Privateer Stephens assists Webster after being ‘utterly bogged’.
Image: Foremost Media.
Kyle Webster has expressed his gratitude for a fellow rider’s assistance in Appin’s rain-soaked opening round of the 2019 Pirelli MX Nationals, which ultimately allowed him to salvage valuable points in the shortened schedule.
The Penrite Pirelli CRF Honda Racing rider was challenging inside the top five of the sole MX2 outing when he became stuck in mud, only for Riley Stephens (Honda) to halt his campaign and assist the Western Australian in removing his bike from the situation.
Webster, who remounted and fought back to 15th, believes he would’ve remained stuck and recorded a DNF if it wasn’t for Stephens’ help, saving him from a costly start to the year.
“It was a bloody tough day to say the least – the track was so next-level wet to state the obvious,” Webster explained. “I actually made a good start in the MX2 race and was running fourth or fifth after a couple of laps when I got completely and utterly bogged – I was stuck for almost a lap!
“Luckily another rider stopped to help me, otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten the bike out. That incident dropped me back to about 28th place, and from there I just clawed my way up to 15th by the finish of the race. It certainly wasn’t an ideal day, but I’m just super-lucky and thankful I managed to keep going and it wasn’t a DNF result.”
Stephens completed the eight-lap outing in 19th position, four spots behind title-contender Webster.
Organisers of the 18th annual Bloomhill Bras n’ Bikes are asking riders to share their stories of battling cancer and to save the date for their 20 October 2019 event.
To promote the event, they have released this video of Valda Queenin who tells of her journey since being told she had breast cancer.
She also tells of the support she received from BloomhillCancer Care in Buderim which provides assistance for men and women with all types of cancer.
Now as a member of Girl Torque motorcycle group, Valda enjoys the opportunity of giving back through Bras n’ Bikes Charity Rides.
Organisers says that since 2014 they have raised $73,522 for the Sunshine Coast nursing and counselling service.
First ride
Bras n Bikes cancer ride
The Charity ride was started by Bloomhill by Girl Torque founders, Helen Maurovic, Di Knowles and Anita Eley.
Helen was good friends with Bloomhill founder Margy Gargon, a friend of Di’s was a client at Bloomhill and Anita joined in to help organise the first event which attracted just 70 riders.
The most participants they have had is 560 and they are hoping to break that record this year and raise about $20,000.
Last year they raised raised $17,200 which helped 400 clients access Bloomhill’s services.
Bloomhill services
Melissa Wolpert of Bloomhill Cancer Care says that last year they dealt with 1200 clients which is a 35% increase. She points out they do not receive any government funding.
This year’s event on October 20 starts and finishes at the Yandina Bowls Club.
Riders of all types of bikes are encouraged to dress up in pink for the fashion parade.
More details will be available closer to the event, but you can register your interest by clicking here.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR Review
Testing the ‘M Package’ at Estoril
BMW S 1000 RR Test by Steve Martin
2019 BMW S 1000 RR Review
With a bike in the stable as proficient and fast as the 2018 BMW S 1000 RR is, it’s quite a big ask to make one better. But that was the goal that BMW set themselves when they embarked on building their technologically advanced new litre sports bike.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The 2019 S 1000 RR was not going to be a sticker kit and paint job, but rather the next evolution that would need to go on and take things to the next level, just like the original did back in 2010. A machine that would not only be at home on the racetrack, but a bike that was easier to handle day-to-day, by offering a smattering of sensible road orientated goodies as icing on the very fast cake.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
On top of all of that though, the aim was to grab back the title of king of the litre bikes, in a class that now has a couple of 1100s thrown in for good measure.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Germans like measurements and one-second is the rounded figure that they settled on. That was their measure of how much the new bike should be faster per lap, with the same tyres and same rider, on the same day. Now that would be easy to achieve if the ’18 model was a slug, but it’s not, it’s still a cutting-edge machine. So to produce a successor that took yet another leap forward, some careful thought and new technology was required.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
All aspects were looked at and by paring down the weight, improving the handling, and adding more power and torque, BMW have ticked all the boxes.
The 2019 model comes in two colours with the option to order them with different kits depending on your wicked desires, and budget. There’s a race kit, a dynamic kit and the ‘M Package’ which gives you the attributes of the other two, but adds in some extra special goodies like carbon wheels. On test we only had the chance to try the M kitted bike but, in all honesty, I wasn’t complaining.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR M with carbon rims was the machine ridden by Steve
Where to start…
The Heart
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The idea of creating an in-line four-cylinder sports bike occurred back in 2007, when engineers fitted the original K46 BMW designed engine in to a Yamaha YZF-R1 chassis, kicking off the first phase of testing. As we now know that model changed history, with the strong point being its top-end horsepower, while a lack of torque is and was a known issue. Over the years usability has crept in, but 2019 S 1000 RR promises a whole new ball-game.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The completely new engine is packed with technology aimed at increasing horsepower and torque while reducing weight. A healthy boost of 8hp gives a substantial hit to the top end, but it’s the torque increase that has made the big difference at the seat of the pants.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
There’s now 113 Nm of torque on hand but across a much flatter and higher curve. The biggest improvement comes in the lower-mid rpm range. From 5000 rpm through to 7500 rpm the techs found a massive 20 Nm of torque over the original design.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
New gains have come from a complete redesign of virtually every aspect compared to the K46. The motor is narrower, four-kilograms lighter and yet incorporates the BMW variable intake Shift Cam system. It’s not a first with bikes like Suzuki’s GSX-R1000 and even the Yamaha T-Max sporting similar technology, achieved by a different method, but if there was a bike that could use it then the BMW S 1000 RR was it.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The BMW system works by changing the position of its cam lobes. Having two lobes per inlet valve side-by-side on a splined shaft.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Just like a gearbox, the lobes slide on the shaft left to right, or vice versa, by a sort of shift drum that automatically changes from the torquey lobe to the top end lobe at 9000rpm.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
It’s a pretty simple system when you get a close look at it and much easier to understand when you see it, rather than when you just read the blurb.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The cam moves lighter finger followers which tap the top of the buckets and push a set of new hollow titanium valves down, letting them do their work of sucking the air fuel mix into the combustion chamber four per cent more efficiently.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Paring weight from the valve train has allowed BMW to up the rev limit by 400 rpm, to 14,600 rpm, reliably. And with a substantially lighter crank it now gets there in more of a hurry.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Its not just a top end make over though with improvements in water and oil flow being made via completely new crankcases that utilise a lighter all in one oil/water pump. A new smaller alternator draws less engine power to run, which increases efficiency and temperature regularity throughout the motor.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The extent of forward thinking is amazing, even the Bosch throttle bodies are set up to work in a split function so that at racing level engine cylinder pairs can work separately, allowing less power at major lean angles. Although not in use yet, the hard parts are on the bike ready to go when the software is proven.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Electronics
You could write a large novel on the state of art Bosch system fitted to the new bike. Its functionality is much improved over the ‘18 model, a package that was already at a great level.
The M kit fitted bikes that we rode had three Race Pro maps and four standard maps – Rain, Road, Dynamic and Race.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The functions are all easily adjusted through the various switch block mode buttons and the standard BMW twist toggle on the left side grip. The information is viewed on the new 6.5-inch TFT dash and it’s easy to read which is good, because there’s a lot of scope to change the parameters of your ride.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Traction control
The traction control is adjustable through plus and minus seven settings in every mode, and is changeable on the run. It feels a lot like a quality race item now to the point that the race kit item might not be needed, even for the serious punter.
Wheelie Control
For the first time an independent wheelie control is fitted and is high quality. It can be turned off and is actuated by many parameters but is not affected by traction control settings.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Throttle Response
The rider has the option to sharpen or soften the throttle connection line depending on his or her tastes. Both maps still have full power but it’s mainly the opening feeling that differs.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
ABS
The ABS can be dynamic working in unison with the new tiny six axis IMU or can be manually adjusted with four different settings. It is lean angle dependent which makes it much more sensitive to condition changes.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Engine Brake
Four settings allow the rider to let the bike back into the corner or enter with a freer feeling which is once again a great offering and one of the most important ones when it comes to on the limit lap times.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Shift Pro Assist
Standard on most bikes now allows clutch-less shifts up and down the box with auto rpm speed matching, just like MotoGP.
Hill Start
This year sees the introduction of hill start assist, which I guess could be useful.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Launch Control
I didn’t use it at the launch, but if the old model is any thing to go by it will be fun to play with.
The rest of the package
There’s a lot more depth than the important items above but if you are serious at putting a new RR in your shed, I suggest you go to the dealer and have a play with the system. There’s different dash lay outs, cruise control, heated grips, connectivity, in fact that many goodies you will never be bored again.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The Chassis
A lot of lessons have been learned by BMW Motorrad’s involvement in racing particularly over the last nine years. World Superbike races, Superstock World Championships, national championships and countless club races have been won on the old bike making it one of the most successful motorcycles over the period.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
There was always an underlying issue though, and I know this from my seven years spent working as a development rider for the BMW factory.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The frame was always too stiff, causing chatter and lack of bump absorption when at ten-tenths, literally making the suspension work over-time. The later models were a massive improvement, but the DNA of the old frame remained, until now.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
With the complete redesign came a new chassis and swing-arm built specifically to put right the issues of the past. The engine is now part of the equation being a stressed member, it helps tie the feel of the new RR together. BMW call the new chassis a flex-frame, with absorption being a big part of its job. Not only from road conditions but also different frequencies created from engine rpm and vibration.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The lighter alloy twin-spar frame has an all new one-piece swing arm with an underslung brace, as seen on most MotoGP bikes.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Apart from looking neat it gives a lot more room in and around the shock, making it easier to remove or change a spring when things get serious.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The shock is also moved away from the engine’s heat which helps to keep it cooler.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Change of partner
Sachs fork and shock packages adorned the S 1000 RR right from the start, but this has all changed for 2019 with Marzocchi becoming their new partner. Its not just change for the sake of change though, with BMW using a shim stack front and rear that works alongside an electronic adjuster that is linked into the ECU on its Dynamic Damping Control equipped machines (like the M).
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
It is a complete departure from the old Sachs system which used an electronic valve that opened and closed its size to alter damping. The new system is like riding around with a screwdriver attached to the clickers that can be set, or be continually adjusted in dynamic mode.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Brakes have moved away from Brembo to an American made Hayes caliper. It was chosen blindly by the BMW test team after a rigorous testing program. I still can’t get a believable answer as to why. A Nissin master cylinder is used to apply the pressure to those Hayes calipers. Just to keep everyone happy there’s a Brembo rear caliper.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Ergonomics
You can forget that familiar feeling if you are a current owner of an S 1000 RR as this machine is completely different. The rider gets a feeling of sitting in the machine rather than on top, as I felt was the case with the old bike, and the bars are set a little wider than the previous bike.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The new TFT dash is a master piece to look at and has really updated the cockpit to give it a modern feel. The integration of the available rider aids with the new switch blocks works well and is pretty self-explanatory.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Heated grips are easy to find and activate, as is the cruise control. BMW have spent a lot of time making user friendliness a high priority.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Ok, but what’s it really like?
Estoril in Portugal was the idealic setting to test the bike and a day blasting around the twists and curves of the ex-GP circuit was a great way to get a taste of the bike and the improvements made.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
We got four sessions on track with session one a great introduction run. Jurgen Fuchs (BMW test pilot) lead us for a seven-lap run around the Estoril circuit which was a great way to show us the lines and find our way around.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The comprehensive electronics system was on a pre-set Race Pro 1 map which erred on the safe side with plenty of intervention giving me a safe feeling.
The traction control set on positive three took control of the bikes power and kept things calm and muted. We had to follow Jurgen but the first impressions were good. The engine is ultra-smooth, and the extra torque was apparent, especially at learning track mode speed.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The throttle connection was perfect and there was no discernible feeling or glitch at around that magic 9000 rpm cam changing point. We were on the standard Bridgestone S21 tyres for this part of the day, and they were unfortunately the weak point of the bike.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Being a 10 percent track tyre and more of a sports-touring tyre, I was unable to really get much feedback from the bike. What I could feel though was just how natural and neutral the bike felt, from an initial point of view.
The other positive was with the level of wheel-spin we were getting, I was able to give the traction system a good work out. As expected it worked extremely well and caught every near high-side moment I had, and I had a few…
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Even with the OEM tyres the RR turned on a dime and made the apex every time. There was no excuse for not liking the set up or the way it felt because if you didn’t like the way it went into a corner, you could just change it with a few tweaks on the dash.
After another session some Bridgestone soft production slicks were fitted and my face of desperation turned to one of joy. Oh my, how a little bit of grip can change things. Literally the bike was on rails with the change of tyres, and pushing closer to the limits became enjoyable.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
I was hitting close to an indicated 299 km/h down the main straight in Estoril and loving it. The standard front brakes were certainly getting a work out and there was some fade, I guess not many people will be decelerating the stock bike again and again from 300 without race pads all that often…
The feel from the brakes was quite good though, with progression and lever feel letting me brake right to the mid-point of the turn, like I would on a superbike.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
There’s a tight chicane about half way round the circuit, with a quick change of direction at slow speed that would have a lot of bikes feeling a little uncomfortable, but once again the Beemer was a cinch to ride and made it easy to take the line I wanted. It went through the change of direction with complete stability. This was the M package bike with those sexy carbon rims though, and they no doubt played their part with the agility of the package.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR M with carbon rims was the machine ridden by Steve
The new rear end has a different layout to the old bike and a different link ratio that lets a relatively soft 6.5 kg spring be used. With the Bridgestone rear slick, I didn’t have any problem at all, no slides, no spinning and it was very stable. I would have liked to try it with a Pirelli slick, one I know well, to see what happened when it did let go, but that will have to wait until next time.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
It was a little soft in the front for very hard brakers, but a switch to the Pro 3 map, and some stiffer compression settings helped a bit. There was scope to put pre-load on the front, and I would have done that next, but time didn’t really allow for it. The chassis was very good, and an improvement in turning over the old bike was obvious.
I found that I didn’t have to worry about what the bike was doing when I was riding, just enjoy my riding and focus on my lines, and that is the sign of a good bike. Its stability is excellent, and the suspensions more conventional shim stack system was a definite improvement, especially if you plan on hitting the track.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The engine feels fast, and with the extra torque I found I could use a higher gear than normally one would think. I didn’t get the chance to ride it on the road at all, but if you like riding through the hills and on the track, this new RR will no doubt be a great choice.
At the end of the day the new RR is good, we all knew it was going to be from the start. It’s got all the right DNA to be a great road bike, through to a WSBK winner once sorted in race trim. It is also comfortable and user friendly with all the gizmos ever invented, and then some.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
The S 1000 RR is a bike made to dominate the road going superbike scene for the next ten years, sort of like they did with the K46. Can it win a world championship in the future? Well that’s just a matter of money, but the answer is probably yes.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
2019 BMW S 1000 RR Specifications
Engine
Capacity
999
Bore/stroke
80/49.7
Output
152/207
at engine speed
13,500
Torque
113
at engine speed
10,500
Type
Water-cooled in-line 4-cylinder engine
Compression/fuel
13.3:1 / RON 95+ (knock control; rated output with 98 RON)
Valvetrain
16-valve, DOHC, ShiftCam Variable, 33.5mm in, 27.2mm ex
Throttle Bodies
48
Engine control
BMS-O
Alternator
450
Headlamp
LED low beam twin headlamp in free-form technology
Peter Hickman knows a thing or two about BMW’s S 1000 RR, having raced and won the very prestigious IOM TT last year on the Smiths Racing BMW, and smashing the outright Mountain Course lap record along the way.
Peter Hickman with some TT silverware and celebrating his amazing 135.452 mph lap
He’s also pretty darn good on the short circuits too was the fastest BMW rider in British Superbike, and is known as a rider that can give good feedback and input back to the team. That, in my opinion, is why BMW gave him the opportunity to try out the 2019 BMW S 1000 RR as early as last year. When Hicky speaks, people listen, and that’s why we wanted to hear his thoughts on the new 2019 S 1000 RR.
Peter Hickman – BSB 2018 at Snetterton
Peter Hickman Interview
Steve Martin: Firstly, the 2018 model was a pretty impressive machine and one you’ve had great success on, but nothing’s perfect, what do you think its weak points were?
Peter Hickman: “Like you say everything has its weak points. The BMW has always been strong in a straight line, both with engine power and on the brakes.
“For me its weak point was always the chassis, it was very rigid, so the slightest of changes to either the chassis, air/track temperature, or even tyres made big differences to the bike. This made it hard to get set up. It was also a bike that never finished the corners so well.”
Peter Hickman on his way to victory at the 2018 Isle of Man Senior TT
Steve: You’ve cut some laps now on the new road bike, what’s your initial impression
Peter Hickman: “I rode a pre-production model last year and I loved it. Coming to Estoril has just cemented that feeling for me really. The bike is so easy to ride for a start, yet has more power and BMW have engineered more flex into the chassis, so overall, it’s everything I was asking for!”
Peter Hickman at the 2018 Macau GP
Steve: The two bikes look completely different but what about the feel, what’s the biggest difference between the two.
Peter Hickman: “Where to start? It still feels like a BMW, which I think is great. Ergonomically it’s very different however, you sit in the bike more than the old S 1000 RR. I’m a tall rider and the bike is very small, but even with these two facts I fit on the bike no problem.
“This bike gives a very positive feeling for me, when I ask it to do something it does it. As a racer riding ‘normal’ road bike this was very impressive, they usually feel all soft and sloppy, I didn’t get that feeling from the new RR.”
Peter Hickman at the 2018 Ulster Grand Prix
Steve: Has the 2019 given riders and teams more scope to cut lap times especially in a more standard guise.
Peter Hickman: “Absolutely it has, especially as a road or superstock race bike. I really think with what BMW have brought to the table it’s going to take all racing to another level.”
Peter Hickman – 2018 Senior TT winner
Steve: I’ve heard from inside BMW that on the same day, same tyres, same rider, the new bike’s about a second quicker in street trim what do you think?
Peter Hickman: “Interesting you should ask, because I was the rider who did this test! Ha! It was at Cartagena last year, Pirelli slicks on both bikes. I managed a 1m38.8sec lap on the 2018 S 1000 RR, I did a five-lap run, came into the pits and jumped straight onto the new bike without talking to anyone and did the same five-lap run.
“When I came back in they asked me what I thought, I felt that the new bike was easier to ride but I wasn’t sure there would be a major difference in lap times. Turns out I did a 1m37.4 on the new bike! Which is a huge difference! And to put that into perspective the best time I’ve done on my 2018 Superbike last year was a low 1m33, so four seconds on a road bike is impressive!”
Peter Hickman at Ballaugh Bridge – TT 2018
Steve: Electronics on the road RR were always good but how close is the latest system to the race versions”
Peter Hickman: “They’ve worked hard on this. They’ve made it much more adaptable like a race bike. For example, the traction control and anti-wheelie control run on separate systems now, which means you can have traction control out of the corner without hindering performance on the final part of the exit because it thinks it’s doing a wheelie when it isn’t.
“I need more laps to play more and understand but so far, I found it easy to use and really rider friendly, something most road bikes struggle with!”
Peter Hickman – Senior TT Winner 2018
Steve: Hicky thanks for your time, now go win some races.
Claudio De Martino reminds me Patrick Swayze in the movie ghost, where he is moulding clay adding passion and love in the background, making sure all is good. As chief engineer he’s definitely one of the ideas men behind the S 1000 RR project and like everyone involved he knows how to punt one of the new S 1000 RR machines pretty damn fast. We caught up with him at the Estoril launch of the new 2019 model for a chat.
Claudio De Martino Interview
Steve Martin: Thanks Claudio for taking the time to talk to us, first of all how long did it take to develop this bike?
Claudio – “So, we have different phases, and the complete phase for developing is 46 months, but the previous phase is to define for example the configuration of the engine, which way the counter-shaft rotates, how many cylinders and so on. This is before you define it, and then 46 months from that point to production.”
BMW Motorrad Design
Steve: When you were looking at this bike, basically the engine is a clean slate, a clean sheet, was there any time that you guys considered making it a big bang style motor.
Claudio – “Yes, we considered, but we are BMW and we always have the highest peak power, and with the big bang it’s not possible to do peak power, so we decided to stay on the screamer.”
Steve: Why not a counter rotating crank then?
Claudio – “Because we avoid additional excess, this part also has weight and will cost some horsepower, and so we decided to have maximum horsepower, and the result is only possible with a screaming four, and normal rotating crankshaft.”
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Steve: When you sat down what was the target going to be? How much faster did it need to be than the 2018 bike?
Claudio – “It’s important to have big and strong goals which everyone can keep in mind, and we said of course our bike the 2017 and 2018 was a benchmark, and we said one second faster on the lap, easier to ride, feeling comfortable. But one second was the major goal and every decision we had to make we asked ourselves, is it supporting our goal, makes us faster, makes us lighter. So, a major goal was going that one second faster.
“How did we reach? We checked every part, somebody said OK, to be one second faster we had to be more than 10kg lighter, if we have to be 10kg lighter to reach our goal, what do we have to change, and at least it was everything.”
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Steve: There’s a lot of new technology put into this bike, especially with the valve train.
Claudio – “The valve train is also helping us to make the compromise from more horsepower at high revs and of course a good torque curve, in mid-range and at low rpm. So sometimes it’s easy to have more peak power, but you lose a lot of torque and we have now this combination and for me, I liked always to explain for the rider its necessary to know what he gets when he opens the throttle.
“This is the same if you open at 5500rpm, 7000, 9000, 11000, you always get more than 100Nm [of torque] and it’s easy for you to control. You don’t have any area where there’s a big jump of the torque curve and you get a big surprise or trouble.”
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Steve: You’ve changed a lot of different partners this year, gone away from Brembo brakes, which you’ve had in the past, you’ve got Hayes brakes on the front now, and you’ve also got the Marzocchi suspension – you’ve gone away from the Sachs, what was the reasoning behind that?
Claudio – “At the beginning we wrote down on a letter, what we’d like to have for the next model, so this was a new spec for each part, we went to different suppliers asked them can you deliver this, they said yes OK we can do it.
“Then there was a big shoot out where we compared the parts, with experienced riders. They didn’t know what was mounted, they only thought about the feeling, and at least we took the one who supported our goals the most. In this case with choosing the suppliers we’re quite happy with this.”
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Steve: I guess the big difference in this suspension, compared to the old electronic suspension, the old one had car valves in it, but this has a conventional shim stack in there. How does that work and why the change?
Claudio – “Exactly, the big change is the car valve was the first generation, we put a lot of currency into the car valve to find out function, but when we reviewed the system, we said what does a racer need? He needs good feeling for the bike, and the conventional parts, they give very good feel, or a known feeling, so we thought to combine these two technologies, and at least we have separated conventional part and an additional electronic part.
“On the race track, more than 90 per cent you work on the conventional part, and that’s what you feel, and the confidence for the bike. On the road, with a passenger, there the electronics increase. So, on the race track it’s nearly conventional. And of course, every specialist, can open this system, can adapt it to your weight, your riding style and it will be fine for the customer.”
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Steve: I guess that’s the other thing about this bike, you don’t need special tools to work on it. You can adjust everything from the dash. So, the TFT dash must have taken a long time to sort that out.
Claudio – “Yea it’s new technology and it offers a lot of possibilities, you have to have good heads who can write down what must be the requirements, and after all we have a lot of experience with these systems now, so it offers a wide range for personal adjustment and this is in combination with the dash and with the menu, it’s outstanding.”
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Steve: Let’s talk about the frame, when I was involved developing the old frame, we had lots of special frames before the current unit was chosen, what was the process this time around.
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Claudio – “So, the frame is also a result of reviewing the old bike, everybody knows the shape with the stable connection between steering head and swing pivot. We put some material in the engine, but it’s also four kilogram lighter – the engine, so the engine took more rigidity and more stability.
“The frame when you look the shape, you have the shortest way the direct connection to the mounting points in the front, and in the rear, we call it a doughnut, it’s a very stable, one part hollow casted, which is also fixed four times to the engine, in between these areas. They take also some work for the flex, but we can define the flex by the thickness of the material.
“So, there was some areas to play, also there was some simulation testing and then we defined the shape, the thickness, and it also offers us the possibility to move the knees very narrow. With the old shape of the frame, it was not possible to have this feeling like a V4, we liked to have it like one of our competitors and we would push the knees inside, inside. This frame will help us to reach that.”
2019 BMW S 1000 RR
Steve: This bike is obviously made to win WSBK and be competitive in near standard form for the track day competitors, what about the road guys out there? Some of your competitors are bringing out 1100cc versions, are you planning anything like that, or have you thought about it how this bike can compete with an 1100cc.
Claudio – We have BMW shift cam, it’s our secret weapon.
Bridgestone have been there and done that when it comes to making motorcycle tyres. A successful stint in MotoGP saw some stunning victories and then a complete domination as it took over as the control tyre for many years.
That role was taken over by Michelin three years ago now but Bridgestone have been busy applying the lessons they learned in MotoGP to their road tyre range. We caught up with Fabian Francois, Senior Manager for Bridgestone Motorsport Engineering & Product Planning at the Launch of the 2019 S 1000 RR to find out what’s next.
Fabian Francois Interview
Steve Martin: Thanks for speaking to us Fabian, firstly congratulations – you’ve signed a deal with BMW and the Bridgestone collaboration is one of three tyres that will be coming out on the new model S 1000 RR.
Fabian Francois: “Thanks Steve. Exactly, we are supplying tyres fitted on the standard package bike, so the red one, with the 190-rear size, this is where we have a big share in terms of OE fitment, with our Battlax S21 tyre, and then we shared the rest of the OE fitment with Michelin and Metzeler.”
Bridgestone S21
Steve: And today, are we using the exact tyres, are they the actual tyre that will be coming out on this bike? I know you have a new one coming in a few weeks.
Fabian Francois: “The one you’ve ridden this morning, on the first two sessions, were the standard S21s, because as I said we are OE equipped on the 190 size, and you were riding the 200 size this morning. There is a difference of course, because it’s not the same tyre in terms of sizes, so you had different tyres this morning. But this is the one that everyone can buy in the market and the right size for the M package bike you guys are testing.”
Steve: So, the tyre that comes out standard, what is it really suited for. It’s probably not a race track orientated tyre.
Fabian Francois: “No exactly, the S21 is a 90 per cent on-road tyre, for street use. The equivalent is the Metzeler M7 RR or the Pirelli Diablo Rosso III, they are the equivalents in the line-up. So, this was an ideal from BMW to have this kind of tyre as original equipment, because it’s in the first place a road bike, even if it’s meant to be on the track afterwards.”
Bridgestone S21
Steve: What sort of exercise has it been here this week with all these journalists? How many tyres have you been through?
Fabian Francois: “In total we have used a lot, we had some wet journalist groups, so we used around in total 300 tyres, with the mix from street tyres – S21s, our slick tyres and our wet racing tyres.”
Steve: I’ve just put a set of slicks on, what were the ones I used?
Fabian Francois: “Those are the standard commercial slick tyre that everyone can buy in the shop, the Racing Battlax V02, with the latest front construction we introduced last year. It’s called VMS belt construction and you used here in Estoril the soft compound front and rear.”
Steve: I’ve got to say, really good grip from those tyres, how close are these slicks to let’s say the factory Bridgestone MotoGP tyres. Are they heading with similar technology or a long way away?
Fabian Francois: “There are some transfers that have been done from our MotoGP tyre, for example of the rear tyre they use a GP belt construction that was used in MotoGP. Which is a Kevlar extra layer that we put on the rear tyre to keep the deformation as slow as possible.
“As you can imagine with all the forces coming through with the power of the bike, you can start having deformation of the tyre itself. And with this extra ply that you add on top of the tyre, from the construction side, it enables to have a more homogenous contact area on the ground.”
Steve: It appears Bridgestone as a company are having a big push into the market now, whereas when they were with MotoGP they were just concentrated on that.
Fabian Francois: “Looking a bit further, that’s the whole point. We wanted to be closer to the end users for our tyres. MotoGP was a very nice technology enhancement, but at one time we must decide what we want to do with our further line up. In the last three years we introduced 15 new tyres. That’s where you see we could concentrate on what our real end users are needing.”
Steve: What about the future? Is there some sort of long term goal for Bridgestone?
Fabian Francois: “Maybe motorsport activities will still do, for sure now we are fully active in the World Endurance Championship [WEC], which for us is the only world championship left where there is tyre competition. That’s where we want to be. To show we can do it, in any type of category, and that’s what we did last year. We introduced our racing tyres in the world championship endurance in 2017.”
FCC TSR Honda
Steve: How close are these standard slick tyres to what the WEC are using.
Fabian Francois: “YART and FCC are using prototype tyres in WEC. What you used today is I would say 90 per cent close.”
Steve: Thanks Fabian.
Josh Hook and the F.C.C. TSR Honda were the 2017-18 World Endurance Champions on Bridgestone
The next street tyre to arrive from Bridgestone is the successor to the S21, the new S22, and it is arriving in Australia very shortly.
The first enthralling round of the 2019 Australian Superbike Championship is but a memory – a vivid one at that – and now the second round at Wakefield Park is nigh. Bracksy looks back and peers into the future of what is shaping up as a momentous weekend at the Wakefield Park circuit near Goulburn in NSW, March 22-24.
If Alvaro Bautista was akin to a cyclone engulfing the WSBK paddock at the opening round of that Championship, in the ASBK class, Aiden Wagner was an air-to-ground, below radar low level attack dropping a couple of 500lb HE incendiaries on the ASBK field at Phillip Island.
Aiden Wagner – Maxwell tumbles – Image Rob Mott
A few weeks previously, the 25-year-old Queenslander, on his privateer Landsbridge Transport Yamaha R1 used the official ASBK test to strafe the field with armour piercing shells to let everyone know, he is back, fully fit, ravenous for success, and he doesn’t give a rat’s arse about reputations.
He certainly ruffled a few feathers at the test. By the end of race two of the ASBK Superbike season on Saturday Feb 23 they were singed beyond recognition with his scorched earth, take no prisoners policy.
Aiden Wagner – Maxwell tumbles – Image Rob Mott
With his round one victory with Pole, two wins and a second, the snatching strap of tension has been ratcheted up a notch. Or, five.
The quality and intensity of the on-track competition easily eclipsed the demonstration put on by the lads of the World Superbike field and showed the parity between the different motorcycles in our domestic championship is very even.
The ASBK season was shaping up as a landmark year, even before Wagner bounced back in the paddock. Now he is here, look out. The anticipation going into round two is even more palpable than the season opener.
Mike Jones will stand in for Troy Bayliss at Wakefield Park – TBG Image
2019 is shaping up as the most competitive in many a year, as each season seems to increase in intensity and level of competition.
Round 1 Recap
So let’s have a recap of the opening round then a peer into the looking glass to see what this weekend has in store.
There was plenty of anticipation as the meeting got under way and Bayliss led the first session to continue his testing form, but his weekend was to soon unravel. In the afternoon qualifying session he had a monumental get off heading into turn four when he was distracted by a rider stricken on the edge of the track. The bike was basically obliterated in the cartwheeling that was reminiscent of his crash on a Ducati during the Australian Grand Prix of 2003.
Thankfully, this time he walked away to be able to relate soon after that he had cracked a finger on his left hand and the bike “was sent to heaven”.
In qualifying the prodigal son, Wagner grabbed the number one slot, one-thousandth of a second under Bayliss’s lap record, set at the final round last year. More importantly, he scored an extra championship point that goes with it to lead a Yamaha block out of the front row.
Aiden Wagner – Image Rob Mott
This year the extra championship point for Pole Position at each round could be more critical than ever in deciding the champion. Remember when since Shawn Giles was pipped in a countback with Josh Brookes in 2005…
The privateer gave a bloody nose to the Yamaha Racing Team duo of Superbike returnee, Cru Halliday, and his team mate in the official Yamaha team Daniel Falzon who made up the front row.
Wagner has some very astute people in his corner with Sam Costanzo, the principal of Landbrige Transport and Landbridge Racing. Sam has a fine reputation for preparing race machines while Adrian Monti is a very astute and analytical operator who knows how to set up a race bike, and probably more importantly, the understanding to translate what a rider is talking about to bike set-up.
Aiden Wagner – Image Rob Mott
Before the opening race of the year, many people were asking the annual question of how far into the opening race we’d get before some carnage would erupt. In the past couple of years the season has only reached Turn Four on the opening lap before the cauldron has boiled over. Last year it was Glenn Allerton who hightailed it out of the race as he launched himself high over the bars, nearly bringing rain and almost dragging Wayne Maxwell off his bike as he flew past him.
It is understandable as it’s over four months since the last race of 2018 and we all know the eagerness riders display and the red mist visor is also a deeper tinge than normal for the opening laps of the year. In recent years there has been a bit of drama at Turn Four.
Race 1 – Phillip Island
This year we had to wait a few laps for the first real jaw dropping moment but the opening laps of race one were absolutely manic. What we had been anticipating had been confirmed. This year will be a seven-round, street brawl.
Falzon jumped to the front off the line to lead for the opening corners but Bayliss took over heading into turn 10 and led the frantic first lap across the line from Maxwell and Falzon. After a very mediocre start, Wagner was back in seventh, just shading Waters, the octuplet separated by less than a second. It was on as they all spread across the track careering to the apex on their 200+hp machines like the charge of the Light Horse, fighting for track position.
Wagner was excellent in testing. Now we were witnessing what he could do in a race mixed up with the pack of gangsters in front of him as Wagner commenced his carving exhibition. He showed from the outset that he is not here for a free lunch and it wasn’t even lunchtime Sunday!
Wayne Maxwell leads Aiden Wagner – TBG Image
He was up to second by the end of the third lap managing to pop out in front while everyone else was having a dip at the passing game, particularly Bryan Staring on the Kawasaki BC Performance ZX-10RR as he scythed his way through on the Dunlop shod machine to be among the leading pack climbing from 10th on the grid.
Wagner took the lead on the fourth lap and held it until the final few corners as he and Bayliss, Maxwell, Halliday, Waters, and Staring keeping well in touch
The first jaw dropping moment of the year came at the start of the sixth lap. Wagner led the charge from Maxwell and Bayliss, the others not far adrift as they tipped into Doohan Corner at a head shaking, meteoric rate. Wagner had a couple of bike lengths over Maxwell with Bayliss taking a deeper, more outer line into turn one but his entry speed was a little quicker, or maybe Maxwell slowed a tad but it was j-u-s-t enough for the brake lever of TB#32 machine to touch the rear of Maxwell’s machine.
The front wheel locked, a puff of blue smoke and in a nano second, Bayliss was sliding on his arse at over 200 kays and another steed of the Desmo Sport Ducati stable went looking for directions to the Pearly Gates to join its sibling.
The crash looked innocuous enough considering the speed of his trajectory into the kitty litter. Coming to a tumbling halt after a less than elegant face plant, he sat there, legs spread and punched the ground in exasperation, jumped to his feet and wandered back to the pits.
Bayliss may have exited stage left but that didn’t halt the swashbuckling as Staring joined the fray in fifth behind Wagner, Maxwell, Halliday and Waters. Half race distance and it was on.
The sword clashing continued at every corner and while Wagner led across the line there was plenty of pushing and shoving scything, slicing and magnificent dicing many times a lap.
Less than a second separated the quintet as they commenced the final lap but back markers were looming. The snarling pack negotiated the first couple ok but Wagner was baulked by one over Lukey Heights into T10. Maxwell was his typical blue heeler self as he nipped the heels of the Queenslander.
Out of T11 Wagner jumped on the gas, the pack broke away slightly losing drive which allowed Maxwell the opportunity to storm past into the lead and take the win from Wagner, with Staring filling the last step on the podium after another determined ride from the 2010 ASBK champion to prove that he will be in the mix all year.
Wayne Maxwell was clearly emotional after winning the opening race of ASBK season 2019 at Phillip Island, a win he had not expected as he was yet to feel as though the GSX-R was ‘his bike, and was not fully comfortable after a few years on Yamaha machinery – TBG Image
Wagner demonstrated in the opening stanza he has the goods to push for not only the privateer championship but the outright. He also has his own definitive style in riding a 1000cc machine at Phillip Island, riding more Supersport lines to carry corner speed. This was most evident at Turn 4 as he hung out very wide and swept across the track for a very late apex.
High corner approach had the others seemingly second guessing as if they tried to take an inside line there was a good chance that a collision may occur. In fact, it did happen with Halliday and Wagner touching with feet off the pegs, both lucky to stay aboard such was the hit.
Wagner and Halliday tussle – Rob Mott Image
His antics reminded us in the commentary booth of a philosophy of racing that 2002 Australian Supersport Champion, Shannon Johnson, uttered to explain some of his determined moves, “A front wheel has a three-and-a-half inch rim. If there is three and a half inches of track then there is enough room for me.”
What a scene setter for the year. The first World Superbike race soon after the opening leg was somewhat of an anti-climax compared to the cut and thrust of ASBK.
ASBK Superbike Race One Results
Wayne Maxwell – Suzuki
Aiden Wagner – Yamaha +0.147
Bryan Staring – Kawasaki +0.320
Maxwell had taken first blood, and was somewhat emotional in parc ferme as the 36-year-old had not expected to take the win. After recent years on Yamaha machinery, he was still not feeling fully comfortable on the GSX-R, saying the bike did not yet feel like his. Be interesting to see just how fast he goes when he does get back to that stage with familiarity on the Suzuki!
Wayne Maxwell celebrates victory – Image Rob Mott
Bayliss injuries surface
We didn’t have to wait long for part two later the same afternoon. If the opening race was a scene setter, race two will be in the background for the rest of the season as well. The action was a carbon copy of the opening leg with a few more exclamation marks for good measure – albeit with one disappointing turn of events.
After his whoopsie of the first race Bayliss seemed fine and in his usual laconic way was circumspect with the turn of events of his two massive crashes in less than 24 hours, but ready to come out swinging.
Bayliss headed out on a hastily prepared machine, but on the sighting lap as he applied the front brake for the first time he realised that he could close the ring finger of his right hand, but couldn’t extend it. A torn tendon forced his exit from the rest of proceedings and the loss of plenty of potential points.
Race 2 – Phillip Island
Race two soon turned into a Maxwell vs Wagner vs Waters vs Halliday vs Falzon affair, with the others not far off. Falzon crashed at turn 10 losing the front which baulked those following, allowing the top four a gap over the likes of Staring, Mike Jones (K&R Hydraulics ZX-10R) and Troy Herfoss on the Penrite Honda who was struggling to stay in touch.
Daniel Falzon slides out of contention – TBG Image
Wagner had complete faith in his front end in his desire to poke a wheel up the inside of the opposition and managed to hold his line. After a few laps the rear was starting to walk on him but he didn’t give a toss about what the rear was doing. He was right in the mix.
It all came down to the final lap dogfight. Again.
Hundredths of a second covered the top four and so typical of Phillip Island it all came down to the final four corners: setting up over Lukey Heights, a possible dive up the inside into MG Corner, then the drag through 11 and 12 to the line.
The last five hundred metres of the second Superbike race is now etched in history, but its repercussions may reverberate throughout the year. Maxwell had managed to get in front in the final set of corners and led Wagner, Waters and Halliday as they tipped into Turn 12.
Maxwell hung it up a little higher than usual leaving a bit of vacant bitumen. Wagner saw that lonely bit of bitumen as an invitation and reacted accordingly driving through – hugging the ripple strip, with Halliday and Waters line astern.
Aiden Wagner – Maxwell tumbles – Image Rob Mott
Kaa-boom! A clash as Wagner and Maxwell collided in the rush with Maxwell falling off the inside of the bike, cartwheeling into the track-side beach, spraying the gravel high.
Wagner kept it pinned as the carnage unfolded to take the flag from Halliday second and Waters third and a crater of destruction and controversy hot on their heels. Thankfully, Maxwell was soon on his feet and taking the long walk back to the pits from the outside of the track. Fuming.
Wayne Maxwell dusts himself off… – Image Rob Mott
Controversy
At race’s end, I descended down the stairs from the three-storey eyrie that is the commentary box in the control tower to head to park ferme to conduct the usual post race interviews. I had just emerged from the tower to pass a rapidly advancing and extremely arced-up, Phil Tainton from Team Ecstar Suzuki, who was charging up to race control to explain his point of view.
I hadn’t seen Phil like that in a long time. Hoo-ee, this has just taken the championship to another level.
There were plenty of words said from both sides and also the view of onlookers. Wagner claimed there was a gap. Maxwell claimed there wasn’t any room. Wagner was contrite and apologised to Maxwell for the incident but at the time it fell on deaf ears. Everyone else had their own opinion. Was there a gap or not?
Officials deemed it as a racing incident and no action was taken, much to the chagrin of some. Riders had different opinions with one telling me, “Tell them to stop sooking. It’s a racing incident. I’d rather be fighting for the lead and crashing than being back here where we are.” Touche!
Personally, I think it is fantastic for the intrigue and interest. It brought more international attention to the ASBK and many in the WSBK paddock were talking about it, including Jamie Whitham who thought it was fantastic. It made the opening WSBK race seem like a procession!
Whoever was right, or wrong, it brought back a statement that the great Ayton Senna said at the 1990 Australian F1 Grand Prix, “By being a racing driver you are under risk all the time. By being a racing driver means you are racing with other people. And if you no longer go for a gap that exists, you are no longer a racing driver because we are competing, we are competing to win. And the main motivation to all of us is to compete for victory, it’s not to come 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th. I race to win as long as I feel it’s possible. Sometimes you get it wrong. Sure, it’s impossible to get it right all the time. But I race designed to win, as long as I feel I’m doing it right.”
But that philosophy didn’t work out all that well for the Brazilian legend in the end did it…
Race 3 – Phillip Island
With the third and final race of the opening round held on Sunday morning, at least we could get our collective breath back over night. Lucky because race three left us all breathless. It was the race of the weekend.
Maxwell was battered and bruised after his 200 km/h+ get off the day before but his determination wasn’t lessened by any stretch. The anticipation was palpable.
Wayne Maxwell kits up – Image Rob Mott
Arthur Sissis stormed from 15th on the grid to grab the holeshot but was soon swamped as Waters led the first lap from Wagner and Falzon – the trio covered by 0.624 sec. Jones joined the fray on the next lap and created history by not only breaking the lap record but being the first rider to dip into a sub 1:32 with a corker of a lap to record 1:31.881!
ASBK Superbike 2019 – Race Three Start – Rob Mott Image
The leading freight train was adding extra carriages as the laps went by. It became a quintet the next lap when Haliday chimed in, 0.753 sec adrift.
Josh Waters leads into turn one – Rob Mott Image
The passing moves had been stepped up especially at the frighteningly fast Hayshed where Jones was making it his corner, just like Jamie Stauffer did in the past, to dive up the inside accelerating through the apex.
Mike Jones leads Cru Halliday – Rob Mott Image
Another couple of laps and there were seven carriages but none of them remained in the same place. It was mental the amount of positional changes and at two thirds race distance, seven bikes were covered by less than a second with Wagner and Jones taking turns to lead the end of consecutive laps.
Wagner made it two victories after getting the best of Jones by 0.317 sec (the largest gap over the three races), with Halliday in third, the trio separated by just 0.394 sec. A blink of the eye behind was Falzon, Waters and a very gallant Maxwell 0.933 away in sixth.
Over the three races you wouldn’t see as much carving in a dozen pubs for a Sunday roast! Enthralling. The total winning margin for the three races was an astronomical: 0.765!
What lies ahead this weekend? There are no similarities between Phillip Island and this weekend’s round at the tight twisty bumpy and extremely demanding Wakefield Park, except they are racetracks.
This weekend extreme tension is a given. How far before the tension is too much and something snaps is anyone’s guess but I reckon something will happen in qualifying in the fist fight for the extra championship point.
Troy Herfoss testing at Wakefield Park – TDJ Image
Herfoss will no doubt start as a favourite such is his affinity with the track and he will have an added incentive of making up for what was, in his and the team’s eyes, an extremely disappointing weekend at Phillip Island – a place that has never been too kind to him.
Maxwell has done well at the the track in recent years and the pair have split wins pretty evenly. Then there is Cru Halliday. He has had some memorable moments at the track and now he is back on a Superbike after his domination of last year’s Supersport title.
Wayne Maxwell testing at Wakefield Park – TDJ Image
Don’t be surprised if he takes a victory as he is a true dark horse for this year’s title, as is his team mate, Falzon. The South Australian, who now works as a fully qualified paramedic, has a hunger for race wins and he may well bring a take-no-prisoners approach into the meeting as well
Unfortunately, Bayliss will be a non starter but that allows Mike Jones to be reunited with the Desmo Sport Ducati team as he has been drafted in to fly the flag in the absence of Troy.
Mike Jones testing at Wakefield Park – TDJ Image
Staring showed that he and the Kawasaki BC Perfomance ZX10 is not too far off the pace. The big question mark for him is whether the Dunlop tyres are up to the rigours of the 2.2km track? Could they even have a weather dependent advantage this weekend..? Saturday and Sunday are looking warm.
Bryan Staring – TBG Image
Then there are the riders with three Australian Superbike Championships in Glenn Allerton and Josh Waters. Allerton and the Next Gen Motosrports BMW team have had a challenging start to the year. Still awaiting delivery of the new HP4, they had a setback with going to Dunlops then returning to Pirelli. At the Island they were well off the mark but anyone who discounts Allerton does so at their peril.
Glenn Allerton – TBG Image
The same must be said for Waters. After the disappointment of last year, the Gixxer and Waters look to be back to their rampaging best. Plus he now has a team mate that is out to claim another title, and we all know what they say about team mates.
Josh Waters testing at Wakefield Park – TDJ Image
Then there is Wagner. What he brings to the table has given the championship that bit of extra mongrel and disregard for reputations that the series has been aching for.
Mike Jones and Aiden Wagner – These two will figure hghly this weekend – Rob Mott Image
After his first round blitzkrieg the opposition will be more prepared to deal with what ever firepower Wagner throws their way. The arsenal of the opposition will be well stocked to defend the attacks.
Aiden Wagner – Image Rob Mott
Wakefield history
An interesting bit of trivia. In the past three years good mates, Maxwell and Herfoss have been the best performers at Wakefield, sharing the wins at three apiece. Herfoss has two second places to Maxwell’s one, with Herfoss’ worst result a fourth, while Maxwell has not fared quite as well overall, with an eighth and a DNF. Herfoss has also taken the last three pole positions. Herfoss’ points haul is 135 points compared to Maxwell on 108.
You stupid boy, get on your bike and check out this Brough Superior outfit used in the hit comedy TV shows Dad’s Army and George and Mildred.
The 1933 Brough Superior 1096cc 11-50hp and Cruiser Sidecar is heading to the Bonhams annual Spring Stafford Sale at the International Classic MotorCycle Show in Stafford on 27-28 April 2019.
The TV star outfit is expected to fetch up to £80,000 (about $A150,000).
Dad’s Army
It was used in 1972 in season five, episode 12 of Dad’s Army titled “Round and Round went the Great Big Wheel”.
Other bikes used in the series from 1970-77 include a Matchless G3L in the same episode as above and a BSA M21 in season seven.
George & Mildred
When the 1933 Brough Superior outfit was finished fighting off Mr Hitler’s invading forces, the bike was then featured heavily in George & Mildred (1976-79).
Its biggest starring role was in the opening credits.
We won’t tell you the punchline to the opening scene.
Suffice to say Mildred is once again less than impressed by George!
Before the Brough wound up on the “idiot box”, it started life as a works entry for the formidable ISDT (International Six Days Trial) in 1934, winning a coveted gold medal.
It is one of only 308 built and has been owned by a family for more than 50 years.
Superior Brough
However, it will not expected to be the superior bike at the auction.
That honour is expected to go to a 1926 Brough Superior 986cc SS100 Alpine Grand Sports estimated to fetch up to £180,000 ($A338,000).
It includes several modifications to improve reliability and practicality, including an anti-theft switch and an electrical generator concealed behind the gearbox.
Every Brough Superior was essentially a bespoke motorcycle, built to the customer’s individual requirements and famously earning the British company the nickname ‘The Rolls-Royce of Motorcycles’.
A succession of famous customers rode Broughs, including T. E. Lawrence – better known as Lawrence of Arabia.
A disabled Canberra rider could face a $228 fine for copying his disabled parking permit and making his own holder to use on his Harley because no suitably secure system is available for motorcycles.
Alan Francis, 68, says the ACT Transportation Department only supplies a flimsy plastic sleeve with the permit which would not be secure on a motorcycle.
“That’s discrimination of disabled riders,” he says.
The situation came to light recently when Alan received a $600 ticket for parking his 2015 Harley-Davidson Low Rider in a Canberra Hospital disabled park while he visited a terminally ill friend.
He says an eyewitness told him the inspector said handicapped stickers are for those who can’t walk any distance and if the owner could ride a Harley he was a “fraud”.
Painful suffering
The former firefighter and New Zealand sidecar champion says he suffers from a compressed spine and dead nerves in his legs which makes walking any distance painful and difficult.
“My feet are basically useless, but the Low Rider has forward controls and I can lift my leg to change gears,” he says.
“If I don’t have sturdy boots on, I am susceptible to falling over.
“And when I go for a ride with my mates they usually stand by the gutter and offer a shoulder soI can get on and off.
“But the moment I lift my feet of the ground I’m as good as the next guy on a motorcycle.”
Friend and Motorcycle Riders Association of the ACT president Lorne Thurgar confirms that Alan has a genuine ACT Government issued handicap pass and walks with a walking stick.
“The ticket should be cancelled and Alan deserves an apology,” Lone says.
Parking permits
The ACT disabled parking permit instructions say: “The Australian disability parking permit is correctly displayed if it is on the dashboard, or affixed to the windscreen, inside the vehicle or as close as practical to the front left side in a way that all permit details are clearly visible from outside the vehicle.”
The instructions make no allowances for motorcycles or for easily relocating a permit from the safety of a car’s interior to the vulnerability of a motorcycle.
So Alan photocopied the disabled permit, laminated it inside the supplied plastic holder and cable-tied it to his left saddlebag.
In 2016, a Canberra paraplegic driver was fined $228 for failing to display her ACT permit correctly.
“There is no holder to be able to do this with a motorcycle and they cannot provide one as I asked when I was given the permit,” Alan says.
“Ihave a car as well and carry my wheelchair in the car so I need my sticker in the car.
“For me to be legal on both vehicles and has been stated by them is that I have to remove the sticker from the car and firmly attach it to the bike in the yet-to-be-designed holder that meets their requirements.”
Alan says if the department can’t supply a secure holder for the permit, they should supply a second motorcycle-only permit for disabled riders.
“Iam now in the knowledge that my solution is illegal and I must be severely punished for it,” he says.
“Further to my situation is that I have received comment, but not from the department, that maybe I can’t be a pension-reliant person if I can afford a Harley.
“I don’t normally publicise this but the bike was a gift from my partner who has now passed away.”
Parking incident
As for the parking ticket, Alan says that when he parked in the disabled spot closest to the hospital elevators, he waved over a young female traffic controller to explain his situation.
“I told her ‘just out of courtesy I’m showing you that I am handicapped and legitimate’,” he says.
“About 50 minutes after parking there, the traffic inspector employed by the hospital started ticketing my motorcycle.
“The young girl came running over to him close to tears to explain that I’m an ok bloke and genuinely disabled, but she couldn’t stop him putting a ticket on it.
“Quite frankly what the parking inspector said to her about me being a fraud was soul destroying.”
Onerous appeal process
Alan says it was also a huge inconvenience to have to walk a long distance to Access Canberra (sic) to lodge his appeal against the ticket.
“The girl at the office looked up the sticker and told me it was legal and legit, but I would have to wait to find out if the ticket was rescinded.
“I’m speaking on behalf of disabled people; it’s straight out discrimination against disability.
“He’s shagged me round good and proper.”
Meanwhile, Alan says that he has now laminated the original permit in its plastic holder and cable-tied to the left pannier as it was when he was fined.
“I have chosen not to use a handicapped park for the car as at least I have the wheelchair to get me the further distances,” he says.
“My permit is again cable tied to the saddlebag which is still open to coping a fine I guess if a particular parking attendant randomly decides Iam a fraud.
“Had I been informed on the infringement notice that it was the permit and not the parking position that was the problem, this situation would have never transpired.
“I freely admit in hindsight that my solution was not appropriate and if I am to be fined it should be for this and not the parking position.”
ACT reply
We received this response from the ACT government’s media team:
Access Canberra does not publicly comment on individual parking issues through the media, in respect for the privacy of the individual.
However we can advise that we are looking to have this matter be resolved as soon as possible.
We can also advise that contact has been made with the individual and the reasons why the infringement was issued explained.
The individual should be hearing the outcome of the review in the near future.
Depending on the complexity of a review it may take a bit longer, however the majority are processed within six weeks.
We’d also like to provide a reminder to the community that Australian Disability Parking Permits (also known as Mobility Parking Permits) are valid for use by the person to whom they are issued and to no other.
Like with any form of identification such as a driver’s licence, an Australian Disability Parking Permit holder must display the actual permit issued by the Road Transport Authority on the motor vehicle used at the time for their transportation or for their parking requirements.
When it comes to motorbikes, it is important that the permits are securely displayed.
Australian supercross legend fights back to 11th position.
Image: Supplied.
Chad Reed has declared his charge from last to 11th in Indianapolis’ 11th round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship as one of his best main events of the 2019 season.
Showing strong pace earlier in the day, the two-time champion clashed with a rider on lap one and went down, forcing him to comeback from 22nd position to just outside of the top 10.
The JGRMX Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing rider has been left frustrated by his poor starts this year, vowing to turn them around as the season heads into the closing stages.
“The goal was to put together a more complete weekend,” Reed stated. “I was competitive in qualifying practice and possibly rode my best main of the season. As a team we made great progress throughout the weekend. Unfortunately, I had a crash on the opening lap of the main event and I was charging back from 22nd place.
“Still, I was happy with my pace for the race. Starts are frustrating – I feel like a golfer going through a bad swing cycle. I was awesome all off-season with my starts, and now find myself frustrated with my starts – I will continue working on this area.”
Reed, who scored a podium at Detroit’s eighth round, now sits seventh in the championship standings as the series heads to Seattle this weekend for round 12.
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