Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 73 Issue 25 i Australian Motorcycle News

“EVS MIGHT BE ON THE WAY, BUT INTERNAL COMBUSTION AIN’T DEAD YET!” TALK ABOUT a mix of fortunes! It was great to see Remy Gardner get the holeshot from third on the grid in WorldSBK’s Race 1 at Misano, and then hang on to the lead for the first three laps before Toprak Razgatlioglu made his way through for an emphatic win. And then in the Superpole race Remy got caught up with Garret Gerloff and went down, which meant a 10th-place start on the grid for Race 2. Gardner finished the weekend with sixth in Race 1 and eighth in Race 2, which might not have been what he was hoping for at his team’s home track, but was still a decent result nonetheless. We all had high hopes…

BMW HAS type approved its longer-range R 1300 GS Adventure variant which, while not containing photos, reveals key figures for the new R 1300 GS Adventure including its weight, performance and dimensions. It’s a full 21kg heavier than the standard GS when fully fuelled and has a maximum loaded weight that’s 20kg more than the base version, suggesting the whole bike is being bulked up. The engine, of course, is straight from the R 1300 GS, retaining the same 107kW (143hp) peak power output at 7750rpm and an unchanged peak torque of 149Nm at 6500rpm, but the Adventure’s top speed dips from the R 1300 GS’s 225km/h to 220km/h. That’s probably a function of aerodynamics rather than anything else, as the Adventure is substantially taller with a screen that tops out…

“His determination to win has always been matched by his ability to innovate” Isle of Man TT’s head of motorsport Paul Phillips speaking after the event’s most successful TT driver Dave Molyneux announced his retirement after four decades, 17 wins and 31 podiums. As well as his unmatched success, Molyneux was known for building his own creations and mentoring young sidecar competitors. $14,130 The amount the Mount Gambier Motor Cycle Club raised for the Cancer Council of South Australia by holding its 2024 Cancer Council Cup. With a time bonus based on the percentage of funds raised, the final results remained unknown until the presentations, with club president Alex Trnovsky demonstrating it was possible to finish nearly last and still win. Planning is underway for 2025. RIDE FOR MYERS A…

Back in the 90s when 400cc four-cylinder sportsbikes were the thing, I was busy avoiding homework and school detention. Then when I got my licence in 2002 I was too busy putting road tyres on my XR600 to get involved with sportsbikes. Looking back, it was a golden age of racing and tearing up twisty mountain roads. The 400s were weapons on a tight track or road but then they sadly went the way of the Dodo. When the re-invented Kawasaki ZX-4R and higher-spec ZX-4RR were released, I was keen to get my butt on one to see what I had missed out on all those years ago. AMCN had already tested it on the racetrack, so it was time to see how it handles life on the road. Rolling…

Don’t be fooled, the RS 457 isn’t just a chopped-up RS 660, the 457 is entirely different, with its own engine, chassis, body work and rider aids aimed at the highly competitive small-capacity sportsbike market. Manufactured in India at the Piaggio group’s Baramati facility, it dances right on the edge of LAMS approval with its power-to-weight ratio dialled up to maximum – 35kW/175kg. After seeing the promotional images and footage on track, I was expecting a peaky, high-revving parallel twin, but it’s not like that. As I left the hotel in Italy, a generous spread of usable torque was immediately apparent. At slow speeds, notably below 60km/h, the fueling is as smooth and soft as you would expect for a premium bike, with the pick-up and drive from low rpm…

This awesome dirt route is one for the adventure bike riders out there. Much of it is on unsealed tracks and, although it is relatively easy going on a dual-sport bike, it is beyond the scope of most roadbikes with road rubber – although not impossible if you are brave-hearted, foolhardy, or both. It is a great ride through some typical Central West New South Wales scenery; plenty of wildlife and points of interest along the way. Best of all you will find very few other vehicles along most of the route except for the occasional farm ute or lost tourist. From Wellington, take the highway north from town then turn right towards Gulgong on Goolma Rd. Twelve Mile Rd forks to the right after a few kilometres and winds…

I HAVE TINY hands, so finding a pair of gloves that keep my digits warm when the temperature drops into single digits while still allowing me enough feel at the ’bars, levers and switches has always been difficult. Which is why I’m hoping Mana’s Chill RTX gloves are going to do the trick for me this winter. What attracted me to them initially was the relatively short cuff length. Small-diameter wrists mixed with thick winter-weight jacket sleeves trying to accomodate thick gauntlets just gets frustrating, especially when my already-gloved right hand is trying to sort out the left-hand side before jumping on the bike. First-world problems, I know, but when you’re on and off bikes as often as I sometimes am, it wears, well, thin. I used the brand’s sizing…

“WHATEVER THE CASE, THE 916 EARNED ITS PLACE IN HISTORY FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS” ALL THAT glitters is sometimes silver but only if you polish it. Silver tarnishes, unlike gold, and if you’re too lazy to give it a buff occasionally it goes dull. You don’t want to over-do it, though, because polishing slowly wears away the metal, gradually erasing any engraving and rounding off sharp edges. It’s a dilemma — a bit like whether to ride the rings out of your classic bike or stick it on a pedestal in the living room. I got around to polishing my silver the other day. It’s probably the third time in 30 years and it needed it. The silver’s sheen was disguised under a psychedelic wash of burnt orange, purple…

THE 2024 edition of the Isle of Man TT will be remembered for many reasons. And you can’t talk about this year’s event without first acknowledging the feats of Northern Ireland’s Michael Dunlop. One of the most unique characters in modernday motorcycling, what he lacks in social graces and charisma, at least outwardly, he makes up for in talent, skill, courage and strength. There was probably little doubt that Michael would one day reach and even surpass the long-standing TT win record held by his uncle, Joey Dunlop. But the mental fortitude the 35-year-old showed during this year’s Superbike TT, when an error by his Arai technician in pitlane robbed him of the win that would have made him the world’s most successful TT rider, revealed a determination quite unlike…

IF MICHAEL Dunlop owns the Supertwins category, he positively possesses the Supersport class. Thirteen of his 29 wins have come from his Supersport successes and his Supersport Race 2 victory was his sixth on the trot in the category. His win in the four-lap opening bout, on his self-prepared Yamaha YZF-R6, was the race in which he equalled uncle Joey’s long-standing record, but he was pushed all the way by Davey Todd (Powertoolmate Ducati), impressive considering the Ducati had never been raced around the gruelling mountain course before. Similarly, after so many years with Dao Kawasaki, the fact that Dean Harrison put his Team Honda UK CBR600RR on the box after struggling with set-up issues in practice and qualifying was a fine effort too. While both riders lined up for…

DORNA’S CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta has confirmed he’s been approached by manufacturers not currently competing in MotoGP since releasing the new rulebook that will take effect from 2027. The new set of rules, which are aimed at both slowing current-spec MotoGP machinery as well as reducing the costs involved in the high-end tech stakes, makes MotoGP more approachable for brands like BMW, which is currently enjoying resurgence success in the WorldSBK championship. “There have been different manufacturers who have shown interest in being part of the championship in the future,” Ezpeleta said. However, he was quick to point out Dorna isn’t necessarily looking to increase the number of grid slots, instead having more diversity across the current line-up. “For 2027 we are not thinking to increase a lot the numbers of…

SAM CLARKE is on a roll, winning all three races in Round 3 of the WA State Road Racing Championships at Wanneroo Raceway on 3 June. Clarke (RS36 Suzuki GSX-R1000) dominated the first Superbike race of the day from pole position. After his quick start it was left to Ben Stronach (VRT Signs Yamaha YZF-R1), Adam Senior (Silkolene Yamaha YZF-R1) and Bronson Pickett (Aark Suspension Yamaha YZF-R1) to fight it out for the podium. While Clarke took the wins in all three races the minor placings were divided between the other three. Clarke won the round from Stronach and leads the championship with 150 points to Stronach’s 141 and Senior’s 125. Pickett (108) sits fifth overall on 55 points after finishing third for the round. Callum O’Brien (Road 2 Race…

CFMoto will take another big step towards its goal of rivalling the big Japanese and European bike manufacturers this year when it unveils its three-cylinder 675SR-S sportsbike to compete in the middleweight race-replica class. This model has been something of an open secret for more than a year now as we first saw patents for CFMoto’s triple in early 2023. Then in September last year a disguised prototype 675SR-S was demonstrated at a track in China before the engine was revealed at the huge EICMA show in Milan. Now a complete, undisguised bike has been unveiled, but in Aspar race-replica colours and with some bolt-on race components to differentiate it from the full production model that will be shown later this year. CFMoto has said that the 675cc triple puts…

LEAD NEWS NEW BMWS FOR 1980 BMW is known to be developing several new superbikes for the 1980s. The new bikes, known only as the K3 and K4 at this stage, are in-line multis. The K3 is already to prototype stage and is an in-line triple with a fully monocoque chassis. The K4 is in an earlier stage of development and its four-cylinder motor is yet to be started. SPORT ULSTER GP AUSSIE WORLD TITLE Victorian motorcycle dealer Barry Smith won the TT Formula Three World Championship at the Ulster GP on 19 August. The Formula One, Two and Three world championship classes were created three years ago when the Isle of Man was dropped from world title status, and are based on a formula which allows two and four…

ANSWERS WILL BE REVEALED IN THE NEXT ISSUE WIN! AN AMCN NECK SOCK EMAIL YOUR ANSWERS AND ADDRESS TO AMCN@AMCN.COM.AU FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!…

A FULL TITANIUM Akrapovic exhaust system improves midrange power and throttle response significantly. $2150.01 The XTrig holeshot device locks the front suspension down lower off the start to prevent wheelstanding off the startline. $131.93 Athena LC-GPA launch control module with riderselectable enhanced traction control and launch control settings and LED engine speed indicator. It allows you to adjust the launch control mode, which retards the ignition timing so the bike will get less wheel spin off the start. $394.16 MX Tune Pro wifi module enables you to connect with the bike’s ECU through a downloadable phone app so you can select from a range of pre-programmed maps to customise the bike’s power delivery. $321.59 Performance gripper seat and seat cover. $379.33 Because the standard bodywork has graphics imprinted in the…

RACING WHAT, WHERE & WHEN ROAD RACING AUSTRALIAN SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP 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 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 Rd3 6-7 Jul, Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW Rd4 15-16 Sep, Phillip Island, Vic INAUGURAL SOUTHERN CROSS CHALLENGE CUP 6-7 July, Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW SOUTHERN CLASSIC 9-10 Nov, Broadford, Vic AUSTRALIAN HISTORIC ROAD RACE CHAMPS 15-17 Nov, One Raceway, NSW NATIONAL BEARS CHALLENGE Rd3 6-7 Jul, SMSP, NSW Rd4 14-15 Sep, Phillip Island, Vic Rd5 12-13 Oct, SMSP, NSW (provisional)…

1 HOT HEAD Suzuki Australia $20 na suzukimotorcycles.com.au Don’t let the winter blues get you down with this fab Suzuki cable-knit beanie (Navy). It features a comfortable acrylic cable-knit construction with an additional partial fleece liner. So everyone know’s what team you’re on it has an embossed brown leatherette tag clearly displaying the Suzuki logo. 2 IOM TT LID Cassons $1499.95 (02) 8882 1900 araihelmets.net.au Arai Helmet marked its 40-year presence at the recent IoM TT with a special event and the release of this 2024 RX-7V EVO Limited Edition Isle of Man TT helmet. The top-of-the-range RX-7V EVO features Arai’s peripherally-belted construction and characteristic round shape for “glancing off” in the event of an impact. Available now in sizes XS-XL. 3 BOOT IT Link International $299.95 (07) 3382 5000…

WHILE MICHAEL Dunlop stole the event’s major headlines, Davey Todd’s performance at this year’s TT was nothing short of spectacular, marking a significant milestone in his racing career. With only four years of course experience and a single podium finish to his name leading into the 2024 event, Todd’s achievements this year have firmly established him as a rising star in the world of road racing. Fast out of the blocks, the 28-year-old dominated the practice and qualifying sessions, and his maiden TT victory came in the three-lap Superstock TT race, where he piloted the Milwaukee BMW to a thrilling win. He faced fierce competition from seasoned riders, including the fastest man ever to lap the Mountain Course Peter Hickman. Despite the pressure, Todd held his nerve to clinch his…

How did you find yourself in the world of directing live motorsport TV? My journey started when I left school about 20 years ago. I got interested in the video side of things after I did a TAFE media course and started filming weddings. It was really just a way to earn money. I worked out that motorsport was where I wanted to be and began working on DVDs in magazines. After DVDs died I landed a role as editor at AVE (a Sydney-based multi-media television production company). I never dreamed I’d be a broadcast director, but here we are 15 years later! You look after both ASBK and ProMX, how many cameras are typically used at each event? Obviously ASBK is very different to ProMX – it is very…

The idea of self-shifting motorcycle transmissions – or at least those that eliminate a clutch lever – has been around for decades but it’s suddenly coming of age as both BMW and now KTM will be joining the semi-automatic fray with their 2025 adventure bike ranges within a year. We’ve already seen BMW’s ASA semi-auto design but now KTM has thrown its hat into the ring by previewing a semi-auto version of the upcoming 2025 1390 Super Adventure. It also says it will be released this September. This follows confirmation that BMW will debut its semi-auto system on the R 1300 GS and upcoming 2025 R 1300 GS Adventure. A prototype for the new bike made its first public appearance at the Erzbergrodeo in Austria, covered in a distraction-camo wrap…

WHEN KTM took the wraps off its 2024 990 Duke it was only a matter of time before an Adventure model emerged with the same engine but we didn’t expect a clean-sheet design. Rather than a mere engine swap, the 990 Adventure gets its own dedicated chassis and a completely rethought arrangement for the bodywork and even the fuel tanks. It’s hard to argue with the all-round ability of the existing 890 Adventure, but the styling of those bikes is divisive. The low-mounted twin fuel tanks flanking the engine have huge benefits in terms of weight distribution and eliminating bulk, but they also contribute to unfamiliar and ungainly proportions. For the 990 Adventure, the engine is the 947cc twin used in the 990 Duke. Despite the same ‘LC8c’ name as its…

Electric powertrains might still be less than ideal for mainstream high-performance motorcycles but they’re proving to be a strong option for competition motocross bikes and Suzuki is the latest to be developing just such a machine. Honda’s CR Electric Proto is already competing in the All-Japan Motocross Championship against conventional ICE-powered racers, and proving competitive. We’ve also seen that Yamaha is developing an electric crosser of its own. Now a new patent from Suzuki shows its electric motocross powertrain, including a remarkably compact reduction gearbox designed to allow the unit to fit inside a standard RM-Z chassis. Electric power works well for motocross thanks to the instant access to torque and the relatively small range of speeds the bikes have to operate in, playing to the strengths of an electric…

The Road Glide is built for touring on the open road, not for poking around town, but to get out of town most of us need to crawl through the ’burbs, and so it is when I pick up this hefty hunk of American iron from Harley-Davidson’s HQ in Sydney’s north. First up there’s the off-camber righthander as soon as I exit Harley’s driveway, and then there’s the crappy roadworks all along the Warringah Freeway on the approach to the Harbour Tunnel, with multiple lanes of traffic funnelling into just two for the underwater run. And then there’s the stop-start traffic as I fight my way to escape the ever-expanding urban sprawl. It’s in conditions like this that being fully aware of the Road Glide’s size and weight is vitally…

The Suzuki GSX-8R is a fantastic example of platform sharing done right. Based around the 776cc parallel-twin engine that sees service in the V-Strom 800 adventure bike and the GSX-8S nakedbike, the faired 8R is different enough to attract new buyers rather than just pilfer sales from its closely related siblings. To my eye, the 8R is the pick of the three-bike line-up when it comes to good looks. Suzuki describes the 8R’s styling as a modern interpretation of the brand’s sportsbike heritage. While it might not offer up the performance of those potent GSX-Rs of old, the 8R definitely looks the part. While the Australian launch of the 8R was a road-only event, we already know that it’s also a hoot to ride on the track thanks to Adam…

IF THE THOUGHT of shelling out $15,000 to ride away on the RR has you a little apprehensive, the entry-point ZX-4R can be had for about $13,500 ride away. Obviously you miss out on a few trick bits but the fun level will still be high. The ZX-4R doesn’t have the KRT-inspired green paint and is available in metallic black only. The front fork is the lower-spec unit without preload adjustment, while the rear shock is non-adjustable. The R also misses out on the two-way quickshifter. For most, these are not deal-breaking items, so save yourself some dollars for new gear to hit the track with if you like.…

Singles, twins, triples and fours. This quartet of engine formats – albeit in a broad variety of configurations – has dominated motorcycling’s entire history and it’s nearly impossible to make a logical argument that any bike needs anything more than four cylinders. Four cylinders give enough power for today’s generation of MotoGP racers, the fastest ever seen and so rapid that their performance has to be reined in by rule changes in 2027. Fours can also be made to have perfect primary balance, are easily sculpted to fit within the confines of a motorcycle frame, and can be arranged in an array of formats and capacities to suit virtually any purpose. But we’re human; it’s in our nature to want more. And it’s in that vein that we find a…

Forty years ago, America’s Eddie Lawson surprised many grand prix insiders and fans by winning the world 500 championship in his second season. Yamaha had last won the premier-class riders’ title with Kenny Roberts in 1980 and no Dunlop rider had taken the 500 crown since Giacomo Agostini in 1975. Freddie Spencer was the hot tip to retain the title in 1984. Roberts had retired, Honda now had a V4 machine and Michelin had pioneered radial rear motorcycle tyres. Dunlop’s racing tyres were still cross-ply. It did not pan out that way; not even close. Take a bow US journalist John Ulrich, who predicted not just that Lawson would win but why, saying Honda would falter once maybe twice and ‘Steady Eddie’ would be right there. ‘Steady’ was a misnomer,…

“COULD WE SEE A RESUMPTION OF OPEN HOSTILITY? HERE’S HOPING…” RIVALRY AT ITS peak is always bitter. Like that stuff put on kids’ fingernails to stop them chewing. But who will be the major nail-biter at Ducati in 2025? Marc Marquez, aged 32 next year, a senior citizen in a class where precocious 20-year-old Pedro Acosta will add a full season of experience to his threat? Pecco Bagnaia, for whom the mantra about first having to beat your teammate has just taken on a razor’s edge? Said teammate widely regarded as a timeless racing genius. Or will it be boss Gigi Dall’Igna, fearing that the rivalry between his two factory-team colleagues might cause them to knock each other off or blow each other up? It wouldn’t be the first time…

THE ROLL-ON effect of eight-time world champion Marc Marquez joining the factory Ducati squad for 2025 alongside reigning world champ Pecco Bagnaia sees Aussie Jack Miller looking for a job next year. The confirmation that Marquez had signed came after a frantic few days of rider changes. It started when Jorge Martin – widely tipped to be Ducati’s first pick for the factory seat – blindsided the Italian squad by signing a two-year deal to replace friend and mentor Aleix Espargaro at Aprilia’s ever improving factory outfit. The next cards to fall were when factory Ducati rider Enea Bastianini and factory Aprilia rider Maverick Viñales were named as teammates in the new-look Red Bull KTM Tech3 squad. They’ll receive the same machinery as Brad Binder and Pedro Acosta in the…

BARTOSZ ZMARZLIK just keeps rolling along, this time ticking off more milestones by winning the rain-delayed Speedway GP of Sweden at Malilla on 15 June. Not only did he maintain his record of qualifying for every final so far this year, he won his first final of the year, which was his 24th grand prix to surpass the record he had had shared with Australia’s Jason Crump since the end of last season. The win for Zmarzlik extended his lead in the 2024 championship after a night where both Australian riders were prominent in the action. Jack Holder started with a last place before he reeled off four straight heat wins to top a congested score chart. Four riders scored 11 – Robert Lambert, Zmarzlik, Max Fricke (two wins, two…