KTM 790 Adventure models recalled to fix rear brake issue

Motorcycle Recall Notice


PRA No. – 2020/18286
Date published – 29 Apr 2020
Campaign number TI 13_1667518

Supplier – KTM Australia
Traders who sold this product – Authorised KTM dealers
Where the product was sold – Nationally
Dates available for sale – 30 April 2019 – 2 April 2020

KTM Motorcycle Models:

790 Adventure
790 Adventure R

Click here for VIN List

Model Years 2019-2020

683 affected motorcycles


What are the defects?

Due to a possible material failure of the rear brake line as a result of overheating, the rear brake system can fail.

What are the hazards?

If the rear brake system fails due to continuous heavy braking there is reduced braking ability or effectiveness. This can increase a risk of an accident to the rider, pillion passenger or other road users.

What should consumers do?

Consumers will be contacted by direct mail notifying them of the recall. Consumers should contact an authorised KTM dealer to arrange an appointment for inspection of their motorcycle, to have replacement parts installed when parts become available.

For further information, consumers can contact KTM Australia on 1800 644 771 or find their nearest authorised dealer using the dealer search option at https://www.ktm.com/au/

KTM Adventure TH

KTM Adventure TH

2019 KTM 790 Adventure

Source: MCNews.com.au

Yamaha Australia extends warranty period by three-months

Coronavirus lock-down sees Yamaha extend customer warranty period

Yamaha Motor Australia has introduced a three month warranty extension to give marine and motorcycle customers added peace of mind in these uncertain times.

The initiative has been introduced to ensure that customers who are unable to use their Yamaha products during the current period of enforced inactivity are not left disadvantaged.

The Three month Warranty Extension applies to all Motorcycle, Outboards and WaveRunner products and to these groups between 1 April and 30 June 2020:

  • Existing warranty holders
  • Warranties that expire within this period
  • New models purchased within this period
  • The offer does not apply to ATVs and ROVs

Yamaha Warranty Extension

Yamaha Warranty Extension

Yamaha extend warranty coverage due to COVID-19


Terms and conditions

Three Month Warranty Extension is provided by Yamaha for Motorcycles, WaveRunners and Outboards. This three month extension is applied to the manufacturer’s warranty.

The Three Month Warranty Extension is applied to any product that currently has a warranty, or has a warranty that expired, or is due to expire between 1 April and 30 June 2020.

Customers who purchase, or have purchased, a new Yamaha during this period will automatically receive a three-month warranty period extension. Note that Three Month Warranty Extension does not cover any ATV or ROV products.

Yamaha Warranty Extension

Yamaha Warranty Extension

Yamaha extend warranty coverage due to COVID-19
Source: MCNews.com.au

How to Purchase the Right Tires for Your Motorcycle

(Contributed post for our European readers)

Purchasing tires for your motorbike on the web from tyreleader.ie can save you lots of money. However, it is important you to find the right tires as they are a vital part of your motorbike. There are numerous types and models of motorcycle tires available. It is up to you to settle on which tire to purchase, as per your motorcycle’s owner’s manual and specifications.

Are You Using the Precise Motorcycle Tires?

Utilizing proper motorcycle tires can turn to be a life-saver! Utilizing an improper tire for the bike can lead to tragedy! It is quite critical for riders to select the right tire for their motorcycles. There several types of tires for diverse motorcycles and varied tires for different road surfaces. Also, when selecting the type of tire, think about the type typical weather you will be riding in.

Motorbike manufacturers have already fixed their motorcycles with suitable tires. It is worthwhile that riders read the maker’s manual not only to select appropriate tires, but also proper maintenance. You should check your tires frequently, especially for correct air pressures, to guarantee their condition.

A motorcycle ridden chiefly on the street must have suitable road tires. Slick tires for racing might look great on your motorbike, but the rubber is softer and will wear down more rapidly, although you will have a better grip on dry and smooth road surfaces. Harder and more robust tires will give you extra mileage. The disadvantage is that you may also get lower grip.

It is important to know that if your tires become damaged, choose a substitute tire of a similar dimension, speed rating, and brand name.

It may be important to retain the same tire brand as was fitted from the factory. But don’t fit a different size on the rim as it will affect the handling, may fail and may void your insurance in a crash.

Keep in mind that rubber losses its pliability with time and consequently loses its grip on the road. Being informed regarding motorbike tires makes you a safer rider.

Choosing the tire design for your motorcycle

If a rider uses their bike for daily commuting, weekend fun rides and camp-out tours, they must look into all-terrain tires.

Various motorcycle tires offer a wide assortment for a multitude of terrain. The tread patterns may depend on what type of terrain you will ride, such as tar, dirt, sand, gravel and/or mud.

In conclusion, since a motorbike’s safety is reliant on the tires, you should choose the right tires, plus maintaining them will get you the most out of them. 

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Female rider dies in crash with ute

(File photo of a ute and motorcycle crash)

A female rider in her late 30s has died in a collision with a ute in Bathurst, NSW, this morning (29 April 2020).

NSW Police say emergency services were called to the crash scene on Ophir Road about 9.30am.

Officers from Chifley Police District were told the rider was travelling west when she collided with a ute.

Tragically, she died at the scene.

Our sincere condolences to her family and friends.

The driver of the ute, a man believed to be aged in his 50s, was uninjured. He was taken to Bathurst Hospital for mandatory testing.

Inquiries continue and a report will be prepared for the Coroner.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.

Commute traffic lane filtering speed wet NSW sydney police commuting slow speeding speed limitIndeed, slow down and back off

Ute crashes

Without suggesting any blame for this incident, it seems that a lot of motorcycle crashes involve a ute.

Just do a search for “ute crash” on this page and you will see.

We suggest riders exercise extra caution when riding near utilities and trucks.

Ute drivers often use them as their work vehicle and may be distracted by calls involving their work.

They can also be loaded up with equipment and tools that could illegally disrupt a clear view of a small motorcycle in traffic.

You should also be aware that in some states, such as Victoria, there is no legal requirement for these drivers to cover their load.

So watch out for hazardous objects that could fall out of them.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Honda’s history at the Suzuka 8 Hours

Honda at the Suzuka 8 Hour

Honda is the most successful manufacturer at the Suzuka 8 Hours, but of late have been missing from the top step of the podium at the famous race.

Musashi RT HARC-Pro trio (Takumi Takahashi - Leon Haslam - Michael van der Mark) have taken out the 2014 Suzuka 8 Hours by just under a minute ahead of Yoshimura Suzuki Shell Advance (Takuya Tsuda - Josh Waters - Randy De Puniet). This was the second win in succession for the Musashi RT HARC-Pro triumvirate.

Musashi RT HARC-Pro trio (Takumi Takahashi - Leon Haslam - Michael van der Mark) have taken out the 2014 Suzuka 8 Hours by just under a minute ahead of Yoshimura Suzuki Shell Advance (Takuya Tsuda - Josh Waters - Randy De Puniet). This was the second win in succession for the Musashi RT HARC-Pro triumvirate.

Musashi RT HARC-Pro (Takumi Takahashi – Leon Haslam – Michael van der Mark) won the 2014 Suzuka 8 Hours.

Honda last won in 2014 with Takahashi, Haslam and Van der Mark taking the glory on the CBR1000RR before Yamaha went on to win four years straight from 2015-2018.

Katsuyuki Nakasuga and Pol Espargaro with Bradley Smith win Suzuka 8 Hours 2015

Katsuyuki Nakasuga and Pol Espargaro with Bradley Smith win Suzuka 8 Hours 2015

Katsuyuki Nakasuga and Pol Espargaro with Bradley Smith win Suzuka 8 Hours 2015 – Yamaha went on a four-year winning streak 2015-16-17-18

Until 2019, Kawasaki had only ever won the prestigious event once and that was some 26 years before when Aaron Slight and Scott Russell piloted a ZXR750R to victory. After a confused and embarassing delay to the results in the 42nd edition of the Suzuka 8 Hour in 2019 Kawasaki were once again announced as victorious as Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam piloted the KRT ZX-10RR to victory. 

FIM EWC Suzuka Hour Rea Haslam GB

FIM EWC Suzuka Hour Rea Haslam GB

Kawasaki Racing Team’s Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam celebrate the win in 2019 Suzuka 8 Hour

Today we look back at Honda’s history of success at what is the most prestigious race on the international motorcycle road racing calendar. The 2020 edition of the event has been postponed to November, will the all-new 2020 Fireblade help Honda wrestle back the Suzuka 8 Hour crown?

Honda Fireblade CBRRR SP

Honda Fireblade CBRRR SP

2020 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP


INLINE-FOUR TT F1 ERA: 1978-1983

1979 winners: Tony Hatton/Mike Cole
Honda Australia RS1000

In early 1979 Honda launched its superb CB900F four, to reinforce the company’s reputation as a manufacturer of high-performance sports bikes. The CB900F’s 901cc DOHC engine made the perfect endurance power unit and took Honda’s new RS1000 edurance machine to a clean sweep of the Suzuka 8 Hours podium.

Tony Hatton Suzuka

Tony Hatton Suzuka

1979 winners: Tony Hatton/Mike Cole, Honda Australia RS1000 – Hatton pictured

Two factory-backed importer teams battled for victory on CB900F-powered RS1000s: Tony Hatton and Mick Cole, riding for Honda Australia, and Ron Haslam and Alex George, riding for Honda Britain. They both finished on the same lap, breaking the race record by three laps.

The podium was completed by Shinji Sumitani and Toshio Asami, riding a CB900F for Blue Helmets MSC.

Honda machines filled the top eight positions, vindicating the work of Honda’s RSC (Racing Service Centre), which had been established to support to private teams contesting endurance and TT F1 events. In 1982 RSC was transformed into HRC.

1981 winners: Mike Baldwin/David Aldana
Honda France RS1000

American riders Mike Baldwin and David Aldana perhaps made an unlikely pairing for the Honda France team, but the pair were super-fast fast on their RS1000, winning the race by a clear two laps.

Honda RS Baldwin Aldana

Honda RS Baldwin Aldana

1981 winners: Mike Baldwin/David Aldana
Honda France RS1000

The fastest lap went to the RS1000 ridden by Britons Ron Haslam and Joey Dunlop, who were side-lined by a crash and engine problems. This was the second Suzuka 8 Hours World Championship round – the endurance series had been upgraded from FIM Coupe d’Endurance to the Endurance World Championship in 1980.

1982 winners: Shigeo Iijima/Shinji Hagiwara
Blue Helmets MSC Honda RS1000

This was the first 8 Hours run in heavy rain, when a typhoon hit Suzuka. Conditions were so bad that the race was stopped for safety reasons after six hours. Japanese riders excelled in the rain, with the RS1000s of the Blue Helmets MSC team taking a one-two.

First place went to Shigeo Iijima and Shinji Hagiwara, just 28 seconds ahead of Hiroyuki Ito and Toshihito Yoshimura.


V4 TT F1 ERA: 1984-1993

1984 winners: Mike Baldwin/Fred Merkel
American Honda RS750R

In 1984 the Endurance World Championship and the TT F1 series switched from 1000cc engines to 750s. Honda’s brand-new RS750R – based around the VF750 V4 road engine – gave HRC its first 8 Hours victory, with RS750R riders monopolising the podium.

American Honda riders Mike Baldwin and Fred Merkel beat Honda France duo Guy Bertin and Dominique Sarron by one lap. Honda France’s second team of Gerard Coudray and Patrick Igoa finished a further two laps down.

1985 winners: Wayne Gardner/Masaki Tokuno
Team HRC RVF750

Honda unleashed its legendary RVF750 in 1985. The RVF was the pinnacle of EWC/TT F1 technology: a tuned VF750 engine in a chassis derived from Honda’s experience in Grand Prix racing.

Wayne Gardner RVF Suzuka

Wayne Gardner RVF Suzuka

1985 winners: Wayne Gardner/Masaki Tokuno
Team HRC RVF750

The future 500cc World Champion Wayne Gardner and team-mate Masaki Tokuno fought a huge battle with rivals, Gardner securing victory for Honda by riding the final two hours.

At the finish the Australian was 1-minute 17-seconds ahead of American Honda pairing Mike Baldwin and Dominique Sarron, whose RVF750 was fitted with a single-sided swingarm for faster wheel changes.

1986 winners: Wayne Gardner/Dominique Sarron
Team HRC Honda RVF750

Watched by a weekend crowd of 270,000 Gardner took pole position and in the race no one could stay with him and the new six-speed RVF750. After six hours only one other team was on the same lap as Gardner and Sarron, who eventually took the chequered flag two laps in front.

The second Honda home belonged to Shunji Yatsushiro and Hikaru Miyagi, who rode a Moriwaki CBX750 to a fifth-place finish.

1989 winners: Dominique Sarron/Alex Vieira
Beams Honda Ikuzawa RVF750

Honda’s latest RVF750 dominated this race, taking pole position, setting the fastest lap and filling the top two places. However, the race wasn’t without drama for Honda.

GP riders Wayne Gardner and Mick Doohan were favourites aboard their Team HRC RVF. Gardner took pole, then Doohan established a new lap record, setting a super-fast pace. The Australians were way out front with three hours to go when Doohan tangled with a backmarker and crashed heavily.

That put Dominique Sarron and Alex Vieira into the lead, the Beams Honda Ikuzawa crossing the line one lap in front of Shoji Miyazaki and Tadashi Ohshima on their Team Blue Fox RVF750.

1991 winners: Wayne Gardner/Mick Doohan
Team HRC Honda RVF750

Finally, after making mistakes in 1989 and 1990, Wayne Gardner and Mick Doohan sealed their first victory together, with the legendary Honda France endurance crew looking after them in the pits.

Honda RVF Gardner Doohan

Honda RVF Gardner Doohan

1991 winners: Wayne Gardner/Mick Doohan
Team HRC Honda RVF750

Once again the Australians set a super-fast pace, battling for the lead with countryman Kevin Magee and American Doug Chandler.

In the final stages Magee slid off in the challenging conditions, leaving Gardner and Doohan to beat Magee and his American team-mate by three laps. Third place went to Britons Carl Fogarty and Steve Hislop on their Knorr Cup Soup RVF750.

1992 winners: Wayne Gardner/Daryl Beattie
OKI Honda RVF750

Wayne Gardner scored his fourth and final 8 Hours victory, a few months before retiring from motorcycle racing. This time his team-mate was up-and-coming Australian Daryl Beattie.

The Australian pairing had to fight hard for this victory, under pressure from Team HRC riders Shinichi Ito and Satoshi Tsujimoto on another RVF750. During the final 30 minutes Beattie made an unscheduled pit stop, allowing Ito to close to within a couple of seconds. However, the Japanese rider crashed out on oil dropped by another machine.

Shinya Takeishi and Kenichiro Iwahashi completed the podium in third place on their Team Blue Fox RVF750, just ahead of former 500cc and 250cc World Champion Freddie Spencer and Ryuji Tsuruta on the Mister Donuts Okumura RVF750.


V4 SUPERBIKE ERA: 1994-1999

1994 winners: Doug Polen/Aaron Slight
Team HRC Honda RC45

World Endurance switched from TT F1 to superbike regulations in 1994, requiring road-based chassis as well as road-based engines.

Honda RC Suzuka Slight Polen

Honda RC Suzuka Slight Polen

1994 winners: Doug Polen/Aaron Slight
Team HRC Honda RC45

This was an all-time classic 8 Hours, with the victory duel lasting all the way to the chequered flag. American Doug Polen, New Zealander Aaron Slight and their Team HRC RC45 enjoyed a thrilling battle with Scott Russell and Terry Rymer. In the last hour Slight and Russell were side by side, Slight triumphing by just 0.288 seconds. Shinichi Ito and Shinya Takeishi took third, less than a lap down on their AM/PM Honda RC45.

1995 winners: Aaron Slight/Tadayuki Okada
Team HRC Honda RC45

Aaron Slight won his second straight 8 Hours with Honda, partnered by 250 GP rider Tadayuki Okada. Once again the race for victory was fierce. The Team HRC duo held a five-second lead at half distance and although they’d extended that to 46.8 seconds at the flag the top four finishers all ended the race on the same lap.

Shinichi Ito and Satoshi Tsujimoto made up for their 1992 disappointment by finishing second on their Team HRC RC45.

1997 winners: Shinichi Ito/Tohru Ukawa
Hori-Pro HART Honda RC45

Once again the 8 Hours was ruled by a typhoon, which kept the track soaked throughout much of the race. GP riders John Kocinski and Alex Barros led the way on their Castrol Honda RC45, but lost the lead due to two unscheduled pit stops.

That put Shinichi Ito and Tohru Ukawa into the lead on their RC45. The Japanese pair rode a perfectly judged race in the treacherous conditions to beat Kocinski and Barros by 2 minutes 4 seconds. Theirs was the first all-Japanese victory since 1982.

1998 winners: Shinichi Ito/Tohru Ukawa
Lucky Strike Honda RC45

Shinichi Ito and Tohru Ukawa scored the first back-to-back team victory in the 22nd running of the 8 Hours. And Honda got to celebrate its 50th anniversary by monopolising the podium.

Ito and Ukawa took control of the race in the second hour, but were never able to fully relax as they defended a narrow lead over the Castrol RC45 of Sete Gibernau and Alex Barros, which finished 43 seconds behind the winners. Honda’s new World Superbike star Colin Edwards took third alongside Tadayuki Okada on their Castrol RVF, still on the same lap at the finish.

1999 winners: Tadayuki Okada/Alex Barros
Lucky Strike Honda RC45

Okada and Barros completed Honda’s second 8 Hours hat-trick, the GP pairing bettering the World Superbike duo of Castrol RC45 riders Aaron Slight and Colin Edwards by one lap.


V-TWIN SUPERBIKE ERA: 2000-2003

2000 winners: Tohru Ukawa/Daijiro Kato
Cabin Honda VTR1000SPW

Honda had an all-new machine for the 2000 season, the V-twin VTR1000SPW, which became the brand’s sixth different 8 Hours winner, following in the wheel tracks of the RCB1000, RS1000, RS750R, RVF750 and RC45.

The star entry in this race was GP star Valentino Rossi partnered with WorldSBK star Colin Edwards on a Castrol Honda VTR1000SPW. Rossi took the lead in the first hour, then fell. Edwards was fighting back when he too fell, after four hours, ending their race.

By then Ukawa and Kato had established themselves in the lead, which they retained till the finish, beating their closest rival by one lap.

2001 winners: Valentino Rossi/Colin Edwards
Cabin Honda VTR1000SPW

Rossi had learned from his first endurance race and this time he rode perfectly, once again alongside Edwards. The winning pairing had a race-long duel with the second Cabin VTR1000SPW of Tadayuki Okada and Alex Barros. The result was in doubt until the final moments, Edwards taking the flag 14.2 seconds ahead.

SuzukaH Rossi Edwards

SuzukaH Rossi Edwards

2001 winners: Valentino Rossi/Colin Edwards
Cabin Honda VTR1000SPW

The third Cabin Honda of Tohru Ukawa and Daijiro Kato took fourth place – they missed completing an all-Honda podium by only ten seconds

2002 winners: Daijiro Kato/Colin Edwards
Cabin Honda VTR1000SPW

The VTR V-twin won its third consecutive 8 Hours and this time filled the podium, an important result in the 25th running of the event. Kato and Edwards took victory after a long battle with the second Cabin VTR of Makoto Tamada and Tadayuki Okada.

Honda VTR SP RC Suzuka Kato Edwards

Honda VTR SP RC Suzuka Kato Edwards

2002 winners: Daijiro Kato/Colin Edwards
Cabin Honda VTR1000SPW

Kato rode the final session, his first in the dark, which was complicated by a rain shower. The reigning 250cc World Champion held his nerve to cross the line 25-seconds in front.

Third place went to the Sakurai Honda VTR1000SPW of Alex Barros and Yuichi Takeda who were a lap down after problems in the early stages, then fought back brilliantly to finish 48 seconds behind Kato.

2003 winners: Yukio Nukumi/Manabu Kamada
Sakurai Honda VTR1000SPW

This year the VTR1000 completed a unique achievement – completing the machine’s unbeaten run of four 8 Hours victories.

Nukumi and Kamada had a thrilling duel for victory, finally snatching the lead in the final hour when their rival ran into technical problems. The Japanese pair completed the race one lap ahead of the runners-up and two laps ahead of Takeshi Tsujimura and Shinichi Ito, riding an inline-four F.C.C TSR ZIP-FM Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade; a pointer to Honda’s future at the 8 Hours.


INLINE-FOUR SUPERBIKE ERA: 2004-PRESENT

2004 winners: Tohru Ukawa/Hyasu Izutsu
Seven Stars Honda CBR1000RRW

Another impressive ride by MotoGP rider Ukawa. This was Honda’s first victory with an inline-four machine since 1982 and Ukawa’s fourth success, achieved on a third different type of Honda – a CBR1000RR Fireblade, after earlier successes on an RC45 V4 and a VTR1000 V-twin.

Suzuka Ukawa

Suzuka Ukawa

2004 winners: Tohru Ukawa/Hyasu Izutsu
Seven Stars Honda CBR1000RRW

Ukawa took the lead in the first hour and set a blazing pace with team-mate Izutsu to ensure they were never headed. They finished one lap ahead of their closest rivals, with Toshiyuki Hamaguchi and Shogo Moriwaki taking the last podium place on their Weider Honda Gakuen CBR1000RR.

The CBR1000RR dominated the race, with no fewer than eight of the machines in the final top ten!

2005 winners: Ryuichi Kiyonari/Tohru Ukawa
Seven Stars Honda CBR1000RRW

Another historic victory for Honda, the company’s 20th 8 Hours success, a record fifth win for Ukawa and CBR1000RR Fireblades locking out the top six finishing positions.

Honda CBRRRW Suzuka Ukawa Kiyonari

Honda CBRRRW Suzuka Ukawa Kiyonari

2005 winners: Ryuichi Kiyonari/Tohru Ukawa
Seven Stars Honda CBR1000RRW

Kiyonari and Ukawa were the dominant force, winning by the huge margin of three laps. Chris Vermeulen and Katsuaki Fujiwara completed an impressive one-two for Seven Stars Honda, a further lap down.

2006 winners: Takeshi Tsujimura/Shinichi Ito
F.C.C. TSR ZIP-FM Honda CBR1000RR

Honda’s tenth consecutive 8 Hours victory and another one-two for the Fireblade, with Tsujimura and Ito leading the first hour, then slipping behind the Toy Story RT Run’A & HARC-PRO CBR1000RR of Yoshiteru Konishi and Takashi Yasuda. As the race passed mid-distance Tsujimura and Ito retook the lead and maintained their advantage to the flag. There were seven CBR1000RR machines in the top nine.

2008 winners: Ryuichi Kiyonari/Carlos Checa
Dream Honda CBR1000RR

Honda 500 GP and World Superbike winner Checa partnered Kiyonari to the Japanese star’s second victory in four years. The race was full of drama, with Kiyonari moving to the front on the second lap, only to lose the lead when 2006 winner Shinichi Ito went ahead on the F.C.C TSR CBR1000RR he shared with Takeshi Tsujimura.

SuzukaH Kiyonari

SuzukaH Kiyonari

Ryuichi Kiyonari – 2008 Suzuka 8 Hour

But then Ito crashed and soon after that a rain shower hit the track, causing more crashes. Kyonari and Checa regained the advantage in the tricky conditions.

SuzukaH Checa Kiyonari

SuzukaH Checa Kiyonari

2008 winners: Ryuichi Kiyonari/Carlos Checa
Dream Honda CBR1000RR

Future Honda MotoGP winner Cal Crutchlow finished in sixth place, sharing a Moriwaki Motul CBR1000RR with Tatsua Yamaguchi.

2010 winners: Ryuichi Kiyonari/Takumi Takahashi
Musashi RT HARC-PRO Honda CBR1000RR

CBR1000RR machines once again dominated, monopolising the podium after another thrilling race. Kiyonari and Takahashi had a big battle for the lead with rival factory teams, setting an unbeatable pace that gave Kiyonari his third 8 Hours victory. By the end of the race the winners had a clear one-lap lead over Shinichi Ito and Makoto Tamada, riding a Keihin Kohara CBR1000RR.

Honda Fireblade Musashi Suzuka Takahashi

Honda Fireblade Musashi Suzuka Takahashi

2010 winners: Ryuichi Kiyonari/Takumi Takahashi
Musashi RT HARC-PRO Honda CBR1000RR

Kosuke Akiyoshi and Jonathan Rea took third place after a stunning comeback from 42nd place.

2011 winners: Kousuke Akiyoshi/Shinichi Ito/Ryuichi Kiyonari
F.C.C. TSR Honda CBR1000RR

Akiyoshi and Kiyonari scored an excellent win, recovering superbly from a small crash in the early stages to reach the finish 38 seconds in front of their closest rivals. The result gave Ito and Kiyonari a fourth 8 Hours victory, putting them equal with Wayne Gardner’s tally and one short of Tohru Ukawa’s record five successes. This victory was particularly meaningful for Ito, contesting the final season of an illustrious career.

The podium was completed by youngster Takumi Takahashi and veteran team-mates Makoto Tamada and Tadayuki Okada, who also finished on the same lap as the winners.

2012 winners: Johnathan Rea/Kousuke Akiyoshi/Tadayuki Okada
F.C.C. TSR Honda CBR1000RR

A truly historic race for Honda – the company scored its 25th Suzuka 8 Hours victory in the 35th running of the event. Rea’s success was the first by a British rider at the 8 Hours, the third for former All-Japan Superbike champion Akiyoshi and also the third for veteran Okada, 17 years after his first win in 1995, aboard an RVF750!

2012 Suzuka 8 Hour

2012 Suzuka 8 Hour

2012 winners: Johnathan Rea/Kousuke Akiyoshi/Tadayuki Okada
F.C.C. TSR Honda CBR1000RR

Rea and his team-mates finished an impressive four laps ahead of second-placed Tatsuya Yamaguchi, Yuki Takahashi and Yusuke Teshima, riding a Toho #racing with Moriwaki Honda CBR1000RR.

2013 winners: Takumi Takahashi/Leon Haslam/Michael van der Mark
Musashi RT HARC-PRO Honda CBR1000RR

Takahashi, Haslam and Michael van der Mark became the first tri-nation winners of the 8 Hours, taking a fourth consecutive victory for the CBR1000RR at the end of a tense race. At the start of the final hour the Anglo/Japanese/Dutch held a narrow seven-second lead over their closest rivals.

2013 Suzuka 8 Hour

2013 Suzuka 8 Hour

2013 winners: Takumi Takahashi/Leon Haslam/Michael van der Mark
Musashi RT HARC-PRO Honda CBR1000RR

Former All-Japan 250cc champion Takahashi took the last session, during which the track was made treacherous by rain. He rode superbly, increasing his team’s advantage to 1 minute 51 seconds at the flag.

2014 winners: Takumi Takahashi/Leon Haslam/Michael van der Mark
Musashi RT HARC-PRO Honda CBR1000RR

A famous back-to-back victory by Takahashi, Haslam and van der Mark gave the CBR1000RR its fifth successive 8 Hours victory.

The Musashi RT HARC-PRO team’s success was impressive because weather conditions were atrocious for much of the race, which started an hour late after a fierce storm hit Suzuka on race morning. There were numerous crashes as the rain came and went, with the safety car deployed four times. The F.C.C. TSR Honda team of Kohsuke Akiyoshi, Jonathan Rea and Lorenzo Zanetti were the unluckiest, when Akiyoshi crashed out after four hours, losing a one-lap lead.

Suzuka 8 Hours Podium 2014

Suzuka 8 Hours Podium 2014

2014 winners: Takumi Takahashi/Leon Haslam/Michael van der Mark
Musashi RT HARC-PRO Honda CBR1000RR

With the release of the all-new CBR1000RR-R Fireblade, Honda will be looking to add to its tally of 27 Suzuka 8 Hour victories in the future.


Source: MCNews.com.au

Kriega launches Max 28 expandable backpack

Motorcycle backpacks are becoming more technical, lightweight and packed with features, but they are also becoming expensive such as this Kriega Max 28 expandable backpack.

Before we get into all the features, here’s the thing — it costs $385!

I reckon you could go to an outdoor, camping, hiking, fishing shop and buy a decent, lightweight backpack with many of the same features for a lot less.

Motorcycle-specific backpacks usually cost more, but this costs a lot more than sopme other hi-tech bags such as the Ashvault at $165, Ogio Dakar ($189.95), Kriega R15 ($199), Dainese D-Exchange ($169.95) and Dainese D-Dakar ($199).

So this “ultimate” Kriega backpack better be good.

Kriega Max 28

They say it is “bombproof and waterproof” with enough storage space to carry a laptop or full-face helmet.

The Max 28 has three sections and an expansion zipper that allows it to grow from 22 litre to 28 litres.

The waterproof section features a roll-top closure where you can secure a 14-inch laptop.

A third section up front folds down to expose an organiser pocket for quick access to small, everyday essentials.  Kriega Max28 backpack

The Max 28 expandable backpack features a light version of Kriega’s proprietary Quadloc harness system as found on all its backpacks.

They say it takes the weight off your back and shoulders and redistributes it to your chest and torso.Kriega Max28 backpack

There’s also a removable waist strap for stability and it has a soft back panel for rider comfort.

It is made of 420D Cordura Lite Plus and Hypalon, features YKK heavy-duty zippers and comes with a 10-year warranty.

The bag weighs 1.85kg, has four internal zip pockets and is compatible with a hydration reservoir.

Backpack warningKriega Max28 backpack

Many riders wear backpacks because their bike doesn’t have luggage.

You could use a tank bag, but they can scratch the paintwork.

A tail bag on the back seat may provide you with a backrest, but it makes it difficult to throw your leg over.

It could also fall off or you could accidentally leave it unzipped allowing it to spill its contents in a trail behind you, all without you knowing!

However, riders should be aware that a backpack can not only be tiring but also promote injuries in a crash from the contents or by rotating your body as you slide down the road.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

The origins of overhead cam engine design

By Rick McDowell


Norton’s first OHC engine, important in its own right and for what it led to, was certainly not the first motorcycle powerplant to have its cams situated above the cylinder head.

Norton CS Engine ImageRickMcDowell

Norton CS Engine ImageRickMcDowell

Not hard to figure out why the Norton engine from the CS1 was nicknamed ‘Cricket Bat’ – Image by Rick McDowell

Almost certainly, this honour goes to the French Peugeot concern, who in 1913 unveiled a 500cc vertical twin racing machine with not single but DOHC operation.

The bike was designed by Ernest Henry who had helped developed a DOHC engine for Peugeot’s car side in 1912.

Peugeot DOHC

Peugeot DOHC

Peugeot debuted the DOHC designs as early as 1913 along with plenty of other pioneering engineering traits that were seen for the first time in the Peugeot 500M

In addition to DOHC, the 1913 Peugeot two wheeler had oil cooling and several other features that put it way ahead of its time. It wasn’t until after WW 1 however, that Peugeot’s design was really developed and it ultimately became a racing success.

Undoubtedly though, the bulk of OHC development work was performed during the 1920s, with the British Velocette company arguably ahead of any other British manufacturer in the area.

A 350cc OHC Velocette won the 1926 Junior Isle Of Man TT a year before Norton did likewise with their OHC engine in the Senior event. Ironically, the rider on both occasions was Alec Bennett.

Alec Bennett Junior TT winner Velocette

Alec Bennett Junior TT winner Velocette

Alec Bennett was a TT winner with Velocette

Velocette’s win ultimately led to the company developing its famous and untouchable KTT series of race bikes, machines which not only won many important races of the day, but which also broke numerous records right up until World War Two.

Velocette were in fact pioneers in the area of valve overlap and are known to have researched the matter through the use of stroboscopic lighting.

In mainland Europe, motorcycle production as in Britain was at a peak during most of the 1920s and some interesting OHC designs appeared from the continent.

Koehler Escoffier V twin

Koehler Escoffier V twin

Koehler-Escoffier V-twin – Image by Phil Aynsley

Back in France and as early as 1920, a firm called Koehler-Escoffier produced what is believed to have been the only V-twin OHC motorcycle (996cc) of the decade. In addition, Koehler-Escoffier made an OHC ‘Sloper’ single of 498cc. The Italian Bianchi firm on the other hand produced what was probably the only DOHC engine of the period.

Designed by Albino Baldi, this works racer had a capacity of 348 cc, was exceptionally fast and attracted the nickname, ‘Doubleknocker’. Fortunately for Bianchi, the machine was a huge success. Equally successful and equally Italian, were Moto Guzzi’s 500 cc and 250 cc OHC horizontal singles of the 1920s.

Moto Guzzi CV

Moto Guzzi CV

The Moto Guzzi C4V of 1924 with 4-valve motor was immediately competitive, winning numerous Italian events before finishing 1st, 2nd and 4th in the very first Championship of Europe race held at Monza in September. Two weeks later a C4V won the German GP at Avus. A 3 speed hand change gearbox was fitted and the frame was more compact than that of the C2V. 25hp at 4,500rpm. Wet weight 130kg. Top speed approximately 140kph – Image by Phil Aynsley

Meanwhile, in Germany, Roconova was producing that country’s first commercially available OHC singles by 1924. Racing versions of the 248 cc and 348 cc machines worked well, but the company didn’t last beyond 1926. Probably more famous on the German front was the Windhoff 746 cc, four-cylinder, OHC machine of 1927. Not only did it have oil cooling, but, with no real frame members and everything being attached to the engine, it was one of the first examples of an engine doubling as a frame.

Not all OHC development took place in Europe however. Cyclone was an American firm that, although only in business from 1913 to 1917, produced an OHC V-twin engined bike with a capacity of 996 cc. Cyclone and the above mentioned Koehler-Escoffier of France were the only manufacturers of V-twin OHC machines before WW 2.

Most of these early OHC engines used bevel gears and an intermediary shaft to work the overhead-cams and it wasn’t for some years before chain driven overhead-cams appeared. However, a German company called Horex were one of the first to do so as early as 1932. Their 598 cc and 796 cc, chain driven OHC machines were exceptionally advanced for the day.

Source: MCNews.com.au

Indian to add FTR 1200 Carbon model

Indian Motorcycle will add a Carbon version of its popular FTR 1200 model on Friday (1 May 2020), according to this YouTube video.

This time last year, we revealed that the company was planning FTR 1200 Tracker, Street and Adventure models under their Apollo program, thanks to this leaked brochure.

2020 Indian Raptor ApolloPart of the Indian brochure

Carbon copy

This carbon-clad model could be the Tracker as they pay homage to the 750 which has swept America’s flat track series over the past couple of years.

All FTR 1200 models are powered by their 90kW (120hp) 1203cc liquid-cooled V-twin.

Currently the FTR 1200 range consists of the basic model in black for $20,995 ride away and the FTR 1200 S in red and grey or titanium and black for $22,995.

From the Indian Motorcycle Australia website it appears the Race-Replica paint scheme with red frame at $23,995 is no longer available.

This Carbon model would probably take the Race Replica’s place as the flagship model with an equally “flagship” price.

There is no word on what carbonfibre bits and pieces it would have, but carbon wheels alone would certainly make it a lot more expensive than $23,995.

Indian has also released a variety of accessories packs called Tracker, Rally, Sport, and Tour.

Indian FTR 1200 adds accessoriesIndian FTR 1200 with accessories pack

We won’t have long to wait to see what the Carbon entails.

It comes after Indian Motorcycle parent company Polaris announced its sales in the first quarter were up 2% despite the crippling pandemic lockdown.

Chief Financial Officer Mike Speetzen says sales growth has been driven by new products such as the FTR 1200 and the new liquid-cooled Challenger tourer.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Honda plans 850cc parallel twin

Honda has filed a patent in Japan for a new 850cc parallel-twin engine to replace the current NC750 range and possibly also go into a smaller Africa Twin.

In Australia, there is only the NC750X, but there are several other 70cc models overseas.

The new model will not only have a new engine to meet the more stringent Euro 5 emission regulations but also a new chassis.

Parallel twin

Honda 850cc parallel twin

A bigger parallel twin means they can meet the emissions targets without having to reduce power output.

The patent drawings also show a dual-clutch transmission, so it should have a semi-automatic gearbox.

Just because the patent drawing shows a naked street bike doesn’t mean anything. Honda wouldn’t want to telegraph its true intentions by showing the engine in an adventure bike.

We think it would be an excellent engine for an Africa Twin.

While the Africa Twin has this year gone from 1000cc to 1100cc, there is room for a smaller and lighter model to compete with the mid-sized Triumph Tiger 900 and BMW F 850 adventure models.

Honda patents

This is one of a blitz of patent applications by Honda over the past couple of years.

Some are quite weird and impractical, but others may actually make it to market.

We suspect Honda is just trying to dominate intellectual property on motorcycle inventions, rather than planning to put them all into production.

The patents include:

Forks Goldwing patentGoldwing forks patent

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

WTH is David Edwards Up To Anyway?

The man who served as Editor-in-Chief of Cycle World for a couple of decades, until October, 2009, and one of the finest people I ever had the privilege of working for, was always into classic motorcycles in a big way. That knowledge and experience segued nicely into working as a consultant for Bonhams  Auctions for the last ten years. Now that that business is on temporary hiatus thanks to the global pandemic, David found a little time to post this 1985 memory on Facebook the other day:

Gixxer Throwback Photo: How can this be 35 years ago? That’s me in my Vanson leathers (that, sadly, don’t have a hope in hell of fitting today), astride a first-gen Suzuki GSX-R750 at the Ryuyo test track in Japan. The day before I’d selected this blue Gixxer and a matching red model from the production line at Suzuki’s nearby Hamamatsu factory, then wired and lead-sealed the cylinder head to the block, and the engine itself to the frame. Back in the U.S., both bikes would be run flat-out in a Cycle World magazine attempt to set the 24-hour world speed record for motorcycles, and we wanted to prove that the GSX-Rs – at the time, ground-breaking for their lightness and power – remained bone stock.

Suzuki laid on some shakedown laps at Ryuyo the next day. At 4 miles long, the company test circuit had a fearsomely fast 1.5-mile back straight and precious little runoff room. Orientation laps in a car were a bit sobering. My guide was none other than Mitsuo Ito, the only Japanese rider (still) to take a win at the Isle of Man TT. His 1963 victory in the Ultra Lightweight class helped put Suzuki on the world map of motorcycling and ushered in a racing heritage that continues to shape the company. A lifelong Suzuki employee who went on to direct the race program, Ito helped design Ryuyo in 1964 and had logged countless laps there. When he pointed to a battered foam wall a few yards off the track and implored that I shouldn’t crash here, he had my full attention.

David surrounded by Suzuki personnel at Ryuyo. “The hand-formed aluminum tank in back held almost 4 gallons, and with the main tank was supposed to give us an hour’s running time — mpg at 150mph was about 15 per. Unfortunately during the record run the rear tanks did not drain at top whack which led to frightening speed wobbles as the main tanks emptied, so we took the damn things off.”

Suited up and on the bikes, I followed Ito for a couple of warm-up laps, at which point he looked back, nodded and buried the throttle, jetting away in his all-black leathers, sitting bolt upright in the saddle and never putting a knee out, until he was just a speck in the distance.

Mr. Ito passed away last year at age 82. It was an honor sharing the track with you, sir – if only for a short time.

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Wow, those are the kind of big-deal stories the big magazines used to be able to get away with before the www existed, and nobody had to be bothered making a video of the whole thing either. David Edwards was there for the best part of the bike-magazine era, leading for most of that time what billed itself as the World’s Biggest. A year or two later, CW‘s arch-enemy Motorcyclist broke the same 24-hour record with the new 1986 Honda VFR750F.

In any case, Mr. Edwards is still comfortably living the Southern California dream, and happily reports that though the auction biz is in the dumpster for now, sales on his eBay site, MotoViejo Store, are up 200% compared to this time last year.

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