Marquez cleared of nerve damage in successful surgery
Section: Competition
Timeline for MotoGP champion’s return remains undetermined.
Image: Supplied.
Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez has been cleared of nerve damage after undergoing a successful operation on his broken right humerus bone in Barcelona, now focused on his undetermined return to MotoGP.
Marquez crashed heavily in Sunday’s world championship opener while recovering from an earlier off-track excursion and underwent surgery by DrXavier Mir at the Hospital Universitari Dexeus.
Defending world champion Marquez had a titanium plate inserted in his right arm, however, more importantly it has been confirmed that his radial nerve was untouched and did not require intervention.
“Everyone who races in the world championship has the unfortunate possibility of getting injured and having to go to the operating room,” commented team manager Alberto Puig. “Unfortunately, it was our turn and it was Marc who has had to undergo surgery. Marc will take some time to recover, but we are happy with how everything has gone.
“Doctor Mir and his team have taken care of the entire situation since the fall and performed a successful operation. This gives the Repsol Honda Team a lot of motivation, knowing it went well, but now we have to be patient to see how Marc recovers and to understand when he can return.”
Puig confirmed that Repsol Honda will focus on rookie Alex Marquez this weekend at Jerez: “This weekend we will be focused on Alex, helping him to take another step forward. When you are young and new in a category, every week you improve and grow. We hope he can close the gap to the front of the race.”
KTM’s Ready To Race mantra is perfectly channeled in the 2021 version of the KTM 450 Rally Replica but for most of us mere mortals the Rally Replica represents the ultimate adventure motorcycle.
A pukka rally replica motorcycle complete with full ADR compliance where it is clear that the only thing holding back the performance is the sack of potatoes sat on the back of it!
2021 KTM 450 Rally Replica
If you are well-heeled and adventurous enough to seriously entertain the prospect of owning one of these very special machines you better get in quick as there are only 85 available worldwide and the price tag here in Australia is a cool $55,995.
$55,995 and only 85 available worldwide
This is a motorcycle designed to excel in multi-stage cross-country rallies, to satisfy even the toughest demands of the rally racer and to win. Personally, I would just be happy to strap a swag on the back and head for the hills!
The rear tanks hold 16-litres of fuel
The fiery 450 cc SOHC fuel-injection motor is wrapped in a competition-based chassis with a series of finer details to denote the exclusivity of this machine. The rear self-supporting fuel tanks double as the sub-frame and hold 16-litres of fuel. Combined with the main tank the fuel capacity is a huge 33-litres.
SOHC cylinder head constructed from premium materials along precise manufacturing tolerances
Those specs include refined WP XACT PRO closed cartridge suspension with sophisticated Cone Valve technology and purposeful aerodynamics and ergonomics crafted for peerless handling across a wide breadth of terrain.
For 2021, KTM has honed the engine package with a brand-new gearbox and revised shift mechanism.
The direct influence of PANKL Racing Systems materials inside the KTM Motorsport department meant technicians were able to further hike the bike’s excellent reliability, but also benefit the rider with a larger gear spread.
2021 KTM 450 Rally Replica
The habits and styles of the three Red Bull KTM Factory Racing riders – all of whom have sampled Dakar Rally winning success in the last half a decade – assisted in the finalisation of gearing ratios. The result is that the KTM 450 Rally Replica now comes with the same gear ratios as those advocated on the machines of Dakar Rally champions.
Stefan Huber – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Rally Team Leader
“The work goes on! We’re proud of the 2021 KTM 450 Rally Replica. With this model we have already set the bar very high in giving the customers a product so close to what we prepare and take to rallies across the world. Of course, we always make new discoveries, and this means the 2021 bike is a significant upgrade. The gearbox construction and configuration will make a difference to the riders who want to push the KTM 450 Rally Replica. It is crucial for us to be able to transfer what we learn directly into the hands of KTM riders. We’re here to win races but making a better product is very important and satisfying. I personally look forward to seeing this incredible machine in racing action at the upcoming 2021 Dakar Rally!”
2021 KTM 450 Rally Replica’s navigation tower is made of carbon-fibre and with a fairing designed for aerodynamics and reduced turbulence
2021 KTM 450 Rally Replica Specifications
Engine – 449.3 cc four-stroke single, SOHC
Bore x stroke – 95 x 63.4 mm
Induction – Keihin EMS EFI
Lubrication – Two oil pumps
Gearbox – Six-speed
Frame – Chro-Moly trellis steel, carbon sub-frame
Forks – WP XACT PRO closed cart. Cone Valve. 305 mm travel
Shock – WP XACT PRO fully adj. linkage. 300 mm travel
After falling heavily on Sunday after an incredible come-back ride through the field after an earlier front-end save, Marc Marquez was diagnosed with a broken right humerus and travelled to Barcelona on Monday to the Hospital Universitari Dexeus.
Dr Xavier Mir and his team in collaboration with Dr Barrera performed an open reduction and internal fixation of a titanium plate to the right humerus. The radial nerve was untouched and did not need intervention.
Marc is now recovering from successful surgery and will remain in hospital for up to 48 hours.
His aim is to return to the 2020 World Championship as soon as possible with an expected date becoming clearer soon but his early hopes are to make a return to competition at Brno on August 9 for round three of this strangely truncated 2020 MotoGP Championship season.
Alberto Puig – Repsol Honda Team Manager
“Everyone who races in the World Championship has the unfortunate possibility of getting injured and having to go to the operating room. Unfortunately, it was our turn and it was Marc who has had to undergo surgery.
“Marc will take some time to recover but we are happy with how everything has gone. Doctor Mir and his team have taken care of the entire situation since the fall and performed a successful operation.
“This gives the Repsol Honda Team a lot of motivation, knowing it went well, but now we have to be patient to see how Marc recovers and to understand when he can return.”
“Cal Crutchlow also had an operation that went well and in principle, his intention is to test the wrist on Friday. We are optimistic about his participation in the Grand Prix.”
“This weekend we will be focused on Alex, helping him to take another step forward. When you are young and new in a category, every week you improve and grow. We hope he can close the gap to the front of the race.”
Alex Marquez will be the sole focus for Repsol Honda this weekend at Jerez
LCR Honda Castrol rider Cal Crutchlow has undergone successful surgery on his injured left wrist. The Briton suffered a fracture to his left scaphoid after crashing during the warm-up session at the Spanish GP last Sunday.
On Tuesday, Dr. Xavier Mir performed surgery on Crutchlow’s wrist at the Hospital Universitari Quirón DEXEUS in Barcelona. The surgeon was pleased with how the procedure went.
Lucio Cecchinello
“I would like to thank Dr. Mir and his medical team for performing surgery on Cal’s left wrist this morning. A small screw has been inserted into his scaphoid to fix the fracture. The surgery went well as Dr. Mir personally informed me, and Cal will be discharged from the hospital later this afternoon. If everything goes well, we expect him back at the Angel Nieto Circuit in Jerez on Thursday morning, where he will be visited by Dorna’s Medical Director, Dr. Ángel Charte who will assess his fitness to race. Our technical staff is working to have everything ready to allow Cal to ride in Friday’s morning practice.”
Cal Crutchlow qualified sixth but a crash in warm-up ruled him out of the race, and it might not be the only one he is on the sidelines for…
With summer just around the corner, riders will be considering riding pants and may be wondering whether traditional double-layer protection is better than the new single-layer materials.
Traditional double-layer jeans and riding pants have a separate layer of protective material, usually Kevlar, and sometimes even a third layer of mesh to “wick” the sweat away and protect against the scratchy material.
More recent double-layer designs have done away with the mesh as the protective layer has become more soft and breathable.
However, double-layer pants can be quite heavy and hot in summer.
Single-layer pants promise to be lighter and cooler. They have the protective fabric woven into the material so there is no need for a separate layer of protection or mesh.
Which is best?
I have tested both types and you can read my reviews by typing “jeans” or “pants”in the search field at the top of this page.
For a more scientific answer, I contacted Dr Chris Hurren, a research scientist at Deakin University in Geelong where he and his laboratory work on protective motorcycle clothing.
Chris Hurren and his Honda GB400
He also worked with Dr Liz de Rome and others to produce the protocol that is used by MotoCAP for their testing regime.
Dr Hurren has written a series of four articles for Motorbike Writer on the new European clothing standard which you can start reading by clicking here.
Verdict: Single Vs double layer
This is the unedited verdict from Dr Hurren:
From the testing conducted by MotoCAP on ‘Protective Denim’ products, the best performance has been in multi-layer products where a separate protective liner is present inside the jeans.
The most important part to protect in a pair of pants is the Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas (defined in EN13595-1:2002).
The abrasion time results for each of the abrasion risk areas are reported for each garment in the MotoCAP garment five-page test report.
This table shows the abrasion time in seconds for the protective material in the high-risk zone along with the amount of coverage for that zone of the protective layer.
Manufacturer
Product
Protective layer abrasion time
Zone 1/2 coverage
Multi-layer protection
RST
T125 Standard Aramid
1.12
70
RST
Vintage
1.17
85
DriRider
Rapid
1.27
100
Rjays
Reinforced Original Cut
1.34
95
PMJ
Rider Jeans
1.83
50
Bull’it
SP120 Lite Heritage Easy
2.03
100
Resurgence
Indigo sport
2.46
100
Triumph
Pure Riding
2.63
100
Bull’it
Covert Blue Straight
3.64
100
Draggin Jeans
Cargo
3.71
100
Triumph
Hero Riding
3.74
100
Rev’it
Lombard
4.04
90
Harley Davidson
Genuine Performance Riding
4.08
100
Bull’it
SR6 Oil Skin 17 Straight
4.72
100
Draggin Jeans
Next Gen Seamless
7.77
100
Draggin Jeans
Twista
7.86
100
Neo Jeans
Kevlar Men’s Stretch
0.74
100
Single-layer protection
BMW
City Denim Trousers
0.41
100
Levis
501 Normal Denim Jeans
0.56
100
Resurgence
New Wave
0.92
100
Saint
Model 2
1.51
100
All of the products achieving over two seconds of abrasion time were multi-layer products. Two seconds of abrasion time would equate to approximately 16 metres of sliding distance on chip seal.
The Saint single-layered product performed the best of the single layered products reported on so far.
All three single-layer products fall towards the bottom of the multi-layered product performance levels.
I have also included the test results for a normal pair of Levis 501 non-protective jeans for reference against the single-layer products.
Textile Vs denim
I have done a similar comparison for protective textile pants and the multi-layer products again perform better than the single.
Where the multilayer includes a foam of some type and more than one layer of protective textile, the abrasion times go up. Where a leather patch is used, the abrasion time is also improved.
With almost all protective textile pants, improvement is generally only done in the knee area with the risk in the side of the leg and bottom overlooked. This is not the same for denim.
For the single-layer textile pants, the higher performing times of one-second-plus are generally achieved by 1000+ denier polyester or nylon woven textile. Products around the 600 denier range typically get 0.4-0.6 seconds.
Almost all of the protective denims (single and multi) perform well when compared to protective textile pants.
Comfort
As for the comfort ratings of gear tested by MotoCAP, the term has been changed to “breathability”.
Dr Hurren explains why:
There has been a lot of feedback from riders on the use of the word comfort. The solitary word comfort can mean many different things to different people. Many were misconstruing it with tactile comfort (tightness, fit, flexibility, skin feel) which is of course different for each person and next to impossible to quantify.
Breathability is felt to better reflect the dimension that is measured for MotoCAP. The concept of a breathable membrane in a jacket is well known within the rider community. It is hoped that the adoption of breathability will cause less confusion and will better convey the suitability of a garment for hot weather use.
Few feelings come close to that of the wind blowing across your face as you plow through the country’s routes on your motorcycle. You get to take in the amazing sights and scenery as you ride to an epic adventure. The American dream encompasses freedom, and for many bikers, nothing spells free than a great ride on the road. Are you up for finding adventure? Then you need to indulge in a popular motorcycle road travel on your motorcycle and take your time to explore what the USA holds.
Visiting museums, monuments, and other popular sights is an avenue to fully experience and appreciate the national culture. Also, it’s enlightening for students, especially scholars writing an assignment or essay examples about an attraction. Here are historic and educational places you can visit with amazing motorcycle roads that heighten the experience.
The Lincoln Memorial Via US Route 50
One of Washington DC’s finest destinations is the Lincoln Memorial. You get to see the masterpiece of French sculptor Daniel Chester in all its glory. The memorial is dedicated to one of the nation’s greatest heroes, Abraham Lincoln.
Students are no strangers to the works of the 16th president of the USA, as his contributions to the country are a popular topic in history class. Many students can give you facts about Lincoln, his age, family, social background, and even map the road to the Lincoln house. It’s rare to find a student who hasn’t written essays on Abraham Lincoln in their school year. If you need help with study, you can find accounts of his life and impact on society from essay samples about Lincoln.
Taking US Route 50 to Washington DC is one of the most exciting motorcycling adventures in the country. The road spans approximately 3000 miles entering the District of Columbia from Arlington, Virginia. The route grants you access to many of the USA historic places other than the Lincoln Memorial. You can visit the Washington Monument, World War II Memorial, White House, and more.
Ride Through the Path of the Civil War Through Blue Ridge Packway
Blue Ridge Parkway
The American Civil War is a part of history that helped shaped society as we know it today. Blue Ridge Pathway gives you the chance to explore sites of this historical battle while savouring breathtaking scenery on your motorcycle. North of this mountain route, along its Virginia sections, is several Civil War sites. Also, this area features low numbers of trucks, if you were to encounter any, it would be those of the two service stations in the area.
Remember to take the time out to enjoy the routes famous sweeping curves. It’s to the southern part of this motorcycle road as nature teases your senses with its delight up until Ashville, North Carolina. A speed limit of 45 mph means you’ll get to soak in the surreal environment with that low rustling breeze sweeping over your face.
Visit Mount Rushmore Via the Central Hills Loop Road
If you went through some essay samples about historic monuments, Mount Rushmore is an attraction that shows up on many write-ups. Thanks to Central Hills Loop road in along South Dakota, you get to enjoy a delightful motorcycle ride to see the wonder. Few routes make for an enjoyable ride in reverse, but the Central Hills Loops aces this feature.
This motorcycle road packs the best features of every seasoned bikers dream. Though the tight turns and multiple elevations may not be thrills suited for beginners, they are a dream come through for seasoned motorcyclists. Visit the area to see the masterpiece depicting 4 of the USA finest president, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington. The sculpture took almost a decade and a half to create, and with carvings ending in 1941.
Though Mount Rushmore is the stand out monument, as it would be in any other region of the world, you shouldn’t be quick to dismiss its other attractions. Travelling along this route will take you through the cultural town of Keystone and one of nature’s finest spots, the Custer State Park.
Touring the Historic Route 66
There aren’t too many routes that bask in the spotlight by being a historic attraction itself. This reason makes Route 66 a cut above others. It span length sits at approximately 2,448 miles between Los Angeles and Chicago. This motorcycle route is rich in history some of which include the following.
Being among the first set of paved highways commissioned by the USA government;
Served as a route for West migrants;
Was the title name for a popular 60’s TV show.
This route makes for an amazing motorcycle ride with numerous attractions littered along the path. Also, you can take a quick detour to visit the eye-catching Grand Canyon. The popularity of motorcycle travel in the area had lead many business owners to create parks, restaurants, and more to ensure travellers have a good time.
Final Thoughts
The USA has a rich and unique culture, with many existing historic moments, places, and more telling its tale. Take the time to visit these cultural attractions on your motorcycle to enjoy not just the thrills of the journey, but also create your adventure story along the way.
Is this how most of us got sucked into motorcycling? Those of us who weren’t fortunate enough to be born into it, anyway. Here’s a nice little read in the New York Times about a bored 13-year old kid on lockdown in Wisconsin who finds a way to cope.
Lucio Cecchinello: “I would like to thank Dr. Mir and his medical team for performing surgery on Cal’s left wrist this morning. A small screw has been inserted into his scaphoid to fix the fracture. The surgery went well as Dr. Mir personally informed me, and Cal will be discharged from the hospital later this afternoon. If everything goes well, we expect him back at the Angel Nieto Circuit in Jerez on Thursday morning, where he will be visited by Dorna’s Medical Director, Dr. Ángel Charte who will assess his fitness to race. Our technical staff is working to have everything ready to allow Cal to ride in Friday’s morning practice.”
A new initiative for 2020, the first stage of this new talent-spotting initiative consists of four Online Challenges in which Gamers are divided into three categories, depending on their location. These three are the Americas (North and South), Europe and Africa, and finally Asia and Oceania.
“Everyone who races in the World Championship has the unfortunate possibility of getting injured and having to go to the operating room. Unfortunately, it was our turn and it was Marc who has had to undergo surgery. Marc will take some time to recover but we are happy with how everything has gone. Doctor Mir and his team have taken care of the entire situation since the fall and performed a successful operation. This gives the Repsol Honda Team a lot of motivation, knowing it went well, but now we have to be patient to see how Marc recovers and to understand when he can return.
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