Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 73 Issue 15 i Australian Motorcycle News

APRILIA’S MOTOGP bike has been at the forefront of aerodynamic development on two wheels over the past few years – often debuting solutions that rivals have rushed to copy – and there’s a growing bank of evidence in the form of patent applications to suggest Aprilia might bring some of the same thinking to its future street models. Patents are of little use in racing. They protect the commercial aspects of ideas, meaning rival companies can’t copy what you’re doing and sell their own version. But in prototype racing, like MotoGP, patent protection isn’t much help. For a start, competitors that copy ideas aren’t selling the resulting bikes to the public and profiting from them in that way, and, secondly and more importantly, it would be unsporting to try to…

THE LATEST batch of Chinese type-approvals also reveal that CFMoto has developed a smaller 250 CL-C to join its growing cruiser range. Rather than simply being a sleeved-down version of the 450 CL-C, the 250 CL-C has its own chassis, with a twin-shock rear end instead of the 450’s hidden monoshock and a shorter, 1470mm wheelbase. The 249cc parallel twin, borrowed from the 250NK and 250 CL-X and retuned for the cruiser application, is rated at 18.5kW (25hp), while the bike weighs in at only 165kg wet.…

I MEASURE in at 172cm and I didn’t find the Rally Pro unwieldy or overly tall. It’s relatively narrow and, although I had to plan where I was going to plant my feet, particularly when riding off-road, it wasn’t at all intimidating. At 228kg, the Rally Pro is by no means light and carries its kilos possibly higher in the chassis compared to some of the competition, but remains manageable for less experienced and short riders, while the turning circle at low speeds is reassuringly tight. In terms of suspension, there is a clear distinction between the Rally Pro and GT Pro. The Rally Pro has more suspension travel and while the large-diameter 21-inch front wheel slows the steering compared to the GT Pro, the Showa units are controlled, quality…

MotoGP is in the grip of a secret hi-tech revolution. Not downforce aerodynamics or ride-height adjusters, because we can see the aero and see bikes change shape as they exit corners. This revolution is secret because it’s mostly invisible. It’s taking place on computer servers and data clouds in the garages of MotoGP teams and in manufacturers’ race departments. The revolution is artificial intelligence and its close relations computer simulations, neural networks, machine learning and geometric deep learning. They’re useful for MotoGP teams because they have the ability to crunch the numbers and think better, faster and more originally than humans. And it’s only really happening now thanks to developments which allow the vast amount of data required to be captured, analysed and acted upon incredibly quickly. When modern MotoGP…

Anthony Gobert was the very antithesis of a modern professional racer. In every way, except for one. He was really, really fast. The sad yet unexpectedly affirmative story of his roller-coaster career and cruelly shortened life could have been so different. Anthony, who died on 17 January aged just 48, was supremely talented, but ultimately fatally flawed. Addiction to alcohol, heroin and almost every other substance going undermined every triumph. But it sure was a wild ride. It is a sad story, yet perversely has positive elements. For all the things he did right and all the others he did wrong, “Goey” did it his way, with total personal integrity. He never stopped short of excess, and had all the highs and lows you’d expect. Somewhat inevitably racing turned its…

9-10 FEBRUARY Redback Rally, Charlton, Victoria. Presented by Sketa Grimshaw Tourers Motorcycle Club. Follow the signs in town to the rally site, 7km out along Boort Rd. Entry $30 at the gate or $25 prepaid, includes badge. Gates open noon Friday. Fully catered, live bands Friday and Saturday nights, entertainment, trophies and gymkana.No BYO, No Glass. See the website at www.redbackrally.com.au for details. 10-11 FEBRUARY Karuah River Rally, Frying Pan Creek campground, Chichester State Forest, near Dungog NSW. Back-to-basics rally with awards Saturday afternoon. BYO everything. Entry and badge $30. Nearest supplies available in Dungog with directions signposted in Chichester Forest involving about 14k of reasonable dirt roads. Check the Bank Hotel, Dungog for a map nearer the date. NB: if fire or weather risks close Frying Pan Creek, an…

ANTHONY WEST and the Addicted to Track team have capitalised on their decision to compete in the 2023-24 New Zealand Superbike Championship and currently sit in the box seat in the title chase with two rounds remaining. West started his campaign back in December’s Round 2, held at Manfeild on the North Island, and came away with the overall win aft er notching up two victories and a second place. NZ SBK stalwarts, the Rees family, were his toughest opposition with defending champion Mitch taking the opening race while his 56-year-old dad Tony took pole position. “I had never really had much to do with the New Zealand championship so I didn’t know what to expect. It’s kind of like being in Australia 20 years ago – nothing is a…

The Summer Night Series at Sydney Motorsport Park is in its fourth year and it’s been very successful. Why? The format is the secret. Short, sharp races, run back-to-back. I think the riders enjoy it because they’re not sitting around for two or three hours in between events. It also means your whole weekend isn’t taken up. You can get to the track at 5.30pm and leave at 11pm – riders can go home to their families or do other things on the weekend. Not racing the whole weekend should also make it a bit easier on the wallet? It’s a little bit cheaper. You’re still using tyres and paying an entry fee but because the races are shorter and run over a few hours you might only need one set…

Semi-active electronic suspension is rapidly becoming a must-have technology for any bike aimed at the high-end touring market and CFMoto is working to take the idea a step farther with a system that ‘reads’ the road surface ahead before you even reach it. The Chinese company has filed a patent application for a system that uses a front-facing camera to photograph the road ahead, allowing the on-board computer to analyse it, decide an appropriate damper setting and electronically tweak the suspension, all in a fraction of a second before you actually reach that section of asphalt. It’s not an entirely new concept. Mercedes introduced a similar set-up in some high-end cars a decade ago, using stereo cameras in the windscreen to monitor the road and adjust the suspension settings. And…

CFMoto’s engineers have been spotted testing a fully-faired sportsbike based on the company’s KTM-powered 800NK roadster at a track in China – even putting it through its paces back-to-back against a Yamaha R7. The heavily-disguised test mule wore the typical black-and-white distraction camouflage wrap used on prototypes, but its roots as an 800NK-based machine were clear. The KTM LC8c engine, for instance, could be seen, as could the standard 800NK’s exhaust and chassis. Even the fuel tank and tail were shared with the 800NK. CFMoto itself hinted at a sportier version of the 800NK last year, showing the track-biased 800NK GP concept (pictured) at the EICMA expo in Milan, and a faired ‘SR’ version of the bike clearly fits with the brand’s model range, which already includes both NK and…

BENELLI’S 754CC parallel twin is the centrepiece of several of its current models including the 752 S roadster, the Leoncino 800 and the Leoncino 800 Trail but its days seem to be numbered as an upgraded 904cc version has appeared in new type-approval documents. Debuting in the roadster model – to be renamed 902 S to suit the larger engine (that name comes from ‘900cc’ and ‘2-cylinders’ despite the actual engine capacity coming in at 904cc), the updated model promises substantially more performance than the model it will replace. According to the Chinese approval documents that revealed its existence, the 902 S makes 77kW (103hp), up from 56kW (75hp) for the current model, thanks to an engine that’s bored out from 88mm to 92mm and stroked from 62mm to 68mm.…

Harley-Davidson will bring back the classic Hydra-Glide name on a new model destined to join its big-engine range, but it was curiously missing from the company’s recent launch of its 2024 line-up. Powered by the latest 114ci (1868cc) version of the Milwaukee-Eight V-twin, its existence has been confirmed by documents filed with the California Air Resources Board, stating that it meets that state’s strict emissions limits. The model’s full name, Harley-Davidson Hydra-Glide Revival, suggests it’s set to be the latest addition to Harley’s Icons Collection – a stable of limited-edition machines that was launched in 2021. Another model we expected which did appear was a CVO version of the Pan America adventure bike. While other CVO models often get upsized, with more powerful engines than their mass-made equivalents, the CVO…

Largely funded by the huge brewery he owned in Lithgow, John Jones was a prominent member of the Royal Automobile Club, the NSW Light Car Club and the Sydney Bicycle Club. He was certainly a man-about-town, well versed in motoring matters. However it was John’s wife, Nina Eva Vida Jones, a strident motorsport competitor, who convinced her husband to establish a competitive hillclimb on their vast Zig Zag Park Estate near Lithgow. In no time at all Nina and John, driving their his-and-hers Darracq open-wheelers, were joined by fellow enthusiasts such as Jimmy O’Rourke in his Brescia Bugatti and Cec Weatherby on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle. These social carnivals for Sydney’s motoring gentry soon became the place to be seen, attracting an even bigger crowd of motorists and motorcyclists up the…

One reaches a certain age in life when the idea of rumbling down the highway in relative luxury, with all the modern conveniences and a profusion of belongings on board becomes appealing. Like a lot of us, I’m in denial about getting old, so I prefer to chase those thoughts from my head, but the thought of life with a tourer was made all the harder to shoo away sitting comfortably atop BMW’s R 1250 RT. I tested the RT on one of Australia’s most-travelled routes: Sydney to Melbourne. I took the Hume Highway down to Victoria to test how well it handled the drudgery of that torrid length of road and then headed home via Shepparton, Narrandera, Cowra and Bathurst to put a few corners and country road craters…

No contest. The most spectacular, closest-fought, most entertaining and surely most implausible road-racing series being staged anywhere in the world isn’t MotoGP, WorldSBK or even BSB. Instead, it’s very definitely MotoAmerica’s King of the Baggers, which in 2023 took hold of the public’s imagination like never before. Last season was the year Harley-Davidson and Indian really went at it, with racked-up budgets and ramped-up performance from a breed of motorcycle which was never intended to go anywhere near a racetrack. But the thrilling, no-holds confrontation between America’s two most historic motorcycle brands meant bagger racing became a standout ingredient of the MotoAmerica race package. The fact that it was neither of the rival manufacturers’ own race teams which ended up dominating the series added fuel to the fire, for fast…

The little Honda CRF300Ls are in their element as we race up the gravel ladder. It’s the first time in weeks our bikes have had the chance to stretch their legs and chew dirt and they’re making the most of it. Alissa’s cheeky smile pokes out the side of her helmet as she blips the gas and spits stones from her rear tyre to stop me from overtaking. We get on the footpegs, wring the throttles and the single-cylinder engines purr in excitement. It’s as if we’re releasing these machines back into the wild and onto the terrain they were built for. We make it to the last rung and finally reach the viewpoint over Salmon Glacier – the largest glacier in the world accessible by road. We saw a…

*Provisional **Subject to homologation ROAD RACING ST GEORGE MCC SUMMER NIGHT SERIES Rd4 9-10 Feb, SMSP, NSW AUSTRALIAN SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP Rd1 23-25 Feb, Phillip Island GP Circuit Rd2 22-23 Mar, Sydney Motorsport Park Rd3 26-28 Apr, Queensland Raceway Rd4 12-14 Jul, Morgan Park Raceway Rd5 7-8 Sep, Phillip Island GP Circuit Rd6 4-6 Oct, One Raceway (formerly Wakefield) Rd7 8-10 Nov, Shell V-Power Motorsport Park SA BLU CRU OCEANIA JUNIOR CUP Rd1 22-23 Mar, Cydney Motorsport Park Rd2 26-28 Apr, Queensland Raceway Rd3 12-14 Jul, Morgan Park Raceway Rd4 4-6 Oct, One Raceway (formerly Wakefield) Rd5 TBA Rd6 8-10 Nov, Shell V-Power Motorsport Park SA AUSTRALIAN SIDECAR CHAMPIONSHIP Rd1 2-4 Mar, Collie WA Rd2 16-17 Mar, Shell V-Power Motorsport Park Rd3 6-7 Jul, Sydney Motorsport Park Rd4 15-16 Sep, Phillip…

1 BOOT SCOOTIN’ Moto National $425 1300 885 355 falcoboots.com.au The Fenix 3 Air features a Micro-Synth upper and Air-Tech ventilated lining. It offers articulation through a dual-joint pivoting system, has hexagon ventilation on shin, heel and rear calf plates, D3O ankle cups inserts, replaceable black-zinc slider. High-grip rubber racing sole. Sizes 41-47. 2 WHAT A BARRY! Raw Creative Publishing Aust. $18 (each); $50 (set) na barrythebike.com The fourth book in the Barry the Bike series is now available. The books allow those with a passion for classic motorcycles to share their interest with young children. Author Jeremy Furness and illustrator Mary Ann Furness say the feedback from libraries, teachers and parents has been highly positive. 3 STAND UP Link International $159.95 (07) 3382 5000 linkint.com.au Front and rear La…

“I WOULD MUCH RATHER HAVE THE CHANCE TO TEST MYSELF AT THAT LEVEL REGULARLY THAN CLING ONTO THE UNBEATEN STREAK” LEAVING MY wife Alicja and baby daughter Solen, who was born in early November, back in Poland for four weeks was tough but winning another Australian speedway championship has certainly made the trip worthwhile. Winning the Australian Senior Solo title was always my primary goal and I knew I had to be consistent and try to make as many finals as possible to keep the pressure on. I made all the finals by winning all my semi-finals, but it was not easy because of the strong opposition headed by Max Fricke. Even going into the Gillman final five points adrift I tried to take it race by race and not…

CFMOTO SHOWED a baby bobber concept in the form of the CL-C Low Ride at EICMA last year – based on the 450 CL-C cruiser but with a single seat and a clever girder front suspension system. Now the first image of the production version has been leaked – albeit without that weird front suspension. The new version takes the same stripped-back retro approach and, while it’s not as low or fat-tyred as the Low Ride concept, the main styling cues are the same, as are the main frame and the 30kW, 449cc parallel-twin engine. But at the back there’s a single, tractor-style saddle and the rear fender is swapped for a close-fitting design that lightens the look of the rear end and emphasises the gap between the seat and…

IT’S INCREASINGLY hard to keep up with the ever-growing array of Chinese motorcycle companies that are springing up. Now we can add another to the list as Chongqing Yingang, which sells bikes under the YGMotor name, is preparing a new 500cc twin. YGMotor isn’t exactly a household name, but the company has been around since 1990, initially making engine parts and later moving into making complete bikes, albeit small-capacity ones. At the moment, the brand’s line-up comprises 50cc, 110cc, 125cc, 150cc, 200cc and 300cc singles, as well as some small electric bikes, across a range of styles from retro to scooter to off-road. Outside its homeland the company has perhaps been noticed mainly for its range of ‘Monster’ minibikes, which ape the styling of the Ducatis of the same name…

INDIAN’S TOP-SHELF Elite range looks set to grow with the addition of the Roadmaster Elite, which has yet to be revealed but has been type-approved in both the US and Europe as a 2024 model. The approval details show that, like other Elite models, the Roadmaster Elite won’t get additional performance. Euro approvals show a top speed of 174km/h, a peak power of 68.4kW (91.7hp) at 4300rpm and max torque of 170.5Nm at 3000rpm, all numbers that exactly match the other 2024-spec Roadmaster variants. The same applies to the length, width, height and mass, which match the existing Roadmaster Limited and Dark Horse models. Like the Limited and Dark Horse, the Elite has a 19-inch front and 16-inch rear wheel, as opposed to the 17-inch front, 16-inch rear combo of…

For 2024 Triumph has streamlined its Tiger range into three models. The Tiger GT comes with a 19-inch front wheel and is available in two variants; the GT and GT Pro, fundamentally a base model and a full-spec version of the same bike. For those seeking more off-road potential, there is the Tiger Rally Pro, with a 21-inch front wheel and more off-road biased suspension which AMCN is attending the Aussie launch of in a couple of weeks time. The Rally is only available as a high-spec Pro version, there is no base model, and all three models benefit from the same performance improvements and share the same peak power and torque. Peak power has increased for 2024, a jump of 9.5kW (12.7hp) to 79.5kW (106.6hp), along with a 3Nm…

IF YOU’RE looking for a tourer with sporting ability of the German persuasion you may have been looking at BMW’s K 1600 GT (AMCN Vol 72 No 17). At $40,750, the RT seems like a better buy than the $45,600 GT because of its higher level of equipment, but there are a few points to consider that could sway your choice. Firstly, despite the GT’s extra weight, it handles as well if not better than the RT. But most importantly, the GT has the gorgeous six-cylinder engine. The RT has less power and torque; 100kW (136hp) and 143Nm for the RT versus 118kW (158hp) and 180Nm for the GT, and then there’s the glorious sound of the 1600cc six. If you’re more interested in go than gadgets, it has to…

MotoGP’s most exciting bike switch since Valentino Rossi left Yamaha 13 years ago was always going to be greeted with anticipation. But Marc Marquez – and his new team – tried their best to quash the sky-high expectations surrounding their chances for 2024 at Gresini Ducati’s presentation in Riccione, Italy. The eight-time world champion was adamant “getting into the top five” is his current objective as he prepares himself for arguably the most crucial of his long and decorated 11-year premier class career. To think of fighting for the championship this early, he said, was futile: “The last two years I wasn’t able to win a race,” he said. “Of course expectations are super high from the people watching,” he acknowledged in his first time wearing Gresini’s baby-blue livery. “But…

“BUT IF MAXIMUM STIFFNESS WASN’T RIGHT, NOR WAS RANDOM FLIP-FLOP FLEXIBILITY” IT’S ENCOURAGING to view MotoGP as important for research and development – advancing motorcycle design as warfare accelerates technological progress. In truth, development has always been hostage to regulations, never more so than with today’s dumbing down into cost-saving conformity… not even cylinder bore size is free. Advances have been confined to minor (if important) aerodynamics and active ride-height adjustment. But 2023 did see something fundamental: KTM’s carbon-fibre chassis – but hardly an innovation. Carbon fibre was first used in the 1980s. It fell out of favour for probably all the wrong reasons – for in racing convention outranks invention. Copy, but improve. Early non-metallic efforts came from Britain. Notably from the-then independent Suzuki team as the factory had…

REIGNING WORLDSSP Champion Nicolo Bulega (aruba.it Ducati) smashed his new opposition and the lap record during the recent two-day WorldSBK test at Jerez. On qualifying rubber, the Italian posted a 1m37.809s meaning he was an impressive 0.536sec quicker than the next best rider, new Pata Yamaha rider and six-time world champ Jonathan Rea. Scott Redding won a fight, almost literally at the end as he clashed with his former official BMW squad teammate Michael van der Mark, as Redding took a strong third place in the rankings. And what about reigning and double world champion Alvaro Bautista. He is still dealing with the neck and back injuries he suffered at the end of last year, and was a remarkably lowly 17th fastest rider on track (albeit net 16th as Stefan…