Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 66 Issue 23 i Australian Motorcycle News

TRIUMPH’S NEW BONNEVILLE range has so far proved a runaway success, but our latest spy shots show the version that’s likely to have the toughest job of all: a cruiser. It’s a tough market segment, where unless your bike wears a Harley badge and packs a big V-twin, it’s an uphill struggle. This Triumph uses the faux-hardtail chassis of the Bonneville Bobber, but gains a new rear fender that provides a viable pillion seat. A rather incongruous aluminium bracket provides support for the seat, as well as a mount for the sissy bar and luggage rack, while the pillion ’pegs are bolted to the frame near the swingarm’s pivot point. The rider’s pegs are repositioned and this prototype has the ape-hanger bars that are already an option on the Bobber,…

FOR MOST OF us an MV Agusta is pretty special, even in its most basic form, but the company has announced it is creating a special vehicles operation to make even more exotic machines. Dubbed Reparto Veicoli Speciali, details of the new division are still sketchy, but it’s likely to be a two-wheeled equivalent of Aston Martin’s Q division, which makes bespoke, personalised versions of its already pricy cars for customers who want to stand out even more. MV has so far revealed only a teaser video about the new department, showing the new RVS logo being engraved on a slab of aluminium. The video also shows the silhouette of a scrambler-style version of the MV Agusta Brutale 800 Dragster. Like the limited-production LH44 version and the Dragster RR, it…

INDIAN FIRM TVS caused a stir when it revealed its Akula concept last year, and now its final name has emerged – it will be called the Apache RR310S. Though based on the BMW G310R engine and chassis, TVS added fully faired styling to create a convincing small-capacity sportsbike. Road-going prototypes have since been spotted on several occasions in India. The name turned up in an Indian trademark application, filed at the end of April. It fits with TVS’s existing Apache range, while the 310 element leaves no doubt that it’s the BMW-powered machine. TVS already builds the G310R for BMW along with the new G310GS. Ever since the Akula concept emerged, there have been questions as to whether there will be a BMW-branded version of the small sportsbike for…

THE TWO-STROKE Jawa 350 twin is one of those Eastern European machines from the Cold War era that many enthusiasts place alongside utilitarian MZs and Dnipros. But now the Czech company is ready to capitalise on its heritage with a retro-styled 350 that harks back to 1960s iterations of the machine. However, the new model isn’t a two-stroke twin – although that bike still remains in production, for sale only in certain parts of the world. It’s now a single-cylinder, 400cc four-stroke called the 350 OHC (overhead cam). While we’re conditioned to think of multi-cylinder strokers as performance machines, that wasn’t the case with the old Jawa 350. In fact, the new single-cylinder four-stroke version, which uses a Chinese-made copy of Honda’s XR400 engine, makes more power than the original…

“We had to try to slipstream the big boys – if we could stand the shower of blue-metal in the teeth” AFTER THE SUCCESS of Australia’s first 24-hour production car race, exuberant Mount Druitt track promoter Belfred Jones hit up the NSW Auto Cycle Union with a proposal to hold the world’s longest production motorcycle race on the October long weekend 1954. Initially the ACU was having none of it, citing non-existent crowd control around the 3.6km road circuit, poor lighting in the pit area, and a total lack of illumination elsewhere. Then there was the road surface, which apart from the airstrip straight consisted of badly patched tar, riddled with potholes, camouflaged with blue metal and bordered by piles of scrap metal lurking in the knee-high grass. Belfred’s proposal…

The GS Adventure’s longer suspension, trimmed down to GS proportions Suspension Extra ground clearance sets the Rallye X apart from the standard GS. Stability off road has also been improved by increasing spring rate, and lengthening spring struts and spring travel. Engine New catalytic converter and updated engine management has brought the boxer engine in line with Euro 4 requirements but kept it producing 92kW @7750rpm and 125Nm @6500rpm. Electronics When the optional encoding plug is added to the package, the four standard riding modes are complemented by Enduro Pro and Dynamic Pro, which let you adjust the detailed settings. Handling The Rallye X is almost a hybrid of the GS Adventure and the standard GS with the taller stance of the former and the slimmer chassis of the latter.…

SO BELOVED WAS Jarno Saarinen in Italy that the country’s two most successful factories were clamouring for his signature after he won the 1972 250 world title. But while the Latins have a passionate way of doing things, the ice-cool Finn was ruled by a clinical calm. He came close to racing with Ducati for 1973, but the pressure of the Italian press had already got to him even before he threw a leg over the bike. There was a strong chance of Jarno joining Benelli, but Yamaha stepped up its efforts to retain the bright hope of racing, and won. It had to resort to a full works contract – something Yamaha hadn’t tabled in several years – to get him. Yamaha’s success in retaining Saarinen led to Benelli…

THERE IS NO doubt that Yamaha’s MT-10 is a true contender for top spot in the heavily contested nakedbike sector. I’ve had the chance to sample the beast on three different occasions now, giving me a pretty broad perspective of its capabilities. The first test was street based and really just a quick spin. I learnt that a short wheelbase, plenty of power and sit-up-and-beg ’bars equalled a big smile. Our second meeting was at Mac Park in South Australia where the MT-10 proved to me that you don’t need a fairing and screen to have a blast on the track. The bike was standard but for a pair of Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tyres, which really brought the handling characteristics to the fore. Just recently the diversity of this…

JACK MILLER ADMITS he feared for his life and was lucky to walk away from a monumental 180km/h shunt in practice at the French Grand Prix at Le Mans. “I thought it was game over. I had somebody watching over me that’s for sure – the man above kept me safe through that one,” Miller said. The 22-year-old Aussie was a terrified passenger when his Honda RC213V careened off course and smashed a trackside barrier at Turn 2 at the Bugatti Circuit during the final free practice session. Miller’s natural reaction to ease off a locking front brake only triggered a brutal head-butt into the wall and a series of horrific, body-battering barrel rolls. “When I released the brake I got grip and was heading to the wall and thought,…

CALLS FOR A harder front tyre have been heeded. From the next round, at Mugello, Michelin will introduce a stiffer construction front tyre as the spec hoop. According to a statement from Michelin, after back-to-back tests at Jerez “a majority decision was taken to introduce the stiffer construction … available in soft, medium and hard compounds.” The voting was 20 for, and only three against. Several top riders had complained the 2017 tyre lacked strength, squirming under hard braking and queasy on corner entry. The new tyre uses a stiffer carcass with the same compounds as the current ones, and was used at the final round at Valencia last year. Whether it will be a cure for Valentino Rossi’s general front-end complaints with the 2017 Yamaha remains to be seen.…

ISLE OF MAN TT legend John McGuinness suffered a nasty crash at the North West 200, leaving the 45-year-old with a badly broken leg, cracked vertebrae and broken ribs. While Honda hasn’t officially announced his withdrawal from this year’s TT, McGuinness’s injuries look certain to prevent him from attending and adding to his tally of 23 wins. “John has been diagnosed with a compound fracture to his right lower leg, while in theatre on Thursday night it was not possible to plate the leg as initially thought due to the extent of the injury, and tomorrow an external fixator will be fitted,” Honda said in a statement released last week. “In addition, John has also suffered four broken vertebrae and has three broken back ribs. John will wear a cast…

DANIEL ‘DOOGS’ MILNER (KTM 450EXC) had a perfect weekend, winning all 22 sprint tests at Rounds 3 and 4 of the Australian Off-Road Championship held at Miva, Queensland, on 13-14 May. With the series likely to be reduced to 10 rounds, Milner now has a commanding grip on the title. Best of the rest was Josh Green (Yamaha WR450F), who showed consistant pace and pushed Milner at times. “My bike handled everything I threw at it,” said Green, “but at the moment Doogs is doing a better job.” In the big bore (E3) division, Lachlan Stanford (Husqvarna 501) made good use of his tuning experience to win eight of the final 10 special tests and consolidate his points lead over Lyndon Snodgrass (KTM 300 EXC). Scott Keegan (Yamaha YZ250F) joined…

RED BULL KTM’S Toni Cairoli claimed his 80th career victory and extended his lead in the 2017 MXGP championship when he won Round 8 of the series at Teutschenthal in Germany on 21 May. KTM teammate Jeffrey Herlings shared the spoils, winning the opening moto from Cairoli before finishing runner-up in the second. Husqvarna man Gautier Paulin rounded out both podiums. In the MX2 class, Australian Team Suzuki rider Hunter Lawrence (pictured) finished second overall behind teammate Jeremy Seewer after a 4-3 scorecard while Pauls Jonass’s (KTM) second and fifth-place finishes were enough for third overall. “It is cool to have a 1-2 for Suzuki,” said the Australian. “That is awesome for the team and also myself for all the hard work.”…

THE ONGOING SAGA of Ducati’s forthcoming V4-powered road-going superbike is sure to be the new-bike story of 2017, and now the firm’s sporting director Paolo Ciabatti has dropped more tantalising hints about it. Speaking to AMCN’s Gordon Ritchie at the Imola WSBK round, Ciabatti confirmed the new bike will be powered by a variation of the latest Desmosedici MotoGP engine. “There is not much I can say about this, honestly, but it is a kind of evolution of the plan for sportsbikes for Ducati,” he said. “Developing a new engine for MotoGP in 2015 – which is what we are still using with some modifications and updates – was a good base for a production engine. “The project is there and you do not have to design a brand-new engine.…

NEW PICTURES HAVE emerged in India of Royal Enfield’s upcoming 750cc twin-cylinder café racer showing the bike in almost final form. While Enfield’s 750cc twin has been a long time coming, and a fairly open secret over the last couple of years, these images reveal the bike has been given a visual overhaul since it was last spied. In terms of its appearance, the bike is clearly a close relative of the existing Royal Enfield Continental GT. But in place of the current bike’s breathless 21.4kW 535cc single it features a parallel twin that promises to elevate this bike into a new performance league. The new engine opens up possibilities of a wide range of retro bikes; as well as the café racer, a scrambler and a roadster are also…

Mallala lives! Some welcome good news, in what’s been a horrible week of headlines, is that the mob behind South Australia’s new Tailem Bend motorsport facility, the Peregrine Corporation, has just coughed up the money for Mallala Motorsport Park. There were concerns around the track’s future after its long-time owner/operator Clem Smith passed away earlier in the year. “We want Mallala to be part of the renaissance of motorsport in SA,” Peregrine’s Sam Shahin said. Did-jarno? Formula 1 racer Jarno Trulli, who won the Monaco Grand Prix in 2004, was named after Finnish motorcycle legend Jarno Saarinen (left) by his motorsport enthusiast father Enzo. TT QUIZ! In which year was the first 100mph lap posted in the Isle of Man TT? Clue: Bob McIntyre was the man who did it,…

Poetic licence? Hi Chris, I read the article on the new MGLS introduced last year in Victoria (Vol 66 No 21) with interest. As a former UK Driving Standards Agency motorcycle instructor and assessor and ROSPA advanced rider and assessor, and someone who is passionate about road safety and training, I could not believe the lax motorcycle licensing standards in Australia where motorcyclists could get a full motorcycle licence by riding a 125cc bike, not over 20km/h, without riding on the highway and without even necessarily having to change into second gear! I was therefore relieved last year when I heard of the introduction of MGLS. However, when it was wheeled out following consultation between VicRoads and various training establishments, I questioned why we hadn’t gone further to make the…

If you re going to change a winning formula, you’d better get it right Relatively tall seat is good to see over cars in the urban jungle yet low enough to comfortably throw a leg over Heat shields are effective in protecting both the rider and pillion from a hot exhaust High-rise handlebars, single round instrument and large headlight provide classic 1960s style Retro look extends to the Street Scrambler's wire-spoked wheels STEVE MCQUEEN, HOLLYWOOD and Triumph came together in 1963 to thrill the world in one of the most riveting movies of the era, The Great Escape. I’ve watched it countless times and never get tired of seeing that pivotal scene where McQueen pulls off the barbed-wire fence jump on a modified Triumph TR6 and looks set to escape…

The invitation could hardly have been more specific – or enticing. “You are invited to Marbella, Spain, to view, ride and understand the new Harley-Davidson Street Rod. You will be able to ride the new model in urban and country locations for a full day, including two of the routes widely recognised as being amongst the most enjoyable and demanding biking roads in Europe. You will ride along the twisting A366 tarmac rollercoaster via El Burgo to the historic city of Ronda, spectacularly located in the mountains above Marbella. You will then descend back to Marbella along the legendary A397 – a sinuous length of challenging road steeped in automotive and motorcycling history.” Hang on a second … you’re inviting me to ride a HARLEY along those fabulous racer roads?…

DR CLAUDIO COSTA is the famous physician who played a crucial role in saving Mick Doohan’s leg, enabling the Australian to go on to win five world 500cc championships. Costa has been lauded for the commendable work he has done with his ‘Clinica Mobile’ service, which he first provided to GP bike racing from the 1977 Austrian Grand Prix until Dr Michele Zasa took over in 2014. Costa’s love of racing was surely tested over the years with the many injuries and tragedies that he has confronted. But the most painful and heartbreaking losses were those of Jarno Saarinen and Renzo Pasolini at Monza, where a young Costa was present. While the experience could have destroyed the doctor’s love of bike racing, the overwhelming grief and despair of that dreadful…

IT’S THAT TIME of year again – time to dust off the winter gloves, unroll the rainsuit and, unless you are Paul ‘blizzard-proof’ Young, maybe even pull out the thermal undies. I believe that when you are young, footloose and fancy free you are pretty much exempt from all forms of fear and will push through many different levels of pain and discomfort, but to quote Hamish Cooper, for us ‘former seventies longhairs’, age tends to creep up and massage your attitude somewhat. I work out of Gassit HQ’s Melbourne office in the outer eastern suburbs and the temperature gauge on the BMW R1200RS each morning is now down to a single digit, and still dropping. My weary ‘just became a grandad’ bones really don’t function like they used to…

We can all get caught up in the rush to arrive at our destination rather than enjoying the ride While this ride is a good destination in itself, it’s also a much more interesting alternative to the dull section of road that is the Hume Highway between Marulan and Mittagong. This 70km route through the towns and villages of the Southern Highlands might take a little longer to travel than the freeway that runs alongside it, but it’s a far better way to spend time on your bike. Heading south on the Hume Motorway, take the Mittagong exit (B73) and turn left at the lights in town towards Moss Vale and Bowral. If you’re addicted to caffeine like us, there are several cafés in Mittagong that serve an exceptional…

FILLED WITH PAINKILLING injections and adrenaline, Miller took his place on the grid for the 28-lap French Grand Prix and finished a courageous eighth, his fourth top-10 finish in five races this season. While a battered Miller admitted his position was boosted by withdrawals and crashes, it was a deserving result for a brave ride. “The last six laps my hand was like a big numb piece of shit, just pins and needles,” Miller said. “My body’s done but I’m happy to get some decent points. My hand’s sore, my knee’s not good and my arse is sore – no wonder. “The weekend started awesome, then turned to shit … finished okay. Luck of the draw, I guess.”…

ALASTAIR SEELEY (Tyco BMW) cemented his status as the North West 200’s winningest rider after four victories during the 2017 event stretched his overall tally to 21 wins. He was very nearly celebrating five victories during the 7-13 May event held in Northern Ireland, but 27-year-old Glenn Irwin (Be Wiser/PBM Ducati) put up a brave fight to snatch the Superbike Race 2 victory at the last corner, the first for the Northern Irishman. Before downing a pint of Guinness to celebrate, the Ducati rider said: “This was the script that I wanted.” Seeley wrapped up wins in the Supersport, Superbike and two Superstock races, leaving Martin Jessopp (Riders Motorcycles Kawasaki) to claim two victories, in the first Supersport and Supertwins races. Road-racing veteran Michael Rutter claimed the second Supertwins race,…

“No amount of closed-circuit racing can prepare you for the TT course” MICK ALTON WAS in trouble. Big trouble. He could barely keep up with the travelling marshal on his introductory lap of the TT course. “The sidecar was darting all over the road,” he remembers. Years of planning and tens of thousands of dollars were beginning to look like a big waste of time and money. “We had done over 3000 miles of driving in a car around the circuit but I had no point of reference for sidecar set-up,” he says. “No amount of closed-circuit racing can prepare you for the road conditions of the TT course.” If Mick couldn’t get anywhere near race pace, how were he and his passenger, Chrissie Clancy, going to survive two weeks…

AS AMCN WENT to print, the condition of 2006 MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden hadn’t changed since the 35-year-old’s bicycle collided with a car in Italy on Wednesday 17 May. Hayden remains in a critical condition in intensive care with his mother Rose, brother Tommy, fiancée Jackie Marin and members of his team at his bedside. In a statement released by the Maurizio Bufalini Hospital, it was revealed the Red Bull Honda world Superbike rider suffered multiple and serious traumas to his head and chest, suffering severe damage to his brain as a result. Recent medical bulletins have indicated that “the prognosis remains reserved”. The 2006 world champion’s friendly nature and generous spirit made him universally popular in the paddock in his GP years, an environment where intense rivalries and…

A MYSTERIOUS NEW trademark application has revealed that the Yamaha ‘Tracer GT’ – a yet to be announced Tracer model – is on the way. The newly trademarked Tracer GT could be one of several things. Most likely it will be applied to versions of the existing Tracer models with more extensive touring kit – standard-fit panniers and taller screens, for instance. However, there’s also the chance it might be a reference to a machine that’s notably absent from the current Tracer range. With the MT-09 and MT-07 getting touring derivatives, what about an MT-10-based Tracer? Yamaha has suggested that the MT-10 doesn’t lend itself to a Tracer version; after all, the MT-10 is derived from the R1, so adding a tall screen and panniers would effectively create an R1…

NSW JACKET DRIVE DROP-OFF WHEN Saturday, 24 June WHERE Robertson Pie Shop TIME 10am-12 noon VIC JACKET DRIVE DROP-OFF WHEN Sunday, 25 June WHERE Café Moto, Carrum TIME 10am-12 noon INSPIRED BY THE generosity of AMCN readers, we’re excited to add a Victorian mobile drop-off to the annual New South Wales event. It’s a chance for generous motorcyclists to hand in their donations in person, say hello to the Jacket Drive team ... and get out for a ride. While the usual drop-off will be held at the Robertson Pie Shop in the Southern Highlands on Saturday 24 June, the Melbourne-based event will take place the following day on Sunday 25 June at Café Moto, located at 611 Nepean Highway, Carrum. Both drop-off events will kick off at 10am. If…

“A big bore engine with a capacity of 1400cc that delivers a whopping 108kW from just two cylinders” ALMOST A YEAR ago to the day, Diamond Atelier released images of its first ever BMW R nineT build, the ‘DA#4’. The bike went on to grace magazine covers around the world and took out the top spot on Pipeburn’s 2016 Bike of the Year Awards. It’s been a hectic period for Munich locals Tom Konecny and Pablo Steigleder, releasing more incredible builds and their own limited production series motorcycle. But you didn’t think they were going to give up their trophy easily, did you? Hell no. They’re back and laying down the gauntlet for 2017 in a massive way with this ultimate Neo-Racer, the DA#9T BMW R nineT. If there is…

When Ducati launched the Scrambler family late in 2014 as a separate brand of low-cost models powered by the humblest performing 803cc motor in its desmo V-twin engine line-up, it seemed to spell the end for the entry-level Monster. Especially as the Monster 796 – powered by the same engine as the Scrambler – had been replaced in mid-2014 by the Monster 821. This came equipped with the liquid-cooled eight-valve 821cc Testastretta motor, and incorporated the same electronics package as the line-topping Monster 1200. So no more minimalist stripped-out streetfighters of the kind invented by Miguel Angel Galluzzi almost a quarter of a century ago, then? Well, not until now. For Ducati has now launched an updated version of its mini-Monster model for 2017, powered by the new Euro 4-compliant…

20 per cent more peak power and 10 per cent more torque than the Street 750 1. Torque on the Street Like the Street 750, the Street Rod uses a Euro 4 compliant liquid-cooled wet sump 749cc 60º V-twin Revolution X engine. This measures a healthily oversquare 85 x 66mm, with a single chain-driven overhead cam operating the four valves per cylinder via mechanical lifters and forked rocker arms. In the Street Rod it has been re-tuned to produce 51kW at 8750rpm, and 65Nm at 4000rpm –20 per cent more peak power and 10 per cent more torque across the rev range than on the Street 750. 2. Feeding frenzy Higher-lift cams and new pistons raise compression a full point to 12.0:1, while a larger volume airbox feeds a 42mm-diameter…

WE HAVE BEEN clicking over plenty of kilometres since our Fiat Ducato Maxi Professional long-termer arrived in Sydney. Recently it was out at Sydney Motorsport Park where it attracted plenty of attention from envious readers who recognised the big girl from the magazine stories and social media posts. In between giving guided tours of the Fiat’s cabin and cargo area, I was also competing in Round 2 of the Post Classic Racing Association club championship. It’s a hugely popular event so the pit garages fill quickly, and as I searched for a suitable place to set up my one-man team, it dawned on me that the Fiat was a pit garage on wheels. Instead of unloading all my gear and fighting for space in a pit garage, I arranged everything…

1 Precise Pour A1 Accessory Imports $64.95 (07) 3451 1300 a1accessory.com.au The Motion Pro ProFunnel is designed to ensure you pour in the correct amount of engine oil the next time you service your bike. It has an integrated shut-off valve, graduation marks, a one-litre capacity, premix ratio graduations, adjustable ball pivot spout and a large moulded handle. 2 Adventure Rubber Link International $239 (f): $299 (r) (07) 3382 5000 linkint.com.au The Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR is an aggressive tyre that offers off-road grip and on-road safety in the wet, good mileage, stability and comfort. It features high silica compounds, 0° steel belt, innovative knob geometry and trail/ road profile for good on-road behaviour. Front: 120/70R-19; rear: 170/60R-17. 3 The Dark of Night Cassons $379.95 (02) 8882 1900 cassons.com.au The…

A RARE LAST-lap error by Valentino Rossi has exposed the emotional drain of trying to match the pace of his new Yamaha teammate Maverick Viñales. The French Grand Prix was, as Rossi claimed a “perfect race”, at least for 27 of 28 laps before the veteran superstar took a heartbreaking slide out of second place. That mistake came at the penultimate corner as he set himself up for a desperate late lunge to snatch victory from the Spaniard. But Rossi wilted under the pressure. It had been 16 years – the 2001 Italian GP at Mugello – since Rossi had crashed out of a race on the final lap. The pain of this exit clearly showed with Rossi yet to win a race this season while his title rivals –…

DUCATI CORSE SPORTING Director Paolo Ciabatti says that a lack of big personalities is one of the glaring differences between now and the WSBK’s heyday during the late 1990s and early 2000s. When asked what he believed was needed for Dorna to drag the series back to the heady days of Carl Fogarty and Troy Bayliss, the Ducati man didn’t mince words. “We have very good riders now, a lot of British riders, some of them very fast, but they don’t really make the people on TV or in the grandstands want to cheer for them,” he said. “Some older WSBK riders were funny characters, outspoken sometimes, but I think the world of political correctness is good and bad. People want to see strong characters. “In the past there were…

ASBK SUPERSPORT 300 rider Zac Levy (Puma RVs/Yamaha) has lost his championship lead after being stripped of the points earned in the opening race of the third round at Winton for failing a fuel test. Motorcycling Australia reports that “test results have confirmed abnormal substances were detected in fuel samples taken from rider Zac Levy after race one”. The disqualification relegates the Queenslander to eighth overall for the round, down from second. The six-place demotion drops him from the top of the points ladder to third, nine points behind Brandon Demmery (Yamaha) and 12.5 points behind new leader Tom Bramich (Yamaha). AMCN made several attempts to contact Levy for comment, none of which were successful.…

TREACHEROUS CONDITIONS WREAKED havoc at Round 4 of the MX Nationals, after pre-event rain turned the track into a quagmire. Two riders who didn’t struggle were MX1 star Dean Ferris (CDR Yamaha) – who capped off another overall win after running away with both victories – and MX2 Wilson Todd (DPH Motorsport) who again dominated the field. It was Ferris’s fourth overall win, and he has now claimed every race in 2017 bar one. Behind him, KTM duo Kirk Gibbs and Luke Styke looked threatening, as well as Crankt Honda stablemates Todd Waters and Luke Clout. Clout seemed the most likely to challenge Ferris and finished second in the opening race, but a mechanical in the second left him out of overall podium contention. Given the conditions, consistency was the…

MORGAN PARK RACEWAY roared back into action with the first race meeting since the track was resurfaced. The Motorcycle Sportsmen of Queensland held Round 2 of the Australian Sidecar Championship in conjunction with the ‘Masters of Morgan Park’ meet, with the Gregg Hansford Trophy up for grabs as the feature. The fresh surface saw lap records tumble and in the sidecar class it was Winton round winners Howard Ford and Lee Menzies (Howard Ford Concrete Pumping LCR Suzuki) who took pole position and victory in Race 1. After setting the fastest lap, reigning champions Jero Joyce and Corey Blackman (Rick Hanger Racing RHR Kawasaki) won Race 2, while Dave Boughen and Lok O’Kane (SideFX Racing LCR Suzuki) won Race 3. In Formula 2, West Australians Darryl McLeod and Paul Matthews…

I WAS BORN in Toowoomba in 1970 and used to go to my relatives during the holidays out near Charleville starting when I was five or six. My cousins had a Deltek Rockhopper, and that’s what I learned on. I actually inherited that Deltek and it’s currently being restored. When I was seven or eight, my parents bought me a YZ80C. It was way too big and fast, but that’s all you could get. I was hooked, and bikes were in my blood. I devoured all the bike magazines and remember reading about Barry Sheene and Mick Grant. I got an RM50 and started club racing, moving up to a KX80. The track at Toowoomba was a flat-track with five small jumps, and I won a lot there. Then Bradley…