THE 2013 GOLD WING F6B: NOW IN DEALERS

Courtesy of Honda Powersports

THE 2013 GOLD WING F6B: NOW IN DEALERS Lighter. Trimmer. Leaner. The F6B is an entirely new Gold Wing concept. It has an aggressive new look that stands out riding down Main Street. Yet it’s versatile enough to hit the highway for a weekend getaway.Featured options: F6B Deluxe model includes center stand, backrest, self-cancelling turn signals and heated grips. Low-Profile Windscreen Lockable Twin Saddlebags The Gold Wing F6B. More miles with more style. SEE THE NEW F6B

Check out our 2013 lineup of touring bikes, like the luxurious Gold Wing. And the leaner, meaner Interstate.New features include: Available navigation and ABS braking, plus new color options on our latest Gold Wing. Blacked-out wheels and available ABS braking on the new Interstate. No matter how you want to tour, Honda has the bike for you. See the new Tourers

BE A RESPONSIBLE RIDER. Remember, always wear a helmet, eye protection and protective clothing whenever you ride. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and never use the street as a racetrack. Inspect your motorcycle before riding and read your owner’s manual. Visit http://www.hrca.honda.com for information concerning reimbursement through the Honda Riders Club of America® for Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) rider training. Obey the law, use common sense, respect the rights of others when you ride, and make sure you have a proper license when riding on public roads. Operating your motorcycle with a modified engine, emissions-control system or noise-control system may be illegal. For more information, visit powersports.honda.com. Gold Wing® and Interstate™ are trademarks of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. ©2013 American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

J&P Cycles Named Presenting Sponsor of AMA Pro Flat Track and Title Sponsor of J&P Cycles Pro Singles Division

Courtesy of AMA PRO Racing

and Title Sponsor of J&P Cycles Pro Singles Division

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Courtesy of AMA Pro Racing/Dave Hoenig

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 26, 2013) – AMA Pro Racing is pleased to announce a newly formed partnership with J&P Cycles, naming J&P Cycles as the Presenting Sponsor of AMA Pro Flat Track and Title Sponsor of the AMA Pro J&P Cycles Pro Singles class. As part of the agreement, J&P Cycles will contribute a $25,000 Year-End Points Fund for the rising stars of the AMA Pro J&P Cycles Pro Singles Class after the motorcycle parts and accessories giant.   “We are very excited to begin this partnership with J&P Cycles,” said Michael Gentry, Chief Operating Officer of AMA Pro Racing. “I see great things in store for the future in the ranks of the J&P Pro Singles class and look forward to the success our up and coming riders will attain thanks to this new relationship. The support that J&P Cycles has pledged through the year-end points fund is vital to the growth of the sport and is deeply appreciated by the entire paddock.”   J&P Cycles will have access to a number of marketing and promotional activations in 2013. At each event on the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles schedule, the company will have access to on-site activation. The two companies will also be working together to develop unique and engaging website content and social media initiatives in order to further the sport by engaging the younger demographic.   “J&P Cycles is proud to be a part of the AMA Pro Flat Track series this year,” said J&P Cycles Vice President/General Manager Zach Parham. “AMA Pro Flat Track represents the grass roots of racing at its best, and we are pleased to be a part of this sport with so much history. The racing this year is going to be exciting and we look forward to sharing the excitement and action with our customers.”   The J&P Cycles Pro Singles division is the deepest it’s been in recent years. The talent pool is impressive and growing, and the Championship is almost guaranteed to come down to the wire when the season concludes in Pomona. Defending champion Stephen Vanderkuur will be gunning for a repeat season, but the Michigan product will undoubtedly have his hands full as aggressive competitors such as Jake Cunningham, Dominic Colindres, Shayna Texter, Gerit Callies and many others all share the same aspiring title hopes. As if pride wasn’t enough for these young stars, a $10,000 bonus will now be awarded to the 2013 J&P Cycles Pro Singles Champion. The complete pay structure for the J&P Cycles Year-End Points Fund is as follows: Champion, $10,000; 2nd place, $5,000; 3rd place, $4,000; 4th place, $3,000; 5th place, $2,000; 6th place, $1,000.   The 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles season will kick off as part of the historic DAYTONA 200 Week. The AMA Pro Grand National Championship and J&P Cycles Pro Singles divisions take to the track in a set of one-day events on March 14 and 15, 2013 at the DAYTONA Flat Track, located just outside of the Daytona International Speedway’s west banking. For tickets, please visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.   About J&P Cycles: J&P Cycles is the world’s largest retailer of aftermarket parts and accessories for Harley-Davidson and V-Twin Cruiser motorcycles. In business for 34 years, we carry a full line of products from the brands you trust: Kuryakyn, Vance & Hines, Performance Machine, Mustang Seats and many more. J&P Cycles carries tens of thousands of items in stock, in print and online, delivers the best customer service and return policy in the industry. For more information, visit www.jpcycles.com and start building your dream today!

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines.  Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.

Stewart takes Atlanta win

Courtesy of FIM NEWS

In the largest attended Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, race in 2013, 68,987 fans watched Yoshimura Suzuki’s James Stewart win his first 450SX Class race of the season at Goergia Dome. GIECO Honda’s Wil Hahn led wire to wire in tonight’s Eastern Regional 250SX Class Main Event en route to the first victory of his career.

Opening the 450SX Class Main Event with the Nuclear Cowboyz®Holeshot Award, Stewart – for the first time this season – led all 20 laps on the way to the win. Villopoto started the race in second place and chased down Stewart for the duration of the race, but came up 1.468 seconds short and finished second. Rockstar Energy Racing’s Davi Millsaps, who started the race mid pack, moved into third place on Lap 2, and finished third.

Stewart has now gone nine seasons with a win, tying Jeremy McGrath and Chad Reed in this exclusive category. Villopoto moved into second place in season standings, and Millsaps has a 22-point lead in the championship.

“I mean, what can I say, we won tonight,” said Stewart. “It [means] a lot; this whole season has been going crazy and to get a victory and to get a start, it was almost a perfect day. I was fastest in practice, fastest in the Heat Race, I got the holeshot in the Main Event and led every lap. I’m not going to lie, I was a little nervous because I haven’t been out there in a while.”

Hahn led the field of Eastern Regional 250SX Class riders across the Nuclear Cowboyz Holeshot line in turn one as Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Dean Wilson and Rockstar Energy Racing’s Blake Wharton tucked in behind him for second and third, respectively. Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin made a pass for second place on Wharton on Lap 2.

Hahn opened the season with a third-place finish last weekend and with tonight’s win, he moved into second place overall. Wilson, who finished second tonight, still has the championship points lead. Wharton finished third and is third overall.

“I put in a lot of hard work, and it paid off here tonight,” said Hahn. “I stayed positive out there and rode a smart race. It’s an amazing feeling to get my first win here at the Georgia Dome in front of so many fans. This has been a long time coming.”

Former 250SX Class Champion Tim Ferry’s son Evan won tonight’s KTM Junior Supercross Challenge.

Monster Energy Supercross resumes next weekend at St. Louis’ Edward Jones Dome.

450SX Class Results: Atlanta
James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki
Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda
Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda
Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM
Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda
Chad Reed, Australia, Honda
Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki
Mike Alessi, Hilliard, Fla., Suzuki

450SX Class Points
Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 174
Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 152
Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 148
Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 135
Chad Reed, Australia, Honda, 127
Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda, 116
Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM, 102 James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki, 100
Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda, 91
Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Fla., KTM, 79

Eastern Regional 250SX Class Results: Atlanta Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda
Dean Wilson, Scotland, Kawasaki
Marvin Musquin, France, KTM
Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki
Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha
Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Kawasaki
Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Honda
Kyle Peters, Greensboro, N.C., Honda
Vince Friese, Cape Girardeau, Mo., Honda
Zach Bell, Cairo, Ga., Honda

Eastern Regional 250SX Class Points
Dean Wilson, Scotland, Kawasaki, 47
Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda, 45
Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki, 40
Marvin Musquin, France, KTM, 35
Kyle Peters, Greensboro, N.C., Honda, 31
Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Kawasaki, 31
Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Honda, 28
Vince Friese, Cape Girardeau, Mo., Honda, 24
James Decotis, Peabody, Mass., Honda, 20
Lance Vincent, Youngsville, La., KTM, 20

One-on-One with Chris Ulrich

Courtesy of AMA PRO Racing

 

Copyright 2013 Roadracing World Publishing, Inc. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 30th, 2013) – GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing got a chance to have a few words with Chris Ulrich, an AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike competitor; he is also the owner of the GEICO Motorcycle-sponsored team that is fielding Dane Westby in AMA Pro Daytona SportBike.

AMA Pro:Why did you decide to make the switch from riding a Suzuki to a Honda?
Ulrich: The Honda truly is a great platform to race on. From a race team standpoint, it is an honor to bring a Honda back in to the AMA Pro paddock and I think it adds a lot of credibility to the series. GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing is starting to get a lot of other manufacturers coming in like KTM and EBR to join the popular Yamaha and Suzuki branded bikes. We chose Honda because we believe it will give us the best chance to be a major factor in SuperBike competition.

AMA Pro: Having competed on a Suzuki for so long, how will it be different transitioning to a Honda?
Ulrich: It has its own character, strengths and weaknesses. Overall it’s a great bike and I have no doubt I can fully adapt to it.

AMA Pro: How does your Honda compare with the Suzuki? What are the major challenges?
Ulrich: There are always technical changes when transitioning between manufacturers. With this day and age, there is a lot of information and so many tools that we use to help us with the transition. We have computer programs that allow us to compare different things like geometry numbers.

AMA Pro: As an editor for RoadracingWorld.com, you’ve gotten to ride a number of different branded motorcycles, how do you feel the Honda matches up with the other motorcycles in its class?
Ulrich: The Honda is a very potent motorcycle. It can definitely challenge other bikes out there on the market. We just have to get our electronics on it and build it to AMA Superbike Specification but overall I think it will be a very competitive bike.

AMA Pro: What kind of testing will you run leading up to the season?
Ulrich: We’ll have a two-day test before Daytona to work out the kinks. We’re still working on the bike and are waiting for a few parts to come in but I have no doubt about the performance of the bike. So far, the results are very good compared to our previous manufacturer. One thing is for certain, we will be ready for Daytona.

AMA Pro: What kind of predictions do you have going in to 2013? What goals have you set for yourself?
Ulrich: Our whole crew has a lot of confidence. I’m sure the transition will have its bumps in the rode. Obviously SuperBike is a very deep and challenging field but I think we’ve put ourselves in a great position to succeed. Top-five finishes and developing the bike for the 2014 Superbike season is the goal. We are fortunate to be riding on such a great platform this year with Honda. I couldn’t be more eager to start the season.

 

Josh Hayes Looks to Continue Dominance in 2013

Courtesy of AMA PRO Racing

 

Photo: Brian J. Nelson

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 25, 2012) – Some basketball fans that know about Josh Hayes’s recent success and pure domination of road racing might refer to him as the LeBron James of the sport. Some American football fans might compare him to Adrian Peterson, arguably the most exciting player to watch in the National Football League and whose accolades shoot through the roof. However, the rear of Hayes’s Yamaha R1 has been the most consistent vantage point for his competitors in recent years. The three-time AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike Champion will look to put up more big numbers in 2013 and continue his streak of sheer dominance on the biggest stage GEICO AMA Pro Road Racing has to offer, but it won’t come easy.

Though the three-time king is widely considered the clear-cut favorite to four-peat this upcoming season, the 2013 AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike grid is arguably the deepest it has been in quite some time and intends to give Hayes all he can handle. Riders such as Josh Herrin, who in just his first year of SuperBike competition claimed fourth in the overall standings in 2012, expects to be a major contender as he is one of the sport’s finest young talents with seemingly unlimited potential.

Danny Eslick and Roger Hayden are the beneficiaries of renewed partnerships between Michael Jordan Motorsports and Army National Guard and will be teammates in 2013. The two will be riding lightning quick Suzuki GSX-R1000’s. Hayden alone accounted for seven podium visits including a late win at Homestead-Miami Speedway to close out the season and plans to carry over that momentum in 2013 beginning in Daytona. Eslick, the 2009 and 2011 AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike Champion made his AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike debut last season and put together a solid first year which included three podium appearances en route to an eighth place overall finish in the point standings.

Another rider looking to make noise in the SuperBike ranks in 2013 is Martin Cardenas. After shredding the competition in AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike with two championships in the last three years, the Columbian product will put his talent to the ultimate test this year as he returns to the elite AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike class and intends to give Hayes a sprint for his money riding a Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Between Cardenas, Hayden and Eslick, the Suzuki charge will be a force in 2013. When you mix great riders with great machines, incredible things happen. The trio will be looking to knock off a giant in Josh Hayes this season and end his streak of three consecutive AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike Championships.

Interview with EBR Founder Erik Buell

Courtesy of AMA PRO Racing

Photo by Brian J Nelson

UPDATED – MORE NEWS REGARDING ERIK BUELL RACING
Aaron Yates is the newest rider to announce he will compete on an EBR 1190RS for the upcoming 2013 season. The AMSOIL/Hero rider suffered a serious injury in May of 2010 that kept him out of action until he returned at Indianapolis last year. The Georgia product’s best performance in 2012 came on the final event of the season at NOLA Motorsports Park where he finished fourth.

Yates tested the EBR at Jennings in Florida in December along with teammates Geoff May and Blake Young and impressed Erik Buell and company enough to earn the ride.
“We are very happy to announce that Hero MotoCorp will be returning as the title sponsor for the Team Hero EBR 1190RS in the 2013 AMA Pro Racing American Superbike series,” said Erik Buell in a team release. “This year the Team Hero entry will be for the #99 with Geoff May riding. Geoff will have Mike Fitzgerald as crew chief, with last year’s crew of Ryan Kelly and Grant Singley. Expect to see several Hero technicians working with the team while sharpening their expertise for future racing in India.”

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 28th) – The American crafted Erik Buell Racing 1190RS motorcycle is making headlines across the western hemisphere of motorcycle racing. After inking a deal with RSRacecraft, EBR is currently one of the hottest commodities on the circuit. AMA Pro Racing got a chance to chat with the founder of EBR, Erik Buell, himself as he shared some insight as to what his plans are for the upcoming GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing season.

AMA Pro: It has been recently announced that RSRacecraft will race EBR 1190RS motorcycles in 2013, how exactly did this come up and what do you expect to gain from the newly formed partnership?
Buell: We’re very excited about having another team with our bikes. They are known for their expertise in engine development and I believe working together will be extremely beneficial for both sides. Our goal is to be as integrated as possible as far as combining our products with their experience in working with so many different engines in the past.

AMA Pro: Last year, you guys were a two-rider team, now EBR is selling their bikes to other race teams, can you talk about the overall development of the EBR 1190RS and how it has become so competitive in such a short period of time?
Buell: We had a number of teams approach us about getting our bikes. They all saw how much success we had last year and I think that’s good, people see a lot of potential there. It’s also something special for these guys to be able to ride American bikes in an American SuperBike season.

AMA Pro: Obviously you are pulling hard for the newly acquired riders gunning for the podium on your product, but can you give us realistic predictions as well as goals you’d like to accomplish for 2013?
Buell: Well our goals are always to be better than the previous year. Even though we exceeded our predictions in 2012, we’re always looking to improve. It will be interesting, racing is always exciting. We certainly have the talent to make a run. I’m not going to sit here and say we’re going to blow away the competition and run away with the championship, but I believe we’re definitely going to be serious contenders and be in the hunt all season long.

AMA Pro: Finally, your company is 100% American, what kind of positive impact does the continued success of the EBR 1190RS have on the sport of road racing in the United States?
Buell: I think having American superbikes is something the sport has needed for a long time. We’ve proven that we have world class riders dating back to when I used to ride but have never really had the motorcycles. My goal is to show that we not only have the riding capability here America but that we’re also capable of building a modern high-tech motorcycle for road racing as well.

 

Future Looking Bright for KTM/HMC SuperBike Racing Team

Courtesy of AMA PRO Racing

 

Photo by Brian J Nelson

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 29, 2013) – The 2013 AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike season is just around the corner and KTM/HMC Superbike Racing has made big strides in the off-season to put themselves in position for a successful campaign. With the addition of Taylor Knapp and a healthy Chris Fillmore going in to 2013, crew chief Mitch Hansen has good reason to be optimistic knowing his team will be riding the dynamic KTM RC8’s to match up against the ruthless SuperBike competition for this upcoming season.

Last year marked the team’s first complete season as a SuperBike race team. Two-time AMA Pro Supermoto Champion and 2011 AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Titleholder, Chris Fillmore was on his way to a top-10 finish in the overall AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike standings before an injury mid-way through the 2012 season that kept him out for several weeks. The Michigan product bounced back, however, with two consecutive top-five finishes at NOLA Motorsports Park to close out the season and looks to carry that momentum in to 2013.

Even though Fillmore is going in to just his second consecutive season riding for Mitch Hansen and KTM/HMC Superbike Racing, the two have a history that runs a lot deeper than that. In fact, Hansen has been watching the 26-year-old develop for over a decade. When Fillmore was just 15, Hansen brought him to a test at Road America for the SuperMoto Team where he made the team and eventually landed on the podium in his first race shortly thereafter at Laguna Seca. The two reunited last season and expect to run a successful and complete 2013 season together.

“I’ve been living out in California and really just starting back with my training program,” said Fillmore. “Not that I haven’t been staying fit and riding, but I had another surgery to fix my hand up. Good news though is that I’ve gotten quite a bit more movement in it recently so I’ve been riding motorcross more. I’ve been getting that in once or twice a week. Yesterday, we had a couple practice bikes built up for us and we plan on breaking them in at Chuckwalla this weekend. My plan for the next week going forward is to do as many track days as possible to get myself up to speed.”

Taylor Knapp is the newest addition to KTM/HMC Superbike Racing and will play teammate to Fillmore. In 2012, Knapp started 14 races in SuperBike competition and accounted for eight top-10 finishes. However, it was the Michigan product’s fourth place finish at New Jersey Motorsports Park last year that caught Hansen’s attention.

“I’m thrilled to be riding with KTM/HMC Superbike Racing,” said Knapp. “It seems like the team is filled with a good group of guys and I’m looking forward to having the backing from them. It’s important for me to have that kind of backing and family-like team. My goal this year is to be better than last year and to hit the podium as many times as possible. I’ve been working very hard this offseason and just want that to show up in the results when the year is completed.”

Between Michigan natives Fillmore and Knapp, KTM Motorsports and Mitch Hansen have put together a solid duo. The right pieces are in place and only the 2013 season will tell the story on how far these two can climb up the ladder in the SuperBike ranks.