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News

Junior road racing championship introduced with MotoStars in 2019

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New-look Australian Supermoto Championship to also join the series.

Source: Supplied.

Motorcycling Australia (MA) has confirmed the introduction of the Australian Junior Road Racing Championship (AJRRC) that will run in conjunction with the MotoStars series in 2019, along with a new-look Australian Supermoto Championship (ASMC).

All six rounds will host the junior championship, while three rounds will feature the Supermoto category. Round one will kick off at Greer Park Raceway in Queensland on 2-3 March, with AJRRC, ASMC and MotoStars coming together to commence the series.

MotoStars will travel to Broadford State Motorcycle Complex in Victoria for round two on 6-7 April, which will also boast the highly anticipated bLU cRU Oceania Rookies Cup.

Heading down south, competitors will arrive at The Bend Motorsport Park, South Australia for round three on 26-27 April, with the AJRRC and ASMC running in conjunction with the Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) and the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC). This one-off special event will run under lights on Friday and Saturday night.

Round four will be held in Australia’s capital at the Circuit Mark Webber in Canberra on 25-26 May. Newcastle’s round in New South Wales last year was MotoStars’ biggest, and it will make a welcome return to the series as round five, including AJRRC on 14-15 September.

To close off the 2019 season, the MotoStars series will finish in its backyard home of Port Macquarie, New South Wales on 19-20 October. Round six will be the final round of the AJRRC and MotoStars series, plus the third and final round of the ASMC.

2019 MotoStars calendar:
Rd1 – 2-3 March – Toowoomba, QLD (AJRRC, ASMC, MotoStars)
Rd2 – 6-7 April – Broadford, VIC (AJRRC, Oceania Rookies Cup, MotoStars)
Rd3 – 26-27 April – Tailem Bend, SA (AJRRC, ASMC, MotoStars)
Rd4 – 25-26 May – Canberra, ACT (AJRRC, MotoStars)
Rd5 – 14-15 September – Newcastle, NSW (AJRRC, MotoStars)
Rd6 – 19-20 October – Port Macquarie, NSW (AJRRC, ASMC, MotoStars)

Source: CycleOnline.com.au

News

Witnesses sought for car hitting Harley

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Witnesses are being sought after a 2004 blue Honda Accord sedan merged into a lane with a 2012 blue Harley-Davidson causing it to crash on the Logan Motorway at Springwood last Wednesday (November 7, 2018).

Forensic Crash Unit investigators have released this video as part of an appeal for information.

The crash happened about 4.50pm on the Logan Road on-ramp, towards the southbound lanes of the Pacific Motorway.

A 55-year-old Harley rider was hit when the Accord to merged into his lane. He remains in the Princess Alexandra Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

A 21-year-old Woodridge man “continues to assist with the investigation”.

The driver did not pull up after the Harley crashed at the side of the road.

However, a second motorcyclist pulled the driver over for a short conversation before riding on.

Police now want to speak with the second motorcyclist to continue investigations into the crash, or any other witnesses, particularly those with dash cam footage.

Eye witnesses can contact Policelink on 131 444, fill out the online form 24hrs per day, or call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via crimestoppersqld.com.au.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

News

SX2 crown a relief for Wilson following ‘stressful’ AUS-X Open

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Factory Yamaha pilot overcomes enduring night to be crowned champion.

Image: Foremost Media.

Earning the Australian Supercross Championship SX2 crown on Saturday night’s Monster Energy AUS-X Open Sydney came as a huge relief for Jay Wilson, who endured a stressful weekend at Qudos Bank Arena.

The Yamalube Yamaha Racing ace entered the finale with an 11-point advantage, although a crash in Friday’s qualifying left the Gold Coast-based athlete admittedly rattled and only heightened his nerves for Saturday’s Triple Crown encounter.

Wilson managed to scrape through to the main event via a fourth place finish in the last chance qualifier granting him last gate pick, although he pulled through with a 8-5-7 scorecard for sixth overall to earn the title with six points over second’s Hayden Mellross (DPH Motorpsort Husqvarna).

“I’m not going to lie, that was just terrible riding and the worst I have raced for in so long, but we got through the night, got the championship done and I just couldn’t be happier,” said Wilson. “I was nervous all weekend and then that crash yesterday really took it out of me but I was determined to be strong and win my first supercross championship.

“Last year at the same venue was where I got my career back on track so it’s awesome that I was able to win a championship here and I have so many people to thank that have helped me get back to this point. Everyone at Yamaha who supported in me and believed in me when I was down and out, our team that does an amazing job each week, especially Mike Ward and Josh Coppins, who always have my back and have always played a part in my success.

“It was a stressful weekend and things got heated at times. But, it was great racing with Hayden [Mellross], Jacob [Hayes] and Wilson Todd and I want to also congratulate them on some great racing over the five rounds. I have really enjoyed racing them and we have kept it clean at each round and it’s been a lot of fun.”

The title marks Wilson’s second pro class championship, having earned the 2015 MX Nationals MX2 title, while it was his first professional supercross crown.


Source: MotoOnline.com.au

News

MV Agusta Brutale 1000 Serie Oro on show at EICMA

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Superveloce 800 concept bike unveiled at the Milan event.

Image: Supplied.

MV Agusta introduced its all-new Brutale 1000 Serie Oro at EICMA in Milan, Italy last week, along with unveiling the MV Agusta Superveloce 800 concept.

The Brutale 1000 Serie Oro has instantly become a desirable motorcycle for riders worldwide. With this model, MV Agusta has revolutionised a market segment, re-interpreting technical and stylistic concepts synonymous with MV Agusta and at the same time defining new aesthetic and performance parameters.

With 212hp of peak power and a top speed of over 300km/h, MV Agusta has brought the concept of hyper-naked to its extreme limit, making it the absolute benchmark within the category.

The all-new model has been closely associated with the F4 RC Superbike, which has proven its potential battling for the top positions in the Superbike World Championship.

All the experience that has been accumulated on the racetrack has been poured into the engine of the Brutale 1000 Serie Oro, which sets new records for absolute power while still complying with environment and noise regulations, making it more advanced in certain aspects than the competition powerplant.

Image: Supplied.

The MV Agusta Superveloce 800 makes its debut in concept form at the EICMA, a precursor to the model that will be produced in the second half of 2019. Due to its very unique technical and aesthetic characteristics, the Superveloce 800 is destined to become one of the most eclectic and original models in the company’s history.

The lines of the Superveloce 800 are a modern interpretation of the iconic lines formed by the MV Agusta heritage, the fusion of vintage and contemporary. The carbon fibre fairing envelopes the sleek and functional forms of the engine and frame like a second skin.

The upper fairing, with its classic cut lines, makes tribute to design ethos of the nineteen-seventies, highlighted by the yellow colour of the plexiglass windscreen and the headlight unit. The latter is a technologically advanced twin-function full LED poly- ellipsoidal. The daylight running light, also LED, is built into the cover of the new instrument cluster.

The elusive, lightweight and minimalistic tail fairing rests on a new sub-frame allowing the user to transform the bike from a single seat to a dual seat version. One of the defining details is the new circular LED tail light unit, elegant, and distinctive.

Australian pricing and availability of the Brutale 1000 Serie Oro is still to be determined, while the Superveloce 800 concept is set to go into production next year.

Source: CycleOnline.com.au

News

GRT Yamaha graduates to WorldSBK with Melandri and Cortese

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Former WorldSSP outfit steps up with factory-supported machinery next year.

Source: Supplied.

GRT Yamaha will step up to the premier category in the 2019 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK), fielding Superbike regular Marco Melandri and 2018 WorldSSP champion Sandro Cortese.

The team will utilise factory-supported Yamaha YZF-R1 machines as both riders bring a wealth of experience to the outfit, which will prove to be beneficial in its maiden Superbike campaign.

28-year-old Cortese took five race wins and 10 podium finishes on his way to being crowned as the first ever Moto3 world champion in 2012, while he secured the 2018 WorldSSP title in his debut season aboard a Yamaha YZF-R6 with a podium finish in the final round in Qatar.

“To win the WorldSSP championship and then step up to WorldSBK with the GRT Yamaha Team is like a dream come true for me,” said Cortese. “I’m super happy to be a part of this new project and, although it’s a big step, I am really looking forward to the challenge. I can’t wait to jump on the Yamaha YZF-R1 for the first time in Jerez later this month to start the familiarisation process.

“It will be like christmas for me – I’ve never ridden such a big bike before and I am like a small kid who can’t wait to get his present! The bike will be more physically demanding to ride than the Yamaha YZF-R6 and, with three races every weekend instead of just one next year, I will definitely need to work on my fitness over the winter to ensure I’m ready.”

GRT Yamaha team manager Filippo Conti commented: “I am really delighted to be stepping up to the WorldSBK championship with Yamaha, it’s like a dream come true. We started this project in WorldSSP and now we are moving up to WorldSBK, which is very important for the team but also for Yamaha’s production racing program. It’s a big step for us and we know we will be facing a steep learning curve in our debut season, but our two riders bring with them a wealth of experience.

“Riders don’t come more experienced than Marco, who has been a frontrunner in WorldSBK since he came to the championship in 2011. And while 2019 will be Sandro’s first season on a WorldSBK machine, he’s the reigning WorldSSP champion and a former Moto3 World Champion, so I expect him to adapt quickly to our Yamaha YZF-R1.

“We need to learn a lot in this new category, but our target is clear; we want to be as competitive in WorldSBK as we have been in WorldSSP. Maybe this isn’t possible in our debut season, but that’s the goal for the future.”

Melandri and Cortese will get their first opportunity to test the Yamaha YZF-R1 they’ll campaign in GRT Yamaha colours in 2019 during a two-day test at the Jerez circuit in southern Spain, which gets underway on 26 November.

Source: CycleOnline.com.au

News

Bolt crowned WESS champion at Red Bull Knockout

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Watson clinches commanding victory in The Netherlands.

Source: Supplied.

Billy Bolt (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) has been crowned the inaugural champion of the 2018 World Enduro Super Series (WESS) following the eighth and final round at the Red Bull Knock Out in The Netherlands.

In what was the sixth edition of the Dutch beach race, Nathan Watson (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) stormed his way to a debut win on the Scheveningen shoreline, taking victory over home favourite Glenn Coldenhoff (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Belgium’s Yentel Martens (Husqvarna).

Eager to impress in front of his home crowd, Coldenhoff set the early race pace, with Watson, Martens, Camille Chapeliere (KTM) and Britain’s Todd Kellet (Husqvarna) in tow. During the opening half of the race, Coldenhoff set a blisteringly fast pace and appeared to have all under control.

However, the opening of the extreme X-Loop for the final hour dramatically changed the flow of the race and Watson – putting his enduro skills to good use – fighting his way into the lead. Continuing his fast pace during the final laps, and with the track at his roughest, Watson stormed ahead to claim a 90-second margin of victory over Coldenhoff, with Martens coming through for third.

In the battle at the head of the World Enduro Super Series, all eyes were on title contenders Bolt and Lettenbichler, who were inside the top 20 of the 750 competitors. Positioning themselves out of trouble early on, the duo were closely matched with Bolt holding an important advantage.

Despite giving his best efforts, Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) was unable to get the better of Bolt in the deep Dutch sand, finishing a creditable 15th to take the runner-up result in the 2018 World Enduro Super Series. In the fight for the final step of the championship podium, Watson’s round eight victory saw him advance to third in the rankings.

Detailed results


Source: MotoOnline.com.au

News

’Tis the season for resurfacing roadworks

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Riders should be aware that spring and summer is the season for resurfacing roadworks in most southern areas because the warmer weather makes asphalt more stable and easier to compact.

NSW alone has more than 175km of road resurfacing scheduled over the next few months.

Roads and Maritime Service Regional Maintenance Director John Dinan says asphalting work starting this month includes the Ballina Bypass (Pacific Highway), the Bruxner Highway near Alstonville, Pacific Highway where to intersects with the Oxley Highway, and at Coffs Harbour.

“The warmer weather allows the asphalt to remain stable and easy to compact before it cools,” he says.

However, asphalt resurfacing occurs all year round in Queensland, north NSW and northern parts of South Australia and Western Australia.

Dangers for ridersRoadworks etiquette Resurfacing Roadworks

Poor roads, inferior roadworks and incomplete cleanup after roadworks are particularly dangerous to motorcyclists, causing crashes and even fatalities.

We have reported on many of these incidents and there are many Facebook sites designed to alert riders of road conditions.

There is even a Bad Roads Rally planned for Victoria before the state election.

Riders should also check relevant websites provided by road authorities and automobile clubs that list roadworks.

You can also use some of these sites to report dangerous road conditions.

Resurfacing statsRoadworks speed limit - potholes Halloween Rider successfully sues over roadworks crash Resurfacing Roadworks

John says there is about 2.5 tonnes of asphalt per cubic metre of road and they can lay up to 2000 tonnes of asphalt per day. They target resurfacing 2.3% of all tarmac roads a year.

“Asphalt is safe, smooth and durable and is up to 100% reusable,” he says.

“It’s also flexible and new technologies used is making asphalt a more sustainable choice for road surfaces.”

Australian Asphalt Pavement Association NSW Executive Director Dougall Broadfoot says motorists are not allowed to ride on newly laid asphalt until it has cooled to below 60C.

“If the new asphalt surface is not allowed to cool down sufficiently, passing vehicles may affect the smoothness of the surface before it sets,” he says.

“By driving over soft asphalt it may create bumps and grooves on the surface, which would be a less smooth journey for motorists. An uneven surface also causes water to pool in the grooves.

“So please be patient when near worksites, for the safety of yourself and workers. Follow the instruction of traffic controllers and the reduced speed limit of 40km/h when work is carried out.”

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com
https://motorbikewriter.com/season-resurfacing-roadworks/

News

Anderson sweeps AUS-X Open, Brayton seals SX1 title

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American champion unbeaten in inaugural Triple Crown showdown.

Image: Supplied.

Reigning world champion Jason Anderson has made it back-to-back Monster Energy AUS-X Open titles in Sydney, as countryman Justin Brayton clinched a third-straight Australian Supercross Championship SX1 crown.

Penrite Honda’s Brayton shot off to a thrilling start in SX1 main event one, as Gradie Featherstone (KSF Suzuki) fell victim to nasty crash down the opening straight.

After winning his heat, Australian international Chad Reed (Autotrader Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing) spun out on lap two, much to the crowd’s disbelief. Meanwhile, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Anderson laid down a hard pass on Brayton to gain P1.

CDR Yamaha Monster Energy’s Lawson Bopping and Dylan Long made the same mistake as Reed a number of laps later on separate occasions, while Anderson went onto secure the win. Brayton wound up second followed by Dean Wilson (DPH Husqvarna), Dan Reardon (Yamaha) and Luke Clout (KTM Motocross Racing Team), with Reed rebounding for seventh.

It was Reardon and Clout who led the field from the get-go in SX1 main event two, although Clout’s tenure in top two lasted less than a lap when he crashed ahead of the finish line. Wilson grasped his opportunity to take the shortcut lane, ultimately moving by Reardon and into the lead.

Anderson did the same one lap later to move into second, at the same time Brayton went down. A thrilling battle between Wilson and Anderson unfolded out front, but Reardon used the shortcut lane and made it a three-rider ordeal. In the end it was Anderson from Reardon, Wilson, Reed and title hopeful Brett Metcalfe (Penrite Honda).

Anderson took a narrow hole-shot in the final affair with Wilson and Reed capitalising on a mistake from Reardon. A number of riders crashed in seperate incidents, including Clout, Bopping, Metcalfe and Featherstone.

Reed took the shortcut lane for a second time, which meant he would incur a five-position penalty despite crossing the line in P1, demoting him to sixth. Anderson was credited the win with a top five completed by Wilson, Reardon, Long and Brayton, who secured his third-consecutive SX1 number one plate.

Overall for the round it was Anderson untouched to repeat his result from one year ago, joined on the podium by Wilson and Reardon. In championship terms, Brayton’s fourth for the round was enough to be crowned, ahead of Metcalfe who was P6 tonight and Reardon.

Reed’s homecoming was an eventful one aboard the factory RM-Z450, ultimately claiming fifth overall following a mixed bag of results, but also leading Australia to victory over USA in the showdown feature race.

Detailed results

Source: MotoOnline.com.au

News

The Rokon Trail-Breaker

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For over 60 years, Rokon has eschewed radical redesign in favor of careful evolution, constantly refining its two-wheel-drive Trail-Breaker. The result is a legend, a machine renowned for its sure-footed simplicity, embraced by enthusiasts, municipalities, and militaries. The tough-as-nails machine has endured by adhering to the core concepts that made inventor Charles Fehn’s design stand out in places otherwise inhospitable to wheeled travel.

Tom Blais, president of Rokon International, says there were only two real criticisms of the original Trail-Breaker: noise and comfort. The company addressed the first with the Ranger, using a four-stroke, 5.5-horsepower Honda engine, in 1994. Modern Trail-Breakers utilize a more powerful 7-horsepower Kohler engine, and they handle the second complaint with clever front suspension that works in conjunction with the front-drive system.

Timeline

The first Trail-Breakers were built by Neathercutt Industries in Sylmar, California, but production expanded in 1963 after manufacturing moved to Wilmington, Vermont. The factory would move a few more times over the decades before settling in Rochester, New Hampshire.

Engine

The Kohler engine in modern Trail-Breakers is a horizontal-shaft industrial power unit with both an electric and a pull starter.

“We’ve sacrificed speed for torque so that we offer more load capacity,” Blais says. “We can carry up to 600 pounds on the frame and tow up to 3,000 pounds on wheels, or dead-drag 800 pounds on level ground.”

Design

There are now five models, from the entry-level Scout to the survivalist-oriented Rokon for Preppers. Designed in conjunction with Dave Canterbury, author of Bushcraft 101, it features an onboard bike maintenance kit and survival supplies, including cookware, as well as nondirectional tires to discourage tracking.

Fusion

Rokon offers power takeoff and three-point hitch options, as well as generator, plow, and spreader attachments. The hollow wheels can each carry an extra 2.5 gallons of either fuel or water, potentially extending the standard tank’s range of 200 miles to 600.

Related Video:

Challenges

Blais admits that the company’s business model isn’t the most profitable.

“Today’s four-wheeler companies really price the vehicles in a way that the dealers don’t make as much money on the selling of the vehicle, they make more money on the repairing of the vehicle,” he says. “We’re the opposite of that. We know that our buyers don’t need us for, typically, five to seven years.”

Achievements

Local governments use Rokons for bike-trail maintenance or mosquito control. Farmers use them for row-crop inspection or to access remote fields. Search-and-rescue teams field Trail-Breakers to quickly reach lost or wounded hikers, and militaries turn to them for equipment relocation and reconnaissance.

They’ve been ridden to the snow line in the Chilean Andes and across the nearly impassable Darien Gap between Panama and Colombia.

“It’s freedom of movement. Freedom to explore. If you live in interesting country, the ability to move around and explore is intoxicating.”

Source: MotorCyclistOnline.com

News

Wilson crowned SX2 champion as McAdoo wins in Sydney

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Quarter-litre title goes down to the wire in Triple Crown thriller.

Image: Supplied.

Yamalube Yamaha Racing’s Jay Wilson is the 2018 Australian SX2 champion after American debutant Cameron McAdoo won the Monster Energy AUS-X Open Triple Crown round overall.

With the title going down to the wire, just 13 points separated the top four in the points entering tonight’s fifth and final round.

In final one, Jy Roberts (Husqvarna) kick-started the Triple Crown by securing the early lead, as Dylan Wills (DPH Husqvarna) and McAdoo soon followed. Wilson was caught up in an incident on lap two, but quickly recovered unscathed.

The battle for second heated up between Wills and McAdoo as they traded positions on multiple occasions, however the American import eventually held the upper hand on Wills. Roberts clinched the win over McAdoo, Wills, Jacob Hayes (Serco Yamaha) and title-challenger Hayden Mellross (DPH Husqvarna). Wilson returned to P8.

Richardson escaped opening turn mayhem in main event two, which ultimately claimed race one winner Roberts along with Hayes and Kyle Webster (Penrite CRF Honda Racing).

Image: Supplied.

Mellross utilised the shortcut lane to place himself ahead of championship rival Wilson, the manoeuvre replicated by Wills on the following lap. In the end it was Richardson, McAdoo, Mellross, Wills and Wilson.

A seventh-place finish was enough for Wilson to secure an emotion-charged 2018 SX2 crown in, while it was former champion Jackson Richardson (Penrite CRF Honda Racing) who once again positioned himself out front in the final encounter with Mellross and McAdoo in tow.

Wilson used the shortcut lane in the opening stages along with Josh Osby (Raceline Pirelli KTM), as did McAdoo the following lap to secure the lead briefly. Richardson hung on for the win ahead of McAdoo, Mellross, Osby and Hayes.

Overall on the podium it was McAdoo with the victory in his first Australian appearance, as second and third were credited to Richardson and Mellross. Sixth for the round was enough for Wilson to clinch the title, six points over Mellross with Osby in third.

In the 2-Stroke Cup it was Ryan Marmont who reigned supreme for KTM Motocross Racing Team, taking out all three finals with ease across the weekend including tonight’s final from Justin Carafa (Yamaha) and Taylor Potter (Honda).

Detailed results

Source: MotoOnline.com.au