“Finland has a long and fine tradition of motorsport, and Finnish know-how as an event organiser and motorsports operator is trusted,” he continued. “The MotoGP competition is of great importance to Finnish motorcycle racing, as the recognition of the series increases in Finland and on the other hand, it is easier for Finnish riders to compete in international classes.”
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
After the summer break, the paddock returns to action in the Czech Republic, before heading to Austria and then the UK. The San Marino GP hosts Round 13, before a trip to Aragon comes before the four flyaway trips: Thailand, Japan, Australia and Malaysia. Then, for the 18th consecutive year, the season finale sees the MotoGP™ circus head to Valencia – will we have a title showdown to look forward to?
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
The ceremony, which was attended by Simoncelli’s father Paolo, his mother Rossella, fiancée Kate and Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta took place on Sunday 20th January at 11:30am, in Via della Repubblica, in Sant’ Andrea in Besanigo, located 2km from Coriano and 4km from Riccione. The ceremony was open to everyone who has supported the project from its very beginning.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
Take a spin on the all-new Scrambler XC and EX, motorcycles built for all-around on-/off-road fun
Source: MotorCyclistOnline.com
This will mean Lorenzo is to have surgery on the same arm that he injured in his huge Thai GP crash, which severely interrupted the end of his 2018 season. The Spaniard also underwent an operation on his right foot during the off-season in December, and now he faces a race against time to be fit for the first Sepang test, which takes place on 6-8 February.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
Most of us can only dream of owning a classic superbike and it’s difficult to imagine being able to get within touching distance of one of these high-tech feats of engineering. There are a plethora of rarer models which regularly change hands at auctions for eye-watering sums of money and enthusiasts are always on the look-out for an opportunity to add to their extensive collections. We take a look at some of the rarer models which are currently believed to be in single-figures and those one-off bikes which have never been replicated.
Harley Davidson are one of the best-known motorcycle manufacturers in the world and the iconic brand have produced a number of rarities over the years but artist Jack Armstrong’s “Cosmic Starship” is a one-off and has fetched upwards of $1,000,000 at a recent auction. It was unveiled back in 2010 and featured the artist’s unique painting style. It was described as being “more American than ice cream” and Armstrong told the media that “Andy Warhol would have loved it”. It had its own launch event in Los Angeles back in 2010 and required over 37 coats of paint in order to achieve its unique and stylish finish.
Back in 1990, David Kay, a British designer of some repute decided to team up with the Modena company after receiving official permission from the firm. He went on to handcraft the only Ferrari superbike in history, to date. The Italian giants have never attempted to replicate this one-off creation and it took around four years and 3,000 hours of hard graft to finish. The bike can boast a four-cylinder, 900cc engine, which produces 105bhp and has a five-speed gearbox.
The bike boasts Ferrari’s iconic red livery with the bodywork clearly referencing classic Italian design. The company decided against replicating the Ferrari 900 CC and are now probably best known for their success in Formula 1, with Sebastian Vettel flying the flag for them in recent years. The German driver finished behind Lewis Hamilton in the 2018 standings but will be determined to turn the tables on the Brit next year and as of November 26th 2018, he’s 3/1 to win the 2019 Drivers Championship with Betway. His fierce rival was signed-up to help design a one-off superbike last year, with MV Augusta announcing that the five-time champion and brand-ambassador will come on board to help them release another rarity.
The Lotus C-01 is relatively common compared to the Ferrari 900 CC but only 100 of these eye-catching mean machines left the factory and only those who have a spare $130,000 lying around will be able to afford one of these beauties. It was inspired by the Lotus 49 Formula One car and is extremely light compared to the average superbike. It certainly stands out from the crowd and creates a bold statement. It has a 75 degree V-Twin engine, a titanium body and an incredibly unconventional wheel-base. The Lotus C-01 is still relatively new but despite only being released in 2014, it’s incredibly difficult and costly to get your hands on one of these fantastic machines.
Another Italian company who dabbled in superbike production was Lamborghini, who decided to release the iconic Design 90 back in 1989. Only six of these models left the conveyor belt with the company acknowledging that their experiment had been a largely unsuccessful one. These prototypes were originally designed to resemble the V12 Supercar but the bike failed to capture the imagination of the public and future production plans were called off soon after its release. Fitted with a 100cc Kawasaki engine, this model is certainly unique but they are now largely kept in storage by their collectors. Earlier this year, one of the six Design 90s was sent to auction but it failed to meet the reserve price.
It may be Jay Leno’s favourite, but the Vincent Black Lightning has become an incredibly prized possession over the last decade. A new world record price for a motorcycle was set in the US earlier this year when an ultra-rare Black Lightning sold for just shy of $1,000,000. The bike was a lightweight version of the Black Shadow and with just 33 of these built, their numbers are dwindling whilst their value is increasing. Around 19 of these atypical and irregular racing bikes, built by Tony MacAlpine and first manufactured back in 1948, are believed to still be circulation. The bike that recently sold at the auction was believed to be one of the later models, dating back to 1951, and these incredibly rare specimens are quite the sought-after commodity.
Superbike fans could be forgiven for salivating at the thought of owning one of these rare and lesser-spotted stunners. There are many more examples of models which were quickly taken out of circulation or were produced as one-off prototypes, the likes of which are incredibly unlikely to ever be manufactured again.
Source: MotorbikeWriter.com
Italian MotoGP contender counting increased experience.
Image: Supplied.
Andrea Dovizioso is anticipating greater improvements in his Ducati Desmosedici GP19 machine in the upcoming pre-season tests scheduled in February at Malaysia and Qatar.
The Italian, who showcased the team’s new-look with incoming naming rights partner Mission Winnow at the weekend, is hopeful of starting the season strongly as he bids for a maiden MotoGP World Championship after finishing runner-up on the last two occasions.
“2018 was a very positive year for me,” Dovizioso explained. “We started with a victory and, even if we had some ups and downs, the difficulties pushed us to look in new directions and half-way through the season we made a big step forward.
“I’m very happy with the work done with the team, we fought for the win basically throughout the second half of the championship and I think we’ll make more improvements in the next tests to begin the season in the best possible way. The expectations are high, I have a great feeling with both the bike and my crew, and we can count on more experience.”
This year will see Dovizioso paired up with a new teammate in Danilo Petrucci, a partnership that has already produced a mutual respect between the competitive duo as they head into their first campaign alongside each other.
“I’m happy to have Danilo alongside me in the garage,” he continued. “We know each other well and I believe we can fight on track but also work together to develop the package.”
“I’m very happy to pair with Andrea,” Petrucci added. “Not only is he a phenomenal rider, but also a wonderful person. We’ve known each other for a long time, and we started to train together with one goal – to both have a really strong season.”
The first pre-season test will take place on 6 February at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, followed by a final test at Losail International Circuit in Qatar on 23 February- two weeks before the season-opener at the venue on 10 March.
Source: CycleOnline.com.au
Manufacturer maintains support for 14th consecutive season.
Image: John Pearson.
Yamaha Motor Australia will remain as the naming rights sponsor of the 2019 Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC), Motorcycling Australia (MA) has confirmed.
The strengthened partnership marks the 14th consecutive year Yamaha will back the ever-growing off-road series, which will host 11 rounds over six weekends this season.
“Yamaha Motor Australia are pleased to continue our substantial and positive relationships with the Australian Off-Road Championship,” said Yamaha motorsport manager Ray Howard. “2018 was a season full of impressive developments and clear progress, and we are seeing more initiatives in place for the 2019 season.
“We look forward to continue working closely with MA and the promoting clubs to further develop an already prestigious Championship that has proven to be a fertile ground for producing international standard riders that are successful on a world stage.”
Yamaha’s support in the last decade has assisted in the AORC’s growth and development, where it’s groomed the country’s top off-road talents into world class riders, such as International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) World Trophy winners Daniel Milner (KTM Enduro Racing Team), Daniel Sanders (Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team) and Lyndon Snodgrass (KTM Enduro Racing Team), along with a host of a other riders that have represented the country on the world stage, including six-time ISDE Women’s World Trophy victor Jessica Gardner (Yamaha).
Source: MotoOnline.com.au
If you love bikes, there’s nothing closer to pure heaven than immersing yourself in a world of motorcycles, mechanics and memorabilia at the iconic historic event, the International Island Classic at Australia’s Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit.
Now in its 26th year, the Classic presented by Visit Phillip Island, hits the island this Australia Day long weekend from Friday to Sunday January 25-27, with 56 races on the agenda and tickets available at www.islandclassic.com.au or at the gate from Friday.
Celebrating a century of motorbikes, the Island Classic has over 450 bikes racing and on display from old Indians, Nortons and Vincents through to vintage Triumphs, Harleys and Ducatis. There’s six historic categories from pre-WW1 bikes through Vintage (1920-1945), Classic and Post Classic (from 1946 to 1972) and the more recent Forgotten Era and New Era classes fighting for class honours and the Phil Irving Perpetual Trophy.
They all race hard, but when it comes to the dog-eat-dog competition the focus is on the International Challenge. Now in its 15th year, the Challenge will see defending champion Australia take on the USA and New Zealand on bikes manufactured between 1973 and 1985, piloted by riders boasting loads of experience and exceptional talent.
Each team will feature the top 13 riders from their nominated squads based on qualifying times, contesting four, six-lap races over Saturday and Sunday and running MA approved fules, Roo 99 and Elf LMS, after federal legislation banning the use of AVGAS in Australian racing from 2019.
Australia has a top-notch team led by Adelaide’s David Johnson – the star of the 2018 campaign that saw the Aussies win back the International Challenge trophy from the UK after a three-year drought.
Also on the roster is Isle of Man winner Cameron Donald; world endurance champion, Melbourne’s Steve Martin; three-time Australian superbike champion and Island Classic champion Shawn Giles; and Coffs Harbour’s Beau Beaton who last year won the Phil Irving Trophy.
But the locals will need riders of this calibre, along with plenty of purpose, pace and guile, as the Americans and New Zealanders are returning in better shape than ever.
America – which alongside Australia was a pioneer of big-bore superbike racing in the late 1970s and early 1980s – has pulled in some extra big guns to assist Jason Pridmore in 2019: four-time AMA superbike champion Josh Hayes as well as Steve Rapp, Mark Miller, Larry Pegram and Dale Quarterley.
A late entry is the versatile Mark Miller, who is an old team mate of Australia’s Johnson, and has raced everything from Isle of Man to Macau Street Race to Pikes Peak. Aussie expatriate journalist Rennie Scaysbrook is also a part of the American team, which predominantly has a mix of oversized Yamaha FJ1100 four-strokes and TZ750 two-strokes at its disposal.
The Kiwis have capitalised on their long-term relationship with gun racer, Alex Phillis, and the Taupo-based Carl Cox Motorsport – the motorsport arm of international DJ Carl Cox – to strengthen their ranks. Cox brings with him three-time British superbike champion John Reynolds, ‘modern’ and classic racer Jay Lawrence, and Michael Neeves, the senior road tester at iconic UK publication MCN.
The Kiwis have also sought dispensation for two 1985 Suzuki GSX-Rs for the Carl Cox camp to run. One year outside the Island Classic eligibility, the two Suzukis will be subject to agreed performance restrictions- comprising of a reduction in RPM limit, an overall weight increase and a reduced rear tyre width to eliminate any possible traction advantage.
To be campaigned by Reynolds and Neeves, the duo’s performance will be counted in International Challenge points, but not in the tally for the Ken Wootton Perpetual Trophy that’s awarded to the rider with the highest individual points.
In a first for the International Challenge, the 2019 event will be filmed and post-produced into a two-hour television program set to be broadcast around the globe. Screen agreements have been reached with networks in Europe, UK, America, Asia, New Zealand and Australia. Locally, the event will be screened on Fox Sports and SBS, later in February.
TICKETS
The 26th International Island Classic, presented by Visit Phillip Island, is the perfect Australia Day getaway without breaking the bank. A three-day adult ticket for the January 25-27 event, is just $82 purchased in advance, and free for children 15 and under (accompanied by a full-paying adult). You can camp at the circuit for four nights for just over $20 per night (with kids once again free) which is a bargain in anyone’s language.
Add it up and you can have a four-day weekend away, with four nights of on-circuit camping, and three days entry to one of the world’s great historic bike meets for the grand total of just $164* per adult and you can bring your kids for free!
Tickets for the largest historic bike meet in the Southern Hemisphere, the 26th International Island Classic, presented by Visit Phillip Island, are available on islandclassic.com.au or at the gate.
*All prices quoted are advance tickets which end midday Wednesday, January 23, 2019. Buy advance and save. Gate ticket prices are additional.
25th – 27th January 2019
| Friday 25th January 2019 | |||
| 9:00 am | Start | ||
| Q1 | Pre-War, 125 Post Classic & Forgotten Era, 250 Post Classic & Classic | 15 min | |
| Q2 | 250 Forgotten Era, 125 New Era & Shannons Insurance 350 Classic | 15 min | |
| Q3 | 500 Forgotten Era & Unlimited Post Classic | 15 min | |
| Q4 | Unlimited Forgotten Era – Odds | 15 min | |
| Q5 | Unlimited Forgotten Era – Evens | 15 min | |
| Q6 | Shannons Insurance 500 Post Classic | 15 min | |
| Q7 | Pablo’s Motorcycle Tyres New Era Formula 750 | 15 min | |
| Q8 | 350 Forgotten Era & Unlimited Classic | 15 min | |
| Q9 | Shannons Insurance 500 Classic & 350 Post Classic | 15 min | |
| Q10 | International Challenge – Slowest 50% | 8 min | |
| Q11 | International Challenge – Fastest 50% | 8 min | |
| Q12 | 250 New Era & 250 New Era Production | 15 min | |
| Q13 | Pablo’s Motorcycle Tyres New Era Formula 1300 | 15 min | |
| Q14 | 500 New Era | 15 min | |
| E1* | Pre-War, 125 Post Classic & Forgotten Era, 250 Post Classic & Classic | 4 Laps | |
| E2* | 250 Forgotten Era, 125 New Era & Shannons Insurance 350 Classic | 4 Laps | |
| E3* | 500 Forgotten Era & Unlimited Post Classic | 4 Laps | |
| E4* | Unlimited Forgotten Era – Premier | 4 Laps | |
| E5* | Unlimited Forgotten Era – Minor | 4 Laps | |
| Q15 | International Challenge – Slowest 50% | 8 min | |
| Q16 | International Challenge – Fastest 50% | 8 min | |
| E6* | Shannons Insurance 500 Post Classic | 4 Laps | |
| E7* | Pablo’s Motorcycle Tyres New Era Formula 750 | 4 Laps | |
| 5:00 pm | Finish | ||
| * Points awarded toward the Phil Irving Perpetual trophy | |||
| Saturday 26th January 2019 | |||
| 9:00 am | Start | ||
| E8* | 350 Forgotten Era & Unlimited Classic | 4 Laps | |
| E9* | Shannons Insurance 500 Classic & 350 Post Classic | 4 Laps | |
| E10* | 250 New Era & 250 New Era Production | 4 Laps | |
| E11* | Pablo’s Motorcycle Tyres New Era Formula 1300 | 4 Laps | |
| E12* | 500 New Era | 4 Laps | |
| E13* | Pre-War, 125 Post Classic & Forgotten Era, 250 Post Classic & Classic | 5 Laps | |
| E14* | 250 Forgotten Era, 125 New Era & Shannon’s Insurance 350 Classic | 5 Laps | |
| E15* | 500 Forgotten Era & Unlimited Post Classic | 5 Laps | |
| E16* | Unlimited Forgotten Era – Premier | 5 Laps | |
| E17* | Unlimited Forgotten Era – Minor | 5 Laps | |
| D1 | Demonstration Lap | 2 Laps | |
| E18 | International Challenge | 6 Laps | |
| E19* | Shannons Insurance 500 Post Classic | 5 Laps | |
| E20* | Pablo’s Motorcycle Tyres New Era Formula 750 | 5 Laps | |
| E21* | 350 Forgotten Era & Unlimited Classic | 5 Laps | |
| E22* | Shannons Insurance 500 Classic & 350 Post Classic | 5 Laps | |
| E23* | 250 New Era & 250 New Era Production | 5 Laps | |
| E24* | Pablo’s Motorcycle Tyres New Era Formula 1300 | 5 Laps | |
| E25* | 500 New Era | 5 Laps | |
| D2 | Demonstration Lap | 2 Laps | |
| E26 | International Challenge | 6 Laps | |
| E27* | Pre-War, 125 Post Classic & Forgotten Era, 250 Post Classic & Classic | 4 Laps | |
| E28* | 250 Forgotten Era, 125 New Era & Shannons Insurance 350 Classic | 4 Laps | |
| E29* | 500 Forgotten Era & Unlimited Post Classic | 4 Laps | |
| E30* | Unlimited Forgotten Era – Premier | 4 Laps | |
| 5.00pm | Finish | ||
| * Points awarded toward the Phil Irving Perpetual trophy | |||
| Sunday 27th January 2019 | |||
| 9:00 am | Start | ||
| E31* | Unlimited Forgotten Era – Minor | 4 Laps | |
| E32* | Shannons Insurance 500 Post Classic | 4 Laps | |
| E33* | Pablo’s Motorcycle Tyres New Era Formula 750 | 4 Laps | |
| E34* | 350 Forgotten Era & Unlimited Classic | 4 Laps | |
| E35* | Shannons Insurance 500 Classic & 350 Post Classic | 4 Laps | |
| E36* | 250 New Era & 250 New Era Production | 4 Laps | |
| E37* | Pablo’s Motorcycle Tyres New Era Formula 1300 | 4 Laps | |
| E38* | 500 New Era | 4 Laps | |
| D3 | Demonstration | 2 Laps | |
| E39 | International Challenge | 6 Laps | |
| E40* | Pre-War, 125 Post Classic & Forgotten Era, 250 Post Classic & Classic | 5 Laps | |
| E41* | 250 Forgotten Era, 125 New Era & Shannon’s Insurance 350 Classic | 5 Laps | |
| E42* | 500 Forgotten Era & Unlimited Post Classic | 5 Laps | |
| E43* | Unlimited Forgotten Era – Premier | 5 Laps | |
| E44* | Unlimited Forgotten Era – Minor | 5 Laps | |
| E45* | Shannons Insurance 500 Post Classic | 5 Laps | |
| E46* | Pablo’s Motorcycle Tyres New Era Formula 750 | 5 Laps | |
| E47* | 350 Forgotten Era & Unlimited Classic | 5 Laps | |
| Parade | Shannons Insurance Parade Lap | 1 Lap | |
| E48 | International Challenge | 6 Laps | |
| E49* | Shannons Insurance 500 Classic & 350 Post Classic | 5 Laps | |
| E50* | 250 New Era & 250 New Era Production | 5 Laps | |
| E51* | Pablo’s Motorcycle Tyres New Era Formula 1300 | 5 Laps | |
| E52* | 500 New Era | 5 Laps | |
| 5.00pm | Finish | ||
| * Points awarded toward the Phil Irving Perpetual trophy | |||
SuzukiKatana821100
YamahaCMR F1841250
YamahaFJ831250
1100
KawasakiHarris821250
HarrisKawasaki801200
| 2019 International Challenge Entry List | |||||
| January 25-27 2019 | |||||
Team Australia |
|||||
| Name | Sponsor | Make | Model | Year | Cap |
| D Johnson | DMR Motorsport/Murray’s Brit Bikes/Race Bikes Services | Suzuki | XR69 | 82 | 1100 |
| S Giles | T Birrell Racing / D & D Industries / Light Alloy Engineering | Suzuki | Katana | 82 | 1294 |
| J Metcher | T-Rex / Pablo’s Motorcycle Tyres / Race Centre | Honda | Harris F1 | 82 | 1100 |
| L Fyffe | Laurie Fyffe Ag-Spray Pty Ltd | Suzuki | XR69 | 80 | 1200 |
| C Ditchburn | Consortium Racing / TCWeld Pro / RKR Hydraulics | Yamaha | TZ750 | 78 | 750 |
| P Byrne | DMR Motorspor / Purgetec Pty Ltd | Suzuki | McIntosh | 84 | 1260 |
| J Mellerick | Mellerick Drainage | Honda | CB | 80 | 1200 |
| A Morris | Corish Motorsport, TBR, VP Race Fuels | Suzuki | Katana | 82 | 1294 |
| S Webster | T & K Carney | Suzuki | Harris | 82 | 1200 |
| C Donald | K.H. Equipment Pty Ltd/ K-Tech Suspension/ HRD Apparel | Irving | Vincent | 82 | 1300 |
| D Oughtred | Carl Cox Motorsport / Dynoverks | Suzuki | GSX11 Kat | 82 | 1260 |
| S Martin | T Birrell Rac/ D&D Industries/Light Alloy Engineering/QBE | Suzuki | Katana | 82 | 1294 |
| B Beaton | K.H. Equipment Pty Ltd/K-Teck Suspension/HRD Apparel | Irving | Vincent | 82 | 1300 |
| J Allen | Custom Coatngs & Maintenance / C &M Motorcycle Repairs | Yamaha | TZ | 78 | 750 |
Team New Zealand |
|||||
| Name | Sponsor | Make | Model | Year | Cap |
| J Reynolds | Carl Cox Motorsport / Team Classic Suzuki | Suzuki | GSXR | 85 | 1100 |
| D Castleton | T-Rex Racing | Honda | CB1100R | 81 | 1100 |
| Phillis | Arnolds Fruit Market, Phillis Racing | Suzuki | XR69 | 80 | 1170 |
| M Ineson | |||||
| M Neeves | Carl Cox Motorsport | Suzuki | GSX1100 | 80 | 1100 |
| J Lawrence | Carl Cox Motorsport / TSS Red Baron / Shoei Helmets | Suzuki | Katana GSX | 81 | 1100 |
| G Hindle | Goulburn Power Centre / Old Gold Motorcycles | Suzuki | XR69 | 82 | 1170 |
| B Wilson | Moto Xtream NZ / Stainless Steel Products / DeWith Moto | Suzuki | XR69 | 80 | 1170 |
| D Coutts | |||||
| G Crutchley | Kallista Electrical | Kawasaki | P&M | 78 | 1200 |
| R Gunn | Spice Consulting Group | Sunset Racing | Harris | F1 | 82 | 1260 |
| C Stevenson | Stevenson Earthworks Ltd | Suzuki | GS1000E | 79 | 1000 |
| Richards | Motoxtreme Racing | Suzuki | GSX1100 | 81 | 1170 |
| P Byers | Silkdene Australia / Motoextreme Kawasaki | Suzuki | Katana | 82 | 1100 |
| P Jones | Lindsay Pinker Racing Team / Techmoto | Honda | CB1100 | 82 | 1123 |
Team USA |
|||||
| Name | Sponsor | Make | Model | Year | Cap |
| J Hayes | |||||
| D Quarterley | Dunlop SBC Maxima VP Fuels Millennium Van Dyk | Suzuki | XR69 | 84 | 1250 |
| S Rapp | Mojo Yamaha / Dunlop | Yamaha | CMR FJ 1100 | ||
| D Crussell | Mojo Yamaha / CMR Racing | Yamaha | TZ750 | 78 | 748 |
| M Miller | Hypercylce USA / Dunlop USA / Bito R&D | Harris | XR69 | 84 | 1200 |
| B Long | |||||
| J Pethoud | Vicious Cycle / Ten Moto Racing | Yamaha | Harris F1 | 84 | 1250 |
| R Scaysbrook | Cycle News / Austwide Homes | Suzuki | GSX11XR69 | 80 | 1170 |
| J Pridmore | Dunlop / Dainese / AGV | Yamaha | FJ1200 | 83 | 1298 |
| M Gilbert | Cycle World Magazine | Yamaha | FJ1100 | 83 | 1250 |
| E Lindauer | Guzzi Power / Racetech Suspensions / Mammoth Motor | Kawasaki | KZ | 80 | 1000 |
| R Ruwoldt | |||||
| L Pegram | Pegram Racing | Yamaha | FJ1100 | 83 | 1250 |
| M Morrison | Morrison Racing | Suzuki | RGB500 | 82 | 500 |
| B Lind | Bruce Lind Racing | Yamaha | TZ750 | 75 | 749 |
| J Guerrero | Island Racing Service / Motul / Michelin | Suzuki | XR69 | 82 | 1200 |
| W Boyd | Sportcroft / Guzzi Power / Racetech | M Guzzi | Le Mans | 80 | 1000 |
Source: MCNews.com.au
A Brisbane rider whose BMW R 1200 R was rear-ended in 2016 is still waiting to find out if the irresponsible driver who hit him has been fined.
Matthew Craig, of Daisy Hill, was leaving the M1 at the Mt Gravatt-Capalaba Rd exit when he stopped at a give way sign in the left-hand slip lane to let a several vehicles pass by.
Seconds later, he was rear-ended by an impatient BMW X3 driver.
Since then, Matthew has not ridden and is still waiting for another bike as his was classified a repairable write off.
To rub salt into his wounds, police and the courts have refused to provide him or us information about the driver’s punishment.
All he knows is that the woman was charged with driving without due care and attention and the matter was finalised at Holland Park Magistrates Court on January 25, 2017.
Matthew was not forewarned about the court appearance and his efforts over the past two years to find out what happened have failed.
He has been told it is a privacy issue.
However, the matter was heard in an open and public court. It is not his fault he was not present when the matter was heard as he was not warned of the date.
It is good that justice may have been done, but it is important that justice is also seen to be done and that the victims are satisfied with the verdict.
Matthew is now filing a Freedom of Information application.
We will update you if/when he gets a result.
Meanwhile, it looks like there is little Matthew could have done to avoid this rear-ender.
The problem is impatience.
It happened to me at a stop sign when a fellow rider rammed me from behind. We were in a queue of riders going around the corner. While looking to the right for oncoming traffic he assumed I had dribbled through the stop sign instead of coming to a full stop.
I have also seen this happen to another rider and a friend in his car. Check out this rear-ended rider’s video.
The first vehicle moves to the front and stops to look for traffic and the next vehicle stops behind them.
On seeing that the road is clear, the second vehicle just proceeds without looking ahead, assuming the vehicle in front has also moved.
In this case, Matthew waited cautiously for the vehicle with the dashcam, even though there was a clear left lane.
And the driver behind him doesn’t even appear to be ready to stop!
His cautiousness cost him a crash.
To avoid this sort of incident, riders can try several things:
Click here for more tips on avoiding rear-enders in situations such as lane filtering.
Source: MotorbikeWriter.com