Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, Suzuki Castrol has taken victory in the final round of the World Endurance Championship at Vallelunga in Italy after 79 laps and 200 miles.

World Endurance Champions Keiichi Kitagawa and Matthieu Lagrive competed without team mate Vincent Philippe - who was injured yesterday - and led from the third lap to beat Yamaha Phase One Endurance by almost one-and-a-half minutes. The British-based team were the only team to finish the race on the same lap as French-run Suzuki Castrol.

Yamaha Austria’s team of Igor Jerman and Thomas Hinterreiter finished in third place after a final-session battle with Phase One. The two teams had been trading places after every fuel stop but Nowland caught and passed the Austrians with only eight laps to go.

Said Kitagawa: “Except for Suzuka, we have won all the races so overall I am very comfortable with this season. I wanted to win at Suzuka as well of course, but I am very happy with this result.”

RESULTS:

1 Suzuki Castrol - FRA - (Suzuki GSX-R1000) - Philippe, Kagayama, Lagrive - 79 laps. 2 Yamaha Phase One Endurance - GBR - (Yamaha YZF-R1) - Nowland, Cudlin +1:29.236. 3 Yamaha Austria - AUT - (Yamaha YZF-R1) - Jerman, Hinterreiter -1lap. 4 Kawasaki Bolliger - SUI - (Kawasaki ZX10R) - Kellenberger, Morillon -1 lap. 5 Ducati Spring Team - ITA - (Ducati 999) - Colombo, Mauri, Gennari -2 laps.

6 Suzuki Fagersjo-el.se - SWE - (Suzuki GSX-R1000) - Notman, Carlbark -2 laps. 6 Shell Endurance Academy - GBR - (Yamaha ZF-R1) - Hogan, Rohtlaan, Wylie -2 laps. 8 Yamaha X-One - ITA - (Yamaha YZF-R1) - Tessari, Ricci, Clementini - 2 laps. 9 Suzuki No Limits & RT - ITA - (Yamaha YZF-R1) - Ruozi, Giachino, Codeluppi -3 laps. 10 Kawasaki RMT21 - GER - (Kawasaki ZX10R) - Fluckiger, Roth, Wildisen - 3 laps.

(this article was taken from insidebikes.co.uk)

At Plymouth, a K2 Hayabusa which looks fabulous in Blue & Silver. Unmarked, standard motorcycle.
GT Motorcycles is offering this bike for £5,999.00.

Colour: Blue/Silver
Year: 2002
Mileage: 9470
Location: Plymouth
Engine: 1298cc in-line
Power: 175.00hp (127.7kw) at 9800rpm
Torque: 140.00nm (14.3kgf-m or 103.3ft.lbs) at 7000rpm
Fuel System: Injection
Gearbox: 6speed
Top Speed: 300.0km/h (186.4mph)

At Plymouth, a K2 Hayabusa which looks fabulous in Blue & Silver. Unmarked, standard motorcycle.
GT Motorcycles is offering this bike for £5,999.00.

Colour: Blue/Silver
Year: 2002
Mileage: 9470
Location: Plymouth
Engine: 1298cc in-line
Power: 175.00hp (127.7kw) at 9800rpm
Torque: 140.00nm (14.3kgf-m or 103.3ft.lbs) at 7000rpm
Fuel System: Injection
Gearbox: 6speed
Top Speed: 300.0km/h (186.4mph)

There’s more news from other leading BSB teams in our racing section, but here’s the word from Rizla Suzuki, who had atough fight on their hands at Donington;

Rizla Suzuki’s John Reynolds and James Haydon each recorded hard-fought fifth place finishes at the 12th round of the British Superbike Championship at Donington Park in Leicestershire today.

A change of fork settings before the opening dry race allowed reigning Champion Reynolds to set the third fastest lap on his way to taking fifth place. A rainstorm before the second race meant the riders started on a damp track with a drying racing line and Reynolds fell foul of the conditions when he strayed onto a wet patch and crashed unhurt early on.

Haydon crashed without injury on the opening lap of the first race. His crew then made the same change to his forks that Reynolds had found beneficial and that gave him extra confidence to fight through to fifth in the second race despite a poor start.

Rizla Suzuki will be racing again at the final round of the 2005 British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch GP circuit in Kent, on Sunday, October 9th.

John Reynolds:

“I’ll go away from Donington and focus on the positives we have achieved here. We have been struggling to set up the front end of the Rizla Suzuki but today we made a change that has given me much more feeling and confidence in my bike.

“Well done to my team for working so hard all weekend. I’m just gutted that early in the second race I came off the dry line onto a wet patch and crashed without getting a proper chance to show what I could achieve. I guess that will have to wait until we are racing at Brands Hatch.”

James Haydon:

“I was disappointed to crash out of the first race when I lost the front end without any warning. We sat down after that and decided to make the same change to my forks that ‘JR’ found beneficial. Thanks to that change my bike felt much better in the second race.

“I got caught behind a couple of riders from the start and because it was wet off the racing line it took time to get past them. Once I did, the extra confidence in my Rizla Suzuki let me get a move on and I was catching the leaders towards the end. I’m really excited about going to Brands Hatch and can’t wait to get racing again.”

(this article was taken from insidebikes.com)

Here’s the news from Yamaha, after a superb performance from Valentino Rossi, which earns him - and Yamaha - the 2005 MotoGP Championship;

Gauloises Yamaha Team rider Valentino Rossi clinched the MotoGP World Championship for the fifth successive season after taking second place in the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang today.

Rossi became only the third rider in history to win the premier-class title on five occasions, emulating the achievements of Mick Doohan and Giacomo Agostini and adding to his championships in the 125cc and 250cc classes.

Now a seven-time World Champion, Rossi marked the achievement by wearing a t-shirt bearing the famous number 7 worn by the legendary Barry Sheene and launching into a riotous celebration with his fan club, dressed as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, to commemorate the occasion.

The Italian secured the championship with four races to spare thanks largely to the swift action of his mechanics, who resolved a series of tyre and set-up problems during this morning’s warm-up session and allowed him to charge from seventh on the grid to a sensational second place behind eventual winner Loris Capirossi (Ducati). Rossi’s Gauloises Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards finished in tenth place after struggling with front set-up problems all weekend.

Valentino Rossi (Gauloises Yamaha Team), 2nd;

“I am very happy because I gave more than 100% in the race today. We have been in trouble all weekend and this morning I wasn’t sure if I would finish on the podium. But I got a good start and rode a clever race whilst other riders seemed nervous and made mistakes.

Little by little I moved to the front and I felt comfortable with the bike. I passed Hayden and then swapped positions with Capirossi a couple of times, but in the last seven laps he changed gear and I couldn’t go with him. Anyway, I am World Champion for the seventh time, which is incredible! Last year was a bit of a surprise but this time everybody was out to beat me. I want to thank all my mechanics, Jerry, the engineers. everybody who works for Yamaha!”

Colin Edwards (Gauloises Yamaha Team), 10th

“We made the same mistake as we did in the first round at Jerez, but in reverse. This morning we went to a different construction front tyre and we fixed the problem we had, but then the balance of the bike wasn’t right and we didn’t have time to sort it out. The rear was sitting way too low and started to go quite early in the race. From then on it was a case of survival. At least we know where we went wrong and I’m really looking forward to Qatar because I had a great race there. I want to say congratulations to Valentino because he’s done an awesome job this year.”

Jeremy Burgess - Rossi’s Crew Chief

“Obviously the situation in Motegi meant that the celebrations were put off for a week but now we can celebrate. It has been a difficult weekend for all the teams, including ourselves, but we made a few changes in the warm-up and managed to give Valentino a bike that we knew could run for the podium. The season started with exactly the bike that we wanted and Yamaha has done everything we asked for. To win nine out of thirteen races is an excellent achievement by everybody and we have a great package. Good rider, good bike, good team. what more could you ask for?”

(this article was taken from insidebikes.com)

Here’s the news from Yamaha, after a superb performance from Valentino Rossi, which earns him - and Yamaha - the 2005 MotoGP Championship;

Gauloises Yamaha Team rider Valentino Rossi clinched the MotoGP World Championship for the fifth successive season after taking second place in the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang today.

Rossi became only the third rider in history to win the premier-class title on five occasions, emulating the achievements of Mick Doohan and Giacomo Agostini and adding to his championships in the 125cc and 250cc classes.

Now a seven-time World Champion, Rossi marked the achievement by wearing a t-shirt bearing the famous number 7 worn by the legendary Barry Sheene and launching into a riotous celebration with his fan club, dressed as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, to commemorate the occasion.

The Italian secured the championship with four races to spare thanks largely to the swift action of his mechanics, who resolved a series of tyre and set-up problems during this morning’s warm-up session and allowed him to charge from seventh on the grid to a sensational second place behind eventual winner Loris Capirossi (Ducati). Rossi’s Gauloises Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards finished in tenth place after struggling with front set-up problems all weekend.

Valentino Rossi (Gauloises Yamaha Team), 2nd;

“I am very happy because I gave more than 100% in the race today. We have been in trouble all weekend and this morning I wasn’t sure if I would finish on the podium. But I got a good start and rode a clever race whilst other riders seemed nervous and made mistakes.

Little by little I moved to the front and I felt comfortable with the bike. I passed Hayden and then swapped positions with Capirossi a couple of times, but in the last seven laps he changed gear and I couldn’t go with him. Anyway, I am World Champion for the seventh time, which is incredible! Last year was a bit of a surprise but this time everybody was out to beat me. I want to thank all my mechanics, Jerry, the engineers. everybody who works for Yamaha!”

Colin Edwards (Gauloises Yamaha Team), 10th

“We made the same mistake as we did in the first round at Jerez, but in reverse. This morning we went to a different construction front tyre and we fixed the problem we had, but then the balance of the bike wasn’t right and we didn’t have time to sort it out. The rear was sitting way too low and started to go quite early in the race. From then on it was a case of survival. At least we know where we went wrong and I’m really looking forward to Qatar because I had a great race there. I want to say congratulations to Valentino because he’s done an awesome job this year.”

Jeremy Burgess - Rossi’s Crew Chief

“Obviously the situation in Motegi meant that the celebrations were put off for a week but now we can celebrate. It has been a difficult weekend for all the teams, including ourselves, but we made a few changes in the warm-up and managed to give Valentino a bike that we knew could run for the podium. The season started with exactly the bike that we wanted and Yamaha has done everything we asked for. To win nine out of thirteen races is an excellent achievement by everybody and we have a great package. Good rider, good bike, good team. what more could you ask for?”

(this article was taken from insidebikes.com)

Kawasaki’s middleweight supersport ZX-6R is the top selling machine in its class according to sales figures released by the MCIA. With over 1500 registrations so far this year, the ZX-6R commands first spot in the important 126-650cc sales category. For the past three months the compact and stylish supersport machine has been at the top of the hard fought category despite strong challenges from other manufacturers.

“It’s fantastic news that the ZX-6R is at the top of its class. The engine and chassis performance coupled with the amazing design and style of the machine is obviously hitting the spot with bikers across the UK,” says Martin Lambert, Marketing Manager for Kawasaki Motors UK.

In the Rider Power Awards for 2005, carried out by RiDE magazine, the Kawasaki ZX-6R came first in the Supersports class. “The Rider Power Awards are based on surveys received from the owners themselves and the result continues to underline what a top-class machine the ZX-6R is,” said Lambert.

Kawasaki were responsible for creating the mid-weight supersport class in 1985 with the GPz600R and in 2005 they continue to be a market leader. The 2005 machine, the ZX636-C1H, was designed by Kawasaki’s Shunji Tanaka who is also responsible for creating the Ninja ZX-10R and the new ER-6.

The Kawasaki ZX-6R is not only proving the most popular in its class but also amongst the bigger bikes. The recent figures also show that the ZX-6R is currently the fourth best selling machine in the entire UK motorcycle market.

(this article was taken from insidebikes.com)