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Motorcycle News, Motorcycle Racing, News

Blazusiak conquers Krakow 2019 SuperEnduro opener

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Blazusiak & Webb claim Krakow top two spots for KTM

Taddy Blazusiak has opened the 2019 SuperEnduro season with a win at Round 1 in Krakow, Poland for the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team, while fellow KTM rider Cody Webb took second overall.

SuperEnduro Krakow Rnd FM Taddy Blazusiak
Krakow SuperEnduro 2019 Round 1 – Taddy Blazusiak – Image by Future7Media

On a dry and fast track at the Tauron Arena in Krakow, Taddy Blazusiak delighted his home fans by taking the overall win at round one of the championship. It wasn’t plain sailing for the six-time champion however as an early fall in the third and final heat left him playing catch-up to the riders ahead.

SuperEnduro Krakow Rnd FM Taddy Blazusiak
Krakow SuperEnduro 2019 Round 1 – Taddy Blazusiak – Image by Future7Media

With his KTM 350 EXC-F blasting off the line, Blazusiak secured the holeshot in heat one. The Polish rider was never challenged for the remainder of the race and after riding eight smooth and consistent laps crossed the line 15 seconds ahead of teammate Webb. Putting in a similar performance in the reverse-grid heat two, Taddy fought his way through the pack early on to win by over five seconds from the second-placed finisher Colton Haaker.

SuperEnduro Krakow Rnd FM Manuel Lettenbichler
Krakow SuperEnduro 2019 Round 1 – Image by Future7Media

Aiming to take the hat-trick, Taddy fell early in the third heat and was placed dead-last at the beginning of the opening lap. Charging hard, he got his head down and proceeded to pick off the riders ahead of him, ultimately battling his way through to fourth at the line – enough to claim the overall event win and with it the championship lead heading into round two in Germany.

SuperEnduro Krakow Rnd FM Taddy Blazusiak
Krakow SuperEnduro 2019 Round 1 – Taddy Blazusiak – Image by Future7Media
Taddy Blazusiak

“The whole event has been amazing. Race one went perfectly, I was able to get out in front and set my own pace to take the win. Race two was pretty much the same, I had quite a lot of pressure from the guys behind and made a couple of mistakes, but I was able to put in some fast lap times and break the challenge. In the last moto, I got a pretty good start but I got tangled up with some other riders over the first jumps and went down. I picked myself and the bike up and saw I was in last place so I took a couple of seconds to make sure everything was ok and set off again. I was pushing hard and able to overtake the guys in front quite well. I did make a mistake in one rut and washed the front again, luckily I didn’t lose too much time and was happy enough to take fourth. Championship-wise, I’m a little disappointed to lose a few points but I think we’ll all have challenging races over the season. To be leading going into round two feels great.”

SuperEnduro Krakow Rnd FM Taddy Blazusiak
Krakow SuperEnduro 2019 Round 1 – Taddy Blazusiak – Image by Future7Media

With two runner-up finishes and a third-place result, FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Cody Webb enjoyed a strong start to the defence of his 2018 SuperEnduro title. After claiming the SuperPole award, the American rider fought hard throughout the three races with EnduroCross rival Colton Haaker. Despite a couple of mistakes, Webb was able to ride consistently over the three heats to take second overall, just two points behind Blazusiak.

SuperEnduro Krakow Rnd FM cody webb
Krakow SuperEnduro 2019 Round 1 – Cody Webb – Image by Future7Media
Cody Webb

“I had great fun tonight, it’s always good to race here in Poland. I’m happy with my result, SuperPole and then second overall for the night is good – I just made a few too many mistakes out there. It’s nice to race the first round with no jet-lag but I haven’t been able to get on the bike so much in the last couple of weeks so I was maybe a little timid out there. I know my speed is good and my fitness is nearly there now after my injury earlier in the year. I’m excited for the rest of the season so we’ll see what round two brings in Germany.”

SuperEnduro Krakow Rnd FM cody webb
Krakow SuperEnduro 2019 Round 1 – Cody Webb – Image by Future7Media

2019 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, Round 1 Results

Prestige Class — Overall

1. Taddy Blazusiak (POL), KTM, 54 points
2. Cody Webb (USA), KTM, 52 pts
3. Colton Haaker (USA), Husq, 49 pts
4. Alfredo Gomez (ESP), Husq, 46 pts
5. Kevin Gallas (DEU), Husq, 28 pts

Prestige Race 1

1. Taddy Blazusiak (POL), KTM, 7:09.693
2. Cody Webb (USA), KTM, +14.949
3. Colton Haaker (USA), Husq, +30.154
4. Alfredo Gomez (ESP), Husq, +42.017
5. Diogo Vieira (PRT), Yam, +1:00.427

Prestige Race 2

1. Taddy Blazusiak (POL), KTM, 7:14.805
2. Colton Haaker (USA), Husq, +5.108
3. Cody Webb (USA), KTM, +13.139
4. Alfredo Gomez (ESP), Husq, +18.934
5. Kevin Gallas (DEU), Husq, +32.774

Prestige Race 3

1. Alfredo Gomez (ESP), Husq, 7:14.773
2. Cody Webb (USA), KTM, +3.778
3. Colton Haaker (USA), Husq, +4.907
4. Taddy Blazusiak (POL), KTM, +14.395
5. Kevin Gallas (DEU), Husq, +37.212
SuperEnduro Krakow Rnd FM Taddy Blazusiak Podium
Krakow SuperEnduro 2019 Round 1 – Overall Podium 1. Taddy Blazusiak, 2. Cody Webb, 3. Colton Haaker – Image by Future7Media

The 2019 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship continues with round two in Riesa, Germany on January 5, 2019.

Source: MCNews.com.au

Motorcycle News, Motorcycle Racing, News

Eight round 2019 WESS calendar announced

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World Enduro Super Series 2019 rounds revealed

The calendar for the 2019 World Enduro Super Series (WESS) has been announced, with an eight round championship announced for the new year, with rounds in Portugal, France, Austria, Italy, Romania, the UK, Spain and Germany.

Two additional Classic Enduro events scheduled for the coming season, combined with established Hard Enduro favourites, plus the Hawkstone Park Cross-Country, the 2019 WESS championship will offer a true test of Enduro skills when the battle to become the 2019 Ultimate Enduro Champion begins.

World Enduro Super Series Calendar FM
The World Enduro Super Series returns in 2019 – Image by Future7Media
Philipp Stossier – WESS Managing Director

“It gives us great pleasure to announce the schedule for the 2019 World Enduro Super Series. After what’s been an incredibly successful debut season of WESS, we’ve worked tirelessly to bring together what we feel is an Enduro championship that both competitors and fans of the sport want. Listening closely to a wide range of opinions and ideas, while working jointly with event organisers, we have been able to improve the schedule for 2019. We can’t wait for the new WESS championship to get started.”

Successfully playing host to the inaugural round of WESS, Extreme XL Lagares will open the new season in Portugal, on May 10-12, for three days of incredible Hard Enduro racing. Mixing Endurocross, Urban and Hard Enduro action together, round one will be exciting and spectacular.

The series moves directly on to France and Classic Enduro at the Trèfle Lozérien AMV, the following weekend. Three days of traditional timecard racing will see competitors cover over 600 kilometres of riding across idyllic French countryside.

World Enduro Super Series Calendar FM
World Enduro Super Series – Image by Future7Media

Then, it’s battle stations once more for the iconic Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble in Austria. World-renowned as the toughest single day Enduro, up to 1800 riders will vie for one of the 500 places available on Sunday’s start line.

Provisionally scheduled for late June / early July in Italy, round four will see a new addition to WESS and the second Classic Enduro of the year. Marking the halfway point in the season, the infamous Red Bull Romaniacs will serve up five unforgettable days of Hard Enduro racing for round five on June 30-August 4.

In September the championship charges onwards to the Hawkstone Park Cross-Country in the United Kingdom for round six. Despite a late addition to the 2018 schedule, the event delivered some of the most exciting racing of the series as riders went bar-to-bar around the sandy, high-speed Shropshire circuit.

World Enduro Super Series Calendar FM
World Enduro Super Series – Image by Future7Media

The penultimate round features the third Classic Enduro event, called Solsona Enduro in Spain in early October.

Set to sign off the 2019 championship in style is the GetzenRodeo in Germany on November 2-3. A long-established Hard Enduro, the event is incredibly popular with riders and attracts on average over 10,000 spectators for each edition, ensuring a spectacular, memorable and fitting venue to crown the 2019 Ultimate Enduro Champion.

Winfried Kerschhaggl – WESS Series Manager

“Further broadening the mix of events in the championship, while sharpening the focus on true Enduro competitions has been our goal. Traditional Enduro is always close to our hearts, fuelling our passion for racing, and for that reason it has led to the addition of two Classic Enduro events being added to the calendar. Combined with some of our much-loved events from 2018, plus the welcomed addition of the GetzenRodeo, we are very much looking forward to the start of the new series and the battle to find the 2019 Ultimate Enduro Champion.”

World Enduro Super Series Calendar FM
World Enduro Super Series – Image by Future7Media

World Enduro Super Series – 2019 Calendar

  • Round 1: Extreme XL Lagares (Portugal) May 10-12
  • Round 2: Trèfle Lozérien AMV (France) May 17-19
  • Round 3: Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble (Austria) May 30-June 2
  • Round 4: Classic Enduro (Italy) TBA
  • Round 5: Red Bull Romaniacs (Romania) July 30-August 4
  • Round 6: Hawkstone Park Cross Country (United Kingdom) September 21-22
  • Round 7: Solsona Enduro (Spain) October 5-6
  • Round 8: GetzenRodeo (Germany) November 2-3

Source: MCNews.com.au

News

How can we reduce motorcycle theft?

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There could be nothing more heartbreaking than to have your motorcycle stolen, but what can be done to reduce the alarming rate of theft?

We recently published an article that showed a massive rise in Queensland’s motorcycle theft rate after the government opted out of the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council.

It also pointed out that 96% of motorcycles stolen did not even have a disc lock.

But are governments and riders the only ones to blame for motorcycle theft?

Sure riders need to play their part. (See a list of things you can do to secure your bike at the end of this article.)

But governments, police, insurance companies, motorcycle dealers and manufacturers can also play their part.

Motorcycle theft has hidden costs for all of these stakeholders. It costs governments in terms of policing, it costs insurance companies in payouts and it costs dealers and manufacturers when customers are turned off riding by theft.

How to reduce bike theft

So what can they do?

Governments could supply more secure parking at bus and train carers for commuters. That means lighting, security cameras and anchor points for motorcycles. They do it for bicycles, so why not for motorcycles?

We applaud the Queensland Police Service for their awareness campaign, but police should also include patrols past known motorcycle theft locations.

Insurance companies should encourage riders to fit aftermarket alarms and use approved locking systems. They can do this by reducing premiums for those who comply. Some do, but not all.

Manufacturers should make their bikes more difficult to steal and cut up for spare parts.

While some manufacturers fit immobilisers, Harley-Davidson is the only one that fits a loud alarm as standard.

Harley-Davidson CVO Pro Street Breakout please reduce
Harley immobiliser key fob

They could also apply DataDot paint that allows police to trace the owner of a recovered stolen motorcycle and to trace stolen parts.

DataDot is an almost invisible paint that includes a code that is stored on a national database. You can add DataDot to a motorcycle for $200.

Bikes featuring DataDot paint should also feature warning stickers to alert would-be thieves.

And motorcycle dealers should encourage customers to put aside at least $50 to buy an alarmed disc lock rather than forking out hundreds for an aftermarket exhaust!

If everyone plays their part, we can reduce motorcycle theft and save money.

Here’s how you can protect your bike

  • Use a secure disc lock with an alarm and a reminder cord attached to your handlebars so you don’t ride off with it still in place.
  • Buy a secure chain so you can anchor your bike to an immovable object such as a lamp post.
  • If you park your motorcycle outside your house, consider installing outdoor security cameras or a motion sensor light near the bike.
  • Also, use the steering lock if your bike has one.
  • Park in a secure location such as your garage or behind a locked gate.
  • Consider the extra security of using the steering lock, a disc lock or chain as well.
  • Pull out a spark plug or fuse, or have an immobiliser fitted.
  • Avoid parking your bike in railway or shopping centre car parks as these are notorious for theft.
  • Park in a locked carpark. If you have to park in the open, leave it where you can see your bike or in view of a security camera and/or under a light.
  • Otherwise, keep your bike out of sight, maybe parking it behind your car. If parking in a garage, block the bike with your car and ensure the garage is locked.
  • Use DataDot, DNA+ or a security tag to identify your bike.
    thief DNA+ invisible marker rampant campaign
  • When riding home, make sure you are not being followed.
  • Stay alert for suspicious vans or trucks driving around late at night. These are used to transport stolen motorcycles.
  • Put a cover over your bike. It might slow down thieves and prevent theft of accessories. But make sure it isn’t a flashy lone with the brand name of the bike on it. That only entices thieves.
  • When riding in a group, park your bikes together.
  • Consider marking your bike in a unique way that could aid in recovery and therefore dissuade thieves.
  • At hotels or public parking spaces, try to park in view of parking lot security cameras and lights.
  • Install a motorcycle alarm and/or a hidden kill switch.
  • Buy a GPS tracking system that can track and relay your bike’s speed, location and direction.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

2019 Suzuki Z90 | $3,290 until 31 December 2018

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Save $575 on the 2019 Quadsport Z90 until Dec 31

Suzuki’s 2019 Z90 QuadSport has hit Australian dealerships and until December 31 (2018) is available for $3,290 during Suzuki’s Christmas Superstars promotion (normal MSRP $3,865), with Suzuki’s six-month warranty.

Suzuki Quadsport Z
2019 Suzuki QuadSport Z90

Designed for young riders to grow their skills on, this four-wheeler is ready in its striking new Champion Yellow colour scheme featuring blue highlights, inspired by Suzuki’s RM-Z motocross range.

Suzuki Quadsport Z
2019 Suzuki QuadSport Z90 in Champion Yellow

The QuadSport Z90 is suitable for riders ages 12 and above, it’s easy to ride nature promotes a safe way for youngsters to further develop their riding skills.

Suzuki Quadsport Z
2019 Suzuki QuadSport Z90 – Four-stroke 90cc air-cooled powerplant

A quiet and smooth 90cc four-stroke air-cooled engine is coupled with an electric starter and CVT automatic transmission, providing easy operation and allows the rider to focus on riding instead of shifting gears.

Suzuki Quadsport Z
2019 Suzuki QuadSport Z90 – Electric start

Engine power can be controlled to suit rider’s experience via the adjustable throttle limiter. Safety features include a keyed ignition to provide maximum parental control.

Suzuki Quadsport Z
2019 Suzuki QuadSport Z90 – Keyed ignition

Tackling tight corners and rough terrain for junior adventurers will be a breeze thanks to the QuadSport Z90’s plush, single A-arm front suspension with twin independent shock absorbers and single-shock rear suspension providing long wheel travel for a smooth, comfortable and balanced ride.

Suzuki Quadsport Z
2019 Suzuki QuadSport Z90 – A-arm front suspension with dual shock

There’s also a 6.0 litre fuel tank which means there’s plenty of playtime between fuel stops. For local availability check the Suzuki Motorcycles website here (link).

Suzuki Quadsport Z
2019 Suzuki QuadSport Z90 – Single shock rear suspension
Suzuki Quadsport Z
2019 Suzuki QuadSport Z90
Suzuki Quadsport Z
2019 Suzuki QuadSport Z90

Source: MCNews.com.au

News

Suzuki says bye-bye Busa

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Suzuki has confirmed its barnstorming GSX1300R Hayabusa – or Busa to its legion of fans – will cease production this month as its engine no longer meets tough European emissions regulations.

The first production bike to reach 200mph (321km/h) was given the Japanese name for the peregrine falcon which is the world’s fastest bird at 200mph.

It was introduced in 1999 and a year later, Japanese and European motorcycle manufacturers agreed to impose a 300km/h limit on bikes to avoid a legislative ban on hyperbike speeds.Suzuki Hayabusa sportsbike fuel economy busa

There has only been one significant update in 2008.

Although the emissions regulations that will end its illustrious career were introduced in January 2016, existing motorcycles had a grace period that ends on December 31.

Since most of the world now adopts the European emissions standards, Suzuki has decided to pull production.

In Australia, the final model is selling at $19,490 with free on-road costs.

It should become a collector’s item.

Queensland Police Service unmarked Suzuki Hayabusa patrol bike - Ducati Panigale V4 busa
Queensland Police Service use an unmarked Busa as a patrol bike

Busa revival?

There was hope that the bike would get a new lease of life with an upgraded engine and even turbocharging.

Instead, Suzuki has relaunched the revered Katana, powered by a long-stroke version of the fuel-injected 999cc inline-four engine from the GSX-R1000.

2019 Katana deposits busa
2019 Katana

It produces 110kW at 10,000rpm and 108Nm of torque at 9500rpm.

That’s still a l;long way short of the Hayabusa. It originally had 129kW of power from its 1299cc four-cylinder engine but in its final guise produced 145kW.

Meanwhile, Suzuki Motorcycles Australia is taking deposits of $1000 on the 2019 Suzuki Katana.

They will be available in “limited numbers” and in two colour choices. Final pricing has not yet been revealed.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

News

How to Build Essential Motorcycle Riding Skills

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Sponsored post

Bеіng соmреtеnt іn аnу еndеаvоr rеquіrеѕ thе dеvеlорmеnt оf ѕресіfіс skills, аnd rіdіng mоtоrсусlеѕ іѕ nо dіffеrеnt. Of соurѕе, mаnу оf thе ѕkіllѕ nееdеd tо ride соmреtеntly саn bе obtained simply thrоugh рrасtісе. Hоwеvеr, ѕkіllѕ nееdеd tо master motorcycle racing will require рrоfеѕѕіоnаl hеlр. 

Thеrе аrе a numbеr оf аrеаѕ whеrе a motorcyclist ѕhоuld dеvеlор ѕkіll whеthеr thеу dо іt оn thеіr оwn оr wіth a coach. Check TheSupercross.com from more information. 

Crucial motorcycle ѕkіllѕ include riding ѕkіllѕ, rасіng аbіlіtу, fitness аnd bіkе maintenance. 

Good rіdіng ѕkіllѕ 

The rіdіng skills rеquіrеd fоr a mоtоrсусlіѕt wіll vary depending оn whаt thеу рlаn tо dо wіth thеm. If thеу іntеnd tо соmреtе, thеу wіll nееd a соmрlеtеlу dіffеrеnt ѕkіll set thаn thе trаіl rіdеr. Bоth ѕhоuld bе еxроѕеd tо vаrіоuѕ ѕіtuаtіоnѕ аnd, thrоugh рrасtісе, dеvеlор thе аbіlіtу tо ѕаfеlу navigate thеir bіkе. 

Dереndіng оn thе dіѕсірlіnе thе mоtоrсусlіѕt рlаnѕ tо rіdе, thеу bоth require lеаrnіng аnd dеvеlоріng thе аbіlіtу tо handle thе bіkе. Thіѕ mеаnѕ bеіng аblе tо hаndlе thе bike іn dіffеrеnt conditions, аѕ thе bike may bе ridden in rаіn, fog аnd various tуреѕ оf weather. Thе rider wіll hаvе tо bе аblе tо adapt tо a change in weather аnd соntіnuе tо rіdе wіth ѕkіll. 

A dirt-bike rіdеr wіll hаvе tо lеаrn tо rіdе a bike up and down hills. Thеу wіll аlѕо hаvе tо lеаrn hоw tо соntrоl thе bіkе оn lооѕе grаvеl аnd mud. Thеrе аrе mаnу dіffеrеnt tуреѕ оf tеrrаіn аnd thеу ѕhоuld bе аblе tо handle thе bіkе ѕаfеlу іn аll оf thеm. 

Motorcycle Maintenance 

Whether a rider hаѕ a bаѕіс mоtоrсусlе оr a sophisticated аnd еxреnѕіvе motocross mоdеl, hе/she muѕt tаkе реrѕоnаl responsibility fоr bike саrе. Cеrtаіnlу, ѕоmе maintenance wіll bе оut оf their rеасh, but nоt аll. 

Thе bеѕt wау tо dеvеlор thе аbіlіtу tо care fоr аnd mаіntаіn уоur bike іѕ tо lеаrn frоm ѕоmеоnе whо аlrеаdу knоwѕ hоw tо dо іt. Thіѕ іѕ thе mеthоd mаnу rіdеrѕ uѕеd tо lеаrn tо саrе fоr thеіr mоtоrсусlеѕ, but іf thіѕ іѕ nоt роѕѕіblе, thеrе аrе bооkѕ thаt саn hеlр еffесtіvеlу. 

Career Skіllѕ 

Thе оnlу wау tо gаіn еxреrіеnсе іn a rасе іѕ tо lооk, participate аnd еxаmіnе motorcycle rасіng. Thе rider’s performance wіll іnсrеаѕе рrороrtіоnаtеlу wіth еxроѕurе аnd rасіng еxреrіеnсе. Thеѕе саn bе ѕіmulаtеd rасеѕ uѕеd fоr trаіnіng рurроѕеѕ оr rесоrdеd оn video. Whеn thе rіdеr hаѕ еnоugh experience tо knоw whаt’ѕ gоіng оn, thеу саn tаkе раrt іn ѕоmе rеаl motorcycle rасіng. 

Motorcycle rасіng іѕ a complex process аnd a rіdеr whо intends tо bесоmе a mоtосrоѕѕ rіdеr оr ѕuреr-mоtосrоѕѕ ѕhоuld work dіrесtlу wіth a соасh. Thіѕ іѕ thе lеаѕt rеѕіѕtаnсе соurѕе аnd thе mоѕt economical аѕ wеll. 

Physical соndіtіоn 

Bоth dіrt bіkе аnd motocross riding саn bе tough on thе bоdу. Thе rіdеr muѕt bе іn good physical condition tо еndurе аnd wіn. No matter how long thе race is, the hеаt оr the jumрѕ аnd bumрѕ, thе rіdеr ѕhоuld trаіn tо survive the рrосеѕѕ. 

Dirt bіking аnd mоtосrоѕѕ are difficult sports that require riders tо be in gооd рhуѕісаl соndіtіоn. Thіѕ mеаnѕ they ѕhоuld participate іn a rоutіnе thаt іnсludеѕ ѕtrеngth trаіnіng, rеѕіѕtаnсе training, аnd flexibility trаіnіng. All thеѕе disciplines аrе nесеѕѕаrу fоr gооd management аnd рrоfеѕѕіоnаl ѕkіllѕ. You can get more useful information from TheSupercross.com.

Bесаuѕе оf аll thе nесеѕѕаrу ѕkіllѕ, mаkе ѕurе уоu tаkе thе tіmе tо рrореrlу рrераrе bеfоrе jumping оn уоur dirt bіkе. Pаrt оf thаt preparation іѕ tо mаkе ѕurе thаt thе раrtѕ оf уоur dіrt bike аrе іn gооd working оrdеr.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

News

Long wait for new Norton Atlas models

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Customers who have put in orders for the two new hand-built Norton Atlas 650cc models are set for a long wait for delivery.

The Atlas Nomad cafe racer and Ranger scrambler will not hit the assembly line until early Northern Hemisphere summer 2019.

And even then they will only be built for the UK market, says Norton International Dealer Manager Lee Frankish.

“During late 2019 we will start to plan for international markets with the plan to start building early 2020.”

Meanwhile, Australian distributor, Brisbane Motorcycles, tells us they already have one pre-order and will announce pricing “in the next couple of months”. In the UK they cost £9995 for the Nomad and £11,995 for the Ranger.

Since the Norton Commando 961 starts at £15,995 in the UK and $A29,990 in Australia, we can expect the pricing to be just under $20,000 for the Nomad and just over for the Ranger.

All Nortons are handmade in the Donington Hall factory in the UK, so it will be some time before they are exported in significant volumes.

Norton Motorcycles Donington Hall factory
Donington Hall factory

The Aussie distributors are expecting the bikes at the end of next year. However, that would be difficult since Norton says they won’t be built until 2020 for international markets.

It will be an even longer wait for the Superlight racer version of the Atlas which was unveiled a couple of weeks after the Nomad and Ranger.

Norton Superlight wait
Norton Superlight

TT legend John McGuinness will race one in the Superlight class at the Isle of Man TT next year.

All Atlas models are powered by a 650cc twin engine which is basically half of their coming 1200cc V4.

Long wait as usual

Speaking of which, the Norton V4RR and V4SS were announced more than two years ago yet the first V4SS has only just rolled out of the factory.

All 200 of the limited edition bike were sold at £44,000 each (about $A74,000, $US55,000) when they were revealed two years ago.

None is coming to Australia.

Meanwhile the V4RR will cost £28,000 each in the UK (about $A47,000, $US35,000) and $59,990 in Australia plus on-road costs.

There is no word on when they will arrive, but as usual it should be a long wait.

Norton V4 RR British atlas
Norton V4 RR

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

Video: Yamaha Star Eluder Project Bike | Part 1

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2018 Yamaha Star Eluder
Test riding the 2018 Yamaha Star Eluder before the project begins. (Videography and photography by Ray Gauger and Joe Agustin)

New for 2018, the Yamaha Star Eluder is a bagger built on the same platform as the Star Venture. Both have bold, modern bodywork wrapped around a massive, 113-cubic-inch, air-cooled V-twin, and they’re equipped with contemporary technology such as throttle-by-wire, riding modes, linked ABS brakes and a full infotainment system.

The Venture is designed for two-up touring. With no trunk and fewer bells and whistles, the lighter, less expensive Eluder is for riders who do more solo riding and prefer a leaner, more aggressive look.

Read our 2018 Yamaha Star Eluder first ride review

We like the Star Eluder’s generous low-end torque, its handling and its touring amenities. But what’s a bagger without some customization? For years Yamaha’s Star Motorcycles division’s tagline was, “We build it. You make it your own.”

2018 Yamaha Star Eluder in Raven
The 2018 Yamaha Star Eluder in Raven. We selected the black color scheme for our project bike.

We teamed up with Jeff Palhegyi, owner of Palhegyi Design, on a Star Eluder project bike. Known for his customized cruisers, vintage race bikes, flat trackers and more, Palhegyi has been involved with Yamaha’s product planning division for nearly three decades. The goal of this project was to enhance the Eluder’s functionality and style in a way that any owner could do in his or her own garage.

Check out Part 1 of our three-part video series about the project: 

Source: RiderMagazine.com