Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 70 Issue 11 i Australian Motorcycle News

THERE ARE SO many reasons to be blown away by Joan Mir’s epic 2020 title win, an incredible achievement for both him and Suzuki. The pair of them tamed the Michelin tyres better than anyone, and no one was more consistently fast – yet the poor bloke is already having to defend his title win. Sure, Marc Marquez, the most dominant rider of the modern MotoGP era, appeared not to be a part of this title chase – except that he was a part of it and it was in chasing that crown that he took himself out of the points race with a monster crash. Mir didn’t make that mistake and Mir won. The pair of them tamed the Michelin tyres better than anyone To win a title that…

› MODEL 2020 Harley-Davidson LiveWire Model (built from March 2019) › IMPORTER H-D Australia Pty Ltd › NUMBER OF AFFECTED MOTORCYCLES 41 › ISSUE The software in the On-Board Charging (OBC) System on affected motorcycles may initiate a shutdown of the electric vehicle powertrain without reasonable indication that a shutdown sequence has been initiated. › POTENTIAL HAZARD Unexpected loss of propulsion while in motion without the ability to restart or remain restarted. May increase the risk of a crash, serious injury or death. › ACTION REQUIRED Harley-Davidson will supply new software, at no cost. › MODEL 2020 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP › IMPORTER Honda Australia › NUMBER OF AFFECTED MOTORCYCLES 20 › ISSUE The gear-change pivot bolt may loosen due to repeated heavy shifting of the gears. In some cases,…

Race anything “Making comparisons to riders and bikes from the ’90s makes no sense whatsoever” I saw your note about Troy Herfoss on the roadbike (Briefs, AMCN Vol 70 No 09). There’s a 100km mountain bike event up here at Grandchester in Queensland called the Hidden Vale Cycle Epic and it was held in September. Mr Herfoss came in second place with a time of 4h33m23s and Troy Bayliss finished eighth in 4h55m41s – not bad for an oldie. He would have comfortably won his age group, but Bayliss entered in the ‘Elite male’ category along with Herfoss and Mike Jones, who finished in 12th in a time of 5h25m25s. I did the 55km version and can’t even contemplate doing double that. Roy Packer Via email A lot of those…

ACCORDING TO AMCN sources, the top-selling non-LAMS road bike in Australia is to be discontinued in the majority of global markets. Harley’s Breakout has been an immensely popular model in Australia but has simultaneously failed to capture the biking community’s imagination in many global markets, especially in the US, and as such is being killed off. The Breakout, along with the FXDR and Softail Deluxe appear to be casualties of CEO Jochen Zeitz’ ‘rewired’ plan that seeks to focus on its core products by culling a big chunk of its model line-up. According to Harley Australia, the Breakout will continue in the 2021 Australian and New Zealand model line-up due to its success, with no word as yet whether the Deluxe will return for 2021 or if the FXDR will…

BORN 2nd February 1987 LIVES Dunadry, Northern Ireland 2005 British Superbike (Honda) 7th 2006 British Superbike (Honda) 4th 2007 British Superbike (Honda) 2nd 2008 World Supersport (Honda) 2nd 2009 World Superbike (Honda) 5th 2010 World Superbike (Honda) 4th 2011 World Superbike (Honda) 9th 2012 World Superbike (Honda) 5th 2013 World Superbike (Honda) 9th 2014 World Superbike (Honda) 3rd 2015 World Superbike (Kawasaki) 1st 2016 World Superbike (Kawasaki) 1st 2017 World Superbike (Kawasaki) 1st 2018 World Superbike (Kawasaki) 1st 2019 World Superbike (Kawasaki) 1st 2020 World Superbike (Kawasaki) 1st…

I CARRIED A Pentax K1000 camera, which was great, basic and robust and used 35mm rolls of film. I only had 36 exposures on each roll so every frame was very precious. I would get the film developed where I could along the way and send the photos home. I would always post the prints home first and when I heard that they had arrived I would send the negatives. You could only buy film in certain countries so you had to plan very carefully. Before I left Singapore, I bought nine rolls of film (which I calculated gave me 345 photos for India, Nepal, Pakistan, Iran and Turkey) as I knew I wouldn’t be able to get any more until I arrived in Europe. Trying to buy film that…

HERE WE ARE quarantining in a hotel in Sydney so I have a lot of time to think about how I managed to win my second BSB title in a very challenging season. It all looked good in the March pre-season tests in Spain. We had plenty of time to try new settings along with the revised 2020 tyres, which are a different rubber compound and construction, rear taller in the centre and the front wider. As we refined the handling I set the second-fastest time at the first test at Monteblanco and was fastest overall by more than half a second on the final day at Jerez. At this point, apart from a small amount of front-end chatter at Monteblanco, there were no issues with the tyres. However that…

Jack Miller MotoGP 6th “I was maybe too careful with the front in the beginning and that allowed a lot of the guys to come through. I just didn’t want to push in the first laps and crash because I struggled to get any temperature into the left side of the tyre early on. I tried to build up. At the end I had good pace. But I got stuck behind a few guys. I caught Oliveira but it was too late. We’ll try to learn for next week.” Remy Gardner Moto2 3rd “I’m extremely happy with today’s result. When I had good grip, I felt strong. There was one point I though I could take the win. But when Sam and Jorge passed me I struggled with grip. I’ve…

Jack Miller MotoGP Q2, P2 “I enjoyed every minute of that race. Franco ran an unreal pace. Mid-race I felt really good and started coming back to him. I was rubbing my hands together. I was unfortunate to come out second best in this one but one day we’ll get it right. We’ve been fast every weekend, but through one way or another we haven’t been able to arrive. So it was nice to put that to bed this weekend.” Remy Gardner Moto2 Q19, P7 “Despite where we were on the grid I wasn’t going to just ride around and so was still hopeful of pulling something special out of the bag. Nineteenth to seventh was pretty good. The last 12 laps were tough, I had no energy, but I…

“IF I WOULD have been a film editor and thinking a script for a movie, I wouldn’t think so well,” said team boss Davide Brivio. “The people involved because we started this project a few years ago from zero. We were joined by people, all mechanics, engineers, people with a lot of passion, motivated, people that most of the time they never win before. So, they had the motivation to try, and especially of course the riders. “Joan has been incredible. I think we are in front of somebody special with Joan. Alex (Rins) also did an incredible job if you consider his injury and a couple of mistakes. He could have been there also, [but] Joan was more consistent. But we scored five double-podiums – this shows also how…

Dovi sits out 2021 Andrea Dovizioso explained the reasoning behind his decision to turn down a number of offers for 2021 and remain free. First and foremost was the fact any offer he received didn’t include a return to a full-time MotoGP seat in 2022. “At the end, to be a test rider and don’t have a door open to race for 2022, for me that was too important. So that’s why we decide to don’t sign and be free. NM Franco stays with ’19 bike On Saturday Franco Morbidelli revealed he will continue with Yamaha’s year-old machine in 2021. With development frozen for 2021 because of the current economic climate, and recent results – the Italian was on another level aboard his ’19-spec M1 here while the 2020 bikes…

Move that grooves The UK’s BSB will widen its Supersport 600 class for 2021 to include twins and triples. Hey... let’s try that in the ASBK. No-brainer Arai helmet importer Cassons is one of several companies adapting to the Covid reality with a revamped website that makes sizing and buying easier. WSBK hold Phillip Island circuit management have taken the decision to postpone the opening 2021 WorldSBK round. Meanwhile Melbourne F1 organisers are adamant that event will proceed in March. Age change South Australia’s Parliament is considering raising the age for a motorcycle licence by two years to 18. Wouldn’t more extensive training be a better option?…

VALENTINO ROSSI’S BESTEST pal and personal assistant Alessio ‘Uccio’ Salucci was asked to front up to court to testify in a case involving a German based cocaine ring. The plod bailed Uccio up when they learned the Doctor’s brother from another mother frequented the same public house as the cocaine pushers. While the coppers were interviewing Uccio they requested a drug test, which Uccio claimed was an act of intimidation. He tested negative anyway. PROJECT GIXX You wouldn’t say that Suzuki’s torquey and easy to live with GSX1400 was flogged with an ugly stick, but you also wouldn’t call it a head turner in standard form, and we thought it was definitely a musclebike crying out for a makeover. So, we set about smartening up the 14’s handling with a…

Facebook Post of the issue Ducati’s part-adventure bike, part-200hp superbike V4 Multistrada certainly put the AMCN bush telegraph into overdirve Instagram Don’t Forget #amcn_mag Comment of the Issue “Jesus, that head light needs circumcising!” Brett Hodgman’s feelings were a little mixed towards the latest MT-09, with him and many others questioning Yamaha’s 2020 styling team. Users post of the issue Michael Ross Young sent in is this cracker of an old advert. We reckon that particular Gassit t-shirt was one of the classics and, judging by the enquiries it still gets, you do too! Get it off yer chest! Got somthing funny, new, old or wise to say or share? Do it! Head to www.facebook.com/aumotorcyclenews…

“THIS ONE I’VE built is more accurate than anything else I’ve seen – not that it’s such a big deal. Kim’s bikes have gone, same as him, so let’s just rejoice in what he achieved with them.” Rod Tingate began work on replicating Kim’s racer in the 1990s. He had the original factory drawings for the spine frame and had just completed casting and machining a batch of replica Ceriani front brakes for sale to Classic racers. Gradually the other components came together – Janeen Newcombe even had a pair of the original decals, including the pattern for the little Kiwi emblem on the tail fairing, which Rod had hand-cut for the 1973 Dutch TT. Rod built a new frame and swingarm, expansion chambers, handlebars and numerous other fittings. The…

ENGINE Capacity 998cc Type Inline four, DOHC, four valves per cylinder Bore & stroke 79mm x 50.9mm Compression ratio 13.65 : 1 Cooling Liquid Fueling EFI, Mikuni throttle bodies Transmission Six-speed Clutch Wet, multiplate, slipper Final drive Chain PERFORMANCE Power 153kW @ 13,000rpm (claimed) Torque 116.5Nm @ 11,000rpm (claimed) Top speed Over 300km/h Fuel consumption 6.7L/100km (claimed) ELECTRONICS Type Magneti Marelli Rider aids ABS, traction control, wheelie control Ride modes Sport, Race, Rain and Custom CHASSIS Frame material CroMoly steel Frame type Trellis Rake 24º Trail 97mm Wheelbase 1432mm SUSPENSION Type Öhlins SmartEC 2.0 Front: 43mm NIX USD fork, electronically adjustable compression and rebound, manually adjustable preload,…

ENGINE Capacity 1868cc Type V-twin, DOHC, 8 valves Bore & stroke 102 x 114mm Compression ratio 10.5:1 Cooling Air Fueling Delphi EFI Transmission Six-speed Clutch Wet, multi-plate Final drive Belt PERFORMANCE Power Not given Torque 155Nm @ 3000rpm (claimed) Top speed 180km/h (est) Fuel consumption 5.2L/100km (measured) ELECTRONICS Type Bosch, Rider aids: ABS CHASSIS Frame material Steel Frame type Cradle Rake 34 degrees Trail 145mm Wheelbase 1695mm SUSPENSION Type Showa Front: 49mm telescopic fork, 130mm travel Rear: Monoshock, adjustable preload, 130mm travel WHEELS & BRAKES Wheels Cast aluminium Front: 21 x 3.50 Rear: 18 x 8.00 Tyres Michelin Scorcher 11 Front: 130/60B21 Rear: 240/40R18 Brakes Brembo, ABS…

Scottish actor Sean Connery will always be known as the original and arguably the best James Bond character in six of the now 25 films based around the Bond character. Thomas Sean Connery was born in the Fountainbridge quarter of the Scottish city of Edinburgh on August 25, 1930. One of two sons born to parents Joseph and Euphemia, Sean got his big break when he caught the eye of the wife of the producer of the first Bond film Dr. No. As James Bond, Connery made many appearances on two- and three-wheeled motorcycles and came in close contact with them on a number of 007 occasions. GLITTER AND GLAM A brilliant career in 120 words HIS 45-YEAR career as an actor was unique, one of only a handful of…

1 Soft and tyred From $35.95 A1 Accessories (07) 3451 1300 a1accessory.com.au The Maxxcross MX-ST’s compound and tread pattern delivers increased stability, braking performance, predictability, and enhanced traction in soft to intermediate conditions at all levels of motocross racing. The new pliable and lightweight carcass design also improves impact absorption, and comfort. 2 High profile Cassons From $749.95 (02) 8882 1900 cassons.com.au The Profile-V Arai uses a strong outer shell designed to glance off impact forces, with a multi-density EPS inner liner designed to absorb and spread impact energy. Its reinforcing Hyper Ridge offers a low centre of gravity and flared opening making it easier to get on and off. It is also intercom system compatible. 3 Juice canister McLeod Accessories From $79.95 1300 300 191 mcleodaccessories.com.au The high-impact polyethylene…

IF YAMAHA WAS to write a navel-gazing book about their 2020 season, that would be the title. And the sub-head: And without gaining anything either. The first race in Valencia brought the latest blows in a year of perfect storm for the MotoGP stalwarts. You have to wonder what they have done to deserve it. It’s flippant but somehow true to say that each racing factory has its own distinct character: Honda the austere face of arrogant pride; Ducati noisy and temperamental Italian dramatists; KTM humourless, earnest and scarily efficient; Suzuki the blushing faux-virgins with a secret wicked streak, Aprilia … well, never mind. Yamaha has always played the role of fundamentally decent bloke: competitive and sporting for sure, but with an open and honest face. It was therefore completely…

Circuit length 4.005km Race distance MotoGP 108.135km Moto2 100.125km Moto3 84.105km The 38-year itch There’s an old saying in Grand Prix racing; “13,924 days is a long time between drinks”. That is how far back you have to count back to find the last 1-2 result for Suzuki in the premier category. It was a cool day at Hockenheim when Randy Mamola led home Virginio Ferrari and Loris Reggiani in a 1-2-3 for the lads from Hamamatsu. The American cleared out to win by nearly 21s but it could, maybe should, have been different. Freddie Spencer put his Honda on pole and was leading when his three-cylinder engine lost power. Things were a bit different back in 1982; the top 10 was covered by 96 seconds and 16 bikes retired.…

ANY FEELING 2020 was inching decisively in favour of Albert Arenas (Aspar KTM) took just two laps to come apart. Raul Fernández (Ajo KTM) was trading the lead with Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing VR46 KTM) on the second lap when the Italian high-sided out on the exit of turn four. Arenas successfully avoided the carnage, but as he braked, Alonso Lopez (Max Racing Husqvarna) hit him from behind, snapping his footrest bracket and forcing him into the pits. Suddenly Fernandez had 1.5s in hand while Sergio García (Estrella Galicia Honda), Tony Arbolino (Snipers Honda), Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) and Darryn Binder (CIP KTM) chased from behind. With clear track ahead, 20-year Fernandez could run his lines with no need to defend. By lap seven, his lead was up to…

Circuit length 4.005km Race distance MotoGP 108.135km Moto2 100.125km Moto3 84.105km The Isle of Manzi When Stefano Manzi edged Hector Garzo off the Moto2 pole by 0.013 seconds it sent GP racing’s record books a-fluttering. Manzi’s Forward Racing MV Agusta was the first of the brand to take a pole since April 1976, when Giacomo Agostini put his works MV on pole for the 350cc French GP at Le Mans. Ago did not win the race; his bike broke down and Walta Villa won it on his Aermacchi – er, I mean, his Harley-Davidson. Of course, like all Moto2 squads the Swiss-based team runs a Triumph motor, so the MV Agusta is not completely Italian. But it does have the ‘correct’ number of pistons (three) and celebrating MV’s racing history…

FURTHER DETAILS OF Andrea Iannone’s case against the FIM International Disciplinary Court and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have emerged in which the Italian’s defence appeared frightfully underprepared. The Italian saw his ban on the sport extended from 18 months to four years earlier this week because of carelessness. Iannone claimed his ingestion of the banned anabolic steroid Drostanolone came after eating contaminated meat during his stay in Singapore and Malaysia before last year’s Malaysian Grand Prix. In such hearings, it is up to the athlete and their team of lawyers and experts to prove their innocence. Yet the Italian was unable to recall precise details of what it was he ate in the days before the positive test, according to the official court report. His descriptions of the food…

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. “What a piece of work is Suzuki’s 2020 GSX-RR! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculty! In form and moving how express and admirable! In action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the world. The paragon of motorcycles. And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust?” – With apologies to Wm Shakespeare…

IT’S THE FIRST production bike to boast a dual-radar setup, following the launch of BMW’s 2021 R 1250 RT with its front-only radar – but it’s not standard issue. The radars give the Multistrada V4 S adaptive cruise control that can keep pace with vehicles ahead, along with a blind spot monitoring system thanks to the rear radar. The ‘S’ and ‘S Sport’ models can be spec’d with Ducati’s new front and rear radar systems. To get the radar, you need to spec the ‘Travel and Radar’ option pack, which also includes luggage from the well-stocked accessories catalogue. Other packs include the ‘Travel’ pack of panniers (but without radar), ‘Performance’ which adds the S Sport’s carbon fender and Akrapovic pipe, and the ‘Full’ pack which includes all of the above.…

What a year it has been for the worldwide motorcycle industry. Covid initially slowed sales but didn’t stop the determination for the major manufacturers to develop new products while updating the models that underpin their sales to meet tightening pollution laws. BEN PURVIS and HAMISH COOPER report DUCATI XDIAVEL AND SCRAMBLER 800 REVISED HAVING LAUNCHED ITS main new 2021 model – the Multistrada V4 – Ducati has unveiled an array of tweaks to its XDiavel and Scrambler ranges. The headline update for the XDiavel is a Euro5 compliant version of the 1262cc engine, which first appeared a year ago in the Diavel. This raises power from 112kW to 118kW and torque from 126Nm to 127Nm. Visually, the change means you can pick out the 2021 XDiavel by its slash-cut, stacked…

ENGINE Capacity 674cc Type Horizontally-opposed, four-cylinder, two-stroke Bore & stroke 63 x 54mm Compression ratio Not given Cooling Liquid Fueling 1 x Solex carburetor with twin 38mm chokes Transmission Five-speed Clutch Dry, multi-plate Final drive Chain PERFORMANCE Power Not given Torque Not given Top speed 254km/h (measured, Broadford) Fuel consumption Not given ELECTRONICS Type Not applicable Rider aids Not applicable Rider modes Not applicable CHASSIS Frame material Steel Frame type Spine tube Rake 23.2º Trail Not given Wheelbase 1430mm SUSPENSION Front: 35mm Ceriani fork, unknown travel Rear: Girling twin shocks adjustable for preload WHEELS & BRAKES Wheels Wire spoked, aluminium Front: 18 x 2.15 Rear: 18 x 2.50…

IT DOESN’T TAKE much to put the internet into an overdrive of speculation. Recent news that the word Commando is missing from Norton’s website has many concerned this famous model name will disappear. Norton’s new owners appear to be going through a slow but steady process of building stability back into a bankrupted business. Right now it seems to be focused on the water-cooled V4 and its twin-cylinder offshoots, not the older air-cooled Commando and Dominator models. This makes sense in the interim. You only have to look at the wave of enthusiasm for Aprilia’s groundbreaking RS 660 twin, basically half the Tuono/RSV4 1100cc engine, to see a new era of motorcycling is about to dawn. Once that is bedded down, it would be crazy not to expect Norton to…

Gerloff in the groove It wasn’t all doom and gloom at Yamaha, however. Valentino Rossi was back at Valencia despite testing positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday. However subsequent tests on Wednesday and Friday came back negative, meaning the 41-year old could return to the track on Saturday. In his place, American Garrett Gerloff rode as Yamaha’s substitute rider on Friday. The conditions were by no means easy: the World Superbike star had a wet FP1 session and a damp but drying FP2 to experience a MotoGP machine for the first time. He ended the day just 1.5s off first place. “I’m still smiling,” Gerloff exclaimed on Friday evening. “It feels somewhat like the R1 I have been riding all year but then everything was another step. It was so nice…

The Dovi & Marc show As predicted by AMCN, Honda confirmed outgoing world champion Marc Marquez would not be present at next week’s finale in Portugal. In fact, fears are now being expressed over Marquez’s fitness for the beginning of 2021 season. Reports are the 27-year old is considering a third operation on his upper right arm that he injured twice within three weeks in July. Andrea Dovizioso has admitted he would consider any opportunity to step into the Repsol Honda team early next year should Marquez not return, but said: “I think everybody is running too far ahead. What is going on with Marc, I think nobody really knows the details, first. Second, I don’t think they will take a decision now for next year. Third, I’m free. Doesn’t…

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP meetings for track and dirt track all fell victim to Covid-19 and its restrictions, but New South Wales is likely to stage all of its state championships during November. Kempsey hosted the senior and junior dirt track with local riders James Chapman and Sam Davies taking the senior honours while Hayden Nelson was the only dual champion in the juniors. The accompanying Akubra Classic events went to Davies (senior), Tyler Billing (junior) while Kai Frame/Michael Bryant added the classic to their state title win in the dirt track sidecars. Quirindi Showground hosted motorcycle racing for the first time, and surely not the last time, with a meeting that produced quality action. No rider managed to win more than one class in the Senior Track titles as Michael Slade,…