More Morning Moto News - Phillip Island WSBK, Guy Martin and Stephen Thompson

We have another report from World Superbike Practice at Phillip Island in Australia. This time is is Carlos Checa who led the field in testing yesterday. Behind him was Michel Fabrizio, and sitting in third was day one's fastest rider Leon Haslam. If I find more of these reports, I will place them in this post.

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WSS: http://tinyurl.com/ydmfy6j

The BBC likes to follow a single rider during their preparation for the North West 200 real roads race held in the United Kingdom on 16 May 2010. They started the project, as far as I can tell, last year with James McCann. This year they will be taking on two racers - fan favorite Guy Martin and Stephen Thompson. The project has just started, but if you want to follow it, you should take the link below.

http://tinyurl.com/ybnr6tc

More Afternoon Moto News - Racing Insider & More NW200 Participants

From our friend Alex Gobert in Australia comes this week's Racing Insider. As usual, he covers the big motorcycle racing series - WSBK, ASBK, MotoGP, AMA Superbike, Aussie Motocross and AMA Supercross. The news is big given the fact that in two days the racing season will begin for Australian and World Superbike...you should be getting ready!

http://tinyurl.com/yd8tc86

MSS Colchester Kawasaki will be supporting three Northern Irish riders in the North West 200 event this coming May. Riders entered will be Ryan Farquhar and Stephen Thompson on ZX-10Rs and Jamie Hamilton on a ZX-6R. Considering the importance of this race, it is nice to see even more riders and teams joining the competition.

http://tinyurl.com/ygkbajx

More Afternoon Moto News - Aprilia and BSB & Alastair Seeley's NW200

Aprilia has also announced that they will be in the 2010 BSB Evo Championship. That makes it eight manufacturers participating in the series - a nice, large number of variety. The Splitlath Motorsport team will be campaigning their machines with riders (and brothers) Chris and Joe Burns. That makes some 32 riders on the BSB grid, with 12 of them competing in the new Evo series. (This may be a repeat post, but it is a new article.)

http://tinyurl.com/ygges5t

Alistair Seeley may not be able to race in the North West 200 Superbike class this year. We all know that long-time fan favorite Stuart Easton will be returning to the event, but leaving Seeley out of the premier race will make it less of a special event. For now, Seeley's team will be talking with the organizers of the event to see if they can get him into the proper classes at the 15 May 2010 event.

http://tinyurl.com/yz883y6

Wednesday Morning Moto News - Leon Camier, MIST Suzuki & Steve Plater

Only because the story has somehow become syndicated I will post it here. Apparently, Leon Camier is quite happy with the new Aprilia WSBK livery. He is very excited at the opportunity to ride in the World Superbike Championship. For more, take the link...though, you know most of it already.

http://tinyurl.com/yekdu3k

British Superbike team MIST Suzuki may not be ready for the 2010 season opener at Brands Hatch, 3 - 5 April. The bikes they will be running are doing quite well, and the team is as ready as they can be to tackle the championship. However, they are having serious sponsorship issues - as many are - and may not have everything they need in order to start the season, including the all important rider...check it out:

http://tinyurl.com/y9r29c9

New news is coming to us about Steve Plater and his run at the North West 200 road race. Plater will contest five different races at the event; two Supersport, two Superbike and, now, one Superstock race as well. He will be riding for the HM Plant Honda team for the event.

http://tinyurl.com/yckrnhy

Even More Morning Moto News - Vancouver, BSB & Capirossi

If you live in the Pacific-Northwest, you must learn about the Vancouver Motorcycle Show. It will be held from 21 to 24 January 2010 in the TRADEX Exhibition Centre in Abbotsford, near Vancouver, BC. It is a pretty big deal for that part of Canada and almost every large manufacturer will be on hand with their latest and greatest products. Take the link to learn more - attend if you are able!

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Sure to be another star of the above show: http://tinyurl.com/yflh6s6

Over in the British Superbike Championship, they have again appointed Mervyn Whyte MBE - who is the North West 200 Race Director - to be Chief Steward of the 2010 running of the series. This is his second stint at this position, which he did well previously, and he is more than happy to take up the work.

http://tinyurl.com/yhobzxn

Loris Capirossi has now said that the MotoGP paddock is a place for 'girls' (no offense of females intended, he simply meant young and scared) and real roads racing is where the men are today. He stated this as he was letting us know that he hopes to attend the Isle of man TT this year (in a car, he says) to help celebrate 50 years of competition for Suzuki. I understand what he is saying, but he is no 'girl' in the sense that he is frightened - he is a very brave competitor, IMHO.

http://tinyurl.com/yazjz9j

A Busy Wednesday Morning - Moto Race News from All Over

Let's start with Husaberg's US WORCS and Enduro riders. The list is short, but there are 'read more' links to other pages of information. So, in short, riders Nathan Woods, Mike Lafferty and Nick Fahringer will be riding for the marque in these US off-road racing series. For more information, take the link and Read More...

http://tinyurl.com/yb2dowj

Moving on, we have more news on the North West 200 race - Stuart Easton really wants to take on this race. He will be riding in the British Superbike Championship in 2010, but he will not miss this real roads race unless his BSB team will not let him compete due to safety concerns...I hope he makes it!

http://tinyurl.com/yet6waa

And, we get more behind the Tom Sykes story - he will remain in World Superbike for 2010. However, you probably already know that Yamaha jettisoned him and now he is riding on a Kawasaki for the next season. It was a good opportunity for he otherwise would be riding back in British Superbike.

http://tinyurl.com/y922lzh

Looks like I have run out of tag room again...on to part two...

Tuesday Afternoon Moto Race News and a Solo Cross-Country Trip

Well, the North West 200 has already started preparations for this year's event. Relentless, an energy drink company and sponsor of the TAS Suzuki team, will also be major sponsor, along with Black Horse Finance, for the 2010 North West 200 which will run on 15 May. The usual amazing real roads racers, and some nominally sane circuit specialists, will be taking on the event this time around. As long as the weather holds this year, it will be a great event.

http://tinyurl.com/ya394kn

Even more about the North West 200: http://tinyurl.com/ydwn8ts

25-year-old Jamie Hansen had to travel across the US mainland to get to her new job in California from her home in Florida. And, to make this trip, she took a 1981 Honda CM400T. Brave woman! She managed to take her time and see some of this huge nation while making the trip. She did so successfully and with her own pure grit and determination made a trip of a lifetime - yet she still has much more life to live!

http://tinyurl.com/yefdl24

More Wednesday Moto News from Just About Everywhere, Part 3

Even more news...

Ducati is returning to the Australian Superbike Championship in 2010! This is big news as they will also be teaming up with Motologic Racing for their team effort in the series. No riders have yet to be announced, but it is believed that former ASBK Champion Jamie Stauffer will be on the team.

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Alistair Seeley has announced his attempt on the 'flying five' at the North West 200 this year. If he does it, he will equal the results of Phillip McCallen. The race is set to go off in May, so he has some time to prepare. Seeley will ride a Suzuki in two Superbike, two Supersport and the Superstock races during the event. It will be fun to watch him!

http://tinyurl.com/yfrgc6d

Next is a special from Alex Gobert in Australia, the first 2010 edition of "Racing Insider". There is news here for the US Supercross, Australian Motocross, Australian and World Superbike; all of it is about the Australian participants in each of these series. So, go and read about what to expect in 2010.

http://tinyurl.com/yb67ywx

Steve Plater to Race in British Superstock in 2010

Plater won the British Supersport title in 2009 and now will move on to Superstock in 2010 for a new challenge. His teammate on the HM Plant Honda team will be well-known TT ace John McGuinness, so it will at least be an interesting team to watch. Two great riders on a great race bike - why would you miss it?

http://tinyurl.com/ygpo7ct

North West 200 Getting Ready for 2010

The organizers of the event have removed the 250c.c. class for next year's event - I assume owing to the final 250GP being run in 2009. But, there will still be six races over the course of the event; 125c.c., Superstock, 2 x 600 Supersport, and 2 x Superbike races. As it is every year, it will be worth attending no matter what your plans are...

http://tinyurl.com/ydvr4mx

Irish Racing Ace Michael 'Micko' Sweeney Moving Up

Sweeny won the Irish Southern Centre Championship in 2009 after only four years of road racing - a great feat for a 27-year-old truck driver. Now he and his team are moving up to race in many more events in 2010 - he even has a new sponsor and will be running two Yamahas. His team may even get to compete in the BSB Superstock if all goes well...

http://tinyurl.com/ykfg7at

Irish TT Racer - Walter Rusk - Blonde Bombshell

Supposedly, the town of Ulster still remembers Walter Rusk. I hope that is true. He raced in several 'real roads' races - of course, those were the only races in many locations - during the 1930's right up until World War II. He raced for the likes of Norton, AJS, Sunbeam, and Velocette. He died while in training to become a Royal Air Force pilot...ending this amazing life way too early.

http://tinyurl.com/yda33o6

MSS Colchester Kawasaki Signs Ryan Ryan Farquhar

Farquhar is a double TT winner and the Irish Motorcyclist of the Year - he has even beaten Joey Dunlop’s amazing total of 119 Irish national race wins. MSS Colchester is quite happy to have him in their garage, and they will be campaigning the Isle of Mon TT, Northwest 200, and Ulster Grand Prix 'real roads' races. This was all announced at the Carole Nash show at the NEC.

http://tinyurl.com/yfy38vy

14th Annual Motorcycle Sports Awards Presentations Northern England

In the town of Barrow-in-Furness in the U.K., the Sports Awards will be presented to local motorcycle racers who have made a real impact on the sport in 2009. It was organized by an Isle of Man TT and Manx Grand Prix racer, Les Trotter. Several local riders and even around 200+ fans will be in attendance to enjoy the show!

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New DVD: 2009 Running of North West 200

It is one of the hardest races to compete in - and even dangerous to participants. But, it is also one incredible race weekend to behold. Well, now you can watch the 2009 event from the comfort of your home - and pause, rewind, frame-by-frame analyze, or whatever you want to do to catch the race in all of its glory. Just get to your local video store (or, go online where it is easier to find) and pick up your copy of the North West 200 2009 DVD.

http://tinyurl.com/yca599u