Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 68 Issue 06 i Australian Motorcycle News

Graham hasn’t forgiven Triumph for dropping the Trophy from its range THERE ARE TIMES when I forget how long this magazine has been around. And then I take a phone call from one of the many great characters who have spent decades making the fortnightly pilgrimage to their local newsagency to enjoy the latest efforts from the dedicated team at Gassit HQ. Graham Harris had called to enquire about his Gassit Pack after he donated a jacket to the AMCN Winter Jacket Drive but, as often happens, we were soon talking all things motorcycling. He told me about his membership to FarRiders, which requires a ride of 1000km or more to be completed in a 24-hour period. Tough, but not impossible. It turns out Graham does this on a regular…

THE NEW BMW superbike’s frame is unusual. Instead of using the straightest possible beams to connect the headstock to the swingarm pivot, there’s a clear zig-zag in the frame rails as they go up from the swingarm pivot. They level off over the gearbox and then sweep upwards again following the angle of the cylinders to meet up with the steering stem. It also features an unconventional linkage for the rear shock, with upper shock mount on a pivoting arm. Presumably a second link attaches from the swingarm to the other end of the pivoting arm, so the shock is pushed from both above and below as the rear is compressed.…

AS WELL AS THE possible repositioned fuel tank, the next-generation bodywork appears to incorporate a notable opening in its nose. There’s a single daytime running light mounted in this space, with two circles higher up that could become main-beam headlights on the finished bike. The opening itself probably isn’t an air intake, though. Instead, it could be the position for KTM’s upcoming forward-facing radar sensor, which will give the bike an adaptive cruise control system that automatically keeps a safe distance from vehicles ahead.…

ONE OF MOTORCYCLING’S more bizarre pieces of memorabilia comes up for auction next month. Harry Rembrandt ‘Rem’ Fowler’s hip flask, awarded following his success at the inaugural Isle of Man TT in 1907, will be offered at Bonhams Autumn Stafford Sale in the UK. The engraved commemorative silver hip flask in a protective leather case was awarded by supporter H.G. Parkes Esq. It is expected to sell for $35,000 to $50,000. Bonhams says the flask is “a fitting prize for the driver who gained Dutch courage from a brandy tonic to soothe his pre-race nerves”.…

Going off! Our Win a Shoei Helmet Competition is attracting hundreds of entries each day. Still not entered? Check out amcn.com.au before it’s too late. MT Meet Yamaha MT fan Leon Cutts held Australia’s first mass get-together of the popular Masters of Torque range. Check it out at amcn.com.au Could be As we went to print, a teaser video started rumours about a new Katana. Unfortunately, our contacts at Suzuki remained tight-lipped. Bad sport Stefan Manzi is no saint, but Romano Fenati's brain snap at the San Marino GP shows he has learned little from his Moto3 sacking in 2016.…

THREE WEEKS OUT from Cologne’s annual Intermot motorcycle show in Germany, Suzuki has released a ‘Phase One’ teaser video for a new model launch set to take place on 1 October. The 20-second film gives nothing away, showing a sword being hammered into shape on a hot anvil. However, there’s plenty of speculation around the sword and its significance to the firm’s revered Katana model, as the Katana name originally refers to a traditional Japanese samurai sword. Here’s hoping!…

Rider Joel McDonald Ride 1985 Yamaha FJ1100 He says This is my 1985 FJ1100. I was the first to grab it off Gumtree in 2008 from an old Ulysses rider who bought it new and only put 40,000km on it. In 10 years, I’ve put nearly 100,000km more on it and it’s still beautiful to ride. It’s basically stock, with some nice cosmetic touches. I’ve had it up to 240km/h, which is stupid enough for me, even though the speedo maxes at 270km/h. They still use the same engine in the FJR1300. It’s a great bike to ride. I’ve won a few trophies with it, and I love it. We say We completely agree, Joel, 240km/h is fast enough! The FJ1100 has timeless styling and is a gorgeous bike for…

THE STANDARD V4 is more than $8500 cheaper, with the main difference being the absence of the semi-active Öhlins suspension. Still standard, though, are the Ducati Power Launch, Ducati Quick Shift (up/down), Bosch cornering ABS, Riding and Power modes, etc. There’s also the same 12,000km service intervals, a generous period for such a hyperactive superbike. When it comes to price tags this size, if you can afford the V4 S, go for it. Why wouldn’t you? Equally, if the standard bike is only just within range, you would likewise be crazy not to indulge. And guess what – the power claim is the same. It’s lovely having the Öhlins suspension, but if you don’t think you’ll notice the 1kg weight advantage of the V4 S (174kg versus 175kg, claimed, thanks…

ENGINE Configuration Desmosedici 90° V-four Cylinder head Desmodromic Capacity 1103cc Bore/stroke 81 x 53.5mm Compression ratio 14.0:1 Cooling Liquid Fueling EFI, ride by wire Power 157.5kW @ 13,000rpm (claimed) Torque 124Nm @ 10,000rpm (claimed) TRANSMISSION Type Six-speed Clutch Wet, slipper type Final drive Chain CHASSIS Frame material Aluminium alloy Frame layout Front frame Rake 24.5° Trail 100mm SUSPENSION Front: Öhlins NIX30 USD, electronically adjustable compression and rebound. Rear: Öhlins TTX36 shock, electronically adjustable compression and rebound. WHEELS/TYRES Wheels Forged aluminium alloy Front: 17 x 3.5 Rear: 17 x 6.0 Tyres Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP Front: 120/70R17 Rear: 200/60ZR17 BRAKES Front: Twin 330mm discs, four-piston radial-mount Brembo Stylema monobloc calipers Rear: Single 245mm disc, twin-piston caliper DIMENSIONS Weight 195kg (kerb, claimed) Seat height 830mm Max width Not Given Max height Not…

THE ORIGINAL CORRUGATED dirt surface is a thing of the past, and you can only wonder at the bravery of those who raced through the choking dust all those years ago. To reach the starting point for a clockwise lap, head up Bathurst’s main street, William Street, towards Mount Panorama, and turn left at Rocket Street. Follow this for about a kilometre until you cross the railway bridge, then turn right onto Vale Road, which is also the road to Goulburn. Another kilometre along this road you will come to the Lloyds Road crossroad. Turn left and you’re on the track! YOU’RE DONE! Over a slight rise and the old Sale Yards site appears on your right. Almost a century ago, you would have passed under a huge Start/Finish banner…

IT WAS A less than memorable event for the two Australians present, Josh Brookes and David Johnson, who both retired from the Superbike Classic TT with mechanical issues. It started how it ended for Davo, who suffered clutch problems during his Superbike qualifying session, which meant the Aussie could only post one quick lap. However, his experience around the Mountain Course meant his credible 114.825mph result was good enough for 12th place on his York Suzuki. Meanwhile, Brookesy posted a best qualifying lap of 114.035mph on the Wiz Norton, putting him two places down the order in 14th. Despite stalling on the start line and missing his starting slot, Brookesy had a flyer of a first lap once he eventually got underway and was up to eighth by the end…

THE 2018 JUNIOR Classic TT may have been reduced from four laps to three due to the wet conditions, but the action was still fierce. Future star Dominic Herbertson celebrated his first ever Mountain Course victory on board his Honda CB350 and, after a string of strong performances during the 2018 road racing season, it’s unlikely to be his last. TT veteran Michael Rutter came into the event as race favourite, having claimed the spoils last year, and was leading when he suffered a puncture at the end of the first lap, giving Herbertson the edge he needed. Jamie Coward, Alan Oversby and Lee Johnston, all riding CB350 machinery, pushed Herbertson all the way to end of the hour-long race, but the 27-year-old kept a level head and took the…

YOU MAY HAVE seen me in the pages of AMCN lately wearing the Macna Command Plus Camo jacket, which retails for $299.95. It’s a great price for a great-quality jacket, but now I think I have found something better, Macna’s Vosges Night Eye jacket. It’s a heavyweight, quality item that looks like it could be worn during an arctic blast. Like the Camo, it’s reasonably priced at $549.95 (or $499.95 without the Night-Eye technology). Sure, that’s $200 more than the Camo, but it’s easy to see where your extra investment goes. It’s an adventure-style jacket that can also be worn for commuter duties. It’s made from a super tough and heavy Durylon, and the Raintex breathable waterproof membrane and thermo lining are removable. But if you’re still a bit warm,…

Ben Lomond National Park is surrounded by some spectacular countryside which is criss-crossed by back roads that run all the way through to the seaside towns on the east coast, or north to Ringarooma and Scottsdale. You will need a bike suitable for the long stretches of gravel, as well as a reasonable fuel range. We toured up through the Upper Blessington area and found some excellent back roads with clear views across to the ranges of Ben Nevis and Mt Victoria. The roads can be pretty much deserted so carry some tools and drinking water if you plan to explore the region.…

Show time 29 SEPTEMBER Wide Bay Tattoo, Car and Bike Show, Maryborough Sports Club, 168 Salt Water Creek Rd, Maryborough, Qld. Registration from 10.30am-noon; show starts 11.30am. Entry $10; lunch and dinner available for under $10. All proceeds to Motorcyclists Advocating Child Empowerment (MACE) and Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBS). For more information phone 0404 017 433. 6 OCTOBER Park Custom Bike & Tattoo Show, Croome Lane, Albion Park Rail, NSW. From midday; under 13s out by 6pm. Trade stalls, burnout comp, reptile display, kids rides and after dark adult entertainment. Food, refreshments and live music; no BYO. Clubs by invite only. For information phone 0429 320 777. 13 OCTOBER Shovel Fest Bendigo, Lords Raceway, 646 McIvor Hwy, Junortoun, Vic. Shovelheads and Ironheads to be judged; other pre-1984 H-Ds…

The competition has increased. I’m quicker now, but further down the field THE OTHER DAY someone told me that by the end of this season I will have clocked up 700,000km in travel while racing in ASBK. It’s only about 380,000km from Earth to the Moon! I first competed in 2006 but since 2012 I have raced every single round in the Superbike class, except where injury or mechanical issues have sidelined me. Maybe I should be committed to an asylum, but I love road racing. I’m a self-employed mechanic based in Perth, WA. I work on everything from motorcycles and cars to earthmoving equipment; anything to finance my racing. I also compete in the WA state championships and have won a few national titles in historic racing. Our team…

Sidecars Winton also hosted the third round of the Horsell Consulting Australian Sidecar Championship, and it was the team of Dave Boughen and Rob Shorter who took out all three races in the F1 class, while Howard Ford and Lee Menzies lead the championship. “It’s always good for a Kiwi to come over and nick some Aussie silverware, so I’ll take it!”, Shorter said. “Bloody rapt!” In the F2 class it was the experienced team of Mick Alton and Chrissie Clancy who won all three races, to lead the championship. “It’s really hard at Winton because the 1000s get the jump out of the corners,” Alton said. “I tried under brakes to get them but we locked it up a few times. It was good fun!” Double duty Corey Turner…

MotoGP Misano, Italy Circuit length 4.226km Race distance MotoGP 114.102km Moto2 105.650km Moto3 97.198km 2017 winners MotoGP M Marquez 50m41.565s Moto2 T Luthi 51m41.109s Moto3 R Fenati 46m24.290s Did you know? This year’s San Marino race marked the 25th anniversary of Wayne Rainey’s career-ending crash. Yamaha’s three-time world champion was made a paraplegic in the crash, but was not able to attend this year’s event. Ironically, this year’s race stretched Yamaha’s losing streak to 23 races, dating back to Assen last year. It is the brand’s longest drought in 20 seasons. Round 13 Finishing positions…

FOLLOWING HIS Atacama Desert victory, Kevin Benavides was hot favourite to win the Desafio Ruta 40 Rally, the penultimate round of the FIM World Cross-Country Championship. However, through enthusiasm or error, the Argentine suffered a heavy fall on the first day, leaving Honda teammate Paulo Gonçalves to battle the Red Bull KTMs of Toby Price and Matthias Walkner and the Husqvarna of Pablo Quintanilla. Price won the final day, but it was Gonçalves who took the overall win by a margin of six seconds after 17 hours of hard racing. Quintanilla was third, a further eight minutes adrift. Heading to the final round in Morocco, Quintanilla is now eight points clear of Price and needs only a top five placing to claim a title three-peat. Expect Price, Sunderland and Walkner,…

Callum O’Brien is 16 years old and leads the WA Production Championship after three rounds. “I would really love to win the State Production Championship. So far in 2018 I have competed in several ASBK rounds and plan to contest the remaining rounds.” Bronson Picket is 15 and is second in the Production class. He has also competed around Australia. “I have raced in several ASBK rounds. More recently I was at the endurance race at Sydney Motorsport Park. We finished second in our class and third overall.”…

SUZUKI IS BUILDING on the popularity of its V-Strom adventure touring lineup, releasing its highly anticipated V-Strom 250 ABS into the market with a competitive ride-away price of $7190. The baby ’Strom is powered by a 248cc parallel-twin tuned for low-to-mid range torque. Styling is based on the larger V-Strom models but with a lower 800mm seat height. Kerb weight is a practical 188kg. ABS is standard and there are mounting clips to accommodate the optional Suzuki accessory side cases. The large aluminium rear rack has an 8.5kg capacity and can accept Suzuki’s accessory top case. Aimed at riders buying their first motorcycles, those returning to two wheels, or perhaps seeking a more manageable package with lighter weight, you can be on the road (or off it) for just a…

22-24 FEB They're the dates you need to block out in your diary if you plan to attend the 2019 World Superbike Championship season opener at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit. Make sure you also pencil out a few days either side for riding time. Tickets go on sale in mid-October. Starter pack Been wanting a classic motorcycle collection, but don’t have the time to do the actual collecting? Bonhams Autumn Stafford sale in the UK is your answer. More than 80 of the world’s most desirable production motorcycles will go under the hammer on 13 October. The collection includes everything from a 1928 AJS 500cc K8 OHV and 1993 Honda NR750 through to a 2017 Kawasaki H2R. Extend the limit on your credit card and head to bonhams.com…

Reckon you’re pretty quick when it comes to two-wheeled trivia? Then have a crack at our who-what-where series. If you’re finding it hard, here’s a clue – all the answers have appeared in AMCN at some time over the past 67 years. When you reckon you’ve worked out the bloke, the bike and the track, email your numbered answers to comps@amcn.com.au for your chance to win! 1. WHO? Can you name these two Aussie Superbike legends going head-to-head in a WSBK race? You get an extra point for naming the circuit. Clue They shared the podium at race end 2. WHAT? What is the make and model of this adventure bike? Clue It was unveiled in 1990 3. WHERE? At what circuit in 1999 did we enjoy watching Wally Campbell, Robbie…

DICK SHEPHERD, a respected Triumph collector, bought a replica of the supercharged Speed Twin which had been built in the 1980s. It used a post-war frame, and after the six-stud engine blew up an eight-stud motor was fitted. But it had the original handlebars – a gift from Wicksteed – and also the Bowden carburettor. With the replica came copies of Winslow’s diaries. Sometime later, Dick bought a bronze-head T100 motor from a collector. It didn’t have an engine number, but there were three numbers stamped on the bottom of the crankcase to identify the matched halves. Winslow’s notebook states that his T100 didn’t have an engine number, and so referred to the three numbers – the same numbers on Dick’s engine. When he contacted the collector, Dick discovered that…

The scrambler makeover gives the Trail a muscular look Imperial Set to rival Royal Enfield’s popular Classic range, the Imperial is an air-cooled single-cylinder retro-styled machine with lashings of old-school chrome, spoked wheels, upright seating position and a peashooter exhaust. Claimed outputs from the 373.5cc fuel-injected single overhead cam engine are 14.5kW (19hp) and 28Nm, running through a five-speed gearbox. 402 S Benelli’s power cruiser is all about attitude, with forward foot controls and a low seat that sits you ‘in’ the bike, and a high-set wide ’bar. The chassis is a tubular-trellis affair with a non-adjustable 41mm USD fork, and a rear monoshock adjustable for preload. Its liquid-cooled 399.3cc parallel-twin engine produces 29kW (39hp) and 35Nm. Benelli’s 402 S power cruiser is all about attitude Leoncino Sport Building on…

ENGINE Configuration Parallel twin Cylinder head DOHC, four valves per cylinder Capacity 500cc Bore/stroke 69 x 66.8mm Compression ratio 11.5:1 Cooling Liquid Fueling EFI, single 37mm throttle body Power 35kW @ 8500rpm (claimed) Torque 46Nm @ 6000rpm (claimed) TRANSMISSION Type Six-speed Clutch Wet Final drive Chain CHASSIS Frame material Steel Frame layout Tubular trellis Rake Not given Trail Not given SUSPENSION Qianjiang Front: 50mm USD, adjustable rebound damping, 135mm travel Rear: Monoshock, adjustable preload and rebound, 138mm travel WHEELS/TYRES Wheels Steel spoked aluminium rim Front: 19 x 3.0 Rear: 17 x 4.5 Metzeler Tourance Front: 110/80 R19 Rear: 150/70 R17 BRAKES Qianjiang, with Bosch switchable ABS Front: Twin 320mm discs, floating two-piston calipers Rear: Single 260mm disc, single-piston floating caliper DIMENSIONS Weight 210kg (wet, claimed) Seat height 825mm Width 875mm…

A DUCATI SPORTSBIKE has to look sexy. It just has to. Plant your eyes on the new Panigale and sex is likely to be what you are thinking. This is a magnificent-looking machine, with clean-looking fairings and bodywork that hides how long the rear of the bike actually is. If there’s a fault, it’s that non-Ducati nuts may mistake your latest and greatest for an earlier Panigale at a glance – a closer look quickly reveals its pedigree, and I can’t offer any real styling ideas to Ducati to set it further apart from the 1299. So I won’t. Nevertheless, the bike won the Most Beautiful Bike of Show award at EICMA last year, so it has clearly hit its mark. The V4 S is smart, beautiful, powerful and effective.…

If you’ve seen the 1935 British musical comedy No Limit, you’ll understand the atmosphere of the annual Isle of Man Festival of Motorcycling. George Shuttleworth, played by comic songwriter George Formby, builds himself an AJS racer in his garden shed for his assault on the Isle of Man TT. Riding a 350cc side-valve machine dubbed the Shuttleworth Snap, which wore distinctive black-and-white chequered skirts over each wheel, George goes on a musical slapstick search for TT glory. The Festival of Motorcycling is the evolution of what was once known as the Manx Grand Prix, the lesser-known race meeting held annually on the iconic Mountain Course. The Manx is open only to the amatuer George Shuttleworths of the world who are yet to race the Isle of Man TT. To capitalise…

OKAY, HE might not officially be an Aussie, but legendary Antipodean Bruce Anstey is too nice (and fast!) a bloke not to call him our own. While the legendary 13-time TT winner wasn’t able to race in anger at this year’s event due to battling cancer for the second time, the 49-year-old Kiwi was at the event and even managed a so-called parade lap on the Padgetts Honda RC213V-S machine he campaigned during the 2016 and 2017 Isle of Man TTs. “I’m knackered after that,” he said after his run.…

What to look for The whole VFR powertrain is pretty much bullet-proof and impressively long-lived given decent maintenance. Some early bikes will have had dodgy regulator/ rectifiers – a Honda thing – replaced by beefier aftermarket units. Thoroughly check the condition of the fairings and seat cowl. Damaged plastics are costly to replace. As always adjust your offer to cover worn consumables like chain, sprockets, steering-head bearings and brake pads, also brake rotors close to minimum thickness. The ideal prospect is a neat and tidy example with a full service record. Service history The VFR800 is a reliable machine that’s straightforward enough for DIY-owners to carry out basic maintenance. Access is reasonable (with the fairing removed) for routine servicing like oil and filter changes at 6000km intervals. However, be aware…

Australia is no longer the easy-going nation of ‘she’ll be right’ AS AUSTRALIA SINKS further into the nanny state mentality, as evidenced by this new law demanding we all drop to 40km/h when emergency vehicles are in attendance with their lights on, even on a freeway (can you say tail-gater?), it takes my mind back to some riding experiences overseas. The launch of a European nakedbike, for instance. Held on the Canary Islands, the launch was worth all 36 hours of travel, just to sample the perfectly paved roads around the mountains, with the start of ‘the good bit’ marked with a, ahem, police car. That car meant go, and some kilometres later was another, marking the ‘put your brain back in’ zone as the open road turned into a…

Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing) has swept aside the disappointment of last year to claim the 2018 YMF Australian Superbike Championship at Winton Motor Raceway with one round to spare. After taking the Elite Roads Pole Position Award for the second successive round, Herfoss looked unshakeable. However, title rivals Wayne Maxwell (Yamaha Racing Team) and Troy Bayliss (Desmosport Ducati) nailed it off the startline. After Bryan Staring (Kawasaki BC Performance) slid off at the opening turn in Race 1, the subsequent red flag provided a second chance for Herfoss to make a clean getaway, but once again he found himself with work to do. And work he did. In the opening third of the race both Herfoss and Maxwell traded new lap records, as Josh Waters (Team Suzuki Ecstar) sandwiched…

Is racing about common sense and logic? Or should it be a bit crazy, a matter of ambitious brinkmanship and risk? Misano was a triumph for the former, as Mr Sensible Andrea Dovizioso played a precisely judged hand to take his third win of the season, and Ducati’s second home victory in Italy. “I did everything perfectly,” he said later, adding that but for a couple of laps when his lead was vaguely under threat, “I didn’t take risks.” He had made it look – well, not exactly easy, but pretty straightforward. A bit of the latter proved the opposite, as his pole-qualifying teammate Jorge Lorenzo threw away a Ducati one-two with just two laps to go. He’d managed to get back in front of the ever-aggressive Marc Marquez’s Repsol…

Jack be quick Jack Miller credited “a bit of a reboot” for his first-time access to the front row in dry conditions at Misano, but confessed to being slightly surprised, after qualifying second to Jorge Lorenzo. “I didn’t expect it, but I’ll take it,” the 23-year-old Australian Pramac Ducati rider said. He wasn’t sure what had changed, but thought that he had turned round his mid-season slump after continuing disappointment at the Austrian GP, where he had qualified 16th and finished 18th. “I’m not sure how, but from the time I got to Silverstone I had really good speed, and was feeling comfortable with the bike,” he said. It was the same at Misano. Pencil it in The provisional 2019 calendar was released in the days before the Misano GP,…

CAL CRUTCHLOW HAS led a chorus of criticism against Romano Fenati and called for the Italian hot-head to cop a lifetime ban from grand prix racing. “I think he should never race a motorcycle again,” said a fired-up Crutchlow. Fenati has been banned for two races by FIM stewards after squeezing the front brake lever of Stefano Manzi’s bike as the pair staged a furious battle in the Moto2 GP at Misano. Fenati will miss the Aragon and Thailand rounds, while Manzi has been given a six-place grid penalty for his role in a clash with Fenati earlier in the race. Once a teenage golden boy in Italy and mentored by Valentino Rossi, the now 22-year-old was dismissed from the VR46 academy and Rossi’s Sky team because of behavioural issues.…

THE NORTH COAST Road Racers will host the final round of the KTM 2018 Short Course Championship at Oakburn Park Tamworth on 29-30 September. A full weekend of events will see Motorcycling NSW state champions crowned for the first time in the history of short course road racing. Paul Slade, Josh Andrews and Justin Hall from the Northern Rivers are strong Senior contenders for both the NSW Stock and Superbike titles. Grafton’s Lee Cheetham (right) leads the Road Race Lites, while a bunch of young guns from Queensland – including Glenn Nelson and Cameron Swain – lead the Junior Classes. Other classes to be decided are Open Road Race and Motard.…

Speedy Reedy On the last weekend of August, Aussie off-road legend Chad Reed (22) lined up for the final round of the 2018 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, the first time in three years he has raced an outdoor national event. Relishing the one-off opportunity, filling in for the injured Weston Peick, Reed scored two top-10 finishes for eighth overall, while the best teammate Justin Hill could muster was 10-32 for 15th overall. “After not having raced a National for three years, my number one goal was to smile and enjoy a day of racing.” KELLIE BUCKLEY A McFirst! Sherco rider Hamish McDonald made history when he became the first-ever New Zealander to stand on the top step of an Enduro Grand Prix when he won both rounds of the 125cc…

AT THE DAWN of World Superbikes 30 years ago, Kiwi Ducati fanatic Dallas Rankine was tearing his hair out. “I bought the first available 851 Superbike in association with Aussie Bob Brown for Robert Holden to race in WSBK,” he remembers. Ducati soul brothers obsessed with the air-cooled Pantah V-twins, Rankine and Brown had spent a few years building and racing their own eight-valve, DOHC racers. They thought buying Ducati’s factory-developed, liquid-cooled Superbike would take the stress off two men on opposite sides of the Tasman juggling business with racing pleasure. “After no end of troubles with just the electronics alone, I decided to build our own NZ series F1 open-class bike using an 851 motor as a base,” Rankine says. That resulted in the famous ‘Fast ’n’ Fragile’ 1000cc…

DEVELOPED IN DIRECT response to rider feedback, Indian has announced new technology features to improve performance and comfort, as well as versatility for customising. The changes will first be seen on the 2019 Chief, Springfield and Roadmaster models, while the Dark Horse range gets premium gloss black finishes and expanded colour options on the Springfield Dark Horse. All will be available later this year. Highlights include three new Ride Mode options that are adjustable on the fly – Tour, Standard or Sport – to suit varying road conditions. To increase rider comfort in traffic jams, all Thunder Stroke 111 models also now boast Rear Cylinder Deactivation when the engine reaches operating temperature and the ambient temperature exceeds 15°C. This cylinder reactivates when the throttle is taken off idle. The lower…

AMCN made a legend In 1990, with just 12 months of road racing experience, 18-year-old Wollongong lad Troy Corser jumped on a Suzuki RGV 250 and claimed the AMCN 250cc Production Challenge, beating many established names along the way. Almost 30 years later, we dust off that very bike to see if the little quarter-litre two-stroke is still on the pace. New team member It appears lots of readers are keen to be an AMCN test rider, even just for a day. Our competition attracted a mountain of entries, but Paul Treverrow has fitted the position perfectly. He is now excitedly preparing to join the team for AMCN’s upcoming middleweight nakedbike test. We were so impressed by the quality of entries, we may pick more – so keep your phone…

News A year on from Harley-Davidson’s decision to close its Buell sportsbike subsidiary, the firm was back with a new design and plans that the Harley tie-up left unfinished. The new streetbike, dubbed the 1190RS, was a road-going version of the 1190RR racebike. Sport Alex Cudlin decided it was time to follow in his brother Damian’s footsteps after being granted a wildcard entry in the Moto2 Australian Motorcycle GP at Phillip Island. The 23-year-old from western Sydney announced he would be riding for the Blusens-STX team. Bike test Kellie Buckley tested the new Hyosung GV650C and GV700C cruisers. The 647cc (GV650C) and 678cc (GV700C) cruisers each had 46kW, but differing torque numbers, 58Nm and 64Nm respectively. The bikes cost $9900 no matter which one you wanted. PICS OF THE ISSUE:…

Hopeful history I read your mag whenever I can beg, borrow or pay for it. I’ve been reading it for a long time now – if my memory serves me right, it used to come in a newspaper type thing. Anyway, I’m 61 years old and have not held a bike or car licence for 29 years! I got the bike bug early in life when my dad used to sit me between his legs on his Honda step-thru. My arms just reached the bars, and I was hooked. I learnt to ride on a Suzuki TS250 Savage trail bike and got my licence on my sister’s Honda CB250. My first bike was a Suzuki GT380 two-stroke with bent forks. I got it for $80, and I loved it. Next…

THE NAME LEONCINO translates as ‘lion cub’. Fitting really, because the origins of the Italian Benelli brand were born from the lion-hearted will of company pioneer Teresa Benelli, with the Lion of Pesaro adopted as the logo for the family business. After being left a widow, Teresa was determined to secure a good future for her six sons. Benelli was founded in 1911 as a bicycle, car and gun business. Teresa set up a small workshop where her six sons, Giuseppe, Giovanni, Francesco, Filippo, Domenico and Antonio, honed their engineering skills and created their first engines. Despite production being interrupted by two World Wars, and the death of Antonio in 1937, Benelli produced race-winning motorcycles and won multiple championships, including its first Isle of Man TT. Australian Kel Curruthers won…

DEM BRAKES Think of the best brakes you have ever used, then double the expectation. Okay, doubling it might be a bit much, but the dextrous feel of the front stoppers is incredible. The sheer force they can exert is enough to have you banging your nose on your visor for shits and giggles. Brembo’s top-line Stylema calipers do the clamping, with the monster 330mm discs simply sneezing at anything a spirited road ride can throw at them, all backed with a quality ABS system that simply encourages you to push it further. DASH Ducati’s latest dash is a joy to get around, thanks to a super-simple toggle system and menu that allows you to find what you need reasonably simply. It’s only ‘reasonably’ because there’s so much adjustment on…

IN 1997 ANOTHER Troy, a young hard-charger from Taree, was making a name for himself in the Australian Superbike Championship riding a Suzuki GSX-R750. And Troy Bayliss was a man on a mission. Just before the 1997 Australian Grand Prix, long-time member of the GP paddock Gary Flood received a call from Suzuki Japan looking for a potential replacement for injured regular rider Nori Numata. Bayliss’s name had been put forward and, at 28 years old, he was given the chance to race the Suzuki RGV250 grand prix bike. Troy’s career started off in the Production class, where he successfully campaigned a Kawasaki KR1-S, so he had an idea what these two-stroke 250s were all about. Suzuki’s expectations for Phillip Island that year were to roll around and keep it…

The ancestry HONDA VF750F 1983 – Honda’s pioneering V4 sportsbike gets the V4-show on the road before blotting its copybook with soft camshafts and quality issues. HONDA VFR750F 1986 – Determined to salvage its reputation Honda launches a new over-engineered sportsbike the VFR750. No stumbles this time. It’s a V4-star. HONDA VFR750R (RC30) 1988 – Any remaining doubts about Honda’s V4-powered sportsbikes are put to rest following the release of this iconic racebikewith-lights.…

CHANGE THE PRIME Minister, change my helmet. That’s my motto, so I’ve been getting through a few helmets lately. After being knocked over by the impressive quality and comfort of the Kabuto Aeroblade 5 helmet, which retails for under $500 ($479.95), I decided to step up to the more track-orientated Kabuto RT-33 SP1 helmet. One advantage the RT-33 has over the Aeroblade 5 is the ability to fit various size Coolmax liners for a snugger fit. This has allowed me to match an extra-large size shell with a large-size liner. The RT-33 is designed and manufactured in Kabuto’s Japanese factory, and the quality is evident in its construction. As well as being Pinlock ready (and a Pinlock anti-fog liner is included), the Max Vision visors also feature the quick-change system…

Heading back to Launceston via the Diddington Rd through the quaint little village of Evandale, it is worth checking out the pub meals at the Clarendon Arms Hotel. There are also plenty of cafes and interesting stores to wander around. If you stay in Launceston, drop into the Cataract Reserve for a spot of cable gliding while you are there. If you pass through Ringarooma check out the chainsaw tree carvings! For up to date info on the area try the Launceston Visitor Information Centre on (03) 6336 3133 or email travelcentre@launceston.tas.gov.au. The Ben Lomond Parks office can be reached on (03) 6390 6279, although this is often unstaffed outside the snow season.…

Top 3 TV 1 WSBK Rd10 LIVE Algarve, PT Fox/Videopass 15 & 16 Sep 10pm (AEST) After a long break WSBK is finally back. Round 10 airs live from Algarve, PT on Fox Sports and through VideoPass. WSBK Race 1 starts 10pm (AEST) Saturday, WSS at 10.45pm Sunday and WSBK Race 2 at 12.15am Monday. 2 FIM MXGP Rd19 LIVE Assen, ND mx-gp-tv.com 16 & 17 Sep 7pm (AEST) Subscribers to MXGP-TV can catch Rd19 live from Assen. MX2 Race 1 starts at 9pm (AEST) on Sunday, followed by MXGP Race 1 at 10pm. MX2 Race 2 kicks off at midnight then MXGP Race 2 is on at 1am Monday. For the full schedule see mxgp-tv.com. 3 MotoGP Rd14 LIVE Aragon, ES Fox/Videopass Sun 20 Sep 7pm (AEST) MotoGP Rd14…

Was it the right decision? Hard to say not; even if the tail did wag the dog HOW THE GODS toy with mortal folly. It doesn’t really seem fair. Sadly, fairness has nothing to do with it. The abandonment of the British GP was a matter of epic incompetence. Everybody knows it rains at Silverstone. You just carry on regardless. Not for nothing are British fans the hardiest; not for nothing the years of experience in making racetracks. Nor the many, many wet British GPs there over the years. But it wasn’t rain that caused the first GP cancellation since 1980. It was a track surface that couldn’t deal with rain. A new surface. Unforgivable. The weekend started out embarrassing. The much-vaunted new asphalt over the wonderful longest lap of…

Winner’s Words Cru Halliday THE PRESSURE WAS on, we bought the helmet and T-shirts here, so we had to wrap it up! After the first race, it rattled me a little bit, but we got the points we needed. In the second race, that’s the hardest we’ve been pushed all year. I knew that if Tommy could keep it under control, he’s a young guy, he’s fast as hell and faster than what he thinks. He was pushing me the whole time to the point where I started making mistakes, and I had to tell myself to calm down. I can’t wait to go out and celebrate with the guys. They’ll probably be angry at me because I did a burnout! Yamaha R3 Cup MAX STAUFFER LANDED pole position before…

Jack Miller MotoGP 18th We had a lot of potential, but I couldn’t put it together this weekend. Marc passed me the lap before on the corner I crashed in, and I really wanted to stay with him, so I pushed really hard. I lose a little on acceleration, then with the full tank and not much rubber down I crashed. You live and learn. It was a good weekend, except for today. Remy Gardner Moto2 12th I qualified 14th but the lap was cancelled so I was demoted to 19th. That made the job harder. I struggled to get past guys in the beginning, but once I had fresh air I could pick up the pace and pass a few more so I got to 12th. Aegerter was pushing…

YOUNG AUSSIE TALENT Billy van Eerde picked up two more points in his Red Bull Rookies Cup campaign in the penultimate round at Misano on 7-9 September, with Turkish star Can Oncu wrapping up the title with one round still left to run. Can, whose worst result all year has been a single third-place finish at the Red Bull Ring, started from pole position. He set a blistering pace in qualifying, his pole time just three-hundredths of a second quicker than his brother Deniz, and some half a second quicker than the rest of the field. Despite registering the highest top speed of all the KTM 250R machines present, Van Eerde qualified 16th on the grid out of 22 riders, his best lap some 1.2s slower than Oncu’s pole lap.…

DESPITE THE DROUGHT, taking the Australian Off-Road Championship to Broken Hill for the first time will widen its appeal, and the adoption of the Hattah Desert Race format made sense for the seventh round of the AORC. Eight laps of a rugged 38km course was forecast to take four hours, and the course assessor, Trent Lean, was spot-on when Daniel Milner’s KTM 500 stopped the clocks a few seconds short of 3 hours 50 minutes, with the Husqvarna FE450 of arch-rival Daniel Sanders less than a minute further back. Luke Styke proved that lack of cubes in the bulldust was no handicap, pushing his Yamaha WR250F to the final podium spot ahead of Lyndon Snodgrass on the KTM 300 two-stroke. The result moves Milner nine points and three wins clear…

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 if you’re the tow-truck driver who was called to pick up Andy Strapz’ turbo-diesel van. It wasn’t that long ago we were telling stories out of school about him giving his V-Strom 650 a belly full of diesel, which is why we can’t not tell you that the same bloke may or may not have filled his van with $150 worth of premium unleaded before pulling out of the servo and heading off to work in a hurry...…