Australian Motorcycle News - May 27 2021
Australian Motorcycle News - May 27 2021
FULL
FACTORY!
Thrashing Aprilia’s
new 2021 V4 Tuono
ar
An
be
EXCLUSIV
INTERVIE
OUR
OMEGROW
HEROES
TAKING TH
GP WORLD
BY STORM
“PEOPLE
THINK I
HERE
OF
PLUS COLUMN: JACK MILLER // HOW TO: CHUCK A U-EY! // TECH: TURBOS MAKE COMEBACK
5
OVES
ADIES
’Busa-
fest
tents
27 MAY – 9 JUNE 2021/ VOL 70/ №23
The only Gen
III Hayabusa in
→
the land and we
fang it at PI
pg 34
THIS IS WHERE YOU START
Ridden/Tested
34 BIRD OF PLAY
We chucked a leg over Suzuki’s new Hayabusa
40 YOU BEAUTY!
Aprilia’s Tuono V4 Factory; Supernaked superstar 50
Features
50 GIVE US A BOOST
After a false start in the 1980s manufacturers are
embracing forced induction again. Here’s why
60 OVER ACHIEVER
Our man Cathcart joined forces with Yamaha and
Over Racing 25 years ago to break some V-twin hearts
Sport
96 MOTOGP RD 5
Jumpin’ Jack Flash – and a GasGas gas
100 WORLDSBK RD 1
Rea gets his ton, Redding gets his tyres right
Cover story
AUSSIE RULES!
Jack Miller and Remy Gardner are lighting
up MotoGP and Moto2 with wins and title-
contending performances
amcn.com.au
Regulars
60 70
40
ed’s desk
DEAN MELLOR
EDITORIAL
Editor: Dean Mellor
on the head in his letter Stumped by Supers (Access, Vol 70 No 22) in CONTRIBUTORS
Sir Alan Cathcart, Michael Scott,
which he lamented WSBK “lacks so much of what I love about MotoGP”. Ben Purvis, Mat Oxley, Neil Morrison,
Gold & Goose, Gordon Ritchie, Paul Young,
There was six-time world champion Jonathan Rea out in front again, Peter Whitaker, Don Cox
AND NOT FORGETTING
giving the field a masterclass on racing a Superbike. After earlier blitzing Darryl Flack, Neil Spalding,
Simon O’Leary, Peter Baker,
the Superpole session, Rea made Race 1 look easy, with the only real Josh Evans & Phillip Tooth
threat seemingly his teammate Alex Lowes in the early stages. PRODUCTION
Production Manager: Ian Scott
Sure, Murray reckons Rea’s domination isn’t the only factor in WSBK Advertising Co-ordinator: Yang Zhou
It’s been a still won the race even without Gerloff’s ‘help’. Citrus Media
Publisher: Jim Flynn
By Lap 5 things were getting exciting, with 0449 801 899 [email protected]
journey to get
Australian Motorcycle News
der Mark, Lowes and Toprak Razgatlioglu; yep, A: PO Box 222, Earlwood, NSW, 2206
P: (02) 9186 9186
that’s four different manufacturers in the top five
where he is
E: [email protected]
ISSN: 1320-2103
positions, all jostling for the advantage.
right now
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Rea picked up the pieces to finish in second ahead of (02) 8227 6486
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lead in the championship, but it turned out to be a far more exciting
Published by Citrus Media ABN 28 137 759 043,
weekend than anyone could’ve thought after Saturday night’s more Level 2, 173-179 Broadway, Ultimo, Sydney NSW 2007
© 2021 All rights reserved.
predictable result.
Printed in Australia by IVE
But when it comes to excitement the Superbikes were still not a patch
Material contained in AMCN is protected under the
on MotoGP in Le Mans! I could go into the details here but I reckon you’d Commonwealth Copyright Act 1968 and may not be
reproduced in part or whole without written consent from
be better off flicking to pages 92-93 to read about it in Jack’s own words. the copyright holders.
And how about Remy Gardner?! Still on top of the Moto2 Distributed by Ovato Retail Distribution.
*$9.95 maximum and recommended retail price only.
Championship after five rounds! It’s been a bloody long journey to get
where he is right now, and you can check out his story starting page 70.
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20154, World Square, NSW, 2002
the know YAMAHA HAS BROUGHT elements of World Superbike
back one of its most famous and MotoGP tech and styling.
model names to create the The chassis and ‘CP2’
IT HAPPENED SINCE LAST ISSUE 2022 YZF-R7. Based on the 689cc parallel twin
MT-07 nakedbike, Yamaha engine, with its 270-degree
says it bridges the gap crankshaft to replicate the
Yamaha’s
between the entry-level R3 firing interval of a 90-degree
and its R1 Superbike. V-twin, are carried across
There will be controversy from the MT-07. That means
YZF-R7 signals
over whether the new R7 is the power output of 54kW
worthy of the legendary name (72hp) at 8750rpm and
it bears but seen in isolation torque of 67Nm at 6000rpm
new era
there’s no question that it’s an is identical, but the two bikes
impressive-looking new model. will feel distinctly different
Although comparisons will to ride thanks to a host of
inevitably be drawn with other changes.
Aprilia’s RS660 – another Yamaha says the engine
similarly sized parallel twin has a new ECU specification,
that also aims to revive the changes to the intake
f lagging supersports market ducts and exhaust and
– the Yamaha is a much new injection settings, but
cheaper machine to buy. more notably the R7 uses
Heavily based on the lower gearing for better
existing MT-07 nakedbike, acceleration. It’s not at
and so closely aligned to the expense of top speed,
the likes of Kawasaki’s either, since the faired
Ninja 650, it has a track- bike’s aerodynamics give it
ready appearance that uses a 15-20km/h advantage over
THE WHEELS ON
THE ’BUSA GO…
First local ride on Suzuki’s latest missile
34 LIVING THE LIFE
OF A RISING SON
Gardner 2.0 on what really happened at…
70
→ →
COMMENT
Hamish Cooper
upside-down fork, as well as while on-board there’s a new Why it had to be called an R7
A LAMS a revised rear shock linkage LCD dash including a gear THE MORE YOU think about it the
HA M I SH ’ S LI BR A RY S PO RT S TA RT S PAG E 96
Mystery
range-topping version of its Marchesini wheels.
super-adventure model. If this is the planned
It’s possible this will Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak,
then its engine spec is
Multistrada
become the long-expected
Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak expected to be the same
model, already type- 1158cc four as the normal
approved in American EPA Multistrada V4 – that’s what’s
V4
emissions listings alongside listed on the American
Single-sided swingarm
the normal Multistrada V4 emissions documents. But
and V4 S models. it could also be a different,
version a road weapon? Like the Multistrada
1260 Pikes Peak, the new
higher-performance model
altogether.
single-sided swingarm V4 The ‘Pikes Peak’ name
Ducati’s Pikes Peak
looks like one we uses alloy wheels and road- isn’t as suited to the V4 as
want to test… oriented rubber. The fact it to the previous Multistrada
was caught testing on a race super-twin. And motorcycles
track is also notable, as for have been banned from
all its ‘adventure’ styling, competing at the famous
it’s designed to go fast on Colorado hillclimb following
asphalt above all. the death of four-time
There is a 17-inch front winner Carlin Dunne in
wheel instead of the normal 2019 riding a prototype
V4’s 19-incher and the entire Ducati Streetfighter V4.
front end appears to be BEN PURVIS
S P I E D!
WTF?! SEATBELTS FOR BIKES?
ITALIAN ENGINEERING AND Seatbelts on
design firm Italdesign has motorcycles?
patented an intelligent Yeah, nah or
motorcycle seatbelt system nah, yeah?
intended to operate in certain
types of accident. It reckons it
will work best in the sort of crash
where a car pulls out in front of a
rider. Instead of being catapulted
over the car’s roof or straight
into its side, remaining on the
bike would allow it to absorb the
impact and protect the rider.
Italdesign’s idea is to add a rigid,
shell-like backrest to a motorcycle
or scooter, with shoulder straps
and a waist belt holding it into
12 amcn.com.au
PRODUCT SAFETY
BMW PLANS A
CARBON FRAME
AS WELL AS dabbling with structural carbon-fibre
components on its HP4 Race track-only superbike,
BMW is looking to apply the tech to some of its
RECALLROSTER
Check if your motorcycle is
affected by this recent recall
road models. It has filed a patent application that
shows a new method to use carbon on motorcycle MODEL 2018 Suzuki GSX250F
frames without the cost and production problems IMPORTER Suzuki Australia
associated with a full carbon-fibre chassis. Pty Ltd
Using the latest S 1000 RR’s aluminium frame for NUMBER OF AFFECTED
the basis of the patent illustrations, BMW’s latest MOTORCYCLES 359
idea is to use bolt-on carbon fibre panels to increase ISSUE The headlamp bulb
and tune chassis rigidity. thread may vibrate during
Carbon panels are already used in MotoGP, bonded strategically onto aluminium frames, certain engine speeds and
positioning them strategically to tune the flex. BMW differs by using bolt-on carbon parts that allow may cause a headlamp to blow
for easier production and can be changed to alter a bike’s behaviour. POTENTIAL
It also means the alloy components can be thinner and lighter, while avoiding the need to weld HAZARD Reduced visibility,
strengthening bracing into a chassis. creating a risk of accident
This project has legs because BMW already mass-produces structural carbon parts for its cars, ACTION REQUIRED Contact
including complete chassis for the i3 and i8 models. BP your nearest Suzuki dealer for
remedial action
GOES LIVE
brand by H-D
amcn.com.au 13
the
In 2012, when Casey Stoner won two
Did MotoGPs on the trot, he went on to win
you → another three, including Phillip Island
w
know?
for the sixth time in a row, to finish third
overall for Honda
DOVI’S DRAGSTER
It might date back to 1995 but the Italjet
Dragster is still the sexiest scooter out
there. And now MotoGP’s crowd favourite
Andrea Dovizioso has jumped on board,
becoming a brand ambassador for an
upcoming version. It’s the latest project he’s
undertaken in his ‘gap year’ from MotoGP
and, like his efforts with Aprilia, he will be
eM testing it on the track and road.
weekend across all three
classes
Fans are
OKAY AND I WILL fans allowed back in to 500cc Grand Prix Motorcycles: The 2-Stroke
watch for the first time in Era, A Photographic Tribute and details of how
over a year to support this project are at kickstarter.com.
RECOVER”
Meanwhile, Dave Plunkett is distributing a
book written by f lamboyant Kiwi speedway
rider Bruce Cribb called Cribby Story Book
– the world’s fastest Maori . All proceeds
Three-time world Superbike go to the Speedway Riders Benevolent
champion Troy Bayliss after Fund. It is available in Australia for $28.75
suffering a C4 vertebrae fracture (including postage) from Dave Plunkett at
in a road accident on his bicycle. AMCN’S [email protected]
THERMOMETER
Seven
UP AND AT ’EM
Motorcycle training school Stay Upright has partnered with
months motorcycle dealership group TeamMoto and MCAS to give novice
BE A
next month while we’re
forced to wait until
December
Family
SIGN-UP TO WIN!
tragedy
WINNER
To ce ebrate the aunch of MotoGP™21
AMCN is reward ng five e newsletter subscribers with a copy of th s game!
A l you have to do is subscribe to the AMCN E News etter to be in the draw it s that s mple
A grieving mother
in Colorado, US, has
died after crashing To celebrate the launch of
her motorcycle during MotoGP™21, AMCN is giving five
a memorial ride for e-newsletter subscribers the chance
her son, who died in a to win a copy of the game. All you
motorcycle accident
Winners Drawn
14 amcn.com.au
the
w
The bike
that
created
a legend
This year marks the 40th
anniversary of the passing
of Ken Blake
THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY Ken Blake with his Jim Scaysbrook fires up
of Australian racing legend Triumph in the first the Jesser Triumph in 2014
Ken Blake’s death at the Isle few months of his
of Man TT will be honoured racing career
in Melbourne on 9 June, with
the Triumph on which he
started racing taking centre
stage. Blake’s 1964 Triumph
Bonneville will be on display
for the first time since 2014 at
the Laurel Hotel in Ascot Vale.
At the age of 20, Blake
took the skills he acquired
through fast road rides in
the Adelaide Hills to Mallala
racetrack in 1966. Riding
his lightly modified 1964
Triumph Bonneville 650 he
was soon running at the front Triumph won Australia’s France. He’d openly expressed
of the field.
His talent was quickly
biggest road race of the
1969 season, the Australian KENBLAKE thoughts of retiring but that
contract inspired him to give
recognised by local tuners
Les and Dean Jesser. The
Unlimited TT at Surfers
Paradise. Blake’s last major 40THANNIVERSARY it another go.
As a lead-up he went to the
team, including frame
engineer Ivan Ardill, who
victory on the Jesser Triumph
was the 1970 Australian TT at MEMORIAL Isle of Man TT again. Racing
his four-year-old Yamaha
braced the chassis and
sharpened the steering
head angle, and John Lord,
Phillip Island, where he beat
several TR3s. LUNCHEON
Wednesday 9 June 2021,
TZ350 in the Senior TT he
was forced to start from
the rear of the grid after a
Soon after, his life changed
who made up the fibreglass when Melbourne motorcycle from 12.30pm carburettor float valve stuck
bodywork, soon achieved Laurel Hotel, open. In typical Blake style,
identity Ron Angel signed
289 Mt Alexander Rd,
Australia-wide fame through him to the first official and in changeable weather
Ascot Vale
a series of big race wins. Australian Kawasaki race Free entry conditions, he carved his
An indication of the team. Blake created another Drinks and food way through more than 100
thousands of kilometres legend when he won the at bar prices competitors to reach eighth
travelled to meetings is the Castrol Six Hour, Australia’s place going into the final lap.
paint scheme, inspired by the premiere production race, followed by his third Castrol A few kilometres down the
colours of the Golden Fleece riding solo in 1973 on a Six Hour win the next year, road he aquaplaned on a wet
service stations the team newly-released Z1 Kawasaki. set him on a path to Europe patch of road at Ballagery and
refuelled at on their long He then beat Giacomo and the Isle of Man, aged 32, was killed instantly. Blake’s
interstate journeys. Agostini on a factory MV in 1978. body was cremated on the
Eventually taken out to Agusta at the Laverton TT in He had several modestly island and his ashes flown
730cc and running on a nitro/ 1976, riding the first square- successful years as a back to Australia for a huge
methanol fuel mix, what was four RG500 Suzuki brought privateer and in 1981 was memorial service.
now referred to as the Jesser into Australia. That victory, offered a contract with Honda HAMISH COOPER
16 amcn.com.au
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Headcheck
SPORT
In just his second year on
the international road racing After the fracas that ensued at the Catalan GP on
AMCN Vol 51 No 07
circuit, Andrew Pitt clinched the 17 June 2001 between Valentino Rossi and Max
148 pages, $5.50
Supersport World Championship Biaggi, after which Max appeared at the post-race
On sale 12 – 25 Oct 2001
at the fi nal round in Italy. Pitt, presser with claret coming from his nose, we thought
Editor Ken Wootton
the 1999 Aussie Supersport we better give the frumpy looking Italian a chance to
champion, became the fi rst put his slant on his battle with his arch-rival.
Aussie to win a Supersport World
Championship, despite not
winning any of the 11 races. He
pipped Paolo Casoli for the title by “IT’S NOT LIKE A PRODUCTION BIKE,
WHERE EVERYONE CAN RIDE IT AT
just two points, after the Italian –
who led the Championship going into the fi nal round –
chucked his Yamaha down the road.
He
PIC OF THE LIMIT. WHEN THE TYRES GO OFF said
that?
THE ISSUE AFTER 10 LAPS, IT’S GOING TO NEED
FINESSE, AND ONLY A FEW PEOPLE WILL
This is Ruben
Xaus relieving
himself in front
18 amcn.com.au
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OGIO Excelsior
etter Win OGIO’s ultra-padded
f the air-mesh backpack
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sue valued at $79.95!
Include your full name and address in your
letter, via post or email. Long letters will be cut
to fit, so don’t ramble. The views expressed by
AIR YOUR THOUGHTS OR VENT YOUR SPLEEN
readers are not necessarily those of the editor. Access, AMCN, PO Box 6, Bittern, Vic, 3918
[email protected]
Arse about
I just wanted to point out
you got a fact wrong in
your recent edition with
amcn.com.au 21
access NOW EVEN MORE
PLACES TO READ AMCN
Your say
in Jerez
force and who amazingly the line in Le Mans to become the first Aussie since Casey
still gets trolled for having Stoner to win back-to-back MotoGP races. I cried like Jack
two weeks
the audacity to arrive in cried in Jerez two weeks earlier when he finally got the
MotoGP and slay like he did. factory-win monkey off his back.
earlier”
Just like in AMCN’s inside It was such a stressful race to watch – I can’t imagine
story, he ‘kicked Rossi’s what it was like for Jack to actually ride in, let alone go
arse’. And if Valentino is the and win! It was an emotional rollercoaster – from seeing
→
GOAT like everyone says, Marquez leading a race and crashing – twice! – to seeing
then that was some feat. Jack out in the gravel and thinking the victory was out
His 23 wins on that Ducati of reach. facing with global
were awe inspiring but Rossi I had to close my eyes when he took those long lap shipping and supply-
and his fans decided it was penalties with his knee on the deck and when he wobbled chain disruption due
all because of the Ducati’s his leg to signal to his team he was thinking about to Covid-19 is unlike
power and the Bridgestone switching to a wet bike, I yelled at the TV wishing he anything we’ve ever
tyres. VR didn’t seem to like wouldn’t, and I reckon he must have heard me. experienced. As we
a young Australian upstart MotoGP is so awesome right now, I know exactly what navigate through the
stealing his limelight and Murray Hayes was talking about last issue ( Stumped by challenges, we are adeptly
thought he’d show everyone Supers AMCN Vol 70 No 22), MotoGP literally gives me managing the effects of
how easy it was. butterflies in the stomach – heck, it makes me bloody cry! disruption, ensuring that
But instead, he found it I’ll watch the World Supers this weekend, and I’ll enjoy it, we are able to continue
almost impossible to even but I sure as hell know I won’t be reaching for the tissues. delivering quality parts
get a podium in his two Jordy Bodle and accessories. Thank
years onboard the Ducati, via email you for your continued
even with that huge budget patience as we worked
increase. You weren’t the only one yelling at the telly, Jordy! through this situation
It just shows that you can’t That race at Le Mans had absolutely everything, and to get back to regular
argue with popularity. Well, Jack’s performance was simply brilliant fulfillment of parts and
you can but you’d be wrong. accessories.”
Jack Miller’s Le Mans
Johno Clarson win had Jordy Bodle
via email in tears
Shipping news
Great news! AMCN
Forest for Vol 70 No 19 (1-14 April) has
the trees just arrived on the shelf in
Jack Miller has won two NZ today. It’s 14 May, so
MotoGP races and you guys we get it six weeks after it’s
have not mentioned him published across the ditch.
in your write-ups. Very This is now the typical
disappointing. delivery delay in
Elie Tarazi New Zealand.
via email Is this really the best
your publisher and the
Hey Elie, what magazine NZ distributors Gordon &
are you reading? Jack Gotch can do? It disrespects
even made an appearance the great effort you and
on last issue’s cover. dates for supply – initially difficulties with suppliers, your team make to provide
Deano three to four weeks, which I which is why there is a delay. timely news articles to us on
thought was bad enough, The keys, I am told, have a fortnightly basis. By the
Lost and waiting but was told after four weeks to come from America and time we get it, the magazine
I have a Harley-Davidson would be 14 May. And now I am told other parts are is already three issues
Dyna Wide Glide. I have that date has arrived, I am difficult to get. behind and now half of it is
ordered and paid for a new told 27 May! Gary Bentleigh old ‘news’. Can I suggest the
set of keys for the bike as I Waiting three months via email T-Clamps in these PC times?
lost the other one – I asked (assuming they get here this Alan Lewis
for ways around waiting as time) for a set of keys with We contacted Harley, via email
bike would be off road, but no other option from H-D, I Gary. This is the reply:
it’s not possible. think, is very poor. I was told “The situation companies Sorry Alan, there’s not a lot
I have been given a few that now they are having around the world are we can do to speed up NZ
22 amcn.com.au
Kate Peck, centre,
is the host of The
AusMoto Show
@jeffevans1300
Post of
the issue
The notion of belting
oneself to your favourite
ride caused a tsunami of
comments from readers
#gsxs1000 #suzukim
otorcycles
#gixxes #streetbike
#gixxus
#biker #motorbike #i
nstabike
#gen3 #hayabu
Yes please Santa.
orcycles #daine
@peterstevensmot
#amcn_mag
→ Don’t Forget
#amcn_mag
Comment
of the Issue
Georgina Skene makes a point about
the notion of seatbelts on a motorbike
Reaching out
Want to see your pride and
joy featured in AMCN?
The only thing we love more than
writing about bikes is looking at your
bikes. Tag your social pics with @
aumotorcyclenews on Facebook or @
amcn_mag on Instagram, or fire them o
in an email to [email protected]
And don’t forget to tell us why you love it.
24 amcn.com.au
Introducing the all-new Meteor 350
A modern cruiser that represents the eternal essence of riding, making the rider one with the machine and
the terrain, primed to soak in the surroundings. With classic contours and timeless design cues, the Meteor is
a thoroughbred cruiser, ready for both the open highway and urban commute.
I turned 70 in the
December just gone
so decided to buy
myself a present!
And here it is with
my best mate
keeping watch.
I have always had
fully faired Japanese
bikes and this is my
first nakedbike – I
am absolutely in
love with it and it
goes like stink! I
will buy another
bike when I turn
80. Loving life to
the max!
Martin Creek
Covid times were tough. There have been some changes now, not all good ones.
Geoffrey Walter
Send Fred a photo of your bike, cos if he can’t ride as much as he’d
like to, he at least wants to be able to look at more bikes. Email your
picture to [email protected] and get it published in the mag!
26 amcn.com.au
COLLECTION
2021
Race-R
Pro
Carbon Helmet
$999.95
SCAN ME!
FOR MORE
I N F O R M AT I O N
mental
twisties
SPOT THE DIFFERENCE
Who better to feature in this issue’s
quiz than Townsville’s fi nest? Pick the
four changes we made to Jack Miller’s EMAIL YOUR NUMBERED ANSWERS
Ducati GP21, email ’em in and score TO [email protected]
yerself an AMCN neck sock for winter! FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!
AL
ORIGIN
Take me W
e knew it was coming, just not
this soon. Our time with the
Indian was up and it was due
home
back to its Sydney warehouse.
Small problem though; I
swapped the FTR for a V-Strom in Mallacoota
country
(MCN Vol 70 No 18) and Kel then rode the FTR
to the Mornington Peninsula. From there it
was picked up by Phil, who took it deep into the
untamed (but leafy) streets in Melbourne’s east.
RIDER PROFILE
Name
road
There was a solution. Perhaps not the most
practical of solutions, but surely a fitting farewell Pete Vorst
to what’s proved to be a largely practical big-bore Height 186cm
nakebike during our eight-month Living With Weight 104kg
period. I was flying to Phillip Island to ride the
new Hayabusa, surely I could strap three days’
It’s time to go, but the Indian worth of luggage, a large Alpinestars one-piece
race suit and other assorted junk on the small
FTR is leaving us with a worn- pillion perch and ride it 1000km back to Sydney.
out fuel card, a depleted deck With a flea in my ear about the dangers of
kangaroos and fatigue from Kel, I rolled off Phillip
of demerit points and most Island in the afternoon with about 30kg of luggage
of all fond memories of our strapped to the back and in the pouring rain.
shenanigans over the past
Despite the small pillion perch, the generous
pillion grab handles, foot pegs and flat seat allow
eight months you to strap a relatively large load on quite easily,
but it does impinge on the rider’s seating area, so I
WORDS PETE VORST had to jam myself between the tank and the bag –
PHOTOGRAPHY PV & AMCN ARCHIVES much to the amusement of the gents from Suzuki.
30 amcn.com.au
Pete’s
Tr ip
2 3
4 5
I appeased my
FTR’s strengths and weaknesses. The sporty
Sachs suspension combined with the 19-inch
a stash of petrol in
feels particularly stable cornering at a decent
clip. And its punchy 1203cc V-twin favours a
a one-litre bottle
point-and-shoot method of cornering.
It’s 175km between fuel stops on the Bonang,
and with Phil running out at 164km (AMCN Vol
70 No 20) having not thrashed the FTR in my
head, combined with my inability not to thrash
I made my way the 275km to Bairnsdale, the FTR up the Bonang, I appeased my range
stopping twice for fuel and spending the night anxiety with a stash of petrol in a bottle that just
before I found out for myself what all this talk of that morning had contained one litre of Paul’s
1. Yep; you can tour on
the Bonang is about. full-cream goodness. It proved to be a smart an Indian FTR. Just tie
The Bonang Highway is 100-odd kays of twisty move, because I needed it and also rolled into the down your stuff carefully
goodness strewn with logging trucks with servo at Bombala with the fuel light on. If you’re
2. The screen is the right
drivers that don’t care too much for which side of doing distance on a big V-twin like the FTR with height for Stormtroopers
the road they should be on and make no attempt a 13-litre tank, range anxiety is just something and Ewoks; a bit less so
to save you from spearing off a cliff by pulling you’re going to deal with. for Wookies
onto the appropriate side of the road. And for Once you reach Cooma, the fun is over and 3. Chunky rubber
good measure, there’s a solid section of dirt. The it’s highway most of the way back to Sydney. I handles most conditions
tarmac section is god’s gift to motorcycles – it’s reached Canberra right on peak hour, which let but is not quite the
a bit bumpy in places, but amazing. You ride me break up the monotony of the trip with some ultimate in stickiness
differently when you’re on your own and in a lane-splitting antics. 4. Yep; she gets a bit
remote area, because getting it wrong means The Hume Highway is a truly horrid road, grubby if you go off-road
you’ll die alone down a fern-lined ditch – you it’s boring and littered with coppers. In this 5. A one-litre bottle can
avoid high corner speeds and use a brake, point, scenario, the FTR’s cruise control is a blessing be your new best friend.
shoot approach and it’s one that plays to the and, actually, so is the fact that you need to (That is petrol PV, right?)
amcn.com.au 31
livingwith
Indian FTR 1200 Race Replica
1 4
There’s nothing
stop for fuel regularly – especially when night
is falling and it’s getting bloody cold. Night’s
32 amcn.com.au
Finally, we installed a numberplate And last but not least: the fuelling. The
relocation kit (AMCN Vol 70 No 22) to move the FTR runs rough and often stalls if it’s
numberplate from down by the back wheel to the completely warmed up. And even when THE
undertail of the FTR. Installation can be fiddly is up to temperature, the fuelling is so DETAIL
and time consuming and if you’re not handy on unrefined that it will even surge on C o s t, k
S
a
the tools it might be worth getting your dealer to the highway with the cruise control c on s u y s a nd
do it, but we reckon the end result is worth both activated. Total co m p t ion
the time and the cash. Indian says it has addressed all of
s t o f a cces
It’s not all rainbows and cinnamon-scented these issues with the soon-to-arrive $ 2057.9sories fitted
Total ki 5
candles though. Getting fuel in the 13-litre tank 2021 FTR, so we’re really looking lometre
sc
is painfully slow and it’s something you need to forward to seeing if it has made a 5285 overed
do fairly often. really good bike really great. It also Average
fu
Kel, being vertically challenged, found it so sports 17-inch wheels at both ends over the el consumptio
difficult to reach the sidestand due to the 840mm so not only will your steering be eight-m n
p er i od o nth
seat height that, if she wasn’t wearing stretchy more direct when you’re on the pipe,
jeans, she needed to ask for assistance when she your choice of rubber will be much 6 . 5 L / 10 0 k
m
pulled up. improved, too.
The touch screen TFT dash is on one hand easy The FTR has won many a friend amo
to see, and even easier to use, but on the other AMCN staffers. Its engine is roaring fu t
takes forever to load, and if you connect your the lazy American V-twin you might imagine. It
phone via Bluetooth the system hijacks your loves to rev and encourages you to do naughty
phone so you can no longer hear your music or things. One of the big attractions of the FTR
navigation through your intercom. though is it’s looks, there’s nothing else like it
At $24,995 you shouldn’t have to deal with and you’ll get a lot of attention wherever you
rusty bits on your motorcycle, but the rotor bolts pull up. It’s a real hoon bike; powerful, nimble
and lever perch pinch bolts started rusting a and sexy, but with enough comfort that you can
month or so into our time with the brand-new enjoy the fruits of far-f lung places like the
FTR, even to the point that water dripping from Bonang Highway. Any wonder it claimed AMCN
the rusty rotor bolts stained the wheels. Motorcycle of the Year honours in 2019.
amcn.com.au 33
quickspin TEST PETE VORST
PHOTOGRAPHY FOTO FIRST
Bird of 1
Play
With less power and
less torque, can the
new Hayabusa live up
to its modern legend 2
status? Phillip Island
can answer that
I
t hasn’t rained in weeks, so the rain has
made the track slippery as hell,” one of
Suzuki Australia’s techs said as I rolled
out of pit garage number 49. I don’t know
if hell is a slippery place or not, but I didn’t
want to find out on my first trip to Phillip
Island for a ride around the famous circuit by
throwing a bike down the tarmac. And that bike
was the fresh Gen III Hayabusa, a modern icon
34 amcn.com.au
FINISH LINE
The paint and quality of the
fit and fi nish is as good if not
better than any Japanese
bike at the price point – it
looks amazing in the fl esh
FAMILIAR FACE
It looks completely diff erent
but there’s no mistaking it’s a
Hayabusa. The screen looks
small but combines with the
fairing to off er decent protection
Phillip Island first- at the large and bulbous Hayabusa you could
be excused for thinking that you’ll be doing a
timer – no pressure lot of muscle work to get the big bus around the
track. But those acres of aerodynamically shaped
plastics are deceptive. Once you’re seated on the
of motorcycles. So fresh that the new ’Busa had Hayabusa it feels much smaller than it looks and
arrived in the country only days before my soggy the new generation version even more so.
spin around the Island and it was the only one Even by modern standards, the outgoing bike
on the continent. After I’d finished with it, it was is still maniacally fast, and handles far better
to go on show at various dealerships across the than its physically large size suggests it should.
country. A wet track, one Hayabusa and a Phillip When you chuck it into a corner you can tell you’re
Island first-timer – no pressure. on a heavy bike, but in the wet and challenging
So because Adam Child gave you the tech-laden conditions, being on a stable and well-mannered
lowdown on the Gen III ’Busa a couple of issues brute like the Hayabusa is actually not a bad place
ago (AMCN Vol 70 No 20) and Suzuki was good to be perched.
1. Vorst puts on his
enough to bring a second-generation Hayabusa to best brave face on his Thanks to the Gen II’s lack of electronic gizmos,
the Island, instead of finding different ways to tell Phillip Island debut getting the power to the ground can be challenge.
you about the same technical upgrades, I’m going And knocking it into rain mode takes the zap out
2. Design maintains
to try and explain the stark and subtle differences the ’Busa’s traditional of the big girl, which is comforting, sure, but not as
when jumping between the two. look but with all-new much fun – especially when you’re getting smoked
My first session was on the outgoing ’Busa and bodywork down the straight by a gaggle of superbikes.
I took it very easy on the first couple of laps as I 3. PV got to compare The Brembo front brakes are showing their age
tried desperately to remember the track layout back-to-back the new – they still do the business okay, and are certainly
from years of watching racing here, while also model with a red Gen II better than the Nissin-equipped early versions,
amcn.com.au 35
quickspin
2022 SUZUKI HAYABUSA GSX1300R
FAST FOE 5
KAWASAKI ZX-14R
Power 154.5kW @ 10,000rpm (claimed)
Torque 158.2Nm @ 7500rpm (claimed)
Weight 269kg (kerb, claimed)
Price $22,099 plus on road costs
3 6
negative talk around that point. I ll admit that point of view, higher power and torque figures
I was a little disappointed to read that when over the old model is kind of a must.
AMCN broke the news – I mean the Hayabusa is It’s braking heavily for the first time heading
supposed to be about obscene amounts of power into the turn-four hairpin where you notice
and a new Busa shouldn’t have less, should it? how much the new Brembo Stylema brakes and
And while peak power might be lower, Suzuki bigger 320mm discs have improved the braking
claims that the latest bike makes more in the performance. There’s far more power and loads
midrange and, as I ripped out of pitlane and more feel, and you’re backed-up by lean-angle-
accelerated out of Southern Loop, I could sensitive ABS – and in these sketchy conditions
definitely notice the difference. It’s an increase and on the only example in the country, that’s
just where you need it on a roadbike. worth every dollar over the outgoing model alone.
If you can notice the peak power reduction, I also took a short road ride where every wallaby
then I look forward to following your racing and cantankerous goose on the Island seemed to
career because in these conditions I couldn’t feel dart in front of the big ’Busa, and it cemented just
any difference. Still, from a would-be owner’s ego how responsive and powerful the new anchors are
and how the Bosch IMU’s computing power can
It’s an increase in
keep you from being that guy who dropped the
only generation III Hayabusa in town.
you need it on a
control, engine braking control, cruise control
and hill hold control. The cornering traction
roadbike
control keeps the rear tyre in check as you
accelerate hard out of Siberia allowing the rear
amcn.com.au 37
quickspin
1. PV found the ’Busa to be quite adept at avoiding
endangered Victorian wildlife 2. ’Busa nirvana; a left-
hand switchblock that controls its advanced electronics
SPECS
ENGINE
Capacity 1340cc
Type In-line four, DOHC,
16 valves
Bore & stroke 81 x 65mm
Compression ratio 12.6:1
Cooling Liquid
Fueling EFI
Transmission Six-speed
Clutch Wet, multi-plate
Final drive Chain
PERFORMANCE
Power 140kW @ 9700rpm
Torque 150Nm @ 7000rpm
(claimed)
Top speed 299km/h (limited)
Fuel consumption 6.7L/100km
(claimed)
ELECTRONICS
Type Bosch
Rider aids: Cornering ABS,
cornering traction control,
wheelie control, launch control,
1 engine brake assist, hill assist,
quick shift, cruise control
rawness
where the outgoing bike – and especially the
Wheelbase 1480mm
first-generation version – required a great deal of
muscle to turn in or change direction mid corner. SUSPENSION
Type KYB
Its increased nimbleness and stability are very Front: 43mm USD fork,
apparent as you round turns 11 and 12. A stab fully adjustable,
2 at the left-hand ’bar gets the ’Busa turned, and 120mm travel
it’s absolutely rock solid as you power onto the Rear: Monoshock, fully
adjustable, 140mm travel
straight and let the 1340cc four-cylinder engine
have its way, rear tyre squirming until you’re back WHEELS & BRAKES
Wheels 7-spoke aluminium
upright and on the middle of the tyre. Front: 17 x 3.5 Rear: 17 x 6
The engine has been extensively updated, but it Tyres Bridgestone Battlax S22
retains that trademark Hayabusa/GSX-R rawness. Front: 120/70ZR17
There’s no lack of power and you make ground Rear: 190/50ZR17
Brakes Brembo/Nissin, ABS
on the litre bikes until they build revs, then they
Front: Dual 320mm discs,
move ahead until the Busa’s aero package comes Stylema four piston calipers
into effect and you start to reel them in. By then Rear: Single 260mm disc,
it’s time to tip into turn one and it all starts again. single-piston caliper
to slide without getting out of control and it’s I’ll confess that I’m a total fanboy of both the DIMENSIONS
especially reassuring as you fire over Lukey first- and second-generation Hayabusas. Am I Weight 264kg (kerb, claimed)
Heights. It’s a proper modern system and I felt way biased? No; if anything my expectations of the Seat height 800mm
Width 735mm
more confident pushing on the latest generation new model were higher because of that. I was Height 1165mm
than I did on the Gen II. It keeps you in control in disappointed when I saw the latest offering Length 2180mm
a smooth and predictable way, which is exactly makes less power and I really, really wanted it Ground clearance 125mm
what it should do. to have a turbo lashed to it, but the truth is it’s Fuel capacity 20L
And the confidence is not only inspired by got more than enough power anyway and makes SERVICING & WARRANTY
the electronics. Although the frame remains better use of what it does have due to its fancy Servicing First: 1000km
Minor: 12,000km
essentially the same, geometry changes and new electronics. Major: 24,000km
updates to the fully adjustable KYB suspension On top of that, handling and braking have Warranty Two years,
have conspired to create a more stable, yet lighter improved and it’s a well sorted, modern and unlimited km
feeling and more flickable Hayabusa. This was stylish Hayabusa fit for a new decade. BUSINESS END
Price $27,690 (ride away)
2022 SUZUKI HAYABUSA GSX1300R Colour options Glass Sparkle
Black/Candy Burnt Gold or
PROS CONS
It’s now got the tech to save your bacon Down on power and torque over the old Metallic Matte Sword Silver/
and get all that power to the ground. model and that impacts your bragging Candy Daring Red
Improved brakes, handling and midrange rights. The price is up significantly Contact
suzukimotorcycles.com.au
38 amcn.com.au
040 FIRST
RIDE 2021 APRILIA TUONO V4 FACTORY
YOU CHILD
Y!
S t at
B
e
Eof t nd a n w
h i s t i ca
i n g a rm a ost sop
sw the m
40 amcn.com.au
amcn.com.au 41
2021 APRILIA TUONO V4 FACTORY
shifts instantly
boost rider faith
in that all-important connection between rider,
bike and road. I’m pushing hard from lap two on
an unfamiliar racetrack.
The new Tuono may ‘only’ have 129kW (175hp)
which, on paper is considerably less than the
Italian competition from Ducati and MV Agusta,
but every kilowatt is functioning. Nothing goes
to waste, meaning you can use every last bit.
Make no mistake; it’s fast, accelerates hard,
but it’s not crushing, and the rider aids are
outstanding.
Aprilia’s anti-wheelie is as good as it gets,
balancing the front wheel lift while still
accelerating. I congratulate the fact that the
traction control can be changed on the move,
even at 100 per cent throttle. Unlike other
nakedbikes in this hotly contested category, that
small aerodynamic top fairing, now with built-
in winglets, offers some wind protection. But
does raise the question, is it a true naked?
The combination of the fuelling, rider aids,
gearbox, power delivery and the aero-package
42 amcn.com.au
1. STAYING PUT
Aprilia has been forced to
conform to tight Euro-5
emissions regulations but,
unlike the RSV4, hasn’t
increased engine capacity
for 2021 – staying instead at
1077cc.
2. EURO VISION
The Italians have managed
to clean up the V4 with a
completely new and lighter
exhaust and revised fuelling.
Peak power and torque remain
the same at 129Kw at 11,350rpm 1
and 121Nm @ 9000rpm,
respectively.
2 3
3. GIVE
ME FIVE
The familiarly narrow
65-degree V4 has been tickled,
which has increased the
maximum rpm by 300, from
12,500rpm to 12,800rpm, and
according to Aprilia this gains
an extra 5km/h in top speed.
4. RACE MODE
Race mode automatically
6 sets the Öhlins semi-active
suspension to A1 (active 1), a
setting purposely optimised for
track use with slicks, as used
on this test.
5. ON THE
STOPS
Simply fi tting the best brakes
and pads doesn’t automatically
equate to excellent braking.
You must also have grip and
feel supplied via the tyre, fork,
chassis, electronics and rider
aids. Tick!
6. BOX FOR
5
BRAINS
A Magneti Marelli ECU is key
to the advanced rider aids, make the Factory ultra-usable on track and,
now able to operate four times
relative to the competition, easy to ride, too.
faster than the previous ECU
and has four times as much
Certainly less physical than the competition, like
memory, too. This is linked to the Ducati Streetfighter V4.
1. Our man Child Aprilia arguably bent the rules for a roadbike
the six-axis IMU.
‘cheated’ a bit by launch by fitting Pirelli SC1 slick (Pirelli Diablo
riding the Tuono on
7. CLICKETY slicks at Misano
Supercorsa are the standard fitment) tyres and it
dialled in the perfect setting for the very grippy
CLICK
There are six riding modes –
2. The wings-on-
a-naked concept
might be cheating
Misano racetrack, but it illustrated what the
Tuono is capable of – and it is mighty.
three for the track and three a bit too – but they You can change the electronic Öhlins
for the road –which link to the add to stability suspension, compensate for the rider’s weight
rider aids and act accordingly
3. Top of the range and conditions, or even revert to the manual
to set the semi-active Öhlins modes without semi-active assistance. But I
Öhlins suspension
suspension. stayed with the recommend A1 settings, which
is highly adjustable
thanks to new ECU for my style and weight were impeccable.
and six-axis IMU Nothing seems to unsettle or worry the new
amcn.com.au 43
2021 APRILIA TUONO V4 FACTORY
DEFLECTS
should you wish.
2 3
The system works
in partnership
with the Rear Lift SOME OF
Mitigation (RLM),
which prevents THE WIND
the rear wheel
from rising during
braking.
BLAST
Aprilia Engine
Brake (AEB),
which adjusts the engine brake control, is brand
new for 2021 and is now independent of the
selected engine maps. You can now personalise
and trim the engine braking ‘strategy’; AEB
also takes lean angle and acceleration into
consideration as you brake and roll into a
turn, for example. Although the mechanical
components of the brakes have remained
unchanged, the algorithms and calculations
activating the system are quicker – the ABS is
1. Brembo monoblocs more alert.
are becoming de Away from the racetrack and living with the
rigeur for ultra- Tuono, the Aprilia has always scored highly
performance bikes, against the competition. A lot of this is because
for good reason
it’s not fully naked and the small top fairing
2. Revised swingarm def lects some of the windblast. It’s the most
is the most visible bearable at speed. The reshaped tank’s capacity
update over the
previous model
is 18.5L and Aprilia quotes consumption at
7.2L/100km. This was a track-only test, so I
3. Choose your didn’t get a measured consumption figure, but if
Tuono; L, the Tuono
V4 Factory and the
Aprilia is to be believed, on the road you should
‘standard’ Tuono V4 be looking for fuel around the 220-kay mark.
44 amcn.com.au
From a single platform,
Aprilia has built two
remarkably different
motorcycles
FOR 2021 APRILIA has
produced two quite different
versions of its hypernaked:
the standard Tuono V4 and
the Tuono V4 Factory. The
standard version is very
much a break with habit;
with a larger top fairing,
higher ’bars, a comfier seat,
grab handles even, lower
pillion ’pegs and a taller
top gear, you could almost
describe it as reasonable.
It is focused on practicality
and high mileages, which
is not what we’d expect
from a Tuono. Engine
performance is the same
across both models, but the
standard version comes
suspended on manual fully
adjustable suspension,
rather than the Öhlins
Smart EC 2.0 semi-active
suspension on the Factory.
The Factory’s bodywork
reduces in size and for 2021
gets built-in winglets, while
the ergonomics are more
directed to sporty track
riding. It’s a big step for
Aprilia to produce two very
different models, using the
same platform.
amcn.com.au 45
2021 APRILIA TUONO V4 FACTORY
TIMES
finally f licked down
to one. I didn’t have
2
to move off line, slow
down, come into the
pits, or look at the
FASTER 3
dash for more than
a second. This is
simple and easy to do, via the finger-and-thumb
toggle on the left-hand handlebar.
AWC (Aprilia Wheelie Control) has five levels
and, like the traction control, can be changed
while on the pipe, an added bonus that not only
1. Wing theme is carried shaves lap times but makes the bike easier and
over to the pillion, er, more fun to ride. Again if you feel intimidated
‘seat’ at a track which undulates violently, you can
2. Child found the add more wheelie control while still lapping at a
adjustable-on-the-fly reasonable rate.
rider settings to be a There are three different engine maps (AEM),
boon on-track those three engine braking levels (AEB) and,
3. ’Tis a handsome beast, as before, three settings for Aprilia Launch
to be sure Control (ALC) and Aprilia Pit Lane Limiter
1.2mm Forged
Aluminium body
SIDE CASES Integrated carry handle
TR47 Flush mounted
locking system
TR36 Stainless steel fittings
ACCESSORIES
ALUMINIUM PLATE
SOLD SEPARATELY
TR IB 47
INNER BAG
TR 47
DISTRIBUTED BY:
PROS CONS
Price $31,790 (ride away)
Electronics and rider aids are second to It’s a lot of money, but still better
Colour options Factory
none, the performance is peerless in terms than its rivals and an Akrapovic pipe
Contact
of usability and the handling is excellent should be standard on the Factory www.aprilia.com/au_EN
amcn.com.au 49
050 NEW
TECH TURBO TECHNOLOGY
WORDS &
PHOTOGRAPHY
BEN PURVIS
40 YEARS OF PROGRES
In the 1980s, turbos were all the rage in cars.
Driven by development in Formula 1 racing
where they exploited a loophole in the rules,
which allowed 1.5-litre turbo engines to
compete against 3-litre normally aspirated
designs, turbo technology was improving at
breakneck pace and proving that tiny engine
could make mammoth power figures.
Turbocharged rally cars, sedans and
sportscars followed, with performance
spiralling out of control towards the mid-80s
when 1500cc F1 motors were hitting highs of
as much as 1400hp in qualifying ‘grenade’
spec. Any bike firm was sure to be interested
in getting some of that action, and soon all
four Japanese brands were beavering away o
boosted bikes with the hope of getting big po
from a small package. Honda even tried to
Above. Kawasaki has
mimic the turbo’s F1 success by making an o
committed to forced
pistoned V-twin – the NR250 – by bolting tw induction with its
tiny blowers to a motor that was basically half turbochargers that are easier to spin-up than
supercharged H2 their forebears, and allied to modern electronic
the ill-fated NR500’s V4 in the mid-80s. It never and H2R
saw the track. engine management, the development of
The problem with those 80s turbo bikes was low-pressure turbocharging on engines with
inevitably the same: turbo lag. Turbos of the era relatively high compression ratios, and ride-by-
were designed with cars in mind, with insensitive wire throttles, the old problem of lag simply isn’t
foot-operated throttles and heavy flywheels, the issue that it was in the 1980s.
and even then, turbo lag was often a problem
on four wheels. Apply a turbo to a bike, with a
quick-revving engine, a sensitive hand-operated
throttle and a skinny sliver of 1980s-spec rubber
to put the power to the ground and it was a recipe
for disaster – and that was before we even get
into the issue of the era’s flexible steel frames
and spindly suspension parts. Worse still, to
cope with the extra mixture that would be
introduced to the cylinders under boost, turbo
engines needed low-compression ratios, making
them limp and lethargic when the turbo wasn’t
blowing and serving to emphasise the difference
between on- and off-boost performance.
Such was the backlash, for decades it’s been
widely accepted bikes and turbos simply
d ’t i w t t at t e e ril
ON
ecent Yamaha
Recursion
emissions and
out-and-out
iming 100hp from
rged, intercooled parallel twin. The
ed into the XE7 engine prototype two
, looking much closer to production-
ss. The XE7 grew to around 700cc
ined a DOHC head instead of the
al SOHC design, suggesting higher-
rmance targets, but after being
wn in 2015, the project disappeared
sight.
nce then, a steady stream of patent
cations from Suzuki has shown that
a is still developing, growing into a
quite a diff erent layout and design
c mp re to the original Recursion concept.
HONDA SUPERCH
AFRICA TWIN
HONDA MIGHT HAVE led the way in
the original turbo motorcycle era
with the CX500 Turbo and aborted
plans for a smaller VT250 Turbo, but
its attentions have fi rmly turned to s
the next-generation of forced-induct
While the company hasn’t shown
on the record about its plans, severa
machines have appeared in patents
couple of years, most notably a deta
around the Africa Twin’s 1084cc para
Unlike Kawasaki’s supercharged H
use centrifugal superchargers that in
engine revs rise, Honda’s designs ha
displacement blowers that maintain
levels of boost all the way from idle t
The diff erence is that centrifugal s
work a bit like fans, blowing harder th
spin, while positive-displacement de
akin to pumps, moving a
fi xed volume of air with
each revolution. For a
bike like an Africa Twin,
the low-end torque that
a positive-displacement
supercharger can provide
would be more useful than
the higher peak power that
a centrifugal supercharger
or a turbocharger might
off er.
SMALLER SUPERCHARGED
KAWASAKI
Kawasaki has been hard at work developing its supercharged H2
range over the last few years, however the company has always been open that it has
wider plans for the technology.
Back in 2015, Kawasaki’s ‘Soul Charger’ and ‘Spirit Charger’ design sketches – a
supercharged nakedbike and a half-faired, smaller-looking design respectively –
hinted at the fi rm’s future plans. The Soul Charger has arguably evolved into the Z H2,
albeit with a modern style instead of the retro look of the original sketch. Could the
Spirit Charger yet turn into a smaller boosted bike? Kawasaki is also working hard
on hybrid technology at the moment, so an emissions-busting, boosted-and-hybrid
machine might yet be its solution to future emissions limits.
YAMAHA’S PROVES
THE POTENTIAL
The Japanese manufacturers are split over
forced induction. All are working on the idea
but there’s no clear consensus when it comes to
the choice of exhaust-driven turbochargers or
engine-driven superchargers.
Kawasaki is clearly ahead of the game, already
selling a range of supercharged H2 models
using its own in-house-designed, engine-
driven centrifugal superchargers. Honda has
yet to officially show any boosted bikes but
has been developing its own supercharged
machines, focussing on designs with positive-
displacement superchargers, quite different to
Kawasaki’s thinking.
On the other side of the fence we have Suzuki,
which has been a vocal proponent of exhaust- Is another supercharged
driven turbos, and Yamaha. Despite the fact nakedbike on the way?
Suzuki has been working on a turbocharged
TURBO TECHNOLOGY
Other
DA
boosted
projects
-300
O e more
g turbo
nderway at
nt is new
and Benda
a ‘VTR-300
tsbike.
eady
V-twin
ater-
cooled, DOHC design
used in its BD300
bobber, and has
recently expanded
to start international
sales, initially with
a dealer network
in Italy. Confirmed
future models also
include the BD700 –
a 680cc inline-four
cylinder with crazy
concept bike styling.
Whether the VTR-
A lot has changed 300 Turbo uses a
since Yamaha’s 650 boosted version of
turbo of 1981 the BD300’s twin or
has an all-new unit of
its own, it promises
to be the first sub-
500cc turbocharged
production bike the
world has ever seen.
HONDA SUPERCHAR
V-TWIN
Another supercharged Honda
project, seen in 2016 patents, is
this blown V-twin. Like the Africa
Twin designs, it uses a positive-
displacement blower, but this
time bolted between the cylinders
of a 90-degree V-twin. While the
patent documents don’t reveal
details of the bike’s performance
or size, it looks like a smaller displacement m
with the engine acting as a structural part of
chassis to keep weight to a minimum. The re
small, SOHC design suggests that out-and-o
performance isn’t the idea, instead the boos
allow a small-capacity, low revving engine t
tailored for minimal emissions to simply ma
the power and torque demands from custom
without vast increases in manufacturing co
Yamaha’s 847.5cc
turbocharged
triple test mule
CLEAN AS A WHISTLE
TURBO TECHNOLOGY
esi n are
nomic Commission for
l legislation elsewhere.
p n nd India have effectively aligned their own limits
ones, and even China is largely following suit. Euro 5 came into full
orce in Europe on 1 January this year, which means all eyes are now on what
he regulations will evolve into when they’re next reviewed. Although the Euro
motorcycle rules haven’t even been discussed yet, they’re likely to fall into line
ith planned Euro 7 car limits (confusingly, motorcycle emission limits are one
umber behind their four-wheeled equivalents; cars sold in Europe already have
o meet their own Euro 6 emissions standards that are basically the same as the
wo-wheeled Euro 5 ones).
The Euro 7 car rules, under development at the moment and expected to be
ntroduced in 2025, are likely to be the last before internal-combustion powered
ars are banned from sale altogether in Europe. The Euro 6 rules for bikes are
ikely to come into force in the late 2020s, and it’s at this stage that technology like
urbos, superchargers, variable valve timing and direct fuel injection will become
astly more important for any company still hoping to squeeze more from petrol
ower units.
What a month it has been for Jack Miller.
After a rough start to the MotoGP season
the Aussie said he would work hard to
climb out of the hole he was in. Two races
and 50 points later, he has done just that
060 THROW
BACK YAMAHA EUROPE TRX850R
ACHIEVER
It’s every racer’s dream; a one-off,
hand-built, factory-backed bike
to take on your favourite class of
racing. That is just what happened
to Alan Cathcart 25 years ago
WORDS ALAN CATHCART
PHOTOGRAPHY KYOICHI NAKAMURA & AC ARCHIVE
I
n a 25-year International road racing career, I rode
several out-of-the ordinary racebikes, but there was
one above all others which acquired a cult following of
admirers around the world. So much so that in the early
days of the internet, I’d get fan letters for my gal Trixie!
So exactly 25 years since I scored the most satisfying of
race victories with her at Daytona’s Cycle Week 1996,
here’s a look back at the three years I spent racing the
unique Over Racing-prepared parallel-twin Yamaha
TRX850R for Yamaha Motor Europe.
60 amcn.com.au
amcn.com.au 61
YAMAHA EUROPE TRX850R
62 amcn.com.au
commissioned to build a racebike in six weeks, 1. Over Racing boss
3 before air-freighting it to Europe in time for the Kensei Sato, R, welcomes
first round of the Dutch Open series at Assen on Cathcart home after a
Easter Monday, 16 April. I’d never even sat on the winning debut at Assen
bike until the first qualifying session, much less in 1995
tested it or set it up. But Over boss Kensei Sato flew 2. Cathcart won the
over with his chief race mechanic Ume Umemoto, opening Dutch round at
to look after it for the first two races in company Hengelo a week later
with my race engineer Alistair Wager, who’d take 3. Over was synonymous
over after that. I’d been racing Kensei’s bikes in with attention to detail;
Japan for the previous five years, so we had some stock frame was braced
in some places and
base settings to work with.
drilled for lightness
In my Japanese outings, I had beat factory in others
entries from Suzuki and Honda – as well as
4. Sir Al leads the field
Kensei-san’s own Over-Yamaha – to win the 1994
in the 1995 Tolbert
Japanese Sound of Singles title on my Ducati Dutch Open
Supermono, all of which strengthened the
5. Cathcart, #99, won
relationship I’d built up with Bridgestone since the wet 1995 Assen
becoming the Japanese tyre company’s first fully Dutch Open by 25
sponsored rider in Europe, back in 1991. That seconds!
meant Bridgestone was on board, ELF gave me a
fuel contract, Italy’s Braking took care of stopping
the bike and with various other mostly magazine
sponsors, I was ready.
In the first session I made sixth on the grid out
SO BEFORE HE RECRUITED
VALENTINO ROSSI, JORGE
LORENZO AND QUARTARARO,
HE FIRST RECRUITED ME!
amcn.com.au 63
YAMAHA EUROPE TRX850R
of the 36 qualifiers, before the heavens opened, contributing to a dry weight of 171kg compared to
and it rained for the next two days! That at least just 188kg for the street TRX850 with lights and a
gave me some wet-weather practice on the TRX horn. But despite the weight differential, Saman’s
in the second session, which revealed the TRX Duke couldn’t outbrake me, especially with no
was an incredibly easy bike to ride in the rain. slipper clutch back then, so he risked getting
Yamaha developed that then-unique motor to give terminal rear wheel chatter if he tried too hard.
Peterhansel traction in sand, but if it works in the Some ruthless work in traffic allowed me to
dirt, it’ll work in the rain, too. open up a seven-second gap by the finish of the
This allowed me to win the TRX850R’s debut Hengelo race, and some extra satisfaction came
race by the embarrassingly large margin of 25 from our race times, which would have put me
seconds, from Dutchman Marcel Lamers’ 900 sixth in the Dutch Open Superbike round run the
Ducati two-valver, and Germany’s Rolf von der same day – not bad for a carburetted twin!
Weiden on his BMW Boxer. The tight Hengelo hairpins illustrated the TRX’s
Okay, in the rain is one thing. How about the seamless power delivery and good tractability,
dry? We got the answer six days later in front of where to exit the near-walking pace turns I could
a 20,000-strong crowd at the historic Hengelo simply twist the throttle wide open while hardly
public roads circuit, by which time more victory touching the clutch lever. Trixie would pull like
contenders had joined the party. The first Ducati a tractor from as low as 3000rpm, running up to
888 Superbike fitted with carbs by Rico Racing the 9500rpm rev-limiter without a hiccup, and
Research owner Rico Mertens appeared there no falloff in power over the 8500rpm power peak.
with Dutch-Indonesian rider Lee Saman, and This allowed me not only to get good drive out
proved to have performance almost identical to of the slow turn, but also to save gear-changes
the Yamaha’s – so much so that, although I led all by holding a gear on the six-speed close-ratio
the way to the chequered flag after qualifying on gearbox Sato had concocted from the Yamaha
pole, I was locked in combat with Lee throughout. parts bin. The shift action was really precise – I
The Yamaha’s beautifully linear clutch action never missed a gear on the bike – and the ratios
1. Cathcart takes the flag made the difference, allowing me to get the jump ideal, so I could keep the engine running above
in the TRX’s debut race on him off the line into the first turn on the fast 7000 rpm, where you could feel the power curve
by 25 seconds but narrow track, while the clean power delivery steepen slightly.
2. Our favourite Pom from low down out of the three first-gear turns Sadly, though, despite further race wins at
shows off his wet- helped offset the 23kg weight penalty that the Mettet, Eemshaven and a truly dominant victory
weather prowess Yamaha carried versus the stripped-down 148kg at my favourite circuit, Spa-Francorchamps, I
3. Simple is best; Ducati. Remember, the TRX was a roadbike wasn‘t able to clinch the title – partly because of a
beneath the vestigal turned into a racer, with little attempt at serious date clash. It was agreed from the start with YME
bodywork, the TRX was weight reduction; the half-fairing was fibreglass, that I’d have to miss one round of the eight-race
nowhere near exotic even the fuel tank was the original steel one, Dutch Open to race the Saxon-Triumph in the
BEARS World Series support race at the Brands
Hatch World Superbike round, meaning I’d have
TRIXIE WOULD PULL LIKE A no spare Dutch Open points-scoring round to
64 amcn.com.au
2
BUT WHAT
HAPPENED NEXT?
THIS LOVE STORY, HAD A FAIRYTALE ENDING
3
DUE TO OTHER commitments and a change in the BEARS
regulations in 1997, I clinched a deal with Yamaha Europe to
contest the inaugural Sound of Thunder World Series on their
Over-developed TRX850R racer, as well as for another sortie to
Daytona – apparently, beating the Ducatis there the previous
year had gone down well in Japan. The only condition was I
had to repaint Trixie in the same red-and-black livery as their
World Superbike/Supersport race teams.
In preparation for the World Series, Yamaha Europe sent the
engines back to Japan. They arrived just in time for Daytona,
and as soon as I rode out onto the Speedway for the first
practice session, I knew there was a significant improvement
in performance. Over had not only delivered an extra 6hp
at the top end, they’d also fattened midrange and improved
engine acceleration and pickup, thanks to the reduced inertia
of lighter engine components. That allowed us to pull one
tooth higher gearing than in 1996 and we touched 272km/h,
some going for a modified budget-priced half-faired twin.
This gave me some hope as we fronted on the grid headed
by Andrew Stroud’s Britten and containing no less than 14
Ducati Superbikes, three of which would go on to qualify for
Daytona 200 later in the week. With her half-naked looks and
slant-twin motor in full view, Trixie had a second-row grid
position, and took full advantage of it to grab second place
behind Stroud’s Britten going into the first turn. On the banking
the Britten just motored away from me, but after I got a good
drive out of the infield, just one Ducati came past me; Jeff
Jennings on his factory-built 955 Corsa Foggy Replica.
One vital first-lap Daytona must-do is give yourself lots of
braking room at the Chicane. With a full fuel load and big draft
from a field of bikes in front of you, it’s easy to go in too deep.
That’s what Jennings didn’t do. He missed the entry, hit the dirt
on the outside, crossed the track in front of me – and somehow
saved it! I looked behind me exiting the Chicane and saw he’d
held everyone else up – now I had a gap back to third.
I put my head down and rode the next three laps as hard
as possible, using every last rpm on the banking and drifting
the rear Bridgestone in the infield and finished second. To be
beaten by an exotic racebike like the Britten was no disgrace
– but for a modified street bike to beat the world’s top twin-
cylinder customer Superbikes said a lot.
The 50-mile Sound of Thunder World Series 15-lap main
event was the next day. Stroud was joined by Mike Barnes on
a new customer Britten. Trixie and I beat Stroud to the first turn
after he pulled a wheelie but he and Barnes soon breezed past
us, so I rode to third place, 15 seconds ahead of fourth place, a
good start in the 1997 Sound of Thunder title.
And that’s indeed what happened, with a series of race
wins in Europe interrupted only by a fourth place in the Assen
round in June, after being slowed while in second place by an
ignition fault which mysteriously imposed a 6000rpm rev limit
on the engine! But I won the other four rounds in the six-race
series to give Yamaha Europe and Trixie a title at last.
YME had a nice way of saying thanks – which is why the
Over Yamaha TRX850 has been locked up safe and sound in
my garage for the past 25 years. We still enjoy a date together
from time to time at a nearby racetrack, though; got to stay
tuned up for Vintage ProTwins when it happens!
amcn.com.au 65
YAMAHA EUROPE TRX850R
1 2 4
TRIXIES WET- the pace and grabbing the lead. But on lap six of
10 – I tried to change gear down the back straight
WEATHER POISE and couldn’t find the lever. A 10-cent split pin
had broken in the gear linkage, leaving the lever
ALLOWED ME TO dangling, and Trixie stuck in third. It was the
cruellest disappointment of my racing career.
OPEN UP A 2sec LEAD Yamaha Europe was very understanding,
despite several staff making the trip to Assen to
the next race at Tolbert a week later on the tight watch me hopefully clinch the title. But I wasn’t
2.5km public roads circuit with three first-gear prepared for what happened next. Their PR
turns, where we geared Trixie to use only the soundings had been so positive that they decided
bottom four ratios, it conveniently rained half an to import the TRX850 into Europe for 1996 – and
1. AC and the Vee
hour before the start. Trixie’s wet-weather poise they decided to reward me for my efforts by
Two Australia team in
Florida in 1996 after two allowed me to open up a two-second lead after paying for me to take Trixie to Daytona for Cycle
Daytona race wins on just two laps, seemingly set for another win – until Week 1996.
Ducati Supermono and it started jumping out of bottom gear! My focus shifted to teaming up with Brook
Yamaha TRX, and one Being forced to use second gear to exit those Henry of Vee Two Australia to contest World
at Roebling with Bimota slippery bends meant Ducati-mounted Lamers Superbike’s FIM Supermono Cup support
DB2R-01 and Saman both overtook me, as I had to be championship, and the BEARS World Series, this
2. On the way to a dry careful slipping the clutch to coax the engine out time with a factory-supplied Bimota DB2R with
win at Hengelo in 1995 of turns. Lamers DNF’d on the final lap, but it still Vee Two Australia motor. But Brook was up for
3. The 1996 Assen meant Saman was now leading the points table. looking after Trixie at Daytona for me, figuring
ProTwins rostrum; L to But it was his turn to DNF at Spa with a blown it’d entail little more than topping up the fuel tank
R, Pater Jansen (Guzzi), motor, meaning we went to the final round at and pumping up the tyres…
winner Stephen Briggs Assen with me back in the lead, 136 to 115. I only The two-day Cycle Week opener saw the
(Britten) and AC in third needed 11th place to win the title. Formula 1 ProTwins race held on Monday,
4. Over’s Kensei Sato After qualifying on pole 0.61sec ahead of Lee, I essentially for Modified Production motorcycles,
66 amcn.com.au
REDEFINING
HYPER SP OR T PERF ORMANCE .
1 2
68 amcn.com.au
070 FAST
TALK REMY GARDNER
CHASING
T INTERVIE ON
NEIL MO
RRIS
RAPHY
N
T
PHOTOG
OOSE
GOLD&G
e
Undaun ride in 2022, R 2
o to G P 1 M o t o
aM p s t h e 202 . But
e r to es i n
Gardn ip fiv e rac
a m p io nsh een a long
Ch i n s , it ’s b
pl a
as he ex top
ad t o t he
ro
70 amcn.com.au
N
REMY GARDNER
72 amcn.com.au
5
4 6
Gardner’s recent success has come in spite 4. WG has been a great bigger. I can finish the races at the end with a bit more
of one glaring disadvantage: weight. In a class supporter of his son but stamina. It’s easier for me to move the bike around
designed for parity, in which all 30 riders compete chooses to stay very sometimes. In the end, I focussed on the positives
aboard the same spec Triumph 765 engines, the much in the background and try to make the most of the weight and try to
same Dunlop tyres, the same gearbox and the same 5. Hands and knees; manage the disadvantages to my best capabilities.
electronic aids, stature can play a big role. Remy Remy’s 2015 French GP “For sure, there are weekends when it penalises
weighs in at 72 kilograms, two more than the next ended with a fall me more. Even in the race in Portugal, I struggled
heaviest rider and seven above the class average. 6. By 2017 Gardner had more with that extra heat. I was scorching up the
Compare that to chief rivals Raul Fernandez (63kg), moved on, to Moto2 and tyres a bit more. You’ve got to learn, move forward
Marco Bezzecchi (61kg) and Sam Lowes (65kg). Tech3 and focus on what we can do and not worry about
“One hundred percent, that factor is always something that is not really changeable.”
there,” he said. “Before I focussed on that a lot and His surname may give the impression he’s had
thought, ‘Poor me.’ I always complained about it. it easy with a career in motorcycle racing laid out
But what am I going to do? I’m a big boy and that’s it. for him on a plate. And, yes, when he sought a
“I’ve tried losing weight, but first of all, I wouldn’t move to Europe as a teenager, he found a seat in
be really happy. And second of all, I wouldn’t have the Spanish Moto3 championship, where rides
the strength and the energy to finish races. There are can cost up to 250,000 euros ($400,000) for just one
other good things about being a bit heavier and a bit year. But the move from Australia at 14 years of age
amcn.com.au 73
REMY GARDNER
74 amcn.com.au
“THERE WAS A POINT WHEN WE
WERE THINKING ABOUT GOING
BACK HOME. IT’S SUCH A DIFFERENT
I DIDN’T SPEAK THE
LIFESTYLE.
LANGUAGE. I DIDN’T KNOW
ANYBODY. AND I WAS ONLY
14 YEARS OLD”
amcn.com.au 75
To celebrate the launch of MotoGP™21,
AMCN is rewarding five e-newsletter subscribers with a copy of this game!
All you have to do is subscribe to the AMCN E-Newsletter to be in the draw – it’s that simple.
Winners Drawn
Thursday 1 July 2021 amcn.com.au/amcn-com-au-subscribe/
REMY GARDNER
amcn.com.au 77
REMY GARDNER
78 amcn.com.au
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2 4
Game changer
The 2001 Suzuki GSX-R1000 represented a major milestone in
the modern superbike category – and was just as important to
the marque as the 1985 GSX-R750
THIS WAS THE most important motorcycle The increased strength of the 1000’s chassis
1
in the world 20 years ago. When Suzuki was achieved by the aluminium frame spars The GSX-R1000 had a
released the mighty GSX-R1000 in 2001, having 0.5mm-thicker outside walls, although different swingarm and
the marque added another chapter to the the bracing on the 750 chassis was eliminated damper to the 750, but
evolution of the superbike category. The on the 1000. The 1000’s swingarm was the the bikes’ dimensions
machine joined such evolutionary greats as same length as the 750’s, although the main were identical
2
the 1985 Suzuki GSX-R750, the 1992 Honda arm section construction was changed from The four-cylinder
CBR900RR and the 1998 Yamaha YZF-R1 as a single-square type to a double square for a motor was just 14mm
truly important machines, ones that people little more internal bracing and rigidity. taller than the 750
remember many years down the track. The forks and rear shock were carried but with beefed-up
The year prior to the 1000’s release in 2000 over from the 750 to the 1000 however the internals to cope with
saw the rebirth of the GSX-R750, rewriting the forks received heavier springs as well as the extra power
750 rule book with the stunning GSX-R750Y, increased compression damping. The shock
3
also came in for some attention with a In 2001 the GSXR was
the gem that became the template for the
2mm-thicker piston rod (16mm), while the king of the kids for
1000 in 2001.
spring and damping rate were reviewed, power, with 160 horses
Much of the 750’s design was carried over to
with less compression damping but with giving a top speed
the new king of the Suzuki sportsbike range.
increased rebound. (claimed) of 278km/h
The chassis geometry of the 1000 was exactly
4
the same as the 750 with the same rake (24°), The 1000cc powerplant was pretty much an One of the few weak
trail (96mm) and wheelbase (1410mm), enlarged 750 donk, to the point where it was points of the K1 model
although changes were made to the 1000’s the same width and just 14mm higher and was the brakes, which
frame rigidity with a six percent increase to 6mm longer front to rear – with an increase of would benefit from
cope with the extra punishment dished out by just 4kg in overall weight. The same cylinder- upgrades to pads and
the 33-percent larger engine. head was used, with intake and exhaust steel brake lines
80 amcn.com.au
PRICE
GUIDE
New price
$18,990
Secondhand
$4450-$6000
WHAT TO
LOOK FOR
These are now 20 years
old so you have to be pretty
diligent with your inspections.
The usual bearing checks
(swingarm pivot, steering
head) should be carried
out, plus check the chain/
sprocket, brakes, lights and
switches. After this much
time the titanium-nitrate
coating on the forks might
start to go as well.
Check for body panels that
don’t line up and scratches
on the frame, fork legs and
swingarm. Let the bike idle
from cold off the sidestand
for a few minutes and watch
what comes out of the
exhaust when you give the
throttle a blip. If there are
copious amounts of blue
smoke emitting, the rings are
amcn.com.au 81
howto WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY
AMCN ARCHIVES
U-turns
Chuck a U-
SAFETY
FIRST
T PPING IN
A reliable feet-up u-turn is crucial for man
a big bike without damage. Here’s h w
Most riders learn this skill actually an important part point of capsizing. And refresher course on how
at learner level because of your riding skill arsenal, dropping a bike even at to u-turn a big bike, even
you have to, to pass your something you may realise this low speed can be very something the size of a BMW
training – then promptly as you tiptoe your way expensive. Not to mention K 1300 R. Like everything,
forget it. U-turns are across a busy road on the embarrassing… Here’s a it’s easy once you know how.
Start here
▲ STEP 1 U-turn skills are similar to those used when riding slowly. ▲ STEP 2 Once the throttle is set, ease out the clutch until the bike is wanting
You need to set the throttle just above idle and forget it. It stays put after to drive forward. Like the throttle, once the appropriate clutch position is set,
that. Some bikes need more, some less, but you don’t need to be valve you can forget it – it doesn’t need to move again. You need enough forward
bouncing for a u-turn, you just need enough to keep the bike moving drive from the throttle and clutch combo to keep the bike moving. It’s when
forward, because if it is, it shouldn’t fall over. U-turns are slow however, it stops mid-u-turn that things become all funky. And expensive. But if the
so you need your clutch, too. throttle and clutch are set, how do you control the speed?
▲ STEP 3 The rear brake will give you all the speed control you need
for this manoeuvre. If you’re going too fast, leave clutch and throttle
set, but add rear brake, and vice versa. By using the rear brake, the
bike’s balance is retained. If you use front brake, however, it can upset ▲ STEP 4 Once the speed is set, via the combination of rear brake,
the balance of the bike and cause stability problems. You don’t want clutch and throttle, the bike is ready to u-turn. Just be sure to have a
stability problems. Advanced riders will be able to drag a bit of front good, long headcheck before you do, indicate and check your mirror,
brake if needed, but the rear brake should work well enough. because u-turns can be the most dangerous thing you do on a bike.
82 amcn.com.au
RELAX!
T h is w a s
sho t on a
p ri v a te ro
a d, s o d o n
w o rr y, w e ’t
d id n’t re a
u-t u rn o v ll y
e r d o u ble
u n b rok e n
w h it e
li n e s
▲ STEP 5 Time to start turning. With the throttle and clutch ▲ STEP 6 The bike is close to full lock now, and you can let it do that at a low
unmoving, and the rear brake trimming the speed, start turning your speed by counterbalancing the weight with your bodyweight. Keep your
head and leaning the bike into the u-turn. Instead of tipping with the head up for balance, and you should be looking at your exit by now to help
bike, though, let the bike move underneath you, dirtbike-style. keep the bike turning tight. It’s just like going through a corner – where you
look is where you go.
▲ STEP 7 As the bike is beginning to stand up, you can see how I’ve ▲ STEP 8 Almost upright and straight again, the boots haven’t left the
not only completed the u-turn well within the narrow road, but also am footpegs, I have plenty of room left over, and I can now drive the bike
beginning to bring my body back in line with the bike. I am still looking back to the cool twisty section of road I just came through, and do it all
up and where I want to go. If I shut the throttle or pulled in the clutch again! This is a quick, safe and effi cient way of turning the bike around,
in at this point, I’d be in trouble – the key is to keep the bike driving very, very handy and a smidge cooler than paddling your way across a
forward with throttle, clutch and rear brake. road in your best leathers.
ESSENTIALS
Fuel up at Wilpena Pound
Resort as you head north
as no petrol is available
at Blinman. If you are
riding through the gorge
to Parachilna on the
unsealed road you will
find petrol available there.
Wilpena Pound
Resort offers a range of
accommodation from
camping to well-appointed
cabins. They also have a
general store for supplies
and good dining options
for meals if you are staying
at the resort. For more
information and booking
ring (08) 8648 0048.
Other options include
Arkaba Homestead
and Willow Springs.
Both feature plenty
of hospitality and an
84 amcn.com.au
DETOUR
If you are riding a bike with some
unsealed road capability then several
options are available to you from Blinman.
The road west through Parachilna Gorge is
an easy ride to make a loop run, as well as the
road north-east to Arkaroola, which is a brilliant
place to visit. Adventure bike riders with a bit of
confidence should consider dropping in to Willow
Springs Homestead to traverse the Skytrek loop
track around the property. For $40 per bike you
will get an information pack and instructions to
complete the 70km route around the property. The northern part of So
Allow several hours to get around, as a few uth
Australia offers some stu
sections are first/second gear only, and nning
and unique views
there are many stunning lookout
points to stop and do some
photography.
ge
In the local indigenous langua
t
Wilpena means a “place of ben
s)
fingers” (so watch your finger
85
topgear
New stuff
Bering’s Drift jacket Ipone’s Chain Arai’s new padded The Argon Mission Andy Strapz’s Aussie- The new Aventuro
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Young at heart
“EVEN IF YOU don’t like motorcycles much, Beverly Cleary Later he manages to view the motorcycle up close: “Ralph
will soon convince you of their joys, and if you already do stared at it and then walked over and kicked a tyre. Close
like them this is even more the book for you.” up the motorcycle looked even better than he expected.
Sounds like the introduction to the latest glossy, limited- Ralph walked all the way around it, examining the pair of
edition, photo-essay book on custom motorcycles, doesn’t chromium mufflers and the engine and the hand clutch. It
it? But this is the inside jacket blurb on the Puffin Books even had a little licence plate so it would be legal to ride it.”
edition of a timeless American classic. Eventually Ralph got a chance to ride the motorcycle:
Titled The Mouse and the Motorcycle, it was written by “Feeling that this was an important moment in his life,
children’s author Beverly Cleary, one of America’s most he took hold of the handgrips. They felt good and solid.
successful writers, with over 90 million of her books selling Yes, this motorcycle was a good machine all right. He
worldwide since 1950. could tell by the feel. Ralph threw a leg over and sat
The Mouse and the Motorcycle was first published jauntily on the seat. He even bounced up and
in the US in 1965, then in the UK in 1974 with down. The seat was curved just right. But how
Puffin Books reprinting it four times between to start the motorcycle? ”
It spoke
1977 and 1980. I bought my copy during a Cleary was 47 years old when she wrote
road trip at a secondhand shop in Nhill this book. She died this March past aged
of speed,
called Lola’s Garage. It had previously been 104 years. It is not recorded if she had any
in the library at St Peter’s Lutheran School practical experience of motorcycling but
distance and
in Dimboola. when children used to ask her where she
I never read it as a child, but reading it found her ideas, she would reply: “From
danger
now to my grandchildren has sparked my my own experience and from the world
memories of motorcycles as a youngster. Yes, around me.”
I was one of those kids who hid a motorcycle Her books have been published in 29
magazine inside a text book during early 1970s languages, so her timeless descriptions of the
secondary school classes that offered subjects I attraction of motorcycling have been spread
had no interest in learning. around the world.
But even before that I had a fascination with motorcycles. Major motorcycle manufacturers have started a
So much so that my mother, whose brother was a lifelong worldwide campaign to get pre-teens interested in
motorcycle enthusiast, bought me a plastic pencil case for motorcycling by offering electric balance bikes. A range of
primary school that had a motorcycle decal on its cover. competing brands entered the Australian market this year.
Cleary’s book clearly states the attraction of motorcycling Youngsters can watch any number of videos to get an
as Ralph the mouse sees the toy motorcycle for the first time impression of what it might be like to ride one. But only
from his hole in the skirting board of a rundown hotel in Cleary actually describes the feeling youngsters will get.
the California mountains. The boy playing with it is making It’s a feeling that has remained with me throughout my
motorcycle noises. life. It doesn’t matter what the motorcycle is, or where I
“That sound seemed to satisfy something within Ralph, ride it, just the experience is a tonic that lifts me every time
as if he had been waiting all his life to hear it,” the book I do it.
explains. “The sound spoke of highways and speed, of And the feeling probably started by staring at that pencil
distance and danger, and whiskers blown back by the wind.” case back in primary school.
1
4 5
Revolving Racer
JACK MILLER
Crash-fest complacency
IT OUGHT TO be compulsory. Bad weather, that is. It would to GP entry is well-controlled, the ability to qualify generally
take serious meteorological magic to rival the weather- serves the purpose.
stricken French GP. The racing was wonderfully unpredictable How about the equipment? Here it is not so clear. What is
in all classes, MotoGP particularly mental, and the reward of a certain is a high level of standardisation, all aimed at cutting
second win in a row going to Jack Miller, the most marvellously costs. Fresh regs announced last week mean that next year
mental of riders. frames and swingarms join engines and electronics on the
But there is a weakness. Racing should break records, and growing list of items with development frozen.
Le Mans did. Not in lap times, however; nor crowd attendance Most significant is the frozen development of control tyres,
(unless you’re counting “lowest-ever”). It recorded its highest- Michelin for MotoGP, Dunlop for Motos 2 and 3. The range they
ever number of crashes. can offer is severely limited – a choice of three (soft-medium-
There were 117, up on the mere 100 there last year, and hard) slicks front and rear; just two (soft and hard) rain
more also than the 109 recorded in the bumper year tyres. More restrictive still: these tyres have to be
of 2018. Still a long way short of Misano’s all-time homologated before the start of the season.
This is a sharp contrast to what went before, in
Is the
record in 2017. Teeming rain combined with
dodgy resurfacing racked an astonishing 140. the years of the tyres wars – played out in the
premier class between Bridgestone, Michelin
Bugatti
That was a one-off. A high crash toll is
normal at Le Mans. As numbers on a list, and Dunlop.
Back then, a variety of rubber was available
circuit really fit
dubbed “a crash fest” you can smile at the
antics. Especially at some sterling efforts. At to suit particular tracks, temperatures
and weather conditions. Michelin, based
for purpose?
opposite ends of the scale Marc Marquez and
Indonesian Moto3 rookie Andi Farid Izdihar in France, had an advantage in being able
to make bespoke track-specific tyres on
Yes
each had four crashes, Marquez twice in the
race alone. Alex Rins also twice in the race; Saturday and drive them to the circuit on
Maverick Viñales ridiculously at some 20km/h Sunday – which played a big part in Valentino
while leaving the pits. There were other more than Rossi’s domination, as their most-favoured rider.
faintly ridiculous episodes. Bridgestone, based in Japan, had to ramp up the
Most falls, more than 50, were in Moto3, giving racing’s science to develop constructions and compounds with a
learners valuable – er, grounding in the art of slide-don’t-roll. wider range of performance. There were tyres in between wet
It’s less amusing for the victims, and rather miraculous that and dry – so-called intermediates, and also hand-cut slicks.
only two riders were injured badly enough to be ruled out for All three tyre manufacturers were patently willing to bear
the weekend... Moto2 rookie Yari Montella, with a fractured the cost of R&D, for the ultimate benefit of their production
wrist, and Moto3’s Yuki Kunii (collarbone). tyres. But Dorna felt the need to reduce costs and level the
The cost should be considered, and questions asked. Is the playing field by introducing control tyres in 2009.
Bugatti circuit really fit for purpose? The answer needs to The Le Mans crash list is living proof that in this respect,
be a resounding “yes”, although possibly the camber of the one size most definitely does not fit all. Especially if the money
notorious Turn 3 could be improved. saved on tyre development is spent instead on crash repairs
Are the riders good enough? Again, it must be “yes”. The road and medical bills.
race report
YOUR FORTNIGHTLY FIX
Round 5 Bugatti Circuit, Le Mans, France, 14-16 May 2021 MotoGP World Championship
Rain
supreme!
Aussie Jack Miller outsmarted the
rain, the drama and the world’s
best to celebrate his second-
consecutive premier-class win
2 3
REPORT NEIL MORRISON PHOTOGRAPHY GOLD&GOOSE
1
“The old French speed
traps get me all the time”
–Miller after his long-lap penalties
off-track excursion, and made falling prey to the conditions in
light of receiving a double the race was another feather in
Long Lap Penalty for speeding his cap considering that Ecstar
in pitlane. Suzuki’s title challengers 4
“The old French speed traps Joan Mir and Alex Rins came
get me all the time,” he joked. apart at the seams as the
He also put in a devastating rain arrived. And it wasn’t
run of laps that not only just Suzuki’s heads that were
carried him past leader Fabio bowed come the race’s end.
Quartararo (Monster Energy For three laps at least, this
VALENTINO ROSSI MAY be In the end, Rossi was out Yamaha), but allowed him to was poised to be remembered
undergoing the worst run of by only a few minutes and control the gap comfortably as Marc Marquez’s rapid,
his 26-year career. But he has this contest turned on what to the late-charging Johann glorious return to the top.
been around long enough to happened within two laps. Zarco (Pramac Ducati) in the From 2014 to 2017, the Repsol
know how the French Grand It began when the field final exchanges. Honda ace was untouchable in
Prix works. rode into “a wall of rain,” to “Someone needs to pinch these conditions, triumphing 6
On Friday the Petronas borrow Jack Miller’s words, me,” he said after becoming in six out of seven contests
SRT Yamaha star explained, necessitating a bike swap in the first Australian to win that required at least one bike
“At Le Mans everything pitlane. Winners and losers back-to-back premier class swap. His fast reactions and
changes in five minutes. So were made in the blink of an races since Casey Stoner in ability to bring Michelin’s
everything is open.” eye and it was Miller (Lenovo 2012. “I think I’m dreaming.” super stiff tyres quickly up to
It was fitting the main Ducati) who held his nerve to All weekend he was a threat, temperatures on cold, damp
race in a chaotic weekend, emerge with a second premier- a considerable achievement asphalt have long been the
which saw 117 crashes across class win in as many weeks. considering the field magic formula – and were in
all three classes, should be This time there was no sense encountered everything the evidence again here, as he
decided by the weather, with of benefiting from the good French weather gods could emerged from the bike swap at
MotoGP enjoying its first fortune that accompanied throw at them: wet, dry, wet the head of a race for the first
flag-to-flag encounter since his previous win in Spain. but drying and dry with time in 302 days.
August, 2017. Here, Miller shrugged off an showers. That he avoided But there would be no dream
ANOTHER EXEMPLARY belief,” he admitted on Friday. “Definitely I think I was able to any moment for granted. Enjoy it
weekend from Miller. Le “In the past I think I was get that back (in Jerez), and just because the happiest place I am in
Mans is one of his favoured sometimes too self-confident. trying to be freer. The biggest the world is on my motorcycle.”
tracks. But his Jerez success Trying to mature and be more of thing is that I need to remember Miller waited 1773 days – or 82
saw him come to France without a complete rider, maybe I’ve lost a I’m just a guy who loves racing races – between his first MotoGP
pressure on his shoulders. “I bit of this self-belief and knowing motorcycles. I’m fortunate enough triumph and his second. His third
struggle sometimes with self- ‘I’ve got this.’ to do it as my job and to not take followed two weeks after…
96 amcn.com.au
1. Jack Miller made it two GP wins in two weeks 2. Another trophy for the Miller pool room 3. While Franco
Morbidelli played catch-up, Pecco Bagnaia stormed through the field to P4 4. Miller’s Ducati was the class of
the field 5. Marc Marquez crashed twice! 6. Fellow Frenchmen Fabio Quartararo and Johann Zarco battle it
out for home race honours 7. ‘Come to France,’ they said. ‘The weather is always great,’ they said...
MotoGP
Track attack – Round 5 finishing positions
8
10
7
3 9
4 11
2 MOTOGP
27 LAPS
12
1
13
14
MOTO2 MOTO3
25 LAPS 22 LAPS
POS RIDER NAT BIKE TIME P BIKE TIME
1 R FERNÁNDEZ SPA KAL +40m46.101s 1 S GARCIA SPA GAS +42m21.172s
2 R GARDNER AUS KAL +1.490s 2 F SALAC CZE HON +2.349s
3 M BEZZECCHI ITA KAL +4.599s 3 R ROSSI ITA HON +5.589s
4 T ARBOLINO ITA KAL +7.503s 4 J McPHEE GBR HON +7.158s
5 B BENDSNEYDER NED KAL +11.887s 5 A SASAKI JPN HON +14.882s
6 M SCHROTTER GER KAL +27.829s 6 A FERNANDEZ SPA HUS +27.279s
7 A OGURA JPN KAL +27.975s 7 X ARTIGAS SPA HON +27.408s
8 F DiGIANNANTONIO ITA KAL +28.112s 8 P ACOSTA SPA KTM +29.880s
9 S CORSI ITA MVA +28.804s 9 D ÖNCÜ TUR KTM +35.098s
10 J NAVARRO SPA BOS +28.432s 10 R FENATI ITA HUS +36.616s
7 DQ* L DALLA PORTA ITA KAL +28.989s 11 A MIGNO ITA HON +42.347s
11 J BULEGA ITA KAL +29.316s 12 R YAMANAKA JPN KTM +42.739s
12 S CHANTRA THA KAL +28.749s 13 J DUPASQUIER SWI KTM +42.756s
ending. Marquez was thrown very start as the dark closed 13 M RAMIREZ SPA KAL +31.605s 14 I GUEVARA SPA GAS +50.891s
from his machine at the final in. Miller led the pack away 14 A ARENAS SPA BOS +32.080s 15 A IZDIHAR INA HON +52.753s
15 H SYAHRIN MAL NTS +32.571s 16 M KOFLER AUT KTM +53.054s
corner on lap eight as his rear on a dry track with Maverick 16 B BALTUS BEL NTS +33.309s 17 S NEPA ITA KTM +53.568s
tyre came around. He fell a Viñales (Monster Energy 17 L BALDASSARRI ITA MVA +39.036s 18 D FOGGIA ITA HON +1m18.995s
second time for good measure, Yamaha) and Quartararo close 18 J DIXON GBR KAL +41.069s 19 L FELLON FRA HON +1m19.103s
19 C VIETTI ITA KAL +45.599s 20 D BINDER RSA HON +1m54.124s
as he charged through from behind. Takaaki Nakagami 20 T MARCON ITA MVA +1m19.160s 21 K TOBA JPN KTM +1 LAP
18th to 11th after remounting. (LCR Honda), Marquez and DNF C BEAUBIER (USA, KAL), T LUTHI (SWI, KAL), H GARZO (SPA, 22 J ALCOBA SPA HON +4 LAPS
Marquez’s speed in the fast-starting Rins – 15th in KAL), J ROBERTS (USA, KAL), X VIERGE (SPA, KAL), S LOWES DNF C TATAY (SPA, KTM), T MATSUYAMA (JPN, HON), G RODRIGO
(GBR, KAL), S MANZI (ITA, KAL), A LOPEZ (SPA, BOS), (ARG, HON), J MASIA (SPA, KTM), T SUZUKI (JPN, HON), N
these conditions was still qualifying – made up a feisty A FERNANDEZ (SPA, KAL). ANTONELLI (ITA, KTM).
unparalleled yet there was a fight for fourth. *DALLA PORTA’S KALEX WAS 1KG UNDERWEIGHT POST-RACE POLE POSITION
ring-rustiness to his in-race A first lap moment for Pol POLE POSITION A MIGNO 1m47.707s
R FERNANDEZ 1m50.135s FASTEST LAP
management. His subsequent Espargaro (Repsol Honda) FASTEST LAP R ROSSI 1m50.822s
anger spoke of this being an at turn 10 caused Franco R GARDNER 1m36.893s STANDINGS AFTER 5 OF 19 ROUNDS
STANDINGS AFTER 5 OF 19 ROUNDS 1 ACOSTA 103, 2 GARCIA 49, 3 MIGNO 47, 4 FENATI 46,
opportunity lost, especially Morbidelli (Petronas SRT 1 GARDNER 89, 2 R FERNANDEZ 88, 3 BEZZECCHI 72, 4 LOWES 5 ANTONELLI 44, 6 SASAKI 44, 7 MASIA 39, 8 BINDER 36, 9 SALAC
as Miller, Johann Zarco Yamaha) to misjudge a 66, 5 DI GIANNANTONIO 60, 6 ROBERTS 31, 7 CANET 30, 30, 10 DUPASQUIER 27, 11 GUEVARA 24, 12 YAMANAKA 26,
(Pramac Ducati), Quartararo, move on the Spaniard at the 8 SCHROTTER 30, 9 OGURA 29, 10 VIERGE 26, 13 RODRIGO 25, 14 FOGGIA 20, 15 ALCOBA 18.
11 BENDSNEYDER 24, 12 A FERNANDEZ 23, 13 NAVARRO 19,
and Francesco Bagnaia following turn, taking himself 14 ARBOLINO 18, 15 VIETTI 13.
(Lenovo Ducati) – the down and running Rossi wide
season’s quickest men so far – in the process. *One place penalty for exceeding track limits
made up the final top four. And that was only the start. POS RIDER NAT BIKE TIME RIDER STANDINGS AFTER 1 OF 8 ROUNDS
1 A ZACCONE 41, 2 M CASADEI 33, 3 D AEGERTER 33, 4 E
1 E GRANADO BRA ONE 12m23.012s
It was clear this would be Rain began peppering the 2 M CASADEI ITA SIC58 +0.306s GRANADO 28, 5 J TORRES 27, 6 M FERRARI 18, 7 Y HERNANDEZ
a chaotic contest from the circuit on lap three. By lap 3 A ZACCONE* ITA OCTO +0.253s 16, 8 M HERRERA 13, 9 M PONS 11, 10 H OKUBO 9.
amcn.com.au 97
race
report
1. Alex Rins did this on the out lap from his bike swap 2. Fabio and Jack
looked comfortable while others did not 3. Johann Zarco is making a habit of
charging in the second half of races 4. Our man Miller is girt by Frenchmen…
Round 5 Bugatti Circuit, Le Mans, France, 14-16 May 2021 MotoGP World Championship
98 amcn.com.au
Fernandez led a Red Garcia’s Mama
Bull 1-2 in France reckons That’s
All Right
Fernandez’s Garcia
keeps his
star rises
THE STAR OF Raul Fernandez Kalex) to take the initiative.
cool
AFTER FOUR EPIC last-lap fights,
Only teammate Remy Moto3 offered up a rare subdued
(Ajo Kalex) continues to rise,
contest to start the day. Heavy
after he won in France. The Gardner (Ajo Kalex) could
morning rain left the track
track had dried out after run his pace, but he was
soaking ahead of the start. An
torrential morning rain and mired in ninth after a feisty unusual top three of Filip Salac
riders had to navigate a dry first chicane. After Lowes (Snipers Honda), Riccardo Rossi
but patchy track on slick tyres crashed, the Australian made (BOE KTM) and Sergio Garcia
in the early laps. Fernandez short work of Tony Arbolino (Aspar GasGas) led the way on
somehow maintained his cool (IntactGP Kalex) and Bo lap one after early leader Niccolo
in a frenzied opening, which Bendsnyder (SAG Kalex) Antonelli (Avintia KTM) crashed
claimed a number of podium before passing Bezzecchi for out at turn 12.
contenders, including Aron second on lap 19. Eyes were on championship
Granado wins It left Fernandez to win leader Pedro Acosta (Ajo KTM),
Canet (Aspar Boscoscuro),
making his debut at this track
Augusto Fernandez (Marc by 1.4s and become the first
a thriller
and in these conditions. The
VDS Kalex) and Joe Roberts rider in Moto2 history to win Spaniard lit up the contest early
(Italtrans Kalex) through laps twice in his first five races in on, rising from 21st to sixth by lap
LE MANS HOSTED the best MotoE one to four. the class. Behind Gardner, two. But even the sport’s new star
race yet. Eight riders fought out Bezzecchi collected a second
Title challenger Sam Lowes was susceptible to turn three’s
a seven-lap thriller that was
then skittled himself and Xavi straight podium and there treachery. He slid off on lap three,
decided on the last corner. In
Vierge (Petronas Kalex) in a were personal best results in remounted in 27th and fought
heavy winds first Alessandro
turn-eight collision on lap the class for Arbolino (fourth) back to eighth.
Zaccone (Octo Pramac) took
four. From lap five, Fernandez and Bendsneyder (fifth). Not that it mattered a great
control but pole sitter Eric
moved past early leader Marcel Schrotter (IntactGP deal for his title hopes. Main
Granado (One Energy) quickly
recovered from a slow start. He challengers Jaume Masia
Marco Bezzecchi (Sky VR46 Kalex) was sixth.
passed Lukas Tulovic (Tech3 (Ajo KTM) and Darryn Binder
Racing), Jordi Torres (Pons (Petronas) joined Antonelli in the
Racing) and Dominique Aegerter Landscape Gardner Moto2 2nd gravel with crashes on laps two
(IntactGP) in quick succession and nine.
to sit second with a lap to play. “THIS ALL CAME from our approach in the Up front, Garcia and Salac broke
A move at La Chapelle didn’t qualifying. What are you going first few laps. I got clear to play out a cat-and-mouse
pay off but Granado went again to do?” That was Gardner’s buried going into the chase. The Spaniard’s mistake
at T13, and had the presence assessment of a race he had the first chicane. Vierge came around on lap 13 allowed the Czech by.
of mind to dive inside when speed to win. A mistake on his the outside, (Hector) Garzo up But Salac’s time at the front was
Zaccone responded at the final fastest lap on Saturday afternoon the inside and they both lost the fleeting. Garcia retook the lead a
turn. Zaccone’s touching of the in patchy conditions left him front. Everyone was slapping into lap later and gradually increased
green on the corner exit led to him seventh on the grid. And a near each other. I nearly went down. his margin to 2.3s by the flag.
receiving a one-place penalty, moment at the first chicane But then I started understanding Rossi was third, holding off a late
demoting him from second to ultimately left him too far in the track, changing my lines. John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta
third. Mattia Casadei (SIC58) was arrears of teammate Fernandez. There were a few crashes in Honda) charge for a maiden
promoted to second, and seven “I don’t think the quali helped,” front that freed up some space. podium. Ayumu Sasaki was fifth,
riders were covered by a second said the 23-year old. “And it Unfortunately, I ran out of tyre in with rookie Adrian Fernandez
at the flag. seemed I was taking the sensible the end, coming from so far back.” (Max Racing Husqvarna) sixth.
amcn.com.au 99
race report
YOUR FORTNIGHTLY FIX
Ton up club
History was made at the opening
round of the 2021 WorldSBK
championship when Jonathan
Rea cracked the 100
REPORT GORDON RITCHIE PHOTOGRAPHY GOLD&GOOSE
“We’re in
same as 2020. field of 23 riders, from lap original ‘Sunday morning’
At a track like Aragon it one on. Lowes came from racer is Razgatlioglu, but this
a good
should have made a real fourth to second very quickly being WorldSBK the first real
difference with faster top then shadowed his teammate race is Saturday.
position
speeds all around the green until his front-end started Lowes was losing a second
bikes, but Rea was in a class to slip and slide and he had a lap to his pursuers at one
now. Last
of his own again on Saturday to back off to take what he stage but he rallied to keep
for a full-distance 18-lap hoped would be second. enough left-side rear tyre
race one.
He had been more steady
It would be but not until
he had taken part in a fight
grip to pass his sparing
partner Razgatlioglu on the year was a
away on Friday but come
Superpole before race one on
with Pata Yamaha’s Toprak
Razgatlioglu, bursting
exit of the final corner. He
was ahead of the third place disaster in
Saturday he set a new record
of 1m48.458s, to record his
with talent and speed that
is missing from his usual
Toprak but just 0.043 seconds
after 18 tense laps. If Lowes race one”
28th career pole position. qualifying ordinariness. The has any hangover from
–Rea
100 amcn.com.au
WorldSBK Round 1 Finishing Positions
1. Jonathan Rea made it a century of wins in Race 1 2. Scott Redding 2020 Winners
WSBK R1 S Redding
risked slicks and dominated the final race 3. Toprak Razgatlioglu, Alex 33m23.739s 10
Lowes and Chaz Davies fight it out 4. Tom Sykes fights off Leon Haslam WSBK R2 J Rea
9
5
8
5. Lowes and Razgatlioglu pay homage to the century man 33m18.756s 4
WSS R1 A Locatelli 11
7
6
28m49.314s 1
WSS R2 A Locatelli 13
3
2
28m42.501s 12
14
15
WSBK Race 1 17
amcn.com.au 101
race
report
1. Garrett Gerloff crashed while trying to take the R2 lead 2. The American ran Rea off the
track, and later apologised 3. Michael van der Mark’s BMW debut was a promising one
4. Redding ran away in R2 5. That new Kawasaki is going to take a power of beating…
weekend
Redding was using his slicks clearly hungry for more.
well on a drying track to Behind the podium
for us”
disappear. He needed a big places BMW’s day was
win and took it bravely. getting better. Sykes came
“It was not plain sailing,” through to fourth from 10th
said Reddding. “It was an – Redding on the grid, a remarkable
up-and-down weekend for recovery and he even beat
us. I hope going on to Estoril up to second place, for 20 his resurgent new teammate,
that we can smooth that out points to Redding’s 25. van der Mark into fifth
a little bit, find our footing The battle for third place place. The BMW project, Gerloff. Eighth for Jonas
and make good progress.” was epic at times, but Alex complete with big wings and Folger (Bonovo MGM BMW)
The most amazing thing in Lowes was to take three the ‘M’ designation usually was a good ride for a rookie,
the Rea-Redding final race podiums in three starts, reserved for their fastest even if he did do some races
dynamic was that Rea was a great turnaround after road cars, was not looking last year on a Yamaha.
actually off track for a time, hurting his shoulder in a that positive in the winter, In the championship, that
as Gerloff looked up the winter training accident. His but for races the bike clearly final race win for Redding
inside and said he got caught confidence was clear, but has potential yet to come keeps him close enough
out, but in any case he went still he and all find it almost from its faster engine. for a strong Estoril round
into the downhill chicane, impossible to overcome Rea The combative next weekend to not let Rea
and took Rea off track. Off in a like-for-like fight. Razgatlioglu had to settle get too far away, as he can
track, not off bike, as Rea got Scoring over 100 race wins, for sixth, overcoming the do given his metronomic
going again and moved back the vast bulk on Kawasakis, upstart Yamaha Independent approach to going f lat out
102 amcn.com.au
Evan Bros Yamaha has The SSP300 points
screwed in a new lightbulb leader is, er, TBA
and kept winning
amcn.com.au 103
sport
MotoGP Miller has climbed
out of a hole and
impressed Dall’Igna
Dall’Igna
feared
for Jack’s
future Ducati boss admits Miller’s future
in the factory squad looked shaky
104 amcn.com.au
MotoGP
VR46 TO
GO WITH
DUCATI
IN 2022?
IN FRANCE, FERVENT speculation
surrounded the future of
The Doctor is
keeping a close
eye on Ducati
MotoGP
DOVI’S
the 35-year old and Aprilia as rain moment there are no advantage
afflicted the two-day test held from his tests.”
over 11-12 May. Dovizioso was once again
LATEST TEST
Full-time rider Aleix Espargaro grilled on his future. But the
appeared mildly frustrated this 15-time MotoGP race winner was
recent outing failed to lead to unwilling to give much away.
RAINED OUT
Dovizioso getting any more “I don’t think it’s important
comfortable aboard the machine, to speak about racing this year
which hasn’t fi nished more than because it wasn’t in the plan.
eight seconds behind a race And I couldn’t still push with this
winner in 2021. bike. So in my opinion there is no
AFTER AN INAUSPICIOUS testing “The two tests he did for us reason, in this moment, to think
debut aboard Aprilia’s RS-GP at were both useless,” he said. about racing. And we will see,
Jerez in April, much was riding “In the wet it’s difficult to maybe I will have a chance to do
on Andrea Dovizioso’s second understand something. In Jerez some other tests but we have to
outing for the Italian factory test he was not very fast due speak about that. I’m living my
at Mugello. But the weather to conditions of the wind. And life in this moment, day by day,
dampened any hopes for both it was just his first test. At the because I don’t have any stress.”
amcn.com.au 105
sport
MotoGP
Le Mans was a
mixed bag for
Marquez
MotoGP
Aleix was an
LE MANS SCHEDULE
unhappy man
at Le Mans
UNDER FIRE
MUCH LIKE AT Phillip Island in succession the
after mother nature plays havoc number of crashes
with the Australian GP weather, at the French venue
speculation is mounting that soared, with 117
riders will request a calendar coming across the
change for the French Grand Prix three days – the
after almost 120 crashes were third highest in recent
recorded over the three days of history. “We can’t come to situation? It’s very diffi cult to
the event. Coming off 2020, when Le Mans with 8ºC on the predict what is going to happen.
The cold mornings, 100 crashes occurred (36 more tarmac, because the tyres that And the MotoGP allocation of the
regular rain showers and tyre than the circuit with the second Michelin and Dunlop are bringing front, we have one tyre, which
allocations that aren’t designed highest number), some riders are not working,” the Spaniard, normally I don’t even put on the
for temperatures this low all were questioning why the series inset, said. wheels, it’s super soft and we
contribute to this being one of continues to visit northern “I don’t know if someone sees it are even like this crashing. And
the less popular rounds on the France in the middle of Spring. as funny that we crash, why don’t Michelin have no other option
calendar. For the second year Aleix Espargaro was one of them. we change the race to a normal which is softer.” NM
106 amcn.com.au
WorldSBK WorldSBK
DAVIES
AMCN understands the or less amounts to a new piston Given the factory KRT riders
main cause for concern inside design for the 2021 Ninja is went 1-2 in the championship
the Kawasaki camp is that the simply not enough to call it the first time out suggests the
factory KRT team have been a new engine, and therefore stewards made the right call.
UPBEAT
testing with an engine that revs has not allowed a rev rise But the main issue may possibly
500rpm or so more than the limit for 2021. It’s worth noting lie with the privateers, who were
previous one. the engine was deemed new looking forward to more revs to
The BMW M 1000 RR also has enough, however, to have to keep them in the hunt against
internal changes and, crucially, undergo a new homologation. bikes which are almost always
is allowed to have a new higher The complex way of faster in the speed traps. CHAZ DAVIES (GOELEVEN Ducati)
rev limit partly because it has balancing WorldSBK GORDON RITCHIE has said the relaxed atmosphere
and improved communication
of an independent squad is
Kawasaki had to the key to his strong results in
homologate a ‘new’ Aragon. Davies has had a change
motor for 2021 of pitbox scene in 2021, but is
riding the same bike as last year,
despite the team’s ‘independent
team’ status.
The Brit has attributed much of
his early success to his new crew
chief Pete Jennings.
“I feel like I have a very tight
group around me, and our bike is
our bike,” said Davies.
“I feel like these people are all
kind of listening and working
really well together to get
the most out of this package.
Obviously that’s the goal all the
time, but sometimes it seems like
there’s other influences.
“When you’re in a bigger
situation there’s other influences,
there’s diff erent pressures as
well, but it’s more the attitude
of the group for me. My working
relationship with my crew chief
seems very, very good. I think
WorldSBK it’s probably helped that it’s
Rea knocked up his the English (native speaking)
amcn.com.au 107
sport
Cross country
Max Sullivan
and entirely by herself. A Kate Raymond prepares her stock back west toward Dalhousie,
luggage rack failure and rear DR-Z400 in Darwin before the Finke and then onto Kulgera.
shock problems slowed her 1750km trip to her starting point One more solitary night in
progress on day one, however the desert, then the final leg to
Kate remained undeterred. Australian desert on her own. the serenity to a minimum. complete what was a 1500km
After all, this was not a record Spending a night alone in the With no set schedule and round trip that included over
attempt, but the fulfilment desert was all part of the plan, adequate fuel and water 2000 sand dunes.
of her dream to conquer the however fireside repairs kept supplies strapped to her bike, MAX SULLIVAN
Speedway
AUSSIE SPEEDWAY IS GO
AUSTRALIAN SPEEDWAY FANS
will still get to see 2021 Australian
wheel title meetings were called
off in January due to restrictions
Qualifying Meeting the previous
night at the same venue.
125cc Individual and Teams
Championship will be held
Solo Championship meetings and on-going uncertainty The other championships at Sidewinders track, also in
that were not staged when surrounding Covid-19. will be staged at their originally Adelaide on 23-25 September.
originally scheduled for earlier The Senior Solo Championship allocated venues – the Under Dates and venues for 2022
this year. will not be decided over the 21 and the Under 16 250cc championships, including what
While the Australian Sidecar five-round series, but instead a Championship will be held at will be a fi ve-round senior solo
Championship did go ahead as one-off meeting at Oakburn Park, the Gillman Speedway on 27 title chase, will be released in
planned in April, all of the two- Tamworth, on 4 December after a November and the Under 16 coming weeks. PETER BAKER
108 amcn.com.au
Enduro Briefs
Max Sullivan
Matthew Davis
collected the
MILESTONES!
There’s a full feature
on Kamfari’s 50th
Kamfari trophy
Anniversary coming
up in our 70th
Anniversary
issue!
THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY C&R first corner. Showing great form, troubles slowed his progress.
Constructions Kamfari enduro Evans pulled away from Daniel By the two-hour mark, SGP set for 11
will go down as one of the McInnes and Darren Clement Evans was pulling away with a Another scheduled Speedway
toughest. Higher-than-average and completed the 12km lap in 30-minute lead over Matthew Grand Prix round has been
rainfall during the wet season, just over 16 minutes. Davis on his YZ and was looking cancelled but organisers are still
combined with an already tough From there, things only got like taking a comfortable committed to staging 11 rounds
course set out by the Darwin tougher; 2019’s winner Ayden win until his KTM suffered a in the 2021 championship. The
Motorcycle Club, claimed more Bridgeford drowned his new mechanical issue. Davis went round scheduled for the PGE
riders and machines than any Husky and was out of contention on to complete seven laps and Narodowy Stadium in Warsaw will
race in recent years. while Daniel McInnes also take home the $5000 winner’s not take place. The SGP series is
The four-hour race started succumbed to the water on his prize purse over Jed Goold, who set to open with a double-header
well for Nathan Evans, who second lap. finished second with five laps, at the Anlas Czech Republic FIM
grabbed the holeshot from the Chris Warwick was looking for just in front of Phil Peterson in Speedway Grand Prix, in Prague,
dead-engine start and into the his third Kamfari victory, but bike third. MS on 16 and 17 July. PB
Aussie OS
The Wolves’ Masters
(third from L) and
Morris (fifth from L)
AUSSIES WIN IN
RAINED-OUT EVENTS
SPEEDWAY IN THE UK has after just two races – the only
welcomed back crowds as good news that Aussie riders
their 2021 season finally got Sam Masters and Nick Morris
underway on 17 May, when won those two events.
Government guidelines allowed Bad weather has caused
limited crowd access, provided a number of meetings to be
codes of conduct laid down by rescheduled in the first week,
the local council for each track but already in that week
were followed. Jake Allen, Troy Batchelor,
You have to feel for fans at Jason Crump, Jye Etheridge,
Wolverhampton, though. After Cameron Heeps, Jack Holder,
more than 500 days since they Brady Kurtz and Justin
last witnessed a meeting, their Sedgmen have completed at
opening night was washed out least one meeting. PB
amcn.com.au 109
sport INTERVIEW MATT O’CONNELL PHOTOGRAPHY ROB MOTT, MO AND AMCN ARCHIVES
Grid talk
Carl Walters
We sit down with father and team manager to leading ASBK privateer Matt
Walters, who owns and runs Kawasaki Connection in NSW’s Hunter region
Matt was one of the first to The big advantage is that all the What prompted Matt to get perspective as dealer principle?
progress to the superbike young guys are racing together into road racing? Since Covid hit, sales have been
class after graduating from regularly, so you foster that It was a trip to Phillip Island, incredible. We don’t just stock
a dedicated junior road racecraft at a high level early we are great friends with the bikes, we also do a whole range
race series in Australia – the on. Just being on track with one Parkes’ and we were down there of outdoor power sports as well
MRRDA. What do you think of another, it is such an important watching Broc. I remember as zero-turn mowers, that kind
the junior road racing scene in aspect and I think you see that we were standing with Les of thing. It’s surprised me just
Australia at the moment? in junior road racing today. I watching the racing and Matt how well things are going at the
We loved that series, the really like what the Cudlins said to me ‘I’m going to do that, moment, but I guess people just
MRRDA. It was relatively have going with Motostars, but dad.’ And that’s how it went! want to get outside and enjoy
inexpensive racing the Moriwaki I think the main thing with Matt was really good in the dirt, themselves more.
bikes and it has produced a any junior road race series he was fast and he won a lot –
few of the current top riders – is that you have to make it as but he also crashed a lot when Could the store survive without
Daniel Falzon and Mike Jones affordable as possible. There he was younger. We believed in ASBK commentator and
as well. When Matt moved on is no easier way to dent your that old adage of ‘you can teach Kawasaki tragic Phil Harlum
to race RS125s, the first thing enthusiasm than having big someone not to crash, but you buying more bikes?
we noticed was the expense. dollars to spend! can’t teach fast.’ No! [laughs] He’s got a fair green
It wasn’t until we got to race garage these days!
Superstock 600s that we felt the Cessnock is dominated by How is the motorcycle
playing field was level again. dirt-track and off-road riding. industry travelling from your You’re the top privateer team in
110 amcn.com.au
Main. Like father like son; Carl and Matt Walters at Kawasaki Connection in Cessnock 1. Matt Walters
got a WorldSBK call-up in 2015 with Team Pedercini Racing. 2. Walters chases Yamaha’s Cru Halliday in
2011 3. Walters was crowned 2010 Aussie Superstock 600 champ 4. Team manager and brolly bloke
1 2
3 “I don’t 4
want the
bikes made
slower, I’d
just like
to see the
gap to the
top not as
wide”
ASBK, that’s a family run effort It makes things a lot tougher, generation of bikes shows there son Mitch is in the army and is
as well? let’s say. In a Superbike team you is always work to be done – I based in Darwin, he has told us
It’s pretty much family, we’ve really need a suspension guy, don’t think anybody wants to the whole city is buzzing about
had to learn everything as we somebody working on chassis keep watching a show where the the race weekend with Supercars,
go. Matt is a fully qualified and geometry, somebody doing top three are 45 seconds up the so we can’t wait to get up there.
motorcycle mechanic, which is the general mechanical work road. We would be supportive It’s a great opportunity for the
very helpful, but putting together like servicing, changing tyres, of something like a stock ECU, I ASBK guys. As far as returning
a competitive race package at crash repairs, etc. And now, think that could work. to Wakefield goes, I’m OK with
this level is very complex and it you also need someone on I’ve got no doubt the best it because it’s much easier
takes a lot of hours, a lot of trial electronics. That level of support riders are on the best bikes in logistics-wise than travelling
and error to get things right. doesn’t come for free, everyone this paddock, but the series also to Tasmania. But, especially
At the moment we have been has to be paid. Also, the people needs privateers to survive… for anyone that has been there
working with Paul Free and we that know how to do the job part of that is to make sure the racing at night, I think we have
think that is going to help bring have to be available. That’s why playing field is somewhat level. to get ASBK back to Sydney
Matt to the next level. Paul will we delayed the move to the It’s a tough call, I definitely Motorsport Park (SMSP).
be concentrating on suspension latest ZX-10RR, there just isn’t don’t want to see bikes made to For any road racing series to
and the guy is just a legend, the expertise available to take be slower, I’d just like to see the work in Australia, we are always
we’re really lucky that he has advantage of the electronics at gap to the top three not as wide. going to have to visit tracks like
the time in his schedule to work the moment, and I think that is Morgan Park, Winton and
with Matt. stretching a lot of teams. COVID has been a challenge. Wakefield. For Superbikes
Did MA handle the revised though, we need to get them
Matt has been knocking on the As far as the formula goes, does calendar well enough? racing at tracks they were
door of a podium finish for a few MA have it right? Overall, I think MA have done a designed to be operated on, and
years. With this new generation I think they have done an great job just to keep us on track to me that means sorting
of Superbikes, especially the excellent job these last few as much as we have. As far as the whatever needs to be sorted out
electronics, will it still be viable years, to see the series rebound circuits go this year, I absolutely behind the scenes and getting
for privateers to compete? the way it has. This new love going to Darwin. Our other back to SMSP.
amcn.com.au 111
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Where are they now? Martin Hone Former nasho, racer, tax officer, road tester, AMCN ad man and aviator
amcn.com.au 113
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 as you get older.
Hellfire, if Phil Mickelson can win the US PGA golf tourney at nearly 51 years of age, suiting up for a ride is the least we can do, lest we take a tumble. Speaking
of which, even after a lifetime spent making motorcycles operate at mind-boggling speeds, a bicycle can hold some peril. Just ask Troy Bayliss. Tough as nails
is that bloke, though, and we have no doubt he will be back in action soon. Get well TB21!
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