At the 2010 BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials week Lightning Motors took the FIM and AMA land speed record for special construction partial streamlining electric motorcycles (300-APS-W) with an official two-way average speed of 173.388 mph. Blasting down the course at 170.732 mph with a 10 mph headwind, Lightning Motors’ return run was clocked at 176.044 with no wind.
This was a marked improvement over the team’s unofficial 166mph pass last year, but still short of the company’s goal of hitting 200 mph on the salt flats. Coming straight from the track at VIR, the only modifications to the Lightning electric motorcycle was  … Details
The handwriting had been on the wall for a while: insiders knew that Cycle News, the quasi-official organ of America’s racers, industry insiders and die-hard enthusiasts, was struggling with the double-whammy of competition from new media and an imploded industry. So that’s why hearing Cycle News has shut down as of August 31, 2010 was saddening, but not surprising.
The Cycle News story began in 1965 when Chuck and Sharon Clayton purchased an existing L.A.-area motorcycle publication and renamed it. It quickly got a reputation for providing the best and most timely coverage of Southern California—and later national—motorcycle racing. Sharon (herself an enthusiastic rider) would cover events herself, but the Claytons soon began relying heavily on a network of freelancers, training an army of moto-journalists who would go on to careers at other publications. By the early 1980’s, Cycle News had  … Details
If you weren’t in Indianapolis for the Indy GP, you certainly missed one of the better side events of the weekend: The Lucas Oil Indy Mile AMA Flat Track Grand National. It’s hard to make riding on packed dirt at breakneak speeds with no brakes more exciting, but throw in former flat track Champion Nicky Hayden, the entire Ducati Corse MotoGP team, and a contract announcement and you have the makings for a very special event.
With Ducati Motor Holdings CEO Gabriele del Torchio on-stage to announce Hayden’s new two-year contract, motorcycle racing fans got to see their homeboy do good … Details
Nicky Hayden takes a few laps on a Ducati Flat Tracker at the 2010 Lucas Oil Indy Mile. Also his interview after the laps. Didn’t seem to loose too much after 8 years away.
Dani Pedrosa trimmed a little from Jorge Lorenzo’s MotoGP championship lead by winning at Indianapolis ahead of Ben Spies.
Lorenzo had to settle for third this time, followed by his Yamaha teammate Valentino Rossi and Pedrosa’s Honda stablemate Andrea Dovizioso, but still heads the standings by 68 points.