GSR Racing rider to challenge for privateer honours this season.
Image: Russell Colvin.
After entering the Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) halfway through in 2018, GSR Racing’s Glenn Scott has outlined his intentions for a full-time return to the series this season.
Once again piloting a ZX-10R with the support of Kawasaki Motors Australia, Scott will operate a self-managed squad as he endeavours to take out top privateer honours in the seven round championship.
“It’s nice to be back for another year of racing,” Scott explained. “The last few years have been up and down due to injury, so it’s nice to be starting the season fit and healthy. I have to send a special thank you to Stephen Mion from Fitmoto for my training program that has put me in the best shape possible for the 2019 season.
“I’m highly motivated for the year ahead and I cannot wait to hit the track. I’m really excited to have my supporters back on board for 2019, it feels great to have that local support and backing from people who are so passionate about bikes and racing.”
The New South Welshman wound up 18th in the championship standings in 2018 after completing four of seven rounds. His first outing of the year will be at Phillip Island’s official ASBK test on 2-3 February.
In a tribute to the late Nicky Hayden who passed away in 2017, the number 69 will be retired from the MotoGP World Championship at the Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
The ‘Kentucky Kid’ rode 69 to the crown and MotoGP Legend status during an impressive career that saw him leave an indelible mark on the sport and the paddock. Hayden’s first successes came in 2003 when he took podiums as a rookie and he went on to win his first grand prix in 2005.
That created a perfect springboard for the following season and he put together an impressive campaign to become 2006 MotoGP world champion, wrapping up the crown in the season finale.
Hayden rose from dirt track beginnings to the absolute pinnacle of his sport, taking his unique blend of work ethic, humility and talent from the domestic scene to the world stage and putting his name to an astounding number achievements both within racing and beyond its limits – key amongst which was his moniker as ‘the nicest man in Grand Prix racing’.
He remained a cornerstone of the paddock until his departure at the end of 2015, upon which he was named a MotoGP Legend. The number 69 will now forever remain the number of the ‘Kentucky Kid’ – the man who rode it into the Hall of Fame.
“What a great honour it will be for Nicky’s number 69 to be retired at Austin,” said Hayden’s father, Earl. “It is very fitting that it will be done at the US race as these races meant so much to Nicky and he looked forward to them so much every year. For myself in particular this will be very special event because the 69 was my number when I raced and I was very proud to see Nicky run the #9 on his bikes for his entire career.
“On behalf of my entire family I would like to say a special thanks to Dorna for honouring Nicky in this special way along with the many other gestures they have done to support us through the difficult times.
Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta commented: “I’m proud to announce that the number 69 will be retired from grand prix racing. Nicky Hayden was one of the biggest assets to this paddock and a fantastic example as a rider both on track and off. It gives me great pleasure to honour his legacy once again and ensure the number 69 remains synonymous with a legend and a champion.”
Next Gen Motorsports-operated squad switches to Dunlop for 2019.
Image: Russell Colvin.
Next Gen Motorsports has renewed its contract with three-time Australian Superbike champion Glenn Allerton for the 2019 season, while attracting Maxima Oils Australia as its new naming rights sponsor to form a new-look Maxima BMW squad.
Along with the new Maxima partnership, which sees the oil company reunited with Next Gen Motorsports, the team will also make the transition to Dunlop tyres.
“This partnership is nothing new for us all,” said Maxima BMW team manager Wayne Hepburn. “Together we have had strong success winning the 2011 Australian Superbike Championship together. It goes without saying 2011 was a fantastic year for both the team, Maxima and Dunlop tyres.
“Looking ahead towards the future and working closely with both Maxima and Dunlop, I am sure we can get more great results together like we have in the past. I speak on behalf of Glenn and the whole team, we are very excited to have Maxima Racing Oils Australia and Dunlop Tyres Australia on board for the 2019 season.
“I believe Ted’s 2018 rookie Superbike year was promising. Ted deserves technical support from the team to continue his growth and be able to display his riding skills he has on two wheels.”
Maxima BMW declared its interest in contesting the Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) this season, taking part in an official test in Thailand last December, however no further details have been made available. The team will hit the track at Phillip Island on 2-3 February for the first official ASBK test of the year.
Lowes and Haslam second and third respectively in Spain.
Image: Supplied.
Sun shone down on the final day of testing at the Spanish circuit of Jerez, where the Motul FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) riders were able to continue their final arrangements ahead of the 2019 season opener that will be held in less than a month at Phillip Island.
Facing some stiff competition from the Yamaha and Ducati rivals, reigning world champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) took to the track early this morning working on the small 2019 updates for his ZX-10RR.
The four-time world champion didn’t lose any time and, in the end, he was able to return at the top of the timesheets, thanks to a fastest lap time in 1m39.160s, just a few seconds ahead of the Pata Yamaha WorldSBK rider Alex Lowes.
Stunning with his consistency and overall pace during both the two days, the Yamaha rider closed second in 1m39.372s and he continued to make progress with his machine as he completed 102 laps around the Andalusian race track today. Working on improving the acceleration of his bike and testing new parts for the YZF R1 machine, his teammate Michael van der Mark closed in seventh position with a fastest lap time of 1m40.145s.
Focusing on getting more comfortable on his new bike, Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team) had a positive two-day test, as he closed also just 0.342s off his teammate in third position. The British rider was able to be fast on both days, building on his confidence with the ZX-10RR.
Making an important step forward, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) brought his Ducati Panigale V4 R in fourth position, closing 0.460s off Rea’s lap time. The Spaniard had a busy day gathering as much information as possible to work on, and design the best base set-up for their all-new Ducati machine.
On the other side of the garage, Chaz Davies sat out on the opening hours of the day and took to the track later in the afternoon putting in only a few laps, closing the day in 10th. As he was feeling some pain in his back after the crash he had yesterday, Davies decided to take it easy as he aims to be back at his full strength for the next pre-season test that will be held at the end of this week in Portimao.
Both independent team riders Michael Rinaldi (Barni Racing Team) and Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven), who finished respectively ninth and 12th, worked alongside their new teams producing valuable feedbacks that will be used also by the factory team to improve their Ducati beast.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) continued to impress, stunning with his performance along the two days. The Turkish rider finished in fifth position, with a fastest lap time in 1m39.942s.
Continuing to work with the new team structure GRT Yamaha WorldSBK rider Marco Melandri had a busy day as he put in a total of 87 laps onboard his Yamaha finishing eighth overall, while his teammate Sandro Cortese had his progression slowed down by a small crash he suffered early in the morning. The German walked away from the accident on his feet but had to wait for his bike to be recovered and repaired before returning to the track in the afternoon and setting the sixth fastest time.
Towards the end of the day, the BWM Motorrad WorldSBK riders Tom Sykes and Markus Reiterberger had their transponders finally recording a few of their lap times. Happy with the progresses made over the two day, they closed respectively in 14th and 15th position.
The greatest rally rider in the world is currently Aussie Toby Price, but there are many other great reasons to celebrate motorcycling this Australia Day.
Most parts of Australia have year-round riding weather, not just on one day!
We have a host of great riding roads.
Our forests, beaches, outback and deserts offer some of the greatest adventure riding in the world.
Most country people are welcoming of riders dropping into their towns.
New helmet laws now allow us greater access to more and safer Euro-approved helmets.
Most states now have or are considering introducing lane filtering.
We have one of the widest varieties of motorcycle model choices in the world.
Motorcycles have never been cheaper in “real terms”.
REASONS TO BE ‘FEARFUL’
Road safety Nazis selectively pick on us with their scaremonger campaigns.
Police target riders for discriminatory licence and vehicle checks.
Insurance companies gouge us on premiums and compulsory third party.
Our road rules annoyingly vary from state to state (although this is gradually changing).
There is an epidemic of ever-decreasing speeds on our roads.
BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU’VE GOT
It could be worse.
Paris, for example, is preventing older motorcycles from entering the city.
Some Asian and Mid-East cities ban all motorcycles or impose a curfew.
Some countries also ban women from riding for “modesty” reasons!
In London, there were more than 14,000 motorcycle thefts last year.
In Malaysia, 26 unmarried couples have been arrested for riding together on a motorcycle.
AUSSIE BIKE HISTORY
More great reasons to celebrate motorcycling on Australia Day is our rich motorcycling history.
With its vast distances and rugged terrain, motorcycles were popular at the start of the last century. We even had a thriving motorcycle manufacturing industry, particularly during World War I when supplies of British motorcycles dried up.
While we have not had a motorcycle manufacturing industry for some time, Australia once built many motorcycles such as Lewis, Pasco, Blue Bird, Bullock, De Luxe, Peerless, Invincible JAP, Whiting, Mostyn, Rudge, FN and Norton.
Lewis motorcycles
Robert Saward wrote A-Z of Australian-made Motorcycles which details 396 brands of motorcycles, most of which were assembled here from imported engines and frames.
In 1928, the Auto Cycle Council of Australia was formed to represent the interests of motorcycle clubs and state associations at a national level. It is now called Motorcycling Australia which represents motorcycle racing.
RACING HERITAGE
Racing successes are more great reasons to celebrate.
Australians were among the first in the world to start racing motorcycles. Many believe the first speedway meetings were held in Australia and our speedway riders travelled to the UK to pioneer the sport.
Over the years, Australia has had many motorcycle champions. MA notes our first world champion as speedway rider Lionel Van Praag in 1936.
Here is MA’s list of champion Aussie riders and teams and more reasons to celebrate on our national day:
RIDERS
Lionel Van Praag
1936 Lionel Van Praag, Speedway
1938 Bluey Wilkinson, Speedway
1951/52 Jack Young, Speedway
1957 Keith Campbell, Road racing (350cc)
1961 Tom Phillis, Road racing (125cc)
1969 Kel Carruthers, Road racing (250cc)
1979/81 Barry Smith, Road racing (Formula TT)
1983 Steve Baker, Speedway (under 21)
1987 Wayne Gardner, Road racing (500cc)
1992 Leigh Adams, Speedway (under 21)
1994-98 Michael Doohan, Road racing (500cc)
Mick Doohan enters Hall of Fame
1995/2004/06/09 Jason Crump, Speedway (under 21)
1996/2005 Troy Corser, Superbikes
1997 Shane Watts, Enduro (125cc)
1997 Peter Goddard, Endurance Road Racing
2000/01/03/04 Stefan Merriman, Enduro
2000/02 Warwick Nowland,Endurance Road Racing
2001/06/08 Troy Bayliss, Superbikes
Troy Bayliss
2001/08 Andrew Pitt, Supersport
2001 Heinz Platacis, Endurance Road Racing
2003/08 Chad Reed, Supercross
2003 Chris Vermeulen, Supersport
2004 Karl Muggeridge, Supersport
2007/11 Casey Stoner, MotoGP
2009 Jay Wilson, Junior Motocross
2009/10 Darcy Ward, Speedway (under 21)
2009 Steve Martin, Endurance Road Racing
2010 Mick Headland, Jesse Headland, Track Racing Sidecar (1000cc)
2011 Darrin Treloar, Jesse Headland, Track Racing Sidecar (1000cc)
2012 Caleb Grothes, Junior MX (65cc)
2012 Chris Holder, World FIM Speedway GP
2013/14 Matthew Phillips, Enduro (Junior/E3)
2014 Jett Lawrence, Junior MX (65cc)
2015 Matthew Gilmore, Youth Speedway World Cup (250cc)
2016 Matt Phillips, Junior Enduro GP
2016 Toby Price, Dakar Rally
Toby Price
2017 Jason Doyle, World FIM Speedway GP
2018 Toby Price, FIM World Cross Country Champion
2019 Toby Price, Dakar Rally
Teams
1974 Pairs Speedway, 2nd
1976 Team Speedway (Phil Crump, Billy Sanders, Phil Hearne, John Boulger), 1st
2007 Team Speedway (Ryan Sullivan, Rory Schlein, Leigh Adams, Jason Crump, Chris Holder, Dave Watt), 3rd; Oceanic Motocross (Craig Anderson, Troy Carroll, Lee Ellis, Jay Marmont, Jake Moss, Cameron Tatlor, Danny Anderson, Lewis Stewart, Kristy Gillespie, Ashlea Bates, Adelia Barton, Tye Simmonds, Ross Beaton, Luke Arbon), 1st
2009 Junior Motocross (Tye Simmonds, Jay Wilson), 1st; Track Racing Sidecar (Mick Headland, Paul Waters), 1st; Team Speedway (Leigh Adams, Jason Crump, Chris Holder, Davey Watt, Troy Batchelor), 2nd; Women’s Team (Jacqui Jones, Alison Parker, Jemma Wilson), 3rd
2010 Junior MX (Wilson Todd, Mitchell Evans, Joel Dinsdale, Scott Mann, Matt Phillips, Errol Willis), 3rd
2011 ISDE Womens Team (Allison Parker, Jess Gardiner, Jemma Wilson), 3rd; ISDE Mens Team – E2 Class (Toby Price, Matthew Phillips), 1st; MXoN (Chad Reed, Brett Metcalf, Matt Moss), 3rd; Speedway World Cup (Jason Crump, Darcy Ward, Chris Holder, Davey Watt, Troy Batchelor), 2nd
2012 ISDE Womens Trophy Team (Jess Gardiner, Tanya Hearn, Tayla Jones), 3rd; Speedway World Cup (Chris Holder, Davey Watt, Jason Crump, Darcy Ward, Troy Batchelor), 2nd; Speedway World Cup U21 (Darcy Ward, Sam Masters, Dakota North, Alex Davies, Nick Morris), 2nd
2013 ISDE Womens Trophy Team (Jess Gardiner, Tayla Jones, Jemma Wilson), 1st; Speedway World Cup (Darcy Ward, Cameon Woodward, Jason Doyle, Troy Batchelor) 3rd
2014 ISDE Womens Trophy Team (Jess Gardiner, Tayla Jones, Jemma Wilson), 1st; ISDE Junior Trophy Team (Daniel Sanders, Tom McCormack, Lachlan Stanford, Scott Keegan), 3rd; Speedway World Cup (Chris Holder, Darcy Ward, Jason Doyle, Troy Batchelor), 3rd
2015 FIM World Junior Motocross Championships (Hunter Lawrence, Cooper Pozniak, Rhys Budd, Bailey Malkiewicz, John Bova, Regan Duffy), 3rd; Trial des Nations International Trophy Competition (Chris Bayles, Tim Coleman, Kyle Middleton and Colin Zarczynki), 3rd; ISDE Junior Trophy Team (Daniel Sanders, Broc Grabham, Tom Mason, Tye Simmons), 1st; ISDE Women’s Trophy Team (Tayla Jones, Jess Gardiner, Jemma Wilson), 1st; ISDE Senior Trophy Team (Daniel Milner, Matthew Phillips, Lachlan Stanford, Glenn Kearney, Beau Ralston, Josh Green), 2nd (Provisional); FIM Team Speedway Under 21 2015 World Championship (Max Fricke, Brady Kurtz, Nick Morris, Jack Holder), 3rd
2016 and 2017 ISDE Women’s Trophy Team (Tayla Jones, Jess Gardiner, Jemma Wilson)
Win two superbike races aboard a Kawasaki and you could walk away from the weekend with $40,000 in your pocket!
Begin press release:
Kawasaki’s Team Green program pays $15,000 to win a MotoAmerica Superbike race with $10,000 for second, $5000 for third, $2000 for fourth and $1000 for fifth. Team Green’s program pays $5000 to win the Stock 1000 class, $4000 for second, $3000 for third, $2000 for fourth and $1000 for fifth. The payout in Supersport and Twins Cup is $3000 for first, $2000 for second, $1000 for third, $750 for fourth and $500 for fifth. The payout for the Liqui Moly Junior Cup class is $2500 to win, $1000 for second, $750 for third, $600 for fourth and $500 for fifth.
“It’s great to see Kawasaki stepping up with its contingency program again for 2019,” said MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey. “If you win a MotoAmerica Superbike race on a Kawasaki ZX10-R you will take home $15,000 from Kawasaki and another $5000 from MotoAmerica. Do it twice on the weekend and that’s $40,000. That’s a pretty impressive weekend by anyone’s standards. Kawasaki is also putting up a lot of contingency money in the other four classes: Stock 1000 pays $5000 to win, Twins Cup and Supersport pays $3000 to win and if you win a Junior Cup race you will get $2500 from Team Green. And Kawasaki pays down to fifth place in all of our classes. That’s a solid contingency program that will benefit a lot of our riders this season. We’re anticipating the best season of racing yet for MotoAmerica in 2019 and this kind of incentive for our racers only further ensures that.”
MotoAmerica’s purse payout for the 2019 season is set at $1,430,000 across all five classes of racing.
The 10-round MotoAmerica Series gets rolling at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, April 5-7, and concludes at Barber Motorsports Park, September 20-22.
The 2019 MotoAmerica Series schedule is as follows:
April 5-7 – Road Atlanta, Braselton, Georgia
April 12-14 – Circuit of The Americas, Austin, Texas
May 4-5 – VIRginia International Raceway, Alton, Virginia
May 31-June 2 – Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
June 15-16 – Utah Motosports Campus, Grantsville, Utah
July 12-14 – WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, California
August 10-11 – Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma, California
August 23-25 – Pittsburgh International Race Complex, Wampum, Pennsylvania
September 7-8 – New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, New Jersey
September 20-22 – Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Alabama
Ducati claims one in four superbikes sold was a Panigale.
Begin press release:
Ducati Motor Holding closed 2018 with no less than 53,004 motorcycles delivered to customers worldwide. That means the 50,000-bike threshold, first reached by Ducati in 2015, has now been achieved four years running.
A significant contribution to this result came from the success of the Panigale family, which accounted for the sale of 9,700 bikes (70% increase on 2017), making Ducati, for the very first time, the leader of the superbike segment with a market share of over 26%. In 2018 one superbike out of every four sold worldwide was a Ducati Panigale. The undisputed flagship of the Panigale family is the V4, the first production Ducati motorcycle which mounts a four-cylinder engine. In just twelve months it has set a new standard for style, technology and performance, with over 6,100 motorcycles delivered across the globe.
Equally successful was the Multistrada family that in 2018 scored 11,829 motorcycles sold. The family saw the addition of the new Multistrada 1260, thanks to which sales soared by 25% (compared to 2017), with no less than 6,569 bikes sold.
Compared to data sales in 2017 (55,871 bikes), Ducati experienced a slight drop of 5% against the backdrop of an over 500 cc motorcycle market that shrank by some 3%. Yet thanks to the Panigale and Multistrada families, last year saw the Bologna-based bike manufacturer reinforce its position on the high-end market.
“While 2018 was challenging for the big motorcycles market, with slowdowns in important countries like the US, Ducati had, by the end of the year, delivered over 53,000 bikes to customers worldwide, consolidating the growth achieved in recent years”, stated Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati Motor Holding. “In 2018 we achieved stability and the year was positive both in terms of business and racing. We won numerous MotoGP races and developed an exceptional bike. In short, the solidity of the company remains undisputed, as does our penchant for driving ahead with innovation and product development so we can, over the coming years, continue offering customers new icons of style and technology.”
“To rise to new market challenges”, adds Francesco Milicia, Global Sales Director, “we’re working to make our sales network more efficient than ever. For 2019 we’ve also overhauled the Scrambler 800 range – which, among other things, has received a major active safety boost in the form of cornering ABS – and launched new products such as the Diavel 1260 and Hypermotard 950. The Multistrada family saw the arrival of the 1260 Enduro and 950 S, giving customers a wider choice than ever. Lastly, we’ve introduced the V4 R, the most powerful, highest-tech superbike ever built by Ducati to provide a foundation for renewed competitiveness in the WorldSBK championship. Needless to say, its already proved to be a big hit with Ducatisti. In total, we’re talking about nine new models that allow us to look to the future with confidence.”
In Italy growth proved to be solid, (+4.5%) reaching 9,200 bikes and allowing the country to return to being Ducati’s largest market.
Spain also performed strongly with 2,444 motorcycles sold (+8%), with further growth observed in Japan with 1,941 bikes (+2%) and Switzerland with 1,276 bikes (+2.2%).
Bike deliveries in the USA – historically Ducati’s number one market – totalled 7,843, the drop in sales reflecting a 9% downturn across the US sector of motorcycles over 500 cc.
On Asian markets Ducati continues to ride the upward trend, especially in China (+29%) where a new direct branch has been established and the sales network has expanded from 19 to 23 dealerships.
“I’m down, I’m down,” a motorcycle officer calmly says into his police radio after being rammed by the driver of a stolen vehicle.
This dramatic video, released by Queensland Police, shows just how vulnerable even police motorcyclists are and the dangers they face in their duty.
Office rammed
The Sergeant, aged 50, suffered a dislocate shoulder and injuries to a rib, hand and ankle. He is recovering in hospital.
In the video, he is slowly pursuing the stolen vehicle on a rainy Wednesday night in Toowoomba when the car does a u-turn and slowly approaches the rider.
In the last 10 metres, the car revs and rams the motorcycle, knocking the cop off his bike.
“941, I’m down, I’m down. He’s run into me,” he says on the radio.
“I can’t use my left arm. Drove straight at me, I was trying to get up on the side of the road to let him go past me,” he says.
“It differs significantly from the general perception of the motoring public,” they told us.
“The primary function is to provide a high visibility presence on the road network across Queensland, thus positively influencing driver and rider behaviour.
“Having said that a rider’s day may include a wide variety of functions, be they planned or emerging situations. QPS riders are expected to ride in all weather and road conditions.”
The video quite clearly shows “emerging situations” and riding in “all weather” conditions.
Three charged
Detectives have now charged two men and a woman after they allegedly threatened a man at his house with a knife and demanded his Ford Falcon.
About 30 minutes later, the motorcycle Police Sergeant saw the car run a red light and pursued it until he was rammed.
The Ford was later found and the woman and one of the men were arrested “without incident” after they fled the vehicle on foot.
The driver allegedly assaulted and bit a police officer while being arrested.
A 29-year-old man is in the hospital under police guard.
A 20-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman have been charged with one count each of armed robbery, burglary and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
They appeared at the Toowoomba Magistrates Court today.
Bringing you the Best Motorcycle News from Around the Web!
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok
