Innholdsfortegnelse for September 17, 2015 i Australian Motorcycle News

It’s a dangerous business DOBIE! RUN TOWARDS the danger, not away from it! I’d like to say the scary editor in charge of the newspaper where I cut my teeth as a journalist was speaking metaphorically, but the truth is he did actually want me to run in the direction of a mudslide in order to get the story. Okay, mudslide probably sounds a little dramatic and I wasn’t in any real danger – except of catching a cold because it was pouring down with rain – but the upshot is that I filed my copy via phone, it ran in the following morning’s newspaper, and for the first time I felt the sense of achievement which keeps all journos loving the job. The fact that I can merrily tap…

30 A handful of motorcycle racers will be part of a group of 30 Australian motor racing stars to be the first inductees into the Australian Motorsport Hall of fame next April. The induction dinner will be held at the Crown Palladium, Melbourne, on the eve of the 2016 Australian Formula One Grand Prix. A frothy Norton Boutique Aussie brewer Holgate Brewhouse has launched Norton Lager in honour of the chief brewer’s father, who rode Nortons in the 50s. It was his risk-taking attitude which inspired his son, Paul, to start his brewing business in 1999. Norton Larger is now available on tap in selected pubs and will be available in bottles by the end of September. It's your shout. Change of address In addition to AMCN having a new…

The year was... 001978 ACCORDING TO RECENT research from an Australian university, 1978 was the year when the world’s quality of life peaked. We had it all: polyester flares, bouffant hair, Grease ... the first test tube baby was born and Space Invaders was launched, woo hoo! How much ? It looked innocuous, but a new anti-skid device, a safety breaker, to stop disc-brake motorcycles more quickly and smoothly was available at “all switched on accessory shops” the ad said. “Greatly reduces chatter, fade and helps eliminate wheel hop.” Era tech Yamaha released its first four-cylinder streetbike in 1978, the XS1100E. It conquered the 750-1000cc market by developing a new model that boasted a whopping 1100cc capacity for a very tasty price. At the time, the market leader BMW simply…

Access, AMCN, 73 Atherton Road, Oakleigh, Vic, 3166 amcn@bauertrader.com.au I have ended up with a pair of Paul Young’s yellow/black/silver leathers from his 2004 Supersports series in England Letter of the issue Thank you and bon voyage! Dear Kellie, I read with surprise that you are relinquishing the helm at AMCN! No doubt some of the more misogynistic, grizzly old buggers are rubbing their hands together with glee, knowing that a “brother” is back in charge, but I – as well as the majority of others I am sure – have only experienced a wonderful and passionate motorcyclist guiding our baby. I can only imagine how hard the job is, let alone when you’re a woman in a very male world ... so thank you for doing a great job,…

IF YOU’RE A motorcycle gloves perv it’s probably best to have a credit card handy when you browse the Five website. The French/Italian company specialises in motorcycle gloves and produces everything from MotoGP race gloves to trendy urban digit warmers, making them all with passion and style. Recently the company released a new heated winter glove for those who really feel the cold, the HG1 Plus. The HG1 Plus is a gauntlet-style glove designed for serious winter action. At its heart is a heating element expertly integrated into the glove's liner. Other than a slim 55mm x 55mm lithium ion battery pack located in the cuff, you wouldn’t know the gloves are electrically heated – until you turn them on. A Thinsulate lining and thermal insulating gusset keeps the warmth…

1 Warm, Dry & Cosy BMW Motorrad $220 1800 813 299 bmwmotorrad.com.au Atlantis Gloves are claimed to be perfect for riders who hit the road come wind, rain or shine. They’re made from waterproof, windproof and breathable Gore-Tex X-Trafit and have a lightweight fleece lining. They also feature protectors, stretch zones, reflective strips and a rubber visor wiper. 2 Safe Slipper Sportsbike From $906.95 (02) 8338 8813 sportsbike.com.au STM slipper clutches are designed for road racing, road use, off-road racing and supermoto. They offer smoother, more precise control, improved safety and stability into corners, reduce bike wear if you change down too many gears at a time and, according to the manufacturer, higher corner-entry speed and lower lap times. 3 Forza Filter CTA Australia $99.95 (02) 9820 4444 ctaaustralia.com.au The…

AUSTest 2013 split the field into categories: up to $20K, $20-27K and over $27K. In the first group, the Honda CBR1000RR was the winner, in the mid-price bracket, the BMW S1000RR finished first, but it was the winner of the last category – the BMW HP4 – that took the gong overall. “Near on 190 rear-wheel horsepower is an amazing figure for something with an ignition key, and BMW is gutsy for giving us a bike like that. It can do that, without making it an unrideable mess of torched tyres and stressed rider. The electronic suite is one reason, but this bike is more than that, with a sweet power curve (even if revving it that last 2000rpm took some guts for the testers without an Aussie title) and…

THE OTHER DAY I wandered into my local motorcycle dealer to book in a 50k service on my 2006 Ducati. So you’re thinking Ducati, 10 years old, 50k on the clock? Is he mad? Not really. I bought it as a one-owner with 45k showing but a full dealer-certified service history. I reckoned if it had got this far without a technician needing to dive into its internals it would last me another five years or so. While I was in the shop a Ducati Scrambler promotional display was being set up. Constructed from rough-sawn wooden pallets and corrugated iron, its funky industrial chic made a stark contrast to the showroom’s polished tiles and clean walls. This got me thinking about how things have changed in the motorcycling world for…

Wings spreading Yamaha’s M1 sported small winglets at Misano on Friday, similar but different to the ones fitted by Ducati for some time. Lorenzo was not just fast on Friday – he ended up beating the qualifying best at Misano, with a 1’32.871. In term of its effect on the pace, Lorenzo said, “We’re not sure. We have to still see the telemetry… It’s not a big difference because if it was we would notice so much from the first lap. But if it can give you a very small advantage, it’s better.” Changing spots Leopard Racing announced that Miguel Oliveira, currently riding at the top level for Red Bull KTM Ajo in the Moto3 class, will join its ranks on a Moto2 bike in 2016. Oliveira said of his…

GIVE AND TAKE MotoGP bikes have been given an extra sensor for the rest of 2015, and there will be some tightening and loosening of the restrictions on testing for the Moto2 and Moto3 classes, effective next season. They will now be limited to 10 days of testing, to allow teams to test at circuits most convenient for them, and when they please. ROWE SHINES AT TT Adelaide young gun Royce Rowe finished 10th from 55 starters in the Supertwin class at Classic TT held on the Isle of Man on a Australian-built 650cc Ducati. Leaving the start line last, Rowe raced a mature four-lap race to claim a 108.4mph lap on his final one for a top-10 finish and smashed his personal goal of a 105mph lap. “Securing 10th…

ROMAIN FEBVRE SEALED the fate of the 2015 Monster Energy World Motocross Championships with a double race win aboard his Yamaha YZ450F in Round 17 at León, Mexico last weekend. The 23-year-old Frenchman now holds an unassailable points lead with one round still remaining. The victory marks the first MXGP championship win for Yamaha since 2009 and comes off the back of a three-year deal between Monster Energy and the Factory Yamaha Racing Team. Australian Dean Ferris (Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna) finished Race One in sixth place after qualifying well in 10th position. He proceeded to finish 10th in Race Two, narrowly ahead of compatriot Todd Waters (Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna) who scored two 11th place finishes. Todd Waters now holds ninth place in the Championship while Dean Ferris sits in…

WHO WON WHAT? Thanks largely to the simplicity and strength of the Jawa and CZ motos, Czechoslovakia won the World Trophy 13 times between 1947 and 1982; but since the Czechs parted company with the Slovaks back in 1992, nothing. And during the same cold war period the action between East and West Germany was as hot as it gets with six wins apiece. But since the Berlin Wall came tumbling down – none! SWEDE STEED Over half the Trophy Teams and Junior Teams chose to ride KTM products along with the absolute majority of the National Club Teams, from Austria to the USA. And it wasn’t only the Swedes who preferred their Katos in white, with more than 100 Husqvarnas present there was a clear second preference. Yamaha was…

HONDA’S CRF250 RALLY concept bike – revealed in March this year – could arguably be the most serious new adventure machine we’ve seen in ages, despite its diminutive capacity. And the latest patents from Honda hint that it could be going into production. Based on Honda's CRF250L, the Rally concept adds styling straight from Honda’s works Dakar bike, the CRF450 Rally, but employs the simple, straightforward mechanical parts of the mass-made CRF250L. So while it has the style and at least a chunk of the ability of the real Dakar machine, it should be relatively cheap and easy to fix with readily available parts – an important consideration if you’re heading for an outback adventure ride. The new design patents reveal a bike that looks much the same as the…

Excited looking podium The 2015 San Marino MotoGP saw some happy faces on the podium with Brits Bradley Smith and Scott Redding joining winner Marc Márquez on the podium. New Ninja superbike Kawasaki has Ninja fans around the world salivating at the prospect of a new ZX-10R. All will be revealed soon. Ant West out Aussie Moto2 rider Ant West has lost his ride with the QMMF racing team. Let’s hope we see him back on a bike real soon. Passing of a legend Aussie racing legend Warren Willing passed away on 5 September. Don Cox prepared a fitting tribute to Rocket p 70…

Why these two? THE AFRICA TWIN name will return to Honda’s model lineup in 2016 as a 1000cc bike. The last time an Africa Twin rolled off the production line was in 2003, when it was a v-twin 750cc machine. Did you know? The 2016 CRF1000L Africa Twin model with DCT/ABS will include three levels of traction control (HSTC) and intelligent ECU modes for automatic transmission or rider-assisted manual shift. Got something you’d like us to compare? Let us know by emailing amcn@amcn.com.au and we’ll do the rest! 2003 Africa Twin In 1989 Honda released the XRV750 Africa Twin and raised the bar for adventure tourers to a new level. Built off the back of Honda's dominance in the grueling Dakar Rally during the late 1980s, the model was revised…

ESSENTIALS Fuel up at Nowra or Braidwood as there is nothing in between. The Albion Café in the old Albion Hotel, Braidwood, offers good meals and great coffee. If you’re in a hurry or on a budget the bakery down the street is also a good option. Nerriga Pub has food and drinks and is the only real stop on the route for a lunch break. Fix It You are on your own between Nowra and Braidwood so carry what you need. If you do require repairs we can recommend Glenn Henry Motorcycles at 61 Albatross Rd, Nowra, (02) 4422 0833. Fuel Up Mobil at Braidwood has clean toilets and a few seats where you can sit for something to eat and drink, 71 Wallace St, Braidwood, (02) 4842 2259.…

Show time 20 SEPTEMBER Ducati Concours D’Elegance, Royal Rehab Centre, Ryde NSW. A fun day with more than 200 Ducatis and other Italian bikes on display. Modern to vintage, bevel, belt, sportsbikes and more. Hosted by the Ducati Owners Club of NSW. Registrations open at 9am, judging at noon and presentation at 2pm. Participation $10; open to the public for gold-coin donation to Royal Rehab Ryde. More details at www.docnsw.org.au. 4 OCTOBER Euroa Show & Shine, Seven Creeks Park, Clifton St, Euroa, Vic. 8am to 3pm; judging starts at 10am. More than 1000 bikes/ cars on display, 90 trophies up for grabs, live music in three different locations, 80-stall street market, trade stalls, plenty of hot food and children’s rides. Visitors $2; show vehicles $5. Food drink and entertainment. For…

The then recently renamed Sydney Motorsport Park was the venue for AUSTest 2012, and nine bikes were involved. It had been a big year for sportsbike development, so expectations were high. In the end it came down to three: the BMW S1000RR, the Aprilia RSV4 and the Ducati Panigale 1199S. But it was the S1000RR that won the most plaudits. Riders raved about the top-end mumbo and the improved midrange torque, the lighter and smoother quickshifter and the overall user-friendliness of the electronics. “The BMW was still a ferocious superbike, but it’s an easy bike to ride when all’s said and done. The combination of price [and] track application made the 2012 BMW S1000RR very hard to beat in the overall ratings.” Or, as serial AUSTest participant Ralph Leavsey-Moase put…

RACING AS A privateer in the Formula Oz category of the Australasian Superbike Championship series has been the only thing I have ever wanted to do. So far I have completed two and a half seasons and believe me, it has been one of the most difficult and demanding tasks I have ever done. In saying that, the sheer enjoyment and self-progression I have had over the short period of time has been enormous. The negatives such as hard times, crashes and financial stress are all completely outweighed when I reach a milestone in the sport. As each race meet goes by the passion continues to grow along with the drive to push my boundaries to achieve those precious personal best lap times and results. Since I have started racing…

Jack Miller MotoGP 12th “With six or seven laps to go we had an electrical problem and started losing power. My lap times dropped considerably but it was a good race because I thought it was all over. I stayed out longer than I should have and that cost me dearly.” Anthony West Moto2 15th “Bad day, no more racing for me in 2015. Just got kicked out of my team. Looking for a ride or sponsorship for the rest of 2015 or to start 2016.” Remy Gardner Moto3 DNF “The first five laps I was riding out of control. I was a crash waiting to happen, but that is what I have to do to fight with this bike. I have to ride at 5000 per cent just to…

Leopard Racing announced current Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Miguel Oliveira will join its Moto2 ranks in 2016. Oliveira said of his move, “Of course it will be a big step for me, but I feel I’m ready to do it.” The Moto2 SAG Racing Team unveiled Luis Salom as a new 2016 signing at Misano. The Spanish rider has a two-year contract and he will join the team’s current riders, Jesko Raffin next year. Alex De Angelis is considering a move to the WSBK paddock to get his career back on a winning track. “To be honest with an open class bike you cannot win. I would really like to be in the podium positions, to try to win some races, and I think that in Superbike with the…

PAYING PRICE It’s a learning year for Toby Price in his first year as a fully-fledged factory KTM rider in the gruelling 2015 Cross Country Rally World Championship. At the recent Atacama Rally held in Chile, Price incurred 22 speed zones fines which cost him 1h45m in total. Despite this, the talented desert racer fought back to 10th overall for the fifth leg of the series and he currently sits in 25th place from 125 entrants. His next race will be the OilLibya Rally in Morocco over 3-10 October, and is the final leg of the championship. PW NINE FOR BOU Toni Bou wrapped up his ninth World Outdoor Trials Championship in Portugal with one round left to run in the series. It wasn’t easy for the Spaniard who diced…

Australian Motorcycle News road test photographs are posed for by skilled, professional riders under controlled circumstances. Attempting to imitate their actions may be dangerous. Australian Motorcycle News supports and endorses rider training and wearing protective riding gear. In fact, sometimes it’s not a bad idea to wear a helmet while you’re mowing the lawn too, as one guy we know found out. The poor bloke managed to cop a tree branch in his eye, causing a detached retina. He soldiered on but realised something wasn’t quite right when he clipped the side mirror of a car in traffic the following morning. Get well soon Wolt – we're missing your tunes and engine revving noises!…

HYOSUNG – OR KR Motors as it’s known in some parts of the world – is set to launch a radically revamped version of its GT650R V-twin sportsbike next year. Images of the next-gen model have emerged via patent filings and show that while it carries over many of the existing major components, the new version will be a far more aggressive and modern-looking model. Gone is the stacked headlight, replaced by a pair of lamps which give the bike a much more distinct face, while a reshaped tank and side panels are more angular and modern, resembling the recently launched GD250R. At the rear, the new seat unit is much shorter and rises sharply, adding to a forward-biased visual weight which makes the bike look much sportier, while an…

THIS YEAR'S AMCN Winter Jacket Drive may be officially over, but one television chef and his best mate are determined to take jackets into new and still chilly territory: Tasmania. Duncan Robertson, host of the television show Duncan's Thai Kitchen, has decided to create a one-hour TV special called Food For Thought Tassie which is about delivering jackets to Tasmania, a place where it really does get cold. “Through Mission Australia's Dan Strickland my mate and fellow chef Gordon Brown and I were able to make contact with Dan’s Hobart counterparts," Duncan explained. “With the help of Peter Stevens Motorcycles, we have been busy collecting jackets from Melbourne’s motorcycling community. We will take the jackets with us to Tasmania next week for distribution at a Missionbeat-run soup kitchen in Hobart.…

AIRBAGS ON MOTORCYCLES seem to be one of those technologies always just around the corner, but perhaps the latest development from Honda will finally see them appearing on more machines. It was nearly a decade ago, at the launch of the 2006 Honda Goldwing, that the motorcycle airbag appeared to be finally reaching maturity. Fitted to a production bike for the first time, it seemed only logical the technology would spread to others, particularly after the first success stories emerged of owners saved by the system. But despite occasional suggestions the tech will appear elsewhere, so far the Goldwing has remained the sole airbag-equipped bike on the market. To be fair, while we’re all used to the idea of airbags on four wheels, the technology also took a long time…

Wayne Gardner 1987 World 500 Champion “It is really very sad news to hear of Warren passing. Apart from being a racing legend, Warren was an amazing gentleman – soft and kind, always very thoughtful. He was a true ambassador and a legend in the motorsport world for his riding and engineering ability. He battled for two and a half years against cancer, enduring extreme pain. He was a great fighter. As his wife said to me, all us racers are extremely determined. He showed the same commitment against a terrible disease. It’s a great loss for his family and for the racing world.” Kevin Magee 500 GP winner and TV host/commentator “Warren’s passing is extremely sad. When I first met him in 1985 I did not know what I…

Next issue is our sportsbike special, including the results of AUSTest. While we are still in the process of evaluating all the bikes, assessing their strengths and weaknesses we thought it would be a good time to look back at past standouts and high achievers. In 2014, AUSTest focused on real-world appeal and suitability. This included practicality, value for money, relevance and function of technology, and relative performance. And it was the Daytona that took top honours. “The AUSTest 2014 winning Triumph Daytona 675R is one of those bikes that falls somewhere in the middle, and is helped over the line by offering incredible value for money. Much of the added value is a careful exercise in boutique brand engineering, with Brembo and Öhlins appearing as the eye candy. But…

In 2010 the RSV4 had finished runner-up to the BMW S1000RR and the Suzuki GSX-R1000, but it was to be Aprilia’s year in 2011. Over three days of riding through wind, snow (true!) rain, hail and sunshine on the road, eight bikes were put through the wringer and the RSV4 narrowly came out on top. “As predicted the race came down to the BMW [S1000RR], Ducati [1198 SP] and Aprilia. It’s no co-incidence these are the most expensive bikes here, but we are talking outright performance, road tractability and comfort, electronic aids, power, handling, as well as value for money in an effort to decide the winner. “After coming so close last year, the Aprilia, courtesy of its superior handling and electronics package, has taken the top spot and raised…

AS WE KNOW, tyres have a major role to play in motorcycle racing: that of scapegoat. Unless there is a smokily obvious blowup, then whatever goes wrong, the tyres get blamed. A crash, a bad lap, a poor race … tyres again. They also took the blame for escalating costs, back when Bridgestone, Dunlop and Michelin were all battling. Hence Dorna’s single-tyre rule from 2009, even though nobody wanted it. Michelin haughtily stated that it would never take part in a single-brand series, Bridgestone did so, expressing reluctance. Finally, after six years, the Japanese company had had enough. It offered instead to continue for one extra year, to allow the 2016 replacement time to get up to speed. Michelin’s haughtiness having subsided, the French company volunteered to return to a…

JUSTIN HALL (Boltbarn/City Bike Worx/Shark Leathers) took all three wins in round 4 of the Australian 300cc Production Championship ahead of pole sitter Riki Lanyon (Motul/ Australian Outdoor Living/CubeRacing/Leda) who took second and Drew Sells in third (Race Centre/Searoad Tasmania/Bike Mart Ringwood/Oilee Racing). Meanwhile, Michelle Marais (Jaguar Steel Fabrications/SPRacing/Making Memories) was disqualified from the last race, losing valuable points. Tom Bramich (Ron Angel Classic Racing/Nolan Helmets/ Ricondi) made a clean sweep in the Moto3/125 Grand Prix class taking the overall victory ahead of Brian Houghton (Latters Conshift/K1 Racing/Castrol/ AllQuip Mini Excavators) who had a 3-2-3 scorecard and Ted Collins (Magnum Welders/Arai Helmets/ Aldana Foundations/Peter Stevens) who placed third overall (2-4-4). All podium finishers were competing on Honda NSF250s.…

MotoGP Misano, San Marino Circuit length 4.2km Race distance MotoGP 118.3kmMoto2 109.9kmMoto3 97.2km 2014 winners MotoGP Valentino Rossi 44m04.586sMoto2 Esteve Rabat 42m48.724sMoto3 Álex Rins 39m50.694s Did you know? MotoGP returned to this circuit in 2007 with races running in a clockwise direction. Up until 1993 races went anticlockwise. Round 13 Finishing positions MOTOGP 28 LAPS POLE POSITION J LORENZO 1m32.146s FASTEST LAP (NEW LAP RECORD) J LORENZO 1m33.273s RIDER STANDINGS AFTER 13 OF 18 ROUNDS 1 V ROSSI 247, 2 J LORENZO 224, 3 M MÁRQUEZ 184, 4 A IANNONE 159, 5 B SMITH 135, 6 A DOVSIOSO 128, 7 D. PEDROSA 109, 8 D PETRUCCI 93, 9 P ESPARGARÓ 81, 10 C CRUTCHLOW 79, 18 JACK MILLER 16…

Enea Bastianini (Junior Team Gresini Moto3 Honda NSF250RW ) took pole on Saturday and a million happy memories from Sunday. He got the massive crowd on its feet early as he led the first three laps, then rode a tough last lap to make it certain, by only 0.037 seconds from Portuguese rider Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo). Another home runner and another Honda rider went third, with Niccolo Antonelli (Ongetta-Rivacold Honda NSF250RW ) delivering on his pre-race promise. Meanwhile, Romano Fenati (SKY Racing Team VR46 KTM) and early second place rider Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) made it a good day for KTM, as he completed a podium fight that started with seven leading riders. It was a classic Moto3 battle, a rolling exercise in overtaking, slipstreaming…

A PROVISIONAL 2016 calendar was released at Misano, with 18 races. The loss of Indianapolis as a MotoGP venue means that there will be a lone MotoGP event in the USA, the COTA round, forming the third race weekend of the season and coming along one week after the Argentinean round at Termas de Rio Honda. The loss of Indianapolis is compensated for by the addition of the Austrian round, at the Red Bull Ring, on 14 August. Jerez and Brno are currently on the list as subject to contract. Silverstone now moves from its late August date to July 17th, before a summer break in the schedule starts. Assen will now feature the races on Sunday 26 June, not its traditional Saturday slot. With the remaining calendar looking similar…

TWENTY YEARS HAVE passed since an Aussie Junior Team stood on the top step of the podium when Shawn Reed, Shane Watts, Ian and Jamie Cunningham won in Jelinia, Poland. With only one member of the team that scored second in Argentina last year returning, the current crop of Juniors were given little chance of repeating that performance, let alone bettering it. It was an exceptional performance by Daniel “Chucky” Sanders, whose untiring enthusiasm inspired ISDE rookies Tye Simmonds, Tom Mason and Broc Grabham – the last a big bloke on an unfamiliar Sherco 300 instead of his regular 450 – to follow his lead. The philosophy appeared simple: crash through or crash, then get up and crash through again. The team established a three-minute lead from the get-go and…