Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2015 i Australian Motorcycle News

BACK IN MAY we revealed Honda was working on a radical new leading-link front suspension for its Goldwing (AMCN Vol 64 No 22). Honda has now filed more detailed patents which reveal the system in full. The complex but clever front suspension concept is designed to increase rigidity while improving control and comfort. Most importantly it eliminates changes in trail during suspension compression and is specifically aimed at the heavy Goldwing which puts huge stresses through its fork. As with conventional leading-link systems, there’s a vertical structure running down from the steering head to the rear edge of the front wheel. This is connected to the handlebar, and when turned it moves a swingarm which runs from its bottom end to the hub of the front wheel. Where Honda’s idea…

VICTORY MOTORCYCLES has announced its first electric motorcycle, the Empulse TT, will go on sale in the US before the end of 2015 and will feature a six-speed manual gearbox. Unlike traditional electric motorcycles, the Empulse TT features a six-speed manual gearbox mated to its electric motor. Higher gears assist with range, while lower gears create regenerative power and produce a sensation similar to compression braking. The rider only uses the clutch to change gears while moving and neutral is located between second and third gear. If the rider wishes to completely ignore the gearshifter the bike can be ridden full-time in third gear. The sparky sportsbike features an aluminium-beam frame, lightweight aluminium wheels, adjustable suspension, and Brembo brakes. It’s based heavily on the Brammo designed Empulse R inherited by…

DESPITE BEING A big guy, I can’t go past the 300 SEF-R as my favourite 2016 Sherco over the 240 and 450 variants, all of which I rode during the recent world launch. While the changes aren’t major, the 2016 Sherco line-up is still a far cry from just new graphics, with new cylinder-head geometry on the 250/300SEF-R, as well as tougher second, third and fourth gears, improved water-pump seals and, of course, new mapping settings. If you look closely at the 300 SEF-R, you’ll also notice it received a new injector body. It’s designed to return the engine to idle quicker, and reduce the idle speed by 100rpm. As a clubman-level rider, I found it hard to notice any significant difference in performance from the new cylinder head geometry,…

It’s been exactly one year since the return to the global marketplace for yet another historic Made in England marque: Ariel. The company’s history stretches right back to 1870, when it made penny-farthing bicycles with newly patented spoked wheels. It went on to produce quadricycles, grand prix racing cars, and then a long line of motorcycles that included the 350cc Red Hunter (1935), the twin cylinder 250cc Arrow (1963) and the 1000cc Healey 4 (1973), until the company ceased operation in the 70s. Then, in 1999, it was resurrected by Simon Saunders, a former GM/Porsche/Aston Martin designer turned college lecturer who obtained the Ariel name in order to attach it to a radical motor car design created by one of his brightest students at Coventry University’s School of Art And…

SUZUKI HAD A far better first half of the year than anyone expected. The chassis has proven to be very useable, and the team has sorted out the reliability of the engine while also releasing a higher tune. If all the conditions are perfect, as they were in qualifying at Catalunya, the bike can excel, but there is a nagging doubt about outright performance. The trick Suzuki must pull off is to increase engine power, probably by about 15kW, while maintaining the current excellent delivery and also improving the chassis’ ability to work with that increase, all without sacrificing any of the bike’s current good handling characteristics. This is going to be difficult, but to date this team has done very well. The trick Suzuki must pull off is to…

Start here 1 Wrecked bikes are received from several sources: overseas, auctions, and privately. The first step is for the engine number and VIN to be run through a REVS check online. 2 When the bike arrives, staff verify the engine number and VIN. They also take a photo for later reference, as well as for advertising. The motor is test run and the condition and general mileage is recorded and written on the engine case. 3 The bike and supplier details are recorded in a “Police Book” which includes all major components such as engine, chassis, wheels and dash. This book has to be updated as parts are sold so that the authorities can track parts later if it becomes necessary. 4 The bike/parts are advertised and the wreck…

1 Fully Charged Ficeda AccessoriesFrom $169.95 (02) 9827 7561ficeda.com.au The Oxford 3X Oximiser offers three automated charging programs. It will analyse, charge and maintain your battery, has up to 3.6 Amps of charging power and comes with a range of accessories, including crocodile clips, a weatherproof permanent connector and a wall bracket. 2 Lock Down Link International$55.90/$99.95 (07) 3382 5000linkint.com.au SXP’s GA-010 ground anchor and 20L-5AK 1.5m chain lock are the ideal combination to keep your pride and joy safe from thieves. The ground anchor has a 14mm hardened shackle fitted to a hardened steel backing plate, while the chain lock features a 10.5mm hardened chromemoly steel chain. 3 Shoulder Sling Kriega Australia$189 0409 959 737kriega.com.au The Kriega Sling is a shoulder bag that’s been designed for commuters who don’t…

The ones that got away... Honda MVX250F (1983-84) Apart from all being discontinued models, one thing that almost all the bikes here have in common is they represent missteps from companies otherwise renowned for the quality, reliability and performance of their products. With that said, let’s go back to 1983 and remember Honda’s MVX250F, the Japanese manufacturer’s first attempt at producing a two-stroke sportsbike. Working off the blueprint of the NSR500 GP racer, the MVX250F used a V3 with the middle cylinder pointing straight up and sitting between the other two which lay flat. Although it produced a respectable 36.5kW at 9000rpm, balance was not its strong suit, and it required a kludge involving a heavy piston pin to smooth out the vibrations. Enclosed disc brakes were another innovation that…

AS THE SOUTH of the country shivers through winter, the teams and competitors of the Swann Insurance Australasian Superbike Championship are about to make their annual migration north, and will arrive at Queensland Raceway in the Sunshine State for round four of the series over 14-16 August. Queenslanders can expect some red-hot winter racing at the circuit near Ipswich known as the Paperclip. With seven different winners in the superbike class over the first three rounds, the racing has been anything but predictable. After a steady start to the season in which they played second fiddle to the Honda Racing Team, Yamaha Factory Racing’s trio of defending ASC champion Wayne Maxwell, reigning ASBK champ Glenn Allerton, and hard charging youngster Cru Halliday, have got the all-new R1 chiselled into a…

THERE IS ALWAYS one bright spark with a great idea. Once that idea is actioned and becomes a success, the bright spark basks in the glory as everyone thanks him for his efforts. So today, 228 riders would like thank the bright spark who came up with the idea of the Yellow Mountain Cross Country desert race that runs between Condobolin and Tottenham in western NSW on the first weekend of August each year. Problem is, no one can remember his name! That was 13 years ago and despite having a great idea, he didn’t hang around long enough to see his idea come to fruition. Back in the day, Mr bright spark contacted Condo club president Geoff Smith about a Finke-style race between the two motorcycle clubs. Geoff thought…

WHEN IT COMES to raw and angry motorcycles, few can match Ducati’s original Streetfighter. The trellis-framed nakedbike, with a 1098 Testastretta superbike engine shoehorned into it, was as mad as a cut snake. Unfortunately it was also before its time and the 2013 Streetfighter S, with its Öhlins suspension and Marchesini forged wheels, was the bike’s swansong. The Streetfighter name does live on through the 848, but while it’s a nice bike, nice is not what the Streetfighter was about – it was about 115kW of crankiness and a howling exhaust note. There remains a yawning gap in Ducati’s range where the Streetfighter should sit. The new Monster 1200 is a glorious machine, but it’s more of a power cruiser than a supernaked, and the Monster name has become a…

THE FIFTH INSTALMENT of the Mission Impossible film franchise, Rogue Nation, opens in Australian cinemas this week, and if the movie’s trailers are anything to go by there’s plenty of two-wheeled action. When Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his Impossible Missions Force team made their world premiere last month it was the high-adrenalin stunts that grabbed most of the headlines. BMW provided vehicles for the film and it’s sure to be getting plenty of return on its investment, even if it does appear a large number of cars and bikes were destroyed purely for our viewing entertainment. While the German company remains tight-limped on just how many S1000RR motorcycles and BMW cars were trashed during filming in Morocco, one hair-raising scene sees an M3 car destroy itself and two S1000RR…

Access, AMCN, 73 Atherton Road, Oakleigh, Vic, 3166 amcn@bauertrader.com.au We are spoilt for choice these days with techno adventure bikes. Some have so much gear it’s getting near soft species car-driver stuff Letter of the issue Saved by the gear Thursday 23 July. The local paper says a motorbike and a car had a collision. In actual fact I was stopped at lights on my ZZR1200 when I was rear-ended by a dark blue E-series Falcon traveling at over 80km/h. He stopped a short distance down the road, got out, saw me not moving, then jumped back in his car and drove off. Perhaps he thought I was dead. I don’t want to speculate on whether he had been drinking or he was on the phone, as we will probably…

When it comes to designing a road motorcycle to fit everyone’s needs, BMW is one of the best. On releasing the R1200R Roadster, it already knew some buyers would love the idea more if it included a fairing, so it came up with the R1200RS. But while the two bikes may appear to be very similar, a handful of things make a huge difference. And out on the open road, I discovered that the RS is its own bike. You don’t need to be an A-Grade rider to enjoy it, and rather than scare the living daylights out of its owners it will help build their skill set by encouraging them to have a go. On paper, the R1200RS is indeed almost identical to the R1200R that Paul Young tested…

Twenty years ago, Australian motorsport lost a legend when Gregg Hansford, the only racer to win Bathurst on two and four wheels, died in a Super Touring Car crash at Phillip Island. It was a blow that is still felt by friends and fans across Australia. Hansford epitomised the Aussie sportsman of the 70s. While modest by nature, he feared no one, was blessed with natural talent, and had all the accoutrements of a superstar in that era: the flash car, the jet ski, long blond hair, a gold chain and medallion, big sunglasses, white flared jeans and a Golden Breed surfwear sponsorship. Those were halcyon days, when people could make a good living out of motorcycle racing in Australia and even head overseas to take on the world’s best…

Whether you’re talking Kawasaki’s early hairy-chested H2 Mach IV or even its Z1 900 – or certainly its new supercharged H2R – the Japanese manufacturer always seems comfortable with the notoriety associated with having a “take no prisoners” model in its lineup. Kawasaki marked the start of this millennium with just such a bike: the ZX-12R. The ZX-12R had substantial shoes to fill in seeking to claim the “fastest production bike” title formerly held by the brand’s legendary ZZ-R1100. The big 12 quickly shoved Honda’s Super Blackbird off the top of the podium. Not so easily dismissed, however, was Suzuki’s Hayabusa. Most serious top-speed comparison tests show the Hayabusa besting the 12 by a few km/h, but some Kawasaki owners beg to differ. To me it’s a bit pointless arguing…

Yamaha may have taken the win, but for Aussie fans the excitement came from seeing the return of Casey Stoner to motorcycle racing, and the biggest gasp was without doubt from seeing him wiped out in a sickening high-speed crash while leading. That was followed by the biggest cheer for Taree’s Josh Hook, who joined a lengthy and illustrious rollcall of Australians to stand on the Suzuka 8 Hour podium. Having won the previous two editions, the factory Honda Fireblade of the MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO team, with its superstar line-up of two-times MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner, reigning World Supersport Champion Michael van der Mark, and three-times Suzuka 8-Hour winner Takumi Takahashi, were understandably the big pre-race favourites. But the 8 Hour can be a tough and unpredictable race, and…

TRIPLE WORLD CHAMPION Nicki Pedersen became the first rider to win two rounds of the 2015 Speedway Grand Prix series which reached its halfway point at the Swedish FIM Speedway Grand Prix at Malilla on 25 July What is looking increasingly likely is that there will not be a new name on the honour roll of world speedway champions after the 2015 series. Three of the four previous winners still lead the way on points after Malilla and there were no changes to the make-up of the top eight, although Matej Zagar and Jason Doyle both improved their standings within the eight. Tai Woffinden left Sweden with as many points from the meeting as Pedersen, but the gap back to third placed Greg Hancock has widened. After a rain-delayed start…

DENNY MCCORMACK WAS one of a kind – a free-wheeling wild child of the 50s and 60s and a self-confessed health nut who only ate salads, wheatgerm and fruit, long before it was fashionable. Denny was also a fitness freak who loved surfing and cycling. A carpenter by trade, he was one of Australia’s first fully professional motorcycle racers who carefully scheduled his race season to maximise his earnings and minimise his expenses. With only five big prizemoney events in South Australia each year, Denny racked up hundreds of thousands of kilometres over his career racing interstate. Money being scarce, he had a knack for publicity. In the twilight of his career, Denny performed a wheelie on his Yamaha 350 in his birthday suit, with the photo appearing in Cleo…

SEVEN YEARS AGO , Mark Aitchison was leading the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup. The riders chasing him included Xavier Simeon, Claudio Corti, Michele Pirro, Ayrton Badovini, Matteo Baiocco and Niccolo Canepa. Each of them is currently involved in world championship racing, Simeon the winner of the recent German Moto2 Grand Prix. Working hard and racing hard on the other side of the world, Atcho is neither bitter nor envious. “I’d given myself a timeline where I was comfortable in my place in World Superbike,” says Atcho. “I had a deal for 2014 but I had doubts whether it would work out, so I turned it down and came home.” Now living in Queensland, Central Coast-born Atcho is working in the family business helping to run three Jax Tyre franchises on…

FIRST OFFICIAL DETAILS of the new CRF1000L Africa Twin adventure bike have been released. Honda Australia has also confirmed the new bike will be available locally in three model choices – Standard, ABS and ABS-DCT – and that the first shipment is expected to arrive in Australian showrooms in early 2016. The litre engine in the new Africa Twin features a 270-degree crank, with power running through a six-speed gearbox based on Honda’s CRF450R dirtbike. The top of the range ABD-DCT model is fitted with a Dual Clutch Transmission allowing manual gearshifts via handlebar-mounted triggers as well as D (economy) and S (sport) automatic modes. The S mode also features the choice of three shift programs – S1, S2 and S3. Another tricky electronic feature available with the DCT transmission…

The year was... 001999 MICK DOOHAN CRASHED in practice at the Spanish GP, leaving Kenny Roberts Jr and Àlex Crevillé to fight out the title, with the Spaniard eventually winning. And a young Rossi confirmed his growing reputation by winning the 250s. How much? Shoei’s VXF-R series of off-road chooky lids: in standard colours they retailed for $775 while the Doug Henry replica (left) went for $925. Era tech Two teenagers who had met on a chatroom launched a program to share music across the internet for free: Napster. It went live in May; by October, four million songs were in circulation. The record companies – and quite a few high profile bands – naturally took a dim view of Napster’s success. It was shut down in 2001, but had…

HONDA’S CB650F IS one of those bikes that on paper you’d maybe describe as being a little bit beige. With a power output of 64kW it might seem lacklustre on performance compared to some of its middleweight competitors like the Suzuki GSR750 (78kW ) and the Kawasaki Z800 (83kW ). That is until you take it for a, er, quick spin. The first thing I noticed was how compact the CB650F felt. It’s a short reach to the handlebars from the upright riding position and the seat height is just 810mm, lower than that of the GSR750 and the Z800. Even though its wheelbase measures 1450mm, it feels like a much smaller, nimbler bike. The 649cc inline-four engine is a little rev-monster, producing decent torque from low to mid rpm…

Both bikes have as standard: Dynamic ESA Cruise control Chrome exhaust Heated grips Tyre Pressure Control Dynamic Traction Control Daytime running lights Headlight Pro Riding Mode Pro R1200RS $22,950 (+ORC) Lupin Blue / Light Grey Metallic paint Black frame Black brake calipers R1200RS Exclusive Sport $23,250 (+ORC) Granite Grey / Black Storm Metallic paint Dark grey frame Gold brake calipers Tank cover Engine spoiler…

Triumph Tiger Sport 1050 Liquid-cooled, 12 valve, DOHC, in-line triple 79mm x 71.4mm 86.24kW & 95.34Nm (Measured, with Arrow) Fully adjustable 43mm Showa USD fork Preload and rebound adjustable Showa shock 235kg (wet) $15,990 (+ORC) WE’VE HAD A blast on our Tiger Sport 1050, covering almost 11,000km, and whether it’s been on dirt or bitumen it has proven itself to be a true all-round do-anything motorcycle. It will carve up traffic on your weekday commute, take you to places far and wide for a two-up weekend getaway, or go off-road and spend the night under the stars on a mid-week or a week-long camping adventure. Whatever it is you want to do, the Tiger Sport 1050 will tackle it. On the road it can hold its own against a far…

After two similarly different 16-lap Superbike World Championship races in 31°C heat in Malaysia, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) took one win and almost took an impossible second, despite being three seconds back with three laps to go. The champion elect caught Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati WSB) right at the end of race one, but despite passing under power onto the back straight before Sepang’s final hairpin, Davies’ block pass on the inside allowed the Ducati rider to hold off Rea by 0.091 seconds, even less than Rea’s 0.121 second advantage in the opener. Had Rea won the second race he would have been crowned champion three rounds, six races and one entire summer break early. While he didn’t quite do a double, he is now just six…

PITY THE POOR WSB clutch, which has to be at least dimensionally based on a roadbike unit, but has to deal with some heinously large 170kW-plus power outputs in full race trim. The hardest point for any clutch is during a start, when all that power and torque has to be transmitted, while also being slipped, through the clutch plates. From then on it is comparatively plain sailing, but these days the clutch plates – both friction and steel parts – are seen by some teams as consumables in the same way as they see brake pads. Good job most teams are sponsored with clutch parts. Some others, like Ten Kate (shown right), only change parts when they have been inspected and sometimes measured, with even clutch baskets only replaced…

THE HONDA RACING Corporation has guaranteed Jack Miller’s future in MotoGP in 2016 in the face of the team’s sponsorship issues. LCR’s main sponsor, the London-based financial services business CWM, is facing bankruptcy proceedings in the UK. AMCN sources say LCR has received 70 percent of its 2015 budget but “no further funds” will be forthcoming. It is anticipated the CWM signage on the LCR Hondas of Miller and Cal Crutchlow will be gone by the British GP. LCR team boss Lucio Cecchinello expanded to a two bike team this year on the back of the CWM funding and continuing with two riders in 2016 will require replacement sponsors. “Jack will be on a Honda next year 100 percent, but in which colours we will see,” revealed HRC team principal…

JOSH BROOKES (Milwaukee Yamaha) has moved into the overall lead in the British Superbike Championship by taking his second double victory in a row at round seven held at Thruxton on 2 August. Defending BSB champion Shane Byrne (Kawasaki) struggled throughout the meeting, qualifying in a lowly 17th position, and Brookes was out to capitalise. Come race-day, Byrne showed his class by fighting his way up to fourth and second in the two races, but Brookes’ pole allowed him to make a break for it, scoring very controlled 4.5 second and 5 second victories. Brookes’ only mistake all weekend came in his post-race celebrations, when a massive burnout turned into a massive howler as the Aussie dumped his YZF-R1M in front of the packed main grandstand. South Aussie Billy McConnell…

AMA PRO RACING has announced draft plans to restructure flat-track racing in the US by bringing back the sport’s past. As well as making all riders wear one-piece leathers – as was standard practice in bygone days – it is also proposing that premier GNC1 class competitors contest all events on their 750-1200cc twin-cylinder machines. Currently, these heavier high-powered machines are used for the mile and half-mile oval races, with riders reverting to the converted 450cc motocross machines of the GNC2 class for short circuit ovals, and the TT courses which include jumps and both left- and right-hand corners. Although the proposals are not supported by the majority of riders, they are favoured by manufacturers such as Harley-Davidson, Triumph, Ducati, and the Indian factory team due in 2016-17, who all…

PERSISTENT RAIN ON the Friday put the penultimate meeting of the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship weekend in Kyogle under a cloud. The pits became a quagmire and the steep tracks turned into slippery dips. Only the Junior arena appeared viable and the youngsters claimed possession early before anyone got any other ideas. With the cross-country test cancelled due to the dangers of the guns encountering backmarkers in the sloppy conditions, contenders took to the sprint tracks in circumstances that favoured mud runners. It was Chris Hollis who broke a two-year drought with outright victory for the CDR Team on his Yamaha YZ450F. Hollis won the first three tests, though as the tracks dried and the berms built, Toby Price was able to put power to the ground on his Motorex…

AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S MOTOCROSS is in a healthy state in 2015, with both Meghan Rutledge (Kawasaki Australia) and Maddy Brown (DPH Peter Stevens Yamaha) grabbing strong results in the Women’s World Championship, and these two riders dominated the deciding round of the 2015 Yamaha Australian Women’s MX Championship in Nowra. Rutledge won both motos, but her absence from round one of the championship meant that two second-place finishes were good enough for Maddy Brown to claim the Australian championship crown for a second year. Highly versatile Yamaha campaigner and AORC Women’s championship leader Tayla Jones (Yamaha) rounded out the podium in both races to secure second in the championship, with Emelie Karlsson (Yamaha) third.…