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2013 Honda CBR500, CB500R and CB500X Spied in Commercial Shoot

Spy photographers have captured Honda‘s new three-bike 500-series in the midst of filming for a commercial at the Piazza Garibaldi in Naples, Italy. The images, published on Il Centro, reveal Honda‘s new sportbike-styled CBR500, the naked CB500R which we first revealed in September, as well as an adventure-styled model bearing the name CB500X. The three new models are expected to share the same  engine, believed to be a 470cc parallel twin.

Schwantz and Mackenzie on the Nurburgring box

A 500GP bike never fails to stop me in my tracks and that’s exactly what happened when I spotted this Schwantz example from the early nineties, proudly displayed on the Arai stand at the recent Motorcyclelive show.  On loan from Crescent Suzuki and accompanied by a rostrum publicity shot from the 1990 German GP at the Nurburgring, I felt the urge to write a few words on that special weekend. I started the year running my own 250 GP team with fairly standard TZ Yamahas but was drafted in as Kevin Schwantz’s team mate after Kevin Magee suffered a serious head injury at the second Grand Prix in Laguna Seca.  With no testing and some major Spanish food poisoning I finished 8th at the next round in Jerez then followed that up with a 5th place in Misano. Next up was the Nurburgring and after qualifying on the second row of the grid, my crew chief Geoff Crust informed me he had a premonition of a race day rostrum finish. He also told me I better make it come true as he was already looking forward to a few post race celebratory refreshments. While I hoped Crusty was the new mystic meg, the truth was I would have been more than happy to buy the beers if I made it to the flag inside the top five. I had an outside chance of catching one major scalp as Wayne Rainey was riding with a nasty hand injury but I suspected adrenalin would see him through the day. I also followed Mick Doohan a fair bit in practice but he was beginning to find his feet on the Rothmans Honda so was going to be another problem.  When the lights went out Schwantz and Rainey went straight to the front I while I hung in behind Doohan and Pier Francesco Chilli, and then it happened. Coming out of the bottom right hand hairpin, Doohan and Chilli simultaneously high sided in one of the most spectacular crashes of the season. I never liked seeing any fellow riders crash but I made the most of this early race gift and rode my 160bhp/115kg RGV hard to the flag, claiming my first podium of the season.  We partied hard (win or lose we always did) that night and I went on to have my best ever season finishing fourth overall in the championship. After the last round in Australia, I finished second to Kevin at Sugo in Japan then won in Malaysia at another international race that KS didn’t attend. I also tested at Eastern Creek for the following season but then was flicked from the team for reasons that still remain a mystery. Hey Ho!       

Mopar to Sponsor Canadian Superbike Championship

Chrysler’s parts and accessories brand Mopar has signed on to be the title sponsor for the 2012 Canadian Superbike Championship. Mopar replaces Parts Canada which recently ended a 22-year partnership with CSBK over controversial comments made by the series organizer on an Internet forum. The seven-round CSBK series includes separate pro and amateur Superbike and Sportbike classes, as well as a Harley-Davidson XR1200 Cup and a new spec series for young riders featuring the Honda CBR250R.