World Superbikes at Kyalami

From http://www.worldsbk.com/pubb_EN/news_ext.php?id=2729



"The top World Superbike teams have arrived at Kyalami in South Africa for the first leg of winter testing in preparation for the 2009 season, which gets underway on March 1 in Australia.

The three days of testing, from Wednesday 10 to Friday 12 December, will help to develop the evolution tyres that one-make supplier Pirelli is producing for next season. Kyalami will once again be the venue for a round of the championship for production-based bikes for the first time since 2002: the South African Round is scheduled for May 17 next year.

Kyalami will see a number of important debuts, in particular for BMW who shape up to their first head-to-head tests against their rivals: the four-cylinder S1000RR machines will be in the hands of Troy Corser (Australia) and Ruben Xaus (Spain). It will also be the first major test for another of the new entries in 2009, Aprilia, with their four-cylinder V65° engine RSV4 and two top riders of the calibre of Max Biaggi and Shinya Nakano.

All change also in the world champion Ducati Xerox team, where Noriyuki Haga of Japan takes over at the helm from Troy Bayliss, who retired from racing last month in Portugal.

Yamaha Motor Italia (with Ben Spies and Tom Sykes) and Suzuki Alstare (with Max Neukirchner and Yukio Kagayama) will be putting the mileage on their new 2009 bikes, while Honda Ten Kate can again count on three of their tried and tested CBR1000RR machines for Carlos Checa, Ryuichi Kiyonari and Jonathan Rea. The only factory team absent at Kyalami will be Kawasaki Paul Bird Motorsport, which is scheduled to make its testing debut next month in Spain."

and..........

Day 1 times http://www.worldsbk.com/pubb_EN/news_ext.php?id=2733

"1. Fabrizio (Ita-Ducati) 1'41"204 (66 laps); 2. Spies (Usa-Yamaha) 1'41"599 (46); 3. Neukirchner (Ger-Suzuki) 1'41"713 (69); 4. Haga (Jpn-Ducati) 1'41"730 (31); 5. Kagayama (Jpn-Suzuki) 1'41"755 (39); 6. Nakano (Jpn-Aprilia) 1'41"846 (51); 7. Biaggi (Ita-Aprilia) 1'42"446 (29); 8. Kiyonari (Jpn-Honda) 1'42"744 (62); 9. Corser (Aus-Bmw) 1'42"975 (33); 10. Xaus (Spa-Bmw) 1'43"274 (41); 11. Checa (Spa-Honda) 1'43"418 (10); 12. Rea (GB-Honda) 1'44"496 (16); 13. Sykes (GB-Yamaha) 1'46"780 (16)."




A group of us are going to Kyalami on Friday 12 December. Anybody is welcome. We are departing from the Wimpy in Jean Avenue Centurion after breakfast

Would love to go but unfortunately can not make it.

Also dying to go but have a workshop on Friday till 2:30pm. Looks like the BMs have some work to do based on their lap times. But not bad for a first time out on a completely new bike

Andre wrote:Also dying to go but have a workshop on Friday till 2:30pm. Looks like the BMs have some work to do based on their lap times. But not bad for a first time out on a completely new bike

Interesting to see the Aprilia is 1 sec faster -first time out too.

Yes, I guess it is going to be quite a contest. Not going to miss it next year for anything

Interesting to see the Aprilia is 1 sec faster -first time out too.

Aprilia used to be in SBK so they at least have track and test data even if it is a few years old. It puts them in a better place than starting cold like BM have. BM have gone big though and are rumored to have the biggest budget in the paddock, surpassing that of even Ducati. I think Troy Corser's salary alone is enough to run a team for a year. He is magic at development though so that is why he is there!

It would not be prudent to put too much stock in the numbers at this point. Ducati are renowned for under performing in testing, some believe they do this on purpose...... In any event, next year promises to be a good one. I think SBK will be a better contest as there are more bikes on the grid than in MotoGP, that is starting to look a little lite.

I am looking forward to Friday though, should be the dogs bollocks!

M

Kyalami - Day 2 times http://www.worldsbk.com/pubb_EN/news_ext.php?id=2739

1. Fabrizio (Ita-Ducati) 1'40"256 (44 laps); 2. Neukirchner (Ger-Suzuki) 1'40"688 (50); 3. Haga (Jpn-Ducati) 1'40"709 (53); 4. Rea (GB-Honda) 1'40"842 (40); 5. Kagayama (Jpn-Suzuki) 1'40"959 (52); 6. Nakano (Jpn-Aprilia) 1'40"968 (42); 7. Checa (Spa-Honda) 1'40"995 (31); 8. Spies (Usa-Yamaha) 1'41"049 (38); 9. Biaggi (Ita-Aprilia) 1'41"077 (56); 10. Kiyonari (Jpn-Honda) 1'41"412 (84); 11. Corser (Aus-Bmw) 1'41"986 (34); 12. Xaus (Spa-Bmw) 1'42"438 (40); 13. Sykes (GB-Yamaha) 1'42"933 (18).


"From the first arrival at Kyalami it was clear that South Africa is all set to welcome back top class world bike racing once more. The spectators watching from trackside, the trackside radio and PA commentary, the spectator viewing areas in pitlane, the increasing numbers of local media representatives coming in as the test progressed - there were indicators aplenty that WSB going back to its much loved African home in Kyalami is a great thing for all involved.

The 4.263km circuit used for testing in 2008 is much like the circuit Superbike last raced at in 2002, but there are some small changes to be made in the chicane area, in time for the race.

Baking temperatures of over 30°C welcomed the test, but the ambient heat should be much reduced for the race in May."

Kyalami - Final times http://www.worldsbk.com/pubb_EN/news_ext.php?id=2746

1. Fabrizio (Ita-Ducati) 1'39"714; 2. Spies (Usa-Yamaha) 1'39"978; 3. Haga (Jpn-Ducati) 1'39"984; 4. Rea (GB-Honda) 1'40"035; 5. Checa (Spa-Honda) 1'40"170; 6. Neukirchner (Ger-Suzuki) 1'40"394; 7. Kagayama (Jpn-Suzuki) 1'40"675; 8. Biaggi (Ita-Aprilia) 1'40"768; 9. Nakano (Jpn-Aprilia) 1'40"968; 10. Kiyonari (Jpn-Honda) 1'41"067; 11. Corser (Aus-Bmw) 1'41"102; 12. Sykes (GB-Yamaha) 1'41"562; 13. Xaus (Spa-Bmw) 1'41"996.

"Fabrizio Breaks New Ground

The first ever lap of Kyalami under 1 minute and 40 seconds came early in the final day of WSB testing, thanks to Michel Fabrizio, the star of these tests so far. With little over half an hour gone Fabrizio set a time of 1'39.714, the best ever lap of Kyalami by a motorcycle."


Even though BMW was running at the back of the pack we had an ABSOLUTE BRILLIANT DAY

Arguably one of THE highlights in my biking life thus far.......please bear with me, I'm still on a bit of a high

Early morning and the scene was set.........their was something in the air........something electric



uninvited I joined the press for the group photo



we had semi-pit access but nevertheless came close enough to all this fantastic machines to raise all the hair on my arms





the most awesome sounding Yamaha I have ever heard with the "big bang" firing order



the best race bike on the day.......very fast and Über stable



and then the real fun started. It's almost impossible to describe the feeling of experiencing the brute power and sound of these machines up close.

magic!.........simply magic!!!





something special in the sound of this V4





and it was not long before Fabrizio did it........the first ever sub 1min 40sec lap on Kayalmi.........and not even in a race



and a little later Corser came down on the stunning Beemer........lot of the attention when the bike arrived back in the pits



I suppose every sport/group/club has it's clown.....and so it should be........Superbikes simply would not be the same without Haga



his "Africa outfit"



I'm repeating myself but we REALLY HAD A GREAT DAY



just shows you, If you starve someone for long enough, any food - and in this case, connoisseur cuisine - is simply devoured

Jeeez............

I wish I was there !!!!!!!!!

Looks great.

Already got my ticket for 17 May 2009 at Kyalami!

It's a pity you couldn't add the sound to the photo gallery ............. Would have looooooved to be there.
Rejuvenated - Where did you get your ticket from ?????????

Rooikat wrote:Rejuvenated - Where did you get your ticket from ?????????

Computicket - booke online.

http://www.computicket.com/booking/computicket/ClickItem/?ci=S~EVENT_TYPE~6163670

Rooikat wrote:It's a pity you couldn't add the sound to the photo gallery .............

oh yes, we have sound clips alright……..just did not bother to post it

It took 2 hrs to prep, resize and upload the pics……to get 1 reply on the actual post…….and now yours

so I thought……it’s not worth it

I did not even see this post until today!!! Skande!

Thanks for the pics Jamie, they came out stunning!!! I have often thought to myself that seeing such great pics makes up for not being there. This time though I know different. It was just such an awesome day seeing all the guys in the flesh and metal.

I think I shall remember that day long into the future. The only downer was my damn BM not wanting to start but that was soon remedied with a pair of earrings!

I will most definitely be going on 17 May, book early cause me thinks those tickets are going to fly!!

Morpheus

I see there are 3 different weekend packages for the SBK's

1. normal weekend package
2. silver weekend package
3. gold weekend package

Anyone know what’s the difference between them except the price!?

Position on the track - gold better viewing, silver next best then the normal.

Go to computicket website and you can view the positioning there. Booking is already open.

Ai! Pity one cant be at two places at once!
Wow Madnohb, thanks for letting us who couldn't be there in with your report and pics!

As for the Kyalami tickets for May.... yes yes yes!