Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 73 Issue 16 i Australian Motorcycle News

“AS IS ALWAYS THE CASE, THERE IS A LOT OF ANTICIPATION PRIOR TO THE START OF ANY SEASON” THE START of the 2024 racing season is well and truly upon us with ASBK and WorldSBK kicking off at Phillip Island next weekend, and MotoGP recently testing at Sepang with some riders throwing down super-fast times. As is always the case, there is a lot of anticipation prior to the start of any racing season, to see how different riders will perform on different bikes, and what sort of development has gone on throughout the off-season, and how it will affect lap times and competitiveness. In the case of WorldSBK, world champ Alvaro Bautista’s new teammate Nicolo Bulega has been the standout in preseason testing, and it will be interesting to…

CFMoto’s close ties with KTM have already led to the development of the 800MT adventure tourer and 800NK roadster based around the Austrian company’s 799cc parallel-twin engine. Now a third model – the 800MT-X – looks certain to join them. The Chinese brand showed the ‘MT-X’ concept at last year’s EICMA show in Milan in an adventure bike with more serious off-road capabilities than the existing 800MT, but powered by the same engine. Now design registrations have been published that show a production-spec version is heading for showrooms. The 800MT-X borrows even more from KTM than the LC8c parallel-twin engine, also adopting the signature low-slung, side-mounted fuel tank arrangement. Although not identical components, the result is a very similar stance to the KTMs, and the same benefits in terms of…

The X range is a big deal for Harley-Davidson. When the old LAMS-compliant Street 500 was available in Australia between 2015 and 2020, it regularly fought for best-selling spot in the Harley-Davidson line-up with the brand’s popular Breakout, and so the new X350 and X500 models couldn’t come soon enough. Making a return to the budget-price entry-level market is a no brainer for Harley-Davidson, not just for the immediate sales volume, but also to retain those buyers as they progress from their provisional licences to full licences, hopefully going on to buy larger capacity and more expensive models in the years to come. And when I say budget-price, I mean it. At $8495 ride away, the X350 is by far the most affordable new Harley on the market, undercutting the…

The Rally is truly a DesertX on steroids, a road-legal ready-to-race bike with beefed-up, long-travel KYB suspension and little in terms of componentry and intent to separate it from the machine that won the twin-cylinder class of the recent Iron Road Prologue at the Erzbergrodeo. Its styling cues shift somewhat from desert raider to enduro – note the high-mount front mudguard – while paintless mass-coloured plastics and a forged carbon bashplate signal a tougher, more durable machine expected to take a few hits. Like the base DesertX, the Rally is powered by the eminently versatile 937cc Testastretta 11° L-twin, which produces 81kW (108hp) at 9250rpm and 92Nm at 6500rpm. Ducati’s two-way quickshifter is standard and service intervals are every two years or every 15,000km, with valve clearance checks at 30,000km.…

TRAVIS AND his brother Kyle are two of the few MotoAmerica riders with experience in ASBK. They competed at Phillip Island and The Bend in 2022 and currently compete in King of the Baggers and Super Hooligans – with Travis this year joining Team Saddlemen on a satellite Harley-Davidson. “I was pumped for Troy when I heard the news. Such a good dude! I think he will do really well, especially in Super Hooligans because it’s back to his Supermoto roots,” Wyman told AMCN. “No doubt he’s a super talented rider. I think given a proper superbike ride he could run up front with the boys. But the Baggers are a different animal, learning to manage the weight is key. “The bike weighs 280kg with no traction control or electronic…

RACING WHAT, WHERE & WHEN ROAD RACING 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 Island GP Circuit MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Rd1 10 Mar, Losail,…

“SOME BASTARD MUST’VE HIT KONI UP FOR SUSPENSION AND NOT PICKED THEM UP” SO I’VE been flopping around wondering what to do about the new Super Glide’s suspension. Flopping is the right word. Harley gets lots of things right but their standard springs are crap and damping is what happens in your pants on corners. Now before I get dragged out by the HOG club I’d better mention that my ‘new’ Harley is a 2012 model. No doubt yours is way better… When I bought my first Super Glide in 1980 it came with shit suspension so I’d ordered a set of Konis. That’s what we did back in the 1970s, 80s and 90s too for that matter. You bought a bike, Honda Four, Kwaka Nine, Suzi Waterbottle, whatever, then…

The more things change, the more they stay the same. That much could be said of MotoGP and its five factories as they showcased a winter’s worth of work across six sweaty days of testing – three for the Shakedown, three for the official – at Sepang. Each factory could leave Malaysia feeling optimistic thanks to an array of ridiculously fast times. But the manufacturer hierarchy established last year, with Ducati clearly leading the way, remains intact for the time being at least. Parts of the track which had been resurfaced before last November’s MotoGP were now fully bedded in. And three days of Shakedown testing meant there was already plenty of grippy Michelin rubber laid down when the test began on 6 February. Even so, that didn’t fully explain…

PROVING HIS versatility, Anthony West has come away from Round 5 of the New Zealand Superbike Championship with a win and two second-place finishes. The penultimate round was held over two days at the recent Burt Munro Challenge in weather conditions so changeable that Saturday’s racing had to finish early. After just 30 laps on Teretonga Circuit, a track he’d never seen before, West qualified second against New Zealand's top Superbike riders. He then went under the lap record in his races battling with series favourite Mitch Rees. The pair swapped lap record times over the two days with Rees coming out on top with the overall win and lap record. West and his Addicted to Track Yamaha R1 team will now focus on the ASBK opener at Phillip Island before…

With the debut of the steel-framed CB1000 Hornet at last year’s EICMA show – set to reach production later in 2024 and powered by a detuned version of the 2019-spec Fireblade engine – it would be easy to believe that the CB1000R is headed for retirement, but new patents from Honda hint that it might instead be going farther upmarket with a new generation. We first got a glimpse of this design back in 2022 when earlier patents were filed but the latest documents show more detail of the bodywork and headlight. This confirms that, while it uses the same basic engine design as the new CB1000 Hornet, the next-gen CB1000R is a very different machine. The designs clearly show an aluminium frame, not the steel-framed CB1000 Hornet, and one…

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to keep me riding on a fast bike in between races overseas” As well as racing both the King of the Baggers and Super Hooligan classes as part of the 2024 Moto America series, Troy Herfoss has signed a development rider deal with Gold Coast-based Desmosport Ducati for the 2024 ASBK season. CLASSIC GASSIT! MENTAL TWISTIES This issue’s recipient of the swish AMCN neck sock is Howard Neely from Arcadia, NSW. 1. Extra person 2. Orange beanie 3. Extra E in logo 4. Extra pole 5. Light flipped HOT & NOT AMCN’S THERMOMETER ROADS TO RECOVERY As well as confirming his entry into the 2024 Isle of Man TT, Lee Johnston will make his racing return at this year’s Daytona 200 next month. HIGH-FIVE! South…

Covid may have forced the postponement of its 100th anniversary celebrations, but Moto Guzzi is making up for lost time. After the launch last year of the first bike based on its all-new water-cooled platform – the V100 Mandello – comes the Stelvio adventure tourer, which was actually designed and engineered alongside the Mandello. Given the weight the adventure segment has in global market terms, it’s surprising Guzzi’s owner Piaggio didn’t prioritise the Stelvio over the Mandello… but hey, better late than never. Because I soon understood on what was an exclusive ride on scenic, grippy and demanding mountain roads, this is a very significant bike that moves Moto Guzzi to the forefront of all-round everyday motorcycling. While the Australian price is yet to be confirmed, in Europe – at…

Australia has a long and proud history within the Superbike World Championship. It was the series that elevated Mick Doohan to greatness, it was the very first road-racing world championship round ever to be hosted on Australian soil and a series in which Australians have celebrated nine individual world championships. No less than 18,000 spectators lined Oran Park Raceway when Australia played host to the eighth and penultimate round of the inaugural Superbike World Championship in 1988, and they all knew we had something special when 23-year-old wildcard Mick Doohan grabbed pole position, the fastest lap and both race wins. Troy Bayliss is our most successful Superbike campaigner with three world championships (2001, 2006, 2008) and a runner-up (2002), followed closely by Troy Corser with two Superbike titles (1996, 2005),…

It’s hard to believe, but Phillip Island has played host to more rounds of the Superbike World Championship than any other circuit and the 2024 event will mark the 33rd time the production-based world championship has battled on its hallowed ground. There’s plenty to see and do around the place during the three-day weekend, too, and with much better weather – and far fewer rules! – than the MotoGP round in October, there’s really no excuse for not getting yourself to the Island next weekend. GET YER TICKETS There’s a range of general-admission ticketing options ranging from $40 for a pre-purchased Friday ticket through to $180 for a three-day pass purchased at the gate. If you want a Bar SBK pass, you need to pre-purchase it and it’ll cost you…

When Garry Taylor, former manager of the Suzuki Grand Prix team, died on 30 January at the age of 74, it marked the end of an era. Taylor was the last British team manager in motorcycle GP racing, at the head of the last England-based factory team. He was also a noted paddock character, a gifted raconteur, an important talent-spotter, and the instantly recognisable figure who not only worked with Barry Sheene at the height of his fame, but also with Kevin Schwantz throughout the Texan’s glittering grand prix career. Finally, he took on Kenny Roberts Junior, giving Suzuki an unexpected last two-stroke title, and the first by the son of a former champion. To many inside racing, the affable and unflappable Englishman’s most notable success, showing a core of…

06 THINGS YOU NEED 1 FIVE STUNTS Moto National $129.95 1300 885 355 five.motonational.com.au The Stunt Evo 2 from Five is made from stretch twill span fabric up top with an AirgoProtech knuckle protector, while the palm is made from supple goat leather with an ErgoProtech palm slider. Features include a neoprene wristband, Velcro closure and touchscreen compatible thumb and index finger. 2 EURO BREED Whites Powersports Australia From $185 (03) 8720 6000 whitesmoto.com.au The Eurogrip Roadhound is a sport-touring tyre targeted at sportsbikes, touring bikes and nakeds. It has a zero-degree steel belt for high-performance riding, an advanced tri-polymer tread compound with high-structure carbon, widely spread grooves for wet-road grip and is claimed to offer good durabilty and mileage. 3 ON GUARD Barkbusters $149.95 (02) 4271 8244 barkbusters.net A…

“YOU HAD TO BE OVER 16 TO DO A TRACKDAY, SO WE DIDN’T BOTHER GETTING INVOLVED” WE HAD no intention of buying a Superbike, we were actually looking at getting hold of another Yamaha YZF-R6. A 2022 model YZF-R1 M popped up on an online auction with 6000km on the clock. So here we were, ending up with an R1 instead of an R6! I was initially just going to do trackdays but the situation quickly escalated. It felt like an easy bike to ride, even though I had most of the electronics dialled down. Coming from a dirt-track background I was used to steering with the rear. On my second trackday I was dipping into the 32s at Sydney Motorsport Park and we thought “wow, we haven’t done anything…

THE MOTUL Summer Night Series is over for another year, with the final double header held over 9-10 February at SMSP where Josh Brookes (Livson / FHO Racing BMW) rounded out a successful BSB off-season by taking out the overall F1 Unlimited trophy. However, the improving form of Mike Jones puts Yamaha's lead rider in a strong position ahead of the upcoming ASBK opener. Brookes has not only been unwavering in his support for the series but also produced some stunning victories and steadfast determination to stay on track, revelling especially in his duel with second-placed emerging star Max Stauffer (GTR MotoStars). “I really have to thank my boss, Faye Ho, who contributes to the costs of racing in Australia,” said Brookes. “Also thanks to everybody that comes to watch…

SEVERAL CHANGES have been introduced for the 2024 Speedway Grand Prix series – most significantly qualifying practice sessions will take on greater significance at two of the 11 rounds. The fastest riders timed in practice sessions has previously dictated the order in which riders can select their riding numbers for the meeting, but that appears to have had little influence on the outcome of meetings and the championship overall. But this year, at the two flagship rounds at Warsaw and Cardiff, there will be some championship points to race for after the normal practice sessions with the introduction of a high-stakes sprint race. The new format sees the 16 competing riders drawn into four groups of four and they will bid to set the fastest lap time over two blocks…

CFMoto is on a roll at the moment with a host of new models in the works including a range of combustion-engined sportsbikes expected to include a four-cylinder 500SR, a three-cylinder 675SR and a twin-cylinder 800SR to sit above the existing 300SR and 450SR. Now it looks like an electric model is on the cards after a patent application was filed illustrating a battery-powered version of the 450SR. The design isn’t CFMoto’s first electric model. The company already makes the battery-powered Nova Papio minibike and, for its Chinese domestic market, has designed the 300GT-E as an electric sports-tourer with police use in mind. It also recently launched the Zeeho spin-off brand dedicated purely to electric scooters and city bikes. But the new patent shows a different approach. While the 300GT-E…

THIS CUTTING-EDGE driving assistance platform is built on 4D Imaging Radar technology and was developed by Piaggio Fast Forward, a robotics expert based in Boston, Mass. founded in 2015 by the Piaggio Group. These devices play a key role on the active safety front, providing the Following Cruise Control (FCC), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) and Lane Change Assist (LCA) functions. FCC represents an advanced cruise control system that utilises the front radar to adapt the speed based on the vehicle in front. The FCW uses the front radar to identify potential collisions, BLIS serves to notify the rider of vehicles located in the blind spots, while the LCA function continuously scans the area up to 30m behind the motorcycle, also identifying vehicles approaching from the…

Team Aruba.it Racing Ducati Riders Alvaro Bautista & Nicolo Bulega Alvaro Bautista goes for a hat-trick of championships this year. He will get penalised by around 6.5kg under new combined weight rules but he and every Ducati rider will regain the 500rpm peak revs they all lost under the previous balancing protocols. Is it better to have max revs or to keep the same weight? Extra revs and a few extra kilos seems to be the go. Testing has been steady for Bautista (especially compared to his rookie teammate) after suffering his end of season neck, back and arm injury. It has affected his winter training preparations, as he freely admits. Those injuries were real issues, but is he, even partially, sandbagging after the Christmas break? He set a series…

AFTER SHOWING some occasional flashes of real pace on the YART Yamaha YZF-R6 last year, and finishing second overall in the European-only WorldSSP Challenge, Tom Edwards joins fellow Aussie Oli Bayliss in the D34G squad for a crack at the WorldSSP Challenge again. This may be Edwards’ best opportunity yet to make a bigger dent in the overall WorldSSP rankings, especially as the Ducati seems to work for a variety of riders. “I’m very excited to be joining the D34G racing team next season and to be staying in the WorldSBK paddock,” said Tom. “I made a lot of progress towards the end of last season, and I’m looking forward to keeping that momentum going. I’m confident that the team and I will work well together and be competitive. It’ll…

“I’m f***ing not.” That was the answer Troy Herfoss gave crew chief Paul Free when he asked his Penrite Honda Racing rider if he was okay, in tears and lying in a Darwin hospital after a horrific crash into a concrete barrier in 2021. The long breaks that typically punctuate the ASBK season were now an ally, with Herfoss enduring seemingly endless rehabilitation to claw his way back into race-winning form by the end of 2022. But he was far from convinced he could challenge for a title in 2023. Herfoss started the season like everyone else; trapped in the wake of the McMartin Ducati V4 R ridden by its new signing, three-time champion Josh Waters. Waters, who had sensationally pulled the pin on a ride with NextGen Motorsports BMW…

There’s no doubting Troy Herfoss’ 2008 AMA Supermoto championship will put the three-time Australian Superbike champ in good stead to tackle the 2024 Super Hooligan National Championship on the factory-backed Indian FTR1200, but nothing could have prepared the 37-year-old for his King Of The Baggers campaign. “These bikes have more grunt than I’ve ever experienced,” Herfoss told AMCN after getting his first taste of the S&S Indian Challenger at the Eagles Canyon Raceway in Texas recently. “To give you an idea, our Superbikes measure our 0-100km/h time. A really good Superbike start would be 2.85 or 2.9 seconds. My first ever dump of the clutch on the Bagger was 2.6 seconds – that’s over two-tenths better. “I can’t be sure, but I have a feeling it’s the next quickest thing…

A RIDER pairing that would have changed racing history was thwarted in 1989 – in an intervention by Barry Sheene. An untold story was confirmed at Goodwood last year, when Mick Doohan revealed to Kevin Schwantz that they were almost teammates. He had a verbal agreement with Garry Taylor to join Suzuki, when it was gazumped by Honda. Sheene, living in Australia, told Mick that Honda was a better bet, and promised to fix the situation. Taylor told me recently: “Barry called me, said that Mick was very superstitious, and had dreamed that joining Suzuki would be very dangerous.” Taylor knew it was nonsense, but – always pragmatic – had no option. “A contract is worthless if either party doesn’t want to keep it,” he said. In Mick’s place on the…

“A MISTAKE TO DRAW ANY BUT THE MOST BASIC CONCLUSIONS FROM PRESEASON TESTING” WHAT’S IN the wind for the 76th season of MotoGP? (Apart from belated celebrations of the first 75… a landmark that caught Dorna napping.) Well – you name it. Wings and winglets, scoops and scooplets, seat superstructures and bulging shapes that suggest the fairings are suffering from middle-aged spread and creeping obesity. There were a few surprises when the latest bikes broke cover for the opening tests at Malaysia, not least that Pedro Acosta was second-fastest (to Jorge Martin) on only the first day; while Marc Marquez languished in ninth, half-a-second slower. A gap that could be accounted for by rookie Acosta having had three pre-test shake-down days, where he was impressively fastest. And even more because…