Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 69 Issue 25 i Australian Motorcycle News

THOSE TWO BIKES on the cover are a couple of great examples of what’s great about motorcycling: affordable, fun, well-built and offering the simplicity of an engine strung well between two wheels – that’s exactly why we like these contraptions. Sitting on an engine you have to balance is the best kind of fun. More expensive bikes are fun, too – don’t get me wrong. Spending two hours in the shed, changing suspension and engine settings and modes with the dash alone, is an excellent way to spend the hours, and the way electronics can make your ride better, particularly on the track, is excellent. But these two machines, the Yamaha MT-09 and Kawasaki Z900, have all they need to make life fun on two wheels, and to be able…

HERE IS THE new TRK800 – an adventure model based on the 754cc 60kW parallel twin from the 752S and Leoncino 800 but with a new, tubular-steel swingarm. Expect the same level of electronics as the other new Benellis, including a colour TFT dash, keyless ignition and colour-backlit bar controls. It’s set to appear in China first under the newly-launched ‘QJMotor’ brand name, created by Qianjiang as a vehicle for its highest-spec machines. But we’ll see the more familiar Benelli badge when it goes on international sale.…

We’re back! Motorcycling Australia has announced 1 July for competition activity to resume on a state-by-state basis in compliance with state and national guidelines and regulations. Jim’s gong Prolific motorcycle writer and AMCN contributor Jim Scaysbrook gets a Queen’s Birthday OAM for service to motorcycling, along with Sydney motorcycle stalwart Rick Johnson. Iannone in strife While Aprilia MotoGP racer Andrea Iannone prepares to appeal his 18-month ban, the World Anti-Doping Agency says it wants his competition ban extended. Jobs to go A global realignment of its manufacturing processes and the impact of COVID-19 have coincided to result in planned redundancies at Triumph, involving 240 UK jobs and 400 worldwide.…

The year was 3... 002010 2010, YEAR OF Biodiversity and the Year of Youth also marked the kick-off of social media platform Instagram, the death of Dennis Hopper and the running of the winter Olympics in Canada. In August 2010 the 2009 Swine flu (H1N1) pandemic was declared as being over. The H1N1 virus has been estimated to have infected between 700 million and 1.4 billion people and to have caused around 284,000 deaths. Julia Gillard became the first female Prime Minister of Australia when the Labor party whiteanted its leader Kevin Rudd. Some of the population backed the call, though Jules was elected fair and square when she beat opposition leader Tony ‘budgie smuggler’ Abbott to win the federal election. Meanwhile Hayabusa, a robotic Japanese spacecraft, landed in Woomera SA…

THE ROYAL ENFIELD Classic 500 Trials Works Replica commemorates the 70th anniversary of the heritage brand’s six-year winning streak at the International Six Days Trial competition between 1948 and 1953. It also pays tribute to Johnny Brittain, who amassed more than 50 major championships and 13 gold medals over 15 years for Royal Enfield. Johnny Brittain’s bike of choice was always a 350cc Royal Enfield Bullet – unsurprising since he had a Royal Enfield dealership in Bloxwich near Walsall, in the West Midlands. Johnny Brittain died in March 2019 at the age of 87. In 1937, Royal Enfield riders won a record-breaking 37 trials trophies along with six gold medals in the ISDT, with the likes of Charlie Rogers, George Holdsworth and Jack Booker riding 250cc and 350cc Bullets and…

KAWASAKI’S Z900 WAS released in 2017 and although it didn’t seem to make a splash on the sales charts or with the bike media in general, we gave it a glowing review when we tested it that same year. Now for 2020, Kawasaki have made a raft of changes to improve it further. The frame has come in for some attention. It runs the same geometry but has been beefed up around the swingarm pivot for better rigidity and the suspension settings have been tweaked in response to the new frame. There’s a new exhaust that’s both cleaner and quieter, the bodywork has been tarted up a bit but retains the same look, and there’s now a full LED lighting package. The Zed also now sports Kawasaki’s excellent full-colour TFT…

ENGINE Capacity 948cc Type Inline four-cylinder, DOHC, four-valves per cylinder Bore & stroke 73.4 x 56.0 Compression ratio 11.8:1 Cooling Liquid Fueling EFI, 4 x 36mm Mikuni throttle bodies Transmission Six-speed Clutch Wet, multi-plate, slipper-type Final drive chain PERFORMANCE Power 92.2kW @ 9500 rpm (claimed) Torque 98.6Nm @ 7700 rpm (claimed) Top speed 250km/h (est) Fuel consumption 6.6L/100km ELECTRONICS Type Denso ECU, Nissin ABS Rider aids ABS, traction control Modes Sport, Road, Rain and Rider (customisable) CHASSIS Frame material Tubular steel Frame type Trellis Rake 24.5º Trail 104mm Wheelbase 1455mm SUSPENSION Type KYB Front: 41mm USD fork, fully adjustable, 120mm travel Rear: Monoshock link suspension, fully adjustable, 140mm…

ENGINE Capacity 1151cc Type Transverse V-twin, SOHC, four-valves per cylinder Bore & stroke 95 x 81.2mm Compression ratio 10.4:1 Cooling Air/oil Fueling EFI, single 64mm Dell’Orto throttle body Transmission Six-speed Clutch Single-plate, diaphragm Final drive Shaft PERFORMANCE Power 77kW @ 7600rpm (claimed) Torque 124.4Nm @ 4900rpm (claimed) Top speed 245km/h (est) Fuel consumption Not given ELECTRONICS Type Athena ECU Rider aides Not applicable CHASSIS Frame material Tubular steel Frame type Twin spar Rake 24º Trail N98mm Wheelbase 1470mm SUSPENSION Type Öhlins Front: Upside-down 48mm fork, fully adjustable, 120mm travel Rear: Fully adjustable TTX36 monoshock, 115mm travel WHEELS & BRAKES Wheels Wire-spoked, aluminium Front: 17 x 3.5 Rear: 17…

MOTOGP’S HIATUS FROM racing hasn’t slowed down the Silly Season – quite the opposite – but it has derailed one conversation. Before the racing stopped we thought we would know by mid-June precisely what the future of Valentino Rossi would be. By mid-season Yamaha was supposed to have had an idea whether he would be fast enough to take a spot at SRT Petronas Yamaha – effectively a seat swap with Fabio Quartararo – or whether he would be heading for the rocking chair. Delaying that news has stopped comments like the one I am about to make. So deep breath, here goes... Rossi is never going to win another MotoGP title. In fact, barring extraordinary circumstances, he is never going to win another MotoGP race. (I just checked outside.…

THE BRITISH SPEEDWAY Grand Prix GP in Cardiff has been cancelled after officials decided that it would not be possible to stage the event during 2020. That leaves the original 10-round calendar cut to nine, starting on 25 July at Hallstavik, Sweden. Eight rounds will be run across 11 weekends, a ninth to have its date confirmed. Meanwhile the European Speedway Championship will go ahead but will be staged entirely in Poland. Fifteen riders will race in five rounds, all in July, after no qualifying rounds could be staged.…

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. Do you remember when you used to stretch your lunchtime by a few minutes because the local bike shop had some new models to perve at? New jackets? Helmets? Those gloves you saw in AMCN? It might be a good time to do that again. Bike shops are open, and many of them have some great deals, especially for the EOFY. The economy needs a shove. The shops need some business. That new iPhone can wait...…

› MODEL 2017 Ducati 1299 Superleggera › IMPORTER NF Importers Ltd › NUMBER OF AFFECTED MOTORCYCLES 32 › ISSUE Due to an improper manufacturing process, the front brake pad material may separate from the brake pad. › POTENTIAL HAZARD If the brake pad material separates from the brake pad, there is an increased risk of an accident and/or injury. › ACTION REQUIRED Consumers will be notified in writing to contact their closest Ducati dealer or service agent and arrange an appointment to replace the front brake pad, free of charge. More information from your authorised Ducati dealer. › MODEL 2019-20 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R, ZX-10RR, ZX-10R SE › IMPORTER Kawasaki Motors › NUMBER OF AFFECTED MOTORCYCLES 54 › ISSUE The Engine Control Unit programming may cause the engine to after fire…

NEARLY 2.1 MILLION Aussies hold a motorcycle licence. The Australian Bureau of Statistics says there are around 870,000 registered motorcycles and scooters, numbers which suggest over one million licensed riders are missing from our roads. This has prompted a call-out from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) to lapsed riders. As COVID-19 travel restrictions ease and commuting begins to resume, the FCAI hopes these inactive riders will use the pandemic as a prompt to get back on two wheels. “COVID-19 has changed the way we go about our lives,” FCAI Motorcycle Manager Rhys Griffiths said, suggesting physical distancing rules make motorcycles more relevant than ever. AMCN believes there has never been a better time to get back on your bike. The range of models and categories, both new and…

ENGINE Capacity 499cc Type Single cylinder, two valves Bore & stroke 84 x 90mm Compression ratio 8.5:1 Cooling Air Fueling EFI Transmission Five-speed, constant mesh Clutch Wet, multi-plate Final drive Chain PERFORMANCE Power 20kW @ 5250rpm (claimed) Torque 41Nm @ 4000rpm (claimed) Top speed 135km/h (est) Fuel consumption 3.8L/100km (measured) ELECTRONICS Type Not given Rider aids ABS CHASSIS Frame material Steel Frame type Single downtube Rake 25º Trail 75mm Wheelbase 1360mm SUSPENSION Type Royal Enfield Front: 35mm telescopic fork, non-adjustable, 130mm travel Rear: Twin shocks with five-step preload adjustment, 80mm travel WHEELS & BRAKES Wheels Wire spoked Front: 19 x 3.25 Rear: 18 x 3.5 Tyres Ceat…

THE MT-09 HAS been around since 2015 when it hit the market with much fanfare and has been quite a success story for Yamaha. In the area where I live at least, MT-09s are like the saying goes… everyone’s got one. Two years after its release, Yamaha threw a bunch of upgrades at it, like higher-spec suspenders, new and arguably better-looking styling including colourful wheels, an LED headlight and a daytime running light, an up-only quickshifter, and a handful of other rather unremarkable but still significant updates. The updated MT-09 has only received styling changes since we tested it in Vol 66 No 19.…

ENGINE Capacity 847cc Type Inline three-cylinder, DOHC, four-valves per cylinder Bore & stroke 78.0 x 59.1 Compression ratio 11.5 : 1 Cooling Liquid Fueling EFI, Mikuni throttle bodies Transmission Six-speed Clutch Wet, multi-plate, slipper-type Final drive chain PERFORMANCE Power 84.6kW @10,000 rpm (claimed) Torque 87.5Nm @8500 rpm (claimed) Top speed 250km/h (est) Fuel consumption 5.5L/100km ELECTRONICS Type Yamaha Rider aids ABS, ride-by-wire traction control, quickshifter Modes A, standard and B CHASSIS Frame material Aluminium Frame type Twin-spar Rake 25º Trail 103mm Wheelbase 1440mm SUSPENSION Type KYB Front: 41mm USD fork, fully adjustable, 137mm travel Rear: Monoshock adjustable preload and rebound, 130mm travel WHEELS & BRAKES Wheels Cast aluminium Front:…

TT VICTORIES 1952 Ultra-Lightweight TT (MV Agusta) and 1953 Lightweight (Mondial) ISLE OF MAN TT DEBUT 1948, Junior Clubmans TT: DNF (Velocette) GRAND PRIX VICTORIES five (three 125cc, two 250cc) 1950 350cc world championship: 13th (AJS) 1951 250cc world championship: 12th (Velocette) 500cc world championship: 9th (Velocette) 1952 125cc world championship: 1st (MV Agusta) 1953 125cc world championship: 2nd (MV Agusta) 500cc world championship: 15th (MV Agusta) 1954 125cc world championship: 8th (MV Agusta) 1955 250cc world championship: 3rd (Moto Guzzi) 350cc world championship: 5th (Moto Guzzi) 1956 125cc world championship: 13th (Mondial) 350cc world championship: 5th (DKW) 1957 125cc world championship: 6th (Mondial) 250cc world championship: 1st (Mondial)…

WE’VE USED NEAT 1:3-type ratios for convenience. However, this would mean that the front sprocket’s same teeth would always be acting with the same three teeth at the rear every time, and this tends to exacerbate wear of sprockets and the chain, particularly as a tight spot develops in the chain. That’s why you’ll always find the sprockets are matched with sets like 17/42, for a 1:2.47 ratio – so there’s a constantly changing relationship between the individual teeth on the sprockets and wear is more even.…

MotoGP Silverstone, UK Circuit length 5.900km Race distance MotoGP 120.6355km 2019 winner MotoGP Alex Rins 40m12.799s A shear coincidence Long before Silverstone was the home of both the MotoGP and Formula 1 British GPs it was an RAF airbase, commissioned in 1943. But no missions were launched from its three runways, which today form the basic design of the circuit. Silverstone was a training facility, used for bringing bomber flying and maintenance crews up to speed before they could be deployed to other bases. That is what contributed to Silverstone being one of the first to be shut down after WWII, at which point the land was returned to its previous role. That was the grazing of sheep – the same role for which the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit…

THE ESPARGARO FAMILY celebrations might intensify if rumours of younger brother Pol’s future are realised. With Aleix confirmed with the factory Aprilia squad through to the end of the 2022 season, Pol, who has been with the Red Bull KTM squad since its 2017 inception, is rumoured to be joining Marc Marquez in the Repsol Honda squad from 2021. If true, the 29-year old will be named as Alex Marquez’s (right) replacement, possibly before the reigning Moto2 world champ even gets a chance to prove himself in race conditions on the notoriously difficult-to-ride RC213V machine. Espargaro finished in the top-10 in his first three seasons in the premier class riding the relatively user-friendly Yamaha YZR-M1, and his hard work and commitment with the KTM project has seen him go from…

THE 2020 RED Bull Rookies Cup will be made up of six doubleheader races at three circuits between August and November this year. The tight schedule follows the newly announced MotoGP calendar and will see Aussie talent Billy van Eerde battle 25 other young riders all keen to make their mark in what is MotoGP’s European-based feeder category. After a three-day preseason test at the same circuit two weeks earlier, the series kicks off at Spielberg in Austria for races one and two, while three and four take place at the same track one weekend later. From there the series heads to Spain’s Aragon circuit for races five and six over 17-18 October and races seven and eight the following weekend. It’s immediately to Valencia on 7-8 November for races…

THIS IS THE time of the year we traditionally launch our annual AMCN Winter Jacket Drive. It takes a huge amount of organisation and involves Mission Australia and some of the nation’s major motorcycle-related businesses coming together to help the nation’s needy. This year it took on even more significance, as the Covid-19 pandemic has triggered an economic crisis to match the last three months of the health crisis. Several big-name motorcycle operations stepped up to the plate, promising to make this year’s Jacket Drive a special event. Sadly, just as it was all coming together, we were informed that social distancing restrictions and other health regulations that apply to Covid-19 made it impossible to comply with restrictions in delivery of the jackets. We’re really disappointed by this situation but…

MILLION The number of race-craved fans who watched MotoGP’s 10 virtual races live on the internet. GUESS WHO? This chick is no stranger to bikes on the dirt, and she’s slowly getting used to this roadbike lark. She customised this bike herself before embarking on a trip around Tassie before the borders shut. Find out who she is and why she went to the Apple Isle from page 62 Mental Twisties Mark Hawkins was the first reader to write in with the correct answers, but it was Richard Reed who was the first over the line with both the answers and a pic of the completed find-a-word! 1. Winner of the 1999 500cc World Championship? ALEX CRIVILLE 2. Flat and salty scene of speed record attempts? BONNEVILLE 3. The Ascari…

As if you need an excuse… › Avoid the contagion risks of public transport, while cutting commute times by lane filtering through traffic. › Motorcycle parking is freely available in most Australian cities. › There are great deals to be had on new and secondhand motorcycles as shops come out of lockdown conditions. › The motorcycle industry has never had such a wide choice of motorcycle types, sizes and performance levels. › Every State capital and many major cities have rider refresher schemes or learner-training. › Older bikes are subject to a 30-year rolling and cheaper historic rego scheme in some states. › A huge number of brand-specific clubs offer advice, assistance and comradeship to returning motorcycle riders. › Motorcycling Australia’s Ride Parks Australia program offers recreational riding through local…

The outbreak of coronavirus has put more than a few local and international motorcycle launches on hold. It means we don’t get to test them and you don’t get to read about them. Here’s a handful of bikes we can’t wait to get our hands on once the world is breathing easy again. MV AGUSTA SUPERVELOCE 800 Why? Oh my god, just look at it. Triple-cylinder goodness in a gorgeous neo-retro sporty package. Price has been announced at $33 ride away. That’s a lot of cash, we want to find out if it represents good value. Capacity 798cc triple Weight 173kg (dry) Power 148hp Torque 88Nm SUZUKI V-STROM 1050 Why? Looking every bit Suzuki’s legendary Dr Big from the 1980s, electronics are the main talking point for the firm’s latest…

IF A TREE falls in a forest and there is nobody around to hear it, does it make a sound? The question forms a famous so-called thought experiment, which – when first aired in an American philosophical magazine in 1883 (thank you, Wikipedia) – elicited a negative answer. No-one to hear it equals no sound. Which is a little bit difficult to agree with. Particularly if you have an imaginary friend, who might have been standing under the tree at the time. So, if a motorcycle race, for example the 24 Hours at Le Mans, takes place without any spectators, did it really happen? We’ll find out at the end of August, when the classic endurance race is due to take place in private at the Bugatti circuit. But I…

How old is old? At 16 years and seven months Valentino Rossi was one of the youngest riders to win a GP when he triumphed in the 125cc class at Brno in 1996. Now he is the third-oldest man to win a GP at the premier level at 41 years, three months and 20 days. The only riders older than Vale to take victories are Ferguson Anderson, who won at 44 years and 237 days at Montjuic, Spain in 1953, and Aussie Jack Findlay, at 42 years and 85 days when he took the Austrian 500cc win at Salzburgring in 1977. FIM drops a two-stroke truth bomb We knew that the FIM was planning to boost grids by allowing two-stokes back into MotoGP. But few predicted that it wouldhappen this…

POLISH SPEEDWAY RESUMED last week with Australian champion Max Fricke lining up at the tapes in the very first race. On Friday, Fricke scored five points as his Wroclaw team scored a comfortable 55-35 win over Lublin. On the same night rain ruined the Czestochowa -Grudziadz match, delaying the return of Jason Doyle until Monday night. Brady Kurtz was the only other Australian rider to appear, scoring five points as the high-flying Leszno won 49-41 at Gorzow. Jaimon Lidsey was not used. Rybnik replaced Troy Batchelor, claiming he had not had enough practice, but his replacement failed to score as the newly promoted team slumped to a 53-36 loss at home to Zielona Gora. The Elitserien, Sweden’s the top tier speedway league competition, is set to have its season relaunch…