RT @KRT_WorldSBK: SUCCESSFUL HOME TEST FOR KRT
Rea and Lowes took to the track again for one day of private testing at the Circuit de Barcelona on Friday 31 March, finding set-up improvements on their Ninja ZX-10RR machines around a circuit located just a few hundred yards from KRT’s European base
Source: @WorldSBK on Twitter
RT @KRT_WorldSBK: SUCCESSFUL HOME TEST FOR KRT
Rea and Lowes took to the track again for one day of private testing at the Circuit de Barcelona on Friday 31 March, finding set-up improvements on their Ninja ZX-10RR machines around a circuit located just a few hundred yards from KRT’s European base
Source: @WorldSBK on Twitter
“A really good day. In my garage I have one bike with my chassis and another bike with the chassis that Marc is using,” said Rins, chatting on Friday afternoon in Argentina. “Honestly I’m quite happy because we work a lot with used tyres, a good back-to-back, and the new one, the one Marc is using, looks like it has more positive things than the one I’m using. I’m quite happy about this.”
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
Riders from 20 countries are eligible to participate in both the FIM MiniGP Latin America Series and the Latin America Talent Cup: Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile and Argentina. Federations from around Latin America will be in charge of selecting the riders who will race in each competition.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
1st and 2nd in Practice 1, 1st and 2nd in Practice 2 – it doesn’t get any better than that for Aprilia Racing as Day 1 at the Gran Premio Michelin® de la República Argentina belonged to the Noale factory. Ending Friday on top was Aleix Espargaro after the 2022 Termas race winner got the better of teammate and P1 pacesetter Maverick Viñales in the afternoon session, while Portuguese GP podium finisher Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) claimed P3.
It wasn’t until the final 20 minutes that we started to see plenty of movement on the timesheets in Practice 2, as Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) pounced to demote Viñales to second after the latter had produced a dominant performance in Practice 1 to lead the field by a couple of tenths. On his second flying lap, Martin moved the goalposts further as his 1:39.092 became the time to beat, as Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) climbed to P3.
With all eyes focused on grabbing a top 10 spot ahead of Saturday morning’s qualifying, Practice 2 lit up. Aleix Espargaro set a new benchmark as Viñales slotted into P2, 0.009s off his teammate, before Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) then went top of the pile with a 1:38.969. Then, Viñales was back at the summit – but not for long. Bezzecchi was now the pacesetter, with teammate Luca Marini going third fastest. Meanwhile, with 10 minutes to go, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) was in P13 and 0.9s off P1.
With three minutes to go, Quartararo was still in P13 having been shuffled down a couple of spots. The gap to P1? 0.6s. In contrast, Viñales found an extra dose of pace and went back to P1, but his stablemate would make sure that didn’t last long. Aleix Espargaro set a 1:38.518 to beat Viñales by 0.162s, as Quartararo remained outside the top 10 with seconds to go.
And that’s where he stayed. Quartararo ended Day 1 in Argentina in P14, 0.746s shy of Aleix Espargaro’s table-topping time – differing fortunes for two of the top contenders.
Behind the top three, Marini bounced back from a disappointing opening weekend with a solid Friday P4 in Termas de Rio Hondo, with Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) rounding out the top five. Reigning World Champion Bagnaia settled for P6, 0.4s off Espargaro, with Martin, Nakagami, a rebounding and upbeat Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) and Alex Rins (LCR Honda Idemitsu) acting as the final automatic Q2 qualifiers on Saturday morning in P7, P8, P9 and P10 respectively.
Some big hitters will be battling it out in Q1 at 10:50 local time (GMT-3), including Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), 2020 World Champion Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo Brad Binder and Jack Miller, and Quartararo. Do not miss qualifying on Saturday morning, it’s going to be a barnstormer.
Alongside Rins’ Turn 1 crash in Practice 1, reigning Moto2™ World Champion Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) was unhurt in a Practice 2 Turn 1 crash.
So that’s it from Friday in Argentina. An intriguing day to say the least as the second instalment of the Tissot Sprint fast approaches. Can Quartararo bounce back from a difficult day? Who will get themselves into the pole position shootout? It all starts with Free Practice at 10:10 local time (GMT-3)!
Top 10 combined:
1. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) – 1:38.518
2. Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) + 0.162
3. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) + 0.249
4. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) + 0.315
5. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) + 0.391
6. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 0.426
7. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) + 0.488
8. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) + 0.553
9. Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) + 0.562
10. Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol) + 0.599
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
The 2023 CRF300L lineup expands by one. Now the CRF300L (shown) and its ABS version are joined by the CRF300LS. (Honda/)
“Dual sporting for all” could potentially be a slogan for Honda because, alongside the new XR150L, the Japanese manufacturer has released a new CRF300L, the CRF300LS, that’s designed for those with shorter inseams. The CRF300L Rally is also new and improved for ‘23.
Honda’s new CRF300LS is the only CRF300L to come in Swift Gray; the other two models come in Honda’s primary color of choice, red. (Honda/)
“At Honda, we’re committed to producing motorcycles that suit riders of all experience levels and backgrounds, and the dual sport category is a great example of that,” said Brandon Wilson, American Honda manager of sports and experiential. “The CRF300L is huge among those looking for an affordable, reliable dual sport machine, and the new ‘LS’ version makes the platform an option for those who prefer a shorter seat height.”
The seat height of the CRF300LS is 2 inches shorter than the standard CRF300L. (Honda/)
Mechanically, the LS is much like the CRF300L/ABS which were also announced for the ‘23 model year, but the majority of its measurements, suspension travel, and color are different. The LS’ seat height is the main focus, which is 32.7 inches (claimed), 2 inches shorter than the CRF300L/ABS models. Ground clearance has also been lowered to 9.6 inches. Suspension travel for the LS’ 43mm telescopic fork and shock is 9.3 and 9.0 inches respectively (instead of the standard models’ 10.2-inch travel at both ends).
Related: Riding The Rocky Mountain Rocks On Honda’s CRF250L
Here’s a view of the CRF300LS’ cockpit. The black-on-white display includes a speedometer, tachometer, clock, gear position indicator, fuel mileage, and fuel indicator. (Honda/)
All three motorcycles accelerate over multisurface roads with a fuel-injected 286cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine. Power is focused toward the lower to middle portion of the rev range which is useful for pulling away from traffic or lugging over obstacles on technical trails. Low-speed, technical riding requires constant clutch modulation, and thanks to an assist/slipper clutch, the CRF300Ls have a light clutch lever pull that helps make clutch work less strenuous.
The thumper of the CRF300L model and its variants is a 286cc liquid-cooled single with a 76mm bore by 63mm stroke and 10.7:1 compression ratio. The engine is counterbalanced to help minimize engine vibrations. (Honda/)
The braking package is the same across the board with a front two-piston hydraulic caliper paired with a 256mm disc and a rear one-piston hydraulic caliper with a 220mm disc. The only difference is the inclusion of ABS, which comes as standard on both the CRF300L ABS and the CRF300LS. ABS can be disabled at the rear. These ABS-equipped models have the same MSRP of $5,699, whereas the base model has a sticker price of $5,399.
The CRF’s handlebar weights help reduce vibration. The sweep of the bar makes for a comfortable, upright riding position with plenty of bend at the elbows. (Honda/)
The CRF300L and ABS are slated to make appearances on the dealer floors come April. The CRF300LS comes a month later.
2023 Honda CRF300L/ABS/LS Technical Specifications And Price
| PRICE: | $5,399 (base)/$5,699 (ABS/LS) |
|---|---|
| ENGINE: | 286cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled single-cylinder; 4 valves/cyl. |
| BORE x STROKE: | 76.0 x 63.0mm |
| COMPRESSION RATIO: | 10.7:1 |
| FUEL DELIVERY: | Fuel injection w/ 38mm throttle body |
| CLUTCH: | Wet, multiplate slipper/assist |
| TRANSMISSION/FINAL DRIVE: | 6-speed/chain |
| FRAME: | Double cradle |
| FRONT SUSPENSION: | 43mm inverted telescopic fork; 10.2 in. travel (base/ABS) / 9.3 in. travel (LS) |
| REAR SUSPENSION: | Single shock, spring preload adjustable; 10.2 in. travel (base/ABS) / 9.0 in. travel (LS) |
| FRONT BRAKE: | 2-piston caliper, 256mm disc (base) / w/ ABS (ABS/LS) |
| REAR BRAKE: | 1-piston caliper, 220mm disc (base) / w/ ABS (ABS/LS) |
| WHEELS, FRONT/REAR: | Spoked aluminum; 21 in./18 in. |
| TIRES, FRONT/REAR: | 80/100-21 / 120/80-18 |
| RAKE/TRAIL: | 27.5°/4.3 in. |
| WHEELBASE: | 57.2 in. (base/ABS) / 56.7 in. (LS) |
| SEAT HEIGHT: | 34.7 in. (base/ABS) / 32.7 in. (LS) |
| FUEL CAPACITY: | 2.1 gal. |
| CLAIMED WET WEIGHT: | 306 lb. (base) / 311 lb. (ABS/LS) |
| WARRANTY: | 1 year |
| AVAILABLE: | April (base/ABS) / May (LS) |
| CONTACT: | powersports.honda.com |
The CRF300L ($5,399) and ABS-equipped version ($5,699) will be available a month before the LS ($5,699). (Honda/)
Big Red styled the CRF300L to look similar to models in its CRF Performance line such as the CRF450X. (Honda/)
Source: MotorCyclistOnline.com
The Italian put in a strong display during the closing stages of Practice 2, and despite late charges from Acosta and Somkiat Chantra (IDEMISTU Honda Team Asia), Arbolino’s lap time remained unmatched. It looked as if Acosta was going to go top in the dying moments of the session, but with his lap time cancelled due to track limits, the Spaniard was forced to settle for 3rd.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
Unlike taking a roadtrip in a car, where you can pack everything but the kitchen sink, traveling by motorcycle requires you to be more selective about what you bring. And whatever is on your “can’t leave home without it” list, you need a way to carry it on the bike. SW-Motech offers a bewildering array of motorcycle luggage in various styles and sizes, along with carriers, racks, and adapters.
These offerings allow for a customizable, modular approach to kitting out your motorcycle, all designed and manufactured with the quality and attention to detail so often attributed to German engineering. SW-Motech also makes all kinds of cool accessories for safety, protection, navigation, and power supply (beware: sitting down with your favorite refreshing beverage and perusing their website will lead to temptation).
Related: New Gear: SW-Motech’s Centerstands
Our 2022 Honda CB500X long-term test bike is an affordable, efficient, light-duty adventure bike that’s perfect for solo touring, but in stock form, it has neither luggage nor a luggage rack. We surfed over to SW-Motech’s U.S. website, entered the year, make, and model into the “My Bike” filter, and clicked the “Luggage” product category.
First, we wanted a way to carry luggage, so we ordered the Street-Rack ($252.95), a small rear rack with multiple tie-down points that’s made of black PU-coated 5mm aluminum. We only planned to use the Street-Rack as a lashing point and carrier for a tailbag, but SW-Motech also offers a rack extension, tank ring adapters for mounting a PRO tankbag, and a wide range of adapters for various styles and brands of top cases.
Next, we ordered the PRO Side Carrier ($350.95), which is made of black powdercoated 2.5mm steel. Not only is the side carrier compatible with SW-Motech’s own luggage, but adapter kits are also available for use with Givi/Kappa, Hepco & Becker, Krauser, and Shad luggage.
For luggage, we ordered a SysBag WP M (Waterproof, Medium; $249.95) to use as a tailbag and two SysBag WP L (Large; $399.95 each) saddlebags with adapter plates that allow them to be quickly mounted to or removed from the PRO Side Carrier. The SysBag WP L has lashing straps, so if you didn’t want the quick-release adapter plate, the bag alone is $319.95. However, the straps must be threaded through slots in the carrier’s metal plates, so loaded bags would likely move around, especially during off-road riding, which may wear on the straps over time. Given the convenience and added security of the adapter plates, they’re worth the extra money.
Because I was halfway around the world testing the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 in India (see my Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 First Ride review here), our esteemed former EIC and go-to mechanical guru Mark Tuttle was kind enough to tackle the installation in my absence. From his installation notes: “Overall a nice, heavy-duty system that was fairly easy to install with a minimum of fiddling. Took me about two hours, largely because each hanger on the adapter plates must be secured with four @#$%& screws and nuts, or 32 pairs total. SWM should preinstall these. IMHO installing the system is probably best left to the (at least somewhat) mechanically inclined, though the instructions are clear, and it uses high-quality hardware.”
Installation of either the Street-Rack or the PRO Side Carrier requires removing the CB500X’s passenger grab handles, but the side carrier arms can serve as secure handholds for a passenger. Although the instructions call for drilling the rear fender to secure the rear horizontal support arm, Tuttle said it wasn’t necessary; it aligned easily enough with the license plate bracket holes.
A nifty feature of the PRO Side Carrier are Quick-Lock fasteners that allow the carrier to be removed with a quarter turn, leaving behind only minimal attachment points for a clean look. Since the fasteners are immediately behind the loop part of the carrier, securing them with a flathead screwdriver is tricky. However, SW-Motech sells a stainless steel Multitool Key Chain ($11.95) that includes not only a fastener tool for PRO and EVO side carriers but hex keys in five sizes and a bottle opener. If you’re concerned about theft, a Screw Set ($11.95) is available to replace the Quick-Lock fasteners.
Once the PRO Side Carrier and adapter plates are installed, it’s literally a snap to mount the two SysBag WP Ls to each side – just line up the hangers on the pins, lift the release lever, and pop them right on. The SysBag WP M was laid flat on the passenger seat and Street-Rack, and its straps were used to secure it in place as a tailbag.
The SysBags are made of TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) with rubber-like EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) components and thermally welded seams, and they have roll tops made of 210 Ripstop TPU to keep water and dust out. They have reinforced handles, MOLLE patches for attaching accessories, eyelets for cable locks, Velcro fasteners for bundling excess strap lengths, and removable inner pockets. An outer flap covers the roll tops and secures with quick-release buckles, and inside the flap is a zippered pocket. The M bag’s volume is expandable from 17-23 liters, and the L bag’s volume is expandable from 27-40 liters. The L bag also has inner dividers and an easily accessible exterior compartment for stashing raingear, a thermal layer, or other items.
Overall, this is an impressive, high-quality setup that adds up to 103 liters of storage on the Honda CB500X or other motorcycle. One thing to keep in mind, however, is the added weight. The Street-Rack adds 6.2 lb; the SysBag WP L adds 6.4 lb per bag and 3.0 lb per adapter plate, for a total of 18.8 lb; and the SysBag WP M adds 4.2 lb. All in, that’s 29.2 lb before adding any gear.
The total cost of this setup is $1,677.65. Given the quality and versatility, it’s a good investment in a luggage system that will last for years. The only question is, where will you go first? A good place to start is the SW-Motech website.
See all of Rider‘s luggage reviews here.
The post SW-Motech Motorcycle Luggage: Street-Rack, PRO Side Carrier, SysBag WP | Gear Review first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com
