Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 73 Issue 18 i Australian Motorcycle News

“A 10TH PLACE FINISH IN HIS MOTO3 DEBUT IS AN INCREDIBLE RESULT –AND HOW ABOUT HERFOSS?!” WELL, THAT was certainly an intense weekend of GP racing. While we all had our preseason theories on how the 2024 MotoGP season might kick off, I don’t think any of us really expected Francesco Bagnaia to romp home with the first win of the season by an impressive 1.329 seconds… especially after Jorge Martin scored pole and the win in Saturday’s Sprint. One thing most of us would have predicted, however, is that the Ducatis would be fast and the KTMs and Aprilias would be the other machines to take the fight to the bikes from Bologna. And that turned out to be partially correct, with Brad Binder showing that the work KTM…

Yamaha is already among the few manufacturers to be competing with an electric motorcycle in the form of its TY-E 2.1 trials bike but it’s working on an electric motocrosser that could go head-to-head with petrol bikes and Honda’s CR Electric Proto. A new patent application from the company specifically says it’s intended for an electric motocross machine, and shows a powertrain based on the TY-E’s design but with a revised transmission. The TY-E is unusual for an electric bike as it has a conventional clutch and flywheel. It’s important on a trials bike because the flywheel can be kept spinning when the machine is stationary, adding a gyroscopic effect for balance, and it’s used as a power store to allow the sudden punches of acceleration needed to jump between…

‘Wildman’, ‘crazy’, and ‘crasher’ were some of the descriptions thrown at Yvon Duhamel during his rough and tumble career. Born in Montreal in 1939, Duhamel’s love affair with two wheels started aged 13 when he opened a small backyard bicycle shop. His first taste of competition came with ice racing when he was 17. He took up dirt-tracking in 1959, kicking off his reputation as a real hard-charger. By the mid-1960s he had turned his hand to road racing at Loudon, New Hampshire. Duhamel debuted at Daytona in 1967 on a Fred Deeley Yamaha 250. A quick learner, he won the Lightweight race at the Florida tri-oval in 1968 and again in 1969. Riding a Yamaha 350, Duhamel had helped create history in 1968 when he finished second behind Cal…

I’m sitting in the starter’s hands about to launch. I increase the revs but squeeze both brakes on hard so that the CVT transmission doesn’t lurch me forward. My first obstacle in what I’m going to call the Half-Harted Gymkhana is to hook a full loop around a tight-ish circle of witches hats while Honda’s marketing coordinator Sophie Munday stands in the centre shooting two fully loaded quick-fire Nerf guns at me before I spear off to tackle the slalom. I’m calling it the Half-Harted Gymkhana because not only is it being held on Honda’s HART training range in the outer northern suburbs of Melbourne, but we’re riding Honda’s newly introduced pintsized runabout that feels like it’s about half the size of a regular bike. I reckon I could have…

Back in 2005, the 990cc was the first Super Duke, but here we are some 19 years later and the so-called midsized Duke has reached the capacity of the original Super Duke. Back then it made 89kW (119hp), now it makes 92kW (123hp). To be honest I expected more, however the new Duke is about 12kg lighter, way more efficient and would run rings around the old V-twin. After recently giving an 890 Duke R a good thrashing through some of my local twisties, I was pretty keen to see how KTM would improve on the already excellent package for the Duke’s 30th birthday. I expected some minor changes but was quite shocked to find that the 990 has received the highest amount of changes in the fleet – with…

These days it is not very often that I get the call up to ride a brand of motor cycle that I have not previously ridden, but that happened recently when I got the call from editor Deano to see if I was available to go and test the new Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro. As a former professional off-road racer, a large percentage of my motorcycle riding these days is on your traditional enduro bikes that are quite a lot smaller in overall size compared to your average adventure bike. However the last 12 months has seen me spend quite a bit of time crossing the Australian Outback on various brands and capacity adventure bikes. Seeing the Tiger 900 Rally Pro in the metal for the first time, my…

“Bayarlalaa,” I say to the waiter, thanking her for the steaming bowl of Mongolian dumplings placed on the table in front of me. I leave them untouched as I continue to monitor the MotoNomad Rally’s tracking portal on my phone. The youngest participant of the event had set off solo early in the morning from his campsite, and I can see that he made great time until 55km ahead of my current position in the dusty Gobi Desert village of Mandal-Ovoo. However he’s only moved 500m in the past two hours in the featureless and mostly flat desert – my mind goes straight to worst-case scenarios; is he injured, lost or worse? It’s in these moments I really start to question the idea of starting my own motorcycle rally with…

Bathurst was Australia’s first inland settlement the other side of the Blue Mountains, 200km northwest of Sydney, and its 1815 foundation coincided with the Battle of Waterloo. But the town is best known around the world as the venue for many memorable battles of the automotive kind, as the location of Australia’s most challenging and thrilling race circuit, the spectacular 6.1km Mount Panorama course first used in 1938, after motorcycle racing had begun on the nearby Vale circuit in 1931. Success in the annual Bathurst Easter weekend motorcycle races was for many decades the pinnacle of achievement for the products of the legendary Australian rider factory, interspersed with the occasional victory for their overseas rivals. The first such feat came when Kiwi Rod Coleman became the first non-Aussie to take…

06 THINGS YOU NEED 1 PUT THE BOOT IN Cassons Australia $399.95 (02) 8882 1900 cassonsmedia.com The Gaerne G.Dune AquaTech is a mid-calf adventure/touring boot made from abrasion-resistant leather with a DryTech waterproof membrane. It has ankle reinforcements, a toothed sole for off-road grip, buckle and Velcro closure system, and reflective details. It’s avaialable in sizes 43 to 47 (9 to 12). 2 CAMO TORQUE Link International $499.95 (03) 8720 6000 merlinbikegear.com.au The Merlin Torque is a modern hi-tech jacket with a casual hoodie silhouette. Features include a soft brushed polyester outer with Midnight Camo print, and a laminated back side with an 8k/5k waterproof/breathability rating. It comes with D3O armour in the elbows and shoulders, and there’s a back-protector pocket. Sizes S to 3XL. 3 RIPPER READ FBA Motoitaliane…

“HE HAD A STRONG VIEW THAT IF I DIDN’T START RACING 600S, HE WASN’T PREPARED TO CONTINUE COACHING ME” LAST YEAR I competed in the FIM Junior GP Stock class after my coach, Angel Poyatos, suggested I start racing 600s. I was a 300 rider but he disagreed with that path. Angel is a very well respected coach in Europe and has worked with riders like Joel Kelso, Collin Veijer, Ivan Guevara and Augusto Fernández. He had a strong view that if I didn’t start racing 600s, he wasn’t prepared to continue coaching me. In my first year I rode for the MRE Talent team based out of Madrid, Spain. We completed a test and they were very happy, as was I. The equipment and team were very impressive and…

Harley-Davidson has unveiled the fourth model in its ‘Icons’ series of limited-edition releases in the form of the Hydra-Glide Revival – a Heritage Classic-based machine that harks back to the first telescopic-fork Harley that was launched back in 1949. The original Hydra-Glide was named after its hydraulically-damped telescopic fork front end, as well as its use of hydraulic tappets in the Panhead engine that had been added to the range a year earlier in 1948. At the time other Harleys, like the bikes from many other brands, used girder forks allied to a hardtail rear end. Three quarters of a century on, every Harley-Davidson in the range uses hydraulic, telescopic forks, making the Hydra-Glide something of a landmark for the company, and one that it’s remembering with the Hydra-Glide Revival.…

BORING PATENT REVEALS BMW’S BRIGHT EV FUTURE There’s never a shortage of patents from BMW showing a broad spectrum of cunning ideas for future bikes – but this seemingly mundane one is actually a big hint towards the company’s EV future. This patent application illustrates a simple but elegant way of incorporating adjustable footpegs onto a bike, allowing quick changes in riding position without any tools or complicated components. It features footpegs that sit in slotted runners, allowing them to move forward or backwards. To prevent them from moving when you’re riding there’s a notched strip below that adjustment slot, and when the ’peg is folded into its normal position an extra stud on its inner face latches into one of the notches on that strip, locking it into place.…

In 1974 Ducati built 401 examples in its factory race shop of what auction sale prices now exceeding $A300,000 say is the most desirable of all the roadbike models it’s created. I’ve owned three of them, including the one I will race in the Formula 750 event at the upcoming Goodwood Members Meeting in the UK. That’s the green-frame 750SS, Ducati’s first-ever desmo V-twin model, a close cousin to the factory V-twin F750 racer with which Paul Smart gave himself the perfect 29th birthday present by famously winning the Imola 200. So that means my 750SS will be celebrating its 50th birthday this year – aptly coinciding with my personal 50th anniversary of a racing career, after I first took to the track in 1974 with a 250 Ducati single.…

WITH A LAND mass similar to the size of central and western Europe combined, half of Mongolia’s 3.3 million population lives in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar. Mongolia is both massive and remote. Beyond the city are vast areas of green rolling grasslands, dry barren deserts, dense forests, crystal-clear rivers and alpine mountains. Collectively owned by all citizens, private ownership of pastures in Mongolia is prohibited. The land is used by nomadic herders, who still live in traditional round felt-covered yurts known as gers. They’re a highly adaptive culture, disassembling their gers in a matter of hours as the seasons change, then moving their families and livestock to better pastures. Many people see the nomadic way of life as a sign of poverty. While their lives do have many challenges,…

NOT MANY motorcycle boots provide protection and comfort both on the bike and off it, but I reckon these Ixon Bull WP bulls have just about all bases covered. These lightweight sports-style boots are as comfortable as any work boots or runners that I’ve worn, and they look pretty schmick to boot (sorry). They are waterproof and breathable, and also feature an ‘ATOP’ metal cable closure system. The ATOP system means tightening and releasing the boots is simply a matter of turning the dial on the top – clockwise to tighten and anti-clockwise to release – and pulling across the top strap, which has a Velcro tab for added security. This system is quick and easy to use and, importantly, it means there are no shoe laces that could get…

AFTER REPEATED pleas from teams and riders, Michelin has lowered its minimum front tyre pressure from 1.88 bar to 1.80 bar for the 2024 season. Potential disqualifications for running under the pressure have been done away with. Now riders will receive a 16sec penalty if they’re under the minimum pressure for more than 60 percent of the race (it was 50percent in 2023). “Teams and riders asked us to lower the front tyre pressure,” said Michelin’s Head of Two-Wheel Motorsport Piero Taramasso. “We ran simulations, track by track and looked at the data from last year. We decided it was possible to lower the front tyre pressure from 1.88 bar to 1.80 bar.” On the change to 60 percent of the race, he added, “Now we take more risk so…

THE FIM MINIGP Australia series opened proceedings at Oakleigh Go Kart Track over 2-3 March. The two headline categories remain unchanged for 2024, with the 190cc event for 12-16 year-olds going to Levi Russo. Russo (Russo Performance) took out both races after snaring pole position, but it was Jake Paige (Livson Racing) who led the way in the opening race. On lap 7, Paige went down leaving Russo to ride away for a three-second victory. Jake’s older brother Bodie, who is also supported bv Livson Racing, battled his way through to second with Hudson Thompson (I&K Excavations) third. In the second race Jake Paige once again took an early lead, igniting a tight battle with Russo and Bodie. Russo made his move with just over two laps remaining, taking the…

ANTHONY WEST and the Addicted to Track team have completed a hard-fought New Zealand Superbike campaign, clinching the 2023-24 title by nine points from defending champion Mitch Rees after the final round held at Hampton Downs over 2-3 March. “Mitch didn’t let me have it easy and either one of us could have won it,” an elated West said afterwards. “It was 16 races over five weekends and it went right down to the last race.” The winning margin was a mere nine points, with the deciding factor being the choice of tyres by West for the final race. Rees had won the opening race on the Saturday and also the first race on Sunday, however heavy rain threatened to cancel the decider. Fortunately, the track dried sufficiently in time…

STAGED BY THE Panorama Motorcycle Club at the Bathurst Showground on 2 March, the 2024 meeting produced another programme full of excitement and drama with results of the 11 classes often in doubt until the checkered flag of finals or last rounds. It is difficult to single out ‘the star’ of the meeting, but one contender was the only rider to win two classes – Daniel Wicks who firstly won the Flat Track 19" final beating Jarred Brook and Cyshan Weale to do so. He then added success in the Unlimited 2-stroke final, very decisively, as he left Jacob Richardson and Bailey Spencer to provide the thrills with a titanic battle for second place. Another contender was Zane Keleher who was the most dominant winner giving no one else a…

Despite my promise to myself that I would get out and ride more in 2024, just for the fun of it, I haven’t been doing much of that on our long-term test CFMoto 450SR, which is a pity because the lightweight sporty is ideally suited to the twisty roads not far from my place. I did go on one run, however, that I managed to record in complete detail thanks to the CFMoto app that I downloaded to my phone. It showed my entire route overlayed on a map, along with other information such as trip time, trip distance, number of times the bike was subjected to rapid acceleration and deceleration, number of times I had it cranked over and (blurred for the sake of my licence) maximum speed. The…

MY TIME ON the track was cut short and I didn’t get a chance to ride the Evo. The Evo is special and is fitted with third-generation WP semi-active suspension, which has magnetic valves for adjusting the damping in real time based on sensors picking up the track surface and riding style. The five selectable modes are Auto, Comfort, Rain, Street and Sport. If you have Suspension Pro activated as part of the Tech Pack, you can also enable another two modes called Track and Pro. Suspension Pro allows electronic control of the preload to three auto-levelling settings called Low, Standard and High. It measures the weight of the rider and adjusts accordingly. There is also an anti-dive setting. And there’s Factory Start, too, that’ll automatically reduce preload to lower…

RACING WHAT, WHERE & WHEN ROAD RACING AUSTRALIAN SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP Rd2 22-23 Mar, Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW Rd3 26-28 Apr, Queensland Raceway, Qld Rd4 12-14 Jul, Morgan Park Raceway, Qld Rd5 7-8 Sep, Phillip Island GP Circuit, Vic Rd6 4-6 Oct, One Raceway, NSW Rd7 8-10 Nov, Shell V-Power Motorsport Park, SA BLU CRU OCEANIA JUNIOR CUP Rd1 22-23 Mar, Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW Rd2 26-28 Apr, Queensland Raceway, Qld Rd3 12-14 Jul, Morgan Park Raceway, Qld Rd4 4-6 Oct, One Raceway, NSW Rd5 TBA Rd6 8-10 Nov, Shell V-Power Motorsport Park, SA AUSTRALIAN SIDECAR CHAMPIONSHIP Rd2 16-17 Mar, Shell V-Power Motorsport Park, SA Rd3 6-7 Jul, Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW Rd4 15-16 Sep, Phillip Island GP Circuit, Vic INAUGURAL SOUTHERN CROSS CHALLENGE CUP 6-7 July, Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW…

“GRANT SAW THE NORTON GROWING COBWEBS, PLIED ME WITH ALCOHOL, AND STOLE IT OFF ME FOR $500” “HERE WE have the infamous Armidale Norton, with its previous and current owners. The restoration since Grant (pictured, below left) bought it from John is taking some time, but 45 or so years isn’t exactly f***ing around, I suppose. Or maybe it is… Will we see it ridden again in our lifetimes? Who knows? Thus wrote Bill McKinnon when he emailed this photo of my old Norton and its owners to the members of the UNEMCC. I say ‘my old Norton’ because, almost half a century later, I’m looking like the only one of us who’ll get to ride it. Almost half a century ago. Did I mention that? The half-century thing? It’s…

IT WAS A debut as eye-catching as anything served up by a MotoGP rookie in the past decade. Pedro Acosta stunned on his MotoGP debut, earning a berth in Q2 qualifying in eighth before finishing the Sprint race in the same place, and the feature race in ninth. Throughout the weekend’s two contests, the 19-year old looked completely at home fighting with the category’s top names. Comparing his first Sprint experience with a race in Moto2, he said, “Where I lost the four seconds was the first four laps,” he said after. “Then I was with the same pace. The Sprint is a completely different mentality,” he said. “You don't have to think about the fuel, you don’t have to think about the tyres, you don't think about anything. Just…

AUSSIE TOM DRANE (Estenson Yamaha YZ450F) prevailed on the second night of the American Flat Track Singles after a disappointing 10th the previous night. Drane, taken out by another rider on the final lap, managed to make amends the following evening to break through for his first short-track victory. Reigning champ Kody Kopp leads the championship on a privateer KTM 450 SX-F. Max Whale made his Super Twins debut, racing a Harley-Davidson XG750R for the Latus Motors Racing. After hitting mechanical trouble in the opening race, Whale bounced back to finish 10th the following night. Dallas Daniels (Estenson Yamaha MT-07) shared the spoils with Brandon Robinson (Indian FTR750), both going 1-3 for the double header to lead the standings.…

You’re taking on ASBK in the Superbike class again at SMSP. Can you tell us how you got started in racing? I’ve been around a long time! I’m 51, two months off 52. I rode my first motorcycle when I was 18 years old. I didn’t come from a motorcycle background and I had no family involved but mum and dad did help me get my first bike. I was a good classical clarinet player, but I wasn’t really sporty. After I got my first bike I rode for a couple of years on the road – nobody would ride with me, including some guys I knew from school – I would slow them down too much, apparently. After spending 12 months in the Whitsundays I started riding again. The…