Shorai is proud to announce our first podium finish for a Shorai sponsored rider in the AMA Pro Vance and Hines XR1200 series. Shorai has a contingency plan in place for racers that are racing in the Vance & Hines XR1200 series. Contingency payouts will be provided to the top seven finishers for all 11 of the AMA / Vance & Hines XR1200 events. Shorai will provide awards to racers using our lithium LFX motorcycle battery.
Kyle began the weekend strong, and in practice one of the XR1200 class he posted the fastest lap time of practice. Following that, in qualifying Kyle posted the second fasted lap time just behind the points leader and local racer Tyler O’Hara But, that was just the start of trying weekend for Kyle.
During practice on Saturday for the Daytona Sportbike race Kyle suffered an injury (link to RRW release) to his ankle, when he crashed his Triumph, and he refused to sit out the XR1200 race the next day.
Kyle, didn’t give up, and started the race on Sunday for the XR1200 class, with an fractured ankle. Adding insult to injury, before even clicking off one lap Kyle hit a oil patch and went down, and the red flag went up. Following AMA guidelines Kyle was placed at the back of the grid when the race was eventually restarted.
With Kyle at the back of the pack at the restart, he had his work cut out for him. With over 15 other racers in-front of him Kyle had a long road before he would see the podium. With only 10 laps to get through to the front Kyle had little room for mistakes. With the fastest lap time of the race, and surgeon-like precision, Kyle was able to secure a podium finish and take 3rd.
Kyle Wyman leaves the Road Atlanta race with 52 championship points, only 5 points behind the leader Tyler O’Hara. The next AMA Pro roadrace will be the Great Clips West Coast Moto Jam at Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, CA on May 6th
About Shorai:
Shorai sponsors many small teams and individual riders all over the world. For more information about sponsorship, please contact Shawn Higbee. Shorai Inc., located in Sunnyvale, CA, is a distributor of lithium iron based motorcycle batteries. The company was founded in 2010 by technology executive, David J. Radford, and corporate marketing and distribution executive, Kevin Riley. Further information regarding the company can be found atwww.shoraipower.com
In Case you haven’t heard Shorai has a contingency plan in place for racers that are racing in the Vance & Hines XR1200 series. Contingency payouts will be provided to the top seven finishers for all 11 of the AMA / Vance & Hines XR1200 events. Shorai will provide awards to racers using our lithium motorcycle battery. So, if you are racing why not get the weight savings of a Shorai lithium motorcycle battery, and a chance to get some extra money. It’s a win-win situation.
The next AMA XR1200 race will be the Triumph Big Kahuna race in Atlanta. Following the opening round of AMA Pro Road Racing at Daytona International Speedway, the Triumph Big Kahuna Atlanta round is going to be big time! The opening round saw HUGE grids and fierce competition amongst all classes. Racers, here is you chance to stack up those points. Shorai’s own Shawn Higbee will be racing in the National Guard Superbike Class this weekend. Keep an eye out for for the Shorai flag in the pits and check out some of the great racers we support. Also,if you are in the pits visit with Brice and Paul from the James Gang / Hoban Brothers racing team!
Racing action at Road Atlanta runs from noon Friday to 5 p.m. Sunday. The report is for rain on Sunday, so bring an umbrella just in-case.
AMA Pro SuperSport And XR1200 Races To Air Live On SPEED2.com
The AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series Contingency Award Program pays out of a $60,000 year-end points fund, that riders in the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series will be competing for during the 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing season
The XR Showdown, which is supported by Vance & Hines and the Harley-Davidson Motor Company, will begin when there are five races remaining on the 2012 schedule. The top ten riders in the XR1200 Series point standings at that time will be eligible for XR Showdown points, which will be paid for each of the five remaining events on the schedule. The rider with the most XR Showdown points at the end will take home $25,000 in prize money, with the remaining $35,000 in the points fund to be paid out to second through tenth in the final XR Showdown point standings.
About Shorai:
Shorai sponsors many small teams and individual riders all over the world. For more information about sponsorship, please contact us. Shorai Inc., located in Sunnyvale, CA, is a distributor of lithium iron based motorcycle batteries. The company was founded in 2010 by technology executive, David J. Radford, and corporate marketing and distribution executive, Kevin Riley. Further information regarding the company can be found atwww.shoraipower.com
About AMA:
AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines.
KTM RIDE ORANGE MOTO TOUR 2012
Round 1: Agassiz, BC
Sunday April 15
The opening round of the KTM RIDE ORANGE Moto Tour 2012 (Canadian edition!) kicked off last Sunday in beautiful Agassiz, BC. We’re happy to say that the event went off without a hitch … well, there were a few small ones but nothing that the Moto Tour team couldn’t overcome.
KTM demo riders arrived to a well prepped track, with many thanks to two hard working good ol’ boys, Joe and Laurence St Pierre. For many years, these two men have been making sure local kids and families have a quality moto track to ride and race on. I know KTM ambassador, JSR, was wishing he had of brought his gear!
After getting signed up, demo riders took turns trying out a wide range of new 2012 KTM MX and off-road models. Unfortunately, while some stops feature moto and off-road courses, we could only utilize a MX track in Agassiz. But that didn’t slow down riders from putting time on all-new EXC, XC-F and XC two-stroke models.
Local KTM dealers, Maple Ridge and Holeshot Racing, backed the Agassiz event. Riders who signed up through KTM dealers before the event were considered “VIP” and got first dibs on the new bikes. After lunch, anyone else riding practice (and were 18 or older) were free to sign up. At the end of the day, over 80 people rode Orange!
Since it was an organized group practice, we made concessions to have KTM groups fit in between all other practices. Each KTM group received about 10 minutes on the track.
A few industry celeb types joined us; we were happy to have KTM off-road pro, Geoff Nelson, hanging out in the pits with his better half (and 150 SX lover), Madelynn. KTM ambassador, JSR, was there assisting demo riders with any questions and offering riding advice. The guy is not only a champion on the track, but off it as well—a tip of the hat to the “The King of Canadian MX” for helping out.
Fox Canada and Atlas Brace also set up displays, offering “demos” to anyone who wanted to try on Fox’s brand new Instinct boot, or get fitted with the Atlas neck brace system. Expect to see more Fox boot impressions at the following Moto Tour events.
The RIDE ORANGE Moto Tour truck is now headed to Bear Creek in Kelowna, BC on Wednesday April 18th. From there, the team heads to events in Kamloops, Calgary and Raymond, AB before coming East. Find the full schedule at ktmcanada.com.
(PLEASE NOTE: The demo on Saturday April 21st has been changed to Whispering Pines Raceway in Kamloops, BC. The original location was to be in Edmonton, but weather has made track conditions unrideable.)
Shorai supports many small teams and individual riders all over the world. For more information about sponsorship, please contact us. Shorai Inc., located in Sunnyvale, CA, is a distributor of lithium iron based motorcycle batteries. The company was founded in 2010 by technology executive, David J. Radford, and corporate marketing and distribution executive, Kevin Riley. Further information regarding the company can be found atwww.shoraipower.com
Shorai has been working with the Western Formula Race Team, and we just got the the latest pictures from the car unveiling this past weekend, and they look GREAT.
The Western Formula Race Team is comprised of over 60 undergraduate students attending the University of Ontario (UWO). The team members come from many disciplines of the school ranging from engineering students, to business students. The team has been competing since 1988 , and every year they build up a new car from the ground up. Up against more than 120 other universities, the car is not only judged on speed, but on design and viability as a mass-produced consumer autocross racer. Shorai is very proud to be a part of this yearly feat of engineering, and we look forward to seeing the team and program succeed.
A Formula SAE (FSAE) Car is a single, open cockpit, open wheel, formula style car. There are many restrictions placed for safety, cost, along with a source for proper guidelines to design and build for competition, but also to allow innovation in design.
The teams next race will be at the Michigan Speedway on 09.05.2012. Good luck!
The team recently unveiled the car, and it’s a beauty. Click link for their Flikr albums.
About Shorai:
Shorai sponsors many small teams and individuall riders all over the world. For more information about sponsorship, please contact us. Shorai Inc., located in Sunnyvale, CA, is a distributor of lithium iron based motorcycle batteries. The company was founded in 2010 by technology executive, David J. Radford, and corporate marketing and distribution executive, Kevin Riley. Further information regarding the company can be found atwww.shoraipower.com
Pity Burns’s poor old R1, abandoned for weeks on end to sit home while shiny new testbikes get ridden instead. Well, if it sits home, it’s not so bad, because then it gets plugged into the trusty battery charger. But if it gets left where there is no charger, sometimes the old girl just doesn’t want to crank over.
Other companies offer Lithium-Iron-based batteries, but Shorai says they’re all made up of cylindrical cells originally produced for power-tool applications and, as such, are inferior to Shorai’s “Prismatic LFX.” Shorai makes rectangular cells, however, designed and produced in its own factory to fit in batteries sized specifically for motorcycles. And since power-tool cells weren’t intended for the high current discharges in starter systems, they’ll wear out more quickly, claims Shorai.
Procrastination is a good thing when “battery testing.” The Shorai, delivered with a 90-percent charge, sat on Burns’s desk for a month before being transported for transplant. Sure enough, the R1’s neglected lead-acid battery could crank the engine just fast enough not to start it before giving up the ghost. Yanked from its resting place and placed upon the postage scale, the old battery weighed in at 7.8 pounds, while the new Shorai is just 1.85 lb.! Not only does it weigh 6 pounds less, the Shorai also is smaller, and its box includes an assortment of adhesive-backed foam rectangles to make it a snug fit in any battery box. Shorai even provided two sets of nuts and bolts, for people prone to dropping things. We only needed three.
Once ensconced and hooked up, the new battery spun the R1 starter like it’s never been spun before and fired up the engine immediately (in spite of yet another clogged pilot jet from modern gas and failure to Sta-Bilize). Two weeks of sitting later, same story.
Shorai says hooking up a battery tender is unnecessary but won’t hurt anything, provided the charger does not have an automatic desulfation mode (the popular Deltran “Battery Tender” does not). Another six weeks of sitting later (with Sta-Bil in the tank), same excellent cranking power. Now, after about a year-and-a-half of use and no time on the charger, the Shorai can be depended on to fire the beast after months of neglect. Chilly SoCal mornings with temps in the 30s slow its cranking not a bit; neither does throwing the battery in the freezer overnight.
Now for the downside: The LFX for a 2000 R1 sells for $159.95, just about twice what you’d pay for a normal battery. But Shorai claims that under normal conditions, an LFX battery should last 5 to 6 years. Mark it on your calendar. We only hope we’re still around to let you know how that claim works out.
Details:
Ups
Instant 6-lb. weight loss for our R1
No lead, no acid: OK for kids to lick
Downs
Twice the price of a regular battery
There are no more downsides
Thanks to Mr. John Burns for the great review.
Original article: Cycle World
About Shorai:
Shorai Inc., located in Sunnyvale, CA, is a distributor of lithium iron based motorcycle batteries. The company was founded in 2010 by technology executive, David J. Radford, and corporate marketing and distribution executive, Kevin Riley. Further information regarding the company can be found atwww.shoraipower.com
I arrived in good time at LVMS on Friday April 6th hauling my NEXX Helmets trailer with my gear and some helmets for people to try. Thanks to Chris Schatz at Schatzmeister Works for the loaner “B” bike, just in case I had a little mishap. I set up my gear for the next day and went to the hotel for some much needed rest.
This was the first time using my Shorai Power battery in my Honda 600rr, I have to say, from the minute I opened up the small box with my battery in it I was pleased. The padding kit included made it fun and easy to fit the battery in my tray. The hardware to attach positive/negative terminals were also amazing with the little pads to help prevent the nut from falling out. Not only did the battery survive a 2 hour trip with my motorbikes electrical on, it fired up right after I noticed. It also fired up instantly in the mornings being around 50 degree Fahrenheit. You know when you get that fatigue of the battery not cranking when either cold or too hot? I Did not have a single problem with this battery cranking my motorbike over at anytime. Shorai Power really did an amazing job with creating such a lightweight, yet powerful battery.
I got up super early Saturday because my number one rule in my race program is to NOT RUSH. I setup my NEXX USA canopy and tables and headed to registration where… well the line was long enough. I signed up for 3 races this day along with 3 races for the next day; C Superstock Novice, B Superstock Novice, & B Superbike Novice. I chose to do more 750cc class racing this time because I was just there to have fun. I signed up for the 600cc class races last round and wanted to try something new. I am definitely not in it for the championship due to my work obligations with NEXX USA and the amount I have to travel, I ride & race when I can.
My first race on Saturday was the C Superstock Novice Race, gridded in the second to last row I was able to get into 5th position out of 16 by the first turn. Stuck behind a group of riders who were all trying to get by each other, I finished the race in 6th. Sundays C Superstock Novice Race was better, I was gridded in the third row this time and was able to get the hole shot! Yes, from 7th position, I got the hole shot. However, with the lack of power my bike had over some other bikes I was surpassed by 4 riders down the back straight and ended up finishing in 5th place.
My second race on Saturday was the B Superstock Novice Race, which was a 2 wave start. This was really confusing and considering the flag guy wasn’t looking at us and just threw the flag, I ended up with a hand full of throttle after I dropped my clutch and a huge wheelie which really messed up my amazing starts. I was able to finish the race in 8th place, starting 8th on the grid.
The second day of the B Superstock Novice race was better; better grid and RACE FUEL! I was sick of being overpowered by some of these bikes so I put in some race fuel to alleviate some of the disadvantage. I ended up 3rd in this race from 6th position.
My third race on Saturday was the B Superbike Novice Race, which was also a 2 wave start, but I learned from my mistakes this time. I paid attention and got a great start & the hole shot. I ended up finishing this race in 2nd place. Sunday’s B Superbike Novice race was a bit more competitive, but again on the first row I was able to get another hole shot. The most frustrating thing is that these other bikes had at least 10 HP more than I did so they would always catch me on the straights making me work extra hard on the brakes and in the corners. As I came down the front straight on the white flag I took a look back and saw 3 other riders right on my rear, so I put my head down and tried to go as fast as I could. I maintained my position and I finished this race in 3rd place.
Awards
None of this would be possible if I didn’t have the support of my sponsors or the racing community. They all help me in their own individual ways as I create promotional avenues for these companies by putting stickers on my bike, listing them on my sponsored list, talking about my products with other riders, and being on the podium to show the potential these products can bring. So help me by helping support my sponsors.
Thanks for the fantastic update Stephen, and congratulations to you. We are always excited to hear about how riders in the community are enjoying our products.
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The sun came out and the conditions were near perfect for the first round of the
PWNMA series this past weekend at the Whispering Pines MX Track in Kamloops,BC.
The Big Kahuna is a one-off type race that uses most of the National caliber Motocross
track combined with a technical off-road loop section to make for an exciting race to
compete in as well as for the spectators. This year there was an addition to the event as
the newly designed and extremely challenging Endurocross was incorporated into the
race. This section was what you would expect to see at an Endurocross event with giant
tires, rock gardens, logs and never ending obstacles.
The morning classes included the Amateur Classes which took off in the morning for a 1.5 hour race. Coming off her victory in Washington State RTR Performance KTM Canada, Troy Lee Designs Chantelle Bykerk was looking to run up front in the first off-road race of the season. There was a ton of competition on the line for the Ladies division with 19 experienced riders signed up. The RTR Performance sponsored rider didn’t disappoint her supporters, and rode a strong race on her RTR Performance tuned RTR Performance 2012 KTM 200 XC-W and chose to ride the challenging Endurocross section every lap which gave her the advantage of not incurring the time penalty for opting out resulting in a well deserved 2nd place!
Pro classes were cut short from the 2.5 hours to just about 2 hours after some unavoidable
delays in the schedule, but still provided the crowd with action packed excitement.
Hometown hero and Canadian off-road champion Bobby Prochnau showed up with
one goal in mind and that was to win the one event that had always eluded him. After
taking the win last weekend in Washington, Prochnau was definitely in shape to take on
the challenge that the Kahuna would throw!
As the Masters class blasted off the start
RTR Performance KTM Canada Troy Lee Designs backed Prochnau got a 2nd place
start but took over the lead within a lap. Bobby rode his 2012 KTM 350 SX-F and thanks
to his Valley Speed tuned engine he extended his lead to over two minutes on the
competition and never looked back taking the win after a near flawless race.
RTR Performance KTM Canada’s Geoff Nelson was looking forward to battling for the
win on his 2012 300 XC, but before the first lap was finished Nelson’s charge to the
front ended in the dusty off-road section and resulted in an injury forcing Nelson to
Shorai Power is wishing ALL KTM / Husaberg Canada teams good luck in the 2012 season. And, Congratulations to every team that participated in the BIG KAHUNA.
About Shorai:
Shorai Inc., located in Sunnyvale, CA, is a distributor of lithium iron based power sports batteries. The company was founded in 2010 by technology executive, David J. Radford, and corporate marketing and distribution executive, Kevin Riley. Further information regarding the company can be found atwww.shoraipower.com
NEXX Helmets sponsors Shawn Higbee for 2012 AMA Road Racing
Sunnyvale, Calif. (April 3, 2012) – NEXX USA and long-time, well-decorated racer Shawn Higbee will be supported by NEXX Helmets for the 2012 AMA Road Racing Series after a productive weekend testing his NEXX XR1.R helmet at Daytona. Racing the newly invented EBR 1190RS, Shawn Higbee of Higbee-Racing.com backed by CrotchRocket.TV & Shorai Power, Shawn will venture back into the ranks of American Superbike and compete amongst the best in the nation!
Unfortunately with mechanical problems Higbee was not able to start in the National Guard Superbike races; however, with his Buell 1125R starting in 28th position Higbee was able to finish 17th overall in the historic Daytona 200.
“I’m very pleased to be wearing a helmet as innovative as NEXX. The NEXX XR1.R is so light, offers a wider viewport, and has a uniquely advanced shell design.” says Higbee.
NEXX USA will be in the process of designing his very own replica helmet mid-season and be available to the general public as it becomes available. Nerijus Puida, CEO of NEXX USA says, “We are very excited to have such a talented model of a racer and look forward to the developmental wisdom he can provide us. We look forward to increasing the number of AMA Pro National Racers on-board our growing team.”
“We want the best, both in knowledge and in results from our racers so we can continue to grow and innovate radical improvements to helmet safety. We encourage all AMA Pro Racers to look into our helmets and our contingency awards for the 2012 season.” Director of Operations, Stephen Lim
www.higbee-racing.com
www.nexx-usa.com
Original press release: Copyright 2012, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.
April 4, 2012. Sunnyvale, CA – Lightweight is a key element to building a serious race winning machine. For 2012, the KTM Red Bull Royal Distributing Racing Team is happy to announce that Shorai Power is the team’s new official battery supplier.
Shorai batteries provide tremendous advantages over traditional lead acid batteries, including dramatic weight savings, faster cranking, significantly lower self-discharge rates, and environmentally friendly attributes.
Kevin Riley, EVP Sales & Marketing for Shorai adds: “We could not be more thrilled with our new relationship with the KTM Red Bull Royal Distributing Racing Team. Our batteries are a perfect, drop-in replacement for the OEM batteries and offer a wide range of benefits. Field experience has taught us that this is a perfect fit between our two companies. We are very excited to work with Andy White and his team, and look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship.”
Video of KTM Red Bull Royal Distributing rider (DMX) Colton Faccioni
Audio interview with team manager (MXP) Andy White
About Shorai:
Shorai Inc., located in Sunnyvale, CA, is a distributor of lithium iron based power sports batteries. The company was founded in 2010 by technology executive, David J. Radford, and corporate marketing and distribution executive, Kevin Riley. Further information regarding the company can be found atwww.shoraipower.com
