Look at KTM’s MotoGP Engine
At the 2016 season-finale on November 13, in Valencia, KTM will make its debut in the MotoGP Class with test rider Mika Kallio, before a full-time effort in 2017 with Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith. In the lead-up to 2017, KTM will apparently release a series of videos on the development of the RC16. In the first video released last week, we get a look at KTM’s engine package.
GoPro Catches Mitchell Falk Crash
At the Monster Energy Cup last month, Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull KTM amateur rider, Mitchell Falk, had a scary crash at the end of the 470-foot long start in the second Amateur All-Stars race. Falk, the winner of the first moto, escaped with just a broken collarbone.
Rich Shepherd captured a great sequence of the crash, which you can see below.
Last week, Falk posted footage from his GoPro on his personal Instagram account, and dang, it looks brutal.
Sometimes It’s Just Not Your Day
At the Malaysian GP last weekend, Moto2 rider Sam Lowes had one of those days. During practice, Lowes had a pretty innocent slide out. Okay, not the worst thing ever. He was uninjured. With his bike still in good shape, Lowes tried to rejoin qualifying ... ONLY TO BE TAKEN OUT IN THE EXACT SAME SPOT HE CRASHED THE FIRST TIME! Two crashes in one minute. Brutal, bro.
Training Sure Has Changed
Husqvarna has a blog called “Good Old Times” (I bet you didn’t know that), which highlights a bunch of cool stuff in the brand's history. (You can check it out here.) A recent blog examined the training of riders like Torsten Hallman, Brad Lackey, Heikki Mikkola, and others. It’s interesting that even in the 1970s, “boot camps” existed.
The American Brad Lackey started to ride in Grand Prix Racing back in 1972. During his two first seasons he came over to race in Europe on his own expenses before hitting it off with Husqvarna for the 1974 season. Brad was riding in the 500cc class together with the Finn Heikki Mikkola. Both riders were keen athletes and devoted a lot of time to their individual physical training. It was therefore no surprise that these two men were leading Husqvarna's winter training camps as they were held in northern Sweden near the town of Alfta. From the factory leaders the competition manager Roland Arréhn was responsible at the training camp.
Here, not only physical practice was conducted. There were also serious discussions over proper diets, how the rest influenced the training moments and also mental practice was part of the extensive program here. The camps usually lasted for a week or so and the rigorous physical exercises were conducted both in and outdoors, more often than not under winter conditions.
We noted that most of the exercises are probably still used in some capacity today. For example, I’m sure most riders still do sit-ups, or some sort of variation.
Moto dudes still love (like, really, really love) to cycle. Although, their bikes are much nicer.
This looks like some sort of routine to practice body position, and maybe even build the core. Again, core exercises are still very routine.
But then you get stuff like this. What the hell is this, man? Some kind of sick game of piggy back?
Wait, wait, wait. Are they just tired here? What the hell is going on?
Anyway, you’ll enjoy this look at history.
Yeah, Man, Winter is Coming!!!!!
Pumpkin Carving
24MX is an e-commerce site that specializes in motocross and street, similar to a MotoSport.com or Rocky Mountain ATV/MC or BTOSports.com or … you get the point—only they are European-based. They're also the title sponsor of a team in Europe (or they run the team. I’m not totally sure). Here's a funny video of people trying to carve pumpkins with dirt bikes. Enjoy!
Kid Eats It, Immediately Demands to See a Replay
How can you not love this little guy?
Do the Dew
How have I not seen this? It’s been out since May, but only today did I learn about this! Anyway, three quick notes:
1) Looks like the riders are on four-strokes, but thankfully they used two-stroke sounds, which sound 100,000 times better for production purposes.
2) This is pretty clever.
3) Thankfully they used two-stroke sounds.
(By the way, are commercial and movie directors just totally confused these days? We imagine they let them rip on dirt bikes and then immediately say, "Wait, these don't sound like they're supposed to!")
BSA Revival?
Could Birmingham Small Arms (BSA), once a powerhouse in the motorcycle industry, be on its way back? There is hope, after Mahindra, an industrial giant in India, recently acquired 100 percent of BSA Company Limited shares via a subsidiary company, Classic Legends Pvt. Ltd. (CLPL) for £3.4 million ($4.13 million USD), according to Ultimate Motorcycling. During the 1950s and '60s, BSA won just about everything from ISDE to 500cc FIM World Motocross to the Daytona 200. But by 1973, due to financial issues, the company closed. More from the report:
Mahindra has been on a buying spree lately; last year it bought a 51-percent stake in the French-based Peugeout Motorcycles and a 76-percent stake in Italian car maker Pininfarina. Mahindra also acquired South Korean car maker SsangYong, SYM, and Reva Electric Car Company.
Mahindra is no stranger to consumer motorcycles, already having their Mahindra Mojo and Centuro motorcycles on the market, as well as three scooter models, plus e-bike and e-scooter models.
Daredevil Arrested
Perhaps you’ve heard of 8booth, the man that’s become internet-famous for his collection of death-defying jump videos. Before we proceed, you need to know the kind of stunts this guys pulls.
Well, his real name is Anthony Armer, and the 28-year-old was recently arrested for trespassing, according to Mashable. Here is more:
Authorities said Armer unlawfully entered private properties around Orange County to leap into hotel pools or nearby ocean waters.
They tracked him down from videos he posted online and are now charging him with a total of three misdemeanor counts: Two for unauthorized entry of a dwelling and one for trespassing with intent to interfere with business, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
The adrenaline-fueled adventures of 8booth were first noticed by the Laguna Beach Police Department after they gained "media attention," the statement added.
