Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 72 Issue 15 i Australian Motorcycle News

METEOR A SHOOTING STAR Royal Enfield has taken significant pre-orders for its new Super Meteor 650 range, expected to be delivered in April. Its new 350 Hunter is also a sales success, especially among the younger, inner-city demographic and older riders returning to two wheels. CAPE CRUSADER RETURNS Popular demand has brought Suzuki’s DR-Z400E Cape York Edition back on sale. No wonder because Suzuki has sold over 20,000 DR-Z400 models in Australia and the CY Edition comes loaded with hard kit. Full test starts page 50. VARIETY A BASH The fully supported 2023 Variety Adventure Ride starts at Dubbo, NSW, on 19 March and takes a loop on outback roads and tracks that include the Gammon and Flinders Ranges, Strzelecki Desert and Cameron Corner. It ends at Lightning Ridge on…

MORE THAN 40 years ago Honda launched the Motocompo as a foldable bike that could be packed into the back of a car and used for the last leg of commutes in cities like Tokyo. Genius that was ahead of its time, the Motocompo didn’t hit sales targets and was dropped after only two years, but various companies keep returning to the idea. Now Honda is working behind the scenes on a new, even smaller folding bike and has trademarked names and logos for a machine called ‘Motocompacto’. However, it has been beaten to the punch by fellow Japanese company Icoma, which aims to have its take on the briefcase bike in production by April. Only 100cm tall, 123cm long and 65cm wide in motorcycle mode, the Icoma’s seat, ’bars…

LETTER OF THE ISSUE Face off During the end-of-year holidays, I rediscovered the joys of open-face helmets. In the past I have always purchased premium full-face helmets, with the occasional open-face or modular helmet being a disappointment for one reason or another. Last December I bought an Eldorado open-facer that was reasonably priced, by far the most comfortable helmet I have ever owned, and which amplified the feeling of freedom we enjoy about riding. Some years ago a study indicated that riders involved in accidents suffered no more significant injuries wearing open-face helmets than full-face helmets. Just wondering what the latest thinking might be on helmet safety in general and open-versus full-face helmets in particular. Originally I planned to use the open-facer for general cruising, but am so happy with…

IF YOU live in Sydney and want to see what you and your two-wheel machine can do down the quarter mile, grab your gear and get on out to Sydney Dragway at Eastern Creek. Formerly called Western Sydney International Dragway, or WSID, Sydney Dragway hosts bike-only nights so you don’t need to race alongside some tin-top or wait while they remove the contents of someone’s blown diff from the track. The process is pretty simple; you either book your place online or you can cough up the dough at the gate. Once in, you simply sign your paperwork, get a wrist band then head over to get your bike and gear scrutineered. You’ll need a minimum of a proper motorcycle jacket and pants, motorcycle boots that cover the ankles, an…

THERE ARE riders getting around on DR-Zs now that weren’t even born when the yellow machine was released 23 years ago. However, when it first smashed onto the scene it was a no-nonsense enduro bike that held its own against the best 400cc enduro machines of the day. Back in 2000, the new DR-Z went head-to-head with Honda’s legendary XR400, Husaberg’s FE400, Husky’s TE410, KTM’s 400 EXC and Yamaha’s game-changing WR400 in our 400cc enduro shootout (Vol 50 No 04). The KTM took the win, but we heaped praise on the Suzuki for its hefty engine performance, excellent handling and relatively friendly nature. We did note that the suspension was a bit soft and that’s something that’s still brought up to this day, but that’s easily rectified with some tuning.…

YAMAHA’S TZ250 and TZ350 parallel twins were as simple and effective as it’s possible to get in racing. The 250 started as the TZ250A in 1973 and ended as the TZ250W. The shorter-lived 350 started at A and ended at G. Most years Yamaha made upgrades to the machines, each model eagerly awaited by racers from Europe to the USA and from Japan to Australia. The first big improvement, in 1976, was monoshock rear-ends, initially developed on Yamaha motocross bikes. That year a brand-new TZ250 cost around $4000, the 350 an extra 500 bucks. Eighteen-odd grand in today’s money. Over the next decade most improvements were to the engine. Inlet, transfer and exhaust ports grew in size and number until there was so little cylinder wall left that Yamaha added bridges…

GOTTLIEB DAIMLER patented the first V-twin combustion engine in 1889. Two years later Peugeot became the first commercial buyer of Daimler’s engine, using it initially in a car and then in a motorcycle where it was mounted longitudinally in the frame. In 1904 Peugeot built its first prototype V-twin, and its descendant was also the first European V-twin to be exported to America. It would go on to power Rem Fowler’s Norton on which he won the inaugural Isle of Man TT in 1907. In 1899, French company Ader patented its first V-twin, which was a far more modern design than the Daimler. The 1000cc 90º V-twin was mounted longitudinally in the Adler. Moto-Cardan also saw possibilities for this engine in 1902, opting to mount it transversely in the frame…

1 2023 AMA SX, Rds5-6, LIVE Fox Sports, Kayo & Video Pass 5 AND 12 FEBRUARY Check website and local guides Houston and Tampa are next in line for AMA SX duty, as the big guns continue to work themselves into what is a long and arduous season that places as much premium on endurance as speed. 2 Feature film: Tourist Trophy ttplus.iomttraces.com ON DEMAND A film about the passion of the riders who compete at the Isle of Man TT. Featured riders include newcomer Glenn Irwin, TT legend John McGuinness and Peter Hickman. Free on TT+, the official digital streaming channel for the Isle of Man TT. 3 1996 WorldSBK, Hockenheim Fox Sports & Kayo ON DEMAND The halcyon days of WorldSBK, and this round is at a circuit…

Eight weeks out from the New South Wales state election, opposition leader Chris Minns announced Labor would put a $1m plan in place to reopen Wakefield Park if elected. The announcement comes after the Goulburn track’s owner, Benalla Auto Club, closed the facility indefinitely after noise restrictions meant the circuit could only operate for 30 days per year. “We will develop a motorsport strategy to help make sure that Wakefield park can remain open for recreational competitive motorsport operations into the future,” opposition planning spokesperson Paul Scully said during the announcement, adding that the move would generate $17m for the local economy. “That is what Wakefield Park used to generate before its closure.”…

“At some point in time, Harley-Davidson will be all-electric but it’s not something you do overnight”CEO Jochen Zeitz predicts a decades-long transition. Meanwhile fellow American icon Ford (with its all-electric F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E) has set a 2030 target of 40 percent electric vehicles, while Chevrolet (Bolt, Blazer and Equinox) plans a complete transition to electric vehicles by 2035. 01 After winning both the MotoGP and WorldSBK titles last year, Lenovo Ducati’s Pecco Bagnaia and Aruba.it Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista have opted to run the number-one plates for their championship defences. But the last GP rider to successfully defend his title using the number-one was Mick Doohan! Read more about the so-called Curse of the Number One Plate in Michael Scott’s column, page 107. MENTAL TWISTIES Our hardest quiz in…

THE YEAR WAS… According to recent research from an Australian university, 1978 was the year when the world’s quality of life peaked. We had it all: polyester flares, bouffant hair, Grease, the first test tube baby was born and Space Invaders was launched. Woo hoo! HOW MUCH? It looked innocuous, but a new anti-skid device, the safety breaker, was launched to stop disc-brake motorcycles more quickly and smoothly. It “greatly reduces chatter, fade and helps eliminate wheel hop", and was available at “all switched on accessory shops”. ERA TECH Yamaha released its first four-cylinder streetbike in 1978, the XS1100E. It conquered the 750-1000cc market by developing a new model that boasted a whopping capacity at a very tasty price. At the time, the market leader BMW simply couldn't compete with…

FACEBOOK Post of the issue The new BMW M 1000 R packs a powerful punch that’s about as exciting as it gets on a racetrack but as docile as you want on the road INSTAGRAM Don’t Forget #amcn_mag Comment of the Issue Ray Grainger applauds the engineering genius of the Horner brothers. And so do we! “Magnificent machines by very talented engineers. It’s a credit to you gents” 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…

Last year Italian trophy brand Moto Morini made a successful start on its journey down the comeback trail after its acquisition by Chinese manufacturer Zhongneng Vehicle Group in October 2018. Its first new model to reach the marketplace under the new ownership, the parallel-twin X-Cape 650 go-anywhere adventure bike, has been a sales hit all over the world after entering production late in 2021 in Taizhou, 400km south of Shanghai, having been entirely developed at the Moto Morini HQ in Trivolzio, outside Milan. Now it’s been joined in the ever-growing number of Moto Morini dealerships globally – and Australia isn’t far away – by two new models based on the same platform: the Seiemmezzo (meaning 6½, a tribute to the iconic 3½ V-twin which put Morini on the map in…

WITH SUCH a solid pedigree, decent power and easy-going nature, the DR-Z400 has become a very popular adventure machine. If you’re out scouting areas popular with adventure riders, chances are you’re going to see at least one DR-Z400 kitted out for adventure and getting one ready just takes a few smartly spent dollars and a few basic tools. With a standard tank capacity of seven litres, I’d replace the tank with something bigger. Aussie brand R&V Aqualine (Safari Tanks) offers a 17L option for $476 or a desert-crossing-sized 28L option for $683 in a variety of colours, while Italian brand Acerbis offers a 14L option for $599.95 If you’re ripping out the miles you’ll want to change the gearing. The DR-Z runs a five-speed gearbox so it’s revving its freckle off at highway speeds.…

IN AMERICA, the first V-twin heads were described as F-head engines and used an overhead intake valve and a side-valve exhaust. The exhaust valve became much hotter and therefore broke more often than the intake valve. A broken side valve causes less engine damage than a broken overhead valve, hence why side-valve engines became more popular. Initially, the intake valve was operated naturally – sucked open when the piston went down – but Indian introduced camshaft operation in 1908. Between 1900 and 1915, 95 percent of American motorcycles were equipped with an F-head engine. From 1915, the side-valve became fashionable; for Harley they remained in production until 1969. In the 1910s, the OHVs also made more appearances. They were initially intended for racing, where the first Indian (1911) and Harley-Davidson (1916)…

I haven’t done a lot of track riding over the past few years, so there were a couple of boxes I needed to tick before I tested the new BMW S 1000 RR late last year. The main priority was to see if I could squeeze into my 10-year-old Spyke leathers, second was the whether my Gaerne boots were still in a serviceable state, and third was where the hell had I left my back protector?! A month off the beers was enough that I could comfortably slip into my leathers and, while all my other trackday boots had disintegrated, the Gaernes were still in good nick. However the back protector must’ve been lost in one of a few house moves over the years, so I headed off to the…

ROAD RACING 2023 MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Rd1 26 Mar, Portimao, PT Rd2 2 Apr, Termas de Rio Hondo, AR Rd3 16 Apr, Austin, US Rd4 30 Apr, Jerez, ES Rd5 14 May, Le Mans, FR Rd6 11 Jun, Mugello, IT Rd7 18 Jun, Sachsenring, DE Rd8 25 Jun, Assen, NL Rd9 9 Jul, Sokol, KZ Rd10 6 Aug, Silverstone, GB Rd11 20 Aug, Spielberg, AT Rd12 3 Sep, Barcelona, ES Rd13 10 Sep, Misano, IT Rd14 24 Sep, Buddh, IN Rd15 1 Oct, Motegi, JN Rd16 15 Oct, Mandalika, ID Rd17 22 Oct, Phillip Island, AU Rd18 29 Oct, Buriram, TH Rd19 12 Nov, Sepang, MY Rd20 19 Nov, Losail, QA Rd21 26 Nov, Valencia, ES 2023 AUSTRALIAN SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP Rd1 24-26 Feb, Phillip Island, Vic Rd2 24-25 Mar, Sydney…

1 RAIDING PARTY $649.95 1300 437 711 ficeda.com.au Scott’s Dualraid Dryo jacket features a polymide and leather shell and a removable, breathable, windproof and waterproof 3-layer DRYOsphere membrane. The Dualraid Dryo also boasts chest, back and sleeve ventilation, D3O armour in the shoulders and elbows, and pockets for optional chest and back protectors. 2 GREASE LIGHTNING Link International $16.90 (07) 3382 5000 iponeoils.com.au Ipone chain grease is designed to stick like the proverbial and dry quickly to avoid splatter on your pride and joy. It claims to withstand bad weather, provide anti-corrosion protection and extend the life of your chain to save you bucks. Available in a 250ml can, Ipone chain grease is available in blue, red and white. 3 Andy Strapz andystrapz.com $395 (03) 9786 3445 andystrapz.com The Suzuki…

Former Moto2 world champ Remy Gardner was inside the top 10 on combined times after posting 162 laps during the two-day test at Jerez, which was his first time on the GRT Yamaha YZF-R1. About a second off after one day, he was pleased with his early showing, saying: “I have been riding prototype bikes for the last seven or eight years of my life and never rode on Pirellis, so for me day one was okay.” Asked about his first impressions of his new team, the 24-year-old said: “The atmosphere is calm in the team, which is always a nice working environment. And also the support from Yamaha is felt as well. Which is also very nice. Honestly, I can’t complain at all.”…

Queenslander Jack Miller is back in the Red Bull KTM fold after finishing runner-up to Alex Marquez in the 2014 Moto3 championship with the Aki Ajo-run Austrian squad. Ditching his Dainese getup for Alpinestars, the 28-year-old Australian said: “Joining up with the KTM family again it is all starting to feel rather real now. I’ve been thinking about this moment for quite a long time. Finally getting to see the 2023 colours, myself in the suit and all the preparation for the season ahead.”…

HOLY HECTOR Controversial Spanish rider Hector Barbera will be in the British Superbike paddock this year after signing for the TAG Honda Racing squad. The 36-year-old rode for the OMG Racing outfit in 2020 and spent the previous two seasons racing a BMW in MotoAmerica. Barbera made his 125cc GP debut 21 years ago, finished third in the championship in 2003, second in 2004 and, despite finishing runner-up to Hiroshi Aoyama in the 2009 250cc season, couldn’t finish higher than 10th overall in his subsequent nine seasons in MotoGP. Meanwhile, 39-year-old Toni Elias will pilot an M4 Ecstar Suzuki Superbike in the 2023 MotoAmerica series. KB MCPINT BACK ON THE ROAD Despite his 100th TT start being shrouded in rumours of retirement at last year’s Isle of Man event, 50-year-old…

Piaggio has fired up its R&D team to reinvent its leaning trike and also come up with yet another alternative to a motorcycle’s front fork. After 15 years of making three-wheeled scooters it has applied for a patent that keeps the front fairing nose upright while the rest of the scooter tilts. This will solve the aerodynamic issues in the current MP3 model where not only is the nose taller and wider than a two-wheeler, air passes between the two front wheels, making it even less aerodynamically efficient. Piaggio’s solution is surprisingly simple. Instead of mounting the nose fairing on the main chassis, it’s bolted to the parallelogram-style linkage that connects the uprights of the front wheels. This section remains parallel with the ground even as the MP3 leans, and…

Conceived by the then President of the Alice Springs Motorcycle Club, Damien Ryan, the inaugural Radio Alice 12 Hour Desert Race proved an astoundingly bold gambit for the 22-year old entrepreneur – particularly at the time when the now legendary Finke Desert Race was still in its infancy. Initially known as the ‘There and Back’, the Finke had, in just two years since 1976, become the talk of enduro riders across Australia. And Damien figured an even longer, tougher race would prove just as successful. At the time, Damien was managing the Mt Ebenezer Roadhouse, located in the rugged desert oak wilderness between Alice Springs and Uluru. Owned by Val and Ted Kunoth, the roadhouse fronted a 16,000km² cattle property which proved to be the perfect location to lay out…

Bring me up to date on where Moto Morini is today. Moto Morini production in recent years was around only 300 motorcycles each year, with different versions of the models using our Euro 4-compliant 1200cc CorsaCorta 87° V-twin engine. But in 2022 after launching the X-Cape 650 we registered over 3500 motorcycles in Europe alone in just 10 months, despite having to recreate the dealer network from zero and remind customers of the brand’s existence. Has China’s Covid clampdown affected production of the bikes? A little bit in terms of some parts like the ECU or ABS, but not as much as other brands because we started placing orders three years ago when we showed the bike in EICMA 2019, but the main issue is shipments. Costs have spiralled, too –…

When it comes to historically significant motorcycle brands, Orient isn’t at the top of many people’s lists. However, it was the first American marque to start series production as far back as 1899. Created using single-cylinder engines from French brands Aster and DeDion mounted in reinforced bicycle frames, the Orient’s popularity grew quickly, largely thanks to having no competition. But when competition inevitably came two years later, Orient unveiled a new prototype V-twin engine aimed at keeping the brand at the top of the heap. Around the same time, speed-obsessed Glenn Curtiss built his first motorcycle in 1901, founded the G.H. Curtiss Manufacturing Company the following year, and put his first 347cc single-cylinder four-stroke motorcycle into production under the name Hercules. A year later, he was the first rider in…

Motocourse was born the year Barry Sheene won his first 500 championship in 1976. It has had just four editors – Chris Carter, Barry Coleman, Peter Clifford and AMCN columnist Michael Scott. It is the English-language publication of record. Dorna’s official rival, edited by AMCN contributor Mat Oxley, was halted due to Covid and has not been revived. The 47th edition runs to 344 pages, covering the Grands Prix, World and British Superbike and Supersport, World Sidecar Championship, MotoE, Red Bull Rookies, Isle of Man TT, Sidecar World Championship and US Racing, with comprehensive results and championship tables. There is no Endurance World Championship report and the results only list the team names, which may not identify the machine. No mention of competitor names. Feature articles include Scott’s annual ‘State…

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TESTED VOL 69 NO 22 BIKE SPOTLIGHT INDIAN CHALLENGER DARK HORSE ENGINE 1768cc V-twin POWER 91kW (124hp) TORQUE 178Nm WEIGHT 361kg (dry) PRICE $41,495 (ride away) “I reckon it’s the best-dressed cruiser I have ridden, and it has loft ed the bar for fixed-fairing baggers” TESTED VOL 70 NO 03 BIKE SPOTLIGHT ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN ENGINE 411cc single-cylinder POWER 18kW (24hp) TORQUE 32Nm WEIGHT 191kg (wet) PRICE $8190 (ride away) “The Himalayan is the perfect size and weight for someone finding their way in the world of adventure” WEB HOT! Check out the website for the latest reviews at amcn.com.au…