Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 73 Issue 12 i Australian Motorcycle News

“I’VE NO DOUBT THAT 2024 IS SET TO BE JUST AS EXCITING AS 2023 HAS BEEN” WELL, WE made it to the end of another year although, looking back, at times I find myself wondering how the hell we managed to do it. I reckon 2023 was about as busy as it can get in the world of motorcycling. Coming off the back of the two previous pandemic-affected years, in 2023 there were more new model launches than you could poke a stick at, so it’s lucky we had 25 issues of AMCN to squeeze them all into. Some of the overseas launch highlights included the BMW M 1000 R, S 1000 RR and R 1300 GS models in Spain, the Royal Enfield Super Meteor, Bullet and Himalayan models in…

TRIUMPH RE ENTERED the single cylinder market with the Speed 400 and Scrambler 400 earlier this year and now it looks like a café racer is being added to the range – potentially getting the Thruxton 400 name, although it’s not confirmed. Spotted on test near Triumph’s Spanish R&D facility, the new version is clearly based on the Speed 400, using the same chassis, engine, fuel tank, headlight and seat unit. However, the addition of a low handlebar and updated take on the classic bullet fairing at the front gives very different stance and style. Compared to the Speed 400, it also looks like the new bike gets revised suspension. Not only is the fork black instead of gold, but the front-end appears to be lower, giving a steeper rake…

LANGEN MOTORCYCLES is a boutique brand that emerged in V-twin and for 2025 the British company plans to expand its range with an 1190cc four-stroke using a Buell engine using the same lightweight engineering ideas. 2020 with a 250cc two-stroke Dubbed the Lightspeed, the new Langen will be made in strictly limited numbers, starting with 185 examples for the British market in 2025 and followed by an additional 370 bikes for the rest of the world in 2026-2027. The Lightspeed is built around the Rotax-designed, liquid-cooled, DOHC V-twin that was originally conceived for the Buell 1125R. The engine performance is unchanged, with the same 138kW (185hp) at 10,600rpm and 138Nm at 8200rpm, but instead of the fuel-in-frame aluminium chassis of the Buell it comes from, it’s bolted to a steel trellis…

 THE 500CC Benelli sportsbike unveiled at this year’s EICMA show in Milan will be available in Australia as a 2024 model. Powered by a Euro 5+-compliant 500cc parallel-twin engine that’s good for 35kW (47hp) at 8500rpm and 46Nm at 6000rpm, the fully-faired T500 weighs 186kg ready to ride. It’s suspended on a fully adjustable upside-down 41mm Marzocchi fork matched to a preload-adjustable monoshock rear with an ABS-equipped Brembo brake package. Like most new releases for 2024, the T500 gets a five-inch TFT screen with wifi and Bluetooth connectivity to facilitate calls and navigation. There’s a tyre-pressure monitoring system as standard fitment as well as ESB and USB-C charging sockets. Pricing will be announced closer to the T500’s on-sale date.…

Ageist departments! After over 50 years of riding motorcycles, I have never experienced blatant discrimination such as that by the South Australian Department for Infrastructure and Transport. Upon turning 70 years, a motorcycle licence holder is served with a four-page medical form to be filled out by a GP which must be returned to the above department within a few weeks of your birthday or your motorcycle licence is cancelled. Car drivers do not have to endure this test and there would be an outcry if so. Questions asked are about blood pressure, diabetes, hearing loss and psychiatric conditions, specifically chronic depression, chronic anxiety, PTSD, bipolar, personality disorder, schizophrenia and, if so, what medication. Added to the list are sleep disorder and questions regarding alcohol and drugs. When returning the…

ON THE subject of ’Busa tinkering, for me, the ‘SuperBusa’ from UK performance house TTS is the king. I’d sell my firstborn to have one of these 283kW (380hp) supercharged beasts in my shed. TTS has gone to town on the engine, chassis and brakes on the SuperBusa. The base model SuperBusa will set you back $A95,500 plus you’d have to get it imported here and jump through the ADR hoops. AMCN contributor’s Adam Child fired one down a drag strip recently. This is what he reckons: I’VE KNOWN the owner of TTS Performance, Richard Albans, for years and ridden many of his wild creations. He is like a mad inventor, who is addicted to speed and power. Which is why when he rolled up to the strip with his…

DEANO ‘SAND STORM’ MELLOR AGE 56 WEIGHT 77kg HEIGHT 167cm EXPERIENCE Hooked by an XR75 as a kid, Deano got into roadbikes in his 20s. He has tested bikes for various publications since the 1990s and now sits at the AMCN Ed’s Desk. PETE ‘ENOUGH’S ENOUGH’ VORST AGE 48 WEIGHT 105kg HEIGHT 186cm EXPERIENCE PV has been riding since he was a wee pup and despite his advancing years he still lacks any kind of maturity on any kind of motorcycle. RALPH ‘I’LL BUY A CASE’ LEAVSEY-MOASE AGE 68 WEIGHT 85kg HEIGHT 175cm EXPERIENCE Ralph has been riding motorcycles since the fall of Rome. He’s lost count of the number of bikes he’s ridden and owned, but that happens with age. KEN ‘STRAIGHT ARMS’ MCKENZIE AGE 41 WEIGHT 105kg HEIGHT…

$34,785 (ride away) When it comes to big-capacity heavyweight adventure bikes, the KTM simply can’t be beaten for off-road performance. The ride quality from the Kato’s fully adjustable WP suspension is second to none in this category and the Super Adventure R is one of those unicorn bikes that gets better the more you push it – it loves slamming dirt roads! The 1301cc V-twin engine is a monster, putting out a whopping 118kW (158hp) and 138Nm of torque, so to say there’s enough on tap for all occasions would be an understatement. The six-speed gearbox and quickshifter combo are precise but the shift is stiff and notchy. The Kato’s gearing is tall, and the twin is spinning over at just 4000rpm at 110km/h in top gear. It’s often the…

$20,590 (ride away) The Triumph Street Triple 765 RS proves you don’t need a $30k-plus budget and a 200hp hypernaked to have a helluva lot of fun. A 765cc inline triple that makes 96kW (128hp) at 12,000rpm and 80Nm at 9500rpm is more than enough to get your jollies… both on the road and on the track. And, in the case of the Street Triple RS, it will only set you back a relatively modest $20,590. That inline triple draws on technology developed through Triumph’s continued involvement in Moto2 racing so output is up on the previous model thanks to upgrades including a higher compression ratio, revised combustion chambers, new pistons, conrods, valves and camshafts. Importantly, it sounds just like a Moto2 racer with a distinctive and addictive induction roar…

The judges have cast their votes, the scores have been tallied and the incredible BMW M 1000 R is AMCN’s 2023 Motorcycle of the Year (MOTY) presented by Shannons Insurance. Incredible because just like Jekyll and Hyde, the M 1000 R can quickly transform from meek and mild into a track-eating monster… just a flick of the wrist and some ride-mode tweaks. The M 1000 R’s 999cc inline four with ShiftCam (variable valve timing) is as docile as you’d want in Rain or Road modes, but select Dynamic or one of the Race modes and throttle response amps up, suspension settings firm up and the electronic rider aids let you make the most of that 154kW (210hp) of peak power, keeping everything in line and on the deck without ruining…

All championship successes merit acclaim. But some are deserving of more than others. This year was a case in point as Francesco Bagnaia reached new levels of riding and performance. He withstood near incessant pressure from chief rival Jorge Martin in the final months to become one of only 13 champions to retain a premier-class crown. On the face of it, leading the factory which amassed a colossal 700 Constructors title points from a possible 728 across 20 feature races and 20 Sprints doesn’t sound like the most startling of achievements. But just how Bagnaia repeatedly bounced back from positions of peril in Indonesia, Australia, Qatar and Valencia was a sign of champion material. “He did the most difficult thing for a rider – defending a championship,” said Marc Marquez,…

TOP THREE TV 1 DAKAR RALLY 2024 SBS, SBS On Demand, Red Bull TV 6-20 JANUARY Check website and local guides The Dakar Rally returns to Saudi Arabia for the fifth consecutive time with organisers saying it will be the hardest. If you can’t wait for the early evening highlights an early morning version is available each day via SBS On Demand, or see Red Bull TV. 2 NORWAY ON TWO WHEELS Off She Goes ON DEMAND @OffSheGoesADV Runa Grydeland’s Youtube channel will make you want to rug up, pack the Aeroguard and head to Scandinavia for some Northern Summer riding in lands where the sun never sets. 3 CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN MOTOGEO ON DEMAND @motogeo.com Former international racer Jamie Robinson has created a cult following with his YouTube channel.…

IT TOOK Ducati some time in WorldSBK to overcome the upstarts from Aprilia, Kawasaki and Yamaha after Carlos Checa had become champ in what was a magical 2011 season for him and his 1098R. Last year’s clear title win was therefore especially significant for Ducati and Alvaro Bautista, particularly after the calamity of 2019’s unexpected title race failure. Winning it this year was an arguably more significant and yet more predictable achievement, in front of a slightly different backdrop compared to 2022. How so was this, when the big players were all the same big players, and basically in the same teams? For starters, this year was a fight between only two riders - Bautista and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon). Ducati had a slightly better new homologation V4 R…

THIS WAS a season of two halves. The first was engrossing as two of racing’s most exciting young talents, Pedro Acosta and Tony Arbolino, fought it out at the top of the standings. The second something of a procession, as the Spaniard went on a relentless podium spree while the Italian came unstuck. In the end, Acosta’s title was a mere formality while Arbolino went down with a whimper. Whatever way you look at them, Acosta’s achievements were stellar. He equalled the record number of podiums for a Moto2 campaign (14), wrapped up the title with two races to spare and became the second-youngest rider in history (19 years and 171 days) to win the intermediate-class crown. No wonder all who worked with him spoke of a rider destined for…

IT WAS THE first time the mi-bike Australian Superbike Championship had ever entered the final round with the top two riders locked together on points. Not only was the 2023 title at stake, but Penrite Honda Racing’s Troy Herfoss had announced he would be leaving the team after a decade together. For Josh Waters and the McMartin Racing Ducati Team the objective was clear – come out with all guns blazing and on Friday they did just that, posting the fastest time and under lap record pace. The next day during qualifying the pair dominated the field again – but what Herfoss did defied belief. Not only did he snatch pole position but he broke the qualifying record by six tenths of a second posting a 1m49.889s lap, and that was…

CONCESSIONS HAVE been announced for 2024 in a bid to fast track the development of Honda and Yamaha. Split into four ranks, Rank A pertains to manufacturers who scored more than 85 percent of the total points: Ducati, and is limited to 170 test tyres, use of only test riders at just three circuits, no wildcards and a (frozen) engine allocation of eight. Rank B is for manufacturers who scored between 60-85 percent of points (none for 2023), which is allowed 190 test tyres and three wildcards, while all other restrictions remain the same as A. Rank C (KTM and Aprilia) is allowed 220 test tyres and up to six wildcards, with other restrictions the same. Lastly, Rank D, which both Honda and Yamaha fall within due to scoring less than…

WHERE WILL Tom Toparis end up next year? His aim is to head back to the BSB paddock, but that takes substantial funds, particularly being an Aussie with limited pull with British sponsors. Toparis has hinted he may just stay in Australia. Which leads to the question – who will take the seat vacated by Troy Herfoss? Deon Coote has already indicated to us that the position would ideally be filled by an experienced, title-capable rider. If it were a younger rider, then guys like Max Stauffer or Broc Pearson come into the frame. Or Tom Toparis. At this stage it looks like the Yamaha Factory Team will remain unchanged for 2024 and by the time AMCN goes to press Bryan Staring will have already completed further MoTeC testing at…

ASBK SUPERSPORT Champion Cameron Dunker had another reason to smile at The Bend’s ASBK finale on Sunday 3 December. As well as being his 16th birthday, Dunker was also voted the recipient of the annual RK Chains Samurai Award – thanks to Link International – for the Most Outstanding Young Talent in 2023. As well as winning the Supersport crown, Dunker also won the national 190cc Ohvale MiniGP title, going on to represent Australia in Valencia at the World Series. The award was presented by Troy Herfoss, himself a recipient of the award in 2010. “If you’ve been voted to receive this award, the history of it speaks for itself, it means big things are expected of you in this sport,” Herfoss said, letting the gravity of the moment sink in. The…

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’ve just spent the last 1656 days earning a crust at Gassit HQ. As well as the inevitable torn muscles and hematomas, there’s been global gallivanting, countless covid, epic adventures and humongous hangovers. But most of all there’s been a super-fast bloke dedicated to producing informative and entertaining bike tests. We’ll do without the dressing-gown attire and tardy approach to deadlines, but we’ll miss your witty headlines and cracking sense of humour. Thanks, PV. It was a hoot!…

“We solved the problem this morning to be ready for 2024” Just one day after his impressive debut on the title-winning Ducati GP23, Marc Marquez has gone under the knife to treat arm-pump issues he revealed he was suffering in the latter half of the 2023 season. Sounds like someone is leaving no stone unturned in his quest to return to glory. 7974km The 46th edition of the Dakar Rally will run over almost 8000km throughout Saudi Arabia with 60 percent of the route completely new. The twoweek event kicks off on Friday, 5 January with the prologue and concludes on Friday, 19 January after 12 stages of racing and one rest day. Don’t miss our in-depth reports spread over the next two issues MENTAL TWISTIES The final neck sock…

V-WHAT? We broke news about a new motorcycle and neither we nor Suzuki could have ever foreseen just how popular this model would become. Following on the heels of Suzuki’s TL1000-engined V-Strom 1000, we brought you the news of the impending release of a V-Strom 650. Yes, the artist’s impression we showed you may have been a little off but, by gum, Suzuki wasn’t wrong when it decided to build the mid-capacity ’Strom. ROAR WARRIOR Despite Honda’s claims that a road-going version of its RC211V was at least two years away, tongues were set wagging after a headlight-equipped V-five appeared at the 2002 Suzuka 8 Hours as part of the circuit’s 25th anniversary celebrations with Mighty Mick Doohan aboard. Everyone got very excited but, as those who read Headcheck know, we reckon…

$41,400 (ride away) The latest incarnation of the Ducati Diavel does away with the previous model’s 1260cc Testastretta V-twin and in its place is a retuned version of the 1158cc Granturismo V4 engine. Although it only gets a modest increase in power (up 7kW) – and in fact a small decrease in torque (down 1Nm) – it feels quicker and more lively than its predecessor thanks to an all-new monocoque chassis and an overall weight reduction of 13kg. The V4 engine is a purler, making a claimed 125kW (168hp) at 10,750rpm and 126Nm at 7500rpm. Unlike the gnarly and unruly state of tune in the Panigale or Streetfighter, the V4 engine feels far more refined in the Diavel. The rear two cylinders are deactivated at idle for rider comfort and,…

$32,290 (ride away) Here is a bold new technological statement from a 101-year-old manufacturer in Italy’s Mandello del Lario. Not only is Moto Guzzi’s V100 Mandello the first production Guzzi to be powered by a liquid-cooled engine, but it is also the first Guzzi to be equipped with a six-axis IMU, enabling cornering ABS, traction control and engine brake control, while a ride-by-wire throttle enables four user-selectable ride modes – Rain, Road, Tour and Sport. In addition, the V100 is the first production motorcycle to be equipped with active aerodynamics, consisting of wings that automatically extend from the fairing at speed to provide weather protection for the rider. Thumb the starter and you’re greeted by a familiar Guzzi soundtrack, but it’s when you get on the open road that you…

$15,999 (ride away) In the Tracer 7, Yamaha is offering up an affordable, low-frills sports tourer with a gutsy twin-cylinder engine and everyday, all-occasions versatility. Sounds a bit humdrum? Well, it might sound it, but there’s a place for that type of bike (as Suzuki has proved with the success of the V-Strom 650) and I’ll be surprised if we don’t see a lot of Tracer 7s getting about Australian roads. If I had to sum up the Tracer 7 in one word I’d go with easy. It’s easy on the eye, it’s easy on the wallet, it’s oh-so-easy to ride and I reckon it would be very easy to live with. The Tracer is essentially an MT-07 with a suit of touring-appropriate clothes. It runs the same punchy 689cc…

WINCE OF THE YEAR Okay, Alvaro Bautista, there may have been 17 years between your first world championship and your third, but that doesn’t make it okay to do that while wearing that in front of a camera. Surely there’s a better way to project your happiness to the cameraman? BURN OF THE YEAR “It’s not special if I go to Ducati and win the championship” Take that! Toprak Razgatlioglu threw more than a verbal barb Alvaro Bautista’s way when he spoke publicly for the first time about his shock move to BMW for the 2024 WorldSBK season. RIDE OF THE YEAR As the 2023 champ, Aussie Senna Agius signed off from the European Moto2 Championship in style before making his full-time world championship debut next season. After qualifying on…

SMALL BUT important tech changes/allowances for the Ducati V2 at the start of this year turned the ‘little’ Panigale into the largely dominant machine it threatened to be in 2022. The proof of this was twofold; firstly, Nicolo Bulega – who didn’t win a single race in 2022 despite being in the full-factory Aruba.it Ducati squad – won 16 races from 24 this time around; and recorded 10 Superpole qualifying ‘wins’ from 12 attempts. He amassed 503 points over the season, which is an average of almost 21 points per race (no sprint races, remember). Ducati had never won the title in this class, even in the days of the 748/749, but it won the guts out of it in 2023. Second proof of dominance was Federico Caricasulo, who secured…

NOT EVEN the highly successful Leopard Honda squad envisioned much success during Moto3’s preseason. A junior class development freeze, brought into effect in 2020 to curb costs in a pandemic-affected world, meant Honda’s chargers were competing essentially on its 2019 bike with a few minor tweaks. Beating the hoard of Pierer Mobility Group machines (12 KTMs, two Husqvarnas, two GasGas machines and two CFMotos) was a tall order. But Jaume Masia was up for the fight. So often a bottler in promising positions, the 23-year-old was consistent in the season’s first half before a devastating late run that brought about three wins and six podiums. Dani Holgado led the series from Round One to 14 before fading away. And Ayumu Sasaki undoubtedly had the speed, but lacked racecraft in crucial moments,…

SUPERSPORT SLAM DUNK! THE BEND played host to a variety of returned international Aussies in the Supersport class, including last year’s double winner Harrison Voight (Voight Contracting) but nobody could weaken the resolve of Cameron Dunker and his GTR MotoStars team to become the youngest Supersport champion in its three decades. Voight and Tom Toparis (Stop and Seal – Yamaha) looked ominous, taking the top two spots on the grid ahead of title challenger Olly Simpson (Simpson Crash). The first race began with a red flag after Jack Mahaffy (Stop and Seal – Yamaha) and Jake Farnsworth (Worth Race Developments) came together at Turn 1. At the restart there was carnage again at Turn 1 as Harry Khouri (Addicted to Track) hit a false neutral and brought down teammate Jack…

You’d think the last thing a 140kW (188hp) motorcycle needs is more power, but we are talking Suzuki’s Hayabusa here, and ’Busa owners in particular are renowned for souping up their rides. If you are anything like me and were slightly disappointed when Suzuki launched the Gen III with less power and torque than the previous model, it’s a matter of honour that you perform a few tasteful mods to your new Hayabusa to set things straight. I know there’ll be a bunch of people jumping up and down about how the ’Busa is overweight and slow and it’s because of that it’s especially incumbent on Hayabusa owners to see naysayers off by building what Suzuki should have built in the first place: a bad-arse, fire-breathing rocketship. The fact the…

Causing 10 bikes and the right people to ride them to come together at a specific point and date for a specific task is a challenge at the best of times, but with riders pulling out at the last minute and bikes failing to turn up on time, the logistics of this year’s MOTY test took some extra effort and patience. We even had bikes rolling up on the morning of departure and only just in time to be fueled, weighed and measured before setting off. The variety of bikes on test is a testament to the way of things in 2023. Five of them are parallel twins – they’re taking over! But gone are the days when parallel twins were lifeless commuters. With 270-degree cranks all of the parallels…

$34,715 (ride away)* *location dependant Fitting a superbike engine to a nakedbike is nothing new but it usually comes with a retune resulting in a broader spread of torque and less peak power, unless of course Ducati is doing it. Now BMW has caught on and earlier this year it released the ‘full-power’ M 1000 R hypernaked, equipped with the S 1000 RR superbike’s potent 999cc ShiftCam inline four that punches out a claimed 154kW (210hp) of power at 13,750rpm and 113Nm of torque at 11,100rpm. After having tested the M 1000 R at its world launch in Spain almost a year ago, I could hardly wait to get my mitts on one for a blat on local roads… and I was not disappointed. This thing is seriously quick but…

$13,403 (ride away)* *location dependant I’m a big fan of the Hornet and I reckon if I was after a cost-effective commuter I could hoon around on and offend the neighbours, the CB750 would be high on my list. It’s not perfect by any stretch, but I’m willing to forgive the burgundy frame and lack of a standard quickshifter for the fat wheelies and ease of ownership. Is it the best entry-level mid-capacity naked around? Not if you read our D&D yarn in Vol 73 No 04 because you’ll know we gave that gong to Suzuki’s GSX-8S. But it was close and, as we already had the Hornet on our long-term test fleet and Suzuki’s MOTY spot was already filled by the V-Strom 800DE, the Hornet found itself in the…

$18,590 (ride away) The V-Strom 800DE was our clear winner when we put Honda’s new Transalp and the Suzuki up against each other and so it made the cut for MOTY. The Suzuki and Honda are pretty even when you’re on-road but the Suzuki really shines off-road, the Transalp not so much. I’m not talking Tuareg, KTM 890 Adventure R or Ténéré 700 off-road chops – those three have better suspension and are packages that are simply more suited to off-road riding than the V-Strom. But they also carry much heftier price tags at $4900, $7985 and $1759 more expensive respectively over the Suzuki, which is a competent and comfortable all-rounder. The 800 has lifted the V-Strom range’s off-road game. There’s a proper off-road-ready 21-inch front wheel, 220mm of suspension…

APRILIA TUAREG 660 ENGINE Capacity 659cc Type Parallel twin, DOHC, four valves per cylinder Bore & stroke 81 x 63.93mm Compression ratio 13.5:1 Cooling Liquid Fueling EFI, 2 x 48mm throttle bodies Transmission Six-speed Clutch Wet, multi-plate, slipper Final drive Chain PERFORMANCE Power 59kW (79hp) @9250rpm (claimed) Torque 70Nm @6500rpm (claimed) Top speed 180km/h (est) Fuel consumption 3.9L/100km (measured) ELECTRONICS Type Magneti Marelli ECU Rider aids Traction control, engine brake control, cruise control Rider modes Urban, Explore, Offroad and Individual CHASSIS Frame material Tubular steel Frame type Trellis Rake 26.7° Trail 113.3mm Wheelbase 1525mm SUSPENSION Type KYB Front: 43mm USD fork, fully-adjustable, 240mm travel Rear: Monoshock, fully-adjustable, 240mm travel WHEELS & BRAKES Wheels Wire-spoked aluminium Front: 21 x 2.15 Rear: 18 x 4.25 Tyres Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR Front: 90/90R21…

“EVEN THE BEST OF THE DUCATI INCUMBENTS MIGHT BE HAVING SLEEPLESS NIGHTS” IT WAS AN epic MotoGP season. More than double the number of races led to more than double the excitement (and more than double the amount of injuries); while the new format kept the title open until the last of a record 20 races. Season 2024 champion Pecco Bagnaia was better over full-length races, and had they been all that counted would have tied up the title long before. But explosively fast challenger Jorge Martin was better at the all-action Sprints, and the points he racked up there kept him in contention. It can hardly escape the attention that the biggest winner was Ducati. Factory staff pretended that they cared whether their own rider Bagnaia won out over…

HALFWAY THROUGH this season it was fair to say 2023 wasn’t shaping up to be much of a year. Despite DNFs, Francesco Bagnaia had streaked into a commanding lead in the championship. Ducati was decimating the opposition week after week. And, with the odd exception, the racing hadn’t been up to much, with advances in aerodynamics and a front tyre unable to cope making overtaking tough and dulling the spectacle. Yet from mid-September, the most unexpected occurred: Bagnaia faltered, crashing out on the first lap at Barcelona, and narrowly avoiding a sickening leg break. And satellite runner Jorge Martin began the run of his life, racking up two wins from three. Within four weekends, the pair were near level on points. Eventually the season culminated in a fantastic title battle…

FRANCESCO BAGNAIA (Lenovo Ducati) is the 2023 MotoGP world champion. And after a ridiculous weekend, high on drama, concluded with him scoring a hard-fought victory that was contested up until the championship’s final corner, not one of the 93,044 fans in attendance could say he didn’t deserve it. There were a few wobbles over the course of a madcap three days, as chief rival Jorge Martin (Pramac Ducati) attempted to get under his skin on Friday before the pressure was ramped up by the Spaniard’s Sprint success on Saturday. Much as it has done in the season’s final three months, the championship pendulum swung back and forth between the two, almost by the session. Yet once again the 25-year old Italian maintained his composure, saving his best for Sunday. After…

JUST ONE DAY after setting the fourth-fastest time at the post-season test on his debut with Gresini Ducati, Marc Marquez underwent surgery to correct arm pump, signalling his intentions to be in the best possible shape to fight for the 2024 title. The eight-time world champ’s 1m29.424s was just 0.171sec off Maverick Vinales’ (Aprilia Racing) best time of the day, but perhaps more worryingly was the fact that only the injured Aleix Espargaro posted fewer laps than Marquez – the Spaniard turning 49 laps compared to Vinales’ 86. ALL EYES WERE ON ROOKIE PEDRO ACOSTA, WHO FINISHED JUST 1.2SEC BEHIND Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) was the second-quickest rider, ahead of Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina VR46 Ducati) and Marquez, with less than one second covering the top 16 riders. All eyes…

CHARNOCK DOWN LEADING DIRT track racer Grant Charnock was seriously injured in a crash during the second day of the Victorian Dirt Track Championships at Broadford on 19 November. Grant was flown to Royal Melbourne Hospital where he has undergone surgery for his injuries which included spinal fractures causing pressure on his spinal cord, 15 fractured ribs and serious bleeding on his lungs. A gofundme page has been setup to assist his partner and kids. GO WEST! THE 2023 Australian Under 21 Speedway Championship staged at Tamworth on 18 November will be remembered for one of the most dramatic finals in history. Queensland rider Keynan Rew was unbeaten in the heats, joining him in the decider were Harrison Ryan, Tate Zischke and B Final winner Michael West. When Rew was…