National Motorcycle News

[NinjaMaster]

Excellent thread. Something I thought about ages ago so glad to see a little more love shown to national/local series.

BSB Steve Martin crash:
http://www.motormeuk.nl/bekijken/251...barricade.html

Was actually Chris Martin, not Steve. Anymore crashes like that will make playing the piano more difficult...

[Corny]

Hehe, Chris OK! Well, at least it's a horrible crash

[Wim_Impreza]

Last weekend, there was the Rizla Racing Day on the circuit of Assen in the Netherlands. The factory MotoGP Rizla Suzuki Team with riders Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen did some demo runs. There was a race for the Dutch Superbike and Supersport championship too. There were a lot of foreign drivers who prepared the IDM rounds at Assen about 1,5 week.

Dutch Superbike race:
1 Martin Bauer (A - Honda)
2 Gareth Jones (AUS - Yamaha)
3 Kai-Børre Andersen (N - KTM)
4 Peter Politiek (NL - Suzuki)
5 Jeremy McWilliams (IRL - KTM)
6 Bob Withag (NL - Yamaha)
7 Sepp Vermonden (B - Honda)
8 Stefan Nebel (D - KTM)
9 Peter Schalken (NL - Yamaha)
10 Harry van Beek (NL - MV Agusta)

Dutch Superbike standings:
1 Gareth Jones (AUS - Yamaha) 197
2 Raymond Schouten (NL - Yamaha) 170
3 Sepp Vermonden (B - Honda) 89
4 Gino Rea (GB - Honda) 84
5 Peter Schalken (NL - Yamaha) 80
6 Allard Kerkhoven (NL - Yamaha) 78
7 Bob Withag (NL - Yamaha) 69
8 Rik Lenters (NL - Honda) 57
9 Bas Winkel (NL - Honda) 55
10 Ghisbert van Ginhoven (NL - Ducati) 45

Dutch Supersport race:
1 Roy ten Napel (NL - Honda)
2 Ronald ter Braake (NL - Honda)
3 Nigel Walraven (NL - Suzuki)
4 Randy Gevers (NL - Yamaha)
5 Marcel van Nieuwenhuizen (NL - Yamaha)
6 Jurjen Uitterdijk (NL - Yamaha)
7 Kevin van Leuven (NL - Yamaha)
8 Stuart Voskamp (NL - Honda)
9 Sascha Hommel (D - Honda) IDM Supersport leader 2009
10 Jarno van der Marel (NL - Yamaha)
11 Rafaël Sinke (NL - Kawasaki)
12 Christian Kellner (D - Yamaha) the former WSS champion

Dutch Supersport standings:
1 Roy ten Napel (Honda) 162
2 Swen Ahnendorp (Yamaha) 122
3 Marcel van Nieuwenhuizen (Yamaha) 107
4 Kevin van Leuven (Yamaha) 87
5 Jarno van der Marel (Yamaha) 85
6 Nigel Walraven (Suzuki) 70
7 Randy Gevers (Yamaha) 68
8 Ronald ter Braake (Honda) 64
9 Stuart Voskamp (Honda) 63
10 Kervin Bos (Yamaha) 55

[TheFamousEccles]

Wim_Impreza, I was reading through the thread and it suddenly occured to me "are Dutch and Australian superbike/supersport bikes (and any other national level series for that matter) built to a similar spec, or is there a broader interpretation?" I am mainly curious as I know that Australian SBK is a relatively limited category in terms of what modifications you can make - not FIM spec, so to speak.

Could a "challenge race" be an even contest?

[TheFamousEccles]

I would really love to ride at Spa. One day....

[Wim_Impreza]

Wim_Impreza, I was reading through the thread and it suddenly occured to me "are Dutch and Australian superbike/supersport bikes (and any other national level series for that matter) built to a similar spec, or is there a broader interpretation?" I am mainly curious as I know that Australian SBK is a relatively limited category in terms of what modifications you can make - not FIM spec, so to speak.

Could a "challenge race" be an even contest?

The Dutch bikes and also the Belgian bikes are built to a similar spec. There are limited modifications allowed, but not that much.

You are of course welcome at Spa.

[patnicholls]

On the spec front, I think - although am not sure - that a bunch of championships are more Superstock-y spec than WSB for cost reasons. I think BSB is less limited than some of the others (AMA may be/have been similar in the past though things have changed in recent years), which may influence the numbers of BSB guys coming through compared with other champs along with a few other factors. It's possibly more complex than that, though that's have I've recently read it (and am happy to be corrected if nec!)

[Mach24]

In generalised terms Aust Superbike is the equivalent of what was Formula Extreme in the AMA last year. There are currently discussions about heading further down the production based path and becoming more a Superstock 1000 class.

Times are tough, there is a dearth of sponsorship and whilst there is manufacturer support in this country, it is of a low (but needed) level.

Personally I like the Superstock idea, as the championship then becomes more about the rider and less about the money!

Honda withdrew its official support from the 2008 Championship winning team for 2009, but Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki are still tipping in cash.

KTM have a presence in one of the support categories and there is some hope they may move to Superbike in 2010.

As for the Championship itself in OZ, a new promoter has taken over the series for 2009. Whilst there has been a general lack of information and some confusion over certain rounds as to if they would go ahead or not, it seems the ASBK is raising its exposure. Word has it the crowd at Eastern Creek last weekend was one of the biggest in the last decade (or more).

The Superbikes are competing at Phillip Island, September 11,12,13 (non championship round) as a support act the V8 Supercar 500km race and then again are on the card at MotoGP in October.

ASBK have a stand alone round at Phillip Island, November 27,28,29.

I should be at all the above races, as well as an 800km (1600km return) trip to South Australia for the ASBK round at Mallala, August 28,29,30.

Support your local racing, its where champions are born!

[Wim_Impreza]

Very interesting replies. Great to hear that you are going to such much events, Mach24.

[Mach24]

1 Wayne MAXWELL Oleon Motologic Racing Honda
2 Glenn ALLERTON Oleon Motologic Racing Honda
3 Joshua WATERS Team Joe Rocket Suzuki
4 Robert BUGDEN Team Joe Rocket Suzuki
5 Shawn GILES Team Joe Rocket Suzuki
6 Craig COXHELL CJC Racing / Bisley Workwear P Honda
7 Daniel STAUFFER Yamaha Racing Team
8 Jamie STAUFFER Yamaha Racing Team
9 Grant HAY Shock Treatment / Big Kahuna Racing / Jones XL P Yamaha
10 Marty CRAGGILL Phil Tainton Racing P Suzuki