Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 68 Issue 09 i Australian Motorcycle News

I HAVE LOST count of how many Aussie MotoGP events I have attended; maybe I should have kept my passes as a souvenir and reminder. Jack Miller’s exciting Moto3 win in 2014 was a highlight Race fans remember particular years because of the on-track action, and who won (or who didn’t win). But for the AMCN crew, it’s usually something that happens away from the track that serves as a reminder; like that time in 2013 when then-editor Sam Maclachlan left the AMCN house to head to the track for race-day Sunday. Thinking he was the last to depart, he securely locked the house and became the custodian of the keys. Unfortunately, he was unaware that the international photographers sharing our digs had a rare opportunity for a late start…

ENGINE Configuration Three-cylinder inline Cylinder head DOHC, four valves per cylinder Capacity 765cc Bore/stroke 78 x 53.4mm Compression ratio 14: 1 Cooling Liquid Fueling EFI, 3 x 44mm Keihin throttle bodies Power 101kW @ 14,000rpm (claimed) Torque 80Nm @ 13,500rpm (claimed) TRANSMISSION Type Six-speed Clutch Wet, slipper-type Final drive Chain CHASSIS Frame material Aluminium Frame layout Twin-spar Rake 23.5° Trail 86.8mm SUSPENSION K-Tech Front: 43mm USD, fully adjustable, pressurised gas internals Rear: Monoshock, fully adjustable WHEELS/TYRES Wheels Forged aluminium Front: 17 x 3.5 Rear: 17 x 5.5 Tyres Dunlop Moto2 Front: 120/70-17 Rear: 195/75-17 BRAKES Nissin Front: Twin 320mm discs, four-piston radial calipers Rear: Single 220mm disc, two-piston caliper DIMENSIONS Weight 155kg (kerb, claimed) Seat height Not given Max width Not given Max height Not given Wheelbase 1400mm Fuel capacity…

INTERCEPTOR THE ORIGINAL INTERCEPTOR (right) was the pinnacle of Royal Enfield’s twin-cylinder evolution. When the final Interceptor rolled out of the underground Bradford-on-Avon Royal Enfield factory in 1970, it was to be the last Royal Enfield to be powered by a parallel-twin engine for 48 years. The original Interceptor was released in 1962, but it was not Royal Enfield’s first parallel-twin cylinder motorcycle; that honour belongs to the bike simply known as the 500 Twin. It included swingarm rear suspension – a first for a British motorcycle – and was capable of 86mph (138km/h). In 1953, Royal Enfield released a 700cc motorcycle called the Meteor; at the time it was Britain’s largest-capacity parallel twin. In 1956 it became the Super Meteor with 42hp (31kW) and was the first Royal Enfield…

DANI PEDROSA Repsol Honda Too light to tango, Dani pays the price of Michelins that some struggle to get warm enough. After announcing his retirement he’s running out of time to preserve his record of at least one win every year for the past 17. But he’ll try. JOHANN ZARCO Monster Yamaha Last year’s shooting star, Zarco hasn’t exactly fizzled out in 2018, but he’s been struggling with Yamaha’s problems just like the factory guys. Next year he joins KTM, so this is his last chance with the M1. ANDREA IANNONE ECSTAR Suzuki Dropped by Ducati for 2017, ‘The Maniac’ has now lost his Suzuki ride. Aprilia next year, so he’s been making the most of the GSX-RR with three podiums. Seagulls beware. ALVARO BAUTISTA Angel Nieto Ducati The former…

MARCEL SCHROTTER Dynavolt Intact Kalex Experienced German has been there or there abouts all year, although only once on the podium so far. It was a career first, but unlikely to be the last. JOAN MIR EG-VDS Kalex Fresh from a runaway Moto3 title, Mir burst into Moto2 with three podiums. Tipped for the big time, he’s straight to MotoGP with Suzuki next year. Wants a Moto2 win first. ALEX MARQUEZ EG-VDS Kalex Marc’s younger brother has had a ghastly season, strewn with crashes interspersed with five podiums, in the points only once in the last six races. Desperate for at least one race victory to gild the pill. XAVI VIERGE Dynavolt Intact Kalex In his third Moto2 season, Vierge has troubled the fast men from the start … until…

Urban sprawl URBAN ALLEY IS back for 2018, where you can witness live urban art being created, nick in and get yourself a new haircut or a shave at the Chop Shop, and check out an impressive display of bikes while you’re there. As well as a great range of historic machinery to feast your eyes on, there’ll be a swag of cool customs, which will be open for voting on by GP goers, to determine the people’s choice. To vote, head to the event’s website and follow the links, or straight to motogp.com.au/vote-2018. Voting closes at 4pm on Saturday 27 October, so get up there early and get it done. Doohan laps! AUSTRALIA’S FIVE-TIME world champ Mick Doohan will be the rider charged with punting the race version of…

Restoring a deteriorating circuit into a world-class facility capable of hosting a World 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix was entrusted to a bloke named Bob Barnard. A road builder by trade and a motorsport nut by choice, he not only succeeded in creating the perfect venue for what was considered in 1989 to be one of the best Grands Prix of all time, but which is still considered today by the world’s top riders to be one of the best grand prix circuits on the calendar. Amazing circuits produce amazing racing, and that’s exactly what we’ve been served over three decades of Grand Prix racing Down Under. These are our stand outs. 1 1989 500cc GP The first-ever Australian Grand Prix was the second round of the 1989 500cc World Championship.…

LORENZO SAYS THE fast Turn 12 is his favourite corner of the picturesque Phillip Island circuit. “Because it is a corner where you slide a lot and is very narrow and very long and also goes up and down a little. But Phillip Island has a lot of beautiful corners, so it is difficult to chose one. Turn 3 (Stoner Corner) is also nice, plus I like over Lukey Heights.” When it comes to the best place to attack and overtake, it’s not surprising that it’s two of the slowest corners on the otherwise fast and flowing track. “At the two hairpins braking into first gear,” he offers. “But the first corner (the blisteringly quick Doohan Corner) also is an overtaking opportunity.” And defending your position with the pack racing…

ORRITE YOU LOT, I’m gonna be busy at this year’s Aussie MotoGP – Ducati has asked me to show Jorge the fastest way around the track on the two-seater, so I’m countin’ on youse to do me a couple of favours. While I’m locked in yarns with Gigi, I want to be kept up to date with what’s going on around the traps, and I want some ripper pics, too. Rather than trusting one of those bludging mongrel AMCN journos, I want you blokes (and sheilas) to do it. And the one who does the most tops job will win a grouse prize! Look, if ya get bored and decide drinking piss in the campground is more important, or you don’t get ’em all done cos you’re a lazy cahn,…

Show time 28 OCTOBER Auto Show, Cars, Bikes & Trucks, Baxter Primary School, Baxter-Tooradin Rd & Grant Rd, Baxter, Vic. 10am-3pm; show entry $15 (bikes), $20 (cars) $30 (trucks); general admission gold coin donation. Trophies up for grabs. Supporting Baxter CFA. For information phone Tammy on 0409 394 464 or email president@justcruizn.com.au. 28 OCTOBER Nathalia Fire Brigade 2018 Motocycle Show, Nathalia Recreation Reserve, Nathalia, Vic. Gates open 8am. Entry $5; general admission $5. All bikes welcome, several categories and trophies. Judging finishes 12.30pm followed by presentation. Fully catered, swap meet and market stalls. For information phone Peter on 0417 355 699, Brian on 0439 578 236 or see nathaliafca.com. To book a stall phone Viv on 0438 770 377. 4 NOVEMBER Fernvale Car & Bike Show, 1483 Brisbane Valley Highway,…

THERE WAS SOMETHING missing from the finish line of the Thai GP. It was Jorge Lorenzo’s Ducati, which might even have won the race if, er, circumstances hadn’t intervened. Actually there was something else missing; an explanation from Ducati about exactly what happened to slew the Spaniard sideways, and then shoot him skywards at some speed. It was a spectacular Friday afternoon high jump that cracked his left wrist and didn’t do his freshly broken right foot much good either. Something caused his Desmosedici’s engine revs to drop rapidly, precipitating a horrible crash. But while Ducati admitted it had been a “technical” failure, they have so far declined to give details. Which has just one result – wild speculation, that is potentially much worse than the truth. Better they should…

It was our first round win this year, which is not too bad! To sum up the year, I’d say I’m relieved, because I wasn’t sure if I’d be competitive or not. There were times when we were struggling and I wondered if it was my age, but sometimes it doesn’t matter how old you are; if the bike setting isn’t right, it isn’t going to let you do what you want. We were talking about my wider lines in the pits between races and I told the guys it basically came down to the way the bike was working, not me. Then we made some good decisions for Race 2 and it’s probably the best the bike has been all year. I really had fun riding it!…

Still no West Anthony West’s replacement for this round in the EAB antwest Kawasaki WorldSSP squad was Glenn van Straalen, who qualified 23rd and last after a crash in Superpole 1. He fell early in the race and didn’t score. Sparking concern The all-new Circuito San Juan Villicum was indeed just that, brand-new. So new that it only got the go-ahead in April, and was built almost from the ground up in that time frame. A fabulous new venue, it had some teething problems, including rain on Saturday night that permeated the paddock roof. Aruba.it Ducati and Triple M Honda had printers, tyre warmers and other forms of electrical equipment laid out in pitlane to dry out before being plugged in. Rocky start The asphalt at Villicum was another talking…

“It’s a shame because the weekend was really positive. The race pace wasn’t bad, and I felt like I could close the gap to Rins and Iannone. But after Zarco overtook me, I made a mistake in braking and crashed.” “A tough day. I felt strong in qualifying and warm-up, and I thought I could have a good race, but I had rear grip problems right from the start of the race, and I couldn’t fight at all.”…

KAWASAKI’S REVAMPED 2019 ZX-6R has finally broken cover, with its technical details precisely as we predicted months ago. While heavily based on the existing model in production since 2013, it now conforms to Euro4 emissions regulations, and its styling matches Kawasaki’s latest family look. Subtle tweaks to the 636cc engine trade a largely academic top speed for more acceleration; better for most day-to-day riding situations. There are now two riding modes and an upshift-only quickshifter, as well as revised instruments with a fuel gauge and a remaining-range display. Revamped bodywork gets reverse-rake LED headlights, giving a family link to the more exotic H2 Superbike.…

BMW HASN’T HAD much luck when it comes to keeping a shroud of secrecy around its forthcoming C400GT scooter, designed for freeway use. First its existence was revealed via design drawings, then confirmed by emissions certification documentation. And now a real photograph of the bike has emerged, thanks to BMW’s Chinese partners Loncin, which manufactures the existing C400X scooter and will also make this C400GT spin-off version. Mechanically, the bike is identical to the C400X, sharing the same 25kW, 350cc single-cylinder engine and steel tube chassis, as well as using the same aluminium swingarm and conventional 35mm fork. As such, its weight will also be similar at about 204kg, ready-to-ride. Where it really differs is in the styling. It’s a more conventional design than the GS-inspired C400X, dumping the lopsided…

Star performer THE NEW SOUTH Wales Government has announced a star rating system for protective motorcycle clothing called Motorcycle Clothing Assessment Program (MotoCAP). It puts the garments through a series of tests and then rates them for both protection and comfort. Check it out at motocap.com.au Fork, that’s good THE CHARITY STARS auction to help seven-year-old Canberra girl Freyja with her battle against a rare and, so far, incurable cancer has again attracted the support of the MotoGP and WSBK paddocks. This year’s auctions include a WorldSBK-spec Öhlins fork worth over $16K – imagine that on your Honda CB125! To place a bid, head to www.charitystars.com/acureforfreyja. The auction ends on 8 November. RIDE TO WORK THIS WEEK IS Ride Your Motorcycle to Work Week, designed at getting fair-weather riders back…

The year was ... 001985 JOHN HOWARD REPLACES Andrew Peacock as the Federal Liberal leader and a young man enters the House of Representatives and takes a seat at the front bench, wearing a chicken suit. TV soap Neighbours is launched on Network Seven, axed six months later and relaunched on Channel 10. Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior is sunk in Auckland harbour by French agents, and Mikhail Gorbachev becomes the Soviet leader. Sport Mick Hone Suzuki’s Rob Phillis wins the Tassie 2-hour race at Symmons Plains after a last lap battle with Kawasaki mounted Len Willing. Bike test Two of the greatest names in European motorcycling combine their finest attributes to create the road going Bimota DB1. Very much a racer without the engine mods, the DB1 actually sells for less…

When news broke that Triumph was set to replace Honda as the control engine supplier for Moto2 with a specially tuned version of its then-new 765cc triple, eyebrows were raised around the world, followed by wide grins. It meant that from 2019 onwards the no-holds barred warfare that is Moto2 will play to a new soundtrack, with Honda’s high-revving four-cylinder 600cc screamers replaced by the glorious mellifluous howl of a herd of open-pipe three-cylinder racers. It’s a triple treat that hasn’t been heard on a racetrack for the best part of 50 years, ever since Giacomo Agostini scored successive GP world titles on the three-cylinder MV Agusta machinery in the early 1970s. It’s the biggest shake up to the intermediate class since Moto2 replaced 250cc two-strokes in 2010. Not only…

ENGINE Configuration Parallel-twin, SOHC, four-valves per cylinder Capacity 648cc Bore/stroke 78 x 67.8mm Compression ratio 9.5: 1 Cooling Air/oil Fueling Bosch EFI, twin throttle bodies Power 35kW @ 7250rpm (claimed) Torque 52Nm @ 5250rpm (claimed) TRANSMISSION Type Six-speed Clutch Wet, slipper-type Final drive Chain CHASSIS Frame material Tubular steel Frame layout Double cradle Rake 24° Trail 106mm SUSPENSION Gabriel Front: 41mm, non-adjustable, 110mm travel Rear: Twin coil-over gas-charged piggyback reservoir shocks, 88mm travel WHEELS/TYRES Wheels wire-spoked alloy Front: 18 x 2.5 Rear: 18 x 3.5 Tyres Pirelli Phantom Sportcomp Front: 100/90-18 Rear: 130/70-18 BRAKES ByBre Front: Single 320mm disc, twin-piston caliper Rear: Single 240mm disc, single-piston caliper Bosch ABS DIMENSIONS Weight GT: 198kg Interceptor: 202kg (oil/no fuel, claimed) Seat height GT: 790mm Interceptor: 804mm Max width Not given Max height…

IF YOU’RE READY to run to your local Yamaha dealership to put a deposit down on a new Tracer 900 or Tracer 900 GT, and you can stretch your budget a little further, here are our three top pics from the Y-Shop genuine parts accessories catalogue. Prices don’t include fitting. Check out the full range at yshop.yamahamotor.com.au Heated comfort seat $595 The dumping of snow the Queenstown region received just prior to our ride kept the ambient temperatures well down. The heated comfort seat was a timely godsend, especially when combined with the GT’s standard heated grips. High screen $279.91 The redesigned adjustable screen on the new Tracer does a great job of shielding the rider against the elements, but if you plan to punch out big-kilometre runs, the optional…

1978-1979 ELF X DE CORTANZE’S FIRST motorcycle design, built around a Yamaha TZ750, where apart from small engine plates front and rear on which the suspension pivoted, the chassis was eliminated. Problems stemmed from the unsuitability of a two-stroke engine for use as a fully-stressed member, but its light weight of just 130kg (compared to 160kg for a standard TZ750) showed the idea had validity. 1980-1983 ELFE THE FIRST HONDA-POWERED ELF design, this endurance racer based largely on the ELF X featured carbon fibre brake discs and a rear sprocket on the opposite side of the wheel nut, enabling front and rear wheels to be changed in seconds – vital in Endurance racing. The 1000cc Honda RSC four-stroke engine worked better as a stressed member, but reliability prevented it from…

MARC MARQUEZ Repsol Honda One day, one supposes, somebody will come along to supplant Marquez. Doesn’t look like it’ll be any time soon. His talent, his skills, his Honda – even his luck – make him invincible. ANDREA DOVIZIOSO Ducati MotoGP’s most thoughtful and careful star turned 32 in March, and this will be his 292nd consecutive start. He hasn’t missed a race since starting in 125cc category in 2002. He also keeps getting faster. JORGE LORENZO Ducati Coming to the end of two difficult years with Ducati, his recent form has reestablished his stature as one of the giants. Jorge is definitely fast enough, but will he be fit enough? VALENTINO ROSSI Movistar Yamaha This year’s Yamaha may have lost its way, and Rossi’s results only occasionally stellar. But…

TV Channel 10 and ONEHD will broadcast the live qualifying sessions and races for all classes, and will run through to 5pm to include the MotoGP podium presentation. Fox Sports will broadcast the event too, so check local guides for details. Computer Anyone who has forked out their hard-earned for a subscription to the official online MotoGP coverage will tell you it’s money well spent. Being so late in the season, if you subscribe now, you’ll pick up a bargain for the remaining rounds. Phablet There are some beaut MotoGP apps for your phone or tablet, both official or otherwise. The official MotoGP Live Experience app is coloured dots moving around an animated track in real time, as well as live timing and the latest news. Wireless Tune into the…

The 1993 500cc World Championship was a classic duel, like Agostini versus Hailwood, or Sheene versus Roberts. And like all two-way fights, the season ended with joy for the winner and disappointment for the loser – except in 1993, those emotions were different. Wayne Rainey’s Misano crash broke his back and ended his career. It also ended the career of title-winner Kevin Schwantz; it just took him a while to realise it. The two Americans had been battling for the 500cc crown since 1988, Rainey taking a title hat-trick in 1990, 1991 and 1992, while Schwantz mostly crashed too much because Suzuki’s RGV500 wasn’t good enough. The crucial moment of Schwantz’s superb 1993 season came in late 1991, when former Kawasaki and HRC technician Stuart Shenton joined Suzuki to run…

So, how does Casey Stoner see the GP18 riders standing on the top step of the podium at this year’s Australian Grand Prix? “FIRSTLY AT PHILLIP Island you cannot be a super-late braker; you have to be smooth and put the whole track together and not be aggressive. The Ducati has speed and power but the riders will need patience to wait for the bike to turn and then use the bike’s strengths. “You have to ride the Island unlike any other circuit; there is no point braking deep and keeping the load on the front, and then getting on the gas. The turning is an issue Ducati has had for years, so what I do is turn the bike a lot more on the rear. “I use the throttle…

I WILL BE HEADING over to the International Six Day Enduro in Chile in a few days with Tayla Jones and Mackenzie Tricker. I haven’t seen the girls all year so it will be great to catch up with these good friends. I have been a part of a winning ISDE team the past five years and have represented Australia seven times, with this year being my eighth ISDE. It is the first time for Mackenzie, although I’m confident with her American off-road experience, she will be a strong force in continuing to keep Aussie women on top of the world. Going into the ISDE, it is the end of season so everyone’s bike fitness will already be there. We also had the A4DE, which was a great way to…

DAMON REES (CARL Cox Motorsport) broke through for his maiden Kawasaki Australian Supersport round win, but it was far from a simple result as drama ensued from the opening turn. After starting on pole, Cru Halliday (Yamaha Racing Team) appeared to be contacted by the fast-starting Max Croker (Mat Mladin Racing) as he gunned for the holeshot. As Halliday clung to the side of his bike, he then made contact with a startled Tom Toparis (Cube Racing), ending up with both feet off the pegs as he struggled to maintain control of his Yamaha YZF-R6 and eventually finding himself way down the order in P18. “One of the riders went for a gap he shouldn’t have tried to get through,” explained Halliday after the race. Meanwhile, Croker forged ahead up…

WSBK San Juan Villicum, Argentinian Circuit length 4.260km Race distance WSBK R1 89.460km WSBK R2 89.460km 2017 winners Race 1 New Event Race 2 New Event Did you know? Florian Marino replaced PJ Jacobsen in Argentina and will race for Triple M Honda for the remainder of the season. Jacobsen has scored just one top-10 finish this year, while Marino has spent the past four years in the European Superstock 1000 class, taking six podiums from 22 races. Round 12 Finishing positions Race 1 Finishing positions Race 2…

MotoGP Motegi, Japan Circuit length 4.801km Race distance MotoGP 115.225km Moto2 103.622km Moto3 96.020km 2017 winners MotoGP A Dovizioso 47m14.236s Moto2 A Marquez 38m08.901s Moto3 R Fenati 29m22.278s Did you know? Marc Marquez’s post-race celebration of his fifth MotoGP title, and seventh in all, reached Rossi-at-his-peak proportions. Apart from T-shirts and a helmet to mark the occasion, Marquez stopped on-track to play an old-school style ‘Level 7’ video game (fake, of course). To get to the games machine he had to walk up steps – seven, naturally – and conquer the game, which showed a pixelated Marquez crossing the finish line, in front of his stylised team members. Round 16 Finishing positions…

Rins not ready SUZUKI RIDER ALEX Rins concedes he is not yet ready to challenge the newly crowned world champion but says he has unfinished business this season. Aboard the agile GSX-RR, Rins has four consecutive top-six finishes, the latest a third-place podium in Japan when he easily edged out Valentino Rossi’s Yamaha YZR-M1. Now ninth on 118 points Rins, 22, is ahead of teammate Andrea Iannone (113) and also fancies a top-six championship finish, which means heading off Jorge Lorenzo (130), as well as Danilo Petrucci and Johann Zarco both on 133. “Marc Marquez is clearly one step ahead compared to all the other riders,” Rins said. “My target is to finish the season in front of Andrea, but for sure I want to try and catch the next…

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 our ‘Tester for a Day’ winner Paul Treverrow, who proved a thoroughly worthy winner, except for the bit where he needed to know his right from his left. When the team turned right, Paul went left, and was not seen again for some time. Thankfully he reappeared an hour later looking a little flustered. Good thing, too. Imagine the bloody paperwork!…

THIS IS THE Ducati many Australians, including racers Troy Bayliss and Josh Brookes, are desperately waiting for. A prototype of the race-ready Panigale V4 R made a brief on-track debut in WSBK form at the season-ending round of the British Superbike championship at Brands Hatch last week. Ducati test rider Michele Pirro made a few quick demonstration laps and, while the all-black prototype racer is far from a showroom machine, it gives an insight into some of the changes we can expect to see on the range-topping V4 R when it’s officially revealed during Ducati’s online presentation on 4 November. Make no mistake, this will be the closest Ducati comes to making another MotoGP bike for the road. The three-time World Superbike champion Bayliss has revealed exclusively to AMCN that…

BMW’S NEW 1254CC, 100kW Boxer twin – complete with its Shift Cam variable valve timing and lift – is set to be transplanted into the R 1200 R and R 1200 RS for 2019. While we’ve yet to officially see the new bikes, we’ve managed to get our hands on some detailed specifications for the new R 1250 R and R 1250 RS. These show BMW is transplanting the new engine into the existing machines, rather than creating new models around it. The 1254cc engine is 84cc larger than the current 1170cc and makes 8kW more power. Torque rises even more, from 125Nm to 143Nm at 6500rpm. Expect BMW to launch them at next month’s EICMA…

FRESHLY CROWNED SUPERSPORT 300 champion Tom Bramich has joined Aussie legends such as Mick Doohan, Daryl Beattie and Mat Mladin as a winner of the coveted RK Chains Samurai Award. Chosen by a panel of key motorcycle industry figures, it recognises the 21-year-old Victorian as Australia’s most improved and outstanding young talent. The unique trophy was presented by AMCN’s Matt O’Connell at the ASBK Night of Champions dinner at Phillip Island on 14 October. Bramich, whose ultimate aim is to become an ASBK factory Superbike rider, was only off the podium five times out of 21 races this season.…

MotoGP fun The antics of Marc Marquez behind the wheel of a Tuk Tuk to promote the Thailand Motorcycle Grand Prix were hilarious. Will it be drop bears in Oz? AMCN MoTY The Oz GP means it’s almost time for the AMCN Motorcycle of The Year shootout. The eight finalists that will fight for the coveted gong will be revealed next issue. Quick to judge Katana fans have been quick to throw mud at Suzuki’s 21st Century version. The GSX-S1000 it’s based on is a cracking bike, so we’ll wait to test it before passing judgement. See ya legend 1972 Castrol 6-Hour winner Mike Steel passed away this month. Partnered by Dave Burgess, the pair completed 334 laps on their Kawasaki H2 750 to win by two laps.…

Congratulations Stuart, 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 Rider Stuart Walker Bike 2013 Suzuki C90T BOSS He says Here is Bob. Bob was purchased new in Oct 2013 and is now booked in for its 24,000km service. He is 100 percent reliable and has never missed a beat. Bob is my first roadbike, and we can be found more Sundays than not riding with mates as well as the occasional weekend away. This year, between Christmas and New Year, we will again do the Snowy Ride with a group of seven. Bob occasionally has the wife on the back but in the…

ENGINE Configuration Inline three-cylinder Cylinder head DOHC, four valves per cylinder Capacity 847cc Bore/stroke 78 x 59.1mm Compression ratio 11.5: 1 Cooling Liquid Fueling EFI, 3 x 41mm Mikuni throttle bodies Power 84kW @ 10,000rpm (claimed) Torque 87.5Nm @ 8500rpm (claimed) TRANSMISSION Type Six-speed Clutch Wet, slipper-type Final drive Chain CHASSIS Frame material Cast aluminium Frame layout Diamond Rake 24.5° Trail 100mm SUSPENSION KYB Front: 41mm USD, adjustable rebound and preload (GT: Fully adjustable), 137mm travel Rear: Monoshock, adjustable rebound and preload (GT: adds remote preload adjuster), 142mm travel WHEELS/TYRES Wheels Cast aluminium Front: 17 x 3.5 Rear: 17 x 5.5 Dunlop Sportmax D222 Front: 120/70ZR17 (58W) Rear: 180/55ZR17 (75W) BRAKES Front: Twin 298mm discs, four-piston radial mount calipers Rear: Single 245mm disc, single-piston caliper ABS equipped DIMENSIONS Weight 214kg…

CAL CRUTCHLOW LCR Castrol Honda Cal’s press-on style has seen him fall several times, but also netted him a win in Argentina. With factory backing and a past Island win in his portfolio, he’ll be pressing on again in Oz. JACK MILLER Alma Pramac Ducati Jack took to the Ducati like a toff to a tailored suit. After three years on a sub-prime Honda, a factory bike – albeit last year’s model – gave him the chance to show his depth of talent. Racing at home will be another big boost. ALEX RINS ECSTAR Suzuki In his second year, on an improved bike, last year’s injury victim has shown rapidly growing strength. Rins had been increasingly adventurous and aggressive in the later races, and the track will suit the Suzuki.…

PECCO BAGNAIA SKY VR46 Kalex Just 21, the Rossi protégé is on a fast track, joining Ducati’s Pramac satellite team next year. His riding shows how he deserves it: fast, accurate, consistent. A complete package. MIGUEL OLIVEIRA Red Bull KTM In his third year, Oliveira has had two problems. One is qualifying – too often too far from the front row. The other is that Bagnaia is too often a touch faster. Can he change that in Oz? BRAD BINDER Red Bull KTM Former Moto3 champ has really come of age in his second Moto2 year, with two wins – and potentially better results elsewhere (as in Thailand), when he wasn’t trying to help out his teammate Oliveira. LUCA MARINI SKY VR46 Kalex Well-connected, Valentino’s young half-brother’s form in the…

JORGE MARTIN Del Conca Gresini Honda At 20, Martin’s talent shows best in qualifying – before Japan he had amassed a record 18 poles. Good at winning races too, and probably the title. MARCO BEZZECCHI Redox Pruestel KTM Where Martin looks in control, Bezzecchi looks like a crazy man. But his finishing record is good, with two wins and five seconds. Cheerful and fast. FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO Del Conca Gresini Honda Would have had three wins this year had France not been taken away for some footling penalty. And in title contention. Too tall for Moto3, but not too slow. ENEA BASTIANINI Leopard Honda Has fallen short of 2018 expectation, slow early on and having to make up ground at the end. Still managed one win, and is a candidate…

FRIDAY 7.45am Gates open 10am Moto3 FP1 (40 mins) 10.55am MotoGP FP1 (45 mins) 11.55am Moto2 FP1 (45 mins) 2.10pm Moto3 FP2 (40 mins) 3.05pm MotoGP FP2 (45 mins) 4.05pm Moto2 FP2 (45 mins) 7pm Gates close SATURDAY 8.30am Gates open 10am Moto3 FP1 (40 mins) 10.55am MotoGP FP1 (45 mins) 11.55am Moto2 FP1 (45 mins) 1.35pm Moto3 Qualifying (40 mins) 2.30pm MotoGP FP4 (30 mins) 3.10pm MotoGP Q1 (15 mins) 3.35pm MotoGP Q2 (15 mins) 4.05pm Moto2 Qualifying (45 mins) 7pm Gates close SUNDAY 8am Gates open 10.40am Moto3 Warm-up (20 mins) 11.10am MotoGP Warm-up (20 mins) 11.40am MotoGP Warm-up (20 mins) 12.25pm MotoGP Parade lap 1pm Moto3 Grand Prix (23 laps) 2.20pm Moto2 Grand Prix (25 laps) 4pm MotoGP Grand Prix (27 laps) 7pm Gates close…

“I WAS DEFINITELY a changed person in 1994. Wayne’s injury changed my attitude to racing – do I really want to do this? I had a big crash in testing at Phillip Island. I came to a stop. Then the next second, boom! The bike lands right next to me. I thought, holy fuck, if I’d not rolled that last revolution, I’d probably be dead. That crash wouldn’t have bothered me in 1988. “Then I fell off my mountain bike and broke my arm, so then I had something else to focus on. I won at Suzuka and I was like, ‘see, I can still do it!’ Then we got to Jerez, set a new lap record, only to have Doohan beat me. There was nothing we could do, no…

SINCE HE JOINED MotoGP as a star recruit with Yamaha in 2008 Lorenzo has only a single victory in the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island. That was in 2013 aboard a YZR-M1, so even with Yamaha’s famed smooth handling, Lorenzo has never pulled together a string of victories at the Island. His talent and appetite for winning are unquestioned. The three-time MotoGP world champion (2010, 2012 and 2015) has a stunning 47 premier class victories. And as for his factory Ducati teammate Andrea Dovizioso, the numbers are even worse. Dovi has never won at the Island – on either Ducati, Honda or Yamaha – and the seaside circuit has been a most unfriendly venue for the Italian rider. His best result of third came way back in 2011 on…

THE OLD CIRCUIT is situated close to the C-32 toll road from Barcelona in the north and Valencia in the south, high up in the hills that overlook Sitges and the blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Sitges itself is today more famous for its gay community and annual Gay Pride festival than for its former role as a fishing port, or its would-be mecca of motorsport. A small village near the town of Sant Pere de Ribes nestles right beside the circuit, separated from the towering old bankings by a stream. Approaching the village, the eastern banking of the track, with its near-vertical top section, pokes eerily out of the trees and is clearly visible from the main road. A tunnel runs under the first section of the eastern…

Top 3 TV 1 WSBK Rd13 LIVE Losail, QT Fox/Videopass 26 & 27 Oct 11pm & 9.30pm The final round of the Superbike World Championship takes place in Qatar. WSBK Race 1 will air live on Videopass and Fox Sports at 11pm (AEDT) Friday, WSS at 9.30pm Saturday and WSBK Race 2 at 11pm Saturday. 2 MotoGP Rd17 LIVE Phillip Is. Fox/Videopass Sun 28 Oct 9am (AEST) MotoGP heads to Australia for Rd17 and for those who can't make the pilgrimage to the Island, all the action will be aired live on Videopass, Fox Sports and One HD. Moto3 starts at 9am (AEDT) followed by Moto2 at 10.20am and MotoGP at 12pm. 3 15 Years of Red Bull Romaniacs Red Bull TV On demand Anytime This short film takes a…

MANY MOTOGP fans may think it a left-field decision to have Triumph providing the engines for Moto2 from next year, but it makes total sense for many of us former Seventies longhairs. As well as Triumph’s deal with Dorna bringing a three-cylinder powerplant onto the grid that has totally different characteristics to Honda’s inline four, it also harks back to a period of racing heroics. In the late ’60s and early ’70s, the world’s most winning grand prix racer was going about his business on a range of MV Agustas with varying engine configurations. Today, Giacomo Agostini nominates MV’s three-cylinder engine as his favourite. At the same time Triumph-BSA’s production-based triple was a frontrunner in the fledgling Formula 750 class. Eventually Ago’s MV and Triumph’s Trident, rebadged as a BSA,…

It was a hectic race, right from the start there was bar banging. I’m just rapt to be honest, that was an awesome race. I didn’t do as much passing as I wanted but to be on the podium, I’m stoked. From what I can see, the Honda lags off the turns. In the first round this year it was good off the turns with the stock engine we had, but it had nothing up top. So we dialed the cams a little bit after Round 2, which immediately gave us more top-end power, but we lost it down low. If we had the time to dial the cams for each track we would, but at the end of the day, this track, it’s probably suited [us] the most.…

Magical Marc Marquez’s fifth MotoGP crown in six years added more records to an already bulging portfolios of ‘firsts’ and ‘youngest-evers’. He is the youngest to win seven championships, taking over from Valentino Rossi and Mike Hailwood. Rossi was 25 years and 246 days old; Mike the Bike was 26 plus 140 days. He also deposes Valentino Rossi as the youngest rider to have won five premier-class titles. Lorenzo to miss PI Jorge Lorenzo has flown back to Europe for medical treatment to his fractured left radius bone, in the hope of getting fit for the Malaysian GP at Sepang in two weeks’ time. The Ducati star’s withdrawal from the Japanese GP, after just two exploratory laps on Friday, was triggered by pain, and the risk of making the fracture…

JACK MILLER IS planning to use the comfort zone of his home race at Phillip Island for a late season surge after an early exit from Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix. Miller is focussed on the Australian GP to cast aside the disappointment of his Motegi tumble after a brilliant front-row qualifying run. Miller refuses to accept that the Ducati Desmosedici is a spent force at the Island and is channeling Casey Stoner’s superb record at home for a mind over matter assault on his home race. And bettering his seventh place on a Honda RC213V last year is the Queenslander’s target. “I am really excited about the Island because for me it is more of a rider’s track rather than about the bike,” Miller said. “If you can get a…

THE LINE-UP FOR 2019’s MotoE championship continues to take shape, with the announcement that current Reale Avintia MotoGP rider Xavier Simeon will lead the team in the five-round all-electric series. The former Moto2 race winner joined the Spanish squad in MotoGP this year, but has had a disappointing season. The 29-year-old Belgian is yet to score any points and it has been previously confirmed that his two-year contract was in peril, and that Karel Abraham would take over his seat alongside Tito Rabat next year. The announcement is something of a stay of execution. Being part of the completely new championship, he said, “will be an important step in my racing career.” “I can’t wait to go testing and see what we can achieve, because even though the bikes are…