Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 66 Issue 19 i Australian Motorcycle News

MUGEN SHINDEN, THE dominant force in the annual TT Zero held at the Isle of Man TT, has unveiled its 2017 electric-powered TT contender. Looking leaner and meaner than the firm’s outgoing Go (which translates to five from Japanese), the updated Roku (yep, meaning six) is visibly narrower than its predecessor despite only tipping the scales one kilogram lighter. According to the firm, the 370-volt laminate-type lithium-ion battery is capable of 119kW and 210Nm. That’s impressive performance, but it will be needed to propel a 248kg machine around the punishing 37.74-mile Mountain Course. The bike will be ridden by Mugen Shinden’s regular rider John McGuinness, whose factory Honda teammate Guy Martin has been named to replace 2016 race-winner Bruce Anstey for the 2017 event. Expectation is high that either the…

IT’S NO SECRET KTM has been hard at work on an effective and sustainable fuel-injection system for its large and successful range of off-road two-stroke motorcycles. Between patents and spy images, we’ve been aware that the firm has been tinkering away behind closed doors at its Mattighofen R&D facility in Austria for a number of years. It’s certainly doable, as proven in the PWC and marine segment where efficient fuel-injected two-stroke engines using direct injection are produced by the likes of Evinrude and BRP’s Ski-Doo. For dirtbikes, where the attraction of a two-stroke is that it is lightweight, compact and mechanically rather simple, developing a fuel-injection system that ticks all these boxes has its challenges. Now, when emission controls have never been stricter, KTM has announced that its 2018 EXC…

It’s not motorbike acceleration, but the sprint to the ton is in the realm of some pretty expensive sports cars A 12-volt power outlet means you can charge your phone on the go Front end features 41mm upside-down fork A single full-face helmet can be safely secured under the seat Rear wheel is controlled by a separate swingarm and horizontally positioned rear shock PROS Brakes Comfort Keyless operation CONS No cruise control Lack of storage WITH EVER-INCREASING traffic and a dwindling supply of city parking, scooters have become a logical and popular choice for commuters – all you have to do is look at CBD parking lots to see a plethora of them. The reason for this is that scooters are easy to handle, convenient and relaxing, not only for…

Instant and adrenaline-pumping power erupts from this wild motor What’s new... Up front - Higher spec front suspension - Twin-eye four-bulb LED headlights (1), six-bulb LED position lights with winglets and front turn signals beside radiator - Radiator side fins and enlarged air intakes (2) - Instruments integrated with headlight assembly (3) Out back - Re-designed seat, flatter and 5mm higher - 30mm shorter tail with integrated 3D light - Rear fender licence plate holder with single-sided mount (4) Under the skin - Quickshifter for clutchless upshifts - Assist and slipper clutch - Flat muffler surface with restyled end cap (5) Do you remember when riding ‘bitza’ bikes with superbike mills, cut-back subframes, brightly painted wheels and a tiny supermotard front cowl was all the rage? It was probably around…

In his autobiography, John Surtees spoke of “the inherent Surtees family cussedness”. He was describing his father. Many people who knew John as a racer would say the same about him. Certainly he was stubborn. John Surtees was also intelligent, far-sighted, mechanically gifted, intensely competitive, and a perfectionist – qualities that mark out the greatest champions in this and other branches of motorsport. Indeed, this English rider eventually left motorcycling for cars, and four years later won the F1 World Championship in a factory Ferrari. He remains the only man to be world champion on two and four wheels at the premier level and, given the level of specialisation today in both disciplines, is likely to remain so. After retirement, pondering whether two or four wheels had been more important…

Moonlighting job 1: The Moto Ranch Rossi built his own dirt track near Tavullia. “All those kids at the ranch, they’re trying to kill him!” says mechanic Alex Briggs. “It’s like he’s found the fountain of youth!” Moonlighting job 2: Moto2 team Rossi’s new Sky VR46 Moto2 team takes his team-boss duties up a gear. The squad features Italians Pecco Bagnaia (pictured) and Stefano Manzi who will use the Kalex chassis in the CBR600-powered series. Moonlighting job 4: VR46 apparel Rossi’s VR46 apparel business employs 30 people and has an annual turnover of almost A$17 million. It “represents his vision that quality comes from passion, authenticity, fun and professionalism.” Moonlighting job 4: Moto3 team Rossi launched his Sky VR46 Moto3 team in 2014 and is very hands-on. “During a race…

WHEN EDITOR DOBES sent through an email advising of the pending delivery of a new helmet that he wanted me to test on our upcoming ride, I must admit that I was a little dubious. Road testing a brand new helmet straight out of the box on a three-day ride? What if it was uncomfortable, or I couldn’t see out of it? What if I just didn’t like it? So I packed my well worn trusty favourite lid in our Fiat Ducato support vehicle just in case a sneaky swap was needed. I’ve had helmets in the past that have taken a bit of getting used to and a little running in, but I was pleasantly surprised with the Roof Boxer V8 1995; it was a great fit and really…

Ventura Snetterton tank bag $109.00 Ventura Seti-Moto seat bag $109.00 Kenma Australia 1800 251 145 kenma.com.au A CRUCIAL STEP in turning our CFMoto into a super-commuter was adding some storage. We’ve enjoyed one of the best weather stretches in Melbourne history over the last month, but the rainy days can’t be far away, and the tired old backpack won’t cut it. Kenma came to our aid with a couple of Ventura products: the 6L Snetterton tank bag and the 11L Seti-Moto seat bag. The tank bag attaches easily with four suction cups. I did a bit of a double-take the first time I went to refuel, but obviously you just pull the suction caps off on one side to access the petrol cap. It’s 100 per cent waterproof and has…

Consent2Go/Pirelli/Raceworks/Senior Engineering Yamaha) and Ducati-tamer Beau Beaton (Racers Edge Performance/McMartinRacing/North Coast V-Twins Ducati) were fifth, sixth and seventh respectively, ahead of Maxwell who was the first finisher on all wet tyres. Race 1 was all about Troy Herfoss though, who held a lead of over 15 seconds at one stage and cruised to an emphatic victory. With all riders on a now dry track and the kind of confidence that only a ‘come from behind’ victory can give, Herfoss looked a much more relaxed figure on pole position for Race 2. That was until the start light went out. The Goulburn native was left frantically trying to engage a gear while the rest of the field blazed past. This time the situation was even more desperate – if Herfoss was…

The first race of the new year was typical Moto3: both nail-biting and heartwarming. And, importantly, run at last on a fully dry track. Halfway through, the lead pack was still 12-strong, and covered by less than 1.3 seconds. It would get bigger as a 13th rider joined in next time round, and it was only on lap 13 that it started to shrink, as KTM riders Juan Guevara and Philipp Öttl crashed out after the latter had skittled the former. In the end it was a triumph for Honda, taking the first five positions, the top eight still less than a second apart. First-time pole qualifier Jorge Martín, switched from Mahindra to Honda with the Gresini team, led the first lap. Next time round it was Leopard Honda’s Joan…

KTM RACE BOSS Pit Beirer says the Qatar Grand Prix has only reinforced his team’s resolve to develop the firm’s tubular-steel framed bikes into winners in both MotoGP and Moto2. KTM’s Honda-powered Moto2 entry made an impressive debut with Miguel Oliveira storming to fourth in the season’s opening race, just 0.2sec off the podium. And Beirer said he wasn’t dismayed by the first official race in MotoGP, even though Pol Espargaró finished 33 seconds behind the winning Yamaha of Maverick Viñales. “The Moto2 result was amazing because we didn’t expect fourth and just two 10ths off the podium at our first race,” Beirer reflected. “The Qatar weekend has proven that KTM can build its own bikes and the tubular frame has a future in Moto2 and MotoGP.” While KTM is…

HIDDEN-WING FAIRINGS were in abeyance at Qatar, with only Suzuki running its version of bodywork with internal down-force ducting. All MotoGP entrants, except newcomers KTM, had tested various solutions to the 2017 ban on external winglets, with variations on internal ducting — up at handlebar level for most — but sandwiched in the fairing flanks for Yamaha. The most radical was Ducati’s solution, with the fairing nose narrowed to intake width, and massive squared-off hoops on either side. Suzuki’s is altogether more restrained, and team chief Davide Brivio said: “It is almost the same, so we thought we would try and see if there is any advantage.” Riders Andrea Iannone and Álex Rins exercised both types — the newly homologated fairing with ducts, and the very similar 2016 wing-free version.…

THE 2017 BRITISH speedway season will burst into life in the next few weeks, with the usual contingent of Australian riders spread across the teams in all three tiers of competition. There’s been a shake-up in teams, naming of the leagues, and even the venues, with one of the series’ longest-running tracks – Coventry – not operating this year. Along with Coventry, the Lakeside Hammers are also missing from the top tier, now called the Premiership, with Rye House and Somerset stepping up to maintain an eight-team competition. There are no fewer than 15 Australian riders involved. There are 10 teams in the second tier, now called the Championship, and it also has 15 Australians competing. The third tier, the National League, has 12 teams with three Aussies competing. With…

THE BRISBANE MOTORCYCLE Club is taking advantage of the wave of popularity in vintage motocross by staging the inaugural Harrisville TT on the weekend of April 29-30. The TT in this instance refers to ‘Tri Trak’ – three separate rounds of racing on different courses that will provide a variety of action for spectators and competitors alike. The idea came from club president Colin Metcher, himself still a keen competitor at almost 80 years of age. “We had these three totally different tracks that were really well prepared for club use and we thought, why not run an event that combines all three?” Metcher said. The spectator-friendly track is located at Harrisville on the Boonah-Ipswich Road, just behind Peak Crossing – about an hour from Brisbane. The first round of…

John Titman was a big part of the Golden Era of speedway What got you into bikes? I was born in Brisbane and when we went to Rockhampton for our family Christmas holidays when I was six, seven, eight, we’d go to the local speedway. I got a 350 Matchless in my mid-teens. I lived about eight blocks from the local mud flats and that’s where we would ‘push’ our bikes to and learn how to slide. We didn’t have steel shoes; we’d buy army surplus boots for a couple of quid and have a ton of fun. When was your first race? I lied about my age and raced short-circuit on oil tracks, but my first speedway ride was at the Ekka in 1969. There was speedway everywhere back…

IT’S BEEN SIX long years since we first got a glimpse of the 986 M2. Though Vyrus originally planned it as a Moto2 racebike, the firm always said it would make a road-going version, and now it has finally come good on that promise. While the Italian boutique builder has been turning out its hub-centre-steered Bimota Tesi descendants – the Ducatipowered 984 and 985 – since 2001, the 986 represents a departure. It retains the hub-steered, swingarm-based front suspension design that defines the firm’s bikes, but the move to an in-line four-cylinder engine from a Honda CBR600RR means it’s a totally new machine. The firm initially hoped, as many did, that the four-stroke Moto2 series with its standard CBR600RRbased engines and free chassis regulations would provide a springboard for alternative…

Honda CB1100RS Customised Concept WHEN HONDA REVEALED the new CB1100RS last year there was a collective groan of disappointment around the globe. Sure, the RS has better suspension, brakes and wheels than the stocker, but it’s a far cry from the coveted 2007 CB1100R concept bike. At the Osaka show, Honda revealed another take on the CB1100RS theme, taking the stock machine’s café racer dreams a little further. The addition of a small nose cowl and single seat hump, both finished in a combination of red and polished aluminium (as is the tank and front mudguard), turn the subdued CB1100RS into a head-turner. A Moriwaki exhaust with blue-tinged titanium headers adds a bit of performance attitude, too. Although purely a cosmetic exercise, and merely a concept, the bike shows that…

THAT WAS THE current bid (US$195,748) for what the Italian-based seller is calling “the earliest example of the Piaggio masterpiece, as created by Corradino d’Ascanio.” Or in other words, the oldest Vespa in the world ... allegedly. As AMCN went to press there was still just over one day left before bidding closed on the auction site catawiki.com, but according to the auctioneer’s estimate, the piece of two-wheeled history was expected to pull somewhere between US$268,150 and US$348,600 (A$351,480 and A$456,930). The 1946 Series 0 Vespa is powered by a 98cc two-stroke engine matched to a three-speed transmission and is said to be in working order.…

Letter of the issue Tough old bird Absolutely the best mag any motorcyclist could read – job well done team. I had a melanoma cancer in my RHS shin and have been dealing with it for nearly 10 years. At 62 it’s a prick. Melanoma cancer is not your fault, it’s just your ‘lot’. I have had all the ops, now inoperable. I have had all the test trial drugs the Yanks could throw at me. I’ve had every alternative pill, potion, paste and poultice my lady could find to administer. Turns out her care, and the care of family and friends is the best medicine. I have been doing the Border Pudding Run to the WA/SA border on the first Saturday in August since 2000. Only missed one Border…

“With the fully operational quickshifter on board, the twin cans launch impressive sets of flames out the bike’s tail” WITH THE CIRCUS that is the WSBK wrapping up for the weekend at the Imola circuit last May, Ducati asked a few select journalists to stay behind. After a superlative-laden speech by Ducati supremo Claudio Domenicali, they hit the track on the brand-new 2016 Ducati Panigale R. All things considered, it’s probably for the best that a certain bunch of Swiss motorcycle fanatics weren’t on hand – they would be thinking there was even more to be had from the bike. Fortunately, their absence did nothing to quell their creativity. And the result was a unique collaboration of talents that delivered a freakishly cool animal known as ‘The Blue Shark’, arguably…

In addition to the range-topping RS, Triumph’s supporting cast in its new five-strong middleweight Street Triple family of naked roadsters comprises three further versions on its 765cc platform, as well as another variant using a special 660cc motor which caters for A2/LAMS licence holders. Each has its own quite distinct specification of engine and running gear... S The entry-level model will be available for $13,800 (+ ORC). Power is up 6.6 per cent compared to the old 675 engine, with a claimed 83kW and 72Nm. There are just two riding modes available, but ABS and switchable TC come standard. The powershifter is available as an option. The S has Nissin two-piston sliding calipers, and more conservative geometry than on the R and RS, with a 24.8o fork rake and 104mm…

Let’s start by going back to 2014. You returned to Honda after winning the Australian Superbike title with Suzuki. Troy Herfoss came in to take Josh Hook’s place and ended up staying in the team. He quickly became your number one rival. Tell us about that year. In 2014 I was doing double duties riding the Yamaha in Europe for the endurance racing and the Honda in Australia, and that unsettled things a bit. I have known Troy since I was quite young and whenever I would be passing through Goulburn and he was home from America we would always catch up. It was always like we had only seen each other yesterday, so we had a pretty close relationship. When he came into the team after taking a break…

IT’S HARD NOT to develop a soft spot for your ‘first’ of anything. So, as the Ixon RS Dry HPs were the first motorcycle gloves I pulled on, they represent a kind of happy baseline for me. They’ve been my everyday riding gloves for more than a year now, accompanying me on long and short trips, through the hot summers and our ‘shoulder’ seasons, in the wet and the dry. These gloves are ‘midseason’ mits, and will cover you for all but the seriously cold months. They are made of nylon and polyester, with Lycra between the fingers, endowing the gloves with some stretch. The cuffs, which extend to the wrist, are secured with Velcro tabs, and there’s integrated protection on the knuckles and a slider on the bottom of…

Yamaha WR250R $8299 (+ ORC) List of modifications: 13.8L Safari tank $571.91 Blue and white bark busters $129.90 GTYR alloy sump guard $189.94 GYTR slip-on muffler $550.18 Carbon look indicators $91.10 Y-Shop Australia yshop.yamaha-motor. com.au Dunlop tyres D907F 90/90-21 $113.95 D606 120/90-18 $119.95 Monza Imports monzaimports.com.au WHAT BETTER WAY to send off the WR250R than with a retreat to the beautiful Blue Mountains in NSW? After a good six months of blinging the Yamahammer out with performance mods and accessories from Y-Shop, and brushing up on my off-road riding skills, it was time for the final hoorah. It took the form of a proper two-day adventure with a good mate who spends most of his weekends exploring trails around Katoomba. After hours of late night planning and some…

Snake Skin Cassons $399.95 (02) 8882 1900 cassons.com.au The Scorpion Cobra is a café racer-style jacket that features quilt-stitched distressed leather, a press-stud neck closure, zippered waist adjustment and removable CE-approved back, shoulder and elbow armour. It has three zippered external and four internal pockets and comes in sizes 38-52. Racer Tank Indian Motorcycles $40 1300 00 463 426 indianmotorcycle.com.au This lightweight cotton jersey women's tank top in Antique white, with contrast back in Indian red, celebrates the history of Indian Motorcycle and board-track racing. It proudly points out that the Indian Factory Racer held the Board Track Speed record in 1911! The top is available in sizes S-XXXL. Muscle Up CTAAustralia $599.95 (02) 9604 3377 ctaaustralia.com.au The K&N RK-3951 Street Metal has a cast aluminium high-volume performance air intake…

1 APRIL Fools Run, Sundowner Saloon, Blacksoil, Qld. April Fool’s Day Poker Run. Sign on 9am; stands up 10am. $20 entry. $200 best hand, prizes and raffle. Hosted by Veterans MC Brisbane. For more information email vmcbrisbane@hotmail.com. 8 APRIL Pig’s Arse Poker Run, Isis Club, Bruce Hwy, Childers, Qld. Sign on from 9am; stands up at 11.30am. $10 per hand; raffles and prizes. Meet ’n’ greet Friday night, after run party Saturday night. Live music, dinner Saturday and breakfast Saturday and Sunday. For more information phone 0439 484 666. 7-9 APRIL Triumph RAT Rally, Hahndorf Resort, 145a Mount Barker Rd, Hahndorf, SA. Rides, demo rides, show ’n’ shine, dining, live entertainment and much more. Registration from 9.30am Friday. Event $200 per person; accommodation from $139 per room (call resort direct…

McWilliams and Aaron Morris took the InterFOS racing component into another league. It all started when the Period 5 class early races looked like a continuation of the Island Classic International Challenge. Jeremy McWilliams was entered at the last minute on the Tom Dermody XR69 that was ridden so well last year by Team Ireland’s Derek Sheils. Early clutch troubles didn’t dent his enthusiasm, even while Irving Vincent ace Beau Beaton and Island Classic race winner Alex Phillis slugged it out in the early races. Then Beaton took the Irving Vincent, which had failed so spectacularly at the Island Classic, up another notch on Saturday afternoon. Not content with dominating the Period 5 class, he actually led the combined P5-P6 races for a time in the best race of the…

JORGE LORENZO HAS admitted he needs to make some big changes to his riding to maximise the potential of his brave switch to Ducati. The former Yamaha rider has signed with the Bologna factory for two years and, based on his difficult first day at the office in the Qatar Grand Prix, the size of the challenge is now frightfully clear. When asked by AMCN how much change as a rider is needed for the unique character of the high-horsepower and often nervous Desmosedici, Lorenzo said: “A lot. But I think Qatar was worse than I really am.” On a track that is heaven for Ducati’s rocketship speed, Lorenzo was overshadowed by teammate Andrea Dovizioso, a clever and experienced MotoGP campaigner. Lorenzo finished 11th and 20 seconds behind Dovizioso who…

A LACK OF horsepower helped Aleix Espargaró and Aprilia to a surprise sixth place at the Qatar Grand Prix. Espargaró was the big mover in the race, surging from 15th on the opening lap to finish just half a second behind factory Honda’s Dani Pedrosa in fifth. “The Aprilia has a lot of grip and traction, especially when the tyre goes down,” Espargaró said. “But a lot this is to do with the fact we don’t have the power to burn up the tyre like some others, and the Aprilia has a nice chassis and good electronics. “So in these conditions I was able to be fast late in the race. The Aprilia is a Sunday bike. “For sure we need more power but I hope that we don’t lose…

WHILE THE HONDA riders, factory-backed or otherwise, all suffered with the lack of performance promised by the firm’s new big-bang engine, the counterpoint is the sheer strength of Yamaha. Maverick Viñales has been dominant ever since first tests at Valencia in November, but more surprising has been the strength of class rookies in the Tech3 Monster team: last year’s Moto2 champion Johann Zarco and even more so Jonas Folger. Zarco is an analytical and clever rider, and most expected him to (eventually) do well in the premier class. German rider Folger, however, was more of a gamble. Asked what he thought were the German’s strengths before the opening race in Qatar, team owner Hervé Poncharal said: “Sometimes there are things you cannot explain. This is one of them. “From the…

CHANGES ANNOUNCED AT last week’s Isle of Man TT launch event will see Australia’s David ‘DJ’ Johnson (Norton) first off the line during both the Superbike TT and the event’s blue-riband Senior TT. It’s a role 23-time Isle of Man winner John McGuinness (Honda Racing) has filled every year since 2011, except in 2013 when he ran the number three plate as a tribute to the late, great Joey Dunlop. “The last Aussie to run number one was back in the 70s so this is such a huge honour,” the Aussie said. “I am ready for this and I will give it my all!” Kiwi veteran Bruce Anstey (Padgetts Honda) will start behind the Norton-mounted rider for an Antipodean one-two ahead of James Hillier (JG Speedfit Kawasaki), Ian Hutchinson (Tyco…

MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI rider Eli Tomac notched up his fourth consecutive 450SX Main Event win during the 12th round of the AMA Supercross on Saturday 25 March, in front of more than 46,000 fans in Detroit. The win came just a week after his victory at Indianapolis and leaves him just seven points shy of series leader and reigning champion Ryan Dungey (Team Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). Dungey, who has led the championship standings since the third round, softened the blow by scoring two podium finishes over the two rounds, placing second in Indianapolis and third in Detroit. Dungey’s Red Bull KTM teammate Marvin Musquin moves into third place in the overall standings (207) with a third- and second-place finish over the two events. “I just felt good and…

DESPITE PERSISTENT RUMOURS, the chances of Kawasaki developing a four-cylinder 250cc rival to the Yamaha R25 and Honda CBR250RR are slim. The story appears to trace back to leaked images of a styling model for a new Kawasaki Ninja 250. Far from being a four-cylinder, it was a proposed revamp for the existing parallel-twin. The idea of a 250cc four, harking back to the early 1990s and days of the ZXR250, which made 33kW from its screaming, miniature four-cylinder engine, is tempting. But it’s a dream that would be near impossible to achieve today. The reality is that Kawasaki may well be developing a new Ninja 250/Ninja 300 to meet the CBR250RR and Yamaha R25/R3 head-on. But it’s almost certain to remain a parallel twin. The latest-spec, Euro 4 version…

1. CBR250RR HRC Racer Slap the letters HRC onto a Honda and the results are sure to be good, and HRC’s take on the firm’s latest entry-level sportsbike is no exception. Destined for the Japanese 250cc championship, this racer gets a new ECU with three power modes: normal, a rain mode, and one with reduced engine braking. It also loses the stock model’s ABS and gets a new exhaust and rearsets. 2. Yamaha MT-09 Authentic Sports That red-and-white paint job alone is enough to make this MT-09 stand out from the crowd – surely it’s a no-brainer to make it a factory option? This bike is also fitted with the firm’s official ‘Y’s Gear’ kit including a screen, fog lights, a new seat and that stunning three-exit Prunus exhaust with…

2015 Benelli TnT 1130R The TnT (standing for Tornado Naked Tre) would have to be one of the most visually striking machines of the last decade. When the TnT 1130 first hit the scene in 2004 it was the raw power and torque from the 1131cc triple that stood out almost as much as the unique styling. Fast forward a decade and the TnT still has that famed Italian styling flair and exotic high-end components with slipper clutch and an adjustable swingarm. And 116kW of power inevitably gives it a raw performance edge. Be prepared to stand out from the crowd for all the right reasons. What it’s got The 1130R is powered by a liquid-cooled, 1131cc, three-cylinder, fuel-injected, four-stroke engine with four valves per cylinder. Power runs through a…

A decade ago Triumph launched the Street Triple as a stripped-off streetfighter derived from its Supersport counterpart, the 675 Daytona. Since then the nakedbike has become the British marque’s best-selling single model under John Bloor’s ownership, with over 50,000 examples built and sold. So reinventing this two-wheeled money tree that’s so essential to Triumph’s ongoing prosperity is a big deal. And just how do you improve on a winner? Many would take a cautious approach and look for incremental advances – refine rather than rethink. Triumph, however, has gone bold. The project started three years ago when chief engineer Stuart Wood and his team decided to bore and stroke the existing three-cylinder 675cc engine to produce enhanced performance via an uprated 78 x 53.4mm format (versus 74 x 52.3mm before)…

The motorcycle world stopped when Kenny Roberts climbed aboard a Yamaha TZ750 flat-tracker at Indianapolis in 2009. In at the deep end, he rode it like he stole it during that famous Saturday evening demonstration over Indy MotoGP weekend. He rode it as only the great King Kenny knows how. But that wasn’t his first time at the Indy Mile on a TZ750 flat-tracker. His first appearance was even more famous after Roberts proclaimed: “They don’t pay me enough to ride that thing”! It was this comment that helped make up the minds of AMA officials, who banned it from competition. The now legendary saga started in early 1974 when Steve Baker and mechanic Bob Work stopped by to visit Doug Schwerma at Champion Racing Frames, in California. The pair…

Valentino Rossi’s achievements are unparalleled: he has taken the most premier-class grand prix victories, has amassed the most grand prix podiums across all classes, scored the most world championship points across all classes, has contested the most GPs and has the longest winning career, spanning from August 1996 to (at the time of going to print) June 2016. Statistics make some fans keel over with boredom but you cannot deny that racing is all about numbers – it’s about lap times, championship points, suspension clicks and the zeroes and ones of digital electronics. So, yes, the numbers are important; with some riders they are pretty much all that matter. But Rossi is different. With him it’s not only the stats, it’s also the man himself. Not only is he the…

AT LAST IT’S all mine. When Chris said we were getting the BMW R1200RS as our next long-termer I have to admit a little bit of wee came out. I’d heard good things about the new RS and there is just something uniquely cool about the boxer donk and the torque rock that you get from the big grey pots that hang off each side, protruding like a set of massive nuts on a prize bull. But my excitement had to be contained because this beautiful new Beema turned up only a day before the flying Scotsman Gordon Ritchie snaffled it out from underneath me for commuting duties while here in Oz covering WSBK. So after what seemed like an eternity, I finally got to take the beauty out for…

It was a horrible weekend for me, breaking my arm after a highside on Saturday requiring 12 screws and a plate! Wakefield is a tough, tight and bumpy 2.2km circuit that requires strong acceleration and just as strong braking. As always, we’re searching for grip. Grip means we can get on the gas, grip means we can hold corner speed, grip means we can pull the brakes later and harder. We want the suspension to be pushing the tyres firmly onto the track surface at all times, while also soaking up the bumps that Wakefield has become known for. To achieve this you need a soft, plush set-up, riding over the bumps, not unlike the way we set the bike up at Phillip island, but for completely different reasons. Soft…

The new season is up and running, but only by the skin of its teeth. The first MotoGP race of the year was so fraught that it almost didn’t happen. When it did get going, more than 40 minutes late, and still under the threat of sudden termination, it was a marvel. And the rain that caused all the trouble held off, until just a few minutes after the race finished, when it poured down once again. With three different leaders and a full-frontal battle right until the final lap, it was something of a relief when the rider who had dominated testing and practice came good. But Maverick Viñales took his first win for Movistar Yamaha with a combination of patience and aggression. First he showed patience, after surviving…

Franco Morbidelli (EG Kalex) was a popular first-time pole qualifier, and took firm control of the race to become a popular first-time winner. Less popular, however, with his rivals, for the dominant style of his victory – by a clear 2.6 seconds. “I feel amazing, very happy,” he said. Morbidelli came close to winning several times last season, but now the long wait was over. He had a brief tussle with Thomas Lüthi on the first couple of laps, before leaving the Swiss CarXpert Kalex rider to his own devices, resisting steady pressure from the pursuing Takaaki Nakagami’s Idemitsu Honda. Nakagami had taken third from second qualifier Álex Márquez, Morbidelli’s teammate, and now the Spaniard was coming under pressure from Miguel Oliveira, in his first outing on the all-new Red…

JACK MILLER (MARC VDS Honda) overcame self-induced arm pump and a scary touch-up from rookie Álex Rins (Ecstar Suzuki) for a confidence boosting eighth-place finish in Qatar. The opening round of the championship was a tense one, no surprise given the rain-delayed start causing knife-edge grip levels on a dewy surface. Miller admitted the delays, combined with his desire for a good result from 17th place, destabilised his composure. A crash in FP1, just after switching to a soft front tyre, had put the 22-year-old on the back foot in terms of race preparation. “The first 10 laps I was riding tight, giving myself some arm pump. I got a little bit excited at the first race, plus with all the drama at the start,” Miller told AMCN. “I had…

HEAVY RAIN AND abysmal track drainage put paid to any Saturday action at the opening round of the MotoGP at Qatar, with all free practice and qualifying sessions cancelled. In place of qualifying, grid positions were decided on combined free practice times from the previous two days. Saturday’s debacle was an object lesson in hubris and folly; it brings into question the wisdom of the Qatar GP, the quality of track planning and construction, as well as the need to run it at night. Then there are the extra problems of floodlights on wet surfaces and dense spray, all at a time of year when temperatures are not that high. But perhaps nobody could have anticipated the unprecedented levels of water and the continuation of rain that spoiled Moto2 and…

AUSTRALIAN SUPERBIKE STAR Glenn Allerton (YRT) has undergone successful surgery to a badly broken arm sustained during the second round of the ASBK championship, an injury that is likely to see the NSW rider sidelined until at least the fourth round of the series in July. “I don’t know where I really stand at the moment as the injuries are so fresh. I just have to give myself some time to heal and then see what is actually going on with my arm. If my arm is good and I feel strong on the bike when I do some practicing at Sydney Motorsport Park, then I’ll go to Darwin,” Allerton said. The 36-year-old three-time Aussie champ broke his left humerus into three pieces when he crashed his Yamaha YZF-R1M in…

 JUST A FEW years ago, Wil Ruprecht was contesting the East Coast Junior Motocross series – a championship known for its intensity – and also riding the occasional NSW enduro round, where he was happy with the extra seat time and less aggressive atmosphere. So it was a no-brainer when the offer came to join Trent Lean’s Suzuki-backed Australian Off Road Championship (AORC) Team in 2011. “I can run with the big-hitters” “Wil’s riding technique was a little different to the norm,” Lean recalls, “but regardless of the terrain, his speed was impressive and his quiet-achiever ways made him easy to work with.” Nic Tomlinson and Broc Grabham had already begun to establish credibility when 12-year-old Wil joined the mix in Juniors, running fourth in 2011, second in 2012, then…