Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 69 Issue 16 i Australian Motorcycle News

I REALLY DIDN’T think MotoGP could get much better than the Marc Marquez era we have enjoyed since 2013, but with a grid full of high-grade aliens, who now have their bikes being developed for them by a similar array of high-grade aliens, we can only see things getting closer. The Sepang test highlighted Marquez’s weakness leading into the season (his shoulder), or is he foxing? The KTM is showing some spice thanks to Dani Pedrosa’s development – and Honda knowledge. And Yamaha’s wunderkid, This could be the first year in a while that Marquez is properly challenged Fabio Quartararo, is fast already and only going to get faster with Jorge Lorenzo helping him out. Our own Jack Miller is faster than he was this time last year, and the…

1898 James ‘Pa’ Landsdowne Norton founds a bicycle parts supply company and builds his first motorcycle in 1902 using a Belgium Clement engine. 1909 After winning the first Isle of Man TT race in 1907 Norton gains prestige, even selling models in Harrods. 1913 James Norton goes bankrupt but soon restarts the business as Norton Motors Ltd. 1953 Despite producing the legendary Manx racer and Featherbed-framed Dominator road models, financially troubled Norton is sold to AMC (owners of AJS and Matchless). 1966 AMC goes bust and Norton becomes Norton-Villiers, part of Manganese Bronze Holdings Ltd., an automotive engineering company. 1972 Troubled BSA (which also owns Triumph) is merged with Norton, now producing the Commando, to become NVT. 1975 Norton folds as part of the death of UK bike manufacturing. Global…

43 The number of Superbikes that front the starter for the combined Vic-SA state titles Round One at The Bend over 1-2 February. EWAN A LIVEWIRE Actor Ewan McGregor tells a US talk show host his recent 15,000km road trip from Terra Del Fuego to LA on a H-D Livewire with Charley Boorman was both “amazing” and “tricky”. Instead of blagging petrol they relied on locals to allow them to recharge in houses and cafes. The Long Way Up TV series should screen later this year. HYSTERICAL ABOUT HISTORICS All roads lead to the 44th Historic Winton on May 29-31. Australia’s longest -running and most-popular combined historic car, motorcycle and sidecar meeting will attract racers and spectators from all over Australia. Displays and camping are other features. Tickets at www.ticketebo.com.au…

ENGINE Capacity 1301cc Type 75° V-twin, DOHC, four valves per cylinder Bore & stroke 108mm x 71mm Compression ratio 13.5 : 1 Cooling Liquid-cooled Fueling Keihin EFI with 56mm throttle body Transmission Six-speed Clutch PASC, wet, multiplate, slipper Final drive Chain PERFORMANCE Power 132kW @ 9500 rpm (claimed) Torque 140Nm @ 8000 rpm (claimed) Top speed 299km/h (est) Fuel consumption Not given ELECTRONICS Type Bosch Rider aides cornering ABS, cornering traction control, anti-wheelie, three ride modes (Sport, Street, Rain), cruise control CHASSIS Frame material Tubular steel Frame type Trellis Rake 25.2° Trail 106mm Wheelbase 1497mm SUSPENSION Type WP Front: USD 48mm fork, fully-adjustable, travel 125mm Rear: Monoshock, fully-adjustable,…

THE CHASSIS HAS been changed significantly. The centre of gravity has been raised, which allows the bike to steer more easily, in the same way that a tall boxer is easier to knock over than a short boxer because his centre of gravity is higher. The disadvantage of raising the C of G is that it tends to reduce the tyres’ edge grip at high angles of lean. To offset this, Ducati has softened the rear suspension to give more grip and feel. The rear shock had less stiffness, and at the same time ride height is increased, which has subsequently raised the seat height my 5mm. The bike undoubtedly turns effortlessly, and again wet conditions highlighted the improvements in front-end feel. You can feel the front tyre squirming and…

IT’S BEEN A long year of recovery but I’m back and feeling really strong for ASBK 2020. I got the call from Yamaha Australia to ride for the official team on the same day as I was getting married to Siobhan. To have those two things happen on the same day is almost beyond belief. It’s a long way from where I was last March at Wakefield Park. I was on a hot lap when the Superbike field was let out onto the main straight in front of me. They were doing around 60km/h and I was up around 200km/h. I remember thinking that I couldn’t barrel into them with that speed difference. In moments like that adrenaline takes over. As I was on the right side of the tyre…

VALENTINO ROSSI HAS been unable to delay the meteoric rise of Fabio Quartararo, whose emergence has been the catalyst for the most feared moment in MotoGP: the end of his incredible 25 year grand prix career. If Rossi calls time at the end of this season, global television audiences and the attendance of his yellow-clad fans at circuits will take a hit, just as they did when his missed three races with a broken leg in 2010. Rossi is a phenomenon in motorcycling. Many of his fans are attracted by his aura and not necessarily as devoted followers of MotoGP. The nine-time world champion, who turns 42 this month, has been squeezed aside for Quartararo, 20, who will be Maverick Vinales’ factory teammate from 2021. Rossi, winless since the 2017…

WITH THREE DAYS of fast and fearless riding, SRT’s Fabio Quartararo showed why it was a no-brainer for Yamaha to secure his MotoGP future. Quartararo opened the 2020 season with a clean sheet of fast times across three days of the Sepang test featuring the first appearance of the new hardware from all factory teams. The Frenchman closed the test with a best time of 1m58.349s, just four hundredths outside his career-first pole position at last October’s Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang. Quartararo edged Cal Crutchlow, who was the fastest Honda rider, with Alex Rins completing the top three on the Suzuki GSX-RR featuring a newfor-2020 chassis. Honda’s star man, the six-time world champion Marc Marquez, finished the test 13th on the combined times as he continues the long and…

CRU HALLIDAY Yamaha Racing Team, Yamaha YZF-R1M Test: 8th, 1m33.112s 2019 result: 4th After fighting for the factory Yamaha spot in 2019, a consistent and revitalised Halliday looked like a championship prospect at times during the season. This year he starts his second season on the factory bike and the team expects to be running the 2020 bike at the opening round. AIDEN WAGNER Yamaha Racing Team, Yamaha YZF-R1M Test: 5th, 1m32.792s 2019 result: 16th He stunned the paddock at the opening round last year with two race victories and a podium, but a season-ending shoulder injury at Wakefield Park put paid to his potential. It was enough to secure a factory seat, but he heads into round one with a fractured thumb. GLENN ALLERTON NextGen Motorsports, BMW S 1000…

Sidecar racing takes over the focus in Australian speedway through to the end of March. Already this summer four State Championships have been staged – three of them won by riders already with impressive credentials. Scott Christopher won another Queensland crown, with Hagan Campbell as passenger, Mark Plaisted and Ben Pitt made it back-to-back South Australian titles, while Warren Monson made it number six in Victoria, with Andrew Summerhayes in the chair. There was a new champion in Western Australia, too, as Daniel Bishop emulated his father Jeff, with Juston Winchester as passenger. The New South Wales Championship will be staged at Tamworth on 22 February. The Australian Championship is scheduled for Mildura in Victoria over 27-28 March, with several other big open meetings at both South Australia’s Gillman and…

WE’RE NOT JOKING when we report the Japanese giant is working on a telescopic sidestand – we’ve seen the patent applications! It seems the days of worrying about your bike falling off its stand may be over. The design shows a three-piece, telescoping stand that you push down before a slight rearward rotation locks it into place. The weight of the bike resting on the stand stops it accidentally retracting. To put it back up again, you lift the bike’s weight off the stand and kick it downwards again, but with a slight forward movement on the peg section. That releases the latches and allows the internal spring to retract the two telescoping sections into the fixed third part. There’s no doubt that the idea would work, and perhaps it…

Bikes exempt In a lesson for the rest of the world, the UK has made motorcycles exempt from its 2035 ban on sales of new petrol/ diesel cars and vans. Bigger than ASBK? Huge grids for the Preston MCC/CAFNIXhosted Round One of the combined Vic-SA state titles at The Bend. The Supersport grid alone featured 30 riders. Viral effect Several Chinese motorcycle factories have had to extend their Lunar Year shutdowns as the coronavirus takes it toll on the country. Dunlop deflated Road racing legend Michael Dunlop is still looking for a Superbike sponsor for this year's Isle of Man TT.…

HARLEY HAS REVEALED the Fat Boy 30th Anniversary to mark three decades of this popular model. Just 2500 will be built, each individually numbered and powered by the 114cu in (1868cc) version of the Milwaukee-Eight V-twin engine . “The 1990 Fat Boy took the look, proportions and silhouette of a 1949 Hydra-Glide motorcycle and completely modernised it for a new generation of riders,” said Brad Richards, Harley-Davidson Vice President of Styling and Design The anniversary model will be available in Australia from April with a retail price of $35,995.…

THE ITALJET BRAND has been synonymous with two-wheeled innovation, and for thinking outside the box, ever since it was founded in 1959 by Leopoldo Tartarini. During its 44 years of existence first time around, most of the more than 150 different imaginatively-designed motorcycle and scooter models Italjet marketed were personally created by Leopoldo Tartarini himself, in between running the company. That came in addition to the consultancy work the former Ducati factory racer undertook for Ducati, including styling the prized green-frame 750SS, a replica of Paul Smart’s 1972 Imola 200-winning factory racer. Sadly, though, Italjet went into liquidation in 2003. But in 2005 Tartarini’s eldest son Massimo repurchased the Italjet trademark and restarted the company, originally selling high-end electric bicycles made in China to his very individual design. “We had…

ENGINE Capacity 1103cc Type 90º V4, 16 valves Bore & stroke 81x53.5mm Compression ratio 14.0 :1 Cooling Liquid Fueling Fuel injected, twin injectors per cylinder Transmission Six-speed Clutch Wet, multi-plate, slipper Final drive Chain PERFORMANCE Power 157kW @ 13,000rpm (claimed) Torque 124Nm @ 10,000rpm (claimed) Top speed 300km/h (claimed) Fuel consumption 6.9L/100km (claimed) ELECTRONICS Type Bosch ABS, Ride-by-wire Rider aides Riding Modes, Power Modes, Cornering ABS EVO, Ducati Traction Control (DTC), Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC), Ducati Slide Control (DSC), Engine Brake Control (EBC), Ducati Quick Shift (DQS), Ducati Electronic Suspension (DES) CHASSIS Frame material Aluminium, Frame type Aluminum alloy “Front Frame” Rake 24.5 degrees Trail 100mm Wheelbase 1469mm SUSPENSION Type…

Norway is pretty close to being heaven on earth. With significant oil reserves and a small population of 5.3 million people, it may well be the richest country on the planet, as opposed to a city state like Monaco or Singapore. While most of the rest of Europe struggles with how to reduce spending, Norway has invested the income from its oil and gas reserves so wisely that it now has the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, estimated to be worth one trillion US dollars (AUD$1.47 trillion) in 2020. Its oil and gas industry nets one billion US dollars a week, and it holds 1.4 percent of the entire world’s stocks and shares. Norway today owns 2.33 percent of all listed companies in Europe, and at the height of the…

WHAT TO LOOK FOR CHECK FOR THE usual wear and tear on a motorcycle that has travelled long distances – swingarm and steering-head bearings; brakes and brake lines; tyre wear; leaking fork seals; rear shock absorber damping; blue colouring of exhaust headers; noisy tappets; oil weeps around gaskets. Oil weeps and blue pipes could indicate sustained high-speed use or an overheating engine. Check for damage to bodywork and chassis components. Replacement parts via wreckers may be hard to come by as the Falco was not a high-volume model Down Under. SERVICE HISTORY APRILIA’S SL1000 FALCO may have only been on the local market for three years, but the 60° V-twin engine is a proven and robust design that has a lifespan stretching from 1999 through to 2010. Oil change intervals…

Show time 13 FEBRUARY Classic Motorcycle Mecca, Invercargill, NZ. Check out the George Begg exhibit at one of the leading motorcycle collections in the Southern Hemisphere. In total there will be more than 300 motorcycles on display at the Classic Motorcycle Mecca including three out of four publicly displayed John Britten bikes, the largest display of Brough Superior south of the Equator, Harley-Davidsons, Vincents, and tributes to icons such as speedway legend Ivan Mauger and more. For more information see motorcyclemecca.nz. 28-29 FEBRUARY 3rd Annual Drags & Bike Show, Gippsland Motorplex, 150 Aerodrome Rd, Bairnsdale, Vic. Gates open 12pm Friday; night racing from 6pm. Bitumen and dirt drags, 50cc kids racing, trailbikes, roadbikes, quads, stunt riders, burnouts and grudge racing. Live music, trade stalls, food and drink kiosks, and onsite…

BUM IN THE butter. Cake and eat it. Carte blanche. A win-win situation. And who could begrudge it of Valentino Rossi? The old man of the grid’s latest career move gives him exactly what he wants from Yamaha. Whether he wants it or not. The second Japanese factory, still struggling to get back on terms with Honda and Ducati, have had their hands tied for a couple of years now, by the presence of Valentino – arguably the greatest of all time, but also arguably increasingly past his best-before date. They daren’t drop him. Just imagine the fans’ fall-out. Not to mention his own rage, with the loss of the chance of adding the crucial eight wins he needs to beat Agostini’s all-time 122. Or, more to the point, at…

YAMAHA’S RETENTION OF Maverick Viñales on a fresh two-year factory contract for the 2021 and 2022 seasons came despite a big push from Ducati to sign the Spaniard. Part of the sales pitch from Yamaha included the enticement that technical feedback from Viñales would be prioritised, thus eliminating his noted unease with Rossi’s development direction. And the signing of three-time MotoGP world champ Jorge Lorenzo as the firm’s number-one test rider illustrates how serious the Japanese firm is taking its title chase, a move that would have been very appealing to the 25-year-old rider. By early January team boss Lin Jarvis was not prepared to hold a factory slot open for Rossi and risk losing Viñales. While Jarvis said he respected Rossi’s plea for more time he added that it…

IN THE MOTORSPORTS TV Australian Supersport Championship, 2019 champ Tom Toparis topped the timesheets and will compete in the opening round before heading to Europe. The big news was Jack Hyde who finished in second place. Hyde, who also fronted up on the Supersport 300 grid, only started racing the YZF-R6 half way through last year. He said he could still ride both classes this year, but was “100 percent focussed on Supersport.” After a breakthrough 2019 season, Nic Liminton finished the test in third and looks to be strong again in 2020, as does Oli Bayliss on the Cube Racing Yamaha YZF-R6. With the departure of Glen Richards at the end of 2019, Marty Dowd will step in as crew chief this season. Jack Passfield, Broc Pearson and Aidan…

Speedway riders, like all motorcycle racers, are prone to injuries. World No.2 Leon Madsen has undergone three operations in the European off-season– two to alleviate the agony of two cracked discs in his back and another to remove some troublesome metalwork from his ankle. But Madsen has been forced to go under the knife again to have kidney stones removed – relieving a pain he admits was worse than any of his injuries casued by motorcycles. Madsen said: “I can tell you – kidney stones are the worst thing I have ever had. I would prefer breaking both my legs at the same time to having kidney stones again,” he said. He is confident of getting back to full health and said he’s determined to come back stronger and hungrier…

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 trying to work out which time zone which page from which section needs to be at the printer by when. Pete was doing his work from the KTM launch in Portugal, Kel was logging in from the BMW launch in Spain, Youngy was somewhere between the UK and Spain – though Kel did run into him on an escalator in Dubai – and Phil, well, he was somewhere between New Zealand and Malaysia and, as far as we can tell, still is. And Sam? He was last seen searching for…

Killer engine In road-legal form, the Superleggera makes a claimed 165kW, and that rises to 174kW when the race kit is bolted on and the new ‘RaceGP’ mode is selected on the Desmosedici-inspired TFT dash. Andrea Dovizioso helped design the RaceGP display mode, preloaded with ECU maps for Laguna Seca, Sepang, Mugello, Losail and Jerez. The engine is 2.8kg lighter with new, lightweight camshafts and a dry clutch. King of carbon The Superleggera is almost entirely carbon fibre: frame, swingarm, bodywork, subframe and wheels. It’s 16kg lighter than the normal Panigale V4, with a dry weight of 159kg. Ready to ride, it’s 173kg. Buyers can lighten it more by fitting a race kit incorporating an Akrapovic exhaust and blanking plates to allow the removal of mirrors, licence plate hanger and…

AS AMCN WENT to print, Norton’s CEO Stuart Garner was due to appear before the UK’s Pension Ombudsman again over a complaint from 30 investors in the three Norton pension plans. This issue has been rumbling for some time and now threatens to overshadow the official reason Norton was put into administration, nonpayment of taxes. It revolves around the ‘Dominator 2012 Pension Scheme’, the ‘Donington MC Pension Scheme’ and the ‘Commando 2012 Pension Scheme’. In November 2018 the Pension Ombudsman upheld a complaint against Garner, as trustee of Norton’s pension plans, for ‘refusal/failure to pay or late payment’ to some investors. In May 2019 it upheld a second complaint due to delays in the transfer of pension benefits. Over the past year or so, Garner and Norton have been regularly…

JUST AS THIS issue goes on sale Triumph will be whipping the covers off its new 2020 Street Triple R – the middle model of its revamped Street Triple range. We’ve already seen the top-end Street Triple RS, which packs a 90.5kW version of the firm’s 765cc three-cylinder along with Showa BPF forks and an Öhlins STX40 rear shock. And at the less expensive end of the line, there’s the 660cc Street Triple S LAMS-approved version with a restricted 35kW output. It uses simpler Showa suspension at both ends and lacks much of the RS’s electronic gadgetry. The Street Triple R will split the difference, making around 87kW. Similarly, it’s expected to carry over the previous R’s mid-line suspension, with Showa separate function BPF forks and a fully adjustable Showa…

The year was... 002000 News The passing of racing legend Joey Dunlop was the major news in this issue. We showed some spy shots of the soon to be announced GSX-R1000, the FIM introduced the concept of four-strokes being allowed in GP racing “on an experimental basis”. We also reported on the South Australian police’s push for front numberplates, which had absolutely nothing to do with the revenue lost on front facing speed cameras. And H-D pulled the plug on its attempt to have its ‘Harley-Davidson sound’ registered as a trademark. Dumb & Dumber IV After a couple of years of plain sailing, the new millennium’s Dumb & Dumber took a toll on the participants as it wound its way through the snowy mountains. From a prang that sheared the…

ENGINE Capacity 125cc/200cc Type Single cylinder, four-stroke, DOHC, four-valves Bore & stroke 58 x 47mm/ 63 x 58mm Compression ratio N/A Cooling Liquid Fueling Magneti Marelli EFI Transmission CVT Clutch Dry, centrifuge Final drive Trapezoidal belt PERFORMANCE Power 11kW(14.9hp) @ 10,000rpm/ 14.6kW (19.8hp) @ 8250rpm Torque 12.5Nm (9.2ft/lb) @ 7750rpm/ 17Nm (12.5ft/lb) @ 6250rpm Top speed Not given Fuel consumption Not given ELECTRONICS Type Not applicable CHASSIS Frame material Aluminium castings steel tubes Frame type Trellis Rake Not applicable Trail Not applicable Wheelbase 1335mm SUSPENSION Type Italjet/Bitubo Front: ISS single arm, with hydropneumatic centre-mounted adjustable damper Rear: Single swingarm, with single hydropneumatic adjustable damper WHEELS & BRAKES Wheels Aluminium,…

A LOT OF the test bikes available had a variety of KTM official Powerparts on them, from slip-on performance mufflers to more aesthetic touches like anodised master cylinder caps. There were a few very, very sexy bits a kit lurking around the Portimao pits, from race-spec Dukes bristling with trick top-shelf WP forks, exotic Akrapovic exhaust systems, carbon-fibre subframes and slick tyres, to milder customs resplendent in enough carbon, billet and titanium to turn a bling junky into a dribbling mess.…

YES, THE DUCATI is dripping with rider aids, most of which have been improved for 2020, and are among the best on the market. They rescued me from crashing on multiple occasions in the tricky conditions. The new Ducati V4 S gets the DTC EVO-2 electronics package which is deployed on Ducati’s premium V4 R. All parameters, like throttle position, are in constant communication with the six-axis IMU, which measures lean angle plus pitch and yaw. The list of rider aids is jaw-dropping: cornering ABS, traction control, slide control, wheelie control, launch control, engine brake strategy, a new quicker multi-directional quickshifter and electronic Öhlins suspension. Everything is navigated by the menu button the left ’bar and can be changed on the move with a closed throttle. There are three rider…

- Aprilia founded immediately after WWII by Cavaliere Alberto Beggio as a bicycle production factory in Noale, Italy - In 1968 Alberto’s son, Ivano Beggio, took control of the company and constructed a 50cc moped motorcycle - In 1977 Ivan Alborghetti won the Italian 125 and 250cc motocross championships on Aprilias - In the 1980s Aprilia added enduro, trials and road bikes to its line-up. - In 1985 Aprilia started sourcing engines for some models from Austrian company Rotax - In 1985 Loris Reggiani rode an Aprilia to sixth place in the 250GP World Championship - In 1992 Aprilia riders Alessandro Gramigni won the 125GP World Championship title and Tommy Ahvala the World Trials Championship - In 1998 Aprilia launches the RSV Mille - In 2004 Aprilia is acquired by…

AS A SEVENTIES longhair you grew up in a house where your Mum never let you into the kitchen to do anything useful. You watched your Dad on Sunday afternoon doing his own car maintenance so he could get to work on Monday. You learned that “real men don’t wear their hearts on their sleeves” and that women prefer “the strong, silent type”. How things have changed? Now lifestyle-advice websites, such as The Art of Manliness, promote the “manly skills of cooking” as the quickest way to a woman’s heart. Now we applaud a sports star, such as the often wayward tennis millionaire Nick Kyrgios, when he cries in public the day after his basketball hero dies. It’s a topsy-turvy world. Your son comes home for Christmas from overseas bringing…

WAYNE MAXWELL Boost Mobile, Ducati V4 R Test: 1st, 1m31.776s 2019 result: 3rd After the demise of the factory Suzuki Superbike team at the end of the 2019 season, Maxwell was straight on the phone to Craig McMartin and within weeks had lined up a ride on the Ducati V4 R. McMartin is a former World Superbike rider and Ducati wizard, firing Maxwell straight to the top of the heap. An amazing turnaround from a rider who desperately wants a second ASBK title. TROY HERFOSS Penrite Honda Racing, Honda Fireblade Test: 3rd, 1m32.497s 2019 result: 2nd After coming so close in 2019, Herfoss continues with Penrite Honda in 2020 but team owner Deon Coote has introduced changes. Herfoss will switch to Michelin rubber, with none other than ex-MotoGP crew chief…

WORLD SUPERSPORT 300 rider and 2018 Aussie champ Tom Bramich made a starring cameo in the YMI Australian Supersport 300 field, clocking the fastest time at the Phillip Island test before he heads back to Europe. After racing overseas and struggling with injury in 2019, Harry Khouri put in a solid effort to finish in second. In an indication he may have more overseas rides coming up, Khouri was aboard both the Kawasaki Ninja 400 and Yamaha YZF-R3. Caleb Gilmore was the fastest exclusive Yamaha on the timesheets. The young Kiwi will be riding under the Metcher Motorsports banner this year, clocking fifth behind the Kawasaki’s of Luke Jhonston and Luke Power.…