Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Marvin Musquin will miss the complete 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship after injuring his knee in the pre-season.
The Frenchman cased a jump at the KTM test track in Corona, California, and returned to his home country for surgery this week. As a result, he will miss all 17 rounds.
“It’s tough to share this disappointing news,” Musquin confirmed. “I was really happy to be back on the bike riding after being injured at the end of the motocross season and starting to train for supercross.
“Unfortunately, I had an incident at the KTM test track and ultimately over-jumped a jump that had a very big impact on my legs when I landed, injuring my left knee. I had it evaluated by several doctors and it was determined that my knee required surgery.
“It’s devastating news to me as I was really looking forward to racing supercross, but I will take the time needed to recover properly with my main focus being to return when I am strong enough to win races.”
Red Bull KTM team manager Ian Harrison commented: “We want Marvin to take the time he needs to fully recover. He is a big part of our program and we have a good working relationship.
“We understand how disappointing this is for him and the whole team, so we are here to support him and look forward to him making a return to racing when he is 100 per cent ready.”
Musquin finished third in the 2019 450SX standings, expected to challenge for the crown once again next season prior to his injury. It’s unclear if KTM will call in a replacement alongside defending champion Cooper Webb.
The Tour Jacket Powells-ST from iXS comes from Switzerland and is therefore by its very nature well aware of the continually changing climatic conditions in the Alpine country. Regardless of what happens on your adventure tour: You will be perfectly equipped with this jacket.
Thanks to the solto-TEX® membrane, you will remain completely dry even when it’s wet and the wind is reliably kept away from the body. The removable CYNIX® thermal lining will keep you pleasantly warm. The various ventilation openings provide a sufficient supply of fresh air when it gets warm.
An important feature of the Tour Jacket Powells-ST is how extremely comfortable it is to wear: Various adjustment options at the waist, hips and arms will help you to always fit the jacket optimally to your body, regardless of what you are wearing underneath. The height waist adjusters enable the jacket to fit every body size. And the Fidlock® magnet fastener at the collar helps the jacket to also not pinch at the neck.
Thanks to the elbow and shoulder protectors together with the standard back protector, all tested in line with the latest design standards, you can place all your trust in your equipment. Reflective transfer prints increase active safety.
You will ride to your destination fully relaxed. Your companion, the iXS Tour Jacket Powells-ST, is definitely the right choice – you will put in a good appearance!
PRODUCT FEATURES
Recommended Retail Price: € 279.95
Colours: black-white (031) black-red-white (321)
black-luminous yellow (350)
luminous yellow-black (530) (only for men)
Men’s Sizes:
Women’s Sizes: Article N°:
Standard Sizes: Long Sizes: Short Sizes:
Standard Sizes: Short Sizes:
S – 9XL (031), M – 4XL (350), M – 2XL (321, 530) LM – LXL (031)
KM – K2XL (031)
Base layers are great for year-round riding. They help keep you warm when it’s cold, and they wick away moisture when it’s hot. Now, iXS has tossed in a new feature – flame-retardancy.
New standards are being set by iXS in terms of motorbike underwear with the Underwear Shirt & Pants Flame. The newly developed, flame resistant material protects the skin against burns through burnt-in fabric. It is breathable, absorbs perspiration and feels naturally soft because of the high viscose content.
New benchmarks are being set with the new, flame resistant, all-year-round material mix of the iXS Flame underwear. The iXS Underwear Flame creates a flame resistant intermediate layer to sensitive skin to prevent the melting of the upper clothing fabric or lining – either through frictional heat or through contact with the exhaust. With its incorporated aramid, the material is also hard-wearing, abrasion resistant and protects against cuts.
The seamless design has a soft, pleasant feel on the skin and will impress you with its noticeable moisture management through fast moisture removal and great drying. The underwear prevents your jacket and trousers sticking damply to your skin and also serves as an additional layer for movement. This protects the skin against undesired forces and supports the rapid reduction in energy.
The functional clothing is extremely pleasant to wear because of the high viscose content. Viscose combines the positive features of cotton, silk and synthetic fibres. As it feels naturally soft, is breathable, but does not pill or rub off, viscose is extremely well suited as a base layer of clothing. The fibres are also very light and yet robust and absorbent.
Thanks to the ergonomic fit and the extremely stretchable material, the shirt and trousers hug the body perfectly and there will be no annoying creases. The two sizes available, namely M/L and XL/2XL, are therefore sufficient to cover a wide range of different body sizes. The discrete design goes with a lot of motorbike clothing and when you have a break in an ice café, you can easily wear the top part on its own without any problems.
Underwear Shirt & Pants Flame
PRODUCT FEATURES
Recommended Retail Price (EU):
Shirt € 79.95
Pants € 69.95
Colour: grey-melange (039)
Sizes: M/L, XL/2XL
Article N°:
Shirt X33355
Pants X33356
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Flame retardant long sleeve shirt & pants
Seamless construction for highest wearing comfort
Ergonomic fit avoids unnecessary wrinkles
Moisture wicked away
Flame retardant
Temperature-regulating
MATERIAL
68% viscose, 16% aramid, 13% modacrylic, 3% other fibers
Triumph has paid an undisclosed sum to feature in the 25th James Bond film, No Time to Die, but a Ducati Scrambler has stolen some limelight.
The price for product placement in a movie is up to about $A500,000, but for a Bond film it can be a whole lot more.
In fact, Heineken is believed to have paid $A65 Million to get Bond character Daniel Craig to sip their beer instead of a martini in the 2015 film, Spectre.
So we have no idea how much Triumph has paid, although boss John Bloor did confirm the partnership with the producers for No Time To Die, being released in April 2020.
The result is 007 riding a modified Scrambler 1200 in one chase scene.
Craig’s stunt double on the Triumph Scrambler 1200
So why is a baddy riding an 803cc Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled in the same chase scene?
Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled
Bond film espionage?
Has Ducati snuck in some free screen time in an apt case of Bond film espionage or did they pay, too?
Or is this a deliberate effort by Triumph to make their scrambler competitor look bad by being associated with buddies while their Scrambler is associated with the hero?
Bond movies are usually associated with exotic cars, but motorcycles have also featured over the years.
Most have been BMW vehicles, although there was a run of Ford-owned cars for a while, including Aston Martin.
Good to see Bond back in an Aston Martin DB5 for No Time To Die (with a Ducati in pursuit)
A new free app called EzySt not only shows you where the cheapest fuel is near you, but also offers special discounts and can find the cheapest fuel on your planned ride route.
Unlike existing fuel price apps and schemes, it is not based on crowd-sourced information, but real-time data from local fuel retailers and Government reporting schemes.
The app is free and will work to show you cheap fuel near you and on your planned ride if you load your route into the map.
EzySt has completed a successful trial in Western Australia and is now available in Queensland and NSW with other states and territories to follow.
Sign up for EzySt deals
To access special fuel and other servo deals, you have to sign up.
However, if you value your privacy, you can still use all the other attributes of the app without signing up, such as route selection and choosing your preferred fuel type by RON value.
I entered my email details several days ago and have yet to receive any discount deals.
If you do get a deal, you don’t have to take it straight away, but can save it.
You can also sign out at any time and choose to have the app only work when being used or working in the background all the time, but that will reduce your phone’s battery.
Many riders don’t care about the price of fuel, only the quality for their pride and joy.
Savings
However, if you are interested in exploiting the fuel economy benefits of a motorcycle, this app could save you precious dollars.
EzySt app has been several years in the making and is the brainchild of Sydney-based company The Pricing Project who developed other fuel industry software such as PriceScape and PriceSync.
It is led by former Caltex executives Mick Jarvie and Ben Everitt, and technologist Damian Funnell.
However, it is not limited to Caltex.
Participating retailers include the EG Group (Caltex / Woolworths), independents Puma Energy, Pacific Petroleum, New Sunrise, and several dealers operating under nationally recognised brands.
EzySt is now available through the App Store and Google Play, and can be followed on Facebook at @EzySt.
If you are frustrated with finding somewhere to safely rest your helmet the “Y” shaped Spanish Frog portable helmet support could be the answer.
Inventor Luis de Arquer says the 70 x 80mm Frog comes in two models that you either carry in your pocket or stick to the top of your helmet with a 3M adhesive strip.
Pocket
Sticker
They come in multiple colours, some with motorcycle manufacturer logos, and cost €20 (about $A35) each or half price if you support their Kickstarter campaign.
They claim it will ship to early supporters in January and others in February.
How the Frog works
The Frog supports the helmet in an upside down position without scratching the surface.
As Luis says, you can then put your gloves, phone, glasses and keys inside your helmet for handy storage.
If that’s a concern to you, try the portable pocket device.
The miniature tripod device won a A’Design Award for its usefulness and ease of use.
It is based on the Euclid Tripod Axiom which means only three points are required to define a flat plane.
Luis says it is stable enough to secure your helmet, but we wonder whether it would withstand a rickety cafe table or someone bumping into your bike with the helmet on the seat or tank.
If it does work, it would be a handy little device as it can be difficult finding somewhere safe and convenient to hang your helmet on a motorcycle.
By the way, if you are wondering why a Y-shaped item with three legs is named the Frog, it is apparently named after the Brazilan Brachycephalus tridactylus frog which is the only frog in the world with only three legs.
For a fresh model, there’s a lot to like about the 790 Adventure. A whole lot. I spent some time on its sister bike the 790 Duke a few months back so had a reasonable idea of what to expect – but even then I was seriously impressed.
It’s a nice bike to live with day to day – and even with a couple of very minor niggles, it would have to go close to getting the gong for class leading mid-weight soft-roader.
2019 KTM 790 Adventure
Contrasting to the Duke, the Adventure version has a little more scale to its overall dimensions and as a result doesn’t feel like a smaller capacity bike, like the Duke did.
I really gelled with the size. With its 850mm seat height it’s an easy thing to throw a leg over and on the go it feels super maneuverable. Worth noting that the seat height is 10mm lower than the F 850 GS, but it feels like a bigger difference than that.
2019 KTM 790 Adventure
Also worth noting that it’s 30mm lower than the longer travel Adventure R version, and I’m sure that a fair chunk of the inherent handling capabilities come from the work that’s gone into weight placement and distribution.
The new 790 parallel twin is ridiculously compact, which allows the engineers to package it up in a way that gives even more clearance while keeping weight where it needs to be. And then of course there’s the funky fuel tank.
I admit that I had a bit of a psychological hurdle to get over with the placement of the wrap-around tank that drops down either side of the motor. The reality is that the design has no real issues for a soft-roader.
2019 KTM 790 Adventure
The only time I was conscious of them was when I was sneaking around the boom gate into the work carpark where you need to pay attention to the curb, but it’s still safely clear of getting close to contact. So the issue is a mental one to overcome.
There’s 20 litres capacity there which gives a very handy range – I saw over 440 km a few times on my commute and it would have still had another 20 km left in it.
2019 KTM 790 Adventure
On the R version and if you intend on doing serious off-roading, then you’d throw some crash protection on there anyway wouldn’t you? I’m sure there are numerous options out there.
While thinking about options, you’d probably also want to throw some spotlights on it too as the headlight throw isn’t as wide as I’d like given that I often have no choice but to ride amongst roos at night.
2019 KTM 790 Adventure
The engine is also a little detuned from the Duke variant. I dunno why. When you have the ability to switch tunes electronically and have such good traction control, I don’t understand why you’d dial some power out.
Just give it the full welly so when you can use it, it’s there!
When I picked it up I knew it was slightly detuned and my immediate impression was that there wasn’t much hump there.. but it was actually in ‘Off-Road’ mode which tames it down even further.
A bit of a poke of the mode button controls had that sorted and it was more like what I expected. There’s 95 horses there and it’s genuinely a very good thing on the go with a surprisingly strong mid-range and top end.
2019 KTM 790 Adventure
Top gear roll on is bloody impressive and feels on par or better than anything else in its class. It can protest a little if you ask too much of it under 2500 revs – which you can occasionally fall into doing as its so tractable you forget to change down.
But keep the 790 over 4000rpm and it’s superb. How strong? A little dip of the throttle in second gear and getting back on it will loft the front up every time. It’s a ripper.
2019 KTM 790 Adventure
The throttle feel is spot on, as is the quick shifter. Super smooth. In fact.. And this might sound weird but bare with me, it’s almost.. too smooth? Is that even possible you ask?
Well let me explain. I did find that I’d occasionally miss up-shifts in that I’d find myself lifting my foot so gently that it would trip the clutch engagement and the revs would rise, but I hadn’t moved the lever enough to trip the gear change.
2019 KTM 790 Adventure
I’d probably like a little more solidity to the gear change, but it really is nitpicking. Admittedly the lever is positioned quite high with plenty of room for adventure/off road boots like mine – Trev commented on the lever position too but he was wearing road boots and had just stepped off the 1290 Super Duke and of course the shifter position is adjustable, it’s just that engagement is never quite rifle-bolt positive, a trait of pretty much every KTM gearbox I am yet to sample.
Downshifts were a delight and I didn’t miss a single one. You can almost lean on the lever and it will pull the gear in and slip down a cog. Lovely.
Suspension, brakes and overall handling were faultless and I found the riding position really natural. Controls are light and precise, like most soft roaders/adventure bikes the front brake is dialled more towards feel than initial bite to avoid dipping the front too much with the longer travel suspension – but there’s plenty of power once you give it a squeeze.
2019 KTM 790 Adventure
It’s a very, very nice place to call home for a few hours. The seat seemed like it might be a bit firm at first but felt fine even after four hours in the saddle on my single longest day. As I said earlier, it’s a good thing – even more so for a fresh model.
All of my real niggles are on – or related to – the dash. Which shows just how good the rest of the bike is. The fuel gauge only shows increments below half which is puzzling, and the range meter can only be described as schizophrenic when it gets down to the business end of the tank. As in the bit where you need it to be reliable.
2019 KTM 790 Adventure
Examples? My last fuel stop is 45km from home. So I need at least 90 kays of range in it as I pass it each night. Several times I’d go past and it would say I still had 120km range. Then I’d be 15 minutes up the road and it would show 40km… Then the next morning it might show 40, then 20, 10, 0.. Then 20 again.. So it needs a bit of work. It needs a look at.
2019 KTM 790 Adventure
The final niggle is the system for switching modes and turning traction control on and off. And to be fair, KTM aren’t the only manufacturer doing this.
2019 KTM 790 Adventure
The trend of having multi-function buttons that you use to navigate through menus on the dash might be ok for more obscure setting changes and information, but it shouldn’t be used for ride mode or traction control.
Stick a dedicated button somewhere please that riders can press to activate and then press again to cycle through modes or toggle between on and off please.
Having to press two different buttons eight or more times (yes really), as well as rolling off the gas for three-seconds for traction control changes gets old pretty quickly when you’re transitioning from dirt to tarmac and back each ride and/or you feel like a bit of a play…
2019 KTM 790 Adventure
Once you do select off-road mode and disengage traction control though… It’s well worth it. The low seat height and ample mid-range make for great fun on a dirt road.
After spending some time on the Indian FTR 1200 S before this, which was a proper slide machine, I was in the mindset for skids… which the 790 Adventure is more than happy to oblige. That low seat height and clever weight distribution comes into its own once off tarmac and it’s a hoot. Mr Squiggle was out and about again.
Those dash related niggles aside, it’s a very impressive bike. Take my negative comments in the right context because they don’t impact the ride itself. I really do rate the 790 Adventure highly. So much so that the longer travel R version will absolutely be on the shortlist to replace my own Tiger 800 XC when the time comes.
2019 KTM 790 Adventure
Why I like the 790 Adventure:
Love the overall dimensions. Big enough to have plenty of room, small enough to still feel nimble – great manoeuvrability.
That 790 engine has some serious punch from midrange up.
Proper comfy for long hauls – and big range too.
The low seat height will appeal to a lot of riders and makes it super accessible.
I’d like it more if:
Eight or more button presses to change mode or disable TC? C’mon…
Give it the full welly tune of the 790 Duke while you’re at it.
The fuel range readings need a bit of a talking to.
I’d have to tick the Akro slip on option for more noise (but I say that for every bike).
2019 KTM 790 Adventure Specifications
ENGINE
Displacement
799 cm³
Power
70 kW
Torque
88 Nm
Engine Type
2-cylinder, 4-stroke, parallel twin
Bore
88 mm
Stroke
65.7 mm
Starter
Electric starter
Lubrication
Forced oil lubrication with 2 oil pumps
Transmission
6-speed
Cooling
Liquid cooled
Clutch
PASC antihopping clutch, mechanically operated
EMS
Bosch EMS with RBW
Co2 Emissions
98 g/km
Fuel Consumption
4.19 l/100 km
CHASSIS
Frame Design
Chromium-Molybdenum-Steel frame using the engine as stressed element, powder coated
Front Suspension
WP upside-down Ø 43 mm
Rear Suspension
WP monoshock
Suspension Travel F
200 mm
Suspension Travel R
200 mm
Front Brake
Dual radially mounted four-piston caliper
Rear Brake
Two-piston floating caliper
Front Brake Disc
320 mm (x 2)
Rear Brake Disc
260 mm
ABS
Bosch 9.1 MP (incl. Cornering-ABS and offroad mode, disengageable)
I am constantly amazed at the turns of fate that occasionally result in a bike that in normal circumstances would have been lost to history, instead surviving to be photographed in the present.
1964 Ducati folding mini-bike
Here we have the sole prototype of a “folding” minibike that Ducati developed in 1964. It used the 48cc fan-cooled 2-stroke motor that was to be found in several of the company’s production bikes of the time such as the 48SL.
Two-speed 48cc fan-cooled 2-stroke motor
The two-speed gearbox was operated by the left twist grip and a whole 1.35 or 1.5hp (in the SL – depending on the market) was available.
A 1.35 or 1.5hp variant was available
The prototype used the simple method of a sliding square-section main frame member together with handlebars that slid down into the rigid front forks to achieve its change in dimensions.
1964 Ducati folding mini-bike
Full street equipment included head and tail lights, horn and luggage rack. The seat was fixed to the top of the fuel tank. The handlebar brake lever controlled both front and rear brakes.
Tank mounted seat, keeping things compact!
The bike was sent to Ducati’s US importer Berliner for evaluation, and in the twist of fate alluded to earlier, years later became the pit bike for well known Ducati tuner and team owner Reno Leoni.
1964 Ducati folding mini-bike
When he retired and moved back to Italy the bike was obtained by one of his riders, Peter Calles, who happens to be a friend of mine…
Bevan Holmes wins Oceania Motorcycle Technician Grand Prix
It was a case of second time lucky for Queensland-based Yamaha technician Bevan Holmes when he claimed victory at the Oceania Motorcycle Technician Grand Prix held at Yamaha Motor Australia head office recently.
2019 Oceania Motorcycle Technician Grand Prix
A highly trained field of six Yamaha Technician Academy students battled it out over a full day of 30-minute pressure-test tasks covering everything from fault diagnosis through to customer service, all under the watchful eye of experienced judges. Holmes managed to hold out a fast-finishing Lincoln Brien from Chris Watson Motorcycles, who claimed the runner up position.
2019 Oceania Motorcycle Technician Grand Prix
At the 2017 Oceania Technician Grand Prix, Holmes was pipped at the post by the narrowest of margins, and with the qualifier for the biennial Yamaha World Technical Grand Prix held just once every two years, it has been a long wait for the TeamMoto Northside technician to achieve his goal.
Bevan Holmes – TeamMoto Northside Technician
“Winning this competition has been on my mind for two years now, and it was a tough competition. I put a lot of work into it and stressed myself out a bit in the lead-up. Being runner up in 2017 meant I automatically qualified for this year’s Oceania final, but I still went through the motions of the qualifying rounds to get back into the groove of the competition. I’m glad I did because this year’s competition was just as close as 2017. When you have just 30 minutes to work through a problem, you start to feel a level of pressure you don’t get in the workshop on a day-to-day basis.”
Bevan Holmes – 2019 Oceania Motorcycle Technician Grand Prix
Holmes will now pitch his skills against the world’s best Yamaha technicians at the World Technician Grand Prix to be held at Yamaha headquarters in Japan in October next year, and admitted the nerves have already started.
“I’ll be working closely with Carl Rollinson from Yamaha Motor Australia between now and when I leave for Japan so I can be fully prepared. I’m looking forward to it and can’t wait to get started.”
2019 Oceania Motorcycle Technician Grand Prix
The Yamaha Motorcycle Technician Grand Prix has been held every two years since 2001. The Oceania Grand Prix sees YTA students from Australia and New Zealand given the opportunity to test their skills in a competitive environment, with the added incentive of representing their region, country and dealership at the prestigious World Technician Grand Prix in Japan.
Runner up Lincoln Brien – 2019 Oceania Motorcycle Technician Grand Prix
Yamaha Motor Australia wished Bevan Holmes all the best in Japan, and also congratulated all six finalists who took part in the 2019 Oceania Technician Grand Prix, as well as all those who took part in the qualifying rounds.
Penrite Honda Racing has officially announced Luke Clout will join the factory team in 2020, beginning with a stint in the US during the Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250SX West series.
After finishing second with CDR Yamaha in this year’s MX Nationals and AUS Supercross championships, 25-year-old Clout will transfer across to Honda for the new season.
It’s a move that’s been tipped by MotoOnline throughout supercross as Clout went head-to-head with Penrite Honda Racing’s now four-time SX1 champion Justin Brayton for the 2019 crown. It was the latter who regained the number one plate with a first AUS-X Open victory last Saturday.
Clout is expected to be lining up alongside American Mitchell Oldenburg in the Penrite Honda Racing team’s American expansion aboard a CRF250R, scheduled to line up in the first six rounds on the west coast.
“It’s pretty exciting because Yarrive [Konsky] and I had been going back and forth for a bit, but we came up with something that we both agreed on and we’re both really happy,” Clout told MotoOnline. “I’m excited and I think the whole team is.
“This USA thing is going to be exciting, so I look forward to working with Honda and everyone involved. We’ll be in 250SX West for the first six at the moment, so we’ll just take it as it comes – the 450 class over there is a totally different animal over there. At my age, to go to a 250 I think is a smart decision.”
Once arriving back in Australia mid-February, Clout will turn his attention to the MX Nationals MX1 opener to be held at Appin on 22 March. It’s a homecoming of sorts for the New South Welshman, who rode with Honda in his rookie MX1 campaign in 2017.
“Each year we work hard to go one step better and that’s what we’ve done in the past couple of years,” Clout added. “We’re going to be racing pretty much full-time with no off-season, so we’ll be in the swing of things and I know I’ll be in good shape on the Honda – I’ll come into round one ready to go when the time comes.”
Honda Motorcycles general manager Tony Hinton welcomed Clout back to the manufacturer in the factory-team: “Luke is a very strong and dedicated rider and Honda is eager to support his endeavours. His spirit is obvious as he races hard with a winning intent and that is exactly what we like to see.”
Clout has previously ridden with the Yarrive Konsky-led factory Honda team as a replacement rider for Jimmy Decotis in the 2016 Australian SX2 Championship directly after his shortened first term in America.
“I have followed Luke since he was racing on 60s,” Penrite Honda Racing owner Yarrive Konsky said. “He is a very determined rider and I admire that in a racer.
“He has a lot of untapped potential and I look forward to working with him to achieve his goals and objectives. He has an unwavering desire to win and be the best, he is extremely focused so I am excited to go racing with Luke.”
With Clout opting to depart CDR Yamaha Monster Energy for 2020 and Dean Ferris all but confirmed in the Raceline KTM organisation, Hayden Mellross has emerged as the favourite to join Craig Dack’s team alongside Kirk Gibbs next year.
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