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Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Generosity is our thingWELCOME TO THE Yearbook, the culmination of 12 months of hard work by the AMCN team. Producing a mag of more than 220 pages and featuring Motorcycle of The Year in just 10 normal working days takes a superhuman effort. I say normal working days, although they are anything but that here at Gassit HQ. Thank you, everyone.The extra surge of speed felt like I’d just hit the ton. From that moment on I was hookedThis is my third Yearbook as editor, and you may notice a pattern emerging with my Ed’s Desk. Christmas holds so many fond childhood memories for me, almost all courtesy of my parents, but this memory is about my first experience with the generosity that is the hallmark of motorcyclists.My old 1974 Honda XL175 has…2 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Indian FTR production bike looks likelyINDIAN IS LOOKING increasingly likely to build a showroom version of its FTR1200 Custom concept bike. It would celebrate the brand’s success in flat track racing and offer a sporty naked alternative to established European and Japanese rivals.The FTR1200 concept appeared at EICMA, featuring the 1133cc V-twin from the existing Scout models bolted to a tubular-steel frame similar to that of the race-only FTR750 which dominated the 2017 American Flat Track Series.Now it seems almost certain that Indian will create a production version of the FTR for the street. As well as showing the FTR1200 concept, the company has just trademarked the name ‘FTR’ for use on ‘motorcycles and structural parts thereof’ in both America and Europe.It’s understood that the AMA has approved the current FTR750 for flat track use…1 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Honda readies adaptive cruise controlA TECHNOLOGY THAT’S fast becoming the norm on modern cars is adaptive cruise control – and Honda is working on bringing the same idea to two wheels.New patent applications from the firm show how it intends to fit front-facing cameras, radars or other sensors to bikes.With ABS now standard on most new bikes, and ride-by-wire throttles also becoming the norm, programming on-board computers to react to additional inputs is relatively cheap and simple. And since the cameras, microwave sensors, infrared sensors and radars used for active cruise control are being mass produced, their prices are also becoming more reasonable.Unlike us, the sensors aren’t affected by darkness or fog, and the computer’s reactions are faster than any of us could hope for. That means the automatic brake assistance, although it can’t…1 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12The Brits mean business…THE UNITED KINGDOM team has thrown down the gauntlet for the International Challenge at the 2018 AMCN International Island Classic, announcing it will field one of its most competitive teams yet in a bid to claim the coveted trophy for a fourth successive year.With John McGuinness still sidelined due to the injuries he sustained in this year’s North West 200, and Conor Cummins also out of the 2018 event, the Jeremy McWilliams-led team has drafted in three new stars into the line-up, all of them road racing legends in their own right.Michael Rutter will be the biggest name making his Island Classic debut. The 45-year-old has 14 North West 200 wins to his name as well as five TT wins and eight wins at the Macau Grand Prix. The British…1 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Tech show-stoppers1. TFT displayWas there a production-spec 2018 model on show at EICMA that didn’t boast a full-colour TFT display? Thin-film transistor displays are the buzz tech for the new model year. Not dissimilar to your standard LCD (liquid crystal) display, except each pixel is controlled by thin film transistors. They offer excellent resolution and backlighting to improve user experience in all riding conditions. Once relatively expensive, but manufacturing costs have dropped dramatically, which is why they’re now everywhere you look.2. ARASElectronic riding aids have a new name: ARAS. That stands for Advanced Rider Assistance Systems, which is a notch or two above today’s average ABS and electronically adjustable suspension. It’s also an umbrella name for the next big thing in motorcycle technologies – connectivity. In a bid to make SMIDSY…2 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Where will it end?I have been following with interest the Motobot story and the age-old question arises: Why? Engineering development? Because they have too much time and money? Where will it lead?Maybe to a form of racing where manufacturers battle it out not only with bikes but also Motobots. A true battle of the brands. Like autonomous mining trucks and soon to be autonomous agricultural tractors and harvesters, we remove the operator and their space altogether, as with the Case IH driverless tractor.What would the bike look like? What would we call it? I imagine it would retain the basic dimensions but lose the seat, footpegs, clip-ons, screen, etc. Fuel ttank could be centralised, fairing reduced. There would be a 9 90kg-plus weight saving. Imagine the effect all this would have on suspension,…1 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12X trainingPROSRelaxed ergosLight clutchNeutral handling, easy to manoeuvreCONSGearing may need adjusting for frequent highway or freeway useHard seat ADVENTURE RIDING HAS been the new black for a while now, but how do you start off? It’s a big leap from a trailbike to a big-bore, multi-cylinder adventurer, so Kawasaki has produced a dual-purpose training ground. Along the way, though, they’ve managed to build a bike that looks like it may be just as handy in the city, making it an attractive option for already spoilt-for-choice LAMS riders.The Versys-X is an attractive option for already spoilt-for-choice LAMS ridersAt first glance the Versys-X looks full size, so you don’t feel like you’re sitting on a LAMS bike at all. It’s powered by the same bulletproof 296cc parallel-twin that you’ll find in Kawasaki’s ultra-popular…7 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12LEADERS of the PACKTwenty-seventeen has been a great year for bikes. The quality and variety of motorcycles we’ve featured in these pages is evidence of an industry giving us the best we’ve ever had. Now we must judge the best of them all. The finalists for AMCN Motorcycle of the Year reflect the choices we’re lucky enough to have when buying a new bike in 2017. We didn’t set out to pick the finalists to do this; it happened this way because the standards are so high across the board.Sportsbikes still show the way for outright performance, technology and doing what they’re meant to do. The Suzuki GSXR1000R and Yamaha YZF-R6 are pinnacles of the genre. But today they are rivalled by adventure bikes, especially models like the KTM 1290 Super Adventure R.…6 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Crowd puller“Out the front of a café, the American metal attracted the most attention”CHRIS DOBIEWHEREVER WE PARKED, the Street Rod got the attention. Low, black and solid, it contrasted in every way with the other seven motorcycles. Its dark countenance – and of course its badge – drew crowds rather than scaring them off. There’s no doubt whatsoever that Harley-Davidson’s Street Rod makes a big impact, and if this isn’t part of the design brief, we’ve been misunderstanding the allure of Hogs all this time.The Street Rod also smashes down the barriers to Harley-Davidson ownership. Like the smaller Street 500, this 750cc version comes with a very modest price tag. It is 2.5K less than the SuperLow Sportster, half the price of a typical Softail and a third of the price…4 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12The fast lane“Power may corrupt, but the GSX-R1000R does it in the nicest possible way”GRANT ROFFTHE GSX-R1000R DOES incredible superbike feats without histrionics. “A version of this bike just won the Australian Superbike title and it’s easy to see why,” Groff said, to which Chris added it is “one of the most user-friendly litre sportsbikes on the market”.The GSX-R1000R is a technical flagship. The list of electronics and high-class components is too long for this short piece, but a highlight is the variable valve timing that helps enhance the engine’s bottom-to-top power. It runs from real, useful and practical at low revs to the tarmac-scorching power of a superbike. In other words, it goes from everyday roadbike to something that can only be exercised on the track, all without fuss.On the road,…3 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12BEHIND THE SCENESDOING THE GREAT Ocean Road in October is always going to be a lottery weather-wise, but this year we struck the jackpot. We took off from Melbourne under grey skies and with a forecast for rain, but it wasn’t long before the clouds parted and the day warmed up.Fortune also smiled on us when it came to traffic – one of the big drawbacks in a world-famous tourist setting like the GOR. Apart from half an hour spent waiting for a busload of tourists to finish taking their photos so we could take ours, the roads were surprisingly clear. We were stopped by repair works at a number of points between our base of Lorne and Apollo Bay, but that just meant we could filter ahead of the waiting traffic…1 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12The key to a championWhat chance did a newly formed team have of success in such a tough competition?Questions, questions… I had posed plenty of them at the international launch of the new Suzuki GSXR1000R at Phillip Island in February, just weeks before it was due to compete in the 2017 Australian Superbike Championship.Could the latest version of this iconic model regain the crown its predecessor once held? Could a completely new model be a winner straight out of the box? Would it even be good enough to take it to the rest? What chance did a newly formed team have of success in such a tough competition, even with factory backing?Eight months later we had all the answers. Not only was the new Gixxer a winner, but so was the Canberra Motorcycle Centre…12 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Wealth for toilCasey Stoner won the first of his 41 Australian titles when he was just six years old. Eight years later and too young to race on Aussie racetracks, his lashings of talent forced his family to pack up and chase his road-racing dream in Europe.With self-belief and determination, it took the plucky Aussie just seven more years to loft the most coveted prize in two-wheeled motorcycle sport.On 23 September 2007, two decades after Wayne Gardner had become Australia’s first premier-class world champion, Casey Stoner became the second-youngest person ever to wear the MotoGP crown.The season before had been all about Valentino Rossi and the late Nicky Hayden, the latter snatching the title after the Italian choked in the finale.Casey Stoner was a MotoGP rookie that year, yet had pulled out…18 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Lapping it upDUCATI HIERARCHY AND 2007 team boss Livio Suppo are still dining out on Stoner’s title win, an unplanned and accidental gift for the Bologna squad.Casey had only been on the market because Yamaha and Honda did not have the conviction to commit to a Stoner deal.“I still have a copy of the factory contract from Yamaha for Casey for 2007 – that deal fell apart at Donington in 2006,” recalls Casey’s father and then business manager Colin.“The only reason it did not go ahead was because of our request that Casey be in the same garage as Valentino. Yamaha knocked us back on that.”Three months later Stoner was still a free agent when Suppo phoned Colin Stoner with the deal of a lifetime.“Our plan for 2007 was to keep Sete…1 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12The greatest show on (middle) earthIn the global motorcycle market, we often say that Australia is a drop in the ocean. Spare a thought then for New Zealand, where yearly sales numbers are smaller still.Being such a modest market brings its challenges, especially when it comes to motorcycle shows. It’s hard for the big brands to justify splashing out on promotion when it might only lead to a handful of sales. And this makes the achievement of the Ride Forever Motorcycle Show all the more remarkable.In just six years, what began as a cosy display of classic bikes in a small hall at the Exhibition Centre, adjacent to Auckland Airport, has blossomed – boomed even – into a full-blown expo encompassing everything from vintage machines to the very latest model releases.Initially the show was a…6 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Twinkle, twinkleTHROUGHOUT THE HISTORY of motorised two-wheeling, no engine configuration has seduced more followers, created more folklore, or cultivated more engineering eccentricity than the humble twin-cylinder. Slimmer, lighter and simpler than a multi. Faster, sexier, and generally more robust than a single. Twins are arguably the goldilocks of motorcycling motion. And, there are more ways to build a twin than you may think.Parallel-twinTHE MOST POPULAR form of two-pot bike by far is the parallel-twin, and although it seems like this engine design is currently going gangbusters in the motorcycle world, the truth is it never went away.There are three relatively common configurations of parallel-twin four-stroke engine: 180°, 360° and 270°. There is also the 0° option, or ‘Twingle’.With a 360° firing order the two pistons travel in parallel, with each cylinder…6 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12the calendarTop 3 TV1 Dakar 2018Red Bull TV 6-21 Jan 11am (AEDT)See daily highlights and go behind the scenes with teams and riders to experience the jaw-dropping beauty and brutality of the most prestigious off-road rally on the planet. You can also catch a nightly wrap on SBS (see guide).2 ABC of… Hard EnduroRed Bull TV On demand AnytimeHard Enduro is one of motorcycling’s toughest disciplines. Take a crash course in all things Hard Enduro, learning the lingo, pros and the top events in a series of races where just finishing is a victory.3 MXTV7 Mate/Online Saturdays 10amFor your full fix of motocross on the box, you can catch MXTV every Saturday morning at 10am on 7Mate. If you can't drag yourself out of bed after a big Friday night then…1 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Sibling rivalryOUR COMPETITIVENESS STARTED early. When we were about 10 and 12, our dad bought a second dirtbike. Until that point we’d been sharing an old DT175, taking it in turns to thrash around the sugarcane fields, with Dad always on hand to pass on advice.Once we had a bike each everything was a race, but it’s not just motorbikes that bring out our competitive sidesOnce we had a bike each, though, everything was a race. If you weren’t in front you’d be doing all you could to make a pass. This type of mindset from both of us made for some very close riding, which has followed us through to road racing. Fortunately we’ve never had contact on the track – but the same can’t be said on dirt!It’s not…3 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Hair-raising MotoGP seasonCould the 2017 MotoGP contest have been better? Hate to carp, but a couple of prime contenders were knocked out in the second half of the year, with Yamaha’s puzzling mish*t. Even so, it left one of the best title fights in memory – two polar opposites locked in combat until the last of 18 races. All the better for being so unexpected.Marc Marquez quite rightly prevailed, eventually. But he’d started off badly on a once again much-revised Repsol Honda, with an all-new big-bang engine.A third of the way through, after Mugello’s Italian GP, he was some 37 points adrift of series leader Maverick Viñales, and feeling the heat: “My hairdresser told me I was losing my hair. I said: ‘Impossible. I am only 24. My father, my grandfather, they…8 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Rule of thirdsHISTORY WAS MADE in WSBK when Jonathan Rea eased to his third world championship in succession this year.Nobody had done this before – not one of the preceding legends of the past 30 years – so note this season well. It was the one in which Rea began to look every bit as dominant in WSBK as Mick Doohan once was in 500 GP racing.The 556 points he scored this year was a record for a single season, overtaking the previous best set by Colin Edwards in his classic season-long duel with Troy Bayliss in 2002.Rea also won 16 races for the Kawasaki Racing Team, a gigantic total in the modern era, and it could have been an all-time record of 18 if his rear tyre hadn’t popped at Donington…6 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12aussies overseasMoto GPAUSTRALIA’S BRIGHTEST ROAD-RACING star Jack Miller wasn’t the only racer flying our flag in the heady world of grand prix racing. Remy Gardner represented Australia in the intermediate Moto2 category this year, too. Son of Australia’s very first premier-class world champ Wayne Gardner, who travels with Remy as his manager and mentor, Remy endured an injury-plagued year, displayed flashes of brilliance, but ended the season down in 21st place, a result which wasn’t perhaps indicative of the 19-year-old’s talent.In any case, like Jack Miller, he’s got a freshly signed contract in his hand and is looking forward to a brighter 2018 season. Miller’s switching to Pramac Ducati with an eye on a factory seat for 2019, while Gardner’s staying with his current Tech3 Moto2 squad.WSBKWHILE THE SUPERBIKE category was…5 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Doyle’s golden yearTHE SPEEDWAY YEAR of 2017 belongs to Australia’s latest world champion, Jason Doyle.The story of his struggle to overcome injury on his way to becoming the first of Australia’s six world speedway champions to be crowned on home soil was well chronicled before and after his title-winning night in Melbourne in October.Hopefully further surgery will have Doyle primed to defend his crown in 2018, but fitness aside it will be a hard task, particularly against the young Polish brigade headed by Patryk Dudek and Bartosz Zmarzlik.Chris Holder had a season to forget with on and offtrack dramas, but a wildcard berth for next year gives him a chance at redemption.It was a particularly bad year for Australian riders being sidelined through injury abroad – accidents prevented Max Fricke from taking…3 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Rip it up and start againA WEEK AFTER MotoGP’s post-race test at Valencia, the bulk of the WSBK teams and a few MotoGP squads converged on Jerez for the end of season test-athon.With MotoGP stars like Andrea Iannone, Andrea Dovizioso, Jorge Lorenzo and Cal Crutchlow around, and several HRC, Ducati Corse and Suzuki space stations inside the busy Jerez paddock, the humbler Superbikes still made a strong showing.Jonathan Rea stuck in a 1m37.986s lap on the last day, on qualifiers, to set the pace (albeit not setting any official new records) and also get well inside Friday’s top MotoGP runners. His time was one second faster than the Superbike Superpole record at Jerez, also set on qualifiers just one month ago.Rea rode Monday, Wednesday and Friday and was the fastest man in any category on…3 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Hutchy to Honda?!SIXTEEN-TIME TT winner Ian Hutchinson is rumoured to make a surprise switch to Honda for the 2018 road racing season.Despite winning two TTs with his Tyco BMW squad in 2017 before crashing out of the Senior TT and suffering a badly broken leg, it’s understood the relationship between the rider and squad had soured.Hutchinson has enjoyed much success with Honda during his career, including both his maiden TT victory and his maiden Ulster GP win. And with Guy Martin bowing out of the squad after his well-publicised road racing return which he described as “a waste of time”, Honda needs to repair its reputation. Hutchy might be just the bloke who can do it.Hutchinson has been vocal about his intentions to return to racing since his accident earlier this year,…1 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Preview: Dakar 2018IT’S JUST WEEKS before the 2018 edition of the Dakar Rally gets underway and there’s plenty for Aussies to get excited about.Toby Price (below) is back to full fitness after snapping his femur in this year’s event, and will line up alongside his Red Bull KTM teammates Sam Sunderland and Mattias Walker.With Sunderland still riding high after winning the 2017 Dakar, and limited bike time all year for Price, it will be a big ask for the Aussie to reclaim the number-one spot in what is the world’s toughest off-road race.Yamaha stalwart Rod fa*ggotter will once again line up in the 2018 event. After being sidelined with a mechanical issue while running in the top 15 last time out, he’ll be on a mission to right the wrongs of his…1 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 122017 the know the year that was…THIS YEAR WILL be remembered for a lot of things. Not least Jason Doyle’s world championship, or Johnny Rea’s history making third world title, or Jorge Lorenzo’s brave switch from the sweet-handling Yamaha to the notoriously difficult Ducati.Then there was KTM’s campaigns in all three classes of MotoGP, and the controversial reverse grid for Race 2 of the World Superbike Championship. No one will forget an Aussie leading off the start line of the Isle of Man TT on a number-one plated Norton, or when Daryl Beattie was inducted into the AMCN Hall of Fame.It was a year of too much human loss, a year of so many new bikes, a year of shift and a year of triumph and tragedy.Even if we never got the highly anticipated on-track battle…5 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Where’s the ’Bus?OUR SOURCES IN Japan say that the reason for Suzuki’s modest crop of new models for 2018 is a delay in the development of the next-generation Hayabusa.The Busa’s replacement was previewed with the Concept GSX (pictured) two years ago. Shown at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show, the Concept GSX was a sculpture made of pulped paper, but despite its weird construction it left little doubt as to the bike it represented.The norm for such previews is for the production machines to appear about two years later, so expectations were high for the new Hayabusa to appear in late 2017 as a 2018 model.The first indication that might not happen emerged earlier this year when Suzuki type-approved the existing 1340cc Hayabusa as a 2018 model in America. When the Tokyo Motor…1 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12…but the Aussies will fightTHE AUSTRALIAN TEAM is in an excellent position to stop the Brits with a strong line-up announced for the 2018 AMCN International Island Classic’s International Challenge.Leading the team of talented riders will be two-time World Superbike champ Troy Corser (Honda Harris F1). On announcing his involvement, he said: “Everyone tells me the Island Classic is a great event so with it being the 25th anniversary, it feels like a good time to come back and give it a go.”The Aussie team will be bolstered by former and current Isle of Man TT regulars Cam Donald (Irving Vincent) and David Johnson (Ducati 750 Imola). AMCN test rider and former World Endurance champ Steve Martin (1294cc Suzuki Katana) will be in the mix again, along with Aussie legend Shawn Giles (1294cc Suzuki…1 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12The year was... 001975NewsThe UK government was deciding whether or not to bail out Norton Villiers Triumph, Yamaha opened its Sugo circuit and associated sports land for factory employees, and the FIM met with manufacturers to discuss road racing’s future in the face of new pollution laws.Bike testHONDA CB750F• Engine Air-cooled 736cc in-line four• Power 51kW• Weight 226kg (dry)“Honda’s 750 Four has won a high reputation for standing up to plenty of hard work. Now that the handling has been brought up to scratch for the new ‘F’ model, which carries a somewhat modest price tag of $1879, Honda should enjoy an even larger slice of the superbike sales market.SportThe Chesterfield Superbike series was the richest in Australia back in 1975, and Warren Willing was in the box seat to ride away with…1 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12accessTrackday virginsI’m taking a mate for a track day soon (Top Rider with Bernie Hatton) and he was asking what to expect, as there’s not a lot of information out there. It seems like it’s a bit daunting to trackday virgins.So I was thinking how good an article would be to spell it out in story form. You could follow someone from start to finish, interview Bernie, use the actual photos from the photographer they already use, show tyre wear, interview the trackday heroes and show times and improvements.Aaron Perkins Via emailG’day Aaron, we do features like this on a regular basis, usually when one of the AMCN crew attends a coaching or track day to improve his or her skills. I’m sure we are due for a refresher course…8 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Damn, the TorpedoIN THE MOVIE Jurassic Park, a billionaire with a passion for dinosaurs employs a team of genetic scientists to create a wildlife park on a tropical island and fill it with cloned Tyrannosaurus Rex, Velociraptor and Brachiosaurus.Thanks to Pavel spending about 2500 hours in his workshop creating this replica, we can hear it roar into life againBut what if your passion is old motorcycles, and there are no survivors of the most important models that your country ever made? You can’t clone them, but if you’re an engineer with enough skill and determination then anything is possible.If you don’t believe us, just look at what Pavel Malanik has brought back from extinction using only the old lathe and a milling machine that he has in his home workshop.Only one semi-radial…5 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Beginner’s luckHOW GOOD DO learners have it these days? This good: a place in the Motorcycle of the Year awards for 2017, wearing a badge that’ll impress those who see status in a name, and for only $5790 (+ ORC). The BMW G310R is a sharp little machine that won the hearts and minds of all our testers. For what is ostensibly a humble motorcycle, it is a stunning effort from BMW.“If it was down to grin factor, the BMW would be my number one pick”LANCE CHIAThe secret is the “thoughtfulness of the complete design,” in Grant’s words. “It wasn’t just an engine in a chassis and everything else being an afterthought. It’s a beautifully integrated motorcycle which is rare in this price range.”The G310R is clearly not pushing the boundaries…4 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Big thrills, no frills“The Z900 is so much bike for such a modest amount of money”MICK MATHESONALL THIS FOR $12,499 (+ ORC)? Talk about a great deal – 86kW of raw Zed power has never been so cheap. This Kawasaki looks horn, too, just the way you expect a naked Kwaka to look. Aggressive grunt, aggressive styling … is there anything else that matters? Not at this price!And that’s the key to understanding the Z900. It doesn’t give you frilly bits for your money, it provides only the raw ingredients that make motorcycling what we love. There’s 45 years of unadulterated Good Times in this model; you can still taste the 1972 Z1 when you drink from its cup. Kawasaki has always aimed to excite you and there isn’t a moment when that…4 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Giant killer“No matter how hard I rode this bike, I felt it was enticing me to go faster”STEPHANIE REDMANYOU WILL LOVE the Street Triple RS – we did. It was enlightening to see each individual’s reactions as they got more familiar with it. It top scored for both confidence to push it and our regardless-of-price opinions. It’s a real gem of a motorcycle, probably because it’s both a genuine all-rounder and a top-shelf factory special.“Whether you’re a newbie who has just stepped up from a restricted licence, or a highly experienced rider, the Street Triple delivers a sense of confidence like no other bike on the test,” Chris said. “The electronics interface is easy to use, and that engine is an absolute cracker.”Yes, the engine. The upsized 765cc unit only adds…3 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12THE WINNERThe Triumph Street Triple RS is a sensational machine and deserving winner of the 2017 Motorcycle of the Year award. On every voting criterion, the Triumph scored very well.The RS gave us so much confidence that it top scored on that one. It’s so easy to ride well. The engine, chassis, suspension, tyres, electronics and ergonomics are all great, and those factors all work in unison. We can’t overstate how well Triumph has achieved this.It scored second for its technology, with additional kudos for showing everyone how the interface between rider and bike should be.Ignoring the murky waters of price affecting judgment, the Triumph came out on top. As a bike, not a value proposition, it was the favourite among a varied group of testers. This is a bike for…2 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12A day in the life of a lucky bastard‘Would I like to come to Mugello for a ride day?’ asked the man from Ducati. What a question!The day you buy yourself a motorcycle is a special event that is to be relished, and if you happen to be buying a new Ducati Superbike you are paying premium money and can reasonably expect to receive a premium experience. So have you ever wondered what happens when you buy something even more expensive and exclusive from Ducati?I’m talking about the Ducati Panigale 1299 Superleggera, a motorcycle that only exists because it can. I won’t go into the technical details as the hyperbole surrounding this machine means you’ve already seen the specs or you can easily find them (Vol 67 No 04). Only 500 have been made, and even that number…12 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12In his own words: Casey StonerA SUNNY SUMMER day at Phillip Island kick-started Casey Stoner’s MotoGP fairytale and the chase for his childhood dream.It was early February 2007 and what would be the title-deciding race in Motegi was still seven months away. But a fast and smooth race simulation on the final day of the test alerted Stoner to what was possible.“My thought was that if the racing had started the next day then we could be a contender for the podium,” Stoner said. “It was like, ‘Wow, it’s only February and the bike still has a lot of capability left in it’, plus I knew I was only going to get fitter and stronger with my training.“I think our times on race tyres during the Island simulation scared everybody a little bit, and we…1 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Final frontierThe mountain has started to give way, taking parts of the road with itTo tell this story best, I’m going to start at the end. After nine days of gruelling adventure riding through the Himalayas, we’ve been promised a cruisey last leg into Delhi. It’s been raining for a few days and we’re still more than 4000 metres above sea level and technically still in the Himalayas, but that doesn’t seem to bother anyone.We begin to climb a tight winding mountain pass when we notice a steady flow of villagers walking back down the mountain. They attempt to communicate with us but it’s hard to understand what they’re trying to say. We ride on as the rain continues to fall and only gets heavier the higher we climb.Rounding a hairpin,…11 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12The Gassit AwardsRacers, photographers, journalists, and anyone else we think deserves a bit of stick – or very occasionally a pat on the back – have been scrutinised by the watchful eye of Fred Gassit throughout 2017, and now it’s time to present the annual Gassit Awards.No one is safe.Nothing will consign a world title to life as a bookend or paperweight quicker than a Gassit golden barker’s egg looking for space in a trophy cabinet. The 18ct dog turd has been lovingly produced by Gassit himself. No two are the same, each is unique. Gassit himself once described the award as a “fuggin masterpiece of shiny, foul-smelling turdness”.A panel of self-proclaimed industry experts has looked back on the 2017 season, each pinpointing notable highs and lows in the industry, and offering…15 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Yuletide ridesThe Christmas period is often a chance for people to take some time off and get away from the humdrum of everyday life. For riders it presents a chance to get away to one of those destinations that has been on the bucket list for a while. The roads and towns can get a little busy with other people out and about, but with a little careful planning it’s still a great time to get some serious miles under your wheels and get to know our amazing country. We’ve compiled a handful of our favourite rides and destinations to help motivate you into organising a road trip this festive season. Just remember to pack extra spares and tools as many businesses will be closed, and if you undertake one of…5 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12eventsShow time3 FEBRUARYThunder West 2018, FSB Pearlbrook, Scotts Creek Rd, Murrurundi, NSW. Steel horse muster, bike show ’n’ shine and tattoo competition. Live music, special guest Angry Anderson, camping available from 1 February (no fees) and wheelchair access. No BYO, no dogs and no fires. Entry $25; under 18s free; gates open 10am; no under 18s after 6pm. For information phone Fozzy on 0404 467 171.25 FEBRUARYSouth Coast Show & Shine Gear Head Sunday, Toora Recreational Reserve, Jetty Rd, Toora, Vic. Gates open 8am. Bikes, cars, trucks, tractors, army tanks and rides, helicopter rides, live music and more. Fully licenced and catered. Show entry $10;
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Performance of the issueNAME: CALLUM BARKERAGES: 20CLASS: F3, SUPERSPORT AND SUPERBIKEEVENT: QR-FXGatton motorcycle mechanic Callum Barker impressed across multiple classes at the QR-FX round held at Queensland Raceway on 26 November.Barker took out the F3 class, his 250 two-stroke, edging out the rampant 400cc Kawasaki of Leigh Holmes. “The 250 I raced is a pretty unique bike,” Barker said. “The chassis was made by Spondon in the UK, and back in the day they provided chassis for Yamaha 250 two-strokes racing the Isle of Man TT. This chassis was built for a Honda RS250 GP motor, and as far as I know there are only four left in the world.”Backed by Elite Motorcycles, Barker also dominated Supersport on his GSX-R600 and finished third in B grade Superbike.…1 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Suddenly excitingMoto2 is generally rather dull, at least up front, right? Well, not so in 2017. For some reason – not least the departure of double-champ Zarco, plus the arrival of a handful of fast rookies and the new KTM – it was a season of great tension and great racing.The overall results don’t show it, though. Rossi protege Franco Morbidelli (who had never won before) took the first three races on the trot, then added five more.Yet it wasn’t as dominant as it sounds, thanks to Franco’s spirited approach. He wanted to win even when he didn’t need to – when he’d been advised by his team to settle down and take the points. As a result, he crashed twice, allowing the much more consistent and sensible Tom Luthi to…1 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12WSS 2017 season wrapGOAT Head Soup AwardKenan SofuogluConsider the remarkable Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing). Injured while testing in the winter, he tried to ride at Phillip Island but had to miss the first two rounds. He got knocked off in his return and didn't score. Three rounds down, no points and no chance of a sixth title. He then won five of the next six races, and scored second in the other.Then he broke his hip and pelvis in three places, missing Magny Cours and Jerez, but came back again to finish on the podium in Qatar after only five weeks. He missed out on the title by 29 points, but lost a possible 100 to injury or other riders’ foul-ups. As tough as they come.Deserving Winner AwardLucas MahiasThe new WSS champion…2 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Battle royaleYamaha Motor Insurance Superbike ChampionshipAFTER SEVEN ROUNDS of high drama, Josh Waters (Suzuki Ecstar – Suzuki GSXR1000R) emerged as one of the most unlikely ASBK champions in years with a come-from-behind title charge that stunned his rivals and cemented his own legacy.Daniel Falzon (JD Racing, William Adams Caterpillar – Yamaha YZF-R1) exploded from the blocks at Phillip Island, taking a clean sweep of all three races as well as pole. The rest of the field were left to regroup at Wakefield Park, as Troy Herfoss (Crankt Protein – Honda CBR1000RR) and Wayne Maxwell (Yamaha Australia – Yamaha YZF-R1) kick-started their year in the tricky Goulburn conditions with a win each.The championship took a major blow that weekend as Glenn Allerton (Yamaha Australia – Yamaha YZF-R1) suffered a nasty highside and…5 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Three hours of powerFor the second year running Daniel Falzon and Liam Wilkinson have claimed the Auldana Foundations Adelaide 3-Hour completing 154 laps of the Mallala circuit to break their record of 151 set last year.Sporting ‘R1’ Yamaha plates, Falzon and Wilkinson were in a class of their own, finishing six laps ahead of their nearest competition. The pair stated their goal was to complete more laps than their record 151 set the previous year.“In an endurance race, you just hope for no big incidents on track or any dramas in the pits. Luckily, everything went really well, almost like a fairytale,” explained Falzon. “I started the race and we ended up with a really nice lead. Liam maintained that and pulled an even bigger gap. We also had to manage traffic, because…5 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Rea awarded MBETHREE-TIME WORLD Superbike champ Jonathan Rea has been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday honours list and awarded a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE).The 30-year-old Briton was presented the award at Buckingham Palace last month and it was awarded to him by the motorcycle-mad Duke of Cambridge Prince William.“Prince William is a bit of a motorcycle fan himself, we talked about his bikes,” Rea told the BBC following the presentation. “I am very honoured to be invited here and receive an MBE. It’s been more than a dream, more than I ever expected. To come here today it kind of really sinks in what I have achieved.”…1 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Demmery defies odds in recoveryBRANDON DEMMERY CONTINUES to recover after a nasty startline incident in the final Supersport 300 support race at the Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island on 22 October.The crash saw three bikes hit Demmery, and left the Wagga Wagga motorcycle mechanic with a serious mission to be fit for the opening round of the 2018 ASBK season.After he was airlifted to Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, an extensive injury list was uncovered including a double compound fracture of the tibia and fibula, compound fracture of the femur, multiple breaks in his pelvis, a broken right wrist and a torn bladder.The initial prognosis was that the 2016 Supersport 300 champion was likely to be in a wheelchair for three months, however, with the aid of advanced therapy such as a hyperbaric chamber, Demmery…1 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 122018 ASBK silly seasonTHE 2018 ASBK silly season rolls on, with many teams poised to announce changes for next year. The factory Honda team is one of the few to have concrete plans, with incumbent rider and 2016 champion Troy Herfoss already confirmed.The big news centres around changes at the factory Yamaha squad, with rumours that there will be one new rider on a blue bike.Desmosport Ducati is yet to announce its rider for the 2018 season, but the team is determined to put the bike on the podium, and an announcement is imminent.Former ASBK champion Bryan Staring is also looking good for season 2018 and has been strongly linked with a competitive team. NextGen Motorsports is exploring possibilities to expand its line-up in the Superbike class with a second rider who would…1 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12North Coast’s got talent!THE NORTH COAST Road Racers in New South Wales have completed a busy 2017 year of competition, with champions crowned in multiple classes. The club is now in its 25th year, and stages events throughout the season at the Grafton Hill Climb Complex, Lismore Go-Kart Track and Tamworth’s Oakburn Park Raceway.The Tamworth track is considered the most open with speeds of up to 125km/h on a 300cc roadbike. Grafton is regarded as the most technical with riders saying that being smooth is the key. Lismore is noted for being a very fun track with lots of grip.Winner of the Superlite and Stock categories this year was Paul Slade, who said that racing short circuits was an excellent way to develop both road and street skills.“I also went well in our…3 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Mark BrownPainting custom helmets, you must get to know the riders in a different way to most people.Yeah that’s right. I guess you could go back to Jason Crump. I first started painting his helmets maybe 12 years ago, and as time goes on you find out their personal journey through specific things they might want on their helmet, like a birth in the family or an achievement. You get to know that athlete a bit more personally than you otherwise normally would.With Toby Price, I’d known him from a young age as he was coming through the ranks. He had many accidents and personal things happen. His talent was there, absolutely, but there was also a lot of bad luck with injuries. You could see that he needed that bit…4 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12New KTM 790 Adventure spiedJUST A FEW WEEKS ago KTM’s 790 Adventure R prototype was a concept bike starring at the EICMA show in Milan. Now the production version is on test and looking very close to showroom-ready.It’s a machine that will surely give makers of other middleweight adventure bikes some sleepless nights. While KTM hasn’t revealed the specs, we know it’s closely based on the new 790 Duke. It shares the same 77kW RC8c parallel-twin engine and appears to have much the same chassis and similar WP suspension, albeit jacked up to give the right off-road ability and appearance.That means it should also be close to the 790 Duke’s 189kg ready-to-ride figure. Or, to put it another way, the 790 Adventure promises to blow its rivals out of the water in terms of…3 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Triumph Daytona 765, anyone?TRIUMPH HAS FILED a brace of trademark applications recently, and the most enticing of all is the application in both America and Europe for the name ‘Triumph Daytona’.While British records show that Triumph has owned the name since 1995, it doesn’t appear to hold those rights in the key European and American trademark databases, hence the new application. Of course, the name ‘Daytona’ alone has been used by other firms, notably Moto Guzzi, which also offered a Daytona model during the 1990s.The new application is interesting because it comes just as Triumph appears to be losing interest in the Daytona 675. The current model doesn’t meet Euro 4 emissions limits, and as such is being sold in Europe under end-of-series rules designed to offload old stock. Its permissions under those…2 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Get your Gala on!YOU’VE GOT between now and 15 December 2017 to secure your tickets to the 25th Anniversary Gala Dinner, a not-to-be-missed event where AMCN’s own Alan Cathcart will interview some of motorcycling’s biggest stars.Fifteen-time world champ Giacomo Agostini (below) is back for 2018 and will chat with Sir Al, as will World Superbike greats Troy Corser and Colin Edwards, in what is sure to be an enormously entertaining evening.The Gala Dinner is on Friday 26 January and kicks off at 6.30pm. Tickets to the once-in-a-lifetime event are just $140 per head and include a meal, beer, wine or soft drinks, as well as the on-stage interviews.For tickets to the Gala Dinner or the event itself, or for more information, head to www.islandclassic.com.au.…1 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12The 200kmh postie“Mike was pretty nervous as I’d told him the bike would go really fast. Or go off with a big bang.”INSPIRED BY THE movie The World’s Fastest Indian, Mike Riddell figured he too could set a Land Speed Record on ‘some sort of bike’. And over a few beers he convinced an old mate, Don Kidd, they should give it a shot.The easy bit was acquiring a former postie bike in the midnoughties for $400 – a price that reflected the condition of the clapped-out four-year-old Honda CT110 that arrived on Don’s workshop floor. Their target was 73mph (118km/h) and Mike figured that even if they didn’t succeed it would all be a lot of fun.After many days spent stripping the little Honda down to the frame, Don wondered when…3 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Sensory stimulationV-twin power has always had a way of grabbing people’s attention. It’s a highly desirable quality worthy of being placed in any motorcycle, and there’s one country that dominates when it comes to celebrating that special mix of pleasure and thrills. I don’t know what secret power the Italians have when it comes to making V-twins but they are masters, with Ducati, Moto Guzzi and Aprilia offering them to a drooling public.The Shiver is not a new model. It came onto the market in 2007, and at the time it was cutting edge, being one of the first roadbikes to sport a fly-by-wire throttle system.The 750 version of the Shiver has served Aprilia well, but to avoid this machine getting relegated to history, changes needed to happen. And they have…14 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Easygoing exoticaGROFF WAS ECSTATIC. “At last,” he said, “all the glory of a proper Ducati engine with the comfort of a near-perfect sports-touring riding position. This is a very impressive bike.” Almost everyone loved the fact that Ducati has created a comfortable superbike.“It oozes typical Italian charm and represents bloody good value”KEL BUCKLEY“It looks, sounds and even rides a little bit like a Panigale, but it’s a hell of a lot cheaper and more comfortable to ride in an everyday situation,” Chris said.“It has so much to offer without demanding the high price (physically and financially) of the really sporty Ducatis,” Matho said.“It is so much fun without being overbearing,” Matt said.“I don’t like the look of it,” Stef said, and we all paused, as if seeing the emperor really was…3 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Destination: anywhere“You can ride the KTM Super Adventure R for days and still want more”MATT O’CONNELLTHE KTM HAD to meet the broadest design brief in order to have any impact on MoTY. That it scored so well shows it conquered the challenge. More than that, it was highly rated by almost everyone despite being the kind of bike that can polarise opinion. After all, how can such a big, tall motorcycle possibly appeal to anyone under 180cm? Yet it did.“Being shorter, I looked at the Super Adventure and was slightly intimidated by its size and weight,” Stef admitted. “But the hardest bit was getting it up off the sidestand. Past that it was smooth sailing. The bike felt quite small and narrow to sit on and surprisingly well balanced. Compared with…4 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Best of breed“The exhaust howl that emanates from the stock pipe is pure excitement”LANCE CHIATHERE ARE TWO irresistible things to love about the R6, as Kel summed up: “Its shrill and its skill.” She went on to describe it as “a perfectly whittled tool that was built for a single purpose.”If the supersport category is now the motorcycle market’s sinking ship, the R6 is going down with it, chained to the guns and blazing away to the bitter end. The Yamaha is no sailor, though, it’s a road warrior, and you only have to attack one apex with it to know you’d never fight aboard anything else.“It is so sharp, so frenetic, so utterly dedicated to speed and precision, and it does it so well,” Matho said.“The engine responsiveness made me feel,…4 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12HOW THEY VOTEDChris DobieMy vote goes to the Triumph Street Triple 765 RS, it’s not the best-looking bike in the line-up and probably won’t attract a lot of attention when parked at the local bike stop, but it’s made to impress the rider, not others. For $17,550 (+ORC) it’s bordering on a little too expensive, but I would be prepared to take the hit knowing I’m getting the top of the range model with all the best bits.Grant RoffI’M TALL – 6’3” in the old money – and for years I’ve been putting up with bikes that cramp me because the manufacturers want short people to be able to ride as well. It was a revelation to climb on the KTM. I was at last comfortable and it’s a very fast bike…4 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Magic MountainThe Easter races were a pilgrimage for older riders and a rite of passage for youngstersAt the end of an Easter weekend, three riders share a joke (right) while friends and family look on. This photograph, taken after the Unlimited Australian Grand Prix at Bathurst in 1974, sums up all that was great about Mount Panorama. It’s also a snapshot of the moment when motorcycle racing changed forever in Australia, as a new international professionalism swept the sport.The man in the green Kawasaki leathers is Ron Toombs. Aged 40 and known as the Master of Mount Panorama, he had won more than 15 GP titles on Australia’s most challenging circuit. Five years later he would die there in a crash that rocked Australian motorcycling to its core.On the left in…11 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Poor prospectsNO ONE, NOT even Ducati management, believed that Casey Stoner could win the championship in his first season with the red team.Crew chief Cristian Gabarrini, who followed Stoner to Honda and returned to Ducati this year to look after Jorge Lorenzo, recalls the low expectations Ducati Corse boss Filipp Preziosi held for the fresh-faced new boy as partner to Loris Capirossi, who had done most of the development testing on the 800cc bike.“Filippo said to me, ‘Casey is a rookie on the Ducati and this is the first time in his career with a factory team and it is our first year with the 800s, so if Casey gets some podiums this would be more than okay, just do your best.’ Nobody thought it was possible that Casey would be…1 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12East meets westTriumph has been a motorcycling success story in recent years, with a rapidly expanding range of both modern and retro machines that have resulted in increased sales volumes and profits. And a critical part of that success has been transitioning production to Thailand, where 80 per cent of the 56,253 Triumphs sold last year were made.The British manufacturer, which is still privately owned by the Bloor family, now has three factories in Thailand. Key components such as crankshafts and camshafts are still produced in the company’s two factories in the UK at Hinckley, then shipped out East. Equally, there are many components manufactured in Thailand that are sent to Hinckley for installation in the bikes built there.John Bloor built the first Thai plant in 2002, which inevitably led to concern…15 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE1. IXON STROKER JACKET RRP $399.952. OXFORD HERITAGE ROLL BAG RRP $159.003. IXON RS DRIFT GLOVE BLACK/WHITE/RED RRP $89.954. OXFORD AQUA B-25 BACKPACK BLACK/FLURO RRP $149.955. IPONE MOTORCYCLE CARE KIT RRP $49.956. INTERPHONE IPHONE 6/7 BAR MOUNT HOLDER RRP $89.957. FALCO JACKAL AIR BOOTS BLACK/WHITE/RED RRP $179.951. Yamaha Racing Enduro Jacket RRP $2852. YRC Pro Gear Bag RRP $1893. Children’s Balance Bike (BLUE/RED) RRP $2254. 2017 MotoGP VR46 Polo Shirt RRP $79.951. Ladies leather purse RRP $36.502. Fridge magnet set RRP $16.503. Tri fit performance cap RRP $10.504. Digital tyre pressure gauge RRP $62.505. Performance backpack RRP $270.006. Vintage logo tshirt khaki RRP $55.007. Engineered denim jean RRP $330.001. eKIDS BIKE - E12 RRP $3390Also Available eKIDS BIKE - E10 RRP $29901. Biker Blue RRP $2392. Rebel RRP $2993. Men…2 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12New stuff1 Black SavannahCassons $149.95(02) 8882 1900cassons.com.auThe Scorpion Savannah jacket is now available in both men’s (XS-4XL) and women’s (XS-XL) sizes. The jacket comes with CE-approved body armour, back protector, removable waterproof liner, four external and two internal pockets, adjustable waist and Velcro wrist cuffs. It comes in black.2 Wear it on Your ArmIndian Motorcycle $101300 00 463 426indianmotorcycle.com.auThe Quality Leather Patch from Indian Motorcycle is designed to be sewn on to your leather jacket. The patch features the Indian logo and can be ordered from the Indian Motorcycle website, along with a whole lot of other items from the Indian apparel and accessories collections.3 Pipe DreamsLink International From $539.95(07) 3382 5000linkint.com.auArrow has released a full range of ADRapproved slip-ons and full systems to suit the new Yamaha YZF-R6. They’re manufactured…2 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Old School A classic caseSO THERE WE were, a bunch of former seventies longhairs looking over an immaculately restored 1977 Ducati Super Sport 900.This was the mechanical version of a championship greyhound. Bred to go fast but not farYes, you know the one. Cobalt blue and ocean-deep silver paintwork. An elegant half-fairing, sensuously shaped tank and sexy ducktail seat with an unusual zipper connection. The point of that zipper? It allows access to a small compartment where the rider can store tools and a wet-weather seat. Or maybe a good-luck charm to ensure reliability.The finishing touch for admirers of 1970s Ducatis? Those evocative, long and slender but loud Conti mufflers.Step back from the details and you see the mechanical version of a championship greyhound. Bred to go fast but not far. A classic design…3 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12A young person’s gameNOT SURE HOW WSBK racer Michael van der Mark must feel. Twenty-five years old, the Dutchman had a taste of MotoGP, riding Jonas Folger’s vacant Tech 3 Yamaha for two races at the end of the season, and didn’t acquit himself badly. It wasn’t a blazing start and he didn’t score any points, but he was only one place out of them at Sepang, and two places at Valencia.It is now so organised and if you don’t get into one of these academies before you become a teenager, you’ve missed the boatOn the most powerful and electronically complex bike he’d ever ridden, on tyres he’d never used, in a field of race-hardened MotoGP veterans.Once upon a time, this might have constituted an entry ticket to the senior World Championship. No…3 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12MasterclassKTM impressed in MotoGP and contended strongly in Moto2, but they took their eye off the ball in the small-capacity class after winning three of the first five four-stroke crowns.The Austrian brand won only one race in 2017 (Andrea Migno at Mugello) while Honda romped to a series of front-row and podium lock-outs, and ran away with the first seven places in the championship.And running away at the top of the Honda fight was Joan Mir. In only his second full season, the highly fancied 20-year-old Spaniard surpassed compatriot Marquez by scoring ten wins for the season.Since Mir's wins came out of trademark massive brawls, they required not just speed but also a great tactical brain. Over and over again.Mir amassed a record 341 points, almost 100 more than the…1 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12STK 1000 2017 season wrapRider of the YearToprak RazgatliogluNot the champion, but could have been if injury hadn’t struck at a bad time. He blew everyone’s mind in a Dorna test at Portimao the Monday after the race, taking his WSBK Puccetti Kawasaki well up the order in his first ride on a full Superbike. In contention, right to the end of his own championship.Excellent IdeaNot Dorna’s own original idea it has to be said, but it threw the kitchen sink at the new Supersport 300 class and came up with a fully formed new class to allow young talent to grow inside WSBK.Earning respect Mike JonesA big leap from Australia to the global scene nowadays, but Mike Jones finally bridged the gap well enough in the ever competitive Superstock 1000 class, with more…2 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12offroad wrapAORCKTM RACING’S DANIEL Milner became the first competitor in the Australian Off-Road Championship to go through an entire season undefeated. Milner tasted the winner’s champagne at all 12 rounds and was crowned both the overall 2017 champion and the E2 section winner, while his teammate Lyndon Snodgrass claimed E3 honours and second overall.Active8 Yamaha’s Will Ruprecht picked up the E1 crown while Jemma Wilson (Yamaha) and Michael Driscoll (Yamaha) were crowned Women and Junior category champions respectively.Jason Pearce won the Veterans championship, while Derek Grundy claimed honours in the Masters category.Cross CountryALICE SPRINGS’ DAYMON Stokie was crowned the 2017 King of the Desert when he won this year’s 452km Finke Desert Race by four minutes on his Yamaha WR500F. Just 30 seconds separated the final podium placegetters, South Australian Ivan…4 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Victory marred by tragedyThe dangers of racing on closed public roads, especially those lined with unforgiving Armco barriers, were writ large once again at the 2017 Macau Grand Prix on 18 November.British rider Dan Hegarty died after hurtling into a barrier on the sixth lap at Fisherman’s Bend on his Topgun Racing Honda. The race result was taken from the end of just five laps and Hegarty’s death overshadowed a stellar performance by Northern Irishman, Glenn Irwin.In just his second Macau appearance, the 27-year-old unofficially smashed Stuart Easton’s 2010 lap record during qualifying on the PBM Be Wiser Ducati Panigale he usually rides in the British Superbike Championship.The BSB star has been competing in selected road races, and enjoyed a 2017 North West 200 victory to go with his first BSB victory, but…4 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Ben Spies’ racing returnFORMER WORLD SUPERBIKE champ and MotoGP race-winner Ben Spies has announced he will make a return to professional racing in 2018, albeit swapping slicks for knobbies with the American confirmed for the 2018 AMA National Enduro Series.In an interview with American website Cycle World, Spies said he will compete in the mid-level Pro2 category on board KTM machinery and that his goal is to make the American club team to contest the 2018 International Six Days Enduro (ISDE).AMCN reported some time ago that Spies was tipped to make a return to racing after he posted a picture of his road racing helmet and gloves on his Instagram feed with the words: “Let’s see if I can still do this…”Spies revealed to Cycle World that he did indeed consider a return…1 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Baja 1000’s big 50THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY of the Baja 1000 took place 15-17 November in Mexico. Replicating the original race, the bikes left the start line in Ensenada on the stroke of midnight, heading south down the Baja Peninsula towards La Paz.Each of the 105 riders left the line with a one-minute gap to the next, and first away was Francisco Arredondo on the 45X Honda CRF450X. Next up was the 1X Honda team, led by Mark Samuels. These major teams run up to six riders each, so a fresh pilot is available after a few hundred kilometres. This year’s Kamfari winner Chris Warwick from Darwin entered the Ironman class solo, and started his assault on the race just one hour after the first bike roared off the line.As the sun came up,…2 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12Wet wet wetIT’S NOT OFTEN a race is abandoned due to weather, but torrential rain and low visibility forced the cancellation of the Motorworks Bridgestone 2 Hour held at Baskerville Raceway in Tasmania on 4 December.After a day of wet qualifying on Saturday, organisers delayed the race start by one hour on Sunday hoping for a reprieve from the weather. It wasn’t to be, however, and the race was called off with Sports Riders Club of Tasmania’s Mark de Jong saying the risks were just too great.“Unfortunately, with the weather, and with concerns about visibility and the riders’ safety, the decision was made to pull the pin,” he said. “Morning warm-up occurred without incident and while the consensus was that there was plenty of grip on the circuit after the resurface, the…3 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12“My greatest challenge was the inability to understand French. I only found out later that we had to traverse a minefield”ANDREW COAKER WAS among the scores of youngsters competing in the growing enduro scene in the 90s when he was invited to navigate his cousin John’s Toyota Ute in the Wynn’s Safari. The pair scored a podium and, though he didn’t take to the confines of a cab, ‘Coak’ was intrigued by the idea of cross-country racing.On returning home, he immediately slapped a monstrous fuel tank and a map roller on his KTM620 and prepared for the nine-day Adelaide to Townsville Safari. He finished eighth outright and won two stages along the way, a result that convinced him to head off to Europe, the headquarters for world cross-country rallying.Aged just 24, in 1998 Coaker became the first Aussie privateer to take on the Paris Dakar Rally. Not only was he…3 min
Australian Motorcycle News|Vol 67 Issue 12GassitAustralian Motorcycle News road test photographs are posed for by skilled, professional riders under controlled circ*mstances. Attempting to imitate their actions may be dangerous. Australian Motorcycle News supports and endorses rider training and wearing protective riding gear. And a bag of nappies doesn’t count, Matt O’Connell. Our Aussie racing aficionado and his lovely wife Kirsty have just had a baby girl. Despite our brilliant and highly original suggestions of Suzi, Bonnie and Agusta, Matt and Kirsty have chosen the name Adeline Pearl. Congrats you two, it’s the best Christmas present you’ll ever get.…1 min
