A hidden bump that caused the death of a rider and his pillion may not have been detected by VicRoads because it scans roads in a four-wheeled vehicle, not on a motorcycle.
The Victorian Coroner’s Court did not find VicRoads culpable for the deaths of Mark Rodgers, 47, and partner Jodi Walsham, 42.
However, Coroner Paresa Spanos recommended VicRoads improves training of its inspectors to be aware of vulnerable riders and promote its hotline to report road hazards.
VicRoads accepted the recommendations and pointed out that in February 2019 it announced specialised motorcycle hazard training for road inspection crews.
However it did not agree to inspect the roads on motorcycles.
Tragic crash
In March 2015, Mark was riding his 2007 Harley-Davidson Softail on the road with partner Jodi as his pillion and another couple following on a 2007 Fat Bob.
Mark rounded a blind left-hand bend after the Devil’s Backbone and hit a bump or “shove” that knocked the bike off course into the path of an oncoming marked Victoria Police Nissan Patrol four-wheel drive.
The bike hit the bullbar and went under the vehicle, bursting into flames. Mark and Jodi could not be revived and sadly died at the scene.
Mark and Jodi
Bump to blame
Coroner Paresa Spanos heard that the Softail had rounded the corner at more than the 45km/h advisory speed but less than the posted road speed limit of 80km/h.
The Coroner also heard that Honda Blackbird rider Martin Taylor hit the same bump the previous day, fell off his bike and slid across the road.
Martin survived because there were no oncoming vehicles.
Police did not attend the accident and the bump was not reported to VicRoads.
The bump was described by Justin Ezard who was following Mark on a Fat Bob as being like “a mini ramp”.
“It appeared about three foot long, six inches wide and six inches high,” he told the Coroner’s Court.
“It was big and it would not have been any fun to hit it at a faster speed.
“I didn’t lose control when I bit the bump as I hit it ‘dead-on’. It was just the slam when you hit it.”
VicRoads responsibility
Despite police not providing evidence of Mark’s bike hitting the bump, Coroner Spanos found the bump caused the accident and highlighted the “particular vulnerability of motorcycle riders to irregularities in the road surface”.
The Coroner said VicRoads had the responsibility to “inspect, maintain and repair” the arterial road, but had not identified the bump as a hazard to riders.
“This state of affairs would seem to speak to inherent limitations in the current inspection regime with its reliance on a four-wheeled vehicle traversing the roadway that its ill-equipped to discern road conditions that may be more problematic for a two-wheeled vehicle.”
Our view
Victorian rural road
While VicRoads promises to train its inspectors to look out for specific motorcycle road hazards, it has not made any mention of scanning the roads on a motorcycle.
Four-wheeled vehicles can easily detect potholes and bumps in the wheel tracks.
However, only motorcycles can detect these hazards when they lie in between the wheel tracks.
Therefore, authorities need to send out inspectors on motorcycles, rather than in cars.
It is also important for riders to report road hazards to authorities. They may be cynical that they will be fixed, but at least there will be an official record of the report.
Police in two states have seized 11 stolen motorbikes under investigations into motor vehicle theft and rebirthing as motorbike theft runs rampant across the nation.
Two of the bikes were seized in Deer Park, north-west Melbourne, and nine in Western Sydney after a police pursuit of an unlicensed rider.
In Victoria, Vehicle Crime Squad detectives investigating theft and rebirthing in the North West Melbourne area as part of Operation Unwanted this morning (30 April 2019) executed warrants at three private properties on Robinsons Road, Deer Park. A 37-year-old man from Point Cook is “assisting police with their enquiries”.
Unlicensed rider
NSW Police have also today charged a western Sydney man after he allegedly rode a stolen motorbike in Oxley Park last Friday (26 April 2019).
Officers from North West Metropolitan Region Operational Support Group attempted to pull the rider over, but he failed to stop and a pursuit was initiated.
“Due to the erratic behaviour and speed of the bike the pursuit was terminated within minutes,” NSW Police say.
An investigation was immediately launched, and officers attended a unit on Adelaide Street, Oxley Park, where police allegedly seized four stolen trail bikes.
Police have now arrested and charged a 28-year-old Oxley Park man with a police pursuit, riding while a licence was refused, riding a motorcycle without the consent of the owner, speeding and dangerous riding.
Further investigations led police to a unit on Marsden Street, St Marys, where the stolen motorbike he was riding was found along with four more stolen motorbikes.
All the motorcycles were seized and inquiries into their ownership continue.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers onlineor phone 1800 333 000. Information is treated in confidence and the public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.
Rampant theft
NMVTRC map shows motorcycle theft hotspots in 2018
Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hrambanis says the biggest rises in motorcycle theft were in NSW and Queensland.
The Council is shortly expected to release a review of the amended NSW Crimes Act which introduced a new offence of knowingly facilitating a rebirthing activity carried out on an organised basis.
It was designed to deter thieves by applying tougher penalties to any and all members in a theft network involved in stealing your motorcycle or car with tougher penalties.
While it seemed a good idea at the time, the figures seem to show it is not working.
We will have a report on the review in coming weeks.
Theft by state
State or Territory
2017
2018
% change
Thefts
% of thefts
Thefts
% of thefts
ACT
126
107
-15.1%
NSW
1679
1968
17.2%
NT
126
82
-34.9%
QLD
1510
1696
12.3%
SA
521
555
6.5%
TAS
122
141
15.6%
VIC
2013
2092
3.9%
WA
2052
2105
2.6%
AUS
8149
100.0
8746
100.0
7.3%
Opportunistic theft
“In most cases vehicle theft is almost always opportunistic, with the vehicle being stolen for short-term use and later recovered (78% in Queensland),” Caitlin says.
Unlike most modern cars which have self-alarming engine immobilisers, many motorcycles need owners to lock them with a chain, disc lock or an alarm switch.
She says they can easily be stolen without requiring any keys.
“Motorcycles have their own set of challenges due to their ease of portability, the high demand for parts and poor identification,” she says.
“Two in three motorcycles are also stolen from the home, making home security, protecting keys and considerations of where the bike is stored also important.
“In Queensland, around a quarter of all bikes stolen are off-road bikes, which often makes recovery difficult as they are not subject to a registration system.”
Bike theft is rampant in South East Queensland with Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Logan and Moreton Bay all in the top 10 local authority regions for bike theft.
Harley-Davidson is pouring sponsorship dollars into the Formula 1 electric category ahead of the release of their first electric motorcycle, the LiveWire.
Just because Harley is sponsoring leading Formula E team Envision Virgin Racing does not necessarily mean the iconic American company will produce electric cars in future.
After all, Harley has previously sponsored other car racing categories, including several of the Australian Supercars drivers, and has not yet released a four-wheeler.
However, never say never, right?
The sponsorship deal is more to do with the incoming wave of electric mobility and raising its profile in Europe where the company is facing hefty retaliatory tariffs in the wake of President Trump’s trade wars.
Trump responded by saying the European tariff hike on Harleys and other American products was “unfair to the US” and that “we will reciprocate”.
However, the tariff hike is in response to Trump’s tariff hike on European steel and uranium which also increased raw material costs for Harley.
When Harley announced last year that they were closing a Missouri factory and opening on in Thailand, Trump called for a boycott on Harley for moving production offshore, even though they had already been making bikes in Brazil and India for some years.
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
The LATEST News
Arizona AFT Super TT falls to JD Beach
Webb and Sexton Top the Podium at East Rutherford SX
Upton Wins Gascoyne Dash
Doyle headlines FIM Speedway of Nations Race Off 2
Murray Bridge Double Header This Weekend
Victoria, ACT and WA Host Championship Rounds
Weekly Up-Date on Our Aussies Abroad
Arizona AFT Super TT falls to JD Beach
Yamaha MT-07 rider JD Beach pulled off an improbable come-from-behind victory to claim his first-career American Flat Track premier class win in last Saturday night’s thrilling Super TT at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona.
AFT Twins head to the Arizona Super TT – Image by Scott Hunter
AFT Twins Report
Throughout the day it was the points leader Briar Bauman on his Indian who logged the fastest laps around the twisting and undulating Super TT circuit and he appeared well on his way to a seemingly effortless victory deep into the 25-lap Main Event but the determined Beach slowly reeled his quarry in and finally positioned himself to attack with just two laps remaining.
2019 Arizona Super TT – AFT Twins – Image by Scott Hunter
Beach, a multi-time national road racing champion made his move up the inside entering Turn 2 and pulled clear from there to at last complete the long-awaited breakthrough win ahead of Bauman and the defending champion Jared Mees (Indian) whom in turn got the nod over the Jeffrey Carver Jr. (Indian) and Jake Johnson (MT-07).
2019 Arizona Super TT – AFT Twins – Image by Scott Hunter
JD Beach
“It’s amazing. This is something I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid. We’ve been close before but never quite got it. To ride the race that I did — to be back from Briar like that and catch him and pass him with two to go — was awesome. I’ve just got to thank the whole team. We’ve definitely had our highs and lows this year so far. They’ve worked so hard. It’s a great feeling, but we’ve still got a lot of rounds to go and a lot of work to do. We’ll have some fun tonight and get back to work tomorrow.”
JD Beach – Image by Scott Hunter
Bauman could take solace in the fact that he continued his perfect podium record on the season and extended his title lead to 18 points after four rounds.
Briar Bauman
“I had nothing for him. He came by me like I was tied to a tree… The bike was great all night. I thought I was in a pretty good position. I got the start and did everything right. The only problem is JD Beach came, so here we are in second.”
2019 Arizona Super TT – AFT Twins – Image by Scott Hunter
Arizona Super TT – AFT Twins Main Event
JD Beach Yamaha MT-07
Briar Bauman Indian FTR750 +2.244
Jared Mees Indian FTR750 +19.026
Jeffrey Carver Jr. Indian FTR750 +23.610
Jake Johnson Yamaha MT-07 +23.907
Bronson Bauman Indian FTR750 +35.266
Kayl Kolkman Yamaha MT-07 +35.896
Brandon Robinson Indian FTR750 +36.052
Sammy Halbert Harley-Davidson XG750R +40.515
Larry Pegram Indian FTR750 +1 Lap
2019 Arizona Super TT – AFT Twins – Image by Scott Hunter
AFT Twin Standings
Briar Bauman 82
Jared Mees 64
Brandon Robinson 64
Henry Wiles 51
Jarod Vanderkooi 51
Jeffrey Carver Jr. 44
Sammy Halbert 44
Jake Johnson 43
Larry Pegram 42
Bronson Bauman 37
Jared Mees – 2019 Arizona Super TT – AFT Twins – Image by Scott Hunter
AFT Singles Report
TT specialist Jesse Janisch and his Yamaha YZ450 upped his AFT Singles win streak to three with a wire-to-wire victory in Saturday night’s undercard Main Event over Dalton Gauthier and Ryan Wells.
Arizona Super TT – AFT Singles – Image by Scott Hunter
Janisch found himself under heavy pressure throughout the Main Event courtesy of points leader Dalton Gauthier who threw everything he had into one final strike at the chequered flag, pulling alongside Janisch as they two exited the race’s last corner and powered up the decisive jump with Janisch holding on by a scant 0.105 seconds at the line.
Arizona Super TT – AFT Singles – Image by Scott Hunter
Jesse Janisch
“This race was so much about the start. These guys were flying all day… I just tried running clean laps. Roof Systems Dallas TX got me off to a great start, and I was trying to watch the monitor and I saw Dalton right on me. But they kept going to a different battle, and I wanted to see where Dalton was at! He was really coming on that last lap.”
Jesse Janisch – Arizona Super TT – AFT Singles – Image by Scott Hunter
2016 AFT Singles champion Ryan Wells came home third ahead of Mikey Rush and Dan Bromley while Aussie Max Whale who was still feeling the effects of last weekend’s crash struggled home to 16th but he maintains a top ten position in the points.
Arizona Super TT – AFT Singles – Image by Scott Hunter
Arizona Super TT – AFT Singles Main Event
Jesse Janisch Yamaha YZ450F
Dalton Gauthier Husqvarna FC450 +0.105
Ryan Wells Yamaha YZ450F +3.324
Mikey Rush Honda CRF450R +5.822
Dan Bromley KTM 450 SX-F +6.227
Chad Cose Honda CRF450R +10.395
Cole Frederickson Honda CRF450R +10.922
Andrew Luker Kawasaki KX450F +11.236
Ben Lowe Honda CRF450R +13.251
Jacob Lehmann Honda CRF450R +13.829
Arizona Super TT – AFT Singles – Image by Scott Hunter
AFT Singles Standings
Dalton Gauthier 79
Jesse Janisch 72
Mikey Rush 63
Dan Bromley 58
Morgen Mischler 40
Oliver Brindley 38
Shayna Texter 35
Chad Cose 34
Ryan Wells 31
Max Whale 25
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
Webb and Sexton Top the Podium at East Rutherford SX
On a jump infested and highly technical layout Cooper Webb has managed to win an action packed 450 main event to extend his championship lead, while Chase Sexton took over as the 250 East Coast class championship leader after winning his first main for the year.
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
450SX Report
While his teammate Marvin Musquin was avoiding being run over after crashing in the first corner, Webb grabbed the holeshot from Zach Osborne and Eli Tomac, but before the opening lap was complete Tomac had moved to second and was right on the rear wheel of Webb.
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by HoppenworldAMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
After a few attempts Eli was finally able to get to the lead and reminiscent to his Vegas performance in 2017 Tomac was looking to unsettle Webb as he slowed in several sections before cutting down to a tighter line through some of the corners but the Kawasaki rider finally cleared his thoughts to establish a small lead.
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
In fact, it looked like Eli would pull away for the win until he got cross rutted and went down in the whoops to drop back to fourth behind Webb, Osborne and Blake Baggett. Osborne caught up to Webb to make the pass for the lead so it this stage Zach led ahead of Webb, Baggett and a fast closing Tomac but then Baggett crashed and Osborne rode straight up a right hand berm which gave the lead back to Webb.
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
The atmosphere was electric as Tomac caught all the way up to Webb but an identical crash in the whoops dropped him back to third and that is the way they stayed to the line with Webb winning over Osborne, Tomac and Baggett.
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
With one race left, Web has a 23-point lead over Tomac while Musquin, who came into the race as the only other rider besides Tomac within striking distance of his teammate salvaged a fifth after his crash to now trails Webb by 31 points so he is no longer in championship contention.
Cooper Webb
“The win is a great momentum booster for me. Having another win for me and the team that works so hard is awesome, but anything can happen, as we saw tonight, but it is nice to come in with a bigger lead. I felt like crap all day and all week, so to be out here at all was great, the goal was a top five, so to come away with a win was incredible.”
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
Zach Osborne
“It’s been a long gruelling road to get back, I felt great in the off season, had a really good bike and one tiny mistake took me out of the first six rounds but it is finally coming back to me, we completely changed the bike in the off week and I felt a lot more comfortable in the whoops. In the main event I got off to a good start and after getting beaten up in the past I decided to just send it which I did for a couple of laps then made the pass for the lead – it was a really good race for me.”
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
Eli Tomac
“I had to have a chuckle about it, I mean, I did the exact thing twice (crash twice in the same spot), I mean, how do you even do that? We were going triple into the whoops and I was leaning a little too far to the right, got cross rutted and then went into the same tuff block, the same tip over, it’s like a replay. I could have got away with one of those but the second one really did me in.”
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
450SX Main Event Results
Cooper Webb
Zach Osborne
Eli Tomac
Blake Baggett
Marvin Musquin
Ken Roczen
Joey Savatgy
Joshua Grant
Cole Seely
Justin Hill
450SX Main Event Podium – AMA SX Round 16, 2019
450SX Points after 16 of 17 Rounds
Cooper Webb – 358
Eli Tomac – 335
Marvin Musquin – 327
Ken Roczen – 300
Blake Baggett – 274
Dean Wilson – 223
Joey Savatgy – 208
Cole Seely – 194
Justin Bogle – 158
Justin Barcia – 154
Chad Reed – 151
Justin Brayton – 151
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
250 East Coast Report
After the injured championship leader Austin Forkner made his way to the main event with a far from convincing fourth place in his heat race it was Alex Martin who grabbed the early lead in the main event ahead of Martin Davalos, Sexton and Forkner.
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
Austin slammed by Sexton for third but he was soon in second behind his teammate Davalos after Martin slid out so it looked like things were going the way of Forkner BUT a flat landing before the wall jump caused him to re-aggravate his knee and take him out of the race.
When Austin pulled off, Sexton inherited second place and later he took over the lead from a struggling Davalos who would also surrender second and third to the Yamaha duo of Mitchell Oldenburg and Justin Cooper, so the win went to Sexton over Oldenburg, Cooper and Davalos.
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
With just the final East/West shootout at Las Vegas to go next weekend Sexton has inherited/earned a nine-point lead over Cooper with Forkner a further 13-points back. The 250 West Coast series is similarly placed with Adam Cianciarulo holding an 8-point lead over Dylan Ferrandis heading into Vegas so the combined final is going to be very interesting indeed.
Chase Sexton
“We have made a lot of bike changes from the beginning of the season, it is pretty crazy when you compare what I was riding back then to now, it has made a big difference and I have just been trying to put in my laps but I felt really good out there tonight, it feels awesome to be fastest qualifier, win my heat then the main, it’s been a long time and it feels great.”
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
Mitchell Oldenburg
“It has been a tough physically and mentally but everyone around me has believed in me so this feels great, I felt awesome tonight, comfortable and it’s been a long couple of years but we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Justin Cooper
“We struggled with suspension but we did our best and I felt really good in the heat where I got into second and started putting in my laps before I ended up jumping into the hay bales and it all went downhill from there because I didn’t feel myself in the main event but not taking any credit from these guys, they are riding awesome.”
AMA Supercross Round 16 – East Rutherford – Image by Hoppenworld
250 East Coast Main Event Results
Chase Sexton
Mitchell Oldenburg
Justin Cooper
Martin Davalos
Brandon Hartranft
Kyle Peters
Alex Martin
Jordan Bailey
Lorenzo Locurcio
Anthony Rodriguez …22. Austin Forkner
250SX Main Event Podium – AMA SX Round 16, 2019
250 East Coast Points after 8 of 9 Rounds
Chase Sexton – 174
Justin Cooper – 165
Austin Forkner – 152
Martin Davalos – 134
Mitchell Oldenburg – 128
Alex Martin –121
Brandon Hartranft – 118
Kyle Peters – 115
Kyle Cunningham – 108
Jordon Bailey – 91
250 West Coast Points after 9 of 10 Rounds
Adam Cianciarulo – 208
Dylan Ferrandis – 200
Colt Nichols – 163
RJ Hampshire – 145
James Decotis – 128
Michael Mosiman – 128
Cameron McAdoo – 128
Shane McElrath – 123
Chris Blose – 119
Garrett Marchbanks – 100
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
Upton wins Gascoyne Dash
Easter weekend saw defending champion Cody Upton win the Gascoyne Dash which has competitors racing from the WA coastal town of Carnarvon to the outback oasis of Gascoyne Junction and back.
Cody Upton wins the 2019 Gascoyne Dash
Upton lead a field of 32 bikes and 19 quads away for the Prologue but it was KTM rider James McCarthy, stopping the clock some 13 seconds ahead of fellow KTM Rider Thomas O’Connell, with the Yamaha of Alex Moore rounding out the outright podium while the leading quad was ATV MX convert, Luke Gaisford on his Honda.
The first day of the main event saw the field race east approximately 205 kilometres from coastal Carnarvon to the outback oasis of Gascoyne Junction and it was Upton who managed to take the win. The defending champ not only faced stiff opposition from his fellow competitors and the tough terrain on the race home, he would also have to overcome a broken left hand thanks to a rock thrown from a competitor’s bike on the run to Gascoyne Junction.
Luke Gaisford took the Quad win
While not able to match the pace that he set on day one, Upton was able to do just enough to lead the Moto field home ahead of McCarthy, Moore and O’Connell while Jye Schaap, Damon Meyer, Luke Thomson, Cameron Smart, Michael Lough and Andrew Somers rounded out the top ten.
Amongst the hotly contested quad category, ATV MX specialist Luke Gaisford powered home from the Junction to win his first desert enduro. Finishing 15th outright ahead of Blake Croonen and Colin Balshaw.
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
Doyle headlines FIM Speedway of Nations Race Off 2
World champions Tai Woffinden and Jason Doyle lead a stellar field for the FIM Speedway of Nations Race Off 2 in Manchester on May 11 as the squads and starting line-ups are confirmed.
2019 FIM Speedway of Nations Race Off 2
Reigning world #1 Woffinden captains the Lions on home shale in his first racing appearance in the UK since becoming the first Brit to win three world titles last October.
Meanwhile, 2017 FIM Speedway Grand Prix winner Doyle leads the Australian challenge. The Brits and Aussies are up against Denmark, USA, Latvia, France and Finland with three places up for grabs in the Monster Energy SON Finals at Russian race track Togliatti on July 20 and 21.
Every nation had the chance to name a squad of up to five riders – three seniors and two under-21s, with two seniors and a junior starting in Manchester. Each under-21 must take at least one ride.
Doyle teams up with Belle Vue skipper Max Fricke, who gets the nod ahead of 2012 world champion Chris Holder to race on his SGB Premiership home track. Aussie Under-21 champion Jaimon Lidsey serves as their junior rider, with Redcar rider Jordan Stewart the reserve under-21.
Jason Doyle at least year’s Melbourne Speedway GP – Image by Colin Rosewarne
The Finals field will also feature three nations who advance from Race Off 1 in Landshut, Germany on May 4, which sees Germany, Poland, Sweden, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Ukraine and Italy compete.
Race Off 2 Squads & Line-Ups (In Draw Order):
AUSTRALIA:
1 Jason Doyle (captain), 2 Max Fricke, U21 Jaimon Lidsey.
Also in squad: Chris Holder, Jordan Stewart (U21).
FINLAND:
1 Timo Lahti (captain), 2 Tero Aarnio, U21 Timi Salonen.
Also in squad: Jesse Mustonen, Niklas Sayrio (U21).
1 Niels-Kristian Iversen (captain), 2 Leon Madsen, U21 Frederik Jakobsen. Also in squad: Michael Jepsen Jensen, Patrick Hansen (U21).
GREAT BRITAIN:
1 Tai Woffinden (captain), 2 Craig Cook, U21 Robert Lambert.
Also in squad: Chris Harris, Daniel Bewley (U21).
FRANCE:
1 David Bellego (captain), 2 Dimitri Berge, U21 Gaetan Stella.
USA:
1 Austin Novratil, 2 Luke Becer (captain), U21 Broc Nicol.
Also in squad: Ricky Wells.
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
Murray Bridge double header this weekend
This weekend will see the first of the two ‘double header’ rounds of the 2019 Australian MX Nationals with Murray Bridge putting together two days of racing that could well see major changes in the MX1, MX2 and MXD championship classes.
MX Nationals head to Murray Bridge for Rounds 4 & 5
MX Nationals Series Promoter Kevin Williams today expressed his gratitude for the Rural City of Murray Bridge and explained that the venue is well equipped to have a full two days racing and the club are ready to welcome thousands of motocross fans.
Kevin Williams
“I’m very thankful to the Rural City of Murray Brdge for there commitment and partnership in making this event happen with Murray Bridge hosting the first of this years double header rounds, the South Coast Club have been working around the clock to make sure everything is up to a double standard and the track is well equipped to handle two days of gruelling racing.”
In the MX1 class Hayden Mellross holds on to the championship points lead by a slender 5-points over Luke Clout who in turn has a 2-point gap to Kirk Gibbs who has the exact same gap back to Todd Waters so that is less than 10 points from first to fourth which means this weekend at Murray Bridge could well shake this championship up…..or will it?
The likes of Jay Wilson, Aaron Tanti, Kyle Webster and Nathan Crawford need to pull their fingers out and stop Wilson Todd from running away with this championship – and that is going to be difficult with Wilson looking to be in a class of his own during the last two rounds to now have a 28 point lead over Wilson.
Wilson Todd – MX Nationals Round 3, Broadford, 2019
MX2 – Championship Standings After Round 3
Wilson Todd – 170
Jay Wilson – 142
Aaron Tanti – 133
Kyle Webster – 126
Nathan Crawford – 122
Cooper Pozniak – 115
Dylan Wills – 113
Jye Dickson – 107
Riley Dukes – 103
Issac Ferguson – 93
The MXD class has been it’s usual action packed adventure for the youngsters and so far it has been Regan Duffy who has been the most consistent but Rhys Budd, Max Purvis and Mason Semmens have been on the winners pace while there are three or four other riders who are currently top ten in the points who have the speed to win motos.
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
Victoria, ACT and WA Host Championship Rounds
The Yamaha BluCru 2-Stroke Nationals was held at Fairburn Park last weekend as was the VSMX at Swan Hill in Victoria and the WAMX Championships at the Coastal Motocross facility.
Jai Walker won the premier YMI All-Power class at Fairburn Park over Jake Cobbin and Connor Whitney while Blake Fox (Yamaha 125cc Jnr Cup), Ryder Kingsford (Yamaha 85cc Cup), Ky Woods (Raceline 65cc Cup) and Steven Bowen (Hallman Retro Cup) took out the support classes.
Jayden Rykers (Pictured at MXN) – Image by Scottya
On a day that fielded many national riders Jayden Rykers won the premier All Powers class at Swan Hill over Erki Kahro and Ryan Shadbolt while Mason Semmens got the win over Max Purvis is the MX2 class then we saw Lewis Stewart (MX1A), Justin Carafa (Over 30s), Mike Reefman (Over 40s) and James Graham (Over 50s) win the support classes.
Coastal hosted the opening round of the WAMX championship and it was Regan Duffy who took out the MX1 class over Charlie Creech and Josh Adams before Duffy also took out the MX2 class over Corben Weinert and Dylan Hennessey while Chris Bosnakis (Quads), Hannah Bagnall (Womens) and Jacob Whatley (Amateur) won the support classes.
Over in the junior ranks the class winners were Brock Flynn, Kayden Minear, Seth Manuel, Dylan Walsh, Mason Brown, Jaylee Rimbas and Jodh McQuade.
Weekly Up-Date on Our Aussies Abroad
Jed Beaton – Rockstar Husqvarna
Championship: World MX2 Motocross Championship Current Standing: 13th after Round 4 of 17 Notes: Thanks to some niggling injuries Jed sat out the opening round but has scored solid points in the next three rounds while still nursing a few aches and pains – the four week break from rounds 4 to 5 will do him no harm. The next round will be the MXGP of Lombardi in Italy on the 12th of May.
Jed Beaton
Mitch Evans – 114 Honda
Championship: World MX2 Motocross Championship Current Standing: 8th after Round 4 of 17 Notes: Mitch sensationally started the season with a podium finish but since then it has been a bit of a roller coaster with great speed let down by two mechanical DNFs. The next round will be the MXGP of Lombardi in Italy on the 12th of May.
Mitch Evans
Tayla Jones – Rockstar/Husqvarna/Moose Racing/Shaw Wines
Championship: GNCC Current Standing: 1st after Round 4 of 13 Notes: Tayla has only lost one round so far this year and is looking as good as ever. Next round will be the ‘X Factor Whitetails’ at Peru near Indianapolis on May 4 and 5
Tayla Jones competing the 2019 GNCC – Image by Ken Hill
Caleb Grothues – SDM Corse Yamaha
Championship: EMX250 Current Standings: 16th after Round 2 of 8 Notes: The former Australian and World Junior Motocross Champion rode well at the opening round but was forced to sit out the second round due to injury but the West Aussie should be back for the next round in France on the 26th of May.
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
Hunter Lawrence – Geico Honda
Championship: AMA Motocross Championship Current Standings: TBA Notes: Hunter was looking sharp heading into the supercross championship before he crashed right before the opening round so he is now healed and by all accounts 100% ready for the outdoors which kicks off at Hangtown on May 18.
Hunter Lawrence – MXoN 2018
Jett Lawrence – Geico Honda
Championship: TBA Current Standings: TBA Notes: Jett joined the Geico Honda amateur program for 2019 and to date he has raced a handful of events like the Mini-Os etc – as soon as he races and there are results it will be right here.
Jett Lawrence
Tahlia ‘TJ’ O’Hare – KTM DIGA Racing Team
Championship: MXW World Motocross Championship Current Standings: 13th after Round 1 of 5 Notes: Tahlia’s initiation into the world motocross scene was at the toughest track on the circuit in Valkenswaard but she managed to get through with a solid 13th but look for TJ to move up the points standings at the second round in Portugal on May 19.
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
Chad Reed – JGR Suzuki
Championship: AMA Supercross Current Standing: 11th after Round 16 of 17 Notes: Chad was part of a multi bike crash at Seattle when he was sitting 7th in the championship and if a few things go his way Chad will be on the line at the final round of the championship at Vegas this weekend.
Chad Reed – Image by Hoppenworld
Wil Ruprecht – Johansson MPE Yamaha
Championship: EnduroGP – Junior Class Current Standing: 2nd after Round 1 of 7. Notes: Wil proved his worth at the opening round in Germany with a solid weekend on the only Yamaha in the field. The next round will be at Valpaços in Portugal on the 3rd and 4th of May.
Championship: MXW World Motocross Championship Current Standings: 8th after Round 1 of 5 Notes: Meghan sat out the World Championships for four years and her first round was marred with some minor mistakes but there was no mistaking her speed so look for Meghan to have a much better round in Portugal on the 19th of May.
Championship: GNCC / AMA Enduro Current Standing: 6th after Round 4 of 13 Notes: New team for Josh and he is gaining confidence at every round – Josh sat in second place for the early part of round 4 before dropping to fifth overall. Next round will be the ‘X Factor Whitetails’ at Peru near Indianapolis on May 4 and 5
Josh Strang – 2019 GNCC – Image by Ken Hill
Mackenzie Tricker – KTM/MEPMX/Fly Racing
Championship: GNCC Current Standing: 3rd after Round 4 of 13 Notes: Mackenzie is not far off cracking a win at the GNCC level but the pace is red hot out front between Jones and Becca Sheets. Next round will be the ‘X Factor Whitetails’ at Peru near Indianapolis on May 4 and 5.
Mackenzie Tricker (2018 ISDE) – Image by Dario Agrati
Max Whale – Weirbach Racing Kawasaki
Championship: AFT Singles Current Standings: 10th after Round 4 of 18 Notes: Max scored a disappointing 16th at the Super TT in Arizona last weekend thanks to still feeling the effects of the previous weekend’s big crash but he still sits 10th in the points with plenty of rounds left to prove his worth.
Liminton satisfied to end Toparis’ race winning streak
Yamaha contender secures maiden Supersport race victory at The Bend.
Image: Russell Colvin.
South Australian Nic Liminton has reaped great reward from ending Tom Toparis’s (Landbridge Yamaha) perfect race winning streak in the Supersport class at The Bend Motorsport Park’s third round of the 2019 Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK).
The Yamaha-mounted talent put on a thrilling display in the final encounter of Sunday’s racing, trading the lead with Toparis on numerous occasions before making a lunge in the dying moments to lift his first ever Supersport race victory in front of a home crowd.
The win paired with a 2-2 scorecard recorded in races one and two granted Liminton second overall, enabling him to retain second in the championship rankings.
“I’m totally over the moon about that final race and getting the win,” Liminton expressed. “It was so good to do it in front of my friends and family who have come out to support me and this event in South Australia. To top it off with our very first Australian Supersport championship win in the last race is just even better. I couldn’t be happier. Massive thanks to the team.
“In that race, Tom sure did make me work for it. He is very, very quick and has won every race so far this season. So, to be able to put a stop to his winning streak is such a nice feeling.
“I’m looking forward to Morgan Park. Unfortunately, I missed the round last year due to my health issues. It will be great to be back there as I know I can go quick there. It should be another awesome round.”
Toparis still holds a perfect record for overall wins, currently taking three from three rounds. He holds a 41-point advantage over Liminton.
Roczen potential not on display ‘in quite a while’
Section: Competition
Team Honda HRC challenger still facing undiagnosed health issue.
Image: Supplied.
German ace Ken Roczen has acknowledged his full potential hasn’t been on display ‘in quite a while’ as he continues to battle an ongoing health issue.
The Team Honda HRC contender finished sixth at East Rutherford’s penultimate round of the 2019 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship on Saturday, which comes after a host of uncharacteristic results.
A strong start to the season admittedly started to go downhill in March when he was dealt with an undiagnosed illness that has plagued his campaign, resulting in unexpected fatigue while racing.
“Today started out a bit rough,” Roczen stated. “I haven’t ridden [a] supercross [track] since Denver – so two weeks ago – just because we did some outdoor testing and then because of what I’ve been dealing with, I wanted to give myself a little break. It’s taking a long time to figure out what’s going on with me, but the good thing is I felt better tonight than I have in the last few weeks.
“Overall, I’m happy that I felt better most the day and didn’t get as tired in the main as I have been. I’m going to see a few more specialists in the next couple of weeks to get some legit answers. It’s been tough because I feel like I haven’t been able to show my full potential in quite a while. In the beginning of the season you could see how well I was doing, and then it went downhill from there.
” We’ve had a few other good runs, but it’s been a challenge for sure. It’s tough because there’s nothing more that I want than to go out there, feel good, and do good for the team. I think we’ve been making the best of it and we’re doing everything we can to get things figured out.”
The number 94 currently sits fourth in the championship standings as just one round remains this weekend in Las Vegas.
Kawasaki Racing Team confirms Suzuka 8 Hours entry
Factory WorldSBK squad to field Rea, Haslam and Razgatlioglu.
Image: Supplied.
Kawasaki Racing Team has confirmed its entry for the 2019 Suzuka 8 Hours in Japan, which will mark the season finale of the 2018-2019 FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) on 28 July.
The factory WorldSBK squad will field it’s current Superbike line-up of four-time reigning champion Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam, along with Turkish Puccetti Racing’s Toprak Razgatlioglu.
“I’m very excited to be returning to the Suzuka 8 Hours with Kawasaki,” said Rea. “The race itself has a huge place in my heart. After last years’ experience, and being so competitive with Team Green, I am back for more. Last year we had some great speed but also made some mistakes.
“We will learn from those mistakes and be more prepared than ever. It’s one of the toughest, most exciting, races in the world. Racing in temperatures as hot as 36°C is a true test of man and machine. I love the challenge and can’t wait to spend time with all the Japanese fans.”
Haslam added: “The Suzuka 8 Hours is a fantastic event and this will be my fourth year now with Kawasaki. We have had some good races in the past, and a memorable one where I rode for five and a half hours out of the eight. Last year, with Jonathan, we were leading the race until we had a small problem. We have been on the podium every year and I feel that we have been making improvements with our package.
“Hopefully with some good testing under our belts we can make a strong challenge and finally get on that top step of the podium. It is good riding with Johnny as we have very similar set-up requests and we will have to see what the strategy is this year. I am really looking forward to it.”
Razgatlioglu expressed his excitement to race his first-ever Suzuka 8 Hours in Japan, particularly alongside what he’s labelled a ‘dream team’.
“This is my dream team,” Razgatlioglu stated. “I am ready, always, and we will see how it goes. I am a fan of the 8-Hour race but this will be my first time riding. I am so lucky to be in a team with Johnny and Leon; it feels incredible. I have ridden once before in the Japanese Superbike Championship, last year.
“The Japanese Kawasaki team told me that it was a similar bike to the 8-hour machine, and the main difference should be the endurance style fuel tank. The biggest difference from WorldSBK racing for me will be the Bridgestone tyres. It is like a dream to ride at Suzuka in the 8 Hours because it is an incredible track!”
In the previous five years, Kawasaki Team Green – managed by Kawasaki Motors Japan – participated in the race and achieved runner-up honours in both 2016 and 2017, while last year it completed the podium in third.
¡Qué ganas de estar en Jerez! El jueves recibiré al convoy motero en el Tablao de #RedBull! Os podéis apuntar aquí! http://bit.ly/ConvoyJerezMarquez #TeDaAlas #SpanishGP
On Saturday morning, March 23, motorcycle industry professionals, riders, and custom bike enthusiasts around the world learned of the passing of industry luminary Arlen Ness, who died peacefully in his home the night before surrounded by family and loved ones. First and foremost, Ness was a loving husband, father, and grandfather, but to motorcyclists around the globe he was a visionary, leader, and considered by many to be the godfather of the modern custom motorcycle.
Arlen Ness’ motorcycle empire started with a single bike, a 1947 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead that he purchased with the winnings from his semi-professional bowling league. By the late 1960s, choppers had taken over the streets of California, and although Ness was primarily into four-wheeled hot rods, he couldn’t escape the bug. The ’47 Knuck was given what would now be referred to as the “Ness treatment” in the family garage in San Leandro, California. It didn’t take long for his first custom to catch the eyes of magazine photographers and the public fell in love with Ness’ fresh take on the American chopper. The paintwork on the Knuck alone led to his taking custom painting work and eventually opening a storefront and painting motorcycles full time.
With a family to support and a burgeoning business to grow, there was no money for new motorcycles to show every year. Ness continuously built and rebuilt his original ’47 every year in order to stay competitive at local shows and keep his work in the public eye. In doing so, he made the discovery that there wasn’t much variety in terms of parts available to customizers.
Ness took it upon himself to provide that necessary variety to the custom motorcycle market by selling chromed rims and handlebars of his own design. His shelf stock continued to grow, with painting still the primary business, and the local biker community supported both of Ness’ ventures. Before long, word of his custom parts had spread outside of the local area and calls came in from all over from customers looking to add that unique Ness touch to their bikes. To support his long-distance customers, his wife (now of 57 years) Beverly typed up the company’s first “catalog,” which was a simple list of parts and prices.
The business grew, and although it remained in his ownership, the ’47 Knuck, named “Untouchable,” retired from show duty and now he could afford to purchase more bikes and take customizing even further. Choppers may have ruled the road in the late ’60s, but long, low, and lean diggers were on the horizon and were championed by none other than Arlen Ness himself. This general style would go on to be one of the hallmarks of a Ness build through to present times.
For decades, every Arlen Ness build somehow managed to outdo the previous one with Untouchable being one-upped by “Two Bad,” a dual-engine Sportster that used a car-style hub front wheel. Later bikes capitalized on the Ness reputation like the classically styled “Ness-Tique,” the Chevy Bel Air-inspired “Ness-Stalgia,” the modern hypercar-inspired “Smooth-Ness,” and one of his most popular builds, “Mach-Ness,” which used a jet helicopter engine rather than the usual V-twin.
The custom motorcycle world grew bigger and bigger, and Arlen Ness became one of the first parts manufacturers to use CNC machining to produce high-quality, show-ready components that individuals could easily bolt onto their Harleys or customs. The nearly unlimited manufacturing potential allowed Ness to develop a thick catalog of parts, which today stretches across several hundred pages and a website. Along the way, every custom bike Arlen built was saved, and today the museum at the company’s 70,000-square-foot Dublin, California, headquarters is home to dozens of his builds.
In nearly all of his tributes, the word “legacy” is used at least once, and rare it is that a legacy like Arlen Ness’ is seen in this world. He not only left a mark on the custom bike industry, but is in large part responsible for what it is today. His mail-order business with a real-world build background set the standard for dozens of custom parts manufacturers today. He also leaves behind a strong legacy in the Ness name, with son Cory having been a major part of his dad’s company for more than 30 years, and grandson Zach, who started building custom bikes in high school and has become one of the industry’s top builders in his own right. Undoubtedly, Arlen Ness, the brand, has a strong future of pushing boundaries and setting standards in the custom world under their leadership.
A celebration of life for Arlen Ness will be held Saturday, April 27, at 10:30 a.m. at CrossWinds Church in Livermore, California, which will be followed by a group ride to the Arlen Ness dealership in Dublin.
Joe Roberts was one to watch in American motorcycle racing when he was coming up the ranks. He took wins in AMA Pro, won the MotoAmerica Superstock 600 championship in 2015, and in 2017 proved strong in the FIM CEV Repsol Moto2 class. He was young, he was clearly talented, and he was hungry. That combination got Roberts a chance to dip his toes in MotoGP’s Moto2 class in 2017, where he contested five races and then moved into the series full time in 2018. This year he’s back again with American Racing KTM and he’s still working hard to find his feet. It’s been a big jump to the world stage, and Roberts is not shy to admit it has been an adjustment.
“It’s pretty intense, man,” Roberts said of racing in Moto2. “You show up to a weekend… These guys are generally not far off the lap record within the first session, so it’s something mentally you have to wrap your head around when you show up to a track. Something I do when I come out here to the supermoto track is just try to set my absolute best time in the first outing to kind of train your brain to really just be firing right away. So it’s stuff like that that I think coming from the national level where things are a little bit more relaxed I would say, you kind of have to think about that.”
Roberts used to prefer to take the first session to do some mental preparation with the bike, the track, to make a plan of attack. But he’s working to push past old habits like that.
“Visualizing the track and just understanding,” Roberts explains of his approach now. “I do a lot of watching the races before I show up. The next track is Jerez, so I’ll start to study all the previous years, different lines, different braking markers, things like that. You can spot a lot on those cameras. Also now MotoGP they do the onboard cameras too. You can just select that. So I do a lot of that stuff. That helps me out as soon as you get on the track. Obviously you still need a few laps to kind of put everything together, but that’s improved my process a lot more.”
The difficulty is compounded by a brand-new bike in Moto2 this year as well.
“I think there’s some things they still need to figure out with the electronics,” Roberts said of the new Triumph platform. “Just little stuff. Like in Austin where I put the first gear, the thing pops into neutral. So sometimes stuff like that can come up.
“But it’s a new class. They’re working the kinks out. That was something we were struggling with a little bit the last race. But it’s a new class. I like the bike. I’m a heavier guy so if I have more power, it helps.”
Plus getting the settings dialed is a whole other matter, adjusting the torque management system (not traction control) that, according to Roberts, essentially makes the throttle softer. Engine-braking settings and other maps all need to be refined.
In addition to all the technical concerns, there’s also the mental game and team dynamic to consider.
“I think mentally we’re already there. I came into this year very positive and strong that I could be at the front. Honestly right now what we’re running into a bit is just some things like within the team where it’s a new team and sometimes the communication, it takes a few races to get everything dialed in, for everyone to kind of find the rhythm. The team is really strong. I think there are a lot of good, positive things. We just need to put everything together. But I’m really positive we’ll be there. In A lot of races we’re only like a second off, but in this field it’s like 25th place. It’s kind of interesting to think about it that way because you also can see we’re only one second, so you improve a half a second that’s really nothing and you’re right up in the front. We’ll be there.”
Roberts is fully committed to reaching his goals of consistent top-10 placements by the end of the year. He’s now based in Barcelona and supplementing his physical training regime with plenty of supermoto. He’s working to pick up Spanish too.
Spain has been a hotbed of amazing talent in recent years, so it doesn’t hurt to be fully enmeshed in a culture so supportive of motorcycling.
“These Europeans, they grow up racing each other from when they’re like 10 years old. I witnessed it when I went to race in the European championship. I could just see these little kids. They were like 10 years old but in professional, full-on same structure that I’m racing in as a professional team. They’re just kind of groomed to be these amazing riders. Not everybody is. It’s not like, ‘I’m Spanish. I’m an amazing rider just naturally.’ There’s a lot that aren’t. But I think people here in the US could be like that if they had the same kind of opportunities. I think you could have these amazing riders. It’s just to me with the opportunities they get as a young kid.
“Actually I think they get a lot of help from the local governments as well. I think a lot of the families aren’t really that well-off. In Valencia, I know a lot of top riders from Valencia are sponsored by the government, so it’s pretty crazy. I was thinking about hitting up the Glendale government, the city or something, and seeing what happens. They’d probably just tell me to piss off.”
Which is a shame, because American riders need a more effective way to prepare themselves to be competitive on the world stage. For now, Roberts really only sees a viable path similar to the one he took.
“I can only really look at what I did. I went to [Red Bull MotoGP] Rookies Cup. That was a big eye-opener for me and taught me a lot of things about the way things are structure-wise and how fast they are, those Europeans. When I came back to America it wasn’t like I was here to stay. It’s not easy to go over to Europe. There’s so many fast riders. Obviously I think MotoGP wants Americans, but it’s not cheap either. It’s a long way to go. That’s maybe the things they’re running into. As far as [Cameron] Beaubier and guys riding in MotoAmerica, some of them got some good deals going on with some factory teams, getting paid well. So maybe they don’t feel the need to risk it all. I can respect that. That’s not really something I’m looking for.”
