Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 74 Issue 04 i Australian Motorcycle News

“AT THE TIME OF WRITING THERE IS ONLY ONE SEAT STILL UP FOR GRABS FOR THE 2025 MOTOGP SEASON” AS YOU would have seen on the cover of this issue, we have an exclusive interview with Aussie WorldSBK regular and occasional MotoGP racer Remy Gardner in which he tells AMCN’s Neil Morrison just how much he has fallen in love with racing again. This is a huge turnaround for Remy since the end of the 2022 MotoGP season, when he was unceremoniously dumped by KTM. Of course, Remy’s lifeline was a call-up to the Yamaha GRT squad in WorldSBK. While it took him a while to transition to the production-based series, he says he is now thoroughly enjoying his time there. Earlier this year he scored his first podium aboard…

THREE YEARS after its reveal, Benda’s LFC700 has gone on sale in some European countries and the brand has added a revamped ‘Pro’ version to the range that includes new styling and the first pop-up headlights on a motorcycle since the 1980s. What looks at a glance like the headlight is actually a large, finned air intake as the actual lamp is above it on the nose cowl. The Pro version adds a pair of flip-out auxiliary lamps, one on each side of the petrol tank. When switched off, they hide under disguise panels that pop up, albeit sideways, to reveal the lights when you turn them on. Other changes for the Pro version include a subtle restyle with a new bellypan and a reshaped exhaust with four slot-shaped exits on…

IN 2023 SUZUKI demonstrated its first hydrogen-fuelled combustion engined bike – a Burgman 400 scooter – as part of the work it’s doing alongside Kawasaki, Yamaha, Honda and Toyota as part of the HySE (Hydrogen Small Engine) research association. Now a new patent application shows the solution to that prototype’s biggest problem, the oversized hydrogen tank. While Suzuki has made several generations of hydrogen fuel cell scooters, starting well over a decade ago, those designs used a chemical reaction to generate electricity and feed an electric motor. The 2023 prototype took a different route by burning the hydrogen in a conventional combustion engine, which is the focus of the HySE organisation. Combustion engines don’t need hydrogen that’s as pure as the fuel required for fuel cells, which will be poisoned by…

WHEN HARLEY-DAVIDSON discontinued the Sportster 1200 in 2021 it appeared to be the end of an era of air-cooled, pushrod-engined ‘small’ cruisers but China’s Shineray – which sells bikes under the more internationally-friendly name SWM – stepped into the breach by unveiling a clone of the Harley engine just months later in mid-2022. That engine, sharing the same dimensions and appearance as the Harley-Davidson Sportster, hit the market in the SWM V1200 Stormbreaker in 2023. Now new Chinese type-approval documents show that another version is heading to the market. It shares the same engine and chassis as the Stormbreaker but with a longer fork for a more raked-out appearance. There is also a 21-inch front rim, on wire spokes, with a slim 90/90-21 tyre to pair with the 16-inch rear.…

Strewth! Hi, Mr Roothy. Just dropping a thank-you note for stopping for me on the M1 a few weeks back (Strooth AMCN Vol 74 No 01). Still, I waited around an hour and a half and no NRMA, so again I flagged down another Good Samaritan and, to cut a boring story short, I got the petrol into the Le Mans and was on my way by dark. Thanks again for your help – it was nearly worth running out of juice to have met you. By the way, it would be a pleasure to shout you at least three beers for your help. And finally, I was down from Hervey Bay for a couple of days visiting my daughter and sister when this occurred, making it all good fun.…

Twenty months is a long time in motorsport. And it’s been an even longer stint in the recent life of Remy Gardner. At the close of 2022 the Australian was contemplating retirement after he was unceremoniously dumped midway through a two-year MotoGP deal with KTM. It was, he said at the time, the end of a dream. Unsurprisingly, the Moto2 world champion from just the year before took the news to heart and was unsure of what the future held. Labelled unprofessional by the Austrian factory when it confirmed he would not continue, those final weeks of the 2022 season were a slog, with the Australian often cutting a dejected figure. “After 2022 I just felt like retiring,” he told AMCN in an exclusive interview. “I didn’t want to race…

THIS ISN’T quite done yet. As David Alonso (Aspar CFMoto) came to England with a sizeable 58-point lead, Ivan Ortola’s (MSI KTM) title chances were all but written off. But the Spaniard responded by scoring a crucial victory on an epic last lap to show he is still in the hunt. There may not have been 20 riders contesting the leading positions here like last year’s encounter but 11 riders made up the fight. Ortola, Alonso and pole sitter Collin Veijer (IntactGP Husqvarna) muscled early leaders Joel Kelso (BOE KTM) and Daniel Holgado (Tech3 GasGas) back with three laps to go. For the much of the race’s finale, Veijer’s penultimate-lap pass on Alonso at Stowe appeared to be decisive. The Colombian was soon shuffled back behind Ortola and Holgado, meaning…

MIRKO GENNAI recorded a superb win in the first race, taking his Kawasaki almost a second clear of the next closest rider, Australia’s Carter Thompson. Third was the Kove of Marc Garcia. Pole man Loris Veneman, Gennai’s teammate, was fourth despite setting an impressive early pace to try and break his pursuers. In Race 2 Gennai won again, from teammate Veneman and with the Kove of Garcia Gonzalez third. In the points, Veneman has 139, with double no-scorer Iglesias Bravo 129. Aldi Mahendra is third with 128 and Gennai jumped up to fourth place on 99 points. Carter Thompson WorldSSP300 2nd & 13th “IT WAS A difficult first day which didn’t help my first race start position. I got held up in Turn 1 but I just kept pushing the whole…

RIDERS REACTED positively to the appointment of Simon Crafar as the Chairman of the FIM Stewards Panel from 2025. The Kiwi will replace the outgoing Freddie Spencer, after riders and teams repeatedly criticised his judgment and complained of his inconsistencies. It is hoped that Crafar, who has been working with Dorna as its pitlane reporter and commentator since 2018, will be able to offer better explanations to controversial decisions among other things. “It’s one of the hardest jobs in the paddock,” said Pecco Bagnaia. “But one of the good things with Simon is we can have good dialogue with him. We speak a lot every weekend and if he can always take the same line he could do a really good job.” Jorge Martin added, “He’s still riding, so he’ll…

PECCO BAGNAIA spoke out against what he believed were “ridiculous” antics in qualifying for the British Grand Prix. A large number of riders were dawdling on track, awaiting a tow in the closing minutes. It was, he felt, unprofessional of riders of MotoGP standing and set a poor example for the junior classes. “The stewards need to be more focused about the important things, and less focused about the things that don’t matter,” he said later in the day. “We are at the top of our sport. We are the fastest riders in the world. Our speed is great alone. I don’t understand why some riders need a tow. Moto3 riders with four minutes to go, six riders did the lap time, because a tow is more important than… I don’t know,…

ASBK MIGHT be a month away from the next round at Phillip Island but behind the scenes it’s all hands on deck. Tom Toparis and Troy Corser turned their first laps at the revamped One Raceway at Goulburn a week ago, giving the circuit a big thumbs-up as the Shelley brothers fight against time to have the facility ready for early October. Cameron Shelley said there are over 100 workers on site every day. Following on from AMCN’s performance balancing story and the fallout from the Supersport ECU saga, MA announced last week that the Superbike rules would be relaxed to allow aftermarket radiators. Team reps from all active manufacturers welcomed the news and reiterated the move is all about protecting engines. The plot thickens though, with chief protagonist Robbie…

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’re Talyla Relph on the opening lap of Race 2 of the WorldWCR series in Portimao and you’re T-boned by another rider. We wish Tayla all the best for a speedy recovery and better luck next time out!…

Call me crazy, but I reckon massive celebrations need a party-like atmosphere, and what creates party-like atmosphere? People! For the record, from what I can tell, last year’s Aussie GP’s Sunday-only figure looks to be 19,787. And given the riders speak about both Silverstone and Phillip Island as being among their favourite circuits, I guess it doesn’t always translate to people through the gate. Keep up the great work. Steve Bennett via email Agreed, Steve, the retro liveries were great. My fave was the Yamaha, and I thought there was a touch of irony seeing Remy Gardner wearing an Eddie Lawson-replica helmet. Like you, I am not sure why the British GP was chosen; regardless, I am sure you’ll love Mat Oxley’s story on the history of GP racing in…

While exploring my local backroads on CFMoto’s new 450NK, I can’t help but be reminded of Hyosung and the waves the Korean brand was making in the 2000s in a market saturated by Japanese and European machinery. Then, as I am now, I was impressed by the quality and appointments offered on the Korean-made bikes and how, after a decade or so of development and improvement, the brand had managed to shake off its cheap and unreliable image to present itself as a player that could take it to the higher-priced establishment. In fact, it was 15 years ago this month that I attended the launch for the 2010 model-year line-up for the 650cc range. Gone were the ag-bike-like instruments, the carburettors, the substandard brake calipers and the awkward styling…

FEW PEOPLE in motorcycle racing know Pedro Acosta quite like Remy Gardner. The pair were teammates in 2021 (Gardner in Aki Ajo’s Moto2 set-up, with the young Spaniard making his Moto3 debut) and struck up a close friendship almost immediately thanks to Gardner’s proficiency in speaking Spanish. Acosta was able to offer up some sage advice to the Aussie on the eve of Gardner’s crucial bow at the Algarve GP at the tail end of 2021, a race that all-but-sealed his Moto2 title. “He told me ‘there are moments that define you, or you define the moment’,” Gardner recalled later that day. “A philosopher and he’s like this little kid. I was like, ‘Yeah, alright (laughing)!’” Having spent a year in Tech3’s MotoGP operation aboard KTM’s RC16, Gardner felt he…

RACING WHAT, WHERE & WHEN *Provisional **Subject to homologation RIDE DAYS & SCHOOLS Phillip Island Ride Days / 0490 281 840 Phillip Island, Vic Sydney Motorsport Park Ride Days/0490 281 840 SMSP, NSW Murray Valley Training Co 0459 415 787 Barnawartha North, Vic Champion’s Ride Days (07) 3287 4144 Broadford, Vic Collie Motorplex, WA Morgan Park, Qld The Bend, SA Trakdayz 0401 484 898 Wanneroo, WA California Superbike School / 1300 793 423 Phillip Island, Vic SMSP, NSW Broadford, Vic Morgan Park Qld Mount Gambier MCC Coaching / Ride Days 0448 951 163 Mac Park, SA Ride-Tek MTA 1300 788 382 Sandown, Vic Ridedays WA (08) 9409 1002 Wanneroo, WA Collie, WA Top Rider 1300 131 362 Various venues, Qld Phoenix MCC Junior Coaching 0403 386 788 Tailem Bend, SA Mallala, SA RALLIES & SHOWS 18 AUGUST Townsville…

POLESITTER Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team) headed up Superpole Qualifying by 0.834sec on day one at Portimao. She would go on to win the 11-lap race on Saturday from Sara Sanchez and Ana Carrasco. Herreras only beat Sanchez across the line by 0.060 seconds. In Race 2, Aussie Tayla Relph and van Aswegen collided early on and a red flag was thrown. A seven-lap restart was won by Carrasco in a last corner-push that also saw Sanchez just behind her in second place. Herrera had been leading going into the last corner but her rivals found a tighter line and exploited it to the full. In the points Herrera has 129, Carrasco 122 and Sanchez 108. Tayla Relph WCRWC 8th & DNS “THAT WAS A lot in Race 1.…

THE BRITISH Superbike Championship took another twist at Thruxton last weekend with OMG GRLLA Yamaha’s Kyle Ryde and Ryan Vickers snatching race wins, along with Aussie Billy McConnell breaking through for a surprise podium in Race 3. Ryde clinched a breathtaking opening bout, winning the battle under brakes at the final Club Chicane to lead home a train of seven riders. “I worked really hard to win the race and the overtakes at the last corner during the race certainly helped me win it at the end,” Ryde said. Jason O’Halloran narrowly missed out on the win, ending up on the podium in third before his weekend unravelled the following morning during warm-up. The Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki rider pulled out of the two Sunday races with damage to his femur…

MULTIPLE NEW patent applications show that Yamaha is developing a forward-facing camera to fit on an upcoming model. The patents illustrate how a small camera will be fitted between the headlights of an as-yet-unreleased touring model, using the plastic housing of the headlights themselves as its mounting bracket. The fact that one of the new patent applications focuses on such a small detail is likely to be an indication of how close to production the forward-facing camera is. Another patent related to the idea shows how there’s a transparent section of fairing in front of the camera lens to protect it and ensure the bike’s aerodynamics aren’t adversely affected. Since it’s going to be important to be able to keep that lens and cover clean, it’s designed to be easy to…

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“I LINKED UP WITH JOSH HAYES. AT THE TIME I DIDN’T KNOW WHO HE WAS…” I’VE JUST completed an amazing week in Darwin for the TERRA 24 series. Hidden Valley is an incredible track, basically perfect. I wasn’t really treating it as a race week, more as a training camp. I ended up running at the front and winning all five Supersport races, which was unbelievable – even taking home one of the famous horned trophies! I hadn’t had a win for a very long time, which made it even sweeter and I learned so many new things. It was also great to work with the Addicted to Track team again after racing in the ASBK championship with them last year. This season I have been concentrating my efforts in…

WHAT A DIFFERENCE a year makes. Jake Dixon’s (Aspar Kalex) home GP in 2023 was nothing short of a nightmare. But here the Brit shrugged off the effects of sickness to secure a brilliantly mature victory after a race-long fight with Aron Canet (Fantic Kalex). The pair were surprised polesitter Ai Ogura (MSI Boscoscuro) started to go backward from lap four as the Japanese rider suffered from a defective tyre. And a potential three-way fight for victory was reduced to two when Joe Roberts (ART Kalex) crashed out of third on lap seven when he tucked the front at Turn 2. Canet led laps one to 16 with Dixon stalking him throughout. It was clear this would come down to the final lap, so often Canet’s failing. And the Spaniard…

TO NO ONE’S surprise Adrian Huertas won Superpole on his official Ducati, with Yari Montella second. It was much more of a surprise when Montella just cleared off to win the opening race by over three seconds from Huertas. Only pure determination saw Ten Kate Yamaha rider Stefano Manzi manage to keep the truly rejuvenated Jorge Navarro (Orelac Racing Verdnatura Ducati) off the podium. The top five was rounded out by the lead MV Agusta in Race 1, Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR), and sixth place was taken by Valentine Debise (GMT94), who had actually crashed on the sighting lap at Turn 8. In Race 2 the shocks came from an unexpected source, as Huertas fell chasing Montella. He remounted and finished 12th but the bulk of the damage to his…

MORE THAN 250 riders were greeted with sub-zero temperatures ahead of the prologue of the 2024 Yellow Mountain Cross Country event held on 3 August at Tottenham in Central New South Wales. Broc Grabham sent the fastest time and led out the riders at 30-second intervals, ahead of James Staniforth and Nic Tomlinson. The race to Condobolin was approximately 235km and, after the first fuel stop, Tomlinson had not only caught and passed Staniforth but now had the reining champ in his sights. Tomlinson passed Grabham but the lead was short lived. In a matter of minutes, Grabham hit the fast open section where he retook the lead. The top three had a relatively trouble-free run into the overnight stop - with just over five minutes spanning the trio.  The…