Italian contender collected ‘interesting’ data throughout testing.
Image: Supplied.
Andrea Dovizioso admits he’s exiting the MotoGP World Championship test at Losail International Circuit in Qatar not completely satisfied with his Ducati Desmosedici GP19.
Less than ideal conditions on the final day of testing proved challenging for the Mission Winnow Ducati Team rider, finishing 15th on the timesheets, however he believes there’s strong potential after collecting interesting data throughout the three days of on-track action.
“This closing day was complicated a bit by the wind, which didn’t allow to completely follow our program,” Dovizioso explained. “We focused on some aspects and, while we’re not far from our rivals, there is still room for improvement.
“Honestly I can’t say I’m completely satisfied, but I’m also convinced we have strong potential and I’m confident we can have a strong race. We collected plenty of interesting data and it will be important to make the most of it to make sure we’re as ready and competitive as possible in two weeks’ time.”
Dovizioso’s teammate Danilo Petrucci was stronger in the times, winding up ninth, while Australia’s Jack Miller, piloting a Pramac Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP19, was 10th fastest on day three. Round one of MotoGP is scheduled for 10 March at the Losail venue.
Victorian Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after a hit-and-run crash in West Melbourne left a motorcyclist with serious injuries.
The accident happened on Footscray Road at 5.10am today (February 28, 2019).
The 29-year-old male rider was treated by paramedics on scene and taken to hospital with serious injuries.
Police believe a white, early 2000s model Mitsubishi van, with registration plates WWX576, was seen leaving the scene travelling south on the Citylink, over the Bolte Bridge towards Port Melbourne.
Police are looking for a Mitsubishi van like this
The vehicle has damage to the front left side and a missing headlight from the hit.
Anyone who witnessed the collision or has dashcam footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
It follows the sad death yesterday of a 28-year-old rider in hospital after a collision in Tarneit on Sunday (February 24, 2019) about 8.45pm at the intersection of Bethany Road and Claire Way.
The motorcyclist from Tarneit was travelling east on Bethany Road when he collided with a BMW sedan as the vehicle was turning into Claire Way.
The driver, a 29-year-old Mount Waverly man, stopped and assisted at the scene.
The rider was taken to hospital with life threatening injuries but has sadly died.
Fan-favourite to ride Red Bull KTM Factory Racing contender in drivers’ parade.
Image: Supplied.
Toby Price will be honoured for his incredible 2019 Dakar Rally victory at the Formula 1 (F1) Rolex Australian Grand Prix next month in Melbourne, where he’ll join the official drivers’ parade for a lap of honour aboard his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing contender.
Price captured his second-career Dakar crown in January in a heroic campaign that saw him compete and ultimately win the 10-stage event while nursing a broken wrist.
Australian Grand Prix Corporation CEO, Andrew Westacott, said the scheduled lap of honour for Price at the F1 opener was a fitting way to acknowledge his global motorcycle triumphs.
“Toby Price is the only Australian to have ever conquered the gruelling Dakar Rally, and to have now won it for a second-time in defying circumstances is an incredible achievement,” said Westacott.
“What better way to celebrate Toby’s accomplishment than allowing him to join 20 of his peers that are the best racing drivers in the world in a lap of honour on the world stage.
“We are thrilled to honour Toby at the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix 2019 and see him receive the global recognition he deserves, when the world’s eyes are on Melbourne for the opening round of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship.”
The Formula 1 drivers’ parade will be held at 2:30pm local tome on Sunday, 17 March, ahead of the grand prix commencing.
Electric motorcycles are coming on a wave of hype about range of more than 300km, but are the claims a hoax?
Traditional petrol-powered motorcycles are quoted in terms of miles per gallon or litre per 100km. It provides a reliable and realistic guide to the range from a bike’s tank. Riding hard or conservatively doesn’t make a huge difference to range.
However, the range calculations for an electric motorcycle are not as simple.
Vacuum sucks
We recently bought an expensive cordless vacuum cleaner which was claimed to have a battery that would last for a couple of hours of cleaning.
However, that was based on using the low-powered mode. If you want to really suck and use the boost mode, you are flat out getting about 20 minutes out of it. And six months down the track, that’s more like 15 minutes.
I also once drove an early Tesla sportster on a hot day around the Ipswich Motorway for only five laps before the fully charged battery overheated and I had to pit.
On another occasion, I rode an electric Zero DS with a claimed 290km of range from the Gold Coast to home and nearly ran out of battery because I was riding on the highway.
MotorbikeWriter and Zero DS
Electric hoax?
So is electric motorcycle range a hoax to rope in riders who want to be seen to be keeping pace with the modern world and showing their “green” credentials (that is, if they have access to clean power for recharging!).
Battery range in electric vehicles is subject to so many variables a range figure is almost a pointless hoax.
Factors that affect battery range include:
Extreme ambient temperatures;
Riding modes such as “eco” and “sport”;
Constant throttle at highway speeds that deplete batteries faster;
Brake regeneration extends range in stop-start traffic; and
Downhill sections conserve battery power.
Riders will have to think totally differently about electric motorcycles and almost disregard the salesperson’s claims about range.
For example, highway and city riding yield totally opposite range yields to a traditional petrol engine.
The latest Zero SR/F comes with this complex table of range calculations that vary from 132km on the highway to amiss double in the city! It’s enough to confuse any buyer.
Range
PREMIUM
STANDARD
City
259km
259km
Highway, 89km/h
159km
159km
Combined
198km
198km
Highway, 113km/h
132km
132km
Combined
175km
175km
Range (based on EU standard)
157km
158km
Electric sales
But the complex range claims have not stopped the surge of electric motorcycle sales, particularly in Asia and Europe.
While more than 90% of electric bike sales are low-powered scooters and mopeds in Asian, Europe is surging ahead on the back of a host of financial incentives for the sale and use of electric bikes.
While motorcycle sales in Europe rose by 9.9% in 2018, electric motorcycle sales rose 81.5%, although they still represent only 0.75% of all motorbikes sold in Europe.
New range claims
Almost every day an electric motorcycle company makes outlandish clams about extended range.
A Chinese company claims it has a prototype power cruiser made of lightweight aluminium withup to 400 km of range and charging from flat to full in just 15 minutes.
Battery life
As for the longevity of expensive batteries, there are few examples as electric motorcycles have not been around long enough.
However, Italian electric bike company Tacita says that in almost eight years their batteries have had more than 1700 recharging cycles with unchanged range.
They say they can guarantee 80% of the battery’s energy will remain after 4000 charge cycles.
I don’t say I disbelieve their claims, but they do make a mockery of my vacuum cleaner experience!
Queenslander signs with Kawasaki Racing Team Brazil.
Image: Supplied.
Anthony West has signed with Kawasaki Racing Team for the 2019 Superbike Brazil Championship, ensuring he remains competitive after being provisionally suspended last year.
“Great news, I’m unstoppable,” West said in a social media statement. “I just signed with Kawasaki Racing Team to race all 10 rounds of the Brazil SBK championship for 2019 – I’ll be racing the new Ninja ZX-10R. Thanks to Arai helmets and Fusports boots for sticking with me everywhere I go.
“And thanks to all fans who support me every step of the way. I figured after seeing how fast Alex Barros is at 48 and Troy Bayliss at 49 and still carving up younger riders, that gives me hope I still have more then 10 years left in the sport. You’re not getting rid of me that easy.”
The Superbike Brazil Championship, a non-FIM sanctioned series, is one of the few championships in the world that allows West to compete. The opening round commences on 24 March at Autodrome of Interlagos.
A fatal motorcycle crash on a corrugated road surface has sparked a new training program for inspectors to look out for specific road hazards that endanger motorcyclists.
VicRoads Safe System Road Infrastructure Program director Scott Lawrence says the training for existing surveillance officers would help road crews “better identify imperfections and other potential road hazards for motorcyclists”.
“The program has been designed by leading road safety experts with extensive motorcycle safety knowledge to help identify road imperfections and other hazards and ensure these are remedied as soon as possible,” Scott says.
“The surveillance officer teams, some of which include motorcyclists, are committed to reducing road hazards including surface imperfections (particularly on bends and on the approaches to bends), debris and other environmental factors that could destabilise riders.”
He advises that motorcyclists can also call 13 11 70 to report a road hazard.
Fatal road hazards
Victorian Motorcycle Council media spokesman John Eacott says the move is a direct result of “a fatal motorcycle accident involving a pavement shove (corrugations) which destabilised the bike”.
He says the training “can only be seen as a positive”.
“The VMC support this and look forward to more road safety initiatives that make riding safer,” he says.
“One such initiative which is long overdue is an extensive campaign to educate all road users about motorcycle lane filtering and both its safety and congestion-relieving benefits.”
Dangerous road conditions are no laughing matter for riders
Former No 1 member of the Motorcycle Riders Association of Australia, Rodney Brown suggests motorcycle riders have input into the new VicRoads training.
“VicRoads needs to undertake a proper training needs analysis in partnership with motorcycle riders, pillions and other stake holders,” he says.
Dean Marks, the independent rider representative on the Motorcycle Experts Advisory Panel to the Roads Minister, questions the ability of VicRoads to respond fast enough to road hazards.
“VicRoads has not really done any sort of serious advisory work to notify riders and drivers of this number and process. It is something you need to search for,” he says.
“As we know, road conditions that may be suitable for four-wheeled vehicles may have a very different and fatal outcome for riders.
“Should riders stop and call every time they encounter unsafe road conditions, they would be lucky to cover 200 metres in a day.
“We are yet to see what will be done in the form of response to any hazard called in. We already have a plethora of situations where VicRoads have been advised of serious hazards and they still remain unmarked for elongated periods of time.
“I honestly feel that riders are treated with a great deal of contempt. In any environment where safety is paramount, education and proactive actions are first and foremost.”
An extension of the bus lane trial in Hoddle and Fitzgerald streets to include the Eastern Freeway inbound from the Chandler Highway to Hoddle Street, and Victoria Parade between Hoddle Street and Brunswick Street;
Developing a learner and novice rider pack containing tips, resources, a high-visibility vest and other “safety” equipment; and
The MotoCAP motorcycle protective clothing star rating system will be “further promoted to help riders make better choices when it comes to buying safety gear”.
Experienced talent to pilot all-new WR450F in E2 category.
Image: John Pearson.
New South Welshman Josh Green believes he’s in a good place ahead of the opening round of the 2019 Yamaha bLU cRU Australian Off-Road Championship, scheduled to launch on 9-10 March at Toowoomba in Queensland.
The Yamaha Active8 Yamalube Racing Team rider is set to pilot the all-new WR450F in the E2 category, the number 99 already declaring his comfort aboard the updated machine introduced for 2019.
“I have really gelled with the 2019 WR450F since the first day I rode it and feel that the changes Yamaha have made have improved the bike significantly,” said Green. “My times in testing have improved and we have just fine tuned the bike for Australian race conditions and I’m confident we are in a good place heading into round one.”
Green will be be joined by reigning E1 champion Luke Styke at the factory Yamaha squad, who’ll defend his crown in the class, while two-time Under 19’s champion Michael Driscoll will graduate to the professional ranks, contesting E1 alongside Styke.
Not only backing the series and the Active8 squad, Yamaha Motor Australia has also thrown its support behind a list of riders, including Stefan Granquist, Jeremy Carpentier, Nic Tomlinson, Riley Graham, Kirk and Harley Hutton, as well Jess Gardiner and Emelie Karlsson in the Women’s division.
A new Yamaha apprenticeship program is providing a unique opportunity for a passionate motorcycle enthusiast, with Yamaha Motor Australia seeking a passionate motorcycle enthusiast looking to establish a successful career in an industry they love.
The recent podium result by SunCity Yamaha technician Darren Stout at the 2018 World Motorcycle Technician Grand Prix, strengthened Yamaha Motor Australia’s resolve to set a solid foundation to build the company’s future.
Yamaha Motor Australia Apprenticeship Program
The opportunity within Yamaha Motor Australia is a first step towards a rewarding career with the Yamaha family, and the new initiative is seeking a future Technician Grand Prix champion with an apprenticeship opportunity for a motorcycle technician.
The successful applicant will be mentored by our industry-leading technicians at the Yamaha Motor Australia head office located in Sydney’s Western Suburbs. Practical experience working for dealers within the Yamaha network will be complemented by an exciting opportunity to spin spanners for Yamaha’s factory race teams.
Yamaha’s 2019 YZF-R1
Nathan Ellery – External Training Coordinator
“Yamaha Motor Australia is focused on fueling the professional development of our next generation. We will start by providing an opportunity for an aspiring motorcycle technician to be our first apprentice. We love motorcycles and aim to create a career path for a “bLU Future” within Yamaha Motor Australia.”
Passion is Yamaha’s ethos, and by offering this unique entry-level opportunity Yamaha Motor Australia is looking to ignite the passion in a youngster who knows that a ticket to a MotoGP and WSBK factory team starts with mastering the basics in the workshop.
Yamaha Motor Australia Apprenticeship Program
Anyone who feels they have the right stuff to join the Yamaha Motor Australia team is invited to view the complete job description at https://yma.bike/career (link).
Miller and Bagnaia pull the covers off their current Ducati contenders.
Image: Supplied.
Pramac Racing has uncovered its fresh look for the 2019 MotoGP World Championship designed by the Centro Stile Lamborghini, launched in a live broadcast from Milan, Italy.
Fielding Australian fan-favourite Jack Miller and MotoGP rookie Francesco Bagnaia, the team enters its 18th consecutive season of being on the grid in the prestigious series.
Miller, embarking on his second campaign with the outfit, will pilot the latest Ducati Desmosedici GP19 this year, recently completing a positive test at Qatar.
“This is a very important season for me,” Miller declared. “I have the official version of the Ducati Desmosedici GP at my disposal and I have to show that I can be competitive fighting with the leading group.
“I will also be able to count on the support of my team with whom we have built a wonderful relationship over the past season. Now it’s time to make a qualitative leap forward in terms of results.”
Bagnaia added: “I’m thrilled to be starting this new adventure with a team that from day one has been very present, very attentive and with great ambitions – these are very important factors for me.
“We did well during tests and lap after lap the feeling with the bike has improved. The first grand prix, however, is already just around the corner and I can’t wait to get on track in Qatar.”
The opening round of the 2019 MotoGP World Championship is scheduled for 10 March at Losail International Circuit in Qatar.
KTM are counting down the days until they open “KTM Motohall’s” doors in May. Just in time for the new season, the KTM Motohall will welcome KTM fans from all over the world to its unique experience destination in the center of KTM’s hometown of Mattighofen.
Dakar 2019
The doors of the KTM Motohall will soon be officially opened to visitors and employees. The building is located in the heart of the town, just a stone’s throw away from the where the company was founded, and has an innovative design, with a striking metal construction in the form of a tire track pattern as the architectural highlight.
The KTM Motohall has over 100 “READY TO RACE” exhibits, but is much more than just a traditional motorcycle museum. As well as recounting the impressive history of how the company became a solid foundation for the two-wheeled culture in the entire region, the KTM Motohall also provides an exciting insight into the present.
Toby Price – Image by Sebas Romero
The exhibition center was created by a team of architects from Upper Austria, consisting of Hofbauer: Architect working in close collaboration with “X-Architekten”. What’s more, the renowned Atelier Brückner was also brought on board to work on the design as a whole. The experts from Stuttgart have brought a total of 2600 square meters to life with exhibits, installations, video technology, and racetracks. Interactivity is a core concept of the KTM Motohall.
The main focus of the final phase of the construction work is currently on the restaurant and bar, the large Innovation Lab, the events venue with capacity for 400 people, a spacious shop, workshops, the three-story underground parking garage, and a large motorcycle parking area.
The opening weekend of the KTM Motohall will finally arrive on May 11 and 12.
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