Honda’s new World Superbike Championship pairing of Jonathan Rea and Hiroshi Aoyama kick off their preparations for the 2012 season with a three-day test at Phillip Island in Australia this week (17-19 January).
 
The team will be running the SBK race specification 2012 CBR1000RR Fireblade for the first time since the 20th anniversary version of Honda’s iconic sports machine was launched last September.
 
The team will start its 2012 campaign boosted by news that, following a year as title sponsor, Castrol will remain as a key secondary partner until the end of the 2013 season.
 
The global lubricants manufacturer used Honda’s World Superbike effort as part of a worldwide marketing campaign to re-launch its Power 1 brand in 2011. Its continued support of the team extends a commercial and technical partnership between Honda and Castrol which dates back to 1959, when the Japanese manufacturer first started world championship racing.
 
Robert Watherston, motorcycle racing manager at Honda Motor Europe, said: “We’re delighted that Castrol has decided to continue its long-standing association with Honda and, in particular, our World Superbike campaign. We are especially please to have signed a two-year agreement, which takes us to the end of the 2013 season.”
 
Donald Smith, sponsorship manager in Castrol's Global Marketing Unit commented: “We are pleased to confirm the continuation of our long-standing relationship and support of Honda and motorcycle racing. World Superbikes is the ideal proving ground for the development of our advanced range of Castrol Power 1 lubricants and we look forward to the future of our continued relationship with Honda.”

The 34th edition of the Dakar and the fourth in South America, comes to its end. After 8400 kilometers, riders have finally crossed the finish line in Lima, and so has Alain Duclos. The Aprilia RXV was the only “factory” rider to complete the Dakar without changing the engine.

LIMA - The Plaza de Armas of Lima was decorated for the celebration of the Dakar´s finish after two weeks of race. Three countries were crossed, 8400 kilometers, and mostly one of the hardest Dakar ever. The marathon rally in South America confirmed once again to be the toughest race for bikes in the world, and only 100 from the 186 riders that started in Mar del Plata on January 1st made it to the end.

And finally Alain Duclos was able to cross the podium of the finish line. For him, things were not easy during the race, electrical problems pushed him far behind at stage seventh, but the French-Malian rider showed from the first days that he had the skills to take the Aprilia RXV to the best positions.

The expectations of Duclos changed in the rest day, and the main goal was reinvented to finish the Dakar with only one engine, with only the engine he started the race in Argentina. The reliability of the v-twin of Aprilia was proved and Duclos completed the Dakar as the only “factory” rider to use just one engine.

There are still regrets for the incident of Francisco López. “Chaleco” also showed his talent during the first half of the race, and it was the only rider that shined behind Coma and Despres. Even if his health condition after the recovery from his fall in Tunisia was not at 100%, he was able to sign a stage win, the sixth victory of his career.

Alain Duclos: “Another Dakar is over. I am glad I crossed the finish line and of course, I expected a better result. The Dakar is always a great life experience and a passionate adventure. And I am also glad to have discovered another country that gives us a warm welcome. Tomorrow I will start thinking about the Dakar 2013.”
 

Ace Cafe London, teaming up with Ace Corner Finland, is delighted to be able to confirm attendance with stand and display at the forthcoming Helsinki Motorcycle Show, 2nd - 5th February 2012.

The Ace presence and display, together with the Finnish Motorcycle Museum and Ace Corner Finland includes an array of Ace Cafe, Rockers and StoMoCo items, and will feature the recently published, comprehensive, 312 page hardbound "Ace Times - speed thrills and tea spills, a cafe and a culture" by author Mick Duckworth.  Mark Wilsmore, MD of Ace Cafe London will be available on Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th to sign copies.

Drop by and say hello and meet the Ace Corner Finland Team at Hall 7, Stand E30

www.ace-corner-finland.fi

www.moottoripyoramuseo.fi

www.finnexpo.fi

The Historic Rally Car Register is celebrating two exciting anniversaries when it runs its much loved Open Day at the Heritage Motor Centre on Saturday 14th January 2012. 

The Open Day is one of the most exciting gatherings for all those interested in historic rallying, one of the fastest growing motorsports in the UK. The 2012 event will welcome the 1978 RAC Rally winning Escort of Hannu Mikkola and Arne Hertz as the star of the show. 

2012 marks 80 years since the first RAC Rally held in 1932 as a reliability trial with all types of tests including a slow driving test. In 1960 the Rally moved onto the private forest roads and grew into one of the World’s best rallies and the biggest spectator event in Britain. Hundreds of thousands of fans stood in the forests to watch rallying household names of the 70's/80's including Roger Clark, Hannu Mikkola, Tony Pond, Colin McRae and Richard Burns battle for the World Rally crown.

The second of the anniversaries marks 30 years since the event that launched Historic Rallying in this country. The Lombard Golden Fifty took place in 1982 to celebrate 50 years of the RAC Rally and launched a whole new area of motorsport.

Visitors will be able to see a number of cars on display outdoors on the Western Arena plus have the opportunity of meeting organisers, club shop & specialist suppliers and organising clubs. Stands in the Main HRCR Hall will highlight many of today's historic rallies.

John Bishop, Car Clubs & Groups Co-ordinator at the Heritage Motor Centre stated “We’re delighted to be hosting the HRCR Open Day which looks set to be another exciting and nostalgic event for rally enthusiasts. If you are interested in historic rallying then Gaydon is the place to be on Saturday 14 January!”

Entry to the HRCR Open Day is free of charge and attendees can visit the Museum on the day for the discounted rate of £6 per person.  The Open Day is open from 09:30 - 16:00 with the Museum open from 10:00 - 17:00. To find out more information please visit the website at www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk  or the HRCR website at www.hrcr.co.uk

Riding legends will be roaring into the Manchester Motorcycle Show, held at Manchester Central Convention Complex on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th January 2012. Former British Superbike Champion turned MotoGP TV commentator Steve Parrish, TT racers Guy Martin and Michael Dunlop and the fastest female TT racer Jenny Tinmouth will all be in attendance.

Steve Parrish brings over 30 years of motorcycling experience to Manchester. He is guaranteed to keep the crowd entertained with his superb sense of humour as he tells a tale or two. If you have a question, then ask away as Steve will be on hand to provide the answer as well as signing autographs throughout the weekend.

One of the hottest bikes on display will be TT racer Guy Martin’s 500bhp turbo café racer, brought to the show by none other than the man himself. Guy, who will be at the show on Saturday to talk about the bike and sign autographs, has built the bike from a 1991 GSX-R1100 but not much of the original bike remains as it now has a 1380cc big bore engine and fuel injection.

Jenny Tinmouth represents the female population in the world of motorbikes by being the fastest woman to ever go around the Isle of Man TT course as well as competing in the 2011 British Superbike Championship and British Supersport Championship.  Chester-born Jenny can tell you what it’s like to be a female racer in a predominately male environment.

On the Hunts Motorcycle Honda stand throughout the weekend will be Guy’s racing opponent and Double TT winner Michael Dunlop.

Adult ticket prices are £10 when booking in advance, £15 on the day. Children under 15 years enter for free when accompanied by a paying adult. The show is open from 10am each day and closes at 5pm. To book tickets and for the latest updates, visit www.manchestermotorcycleshow.com