Talk about a dream bout! Troy Bayliss has named his price for coming out of retirement to face Valentino Rossi in a proposed race between the two champions. Unfortunately, the retired World Superbike champion said it would take about 1 million British pounds ($1.5 million USD) to convince him to face MotoGP champion Rossi, although Bayliss says it’s not likely to happen.

“For me right now, I’ve stopped training and I’m happy with my plan to finish. I’m feeling happy that the last time I rode, I was world champion, plus I won both races and beat all the other guys out there,” Bayliss says. “For me to do it (race Rossi), I’d need something like £1m and that’s not going to happen.”

Bayliss did confirm that Rossi brought up the idea of a race between them, as reported by Spanish magazine Solo Moto. The weekly publication was the first to report about a proposed race between Bayliss on his Ducati 1098 F08 and Rossi on a Superbike spec Yamaha YZF-R1.
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Oh man! I was never a fan of the Hayabusa until I saw this white one at the show! I hope we can pimp one out IPM-style next year. I so want this for my staff bike! Maybe we can do a Kawasaki Zx-14 vs. a Suzuki Hayabusa! Well, we will see. In the meantime, check it out!

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Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki, and Triumph issued recall notices through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in December 2008.

Ducati is recalling 2007-2008 models of the 1098, and the 2008-2009 versions of the 848 sportbikes due to a problem with the charging system. Engine heat may cause damage to the voltage regulator of the affected bikes, leading to battery discharge.

The recall affects 7,130 bikes including the 1098S, 1098R and 1098 Tricolore. Dealers will replace the voltage regulator and install a heat guard between it and the engine exhaust system. Dealers will also install a modified battery support. Motorcycles produced after May 2008 already feature these revisions.

Kawasaki is recalling 2008 Concours 14 motorcycles due to a problem with the rear brakes. Road debris may get trapped between the rear brake pedal and the rear master cylinder actuating arm, preventing the pedal from fully releasing. This could cause the rear brake to overheat and may lead to rear brake lock-up or failure.
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Hey guys! Planning on hibernating your bike this winter? I know I am tucking my R1 away! Storing a bike properly takes a lot of preparation. Read on for my top tips on how to do it right.

Storage
Ideally, the bike should be kept indoors when it is not in use. Using a bike cover can provide additional help to prevent accidental damage, make it harder for small creatures to nest, and also stops people from seeing your bike. For complete cryogenic status, companies offer bike chambers for a few hundred dollars that have filter systems to keep away moisture and dust. But that’s a bit overboard in my opinion.

Cleaning
After the last ride before storage, give the bike a really thorough cleaning, paying special attention to metal parts and linkages. Actually, you should do this after every ride anyways. Not many garages are moisture free, so manually dry the bike and coat metal parts (but not the brakes) with an anti-corrosion formula (like WD-40). Remember to grease any parts (linkages, cables, etc.) that might have been stripped of their lubricants.

Battery
The battery of an unused bike left in a cold garage will start to drain flat (yeah, Alex learned that the hard way). To avoid that, use a Battery Tender to keep the power level topped up. There’s an argument that these reduce the working life of a battery, but they are still the best option for bikes, especially those fitted with alarms. Another option is to remove the battery altogether and store it in a cardboard box, somewhere dry and out of reach.

Brake Fluid
Brake fluid attracts water. Period. As most garages suffer from a little dampness, you’ll need to re-bleed the system with fresh fluid when it’s time to ride again. And you don’t want to take chances when it comes to your brakes! Some people strap the lever close to the bar to keep air bubbles out of the brake system, but ultimately, putting undue pressure on the seals may damage them over time.

Fuel
The octane level of fuel begins to reduce after about a month, which can affect engine performance or cause pre-ignition. Leaving fuel in an unused bike can leave an enamel-like residue on the fuel system and can clog injector nozzles or carburettor needles and jets. If you are planning on storing the bike for over 3 months, use something like Silkolene Pro FST in the fuel tank for the last ride. For longer periods, I would suggest you drain the fuel tank.

Engine
For bikes stored for any great length of time, blank off the air intakes. It’s surprisingly quite common for small, furry animals to treat an airbox as their new house. Also, it will keep out insects and dust.

Whoa, looks like I’ve rambled on for a while. I’m going to have to sign off and complete my tips next time! Happy Holidays everyone!

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One phrase: It looks sucks! Take a look for yourself!

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