Travel restrictions force cancellation of Suzuka 8 Hours
Section: Competition
International riders and teams unable to enter Japan in November.
Image: Supplied.
One of the biggest races on the international calendar, the Suzuka 8 Hours, has been cancelled for 2020 due to travel restrictions that won’t enable overseas riders to enter Japan.
The FIM, Eurosport Events – promoter of the Endurance World Championship (EWC) and Suzuka race organiser Mobilityland have agreed to call the event off for this year.
Initially rescheduled to the beginning of November as the EWC final, instead the Suzuka 8 Hours will be cancelled for the first time since its creation in 1978.
“With anguish, we find no alternative but to make the decision to cancel it in consideration of the continued spread of the coronavirus pandemic,” said Kaoru Tanaka, president representative director of Mobilityland Corporation.
“And the fact that there is no prospect of deregulation of immigration restrictions on visitors from abroad at this stage in Japan. Once again, we extend our apologies and regrets to all the fans who were looking forward to attending the Suzuka 8 Hours.
“In closing, let us say that we are determined to make preparations so that the 2021 Suzuka 8 Hours event will be even more enjoyable for the fans than ever before.”
François Ribeiro, head of Eurosport Events, added: “We have been working hard with Mobilityland to reschedule the race from July to November – a first since 1978 – and then to organise entry into Japan for international teams and riders with a special business visa.
“Our hopes have evaporated with immigration restrictions for foreigners. The decision was made not to run this iconic race as a domestic event. The Suzuka 8 Hours, the most prestigious endurance race in the world over the last 40 years, shall not run without top international riders.”
The MotoGP paddock is making the short trip from Czechia into Austria as MotoGP sets-up camp for back-to-back races at the Red Bull Ring at Spielberg with firstly the running of the myWorld Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich this weekend, followed seven days later by the inaugural staging of the BMW M Grand Prix von Styria.
The 4,318 metre circuit is located within the picturesque mountains and forests of the Styrian region, but that is where the serenity ends, as it is one of the most demanding circuits on the calendar for tyres. With just two distinct left turns and a fast left-hand curve, it is the remaining seven right-hand corners which present the huge stresses and heat build-up that the Michelin rubber will have to contend with. Due to these demanding requirements Michelin has a special rear tyre construction, designed specifically for these conditions. The use of these tyres will mean that the new rear construction, with its improved grip and performance that has been so successful so far this season won’t be used at Spielberg. The tyre designed especially for these situations also gets used at Buriram in Thailand, but due to the changes to this season’s calendar because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the double-header at Spielberg will be its only outing in 2020. This could play into the hands of the Ducati riders and some of the others that have struggled with the new specification rear Michelin thus it could be another weekend of quite interesting results. Ducati have often had an advantage in Austria and the return to the previous spec’ rear tyre for this round might add to that advantage.
We can also expect the possibility of wet weather, as the Red Bull Ring has demonstrated several times since MotoGP returned to the circuit in 2016 and this weekend rain is expected to fall on both Friday and Saturday before a return to finer conditions on Sunday, according to the forecast…
Brad Binder
Last weekend marked a series of firsts. Some were brilliant storylines with Brad Binder taking his and KTM’s first victory. The first win for a steel framed motorcycle in over a decade, and the first victory in MotoGP for WP suspension. This is a huge deal as Ohlins has enjoyed a stranglehold on the class since Showa stepped back on their activities in MotoGP many years ago. It was also the first time since Yugoslavia in 1973 that the winning motorcycle had not been manufactured in either Japan or Italy.
Brad Binder
“I’m super proud to be part of the KTM family. To look at where we started, we have won in every class. To come and do it in MotoGP was incredible, literally a dream come true. I think it just shows that with hard work and dedication everything is possible. The guys put in maximum effort in absolutely everything they do. They are the most insane bunch of people I have ever met. When you have this amount of dedication, it is impossible you don’t get it right. I am super proud of KTM. I have always done well at Spielberg but I have never been there on the MotoGP bike. Every time I arrive at a new track on a MotoGP bike, everything changes. Your whole line choice is so different like your braking markers and we are going to be carrying an extra 100k power extra now.”
KTM fans were out in force at Red Bull Ring last year, imagine how many would be there this year if not for the plague
KTM will be on a high from their success in Czechia as they arrive in their own beautiful backyard and currently the Austrian brand is holding down second place in the Constructors Championship with a two-point buffer over Ducati. The circuit is known as a very happy hunting ground for the Desmosedici but KTM have logged many miles at Red Bull Ring and might again prove very strong this weekend where Pol Espargaro will be keen to try and reestablish the pecking order in the KTM garage.
While KTM are flying high on the back of their success at Brno last weekend also marked some significant milestones for Honda at the opposite end of the scale. Repsol Honda riders Alex Marquez and Stefan Bradl filled the final two places on the grid which as far as we have been able to ascertain has never happened before. It also marked the first time since Honda returned full-time to the premier class of Grand Prix motorcycle racing in 1982 that no Honda rider has finished on the podium in the opening three races of the year.
The absence of Marc Marquez and the injury to Cal Crutchlow has left Honda seemingly toothless for the first part of this season and despite some fanciful rumours circulating that Marc will again attempt to ride this weekend, Repsol Honda are expected to again be represented by Alex Marquez and Stefan Bradl.
Alex Marquez
“The second of three MotoGP races in a row and the second time we will have more than one race at the same circuit. In Jerez we were able to benefit a lot from having two races so I think it will be an interesting couple of races. It looks like it will rain, a lot, so I will need to adapt to the RC213V in the wet. It’s a new challenge, but being a rookie is all about accepting the challenges and learning. Our goal for the weekend is to keep understanding the MotoGP class and close the gap to the front.”
Repsol Honda riders were fighting for the wooden spoon at Brno
Takaaki Nakagami has been the brightest light so far for Honda and has scored more points than Crutchlow and Alex Marquez put together. One can only hope that Taka continues to step up and features even more strongly this weekend and throughout the remainder of the championship.
Takaaki Nakagami has stepped up to the plate in 2020
While pickings have been very slim for Honda the tidings over at Yamaha are great but also somewhat strange. The satellite team has continually out performed the factory effort. French youngster Fabio Quartararo took two dominant victories in the opening rounds and despite struggling with tyre wear at Brno, he is the star for Yamaha this season and was on the podium in Austria last year despite the Red Bull Ring generally not being a circuit that favours the Yamaha YZR-M1. He must be rethinking his decision to take that promotion to the Tier 1 team next year after such success this year with Petronas SRT.
Fabio Quartararo
“It wasn’t the best weekend at Brno, but we will go to Austria with nine more points in the championship. That was important to do. The Austrian track is one that I really like and I’m really looking to these next two races there. We know that KTM will be strong again as they’ve tested a lot there, which means they will have a lot of important data to use in the races. Of course, we will have to see what the conditions are when we arrive, as at the moment the weather forecast is very mixed, but I think we can be quick there and be back on the podium. We will definitely be trying to repeat, at least, the top-three finish from last year.”
2019 MotoGP Red Bull Ring Race Results: 1 – Andrea Dovizioso (ITA – Ducati) 39’34.771 2 – Marc Marquez (SPA – Honda) +0.213 3 – Fabio Quartararo* (FRA – Yamaha) +6.117
While Quartararo had his struggles in Czechia his Petronas SRT team-mate Franco Morbidelli scored his maiden MotoGP podium. The 25-year-old Italian suffered a mechanical DNF in the second round at Jerez and without that misfortune might actually now be leading the MotoGP World Championship ahead of his team-mate. Either way Petronas SRT have a very handy 21-point lead over their factory counterparts in the Monster Energy squad and Yamaha are leading the constructors championship. At the Red Bull Ring though in the modera era the best a Yamaha rider has done is third.
Franco Morbidelli
“I think it has finally sunk in that I achieved my first MotoGP podium last time out! I’m really happy because it has given us a big injection of confidence going into these two races in Austria and the knowledge that we can fight at the front. On paper it doesn’t look like one of our strongest tracks, but that is just on paper! We will have to see what the conditions are like and how we feel in the first practice session on Friday. I’m really looking forward to it though and can’t wait to be back on track after these next few days.”
Binder hunted down Morbidelli then pounced but the Petronas SRT rider still finished a strong second
After finishing second to Quartararo in the opening two rounds Maverick Vinales was looking distinctly dejected after scoring only two points at Brno.
Maverick Vinales
“I think this is my worst result with Yamaha. I don’t know what happened, honestly. In the race I couldn’t keep the pace, not even for one lap. I just lost a lot of grip since the beginning, and little by little it got worse and worse. It was very difficult to ride the bike. The only thing that I could do was try to finish and try to take some points. If I had risked more I might have scored zero, and that would have been a mistake. So we took two very valuable points and, on the bright side, the leader of the championship also didn’t do great today, so this lessens the damage. We have to check the data and try to be fast again in Austria. We know that Spielberg has a lot of stop-start corners and focuses on fast acceleration, but we did a good job there last year. It‘s a difficult track to get right. In 2019 we had a lot of problems with tyre degradation, so that will for sure be an area that we will be working on this weekend. If we do a good job, I think we can have a good weekend.”
Maverick Vinales
Valentino Rossi arrives in Austria with high motivation. Though he would have liked a podium at the Czech GP, he felt positive about his overall performance, especially the fact that he made up five positions during the race. He is keen to find out what he can do this weekend. The Doctor is more familiar with the Spielberg track than most. He first visited the rostrum there in 1996, taking third place in the 125cc class, and secured a second place in the same class a year later, before a 19-year hiatus in Austrian GPs. The Italian‘s best premier class results there are the fourth places he achieved in 2016 and 2019. He is currently 7th in the championship classification, but only needs to bridge a 4-point gap to enter the top 3.
Valentino Rossi
“Last year in Austria it was a good race. I started from the fourth row and finished fourth, not so far from Quartararo, who was on the podium. I was able to finish in front of Maverick and Rins, so that wasn‘t so bad. But every year is a different story. For sure, the atmosphere in Austria will be very different from the first three races, because it looks like it will be cooler there than what we had in Spain and Brno. This could bring advantages and disadvantages, but, anyway, for us it‘s very important to be competitive there too. We will try our best.”
Valentino Rossi
Suzuki’s promise has largely been unfulfilled with Alex Rins carrying a shoulder injury and Joan Mir making a mistake at the season opener and then being taken out last weekend in Czechia by KTM youngster Iker Lecuona who has managed to crash out of every race this season.
Rins played it smart at Brno, managing his tyres and his shoulder strength to come through from 11th place on the grid to an eventual fourth place finish, only a tenth away from stealing a podium from Johann Zarco.
Alex Rins
“I’m excited to race again because everything went well in Brno and my confidence and strength are improving day by day. I need to take care of my physical condition, because it took a lot of effort and energy to achieve the fourth place last weekend, so I’ll continue with my physio treatments and let’s see how it goes. In the past we have struggled a bit on the Austrian circuit, but I have faith that this year things can be better.”
Aleix Espargaro showed some great bursts of speed last weekend at Brno but over race distance the Aprilia could not run with the leading group as the race wore on. Still, despite his dirft back to tenth place, Aleix finished only eight-seconds from the podium and Aprilia carry some very positive omens with them on the 330 kilometre drive across the border from Brno into central Austria.
Aleix Espargaro
“I’m pleased that I finished the race after what happened in Jerez, although I can’t be entirely happy. Unfortunately, we were not as incisive in the race as we were in qualifying. I didn’t have the pace to stay with the best. However, on one side, we stayed in the top 10 on a track where we struggle historically, and this can be the real ground zero for the start of our season. We need to work especially on acceleration and on speed in mid-turn, although on the latter aspect maybe the two crashes in Jerez had an impact, convincing me to take fewer risks. In any case, I want to see the glass as half full, so we are staying positive and focused. We know our limits and we need to give it our all to solve the problems.”
Aleix Espargaro was in the mix up front at Brno before fading towards the end
Will Dovizioso get back in the game this weekend at a circuit that holds some great memories for him? The 34-year-old Italian might have looked like an also-ran in Czechia but he is still fourth in the championship standings. Ducati have won every time MotoGP have raced at the track since it returned to the calendar.
Andrea Dovizioso
“The Czech GP has shown everyone how difficult it is to make predictions this year. Every race has a different story and so, although Ducati has achieved four successes at the Red Bull Ring in the last four years, now we have to think that our priority is to regain the feeling with the Desmosedici GP bike. It is in difficult times like this that we have to stick together, and I see the next race in Austria as a good opportunity. We have to keep calm and work as we’ve always done.”
Andrea Dovizioso on top at the Red Bull Ring last year
Danilo Petrucci is not setting his sights too high….
“The race in Brno was disappointing because, honestly, I thought I would get a better result, especially after the good qualifying on Saturday. We are struggling to find the feeling with these tyres and have been inconsistent throughout the weekend. We must try to stay positive and work hard to change this dynamic. The only goal I set myself for the Austrian GP is to improve in each session, to get to have good feelings for the race. If we continue to work hard, our time will come”
Jack Miller is currently ninth on 20-points and will be looking to push further up that order although as he mentioned this week, Red Bull Ring has generally not been all that kind to him. He also reflected on what was a frustrating weekend for him at Brno.
Jack Miller
“I tell you, it was a strange old weekend. Other than (Johann) Zarco – and he’s on last year’s Ducati, remember – none of the other Ducatis had any pace at all. I’m riding around behind ‘Dovi’ (Andrea Dovizioso) in the race and I’m thinking to myself that this was like deja vu, I rode around behind him here last year too – but that was for second and third, not 11th and 12th. So, we definitely need to analyse what’s happening – a real head-scratcher. Yeah, it was good to crack the top 10 but considering I was on the podium here last year – I’ll leave here pretty frustrated. Austria this weekend – and the one after that in this strange season – the Ducati usually goes well in Austria but I haven’t had much luck there the last few years, so at least I get two goes at fixing that this time. It’ll suit our bike, so I’m hopeful we can do something better there this week.”
Jack Miller at Brno
At Brno Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) took the team’s first podium, his first on a Ducati, was back on the box for the first time since Malaysia 2018, and did it from pole – via a Long Lap Penalty. One of the most spectacular moments of the race – not something often said – Zarco didn’t let it get in his way. And as we head for Austria, he’s on the bike that won last year…
Johann Zarco
“After a nice Czech Republic Grand Prix, we arrive to Austria, a track that normally is good for Ducati, so I’m very curious to see my feeling on the bike. I still have many things to learn and I’m working on myself to control always better the bike and it seems that weather will be very changing, so it will be I think the first time I can ride the bike in wet. If the grip is quite OK and there are not surprises, even on wet I can be competitive. So really looking forward to start this Friday.”
It will be an interesting weekend and one that could throw up yet more twists in what is turning out to be a thrilling season full of surprises.
MotoGP World Championship Standings
Pos
Rider
Bike
Points
1
Fabio QUARTARARO
Yamaha
59
2
Maverick VIÑALES
Yamaha
42
3
Franco MORBIDELLI
Yamaha
31
4
Andrea DOVIZIOSO
Ducati
31
5
Brad BINDER
KTM
28
6
Johann ZARCO
Ducati
28
7
Valentino ROSSI
Yamaha
27
8
Takaaki NAKAGAMI
Honda
27
9
Jack MILLER
Ducati
20
10
Alex RINS
Suzuki
19
11
Pol ESPARGARO
KTM
19
12
Miguel OLIVEIRA
KTM
18
13
Alex MARQUEZ
Honda
13
14
Joan MIR
Suzuki
11
15
Danilo PETRUCCI
Ducati
11
16
Francesco BAGNAIA
Ducati
9
17
Tito RABAT
Ducati
7
18
Aleix ESPARGARO
Aprilia
6
19
Cal CRUTCHLOW
Honda
6
20
Bradley SMITH
Aprilia
5
myWorld Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich Schedule
In the orange corner, there’s Binder, momentum, and a whole lot of data. Add to that the experience of Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), the first podium finisher for the marque, and the ever-improving Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), who took his best result at the time at the Austrian GP last year, there’s reason to believe it’s unlikely to have been a one off. It’s a big ask to go back to back though, and whilst they’ll be racing to win and knowing they can, there are a good few faces standing in their way in Austria.
As a result of stronger restrictions on entry in Japan, international teams and riders will not be able to travel to Suzuka. In agreement with FIM and Eurosport Events, the promoter of FIM Endurance World Championship, the Suzuka 8 Hours organiser Mobilityland has decided to cancel the 2020 edition.
Rescheduled to 1 November due to the global health crisis, the 43rd edition of the Suzuka 8Hours will not take place in 2020. It is the first-ever cancellation since the creation of the race in 1978.
KRT Team manager – Guim Roda
“We had an indication that the cancellation was going to happen and the news has become official today. KHI had big expectations running in the 2020 Suzuka 8 hours, to give the fans an extraordinary show again. With the responsibility to defend the win we achieved last year we planned an incredible project with Rea and Lowes, and with the support of Xavi Fores to attack the 8 Hours as strongly as possible. Everything was already planned, but unfortunately the outside realities and safety requirements around Covid-19 ended all our plans. We understand the wider situation. The direction of the Japanese Government, which is the same as many around the world, makes it difficult to organize the event with so many foreigners attending the 8 Hours race. This is the case for many teams, but especially the factory ones that build their projects in coordination with WorldSBK riders and staff. We hope everything goes back to a more normal situation soon and the Suzuka 8 Hours comes back even stronger. We in KRT are ready to attend KHI’s request to defend the title in future if needed.”
The Covid-19 pandemic remains a source of concern in Japan, and the government has decided not to lift its entry ban on international arrivals, even for business travellers. International riders and permanent teams have always been an integral part of the action at the Suzuka 8 Hours, which has become the grand finale of the FIM Endurance World Championship. In their absence, the grand finale would be a domestic race. As a result, Mobilityland has decided to cancel the 2020 edition.
Kaoru Tanaka – Director of Mobilityland Corporation
“We had been preparing for the “Coca-Cola” Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race to be held on November 1st together with all of the fans and stakeholders involved in this race event but, with anguish, we find no alternative but to make the decision to cancel it in consideration of the continued spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Japan and overseas and the fact that there is no prospect of deregulation of immigration restrictions on visitors from abroad at this stage in Japan. Once again, we extend our apologies and regrets to all the fans who were looking forward to attending the Suzuka 8 Hours, which had been postponed from the originally scheduled date in July to November. We also extend our sincere regrets to all of the other stakeholders involved in this race event and we ask for everyone’s kind understanding and cooperation going forward. In closing, let us say that we are determined to make preparations so that the 2021 Suzuka 8 Hours event will be even more enjoyable for the fans than ever before.”
François Ribeiro- Head of Eurosport Events
“We have been working hard with Mobilityland to reschedule the race from July to November – a first since 1978 – and then to organise entry into Japan for international teams and riders with a special business visa. Our hopes have evaporated with immigration restrictions for foreigners. The cancellation of the 2020 Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours is not a question of spectators’ access. The decision was made not to run this iconic race as a domestic event. The Suzuka 8 Hours, the most prestigious endurance race in the world over the last 40 years, shall not run without top international riders.”
That said, it wasn’t an easy ride to the win last time out, with Sam Lowes (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) right on Bastianini’s rear wheel by the time the two crossed the line. Can the 2020 v2.2, super consistent Lowes go one better at the Red Bull Ring? He’s already fourth in the Championship and that’s despite missing the season opener. It’s unlikely to be a simple duel though, with Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) likely keen to hit back, and former Championship leader Tetsuta Nagashima (Red Bull KTM Ajo) too. The Japanese rider has had a season of two halves so far, with two podiums and then two tough races making it hard to call where he’ll shuffle into the pack in Austria…
Impressive though that lead is, it’s actually Ogura who’s been the king of consistency so far: his 0 wasn’t his own fault. That bodes well for impressive Japanese sophomore, who has been pure class since he joined Moto3™ full-time last year with a rookie season that even included a podium to add to a ream of top ten finishes. He was incredibly close to the win in Brno, so he’ll be one to watch once again. McPhee should be an expected threat too, already back on the podium since his crash in the Spanish GP, and Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) will be quick. The number 24 was on a roll before his crash in Brno, and seemed pretty mad about it in the gravel trap. He’s another, like Arenas and McPhee, who already knows how to win.
A teenager is “assisting police with inquiries” after a rider standing on a Gympie highway ramp was struck by an unknown vehicle and killed on Monday night (10 August 2020).
Queensland Police say the body of the 48-year-old rider was found about 11pm on Monday (10 August 2020)between the two northbound lanes of the Bruce Highway, 200m south of the Mary Valley Link Road overpass.
Police found his Suzuki SV1000S on its side about 100m away.
“Preliminary inquiries indicate the motorcyclist parked on the nearby off-ramp and had been standing while holding his helmet when struck by an unknown vehicle,” police say.
It is believed a utility “may have overtaken the motorcyclist and another vehicle at high speed prior to the incident”.
Police are now interviewing a 19-year-old man about the incident.
“There is no further information at this time and investigations are continuing,” they say.
Forensic Crash Unit investigators are appealing for any witnesses, particularly motorists travelling on the Bruce Highway around the Kybong area between 10pm and 11pm, or anyone who may have relevant dash cam vision to contact police.
You can report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers, a registered charity and community volunteer organisation, via crimestoppersqld.com.au 24hrs per day or call 1800 333 000.
Our sincere condolences to the riders’ family and friends.
Rider injured
In another incident, NSW Police are investigating a serious motorcycle crash that occurred in the Central West about 2pm yesterday (11 August 2020) on Renshaw McGuire Way, about 10km west of Yeoval.
The rider, a 20-year-old female, was transported by Ambulance NSW to Parkes District Hospital where she was later airlifted to Liverpool Hospital. She remains in a critical condition.
Officers from Orana Mid Western Police District established a crime scene, which was examined by specialist forensic police.
Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the crash continue.
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.
Quote this reference number: QP2001680708 within the online suspicious activity form.
Our sincere best wishes to the rider for a full and swift recovery.
Can you really adventure ride on a 250cc thumper, and push the off-road end of the adventure scale while you’re at it? You can on Yamaha’s WR250R when it’s built up as a Tenere 250R.
Andrew Clubb reckons you can
Yamaha WR250R
Do ADV machines really need multi-cylinder engines that pump out 150 horsepower and are wrapped in all kinds of electro-trickery, while weighing in at a quarter of a tonne as they rumble down life’s adventure highway?
It’s an age-old question, and one that’s long been pondered in the bars of pubs everywhere, from Birdsville to Barrington Tops and back again.
Yamaha WR250R
Like Liberal versus Labor, Ford versus Holden, and ABS On versus ABS Off, the argument over which type of adventure bike is ‘right’ – big or small? – will go on forever.
Me? I like straddling the fence, with a wheel very much in each camp.
Brutish, big-banger ADV machines are just what the doctor prescribed when you want to pound out big miles with a big load over big days but in real comfort.
But then I’m also happy to ride by the ethos that light is right when circumstances suit. Show me an off-road oriented ADV route deep in the sticks and I’ll pack light, ride light and choose a bike that comes in at the lightweight end of the adventure bike scale.
Everything old is new again
As far as pint-size ADV hardware goes, Yamaha’s WR250R has carved itself an impressive reputation over the past dozen years as a truly mighty midget.
Launched in 2008, the WR-R trail bike was designed to meet the then forthcoming Euro 4 global emissions requirements. It didn’t quite have the high-performance engine and suspension specs of its WR250F enduro model cousin, but it wasn’t far from it.
Yamaha WR250R
It did however pack a rock solid reliable, liquid-cooled and EFI-fed engine with six-speed gearbox that offered 5,000 km oil change intervals and eye-popping 40,000 km major service intervals. Those kind of maintenance stats quickly made the WR-R a real darling of small-bore ADV riders that didn’t want to be dogged by constant time on the tools as they set forth chasing sunsets, be it across Australia or around the world.
Yamaha WR250R
With a feast of Yamaha and GYTR accessories soon becoming available, not to mention an absolute flotilla of accessory parts from aftermarket brands, the WR250R could readily be transformed from mild-mannered trail bike to fully farkled ADV machine.
Which is just what happened back in 2014, in my Trail Zone magazine publishing days, when contributing editor Lance Turnley from Off Road Explorer built up a Tenere 250R as a Project Bike we featured in the mag. As a pair of confirmed Tenere Tragics, we even had the audacity to label this one-off as a ‘Tenere 250R’, to hint to Yamaha just what a small capacity single-cylinder Tenere adventure bike might look like, as opposed to the doughy and spindly, air-cooled XTZ250 Tenere that was actually being produced in Brazil for South American markets at the time.
Brazilian spec’ WR250R is not a patch on the bikes we get in Australia
Fast-forward five years to 2019 and with Lance now working for Yamaha Motor Australia, he managed to convince the brass at YMA to produce a couple of Tenere 250R specials of their own, to continue to inspire WR250R owners as to how readily the unassuming trail bike can be made way more adventure ready.
When the chance came up for me to get ‘re-acquainted’ with one of the latest Tenere 250R specials, I couldn’t say ‘yes’ to the offer fast enough.
Clothing maketh the man
So what makes this WR250R a Tenere 250R?
The list of set-ups kicks off with a Safari Tanks 14 litre large capacity fuel tank, which almost doubles the fuel capacity offered by the stock 7.6 litre tank. Aussie brand Safari Tanks have also created a fibreglass fairing that mates to their plastic fuel tank, giving the WR-R a very rally inspired appearance. The tank is priced at $572 from Yamaha dealers, and the fairing costs $590 from Safari Tanks direct.
Adding some luggage capacity
Out back a Scaggs alloy luggage plate offers convenient luggage carrying capacity and is an easy bolt-on while VPS Barkbusters offer protection of the bars and controls and are priced at $149 from bike shops everywhere. A GYTR branded alloy bash plate costing $199 from Yamaha dealers protects the engine cases, water pump, sump and lower frame cradle. Road legal Dunlop D606 knobbies at $249 per set replace the less aggressive standard tyres, while custom Ringmaster Images graphics ($300) complete the package.
GYTR branded alloy bash plate costs $199
It’s a good looking jigger, for sure, with the Safari Tanks tank and fairing fooling most observers into thinking it’s a Dakar-bred 450 rally bike at a fast first glance.
Gold in them thar hills
My first weekend aboard the Tenere 250R co-incided with the Dual-Sport Motorcycles Association Sydney branch’s annual mid-Winter trail ride to the historic Hill End gold mining region north of Bathurst, NSW.
Yamaha WR250R
Pre-ride preps included fitting a set of 20mm bar risers to give me a little more room in the cockpit, strapping on an Enduristan XS Base Pack to the rear rack that I filled with tools and tubes, and tethering a set of Bushwhacker hand guards over the Barkbusters to protect my namby-pamby keyboard pinkies from the predicted freezing temperatures and pouring rain.
Fronting for the start of the DSMRA run at Wallerwang amongst a 23-strong posse of pukka trail and enduro exotica from various rival Japanese and European factories, I felt like I’d bought a knife to a gun fight. At least this knife was razor sharp and easy to handle, even if I was way down on calibre compared to the rest of the pack.
Yamaha WR250R
From the very get-go it was clear the order of the weekend was to stretch the 250R’s throttle cable to the max and keep it there. Remarkably, the motor never, ever protests at the hammering it cops as you row through the gears and stir the clutch lever to keep it percolating. It’s the little engine that could, and it keeps coming back for more, even if you do start to wonder if the incessant revving would have to eventually punch the piston up through the Safari Tank.
Yamaha WR250R
By trail riding standards the majority of the Hill End ride is open and fast, dominated by fire-trail twin-tracks and single-lane gravel back roads that the 250R just lapped up. With plush suspension my big-boned 95kg frame-plus gear-plus tools/tubes was testing the limits of the shock action in particular on bigger hits and water bars, while the rock farm known as the Pinnacle Fire Trail from the Turon River to Sunny Corner demanded careful line selection to avoid copping a pinch flat, or dinging a rim, or worse, nailing a nugget and spitting myself sideways off into the sticks.
Yamaha WR250R
The ride’s not as fast a larger capacity bike, of course, but what I liked most about the 250R was the fact the bike was so forgiving and just doesn’t beat you up. And even then, when things do eventually get out of shape, you’ve got a way better chance of getting away with it unscathed than you would on a larger capacity bike. On the 250R, you’re always in control, not the other way round, as is often the case when things get squirrelly on a big-bore.
With more than 350km on the odo over the two days, the DSMRA ride showed the Tenere 250R is still plenty capable as a trail bike, the only trade-off being the added bulk of the larger capacity tank and fairing when the trail turns really tight and technical. But that said, I was digging the protection offered by the fairing on day two, which was spent predominantly riding in pissing rain. And yeah, my Bushwhacker elephant’s ears paid for themselves well and truly.
Rumble to Nundle
Three days later it was time to explore the true adventure riding capabilities of the Tenere 250R with an overnight jaunt from the NSW central coast all the way to Nundle at the very top end of the Hunter Valley and back again. It’s another historic gold fossicking area and the route I had planned was loaded with stacks of Tenere Goodness that included Bowmans Creek, Moonan Flat, Ellerston, Hanging Rock, Barrington Tops and Monkerai. It’s cracking ADV riding country and after plenty of rain through the week, the creeks promised to be up and the pastures turning green after way too long in drought.
Yamaha WR250R
The first day’s ride from Morriset to Nundle started at sunrise and finished at sunset, with Motorcycle Adventure Dirt Bike TV’s Dave Darcy nipping at my back wheel every step of the way on a Husqvarna 701 Long Range.
Preps to the Tenere 250R for this ride included fitting my ever-faithful Zumo 660 GPS to the bars for navigation, tank and saddlebags for my clothes, tools, tubes, spares and KFC Frequent Eater card. Along with a small dry bag for my camera.
Once again the order of business revolved around keeping the throttle pinned on the 250R and dancing between sixth and fifth gear on the open sections any time you hit a hill or a headwind. With the stock gearing, sixth is virtually an overdrive and consequently the 250R will oftentimes go faster in fifth than sixth.
Blazing through the open farm land of the Upper Hunter once again proved the worth of the fairing for tucking low and getting out of the wind, while the Safari Tanks fuel cell offers a range of around 350km given the bike was sucking fuel at the rate of around 26km per litre.
Safari tank doubles the fuel capacity
When we finally hit the more technical sections of the ride further north near Nundle, and then the next morning up high in Barrington Tops, the 250R’s light weight and nimble handling once again shone through. The little single never beats you up, plus you know that if you ever find yourself stuck on a dead-end trail and have to bulldog your way back out, it will be a whole lot easier on a bike like the 250R than blowing a foo foo valve on a big bike that’s twice the size.
Riding in close company with the Husky, it was definitely a case of the tortoise and the hare, with Dave famously quoting at one stop, “Don’t ever worry about getting too far ahead, Clubby, it will only take me four-seconds to get on the gas and catch you again!” Alas, this was true, for while I kept working the clutch and gearshift on the 250 like a tap dancer, Dave spent much of the ride loping along in third gear everywhere on the potent dual-tanked Austrian big-bore thumper.
The final hour of the ride coincided with darkness after we emerged out of the bush near Dungog and made a bee-line back to the central coast. I can tell you the 250R’s headlight needs careful adjustment inside the fairing to get maximum value from the limited candlepower it offers, while that little motor will sit on an indicated 122kmh (111kmh actual on GPS) down the freeway. And yes, that tiny teeny piston stayed precisely within that combustion chamber where it’s meant to be, despite sitting on around 10,000 rpm for the whole way non-stop!
Yamaha WR250R
This time the two-day ride punched out almost 800 km and I gotta say, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
That’s a wrap
Okay, so the WR250R dressed up as Tenere 250R proves you can adventure ride on a small-bore machine. It won’t be the fastest ride you’ll ever have, but it might just be the most fun and stress-free time you’ll get to enjoy, especially when the going gets tough.
Rival small-bore ADV offerings include BMW’s G310GS ($7,150), Honda’s CRF250 Rally ($7,749), Kawasaki’s X-300 Versys ($8,199), Suzuki’s V-Strom 250 ($6,190) and KTM’s new 390 Adventure ($7,795).
Stock Yamaha WR250R as it comes
At $9,599 ride-away plus the cost of the bolt-ons to make it a Tenere 250R, the WR250R is the highest priced machine in the class, but it’s also fair to say the WR-R is far and away the most off-road ready of all these machines if your adventure riding is going to take you deeper into the dirt.
Yamaha WR250R loaded for adventure
The good stuff
+ At 134kg wet on the brochure, the WR250R plus Tenere 250R accessories is still light and fun to ride
+ Despite the constant high revs required, the Tenere 250R sucks fuel at a misery 26 to 28km per litre
+ So many parts available to make this bike into precisely the adventure mount you desire
+ Safari Tanks fairing offers a big boost in protection from the elements
+ Seat is soft but oh-so comfortable
Yamaha WR250R
The not so good stuff
– Yes, the WR-R’s price is high, but shop smart and hunt around for a deal on remaining stock
– Standard bars are low and cramped; fit taller bars and/or bar risers
– Standard steel muffler is heavy and restrictive; an aftermarket muffler will boost breathing
– Rear guard and rear of seat are tall, so shorter riders will appreciate a lowering link
– You can’t just walk into a Yamaha dealer and buy this Tenere 250R: you need to buy a WR250R and all the parts and make it yourself
– If only Yamaha had made a 450cc version of the WR-R that we could use to create a Tenere 450R …
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