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 - 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

More Morning Moto News - Tom Tunstall, BSB Evo Debate & James Toseland

Tom Tunstall is ready for the assault on the 2010 British Superbike Championship. He remains with his 2009 team - Doodson Motorsport - and will continue to ride a Honda Fireblade (CBR1000RR). Tunstall did rather well last season and hopes to build on that success with the team he owns and rides for. Look out BSB, Tunstall is coming back!

http://tinyurl.com/yh5tpwc

The idea of the newly created BSB Evo class is to take Superstock engines, put them into Superbike frames and then use a spec-ECU. The idea is to keep costs down. However, Jack Valentine of the Worx Suzuki squad has said that it is cheaper to use some of the aftermarket products which the teams now use in the BSB main grid. This is likely accurate as the factory does charge a premium when you compare it against the aftermarket expenses...There is much more to this story and you would do well to have a read of it. The British Superbike rules may change even more for 2011...

http://tinyurl.com/ylj7g9g

Former MotoGP man and World Superbike Champion James Toseland will be the guest of honor at the 2010 Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators annual dinner on Friday 12th March at the Hilton Hotel, Douglas on the Isle of Man. Toseland will even entertain everyone on the keyboard as well as discuss certain international tax issues. Not what I would call a wild event, but it should be enjoyable nevertheless.

http://tinyurl.com/ycjtwuu

Yukio Kagayama Will Ride for Yoshimura Suzuki in Two Events

In between his duties at Worx Crescent Suzuki, Kagayama will join the Japanese Yoshimura team for two races - 2010 Suzuka 8 Hours and the Assen World Superbike event. He had agreed to do the events before he signed his contract with the British Superbike Worx Crescent team. Kagayama had originally planned to run at the Phillip Island WSB round, but the switch to Assen was made to cut back on travel time and distance adjustments...

http://tinyurl.com/ycpupla

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

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

Yukio Kagayama Wants the BSB Championship in 2010

He has been racing at the World level for a few years now, but he feels like he never finished his business at the British Superbike Championship. Now that he is back in that series for 2010, he is seriously working for the title. Back in 2004, he finished the BSB season in third place, so he does have a knack fro scoring points. This time he wants the championship for himself and those who support him...

http://tinyurl.com/yk3vboq

The 2009 Suzuki GSX-R1000 (K9) World Beater?

I wouldn't go that far as it does seem that Yamaha has been dominating many motorcycle racing series, but the Suzuki has certainly been successful as well. Just ask Mat Mladin or even the recently posted Sylvain Guintoli - who was injured for much of the BSB Championship this year - what they think of the Suzuki superbike...

http://tinyurl.com/yhoczwg

Worx Crescent Signs Yukio Kagayama for 2010 BSB

A favorite with British Superbike fans, Yukio Kagayama will be returning to the series and riding a Worx Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000. Kagayama has been continually racing for the last several years - riding for Rizla Suzuki in 2003 and 2004 and then riding in World Superbike since 2005. He should liven up the paddock a bit and most people do enjoy watching him race...

http://tinyurl.com/yk8hddx

Sylvain Guintoli Looking for Great Finish at Oulton Park

Since being injured and sidelined for much of the season, Guintoli has yet to get back to his winning form like his first several races in the 2009 British Superbike Championship. He has struggled a bit. Well, Oulton Park is relatively familiar to him, so he hopes to get back on the podium this coming weekend...

http://tinyurl.com/ya5jjce

Full Report from Silverstone BSB Round - Camier Takes 2009 Title!

It is now official, Leon Camier of Airwaves Yamaha is the new British Superbike Champion! It was a good race, according to reports, and it saw its fair share of surprises. Even Guintoli did well given his situation...

http://tinyurl.com/y9llhj8

Leon Camier is living his dream: http://tinyurl.com/yb55c4q

Sylvain Guintoli Anxious to Get to Silverstone Debut

Guintoli is looking forward to his Silverstone debut on the Worx Crescent Suzuki. It will be his first time to race at the track, but he really wants to have a good showing now that he is injury free.

http://tinyurl.com/l9m6ar

Guintoli's Worx Crescent Suzuki Squad Moving Forward After Dismal Croft Round

Even though Sylvain Guintoli did not have the greatest racing weekend at Croft, his team has managed to pull some meaningful data from the race. They hope to be able to use this to improve their results in the final two races of the 2009 season.

Guintoli Unsatisfied With BSB Qualifying Performance at Croft

Guintoli only managed to qualify for 17th position on the Croft grid for today's race and he is very unhappy with his own performance. Unfortunately, he crashed in the session and could only manage a 17th position start...

http://tinyurl.com/prx9ga

Guintoli to Ride with Worx Crescent Suzuki for 2010

Sylvain Guintoli has impressed Suzuki GB - in fact, Suzuki is so happy with him that they have signed him for the 2010 British Superbike season.

http://tinyurl.com/nmbyyt

Sylvain Guintoli Pulled Two Top 10 Finishes at Cadwell Park

Guintoli qualified well for the Cadwell Park BSB round, and he managed to turn that into a 7th and 8th place finish in the two races.

http://tinyurl.com/m6bwyj

Guintoli Does Very Well in Cadwell Park Qualifying

Sylvain Guintoli's work for the Worx Crescent Suzuki is going quite well. He turned in an impressive qualifying run yesterday at the track.

http://tinyurl.com/nkdura