On the Panigales the IMU plays a part in the new cornering ABS and wheelie control, and it also works with the S model's Ohlins Smart EC semi-active suspension. Yamaha says the IMU works with the R1's Slide Control System specifically, and "communicates with the Yamaha Ride Control (YRC) Yamaha's most advanced electronics package ever offered on a production motorcycle."

The units on the Ducati and Yamaha are six-axis IMUs, which indicates they have three gyro sensors and a three-axis accelerometer; with these sensors and some computer power, it's possible to determine the bike's position relative to a reference point as well as its orientation. This technology was originally used on ballistic missiles, aircraft and spacecraft, and recent advances have made a complete IMU small enough to be used in a motorcycle application. The Bosch Sensortec IMU, for example, is a single unit measuring just 3 x 4.5 x 1 mm - you could easily fit a handful of those on your pinky's fingernail.

With an IMU as part of the electronics package, the bike's ECU has a very complete picture of what the motorcycle is doing at any given moment. An accelerometer's output can be integrated (yes, calculus does come in handy) to find velocity and integrated again to find position. A gyroscope measures the rate of rotation in degrees per second, which can be integrated to find orientation. The ECU would then know, for instance, that the motorcycle is at 32 degrees of lean and lean angle is increasing at 10 degrees per second. Or that the attitude of the bike is nose-down at 5 degrees but pitching rearward at 20 degrees per second - a much clearer indication of a wheelie than by comparing wheel speeds.

To date, most rider aids have relied on wheel speeds and perhaps a single accelerometer or lean angle sensor to determine a course of action, but an IMU provides much more concise information as to what's actually happening.

Electronic aids that require accelerometers are typically more difficult to implement on motorcycles than cars because of the fact that motorcycles lean in corners. A sensor sitting flat on the floor of a car will measure three-axis acceleration just fine in most instances, but on a bike encounters trouble as the sensor must lean with the motorcycle.

The lateral acceleration sensor in the AiM EVO4 data acquisition unit we use on Jodi Christie's superbike always reads close to zero because - relative to the motorcycle's frame of reference - there is no lateral acceleration. Likewise, a vertical accelerometer on a car always reads close to 1 G, but on a bike it fluctuates as the bike leans and the "vertical" sensor is subject to cornering forces. This is partly why GPS-based data systems are so useful for motorcycle applications.

Things can get interesting when an IMU is combined with GPS, as Yamaha has done with its Communication Control Unit (an optional extra for the R1 that records data and allows for course mapping) and Ducati has with its Data Analyzer+ GPS data system for the Panigale.

From a consumer standpoint, GPS with an IMU would allow your navigation system to function for a period of time with no GPS signal, such as in an underground parking garage or a tunnel. Accelerometers and gyroscopes have for some time been used in GPS-based data acquisition systems to improve GPS accuracy, and a complete six-axis IMU takes that one step further with very accurate position and acceleration data updated at a rate much higher than GPS alone is capable of.

As elaborate as the electronics packages are on the Panigale and R1, I would suspect that given the capabilities of the IMU/GPS combination, we are just seeing the beginning of what's possible in terms of rider aids and their refinement.

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The year started with some testing in Asia and then we had the first two rounds of the China Superbike Championship, but the entire time, I was thinking about my road racing debut at the North West 200 and studying the Isle of Man TT circuit (almost 38 miles per lap). I then went to Europe to a BMW Cup race in the Czech Republic. My year has been so wild, I don’t even recall how I finished in any races before July. I mean, I know if I was on the podium or if I was top 10 or top 20, but that is about it. This can only be the result of the huge undertaking of learning six new racetracks in one year, although you can’t possibly call the Isle of Man TT a racetrack and I also can’t possibly say that I learned it yet either.

Kruger on a factory-supported BMW Penz13.com Superbike in Frohburg, Germany.

The next three months were simply unbelievable. I moved to Europe with my wife and baby for 5 weeks to properly get ready for 'the roads' and also to prepare for representing a world class company like BMW through the Penz13 factory-supported team. I lost my friend and teammate Simon Andrews during the North West 200, which continues to be a personal reminder about how fragile life is and how dangerous road racing is. The TT never became what it should have for me as I was deep in mourning and really questioning what the next steps in my career should be. I am still questioning this from time to time. I immediately went to Rounds 3 and 4 of the China Superbike Championship and then was off to Japan for a three-day test before the Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race.

The following three months had continued highs and lows, including a horrible high speed crash at Suzuka with a factory-supported Yamaha team which left me unconscious and with broken bones and torn ligaments. I am still healing at a slow pace from that crash, although we went on to finish the 8 Hours in 17^th. From there it was back to Europe for a road race in Frohburg, Germany with BMW, where I got four top 10 finishes including a 6^th in the final Joey Dunlop Open which made me the fastest newcomer ever at that event and put me back on track mentally in terms of the loss of Simon. I immediately flew to China for the final two rounds of the Superbike Championship where I hung in there - still injured - to finish second overall in the 2014 championship.

Kruger and team on the grid at a China Superbike Championship round. It's green machinery for Kruger in China.

The final three months of 2014 took me to Phillip Island, Australia for the MotoGP Superbike support race on Kawasaki machinery, and then over to Macau for the world famous Macau GP, also on a Kawasaki. A Top 20 finish at Macau impressed everyone as the grid featured one world class rider after another. I was relieved simply to qualify in that event. As a newcomer, it is not an easy circuit to learn, especially when you have the flu and are on antibiotics. Finally, I attended the always fun, always cold, and usually wet 3 Hours of Zhuhai endurance race in China, where me and teammate Karl Roe won and I set a new track lap record.

Kruger during the Superbike support race at the Australian MotoGP round on another Kawasaki ZX-10R.

Tune in next week for part two of my 2014 year in review!

Follow me on facebook at www.facebook.com/dankrugerracingteam

All the best!

Dan #71

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To read Part 1 of Dan's Year in Review blog, click here.

I was teammates in 2014 with Jimmy Storror, Simon Andrews (RIP), Michael Dunlop, Steve Mercer and Steve Thompson, and was supposed to share a garage at the Macau Grand Prix with Jeremy Toye, winner of the 2014 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, but his race bike got stuck at US customs and his Macau race ended before it even started.

I did Isle of Man TT in-car laps with Moto3 star Danny Webb, British Superbike (BSB) star Josh Brookes, and have become great friends with the fastest newcomer ever at the TT, BSB winner and all-round super fast guy Peter Hickman.

I had tea with TT legend John McGuinnes, drinks with Lee Johnston, and a really cool lunch with long-time world endurance racer and TT rider Horst Saiger. I sat next to Kevin Schwantz at the Suzuka 8 Hours riders briefing and had informal chats throughout that event with World Superbike star Jonathan Rea and many other WSBK and Japan Superbike (JSB) regulars. Informal greetings to MotoGP stars Hayden, Marquez, Stoner and more.

Enough name-dropping; you get the point. It was very cool to go through the entire season being more or less… star struck!

Kruger with MotoGP champion Marc Marquez and MotoGP standout Andrea Iannone.

Losing Simon was the one thing that really stands out about my 2014 season, since it has forever change the way I look at road racing. It has reminded me that what we do can be over in a split second. My injury at Suzuka has also reminded me that I am not 20 years old anymore and injuries take a long time to heal up. On a more positive note, I would say the highlights of 2014 were racing for BMW, as they are a world class team and without question the most professional team I have ever raced for.

Another highlight would be the Macau GP as I made the show, didn’t crash, didn’t finish last and managed a top 20. It is an awesome circuit, and it's one I am really looking forward to again in 2015. I really wanted to win the China Superbike Championship, but I came up short by about 10 points. There is no question that I took on too much for one season with so many new race tracks to learn, three brands of bikes, two brands of tires, and three types of racing (circuit, endurance, and road racing). Also, the high-profile nature of most of the events put additional pressure on me.

I met so many nice people and wish every motorcycle enthusiast at some point in time can attend a road race. If you are there as a spectator, you will quickly find the friendly environment is like nothing you have ever seen at a regular racetrack. Everyone is friendly and like family. The racers hang out at dinners, party, or in one of the riders' RVs. They are the nicest people I have ever met. If you attend a road race to compete, you might as well cancel your remaining circuit races as you will never be the same after competing in one road race. It is a game changer and it is really hard to put into words; just give it a try one day.

2015 is looking to be another great year. I will be announcing my schedule and teams in the next week or so, but expect to see me back on the roads, at Macau, in the China Superbike Championship and maybe 1-2 events thrown in for good measure.

Kruger with US MotoGP star Nicky Hayden and former MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner.

I hope my blogs have been of interest to everyone. I realize that this one is a little more of a summary of my year, but isn’t December the right month to look back and reflect?

I want to thank all my supporters, sponsors, family and friends for helping make this happen. The goal for 2015 is to stay safe, keep healthy, and go fast. My thoughts and prayers continue to be with Simon Andrews' family and to everyone else that lost a loved one, as the sport can be cruel at times.

Happy new year to everyone. Follow me on facebook at www.facebook.com/dankrugerracingteam.

All the best!

Dan #71

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But that peak number only tells part of the story, and can be very misleading. In the real world, it's quite often torque that makes one bike feel more powerful than another, regardless of horsepower; for the full picture, it's necessary to look at both values, over the entire rev range.

Torque is a measurement of twisting force, calculated by multiplying force by the distance from the centre of rotation. When you try to loosen that rusty bolt, you can either push harder on the wrench for more torque, or use a longer wrench. Note that when torque is applied, there may or may not be motion; the bolt doesn't necessarily have to turn. Horsepower requires motion to take place, and is a measure of torque over time - how fast you can turn the bolt while still applying the torque.

For a better understanding of the relationship between torque and horsepower, we can use the analogy of pushing your motorcycle. The strength of your push can be used to represent torque. Once underway, we can consider that you are making horsepower; how much is determined by not only how strong your push is, but also how fast the bike goes. Note that maximum horsepower depends on how hard you can push as well as how fast you can run, just as a real engine's peak horsepower depends on both torque and maximum rpm.

Back to the real world, an engine with fewer, larger cylinders will typically make more torque than an engine with more, smaller cylinders. A multi-cylinder engine can typically rev higher than a single or twin of the same displacement, making more horsepower even though it makes less torque. So a breathed-on big twin will make a lot of torque and give you that big push, but only in short bursts and at low speeds. Conversely, a four-cylinder middleweight can feel pretty lethargic at low speed, but put it on an open, fast road course and watch what happens.

Consider the two motorcycles shown here, the Honda CB1000R naked bike and the Yamaha YZF-R6 supersport machine. Both make the same peak power, just under 110 horsepower. The big difference is in torque and rpm: The R6 makes just 44 foot-pounds of torque and revs to an astronomical 15,500 rpm to make that horsepower number, whereas the CB revs to just 10,500 rpm but makes 65 foot-pounds of torque - almost 50 percent more than the R6.

Clearly torque, rpm, and the spread of both torque and horsepower are characteristics just as important as the peak horsepower number. While the differences in those values may not be as pronounced among bikes in the same category, it's often enough that one bike may feel considerably different than another, even though they have the same peak horsepower.

Part of my interest in peak horsepower numbers and how they relate to "real" power lies in the Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship rulebook. Currently, bikes in the Superbike class are limited to 190 horsepower as measured on the series official dyno, while bikes in the Sport Bike class are limited to 125 horsepower. Savvy tuners know that peak horsepower is just part of the equation, and will work diligently to boost torque and horsepower across the rev range without going over that magic number. In this manner, a bike can have a significant power advantage on the track, but still be safely under the class limit when it comes to post-race inspection.

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I wasn't planning on writing this piece right now, but while watching a motorcycle show on the weekend I saw a bad habit that I, in conjunction with countless other riders, have been blindly practicing for years with all of my helmets.

After wearing my Schuberth C3 helmet for one season, I sent it back to the manufacturer for some repair work. The rubber seal along the bottom of the visor opening was separating from the helmet – possibly due to the way I carried it. In this day and age it is quite a surprise when businesses go above and beyond in the realms of customer service, but that is exactly what I experienced in my dealings with Schuberth... plus I got an education at the same time.

One day, a couple weeks after shipping my helmet to them, my phone rang. It was the technician who was going to work on my helmet. He said it was no issue to repair the loose rubber stripping, but he had a couple questions for me.

First, what exactly was I doing with my helmet?

I said I was wearing it.

He then clarified his question. The helmet had all kinds of weird indentations on the internal foam and small tears in the liner. Was there something I was setting it on, or was I carrying things in it?

The mirrors on the Honda ST1300 are built into the fairing, so my SPOT Trace GPS tracker mounts on my handlebar, where a lot of bikes have mirrors. This was a convenient place to put my helmet when I took it off. I said, yes, I was setting it on my SPOT tracker.

He proceeded to tell me that the damage caused to the foam inside the helmet was enough to reduce the protection the helmet could provide in a crash. He would change all the foam and the liner before shipping it back.

Second, did I have any other issues with the helmet besides the rubber strip?

Well, yes, after wearing the helmet for extended periods I would get a hot spot in the middle of my forehead. He said that was a complaint he had heard before and he would make some adjustments to the front foam section and maybe the interior liner.

I was impressed by this personalized service and even more impressed once the next riding season came around, and I no longer had issues when wearing the helmet for hours on end. I have since taken up the practice of setting the helmet on the ground beside the bike or using the strap or chin bar to hang it off my highway pegs. I am now very conscious to be just as careful with the inside of my helmet as with the outside.

So, the next time you stop for a break, be careful what you do with your helmet. It's got an important job to do and you don't want to inadvertently reduce its capabilities.

Ride responsibly and enjoy your travels.

-- R. Bruce Thomas

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For racers who finished well in that final race of 2014, I’m sure this off season seems like it has been an eternity. Those who didn’t have such a great race that day may be hoping for a few more months off before they have to hit the track again. Regardless of how they finished, many in the Canadian flat track world have been busy this winter, and I don’t just mean scraping windshields and wiping noses.

Flat Track Canada president Aaron Hesmer never really seems to have an off season. From his award-winning booth at the Supershow in January to constant phone calls, emails and texts, Hesmer always seems to have a few irons in the fire. Things are paying off for Hesmer however as he is landing series sponsors and new tracks as his series continues to grow entering its third year. Watch for exciting news in the next couple of weeks as a surprising new venue for flat track is announced.

Most riders have likely spent the past few months talking to sponsors. Firming up your deal with existing sponsors and looking for potential new ones is always on every racer's Christmas list. Everyone involved in this sport knows that every little thing helps, whether it is a pair of gloves or a cheque for a few hundred dollars. Riders have also likely used this off time to freshen some motors, perhaps get a new bike, or maybe even secure a ride on somebody else’s machine.

Ice riding is splashed all over my Facebook page each week and there are a bunch of flat trackers taking part in Canada’s 'other' national sport. While all of them will say it is great training for the summer, most of them would have to admit it is just a lot of damn fun! Despite the frigid temperatures and perhaps some bloody knuckles from mounting tires, I have yet to talk to a rider that hasn’t had a blast on the ice.

With March just around the corner, it means that it is almost time for the season-opening AMA doubleheader at Daytona. Canadian speedsters Doug Lawrence and Mike Labelle will both be making the trek to the world centre of speed with the hopes of making it into the main event on both nights. Part-time Canadian Cody Johncox (New York) will be making the trip to Daytona as well, with his bike sporting his new national number that he earned last season.

One of the more ambitious projects taking place this winter is happening at the Buchan household. Former Expert rider Scott has purchased a Ninja 650 and, along with son Brodie, has spent the last couple of months squeezing the motor into a Knight frame. After starting last season strong, Brodie suffered an unfortunate injury that most likely cost him a couple of championships. He rebounded to finish strong however, and in November was presented with the Most Promising Rider award from Flat Track Canada. The two have encountered many challenges with the 650 along the way, but as of this writing it sounds like the project is right on schedule.

“We’ve done some fabricating along the way, that’s for sure”, says Scott. “We had to build motor mounts, build an exhaust, redesign the gas tank to fit the fuel pump, figure out the wiring and the fuel injection. Now we are in the process of trying to get the air filters to fit. Once it is done we will ride it at Wheatley to see how well it works and then see if we actually race it.”

The first race of the year will give everyone a good view of who worked hard in the off season. New bikes, new sponsors, and new riders will all make their debut in a few months’ time. The long weekend in May can’t get here soon enough!

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For my part, I have been busy going through the 2.5 gigabytes of data we collected last year and trying to pinpoint areas of improvement. One of the aspects of competing in the Superbike class that we have known for some time is that those improvements come in very small increments, and as the result of very small changes. At Jodi's level, you will not find a setup change that will produce a one-second drop in the lap time; we are dealing more with one or two tenths of a second - if that - and making sure those tenths apply over the entire race distance rather than just a single lap. Stack up all those little gains, and that's when you start to make some headway.

How do you find those tenths? As we have been finding out, analyzing data is a lot more than just looking at squiggly lines on the computer screen; we have to use mathematical analysis and combine multiple channels to find the details we need to see in order to make these small changes. The more accurate the data you begin with, and the more detailed the manipulation of that data is, the better the results are in terms of tracking down those improvements and making changes accordingly.

The example I like to use is this: One aspect of setup we look at concerns dynamic geometry and how rake and trail change as the motorcycle goes around the track - something I've discussed in a previous blog. Dynamic rake and trail depend on a number of variables, however. One part of the accuracy we need is taking into account as many of these variables as possible when determining dynamic geometry, which may require adding more sensors or deriving the necessary information from existing channels.

The other part is being able to determine with some degree of confidence how a setup change will affect each of those variables and, in turn, affect dynamic rake and trail. Effectively, this means being able to predict how the motorcycle behaves in theory, given the most basic data and information. When you consider that Jodi can feel a change of just a few millimetres in the motorcycle's attitude at a given point on the track, it makes sense that this much detail and accuracy is necessary.

The 2015 season begins at Calabogie Motorsport Park on June 12-14, where we will continue to put all this theory to the practical test.

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Dovizioso stated that, "I am particularly satisfied because we improved the key point from the previous bikes, and now the bike turns in the corners." This is a reference to the old bike's tendency to understeer, a common complaint from almost everyone that rode the bike.

What's changed on the GP15? Practically everything, apparently. The previous models were all based on the original Desmosedici engine layout which saw the engine acting as the main frame; the steering head was bolted to the cylinder banks much as the Panigale is constructed now. The engine had to cope with those chassis loads, making it bigger and heavier than it would be if lodged in a traditional frame. When that big engine was eventually housed in a beam-type aluminum frame, the whole bike ended up being oversized.

Another factor partly responsible for the redesign was the engine's orientation in the chassis. The original Desmosedici was very much an "L" 90-degree layout, with the front cylinder bank almost horizontal and the rear bank almost vertical. Shortly after the switch to an aluminum frame, the team rotated the entire engine in the chassis to more of a "V" layout, presumably to improve weight balance and/or centralization. Rotating the entire engine does present a compromise, however, as this would also lower the countershaft in the chassis and make it difficult to obtain suitable anti-squat properties.

Development over the last couple of years focused on slimming the bike down to make it easier for the riders to move around on, and experimenting with weight balance and distribution; still, a total redesign was deemed necessary. Planning began almost as soon as Gigi Dall'Igna joined Ducati from Aprilia (where he designed the RSV4) in late 2013, while the GP14 was used as a test bed for concepts and ideas that would eventually see use on the GP15.

It's obvious from pictures that the new bike is significantly smaller than the old version, with a slimmer frame wrapped around what must be a more compact engine. You can see how much the engine is rotated from its original L configuration, as the rear cylinder bank now peeks out from the main frame rails above the swingarm pivot. No doubt there are new crankcases with the countershaft in the optimum position and the cylinders positioned for better weight distribution than the GP14. And even though it is a brand new bike in the early stages of development, the GP15 looks more "finished" than most of the Desmosedici iterations of the last few years.

It's early days for the GP15 yet, but the bike's strong debut does bode well for this season. One uphill battle the team may face is that Ducati, as a manufacturer that did not win a race last year, has some concessions in place as far as the Open/Factory rules structure. These concessions, which also apply to Aprilia and Suzuki as new manufacturers, are essentially identical to the benefits of the Open class - more fuel, more engines, and the softer tire option. Additionally, though, Ducati and the new manufacturers are allowed to use their own ECU software (whereas Open bikes are limited to the spec software). These rules are contingent on performance, with good results resulting in fewer concessions, even as the year goes on.

We will find out at the end of this month if the hard work of Dall'Igna and the team has paid off, when the MotoGP season begins at Losail in Qatar.

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A recent blog post on our site by Andrew Trevitt looked at how a racer’s riding style changes between a wet race and a dry race. From analyzing race bike data it is noted that acceleration, braking and lean angles are all lower in the wet, and that the rate of change of these values indicates how smooth a rider is while getting around the track. When the conditions are less than perfect, smooth control of the bike is critical to staying upright.

When riding on public roads, one doesn’t have computer data to analyze. However, riders still have to adjust their riding for rainy situations and be smooth on the controls.

The first thing about riding in the rain is having the proper gear and equipment. On the bike, make sure you’ve got good tread on your tires. Riding with little or no tread is a sure way to end up on the ground, as the tires won’t be able to displace the water on the road and you run the risk of losing traction or hydroplaning. Ensure your luggage is waterproof or that your gear is packed in good bags; otherwise, subsequent days may not be very enjoyable, either.

In terms of riding gear, make sure you have a good rain suit or rain liners, footwear to keep your feet dry (with good tread for when you have to put your foot down), and some water-resistant gloves or special rain over-gloves. And remember, none of these items are really any good unless you put them on before the rain starts. Once you are cold and wet, you won’t be able to ride safely as you will be spending time and energy trying to stay warm and thinking about how uncomfortable you are.

I always wear a full-face helmet, which provides good protection in the rain. Too often I’ve seen riders with beanie-style helmets holding their left hand over their face. Not only is this futile in the battle against Mother Nature, but it reduces your level of control of the machine. It’s not a safe way to ride when the conditions are not ideal.

Racers have tear-offs on their visors to improve visibility, but street riders don’t. However, many gloves come with a built-in squeegee to make wiping your visor easier. My summer gloves don’t have a squeegee so I picked up a nice slip-on squeegee to wear with my summer gloves. (The manufacturer also provided a custom strap to prevent losing the slip-on unit, which happened to one I had previously.) Another little trick is to lower and raise the electric windshield (if your bike is so equipped) so as to get my helmet into the wind to clear my visor.

Now that we are prepared, we need to concentrate on our riding. Be smooth at the controls. Ride a little slower, especially in the corners. Stay off the painted road lines as they become dangerously slippery when wet. Adjust your line and be extra vigilant at staying out of the centre of the lane to avoid the oil and sludge that drips off other vehicles.

Watch for, and avoid, puddles or any dips in the tire tracks—you never know how deep they may be. Watch for puddles in the other lanes so you can adjust your position to avoid or reduce the impact of getting splashed by other traffic.

And finally, allow greater space between you and other vehicles so you have time to smoothly and calmly make adjustments if needed, and also so you can see anything on the road with time to react.

If you are going to do any serious travelling on a bike, you will have to ride in the rain at some point to get where you want to go. With a little extra preparation, care and caution, riding in the rain is not something to be afraid of.

Ride responsibly and enjoy your travels.

- R. Bruce Thomas

As time goes on and those novice riders become experts or pros, testing is more about bike setup, racecraft and finding those last bits of time in each corner. These riders cannot rely on repetition and simply riding around hoping for improvement to come naturally; rather, testing becomes a matter of planned experimentation for both riding technique and bike setup.

In an interview on the television news program ‘60 Minutes,’ Metropolitan Opera director James Levine pointed out something that applies just as much to motorcycle riding and setup as it does to getting the most from an opera performer: "My job is to keep making it better, which gets subtler and subtler the better you get."

When I work with Jodi Christie and John Sharrard as part of the Honda Canada/Accelerated Technologies CSBK team, we are dealing with those subtleties. We try to consider every on-track session as an opportunity to try something new, whether it's an aspect of Jodi's riding and his interaction with the bike, or a setup adjustment. In my experience, this gives the best result as far as making the most use of sometimes limited practice time and finding improvements.

For the rider, testing can be an arduous task: Lap after lap at a set pace close to maximum, often with little apparent benefit. For the crew, in today's world of electronics and a seemingly infinite number of setup variables the steps are tiny, making any improvement difficult to discern. If the rider and team do not have a set plan in place, too much time can be spent in aimless adjustments and unnecessary wear and tear on equipment.

At Canadian Superbike events, we constantly try to balance both the short-term and long-term aspects of whatever changes we make or new parts we try. Qualifying, for example, is all about optimizing setup for one fast lap on a soft tire - a very short-term objective for the testing session. At the other end of the spectrum, we may spend a Friday practice trying new engine or suspension parts with the aim of improving the bike's performance in a general sense, even if it means losing out on posting the fastest lap time for that particular session. This goal-oriented approach has paid dividends with steady progress over time and a well-marked path forward.

With our short Canadian season and unfavourable conditions for winter testing, it's rare that CSBK teams have the luxury of dedicated winter testing days. However, at a recent Honda press event in Savannah, GA, Jodi was able to spend three days testing various suspension and brake components on his CBR600RR at Roebling Road Raceway. Because the track is not on the CSBK schedule and there was no race as part of the event, it was a perfect opportunity to experiment with some parts that we thought could improve the CBR's performance as a package - upgrades that should show benefits at any track. In some ways the results were inconclusive, but in others John and Jodi were able to make some advancements that will hopefully give us a head start toward regaining Jodi the Pro Sport Bike championship this year.

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 The debate about a DTX machine being a legitimate flat tracker started the instant the first one hit the track many, many years ago and shows no signs of slowing down. At the running of the Daytona AMA short track event, where the AMA states that competitors must ride a DTX bike, the discussion seems to hit a fevered pitch.

Traditional flat trackers (dare I say old school) feel that a motocross bike has no business on ovals. Going hand-in-hand with this, they also feel the riders look silly in their multi-coloured MX gear that may double as pajamas at night. Flat track, to these people, means framers and leathers—nothing else.

I imagine when the DTX idea started it was in hopes of manufacturer support. As we all know this hasn't happened, but there is change on the horizon. For 2015, Yamaha and Honda have posted contingency for the AMA and the money that Yamaha is promising is actually quite decent.

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, there are a few advantages to riding a DTX. Parts are usually much easier to acquire, and they’re an easier way for most people to give flat track a try rather than shelling out cash for a framer. Also, as seven-time AMA champ Chris Carr mentioned in Daytona, A DTX bike generally crashes a little better than a framer. This translates into less money and work after a get-off.

I was told that a DTX bike could never win an Expert No. 1 plate here in Canada, but I beg to differ. Last year we had an Expert who, in his first eight rides at Welland County Speedway, won six of them and had a second and a third in the other two, all on a DTX bike. With the CMA schedule basically consisting of eight races at Welland and a race in Belleville, it only takes some basic math to figure out that an expert No. 1 plate could easily be won on a motocross-based machine. The question is, would this diminish the legitimacy of that title? Would there be a notation in the record books? Would that rider feel shame?

At the North American International Motorcycle Supershow in January, Flat Track Canada had Tyler Seguin’s DTX machine parked beside the beautiful framer owned by Doug Lawrence. While the Seguin machine had admirers, flocks of people drooled at the precision and beauty of Lawrence's bike. One month later at The Toronto Motorcycle Show in February (yes we have lots of bike shows here), we saw the John Parker DTX machine parked in the Kawasaki booth, also drawing its share of praise.

An important issue for a manufacturer wanting to get involved is how easy is it to identify what brand each rider is on. Does the average fan in the stands know what Lawrence is riding, or is it easier to recognize the Seguin and Parker machines? Those in the flat track world will say that if you want to be an AMA Expert then you have to learn how to ride a framer. While this statement is indeed true, it is also an unrealistic goal as only the most talented riders will ever make it to that level anyway. Some of those diehards will also tell you that a Kawasaki 650 has no business being on the track with the Harley twin, but that is a different argument altogether.

In 2009 the AMA introduced the Pro Singles class (now GNC2), which was meant as a stepping stone to the Expert division but based on 450 DTX machines. The past two seasons has seen the AMA change the rules, so now GNC2 riders must ride twins on some of the larger tracks. Does this speed up the transition and learning curve to enter the Expert ranks? Absolutely. Does it increase the racing budget of the rider who aspires to win a GNC2 title? Absolutely.

Much like the Coke/Pepsi thing, this whole debate will continue as long as people have choices and preferences. Will the youth riders of today decide the future because they are all starting on MX-based machines? Perhaps. Maybe Ohio flat track guru Kevin ‘Chew’ Larcom put it best: “A framer with knobby tires on it still looks like a flat tracker, and a DTX bike with flat track tires still looks like a motocrosser.”

Me, I won't choose sides. I’ll just continue to be a fan of whatever bikes are out there going in circles.

- By Todd Vallee

With a year of 'Real Road Racing' (as some like to call it, not to be confused with circuit 'road racing' like MotoGP or Superbike) under my belt, I wanted to share my perspective and also explain the difference between road racing and circuit racing as well as endurance racing. It basically all comes down to a few things: how we mentally and physically prepare for it, the teams that participate in it, the press that covers it and, quite frankly, the competitors that enter it.

Training: Preparing physically for a road race is totally different than for a circuit race or endurance race. It is less about cardio training and more about muscle training, specifically the upper body and neck muscles. Some of the roads we race on are so bumpy that it's hard to keep clear vision and both wheels rarely touch the road at the same time! We surpass 325 km/h (over 200 mph) in several cases, and that lasts for what feels like an eternity. At night I can’t even look behind me due to neck pain, and the crazy thing about most road races is they are spread out over several days, so you need to get back on the bike the very next day and do it all over again. The North West 200 is held over five days, and the Isle of Man TT is two weeks!

Mindset: I am writing this paragraph last since it is the most difficult part to express in words.

Road racing is dangerous. More dangerous than any other sport that I am familiar with.

Every year, we reflect back at the loss of life, and the saying “At least he died doing what he loved,” surfaces. I am not going to dig into that right now as it is too deep for my upbeat and happy blog, but I will say that you do need to prepare for the worst heading into these events, and use your head at all times when on the bike. For me that means riding at 95% and to really think through any risky manoeuvres.

At night you reflect on each day and the feeling is impossible to put into words. It is amazing. Getting back home to be with family when it is all said and done is why I personally do it. It is the only thing I have found that tests a person in so many ways and gives me the ultimate appreciation for being alive.

Team: In my opinion, you want to be part of an experienced team. In racing, we all know that things can go wrong mechanically. It is the nature of the sport as we are essentially assisting the manufacturers in the development of future consumer models. With road racing, you want to have a team that is focused on safety. Having a footpeg come loose or a chain come off is not an option. In fact, crashing is not an option with this form of racing.

There are a lot of ins and outs to road racing and I personally would rather team up with a group that has decades of experience rather than try to figure it out for myself. FYI, I am with a great team - Team Penz13.com Bathams BMW Motorrad. They are German-run and precision is everything to them.

Press: The press much, like the fans, are very knowledgeable about both the sport and who is racing in the event. It is predominantly European press with the odd Australian or Japanese journalist. From time to time you will get someone from North America, but not very often. Usually, the Isle of Man TT will attract more global press and events like Ulster or the North West 200 will attract a smaller bunch.

In the end, the press does glorify all the loss of life that is the result of this type of motorbike racing. The Youtube clips get millions of views and there seems to be a new feature film being launched just about each year on tributes or simply the dangers of 'Real Road Racing.' I think is where the fascination with this type of racing comes from. It is also this reason why it has never, and most likely will never, become a mainstream form of racing.

Competitors: Much like a national series for circuit racing or the World Endurance Championship, road racing is like a travelling circus. You end up racing against the same riders at all the events, the only difference being that a lot of the Irish road racers will enter into 2-3 smaller local road races in the weeks leading up to the big North West 200, whereas most of the international riders will warm up at a British Superbike Series round or, in my case, racing over in China.The other event that is a little unique within road racing is the Macau GP, held each November in Asia. It is an invitational-only event where only 32 riders are invited. It is usually 32 of the better-known road racers who have a history of attracting a lot of press and getting through a road race safely.

Road racing doesn’t usually have the same paddock environment as other types of racing. It is more relaxed, friendly, and laid back. Competitors genuinely care about each other and rarely ask where we finished, but simply if you are happy and safe. It feels like everyone has your back, which is always a good feeling.

I am off to Northern Ireland tomorrow and practice for the Northwest 200 begins Tuesday. They have issued me #21 for both Superstock and Superbike. Wish me luck and follow me on www.facebook.com/dankrugerracingteam for real-time updates.

Update from Kruger as of 5/13/15

"Horrible weather today. 80km/h winds and rain, but I managed to qualify comfortably for both Superstock and Superbike and that is more than almost 40 other guys could say who have yet to qualify! The BMW is crazy fast, and when shifting from 5th to 6th gear in the pouring rain, the rear wheel lights up and you are spinning up the rain tire at 260 km/h on a bumpy country road with no visibility... nothing quite like that in any racing back home!"

Last chance qualifying is Thursday morning for the guys trying to get into the main event, and then the first race is Thursday evening.  The final three races are Saturday.

- Dan #71

For the first time in several years, Rossi is in solid contention for the championship.

In mid-2010, Rossi gave up his seat on arguably the best team in the series at the time - factory Yamaha - and signed with Ducati to ride the troubled Desmosedici. I, like many people, thought that would be the end for the nine-time world champion. Only Casey Stoner had been capable of getting the most from the Ducati in the prior few years, and those that had failed typically never rebounded to their previous form. After two years in the doldrums, Rossi re-signed with Yamaha to ride the YZR-M1. Even then, I thought he would have difficulty finding his former glory, as did many people.

Rossi's march back to the front of the field has not been easy and required a lot of changes along with plenty of hard work. His long-time crew chief Jeremy Burgess was unceremoniously replaced with Silvano Galbusera at the end of 2013. Many times since returning to Yamaha, Rossi has talked about adapting his riding style to suit the M1, and just as many times he and the team have talked about making adjustments to the M1 specifically to suit his needs. Now in his third year back with Yamaha, it seems to all be paying off.

What makes this feat all the more incredible is that Rossi is no spring chicken: now 36 years old, this is his 20th season in Grand Prix racing. His first Grand Prix was in 1996, and since that time he has won 110 races across all three classes, second only to Giacomo Agostini (122 wins). But even Agostini's Grand Prix career lasted just 14 years, the 15-time world champion racing in two classes most of those years to rack up the victories.

Of the MotoGP legends with multiple world titles, only Angel Nieto has a Grand Prix career longer than Rossi's, spanning 23 years from 1964 to 1986 with 13 titles in the 50cc and 125cc classes. Look at any of the other legends - Hailwood, Sheene, Roberts, Redman, Surtees, Mang - and the typical career span is about 10 years. The only comeback comparable to Rossi's that I can think of is Mike Hailwood returning to win the Formula 1 race at the Isle of Man TT in 1978, after an 11-year break from racing motorcycles.

Even if Rossi had not rebounded after the dark Ducati years, his nine world championships have guaranteed him the status of legend. His return to form this year has not only cemented that legendary status and justly rewarded his loyal fan base, but taken his prestige to yet another level and won him even more fans. And Rossi is not yet done: He is in the first year of a two-year contract with Yamaha, and has already stated that he wishes to continue beyond the end of the current deal, into 2017.

- Andrew Trevitt

Looking back now, the biggest transition at our house seemed to be when my son went from a Yamaha PW50 to what seemed like a fire-breathing Kawasaki KX 65. As well as the obvious huge increase in power, there were also lots of new things to learn such as clutch, gears, brake pedal and so on. I can remember riding on the back with Braden in front of me, trying to teach him one operation at a time. For the first while I would do the throttle and the gears and I let him try the clutch. Next round he did the clutch and the gears while I still managed the throttle. Third time out was a bit of a surprise as at one point while he was trying to master all three components I just decided to jump off the back of the bike and let him have at it. Worked like a charm (please don’t call children’s aid…).

A few years back I remember talking to Tyler Seguin about the transition from a small bike (85 cc or under) to a 450. I thought the change to the bigger bike would be imposing, but Tyler set me straight pretty quick. He said more power made it easier to ride and it was much smoother then riding the small bikes, because getting it to slide was so easy.

To see if his theory still holds true, I caught up with a few young guns who have recently made the transition to a larger machine.

Trent Pickle moved up to a 450 last year and was able to pilot it right into a Novice championship. Trent is a bit on the smaller side, so I thought his opinion could vary quite a bit from Seguin’s. The answer I guess would be yes and no. “I’m really light so it makes it harder to control the bike,” Pickle offered. “The bike does go faster though because of my weight. I like being on this bike because it handles the ruts way better and is way faster.”

Logan Wilson made the jump to a 450 this year and had lots of input when I approached him on the subject. “The only scary part of moving to the bigger bike was the thought of it,” Wilson admits. “My first time out I got major arm pump and my arms felt like rubber, but it is cool. The 450 seems to handle the ruts a lot better (maybe Pickle is onto something) than the 85 did. On that thing you would have to hang on for dear life. The power is smoother as well so it is easier to feather the throttle. The starting line is a bit of an issue though because my back tire just spins because I am so light.”

Dustin Brown made the jump to a big bike at the last race of the season last year and the transition has been seamless. As of this writing Brown has won every CMA and FTC race he has entered this year. He shared a couple of the thoughts that the other two riders had as well. “I love the 450 because it is so much faster and there are so many more people to race. I do get arm pump sometimes (maybe Wilson knows what he’s talking about as well) and I never really got that on an 85. I like doing the half-miles on it because we have a bit of time to relax on the straights.”

The conclusion I got out of talking to these young riders is that they all love it now that they have made the jump. Racers love speed and there is no shortage of that on the bigger bikes. So dads are going to have to stop worrying about the extra costs and work, and moms will have to try not to worry as their ‘baby’ gets on a bike they can hardly touch the ground on.

For those with a child moving from a 50 cc to a 65 – I’m available for lessons for the right price…

- Tumblin' Todd

I had never been to Calabogie before and the track has not been on the schedule for several years, but we did have some data from a track day that Jodi attended last year.

Calabogie Motorsports Park is definitely a different track than we are used to in Canada; it's very long, with 20 corners and a lap time just over two minutes. There are many elevation changes with blind apexes, and a mix of fast and slow corners. The pavement itself is smooth and in good shape, which is probably the biggest detail that sets Calabogie apart from any other track in the country. A first glance at data from Jodi's Superbike shows that traction is good: Cornering forces are more than 1.2 g in all corners, with a peak of 1.6 g in the "Crown" corner that has a dip right at its apex. That equates to more than 50 degrees of lean angle in every turn, and a maximum of 58 degrees. As well, Jodi's feedback from riding in the rain on Friday during the CSBK weekend indicated that traction - at least in the wet - was very good.

All weekend, however, Jodi's main issue with the Superbike was rear traction, from the apex to the exit of every corner - something we heard from other riders also. How can this be the case? Part of the issue is the nature of the track, and how it is unlike our usual venues. In many corners bikes are leaned over for a very long time, with the rider anxious to get on the throttle while still on the edge of the tire - a difficult proposition on a high-horsepower superbike. Also at Calabogie, there are many elevation and camber changes to unload the chassis at inopportune times. Friday's heavy rains may also have made the track "green" with less traction that usual. The otherwise pristine nature of the surface and the other characteristics of the track go a long way to disguising the relatively low level of traction compared to other tracks in our series, to both the rider and to the data guy (me). Sandy Noce, the Dunlop race tire representative at the track, did point out that car drivers consider Calabogie a "low grip" track, and I think this is the case for motorcycles also.

The simple answer in this day of rider aids and electronics is to dial in a bunch of traction control to fix the issue and move on to other things. But part of the trouble with that solution is that most traction control systems cannot detect those slides right at the very apex of the corner. Typically, TC setups either compare front and rear wheel speeds, or detect a sudden rise in engine rpm to detect wheelspin. At maximum lean near the apex of the corner, however, a slide can occur with almost no change in rear wheel speed, meaning it would go undetected by either algorithm. Adding TC in this case only serves to slow the bike down unnecessarily, masking the problem rather than fixing it.

Not wanting to slow the bike down by adding traction control, we spent all weekend searching for grip that perhaps simply wasn't there. As I've mentioned before, on the Superbike this is all about weight transfer and the squat/anti-squat properties of the chassis, which can drastically affect what we call mechanical grip. On the Superbike, this is a huge factor and typically dominates how the bike is set up at any given track. We tried a lot of setups, some drastically different than others, all without much success. Finally, as a last resort and literally on the starting grid for the race, we added some more traction control.

You can see in the video of the race (available at csbk.ca) that both Jodi and Jordan Szoke were experiencing slides at maximum lean at the corner apexes, especially in the later laps as the tires wore. Jordan said after the race that an electronics malfunction left him with no TC from the second lap on, but I'm not sure that it would have been much help for those slides in any case.

The race at Calabogie highlighted the reality that electronic rider aids are not the magic that many people believe them to be; a good setup is still crucial, and the rider still has to manage the throttle. For me the weekend was a valuable lesson in traction, traction control and mechanical grip; as always, we will take what we learned and put it to good use at the next rounds.

- Andrew Trevitt

1. Check your tire pressure either with a gauge (digital is a good option) or with your bike’s tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
2. Check the condition of your tires
3. Check your engine oil level
4. Check the condition of your chain if your bike has one
5. Ensure your luggage is securely attached
6. Check that your control levers and throttle are all working as they should – moving freely with no binding
7. Do a walk-around and make sure you don’t see any parts hanging off or fluids under the bike
8. Check all of your lights

This last point is the only one on the list that, if you forget to do it, you can take care of while you are riding. When we are touring my wife Mary helps with the light check in the morning before we depart, but I keep an eye on all my lights as I ride (no, I’m not decked out in mirrors a la scooters in Quadrophenia). When you are sitting in traffic with some time on your hands, you can stay busy by checking your lights.

If you are behind a pickup truck, van, or even a car with lots of chrome, you can flash your high beams, verify your driving lights are working, and even check your signal lights.

The same goes for your rear lights. A vehicle with lots of chrome is a real bonus here so tap your brake pedal or pull on the lever if you aren’t already holding it. Turn your signal lights on and off.

All of this can be done in very little time and lets you carry on knowing your lights are functioning and helping you communicate to other drivers what you are doing as you ride.

You can also do this when you are driving in your cage.

Ride responsibly and enjoy your travels.

R. Bruce Thomas

The layout at Road Atlanta, significantly changed now, was such that you could get a decent vantage point at every corner, and we spent the day watching unofficial practice from many spots around the course. The day definitely gave me an advantage over other riders attending Road Atlanta for the first time, and I ended up with a good result in the race.

At the time, there were few other options for learning a new track; you were lucky to get a track map that showed the corners to a decent scale, and often the first time you saw most of the corners was in the first practice session. Of course, all that's changed now: Race videos or onboard video is readily available, satellite imagery gets you an exact layout of the track, and those first laps are much less stressful for the rider.

The same information can be used for an initial setup of the motorcycle. We can use satellite maps to find an accurate length of each straight and radius for each corner, and from there calculate a starting point for gearing. Videos and pictures can be used to get an idea of elevation changes and how smooth or bumpy the surface is, providing information for a suspension setup to start with. And message boards on the internet can sometimes yield interesting tidbits about a particular track.

Put all this together and you get this: Prior to the Mopar CSBK national event held at Castrol Raceway in Edmonton, AB, Jodi Christie attended a regional event at the track hosted by the EMRA (Edmonton Motorcycle Roadracing Association). On his Honda Canada/Accelerated Technologies CBR1000RR SP, it took Jodi just five laps to break the existing track record and post a time that would have qualified him on the second row for the upcoming Pro Superbike national event. John Sharrard and I had done our homework for the setup, and Jodi obviously did his own homework to learn the track so quickly.

Of course, everyone has access to those videos, pictures, message boards and satellite maps for a certain track, and can also use the information to get up to speed just as quickly. Jodi's extra weekend at the track definitely gave him an advantage over his competitors for the first day of practice for the CSBK event, and into the weekend, but not by the margin a similar head start would have done, say, 20 or even 10 years ago. These days, being a first-timer at a given track is not much of a disadvantage over a three- or four-day race weekend.

As for the rest of the weekend at Castrol Raceway, we were unable to turn that great head start into the results we were hoping for, but Jodi managed a third (after crashing out of the lead and remounting) and second in the Hindle Pro Sport Bike races, and a second in the Saturday Mopar Pro Superbike race; unfortunately, he crashed out of the lead in Sunday's Superbike race, luckily unhurt.

I am still sorting through the five days of data I have from the track, but have already learned a lot for next time. Without giving away too much, one aspect of data acquisition and setup that I have struggled with is that the data analysis is "reactive," in that I know what setup changes I would make for the session I have data for. But that is too late, as conditions change over each day and the course of the weekend. To be more effective, the analysis has to be "proactive" and take into account those changing conditions. The next round of the series is at Atlantic Motorsport Park in Nova Scotia; as always, I hope to put what I learned at the last round to good use.

- Andrew Trevitt

Coming out for non-competitive track days is a fantastic way for riders to 'braaaap' it out in a safe environment. All the supermoto clubs I have contacted offer free development opportunities for any rider who shows up to one of their events. It is interesting that many top MotoGP riders still engage in supermoto events to keep their skills polished.

Supermoto Québec has regular schools at the Mecaglisse Motorsports Circuit in St. Donat. X Games competitor Johnny Lewis has put on a supermoto school for Supermoto Québec in the past, offering some variety to their existing school program. Lewis is a professional racer from the United States who has his own school for flat track and supermoto. This is a wonderful opportunity for local riders to learn from a top-level rider and instructor.

Lewis is putting on a supermoto school August 15 at Toronto Motorsports Park on the evening prior to Supermoto Ontario’s provincial and national race on August 16. This is a brand new circuit for the club, making the school relevant even for seasoned locals and visiting riders.

Comments from non-competitive supermoto riders seem to suggest this is a great opportunity to advance their skills while avoiding speeding tickets from local authorities, and the avoidance of any serious injury if a crash occurred on the road instead of the track. Racers flock to the track because they cannot seem to get enough seat time on their supermoto bikes and quads. Taking a formal rider instructional school can often lower lap times and improve rider safety.

You are never too novice of a rider to benefit from an instructional course. You may learn a skill for vehicle avoidance in an emergency situation while on the road, or to go deeper into the braking zone on the track. Jim Titmus, president of Rocky Mountain Motards, has a 70 percent racer to drop-in rider ratio at his organization's track nights. RMR races on a brand new track in Calgary that has fresh pavement. Rider advancement in braking, bike weighting, line selection, traction spotting and jumping skills is done on a nightly basis by a group of experienced riders. Like Michigan Supermoto and Victoria Supermoto, specific rider needs and questions are answered.

Upcoming Events:

Supermoto Ontario- August 22 full day lapping at Shannonville Motorsports Park

Supermoto Quebec- August 22-23, Autodrome de St-Felicien

Michigan Supermoto- August 15, endurance race

Victoria Supermoto- Lapping every Tuesday evening, next race August 18

Rocky Mountain Motard- August 10 lapping, August 16 Race

- By Keith Fowler, President, Supermoto Ontario

Rider development

Racing Supermoto is a huge part of the reason there are so many clubs across our provinces and states. Not every rider who shows up has the desire to compete in the form of competition. Coming out for non-competitive track days is a fantastic way riders get to Brapp it out in a safe environment. All the Supermoto clubs I have contacted offer free development opportunities for any rider who shows up for one of their events. It is interesting that many top Moto GP riders still engage in Supermoto events to keep their skills polished.

Supermoto Québec has regular Supermoto schools at the Mecaglisse Motorsports Circuit in St. Donat. X Games competitor Johnny Lewis has put on a Supermoto school for Supermoto Québec in the past to give a variety for their existing school. Johnny Lewis is a professional racer from the United States who has his own school for flat track and Supermoto. This is a wonderful opportunity for local riders to learn from a top-level rider and instructor.

Johnny Lewis is putting on a Supermoto school August 15 at Toronto motorsports Park the evening prior to Supermoto Ontario’s provincial and national race August 16. This is a brand-new Supermoto circuit for the club, making the school relevant even for seasoned local and visiting riders.

Comments from non-competitive Supermoto riders seem to suggest this is a great opportunity to advance their skill, while avoiding speeding tickets from local authorities, and the avoidance of any serious injury if a crash occurred on the road instead of the track. Racers flocked to the track because they cannot seem to get enough seat time on their Supermoto bikes and quads. Taking a formal rider instructional school can often lower at times and improve rider safety.

You are never too novice of a rider to benefit from an instructional course. You may learn a skill for vehicle avoidance in an emergency situation while on the road, or to go deeper into the braking zone on the track. Jim Titmus President of Rocky Mountain Motards has 70% racer to drop in rider at their track nights. This is a brand new track that has fresh pavement. Rider advancement in braking, bike weighting, line selection, traction spotting and jumping skills is done on a nightly basis by a group of experienced riders. Like Michigan Supermoto and Victoria Supermoto, specific rider needs and questions are answered.

Upcoming Events:

Supermoto Ontario- July 25 evening lapping at Toronto Motorsports Park, August 22 full day lapping at Shannonville Motorsports Park.

Supermoto Quebec- August 22-23, Autodrome de St-Felicien

Michigan Supermoto- July 26 lapping + fastest lap competition. August 15, endurance race.

Victoria Supermoto- Lapping every Tuesday evening, next race July 28, August 18.

Rocky Mountain Motard- July 20 lapping, August 10 lapping, August 16 Race.