Michael Czysz, Founder and Team Principal of MotoCzysz, has been diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer, according to a team press release. He plans to undergo treatment immediately, which means he will not be able to attend the 2013 Isle of Man TT. He vows to return in 2014.
You may remember last fall’s release of the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R was accompanied by a mind-blowing short video commercial of a rider screaming around the 37.33-mile Isle of Man TT course aboard the new 636 Ninja. Now, Team Green has just released a “Making Of” video about the production of that video, featuring TT star James Hillier. Continue Reading »
Get the Flash Player to see this player.
When it comes to motorcycle races, there are two that separate the men from the boys: the Isle of Man TT and the Macau Grand Prix. Both races are held on public roads with little to no margin for error. At the Isle, if you make a mistake, you’re flying off the side of a mountain. At Macau, a mistake puts you into a wall. Continue Reading »
Moto Electra has found a new, innovative way to combine old and new technologies in its electric race bike. The Virginia-based Moto Electra has been an active participant in electric motorcycle racing for the last few years, competing against much larger, better funded teams with a race bike using an electric motor and 1950s Norton Featherbed frame.
That melding of old and new has produced surprising results, including podium finishes in the TTXGP and victory in a race featuring both electric and gas-powered motorcycles.
The plucky team has taken another technological step forward by equipping its race bike with an Apple iPad as an information console and communication system. Built into the top of the Norton fuel tank, the iPad provides performance information including speed, lap-times and acceleration information, as well as monitoring vital functions such as battery charge level. The iPad can also produce a noise simulating a combustion engine as a safety feature for the otherwise silent-running electric motorcycle. Continue Reading »
MotoCzysz unveiled what may be the most aerodynamically designed motorcycle ever produced … and we’re not just talking about electric bikes here. The covers were pulled from the 2012 MotoCzysz E1PC electric race bike ahead of the TT Zero electric race at the Isle of Man, revealing a sleek silver and red sportbike with aerodynamically curving wings and fins.
The updated E1PC is MotoCzysz’s latest stab at claiming the 10,000 British pound bounty for being the first electric motorcycle to score an average speed of 100 mph on the Isle of Man’s Mountain Course. MotoCzysz took the last two TT Zero races and is a favorite to do it again this year, but the 100 mph barrier is the bigger goal.
Mark Miller won the 2010 TT Zero with a time of 23:22.89 to average a speed of 96.820 mph, a good 7.53 mph faster than anyone else, and last year, Michael Rutter came agonizingly close to the target speed, averaging 99.604 mph with a 22:43.68 lap time. Continue Reading »
Isle of Man TT veteran John McGuinness recently got a chance to test the new Mugen Shinden electric rice bike to prepare for the 2012 TT Zero.
The test took place at the Twin Ring Motegi in Japan, a world-class racing circuit but perhaps not-coincidentally, a track built and owned by Honda, further fueling the belief the Mugen effort is a front for the Japanese manufacturer. The Honda-contracted McGuinness put the Shinden through its first big test, helping the Mugen team gather data on the electric racer.
“The bike was, as you would expect from a company such as Mugen, a well-designed and well put together proper race bike,” says McGuinness. “As soon as I got underway it felt natural and I almost forgot it was fully electric while I was also learning the Twin Ring Motegi circuit for the first time. Now, having ridden the Mugen Shinden I am looking forward even more to competing in my first SES TT Zero event.”
Honda has revealed – Oops. What we meant to say was the Honda-associated Mugen Motorsports has revealed its electric race bike which will enter the 2012 TT Zero on the Isle of Man.
Let’s get the caveats out of the way first. Mugen, a Japanese tuning company, is not an actual Honda company. Mugen was, however, founded by Hirotoshi Honda, the son of Honda founder Soichiro Honda. Mugen also specializes in tuning Honda cars and motorcycles, but officially, the two companies are separate entities.
That’s what makes the newly unveiled Mugen Shinden electric race bike so intriguing. The Shinden may not be an official Honda electric racebike, but it’s the next closest thing.
The Isle of Man TT usually provides a lot of drama, and this year’s event was no different. John McGuinness, second on the all-time TT wins list, added two more wins to his resume to win the Joey Dunlop Trophy while MotoCzysz once again fell just short of taking the bounty for being the first electric motorcycle team to record a 100 mph lap on the Mountain Course.
The 2011 Isle of Man TT also had its share of tragedy with three racing fatalities. Sidecar racer Bill Currie and passenger Kevin Morgan died in an accident during qualifying while Derek Brien was killed in a high-speed crash in the first Supersport race.
The event also featured a parade lap with five-time World Champion Mick Doohan, Ducati MotoGP racer Nicky Hayden, Tech 3 Yamaha MotoGP racer Cal Crutchlow, 2010 Isle of Man TT star Ian Hutchinson, and British Superbike racer Josh Brookes.
Full recap after the jump.
The Isle of Man TT has claimed another life, as Irish racer Derek Brien, 34, was killed in a high-speed accident on the second day of competition.
According to Isle of Man TT promoter ACU Events, Brien was in an accident at Gorse Lea a section between milestones seven and eight on the Mountain Course during the first Supersport race.
An experienced TT racer, Brien raced in the 2009 and 2010 events as well as winning the 2007 Junior Manx Grand Prix on the Isle of Man.
Brien is the third racing fatality of the 2011 Isle of Man TT. Sidecar racer Bill Currie, 67 and passenger Kevin Morgan, 59, were killed in an accident during a qualifying session last week. Brien is survived by his partner, Sarah.
Related Reading
Sidecar Team Killed in Isle of Man TT Qualifying Accident
[Source: Isle of Man TT, 3FM]
Sidecar racer Bill Currie, 67, and passenger Kevin Morgan, 59, have died following an accident at the 2011 Isle of Man TT races.
The accident occurred during the second qualifying session for the sidecar class near the Ballacrye Bend, between milestones 17 and 18 on the Mountain Course. The coroner is investigating the accident.
Currie was an experienced Isle of Man TT racer, first competing in the fabled event in 1969 where he finished third. Currie competed in last year’s TT, finishing eighth in the Sidecar class with a personal best average speed of 107.944 mph. Morgan was no stranger to the Isle of Man either, competing in his first TT race in 1984. This year’s event was the first time the two would have competed together as a pair.
“I have known both Bill and Kevin for many years and am deeply saddened by their untimely death,” says Jim Parker, managing director of Isle of Man TT organizer ACU Events. “They were a huge part of the sidecar paddock and will be sorely missed by everyone involved in the event.”
Currie was divorced with two kids. Morgan was single with two sons.
Official statement after the jump.
