SportBiKeZ

World Champion Casey Stoner suffered a painful crash but finished third on the overall timesheets on day one at Indy, while his teammate Marco Melandri was down in fourteenth.



Ducati´s Casey Stoner was third on the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix Friday timesheets courtesy of his best effort in the morning run, a session at the end of which he was flicked off his Desmosedici GP8 and suffered bumps and bruises, including a knock to his already injured wrist.

Only one of the 19 MotoGP riders out on track was able to improve his times in the afternoon session as the rain worsened, Dani Pedrosa bettering his best effort at the bottom of the timesheet, whilst Stoner registered the eighth fastest time of FP2 as he sought to rebuild his confidence.

On the other side of the Ducati pit-box Marco Melandri was tenth fastest in the afternoon but fourteenth quickest overall - courtesy of a best lap recorded earlier in the day in the opening 90 minute free practice run.

Casey Stoner - third

`The track conditions vary drastically between the old surface and the new. Grip is good on the old stuff but there isn´t even minimum grip on the recently laid asphalt and the rain makes it much worse because it isn´t draining off. If it continues to rain like it did this afternoon then I´m not sure the conditions will be safe enough to race in. As far as the layout is concerned there are only a couple of critical areas - in particular turn five, where the run-off is very short. There´s not much we can do about that right now though - the best thing would be to stick an air-fence in. This morning I crashed on the section where the grip is poorest and that´s obviously not good for the wrist but thankfully it didn´t create any major problems.´

Marco Melandri - fourteenth

`I like the design of the circuit – it´s fun but unfortunately there are too many different types of asphalt and the new part is definitely the worst, especially with the rain. The bike tends to aquaplane and you can´t see anything because of the reflection off the water. Grip on the older part is good, although if it keeps raining it´s going to get really difficult. There are two or three dangerous corners: turns one, five and six, where the walls are too close. This morning we started out cautiously but we improved towards the end, whilst this afternoon we didn´t get chance to make too many improvements because the conditions were so bad.´

The Shark Evoline is a new helmet
design that picks up where the ROOF Boxer left off. It's probably more
functional than a simple flip-up helmet, because the Evoline is designed to be
worn with the chin bar rotated all the way back, unlike most/all flip-up
helmets, which are not designed to be worn (and are not safe) with the rotating visor in the
raised position.

Lots of moving parts here though, and
the weight...well, we won't get into that now, will we?

Background

Probably one of the most anticipated helmets of 2008, the Shark Evoline has finally arrived. And the good news is that it has passed both ECE and DOT testing schemes, so this is one exotic flip-up helmet that will be sold in North America and Europe. In fact, it's currently going through the distribution process in the U.S. and should be on dealer shelves very soon.

The Evoline was just released in Europe -- after many retailers were taking orders for months, knowing full well that they couldn't deliver. But that's another story...

So what is it? Probably not as radical as some would hope actually. Some motorcyclists may not know that the rotating chin bar concept was pioneered by the still-radical-looking ROOF Boxer, a helmet we reviewed back about 5 years ago.

The Shark Evoline (is it "Evo-line", or "Evo-leen"?) takes it one step further, with a slick but complex system to rotate the chin bar all the way back, where it stays out of the way, nice and snug and nearly flush with the helmet shell.

The design of the Evoline allows it to be worn this way whilst riding, unlike all of the "normal" flip-up helmets I'm familiar with, which are not designed to be worn with the rotating visor in the raised position, although many riders do indeed wear them that way -- a dangerous proposition.

Now why a motorcycle rider would want or need a motorcycle helmet with the functionality of the Evoline is a question we can't answer -- we'll leave that up to you to decide.

Suffice it to say that there must be a defined need, or we doubt very much that Shark would have spent so much time, money and energy into designing the Evoline -- not to mention the cost involved in getting it to a point where it passed both the ECE and DOT testing regimens, finding a distributor, getting it into the distribution process, parts and accessories and all the rest.

So let's take a look and see what this interesting new helmet is all about!

Paint, Graphics and Overall Quality

The Shark Evoline shown here was purchased in Europe, thus it is ECE 22.05 approved only and was sourced using the European color palette, which is rather subdued.

This one is the gloss silver color, which is actually more like a graphite. The metalflake paint is nicely applied on the polycarbonate Lexan shell, with no obvious flaws. There's not much you can say about gloss silver or graphite; it is what it is.

It's unclear at this point whether the Evoline helmets sold in North America will have a different color palette or will be offered with a variety of graphic designs, but for the most part, flip-up helmets seem to have much more...dare we say boring?...colors than their full-face counterparts. Perhaps flip-up owners are a conservative breed?

But overall, the finish is about as good as it gets. The finish does "feel" thick and the clearcoat also seems thick and protective.

This helmet was apparently one of the first off the assembly line, and there are some quality issues here and there that we hope are resolved by time the distribution channels are filled.

The gasket around the bottom of the helmet has a few gaps and some glue is showing; the metal latches on the helmet shell are pitted and look unpolished; there's a bit of polish residue or wet sanding residue here and there; you can see in some of the photos that the screw heads and other metal bits are showing (a design, not a quality issue) and the Phillips head screws that hold the eccentric cam on the sides that rotate the visor are crooked.

This is a complex helmet, with more moving parts than many other "normal" flip-ups, and obviously more than a typical full-face helmet. All the parts add up to a bit of a creaky feeling -- the helmet isn't as solid as we'd like to see...but what flip-up is?

The liner looks more expensive and plush than what is usually found in flip-up helmets, and it's relatively comfortable, although not as comfy as the ultra-plush liner in the Shark RSX, for example.

The vents click open and shut with authority, but the clear visor feels flimsy and has some distortion at the top and bottom, which is surprising for Shark and probably due to the completely different visor design.

Score: Overall, give the Shark Evoline a "Very Good" rating for the paint and the finish, with a "Good" for the rest.

Australian rider Russell Holland has proved to be fast and competitive since the start of his new experience in World Supersport, despite having to learn a new track every weekend in his rookie season. After three races and one test session in Vallelunga with the experienced HANNspree Honda Althea team, Russell Holland illustrates his season so far and what the future holds for this promising young Australian rider.

"This year is certainly an initiation for me... new tracks and a new lifestyle in living in Europe by myself on top of World Championship competition has been a real challenge but I'm trying to appreciate this experience as I know everyone here has had to go through it and in the future I'll be laughing about the challenges along the way".

Tell us about the latest round at Brands Hatch, England..

"Well, this was a weekend to forget in many ways. For our team it is incredible the bad luck we had. But the circuit was amazing and I can say I really enjoyed riding it although it's a track that takes some time to link the turns together and get a flow going. On Saturday afternoon we caught the worst of a small rain shower that interrupted qualifying. I was on my best lap when the rain came and then in the final 5 minutes when the track had dried we just couldn't find a gap in the traffic and couldn't improve. So on Sunday we were set to start from 15th but on the warm-up lap I had a clutch failure, just pure bad luck. This forced us to start from the spare bike and from the back of the grid in 37th place. We got a great start in the race but from the third lap it began to rain and got heavier in the next 5 laps. On the 8th lap the race leader Robbin Harms crashed then I crashed on the same turn whilst in 15th place... The race was red-flagged immediately after this, my bike was too badly damaged to return to the pits as the rule says you must. Because of this I could not restart even on my spare bike. A frustrating end really".

About the loss of Craig Jones

"After retiring from the race in Brands I witnessed Craig's crash and you cannot imagine a crash like that happening, it was very strange. I knew him reasonably well and he was one of the boys and a nice guy. It is sobering when something like this hits someone you know. My heart goes out for the family and close friends of Craig".

Back to business, how did the partnership with HANNspree Honda Althea come about?

"I started the year in the Superbike class and we achieved some promising results early on when we had a chance to test on the circuits. I'm proud that we finished in the top ten (9th) at the 2nd round, my home race in Australia. It was not so easy as the championship moved back to Europe but we did manage three more point scoring finishes before the mid-season (13th Valencia, 13th Monza, 15th Utah). I'm now really happy to be competing in the Supersport class with HANNspree Honda Althea. It was strange to change classes mid season but my superbike team's future was not clear and the Althea team needed a rider after Tommy Hill was injured. This change was a positive one for sure because I can continue with Honda and the Althea team has experience running at the front in Supersport".

What was your debut like? How did you feel about the new experience?

"I think the debut at Misano was a good lesson in Supersport. Launching straight into a race meet and learning a new bike is pretty exciting. I was riding with too much of a superbike style initially. We just kept chipping away and by the finish of qualifying we were 7th... ok for the first go. Unfortunately in the race I crashed out being too eager to catch the leaders after a bad start. I lost the front end on a turn we'd had trouble with all weekend. Had I been more patient we probably could have made a great result there as the race pace was not so fast".

What about the Vallelunga Test, how much did it help?

"Obviously every track this year is new to me and Vallelunga was a very challenging circuit so I'm glad we could test there. The first part of the track reminds me of Assen a little with fast change of directions. We achieved a lot there with me adjusting to the bike better and just general set-up too".

Let's talk about Brno, your best finish so far this season...

"This year has been full of 'frustrating Fridays' for me as I learn a new track every weekend whilst trying to give constructive feedback to the team. Brno was just like this so it was really good to finish the race and get a good result for the team and myself (7th place). I didn't really get a good feeling with the front there but we made a fairly smooth race and moved forward in the final laps, to finish 7th in the second race with HANNspree Honda Althea was fairly satisfying and I feel it has set us up to finish the year well".

What are your expectations for next year and the rest of this season?

"This year was always going to be a learning curve. The rest of the year will be no different but I believe I can continue to improve my performances and I will be working hard to get on the podium this year! I know I can make a strong championship next year whether in Supersport or Superbike. I have not made plans for next season yet. I have a great team right now and I'll do my best to use that to my advantage".

More than 1000 people turned out to pay their last respects to racer Craig Jones at his funeral today with dozens of famous racers also there.

Jones, 23, was injured after an accident at Brands Hatch on August 3rd when he suffered severe head injuries, he died the next morning.

Jones’ coffin was decorated in the colours of the St George’s cross and marked with his racing number 18. His Parkalgar Honda CBR600RR was also brought to the church in Fotheringhay, Northants where speakers had to be set up outside the church due to the extensive crowds.

Riders who were there included Carl Fogarty, James Whitham, Troy Corser, Shane Byrne, Chris Walker, Broc Parkes and good friends Tommy Hill and Cal Crutchlow.

During the service tributes were paid by TV commentator and family friend Keith Huewen, Jones’ manager Steve Chick and a poem written by Jones’ younger sister Cassie was read out by Doris Valentine, wife of his former team boss Jack Valentine. Jones’ leaves long term partner Karen Atkins.

Randy de Puniet will undergo tests on his right arm to further establish the effects of his Misano crash.

The necessity of gathering tyre information meant that a bruised Randy de Puniet was required to return to action in post-race testing at Misano. The Frenchman was the sole Michelin rider on track for the Monday session, completing fifty laps despite a badly bruised arm.

The LCR Honda rider returns home to undergo extra examination on his right arm, contused in his first-lap crash in Sunday´s Gran Premio Cinzano di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini, but is not believed to be a doubt for the September 14th race in Indianapolis.

`It was not easy for me today because the right arm aches a lot,´said De Puniet after the painful run.

`In any case, I did fifty laps working mainly on tyre testing. We also made some adjustments to the braking system and we tired different regulations on the front fork to get some data for the upcoming overseas races.´

`This week I will do some extra exams, including an X-ray to check my arm in order to be in good form for the Indianapolis race,´ concluded the Honda satellite rider, fourth fastest in the post-race test with a time of 1´35.972.

Temperatures are on the rise, and so are the number of motorcycle accidents.


Motorists aren't used to seeing motorcycles on the street and riders are out of practice after the winter months, which causes an increase in the number of motorcycle accidents, said Topeka Police Department Capt. Jerry Stanley.

Joshua Mulqueen, 22, was one of three motorcyclists who were involved in accidents within a 21/2-half hour span Tuesday. Mulqueen was injured at 5:35 p.m. at S.W. 17th and Stone Avenuein a two-vehicle accident, said police spokeswoman Kristi Pankratz.

Mulqueen, who wasn't wearing a helmet, was transported to Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center with life-threatening injuries. He remained in critical condition Thursday.

City police have worked four motorcycle accidents so far this month.

"It's a seasonal thing," said Phil Gordon, 31, of Carbondale, who has been around motorcycles for 25 years and has ridden street bikes for 17 years.

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Gordon rides at least once a month year-round, which keeps his skills honed, and performs maintenance on his motorcycles as needed. He also is a member of the Topeka Sports Riders club.

New riders should take part in a training program and wear helmets, Gordon and Stanley said.

"I've never seen a motorcycle accident that hasn't involved an injury, even if it's just a scrape," Stanley said. "I'd much rather have the helmet hit the ground than a head."

Only three motorcyclists among the 12 involved in accidents so far this year in Topeka were wearing helmets, Pankratz said. All three involved in Tuesday's accidents were riding without helmets.

In the majority of fatal motorcycle wrecks, the motorcyclists aren't wearing helmets, Stanley said.

"A $50 helmet can save a life," Gordon said. "I used to make fun of people who wore helmets. Now, I don't feel comfortable without it."

Many people who spend money purchasing a motorcycle don't have enough money left over to purchase the proper gear, he said, which is why the Topeka Sports Riders club would like to work with area motorcycle shops to offer discounts on helmets and other safety gear.

Stanley, who worked with the police motorcycle unit for 11 years, said officers on the unit know firsthand that helmets can save lives and prevent injuries because they have themselves been involved in accidents on duty and off duty.

An officer was injured Feb. 27 in the 2800 block of S.W. Fairlawn Road when his motorcycle struck the right rear door of a sport utility vehicle. The officer, who was wearing a helmet, was thrown off the motorcycle. The SUV driver was cited for failure to yield the right of way before turning left.

In the 12 accidents recorded this year, five motorcyclists were cited. The citations included no driver's license, reckless driving, inattentive driving and failure to yield the right of way, according to information provided by Pankratz.

In the 2008 accidents, citations were issued to two vehicle drivers. These included not yielding the right of way and unsafe lane change.

Craig Jones, aged twenty three from Northwich, Cheshire has died in
hospital as a result of a serious head injury sustained in an accident
during yesterday's FIM Supersport World Championship race at Brands
Hatch. It appeared that he lost control and fell from his Team
Parkalgar CBR600 Honda at Clark Curve and was immediately and
unavoidably struck by a following rider.



Immediate expert medical attention was provided and Craig was then
flown by the Kent Air Ambulance to the Royal London Hospital where
further assessment and treatment continued. Sadly, he succumbed to his
injuries in the early hours of this morning (Monday).



Jonathan Palmer, Chief Executive of MotorSport Vision said; "I am so
desperately sad that Craig died from the injuries he sustained at
Brands Hatch yesterday. He was a really super young guy and only on the
Saturday evening was I chatting to him in the paddock with him telling
me about his WSB ambitions for 2009. Craig was so determined and
professional, would always say hello and enthusiastically keep me in
touch with his progress."



"Britain has lost a wonderful rider whom I admired enormously and had
every chance of being a future World champion. It is fitting that the
abiding memory so many of us will have of Craig was him riding
brilliantly, battling for the lead of an incredible race, in front of
his home crowd. It seems barely believable that such a freak accident
claimed his life and I extend my deepest sympathies to his family and
friends."

Motorcycle racer Robert Dunlop has died after suffering injuries in a crash during practice for the North West 200 on Thursday, May 15. Robert, the brother of Joey Dunlop who died racing in Estonia in 2000, was taken straight to Causeway Hospital but later died of his injuries. The accident happened durying qualifying for the 250cc class at the Mathers Cross section of the North West 200 road course. Robert Dunlop was travelling at roughly 160mph when his motorcycle appeared to seize and he was thrown over the handlebars. Darren Burns was following and was unable to avoid the motorcycle, he broke his leg but is said to be stable in hospital.