Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 65 Issue 14 i Australian Motorcycle News

AS AMCN WENT to press, 10 Australians were earmarked to compete at the opening round of the Superbike World Championship, with five wildcards announced to line up alongside the five Aussie full-time championship riders. Current ASBK champ Mike Jones and 2016 IDM series rider Jed Metcher have both been granted wildcard rides in the Superbike category alongside the Aussies with full-season contracts, Josh Brookes and Josh Hook. The event will see Jones make his racing debut for the newly announced DesmoSport Ducati team – the same team the 21-year-old will be with for his 2016 domestic season. “The wildcard ride is awesome, but also a slightly scary proposition,” said Jones. “My goal is to learn as much as I can from the other riders and see where the results take…

KTM 1290 Super Duke R KTM’s 1290 Super Duke R aka 'The Beast', was released in 2014 and further refined in 2015. It boasts uniquely aggressive styling and comes standard with an innovative electronics package that includes three modes of power delivery for a range of riding conditions. A variety of go fast bits and other bling are available from KTM’s power parts catalogue to prepare the beast for racing, or set your bike apart from the super-naked crowd. What it’s got The Super Duke R is powered by a liquid-cooled, four-stroke, 75° V-twin 1301cc, eight-valve engine with DOHC. Power runs through a six-speed constant mesh gearbox. The front suspension is a fully adjustable 48mm WP USD fork with 125mm of travel. The rear has a single-sided swingarm and fully…

The Triumph Bonneville – without a doubt the most iconic streetbike produced by any European manufacturer in the past 60 years. After its birth at the Earls Court Show in 1958, the first 650cc T120 quickly became the must-have motorcycle of the day. With its high performance and handsome looks, the Bonneville was the machine of choice for Britain’s café racer rockers – and anyone else seeking ultimate street performance. Triumph’s range topper was also the two-wheeled star of London’s swinging sixties scene – it was as much a part of British culture as the Mini, double-decker buses, Twiggy and the mini-skirt. And its leading role in pop culture was backed up with success on the racetrack, with the Bonneville winning the Isle of Man Production TT. But after these…

A bucket list is a great thing to have, and the contents of your bucket should never be watered down by reality. Nor should there ever be a limit on the size of your bucket. I believe we motorcyclists are predisposed to liberal indulgence in this area, and I know I am. The best part about wandering unexpectedly into the life of a journo is that it has made my enormous bucket of unlikeliness suddenly appear to contain tantalisingly large portions of possibility, to which I must say yes. One such example is having the opportunity not only to ride but to race one of the most iconic motorcycles of all time. In fact, the Yamaha TZ750 is the icon of an iconic era of racing. This fearsome thoroughbred represents…

The Manx Grand Prix 2015 – part of a reinvented festival of road racing that includes the Classic TT. Most of the top TT riders are here and the air is full of the electricity of expectation on the world’s most daunting racetrack. Scrutineering for the SuperTwin class begins. Among the sea of tricked-out Kawasaki ER-6 and Suzuki SV650 racebikes is a distinctive red motorcycle with no brand logo to identify it. A closer look reveals a modified Triumph Daytona fairing, and under it, a Ducati engine. A destroked LAMS Ducati Monster 659 engine challenging the established teams. An air-cooled, two-valve-per-cylinder V-twin taking on liquid-cooled, four-valve-per-cylinder parallel twins with years of tuning development. The Aussie team is welcomed, but many people are thinking: Great effort, but don’t these poor misguided…

In 2015, Australia was all set to make it an entire decade of domination at the AMCN International Island Classic. But the Brits had other ideas, running away for their first victory. That surprise defeat has spurred Australia into a major revision of both its team and its tactics. As well as several new riders, three types of machinery will be deployed in a battle to regain what UK team chief Roger Winfield calls “the Ashes of motorcycling”. Four-cylinder Hondas and Suzukis, two-stroke TZ Yamahas and the mighty Irving Vincent V-twin will take on the machinery of reigning champions the UK, which mainly runs a couple of variations on the four-cylinder Harris F1 racer. Australian team captain Rex Wolfenden is ready for the battle, and offers no excuses for last…

Eicher Group CEO Siddhartha Lal is described by Lester as the “man with the vision”; Forbes financial magazine calls him a “brave heart”. In 2000, at the ripe old age of 26, he took over an ailing Royal Enfield. In 2004 he became CEO of RE’s owners, the Eicher Group. Perhaps guided by his love of motorcycles, Lai then took the ultimate gamble. He closed 13 of the group’s 15 companies to focus on just two: motorcycles and heavy transport. The result was an annual production of 25,000 motorcycles in 2005, which became 50,000 in 2010. It eclipsed Harley-Davidson’s production figures in 2014 with 300,000, and last year it nudged 500,000. However, annual export sales are a still just a few thousand. There is a long way to go. India’s…

TO SAY I WAS mildly excited by the prospect of testing the KTM RC390’s new suspension at Broadford State Motorcycle Sports Complex is a gross understatement. I was ecstatic! The aggressive styling and race graphics of the little orange Kato had been issuing a silent challenge from the AMCN toy box for some time, and I was keen to put it through its paces on a closed circuit. As a learner-legal model for aspiring sportsbike riders, our long-termer is pretty much the pinnacle of the market today, but it’s no surprise that the standard suspension set-up is designed to suit more lightweight riders than the XXL crew members here at Horror HQ. Thankfully, Terry Hay from Shock Treatment lent us a hand by conducting a full rebuild of the front…

1 Quick Changer McLeod Accessories From $449.95 1300 300 191 dririder.com.au The Dri-Rider Multi-Tek Adventure is an all-season convertible jacket. A dual layer allows part of the shell to be removed for quick conversion into a summer jacket, and there’s a removable and breathable waterproof membrane and thermal liner. It has armour, reflective piping and pants zip. 2 Fighter pilot Ron Angel Wholesale From $199 (03) 9464 3366 ronangel.com.au The Nolan N-21 open-face helmet is a modern take on the fighter pilot shell design. It has a multi-density EPS styrene liner, anti-bacterial comfort liner, Lexan visor, retractable VPS visor, enhanced neck roll for anti-roll resistance in crash situations, and high quality paint/graphics with Hi-Brite coating. 3 Comfort Up Top Cassons From $529.95 (02) 8882 1900 cassons.com.au AGV says its new…

THREE-TIME MOTOGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo has committed to extending his stellar career and winning more world titles. Invigorated by his dramatic final race victory to clinch his third championship in 2015, the 28-year-old says that retirement is not on the horizon. Lorenzo’s declaration ensures that he will be hot property in the rider market, although Yamaha will no doubt be keen to tie its star rider down to a new two-year contract. As things stand, Lorenzo will be a free agent in 2017. And with 40 MotoGP race wins already under his belt, the Spaniard has the potential to chase down the 54 career wins by Australia’s five-time world champion Mick Doohan – perhaps even Doohan’s tally of five titles. Lorenzo won seven races in 2015 on the way…

Lachlan Epis will become the youngest ever rider to compete in a full season of the World Supersport Championship when he lines up on the grid at Phillip Island on 28 February. The 16-year-old Sydney-sider finished six of the seven rounds in the Superstock 600 European Championship aboard a Kawasaki ZX6-R in 2015. In the WSS Championship, Epis will again pilot a Kawasaki ZX6-R and will be supported by an all-Australian team, with the goal of attaining strong results over the next three years.…

SLOAN FROST IS currently the man to beat in the NZSBK Championship – he holds a commanding lead at the halfway point of the series thanks to strong showings in Ruapuna (9-10 January) and Teretonga (16-17 January). Frost, 34, won the Suzuki Series in December and continued his winning form in the opening round of the championship. He comfortably won his first two races, then claimed a closer but well-controlled victory in Race 3, which doubles as the New Zealand Superbike Grand Prix. “Ruapuna is a physically demanding track – it’s all corners – so in the Grand Prix I didn’t want to burn myself out,” he explained. “I just cruised at the start but I was confident I could go faster if I needed to.” He finished one second…

A NEW CHAMPION was sure to be crowned in 2016, and it was always going to come after a close battle between a number of talented young local speedway riders, vying for the chance to make it onto the world stage. All three of Australia’s Speedway Grand Prix participants from last year – Chris Holder, Jason Doyle and Troy Batchelor – were missing (Batchelor was a late withdrawal after breaking his arm motocrossing in the UK), depriving the field of any previous winner. Whether any of those riders would have stopped one of the new-guard taking their first senior Aussie title is, and will remain, unknown. In the end it was the unseeded 19-year-old Brady Kurtz who emerged as 2016 Australian Solo Speedway Champion, edging out Sam Masters by just…

TAYLA JONES WILL line up against the men in this year’s AORC and A4DE to contest the E1 category on her Active8 Yamaha YZ250FX after dominating the women’s categories in 2015. Her teammates will be Josh Green in E2 on the WR450F and Beau Ralston in the E3 class. She will also contest the Finke and Hattah races. “Since I’ve joined Yamaha my racing has improved enormously, and the importance of having good people around me has shown in my results,” Jones said after signing the deal. “ I’m so excited to be a part of Yamaha’s Active8 team and can’t thank AJ and Ray Howard enough for making this happen.”…

TRIUMPH IS SHOWING no signs of slowing its development offensive with yet another new Bonneville derivative spied! Our latest spy pictures actually show the bike that we might have expected prior the the Street Twin tested in this issue – the entry-level Bonneville. Preferring to offer the last of the old-generation, 865cc, oil-cooled Bonneville and T100 alongside the new 1200cc, water-cooled T120 and Thruxton, Triumph has opted to hold this one back. This machine combines the Street Twin’s smaller 900cc engine with the styling of the new T120, and should be priced as a direct replacement for the old T100. Expect it to emerge as soon as supplies of the old-model Bonnie dry up. At a glance, this beaten-looking prototype could be mistaken for a preproduction T120 – it shares…

YAMAHA USED LAST week’s CES Robotics Conference in Las Vegas to announce its motorcycle-riding robot is on track to independently navigate a racetrack by 2017. Unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in October, MotoBot has already moved into its second phase of development as Yamaha partners with California-based research centre SRI International. The goal is to have the MotoBot identify the quickest line around a circuit, then gradually increase the speed to find, but not cross, the bike’s limits. “We will demonstrate how far humanoid robots have advanced in efficiency and performance,” SRI International’s director of robotics Thomas Low said. “And how industry leaders such as Yamaha can leverage robotics to solve business challenges, create competitive advantages and accelerate innovation.”…

BMW HAS TAKEN the wraps off a prototype helmet complete with a head-up display (HUD) which it plans to develop into a production unit within the next few years. The firm isn’t new to HUD technology, having offered it as an option on cars since 2003, but the challenge of shrinking it down to a display that’s both usable and useful inside the confines of a motorcycle helmet means there’s still a lot of development ahead (pun intended – boom-tish). While others have tried to create HUD helmets – notably crowd-funded start-up Skully, which has been trying to bring its system to the market since 2013 – at the moment the closest that’s been achieved in the real world has been the use of Google Glass under a conventional lid…

The Classic plonks you in the Happy Zone and keeps you there IN THE A TO Z of motorcycling history, between Acme and Zwerg, the near 100-year-old American Indian brand is a living legend. Recently reinvigorated and well priced in the marketplace, the 1811cc Chief Classic is a stripped-down cruiser based on the Thunder Stroke 111 platform shared by the Chieftain and Roadmaster – surely one of the best looking V-Twin engines ever produced. In the same vein, old school paint and traditional leather trim pay homage to the brand’s heritage. There’s no radiator to muddy up the look and the sound of the modern V-twin is extremely refined and pleasing on the ear. While mechanically sophisticated, it’s not a complex thing to ride. Whether you’re braking, steering or just…

CONSORTIUM RACING IS both the brainchild and a labour of love for historic racing enthusiast Gary Kerr. A long-time admirer of the Ditchburn dedication and workmanship, Kerr admits the company he formed to collectively manufacture brand new TZ750 crankcases was driven purely by his passion for a very worthy cause: to help Team Ditchburn keep these icons of road racing on the racetrack, where they belong. Originally, Gary offered to help with the machining of a set of blank crankcases Barry had imported. A European TZ builder had set about becoming the first in the world to reproduce TZ750 crankcases, but after having the castings made, they couldn’t find anyone willing to take on the machining side of the job. Kerr’s involvement in the manufacturing sector led to the task…

The Manx 650 revs to around 11,000rpm THIS JOURNEY HAD an unlikely start a long time ago for Brian Rosser. “After racing a Ducati 748 for a few years I found both age and expense catching up on me,” he says. “I stopped for a while, but then looked at a little 400SS I had lying around. I took that out and found I could do sub 1m20s laps around Mallala. The thing went around corners like it was on rails and it got me thinking.” The conclusion was that the 400SS, basically a scaled-down 900SS, had a very light crankshaft and this contributed to its handling. Brian put his theory to the test in a variety of 695 and 696 Monster-based racers, culminating in the Manx 650 Ducati. Brian…

Gravel gods In the 1930s Phillip Island played as big a part in Australian motorcycle racing as it does today. The difference was our fastest road racers were battling on a high-speed gravel road course near Cowes, not the purpose-built tarmac of the modern circuit. Major meetings were held in January or February and many of the young guns involved went on to become leading figures in the Australian motorcycle scene. A January 1935 newspaper report described that month’s Tourist Trophy event as “the finest field ever assembled for a motorcycle carnival in Australia”. Melbourne rider George Hannaford won the Senior TT race at the record average speed of 78.2mph on a 499cc Rudge. Typical of the period, Hannaford also raced speedway. This would have given him more skills to…

SCHOOL WAS IN for our MT-07 recently, as I took it to HART’s Somerton facility for a Confidence and Road Skills course. This is a half-day course that does exactly what it says on the tin and is aimed at L platers as well as riders returning to the saddle after a long break. It consists of some practice on the range and a group ride on the streets, with the content tailored to match the participants. Luckily my small group of four all had enough experience to quickly move on from the basics to more dynamic manoeuvres. Cornering was fun, so was emergency braking. Though the skills are important in themselves, more useful were the things we picked up while practising them. Michael, our instructor, followed us around the…

THREE-TIME WSBK podium rider Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha) is currently recovering after breaking his left shoulder in a fast testing crash at Jerez in November. Lowes’ accident proved to be more serious than was first thought, as he himself explained. “The accident fractured the corner off the joint but it has been six weeks now so that should be alright. I have just started putting weight on it this week. I am a long way behind [where I would have been] had I been training properly during the winter, but it should be healed now,” he said. Lowes will be heading for a brace of two-day Iberian tests at the end of January, at Portimao beginning 22 January, and then at Jerez again shortly afterwards.…

IT WAS AN action-packed start to the AMA Supercross season with fists flying in Round 1 at Anaheim on 9 January. The main event got off to a violent start when a collision between Ryan Dungey (Red Bull KTM) and James Stewart (Team Yoshimura Suzuki) resulted in a red flag that saw Stewart stretchered off. On the 450SX restart, as many as six riders fought for a place on the podium, but it was Jason Anderson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) who eventually came away with the win. Dungey came in second and Team Honda HRC rider Cole Seely finished third. New South Welshmen Chad Reed (Monster Energy Yamaha) and Victorian Lawson Bopping (DPH Yamaha) came sixth and 21st respectively aboard their YZF450Fs, with Reed showing glimpses of his talent and Bopping…

Events The Albury Wodonga Motorcycle Club is currently rolling out its three-round Summer Short Track series with the remaining rounds on 30 January and 13 February to be raced under (the now permanent) lights around the speedway oval. This will be followed by two speedway meetings, Teams Challenge and the Diamond Park Championships, on on 5 and 19 March respectively. THE ALBURY WODONGA Motorcycle Club is certainly not resting on its laurels as it heads into 2016 with another busy schedule of activities planned. Last year saw a total of 35 race dates made up of open meetings, inter-clubs and club days, at the Diamond Park complex, situated on Lincoln Causeway, which runs between the two major cities on opposite sides of the Murray River state border. Its location, just…

You are one of the best known racers of the 60s and 70s. How did it begin? Luck. I started out as a biker and never thought I’d ever race. For example, I must have done 50 laps of the TT on a roadbike before I did my first Manx GP in 1966 on a 350cc Greeves two-stroke. It broke down while I was leading. In the famous 1969 film 99.99 Triumph the commentators give you a good mention although you aren’t on a Bonneville. A bit of ambush advertising perhaps? I did a heap of TTs, starting with the Dunstall Norton Dominator, then a factory Norton Commando and a factory BSA Spitfire. Things were different back then. For example, Peter Williams loaned me his factory Commando because he was…

AS WELL AS revealing its HUDequipped helmet in Las Vegas (See New Tech Pg20), BMW used the event to unveil a prototype K 1600 GTL fitted with laser headlights claimed to offer double the range of conventional lights. The system is based on the laser lights BMW already offers on its most expensive cars – the range-topping 7-Series and the sport i8 hybrid – and is a test to see whether the design can be scaled down enough to fit on a motorcycle. The laser lights are bright and focussed, illuminating the road as much as 600m ahead when set on high beam, compared to around 300m for a conventional light. Lasers also have a much longer service life than bulbs. On the downside, the system is eye-wateringly expensive –…

THE AUSTRALIAN MOTORCYCLE market continued to tread water in 2015, with a total of 108,711 new motorcycles, ATVs and scooters sold during the 12 month period, a rise of just 0.1 per cent compared to the figures for 2014. Honda held its position as the best-selling brand, controlling 22.5 percent of the motorcycle and ATV market with 24,535 sales, a 1.3 per cent decline over last year. Honda finished the year ahead of Yamaha, which increased its market share by a healthy 14.2 per cent on the back of strong roadbike sales, claiming 21.4 per cent of the market (23,290 sales). Kawasaki was third (9.8 per cent/10,675), Suzuki fourth (9.0 per cent/9806) and Harley-Davidson fifth (9.0 per cent/9790). Roadbike sales again increased, this time by 2.6 per cent, with 45,013…

He could achieve speeds of 70Km/h - before coming to a messy stop in a wire fence KEN RIVERS IMMIGRATED to Australia to work his brother’s dairy farm in South Australia. But, on arrival, he decided to take a look around his new country. An experienced motorcyclist, he chose two wheels simply based around cost and autonomy. Arnie Hansen, Sales Manager for British Motor Cycles, could see the benefit of having this personable young chap circling the colony on the new 500cc AJS Springheel, promoted as “capable of covering vast distances through arid uninhabited territory under a sweltering sun and tropical rain”. Hyperbole aside, in his heavy greatcoat, leather helmet, goggles and voluminous rubber waders, Rivers appeared anything but a man headed for the tropics when he left Victor Harbour…

Aims to cater to all creatures great and small with plenty of adjustability Its name might conjure images of Hopper and Fonda, ground-scraping Chevy Impalas or perhaps trick bicycles ridden by Mexicans and Southern Californians, but the Low Rider has also deeply embedded roots in Milwaukee. Back in 1977 Harley-Davidson launched its interpretation of the Low Rider, a “ride-it-hard, put-it-away dirty” cruiser named after its custom-style chops and slammed seat. After a five-year hiatus, the Low Rider is back in the Harley-Davidson line-up and distinguishes itself from its fellow Dyna siblings with its ergonomic versatility for “rugged, universal appeal”. It aims to cater to all creatures great and small with plenty of adjustability to the seat and handlebar via a few easy-access allen bolts. Adjustable, boomerang-shaped risers move the handlebar…

Engine The Street Twin motor measures 84.6 x 80mm for a capacity of exactly 900cc, and like its four larger-engined sisters carries a 270º crank, which reproduces the sound, traction and perfect primary balance of a 90º V-twin. But unlike the DOHC 1200cc models – and the outgoing twin-cam T100 – this smaller engine makes do with just a single overhead camshaft, operated by a modular gear/chain drive up the centre of the engine. All four paired 28.4mm inlet valves are fed by a single 38mm Keihin throttle body on the Street Twin, which is doubled up on the larger-capacity 1200cc versions, with neo-vintage ‘finishers’ making it resemble a period carburettor. Chassis The bike weighs a claimed 198kg dry, compared to 205kg for the outgoing T100, but it’s also carried…

It’s difficult to imagine it once had a life as a meek and mild LAMS-legal bike ALTHOUGH THIS HOME-GROWN racing one-off retains many major parts from its Monster 659 donor bike, its unique and purposeful appearance make it difficult to imagine it once had a life as a meek and mild LAMS-legal nakedbike. The one-piece tank and seat unit rids it of the Monster’s hunched poise, while still keeping a subtle hint of its origins with the silhouette at the tail end. The result is a bike with the profile of a Moto2 racer, only a lot slimmer, and with a mother-load more character and charm. Hearing the de-stroked L-Twin desmo crackle into life was music to the soul, intensifying the excitement that had been growing on the long drive…

Lester and Steve Harris are special guests at this year’s AMCN International Island Classic, giving race fans Down Under the opportunity to meet two legends of the motorcycle world. But this is no lazy summer sojourn for the pair. When asked how the new year is progressing so far, Lester Harris laughs. “Busy,” he blurts out in a one-word answer that says everything. Now well into their sixties, Lester and brother Steve – as well as long-time friend and business associate Stephen Bayford – have just started another chapter in a career of innovation that began in a small shed in 1972. At an age when most people are planning retirement the trio has embarked on perhaps their biggest challenge yet. Their Hertford-based business is now part of Eicher Motors…

Aprilia Caponord 1200 Touring Liquid-cooled, eight valve, DOHC, V-twin 91.9kW & 114.8Nm (claimed) Sachs 43mm USD fork with semi-active ADD Shock preload and rebound electronically controlled with ADD 228kg (kerb weight) $20,000 ride away WITH THE SYDNEY Gassit office located on the fringes of the CBD I was in need of inner-city transport, and our new Aprilia Caponord 1200 Touring long-termer fits the bill perfectly. Before you go reaching for the phone to report a mad man on the lose, hear me out. Sure the big 1197cc V-twin may appear as far removed from an inner-city commuter as you can get, but looks can be deceiving. The run to the Sydney office is an 80-minute battle including a freeway jaunt, outer suburb traversing and CBD madness. Along the freeway the…

ESSENTIALS There is fuel available in Taralga, Crookwell, and Boorowa, though opening hours for several of the servos seem to be a little random on weekends. Fix It Directly across the road from the Taralga Hotel you will find a mechanical workshop run by Col. If you have a problem and need a little help our hot tip is to go for a wander and find him. There is little else other than a few mechanical shops in Crookwell that are generally closed on the weekend. Fuel Up Mobil Handy Mart – 33 Spring St, Crookwell Ph: (02) 4832 1041 Caltex – 84 Marsden St, Boorowa Ph: (02) 6385 1601 Eat The Tangled Vine Café is on the main street of Taralga opposite the Argyle Inn pub. Owners Steve and…

START A test of mind, body and machine, the Dakar Rally is like no other race on Earth. It’s an environment where temperatures span some 60 degrees from well below freezing up to the very high 40s, where competitors climb from sea level to the clouds into altitudes twice those of Australia’s highest mountain, navigating their own way through South America’s unpredictable and unforgiving landscape. On bugger-all sleep they race flat-out for two weeks, throttle pinned in top gear making what could be life-threatening decisions on 180kg motorcycles built to conquer the desert. Many talented men and women have raced Dakar for a decade without cracking the leaderboard’s top 10, but 28-year-old Aussie Toby Price has tamed the Dakar in just his second attempt. And it’s his second podium in…

This season Aiden Wagner will team up with ex-Moto2 rider and 2009 European Superstock Champion Gino Rea aboard an MV Agusta 675 entered by the GRT Racing Team. The talented Australian won the ASC Supersport championship in 2014 and contested several World Supersport races throughout 2015. “I’m really happy to be racing with the GRT Racing Team for the 2016 season. In addition to now knowing 70 per cent of the tracks on the calendar, I think the combination of the team and the MV is going to be a great step forward for me,” Wagner said after signing up. “All of this put together should be a strong package for some competitive racing and strong results for the season. I can’t wait to get underway at my home event…

WITH RIDER SAFETY paramount, organisers of the 2016 Motul Pirelli Troy Bayliss Classic were forced to abandon the event due to poor weather conditions. When Friday’s heavy rain made way for clear blue raceday skies it appeared the weather would come to the party. However, the sunshine was short-lived, with patchy rain threatening the event throughout the day. After an initial delay to allow the oil track surface time to dry, three rounds of heat races were contested and the early running indicated the advantage was firmly with the Aussie All-Stars, led by event host Troy Bayliss. The local riders’ cause was assisted when visiting 2016 Superprestigio winner, American Brad Baker, crashed out in spectacular fashion. As the heats progressed, the Americans began to dial into the circuit and when…

WITH THE NATIONAL road racing season almost upon us, the big question on everyone’s mind is which championship will attract the biggest names and therefore offer the closest competition. Both the MA-backed Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) and the Swann Insurance Australasian Superbike Championship (ASC) are held over six rounds on independent dates spread across four states, however, it’s unusual to see riders tackle both championships on a full-time basis in a single year, with Mike Jones’ effort in the Superbike class, and Brayden Elliott’s Supersport campaign last year both successful exceptions. In the Superbike paddock, both Yamaha and Honda have announced they will retain their 2015 factory rider line-ups. Yamaha has confirmed that Wayne Maxwell will be joined once again by teammates Glenn Allerton and Cru Halliday…

HISTORIC RACING HAS risen rapidly in popularity over the past 20 years, with several flagship events held across the nation attracting strong support from both the local and international racing community. If you were under the impression that this genre of racing is reserved for old slow pokes, a quick scan over this year’s entry list for the Island Classic will make you change your stripes. Events like this showcase furious competition, drawing strong crowds of enthusiasts and members of the general public. In addition to the vibrant social scene, this form of racing is well suited to anyone interested in sharing their passion with the next generation, and there’s always plenty of family support on display to demonstrate this. Historic racing also gives the widest range of bikes and…

“Dad got Dave pissed one night and suggested he let me ride his Norton” You come from a famous UK vintage racing family – your father Bill was one of the best. How did you end up in NZ? I came for a year’s holiday with girlfriend Jennifer and got offered a teacher’s job in a college with an amenable principal who gives me time off to race at the Isle of Man. So we stayed. That was a wife and baby ago. I’ve been very fortunate to be trusted with some top bikes here: Neville Wooderson’s BSA Gold Star, Ginger Molloy’s Bultaco, Phil Price’s ‘The Big Velo’ MT5001, his ex-Arthur Wheeler MKVIII Velocette and Eldee Velocette, and Peter Lodge’s ‘ES3’ Norton. You’ve done well at Eastern Creek on the…