Here we are. An other season is over. And what a season! New bike, new challenges and better results then expected. To tell you the truth, I was hoping to crack the top 10 in Superbike  and found myself in 3rd position in the RACE SUPERSERIES. With this kind of result it would be expected of me to turn PRO but I feel that I still need more seat time on the RSV4 to be competitive. Going PRO is my objective, don’t get me wrong. I just want solid results and show everyone what I can do on a well set up bike. I was not 100% comfortable on the Aprilia. Imagine a 250gp race bike with a 1000cc four stroke crammed in to it. Its very compact and me being close to 6 feet tall with screws in my knees with limited flexing ranges, was at times painful. Here in Canada, most of the race tracks are tight and turny.  Your almost always in a leaned over position making it hard to just relax on the bike.I did find someone to help me get better body positioning, but only after the last race at ICAR. Anyway, If you want a great race bike that has tones of character, get the RSV4. Its place is on the race track. An other good thing happened for me this season. I hocked  up with the people at RSPEED Racing sports of Italy. They make some serious race suits and motorcycle  street gear. You should see what these guy’s are designing. Stat of the art stuff. I think that in less then 2 years, they will leave Dainese and Alpinestars behind. That’s how good there equipment is.  So here it is, a quick summery of what my summer was like.

On a different note I would like to say that we lost someone that I admired as a person,  public figure and  motorcycle road racer. Marco Simoncelli was with out a doubt  a fast rising star of the motorcycle racing seen. He will be greatly missed. Rest in peace Marco. I wish I had but a fraction of your valor and talent.

I have raced for a number of years now. I have used many brands of protective gear. Some expensive, some not so expensive. Last week end, I slipped on for the first time the new RSPEEDmoto Wulf suit. I didn’t know what to expect. At first glance, the quality looks very good. Inner and outer stitching. Well vented and good armour. Some things that I have never seen (even on the most expensive suits). Like neoprene around the wrists for better fit and more movement. I found that it made it easier to operate the handlebars, clutch, brack and throttle. Special elastic sections around the calf and thigh areas to make rider feel  more comfortable.

When I put the suit on for the first time, It felt snug. I thought that it was going to be to tight on the bike and wouldn’t let me move around. It was completely the opposite. I was moving on the bike with no problem and had no pressure points. In the past, I always found it difficult to find a suit that didn’t aggravate my knees. (ACL reconstructions in both of them plus titanium screws to hold everything together). Even the high end Dainese and Alpinestars gave me discomfort.   The RSPEED suit felt like a I was wearing a second skin. Weird, I know. All I can say is than this is the best fitting most protective suit I have ever owned! If you have the chance to try on, do so.

  What a weekend! Great weather, lots of track time and strong opposition.

I got to the track at about 11h00 pm on Friday night. I was a little warn out after a week of work, but I was looking forward to getting back on the RSV4.

The next day was very busy. I had to go to tech inspection before getting on track. That’s normal of course, but the person who was inspecting the bike asked me to show him my back protector. In all the years that I have raced, this was the first time someone actually did their work with the utmost rigour.

The first Superbike practice was up, but I was running late and had to scramble to get out on the track. I wasn’t the fastest on the circuit but started to push from the get go. Most of the riders practiced on Friday so I had to do some serious catch up. The thing with not having enough saddle time is that your always under the impression of pushing over the limit and hopping that its going to stick.  Not a good felling. After two or three sessions I felt more comfortable on the bike and started to fallow some faster riders to see what was the fastest line to use. It was crazy hot (35 Celsius)   in the shade. I was drinking water like there was no tomorrow and didn’t have to go to the bathroom at all. After lunch, it was time to get my race face on. I had to qualify as close to the front as I could. I managed an 8th spot on the grid. I was starting to see the limits of the stock suspension. I almost did a high side in turn 12 of the PRO track and my rear tire was spinning on almost every corner exit. That made me lose a lot of time. Sunday morning was cooler. The temperature was more bearable. The times went down as well. The track was not as greasy. I was running Medium hard DUNLOP N-TEC slicks. They work very well and last longer then other brands. Red light, GO. I had a good start. Made 3 positions of the mark. The guys ahead of me where flying. I was working my but of just to stay with them. As the race progressed, some riders where slowing down. I assume that fatigue was starting to affect them. Made a pass then an other and when the checkered came down I was second. What a race. Looking forward to the next round.

The day started of a little behind schedule. We got on track at about 10h15 in the morning. The sun was out and the weather was beautiful. My first lap was OK. I was the only rider to get on track in the first 10 minute session. Yes, the people that make the track days at Saint-Eustache decided to have 10 minute sessions, you can’t do a real tests in that amount of time. I guess they had concerns about people with less experience getting tired to quickly. Anyway, since the tires were just off the warmers, I pushed to see the limits of traction. The bike felt a little unstable in the corners.  I was leaving black marks on the pavement at every turn exit. It was allot of fun, but I had to use my head because my Aprilia does not have traction control. It was also the 3rd day with the same tires. My Dunlop NTEC slicks took about two laps to get up to the right temperature. After that, I just worked on my riding. Trying to get comfortable on the RSV4 and working on getting back to the basics of riding fast. Alex Welch and Andrew Nelson where also testing in preparation for the National round. I tried to follow them but they were just to fast for me. My confidence is not at that level yet. And so, I road as hard as I felt comfortable. Witch was not a slow pace. I didn’t get past allot, that was  an indicator that my rhythm was good. I was getting quicker corner speed as the day progressed.  Saddle time is very important for racing and it did allot of good for my confidence, Now, I’m looking forward to the next outing on the bike.

Well, 2011 is upon us. This year has brought some positive changes. I am no longer riding a Suzuki GSX-R600. I have now graduated to  Superbikes. This summer, my weapon of choices is the Aprilia RSV4 . Right from the get go, I could see vast improvements in my lap times. This bike has excellent mid range torque. So coming out of the corner with good acceleration is just a twist of the wrist away. I am surprised to see how well it corners. The front end feels planted in every turn. I had Gianni of G Suspensions fine tun the forks and shock. The stock suspension does the work very well. Up till now,  I have ruffly 400KM on the bike ( 3 test days and one race weekend). I also changed tire brands. I went from Pirelli to the new Dunlop NTEC slicks. I have nothing but praises to say about the Dunlops. In my first race of the season at Calabogie Ontario Canada, I finished in 6th place. I was not expecting such a good result.

I’m very happy to include RSPEED Race suits among my new sponsors this year. I will be writing a more detailed report on the suit in the coming weeks.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011
For Immediate Release

Preparations for the 2011 Canadian Superbike Championship presented by Parts Canada began today at the JenningsGP motorcycle road race venue in North Florida, USA.  Reigning Canadian Superbike Champion Jordan Szoke of Brantford, ON. was on hand for the Competition Systems-Canadian Kawasaki squad, while the RadX-BMW Motorrad Canada equip was represented by Saskatoon, SK. Pro Brett McCormick and returning teamster Michael Ferreira of Ontario.

After a long winter layoff, all the Canadian racers and crew were glad to get back to work and enjoy the 35 degree C ambient conditions, with track heat up to 50 C by mid-afternoon.  Back on the Canadian tour after a year competing in the U.S., McCormick was ready to make his official BMW debt.  For Szoke, the JenningsGP test marked a return to long-time employer Canadian Kawasaki after a season leading Honda’s program.   Szoke is the most successful competitor in the history of Superbike activity in Canada, with a total of seven overall number one plates.

Second year Superbiker Ferreira was first on track in the morning, followed by Szoke, the Champ giving the brand new 2011 Kawasaki ZX-11 it’s National track debut.  Eventually both Szoke and McCormick used a pair of Superbikes each to evaluate different engine and chassis combinations, as well as the latest Pirelli slick rubber.

In the very hot afternoon sessions, Szoke eventually got down to a best unofficial lap of 1:05.2, not far off the track record (for Canadian spec machinery) of 1:04.42 set back in April of 2009 by “Jordan of the Jungle,” also for Kawasaki.  The unofficial best ever outright lap times for the popular test venue were set by AMA U.S. series Superbike racers Ben Bostrom (Suzuki) and Larry Pegram (BMW) during their most recent off-season sessions, lapping in the 1:03 range.

“I’m really comfortable with our new Ninja,” explained Szoke at the end of the first day of on-track action.  “We made solid progress, and I’m getting a good idea of the direction we need to head in.  Going back and forth between the two 2011 Kawasaki’s allowed us to get lots done today, and I really have to thank the crew – we’re ready to make improvements all through tomorrow’s track time.”

Best lap time for the BMW squad was set by McCormick, with a tour of the two mile long circuit at 1:05.4.  “We were working through a bunch of things, and I’m getting comfortable with everything, learning the bike,” confirmed the teen-ager, who placed second behind Szoke in the 2009 Parts Canada Superbike Championship.

“I really haven’t been pushing the front end yet, and I know there is a lot more to come,” continued McCormick.  “I know Michael and I will have no problem being competitive at the opener at ICAR in Quebec at the end of May. Patrice (lead tuner Goyette) has made a lot of improvements to the Superbike after BMW’s debut season with the S1000RR last year.”

Article from www.CSBK.com

FENWICK, Ontario . After months of planning the Turn2 Sportbike School, a proud sponsor of the 2011 CSBK Parts Canada Nationals, has released the details for the 2011 Pirelli-CSBK National Test Day being held on May 20th at Calabogie Motorsports Park.

“We are really trying to make a difference in the eyes of all those involved with the National Series, from the racers, to the sponsors, to the organizers” said Mike Whitter.  “This is our chance to shine and we have not taken this opportunity and responsibility lightly”

Once riders have completed and been issued their mandatory 2011 CSBK License with CSBK, an invitation will be sent to the rider from Turn2 for this exclusive private event.  The invitation format is completely paperless and registration can be completed online in minutes.  The details for the event are available through a link embedded in the registration, or, for your immediate perusal click on the link below. “We have tried to cover every detail for riders preparing for this event, and will continue with this format for all of our Promoters Practices and our Trackdays” stated Whitter. “The more we all know and the better prepared we are, the better experience”  So while this information may be common knowledge to some it will more than likely help most riders make their journey a painless and prepared one.

2011 Pirelli-CSBK Test Day Event Notes

Turn2 will be trackside at Calabogie not only for this May 20th event but the entire long weekend with three more days of riding on May 21, 22 and 23.  CSBK riders are encouraged to stay the weekend and continue their set-up and practice in Turn2’s advanced track group.  Space is limited so be sure to contact their booking office as soon as you can to avoid disappointment

For complete details info@turn2.ca, visit Turn2 online at www.turn2.ca or call Turn2 at 613-883-2488

Article from www.CSBK.com

radX back onboard for year two continuing “Ultimate Superbike”

Richmond Hill, ON. BMW Motorrad Canada is very pleased to announce that the Risk, Adventure and Danger channel radX has re-signed as the title sponsor of the radX/BMW Superbike Team. radX was new to superbike racing in 2010 as was BMW Motorrad Canada with the launch of the hugely successful S1000RR.

radX™ is the only High Definition channel dedicated to bringing epic stories of Risk, Adventure and Danger to vibrant life on your big screen TV. radX™ is owned and operated by High Fidelity HDTV Inc., Canada’s leading HD broadcaster and production enterprise whose four all-HD channels provide Canadians with best-in-class non-fiction programming on the themes of Nature, Culture and Adventure.

A very important component of the partnership between radX and BMW was the popular documentary series “Ultimate Superbike”. The six part series which was about the inner workings of an elite level superbike team competing in Canada, will also be renewed for a second season and will once again debut this fall on radX.

“We are extremely pleased that radX will be title sponsor of the BMW Superbike Team for another year,” says John Panikkar, President of radX. “Working with BMW Motorrard Canada has been a fabulous experience – we’re very proud to associate radX with BMW and look forward to another exciting season with the BMW Superbike Team.”

“Ultimate Superbike” which drew a loyal audience that really connected with the team members will again showcase the radX/BMW Superbike Team on and off the track competing for the Canadian Superbike Championship.

New for 2011, MOTOREX Oil of Switzerland and DP Brakes will be joining the radX/BMW Superbike Team. MOTOREX is a strong brand that combines top quality and innovation with tradition, characteristics that are essential for superbike racing. DP Brakes rejoins with BMW Motorrad Canada after previously partnering with them when racing the boxer twins in the Canadian Thunder Championship. Together, they won the 2007 Canadian Thunder Championship with former Canadian Superbike Champion, Michael Taylor.

Returning team sponsorship partners from 2010 include Joe Rocket Canada, Hotbodies racing bodywork from Canadian distributor Acceleration Racing, Hindle Exhausts, Pirelli, and Original BMW Parts.

The 2011 radX/BMW Superbike Team is truly a global effort that combines riders from east and west parts of Canada, sponsorship partners from Europe, USA, and Canada to make this team competitive in the battle for the Canadian Superbike Championship.

Make sure to follow the team throughout the season by becoming a fan of the “BMW Motorrad Canada Superbike Team” Facebook page.

Article from www.CSBK.com

CSBK has its Benefits!

All competitors participating in the 2011 Canadian Superbike Championship by Parts Canada are required to obtain a CSBK membership.   This membership offers high value at a nominal cost.

With your $75.00 CSBK or $50 CSBK CBR 125 membership you will receive the following:

TORONTO, ON (March 22, 2011) – Frontline CSBK Inc., Canada’s premier road racing series organizer, is thrilled to announce an exciting new relationship with Chrysler Canada and the Canadian Superbike Championship by Parts Canada.

The winner of the 2011 Superbike Championship will be presented with a new Jeep® Off-Road Camper Trailer from MOPAR valued close to $15,000. The unit will be on display at CSBK events throughout the season.

“This partnership with the Canadian Superbike Championship assists Mopar in expanding their marketing reach as a performance-based brand,” said Jim Kiritsis, Senior Manager Service and Parts. “The 2011 racing season will help us position Mopar with an enthusiast crowd that cares about performance just as much as we do.”

As a show of support to our future racing stars, Mopar will also award $500 in product to the winner of each Amateur Superbike national event final. “This is a way to showcase the fact that our Mopar dealers carry a very wide range of products that are not just brand-specific,” said Jon Camilleri, Mopar Marketing Manager. “Most racers have tow vehicles and haulers, from oil filters to navigation units, we are guaranteed to have useful parts and accessories in our Mopar line-up that everybody can use.” Chrysler Canada realizes how big of a role that tow vehicles play in the world of motorcycle racing so beginning April 1st; all CSBK membership holders will also be entitled to the Chrysler Advantage Plan, allowing significant savings in addition to most other current retail incentives when you purchase or lease any new Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge or Ram vehicle.

The 2011 Canadian Superbike Championship kicks off on May 20th with the Pirelli tire test at Calabogie Motorsports Park which will be hosted by the Turn 2 Sportbike School. Round one will take place May 27-29 at Circuit ICAR near Montreal, Quebec.

About Mopar
Mopar is Chrysler Group LLC’s service, parts and customer-care brand.

Mopar distributes approximately 280,000 parts and accessories in more than 90 countries and is the source for all original-equipment parts for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram Truck vehicles.  Mopar parts are unique in that they are engineered and tested with the same teams that create factory-authorized vehicle specifications for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram Truck vehicles – a direct connection that no other aftermarket parts company can provide.

A complete list of Mopar accessories and performance parts is available at www.mopar.ca.

About Chrysler Canada
Founded as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925, Chrysler Canada Inc. is based in Windsor, Ontario, and celebrates its 86th anniversary in 2011. Chrysler Canada’s product lineup features some of the world’s most recognizable vehicles, including the Dodge Grand Caravan, Jeep® Wrangler, Chrysler 300 and Ram trucks.

Chrysler Canada is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chrysler Group LLC, one of the world’s leading automotive companies. Chrysler Group LLC, formed in 2009 from a global strategic alliance with Fiat Group, produces Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram Truck and Mopar® vehicles and products. With the resources, technology and worldwide distribution network required to compete on a global scale, the alliance builds on Chrysler’s culture of innovation – first established by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925 – and Fiat’s complementary technology – from a company whose heritage dates back to 1899. Fiat will contribute world-class technology, platforms and powertrains for small- and medium-sized cars, allowing Chrysler Group to offer an expanded product line including environmentally friendly vehicles.

The sponsors of the 2011 Canadian Superbike Championship are:
Parts Canada, BMW Motorrad Canada, Harley Davidson, Canadian Kawasaki, Pirelli, Honda Canada, Suzuki Canada, Yamaha Motor Canada, Turn2 Sportbike School, Dyno Jet, Design Junkies, Chrysler Canada and Lean Angle Canada.

For additional information, please contact:

Alicia Brimo
Frontline CSBK Inc.
Tel.(416) 895-1393
alicia@csbk.ca

Article from www.csbk.ca