May 2003 All Moto news (from the web)

* (June 1) German superbikes: Neil Hodgson (Ducati Fila 999 F03) set the best lap of the ‘wet’ Superpole session, but only after a last gasp scare. Sitting in pole position with only minutes remaining, Hodgson was a spectator in pitlane when Pierfrancesco Chili (PSG-1 Ducati 998RS) snatched pole after a magnificent last attempt at putting himself in prime position for the start of Sunday’s two Superbike races. In the World Supersport Championship class Ten Kate Honda rider Karl Muggeridge held onto pole position for Sunday’s race, thanks to his 1:30.250 lap time from Friday.

* (May 29) Isle of Man TT lap record holder David Jeffries was killed in a practice crash last Thursday. He was widely regarded as the king of the circuit, taking over from Joey Dunlop who died at a European track a couple of years ago. UK MCN reports, "Jefferies, 30, was riding a TAS Suzuki GSX-R1000 when he crashed at Crosby. Triumph rider Moodie was injured when he crashed into the wreckage. There is no news on what caused Jefferies’ crash at the moment – but it is believed that another bike dumped oil on the road shortly before the incident."

* (May 27) Suzuki says you can now get your paws on the SV1000S streetbike (pictured) for $15,990, while the upgraded version of the GSX-R1000 is available for $18,690

* (May 26) From MA: Australian Warwick "Wokka" Nowland has finished third in round two of the Endurance World Championship at Assen (Netherlands) on May 25. The reigning world champion, paired with Belgian Stephane Mertens on the Chinese-entered Zonghsen 1 Suzuki GSX-R1000, finished 22.231sec behind their 'teammates' - Igor Jerman  and Bruno Bonhuil on the number two Zongshen machine. The Suzuki GB Phase One team of James Ellison and Jason Pridmore was second - a mere 1.9sec in arrears of Jerman/Bonhuil in one of the most thrilling world endurance finishes in years.

Australian Chad Reed (Yamaha) has maintained his secure hold on second in the American 250cc Motocross Championship, which continued at Mt Morris, Pennsylvania on May 25. While Honda's Ricky Carmichael returned to his familiar position at the pointy end of the field with emphatic 1-1 results, Reed was a model of consistency on his factory Yamaha, backing up his third in the opening moto with a fourth in the second outing. Reed's output was equal to that of Tim Ferry (Yamaha), who looks like battling it out with the Newcastle (NSW) rider and Honda's Kevin Windham for second in the title if Carmichael's peerless ways continue. Reed now sits on 120pts in the 12-round title, 27 behind defending champion Carmichael and six in advance of Ferry. Honda's Kevin Windham - second in both Mt Morris outings - is on 113pts. In the 125cc title, two Australians figured in the top 10 at Mt Morris: Honda's Michael Byrne was sixth overall with 5-7 finishes, and American rookie Craig Anderson was ninth (9-11). However, the duo's counterpart Brett Metcalfe (KTM) is showing both of them the way in the title, and sits in sixth on 71pts.

* (May 26) Sete Gibernau backed up his maiden MotoGP win earlier this season with another at Le Mans last night, ahead of Valentino Rossi and Alex Barros. Australian Troy Bayliss speared off while 250 colleague Casey Stoner scored an encouraging fourth. Full results on our MotoGP page.

* (May 26) From Newsweek in the USA: "The unlikely star witness in Edwin Matos's car-crash trial in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., last week was a tiny 'black box.' Every new General Motors car, as well as vehicles made by nearly a dozen other manufacturers, is equipped with the recording device, which is hidden under the dashboard or seat." The article also says, "Expect the gadget - known as an event data recorder - to make more court appearances. ‘This is going to revolutionize our understanding of crashes,’ says Ricardo Martinez, former head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The recorder was originally developed to provide carmakers with crash data to improve safety. While the information belongs to car owners, it must be yielded under court order which makes privacy advocates howl. They'll surely have a fit with what's next on the horizon: a gizmo made by Road Safety International that allows parents to track their teenagers' driving habits."

* (May 25) Australian riders have been quick in the rain on the second day of the French Motorcycle Grand Prix but it won't help their starting positions in the three races, Sunday night, Australian time. Troy Bayliss was fourth quickest in the MotoGP final qualifying session, which would normally give him a front-row start, but he will be on the fourth row of the grid on his Ducati because the first day's quicker times in the dry, when he was only 14th, decided the order. Rossi has pole.

* (May 24) After the disappointment of last weekend at the second round of the 2003 Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championships at Phillip Island the Nikon Yamaha Factory Racing Team is regrouping and rebuilding as injured riders Kevin Curtain and Daniel Stauffer recuperate. The two riders will be unable to compete in the upcoming fourth round of the 2003 Yamaha Formula Xtreme Tri State Trophy Series at Queensland Raceway, Willowbank because of their current injuries.

* (May 23) Those of you who attended the infamous Howqua Rally (Vic) in its heyday might be interested to learn that there's a reunion in Mansfield over the Queen's birthday weekend in early June.

* (May 23) From MA: Australian speedway longtrack duo Craig Watson and Shane Parker will continue their quest for 2003 world long track honours in June, as they contest the semi-final stage of the prestigious title. Parker - who was given a bye through the qualifying rounds - will be the first off the block on June 8 in semi-final one at Saint Macaire in France, where he will ply his trade in an 18-rider field dominated by German riders. Seven riders will represent the latter, with three each from Great Britain and France. Parker will be the lone Aussie, as will Watson in the following night's second semi-final at Harsewinkel in Germany.

* (May 22) A report commissioned by Vic Roads reveals that the cost of introducing front numberplates on motorcycles in that state will be $14 million. Victoria is being used as the 'test dummy' for a wider plan to fit front plates to bikes nationwide.

* (May 21) Proton Team KR works rider, Jeremy McWilliams has had his first taste of the team's new four-stroke V5 at the Turweston airstrip near the team's base in Banbury UK in the past few days, ahead of its race debut this weekend. The all new V5 Proton Moto GP machine, which is still in development, will make its Championship debut at this weekend's French Moto GP at Le Mans. McWilliams completed several high speed passes getting familiar with the clutch and gear change saying that he was impressed with the engine response and balance. "I'm really impressed with the smoothness of the engine. It feels bloody quick. When I give it throttle it just takes off," said McWilliams. "Since it was my first time on the bike I wanted to get acquainted with it, so I just ran it up and down to get a feel of the engine and systems. I can't wait to get it to the race track, because it feels like it's going to be everything it was designed to be," the Ulsterman said. "I am confident that the great handling we have had with the 500cc KR3 has been carried over into the new bike and that the new engine will give us the power to be challenging the front runners fairly quickly," he added.

The Team KR Proton Moto GP team has taken a development path more closely associated with that of F1 teams rather than the traditional bike racing methods. Legendary F1 designer John Barnard has been overseeing the development of the new bike incorporating many F1 ideas into the new Moto GP challenger. As well famed US racing tuner Rob Muzzy has worked with the team's research and development group as a consultant in the development of the all-new V5 engine for the Proton four-stroke. Muzzy has worked on engine development programs for Kawasaki and Honda racing motorcycles, working with such riders as Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Scott Russell and Doug Chandler capturing both World Superbike and US titles. According to Proton Team KR principal, Kenny Roberts, the delay in getting the new V5 on the track has been disappointing but necessary to ensure the bike was right. "The development team has been working day and night to get the Proton KR V5 ready for its circuit debut and I was always of the opinion that it was better to take a little longer to ensure the bike was reliable and competitive," said Roberts

* (May 20) Suzuki dominated proceedings at last weekend's Shell Superbike round at Phillip Island, with Shawn Giles and Craig Coxhell taking a one-two result in the points table. The Nikon Yamaha team of Kevin Curtain and Daniel Stauffer suffered a coming together in race 2, which finished their weekend for them.

* (May 19) Neil Hodgson continued his stranglehold on the World Superbike Championship by winning both heats yesterday, at Monza, on his Ducati. Meanwhile Australian Chris Vermuelen won the Supersport race and continues to lead the point table.

* (May 18) Briton Neil Hodgson claimed pole for today's Superbike round at Monza, while Australian Karl Muggeridge took out top spot for the Supersport.

* (May 18) From MA: Suzuki rider Shawn Giles (Suzuki) eclipsed the existing lap record in qualifying for round two of the Shell Advance Australian Superbike Championship at Phillip Island (Vic) from May 16-18. The three-time national champion - who was below his best in the opening round after suffering a nasty bout of food poisoning - signaled that he'll not give up his title without a fight as he blasted his GSX-R1000 around the 4.445km circuit in a blistering 1:34.787 - 0.574sec under arch-rival Kevin Curtain's existing three-month-old lap record. "I'm just glad to be feeling okay again after the misery of round one," said Giles. "We have been concentrating on putting together a good race set-up for tomorrow, and I think we've got there." While Giles reached his zenith in the opening session, most of his compatriots followed a 'normal' script in leaving their best until last in the final qualifier. After a tense battle, Daniel Stauffer (Nikon Yamaha R1, 1:35.215) grabbed second on the grid from Victorian Craig Coxhell (Team Suzuki GSX-R1000) and championship leader Curtain (Nikon Yamaha R1). Castrol Honda's Shannon Johnson (CBR954RR, 1:37.188) will lead row two away in tomorrow's three eight-lap races. Curtain leads the five-round Superbike title by 16 pts from Coxhell (76 to 60) after a maximum-point demolition in round one at Mallala (SA). They are followed by Giles (45pts) and Stauffer (42), who is a former Australian dirt track champion.

* (May 16) Sydney's first stand-alone motorcycle show since the mid 1980s (when it was held at Randwick) opened yesterday afternoon and has shown a lot of promise with some 200 bikes on display, along with countless accessories. Backed by the motorcycle division of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, the event takes up a couple of halls in the exhibition centre at Darling Habour and features several debut models. The show will remain open all weekend.

* (May 14) A warning from reader Bruce Ibister: someone has tried to buy his bike through a convoluted process on the net. Be wary, as AllMoto advertisers are being targeted. The message he was sent ran (in part): "Am interested in purchasing your:(Honda '98 XR400R. ) which price is $7,100 ,and my mode of paying you is through a certified cashier's check so am sending you the check..."

* (May 13) How does the idea of a speed camera embedded in the road surface grab you? That's the latest wheeze from the highly lucrative world of cash-cams, and is being promoted by a company called Tenix. The firm says it wants to test the technology in Victoria (where the state government has budgeted for over $450 million in speeding revenue over the coming financial year). However government talking heads have said that, so far, no permission has been given for such trials.

* (May 12) Rossi does it again in MotoGP: Yesterday's race initially looked set to be a six way encounter between Loris Capirossi (Ducati), Sete Gibernau (Honda), Troy Bayliss (Ducati), Valentino Rossi (Honda), Max Biaggi (Honda) and Checa. But as fate would have it, both Capirossi and Gibernau crashed, following the demise of Checa, leaving Rossi to stamp his authority on the race with a 6.333 second win over Biaggi and third-placed man Bayliss.

* (May 11) There were more than a few upsets in final qualifying for the Jerez MotoGP round yesterday, with the new Ducatis taking out the front row and the company's first ever MotoGP pole - Loris Capirossi (pictured) scored first and Australian Troy Bayliss got second.

* (May 9) The rumours regarding BMW's complete refresh of the somewhat tired K-series range are running stronger than ever. The general scuttlebutt agrees the factory is working on a more conventional upright engine, though whether it's along the frame or across it is open to debate. There's agreement that supercharging, using a version of the unit available on Mini cars, will be up for grabs on the premium kit. And in a move that Yamaha's MotoGP teams might approve of, there's talk of a dual-shock rear end, though using bell cranks as part of the design.

* (May 7) Dropping in on the Australian Motorcycle Week stand at the May 16-18 Sydney Motorcycle Show could score you a free trip to the Apple Isle. The 10 day festival of motorcycling, to be held in Tasmania from 14-23 November 2003, features racing events including the 2003 Australian Classic Motocross Championships, the Tasmanian Motorcycle Expo & Custom Bike Show, as well as a 5-day tour of Tasmania with multiple Australian Superbike Champion, Malcolm Campbell. Further information on Australian Motorcycle Week is also available by visiting www.motorcycleweek.com.au or by phoning (03)6228 2400.

* (May 7) From MA: Aussie sensation Chad Reed celebrated his ascension to the lofty heights of World 250cc Supercross champion with a stunning victory in the final GP at Las Vegas in America on Sunday, May 3. The New South Welshman, who was already champion-designate going into the last round, was again in superlative form on his factory Yamaha as he kept arch-rival Ricky Carmichael (Honda) at bay throughout the tension-charged final. It was Reed's sixth consecutive victory and his eighth overall in what has been an outstanding rookie season in the highest echelon of supercross racing. Reed also finished second in the AMA (American) 250cc supercross title at Las Vegas, falling just 7pts shy of overhauling Carmichael, who prevailed for the third consecutive year. In 2002 Reed was victorious in the 125cc AMA title. Reed will now continue his battles with Carmichael in the AMA Motocross Championship, which kicks off its 12-round roster on Sunday, May 11.

* (May 1) From MotoGP: Sete Gibernau´s controlled and emotional victory at Welkom naturally made the headlines but it was the emergence of former World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss on the Ducati that proved to be one of the major talking points of the GP.

* (May 1) Australian speedway star Jason Crump will be out to break a 52-year drought when the 2003 Speedway World Championship kicks off in Poland on May 17. Crump, 27, is confident that 2003 will finally see him follow Jack Young as Australia's third world speedway champion, after the latter claimed consecutive titles way back in 1951-52. Bluey Wilkinson was Australia's maiden world champion in 1938. Crump has finished runner-up in the past two world titles behind Swedish arch-rival Tony Rickardsson, but after a relaxing off-season the UK-based Aussie is feeling rejuvenated and ready to fire in Poland on May 17 - emboldened by his brilliant early season form in both the Polish and UK domestic competitions. "I love racing in Poland, as the fans are as fanatical about speedway as Aussies are about cricket," said Crump, who was the world under 21 champion in 1995.