It doesn’t seem so long ago when the BBC was home to all of the World’s greatest sporting tournaments, but their commitment to motorcycle racing in particular has diminished in recent times.

While they still show live coverage of  the MotoGP in full, even that is often tucked away on the red button if there is something that the corporation believes to be more popular broadcasting at the same time.

The World Superbike and British Superbike coverage is practically non existent and if it is being shown is seldom, if ever promoted by the channel.

Not every motorcycle fan has access to the excellent British Eurosport live coverage of such events, but it is worth remembering that these championships, particularly World Superbike are streamed live from the official websites of those sports.

From several years of personal experience watching sport or much else for that matter on a lap top is never quite the same as watching it on TV, particularly so if you have the latest HD flat panel variety.

Recently The Times reviewed a product called Veebeam, this is a box that transmits whatever you can see on a PC screen onto your home TV, the added benefit being that if it is being streamed or recorded in HD, that is how it will show on your TV.

The Times article suggests;

“This nifty device wirelessly transmits anything you can see on your computer screen onto your TV – no wires, no clutter, and takes only a few minutes to set up. The unit itself is sleek and unobtrusive and the signal is even effective through a wall. The new HD model streams up to 1080p for a crisp, clean and colourful picture and optical audio output allows you to enjoy your surround sound.”

With technology advances in digital broadcasting changing the way that we already watch TV, and streaming and video quality vastly improving all the time, perhaps the Veebeam represents the future of home entertainment.

Priced at just £139, the Veebeam appears to be a luxury that many of us cannot afford to ignore.

Buy it now

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Partage propulse par ebuzzing

The American began his career in the late 70’s before reaching the top of the American Road Racing  series in the early 80’s.  He decided to retire from the sport in the Summer of 1982 to concentrate on business commitments.

In 1986, he was talked into coming out of retirement and rode for Suzuki team in the GSXR National Cup series where by the end of the season he had racked-up 45 wins out of 51 races.  He joined the Kosar Racing Team for 1987 and competed in the AMA Superbike championship where he finished in fourth place overall, riding against the likes of Wayne Rainey and Kevin Schwantz.

The American got his big break in 1988 when he was signed by the team Yoshimura R&D of America, allowing him also to ride in it’s parent company Yoshimura of Japan in 1989, seeing him win both of the championships.

Doug then went onto the Ducati team, allowing him to race in not only the World Superbike Championship but also the AMA Championship.  He not only won the World Superbike Championship by 150 points but also made history by winning a record 17 victories during the season and claimed the title of AMA Pro Twins Championship.

Taking the crown for the second year running in the WSB Championship of 1992, he finished third in the AMA Superbike series.

In 1993, Doug rode exclusively for the Ducati Italy squad in the AMA Superbike series and claimed the title with two rounds still to run.

In 1994, Doug was given the chance to ride for the Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) on their new RC45 Superbike, finishing fourth in the championship. He only rode a handful of races for the team in the following year.

After leaving the Honda, Doug  joined the Suzuki Endurance Racing team riding a 750cc and also riding a 1100cc in the AMA Superteams series for Team Ebsco Suzuki.   He won the World Endurance Championship of 1997 alongside his team-mate Peter Goddard on the GSXR 750cc.  He won the World Endurance Championship again in 1998 but this time riding for the Honda Racing team on the RC45.

Doug, now 49,  has raced in various events throughout the years and is now offering his services to help others as an instructor at track days and day events in the United States.

Here’s a little clip of Doug winning the 1991 first race at Donington Park;

It was reported that he had fractured a vertebra in the accident and has undergone a nine-hour operation to have a metal plate inserted to stabilise his spine.

The 40-year-old from New Zealand, won the Malaysia Superbike Championship back in 1991 before joining the World Superbike series in 1993.

In 1994, Crafar was riding alongside Aaron Slight on the semi-works Rumi Honda RC45 before moving to the Kawasaki team for a couple of years from 1995.

In 1998, he rode WCM Yamaha in the 500cc Championship where he took the win at Donington Park and finished seventh overall.

Crafar returned to the World Superbike Championship in 2000 as a replacement rider for Aaron Slight for two rounds and in 2002 raced in the British Superibike Championship for the Yamaha team, where he completed two podium places and ended the year eighth overall.

It is believed that Simon’s wife is with him at his bedside and that he has movement in his legs which is a good sign, let’s hope he makes a quick and full recovery.

Here is a little clip of Simon Crafar in action;

Max Neukirchner - Monza Accident 2009

It was reported at the weekend that the injured DFX Corse rider Régis Laconi had improved slightly after he was carefully awakened from his medically induced coma.

He immediately began to move both his arms and his legs and the decision was made that he could now go ahead with the planned surgery to insert a metal plate to stabilise his two fractured vertebrae.

The operation took place yesterday morning at the Sunninghill Hospital in Johannesburg and was a great success, with medics saying that no further procedures should be necessary.

In addition to the insertion of the plate, a fragment of bone was also removed after it was found to be too close to his spinal cord.  A skin graft was then taken from his hip and plastic surgery took place to repair the site of the injury.

The Frenchman is to be awakened once again within 24 hours of the operation where he will then begin on his long rehabilitation programme.

The outcome for Laconi is looking positive and it is hoped that he will be well enough to be moved to a hospital in Paris at the end of the month, providing of course that there are no complications.

No further information has been given as to whether he will ever race again, but who knows, Barry Sheene was practically rebuilt and it never stopped him!

Max Neukirchner, the German Suzuki Alstare rider, is continuing to recover after leaving  the Monza hospital where he was admitted after breaking his leg  and dislocating his foot in an horrendous crash at Monza on the opening lap of the first race.

On the Sunday evening, Max underwent a six-hour operation to repair the broken bones in his right leg which was said to have gone without any complications and he is expected to make a full recovery.

His thigh has been stabilised by a pin but the double fracture to his fibula is now being allowed to heal on it’s own.  Max has more of a problem with his right foot than his leg as the fractures to the tiny bones have been fixed together by wires.

Here is a small clip of Max in hospital, guaranteed to put a lump in your throat, be warned;

The World Superbike rider, left the San Gerardo hospital on Thursday and travelled back home in his campervan as the medical team would not allow him to fly.

Max said on his Suzuki website;

“I get a little better every day and of course it feels so much better to be at home. I was very well looked after at the San Gerardo hospital in Monza and would like to thank all the staff there for their kindness and attention. The doctors did a really good job.
I have just seen the video of the crash for the first time and I was shocked! I think I am lucky because my injuries could’ve been so much worse!
However, the most important thing for me is to know that my team and my fans stand behind me. Every Alstare team member visited me on Monday and Tuesday in the hospital before they went to South Africa. Also my race rivals have shown a lot of sympathy and concern.
Thanks to all my fans and friends, particularly for the many entries on my homepage and messages on my mobile phone. As soon as I recover, I will get back in action as soon as possible and start fighting for points again!”

Get on down to your BMW dealer now!