Australian Motorcycle News Vol 69 Issue 09

IF NOTHING ELSE, watching Marc Marquez dominate a field of so-called alien riders is something special. There is nothing else, because M&M is such a level above, he is making even the best of them look like they simply aren’t trying hard enough. They are, of course, but when he can ride that pace, with almost zero mistakes and few crashes, you know he has more in the tank if he needs it. Which he doesn’t. For those venturing to Phillip Island for the Australian Grand Prix, you are in for a spectacle, watching a bloke we haven’t seen the likes of for years – if ever – lead the others around one of the best circuits in the world. That circuit is conducive to close racing, which may be…

EDITORIAL Editor: Sam Maclachlan Deputy Editor: Kel Buckley Sub Editor: Phil Branagan News Editor: Hamish Cooper Staff Journalist: Pete Vorst Founding Editor: George Lynn DESIGN Art Director: Paul Andrews Designer: Joe Ferrara CONTRIBUTORS Sir Alan Cathcart, Michael Scott, Ben Purvis, Colin Young, Mat Oxley, Gold & Goose, Gordon Ritchie, Paul Young, Peter Whitaker, Tim Munro, Don Cox AND NOT FORGETTING Dean Mellor, Darryl Flack, Neil Spalding, Simon O’Leary, Peter Baker, Josh Evans & Phillip Tooth, PRODUCTION Production Manager: Ian Scott Advertising Co-ordinator: Yang Zhou ADVERTISING Head of Sales: Dale Johnson dale.johnson@amcn.com.au 0403 743 587 National Sales Manager: Mark Evans mark.evans@amcn.com.au 0422 805 205 Qld Sales Manager: Todd Anderson todd@motormedia.com.au 0409 630 733 MANAGEMENT Citrus Media Publisher: Jim Flynn 0449 801 899 jim@citrusmedia.com.au Accounts: accounts@citrusmedia.com.au…

BMW’S R 1800 FLAT-TWIN cruiser is ready to smash down the doors of a marketplace dominated by American V-twins. We’ve busted the final production version ahead of its official November launch and also got our hands on images of its new F 850 R parallel twin, the successor to the F 800 R.…

ANY MEMORIES OF BMW’s flaccid attempt at a cruiser in the late 1990s are erased by its stunning new R 1800. Now production ready, it looks like BMW’s hierarchy has learned from the failures of the old R 1200 C. It looks set to storm the cruiser market as effectively as its S 1000 RR upset the Superbike applecart a decade ago. Although largely hidden under a tarp, the R1800 clearly shares a vast amount with the R 18 concept bike revealed a few months back. As well as the massive 1800cc boxer engine, which uses air-cooling and pushrod valve actuation to have the same simple appeal of a Harley or Indian, the R 18’s tubular-steel frame has gone into production unchanged. That’s good news, as it’s a remarkably clean…

BMW’S HONEST BUT unspectacular F 800 R is finally getting the updates of its more glamorous stablemates. These images, part of a design patent filing, gives us a good look at the new F 850 R . The new engine and the main part of its pressed-steel frame are taken straight from the 850 GS model, so expect peak power of around 70kW. While the use of steel for the frame might seem a backwards step from the F 800 R’s aluminium beam chassis, it makes sense to share parts wherever possible. The tail and tank appear to be shared with another upcoming F 850 model – either called the XR or RS – that was previewed in the Concept 9Cento last year and the suspension and brakes look similar…

HARLEY-DAVIDSON HAS patented designs for a new front fairing that suggests that a sporty half-faired model isn’t far from launch. The design drawings only show the fairing but the most likely candidate for a new sports model is one of Harley’s planned 975cc or 1250cc water-cooled machines. This engine debuts next year with the Pan America adventure bike and an as-yet-unnamed streetfighter model. Early this year, Harley hinted at a faired sportsbike, showing glimpses of a sketch and clay model in a promotional video. However, there is another possibility; it could appear on a revised version of the electric Livewire model.…