The Big Day!
I know it’s been a while since I posted, but I had tons of traveling to do this summer, and sadly the SV has been sitting in the garage for a while now.
But tomorrow I’m flying (too far to ride) to Indianapolis for the US GP! I’m hoping to take lots of pictures and have something interesting to say at least once or twice over the next five days, so keep an eye out. When I get back I’ll put up anything I couldn’t post from my phone.
Also, I’ll be making my way up to western Massachusetts in a month or two, at which time I hope to get in a review of my Nelson Rigg luggage and maybe some other stuff.
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By the way, the belly pan I put on my bike ended up with blisters in the paint because it’s too close to the exhaust and I didn’t shield it enough. I will post the repair process at some point this fall as I do it.
Hayden's Best Showing This Season at Catalunya
So Nicky Hayden hasn’t been doing as well as I had hoped this year. Right now he’s in 19th place, mostly due to a crappy first few races involving crashes or various sorts. That Duc’ just wasn’t gelling with him. This weekend at Catalunya, though, Hayden pulled out 10th place after starting in the back of the pack and passing several other riders. Good job!
I’ve read in a few places that Hayden’s career in MotoGP is probably over after this year and he will move to World Superbike in 2010. I would be totally okay with that, since I am starting to become more of a fan of WorldSBK as my knowledge of the motorcycle racing world matures. I do hope he can do well in the rest of this MotoGP season, though, just because he’s a swell guy and I want to see an American do well.
In First Place: Team Agni
Rob Barber, riding Team Agni’s electric GSX-R600, won the first TTXGP at the Isle of Man. He was followed by Thomas Schoenfelder riding for XXL, and Mark Buckley on Brammo’s Enertia TTR. Congratulations Team Agni!
Seven teams competed in the race after the rest failed to qualify or broke down during the race. In the end the race was a little anticlimactic, but I suppose that is to be expected with new technology. Hopefully we’ll see this race again next year with stronger and more teams.
TTXGP Online Broadcast
I am not totally positive that this will work, but this is the best source I have been able to find for a broadcast of the TTXGP. ITV4 in the UK is broadcasting the race at 10:45 GMT. Hopefully they will be webcasting it, too.
(Note: ITV4′s webcast requires Silverlight. Sorry.)
Worlds First TTXGP in Less Than a Month!
The first Then again, maybe not.
Hayden crashed again after Takahashi grazed his Ducati from behind in the first lap at Motegi during the Japan GP. I’m bummed.
From Crash.net: “There are no words to describe how unlucky Nicky has been here… Unfortunately these things happen in racing and the most important thing is that he wasn’t injured,” stated team manager Livio Suppo.
As of this post Hayden only has 5 points to Rossi’s 65 and Stoner’s 54. He’s going to have to win the rest of the season to make this work for him. See more Motegi stats here.
Maybe not…
Nicky Hayden had a horrible crash last weekend in Qatar during qualifying. This put him way back in the back during the night-time race that was rescheduled because of rain. The bike was throwing parts before it threw him, so I’m thinking mechanical failure as opposed to rider error is to blame. I hope he can get back in shape for this week.
The Kentucky Kid
I’ve mentioned that I am going to this year’s Moto GP in Indianapolis in August, and this week I decided that I’m rooting for Nicky Hayden (more here).
One reason is that he is from the United States. His new stars and stripes livery mesh well with the reinvigorated patriotism surging through the country lately (a much healthier, more productive, and more genuine patriotism than the kind we had in 2001, I think), so I see him as a symbol of our national potential; a kind of flag bearer for the Americans that can’t quite get what they need even though they put in more than 100%.
The EV-Orr
This is the EV-0rr, designed by Xenophia Designs, and developed by Lotus and Evo Design Solutions. If they make a street version of this bike that retails for less than $20,000 this will be the future of motorcycles. For now we will have to make due with drooling over the illustrations. Eventually we’ll be watching it at the TTXGP and then, maybe, riding one. More at Hell for Leather Magazine.
I want this.
If I were to go out and buy a race-replica bike next year, I think it would be this one.
Time to Start Liking Red Bull
I just put my deposit on two tickets to the 2009 Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix next August. Three days of stupid-fast bikes plus the flat track race. Sa-weeeet!
I also just bought tickets to the International Motorcycle Show in January. Not quite as sweet, but still a nice fix to hold back the winter riding withdrawals. Plus I will finally get Annie to try on some gear.
And in other news, I just finished Jupiter’s Travels. It wasn’t bad, but there were a few places that frustrated me a bit too much. Review pending.
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