Hopper Rides Perris Short Track & Balatonring Issues Continue

John Hopkins was in California this past weekend and actually had the time to run the Perris Short Track. So, he borrowed a bike from his mechanic and took to the track. He did very well and he may be back...

http://tinyurl.com/ya69qf8

The Balatonring is facing more and more problems. First, locals complain about not being consulted - then various groups attack the government as their tax dollars are helping build the thing and they will not be getting any of the revenue. Now we hear again about the cancellation of the loan guarantee for construction of the track...and the various investors have not been notified of the issues...Please take the link to learn more.

http://tinyurl.com/yalulss

http://tinyurl.com/y9cndc5

Friday Morning Moto News - Jordan Team Colors, John Hopkins & Jake Zemke

The Michael Jordan Motorsports AMA Pro Racing team has revealed the livery they will be using for the 2010 season, which started at Daytona this week. Since it is the 25th anniversary of the Air Jordan franchise, they have gone with silver as the base color. Even riders will be running with special silver boots recognizing the achievement. For the details, please take the link.

http://tinyurl.com/ydn6lzb

John Hopkins and John Ulrich are back together for 2010. Well, if you were paying attention, we already knew this. However, many may have forgotten that it was Ulrich who helped turn Hopper into a world-class motorcycle racer. Now Ulrich is running the team which Hopkins is racing for...how has it been having these two back together?

http://tinyurl.com/ybveycn

And, why not another story on yesterday's racing. It is especially apt since it was a Jordan Motorsports team member, Jake Zemke, who won the American Superbike race yesterday...you know most of it, but take a look anyway...

http://tinyurl/ya693ww

Saturday Evening Moto News - James Stewart & Hopper

It turns out that the injury which James Stewart took at the Phoenix AMA Supercross round. The x-rays missed a broken bone in his hand, but an MRI picked it up. So, he must undergo surgery soon and Dr. Arthur Ting, well-known sports surgeon, completed the surgery on Friday. Stewart could be out for six weeks!

http://tinyurl.com/yf6qvao

It is FINALLY official; John Hopkins has signed with Team Hammer to campaign their M4 Monster Suzuki GSX-R1000. He has done it a few times before, and the field is much more limited than usual. It looks like Hopper will pick up another Championship in Daytona SportBike - could happen, right?

http://tinyurl.com/y8tcetk

More Morning Moto News - FB Corse, VFR800RR Bioblade & MCN Motorcycle Show

FB Corse has officially announced that John Hopkins will no longer be their rider for the select rounds of the MotoGP series in 2010. Instead, they have selected another high-profile rider whose name we have yet to know. They insist that all is still on track for their first race, so they should be getting to testing very soon.

http://tinyurl.com/ybscz92

Could the replacement be Garry McCoy: http://tinyurl.com/ydy53fb

So, the VFR1200F was not as spectacular as we all expected it would be - Honda missed the mark a bit with that one. But, some Belgians have brought to us something Honda should have considered a rather long time ago. A 1999 VFR800 has been modified with Fireblade (CBR1000RR) suspension and a special engine adaptation which allows the bike to run on bio-fuel. Bio-fuel! And, it still turns out a respectable 134 HP and only weighs 212 kg (full of fuel). Honestly, if it is ever built and sold, I will buy one! Take a look at the VFR800RR Bioblade.

http://tinyurl.com/yazx7gt

At the upcoming MCN London Motorcycle Show, iconic race bikes from seasons past will be on display. These include Valentino Rossi's 2009 YZR-M1, Barry Sheene's Yamaha OW53, Kevin Schwantz's 1993 RGV500 and more. For all of the information, take the link.

http://tinyurl.com/y87f6cx

More Morning Moto News - Hopper, Mark Neale & Ben Spies

More news comes to us about John Hopkins and his dual role in 2010 with both the FB Corse MotoGP outfit and the M4 Suzuki AMA Pro Racing team. It seems that both options are a possibility - he may ride in two series this year. The FB Corse team, though, will only participate in select MotoGP rounds, but M4 will contest the entire American Superbike season. For more, take the link...

http://tinyurl.com/yf22uvd

More Hopper news: http://tinyurl.com/yd2gd89

Mark Neale is at it again! Remember the documentaries Faster and The Doctor, The Tornado and the Kentucky Kid? Well, he has now made on about last year's Isle of Man TTXGP race with the electric motorcycles - it is called, appropriately, Charge. Take the link and learn more...

http://tinyurl.com/yzqcrtd

It seems that Ben Spies will be one of the heaviest riders on the MotoGP circuit in 2010. He has given serious thought to losing some weight, but he also had some great success at Valencia while being at his current weight. Given how fit he is, I have to think that his weight is only a minor concern for his team, so nothing important to think about there...he is very talented and his size will not change that.

http://tinyurl.com/yz4pqh3

Monday Morning Moto News - Phillip Island, John Hopkins and Gresini

Down Under in Australia, Motorcycling Australia is looking for corner workers for the 2010 World Superbike Championship round at Phillip Island. It is the opener for the season and will take place from 26 through 28 February 2010. You will need your own transport to the track, but everything else is provided - though, you must camp at the event or pay for your own lodging. See the link for more.

http://tinyurl.com/ycnvdr3

FB Corse, who expect to compete in select MotoGP events in 2010 on their way to a full season, says that John Hopkins is still their rider no matter what the news reports have suggested. Apparently, FB Corse has said that they allowed the M4 Suzuki test in order to keep Hopper sharp. They have stated that he will be riding their three-cylinder MotoGP machine in 2010.

http://tinyurl.com/yeenonb

Gresini has announced their rider line-up for the 2010 Moto2 World Championship. They will field Toni Elias and a Russian rookie named Vladimir Ivanov. Elias was not expecting to end up here, but he will give it his best and hope to get back to MotoGP. Elias should be a good mentor for the newbie rider Ivanov due to his huge amount of experience. It should be a good team.

http://tinyurl.com/y8ugwpu

Friday Has Arrived - Moto News for Your Morning

At an upcoming AMA Pro Racing test at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, John Hopkins will be testing a Roadracingworld.com Suzuki GSX-R1000; he's been with them before, when he won his two AMA Championships in 2000 and 2001. He may very well end up in the American Superbike (update) class - and we should welcome him back to action. I missed him! The team will like the sponsorship he brings as well. We will see if he is there 2 -3 February 2010.

http://tinyurl.com/ycf6l6p

http://tinyurl.com/ylxllbb (update)

More: http://tinyurl.com/yh5afoe

Looking to see some video footage from the last round of the Indoor Enduro World Cup? Even if you are not, you have found it here. Husaberg has posted a video of their riders at the Italian event for all of us to enjoy. Go ahead and waste a little time this morning enjoying some awesome entertainment.

http://tinyurl.com/ycg72sk

And, just to finish this up with some industry news, we hear that KTM North America has restructured their sales department and dealer relations. These are mostly re-shuffles and people taking on some new responsibilities based on the changing climate with the industry and KTM itself. If you are interested, take the link and get up to date!

http://tinyurl.com/yc8omyz

It's Sunday Morning, Do You Know Where the News Is? Right Here!

We will start with some racing news coming out of FB Corse - the new MotoGP entrant who may or may not have signed John Hopkins to ride for them - who have made it official that they will be participating at the 17 March Qatar test this year. They will also have a test during the February Sepang test, but they will stay closer to their engineering base while testing - so, Europe. We should have an official unveiling of the team on 21 January 2010. For more, take the link.

http://tinyurl.com/ybabo2b

Next we have news of Anaheim 1 - the return of AMA Supercross for 2010. James Stewart has taken the first win in the Supercross class. Unfortunately, Chad Reed had to leave the race after a big crash damaged his front wheel too much to continue. In the Supercross Lites class (West), Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer took victory. For more, take the link...

http://tinyurl.com/y8tculy

And, in other AMA Supercross news, Monster Energy has renewed as the title sponsor for the event. It is a multi-year agreement which will see Monster's logo everywhere at every event on the calendar.

http://tinyurl.com/y8daxoe

Tuesday Morning News from the Moto World - Part 2

Now, we head on over to the second part of this morning's news...

First story here is an interview with current Rally Dakar champion Marc Coma. He is getting ready for the 2010 running of the event and the author caught up with him to ask him how it is all going. The 450c.c. limit - and the restriction of bikes with larger displacements - is a major area of discussion. Have a good read...

http://tinyurl.com/ylx8p2h

Apparently, earlier reports of John Hopkins joining the MotoGP FB Corse team are not accurate. His manager has now related that Hopper is considering many options and he is working with FB Corse now, but has signed nothing.

http://tinyurl.com/yg9jbzx

We also hear from some of his companions (Cal Crutchlow and Troy Corser) in the World Superbike Championship for 2010, James Toseland will enjoy and prosper in the series. They state that the culture there is much better suited to Toseland, even if it has changed since the last time he raced there.

http://tinyurl.com/ygx3v4j

Marco Simoncelli and Hiroshi Aoyama have finished up with their testing at the Sepang track in Malaysia. The first days of testing were hampered by bad weather, but the remaining time was very useful for both riders as they prepare for their first year in MotoGP in 2010.

http://tinyurl.com/yfp75d8

John Hopkins Will Return to MotoGP in 2010

He will be joining the FB Corse (FB Racing) team in the 2010 MotoGP riding their prototype triple, which is rumored to be the BMW engine which was left-over from their MotoGP attempt. Hopper will be very welcome back in the premier series, and is lucky to be avoiding time in the AMA paddock next season.

http://tinyurl.com/ya4btjx

Rumor: Ben Bostrom Signs with Pat Clark Motorsports

The rumor is that Bostrom has signed for the Yamaha-supported team of Pat Clark Motorsports to contend in the DMG/AMA Pro Racing American Superbike. The rumor continues with the possibility of both Jake Zemke and John Hopkins joining the same team for 2010. That would mean that Hopper will not be riding in World Superbike as he thought he might next year. Of course, this is only rumor for now, so who knows...

http://tinyurl.com/yhbkcwl

The State of World Superbike, MotoGP and Even Troy Bayliss

This is actually a good wrap up of the state of play between World Superbike, MotoGP, Moto2 and the rider and team circus we will see on the way to the 2010 season. Plus, there is even news here about Troy Bayliss and his V8 Supercar effort...

http://tinyurl.com/mdnx5x

John Hopkins is Out of World Superbike for 2009

Apparently, Hopper injured his brain - causing a small hemorrhage which has stopped bleeding - when he fell at Nurburgring in Germany. Dr. Ting, in the US, discovered the damage and has told him to sit out the rest of the 2009 season and to be observed over the next 6 weeks. It seems that Hopper is cursed...

http://tinyurl.com/lz5fee

Stiggy Racing to Race Yamaha Motorycles Next Season

Stiggy Racing has dropped Honda and signed with Yamaha for the 2010 season. The reasons seem to be related to financial issues, but which factory has these problems is unclear - most likely both of them...

http://tinyurl.com/nwnk6j