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THIS IS WHERE YOU START
RIDDEN / TESTED

028
SINGLE PARENT
068
BIG BIRD

028

Unleashing a beast of a PTR Suzuki Hayabusa

Back to the future on Ducati’s original Supermono

FEATURES

036 10 TO ONE
THE 2023 WHOLE SHOT
076
STAND AND DEFEND
084
092 GASSIT AWARDS
098 “I AM SO PROUD”
NEXT BEST!
106
“ISN’T SEX & DRUGS ANYMORE”
114
122 ON TOUR
154 FLYING THE FLAG
Which bike wins AMCN Motorcycle of the Year?

Photographs tell the tale of an amazing year

092

Bagnaia’s mind games that won him MotoGP title

The good, the bad and the ugly of 2023

AWARDS

Bautista on what the WSBK crown means to him

The Aussies who came so close to winning world titles

MotoGP’s hellraiser has a few fruity yarns to share s
Arai Helmet launches an all-new adventure lid

Full wrap of how our Aussies fared overseas in 2023

RACING

162
ASBK RD7, THE BEND
166

MOTOGP RD20, VALENCIA
All the action from a spellbinding final round

Aussie road racers crowned at epic season finale

REGULARS
10 News / 18 Headcheck / 20 They Did What?/ 23 Access / 128 Events /
130 Top Gear / 134 Buyer’s Guide / 139 Strooth! / 140 Revolving Racer /
143 In Pit Lane / 144 Sport / 176 Grid Talk / 178 Gassit

WEB HOT!
Check out the website
for more action at

amcn.com.au

068
6

amcn.com.au

COVER STORY
2023 Yearbook
A massive year of new bikes, new champions,
racing legends and a new MOTY winner

130
036

106

114

076

084

122

098

162

amcn.com.au

7

ED’S DESK. DEAN MELLOR
“I’VE NO DOUBT THAT
2024 IS SET TO BE JUST
AS EXCITING AS
2023 HAS BEEN”
WELL, WE made it to the end of another

year although, looking back, at times I
find myself wondering how the hell we
managed to do it.
I reckon 2023 was about as busy as
it can get in the world of motorcycling.
Coming off the back of the two previous
pandemic-affected years, in 2023 there
were more new model launches than
you could poke a stick at, so it’s lucky we
had 25 issues of AMCN to squeeze them
all into.
Some of the overseas launch
highlights included the BMW M 1000 R,
S 1000 RR and R 1300 GS models in
Spain, the Royal Enfield Super Meteor,
Bullet and Himalayan models in India, a
whole host of Ducatis in Italy, the Suzuki
V-Strom 800DE in New Zealand, the
Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition in
South Africa and several others, while
local bike launches included the Honda
Hornet and Transalp, Suzuki GSX-8S,
Triumph Street Triple 765 RS, CFMoto
450SR, BMW R 18 Roctane and many,
many others.
With so many new bikes on the scene
this year, we spent longer than usual
whittling down our field of MOTY
finalists and found the task so difficult
that we ended up with our biggest
field yet: 10 bikes that we genuinely
thought all had a shot at the title. But,
as you know, there can be only one
2023 Motorcycle of the Year, once
again proudly presented by Shannons

SUBSCRIBE TO AMCN
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Six months/13 issues: $109.95 (inc GST)*
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Insurance, and all is revealed in this
issue, starting on page 36.
This year was also huge one on the
racing front, with the biggest MotoGP
season to date, with 20 rounds including
the new Saturday Sprint format. And
sure, it may have been mostly a Ducatifest, but there’s no denying it ended up
being a thriller with the title not being
decided until the last race.
The WorldSBK crown was more of a
one-sided affair, with Ducati’s Alvaro
Bautista never really in doubt to retain
the number-one plate. With plenty of
seat shuffling taking place, hopefully
the 2024 season will provide a tighter
contest.
This year’s ASBK season was also a
cracker, with Troy Herfoss and Josh
Waters heading into last weekend’s final
round equal on points. And racing in
Supersports and other domestic classes
was thrilling all year long. The season
finale is covered from page 166.
I’ve no doubt that 2024 is set to be just
as exciting as 2023 has been, and the
AMCN team is champing at the bit to
bring you all the latest news and info.
In the meantime, we hope you enjoy
this annual AMCN Yearbook issue, and
we wish you all a healthy, prosperous
and happy New Year.
And, don’t forget, the next issue of
AMCN (Vol 73 No 13) will hit newsstands
in four weeks’ time, on 4 January 2024,
so make sure you keep an eye out for it.

EDITORIAL
Editor Dean Mellor
Deputy Editor Kel Buckley
Sub Editor Hamish Cooper
Road Test Editor Pete Vorst
Founding Editor George Lynn
DESIGN
Art Director Brendon Wise
CONTRIBUTORS
Sir Alan Cathcart, Michael Scott,
Ben Purvis, Mat Oxley, Neil Morrison,
Adam Child, Gold&Goose, Gordon Ritchie,
Paul Young, Peter Whitaker, Don Cox,
David Watt and Simon Crafar
AND NOT FORGETTING
John Rooth, Mick Matheson, Simon O’Leary, Peter Baker,
Mark Watson, Josh Evans and Mark Dadswell
ADVERTISING
National Sales Manager Todd Anderson
todd@motormedia.com.au
0409 630 733
MANAGEMENT
Citrus Media
Publisher Jim Flynn
0449 801 899 jim@citrusmedia.com.au
Accounts accounts@citrusmedia.com.au
CONTACT AMCN
Australian Motorcycle News
PO Box 222, Earlwood, NSW, 2206
amcn@amcn.com.au
ISSN 2653-3065
Website amcn.com.au
Facebook facebook.com/aumotorcyclenews
Instagram @ amcn_mag
*Recommended and maximum price only including GST.
All motorcycle prices listed are recommended
retail only unless otherwise stated.
Published by Citrus Media Digital ABN 44 140 352 254
© 2023 All rights reserved.
The trade mark Australian Motorcycle News ( AMCN )
is owned by Citrus Media Australia Holdings
and is used under licence.
Printed in Australia by IVE.
Distributed by Are Direct.
*$11.95 maximum and recommended retail price only.
Material contained in AMCN is protected under the Commonwealth
Copyright Act 1968 and may not be reproduced in part or whole
without written consent from the copyright holders.

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8

amcn.com.au

IT HAPPENED SINCE LAST ISSUE

CRUISER
California dreaming no more
as BMW brings a new option
to riders of its Heritage
range with its R 12 low-slung
bar-hopper.

Smaller cruiser and retro roadster models added to 2024 range
MW confirmed its
plans for the R 12
nineT roadster to
replace the R nineT
earlier this year and
way back in May
2022, we revealed it
was planning an R
12-branded cruiser. Now both
models will be in local dealers
next year with the roadster
priced from $26,465 ride away
and the cruiser from $22,575.
The R 12 nineT is a direct
follow-on from the R nineT
and, although the design is
clearly influenced by the
original R nineT, side by side
the differences are stark. The
tank looks smaller and neater,

with a more traditional flatbottomed style, creating a
straight line that continues
into the seat, where the old
R nineT’s tank curved down,
with an aluminium bracket
behind it to carry the rear
section of the bike.
The removal of that element
indicates another big change:
the R 12 nineT and R 12 share
a brand-new frame that’s
simpler and lighter than the
R nineT’s three-piece design.
It’s now a single-piece, trellis
frame, with a slanted rear
shock instead of the vertical
one used by its predecessor,
still mounted on a singlesided Paralever swingarm

S P E C I A L F E AT U R E

BACK TO THE FUTURE
ON THE SUPERMONO

Ducati’s original super-single racer reviewed

68

incorporating shaft drive.
The engine, shared by both
the R 12 and R 12 nineT but
in a slightly different state
of tune, is BMW’s air and
oil-cooled 1170cc boxer twin.
In the R 12 nineT, it puts out
80kW (107hp) at 7000rpm and
115Nm at 6500rpm, while
the detuned version of the
engine in the R 12 maxes out
at 70kW (94hp) and 6500rpm,
with 110Nm at 6000rpm.
Changes compared to the old
R nineT include a new airbox
and exhaust but the rest is
essentially the same.
On the chassis front, both
bikes get a 45mm USD fork,
down from 46mm for the

R nineT, with the R 12 nineT
getting 120mm of travel at
each end and fully-adjustable
damping, while the R 12 has
less adjustment and only
90mm of movement front
and rear. That makes for a
substantial visual difference,
as do the bike’s wheels – the
R 12 nineT sticks with 17-inch
rims at each end, while the
R 12 has a 19-inch front and
16-inch rear wrapped in
narrower tyres, 100-section at
the front and 150 at the rear.
To suit its position as a

I N P I T L A N E C O L U M N

MARC ON A DUCATI
CHANGES EVERYTHING
First test heralds Marquez potential for 2024

143

TRIUMPH
THRUXTON
400 SPIED!

TRIUMPH RE ENTERED the single-

sub-R 18 cruiser, the R 12
also has completely different
bodywork. The tank is a
14-litre steel unit with a
teardrop-shaped design,
while the R 12 nineT’s is a
16-litre aluminium tank
styled to reflect the design
of the old R 90 models, with
substantial knee cutouts. This
helps explain its 7kg weight
saving over the R 12, with the
roadster coming in at 220kg
while the cruiser is 227kg.
The R 12 cruiser’s bodywork
includes a bobber-style
rear fender and a seat that’s
substantially lower at 754mm
(it’s 795mm on the R 12 nineT).
It also gets lower footpegs,
mounted further forwards,
and the handebar is taller and
pulled back towards the rider.
However, as on the R 18, the
boxer engine precludes the
use of forward-mounted foot
controls and ’pegs.
Both get plenty of
electronics, with multiple
riding modes, cornering ABS
and traction control. There
are three riding modes on the
R 12 nineT – conventionally
named ‘rain’, ‘road’ and
‘dynamic’ with selfexplanatory effects on the
throttle response and traction
control settings. The R 12 has
two modes, using the same
system as the R 18 with ‘rock’
and ‘roll’ as the two options.
Either model can be fitted
with an optional quickshifter.
BEN PURVIS

PIAGGIO’S PLANS to revive the Gilera
brand using its Chinese facilities and
recycled Aprilia components has taken
a step forward with published design
registrations for two potential styles for
the upcoming bike.
The ‘Gilera’ name reappeared on a large
bike engine in China back in late-2021,
when a Gilera-branded version of the
DOHC V-twin originally used in Aprilia’s
now-discontinued Shiver and Dorsoduro
models was shown in Beijing. At the
same time Piaggio’s Chinese partners,
Zongshen, showed the Cyclone RA9
concept bike, based around the same
engine and the Aprilia Shiver’s frame,
albeit with a new single-sided swingarm
and futuristic styling. In 2022, the RA9
was confirmed for production – to be
marketed under Zongshen’s Cyclone
brand – and Piaggio announced plans
to manufacture a 900cc twin-cylinder

engine in China. Around the same time,
several bikes that looked identical to the
Aprilia Shiver 900 were spotted on test in
China, wearing disguises but with ‘Gilera’
branding moulded into parts.
Now the Piaggio-Zongshen joint
venture has registered the design
with Chinese IP authorities bearing
the codename ‘Shiver900’ and looking
identical to the old Aprilia. However, a
second version has also been registered
with most of the same components but a
facelifted style, under the code ‘GLR900’
– ‘GLR’ surely standing for ‘Gilera’.
It’s unlikely that both models will be
manufactured – they’re mechanically
identical and share too many components
to really differentiate between the two.
But the GLR900 gets a more up-to-date
look, perhaps reflecting how the Aprilia
Shiver might have evolved if it hadn’t
been discontinued in 2020. BP

Similar but different… the two
variations of a new Gilera

S P O RT S TA RT S PA G E 1 4 4

SEASON REVIEWS OF
MOTOGP AND WSBK

Plus wraps of all the major championships

144

cylinder market with the Speed 400
and Scrambler 400 earlier this year
and now it looks like a café racer is
being added to the range – potentially
getting the Thruxton 400 name,
although it’s not confirmed.
Spotted on test near Triumph’s
Spanish R&D facility, the new version
is clearly based on the Speed 400,
using the same chassis, engine,
fuel tank, headlight and seat unit.
However, the addition of a low
handlebar and updated take on the
classic bullet fairing at the front
gives very different stance and style.
Compared to the Speed 400, it also
looks like the new bike gets revised
suspension. Not only is the fork black
instead of gold, but the front-end
appears to be lower, giving a steeper
rake and sharper steering, although
that could be a result of the more
forward-biased weight distribution.
The footpegs are also repositioned,
moved a long way back compared to
those of the Speed 400 and raised
to give a sportier riding position.
The change also requires the pillion
footpegs to be repositioned. Another
visual change is the silencer, finished
in black and with a slightly revised
shape compared to the Speed 400’s.
Carry-over parts include the
wheels and brakes, and the engine
spec is likely to be unaltered, with
the same 29.4kW (39hp) at 8000rpm
and 37.5Nm at 6500rpm as the Speed
400. Like the other 400s, the new
model will be produced in India by
Triumph’s partners Bajaj. BP

A L S O I N T H I S I S S U E

HERFOSS IS 2023
ASBK CHAMPION

Plus final-round coverage of every class

166

THE KNOW. IT HAPPENED SINCE LAST ISSUE

CHINA’S FIRST
SUPERBIKE!

A

Big four-cylinder has MV engine and cutting-edge Euro styling

lthough 106kW
(142hp) isn’t enough
to compete with the
latest and greatest
superbikes from Japan
or Europe it’s still
enough to make this – the
QJMotor SRK 1000 RC Ten78
– arguably the first proper
superbike to emerge from
China thanks to a tie-in with
MV Agusta.
We’ve previously shown
you QJMotor’s SRK 900 RR
(AMCN Vol 73 No 07), which
is nearing production and
built around MV Agusta’s
921cc engine, but the new
SRK 1000 RC Ten78 uses
a more powerful, largercapacity 1078cc version of
the same motor in a more
exotic chassis.
Like most MV Agustas,
the Ten78 uses a part-alloy,

12

amcn.com.au

part-steel chassis with a
single-sided swingarm, but
the parts don’t appear to
be borrowed directly from
MV. The official specs show
that the new model puts out
112Nm of torque – on a par
with a BMW S 1000 RR – and
while the show version seen
here uses Öhlins suspension,
the production model is
intended to use Marzocchi
parts. That’s no surprise,
as QJMotor’s parent,
Qianjiang, also has a deal to
manufacture suspension on
Marzocchi’s behalf in China.
One area where the SRK

1000 RC Ten78 is a real
departure is the styling,
which takes a step away
from the usual Chinese
practice of copying existing
designs. The bodywork is
actually the work of
C Creative, a design studio
established by former MV
Agusta design chief Adrian
Morton. He also has existing
ties with Qianjiang, as he
was responsible for Benelli’s
designs when the corporate
giant bought it nearly 20
years ago. Before his stint at
Benelli, Morton worked for
Cagiva’s design studio with

ALL-TRANSPARENT FRONT END
AND A SERIOUS APPROACH TO
AERODYNAMICS IS ON FULL SHOW

Massimo Tamburini, giving
him an impeccable heritage
and a back catalogue that
includes stunners like the
MV Agusta F3, Superveloce
and Rush 1000.
The Ten78 has some
distinctive design elements
including an all-transparent
front-end, made entirely of
windscreen and headlight,
and introduced side panels
that cut back into the fuel
tank. Underneath, the
bellypan is extended much
farther back than normal,
wrapping around the
leading edge of the rear tyre
and suggesting a serious
approach to aerodynamic
efficiency. Even the exhausts
are unusual, with a silencer
on each side that hangs in
the space between the seat
and the rear wheel, higher
than a conventional sidemounted pipe but not high
enough to be considered
‘under-seat’.
Detailed specs show
that the bike’s wet weight,
including a full 16-litre tank
of fuel, is just 198kg, while
the wheelbase is a relatively

TRIUMPH’S
MOTOCROSSER
REVEALED!
New TF 250-X eyes world championship debut
TRIUMPH HAS finally launched the
TF 250-X and, on paper at least, it has
the potential to shake up motocross.
It will reach dealers in early 2024
and compete in the MX2 World
Championship. Triumph claims the best
power-to-weight ratio in its class will
make it competitive from the start.
The TF 250-X is the culmination of
several years of secret development.
Triumph’s announcement in 2021
that it would develop motocross
bikes and enter the FIM MX2 and MX1
championships marked a huge move
for a company that’s been focused on
roadbikes for decades.
Unsurprisingly, the TF 250-X uses a
well-established recipe, with its 249cc
DOHC, liquid-cooled single sitting in
an aluminium chassis, with high-spec

suspension at either end. We’ve seen
before how big manufacturers have
faltered when trying to enter the offroad arena with innovative machines –
think BMW’s G450X and Aprilia’s MXV
450 – so sticking to tried-and-tested
tech is a good move.
The engine’s 78mm by 52.3mm
bore and stroke is nearly identical to
Kawasaki’s KX250F, but pairs it with
a particularly high 14.4:1 compression
ratio. Inside are titanium valves and
forged alloy pistons, plus a host of DLC
coatings to minimise friction.
Without making any specific
power claims, Triumph says the TF
250-X has the best power-to-weight
ratio in its class, coming in at only
104kg wet. That’s partly thanks
to an aluminium spine frame that

carries KYB suspension in the form
of a fully-adjustable 48mm fork and
a monoshock with separate high and
low speed compression damping
adjustment.
Other name-brand parts include
Brembo calipers, Galfer discs and
Dirtstar wheels, while the options
range includes an Akrapovic pipe that
cuts another 470g from the weight.
You’ll also be able to add an Athena
LC-GPA launch control module and an
XTrig holeshot device.
Incredibly, Triumph isn’t the only
big-name streetbike brand entering
motocross in 2024, as Ducati is on the
verge of unveiling its own motocross
model – a 450cc single – that will
be racing in the Italian national
championship next year. BP

SERIOUSLY!

THE SERIOUSNESS of Triumph’s
project is reflected in the fact
that the company plans to open
dedicated motocross and enduro
centres throughout Europe, the
USA and Australia, with 300 set
to open by the end of 2024. By
that stage the second model in the
range – the TF 450-X – will also
have been launched. Triumph also
plans to off er enduro versions of
both the 250cc and 450cc models.

LANGEN LIGHTSPEED
short 1425mm. Brakes are
radial Brembos on 320mm
discs and the seat height is a
tallish 840mm.
Production isn’t likely
to start for a while yet, but
the fact that QJMotor opted
to show the superbike in
Europe rather than giving
it a domestic unveiling is
a clear signal that one of
China’s largest motorcycle
manufacturers plans to
sell the new model on the
world market.
BEN PURVIS

LANGEN MOTORCYCLES is a
boutique brand that emerged in
2020 with a 250cc two-stroke
V-twin and for 2025 the British
company plans to expand its range
with an 1190cc four-stroke using
a Buell engine using the same
lightweight engineering ideas.
Dubbed the Lightspeed, the new
Langen will be made in strictly
limited numbers, starting with 185
examples for the British market in
2025 and followed by an additional
370 bikes for the rest of the world in
2026-2027.
The Lightspeed is built around
the Rotax-designed, liquid-cooled,
DOHC V-twin that was originally
conceived for the Buell 1125R. The
engine performance is unchanged,
with the same 138kW (185hp) at
10,600rpm and 138Nm at 8200rpm,
but instead of the fuel-in-frame
aluminium chassis of the Buell it

comes from, it’s bolted to a steel
trellis frame bristling with CNCmachined components and weight
saving materials.
The bodywork is carbon fibre
and the wheels are Langan’s own
CNC-machined aluminium design,
helping keep weight down to an
impressive 185kg. In style, though,
the Lightspeed sits somewhere
closer to the Ducati Diavel, with
a relatively long wheelbase and a
massive 240-section rear tyre.
The Lightspeed’s suspension
is Öhlins front and rear, with an
FGRT 48mm fork and two 36mm
STX shocks at the back, directly
connected from the trellis-style
swingarm to the frame without any
rising-rate linkage. Both ends are
adjustable, of course, and the fork
gets race-spec internals.
For brakes, Langen has gone to HEL
Performance for its four-pot radial

calipers and 320mm front discs, adding
a large 265mm rear disc and two-pot
HEL caliper. It has cornering ABS plus
rear-wheel-lift prevention.
The Lightspeed is, of course,
expensive. The initial UK-only bikes
carry a price of £43,475 ($A82,740),
but that might change by the
time they’re available for sale on
international markets. BP

amcn.com.au

13

DID YOU
KNOW?

BRIEFS. YOUR QUICK FIX

The 1170cc boxer engine in
BMW’s new R 12 cruiser dates
back to the 1997 R 1200 C.

SAMURAI!
Aft er wrapping up both the
MiniGP and Supersport titles,
Cameron Dunker joins a long
list of racing royalty as the
recipient of the RK Chains
Samurai Trophy for 2023.

GONGED
The ARDC’s Australian
Motorsport Innovation
Precinct has picked up
Western Sydney’s Outstanding
Innovation Project award.

AMCN’S
THERMOMETER

Just one day after his impressive debut on the title-winning
Ducati GP23, Marc Marquez has gone under the knife to treat
arm-pump issues he revealed he was suffering in the latter half
of the 2023 season. Sounds like someone is leaving no stone
unturned in his quest to return to glory.

ROCKET RECALL
Triumph has recalled 842 examples
of its Rocket 3 manufactured
between 2019 and 2023 due to air
entering the rear brake system.

Don’t miss our
in-depth reports
spread over the next
two issues

The final neck sock of the
year is off to Grant Howell’s
letterbox in Tasmania!

1. Green marker
2. U logo changed
3. Rieuu
4. Green fender
5. 223
14

amcn.com.au

HOLY HARLEY!
After campaigning a stock HarleyDavidson Pan America 1250 to a finish in
the 2022 1000 Dunas Raid, 45-year-old
Joan Pedrero will tackle the 6000km 2024
Africa Eco race on a specially prepared
version of Harley’s adventure offering.

VALE CECIL
SANDFORD
Two-time GP world champion and
two-time TT winner Cecil Sandford
has died, aged 95. He was MV
Agusta's first world champ.

The 46th edition of the Dakar Rally will run over
almost 8000km throughout Saudi Arabia with
60 percent of the route completely new. The twoweek event kicks off on Friday, 5 January with the
prologue and concludes on Friday, 19 January after
12 stages of racing and one rest day.

MENTAL TWISTIES

After heading into the final round of the
Australian Superbike Championship equal
on points with lifelong rival Josh Waters,
the Penrite Honda rider put in a perfect
performance to take pole position and two
victories to seal his third Australian title.
Full report page 166!

HOT &
NOT

“We solved the
problem this morning
to be ready for 2024”

7974km

HERFOSS CHAMP!

2
5

1
4
3

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ADVENTURE
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will continue into 2024 as it takes on the
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the BKX300. Powered by a fuel-injected
292.4cc four-valve single, it produces
22kW (30hp) and 24.5Nm to hustle the
lightweight 165kg (kerb) machine along.
Wheels are a 19-inch/17-inch pairing,
there’s 220mm of ground clearance,
180mm of wheel travel both ends and a lowfor-the-segment 837mm seat height.

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THE KNOW. IT HAPPENED SINCE LAST ISSUE

BENELLI
T500
FIRST ZONTES TRIPLES HEADED
BREAK
COVER
DOWN
Two 700cc models launch a new era for fast maturing Chinese brand
UNDER
hina’s Zontes has
long been open about
its plans to develop
a range of threecylinder models
ranging from 600cc
to 1000cc. This is in
response to criticism that its
existing all-singles line-up –
which until recently topped
out at 350cc – doesn’t compete
with rival brands that are
expanding to midsized twincylinder models.
Now the first two Zontes
triples have been previewed
in pre-production form as
the 703F adventure bike and
703RR sportsbike. Both are
appealing-looking models
that combine cast-alloy
frames with an engine that
takes some inspiration from
the Yamaha MT-09 motor but
can’t be called a direct rip-off
of the Japanese design.
The slow development
of the engine and the bikes
designed around it mean
Zontes won’t be China’s first
three-cylinder motorcycle
manufacturer. Rival
Qianjiang, owner of Benelli,
has recently restarted
production of the Benelli
TNT899 and CFMoto is on the
verge of unleashing its 675SR
three-cylinder sportsbike. But
even so the 699cc triple puts
Zontes into a rarified group of

16

amcn.com.au

multi-cylinder Chinese bike
makers, particularly as it’s
not using a knock-off version
of an existing Japanese
engine like several of the
recently-announced fourcylinder bikes from China
which are based around
reverse-engineered versions
of Honda’s CB650R four.
The 703F adventure bike
version of the engine puts out
73.5kW (100hp) at 9000rpm
and 85Nm at 7200rpm, while
the higher-spec in the 703RR
ups the power to 81kW
(110hp) at 11,000rpm, but
sacrifices torque – dropping
to 75Nm at 8600rpm.
Both models use their own,
different, cast-alloy frames
and swingarms, with an
upside-down fork, Brembo
brakes and plenty of on-board
tech. The 803RR, for instance,
has a huge eight-inch TFT
dash and while exact details
of its equipment haven’t been
announced, the complex
arrangement of buttons and
a thumbwheel on the left
handlebar point to multilayered menus and a host of
rider assists and modes.
The 703F, meanwhile,
appears to be designed
with some genuine off-road
intentions, using a 21-inch
front wheel and 17-inch rear,
with extensive protection

bars built around the front
bodywork. Both models
also have unusual lights,
with the main units that are
intrinsic to their style made
up of daytime running lights
behind frosted covers, while
the main headlight units
are positioned separately.
The 703F’s are set into the
underside of the bluff nose,
while the 703RR’s main lights
are in four separate pods
hanging beneath winglets
moulded into the fairings.
These are still in the preproduction phase, but are
expected to maintain the look
of the show bikes when they
reach production, probably
towards the end of 2024. And
while there’s no confirmation
just yet as to the availability
of Zontes in Australia, it’s
inevitable the brand will find
a distributor Down Under at
some point in the future.

BEN PURVIS

THE 500CC Benelli sportsbike
unveiled at this year’s EICMA show in
Milan will be available in Australia as a
2024 model.
Powered by a Euro 5+-compliant
500cc parallel-twin engine that’s good
for 35kW (47hp) at 8500rpm and 46Nm
at 6000rpm, the fully-faired T500
weighs 186kg ready to ride.
It’s suspended on a fully adjustable
upside-down 41mm Marzocchi fork
matched to a preload-adjustable
monoshock rear with an ABS-equipped
Brembo brake package.
Like most new releases for 2024,
the T500 gets a five-inch TFT screen
with wifi and Bluetooth connectivity to
facilitate calls and navigation. There’s
a tyre-pressure monitoring system as
standard fitment as well as ESB and
USB-C charging sockets.
Pricing will be announced closer to
the T500’s on-sale date.
KEL BUCKLEY

KISKA.COM
Photo: R.Schedl

1390

SUPER DUKE R

REAL AND RAW,

NO BULLSHIT.
AVAILABILITY MARCH 2024 KTM.COM
Please make no attempt to imitate the illustrated riding scenes, always wear protective clothing and observe the applicable provisions of the road traffic regulations!
The illustrated vehicles may vary in selected details from the production models and some illustrations feature optional equipment available at additional cost.

Feel your heart beat

THE KNOW. THEY DID WHAT?

Jake Bennett and
Mel Eckert broke the
pillion-jump world record

WORDS PETER WHITAKER + PHOTOGRAPHY SUPPLIED

DOUBLE
JEOPARDY
Aussie stunt duo establish a world record
in their own backyard

s a junior dirt-track
competitor since the
age of four, motorcycle
jumps were nothing
new to Jake Bennett,
who continues to
compete in Pro
Supercross, a tough game
where singles, doubles and
triples are par for the course.
Not so Mel Eckert, who met
Jake in 2017 when they were
developing film stunts for the
Chinese/Australian thriller
Smoke Screen.
Jake and Mel soon became
a well-respected team in
the close-knit world of film
and television production,
frequently performing stunts
requiring complete faith in
each other’s abilities.
It wasn’t long before Mel
learnt to handle a trials
bike before progressing to
a Kawasaki KX250F where
she joined Jake trail riding
around their farm near
Picton, south-west of Sydney.
Considering their day
jobs, it’s not surprising these
outings became quite spirited
and Mel quickly became
familiar with the feeling of
flight on a dirtbike.
“A lot of bike jobs I’ve
worked on involved having
a pillion,” says Jake, “so
we figured we should start
practising that skill to see
what we could achieve. We
started on some smaller

jumps and, when one jump
went a little long, I jokingly
wondered what the world
record was.”
Mel’s search of the
records among the many
extraordinary feats of
Robbie Maddison, showed
the Guinness Record for
a pillion jump was 96 feet
(29.3m), set by Welsh stunt
rider Jason Rennie and his
pillion Sian Phillips – a
record they’d held for 23
years! Jake figured his
well-sorted Honda CRF450
would prove far superior to
a Yamaha YZ250 built more
than two decades ago.
“We both thought this was
something really cool and
achievable,” Jake says.
The task appeared
straightforward, but first
Jake and Mel had to present
their professional stunt
rider credentials before
the Guinness authorities
would even consider their
application to attempt a new
record. The requirements
also specified that, other
than commercially available
suspension components,
the CRF450 must remain
standard. A professional
survey team had to
measure and certify the
course and then, should
the attempt proceed, video
and photo evidence along
with independent witness

FINALLY, WITH ONLY A SINGLE 15M
WARM-UP JUMP BEHIND THEM, JAKE
AND MEL LITERALLY TOOK OFF
20

amcn.com.au

statements would be
required.
“At no stage did we think it
would be easy,” says Jake. “As
soon as we started testing we
realised we had a mountain
to climb.”
Their objective was to
break the existing ramp-toramp record and, at the same
time, establish a dirt-to-dirt
world record; something
considered so high risk it had
never been attempted.
Jake began practising
wearing a weighted vest and
carrying additional weight
strapped to the seat. During
their first tests two-up, they
discovered that landing
on flat ground, even with
distances as short as 20m,
the landings were so harsh
the forces going through Mel
were unbearable. It was only
a matter of time before the
jump would terminate in a
crash landing, or a broken
wheel hub. Or both.
“During one of the practice
jumps my foot hit the
ground,” recalls Mel. “And
I realised even the smaller
jumps could have serious
consequences. Each time we
went out to the farm it was
different; some days filled
with confidence, others filled
with doubts. The process
was like a stunt job. Even
with all the unknowns, it’s
time to trust your training

and get on with it.” Further
searching turned up an
alternate double jump over a
gully with a gentle downhill
landing zone which, after a
couple of solo practice jumps,
Jake declared ideal. Final
preparations was fitting a
Renthal ’bar to allow Jake
some height and for both
he and Mel to centralise
mass. As you might imagine,
the footwork was a touch
complicated, but with a set
of wide footpegs and tightfitting boots, they managed.
Finally, Sunday 16 July
2023, with only a single 15m
warm-up jump behind them,
Jake and Mel literally took
off. Less than 20 seconds
later, the Dunlop MX33s
hit the dirt, both rider and
pillion took a very deep
breath, and the survey team
moved in to measure a new
world record of 37.1m – an
increase of more than seven
metres over the previous
record – which utilised
especially constructed ramps
rather than natural terrain.
Always seeking new
adventures to perfect their
craft, Jake and Mel are now
off to the crazy phenomenon
inaugurated by the film
stunt community at Glen Hill
Raceway back in the 1990s
which, 26 years later, has
become the infamous Red
Bull ‘Day in the Dirt’.

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Wheelmuck+
WINNER
LETTER OF
THE ISSUE

LETTER OF THE ISSUE
Ageist departments!

After over 50 years of
riding motorcycles, I
have never experienced
blatant discrimination
such as that by the South
Australian Department for
Infrastructure and Transport.
Upon turning 70 years, a
motorcycle licence holder
is served with a four-page
medical form to be filled
out by a GP which must
be returned to the above
department within a few
weeks of your birthday or
your motorcycle licence is
cancelled.
Car drivers do not have to
endure this test and there
would be an outcry if so.
Questions asked are about
blood pressure, diabetes,
hearing loss and psychiatric
conditions, specifically
chronic depression, chronic
anxiety, PTSD, bipolar,
personality disorder,
schizophrenia and, if so, what
medication.
Added to the list are sleep

Take responsibility

I cannot agree more with
Steve Whitehead’s sentiments
about our presumptuous
attitude to so-called safety
(Access, AMCN Vol 73 No 10).
In our society there seems
to be a growing lack of
accountability for one’s own
actions. I feel for the younger
generations, which sadly so
often exhibit a deficiency
in common sense. Frankly,
WKH\bFDQȆWEHEODPHGIRULW
– there’s just way too much
cottonwool padding in
WKHLUbXSEULQJLQJ
May I call on us all to take
responsibility for ourselves

ACCESS.

Win a bottle of of Motomuck Wheelmuck+, a
pH neutral ‘no effort’ wheel cleaner that
removes brake dust easily. Valued at $29.95!

AIR YOUR THOUGHTS OR VENT YOUR SPLEEN

Include your full name and address in your letter, via post or email.
Long letters will be cut to fit, so don’t ramble. The views expressed
by readers are not necessarily those of the editor.

Access, AMCN, PO Box 6, Bittern, Vic, 3918
access@amcn.com.au

disorder and questions
regarding alcohol and drugs.
When returning the form it is
logged into the database for
all to see in the department.
This is repeated every year
after turning 70. I have seen
absolutely no evidence that
over-70s are over-represented
in any statistics relating to
motorcycle crashes.
This test was a double
consultancy at the GP’s at my
expense and the only outcome
was time wasted at an already
stretched medical clinic.
I urge anyone who feels as
strongly about this as I do to
speak to their local member
and Minister of Transport.
7KLVLVQRWIDLUb

Trevor McDonald
Via email

THIS TEST WAS A DOUBLE CONSULTANCY AT THE GP’S AT MY
EXPENSE AND THE ONLY OUTCOME WAS TIME WASTED AT
AN ALREADY STRETCHED MEDICAL CLINIC
and our own actions. Yes,
people around us on the
roads are making mistakes
and indiscretions all the
time; and that includes
PH7KHURDGVZLOOEHVDIHU
and more pleasurable for
us all if we individually
focus effort on our skills,
and concern ourselves with
our own driving and riding
standards. Let’s not presume
that something or someone
is going to be responsible
for our often half-hearted
approach to applying
ourselves to the task at hand.

Andrew Jones
Via email

amcn.com.au

23

ACCESS. YOUR SAY
Testing the memory

I found Matho’s BMW
history both insightful and
interesting. While I confess
to once buying a K 100 off
a farmer for $600, a bike I
failed to later get running and
subsequently sold for about
the same dough, I was never a
fan of the brand.
Sure, as a reader of
motorcycle magazines since
I got my first bike in 1965, I’d
learnt that Germans and other
Europeans used to ride BMWs
through snow, rain and gravel
to attend the annual Elephant
Rallies in Europe. They wore
leather or waxed-cotton suits
– bet Mick’s got a Belstaff! –
covered with badges earned
on earlier rides. It always
looked grey and cold. But
they not only got there, they
also apparently got home.
Something bikes I’d had didn’t
always do.
Anyway, Mick’s mention
of BMW first putting ABS on
their bikes reminded of my
experience when first riding
with an anti-lock system.
I was freelancing for Two
Wheels and Live to Ride back
then, and had been invited
to the GrandPrix at Phillip
Island, likely in 1989, press
pass waiting. I rode my Ducati
860 GTS over from South
Australia. After a great day
at the races we adjourned to
dine and stay the night at a
Wonthaggi hotel.
Next day, riding back
to the island, Two Wheels
editor John Rooth was testing
a Beemer with ABS. He
suggested we swap bikes for a
few kays, so we did.
Once up to speed, I moved
to the back and jumped on
the brakes to try the ABS. The
suspension bottomed right
out, while the bike slowed
without skidding.
Swapping bikes back with
John, I told of my experience
and wondered why the
suspension should be so worn
on such a new bike.
“Easy,” he’d responded.
“We’re the fourth mag to test

24

amcn.com.au

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE!
Available in six- or 12-month options subscribe.amcn.com.au

Two AMCN wordsmiths
duke it out on a back road
in the lofty interests of
uncompromising journalism

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO MY SANITY IN THESE TIMES OF
DESPERATE AUSTERITY, FICKLE ANXIETY, MOTORISED ELECTRICKERY…
this thing, so everyone has
been jumping on the brakes
to see what happens, just like
you!”
Years since I’ve stuck with
my older bikes and some
Buells, a Can-Am Ryker plus
a new Indian FTR, the latter
two both having ABS, a
feature I’ve yet deployed on
either. Must be too slow or
cautious these days…
But, like Clint Eastwood
reckons, don’t put the old man
on every morning.
Thanks, Mick Matheson,
for sparking memories I have

not revisited for a time. And
congratulations the rest of
AMCN for continuing to print
the only motorcycle magazine
I’ll buy these days.
Thanks y’all!

‘Loose’ Bruce Linnell
Via email

And thank you, Bruce, for sharing those
fabulous memories. I remember the
first time I tested a bike with ABS too,
on a shootout with Matho. He told me to
just grab a handful of front brake and it
would be fine, which it was, but it took
me about half a dozen goes to build up
the courage to do it.
Deano

The Flying Brick brings the
memories flooding back

Motion poetry

Hello everyone – what a
stellar year, thank you
for your contributions to
my sanity in these times
of desperate austerity,
fickle anxiety, militarised
humanity, motorised
electrickery and a rash of
published poetry.
I thought we’d established,
some time ago that AMCN
would salve us with the poetic
licence of the vent, but save
us all from the tedium of
the poetic malcontent? Sure,
These Quixotic Things, by
Derek Stevenson (AMCN Vol
73 No 10), was a fine riposte
to a publicly-schooled chap,
but surely, like more than a
hundred horses’ power is more
than enough on a road of any
measure of a rider. His wit and
wordsmithery is wasted on us
and surely better spent curing
cancer or conspiring to carbon
capture.
I ride too infrequently but
still love that I share the love of
the ride, the expectation of the
pack, the choice of gloves and

which jacket, the fleeting bliss,
the controlled speed and smug
lawlessness, who has chosen
the route, then the battery
charge, the cable lube, mentos
and the doob.
I rode with the lads last
weekend to Oatlands for
Tassie Motorcycle Day – rode
the wet Woodsdale ribbon,
doobed like old times at
the burned-out Baden and
wandered the show with my
friends talking sweet shit, for
shit’s sake, like old men. Went
our separate ways and I rode
alone with my stone, Covid
and nurophen, buggered
knees with my decades-borne
nostalgia and memories.
Love the comparos, the
little Pom on Ducatis, the
racing intel et al, but less
of the rise of the Chinese
copiests – I’m still simply
aghast at how you think that
freedom of press gives the
despots who abuse human
rights globally and have
f***ed our economy, CPI and
interest rates carte blanche in
your pages supporting their
economic interests. Poor form
in a great mag. Nothing poetic
about tyranny. Keep most of it
up, it’s such a great mag.

Bill Duhig
Via email

Baffled cylinders

I hate to be pedantic; but
just for fun I checked the
posted engine stats for the
the two retro scrambler
twins tested recently in
Travel Lite, AMCN Vol 73
No 10.
Imagine my horror (pun
intended) when I realised
you exaggerated the
capacity of the Benelli by a
significant amount.
It ain’t 754cc – be more
like 655cc. Ya got the
CFMoto spot-on at 692.8cc
but…
Please be more accurate
in the future – just imagine
how depressed and suicidal
some of your readers may
become if they purchased
this ‘BIG’-engined twin,
only to be informed it’s a
puny 655cc – think of the
humanity.
Don’t make me cancel my
subscription.

Nick Hellen
Via email

Ummm… we got it right. The engine
capacity of the Benelli Leoncino
800 Trail is 754cc as stated in the
article, so please don’t cancel your
subscription.
Deano

Stripped club

Ducati clubs Australia-wide
have received a letter from
Ducati, or more so the VW
Group, and it means the
group has trademarked
d.o.c and no Ducati club in
Australia can use Ducati or
doc in their name.
If the clubs – and many of
them have been running for
nearly 50 years, back before
Ducati was mainstream and
were classed as overpriced
and unreliable – want
to join, they have to be
known as doc. They can’t
mention Ducati at all on
their T-shirts, website or
letterheads, and have to get
approval every year. It also
means any newsletter, event
or email they send has to
be okayed by Ducati’s head
office first.
They have the right to
protect their trade name,
but when they secretly
trademark doc to affect
every club around the
world, that’s wrong. Also it’s
the start of them and other
manufacturers stopping
all automotive clubs in
Australia from existing.

Has VW stopped the VW
clubs in Australia? This is
bigger than just one club
being targeted. It could be
the end of every automotive
club in Australia.

Ricky Donohue
Via email

Hi Ricky, we asked Ducati for a
response on your behalf, and received
this: “The matter has been an ongoing
discussion for some months between
Ducati and the official clubs locally.
The topic only pertains to the use of
the Ducati name on public company
registrars and legal documents, as it
is an owned global trademark.
This is no different from Ducati
dealer partners that may also feature
the Ducati brand publicly. To be clear
and as discussed with the presidents,
there is no issue with the official
clubs featuring the Ducati name
on their websites, social media,
publications or club uniforms and no
approval is needed.
At all times we have sought to
work with our valued club partners
to resolve this matter and provide
them with the appropriate support.
We value and embrace our family
of Ducatisti and our Ducati Official
Clubs globally, and appreciate the
incredible passion and loyalty to the
Ducati brand.
Ducati Australia

amcn.com.au

25

FIRST RIDE 2023 PTR SUZUKI HAYABUSA

TEST PETE VORST
+ PHOTOGRAPHY
INCITE IMAGES

28

amcn.com.au

FIRST RIDE 2023 PTR SUZUKI HAYABUSA

GOODIE,
GOODIE,
YUM, YUM

The non-standard additions
to the PTR Hayabusa
• Akrapovic Racing Line titanium
exhaust system $2486
• 3D-printed velocity stacks $620
• Pirelli Supercorsa SP V3 tyres $630
• Genuine Suzuki billet pack $1399
• Genuine Suzuki touring screen $415.70
• Genuine Suzuki single-seat cowl $356.10
• Genuine Suzuki premium seat $272.70
• Genuine Suzuki rim decals $116.80
• Genuine Suzuki carbon look
mirror cover set $237
• Genuine Suzuki tank pad $64.30

1

2

TOTAL $6597.60
3

IF YOU
HAVEN’T
DONE WARP
SPEED ON
A ’BUSA
YOU HAVEN’T
LIVED

unique aerodynamically
efficient styling, the endless
turbine-like power and the
way the fairing encapsulates
the rider in a cocoon of
silence so that when you
look down and see the needle
speeding past 200km/h, you’re
simply shocked.
If you haven’t done warp speed
on a ’Busa you haven’t lived. It’s an
experience like no other. It’s solid and
stable at insane speeds and feels perfectly
at home at a velocity that will have you tasered,
but there’s always room for more.
And if more go is what you’re chasing, then Phil
Tainton – a name that will be especially familiar
to Suzuki buffs – is your man. Phil and his team at
Phil Tainton Racing are legends in the speed world
and have been preparing and tuning all sorts of
crazy-fast machinery for almost four decades. Of
course Phil was going to turn his hand towards
the latest-generation ’Busa…
We first received the PTR Hayabusa back in
March, but the mods performed on the bike hadn’t
been completed, so the throttle response down
low was unusually weak and right across the rev
range the ’Busa just wasn’t ‘doing it for me’ like I
know a ’Busa can and should, so back it went.
A couple of months and some quality time on
the PTR Dynojet dyno later, it returned and this

30

amcn.com.au

4

ONE-SIDED

HUBBA RUBBER

EXTRA FARKLES

Beautifully made, 14kg lighter
and capable of making the
’Busa sing the song of gods,
the Akrapovic full system is
worth every cent of its $2486
asking price.

Out with the standard
Bridgestone Battlax S22
rubber and in with a fresh set of
super-sticky Pirelli Supercorsa
SP V3 to help get the PTR
’Busa’s power to the ground.

On top of PTR’s work, Suzuki
also chucked some bling at the
’Busa, fitting its billet pack,
touring screen, single seat cowl,
premium seat, rim stickers and
a tank pad.

time things were feeling much better with solid
continuous power right across the rev range and a
bump in performance.
Suzuki claims a standard Gen III Haybusa
puts out 140kW (188hp) of power at 9700rpm
and 150Nm of torque at 7000rpm. Before its
modifications and in totally standard guise, this
particular ’Busa registered a peak power figure
of 128.2kW (171.9hp) at 9410rpm and 143.5Nm of
torque at 6870rpm on the PTR dyno.
What’s that? Peak power and torque figures are
down a fair chunk from Suzuki’s claims, but that
doesn’t mean Suzuki is fibbing. Like just about
all motorcycle manufacturers, Suzuki’s claimed
peak power output is measured at the crank, not
at the rear wheel as measured on a chassis dyno.
Compared with measuring power and torque at
the engine, you can safely assume a loss of around
10 percent through the driveline and rear tyre,
so if anything, it looks as though Suzuki’s 140kW
claim for the ’Busa is on the conservative side.
With the standard bike dyno’d, Phil and the
team went to work fitting a very handsomelooking Akrapovic 4-into-1 Racing Line titanium
exhaust system. The full Akro is claimed to weigh
in at just 6.49kg, which is a solid 14kg lighter than
the standard system. On top of this, Akrapovic
reckons you’ll get a 6.5kW (8.7hp) increase in
power and a 5.7Nm increase in torque.
Everyone knows, or at least they should, that if
you just bolt a system on you’re more likely to get

BREATHE
DEEPLY

PLUG AND
PLAY

PTR had the velocity stacks
scanned, redesigned and then
new versions printed out by
Melbourne-based 3D printing
house, Thinglab.

You won’t find a Dynojet box
and any other kind of tuner
under the seat. PTR taps
straight into the ’Busa’s ECU
heart for tuning on the dyno.

5

6
1. Dyno printouts like this are
gold to a ’Busa tuner
2. Phil Tainton goes noisily about
his business on the dyno. Decades
of experience count when you are
tuning on a rolling road like this
3./4. The key to rideability was
hours spent experimenting with
intake trumpets
5. The sound of this at full noise
will make the hairs stand up on the
back of your neck
6. Gotta love the New School-Old
School digital dash

amcn.com.au

31

FIRST RIDE 2023 PTR SUZUKI HAYABUSA

1
2

THE
RECAP
RELEASED IN 2022 the Gen III

worse rather than better performance unless you
can get it on a dyno and get it breathing right and
marrying up to the bike’s ECU.
PTR worked its magic on the complicated
black art of perfecting the ’Busa’s airflow by
experimenting with various velocity stack lengths
on the dyno until the optimum set-up was found.
Once Phil was happy, he had a deck of stacks 3D
printed by Thinglab in Yarraville, Victoria, to his
exact specifications.
With the intake fettled, exhaust fitted and
mapping jiggled to suit, PTR achieved significant
power and torque gains from 5000rpm when
compared to the standard Suzuki Gen III
Hayabusa. A peak power output of 135kW
(181hp) – an increase of 6kW (9.13hp) at the rear
wheel – was achieved slightly higher in the rev
range at 10,160rpm while maximum torque grew
by 4.7Nm and is achieved at 7330rpm, 460rpm
higher in the rev range.
However, at around 10,600rpm, where the
standard Busa is running out of puff, the PTR
modified version gains a healthy 14.9kW (20hp).
But despite the top-end gains, there are no losses
over the stock bike above the 5000rpm mark.
All in all, the PTR work coughed up solid gains,
but the parts and dyno bill totalled $4101, and that
doesn’t include labour, so it’s not a cheap exercise.
I’d calculate that with labour included you’re
looking down the barrel of a $5k bill on top of the

32

amcn.com.au

Hayabusa took the legendary
nameplate to a whole new
level in terms of price and
finish, but especially in the
electronics department. While
the Gen II offered a couple of
adjustable power modes, the
Gen III bristles with electronic
wizardry, such as multiple ride
modes, launch control, engine
braking control, cruise control
and hill hold control as well as
cornering traction control and
cornering ABS.
The new ’Busa looks far
more premium and boasts
significantly more tech, but
there is one sticking point
for ’Busa buffs like me. In the
lead-up to the release of the
latest-generation Hayabusa,
there were all sorts of fanciful
rumours getting about, like
it would be wearing a turbo
that could rightfully reinstate
the ’Busa to the top of the
horsepower heap.
When the new model arrived,
however, there was a boost
in power and torque in the
midrange, but peak output
was lower than the outgoing
model (140kW (188hp) at
9700rpm versus 145kW (194hp)
at 9500pm, and 150Nm at
7000rpm versus 155Nm
at 7200rpm).

1. The art of welding is on full
show along with the chain adjuster
block from the optional Genuine
Suzuki billet pack
2. Genuine Suzuki carbon look
mirror cover set is a nice touch
3. The Genuine Suzuki billet pack
also includes brake and clutch
levers, front axle slider and an
aluminium oil filler cap
4. Tightly packaged styling is part
of the Hayabusa’s aerodynamics

4

3

FIRST RIDE 2023 PTR SUZUKI HAYABUSA

TTS PERFORMANCE
HAYABUSA
Turns out Phil Tainton isn’t the only tuner
improving the breed for hungry ’Busa fans
SPECS

ON THE subject of ’Busa tinkering, for me, the ‘SuperBusa’ from
UK performance house TTS is the king. I’d sell my firstborn to
have one of these 283kW (380hp) supercharged beasts in my
shed. TTS has gone to town on the engine, chassis and brakes
on the SuperBusa. The base model SuperBusa will set you back
$A95,500 plus you’d have to get it imported here and jump
through the ADR hoops. AMCN contributor’s Adam Child fired one
down a drag strip recently. This is what he reckons:
I’VE KNOWN the owner of TTS Performance, Richard Albans,
for years and ridden many of his wild creations. He is like a mad
inventor, who is addicted to speed and power. Which is why when
he rolled up to the strip with his latest creation – a 276kW (370hp)
supercharged Hayabusa – he wouldn’t let me have a warm-up run
and wanted me to try it with full power on the first launch.
It’s an angry, noisy bike and, despite being a genuine 350km/h
bike, it is road-legal in the UK. It runs a conventional rear tyre, not
a rear slick, and once onboard the cut-away seat to get the rider
lower – it feels almost standard.
Rolling up to the drag strip for my first rip, heart racing, I gave
it the berries. The first second is a combination of rear wheelspin,
fear, and hoping it doesn’t flip (it doesn’t have anti-wheelie).
The next few gears are blisteringly quick, making a standard
Hayabusa feel like a supersport 600.
Stay tucked in, throttle to the stop and just keep powering.
Even clicking into fourth gear it’s still trying to tear my arms off.
Jesus, this one quick bike. It’s an aggressive mechanical, animal
that fires you towards the horizon. For the record, I managed a
9.38sec run and 270km/h on a road-legal bike.

ENGINE
Capacity 1340cc
Type In-line four, DOHC, 16 valves
Bore & stroke 81x65mm
Compression ratio 12.6:1
Cooling Liquid
Fueling EFI
Transmission Six-speed
Clutch Wet, multi-plate
Final drive Chain

PERFORMANCE
Power 135kW @ 10,160rpm (measured)
Torque 148.2Nm @ 7330rpm (measured)
Top speed 299km/h (limited)
Fuel consumption 6.7L/100km (claimed)

ELECTRONICS
Type Bosch
Rider aids Cornering ABS, cornering
traction control, wheelie control, launch
control, engine brake assist, hill assist, quick
shift, cruise control
Ride modes Active, Basic and Comfort

CHASSIS
Frame material Aluminium
Frame type Twin spar
Rake 23˚
Trail 90mm
Wheelbase 1480mm

SUSPENSION
Type KYB
Front: 43mm USD fork,
fully adjustable,
120mm travel
Rear: Monoshock, fully adjustable ,
140mm travel

WHEELS & BRAKES
Wheels 7-spoke aluminium
Front: 17 x 3.5 Rear: 17 x 5.5
Tyres Pirelli Supercorse V3 SP
Front: 120/70ZR17
Rear: 190/50ZR17
Brakes Brembo/Nissin, ABS
Front: 320mm discs,
four piston radial mount calipers
Rear: Single 260mm disc,
single-piston caliper

DIMENSIONS
Weight 250kg (kerb, claimed)
Seat height 800mm
Width 735mm
Height 1165mm
Length 2180mm
Ground clearance 125mm
Fuel capacity 20L

SERVICING & WARRANTY
Servicing First: 1000km
Minor: 12,000km
Major: 24,000km
Warranty None with modifications

BUSINESS END
Price $32,999 (as tested, plus labour)
Colour options Glass Sparkle Black/Candy
Burnt Gold or Metallic Matte Sword Silver/
Candy Daring Red

CONTACT
suzukimotorcycles.com.au
www.ptr.com.au

34

amcn.com.au

$26,390 ride away price of the new ’Busa itself. It’s
a lot of money and on the road the difference isn’t
that noticeable in day-to-day riding.
The biggest gains have been found in the upper
end of the rev range and it’s difficult to harness
the Hayabusa’s top-end power on the road. The
only place to really see where your $5 grand went
would be a back-to-back drag with a standard
bike on a dragstrip. Now that would be fun!
As a road rider, which I’d bet most ’Busa
riders are, I think the midrange gains are more
important than the top-end ones. And, given
Suzuki specifically tuned the latest Gen III model
for more midrange, it would appear it agrees.
So, is an extra 6kW (8hp) of power and 4.7Nm
of torque worth the outlay? In my mind, the
upgrades are worth it purely for the sake of the
14kg lost via the exhaust system and the gorgeous
sound the titanium and carbon Akrapovic can
emit as you bang through the gears.
I adore Hayabusas and one day there will be
a ’Busa in my garage. It’s true it is no longer the
fastest bike on the planet, like it could lay claim
to at the start of the century, but I’ll be hell-bent
on making it the sort of animal that god herself
fears, and that’s exactly why PTR’s knowledge and
experience is worth investigating – every step
counts on the way to tyre-frying insanity!

It’s a Hayabusa, so it’s awesome already, and the
noise from the exhaust is music to the ears.

PROS
AND
CONS

Large financial outlay for what some may regard as
relatively minor perfromance gains.

36

amcn.com.au

B

eat the drums, clap the hands and
ready your finances because it’s
time for AMCN’s 2023 Motorcycle
of the Year presented by Shannons
Insurance, the most anticipated
motorcycle comparison test in the land.
We assembled 10 of the best bikes of
the year and thrashed them like escaped
convicts over multiple days in order to
be able to confidently select one model
to take out our coveted Motorcycle of
the Year crown.
As with previous years, we had a
variety of styles and sizes of bikes, from
a sub-$10 grand sportsbike through to a
$41,000 cruiser and almost everything in
between. But price isn’t everything as we

judge each bike as you, the buyer, might.
We delve into a bike’s build quality,
whether it successfully achieves what
its designers set out to do, what it brings
to the market in terms of innovation,
whether it’s good value for money and,
most importantly, whether it’s fun to ride.
No motorcycles were harmed in the
making of MOTY 2023, but blood was
spilled, glorious roads slain, heated
debates bashed out, and lashings of
social lubricant consumed all in the
pursuit of whittling down the list to just
one motorcycle. So put your phone on
silent, get a drink from the fridge and
settle into your favourite easy chair as
we search for a winner.

WORDS DEAN MELLOR & PETE VORST + PHOTOGRAPHY INCITE IMAGES

amcn.com.au

37

Developed with

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gViT^i\ĚwVVh^i\g‡ĚT^wzGizĚzVQ]i^QGgÙĚT‡iGh^QĚGiTĚwz‡g^wz^QĚ[VGz{vVwÙĚw{Q]ĚGwĚz]kwVĚk[ĚwskvĚiGfVTwĚGiTĚ
h{wQgVĚQv{^wVvwÙĚz]VĚV†]^gGvGz^i\ĚsVvŽkvhGiQVĚk[Ěz]VĚ9–ĚvGiz{v^whkĚVi\^iVĚ^wĚQkhP^iVT́^z]Ěw{vsv^w^i\Ě
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MOTY 2023 WHAT & HOW

JUDGING
STANDARD
AMCN’s five 2023
MOTY criteria

HOW WE DID THIS

The plan: assemble a cross-section of 10 bikes and riders, then head south
ausing 10 bikes and the right people
to ride them to come together at a
specific point and date for a specific
task is a challenge at the best of times,
but with riders pulling out at the last
minute and bikes failing to turn up on
time, the logistics of this year’s MOTY
test took some extra effort and patience. We
even had bikes rolling up on the morning of
departure and only just in time to be fueled,
weighed and measured before setting off.
The variety of bikes on test is a testament
to the way of things in 2023. Five of them
are parallel twins – they’re taking over! But
gone are the days when parallel twins were
lifeless commuters. With 270-degree cranks
all of the parallels in this group – Aprilia’s
Tuareg, CFMoto’s 450SR, Honda’s Hornet,
Suzuki’s V-Strom 800 and Yamaha’s Tracer
7 – cop a serious dose of character and offer
as much bang and grin for the buck as any
configuration. The other five offer a taste
of just about all other variations available.
Beemer’s M 1000 R represents the good
old inline-four, Ducati’s Diavel spits fire
and invective with its V4 and, of course,
there’s the V100 Mandello with its new and
refined version of Moto Guzzi’s 90-degree
transverse twin. Triumph’s Street Triple
is doing it for the three-pot screamers and
KTM’s diabolically good 160hp 1290 Super
Adventure R keeps the dream alive for fans
of big, angry V-twins. We’ve covered them all
except one configuration: the humble single
cylinder. Perhaps that will be different next
year when Ducati releases its not-so-humble
Hypermotard 698 Mono.
With bikes and riders finally sorted we set
off for the NSW South Coast town of Manyana.
The 10 bikes were rotated around the
group over the trip with each rider getting a

good stint on each bike. Our route consisted
of highway, motorway, country road and
snaking mountain road miles, plus a good
dose of Sydney peak-hour traffic as we rolled
back into the Big Smoke, so the full gamut of
riding experiences your average rider would
be expected to encounter were covered.
Thankfully La Nina had quietened down so
for the first time in a long time, we had beaut
weather for the entire trip with the exception
of some pretty ferocious wind which
sandblasted a few riders on a beachside photo
stop. Sunny skies and dry roads gave the crew
a chance to really have a red-hot go through
some of the best roads the region has to offer.
Once back at base, each rider, using the five
criteria, scored each bike from 1 to 10
(1 being poo and 10 being perfect). The scores
were tallied, the debates settled and a winner
was declared. We hope you enjoy reading
this year’s MOTY test as much as we enjoyed
making it happen.

• BUILD QUALITY It’s gott a be
built well to earn this crown
• INNOVATION Is it advancing
technology, or responding cleverly to
the market?
• DESIGN BRIEF Does it deliver
to the rider what it promises to do
on the tin?
• FUN FACTOR It’s gott a be fun to
ride, or what’s the point?
• VALUE FOR MONEY Not just
price, because a well-equipped
expensive bike can still represent
good value

THE
FINALISTS
…in alphabetical order
• Aprilia Tuareg 660
• BMW M 1000 R
• CFMoto 450SR
• Ducati Diavel V4
• Honda CB750 Hornet
• KTM 1290 Super
Adventure R
• Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello S
• Suzuki V-Strom 800DE
• Triumph Street Triple RS
• Yamaha Tracer 7

The Mild Ones wait for Deano
to find his credit card before
hitting the high life at Manyana

amcn.com.au

39

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facebook.com/motonational

MOTY 2023 WHO’S WHO

THE
JUDGES
DEANO
‘SAND STORM’
MELLOR

PETE ‘ENOUGH’S
ENOUGH’ VORST

AGE 56
WEIGHT 77kg
HEIGHT 167cm
EXPERIENCE Hooked by an XR75
as a kid, Deano got into roadbikes
in his 20s. He has tested bikes for
various publications since the 1990s
and now sits at the AMCN Ed’s Desk.

AGE 48
WEIGHT 105kg
HEIGHT 186cm
EXPERIENCE PV has been
riding since he was a wee pup
and despite his advancing
years he still lacks any kind
of maturity on any kind of
motorcycle.

ADAM ‘OH LOOK,
A TRIUMPH’
ROLLANS

CHRIS ‘DARE
AND A DART’
JONES

HUGO ‘DOES
IT COME IN
GREEN’ KAAG

AGE 43
WEIGHT 83kg
HEIGHT 173cm
EXPERIENCE Adam has been
riding for almost four decades, and
has owned all sorts of motorcycles
aimed at dirt, adventure, road
and track.

AGE 45
WEIGHT 89kg
HEIGHT 180cm
EXPERIENCE Fuelled solely
by Dare and darts, Jonesy has
been riding since he was four
years old and is about as handy
as it gets when riding off road.

AGE 55
WEIGHT 78kg
HEIGHT 183cm
EXPERIENCE Hugo has been
riding since he first got his licence
in the mid-1980s. He has a thing
for green machines and has owned
several over the years.

RALPH ‘I’LL
BUY A CASE’
LEAVSEY-MOASE
AGE 68
WEIGHT 85kg
HEIGHT 175cm
EXPERIENCE Ralph has been
riding motorcycles since the fall of
Rome. He’s lost count of the number
of bikes he’s ridden and owned, but
that happens with age.

SEAN
‘ACCESSORIES
CATALOGUE’
MOONEY
AGE 51
WEIGHT 92kg
HEIGHT 190cm
EXPERIENCE Began riding as a
teenager commuting on a ridiculous
two-stroke. These days he opts for
more appropriate machinery.

KEN ‘STRAIGHT
ARMS’ MCKENZIE
AGE 41
WEIGHT 105kg
HEIGHT 185cm
EXPERIENCE Ken has spent
the last 26 years bouncing
between dirt, adventure, twisty
backroads and the occasional
trackday. He’s handy at building
and modding, too.

MARK ‘LOOK
AT MY APPLE
WATCH’ WATSON
AGE 48
WEIGHT 92kg
HEIGHT 188cm
EXPERIENCE Resident
snapper and all-round decent
fella, Watto has ridden almost as
many bikes as he’s photographed
over the years.

amcn.com.au

41

MOTY 2023 APRILIA TUAREG 660

$23,490
(ride away)

+ TEST PETE VORST

DIRT SQUIRTER

It’s a bit late to the party, but Aprilia’s dirt-hungry Tuareg 660 needed to be with us on MOTY 2023

U

sually bikes can only qualify for MOTY
if they are new for that year, however,
in the Tuareg’s case we’ve made an
exception. We wanted the Aprilia to be
part of the 2022 MOTY contest but with
stock arriving late it wasn’t available at the
time of our test. We believe, as Aprilia does, the
Tuareg is an important entry into the adventure
bike market and therefore deserves to be included
in 2023’s MOTY.
Because as well as being Aprilia’s first foray
into the adventure bike scene in many moons, it’s
also one of the best multi-cylinder off-road-biased
adventure bikes on the planet. In a market with
so many dirt-road pretenders that’s something to
sing about.
The Tuareg 660 lacks the power of the big-bore
adventure offerings, like KTM’s 1290 Adventure R,
but it makes up for that with a light and accessible
package that lends itself to being thrown around
in the dirt.
Compared to the 245kg KTM it’s a veritable
featherweight at 212kg (wet, measured). While the
Suzuki is close at 219.6kg, the Aprilia feels lighter,
more nimble and better balanced when riding off
road. Its 21-inch/18-inch wheels make tyre selection
easy and with 59kW (80hp) and 70Nm on tap from
the 659cc parallel twin, it won’t fry tyres like the
big guns of the segment.
It really is a demon off road, with my only
complaint being that the fully adjustable KYB
suspension is a little on the soft side for my
generous proportions, but if you’re in the 70–100kg

1

2

3

42

amcn.com.au

range you won’t have an issue (unless you’re
Daniels Sanders…).
There’s a full suite of electronics on board
to aid you in staying upright in both onand off-road conditions and you can flick
through the Urban, Explore, Individual and
Off-Road modes on the fly. For serious dirt junkies,
both ABS and traction control can be switched off
completely at both ends. All this can be accessed via
the easy-to-read TFT dash and the menu is pretty
straightforward once you get used to it.
Yes, the Tuareg walks with a definite dirt
swagger, but it doesn’t give much away when you
hit the blacktop. There’s decent coverage from
the fairing and screen, the 18-litre tank gives the
frugal Aprilia a range of around 460km, and cruise
control makes punching out big miles a breeze.
On the downside, it’s always nice to have a bit
more poke when you’re rattling off the tarmac
kilometres, especially if you’re loaded up with
luggage and/or a pillion. Perhaps Aprilia is aware
of this and that’s why it neglected to make the
Tuareg an easy rig to strap gear to. There’s no rack
and not a lot in the way of tie-down points to throw
a strap around.
The Tuareg’s main opposition is Yamaha’s Ténéré
700 and KTM’s 890 Adventure R. It can certainly
hold its head high in that company. All-in-all, it’s
a sweet ride and perfect for those folk looking for
an adventure machine that can go up against the
best of the best off road. And as long as you’re not
hauling pillion and packs, it’s a fine mount to head
to the hills on.

VITAL STATS

CAPACITY AND
CONFIGURATION
659cc parallel twin

SECOND
OPINION

DEAN MELLOR

POWER/TORQUE
POWER 59kW (79hp) @ 9250rpm
TORQUE 70Nm @ 6500rpm

kg

WEIGHT
204kg (kerb, claimed)
212kg (wet, measured)

THE TUAREG is the offroader’s adventure
bike. It’s down on
power compared to
the segment’s big
hitt ers and it can feel a
bit busy at speed, but once you
turn off the blacktop and hit the
dirt it’s in its element.
Light, nimble and flickable;
plenty of punch from low
revs and a meaty midrange;
comprehensive electronics;
21-inch/18-inch wheel combo;
decent suspension with plenty
of travel (240mm) and ground
clearance (240mm); and a
reasonable 18L fuel tank – the
Tuareg is packaged with (almost)
everything you need in a dirtcapable adventure bike.
Downsides? The seat is a
bit narrow for long hauls and
tie-down points are scarce, but
if you like dirt riding, you’ll adore
the Tuareg.

1. Proper off-road footpegs
underline the Tuareg’s intentions
2. Distinctive headlight adds a
touch of class
3. Battery is easy to access and
well protected
4. Spot the tie-down point.
Luggage isn’t a priority
5. TFT screen is easy to read
and operate
4

FUEL
FUEL CAPACITY 18L
ECONOMY 3.9L/100km
(measured)
RANGE 460km

SEAT HEIGHT

5

850mm (measured)

FULL TEST
AMCN VOL 72 NO 08

Dimensions (measured)
A Seat height 850mm
B’Peg to ’bar 975mm
C’Bar to seat 725mm
D’Peg to seat 550mm

C

A

D

B

PROS AND CONS
Excellent off-road ability
Minimum luggage capability

amcn.com.au

43

MOTY 2023 BMW M 1000 R
+ TEST DEAN MELLOR

M FOR MAGICIAN

BMW’s high-power, high-tech M 1000 R hypernaked also has real-world practicality

F

itting a superbike engine to a nakedbike
is nothing new but it usually comes with
a retune resulting in a broader spread
of torque and less peak power, unless of
course Ducati is doing it. Now BMW has
caught on and earlier this year it released the
‘full-power’ M 1000 R hypernaked, equipped with
the S 1000 RR superbike’s potent 999cc ShiftCam
inline four that punches out a claimed 154kW
(210hp) of power at 13,750rpm and 113Nm of torque
at 11,100rpm.
After having tested the M 1000 R at its world
launch in Spain almost a year ago, I could hardly
wait to get my mitts on one for a blat on local
roads… and I was not disappointed. This thing
is seriously quick but it’s just at home poking
around in inner-city traffic as it is blasting along
backroads at frowned-upon speeds, or mixing it
with superbikes on the track.
The key to this versatility is that clever ShiftCam
engine, with its variable valve timing making it
feel docile and refined when you’re not in a hurry,
but violently fast and aggressive when you crack
the throttle and let it scream all the way to its
14,600rpm redline.
Backing up all that power is one of the most
comprehensive and effective electronic rider
aid packages on the market incorporating
cornering ABS, dynamic traction control, wheelie
control, adjustable engine brake control, slide
control and more, along with selectable ride
modes – Rain, Road, Dynamic, Race and Race
Pro 1-3 – that transform the bike’s character via
mapping changes, electronic traction aid tweaks
and – thanks to the Marzocchi suspension with

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(ride away)*
*location dependant

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Dynamic Damping Control (DDC) – damping
adjustments to suit the environment and
style in which you’re riding.
While the engine is the headline act, the
suspension package plays the supporting
role, offering excellent control no matter the
conditions, from smooth racetrack surfaces to
bumpy back roads. In the twisty stuff, you can
easily and quickly throw the lightweight M 1000 R
(196kg wet) on its side safe in the knowledge the
electronics and the sticky Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV
rubber have got your back. The wide ’bar makes it
easy to change directions and once cranked over
the M 1000 R holds its line beautifully.
The M braking package is phenomenal, offering
loads of feel and power, and the front-end feels
so good you won’t believe how late you can brake
into corners – it’s astounding. And when you
want to accelerate out the other side, the two-way
quickshifter enables lightning fast and smooth
gearchanges.
As well as stonking performance and an
excellent chassis package, the M 1000 R offers
a comfortable riding position and fantastic
ergonomics. The 6.5-inch colour TFT screen is
bright, easy to read and packed with accessible
information, and it doesn’t take long to get a handle
on controls thanks to logical switchgear and an
intuitive set-up that includes BMW’s click wheel
on the left switchblock. There’s even cruise control
and heated grips.
One gripe our MOTY testers had with the M 1000 R
was that it can feel a bit buzzy at highway speeds,
but in my books this is a small price to pay for what
is otherwise an almost perfect roadbike.

VITAL STATS

Dimensions (measured)
A Seat height 815mm
B’Peg to ’bar 905mm
C’Bar to seat 775mm
D’Peg to seat 435mm

C

CAPACITY AND
CONFIGURATION
999cc inline four

A

D

B

POWER/TORQUE
POWER 154kW (210hp) @ 13,750rpm
TORQUE 113Nm @ 11,100rpm

kg

WEIGHT
199kg (wet, claimed)
196kg (wet, measured)

FUEL
FUEL CAPACITY 16.5L
ECONOMY 5.8L/100km
(measured)
RANGE 280km

1. State-of-the-art suspension
backs up an amazing engine
2. The art of the headlight is an M
style statement
3. Lever span adjustment is
another design detail on the bike
with everything
4. TFT screen is packed with info
but easy to navigate
5. You need to hear that muffler
at its 14,600rpm redline

4

HUGO KAAG

5

SEAT HEIGHT
815mm (measured)

FULL TEST
AMCN VOL 72 NO 13

PROS AND CONS

SECOND
OPINION

THIS BIKE is simply
awesome. As soon
as you sit on this thing
you instantly realise just
how deep the engineering goes
and this realisation only grows
the more you push it.
The active suspension on the
M 1000 R is incredible: compliant
and comfortable when cruising
but feeling like a racebike when
required. The pace and road
surface don’t seem to matter, the
chassis just sorts it all out.
And then there’s the engine.
It has so much power it takes
some time to recalibrate to it. It’s
smooth and strong low down and
just keeps building. And building.
And building. With 210 horses
at nearly 14,000rpm this donk
is simply breathtaking with an
electronics package to match.
Given the performance that’s on
tap it’s amazing how docile this
machine can be when not in fullattack mode. It can truly ‘do it all’.
In fact this bike is so competent
and polished that it could be
accused of lacking character…
but I don’t really care. It is so
effective in everything it does
I will happily trade this perceived
lack of character for the sheer
performance it delivers.

Peerless on-road versatility
Can be vibey at certain speeds

amcn.com.au

45

MOTY 2023 CFMOTO 450SR

$8290

(ride away)

+ TEST PETE VORST

PLUCK ’N’ FUN

If maximum fun and minimal dollars are your bag try CFMoto’s pint-sized sportsbike

O

h, how we giggled as we listened to
CFMoto’s 450SR howling through
the hills of Kangaroo Valley in the
Southern Highlands of NSW. The pintsized sports machine with its 449.9cc,
270-degree crank, parallel-twin engine sounds
like a miniature V4 when it’s on the pipe and it
had all of us smirking and commenting on its
pluckiness. It sounds good and although it’s LAMS
legal, it gets along quite well indeed.
There’s 34.5kW (46.9hp) at 10,000rpm on tap, it
loves to be revved and, with the accompanying
soundtrack, it would be wrong to deny its love
of high-rpm antics. With 39.3Nm of torque
at 7750rpm it’s best to keep it on the boil and
maintain your corner speed. The bike weighs
in at 192kg ready to ride so it feels light and
nimble whether you’re weaving through traffic,
threading through your favourite set of corners or
just pushing the SR out of the shed. Fueling, which
hasn’t been perfect on several CFMotos I’ve ridden
in the past, is flawless on the SR – another sign of
the continued improvements coming out of the
Chinese brand’s experienced factory.
The SR’s engine is mounted in a steel frame
with a non-adjustable front fork and a preload
adjustable rear monoshock. At road speeds, the
suspension is on the money for both my weight
and speed, but lighter, less experienced riders

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might find it a bit stiff. Braking is handled by
a Brembo M40 caliper and 320mm disc on
the front. There’s good feel from the spanadjustable lever and the brake has more
than enough power for the task.
The pint-sized SR is quite roomy. The seat is
comfy and, despite its sporty looks, there isn’t a
huge amount of weight placed on the wrists so it’s
a pretty comfortable ride long or short.
Perhaps the only gripe I’d have is its lack of
a standard-fitment quickshifter, but when you
consider it’s high-value proposition in the form
of what you’re getting for its meagre $8290 (ride
away) asking price, you can hardly complain.
There are Brembo brakes, Bosch fuel injection,
Continental ABS, LED lighting all around, a fullcolour, five-inch TFT dash with connectivity and
T-Box, and a three-year unlimited-kilometres
warranty. And that’s before we talk about the
much improved quality of finish over earlier
CFMoto offerings.
As a LAMS-approved sportsbike that will allow
novice riders to hone their skills, the 450SR knocks
the design brief out of the park. It’s fun even for
experienced riders and the amount of fruit you get
for the price is seriously impressive.
With its firm and sporty suspension, peppy
engine and good brakes, I reckon the SR would
make a cracking little trackbike.

VITAL STATS

CAPACITY AND
CONFIGURATION
449.9cc parallel twin

SECOND
OPINION

KEN MCKENZIE
PHYSICALLY larger
than its LAMSstatus
might suggest, the
CFMoto is a capable
sportsbike and its fit and
finish will leave you wondering
how the firm can price it at $8290.
I love its clean lines, smart colour
combo and the fact that it’s
relatively low tech – just connect
your phone and off you go.
For my 105kg/185cm make-up,
I found the seat height and ’bar
width surprisingly roomy. For
a single-disc front end, the
brakes are awesome and through
super-tight stuff the engine
pulls smoothly from down low,
while the mid-to-top-end is really
usable. The sound coming from
the 450cc parallel twin is great
and the bike’s overall light weight
means it feels great rolling
through the back roads, but not
light to the point where you get
beaten up by the wind.
If you’re a budget-conscious
beginner, the 450SR is well and
truly worth a look.

POWER/TORQUE
POWER 34.5kW (46hp) @ 10,000rpm
TORQUE 39.3Nm @ 7750rpm

kg

WEIGHT
179kg (dry, claimed)
192kg (wet, measured)

FUEL

1. Race styling doesn’t mean an
uncompromising ride
2. The 450SR has sharp styling…
even at the blunt end
3. Nothing pricey about the
switchgear but that’s the whole
point of this exercise
4. This little baby screams like a
miniature V4
5. TFT dash ticked the box for
Pete, who reckons the 450SR
packs a lot for the price

4

FUEL CAPACITY 14L
ECONOMY 4.4L/100km
(measured)
RANGE 318km

SEAT HEIGHT

5

770mm (measured)

FULL TEST
AMCN VOL 73 NO 01

Dimensions (measured)
A Seat height 770mm
B ’Peg to ’bar 820mm
C ’Bar to seat 760mm
D ’Peg to seat 440mm

C

A

D

B

PROS AND CONS
High-value proposition
A quickshifter’d be nice

amcn.com.au

47

MOTY 2023 DUCATI DIAVEL V4
+ TEST DEAN MELLOR

CRUISE MISSILE

Ducati has raised the power cruiser bar by dropping a 125kW Granturismo V4 into the Diavel

T

he latest incarnation of the Ducati Diavel
does away with the previous model’s
1260cc Testastretta V-twin and in its
place is a retuned version of the 1158cc
Granturismo V4 engine. Although it only
gets a modest increase in power (up 7kW) – and
in fact a small decrease in torque (down 1Nm) – it
feels quicker and more lively than its predecessor
thanks to an all-new monocoque chassis and an
overall weight reduction of 13kg.
The V4 engine is a purler, making a claimed
125kW (168hp) at 10,750rpm and 126Nm at
7500rpm. Unlike the gnarly and unruly state of
tune in the Panigale or Streetfighter, the V4 engine
feels far more refined in the Diavel. The rear two
cylinders are deactivated at idle for rider comfort
and, in fact, all four cylinders don’t come into play
in the higher gears until beyond 4000rpm, making
the V4 well suited to a bike that will no doubt be
often tasked as little more than a show pony or
a laidback cruiser. Having said that, the V4 still
emits an intoxicating bark from those tasty looking
quad exhaust pipes.
But the Diavel is no one-trick pony. Thanks to
a clever and effective electronics package that
includes cornering traction control, wheelie
control and launch control, as well as that super
fat and sticky 240-section Pirelli Rosso 3 rear tyre,
you can really make the most of the V4’s generous
output– open the throttle as wide as you want and
hang on, because this thing hammers!
It goes around corners too, despite that huge rear
tyre suggesting otherwise. Sure, the Diavel is long
and relaxed compared to a naked or a sportsbike,
but once you get a feel for the way it handles, and

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get comfortable with the slightly feet-forward
and hunched-over riding position, you’ll
soon be throwing it into corners with much
less effort than you would anticipate.
The selectable ride modes – Wet, Urban,
Touring and Sport – are easy to access on the
fly and make a huge difference to the way in
which the Diavel rides, with Urban and Wet modes
limiting peak power to a meek 86kW, and Touring
and Sport giving access to the Full Monty 125kW,
albeit with vastly different throttle mapping.
The Marzocchi suspension package is fully
adjustable front and rear and, importantly, offers a
generous 120mm/145mm of travel front/rear, so it
can cope with rough backroads as well as be fettled
for sharper handling on smooth surfaces.
And unlike many traditional cruisers that often
treat braking performance as an afterthought,
the Diavel is equipped with top-spec Brembo
Stylema brake calipers that offer phenomenal
stopping power.
The Diavel V4 looks super aggressive from
just about any angle, and the single-sided
swingarm and short, four-barrel exhaust offer
an unobstructed view of that fabulous looking
rear wheel and tyre package. The fit and finish is
superb, as you’d expect of a $40k-plus bike, and the
colour TFT is easy to read and relatively intuitive
to operate… with a bit of familiarisation. The
riding position won’t be to everyone’s liking, but
it’s reasonably comfortable and offers the freedom
to move your body around while riding.
Ducati might not have invented the power
cruiser segment, but with the new Diavel V4 it has
taken it to new heights.

VITAL STATS

Dimensions (measured)
A Seat height 770mm
B ’Peg to ’bar 890mm
C ’Bar to seat 780mm
D ’Peg to seat 490mm

C

CAPACITY AND
CONFIGURATION
1158cc V4

A

D

B

POWER/TORQUE
POWER 125kW (168hp) @ 10,750rpm
TORQUE 126Nm @ 7500rpm

kg

WEIGHT
236kg (kerb, claimed)
231kg (wet, measured)

FUEL
FUEL CAPACITY 20L
ECONOMY 6.0L/100km
(measured)
RANGE 330km

1. Generous suspension travel
and compliance is a secret
weapon in the Diavel’s
performance arsenal
2. Induction air-intakes dominate
the front-end
3. Flick the switch to tame or
release the beast
4. You need to take some time to
get family with the TFT system
5. Four-barrel exhaust is the
Diavel’s smoking gun

4

SEAN MOONEY

5

SEAT HEIGHT
770mm (measured)

FULL TEST
AMCN VOL 72 NO 16

PROS AND CONS
Astounding engine
Niche price and design

SECOND
OPINION

I LOVE an Italian
V-twin… but I love an
Italian V4 more. The
beautiful 1158cc V4
is the centrepiece of
the new Diavel, just as it is
in the latest Multistrada, Panigale
and Streetfighter models.
I had expected it to be a bit
wasted in what I guess you’d call
a cruiser, but it feels so perfect in
the new Diavel that even diehard
1260cc Testastretta V-twin lovers
would have to admit that it’s a
definite improvement.
At about 15kg lighter than the
previous model, and with all the
tech and top-end brakes of the
other premium Ducatis, the Diavel
rides like a sportsbike. This is
despite its huge rear tyre and
hybrid seating position. It is more
comfortable than the older model,
but I still find that after half an
hour I’m feeling cramped up in a
way that I don’t on other Ducatis,
despite many others raving about
the Diavel’s comfort.
It is prett y, quick, fun and
expensive, as Ducatis tend to be.
I really enjoyed riding the Diavel,
playing with the tech and the
engine, but I often found myself
wishing I was enjoying them on
one of the other, more focused,
equally expensive Ducati V4s.

amcn.com.au

49

MOTY 2023 HONDA CB750 HORNET

$13,403
(ride away)*
*location dependant

+ TEST PETE VORST

RATBAG RIDE

A parallel twin-powered Honda might sound like the beige cardigan of motorcycling but…

I

’m a big fan of the Hornet and I reckon if
I was after a cost-effective commuter I
could hoon around on and offend the
neighbours, the CB750 would be high on
my list. It’s not perfect by any stretch, but
I’m willing to forgive the burgundy frame and
lack of a standard quickshifter for the fat wheelies
and ease of ownership.
Is it the best entry-level mid-capacity naked
around? Not if you read our D&D yarn in Vol 73 No 04
because you’ll know we gave that gong to Suzuki’s
GSX-8S. But it was close and, as we already had the
Hornet on our long-term test fleet and Suzuki’s
MOTY spot was already filled by the V-Strom 800DE,
the Hornet found itself in the mix.
The Suzuki handles better, stops better and to my
eye looks better, but the Hornet is saved by its 755cc
parallel-twin engine. With 68kW (91hp) of power
and 75Nm of torque it’s got the goods over the
Suzuki (61kW/82hp) in the horsepower department
and only narrowly misses out on torque with the
GSX capable of a claimed 78Nm.
The Hornet feels livelier, thanks in part to its
weight advantage – the Suzuki has a measured
wet weight of 197.5kg versus the Honda’s 187kg,
and the Hornet will loft the front wheel in the first
three gears and stay there all day if you want it to –
parallel twin engines are no longer boring.
Although the Honda’s engine is its standout
feature that’s not the only thing in its favour.
There’s the Showa suspension package that’s

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perfectly fine for all but the fastest riders, and
twin radial-mount Nissin calipers on the
front that are equally up to the task. Sure,
there are better handling and better braking
bikes in the mid-capacity naked segment, but
at $12,099 (plus on-road costs), it’s a well-sorted
package for the price.
The Honda also sports a hell of a lot of electronic
fruit for the money. There’s ABS, cornering traction
control, wheelie control, engine brake control,
power level adjustment and four rider modes in
Sport, Standard, Rain and User (the latter allows
you to adjust the parameters of the rider aids).
The Hornet would be a fantastic bike for those
stepping up to a big bike from their LAMS machine.
It has the lowest-in-class seat height (765mm) and
weight, which is perfect for new or short legs. Light
and low lends itself to so many riding pursuits and
I wouldn’t be surprised to see a few Hornets being
put to work by the courier industry, especially
given Honda’s reputation for reliability.
The Honda scores high for me on all MOTY
criteria. It feels well-built and robust, it nails the
design brief of being affordable and fun motoring,
and it’s great value for money.
It has been one of my favourite bikes of the year,
not because it’s the best at anything, but simply
because for me it offers an excellent fun-for-bucks
ratio. And, for the first time in a long time, Honda
has released a bike with a bit of ratbag character
about it – bring on more of that please.

VITAL STATS

CAPACITY AND
CONFIGURATION
755cc parallel twin

SECOND
OPINION

ADAM ROLLANS
WITH NIMBLE
handling and decent
stopping power,
the Hornet is a great
midsized contender. The
power delivery through the rev
range is good and will lift the front
wheel skyward with ease.
The seating position is nice
and upright, and remains really
comfortable even after a long
stint. The ergonomics work well
for my height, although I found
the indicator switch in a weird
position, meaning I ended up
doing more horn honking than
turn signalling.
The throttle is snatchy in Sport
mode at low speeds. Flicking it
to a softer map fixes the issue
but I would have expected more
refinement from a manufacturer
with so much experience.
If you want a versatile bike that
can put a grin on your face while
ripping through the twisties,
general commuting or running up
the freeway, the Hornet is the bike
for you… and at a great price.

POWER/TORQUE
POWER 68kW (91hp) @ 9500rpm
TORQUE 75Nm@ 7250rpm

kg

WEIGHT
190kg (wet, claimed)
187kg (wet, measured)

FUEL

1. Bang up-to-date styling
around the tail unit
2. That engine is a ripper but the
quickshifter is optional
3. The four rider modes can be
activated easily
4. TFT display info is
comprehensive and well
presented
5. The muffler ain’t a styling
highlight but it emits a tasty
exhaust note

4

FUEL CAPACITY 15.2L
ECONOMY 4.0L/100km
(measured)
RANGE 380km

SEAT HEIGHT

5

765mm (measured)

FULL TEST
AMCN VOL 72 NO 21

Dimensions (measured)
A Seat height 765mm
B ’Peg to ’bar 900mm
C ’Bar to seat 740mm
D ’Peg to seat 455mm

C

A

D

B

PROS AND CONS
Great engine
Quickshifter optional, no cruise control

amcn.com.au

51

MOTY 2023 KTM 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE R
+ TEST PETE VORST

THE SLAYER

If you like your adventure bikes big, brawny and bad-ass, meet KTM’s 1290 Super Adventure R

W

hen it comes to big-capacity
heavyweight adventure bikes, the
KTM simply can’t be beaten for offroad performance. The ride quality
from the Kato’s fully adjustable WP
suspension is second to none in this category and
the Super Adventure R is one of those unicorn
bikes that gets better the more you push it – it loves
slamming dirt roads!
The 1301cc V-twin engine is a monster, putting
out a whopping 118kW (158hp) and 138Nm of
torque, so to say there’s enough on tap for all
occasions would be an understatement. The
six-speed gearbox and quickshifter combo are
precise but the shift is stiff and notchy. The Kato’s
gearing is tall, and the twin is spinning over at just
4000rpm at 110km/h in top gear. It’s often the case
that you feel like you should be in a lower gear than
you’re in when you’re on the cruise, so a change of
sprockets would be on my list – nobody needs an
adventure bike that can cruise at 200km/h.
As you’d expect from a premium adventure bike,
there’s a comprehensive suite of electronics on
board including cornering ABS, traction control
and four ride modes (Rain, Street, Sport and Offroad) all controlled via a seven-inch TFT dash
and a gaggle of backlit buttons on the left-hand
switchblock.
On top of the not-insignificant asking price,
there’s another cost you need to factor into
ownership and that is rear tyres. The standard offroad oriented Bridgestone Battlax Adventurecross
X41 rear tyre is destined for a short and brutal

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demise, which will only get worse if you opt
for more aggressive off-road rubber.
The Kato swaps from an off-road blaster
to a mile-munching road weapon with ease.
It’s extremely comfortable – okay, maybe not
*6FRPIRUWDEOHȁbDQGWKHUHȆVSOHQW\RISURWHFWLRQ
from the elements afforded by the well designed
screen and fairings.
There’s cruise control as standard, tyre
pressure monitoring, self-cancelling indicators,
turn-by-turn navigation, a centrestand for easy
maintenance of the ever-suffering chain and a
plethora of other bolt-on bits available to
make your Super Adventure R even more
touring-friendly.
There are two small negatives. Firstly, the menu
for accessing ride modes and other settings is
overly complicated. It’s not difficult to get used to
but in 2023 you shouldn’t have to do a deep dive
into the menu just to change a ride mode, switch
traction control off or adjust the ABS settings.
The other thing is the Kato’s size and weight. It’s
a big and intimidating sucker and tipped the AMCN
scales at 245kg. Add to that a 890mm (measured)
seat height and you have a recipe for fear among
stout and/or less-experienced riders.
Having said that, if you have the experience, the
leg length and the courage, the KTM is the poster
child for how to build an adventure bike that can
slay off-road riding.
It’s outrageous what you can do on the
Super Adventure R if you have the skill – just ask
Chris Birch!

VITAL STATS

Dimensions (measured)
A Seat height 890mm
B ’Peg to ’bar 945mm
C ’Bar to seat 750mm
D ’Peg to seat 535mm

C

CAPACITY AND
CONFIGURATION
1301cc V-twin

A

D

B

POWER/TORQUE
POWER 118kW (158hp) @ 9000rpm
TORQUE 138Nm @ 6500rpm

kg

WEIGHT
221kg (dry, claimed)
245kg (wet, measured)

FUEL
FUEL CAPACITY 23L
ECONOMY 5.7L/100km
(measured)
RANGE 479km

1. Pete reckons the suspension
package is second to none
in its class
2. Toolkit is typical KTM with the
basics you’ll need in the bush
3./4. Finicky dash so
accessing ride modes and other
settings means a lot of scrolling
through menus
5. Go full noise and you’ll soon be
searching for a new rear tyre

4

CHRIS JONES

5

SEAT HEIGHT
890mm (measured)

FULL TEST
AMCN VOL 71 NO 14

PROS AND CONS
Unparalleled off-road performance
Finicky dash

SECOND
OPINION

THIS MODEL blows
my mind every time I
ride one. That engine,
combined with quality
componentry throughout, makes
the 1290 do things a bike of this
size shouldn’t. It is so good on the
road and eats up those long days
with ease, although a slightly
taller screen would be of benefit.
Maybe with the exception of
the KTM 890 Adventure R, I’m
yet to ride an adventure bike that
handles as well. An advanced
electronics package lets you tailor
the bike’s characteristics exactly
how you like and it’s all displayed
on a very nice TFT interface. As
well as exceptional handling, the
brakes and suspension provide
a very comfortable ride on any
surface with an engine that
accelerates like a superbike; any
revs, any gear and that 1301cc
engine will pull like a train – while
being equally as pleasant in heavy
commuter traffic.
At least until I get the chance to
ride the new BMW R 1300 GS, this
bike will remain at the top of the
big-bore adventure bike market
for me. Such a refined package
that almost dares you to bring out
your inner hooligan, but with a
certain raw feeling that so many
new bikes no longer have.

amcn.com.au

53

MOTY 2023 MOTO GUZZI V100 MANDELLO S

$32,290
(ride away)

+ TEST DEAN MELLOR

WINGING IT

Moto Guzzi’s V100 Mandello S brings high-tech adaptive aero and more to the table

H

ere is a bold new technological statement
from a 101-year-old manufacturer in
Italy’s Mandello del Lario. Not only
is Moto Guzzi’s V100 Mandello the
first production Guzzi to be powered
by a liquid-cooled engine, but it is also the
first Guzzi to be equipped with a six-axis IMU,
enabling cornering ABS, traction control and
engine brake control, while a ride-by-wire throttle
enables four user-selectable ride modes – Rain,
Road, Tour and Sport. In addition, the V100 is the
first production motorcycle to be equipped with
active aerodynamics, consisting of wings that
automatically extend from the fairing at speed to
provide weather protection for the rider.
Thumb the starter and you’re greeted by a
familiar Guzzi soundtrack, but it’s when you get
on the open road that you realise the V100 has well
and truly hauled Moto Guzzi into the 21st Century.
The new transverse 1042cc 90° V-twin engine
makes a claimed 85kW (114hp) at 8700rpm and
105Nm at 6750rpm. Open the throttle and there’s
oodles of low-down torque on offer, along with a
seriously meaty midrange that is perfectly suited
to the sports-tourer genre, and plenty of poke as the
tacho heads towards the red zone. Importantly, the
V-twin also offers loads of character; it’s gruff and
a little rough, and all the better for it.
With four-piston Brembo monobloc calipers
gripping 320mm discs up front there’s more than
enough stopping power to match the impressive
engine performance. The cornering ABS provides
an added safety net, inspiring confidence when
you’ve upped the pace and you’re braking into a
corner. In fact, the Mandello S eats corners, eager
to tip in and hold a line and with plenty of mumbo
available on exits.

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There are two versions of the V100 and
we opted to test the top-of-the-range V100
Mandello S, which costs an additional
$4k but comes with Öhlins Smart EC2.0
semi-active suspension, allowing the
rider to actively tailor suspension settings
to suit conditions. It works beautifully, firming
up the suspension when you want to press on
and transforming the V100 from a tourer into a
genuine sportsbike. Just head into the settings
menu and select the suspension set-up you want,
where you can also tailor the engine map, traction
control, engine braking and aero wing settings in
each ride mode.
It’s difficult to detect how much those active aero
wings do when it comes to weather protection, but
the electrically adjustable screen certainly works
a treat, allowing you to direct airflow at or over
your helmet, and helping eliminate buffeting no
matter your height. There’s a bit of heat coming
off the engine around the rider’s legs, but it’s
not excessive, possibly thanks to the redesigned
cylinder heads with repositioned exhaust headers.
The Mandello S doesn’t come standard with
luggage but for those expecting to tour there are
optional panniers that mount to supports built into
the tail unit. The 17-litre fuel tank is small for this
style of bike but with fuel consumption around
the 5.0L/100km mark, you should get more than
300 clicks out of a tank. The riding position is well
suited to long distances and the seat is supportive
and comfortable, while the pillion seat is generous.
The shaft final drive minimises maintenance.
The fit and finish on the V100 Mandello S is
superb. It isn’t cheap at $32,290, but considering
the performance, hardware, tech and features on
offer it represents good value for money.

VITAL STATS

CAPACITY AND
CONFIGURATION

SECOND
OPINION

1042cc V-twin

PETE VORST

With the arrival of
this landmark model,
no longer are Guzzis
the domain of eccentric
people with quirky interests. The
V100 Mandello is a thoroughly
modern motorcycle with just
enough of the Guzzi heritage to
make it interesting and different.
It goes like stink, stops with the
best of them and handles with a
modern acuity – compared to older
Guzzis it’s a magic carpet ride.
It looks fantastic, especially
with its Öhlins semi-active
suspension that can be tuned
to suit your kink, and the engine
makes oodles of low-down
grunt while also being a willing
accomplice in high-rpm play. I was
impressed with the handling on
the launch but when Cam Donald
comes flying past with bits
dragging and calls the Mandello
‘a corner-carving beast’, you
know you’re on the right, er, track.
It’s not Japanese smooth and
it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea,
but if the mainstream rider was
ever going to buy a Moto Guzzi
this would be it.

POWER/TORQUE
POWER 85kW (114hp) @ 8700rpm
TORQUE 105Nm @ 6750rpm

kg

WEIGHT
212kg (dry, claimed)
253kg (wet, measured)

FUEL

1. The S version has Öhlins Smart
EC2.0 semi-active suspension
2. Clean and simple switchgear
3. No mistaking you are riding a
piece of history from one of the
world’s oldest motorcycle brands
4. The heart of the Mandello
where a rider can tailor the bike to
suit conditions and preferences
5. All-new engine takes
Moto Guzzi into a new era of
performance and rideability

4

FUEL CAPACITY 17L
ECONOMY 5.0L/100km
(measured)
RANGE 340km

SEAT HEIGHT

5

790mm (measured)

FULL TEST
AMCN VOL 73 NO 01

Dimensions (measured)
A Seat height 790mm
B ’Peg to ’bar 930mm
C ’Bar to seat 755mm
D ’Peg to seat 480mm

C

A

D

B

PROS AND CONS
Modern representation of Guzzi goodness
It’s a bit heft y

amcn.com.au

55

MOTY 2023 SUZUKI V-STROM 800DE
+ TEST PETE VORST

YELLOW FEVER

In the realm of mid-capacity, entry-level adventure, Suzuki’s V-Strom 800DE is ruler

T

he V-Strom 800DE was our clear winner
when we put Honda’s new Transalp and
the Suzuki up against each other and
so it made the cut for MOTY. The Suzuki
and Honda are pretty even when you’re
on-road but the Suzuki really shines off-road,
the Transalp not so much. I’m not talking Tuareg,
KTM 890 Adventure R or Ténéré 700 off-road
chops – those three have better suspension and are
packages that are simply more suited to off-road
riding than the V-Strom. But they also carry much
heftier price tags at $4900, $7985 and $1759 more
expensive respectively over the Suzuki, which is a
competent and comfortable all-rounder.
The 800 has lifted the V-Strom range’s off-road
game. There’s a proper off-road-ready 21-inch front
wheel, 220mm of suspension travel at both ends,
a quickshifter, and it feels like an adventure bike
when you’re up on the ’pegs, unlike the 1050, which
always has the feel of a roadbike masquerading as
an adventure bike.
The new 776cc parallel-twin powerplant is
the same unit used in the Suzuki’s GSX-8S and
with 62kW (83hp) of power and 78Nm of torque
available it’s a lively ride.
There’s a deck of electronics available, including
a dedicated gravel mode that lets you slide the rear
a bit without spinning yourself into the mulga. You
can turn the traction control off completely and
ABS can be deactivated on the rear too.
The DE’s Showa suspension performance on and
off road is several steps better than the Transalp’s
and on top of that you get full adjustment on

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$18,590
(ride away)

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the front and preload and compression
adjustment on the rear, so you’re better able
to tune the ride to suit your speed, size and
the style of riding you are engaging in.
The 800 is a surprisingly good off-road
package but it gives away nothing on the road.
You can push it bloody hard on the road, it handles
really well and the brakes are up to the task of
pulling the big girl up, too.
Suzuki claims that the 800DE weighs in at
230kg wet, but on the AMCN scales, the V-Strom
weighed in at 220kg, some 10kg lighter. Even the
fully accessorised 800DE when tested against the
Transalp (AMCN Vol 73 No 07) only tipped the
scales 3.7kg over Suzuki’s claimed weight for a
standard DE.
As you would expect from an adventure tourer,
the V-Strom is a comfortable long-haul rig, and you
can load it up with a selection of different seats and
screens, heated grips as well as luggage from the
genuine accessories catalogue.
There’s pretty much everything you could
want available to turn your DE into an even more
capable and comfortable adventure tourer – except
cruise control.
Why Suzuki, why?
Suzuki set out to bring a competent and
comfortable adventure tourer to the market and
it has plainly succeeded. Its main opposition is
Honda’s Transalp and, frankly, the 800DE is just as
good if not better on road, and clearly superior offroad. You get plenty for your hard-earned dollars
and, knowing Suzuki, it’ll go forever.

VITAL STATS

Dimensions (measured)
A Seat height 855mm
B’Peg to ’bar 835mm
C’Bar to seat 672mm
D’Peg to seat 575mm

C

CAPACITY AND
CONFIGURATION
776cc parallel twin

A

D

B

POWER/TORQUE
POWER 62kW (83hp) @ 8500rpm
TORQUE 78Nm @ 6800rpm

kg

WEIGHT
230kg (kerb, claimed)
220kg (wet, measured)

FUEL
FUEL CAPACITY 20L
ECONOMY 5.0L/100km
(measured)
RANGE 400km

1. Brakes work just as well on the
road, which is a feather in the cap
for the 800DE
2. Selection of luggage tie-down
points is a great feature
3. What? No cruise control?
4. Rider modes include a
dedicated gravel setting that
allows a bit of wheel spinning
5. Rugged, good-looking and a lot
of bang for the buck

4

MARK WATSON

5

SEAT HEIGHT
855mm (measured)

FULL TEST
AMCN VOL 72 NO 20

PROS AND CONS
Brilliantly executed
No cruise control option

SECOND
OPINION

THE Suzuki nestles
happily in the
middleweight
adventure bike
category and does
everything asked of it, maybe
better than it should. The 776cc
parallel twin hauls around
220kg without fanfare but,
when coupled with the-smooth
two-way quickshifter, it’s a
pleasure to ride.
The wide ’bar and dinnerplate-sized screen hint more
towards gravel touring than
highway miles and the V-Strom
proves as much when tarmac
turns to dirt. The bike feels
nimbler than it should, most
likely due to its well-sorted
suspension, 21-inch front wheel
and gravel mode, which lets you
restrict traction control and
turn off the rear ABS.
The V-Strom is still a bit
heavy to be called a dedicated
off-road weapon, but the
chassis, 855mm (measured)
seat height and moulded tank
shape provided a comfortable
standing position for my 188cm
frame, and delivered a betterthan-expected ride, both when
bouncing along fire trails or
busting around sweepers on the
way back to the big smoke.

amcn.com.au

57

MOTY 2023 TRIUMPH STREET TRIPLE 765 RS

$20,590
(ride away)

+ TEST DEAN MELLOR

MIDSIZE BLASTER

Moto2 tech filters down to Triumph’s Street Triple 765 RS to make it an absolute blast

T

he Triumph Street Triple 765 RS proves
you don’t need a $30k-plus budget and a
200hp hypernaked to have a helluva lot
of fun. A 765cc inline triple that makes
96kW (128hp) at 12,000rpm and 80Nm at
9500rpm is more than enough to get your jollies…
both on the road and on the track. And, in the case
of the Street Triple RS, it will only set you back a
relatively modest $20,590.
That inline triple draws on technology developed
through Triumph’s continued involvement in
Moto2 racing so output is up on the previous model
thanks to upgrades including a higher compression
ratio, revised combustion chambers, new pistons,
conrods, valves and camshafts. Importantly, it
sounds just like a Moto2 racer with a distinctive
and addictive induction roar and tasty exhaust note.
As well as a screaming top-end, the engine
offers decent torque throughout the midrange,
but it gives its best up high, so you’ll want to make
the most of the slick and quickshifting six-speed
gearbox. The two-way quickshifter is superb,
while a slipper clutch prevents rear wheel lock
up on downshifts. There are four preset riding
modes – Rain, Road, Sport and Track – as well as
Rider configurable modes, allowing you to tailor
engine mapping, cornering ABS intervention and
TC response to suit conditions.
A top-shelf Brembo Stylema brake package offers
plenty of stopping power and amazing feel, and
you can tweak front brake response thanks to the

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MCS span- and ratio-adjustable lever. The
brakes are linked unless you opt to switch off
rear ABS in the settings menu.
The RS runs a fully adjustable Showa fork
and an Öhlins shock. On-road compliance is
good although the suspension feels quite firm
on rough surfaces, but fork dive is well controlled
when braking hard into corners and the front-end
feels well planted, no doubt partially thanks to the
Street Triple’s stance, which has a definite nosedown/raised rear-end attitude.
The wide and flat handlebar makes flicking the
RS through corners easy and its light weight (189kg
wet) helps when changing direction; you can really
throw it assertively into corners.
A colour TFT display offers loads of information
but, despite offering a selection of screen displays,
a lot of that info is small and hard to read. Having
said that, the important stuff like speedo and mode
selected can be clearly seen at a glance.
Comfort is surprisingly good and the 765 RS
offers an upright riding position that’s well suited
to commuting as well as having enough room to sit
back and tuck your head down near the tank.
The Triumph Street Triple 765 RS is priced right.
It has a potent engine, is light and manoeuvrable,
comes with a full suite of electronic rider aids and
is equipped with high-end hardware, but more
importantly than all that it does everything you’d
want of a midsize nakedbike. It’s exciting to ride
every time you throw a leg over it.

VITAL STATS

SECOND
OPINION

RALPH
LEAVSEYMOASE

CAPACITY AND
CONFIGURATION
765cc inline triple

I WANTED to play it
safe and tell you the Street Triple
is a ‘nice’ midsize nakedbike
with a ton of power, refined
suspension, a faultless chassis
and top-shelf brakes all suited to
the average rider.
The real story is the 765 RS
is a remarkable lightweight
giant-killer of mega proportions,
with enough performance and
refinement to challenge almost
any motorcycle I can think of. The
silky-smooth throttle connection
and electronic rider aids match
the outstanding build quality.
A letdown is the minuscule
dash, which is next to useless
for someone my age. Still, the
maniacal music of the triple on
song soon obliterates my whining.
Triumph has created ideal
performance and has extracted
it to the max. It is a little buzzy if
touring is your mindset, but this
is a reminder that the triple is
designed to go hard up and down
its rev range – it doesn’t do boring.
As a ‘mature’ rider, the 765
invigorates me, and I’m sure
younger riders graduating to the
Triumph will feel the same.

POWER/TORQUE
POWER 96kW (128hp) @ 12,000rpm
TORQUE 80Nm @ 9500rpm

kg

WEIGHT
188kg (wet, claimed)
189kg (wet, measured)

1. Öhlins rear shock complements
fully-adjustable Showa front fork
2. Loud and proud, Triumph has
leveraged its Moto2 involvement
into the marketplace with the RS
3. Pillions aren’t a priority for
buyers of the 765 RS
4. Classic Street Triple styling
gets classy update
5. Soulful wail that only a triple
can produce

4

FUEL
FUEL CAPACITY 15L
ECONOMY 5.2L/100km
(measured)
RANGE 280km

SEAT HEIGHT

5

810mm (measured)

FULL TEST
AMCN VOL 72 NO 18

Dimensions (measured)
A Seat height 810mm
B ’Peg to ’bar 875mm
C ’Bar to seat 735mm
D ’Peg to seat 480mm

C

A

D

B

PROS AND CONS
Moto2-derived nakedbike
Dash could be clearer

amcn.com.au

59

MOTY 2023 YAMAHA TRACER 7

$15,999
(ride away)

+ TEST PETE VORST

LIGHT AND EASY

Yamaha has found a sweet spot, creating a fun, comfortable and affordable all-rounder

I

n the Tracer 7, Yamaha is offering up an
affordable, low-frills sports tourer with a
gutsy twin-cylinder engine and everyday,
all-occasions versatility. Sounds a bit
humdrum? Well, it might sound it, but
there’s a place for that type of bike (as Suzuki
has proved with the success of the V-Strom 650)
and I’ll be surprised if we don’t see a lot of Tracer 7s
getting about Australian roads.
If I had to sum up the Tracer 7 in one word I’d
go with easy. It’s easy on the eye, it’s easy on the
wallet, it’s oh-so-easy to ride and I reckon it would
be very easy to live with. The Tracer is essentially
an MT-07 with a suit of touring-appropriate
clothes. It runs the same punchy 689cc parallel
twin CP2 engine, the same frame, the same brakes
and the same five-inch full-colour TFT dash. It
also handles and stops just as well as the capable
naked. On the suspension front, the Tracer gets
preload and rebound adjustment rather than the
MT-07 preload-only adjustment.
Yamaha’s CP2 engine is a cracker, power is a
modest 54kW (72hp) but that’s enough to cruise
along at well above the speed limit if you so wish,
and there’s enough for overtaking duties and
playtime. There’s 67Nm of torque available and
that’s where the Tracer 7, like the MT-07, does its
best work.
Yes, it’s going to struggle in the power
department if you want to load up half your

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house and bung a passenger on the back,
but if you want to do that, buy the Tracer 9
GT Plus and be prepared to pay ($27,599)
for the privilege. There are no ride
modes, just thumb the starter and ride
off – it’s refreshing to be on a bike that isn’t
overcomplicated.
At a measured 201kg wet, it’s lighter than its
two main rivals, Suzuki’s V-Strom 650XT (216kg)
and Kawasaki’s Versys 650 (218kg), and with a
claimed seat height of 835mm it’s very accessible
for a sports-tourer. At $15,999 it’s also good buying
and for that you get the TFT dash with phone
connectivity, an adjustable screen and a full
complement of LED lighting.
The Tracer is very comfortable so you could
rack up some big kilometres without destroying
yourself. There’s a 17-litre tank and with the
Tracer chewing fuel at a frugal 4L/100km you’ve
got over 400km of range up your sleeve. So while
it’s refreshingly void of tricky electronics, given
its comfort and fuel range, cruise control would
be a very welcome addition and far easier to
implement on a bike with ride-by-wire, which the
Yamaha doesn’t have.
That said, as an entry-level sports tourer at
an affordable price, the Tracer is hard to fault.
It’s lighter than its opposition, is equipped
with a great engine, it handles well and, most
importantly, is supremely comfortable.

VITAL STATS

CAPACITY AND
CONFIGURATION

SECOND
OPINION

689cc parallel twin

DEAN MELLOR
I FOUND myself
on a fabulous bit
of tarmac riding
the Tracer 7… in
close company with
the Diavel V4 and the M 1000 R.
Despite a massive power deficit,
the Yamaha had little difficulty
staying in touch with those
two beasts and, in fact, was
harrying the big Duke through
the tighter stuff, only losing out
on acceleration when exiting
corners. The Tracer shows you
don’t always need big horsepower
and a full suite of electronics to
pedal along at a decent clip… and
have a ball doing it.
Thanks to its light weight and
low seat height, the Tracer 7 is
an accessible sports-tourer, and
its torque-rich 689cc engine is
ideally suited to the genre. Sure,
there’s no high-end suspension,
no selectable ride modes and
no high-tech cornering ABS/TC
systems, but the Tracer 7 makes
the most of what it’s been given to
fulfil its design brief.

POWER/TORQUE
POWER 54kW (72hp) @ 8750rpm
TORQUE 67Nm @ 6500rpm

kg

WEIGHT
197kg (wet, claimed)
201kg (wet, measured)

1. Clean, simple styling also
offers reasonable wind protection
2. No rider modes. Just get on and
ride it, matey
3. Front fork has preload and
rebound adjustment
4. TFT dash has phone
connectivity
5. Great little engine is
responsive despite not
being a powerhouse

4

FUEL
FUEL CAPACITY 17L
ECONOMY 4.0L/100km
(measured)
RANGE 425km

SEAT HEIGHT

5

840mm (measured)

FULL TEST
NOT TESTED

Dimensions (measured)
A Seat height 840mm
B’Peg to ’bar 880mm
C’Bar to seat 680mm
D’Peg to seat 500mm

C

A

D

B

PROS AND CONS
Nails its design brief
Could benefit from ride-by-wire

amcn.com.au

61

MOTY 2023 BIKE SPECS

APRILIA
TUAREG 660

BMW
M 1000 R

CFMOTO
450SR

DUCATI
DIAVEL V4

HONDA

CB750 HORNET

ENGINE

ENGINE

ENGINE

ENGINE

ENGINE

Capacity 659cc
Type Parallel twin, DOHC,
four valves per cylinder
Bore & stroke 81 x 63.93mm
Compression ratio 13.5:1
Cooling Liquid
Fueling EFI, 2 x 48mm
throttle bodies
Transmission Six-speed
Clutch Wet, multi-plate, slipper
Final drive Chain

Capacity 999cc
Type Inline 4, DOHC, four valves per cylinder,
Shiftcam variable intake camshaft control
Bore & stroke 80 x 49.7mm
Compression ratio 13.3:1
Cooling liquid-cooled
Fueling Fuel injection
Transmission Six-speed
Clutch Wet, multiplate, slipper
Final drive Chain

Capacity 449.9cc
Type Parallel-twin, DOHC, four valves per
cylinder
Bore & stroke 72 x 55.2mm
Compression ratio Not given
Cooling Liquid
Fueling EFI, Bosch
Transmission Six-speed
Clutch Wet, multi-plate, slipper
Final drive Chain

Capacity 1158cc
Type 90° V4, DOHC, four valves per cylinder
Bore & stroke 83 x 53.5mm
Compression ratio 14.0:1
Cooling Liquid
Fueling EFI, 46mm throttle bodies
Transmission Six-speed
Clutch Wet, multi-plate, slipper
Final drive Chain

Capacity 755cc
Type Parallel twin, four valves per cylinder
Bore & stroke 87 x 63.5mm
Compression ratio 11.0:1
Cooling Liquid
Fueling EFI
Transmission Six-speed
Clutch Wet, multi-plate, slipper
Final drive Chain

PERFORMANCE

PERFORMANCE

PERFORMANCE

Power 154kW (210hp) @ 13,750 rpm
(claimed)
Torque 113Nm @ 11,100 rpm (claimed)
Top speed 280km/h (claimed)
Fuel consumption 5.8L/100km (measured)

PERFORMANCE

Power 125kW (168hp) @ 10,750rpm
(claimed)
Torque 126Nm @ 7500rpm (claimed)
Top speed 250km/h (est)
Fuel consumption 6.0L/100km
(measured)

Power 68kW (91hp) @ 9500rpm (claimed)
Torque 75Nm @ 7250rpm (claimed)
Top speed 200km/h (est)
Fuel consumption 4.0L/100km
(measured)

ELECTRONICS

Type Honda
Rider aids ABS, cornering traction
control,wheelie control,
engine brake control
Rider modes Sport, Standard,
Rain, User

Power 59kW (79hp) @ 9250rpm (claimed)
Torque 70Nm @ 6500rpm (claimed)
Top speed 180km/h (est)
Fuel consumption 3.9L/100km (measured)

ELECTRONICS
Type Magneti Marelli ECU
Rider aids Traction control, engine brake
control, cruise control
Rider modes Urban, Explore,
Offroad and Individual

CHASSIS
Frame material Tubular steel
Frame type Trellis
Rake 26.7°
Trail 113.3mm
Wheelbase 1525mm

SUSPENSION
Type KYB
Front: 43mm USD fork, fully-adjustable,
240mm travel
Rear: Monoshock, fully-adjustable,
240mm travel

WHEELS & BRAKES
Wheels Wire-spoked aluminium
Front: 21 x 2.15 Rear: 18 x 4.25
Tyres Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR
Front: 90/90R21
Rear: 150/70R18
Brakes Brembo, ABS
Front: Twin 300mm disc,
four-piston caliper
Rear: Single 260mm disc,
single-piston caliper

DIMENSIONS
Weight 212kg (wet, measured)
Seat height 860mm
Width 965mm
Height Not given (claimed)
Length 2220mm
Ground clearance Not given
Fuel capacity 18L

SERVICING & WARRANTY
Servicing First: 1000km
Minor: 10,000km
Major: 20,000km
Warranty Two years,
unlimited km

PERFORMANCE

ELECTRONICS
Type BMW
Rider aids Six-axis IMU, dynamic traction
control, wheelie control, brake slide assist,
launch control, adjustable engine brake, hill
start control, cruise control,
up and down quick shift
Rider modes Rain, Road, Dynamic,
Race and Race Pro

CHASSIS
Frame material Aluminium
Frame type Twin spar
Rake 24.2°
Trail 97.6mm
Wheelbase 1455mm

SUSPENSION
Type Marzocchi
Front: USD 45mm fork, fully adjustable,
electonic self-adjusting Dynamic damping
control, 120mm travel
Rear: Monoshock, fully adjustable, Dynamic
damping control, 117mm travel

WHEELS & BRAKES
Wheels Forged aluminium;
Front: 3.5 x 17 Rear: 6 x 17
Tyres Pirelli Diablo Ross IV
Front: 120/70R17 (58W)
Rear: 200/55R17 (78W)
Brakes BMW M
Front: Twin 320mm discs, four-piston radial
mounted calipers, BMW ABS Pro
Rear: 220mm disc,
single-piston caliper, BMW ABS Pro

DIMENSIONS
Weight 196kg (wet, measured)
Seat height 830mm (claimed)
Width 996mm
Height 1176mm
Length 2085mm
Ground clearance Not given
Fuel capacity 16.5L

SERVICING & WARRANTY

Power 34.5kW (48hp) @ 10,000rpm
(claimed)
Torque 39.3Nm @ 7750rpm (claimed)
Top speed 180km/h (est)
Fuel consumption 4.4L/100km
(measured)

ELECTRONICS
Type Continental
Rider aids ABS and shift light
Rider modes Not applicable

CHASSIS
Frame material Chro-moly alloy steel
Frame type Trellis
Rake Not given
Trail Not given
Wheelbase 1370mm

SUSPENSION
Type CFMoto
Front: 37mm upside-down fork,
non-adjustable, 120mm travel
Rear: Multi-link monoshock, adjustable
preload, 130mm travel

WHEELS & BRAKES
Wheels Cast aluminium
Front: 19 x 3.0 Rear: 17 x 4.0
Tyres CST Adreno HS AS5
Front: 110/70R17
Rear: 150/60R17
Brakes Brembo, ABS
Front: Single 320mm disc,
four-piston M40 caliper
Rear: Single 220mm disc,
single-piston caliper

DIMENSIONS
Weight 192kg (wet, measured)
Seat height 795mm (claimed)
Width Not given
Height 1130mm
Length 1990mm
Ground clearance Not given
Fuel capacity 14L

SERVICING & WARRANTY
Servicing First: 1000km
Minor: 6000km
Major: 24,000km
Warranty Up to three years,
unlimited kilometres

Type Not given
Rider aids Power Modes, Cornering ABS,
Ducati Traction Control, Ducati Wheelie
Control, Ducati Quick Shift, Ducati Power
Launch, Cruise control
Rider modes Sport, Touring, Urban and Wet

CHASSIS
Frame material Aluminium
Frame type Monocoque
Rake 26°
Trail 112mm
Wheelbase 1593mm

SUSPENSION
Type Marzocchi
Front: 50mm upside-down fork, fully
adjustable, 120mm travel
Rear: Fully adjustable monoshock,
145mm travel

WHEELS & BRAKES
Wheels Cast alloy
Front: 17 x 3.5 Rear: 17 x 8.0
Tyres Pirelli Rosso 3
Front: 120/70ZR17
Rear: 240/45ZR17
Brakes Brembo, corning ABS
Front: Twin 330mm discs,
four-piston Stylema calipers
Rear: Single 265mm disc,
twin-piston caliper

DIMENSIONS

ELECTRONICS

CHASSIS
Frame material Steel
Frame type Diamond
Rake 25°
Trail 99mm
Wheelbase 1420mm

SUSPENSION
Type Showa
Front: 41mm USD non adjustable fork,
130mm travel
Rear: Monoshock, preload adjustable,
150mm travel

WHEELS & BRAKES
Wheels Cast aluminium
Front: 17 x 3.5 Rear: 17 x 4.5
Tyres Dunlop Roadsmart 2/Michelin Pilot 5
Front: 120/70ZR17
Rear: 160/60ZR17
Brakes Nissin, ABS
Front: Twin 296mm discs,
four-piston calipers
Rear: Single 240mm disc,
single piston caliper

DIMENSIONS

Weight 231kg (wet, measured)
Seat height 790mm (claimed)
Width Not given
Height Not given
Length Not given
Ground clearance Not given
Fuel capacity 20L

Weight 187kg (wet, measured)
Seat height 795mm (claimed)
Width 780mm
Height 1085mm
Length 2090mm
Ground clearance 140mm
Fuel capacity 15.2L

SERVICING & WARRANTY

SERVICING & WARRANTY
Servicing First: 1000km
Minor: 12,000km
Major: 24,000km
Warranty Two years,
unlimited kilometres

BUSINESS END

Servicing First: 1000km
Minor: 15,000km
Major: 60,000km
Warranty Two years,
unlimited kilometres

BUSINESS END

BUSINESS END

Price From $34,715 (ride away)
Colour options Light White or Black Storm
Metallic

Price $8290 (ride away)
Colour options Zircon Black (Black/
Red) or
Nebula black (White/Turquoise)

Price $41,100 (ride away)
Colour options Ducati Red or
Thrilling Black (+$400)

Price $13,403 (ride away)
Colour options Graphite Black, or Pearl
Glare White

CONTACT

CONTACT

CONTACT

CONTACT

CONTACT

www.aprilia.com/au_EN/

www.bmw-motorrad.com.au

www.cfmoto450sr.com.au

www.ducati.com/au/en

www.motorcycles.honda.com.au

BUSINESS END
Price $23,490 (ride away)
Colour options Indaco Tagelmust, Atreides
Black, Canyon Sand, Acid Gold, Martian Red
or Dakar Podium

62

amcn.com.au

Servicing First: 1000km
Minor: 10,000km
Major: 30,000km
Warranty: Five years,
unlimited km

BUSINESS END

KTM

1290 SUPER ADV R

MOTO GUZZI

SUZUKI

TRIUMPH

V100 MANDELLO S

V-STROM 800DE

ENGINE

ENGINE

ENGINE

ENGINE

ENGINE

Capacity 1301cc
Type 75° V-twin, DOHC,
four valves per cylinder
Bore & stroke 108 x 71mm
Compression ratio 13.1:1
Cooling Liquid
Fueling EFI, 52mm throttle bodies
Transmission Six-speed
Clutch Wet, multi-plate, slipper
Final drive Chain

Capacity 1042cc
Type 90° transverse V-twin, DOHC,
four valves per cylinder
Bore & stroke 96 x 72mm
Compression ratio 12.6:1
Cooling Liquid
Fueling EFI, 2 x 52mm Dell’Orto
throttle bodies
Transmission Six-speed
Clutch Wet, multi-plate, slipper
Final drive Shaft

Capacity 776cc
Type Parallel twin, DOHC, 8 valves
Bore & stroke 84 x 70mm
Compression ratio 12.8 :1
Cooling Liquid
Fueling EFI
Transmission Six-speed
Clutch Wet, multi-plate
Final drive Chain

Capacity 765cc
Type Inline-triple, four valves per cylinder
Bore & stroke 78 x 53.4mm
Compression ratio 13.25:1
Cooling Liquid
Fueling EFI
Transmission Six-speed
Clutch Wet, multi-plate, slip & assist
Final drive Chain

Capacity 689cc
Type Parallel twin, four valves per cylinder
Bore & stroke 80 x 68.6mm
Compression ratio 11.5:1
Cooling Liquid
Fueling EFI
Transmission Six-speed
Clutch Wet, multi-plate, slipper
Final drive Chain

PERFORMANCE
Power 118kW (158hp) @ 9000rpm
(claimed)
Torque 138Nm @ 6500rpm (claimed)
Top speed 225km/h (est)
Fuel consumption 4.8L/100km
(measured)

ELECTRONICS
Type Bosch
Rider aids Cornering ABS and traction
control, wheelie control
Rider modes Sport, Street,
Rain, Off-road

CHASSIS

PERFORMANCE

PERFORMANCE

Power 85kW (114hp) @ 8700rpm (claimed)
Torque 105Nm @ 6750rpm (claimed)
Top speed 245km/h (est)
Fuel consumption 5.0L/100km (measured)

Power 96kW (128hp) @ 12,000rpm
(claimed)
Torque 80Nm @ 9500rpm (claimed)
Top speed 240km/h (limited)
Fuel consumption 5.2L/100km
(measured)

Power 54kW (72hp) @ 8750rpm (claimed)
Torque 67Nm @ 6500rpm (claimed)
Top speed 220km/h (est)
Fuel consumption 4.0L/100km
(measured)

ELECTRONICS

ELECTRONICS

ELECTRONICS

ELECTRONICS

PERFORMANCE

Type Continental
Rider aids Engine Engine brake control,
traction control, engine modes, ABS,
cruise control
As above, plus quickshifter
Rider modes Tour, Rain, Road
and Sport

CHASSIS
Frame material Tubular steel
Frame type Trellis
Rake 24.7°
Trail 104mm
Wheelbase 1475mm

SUSPENSION

SUSPENSION

Type WP
Front: 48mm USD fork, fully-adjustable,
220mm travel
Rear: Monoshock, fully-adjustable,
220mm travel

Type Ohlins
Front: 43mm USD Öhlins Smart EC
2.0 semi-active fork, 130mm travel
Rear: Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 monoshock,
130mm travel

WHEELS & BRAKES

WHEELS & BRAKES

Wheels Wire-spoke aluminium
Front: 21 x 2.5 Rear: 18 x 4.5
Tyres Bridgestone A41
Front: 90/90-21
Rear: 150/70-18
Brakes Brembo, cornering ABS
Front: Twin 320mm disc,
four-piston caliper
Rear: Single 267mm disc,
twin-piston caliper

Wheels Aluminium alloy
Front: 17 x 3.5 Rear: 17 x 6.0
Tyres Pirelli Angel GT II
Front: 120/70ZR17
Rear: 190/55ZR17
Brakes Brembo, ABS
Front: Twin 320mm disc,
four-piston caliper
Rear: Single 280mm disc,
twin-piston caliper

Weight 245kg (wet, measured)
Seat height 880mm (claimed)
Width Not given
Height Not given
Length Not given
Ground clearance 242mm
Fuel capacity 23L

SERVICING & WARRANTY
Servicing First: 1000km
Minor: 15,000km or 12 months
Major: 30,000km or 12 months
Warranty Two years,
unlimited km

DIMENSIONS
Weight 253kg (wet, measured)
Seat height 815mm (claimed)
Width 835mm
Height Not given
Length 2125mm
Ground clearance Not given
Fuel capacity 17L

SERVICING & WARRANTY
Servicing First: 1000km
Minor: 12,000
Major: 24,000km
Warranty Two years,
unlimited km

Type Suzuki
ABS, Ride-by-wire
Rider aides ABS, traction control, easy
start, low rpm assist
Modes Active, Basic, Comfortand Gravel

CHASSIS
Frame material Steel
Frame type Bridge
Rake 28°
Trail 114mm
Wheelbase 1570mm

SUSPENSION
Type Showa
Front: 45mm telescopic fork,
fully adjustable, 220mm travel
Rear: Monoshock, adjustable preload and
rebound, 220mm travel

WHEELS & BRAKES
Wheels Wire-spoked aluminium
Front: 21 x 2.5 Rear: 17 x 4.0
Tyres Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR
Front: 90/90-21 (54H)
Rear: 150/70R17 (69H)
Brakes Nissin, ABS
Front: Twin 310mm discs,
twin-piston caliper
Rear: Single 260mm disc,
single-piston caliper

DIMENSIONS
Weight 219.6kg (wet, measured)
Seat height 855mm (claimed)
Width 975mm
Height 1310mm
Length 2345mm
Ground clearance 220mm
Fuel capacity 20L

SERVICING & WARRANTY
Servicing First: 1000km
Minor: 12,000km
Major: 48,000km
Warranty Three years,
unlimited km

BUSINESS END

Price $34,785 (ride away)
Colour options White

Price $32,290 (ride away)
Colour options Verde 2121 or Avantgarde
Grey

Price $18,590 (ride away)
Colour options Champion Yellow No.
2, Glass Mat Mechanical Gray, or Glass
Sparkle Black

CONTACT

CONTACT

CONTACT

www.ktm.com/en-au

motoguzzi.com/au_EN

BUSINESS END

TRACER 7

Power 62kW (83hp) @ 8500rpm
(claimed)
Torque 78Nm @ 6800rpm (claimed)
Top speed 180km/h (est)
Fuel consumption 5.0L/100km
(measured)

Frame material Tubular steel
Frame type Trellis
Rake 25.3°
Trail 112.8mm
Wheelbase 1577mm

DIMENSIONS

STREET TRIPLE RS

YAMAHA

BUSINESS END

www.suzukimotorcycles.com.au

Type Bosch/Continental
Rider aids Cornering ABS, cornering
traction control, front-wheel lift control,
Shift Assist up-and-down quickshifter
Rider modes Rain, Road, Sport, Track and
Rider configurable

CHASSIS
Frame material Aluminium alloy
Frame type Twin spar
Rake 23.2°
Trail 96.9mm
Wheelbase 1399mm

SUSPENSION
Type Showa/Öhlins
Front: 41mm USD fork, fully adjustable,
115mm travel
Rear: STX40 monoshock, fully adjustable,
131.2mm travel

WHEELS & BRAKES
Wheels Cast aluminium
Front: 17 x 3.5 Rear: 17 x 5.5
Tyres Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V3
Front: 120/70ZR17 (58W)
Rear: 180/55ZR17 (73W)
Brakes Brembo Stylema
Front: Twin 310mm discs,
four-piston calipers
Rear: Single 220mm disc,
single-piston caliper

DIMENSIONS
Weight 189kg (wet, measured)
Seat height 826mm (claimed)
Width 792mm
Height 1064mm
Length 2052mm
Ground clearance Not given
Fuel capacity 15L

SERVICING & WARRANTY
Servicing First: 1000km
Minor: 10,000km
Major: 20,000km
Warranty Two years,
unlimited kilometres

BUSINESS END
Price From $20,590 (ride away)
Colour: Silver Ice, Carnival Red (+$300)
and Cosmic Yellow (+$300)

CONTACT
www.triumphmotorcycles.com.au

PERFORMANCE

Type Yamaha
Rider aids ABS
Rider modes Not applicable

CHASSIS
Frame material Steel
Frame type Diamond
Rake 24°
Trail 90mm
Wheelbase 1400mm

SUSPENSION
Type KYB
Front: 41mm conventional fork, rebound and
compression adjustable, 130mm travel
Rear: Monoshock, preload and compression
adjustable, 130mm travel

WHEELS & BRAKES
Wheels Cast alloy
Front: 17 x 3.5 Rear: 17 x 5.5
Tyres Michelin Road 6 GT
Front: 120/70ZR17
Rear: 180/55ZR17
Brakes Yamaha, ABS
Front: Twin 298mm discs,
four-piston calipers
Rear: Single 245mm disc,
single-piston caliper

DIMENSIONS
Weight 201kg (wet, measured)
Seat height 835mm (claimed)
Width 840mm
Height 1290/1330mm
Length 2140mm
Ground clearance 140mm
Fuel capacity 17L

SERVICING & WARRANTY
Servicing First: 1000km
Minor: 12,000km
Major: 24,000km
Warranty Two years,
unlimited kilometres

BUSINESS END
Price $15,999 (ride away)
Colour options Icon Performance, Redline
or Midnight Black

CONTACT
www.yamaha-motor.com.au

amcn.com.au

63

MOTY 2023 DRUMROLL PLEASE

THE 2023 MOTY IS…

The BMW M 1000 R scores a convincing victory as a ‘do-it-all’ roadbike

T

he judges have cast their votes, the scores
have been tallied and the incredible BMW
M 1000 R is AMCN’s 2023 Motorcycle of
the Year (MOTY) presented by Shannons
Insurance. Incredible because just like Jekyll
and Hyde, the M 1000 R can quickly transform
from meek and mild into a track-eating monster…
just a flick of the wrist and some ride-mode tweaks.
The M 1000 R’s 999cc inline four with ShiftCam
(variable valve timing) is as docile as you’d want
in Rain or Road modes, but select Dynamic or one
of the Race modes and throttle response amps up,
suspension settings firm up and the electronic
rider aids let you make the most of that 154kW
(210hp) of peak power, keeping everything in line
and on the deck without ruining the fun.
A full suite of tailorable rider aids means anyone
can go fast on the M 1000 R without feeling
intimidated by it. And while wheelie control and
those big wings on the front do their thing to keep
the front wheel planted, the light and nimble
chassis, potent braking package and sticky rubber
provide endless fun every time you point the
M 1000 R at a set of corners.
Add in great ergonomics, intuitive controls and

!
R
E
N
WIN 00 R
0
1
M
W
M
B

64

amcn.com.au

display, and comfort and convenience features
such as heated grips and cruise control, and the
M 1000 R really is the do-it-all roadbike. It’s one
that you can commute on daily, head to the hills
for some scratching, throw some luggage on the
back and tour, or take to the racetrack. No wonder
it scores well against the MOTY criteria.
Coming home in second place is the mighty KTM
1290 Super Adventure R. This big and brawny
adventure bike nails its design brief. It is a capable
off-roader, a mile-eating tourer, packs a serious
punch with its 1301cc V-twin and has the latest in
electronic rider aids.
Third place goes to the Triumph Street Triple
RS, a midsize nakedbike that’s powered by the
same engine developed for the Moto2 world
championship. And while the engine is a
highlight, equally good is the Street Triple’s lively
chassis, high-end suspension and brake hardware,
and comprehensive electronic rider-aid package.
The other seven contenders all proved to be
worthy of inclusion in this year’s MOTY finalists
list but, as they say, there can be only one winner,
and there’s no doubt the BMW M 1000 R is
deserving of the AMCN 2023 MOTY title.

THE HARDER TO WRAP, THE BETTER THE GIFT

The Harley-Davidson® Street Bob™ 114 now $23,995 rideaway
at your participating Harley-Davidson® dealer.

CONTACT YOUR DEALER

h-d.com
©2023 H-D or its affiliates. HARLEY-DAVIDSON, HARLEY, H-D, HARLEY-DAVIDSON XTM Harley-Davidson XTM and the Bar and Shield Logo are among the trademarks of H-D U.S.A., LLC.
Actual product may vary. Visit link for details.

MOTY 2023 SCORECARD

NUMBER CRUNCH
WINNER!

1st BMW M 1000 R

2nd KTM 1290 Super Adventure R

3rd TRIUMPH Street Triple765 RS

4th SUZUKI V-Strom 800DE

5th DUCATI Diavel V4

6th APRILIA Tuareg 660

7th CFMOTO 450SR

8th HONDA CB750 Hornet

9th MOTO GUZZI V100 Mandello S

10th YAMAHA Tracer 7

See how our judges scored each bike within the five criteria. *Combined judges’ scores

BUILD QUALITY / 90

83

81

81

68

77

73

60

64

59

61

INNOVATION / 90

80

72

68

72

68

63

59

60

68

56

DESIGN BRIEF / 90

82

87

82

72

71

73

69

71

66

64

VALUE FOR MONEY / 90

70

75

77

81

62

63

82

73

60

66

FUN FACTOR / 90

86

78

81

72

66

68

69

65

62

55

TOTAL/450

401

393

389

365

344

340

339

333

315

302

It’s gotta be built well to earn this crown

Is it advancing development, or responding
cleverly to the market?
Does it deliver to the rider what it promises
to do on the tin?
Not just price, a well-equipped expensive
bike can still represent good value

It’s gotta be fun to ride, or what’s the point?

1

“WE JUDGE EACH
BIKE AS YOU,
THE BUYER,
MIGHT…
WITH EACH
RIDER GETTING
A GOOD STINT
ON EACH BIKE”
Dean Mellor

66

amcn.com.au

3

4

1. The big Kato is a poster
child for how to build an
adventure bike that can
slay off-road riding
2. Jekyll-and-Hyde
character makes the
Beemer a winner
3. Moto2-inspired naked
Triumph is an absolute
blast to ride
4. Make no mistake... the
Diavel is a cruise missile
5. Yamaha’s Tracer 7 can
give the finger to much
more powerful and sportsoriented bikes

5

2

amcn.com.au

67

RACER TEST DUCATI SUPERMONO
AC A R C

HIVES

d
r
a
t
o
m
r
e
p
y
H
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e
d
n
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i
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w
k
c
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’
a
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Duca ng in the wheel t ilt racebike
i
u
w
b
o
l
a
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o
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f
g
o
is
l
o
B
d
e
t
e
v
o
c
d
n
a
e
r
a
r

68

amcn.com.au

MA
t h’s E IC
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o,
m
t
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9 8 Mo n
at l a
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up er q u r s t
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e
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S u p e r m 93 .
i nde r c
l
e
y
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c
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s, si n
t i n 19
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k de b u
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f t he m
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ic a
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amcn.com.au

69

RACER TEST DUCATI SUPERMONO
Claudio Domenicali in his first job with the
company straight out of university. That meant
he was also my race manager, as I was chosen by
Bordi to race a factory-backed customer bike in
Europe, America, Japan and Australia against the
Japanese and other Euro singles then dominating
the flourishing Sound of Singles (SoS) class, later
rebranded as Supermono by the FIM.
Those 67 examples were built and sold in two
versions, the first 44 coming in 1993 with a 549cc
capacity, the second 23 in 1995 bored out to 572cc.
All incorporated the same horizontal-cylinder
desmoquattro format derived from Bordi’s World
Superbike champion 888cc V-twin engine, with
the upright cylinder replaced by a blind housing
containing an articulated counter-balancer. This
proved so effective that the engine was safe up to
11,000rpm – some going for a 500cc four-stroke
single. BMW later adopted a comparable system to
eliminate vibration from its mass-produced F 800
parallel-twin engine.
The Supermono class was a flourishing category
worldwide in the 1990s, on the basis of a very
simple rule structure: one cylinder, a four-stroke
engine cycle – and everything else was free. It ran
as a World Superbike support category for four
years attracting riders from around the world. It
also delivered close, exciting racing from a wide
variety of different bikes powered by Yamaha,
Honda, KTM, Husqvarna, Gilera, Suzuki and Rotax
engines, some punched out as far as 780cc, and
a series of sophisticated, properly engineered
racebikes like the BYRD-Yamaha, Rumi 701,
Bimota-Gilera GB1, BMR-Suzuki, etc.
Against such bikes, even the 572cc Ducati had
one drawback – its lack of cubes, which meant that
it struggled for top speed later on. Still, anyone
who ever raced a Ducati Supermono – from factory
Ducati Superbike racers Frankie Chili and Mauro
Lucchiari, Ducati’s current MotoGP team boss
Davide Tardozzi, down to the humblest club racer,
all fell in love with it.
As noted, the technical format of the four-valve
Ducati single, with its unique doppia bielletta
(literally, ‘double conrod’) counter-balancer
system, represented one half of Bordi’s titlewinning V-twin. But why choose that over a cleansheet design?
“Ducati’s success has always come from doing
things differently,” begins Bordi, now aged 75.
5

70

1

2

4

6

amcn.com.au

3

1. Massimo Bordi shows Alan
Cathcart the original prototype that
uses a modified road frame
2. Cathcart on the later-spec
Supermono with twin-exit exhaust
3. Using crucial components from the
888 L-twin made development easier
4. The pre-production version used a
custom-built race frame
5. Cathcart won the Japanese Sound
of Singles crown
6. Strong support class field to 1994
Assen WSBK round
7. The counter-balancing system is
simple but effective
8. Sectioned engine gives a hint of the
components modified or based on the
888 Superbike engine

FIRST TIMER

FRAMING UP

BOWSER BREW

IN SUSPENSE

ROLLING STOCK

Massimo Bordi’s innovative
articulated counter-balancer
system was the first time such
a design had been used on a
petrol engine, though something
similar had been seen on diesel
engines in the past.

Ducati studied a total of 14
diff erent chassis designs on
its CAD system, said Claudio
Domenicali, before opting for
one which the computer told him
would weigh 6.2kg. Actually, it
weighed 6kg.

Compression ratio was 11.8:1,
and the engine ran quite happily
on unleaded pump fuel. The
original 2-1 Termignoni exhaust
was replaced by a 2-1-2 system
which considerably improved
midrange torque.

Öhlins suspension comprised
a 42mm upside down fork,
essentially a cut-down 1992spec Superbike item, with
110mm of travel. The Öhlins
shock was adjustable for ride
height, with 130mm of travel.

Cast-aluminium Marchesini
wheels were standard, with
twin 280mm floating Brembo
discs gripped by four-piston
calipers up front and a fixed
190mm rear disc and twinpiston caliper.

DUCATI’S SUCCESS IN WSBK FROM 1994
WAS DUE IN PART TO THE SUPERMONO
“Back then, only Ducati made an eight-valve
desmo twin, or a fuel-injected twin-cylinder
Superbike. So a Ducati Mono had to be equally
innovative.
“And a four-stroke engine derives its
performance from the cylinder head, and so it
made sense to use the top-end from the 851/888
family for the Mono, since by then we’d invested
five years of development in it.
“We could save a lot of machining time on the
engine by basing it on the V-twin, which was also
a factor because I planned to produce a streetbike
with this engine – that’s why I included a boss
for the electric starter in the crankcase design. I
intended three versions: the Mono Racing would
be a street replica of the racebike. Then the Mono
Sport would have a half-fairing, and either fuel
injection or a Mikuni carb, depending on cost,
with a cafe-racer image. Then finally there would
have been the Mono Strada, a naked stripped-out

roadster. We would also have made a 400 Mono
for Japan, with a different bore and stroke, so
effectively a new engine.”
Another key factor was the way in which
development work had a vital spinoff on the
V-twin range. Ducati’s success in winning the
World Superbike title from 1994 onwards with
the 916 in bored and stroked form compared to
the 94mm-bore 888 it replaced, was due in no
small part to the lessons it learnt working on the
evolution of the 100mm-bore Supermono (later
102mm). But in slicing the L-twin Superbike
engine in half, Bordi used the forward, horizontal
cylinder instead of the rear, upright one.
“If I’d used the vertical cylinder I’d have had to
move too many components around, and not use
as many common parts with the 750 desmodue
engine as I needed to do to hold down costs for a
future street version,” he explained. “Anyway, it
allowed me to have a reduced centre of gravity

7

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71

RACER TEST DUCATI SUPERMONO
with the fuel tank much lower, and the general
layout was easier too, in presenting a reduced
frontal profile which was more aerodynamic. It
was definitely the right choice.”
Bordi originally created a single out of a 90°
V-twin by removing the piston from the rear
cylinder and using the abbreviated result of
a shortened conrod with a balance weight on
the end to recreate the same primary balance
inherent in the L-twin. But the result was not
only extremely ugly, but also very noisy, and it
generated a lot of heat – enough to raise the oil
temperature dangerously high.
Fitted with Weber/Marelli fuel injection and
silenced racing exhausts, the first prototype
developed just 42.5kW (57hp) at the rear wheel in
487cc form, which was over 7.5kW (10hp) less than
the Japanese offerings like the dominant 750cc
five-valve BYRD-Yamaha were making by 1990.
Bordi’s decision to opt for a small, light, half-atwin that could never measure much more than
500cc, started to look doubtful.
But he developed a new plan. The engine was
revamped to eliminate the ‘blind’ piston in favour
of an articulated conrod-type counter-balancer
that perfectly resolved all problems with the
design. Still in 487cc guise, the four-valve desmo’s
power output rose to 46kW (62.5hp) at 10,500rpm,
and in this form it was fitted into a 750SS rolling
chassis in 1991 for initial road testing.
With the engine’s basic format established,
Ducati engineers could now turn to the chassis,
with recent recruit Claudio Domenicali designing
a light but strong tubular space frame which took

NOT THE MOST
POWERFUL MONO
BUT THE BEST
ALL-ROUND
PACKAGE
full advantage of the engine’s low build, via its
horizontal cylinder. Meanwhile, Bordi stroked
the engine to 502cc, which not only explored new
levels of piston speed for the current generation
of Ducati L-twin engines, but also delivered 52kW
(70hp) at 11,000rpm by June 1992.
Track development began with a finished
version of the Supermono frame ridden by factory
testers Giancarlo Falappa and Davide Tardozzi,
fitted with modified 888 bodywork, while stylist
Pierre Terblanche began work on the definitive
Supermono clothing.
Bordi hadn’t finished with the engine, though:
before the Supermono racer made its debut to
astonished onlookers at the IFMA Show in Cologne
on 29 September, 1992, he had completed tests on
a big-bore version of the engine, measuring 100 x
70mm for a capacity of 549cc.
In this form, the first 44 Supermono racers were
hand-built over a two-year period by the Ducati
factory’s race shop mechanics, and achieved

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1

2

worldwide success after proving victorious in
the model’s racing debut the following March at
Misano in the hands of factory Superbike racer
Mauro Lucchiari. Though with 56kW (75hp) at
10,500rpm, the Ducati was not the most powerful
Supermono racer, nor the lightest at 124kg, but it
was the best all-round package – a fact confirmed
by its consistent supremacy over its more
powerful and/or lighter opposition.
But eventually that same opposition overhauled
the Ducati in terms of performance, leading the
Bologna factory to develop an evolution, which
made its official debut in the hands of Kiwi Robert
Holden at Assen in September 1994. This entailed
boring the engine out still farther to 572cc (102 x
70mm), and fitting revised camshafts from Carl
Fogarty’s championship-winning 955cc V-twin.
With a revised exhaust system power now reached
59kW (79hp) at 10,000rpm, with substantially added
midrange.
A further 23 examples were made with this
engine in 1994/95, before production ceased due
to cashflow problems elsewhere in the Castiglioni
brothers’ Cagiva empire, which eventually resulted
in their relinquishing control of Ducati to American
investment group TPG in 1996.
Yet despite numerous requests from potential
customers and many of its importers, Ducati never
produced that street-legal Supermono Strada. A
supercharged Supermono Compressore streetbike
was seriously considered in 2000, though sadly the
idea was later dropped.
The problem was that Ducati’s new owners
couldn’t get their heads around someone being

3

PIERRE
TERBLANCHE’S
RACE TO FINISH

“I WAS GIVEN the project very much at the last
minute, and started work on it properly only in early
July 1992 when the prototype chassis arrived, with a
deadline that it had to be ready for the Cologne Show
in Germany. So it was another of those crazy projects
that we did in three months flat.
“We were working night and day, seven days a week
for a full three months – but we made it. After we
presented the unpainted bike to Ducati in Bologna,
they told me they had a driver. But he’d never left Italy
before, he didn’t speak English or German, and he was
on his own.
“So I said, ‘No way, I’ll take the bike there myself,
thank you’. But I’d have to drive all night to be in
Cologne the next day. The tail light on my truck was
broken. Having lived in Germany, I realised if the police
saw me they wouldn’t let me go anywhere until it was
fixed. So I found a similar van in the Ducati car park
and swapped his tail light with mine.
“We had to leave Ducati after factory hours. There
was a new guard on duty and he wouldn’t let us out
without the right papers. We’d only painted the
bodywork the day before and we had it suspended on
wires in mid-air in the truck to give it time to dry.
“To go through Switzerland, which was outside the
EU, the truck had to be sealed. So we had to go back
half an hour and drill holes in the doors so we could
wire it shut with a seal.
“The following morning was press day, so we hot
glued body filler and duct taped the bike together. It
was really close, but we’d made it.”

4

5
prepared to pay more for a single-cylinder
motorcycle than a twin-cylinder 900SS, despite
Ducati Japan for one declaring that it was ready
to order a minimum of 200. So the Supermono, as
the rarest Ducati customer motorcycle yet made,
passed into the history books as a footnote to the
desmoquattro story.
In 1993-94 I covered 4462km in 28 races on
my first 549cc racer, with 2316km of that on one
of my two engines. I had eight race wins, five
seconds and three thirds, with one DNF, owing
to an electrical issue, and four others due to nontechnical problems, with just two race crashes.
That outstanding reliability record spoke
volumes for the soundness of Bordi’s design, as
well as Steve Wynne’s engine preparation. It won
me two championships, the 1993 Dutch Open and
Japanese Sound of Singles crowns, and runnerup slots in the 1994 European Supermono and
USA Open Singles championships. It also allowed
me to win the 1994 Australian TT at Bathurst
as a guest rider on then Aussie importer Fraser
Motorcycles’ identical Supermono.
Riding my Supermono (that still lives in
my garage) is a unique experience. No other
motorcycle I’ve ever sampled is quite so addictive,
nor so downright entertaining. Believe it or not,
out of the many bikes I’ve raced over the past 50
years, it is indeed ‘the one’.
One reason is that it’s improbably long, low
and lean to sit on. Despite the 1360mm wheelbase
there’s enough space to stretch out across the
tank, which makes you feel very much a part
of the bike. It’s small but perfectly formed.

6

1. Supermono project manager
Claudio Domenicali with Ducati
engineer Luigi Mengoli
2. Bordi takes a trip down memory
lane to the Supermono’s glory days
3. It’s a 1990s Ducati so of course
it has a rattly exposed dry clutch
4. Rear suspension layout
continues the theme of keeping all
weight low in the chassis
5. Bordi and Cathcart go over the
publicity garnered by race wins
6. Stripped down it really does
look like a mini-Superbike 888
7. It’s 1993 and Cathcart is
celebrating the first win for a
customer Supermono

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73

RACER TEST DUCATI SUPERMONO

SPECS
ENGINE
Capacity 549cc (1995: 572cc)
Type Single-cylinder, DOHC,
desmodromic four-valve with articulated
counterbalancer
Bore & stroke 100 x 70mm
(102 x 70mm)
Compression ratio 11.8:1
Cooling Liquid
Fueling EFI, 47mm throttle body with
twin injectors
Transmission Six-speed
Clutch Dry, multi-plate
Final drive Chain

PERFORMANCE
Power 56kW/75hp (59kW/79hp)
@10,000rpm (claimed)
Torque Not given
Top speed 236km/h, Monza (242km/h,
Hokenheim)
Fuel consumption Not measured

ELECTRONICS
Type Not applicable
Rider aids Not applicable
Rider modes Not applicable

CHASSIS
Frame material Tubular steel
Frame type Trellis
Rake 23.5°
Trail 92mm
Wheelbase 1360mm

SUSPENSION
Type Öhlins
Front: 42mm upside-down fork, fully
adjustable, 110mm travel
Rear: Cantilever monoshock, fully
adjustable, 130mm travel

WHEELS & BRAKES
Wheels Cast aluminium
Front: 17 x 3.5 Rear: 17 x 5.0
Tyres Bridgestone radials
Front: 125/600-17
Rear: 165/620-17
Brakes Brembo
Front: Twin 280mm discs,
four-piston calipers
Rear: Single 190mm disc,
twin-piston caliper

DIMENSIONS
Weight 123.5kg (water and oil, no fuel,
claimed)
Seat height Not given
Width Not given
Height Not given
Length Not given
Ground clearance Not given
Fuel capacity Not given

SERVICING & WARRANTY
Servicing First: Not given
Minor: Not given
Major: Not given
Warranty Not applicable

Earlier version of the Supermono
has the single-exit muffler

A SINGLE-CYLINDER
SUPERBIKE THAT’S
SO INTUITIVE IN ITS
RESPONSES
Terblanche was a master of packaging in making
the bike so accessible to riders of all statures.
The great-sounding engine which, according
to trackside observers, apparently sounds like
three quarters of a twin in full flight rather than a
lower-revving single, is completely vibration-free
up to the 11,000rpm I’ve always used as my limiter.
There’s no cutout program on the Marelli ECU, so it’s
up to you to roll back the throttle.
Bordi’s articulated conrod balancing system is
not only innovative, but totally effective. Even at
five-figure revs the perfect primary balance the
system delivers makes it completely vibration free.
And where the highest-revving conventional fourstroke SoS racer will start to tingle and feel strained
above 8000rpm, the Ducati proved to be both
smooth and reliable running even higher than its
official 10,500rpm redline.
Instead, the Supermono’s big advantage is not in
terms of power or weight (with 56kW and 123.5kg
half-dry, its power-to-weight ratio was average
for the Supermono class 30 years ago) but in the
excellence of the overall package. Designed as a
piece rather than a modified engine developed for
another purpose shoehorned into a race chassis,
the high-revving engine has a super-responsive
character with a totally linear power curve. This
means the engine is tractable as low as 4000rpm,
pulling up to 11,000rpm without a hiccup.
However, that’s with the later twin-exit
Termignoni exhaust pipe fitted. The original,
very quiet 103dB single-exit stock exhaust had a
pretty massive midrange flatspot between 55007500rpm, which meant you had to use a lot of
clutch to coax it out of slow turns.

But where the Ducati undoubtedly scores
highest is in the overall riding package the engine
architecture offers. Bordi’s use of the horizontal
cylinder delivers the same stature as a 250GP bike
and thus quick but stable handling. But it also
creates a very low centre of gravity, which means
it’s extremely fast-handling in chicanes, as well as
easy-steering in slow turns.
Yet that low-down weight, coupled with a 23.5°
head angle and 92mm of trail – not exceptional
by modern racing standards – gives outstanding
stability round fast turns like Monza’s bumpy
Curva Grande. Despite giving away top speed to the
larger upright-cylinder J-bikes, I could repeatedly
ride around the outside of them in fifth and sixth
gear as they leapt about over the bumps.
I could also always regain metres on the big
singles under braking where, despite the smaller
280mm Brembo twin front discs, the Ducati’s
ability to stop hard was absolutely mind-blowing.
Low-down weight reduced weight transfer in
hard stops, so I never lifted the back wheel under
braking. But this, coupled with the extra engine
braking a desmo motor will deliver if called upon
– can’t touch the valves on the overrun, see? – and
you get confidence that makes you feel invincible.
But the real thrill came when I started using the
Supermono’s unique architecture. Being slightly
underpowered against the larger-engined 680750cc J-bikes, the Ducati was always better on big
tracks like Hockenheim or Spa with lots of fast,
demanding bends where you could stay hard on
the gas and keep up corner speed. Meanwhile the
slower-cornering, more point-and-squirt uprightcylinder maxi-singles would have to back off.
Having the horizontal cylinder’s heavy desmo
head parked just behind the front wheel gave an
exceptional 55/45 percent forward weight bias
without the engine delivering enough torque to
unhook the rear tyre under acceleration.
I may be biased but there’s nothing quite like
riding a Ducati Supermono. It’s a single-cylinder
Superbike that’s so intuitive in its responses –
think and it’s done it for you.
Too bad they never made the street version.

BUSINESS END
Price Not applicable
Colour options Not applicable

CONTACT
A Cathcart, Future Perfect Racing
Team, UK

74

amcn.com.au

Not the most powerful or lightest in its class of racing
but the overall package made its rider feel invincible.

PROS
AND
CONS

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never had the courage to build a cheaper street version.

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SNAP SHOT THE YEAR IN PICTURES

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WORDS AMCN + PHOTOGRAPHY AMCN ARCHIVES

Pictures tell a story and there are
plenty of tales to recount over a hectic
2023 that saw amazing things happen
throughout the motorcycle world. Here’s
how we saw it through the lens
2

Incite Images

1. Mooney VR46 Racing Team’s Marco Bezzecchi was as cool as a cucumber after this massive
highside at the Sachsenring MotoGP round. “I hit a wet spot and crashed. I took a knock on my
back, but I’m fine all in all,” he calmly told reporters later
2. An accident looking for somewhere to happen. Yes, it can only be Dumb & Dumber in the alps
Gold&Goose

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77

SNAP SHOT YEAR IN PICS

Rob Mott

1
2

3

Rob Mott

4

Incite Images

5

Greg Elliott

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amcn.com.au

Supplied

6

1. Jarred Brook finished sixth
overall, ahead of US legend Sammy
Halbert, in the 2023 Flat Track
World Championship
2. Fully-loaded Pete tests the
suspension on Suzuki’s DR-Z450E
3. Mark this name down. Cameron
Dunker has risen through the
ranks of ASBK’s SS600 this year.
What chance he follows his dream
overseas next year?
4. Bartosz Zmarzlik won his fourth
Speedway world title at the Grand
Prix in Poland
5. Express delivery at Cessnock’s
annual Postie Bike Grand Prix
6. Well, Bagger me! Jeremy
McWilliams shows how it’s done in
the US King of the Bagger series
7. Officer, honestly, the bike made
me do it… Watto gets loose on
KTM’s 890 Duke R
8. Oliver Bayliss had a promising
start to WSSP 2023 before injury
curtailed his season
9. Jack Miller’s stoppies on his Red
Bull KTM were a MotoGP
crowd-pleaser all year
10. Flashes of brilliance
mixed with gut-wrenching
disappointment sum up Jorge
Martin’s MotoGP season
11. Ice, ice, baby. Martin
Haarahiltunen is world champ

7

Incite Images

Supplied

9

8

10

Gold&Goose

Gold&Goose

11

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SNAP SHOT YEAR IN PICS

1

Dean Walters

2

Gold&Goose

3

5

Incite Images

80

4

amcn.com.au

Gold&Goose

6

Gold&Goose

Gold&Goose

1. Retired stunt rider ‘Lukey’ Luke
Follacchio made the AMCN 72-18
cover with this epic wheelie
2. Joel Kelso never gave up, even
after this crash in the Moto3 race
in India. Next year he’s back
3. PV demonstrates it’s more
heel down than knee down on a big
Harley-Davidson
4. Pecco Bagnaia proved critics
wrong by keeping his cool to keep
his MotoGP crown
5. Marc Marquez crashed 29 times
this year. Hope Gresini Ducati has
plenty of spare parts for 2024
6. Has the fame gone to his head?
Toprak Razgatlioglu after the
Superpole race at the Czech WSBK
7. WorldSBK 2023 champ Alvaro
Bautista keeps a cool head as a
wildcard at Malaysia’s MotoGP
8. Luciano Benavides wraps
up the 2023 World Rally-Raid
Championship. Toby Price finished
a strong second overall
9. Marc Marquez has anime Honda
hero status in Japan. But will it
carry over to his Ducati ride?
10. Rob Phillis and Aaron Slight
reunited at the Kiwi Southern
Classic Festival at Levels, Timaru
11. PV wheelie’s a CB125F. Deano
is not impressed

8

7

9

Supplied

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10

Supplied

John Cosgrove

11

Incite Images

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SNAP SHOT YEAR IN PICS

Gold&Goose

1
2

Gold&Goose

1. How the tables have turned.
Honda’s Joan Mir is hunted down by
new Ducati signing Marc Marquez
at the Valencia MotoGP test
2. Francesco Bagnaia crashes
out of the Catalunya MotoGP race,
causing pundits to doubt his ability
to successfully defend his title
3. Sometimes throwing bikes
away is the only option in the Hard
Enduro World Championship
4. The Hidden Valley round was
a turning point for Honda’s Troy
Herfoss in ASBK 2023
5. Jack Miller shows why Portimao
is such a unique MotoGP circuit
6. Amazing effort as Jonathan Rea
gets on the pace straight away for
Yamaha at WSBK testing

4
5

3

Rob Mott

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6

Red Bull

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Gold&Goose

CHAMPION FRANCESCO BAGNAIA

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Jorge Martin may have been MotoGP’s fastest rider in
2023. But eventual champion Pecco Bagnaia always
made it count when the big points were on offer.
We sit down post celebration and find out how
ll championship successes merit acclaim. But some are
deserving of more than others. This year was a case in
point as Francesco Bagnaia reached new levels of riding
and performance. He withstood near incessant pressure
from chief rival Jorge Martin in the final months to become
one of only 13 champions to retain a premier-class crown.
On the face of it, leading the factory which amassed a
colossal 700 Constructors title points from a possible 728
across 20 feature races and 20 Sprints doesn’t sound like
the most startling of achievements. But just how Bagnaia repeatedly
bounced back from positions of peril in Indonesia, Australia, Qatar
and Valencia was a sign of champion material.
“He did the most difficult thing for a rider – defending a
championship,” said Marc Marquez, who offered his congratulations
to the new champ in Valencia. “Winning a championship is super
difficult. But defending one, keeping the pressure, is even more.”
And keep the pressure he did. Jorge Martin’s epic comeback from
WORDS NEIL MORRISON + PHOTOGRAPHY GOLD&GOOSE

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85

CHAMPION FRANCESCO BAGNAIA

1
September on was awesome to watch. But Bagnaia
reacted when needed and showed himself to be
the calmer, more mature figure, even if he wasn’t
necessarily the quicker of the two.
“Starting from Barcelona, Jorge was for sure
faster than him in many circuits,” explained
Ducati general manager Gigi Dall’Igna. “He can
take the pressure quite well and this is something
very important.” How he dealt with Martin – and
Marquez’s – repeated attempts to get under his
skin was commendable.
The dramatic final round of the year, where
the title was decided, was a snapshot of the two
contenders’ respective challenges. Despite the
Spaniard’s superior speed, Bagnaia was the cooler
customer, his mettle in high-pressure situations
telling. The three days followed what became a
recognisable pattern for this year’s No 1: weak
on Friday, inferior to Martin in the Sprint but
outperforming his great rival the one day when it
really mattered.
“Pecco is one of the fastest riders, but he’s also
capable of thinking throughout the race and
making the right strategy,” said Ducati’s sporting
director Paolo Ciabatti. “Sometimes we didn’t
come to the perfect situation for the Sprint race.
But he has a very close connection with (crew
chief Cristian) Gabarrini, (electronics engineer
Tomasso) Pagano and the rest of the team. They
analyse the data and they almost always come up
with a solution for Sunday.”
A glance at this year’s results underlines just
how that approach held. Bagnaia won seven times
on Sunday and racked up 15 podiums. On the five
occasions he wasn’t there, he twice crashed out

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THE DRAMATIC FINAL
ROUND WAS A SNAPSHOT
OF THE TWO CONTENDERS’
RESPECTIVE CHALLENGES
of the lead (Austin, Barcelona), twice fell from
second (Argentina, India) and once out of the
victory fight (France). In other words, the man
carrying the No 1 plate in the premier class for the
first time since 2011 was always there.
This is no coincidence. His four years of
previous premier-class experience have honed his
technique and working method.
“One thing I’m always really focused on is to
improve my feeling in terms of the race pace, used
tyres,” explained the Italian.
“If you look at the lap-by-lap analysis after a
session (on Friday), you’ll see that just me and
Fabio (Quartararo) are using very old tyres all
session long. I prefer this.
“It can be difficult if you don’t see your name
up front, you lose a bit the line. But I’ve worked
a lot on that and it’s helped me to be stronger for
the Sunday.
“In the last races I was always struggling a
bit on the first days in the weekend. But then on
Sunday I was always competitive again. It’s a
strategy that needs more time.
“The bike last year suited everywhere we went.
This year the bike is completely different in terms

1. A sea of red as the Ducati
factory team celebrates the title
2. Bagnaia is congratulated by
Luca Marini and Maverick Vinales
3. Bagnaia lead Johann Zarco
home at the Valencia finale
4. Valentino Rossi was on hand at
Valencia to welcome Bagnaia into
a very exclusive club. Rossi, Marc
Marquez and Bagnaia are the only
four-stroke MotoGP champions to
successfully defend their titles
5. Exhausted after a tough race
and a gruelling season, Zarco still
finds the energy to congratulate
Bagnaia after the race

5

2

3

4

of setting and feeling, so we have to change it, and
change our mind to that.
“I needed more time to understand it, but then in
the races it’s so competitive. I’m always working on
myself and this always helps for Sunday.”
Too often he was written off after the Sprint.
In Indonesia, when he limped home to an
underwhelming eighth, Marquez landed a jibe,
stating: “Pecco’s finding out just how hard it is to
defend a title.”
After becoming the first rider to win from lower
than 12th on the grid since April 2006 the following
day, Bagnaia spent the cooldown lap cupping his ear
to the grandstands.
“Some people talk too soon,” he smirked openly at
the time.
That experience was crucial at Valencia, where he
arrived with a 21-point advantage and then had to
defend a 14-point lead in the final race.
“Last year (at Valencia) I was under a lot more
pressure,” he said. “This year I managed it quite
well because I was always thinking just about the
race. I think I’ve done a big step in front, in terms
of being calm in some situations… to manage
them better.
“My team has helped me a lot, too. I think I will
continue trying to understand, try to learn from
my mistakes. Last year I think that I was ready.
But this year I started and in the second and
third races I made the same mistake as last
year. I think every year it’s a process to
improve ourselves and myself. So we
have to keep going like this.”

THE ENEMY WITHIN

In 2022, Bagnaia’s chief opponent
was on a visibly inferior machine.
While his 91-point reversal made
history as MotoGP’s greatest ever
comeback, Quartararo and his aging,
underpowered Yamaha YZR-M1 couldn’t
really offer up much resistance once the
Ducati rider had found his groove.
Yet this time around his nemesis was
closer to home. And as Martin was on the
exact same equipment all year long, with
aerodynamic and start device upgrades
arriving at the same time, Bagnaia had no

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87

CHAMPION FRANCESCO BAGNAIA

DUCATI
DOMINATION

Bagnaia’s success capped another
vintage year for Ducati

THE BOLOGNA factory excelled once again in 2023, its stable
of eight bikes smashing race and lap records by the week. All
eight riders scored podiums, while six managed victories.
And they dropped just 28 points from a possible 728 in the
Constructors title, with Desmosedici-backed riders winning
the Sprint and Sunday races in 14 of the year’s 19 races (they’d
have done the same in Australia had the Sprint not been
cancelled) – all numbers to please the company’s top brass.
“I hate to say this myself but at the moment we are the bike
every rider would like to ride,” said Ciabatti. “That’s because
every rider has been competitive with Ducati, winning races,
pole positions or doing great results. Late in the season Fabio
Di Giannantonio proved he reached that level.
“We try to keep our feet on the ground, doing our job. But
it looks like almost all the decisions we took are in the right
direction. Let’s see how long we can keep like this. Hopefully
it’s for a long time. We can only be satisfied.
“Next year is going to be interesting to see Marquez on our
bike. It will be an additional benchmark, say what you will
about that. For sure, the fact he decided to leave a factory
HRC to be on a private Ducati is proving he thinks even our
one-year-old bike is at a very high level.”

1

2

THE THREAT OF GETTING BEATEN BY A
RIDER IN A SATELLITE OUTFIT HEIGHTENED
THE STAKES. THERE WAS NO PLACE TO HIDE

excuse. The threat of getting beaten by a rider in
a satellite outfit heightened the stakes. And with
Ducati pooling the data of all eight riders at the
close of every day, there was no place to hide.
“Last year Fabio started very well, but as soon
as I started to win, he was in trouble,” Bagnaia
recalled. “He was so fast, but his bike was not
giving to him the possibility to fight against me.
We were in a different situation.
“This year after Barcelona Jorge started to take
much more confidence in himself. He started
gaining points every weekend and he was
difficult to stop. Then I crashed in India when I
was in front of him, which for sure was a plus in
his comeback.
“So, this was a more difficult year, honestly.
Sharing data is useful but also more stressful
sometimes. I remember many races that I was
more competitive, or both sides, or he was more
3

88

amcn.com.au

competitive. I saw his data. He was seeing my
data. We were improving in the same way. For
sure, it was very difficult.”
The pair faced off in thrilling fashion on
various occasions throughout the year, their headto-head at the Sachsenring a first sign of what was
to come.
“In the end, they were basically at the same
level,” said Ciabatti. “That race would’ve been
super boring without the two of them having that
fantastic battle.”
While Martin got one over him in the Thai
GP, as well as the Qatari and Valencian Sprints,
Bagnaia still found ways to outscore his adversary
in each of the final three rounds.

BOUNCING BACK

While Martin’s late-season speed was
unquestionable, it’s worth pointing out the No 1
was recovering from what could have been a
career-ending crash in the months of September
and October. His swift return to action five days
after a horrifying smash at Barcelona, where Brad
Binder ran over his right leg, showed he had the
grit to match the speed.
So, rather than a particular win this year,
it was this remarkable comeback that caught
Ciabatti’s eye.
“The following races, he had to cope with a
very difficult situation physically,” he said. “We
didn’t see the full potential of Bagnaia. When you
come to Misano one week later after that crash,
completely battered and bruised and you had a
KTM on your leg, I think it’s already a miracle he
could do both races and finish third.”
Recalling the experience, Bagnaia said: “ In
Barcelona it was tough, very tough. It was already
a big, big crash, but then Brad rode over my legs
and it was even more scary. I was lucky that Enea
(Bastianini) crashed in the first corner and took
out another five riders… so I was very lucky.
“I prepared everything to be ready in Misano
but, even still, I wasn’t prepared. I couldn’t move
the knee but luckily I managed to race and the two
podiums helped me to try and be focused only on
the championship.
“It was a very difficult moment but it was a good
lesson to improve myself.”
And that wasn’t all. In October, Bagnaia
revealed he had been carrying niggling injuries
for months before the Barcelona fall.
4

6
1. All hail the conquering hero
as he returns to the throne
2. Bagnaia acknowledges Fabio
Di Giannantonio, who had a lateseason burst of form and then
came fourth in the final race
3. After the dust settles on an
epic late-season battle Martin
and Bagnaia make their peace
4. The sign says it all
5. Bagnaia leads Martin early in
the Valencia race
6. Off the bike and straight into
the celebrations

5

“In the Le Mans crash, I broke the (talus bone
in the right) foot and the wrist. When you take
pain killers you don’t feel anything, but in the
days after you start to not feel so good. I raced in
Mugello and everything went okay, but we arrived
at Sachsenring – all left corners – and I started to
have problems with the ligaments in my hand.
That was also a problem.”
Only in Indonesia did he feel fully recovered.
Another reason to argue why he had fully earned it.

MARGIN TO GET BETTER

After his success in 2022, crew chief Gabarrini
said he had only unlocked half of Bagnaia’s
potential. And there is more to come, especially as
his second championship-winning year in MotoGP
was far from perfect. The title could have been out
of Martin’s reach long before Barcelona, had it not
been for careless crashes in Argentina, Austin and
France, showing the 25-year-old can still iron out
a few weaknesses, mainly unforced errors,
which had also affected the start of his previous
MotoGP campaign.
Bagnaia believes those early crashes were
perhaps the reason why he took time to get going
at certain tracks later in the year.
“If you remember Martin in Indonesia, what
happened to him, he was so confident,” he said.
“He was pushing, gaining gap and three seconds
ahead. Then without knowing why, he crashed.”
“This was what happened to me in Austin. I
was riding, feeling unbeatable. Then I came to
Turn 2, I was a bit wider and lost the front without
understanding why. I still don’t understand why,
honestly. Now I know it’s better to be calmer,

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89

CHAMPION FRANCESCO BAGNAIA
understanding better the situation with the tyres
and then pushing. Because the first part of the year
was a great lesson.
“For next year I will have to improve. But in the
last races I did a big step in front. We just had some
misfortune. I’m very proud of my team. Very happy
with everything. I think they did an amazing job.
I’m very proud also of my crew at home: my family,
girlfriend, who are always helping me in any
situation and let me understand how happy I can be.”
This latest achievement brings Bagnaia into
exalted company. Only 12 riders had successfully
defended a premier class title before him. And he
joins Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez as only
champions to win back-to-back titles in MotoGP’s
four-stroke era.

HE JOINS ROSSI AND
MARQUEZ AS THE ONLY
FOUR-STROKE MOTOGP
BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPS

“It’s fantastic,” he said of the achievement. “I
thought about it many times this season in all the
races we were struggling that the only two riders
able to win two years in a row were Marc and
Valentino. Even more so because [I was running]
the number one. Finishing second would have been
a very bad result. The number-one plate means you
need to demonstrate you are number one.
“I think we did everything perfectly to be
considered this. Even more in the second part of the
championship, because we were faster many times,
but we managed to always be competitive, faster
and stronger in the main race.
“Last season was a year to be very proud, but this
season even more so because with the No 1 plate,
with many mistakes, bad luck in some situations,
we still won the title.”

1

1. Don’t drink it all at once;
Bagnaia on the Valencia podium
2. Out in front in the final race
3. Married to the job? Bagnaia
has now won three world
championships
4. Victory lap after a year
that tested his fitness, race
commitment and ability to ignore
the critics on the sidelines
5. Fatherly hug from tech guru
Gigi Dall’Igna at Valencia

2

3

4

5

90

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BIG
PAGES

// THE COVE TED GA SSIT AWARDS

3
2
20

73
DEC
/
12 2023

WINCE OF
THE YEAR
Okay, Alvaro Bautista, there may have
been 17 years between your first world
championship and your third, but that
doesn’t make it okay to do that while
wearing that in front of a camera. Surely
there’s a better way to project your
happiness to the cameraman?

WO RDS KEL LIE BUC KLE Y + PHO TOG

RAP HY AM CN ARC HIV ES

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sp
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an
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Absurd an
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w
up
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pi
ds
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Aw
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si
as
G
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nu
an
’s
N
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the Logies left off…
92

amcn.com.au

BURN OF
THE YEAR

“It’s not special if I go
to Ducati and win the
championship”
Take that! Toprak Razgatlioglu
threw more than a verbal barb Alvaro
Bautista’s way when he spoke publicly
for the first time about his shock move to
BMW for the 2024 WorldSBK season.

RIDE OF THE YEAR
As the 2023 champ, Aussie Senna Agius signed
off from the European Moto2 Championship
in style before making his full-time world
championship debut next season. After
qualifying on pole, a penalty relegated the
18-year-old to the back of the grid for the
18-lap race. Not only did he battle his way to the
lead by lap 15, he went on to win the race by a
dominant 3.258sec, showing exactly why his
LiquiMoly Intact Team opted to promote him to
the 2024 Moto2 grid.

HANDSHAKE
OF THE YEAR
While a large consortium was formed to unify battery
systems in commuter EVs in a bid to facilitate
a swappable batteries, the big-four Japanese
brands formed their own alliance, which is working
collaboratively on ‘hydrogen small mobility engines’.

CRYSTAL
BALL AWARD
This one goes to Fred Gassit.
Because this time last year he
awarded the Up and Comer Award
to a young Aussie named Senna
Agius, with a special mention
given to Harrison Voight. And he
won’t mind reminding you all that
both gong winners have since
been granted full-time berths
in the Moto2 and Moto3 world
championships respectively.

THAT’S NOT CRICKET AWARD
Goes fairly and squarely to the Leopard Honda box for the way its two riders ganged up
on Ayumi Sasaki to force the result of the Moto3 world championship one round early.
Already ahead on points, Jaume Masia was on target for a clean fight with Sasaki
that looked set to go down to the final race at Valencia. Instead he opted to stand the
Japanese rider up on two occasions, while not even pretending to go for the apex.
After receiving a conduct warning from race direction, it was teammate Adrian
Fernandez’ turn, who was looking over his shoulder to locate the title contender.
A scrappy move on the final corner of the penultimate lap put paid to the Japanese
rider’s hopes for good. Sasaki, who was battling for the lead for the majority of the
race, was now mired down in ninth place, which opened the door for Masia to win the
race and the title with one round to spare.
“I saw some messages from race direction,” Masia said during the post-event
press conference. “But honestly I don’t care too much.”

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93

TH E GA SS IT AWAR DS

HERO
HONOURS
TT hardman Ian Hutchinson credited
Aussie Jason O’Halloran with saving
his life when the Englishman suffered
a stroke while they were cycling in
Spain together in March.

COVER OF
THE YEAR
BLUNDER OF THE YEAR
It’s equal pegging for the two Aussies in the grand prix paddock. Jack
Miller gets a gong for his embarrassing crash in the Mandalika pitlane
during the Indonesian Grand Prix, as does Joel Kelso for his prang after
the chequered flag at the Portuguese Grand Prix.
Special mention must go to our talented and hard-working art director,
who may or may not have been working on the covers of both AMCN and
sister title ADB at the same time and who accidentally placed the ADB
barcode on the cover of AMCN before sending it to the printer…

Not only did Suzuki’s new GSX-8S move the goalposts
in terms of high-value midsized nakedbikes, but we
reckon art director Wisey’s representation of it on
the front page of AMCN Vol 72 No 22 has earned it
cover of the year, too!

PAINFUL NUMBERS
In what was the closest Dakar in history, just 14 seconds separated Toby
Price from his third Dakar Rally win after 14 days racing, while the evergreen
Josh Brookes missed out on a Macau GP podium by just 2.311sec on his firstever attempt! The Repsol Honda MotoGP duo of Marc Marquez and Joan Mir
notched up more than 50 crashes this year alone… oh, and spare a thought
for the talented trials riders who just happened to be born in the same era as
Toni Bou, cos this year the Spaniard notched up his 34th world title.

TRIP OF THE YEAR

Take a bow, WSSP champion Nicolo Bulega. After
popping the cork of his prosecco on the final podium at
Jerez, the 24-year-old was quick to direct the sticky
spray towards his team boss, who was distracted
picking up the bunch of flowers presented to him. After
spraying him for arguably too long – given the Italian
has been given a promotion to the Superbike squad
next year – Bulega lost his footing and crashed off the
podium. It’s his one and only blunder of the season.

94

amcn.com.au

MAN OF THE YEAR
Jett Lawrence’s unbeaten performance as a rookie in the
17-round AMA 450 MX category marks the beginning of
something truly special. For context, nine-time world
champ Antonio Cairoli’s best season was a 93 percent
podium rate (11 wins, one second and two thirds from
16 starts), Bubba Stewart was unbeaten over 12 rounds
in 2008, while Ricky Carmichael was unbeaten three
times in the 250cc category (2002, 2004 and 2005)
but couldn’t replicate the feat in the
450cc class.

GENTLEMAN OF THE YEAR
We couldn’t go past Toprak Razgat’s noble gesture of presenting
Ethan Jeffrey with one of his trophies. The young Brit caught the Turk’s
knee slider when he threw it into the crowd at this year’s British round,
but a bloke quickly snatched it out of his hands and disappeared. When
Toprak heard the story, he wanted to right the wrongs.

DON’T HOLD BACK AWARD
“You’ve ruined my championship, you’ve ruined everyone’s championship.
You’re an absolute idiot.” Jake Dixon didn’t hold back on what he thought about
Darren Binder punting the GasGas Aspar rider out of his home grand prix.

RESILIENCE
AWARD
SAVE OF THE YEAR
Would have to go to Raul Fernandez. Because when
the likes of Pol Espargaro and recent MotoGP race
winner Fabio Di Giannantonio were still grappling
to find a job at season’s end, he’d only managed to
score an average of about two points each round on
what’s a prett y competitive motorcycle. So the fact
he still got a seat in 2024 in the ruthless world of
MotoGP is prett y remarkable.

This goes to Marc Marquez. As well as
a barbaric fourth surgery that required
breaking his arm and reversing the
rotation of the humerus bone, not to
mention the associated recovery, the
once-dominant nine-time world champ
suffered 29 crashes this year and
mustered just five top-10 grand prix
finishes all season. No wonder he’s happy
to defect to a one-year-old satellite
Ducati in 2024.

amcn.com.au

95

TH E GA SS IT AWAR DS

NOTABLE
TECH OF
THE YEAR
• Honda’s weather-sensing nav
• BMW’s variable radiator
• Aprilia’s aerodynamically
improved leathers
• Honda’s triple-motor EV
• QJ Motor’s digital clutch
• KTM’s carbon chassis used
to jaw-dropping effect in Dani
Pedrosa’ wildcard appearances

IMPERSONATION
OF THE YEAR
Whether it was intentional or not, Pete Vorst got his Evel
Kneivel on when he found himself popping wheelies in New
South Wales’ Alpine Region while wearing his dressing gown.
It’s probably best you don’t ask.

RECALL REWARD
The most memorable recall of the year was
when Yamaha recalled its AG100 stalwart
for having the wrong type of spark plug
installed. The problem, it said, was that it
could interfere with your wireless due to
radio frequency emissions. Pete summed it
up beautifully when he said: “You’d be out
in the paddock trying to order your lunch
and your CB radio would be rooted.”

MILESTONES!
• 120 years of the first American V-twin, a 694cc 60º Curtiss
• Le Mans hosted the 1000th Grand Prix
• Ugly Fish eyewear marked 20 years in business
• Barry Sheene died 20 years ago
• Bimota turned 50
• BMW Motorrad celebrated 100 years of manufacturing

SAD FAREWELLS
• Legendary photographer and all-round good bloke Phil Aynsley
• Australian MX2 rider Brayden Erbacher
• Alf Robinson, annual Ken Blake Memorial organiser
• Former FIM World Cup and Oceania Speedway Sidecar champion Warren Monson
• Spanish racer Raul Torres Martinez
• Kiwi motorcycle racer Damon Rees
• Canberra Motorcycle Centre Dealer principal Dale Brede
• Former GP rider and GRT Yamaha’s founder Mirko Giansanti
• Manx GP riders Garry Vines and Ian Bainbridge
• IRTA CEO Mike Trimby
• Speedway greats Don Morris, Herb Jefferson, Gordon Kennett
and Bob Crump
• Kiwi off-road great Tim Gibbes

END! FOR 2023
96

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CHAMPION! ALVARO BAUTISTA

CHAMPION! ALVARO BAUTISTA

hen Alvaro Bautista won the
opening bout at this year’s
WorldSBK finale in Jerez to
claim his second consecutive
WorldSBK championship,
memories must have come
flooding back. Because the
Jerez circuit was the scene of
the now 39-year-old’s firstever grand prix victory, the
first of eight wins in the 2006 125cc Grand Prix
season that kickstarted his maiden championship
winning campaign 17 long years ago.
Just after pulling off one of the hardest tricks
in any form of racing – successfully defending a
championship – he was asked about the way he
battled to another race victory, even though
he only needed a couple of points to get the big
job done.
“From Portimao (the penultimate round)
everybody said, ‘you need only two points, two
points, two points’,” said Bautista. “But it’s like I
say, always, I don’t think about two points, or the
championship. I think about doing my best. Today
my best was to fight for the victory, and I did it. I
think the best way of winning a championship is
to win the race, if you have the chance. I did it and
it is the best way to end the season.”
Despite his dominance, the Race One victory
was far from a forgone conclusion, especially with
some water still lingering around.
“In the first few laps I was tense – not tense
– but I knew not to make any mistakes as there
were some small wet patches on the track,” said
Bautista. “I had too much warning about that. I
was very careful. Then I started to relax myself a
little bit and I could keep the pace. I concentrated
on my riding, not missing my reference points and
in the last laps I saw on my board that there were
four laps to go, I said ‘okay, don’t make a mistake,’
so I slowed down, especially in the final two laps,
to be sure that everything was correct.”
Another insight from Bautista’s mindset, and
how he goes about his winning work, comes in the
next statement. “For sure the mentality before the
race was like a normal race, but in the last part I
thought ‘Oh… you can be world champion now…’
It was not difficult, but I had to keep my attention
on the bike.”
As easy as that, folks.
At times Bautista made 2023 look easy but

AT TIMES
BAUTISTA MADE
2023 LOOK EASY
BUT ALWAYS
THERE WAS
RAZGATLIOGLU
100

amcn.com.au

1
1. Alvaro Bautista after his
Australian 125 GP win made him
the 2006 world champion
2. Soaking up the adulation at the
Italian WSBK round in July
3. World champions in 2006:
Bautista (125cc), Nicky Hayden
(MotoGP), Jorge Lorenzo (250cc)
4. Bautista lives in the moment of
racing, not worrying about points
5. Toprak Razgatlioglu pushed
Bautista all season long
6. A young gun on the way up who
is now a triple world champion

2

3

4

5

always there was the sight, sound and occasional
touch of Toprak Razgatlioglu, with whom he
eventually shared some of the best battles
WorldSBK has ever seen. Not my words, it’s what
so many people said after Portimao and especially
after the finale in Jerez.
Right after that Saturday race win, Bautista and
Razgatlioglu (and eventually Jonathan Rea) had
a very public yet ultimately private moment of
respect on the slow-down lap through their crash
helmet chin guards. Bautista only gave the gist of
what was said to him by Toprak.
“He congratulated me and I said to him,
thanks,” he revealed, before adding: “He made an
amazing season, because with the numbers I got
to this season, 25 victories (which would grow to
27 on the Sunday), he still kept the championship
alive until the last round. That means he had
an incredible performance. He did not make

6

mistakes. To have a rival like him is always
difficult because you cannot make a mistake, you
cannot relax in some races and lose some points.
This year, every time I had the chance to fight for
a victory I had to try until the end because I knew
that maybe five points here, five points there, five
points there… in the end, to beat Toprak you have
to attack, you cannot defend.
“This year I never thought about being
conservative. I just tried always to attack because
otherwise Toprak is always there. You cannot
relax anytime. So I congratulated him because he
did amazing… and I said thanks for all the shows
that me and him did during the season.”
Sounds like this year’s title win was harder than
the first one in 2022? Always harder to back up a
title in successive seasons. But like-for-like, how
was 2022 versus 2023?
“This championship has been harder,” said
Alvaro, still wearing the somewhat ridiculous allgold race suit he changed into out on track before
heading back to the paddock. “In the end, last year
was a fight between three riders, so there was
more gaining and losing points in each race. It was
not easy but you could get more advantage.
“But this year, especially the second half, it was
just for two riders – between Toprak and me. I
had to push at 100 percent every time. A different
situation. To be world champion the first time,
you are pushing to your world championship

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101

CHAMPION! ALVARO BAUTISTA

1
that year. But now I had to defend the world
championship. I think it was more difficult to
defend because everybody thinks you have to win.
I did not feel that pressure this season, because I
approached it thinking that it didn’t matter what
the results were last year. But everybody expects
you to win because you have the number one.”
Something else was quite different this year
too, right?
“I am so proud because I decided this year
to put the number one on the bike because I
wanted to defend the title with number 1 on the
bike. Everyone who can see the number 1 on the
bikes can see, ‘ah, this is the fastest!’ I felt the
confidence to defend the championship with the
number 1 – I am so proud.”
Bautista’s championship win came on the same
weekend it was confirmed that a Ducati rider –
any one of three at that time – would become the
world champion in MotoGP too. How does he feel
about the overall effort from Borgo Panigale?
“Well, it means that Ducati is working really
hard and they never relax,” said Bautista, before
making a point of difference with the MotoGP
paddock. “They keep working. But the situation
is that here (in WorldSBK) I am a Ducati rider, but
the second, third and fourth are not Ducati riders.
Over there (in MotoGP) the first, second and third
are Ducati riders. So maybe there are more clear
advantages with the bike than this championship.
“The magic of our championship is the
combination of the rider, bike and team. In
MotoGP many Ducati riders are able to go fast,
but here, not all the Ducati riders are fast.
They struggle sometimes, they go fast in some
situations, but not every time like I did with my
team. It is good because Ducati wins, but it is not
the same situation.”
That fact more than anything demonstrates
just how strong Bautista’s two most recent
championship wins were – despite what proved
to be a largely uncompetitive final wildcard
race at the Malaysian MotoGP round. He kept it a
secret to almost everyone, but he later confessed
he had ridden injured from a test crash and was
correspondingly off the pace. He had been off
his regular WorldSBK pace at the end of the postseason Jerez tests, too.
Even in WorldSBK, despite his unusual back-toback successes, he is underrated by some even now.
According to his crew chief, Giulio Nava, Bautista’s
pure talent, experience and approach is what

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2

4
3

1. After trailing Razgatlioglu
Bautista used the grunt of the
Ducati to win the penultimate
round’s Sprint Race in Portugal
2. Jonathan Rea, back to camera,
has huge respect for Bautista
3. A great moment for Bautista
and Spanish motorsport
4. Bautista and Razgatlioglu
‘debrief’ after another
close encounter
5. Bautista is the only current
WSBK Ducati rider to have the
consistency to win regularly
6. The 2023 title wasn’t a
cakewalk for Bautista and Ducati
with strong challenges from rival
brands and leading riders

5

BAUTISTA CV
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023

20th, 125cc GP, Aprilia
7th, 125cc GP, Aprilia
15th, 125cc GP, Honda
125cc World Champion, Aprilia
4th, 250cc GP, Aprilia
2nd, 250cc GP, Aprilia
4th, 250cc GP, Aprilia
13th, MotoGP, Suzuki
13th, MotoGP, Suzuki
5th, MotoGP, Honda
6th, MotoGP, Honda
11th, MotoGP, Honda
16th, MotoGP, Aprilia
12th, MotoGP, Aprilia
12th, MotoGP, Ducati
12th, MotoGP, Ducati
2nd, WorldSBK, Ducati
9th, WorldSBK, Honda
10th, WorldSBK, Honda
Superbike World Champion, Ducati
Superbike World Champion, Ducati

“IN MOTOGP MANY DUCATI
RIDERS ARE ABLE TO GO
FAST, BUT HERE, NOT ALL THE
DUCATI RIDERS ARE FAST”
made him untouchable in the end. Maybe, even
after being hypnotised by Toprak’s transcendental
brilliance mixed with occasional bad luck, or even
six-time champ Rea’s inability to make up for his
ageing and artificially restricted Kawasaki, it’s
time to acknowledge Bautista’s own excellence a
little more.
Alvaro has smashed so many records in a
short space of time in WorldSBK (five years only,
with two of them on an uncompetitive Honda),
that he has not only overtaken all-time Ducati
race winner Carl Fogarty, but also became the
first Ducati rider since Foggy in 1998-99 to take
consecutive championship wins. He has all those
extra sprint races to add to the stats totals, of
course, but ending 2023 with 59 career Ducati
wins to Fogarty’s 55 is still a remarkable feat.
Asked how high up the Ducati deity rankings
this year puts him, Bautista said: “At the moment
I am the rider that has more Ducati victories
between WorldSBK and also MotoGP, I think? I am
already ‘in history’ but championships are more

important than victories. Victories are good but
when you get the championship, it is better. What I
always say is that records are for when you retire.
At the moment I am on the way so I just want to
keep adding more success.”
At the moment of championship victory in 2023,
just as Bautista crossed the line with a clear lead
over Razgatlioglu, his first thought was for his
daughters. “I did a heart shape with my hands,
and that is the sign between my daughters and
me,” he said, grinning from ear-to-ear at the
recent memory of it. “It’s for everybody, but my
daughters are special. It was a pleasure to share it
with them after the race.”
Bautista now has some mind-bending stats
against his name. And after his early season
confirmation that he will continue with Aruba.it
Ducati into 2024 at least, he has another
potentially glorious year to go.
He scored 27 race victories in 2023, beating the
previous win record for a season of 17. And just
in case you were comparing this year against
seasons with only two races per weekend, he won
20 ‘full’ races from 24 goes and seven sprints from
12. So he still caned the previous ‘full wins’ record
for a single year.
He is now, quite astoundingly, the second best
rider in all WorldSBK history in terms of race
wins – 59 – shared with Fogarty. Bautista has now
made 169 race starts; Fogarty made 219 starts
in all. And remember to factor in those entirely
winless two Bautista seasons at Honda in ’20 and
’21… In 1996 Foggy won four races during his lone
season on a Honda RC45 to boost his overall tally,
the same bike that John Kocinski would take the
championship with the next year. Not quite the
same situation for Bautista in the entirely winless
Honda years.
Bautista did not quite have a perfect season
in 2023, with race crashes at Mandalika, Imola
and twice in one race at Aragon, plus two other
off-podium off days. Anybody who thinks that
Bautista is somehow an unworthy champion
because of those slip ups, or the sheer power of
his bike under acceleration and/or having an
unfair weight or aero advantage may have a point.

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103

CHAMPION! ALVARO BAUTISTA

1

2

A limited point, marked on the margins of the
results sheets with a very thin quill, but a point
nonetheless.
Those same people also need to heed what
those same two quite recent world champions
say about Bautista to the media scrum members,
week-in and week-out. While expressing their
entirely legitimate issues with power, weight,
rev-limits, acceleration off the corners and so on,
Razgatlioglu and Rea are also very quick to point
out just how near-perfectly Bautista is riding. It
would be great to have all three of those guys on
the same bikes over three or four seasons, to see
which WorldSBK alien was from the biggest planet
of talent, but miracles are found in religious texts,
not WorldSBK racing.
If you are still sceptical about Bautista’s
successive titles, maybe we can all get some
insight from deep inside the same Ducati well
that Alvaro draws his magic elixir of winning
life from – decanted by teammate Michael
Ruben Rinaldi.
“He is doing something great,” said the Aragon
race winner. “Then you put him on the track
with the greatest riders in Superbike, which at
the moment are Johnny and Toprak, and he is
on another level. Ducati is really strong on the
technical side, but he is the only one in Ducati
making the difference. When I check the data it
is clear that he is a little bit faster in the exit of

RAZGATLIOGLU
AND REA POINT
OUT JUST HOW
NEAR-PERFECTLY
BAUTISTA
IS RIDING
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3

1. Heart-felt congratulations
from chief rival Razgatlioglu
2. Spanish fans go crazy as the
Aragon round brings Bautista
closer to another world title
3. Golden moment for one of
motorcycling’s hardest working
riders, who has experienced the
highs and lows of racing

the corner. He is a little bit faster on the straight
because of – not his weight – his aerodynamics.
Aerodynamics are incredible for him.”
More importantly for Rinaldi, Alvaro the
person, the now three-time world champion
across the decades, is a top human.
“As a teammate, he is the best ever, also as a
person. His family is incredible. I want to thank
him because he helped me a lot. He saw a young
rider coming. He is maybe at the end of his
career, but he has always been positive with
me. He opened his training camp for me, so
chapeau to him.”
It took a top manufacturer, bike, team
and rider to win WorldSBK in 2023. Make no
mistake, the last mentioned is not the least.

HIS RACING LIFE SO FAR
Class
125cc
250cc
MotoGP
WorldSBK

Seasons

Races

Wins

Podiums

Poles

F/laps

Points

Titles

2002-2006
2007-2009
2010-2018
2019-2023

67
49
159
169

8
8
0
59

18
28
3
89

8
9
1
10

9
12
1
52

545
643
883
2030

1
0
0
2

If you’re not riding
on Michelin Road 6
ask yourself why not?!

Daryl Beattie
Former MotoGP
Championship Rider
scan here

Michelin
Road 6
to view Daryl
Beattie presents
MICHELIN Road 6

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at sharethepassionapp.com

BRIDESMAIDS! SO CLOSE TO GLORY

Top Australian international racers who never
found their way to the top of the podium
Eric Hinton, son of Harry,
was selected for Australia’s
Isle of Man TT team in 1956
aged 21 years

wenty Australians have between them won 189 worldchampionship grands prix. Joel Kelso was in the frame
to be number 21 at Phillip Island last October.
What of those who went close? Who were the top
Australian internationals never to win a classic?
Here are some clear candidates and a few left-field
suggestions from three-quarters of a century of world
championship competition. Some took grand prix
podiums, others won national grands prix that at the
time were not world championship qualifying races
and a few were in the hunt for victories when something went
wrong or they were passed late in a race.
As always, the moment you create a list someone will miss out or
be advanced as deserving of being there. Motorcycling Australia
CEO and former team manager Peter Doyle has done his own
research on Australian racers for national Motor Sport Hall of Fame

WORDS + PHOTOGRAPHY DON COX

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→

HARRY
HINTON SNR
FINISHED THIRD in the 1950 Dutch 500
TT on the old 16km circuit as a member
of the Norton B Team, splitting the
factory Gilera fours. Only the A team
had the so-called Featherbed chassis,
but those riders had tyre troubles that
day. Hinton was on the older ‘gardengate’, plunger-suspension frame.
Harry Snr took another podium in the
1950 Italian 350 GP at Monza, riding to
support team leader Geoff Duke. Hinton
realised as the race progressed he
was towing AJS rider Les Graham past
Duke on the main straight, so he denied
Graham the tow on the last lap.
In 1951 Hinton was highly fancied
to win the IoM 250 TT on a privately
entered Moto Guzzi, but he crashed
heavily during the 350 TT when a
suspension unit broke on his factory
Norton, ending his international career.
I once asked Harry Hinton Snr’s
middle son Eric who were his selections
as the best 1950s Australian
internationals who did not win a Grand
Prix. He nominated his father, Maurie
Quincey and Bob Brown.

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BRIDESMAIDS! SO CLOSE TO GLORY

→

BOB
MITCHELL
AUSTRALIA’S top sidecar
driver in world championship
competition, with podiums
in 1955 at Assen and 1956
in Belgium, fourth place in
his one crack at the IoM TT
and fourth in the 1956 world
championship. All these results
were on a self-prepared Norton.
There was talk of a factory
BMW for 1957. When that didn’t
happen, Bob headed home,
where he dominated threewheel racing for two seasons
with his 500cc Norton running
on petrol against rivals with
Vincent 1000s on alcohol fuel.
Mitchell was a master of
rear-wheel steering. His Norton
may have had 50hp at best, but
that was enough when using a
hard, narrow rear tyre.
nominations. His key criteria is a rider’s record
against top-flight factory-level competition.
However, some of our best simply did not have
the right equipment at the right time. Most grands
prix are won on factory machines and many
Australian internationals between 1949-1986,
when Wayne Gardner had a Honda V4 500, did not
have that luxury.
There are, of course, exceptions. Jack Ahearn
(Manx Norton) won the 1964 Finnish 500 GP, a
race the then dominant MV Agusta team did not
contest. John Dodds recorded his first GP victory
on a damp and foggy day at the Nürburgring in
1970, riding an Aermacchi 125 two-stroke single
he bought to secure additional starting money.
Something plain to see is a list of never winners
is seemingly top-heavy with 1950s racers.
There are several reasons for this; a thriving
local dirt-track scene, at the time known as ‘short
circuit’, with left and right-hand corners; older
racers, including Harry Hinton Snr and Eric
McPherson, who rode the Continental Circus in
1949-51 and became advocates for this pathway to
Europe; the post-World War II spirit of adventure
and guys who were too young to fly fast planes
in the big show of 1939-45; relatively few road
races at home as closed circuits were rare; hot
competition for selection in the official Australian
Isle of Man TT team; the competitiveness of
readily available private machines, especially
Manx Nortons, and reasonable money to be made,
so riders went back to Europe year after year.

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MOST GRANDS PRIX
ARE WON ON FACTORY
MACHINES… SOME OF OUR
BEST SIMPLY DID NOT HAVE
THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT
AT THE RIGHT TIME

Australia’s first road-racing champion, Keith
Campbell, left Australia a virtual unknown and
stayed afloat financially in his first Continental
Circus season.
Those who went away could on-sell their bikes
back in Australia for close to their purchase price,
as they were only eight months old.
Competitive private machines were harder to
source in the 1960s, but the 1970s saw the situation
change again with volume-produced Yamaha
250s and 350s. In 1970, Kel Carruthers finished
second in two world championships with private
Yamahas. One of those bikes was a year old. Worth
noting also is that Victoria’s Arthur Simcock won
the 1930 Dutch 350 TT on a works AJS, 19 years
before the world championships began.
But on with the list, in order of their debut
seasons on the Continental Circus…

→

BOB
BROWN
A COUNTRY-BORN motor mechanic turned taxi driver

→

MAURIE
QUINCEY
A MEMBER of the Norton team at the
1955 IoM TT, but crashed heavily when
the bottom end of his 500cc machine
locked up and flung him down the road,
causing major head injuries.

→

and a master of drifting. Statistically, Brown was the
most successful of all Australia’s never winners, with
nine 500 GP podiums. The next rider with a comparable
500 record was Graeme Crosby in 1980-82.
Brown’s 500 GP podiums included three successive
IoM 500 TT third placings on works and private
machines. He was denied a start in the 1957 Belgian
500 GP after qualifying on the front row when the
Gilera team manager commandeered his machine for
Italian star Libero Liberati. This was against the rules
of the day. Brown’s machine was the only Italian 500
multi to go the distance. Liberati was first across the
line, but the victory wasn’t confirmed until early 1958.
There is more… Brown was the top private entrant in
the 1959 350 and 500 world championships, and won
two of the four Formula 1 races of 1959. This short-lived
class was the FIM’s attempt to give private entrants a
crack at winning on a grand prix weekend, as factory
bikes were excluded. Brown won the F1 350 race at the
Dutch TT and the 500 event in Sweden.
In June 1960, Honda hired Brown to ride a fourcylinder 250 at the Isle of Man. He finished fourth,
becoming the first Western rider to score world
championship points on a Japanese motorcycle.
Barely a month later, Brown crashed while
practising on a Honda 250 for the West German GP at
Solitude and died from head injuries. He had already
amassed sufficient points to be the best-placed Norton
rider in the 1960 500 title, including second place at
Assen, where he split the works MV entries.

KEITH BRYEN
A RIDER who took time to believe in
himself. When he finally did, he was
fourth on his private 500cc Norton at
Assen in 1956 and fifth in the 1957 Dutch
350 TT, earning a ride with Moto
Guzzi for the Belgian 350
GP. On arrival at SpaFrancorchamps, Bryen
learned from John
Surtees that the
Londoner wanted
him in the MV team!
He was speechless.
Bryen finished
third in his Guzzi
debut ride and third the
same day in the 500 GP on his
‘naked’ private Manx Norton.
In the 1957 Ulster 350 GP, Bryen
was runner-up to new world champion
Keith Campbell and set fastest lap.
But as quickly as Bryen achieved the
holy grail of a factory ride, Moto Guzzi,
along with Gilera and FB Mondial, quit
GP competition. Keith retired from
racing. In 1981, Surtees invited him to his
testimonial meeting at Brands Hatch.

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→

BRIDESMAIDS! SO CLOSE TO GLORY

JEFFREY
SAYLE
FIVE THIRD places in grands prix in seasons 1979-82,
leading at least two of those. Brother Murray Sayle was
third in the 1979 Belgian 250 GP, a race boycotted by factory
riders, and Ken Blake second in the 500 GP the same day.
The 1979 British 350 GP at Silverstone was Jeffrey’s first
podium, on a private Yamaha. “My second year in Europe and
I thought I could challenge Kork Ballington, who was leading,
but I could not get past Gregg (Hansford), who was running
second. I’d pass Gregg, but he would re-pass me under
brakes, as he always did,” he said.
“In the French GP at Nogaro in 1982 I was third on both
the Armstrong 350 and Armstrong-Rotax 250. I led the 250
race for 18 of the 32 laps.
“Then at Assen I had my best chance in the 250 TT.
Qualified on the second row and thought I had a chance.
Made a reasonable start, passed a few and went to the front.
I thought ‘this is good’ and even pulled away a bit.
“Late in the race it started raining on parts of the circuit.
Your brain flashes back to 1978 there, when Gregg led the
second F750 race and fell in the rain on the last lap.
“We were on the 7.7km circuit in those days and Toni
Mang (Kawasaki) passed me. I passed him back but at the
end of the back straight Mang and Jean-Louis Tournadre
(Yamaha) both passed me. I thought I could pass Mang
again, but everywhere I thought I could do that Tournadre
would stuff me up.
“Still, on the day I thought third was prett y good and I
would win one eventually, but it did not happen. Five third
places and in each one there was a Kawasaki or two ahead of
me… Kork Ballington, Gregg, Mang or Jean-Francois Baldé.”
For the record, Sayle won the 1977 Oran Park Pro Series,
1977-78 New Zealand International Series and 1978 Swann
Insurance Series, and finished third to Kenny Roberts and
Barry Sheene in England’s 1979 Race of the Year.
“You need a lot of luck for things to fall into place at the
right time,” Sayle said.
Eight days after Sayle’s close-run third at Assen, Graeme
McGregor was second to Mang in the Belgian 250 GP on a
Waddon-Rotax. They had duelled in the early part of the race.
In 1984 “Macca” won two TTs in a day at the Isle of Man.

→

ERIC HINTON
ERIC WENT to Europe in 1956 at age 21
as an official IoM team member and won
the 350 Prix de la Sarre at St Wendel, his
second start. He claimed three more FIM
Sub-calendar 2A road races, including
the August 23, 1959 Czech 500 GP at
Brno. One week after the Brno success,
Hinton led the East German 500 GP at the
Sachsenring by 37 seconds from future
world champion Gary Hocking when his
Norton broke its camshaft bevel drive.
One contemporary opined that Hinton
would have been a world champion if he’d
had a manager. Speaking with hindsight,
Eric said he did not contest enough
classics, preferring to chase better
starting money at international events.
In 1966 he became the first rider to
win an international race in Europe on a

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Kawasaki, (an A1R 250). The 1960s were
rich in works rides for Honda, Suzuki and
Yamaha, but with few opportunities for
Australians after Honda’s Tom Phillis
died in June 1962.
The tide changed in 1968-69 (just as
the Japanese factories withdrew from
GP racing) with Barry Smith joining Derbi
and Kel Carruthers riding for Aermacchi
and then Benelli in the same year.
One exception was Jack Ahearn
on the Suzuki 250-four, a machine he
nicknamed ‘Whispering Death’. A damp
patch of tarmac brought the Suzuki
and Jack down in the 1964 IoM 250 TT.
Despite serious head injuries he still
raced in the 500 TT!
Australia’s leading sidecar exponent
of the decade was Barry Thompson on
a BMW, with a best finish of fifth in the
1965 Dutch TT.

→

GORDON
LAING
JOE CRAIG handed Laing

“YOU NEED A LOT OF LUCK FOR THINGS TO FALL INTO
PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME,” SAYLE SAID
GRAEME GEDDES

a works Norton ride at the
1954 Ulster GP. He finished
third in the 500 GP and
fourth in the 350 GP.
However, the 500 result
did not count towards the
1954 championship, as
failing light saw the race
end short of the required
200km minimum distance
in force at the time.
Laing crashed while
holding third place in the
1954 Belgian 350 GP and
was killed. It was only his
second meeting for the
factory team.

→

PRECIOUS FEW private riders nearly win at their second
GP meeting. Geddes was 19 years old in 1980 when he
finished fifth in his GP debut at Zolder (Belgium) on a Ron
Angel entered and prepared Bimota-Yamaha.
The opening round of the 1981 season was in
Argentina, the first world championship GP there since
1963. A stalled engine left the Albury rider behind the
field at the 250 GP start, but he fought back through,
setting the fastest lap at 129.0km/h, and passing
Kawasaki rider Baldé for the lead after 18 laps. All
looked great, until Geddes’ throttles began to stick. He
pressed on, using the kill-switch to slow the machine into
corners. In the later words of one Australian journalist,
this showed industrial-strength gonads! However, Baldé
regained the lead. Geddes was second and France’s
Patrick Fernandez third on his Bimota-Yamaha.
Geddes rode the 1981 season in two classes, but
Argentina was his only podium. He was Australia’s
youngest GP podium finisher until Casey Stoner.

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111

→

BRIDESMAIDS! SO CLOSE TO GLORY

THRILL OF
THE
CHASE
Aussies on – and not on – 500s
FOR THE record, a surprising number of Australians rode
500cc two-strokes in GPs, including Paul Lewis, Mal
Campbell, Michael Dowson, Troy Corser, Kirk McCarthy, Peter
Goddard, Marty Craggill and Mark Willis, to name but a few.
Notice who is not on this list? Rob Phillis, Mr Superbike of
the 1980s domestic scene.
Here is what he had to say about a 500 ride in a 2016
interview with AMCN…
Did he wish he’d done more on 500 GP bikes?
“Oh, f… yeah! I still believe today that I had an opening
with Suzuki after riding a Yoshimura-Suzuki with Graeme
Crosby in the 1983 Suzuka 8 Hours, which was the first year I
rode there. We were leading it by a lap when the cylinder head
cracked and started a slow oil seep.
“The following year I rode with Kork Ballington on a
Kawasaki that was meant to be a factory bike and in fact was
a homemade thing built by Tsukigi. I could have been riding the
Yoshimura bike that year, but I did myself over.
“In 1985 I rode a Moriwaki-Honda with Kevin Magee, his
first ride there.
“I shot myself in the foot by doing the Kawasaki ride in
1984 and not taking a 1983 Suzuki deal in England with Garry
Taylor. If I’d ridden the Yoshimura bike in 1984 and stayed
on that I probably could have got a 500 (grand prix) ride like
Kevin Schwantz.”
In April 1986 Phillis had another chance to impress
overseas team bosses when he raced a Suzuki GSX-R750 in
the opening round of the World TT Formula One Championship
at Misano. He finished third.
The Misano meeting doubled as a round of the Italian
championships and attracted a strong field for the 500 race,
including a guest appearance from England’s Rob McElnea on
a works Yamaha.
Dave Petersen and Frankie Chili also contested the race;
Phillis knew Chili’s sponsor, Roberto Gallina, having ridden a
Gallina Suzuki in the final round of the 1985 Swann Series.
“I practised on Chili’s old Suzuki 500 because the GSX
hadn’t turned up from customs. So I did a day’s riding on that
around Misano and I went as fast as Rob Mac and Chili, the
boys who finished 1-2 in the 500 race on the Sunday.”

Rob Phillis says he ‘shot
myself in the foot’ by not
taking a 1983 Suzuki deal

“THE FOLLOWING YEAR I RODE WITH KORK
BALLINGTON ON A KAWASAKI THAT WAS
MEANT TO BE A FACTORY BIKE AND
IN FACT WAS A HOMEMADE THING’’

CHICKEN
DINNERS
Australia’s world championship grand prix winners,
in order of first victory
KEN KAVANAGH, Keith Campbell, Tom Phillis, Jack Ahearn, Barry Smith, Kel Carruthers,
John Dodds, Jack Findlay, Gregg Hansford, Wayne Gardner, Kevin Magee, Mick Doohan,
Daryl Beattie, Garry McCoy, Anthony West, Casey Stoner, Troy Bayliss, Chris Vermeulen,
Jack Miller and Remy Gardner.

112

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FAST TALK CARLO PERNAT

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MotoGP team-boss-turnedrider-manager Carlo Pernat
is the last survivor of
a rock ’n’ roll era, when
the paddock partied
as hard as it raced
INTERVIEW MAT OXLEY + PHOTOGRAPHY
GOLD&GOOSE, MILAGRO & MO

atching a glimpse of Carlo Pernat in
the MotoGP paddock is like spotting
Keith Richards at a Harry Styles gig.
Right away it’s obvious: here is someone
swimming in a different time, where
people play the game of racing by
different rules. Yes, some of his life
views are somewhat antediluvian, but
his stories are too good to go untold.
Pernat is rarely seen in daylight hours without
blackout shades and often looks like he’s been up
all night. Probably because he has. He is the last
survivor of MotoGP’s party-hard era. It would be
no exaggeration to say that the 75-year-old Italian
has been quite a naughty boy in his 43 years in
motorcycle racing. Some readers may be shocked by
some of his revelations, but this is the big, bad world
of motorcycle racing, not the Saturday pony club
event in your local park.
A good insight into how Pernat looks after business
is the story of his first world championship success.
It’s 1985 and he’s managing Cagiva’s motocross

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115

FAST TALK CARLO PERNAT
team, which is fighting Honda for the 125cc
world championship. The title duel goes
down to the final round in Argentina. Both
teams know the local fuel will be little better
than paraffin, so they air-freight their own
to Buenos Aires.
Pernat flies in early. His first stop is airport
customs, where he bribes the local officers
to lose Honda’s fuel. When both teams arrive
at the racetrack, in the middle of nowhere,
Honda is in a panic. The FIM calls a meeting
between the two teams and asks Pernat to
sell some of his high-octane fuel to Honda, to
ensure a fair title fight.
“Sure,” says Pernat. “The price will be two
hundred American dollars per litre.”
Honda angrily refuses the offer. Sure
enough, David Strijbos’ CR125 engine breaks
during the race and Pekka Vehkonen wins
Cagiva’s first world title.
Pernat has worked in racing for just about
everyone Italian during his career: first
with Gilera, Cagiva, Ducati and Aprilia, then
as personal manager to Loris Capirossi,
1
Marco Simoncelli, Andrea Iannone and
currently factory Ducati MotoGP rider Enea
Bastianini and Moto2 star Tony Arbolino.
He managed Aprilia’s grand prix project
throughout the 1990s, when the Noale factory
became the first Italian brand to defeat the
Japanese in the modern era. Pernat signed three
Aprilia superstars: Max Biaggi, Valentino Rossi
and Capirossi.
He also hired a young engineer called Gigi
Dall’Igna, who would later move to Ducati,
where he engineered today’s dominant
Desmosedici MotoGP bikes.
Pernat knew Rossi was something special
the first time he saw the teenager in action, at
Misano in 1994.
“I remember watching him – he was
unbelievable. So I went to see Ivano Beggio

2

4

(founder and president of Aprilia) and told him
I wanted to make a three-year contract with
Valentino, paying him 30 million Lira in 1996,
60 million in 1997 and 180 million in 1998 (from
$A23,000 to $A143,000), whether he won or lost.
Beggio told me, ‘You are crazy, we don’t know
Valentino!’. I spent half an hour convincing him.
“Racing with Valentino was a beautiful period in
my life because he was very easy to work with. For
me the impressive thing about him was his riding,
but also that he was very friendly.”
However, Pernat learned very quickly that Rossi
didn’t mess around, even when he was a kid.
“At the end of 1996 (Rossi’s rookie GP season) we
had a meeting in my office at Aprilia and I told
Valentino I wanted him in 250s in 1997. He told
me, ‘No, it’s 125s, or I leave Aprilia’. ‘But we have
a contract! You cannot go!’ But it’s the rider who
rides the bike, not me, so in 1997 he continued
riding 125s.
“At the end of 1997 he came to see me in my
office and said, ‘I don’t want to go to 250s with
my team next year – put me in another team or I
leave Aprilia’. I was very surprised, because I had

3

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5

“RACING WITH VALENTINO
WAS A BEAUTIFUL PERIOD
IN MY LIFE BECAUSE HE WAS
VERY EASY TO WORK WITH”
6

already decided the official 250 team for 1998:
Capirossi and Tetsuya Harada. What to do now?!
“So I made three different official Aprilia teams.
You can imagine the effort to be in charge of three
teams – more mechanics, more everything – but it
was the only solution.
“I promised Loris that his chief engineer would
be (renowned crew chief) Rossano Brazzi. But in
November 1997 Valentino came to see me
and told me, ‘If I don’t have Brazzi, I don’t race
with Aprilia!’.
“Again, what do I do now?! So I spoke with Loris.
I said maybe Brazzi isn’t the perfect engineer
for you, I think maybe you will work better with
Mauro Noccioli (with whom Rossi had worked in
125s). Eventually Loris agreed.
“I only told him this story 20 years later. He said,
‘You son of a bitch!’. People have no idea what
is involved!”
Talk with Pernat for a few hours and you see
racing from a very different angle.
“Sometimes the history of racing is decided by
stupid little things,” he continues. “Remember
when Max won the 1997 250cc title on a Honda

8

7

1. Pernat is always on hand to
look after his riders, in this case
Moto2 star Tony Arbolino
2. Celebrating with Max Biaggi
after he won the 1995 250 GP at
Donington Park, England
3. Sharing that winning feeling
with Loris Capirossi’s wife Ingrid
at the 2006 season opening
Spanish MotoGP
4. Looking for some off-track
action after a successful 1994
Australian Grand Prix
5. With Max Biaggi and Alex
Barros at the 2006
Qatar MotoGP
6. A friendly bet with Valentino
Rossi in 2013
7. With Capirossi at the 2010
Valencia MotoGP after his
retirement on the Suzuki
8. Happier days with Ducati at
the 2004 Phillip Island test

and graduated to 500s the following year, riding
a Honda for an independent team with Erv
Kanemoto? After he won the opening race at
Suzuka he became very arrogant and started
attacking Mick Doohan, the king of 500s at that
moment. Mick hated this, so he spoke with Honda
and asked them not to keep Max for 1999, so Max
made a contract with Yamaha.
“Imagine if Max had approached the 1998 season
in a cleverer way and stayed quiet, so that in 1999
he would have been in the factory team and when
Mick had his (career-ending) crash at Jerez he
would have been Honda’s number one in 2000.
“Where would Valentino have gone when he
moved up to 500s that year? Maybe he would
have gone to Yamaha, which had a 500 that wasn’t
nearly as strong as the Honda. And Valentino’s
story may have been completely different…”
Pernat has good things and bad things to say
about the riders with whom he’s worked.
“When Max was at Aprilia he was impossible
to work with, quite impossible. Loris was the
rider that every manager wants – very friendly, a
beautiful person. I stayed with him for 11 years.

amcn.com.au

117

$

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Max Speed: 36km/h
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Recommended Age: 8-12
Max Speed: 46km/h
Range: 60km
Seat Height: 678mm
Wheel Size: 12 / 14-inch
Wet Weight: 56kg

LEARN MORE

FAST TALK CARLO PERNAT

4

MARCO WANTED ME TO STOP
SMOKING, SO HE GOT INTO MY
LUGGAGE AND DESTROYED
ALL MY CIGARETTES

1
2

“Next came Marco. His father joined me in the
bar in our hotel during the 2007 Turkish Grand
Prix and said, ‘Carlo, I want you to be Marco’s
manager’. We made the contract a few weeks later
in an auto-grill by the autostrada. Unbelievable!
“The relationship with Marco was very strong.
In August 2011 a group of us stayed in the USA for
two weeks after the Laguna Seca race – we visited
Nevada, Arizona, an unbelievable trip.
Mamma mia!
“Marco wanted me to stop smoking, so he got
into my luggage and destroyed all my cigarettes. I
hadn’t smoked for half a day and I wanted to kill
him! Driving along the highway he overtook me,
with cigarettes hanging from both his ears and
both his nostrils. He was a normal guy – he amused
himself and he amused everyone around him.
“After Marco’s (fatal) accident (Sepang, 2011) I
lived in the family house for two months. I wanted
to stop but Paolo [Simoncelli’s dad] told me, ‘No,
don’t stop!’.”
Next came Iannone.
“When I choose a rider I think about three
things: first, talent. Second, his mind. Third, the
family,” says Pernat.
“The problem with Iannone wasn’t Andrea, it was
his father. For 2017, Ducati decided to keep Andrea
instead of Andrea Dovizioso. Ducati offered us €1.5
million ($A2.5m) and Claudio Domenicali (CEO of
Ducati) called me: ‘Come at 10 o’clock and we sign

3

1. One of Pernat’s favourite riders
to manage was prankster
Marco Simoncelli
2. Pernat and Andrea Iannone on
the Suzuki in 2017 after missing
out on another season with Ducati
3. Old habits die hard for Pernat
4. With Jorge Lorenzo at the
Spanish MotoGP in 2013, who set
pole and fastest lap, finishing third
5. At the 2014 Malaysian
MotoGP’s Simoncelli memorial
6. With Iannone in 2014 after he
signed for the factory Ducati team
for season 2015
6

5
the contract’. So I said to Andrea, ‘Sign with Ducati’,
but Andrea’s father said, ‘No!’.
“After two hours they called Dovizioso and signed
him for the same money. You can imagine how
careers are changed by this kind of thing!”
Pernat is unlike most rider managers because he
attends every race and every test, to look after his
riders and protect them from all kinds of hassles
from their teams, sponsors and so on.
“With Carlo around, I feel no pressure,” grins
Bastianini.
Most other managers only show up when contracts
need negotiating.
“You have to have the passion for racing. I follow
my riders 360 degrees, so I know everything that’s
happening. This is why Ducati has engaged me as a
consultant for the last 10 years.”
Pernat is totally at home in this MotoGP
underworld of wheeling and dealing, where the
only way to do business is kill or be killed. Just like
the racing itself.
And when he wins a battle he likes to celebrate in,
well, his own style.
“At Phillip Island in 2002 I made the contract
between Capirossi and Ducati, for Ducati’s first
season in MotoGP. It was a big contract! So I went to
Melbourne to engage two women, for all the night,
with four Italian journalists with me. The women
arrived with cocaine, ecstasy, everything.
Mamma mia!
“At many races we stayed up till 3am, Friday,
Saturday, Sunday: cocaine, grappa… and the days
after were no problem for us. I have lived seven
lives! The best period for me was the 80s and 90s,
because we had safe tracks, a nice paddock, but it
was still rock ’n’ roll and we amused ourselves. This
is motorcycle racing!”
Pernat isn’t sure about MotoGP’s current
direction.
“I love bikes and I love bike racing; it’s my passion.
But now MotoGP is another world – the passion has
been killed.”

amcn.com.au

119

1. Pernat is retained by Ducati as
a consultant, seen here with the
team at this year’s Italian MotoGP
2. Day of glory for Pernat as
Capirossi follows up his pole with
fastest lap and win at the Spanish
MotoGP in 2006
3. Ducati’s Davide Tardozzi has
heard it all before as Pernat lays
down the law again
4. With the Gresini team in 2022
after Enea Bastianini’s victory in
the French MotoGP
5. Tech 3 boss Herve Poncharal
consoles Pernat after the Pramac
Ducati team failed to finish the
2011 Dutch MotoGP

FAST TALK CARLO PERNAT

“THE PROBLEM NOW IS WE DON’T HAVE
SPORTING DECISIONS, WE HAVE MARKETING
DECISIONS, POLITICAL DECISIONS”

1

In some ways, Pernat is correct. It is inevitable
that MotoGP becomes more and more of a
science, because that’s how bikes go faster,
which makes the racing less and less of an art,
which sucks the romance and passion out of
the sport.
Nowadays riders work harder, engineers work
harder, everyone works harder. As legendary
1970s racer and hellraiser Gary Nixon told me
20 years ago, “These guys are going too fast to
party”. If that was true then, it’s doubly true now.
“The Sunday nights we had together were
unbelievable – 10 beers with Eddie Lawson,
Wayne Gardner, Luca Cadalora, all together. Or
following all the night in Rio de Janeiro
when Valentino won the 250 title in 1999
4
and we made a big party. Mamma mia!
“Now all the riders get married when
they are 20 and have kids, so they’re in
bed on Sunday nights. Remember Marco
Lucchinelli, Barry Sheene? Until they
were 27 or 28 they f…ed every day and
every night. Bike racing isn’t sex, drugs
and rock ’n’ roll anymore, so it’s not my
life anymore.
“The future of MotoGP is electric bikes.
I don’t want to know this world. For
me, this is the end, like the Doors song,
because if there’s no noise, people won’t
come to the track.”
Pernat was enraged when MotoGP
5
rights-holder Dorna introduced
Saturday Sprint races to the weekend
schedule for 2023, without even
consulting the teams and the riders
– the people who must deal with the
extra pressure and risks. And without a
penny extra.
“Dorna decided between their stomach
and their arse, so now the riders are
completely destroyed, we are losing a lot
of riders,” Pernat says.
He isn’t wrong. MotoGP’s injury rate
has skyrocketed this year, with almost

120

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2

3

three times as many riders missing races through
injury as last season.
“If Dorna want to make a show – stay calm, make
a meeting with the teams, make a meeting with the
riders and after that you decide, with the people
who make the sport.
“What they did is unbelievable. It’s an
incalculable change. We are f…ed. You need a
sportsman to run a sport, not a businessman.
“The problem now is that we don’t have sporting
decisions, we have marketing decisions, political
decisions… And Freddie Spencer (MotoGP’s
controversial chief FIM steward) is a disaster.
He’s destroying the sport with the decisions the
stewards make.”
Pernat is also deeply pissed off with the current
fashion for breaking contracts, whether it’s the
rider or the team doing the breaking.
“To be a rider manager now is impossible,” he
says. “You work for four months to make a contract
and after… In the past you made a contract and the
contract was the contract. Now you make a contract
and halfway through it’s broken.
“For me, this is bullshit.”
There’s probably no need to tell you that Pernat
won’t be around in MotoGP much longer. The last
straw was the recent introduction of a 9.30pm
paddock curfew to stop teams having fun during
the weekend. Goodbye rock ’n’ roll.

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NEW LID ARAI T-X5

After more than 10 years on the market, the Arai XD-4 adventure helmet is
set to be replaced by an all-new model next month – the Tour-X5
WORDS DEAN MELLOR + PHOTOGRAPHY ARAI & DM

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T-X5

I

n January 2024, Arai will introduce
a new adventure helmet to the
Australian market called the
Tour-X5 and it stands as a testament
to the company’s commitment to
delivering high-quality protection
to riders who prioritise safety above
all else. The new T-X5 also offers
significant improvements in comfort
and visibility compared with the XD-4
model that it’s set to supersede.

XD-4
Many adventure riders would be
familiar with the XD-4, which has been
Arai’s offering for adventure tourers
for more than a decade. I’ve been
running an XD-4 for the past couple of
years and have done countless miles
with my bonce protected by its tough
Complex Laminate Construction (CLC)
shell and multi-density EPS liner.
While I haven’t had any big offs (touch
wood), it has been subjected to some

harsh environments, including plenty
of on-road touring, several off-road
rides in the Aussie bush, a two-week
stint in the Himalayas and, possibly
the toughest of all, being thrown in
the cargo hold of planes when f lying to
different destinations.
Other than a couple of scratches
and a crazed Pinlock (my fault), the
XD-4 has stood up well to its less than
exemplary treatment, so I’m happy to

amcn.com.au

123

NEW LID ARAI T-X5

report that the new T-X5 is manufactured in much
the same way as the XD-4 (see the Arai factory
tour feature in AMCN Vol 73 No 10 for a full
rundown).
In addition to its tough outer shell, the T-X5
features a new one-piece EPS liner with 11
different densities in key areas to maximise
protection; it is softer at the top, harder at the
lower edges and hardest of all at the forehead,
which is the hardest part of the skull. This
complex EPS liner is produced in different sizes to
suit different shell sizes.

1

DESIGN

Like the XD-4, the TX-5 is essentially three
helmets in one. It can be run as a road helmet
without the peak fitted, an off-road helmet when
running goggles instead of the visor, and an
adventure touring helmet with the peak and visor
in place.
As with other Arai helmets the shell has a
rounded design so that the helmet can ‘glance off’
impact energy in the event of a crash. In addition,
all the external components, such as vents and
spoiler, are designed to break off in a crash to
retain that smooth and round shape.
The T-X5 design team told AMCN that they
spent a lot of time smoothing out the chin
area compared with the XD-4, which not only
enhances the level of protection, but also allows
for fitment of a “less pointy” visor. This has the
dual benefits of less optic distortion and better
Pinlock fitment, the latter reducing the chance of
dust getting between the Pinlock and the visor,
which can result in the aforementioned crazing.
The shell’s forehead area is reinforced with a
Super Fiber Belt. This has allowed the fitment of
3

124

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2
an air duct beneath the Arai logo at the front of
the helmet (like on the Arai Quantic road helmet),
superseding the previous XD-4’s brow vents built
into the visor. As a result, there’s better airf low
entering the helmet where you need it – at the
front of your head. The ‘mouth-shutter’ vent has
also been enlarged to allow for better airf low,
while the AR Spoiler at the rear draws out hot air
and minimises turbulence.
The T-X5 peak has also been redesigned,
and I’d say this is one of the most noticeable
improvements over the XD-4. Not only does its
new shape allow for more adjustability, but it also
results in significantly less buffeting of the peak
itself at high speed, which I sometimes found to

1. A wider opening means the
T-X5 is easier to pull on
2. Old faithful meets the ‘new lid
in town’
3. Subtle differences mask what
is a totally redesigned helmet
4. Internal features can be finetuned to suit any head shape
5. Company boss Michio Arai
putting his autograph on a T-X5
6. Note orange tabs for ERS
cheekpads
7. Closable chin vent offers
improved frontal air-flow
8. Super Fiber Belt across
forehead area is clearly visible

TESTING TIMES

4

5

6

7

8

THE T-X5 IS MORE
COMFORTABLE ON
LONG RIDES AND
WILL MINIMISE
FATIGUE ONSET
be an issue with the XD-4 depending on what bike
I was riding.
This makes the T-X5 more comfortable on long
rides and minimises fatigue onset.
Another improvement I really like is the new
Variable Axis System (VAS-A) Max-Vision Visor.
As mentioned, visor shape has been smoothed out
for improved optics, but another great feature is
that it can now be removed and refitted without
tools. The latter point is important in a helmet
that will be used in the scrub, as it means no more
dropping (and potentially losing) small plastic
screws and other bits in the dirt at dawn and dusk
as I occasionally did when performing an XD-4
visor change.

COMFORT AND FIT

One of my favourite things about the XD-4 is
how comfortable it is. Sure, it’s not exactly light
at around 1640g, but its snug fit and cosy liner
make up for its weight. The Tour-X5 is around
60g heavier and tips the scales at 1700g. The
extra weight is a result of improved safety built
into the Tour-X5 to meet the newer ECE 22.06
safety standard (see boxout ‘Testing Times’), but
if you can notice a 60g increase you have a more
sensitive neck than I.
If you have an XD-4, one of the first things
you’ll notice with the T-X5 is how much easier
it is to put on thanks to a wider opening. The
interior is lined with a plush, moisture-wicking
material that not only provides a comfortable fit
but also helps keep your head dry during hot and

ALL MOTORCYCLE helmets must meet certain standards for
protection and to ensure that they are impact tested.
The ECE 22.06 standard mandates a helmet must be impact
tested at different speeds and angles. In addition to ensuring
Arai helmets meet ECE 22.06, the company conducts its own
additional impact tests.
To conduct the impact test, a helmet is placed on a
magnesium alloy head form that has three axis sensors. This
is raised to 3m and dropped on to a 45° anvil with a rough
surface (to replicate a road) at a speed of 28km/h.
I witnessed a brand-new Arai Tour-X5 undergo several
inhouse tests and I can assure you that each of them are
incredibly violent to watch. In the first 28km/h drop test on to
the 45° anvil, the helmet’s external components (vents and
diffuser) broke off as intended.
In addition to ECE 22.06 impact testing, Arai subjects its
helmets to an impact on a hemispherical anvil with a smaller
surface area for a more concentrated point of impact. The
helmet is dropped from 3.22m at a speed of 7.75m/s and the
impact energy is measured. In this test 300g is considered
critical, but the helmet I saw being tested passed well within
the safe level at 157g.
Arai also performs a penetration test in which a sharp
striker is dropped on to a helmet from a height of 3m at around
2.8m/s. If the striker penetrates the shell, it is considered a
fail. In the Tour-X5 test I watched the helmet passed with no
discernible damage on the inner surface of the shell. It was
still hard to watch though…
strenuous rides. The cheek pads and temple pads
are customisable, so you can fine-tune the fit to
suit your noggin, and the T-X5’s cheek pads offer
a snugger fit than the XD-4’s. For the record, there
are a total of 30 parts alone in the head liner!
The T-X5 also incorporates Arai’s Facial Contour
System (FCS), which enhances helmet stability
and comfort by offering a snug fit along the
jawline, while the Emergency Release System
(ERS) allows for easy removal of cheek pads in
case you bin it and someone needs to take the T-X5
off your head. In addition, it retains a retractable
Air Flap at the chin to reduce wind intrusion into
the bottom of the helmet.
Speaking of wind intrusion, the T-X5 seems to
offer an improved seal around the visor, which
results in slightly less wind noise when riding on
the road, but if you want added ventilation when
riding off-road, you can easily set the visor at
different openings.
The liner is removable and washable and there
are speaker pockets and a removable neck roll
to aid in fitting comms devices. Even the shell
shape has been optimised for fitment of a comms
device, with a Hyper-Ridge that has a f lat surface
providing an improved bonding surface.

amcn.com.au

125

NEW LID ARAI T-X5

PRICES AND ACCESSORIES

1

While the T-X5 sits at a higher price point
compared with some other adventure helmets on
the market, I reckon the investment is justified
by the its quality, safety features, and overall
performance and comfort.
The Tour-X5 will go on sale in Australia in
January 2024 and will be available in a wide
range of solid colours and graphics, with prices
starting at $1199.95 for solids and $1299.95 for
graphics. That’s around $200 more than the RRP
for the outgoing XD-4.
Arai will offer a range of optional accessories
and spare parts for the T-X5, with clear and
tinted visors starting at $119.95 and Iridium
visors at $199.95.

2

3

THE
AVAILABLE
RANGE
GRAPHICS $1299.95
• Discovery White
• Discovery Red
• Discovery Blue
• Discovery Orange Frost
SOLIDS $1199.95
• White
• Frost Black
• Eagle Grey

VISORS
• Clear, light tint or dark tint
$119.95
• Iridium red, silver,
blue or green $199.95

5

4

6

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amcn.com.au

1. Easy-to-operate visor fitting
system is a feature of the T-X5
2. Real-world riding in Japan gave
Deano an insight into the helmet’s
practical improvements
3. The new shell is smoother than
the previous version
4. New peak design is one of the
highlights, with vastly reduced
buffeting at highway speeds
5. New rear spoiler reduces
turbulence and expels hot air
6. Improved air flow is a feature

PIONEERING DESIGN
WITH AN AUSTRALIAN SOUL
Design. Performance. Quality. These are the cornerstones of our philosophy,
the ethos that drives our company - and our exceptional motorcycles.
Meticulously designed and handcrafted in Australia, we invite you to enter a
world where each ride is a new beginning.

VISIT SAVICMOTORCYCLES.COM

EVENTS. YOUR SOCIAL LISTINGS
TOP THREE TV
DAKAR RALLY
2024
1

SBS, SBS On Demand, Red Bull TV
6-20 JANUARY

Check website and local guides

The Dakar Rally returns to Saudi
Arabia for the fifth consecutive time
with organisers saying it will be the
hardest. If you can’t wait for the early
evening highlights an early morning
version is available each day via SBS
On Demand, or see Red Bull TV.

NORWAY ON
TWO WHEELS
2

Off She Goes
ON DEMAND

@OffSheGoesADV

Runa Grydeland’s Youtube channel
will make you want to rug up, pack the
Aeroguard and head to Scandinavia for
some Northern Summer riding in lands
where the sun never sets.

RACING WHAT, WHERE & WHEN
ROAD RACING
ST GEORGE MCC SUMMER NIGHT SERIES
Rd3
15 Dec, SMSP, NSW
Rd2
13 Jan, SMSP, NSW
Rd3
26-27 Jan, SMSP, NSW
Rd4
9-10 Feb, SMSP, NSW
2024 AUSTRALIAN SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP
Rd1
24-25 Feb, Phillip Island
Rd2
24-25 Mar, Sydney Motorsport Park
Rd3
28-29 Apr, Queensland Raceway
Rd4
16-18 June, Hidden Valley Raceway
Rd5
14-16 July, Morgan Park Raceway
Rd6
28029 Oct, Morgan Park Raceway
Rd7
1-3 Dec, The Bend Motorsport Park
2024 AUSTRALIAN OFF-ROAD CHAMPIONSHIP
Rds1-2 2-3 Mar, venue TBC
Rds3-4 20-21 Apr, venue TBC
Rds5-6 18-19 May, venue TBC
Rds7-8 27-28 July, venue TBC
Rds9-10 24-25 Aug, venue TBC
Rds11-12 14-15 Sept, venue TBC
2024 MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP*
Rd1
10 Mar, Losail, QA
Rd2
24 Mar, Portimao, PT
Rd3
7 Apr, Termas de Rio Hondo, AR
Rd4
14 Apr, Circuit of the Americas, US
Rd5
28 Apr, Jerez, ES
Rd6
12 May, Le Mans, FR
Rd7
26 May, Catalunya, ES
Rd8
2 Jun, Mugello, IT
Rd9
16 Jun, Sokoil, KZ
Rd10
30 Jun, Assen, ND
Rd11
7 Jul, Sachsenring, DE
Rd12
4 Aug, Silverstone, UK
Rd13
18 Aug, Red Bull Ring, AT
Rd14
1 Sep, Aragon, ES
Rd15
8 Sep, Misano, IT
Rd16
22 Sep, Buddh, IN
Rd17
29 Sept, Mandalika, ID

Rd18
6 Oct, Motegi, JP
Rd19
20 Oct, Phillip Island, AU
Rd20
27 Oct, Buriram, TH
Rd21
3 Nov, Sepang, MY
Rd22
17 Nov, Valencia, ES
2024 SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP*
Rd1
23–25 Feb, Phillip Island, AU
Rd 2
22–24 Mar, Barcelona, ES
Rd 3
19–21 Apr, Assen, ND
Rd 4
14–16 Jun, Misano, IT
Rd 5
12-14 July, Donington Park, UK
Rd 6
19–2 July, Most, CZ
Rd7
9–11 Aug, Algarve, PT
Rd8
23–25 Aug, Balaton, HU**
Rd9
6–8 Sept, Magny-Cours, FR
Rd10
20–22 Sept, Cremona, IT**
Rd 11
27–29 Sept, Aragon, ES
Rd12
11–13 Oct, Jerez , ES
2024 BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP*
Rd1
20-21 Apr, Navarra, ES
Rd2
4-6 May, Oulton Park, CHS
Rd3
17-19 May, Donington Park, LCE
Rd4
14-16 Jun, Knockhill, FIF
Rd5
5-7 Jul, Snetterton, NFK
Rd6
19-21 Jul, Brands Hatch, KEN
Rd7
9-11 Aug, Thruxton, HAM
Rd8
24-26 Aug, Cadwell Park, LIN
Rd9
13-15 Sep, Oulton Park, CHS
Rd10
27-27 Sep, Donington Park, LCE
Rd11
11-23 Oct, Brands Hatch, KEN
2024 ISLE OF MAN TT
27 May-8 Jun
2024 MOTOAMERICA*
Rd1
7-9 Mar, Daytona International, FL
Rd2
19-21 Apr, Road Atlanta, GA
Rd3
17-19 May, Barber Motorsports Park, AL
Rd4
31 May-2 Jun, Road America, WI
Rd5
14-16 Jun, Brainerd International, MN
Rd6
28-30 Jun, Ridge Motorsports Park, WA

CLIMB EVERY
MOUNTAIN
3

MOTOGEO

ON DEMAND

@motogeo.com

Former international racer Jamie
Robinson has created a cult following
with his YouTube channel. Watch the
series called Dirty Dozen Colorado
where he rides 12 Colorado peaks on
dirt roads with a mate on Desert Xs.

RIDE DAYS & SCHOOLS
Phillip Island Ride Days /
0490 281 840
Phillip Island, Vic
Sydney Motorsport Park
Ride Days/0490 281 840
SMSP, NSW

*All times listed AEDT

128

amcn.com.au

Rd7
12-14 Jul, Laguna Seca, CA
Rd8
16-18 Aug, Mid-Ohio, OH
Rd9
13-15 Sep, Circuit of the Americas, TX
Rd10
27-29 Sep, New Jersey M’sports Park, NJ
OFF-ROAD RACING
2024 AUSTRALIAN SPEEDWAY SNR SOLO C’SHIP
Rd1
4 Jan, Brisbane, Qld
Rd2
7 Jan, Kurri Kurri, NSW
Rd3
9 Jan, Albury-Wodonga, Vic
Rd4
11 Jan, Mildura, Vic
Rd5
13 Jan, Gillman Speedway, SA
2024 AUST SPEEDWAY SNR/JNR SIDECAR C’SHIP
5-6 Apr, Tamworth, NSW
2024 ENDURO GP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP*
Rd1
5-7 Apr, TBC, ES
Rd2
12-14 Apr, TBC, PT
Rd3
10-12 May, TBC, RO
Rd4
21-23 Jun, TBC, IT
Rd5
12-14 Jul, TBC, SK
Rd6
26-28 Jul, TBC
Rd7
2-4 Aug, TBC, UK
Rd8
13-15 Sep, TBC, FR
2024 AMA PRO MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Rd1
25 May, Fox Raceway National, CA
Rd2
1 Jun, Hangtown Classic, CA
Rd3
8 Jun, Thunder Valley National, CO
Rd4
15 Jun, High Point National, PA
Rd5
29 Jun, The Wick 338 National, MA
Rd6
6 Jul, Redbud National, MI
Rd7
13 Jul, Spring Creek National, MN
Rd8
20 Jul, Washougal National, WA
Rd9
10 Aug, Unadilla National, NY
Rd10
17 Aug, Budds Creek National, MD
Rd11
24 Aug, Ironman National, IN
2024 AMA SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Rd1
6 Jan, Anaheim 1, CA
Rd2
13 Jan, San Franciso, CA
Rd3
20 Jan, San Diego, CA
Rd4
27 Jan, Anaheim 2, CA
Rd5
3 Feb, Detroit, MI
Rd6
10 Feb, Glendale, AZ
Rd7
24 Feb, Arlington, TX
Rd8
2 Mar, Daytona, FL
Rd9
9 Mar, Birmingham, AL
Rd10
16 Mar, Indianapolis, IN
Rd11
23 Mar, Seattle, WA
Rd12
30 Mar, St Louis, MO
Rd13
13 Apr, Foxborough, MA
Rd14
20 Apr, Nashville, TN
Rd15
27 Apr, Philadelphia, PA
Rd16
4 May, Denver, CO
Rd17
11 May, Salt Lake City, UT
*Provisional

Murray Valley Training Co
0459 415 787
Barnawartha North, Vic

Champion’s Ride Days
(07) 3287 4144
Broadford, Vic
Collie Motorplex, WA
Morgan Park, Qld
The Bend, SA

California Superbike
School / 1300 793 423
Phillip Island, Vic
SMSP, NSW
Broadford, Vic
Morgan Park Qld

Trakdayz
0401 484 898
Wanneroo, WA

Mount Gambier MCC
Coaching / Ride Days
0448 951 163
Mac Park, SA

Ride-Tek MTA
1300 788 382
Sandown, Vic

Top Rider
1300 131 362
Various venues, Qld

Ridedays WA
(08) 9409 1002
Wanneroo, WA
Collie, WA

Phoenix MCC
Junior Coaching
0403 386 788
Tailem Bend, SA
Mallala, SA

RALLIES & SHOWS
9-10 FEBRUARY 2024

Redback Rally, Charlton, Victoria. Presented
by Sketa Grimshaw Tourers Motorcycle Club.
Follow the signs in town to the rally site, 7km
out along Boort Rd. Entry $30 at the gate or
$25 prepaid, includes badge. Gates open noon
Friday. Fully catered, live bands Friday and
Saturday nights, entertainment, trophies and
gymkana.No BYO, No Glass. See the website at
www.redbackrally.com.au for details.
10-11 FEBRUARY 2024

Karuah River Rally, Frying Pan Creek
campground, Chichester State Forest, near
Dungog NSW. Back-to-basics rally with awards
Saturday afternoon. BYO everything. Entry
and badge $30. Nearest supplies available
in Dungog with directions signposted in
Chichester Forest involving about 14k of
reasonable dirt roads. Check the Bank Hotel,
Dungog for a map nearer the date. NB: if fire
or weather risks close Frying Pan Creek, an
alternative site will be signposted – attendees
must not enter the site if closed. Contact Rob
on 0417 267 425 or see BMWTC NSW website
at www.bmwtcnsw.org.au
10-11 FEBRUARY 2024

North West Motorcycle Show, Ulverstone,
Tasmania. Now in its 14th year, this familyfriendly event showcases owners’ bikes,
local motorcycle dealers, stunt riders, trials
riders and loads more. Details on North West
Motorcycle Show Facebook page.
1-3 MARCH 2024

Spoke Motorcycle Festival, Mayfield Estate,
on Tasmania’s East Coast. A celebration
of “everything motorcycle”. Events include
grass track, gymkhana and beach racing plus
displays For more details see the website at
www.spokemcfestival.com.au
1-3 MARCH 2024

Open Roads Rally, based out of Broadford,
Vic, this is claimed to be the state’s largest
off-road motorcycle festival, featuring an
off-road navigation-based rally. There will be
MX, flat track and enduro courses, workshops,
stalls, test rides and much more. Register your
interest at www.openroadsrally.com.

16-17 MARCH 2024

2024 Adelaide Motorsport Festival, Victoria
Park, Adelaide, SA. Historic, rare and significant
racing vehicles in the heart of Adelaide.
Motorcycle grand prix bikes will feature in an
enhanced bike category in 2024, including a
1992 Yamaha YZR500 two-stroke machine
raced by Kevin Magee. Enjoy food and drinks
from local producers, browse the trade stalls
and check out the static displays of over 400
cars and motorcycles, with something new on
track every 10 to 15 minutes. Tickets at
www.adelaidemotorsportfestival.com.au/tickets
or see www.adelaidemotorsportfestival.com.au
17 MARCH 2024

Black Dog Ride, supporting those affected by
depression. Check out official website at
www.blackdogride.org.au to see where your
nearest local ride is.
17-23 MARCH 2024

Variety Adventure Ride, Jindabyne. NSW.
supported charity adventure ride open to
road-registered motorcycles. The loop takes
in highlights of Victoria’s High Country. Full
details at www.variety.org.au or email Vic at
victor.sheil@varietynsw.org.au or Janet at
janet.kilazoglou@varietynsw.org.au
23 MARCH 2024

APC Rally, various start points in Qld, NSW and
Vic. A massive loop of up to eight days taking
in the best riding in Australia. Options include
the Great Dividing Range, NSW coastline and
Western NSW for a total of 3600km. There are
easy options around more technical sections
for those on a large touring bike or without
the confidence to take on these sections. If
riders are travelling as a group and they have
different skill levels it is easy to regroup at the
next town and continue to ride together. Cost is
$890. Visit apcrally.net for full details.
22-24 MARCH 2024

Camp Quality Motocyc, Newcastle loop via
Armidale and Port Macquarie, NSW. A three-day
motorcycle adventure with a mission to help kids
facing cancer. Choice of two routes, a leisurely
road cruise or head off the beaten track with the
adventure option. Registration $325 covers two

nights twin-share accommodation, breakfasts,
decals, shirts and a cap, fundraising support,
and mechanical and logistical support. See
fundraise.campquality.org.au/event/motocyc/
home or phone Deb Moore on 1300 662 267 or
email motocyc@campquality.org.au for more
information.
23MAY-1 JUNE 2024

The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, Australiawide. Classic and vintage style motorcycles,
dressing dapper and riding to raise funds and
awareness for men’s mental health and prostate
cancer research. At least 40 rides are already
planned around Australia. For full details see
www.gentlemansride.com.
27-28 APRIL 2024

All British Rally, hosted by the BSA Owners
Club at Newstead Racecourse, Newstead, Vic.
This event has been run since 1977 at various
venues but has a long-time popular home
at Newstead in Central Victoria. All owners
and enthusiasts of any British motorcycle or
special welcome. Camping and rideouts a
feature. For more information and entry form
visit www.bsa.asn.au.
7-9 JUNE 2024

The Long Ride Australia, multiple start points
bringing bike enthusiasts together to raise
awareness and funds for the Prostate Cancer
Foundation of Australia in a 3274km road
trip from Sydney to Port Douglas. Groups will
also depart from all States and Territories
to travel thousands of kilometres through
rural Australia, across the Nullarbor and up
through Alice Springs, or from Perth, Sydney,
Darwin, Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide
to Longreach,Qld before coming together at
Charters Towers and riding to Port Douglas. The
Long Ride enables you to experience freedom and
mateship while raising awareness of prostate
cancer and men’s health. More at
www.rslaustralia.org/long-ride-2024.

2023 TOY RUNS
10 DECEMBER

Bairnsdale Toy Run details at Bairnsdale
Toy Run Facebook page
10 DECEMBER

Phillip Island, Dec 10 www.facebook.com/
events/646012527392898
10 DECEMBER

Ipswich, Qld, Full details can be found at
details at Annual Ipswich Toy Run 2023
Facebook page

The APC Rally in March
brings riders together
from three states

7-9 JUNE 2024

National Ducati Rally, hosted by the Ducati
Owners Club of Queensland at The Kooralbyn
Valley, via Beaudesert, Qld. Group rides, displays
and Saturday night formal dinner. Full details at
www.docq.com.au.

.com.au
SHOP ONLINE NOW

OR CALL 03 9786 4414
amcn.com.au

129

TOP GEAR. COOL STUFF

2

1
1

TANK TOP

amcn.com.au

3

FROM THE HIP

Whites Powersports

Link International

From $109.95

From $799.99

$69.95

Shad’s E03C Click System tank bag offers a
3-litre capacity and is easily attached and
detached via the brand’s unique lockable
Click System. The E03C boasts an ABS outer
construction, an internal mess organisation
pocket, a carry handle and a shoulder strap, and
is supplied with a rain cover.

130

LEATT IT FLOW

Moto National
1300 885 355
motonational.com.au

3

2

(03) 8720 6000
leattmoto.com.au
Leatt’s FlowTour 7.5 adventure jacket features a
ripstop main shell construction with large
X-Flow mesh panels and a removable waterproof
HydraDri MAX liner for all-weather performance.
The FlowTour boasts CE certified protection in
the back, shoulders, elbows and chest, and is
backed by a five-year warranty.

(07) 3382 5000
macnaridinggear.com.au
The HIP BAG M from Macna provides a convenient
extra storage option and sports a ripstop,
3D mesh and EVA construction. The foldable
backpack boasts a large main compartment,
adjustable waist strap, reflection heat transfer,
3D mesh back, document pocket and generous
350 x 90 x 140mm dimensions.

4
4

DONE A BERING

5

DRY TOE

Ficeda Accessories

Cassons Australia

$79.95

$429.95

1300 437 711
ficeda.com.au
The light and flexible Bering Grissom short
gloves feature a polyester outer chassis with
Amara-reinforced palms and integrated knuckle
protection. It is touchscreen-compatible
and boasts a polyester inner liner and neoprene
cuff for maximum comfort and a secure Velcro
wrist closure.

5

6

Andy Strapz

$57

(02) 8882 1900
cassonsmedia.com
The Gaerne G-Adventure Aquatech adventure boot
features a full leather upper that incorporates a
Drytech waterproof membrane, perfect for those
wet riding conditions. The boot also boasts suede
heat protection, bolstered shin protection,
gear-shift protector, a three-buckle closure
system and vulcanized rubber sole.

ROLL ONE UP

(03) 9786 3445
andystrapz.com
The Andy Strapz Tool Roll is a tough, compact and
simple way to carry your tools on your next ride.
It features Aussie-made canvas construction
and offers multiple pouches of various sizes to
suit everything from spanners to Allen keys,
plus a handy pocket for spare nuts, bolts
and washers.

6

amcn.com.au

131

UNC-QP-5190633-TS-369-XCC

Full repair & rebuild service on all makes of instruments
Ratio boxes, Speedo and tacho cables made to order
Bi-metal (hot wire) gauges rewound and calibrated
Fuel tank sender units rewound and calibrated
Specialising in Chronometric & Magnetic
Capillary temperature gauges repaired
Specialist in Smiths & Jaeger gauges
Dial restoration or replacement
Special senders made to order

Contact: John Robertson
P: 07 3277 3888 F: 07 3277 8520
Email: info@ottoinstruments.com.au
124 Evans Rd, P.O. Box 9, Salisbury, Qld. 4107

www
w.ottoinstruments.com.au

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&KHFNWKHZHEVLWHIRUHYHQWGHWDLOV
NPRQDVPDOOPRWRUF\FOH"$ULGHKDOIKD\DFURVV$XVWUDOLD$QHQGXUDQFHULGH$
VHULRXVDGYHQWXUHUHPRWHFRXQWU\VPDOOWRZQVELWXPHQGLUWFRUUXJDWLRQVPDNHWKLVDJUHDW
DGYHQWXUH

(QWU\SULFHLQFOXGHVXVHRIRXU bike, accom, meals,mechanics, spares,support vehicles.6HH
ZHEVLWHIRUGHWDLOV
www.postiebikechallenge.org

Ph. 

Designs
born
from a
life on
the road.

facebook.com/andy.strapz

Service
Dyno Tuning
Repairs

Australia’s highest quality
motorcycle race fairings.

Supersport & superbike fairings for
Ducati, Suzuki, Yamaha,
Honda & Kawasaki

2 OLIVE GROVE
RINGWOOD, VIC, AUSTRALIA 3134
PH: 03 9879 6688

PROFESSIONAL QUALITY & SERVICE
CREDIT CARDS

Ph: 0413 189 258
Pitt Town NSW
www.racersedge.com.au

www.intunemotorcycles.com.au

racersedge.au

Market leader
M/C diagnostic
Motorcycle frame measurement tool 483 AUD
Carb. balance, intake port diagnostic tool 419 AUD
Current diagnostic: 5 function tool 539 AUD

CODE: MCNAU
FREE SHIPPMENT 2023!
www.promototools.com

BUYER’S GUIDE. A-Z OF NEW BIKE PRICES
MODEL

APRILIA

PRICE
$AUD LAMS
aprilia.com.au

All prices are ride away

MODEL

PRICE
$AUD LAMS

K 1600 GT

$42,820



700CL-X Adventure

$11,990



K 1600 GTL

$44,520



800MT Sport

$13,490



K 1600 B

$42,820



800MT Touring

$14,990



MODEL

PRICE
$AUD LAMS

MODEL

ENERGICA

$8040



K 1600 Grand America

$44,290



SR GT 125 Sport

$8140



G 310 R

$7990



RS 660

$22,690



F 900 R

$15,420



Plus on-road costs

RS 660 LAMS

$22,590



S 1000 R

$22,090



CJ650B Nomad

$26,500



Tuono 660

$21,490



M 1000 R

$32,290



CJ650B Tourer

$27,500



Tuono 660 LAMS

$21,490



R 1250 R

$26,320



Tuono 660 Extrema

$24,990



R 18

$23,140



Tuareg 660

$23,490



R 18 Classic

$25,840



All prices are ride away

Tuono V4

$28,990



R 18 Roctane

$27,890



Multistrada V4

$30,800



RSV4

$31,990



R 18 B Deluxe

$35,400



Multistrada V4 S

$35,000



RSV4 Factory

$39,090



R 18 Transcontinental

$37,940



Multistrada V4 S Sport

$42,900



Plus on-road costs

R nineT

$25,490



Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak

$45,000



Arthur

R nineT Pure

$20,210



Multistrada V2

$23,200



R nineT Scrambler

$21,410



Multistrada V2 S

$25,700



BENELLI

benelli.com.au

All prices are ride away

DUCATI

changjiang-australia.com

ducati.com.au

australianelectricmotorco.com/energica-motorcycles

Plus on-road costs

SR GT 125

CHANJIANG

PRICE
$AUD LAMS

Experia

$48,164



Ego

$41,725



Ego+

$52,233



Ego+ RS

$55,329



Ribelle

$50,374



Ribelle RS

$52,470



Esseesse9

$35,478



Esseesse9+

$46,563



FONZ

fonzmoto.com

$4990



NKDs

$11,990



NKD+

$11,990



NKDx

$17,490



TnT 135 CBS

$4590



R nineT Urban G/S

$21,260



DesertX

$24,700



TRK 251

$6690



G 310 GS

$8390



Hypermotard 950

$23,100



TRK 502

$9990



F 750 GS

$17,945



Hypermotard 950 RVE

$24,700



GASGAS

TRK 502 X

$10,690



F 850 GS

$22,005



Hypermotard 950 SP

$28,900



All prices are ride away

Leoncino 500

$9890



F 850 GS Adventure

$23,830



Streetfighter V2

$23,200



EC250

$15,599



Leoncino 500 Trail

$10,390



R 1250 GS

$31,320



Streetfighter V4

$32,400



EC250F

$15,599



Leoncino 800

$13,490



R 1250 GS Trophy

$32,430



Streetfighter V4 S

$39,000



EC300

$17,069



Leoncino 800 Trail

$13,990



R 1250 GS Adventure

$33,305



Streetfighter V4 SP

$48,400



EC350F

$16,659



502C

$10,590



C 400 GT

$11,740



Monster

$19,200



SM 700

$19, 840



C 400 X

$10,490



Monster +

$19,800



ES 700

$19,840



CE 04

$21,900



Monster SP

$23,200



Monster 659

$13,500



Supersport

$20,900



All prices are ride away

BETA

betamotor.com.au

Plus on-road costs

BRP

RR 125 2T

$12,295



RR 200 2T

$13,395



All prices are ride away

RR 250 2T

$13,595



Ryker 600

RR 300 2T

$14,395



RR 350 4T EFI

$14,195



RR 390 4T EFI

$14,495

RR 430 4T EFI
RR 480 4T EFI

au.brp.com

H-D

gasgasaustralia.com.au

harley-davidson.com.au

Supersport S

$23,200



X350

$8495



$15,199



Scrambler Urban Motard

$18,900



X500

$11,495



Ryker 900

$17,749



Scrambler Icon

$18,000



Softail Standard

$22,995



Ryker Rally 900

$19,799



Scrambler Full Throttle

$20,100



Nightster

$21,495





Spyder F3 S

$31,149



Scrambler Nightshift

$20,100



Street Bob 114

$27,495



$14,695



Spyder F3 LTD

$35,699



Scrambler 1100 Dark Pro

$21,100



Sport Glide

$32,995



$14,995



Spyder RT LTD

$41,449



Scrambler 1100 Tribute Pro

$23,100



Low Rider S

$32,495



X-Trainer 250 2T

$11,195



Scrambler 1100 Sport Pro

$26,000



Low Rider ST

$36,995



X-Trainer 300 2T

$11,495



Panigale V4

$34,700



Fat Bob 114

$32,995



CFMOTO

cfmoto.com.au

Panigale V4 S

$43,900



Heritage Classic

$37,995



$4290



Panigale V4 SP2

$56,900



Fat Boy 114

$37,995



All prices are ride away

BMW

bmwmotorrad.com.au

150NK
300NK

$5790



Panigale V4 R

$70,200



Breakout 117

$37,995



F 900 XR

$18,670



300SR

$6290



Panigale V2

$24,900



Road King Special

$41,495



F 900 R

$15,320



450SR

$8290



Diavel 1260

$32,800



Road Glide Special

$43,995



S 1000 XR

$29,780



650MT

$9990



Diavel 1260 S

$38,400



Road Glide ST

$47,495



M 1000 RR

$52,440



650GT

$9590



Diavel V4

$41,100



Sportster S

$23,995



S 1000 RR

$25,750



650NK

$8590



XDiavel Dark

$33,100



Street Glide Special

$43,995



R 1250 RS

$27,240



700CL-X Heritage

$9990



XDiavel S

$40,400



Street Glide ST

$47,995



R 1250 RT

$37,840



700CL-X Sport

$10,490



XDiavel Nera

$44,100



Ultra Limited

$46,495



Plus on-road costs

PRICE
$AUD LAMS

MODEL

MODEL

PRICE
$AUD LAMS

PRICE
$AUD LAMS

$9349



FE 450

$18,269



Pursuit Limited

$47,495



MODEL

MODEL

PRICE
$AUD LAMS

Freewheeler

$51,995



CMX500

Tri Glide Ultra

$62,495



NSS350A Forza

$9749



FE 501

$18,929



FTR

$23,995



CVO Street Glide

$62,495



NSC110 Dio

$3349



Norden 901

$25,860



FTR Sport

$25,995



CVO Road Glide

$62,495



MW110 Benly

$3999



Norden 901 Expedition

$27,840



FTR Rally

$25,995



CVO Limited

$61,750



XL750 Transalp

$14,499



FTR R Carbon

$27,995



Road Glide 3

$58,995



CRF1100 Africa Twin

$22,999



Pan America 1250S

$28,995



CRF1100 Africa Twin AS

$26,199



All Indian prices are ride away

CRF1100 Africa Twin AS DCT

$27,499



Scout Bobber

$23,995



Plus on-road costs

CRF1100 Africa Twin AS DCT ES

$29,899



Scout Bobber Twenty

$24,495



Versys-X 300 (LAMS)

$7448



HONDA

hondamotorcycles.com.au

INDIAN

indianmotorcycle.com.au

KAWASAKI

kawasaki.com.au

CRF300LRA Rally

$9399



Scout

$24,995



Ninja 400 (LAMS)

$7544



$41,999



CB500XA

$10,199



Scout Rogue

$25,995



Z400

$7094



GL1800 Goldwing Tour Prem DCT

$49,999



CRF300LA

$8199



Chief Dark Horse

$28,995



Ninja 650

$11,109



NT1100

$21,690



AG-XR

$5399



Chief Bobber Dark Horse

$30,495



Ninja 650 (LAMS)

$11,309



NT1100D DCT

$22,699



Sport Chief

$32,995



Versys 650L

$12,048



CBR1000RR-R SP

$52,999



Super Chief Limited

$32,995



Z650L

$11,009



CBR650R

$12,499



All prices are ride away

Springfield Dark Horse

$38,995



Z650RS

$12,009



CBR600RR

$27,599



Vitpilen 401

$8410



Springfield

$39,495



W800 Street

$13,848



CL500

$8999



Svartpilen 401

$7975



Chieftain Dark Horse

$42,495



Z900 Supernaked

$13,398



CBR500R

$9999



FS 450

$16,949



Chieftain Limited

$42,995



Z900RS

$16,909



CB125F

$2999



701 Supermoto

$20,400



Challenger Dark Horse

$43,495



Ninja 1000SX

$17,759



CB500F

$9499



701 Enduro

$20,400



Challenger Limited

$43,995



Versys 1000 S

$21,009



CB650R

$11,699



TE 150i

$14,959



Challenger Elite

$51,995



Z1000

$16,848



CB300R

$7199



TE 250i

$16,789



Roadmaster Dark Horse

$45,495



Ninja ZX-4R

$11,794



CB750F Hornet

$12,099



TE 300i

$18,379



Roadmaster Limited

$45,995



Ninja ZX-4RR

$13,194



CMX1100 DCT

$19,649



FE 250

$16,789



Roadmaster Classic

$46,995



Ninja ZX-6R

$15,909



CMX1100

$18,549



FE 350

$17,929



Pursuit Dark Horse

$46,995



Ninja H2

$39,249



Plus on-road costs
GL1800 Goldwing DCT

HUSQVARNA husqvarnamotorcycles.com.au

TESTED
VOL 72
NO 05

BIKE SPOTLIGHT
HONDA

NT1100 DCT
ENGINE
1084cc parallel twin
POWER 75kW (101hp) @ 7500rpm (claimed)
TORQUE 104Nm @6250rpm (claimed)
WEIGHT
248kg (wet, claimed)
PRICE
$22,699 (+ORC)

“Handling is neutral and
predictable and it will do
everything you ask of it”

BUYER’S GUIDE. A-Z OF NEW BIKE PRICES
MODEL

PRICE
$AUD LAMS

MODEL

PRICE
$AUD LAMS
$3190



PRICE
$AUD LAMS

MODEL

PRICE
$AUD LAMS

MODEL

Ninja H2R

$69,249



Agility RS 125 CBS

Ninja H2 SX

$32,810



Agility 16+ 125 (w/ top box)

$3790



PEUGEOT

Ninja H2 SX SE

$36,910



Agility 16+ 200i (w/ top box)

$4490



All prices are ride away

Ninja ZX-10R

$26,749



People S 150 (w/ top box)

$5490



Kisbee 50 2T

$2990



125 SE Factory

$13,499



Z H2

$24,010



Super 8 50 2T

$2790



Tweet 200

$5790



250 SE Factory

$14,999



Ninja ZX-14R SE

$23,248



Like 125 CBS (w/ top box)

$3590



Tweet 200 GT

$5990



300 SE Factory

$15,499



Vulcan S

$10,448



Like 200i (w/ top box)

$3990



Django 50

$4190



250 SEF Factory

$15,499



Vulcan S LAMS

$10,648



Like 150R ABS (w/ top box)

$5590



Django 150

$5490



300 SEF Factory

$15,999



Kawasaki KLX150BF SE

$4663



Like 150 S

$5090



450 SEF Factory

$16,799



Kawasaki KLX230S

$6563



Agility 16+ 300

$7490



PIAGGIO

500 SEF Factory

$16,999



KLX230SM

$7563



Downtown 350i ABS

$8790



All prices are ride away

KLX250

$7263



DT X360

$9290



Typhoon 50

$4140



KLX450R

$11,963



Xciting S 400i ABS

$9990



Medley

$6540



All prices are ride away

KLR650 ABS

$9594



AK550 Premium ABS

$15,490



Medley S

$6640



Address 110

$3890



KLR650 Adventure

$10,363



Beverly 400 S

$12,440



Avenis 125

$4890



GSX-S125A

$5440



V-Strom 250SX

$6480



V-Strom 650XT

$14,990



peugeotmotorcycles.com.au

piaggio.com.au

LAMBRETTA lambrettaaustralia.com.au
KTM

ktm.com.au

All prices are ride away

V50 Special Flex

$3590



V200 Special Flex

$4990



Sherco.com

rieju.com.au

Plus on-road costs

SUZUKI

suzukimotorcycles.com.au

MR Ranger 200

$12,790



V-Strom 650XT LAMS

$14,990



MR Ranger 300

$12,990



SV650

$11,490



MR Racing 250

$13,990



SV650 LAMS

$11,490



MR Racing 300

$14,290



GSX-8S

$14,190





MR Pro 250

$15,690



GSX-R1000

$24,990





MR Pro 300

$15,990



GSX-R1000R

$27,990



$19,330



MR Six Days

$16,990



GSX-S1000

$17,990



$28,290



GSX-S1000GT

$19,990



V100 MandelloS

$32,290



Katana

$21,990



V85 TT

$22,230



All prices are ride away

V-Strom 1050

$22,990



V85 TT Evocative

$22,830



Meteor 350 Fireball

$8190



V-Strom 1050DE

$24,690



V85 TT Travel

$24,330



Meteor 350 Stellar

$8590



V-Strom 800DE

$18,590



V85 TT Centenario

$22,830



Meteor 350 Supernova

$8890



Hayabusa

$27,790



Hunter 350 Dapper

$7590



Boulevard M109R

$21,990



Hunter 350 Rebel

$7690



Trojan

$5990



Classic 350 Halcyon

$7990



DR-Z400E

$11,390



$8290



DR650SE

$10,390



200 Duke ABS

$5895



390 Duke

$8195



890 Duke

$16,850



All prices are ride away

890 DukeGP

$17,925



V7 Stone

$18,030



890 Duke R

$20,760



V7 Stone Centenario

$19,030

890 SMT

$24,475



V7 Special

$18,930

690 SMC R

$20,195



V9 Bobber Centenario

RC 390

$8795



V100 Mandello

RC 390 GP

$8995



1290 Super Duke R

$30,915



1290 Super Duke R EVO

$33,735



1290 Super Duke GT

$34,835



690 Enduro R

$20,195



390 Adventure

$10,250



790 Adventure

$18,690



790 Adventure R

$19,790



All prices are ride away

890 Adventure

$24,475



F3 800 Rosso

890 Adventure R

$26,575



1290 Super Adventure S

$33,315



1290 Super Adventure R

$34,785



150 EXC

$14,559



250 EXC

$16,399



250 EXC-F

$16,399



300 EXC

$17,879

350 EXC-F

$17,449

450 EXC-F
500 EXC-F

KYMCO

RIEJU

SHERCO
Plus on-road costs

MOTO GUZZI

MV AGUSTA

motoguzzi.com.au

mvagusta.com.au

ROYAL ENFIELD

royalenfield.com.au

$36,990



Classic 350 Signals

F3 800 RR

$41,990



Classic 350 Dark

$8690



Brutale 800 Rosso

$29,990



Classic 350 Chrome

$8790



Brutale 800 RR

$34,990



Scram 411 Base

$8240



All prices are ride away

Brutale 1000 RS

$51,990



Scram 411 Mid

$8340



TC – Cafe

$5490



Brutale 1000 RR

$63,990



Scram 411 Premium

$8440



TC Max (alloy wheels)

$7990



Rush 1000 (+race kit)

$76,880



Interceptor 650 Classic

$10,990



TC Max (wire-spoke wheels)

$8290





Dragster 800 Rosso

$32,990



Interceptor 650 Custom

$11,290



CUX Scooter

$4990





Dragster 800 RR SCS

$37,990



Interceptor 650 Chrome

$11,590



CUX Scooter - Ducati

$5490



$17,799



Dragster 800 RC SCS

$41,990



Continental GT 650 Classic

$11,290



CPx Scooter

$7690



$18,419



Superveloce 800

$42,990



Continental GT 650 Custom

$11,590



CPx Delivery Scooter

$9990



Superveloce 800 S

$48,990



Continental GT 650 Chrome

$11,890



Superveloce 800 S (+race kit)

$51,590



Himalayan 410

$8390



Turismo Veloce Rosso

$33,990



Super Meteor 650 Astra Black-Blue

$11,990



All prices are ride away

Turismo Veloce Lusso SCS

$43,999



Super Meteor 650 Interstellar Green

$12,190



RS 300 R

$8590



Super Meteor 650 Celestial Blue-Red

$12,540



RS 500 R

$9290



kymco.com.au

All prices are ride away
Agility 50

$2690



Like 50 4T

$3090



SUPER SOCO

SWM

supersoco.com.au

swmmotorcycles.com.au

PRICE
$AUD LAMS

MODEL

SYM SCOOTA

MODEL

PRICE
$AUD LAMS

Trident 660 LAMS

$13,150



Primavera 150 i-Get

$8490



XSR700

$14,299



symscooters.com.au

MODEL

PRICE
$AUD LAMS

PRICE
$AUD LAMS

MODEL

Street Triple S 660

$14,990



Primavera 150 S

$8590



Tracer 7

$15,999



Crox 50

$2490



Speed Triple 765 R

$18,140



Primavera 150 Red

$8990



MT-09

$16,399



Mio 50i

$2890



Street Triple 765 RS

$20,590



Primavera 150 SE Picnic

$9040



MT-09 SP

$18,899



Classic 125

$2790



Street Triple 765 Moto2 Edition

$25,290



Primavera 150 75 Anno

$9890



XSR900

$18,049



Orbit 125

$2790



Speed Triple 1200 RS

$28,490



Sprint i-Get

$8590



Tracer 9 GT

$24,999



Orbit II 125i

$3190



Tiger 850 Sport

$18,250



GTS 150 i-Get

$9590



Niken GT

$29,349



Symphony ST 200i

$3990



Tiger 900 GT (and Low)

$21,250



GTS 300 Super Sport

$12,290



MT-10

$24,649



Classic 200i

$4090



Tiger 900 GT Pro

$24,250



GTS 300 Super Tech

$12,890



MT-10 SP

$28,499



HD300i

$6690



Tiger 900 Rally

$22,390



GTV 300 ‘Sei Giorni’

$12,590



FJR1300

$33,999



GTS300i Sport

$7690



Tiger 900 Rally Pro

$24,890



GTS 300 75 Anno

$13,590



YZF-R6 (Race only)

$19,849



Tiger 1200 GT Pro

$29,990



YZF-R7 LAMS

$14,599



Tiger 1200 Rally Pro

$31,800



YAMAHA

YZF-R7 HO

$15,649



Tiger 1200 GT Explorer

$32,600



All prices are ride away

Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer

$33,950



D’elight 125 White

TRIUMPH

triumphmotorcycles.com.au

All prices are ride away
$16,190



Bonneville T100

$18,290



Scrambler 900

$18,590



Bonneville T120

$20,890



CT

Speed Twin 1200

$21,090



Thruxton RS

$25,990



Bonneville Speedmaster

$22,490



Bonneville Bobber

$22,490



2024 Scrambler 1200 X

$22,600



VESPA

Speed Twin 900

yamaha-motor.com.au

YZF-R1

$29,349



$3949



YZF-R1M

$38,599



NMAX 155

$6149



WR250F

$15,999



ural.com

Tricity 155

$7699



WR450F

$17,349



$25,299



XMAX 300

$10,049



Tenere 700

$19,999



Gear Up

$28,599



Tricity 300

$13,099



Tenere 700 World Raid

$25,499



Sportsman SE

$30,599



TMAX 560

$20,649



Super Tenere

$26,999



Sahara SE

$30,599



XV250 Virago

$8849



YZF-R15

$6299



MT-03

$8199



URAL

vespa.com.au

2024 Scrambler 1200 XE

$24,900



All prices are ride away

Rocket 3 R

$34,450



Primavera 50

$6490



Rocket 3 GT

$35,850



Primavera 125 i-Get

$7690



$8549



MT-07 LAMS

$13,549



MT-07 HO

$14,449



YZF-R3

TESTED
VOL 71
NO 22

WEB HOT!
Check out the website
for the latest reviews at

amcn.com.au

BIKE SPOTLIGHT
MV AGUSTA

F3 RR
ENGINE
POWER
TORQUE
WEIGHT
PRICE

798cc Inline triple
108kW (45hp) @ 13,000rpm
88Nm at 10,100rpm
165kg (dry, claimed)
$41,990 (ride away)

“Looks are subjective
but I defy anyone
not to adore the
MV Agusta F3 RR”

BMW
R 1300 GS

experience counts.

Martin Leonhardt
Author, photographer,
speaker, world traveler
and adventurer

or
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o
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„N o matt I trust
Patagonia - to rcycle outfitter.“
the best mo

Panniers? Tick. Crash Bars? Tick.
We‘ve got everything that you‘ll need to
equip your new BMW R 1300 GS for true
adventures.
After all, equipping the best of BMW‘s
adventure bikes is what we‘ve been
trusted to do for more than 30 years
You can rely on Touratech being at the
forefront of design of all accessories.

ere!
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SHOP.touratech.com.AU

STROOTH! WITH JOHN ROOTH
“I ONLY NEEDED ONE BIKE, BUT SOMEHOW THAT
MORPHED INTO ONE FOR EVERY OCCASION”
THAT TIME OF year again, hey? Time to think about next year’s

plan once the festive fridge runs dry. Trouble is, with the pace
forced by Santa’s visit, time to think at this end of the year is as
rare as Trump’s truisms.
But not for me. Not this year anyway. No, I’ve been copping
new knees. That’s meant compulsory time out seeded with
mind-bending drugs. The result? Thinking time, and a new
plan for the New Year.
Problem is I’ve run out of room in the shed. A life spent
working for myself meant I bought plenty of bikes just because
I could. They were tax deductible, they were the super I never
had, they were… indulgences really. Every one seemed like
a great project in the making, then never got much beyond a
tickle to get them running, a couple of rides and then back to
the shed. I’m not alone here, am I?
The registered and ridden ones include a 2006 BMW R 1200 GS
and a 2012 Harley-Davidson Super Glide, the only ‘late model’
fuel-injected ones here. These two joined the force recently
after a lifetime of fuel-injection denial, and those, along with
the 2020 Suzuki DR650, get most of the riding time.
Who’d have thought it? In my world of home-spun
maintenance reliability and rideability were only a few recent
models away? I spent most of a lifetime pronouncing ‘if you
can’t fix it, you can’t ride it’ only to find the only one missing
out was me.
It’s as if getting new body bits made me get honest too. The
flower of youth, the strength and confidence in what’s to come,
it all faded when I realised 70 is only a couple of hills away. I’ve
got more bikes than time to ride them. Sure, I want to clock up
more miles while I can, but the GS, Super G and the DR pretty
much allow for that. The GS does anything in appliance-like
fashion, the Harley does most of it with a great soundtrack and
the DR? Hell, there ain’t nothin’ a DR can’t do! Plus it’s great
around town since the Pirellis went on…
Those three stay. But something has to go because the more

clutter in the shed, the more clutter in my brain. I remember
telling Karen I only needed one bike, but somehow that
morphed into one for every occasion. What I needed was
filters, a sorting process. Keep the ones with value, even if the
value is in memories.
So my ’84 Harley ‘Ruby’ will be staying because she
represents the days spent collecting yarns for Live to Ride
magazine before the bikie culture devolved into crims in
gyms. Hell, I only have to fire Ruby up to bring back memories
I can’t even mention to the wife, let alone you lot.
There’s the Matchless I got my licence on. It needs a rebuild
but still goes well enough that my sons learnt to ride on it
around the yard. That’s heritage, or something. Like ‘Hilda’,
the BMW R 60 that’s been part of the family since 1974.
So I can’t sell the old German for reasons to do with loyalty
but I can sell the 1996 BMW R 100 LT because it doesn’t
get ridden any more. Having spent a fortune on Öhlins
suspension, twin-plug heads and a drivetrain recon to build
an incredible distance bike, it can’t hold a candle to the GS for
mile-eating prowess. It can go, along with the three old trials
bikes rusting up the back and the first-model Suzuki GSX-R750.
The TY250, 350 and TL125 were bought when I figured at
this end of life I’d go post-classic trials riding. Nice, simple,
probably involving a few beers in the pits and too slow to
break old bones. But I’m old now and modern bikes means not
giving up the road, so they can go.
The GSX-R was a gift from a mate who’d run out shed
space. I’d promised a resto but now I’m wondering why. Knee
scraping’s not on the new agenda. Nope, I’ll sell it and give his
kids the money. Buy a few schooners at the karmic bar.
Phew, so along with a couple of busted R 65s – I was going
to build a bobber but don’t have enough hair left for the bun
– there’ll be six bikes on the market next year. That’ll free up
more time for what’s really important.
Yep, more riding. Bring on 2024!

amcn.com.au

139

1

2

1

3

4

140

amcn.com.au

1. The Tom Edwards talent show
was on full display at Spain’s
round of WSBK at Catalunya
in May where he was the WSS
Challenge winner in Race Two.
He also qualified fourth as a
wildcard in the WSSP round and
finished 14th and 11th
2. Edwards at Portimao in
Portugal for the September
round of the championship
3. Soaking up that winning
feeling at Catalunya
4. Algarve International Circuit
at Portimao is one track that
Edwards reckons race fans
should put on their bucket list
to go and watch

REVOLVING RACER. WITH TOM EDWARDS
“THAT OVERALL EXPERIENCE MEANT I WAS
WELL PREPARED FOR MY ROOKIE WORLD
SUPERSPORT SEASON”
I’VE JUST returned home to Newcastle after completing my

rookie year in the Supersport World Championship, living and
working with Mandy Kainz and the Yamaha Austria Racing
Team (YART).
I was planning on racing ASBK in 2022 with Bikebiz, but an
opportunity to test with YART in Spain popped up at the start of
that year. They were really happy with the test and we decided
to take it further. Mandy gave me a place to stay, plus back
home in Australia I had just completed my apprenticeship as a
motorcycle mechanic, so I was able to work during the week in
the YART workshop.
In 2022 we didn’t have an official World Supersport entry, so
we just did wildcards where possible. This season we competed
in the European Challenge Cup, which is set up for teams that
want to get started in Supersport without the added pressure or
expense of the flyaway rounds.
YART always puts in the effort to prepare one of the best
bikes on the grid at every race and I was always really happy
with it. Supersport has changed now with the inclusion of the
Ducati V2 and, if you look at the results for Yamaha, Stefano
Manzi was always up the front battling with Nicolo Bulega.
From my perspective he had to work so much harder to stay
with the Ducati. I felt like the V2 definitely had an edge.
We’ve had some really good sessions on the bike this season
and qualifying was a definite strong point, in particular
picking up fourth in Barcelona and sixth at the final round
at Portimao. We finished in P11 and P12 for the Portimao
races, which left us in second place for the World Supersport
Challenge Cup.
I really like Portugal as a country and the Portimao track.
It’s so different to any other circuit. The first time you ride

an out lap, with the blind corners and undulations, you don’t
know if you’re going left or right! You can watch it on TV, but
until you’re there in person it’s hard to appreciate. If I was a
spectator, that is the one round I’d be wanting to go watch live.
Previously, I had completed a few seasons in World
Supersport 300 and I often get asked what I think about that
series. There are guys who have made a career racing in
300s, but I feel the biggest benefit is the time you spend in the
paddock… talking to different people, speaking the different
languages, becoming familiar with how the schedule runs,
the technical checks and all the other little things involved in
competing in a world championship.
That overall experience meant I was well prepared for my
rookie World Supersport season, it really helped take those
first-time nerves away. I’ve also been able to cut some laps
on the YART Superbike, so I’ve had enough seat time to feel
comfortable to make the step up when the time comes.
Another huge highlight was eloping last year with my wife,
Keisha! We thought it was the right thing to do for us and it’s
been great having her here with me. She does so much behind
the scenes that a lot of people don’t see, all while juggling her
own work in marketing.
YART winning the World Endurance Championship means it
has a renewed focus on endurance racing for 2024, and we’ve
decided to part ways after a fantastic two years. It is totally
amicable and we remain great friends. Throughout the year
I’ve progressed a lot and I really can’t thank Mandy enough for
the opportunity and everything the team has done for me.
For now, I’ve got news almost ready to drop for 2024. It looks
like I’ll remain in the world championship. I’m just finalising
particulars and can’t wait to share the news.

amcn.com.au

141

d
n
u
o
s
e
Th

n
o
i
s
s
a
p
f
o

Exhaust system for

KAWASAKI Z400 2020
Slip-On Line ( Titanium) / With EC/ECE t ype approval

Experience race-proven performance and feel the power of sound! With impressive durability, visionary design, and
uncompromising quality born from almost thirty years of racing success, exquisite workmanship, and technological
expertise, an Akrapovič exhaust system is a perfect fit for your motorcycle.

GAS IMPORTS
61 Wright Rd, Keilor Park VIC, Australia 3042
www.gasimports.com.au / marketing@gasimports.com.au / +613 8331 0300

GENERAL WARNING Because of the world-wide distribution of Akrapovič d.d. products, neither Akrapovič d.d. nor any of its subsidiaries make any representation that the products comply with the air and/or noise emissions laws, or labeling laws, of any jurisdiction. The
purchasers are entirely responsible for informing themselves of the applicable laws where the products are to be used and to comply with those law. CALIFORNIA WARNING California laws prohibit the use of any aftermarket exhaust part or system that modifies, removes
or replaces original equipment catalysts unless the California Air Resources Board has issued an Executive Order regarding such part or system or unless the part or system is exempted by being used only on racing vehicles on closed courses. Neither Akrapovič d.d. nor
any of their subsidiaries make any representation that any of their parts or systems has received such an Executive Order or that any of their parts or systems conform with the racing vehicles exemption. The purchasers are entirely responsible for informing themselves
of applicable California laws and to comply with those laws. USA WARNING Various U.S. states and the U.S. federal government have individual laws regulating the use of aftermarket exhaust parts and systems, especially as those parts and systems modify, remove, or
replace original equipment catalysts. Please consult the appropriate laws in your area before installing any aftermarket part or system on your vehicle to ensure compliance with all applicable laws. Neither Akrapovič d.d. nor any of their subsidiaries or the sellers of the parts
or systems make any representation that any of their parts or systems comply with any such laws.

IN PIT LANE. WITH MICHAEL SCOTT
“EVEN THE BEST OF THE DUCATI INCUMBENTS
MIGHT BE HAVING SLEEPLESS NIGHTS”
IT WAS AN epic MotoGP season. More than double the number

of races led to more than double the excitement (and more than
double the amount of injuries); while the new format kept the
title open until the last of a record 20 races.
Season 2024 champion Pecco Bagnaia was better over fulllength races, and had they been all that counted would have
tied up the title long before. But explosively fast challenger
Jorge Martin was better at the all-action Sprints, and the points
he racked up there kept him in contention.
It can hardly escape the attention that the biggest winner
was Ducati. Factory staff pretended that they cared whether
their own rider Bagnaia won out over satellite rider Martin
– who they had rejected in favour of the often-injured Enea
Bastianini. But they didn’t really mind. Ducati won anyway.
And came third (Marco Bezzecchi) and fifth (Johann Zarco)
as well, with only pesky South African Brad Binder on the
equally pesky KTM pushing himself into fourth.
It was a Ducati year. KTM hadn’t improved quite enough; last
year’s challenging Aprilias faltered somewhat. And Japan Inc,
in the form of Honda and Yamaha, floundered embarrassingly.
It sets the scene for 2024. But with one massive spoiler. Even
the best of the Ducati incumbents might be having sleepless
nights this winter. For next year the best rider of the past
decade will also be on a Desmosedici.
Marc Marquez’s farewell to Honda at Valencia was a fittingly
spectacular last dance for a legend. Not Sunday’s looping
terminal crash, Marc’s unenviable and record-setting 29th this
year, but Saturday’s sprint podium… his 102nd on a Honda,
achieved the only way he knew how: bucking the odds.
“You know me,” he smiled dangerously, after proving an
uncompetitive bike on a narrow, one-line track to be no
drawback. Marc barged through from ninth on the grid to

third by the end of the first lap. The ‘thank-you and goodbye’
to Honda closed off 11 remarkable years. Six championships in
the first seven, and then four years when the wheels gradually
fell off. It was the bike that failed him. His fateful 2020 crash
came while trying, as usual, to exceed the possible. His worse
mistake, in his own words, was coming back a week after his
broken arm had been plated. Only late last year, after four
operations, was it mended.
Marc must also share the blame for the RC213V losing its
way. Instead of being able to improve it, his genius masked its
problems. That final crash drew down the curtain. Two days
later, it opened again on an altogether new scenario.
Dressed in black leathers with striking red accents, Marc
made his first acquaintance with the Desmosedici GP23, that
had just won the championship.
Was he cautious? Did he take time to get familiar with an
all-new bike, like any sensible person would? Did he heck. On
his first outing, his first seven laps, he was already up to thirdfastest. Returning to his new pit crew in the Gresini-Ducati pit,
he took off his helmet and gave another wicked grin.
Of course he went out again and went faster still – at one
point topping the sheets. By the end of the day he’d been put
down to fourth by the last GP’s polesitter Maverick Vinales’
Aprilia, Binder again and Bezzecchi, who claimed top Ducati
honours by less than one tenth of a second.
New champion Bagnaia was half a second slower.
It’s only testing, of course. And Marc is just one of a crowd
of Desmosedici riders. The rest of them, Bagnaia and Martin
included, should be feeling very uneasy.
It may be that the title winners between 2020 and 2023 were
just enjoying a break, an interregnum. Marc’s coming back.
And he didn’t leave Honda for a holiday.

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2023 SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
2023 SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Trio at the top… WSSP champion
Nicolo Bulega, WSBK champion
Alvaro Bautista and WSSP300
champion Jeffrey Buis
Inset: second placed Toprak
Razgatlioglu congratulates Bautista

ON REPEAT

Alvaro Bautista became the first rider to successfully
defend a WorldSBK crown since Carl Fogarty
REPORT GORDON RITCHIE + PHOTOGRAPHY GOLD&GOOSE

IT TOOK Ducati some time

in WorldSBK to overcome
the upstarts from Aprilia,
Kawasaki and Yamaha after
Carlos Checa had become
champ in what was a magical
2011 season for him and his
1098R. Last year’s clear title
win was therefore especially
significant for Ducati and
Alvaro Bautista, particularly
after the calamity of 2019’s
unexpected title race failure.
Winning it this year was
an arguably more significant
and yet more predictable
achievement, in front of a
slightly different backdrop
compared to 2022.
How so was this, when the
big players were all the same

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big players, and basically in
the same teams?
For starters, this year
was a fight between only
two riders - Bautista and
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata
Yamaha Prometeon). Ducati
had a slightly better new
homologation V4 R for 2023,
Razgatlioglu had a largely
similar YZF-R1, but Jonathan
Rea’s chances of even being
in the mathematical hunt
were crushed early on by
small changes to his new
homologation Ninja. Plus,
significant changes in his
background electronic lineup meant man and machine
took some time to mesh, and
although they did, by then

Bautista and Razgatlioglu
were long gone.
The last thing Razgatlioglu
needed in his working life
was a more rounded and even
faster Ducati to deal with, but
that’s what he faced… even
if the Ducati was penalised –
twice – by a mandatory drop of
250rpm in its peak revs.
It took a retirement after
a crash from Bautista to let
Toprak secure his first (sprint)
win of the year, at Round 2 in
Mandalika. It took him until
Donington Park and Round
7 to win another. His first
feature race win came one
round later at Imola, helped in
part by Bautista crashing out.
The short story of the title

fight is that Bautista won 27
races to Razgatlioglu’s seven,
with one each for Rea and
Bautista’s teammate Michael
Ruben Rinaldi.
The addendum to that total is
that Bautista had three crashes
that can be fairly called his
own fault. Razgatlioglu had
two crash-induced non-scores,
though neither could be called
his fault.
The most remarkable
thing to take away from the
season, given those statistics,
is that the championship still
went all the way to the final
weekend. It only took until
the first race of a surprise
final Jerez weekend (after
Argentina bailed on its
commitment to host its round)
for Bautista to be crowned for
the second time in succession.
But even if you awarded
full points to Toprak for his
two blameless non-scores,
he would have finished the
season 26 points behind
Bautista, who was on another
level in 2023.

TICK-TOCK-TECH

GREAT PRETENDERS
EXACTLY 12 months ago in these hallowed pages, we wondered where WorldSBK’s
next big force was coming from. There were some new candidates, such as
GYTR GRT Yamaha teammates former Moto2 world champ Remy Gardner and
double WorldSSP champion Dominique Aegerter.
Well, the podium count in 2023 was pleasingly broad, even if the three terrors
still dominated. Toprak scored 33 podiums, Alvaro 31 and Rea a final total of 18 that
looked highly unlikely at one early stage.
Rinaldi popped in with nine (before getting fired), Andrea Locatelli took eight on
his official Yamaha, Danilo Petrucci scored three in his rookie Barni Spark Ducati
season, Axel Bassani (eventual Independent Rider Champion again) secured two.
As did Aegerter. The oft en injured Alex Lowes got one, as did HRC Honda rider
Xavi Vierge.
So, once again, no rider made the step required to challenge the big three. The
diff erentials behind the top three show how wide the gap still is (amplified by
having three races per weekend every weekend, of course).
Bautista finished 76 points ahead of Razgatlioglu and a gigantic 256 ahead of
Rea. Locatelli was 301 points behind the champ, Rinaldi 377, Bassani 379, Petrucci
400, Aegerter 465 and Gardner some 472 points in arrears.

DESPITE THE application of
the current rpm balancing rules,
not once but twice, Bautista’s
clear advantage in too many
areas precipitated a night of the
technical long knives at the final
round, leading to a host of new rule
interventions for 2024. They range
from fuel-load reductions to the
supposed key element of combined
weight limits. The problem for the
Bautista-bashers is that the more
we dig into the new weight rules,
the more it was realised that there
was only going to be a relatively
small increase for that hyper-light
Ducati rider.
Maybe in 2025, when the next
initiative of measuring fuel flow will
become a true performance limiting
regulation, we will finally be able to
legislate for all possible corner-exit
scenarios. The existing rules can
largely do that already, of course,
with only Bautista’s unique blend of
skills and physical characteristics
digging up holes in the otherwise
level playing field.

DEFLATION OF
THE YEAR
RAZGATLIOGLU pulled out one of
his mesmeric displays of outbraking
and sheer willpower in Race 2 at
Autodrom Most. He had passed
Bautista inside and out to negate the
Ducati’s acceleration advantage.
Just as he seemed to have gained
a decisive upper hand towards the
final few laps, his rear tyre blew
out spectacularly, throwing him off
in a very weird highside. Although
missed on video, still photos proved
that the rear tyre had instantly
deflated, just as he really tapped on
the power.

RACE OF THE
YEAR AWARD

CLASH OF THE YEAR
AGAIN, A few candidates, but the red-on-red clatt ering of Michael Ruben Rinaldi
by his own teammate Alvaro Bautista at Magny Cours was a particularly dramatic
one. Lining up a pass into a tight right, the two riders ahead of him (Razgatlioglu
and Rinaldi) were not where Bautista initially expected them to be. Not by the time
he got down the gearbox at least. He tried to miss but he hit his teammate Rinaldi,
who crashed. Bautista didn’t, carried on and finished second in the Superpole race.
Some penalty coming aft erwards, surely? No, nothing.

WE NEVER thought that the
two Sunday all-time great race
candidates at Portimao, Bautista
and Razgatlioglu, would be beaten
until we went to our unscheduled
final stop at Jerez. I mean, especially
in the final race (with privateer
YZF-R1 rider Dominique Aegerter well
in the mix), the passes that Toprak
and Alvaro put on each other multiple
times were rocket fuel for the
senses. Never have so many sat on
the edges of so many seats with such
anticipation than during the final
moments of the final race of 2023.
Let's hope 2024 is as exciting.

FFS OF THE YEAR
TWO MAIN candidates. Toprak
having almost certain race wins
taken from him on the final corner
at Portimao, simply because of
power-to-weight factors for Alvaro
and Ducati, got the neutral and TV
fans’ anger amps turned up to 11. The
green paint that Toprak strayed on to
in the final corner of the last race of
the year, causing him to lose an epic
contest he had ‘won’ against all the
odds, ignited many fans’ rage levels
to all-out conflagration.

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SEASON WRAP. 2023 WORLDSSP SEASON WRAP
2023 WORLDSSP SEASON WRAP

OUR ’STRAYANS

Remy Gardner

Anything was possible
for WorldSBK ‘rookie’
Gardner, especially
in a factory team in
all but name. A tough
first season with some
highlights. Remy ended
up ninth overall, aft er fourth
place personal bests at Portimao
and Jerez, and third in Superpole
qualifying at Most.

MASTERS OF THE
DESMOVERSE
Ducati stuck another red flag into a new territory in 2023,
winning the title with the Panigale V2 and Nicolo Bulega
REPORT GORDON RITCHIE + PHOTOGRAPHY GOLD&GOOSE

SMALL BUT important tech
changes/allowances for the
Ducati V2 at the start of this year
turned the ‘little’ Panigale into
the largely dominant machine it
threatened to be in 2022.
The proof of this was
twofold; firstly, Nicolo Bulega
– who didn’t win a single race
in 2022 despite being in the
full-factory Aruba.it Ducati

squad – won 16 races from 24
this time around; and recorded
10 Superpole qualifying ‘wins’
from 12 attempts.
He amassed 503 points over
the season, which is an average
of almost 21 points per race
(no sprint races, remember).
Ducati had never won the title
in this class, even in the days of
the 748/749, but it won the guts

SIX ON THE BEACH
IF THE WorldSSP ‘Next Generation’
rules from a couple of years back
were designed to encourage more
manufacturers into the class, they
continued to work as planned in 2023.
Yamaha still had the most potent ‘Last
Generation’ bike, with Yamaha riders
of all hues scoring 22 podiums.
Honda, via Midori Moriwaki’s
Petronas MIE Racing team, fielded
recent BSB champ Tarran Mackenzie
and Adam Norrodin, from Malaysia,
on slightly revamped CBR600RRs.
Not revamped enough in the engine
department, but at a wet-dry/wet-dry/
damp-dryish/pure-mental Autodrom
Most, Mackenzie took an otherwise
unlikely win.
Honda made it six competing

out of it in 2023. Second proof
of dominance was Federico
Caricasulo, who secured a
Ducati victory for the Althea
team as part of his sevenpodium total. Yari Montella
(Barni Spark) also sprayed some
Prosecco around, five times
in all. Ducati riders combined
reserved 33 podium places.
It was not all Panigale all the
time of course, as the balancing
rules were only slightly off in
2023. Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate
Yamaha) rode as hard and as
well as anybody ever has to
take four race wins and second
overall. There were also firsttime WorldSSP wins for Tarran
Mackenzie (Honda), Can Öncü
(Kawasaki) and Bahattin
Sofuoglu (MV Agusta).

Oli Bayliss
A mid-season injury
at Donington saw
Oli’s season almost
wiped out from then
on. Unfortunate in
all ways, it halted
his progress inside his
new D34G team for 2023.
Missing literally half the races of the
season makes an overall 22nd in the
championship not too bad.

Tom Edwards
The YART Yamaha rider
was second in the
European-races-only
WorldSSP Challenge
championship-withina-championship. He
finished 21st overall,
despite not racing in three whole
rounds of the series – the two
‘fl yaway’ races and Jerez.

Luke Power
The Victorian found
the jump in level
as tough as others
had predicted but
he stuck at the task
on his Motozoo ME AIR
Kawasaki, scoring a point
in Race 2 at Imola. He’s back with
Motozoo, but on an MV Agusta.

DOUBLE DUTCH
manufacturers, all of whom proved
podium capable. Despite what was
acknowledged to be a small advantage
for the Ducati riders, all the other
major manufacturers, bar one, scored
a race win or more. Yamaha took four
via Manzi, Kawasaki one via Can Öncü,
MV Agusta one via Bahattin Sofuoglu.

DUTCH RIDER Jeffrey Buis became the first rider to win the
WorldSSP300 Championship twice since the WorldSBK feeder
class was introduced back in 2017.
The MTM Kawasaki rider was pushed for the eight-round,
16-race series by Accolade Smrz Racing BGR Kawasaki rider José
Luis Pérez Gonzaléz who, in the end, only missed out on the title by
seven points. Buis was in a commanding 22-point lead entering the final
race of 2023 but a clever – or perhaps nervy – ride saw the Dutchman cross
the line in 11th place while Gonzales put in his best performance of the year to
score his maiden victory, only to be demoted one spot for irresponsible riding.

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147

2023 MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
1. Bands of love for the sport… three rings signify three world titles for Pecco Bagnaia
2. Rivals Jorge Martin and Bagnaia rose above the vitriol to end the year on gentlemanly terms

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

1

2

IMPECCABLE!

A championship won through a measured, patient and calculated approach
REPORT NEIL MORRISON + PHOTOGRAPHY GOLD&GOOSE

HALFWAY THROUGH this season

it was fair to say 2023 wasn’t
shaping up to be much of a
year. Despite DNFs, Francesco
Bagnaia had streaked into
a commanding lead in the
championship. Ducati was
decimating the opposition week
after week. And, with the odd
exception, the racing hadn’t
been up to much, with advances
in aerodynamics and a front
tyre unable to cope making
overtaking tough and dulling
the spectacle.
Yet from mid-September, the
most unexpected occurred:
Bagnaia faltered, crashing out
on the first lap at Barcelona,
and narrowly avoiding a
sickening leg break. And
satellite runner Jorge Martin
began the run of his life,
racking up two wins from
three. Within four weekends,

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the pair were near level on
points. Eventually the season
culminated in a fantastic title
battle when the momentum
swung between the pair almost
by the session.
Boasting the most drastic
schedule shake up in its
75-year history, MotoGP in 2023
was always going to be a year
of adaptation. Riders had to
contend with a half-distance
Sprint race each Saturday,
while there was one less
session to prepare. Competition
was fiercer than ever.
And with the risk of an extra
start and first corner each
weekend, the injury list piled
up. Nine of the grid’s 22 fulltime entrants missed at least
one race while they healed.
Bar the opening Sprint race
in Portugal, the complete grid
wasn’t present at any of the

year’s 40 races. Quite amazing!
Ducati’s domination – it
scored an insane 700 points
from an available 728 in the
Constructors Championship –
was matched by the plight of
the Japanese manufacturers,
who managed just 381 points
between them. It had never
been this bad for Honda and
Yamaha, with respective lead
riders Marc Marquez and
Fabio Quartararo out of the
title race from the start. Their
early campaigns were beset
by disillusionment at how far
their factories had fallen.
In Germany, not a single
Japanese machine finished
inside a premier-class top 10 for
the first time since September
1969. While both Marquez
and Quartararo rallied in the
autumn, showing their class
along the way, the former’s

decision to depart Honda was
as big a storyline as the hotly
contested title fight. A new
concessions system should aid
Japanese recovery in 2024.
Aprilia and KTM only
managed to challenge Ducati’s
might on occasion, with Brad
Binder vying for victory three
times in the final five outings.
Yet the season’s final triple
header cemented the fact
Ducati general manager Gigi
Dall’Igna and his hoard of eight
bikes are still years ahead of
the rest in electronics set-up,
aerodynamics and ride-height
devices.
While Bagnaia, Martin
and satellite Ducati’s Marco
Bezzecchi were the year’s chief
protagonists, the exhaustive
late season run of 10 races
in 13 weekends opened the
field up. Along came Johann
Zarco, Enea Bastianini and,
most surprisingly of all, Fabio
Di Giannantonio, to grab
victories, taking the different
number of race winners to
eight – a number which has
only been exceeded twice
(2016 and 2020) in 75 years of
premier class history.

RACE OF THE YEAR
The Thai Grand Prix. Fresh from two major screw-ups in
as many weeks, Jorge Martin offered up a performance
befitting a champion, as he righted the previous weekend’s
wrongs by conserving his rear tyre out front before going
toe-to-toe with Brad Binder in a thrilling finale, with the
ever-present Pecco Bagnaia menace looming behind. The
trio went at it for the final five laps with the year’s two title
contenders attempting to outdo each other (Bagnaia’s
around-the-outside two-in-one attempt, plus Martin’s
stoic last-lap defence anyone?) ensuring this will be
remembered as a classic for years to come.

MAN OF THE YEAR
Jorge Martin. Had it not been for the Spaniard’s late
season feats, Bagnaia would’ve cruised to a second
straight title with the minimum of fuss. Instead, he
pushed the reigning champ all the way in what was the
most entertaining title fight since 2017. At times his
riding verged on the sublime and, late in the year, he was
unrecognisable from the meek competitor in the early
races who couldn’t overtake. Only hubris (crash from a
three-second lead in Indonesia and the wrong tyre choice
in Australia) prevented him claiming the title. But with
some justification he could call himself the fastest rider in
the world in 2023.

THE ‘WAIT, WHAT?’ AWARD
Fabio Di Giannantonio, Qatar. I’ll be the first to admit I
didn’t think the Roman was up to the task. One season
and 13 races into his MotoGP career, ‘Diggia’ had just
two top-eight finishes to his name, while he was on a
year-old version of the grid’s best bike. Yet his lateseason turnaround, which included a thrilling third place
in Australia and a surprise maiden win at Qatar, didn’t
just win a host of new fans; it saved his MotoGP career.
Valentino Rossi no less was convinced he was deserving
of at least one more chance.

HAPLESS PERFORMANCE
AWARD

SURPRISE OF THE YEAR
Marc Marquez signing for Gresini Ducati. Even
now it’s hard to take in. The most successful
rider-manufacturer partnership in history (six
world titles, 59 wins and 101 podiums) ended
when HRC was unable to convince its hero that
the ship could be turned around, be it in technical
terms (disastrous Misano test) or manpower
(Shinichi Kokubu’s dismissal was a positive,
but replacement Shin Sato didn’t inspire
confidence). With KTM repeatedly stating there
was no place for the Catalan as long as they had
just four bikes on the grid, Marquez plumped for
a seat in Ducati’s third satellite team. This would
have been science fiction just a few years ago.

There is a case to be made for Honda management. But
instead I’ll plump for Joan Mir, whose 22nd place in the
world championship only tells half the story of his annus
horribilis. The Majorcan crashed 24 times, missed five
races through injury and managed to finish just six Sunday
races. Sure, the 2023 Honda RC213V was a dog. But he
scored six points fewer than Dani Pedrosa, who raced
just twice all year. Was this really the same rider who won
motorcycle racing’s top prize just three years before?

THE ‘TOUGH NUT’ AWARD
Pecco Bagnaia. Don’t let his softly spoken nature fool
you. The now three-time world champ is as tough as they
come. Never was this more evident than his reaction to a
horror highside at Barcelona, which led to Brad Binder’s
KTM running over his leg. Seven days on and the No 1 had
shrugged off the pain, scoring two crucial podiums at
Misano. In fact, he rode more often this year injured than
not. A crack to the talus bone in his right ankle, suffered
in a fast crash with Maverick Viñales in France, had him
competing below full fitness from Mugello to Austria. One
of several reasons why he was a fully deserving champion
for the second year running.

amcn.com.au

149

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SEASON WRAP. 2023 MOTO2 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
MOTO2 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
One of the sport's real
characters heads to the
main game next year.
Read our interveiw with
Pedro Acosta in
AMCN Vol 73 No 09

SAY-WHAT AWARD
OF ALL the excuses made for
crashing, being “too horny” was a
new one for even this tired, cynical
observer. The place was Indonesia.
Pedro Acosta had just wasted the
field, taking a seventh victory of the
year. And he was explaining why he had
almost immediately fallen out of the
weekend’s first session. It was also a
press conference when he playfully
berated the watching media for failing
to ask him, or fellow podium finishers
Aron Canet and Fermin Aldeguer, any
further questions. “What, do you
think we’re all just pieces of shit?” he
chided. It was a performance almost
as impressive as what he had just
served up on track; and indicated
MotoGP will be all the better for his
presence in 2024.

ACCOSTED!

Dominant and deserving, Pedro Acosta had it all in 2023
REPORT NEIL MORRISON + PHOTOGRAPHY GOLD&GOOSE

THIS WAS a season of

two halves. The first was
engrossing as two of racing’s
most exciting young talents,
Pedro Acosta and Tony
Arbolino, fought it out at
the top of the standings.
The second something of a
procession, as the Spaniard
went on a relentless podium
spree while the Italian came
unstuck. In the end, Acosta’s
title was a mere formality
while Arbolino went down
with a whimper.
Whatever way you look at
them, Acosta’s achievements
were stellar. He equalled the
record number of podiums
for a Moto2 campaign (14),

wrapped up the title with two
races to spare and became
the second-youngest rider in
history (19 years and 171 days)
to win the intermediate-class
crown. No wonder all who
worked with him spoke of a
rider destined for the very top.
Yet he wasn’t the only
teenager from Murcia in
Spain to be hailed as the
sport’s next big star. Fermin
Aldeguer’s late-season form
took the shine off Acosta’s
title triumph. His stiffer
Boscoscuro chassis, complete
with carbon-fibre swingarm,
was able to load Dunlop’s rockhard rear tyre better than
Acosta’s Kalex frame. Four

wins on the bounce saw him
jump from ninth to third in
the championship, and right to
the top of MotoGP teams’ wish
lists for 2025.
Unfortunately, it was a year
when the racing left much
to be desired. Aside from
contests in Austin, Holland,
England, Barcelona and Qatar,
excitement and overtaking was
few and far between. Too many
races were decided in the early
laps, with any drama petering
out soon after. Acosta’s
relentlessness was a factor. So
too were Dunlop’s rock-hard
spec tyres. Hopefully, a switch
to softer Pirellis will see a
different outcome next season.

STRESS-LESS
AWARD
SOMKIAT CHANTRA, Thailand.
Bogged down by the expectation of the
75,699 in attendance at his home race,
the rider with racing’s most famous grin
had a different approach for getting rid
of those pesky pre-race nerves.
“Coming to the track this morning,
everyone said to me, ‘Hey, you’re
winning today! At the start of the
warm-up lap I was nervous but
I screamed in my helmet– like
‘Arrrgghhh!’ – from the start line until
Turn 3 and after everything was okay!”
And it worked, with Chantra riding to
third that day.

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151

SEASON WRAP. 2023 MOTO3 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
MOTO3 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

OUR ’STRAYANS

Jack Miller, 11th overall

BASTARDS OF
THE YEAR

MASTERED!
Fierce, frenetic and eventually forced,
Masia took the spoils

ADRIAN FERNANDEZ and
Leopard Racing. Their antics in
Qatar weren’t prett y but, heavens
above, were they effective. Masia’s
pushing Sasaki off line was on the
limit. But his teammate rolling off
the throttle when in front of the
Japanese rider, forcing him to slow
down was outright dangerous –
sweet revenge after two members
from Sasaki’s team had attempted
to shake him up the previous year.
To top it all, the Leopard team was
completely unrepentant, basking
in their position as bastards of the
class. You had to hand it to them.
This was shithousery taken to a
whole new level. And this is elite
level motorsport after all, not
tiddlywinks.

REPORT NEIL MORRISON + PHOTOGRAPHY GOLD&GOOSE

NOT EVEN the highly successful

Leopard Honda squad
envisioned much success
during Moto3’s preseason.
A junior class development
freeze, brought into effect
in 2020 to curb costs in a
pandemic-affected world,
meant Honda’s chargers were
competing essentially on its
2019 bike with a few minor
tweaks. Beating the hoard of
Pierer Mobility Group machines
(12 KTMs, two Husqvarnas,
two GasGas machines and two
CFMotos) was a tall order.
But Jaume Masia was up for
the fight. So often a bottler
in promising positions, the
23-year-old was consistent in
the season’s first half before
a devastating late run that
brought about three wins and
six podiums. Dani Holgado led
the series from Round One to 14
before fading away. And Ayumu
Sasaki undoubtedly had the
speed, but lacked racecraft in
crucial moments, losing from
last-lap winning positions on

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seven out of eight occasions
through the year.
The Masia-Sasaki fight was
wonderfully poised heading to
the penultimate race in Qatar.
There, the Spaniard showed
he was prepared to ruffle the
feathers of his rival, twice
running him wide, before
his teammate happily played
running road block to dent
the Japanese rider’s hopes for
good. Somewhat forgotten
in the controversy: Masia’s
pitch-perfect close to the race,
claiming the title by winning
the race. Oh, and he’d been the
lone Honda fighting up front for
the majority of the year. This
one was deserved.
As ever, the competition was
fierce. Whether it was closeness
of competition (10 of the year’s
18 dry races were decided by
less than 0.1sec), or variety
(nine different winners, 16
different podium finishers and
seven different pole sitters) you
were after, Moto3 once again
delivered in spades.

SWITCHING FROM Ducati to KTM,
and an Italian mentality
to an Austrian one,
was always going
to take time. But
Miller caught the
watching world
off-guard with
some early-season
displays, including a
brilliant double podium at Jerez, and a
further Sprint top-three in Germany.
Any ups would surely be followed
by downs in what was a transitional
season. The Townsville native got
lost with a set-up change just before
the summer break, while he really
struggled when Michelin’s stiffer rear
tyre construction was brought into the
allocation in Austria, Indonesia and
Thailand. Yet he endeared himself to
the factory bosses with his working
method and positive attitude. Eleven
top-eight Sunday finishes from 20
wasn’t bad. And he so nearly ended
the season spectacularly, crashing
out of a 1.3sec with just nine laps to
go. Overall, Jack laid solid foundations
in his debut year, and should kick on
to greater heights aboard the everimproving RC16 in 2024.

Joel Kelso, 17th overall

REMEMBER THE
NAME AWARD
PEDRO ACOSTA may have won
the Moto3 World Championship at
the first time of asking in 2021 but
it could be argued David Alonso’s
rookie campaign this time around
was just as impressive. The series
was largely refined to Europe two
years before, with Acosta familiar
with most of them before that year.
Meanwhile the young Colombian
visited 10 of this year’s 20 tracks
for the first time this year. That he
finished third overall, won four races
and proved himself to be the coolest
of heads in epic multi-rider fights
bodes for a very bright future.

KELSO SAW all his
preseason momentum
smashed just after
the very first
race, an impact
which broke an
ankle, put him
out of the following
two races and on the
back foot for many more. So bad was
his year that at one point he was
contemplating a return to Australia
“to clean swimming pools”. But once
he had secured a spot on the 2024
Moto3 grid, the suffocating pressure
was lifted and his form returned. A
brilliant third at his home GP was just
the start. And from there, the 20-year
old was regularly contesting top-10
finishes. Often a good qualifier (four
front-row starts) and fast in the early
laps, improvements when racing on
used tyres should help him become
a regular podium contender in 2024.
A honed training schedule, which
includes more work on bigger bikes,
should give him that base.

Isle of Man TT
Festival Tours
On your own bike!

Photo credits to: Andre Phillipe De-Brissac Bernard

Now taking bookings
for the 20 TT



AUSSIES OVERSEAS
MOTOGP

WORLD SUPERBIKE /
SUPERSPORT
REMY GARDNER completed
his rookie season in World
Superbike with the GRT
Yamaha Team, finishing
ninth in the championship
and keeping his seat for
3
2024. Remy has rarely been
out of the points and finished the
season with a flurry of strong
results, including fourth at Jerez
and Portimao. At the post-season
Jerez test, Remy topped the
timing sheets which bodes
well for a strong 2024
WorldSBK season.
Australia had three riders
4
in the World Supersport
field for 2023, Tommy Edwards
(Yamaha Austria Racing Team), Luke
Power (Motozoo) and Oli Bayliss
(DG34). Tommy posted some
strong results and is all-but
confirmed to re-sign in the
series for 2024, Power did
enough to earn a berth on
5
an MV Agusta next year,
while a fully fit Bayliss will be
a determined rider next year, as
he returns for a second season with the
Italian-based Davide Giugliano-led DG34
Racing outfit.

1

FLYING THE FLAG
We whip around the globe and wrap up the seasons of our talented
Aussies who took on the world
REPORT MATT O’CONNELL + PHOTOGRAPHY AMCN ARCHIVES

THE SEASON started full of
promise for Jack Miller in
his factory KTM campaign,
with the highlight being a
podium at Jerez. Since then his
race finishes have been solid
top-10s with a spattering of
no-points finishes – the most
devastating coming at the final
round at Valencia, crashing
out of the lead. And judging
by Pedro Acosta’s quick and
early adaptation to the satellite
GasGas MotoGP machine, 2024
154

amcn.com.au

needs to be a ripper for the
experienced Aussie.
Joel Kelso raced in Moto3 for
the CFMoto factory team this
season. He had the pace to run
at the front but between some
crashes, bad luck and costly
errors, he failed to put the
results together he deserves.
Kelso has the grit and raw pace.
With just a little bit of luck that
potential can be converted to
points in 2024 with the BOE
Motorsports outfit.

2

AMA MOTOCROSS
THE LAWRENCE brothers' juggernaut

continued to rock the motocross world in
2023, with both delivering more titles for
Team HRC Honda. Younger brother
Jett completed a phenomenal
rookie season in the AMA Pro
Motocross 450 class, going
undefeated in the 17-round
series. Only two riders
6
have completed a season
undefeated – Ricky Carmichael
(2002, 2004 and 2005) and James
Stewart (2008) – propelling the 20-year-old
into rare company indeed. Remarkably,
Hunter went on to win the 250 class – the
fifth time Honda has won both classes and
the first time ever for siblings. Earlier in
the year Hunter had also claimed the
250SX East title, with Jett taking the 250SX
West crown.

1. Jack Miller and Joel Kelso showed true Aussie grit and determination to survive a difficult MotoGP and Moto3 season 2. Kelso was thrown a late-season lifeline for 2024 3. Remy Gardner
remains in WSBK for 2024 4. Tom Edwards showed real class in 2023 5. Injury shortened the season for Oli Bayliss but he didn't lose his seat with Ducati 6. The Lawrence brothers are rocking
AMA Motocross 7.Everygreen Jason O'Halloran faces a new BSB challenge with Kawasaki next year 8. Marianos Nikolis steps up to the World Junior GP series 9. Senna Agius hit another milestone
and was promoted to Moto2 10. Harrison Voight showed potential 11. Josh Hook started the Endurance season well but injury intervened 12. Toby Price came so close to winning Dakar and WRRC

7

BSB
JASON O’HALLORAN was the best
placed Aussie in BSB after a string of
late-season victories propelled him
back into title contention but, with the
dominance of the PBM Ducatis (and
OMG Yamahas), it wasn’t to be.
Following the disbandment of his
McAMS Yamaha team, the O’Show
now joins FS-3 Kawasaki for 2024.
Josh Brookes made the switch to the
FHO Racing BMW Motorrad team for
2023 and immediately reaped rewards
with victory at the Oulton Park season
opener. Front-running form continued,
but the pace to challenge for victories
eluded the team, eventually finishing
eighth in the standings. Brayden Elliott
made the switch to DAO Kawasaki
for 2023, riding most of the year in
Superstock before receiving a call-up to
the Superbike class, paving the way for
a full-time Superbike ride in 2024.

ASIA TALENT CUP
THERE WERE two Aussies taking part in the
Asia Talent Cup for 2023 with Marianos
Nikolis ending up best placed, finishing
10th overal. Nikolis produced his best
results at the final round at Qatar, taking
fourth in race one and eighth in race two.
Scoring points in all but four races, he
now steps up to the World Junior GP series
with the Estrella Galicia 0,0 Junior Team
in 2024. Levi Russo finished 15th in the
standings, scoring points in all but three
races with his best results coming at
Sepang with sixth in both events.

Ben Currie made the switch back to
BSB Supersport for 2023, joining the
Moto Rapido team on board a Ducati
V2. It was the first year BSB allowed
the V2 in Supersport and, after sorting
some initial teething problems, Currie
went on to dominate the season and
take the title. Tom Toparis made a
successful return to competition after
a few years of injury woes, this year
partnering with MacAdam Racing to
finish third in Supersport on a Yamaha
R6. Seth Crump continued with his
self-run team in Supersport, taking a
best finish of fifth at Donington.
Billy McConnell returned to the
Superstock 1000 ranks on board
the C&L Fairburn Properties Honda
Fireblade, recording several race
victories and finishing fifth in the
standings. Jacob Hatch scored several
podiums in Junior Superstock on his
way to ninth in the standings, including
his maiden BSB win at Oulton Park.

8

9

10

WORLD JUNIOR GP /
RED BULL ROOKIES

in Red Bull Rookies Cup, taking fifth in
the standings and scoring two podiums
along the way. Roulstone also impressed
in World Junior GP, finishing seventh in
the Moto3 standings with two podiums
– enough to earn him a call-up to the Red
Bull Ajo Moto3 squad in 2024.
Carter Thompson battled through his
maiden Rookies season to finish in 18th
while also competing in the European
Talent Cup for the AGR team while
Archie McDonald competed in the Stock
class, stringing together a consistent
year to finish fifth.

AFTER A STRONG season to finish second
in World Junior GP Moto2 in 2022, Senna
Agius returned to blitz the field in 2023,
scoring eight victories to steal the
crown with one round to spare. Harrison
Voight (Yamaha Stylobike Race Team)
took a podium on debut in the class
but, in his own words, the season went
downhill after that with many crashes,
eventually finishing 18th.
Jacob Roulstone had a breakout year

ENDURANCE WC

11

JOSH HOOK and his F.C.C. TSR Honda France

team started their EWC title defence
well by winning the Le Mans 24 Hours
and finishing second at the Spa 24 Hours.
However, during preparation for the
Suzuka 8 Hour event, Hook suffered an
accident in training where he dislocated
and broke his clavicle as well tearing
tendons and a bicep. After retiring the bike
at the season finale Bol d’Or 24 Hour, the
team finished in fourth place for the year.

RALLY

12

AFTER LEADING the final stage of the Dakar
Rally by 12 seconds, Toby Price finished
second to Kevin Benavides after missing
a series of waypoints. In the five-round
World Rally Raid Championship Price
finished second, this time to Kevin's
brother Luciano. Price will be saddling up
for his 10th Dakar in 2024 and his ninth
with the KTM factory team. The highlight
for Daniel Sanders was winning the Sonora
Rally in Mexico, his first ever Rally Raid
victory. Not long after, the GasGas rider
broke his right femur in a training crash.

amcn.com.au

155

SEASON WRAP. 2022 ENDURO

1. True grit… Danielle McDonald finished ahead of her mentor Jessica Gardiner in the main race
at the Women’s EnduroGP 2. Danielle also flew the flag in the International Six Days Enduro

OFF-ROAD

AORC
BOTH THE overall
and E2 Australian OffRoad Championship
honours went to
Yamaha’s Josh Green.
Cooper Sheidow (Yamaha) celebrated
E1 honours and KTM’s Riley McGillivra
the E3 division, while Jess Gardiner
and William Dennett celebrated the
Women and Junior spoils respectively.

MX DES NATIONS

1

SIX-DAYS
SENSATION

Junior 2023 Australian Motocross and Off-Road
titleholder Danielle McDonald made
a sensational debut on two continents
REPORT PETER WHITAKER + PHOTOGRAPHY AMCN ARCHIVES

TWO ROUNDS out from the
finale of the Junior Girl’s
division of the 2023 Australian
Off-Road Championship,
Danielle McDonald had already
successfully defended her 2022
title – along the way adding
the Junior MX title for her
perennial sponsors MXstore.
It was October and team
leader Jessica Gardiner was
heading to Portugal with the
slim hope of wresting the 2023
Women’s EnduroGP crown

from seven-time winner
Jane Daniels. Jess would be
accompanied by Danielle who,
with no Aussie commitments
likely to be affected, was
there to get some first-hand
experience of combat on
foreign soil.
Jessica had to settle for
second in the Women’s
championship, however both
Danielle’s EnduroGP rides
proved exceptional, with
sixth in the Supertest and
2

fourth in the main event; one
place ahead of her mentor
and above a score of seasoned
competitors.
For some months before
their European escapade
Jessica, Danielle and US-based
Tayla Jones had been working
around the clock raising funds
in order to represent Australia
in the International Six Days
Enduro to be held in San Juan
Argentina. Thanks largely
to Motorcycling Australia,
backing by MXstore and a lot of
hard yakka, they made it.
A fall and a dislocated
shoulder took Tayla out of the
ISDE on Day Three, costing
Australia any chance of
winning the Women’s World
Trophy so Jessica and Danielle
battled on for individual
honours. As expected, former
ISDE champion Jessica won
many special tests, however it
was a jaw-dropping moment
when 16-year-old rookie
Danielle won Day Five outright,
then led the Day Six motocross
until checked by a backmarker.
Taking nothing away from
individual champion Brandy
Richards, or the USA Women’s
Trophy Team winners, it was
a sensational performance
from Danielle (deemed too
young to contest the A4DE) to
take second place outright and
finish top-20 overall in the E1
(250) category.

AFTER reconsidering retirement,
newly-crowned 2023 Australian
motocross champion Dean Ferris
joined expats and American MX
champions Jett and Hunter Lawrence
at the 2023 MX des Nations in France.
The Aussies scored our best-ever
result of second, but lacked the pace
to beat the home team in front of a
partisan crowd.

HATTAH
HEROES
TAKING A break
from the American
Grand National
Cross Country series,
sand specialists Mason
Semmens and Jack Simpson took on
the Hattah Desert Race regulars. The
carpetbaggers scored a quinella,
picking up enough prizemoney to
continue campaigning in the USA.

ENDURO GP
FACTORY RIDERS Daniel Milner (TM)
and Wil Ruprecht (Sherco) had a hohum year in EnduroGP, rarely cracking
a podium. Both were happy to see old
mate and 2022 AORC winner Kyron
Bacon compete in the last round of the
European series in Portugal. However
it may have been dispiriting to see him
finish sixth outright on a borrowed
Yamaha and clinch the 250cc win.

A4DE
JONTE REYNDERS
scored Sherco’s
maiden victory
at Queensland’s
Motorsport Park, and
followed it up with a
tightly contested win in the
Australian Four Day Enduro, capping
the year off with a clean sweep of the
final rounds of the 2023 AORC.

amcn.com.au

157

SEASON WRAP. SPEEDWAY

1. Disqualification from one of the rounds nearly cost Bartosz Zmarzlik the world speedway title
2. Jack Holder's performances in the heat races provided the foundation for his Senior Solo title
3. Tom Drane came second in the USA flat-track series 4. Max Whale finished fifth overall

SPEEDWAY
2

FOUR FOR BART
The 2023 SGP went down to the wire

REPORT PETER BAKER + PHOTOGRAPHY AMCN ARCHIVES

POLISH RIDER Bartosz Zmarzlik

won a fourth world speedway
championship, taking him
until the final race in the
final round to wrap the 2024
Speedway Grand Prix series.
Zmarzlik was clearly the
best rider, winning five of
the 10 rounds. He was third
twice, fourth once and made
the semis in another but was
disqualified from the Danish
round for a race suit that did
not conform to regulations so
only beat Fredrik Lindgren at
the season finale.
For the trio of Australians it
was a frustrating year, often
just coming up short of a semifinal berth, or transferring to
the final. Jack Holder had his
best year. Sadly two seconds
and three thirds did not make
the most of his five final
appearances. He missed one
round with an injured wrist
suffered in the Speedway
1

World Cup, which proved
crucial as he just fell short of
third place.
Jason Doyle dropped to
eighth in a season marred by
falls and start infringement
warnings, a second placing his
only finish in four finals. He
returns in 2024 after winning
the Challenge Meeting.
Max Fricke finished one
place below Doyle overall
after failing to progress from
any of his five semi-final
appearances, and he is only
first reserve for 2024.
The triennial Speedway
World Cup produced the
closest of finals with Australia
certainly not disgraced in
finishing fourth with our SGP
trio joined by Jaimon Lidsey
and Holder.
In Under 21 competition
Poland continued to dominate
at both individual and team
level, while Australian

Keynan Rew placed fourth in
the SGP2 series after being
still a possible winner of
the title deep into the third
and final round. Australia
also finished fourth in the
Speedway of Nations 2 with
Rew spearheading the scoring
with James Pearson and Tate
Zischke.
There were good signs from
Under 16 competitions as
Australian riders ventured
overseas showcasing some
of the enormous talent that
is progressing through the
junior speedway ranks.
In the Youth World
Championship (SGP3) Mitchell
McDiarmid, Beau Bailey and
Alex Adamson all finished
midfield in the final. Even
better, in the Speedway Youth
World Cup (SGP4) Cooper
Antone and Kobi Canning
finished second and fourth
respectively.

ON HOME SOIL
THE STRONGEST line-up for
several years contested the Senior
Solo Championship where it was a
milestone moment for Jack Holder.
He won for the first time based on
big points hauls in his heats even
though he won only one of the four
finals. Former champions Jason
Doyle and Max Fricke completed
the rostrum.
Remember the names of the
champions Michael West (Under 21),
Beau Bailey (Under 16 250cc) and Ky
Mitchell (Under 16 125cc), the latt er
then partnering Cory Van Elswyk to
win the Under 16 teams.
In the sidecars Mark Plaisted/Ben
Pitt won the Australian championship
for a third straight time.
There was an unusual situation
when none of the fi ve class winners
at the Australian Track Championship
could win that class at the Dirt Track
Championships.
Teenage riders stood out, but there
was a pleasing first ever national title
win for Daniel Wicks.

OVERSEAS
SPEEDWAY AGAIN provided a huge
contingent of riders competing in
league competitions in the UK and
on the Continent. There were some
league successes, and the
majority of Aussie riders
seem to have furthered
their careers in 2023.
Results in American
flat track have become
3
increasingly significant
for Australian fans due to
the eff orts of Tom Drane
and Max Whale in the
AMA Flat Track Singles.
Drane finished second
in his first full season,
4
winning four rounds, while
Whale won one round and
finished fi fth overall. Jarred Brook
finished sixth in his first att empt at
the Flat Track World Championship.

amcn.com.au

159

HONOUR ROLL. 2023 CHAMPS LIST
WORLD CHAMPIONS
ROAD RACING
MotoGP
Moto2
Moto3
MotoE
Superbike
Supersport
Supersport 300
Endurance

Sidecar rider
Sidecar passenger

Francesco Bagnaia
Pedro Acosta
Jaume Masia
Mattia Casadei
Alvaro Bautista
Nicolo Bulega
Jeffrey Buis
Niccolò Canepa
Marvin Fritz
Karel Hanika
Todd Ellis
Emmanuelle Clement

Italy
Spain
Spain
Italy
Spain
Italy
Netherlands
Italy
Germany
Czech Republic
Great Britain
France

Ducati
KTM
Honda
Ducati
Ducati
Ducati
Kawasaki
Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha

Toni Bou
Toni Bou
Emma Bristow
Billy Green
George Hemingway

Spain
Spain
Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain

Honda
Honda
Sherco
Scorpa
Beta

Steve Holcombe
Josep Garcia
Steve Holcombe
Brad Freeman
Jane Daniels
Jed Etchells
Kevin Cristino
Billy Bolt
Manuel Lettenbichler
Luciano Benavidas
Kevin Benavides

Great Britain
Spain
Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain
Italy
Great Britain
Germany
Spain
Spain

Beta
KTM
Beta
Beta
Fantic
Fantic
Fantic
Husqvarna
KTM
Husqvarna
KTM

TRIALS
Trial GP
X-Trail
Women
Trial 2
Trial 3

ENDURO
GP
E1
E2
E3
Women’s
Junior
Youth
Super Enduro
Hard Enduro
Rally Raid
2023 Dakar Rally

1
2

3

SPEEDWAY
Solo
Solo Under 21
Youth
Long Track
Flat Track
Ice

Bartosz Zmarzlik
Mateusz Cierniak
Rasmus Karlsson
Martin Smolinski
Ervin Krajčovič
Martin Haarahiltunen

Poland
Poland
Sweden
Great Britain
Czech Republic
Sweden

5

MOTOCROSS
MXGP
MX2
Women's
Sidecarcross rider
Sidecarcross passenger
Junior 85cc
Junior 125cc
Snowcross

Jorge Prado
Andrea Adamo
Courtney Duncan
Marvin Vanluchene
Nicolas Musset
Dani Heitink
Mathis Valin
Aki Pihlaja

Spain
Italy
New Zealand
Belarus
France
Netherlands
France
Finland

GasGas
KTM
Kawasaki
VMC-Zabel
VMC-Zabel
Husqvarna
GasGas
Lynx

Germany
Great Britain

Suzuki
Honda

SUPERCROSS
WSX
SX2

Ken Roczen
Max Anstie

ISDE
World Trophy
United States
Women’s World Trophy United States
Junior World Trophy
France

160

amcn.com.au

DES NATIONS
Motocross
Supermoto
Trials
Womens Trials
Speedway U21
Long Track
Speedway World Cup
Ice

France
France
Spain
Spain
Poland
Netherlands
Poland
Not held

1. Franceso Bagnaia joined
an exclusive club of MotoGP
champions
2. Brit Steve Holcombe won the
EnduroGP and E2 titles
3. Yamaha won the 2023
Endurance World Championship
4. Alvaro Bautista doubled up on
his WSBK titles

SUPERMOTO
Marc-Reiner Schmidt

Germany

TM

5. Mattia Casadei took out Mot oE

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONS

7

ROAD RACING
Superbike
Supersport
Supersport 300cc
R3 Cup
FIM MiniGP 160cc
FIM MiniGP 190cc

Troy Herfoss
Cameron Dunker
Marcos Hamod
Cameron Swain
Ricki Henry
Cameron Dunker

Honda
Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha
Ohvale
Ohvale

SPEEDWAY
Solo
Solo Under 21
Under 16 125cc
Under 16 250cc
Under 16 Team
Sidecar
Junior Sidecar

Jack Holder
Michael West
Ky Mitchell
Beau Bailey
Ky Mitchell / Cory van Elswyk
Mark Plaisted / Ben Pitt
Not held

8

9

TRIALS
Open Solo
Open Women
Open Junior
Junior Women

Kyle Middleton
Kaitlyn Cummins
Finn Pearce
Lucinda Cowan

TRRS
TRRS
Beta
Beta

Josh Green
Cooper Sheidow
Josh Green
Riley McGillivray
Jessica Gardiner
William Dennett
Chase Weston
Mitch Ford
Bradley Rayner
Riley Crimmins
Rohan Pumpa
Leigh Bentley
Jonte Reynders

Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha
KTM
Yamaha
Yamaha

10

ENDURO
4

6

Outright
E1
E2
E3
Women's
EJ
J1
J2
J3
J4
Veterans
Masters
A4DE

11

Sherco

SUPERCROSS
SX1
SX2
SX3

Dean Wilson
Max Anstie
Parker Ross

Honda
Honda
Honda

MOTOCROSS
MX1
MX2
MX3
MXW
YZ65 Cup

Dean Ferris
Wilson Todd
Byron Dennis
Charli Cannon
Blake Bohannon

Yamaha
Honda
GasGas
Yamaha
Yamaha

DIRT TRACK
6. Yet another for TrialGP title for
evergreen Toni Bou
7. Josh Green won the Australian
Outright Enduro and E2 titles
8. Grant Charnock won the 250cc
Australian Track Championship
9. Cameron Dunker is the 2023
Australian Supersport champion

MX Open
Pro 450
Pro 250
Womens
Dirt track sidecar

Daniel Wicks
Cody Lewis
Rory McQualter
Tayla Street
Corey Forde / Darren Fraudenstein

KTM
KTM
KTM
Yamaha
Kawasaki

OCEANIA CHAMPIONS
Oceania Junior Cup
Speedway

Bodie Paige
Adam Ellis

Australia
Great Britain

10. Dean Wilson won the Supercross SX1 title 11. Troy Herfoss took out
the 2023 ASBK championship on his Penrite Honda

amcn.com.au

161

YOUR FORTNIGHTLY FIX
ROUND 20 RICARDO TORMO CIRCUIT. SPAIN 24-26 NOVEMBER // 2023 MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
MOTOGP
1

KING HIT!

Bagnaia plays an ace card to vanquish Martin
REPORT NEIL MORRISON + PHOTOGRAPHY GOLD&GOOSE

FRANCESCO BAGNAIA (Lenovo

Ducati) is the 2023 MotoGP
world champion. And after a
ridiculous weekend, high on
drama, concluded with him
scoring a hard-fought victory
that was contested up until
the championship’s final
corner, not one of the 93,044
fans in attendance could say
he didn’t deserve it.
There were a few wobbles
over the course of a madcap
three days, as chief rival
Jorge Martin (Pramac Ducati)
attempted to get under his
skin on Friday before the
pressure was ramped up by
the Spaniard’s Sprint success
on Saturday.
Much as it has done in
the season’s final three
months, the championship
pendulum swung back and
forth between the two, almost
by the session. Yet once
again the 25-year old Italian
maintained his composure,
saving his best for Sunday.
After Saturday’s results,
2

Cracker Jack
“THE STORY of my life!” said a
dejected Miller. It had all been going so
well, after he qualified fourth. A problem
disengaging the RC16’s start device in
the Sprint saw him enter Turn 1 in 21st.

162

amcn.com.au

Bagnaia only needed a fifth
place to clinch the crown. Yet
he was every bit up for the
fight, leading the feature race
from the off. While Bagnaia
was assured and mistakefree up front, Martin was
caught up in the emotion of it
all. He rushed his comeback
through the field after nearly
tailgating his main rival, and
there was an air of inevitably
as it ended in disaster on lap
six as he tangled with Marc
Marquez (Repsol Honda).
With the title decided in
Bagnaia’s favour, Martin
returned to his box in tears.
And Sunday’s much hyped
finale was in danger of
petering out.
Yet that was only part of
the story in a wild season
finale. Red Bull KTM chargers
Brad Binder and Jack Miller
both took turns leading the
race after Martin’s fall, with
the Austrian factory poised
to land a momentous onetwo finish. But respective
3

MotoGP 12th/DNF
But 12th represented a decent
recovery. And then leading his
first race for KTM had the potential
to be a dream ending to the year.
“I was riding around smoking

cigarettes, thought it was going to be
all done and dusted but, like always in
MotoGP, it jumped up and showed me
what’s what,” Miller said. “I felt like I
couldn’t really do much wrong. Started

having some moments on the right-hand
side. Cooling the tyre. As soon as I rolled,
I didn’t even get to grab the brakes yet,
she disappeared from underneath me. I
had a little cry. What could have been.”

MotoGP Round 20 results and standings
10

1. The Boss Cocky returns to rule the roost for 2023. Pecco Bagnaia delivered the goods for Ducati
2./3. Jorge Martin tags Marc Marquez during the main race, flipping Marquez off 4. Johann Zarco
ran a strong second place while drama played out behind 5. Jack Miller looked like a winner until…
6. Fabio Di Giannantonio was the comeback king 7. Zarco chasing Bagnaia and Miller

11

14

Round 20 22 Laps

9
12

8
3

7

13

5

6

15
2

4

1

mistakes from the pair at
Turn 11 ended their hopes
and handed the initiative to
Bagnaia once more.
Yet he was soon fielding
challenges from both Johann
Zarco (Pramac Ducati) and
Fabio Di Giannantonio
(Gresini Ducati) in the final
laps, meaning this triumph
was as hotly contested as any
of the previous six he has
scored this year.
The weekend was a snapshot
of Bagnaia and Martin’s
strengths and weaknesses.
Despite the Spaniard’s
superior speed in the season’s
second half, Bagnaia has
been the cooler customer, his
mettle under pressure telling
in Indonesia, Australia,
Malaysia, Qatar and here,
where he excelled each time
on the Sunday. The three days
followed what has become a
recognisable pattern: weak
on Friday, inferior to Martin
in the Sprint but delivering
when it really mattered. This
triumph means he joins a
select group of 12 to have
successfully defended a
premier-class championship.
The stars appeared to be
aligning in Bagnaia’s favour

when polesitter Maverick
Viñales (Aprilia Racing) was
handed a three-place grid
penalty for not reacting in
sufficient time to a black
flag in morning warm-up.
That moved the Italian from
second to first on the grid,
with Zarco and Miller also
gaining one grid place.
Bagnaia seized the
opportunity, leading into
Turn 1 ahead of Binder,
Martin and Miller. No sooner
was the race two corners old
than the Spaniard had passed
Binder, with the two title
assailants quickly gapping
the KTM teamsters by half
a second in two laps. Zarco,
Viñales and the Marquez
brothers (Marc then Alex
[Gresini Ducati]) trailed
behind. Marco Bezzecchi’s
(VR46 Ducati) afternoon was
almost over before it started,
the Italian a victim of Marc
Marquez’s aggression.
“It was very, very dirty,”
fumed the Italian, incensed at
the FIM Stewards decision to
not penalise the No 93.
But just as we waited for
to see how Martin would
approach the situation, he
came so close to blowing

WITH THE TITLE DECIDED IN BAGNAIA’S FAVOUR,
MARTIN RETURNED TO HIS BOX IN TEARS. YET
THAT WAS ONLY PART OF A WILD SEASON FINALE
4

5

6

7

Ricardo Tormo Circuit. Spain
4.005km
2022 Winners
MotoGP A Rins
Moto2 P Acosta
Moto3 I Guevara

POS

RIDER

NAT

BIKE

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26

F ALDEGUER
A CANET
A LOPEZ
M RAMIREZ
S CHANTRA
J DIXON
S LOWES
J ROBERTS
D FOGGIA
A ARENAS
A OGURA
P ACOSTA
M GONZALEZ
B BALTUS
J ALCOBA
T ARBOLINO
P SALAC
Z VD GOORBERGH
M FERRARI
D BINDER
R SINNER
T HADA
A ESCRIG
B BENDSNEYDER
M CASADEI
S D KELLY

SPA
SPA
SPA
SPA
THA
GBR
GBR
USA
ITA
SPA
JPN
SPA
SPA
BEL
SPA
ITA
CZE
NED
ITA
RSA
GBR
JPN
SPA
NED
ITA
USA

BOS
KAL
BOS
KAL
KAL
KAL
KAL
KAL
KAL
KAL
KAL
KAL
KAL
KAL
KAL
KAL
KAL
KAL
KAL
KAL
KAL
KAL
FOR
KAL
KAL
FOR

TIME

34m33.384s
+3.986s
+6.455s
+6.476s
+7.060s
+7.864s
+8.924s
+11.842s
+12.096s
+12.549s
+13.527s
+14.044s
+15.570s
+15.861s
+18.539s
+18.608s
+25.356s
+26.716s
+31.074s
+33.307s
+35.853s
+36.352s
+36.955s
+41.137s
+42.309s
+55.828s

DNF K NOZANE (JPN, KAL), L TULOVIC (GER, KAL), H GARZO (SPA, NTS),
C VIETTI (ITA, KAL), S GARCIA (SPA, KAL), I GUEVARA (SPA, KAL).
POLE POSITION

MotoGP
Round 20 Sprint 13 Laps
POS

RIDER

NAT

BIKE

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

J MARTIN
B BINDER
M MARQUEZ
M VIÑALES
F BAGNAIA
F DI GIANNANTONIO
M BEZZECCHI
A MARQUEZ
J ZARCO
A FERNANDEZ
R FERNANDEZ
J MILLER
A ESPARGARO
P ESPARGARO
E BASTIANINI
T NAKAGAMI
L MARINI
F MORBIDELLI
A RINS
L SAVADORI

SPA
RSA
SPA
SPA
ITA
ITA
ITA
SPA
FRA
SPA
SPA
AUS
SPA
SPA
ITA
JPN
SPA
ITA
SPA
ITA

DUC
KTM
HON
APR
DUC
DUC
DUC
DUC
DUC
GAS
APR
KTM
APR
GAS
DUC
HON
DUC
YAM
HON
APR

TIME

19m38.827s
+0.190
+2.122s
+3.106s
+4.253s
+4.400s
+4.502s
+5.578s
+5.910s
+6.095s
+7.674s
+8.098s
+9.513s
+12.453s
+12.599s
+13.787s
+13.887s
+14.943s
+20.378s
+25.017s

A CANET 1m33.314s
FASTEST LAP (AND LAP RECORD)

F ALDEGUER 1m33.665s
STANDINGS AFTER 20 OF 20 ROUNDS

1 ACOSTA 332.5, 2 ARBOLINO 249.5, 3 ALDEGUER 212, 4 DIXON 204,
5 CANET 195, 6 CHANTRA 173.5, 7 LOPEZ 150, 8 GONZALEZ 145.5,
9 OGURA 137.5, 10 VIETTI 116, 11 SALAC 110, 12 LOWES 104,
13 ROBERTS 93.5, 14 ARENAS 85, 15 GARCIA 84.

Round 20 20 Laps

DNF F QUARTARARO (FRA, YAM)
POLE POSITION

POS

RIDER

NAT

BIKE

M VIÑALES 1m28.931s

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23

A SASAKI
D ALONSO
I ORTOLÁ
C VEIJER
D ÖNCÜ
J A RUEDA
J KELSO
D HOLGADO
D MUÑOZ
R YAMANAKA
T FURUSATO
F FARIOLI
J MASIA
A FERNANDEZ
S NEPA
R FENATI
R ROSSI
M BERTELLE
X ARTIGAS
K TOBA
D SALVADOR
M RUDA
M AJI

JPN
SPA
SPA
NED
TUR
SPA
AUS
SPA
SPA
JPN
JPN
ITA
SPA
SPA
ITA
ITA
ITA
ITA
SPA
JPN
SPA
SPA
INA

HUS
GAS
KTM
HUS
KTM
KTM
CFM
KTM
KTM
GAS
HON
KTM
HON
HON
KTM
HON
HON
HON
CFM
HON
KTM
HUS
HON

FASTEST LAP

M MARQUEZ 1m29.809s

MotoGP
Round 20 27 Laps
POS

RIDER

NAT

BIKE

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

F BAGNAIA
J ZARCO
B BINDER
F DI GIANNANTONIO
R FERNANDEZ
A MARQUEZ
F MORBIDELLI
A ESPARGARO
L MARINI
M VIÑALES
F QUARTARARO
T NAKAGAMI
L SAVADORI
P ESPARGARO

ITA
FRA
RSA
ITA
SPA
SPA
ITA
SPA
SPA
SPA
FRA
JPN
ITA
SPA

DUC
DUC
KTM
DUC
APR
DUC
YAM
APR
DUC
APR
YAM
HON
APR
GAS

TIME

40m58.535s
+0.360s
+2.347s
+3.176s
+4.636s
+4.708s
+4.736s
+8.014s
+9.486s
+10.556s
+12.001s
+21.695s
+43.297s
+2 LAPS

DNF A RINS (SPA, HON), J MILLER (AUS, KTM), E BASTIANINI (ITA,
DUC), A FERNANDEZ (SPA, KTM), M MARQUEZ (SPA, HON), J MARTIN
(SPA, DUC)
FASTEST LAP (AND LAP RECORD)

B BINDER 1m30.145s
STANDINGS AFTER 20 OF 20 ROUNDS

1 BAGNAIA 467, 2 MARTIN 428, 3 BEZZECCHI 329, 4 BINDER 293,
5 ZARCO 225, 6 A ESPARGARO 206, 7 VIÑALES 204, 8 MARINI 201,
9 A MARQUEZ 177, 10 QUARTARARO 172, 11 MILLER 163,
12 DI GIANNANTONIO 151, 13 MORBIDELLI 102,
14 M MARQUEZ 96, 15 BASTIANINI 84.

TIME

33m03.409s
+0.082s
+0.128s
+0.266s
+0.384s
+3.589s
+4.623s
+6.105s
+6.305s
+6.907s
+9.166s
+9.663s
+10.446s
+10.556s
+11.462s
+13.966s
+14.000s
+25.472s
+28.354s
+28.420s
+33.908s
+36.632s
+36.785s

DNF L FELLON (FRA, KTM), V PEREZ (SPA, KTM), D MOREIRA (BRA, KTM)
POLE POSITION

C VEIJER 1m38.311s
FASTEST LAP (AND LAP RECORD)

D ALONSO 1m38.438s
STANDINGS AFTER 20 OF 20 ROUNDS

1 MASIA 274, 2 SASAKI 268, 3 ALONSO 245, 4 ÖNCÜ 223,
5 HOLGADO 220, 6 ORTOLA 187, 7 VEIJER 149, 8 MOREIRA 131,
9 RUEDA 121, 10 MUÑOZ 113,11 TOBA 105,12 NEPA 102,
13 YAMANAKA 84, 14 ROSSI 79 15 ARTIGAS 77, 17 KELSO 61.

amcn.com.au

163

RACE REPORT. YOUR FORTNIGHTLY FIX

1. Bagnaia showed true class in the main race 2. The reward and relief were obvious
to see 3. Final podium of the year and, yes, it’s an all-Ducati one 4. Marquez finished
third in the Sprint 5. Martin, Binder and Marquez on the Sprint podium

ROUND 20 RICARDO TORMO CIRCUIT. SPAIN 24-26 NOVEMBER // 2023 MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
MOTOGP
it. Starting lap three, the
Spaniard found himself
sucked into Bagnaia’s
slipstream as they braked for
Turn 1. Sitting up and running
on was the only choice, after
missing Bagnaia’s rear tyre by
the narrowest of margins.
That opened up the contest,
as Martin rejoined in eighth,
now 2.4sec behind the leader.
A tall order, even for MotoGP’s
form man. But to his credit, he
appeared up to the task.
The 25-year old was all
action as he immediately
struck off Alex Marquez from
the kill list at Turn 4 on lap
seven before scampering after
Viñales ahead, after Aprilia’s
lead rider had been passed by
Marc Marquez on lap three.
Martin bit at Viñales on lap
four, again at Turn 4, only
to run wide, then again at
Turn 11, befalling the same
outcome.
With Marc Marquez now
all over Zarco for fourth, the
front three of Bagnaia, Binder
and Miller were edging clear.
And just as well for them, as
the quartet behind would
1

2

3

SUDDENLY MILLER WAS LOOKING AT AN
UNLIKELY WIN TO END A COMPLICATED
SEASON BUT HE CRASHED OUT ON LAP 19

all tangle in what was to
be Martin’s championship
crescendo. First Zarco and
Marquez traded places at
Turn 2, allowing Martin
to benefit from Viñales’
hesitation at the same corner.
Then Martin was attacking
Marquez into Turn 4. But just
as Martin thought he had
the position, Marquez closed
the door. The Pramac Ducati
tagged the Honda’s rear
wheel, catapulting Marquez
into the air and forcing
Martin into the gravel where
he dismounted at low speed.
Maybe, just maybe, he was
overexcited by the occasion.
“I had a great pace. But
maybe I was too impatient,”

COOL CAT OF THE WEEKEND
Pecco Bagnaia kept his powder dry to fire up when
it really mattered. He kept his cool to survive the
usual hectic Sprint race, narrowly avoiding Fabio
Quartararo’s crash. He only needed the points from a fifth-place
finish in the main race but rode his heart out to retain his crown.

164

amcn.com.au

he admitted. He would be
left to reflect on a spirited
challenge which just fell short
at crucial moments.
With Martin non-scoring,
Bagnaia was automatically
crowned champion.
For a spell that outcoming
threatened to deflate the
occasion, even if the two
KTMs made short work of the
champ on laps six and seven
to sit first and second. But
there would be further drama
that made this a must-watch
to the very end.
First Binder had a front lock
when pitching into Turn 10
on lap 14, forcing him to run
off track and rejoin in sixth.
Suddenly Miller was looking

at an unlikely win to end a
complicated season. But he
crashed out at the very same
spot the 19th time around,
just as Bagnaia and Zarco
were beginning to apply
pressure from behind.
The race’s late start time of
3pm meant the temperature
was falling. Maintaining heat
in the right side of the front
tyre was the cause for the
demise of both KTMs.
Even then, the contest wasn’t
done. Bagnaia and Zarco
were clear but Binder was a
one-man wrecking ball. He
pushed to get back at them,
nudging Alex Marquez wide
at Turn 4 on lap 16. Yet even
he was powerless to resist
Di Giannantonio, the race’s
comeback king, on lap 23,
after he had fought through
from 10th on lap one. The
Gresini rider was half a
second faster than the leaders
on lap 24. Within a lap he had
obliterated the gap of 1.1sec to
make it a three-way fight. He
passed Zarco for second on the
penultimate lap but couldn’t
find a way past Bagnaia on
the final circuit.
And the drama didn’t end
there. A second offence for
incorrect front-tyre pressure
meant Di Giannantonio was
given a three-second penalty,
dropping him from second to
fourth. Raul Fernandez (RNF
Aprilia) claimed a best ever
result for fifth just ahead
of Alex Marquez, Franco
Morbidelli (Monster Energy
Yamaha) and Aleix Espargaro
(Aprilia), overcoming the pain
of a tibia fracture for eighth.
Bagnaia’s (467 points)
seventh win of the year was
enough to seal the crown. He
ended the year 39 points clear
of Martin (428).

HOT MESSES OF THE WEEKEND
Brad Binder and Jack Miller were running hot and
on track for a dream season end for KTM. A one-two
finish would have been a fitting reward for a difficult
year of development. Sadly both crashed after front tyre issues in
the chill of a late European autumn of an extended season.

6. Fermin Aldeguer races to his fourth win in a row 7. Alonso Lopez dug deep for third 8. Aron
Canet, Fermin Aldeguer and Alonso Lopez on the Moto2 podium 9. Ivan Ortola took his first
Moto3 podium since May 10. David Alonso, Ayumu Sasaki and Ivan Ortola on the podium

SPRINT

MARTIN
MASTER
CLASS
THERE WERE further tyre dramas for
Jorge Martin in qualifying, his front wheel
unbalanced in his first run leaving him and
the Pramac team incensed. That seemed
to add fuel to his fire, as he rose from the
second row to third by Turn 2, behind pole
sitter Maverick Viñales and Pecco Bagnaia,
who, along with Viñales, chose Michelin’s
medium rear. The other assailants went for
the soft option.
By Turn 11 Bagnaia and Martin were
contesting second, with Brad Binder and
Marc Marquez also getting involved in a
hectic opening. As they exited Turn 12 the
South African was now second ahead of
Marquez, with Martin relegating Bagnaia
to fifth.
That scrapping had given Viñales a lead
of 0.9sec. But his tyre gamble would come
back and bite him. Binder was with him by
lap five, and their scrapping through Turns
4 and 5 on lap six closed the front four up.
Martin received a kiss from Marquez’s
front tyre exiting Turn 6 the following lap,
but the Pramac Ducati emerged ahead.
Soon Binder (lap seven) and Martin (lap
eighth) were by Viñales, with Martin
grabbing the lead with a neat move at
Turn 11 on lap eight.
He just held on for a ninth Sprint of
the year, while Marquez took third from
Viñales. Bagnaia was fifth, avoiding
disaster when Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha)
crashed under him at Turn 6. His lead was
now trimmed from 21 points to 14.
4

5

6

7

FERMIN ON
A ROLL
ALL WEEKEND the Moto2 finale was
built up as a battle between home heroes
Pedro Acosta (Ajo Kalex), this year’s
champion, and Fermin Aldeguer (Speed
Up Boscoscuro), the class up-and-comer.
In that regard it was a non-event, with
Aldeguer instead fending off another
Spaniard for a fourth straight win.
Acosta’s podium chances were run as
early as the first lap after contact with
Alonso Lopez (Speed Up Boscoscuro).
With his first MotoGP test just two days
away, the 19-year-old admitted to settling
for a safe ride and came home 12th.
Instead it was polesitter Aron Canet
(Pons Kalex) who took the fight to
Aldeguer in the early laps, keen to score
a maiden win in the final race for Sito
Pons’ Moto2 team. But as the Moto2
riders have found in recent weeks, the
Aldeguer-Boscoscuro combination has
been irresistible in the latter half of 2023,
with the 18-year-old breaking Canet’s

8

challenge on the 10th lap and coming
home 3.9sec ahead. In doing so, he
became the first rider since 2010 to win
four consecutive Moto2 races.
Lopez ghosted through a five-rider
fight for third, which included Marcos
Ramirez (ART Kalex), Somkiat Chantra
(HTA Kalex), Jake Dixon (Aspar Kalex)

9

and Sam Lowes (Marc VDS Kalex), holding
off Ramirez’s late dive at the final turn to
make it two Boscoscuros on the podium.
Acosta (332.5 points) is the 2023
champ, 83 clear of Tony Arbolino (Marc
VDS Kalex, 249.5), an anonymous 16th
here. Aldeguer (212) jumps Dixon (204)
for third at the final hurdle.

10

SASAKI
AT LAST
BETTER LATE than never. After a year of
near misses and what could have been
moments, Ayumu Sasaki (IntactGP
Husqvarna) resisted a late David Alonso
(Aspar GASGAS) assault to finally claim
his maiden victory of the year.
The Japanese rider was left incensed
and hurt after Qatar’s title decider when
Leopard Honda’s teamsters resorted to
rough-and-ready tactics to aid Jaume
Masia’s bid to win the crown. But the bare
facts were Sasaki’s failure to land the
title lay more in him failing to win on the
seven previous occasions when he had

Kelso Cutback
THE 20-year-old’s weekend was
complicated by the news his
PruestelGP team had lost the support of
KTM and CFMoto at the eleventh hour,
leading boss Florian Pruestel to consider
disassembling the squad for 2024.
Emotions were clearly running high in the
box but Kelso produced another measured

led the final lap. Here Sasaki was eager to
avenge both in his Moto3 send-off.
It was typical fare for the junior class
as the Japanese riders pulled a lead group
of five clear of the chasing pack for a
vintage last-lap shootout. Alonso, Ivan
Ortola (MTA KTM), polesitter Collin Veijer
(IntactGP Husqvarna), who crashed on
the sighting lap, and Deniz Oncu (Ajo
KTM) were along for the ride.
Entering the final lap, the odds were
against Sasaki as Alonso – this year’s
expert in final-lap shootouts – pressured

him relentlessly from behind. But the
23-year-old offered an expert defence,
most notably into the tight Turn 14 to
hold off the Colombian by 0.082sec for
his third ever win. Ortola took his first
podium since May, ahead of Veijer and
Oncu – riding with a cracked bone in his
back after a monster Friday highside. Just
0.38sec covered the top five.
It was too little, too late for Sasaki.
Masia (274 points) is champion despite a
meek 13th place in the finale, with Sasaki
(268) just six back after 20 races.

Moto3 7th
weekend, where there were further
signs of recent progress. Qualifying
fourth, the Aussie got detached from the
lead group but was among the assailants
fighting at the front of the second group.
Seventh was a strong send-off from a
complicated year. “The second half of the
season has been good; six points-scores

and five front-row positions, almost six
yesterday! I’m happy enough with how it
went. This is motorsport so it can go any
way and I started off with a broken leg!
Thankfully the second half of the year
has been better and I hope I did the team
proud. I always gave my maximum and
I think they appreciated that.”

amcn.com.au

165

YOUR FORTNIGHTLY FIX
ROUND 07 THE BEND, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 1-3 DECEMBER // 2023 AUSTRALIAN SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP
SUPERBIKE

1

PERFECTION!

Troy Herfoss burns up The Bend to give Honda the perfect parting gift with his third Superbike title
REPORT MATT O’CONNELL + PHOTOGRAPHY ROB MOTT

IT WAS THE first time the
mi-bike Australian Superbike
Championship had ever
entered the final round with
the top two riders locked
together on points. Not only
was the 2023 title at stake,
but Penrite Honda Racing’s
Troy Herfoss had announced
he would be leaving the team
after a decade together.
For Josh Waters and the
McMartin Racing Ducati
Team the objective was
clear – come out with all
guns blazing and on Friday
166

amcn.com.au

they did just that, posting
the fastest time and under
lap record pace. The next day
during qualifying the pair
dominated the field again –
but what Herfoss did defied
belief. Not only did he snatch
pole position but he broke
the qualifying record by six
tenths of a second posting a
1m49.889s lap, and that was
four tenths quicker than
Waters. The stage was set.
As the lights went out
on the tense opening race,
Herfoss grabbed the holeshot,

immediately pulling half a
second on the field. Waters
soon reeled him in, with
Mike Jones (Yamaha Racing
Team) and Max Stauffer (GTR
Motostars Racing) going with
him. Cru Halliday (Yamaha
Racing Team), looking for
third in the points, would
have gone with them if not for
a troublesome start. By halfrace distance though, both
factory Yamahas had picked
up a spot; Jones on Waters and
Halliday on Stauffer.
Waters soon struck back

but in the closing stages he
had nothing to offer Herfoss,
who said he “rode the race
I needed to” with Halliday
eventually passing Jones for
third. Allerton, Stauffer and
Staring were next, albeit 12
seconds off the lead.
For Herfoss, it was his
title to lose and Waters came
out swinging, grabbing the
holeshot in Race Two. Stauffer
again made a flying start,
but his strong weekend came
unstuck after crashing out of
third on the opening lap. Next

1. Hard to believe this champion is without a ride for next year. What chance the official Ducati team knocks on his door? 2. Mike Jones couldn’t
replicate the pace he had in his championship season last year 3. Cru Halliday finished third overall and admits there’s work to do for 2024
4. Monster stoppie as Troy Herfoss enters pitlane 2023 champion 5. Glenn Allerton came so close to securing third overall 6. Broc Pearson
had a frustrating weekend on the official factory Ducati 7. Paris Hardwick is ASBK Rookie of the Year 8. Mike Jones baptises the new champion

to fall was Bryan Staring, his
MotoGo Yamaha team having
tried a different compound
front tyre after destroying
the front in race one.
By mid-race, Herfoss had
moved past Waters under
brakes. Waters pushed to
keep contact, but eventually
lost grip and slid out at Turn
6 several laps later. With
Herfoss now unchallenged
for victory and the title, the
only spot in the standings
undecided was third.
Halliday, after another
sluggish start, put the moves
on teammate Jones to grab
the extra point needed to
move past Glenn Allerton (GT
Racing), but it didn’t come
easy for him.
“We made a change for

Race 2, but that didn’t really
work out either,” he said.
“What I really need to get
sorted is my starts. I’m
leaving myself with too much
work to do in the race and
cooking the bike and myself.”
A bruised Allerton, who
finished the race fourth
behind Jones, surrendered
third position in the points.
“I had a bad crash in testing
here, but we’re here to win.”
he said. “We have to improve
the overall package. I still
believe we are getting so
very close.” Anthony West
(Addicted to Track) rounded
out the top five.
In defeat, a battle-weary
Waters said: “Looking back
on the year, the Morgan Park
result cost me big time – I

2

NOT ONLY DID HERFOSS SNATCH POLE
POSITION BUT HE BROKE THE QUALIFYING
RECORD BY SIX TENTHS OF A SECOND

should have just taken the
result I could get instead of
pushing and running off.
Physically, I still can’t do a
push up but it’s just time, it’ll
heal over time, there’s no
excuse there.
“Today, we changed the
bike for Race Two and I felt
good. I was so shocked that
I actually crashed because I
felt like I was pushing more
in Race 1.” Asked about next
year, Waters was completely
optimistic. “I want that fourth
title. I want to win and I want
to repay everyone’s efforts.”

WINNER’S WORDS

5

6

Troy Herfoss
“THIS IS THE best

3

4

I’ve ridden a
motorbike
and the best
the bike has
performed. To
finish off like
that and celebrate
my last weekend
with the team the way we have, it’s
incredible. We’ve grown a lot as a
team this year and just become better
and better. I want to pay credit to my
competitors… I lost the last one in 2017
to Josh and I know he’s in a lot of pain
and I’ve got a lot of respect for him and
his team.
This is as good as it gets, we just
won two races, pole position and a lap
record – and we got to celebrate on the
last lap and take it all in together as a
team. I just don’t think I’d want to finish
up with the team in any other way.
I’ve said it before; I don’t think I’m
the most talented racer in the world
but I do believe I’ve got a lot of grit and
determination. There’s been times this
year that Josh really handed it to me,
and on his day he is better than me. I’ve
admitted that – it’s the only way I’ve
ended up beating him.”

7

8

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167

RACE REPORT. YOUR FORTNIGHTLY FIX

1. Toparis had a tough weeknd 2. Jonathan Nahlous finished a strong fourth overall at
The Bend 3. Dallas Skeer in his final Supersport appearance 4. Olly Simpson came close
to a series win 5. Cameron Dunker rode into the history books 6. Harrison Voight and
Olly Simpson

ROUND 07 THE BEND, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 1-3 DECEMBER // 2023 AUSTRALIAN SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP
SUPERSPORT
1

SLAM DUNK!
THE BEND played host to a variety of

returned international Aussies in the
Supersport class, including last year’s
double winner Harrison Voight (Voight
Contracting) but nobody could weaken the
resolve of Cameron Dunker and his GTR
MotoStars team to become the youngest
Supersport champion in its three decades.
Voight and Tom Toparis (Stop and Seal
– Yamaha) looked ominous, taking the
top two spots on the grid ahead of title
challenger Olly Simpson (Simpson Crash).
The first race began with a red flag after
Jack Mahaff y (Stop and Seal – Yamaha)
and Jake Farnsworth (Worth Race
Developments) came together at Turn 1.
At the restart there was carnage again at
Turn 1 as Harry Khouri (Addicted to Track)
hit a false neutral and brought down
teammate Jack Favelle. Khouri was later
taken to Adelaide hospital with a badly
broken arm. On the third attempt, a six-lap
restart, Voight looked very sharp off the
line but was closely followed by Simpson
and Toparis with Dunker and Ty Lynch
(AMR Motorsports) going with them.
“All I could do is try my hardest and go
for race wins, there was no other option,”
3

4

7

168

said Simpson, who also had the added
pressure of using a replacement stock
engine after his race engine blew up the
day before. Toparis hit the lead on the final
lap, saying later his broken wrist was sore
but not causing problems. Simpson was on
a mission and with the trio bunched tight
Toparis backed it in hot and the rear lost
grip, flinging himself into a spectacular
highside crash.
Approaching the final corner Simpson
and Voight were banging ’bars, but it was
Voight who showed the cleanest line for a
breathtaking victory. Dunker completed
the podium to put one hand on the
trophy with Lynch and Jonathan Nahlous
(Complete AV) behind him.
Before the second race even started
there was more drama, as Toparis’s
mechanics had trouble fitting his rear
wheel. Unable to start, his bike was moved
off the grid and, as the race got underway,
Simpson took the holeshot, determined
to grab the early lead. By lap two Voight
had pushed past, but Simpson wasn’t
prepared to let go, equalling the pace set
by the Queenslander. Dunker had dropped
off somewhat just as another possible

Cameron Dunker
“I WAS FEELING a little

2

challenger hit the deck. Lynch, who had
led the standings during the year, crashed
out at Turn 17. Simpson pushed until the
end, while Dunker played it smart, sitting
in fourth behind Nahlous.
Voight, just as he did last year, showed
he was in a class of his own at The Bend,
taking another stylish victory and
breaking the race lap record along the
way, while second place for Simpson was
a brave effort. “This season started off as
a learning opportunity for us, really. It was
my first full season after I was injured last
year. Unfortunately, we had a few small
issues that were avoidable and would of
probably won us the championship – but I
wasn’t expecting to be in this position in
the first place.”
For Nahlous, it was his second podium
of 2023, but the day belonged to Dunker,
fourth place sealing him the 2023
Michelin Supersport Championship.
Scott Nicholson was fifth and Dallas Skeer
sixth – in what is likely to be his
last Supersport race.
8

amcn.com.au

WINNER’S WORDS

bit of pressure coming
into the weekend but
I knew all I had to do
was finish the races.
I wanted to push
and fight for the win,
but I thought if I did that,
something might happen. I played it safe
a little bit and I’m happy I did, because
I did end up having a few moments. It’s
been an awesome year and I can’t thank
the team enough. Most of my family are
here, I’m really happy they could come
over and be with me on my birthday.”

5

6

7. Simpson took the holeshot in Race Two 8. Round podium of Voight, Simpson and Dunker 9. Marcus Hamod flatout down the main straight
10. Hamod lets the championship win sink in 11. Jordan Simpson charges to his first podium 12. Swain celebrated the R3 Cup honours 13. Henry Snell
before his crash 14. Formation flying by Cameron Swain and Hamod 15. Swain looked to have the SSP300 title in the bag before being penalised

SUPERSPORT 300 AND R3 CUP

HAMOD HOME
WITH MULTIPLE riders in contention for

the Supersport 300 title, consistency
was key and for Cameron Swain
(Caboolture Yamaha) the weekend
couldn’t have started better with pole
position and a win in Race 1 from Brodie
Gawith (Megacycle) and Marcus Hamod
(Motocity).
In Race 2, Gawith’s Megacycle
teammate and championship contender
Henry Snell crashed out at Turn 2 early
on, while up front a lead group of Swain,
Hamod, Gawith and Jordy Simpson
(YRD) formed. The group behind
them consisted of the returning Tayla

9

Relph (Tayco Creative), Tara Morrison
(Fearless Motorcycles), Brandon
Demmery (Sureflight) and Sam Pezzetta
(Unitech Racing), but it was soon
reduced when Morrison crashed heavily.
The resulting yellow flag would prove
pivotal to the championship.
The race ended with Swain and Hamod
dicing all the way to the line, with an
elated Simpson snaring his first-ever
podium close behind. Gawith salvaged
fourth after making an incredible save
after running wide and onto the dirt.
Swain was aware of a protest prior
to the start of the final race, but that

10

11

didn’t deter him from pushing hard in the
opening laps, believing he was safe from
a penalty. At mid-race distance and under
the impression the title was his, Swain
backed off for a safe fourth while Hamod
charged forward, eventually overcoming
Gawith and Snell. The initial result
awarded the championship to Swain, but
in a massive twist the protest was upheld
– Swain having been judged to pass under
the yellow flag following Morrison’s crash
– with the amended result handing Hamod
the championship.
Hamod brought an extra level of
intensity in the second half of the year,
and was suitably rewarded for his effort.
Swain took some consolation by winning
the R3 Cup with two race victories and a
10-point buffer to Gawith.

WINNER’S WORDS

Marcus Hamod

“I’M REALLY stoked,
to win the title here
at The Bend is just
amazing. I feel like
my experience in the
European R3 Cup in
Portugal was critical
this year, my racecraft
has really improved since then
and I feel more comfortable and
aggressive in a big pack. I think
over the last couple of months, with
my training at the go-kart track
and on the Ohvales – I think that’s
also helped with my aggression and
overtaking.”

12

13

14

15

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169

RACE REPORT. YOUR FORTNIGHTLY FIX

1./2. A dream weekend for Archie Schmidt 3. Keep a watch on Schmidt as he’s destined
to have a big future 4. Round podium in the Oceania Junior Cup 5. Masters 2023
champion Keo Watson 6. Garry McCoy back on a racebike 7. Masters round podium

ROUND 07 THE BEND, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 1-3 DECEMBER // 2023 AUSTRALIAN SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP
OCEANIA JUNIOR CUP

RESULTS

1

SCHMIDT IT IN
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN Archie Schmidt
held a slim one-point advantage coming
into the final round of the Oceania
Junior Cup, but seized the title with a
convincing maximum points haul at his
home track by taking three race victories
and pole position.
In the opening race, the 14-year-old
had to overcome Jake Paige with Rikki
Henry five seconds back. In the second
race it was Henry close behind followed
by Bodie Paige further back.
“I definitely had to work super, super
hard for the title. The riders in this class
are so competitive. Crashing in the first
race at the start of the season was my
biggest setback, so I had to work my
way forward in the points,” Schmidt
explained, adding that the larger, more
difficult layout at The Bend contributed
to smaller packs this weekend.
“Slipstreaming is still really important
here, you have to set your run up at the
last turn.”
Schmidt had his timing spot-on again,
this time leading home Henry with
Valentino Knezovic and Riley Nauta close
behind. Knezovic finished fifth in the
championship and also broke The Bend
lap record in that final race, lowering the
mark to 2m29.820s.

ALPINESTARS SUPERBIKE ROUND 7

1
2
3
4
5

2

MICHELIN SUPERSPORT ROUND 6

1
2
3
4
5

H Voight
O Simpson
C Dunker
J Nahlous
D Skeer

Yam
Yam
Yam
Yam
Yam

51
40
35
34
29

STANDINGS AFTER 6 OF 6 ROUNDS

C Dunker 231, O Simpson 222, T Lynch 197,
D Skeer 154, S Nicholson 138
SUPERSPORT 300 ROUND 6

1
2
3
4
5

M Hamod
C Swain
B Gawith
B Demmery
J Newman

Yam
Yam
Yam
Yam
Kaw

68
63
57
44
41

STANDINGS AFTER 6 OF 6 ROUNDS

3

4

M Hamod 327, C Swain 323, B Demmery 300,
B Gawith 298, H Snell 294
R3 CUP ROUND 5

1
2
3
4
5

C Swain
M Hamod
B Gawith
J Simpson
H Snell

Yam
Yam
Yam
Yam
Yam

66
60
60
51
50

STANDINGS AFTER 5 OF 5 ROUNDS

C Swain 297, B Gawith 287, H Snell 276,
B Demmery 265, M Hamod 258
OCEANIA JUNIOR CUP ROUND 5

ELEMENTARY!

amcn.com.au

51
38
35
33
31

STANDINGS AFTER 7 OF 7 ROUNDS

5

170

Hon
Yam
Yam
BMW
Duc

T Herfoss 344, J Waters 324, C Halliday 260,
G Allerton 259, M Jones 255

SUPERBIKE MASTERS

THE FINAL ROUND of the Superbike
Masters was held at The Bend and it was
Keo Watson who took the overall honours
on his C&M Motorcycles prepared
Yamaha FZR1000 with two victories and
two second placings. Watson, competing
in Period 6 Formula 1300cc, had
qualified third on the grid and finished
second to the TT Motorcycles prepared
GSX-R1100 of ‘Davo’ Johnson in two
races, with Watson saying The Bend was
a challenging circuit to learn.
“It’s a long circuit and I still don’t have
it quite figured out, it was good to follow
Davo around, he’s quick!”

T Herfoss
C Halliday
M Jones
G Allerton
J Waters

Garry McCoy competed in his first
race in 14 years on the C&M Motorcycles
Yamaha TZ750, qualifying on pole and
carding a 4-2-2-3 result.
“I came out here to have a bit of fun,
which I’m doing. With the two-stroke I
can’t get it off the line as easy as the four
strokes. I like to carry a bit more corner
speed as well, keep the rpm up on the
bike – the four strokes corner a bit slower
but then they blast past me in a straight
line. I’m having a ball though, it’s great
fun!” Other series class winners were
Scott Webster (P5 F1), Brad Phelan (P5
Unlimited) and Corey Turner (P6 F750).

1
2
3
4
5

A Schmidt
R Henry
V Knezovic
R Nauta
B Paige

Yam
Yam
Yam
Yam
Yam

75
58
49
48
46

STANDINGS AFTER 5 OF 5 ROUNDS

A Schmidt 327, B Paige 297, H Fordyce 277,
R Nauta 268, V Knezovic 245
SUREFLIGHT SUPERBIKE MASTERS - OVERALL ROUND 3

1
2
3
4
5
6

K Watson
G McCoy
R Taylor
D Johnson
M Clark

Yam
Yam
Suz
Suz
Suz

STANDINGS AFTER 3 OF 3 ROUNDS

K Watson 228, M Clark 151, R Taylor 138,
B Phelan 134, D Johnson 108
7

90
75
70
66
62

1. As he so often is, Maverick Vinales (#12) was fastest in testing, while Joan
Mir (#36) said he was happy with his early feelings on the 2024 RC213V 2. No
prizes for guessing what was going through Acosta's mind after his first ride on
the RC16 3. Michelin is shirking any manufacturing blame on the tyre Martin
said cost him the title 4. Razlan Razali's RNF squad looks like it'll be taken over
by a mob who runs a Nascar team 5. Plenty of options for Tom Toparis in 2024

BSB
MOTOGP

POST-VALENCIA TEST 2023
Pos
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21

Rider
M Vinales
B Binder
M Bezzecchi
M Marquez
R Fernandez
A Marquez
F Di Giannantonio
E Bastianini
J Miller
L Marini
F Bagnaia
F Quartararo
J Mir
A Fernandez
J Martin
F Morbidelli
J Zarco
P Acosta
A Rins
T Nakagami
A Espargaro

Bike
Apr
KTM
Duc
Duc
Apr
Duc
Duc
Duc
KTM
Hon
Duc
Yam
Hon
Gas
Duc
Duc
Hon
Gas
Yama
Hon
Apr

Time/gap
1m29.253s
0.028s
0.093s
0.171s
0.263s
0.385s
0.409s
0.543s
0.648s
0.703s
0.717s
0.769s
0.798s
0.824s
0.899s
0.953
1.030
1.223
1.311s
1.723s
3.059s

Laps
86
51
62
49
64
56
60
56
62
72
51
63
69
72
51
69
61
70
54
63
17

1

GP24 TAKES SHAPE
Ducati's Marquez fast in testing as Japanese brands granted concessions

JUST ONE DAY after setting the
fourth-fastest time at the postseason test on his debut with
Gresini Ducati, Marc Marquez
underwent surgery to correct
arm pump, signalling his
intentions to be in the best
possible shape to fight for the
2024 title.
The eight-time world
champ’s 1m29.424s was just
0.171sec off Maverick Vinales’
(Aprilia Racing) best time of
the day, but perhaps more
worryingly was the fact
that only the injured Aleix
Espargaro posted fewer laps
than Marquez – the Spaniard
turning 49 laps compared to

Vinales’ 86.
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM)
was the second-quickest rider,
ahead of Marco Bezzecchi
(Pertamina VR46 Ducati) and
Marquez, with less than one
second covering the top 16
riders. All eyes were on rookie
sensation Pedro Acosta, who
finished just 1.2sec behind
Vinales in 18th, one place
ahead of Alex Rins on his first
ride on the factory Yamaha.
Luca Marini (Repsol Honda)
raised more than a few
eyebrows when he posted
the 10th quickest time on the
RC213V as the fastest Honda
of the day, just 0.7sec off the

ALL EYES WERE ON ROOKIE PEDRO ACOSTA,
WHO FINISHED JUST 1.2SEC BEHIND
172

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2

pace, as did Raul Fernandez,
who put his 2023-spec Aprilia
RS-GP in fifth place.
Aussie Jack Miller ended the
day ninth overall, 0.648sec off
the pace. The next time we see
the premier-class riders out
on track will be the preseason
test at Sepang, held over 6-8
February.

KEL BUCKLEY

2024 CONCESSIONS
CONCESSIONS HAVE been announced
for 2024 in a bid to fast track the
development of Honda and Yamaha.
Split into four ranks, Rank A pertains
to manufacturers who scored more
than 85 percent of the total points:
Ducati, and is limited to 170 test tyres,
use of only test riders at just three
circuits, no wildcards and a (frozen)
engine allocation of eight.
Rank B is for manufacturers who
scored between 60-85 percent of
points (none for 2023), which is
allowed 190 test tyres and three
wildcards, while all other restrictions
remain the same as A. Rank C ( KTM and
Aprilia) is allowed 220 test tyres and up
to six wildcards, with other restrictions
the same. Lastly, Rank D, which both
Honda and Yamaha fall within due to
scoring less than 35 percent of the
available points, will be allowed 260
test tyres and can undergo unlimited
private testing with their contracted
riders at any GP circuit. They have six
wildcard entries, their engine spec
won’t be frozen ahead of the season,
while they’ll be allowed two aero
updates to their rivals’ one. KB

MOTOGP

MICHELIN OFFER MARTIN TYRE TAKE
AFTER JORGE Martin’s strong
comments toward Michelin in the wake
of the Qatar GP, Michelin offered up
its take on the incident after spending
some days analysing the Spaniard’s
rear tyre.
“First things straight away, we
call to France and we check all the
manufacturing process, if all the
parameters when we build the tyre
were okay,” said Michelin’s twowheel motorsport manager Piero
Taramasso. “So we have the answer.
The answer is yes. Everything was
right in manufacturing. So there is no
manufacturing problem. There is no
quality problem in Jorge Martin’s tyre.
“We did some analysis and last night
we share our analysis with Ducati and
Pramac. They did their analysis. The
conclusion from both sides is that
yes, Jorge's performance in Qatar was
not in line from what everybody was
expecting.”
NEIL MORRISON

3

PADDOCK
PASS
With Matt O’Connell
WHERE WILL Tom Toparis end up next
year? His aim is to head back to the BSB
paddock, but that takes substantial
funds, particularly being an Aussie with
limited pull with British sponsors. Toparis
has hinted he may just stay in Australia.
Which leads to the question – who will
take the seat vacated by Troy Herfoss?
Deon Coote has already indicated to us
that the position would ideally be filled by
an experienced, title-capable rider. If it
were a younger rider, then guys like Max
Stauffer or Broc Pearson come into the
frame. Or Tom Toparis.
At this stage it looks like the Yamaha
Factory Team will remain unchanged
for 2024 and by the time AMCN goes to
press Bryan Staring will have already
completed further MoTeC testing at The
Bend in preparation for 2024. Meanwhile,
Ty Lynch is the latest Supersport rider
rumoured to be making the step up to
Superbike.

MOTOGP

RAZALI &
CRYPTODATA
EXPELLED!
RNF APRILIA was thrown into crisis in
Valencia as it emerged team principal
Razlan Razali left amid rumours.
“It has been an amazing run,”posted
Razali on social media. “A once in
a lifetime opportunity to manage
and own a MotoGP team in the world
championship. We know what it’s like
to win and especially in losing.”
A statement from the team on
Saturday addressed some rumours
– namely that Cryptodata, the 60
percent shareholder of the squad, owed
numerous suppliers a lot of money, as
well as Dorna, for their sponsorship

payment of the Austrian GP that
reportedly hasn’t been made – as
being untrue.
“The decision for Razlan Razali
not to be part of the RNF Team
management was not only from
Saturday, but was taken more than
one month ago, due the pressure
made by the shareholders following
poor performance and financial
decision,” read the statement.
Cryptodata was adamant it would
move forward as usual in 2024.
But a statement from Dorna two
days later confirmed CryptoData

5

4

had been expelled from the
championship. “The MotoGP
Selection Committ ee, comprising
members of FIM, IRTA and Dorna
Sports, have decided not to select
the CryptoDATA RNF team for the
2024 season,” read the statement.
“Repeated infractions and breaches
of the Participation Agreement
aff ecting the public image of
MotoGP have obliged this decision.”
Trackhouse Media Group, an
American organisation which runs
a team in Nascar, is rumoured to be
taking over. NM

And
another thing…
AFTER AN ill-fated cameo at The
Bend, Harry Khouri will be back in the
Spanish Supersport championship next
season with Andotrans Team Torrento.
Supersport 300 front runners Brodie
Gawith and Henry Snell have announced
they will both be heading to the new BSB
Kawasaki British Superteen class to ride
with the Haslam family team, Affinity
Racing Academy. In other BSB news,
Tommy Bridewell will still have an Irwin
as a teammate, however next year it will
be Andrew after Bridewell announced his
switch to Honda last week.

amcn.com.au

173

SPORT. YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST

1. Herfoss finishes his career at Penrite Honda Racing with another championship under
his belt 2. Tough times ahead for dirt track racer Grant Chamock 3. Troy Herfoss (left)
and AMCN's Matt O'Connell presenting stand-out talent for 2023 Cameron Dunker with the
coveted RK Chains Samuurai Award

ASBK

BRIEFS

1

CHARNOCK
DOWN

LEADING DIRT track racer Grant
Charnock was seriously injured in a crash
during the second day of the Victorian
Dirt Track Championships at Broadford
on 19 November. Grant was flown to
Royal Melbourne Hospital where he
has undergone surgery for his injuries
which included spinal fractures causing
pressure on his spinal cord, 15 fractured
ribs and serious bleeding on his lungs. A
gofundme page has been setup to assist
his partner and kids. PETER BAKER
2

HERFOSS CALLS
TIME ON HONDA
Troy splits from long-time supporter

IN THE LEAD up to The Bend,
10-year Honda veteran Troy
Herfoss cashed in his longservice leave and announced
that this round will be his
final event with the Penrite
Honda Racing team.
“In my motorcycle racing
career, the decision that
I made last week is the
hardest I’ve ever made, and
it’s got nothing to do with
how we work as a team, our

friendship, the bike or
anything,” Herfoss revealed,
dispelling any rumours of a
rift within the team. “Deon’s
(Coote – team owner) been
so good to me – through
my injury, through covid
– he allowed me to be a
professional athlete and I
owe this title to him.”
Herfoss leaves Honda with
three Australian Superbike
titles to his name and no set

plans for the future.
“I really don’t know what
I’ll be doing next year, there
really are no plans in place
at this stage. I’m completely a
free agent, I just want to see
what’s out there – but I don’t
know, it might be nothing.”
Herfoss is understood to
have already fielded calls from
the organisers of both the BSB
and Moto America series.

MATT O’CONNELL

GO WEST!

THE 2023 Australian Under 21 Speedway
Championship staged at Tamworth on 18
November will be remembered for one of
the most dramatic finals in history.
Queensland rider Keynan Rew was
unbeaten in the heats, joining him in the
decider were Harrison Ryan, Tate Zischke
and B Final winner Michael West. When
Rew was clear on the opening lap of the
final as the other three battled behind.
But Rew fell, race stopped, Rew
excluded. Next time Ryan fell, race
stopped, Ryan excluded. Then Zischke
dived underneath West who fell. Tough call
for the referee who excluded Zischke. All
West had to do was complete four laps –
which he did. PB

DUNKER BECOMES A SAMURAI
ASBK SUPERSPORT Champion
Cameron Dunker had another reason
to smile at The Bend’s ASBK finale
on Sunday 3 December. As well as
being his 16th birthday, Dunker was
also voted the recipient of the annual
RK Chains Samurai Award – thanks
to Link International – for the Most
Outstanding Young Talent in 2023.

174

amcn.com.au

As well as winning the Supersport
crown, Dunker also won the national
190cc Ohvale MiniGP title, going on to
represent Australia in Valencia at the
World Series. The award was presented
by Troy Herfoss, himself a recipient of
the award in 2010.
“If you’ve been voted to receive this
award, the history of it speaks for

itself, it means big things are expected
of you in this sport,” Herfoss said,
letting the gravity of the moment sink
in. The award comes with a unique
Samurai trophy direct from Japan and
has been presented to various greats
of the sport including Mick Doohan,
Troy Corser and Dunker’s mentor,
Jamie Stauff er. MO

3

SPORT. GRID TALK

Deon’s road
to team
ownership

1

INTERVIEW MATT O’CONNELL + PHOTOGRAPHY ROB MOTT

DEON COOTE

We caught up with Penrite Honda’s team boss on the eve of the championship decider
You’ve had a huge
few weeks with Troy
announcing he will be
leaving the team. Can we
go over some key moments?
Can you recall when you
first took over the team in
2018?
Yeah, when I took over we
made a few changes, the
team structure changed
and we switched to K-Tech
suspension. It was an
impressive first season, as
we worked well together and
we raised the bar, coming in
so strong. I always felt that
we thought outside the box
and particularly with K-tech
suspension, we pioneered
it in the Superbike class in
Australia. It’s been fantastic
to see that since then it’s
become a well-used product

176

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throughout the ASBK
paddock.
The 2019 SMSP finale
against Mike Jones will
never be forgotten by race
fans anytime soon. Even in
defeat the team showed so
much fight.
All year the Fireblade loved
going around corners but the
Ducati had us in a straight
line. It showed in qualifying,
as they could release the
power of that thing and
throw down an impressive
lap. That said, the Ducati
looked a bit harder to tame
over full race distance. It
was certainly a challenge,
a fun year to try and stay
in front of that bike. The
last race at Eastern Creek
was amazing. It was a hot

day and our bike seemed to
be going very well against
the Ducati – the Honda was
handling the heat better. It
was a nail biter!
The 2021 crash in Darwin
where Troy hit the wall. I
remember feeling sick to
my stomach…
It was certainly a tough day.
I was getting f lashbacks to
friends passing away from
back when I was racing. It’s
not often people get away
with hitting a wall like that.
Lucky for Troy he did. I’ll
never forget it.
I’ve been around a bit of
trauma in my life but that
is one of those times I won’t
forget how much pain he
was in. Screaming for hours.
I was calling his dad Mark

“I’D RACED dirtbikes until I was
about 18 years old, then I switched
to road and raced a proddy. I
finished on a Superbike in 2005.
I’d been around bikes my whole life
really, from growing up on a farm to
racing dirtbikes, then moving on to
roadbikes.
What threw me into the spotlight
was doing the World Superbike
wildcard with Josh Brookes at
Phillip Island at the start of 2017.
A few people noticed that we put
together a professional show for
a one-off event, so that probably
started the process that led to the
ASBK move in 2018.”
to check in with him and
I could hear Troy in pain
in the background. It was
horrible.
The nature of the injury
meant he couldn’t have
painkillers right away
because he had to go under
the knife to get the process
of pins happening. It was
a traumatic thing to watch
him go through and for the
team to experience.
You had to continue as a
one-rider team. There must
have been pressure from
above to replace Troy?
Let’s just say the easiest
option would have been

1. Pole position, a double win and lap record had Troy Herfoss and Deon Coote feeling on top of the world at Round Three at Queensland Raceway 2. Deon thinks carefully before answering
interviewer Kate Peck's question on national television 3. A small team but with a strong bond created over years of ups and downs 4. Another double win for Troy and the team at Morgan Park
5. The whole team has worked hard to keep the Honda Fireblade competitive 6. End of an era as Troy parts company with Deon after six years as a championship contender and winner

to drop Troy and employ
someone to take his place
– there was pressure to
consider that.
In your mind, was that an
option?
No. I knew he was a fighter
and I knew he’d do whatever
it took to come back. But
there were complications
that dragged out his healing
process. He had to have a
second surgery due to the
complexity of the injury
and it was tough when we
were back at the track.
We’d been used to finishing
first, second or third every
weekend… I think we were
13th at Phillip Island at
Round 1 in 2022.
Moving into this season,
all the talk was about Josh
Waters on the V4. He looked
untouchable.
Round 3 is when it started
happening for us. The bike
was at its limit and to go
faster we had to change our
methodology of bike set-up.
Troy took all this on board
and, from then on in, the
bike started improving and
Troy’s rhythm was back.
Tell us about the protest
at Hidden Valley where
McMartin Ducati
challenged Honda.
If I think someone’s cheating
I’ll discuss it with them,
give them the opportunity
to explain the situation or
resolve the issue before
making a scene about it.
I’d never want to win a
championship through
protesting, especially over
incorrect allegations.
It was disappointing,
especially when you hear
about things other teams
may or may not be doing.
The paddock talks but if
there was something we
were doing that was a great
concern, bring it up with us.
This came out of the blue. It
was a bit off-putting; not the
way I like to do business.
You’re a reserved kind
of guy at the track. In

2

3

4

“I’LL ALWAYS HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT
FOR TROY AS A MATE AND AS A GREAT
RIDER. WE’VE HAD SOME GREAT TIMES"
contrast, Troy left no
doubt how he felt about it.
Troy thrives off that kind
of situation. Josh is more
reserved and I felt they
(McMartin Racing) set
themselves up to fail there.
They potentially could have
won two races in Darwin,
(but) they fired up a guy
who can handle himself in
confrontational situations
and can go in for a bit of
a battle.
What about when you were
given the news that Troy
wasn’t returning for 2024?
Initially a bit disappointed,
to be honest. It’s a shame we

couldn’t come to a resolution
that was going to make
Troy happy and work for
the team. I’ll always have
a lot of respect for him as a
mate and as a great rider.
We’ve had some great times
over the last six years, and
I know he will do well in
whatever he does next.
Who do you choose to
replace Troy Herfoss? It’s
got to be a very complex
decision?
The problem with a onerider team is that you have to
hang your hat on somebody
who can win races and also
the championship. If I was

5

6

lucky enough to have a tworider team we could take on
a young guy. There’s only a
few to choose from and I’m
really unsure at the moment.
I don’t have the answer.
How do you decide in a
practical sense? Can you
have a testing shootout?
I can’t even do that. Most of
the current guys are still
under contract so that isn’t
really an option and the
timing is so quick for us to
start up again. It’s a very
difficult decision to try
and process.

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177

Australian Motorcycle News road test photographs are posed for by skilled, professional riders under controlled circumstances. Attempting to imitate their
actions may be dangerous. Australian Motorcycle News supports and endorses rider training and wearing protective riding gear… Especially if you’ve just spent
the last 1656 days earning a crust at Gassit HQ. As well as the inevitable torn muscles and hematomas, there’s been global gallivanting, countless covid, epic
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