Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 71 Issue 25 i Australian Motorcycle News

I was sold on the dream of outback touring more than getting out there and doing it I JUMPED ON the adventure-bike bandwagon back in the mid-1990s when I traded my sportsbike for a secondhand Honda XLV750R, and I have owned a couple of other adventure bikes since. My reasoning? There are so many truly epic destinations in Australia that can only be accessed by riding over hundreds of kays of dirt. Like many others, I was sold on the dream of long-distance outback touring more than getting out there and doing it. But while I might not have crossed the Simpson or ridden up the Cape on the XLV, I still did some fabulous long-distance rides on it, loaded with Gearsack, panniers and tent. Oddly, back in the 90s…

FOUR YEARS AFTER it was first rumoured, a baby BMW sportsbike is finally set to join the range in mid-July. Expected to be named the G 310 RR, it will be based on BMW’s single-cylinder G 310 R. The initial glimpses of this new model come via BMW Motorrad India’s Instagram account, which make sense as BMW’s smallest bikes are currently manufactured in India by TVS, the bike-making giant that’s also owner of the Norton brand. TVS has been making its own fully faired sportsbike, the Apache RR310, using the BMW G 310 R engine and chassis, since 2019. All indications are that the new BMW G 310 RR will be largely the same machine. The first clues come in the form of a close-up of the taillight above an…

CAPE YORK TORTURE TEST CAPE YORK MOTORCYCLE Adventures has bought 15 of the all-new CFMoto 800MT Touring model to use on its eight-day Cairns-to-Darwin and seven-day Cairns-to-Cape York tours. The business, now in its 33rd year of operation, also runs more hardcore tours on enduro machines. MAKE MINE A MULTI DUCATI’S SALES FIGURES for its Multistrada V4 are proof that road-based adventure bikes are booming worldwide. In 2021, its overall 24 percent increase in sales (59,447 units) was underwritten by the road-biased Multistrada V4 (9957) adventure model. So it’s no wonder Ducati has high hopes for its most off-road-focused DesertX. TOURS TAKE OFF AGAIN AS THE WORLD opens up again after the worst of the Covid pandemic eases, most motorcycle tour companies are back in business. Get Routed tours is…

WRISTY BUSINESS While carrying out testing for his Marlboro Yamaha Dealer Team at Oran Park, team rider Mike Dowson managed to break his wrist without even coming a cropper. When asked how it happened, Dowson explained that his F1 machine had a massive slide through the flip-flop then kicked back and tried to highside him before performing a massive tank slapper. Although Mike kept the Yamaha rubber side down, later x-rays confirmed that his wrist was broken. RIDDEN/ TESTED Honda CBX250 SAND BLASTED The 14th annual Le Touquet beach race attracted more than 1200 riders who felt the need to tear off along the beach and into the sand dunes to get stuck. The event was organised by the same folk responsible for the Paris-Dakar and it seems like the…

TEN LITRES OF extra fuel courtesy of a couple of jerries and a few hours with the welder. Makes for between 600-700km range. Speaking of fuel, I use a generic fuel filter that’s disposable so it gets another one with each oil and filter change. Note the high tech zip tie to hold it away from boot. These first models came with Rubber Tikka Marsala or something, so they were replaced with Pirelli Scorpions, which unleash the Harris-designed chassis and brakes. Best money spent so far. Actually, the Staintune exhaust makes for permanently wonderful music and adds berries. Best money spent, er, that week. A BMC waxed-cotton air filter opened her up and is easily serviced – brilliant. Not so brilliant is the amount of money Enfield wants for the…

ENGINE Capacity 754cc Type Parallel twin, DOHC, four valves per cylinder Bore & stroke 82 x 62mm Compression ratio 11.5:1 Cooling Liquid Fueling EFI Transmission Six-speed Clutch Wet, multi-plate Final drive Chain PERFORMANCE Power 56kW @ 8500rpm (claimed) Torque 67Nm @ 6500rpm (claimed) Top speed 210km/h (est) Fuel consumption 4.9L/100km (claimed) ELECTRONICS Type Not given Rider aids ABS Rider modes Not applicable CHASSIS Frame material Tubular steel Frame type Trellis Rake 24.4° Trail 94.5mm Wheelbase 1480mm SUSPENSION Type Benelli Front: 50mm USD fork, nonadjustable, 140mm travel Rear: Monoshock, preload and rebound adjustable, 140mm travel WHEELS & BRAKES Wheels Wire-spoked alloy Front: 19 x 3.0 Rear: 17 x…

I DIDN’T KNOW what to expect from the BMW. I wondered whether this was an exercise in clever styling rather than off-road capability. But right from the off, you realise the G 310 GS is the work of an experienced adventure bike manufacturer; the seat height, the shape of the fuel tank and the ergonomics both at speed on the highway and standing on the ’pegs in the bush are all well thought out. While it’ll commute beautifully and handle gravel roads respectably, country back roads are this bike’s specialty. The power is smooth and subtle, and fifth- and sixth-gear flowing corners linked by long straights are where the little single really surprises you. It’ll do highway speeds, no worries, but it’s much happier in the 80-100km/h region than it…

AT FIRST SIGHT, the Royal Enfield took me straight to The Great Escape with its rugged go-anywhere looks. The Himalayan we have on test is fitted with what Royal Enfield Australia call the Black Series Adventure Kit. It includes a set of 26-litre aluminium panniers plus mounting kit, as well as guards for your hands, the engine, the master cylinder guard and the oil cooler. All that swag is usually valued at $2020 but is available for $1290 between now and the end of the financial year. When you throw a leg over you immediately notice just how comfortable and soft the seat is. Reach forward, turn on the key and the four-dial dash comes alive. As well as an analogue speedo and tacho, the Himalayan boasts a fuel gauge,…

HANDS DOWN THE GS Safari is one of the best things I’ve ever done. If the idea of rocking up and riding without the hassle of dragging your gear around appeals, then it’s the go if you own a GS. The Safari team is a well-oiled machine, everything is planned meticulously and while it’s certainly an adventure ride, the team tries to avoid circumstances that could cause total carnage. With different routes available, the Safari is a possibility for riders of any skill level, and the mateship that grows with each day means you’re rarely alone if you do get into strife. The 2022 event had a solid splattering of Safari virgins, but many of the participants have done multiple events and you can hear mates planning for the following…

TOURING THE APPLE Isle on two wheels or four dictates a return on the ‘Spirit of Tasmania’ and, having competed in Targa Tasmania many times I’m at ease with the procedure. On another occasion we were hosted by a mate who possessed a Forestry Tasmania master key. However our ride was a sequence of looping trail rides more than an adventure. So it is road riders who in the summer months can enjoy the largest number of twisties within the tiniest footprint. Hence the fleets of bikes and riders on each and every sailing over summer, but when it comes to shipping bikes, many people balk at the idea. Our regular group has no such apprehensions, though it’s more comforting to freight your bike home after the adventure than it…

CONFESSION TIME. THESE overgrips have been kicking around my shed for so many years, I’m surprised I still even have them. The idea of velcroing something around the outside of bike grips terrified me. They could be the fluffy steering-wheel covers of the bike world. But when the adventure ride promised single-digit temperatures and the V-Strom lobbed without its optional heated grips fitted, I thought I’d bite the bullet. If I hated them, I could whip them off but I figured I was better off looking at them than getting 100 kays down the road and looking for them. Quick and easy to fit directly to the battery, I hid the wires underneath the tank cover and mounted the switch to the ’bar. With enough wire to each grip cover…

01 MotoGP, Rd11 Assen, LIVE Videopass, Kayo, Foxsports 26 JUNE 7pm MotoGP heads to the Netherlands for Round 11 at Assen. You can catch the action live on Videopass, Foxsports or Kayo. Moto3 starts 7pm AEST, Moto2 at 8.20pm and MotoGP at 10pm. This round also includes MotoE. 02 MotoAmerica, Rd6 The Ridge, LIVE motoamericaliveplus.com 26-27 JUNE TBC Did you know you can livestream all the action from MotoAmerica? It’ll cost you $US12.99 per round. Head to the website (above) and you can purchase a package, which will get yout six to eight hours of live coverage per day. 03 Erzbergrodeo Austria Red Bull TV ON DEMAND Anytime Did you catch last weekend’s crazy Erzbergrodeo antics? If not, you can watch all the action from the Austrian iron ore quarry…

The reality is, I don’t think my body will ever be perfect again EVERYONE ON THE Supersport grid wants to be competitive but for me this year it was about a different outlook. I wanted to show I’ve matured and I’m a little bit smarter with my riding, using that to my advantage while still having fun. It’s unfortunate to see a few people pull out of the series, but it’s also a great indicator of how strong Supersport is in Australia when riders get the opportunity to race overseas. After my accident at Winton last year (which left him with spinal fractures), I needed to know I was still able to fight at the front. I had a lot of doubt at the beginning of the year and it’s…

FORMER AMCN STAFFER and TT newcomer Rennie Scaysbrook (PRF Racing/Metzeler/5.11) scored two impressive TT finishes this year, ending his first-ever TT in 44th place with an average speed of 113.818mph. He improved to 37th in the second Supersport TT with an average race speed of 115.344mph. “I feel like I’ve been through every possible emotion I’ve ever experienced in racing,” he said afterwards. “From the unbridled joy of that Thursday practice 117mph lap to the lows of seeing someone in the final moments of their life… Now it’s back to reality.”…

DOMINIQUE AEGERTER (TEN Kate Yamaha) once again secured pole in the former 600 Supersport class, although he did do it on a 600cc four-cylinder Yamaha. His new best of 1m37.173s saw him line up ahead of Nicolo Bulega (Aruba Ducati) and Lorenzo Baldassarri (Evan Bros Yamaha). Bulega was the leader of the first 16 of the 18 laps in Race 1. He was passed by Aegerter on the penultimate lap, only for Baldassarri to come past Aegerter and rebuff a late re-pass from the Swiss rider. As ‘Balda’ celebrated wildly on track a sanction was handed down from the FIM – he had exceeded the track limits on the final lap and dropped one position, losing his win to Aegerter. Bulega was third, just 0.080sec from what would have been…

THE POST-RACE test at Barcelona gave Miller the chance to work on set-up and enhance his front-end feel. “I’ve been really struggling a lot to brake, which is generally my strong point,” he said. “Immediately on the Monday in Barcelona I felt a lot more front confidence again and understand where the tyre is.” That helped him at the Sachsenring. The race was complicated by a poor start from sixth, as well as a long-lap penalty. But the 27-year old fought back from seventh to score a third podium of the year. “I did the long lap then set to work, trying to pick off those boys. I stayed as close as possible to Aleix because he had gone wide a couple times in Turn 1. Then finally he did…

PREVIOUS CONTESTS AT the Sachsenring have intimated domination in the Moto3 class shouldn’t be possible. Yet Izan Guevara (Aspar GASGAS) did just that, claiming a 4.8sec victory that was never in doubt. He got the holeshot from pole position and led an eight-rider group that included Leopard Honda duo Dennis Foggia and Tatsuki Suzuki, Sergio Garcia (Aspar GASGAS) and Ayumu Sasaki (Max Racing Husqvarna). But from lap six, the outcome was all but decided. By then Guevara had edged a half second clear of Foggia, after Dani Holgado (Ajo KTM) had given the early, excitable chase. The leading margin only rose steadily from there, with Guevara coming home comfortably clear of second, annihilating the previous race record by 11.9sec. Eventually his speed spread the pack out behind. Foggia, Garcia and…

Mike Jones Yamaha Racing Team “WE DON’T TEST before we come to Darwin, so it’s just a matter of who can get down to business the quickest. This track was going to be a challenge for us because it has a really long straight, but as it turns out it didn’t really effect us. The three-race format means there is more urgency to get bike set-up correct, because you simply don’t have the time to try different things. Trying to get switched on and in the zone without the usual Sunday warm-up session was also a challenge. Now I know I can be competitive at every kind of circuit, I’m really looking forward to getting back to Phillip Island to see what we can do with a properly set up…

THREE AUSTRALIAN RIDERS have qualified for the Speedway Grand Prix Challenge Meeting to be held in August, while another two went oh-so close. Four qualifying meetings were staged earlier this month, each of them sending the top four riders through to the Challenge Meeting, from where the top three earn berths in the 2023 SGP line-up. For Max Fricke and Jack Holder, the Challenge Meeting will provide them with a ‘back-up’ means of being part of next year’s line-up if they fail to finish in the top six this year. Rohan Tungate is the other Australian who will head to Glasgow on 20 August for the Challenge Meeting. But both Chris Holder and Brady Kurtz were left to rue how close they came to also qualifying.…

HONDA HINTED AT plans to revive the Hornet name last year by revealing a stylised computer image at EICMA in Milan. Now it has released detailed sketches that confirm its sharp-edged looks and sports-roadster stance. The design is the work of 28-year-old Italian Giovanni Dovis, who most recently penned Honda’s ADV350 scooter. The Hornet is the latest model to emerge from Honda’s European R&D department in Rome, which also styled the ‘Neo Café Sport’ CB650R, the Africa Twin and the X-ADV. Dovis has given the Hornet a tail-high, nose-down look, saying: “The sketches show how the Hornet design concept promises agility, dynamism and light weight. It creates a new compactly proportioned look, and has hallmarks of tension and aggression from front to back, outlining the Hornet’s true sporting purpose.” Despite…

“THE LATEST ELECTRONIC WHIZBANG IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR COMMON SENSE. FOLLOW YOUR GUT, NOT YOUR SATNAV” Some sound advice from AMCN’s hugely experienced adventure guru Pete Whitaker. It’s just one of many great tips he doles out in his Outback FAQ feature on page 102. 80 Giacomo Agostini blew out 80 candles last week. The 15-time world champion marked the occasion with a trip to the Isle of Man, where he has won 10 times. BIG BUCKS FOR V-TWINS Of the 41 motorcycles, scooters and sidecars in Shannon’s recent autumn timed online auction, the clear standout was a superb 1949 Vincent H.R.D Rapide C-Series ‘Red Shadow’ 1000cc V-twin that sold after robust bidding for an auction record of $124,000. A restored, one-owner, 2700km, 1983 Ducati 900S2 fetched $38,000. CULTURAL NOD…

DUCATI OFFERS SEVERAL accessory packs: Touring, Off-Road, Sport and Urban. Total luggage capacity with the optional top box (41 litres) and side panniers (41 and 35 litres) is a decent 117 litres in total with a maximum payload of 240kg. The most interesting accessory is the auxiliary rear fuel tank, which can carry an extra 8 litres. It extends the range to a theoretical 600km by supplying fuel to the mother tank when empty and can do so on the move. When you get a little icon on the dash warning your fuel level is low, press a button, and the fuel transfers to the main tank, and the fuel range display increases in front of your eyes. The downside is that you can’t fit hard luggage with the rear…

POINT BRAKE In-house produced brakes feature twin 320mm semi-floating discs and radial four-piston calipers up front and a single 260mm plate with dual-piston caliper out back. The ABS is not switchable, though, which could be a bit of a negative here in Australia. LOOK BOTH WAYS The Good: the mirrors are thoughtfully designed and positioned. The Not-So-Good: the 5-inch TFT display is on the small side and can be difficult to read in bright light. TWO HANDS Recent Chinese-made bikes have been quite impressive in getting the clutch action right. But the Leoncino reverses that trend; the clutch is heavy and pickup point can be sudden. Some homework required. MYSTERY ROAD On paper, the lack of adjustment on the front fork and limited adjustment on the rear do not bode…

IF, LIKE ME, you came from a pre-licence life of dirtbikes, then the CRF is the pick of this bunch. The Rally is based on the CRF300L traily, but it’s Dakar-style bodywork offers far better protection from the elements than its chook chaser relo. And looks good doing it. The 300 Rally superseded the 250 and the fuel-injected single cylinder’s increase from 249cc to 286cc has increased bottom-end and midrange grunt, according to Big Red. Around town and out in the bush, the power is adequate, and it can carry my bulk down the highway at an indicated 110km/h without complaint. Gearing is spot-on for fire roads and a bit of singletrack, but if the going gets tight, you may want to lower it. In saying that, the standard gearing…

BMW SAFARI GS ENDURO THE SAFARI GS Enduro caters for those looking to get a bit more off the beaten track. This year’s event kicks off on 14 August in the Central West NSW town of Dubbo and finishes up seven days later in the Barossa Valley of South Australia. The 2022 event is sold out but there’s always next year. BMW TS SAFARI THE TS SAFARI is a road-only ride open to all BMW models. This year’s event gets underway on 23 October in Tasmania. Five fully supported days fanging around some of the best roads in Australia, what’s not to like? Limited places are still available and tickets are on sale until 26 July.…

THIS YEAR MARKS the 40th year since my first motorcycle adventure when I rode a Honda XL250 from Adelaide to Alice Springs via Uluru in June 1982. Other than using copious quantities of Araldite, I experienced no problems at all – though my mate suffered a flat rear tyre in the Flinders Ranges and we made a complete screwup of the situation that’s too embarrassing to relate. Only a few years back I rode almost exactly the same route on the then new Triumph 1200 Explorer, and other than a few new patches of bitumen, absolutely nothing had changed. On this occasion it was my bike that suffered a rear puncture, but the Triumph support vehicle was quickly on the spot. Technician Cliff Stovall had the bike on the centrestand…

DESPITE ITS UNCONVENTIONAL name, this Topsakz tail bag from Andy Strapz is hands-down the most practical and useful piece of motorcycle luggage I own. And I own a lot of luggage. And because it’s made from the same kind of canvas truckies use to tarp their loads, its robust, watertight and gets better with age. I’ve used it countless times on countless styles of motorcycles. I haven’t met a bike I can’t fit it to – even the notoriously difficult Indian FTR1200 – and every time I’m strapping it to a seat, I’m impressed again by its really clever but very simple overall design, as well as its strap system. Because it’s a roll bag, you can make it exactly the right size to fit whatever it is you’re carrying,…

MUST SAY IT’S been something of a relief not to have to contemplate fatal accidents at the Isle of Man TT for the last couple of years. Now the world’s greatest road race is back on the calendar. So too the funeral notices. Five competitors this year. Which is of course five too many. And yet. And yet… It’s always hard to process. It’s unavoidable not to respect any racer dedicated and determined enough to pit his life against the odds, at a staggeringly fast track where small mistakes can and not too infrequently do exact the greatest penalty. That’s some self belief. Or something of the kind… though I don’t think any of the participants have too many delusions. They know. There’s one very crucial difference. Everest isn't a…

• Michael Russell was the only rider to compete in every class of this year’s TT • There were some big-name guests at the TT this year: former speedway world champs Jason Doyle and Greg Hancock, and grand prix legends Giacomo Agostini and Randy Mamola • Peter Hickman’s father Dave Hickman was handy around the TT course, too. According to commentator, Dave Moore, “one race he started something like 65 on the road and passed everybody in front of him but the first rider on the road” • This year’s TT was the 100th anniversary of the present layout of the Mountain Course…

POLEMAN MATTEO VANNUCCI (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) won his opening home race from championship leader Alvaro Diaz (Arco Motor University Team Yamaha) by just 0.020sec in a race where the best Yamahas aced the best Kawasakis. But not quite all of them, as Samuel Di Sora (Leader Team Flembbo Kawasaki) rode the podium wave again and took third. Victor Steeman (MTM Kawasaki) set a new lap record of 1m48.793s on his way to fifth place in Race 1, even in spite of having to do two long laps for a jump start. Vannucci suffered a back injury in Sunday warm-up but thankfully he still had a full range of movement. A full 11 riders finished within two seconds of the win in Race 2. Championship Leader Diaz won the race,…

A TOUGH WEEKEND. The 23-year old came here on the back of a positive post-race test in Barcelona, where he felt he found a cure for KTM’s turning woes. But it didn’t come to pass. Qualifying was a struggle in temperatures of 33°C. He started from 21st. There were signs of potential early in the race. “I managed to go forward and hold onto that top-10 group. I was last in the first corner. I had to push to come through and the tyre just died on me after 15 laps,” he said. “There was not one point on the track where the two wheels were in line. It was about survival. “Anyway, good experience. This weekend was pretty positive. I feel like we’re going forward. The race didn’t play…

RETURNING TO THE scene of his Moto3 debut a year ago, Kelso immediately looked at home in free practice. He put his track knowledge to good use on Saturday as he qualified 11th. The 18-year-old was then on for a personal best result as he formed part of the eight-rider lead group in the early laps. Having just taken seventh, he crashed out at the Omega Curve on lap seven. “This weekend has been good. We were at the maximum in every session,” he said. “I need to keep working like this, it’ll help me progress more and get closer to the front. I was missing just a couple of tenths. “I put it on the limit in the race. I wanted to prove to myself that when I felt…

THE RUMOUR MILL went into overdrive in Germany regarding rider movements for 2023. Up to six names have been linked to the RNF Aprilia seats, including Miguel Oliveira, whose reported move to Gresini hit a snag over his personal sponsor Hyundai and Audi, which owns Ducati. Alex Rins, Raul Fernandez, Remy Gardner, Darryn Binder and Celestino Vietti (right) were also mentioned as possible signings to Aprilia’s new satellite team. “There are so many riders in the market right now, we can afford to wait,” said team owner Razlan Razali. “We will stick to a combination of a young rider and an experienced rider.” The Malaysian has ruled out signing a rider outside MotoGP. “There are a couple of young riders (of interest) in MotoGP like Darryn Binder, so there is…

THE HORNET IS likely to be just the first of a family of models sharing the same engine. Just as Honda has used the Africa Twin as the basis of the Rebel 1100 cruiser, the NT1100 tourer and most recently the Hawk 11 café racer, the Hornet is expected to share its engine with an adventure bike – expected to revive the Transalp name – and probably several other models in years to come. Just as the old Hornet 600 was derived from the CBR600, the new Hornet 750 could even spawn a fully-faired sportsbike to replace the CBR600RR, since modern emissions rules favour larger-capacity twins over smaller, higher-revving four-cylinder models. The latest world Supersport regulations now allow a host of different capacities with an equivalency formula to ensure they’re…

FROM THE WEIRDER end of the adventure market, Peugeot is expected to launch a pair of adventure-style scooters later this year – a 399cc machine to compete with Honda’s ADV350 and a 125cc model to give learner riders an adventure-scooter alternative to Aprilia’s SR GT. Meanwhile, Energica’s newly launched Experia shows that even electric bike brands are going down the adventure route. Zero’s planned DSR/X model is expected to join that fray in the near future, too. Adventure scooters, adventure middleweights, adventure sportsbikes, adventure tourers – the ‘adventure bike’ is so much more than one thing. And given the ceaseless appetite for adventure machines we shouldn’t be surprised if yet more categories appear in the future.…

Island magic starts Spectator and camping tickets are now on sale for the 14-16 October Animoca Brands MotoGP at Phillip Island. Carbon-neutral kings FONZ, the Australian electric motorbike maker formerly known as Fonzarelli, has ramped up production at a new solar-powered, carbon-neutral facility in Alexandria, Sydney. Cop this! Around 3 million TikTok followers have viewed a South Australian policeman defecting a motorcycle while his own patrol car has a bald tyre. Bike jacking A Melbourne rider sitting at traffic lights in Braybrook gets his motorcycle hijacked, resulting in a police arrest 13 hours later.…

Cold reminder Deano, are you still running the Winter Jacket Drive? Thanks to little interest in clearing-out old stuff, plus several errors in sizing online purchases, I have a contribution to make if you chaps are still running the drive? If so, please let me know, and also publish the info soon, as the weather is cooling as we speak. Christopher Brunck via email Cold reminder II Is AMCN still doing the Winter Jacket Drive? I just haven’t been able to find any details. Rob Labuc Heidelberg, Vic In short, no. We haven’t run the Winter Jacket Drive for a couple of years now thanks to Covid. There are, however, many charities that will accept your contribution of “old stuff” and ill-fitting “online purchases”. If you drop ’em in a…

ENGINE Capacity 321cc Type Single-cylinder, SOHC, 4-valves Bore & stroke 75.3 x 72mm Compression ratio 10.7:1 Cooling Liquid Fueling EFI Transmission CVT Clutch Automatic Final drive Belt PERFORMANCE Power 21.2kW @ 7250rpm (claimed) Torque 30Nm @ 5750rpm (claimed) Top speed 145km/h (est) Fuel consumption 3.4L/100km (tested) ELECTRONICS Type Bosch Rider aids ABS and traction control Rider modes NA CHASSIS Frame material Steel Frame type Double cradle Rake NA Trail NA Wheelbase 1545mm SUSPENSION Type Not given Front: 37mm telescopic fork, 110mm travel Rear: Twin shocks, preload adjustment, 108mm travel WHEELS & BRAKES Wheels Alloy Front: 14 x NA Rear: 13 x NA Tyres CST Front: 120/80-14…

ENGINE Capacity 937cc Type V-twin, desmodromic, four valves per cylinder Bore & stroke 94 x 67.5mm Compression ratio 13.3:1 Cooling Liquid Fueling EFI Transmission Six-speed Clutch Wet, multi-plate Final drive Chain PERFORMANCE Power 81kW @ 9250rpm (claimed) Torque 92Nm @ 6500rpm (claimed) Top speed 210km/h (est) Fuel consumption 5L/100km (measured) ELECTRONICS Type Not given Rider aids Wheelie control, engine brake assist, cornering ABS, traction control Rider modes Sport, Touring, Urban, Wet, Enduro and Rally CHASSIS Frame material Tubular-steel Frame type Trellis Rake 27.6º Trail 122mm Wheelbase 1608mm SUSPENSION Type KYB Front: 46mm USD fork, fully-adjustable, 230mm travel Rear: Monoshock, fully-adjustable, 220mm travel WHEELS & BRAKES Wheels Wire-spoke…

QIANJIANG MOTORCYCLE COMPANY, the owner of Benelli since 2005, is now controlled by Chinese automotive giant Geely, best known outside China as the owner of Swedish car maker Volvo – as well as since 2018 of a 9.7 percent stake in Daimler AG, the parent company of German car giant Mercedes-Benz. In 2016 Geely purchased 29.77 percent of Qianjiang’s equity from its state-owned holding company for the equivalent of $166 million, giving it effective control of the motorcycle firm. Geely (which means “lucky” in Mandarin), is owned by billionaire Li Shufu who’s based in Hangzhou, and ironically the home of QJ’s key Chinese rival for export sales, and KTM’s Chinese partner, CFMoto. The building of the Geely empire is a typical rags-to-riches story fuelled by China’s rapid economic growth. Li…

THERE ARE TWO Safari packages available, depending on your budget or preference. The only difference between the Adventurer package and the cheaper Explorer package is that the Adventurer package provides you with a room all to yourself rather than sharing digs. Both packages include five days of riding, with the route completely marked out, as well as a route sheet and GPS files each day. You also get six nights’ accommodation, five breakfasts and dinners, and you get a goody bag at sign-in on the first day. For the duration of the event, you get tech, medical and luggage support and there’s even a tyre service available at the end of each day. If you bin it, or your GS poos itself, there’s a fleet of support vehicles along to…

I had a strong feeling of déjà vu when I arrived at the launch of Metzeler’s new Karoo 4 and Tourance Next 2 adventure rubber. I was getting ready to hop on the same Metzeler-shod BMW R 1250 GS Triple Black that I had used on the BMW GS Safari in Tasmania a week and a half earlier and I know that because it was still carrying the battle scars from a beach prang in Strahan (read the feature on page 94). I’ve done a lot of kilometres on Metzeler’s Karoo 3 recently. As well as my time in Tassie, I did the run between Melbourne and Sydney on a Triumph Scrambler XE shod with Karoo 3s and I tested both the Karoo 3 and Tourance Next in last year’s…

OZTENT’S ULS-1 ULTRA-lightweight single swag has been designed for two-wheeled adventures and seeing as I love two-wheeled adventures, I thought I’d take one for the team and test it out. The ULS-1 is constructed from ripstop canvas, with a PVC floor tub, heavy-duty double-sided zips and mesh skylights and vents. All seams are heat-sealed so it’s claimed to be 100 percent waterproof. The ULS is super-easy and quick to put up and the entrance is easy to get in and out of, which is a bonus when you feature generous proportions like I do. There’s a small vestibule area for stowing your stuff, but your boots are going to have to remain tucked under your bike. There’s a roll-up canopy so you can see what’s going on with the wildlife…

A moral question maybe too hard to answer FIVE DEATHS IN 10 days, including a father and son. I’m not talking about the Queen’s Birthday Weekend road toll in your state. I’m talking about the 2022 Isle of Man TT. After a Covid hiatus, it came back stronger than ever with the best possible package of safety requirements. It also offered affordable live internet coverage. With so much on show, how do you make sense of what we witnessed? It’s a moral question maybe too hard to answer. This year’s events took me straight back to the first year I attended the TT. In 1989 exactly the same number of racers died, including two in one race. The more I thought about this, and why I was there, and how…

Suddenly Toprak pulled off the circuit, no steam, no smoke, no oil but no power either IT IS IMPOSSIBLE to expect to replicate the last lap dramas of the Portuguese round every weekend, but WorldSBK still served up plenty of sharp breath intakes – and one big exhalation of relief. This was the weekend we would see just how strong the Ducati V4 R is as an all-rounder; there are straights to use the power, but not ones like in Estoril or the first venue of the year, Motorland. The big three title rivals were at it again in terms of most podiums scored, but another rider got silverware this weekend. In warm and dry conditions, Superpole got underway. The winner of the intense competition for grid places, at a…

THERE WERE A few false starts at the beginning of Augusto Fernandez’s (Ajo Kalex) season. But the Majorcan is now a major threat after a dominant victory, capitalising on his rivals’ misery. Fernandez was on another level to the rest of the field, winning by 7.7sec while championship leader Celestino Vietti (VR46 Kalex) crashed out of 11th, and Ai Ogura (HTA Kalex – eighth) and Aron Canet (Pons Kalex – ninth) had rough days. Initially Sam Lowes (Marc VDS Kalex, #22, right) got the jump from pole position to lead the opening five laps, with home hero Marcel Schrotter (IntactGP Kalex), Albert Arenas (Aspar Kalex) and Fernandez close behind. Yet once Fernandez made a neat move on the Englishman on the sixth lap of 28, there was no turning back.…

THE MI-BIKE MOTORCYCLE Insurance Australian Superbike Championship returned to Darwin’s Hidden Valley Raceway over 17-19 June to be paired with the Supercars for the second year running, and Yamaha Racing Team rider Mike Jones seized control of the championship with two race wins and a second-place finish. The weekend also saw Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing) exorcise the demons of 2021 with an emotional return to the podium, while fellow title protagonist Wayne Maxwell (Boost Mobile with K-Tech) kept the championship alive with a thrilling come-from-behind victory in Race 2. Maxwell looked untouchable to begin proceedings after he took his Ducati V4 R to pole position with a new qualifying lap record of 1m04.962s – the first motorcycle to breach the 65-second barrier. At a track that is renowned for…

BOSSES AT DUCATI have pushed back the deadline for a decision on who gets the second seat in its factory team for 2023 but, despite rumours that said otherwise, Sporting Director Paolo Ciabatti confirmed it will come down to two riders and two riders alone. The rumour mill had Joan Mir also in play for the factory seat, but Ciabatti said it’s a straight shoot-out between Jorge Martin and Enea Bastianini to replace the outgoing Jack Miller. “We would like to take some time and probably wait for the second race in August to assess the situation,” he said. “The target was to have Enea and Jorge with us next year. “We reached that target. Now to decide who goes in the factory team, we would like to give Jorge…

DUCATI’S SPORTING DIRECTOR Paolo Ciabatti was in Misano, giving AMCN’s Gordo Ritchie the chance to ask what Ducati and Alvaro Bautista have learned from their 2019 season together, where the Spaniard ran away with the title – until he lost it. “Honestly, I think that the difference is that when Alvaro came on the Ducati in 2019, he was immediately fast,” said Ciabatti. “He got a natural feeling that made him go very fast in the first races, and then all of a sudden, things started to go wrong and he lost that feeling. “I don’t want to say that he didn’t know what was happening before, but kind of now he understands the bike better. The bike has evolved. “I think 2019 was just like a magic thing which…

Vale Michael Vecchi Canberra dirt-track racer Michael Vecchi has died more than two weeks after being injured in a race accident during the New South Wales Senior Track Championship at Quirindi on 20 May. Vecchi fell from the sidecar and was hit by a following machine. A long-time successful performer on two wheels, he has also been a passenger in the Dirt Track Sidecars over the past few years. PB Pedersen broken Triple world speedway champion Nicki Pedersen is recovering after he suffered a broken hip and pelvis in a crash in a Polish Ekstraliga match earlier this month. After 18 consecutive years in the Speedway Grand Prix ranks finished at the end of 2018, the 45-year old has still been performing well in league racing and in the European…

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. Especially if you break the golden rule of multi-night bike trips away with your mates: about peaking too early. But to be fair, the Sydney crew has ridden in so much rain these past few months that the 600km ride out to Darlington Point in the pissing rain would have made it feel like the last day of a long, hard fortnight-long trip. So you may as well party like it was. Right, Deano?…