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Category: Superbikes
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30 YEARS OF SUCCESS FOR APRILIA: FROM MISANO 1987 TO 54 WORLD TITLES
The MotoGP weekend at Misano Adriatico marks thirty years since the first Aprilia win in World Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing, achieved in the 250 Class with Loris Reggiani on 30 August 1987, right here on the Italian circuit.
It was a win that launched a victorious sports history in all motorcycle categories. As of today, the Italian Racing Department's trophy case holds 54 world titles in the various disciplines, including 38 in World Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing with 294 GP wins.
That victory is also celebrated by FMI – Federazione Motociclistica Italiana who, on the occasion of the MotoGP round in Misano, awarded Aprilia in memory of that first world championship win. It is a tribute to a victorious technical and sports history that has trained extraordinary generations of riders and technicians.
Giovanni Copioli, Chairman of FMI – Federazione Motociclistica Italiana
“As FMI, we are proud to celebrate this anniversary, Aprilia's first world championship triumph, earned by no less than an Italian rider, Loris Reggiani, and right here in Misano. The purpose of this recognition is to pay due homage to an Italian Manufacturer which, beginning from that win, has brought home countless victories, earning an impressive number of titles and holding Italian motorcycling high. I am certain that Aprilia will soon continue this winning tradition, given their efforts and growth in the premier class.”
Romano Albesiano, Aprilia Racing Manager
“Looking back on Aprilia's first win today traces back over an extraordinary, all Italian heritage of victories. That fantastic performance by Loris Reggiani was the first step in a chain of 294 wins and 38 Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing Titles which are joined by 7 World Superbike Championship Titles and our offroad successes. Today, Aprilia Racing represents the most technologically advanced spearhead of the Piaggio Group with the goal, on the track, of bringing home those wins in the premier category that are missing from our collection of trophies, while continuing to mould technicians and extraordinary skills, persevering on that journey that we began thirty years ago.”
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Bruce Anstey shattered a number of records on his way to repeating last year’s victory in this afternoon’s Dunlop Lightweight Classic TT Race, the second race in the 2017 Isle of Man Classic TT Races presented by Bennetts. 
The flying Kiwi started by breaking the outright 250cc lap record on his opening lap, becoming the first rider to do a 250cc lap under 19 minutes which he followed up by becoming the first 250cc rider to post a 120mph lap on his second lap and he also broke his own race record by over a minute.
In the winners enclosure Anstey revealed that the team had been specifically targeting the 120mph lap;
“Clive [Padgett] ’s done brilliantly getting the bike up to spec over the winter. We have been targeting the 120mph lap so it’s great to get it in the bag. I used Ian as a bit of a target and went flat out for the first two laps.”
In a day when the clock was turned back on the Isle of Man it was clearly a day for the veterans with the top three riders – Anstey, Michael Rutter and Ian Lougher - all having made their Mountain Course debuts in the 1980s and 1990s.
Lougher on the Laylaw Racing Yamaha was first away and the Welshman lead on the road at Glen Helen at the opening checkpoint but Anstey had already taken 9 seconds out of him on the clock with Dan Sayle riding the Steelcote Solutions Yamaha the Kiwi’s nearest challenger, four seconds behind the race leader at Glen Helen.
Anstey moved in front on the road at Ballaugh on the opening lap and extended his race lead over the Mountain section before posting an opening lap of 119.888mph/ 18:52.960, the fastest ever lap by a 250 machine, and the first under the 19 minute barrier – all the more remarkable as it was set from a standing start.
Behind the Kiwi Dan Sayle was trying to give the Padgetts Motorcycles rider some competition but the Manx rider was already 25 seconds down with his opening lap of 117.225 with Michael Rutter on the Red Fox Grinta Racing Ducati, a tribute to his father Tony, completing the top three in 116.903. Lougher (116.657) was maintaining a podium challenge just over two seconds behind Rutter with Ivan Lintin (114.950) completing the top five.
That remained the order on lap 2 with Anstey breaking his own lap one record with a lap of 120.475/ 18:47.438, the first 120mph 250cc lap in the history of the Mountain Course with the New Zealander slowing down for his pit stop.
Anstey’s record breaking opening two laps gave him a lead of over fifty seconds from Dan Sayle (117.740) with Michael Rutter maintaining his podium challenge only five seconds behind Sayle. Lougher and Ivan Lintin held fourth and fifth places respectively going into the third lap.
Dan Sayle was reported as a retirement at Garey Ford near Kerrowmoar which saw Michael Rutter move into second place at Ramsey with Lougher slotting into the final podium position but Anstey’s lead at the end of lap three after a lap of 113.233mph was a decisive seventy seconds ahead of Rutter with Lougher (111.580) a further thirteen seconds back in third place.
That remained the top three at the finish with Anstey taking the race in a new record time of / 117.853/ 1:16:50.072. Rutter’s final lap of 116.662 saw him finish in the runner-up up slot in 115.723/ 1:18.14.929 with fellow veteran Ian Lougher third in 115.665 1:18.17.289. Stuart Hall riding for Martyn Nelson Yamaha (109.416/ 1:22:45.565) was the leading privateer in eighth place.
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THE SPANIARD RIDES HIS APRILIA TO FOURTH PLACE
It was a decidedly positive start for Aprilia at Silverstone, the twelfth round of the 2017 Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing Championship. Aleix Espargaró, with a brilliant lap in the finale of the afternoon FP2 session, rode his RS-GP to fourth place in the day's standings. In both the sessions held today, the Spaniard demonstrated a good feeling on the English track, well supported by an Aprilia that was on point straight away.
Aleix is suffering from a pinched ligament between his ribs that makes breathing difficult after a few laps, so he focused on brief outings. Constantly monitored by the Mobile Clinic, the situation does not seem worrisome, but careful dosing of efforts is advised. The rider will better assess his physical conditions in the FP3 session tomorrow.
Sam Lowes is also satisfied with his day, using the first two sessions to experiment with new setup solutions on his RS-GP with the primary goal of improving stability on rather bumpy asphalt. Along with his team, the English rookie identified the right direction in which to work without using the softest tyre in his final time attack.
ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"This is one of the tracks where I felt great straight away. The RS-GP really responds well here at Silverstone. It's a pity about the problem with my ribs that I suffered training with a kart. In the fast direction changes I suffer a lot and struggle to breathe well. I am working a lot with the Clinic and I hope to be in good conditions for the race."
SAM LOWES
"In FP2 we tried various things to find the right direction to go in terms of setup, especially to improve the stability of the RS-GP. I lapped with the hardest tyre and it seems to work well for us. Many of the riders improved a lot using the soft at the end of the session, so that leads me to believe that we could have been faster in terms of lap times. This morning I didn't have a good feeling, but in the afternoon we improved. I had fun and I think that we'll be able to continue improving tomorrow too."
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- New line-up of retro-liveried Yamaha YZF-R1s revealed
- World Champions Gardner, Spencer and Read in action
- Bike Legends team wins Celebrity Challenge race
World GP Bike Legends served up a stirring and spectacular show at the recent Silverstone Classic (28-30 July) when a star-studded line-up of two-wheel heroes took to the famous GP track riding a combination of phenomenal 500cc two-strokes from the sport’s glory days plus new Yamaha YZF-R1s painted in evocative period liveries. What’s more, these exclusive retro-liveried R1s are now being offered for public sale. Adding to the amazing occasion, a team of Bike Legends also contested – and won – the event’s high-profile Celebrity Challenge Trophy race, a special showdown featuring an impressive grid of famous faces from sport, music, TV and showbiz all racing equally-matched Austin A30s and A35s. “It was an awesome weekend on all fronts,” enthused WGPBL ambassador Wayne Gardner. “The Silverstone Classic is now one of the world’s greatest festivals and the presence of World GP Bike Legends certainly adds to the extraordinary show. With so many enthusiasts, it was the perfect event for us to debut our exciting new initiative with Yamaha.” Gardner, the 1987 500cc MotoGP title winner, was joined at the special Silverstone showcase by fellow World Champions Freddie Spencer and Phil Read MBE plus five other renowned riders from yesteryear: British champions Niall Mackenzie and Steve Parrish, TT racer Maria Costello MBE plus GP aces Didier de Radiguès and Niggi Schmassmann. This year’s outstanding WGPBL line-up also starred two sons of famous fathers – Gardner’s son Remy, currently competing in Moto2, and Freddie Sheene whose late father Barry Sheene remains one of the most loved characters in global motor sport. While Parrish, Costello, de Radiguès, Schmassmann and Gardner junior were all aboard fiery two-strokes, the five other legends debuted a quintet of dazzling Yamahas, all finished in very special racing colours. Wayne Gardner’s YZF-R1s featured a unique World GP Bike Legends design, however those ridden by Spencer, Read, Mackenzie and Sheene all boasted evocative designs harking back to respective heydays. Spencer’s design was based on the Yamaha he raced back in 1980, Read’s recalled his championship winning Yamaha of 1971 and Mackenzie’s livery honoured the Sanauto-Yamaha on which he contested 1992 500cc World Championship. Even more iconically, perhaps, Freddie Sheene’s much-admired R1 revived the revered Akai livery from the Yamaha his late father raced in 1981. All five riders autographed their respective R1s which are now on sale via the www.legendsgpbikes.com website. Each one comes with a Certificate of Authenticity (also signed by the rider) and a dedicated plaque showing its position in the very limited WGPBL series. The new collection of R1s, resplendent in their alluring retro colours, attracted massive attention at the Silverstone Classic both when on display in the National Paddock and when performing high-speed demonstration laps on the circuit. Though dramatic these on-track demos weren’t competitive, four of the WGPBL riders – Gardner, Spencer, Parrish and Costello – did join forces to contest the event’s standout Celebrity Challenge Trophy motor race on Saturday evening. Their impressive results, when added to those scored in Sunday’s follow-up showdown for the cars’ owners, ensured the Bike Legends team came out on top, in the process helping to raise more than £10,000 for Prostate Cancer UK, the event’s official charity. More information and all the latest WGPBL news is available on the official website www.worldgpbikelegends.com and via the initiative’s social media platforms.
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Known for being a big fan of all forms of two-wheels, Kawasaki British Superbike rider Leon Haslam’s latest venture is Supermoto and, as a result, the latest addition to his garage is a Supermoto spec Kawasaki KX450F. 
The highly modified KX machine was sent to Trevor Pope Motorcycles in Gosport – an experienced Supermoto machine builder – who turned the lime green machine into a Supermoto special.
The standard cast Triple Clamps were replaced with an X Trig 16mm Offset Triple Clamp Front End Yoke Set to improve stability, turning and strength. It has a pair of slick Dunlop tyres and the front has been fitted with a Beringer oversize Front Brake Caliper to accept the 320mm oversize wavy Disc to cope with the extra, heavy braking required – there’s a wavy disc on the rear too. The standard clutch has been changed to a Sutter Slipper clutch too – which is essential to enable the rear wheel to break and gain traction. The machine has also received SAMCO Silicone Radiator Hoses – in green, of course, plus much more…
Leon Haslam said: “I can’t wait to get to have a play on it! Kawasaki have been kind enough to build me a full racing bike – I’ve seen the odd picture of the bike as it’s been built but to see it in the flesh now is awesome.
I got into supermoto over the winter for training ahead of the British Superbike Championship. I train out in Spain with the Lowes twins – we ride pit bikes, motocross and supermoto – and was borrowing their bike, so I was keen to get one of my own. From my perspective, I’ll be using it mainly for training. There’s lots of good spots we go to in the UK too – we usually ride them on pit bikes so to attack them on a super KX450F will be good fun!”
To view the full range of KX machines, visit: www.kawasaki.co.uk
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