Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 75 Issue 1 i Australian Motorcycle News

“WHAT STARTED AS A LITTLE TRACKSIDE EXPERIMENT HAS EXPLODED INTO QUITE THE PHENOMENON” LET’S TALK ABOUT Peter Bom for a moment, shall we? You might remember him as the author of our fantastical Road to MotoGP feature back in March (Vol 74 No.16). His cartoon visage from that inspired piece of work (pictured below) has also made it onto the cover of this issue, accompanying a very interesting feature (The Art of the Start, page 44) on the incredibly nuanced skills required to be first off the line in MotoGP. But Peter – one half of the brilliant Oxley Bom MotoGP Podcast with fellow contributor Mat Oxley – doesn’t just write for AMCN… he also produces videos! What started as a little trackside reporting experiment direct from the Sepang Test…

Chinese brand Kove is heading to the Australian market in 2026 as it unveils a revised version of its intriguing four-cylinder, 443cc sports bike, the 450RR. The new machine has already emerged in Chinese type-approval paperwork, including photos and basic technical specs, showing that its styling has been subtly revised compared to the current model. Originally revealed in 2022 as a 400cc four called the 400RR, Kove’s race-rep was restyled and up-engined to become the 443cc 450RR in 2023 before deliveries even started, with Ducati Panigaleish styling and performance designed to compete with Kawasaki’s ZX-4RR. The new version updates the looks once more but leaves the main mechanical parts unchanged. The biggest revision is at the nose, where the current model’s separate, side-mounted winglets are replaced with a design more…

NOMINATE A LEGEND Nominations have opened for the 2026 Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame, with recipients to be inducted at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. The Hall of Fame inducts high achievers from two - and four-wheel racing, honouring individuals whose significant achievements and contributions have helped to shape the sport. MOTOGP MAKEOVER CFMoto’s XO Papio Racer is getting radical MotoGP styling that involves a full fairing and miniature winglets. And we want one! The tank and seat are carry-overs from the current Papio Racer, as is the 7kW (9hp), 126cc air-cooled single, backbone frame and the upside-down fork and rear monoshock. Kerb weight is unchanged at 114kg. The current XO Papio Racer and Trail models cost $4790 so we expect the upgraded version to cost not much…

JACK MILLER Sprint: 16th, Race: DNF. A tough weekend at Jack’s bogey track. A gamble with the hard front tyre in the Sprint didn’t pay off. And his race was ruined by a clutch issue and fuelling issue that forced him to retire. “From the get go, the clutch smoked itself as soon as I let it out,” he said. “For the first three laps it was slipping like mad. I went backwards off the start and lost a wing during all that. Then we had an issue with the fuelling of the bike. Every time I tried to crack the gas, it would cough and then go straight to 90 degrees. I was barely staying on the thing and had to come in.” SENNA AGIUS Result: 13th. Senna has…

AT AUTODROM Most about a month before Misano, the WorldSBK paddock froze. In Misano we were all parboiled, with the proximity of the Misano circuit to the Adriatic coast of Italy providing a heavy veil of humidity as well. That said, it was simply glorious from start to nearly finish, unless you had to work outside at the track like the riders, mechanics, organisers and volunteers. Misano really is a ‘must-do’ circuit for WorldSBK, and is one of the most used in its history. It’s quite popular still, as WorldSBK was really born and nurtured in Italy, and Misano is where you can go racing while feeling like you’re on holiday at the same time. Even with the Mugello MotoGP weekend looming over the other side of the Apennine mountain…

IT’S BEEN a better start for the all-new R9 than many imagined, but it’s not fallible, and neither are its riders. It’s just they’re all seldom fallible at the same time. Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) went from 10th on the grid to the race lead in no time on the Saturday. He had to fight for his race win to the very end but he was cunning enough to have a 0.5sec advantage over second placed (and pole man) Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Ducati), and a full second over another potential winner, Can Oncu (Yamaha bLU cRU Evan Bros Racing). Valentin Debise (Renzi Corse Ducati) missed out on the podium by a fraction of a second. Race Two was far from a cunning plan for Manzi, as…

CONNOR LEWIS and Chaz Williams extended their rivalry to Morgan Park, taking a win each with neither rider off the podium over the three races. Xavier Curmi took his first ever OJC victory in the opening race, however, nailing a slipstreaming move over Lewis and Williams with Rossi McAdam a close fourth. The second race had seven riders in the front group, with Williams able to grab the win from Lewis with McAdam a strong third. The final race was a six-way stoush to the line, but this time it was called early with a red flag due to a crash from Thomas Cameron. He’d earlier set a fastest lap of the race, but in the end it was Lewis over Williams by a tiny 0.08sec with Curmi third. Williams,…

If there was a championship just for the starts in MotoGP, KTM would already have won a few titles by now. Their bikes often win at least one full starting row in the sprint to turn one. But how does this work? And what does it take to get that much desired ‘good start’? Why the start is now so much more important For as long as I can remember, riders have gone to bed on Saturday night hoping that they will have a good start in Sunday’s race. Why? Simple. Whoever starts badly has to start riding even faster than the leaders in order to be in the fight at the front. Riding even faster is, of course, asking a lot. Often either impossible or, if it is possible,…

For those unfamiliar with flat track racing, the idea of fitting dirt tyres to a highly modified street bike and then whizzing around a dirt oval at high speed with the wheels rarely in line might seem like a mad and obscure pastime. But several riders of some renown cut their teeth riding such beasts, from American GP luminaries like Kenny Roberts Senior and Wayne Rainey to more recent superstars like Casey Stoner and Marc Marquez. Flat track racing imbues (talented) riders with an innate sense of how to steer a motorcycle with the rear wheel – but actual flat track motorcycles tend to be a motley crew of custom-framed mongrels, certainly nothing you’d dare to venture forth on in civilised society. amcn.com.au Until Indian unleashed the FTR1200 upon the unsuspecting…

“TOPRAK HAS THE CHANCE TO PROVE THAT HE IS ONE OF THE TRUE GREATS” SO WE’RE BACK (third time this year) addressing a familiar question: Will Toprak Razgatlioglu move to MotoGP? Now, at last, after years, we have the answer. It’s “Yes”. Previously, I cast doubt on his prospects. Partly because of the struggles of predecessors making the same move, but mainly because aged 29 in October, he’s left it a bit late. Yamaha has been able to overcome those doubts and have taken the plunge. It seems also he had some doubts to overcome. About Yamaha. And about joining a full factory team, which he previously insisted was essential. He’s signed for Pramac Yamaha instead, which while it nominally has exactly the same status as the Yamaha Motor team… well,…

Back when production racing was hugely popular and a good source of income for leading riders, Team Avon set the standard for a few years. The tyre sponsorship inspired the team, run by Lindsay Walker, to get decked out in white. Somehow, even after hours of intense racing, the bikes never seemed to get too grubby. Jim Budd and Roger Heyes were the two Avon riders who set a new standard in the Castrol Six Hour both for appearance and performance. In 1976 the pair won the classic sharing a Kawasaki Z1B with three different brands in the first four, separated by just half a lap. Australian Motorcycle News road test photographs are posed for by skilled, professional riders under controlled circumstances. Attempting to imitate their actions may be dangerous.…

FRESH OFF HIS spectacular victory at the 2025 Dakar Rally, Daniel Sanders is being honoured with one of KTM’s most exclusive creations yet – the 2026 KTM 450 Rally Replica Sanders Edition. Limited to five units worldwide, it isn’t just a bike; it’s a celebration of Sanders’ achievement and the spirit of Dakar itself. While KTM’s standard 450 Rally Replica has long been revered as the closest thing the public can buy to the factory race bikes – with 150 of the 2026 version destined for global release. The Sanders Edition turns the dial all the way up on exclusivity and prestige. Sharing the core spec of the factory-inspired 450 Rally Replica, including a WP XACT Pro 7548 48mm fork, a WP XACT Pro 7750 shock offering immense travel (304mm front,…

JACK MILLER  Sprint: 14th, Result: 14th. This was supposed to be a good track for Yamaha. Instead, it turned into an ordeal. Jack’s airbag went off in the Sprint. And rear tyre temperature hamstrung the M1s on Sunday. “Was in a decent spot in the race but got stuck behind Enea. I couldn’t do much. We suffered with engine braking. Our electronics out of the last corner were pretty bad; we need to sharpen that up. If you change your line, the bike struggles to adapt. Also, this thing spins all the way through Turns 1 and 2 and then is cooking into 3. The tyre temperature is through the roof and that means the rear is backing in on entry. We need to find rear grip.” SENNA AGIUS  Result:…

ANY FEARS Jose Antonio Rueda (Ajo KTM) couldn’t handle the rough and tumble of the Moto3 battle were dispelled after he won out in a dramatic 14-rider scrap which was red flagged for an ugly collision on the final lap. Having led each of the first eight laps, Rueda dropped back to tenth with seven laps to go as he took stock of the chaotic situation around him. Just 1.5sec covered 14, with chief aggressor David Almansa (Leopard Honda) regularly causing chaos. But a spirited Rueda recovery saw him back in the lead with three to go with David Munoz (IntactGP Kalex), Valentin Perrone (Tech3 KTM) and Alvaro Carpe (Ajo KTM) in tow. But then disaster. Or close to it. Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Honda) tagged the back of Carpe in…

REMY GARDNER PLACED SIXTH in Superpole, Remy’s first race was short-lived as he fell halfway through and no scored. In the Superpole Race he was eighth and in Race Two he no-scored after a collision. He said afterwards, “I was really happy with my Superpole lap. I pushed to the limit and it paid off. The Race One start was decent and I was battling in the pack, but as the race went on I started struggling with grip and eventually crashed. Unfortunately, the feeling was not too great, but we were still able to battle in the sprint race, trying our best to secure a good result and a decent starting grid position for Race Two. At the end we managed to finish eighth, which wasn’t great, but not…

AUSSIE BATTLER Carter Thompson (MTM Kawasaki) added to his Red Bull Rookies race win from earlier in the season with his first race win in WorldSSP300, after another high-speed pitched battle of machines with not enough power and too much all-up weight. Carter was, by the standard of this class, a clear winner by 0.338secs. Marco Gaggi (Team BR Corse Yamaha) was second and Julio Garcia (Prodina Kawasaki Racing Sport) third. In Race Two, Thompson was fifth after a fight in which 15 riders crossed the line together, in what was only an eight-lap competition after a red flag crash. Benat Fernandez, on the lone Kove, won the second race, with Garcia second and David Salvador on his Kawasaki third. Fernandez leads Garcia in the championship by one single point, 134-133.…

BEAU BEATON continues his stunning run in the Superbike Masters, winning all three races by a considerable margin on his North Coast V-Twins-prepared Ducati 851. Josh Mathers (Linear Mortgage Brokers – Yamaha FZR) and Ben Burke (Held Leathers – Honda RC30) completed the podium, with Mathers running behind Beaton in the second race until an incredibly wild moment at the exit of turn three brought his race to a premature end. This left the two RC30s of Corey Glock and Burke to fight it out for the podium, with the resplendent yellow P5 Ducati TT2 of Berti Mendez (Desmo HQ) not far behind. Beaton produced another faultless display in the third event, taking the flag some 12sec ahead of Glock and Burke. Beaton also impressed with one of the best…

HARRY KHOURI, Taiyo Aksu and Declan Van Rosmalen continued their Spanish Superbike Championship (ESBK) campaign with the second round being held over 19-22 June at the Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya. The trio are the only Australian representatives in the Spanish championship and all three are riding in the Supersport class, with Khouri taking on the Next Gen category this season onboard a Ducati Panigale V2 for Team Speed Racing. Both Aksu and Van Rosmalen compete in the legacy Stock category on Yamaha R6 machinery but often find themselves mixing it with the Next Gen bikes. Thrown into the mix was Archie McDonald, who was able to make an appearance for his Ps Racing Team at the opening round in Superstock, winning the opening race. Aksu, who raced in the championship…

If you’re a motorcyclist who loves to capture the thrill of the ride, you know the struggle. You want amazing footage but regular action cameras can feel limiting – you’re stuck with one angle, messy audio or bulky mounts that get in the way. That’s where the Insta360 X5 steps in. This 8K 360° camera is like having your own personal film crew on your bike, ready to capture every twist of the throttle and every epic view, no matter where the road takes you. CAPTURE IT ALL What makes the X5 a motorcyclist’s dream? It records everything. With its 360° lens set-up, you don’t have to worry about aiming the camera just right – the X5 grabs every angle in sharp, vibrant 8K, day or night. Thanks to its advanced PureVideo…

Markus Flasch, 44, has been CEO of BMW Motorrad since November 2023. The Austrian-born engineer joined BMW in 2015, and in 2018 became CEO of its high-performance M Division. Under his leadership, this rose to become the world’s leading supplier of high-performance road cars and duly merged with BMW Motorsport in April 2021, thus integrating racing and series production development for the German manufacturer. Most recently, Flasch was responsible for the concept and development of all BMW brand vehicles in the mid and luxury classes, as well as the Rolls-Royce division. No doubt partly as a reward for the successful creation of BMW M Motorsport, Flasch, a passionate motorcyclist, was appointed to head up BMW’s two-wheeled division in succession to the retiring Markus Schramm. In his first full year at…

Amotorcycle that can transform on the move from race-rep crouch to a comfortable upright riding position has been something manufacturers have toyed with for decades. Now CFMoto has filed patent applications that could finally bring an adaptable riding position into production without a ground-up redesign and vast price tag. The system is based around two elements: movable ‘bars that can rise or lower electrically depending on rider requirements, and footpegs that swing upwards and rearwards for a sportier posture or down and forwards for a more relaxed position. The movable ‘bars are mounted on a conventional upside-down fork, with a steering stem and triple clamps. The difference is that the ‘bars are attached to an aluminium bracket that sits above the top yoke, mounted on two sliders that drop into…

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THE JORGE MARTIN and Aprilia saga descended into all-out war at Assen, with the world champion’s personal manager Albert Valera’s public comments eliciting a threat from Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta that the Spaniard may not be allowed to ride next year. “What we can say is Jorge is free of contract for 2026,” Valera said in his first public statements since the situation blew up in mid-May. “It’s pretty clear for us. He executed the clause he had by contract and we’re just following it. He’s completely open, available and we will see what will happen in the future.” The clause in question related to the RS-GP’s performance level six races into 2025. If not in a certain position in the championship, he’d be free to leave for 2026. Yet…

THAT’S ONE way to shut them up. Marc Marquez (Lenovo Ducati) hushed the febrile Mugello atmosphere by winning a thrilling early three-way fight to claim a fourth double of the year, also taking a significant step to his ninth world title. If that sounds somewhat premature with 13 races still to play, this was supposed to be a weekend when he was on the defensive, minimising the points loss to his closest rivals. As well as being winless in Tuscany since 2014, this venue – great rival Valentino Rossi’s playground of old – was a wall of hostility to the eight-time world champion. Even Ducati Team Manager Davide Tardozzi failed to hush the boos that rained down on the Sprint podium. The vitriol only spurred Marquez on. It took him…

IF YOU haven’t already, note this name. Maximo Quiles (Aspar KTM) is the latest Spanish sensation to stake a claim as the next big thing, winning a tremendous fight to pip fellow rookie Alvaro Carpe (Ajo KTM) by 0.006sec. Polesitter Carpe had made most of the running, leading a group that, at times, included the entire field bar one. Early on Jacob Roulstone had briefly taken the lead after a great startline launch. The action was dotted by several terrifying moments. None more so when Guido Pini (IntactGP KTM) went down on the exit of Correntaio and miraculously wasn’t collected by anyone behind as he slid up the track. In avoiding the action, Roulstone had to run off track. By the final lap, Dennis Foggia (Aspar KTM) led Carpe and…

PAOLO PAVESIO, Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing, had a sitdown with WorldSBK (and some MotoGP journalists, this being Misano with no clashing MotoGP race) for an open-table interview. When asked about any new and closer link between the MotoGP and WorldSBK side of Yamaha, at least since he took up his new position recently, he started off by saying, “The fact that a Superbike rider comes, in this moment, I would say is more the fact that we have an opportunity to sign the right Superbike rider. However, what is clear is that in general one of the things Yamaha wants to do is to work in a bit more co-operative way, among all the parties which are involved. I come from motocross, Superbike, different experiences, I have been…

THE MI-BIKE ASBK Championship made its annual chilly pilgrimage to Warwick, Qld, where Josh Waters extended his dominant run in the 2025 title chase, albeit with some good fortune from a Mike Jones mechanical issue. Jones began the weekend by taking his Yamaha Racing Team R1 to the top of the timesheets in free practice, before Waters struck back to snatch an unexpected pole position. Jones and Addicted to Track veteran Anthony West completed the all-important front row and there were no surprises as the opening race began as Waters took the early lead from Jones and West. Jonathan Nahlous was an early casualty, his Complete AV Yamaha R1 going down on the second lap after running in seventh spot. But the pivotal moment nobody expected unfolded the very next…

THE YAMAHA R3 Cup produced three different winners at Morgan Park, with Hudson Thompson (Motostars) taking out the first race after starting on pole, with Phoenix O’Brien and John Pelgrave completing the podium. Having a significant effect on overall points was the disqualification of Mitch Simpson and the absence of Valentino Knezovic, the latter injuring his hand during qualifying. Nic Lazos struck for the win in race two, holding off Thompson and Simpson. “Everyone was so good out there, I was lucky enough to have a good slipstream at the end,” Lazos said. “I ran off the track once; I was so scared but really surprised that no one passed me.” The third race was again hard fought, with Matthew Ritter, Mitch Simpson, Lazos and Pelgrave all in the mix. On…

MORGAN PARK DUMPED? Road Racing Association Australia is an initiative started by Addicted to Track’s Mark McGregor with the intention of giving racers and teams a voice in ASBK decision making. With over 50 members, their second meeting was held online at the end of June. The main topics of discussion were safety and scheduling. The general consensus was that Morgan Park is not up to standard for Superbike racing and an effort will be made to have several senior riders appointed to a safety advisory role within the association. Other topics considered were compressing the season schedule, with particular consideration given to the practical implementation of a summer series. Most of the ideas put forward have been voiced previously; now McGregor has the task of communicating what members want…

WHILE THE SPEEDWAY Grand Prix series attracts the most attention from fans, there is plenty to enthuse about looking to the future. Teenager Beau Bailey reminded everyone that his is a name to remember for the future when he placed third in the Speedway Grand Prix 3 Final staged at Prague, Czechia. Bailey won his semi-final staged at Krsko, Slovenia, with a maximum score to enter the final as one of the favourites – but his hopes were dashed with a third place and a disqualification from his first two rides before he won his remaining three heats to finish on 10 points, earning a berth in a run-off for third in an extremely congested scorechart. He then scored an impressive win in the run-off after passing German rider Carlos…