Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 72 Issue 25 i Australian Motorcycle News

“IF YOU’RE SQUEAMISH, YOU MIGHT WANT TO GIVE SOME OF THE POSTS A MISS” HE’S NOT the first young Aussie to do it and he won’t be the last, but if you want to know what commitment is when it comes to making it on the world stage, check out Jacob Roulstone’s Revolving Racer column this issue starting on page 118. Like many antipodean racers before him, Jacob and his family are sacrificing so much to help him realise his dream in Europe, and he’s doing a top job in both the Red Bull Rookies Cup (currently sixth in the standings) and Junior GP (currently second). We’re right behind you, Jacob, as well as all the other young Aussies competing in Europe including fellow Red Bull Rookies racer Carter Thompson,…

DIRT KING Toby Price's star was rising following his third-place finish in Dakar at the beginning of 2015, but back home the Aussie was already well on his way to legendary status. Despite still carrying a foot injury, Price took out his fifth Finke victory, followed up with a fifth win in the Hattah Desert Race, both on his KTM 500 EXC. Hattah started out as the BP Sunraysia Desert Rally 40 years earlier but ran out of puff in the 70s before being resurrected in 1998 as the Hattah Desert Race which continues today, with this year’s event due to unfold from 30 June-2 July. RIDDEN/TESTED • Benelli BN600GT• Kawasaki KLR650• Triumph Tiger 1050• Adventure bike test• Aprilia Caponord Rally• BMW R 1200 GS Adventure• Honda CB500X• KTM 1190…

FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM Don’t Forget #amcn_mag Comment of the Issue els.e_ And we agree! Michael Dunlop is the ultimate racer’s racer: uncompromising, tough as nails and with a level of willpower and bravery that very few can match – certainly around the famed Isle of Man. “The face of determination!” Reaching out Want to see your pride and joy featured in AMCN? The only thing we love more than writing about bikes is looking at your bikes. Tag your social pics with @aumotorcyclenews on Facebook or @amcn_mag on Instagram, or fire them off in an email to amcn@amcn.com.au And don’t forget to tell us why you love it. GET IT OFF YER CHEST! Got something funny, new, old or wise to say or share? Do it! Head to www.facebook.com/aumotorcyclenews AMCN’S WEBSITE…

There are some standout events throughout the year that the AMCN crew really looks forward to, and one of those is our annual adventure issue and the bike test that goes with it. After all, what could be better than going riding with mates, getting some dirt under your wheels and enjoying a couple of nights in the scrub? In the past we have sometimes treated the AMCN adventure bike test as an opportunity to compare bikes directly with each other, but this year we decided to showcase a cross section of models from the genre to see how well they spoke to a variety of riders through some vigorous (and fun) testing both on-and off-road. While we had seven worthy bikes on test, there were a few notable omissions,…

The Triumph Tiger Rally Pro will set you back $25,450. That’s a fair bit of coin in anyone’s eyes but at that price it’s within a few hundred bucks off the KTM, Ducati and Suzuki, and just a few grand more expensive than the Aprilia. But you get a lot of standard kit that you’d need to pay extra for on some of the others: a centrestand, crash bars, alloy bash plate, quickshifter, tyre pressure monitoring, heated rider and pillion seats and LED fog lights. Plus you get the beautiful 888cc triple that’s packing 70kW (94hp) of power and 87Nm of torque, fully adjustable Showa suspension, Brembo brakes and the gateway to the impressive tech package, a seven-inch TFT dash – serious bang for buck. Unfortunately, both on road and…

Leatt’s GPX pack is perfect for those riders looking for a hydration pack that also offers plenty of room for your trail knickknacks. There’s 25 litres of cargo capacity and it sports a plethora of pockets including dedicated tool and goggle compartments, waist pockets and a waterproof mobile phone pocket. At almost $340 it’s not a cheap pack but it’s loaded with heaps of useful and unique features that I reckon make it good value. The main reason I went for the GPX – apart from the storage size – is the built-in CE-approved back protector. The GPX runs a water-resistant outer shell, with an internal reflective panel that helps to keep your water cool. It employs a unique two-litre bladder that sits horizontally at waist level rather than hanging…

1 BLACK IS BACK Cassons Australia From $449.95 (02) 8882 1900 cassonsmedia.com Ixon’s Ragnar adventure jacket features a ripstop outer shell and is equipped with an X-Dry waterproof and breathable liner and a removable thermal liner. Ventilation zips on the front, back and sleeves provide comfort in warm conditions, while a zip allows for connection to the Ragnar pant. 2 SCOOT BOOTIN’ Link International From $429.95 (07) 3382 5000 www.tcxboots.com.au The Infinity 3 waterproof Gore-Tex boot utilises an abrasion-resistant multilayer upper with a dial fastening system that adjusts the tension of the external lace. The infinity 3 boasts reinforced toe, heel, ankle and shin sections, an aggressive and hard-wearing rubber sole, and a breathable Ortholite insole. 3 SHOCK JOCK Touratech $3249 (03) 5729 5529 touratech.com.au The Touratech Suspension EVO shock…

Graeme Crate, an 86-year-old TT fan from Surrey, made the 2023 Isle of Man TT the 43rd time he’s attended the fortnight of racing. Crate has turned up on the same bike and stayed at the same campsite for four decades. Sidecar ace Pete Founds may not have been able to break the resolve of the Birchall brothers – Ben and Tom – to stand on the top step of a podium at this year’s event, but his wish was granted following the end of the second race when he proposed to his girlfriend Karla and she said yes. Proposing with the ‘lucky lollipop’ their son gave to him for the event, he said: “The time was right.” Two protests were launched against Peter Hickman following his Superstock victories: one…

FOR EIGHT MINUTES it appeared the racing gods weren’t going to play ball. Spits of rain peppered the track in Arrabbiata 1 and 2 during the first four laps, raising the possibility of the first ever flag-to-flag Sprint race. Understandably, Bagnaia rolled off, allowing Martin through, while Marini, Bezzecchi, Miller, Zarco and Marquez hovered behind. Binder initially had a hand in, but was soon handed a long-lap penalty after tagging Alex Marquez in the race’s first turn, dropping him back to 14th. Soon the rain subsided. And Bagnaia never fell below second. By the fourth lap he was back in front and maintained a steady gap to second from there. Bezzecchi was by Martin for second on lap five, and ably gave chase to his compatriot. But Bagnaia always had…

FEW COULD LOOK past Ayumu Sasaki (IntactGP Husqvarna) for a first race win of the season after he took pole by a ridiculous margin of 1.092sec. And the first half of this race suggested he could coast to victory, after stretching the lead group apart, with only three names – Deniz Oncu (Ajo KTM), Dani Holgado (Tech3 KTM) and Ivan Ortola (MTA KTM) – capable to keeping up. By the sixth lap, the contest appeared to be over with Sasaki’s lead up to 1.4sec. But Oncu soon rallied, putting aside cramp in his left leg to find his rhythm and whittle away at the deficit. With just six laps remaining, the young Turk had closed in, and started probing for a weakness in the leader’s armoury. Having threatened to move by…

AN EMAIL sent by Motorcycling Australia on Saturday evening revealed the McMartin Racing team had lodged a technical protest that concerned the swingarm linkage of the Penrite Honda of Troy Herfoss. The move caused tension in the paddock and prompted a counter protest from Honda team boss Deon Coote. “Everyone’s got a right to protest, I took it personally and probably shouldn’t have,” Coote said later. “I’m friends with them all, I feel they could have just come and asked me and I would have shown them… if anything they’ve shot themselves in the foot and rattled their rider a little bit in the process.” Craig McMartin (pictured) said the intent of the original protest was to address ongoing paddock rumours that there were issues with the legality of their…

IF HONDA was in any doubt of the extent of its issues, it just had to follow Marc Marquez’s dramatic Saturday. The 30-year-old crashed three times in 28 minutes in qualifying, before admitting to throttling off during the Sprint because of the bike’s deficiencies. Eleventh place in the Sprint represented a total disaster for the former champ. Takaaki Nakagami, Honda’s only other rider present as Joan Mir (finger fracture) and Alex Rins (double leg break) recover from their respective injuries, explained: “Performance was pretty poor. Even the half distance Sprint race we had an unstable bike. There is no grip and the frontend is always closing mid-corner. And, exit the rear grip is really bad. So the bike is moving a lot. We lose… mainly we’re losing acceleration. In the…

PIRELLI IS IN talks with Dorna to take over from Dunlop as the sole tyre supplier for the Moto2 and Moto3 class in 2024, AMCN has learned. The contract of Dunlop, which has supplied tyres for both classes since both switched from two- to four-stroke machinery, is up at the end of this year. Even though the British company wants to continue as supplier, a Dorna spokesperson confirmed that Pirelli, which already has a considerable presence in the WorldSBK championship, is under consideration to take over.…

KE YNAN REW has won Australian Championships at Under 16 and Under 21 level and is now making an impact on the world stage. After making one appearance in 2022 as a stand-in in the FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship, now known as the FIM SGP2 series, Rew is right in the mix for honours this year. Rew won his qualifying meeting at Pardubice, Czech Republic, to ensure his place in the three-round series to determine the 2023 world champion. Fellow Australians Maurice Brown, Jacob Hook and James Pearson all fell well short of qualifying. At the first round of the championship in Prague, Rew was the third top scorer in the heats before finishing third in a tight finish in his semi-final. The final produced a Polish 1-2-3 headed…

THE KING’S Birthday Awards announced this month have included the awarding of a Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia in the General Division ‘for service to motorsports’ to two significant names associated with the sport: Edwin Taylor and Jan Blizzard. Known to speedway fans around the world as ‘Chum’ Taylor, he is a born and bred Western Australian who raced solo speedway motorcycles across three decades including 15 years riding in the UK leagues. His career highlights were one appearance in the World Final (1960), winning the Australian Championship as a 39-year-old (1966), five Western Australian Championships (between 1957 and 1970), captaining Australian in test match competition and being inducted into the Motorcycling Western Australia Hall of Fame. In more recent times, 96-year-old Chum has become a vocal advocate…

ONE OF THE most intriguing new bikes expected from China is the upcoming Benda VTR300 Turbo – a forced-induction 300cc V-twin sportsbike that’s been teased but not yet officially shown. Now a new patent reveals it has flip-out winglets that emerge from the side fairings when they’re needed and drop out of sight when they’re not. What simply looked like access panels on design registration imagery, the new patent document shows how these panels are actually mounted on servo-driven arms, allowing them to pop out when required. The angled arms mean the winglets adopt a front-down attitude when extended. Along with a sculpted underside, this helps them generate downforce even though they lack the exaggerated wing profile of some fixed-position designs. Although Benda’s international presence is limited at the moment,…

The people you meet Debra Phillis, daughter of Aussie Tom Phillis, caught up with Murray Johnson, father of racer Davo, at the Isle of Man TT. In 1961, Phillis finished third in the Senior TT on the experimental Norton Domiracer 500cc twin-cylinder. His two consecutive 100mph laps were the first for a pushrod engine. He died the next year at Laurel Bank after crashing a Honda. 26 While all the headlines have been on the dominant and impressive win tally of Isle of Man TT specialists Michael Dunlop and Peter Hickman, spare a thought for the impressively quick and consistent Dean Harrison who, after ticking up 26 podiums since 2014, has notched up just three TT wins: the 2014 Lightweight TT, the 2018 Supersport TT and the big one in…

“MY FIRST TWO Dakar adventures were with the BMW Boxer team and, following that experience, I joined the KTM factory team where I not only worked at the Austrian factory but attended races all over the world. I lost track of how many World Rally Championship races, probably over 100, but the best was the 17 Dakar Rallies I worked at for KTM. Recently I have joined the Hero team and am enjoying the new challenge of a different team, new bike and rider. “My most memorable Dakar was my first one in 2001. As a mechanic, I actually travelled in a BMW race truck, completing the entire race course. At the end of each day, I had to arrive at the bivouac and start working on the factory BMW…

Our front tyre dug deeper into hot black volcanic sand as the rear sent plumes of charcoal-looking smoke into the sky. The weight of riding two-up with all our luggage wasn’t helping and we still had another 10km to go. We pushed on, determined to reach the volcano before heat exhaustion kicked in. You know the drill: weight back, light on the ’bars, heavy on the gas and let the bike do its thing. Except, we had weight all over and heavy on the gas just kept digging us in further. There was no choice but for Alissa to jump off and walk through the deep sections and, on the stretches where we could get a good run, we closed our eyes and gassed it until the ’bars became too…

Phillip Island Ride Days / 0490 281 840 Phillip Island, Vic Sydney Motorsport Park Ride Days/0490 281 840 SMSP, NSW Murray Valley Training Co 0459 415 787 Barnawartha North, Vic Champion’s Ride Days (07) 3287 4144 Broadford, Vic Collie Motorplex, WA Morgan Park, Qld The Bend, SA Trakdayz 0401 484 898 Barbagallo, WA California Superbike School / 1300 793 423 Phillip Island, Vic SMSP, NSW Broadford, Vic Morgan Park Qld Mount Gambier MCC Coaching / Ride Days 0448 951 163 Mac Park, SA Ride-Tek MTA 1300 788 382 Sandown, Vic Ridedays WA (08) 9409 1002 Barbagallo, WA Collie, WA Top Rider 1300 131 362 Various venues, Qld Phoenix MCC Junior Coaching 0403 386 788 Tailem Bend, SA Mallala, SA…

THE 2023 ISLE of Man TT will be remembered for a few reasons, not least the nigh-on perfect weather conditions which led to records tumbling in nearly every category. It was the first time in the event’s history we saw 10 races across the two- and three-wheel categories and it was Michael Dunlop and Peter Hickman who were in a different league, with the pair sharing the spoils in all eight solo races. Both Hickman and Dunlop recorded four wins and three podiums a piece, with Dean Harrison completing the rostrum in the Supersport and big-bike categories, having not entered the Supertwins class for 2023. So while it looked like Ian Hutchinson’s record of five wins in a week might have been equalled or even beaten, the 43-year-old’s record still…

AFTER A FIVE-YEAR Isle of Man hiatus, Josh Brookes showed the depth of his talent by notching his first-ever TT podium during the second Supertwins race after snagging the Dafabet Racing Kawasaki ride at the last minute from the injured Gary Johnson. Despite losing a big chunk of time during the pitstop when he accidentally hit the kill switch which dropped him from third down to seventh on lap two, he benefitted hugely from the retirements of Michael Dunlop, Mike Browne and Michale Rutter, and rode the lap of his life on the final circuit to pick up his maiden TT podium. “It feels amazing, we set out with the target to try and get onto the podium this year,” he said in the winner’s enclosure. “I made a massive…

CHANCES ARE PEDRO Acosta (Ajo Kalex) would have won this no matter what. Even if he was pipped to pole by Aron Canet (Pons Kalex), practice demonstrated the teenage sensation had a clear jump on everyone else. But the 19-year-old’s job was made all the easier when his two closest challengers – Alonso Lopez (Speed Up Boscoscuro) and Sam Lowes (Marc VDS Kalex) – fell away almost immediately. Acosta had got the jump from the middle of the front row, with Lowes and Alonso slotting in behind. But the latter’s crazy lunge on the former at Turn 11 took the Englishman down and earned the Spaniard a long-lap penalty. His first attempt on lap three was botched, as he ran over the edge of the track, meaning he had to…

MARTIN MADE A mockery of the claim that Sprint races were close and exciting. The Pramac rider was in a class of his own from the moment he grabbed the initiative with a two-in-one pass on Miller and Bagnaia at Turn 12 on the third lap. His expert speed through the long lefts that make up the track’s second sector was enough to extend his lead by the lap. Martin’s 2.4sec winning advantage over Bagnaia didn’t quite tell the full story of his dominance. Miller was an impressive third, 0.8sec off Bagnaia, and just clear of an engrossing three-way fight for fourth. Marini, Binder and Zarco were together entering the final lap, before the Frenchman’s full-blooded pass on the second KTM at the Ralf Waldmann Kurve punted Binder off track.…

IN THE ANNUAL pilgrimage to Darwin’s Hidden Valley Raceway where the ASBK championship joins forces up with the Supercars paddock, Troy Herfoss and the Penrite Honda Racing team have snatched the overall win after a tension-packed weekend. Herfoss took both race wins on Sunday to close the championship gap to eight points behind his chief rival Josh Waters (McMartin Racing Ducati). Waters, who has a brilliant record here, could take solace in a dominant Race 1 win and setting a new lap record twice – but it may be a case of a lost opportunity. When the lights went out for the opening bout, it was Glenn Allerton (GT Racing BMW) who blitzed the start, slotting in behind Waters in the long run to the first turn. Herfoss and Jones…

DISASTER WAS narrowly avoided on Friday afternoon when Marc Marquez crashed out at Turn 1, his stricken bike collecting Johann Zarco exiting pit lane. The two bikes were destroyed in the collision, but the Frenchman narrowly avoided a serious leg injury by anticipating the contact. Eyebrows were raised when Marquez failed to check on the stricken Frenchman and then pointed the finger at Zarco for the collision. “I’m angry because if somebody can avoid the situation it was Johann,” reasoned the eight-time champ. “The guy that is coming out of the pit lane is the guy that needs to watch behind and if somebody is coming, especially in the last minute, you need to stop in the pit exit.” Zarco was incredulous when learning he had been blamed. “First thing,…

PEDRO DEADLINE KTM says it will wait until 30 June to decide whether to off er a MotoGP seat to Pedro Acosta for 2024. The 19-year-old has made no secret of his desire to step up from Moto2 next year. But the Austrian factory is content with its current rider line up, and would prefer it Acosta stayed for another season in the intermediate class. NEW TOP SPEED Brad Binder set a new top-speed record for the MotoGP class in the Sprint race at Mugello. The South African was clocked at 366.09km/h on the entrance to Turn 1, a full 2.4km/h quicker than the previous record, set by Jorge Martin in last year’s race. DOVI 37TH LEGEND Andrea Dovizioso was made a MotoGP Legend at Mugello. The 2004 125cc world…

ABOUT TIME After a lifetime dedicated to motorcycle sport, Jan Blizzard has been recognised with an OAM in the King’s birthday honours. AGENT ORANGE After purchasing a stake in MV Agusta, KTM is taking over distribution of the brand in Australia and New Zealand. SIGN & SAVE A change.org petition has been set up to rally against news that CTP (Qld) premiums for single-rider motorcycles (no pillion) could increase by nearly 70 percent. VALE RAUL Spanish racer Raul Torras Martinez was fatally injured in an incident during the final lap of the second Supertwins TT on the Isle of Man.…

WINNER LETTER OF THE ISSUE Motomuck Win five litres of Motomuck Motorcycle Cleaner to keep your ride as clean as a whistle. 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. AIR YOUR THOUGHTS OR VENT YOUR SPLEEN Access, AMCN, PO Box 6, Bittern, Vic, 3918 access@amcn.com.au LETTER OF THE ISSUE Golden oldies I would like to take this opportunity to say how much I enjoyed Mick Matheson’s article, (Dream Catcher, AMCN Vol 72 No 21). Whilst I am the first person to acknowledge that the future of motorcycling rests with the millennials and generation Z, we Boomers still appreciate a…

IN ADDITION to the aforementioned luggage, Honda offers a range of accessories to suit the CB500X including a centrestand ($341.23), a light bar ($558.43), LED fog lights ($770.86), LED fog light attachment kit ($602.68), a 12V accessory outlet ($45.41), heated grips ($436.26), heated grips attachment kit ($104.90), a deflector kit to protect your legs from the breeze ($141.54), and a smoked windscreen ($104.53), among other bits and pieces. I certainly wouldn’t be ticking every option box, but I reckon the reasonably priced centrestand is a handy addition to any bike that will see dirt under its tyres, and the 12V accessory outlet is a must-have. I’d look to the aftermarket to fit a bash plate and a set of sturdy handguards.…

DEAN ‘DEANO’ MELLOR AGE 55 HEIGHT 167cm WEIGHT 76kg EXPERIENCE Deano has been riding in the bush since he was a wee tacker. As well as roadbikes, he’s owned a couple of adventure bikes in the past – XLV750R and NX650 – and he used to edit dirtbike tome ADB. Loves rocky river crossings… not. PETE VORST AGE 47 HEIGHT 186cm WEIGHT 108kg EXPERIENCE Pete has been riding anything with two wheels since he was a wee pup. He’s not a bad road punter but is spending some much-needed time these days trying perfect the art of not falling off in the dirt. DAVID ‘WATTIE’ WATT AGE Old HEIGHT Not much WEIGHT Generous EXPERIENCE Wattie is a skid and wheelie connoisseur, a reliable bringer of snacks and, while he tries…

When CFMoto launched the 800MT last year, I was blown away by the spec that was on offer for the asking price. Even the top-of-the-line 800MT Touring was priced at an affordable $14,990 ride away, yet it was packed with kit including ride-by-wire throttle enabling two ride modes, cornering ABS, slipper clutch, quickshifter, steering damper, centrestand, cruise control, seven-inch TFT with Bluetooth connection, fog lights, adjustable screen, 12V/USB outlets, heated grips, heated seat… and more! But there was one glaring omission that affected its ability on dirt: traction control. CFMoto has seen fit to rectify the lack of TC on this latest Explore model. And not only does it now come with traction control, it also scores other upgrades including rear radar enabling blind-spot detection, lane-change assist and rear-collision warning,…

APRILIA TUAREG 660 ENGINE Capacity 659cc Type Parallel-twin, DOHC, four valves per cylinder Bore & stroke 81mm x 63.93mm Compression ratio 13.5:1 Cooling Liquid Fueling Marelli EFI Transmission Six-speed Clutch Wet, multi-plate, slipper Final drive Chain PERFORMANCE Power 61kW (82hp) @ 9250rpm (claimed) Torque 70Nm @ 6600rpm (claimed) Top speed 180km/h (est) Fuel consumption 4 .9L/100km (tested) ELECTRONICS Type Aprilia Rider aids ABS, traction control, engine mapping and engine brake control Rider modes Urban, Explore, Individual and Off-Road CHASSIS Frame material Steel Frame type Open cradle Rake 26.7° Trail 113.3 Wheelbase 1525mm SUSPENSION Type KYB Front: 43mm USD fork, fully adjustable, 240mm travel Rear: Monoshock, fully adjustable, 240mm travel WHEELS & BRAKES Wheels Spoked alloy Front: 21 x 1.15 Rear: 18 x 4.25 Tyres Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR Front: 90/90-21…

Forget about engine upgrades and bling: the best way to get faster is to get some rider training. Even if you’re an experienced rider with plenty of miles under your belt, you, like all of us, can still benefit from some coaching. There are countless mobs offering adventure bike rider training, but for those of you with a Ducati Multistrada or DesertX in the shed the Italian firm is now offering training aimed squarely at you. I recently attended the very first Australian DRE Adventure Academy at Kirkton Park resort, which is located on 28 hectares (70 acres) of land in New South Wales’ Hunter Valley. If the place looks swank, that’s because it is. Ducati knows its demographic and chooses the facilities accordingly – you’re more likely to see…

“THIS YEAR was the first time since 2000 that I have not raced the Dakar, other than the cancellation of the event in 2008. I had so much passion for the race back in the beginning, I loved racing motorcycles. I had such a fortunate opportunity with the BMW factory team after just one Dakar which allowed me to ride as water boy (support for the main factory riders). However, halfway through the event, number-one rider Nani Roma was out after a crash. With no hope of an outright win, the manager gave me permission to go fast. I finished second outright on stages 17 and 19. A year later, I was picked up by the KTM factory team where I stayed for 10 years, winning five times and making…

1 2023 MotoGP, Rd8, LIVE Fox Sports, Kayo & Video Pass 23-25 JUNE Check website and local guides Next up are the swooping and banked corners of the famous Assen, which has been hosting grand prix motorcycle racing since way back in 1949. Who will win in 2023? 2 2023 WorldSBK, Rd6, LIVE Fox Sports, Kayo and Video Pass 30 JUNE-2 JULY Check website and local guides Donington was where WorldSBK all began in 1988, and since then there have been doozy races aplenty. Will this be the chance for Toprak and Rea to nibble away at Bautista’s huge lead? Tune in for all the action! 3 2023 WSX, Rd1, LIVE WSX.TV 1 JULY Check website and local guides After the success of the pilot season, this year the WSX…

23-25 JUNE 2023 Casper Rally, on the Abercrombie River at the Bummaroo Ford Camping Ground in NSW. The rally site is located approximately 72km north of Goulburn and 75km south of Oberon. BYO drinks, food and cooking gear. Toilet facilities on site with drinking water and firewood provided. Raffle and awards Saturday afternoon. Entry is $20 and includes a badge and raffle ticket. Enquiries: Andy 0437 608 440 or Dieter 0417 616 199. 24 JUNE 2023 All Bike Day, Tweed Heads, NSW. Willowbank Raceway, Qld. For all skill levels, in classes from LAMS to cruisers to full-spec modified bikes. It is run on a ‘dial your own’ format. Entries will be online through the Willowbank Raceway website about a month before the race date. Contact Marty Armstrong on 0424 134…

RARELY DO victory celebrations seem more apt. Less than a minute after winning his home grand prix for the second year in succession, Francesco Bagnaia (Lenovo Ducati) stopped his Desmosedici, handed it to a marshal on the outside of Casanova and joined members of his fan club who had set up an impromptu table and barbecue in the gravel trap. His victory margin of 1.067sec didn’t tell the full story; Bagnaia had just made this look like a casual stroll in the park. It really shouldn’t have been this straightforward. After noting a nagging pain in his right foot in the days after the French Grand Prix collision with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), medical checks confirmed Bagnaia had cracked the talus bone in his right ankle. He arrived at Mugello…

WHAT MORE CAN a rider do to win? Deniz Oncu (Ajo KTM) topped every weekend session, scored a dominant pole position, and appeared to time his last lap attack to perfection. There was even a scintillating move on Dani Holgado (Tech3 KTM) into Arrabbiata 2 to take control of a five-way fight on the final lap. Yet somehow the Turk, who had come so close to a debut triumph in races gone by, finished runner-up once again. The lead quintet, which also included Ayumu Sasaki (IntactGP Husqvarna), David Alonso (Aspar GASGAS) and Jaume Masia (Leopard Honda), benefited from a raft of penalties handed out to eight riders on Saturday, including title contenders Diogo Moreira (MSI KTM) and Ivan Ortola (MTA KTM). All eight had to start from the back of the…

CUE THE JAWS MUSIC. Spaniard Pedro Acosta (Ajo Kalex), a rider who aptly sports a shark on his helmet, made yet further ground on world championship leader Tony Arbolino (Marc VDS Kalex) thanks to dominating the second Moto2 race in a week. This was billed as a punch up between the two title contenders after Acosta claimed pole on Saturday, with Arbolino second. And it was set up for a proper scrap after the Italian claimed the lead off the line, with his rival tucked in behind. But once Acosta assumed control at the final turn of the first circuit, the contest was done. The Spaniard was 0.3sec faster per lap than his pursuer. By lap 10, his lead was up to 2.4sec. From there, he coasted home to a…

THE GRID faced a cooler track temperature for the Saturday morning race, but things had become heated in the paddock with news breaking overnight of a technical protest lodged by McMartin Racing against the Penrite Honda Fireblade of Herfoss (see breakout). With that issue simmering in the background, the field set off and Waters was the first to falter, running wide at Turn 1. Jones, Herfoss and Allerton then formed a leading group, setting a blistering pace. At around the halfway mark, Waters had fought his way through to ninth just as Allerton began to have brake issues, dropping from the leading pair. Jones, after looking increasingly confident, made an error at Turn 6 that let Herfoss past, but with six laps remaining Jones was back in front. Just when the…

MCMARTIN RACING team boss Craig McMartin detailed the changes made to the V4 R for the 2023 season. “Most of the upgrades were made to the engine,” McMartin explained. “We’ve now got a lighter clutch, 800 grams lighter than the previous model. They’ve also changed the internal gear ratios of first, second and top gear – closing the gap basically, so there isn’t as big a jump between gears. “The inlet cams and velocity stacks have also changed, but chassis-wise, it’s no different. The swingarm pivot is in a different position but that is adjustable.” Notably, the fuel tank holds an extra litre which will make circuits like The Bend a little easier to deal with. The bodywork has also changed allowing for greater airflow, which meant some long nights…