Former AMA supercross and motocross regular turned desert racer Andrew Short will add the WORCS series to his racing commitments in 2018 as he joins the American Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing outfit.
Short, already a member of the global factory Husqvarna team in desert and rally racing, is set pilot the FX 450 in next year’s WORCS championship alongside his efforts in the Dakar Rally and FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship.
“I am really excited to join the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team and to race the WORCS series,” Short commented. “I think it’s something that has become a big passion of mine.
“The off-road community is unique and how they approach racing is really cool. With my motocross background and continuing to race rally, I feel like off-road is a great combination of the two and I am hoping to find a lot of success doing it.”
The American favourite retired from a lengthy motocross and supercross career in 2016 before making a shock transition to rally racing, beginning with the 2018 Dakar Rally. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Team is set to be completed by Colton Haaker, Thad Duvall and Trevor Bollinger.
Contributed post for our important American readers
Ah, America. The land of the free, the home of the brave. But to what extent are we allowed to exercise the freedom that was paid for in blood, sweat, and tears by our forebears? There are so many fun things to do in life and motorcycle riding is probably one of the most fun.
But what limits are set? What lines are drawn? When does enjoyment become harmful to an equally-entitled citizen? Well, as a general rule, you’re allowed to wave your fist around as long as it doesn’t hit you or anybody else.
But that’s a description that, while it encapsulates the core idea of rights, doesn’t really help much in terms of helping us regulate our behavior. Well, that’s what this article is intended to help with. While it’s true that there are so many rules to follow, these are the ones that you should never, ever break.
Always Wear a DOT-Approved Helmet
This is the most basic tenet of riding safety. You don’t need to finish a few units of Anatomy and Physiology to know that head injuries are extremely dangerous and that it’s so easy for them to become fatal. This is why the Department of Transportation puts heavy emphasis on wearing proper protective gear when riding your motorcycle. Here’s a quick guide on what exactly are the DoT’s standards when it comes to helmet types.
Use Appropriate Lights and Light Signals
It may seem like a very basic rule but many motorists — not just motorcycle riders, but car drivers too — seem to forget it. You can’t expect your fellow motorists to be able to read your mind. Give them a heads up for them to be able to react to the next move you’re going to make. While it’s generally advisable to avoid riding your motorcycle at night (because motorcycles are easily overlooked), if you really must, then always, always keep your headlights on.
Following this rule will not only keep you from causing any accidents, it’ll also save you the trouble of having to pay for medical expenses and having to look for experienced motorcycle accident lawyers like the professionals at Farris, Riley & Pitt, LLP.
Don’t Swerve, Just Do a Slow Curve
Erratic driving and sudden turns will almost always result in accidents. Even when you make use of proper light signals, it’s still better to change direction gradually rather than abruptly. Motorcycles aren’t as stable as their 4-wheeled counterparts, and are therefore most prone to the loss of control.
This rule becomes even more important during less-than-ideal road conditions. Wet roads, and even worse, snow and ice-covered roads are to be avoided in general. Only ride when the weather’s ideal, unless you really need to.
Wear Proper Motorcycle Riding Attire
No, denim isn’t abrasion-resistant enough to pass for proper bike attire. All riders go down at some point in their bike-riding journey. You don’t want to be reminded of that time you lost control and ended up sliding (quite painfully too) across the rough concrete. Save yourself the pain and the scar and make sure to get armored protective gear.
Riders hit the track in preparation for the 2019 season.
Image: Supplied.
Maverick Vinales (Yamaha Factory Racing) took the first honours of 2019 track action at the Valencia, setting the quickest time of 1m31.416s to head 2018 world champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) by 0.302s, with Valentino Rossi (Yamaha Factory Racing) third on the timesheets.
The timesheets weren’t the only headline-makers, however, as we witnessed Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team), Johann Zarco (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and others get to grips with their new machines – although it was an earlier end to the day than anticipated after rain cut action short in the late afternoon.
The day also began with a similar problem, with the skies dry but the track a little damp, and that delayed proceedings a little. Once it did get underway, the day ushered in a new era.
At the Repsol Honda Team, Marquez was a threat near the top for much of the day and the reigning champion had two other black-liveried bikes in the garage – a 2019 development bike and an all-new bike for the coming season. But arguably the biggest talking point from the test was Lorenzo’s debut on an RC213V machine.
The five-time World Champion didn’t head out until around 1pm local time, but eventually completed 30 laps before rain stopped play at around 3:20pm. Still not up to full fitness after his wrist injury, Lorenzo ended day one with the 18th fastest time – his 1m32.959s was 1.543s off Vinales as he begins his adaptation from Ducati to Honda.
Vinales was the later improver to take to the top. The Spaniard’s main focus was on the engine, and he began with some time on the ‘old’ bike. Then? “We changed the engine and we felt like we’d suddenly improved on the points we need to,” says the Spaniard. “I’m really happy and the direction we followed with Yamaha was the correct one. We felt much better into the corner, it’s where we needed to improve and now we’re trying to understand how to improve the acceleration.
“The difference is especially on the engine braking. The new engine is much better,” he adds – and he confirmed he did his fastest lap-time on the new engine. Teammate Valentino Rossi, meanwhile, was also near the top – and he had positive things to say about the engine he tried, that it stresses the tyre less. He also gave a peek of what he’ll be working on tomorrow – another spec.
“Today we tried one (engine) and tomorrow we’ll try the other one, which is similar but different. Tomorrow, the most important thing is try the second spec. For me, these two tests are not crucial, but are important. We have time until next February to choose the engine, but in this test we can give a good indication to work more in one way.”
Ducati was a slightly different story, with 2017 and 2018 runner-up Andrea Dovizioso left a little frustrated after day one. With no dry lap-times from the weekend as a reference, the Italian worked on an updated GP18 to lay down some laps to use as a comparison for the new bike – but then it rained. Tomorrow the number 04 will be looking to get that base and then begin work in earnest if the weather proves better, but he did finish day one only 0.001 off Rossi.
On the other side of the garage, newcomer Danilo Petrucci described it as the first day at school as he debuts in factory colours, and had no negatives to report back. Test rider Michele Pirro, meanwhile – the only rider to crash on the opening day – headed out on a GP19 for 19 laps to set the 10th fastest time, 0.804s from the top.
Behind Dovizioso, LCR Honda Castrol’s replacement rider Stefan Bradl completed the top five after 51 laps, putting in a 1m32.015s, with teammate Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) a little further down the timesheets in P13.
In sixth came one of the most impressive performances of the day from new team on the grid Petronas Yamaha SRT. Franco Morbidelli, fresh from being crowned 2018 Rookie of the Year, was only two tenths off Rossi and using a hybrid of Johann Zarco’s former 2018 bike with a new engine from the factory.
And on his first ever outing on a MotoGP machine, teammate Fabio Quartararo was able to get 38 laps under his belt to set a quickest time of 1m33.850s – 2.434s off Vinales. The biggest change? The Frenchman reported it was the power – and where he has to brake in the premier class compared to the intermediate.
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was satisfied and positive after day one too. The Spaniard was working on updates and hopes the machine will be the basis of their 2019 bike, and he was up the timesheets from early in the track action and eventually finished up in P7. New teammate Andrea Iannone also took to the RS-GP for the first time. The Italian was only able to get 15 laps under his belt to as he ended the day in P19, while test rider Bradley Smith was able to get to grips with his new bike – 17 laps completed for the British rider, with a best time of 1m33.709s.
Behind Aleix Espargaro and Petrucci was the hero of the hour for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing on Sunday: Pol Espargaro. The Spaniard was positive after day one and ended up P9, putting in 35 laps due to the decreased track time and eager to go again tomorrow. The focus, he says, is currently on electronics – where KTM could stand to make a key gain as they aim to establish themselves as regular runners nearer the podium they took in the grand prix.
New teammate Johann Zarco, meanwhile, reported a 50/50 day – the Frenchman said he initially struggled to find a base setting but is delighted with the feeling in the team and the factory support; another eager to head out again on Wednesday. Zarco was P17 overall, seven tenths off his new teammate.
The fastest rookie of the day was Francesco Bagnaia, who joins Alma Pramac Racing. He impressed in P11 just behind Pirro, and was focusing on simply putting in the laps and settling in. His teammate Jack Miller, meanwhile, said his new bike has almost nothing in common with the old and had positive reports – although the Australian’s day was brought to an even earlier end due to a small technical problem they’ll have rectified for day two. He ended the day in P14.
Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins slots into P12 after day one. A podium finisher on Sunday, Rins was straight back to business in testing and, much like Dovizioso at Ducati and Marquez at Honda, was about to head out to begin some key work when the rain came down. The Spaniard was suited and booted to start evaluating the Hamamatsu Factory’s new engine, but that will now be a task for tomorrow. Rookie teammate Joan Mir, meanwhile, ended the day in P15 just behind Jack Miller – and only a few tenths off Rins after an impressive first day of ‘official’ experience – having briefly tested the Suzuki in Japan previously.
Just behind Mir came Tito Rabat (Reale Avintia Racing). The Spaniard, out of action since his crash at Silverstone, said he was positively surprised how he felt on the bike and his sixteenth-place finish on the first day showed once again that the former intermediate class champion is made of steel. His new teammate, Karel Abraham, was four tenths off him as the Czech rider moves in one leap from a GP16 to a GP18. He spent most of the day settling in, and reported he made some big changes already.
Jonas Folger (Yamaha Test Team) was another man back in action as he begins working as a Europe-based test rider for the Iwata factory. He did 30 laps on the first day and was 0.040s ahead of Quartararo.
The final names on the timesheets were Hafizh Syahrin and Miguel Oliveira, who both begin new eras – as does the Tech 3 team. Beginning a new chapter with KTM, the KTM Tech 3 Racing riders put in 20 and 33 laps respectively as the Malaysian adapts from the Yamaha and Oliveira adapts from Moto2. Riders will return to the track today for day two.
Melbourne rider Dennis Savic, 26, spent more than 650 hours designing and building the prototype.
The three Cafe Racer production versions will be made in Melbourne and Taiwan. They will be available in 2020.
Alpha 60kW, from $20,000;
Delta 40kW, from $15,000; and
Omega 20kW, from $12,000.
Each model comes with several battery pack options. The largest offered in the Alpha will provide range of up to 250km, while the smallest option in the Omega will have 50km range.
Like all electric vehicles, peak torque is instantaneous and Dennis says his bike will accelerate from 0-100km in four seconds.
Customers will be able choose a range of options in brakes, suspension, wheels, tyres and three colours – Spectre, Stealth, and Rustic.
Aftermarket upgrades will also be offered.
Savic says it’s a ‘dream come true’
Dennis Savic on a Magelli converted to electric in 2016
This is a bit of a dream come true.
When I was 14, I decided I wanted to design and build my own vehicles one day. So I did my engineering degree and when I graduated about three years ago I got stuck into it. It’s been a long time coming.
These motorcycles are a unique offering with the most advanced features and functionality that the materials, engineering, electronic controls, electrical technology and 3D printing can offer today.
We have created a unique design featuring a perfectly rolled (not bent) backbone frame and developed our own powertrain package.
Our 5-10 production prototypes will start manufacture in the coming months. They feature a fully integrated, stressed, liquid-cooled, motor and energy storage system.
Depending on the model and battery pack a customer selects, a single charge can provide up to 11kWh. That costs only $3 as opposed to $15 for a petrol bike to travel 250km.
We will focus on sales and production first in Australia, then take the offering to international markets.
Our aim is to close our second round of private equity funding by February 2019.
We are accepting inquiries for our 10 C-FE (founder edition) models for 2019 and I already have a number of inquiries about the production run of about 50-100 for 2020.
Tough market
Every week we hear of a new electric motorcycle or company from traditional motorcycle companies and newcomers like Savic Motorcycles.
We wish Dennis the best of luck, but he is up against some tough hurdles in Australia:
However, it’s great to see a young Aussie engineer getting in early and developing a homegrown product.
Dennis has promised to stay in touch with Motorbike Writer during the process toward production.
‘Tis the season to find a Schuberth or Held product for a heck of a deal.
Begin press release:
It’s the SCHUBERTH North America and Held Biker Apparel’s BIG Parking Lot Sale on Friday, November 30th and Saturday, December 1st! During this sale you’ll find everything you need for urban, sport-touring, cruising, or adventure riding. From tinted visors and accessories for your SCHUBERTH helmet to get you ready for riding reason to Held riding apparel and bags, this free event has something for everyone. The event kicks off Friday at 9am until 3pm and Saturday at 9am and ends at 3pm. The festivities are taking place in the parking lot at SCHUBERTH North America in Aliso Viejo, click here for directions: SCHUBERTH Parking Lot Sale.
SCHUBERTH will have unbelievable deals* on discontinued colors and graphics in different models to choose from. Held biker apparel will have amazing prices* on gloves, riding gear, and a limited inventory of riding bags!
*ALL SALES ARE FINAL (No exchanges or refunds and No warranties offered)
No parking fees, no entry fees, just walk on up to this free event and shop to your heart’s content. The sale will be a great way to spend a Friday or Saturday and help get you excited for riding season. Not sure about the size helmet you wear? Step into our mobile showroom to get fitted and while you are inside you can see our current portfolio of helmets and the variety of colored and tinted visors we offer.
Located at 33 Journey, in Aliso Viejo, CA, 92656; no matter if your favorite place to ride to is Cook’s Corner, Hell’s Kitchen, Palomar Mountain, down PCH, Jackson State Forest, the Sequoia National Forest, or Ranchita to Borrego Springs, SCHUBERTH North America and Held Biker Apparel will have you covered.
About SCHUBERTH North America
Helmet manufacturer SCHUBERTH is based in Magdeburg, Germany. They have been designing and manufacturing high-end head protection systems since the early 1950s. With their wide range of innovative products, the company is a world leader in motorcycle and motorsport helmets as well as protective helmets for industrial, fire service, police, and military use. For more information please visit www.schuberth.com.
The Honda Gold Wing is already a comfortable motorcycle, but there’s always room for improvement to suit your personal tastes. That’s where the new HeliBars duo-position risers come into play.
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HeliBars is proud to introduce its first-ever duo-position motorcycle handlebar risers. The new Tour Performance Duo Position Handlebar Relocation Adapters take the sport-touring-focused 2018 Honda Gold Wing’s ergonomics almost one step forward and more thantwo steps back, respectively, in their Sport and Touring riding positions.
In either setting, these risers make the ‘Wing more comfortable and competent than when it rolled off the showroom floor – during parking-lot maneuvers, flowing through corners and out on the open road.
Tour Performance Duo Position Handlebar Relocation Adaptersare simply installed between the motorcycle’s handlebars and their mounts, perfectly integrating with stock components. When set in Sport mode, the adapters elevate each bar 5/8-inch, relocate the handgrips 3Ž4-inch forward and place them 1-1/4-inch farther apart, offering optimal ergonomics for fully-engaged riding and making the bike feel even lighter on its feet. When set in Touring mode, the Duo Position relocators also move the bars 5/8-inch higher, but bring the grips 2-3/4-inch closer to riders, allowing ‘Wing pilots to sit back in the saddle with more relaxed arms, neck, shoulders and back.
The strong, light adapters are machined from 6061 T-6 aluminum and have drain holes in their recessed mounting bores to eliminate corrosion from pooling water. They also feature a hard-coat, black-anodized finish and come with high-grade 10.9 hardware. To reduce cost and complexity, everything integrates with the Honda’s original wiring, cables and hydraulic lines, so messy, time-consuming re-routing and fluid bleeding are not required.
The Duo Position Handlebar Relocation Adapters don’t adversely affect the Wing’s unique double-wishbone front suspension system. They’re also engineered to perfectly integrate with the Honda’s tank-top controls. Meticulous fit testing ensures that the Heli-bolstered handlebars still move freely from lock-to-lock and steer clear of the bike’s wide windscreen.
Installation doesn’t require permanent modifications. The process is straightforward, using common tools and following the comprehensive installation manual, which is illustrated with photos every step of the way. This printed guide is included with the Tour Performance Duo Position Handlebar Relocation Adapterkit and conveniently available online.
Since 1987, HeliBars has custom-engineered more than 80 different applications that greatly improve the ergonomics on bikes of every genre: ADV, cruiser, naked, retro, sport, and sport-touring, standard and touring machines — without changing their overall looks — allowing motorcyclists to venture further and more often in greater comfort.
HeliBars products are designed, tested and proudly manufactured in the US of A. They’re backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee via Heli’s 30-day return policy, and come with a one-year warranty.
For more information about HeliBars comfort solutions, to find a dealer or place an order directly, please visit HeliBars.com or call 800-859-4642, then visit the company’s Facebook page, YouTube channel and Twitter postings.
Italian motorcycle helmet manufacturer Momodesign has added a fan that activates at low speed to keep the airflow going to your head in the hot summer months.
The Aero helmet features a Tornado Ventilation System that switches off at high speeds and only activates at low speeds thanks to a built-in GPS.
It’s not the first helmet with a cooling solution.
The Ducati Supersport is being recalled because their mirrors may vibrate too much, affecting their usability. The recall affects 1,676 motorcycles, including both the base model and the Supersport S version, from model years 2017 to 2019.
According to recall documents released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, certain frequencies created by a combination of vehicle and engine speeds as well as gear position, may cause the mirrors to vibrate enough to distort visibility of the reflection.
The problem was first identified in September 2018 as a result of ongoing testing by Ducati North America. The North American branch alerted the parent company which decided to initiate a recall on Nov. 8.
Ducati dealers will install redesigned mirrors on recalled Supersports. The new mirrors add a reinforcement plate behind the mirror (pictured in green below) that should reduce vibration. Unfortunately, the new parts are not expected to arrive until February.
If you’ve been thinking about trying an EagleRider tour but have been on the edge because of pricing, now’s the best time to give it a try.
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Retailers may look forward to holiday shopping every year but travel companies are fast becoming the biggest beneficiaries of the season of giving. Experiences have quickly become one of the fastest-growing segments of the gift industry, as research has shown experiences make us happier than consumer goods do. And with the growth of experiential gift options – from gift cards to subscription services to actual travel bookings – some of the leading American travel companies have learned to capitalize on the trend with incredible holiday promotions.
EagleRider, the world’s largest motorcycle travel company, is offering a 50% discount on motorcycle rentals for winter getaways. For a rental of a new Harley that normally costs $149 a day, EagleRider is only charging $79 per day.
“The growth of the experience economy has been incredible for us because these consumers want exactly what we offer: authentic adventures on the wide open road with some help from experienced professionals,” said Chris McIntyre, CEO and Co-Founder of EagleRider. “We have always delivered premium experiences for people and it’s exciting that such a business can still thrive today.”
If you’re interested in sharing more about the gift of riding, please visit: www.eaglerider.com.
Maverick Viñales (Yamaha Factory Racing) took the first honours of 2019 track action at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, setting the quickest time of 1:31.416 to head 2018 World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) by 0.302, with Valentino Rossi (Yamaha Factory Racing) third on the timesheets.
Maverick Viñales
Onlookers also witnessed Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team), Johann Zarco (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and others get to grips with their new machines – although it was an earlier end to the day than anticipated after rain cut action short in the late afternoon.
The day also began with similar weather problems, with the skies dry but the track a little damp, and that delayed proceedings a little. Once it did get underway, the day ushered in a new era.
At the Repsol Honda Team, Marquez was a threat near the top for much of the day and the reigning Champion had two other black-liveried bikes in the garage – a 2019 development bike and an all-new bike for the coming season.
Marc Marquez
But arguably the biggest talking point from the test was Lorenzo’s debut on an RC213V machine. The five-time World Champion didn’t head out until around 1pm local time, but eventually completed 30 laps before rain stopped play at around 15:20.
Jorge Lorenzo
Still not up to full fitness after his wrist injury, Lorenzo ended Day 1 with the 18th fastest time; his 1:32.959 was 1.543 off Viñales as he begins his adaptation from Ducati to Honda.
Marc Marquez
“Unfortunately, we weren’t able to try everything we had planned to, as the track was still half-and-half in the morning and it started raining again later in the afternoon. So we only did 25 laps. Anyway, we tried three different bikes, starting with the current one but moving immediately to two other bikes, each with slightly different specifications. It was a positive test; there’s still a lot of work to do but we’re on the right path and the first feeling is good. Tomorrow we’ll continue with the same plan, trying to understand the bike’s balance because it changed a bit, and we still have to test the other small modifications. Pre-season just started, so we look forward to improving step by step.”
Marc Marquez
Viñales was the later improver to take to the top. The Spaniard’s main focus was on the engine, and he began with some time on the ‘old’ bike before changing to a new engine option which helped put him on the top of the timesheets.
Maverick Viñales
“We tried to make a step forward with the engine, and I just felt really good going out. We still need to amend the engine in terms of acceleration, because the engine is different from what we had during the 2018 season. We need to keep going and I’m really happy. Tomorrow we might have another engine with another step. Maybe we will try that, but I’m quite happy with what we have now, so I want to make laps and set up the electronics really well, because it changes a lot over the whole track and we didn’t have time to do it today. I did my best lap with the new engine. I feel the direction we’re going in is the right one, because I feel much better in the corners, which is where we needed to improve, so now we can focus on acceleration.”
Maverick Viñales
Teammate Valentino Rossi, meanwhile, was also near the top – and he had positive things to say about the engine he tried, that it stresses the tyre less. He also gave a peek of what he’ll be working on tomorrow – another spec.
Valentino Rossi
Valentino Rossi
“Today we tried one (engine) and tomorrow we’ll try the other one, which is similar but different. Tomorrow, the most important thing is try the second spec. For me, these two tests are not crucial, but are important. We have time until next February to choose the engine, but in this test we can give a good indication to work more in one way.”
Valentino Rossi
Ducati was a slightly different story, with 2017 and 2018 runner-up Andrea Dovizioso left a little frustrated after Day 1. With no dry laptimes from the weekend as a reference, the Italian worked on an updated GP18 to lay down some laps to use as a comparison for the new bike – but then it rained.
Andrea Dovizioso
Tomorrow the number 04 will be looking to get that base and then begin work in earnest if the weather proves better, but he did finish Day 1 only 0.001 off Rossi.
Andrea Dovizioso
“Unfortunately the day wasn’t very productive because in the morning, with the track surface still partially damp, there weren’t the conditions to go out on track. We had to wait a lot, in the end we didn’t do many laps, and in addition we had to prepare a base set-up with the 2018 bike, because during the race weekend we were unable to lap in the dry. The tests we had scheduled must be done well and in a precise way, because the decisions we will take during these tests will have an effect on the definition of the bike we will use next year. We wanted to do a good back-to-back test but when we were ready, in the afternoon, it began to rain. Tomorrow morning, we hope to find the track dry and to be able to lap all day.”
Andrea Dovizioso
On the other side of the garage, newcomer Danilo Petrucci described it as the first day at school as he debuts in factory colours, and had no negatives to report back.
Danilo Petrucci
Danilo Petrucci
“My first day in the factory team was a fantastic feeling, for me it was like the first day at school! The team welcomed me so well and I immediately felt at ease with them. We were able to work with both bikes, and it’s a pity the rain came when I was lapping strongly and there was a lot of rubber on the track. We did a lot of laps with used tyres and we were quite quick. The new bike is an excellent starting point and doesn’t have any negative aspects, but I’ll also have to work to improve my riding style. It was a good start and I hope to continue this way also tomorrow.”
Danilo Petrucci
Test rider Michele Pirro, meanwhile – the only rider to crash on the opening day – headed out on a GP19 for 19 laps to set the tenth fastest time, 0.804 from the top.
Michele Pirro
“Today we did several tests on various components and we gathered some useful information, but unfortunately the weather wasn’t much help and we started our laps late and finished early. However, we’ve already been able to identify the path we have to follow over the winter months, and this is a positive fact. Unfortunately, I also crashed because the shoulder I injured at Mugello is not quite right yet and even though the painkillers have an effect, I don’t always have total control of the situation. When you have this type of physical problem, these things can happen, but it’s just a matter of gritting my teeth until the end of the month and then I’ll have an operation to finally resolve the situation.”
Michele Pirro
Behind Dovizioso, LCR Honda Castrol’s replacement rider Stefan Bradl completed the top five after 51 laps, putting in a 1:32.015, with teammate Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) a little further down the timesheets in P13.
In sixth came one of the most impressive performances of the day from new team on the grid Petronas Yamaha SRT. Franco Morbidelli, fresh from being crowned 2018 Rookie of the Year, was only two tenths off Rossi and using a hybrid of Johann Zarco’s former 2018 bike with a new engine from the factory.
Franco Morbidelli
“It has been a great first day, I felt good with the bike as soon as I got in it and the connection with the team is really good. I managed to get some laps in this afternoon that were solid and fast. I have more time to find in my riding, as I get to know the bike and understand its strengths and weaknesses, to get the most out of this test. I have been surprised how smooth the Yamaha is to ride and how easy it is to understand.”
And on his first ever outing on a MotoGP machine, teammate Fabio Quartararo was able to get 38 laps under his belt to set a quickest time of 1:33.850 – 2.434 off Viñales. The biggest change? The Frenchman reported it was the power – and where he has to brake in the premier class compared to the intermediate.
Fabio Quartararo
“The first day of the test has gone really well. It was a shame we didn’t get to do more laps because of the conditions, which weren’t the best, but I am happy because each time I went out onto the track I improved. So far in the middle of the corner and the exit we are quite strong but I am losing time in braking. The team are encouraging me to believe in the brakes because at the start you think you’re not going to be able to get stopped but in the end you can do it and I enjoyed that. The most impressive thing about my first outing on the Yamaha was the power, especially on the first straight, and also the brakes. Hopefully we can have good conditions tomorrow because we want to work on braking and improving the feeling.”
Fabio Quartararo
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was satisfied and positive after Day 1, too. The Spaniard was working on updates and hopes the machine will be the basis of their 2019 bike, and he was up the timesheets from early in the track action and eventually finished up in P7.
Aleix Espargaro
“These tests started off on the right foot. In addition to the technical upgrades, there were some new faces in my garage: crew chief Antonio Jimenez and electronics engineer Gianluca Giorgini. From this point of view, the initial impact was more than good. The engine upgrade that I tested today also had some positive sides, especially in terms of power distribution management. This is an aspect that should let us be more effective in conditions with very used tyres, in other words, in the final laps which are often the decisive ones in the race. In any case, I want to delve farther and compare the different configurations calmly in order to avoid any rushed decisions.”
New teammate Andrea Iannone also took to the RS-GP for the first time. The Italian was only able to get 15 laps under his belt to as he ended the day in P19, while test rider Bradley Smith was able to get to grips with his new bike – 17 laps completed for the British rider, with a best time of 1:33.709.
Behind Aleix Espargaro and Petrucci was the hero of the hour for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing on Sunday: Pol Espargaro. The Spaniard was positive after Day 1 and ended up P9, putting in 35 laps due to the decreased track time and eager to go again tomorrow. The focus, he says, is currently on electronics – where KTM could stand to make a key gain as they aim to establish themselves as regular runners nearer the podium they took in the Grand Prix on the weekend.
New teammate Johann Zarco, meanwhile, reported a 50/50 day – the Frenchman said he initially struggled to find a base setting but is delighted with the feeling in the team and the factory support; another eager to head out again on Wednesday. Zarco was P17 overall, seven tenths off his new teammate.
The fastest rookie of the day was Francesco Bagnaia, who joins Alma Pramac Racing. He impressed in P11 just behind Pirro, and was focusing on simply putting in the laps and settling in.
Pecco Bagnaia
“Unfortunately the rain stopped us after only 38 laps. But I’m really very satisfied with this first day. Honestly, we just tried to lap as much as we could. We’ll start working on the setup tomorrow. My first feeling? The bike is impressive.”
Pecco Bagnaia
His teammate Jack Miller, meanwhile, said his new bike has almost nothing in common with the old and had positive reports – although the Australian’s day was brought to an even earlier end due to a small technical problem they’ll have rectified for Day 2. Miller ended the day in P14.
Jack Miller
Jack Miller
“Feelings are very positive. I feel that the new much is better in many ways. Unfortunately, we had a technical problem that forced us to stop the test earlier. I can’t wait to get back on track tomorrow”.
Jack Miller
Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins slots into P12 after Day 1. A podium finisher on Sunday, Rins was straight back to business in testing and, much like Dovizioso at Ducati and Marquez at Honda, was about to head out to begin some key work when the rain came down. The Spaniard was suited and booted to start evaluating the Hamamatsu Factory’s new engine, but that will now be a task for tomorrow.
Alex Rins
Alex Rins
“Today was a bit of a shame, because at the beginning we could do some positive work, but when we were ready to go with the new engine the rain arrived and we had to give up. We were still able to put in some laps and try some small things, but we haven’t really tried anything major yet. The grip level was quite low so riding wasn’t easy today, we hope tomorrow will be drier and we can fit more laps in. I have a lot more experience now and this gives me bigger confidence to help develop the bike, we have a lot of confidence in each other when it comes to preparing for next season. Joan has a lot of potential and we’ll see how he continues, he did a great job today.”
Alex Rins
Rookie teammate Joan Mir, meanwhile, ended the day in P15 just behind Jack Miller – and only a few tenths off Rins after an impressive first day of ‘official’ experience – having briefly tested the Suzuki in Japan previously.
Joan Mir
“My feeling was really good. It’s my first real day as a MotoGP rider, and my first day in Suzuki colours and I’m super happy. I have a great crew around me and I feel comfortable with them and also quite comfortable with the bike, so that’s important. It’s a big challenge to adapt from Moto2 to MotoGP. Compared with Moto2, you spend a lot more time braking, and you must brake very hard. And, of course, the acceleration is much more powerful. Electronics will be one of the things that will require more efforts to learn. It’s only the first day, but I’ve already found it useful to compare info with Alex. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
Joan Mir
Davide Brivio – Suzuki Team Manager
“It’s been a good day but it could have been better because the rain arrived. Alex wasn’t able to complete his plan to test the new engine, so we hope it will be dry tomorrow so that we can do it then. We still tried some things, which of course is always useful, but we lost a lot of time in the morning due to the conditions. It’s been positive for Joan, he was able to do a lot of laps in the afternoon before the rain, he is learning, understanding, and adjusting. Everything is on schedule with him. He really enjoyed riding and that’s always a good way to start.”
Joan Mir
Just behind Mir came Tito Rabat (Reale Avintia Racing). The Spaniard, out of action since his crash at Silverstone, said he was positively surprised how he felt on the bike and his sixteenth-place finish on the first day showed once again that the former intermediate class Champion is made of steel.
His new teammate, Karel Abraham, was four-tenths off him as the Czech rider moves in one leap from a GP16 to a GP18. He spent most of the day settling in, and reported he made some big changes already.
Jonas Folger (Yamaha Test Team) was another man back in action as he begins working as a Europe-based test rider for the Iwata factory. He did 30 laps on the first day and was 0.040 ahead of Quartararo.
The final names on the timesheets were Hafizh Syahrin and Miguel Oliveira, who both begin new eras – as does the Tech 3 team. Beginning a new chapter with KTM, the KTM Tech 3 Racing riders put in 20 and 33 laps respectively as the Malaysian adapts from the Yamaha and Oliveira adapts from Moto2.
Hafizh Syahrin – P24
“I’m very happy to be in the KTM garage and part of this family. We were not able to do many laps today, because this morning the track was still wet and many riders were waiting. I did 20 laps and we planned to continue, but the rain suddenly came nearly two hours before the official end of the test, so we had no chance to do more laps on a dry track. At the moment, I have the feeling the bike is quite good in handling and more powerful, but obviously we need to change some things to adapt to my riding. Anyway, I’m very happy to be riding the RC16 and can’t wait to keep on working with it.”
Hafizh Syahrin
Miguel Oliveira – P25
“I’m really happy to officially sit on the MotoGP bike for the first time. Everything feels obviously quite strange. We spent our runs on trying to get a sensation for the commands like the throttle, brake, gearing, also rear brake while trying to get an overall feeling for the bike, plus trying to understand a little bit how the electronic works. We were just getting the laps in, so I am happy for that. Obviously we were pretty slow, but I’m sure I’m getting my time to understand and make solid steps.”
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