2010 Kawasaki ZX-10R Review

Kawasaki’s ZX-10R has always been one of the most lively and animalistic literbikes of the bunch. These qualities define the big Ninja, for both good and bad.

For the 2010 model year, Team Green has made a few subtle refinements to the 10R, although its fundamental mechanical bits are unchanged.

The most distinguishable change is the adoption of new ZX-6R-inspired bodywork that makes for a slimmer appearance.  The ZX looks lighter, even if its wet (fully fueled) weight of 459 pounds is unchanged since it debuted as an all-new model in 2008.

Along with the new upper, center and side fairing panels, the big Ninja’s overall look is also tweaked by an embossed metallic gray coating on its titanium muffler that visually shrinks it in size to minimize its awkward shape. Trim pieces around the fairing’s cockpit area cleans up the rider’s eye view.

We’ve had no complaints about the 10R’s transmission since the 2008 iteration, but Kawi has changed shift ratchet assembly, shifting arm and springs and collars to inhibit friction at the shift-shaft pivot. Boring stuff to read about, but fans of smooth gearboxes will really enjoy what is probably the slickest literbike tranny ever. A very competent slipper clutch aids sloppy downshifts.

One of the continued characteristics of the ZX-10R has been its animalistic persona, and this latest version has the rumpity and menacing idle that portends the ready availability of hyperspace mode. EFI ensures it fires up cleanly and is quickly ready to ride away, but the engine enters a growly, vibration-intensive region from 3000 to 4000 rpm followed by a wicked intake snarl that might make a timid rider question his ability to control this missile once its fuse is lit.

But considering there are nearly 160 raging ponies at the back wheel, the Ninja’s motor is actually quite manageable. Throttle response is sharp but controllable, aided to some extent by KIMS (Kawasaki Ignition Management System), an anti-wheelspin system that Kawi says “curtails sudden spikes in engine speed” but isn’t comfortable describing it as traction control. There is a slight abruptness dialing in throttle from the closed position, feeling like engine vacuum is holding the butterflies closed, but it’s easy enough to be smooth.

Other than the 3000-4000-rev vibe zone, the inline-Four has negligible vibration. It’s amazingly smooth at freeway speeds, and tingles are suppressed to such an extent that it would be possible to zoom comfortably at 80 mph in fourth gear, verified by a handy gear-position indicator. Impressive freeway roll-on grunt is available without downshifting from sixth gear.

Despite the minimized bodywork, there is surprisingly good wind protection, and it seems like the turnsignals in the mirror stalks deflect wind from a rider’s hands. The 10R is entirely tolerable for an hour while commuting to work or to the canyons, even for our tallest (6-foot) test rider. We appreciate how the mirrors/signals and tailpiece can be easily removed for track days, but both our shorter and taller testers wished the mirrors had a broader range of adjustment.

The Ninja’s instrumentation is quite legible and comprehensive, but we’d like to see a second tripmeter and a fuel gauge to augment the lap timer, clock, and engine temp readouts. The gauges’ shift light is small but readily visible.

It’s difficult to find places to unleash the massive power from the 10R on the street, and we found a similar experience even on a racetrack. There are only a couple of places on the Streets of Willow Springs where the ZX’s throttle cables could be fully stretched, and the big Ninja never even gets out of third gear! And yet its chassis and brakes are so good that it comported itself well in the tight confines of the bumpy California track.

The ZX’s fuel tank cutouts provide good grip for knees when charging hard, and I liked how my arms drape across the tank when hanging off, supplying extra feedback.

“The combination of the fuel tank and frame spar shapes create a genuine feeling of a light, narrow-waisted sportbike, almost like a supersport,” Pete reports. “The sensation of a smaller, lighter motorcycle could help a rider feel more confident with what is a very powerful bike.”

Another tweak for 2010 is the addition of a new Öhlins steering damper atop the upper triple clamp, distinguished by its titanium color and laser-etched Öhlins logo. The previous generation ZX also had an Öhlins damper, but it couldn’t be clamped down racer-tight. This new one uses additional spring and oil pistons for stronger damping along its 18 clicks of adjustment.

As on the street, the DLC (Diamond-Like Coating) treated fork sliders proved to be exceptionally compliant over smaller bumps, and the suspension is responsive to adjustments. Braking power and modulation remain excellent. Bridgestone BT016 tires warm quickly, grip well, and provide neutral steering manners.

For 2010, the 1000cc Ninja is available in only two color choices. The standard edition is painted in Metallic Spark Black and retails for $12,999. An extra $200 will buy the Special Edition (Lime Green/Pearl Stardust White) version of our test bike that also includes pinstriped wheels – it drew many positive comments during our rides. It ships with a green passenger seat; shown is the accessory seat cowl which costs $119.95.

“After a year of not having ridden the ZX,” says Pete, “riding it was almost like riding it for the first time. Experiencing its light steering effort, light and snappy throttle response, communicative chassis and rush of top-end acceleration was a thrill all over again!”

Indeed, the ZX-10R is an impressive machine, and the updates for the 2010 season only make it better.

Our 2009 Literbike Shootout narrowly ranked the ZX ahead of the Suzuki GSX-R1000 and Yamaha YZF-R1, both of which are unchanged for 2010, so the Ninja’s next challenge will be to take on the updated Honda CBR1000RR and the potentially game-changing BMW S1000RR in our upcoming inline-Four literbike comparo.

Has Japan Inc. done enough to stay ahead of the scintillating German upstart? It’s sure to be a thrill finding out!

Source:   http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/kawasaki/2010-kawasaki-zx10r-review-89333.html

2010 Indian Chief Vintage Review

As the flagship for the recently revived Indian Motorcycle Company, the 2010 Chief Vintage presents a synthesis of 1940s-era styling in modern running form.

It and all the lavishly-executed moto creations from an American brand that was born in 1901, two years before Harley-Davidson, have been known to command a variety of visceral reactions.

From an aesthetic perspective – even though the new Indian Motorcycle Company only bought the name in 2004, and produced its first bikes in 2009 – it could be argued that this bike already deserves a page on a wall calendar of beautiful motorcycles.

From a nostalgic view, all the new Indians have been said to evoke memories for old-time riders and those who had fathers or uncles or grandfathers who rode an original one decades ago.

And from a critical perspective, some are wondering whether the upscale motorcyles made in the name of a once-great marque can be revived in this economy, and in spite of failures by others who have tried to restore Indian before.

Like every one of the seven variations of the Chief, the Vintage is hand assembled by a pair of master bike builders – “craftsmen” – at Indian’s factory in Kings Mountain, N.C., which was established in the fall of 2006 by its owners, London-based Stellican Private Equity Group.

Among its approximately 45 employees, the company has three of these two-man teams to assemble the engine and the rest of the bike. In all, they can produce two motorcycles per day, and Indian expects to turn out a total of 500 Chiefs (of all sorts) this year.

All of these bikes are based on the same chassis, 105 cubic inch engine, and six-speed transmission. They are built to order, and able to be outfitted in a variety of paint schemes, fender styles, wheel options, leather saddle and bag designs, and more.

Our Chief Vintage – a factory demo on show at this year’s Daytona Bike Week – wore perfectly applied Plains Sky Blue and Winter White paint, one of nine color choices. While all versions come with leather saddles, this one had a $499 optional fringed “distressed leather” saddle and bags and backrest.

Its acre’s worth of chrome was so flawless, we wondered whether Indian had found alchemists who’d replaced mere chromium with magically-applied liquid mercury instead. “This might be the best quality chrome on a production bike I’ve seen to date,” quipped Pete on the Chief’s high-luster shiny stuff.

Likewise, the leatherwork looked and felt like it had been produced by a high-end boutique. The seat is actually supplied by Milsco, the same Milwaukee-based saddle-maker that had outfitted early-1940s and later Indians for some time before the original company ceased production in 1953

In short, the more we examined, the more it became apparent that fastidious attention to detail is being applied to every aspect of this and all the Chief sub-models. And while everything is new to these machines, the company consistently asserts itself as a bona fide producer of authentic American motorcycles and boasts of its heritage.

In keeping with its purchased pedigree, Indian’s one engine is named after an early-20th century trademark design, the PowerPlus. In present form, it reportedly delivers about 72 hp at 5,000 rpm and 100 ft-lb of torque at 3,200 rpm at the crank. It is actually based on a Harley-Davidson 45-degree pushrod V-Twin that in turn had been modified by the previous owners of the Indian name that operated from 1999 to 2003 in Gilroy, Calif.

According to Chris Bernauer, GM at the North Carolina factory, the new company’s engineers left nothing untouched in an effort to radically improve quality in a design that had been plagued with reliability issues. “Pretty much everything in the engine had to be rebuilt,” he says, “The entire engine from tip to tail has been completely redesigned.”

Many of the company’s 20 or so engineers had been experienced hands at Harley-Davidson or Victory, Bernauer says, and they threw the parts book at the project along with untold man hours of R&D time to get it right this time around.

Included in the engine’s makeover was an overbore of the formerly 100 cubic-inch powerplant to 3.966 inches in diameter, and it cycles through a 4.25-inch stroke. The two-valve-per-cylinder mill now uses forged pistons running in Nikasil-lined bores instead of cast-iron sleeves. They are mated to a plain-bearing crankshaft via knife-and-fork style connecting rods.

Bernauer also pointed out that they went with a new heat-treated flywheel, oiling system, redesigned cylinder head, new valves, seals, keepers and more.

The engine utilizes no counterbalancers, is rigidly mounted, and is fed by a Magneti Marelli EFI system via a single 52mm throttle-body, which is mounted Indian-style on the left instead of on the right as H-D would do it.

Its “Coke bottle cap” style rocker covers were retained, and Bernauer said overall, the engine was left visually similar to the Gilroy design, although there are very few interchangeable parts.

“We love the styling of it,” Bernauer says, adding that while some air-cooled V-Twin experts were recruited from other companies, several asked to be part of the ground-up revival of this historical brand. He said a lot of pride and passion has therefore gone into creating a labor of love while attempting to cut no corners.

According to Indian’s President, Steve Heese, this design philosophy is in keeping with Stellican’s formula for success familiar to himself and the equity group’s CEO and driving force, Steve Julius.

Together, they have revived other distressed iconic brands, and with Indian, they do not aim to compete head to head with H-D or Victory, but instead Heese says, “We’ve carved out a niche above their heads,” and they aim to let Indian’s products speak for themselves.

Heese notes the move up-market, against otherwise formidable competition, was the only viable way to go for the small company.

So to give the impressive engine an equally impressive bike to push, the $35,499 (base price) Chief Vintage is rounded out by such features as a Fox rear gas shock and Paioli inverted 41mm fork set at a relaxed 34-degree rake.

It has a sturdy steel backbone frame to tie it all together, and state-of-the-art electronics to keep things running reliably.

Twin Brembo four-piston front brake calipers are mated to a rear Brembo single piston caliper. These put the squeeze on front and rear 11.5 inch (292mm) floating rotors that are specially chromed in the U.S. for Indian. Instead of hollow rivets holding the discs to their carriers, shiny eye-pleasing buttons are used.

Although these bikes are made in North Carolina, all paintwork is done in Arizona because Indian feels its painter there is the best available, according to Marc Pomerantz, manager of sales and marketing.

The majestically appointed motorcycle’s instrumentation is uncluttered; a round analog speedo is accompanied by separate right and left turn-signal lights on the tank-mounted cluster and are hidden – actually somewhat obscured – behind stylish chromed beauty grilles. There is also a neutral indicator, low-fuel light, high beam and oil pressure lights.

New for 2010, a turn-signal cancellation warning indicator has been added, as has more data from the LCD readout which can be toggled from the handlebar to display trip data, engine speed, time, and more.

The easily removable windscreen and saddlebags were designed to leave no trace of unsightly mounting hardware, so if you want to parade your beauty queen dressed with or without her extras, she is just as pretty either way.

How it all comes together

Okay. By now you get the point that this is intended to be a very special motorcycle. But assuming the quality is as good as they say, the bottom line is whether it rides and functions just as well.

The short answer is, yes, it does – in most respects.

The bike fires up easily and settles into a pleasant sounding idle through its stainless steel exhaust system. The heel-toe shifter positively engages first gear, and on the gas, the engine sounds muted but potent. Up shifts (or down shifts) from the Baker transmission are crisp through the range.

Power is adequate for spirited getaways, and on the highway, the engine lopes along in fifth or sixth with enough motivation, and accelerates well enough, but does lack the grunt of some larger H-D models and left us wishing for a little bit more.

While navigating a bike that costs about as much as an entry-level Infinity around the packed streets of Daytona, or out on I-95, the rarefied air I felt I was breathing was confirmed by the admiring comments and questions other riders had regarding the bike everywhere we went.

It is obviously a heavy motorcycle, but its approximately 750 pounds are manageable. Behind the tall windscreen, the sense of being in the bike instead of on it never left me. When exiting the interstate at 75 mph, although it was not intimidating, I didn’t want to push too hard, and imagining what it would be like to throw this massive showpiece away at this speed made for a steady hand that preferred to err on the side of caution.

Around town, its whitewall Metzelers gave enough grip to where I probably could have began scuffing the chrome off the bottom of the footboards, but I did not have the heart to. By the way, our bike’s footboards were not leather fringed, but this high-performance option is available from dealers.

Braking was excellent, and the sound from the drilled Brembos reminded me of a sportbike’s brakes as the machine quietly buzzed to a smooth stop from any speed. Considering some early Indians came with rear brakes only, and no front brakes, here is one place where we were happy for technological progress as applied to a classic design.

“Such good braking performance is remarkable and refreshing in the big cruiser segment, especially so on a classy retro job like the Chief,” said Pete.

Unfortunately, we can not compliment some of the other buzzes this bike’s engine induced. It visibly shook the tank, and audible resonation came possibly from the windshield – or maybe it was just the tank? In top gear at cruising speed with earplugs in, it was still audible. Specifically, the buzz began at around 2,600 rpm, and discouraged us from wanting to rev it anywhere near its 5,250 rpm redline.

After riding the Vintage on the highway, Pete said he felt like his feet might vibrate off the floorboards, but I did not feel this affect as strongly. Further, Bernauer mentioned the company has done work to isolate the floorboards, and the model we rode was made prior to this update, so we don’t know if newer Indians will have this issue.

While the inherent vibration of a large V-Twin does not mean the bike lacks quality, it could be a potentially touchy issue to some, including other motojournalists who have also commented on the Indian’s vibrations.

In response, Bernauer said Indian’s engineers have done as much to reduce the natural vibrations as possible in their close-tolerance build. But he also admitted they are considering a counterbalancer or rubber mounting in the future, although he gave no specifics as to which or when.

It should be noted that Harley-Davidson now either counterbalances its big Twins or rubber mounts them, but it has not always and that never prevented their popularity. Pomerantz pointed out that until 2004, H-D sold around 75,000 Sportsters per year with rigid mounts and no counterbalancers.

Furthermore, Bernauer and Heese both said the new Indians are being raved over by existing customers, and they are “not losing sleep” over things as they stand. “The vibration is in the eye of the holder,” Bernauer says, adding the company’s waiting list for new bike delivery is about two-months.

And it is undisputed that Stellican does have a track record of flying in the face of critics and proving them wrong. Furthermore, by every other measure we were able to research – and according to the company’s own representatives – it seems Stellican is on its way to doing it again in spite of the recession.

According to Bernauer, the future “looks bright,” as Indian focuses on top quality, sticks to its guns, and lets the top-of-the-range Chief Vintage lead the way toward continued pride in the company’s slogan: “America’s First Motorcycle.”

We found much to admire during our time on Indian’s flagship, most notably its impeccable build quality that compares favorably with Harley’s vaunted CVO series of high-end cruisers. And its expressive, big-fendered styling never failed to draw attention, even among jaded Bike Week riders.

However, it’s difficult for us to rationalize the significant vibration emitted by the non-counterbalanced PowerPlus V-Twin. The vibes won’t be an issue for someone who buys the Chief for short casual rides, or profiling down at the coffee shop, but some riders who are serious about covering a lot of miles at a gulp may wish for something smoother.

Source:   http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/2010-indian-chief-vintage-review-89344.html

Driving in Chiang Mai can be an interesting experience….

Those of a nervous disposition should not be driving in Chiang Mai.

If you’re an experienced driver, trained maybe in the U.K., Germany or the U.S.A. then driving in Chiang Mai, or indeed anywhere in Thailand, can certainly be interesting, if not downright dangerous.

The problem is, from our point of view, that the Thais don’t care too much about traffic rules. In theory, the rules are fairly simple and follow those of the United Kingdom.

Basic Rules

Drive on the left, overtake on the right, obey traffic signals and try to keep lane discipline. Straight-through traffic has priority over turning traffic, and left-turning traffic has priority over right-turning traffic, except where road signs indicate differently.
What really happens

Firstly you will find that most Thais drive mainly on the left, but think nothing of motoring the wrong way up cycle lanes on one-way streets if they feel like it. This can be disconcerting, especially at night.
On dual carriageway roads, motor cycles invariably ride the wrong way up cycle lanes and will happily turn right from the left hand lane in
Very little training is available for motor cyclists and although the minimum age for driving is 18 , many of these riders are greatly under age and consequently have no licence to drive.
front of you, causing heart palpitations in those of a delicate nature. Add the fact that many of these motor cycles are carrying three or four people, sometimes including babies, and you won’t be surprised at the number of accidents involving these vehicles. Overtaking on the left (undertaking!) is normal here, as most drivers keep to the right hand land on two lane roads to avoid the swarms of motor cycles in the left and cycle lanes.

So, you can be overtaken on either side at any time. Often the undertaker will cut across in front of you to turn right, which of course involves his heavy braking, reducing sharply the following distance that you have carefully maintained.

Motor cyclists often jump traffic signals and will  image aligned left
often cut across in front of an accelerating vehicle in order to turn right from the left-hand lane. This suicidal tendency is exacerbated by their refusal to wear crash helmets, although they are required by law to do so.

However, all this mayhem is mitigated by the fact that traffic police in Chiang Mai are largely non-existent. After experiencing years of over-regulation in the U.K., this is a refreshing change.
It’s true that the police sometimes set up road traps to catch motor cyclists without helmets, and those motorists who haven’t paid their road tax and insurance, but these traps are few and far between.

Flashing headlights

In Thailand, flashing headlights means “I’m coming through”. It does NOT mean “after you” as in Europe. Be warned!!

Turning right at traffic signals

Experienced drivers will know that turning right is probably the most dangerous manoeuvre, because this involves crossing the path of oncoming traffic. Thai drivers have no such hang-ups. At a red light they’ll position their vehicle to the right of the centre of the road, to stop the oncoming traffic and enable them to turn first. When exiting or entering side roads they cut across to the wrong side of the road, even on blind corners. They seem to have no perception of the possible presence or actions of other road users.

So – you have been warned. To drive in Chiang Mai you need eyes in the back and sides of your head, as well as in front.

Pedestrian crossings

Thai drivers do not stop at pedestrian crossings unless they have lights, whereupon they’ll stop sometimes. Be careful! If you decide to stop at an unlit crossing, the driver behind you may not.

Costs

As I write, petrol and diesel here cost about 34 baht per litre. To tax and insure a small car third party, fire and theft (Government insurance) costs about 2,000 baht p.a.
Buying a new car here, at least, one that’s been produced here, is pretty cheap. Buying a used car is relatively expensive so a new car purchase is economically the best bet. The resale price of used cars is fairly high, I suppose because the tax level on a new car is not too high. Imported vehicles are a different matter. The tax levy on imported vehicles is around 100% but many Japanese manufacturers have factories here and benefit from the low tax rates.

Car rental in Chiang Mai is usually fairly cheap and plentiful. A small car will cost around 1,000 baht per day, but for longer rentals, deals can be done. Make sure that the insurance is comprehensive and that your car is dent-free before you sign anything. If the car has damage, be sure to note it on the rental agreement, of which you must have a copy.

All you need in most cases is a valid driving licence, as long as it is written using the Roman alphabet, an International Driving Licence if possible and your passport.
If ever stopped by the police, don’t argue. Be patient, polite and courteous. Most times, they’ll let you go because you’re a foreigner, unless of course you’ve done something really bad!

source:   http://www.amazing-chiang-mai.com/driving.html

Casey Stoner ends 2010 pre-season on top

Casey Stoner ended Valentino Rossi’s domination of the 2010 MotoGP pre-season campaign with an impressive display on Ducati’s factory GP10 machine in Qatar tonight.

The Aussie slashed 0.4s off his best time from the opening night to dominate the last track action before the new season kicks off under the Losail International Circuit floodlights on April 11.

A best lap of 1.55.353 on his 34th lap of a 51-lap stint put the 2007 world champion a massive 0.507s clear of Fiat Yamaha rival Rossi.

It wasn’t a completely smooth night though for the 24-year-old, who is chasing a fourth successive victory in Qatar at the first race next month. Shortly after 9pm as the humidity increased, Stoner crashed heavily at the second corner.

In the previous hour Ben Spies, Colin Edwards and factory Ducati team-mate Nicky Hayden had all crashed in identical circumstances at the same corner.

All but Edwards blamed moisture on the track as a result of the balmy conditions but Stoner walked away unhurt. Remarkably it is the third successive winter test at Qatar that he crashed at the second corner, but his time was less than a tenth quicker than Rossi’s best on the opening evening.

For the first time in 2010 winter testing, Italian Rossi had to settle for second place on board his factory Yamaha YZR-M1. The 31-year-old posted a best time of 1.55.860, which was over 0.4s adrift of his best time on the opening night.

The reigning world champion said: “This has been another good day. We’ve concentrated mostly on the race preparation and it feels like we’re now ready for the first race. We did a long run at the end of the session and we got some good information, which will help us in the race.

“Now that testing is over I am very excited about the season. We’ve been strong throughout the six days of practice and it feels good to have been fast here also, where we have struggled in the past. We have only tested at two tracks so we need to wait for another different one to fully understand the new bike, but we’re in good shape. My M1 feels great and I’m looking forward to racing.”

Honda got some welcome respite from a mounting list of problems with its factory Honda RC212V machine. Andrea Dovizioso was third quickest with a best time of 1.55.879 to end up just 0.019s slower than Rossi.

The 2009 British GP winner was a full second quicker tonight as he tried a modified chassis for the first time on his RC212V machine.

Hayden shrugged off his second corner crash to log the fourth best time and continue his resurgent form on the factory Ducati GP10.

The Kentucky rider was 0.7s faster than yesterday and less than 0.3s away from Rossi.

Hayden also escaped unhurt when he was the third of the Turn Two victims at just before 9pm.

Loris Capirossi used a new GSV-R chassis to steer his factory Suzuki to fifth place with Jorge Lorenzo a respectable sixth quickest on his return from injury.

Still suffering pain from the broken right thumb he suffered in a training accident last month, the Spaniard clocked a best time of 1.56.504.

The double 250GP world champion said: “Today my hand felt okay, maybe a bit worse than yesterday. Of course it’s not as good as before the accident but this is to be expected! It’s hard for me in the braking areas and I can’t push any harder than I have been today at the moment, but I hope it will have improved a lot by the time of the first race. Our bike is great,

“Yamaha have done a fantastic job and you can see this from the strong performance of all the Yamaha riders. We’ve done a lot of work and tried many things, so I hope that these will help us when we come back here in three weeks. I will keep working to strengthen my hand and I hope to be in much better condition by then.”

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 duo Edwards and Spies had a tough night. Neither could improve their times from the first night and they ended eighth and tenth respectively.

Both were fortunate to escape injury in high-speed crashes at the second corner.
Spies, who also crashed at the second corner on the first night, said: “I didn’t have a great night really but that can happen. Everything that could go wrong went wrong tonight. But I’ve have had a great winter and this was the first session where it didn’t go the way we wanted it to. I’d had some small issues early on and went into Turn Two again and just lost the front.

“I wasn’t really sure what happened but then four people crashed in the next 30 minutes so it must have got really humid really quick because something wasn’t right with that many people going down in the same place. I did a few more laps to clear my head and got down to some decent times and I’m happy I did that. But it was still a successful test and I leave confident that I’ll be competitive for the race next month.”

Fellow Texan Edwards said: “It wasn’t the ending to testing I was looking for but it wasn’t too bad. I just didn’t really have a great feeling with the bike tonight and we need to have a think about things before we come back for the race next month. We’ve got some work to do because I just didn’t feel as comfortable on the bike as I did last year, mainly with the front-end. And I know I go good at this track because I had a good race last year and finished fourth. I’m not sure what happened with the crash but I did exactly the same as Ben.

“I was on the soft front tyre that I’d not really run that much on the first night. But I was on my sixth lap on the tyre, so it should have been ready to push. But I was down before I knew it and it is a fast crash, even if you’re only still in second gear. I’m just glad I didn’t get hurt because that was a fast crash.”

Dani Pedrosa’s awful form continued as the Repsol Honda rider was left languishing down in 13th place. He was beaten by Aleix Espargaro and Suzuki rookie Alvaro Bautista as his struggle to adapt to Ohlins suspension showed no signs of improving.

Pedrosa could only produce a best lap of 1.56.935 to finish a massive 1.582s away from Stoner.

The fortunes of former world 250GP champion Marco Simoncelli continue to plummet as well. The San Carlo Gresini Honda rider was down in last place with a best lap of 1.57.379. That left the Italian 2.026s slower than Stoner. And already bereft of confidence after massive crashes in successive Sepang tests in February,

Simoncelli’s fragile morale took another bashing when he crashed at Turn Six tonight.

Casey Stoner Ducati GP10                        1.55.353
Valentino Rossi Yamaha YZR-M1           1.55.860
Andrea Dovizioso Honda RC212V           1.55.879
Nicky Hayden    Ducati GP10                     1.56.115
Loris Capirossi Suzuki GSV-R             1.56.195
Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha YZR-M1             1.56.504
Randy de Puniet Honda RC212V            1.56.504
Colin Edwards Yamaha YZR-M1             1.56.722
Mika Kallio Ducati GP10                 1.56.767
Ben Spies Yamaha YZR-M1                 1.56.779
Aleix Espargaro Ducati GP10                     1.56.897
Alvaro Bautista Suzuki GSV-R            1.56.898
Dani Pedrosa    Honda RC212V            1.56.935
Marco Melandri Honda RC212V             1.57.222
Hector Barbera Ducati GP10                       1.57.223
Hiroshi Aoyama Honda RC212V             1.57.251
Marco Simoncelli Honda RC212V           1.57.379

Yamaha satisfied with 2010 engine performance

Valentino Rossi’s team boss Davide Brivio believes the Italian’s hopes of capturing a 10th world title in 2010 have been massively boosted by the performance of Yamaha’s new factory YZR-M1 motor.

Rossi finished fastest in all but one of the six days of pre-season testing with the 31-year-old locked in a constant winter battle with Ducati rival Casey Stoner.

And Brivio reckons much of the credit for Rossi’s impressive winter performances should go to Yamaha’s engineering group.

Italian Rossi, who is bidding for an eighth premier class crown this year, was worried that Yamaha would struggle to match the engine performance of Ducati and Honda in 2010.

When new engine restrictions came into place at Brno last August limiting a rider to five engines for the final six races, Yamaha had to sacrifice crucial horsepower to gain durability.

In 2010, further cost-cutting measures will see a rider only able to use six engines for the entire 18-round series.

But Yamaha seems to have found performance while also gaining durability to make an engine for Rossi last for three races in 2010.

Brivio told MCN: “Last year when the new rule came out in Brno, Yamaha’s approach was quite prudent.

“We were fighting for the title and there was no point in taking a big risk. We were prudent in order to get experience and knowledge of this rule.

“Now for 2010 based on that experience we are trying to do the real job of having durability without losing power and so far it seems we have achieved good results.

“Our engine has some improvement in the low and mid-range and we are not losing on top speed. It looks like we’re in good shape with the engine.”

source:    http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/MotoGP/2010/March/mar2210-yamaha-happy-with-2010-engine-performance/

Flamingo merchandise

Flamingo-motortours has got there own bikers clothes.

On the Photo above you can see our first series of the Yellow Flamingo T-shirts.

Under you will see a photo of our Flamingo long sleeve motor jacket.

We also have 2 different styles of vests Black and White

Our second series of T-shirts is in Black.

Now for the upcoming world championship soccer we made our third series of T-shirts in Orange

Soon available: the Flamingo baseball cap also in orange.

So join us on one of our many tours and become a Flamingo biker and buy yourself one of these Shirts/Jacket/Vests.

Hungary off MotoGP calendar again

The Hungarian round of the 2010 MotoGP world championship at the Balatonring has been cancelled for a second successive year.

Due to take place on September 19 and be the 14th round of this year’s series, Dorna has just announced that the race has been axed with construction of the new circuit falling behind schedule.

The new Motorland Aragon circuit in Spain will replace the Balatonring on the same date (September 19) meaning four races of the world championship will now be staged in Spain.

The Balatonring was due to host the first Hungarian GP since 1992 but has been beset by problems.

Last season it was dropped off the calendar because building work fell well behind schedule and there were also question marks over funding the project as the global economic crisis hit.

In 2009 though no replacement race was staged and the world championship instead contested over 17 rounds.

It was only last month though that MotoGP bosses were saying the race looked likely to take place.

International Race Teams Association boss Mike Trimby said: “They have spent enough money that it is not worth stopping.

“The opinion of Dorna is it would be stupid to stop now. They have an act of parliament to pay for it so we should be going there.”

Full 2010 MotoGP calendar

April 11th  Losail  Qatar*
April 25th  Twin Ring Motegi Japan
May 2nd  Jerez  Spain
May 23rd  Le Mans France
June 6th Mugello Italy
June 20th  Silverstone Great Britain
June 26th Assen  Holland**
July 4th  Catalunya  Spain
July 18th  Sachsenring Germany
July 25th Laguna Seca USA***
August 22nd  Brno  Czech Republic
August 29th  Indianapolis  USA
September 5th Misano San Marino
September 19th Aragon Motorland Aragon
October 10th  Sepang  Malaysia
October 17th  Phillip Island Australia
October 31st  Estoril  Portugal
November 7th  Valencia Spain

* Night race
** Saturday race
*** MotoGP only

Triumph celebrating 20th anniversary

Hinckley production began in 1990
Triumph is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its revival with a festival at the Mallory Park circuit in Leicestershire, England.

The British manufacturer is inviting its fans to the Sept. 18 Triumph Live festival for a day of on- and off-track activities to celebrate the 20th anniversary. Triumph Motorcycles ltd. was established after entrepreneur John Bloor purchased the rights to the bran following the 1983 bankruptcy of the Triumph Cooperative.

Triumph designers began work on a new range of motorcycles in 1984 and in 1988 Bloor funded the construction of a new factory in Hickley, Leicestershire. Pre-production began soon after and six new Triumph models were introduced in 1990 at the Cologne Motorcycle Show in Germany.

As part of the 20th anniversary festivities, Mallory Park will host a round of the Triumph Triple Challenge, a special invitation race featuring Triumph Street Triple and Daytona 675 motorcycles. Triumph stunt riders will also perform for the crowds.

Away from the track, visitors can view a display of key bikes from Triumph’s past 20 years, as well as the current 2010 product lineup. Demo rides will be offered, both on and off the track. Triumph’s Hinckley facility will also open its doors for tours.

source:  http://www.motorcycle.com/news/triumph-celebrating-20th-anniversary-89330.html

Visualization In Motorcycle Riding – Riding Skills Series Ride Better Without Turning A Wheel

One training tool that has long been used in professional sports is visualization. In its minimal form, visualization is the act of creating a mental image of something you’d like to happen. Envisioning the task, such as a successfully completed football pass or arcing through a corner on the perfect line, can condition your mind and body to complete the act for real. Visualization and mental imagery is especially important for motorcycle riding, as many aspects are counterintuitive. Steering right to turn left, for example, or not chopping the throttle when the rear tire slides to avoid a highside. If you can “program” your mind to perform the correct action in a given situation, when you are confronted with that situation you’ll be much better prepared to react properly rather than panic or make the incorrect, intuitive decision.

How do you visualize something? It’s best to practice in a quiet environment, with no distractions and a clear mind. Yoga meditative practices are a great basis for visualization, and the freer your mind is of daily clutter the better your mental image will be. Start with something fairly simple, such as riding along a familiar straightaway. Try to picture in your mind as much as you can about the situation: Feel the wind on your body. Hear the engine. Note if the road or track is rough or smooth, what’s on the side of the road and any distinguishing features. Add to the image as much as you can: What’s the weather like? Are there other bikes or cars around? What gear is your bike in and how fast is the engine spinning?

It’s worth pointing out here that visualization and reference points go hand in hand. The more reference points you have, the more complete your mental image will be. Ideally, on the racetrack you’ll have enough reference points that at any given point you will have a marker in sight-if you don’t, your imagery is discontinuous and you’ll have trouble putting corners together in your mind. Even on the street, reference points help: A certain tree that tells you a decreasing-radius corner is coming up, or a mark on the road that reminds you of the driveway around the next corner.

Digging deeper into visualization, the next step is to picture going through a certain corner-again filling out the image with as much detail as you can. Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can try putting together a full lap of a racetrack, or a section of your favorite road. Now, the benefits of the process can be explored: Say you wanted to change the way you negotiated a certain turn, either using a different gear or moving your turn-in point. In your mind, you can visualize the change and how you would accomplish it. Run through the exercise several times until the imagery is smooth and continuous. The next time you’re on the track you’ll find it much easier to use the new gear or turn-in point, because you’ve already thought the process through and prepared your mind. Note here that the process has both physical and mental aspects: The act of physically changing gear, or how your attention should shift from braking to front tire traction at a different point in these examples.

source:     http://www.sportrider.com/riding_tips/146_0908_visualization_motorcycle_riding/index.html

Flamingo Charity Program

Flamingo-Worldwide helps children in Chiang Mai.

In Chiang Mai Thailand there are many children who don’t have the possibility to get good education.
Most of the time it’s because there parents don’t make enough money to pay for the school or because they are orphans. Those children don’t have a chance to built up a good future for them self when they get older and have to start working on a very young age.

How can we help them!
Flamingo-worldwide helps those children by finding them adoption parents in other countries who want to help them to get the right education.
We bring the adoption parents and the children and there parents together so they can meet each other. The adoption parents can give the money to support the child in person to the school where the child will get his or hers education. The adoption parents will meet the child, the parents and the head of the school.  The adoption parents can also take the child on some excursions when they are here in Thailand. For example you can visit the elephants or the zoo together, most of these children have never been there. In this way the adoption parents will built up a good relation with the child they support and they know for sure that all the money they give to the child for there education will be spend only for that.

If you like to support one of these kids then please send us an message through our contact form, Click here

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