The 2014 AMA Nationals season is over and all the trucks are headed back to their home ports—some ladened down with Championship gold and some with disappointed riders.

Ken Roczen did what he had to do. He won the Championship by being the most consistent guy in the class. This was Kenny’s fourth year in America and he earned everything that came to him through hard work. Oh maybe he didn’t work hard enough for the first couple years, but he applied himself over the last year. His well-known late season fade showed signs of rearing its ugly head at mid-summer, but Kenny resisted and pulled through.

Trey Canard is like the Bionic Man. He is as good as medical science can make him. Trey had two things going for him in 2014, apart from his talent: (1) he believes in himself. (2) Honda believes in him. Up until the final round of the 2014 AMA 450 National Championships Trey had never won a 450 Nationals, but Honda signed him to a second two-year contract (and the one he signed before this was in spite of his broken body). Honda has not  been a winner in years, but they have been Championship caliber in their dealings with Trey. Kudoes to Honda for believeing. Trey wants to deliver and virtually every motocross fans wants him to deliver. Job well done.

Ryan Dungey did not lose the 2014 Title in the Indiana mud—Ken Roczen won it there. No rider has ever lost a Championship…instead, a different rider won it. Ryan Dungey can hold his head up high, even if his bank account didn’t grow by leaps and bounds with the $1,000,000 Championship bonus. Kenny will now go to Suzuki and take the number 1 plate with him. That might be a bummer for KTM, but they can bask in the glow of going one-two in the 2014 Championship

Jeremy Martin started the 2014 season out by being a running joke in the Supercross season. He couldn’t make the 250 mains. Well, the joke is on everybody else now, because from the drop of the gate at Glen Helen Jeremy Martin was in the zone. He didn’t just win the title—he owned it.

James Stewart sat at home at the end of the 450 Nationals. Suzuki didn’t even bother to send out a press release saying that he wouldn’t be in Utah, which is just as well because the previous press release left more unanswered questions than they answereds. Hopefully, Bubba will put his trouble behind him for 2015.

UTAH RESULTS: 450 CLASS

1. Trey Canard (Hon)……………..1-1
2. Ryan Dungey (KTM)…………..2-2
3. Eli Tomac (Hon)…………………4-3
4. Ken Roczen (KTM)……………..3-4
5. Brett Metcalfe (Kaw)……………7-5
6. Ryan Sipes (KTM)……………….9-6
7. Andrew Short (KTM)…………..6-12
8. Fredrik Noren (Hon)…………..10-9
9. Weston Peick (Suz)…………….13-7
10. Justin Brayton (Yam)………..12-8

UTAH RESULTS: 250 CLASS

1. Jeremy Martin (Yam)…………..1-1
2. Blake Baggett (Kaw)…………….3-3
3. Cooper Webb (Yam)……………2-4
4. Justin Bogle (Hon)………………6-2
5. Marvin Musquin (KTM)……….4-5
6. Chris Alldredge (Kaw)………….5-8
7. Joey Savatgy (KTM)……………..8-7
8. Dean Wilson (Kaw)……………..10-6
9. Zach Osborne (Hon)……………..7-9
10. R.J. Hampshire (Hon)…………9-11

FINAL 450 AMA NATIONAL POINTS STANDINGS

1. Ken Roczen………………532
2. Ryan Dungey……………518
3. Trey Canard……………..468
4. Brett Metcalfe……………334
5. Eli Tomac…………………319
6. Andrew Short……………302
7. Weston Peick…………….290
8. Josh Grant………………..259
9. James Stewart…………..226
10. Fredrik Noren…………..207

FINAL 250 AMA NATIONAL POINTS STANDINGS

1. Jeremy Martin……………….500
3. Blake Baggett………………..421
2. Cooper Webb………………..419
4. Marvin Musquin……………408
6. Justin Bogle…………………..368
5. Christophe Pourcel…………355
7. Jason Anderson……………..276
8. Cole Seely……………………..260
9. Jessy Nelson………………….252
10. Dean Wilson………………..230

The Motocross stars of tomorrow were out in force this weekend at Lierneux in Belgium for the 2014 edition of the World Junior Motocross Championship which saw KTM riders dominating the competition and sweeping the podiums in both the 65cc and 85cc classes.

UNADILLA RESULTS: 450 CLASS

1. Ryan Dungey……….1-2
2. Trey Canard…………..4-1
3. Eli Tomac………………3-3
4. Ken Roczen………….2-4
5. Justin Brayton…………6-7
6. Andrew Short……….5-8
7. Weston Peick………..10-5
8. Phil Nicoletti…………..7-9
9. Brett Metcalfe……….12-6
10. Fredrik Noren……..8-10
Other notables: 11. Ryan Sipes; 13. Jake Weimer; 15. Killy Rusk; 20. Kyle Chisholm; 22. Michael Byrne; 39. Chad Reed.

UNADILLA RESULTS: 250 CLASS

1. Christophe Pourcel…..1-2
2, Jeremy Martin…………..3-1
3. Marvin Musquin……….2-5
4. Justin Bogle……………..5-3
5. Blake Baggett…………..6-4
6. Dean Wilson…………….4-6
7. Joey Savatgy………… 9-9
8. Chris Alldredge……….13-8
9. Alex Martin……………..12-10
10. Shane McElrath……..10-13
Other notables: 11. Jessy Nelson; 13. R.J. Hampshire; 14. Zach Osborne; 15. Cooper Webb; 16. Cole Seely;  17. Luke Renzland.

450 AMA NATIONAL POINTS STANDINGS

(After 10 of 12 races)
1. Ken Roczen……………..447
2. Ryan Dungey…………..440
3. Trey Canard……………..373
4. Brett Metcalfe…………..280
5. Eli Tomac………………..252
6. Andrew Short…………..247
7. Weston Peick…………..244
8. James Stewart………….226
9. Josh Grant………………..218
10. Fredrik Noren………….159

250 AMA NATIONAL POINTS STANDINGS

(After 10 of 12 races)
1. Jeremy Martin……………422
3. Blake Baggett…………….356
2. Cooper Webb……………..348
4. Marvin Musquin………….329
5. Christophe Pourcel……..321
6. Justin Bogle……………….310
7. Jason Anderson………….243
8. Cole Seely………………….225
9. Jessy Nelson………………200
10. Dean Wilson……………..176

The KTM Enduro Factory Racing Team had reason to celebrate on Sunday when French rider Christophe Nambotin added the 2014 Enduro 1 World Championship title to his trophy collection when racing at the GP of Italy in Lumezzane.

As teams prepare for the Indianapolis round this weekend, the rider/team relationships for next year are being finalized. Earlier this week, Cal Crutchlow announced he was leaving the factory Ducati team for LCR Honda. This has made room for the move by Andrea Iannone up to the full factory Ducati squad as teammate to Andrea Dovizioso next year.

Crutchlow slots into Stefan Bradl’s seat at LCR, while Bradl will move over to Forward Yamaha next year.

Completing the puzzle, Yamaha today announced it has signed a two-year extension agreement with former champ Jorge Lorenzo.  Here is the press release from Yamaha:

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd and Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo are delighted to announce that they have signed a new two-year agreement that sees the Mallorcan complete the Movistar Yamaha line up for the next two seasons. The agreement realises Lorenzo’s wish to continue his premier class career with Yamaha, extending the relationship from seven to nine years. Both Yamaha and Lorenzo are confident that the partnership has the potential to deliver a third title and will continue to work towards this goal.

Lin Jarvis – Managing Director, Yamaha Motor Racing

I am very happy we have reached an agreement for Jorge to continue as a Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider. The new agreement extends Jorge’s seven-year partnership with Yamaha. He started with us as a rookie back in 2008 and together we achieved many great results including 31 GP victories and two MotoGP Rider World Champion titles in 2010 and 2012. The 2014 season has been a tough one for Jorge so far but I am hoping that the confirmation of this new agreement will give him the peace of mind to be able to focus 100% of his energy on the remaining races. Last year we saw what he was able to do when the going was tough and he was fighting back from mid-season injuries so we know that the potential is there for a strong second half to the 2014 season. For 2015 and beyond we have no doubt that Jorge will be a strong title contender and we will do our very best to provide him with the materials and the support he needs to be able to realize our shared ambitions.”

Jorge Lorenzo

“I am very happy to finally be able to make this announcement. It is a relief to be able to now completely focus on the remainder of the 2014 season in the knowledge that our relationship will continue for the next two seasons. It has always been my wish to continue my career with Yamaha; I strongly believe we can fight for a third title together. This season has been very challenging after a difficult start, however we will continue to take it race by race, giving 100% until Valencia. I want to thank Yamaha for their continued belief in me and all the Yamaha fans around the world who continue to support me. After the summer break I’m excited to be back at Indy with my team and focused again on riding.”

A massive storm may have broken over circuit at Lommel in the closing stages of the MXGP of Belgium on Sunday but nothing dampened the spirits of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team after Tony Cairoli and Ken de Dycker picked up a 1-2 overall in the 15th round of the Motocross World Championship. British rider Shaun Simpson finished overall third to make it a clean podium sweep for the Austrian brand in the big class.

All-New Model Flaunts Massive Bad Attitude and Mile-Devouring Function

MILWAUKEE (August 1, 2014) – Harley-Davidson^® (NYSE:HOG) has more rush in the tank. Spy photos, gossip and wild speculation are flooding the Internet as Harley-Davidson fans around the globe anticipate the return of the Road Glide^® motorcycle. The wait is over and the Road Glide Special is here.

Weeks before the announcement of its complete 2015 model line-up, Harley-Davidson is previewing the Road Glide Special, one of its new 2015 motorcycles. Infused with DNA of the customer-led product development effort Project RUSHMORE, the sleek, shark-nose Touring model is being revealed today at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota, USA.

“Road Glide has always had an incredibly passionate following, which is why its return to the model line-up is exciting for our customers and our company,” said Matt Levatich, President and Chief Operating Officer of Harley-Davidson Motor Company. “With Project Rushmore technology, intuitive features and great new styling, we’re delivering an improved ride for the Road Glide faithful and the many others looking for more cool Project Rushmore motorcycle options.”

One look at the new contour of the famous Road Glide Special fairing is all it takes to see past form and convention were put aside and a new rebellious design emerged. The Road Glide Special motorcycle earned its status satisfying the hard core and now it is back. From the wicked new Dual Reflector Daymaker™ LED headlights to the hand-adjustable low-profile rear suspension, the Road Glide Special motorcycle is proof of what can happen when you hold a higher standard and take the time required to meet it. The Road Glide Special sets out to make the ultimate statement in custom, high-mile aggression and backs it up with all the function riders demand.

“The Road Glide has always been a bike for a rider who’s cut from a different cloth, a person who wants to make a statement as they chase the freedom of the road,” said Mike Goche, Manager, Product Planning. “This new model respects that spirit while offering a significant improvement in comfort, and the full suite of Project RUSHMORE features that have been such a huge hit with touring riders around the world.”

Road Glide Special

Shaped by countless hours of wind tunnel testing, the new frame-mounted  Road Glide Special fairing features a triple Splitstream fairing that significantly reduces head buffeting while still providing  comfortable airflow around the rider. The brilliant white beams of the Dual Daymaker™ Reflector LED headlamp blasts through the murkiest of nights. Centered in the inner fairing is the premium Boom! ™ Box 6.5GT infotainment system with touch screen and GPS navigation which can also be controlled by twin joysticks located on a new swept-back handlebar that puts the rider in a commanding, comfortable position. A High Output Twin Cam 103™ V-Twin engine burbles through two chrome mufflers, its abundant torque always on tap with just a twist of the throttle. Touring features include One-Touch hard saddlebags, cruise control and easy-to-read gauges. For extra ride confidence the Road Glide Special features Reflex™ Linked Brakes with ABS and an exclusive painted inner fairing and hand-applied pinstriping move the styling up a notch 

Yet another manufacturer is to enter MotoGP, it was announced yesterday. KTM is to join Honda, Yamaha, Ducati, Suzuki and, most probably, Aprilia in MotoGP, with KTM moving up to the premier class in 2017, a year after the new regulations take effect and Michelin takes over as single tire supplier.

The news was announced by KTM CEO Stefan Pierer, in an exclusive interview with the German-language website Speedweek In that interview, Pierer set out the approach KTM will take to MotoGP, which will be a departure from the more traditional route of the other manufacturers in the class. The idea is not to enter as a factory team, but to build a bike and make it available to customer teams, much as they currently do in Moto3. 

That bike will be a 1000cc V4, housed in a tubular steel trellis frame. The bike will have suspension from KTM subsidiary WP, as supplied with the Moto3 machines. Design work has already started on the V4 engine, and it is due to be tested on the dyno for the first time in May 2015. The complete bike will take to the track at the end of 2015, with 2016 being used to complete development of the bike, ready for the 2017 season. Pierer told Speedweek that wildcard appearances in the second half of 2016 are a definite possibility. The bike will be available to interested teams at a price of around 1 million euros, Pierer said, as that is the price at which Dorna has been trying to get the manufacturers to supply MotoGP bikes 

This would be KTM's second foray into MotoGP. The first attempt was an unmitigated failure, when the Austrian company built a V4 machine for Kenny Roberts' Team KR in 2005. That engine was known for being too aggressive, and suffering badly with underdeveloped electronics. Since then, Pierer emphasized, KTM's engineers had learned a lot about rideability and smoother power delivery. Furthermore, with all MotoGP entries to use spec software from 2016, the issue of software development had also been removed from the equation. The engine for KTM's RC16 (as the MotoGP bike is to be known) is being designed by Kurt Trieb, the engineer who developed the Moto3 powerplant which is dominating that championship.

The interview with Stefan Pierer contains a few aspects which are worthy of note. The first is the refusal to enter as a full factory team, as the other manufacturers have done. This is reminiscent of BMW's strategy, of supporting private teams but not taking part directly. That strategy has been extremely successful for BMW, the German manufacturer able to send out press releases boasting of the success of BMW privateers, without having to take responsibility for their failures. By concentrating on motorcycle design and production, KTM can keep their costs down, while still receiving both the R&D and marketing benefits of participating in MotoGP.

The more interesting aspect of the announcement is the way in which development is to be subsidized. The KTM RC16 is not only to be sold to MotoGP teams, but a cheaper version is also to be sold as a glorified track bike to private individuals. 'Cheaper' is a relative term here: where the full MotoGP version will have a price tag of a million euros, the retail bike will cost in the region of 150,000 to 200,000 euros. It will not be available as a street legal version, as the restrictions imposed on street bikes make it impractical to produce such a high-performance machine. The combined problems of producing a bike which complies with Euro 4 emissions standards and in sufficient quantities to homologate the bike for World Superbikes make that an impractical project, Pierer told Speedweek. It was better to aim at wealthy, dedicated individuals looking for an exclusive high-performance bike. Pierer estimated they should be able to sell at least 100 units of such a machine, which would represent a large proportion of any MotoGP development budget.

One of the reasons given by Pierer for going down the track-only route for the RC16 does not bode well at all for the World Superbike series. The discussions about safety have taken on ridiculous proportions in some EU countries, Pierer told Speedweek, especially after a streak of good weather had produced a string of motorcycle fatalities. There is a lot of pressure on bike manufacturers, and discussions are going on at the EU in Brussels about the possibility of imposing performance restrictions. There have even been calls from some quarters to ban so-called superbikes, Pierer said. KTM saw it as their responsibility to keep motorcycle performance within strict limits, he added. 'Anything with over 200 horsepower has no place on public roads,' Pierer told Speedweek.

Leaving aside the absurdity of the argument - it is virtually impossible to extract maximum performance from any sporting motorcycle on a public road; most fatal accidents occur at speeds a very long way below the maximum of the bike involved; the majority of motorcycle accidents are caused by other vehicles - Pierer's statements point to a significant threat to WSBK. Superbikes have become ever more extreme over the past twenty years, a factor which has played a major role in the decline of their popularity. The original Ducati 916 produced 114 bhp in 1994. This rose to 122 bhp with the 996, and 123bhp with the 998, which was sold until 2002. From 2003, the 999 produced 150bhp, which was then replaced by the 1098. The 2009 Ducati 1098R produced 180 bhp, and the current top-of-the-range Ducati Panigale 1199R is quoted as producing 195bhp. In the space of twenty years, power outputs have risen by over 70%. As power outputs have risen, sales have declined, the performance of such extreme bikes becoming less and less relevant on public roads which are more and more heavily policed, despite improvements in engine response and handling.

By dropping the RC8 and replacing it with a bike which will not be eligible for homologation, KTM has effectively abandoned the World Superbike championship. If the EU or another major motorcycle market imposes performance restrictions - or bans large capacity sportsbikes altogether - then the viability of WSBK in its current form is called into question. The current identity crisis facing WSBK could become a lot worse.

- David Emmett

Only days after announcing an ongoing partnership agreement had been reached for 2015, Ducati has announced that their collaboration with Britain’s Cal Crutchlow is over.

Observers note that this is most likely the result of Crutchlow asking to be released after now being offered a Honda with an expanded LCR squad, effectively replacing Stefan Bradl.

Ducati released this short statement.

Ducati Corse and Cal Crutchlow terminate contract ahead of 2015

Ducati Corse announced today that it has reached an agreement with its factory rider Cal Crutchlow to terminate, ahead of time, the contract that ties the British rider to the Italian team in MotoGP for 2014 and also for next season.

The two factory Ducati Team riders for 2015 will now be Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone.

Honda never entertained replacing Dani Pedrosa after the Spaniard recently clinched a new contract to continue as an official HRC rider until the end of 2016.

Despite having never won the MotoGP title in eight previous attempts, Honda’s loyalty towards Pedrosa appears to have no limits, with the Spaniard given a new two-year deal that will take him to an 11th season as a Repsol Honda rider.

Honda has always maintained its main priority was to keep reigning world champion Marc Marquez and Pedrosa together, though HRC boss Shuhei Nakamoto did admit during the pre-season campaign that he intended to launch a raid for Yamaha rival Jorge Lorenzo.

Honda failed to lure Lorenzo away from Yamaha after lengthy negotiations in 2012, but Nakamoto never carried out his pre-season pledge to speak to the double MotoGP world champion.

Explaining why he had been so keen to offer Pedrosa a new deal, Nakamoto told MCN: “We only spoke with Dani and I am really happy to keep Dani. Marc and Dani are top riders and that’s the only reason we want to keep both. For me it doesn’t matter about nationality or personality, as long as they fast I don’t care. And the relationship with Marc and Dani is very good.”

Many thought Honda would insist on Pedrosa signing a one-year deal, so it could bring in a younger talent for 2016 to mould for the future next to mercurial Marquez.
But Nakamoto said: “We talked about one year, one plus an option and also two. Dani preferred a two-year contract.”

Asked why he had made zero contact with Lorenzo, he joked: “Too slow (laughs). We are happy with Dani and it is as simple as that.”

By Matthew Birt - 

MotoGP