Michael Jordan Motorsports revealed its racing livery for its 2013 AMA Superbike Championship Suzuki GSX-R1000 racebikes. The 2013 racebikes will sport a wavy blue camo pattern inspired by the new Nike Air Jordan XX8 sneaker. The team unveiled the new livery on the Skydeck on the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower) in Chicago, where the team was founded and, more notably, where team owner Michael Jordan won six NBA championships with the Bulls.

The two-time AMA Daytona Sportbike Champion Danny Eslick joins the team after racing last season with the Erik Buell Racing team. Eslick will ride the #23 Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000. He’ll be teamed with the Roger Hayden who returns for 2013 riding the #54 National Guard Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000. Continue Reading »

The International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) has released an updated list of motorcycles homologated for the 2013 Superbike, Supersport, and Superstock racing season. Notable additions include the new BMW S1000RR HP4, the MV Agusta F3 and the Superbike-spec Ducati 1199 Panigale R.

To qualify a production-based racebike for FIM homologations, manufacturers have to meet certain production thresholds. Manufacturers must first produce 125 units ahead of a homologation inspection. After that, manufacturers have to produce a minimum of 500 units by June 30 and 1000 units by December 31 of the current year, and a minimum of 2000 units by the December 31 of the following year.

Production counts include both ABS and non-ABS versions of the same model, and at least 250 units of each version have to be produced. Production models must also be available for sale in either the U.S., Europe or Japan by the end of April of the current year to qualify. Continue Reading »

Reigning AMA Daytona Sportbike Champion Martin Cardenas has signed on to race in the AMA Superbike class for Yoshimura Suzuki. The move was rumored to be in the works for quite some time now, especially following Cardenas’ release from the final year of his contract with his former employer Team Hammer.

Cardenas will return to the Superbike class this season, riding a Suzuki GSX-R1000 alongside teammate Chris Clark. Cardenas last raced in the class during the 2011 season, finishing fourth overall with a single race victory. That lone Superbike season was sandwiched by championship-winning campaigns in the 2010 and 2012 Daytona Sportbike class where Cardenas rode a Suzuki GSX-R600.

“I am extremely happy to have the opportunity to race for one of the best, if not the best, Superbike teams in the U.S.,” says Cardenas. “It’s really a dream come true to become part of the Yoshimura Suzuki team. I will give everything I have to try to obtain the best results for the team and for me. And hopefully I will be in the mix for the top spot in the championship.” Continue Reading »

Days after the release of the reigning AMA Daytona Sportbike champion from his contract, the Geico Motorcycle race team announced it will field Dane Westby with the backing of Team Hammer on a Honda CBR600RR season.

Westby rode last season for Team Hammer on the M4 Suzuki GSX-R600 to finish second overall behind fellow Team Hammer rider Martin Cardenas who raced on a Geico-sponsored Suzuki GSX-R600. Last week, Team Hammer released Cardenas from his contract option for the 2013 season so he could pursue opportunities in the Superbike class. That opened up the Geico-backed ride for Westby for the coming season.

Along with that change comes the switch from the Suzuki to the Honda CBR600RR, marking the Japanese manufacturer’s return to AMA Pro Road Racing. American Honda pulled its support of AMA road racing in 2009 after first two turmultuous years of Daytona Motorsports Group running the series. It is unclear at this point how much support, if any, American Honda is providing Team Hammer. Continue Reading »

Suzuki is celebrating the production of the 1 millionth motorcycle in the GSX-R family with a limited edition model.

Unveiled at the 2012 Intermot show in Cologne, Germany, the Millionth Edition 2013 Suzuki GSX-R1000 comes with a commemorative paint scheme, black Brembo brake calipers, pin-striped wheels, gold fork tubes and red fork caps, suspension spring and nose.

The top yoke also features a numbered Millionth Edition plate and the key is decorated with Suzuki’s red “R” logo. Continue Reading »

Yoshimura made a name for itself tuning championship-winning Suzuki racebikes, but for the first time, the company is producing a run of limited edition Gixxers for the public.

Yoshimura R&D of America is offering a number of 2011 and 2012 Suzuki GSX-R600s, GSX-R750s and GSX-R1000s equipped with a host of upgrades.

Each individually numbered GSX-R comes equipped with EPA- and CARB-compliant Yoshimura R-77 carbon fiber slip-ons and a number of aluminum CNC machined components. Continue Reading »

American Suzuki is posting $4.2 million in race contingency for the 2012 U.S. road racing and motocross season.

The contingency program is open to amateur and professional racers riding 2011 or 2012 Suzuki GSX-R600, GSX-R750 or GSX-R1000 sportbikes and RM85/85L, RM-Z250 or RM-Z450 motocross racers.

Continue Reading »

Danny Eslick won his second career AMA Daytona Sportbike Championship, adding another #1 plate to the one he won in 2009.

The Geico Powersports RMR Suzuki GSX-R600 rider won three races this season and added another five podium finishes to win the title by a 275-256 margin over Monster Energy Graves Yamaha’s Josh Herrin. Eslick clinched the title after finishing sixth in the first race of the 2011 season finale at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

Continue Reading »

Four-time Philippines national superbike champion Maico Greg Buncio has succumbed to injuries suffered in a high speed crash May 14 in a qualifying session at the Clark Speedway Racing Circuit.

According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the 22-year-old Suzuki factory racer high-sided after his GSX-R600 ran over some debris on the track. Maico reportedly rolled into an unfinished barrier and was pierced by a protruding steel bar.

Buncio was taken to a local hospital and later transferred to the University of Santo Tomas Hospital in Manila where he died May 15 due to internal bleeding.

A talented young racer, Buncio won the Philippine national championship as a rookie in 2007 and retained the title the next three seasons. Buncio was selected to be the Philippines’ first representative in the ASEAN Road Racing Championship in April at the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia.

According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, a Suzuki representative said Buncio’s family is considering filing suit against the operators of Clark International Speedway. Local authorities are also investigating the accident. The owner of the Clark International Speedway has suspended all motorcycle racing events at the track as well as three other circuits for a safety evaluation.

[Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer]