Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 74 Issue 14 i Australian Motorcycle News

“IT’S A CREDIT TO YOU, OUR READERS, THAT THE DEVOTION TO AMCN HAS REMAINED SO STRONG” A FEW DAYS ago, I spoke with a dedicated reader named Peter, who’s been reading AMCN cover-to-cover since the mid-60s. “While I was in the army, my mother would bubble it up and post it to me,” he told me. “Then I started buying it myself. I’d read the road tests, the rally reports, Michael Scott, all the other columnists, every single page. Took me about a week each time.” Peter is now 76. Misses Gassit terribly. Rides most days. Every year, he and a bunch of mates do the WA-SA border run, have a few drinks, some pub meals. “I hope I’m still riding another 20 years from now. It’s the greatest stress…

KTM’s financial problems might be overshadowing the company’s other business at the moment but it’s continuing to add more models to its 2025 range – the latest being the 390 Enduro R. It’s not just a new bike but the start of a whole new model line for KTM, with the company adding a ‘Dual Sport’ segment to its line-up to accommodate the machine. Given that KTM already has a dedicated ‘Enduro’ range, that might seem a bit odd, but the 390 Enduro R (and the similar 125 Enduro R launched in Europe but not offered in Australia) have a road-oriented appeal rather than the competition-focused machines that populate the ‘Enduro’ section on its website. Oh, and just to add a bit more confusion, the only other street-biased ‘Enduro R’…

More KTM outrage Their ambitions were bigger than their bank balance, then they borrowed big to fuel their ego-driven binge. Success bred aggression and arrogance in management, who thought they were too big to fail. Management and the board should be fired for allowing production to continue to produce bikes even when the inventory was climbing, cash flows choking and suppliers not getting paid. Where were they when they should have been making changes before it got to this? Who loses? Staff who lose their jobs through no fault of their own, and suppliers getting cents in the dollar for parts they’ve supplied in good faith on the promise it’ll all be okay one day. Boom and bust, meanwhile the party went on – big sponsorships, big stands at shows…

BACK IN AFRICA, OPENING the piste was often a great way for a rider to leave all his troubles in his dust. Set a compass bearing and go full gas to the next waypoint, often marked with a stone cairn constructed by the Bedouins. When the event relocated to South America, the Dakar route became exponentially more technical. Here, in 1569, Spanish Conquistadors had carved treacherous mountain passes in their search for gold and local prospectors had been cutting trails ever since. Roadbooks became critical, if only to prevent a rider from dropping into a 50m mineshaft. The move to South America heralded the end of the decade-long battle between Marc Coma and Cyril Despres, in which Coma would lead out, only to finish the day back in the pack.…

THE NEXT-GEN version of WorldSSP has been a raging success, leading to a 2025 edition that features seven different manufacturers and a field of 32 regulars – once the championship hits Europe, at least. Changes in the rider line-up? Less than 10 riders remain in their 2024 teams, with potential winners or podium challengers now peppering the grid. Not all of the ‘regular’ riders will start out at Phillip Island, as there are five riders who will only race in the WorldSSP Challenge – which is a championship-within-a-championship for those who do not have the budget to do the one fly-away round. With the reigning champion and third-placed riders from 2024 moving on, several teams have swiped left on their rider line-ups from last year. It should all be less…

Oset bikes should come with a warning label – not for safety reasons but because they’re so addictive. These bikes are immensely fun, practical and versatile, making it surprising that they don’t sell out immediately. It’s easy to imagine an Oset parked in every dream garage. Silent and electric, they can be ridden almost anywhere, making them a must-try experience. But be warned: once you ride one, it’s nearly impossible to resist justifying the purchase. For those who may be unfamiliar with the brand, Oset Bikes is a British company founded over two decades ago by Ian Smith. Originally created to build a bike for his son, Olly, the brand has since grown significantly. It’s now owned by Triumph Motorcycles and operates independently, with Ian continuing to refine the bikes…

To climb to the very summit of motorcycle racing you need a whole armoury of abilities: riding skill, bravery, determination, racecraft, focus, the willingness to delete everything else from your life, the appetite to get smashed up and keep coming back for more – and intelligence. Lots of intelligence. When Marc Marquez quit Honda at the end of 2023 to join Gresini Ducati he was already thinking way ahead, formulating a plan that should have him fighting for the title in 2025 and 2026. “In 2023 my mentality was super-clear,” says Marquez, who won the MotoGP crown six times with Honda between 2013 and 2019. “I knew if I stayed at Honda (until his four-year contract expired at the end of 2024) and finished every race in 10th, 12th or…

TWENTY-TWO RIDERS line up for the forthcoming season of 22 races. Yet for me, only two of them really matter. With Marc Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia new teammates on the premier team for the premier manufacturer, the rest will be alsorans. Fighting for third. Is this a blinkered view? Does it fail to acknowledge the strengths of the other 20 best riders and bikes in the world? Time and circumstances will tell. Bike racing being what it is, blow-ups, accidents and injuries are always possible. But it would be sad if this classic gunfight was to be decided in the medical centre. Ducati caused some head-scratching when they put Marc into their factory squad – in the process losing the services of 2024 champion Jorge Martin, of luckless but worthwhile…

On the eve of the 2025 WorldSBK season opener at Phillip Island, our thoughts turn to the legendary Gregg Hansford – pictured here racing 50 years ago in the Chesterfield Series at Amaroo Park. Hansford’s career spanned GP motorcycle racing to Touring cars, with 10 GP victories and a unique Bathurst double-winning on both two and four wheels. Hansford’s legacy extends beyond his victories, inspiring future champs like Wayne Gardner. Tragically, Hansford lost his life at Phillip Island in 1995, but his spirit and contribution to racing continue to motivate generations of competitors. Vale to one of the greats. 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…

Harley-Davidson has unveiled an array of new 2025 models including a revamped cruiser range and two new additions to the line-up in the form of the Pan America 1250 ST and Street Glide Ultra. Starting with the Pan America, the new ‘ST’ branding indicates its ‘street’ focus, as it turns Harley’s first big adventure bike into a road-oriented high-rise sports tourer. Rivals like Kawasaki’s Versys 1100 and Yamaha’s Tracer 9 show there’s plenty of appetite for machines that combine the tall, spacious riding position of an adventure bike with pure street suspension, 17-inch wheels and roadgoing rubber – and that’s precisely what the Pan America 1250 ST brings to the party. Changes include a slimmer shape, losing the big radiator shrouds of the standard Pan America 1250. The suspension is…

KTM’S PARENT COMPANY – Pierer Mobility AG – says it has received ‘several’ offers of finance to help ride out its current position, with the investors expected to take either stakes in KTM or a part of the larger parent company as part of the deal. Pierer Mobility is now in discussions with the investors about those offers, but the man who lent his name to the company and has been central to KTM’s massive expansion since buying the brand in 1992 – Stefan Pierer – is stepping aside as CEO. He’s replaced by Gottfried Neumeister, but will temporarily stay on as co-CEO during the handover process. Although no names were mentioned, existing part-owners Bajaj are believed to be among the potential investors, along with KTM’s Chinese manufacturing partners CFMoto.…

Last year Triumph’s Rocket 3 Storm became the most powerful street-legal production bike ever to wear the famous name – but its reign has proved short-lived as the Speed Triple 1200 RS has edged ahead once more with a 2.2kW power increase as part of a wide-ranging revamp for 2025. The power hike takes the Speed Triple from 132.4kW to 134.6kW (180.5hp), sneaking past the 134kW Rocket 3 Storm in the process despite an engine less than half its size. That 1160cc, DOHC triple is essentially the same as its predecessor, but as part of revisions to help meet the latest Euro5+ emissions rules it has a completely new exhaust system, featuring a much shorter, fatter end can, that happens to be freerflowing than the previous design. That’s allied to…

Daniel Sanders’ Dakar win was just the tonic financially embattled KTM was searching for. Behind every champion is a support team that covers all aspects: strategy, technical, health and wellbeing. Spot the five changes made to this image of Chucky’s team, email us your answers (and your postal address!) and you could win a neck sock. 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!…

TOP 20 FOR TOBY Any AMCN reader feeling the need to drop a hundred grand on a two-week ride through purgatory should contact the BAS World Rally KTM Team. Since its inception, BAS has been the leading Rally2 Team and for 2025 Aussie Toby Hederics joined the crew to finish top 20, and would have been Rookie of the Year but for Edgar Canet’s stunning performance. ONYA, STEFAN! Stefan Svitco and I started our Dakar careers back in 2010. The Slovakian Enduro star had entered the second Dakar to be held in South America and I’d committed to write a report for Australasian Dirt Bike magazine. I was being paid bugger all, although Dakar undoubtedly cost Stefan a lot more than my holiday riding a BMW R 1200 GS around Chile. Fifteen…

We saw Josh Waters ride his McMartin Racing Ducati V4 R to a history-making fourth individual title last season. Can he go back-to-back for five in 2025, a rare outcome in the hyper-competitive Australian Superbike championship? Perhaps in Waters’ favour, there are no new models being introduced – but there are some interesting rider moves and the Yamahas (particularly the privateer R1s) have now crossed the threshold to legitimately challenge for race wins. The opening round, a support class to WorldSBK, is shaping up to be a thriller. Let’s look at the contenders. McMartin Racing Team Ducati V4 R Josh Waters Harrison Voight Last year was huge for the McMartin Racing team as it delivered a fourth ASBK title to Josh Waters. Consistency was the key – Waters was aware…

THE BRIGHT SIDE of getting stung was that it wasn’t that bad a sting. Oh, it burned. It burned like buggery as I jammed my gloved finger into the side of my open-face helmet and smeared the bastard bug all over my temple. Yes, yes, I remember what I said about my beloved open-face a few months ago. Now shut up and let me get on with it. It was also lucky that I copped the sting, not Anne on the pillion seat who’d had her visor up. The bright side of breaking down 20 minutes later in Bathurst was that I knew instantly why the bike died. It was suddenly and completely devoid of volts – all 12 of them had jumped ship. The bright side of having an…

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The new motorcycle market in Australia shrunk 1.8 per cent over 2024, a much better result than expected. A total of 94,224 motorcycles and OHVs (Off Highway Vehicles) were sold, with sales of off-road motorcycles increasing 2.6 per cent while road bikes decreased 1.8 per cent compared to 2023. The OHV segment dropped 3.8 per cent and scooters 22.5 per cent. The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries Chief Executive Tony Weber pointed out that as motorcycles are often considered a ‘discretionary purchase’, “cost of living pressures and interest rates were matters that influenced the decision to buy”. “The year ahead will continue to present challenges,” he said, “however, customers can expect to see a continuation of new models with new features appearing in showrooms that can ignite the enthusiasm.” It’s…

“I know that story. And of course there are some similarities” Marc Marquez doesn't pull any punches when reminded of the famous rivalry between F1 stars Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost in the late 1980s. The teammates' dislike of each other spilled over into several on-track altercations that cost both a world title. Can a similar scenario unfold for Ducati between Pecco Bagnaia and Marquez? Read our special report on Page 90 TRI-HARDS WIN! Triumph’s factory off-road racing program is going great guns, with Jordon Smith’s historic maiden win in AMA 250SX Supercross and Jonny Walker runner-up in Rnd 3 of the SuperEnduro World Championship. 80 MV Agusta hits a huge milestone this year. Over eight decades, the Varese-based brand has achieved an unmatched record of 75 world titles (38…

BY ANY MEASURE, Daniel Sanders’ Dakar 2025 victory was dominant: almost nine minutes, the same margin he’d held after the real racing had ceased at the conclusion of Stage 11. However our Chucky had crushed all opposition well before the circus arrived in Shubaytah. From day one the KTM rider had been on a mission, breaking Honda’s Tosha Schareina’s run of six successive prologue victories before participating in a berserk, ’bar-to-’bar, open-range motocross over what was alleged to be the gnarliest Dakar first day ever. We checked, and with the exception of 2022, the riders make the same ‘toughest day one’ claims every year. Bringing the Chrono 48 stage forward to “sew some carnage”, as race director David Castera put it, only emphasised the disparity of skills between contenders –…

ANTHONY WEST has completed another strong ASBK preseason by winning the prestigious Harvey Wiltshire Trophy feature race, held as part of the opening round of the Victorian Road Racing Championships at Phillip Island on January 25-26. After having recently announced his return for the Addicted to Track outfit in 2025, West paid tribute to his team, saying, “Thanks for giving me a bike that could turn and grip and help me push for the win.” The opening VRRC round is traditionally the last shakedown for ASBK teams in preparation for the upcoming season, and West had to battle with other leading riders for the trophy including Glenn Allerton (Superbike Advocates), Cam Dunker (MotoGO Yamaha) and Josh Brookes (DAO Honda). Allerton, the 2023 winner of the perpetual trophy, took victory in the…

How dominant was The Showman? After the record-breaking domination of WorldSBK’s very own greatest showman Toprak Razgatlioglu last year, probably everyone outside the shadow of the big blue, black and white BMW logo is ready for a bit more top-of-the-table friction. Even though he missed two rounds and six races through injury, recollections of Toprak’s ‘complete domination’ have to be tempered with the knowledge that eight riders in total won races in 2024. With an extra manufacturer – Bimota – having made a good start to its winter testing schedule, there are lots of proven and potential race winners ranged out across the various fiefdoms of the most prestigious production-derived kingdom of all. And maybe even more podium knights than last year’s 13. Here’s Gordon Ritchie’s definitive form guide for…

It’s hard to believe 35 years have passed since local stars Peter Goddard and Robbie Phillis beat the world’s best in front of an adoring home crowd. A fitting result for the circuit’s first time hosting the WorldSBK Championship in 1990, with Goddard (Yamaha) winning Race One and Phillis (Kawasaki) Race Two. The Island’s fast and flowing layout, picturesque location and one of the quickest first turns on the calendar brings out the best in racers. It consistently throws up heart-stopping action and is unsurprisingly responsible for four of the closest finishes in the three-and-a-half decades of WorldSBK racing. And there’s no reason why this year will be any different: Toprak Razgatlioglu will be looking to defend his crown in his unique and spectacular style; Aussie Remy Gardner will have…

You were in your 20s when you entered the Wynn’s Sydney to Darwin Safari. What provided the motivation? I was riding B Grade trials at the time and I watched the start of the Wynn’s at Sydney Showgrounds. It was huge. The notion of attempting to ride across a continent was so inspirational I just had to give it a go. Facing a nine-day rally, knowing the chance of finishing was as remote as the country you intended crossing, how did you prepare? The yardstick was the Honda XR600; although we needed a fuel range of 450km. Peter Goddard made me a beautiful 40-litre alloy tank – but the height above the engine pushed the riding position back to where it felt like riding a chopper. Safari stages would often…

RACING WHAT, WHERE & WHEN 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 7-9 FEBRUARY The 2025 Redback…