Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 71 Issue 12 i Australian Motorcycle News

I RECKON FOR many of us 2021 will be a year to forget, with so many disruptions affecting many of the things we take for granted, but there were still plenty of moments that will no doubt be etched into our memories. On the world stage, Valentino Rossi exiting MotoGP after a quarter of a century will not soon be forgotten and, for Aussie fans, neither will Remy Gardner’s Moto2 world title. And then there was Toprak Razgatlioglu’s win in WorldSBK, ending Jonathan Rea’s six-year dominance of the category. And while lockdowns and state border closures wreaked havoc on the local racing scene, at least ASBK managed to forge ahead with a shortened championship season, culminating in Wayne Maxwell’s dominant performance at the finale at The Bend in SA, despite…

IT HAD TO happen and prototype Royal Enfield cruisers using the existing 650cc parallel twin from the Continental GT and Interceptor have already been spotted being tested in India. Now this SG650 Concept show its intention to challenge Triumph’s Bobber and Speedmaster range. It will open the door to Royal Enfield making a family of cruiser-style models, from high-barred customs to bobbers like the SG650, as well as potentially touring versions with side bags and front fairings. In the meantime its main launch at EICMA was a brace of anniversary editions to mark 120 years since RE was founded. Only 480 will be made, split evenly between Continental GTs and Interceptors. Royal Enfield celebrated its 120th anniversary at EICMA by launching limited-edition Interceptor and Continental GT 650s. Both feature a…

AUSTRALIAN RIDERS can now visit a Dainese D-Store with the opening of a branded concept store in Melbourne, the first of its kind outside of Europe or the US. Situated in Carlton’s vibrant Lygon Street shopping and restaurant strip, the 300m² retail store is a two-story outlet specialising in Dainese equipment, from leather race suits and road gear through to off-road protection and bicycle wear. And while the timing has been far from ideal, so far curtailing plans for a grand opening, the store has been trading under Covid protocols since retail restrictions were lifted almost four weeks ago. Looking every bit a high-end retail boutique, the Lygon Street location – which is synonymous with the the Italian community – isn’t a coincidence. “It was between here and Chapel Street,…

Access, AMCN, PO Box 6, Bittern, Vic, 3918 access@amcn.com.au 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. Letter of the issue Stop right there In response to Justin Weekes (AMCN Vol 71 No 10), I have to disagree. Rossi has retired in good health with a new life and a bigger vision for MotoGP. We will see him in the paddock and his already huge influence is set to grow. His VR46 riders are coming on song, all of whom have Rossi in their corner. The crowds are…

LAST YEAR, DUE to Covid lockdowns, AMCN had to completely adjust the way it conducted Motorcycle of the Year (MOTY) but late-2021 saw an easing of restrictions that allowed us to return to some sort of sense of normality. Pre-Covid, for a bike to be included in MOTY it would have had to have been made available and appeared as a full test in the pages of AMCN in the 12 months prior to the Yearbook issue, but this year we had to scrap that requirement because most of us were locked down and unable to travel, and many of the bikes were locked away in warehouses. Fortunately, restrictions eased just in time for us to get 10 of the year’s most important new bikes together for our annual MOTY…

I specifically chose the CFMOTO as my ride for MOTY. I’ll be honest, I did that because I didn’t need to put up with the whinging from the bloke who copped the only Chinese-made bike in the pack. I was less than impressed with my decision, but I grew to love the 700CL-X, so much so that on my return to the office on Monday I requested we get one as a long-termer. The 700CL-X is a handsome and quality looking bike and the overall bang for buck factor smokes anything else on the market. For $10,490 you get a fuel-injected, DOHC, water-cooled, 693cc parallel-twin complete with slipper clutch, adjustable KYB suspension, Brembo brakes, ride-by-wire throttle, cruise control, two ride modes, USB charging port, LED lighting, self-cancelling indicators, adaptive headlight…

Being an avid Harley rider, I was really intrigued at the thought of covering some serious kays on Harley’s first adventure bike. I’m a cruiser guy, so at first glance, it wasn’t traditionally a style of bike that I would be drawn towards, with its upright ergonomics, blocky-looking front fairing and stocky stance. It took some time for me to appreciate the styling, however my focus was on the ride. This bike is very comfortable, even after a four-hour long journey, and I could probably ride it all day in comfort. The natural seating position, and the mid-mounted footpegs are spot on. The hand controls are in a good position, which makes it easy to access and use all the functions, Bluetooth, and the various ride modes for wet weather,…

No other motorcycle, from the instant it was released, created a revolutionary market segment. And over time saw off the challenge of many worthy rival manufacturers, and 27 years later is still a paramount machine in its class. Though streetfighter-style motorcycles were nothing new in 1994, there was no such thing as a production streetfighter. Back then, streetfighters were often sportsbikes that had slid down tarmac and found their way back to life the cheapest way possible – by forgoing a fix of expensive replacement fairings and getting a straight ’bar and a fork-mounted headlight to make it right. Triumph made the superbike-sans-fairing class all its own with the original Speed Triple – in much the same way it has with its line of retro twin-cylinder roadsters since the early…

APRILIA TUONO V4 ENGINE Capacity 1077cc Type 65° V4, DOHC, 16-valves Bore & stroke 81 x 52.3mm Compression ratio 13.6:1 Cooling Liquid Fueling EFI, 4 x 48mm Marelli throttle bodies Transmission Six-speed Clutch Wet, multi-plate, slipper Final drive Chain PERFORMANCE Power 129kW @ 11,350rpm (claimed) Torque 121Nm @ 9000rpm (claimed) Top speed 260km/h (est) Fuel consumption5.2L/100km (measured) ELECTRONICS Type Marelli Rider aids Traction control, cornering ABS, rear wheel lift mitigation, engine brake control, wheelie control, launch control, cruise control, pit lane limiter Rider modes Tour, Sport, User, Race, Track 1 and Track 2 CHASSIS Frame material Aluminium Frame type Twin spar Rake 24.8° Trail 99.9mm Wheelbase 1452mm SUSPENSION Type Sachs Front: 43mm USD fork, fully-adjustable, 120mm travel Rear: Monoshock, fully-adjustable, 129mm travel WHEELS & BRAKES Wheels Cast aluminium Front: 17 x…

10 2015 QATAR GP (LOSAIL) Ducati came out swinging in 2015 with its first Gigi Dall’Igna-designed Desmosedici, which put Andrea Dovizioso on pole, while Jorge Lorenzo and teammate Valentino languished in sixth and eighth. On Sunday, as he so often did, Vale pulled the rabbit from the hat. Dovizioso, Lorenzo and Andrea Iannone led, with Vale closing fast. “When I did a lap alone, a one 55.2s, I said, ‘Wow, not so bad’.” After trading blows with Dovizioso he inflicted the coup de grace on the final lap to beat his countryman by 0.174sec. “That was one of the best races and one of the best battles,” he grinned. “My bike was well balanced for the end, but I was close to crashing two or three times.” But perhaps he…

TWO-WHEEL DRIVE motorcycles weren’t new, but incorporating two-wheel steering was. The Dryvtech 2x2x2 was Drysdale’s first ground-up motorcycle design, powered by a Maico 250cc two-stroke engine that used his own crankcase design. There were two drive options available for the two hydraulically driven motors for each wheel: ‘in parallel’ and ‘in series’, giving maximum speeds of 50km/h and 100km/h, respectively. The highly pressurised oil is run down steel tubes that followed the bike’s front and rear swingarms, using a complex concentric pivot to follow the angle of the swingarm without releasing the pressure. A valve in the return line provided braking to both wheels simultaneously. The hub-centre steering’s pre-pressurised hydraulic system was independent of the transmission’s – there was no mechanical connection between the handlebar and wheels, hydraulics also managed…

TEN YEARS AGO I made my Grand Prix debut at the Malaysian round of the 125cc world championship and AMCN has asked me to tell what actually happened. I was aged 16 and had just finished second overall in the Red Bull Rookies Cup. On the Monday after the Phillip Island MotoGP round, I got an urgent call-up to replace an injured rider in an Aprilia team. Looking back on it, I think that maybe it was something I shouldn’t have done. For a start, the 125cc GP bike was totally different to the bike I’d been racing in the Rookies Cup. This race was going to be way longer than anything I’d done before and I soon realised I probably wasn’t fit enough to last the distance in such…

AFTER RUNNING WORLDSBK as their main point of focus in 2020, as well as WorldSSP interests, a ‘demotion’ to WorldSSP only saw the Ten Kate Yamaha team win its 10th World Championship as Dominique Aegerter claimed his first. It looked like Steven Odendaal and his Evan Bros Yamaha would take over where mega-champion Andrea Locatelli had left off in 2020. But once Aegerter got that first win done in Estoril Race 2, the most successful team in WorldSSP history and a rider enthused by his big chance at 31 years of age, became the dominant force. Ten wins for them, it was a clear title success, but five other riders won races as the last season for WorldSSP as we know it proved just brilliant to watch almost every weekend.…

Harry Khouri The only Aussie full-timer in WorldSSP300 in 2021, the 2020 Australian champion had some flashes on his Fusport - RT Motorsports by SKM Kawasaki, with a best qualifying of sixth in Catalunya and then a best race finish of ninth in the first race of the year. He will be back again in 2022. Bill van Eerde The sometime IXSYART Yamaha WordSSP rider had three goes in WorldSSP – Catalunya, Jerez and Portimao – but he was banned from riding at Jerez with a shoulder injury he felt was nothing too bad. He was game, but surrounded by even faster and much more experienced WorldSSP riders. Lachlan Epis Had a few rides with the TPR Outdo Kawasaki privateer squad in WorldSBK but bike reliability issues and his lack…

IT’S QUITE THE feat to manage two world champions in the same year. And quite another to have teammates fighting for the Moto2 gong, as Aki Ajo did with Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez. But it wasn’t just about the Finn’s eye for rider selection. Up to the final round, the battling teammates remained respectful without tensions ever bubbling over. Even after the season finished, Ajo was keen to play down his own role in this. “I was afraid of it but it was actually much easier than I expected. No problems at all, nothing. Both (Remy and Raul) respected themselves in an incredible way.” Now that’s good management.…

This goes to Jeremy Alcoba with strong opposition from Deniz Oncu, but the Spaniard was repeatedly guilty of causing danger to other riders. Always loose, always on the limit, and quite often riding over it in those scary multi-rider Moto3 battles, Alcoba made few friends in 2021. He was lucky not to be disqualified for holding a 15-rider group up in the Barcelona GP. Likewise, his repeated swerving on the straights failed to result in a strong penalty. Even the fairly laconic Scot John McPhee was moved to kick him in the knackers after the pair clashed at the second race of the year. And that says a lot.…

Rally legend Toby Price crashed out of this year’s Dakar event with a broken collarbone after leading at the halfway mark. The Order of Australia-medal recipient went on to win the Finke Desert Race in a Trophy Truck, becoming the first person to win in a car and on a bike. Although 2021 became a recovery year, Price signed a two-year contract extension with KTM in June. Daniel Sanders catapulted himself on to the World Rally stage by taking fourth in the 2021 Dakar event as a rookie, backing that up with third overall in the Cross Country Rallies World Championship.…

In front of a crowd of more than 2000, Lyndon Snodgrass, who had spent much of 2021 battling a bout of Lymes Disease, won the final round of the Grand National Cross Country Championship 250 Division in Crawfordsville Indiana USA to finish third overall. Lyndon’s Kawasaki teammate Josh Strang completed his 15th year in fourth outright. In the Women’s Division, Kiwi Rachel Archer finished second outright for Yamaha by a single point, while Aussie Tayla Jones looked on, still nursing a midseason injury.…

AFTER ALL THE hype surrounding the final round of the 2021 mi-Bike Australian Superbike Championship, Wayne Maxwell and the Boost Mobile K-Tech team have proved unstoppable, successfully defending their crown at The Bend Motorsport Park. With strong crowds helped by the presence of factory Ducati MotoGP star Jack Miller and 2018 Endurance World Champion Josh Hook, The Bend was buzzing with anticipation. During practice and qualifying on Saturday, Maxwell was able to reel off the hot laps at will, clinching pole position 0.7sec under the lap record. Riding a lower-spec machine, Miller was in second. His Ducati V4 R had been prepared by Demsosport Ducati’s Ben Henry, with the key difference being that only the standard road ECU was able to be used under MotoGP’s strict testing rules. Local favourites…

“I sort of put the feelers out once Hooky had heard the race was going to be at the start of December, I was like, ‘I might be able to make that’,” explained Miller. “I started putting my feelers out and spoke with my mates, who have never worked on roadbikes before – they work on all my dirtbikes – and I said ‘hey, how about we go and race a superbike?’ We like doing trips like this with the boys, we like to go race motorcycles. And they were all really keen on it and so we got the wheels turning and here we are. We finally made it. “There’s been a lot of hurdles through Ducati contracts and so on, and also with restrictions and what not, but…

Herfoss pushes With the Superbike championship decided after race one, Troy Herfoss opted to sit out the second event. “I’ve still got a lot of pain in my hip, which makes it really difficult to move around on the bike. I’ve really missed being able to train and get my heart rate up, there is no need to risk making an injury worse – after this weekend of riding I know I will be back at 100 percent fitness for 2022.” MATT O’CONNELL Sissis arrives Expect Arthur Sissis to be a real force in 2022 after a very strong showing at The Bend. Sissis combined his excellent starts with a strong qualifying result to threaten the front runners. “I can really see the benefit of testing at a track before…

DECLAN CARBERRY HAS confirmed himself as the latest rising star of the South Australian road racing scene by convincingly winning the state Supersport title one week out from the ASBK final. A clean sweep of the final three races at The Bend’s 3.93km, 22-corner East Circuit completed his total dominance of the season. “The icing on the cake for the weekend was at the presentations being awarded the Steve Smiley Kerr Perpetual 600 trophy,” he said. “I was so speechless and what an honour. I had such a great weekend and can’t thank the team and my family enough.” Jamie Banks won the Superbike title and Samuel Pezzetta was crowned Juniors champion for the second consecutive year. Carberry entered the Aussie Supersport race at The Bend the following week but…

RISE OF THE MACHINE An in-depth feature predicted the integration of self-driving technology into motorcycling. Next year’s models will feature a surprising amount of this tech. AMCN Vol 70 No 19 ROCKY ROAD AHEAD In the second of a two-part news special, we revealed how a worldwide motorcycle sales recovery was being strangled by Covid-crippled supply chains, a shortage of raw materials, trade wars and even Brexit. AMCN Vol 70 No 22 RETRO RAMPAGE Triumph’s hyper-fast Speed Triple RR was launched while we were testing CFMoto’s budget but classy middleweight 700CL-X Heritage. Is this moving forward by looking back the dawn of a new era of motorcycling? AMCN Vol 71 No 06 TRIPLE TREAT Tech-savvy and torquey was how we described Triumph’s sophisticated LAMS entry Trident 660 after attending the…

PREDICTION HAMISH COOPER THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AMCN closely followed the growth boom we predicted of middleweight models. Next issue our exclusive interview with FIM WSBK technical director Scott Smart shows how 2022 starts a radical era of racing that will build a foundation for revival in the Supersport market segment. Meanwhile CFMoto and Triumph, soon to be followed by Benelli’s TRK 800 as revealed in this issue, will bring budget but tech-loaded models to underpin the adventure segment. However, my really big prediction is that major announcements in 2022 concerning hydrogen will ensure the immediate future of the four-stroke engines we all love. PREDICTION BEN PURVIS MY PREDICTION THAT 2020 would be the year of radar came true and it’s only going to spread further as Honda, Yamaha and Piaggio…

A MIDSIZED adventure scooter from Honda launches the age of motorcycling’s city SUV. When Honda showed the ‘City Adventure’ concept back in 2015 it baffled plenty of people. The ADV350 has a 37mm upside down fork and 125mm of suspension travel, plus blocky tyres and remote-reservoir rear shocks, it’s not really aimed at off-road use, maybe just riding over city curbs. The engine is from the Forza 350, with 21.5kW and 31.5Nm of torque, driving through the same centrifugal clutch and CVT transmission, with a belt final drive. Honda’s HSTC traction control system makes sure it keeps grip even on slippery surfaces. It has a proximity key system that unlocks the ignition, seat and optional topbox. Smartphone integration is standard, the screen is adjustable and there’s enough luggage space under…

Domination! MotoGP, World Superbikes and Supersport, BSB, even the Japanese SBK title. Yamaha had a pretty stellar year. TT safety boost The Isle of Man TT returns for 2022 with vastly increased crash response and safety measures in place. warnie’s whoopsie Cricket’s spin king Shane Warne says he’s “a bit banged up” after crashing his motorcycle in Melbourne. Dopey as Two semis have crashed head-on after one hit a motorcycle that had been abandoned in the middle of a California country highway.…

Ken headed off to Homestead Raceway in Florida for the world launch of the ill-fated Suzuki TL1000S. The TL set the sportsbike world on its ear when it was debuted at the Cologne show in September 1996. Ken only had good things to say about the TL, and the problems that presented themselves later (that required the retro fitment of a steering damper) didn’t get a mention. The TL’s unique rotary rear damper, a tendency to flap its ’bars and talk of cracked frames ended the fanfare for the TL, but it has since gathered a massive (and staunch) cult following. THE GO SHOW Hot on the heels of news that Troy Corser was on his way to race 500s in 1997, the Lucky Strike Suzuki GP team announced that…

Facebook Post of the issue Moto Guzzi has stirred a few AMCN readers with its new V100 Mandello. Instagram → Don’t Forget #amcn_mag Comment of the Issue Stuart Bond pines for the days when bikes had good looks and not aerodynamic add-ons “All 90s sportsbikes looked better than today’s aero-shaped fairing, weight saving bikes” 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 offer chest! Got something funny, new, old or wise to say or share? Do…

DEAN ‘DEANO’ MELLOR Age 54 Weight 78kg Height 167cm Deano started riding dirtbikes as a kid, then got into roadbikes in the 20s, oops sorry, his 20s – same thing. Deano has tested bikes for various publications from the 90s through to the noughties, then went on AMCN as Dep Ed, edited sister mag ADB, before returning to The Horror as the boss man. Fun fact – Deano may look bald but he’s really not; he rather sneakily keeps his hairs closely cropped for maximum aerodynamic efficiency. MATT ADAMS Age 45 Weight 110kg Height 174cm Matt has been fanging around on roadbikes for more than 20 years, on everything from GSX-Rs to Harleys, with some trackday action and off-road riding thrown in for good measure. Matt currently has a Harley…

Monsters have never been anything but fun. Coming up for three decades in, nothing’s changed even though everything has changed. Everything except the V-twin engine format, that is. Set out on the Monster and it immediately impresses you with its delightfully lightweight response, its exciting power and torque, and its ultimate flexibility. Just get on and ride: fast or slow, commuting or thrashing, calmly or insanely. It’s built to do it all. That’s why it rates so highly in MOTY’s Fun Factor score. Ducati opens with the words “Just fun” when spruiking the Monster and, as much as I’d love to dismiss the marketing hype as propaganda, I can’t argue with it. A couple of the other bikes here are just as much fun but none do it better. Ducati…

The Honda CMX1100 will change your perception on how you see your classic cruiser. For an avid motorcycle enthusiast, there is often a compromise with riding different styles of bikes. Sure, it’s fun to jump on a sportsbike to amp up your adrenaline, but sometimes you might prefer the comfort and laid-back style of your classic cruiser. The Honda CMX solves this dilemma for you. A mix of old-style cruiser with modern blacked-out aesthetics, comfortable forward feet position, V-twin-style sound produced by the CMX’s 270° crank parallel twin, and a far sportier ride than you equate with most cruisers, means that to an extent the CMX1100 offers the best of both worlds. The CMX runs a six-speed automatic DCT gearbox so there’s no yanking on clutches or work for the…

THE JUDGES HAVE cast their votes, the scores have been tallied and the result could hardly have been closer, with just two points separating the top four bikes. AMCN’s 2021 Motorcycle of the Year presented by Shannons Insurance is the Ducati Multistrada V4 S There’s no doubt the Aussie motorcycle landscape has changed significantly over the past few years, with many of us now shunning the pure sportsbikes we were once addicted to in favour of more useable everyday roadbikes, and when it comes to useability in real-world conditions, not much comes close to the Multistrada V4 S. In the Multistrada V4 S, Ducati really has built a bike for all roads… and beyond. You can commute on it, scratch on it, tour on it and adventure on it. It…

SCOOP OF THE YEAR When AMCN was granted a blast on a then-unreleased Ducati prototype. Our man Adam Child was given one mechanic and even less details about a 17-inch-wheel shod Multistrada before he was let loose on a small racetrack in Italy. It turned out to be the firm’s top-shelf $44,500 Pikes Peak version. BLUNDER OF THE YEAR That time Aprilia published an official announcement that Andrea Dovizioso was joining Aleix Espargaro in the factory Aprilia squad for 2022. Unsurprisingly the very same press release, albeit with changes only to the headline, rider’s name and picture, was released announcing Maverick Vinales had, indeed, signed for that very seat. We forwarded it to our MotoGP man Neil Morrison, who scurried down to the team garage as soon as it landed…

In 1916 two sisters, Augusta (32) and Adeline van Buren (26), became the first women to ride solo motorcycles across America on board Indian’s then-new 1000cc side-valve Powerplus machines. ‘Gussie’ and ‘Addie’, as they preferred to be called, were actually distant relatives of the eighth president of the United States of America, Martin van Buren. Originally of Dutch descent, he was elected into office in 1836. Gussie and Addie weren’t the first women to pilot a motorcycle from the east coast of America to the west – mother and daughter duo Avis Effie Hotchkiss claimed that mantle in 1915 when they rode a Harley-Davidson Model 11-F equipped with a Model 11-L sidecar in 1915 – but the sisters were the first to do it on solo motorcycles. RIDING FOR RIGHTS…

New stuff 1 A Real Slim Shady Cassons Australia From $129.95 (02) 8882 1900 cassonsmedia.com Arai’s Pro Shade system avoids the diminished impact-absorption performance associated with internal sun visors by using an external drop-down sunshade. Pro Shade System shield can be added to the Arai helmet of your choice, moved from one helmet to another or swapped out for a regular visor. 2 No Fling to See Here Link International From $11.90 (07) 3382 5000 linkint.com.au Ipone X-trem Chain Road is a long-lasting, non-fling chain lubricant for road motorcycles. The lubricant’s cream colour is clearly visible when applied, and the calcium sulfonate formula guarantees optimum adhesion and is said to retain its lubrication properties for up to 800km, even in wet environments. 3 Great Scott Ficeda Accessories Jacket $649.95 Pant…

FALLING OFF MOTORCYCLES is not funny. And yet somehow it often is. As long as you can hobble away. Try rewatching the “Flying W” segment of the classic “On Any Sunday”. Or listen to tales over the bar at club night. I once wrote a column seeing the funny side of the newly released GP crash stats, and got a kicking: “How dare Mr Scott laugh at people who risk their all to entertain us.” I take the point. But I only laugh if the victim is also laughing. Which is more often than you might think. And secondly, they’re not racing to entertain anybody. They have their own reasons. We just happen to be able to watch. So, open the inbox, and there are the latest ‘Falls 2021’ from…

IT’S FAIR TO say the 2021 season delivered on all fronts. A year that began amid uncertainty and had multiple rounds struck off – Australia included for the second year running – an 18-race series passed against the odds. And the action on track promptly delivered. A fascinating title fight developed between a host of new names, while the racing as close and spectacular as ever. Four of the closest top 15 finishes in the history of the premier class came in the months between March and August. And the return and recovery of Marc Marquez after an absence of nine months was box-office viewing from the moment he made his return from injury in April. But above all, the battle at the top of the championship was engaging. In…

THE RECOVERY OF rookie Jorge Martin after a chilling get-off during practice for the Portuguese Grand Prix was just as eye-catching as Marc Marquez’s. The rookie sustained eight fractures and a bump on the head as he crashed in sickening style at over 160km/h, getting caught up in the bike while thrown around like a ragdoll. The 23-year-old openly admitted he thought his career was over. But his comeback – three podiums, including a debut win and three pole positions – was deeply impressive.…

THIS YEAR’S MOTO2 World Championship will be remembered for an intense inter-team battle for the ages. Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez won 13 of the year’s 18 contests, sealed seven 1-2 finishes and wrapped up the Teams’ Championship with four races to spare. In terms of the championship, no one else could get close. Gardner began the year solidly, picking up podium finishes in four of the first five races. And from the Italian Grand Prix he was sensational, beating rookie upstart Raul Fernandez in contests at Mugello, Barcelona and the Sachsenring. After Silverstone, where he won and Fernandez crashed, stretching his championship advantage to 44 points, he appeared home and dry. But Fernandez proved to be the most exceptional Moto2 rookie in history. The Spaniard picked up four impressive…

IT IS POSSIBLE that in years to come 2021 will be remembered for the arrival of grand prix racing’s new sensation Pedro Acosta. The 17-year-old rookie took the Moto3 class by storm, racking up six victories over the course of the year to become the second-youngest Grand Prix World Champion in history. His feats in his first world championship year were almost too numerous to mention: winning his first GP from pitlane; putting the media glare to one side to win his home GP at Jerez; shrugging off late-season pressure to wrap up the crown with a race to go. Acosta’s feats were made all the more impressive in light of Dennis Foggia’s heroic recovery. From sitting 97 points behind after the 10th round of the season, the Italian was…

MOTOGP Jack Miller completed his first season in the factory Ducati Lenovo Team with five podiums that included victory in Jerez and Le Mans, recording his best-ever championship result of fourth and importantly, helping Ducati to the teams and constructor’s championship. Four race retirements did hurt the likeable Aussie’s tilt, putting him under pressure for an equally strong 2022. Remy Gardner will step up to MotoGP next season with the Tech3 KTM team as the reigning Moto2 World Champion, producing a mercurial season to best teammate and self-proclaimed ‘Moral Champion’ Raul Fernandez in the final thrilling race of the season at Valencia. Gardner produced a memorable five victories, scoring points in all but one race on his way to the 2021 title. Asia Talent Cup The Asia Talent Cup was…

CDT Yamaha Monster Energy Team rider Luke Clout finished three points ahead of Factory KTM rookie Regan Duffy, claiming the 2021 Penrite Australian Motocross Championship after a disorienting season with rounds at Wongthaggi Vic, Fairburn Park ACT and Maitland NSW. Former champion Todd Waters finished third while Kyle Webster won MX2 for Honda and Blake Fox won MX3 for GasGas. Regan Duffy was severely injured, spending three weeks in a coma after the final round of the WA MX Championship at Shrubland Park. He’s now working towards a full recovery.…

THE MOTORSPORTS TV Supersport class was the tightest of all the championships heading in to the final round, with three riders in the mix for victory. Broc Pearson (City2Surf Locksmith) held a slim seven-point lead over Tom Edwards (Bikebiz), with Max Stauffer (GTR Motostars Team) just six points behind and still well in the mix. Pearson grabbed the crucial point for pole position but Stauffer and Edwards both made a sensational start, with Stauffer grabbing the holeshot. Edwards surged to the lead on the opening lap while Pearson, settling in third, began working on Stauffer. Billy Van Eerde (Trinder Racing), riding for the first time in Supersport in Australia, had entered on a borrowed bike and was settling behind Luke Power (White’s Powersports). By the second lap, Pearson had accounted…

AS YAMAHA’S TRACER 7 and Triumph’s Tiger Sport 660 heats up the market for middleweight all-rounders, Kawasaki has revamped its Versys 650. It now becomes a visual replica of the latest Versys 1000, including its LED headlight design. While the engine and chassis are unchanged, with 35kW and a fractionally increased 219kg wet weight, the Versys 650 finally gets a new TFT dashboard with Bluetooth connectivity and an updated electronics package that includes two-mode traction control.…

TECHNICAL UPDATES FROM Suzuki’s new GSX-S1000 have filtered down to the mechanically identical Katana. The big Kat’s classic looks are unaltered for next year, but this retro model gets a new airbox, changes to the exhaust, new camshafts with less valve overlap, new valve springs and a new clutch. All this helps the GSX-R1000K5-derived four-cylinder engine meet Euro emissions limits while simultaneously increasing power fractionally while spreading torque wider throughout the rev range. Upgraded electronics include three selectable engine maps, while a two-way quickshifter gives clutchless gearchanges.…

Astronauts come in all shapes and sizes but none of them look quite like the diminutive ex-MotoGP and WSBK racer Max Biaggi. And none of them will ever achieve what he did on the Voxan Wattman at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. He proved the stratospheric speed and power potential of electric motors by achieving a long list of FIM records, including 454km/h over the flying mile and a 273km/h top speed from a standing start over the same distance. Voxan is owned by the Monaco-based Venturi company, which describes itself as “a pioneering expert in electric mobility”.…

BELIEVING HE COULD capitalise on Australian speedway stars passing through the British colony in transit to and from the British speedway season, promoter Arthur Reynolds headed to Singapore in March 1930. Within weeks, and largely on the prospect of a share in the projected profits, local contractors had constructed grandstands and erected floodlighting around a quarter-mile oval enclosed by the picturesque Alkaff Gardens. By mid-April, thanks to a massive advertising blitz, the largest crowd ever to gather for a sporting event in Singapore was gazing expectantly at the brightly-lit whitewashed safety fence. It’s possible a few Aussie ex-pats may have been familiar with the names of West Australian solo stars, Tiger Lewis, Jack Sharp and Fred Yates, but few spectators would have been aware that Sob Presong was the national…

HUSQVARNA HAS pitched the Norden in between the two KTM 890 Adventure models. This means it has more suspension travel – 220mm front and 215mm rear – than the more road-focused 890 Adventure, but less travel than the 890 Adventure R. The KTM R version also features a beefier 48mm WP fork and, as you’d expect, comes equipped with more ground clearance for those serious off-road riders, 263mm compared to 252mm The Norden on paper is a significant 8kg heavier (dry) than both the KTM 890 and 890 R, which mainly comes down to the different styling, skid plate, rear rack and the incorporated fog lights, which all come fitted as standard. Its seat height at 854mm again falls in between both the KTM’s 850mm and the R-model’s 880mmhigh seat.…

The Ducati Mutistrada V4 S is the Swiss army knife of two-wheeled machines. It does everything you ask of it, and it does it all bloody well. The Multi is by no means a lightweight at 243kg (kerb), and when parked up against the nakedbikes in this MOTY test it looks like a beast of a thing, but it holds its own thanks to its potent 125kW/125Nm 1158cc V4 Grandturismo engine and its impressive chassis and electronics package; when flicked into Sports mode there’s not a lot that’d stay with it. The quickshifter allows you to make the most of the engine’s power and handling is surprisingly nimble for such a big machine, enabling the Multi to hang onto bikes half its size. If you just want to cruise, the…

The Hayabusa stands out as the alpha dog in most group rides. This group is no exception as it is the only proper fully faired sportsbike. The Generation 3 Hayabusa was dragged kicking and screaming through the Euro 5 regulations. To do this Suzuki stuck with the tried and tested formula with a few tweaks, rather than throwing on a turbo or blower like most people hoped. Suzuki made the engine more efficient by improving the combustion chamber design as well as the intake and exhaust system. These changes gave it some extra midrange grunt to give it an edge over is predecessor. It can be a bit daunting when you jump on a Hayabusa, but rest assured, it is a perfectly mannered pussycat unless you are heavy-handed with it.…

From the minute I viewed the new MT-09 SP, I knew it was going to be a fun bike. It’s just got that menacing look about it, and you feel a little bit naughty just throwing a leg over it. Yamaha has got the balance just right on this bike. It’s light and nimble with a comfortable riding position and a punchy triple powerplant. The engine feels crisp and responsive and even sounds good in stock trim from its almost invisible Euro 5-compliant exhaust. When sitting higher in the revs, the note from the exhaust is lovely and, to top it off, the quickshifter blips between gears. It’s lovely. Out on the road it feels agile and easy to throw around. It’s as happy commuting through a busy city as…

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OH DEAR, THE question of ‘what’s the new bike gonna be?’ has slid off the plate again. Last month (AMCN Vol 71 No 10), I could have sworn it’d be a Triumph Scrambler but personal honesty set in and there was a recalibration. Look, these ‘getting real’ type thoughts aren’t, as I’m sure you imagined, the product of post-yoga meditation. No, they’re more related to beer. Beer means truthful communication, even if it presents with peas and carrots. I was down at Pat’s workshop late one afternoon. Pat’s the real deal, a motorcycle mechanic who started his apprenticeship at a Honda dealership in England when he was 16 and has worked on bikes ever since. If he can’t fix it, it’s broke. He was fitting an electric starter conversion to…

THE WOLDSBK KING’S sceptre was finally passed from Jonathan Rea and Kawasaki to Toprak Razgatlioglu and Yamaha in 2021. But before that eventually happened they had – metaphorically, at least – battered each other with it in a very crowd-pleasing fashion. It was a seriously competitive season, with external forces and drawbacks affecting both Toprak and Jonathan’s campaigns. Part of the reason Jonathan Rea is not champion for the seventh time in succession is that his main opponent got under his skin just enough. In the final analysis Rea did not end up staring down Razgatlioglu as he had done every other rival since he jumped on a Kawasaki in 2015. The Kawasaki had previously been the best overall package, the one that worked at most places (with Rea in…

Jack Miller MotoGP, 4th THIS WAS A season of highs and lows for the 25-year-old. A flawless first preseason in factory Ducati colours was followed by a shaky start and just 14 points from the first three races. Miller bounced back with two wins – at Jerez and Le Mans – before another lull midseason. But he bounced back again, ending the year with a pair of thirds. In terms of championship positions (fourth) and points (181), this was comfortably his best premier-class season to date in seven attempts. With Ducati currently streets ahead, a championship challenge is required next year. “I’ve just got to go home, reflect, be better, try and improve little things, consistency being one,” he said in Valencia. Expect Jack to be firing in 2022.…

After two off weekends, Remy Gardner was under huge pressure at the penultimate race of the season. His cause wasn’t helped by a huge crash on Friday, when a collision with another rider fractured some ribs. But in this instant he didn’t wilt, knew his strategy and reeled early pace setter Fernandez in before riding off and into the distance. “Probably my best race ever was Portimao,” he later reflected. “That was the decider. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. That’s what I used in my head in Portimao to finish that race.”…

Pedro Acosta, Doha GP. The season was just one race old when GP’s new superstar produced a ride that was truly out of the ordinary. Penalised with a pitlane start, Acosta made up a nine-second deficit to claim a barely-believable debut win. It was a performance that showcased so many attributes. Self-belief. Fighting spirit. Raw speed. Maturity. Nerve. Acosta’s riding to bridge the gap to the leading group was exceptional. But the manner in which he sliced through the pack of experienced names before holding off Darryn Binder’s late response was another level altogether. And all at the tender age of 16. It still beggars belief seven months later.…

The McAMS Yamaha team was the class of the field in the British Superbike Championship for 2021 and for all but the Showdown rounds, Jason O’Halloran looked set to claim his maiden BSB title. Brave riding from teammate Tarran Mackenzie made him unstoppable when it mattered most, with O’Halloran eventually finishing third in the points behind Tommy Bridewell. He did have the honour of the most wins throughout the season, posting 11 to Mackenzie’s 10. In Supersport, Benjamin Currie’s Gearlink Kawasaki team reverted to the standard ZX-6R for 2021 and under the new Supersport regulations adopted by the BSB, almost pulled off the title win. Consistency was key, with Currie finishing runner-up to Jack Kennedy. Currie, who was also runner-up in 2018, now moves to world Supersport with the G.A.P…

Sheer grit propelled Joel Kelso (AGR Team) to his best season of racing in the CEV Moto3 Championship, taking three race victories and finishing fourth in the points. Those results coupled with his raw speed will see him step up to Moto3 next year. Harrison Voight struggled through a difficult season with injury (broken femur, fibula and tibia at Portimao), missing most of the CEV and Red Bull Rookies Cup season. He showed promising top-10 form when fit and will return to the SIC58 Squadra Corse team to race again in the renamed Junior GP series. SIC58 teammate Senna Agius also had a tough year, but managed several point scoring rides. Billy Van Eerde parted ways with the MT-Foundation 77 team midway through the season, finishing the year with YART…

In his rookie World Cross Country Championship, Daniel Sanders picked up several stage podiums in Kazakhstan, three stage wins in Russia and another in Morocco, where he gave GasGas its first ever WCCC podium. Coming into the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, there was the chance of a win. He faced the final day from the ideal start position, and had second in the event and the series all but locked in – provided he conserved fuel. But, with the sniff of victory, Sanders went for it, and ran out of fuel less than half a kay from the finish line. He finished third in the standings.…

POLE POSITION in the Supersport 300 class went to championship leader Ben Baker (Yamaha YRD) but he was immediately under pressure in the first race from Archie McDonald (ProGP Racing Junior Team), Glenn Nelson, Angus Grenfell (ABU Engineering) and Tom Drane (Construction Supply Specialists). After a tight battle, McDonald took the victory from Drane and Baker. Race two was another torrid battle with up to 10 bikes in the lead pack. Nelson took victory by the slimmest of margins from Reece Oughtred, with McDonald making the podium. Zac Johnson made a brave ride to fourth, making moves to pass up to four riders at once and delaying Baker’s championship celebrations. The final race saw another battle between Nelson and McDonald, this time with McDonald taking the win by 0.077sec to…

AFTER A LACKLUSTRE 2021 season, KTM has restructured its management personnel, confirming long-time Pramac Ducati team boss Francesco Guidotti will replace Mike Leitner as the Austrian factory’s MotoGP team manager. It’s not the Italian’s first stint with KTM, having headed up the firm’s 125cc and 250cc campaigns for the four seasons between 2006 and 2009. But he has more recently enjoyed much success in the premier-class, guiding the Ducati satellite squad to over 20 podium finishes, including the team’s first Ducati win. “I was a team manager for KTM from 2006-2009 and then took some valuable experience in another series before coming back to MotoGP. Now I am able to complete the circle,” Guidotti said. “KTM have always been very ambitious and hungry with their racing programs and we can…

THINGS CAN CHANGE quickly in scheduling speedway meetings over this summer in particular – the first being that the Queensland Solo Championship, for both seniors and Under 16s 125cc, has been brought forward to 11 December, still at the North Brisbane track, not a week later as previously slated. That will be the first mainland state solo title meeting, to be followed by South Australia (Gillman, 28 December), New South Wales (Kurri Kurri, 2 January), Victoria (Mildura, 5 February) and Western Australia (Pinjar Park, 12 February). As well, there are speedway meetings scheduled on 11 December at both Gillman and Pinjar Park (Western Australian Sidecar Championship). The Kurri Kurri track has the busiest schedule with three meetings in a week, starting with the traditional Boxing Night meeting. Then it will…