Three-time Australian champion retains top 10 points ranking in Pro Motocross.
Image: Supplied.
Triple Australian champion Dean Ferris has indicated he’s progressing with the settings of his Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing YZ450F, experiencing a more comfortable feeling in the final moto at Fox Raceway’s second round of the 2019 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
The New South Welshman charged to 10th in the opening encounter, and while pushing towards the front in race two, a critical error saw him drop to 13th, granting him 11th overall for the weekend.
“I feel like I started the weekend solid, making improvements,” said Ferris. “First moto was pretty solid and had to dig pretty deep for that one. In the second moto, I got more comfortable with the settings and was pushing toward the front.
“I ended up having a crash but pushed as hard as I could. All in all we are making progress and will keep working toward improving.”
Team manager Jim Perry added: “Dean pushed hard in both motos and continues to make progress in the US racing scene, a tip-over in the second moto kept him from challenging for a top 10 finish. We look forward to heading to Thunder Valley next weekend, a track we feel that the YZ450F has an advantage at.”
Following the first two rounds of the series, Ferris is ranked eighth in the championship standings as racing resumes this weekend at Thunder Valley.
Ducati looks like it is planning a GP-inspired Hypermotard 950 and a naked “streetfighter” version of its V4 Panigale.
A Hypermotard 950, customised by the company’s styling shop, Centro Stile Ducati, has won first place in the Concept Bikes: New Design and Prototypes by Manufacturers and Independents category at the prestigious Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este held at Cernobbio on Lake Como, Italy, at the weekend.
The concept features a compact full LED projector plus styling and technology inspired by the MotoGP bike.
The Hypermotard was introduced in 2005 and has been through many iterations.
Now it could have a GP-inspired version.
Let’s just hope it doesn’t have those ridiculous partially red tyres and rims!
Naked V4
There has been talk for some time of a naked version of its V4 Panigale for some time.
Now, Drop Dead Gorgeous magazine has released spy photos of a naked V4 being track tested.
Image: Drop Dead Gorgeous magazine
The blurry images show it has the V4 headlight, but only a lower fairing and bellypan like an Aprilia Tuono.
As a street fighter it gets MX-style bars rather than clip-ons.
Since the famous Pikes Peak Hillclimb in Colorado does not allow bikes with clip-ons, this could just be a prototype to run in the event which Ducati has won on several occasions.
The hillclimb is on June 24, so the track testing seems relevant.
But surely Ducati wouldn’t go to so much effort just for one race. We think a production version will not be far away.
Image: Drop Dead Gorgeous magazine
However, don’t expect the 1103cc engine to have the same 213 horsepower (158kW) as the V4.
No doubt they will tune it down for a street fighter version, probably just a little more than the Tuono’s 173hp (129kW).
Lingering soreness forces Beaton out of French MXGP
Section: Competition
Factory Husqvarna rider still feeling effects of Portugal crash.
Image: Supplied.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton has admitted lingering soreness from a heavy crash in Portugal is what prompted him to sit out the weekend’s MXGP of France at Saint Jean d’Angely.
The Australian was lucky to escape serious injury at the MXGP of Portugal when he was run over multiple times in a frightening crash, however he was still feeling the effects of the incident by the time France’s seventh stop of the series rolled around.
Winding up 20th in timed practice, the Australian lacked enough strength to take on a pair of gruelling motos, forcing him into the difficult decision of withdrawing from the event.
“Pretty devastated about this weekend, still feeling pretty sore from last weekend’s second moto crash in Portugal,” Beaton explained. “I tried riding warm-up and timed practice but my riding wasn’t anywhere near where I want it to be and had no strength, so we decided to sit out the races on Sunday.
“[I’m] trying to get back to 100 percent before Russia and get this season properly started. Thanks to the people that stick behind me.”
It’s been a challenging season so far for the Tasmanian, having missed the opening round of the series after fracturing multiple vertebrae, cancelling the momentum he built up throughout the pre-season.
Team Kawasaki Brasil rider Anthony West continues to lead the Brazilian Superbike Championship after three rounds. Sunday’s third place points put Ant at the top of the championship standings with 41-points, eight clear of second place.
Anthony West
“The good news is, we are still leading the championship. Unlike Barros and Granado who have hundreds of laps here, we are still making big changes to the bike trying to find a better setup for Interlagos. The team is working really hard and we are making progress, we just need to close the gap to the front.”
Anthony West celebrates another podium in Brazilian Superbikes, this time at Round 3
Once again the Interlagos track of Sao Paolo, Brazil delivered all four seasons in one weekend. The team and Ant had many things to test to try and close the setup advantage that the Brazil Superbike riders enjoy over the newcomer.
The weekend was also going to be challenging because the Interlagos circuit demolished all the pitboxes in order to rebuild new ones, necessitating the use of a new temporary pitlane. Thursday morning was raining and the first session was skipped.
Anthony West – Brazilian Superbike Championship Round 3
The second session was to find current track conditions using the previous race weekend’s setup. The third session saw the implementation of a new solution to try and increase edge grip. The team skipped the final session of the day as the temperature dropped significantly and the sun was going down quickly—days are getting shorter as Brazil enters the Autumn season.
Friday arrived and the team implemented another radical change to the setup of the bike. The team and Ant’s efforts were rewarded with a new personal best lap record of 1:36.4 around the 4.4 km circuit. The team continued to work on the power delivery of the awesome ZX-10R engine, trying to help Ant get as much grip as possible.
Anthony West – Brazilian Superbike Championship Round 3
Saturday the setup work continued and the lap times became more consistent and easier to maintain. Although a little down on one lap pace, the team was optimistic with Ant’s race pace. West qualified in the middle of the front row in second place.
Sunday morning’s 8:45am ten minute warm up was held under cool overcast conditions and West tried the new setup with a full fuel load to simulate the opening laps of the race.
Anthony West – Brazilian Superbike Championship Round 3
At the end of the session, Ant was in second place and looking forward to the race, however as the 1pm race time approached, the clouds gave way to bright blue skies and intense sun. The track temperature was 36 degrees, significantly warmer then it had been in any earlier session.
Anthony West – Brazilian Superbike Championship Round 3
Eric Granado demonstrated he had the one lap pace in qualifying, while West and team were hoping to close the gap over race distance on worn tires. When the lights went out, Ant rocketed off the line and made his way to the lead. Unfortunately, it was short lived.
Anthony West – Brazilian Superbike Championship Round 3
Granado made it past Ant and pulled a small gap. Alex Barros and Ant then fought the entire race distance over second place, allowing Granado to escape. Unlike the first round, Barros was able to beat Ant to the finish line to claim second, leaving Westy with third. Ant continues to lead the Brazilian Superbike Championship, and sits eight-points clear of second place.
Alex Barros – Brazilian Superbike Championship Round 3 – Image courtesy of BMW Group
Brasil Superbike Race – Round 3 – Result
Eric Granado 23:28.853
Alex Barros +5.855
Anthony West ” Gringo ” +6.063
Pedro Sampaio +9.344
Maximiliano Gerardo +9.363
Danilo Lewis +33.416
Rodrigo Dazzi +49.415
Mauriti Junior +49.417
Diego Viveiros +1:09.130
Davi Costa +1:12.220
Julio Fortunato +1:25.757
José Luiz Teixeira “Cachorrão” +1:40.78
Brazilian Superbike Standings
Anthony West – Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R – 41
Maximiliano Gerardô – Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R – 33
Alex Barros – BMW S1000RR – 29
Eric Granado – Honda CBR 1000RR – 27
Pedro Sampaio – Honda CBR 1000RR – 26
Danilo Lewis – BMW S1000RR – 24
Bruno Corano – BMW S1000RR – 17
Diego Pierluigi – Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R – 11
José Luiz “Cachorrão” – Honda CBR 1000RR – 8
Juninho Trudes – Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R – 0
Team Kawasaki Brasil is operated by JC Racing. Team Kawasaki Brasil is sponsored by: Steck, Castropil, Flip Racing Moto Parts. Ant West personal sponsors include FuSport, Accent Timber Flooring, Graeme Cavanagh, Arai, SC Exhaust, CHC Leathers
O’Halloran still searching for ideal feeling aboard McAms Yamaha
BSB challenger notches third DNF of the season at Donington Park.
Image: Supplied.
Australian Jason O’Halloran admits he’s still searching for an ideal feeling aboard his McAms Yamaha YZF-R1 following a challenging weekend at Donington Park’s third of the 2019 Bennetts British Superbike Championship (BSB).
The weekend’s triple-header saw O’Halloran notch up his third DNF of the season after crashing out of the final encounter, however he was still able to record 5-7 results in the opening two outings.
The number 22 made a number of set-up changes heading into the final race, and despite the crash, he’s optimistic with the feeling he was able to discover before going down.
“It’s not been the easiest of weekends,” O’Halloran stated. “We’ve been chasing something all weekend, made some changes for Saturday and improved the feeling but in the first two races I struggled at the start. For the third race we made some more changes but I was quite far back on the grid which made things difficult.
“The bike felt much better, I had a lot more confidence on the brakes and I felt like I could ride the bike how I wanted to again. I’m really happy with that and I’ll take that away from this race as obviously a crash isn’t ideal. It’s our third DNF of the year, which isn’t what we want.
“I want to go fast and be at the front, I don’t want to be messing around in seventh or eighth so we have to keep pushing and looking for the feeling we are after. Once we nail that on the head I’m confident we’ll be at the front.”
O’Halloran is ranked 10th in the championship standings as the series returns to action on 14-16 June at Brands Hatch.
Increased testing rewards Lawrence with Fox Raceway moto podium
Section: Competition
Australian overcomes race one DNF to score runner-up honours in moto two.
Image: Supplied.
Increased mid-week testing has rewarded Hunter Lawrence with his maiden race podium in the 2019 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship at Fox Raceway on Saturday, although a rare mechanical malfunction in moto one ultimately denied the Australian of the landing on the box in the overall classification.
Following a clash with Jordon Smith (TLD Red Bull KTM), the Geico Honda ace remounted before a rock damaged his oil filter cap, forcing oil to pump out moments before his CRF250R came to a halt.
Lawrence bounced back in race two, displaying the form that earned him a multi-year deal with the factory Honda outfit as he navigated his way into P1, relinquishing the lead after mistake before crossing the line in second, granting him ninth overall.
“Bittersweet weekend here at Fox Raceway,” said Lawrence. “Started off the day solid with third and fourth in the qualifying sessions. First moto had a good start and worked my way into third and then a rock broke my oil filter cap so all the engine oil was draining out and it was dying on the lap just before the accident with Smith happened.
“The crash didn’t cause the bike problem, it was already happening, and then it locked up on the downhill where we came together. Lucky to have no injuries. The next moto was cool! Average start from all the way outside and worked my way up to first. I was really feeling it, but I washed the front wheel out and ended up second.
“Such a big week and I want to give a huge thank you to the team, we rode five days in a row this week, with three big testing days to improve the bike from last weekend, then press day and then race day so it was a big week for us and we are happy to see it pay off in relation to speed and how the bike handled.”
The Queenslander is now ranked 10th in the championship standings as the series returns to action this weekend at Thunder Valley.
KTM 790 Adventure and Adventure R Unifilters on the way
Arriving June 1, 2019
Supplied pre-oiled, Unifilter’s dual stage airfilter replaces the standard paper element for those looking to take their KTM 790 Adventure and Adventure R into the elements.
Unfilter for KTM’s 2019 790 Adventure and Adventure R
Utilising 40 years experience in design and manufacturing airfilters in Australia, this re-usable filter design incorporates a powder-coated frame moulded into a polyurethane base to ensure a complete seal within the air box, while keeping the twin foam filter elements firmly in place.
Unifilter features
Supplied pre-oiled.
Supplied with spare set of foam inserts.
Dual stage.
Powder coated frame impregnated in polyurethane.
It also fits the 2013-19 KTM 1050 / 1190 / 1290 Adventure / R too.
The foams and filter screen just need to be reversed!
These filters are designed for the 2019 KTM 790 Adventure models, and replace original equipment part number KT60306015100, and can be ordered by code/part number AU1448ST for $99.95 RRP.
They’ll arrive June 1 and are available from all good motorcycle stores around Australia and New Zealand via Australian and New Zealand Distributor, Ficeda Accessories.
Unfilter for KTM’s 2019 790 Adventure and Adventure R
Join Suzuki and fellow riders on their next adventure ride event travelling from the Gold Coast to Warwick Queensland. Traversing the Gold Coast Hinterlands, Tyalgum, the Border Ranges National Park on simply stunning roads, its set to be an epic adventure.
2019 Suzuki Adventure Ride will be held July 6
The ride is free and during the day there will be two course options taken at various points along the ride with the group splitting into:
Group A – Designed for large adventure touring motorcycles such as V-Strom 650 and 1000 with a mix of dirt and tar. Rated 4/10 difficulty.
Group B – Designed for smaller more off-road focused adventure touring motorcycles such as DR650SE. Rated 5/10 difficulty.
2019 Suzuki Adventure Ride
There’s also an exclusive opportunity to test ride Suzuki’s latest V-Strom 650, V-Strom 1000 and DR650SE motorcycles at the conclusion of the ride.
OPTION 2: Meet at Sunstate Motorcycles Departure Time: 9:30AM 2 Lawrence Drive, Nerang Ph. 07 5520 2300
2019 Suzuki Adventure Ride
Suzuki Adventure Ride Accommodation
Saturday night a group dinner will take place @ 6:30pm with prizes and giveaways at the Cherrabah Resort.
Cherrabah Resort – Elbow Valley, is priced from $120 PP including a welcome drink, dinner and breakfast, book direct 1800 023 788. Camping is available at the resort from $15 PP, otherwise there are hotels, motels and a caravan park in Warwick.
Please provide your full name, address, mobile number, motorcycle make and model and Suzuki will send all information including instructions and a registration sticker prior to the ride.
New York designer and rider Joe Doucet has designed a helmet wth an LED light that switches to red when decelerating to improve rider visibility and avoid rear-end crashes.
Joe has benevolently decided not to apply for a patent nor manufacture the helmet but make the technology available to others in the interests of rider safety.
“I opened up the intellectual property to any company who chooses to produce a version of the helmet. Weighing the potential of saving a life against a royalty check is an easy decision to make,” he says.
However, he’s not the first to develop such technology that includes a light linked to an accelerometer.
Helmet lights add visibility
There have been several products designed to increase the visibility of riders and attract the attention of tailgating motorists.
They include the French Cosmo helmet light that sticks on the back of any helmet and the inVIEW helmet light that not only indicates when brakes are applied or a rider slows down on the throttle, but also shows a rider’s intention to turn.
Cosmo helmet brake light
inVIEW
Young French couple Fanny, 19, and Jonathan, 20, also launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund their Spektre idea for illuminated tape to light up your motorcycle helmet. It only received 5% of its $A42,000 goal.
Spektre
The idea of lighting up a helmet may not be novel, but it also doesn’t seem to have kick started with a lot of riders.
Safety light
A helmet light makes some sense to improve the visibility of riders as the taillights on a bike are low and drivers in heavy traffic may not see them because of the bonnet (hood) of their car, SUV or truck.
Together with an accelerometer that senses the bike slowing down — even under engine braking and no brake application as many riders do — it may help reduce rear-ender crashes.
Brad Baker, a rider known as “the Bullet,” who was the Grand National Singles Champion in his first year of full-time racing, an AMA Pro Racing Expert Grand National Champion four years later, an American who beat MotoGP Champion Marc Marquez on his own turf at the 2014 Barcelona Superprestigio, and who, as part of the modern Wrecking Crew, turned Indian Motorcycle’s return to flat track into a rout of rival Harley-Davidson, began to believe it had all been a fluke.
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