Binder posted a new milestone at the Gran Premio D’Italia last weekend by equaling the highest top speed in the history of the sport at 362.4 kmph during FP3 at Mugello. The new contract brings extra continuity and strength to the KTM MotoGP program, and Binder’s fighting spirit symbolizes the way the manufacturer brings themselves to the track ‘Ready to Race’.
Brad Binder: “I’m super, super happy to have signed again for three more seasons with KTM and it will take us up to ten years. It’s incredible to have been with this manufacturer for such a long time now and we’ve always had a good relationship. I’m extremely happy in KTM colors so it’s extra satisfying to have a long contract signed-up. It’s cool to have that belief and support from a company. It’s an honor. From here on we can focus on building ourselves towards the front. We are not terribly far away, and it would be really nice to do something great together. It’s exciting to see what these next years will bring.”
Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsports Director: “This was a very easy contract for us to do because we love Brad as a racer and what he brings to the team, the factory and the MotoGP class. He was also very enthusiastic to make a big commitment to us and that says a lot for our progression and our potential in this championship. Sometimes you find a racer and a mentality that really fits with your own philosophy and the fact that Brad has come all the way to the top with us in a ten year period is a very special story. We’re really proud to continue racing with him and to keep setting new targets together.”
A temporary exhibition at the Ducati Museum will mark 20 years since Troy Bayliss’s first world title and will be titled: “Troy Story: The Legend of a Champion”.
The exhibition will remain open until 19 September, apart from July 1-4 when the motorcycles will be exhibited at the 2021 Motor Valley Fest in Modena Borgo Panigale (Bologna, Italy) before returning to the Ducati Museum.
The Troy Story: The Legend of a Champion at the Ducati Museum
The announcement comes alongside the Ducati Museum finally reopening to the public on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The date of May 21, chosen for the reopening of the Ducati Museum, is not accidental.
As Ducatisti and all motorcycle racing fans will certainly remember, on 21 May 2000 a still virtually unknown Troy Bayliss accomplished a feat that turned him overnight into a motorcycling legend in the hearts and memories of all Ducati and Superbike fans: his amazing quadruple overtaking move at the Monza circuit.
That day Troy was taking part in the race as a replacement rider for Carl Fogarty who had been injured at Philip Island and, after this epic feat, Ducati decided to let him finish the championship on the factory 996R. That year he finished sixth (243 points, 2 wins and 7 podiums), but he earned his place as factory rider in the Ducati Infostrada team. He won his first WSBK title in 2001, stepping onto the podium 15 times.
All those who can visit the Museum will have the opportunity to admire the bikes with which the Australian champion has written some of the most amazing chapters in the annals of motorcycle racing, these include:
The Troy Story: The Legend of a Champion at the Ducati Museum
996 Factory 2000 – his Ducati World SBK debut and used at Monza in the famous quadruple overtake.
996 Factory 2001 Testastretta – his first world title with the livery used at Imola in 2001.
998 Factory Testastretta 2002 – protagonist of the breath-taking duel with Edwards at Imola.
999 Factory 2006 “Superman” – Ducati’s 250th victory in SBK, and Troy’s second title.
999 Factory 2007 – used in the photo-finish against James Toseland at Assen.
1098 R Factory 2008 – his last title won at Magny-Cours.
For all those who cannot yet come to the Ducati Museum, an in-depth study dedicated to Troy Bayliss’s career is planned during the “Ducati Museum Online Journey”, the online tours of the Ducati Museum that allow you to retrace the history of the company via a PC, tablet or Smart TV.
The temporary exhibition ‘Troy Story: The Legend of a Champion’ will remain at the Ducati Museum until 19 September 2021, with the sole exception of the days between 1-4 July, when the bikes will be exhibited in Modena at the 2021 edition of Motor Valley Fest.
The Troy Story: The Legend of a Champion at the Ducati Museum
The opening of the temporary show in honour of Troy Bayliss is also a way to wish to the Australian champion a speedy recovery after his bicycle accident occurred on May 14 that looks likey to see Bayliss laid up for some time while recovering. This special display is further confirmation of how Troy Bayliss is indeed true Ducati royalty.
CFMOTO has unveiled its all-new 800MT adventure family at the 2021 Beijing motorcycle show. The new platform will launch with two models, the 800MT Sport and the up-spec 800MT Touring.
2022 CFMOTO 800MT Touring
Both machines took centre stage on the huge CFMOTO stand in Beijing, with full specifications also released for the KTM-powered duo as the technical and operational joint venture between the two companies goes to the next level.
At the heart of the matter is KTM’s potent 799cc parallel twin, which produces 70 kW (95 hp) at 8000 rpm and 88 Nm at 6600 rpm.
2022 CFMOTO 800MT Touring complete with luggage accessories
The 800MTs also have a slipper clutch, Bosch electronic fuel injection and a ride-by-wire throttle with three riding modes: rain, off-road and road.
The 800MT Sport and 800MT Touring share the same 19-litre fuel capacity, expansive rider and pillion seats, tubular steel frame, fully adjustable KYB suspension, crash bars, 825 mm seat height, adjustable screen and Spanish J.Juan brakes with ABS.
2022 CFMOTO 800MT Sport
The major point of differentiation between the two is in the rolling stock: cast wheels on the Sport as opposed to spoked tubeless wheels on the Touring. Rim sizes are 19-inch front and 17-inch rear – the usual compromise for road and off-road riding.
2022 CFMOTO 800MT Sport
Standard features across the 800MT range include
• A seven-inch TFT screen with Bluetooth connectivity and a navigation function (as well as complementary App); • Cruise control; • Adjustable screen; • Fog lights; • Crash bars; • USB and 12-volt charging; and • LED lights and turn signals.
2022 CFMOTO 800MT Sport
The 800MT Touring then adds a number of safety, convenience and performance features
• Tyre pressure monitoring; • A two-way quickshifter; • Handguards; • Alloy bashplate; • Steering damper; and • Keyless start.
2022 CFMOTO 800MT Touring
“The official launch of the 800MTs in China last weekend was a huge moment,” said CFMOTO Australia director, Michael Poynton. “It not only adds a new and exciting chapter to the CFMOTO and KTM technical and operational alliance, but continues CFMOTO’s push into new and exciting markets.
“We’re already seeing that with the upcoming 700CL-X middleweight full-powered range, and now the adventure segments beckons – and we are confident the 800MTs will make a huge impression with their technical flair and impressive styling.”
2022 CFMOTO 800MT Sport
Price on the 800MT Sport and 800MT Touring will be announced soon, with availability in Australia by the end of 2021 complete with CFMOTO’s new ‘2 plus 1’ three-year warranty.
Dylan Ferrandis wins the Fox Raceway I Pro MX opener
The opening 450 class moto of the 2021 championship saw newly crowned AMA Supercross Champion Cooper Webb emerge with the MotoSport.com Holeshot aboard his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine ahead of Ferrandis and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo.
Cooper Webb
These three quickly jockeyed for position, during which Cianciarulo clawed his way past both riders to go from third to first before the completion of the opening lap. He sprinted out to a multi-second lead over Webb, while Ferrandis and Team Honda HRC’s Ken Roczen battled for third.
Cianciarulo continued to build on his advantage and soon enjoyed a lead approaching the double digits just 10 minutes into the moto as Webb and Ferrandis asserted themselves into second and third. With firm control of the race, Cianciarulo saw it all go away in an instant when he crashed on one of the track’s downhills.
Adam Cianciarulo
He was able to remount, but lost multiple positions and reentered in fourth. That handed the lead to Webb, but not for long as Ferrandis seized the opportunity and took control of the top spot in his first 450 Class moto. Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton assumed third, just ahead of Cianciarulo.
Ferrandis edged out to a lead of just over three seconds past the halfway point of the moto, as Webb fell into the clutches of Sexton. The Honda rider, and defending race winner at Fox Raceway, made the pass for second and looked to close in on the Frenchman out front.
Dylan Ferrandis
As the moto wound down all eyes turned to GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia, who was on a tear and charged up the running order. Barcia picked off Roczen, Aaron Plessinger, Cianciarulo, and Webb en route to podium position in third.
The run to the checkered flag was a thrilling one as Sexton’s persistence brought him to within striking distance of Ferrandis on the last lap. As they exited the final corner Sexton’s outside line gave him an edge in momentum that allowed him to get alongside Ferrandis off the final jump.
Chase Sexton
They crossed the finish line side by side, with the edge to Ferrandis, who secured the moto win on his first attempt in the premier class, just .099 ahead of Sexton. Barcia finished an impressive third, while Plessinger and Webb completed the top five.
The deciding 450 Class moto kicked off with a Yamaha at the head of the pack as Plessinger earned the MotoSport.com Holeshot, followed by Roczen, Webb, and Cianciarulo. Known as one of the best starters in the sport, Roczen went on the offense and made the pass for the lead on Plessinger, as Cianciarulo moved up to third.
Ken Roczen and Aaron Plessinger
Behind the leaders Ferrandis started from a spot deep in the top 10, while Sexton found himself on the ground in the first turn and started last in the 40-rider field.
Roczen sprinted out to an early multi-second advantage, his first laps led in Pro Motocross since 2019, while Plessinger gave chase. Cianciarulo lost ground to the lead duo but settled solidly into third, while Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Zach Osborne, the defending 450 Class Champion, gave chase from fourth.
Zach Osborne
As the moto wore on the battle for the overall win turned compelling as Roczen, Plessinger, and Ferrandis sat in a three-way tie early on. With the lead pair well over 10 seconds ahead of the field, the focus shifted to Ferrandis’ ability to continue to move forward, which he did in pursuit of another impressive ride by Barcia. Both riders passed Osborne and Cianciarulo, which moved Barcia into third and Ferrandis into fourth.
Just past the halfway point of the moto Plessinger started to put the pressure on Roczen for the lead. The German successfully withstood Plessinger’s move and forced the Yamaha rider into a mistake, which put some distance between the top two.
Justin Barcia
Behind them, Ferrandis was able to get a firmer grasp on his lead in the overall classification with a pass on Barcia that moved the Frenchman into third. Roczen was able to build on his advantage as the moto wore on and carried on to capture his first moto win since the Unadilla National in August of 2019 by 11.8 seconds over Plessinger, with Ferrandis in third.
With his 1-3 moto finishes Ferrandis, last season’s 250 Class Champion, became the first rider since Ryan Villopoto in 2009 to win in his full time 450 Class debut in Pro Motocross. The Frenchman also gave Yamaha its first premier class win since the final round of the 2018 season.
Dylan Ferrandis topped the overall podium from Roczen and Plessinger
In his anticipated return to the championship, Roczen earned the second-moto tiebreaker to finish in the runner-up spot (6-1), while Plessinger captured his first podium result in third (4-2).
Dylan Ferrandis – P1
“It was a way different Pala race than last year, but it was a really good day for me. I didn’t wake up this morning thinking that I would win the overall. It’s an amazing result as a rookie in the 450 class to win the first moto and the overall. I’m also really happy to get that first 450 win for the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team. I’m really hard on these guys, and I make them work many hours during the race and the whole week, so this one is really for them. The hard work has definitely paid off. I want to say a big thanks to all of the people around me. It’s an amazing feeling and a day that I will remember.”
Ken Roczen – P2
“I think everybody probably struggled a little bit in practice, it was really deep and wet and we really only were using three feet of the track. It was a little tough, but we got it back together for the second practice and put ourselves in a good position for the first gate pick. I had a decent start on the first one, but I tangled a little bit with a few riders in the front and was in a good position in the beginning to make some moves so that’s what I did. Riding a track like that I wasn’t too comfortable and haven’t raced MX in a while so I rode tight and wasn’t going anywhere either. But very late in the race I could put a move on Adam in the last corner and started going forward just a little bit. In the second moto I grabbed a great start and we just laid it down, with some great lines. The track is really gnarly, so I just rode as hard as I could as long as I could and not make any mistakes. The two lap board came out and I was surprised but I brought it home.”
Ken Roczen
Aaron Plessinger – P3
“It was a great day for me overall. I felt good coming into this weekend and felt like I could do some damage, and I did. I think my last outdoor moto was at the Ironman back in 2019, so to come out here and finish third after a tough two years, it’s pretty amazing. I want to thank the whole team. They do an amazing job. I love my bike right now, and I couldn’t be happier. I’m just going to come into Colorado with the same outlook and try to do It again!”
Justin Barcia – P4
“The track was really gnarly today but my bike was working awesome. I got through practice and went into the first moto open minded and that was a really good ride for me. All-in-all, fourth overall is a super good spot to be in going into the season. It’s a long, grueling season and I definitely need to be on the podium a lot, win races and just stay consistent. I am definitely looking forward to next weekend.”
Justin Barcia
Chase Sexton – P5
“Round 1 at Pala for me didn’t start off the greatest. I had a rough time in practice, just finding a flow with the track and the bike. I turned it around in the first moto when I got a pretty good start. I kind of went backwards a little bit and then found my groove and charged forward. I made a good push towards the end and got close to Dylan [Ferrandis] but couldn’t quite make it happen. In the second moto I went down on the start and from there it was an uphill battle, just trying to do as much damage control as possible. I got back to 10th and am looking forward to Thunder Valley.”
Jason Anderson – P6
“It was not terrible day but we definitely need to keep building. In the first moto, I had a good start and tipped over while running fifth but I was able to make it back to 10th. In the second moto, I charged up the whole moto and was able to end up fourth, which was a good ride for me.”
Jason Anderson
Marvin Musquin – P7
“I knew competition would be very tough and a good start would be key. I was happy with my practice, qualifying second, and felt good going into the motos. In both of my motos, my first lap was no good and I was not aggressive enough and making huge mistakes. After that, I had to fight back but it was very difficult to make passes on this track. I was battling with Tomac in both motos, so that tells you the level of competition in the top-10. I’m not super happy with the result on paper. I did a couple good things but overall, I can do better, so let’s do it again next weekend.”
Marvin Musquin
Cooper Webb – P8
“A tough day at the office with eighth overall to start the season at Pala. It felt good to line back up outdoors and I’m looking forward to having fans back at the races this summer. We’ll build on this and come back swinging for the next 22 motos.”
Eli Tomac – P9
“Overall, it was an alright day. It wasn’t my best result, but we managed to put together two consistent motos and deal with the difficult track. I’m looking forward to Thunder Valley next week, especially since it’s my home track. We’ll take the week to get everything dialed and plan to be back on the top step where we belong.”
Eli Tomac
Zach Osborne – P10
“My day definitely could have been better but I’m still healthy and looking to get more. The first moto was a little disappointing and not what we were looking for but I turned it around and I’m happy to leave in a better spot than I was when I got here. This is the first time I’ve done two motos in a day since I started riding again so we didn’t have any expectations and to get a top-five in the second moto was a step in the right direction.”
Adam Cianciarulo – P11
“Even though the result wasn’t what we hoped for today, there were a lot of things we can build on for the season. I’m staying positive and I’m glad we can shake off those first-round jitters. We can now focus on getting back up on that podium where we belong. We know what we need to work on, and I can’t wait to get back out there next week.”
Christian Craig – P12
“It was a decent day at Pala for the first round. I struggled with the bike set up in the first moto, but I was able to rebound with a solid second moto. I expect a lot more out of myself, so I’m just going to keep pushing!”
Christian Craig
Ferrandis has established a five-point lead in the 450 Class standings over both Roczen and Plessinger, who sit tied for second.
The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will continue next weekend with its second round of the 2021 season.
CFMOTO has unveiled its new KTM-powered 800MT adventure family at the 2021 Beijing motorcycle show.
The two-model range consists of the 800MT Sport and the up-spec 800MT Touring which will arrive to tackle Australia’s bush in late 2021 with prices announced soon.
At the heart of both bikes is KTM’s 799cc parallel twin, which produces 70kW (95hp) at 8000rpm and 88Nm at 6600rpm.
The 800MTs also have a slipper clutch, Bosch electronic fuel injection and a ride-by-wire throttle with three riding modes: rain, off-road and road.
The 800MT Sport and 800MT Touring share the same 19-litre fuel capacity, expansive rider and pillion seats, tubular steel frame, fully adjustable KYB suspension, crash bars, 825mm seat height, adjustable screen and Spanish J.Juan brakes with ABS.
The major point of differentiation between the two is in the rolling stock: cast wheels on the Sport as opposed to spoked tubeless wheels on the Touring. Wheel sizes are 19-inch front and 17-inch rear – an ideal compromise for road and off-road riding.
800 MT standard features:
A seven-inch TFT screen with Bluetooth connectivity and a navigation function (as well as complementary App);
Cruise control;
Adjustable screen;
Fog lights;
Crash bars;
USB and 12-volt charging; and
LED lights and turn signals.
800MT Touring features:
Tyre pressure monitoring;
A two-way quickshifter;
Handguards;
Alloy bashplate;
Steering damper; and
Keyless start.
CFMOTO Australia director Michael Poynton describes the official launch of the 800MTs in China last weekend as “a huge moment”.
“It not only adds a new and exciting chapter to the CFMOTO and KTM technical and operational alliance, but continues CFMOTO’s push into new and exciting markets,” he says.
“We’re already seeing that with the upcoming 700CL-X middleweight full-powered range, and now the adventure segments beckons – and we are confident the 800MTs will make a huge impression with their technical flair and impressive styling.”
They will come with a three-year, unlimited kilometres warranty under CFMOTO current ‘2 plus 1’ deal.
2022 CFMOTO 800MT Sport & 800MT Touring tech specs
