Circuit Direc tor for Calafat Circuit (Barcelona) from September 1974 until 1978.

• Af ter that he moved to Madrid and became Director of the Jarama Circuit and Manager for all Sports Activities at the Real Automovil Club de Espana (RACE) for 10 years. During his time at the Jarama Circuit, the track held four Formula 1 races and ten MotoGP events.

During that time his responsibilities included the management of the FordRACE Team (1987-1988). Carlos Sainz became Spanish Champion with this team and it took him to the World Rally Championship.

• In 1988 he went back to Barcelona after being nominated Executive Director of the ‘Consortium for the Construction of the Circuit of Catalunya’ and Sporting Manager of the Reial Automòbil Club de Catalunya (RACC). During this time the RACC organised events such as the Rally Catalunya-Costa Brava ( World and European Championships), Baja Aragón and inauguration stage of the ParisBarcelona-Dakar race.

///

• In 1991 Dorna Sports acquired the Rights to the FIM MotoGP World Championship, and he joined the company in March of that year as Director of Motorsport. In 1994 he became Executive Director.

Since 1998 he has been shareholder and CEO for Dorna Sports S.L. About Dorna Sports Dorna Sports was established in 1988 as an international Sports Management and marketing company. Headquarters are in Madrid, with offices also in Barcelona, London and Tokyo. Bridgepoint Capital and the management of the company are its shareholders.

Dorna has been the exclusive holder of the commercial rights relating to the FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix (MotoGP) since 1992. The company also participates in the management, marketing and distribution of the Spanish Road Racing Championship (CEV).

Dorna’s main activity is its involvement in the FIM MotoGP World Championship through: a) Coordination with the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme “FIM”, the championship’s rights owner, of the sporting and technical regulations, b) Relations with manufacturers and teams, c) Organisation, with each local promoter, of the Grand Prix, d) Commercialisation of the Media Rights (TV production, TV rights commercialization and communications issues related to the Championship) and e) Exploitation of the Advertising, Licensing and Corporate Hospitality rights.

9

///

PADDOCK

Gautier PAULIN ///

PA DD O C K

///

Shifting shapes

The new breed and style of Motocross Grand Prix stars

Motocross is one of the most expressive forms of motorcycle racing and the sport is also one of the most visually vivacious, as individuals fight physics and the lie of the land to reach the chequered flag first

The impact of several young riders and their quick, subsequent

the validity of this approach gains more credence and the proof success over the last few years proves that a modern style is lies in the results (as well as the popularity of the fresh generation creeping into the motocross world championship. Names like currently racing).

Townley, Pourcel, Cairoli, Searle and recently Teillet, Paulin, Musquin and perhaps most emphatically Ken Roczen, are athletes At the heart of this advanced skill set of flicks is the ‘scrub’, a way who have stood out through their loose, adventurous and fast of manhandling the bike at various angles while airborne; a approach to handling a motorcycle. Interestingly, from that small manoeuvre that seems to be as effective as it is spectacular. “You list above, all have won Grand Prix, apart from Teillet and Roczen, will see more of this style,” believes former five times world who are both negotiating their debut seasons in 2009 and Roczen champion and Teka Suzuki WMX1 Team Manager Eric Geboers. has already come close, despite only four GP appearances, taking “Many people talk about scrubbing but not many know what the second positions in Spain real purpose is. You are trying to keep the centre of gravity low on and France and held an the edge or the crest of the jump and change the trajectory of the Bud Racing’s Gautier Paulin was interesting little statistic ramp. If you can bring the momentum lower then it gives you the European Champion and amazed all of not being overtaken in possibility to go faster and jump further. The faster you can cross with his talent during a breakthrough 2007 campaign. He led the MX2 world any his first three Grand that edge, well, then, that is what it is all about.” championship for the first part of this Prix (an eye-brow raising “What we are seeing now in the World Championship shows that season. six motos in total). there has been an evolution of styles and that is interesting,” says The speed and spoils this motocross legend, ten times World Champion and Red Bull KTM ‘new’ style brings is almost matched by the aesthetic splendour it Team Manager Stefan Everts. “It is very cool to see the change and affords the sport. The acrobatics almost beggar belief and the how these kids are now getting around the race track. They are physics of the synergy between rider and machine seem subverted. really hanging off the bike, sometimes over the rear mudguard, The origins of this radicalism evolved from the United States where throwing their bodies left and right and it is great to watch. the popularity of Supercross and the many jumps and rhythm Scrubbing is a very important technique now for a rider because sections of the tracks led to riders probing, and then stretching, the tracks have a lot of jumps these days. If you have ten jumps and the boundaries for means to shave tenths from lap-times. As the you take 0.4 of a second off each of them, multiplied by 18 or 19 World Championship circuits embrace more obstacles and leaps, laps then you are getting faster.”

Gautier Paulin /// F I M MAG AZ INE .6 7 /// M AY J UN E 2009

11

///

PADDOCK

Tony Cairoli ///

The photographer’s favourite for several years now. Tony Cairoli is still turning heads and records with his maiden season in MX1. The Sicilian is arguably the most popular motocrosser in Europe.

The current exponents of a size and frequency of the jumps,” the Yamaha Red Bull De Carli visual change in a Grand rider continues. “Now we have a lot of them and some big ones P r i x r i d e r ’s c r a f t a r e too and I think you can see the difference in the way the riders becoming more numerous attack them. For sure sometimes it can carry more risk than a guy in the start gate, mostly who jumps straight, but it is about being faster. It is fun to ride like young Frenchman, from a this but of course the speed is the most important thing and these c o u n t r y t h o r o u g h l y techniques get you in a closer position to pass.” enamoured with the rigours and technique of Supercross. Perhaps the two best examples from the classes though are Tony Cairoli “Going against riders who do not move much, it can be easier to see (former double MX2 world champ and now leading the MX1 series where you can overtake them and what you are doing differently in his first season) and Ken Roczen (a German teenager who could on the bike to gain an advantage,” adds the ’09 Turkish and Portuguese GP winner. “When you go against someone with the only make his MX2 debut at round five after his 15th birthday). same style, for me it was with Christophe Pourcel in 2006 and 2007, “Cairoli made it noticeable but Roczen is giving proof that if you are it was hard to race because he was thinking in the same way and not working on scrubbing then you will not reach the top of the could do what I also wanted to do.” business,” says Geboers. “I think now it is one of the leading requirements of a rider. Everyone can scrub but the list of people Scrubbing looks great but it does increase the physical realms of an already brutally demanding discipline. This is another way in that can do it the whole race is much shorter.” which the younger generation have an advantage.

“I think the modern style can make the difference. I changed my style in 2004 because I developed more confidence with the bike “I think if you grow up riding like that then it is not tiring,” says Everts. and I was able to express myself,” says Cairoli. “I could scrub a lot “If you are older, like me, then you won’t be able to do it for long in more and found it easier to be smooth. When I was growing up I a race. When I was winning there was not really anyone scrubbing. had my idols, like Jeremy McGrath, but I went my own way on the I always tried to focus on the jumps to keep as low as possible. I was the smooth guy and it probably did not look like I was going motorcycle.” fast; for the fans there is quite a contrast with a style like that and “Maybe 15 years ago this style did not help so much because of the what they see now.”

12

FI M M AGA ZI NE . 6 7 / / / M AY JU N E 2 0 0 9

PA DD O C K

///

Ken Roczen ///

“For some people this is hard to do for more than twenty minutes in a race but I feel I can do it when I want,” asserts Roczen.

However, for all the forward-thinking-and-doing, there are still some that believe that in the opportunity for self-interpretation that Motocross, through its nature, evokes.

The teenager, of the Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2 team, is perhaps the most dazzling example of talent to enter the World “I don’t think it is absolutely necessary to ride like Ken does,” claims Championship since the turn of the century. “He has a really good Johansson. “That is one of the best things about motocross; that feeling for what he is doing on the bike and it is a completely natural every rider has their strong points and their own best way to get instinct; if you asked him about how he was riding in a certain place around the track.” then perhaps he couldn’t answer fully,” says team Technical

by Adam Wheeler Co-ordinator Jens Johansson. “He is a modern motocross rider, he uses the physics of the motorcycle; even to the point that when he came over to us in the winter we did some training on sand tracks and his style didn’t work! We had to tell him to jump like an old fashioned Dutch sand rider!”

Fifteen year old Ken Roczen has lit-up the Motocross World Championship “For sure Ken Roczen is the stand-out rider with his sheer natural ability. He has two in the world championship for what he second positions already, after less than can do,” offers Cairoli. “Roczen does it half a dozen GPs , a feat that is automatically; I’m sure he even scrubs unprecedented. when he is walking down a flight of stairs,” opines Geboers.

“I always do what I want on the bike; maybe that is something important,” the rider himself explains. “I feel confident and maybe this is something that makes the difference between riders. I scrub because it is fun and also because I can see that it makes me faster over the others; I see that I am winning ground.”

F I M MAG AZ INE .6 7 /// M AY J UN E 2009

13

/ / / VINTAGE

Honda

IN ROAD RACING GRAND PRIX During the 50s, Soichiro Honda had brought his company to a good level in Japan, but as of 1954 he was convinced that his target should be to reach other markets, essentially.

Europe and the United States. He also thought that the sport would be an excellent vector for bringing up a good image of the brand by achieving good performances on the tracks and eventually clinch one or various world titles.

What was the top of motorcycle sport in the 50s? The Road Racing Grand Prix of the World, where all existing manufacturers from the European continent were fighting for supremacy, particularly the Italians and the British.

Soichiro Honda went to Europe in 1956 to have a look to the existing models and markets, and went to see the Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man - he had been planning this travel for two years.

He went back to Japan with two tasks: to reduce the technological gap with European industry, and to make his machines winning on the racing circuits.

In 1959, as a first test, Honda sent a team to the Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man, with 125cc twin-cylinder RC 142 machines. The best result was a sixth place by rider Naomi Taniguchi, on a circuit of more than 60 km that no Japanese rider knew or had ridden on before. The team went back to Japan with plenty of information.

Working day and night, the factory, beside the manufacturing of models and creation of new design, was preparing the motorcycles to enter all races of the Grand Prix competition in 1960 with one Japanese rider Naomi Taniguchi and Rhodesian Jim Redman in the 125cc and Redman, Tom Phillis, Kunimitsu Takahashi, Teisuka Tanaka, Rob Brown, Gilberto Milani and other Japanese riders in the 250cc class. Jim Redman obtained the best results in both classes and finished fourth in the 250cc and seventh in the 125cc class. The Hondas were becoming slightly more competitive, but nobody was expecting what would happen the following year.

In 1961, the Australian rider Tom Phillis won the first race ever on a Honda machine (125cc RC 143) at the first Grand Prix of the season in Spain. In the 250cc the first win came at the second

14

Grand Prix (Hockenheim, West Germany), with Japanese rider Kunimitsu Takahashi on a RC 162. That year all races except the first one were won by Honda riders 250cc; in the 125cc Tom Phillis was World Champion but he had to fight against East German rider Ernst Degner on the very fast 2-stroke MZ. At the Tourist Trophy, the first five places were taken by Honda riders in both classes - the winner was one of the greatest champion in history: Mike Hailwood.

It had taken just two years for Honda to be at the top. And they would stay there until 1967.

The sixties were a long story of successes for Honda, with a total of 15 titles in all classes. But in 1966, Soichiro Honda had learned another consequence of competition, a very high price to pay to be at the top. He also had started to invest in car manufacturing and car racing, the famous CB 750 was being prepared, which would make a revolution in the motorcycle market, and important changes in the FIM rules were about to come into force. At the end of 1967, Honda withdrew completely from competition. Bearing in mind the situation in 1959 when a team from the country of the Rising Sun went to discover the most difficult circuit of the world on the Isle of Man, the achievements at the end of the 1967 season are remarkable. 138 wins (13 in the 50cc, 33 in the 125cc, 47 in the 250cc, 35 in the 350cc, 10 in the 500cc), 16 riders’ titles with Mike Hailwood, Tom Phillis, Jim Redman, Luigi Taveri, and Ralph Bryans, and 18 manufacturers’ titles (including all five solo titles in 1966).

The absence of the first motorcycle manufacturer in the world would last until the end of the 70s with the famous NR 500 with oval piston and eight valves per cylinder V-four engine, but while it was a real jewel in terms of revolutionary technology, it turned out virtually unefficient on the track. Some engineers had started to work on a two-stroke motorcycle - maybe against Soichiro Honda’s own wish who was a strong supporter of four stroke engines only and never wanted to hear about two-stroke engines.

FI M M AGA ZI NE . 6 7 / / / M AY JU N E 2 0 0 9

Mike Hailwood winner of the 1967 Dutch TT on the 6 cylinders 250cc Honda. ///

And the NS 500 3 cylinders was competitive right from the start.

American rider Freddie Spencer made the pole position at the 4th Grand Prix in Spain and took the first win for Honda in Spa, Belgium, since Mike Hailwood in 1967 in the 500cc in Mosport, Canada. It took less than two years to clinch the 500cc world title with Freddie Spencer after one of the most fabulous season in the history of Road Racing, in 1983, a legendary fight against Kenny Roberts, ending with a narrow advantage of two points in favor of the Lousiana rider.

The comeback in the smaller classes took a few years more. In the early 80s Honda started to build a 250 machine, but it was not until 1985 that the factory made a strong involvement with Freddie Spencer whose plan was to be the first rider to win the 250cc and 500 titles - which he succeeded. A couple of years later, following the change in the technical rules which reduced the number of cylinders in the 125cc class to one only, Honda also entered the class in 1987. Since then Honda has remained in the three Grand Prix classes - 125, 250 and 500 - earning titles in the 500 class with Freddie Spencer, Wayne Gardner, Eddie Lawson, Michael Doohan, Alex Criville, Valentino Rossi (500cc 2-stroke and MotoGP 990cc 4-stroke) and Nicky Hayden (MotoGP); in the 250cc with Anton Mang, Sito Pons, Luca Cadalora, Daijiro Katoh and Daniel Pedrosa, and in the 125cc with Loris Capirossi, Dirk Raudies, Haruchika Aoki, Emilio Alzamora, Daniel Pedrosa, Andrea Dovizioso and Thomas Luthi. At the end of the 2008 season, Honda achieved 623 wins in Road Racing Grand Prix, and is the absolute leader among the manufacturers. Honda also won 59 manufacturers’ World titles (2 in the 50cc, 15 in the 125cc, 19 in the 250cc, 6 in the 350cc and 17 in the 500cc/MotoGP).

In 1959, as a first test, Honda sent a team to the Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man, with 125cc twin-cylinder RC 142 machines. ///

by Marc PĂŠtrier

F I M MAG AZ INE .6 7 /// M AY J UN E 2009

15

/ / / VINTAGE

Honda

in Other motorsports The 70s were not only a comeback for Honda in Road Racing, but also a beginning in other motorsports.

André MALHERBE and Graham NOYCE official Honda 500cc riders in 1979.

NOYCE Champion in 1979, MALHERBE in 80, 81 and 84.///

Although the factory was not directly involved at the beginning, the launch of the CB 750 at the end of 1968 gave ideas for privateers and dealers to put the machine on the track for racing in Endurance, with a first win at the 1969 Bol d’Or in Monthléry, followed by many other wins and four European titles from 1976 to 1979, and World titles as from 1980. Later came the Superbike World Championship as from 1988, with seven titles for Honda riders (Fred Merkel, Colin Edwards and James Toseland with two titles each, and John Kocinski).

Honda also invested in Motocross in the mid-70s and a first World title came in the 500cc class in 1979 with Graham Noyce, followed

by André Malherbe (500), Dave Thorpe (500), Georges Jobé (500), Eric Geboers (first Honda title in the 250cc class, then 500), JeanMichel Bayle (first Honda title in the 125cc class, then 250), and many others.

16

In Trial, though, against the general tendency for all two-stroke engines in off-road competition, Honda introduced a factory machine in the early 80s in the hands of Eddy Lejeune who won three consecutive world titles. Then Honda came back through its association with Montesa and several titles came with Marc Colomer, Dougie Lampkin, Takahisa Fujinami and Toni Bou. In Enduro, Honda produced XR machines derived from the trail bike line, and achieved its first win in the 1982 Paris-Dakar rally, with French rider Cyril Neveu (already winner in 1979 and 1980).

Later, the Honda factory produced a fantastic machine, the NXR 780, which took Cyril Neveu to two more wins in 1986 and 1987, Italian Edy Orioli in 1988 and French Gilles Lalay in 1989.

by Marc Pétrier

FI M M AGA ZI NE . 6 7 / / / M AY JU N E 2 0 0 9

FIM-LIVE.COM FIM-STORE.COM

///

stan d i ngs

Taddy BLASUZIAK looks back as he faces one of the most difficult sections in Madrid ///

CERVANTES celebrates his 1st World Cup with a special outfit. ///

CERVANTES, BLASUZIAK and MOSSINI in the final podium. ///

stan d i ngs

///

FABULOUS BEGINNING WITH THE TRIUMPH OF IVAN CERVANTES FIM INDOOR ENDURO WORLD CUP

23,448 spectators resonated with excitement in 2009 with the first edition of the FIM Indoor Enduro World Cup, the winner of which, after the events in Barcelona, Genova and Madrid was the Spaniard, Iván Cervantes (KTM). With riders representing ten countries, the Enduro Indoor is a fascinating speciality which is rapidly gaining supporters and thrilling the public with its nailbiting heats.

The FIM firmly showed its support for the Indoor Enduro event with the organisation of the FIM Indoor Enduro World Cup in 2009.

In this first edition there were three events on the calendar: Barcelona (Spain), Genova (Italy) and Madrid (Spain).

Naturally, the World Cup started up in the Palau de Sant Jordi in Barcelona with all the enthusiasm and excitement of fans loyal to this event. Expectations were high: after a year of injuries, Iván Cervantes, one of the local riders, appeared determined to return to the podium. And he did. The qualifying heats were between the KTM of Iván Cervantes, Xavi Galindo and the Polish Taddy Blazusiak, with the Honda World Champion in the E2 Category, Mika Ahola.

In the final classification, in front of 9800 spectators, Iván Cervantes won out, followed by Taddy Blazusiak with a well-deserved second place, and Ahola in third. The edition also saw the first participation of Laia Sanz, 8-time World Trial Champion, in an Indoor Enduro (Junior) event, She finished 5th.

In the Palasport of the Italian city of Genova, there was an enthusiastic public, who filled 80% of the sports hall. The junior Thomas Oldrati was only one of the surprises, who attained a very good qualification. Iván Cervantes showed himself to be the true leader he is in this heat, which ended Mika Ahola´s (Honda) hopes of winning the title, although despite everything he managed to make up for his falls and reached second place in one of the finals.

The podium was completed by Blazusiak (KTM) and Mossini (Honda). It was also the début in this heat of trial myth Dougie Lampkin in this speciality of the Indoor Enduro.

F I M MAG AZ INE .6 7 /// M AY J UN E 2009

Madrid, the last event in this World Championship, practically filled the Palacio de Deportes in Madrid, the public with a huge desire to see Iván Cervantes crowned Champion. The Championship was practically decided in the first of the three races, when Iván Cervantes recovered from a fall in the first curve but managed to go on to win the heat. Knowing that he had a comfortable advantage, Cervantes spent his time controlling the second race, in which he was mathematically declared champion, despite Blazusiak winning the race. Lampkin was third, ahead of Oriol Mena, who got his first points in the Championship. Mika Ahola finished the FIM Indoor Enduro World Cup in third place, behind Cervantes and Blazusiak.

Ivan Cervantes “Ten out of ten for the Enduro Indoor sporting speciality. The extraordinary quality of the races, the level of the riders and the fantastic atmosphere in the sports halls are all amazing. The public likes short, exciting races and in Indoor Enduro surprises are always guaranteed”.

Taddy Blazusiak “The Indoor Enduro events are incredible. I think they have a great future: the public loves them, and the fact that the fans can follow the competition from their seats is fantastic”.

Fabio Mossini (HONDA) I think the Indoor Enduro is great. It´s a fantastic way to bring Enduro to the fans, who can totally participate in the races, following them in their entirety. And the public makes us even more determined to do well! The event organisation is great, the tracks are really well designed and we riders like the format of the World Cup Competition”.

by Blanca de Foronda & Santiago Gallardo

19

///

fe atures

Interview GREIG CRAFT

ROAD TRAFFIC COLLISIONS PROJECTED TO BE THE THIRD CAUSE OF PREMATURE DEATH WORLDWIDE BY 2020.

HOW VIETNAM IS SHOWING A WAY TO CHANGE THE FUTURE!

Recently FIM met American businessman and founder of the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation - Greig Craft.

FIM: Can you give an outline of the problem your foundation is working to address?

G.C.: Traffic collisions kill 1.2 million people each year and injure 50 million more. The World Health Organization predicts that road accidents will cause 20 million deaths and leave more than 1 billion people injured, bereaved, or left to care for a victim between 2000 and 2015. The situation will only continue to worsen; road traffic fatalities will rise by 65% over the next 25 years, and those least able to cope, developing nations, will face the most problems.

They disproportionately affect young adults, as the number one killer of people aged 15 to 19.As incomes rise, people trade bicycles for motorcycles and cars, giving them mobility and freedom they did not enjoy before.

Southeast Asia, the region where Asia Injury Prevention Foundation operates, includes countries across a range of economic development, but all are industrializing with an increase in motor traffic, -especially motorcycles.

Vietnam in particular has been a focus of AIP Foundation’s programs. In less than 20 years it has transformed itself from a society of bicycles to motorbikes - now the predominant

20

‘family transport’ - and yet the mentality for a motorized culture has not yet fully evolved.

Though people are taking to the road in evergreater numbers, they usually do so with neither the training to drive properly, nor the fundamental understanding of crash cause and effect. Limited traffic safety education, lack of awareness about the effectiveness of helmet use, and inconsistent traf f ic legislation and enforcement have contributed to annual death tolls of over 12,000 people in Vietnam alone. In addition, approximately 30,000 more suffer from brain damage sustained in traffic accidents.

With the implementation of a mandatory helmet law, adults are now using helmets, though proper use and helmet quality remain an issue.

FIM: We know children ride with adults on motorcycles, are they now better protected?

G.C: Many children continue to ride unprotected. It is not unusual to see both parents and two or even three children riding on a single vehicle, parents with helmets and children without. In 2001 an estimated 4,100 Vietnamese children died in road traffic accidents, the majority under age nine. A large percentage of those could likely have been spared had parents and teachers

FI M M AGA ZI NE . 6 7 / / / M AY JU N E 2 0 0 9

f e atu re s

better understood the need for safety helmets and traffic safety education for their children. Fortunately, the Government recognized this inconsistency and we are working with them to accelerate clarification of the law to include all riders on motorbikes, with the legal responsibility and penalty being borne by the driver of the motorbike.

FIM: Your foundation has developed low cost helmets with ventilation to allow them to work in tropical conditions. How have you done it and what is the price in US dollars to the consumer? A low cost helmet in Europe will be US 150 and riders will pay up to 450 US which is beyond people in the countries you work in.

G.C: We have designed an ESP helmet with appropriate head coverage to meet regional helmet standards. One could describe it as a hybrid equestrian bicycle helmet, styled like a motorbike helmet. By using an outer PVC shell and thin ABS, we have achieved a lightweight and well-ventilated ‘tropical’ helmet for children and adults - including windshields, very important on both dirty and dusty road in many poor countries.

These helmets retail for approximately $10, affordable for most motorcycle owners. We also arrange subsidized programs for school helmet donations, with corporate support and funding.

F I M MAG AZ INE .6 7 /// M AY J UN E 2009

Unfortunately, these types of helmets do not meet stringent UK and US motorcycle helmet standards (mainly because of ventilation), though they do meet most other requirement s. Given similar environment complaints of heat and weight issues in developed countries, it is a pity that motorbike helmet standards cannot be less stringent in the west. Perhaps helmet wearing rates would rise. Helmets such as ours protect the brain, which we believe is the primary function and objective.

///

Hollywood actress Michelle Yeoh presents an AIP children’s helmet to UN Secretary-General Ban ki Moon accompanied by Lord Robertson former Secretary-General of NATO.///

FIM: You are cited by the FIA Foundation as a world leader, can AIPF be replicated in other countries outside Asia?

G.C: Absolutely. This is my vision - and intention. We have set up a simple and relatively inexpensive A - Z solution that can be quickly set up anywhere. We are already talking to numerous Africa nations including Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Cameron, several states in India, and Chile, Uruguay and Costa Rica in South America. I plan for this model - this ‘vaccine’ - to be an important part of the Decade for Action on Road Safety.

FIM: Thanks, as an organisation that fully understands the benefits of helmet wearing in sport and street riding we wish you continued success.

by John Chatterton-Ross

21

///

stan d i ngs

Expectations, Drama & Glory With the weeks dwindling down towards the beginning of the 2009 Monster Energy Supercross, an FIM World Championship, season, the buzz surrounding the various storylines was one of the strongest in years.

Surprise at Anaheim 1, Grant beats them all! ///

22

FI M M AGA ZI NE . 6 7 / / / M AY JU N E 2 0 0 9

stan d i ngs

///

The 2009 season in a nutshell: Reed vs Stewart. ///

With the weeks dwindling down towards the beginning of the 2009 Monster Energy Supercross, an FIM World Championship, season, the buzz surrounding the various storylines was one of the strongest in years. To think that the two best riders on the planet were making moves to new teams, new bikes, and beginning an entirely new phase of their careers resulted in mouth-watering projections. On top of that, the “world’s fastest man” James Stewart was joining his arch-rival and reigning series champion Chad Reed’s former Yamaha team, while Reed was making the move to the home of his old foe Ricky Carmichael at Suzuki.

When it was all said and done, Stewart won the 2009 Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship. It wasn’t pretty, but the 23-year-old got the job done and cashed in on his second FIM World Supercross class championship and moved into fourth place on the all-time win list with 36.

It wasn’t an easy road for Stewart. After starting the season with a 23-point championship deficit, Stewart rallied back from the easyto-forget 19th place finish at Anaheim 1 where he did not finish.

He went on a seven-race win streak following Anaheim 1, and in doing so stole the lead from arch-rival and defending champion Chad Reed. Following his seventh consecutive win at Atlanta’s Georgia Dome, he led the championship by three points and set the stage for the most dramatic second half of the season.

The twists headlining the 2009 season helped to make the plot deeper and deeper. For the first time in their professional careers, both riders were going to ride for a different manufacturer. With all that, the fastest AMA Supercross Lites rider for the past three “We’ve come a long way after where we started in California - 23 seasons, Ryan Villopoto, was also making his much anticipated points behind,” said Stewart on mounting the impressive comeback. debut in the premier AMA Supercross class, aboard Stewart’s old “We have a long way to go, and I will not give up until the end.” bike nonetheless.

F I M MAG AZ INE .6 7 /// M AY J UN E 2009

23

///

stan d i ngs

2009 Supercross Class Rookie and 2 wins: Ryan Villopoto. ///

Reed landed his first win of the season at the new Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, tying the FIM World Supercross class points race with Stewart. One week later at Daytona International Speedway, Reed took advantage of a first-turn crash by Stewart, who finished seventh, and won his second consecutive race, establishing an 11-point lead overall.

Once again, it was Stewart who rose to the challenge and began chipping away at Reed’s commanding lead. En route to Las Vegas, Stewart picked up an additional four race wins and took advantage of Reed’s disastrous seventh-place performance in Seattle where he was forced to play catch-up after a wild first-turn crash.

The penultimate race of the season at Salt Lake City’s RiceEccles Stadium offered a wild card due to rain showers throughout race day, which produced a somewhat tricky racing surface. As the FIM World Supercross class main event blasted out of the gates, the track was in the best condition it had been in all day. The two gladiators fighting for the 2009 crown, Team San Manuel Yamaha’s

24

James Stewart and Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Chad Reed took advantage of the conditions and put on a show for the Utah fans.

Passing one another on several occasions and racing bar-to-bar throughout the first half of the 20-lap main, four months of fierce competition boiled over and reached a tipping point when Stewart’s teammate Kyle Chisholm appeared to make an errant block directly into Reed’s bike as the duo lapped the Yamaha rider. The incident was enough to slow down Reed’s charge and allowed Stewart to cruise to his 11th win of the season and possibly his second-career FIM World Supercross class championship as he now carried a sixpoint lead into the finale in Las Vegas.

“Who can deny that wasn’t intentional,” said Reed on the incident with Chisholm.

The Reed/Chisholm incident added fuel to the fire that existed between Reed and Stewart, creating even more drama in this historic championship. Ryan Villopoto rubbed elbows with Stewart before passing him for the lead and eventual win. Reed worked his

FI M M AGA ZI NE . 6 7 / / / M AY JU N E 2 0 0 9

stan d i ngs

///

And the winner is... ///

way through the field and made a heavy-contact pass on Stewart to earn his 12th second place finish of the year. Stewart finished third and was awarded the championship.

“I gave it everything I had and I can walk away knowing I did that,” said Reed. “Being consistent is what kept us in the championship hunt this year. I am going to regroup and evaluate the season. James had a great season and hats off to him. We are going to work hard in the winter and come back.”

“From Anaheim 1 to now, I have been working on this come back, and I have been trying my best all year,” said Stewart. “This is the best championship I have ever won. My team made a hard decision to sign me, and I thank them for signing me. This was a hard-fought championship, and I am so happy to have won it. I will be back with the number one plate next year.”

Next year may very well be the most anticipated season ever as Reed returns hungrier than ever, Villopoto polishes his skills and AMA Supercross Lites class champion Ryan Dungey makes his

F I M MAG AZ INE .6 7 /// M AY J UN E 2009

premier-class debut.

At the helm of the sport’s new promoter, Feld Entertainment, which also owns and operates Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, Feld Motor Sports, Disney On Ice and Disney Live, the 2009 Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, unfolded as one of the greatest seasons in history. Despite struggling economic times, Feld Motor Sports packed the country’s premier stadiums during the 17-race season.

As a part of its plans for growing the Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, and other Feld Motor Sports properties, Feld Entertainment is looking to grow the events in markets around the world. The company’s shows currently play in over 60 countries and the excitement of Supercross, Monster Jam® and other events are something audiences all over can enjoy.

By Denny Hartwig

25

///

G ALLERY Q&A

Thumbs up, 11 victories and FIM World Champion.

James Stewart is a happy man! ///

GA L L ERY Q& A

///

FIVe questions to

SUPER JAMES FIM: 2009 marked a major change in your career. For many years, you had been with Kawasaki and Fox. You have switched to Yamaha and Answer. Was it that you needed a change, a new motivation, purely a business decision or were there any other reasons?

James Stewart: I did switch teams and I made the switch for a few different reasons, but first off I switched to the L&M Team, they are sponsored by Yamaha and use Yamaha equipment. I don’t have a contract with Yamaha directly. I signed with L&M Racing because I felt I needed a team to support me more at the races and with testing and I got this from L&M. With all my other changes before the 2009 Supercross series (Answer, Alpinestar and Bell) those were because if I was going to make a team change, I was going to change everything to do with my program, so I could start fresh.

FIM: You immediately won the 2008 Las Vegas Open and the switch from Kawasaki to Yamaha seemed so easy. But was it really that easy for the talented rider you are?

J.S.: No race is easy. Yes I won and yes I won every heat and final, but racing motorcycles is hard. I am fortunate enough to have the talent to be able to win.

FIM: You started off the 2009 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship season with a crash in Anaheim 1. But you bounced back, ultimately winning the FIM World Title.

Chad Reed and yourself were far ahead of the others. In fact, Chad never gave you a breather. Did you expect him to be that close? And what about all the other riders?

F I M MAG AZ INE .6 7 /// M AY J UN E 2009

J.S.: Yes, Reed rode well in 2009, but it was me that let him stay close. At the 1st race in Anaheim he ran into the back of me after I missed a shift and that caused the crash. But there were other races when I fell on my own and didn’t win when I needed to. It didn’t seem like there were any other riders that were in a position to win other than Reed or myself and that makes it tough to get the points.

FIM: After clinching the title in Las Vegas, you made a lap of honour saluting the crowd. You stopped on a “table” and put your head on the handlebars and seemed very emotional. What was it that went through your head?

J.S.: There were a lot of emotions running through my body af ter winning the championship. I had just accomplished something not many people have been able to do and I did it by coming from way behind in the points after only scoring 2 points at the first race. Reed had been talking bad about me and my team all year and winning this championship just made it that much sweeter.

FIM: Now that the 2009 Supercross season has come to an end; what are you plans? Will you be doing some FIM MX1 Motocross World Championship Grand Prix, the Red Bull FIM Motocross of Nations? Your fans want to know.

J.S.: We planned on racing some MX1 races after the Supercross series had finished, but the series went to the very last race and this was unexpected. We were unable to do any outdoor testing prior to the US Motocross series that was also starting. I wanted to race some US Motocross events and then a MX1 race, but after the Supercross series took longer than I thought to get control of, I’ve decided to take a vacation until we start testing at the beginning of July and then race in the X-Games at the end of July.

And as far as the Red Bull Motocross of Nations, I feel there are other American riders that should go before me. I have not raced any of the Motocross events this year and that wouldn’t be fair to the other US riders that have raced every weekend. They deserve to represent their country.

by Dirk De Neve

27

FIM-LIVE.COM FIM-STORE.COM

Fim ins ide

F I M MAG AZ INE .6 7 /// M AY J UN E 2009

///

29

/ / / Fi m i ns ide

INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT COMMISSION 2009 World Environment Day

In December 2006, the FIM signed an agreement with the United Nations Environment Programme with the aim of developing environmental awareness within the motorcycling world and install better sustainable practices throughout our sport.

In the frame of this agreement, t h e F I M h a s d e c i d e d to commemor ate the Wor ld Environment Day, of which the official date is 5th June, at all FIM events taking place the previous weekend of this important date (30-31 May, except for Trial where the action will take place on 5th June). This year’s FIM project includes the signing by top riders of a FIM Environmental Charter at Road Racing, Motocross, SuperMoto, Trial and Speedway events that are celebrating by this commemoration. By signing this charter, the riders showed their concern and involvement regarding environmental issues within the motorcycling world.

Other great environmental initiatives to commemorate the 2009 World Environment Day were taken in Continental Unions (e.g. in South America - ULM & Africa - AMU) and National Federations (e.g. Australian Federation, Slovak Federation & South African Federation).

The following riders participated in this action: MotoGP: Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner, Jorge Lorenzo, Marco Melandri, Niccolò Canepa, Alvaro Bautista, Thomas Lüthi, Julian Simon Superbike: Noriyuki Haga, Michel Fabrizio, Ben Spies Supersport: Cal Crutchlow, Eugene Laverty, Kenan Sofuoglu Endurance: Paolo Tessari, Alvaro Molina, Steve Martin, William Costes, Mashel Al Naimi, Nicolas Jaulneau Motocross: Antonio Cairoli, Jonathan Barragan, Ken de Dycker, Marvin Musquin, Gautier Paulin, Davide Guarneri SuperMoto: Thierry Van Den Bosch, Mauno Hermunen, Adrien Chareyre, Davide Gozzini Trial: Toni Bou, Adam Raga, Albert Cabestany, Takahisa Fujinami Speedway: Jason Crump, Andreas Jonsson, Greg Hancock

MotoGP Mugello: Marco Melandri, Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, Casey Stoner, Niccolò Canepa, Julian Simon, Alvaro Bautista, Thomas Lüthi ///

30

FI M M AGA ZI NE . 6 7 / / / M AY JU N E 2 0 0 9

Fim ins ide

///

SBK & SSP Salt Lake City : Noriyuki Haga, Michel Fabrizio, Ben Spies, Kenan Sofuoglu, Cal Crutchlow, Eugene Laverty ///

SuperMoto Mallory Park: Thierry Van Den Bosch, Mauno Hermunen, Adrien Chareyre, Davide Gozzini ///

Endurance Oschersleben: Paolo Tessari, Alvaro Molina, Steve Martin, William Costes, Mashel Al Naimi, Nicolas Jaulneau ///

Speedway Gรถteborg: Andreas Jonsson, Greg Hancock, Jason Crump ///

Motocross Mallory Park: Davide Guarneri, Jonathan Barragan, Ken de Dycker, Antonio Cairoli, Marvin Musquin, Gautier Paulin ///

Trial MOTEGI: Adam Raga, Toni Bou, Takahisa Fujinami, Albert Cabestany ///

F I M MAG AZ INE .6 7 /// M AY J UN E 2009

31

/ / / ma r ke t place

“Born on the Race track” at FIM World Superbike Championship

On Saturday 9 May, a little piece of history was made at the legendary Monza circuit in Italy, when BMW Motorrad presented its new series production S 1000 RR to a packed hospitality unit full of international journalists.

Furthermore, a special live web-streaming feed was broadcast to motorcycle journalists all over the world via the internet and BMW’s global PressClub service.

In unveiling BMW Motorrad’s first inline four-cylinder genuine Supersport motorcycle, the company was represented by key members of the design, engineering, sales and racing departments, all of whom have played crucial roles in the development of this exciting new Superbike.

Although it has been in development for more than four years, a quick glance at the specification sheet shows that it has been well worth the wait. With this world debut, BMW Motorrad has seriously raised the bar and is establishing a true milestone in the world of sports machines. The S 1000 RR combines an astonishing 193 hp at 13,000 rpm with a dry weight of just 183 kg (204 kg fully fuelled), giving it the best power-to-weight ratio in its class.

It also debuts new benchmarks in terms of riding dynamics, safety and innovation, with rider assistance systems such as Race ABS and DTC Dynamic Traction Control.

The S 1000 RR combines an astonishing 193 hp at 13,000 rpm with a dry weight of just 183 kg giving it the best power-to-weight ratio in its class ///

32

The optional Race ABS weighs just 2.5 kg, compared to around 10 kg for other similar systems, while the Dynamic Traction Control offers various riding modes at the touch of a button for wet surfaces, regular road requirements, racetracks with sports tyres and racetracks with slicks. An optional HP Gearshift Assistant allows clutchless shifting, without the slightest interruption of torque and power.

FI M M AGA ZI NE . 6 7 / / / M AY JU N E 2 0 0 9

ma rk e t place

///

Troy Corser on the new BMW 1000 RR presented to the International Media on Saturday 9 May at the Monza circuit ///

Other highlights are almost too numerous to mention but include It’s a brave move and a serious challenge for BMW Motorrad to a multi-functional instrument cluster with racing features such as enter the World Superbike Championship and in developing the S a laptimer. The rider is able to set all functions directly from the 1000 RR, the company has entered completely unchartered ends of the handlebar. The S 1000 RR also features a high-speed, territory. However, the potential benef its are huge, both extra-sturdy valve drive with individual cam followers and titanium commercially and from a brand image perspective. More than valves, following the example of BMW’s Formula 1 engines. Class- 85,000 1000cc sport bikes were sold last year, with the key leading aerodynamics and sporting ergonomics make the litre- markets being the USA, Germany, Italy, UK, France, and to a lesser class sports bike ideal for both tall and short riders, and supreme extent, Japan and Australia. Clearly, a manufacturer such as BMW handling comes as standard, combined with best-in-class high- Motorrad no longer wants to miss out on this opportunity to extend its brand image in a much more sporting direction. speed and braking stability.

The decision to present arguably the most exciting machine in BMW Motorrad’s recent history to the media in Monza was by no means a coincidence. Since the beginning of this year Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport has been playing an active role in the World Superbike Championship, with the two works riders Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus at the forefront of the development of the production-based racing machine. Therefore it was quite fitting that the two riders were on hand to take the covers off the customer version of their race bikes.

Naturally, most of the customers of this exciting new Superbike are expected to switch allegiances from other brands, as BMW Motorrad is hoping to enthuse and win over new customers that have not yet been reached by the current model line-up. Hence, the Superbike World Championship is the ideal stage to prove the potential of the S 1000 RR. This race series is enjoying growing popularity internationally on all continents, the starting field contains all the main competitors (unlike MotoGP) and the costs are justifiable in comparison with the Grand Prix world.

A variety of colour schemes will be offered, including Mineral Silver BMW Motorrad has also become a welcome addition to the Metallic, Thunder Grey Metallic and Acid Green Metallic. However, SBK series and although 2009 has been designated as a ‘learning the S 1000 RR in BMW Motorrad Motorsport team colours year’, early results are already demonstrating that the Motorsport attracted serious attention from all the ‘petrol heads’ in the press team is moving in the right direction. The objective is to achieve conference, with its Alpine White Non-Metallic, Magma Red Non- ‘top tens’ in 2009 with a real step forward and a genuine challenge Metallic and Lupin Blue Metallic colour scheme, the swingarm in 2010. finished in eloxy Silver and the wheels in high-gloss black.

F I M MAG AZ INE .6 7 /// M AY J UN E 2009

33

/ / / ma r ke t place

Clearly, the series production machine is very exciting and it’s going to be a long wait for the world’s motorcycle media - all of whom are desperate to ride the new bike - who will have to hold out until late autumn before tucking behind the screen of the S 1000 RR and experiencing the rush of 192 hp at their fingertips.

BMW Motorrad Motorsport Superbike Riders Troy Corser & Rubens Xaus during the presentation of the new series productions 1000 RR at Monza ///

Ruben Xaus already knows how good the new machine is though and the day after the press conference, the talented racer treated 118,000 Superbike fans at the circuit to an excellent display of riding by giving Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport its best result so far in the 2009 series, with a superb seventh in the first race at Monza. He then followed it up with a solid ninth in the second race to make it his best weekend in five rounds. With Troy Corser back in action for the next round of the championship at Miller Motorsports Park in the USA at the end of the month, the success story looks set to continue.

By BMW Press Service

34

FI M M AGA ZI NE . 6 7 / / / M AY JU N E 2 0 0 9

/ / / VINTAGE

COUPES MOTO LEGENDE IN FRANCE

The largest European gathering of vintage collectors’ motorcycles

The 17 th edition of the Coupes Moto Légende was held at the circuit of Dijon-Prenois on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 May 2009. Over 1,000 motorcycles, divided into different groups, rode in front of more than 20,000 spectators on both days. These cups are not real races, but demonstrations in which each rider goes at his own speed.

Harley Davidson 1924 racing bike. ///

36

FI M M AGA ZI NE . 6 7 / / / M AY JU N E 2 0 0 9

V I NTAGE

///

Dijon-Prenois circuit « Gauche de la Bretelle.» ///

Men and motorcycles In a very pleasant atmosphere, it was possible to meet and talk with the people who have restored and maintained vintage motorcycles, as well as with riders who are part of the history of motorcycling. Amongst many others were Phil Read, Hubert Rigal, Christian Sarron, Eric Offenstadt, Jean-François Baldé, Ron Chandler, Guy Bertin, Alain Michel, Ubaldi Elli, Tepi Lansivuori, Gianfranco Bonera.

All these riders, anonymous or confirmed champions, would not be anything without their noble riding device. These historical and prestigious vehicles are also what attract such a large public, to see motorcycles whose origins date from the early days until 1983, in all cubic capacities and divided into the following classes: Origin, Sport, Racing, Grand Prix, Tourism, Endurance, Sidecar (both for road use and racing).

This means a lot of brands, such as: Aermachi, Condor, Derbi, Honda, Kreidler, MBA, Morbidelli, Linto, Motobécane, MZ, NSU, Seeley, Simson, Velocette, Villa, Yamaha, AJS, Norton Manx, Paton, Rickmann, Suzuki, Triumph, Ariel, Dollar, Automoto, Excelsior, Aiglon, Favor, FN, Gillet-Herstal, Gnôme et Rhône, Harley-Davidson, Indian, Koehler-Escoffier, Magnat-Debon, Monet-Goyon, Motosacoche, New Map, Norton, Peugeot, Raleigh, Ravat, Royal Enfield, Sarolea, Scott, Stylson, Sunbeam, Terrot, Rhonyx, Thomann, Zenith, BMW, BSA, Calthorpe, DKW, Dresch, Horex, Motoconfort, Moto Guzzi, René Gillet, Rudge, Victoria, Zündapp, Bultaco, AWO, Ducati, FMC, Ducati, Jawa, Matchless, Motobi, Moto Morini, MV Agusta, Parilla, Puch, EgliVincent, Gilera, Panther, Ratier, Rickmann, Triton, Vincent, Kawasaki, Martin, Godier-Genoud, Japauto, Aspes, BPS, Gauthier, Terrot and Rumi.

festivity of motorcycles where sharing and friendliness are the master words and the atmosphere which reigns and allows each one, whether young or old, passionate or just curious, to be happy just to be there.

By Walter Wermuth Phil Read: 8 times World Champion, 52 GP wins, 8 times winner of the TT Isle of Man ///

One of the Clubs represented « La Motocyclette à l’ancienne.» ///

Besides this great party, there was also a commercial village with more than 200 traders, clubs and also an exchange market, which is one of the largest in France. The Moto Legend Cups is a great

F I M MAG AZ INE .6 7 /// M AY J UN E 2009

37

/ / / tech talk

“Back to the future” with TTXGP

This was motorcycling stepping into the set of the 1985 film starring Michael J. Fox. - A race using new electric powered motorcycles! Over one lap of the 60km Isle of Man TT course the race was won by Rob Barber at an average of 140.67 kph (87.43 mph).

Travel back into history - with the winning machine built in a garden shed, “ fac tor y ” just like those of HarleyDavidsons, Nortons, and other pioneering brands. In Potters Bar, a suburb north of London. Engineers Cedric Lynch and Arvind Rabadia using two of their AGNI electric motors to power the winning machine.

How does this compare with conventional racing? Back in 1966 Honda’s Ralph Bryans clocked an almost identical time on a twin cylinder 50cc four stroke that must have felt like an electric motor as it revved to 22,000 rpm. The TT course includes a climb over Snaefell rising to 422 metres (1380 feet) above sea level. The climb is steep t a x ing on any engine , ele c t r ic or conventional. In practice Barber reached 164 kph (102 mph) on the fastest part of the course. In the race where he improved on practice times, his top speed was slightly lower. This shows how effective electric power is with average speed is much closer to ma x imum t han a conve n t ional machine.

“It works” said Barber. “It feels like home as soon as you ride it.” Asked how the experience compared with his petrol powered Suzuki he replied, “In many ways better. You can concentrate better because your ears aren’t bleeding with the noise more peaceful - and I have to tell you

38

hearing the crowds cheering me on for the first time was quite something!”

Barber also praised engine designer Lynch, “Cedric, he really is the inspiration if you want to know about electric power he is your man! He had the bike set up perfectly, the suspension was spot on and I was able to - well you could see it - take many of the bends flat out and trim the grass at the sides!”

The AGNI motor An Anglo-Indian collaboration the AGNI motor is British designed by Cedric Lynch and manufactured in India. A tough 40 horsepower motor designed to run constantly even in difficult conditions of damp and heat. Anywhere where power is needed - especially in difficult climatic conditions, this engine works. Two were used in the winning motorcycle and many other competitors also employed AGNI engines in their designs.

TTXGP 2009 Results Best Buy Pro Class Pos Team

Rider

Time

Speed/MPH

1

AGNI X01

Rob Barber

25:53:50

87.434

2

XXL Racing Team

Thomas Schoenfelder

29:04:93

77.841

3

Brammo

Mark Buckley

30:02:64

75.350

4

Mission Motors

Thomas Montano

30:33:26

74.091

5

Htblauva

Paul Dobbs

36.10.63

62.575

6

Brunel X-team

Stephen Harper

56:27:89

40.092

Open Class Pos Team

Rider

Time

Speed/MPH

1

Electric Motorsport

Chris Heath

34:17:30

66.022

2

Barefoot Motors

Chris Petty

36:23:06

62.219

3

TORK

John Crellin

37:26:01

60.475

FI M M AGA ZI NE . 6 7 / / / M AY JU N E 2 0 0 9

t ech talk

///

Rob Barber (Team Agni X01) winner of the 2009 TTXGP - 60km at an average speed of 87.43 MPH (140.67 kph).///

/ / / tech talk

The inside laid bare..wires, connectors, battery elements & electric engine. Not the usual elements found on a motorcycle. ///

Second and third place Thomas Schoenfelder came second for the XXL Racing Team at 77.84 mph (125.24 kph) followed by the Brammo ridden by Mark Buckley at 75.35mph (121.23 kph).

An electric bike passing near refilling petrol cans useless for electric bikes! ///

The Brammo built by a corporation based in Oregon USA was the most beautiful machine in the race. Painted pale green reminiscent of classic Moto-Guzzi racers of the 1950s it followed a similar theme with the emphasis on a lightweight engine and chassis.

Brammo are building electric motorcycles and have signed with the one of the event sponsors - the Best Buy Corporation of the USA, to sell machines to customers looking for alternative low cost and green ways to commute. AGNI power proved superior but I would not write off Brammo which has potential to make electric motorcycling practical.

TTXGP - the background This time last year the idea had not even been thought of. It is down to the initiative and drive of UK entrepreneur and motorcycle enthusiast Azhar Hussain whose background is in consumer electronics where he has made his fortune. Concerned to drive environmentally friendly technology he came to the conclusion that motorcycle racing could do so. As the AGNI engine proves - he is right. This is motorcycle racing driving socially useful progress.

Hussain thinks “big� even chartering an airliner for the day to get fans to and from the Isle of Man for the TTXGP. His next stop is the AMA annual celebration in Ohio USA. Technical support and adjudication came from the Institute of Engineering Technology. IET has branches worldwide supporting engineers, and education.

40

FI M M AGA ZI NE . 6 7 / / / M AY JU N E 2 0 0 9

t ech talk

///

Azhar HUSSAIN ///

The setting was the Isle of Man where the government supported this initiative. For Azhar Hussain it provided a platform where the new venture would be assured publicity. Many in the press corps were sceptical that the motorcycles would even complete the single lap given the challenges of the course, particularly the taxing climb over Snaefell.

FIM support for TTXGP With FIM’s commitment to alternative energy FIM President Vito Ippolito wrote a forward to the programme wishing the event success. The FIM Management Council was represented by Honorary Vice-President Colin Moram. - Accompanied by Alex Goldenberg, Co-ordinator of the FIM AEWG. Silvio Manicardi, CMT member and Fabio Fazi Vice President of the CTI travelled in ahead to spend more time with the teams talking, “new technology”.

FIM Director of Public Affairs, John Chatterton-Ross was also present given the implications of this for the future of our sport.

His words conclude: “All my life motorcycling has been blighted by negative stereotypes.

Motorcycling is much safer than it was forty years ago when I first rode at age sixteen. In town it is comparable with walking or cycling.

It is not as safe as being inside a car - but is not dangerous in the way it is portrayed so often. I have yet to meet any politician who is not keen in these days of environmental concern to promote walking and cycling as part of the solution, but when it comes to a powered two wheeler they are usually negative.

Azhar Hussain talks to the FIM after the event: “This race was an incredible success. We really changed people’s ideas of “Green motor sport”, not only did we move forward the perception; we also moved forward the technology in a very real way. The bikes really only existed because of the TTXGP and they created a lot of new technology which we can build up on. We also introduced motor sport to new markets in a way which has never happened before. In the very first year the winning Team already broke the lap record for the 50cc petrol bikes, and slowly it starts!

This event also created a very different kind of excitement. Before the race we had a very tough time finding licenced riders but as soon as the racing started we had a waiting list of riders… There were two paddocks during the event, the Zero Carbon Paddock and the normal Petrol Paddock and even people for the Petrol Paddock competing in the regular TT came over asking how to enter the race next year. Some of them purchased parts just to start testing and the winning bike in the Open class has been purchased as well. The biggest success of this TTXGP is the fact that it is moving motorcycling to the forefront as the leader of the new generation of technology.”

By James Lansdowne

This makes no sense, but until now there was not much we could do about it. This event shows we can now change that and promote motorcycling as at the centre of the move to environmentally responsible transport solutions. It is a happy day for me - my job just became a whole lot more exciting. It really is now time to “Ride with us!” .

F I M MAG AZ INE .6 7 /// M AY J UN E 2009

41

/ / / Fi m i ns ide

LEISURE MOTORCYCLING NEWS 2009 FIM Rally - Croatia - the Mediterranean as it once was…

The 64th edition of this three-day event - the most important motorcycle touring event in the FIM calendar - was organised from 25 to 27 May under the aegis of the Croatian Motorcycle Federation (HMS) and led by Ivan Matacin in collaboration with the 1st Croatian Motorcycle Club of Zagreb, the Zadar tourist board and Kompas Travel. The venue was the Zaton Holiday Village about 15 km from Zadar on the Adriatic coast. Almost 1200 participants came from 28 European countries as well as Canada and the United States.

Zaton provided excellent camping facilities as well as bungalow accommodation with top level services for all the participants. There was ample time to explore the ancient city of Zadar, a town of Roman and medieval monuments, as well as fascinating museums and ancient churches. A visit to Nin, the oldest Croatian royal town with its salt pans and boasting the smallest cathedral in the world, was a sheer delight.

On the first day each national team rode from Zaton to the Arrival Control in Zadar; the national hymns were played and the Parc Fermé was situated at Zador port. The day concluded with a special Dalmatian meal and local folk music on the beach.

After an unexpected storm that evening, the blustery Bura wind and cooler temperatures did not deter the participants from enjoying a daylong motorboat trip to the nearby islands where there was the chance to explore on foot, experience the unusual “donkey music” and enjoy freshly grilled mackerel on the boats.

T he Par ade of Nations highlighted the participating nations with a return trip from Zaton to Zadar giving hundreds of local people a fine show of splendid motorbikes festooned with national flags and banners.

42

Instead of presenting all the awards on the last night, the organisers broke with tradition and presented the interclub challenges (the best placed club from each participating national federation) on the second night which gave more visibility to the 30 winning clubs, making a celebration of the second evening whilst shortening what is inevitably a long Prize-Giving ceremony on the final night.

The Prize-Giving Ceremony, also held near the beach but under dark and menacing skies, saw the Finnish federation win the coveted FIM Challenge with 225,973 points (1 point per km for each rider registered) followed by Italy and Sweden. Switzerland won the challenge for the highest number of sidecars; Spain’s Tamarite Club won the San Marino Foemina Challenge for the most number of female participants and Italy won the FIVA Challenge for the highest number of motorcycles which were at least 20 years old.

For the full results of the Rally Challenges: http://www.fim-live.com/fim-organisation/ leisure-motorcycling/fim-classicgatherings/results-2009-fim-rally In line with FIM’s new “green” image, the organisers arranged for two trees to be planted at the Holiday Village to commemorate the 2009 FIM Rally being held there.

You can order the official CD of the 2009 FIM Rally from andrej.matacin@kompas-travel.com The 2010 FIM Rally will be held in Herentals, Belgium from 22 to 24 June www.fimrally2010.eu

by Maggie Sutton

FI M M AGA ZI NE . 6 7 / / / M AY JU N E 2 0 0 9

Fim ins ide

///

MOTOCROSS NEWS MXGP – BELGIAN ROUND

To Motocross fans, the first weekend of August is almost a classic date which the legendary will forever be linked to the legendary circuit of Namur, the “Monaco” of Motocross. Much motxocross history was written on the “Circuit de la Citadelle”. 500cc legend Roger De Coster was called “Roi de la Citadelle” because of his many victories there whereas Stefan Everts won every World Championship meeting he ever entered on the famous track. Others like Johan Boonen have may have won one GP only in their long career, but the fact that it was in Namur made the victory taste better. And he did not need a beer like Hakan Carlqvist who stopped at the café in 1988 to have one before crossing the finish as the winner of the race !

Anyhow, Belgian motocross greats Eric Geboers and Stefan Everts have joined forces to make the host the 2009 “GP of Flanders” at the “Stedelijk Motocrossterrein Lommel” on 1-2 August a success and are already thinking about the future with a unique concept; the “MX Rookie”.

Namur is no longer on the calendar but the Belgian round of the FIM Motocross World Championship is back on another famous track: Lommel. Yes, the very same track the all Honda team of Donnie Hansen, Danny Laporte, Johnny O’Mara and Chuck Sun started the American dominance in the “Nations” winning the 1981 “Trophée des Nations” (250cc).

The “MX Rookie” is a unique opportunity for amateur riders to ride on the World Championship track. Besides the Fédération Motocycliste de Belgique, Belgium has a lot of different amateur federations. Young and talented riders from these amateur federations and all over the world are now welcome to display their skills on the demanding track of Lommel in front of an elite

2009

spectator group: the riders of the MX1 and MX2 World Championship as well as the Veteran World Cup !

The organisers have informed us that the winner of the premier “MX Rookie” class will take home a brand new motocross machine and technical support contracts for one season and more goodies to start a career. The Rookie star ts as of Tuesday 28 July with Free Practises and Qualification sessions; more Qualifications on Wednesday 29 July and Finals on Friday 31 July. Free entrance and parking during the “MX Rookie” days.

More detailed information and online registration via www.mxrookie.com

MOBILITY, TRANSPORT, ROAD SAFETY & PUBLIC POLICY NEWS MAKE ROADS SAFE – THE CAMPAIGN FOR GLOBAL ROAD SAFETY

In May FIM was invited to the FIA Foundation launch (in Rome) of a report calling for a United Nations action plan to tackle road safety worldwide.

Last year the first UN resolution was passed by the General Assembly in New York. In November the Russian government will host a UN conference to further this aim. Vice President Witkowski and Director of Public Affairs John Chatterton-Ross attended the launch.

At the FIM management Council meetings in June FIM CEO Guy Maitre, FIM President Vito Ippolito and FIM CMT President Achille Damen added their names to this campaign.

More than one million people are killed on the roads of developing countries every year, and tens of millions are injured, a toll set to double by 2030.

Road crashes are the main cause of death for young people aged 10-24; Road crashes have overtaken malaria as a killer in developing countries.

The FIA Commission for Global Road Safety wants the UN to adopt a ‘Decade of Action for Road Safety’ and governments to commit to reducing the forecast 2020 level of road deaths by 50% (from 1.9 million to below 1 million a year).

Lord Robertson (former NATO Secretary-General) spoke to the delegates saying: “Five million lives are at stake in the next ten years. We need the international community to demonstrate political will. The ministerial meeting in Moscow can be the turning point marking a new direction for global road safety. We must respond to this preventable epidemic with urgency and determination.”

F I M MAG AZ INE .6 7 /// M AY J UN E 2009

43

/ / / G ALLERY

Portrait

UNSTOPPABLE BEN SPIES

44

FI M M AGA ZI NE . 6 7 / / / M AY JU N E 2 0 0 9

GA L L ERY

///

After three AMA titles in the USA, Spies is running this year for the World Superbike title, riding a factory R1 Yamaha. At mid season, success rate in the Superpole: 100%!

Success rate in the races: 50%. Seven races won out of fourteen. Even if he is currently in second Ben Spies is a big fan of cycling, he trains relentlessly on the Italian roads ///

place, there is no doubt that the 2009 title is easily within his range.

On 1 March 2009 Ben Spies took part in his first race in the FIM Superbike World Championship in Australia. It was his first race, his first pole position and his first victory. No American rider has achieved a World Superbike win since Colin Edwards in Imola in 2002. Ben Spies comes as a complete surprise in the motorcycle racing scene. Following three national titles in the AMA Superbike on a Suzuki beating the invincible Mat Mladin, the Texan is now storming on the World Superbike. Halfway through the season he has already won 7 out of 14 heats. And you also have to count the record of pole positions achieved in a row. You also have to remember that the World Championship has never reached such a level with seven manufacturers on the starting grid and including fighting with top guns such as Noriyuki Haga, Max Biaggi or Carlos Checa.

F I M MAG AZ INE .6 7 /// M AY J UN E 2009

Where does Spies come from? Born in Tennessee, Texan by adoption, he started as a teenager in the 125cc class. Becoming professional in 2000, he received advice from another very well known Texan: Kevin Schwantz. In 2006, 2007 and 2008 he was crowned AMA Superbike Champion three times after dominating all his opponents in a smart way and breaking all records. Considered as a Grand Prix candidate, he finally signed with Yamaha in World Superbike. Now established in Europe, on the shores of Lake Como, during the season, Spies is a machine made for winning. A big fan of cycling, he trains relentlessly on the Italian roads. Physically at the top, perfect in adjusting his bike, a master strategist in practice as well as in the race, Spies has in himself above all the psychology of a winner. His determination and impressive cold blood made a perfect score in Salt Lake City. In front of his home crowd, he clinched a perfect double win and came 35 points closer to the Championship leader over a single week-end.

45

/ / / G ALLERY

GA L L ERY

///

During the season, Ben is established in Europe on the shores of Lake Como in Italy. ///

Noriyuki Haga, who succeeded Troy Bayliss on the factory Ducati, may well be worried. As a perfectly smooth-running machine, Spies is heading directly towards the World title and - without doubt - towards the top class of MotoGP. But not just at any price.

The American is, before all else, a very intelligent person who knows the right people to have around him. If he goes to join Rossi and Stoner on their playground, it will be on the condition of having at his disposal a motorcycle and a team able to run for the title.

Second places are not for him.

“I am sure he has all the qualities to become a great champion in MotoGP.”

Kevin Schwantz

Born on 11 July 1984 in Memphis, Tennessee, Ben Spies was quickly nicknamed “Elbowz” in the racing world, for his incredible style with his elbow almost scratching on the kerbs when cornering.

Very close to his family, in particular his mother Mary, frequently present in the Yamaha Superbike pit and also his sister Lisa, Ben Spies has known how to choose the best people since the beginning of his career. He was seen with Kevin Schwantz in the United States when he was racing for the Yoshimura Suzuki team. 19 years older, Kevin Schwantz said about Spies: “I am sure he has all the qualities to become a great champion in MotoGP.” A fan of Led Zeppelin, keen sushi-eater, Spies likes to take refuge in quiet places, away from circuits, for a moment of fishing, alone or with friends. Not surprisingly he chose to live along the shores of Lake Como in Italy.

By Eric Malherbe

F I M MAG AZ INE .6 7 /// M AY J UN E 2009

47

Design KYRRIEL - Photos : Bud Racing, reygondeau.com-FIM, ABC Communication, www.worldsbk.com

pree FIM

Hanns

S

ship

mpion

rld Cha

e Wo uperbik

Maxxis

FIM

World Enduro

ionship

Champ

Qtel FIM

rld nce Wo Endura

ionship

Champ

2009 FIM Motocross World Championship MX 1, MX 2 and Women’s MX

LIVE ON MOTORS TV For more information:

www.motorstv.com Motors TV, the High Speed Television Channel, provides the widest international motorsport offer, with exclusive events and more than 70 championships transmitted in 54 countries and 16 million households subscribing by satellite, cable and ADSL.

road book

JULY 4

9

13

25

Rybnik POLAND

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL 2

Tayac GERMANY

..............................................................................

11

..............................................................................

FIM SIDECAR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Vojens DENMARK

QTEL FIM ENDURANCE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP & FIM ENDURANCE WORLD CUP 8 HOURS OF ALBACETE

Albacete SPAIN

FIM SPEEDWAY YOUTH GOLD TROPHY 80cc

FIM SPEEDWAY WORLD CUP EVENT 1

Albacete SPAIN

FIM LONG TRACK WORLD

Marmande FRANCE FIM SPEEDWAY WORLD CUP EVENT 2

Peterborough GREAT BRITAIN

16

..............................................................................

FIM SPEEDWAY WC GP QUALIF MEETINGS - SEMI-FINAL 1

FIM SPEEDWAY WORLD CUP RACE-OFF

Motala SWEDEN

..............................................................................

FIM SPEEDWAY WC GP QUALIF MEETINGS - SEMI-FINAL 2

FIM GRASS TRACK YOUTH GOLD TROPHY 125cc

26

FIM ROAD RACING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND PRIX

Donington Park GREAT BRITAIN ..............................................................................

FIM SUPERBIKE & SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Leszno POLAND

Brno CZECH REP.

18

..............................................................................

FIM SIDECAR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Daugavpils LATVIA

///

FIM SUPERSTOCK 1000cc CUP

Brno CZECH REP.

Sachsenring GERMANY ..............................................................................

..............................................................................

MAXXIS FIM ENDURO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

QTEL FIM ENDURANCE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 8 HOURS OF SUZUKA

12

FIM MX3 MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Orehova Vas SLOVENIA .............................................................................

FIM SIDECAR MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Genk BELGIUM

5

FIM ROAD RACING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND PRIX

Laguna Seca USA ..............................................................................

FIM MX1/MX2 MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Uddevalla SWEDEN ..............................................................................

FIM WOMEN’S MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Uddevalla SWEDEN ..............................................................................

FIM MX3 MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Faenza ITALY

Valle del Bravo MEXICO ..............................................................................

FIM JUNIOR ENDURO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Valle del Bravo MEXICO

Suzuka JAPAN ..............................................................................

FIM MOTOGP ROOKIES CUP

..............................................................................

Donington Park GREAT BRITAIN

FIM YOUTH ENDURO CUP 125cc 2-STROKES

..............................................................................

Valle del Bravo MEXICO ..............................................................................

FIM SPEEDWAY WORLD CUP

FIM SIDECAR MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Slagelse DENMARK

Leszno FINAL

19 FIM ROAD RACING WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND PRIX

Sachsenring GERMANY

..............................................................................

FIM MOTOGP ROOKIE CUP

Sachsenring GERMANY

..............................................................................

FIM MX3 MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Mladina CROATIA

..............................................................................

FIM SIDECAR MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Sachsenring GERMANY F I M MAG AZ INE .6 7 /// M AY J UN E 2009

49

/ / / roa d book

AUGUST 1

FIM SPEEDWAY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GP

Daugavpils LATVIA

15

FIM SPEEDWAY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GP

Malilla SWEDEN

22

FIM TRACK RACING SIDECAR

29

1000cc WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

MAXXIS FIM ENDURO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

La Réole FRANCE

Serres GREECE ..............................................................................

2

16

23

Lommel BELGIUM

Brno CZECH REP.

Grobnik CROATIA

..............................................................................

..............................................................................

..............................................................................

..............................................................................

FIM MX3 MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

FIM MOTOGP ROOKIES CUP

FIM MX3 MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

FIM YOUTH ENDURO CUP 125cc 2-STROKES

Vantaa FINLAND

Serres GREECE

..............................................................................

..............................................................................

FIM MX1/MX2 MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

FIM ROAD RACING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND PRIX

Brno CZECH REP.

Schwedt GERMANY ..............................................................................

..............................................................................

FIM SIDECAR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

FIM VETERAN MOTOCROSS WORLD CUP

FIM SIDECAR MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Lommel BELGIUM

Kivioli ESTONIA

FIM JUNIOR ENDURO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Serres GREECE

..............................................................................

FIM LONG TRACK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP - FINAL 3

Herxheim GERMANY

5

FIM MOTOCAMP

Arbon SWITZERLAND FIM SIDECAR MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

FIM SPEEDWAY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GP

Penza RUSSIA

Vojens DENMARK

..............................................................................

30

FIM JUNIOR MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Taupo NEW ZEALAND ..............................................................................

9

FIM MX1/MX2 MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Loket CZECH REP.

FIM TEAM LONG TRACK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP -FINAL

Eenrum THE NETHERLANDS

FIM ROAD RACING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND PRIX FIM MOTOGP ROOKIES TROPHY

Indianapolis USA

..............................................................................

FIM MX1/MX2/WOMEN'S MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Lierop THE NETHERLANDS

..............................................................................

..............................................................................

FIM MX3 MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

FIM MX3 MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Lacapelle Marival FRANCE

Randers DENMARK

..............................................................................

FIM SIDECAR MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Kegums LATVIA

50

FI M M AGA ZI NE . 6 7 / / / M AY JU N E 2 0 0 9

Riders for Health MOTORCYCLES SAVING LIVES

Motorcycling is the only sport ever to have given rise to a major humanitarian organisation. Better yet, the health care professionals we support use the very thing that binds the motorcycling community together – the motorcycle.

Riders believes that in the 21st century, people should not be isolated from the health care they desperately need, simply because health workers do not have reliable transportation.

Even when vehicles are available, they quickly break down if no one has the expertise or resources to maintain them. Riders ensures vehicles are kept running day in, day out.

RIDERS FACTS Number of employees in Africa – 259 Number of vehicles managed – 1,414 Number of people reached – 10.8 million Cost of reaching 100 people – $15 To find out more about Riders and how we are helping people receive regular health care, visit our website:

www.riders.org 3 New Street, Daventry, Northants, NN11 4BT, United Kingdom T: +44 (0)1327 300 047 F: +44 (0)1327 308 760 E: rfh@riders.org UK REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 1054565

O F F I C I A L G E A R PA R T N E R