MotoUP, an organization that has donated substantially to the Roadracing World Action Fund, is hosting a three-day VIP experience at the upcoming Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas at the Circuit of The Americas.

The three-day pass goes for $1,795 and includes three days of “full bar, curated food and entertainment that gives back,” the organization says.

The VIP pass for COTA is a fundraiser for the group’s support of a nonprofit organization that uses motorcycles to assist veterans and first responders. The MotoUP organization is involved in fundraising activities including donating a total of $22,000 to date to the Action Fund.

The organization began in 2019 as a group of volunteers assisting with the Grand Prix of The Americas. After that, the founders decided to run a VIP event at the race to raise funds for the veterans community. 

“This effort is near and dear to our hearts and the importance of assisting our veteran community is vital to our mission,” says Szu-Moy Toves, Vice President, Communications, MotoUP.

From a news release by MotoUP:

The MotoUp team curates an unforgettable weekend packed with excitement! Speed, cutting-edge technology, expert panels, rider meet-and-greets, and so much more. But, that’s not why we come together every year.

Sure, we all love the adrenaline of motorcycles, the thrill of the MotoGP Official Moto Trainer, and the exclusive access to the paddock and garages. But at the heart of MotoUp Weekend, from March 28-30, is something bigger—raising critical funds for Motorcycle Missions.

This organization is transforming the lives of veterans and first responders, using motorcycles as a tool for healing, purpose, and community. Their impact extends beyond their local headquarters, reaching heroes nationwide.

So yes, come for the experience, but stay for the mission—because together, we ride and move for something greater.

For tickets, email szumoys@yahoo.com.

The post MotoGP: MotoUP Offering VIP Package At Grand Prix Of The Americas appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.

Willow Springs International Raceway has been sold to a private equity firm, and the track’s existing management has told all remaining tenants to vacate the property by the end of the month, according to notices posted at the circuit.

The storied track has been acquired by CrossHarbor Capital Partners, which has not responded to an email from Roadracing World seeking comment. A sale price was not immediately available.

Notices have been posted by the track’s current management saying the property must be vacated by March 29 at 5 pm or it will become the property of CrossHarbor. Since the death of longtime Willow Springs owner Bill Huth in 2015, the facility has been operated by his children.

On its website, CrossHarbor describes itself as:

“Founded in 1993 by loan workout and property turnaround specialists, CrossHarbor is a long-standing, privately-owned investment and asset management firm focused exclusively on commercial real estate located within the United States. The firm manages multiple fund strategies that invest across the risk/return spectrum on behalf of a diversified and highly regarded group of endowments, foundations, public and corporate pension plans, financial institutions, family offices and sovereign entities.”

The 600-acre Willow Springs property’s roots go back to 1953 when a flowing, nine-turn, 2.5-mile road course was built and soon earned the reputation as “the Fastest Road in the West.”

Over the years, the facility was expanded. Now, Willow Springs International Raceway includes eight separate tracks: the 2.5-mile paved road course (which was partially repaved in 2023), the 1.8-mile Streets of Willow paved road course; the 1.0-mile Horse Thief Mile paved road course; the paved 0.625-mile Willow Springs Kart Track; a 0.25-mile paved autocross and drifting track called the Balcony; the quarter-mile Willow Springs Speedway paved oval; and Walt James Stadium, which includes 3/8-mile paved and clay oval tracks.

The facility operates year-round and has hosted sanctioned racing, riding and driving schools, track days, and TV and movie production non-stop since it opened. Huth also founded the Willow Springs Motorcycle Club (WSMC) to run club races at the track in 1991, following disputes with AFM (over a club associate criticizing EMTs at the track) and ARRA, (which Huth said ran events without the track-required medical insurance). 

WSMC ran the third Sunday of every month for most of its 21-year history before it was closed down in 2012.

According to a post on thedrive.com, the new owners said, “Crossharbor is honoring all current bookings, subject to normal course-of-business adjustments.”

The post Willow Springs Raceway Sold, Tenants Told To Move Out appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.

Initially, Yamaha announced that MotoGP test rider Augusto Fernandez would replace Rea as he continues his recovery from the foot injuries, he sustained in Australia with the Spaniard taking part in the test on the 14th and 15th March. However, during the Argentine Grand Prix, Prima Pramac Yamaha rider Miguel Olivera sustained injuries that have ruled him out of the upcoming Grand Prix of the Americas, with Fernandez now replacing the Portuguese star in MotoGP instead at the Circuit of the Americas, which takes place on the same weekend.

That means Yamaha’s WorldSBK effort has been put in the unusual situation of needing to name a new replacement rider at short notice. That has fallen on Australian star O’Halloran, who joined the YART Yamaha EWC team for 2025. O’Halloran is also set to begin a role as a test rider for Yamaha in WorldSBK, although he has yet to ride the WorldSBK-spec bike, and he already has plenty of experience with Yamaha machinery from his time in the British Superbike championship.

The 37-year-old started his BSB career in 2008, with Honda machinery and racked up 15 podiums for the Japanese brand, including victory at Snetterton in 2016. For the 2019 season, the Wollongong, New South Wales, native moved to Yamaha the McAMS Yamaha team and racked up a further 26 victories onboard the Yamaha R1 during his four seasons with the team. He finished as runner-up in the championship standings in 2020 and third in 2021. For the 2024 season, he moved to Kawasaki machinery and took a further win.

However, for 2025, he returned to Yamaha in a different series as he joined the YART outfit for their Endurance World Championship campaign. He replaced the retiring Niccolo Canepa and races alongside Karel Hanika and Marvin Fritz, and, with their testing programme across the winter, has been getting back up to speed on an endurance-spec Yamaha R1 machine while his first taste of the WorldSBK spec bike will come in FP1 at Portimao.

Jason O’Halloran said: “I’m excited to get the opportunity to ride for the Pata Maxus Yamaha team in Portimao while Jonathan continues to recover. I have really enjoyed being back on the R1 in pre-season testing with YART, it’s a bike I’ve always gelled well with, and I had a lot of success with the R1 in BSB, so to try it in full WorldSBK spec is something I’m looking forward to. Of course, heading into a race weekend with no testing is jumping in at the deep end a little bit but I will give it my best for the team and for Yamaha while also remembering that the EWC season starts in just a few weeks! I’d like to thank Yamaha and the team for the opportunity and to wish Jonathan a speedy recovery.”

Canepa who took on the role of Road Racing Sporting Manager at Yamaha Motor Europe following his retirement, added: “We are really happy to welcome Jason to the Pata Maxus Yamaha team in WorldSBK. He is currently our EWC rider and is also our WorldSBK test rider, but he has not had the chance to ride the bike yet! The Portimao weekend will be a good opportunity to get a first touch of the bike together with our competitors to understand the bike’s level so he can contribute to our development work as we continue to look to improve. Of course, we all know Jason’s speed, he is the most victorious rider for Yamaha in BSB and knows the R1 well in BSB spec, which is very similar to WorldSBK spec, and he also knows the Pirelli tyres. He has been extremely fast in the winter tests with the EWC YART bike so I believe he will have a good race weekend. We are very close to the Le Mans test and race so thanks to YART for allowing us to borrow Jason in this very busy period for them.”

The post World Superbike: O’Halloran Substituting For Rea In Portugal appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.

Initial medical examinations at the circuit‘s medical center in Termas de Rio Hondo ruled out fractures but confirmed a significant sternoclavicular contusion and a large hematoma. Forced to miss the GP, Miguel returned to Portugal on Sunday for further medical assessments, which revealed a dislocation of the sternoclavicular joint along with ligament involvement.

In the coming days, Oliveira will undergo additional examinations to monitor his progress.

Stepping in for Miguel at the GP of the Americas and representing Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP aboard the YZR-M1 will be 27-year-old Madrid native and 2022 Moto2 World Champion, Augusto Fernandez, who is serving as a Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Test Rider this season.

The entire Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP team wishes Miguel a full and speedy recovery and warmly welcomes Augusto to the team.

“First of all, I want to thank the team and the doctors who treated me. After returning home, I had an MRI that detected a dislocation of the sternoclavicular joint with ligament rupture. Obviously, we discussed the fastest recovery options, and it was decided to keep the arm immobilised for some time. The time of return is unpredictable because we have to await my body’s biological response. We will evaluate every week how the situation is. We are working on returning to the track as soon as possible, but above that we will focus on my recovery and getting back to 100% fitness.”

— Miguel Oliveira, Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP

“First of all, I want to send Miguel my best wishes for a speedy recovery. I hope he can be back soon. I also want to thank Yamaha and Pramac for this opportunity. Austin is an awesome track, and I can‘t wait to be back riding the M1. I am really looking forward to starting the race weekend.”

— Augusto Fernández, Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Test Rider

“I am really sorry for the injury Miguel has suffered, especially at a time in the season when he was gaining more and more confidence with his YZR-M1 and the team. Unfortunately, luck hasn‘t been much on his side in recent years, but knowing him, I am sure he will react like the true fighter he is and come back strong and motivated as before. The most important thing right now is that he receives the best possible treatment and can return to the track as soon as possible. As for Augusto, welcome to our team! Despite the short notice, I am confident that we will be able to do a great job together, with the entire Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP team ready to support him at all times.”

— Gino Borsoi, Team Director, Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP

The post MotoGP: Fernandez Substituting For Oliveira At COTA appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.

Race dates are April 26, June 14, and July 12. All races are held on Saturday, with an open practice day hosted by the facility on Friday. A new racer school will be offered on Friday. All three events will provide young racers the opportunity to qualify for the Mission Mini Cup National Final to be held at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, August 8-10. Qualifiers will be held for all six classes: Stock 50 (ages 6-8), Stock 110 (ages 8-12), GP110 (ages 10-14), GP 160 (ages 10-14), GP 190 (ages 12-16), and Street GP (ages 12 and up).

The series is generously supported by Dunlop, who is also providing tire contingency. Additional contingency is provided by Continental and Pirelli.

Ohvale USA, Honda, Kawasaki, and Yamaha will be supplying manufacturers’ contingency for the series. Ohvale motorcycles will be available for rent from Eleven Motorsports. Information for contingency and rentals will be on the Texas Mini Cup website.

Online registration is now open through Alpha Timing and Registration, making it easy for racers to secure their spot on the grid! Register now here:

texasminicup.alphatiming.co.uk/register/events/13895

Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of the action-packed Texas Mini Cup season! For more details on race dates, classes, registration, and sponsorship opportunities, visit our website:

About Texas Mini Cup

Texas Mini Cup is an AMA-sanctioned mini moto racing series designed to develop the next generation of motorcycle road racing talent. With a focus on safety, competition, and progression, the series offers young riders a structured pathway to MotoAmerica while competing at a premier racing venue.

The post MotoAmerica: Texas Mini Cup Announces Qualifier Dates appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.

From its early beginnings in 2018, Estenson Racing has enjoyed a lot of success with Yamaha in the American Flat Track series. In addition to three AFT Singles titles, the team rose to being a serious title contender in the premier SuperTwins class. Alongside technical development in the sport of dirt track racing, the team has also worked to bring up-and-coming talent through the ranks, starting with Dallas Daniels, who after concluding a successful amateur career with both Nicky Hayden AMA Horizon Awards for Flat Track and Road Racing, went on to earn back to back AFT Singles titles with the team and contend for the SuperTwins crown since his debut in the premier class.

On the heels of three 85cc AMA Flat Track Grand National titles in 2022 and being named AMA Youth Rider of the Year, Sam Drane was signed to Estenson Racing’s rider development program in 2023. Joining his brother Tom, who heads the team’s efforts in the AFT Singles Championship, Sam has added more amateur titles to his resume, including three AMA Flat Track Grand National Championships aboard the YZ250F. The 14-year-old Australian – who has already demonstrated road racing aptitude riding the Yamaha R3 to victory at Philip Island in the Australian Supersport 300 class – now sets his sights on taking top honors in the MotoAmerica Talent Cup aboard the Yamaha BLU CRU branded Kramer APX-350 MA Moto 3 machine.

Beginning in 2013 as an initiative designed to reward racers and support Yamaha’s YZ contingency program, BLU CRU evolved into a broader customer loyalty program and a global initiative with international collaborations, training camps, and events designed for every rider. It is also the foundation of Yamaha’s talent development program, which is designed to cultivate the next generation of talent in both road and off-road racing and to help pave the way to success in their respective premier class championships, reaching the highest levels in the SuperMotocross World Championship and MotoGP.

New for 2025 is the MotoAmerica Talent Cup. Part of the “Road to MotoGP,” which is the collective name for global competitions and programs for young riders around the world that MotoGP supports, the seven-round, 14-race championship is designed to be a stepping stone to higher levels of road racing competition. All riders compete on the same machinery, highlighting rider skill and talent. Participants will also receive coaching and support from former racers and technical staff to help build their skills, race craft, and understanding of the sport. ln addition to competing for the national title, up to five of the top-ranked riders in the MotoAmerica Talent Cup will get invited to participate in the RedBull MotoGP Rookies Cup Selection Event.

The MotoAmerica Talent Cup begins its debut season on the world stage, with the opening round being held in conjunction with MotoGP at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, on March 28-30.

Jeff Sidlovsky – Yamaha Racing Assistant Department Manager for YMUS

“We are pleased to announce our expanded partnership with Estenson Racing to lead our efforts in the MotoAmerica Talent Cup. Together, we have already achieved a lot of success in American Flat Track, and we look forward to continuing that success in this new MotoAmerica class championship. We are also proud to be a part of the MotoAmerica Talent Cup as it is a series designed to nurture young riders and provide a more direct path to higher levels of racing, and meshes well with our BLU CRU initiatives to foster racing.”

Tommy Hayden – Yamaha BLU CRU Estenson Racing Team Manager

“Sam has been a part of our amateur program for the past couple of years. With his brother Tom racing for the team in AFT Singles, he’s been around the shop and trains with the team during the week, so we’ve been working with him and have gotten to know him well. He has an interest in road racing, and the MotoAmerica Talent Cup seemed like a cool class and opportunity for a young up-and-coming rider like Sam. The new series was something that Yamaha was excited about as well, and it all came together. We’re really looking forward to getting the season started at COTA.”

Sam Drane – Yamaha BLU CRU Estenson Racing #59

“I’m really excited to be racing the MotoAmerica Talent Cup this year. I’d like to thank Estenson Racing and Yamaha for the opportunity. It’s going to be really fun, and I’m really looking forward to the year ahead and seeing what it brings.”

About Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.

Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. (YMUS), is a recognized leader in the outdoor recreation industry. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings include Motorcycles and Scooters, ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles, Snowmobiles, Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outboard Motors, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars [sold, serviced, and distributed by Yamaha Golf-Car Company], Power Assist Wheelchair Systems, Surface Mount Technology and Robotic Machines, Unmanned Helicopters, Accessories, Apparel, Yamalube products, and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of distributors and dealers in the United States.

The post MotoAmerica: Yamaha Partners With Estenson, Drane In Talent Cup appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.

Many of the grid’s Ducati riders enjoyed a very strong start to the season. Phillip Island’s Round 1 saw Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) earn his career-first WorldSBK hat-trick, propelling himself out to an early lead in the Riders’ Championship. Alongside him in the garage, Alvaro Bautista had a strong weekend, finishing P3 in Race 1, and P2 in Race 2, the only hiccup coming in the Tissot Superpole Race, in which he finished in P19 after a Turn 6 crash set him far behind the rest of the grid.

Unfortunately, once again, rain made its presence felt in Portuguese testing, giving déjà vu to the preseason event held here in late January. In essence, the rainfall limited teams to half days each day, a tough break for what has already been a limited preseason. While the rain was present, riders had more dry running time than they saw in the prior preseason event. Here are some of the takeaways for the pair in their own words:

While Bulega earned P2 on both days, he was fortunate that he walked away from the test uninjured as in Turn 11, he crashed off of the track requiring a trip to the medical center, while they gave him the all-clear shortly after, it ate into his already limited time on track. On his experience across the testing days, Bulega said “it was a bit of a difficult test for us because we worked hard to find a good feeling, but it didn’t arrive. This morning [Day 2] I had a big crash on a very fast corner here in Portimao. Fortunately, I am good, but it was more difficult to work because we lost some time as a result, then later the rain made it a difficult and strange test. At the end of the session, the last 15 minutes, we were a bit better; we still have lots of work to do but in the end, we were a lot better.”

Alvaro Bautista elected to only take to the track on Saturday’s Day 2, and despite being uncharacteristically low on the time sheet, the veteran rider does not seem concerned about his odds in the upcoming Portuguese Round. “We were able to do some laps, especially in the morning, we started the day with the same setup that we finished the last round with, in Australia.” said Bautista, “The feeling was good, I felt good on the bike. We made some small changes but nothing big. In the afternoon with the rain, the feeling was a bit worse because I couldn’t feel the tires as easily. In general, in the morning I felt good, the pace wasn’t too bad, but we will have to see what the conditions will be like on the race weekend, we prepared the base setup and we will adapt the package from there.”

More, from a news release by WorldSBK:

On the heels of a difficult season opening weekend in Phillip Island, the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team knew their work was cut out for them. 2024’s defending Champion, Toprak Razgatlioglu looked a step slower than his usual self, and Michael van der Mark struggled to place within the scoring positions, landing a pair of P14’s in Race 2 and the Tissot Superpole Race after a Turn 1 crash ruled him out of Race 1. Fortunately for the German team, at Portimao test event held March 14-15th ahead of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s Pirelli Portuguese Round seemed to bear fruit with a step forward in terms of pace and feeling.

On top of what was already a complicated preseason thanks to poor weather across both testing events first in Jerez then in Portimao; BMW was dealt a tough hand as they needed that time on track more than most in order to fine-tune their newly homologated M 1000 RR. Phillip Island has never been a particularly strong circuit for either rider, as only Toprak has won one race there, and that sole race win was in 2020 during his time with Yamaha. This 2025 season-opening trip Down Under was fraught with issues as both riders seemed to struggle with the new bike.

In Portimao however, BMW look to have turned a new leaf, with both riders not only being fast, but consistently fast. Both riders prior in their careers have enjoyed more success at Portimao than at Phillip Island. Michael van der Mark won the Superpole Race here in 2021. Toprak for his part has won six races here and earned rostrum finishes another 7 times. BMW Team Manager Shaun Muir was pleased to see the progress exhibited by his riders.

“We’re back in Portimao, which has always been a strong reference for us,” said Muir. “Despite some lost track time due to the weather, both riders managed an average of 50 laps per day, so we can’t be too disappointed. Michael had a solid test, working through a list of setup items and making steady progress. On the other side of the garage, Toprak focused on re-establishing his base setting, quickly finding a strong race pace while fine-tuning his setup. His 10-lap race runs have been some of the most consistent we’ve seen with this package. With only three fully productive pre-season test days before Australia, these two days have been an important extension of that work. The team has made clear progress, and we’re seeing growing confidence in both riders. Now, with two weeks until the race, we feel we have a solid base to build on and are in a much stronger position heading into FP1.”

While the new M 1000 RR platform certainly still lacks polish, and there is more to yet improve, the test results after Day 2 in Portimao certainly seems to have put wind in BMW’s sails. While rain again made an appearance in Portimao across both days of testing, both days had at least a portion of the day in which the track was dry, a key for BMW’s mission to return to their 2024 form. While it is of course uncertain the weather which will be present in two weeks’ time for the race weekend, it is certainly a good sign for the German manufacturer’s factory team that their riders are closer to being back on pace for their stated goal of winning both the Riders’ and Manufacturers’ Championship this year. BMW Motorrad Technical Director Chris Gonschor gave his impressions following their positive finish after two days of testing in Portimao.

Gonschor said: “We are happy to be back in Europe, back in Portimao after a successful race last year. It’s a beautiful track, and luckily, we had some sun. It was a bit more complicated again, but we got some dry laps in, and we could prepare the race bikes for the weekend. We are looking forward to the race. Both riders in the top four with consistent lap times was a big step forward. Coming back to Portimao is always great, and this rollercoaster racetrack is very demanding—for the riders, for the engineers—but fascinating for the fans. So, it’s perfect to be here, and it was good to have, like I said, a few hours in dry conditions to prepare the race setup and application.”

More, from a news release by WorldSBK:

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship paddock welcomed Augusto Fernandez (Pata Maxus Yamaha) to the paddock for his first ever WorldSBK event at the test days in Portimao. Fernandez joined the team after Jonathan Rea suffered a several fractures in his left foot after a crash prior to the Australian Round. He remains without an official timeline, but it was announced shortly after Rea returned to Europe that he would miss the Pirelli Portuguese round, hence the arrival of Fernandez.

Rea’s highside crash in Phillip Islands Turn 2 sent his Yamaha R1 cartwheeling down onto his left foot, culminating in the Spanish 2022 Moto2 champion being called in to replace the six-time champion Rea. Fernandez has since been a test driver in MotoGP as well as a grid rider for Red Bull GasGas Tech3 from 2023-2024, his best result coming in his rookie year when he took home a 4th place finish from Le Mans. Only becoming a WorldSBK rider a matter of weeks ago, Fernandez has had his work cut out for him in adapting to the different style of bike, however in testing so far, Fernandez hasn’t been far off pace, so far landing a pair of P13 finishes after the two days of testing in Portimao.

On the differences between the bikes and the things he’s needed to adapt to, Fernandez said “The tires are a big thing, they’re completely different to what I’m used to. Then of course, the bike is different…A lot of things, but I’m getting used to it, I’m happy with the team, I want to thank them for the job they’ve done, it hasn’t been an easy two days but we’ve managed to learn a lot from these days and we’re still not 100% ready for the race, but we will get there.”

The test in Portimao ahead of Round 2’s action was highly anticipated by not only Fernandez who is still acclimating to WorldSBK, but by a grid of teams who didn’t have adequate time to prepare for the season thanks to inclement weather mitigating testing potential in the preseason. Now that these two days are in the books, unfortunately the rain has played a considerable role in the events on-track for Fernandez and the rest of the grid. Rain aside, 27-year-old Fernandez is taking the bull by the horns and accepting the challenge.

“We didn’t have the best of weather, so not a lot of track time, but in the end luckily, we had the last hour. It was an important one because we had some things on our mind that we wanted to try out and to forward the learning process.” said Fernandez “I’m happy how everything went, we managed to improve the lap time at the very end, so I’m happy about that. Now to just continue getting to know the team and trying to get ourselves ready for the race weekend.”

More, from another release by WorldSBK:

Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) looks to have taken a step in his riding atop his KB998 Rimini in his performance on Day 2 of testing at Portimao’s Autodromo Internacional do Algarve

Day 2 saw him take a step forward, trading his Day 1 P7 for a Day 2 P3. The conditions in the test looked to finally be dry, allowing the grid for the grid get some dry running time after a rainy pair of days in Portimao in late January. This was the case for the first half of the day, however just before lunch, the weather turned. Sporadic rainfall sent riders to the garage for most of the afternoon apart from the last half hour when the track was finally dry enough for riders to push.

A start to not only the 2025 MOTUL FIM Superbikes World Championship season, but to the latest chapter in Bimota’s WorldSBK racing history took place last round, in Australia. Atop their new bike, Alex Lowes and his teammate Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) rang in the manufacturer’s return well, with Lowes earning a Pair of 8th place finishes in Races 1 and 2, as well as a P7 in the Tissot Superpole Race. Since then, Lowes was consistent on his Day 1 P7, and in Day 2, he looked to be even more comfortable, taking a step forward and landed in P3 late in the afternoon session.

On his feeling with the bike, Lowes said, “Today I felt good on the bike, honestly these two days have probably been the best I’ve felt so far on the Bimota, which is positive and normal as we’re learning and improving it all the time. It’s a little bit of a shame about the weather as we’re still testing items rather than focusing on track-specific settings. I wanted to do a long run and we had quite a few things on the schedule but you can’t change the weather, so I enjoyed it, the guys did a fantastic job and we’re slowly improving.”

The poor weather today and throughout much of the preseason’s testing threw a wrench in the plans of many teams, however it is hard to imagine a team was more affected by the lack of time on track than Bimota who were unveiling their completely new KB998. Despite that, Lowes and Bassani have been competitive all through preseason and Australia. While the pair of star riders certainly hold a share of the credit for this, Lowes and his team are interested in developing their package as far as they can take it.

“Today on the agenda, a lot of the focus was on the front of the bike. Geometry settings we hadn’t been able to explore, different stiffnesses on the front, some positive, some negative. I think we only managed 35-40 laps, [45 laps] so that was all we managed to get through. The main takeaway for the test was an improved feeling on the front of the bike, that was my target after Philip Island where I didn’t feel like I could pass the other riders, so that was a positive. The negative is I still need to improve the rear grip, especially on the fresh tires, I feel like from lap 10 onwards we’re really strong but we’re missing that initial lap time. In general, it’s been a positive test, I feel good going into the second round in Portimao, I hope to make a step forward on the results from Phillip Island. Nothing crazy, but we can improve on our results and work really hard, hopefully battling close to the top six. Who knows if we can achieve more than that but first we need to analyze the results from this test and put it all together.”

The post World Superbike: More From The Portimao Test appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.

Drier conditions than in Day 1 helped riders push harder early in the day in Day 2, by 9:40 local time (+0:00 UTC), four riders had already broken into the 1’41s mark; whereas at this time in Day 1, riders had not even taken to the track yet, and by the end of the day, only 12 riders hit that mark. While the grid had more dry time than in Day 1, rain would return to fall on the WorldSBK parade in Portimao. After the lunch break, intermittent showers would continue and leave the track wet, only drying off in the last half hour of the session.

After a dominant performance by the grid’s Panigale V4R riders, Portimao’s two days of testing still featured Ducati machinery in numbers up around the top 10, but not the all-Ducati top five in the Tissot Superpole and all-Ducati top six Race 2 seen in Australia. Ducati riders nonetheless performed in the top half of the timesheet, led by Nicolo Bulega in P2 with his best lap time of 1’40.017s. After a stunning hat-trick in Australia and a P2 yesterday, he suffered a crash in Turn 11 of the circuit at around 10:00 today; he was fortunately cleared by the medical team and returned to the track atop a different bike, atop which he logged his P2 time. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) made an appearance after not participating in Day 1’s rainy test day, earning a P9 with his fastest lap being a 1’40.717 just slower than his 2024 fastest lap here of 1’40.612s. Following up his strong P5 performance in Day 1, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) had another strong day which via his 1’40.651s lap, he placed P6. His Barni Spark teammate, Yari Montella continues to look increasingly comfortable on his bike, placing P11on 56 laps. After a personal best in Australia and a similarly fast Day 1 of testing, Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) with a time of 1’40.928s again cracked the top ten for the second time in the pair of testing days. Andrea Iannone was uncharacteristically off-pace in Day 2 as he brought up the rear of the Ducati cadre in P14 on a 1’41.514s lap.

Toprak Razgatlioglu enjoyed a return to the top of the podium in Portimao’s Test Day 1. Phillip Island is a track that tends to give him more trouble than others, and after Race 2, ‘El Turco’ was clearly frustrated. He seems to be progressing well as between the change in scenery and changes to the bike, he set the top time of the day at 1’39.592s, beating the circuit’s all-time WorldSBK record, set by the ‘Professor of Portimao’ himself, Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha). Impressively, it is not the first time he has hit this lofty benchmark, as I last season’s preseason testing, he accomplished the same feat. Michael van der Mark looked to be worlds more comfortable as well, he sat in P2 as the riders entered their rain-induced early lunch break at 12:00 local time and finished the day in P4 only thanks to late runs from Bulega and Alex Lowes.

After an impressive P4 finish yesterday, Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) was not quite as fast in Day 2. While he did say that the bike might struggle to replicate Day 1’s results in warmer weather, P12 in Day 2 on the back of a 1’41.264s lap leaves the work for him and his Honda HRC team cut out for them. In that pursuit, Tetsuta Nagashima put down a combined 63 laps and finished P17 from a 1’42.644s lap. One place ahead of Nagashima, Tarran Mackenzie was the fastest rider for PETRONAS MIE Honda, a 1’42.623s lap earned him a P16. Honda HRC Test rider Tommy Bridwell was slightly slower than Nagashima, just 0.126s slower after 25 laps. Zaqhwan Zaidi (Petronas MIE Honda Racing team) ran his fastest lap of the day as a 1’45.816s on 32 laps.

In Day 2, Yamaha stayed on the gas; Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) shined in Day 1 in Portimao’s testing, landing a P3 finish on Day 1. The result came after a still strong, but uncharacteristically slow weekend in Australia; while a pair of P7’s in Races 1 and 2 were his worst result at Phillip Island in his WorldSBK career, it is if anything, a testament to the affinity ‘Loka’ has for Phillip Island. #55 in Day 2 finished P7, with his fastest lap of 1’40.702s . Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) showed even steeper signs of improvement, from a trio of P11’s in Australia to P6 in Day 1 in Portimao, and only 0.189s away from Nicolo Bulega in P2. Day 2 saw him up around the podium again for most of the day, finishing in P4 off of a fastest lap of 1’40.544s. The WorldSBK grid’s newest rider, Augusto Fernandez continues to get up to speed on his Yamaha R1, landing a fastest lap of 1’41.362s, landing him P13.

After a strong showing from both Bimota riders on Day 1 in which again the Lowes-Bassani pair finished one immediately after the other in P7 and P8, Day 2 featured Alex Lowes shining with a blistering 1’40.359s lap earning him P3; this time out in the track being the first time this season we’ve seen an appreciable gap between the two riders in time after they have been practically inseparable on the time sheet. Axel Bassani continued his work atop the bike earning another strong result with a 1’41.049s P9.

Yamaha riders continued their strong form in Portimao on Day 2. In Day 1 Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) topped the timesheet and the Turk does it again in Day 2 via his 1’43.623s lap. Behind him, fellow Yamaha R9 rider Lucas Mahias (GMT94- Yamaha) was tailing Oncu, clocking in at 1’44.301s despite running only 22 laps.in P3 for WorldSSP, representing the third different Yamaha team, Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) ran 54 laps, and his fastest among them was a 1’44.655s. In P4, Michael Rinaldi (GMT94-Yamaha) clocked in at 1’44.865, only 0.210s behind Manzi.

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’39.592s 47 laps

2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’40.017s 38 laps

3. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) 1’40.359s 45 laps

4. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’40.436s 46 laps

5. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) 1’40.544s 33 laps

6. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) 1’40.651s 35 laps

The post World Superbike: Razgatlioglu Sweeps Portimao Test appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.

Those words by the Triumph representative leading the circuit tour pretty much summed up the two days of riding in the Algarve in Portugal at the global media launch of the 2025 Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS. On the first day of our ride, our wave of journalists just got done with the first photo shoot on the street before the rain hit, and the pavement didn’t dry entirely until everyone had packed up and headed home.

Still, for blasting along country roads and ripping around the Circuito Internacional do Algarve racetrack near Portimao, Portugal, the new Speed Triple is a really competent riding companion. Upgraded semi-active suspension, new electronic rider aids, and more power is a recipe for a good time, but it’s how they all work together that really matters.

What we learned in two days on the road and track is that Triumph engineers not only improved the motorcycle, but refined it so that every feature not only works on its own, but also works together to deliver a great ride. It’s fast, handles and rides well, and does so in a way that’s accessible. Beyond any individual technological advancement, that’s the big deal that stands out to me.

Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS Technical Overview

New engine tuning, a new exhaust system and a new balancer strategy bumps the claimed output a bit. Horsepower goes to 180.5 bhp at 10,750 rpm and 94.4 lbs.-ft. of torque at 8,750 rpm, and the power goes through a six-speed transmission with clutchless up- and down-shifting en route to the fat 190/55 Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V3 rear tire. Unchanged is the 1160cc displacement, the 90.0mm x 60.8mm bore and stroke, and the general architecture of the inline, three-cylinder, DOHC engine. Brembo Stylema brake calipers work with 320mm discs in the front and are controlled by an adjustable Brembo master cylinder and a cornering-sensitive ABS system.

The chassis remains the same for 2025, with a twin-spar/tubular-aluminum frame and an aluminum swingarm. An aluminum subframe helps keep the claimed curb weight to 438.7 pounds. An adjustable steering damper is fitted, but the biggest change is the new semi-active Ohlins Smart EC3 Objective Based Tuning interface that controls the 43mm inverted front forks and the Ohlins rear shock.

In short, the rider doesn’t select settings. The rider tells the system what they want–generally, more or less support in various phases of the riding process–and the electronic brain adjusts damping and selects the optimal settings to reach that goal. The suspension and engine work together, so that when selecting settings as the rider is riding, the suspension knows what gear the engine is in, throttle settings, etc. New spool-type damping valves in the forks and shock allow for faster adjustments over a wider setting range.

New electronic four-position wheelie control, engine braking modes, and brake slide assist are incorporated into the five ride modes available – Rain, Road, Sport, Track and the customizable Rider mode.

The bars are slightly higher and wider, there are new color schemes–Jet Black, Granite and Diablo Red, and Granite and Performance Yellow. There’s a new seat cowl and an emergency braking system that causes the stylish tail light to flash when the rider hits the brakes hard. American market suggested retail is $19,995.

Riding The Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS

I turned on the heated grips, threw a leg over the seat, and the bike immediately felt small-ish and really solid. The low, tubular bar position isn’t dramatically different than on the prior model, the pegs are mid-rear-set, and the bar-end mirrors are stylish and thankfully arched back over the grips, so they don’t add to the width of the machine — an important consideration when splitting traffic.

Twist the throttle and the engine feels big. There’s no other word to describe it. It’s a bit slower-revving than a supersport bike, but it pounds out torque at relatively low rpm, and while it’s revvy it’s not overly so. Triumph reps say the company wrote the origin story of the streetfighter with the 1994 Speed Triple 900, and big power is part of that narrative. And since there’s no replacement for displacement when it comes to creating power, Triumph engineers opted for big pistons moving through a big stroke. There’s just enough vibration to create a sense of character, the engine/intake noise is a unique growl, and even after the engine punches through a meaty mid-range, it still pulls to redline quickly.

It’s complete and glorious overkill on the street, but the steep, power-eating uphill front straight at the Portimao circuit puts any engine to the test. With a wet surface sapping my desire to really twist the throttle at the exit to the final corner, I was still able to get the Speed Triple to touch 248 kph on a soaking, wind-gusting straight. That’s just shy of 155 mph. Since plunging downhill into a wet Turn One at those speeds didn’t seem like a good idea, I was letting off the throttle early, so I’m pretty sure there’s more to come there.

The active suspension helped the bike feel remarkably planted on the street, especially given that the Pirelli SP V3 tires are really not primarily aimed at use in the wet. The suspension constantly adapts the compression and rebound settings, modulating the spikes in tire loading, which helps avoid breaking traction.

What I took away from riding the Triumph on the wet track was the feeling of confidence that the effective electronics suite delivered. Our bikes were set with Rain-mode traction control but Road-mode throttle mapping, which progressively gave us all 180 horsepower. As the day wore on, I got more and more aggressive with the throttle, with more and more lean angle (Pirelli technicians on hand for the Superbike World Championship tests the following day had installed full-on Pirelli soft racing rain tires, and those are magic) and harder on the brakes. We were braking hard enough to trigger the emergency warning tail light and dragging knees with rooster tails of water spraying from both wheels.

The bike never did anything sketchy, and given the circumstances, I’ll remember that for a long time. The bike felt like it had my back in a riding situation where I really wanted a wingman, and that allowed me to go faster than I would have felt comfortable going otherwise. But at the end of the day, streetfighters aren’t about lap times. They’re about emotion, feeling and experience, and that’s what Triumph delivers better than ever with the latest version of the Speed Triple.

The post Intro: Riding The New 2025 Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.

Rain played a central role at testing in Portimao for the second time this year, delaying the start of on track action in Day 1 at Portimao. Substantial rainfall overnight left the track very wet throughout the morning, preventing the first MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship riders from taking to the track until an hour after the scheduled start. As the track dried however, teams were able to take advantage of the day, with seven riders finishing within a second of the fastest time.

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and his team seem to be working out the problems from their M 1000 RR, ‘El Turco’ was fastest by a margin of more than half a second on the day. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing -Ducati) started slightly later than most of the grid but in another strong day at the office, matching Toprak’s top speed of the day of 305.9 km/h. With less than a tenth of a second separating them, Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) and Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) impressed in their return to Portimao after testing here in late January.

After a disappointing Australian Round opener, Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and his crew look to be making progress with their new M1000 RR. In his fifth lap of the day, ‘El Turco’ laid down a fastest lap of 1’42.428s, wrestling P1 from Remy Gardner. He would go on to shave off more and more time as the day continued and the track continued to dry off, improving his time to 1’40.543s, the only rider to crack the 1’40s mark. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) looked to be still finding his footing with the new chassis of the M 1000 RR, the Dutchman finished in P11, with a time of 1’42.002s.

While Portimao’s Day 1 of Testing brought more manufacturer diversity than what was seen in Australia, Panigale V4R’s remained plentiful in the top 10. Bulega was again fastest among the Italian manufacturer’s riders with his 1’41.168s lap, and his teammate Alvaro Bautista did not participate in the day’s testing, however according to official channels, he will appear in Day 2. Danilo Petrucci was up around the podium the entire day, finishing in P5 and a time of 1’41.281s. Sam Lowes kept the ball rolling after his career-best performance at Phillip Island, this time landing a P9, 0.257s behind P8 with his time of 1’41.929s. Andrea Iannone finished in P12 after a late start to the day, finishing with a time of 1’42.074s. Yari Montella closed out the top 10 with his time of 1’41.987.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) was resurgent after an uncharacteristically quiet Australian Round. Locatelli’s fastest lap clocked in at 1’41.202s, just 0.034s slower than Nicolo Bulega in P2. Joining him in the top six, Remy Gardner bounced back in a big way from a disappointing home round in Australia, finishing P6 on the day and only 0.076s slower than Danilo Petrucci in P5. Gardner’s time of 1’41.357s made him one of 12 riders to break into the 1’41s mark. In P13, newcomer Augusto Fernandez logged a fastest lap of 1’42.373s. Fernandez suffered a fall in Turn 15 nearing the end of the session however he walked away uninjured from the incident and continued riding shortly after. Dominique Aegerter clocked in a fastest lap of 1’42.531s, earning him P14.

Only two places separated the two Bimota riders after Day 1 of testing in Portimao. Alex Lowes led the pair in P7, his fastest lap of 1’41.372s was just over two tenths of a second faster than his partner, Axel Bassani. For his part, Bassani landed just behind Lowes in P8 with a time of 1’41.672s, only 0.177s separating the two riders.

Vierge (Honda HRC) replicated the form he was displaying this preseason with an impressive P3 on the back of his 1’41.260s fastest lap. Next up for Honda HRC was test rider Borja Gomez, the fellow Spaniard logging a P15 result on a time of 1’42.722s. Just behind him in P16, Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing Team) started later than others, at 13:20 and went on to land a time of 1’43.080s. Next up was Tetsuta Nagashima, (Honda HRC) who registered 70 laps, fastest among them being 1’43.220s. Zaqhwan Zaidi (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing Team) continued to work on acclimating himself to the bike, logging a personal fastest lap on the day of 1’47.792s

Can Oncu and Aldi Mahendra (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Racing) had a stellar Day 1 at Portimao, P1 and P2 among WorldSSP riders. Oncu’s fastest lap was 1’44.423s, and 0.211s behind him was his teammate Aldi Mahendra, with a time of 1’44.634s. Yamaha’s R9 continues to distinguish itself, as P3 and P4 were also riders of the new Yamaha bike. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 – YAMAHA) was P3 in WorldSSP with his time of 1’45.215s. Following him, Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) finished P4 among WorldSSP riders with a 1’45.681s.

The top six in WorldSBK from Day 1 of the test at Portimao:

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’40.543, 41 laps

2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’41.168, 50 laps

3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) 1’41.202, 50 laps

4. Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) 1’41.260, 61 laps

5. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) 1’41.281, 41 laps

6. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT YAMAHA WorldSBK Team) 1’41.357, 57 laps

The post World Superbike: Razgatlioglu Fastest On Test Day One In Portugal appeared first on Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News.