Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 71 Issue 10 i Australian Motorcycle News

LIFE ALWAYS SEEMS hectic when working on the Green Horror, especially as we approach the tail-end of the year, but 2021 is especially so, thanks in part to Valentino Rossi. With Vale wrapping up his GP racing career after an incredible 26 seasons, in which he won 115 races and nine world championships, we decided a tribute to the great man was in order, so we’ve been busily beavering away between our usual AMCN fortnightly deadlines to put together a special AMCN Valentino Rossi Collector’s Edition. This special, one-off perfect-bound magazine will hit newsstands on 18 November, just after the final round of the 2021 MotoGP season, and it will be jam-packed with many of the incredible stories, stats and images from Vale’s illustrious career. Make sure you grab a…

Access, AMCN, PO Box 6, Bittern, Vic, 3918 access@amcn.com.au Letter of the issue Motomuck Win 5L of Motomuck Motorcycle Cleaner to keep your ride shiny valued at $59.95! Include your full name and address in your letter, via post or email. Long letters will be cut to fit, so don’t ramble. The views expressed by readers are not necessarily those of the editor. AMCN, you’re too good to us, we don’t deserve you. Monday morning Misano races, then Thursday morning the mag is in the shop with Misano reports. Seriously! How do you do that?! But thanks… and congratulations. Stephen Barton Clareville, NSW And a big hats-off to Australia Post; I received my copy of Vol 71 No 09 faster than usual, too! Deano Style guide What’s with these whingers…

HONDA NT1100 HONDA HAS RECENTLY announced its intention to join the sports-tourer segment with details of its new Africa Twin-powered NT1100. The NT uses a retuned version of the Africa Twin’s 1084cc parallel-twin engine as well as retaining the AT’s frame. The NT will be offered with either a conventional six-speed gearbox or the firm’s Dual-Clutch Transmission. Styling is along the lines of Yamaha’s Tracer 9 GT, but the NT will run conventional suspension rather than the electronically controlled units on the Yamaha. Seat height sits at 820mm with no mention of adjustability. The NT features three ride modes, cruise control and heated grips as standard, with info selected and viewed on a 6.5-inch touchscreen display. Availability Second quarter, 2022 Price TBC SUZUKI GSX-S1000GT SUZUKI’S 2022 GSX-S1000GT is the replacement…

I had a very different understanding of what I thought a sport-tourer was. The Tiger may have passed as an adventure bike previously, but its cast wheels and all-day comfort puts it nearer to the sports-tourer category. The 850 Sport is the entry-level bike of the Tiger range, and as such comes standard in a relatively basic trim. Complete with ABS, traction control and two selectable rider maps, Rain and Road, all switchable on the fly from the intuitive ’bar controls. The fit and finish of the bike present well, although there does appear to be some conscious cost-saving measures like the pressed steel rear brake and gear lever which, although appear flimsy, do the job as intended. The front suspension is non-adjustable, and the rear offers preload adjustment only.…

WHEN THE TRIUMPH 1200 Scrambler came out, I took one look and had to have one. And we’re not even talking a live look here – just a review in AMCN which, from memory, was right off the back of the world launch. It must have been just before Easter in 2019. I was having a day off between work trips down in Tasmania holed up in the pub in St Helens. We’d just popped out of a wet and blowing week up around the north east tip with another one much the same coming up down south. The truck had flooded on a long water crossing during the first week and the seats were still bleeding wet mud. I was leaving brownish bum shaped stains on everything from pub…

ULTIMATELY, THIS WAS too late for Francesco Bagnaia (Lenovo Ducati) to make any play on the destination of the 2021 MotoGP world title. But this was further proof of the Italian’s rising star as he produced his most dominant premier-class weekend to date to cement his name as MotoGP’s coming man. Bagnaia’s cause in the second outing at the Algarve International Circuit of the year was somewhat aided by Marc Marquez’s (Repsol Honda) most recent plight. The winner of the previous two outings was absent here due to a mysterious training injury. And there was also an element of fortune as Fabio Quartararo’s (Monster Energy Yamaha) chances of victory ended after an uninspiring qualifying, from which he was never able to recover. Yet the ease with which Bagnaia pulled clear…

PEDRO ACOSTA (Ajo KTM) may have qualified 14th, 10 places back of Dennis Foggia (Leopard Honda). But the 17-year old was confident he could still clinch the title with a race to spare, as evidenced by his cheeky wave and then wheel bump to his title adversary at the end of warm-up on Sunday morning. That niggle set the scene for a glorious contest that settled this slow burner of a title fight. Going off recent form, it was no surprise to see Foggia hitting the front as early as lap two. But unlike the last race, it was clear he didn’t have the speed to pull clear. Soon, Acosta was cutting through the pack. By the third lap, Foggia led Darryn Binder (Petronas Honda), Xavi Artigas (Leopard Honda) and…

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. Even the best can come off, bump their noggin and need a rest. Heck, it even happened recently to Marc Marquez, hence his MIA in Portugal. What would you do if you ran HRC? Bench him for the final round at Valencia and cotton wool him for the post-race test? In the giant scheme of things, is one more race win more important than setting up 2022? We’ve seen in the past what can happen when riders rush back too quickly……

AS THE 30TH anniversary of Steve Hislop’s epic Isle of Man TT win on Norton’s rotary-powered racer approaches, the original engineer is launching an exclusive updated version. Called the Crighton CR700W its starting price is an eye-watering $A155,000 but this trackday only motorcycle features MotoGP-spec performance. It’s the work of Brian Crighton, the engineer who developed Norton’s fire-breathing rotary racer, the RCW588, in the 1980s. While the Spondon-style alloy beam frame, complete with a single, side-mounted shock looks like the original, the engine hanging underneath is much more advanced. Made by Rotron Power, the latest engine is a 690cc twin-rotor that manages 164kW at 10,500rpm and a massive 142.4Nm at 9500rpm. It weighs just 24kg and has only three moving parts. Even with the six-speed transmission attached, the package weighs…

Facebook Post of the issue Dakar privateer Andrew Houlihan has more than his share of fans. Instagram Don’t Forget #amcn_mag Comment of the Issue Tony Jones puts his weight behind Oli Bayliss in World Supersport in 2022 “Good luck Oli, going by your father’s past and his guidance, you’ll be up there” 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!…

I was a little sad when I read that the Multistrada V4 wouldn’t run the Desmodromic valve train. Then the practical reasons behind the switch to a conventional valve spring setup become obvious, like 60,000km major service intervals. There is obviously less outright power than Desmo valves, but the Multi doesn’t need 200hp. It needs smooth power delivery, plenty of torque and it needs it spread over a wide rev range. The big Ducati delivers this in spades. The Multistrada gives a little away to the traditional sports-touring competition in the way of outright handling, but the big Duc certainly doesn’t lack pace. The 170 horses love to gallop on the bitumen. Speed piles on rapidly as the V4 sings an addictive song, while the quickshifter momentarily mutes the roar…

THE BROUGH SUPERIOR Lawrence is powered by the same liquid-cooled 88° V-twin eight-valve engine weighing 71kg as its SS100 and Pendine Sand Racer sister models. Developed by Akira Engineering, assembly of the motor is however now conducted in-house at Brough. This 997cc engine measures 94 x 71.8mm and functions as a fully loadbearing chassis component, with a small titanium upper spaceframe bolted to the cylinder heads to locate the front suspension, and the swingarm rotating in the horizontally-split crankcases, which incorporate the cylinders cast into the upper half. Running 11:1 compression, this eight-valve motor has its forged steel conrods sitting side by side on a shared crankpin, with the forged crankshaft running on plain bearings. These conrods carry forged three-ring pistons running in Nikasil-coated cylinder bores, with a two-stage oil…

WHEN LOOKING FOR a new pair of shorter, casual-style riding boots, maximum ankle protection was still a priority. I also wanted boots that were tough enough to handle some off-road riding as well as comfortable enough for daily road riding… and for walking around in. Weather protection was also a prerequisite, as I would occasionally be riding with AMCN’s rain man Pete Vorst. The Argon Tactic looked the goods on paper with its tear-resistant leather upper, reinforced ankle and shin protection and waterproof breathable membrane. I’ve been running the Tactic boots for six months and they have so far lived up to expectations. They are tough, with excellent ankle support and a full-length lace system. They are comfortable, both on and off the bike, with a flexible propylene inner sole…

IT’S BEEN 18 MONTHS of ups and downs over in the UK racing sidecars but mostly it’s been a lot of fun, filled with friendship and laughter. It all started with a plan to race in the British F2 Sidecar Championship and compete again at the Isle of Man TT. The main aim was to ride as many iconic UK circuits as possible and compete against the world’s best F2 teams (Mick has won five Australian F2 championships). So we loaded up every conceivable spare and three refreshed engines. Having done three IoM TTs helped in working out what to take. Then we had to organise carnets, freight, air flights, buy a motorhome… Soon after, Covid hit and everything stopped. As both my wife (Chris) and I are dual nationals,…

Circuit length 5.077km Race distance MotoGP 105.616km Moto2 105.616km Moto3 96.432km Did you know? The heroes of the sport largely wear leathers and helmets but sometimes they carry laptops and cameras. On a track access road on Saturday, there was a head-on collision between a police bike and a taxi, which tragically claimed the life of Faro Police sergeant João Fernandes. Gold&Goose photographer Dave Goldman and journalist Simon Patterson selflessly and quickly pulled their Spanish colleague Lucio Lopez from the burning car and assisted at the scene. Lopez was airlifted to a Lisbon hospital for treatment and is expected to make a full recovery. Round 17 MOTO2 25 LAPS DNF L BALDASSARRI (ITA, MVA), X VIERGE (SPA, KAL), J DIXON (GBR, KAL), A OGURA (JPN, KAL), A ARENAS (SPA, BOS).…

ON FRIDAY THERE was the strange sight of MotoGP machines running with their safety lights on in early-morning sun. The lights, situated under the seat and used in wet or low-visibility conditions, were being trialled to test whether they are visible even when bright. This is one safety measure with which Dorna and the FIM, who can turn the lights on when bikes are on track, are experimenting to potentially warn riders of an incident ahead. This is part of an effort to tackle the recent spate of lethal on-track collisions. “You cannot see as clear as when it’s raining because of the sun,” commented Pol Espargaro. “But it’s nice. You see the light, you see the bike in front more. For sure it’s helpful. It’s not producing any problems.”…

FROM 2022, ALL categories will be unified under the new SGP brand, including the SGP (FIM Speedway Grand Prix), SGP2 (FIM Speedway Under 21 World Championship), SGP3 (FIM Speedway Under 16 World Championship) and a new international entry-level SGP4. SGP2 will now be decided over three rounds, each on the same weekend and at the same venue as an SGP round – Prague, Cardiff and Torun – while practice for the SGP will now take place on race day. The format for each SGP round remains unchanged, but the organisers have promised much will change, including improved venue standards and expanded media distribution. The riders will be more heavily promoted and they will also receive a significant boost in prizemoney for each SGP round. Marquee annual events will also come…

THE R1-DERIVED MT-10 is the next Yamaha to get a major revamp. We don’t have images yet but updated specs have emerged thanks to European type-approval filings. The changes are significant enough for it to earn a new internal codename, ‘RN78’. The same documents also reveal its dimensions, power and weight are all changing, and that there will continue to be two versions on offer – a base MT-10 and the higher-spec MT-10SP. Both get an updated version of the 998cc crossplane-crank four-cylinder engine. Power rises from 118kW to 122kW, boosting top speed by 5km/h. Torque is up fractionally, from 111Nm to 112Nm, topping out at 9000rpm. There’s a new exhaust system and the styling is revamped, probably to include a single headlight flanked by LED sidelight strips, as on…

“WE CALL IT THE BOND EFFECT” Triumph’s American marketing chief Adam VanderVeen explains how his allocation of the Tiger 900 Bond Edition sold out in 45 seconds after its launch coincided with the cinema release of No Time to Die. BRAKING NEWS! First we had anti-lock brakes, then traction control and cornering ABS. Now Brembo will release a braking system for sale in 2024 that replaces hydraulics with electronics. Let’s call it ‘brake by wire’. CFMOTO3 Chinese brand CFMoto has teamed with German team Prustel GP to compete in Moto3 next season using motorcycles based on KTM’s world-championship-winning RC4. Mental Twisties The pic of Ron Toombs and Gregg Hansford peeling into Turn one attracted plenty of entries, but it’s Marcus Decaux who picks up this issue’s AMCN neck sock Hot…

COLOURS OF THE RAINBOW For folks who popped out in the mid to late 70s, the 90s and its crazy colour schemes were the pinnacle of motorcycle cosmetic design and one of the mightiest sportsbikes on the planet was white, pink and purple. But as epic as they were, crazy colour schemes weren’t the only things of note that took place in 1993. The country of Czechoslovakia simply ceased to exist any more as did IBM, which reported the largest single-year loss in US history, a tidy US$4.97 billion. Bill Clinton was sworn in as POTUS, some bastard blew up the World Trade Centre, Michael Jackson was the subject of child sexual abuse allegations and 90 percent of inner-city Sydney and Melbourne residents are aghast with the news that Colombian…

CALL ME CRAZY or whatever, but here is my fleet of Triumphs. On the left is my original 1982 Bonneville T140, in the centre is my recently purchased Trident 660 and on the far right is my recently rebuilt 1978 Bonneville T140. I’m also currently in the process of building a 1973 Bonneville T140. Nick West HI, THESE ARE a few of the toys in my shed I get to enjoy. The first is my 1975 Ducati 860 GT, then my 2021 Ducati SuperSport 950 S. They are like chalk and cheese, both are awesome machines. Next is my 1976 Honda CB750F Super Sport, which is much better to ride than you may realise. The white one is obviously my 1981 Yamaha XT500, which I am in the process of…

DUCATI MULTISTRADA V4 S ENGINE Capacity 1158cc Type 90° V4, four-valves per cylinder, counter-rotating crankshaft, twin-pulse firing order Bore & stroke 83mm x 53.5mm Compression ratio 14.0:1 Cooling Liquid Fueling Fuel injection with 46mm throttle bodies Transmission Six-speed Clutch Wet, multiplate, slipper Final drive Chain PERFORMANCE Power 125kW @ 10,500 rpm (claimed) Torque 125Nm @ 8750 rpm (claimed) Top speed 260km/h (estimated) Fuel consumption 6.8L/100km (measured) ELECTRONICS Type Ducati Rider aids Traction control, wheelie control, hill hold, adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection, blind spot warning, up-and-down quickshifter Rider modes Urban, Touring, Sport and Enduro CHASSIS Frame material Aluminium Frame type Monocoque Rake 24.5° Trail 102.5mm Wheelbase 1567mm SUSPENSION Type Marzocchi semi-active Skyhook, programmable and self-levelling Front: USD 50mm fork, fully adjustable, 170mm travel Rear: Monoshock, fully adjustable, 180mm travel…

New stuff 1 HAND BERING Ficeda Accessories $79.95 1300 437 711 ficeda.com.au The Bering Walshe is a short-cuff midseason-summer glove designed for urban/street riders. It features an outer shell manufactured from polyester, and comes with reinforcement areas to protect the knuckle and palm. It has a Velcro closure for easy and secure fastening. Various sizes/colours. 2 STORM TROOPER Whites Powersports From $239 (03) 8720 6000 whitesmoto.com.au The LS2 FF800 Storm is a full-face-sports-touring helmet. It has KPA (Kinetic Polymer Alloy) shell construction and weighs just 1400g. The UV-protection anti-scratch visor affords a wide angle of view while the liner has antibacterial padding to provide a comfortable fit. Sizes XS-2XL in solids and various graphics. 3 BRAWL OUT FUN Harley-Davidson $608.69 (02) 9886 0600 harley-davidson.com/au The H-D Brawler Jacket features mesh…

THIS IS NOT an obituary for Paul Smart, nor a tribute. As a well-loved man and a well-respected racer, he earned both. But I would feel presumptuous. They would come better from somebody closer. Better call it a tribute. And a personal memory. Our worlds had meshed many times over many years, and the shock with which I heard the news of his untimely death in a futile road accident on his Ducati Monster was unexpectedly profound. For Smartie, at least as much as and in some ways even more than his contemporary rival and brother-in-law Barry Sheene, for me defined and personified an era of casual high-level motorcycle racing more real and certainly more personal and accessible than today’s narrow-focus, highly professional pressure cooker. I first met him in…

IN SOME RESPECTS, this was a race decided by rubber. Dunlop brought a softer rear tyre allocation to the Algarve compared to the previous race here in April. On Friday a spokesman for the English company said no one could make its soft option last race distance – that was until title contender Raul Fernandez’s (Ajo Kalex) incredibly consistent run in FP3. That turned other riders’ heads, including Marco Bezzecchi (Sky VR46 Kalex). There was little surprise when Fernandez got the jump from pole, with Gardner – using the hard rear – slotting in behind. There were nerves for the Australian, who was riding injured courtesy of a monstrous final-turn collision on Friday afternoon, as Fernandez broke clear and Bezzecchi passed him for second on lap three. Yet Gardner rallied.…

STONER WAS ALSO on hand to offer Ducati teammates Pecco Bagnaia and Jack Miller some advice, after spotting for them around the track. After qualifying second, behind teammate Bagnaia, Miller said his countryman had advised him how to attack the final sector in a more refined manner, telling him to use some different lines. The #43 was suitably impressed. “He gave me some tips of what he saw on the track as to what he spotted. We’ll have to talk to Ducati next year and see if we can get him in the budget to come to a few more races. You pay extra attention when someone like that is telling you what he’s seeing on track, that’s for sure.” It caused Miller to realise a full-time rider coach would…

THE PAIN OF failing to retain his crown was keenly felt. So much so, Joan Mir had to take a total break from training after his disastrous performance in the recent Emilia Romagna GP. The Italian suffered poor showings in Texas and Italy as his title challenge faded away, leading him to take a step back from his usually intense preparation. “I was mentally a bit collapsed after two difficult GPs in a row,” he admitted in Portugal. “When I won the title last year we finished the season in Portimao. On the Tuesday after I was already training motocross. Mentally, the title gave me an extra motivation to try to repeat again to be more hungry. “This is pressure that I put on myself. That’s why I normally don’t…

THE SPEEDWAY SEASON in Europe has come to its conclusion and Australian riders were part of winning teams in several league competitions. Peterborough won the UK Premiership without any Australian riders, but it was Poole that took the title and the KO Cup double with the retiring Rory Schlein, Ben Cook and, as a fill-in in the final, Zach Cook in their line-up. In Sweden, Jason Doyle was the spearhead of Dackarna winning the premier Elitserien competition, while in Poland Doyle and Jaimon Lidsey were part of the Leszno team that lost the play-off for third in the Ekstraliga. Doyle was runner-up in the Foreign Rider of the Year Award in Poland behind the new world champion Artem Laguta. In Denmark, Rohan Tungate was part of the Slangerup team that…