Reports from British Superbike Testing & James Toseland

The British Superbike Championship teams are mostly all in Cartagena, Spain, preparing for the 2010 season. This past week has seen many BSB riders running hard around the Spanish track in an effort to perfect bike settings and see what the machines are capable of. This time it seems that Swan Honda was the dominant force; Stuart Easton and James Ellison took the top two slots on the final standings. However, it appears that, un-officially, Tommy Hill broke the lap record at the track. For all the details please take one of the following links.

http://tinyurl.com/yzxrqbx

http://tinyurl.com/yz5e58w

Triumph: http://tinyurl.com/ycheej6

Yukio Kagayama was in PAIN: http://tinyurl.com/y8jgkd6

Also, we get a video interview with the returning World Superbike rider James Toseland. As you know, he was sent to WSBK from MotoGP after they gave his seat at Tech 3 Yamaha to Ben Spies. Well, now Toseland is in the WSBK paddock again and riding a Yamaha. To see what is in his mind at this point in his season, please take the link and see a video interview with the Superbike ace.

http://tinyurl.com/ygu5qu7

More Morning Moto News - Zero and Sheheen & BSB Testing

Zero Motorcycles has just announced that they have signed Ralph Sheheen as spokesperson for their line of electric motorcycles. You all know Sheheen from the SPEED Channel, or at least you should as he hosts just about every motorcycle competition on the TV station. He will join them immediately and will join them on their multi-city promotional tour which begins on 20 March 2010 in Washington D.C. For all the details, don't forget to take the link.

http://tinyurl.com/y9lkyyu

Josh Brookes has taken the lead at the pre-season British Superbike Championship testing at Gaudix. The Spanish circuit saw him take the unofficial lead away from Stuart Easton and Tommy Hill with his HM Plant Honda. The testing is certainly adding to Brookes' confidence and his belief that he does have a chance at winning the whole thing by season's end. For the details, please take the link.

http://tinyurl.com/y8d5ssw

More Morning Moto News - CAME Yamaha & Worx Crescent Suzuki

CAME Yamaha will launch their British Supersport Championship team at the grand opening of their new Manchester location during 25 - 27 March 2010. You will have a chance to meet the entire team - that includes riders, techs and other support members of the team. There will also be plenty of marketing schwag - hats, t-shirts and the like - as well as a chance to win tickets to selected rounds of the BSB series!

http://tinyurl.com/ydutthc

In more testing for the BSB season at Cartegena, Yukio Kagayama and his Worx Crescent teammate Tommy Hill were still the fastest on the track - both went past the track record lap time during their testing. We have covered this before, but this is a great piece from Alex Gobert, so go on over and check it out!

http://tinyurl.com/ydnyfug

Sunday Morning Moto News - Tommy Hill & Rene Cormier

On the second-to-last day of British Superbike Practice at the Cartagena, Spain, circuit, Worx Crescent rider Tommy Hill pulled the fastest lap of the day. The telling part of this feat is that Hill was setting consistent laps while working on many different aspects of race set up. This is a positive test for this team!

http://tinyurl.com/yj3yn8c

By the end of the test, Hill was still on top: http://tinyurl.com/yzs9fvt

Rene Cormier is another person who decided to take a motorcycle around the world. Seven years ago, Cormier sold just about everything he owned and packed up a BMW F650GS motorcycle and took off. The book he wrote about the journey is called "The University of Gravel Roads: Global Lessons From a Four Year Motorcycle Adventure" and Cormier will be in Calgary today discussing it. For all the details, please take the link...

http://tinyurl.com/ylmds3b

More Morning Moto News - Dávid Juhász, BMW & Husqvarna & Worx Crescent Suzuki

Dávid Juhász, from Hungary and only 17 years old, will be joining the MAR Kawasaki outfit in the 2010 British Superbike Championship. He will be the youngest rider on the Superbike grid, but he already has a Hungarian Superbike Championship to his credit. So, you can expect him to be a little green, but he should adapt quickly.

http://tinyurl.com/yhonkgw

BMW and their new purchase Husqvarna are using their new combined company to pursue synergistic racing teams. In that vein, BMW Motorrad is entering the E2 class of the FIM Enduro World Championship as the BMW Husqvarna Motorsport. This arrangement will give them access to the right technology, experience and people to succeed in their venture.

http://tinyurl.com/yhezwg3

Worx Crescent Suzuki has been at Portimao in Portugal doing some shake-down testing with their 2010 British Superbike Championship team. Riders Tommy Hill and Yukio Kagayama managed to complete some very important testing and get the information they were seeking ahead of the season start. They needed to time and it will go a long way to getting their team ready for 2010.

http://tinyurl.com/yg8ns6j

Tuesday Morning Moto News - Speed Dating & Aprilia Alitalia

Another edition of Road Racer X's Speed Dating column. This week we have birthdays for Takaaki Nakagami, Jason DiSalvo, Tommy Hill, Chaz Davies, Jim Moodie, John Surtees, Tadayuki Okada, Randy De Puniet, and Manuel Poggiali . Another very long list of great riders who will be one year older at the end of this week...for more details about the above-mentioned personalities, please take the link.

http://tinyurl.com/y9o2wd8

The Alitalia sponsored factory Aprilia team is ready to begin the 2010 World Superbike season. The team has released its livery for this year and they have made the final announcements about who and what and when and why. It will be Max Biaggi and Leon Camier dueling against the best in the world for the title on their lovely RSV-4 machines...

http://tinyurl.com/ya262hj

http://tinyurl.com/yfx8r7v

And, Another Reason to Be at the Carole Nash Show at the NEC

The Carole Nash International Motorcycle & Scooter Show at the NEC on the English Isle will be starting this weekend. It's a huge end-of-year bash like no other. British Supercross, twice! And, now we hear that the Worx Crescent Suzuki BSB teammates Tommy Hill and Yukio Kagayama will be on hand on Thursday (26 November) at 14:00 and on Saturday at 11:00 (probably the most crowded). Really, there is no excuse to miss this show as it runs so long and so much is going on all the time. Have fun!

http://tinyurl.com/yfbgwzv

More reason - A List of Celebrity Attendees: http://tinyurl.com/yeby2al

Tommy Hill Testing His New Worx Crescent Suzuki

Hill was at Mallory Park this week for a day of testing aboard the Worx Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000. It was rather necessary as he finished the season on a Honda CBR1000RR. The weather was not great, but Hill managed to get comfortable on the bike and turn in some decent lap times.

http://tinyurl.com/yarro3g

Racing Business Never Ends - Even in the Off-Season

So, much of what is contained in the linked article is just a round-up of recent news from teh MotoGP, Moto2, and World Superbike paddock. So, it will be a quick read for many. The one point of interest is Lorenzo's collarbone is now plate free - he had it removed this week as his bone seems to have healed. Just head over and get a quick update on the last week's racing news...

http://tinyurl.com/y89ny2w

Worx Crescent Suzuki Signs Tommy Hill for BSB Series

That's right, Worx Crescent has two riders competing for them in the British Superbike Championship. Tommy Hill recently signed for the 2010 team to join Yukio Kagayama, who was also recently signed. Given Hill's work for the team while Guintoli was injured, it is no wonder that they signed him. He should do very well next year once he and the team gel with each other...

http://tinyurl.com/y97l99s

Finally! Race Results from Sunday's Oulton Park BSB Rounds

Leon Camier could not get it done in race 1 on Saturday, but he sure made up for it on Sunday at Oulton Park. He took both race victories and brought his total to 19 wins on the 2009 season of the British Superbike Championship. The usual suspects filled out the podium in both races: Stuart Easton, James Ellison, Tommy Hill and Josh Brookes. It was an incredible weekend...if only they broadcast to the US...

http://tinyurl.com/yjwm4qx

http://tinyurl.com/ykrj8aj

http://tinyurl.com/yk5heon

HUGE Press Release Selection from BSB Oulton Park Round (and slightly beyond): http://tinyurl.com/ykzva6z

British Superbike Results from Oulton Park: Race 1

Well, Camier was unable to take the victory in the first race, but it was a close battle. Easton pulled out a last lap pass to take victory after a four-way battle for podium positions. Easton's teammate, Tommy Hill, took the final podium slot with James Ellison in fourth...

http://tinyurl.com/yf6sbzy

http://tinyurl.com/yfauvrm

Karl Harris Dominated BSB Oulton Park Practice

SMT Honda mounted Harris led both free practices at the Oulton Park BSB round. Leon Camier crashed pretty hard in the second practice and could not keep the pace. Tommy Hill came very close to Harris in FP2, but not FP1...Here are all Free Practice times available currently...

http://tinyurl.com/yzek2yo

FP1: http://tinyurl.com/yfjw8bq

FP2: http://tinyurl.com/yh5ufhr

Hydrex Honda Finished Top Five at Silverstone

They are not completely happy with the results - especially when you consider Stuart Easton's win at the last round - but, they are not too unhappy either. Easton and teammate Tommy Hill finished both races at Silverstone fourth and fifth, respectively. The team worked hard for these results...

http://tinyurl.com/yakm7em