In MotoGp news it now seems that the Japanese GP at Motegi will not go ahead at the end of the year despite being postponed from the April date to allow things to settle down in the earthquake zone. It seems that, even though the track is not in the reactor danger zone, travelling to and from it entails passing through the zone and organisers are not hopeful that the clean-up will have been completed by then. Further, it seems that the race will NOT be replaced by a race at Istanbul if Motegi IS cancelled. Thus, it looks like 17 rounds only in 2011.
On the subject of tracks, it now appears that the Sachesenring track is also in financial trouble, though there is no talk at all of the round being cancelled.
You know that I am a devoted fan of second-generation competitors. Well, last weekend two 2nd generation riders competed in two very different locations. At Macnamara Park in Mount Gambier, Luca Gardner, the younger of Wayne Gardner’s two sons, scored 2 podium finishes in the MRRDA Round held there on Saturday. meanwhile, in Spain, Remy, his older brother, competed in the 125cc championship race as part of the Spanish Championship. Remember the names, you’ll be hearing more of them.
In the BSB overnight, Australian’s Joshua Brookes was unlucky to crash in Race 1 while contesting for the lead. Unfortunately, the accident was so severe that he wasn’t able to compete in Race 2. He is confident that he’ll be fit and ready for the 2nd round of the championship at Snetterton, next weekend.
Honda has quietly introduced their 2012 MotoGp challenger (as yet unnamed) at a private test in Japan. No details as yet, just the usual carbon-fibre photograph.
And, in the USA, industry figures suggest that first quarter sales of motorcycles is up 7% for the first 3 months of 2011, an encouraging sign for the rest of the world, as US sales are usually seen a barometer of the industry’s health.
Over the weekend I’ve cleared out the shed and made ready for the arrival of the Shadowfax. At present it’s wrapped in plastic tarps around the back of my shed and my husky son-in-law is coming this week to bring it around to the garage where I can start working on it. I have decided that I won’t be restoring it to how it originally looked as its original look was ugly (even Kent, who did the glass work, admits this). Instead I’m planning on a quasi-endurance racer style. Something like this.
I have no idea how much this is going to cost or how long it is going to take, but, If you don’t make a start, then you never get to finish. I may get Kent to make up an original seat/tank/fairing unit (he still has the molds) just so I can display the bike “as it was” but I think the endurance racer style will suit better and make the bike more appealing. Guess I’d better join the VJMCC, then, eh?
Oh, and I think I might be looking HERE for some parts at some stage.. 🙂
dunc says
you will have to keep us updated with pictures and the progress of this little project
these may help to phil [dont have to put them up though]
http://www.z1enterprises.com/
http://www.redlinecycle.com/
http://www.kzzone.com/
http://www.oldkawman.com/
http://www.oldbikebarn.com/Street/Kawasaki
http://www.schnitzracingstore.com/catalogs/index.asp?category=19077&count=1
http://www.johnnysvintagemotorcycle.com/
Phil Hall says
Thanks, mate. Yes, I certainly intend to document it all and I’m very grateful for the suggested web sites, I’ll be checking all of them out. Thanks again.