Motourage

FTR MOTO is producing a limited edition of 10 distinctive Moto2 Grand Prix machines with a full World Supersport specification Honda CBR600RR motor and in the colors of Ron Haslam’s innovative 500cc Grand Prix Elf Honda.

The FTR Elf project will offer the ultimate track day machine and is being launched to celebrate FTR Moto’s inaugural year in World Championship competition with its M210 Moto2 GP machine.

The machine will use a Honda World Supersport specification motor – prepared by Chris Mehew who worked alongside Haslam with the Elf project in the 1986-88 World Championship years. Mehew also prepares the engines for World Supersport Championship star Eugene Laverty.

The rolling chassis will be FTR’s 2010 World Championship M210, featuring the latest Brembo brakes, OZ MotoGP wheels, GP specification front and rear suspension and Dunlop racing slick tires.

Each recipient will enjoy three track days, tuition and set-up assistance with Grand Prix favorite Haslam and will also receive a Spidi bespoke replica Haslam/Elf Honda GP Kangaroo Pro leather suit plus boots and gloves from Spidi and a Ron Haslam replica of the latest Arai Quantum helmet.

The machines will be prepared at FTR Moto’s Buckingham base and will be presented to the 10 customers at a formal presentation evening, dinner and celebration with Ron Haslam.

“The feedback from our M209 development Moto2 machine has been incredible and so many people have enquired about a track day version of the machine,” said FTR director Steve Bones. “We considered a range of options and, as Ron Haslam was synonymous with Elf Honda and the Elf project, we thought it appropriate to recognize and appreciate a golden era of 500cc GP racing.”

Haslam took the Elf Honda to a best finish of fourth place, in the 1987 500cc Grand Prix World Championship with podium finishes that year in Spain and Germany.

The machine has already attracted interest worldwide and will be available within eight to 10 weeks. The price and further details are available from Steve or Mark at FTR Moto on: 01280 815800.

Bones added: “Obviously we are creating a collector’s item with only 10 in the world and we hope the machine offers our clients the maximum track experience and exhilaration. And, this is a rare opportunity to own an existing Grand Prix specification machine, this limited edition M210 will be the same specification as Alex Debon will use in the 2010 World Championship.”

Each customer will also receive a range of limited edition mementoes specific to the Ron Haslam and Elf Honda era and FTR Moto brand to complement this unique project.

For further information regarding FTR Moto2 machinery contact Mark Taylor; tel: +44 (0) 1280 815800; e-mail: mark@ftrmoto.com.

Team Blusens by Queroseno Racing

Team Owner: Raul Romero
Team Manager: Ricard Jove
Chief Technicians: Josep Oliva and David Thomas
Rider: Dani Rivas

The BQR Moto2 project began at the end of the 2006 racing season. The Würth/BQR Honda 250 team had just finished a 15^th-place 250cc season with current AMA Team Hammer rider – and Motourage favorite – Mártin Cárdenas. Team owner Raul Romero and then-manager Kino Contreras began development of a four-stroke MotoGP engine. Both Romero and Contreras understood that the days of the 250cc two-stroke class were numbered; however, they entered into their new experiment with little insight into the future of the GP support class.  BQR, which had been mating its chassis with 250cc Honda engines for several seasons, came on board at the beginning of the project, and its two technicians – David Thomas and Josep Olivia – have been instrumental in its coordination.

In February, BQR became the first team to unveil a Moto2 machine

BQR had originally planned to enter the MotoGP World Championship in 2011; however, the early announcement of the Moto2 class and significant successes in testing allowed the team to unveil the first Moto2 bike back in February and field a Moto2 prototype at the 2009 CEV Buckler Spanish Road Racing Championship.  In November and December, Julián Simón and Mike Di Meglio tested in Valencia onboard a machine loaned to Team Aspar by BQR. The teammates consistently lapped at the top of the sheets for those riders onboard true Moto2 machines (Ant West lapped on rebadged Stiggy Honda CBR600 Supersport bike).  No official word yet, but there are rumors circulating that Aspar may decide to run BQR-supplied chasses due to the pullout of Aprilia from Moto2.

If you’d like a quick listen of how the new Moto2 bikes will sound, here’s a short clip of the BQR Moto2 bike in action at Jerez.