What will the Suzuki Rizla girls be wearing this year? After a 2009 mix of YMCA and bondage police outfit, will we see the grid girls in something new? Rizla Suzuki has joined up with Troy Lee Designs for the bike livery, rider leathers and clothing and merchandise range, and we wonder if that includes ladies’ frocks. In any case, check out the Rizla biker babes from last year and let us know what you’d design for the umbrella girls.

Continue reading: Sexy bikers: the Suzuki Rizla girls, make your own outfit

Rizla Suzuki will be getting a make-over this season, because they have teamed up with American design icon Troy Lee.

Troy Lee and his team of designers will be re-designing Rizla Suzuki’s livery, Loris Capirossi’s and Alvaro Bautista’s leathers and will also create the livery for the team’s pit-box and hospitality unit, as well as the team clothing and merchandise ranges.

The team’s 2010 ‘Troy Lee Designs’ inspired livery will be launched at the last pre-season MotoGP test in Qatar, March 17-19.

Press release after the jump.

Continue reading: Rizla Suzuki and Troy Lee Designs Team Up

Sunday will be Chris Vermeulen’s fourth to last race in MotoGP with Rizla Suzuki, because next year the Aussie rider will be heading to the World Superbike Championship with Paul Bird’s Motorsport Kawasaki Racing Team.

Vermeulen has signed a two year deal that was finalised with Kawasaki boss Ichiro Yoda at Estoril on the eve of this Estoril MotoGP weekend.

Chris Vermeulen:

“It’s a really good deal and I’m excited about joining Kawasaki from the technical point of view, to race and develop the bike next year and then go out on the new bike for 2011. World Superbikes is going to be their main project, they are pulling out of MotoGP and they will not be running an AMA team nor a team in the Australian Superbike championship. This WSB program is where all their engineers and budget will be focused. They haven’t won in WSB for a long time and they really want to win races. The financial backing and resources is very good for this project.

Vermeulen had also been linked to Aprilia and Yamaha in WSBK and Pramac Ducati, Yamaha Tech 3 in MotoGP.

It seems that Kawasaki are also talking with Shane Byrne and Tom Sykes about the second seat in the team, which would leave both Makoto Tamada and Broc Parkes out of a ride.

Source | mcn

Continue reading: Chris Vermeulen to WSBK in Kawasaki

Chris Vermeulen is another of those 4 or 5 riders who are still looking and fighting to keep a MotoGP ride in 2010, after Suzuki prefered signing up rookie Alvaro Bautista, one of Spain’s most loved riders and keep veteran Loris Capirossi.

Vermeulen has already stated that a satellite bike is his only true option to remain in the series, but with so few bikes on the grid and over abundance of talented but out of a job riders offering their services, team managers can now have their pick at sell out prices.

Rumors have it that the Aussie has even offered to ride for free in Herve Poncharal’s Yamaha Tech 3 team, but Poncharal has riders lining up outside the back door of his garage that will not only ride for free, they’re even willing to bring to bring in their own money.

Talking to the Brisbane Times, Vermeulen has this to say:

“I am disappointed that Suzuki has decided not to renew my contract for next season, but I am absolutely committed to continuing my career in the top flight of motorcycle racing. MotoGP has been my life for the past four years and I still have unfinished business here.”

“I am a fighter and I know that with the right technical package I am capable of battling with and beating the best in this sport”.

Continue reading: MotoGP Chris Vermeulen - 'I have unfinished business here'

While not as exciting as the Jorge Lorenzo and Ducati story, another piece of the silly season puzzle was defined today with Loris Capirossi signing for another season with Suzuki.

Capirossi who has won eight GP races in the top class and won the 250cc world championship in 1998 will be riding alongside rookie Alvaro Bautista who signed with Suzuki for the next two years.

In tonight’s TV show Griglia di Partenza, Carlo Pernat, Capirossi’s manager, calling from Indianapolis, told Italian viewers that Capirossi accepted Suzuki’s offer only after receiving assurances that Suzuki would step up their development on the GSV-R and that they would be shifting some of its resources from AMA and WSBK to MotoGP.

Pernat also stated that Suzuki will be using two test riders during the off season development stages and that his client will use the remaining races of the 2009 season testing new material to better prepare next season.

The Italian manager also confirmed the rumors that Capirossi had been in talks with Ducati’s Claudio Domenicali at Mugello, but the deal didn’t pan out as Ducati lost interest in their former rider.

Continue reading: Loris Capirossi with Suzuki in 2010

Chris Vermeulen talks about his 11th place in today’s qualifying session at Brno.

Vermeulen’s place in Rizla Suzuki is on the line for the 2010 season. According to the Spanish press Vermeulen’s ride may be going to 250cc rider Alvaro Bautista and Loris Capirossi’s manager Carlo Pernat announced today that his client is ironing out the last details with Paul Denning and will probably be confirmed tomorrow or on Monday during the official test.

Vermeulen has admitted that his only option to stay in MotoGP is in a satellite team and his management team has talked with Herve Poncharal and private teams. The Aussie rider also admitted that he would take a pay cut because he’s not interested in riding for money but only in racing.

Continue reading: MotoGP Brno - Chris Vermeulen talks about Qualifying

Remember Prince Harry showing up at the British MotoGP? Well, it was Rizla Suzuki’s rider Chris Vermeulen who invited Harry to the Donington races after seeing a picture of the Prince wearing a replica of his own racing helmet.

Vermeulen presented the Prince with the original helmet that he wore during the race and another one for William and third helmet for charity. The MotoGP rider got asked if he could give private racing lessons, as the Prince might be trading in his Triumph motorcyle for a Ducati, just like his older brother.

Riding pillion with Randy Mamola must have given Harry the racing bug, who knows if we’ll ever see the Prince in some club race.

Source | brisbanetimes via motorbike.org

Continue reading: Prince Harry to get riding lessons from Chris Vermeulen

I know that this isn’t the greatest pic in the world and you can barely recognize the guy jumping in the sea, but it’s Rizla Suzuki rider Loris Capirossi.

Capirossi who lives in Montecarlo, was photographed by the paparazzi vacationing on one of those super luxury yachts that hit the island of Sardinia every summer.

Since we’re curious, we’d like to know if the yacht belongs to him, because Valentino Rossi could possibly freak out if he sees Capirex’s toy is bigger than his new Titilla II.

More pics found here.

Continue reading: MotoGP Gossip - Loris Capirossi on Vacation in Sardinia

Chris Vermeulen talks about today’s race at Donington Park, the tough weather and track conditions, the problems with his tires.

The Aussie rider is 9th in the standings after the 10th round of MotoGP Championship that sees Valentino Rossi leading with 187 points, trailed by team mate Jorge Lorenzo with 162 points followed by Ducati’s Casey Stoner with 150 points.

Round eleven of the 2009 MotoGP World Championship takes place after the summer break, at Brno in the Czech Republic, on August 16.

Continue reading: More from Donington - Chris Vermeulen

Chris Vermeulen talks about his difficult race and his physical conditions. The Australian is 8th in the standings after the ninth round.

Valentino Rossi leads MotoGP championship with 176 points, followed by Jorge Lorenzo with 162 pts and Casey Stoner with 148 points.

Continue reading: MotoGP Sachsenring - Chris Vermeulen Video

Chris Vermeulen talks about today’s qualifying session at Sachsenring about his injuries and the problems that his Suzuki was having.

Vermeulen will be starting on the fourth row in tomorrow’s race.

Continue reading: MotoGP Sachsenring - Chris Vermeulen talks Qualifying

Chris Vermeulen talks about today’s free practice at the Sachsenring circuit in Germany.

Vermeulen highsided during practice after hitting a wet patch and was seen hobbling away after landing heavily, but it looks like he only took big knocks to his shoulder and hip, which were still undergoing treatment from his Laguna Seca crashes.

Continue reading: Chris Vermeulen talks Sachsenring FP