Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 67 Issue 25 i Australian Motorcycle News

You don’t try journalism, it tries you. And there’s no turning back ALRIGHT, YOU LOT. Like all great ideas born under the influence of red wine, I’m going to bash out this issue’s Ed’s Desk slightly inebriated. Now I don’t for one minute think I’m the first to attempt such a feat in the 67-year history of the world’s greatest magazine; no self-respecting journalist has earned their stripes without dancing with the boundaries of alcoholism, and god knows I have met a few who have wandered well past it (and no, I’m not making light of the addiction to alcohol that ruins countless lives each year – it’s just a simple fact). As I write this I’m presently at a cruising altitude of 35,000 feet on my way to another…

ANOTHER BIKE missing from the 2019 US model list is the Ninja H2, but the cheaper, touring-oriented H2SX and H2SX SE remain. Given that Kawasaki has a special low-volume production line to build the H2 and track-only H2R machines, and its apparent dedication to supercharging, a very different replacement is likely. Kawasaki has previously hinted about other radical supercharged bikes. In 2016 it showed two styling sketches – the SC-01 Spirit Charger and SC-02 Soul Charger. The former was a luxury sports-tourer, perhaps previewing the H2SX that arrived the following year, while the Soul Charger was a naked, neo-retro machine. Given the popularity of naked superbikes at the moment, the Soul Charger idea has wings. If it uses the low-volume approach of the original H2, we can expect a high…

Helping hand More than £14,000 (about $A25,000) has been raised to assist Steve Mercer, who remains in hospital following a head-on collision with a course car at the year’s IOM TT. Silly season Lorenzo to Honda for 2019 alongside Marc Marquez? We had to double-check it was not 1 April. It’s going to be huge. Waiting his turn News that Danilo Petrucci has been signed to take Jorge Lorenzo’s spot in the Ducati factory team means Jack Miller will need to wait a little longer for a factory seat. Too young The death of 14-year-old Andreas Perez in a Spanish Moto3 race reminded us that the dangers of racing are real at any age.…

PRESENT FROM THE start of the world championship in 1949 until 1976, MV Agusta won 38 rider championships and 37 manufacturer titles. Its most successful racer was Giacomo Agostini, the most successful GP rider of all time with 122 race wins and 15 world titles. He rode an MV to his final career win in 1976; it was also the last four-stroke GP victory. Ago has often nominated his favourite MV racer as the three-cylinder 500cc he raced in the late 1960s. Rider titles 500cc 18/350cc 10/ 250cc 4 /125cc 6 Manufacturer titles 500cc 16/350cc 9 / 250cc 5 / 125cc 7…

TOP: Casey Stoner won his fourth successive Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix. MIDDLE: An ASBK Suzuki ridden by Josh Waters and carrying the number 1 plate sounds familiar. The MotoGP support races were Waters’ first rides back after suffering a severe head injury in a crash racing in the US. He placed 10th in Race 1 before claiming victory in Race 2.…

King Kenan Thank you for the excellent feature on Kenan Sofuoglu in the latest issue of AMCN (Vol 67 No 24). Being of Turkish decent, a Muslim and a fan of motorcycle racing, Kenan has been my hero for many years, and your feature was a fitting tribute to a rider who has done so much for the sport on and off the track. While other riders use the Supersport category as a stepping stone, he became a specialist of the 600cc class. Each year he would wait patiently for the new recruits to turn up. He would then size up his competition’s strengths and weaknesses before handing out another masterclass in how to win not just races, but titles. His ability to do this stunted a few careers, but…

In 1930, Englishman Henry Seagrave was chasing 100mph (160km/h) when he hit a submerged log and was killed. Then, in 1952, countryman John Cobb, was killed chasing 200mph (320km/h). Fifteen years later, another Brit, Donald Campbell, was also killed while attempting to better his existing record of 276.33 mph (444.71 km/h). Then, in 1980, American Lee Taylor lost his life while preparing to challenge Warby’s 1978 record. In 1989, American Craig Arfons also lost his life while preparing for an assault on Warby’s title.…

MOTOR Configuration E-Twin format with 2 x electric, air-cooled, brushless, permanent-magnet 3-phase DC motors Batteries Lithium-ion 14.4 kWh high-energy T-Block battery packs with integrated thermal management system Controller Three-phase brushless controller with regenerative braking Cooling Air Power 127kW @ 8000rpm (claimed) Torque 393Nm @ 1rpm (claimed) TRANSMISSION Type Direct single speed Clutch Not applicable Final drive Chain CHASSIS Frame material Aluminium Frame layout Monocoque Rake 27.5° Trail 106mm SUSPENSION Racetech G3 Front: Double-wishbone parallelogram fork with tubular aluminium struts and linear-rate monoshock, fully-adjustable, 125mm travel Rear: Monoshock, adjustable compression and rebound, 133mm travel WHEELS/TYRES Wheels BST Carbon Front: 17 x 3.5 Rear: 17 x 8.5 Tyres Pirelli Diablo Rosso II Front: 120/70ZR17 (58W) Rear: 240/45ZR17 (75W) BRAKES Beringer Front: Four 230mm discs, four-piston radial calipers Rear: Single 240mm disc, two-piston…

The new 765 Triumph Street Triples were released a year ago, and at $15,850 (plus on-road costs) for the R version it holds some serious competitive grunt for the Duke. I’m not a huge fan of the Trumpy’s fly-by-wire throttle response, but the bike comes loaded with features and a triple-cylinder engine that is otherwise excellent. With both bikes so similarly priced, riding each is a must before making an educated decision – because the spec sheet alone isn’t enough to separate the two. The new SP version of the bike that started the resurgence of the fun, cheap modular mid-size naked is still an absolute bargain, particularly when you factor in its Ohlins shock and claimed 10hp advantage over the 790. Its quickshifter only works for upshifts, though, not…

Lake Gairdner is roughly equidistant between Sydney and Perth, and 230km north-west of Port Augusta in South Australia. The last 160km is dirt and the final section is heavily corrugated. Facilities at the popular lakeside Salt Bush Camp are quite primitive, with just two showers and not a lot of toilets. If travelling by car, bring your own. Those arriving by bike will appreciate additional toilets on the Lake, and also the canteen serving hot meals and cold beer all week. Cost is $7 per night. There are more comfortable options at the Mt Ive homestead 25km away, and the DLRA Camp situated in between. Access to the Lake is $30 for the week, and you can drive or ride onto it and park in dedicated spectator areas near the…

NUVIZ HAS RELEASED the latest in helmet heads-up displays and I’ve been using it now for a few months. NuViz is an American firm and you might remember KTM’s Stefan Pierer bought a share in the company in early 2017. Anyway, the unit attaches to the front of your helmet and a small screen projects an image that sits in front of your right eye. You can see mapping information, real bike speed and current speed limit. It also interacts with your phone to handle calls and play music. Out front there is a full HD camera available for video and stills, and the unit is operated by a controller that attaches to your handlebar. The only thing it doesn’t do is act as an intercom, but it does connect…

In the main street of Robertson, the Old Cheese Factory has some interesting stores and a café. The building has been restored but still features some cool old machinery as a tribute to its former working life in dairy processing. Belmore Falls is just a short ride from Robertson and is an awesome sight after heavy rain. The lookout is not far from the carpark. The Illawarra Fly Treetop Walk is a great way to check out the views. It’s located on the Jamberoo Mountain Rd at Knights Hill. They are open every day. Near the end of Range Rd in Mittagong, the Sturt Craft Centre has a gallery of fine woodworking. It is open seven days a week from 10am. Cnr Range Rd & Waverly Parade, Mittagong. (02) 4860…

Show time 23-24 JUNE Goovigen Rumble Bike Show & Poker Run, Goovigen Sports Grounds, Goovigen, Qld. Run starts Kabra Pub at 11am Saturday, then to sports grounds at 4.30pm for show & shine, live music, food and licenced bar. Camping available. Breakfast Sunday then stands up 9.30am to finish at Kabra Pub. Entry show & shine/poker run $25; show & shine $5; adults $5; U12 $2. For more information phone Jaci Jones on 0405 790 354 or Jackee Warry on 0419 965 898. 30 JUNE Winter Sunshine Festival, Town Square, 97 Thompson Ave, Cowes, Vic. Classic Car & Motorcycle Show, 9am-3pm, with trophies at 2pm. Rock ’n’ Roll Night from 6pm at Westerport Hotel, San Remo. Raising funds for Whiskey’s Wish, Dogs Saving Soldiers Lives. See wintersunshinefestival.com.au for information or…

The lower top speeds gave me more time to think my way around a track AFTER POLE POSITION and three wins at the South Australian round of the ASBK Supersport championship held at The Bend Motorsport Park, I’m feeling pretty good (Cru is 12 points ahead of nearest challenger Kawasaki’s Tom Toparis). The times I set at The Bend, which were fast enough to have me in the top 10 of the Superbike class, seemed to have got a lot of people talking about my move to the Supersport class and asking a few questions. I got the call from Yamaha just two weeks before the first round of the Australian Superbike Championship, which was the support event to Phillip Island’s World Supers. Initially they were going to hold off…

Brookesy’s the best! Aussie Josh Brookes gave the Norton its best TT finish with a fifth place in the Senior TT after a final lap of 131.745mph. “I’m pleased,” the rider harking from Bringelly in New South Wales said. “It’s the fastest Norton lap, its my fastest lap and fifth in the Senior is a good result.” He also claimed two sixth-place finishes on his McAMS Yamaha YZF-R6 in the Supersport events. But Brookes felt he could have gone even faster on the Norton. “If I had known before the week started that we were going to have this much track time, I would have thought that the progression of the bike would have been stronger,” he said. “It has improved because last year I was absolutely at my max…

Anthony West WorldSSP EAB antwest Racing Grid 8th, Race 7th, 8th “Looking at my lap times, we had the pace to finish further up the field, but after colliding with another rider on lap one, I just put my head down and tried to catch as many people as I could. I had a big moment on lap six in turn three. I thought we missed the mark on setup, but then two turns later I saw Morais crash after losing the front in turn five. I just tried to settle down and let the tyres recover after abusing them when I was coming through the field. After the tires cooled down, I was able to attack again. I felt like I was on the limit because our bike is…

MotoGP Catalunya, Spain Circuit length 4.655km Race distance MotoGP 111.048km Moto2 101.794km Moto3 97.167km 2017 winners MotoGP A Dovizioso 44m41.518s Moto2 A Marquez 42m40.502s Moto3 J Mir 42m11.846s Did you know? The Catalunya circuit is the so-called ‘home’ race of no fewer than seven premier-class MotoGP stars, including Marc Marquez, Jorge Lorenzo, Maverick Vinales and Dani Pedrosa. After heavy criticism of the deteriorating surface last year, the circuit was resurfaced in the lead-up to the 2018 Grand Prix Round 7 Finishing positions…

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. Especially when you’ve got a schedule like this bloke’s: “I’m in Oz for a week, then India for six days, back to Oz for seven, to the UK for four days, back to India for one or two weeks, direct to Spain for a month and then Californeeeeeaah (his words, not ours) for a launch.” Sheesh, and Dobie reckons editing a fortnightly is hard yakka. He’s got nothing on the bloke who’s developing chassis’ for Royal Enfield, eh, Youngy!…

THE CLEVER BIT of the semi-auto clutch is the ‘CX EXP disc’, which looks like a thicker version of a normal clutch plate. Two discs are held together with sprung bolts and sandwich six ‘wedges’ that are able to slide in and out. As revs rise, the wedges move outwards under centrifugal force, pushing the sides of the CX EXP discs apart and engaging the clutch. At lower revs, the springs holding the discs together overcome the centrifugal force, sliding the wedges back in. The system can be tweaked to alter the revs at which the clutch engages, using different springs and wedge profiles.…

Our Whosit? competition last issue drew a record number of entries. Most had eight of the nine helmets correct, but Max Biaggi’s ( #1) caught a lot of people out, with Loris Capirossi being the most common incorrect answer. Alan Mills claimed the prize. At right is the full list of correct answers. Can you identify a track by its topography? Then turn to page 26 and have a crack at this issue’s Mental Twisties.…

A NEW YZ250F is the highlight of Yamaha’s recently revealed 2019 off-road range, featuring a completely revised engine and frame. The unusual rear-slanted cylinder idea used in the previous generation remains, but the cylinder itself is more upright and topped with a new head using a lighter throttle body and housing re-profiled cams and ports. Inside, the piston is also new, increasing compression, and the whole thing drives through a transmission using stronger material for the gears, allowing them to be slimmer and lighter. A larger-diameter clutch with thicker plates connects the two, and there are new radiators and exhausts to improve weight distribution. A smartphone Power Tuner app connects to the ECU wirelessly and lets you swap and modify engine maps, including air/fuel ratios and ignition timing, and also…

Congratulations Brad, you’ve scored a beaut Motul cap and T-shirt valued at $35, kindly supplied by our mates at Link International. Send an image and details about your two-wheeled pride and joy to access@amcn.com.au Giz a squiz Rider Brad Bakker Bike 2006 Yamaha YZF-R6 He says I have quite a relationship with my R6. In 2008, I purchased a used 2006 model in Cairns to use as a trackbike. I was racing an Aprilia RS125 up at the Mako Track where I seriously caught the track bug and, after returning from the 2007 MotoGP at the Island on my YZF-R1, I was truly inspired. I sold the R1 and RS125, leaving me only with the YZF-R6, which I rode to Phillip Island for the 2009 MotoGP. At that…

ON THE FAMILY’S kitchen table in 1970, Ken Warby set about designing Spirit of Australia, and two years later construction began in his backyard. Parts were added as the budget allowed, and the work was mostly done by hand. Just three power tools were used during construction. Three J-34 jet engines were purchased at an RAAF auction for just $260. Despite being far from record-ready, Warby began testing the boat in 1974, slowly building speed until he claimed the Australian record. Warby threw in his day job to focus on his record attempt, displaying Spirit of Australia at Shell service stations around Australia to raise awareness and much-needed cash. Sponsorship from retail chain Fossey’s allowed Warby to complete the work required for a genuine attack on the world water speed…

ENGINE Configuration In-line six-cylinder Cylinder head DOHC, four valves per cylinder Capacity 1649cc Bore/stroke 72 x 67.5mm Compression ratio 12.2:1 Cooling Liquid Fuelling EFI, 6 x 52mm Mikuni throttle bodies Power 118kW @ 7750rpm (claimed) Torque 175Nm @ 5250rpm (claimed) TRANSMISSION Type Six-speed Clutch Wet Final drive Shaft CHASSIS Frame material Aluminium Frame layout Bridge type Rake 27.8° Trail 108.4mm SUSPENSION Dynamic ESA with automatic damping adaptation. Front: Electronically adjustable Duolever, 125mm travel Rear: Electronically adjustable Paralever, 135mm travel WHEELS/TYRES Wheels Cast aluminium Front: 17 x 3.5 Rear: 17 x 6.0 Tyres Bridgestone Battlax BT021 Front: 120/70ZR17 Rear: 190/55ZR17 BRAKES Brembo, Bosch ABS (partialintegral) Front: Twin 320mm discs, four-piston fixed calipers Rear: Single 220mm disc, two-piston caliper DIMENSIONS Weight 319kg (wet, less cases) Seat height 810-830mm Width 1000mm Height 1440mm…

MUCH TO OUR mutual benefit, manufacturers have long delighted in finding effective ways to make the practical engine layout of the boxlike parallel twin act like something much more exciting. Remember Yamaha’s TRX850? That thing could have been blandsville, but a 270-degree crank handed it the ignition sequence of a V-twin and it was immediately a better bike. Cheap to build, easy to plumb for cooling and exhaust, great sounding, and infinitely more exciting than what a conventional 360-degree firing interval offers. Instant classic. The Yamaha MT-07 followed suit, and it has even caught on over at BMW, which threatens to offer 270/450 phasing for its next range of dirt-seeking mid-sized GS machinery, as has Honda for its own off-road adventure machine, the Africa Twin. KTM’s approach is different again,…

DENIS MANNING HAS been involved with motorcycle land speed racing since 1970, when he ran 187mph at Bonneville on his own Sportster-powered streamliner. Harley then contracted him to build the chassis for Cal Rayborn’s streamliner, which reset the world record at 265mph later that year. This is Denis’s seventh streamliner (hence the Team 7 moniker) and his second trip to Australia, having been to Lake Gairdner in 2000 with pilot Rocky Robinson. Chasing the then world record of 322mph, they went 289mph, which was the fastest motorcycle pass in Australia until this year. The engine is a turbocharged 3.0-litre 16-valve DOHC V4 designed by Denis and Joe Harralson. Denis says the design process starts with the rear sprocket, which has to clear the rear tyre. This in turn dictates the…

1 Go to www.dlra.org.au, which contains the DLRA Rule Book. Motorcycles are covered in Section 7, with Section 8 listing the classes and records. It won’t be hard to work out where your bike fits. 2 Only DLRA members can compete, so join up. 3 Safety is paramount, which means fitting a steering damper, kill switch lanyard, metal chain-guard and safety-wired axle retaining nuts. Minimum speed rating of tyres is determined by the class record. 4 Appendix B2 on page 122 of the Rule Book is the actual form the scrutineers will use, so study it! 5 The DLRA holds pre-inspection days in most Australian states, and there are also experienced members who can advise first-timers ahead of the event. Almost everyone is helpful and easy to get along with,…

What to look for The R 1200 RT is a well-designed and well-built motorcycle that takes the kilometres in its stride. BMW expert Chris Roberts of BM Motorcycles in Ringwood (Vic) says one potential issue is cracking of the alloy hub that carries the rear wheel and brake disc. Hub condition can be checked by a visual inspection without removing the wheel. As usual, look for damage and signs of neglect, and factor in the cost of worn consumables such as tyres, brake pads and brake rotors. The ideal example is a clean bike with detailed service records. Service history Although the R 1200 RT is very reliable, issues with its sophisticated electronic systems are best handled by specialists with the right equipment. DIY owners can perform basic servicing, provided…

Will it communicate with other brands of comms? No point if I can’t talk to my pillion. Yes, will connect to most Bluetooth devices. Being outside the visor, did wind move the image or is the mount rock solid? I had no problems, but I’ll admit I used it mainly in the city. The authorities could argue that it could place torque on the helmet in an accident, therefore rendering it illegal. Authorities will always argue. Nearly all cops wear protruding comms or cameras. I’ll risk it. Is it noisy? If it did add wind noise, it wasn’t noticeable at the speeds I was travelling. More than three items of information – surely that becomes a distraction? I found the HUD uncluttered – and when I did look, I focused…

There is plenty of fuel available at Mittagong, Moss Vale and Albion Park, but nothing in between. The distances are short, though, so will present no problem for most riders. There are plenty of good spots to take a break for food and drinks, and accommodation is plentiful both in the Highlands and along the coastal strip. Fix it South Coast Motorcycles is on the Princes Highway at Albion Park and there are several motorcycle shops in Mittagong, although opening hours across the weekend are limited. Sleep The Jamberoo Pub offers two types of accommodation, pub-style rooms and 3½-star motel rooms. It is well situated at the bottom of Jamberoo Pass and has a good bistro menu for lunch or dinner. 12 Allowrie St, Jamberoo. (02) 4236 0270 Fuel Up…

1 Momo’s Urban Lid Cassons $379.95 (02) 8882 1900 cassons.com.au The Momo FGTR Evo helmet is designed to offer protection for urban bike and scooter riders. It has an ABS shell with varnished finish for weather resistance, a removable and washable inner-liner, an internal sun visor, an anti-scratch visor and micrometer chinstrap buckle. Various colours in sizes 2XS-XL. 2 Synthetic 4T Oil Monza Imports $28.95 (1L) (03) 8327 8888 monzaimports.com.au Repsol Moto Synthetic 4T 10W40 is claimed to be the most suitable synthetic protection for modern four-stroke motorcycles. It’s designed to suit medium to large capacity engines, whether singles, twins, triples or fours. It meets API SJ and JASO T 903:2006 MA2. Price is $28.95 (1L); $99.95 (4L). 3 Ducati Gear NF Importers $1049/$779 (02) 8741…

I DO IT EVERY year – throttle, buzz rear tyre, act surprised, then swear. This happens in a similar period annually and I wonder why I need the reminder. Even on bikes with traction control – this time the excellent KTM 790 Duke (full test on page 42) – the transition from warm tarmac and tacky rubber into skaty bitumen and recalcitrant tyres catches me out. It seems I can never acknowledge the arrival of winter until I have accidentally spun a rear tyre doing something mundane. This time it was leaving my own driveway, something I did the day before in similar fashion, but with different results. This is the thing with motorcycling – doing it all the same doesn’t guarantee it will go the same way. Kinda what…

The win masked problems Dunlop was having with his BMW THE 2018 ISLE of Man TT will be long remembered for what is best and equally tragic about road racing on the world’s most challenging circuit. During a glorious fortnight of almost continuous sunshine, lap and race records tumbled in every class, culminating in Peter Hickman’s blitzing of the outright record on the very last lap of action during the Senior TT. The British Superbike Championship star’s new mark of 135.452mph on the Smith’s BMW saw the 30-year-old crowned as the new king of the 37.75-mile Mountain Course. That feat came at the end of two weeks when two riders lost their lives and another remains in hospital very seriously injured following a bizarre, and as yet, unexplained incident involving…

Done deals There were a rash of rider-contract announcements in the 10 days preceding the Catalan Grand Prix, the most surprising of which was that five-time world champ Jorge Lorenzo is headed for Repsol Honda to ride alongside Marc Marquez. As expected, Suzuki confirmed it has made a contract with Joan Mir, to replace Andrea Iannone. Iannone in turn was confirmed to be joining Aprilia, alongside Aleix Espargaro. Danilo Petrucci will take Lorenzo’s place in the official Ducati team for an all-Italian line-up, and it has been confirmed that Jack Miller will head the Pramac team, riding a 2019 factory bike, alongside rookie Pecco Bagnaia. Hafizh Syahrin, this year as a replacement Tech 3 rider, was signed to stay with the team, alongside Miguel Oliveira, when the French squad switches…

MARC MARQUEZ AND Andrea Dovizioso face some sleepless nights in the wake of Jorge Lorenzo’s stunning return to winning form and 1993 world champ Kevin Schwantz reckons Lorenzo can make a serious play for the world championship this year. Lorenzo winning the title on a Ducati before departing for his Honda gig next year is now a realistic scenario. “Jorge now has a chance at the title the way he is riding, he was so smooth in the Barcelona race, his Ducati never moved off line,” Schwantz said. “Even with a 49-point advantage [over JL], Marquez can do anything but sleep easy right now, his future teammate is coming for him this year – on a Ducati. “And as cool and calculating as Dovi was last season in his battle…

BRITISH SUPERSTOCK 1000 rider Braydon Elliott has launched a self-managed No Bull Racing squad to continue his 2018 campaign. After parting ways with his team after just two rounds of the season his future in the series looked bleak, and opted to fund his own entry using Suzuki GSX-R1000R machinery. “I have been lucky enough to be able to make the decision to take my racing career into my own hands, and start this team,” Elliott said. “I needed to do something that was going to put me back in control of my own future, and I definitely think that running my own race team will give me the best opportunity to succeed. I have run my own team in the past, and had great success, but doing this on…

THE 2018 BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy was run across eight days and almost 2400km through Mongolia, pitting 18 teams from as many countries against one another in a series of time trials, special tests and technical skill events. The South African squad were the team to beat this year, and prevailed with 338 points in the final standings, 52 points clear of eventual second-place getters USA (286pts), with France (246pts) rounding out the podium. Team Australia, which was made up of Shane Guttridge, Simon Turvey and Michael Haley, finished a credible 10th overall on 170 points, while our ‘Ausamerica’ female team, made up of two Aussies (Julia Maguire and Andrea Box) and two yanks, finished 15th overall on 125 points, two places ahead of the other female team, ‘Eurafrica’,…

WHERE THE EARLIER prototype we busted sported gold-coloured Öhlins forks to match the twin rear shocks from the same supplier, the latest version features more subtle black front suspension. One potential explanation is that this is the expected lower-spec version of the Scrambler. Just as Triumph makes two derivatives of the Thruxton – the base model and the Ohlinssuspended ‘R’– it’s expected to offer two levels for the new Scrambler 1200. At the back it’s still very clear that the prototype is fitted with a pair of remote reservoir Ohlins shocks, with the same dual spring arrangement seen in April. We’d expect the lower-spec Scrambler to use a cheaper version.…

84.786 MPH It may not seem that fast to modern-day young pups on their 21st-century crotch rockets, but to 90-year-old off-shore yacht racer Peter Mounsey it’s plenty fast enough. Especially when screaming across the salt flats of Lake Gairdner for the first time on a 1948 350 Mac Velo. Pete was one of 60 salt racing debutants keen to tick land speed racing off their bucket list at this year’s Speed Week on the Aussie salt. Read our 2018 Speed Week report on P52 BRONZED 69 A life-size bronze statue celebrating the life of late MotoGP champion Nicky Hayden has been unveiled on the front lawn of the Owensboro Convention Centre in Hayden’s home town in the state of Kentucky. The statue depicts Hayden celebrating on his victory lap following…

BUSY COVERS WERE clearly popular as we raced out of the noughties and into the second decade of the 21st-century. Just take a look at this cracker. Matt Sheilds was in the Big Chair for this issue, and Sir Alan Cathcart had just enjoyed giving Triumph’s new Speed Triple a right-royal thrashing at its world launch. The lead news story was the official reveal of Ducati’s new Diavel model. It was little more than a teaser by Ducati, which released just the single photograph of the new power cruiser, a shot of its rear-end with heavy use of shadows to hide the details. The bike was due to be revealed to the world in all it’s high-horsepower beauty a week later at the EICMA show in Milan. Mark Gardiner took…

Almost every entrant in the fast-growing street-legal EV market has been a visual compromise. Okay, the Isle of Man TT-winning MotoCzysz E-racer was fine art, but in production roadbike terms, manufacturers are still visually glossing over the fact that they happen to be electric motorcycles. But that has just changed with the advent of the new Curtiss Zeus launched in California last month. The Zeus is set to reach production in September next year, with prices starting at $US30,000 ($A39,200), and the fact that it has been produced by the company once known as Confederate Motors brings added poignancy in its wake. But where Confederate’s models all featured muscular engines that were as loud in action as they looked at rest, the born-again Curtiss brand’s E-cruiser is a rebel with…

Three years ago Jordan Cornille, 25, joined the company then known as Confederate as head of design, knowing it would soon change from producing the costliest, craziest and coolest custom cruisers to snazzy electric bikes: “I went to automotive design school because of the Confederate Wraith, which was a work of art. “I graduated in 2015, and sent Mr Chambers an email. Exactly 36 minutes later I got a call from Matt, and we had a six-minute conversation. He said he loved my work, thought we could do some cool stuff together and offered me the job right then and there! Wow! A dream come true. “The culture Matt has created frees me up a lot, allowing an extraordinary amount of creativity, with essentially no push-back. I don’t have to…

I HAVE A love/hate relationship with electronic packages. New-generation ABS is awesome and I know it works, but I also want to be able to turn it off whenever I want to. Ditto for traction control. I also prefer electronic intervention to work as an aid, not in a ‘you can’t handle this, I’ll take it from here’ way. To my mind, it’s a parachute, a safety net – not a way of riding. KTM’s menu system is mostly a winner, with the ability to turn off and on the quickshifter, traction control and ABS, as well as change riding modes on the fly. The riding modes are noticeably different too. It does annoy me that stopping the bike with the kill switch still returns the bike to default electronics…

ENGINE Configuration Parallel twin Cylinder head DOHC Capacity 799cc Bore/stroke 88 x 65.7mm Compression ratio Not given Cooling Liquid Fueling EFI, with Bosch EMS Power 77kW @ 9000rpm Torque 87Nm @ 8000rpm TRANSMISSION Type Six-speed Clutch Wet, slipper type Final drive Chain CHASSIS Frame material Chromium-molybdenum-steel Frame layout Tubular trellis Rake 66° Trail Not given SUSPENSION WP Front: 43mm USD, adjustable compression and rebound, 140mm travel Rear: Monoshock, adjustable preload, 150mm travel WHEELS/TYRES Wheels Aluminium alloy Front: 17 x 3.50 Rear: 17 x 5.50 Tyres Diablo Rosso II Front: 120/70R17 (58W) Rear: 180/55R17 (75W) BRAKES Brembo, ABS Bosch 9 Front: Twin, 300mm discs, four-piston radial calipers Rear: Single-piston caliper, 240mm disc DIMENSIONS Weight 169kg (dry, claimed) Seat height 825mm Max width Not given Max height Not given Wheelbase 1475mm Fuel…

300 MPH Club Competitors must exceed 300mph while setting a new class record, and are presented with a specially embroidered red hat. Valerie Thompson Team 7 Streamliner 328.467mph 200 MPH Club Competitors must exceed 200mph while setting a new class record, and are presented with a specially embroidered red hat with a black brim. Mike Adi Suzuki GSX-R1000 200.145mph Stuart Goldsworthy Kawasaki H2 207.230mph Andy Freeman Kawasaki H2 212.867mph 200 MPH Achievers The DLRA also acknowledges competitors who achieve 200mph for the first time, without setting a record, with the presentation of a special DLRA black hat with a red brim. Tony Lam Kawasaki H2 204.267mph Craig Goldsworthy Kawasaki H2 208.430mph…

BMW R100 RT 1979 – The R 100 RT marks BMW’s entry into the ‘full-dress’ tourer category. It featured a full touring-fairing with ventilation louvres, adjustable screen and lockable storage. BMW R 1100 RT 1995 – The heavily revised R 1100 RT delivered a 50 per cent power increase from its all-new ‘oil-head’ engine and featured ABS brakes as standard. BMW R 1150 RT 2001 – Engine capacity, torque and power boosted performance for the R 1150 RT. Brakes were now linked and the previous five-speed gearbox was replaced by a new six-speed unit.…

There are some great detours throughout this area, with winding mountain passes running up and down the escarpment right down to Nowra. We prefer Jamberoo Mountain Rd to Macquarie Pass on the weekends; there’s generally less tourist traffic and law enforcement, although you need to take care on the narrower road and watch for wayward cars (and bikes) coming in the opposite direction. When you get to the bottom, a right turn through the town of Jamberoo takes you to Kiama on a smooth, flowing road. We often continue south from there before turning back up the mountain at Berry or Nowra to finish the loop back towards the Southern Highland via Kangaroo Valley. An excellent riding circuit.…

Top 3 TV 1 WSBK Rd8 LIVE USA Fox/Videopass 24 & 24 Jun 7am/7am Round 8 of the Superbike World Championship will take place at Laguna Seca and be aired live in Oz on Fox Sports and through WSBK VideoPass. Race 1 kicks off at 7pm AEST Sunday and Race 2 at 7am Monday. 2 ASBK Rd4 LIVE NT SBS, Fox, Online 1 Jul 9.30am The fourth ASBK round will take place at Hidden Valley in the NT. Fox will have coverage on Sunday from 11am-3pm, SBS on Sunday from 1pm-3pm, or you can live stream the event by logging on to asbk.com.au/live-stream/ from 9.30am Sunday. 3 MotoGP Rd8 LIVE Assen, ND Fox/Videopass Sunday 1 July 7pm (AEST) No longer on a Saturday, MotoGP Rd8 from Assen will air live…

There’s something about Lorenzo’s egotistic selfishness that fits a great champion BACK WHEN HE was just a boy, rather a strange one but very, very fast, the Spanish used to call him “’Round the outside”. For obvious reasons. In 2018, “Gorgeous Jorge” has earned a new nickname: “Up the blind side”. His switch from difficult Ducati to hairs-breadth Honda caught everybody napping. It was in Mugello, where he went on to take his first win since leaving Yamaha, that Jorge revealed that he was leaving Ducati. This much had become obvious with his poor results over the preceding races, especially when Ducati Corse Sporting Director Paolo Ciabatti had remarked crustily at Le Mans that, “There is a big gulf between his fee and our budget.” He went on to spike…

Superstock PETER HICKMAN CLAIMED his first TT win with a thrilling victory on the Smith’s BMW in the stocker event. The BSB star thought he was out of the running after making a mistake at Braddan which forced him to ride around a tree in the middle of the road! Losing 15 seconds, he had dropped to 10th at Glen Helen but recovered to hunt down early leader, Dean Harrison. Setting a new lap record of 134.403mph on the final lap, he pipped late charger Michael Dunlop (MD Racing BMW) by 4.5 seconds. Supersport 1 & 2 IN 2013, MICHAEL Dunlop predicted he would lap the Mountain Course at 130mph on a 600cc machine after winning both of the Supersport events. He took a huge step closer to that goal…

Jonathan Rea (KRT) said he was not too disappointed not to reach a new all-time wins record of 60 races at his home round at Donington Park. He was clearly happy enough to have done it at Brno, and in truly emphatic style. You had to believe his feelings when you saw how happy he was on his slow down lap, and afterwards in celebration, to have overhauled the legendary Carl Fogarty in victories. After all Brno was appropriate to reach such a landmark. Brno was the place he won his first WorldSSP race back in 2008, before he went to the Superbike class full time in 2009. He even named his dog after the Czech circuit. He came to Brno looking for two wins after getting a none at…

Stock 1000 Markus Reiterberger (alpha Racing Van Zon BMW) saw his normal dominance beaten by rain and three other riders, as he finished fourth, behind winner Maximilian Scheib (Aprilia Racing Team), Alessandro Delbianco (Gulf Althea BMW) and Florian Marino (URBIS Yamaha Motoxracing). Reiterberger now has a nine-point advantage over Scheib, 99 to 90, with Roberto Tamburini (only eighth) on 84. WorldSSP300 Just for once, no Ana Carrasco (DS Junior Team) win but she still leads the championship, now by 20 points from Borja Sanchez (ETG Racing Kawasaki). Sanchez was third, but the race was won by the ever-improving Yamaha, and Galang Hendra Pratama (Biblion Yamaha MotoxRacing). Second was Walid Khan, from the Netherlands. 300 rule change As well as a rule change of the Superbike balancing rules, the Supersport 300…

Jack Miller MotoGP DNF I was in the group with Maverick, not having to spin and trying to save the tyres. I thought top ten (finish) for sure. Then all of a sudden the bike started feeling like it was cutting out. Step by step it got worse, and I had to stop … because of a shitty fuel pump. Remy Gardner Moto2 15th I was struggling a lot with the bike … the front closing everywhere, vibrating and chattering. I’m not sure if I would have been any faster if I’d been in better condition – but I’d have been closer to the top 10. In the last 10 laps I was so out of breath and dizzy I didn’t even know where I was on the track.…

IT IS INTERESTING to note that despite many attempts from international riders, only one rider outside of Australia has come over to steal the coveted Finke Trophy…literally! It happened over two decades ago in 1996 when American Dan Ashcraft competed on a Honda CR500. After winning the race, Dan was presented with the Finke Perpetual Trophy and it left Australian shores when Dan returned home. Despite several efforts, the trophy was never returned and remained missing until 2007. That year, Steve Hengeveld (Baja 1000 and Dust to Glory fame) came Down Under to race the Finke. With him was Jerry Bernardo who somehow managed to locate the missing trophy. Jerry proudly reunited the Finke Trophy with the Finke Desert Race Committee on presentation night, much to the crowd’s delight.…

ANDREA DOVIZIOSO ADMITS his world championship hopes have taken a hit, after crashing out of the race his teammate Jorge Lorenzo went on to comfortably win. Dovi realises he faces a huge task not only to recover the 49-point lead held by Honda rival Marc Marquez, but also to fight off the uncomfortable presence of a very fast teammate. Marquez has won three out of seven races so far, to Dovi’s one, with Lorenzo now with two wins. Marquez has 115 points to 66 each for Dovi and Lorenzo. “No question, the reality is difficult,” Dovizioso told AMCN. “If you are objective, then 49 points, with a lot riders in front of me, and that Marc is very consistent then the championship is not easy. “It is easy to make…

A TOP-10 finish was snatched from Jack Miller when his Ducati GP17 stalled with a faulty fuel pump and forced his retirement from the Catalunya Grand Prix. The glitch came when he was in 10th and tagging a fast group. “A top 10 would have been a piece of piss, I had plenty of rear tyre left and just needed to stay out there,” Miller said. “I’m kicking myself for what could have been, I was conserving the tyre and short-shifting and still tagging along with Maverick and Johann. “Then, with seven laps to go, I thought I was running out of fuel with the engine cutting but it looks like a fuel pump problem, Syahrin (Yamaha) came past me on the straight like I was walking.”…

AUSTRALIA’S 2015 SUPERBIKE champion and two-time MotoGP wildcard Mike Jones is having a decent season in the Superstock 1000 category of the Spanish Speed Championship, the country’s domestic Superbike series. Riding a ZX-10R for Team Speed Racing squad, the likeable Aussie is sitting sixth overall after just two rounds, following a pair of seventh-place finishes in Albacete (7-8 April) and Catalunya (26-27 May. His results are not indicative of his pace, however, with the Aussie finding himself jostling for second position before running off track and recovering for seventh during Catalunya’s Round 2. “Intense first time racing at Catalunya,” he said. “I made a bad start but rode to the limit, setting the third quickest lap of the race to catch the group battling for second position. “Finally, after a…

TT Spirit Award The brother of the late Dan Kneen, who was killed during practice for the 2018 Isle of Man TT, has been awarded the 2018 Spirit of the TT Award. Ryan Kneen competed in this year’s event, wore his brother’s helmet during a tribute practice lap just 24 hours after the tragic crash, and together with his father led an estimated 8000 motorcycles around a legacy lap of the Mountain Course in Dan’s honour. Vive la France Fast Frenchman Loci Larrieu (Yamaha) has won the 2018 Trèfle Lozérien, which this year doubled as the third round of the inaugural World Enduro Super Series. Racking up Yamaha’s 20th win in the French-based Enduro event, Larrieu finished ahead of another local star, Theo Espinasse (Sherco), while Red Bull KTM’s Josep…

CODY CHITTICK, 15 THIS WAS CODY’S first time at the Junior Elite Training Camp. He started racing competitively on a 50cc machine at the Australian MX Nationals and is currently racing for the Yamaha Junior Racing Team in the 125cc and 250cc classes. Cody has raced overseas for several years. In 2015 he finished 11th in the Loretta Lynn Amateur Motocross National Championships in the US. That year he was also crowned the WA and Australian Champion in the 65cc class. In 2016 he contested the world champs in Russia, finishing 26th. In 2017 Cody returned to Europe for a three-month stint with the KTM Diga Junior Race Team. After crashing out in the first state round of 2018 at Manjimup and only just riding again, it hasn’t been a…