Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 71 Issue 04 i Australian Motorcycle News

WHAT A JAM-PACKED fortnight it’s been, with news of Valentino Rossi’s impending retirement, Maverick Viñales’s undignified suspension by Monster Energy Yamaha, two amazing MotoGP rounds from the Red Bull Ring in Austria, some incredible WorldSBK action from Most in the Czech Republic and much, much more… While Rossi’s GP stats make for some impressive reading (nine world titles, 115 GP wins and 235 GP podiums over 26 years), it’s his personality that has had the biggest impact on how he is perceived around the world, and why he is so incredibly popular, even with those who have no other interest in motorcycle racing. One of Rossi’s fiercest competitors Jorge Lorenzo summed this up perfectly when he said of Rossi, “… in terms of charisma or transcendence Valentino is at the…

YAMAHA HAS ALSO trademarked the name ‘R2’ in Europe and Australia, potentially pointing at a development for the existing R15. A visually updated R15 has already been spotted testing, with R7-style bodywork and a new headlight. In certain markets a hike to 200cc would be viable, although Europe will still need the 125cc R125 to comply with capacity restrictions for learner riders. Yamaha appeared to cover all its options in a scattergun approach earlier this year. It filed trademark applications for a host of ‘R’ model designations in Japan, with every number from R1 to R9 along with R15, R20 and R25. The specifically filed application for the ‘R9’ name appears to be a smoking gun that is revealing as to Yamaha’s real intentions.…

Fox on the run Foxtel has signed a new five-year deal to screen MotoGP and WorldSBK. Lights back on After our report on SA’s Mud’n’Tars lighting dilemma (AMCN Vol 71 No 02), the club has been offered spotlights left over from the 2012 Adelaide Oval upgrade. Curse of Covid With health experts saying the eastern seaboard “is going to have to live with Covid”, we can only hope ASBK will be able to continue this year. Huru Horst Popular privateer Austrian TT road racer Horst Saiger, who has also competed in New Zealand, has called it quits after recovering from an induced coma and other injuries sustained last year.…

Facebook Post of the issue The Harley-Davidson Street Glide caught the eye – especially its paint Instagram Comment of the Issue Jodie Witten laments that we will not get to farewell The Doctor at one of his favourite tracks And we don’t get to do a Phillip Island farewell! Bloody covid Reaching out Want to see your pride and joy featured in AMCN? The only thing we love more than writing about bikes is looking at your bikes. Tag your social pics with @ aumotorcyclenews on Facebook or @ amcn_mag on Instagram, or fire them off in an email to amcn@amcn.com.au And don’t forget to tell us why you love it. Get it off yer chest! Got something funny, new, old or wise to say or share? Do it!…

ENGINE Capacity 1868cc Type V-twin, single cam, eight valves Bore & stroke 102 x 114mm Compression ratio 10.5:1 Cooling Air/oil Fueling EFI Transmission Six-speed Clutch Wet, multi-plate Final drive Belt PERFORMANCE Power Not given Torque 155Nm @ 3500rpm (claimed) Top speed 199km/h (est) Fuel consumption 5.2L/100km (measured) ELECTRONICS Type H-D Rider aids ABS Ride modes NA CHASSIS Frame material Steel Frame type Dual beam cradle Rake 28º Trail 132mm Wheelbase 1615mm SUSPENSION Type Showa Front: 43mm USD fork, non- adjustable, 130mm travel Rear: Monoshock, hydraulic preload adjustment, 112mm travel WHEELS & BRAKES Wheels Cast aluminium Front: 16 x 3.0 Rear: 16 x 5.00 Tyres Dunlop D429 H-D Series Front: 150/80B16…

THE 890 ADVENTURER comes with a suite of electronics goodies. The heart of the system is an updated Bosch six-axis IMU, which controls the lean-angle sensitive ABS and traction control. The ABS has two modes, Road and Off-road, with the latter switching the ABS off to the rear wheel, the lean angle is ignored and the reaction time is slower to allow the front wheel to lock a bit and wash off speed in the dirt more effectively. The standard traction control system is capable, but you are limited to three modes or completely off; Street, Off-road and Rain. Our test bike had the optional tech pack included, which is done via a software update at the dealer. I spent most of my time in Rally mode, as I could…

BMW F 850 GS ADVENTURE THE F 850 GS also has a parallel-twin engine, but produces 11kW and 14Nm less than the Kato. The BMW weighs in at a hefty 244kg full of juice and claims a 500km range. It comes with a similar level of standard features but I would argue that it’s more of a tourer and less capable off-road than the KTM. $21,435 (ride away) TRIUMPH TIGER 900 RALLY THE TRIUMPH TIGER 900 Rally is one step down from the Rally Pro, but the standard features of the Rally are closer to that of the 890 Adventure R. Its inline triple-cylinder engine is down on power by 7kW and 13Nm. Weight is quoted as 196kg (dry), the same as the KTM. The engine character is smoother, with…

THE FACE, 2008 MUGELLO All-time unforgettable image was inspired by the fearsome braking at the end of Mugello’s 320-plus km/h straight. A photo-realistic image showed a horrified Rossi portrait. It was disturbingly accurate. EPITAPH, 2013 MISANO “How I wish, how I wish you were here/We’re just two lost souls/ Swimming in a fish bowl/Year after year/Running over the same old ground/What have we found/The same old fears/Wish you were here.” The lyrics of Pink Floyd’s song and a reproduction of the album cover paid tribute to Vale’s late friend Marco Simoncelli. VIAGRA, 2020 MISANO Getting on a bit, Rossi’s latest helmet suggested he needed a bit of a boost. The design featured a giant blue-diamond Viagra pill on top, and a picture of a blister pack on the back. One…

“On the track the four of us were just as fast, but in terms of charisma  or transcendence, Valentino is at the level of Jordan, Woods, Ali or Senna.” Jorge Lorenzo “Without a doubt one of my greatest rivals. My achievements have  been all the more validated having raced against you. We’ve had some tough battles over the years, and I learnt a lot from you. I hope you enjoy the next chapter of your life, there is a lot left to enjoy.” Casey Stoner “He was already two times World Champion and I  was still not born, and we are still racing with him. He is really the guy that made me want to be a MotoGP rider, when I was a kid watching him.” Fabio Quartararo “He changed…

It was shortly after the first World War when the idea arose, a time of great economic tensions and social unrest in Italy; the-then recently founded Moto Club Lombardo decided the country needed a prestigious motorsport event. Aldo Finzi, a famous motorcycle racer and influential national politician at the time, was hired in as the club’s advisor. Finzi’s great example was the Isle of Man TT and a long course with lots of altitude changes was made a reality in the Lombardy province, which sits in the foothills of the Alps. And so 100 years ago, a spectacular road race through the mountainous Circuito del Lario launched off the line in Northern Italy for the first time. Dubbed the Italian TT, it ran a total of 15 times between 1921…

There are numerous minor roads and tracks throughout the area which are accessible from Dargo. For dual-sports it is possible to head northeast from Dargo towards Omeo for a more adventurous option on tighter tracks. For dirtbike riders based in the area the possibilities are almost endless with fire trails heading in all directions. The steep nature of the high plains area is reflected in the riding though, so be prepared for some gnarly climbs and descents. For riders of roadbikes there are also plenty of awesome stretches of bitumen in this area, including The Great Alpine Way, which runs through Mt Hotham. This should probably be avoided in mid-winter, however, due to snow and ice danger.…

I FEEL I’M at the best point of my career, leading the British Superbike Championship and going into the Milwaukee Summer Grand Slam series after setting pole then three wins at the last round at Thruxton. It’s taken me 10 years of racing in the UK, with a lot of lows and a few highs, to get here. So I’ve learnt to enjoy every moment of an achievement. Last season was very tricky, with Covid lockdowns leaving us all in limbo land. It was a credit to the BSB organisers to put it all back together and give us six rounds and 18 races, even without spectators. They invested a lot back into the series and it is showing this year with huge fan support. It’s taken me 10 years…

A SECOND RACE in succession ended in disappointment for Miller. After qualifying fourth he dropped from first to fourth early on, he was confident of overhauling Fabio Quartararo for third when a crash on lap 18 ended his hopes. “It stung,” he said of the fall. “I was struggling a bit with the grip on the edge of the tyre on the right. But I felt good with the front, I was able to push as I liked. I set to do my pace. I was doing well. Fabio came past. He pulled a bit but he started to drop. But I was struggling off the edge. I tried to get as close to him as I could to make the pass on the straight. I felt really good in…

PEDRO ACOSTA’S TITLE charge showed no signs of slowing after the Ajo KTM star beat Sergio Garcia (Aspar GASGAS) in a straight last-lap duel that put him one step closer to the title. Heavy morning rain left the track wet before the start. Yet dry patches had formed by the sighting lap. Eight riders took the slick gamble, Darryn Binder (Petronas Honda) and poleman Deniz Oncu (Tech 3 KTM), who was hauled off the grid, and made to start from last, among them. But Garcia and Acosta showed exactly why they occupy the first two places in the championship. The Spaniards were a cut above, attacking the wet track from the off, building up a significant lead over a three-rider fight for third, including Romano Fenati (Max Racing Husqvarna), Jaume…

HARRY KHOURI (FUSPORT - RT Motorsports by SKM Kawasaki) ended his first ever race at Most hugely disappointed. He had qualified 29th, rode to 22nd in Race One, but then saved his weekend with 15th in Race Two. “Qualifying wasn’t too bad but I think I just found myself in the wrong group and it was difficult to get into the rhythm of things after only one dry session on Friday, just to get back into that pace again,” said Harry. “This is my first time here but it is the same for everyone so we just have to deal with it. It was a little bit of a rough start for us on Saturday and I am not sure if I have just not found our confidence after the…

MILLER WAS CLEARLY expecting to come away with more than five points from the Austrian double header. But he was struggling from the beginning due to a lack of grip coming out of corners. “I was getting passed left, right and centre on exits of corners. I swapped my map very, very early,” he said. “I was doing everything I could to just try and hang on with those guys. I was in a bad, bad way on track. I had no grip.” Miller was the first to pit to change to wets on lap 23. “The only thing I can do to take the power back into my hands is try this. Throw out a hail Mary, basically.” But his team were unaware he was pitting from eighth place.…

THIS WAS THE toughest weekend of Gardner’s season. A crash in qualifying left him fifth and any hope of a podium ended at the first turn as Marcel Schrotter and Aron Canet pushed him wide and back to 10th. “Canet threw it up the inside, being an idiot,” Remy fumed. “You don’t win races in the first corner. Him and Marcel, trying to be heroes. If I didn’t pick up the bike, we would’ve all been on the ground.” Gardner struggled as his front tyre temperature rose. The best he could do was seventh. “I got pushed back in the group, it took three laps for the front tyre to get over 100 degrees, and the bike’s unrideable after that. There was nothing I could do. It was just a…

YAMAHA HAS CONFIRMED that Franco Morbidelli will take over the Monster Energy Yamaha seat vacated by Viñales for 2022. Last weekend, Yamaha Managing Director Lin Jarvis signalled this was the factory’s intent. Morbidelli’s promotion, coupled with Valentino Rossi’s retirement, means Petronas SRT Yamaha is now seeking two new riders. Moto2 contender Marco Bezzecchi has been linked with the ride but Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow, who deputised for the injured Morbidelli in Austria, rued the decision to stay in world Superbike by Toprak Razgatioglu – who just happened to visit the Red Bull Ring event with his manager Kenan Sofuoglu. “I think the obvious choice was Toprak. It would be great to see him in MotoGP. He’s a fantastic talent. He would’ve been a breath of fresh air for the…

SCOTT REDDING ADDED to his joy at winning his first race since Estoril by having his girlfriend Jacey come up to join him on the top of the Race Two Most podium – ostensibly to accept the manufacturers’ prize for the aruba.it Ducati squad. In reality it was all a ruse as his well-planned – but delayed until he took a race win – proposal of marriage took place in full public view. Luckily she said yes! Redding said at the press conference – organised for his win, of course, not his romantic entanglement – “I asked her to marry me on the podium. That was more nervous than the bloody race. I’ve been trying to do that since Donington, so that’s why I was so pissed off on Saturday!”…

› MODEL 2016-19 Yamaha WR450F, WR250F › IMPORTER Yamaha Motor Australia › NUMBER OF AFFECTED MOTORCYCLES 6599 › ISSUE The decibel level identified on the noise label is incorrect. This means that the motorcycle does not comply with Australian Design Rule 83/00 – External Noise › POTENTIAL HAZARD The motorcycle is not compliant with the Australian Design Rule 83/00 › ACTION REQUIRED If you no longer own the motorcycle, please advise Yamaha Motor Australia via email at cr@yamaha-motor.com.au › MODEL 2018-20 Husqvarna 701 Vitpilen, 701 Svartpilen › IMPORTER HQVA Pty Ltd › NUMBER OF AFFECTED MOTORCYCLES 236 › ISSUE The gear teeth on the license plate holder and swingarm may be mounted in the incorrect position, which can result in loosening of the rear wheel spindle nut › POTENTIAL HAZARD…

I’VE RECENTLY finished doing a Yamaha YZF-R1 tail conversion on my Yamaha MT-10 – there has been lots of swearing to get it to this point. Ben Smith HERE’S MY 1981 Honda CB750F that I’ve just got out of hibernation after five years sitting in storage. I replaced the oil, spark plugs, battery and fuel and she fired up straight away. It has a Moriwaki 823cc kit with a 4-1-2 exhaust with cans for a Honda CB900F Hornet. Single-sided swinging arm and 17-inch wheel is from a VFR. Front fork, mudguard and calipers are from a Suzuki GSX-R750, and I’ve mounted a 16-inch front wheel and discs from a Honda CBR900RR. Time to get her back on the road again and see how the tyres have held up! Linwood Walter…

ENGINE Capacity 249cc Type Single cylinder, four-stroke, DOHC, four valves Bore & stroke 79 x 50.9mm Compression ratio 13.9:1 Cooling Liquid Fueling EFI, 44mm throttle body Transmission Five-speed Clutch Wet, nine plates Final drive Chain PERFORMANCE Power Not given Torque Not given Top speed Not applicable Fuel consumption Not given ELECTRONICS Type Honda Rider aids HRC Launch Control Engine modes Three: Standard, Smooth, Aggressive CHASSIS Frame material Aluminium Frame type Twin spar Rake 27º Trail 117mm Wheelbase 1476mm SUSPENSION Type Showa Front: 49mm USD leading-axle fork, fully-adjustable, 273mm travel Rear: Pro-Link monoshock, fully-adjustable, 313mm travel WHEELS & BRAKES Wheels Wire-spoke, aluminium Front: 21 x 1.60 Rear: 19 x…

KTM IS KING of genuine accessories and the 890 Adventure R doesn’t miss out. There is loads of gear for serious off-road adventure riding to protect your pride and joy, like engine cover protectors, radiator guards, fuel tank guards, beefed-up hand guards and heavy duty off-road wheels that allow the use of mousse tubes and proper enduro tyres. I’d be splashing out for the off-road seat, it’s a bit taller and flatter like an enduro seat. Luggage options are huge. The pannier bags are made by Touratech, and there are aluminium or moulded options, as well as matching top boxes. Also some solid racks, soft luggage and tankbag options, too. There’s a taller screen, heated grips, GPS systems, levers galore and exhaust options. There is a ton of bling, too.…

MAX BIAGGI His compatriot was a target even before they met in the 500 class. Still on a 250, Rossi liked to poke fun at Max. When they met, it was bitter. In a physical confrontation on the steps of the podium at Catalunya in 2001, Rossi hit Max and drew blood. Max explained: “A mosquito bit me.” Earlier spats paled in comparison – as when Rossi and his chums up-ended Max’s Smart car in the paddock one night; or his slow-down lap with a blow-up doll on the pillion, with a shirt labelled ‘Claudia Schiffer’ (mocking rumours that Max was dating rival supermodel Naomi Campbell). MARCO MELANDRI The two were friends, practising motocross together and (as Marco told me) “hanging our socks to dry together on the radiator afterwards”.…

THIS FIRST EDITION of the race went underway as planned on 29 May, 1921. There was an interesting starting field of machinery in all classes. In the 350cc class it was mainly the highly competitive Italian Garelli two-strokes that had to compete against the tough foreign competition from Douglas (IoM), Calthorpe (GB) but also Motosacoche (CH) and Cleveland (USA), and only five of the 16 riders managed to finish the race. The winner was Garellimounted Aristide Fergnani. Most of the contestants however opted to compete in the 500cc class. Here, too, was a great variety of both Italian and foreign machines. On the Italian side, Frera, Gilera and Bianchi facing British competition with A.B.C., Douglas, Sunbeam and Ariel. After four and a half hours, it was Ernesto Vailati who celebrated…

THERE I WAS, standing by the track at Brands Hatch last year, during practice for one of the few World Superbike races I ever get the chance to attend, with a couple of colleagues, including a friend who has gradually been diverting his own dedication from Grand Prix racing to the production-based World Championship. “The problem here,” I said, “is that there’s no Valentino Rossi,” meaning not the man himself, but a rider of world stature. “That’s not a problem,” came the reply. “That’s an advantage.” The truth or otherwise of this strikes at the heart of motorcycle racing, as a sport, and as an industry. The Supers have kicked off for 2006 in superb style; MotoGP is about to get going at the end of March. It’s a fine…

FOURTEEN LAPS IN to this contest, and Remy Gardner (Ajo Kalex) was perfectly placed to rack up a fourth win in 10 races. But the Australian made his first racing mistake of the year in an absorbing late battle with Marco Bezzecchi (Sky VR46 Kalex), handing the Italian a glimmer of hope in the championship fight. After a gloomy morning of rain, the track had dried sufficiently for the field to fit slicks. Yet early crashes for Joe Roberts (Italtrans Kalex), Simone Corsi (Forward MV Agusta) and Barry Baltus (RW NTS), plus a turn-nine mistake from Raul Fernandez (Ajo Kalex), which dropped him from fourth to ninth, indicated how challenging conditions were as the field attempted to stay clear of the damp patches. A frenetic start saw Gardner take the…

THE ACTION IN WorldSSP300 is frequently a bit too much but at Most, some worried given the nature of the track. The worries remained in their boxes, and the riders rode like adolescent hooligans as usual anyway. The first race saw a runaway winner, Victor Steeman on a Freudenberg KTM of all things, breaking what had almost been a Kawasaki near lockout on victories since the middle of 2020. He had also been the pole-sitter at Most. Behind the Saturday winner, the action was as wild as ever, with Alejandro Carrion and local rider Oliver Konig completing the podium on their Kawasakis. Adrian Huertas and Tom Booth Amos had to recover from early setbacks, a crash from Huertas and pitlane start for Booth-Amos, to finish sixth and eighth, respectively. In…

STARTING JUST AFTER MotoGP, damp patches remained for the shortened five-lap MotoE race. With the majority of the field cautious on the first lap, Lucas Tulovic (Tech 3) stole an early march, building up an early advantage of 1.8s, which he managed until the flag for a first win in the class. The action came behind as Dominque Aegerter (IntactGP), pole man Fermin Aldeguer (Aspar), Alessandro Zaccone, Hikari Okubo and Eric Granado (One Energy) – 13th in a disastrous qualifying – fought behind for second. Ultimately Granado’s late-braking heroics won out, as he took both Aegerter and Aldeguer on the final lap with a two-in-one move at turn four. Okubo finished fifth, Zaccone sixth and Jordi Torres (HP Pons) seventh. Just 11 points cover Zaccone (80), Granado (73), Torres (72)…

PEDRO ACOSTA (AJO KTM) has rightly hogged the headlines in 2021 for his amazing rookie feats. But Spain has another gem in Sergio Garcia (Aspar GASGAS). This last lap masterclass in Austria was further evidence of his maturing while he – just – keeps the title race alive. For the second week running, the Moto3 field was stretched by the pace at the front. That was mainly down to Deniz Oncu (Tech 3 KTM), who led 17 of the 23 laps. Only Acosta, Jaume Masia (Ajo KTM), Garcia, pole sitter Romano Fenati (Max Racing Husqvarna) and Dennis Foggia (Leopard Honda) could hold on. Come the final circuit and Oncu and Acosta had edged clear to the tune of 0.3s, with Garcia forced to defend from a late Foggia surge. It…

ALTHOUGH NO OFFICIAL word was passed down it is understood that the planned penultimate WorldSBK round in Argentina at the brilliantly flawed Villicum circuit this year is going to go ahead. Some WorldSBK parties have even started to ship material by sea to South America, a process which has to be done within certain timeframes to make sure the ships get there on time for the things that cannot be taken there economically by air. The problem right now is that Argentina is currently listed as a ‘Red’ very high risk country in terms of Covid… Time will tell, but so far Argentina is still on.…

VALE-LAND Valentino Rossi has opened Yellow Park, a themed garden he says is “for all the children of the world”. It’s located near the VR46 Fan Club and has the support of the local Tavulliese authorities. A celebration of Rossi’s career, it includes life-sized cutouts of his MotoGP race bikes. So it’s fun for everyone and another example of why it made sense for Rossi to retire at age 42 when fellow Italian GOAT Giacomo Agostini retired at age 34. ROSSI’S NEW RIG Valentino Rossi spent the latter part of the summer break on his new yacht Titilla III.Italian website Your Boat Holiday was quick to post pics of him and his girlfriend, Italian model Francesca Novello, who had previously posted them on social media. Fairly basic by superyacht standards,…

To my eye, the Fat Bob is a bit of an odd-looking unit. With its fat 150/80-16 front tyre and elongated LED headlight, it’s a far cry from the stereotypical Harley look. I’ve ridden most of the Softail range in the last 12 months and on the ride home along Sydney’s M7 Motorway, I made the early assumption that it was just another flavour of Softail, and much the same as the last bunch I’ve ridden. But dismiss the Fat Bob at your peril, because when you get off the motorway and hit the mean streets you gradually start to understand that the Fat Bob is more than just another Softail with different tins. Bob’s a bit sneaky with the way he gets into your head. At first you think…

ENGINE Capacity 889cc Type Parallel-twin, DOHC, four valves per cylinder Bore & stroke 90.7 x 68.88mm Compression ratio 13.5:1 Cooling Liquid Fueling EFI, Dell’Orto throttle bodies Transmission Six-speed Clutch Wet, multi-plate, slipper Final drive Chain PERFORMANCE Power 77kW @ 8000rpm (claimed) Torque 100Nm @ 6500rpm (claimed) Top speed 230km/h (est) Fuel consumption 4.7L/100km (measured) ELECTRONICS Type Bosch EMS Rider aids Traction control, ABS, MTC (Tech pack: Cruise control, quickshifter+, MSR) Rider modes Street, Off-road and Rain (Tech pack: Rally) CHASSIS Frame material Chromoly steel Frame type Trellis Rake 26.3º Trail 110.4mm Wheelbase 1528mm SUSPENSION Type WP Xplor Front: 48mm USD fork, fully-adjustable, 240mm travel Rear: PDS monoshock, fully-adjustable,…

“Some victories were unforgettable. Pure joy. I would laugh for one week… or 10 days later, I was still laughing.” For championships, though, the choice was easier. 2001 The first 500cc title. And the last. “The 500 was a really special bike to ride, and I had seen my heroes racing it.” 2004 The first year with Yamaha. Rossi wanted to prove a point to Honda – that the rider was more important than the bike. And he did. 2008 “I was older and I had lost two championships. My career should have been over. But with the change to Bridgestone tyres, I was able to win two more.”…

1997 A bow and arrow and Robin Hood outfit celebrated winning at Donington Park, not far from Robin Hood’s Sherwood Forest. 1997 A giant polystyrene number one strapped to his back at Brno marked his maiden 125 title. 1998 Shorts, sandals, a towel over his shoulder and an open-face helmet at Mugello suggested the 250 win had been like a trip to the beach. 1998 Osvaldo the chicken on the pillion: perpetuating a prank that had sent the Italian press in search of a made-up chicken-farmer sponsor. 1999 A run to the marshal’s portaloo lavatory after winning at Jerez: the meaning obscure. 1999 A bewinged and white-bearded guardian angel celebrated securing the 250 title at Rio de Janeiro. 2002 Uniformed police issued a speeding ticket at Mugello. 2003 Ball and…

Born 10th March, 1997 Lives Barcelona, Spain 2005 2nd Bancaja minibike championship 2006 2nd Madrid/Andalusian Metrakit 70cc championships 2007 12th Metrakit 70cc junior world championship 2008 3rd Murcia 125cc championship 2009 125cc PreGP world championship 2010 4th 125cc Mediterranean championship 2011 125cc CEV international championship 2012 19th Moto3 CEV international championship 2013 21st Moto3 world championship 2017 8th Supersport 300 world championship 2018 1st Supersport 300 world championship 2019 3rd Supersport 300 world championship 2020 8th Supersport 300 world championship…

GILERA’S SINGLE CYLINDER road racers did very well from 1921 onwards, often ridden by Luigi Gilera. Luigi was brother of the Gilera founder Giuseppe and who would go on to become the firm’s race shop director. Luigi wasn’t the only family member of an Italian motorcycle factory founder that participated at the Circuito del Lario. Valentino Gatti, Carlo Guzzi’s brother in law, won the prestigious road-racing event in 1923 with a Moto Guzzi C 2V 2OHV 500cc i. Gatti scored many early Moto Guzzi racing victories and went on to become a test rider for Guzzi. TONINO BENELLI WON THE CIRCUITO DEL LARIO THREE TIMES, IN 1927, 1928 AND 1930 Antonio ‘Tonino’ Benelli, one of the brothers who founded Benelli in 1911 (he was only nine years old at that…

ESSENTIALS The Dargo Hotel has motel, cabin and bunkhouse accommodation, as well as food. They often cater for bike touring groups who use it as a base to stay a few days and explore the local area. The general store is well stocked for everything else you might need and also has good accommodation options. FIX IT There are several good bike shops on the Princes Highway throughout the Gippsland region but not much at the northern end of this route. FUEL UP Nowendoc General Store – Nowendoc (02) 6777 0955 Gloucester Fuel Stop – Park St, Gloucester (02) 6558 1880 EAT The Dargo General Store stocks a good range of food supplies if you are camping in the area, as well as providing hot takeaway food options. They also…

THANK HEAVENS! I thought I was getting slower. Apparently not, speedos are getting faster! The speedometer on my BMW R60 is in miles per hour. For those who came in late, this is a form of measurement left over from more honest times, before marketing people discovered cocaine had to find ways of keeping itself in line other than a credit card. We had to go metric then of course because, well gee, it just sounded so much faster. ‘I was doing 60 through that last corner’ sounds a tad sad until you metric it. ‘100? Fair dinkum, hootin’ man!’ Yep, suddenly the new Kwaka 9 could top 200km/h whereas your average Pomsickle was lucky to pluck 100. Actually that could be either mph or km/h, depending on Joe Lucas.…

IT APPEARED THERE would be no let-up in Gardner’s relentless run after he took his third pole of the year on Saturday before taking an early lead. Yet in the race, he was fighting against his weight disadvantage when running with Bezzecchi (Remy is 11kg heavier than the Italian). His mistake at turn four cost him a shot at the win and a certain podium. “It’s not the result we’d have liked,” he said. “It was a tough race. There were wet patches everywhere. Marco just had the top speed and acceleration here. “Between turns three and four he pulled 0.3s on me. I was in his slipstream, and when I went for the brakes, I wasn’t expecting to arrive so fast. I got sucked in. My mistake. A shame,…

A CLOSE SUPERPOLE qualifying saw Manuel Gonzalez (ParkinGO Yamaha) score his first pole in the WorldSSP class, the former WorldSSP300 champion leading a front row that contained Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Yamaha) and Philipp Öttl (Kawasaki Puccetti). The first race was red flagged after just 12 laps with Steven Odendaal (Bardahl Evan Bros Yamaha) the winner, the South African taking his first victory since Estoril. Gonzalez passed early leader and perennial podium chaser Öttl at just the right moment to make sure he and not the German rider would take second. This was Gonzalez’s first podium in WorldSSP, and he got another one in race two for third place. Öttl was a hard riding and active third, on a Kawasaki that is just a little outclassed by the best Yamahas.…

RAUL FERNANDEZ (AJO Kalex) put his most subdued showing of the year a week ago behind him with another faultless performance to breathe fresh life into the Moto2 title fight. The margins were close but the racing was processional. Pole sitter Sam Lowes (Marc VDS Kalex) took the early lead from Fernandez, Ai Ogura (HTA Kalex) and Augusto Fernandez (Marc VDS Kalex). But by lap three Fernandez took control at turn three, with Lowes soon shuffled back to fourth. The leading quartet were never more than 2.2 seconds apart until lap 21 when the Marc VDS teammates started to fade. That left Ogura to carry the fight to his fellow rookie. On lap 23 Fernandez dropped his pace by two tenths, with the Japanese rider following suit. But a lap…