Now, it’s his first ever go at something like this, so give the lad some time and do hang on to watch it all. The most amusing part of this, for us, was watching someone who can’t normally shut up, clam up initially in front of the camera. Anyone out there who knows Tommy, also knows this usually isn’t an easy feat! It’s also brilliant to listen to Tommy without a single F-bomb being thrown in the mix! But as his blog goes on, true Tommy shines through now and then, and are moments to be savoured.

Anyway, we love Tommy here at FB, he’s always been a breath of fresh air and his ascendancy up the BSB ranks means there’ll soon be another straight-talking, exciting competitor hopefully looking at wins in the near future. We want Tommy on a ‘factory’ seat eventually, or at least the closest thing to one because we believe that’s all that’s missing, to make that next step up for regular podiums.

Click here to view in YouTube. Enjoy!

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The Viewing Public: Let’s get things kicked off by stating that we, the viewing public had a great weekend. With the BBC offering coverage of all of the sessions from Qatar and BSB aplenty on satellite, it was a perfect weekend to nestle in away from the cold and enjoy a feast of two wheeled action.

Jorge Lorenzo: You may have not noticed after all the razzamatazz over Rossi, but Jorge Lorenzo kicked off his campaign in great style proving that he’s the man the beat this year.

Valentino Rossi: The GOAT is back, and as soon as he rectified his dodgy start he flicked the magnets on to reel in Crutchlow, Pedrosa and Marquez.

Alex Lowes: We’re eschewing the great performances from Shakey Byrne and James Ellison and focusing on Master Lowes. Two second places from Brands was a top result, and continues his form from last year.

Scott Redding: What an awesome race, and a great sign of things to come this year.

John McGuinness: His endurance work is paying off, and while we’re used to seeing McPint mid pack in superstock, a third place shows that there’s fire in his belly this year.

Bad Week

Dani Pedrosa: Poor old Dani has only just got rid of a stellar team-mate only to be replaced by the new kid on the block. Being beaten by Marc Marquez is a wake up call for the nominal Repsol leader.

Cal Crutchlow: He’ll be hurting because he let Rossi put him off the corner one entry, plus he tried his bollocks off to overtake the Repsol pair on his slow-as Yamaha satellite bike.

Bradley Smith: What a new rider in a class needs is time under his belt. That means not lobbing it away in the first half dozen laps. He’ll be absolutely furious with himself.

Ducati: Some fient signs of hope disappeared in the race as Dovi went backwards and Hayden didn’t look like doing much in the way of damage. The Pramac boys hardly shone, either. It could be a very long season.

Ryuichi Kiyonari: The war for four isn’t going to be much of a battle unless Kiyo can find his domineering form of old. Let’s hope he does.

Michael Rutter: Two DNFs to your name after round one is not an auspicious start to anyone’s year…

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After the European testing ban was enforced, Donny was the first time teams and riders were let loose in 2013. Well, PBM’s Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki duo of Shakey Byrne and Keith Farmer left their Motec ECUs in the UK and fled to Spain, exploiting the ruling set by MSVR. Needless to say, the boys were fast.

2013 sees the return of Ryuichi Kiyonari to the Samsung Honda squad, as he and reigning champ Byrne look to lift the BSB crown for a record fourth time. Kiyo and teammate Alex Lowes were also rapid, despite the cold weather.

Also returning to the UK this season is James Ellison. He joins Aussie Josh Waters in Shaun Muir’s re-branded Milwaukee Yamaha team.

Jenny Tinmouth is back in BSB for 2013

Interesting riding style from Moto Rapido’s Matteo Baiocco

Check out the live timing from Brands Hatch here

Related posts:

1. Want To Race An Aprilia? Phillip Island Spesh
2. MotoGP Test at COTA – Video
3. Honda Test at COTA, Yamaha Gatecrash

168kg of sexiness

When Martin Bauer won the 2011 IDM German Superbike Championship on a über-trick RC8R, KTM invited a select few to sample the winner. Fast Bikes got an exclusive ticket to Hockenheim.

The dictionary definition of handling

To me, the German Superbike Championship’s rules and regulations are the precise blend of performance and financial consideration. IDM allows an open chequebook for electronics and riders aids, so the factory RC8R runs pukka GP-spec Magneti Marelli and utilises traction control, anti-wheelie and launch control.

Gizmos galore

The engine rules are Supertock-ish, allowing just a head gasket as tuning. The rest of the engine internals must remain standard, but KTM says this leaves “optimums exploitation of production tolerances” for the RC8R – basically blueprinting and selecting the parts. This still means 190bhp and enough grunt to live with a Beemer, although Bauer was 10km/h shy on the big straights.

Gruntmeister

Sure, the initial outlay for the electronics is expensive (around £10k) but the standard engines and lack of aftermarket bolt-ons offset the cost. And it’s not just the electronic rules that float our boat. For starters, what’s the point in 16.5-inch wheels? Maybe just to clear some excess tyre stock? IDM rules state the wheels must be original size, so OE wheels are swapped for forged aluminium – or in KTM’s case, use the OE Marchesinis. Also keeping costs down is the use of the standard swingarm and original fork outers, meaning £2k on some fork internals/cartridges instead of a huge expense on aftermarket forks. How many variations of swingarm do you see in WSB? The KR (Kenny Roberts designed) units fetch mega money. Bauer’s factory RC8R was the sweetest handling superbike I’ve ever ridden. The corner speed it desired was incredible, and all with a fairly standard chassis.

Check that front-end – hard on the brakes, loads of lean angle, and the ultimate control

Aprilia, BMW and Kawasaki (and most other manufacturers) all have trick electronica that grace their production bikes. Racing is vital for road bike R&D, so we need electronics and rider aids to continue. There’s a lesson to be had from the folk at IDM.

Looks trick, sounds trick, is trick…

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Throw in numerous dealer events and training presentations, and it comes as no surprise that the Shoei/Feridax trailer is a home from home, and a real busy one. Over the weekend, Mousell has 25 riders to look after, that will equate to well over 200 helmet services and numerous differing demands from rider to rider. As we talk the familiar sound of a scooter pulls up, Shakey Byrne sticks his head in, hands Paul a helmet bag and then heads off safe in the knowledge that when he returns half an hour before the race his lid will be ready to race, whatever the conditions.

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The TT Circuit Assen is considered the most historic motorcycle racing circuit in the world, having hosted the premier class World Championship every year since 1949 and it is acknowledged as “The Cathedral” of motorcycling. With the appeal of the MCE Insurance BSB Championship expanding beyond the UK with International riders, worldwide television coverage and World Championship pedigree teams, this is a natural progression for the championship to have visibility in Continental Europe yet remaining accessible to the legions of British BSB fans.

The 2012 season commences at Brands Hatch on its traditional Easter weekend slot in April before heading to Thruxton one week later and Oulton Park in May. BSB then returns to the Snetterton 300 circuit, following a record attendance at last year’s debut event on the new 3-mile layout, before visiting Knockhill for the annual Scottish round in June and Oulton Park for the second time in early July. The summer Brands Hatch round on the Grand Prix circuit has been brought forward to 20-22 July to avoid a clash with the London Olympic Games.

Two weeks after the August Bank Holiday ‘Party in the Park’ at Cadwell Park, Donington Park in Leicestershire will now host the critical final round of the Main Season on 7-9 September, where the 32 riders will home in on the critical top six positions in advance of the Showdown phase.

The Showdown will take place at two current MotoGP venues with the Silverstone Arena GP circuit following Assen on 28-30 September, before concluding at the hallowed Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit, scene of the epic title decider between Tommy Hill and John Hopkins last month, with a triple header finale on 12-14 October.

Jonathan Palmer, Chief Executive, MotorSport Vision said:  ”The 2012 BSB calendar is the strongest ever and this is a tribute to the extraordinary health of BSB amidst tough economic conditions that are a major challenge to many other series. It has always been a priority for MSVR to drive down the costs of competing in BSB with sport-leading technical regulations whilst driving up the quality of the show.  As a result BSB is becoming ever more attractive to manufacturers, teams, riders, sponsors, circuits and fans, which means 2012 is likely to be BSB’s best year yet.”

2012 MCE Insurance BSB Calendar:

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But ‘close’ doesn’t even come close to describing the 125’s finish, with Johan Zarco and Hector Faubel confusing the timing screens by flashing up with 0.000 difference as they crossed the line. The later was awarded the win by virtue of the fastest lap. Poor Zarco.

Although slightly spread out, Moto2 still produced a decent spectacle. Marc Marquez continued his run of race wins and beat the only other bloke seemingly capable of winning the championship this year – Mr Charisma himself, Stefan Bradl. Scott Redding finished 7th after a crap qualifying and showed why people are talking about him being in MotoGP next year along with Bradl. Bradley Smith had a shocker, running off the track on the first lap and, later on, crashing out proper.

The real racing at the Ball-Sach-Ring was MotoGP. Yes, MotoGP. Although there was a hint of a possible bore-fest and the usual mid-race sleep when Casey Stoner hit the front and looked as if he was going to bolt, it actually turned out to be quite interesting, with overtaking and everything – sometimes two genuine overtakes on the same lap. Unbelievable.

Dani Pedrosa stunned all of us by taking the win. Fresh from surgery and yet more Meccano in his collarbones, the wafer-thin Spaniard never sneezed over the 30 laps, and therefore didn’t break any bones. Lorenzo was second (even with arm pump), beating a grumpy looking Casey Stoner who got mugged for the second race in a row.

The significant findings from Germany confirm you can have a podium covered by less than a minute. And the second group down to sixth place (Dovi, Super Sic and Spies) were only a few seconds off the leaders. The rest? Cal Crutchlow had another mare and gambled with a set-up that didn’t work, and Valentino Rossi continues to mimic Stephen Hawking trying to ride a Segway.

Possible reasons are:
-      The Ducati is poo
-      Uccio’s involvement in Moto2 has distracted his best mate
-      Rossi, in the words of BJ, has been found out and isn’t very good

Meanwhile back in Britain, the usual home of edge-of-the-seat racing and entertainment, things didn’t go to plan. The weather, and various fluids to diminish adhesion, eventually brought a premature end to racing at Oulton. Highlights included the return of World Supersport’s James Ellison and the out-of-favour Karl Harris, who were both quick until the sodden race day. Swan Yamaha’s Tommy Hill won the first and only race, managing to stay onboard in tricky/treacherous/darn slippery conditions, while ex-MotoGP  Anglo-American, John Hopkins, crashed out on ‘some oil’. Aussie Josh Brookes and his Relentless by TAS Suzuki have found some form and finished second, just in front of old boy Michael Rutter who made his feelings on the track condition well known on TV. There was much murmuring in the paddock about unburnt fuel reacting with the water… dunno.

Ciao

Fagan

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