Casey Stoner Wins It For Ducati At Aragon

Ducati is definitely back in the competition, winning the Spanish leg of the 2010 MotoGP season. And they did it with an additional bonus too, bagging third place in the race. The race was held at the Motorland Aragon circuit in Aragon, Spain on September 19th.

Australian rider Casey Stoner was the hero of the hour for the Italian motorcycle manufacturer, beating hometown hero Dani Pedrosa to the checkered flag. Pedrosa came in a full five seconds behind Stoner in the finish. Completing the victory for Ducati is American Nicky Hayden, who came in third.

With the win, Stoner cut down Ducati’s losing streak in the current MotoGP season. Prior to his win, Ducati was able to get a second place finish at the United States Grand Prix held at Laguna Seca in Monterey, California. The second place finish also came courtesy of Stoner. However, Ducati still remains third in the manufacturer’s standings with 105 points.

Hit the jump for the full story .

Ducati Heading Out Of The Superbike Championships

Fans will probably be missing one of the most popular teams in the World Superbike Championships for 2011. This came about as Ducati announced last August 27th that they would not be fielding a factory team for next season’s races.

According to the statement released by Ducati, the reason they are pulling out of the superbike championships is because they want to focus more on technology development for their products. They also added that, in order to further develop the latest iteration of Ducati’s bikes, they will have to pull out the resources used to manage the factory team and divert them to the company’s research and development department.

In the statement, Ducati President Gabriele Del Torchio also thanked riders Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio for their participation in the team. Both Haga and Fabrizio had been with the team for almost two years.

However, according to some Superbike observers, there are still several other reasons for the Italian motorcycle maker’s pullout from the competition.

Hit the jump for the full story .

Aprilia Shiver 750

As the world’s fourth largest motorcycle manufacturer, Aprilia has been noted for creating first-class bikes that captivate any rider’s heart. And every year they have added unique motorcycle models to their huge collection.

In 2007, the company launched the Aprilia Shiver 750. This model, unfortunately, didn’t get the market’s attention successfully due to the Shiver’s not-so-good exterior reported by its importers. However in 2010, the Aprilia Shiver 750 seems to be taking a corner with some major improvements to the bike’s exterior. Many didn’t expect this, but the Shiver 750 has made it’s appearance more head-turning, and its specs more interesting. Aprilia has made changes to the motorcycle’s lower seats, brakes, sitting positions, wheels, and abs in the hopes of selling more units this year. And even though the Shiver has been given a new face and some major revisions, this 2-wheeled vehicle is still easy to ride.

Hit the jump for the breakdown of the Shiver 750’s new features.

MotoGP Pays Tribute To Shoya Tomizawa

September 5th of this year was a sad day for MotoGP fans all over the world. On this date, Technomag-CIP rider Shoya Tomizawa died after crashing into a corner in the Misano World Circuit in Italy. Tomizawa was only 19 at the time of the accident.

The young rider was competing in the inaugural San Marino Grand Prix race for the newly created Moto2 class. Tomizawa was approaching the Curvone corner on lap 12 when he lost control of his bike and was thrown onto the track. He was then hit by the the bikes of riders Scott Redding and Alex de Angelis, who were right behind him when the accident happened. Tomizawa was immediately rushed to the circuit’s medical center then to a hospital in nearby Rccione where he died due to severe cranial, thoracic, and abdominal trauma.

Last Sunday, two weeks after Tomizawa’s death, the MotoGP Paddock paid him a tribute in a special ceremony held at the Motorland Aragon circuit in Spain. The Technomag-CIP team rolled his bike onto the starting grid and a minute of silence followed, in his honor. Riders attending the tribute also placed the #48 (Tomizawa’s number) onto their uniforms, helmets, and bikes as a sign of respect. Tomizawa was laid to rest in his hometown of Asahi, Chiba in Japan on Sept. 15.

MotoGP also announced that the number 48 will be retired from the Moto2 races as one of the tributes to him. Furthermore, Tomizawa will be posthumously awarded the Michel Metraux trophy, given the best rider in the category. The award was given after Tomizawa’s fellow riders unanimously voted for him upon the suggestion of current Moto2 leader Tom Elias. His family will receive the trophy in the next Grand Prix in Japan this November.

Hit the jump for the full story .

Yamaha Unveils Its Lineup For 2011

When it comes to motorbikes, one of the most popular names to come up in everyone’s minds would probably be Yamaha. Indeed, the Japanese brand has, to a large extent, been closely associated with motorcycles (though, they are also known for their musical instruments). And it seems that Yamaha is bent on cementing on that one.

We say that because Yamaha has finally unveiled its lineup of bikes for next year. And looking at the list, it seems that this one is indeed a fierce roster. Here’s a quick peek at the new set of wheels that the company is offering for the new year. Go see for yourself which one’s going to be on your wish list.

Hit the jump to see some information on a couple of your future toys.

Colin Edwards Sticks With Yamaha

Yamaha fans everywhere can rejoice as Colin Edwards will be joining the team again for the 2011 MotoGP season. Edwards has confirmed that he has resigned for a new one year contract with his team Monster Yamaha Tech 3. The new contract is an extension of his current contract with the team.

The 36-year-old Edwards made the announcement after completing his 100th race at the Gran Premio A-Style de Aragon in Spain last Sunday. He joined the Yamaha team in 2008 and has since become one of the most prominent riders of the team. He had an outstanding stint with Yamaha last year, winning the top non factory rider award. Edwards started in the MotoGP circuit in 2003, riding for Aprilia.

Edwards is currently number 11 in the world rankings, with his best start at seventh position at Laguna Seca, Brno, and Misano. And despite having a disappointing 12th place finish in last Sunday’s race, he was still able to maintain his current position.

Hit the jump for the full story.

Yamaha Raptor 125

Okay, so not a lot of us get to see all terrain vehicles, or ATV’s, that often, as compared to motorbikes. But when you do get to see them on the streets, they are definitely going to be head turners. And this is more so the case if you get to watch them on the dirt track.

And some of the most striking ATV’s are perhaps those that come from the Yamaha Raptor line. These quad bikes have been around for quite some time now and are very popular for both off road and on road use. And with an all new line of vehicles for 2011, it seems that the company is bent on keeping its hold on the ATV market.

One of the new releases is the much awaited 2011 Yamaha Raptor 125. The Raptor 125 comes at the heels of the successful 2010 line, headlined by its bigger cousin, the Yamaha Raptor 700. And, while not as large as the 700, the 2011 Raptor does pack a good amount of features to satisfy your thirst for this kind of ride.

Hit the jump for a peek into what’s being offered for the four wheeler .