Australian Motorcycle News Vol 67 Issue 10

Following the disappointment of 2016 we all had our fingers crossed as we made our way to Melbourne’s Etihad stadium for this year’s final SGP round I CAN’T SAY I’ve seen every cover of AMCN, though I have seen a fair few during my time wading through the archives, but unless someone can show me otherwise – happy if you do – I think Stephen Hope’s excellent cover shot of Jason Doyle could be the first time speedway has been the main cover image. And richly deserved it is. Fred Gassit and the rest of the AMCN team have barracked loudly for Jason Doyle over the past few seasons, and following the disappointment of 2016 we all had our fingers crossed as we made our way to Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium…

Ducati Panigale V4 PROJECT 1409 IS a biggie for Ducati. It’s the new Panigale V4 superbike that has just been revealed in Milan. Taking the huge step of moving the firm’s range-topping superbike from a V-twin to an 1103cc V4 engine risks alienating loyal customers, and there’s no guarantee of victory – either in showrooms or on track – over rival four-cylinder machines. But following its unveiling there will be plenty breathing a sigh of relief as, on paper at least, it promises to be stunning. The numbers are astronomical. Even the basic version makes a claimed 157.5kW at 13,000rpm and weighs just 175kg dry (174kg for the S, 173kg for the Speciale). Opt for the range-topping, limited-edition Panigale V4 Speciale, fitted with its Akrapovič titanium exhaust, and bolt on…

Doyle does it! Aussie Jason Doyle became the first Australian speedway rider to be crowned world champion on home soil when he won the 2017 Australian Speedway Grand Prix to claim his maiden world title Turn to page 116 for our full wrap of this historic occasion Dovisacked! Well, he was – from his first ever ride on a grand prix bike at the tender age of 13... Find out all about this year’s unlikely MotoGP title contender on page 76 PM at the track Malcolm Fraser made an appearance at the 1976 Laverton TT to see legends like Ago take on our best local talent. And he and the rest of the crowd got more than they bargained for. Outback Rallye The third annual KTM Australia Adventure Rallye…

WORLDY WOOLICH Brisbane-based Woolich Racing will develop and implement the software in the stock categories for the 2018 World Superbike Championship. BEND DOWN The new world-class racing facility under construction at Tailem Bend in South Australia is one step closer after the asphalt laying process got underway last week. LÜTHI’S LUCK Swiss grand prix star Tom Lüthi lost the chance of fighting for the Moto2 world title after a qualifying crash during the Malaysian GP left the 31-year-old with a broken ankle. VALE STEVE TRINDER Former racer, team owner and doyen of the Aussie motorcycle racing scene Steve Trinder passed away late last month at the age of 60.…

FIVE YEARS AFTER making his first appearance at the AMCN International Island Classic, 15-time world champion Giacomo Agostini has announced he will be returning for the 2018 event on the Australia Day long weekend, when he will cut demo laps at the picturesque Phillip Island track. To celebrate the appearance of the 75-year-old Italian, the circuit has secured four championship-winning MV Agusta machines that Agostini and others will ride during the three-day event. His title-winning three-cylinder 500cc (1966-1972) and four-cylinder 350cc (1972-1973) MV Agusta GP bikes will make the trip Down Under, along with two four-cylinder 500cc title winners ridden by John Surtees (1956, 1958-1960), Gary Hocking (1961), Mike Hailwood (1962-1965) and Phil Read (1973-1974). “We are thrilled to bring this iconic collection to Australia, especially for the 25th year,”…

EICMA, THE BIGGEST international motorcycle show of the year, flung its doors open this week. It’s a world stage for companies to make glamorous global unveilings of their latest rival-beating offerings. But next year's EICMA will be different because as the world becomes more connected, so too do motorcycle manufacturers. And next year’s show will see multiple brands on the one stage unveiling common technology to advance the breed and improve the safety of riders. In 2015, BMW, Honda and Yamaha got their heads together and formed the Connected Motorcycle Consortium (CMC) as a way of ensuring motorcycling didn’t get left out of the rapidly developing vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems emerging in the passenger car sphere. Since then Suzuki, KTM and Kawasaki have also come to the party and the CMC…