Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 74 Issue 17 i Australian Motorcycle News

Triumph has taken one of its biggest corporate steps in the Hinckley era with the announcement of the 2026 TF 250-E and TF 450-E, its assault on the enduro segment. Orders are now open, with pricing $18,290 rideaway for the TF 250-E and $19,690 rideaway for the TF 450-E. Deliveries are expected to begin in June. Triumph’s Chief Product Officer, Steve Sargent, says the models are designed to meet “the diverse needs of both professional and amateur riders”. They follow on from Triumph’s release of its track-only motocross models. Developed in collaboration with multiple-time World Enduro champions Ivan Cervantes and Paul Edmondson, the all-new models feature in-house designed and built chassis and race-focused powertrains. The TF 450-E’s 450cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine delivers 43kW (57.6hp) and 49.3Nm with high torque in…

A TWO-RACE program at SMSP began the Shop Yamaha R3 Cup series. Mitch Simpson took out the opening race from his brother Jordy, with the race shortened after Hudson Thompson crashed. He initially rejoined the race but then went down again on lap six, bringing out the red flags. The result was declared with Seth Dellow picking up the final podium after Nik Lazos copped a 10-second penalty for a jump start. The second race was another Simpson affair, with Mitch once again grabbing the win ahead of Jordy, but the performance of the evening went to Oscar Lewis (MotoSchool – Yamaha). Lewis, who had missed sessions and a race on Friday due to mechanical issues, then missed a restart in the previous Supersport 300 due to a flat battery. Starting…

LOCK IN 4 MAY for yet another edition of Australia’s Muddiest Enduro! Not only is it the muddiest, but probably one of the oldest enduros in Australia, now in its 54th year. If mud is not your thing, no need to panic, there’s plenty of hard-pack, single-trail with rocks then more open trails to keep you moving. The amount of mud is up to Mother Nature and how long the NT wet season runs for – however, there are always plenty of marshals stationed around the 12km course to lend a hand when the going gets too tough. The four-hour race is held about an hour’s drive south of Darwin at Cox Peninsula, with scrutineering taking place at the Noonamah Tavern just south of Humpty Doo on the Friday evening –…

CFMoto has earned a reputation over recent years for punching above its weight. It’s been a hard-earned reputation, mind you, and while the clumsy design once associated with Chinese brands has all but disappeared, CFMoto’s build quality, product execution and value for money have made it a major player on the global motorcycle stage. While all the headlines in 2025 have so far been about the recently launched 675cc and 800cc models – reminding us that Chinese manufacturing is becoming increasingly accomplished and ambitious – CFMoto has been perfecting its formula on smaller-capacity models, and bikes like the 450SR S are the very capable fruits of that labour. Announced this time last year as a higher-spec version of the 450SR sportsbike, it takes all the attributes which put it well…

The recipe is deceptively simple. Take the timeless, classic Bonneville design, add a thumping great parallel twin tuned to produce bulk low-down grunt, make it stop and handle, and set it free. It’s a combination of attributes that stays true to Triumph’s original 1937 Speed Twin, which combined new levels of comfort and capability in a mass-produced performance twin-cylinder that was no larger than a single-cylinder. In 2018 the Speed Twin was born again, aiming at enticing younger riders who dig the retro vibe but yearned for something ballsier than the 900, or perhaps more ‘mature’ riders who’ve done the sportsbike thing and want something classier. With over 20,000 units shifted off showroom floors, it’s clear Triumph tapped into a receptive market for the Bonneville-based blaster, but it wasn’t perfect.…

In the world of motorcycle nuts, there are those who ride, those who race… and then there’s professional tinkerer Kent Shillitoe – a man who has dared to reimagine the very concept of two-wheeled speed. This is the tale of how a daily commute on a humble Honda CBR125R sparked an engineering idea that challenges conventional design and pushes the boundaries of what’s possible on two wheels. Kent’s journey began with a simple question: What if we could eliminate the need for extreme lean angles in high-speed cornering? One long rabbit hole of innovation later, the seasoned racer and skilled 32-year-old fulltime mechanic from Adelaide has devised a unique tilting wing that combines the agility of a sportsbike with the stability of a three-wheeler. From backyard welding sessions to dyno-destroying…

A side from Marc Marquez’s careless crash out of the lead in the MotoGP round at Austin, Texas, his antics on the grid were the biggest talking point of the round. On wet tyres when he knew only slicks would do, he ran from the grid to switch bikes, doing something no other rider would even contemplate. Nine other riders followed. And with so many grid personnel – technicians, managers, media and guests – wedged between the pit wall and pit lane, Race Direction made a split-second call to delay the start. IRTA officials had communicated the situation was dangerous, with several figures being pushed out of the way of oncoming bikes. Marquez played up to the fact he had instigated nine other riders to follow his lead. “I realised…

The letters ‘GS’ have become a signature for generations of the world’s most successful adventure bike. Now that model run has gained a spiritual successor with the retro R12 G/S that BMW has just added to its 2025 line-up. Way back in 1980 the original BMW R80 G/S added a new dimension to touring, being compared in BMW’s Australian advertising to the 4WD Range Rover. Why G/S? It stands for Gelände/Straße – that means ‘offroad/street’ and is a pretty straightforward explanation for the role that the original R80 G/S played in BMW’s range. The G/S range spent the first two decades as niche machines in Europe although they soon set a standard for backroads touring in Oz. That all changed when the 2004 R 1200 GS broke through into the…

“People have this perception that I just jump on the Ducati and kill it, but that’s not true” Four-times ASBK champion Josh Waters tries to explain how the McMartin Racing Team struggles to get his dominant Ducati V4 R Superbike dialled in for each circuit Our race report on Round Two of ASBK starts on Page 24 RIDE ON TIME… …with apologies to the 1989 hit group Black Box, but it’s time to get your groove on and spruce up yourself and your ride for the 2025 Distinguished Gentleman’s worldwide extravaganza, happening on 18 May. 88 That’s how many years the name Speed Twin has been around. Triumph launched the first Speed Twin in 1937, transforming the 500cc class from single-cylinders to twins. Our 2025 Speed Twin launch report is…

We’re all looking for faster, cheaper and more efficient road transport, and at the eco end of the scale is the electric scooter. Lots of purpose, not a lot of street cred. A moped/Vespa-style scooter may be good for the Disney Luca Ercole Visconti riders, but one could say they’re a touch effeminate (I wouldn’t personally suggest it, it’s 2025 after all). Enter the NZ born-and-built FTN Motion Streetdog50, with a big dose of street coolness and cred and the ultimate suburban transport bridge between walking and a car. Or simply just a fun way to get around. And it’s coming to Oz. FTN Motion (F*** The Norm is the literal acronym/initialism) was formed in the Kiwi capital of Wellington in 2021, launching the Streetdog50 – the 50 symbolising its…

TARA MORRISON was the talk of the paddock at the opening round, but this time out there were many young stars in action, with the opening wet race on Friday evening being taken out by Valentino Knezovic (Motocity – Yamaha) ahead of Hudson Thompson (Motostars – Yamaha) and the Simpson brothers, Jordy and Mitch (Simpson Signs – Yamaha) – with the top four covered by one second at the line. The following day, Thompson broke through for the win on a drying track, this time narrowly beating 13-year-old Jake Paige with veteran Scott Nicholson (Traction Control Motorsports) completing the podium. The final race of the weekend didn’t include Thompson, who had crashed heavily in the previous R3 Cup race, and there was further drama as a crash brought out the red…

THE MOUNT GAMBIER Motor Cycle Club is gearing up for another thrilling edition of the Seniors (Over 45s) Road Race Meeting, to take place at SA’s historic McNamara Park Raceway on May 17-18. Last year’s Cancer Council Cup raised an impressive $13,000, almost doubling the $7000 total from the inaugural edition. With many motorcycle racers impacted by cancer in some degree, it’s a great way for the riding community to contribute to an important cause, raising funds for the SA Cancer Council to support regional patients travelling to Adelaide for treatment. Three categories are up for grabs for keen entrants – lightweight, heavyweight and sidecar – but the final podium spots are not even remotely based on speed, with the Cup’s unique format combining race times with fundraising efforts to…

The resurgent middleweight sports bike category – traditionally known as the Supersport class – continues to excite as Yamaha re-enters the ring with its all-new Yamaha R9. The 890cc triple had a dream debut, taking a Race One win at Phillip Island’s opening round of WorldSSP. Competitively priced at just over $23,000 the R9 has well and truly thrown down the gauntlet to its rivals. It would be easy to assume the R9 is a repackaged MT-09 because its R7 and R3 stablemates are essentially the same as their naked siblings when their sleek and sporty bodywork is removed. But the R9 is very different. It has a completely new Deltabox frame and chassis geometry, multi-adjustable KYB suspension and, while the potent and flexible CP3 engine used in the MT-09…

You may recall the recent Reader Story/Passion Project of 56-year-old Mechanical Engineering student and AMCN reader Adam Howe (Vol 74 No.14), in which he detailed the remarkable transformation of his modest learner Yamaha YZF-R3 into a – potentially! – record-breaking ride capable of making its mark on the salt flats. Well, Adam is back. And not to spoil anything for you, but he bloody did it! After boosting the Yamaha beyond its capacity into an angry beast in the 350cc MPS-BG class, he took it to Lake Gairdner to tackle the record books… and those poor books did not stand a chance. Here, now, is his blow-by-blow account of everything that went down at the 35th annual DLRA Speed Week 2025 from 3-8 March… WRAPPING UP SPEED WEEK Racing on…

BACK IN MAY last year CFMoto took the wraps off its 500SR Voom – the company’s first four-cylinder sports bike and the brand’s Australian distributor asked on its Facebook page “Should we bring the 500SR Voom to Australia?” The answer appears to have been a resounding ‘Yes’ as the 500SR Vooms just appeared among the latest vehicles to be type-approved for in the Australian market. Arival to the likes of Kawasaki’s Ninja ZX-4RR, which breathed new life the small-capacity four-cylinder segment, the CFMoto 500SR Voom one of several new Chinese-made fours in the 400cc-500cc class, but far the most interesting one when it comes to styling. Instead of mimicking larger superbikes, the 500SR Voom takes Inspiration from 1980s and 1990s, dual air circular intakes on the nose that evoke the…

BACK IN FEBRUARY, Honda filed a European trademark application for rights to use the name ‘V3R’ on a production motorcycle – essentially confirming that the V3 concept engine shown at last year’s EICMA event is heading for production. Now it’s backed that up with a pair of new trademark filings in the US. As well as targeting rights to the V3R name in America, Honda has added a trademark application for the title ‘V3R E-Compressor’ and in doing so eliminates any lingering doubts that the unusual electric supercharger that was fitted to the bare-bones EICMA prototype is set to reach production alongside the V3 engine itself. Both the new trademark applications are specifically intended to be used on motorcycles and their parts, and recent changes to the US trademark laws…

LETTER OF THE ISSUE Locked and loaded Just read the review of the BMW R 1300 GS Adventure Trophy (Vol 74 No.16) – a machine so far outside my comfort zone (weight, seat height, complexity!) that it’s an instant non-starter… and I’ve had BMWs constantly for nearly 40 years. And there’s a glaring omission in the specs – where’s the bloody kitchen sink? “THERE’S A GLARING OMISSION IN THE SPECS – WHERE’S THE BLOODY KITCHEN SINK?” The Horch 930S had one as far back as the late 1930s. There’s one in the Auto Union Museum in Zwickau (pic above). Some motorcycles there as well – Auto Union included DKW and Wanderer. They probably have them in Rollers too. Keep up the good work. Tony Givney Thanks, Tony. This one literally…

THE OCEANIA Junior Cup received a big boost for 2025 amidst news that this year’s winner will receive a fully supported ride in the 2026 Yamaha R3 bLU cRU Asia-Pacific Championship. In typical OJC style, the opening race was very tight, with the victory going to Queenslander Chaz Williams and the podium spots filled by Ghage Plowman and Hunter Charlett. Race two saw Williams prevail again in another tight contest, with Rossi McAdam close behind and Connor Lewis taking the final podium spot. An incident at the beginning of the third race brought out the red flags, cutting short the program.…

“HOPEFULLY WINNING my second Australian championship will lay a good foundation as I start my first full season as a Speedway Grand Prix rider. Winning the Australian championship for a second time came nine years after the first and they were very different situations. “Soon after the Aussie title series finished, I headed overseas, leaving the warmth of Cowra behind. There’s about five weeks after the series finishes to prepare for the European season and I feel I can do a better job of that being in Europe now. “I base myself at Warrington, not far from Manchester, near my British Premiership team Belle Vue. I’m 28 now and I think this is the perfect time to go into the SGP season full-time. The last year has been great with a…

The pursuit of alternative ways to cut vehicle emissions other than via electricity – complete with its issues of generation, storage and delivery – has lately seen a surge in focus on hydrogen. This, being a gas, can be transported to and stored at suitable sites for customers to fuel up as quickly and conveniently as we currently do with petrol or diesel. The fact that Toyota and BMW announced in September 2024 that they’ve joined forces to develop hydrogen-powered vehicles demonstrates the significance of this strategy. BMW is also planning to launch a hydrogen-fuelled series production fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) in 2028, which will offer customers an all-electric powertrain option with zero local emissions. It is already road testing them in a fleet of modified X-Series cars. But…

Angel Nieto Roldan won 13 world championships, involving 90 grand prix wins and 139 podiums in the 50cc, 80cc and 125cc classes over almost two decades until 1986. A quad-bike accident on a street in Ibiza in 2017 robbed the sport of an icon that inspired many. Here is his story, mostly told in his own words, shortly before his untimely death. “My earliest memory? Motorcycles. Not places, not people, just a deep curiosity for motorcycles. They smoked, they made big sounds, they seemed to fly. As a kid, it was all I wanted. “My parents sold eggs for a living and we didn’t even have running water at home. We were very, very poor and often had nothing to eat. I had no interest in school, so I left…

“IT’S AN AMAZING CHANCE TO TAKE MY RIDING TO THE NEXT LEVEL ON ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL SUPERBIKES” WHAT A WEEKEND was Round Two of the ASBK at Sydney Motorsport Park, previously known as Eastern Creek! This round is always special as it’s the only night racing round in the series, adding extra excitement to the atmosphere. Heading into this round, I was sitting third in the championship. The goal was simple: stay consistent, keep a level head, have fun and keep adding points to the board! Mum and I set off from Adelaide on Wednesday night after work, driving 1355km through the night and arriving at the track by Thursday evening. We set up the pit shed, signed in, got the bike scrutineered, and then picked up Dad…