Motorcycling Victoria recently teamed up with Shannons Insurance’s Girl Rider brand along with some social & road riding groups; The Melbourne Moto Ladies and Motomoiselles Female Social Motorcycle Club, for a coordinated ride to the Broadford circuit.
Women’s only ride days
Partipants then enjoyed a lunch and took part in a parade lap of the 2.4 km circuit, while those already with track experience showed off their skills and speed on the race track.
When not out racing, the ever growing community of women racers attend these days to coach, help motivate attendee and provide
Women’s only ride days at the road race circuit have been a feature at the Broadford State Sports Complex for a number of years now.
Women’s only ride days – Image by RbMotoLens
Together with Dirt Days for women and girls held across the dirt track, the motocross track and enduro loop are now building momentum after a COVID year off. Sunday’s event was the second this year and the next one is scheduled to be held on August 7.
Track sessions at the Women’s only ride days are open for all levels of rider from beginner to advanced.
The parade lap was led by Cameron Donald and Kaz Anderson, who came out to support the day and give the riders some invaluable coaching – Image by RbMotoLens
When not out racing, the ever growing community of women racers attend these days to coach, help motivate attendee and provide. The Dirt Days are catered for all levels of women and girl rider, including junior riders.
When not out racing, the ever growing community of women racers attend these days to coach, help motivate attendee and provide – Image by RbMotoLens
Motorcycling Victoria (MV) has been proactive in increasing Female Participation in all areas of the sport for a number of years. Together with the Victorian State Government MV have developed the Female Participation Program. The women & girls only events are designed to encourage more women and girls to get involved in the fun and adrenaline fuelled sporting side of riding.
Women’s only ride days – Image RbMotoLens
Susie Smith (Participant)
“Thanks for another brilliant day. Its such an inspiring and empowering experience to see so many ladies rocking it on the bikes.”
Women’s only ride days – Image RbMotoLens
Carly Bullock (Participant)
“First timer here!! What an amazing supportive environment! Everyone I met was so inspiring! Thanks to the coaches for the awesome tips, and to everyone who helps make it happen.”
Husqvarna’s parent brand, KTM, is no stranger to electric motorcycles, with the Freeride E long offering a enduro/trails crossover battery powered version of the Freeride. Recently Husqvarna also introduced the E-Pilen concept to take battery power to the urban road enviroment.
Where the sporty Freeride E offers an 18 kW output, the new E-Pilen will produce significantly less at 8 kW. A 100 km range should prove sufficient for urban and suburban short-hop commutes.
Seemingly a battery powered alternative to the Husqvarna 125 models announced for 2021, the E-Pilen will offer less power. A modular and swappable battery system may offer increased flexibility and possibly even range if infrastructure for swapping, rather than waiting for a charge, becomes available. One would imagine that a system such as that mooted for Europe may not prove quite as economically viable in our broader Australian landscape.
2021 Husqvarna E-Pilen Concept E-Motorcycle
Husqvarna have also signalled their intention to increase their dealer presence in urban and metro areas – most likely in Europe – to further push their E-mobility range, where they are most likely to be well received, thanks to shorter trips and greater charging infrastructure being the norm.
Information at the moment on the new model is very light, with more details said to be on the way in the near future, however it seems a smart strategy alongside the e-balance bikes to get new riders onto electric machines. Possibly in the hopes of preventing the comparison to traditional alternatives for a new generation of riders, while also capturing the interest of first adopters.
2021 Husqvarna E-Pilen Concept E-Motorcycle
The looks of the E-Pilen certainly align well with the Svartpilen and Vitpilen models and despite the fairly low claimed output figure in comparison to what we’ve come to expect in motorcycles – even small capacity machines – has a real sporty edge.
The E-Pilen could well also be a viable option for those seeking something more than an e-bicycle, without making the jump to traditional motorcycle or scooter, and the 100 km range would cover many rider’s regular commute. We’ll have to wait and see what speeds the bike is capable of without greatly effecting that range.
2021 Husqvarna E-Pilen Concept E-Motorcycle
It will also be interesting to see if more powerful alternatives are offered in the future, aligning with the availability of 125, 250, 401 and 701 Vitpilen and Svartpilen models.
Price is also likely to be a hot topic with this model, with the Svartpilen and Vitpilen models having seen a fairly drastic price drop from their original figures, which has since put them in a fairly competitive position in the Aussie market.
2021 Husqvarna E-Pilen Concept E-Motorcycle
Whether the E-Pilen is an affordable alternative to a small capacity machine or ends up in a similar position to Harley’s Livewire – as a premium, fairly exclusive option – remains to be seen. Affordability is a huge factor in this segment of the small motorcycle/scooter market.
Kawasaki, BMW and Yamaha WorldSBK riders tested this week at Aragon’s Alcañiz Circuit, the same venue that will host the opening round of the 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship season later this month. Track temperatures approached 39 Celsius towards the end of Wednesday’s running as teams and riders were exposed to warm weather and track conditions throughout the test.
Jonathan Rea completed 147 laps throughout his two days of the team’s final pre-season test and posted a best lap time of a 1’48.528s; two-tenths quicker than his pole time set last season. Kawasaki’s latest Ninja ZX-10RR features engine, chassis and aerodynamic changes for 2021 including a higher rev ceiling and internal front winglets that generate significant extra downforce at high speed.
Jonathan Rea
“I am super-content with this test. We managed to tick everything off the list we had, which we prioritised with race simulations. I did one each day, at the time of day the races will be held – in fact we left them a little bit later, to the peak of the temperatures at 3pm. We expect the race weekend will be a little bit hotter than it is now. We have a lot of good information about those. I used both rear tyre options, so we have a lot of good information. Step-by-step we worked some more on my riding, some electronic items. But, more so myself, getting a rhythm and understanding how the tyre behaves over a lot of laps and setting up electronic strategies to utilise during the race. I want to thank the guys because they rebuilt the bike completely as we have been trying to understand where there has been some issues coming. So to rule everything out they have built me a completely new bike and they worked tirelessly. Kudos to all the team staff for this whole winter test programme. It has been very busy but I am looking forward to going to round one in a few weeks’ time and seeing where we stack up.”
Pere Riba, Crew Chief for Jonathan Rea
“We have used two complete days here in Aragon and with the new rules about testing this is maybe a lot. But we decided to make good preparations for the first race and immediately after Aragon is Estoril, and then the next one after that is quite close. So we wanted to make a base and confirm some things from the previous test. All has been going very well. On day one we focused on testing and confirming these small items, on the chassis side a kind of link with a little bit different character that we have been testing all winter. It has been confirmed and we are happy with the result. Johnny is very happy. We also made the final points with the electronics, working a lot with torque delivery to give the best feeling for JR, and to make a long run with the whole package. Yesterday we made a long run with an SC0 rear tyre, and it was very, very positive. He was very fast and consistent, and happy with the feeling on the bike. Today we focused on making a fast lap time and Johnny made the fastest lap time ever in Aragon. He improved two-tenths compared to last year. We made a second long run on a softer tyre on the final day too. Johnny is very happy, he is ‘talking’ very deeply with the bike and we are ready for the first race.”
Jonathan Rea with Pere Riba
Team-mate Alex Lowes was also at the test and recorded a best time of 1’49.182s after completing 186 laps; both riders using the final test to refine their Kawasaki ZX-10RR for the new season after completing most of their programme throughout previous tests.
Alex Lowes
Alex Lowes
“That was a good test for me. One of the main targets for today was to improve my feeling with the electronics on the bike. We did two race simulations this afternoon in hot conditions when the track, in theory, has the least grip. We were trying to find a better feeling with the bike. Overall I am really happy. We didn’t piece the whole bike together but now we have a couple of weeks to check the data and put our favourite feelings together and start the party for round one! 104 laps is maybe not the most I have done on one day on the Kawasaki but I had a smile on my face for all of them, so that is the main thing.”
Alex Lowes
BMW were on track across all three days for their final test ahead of the new campaign.
Marc Bongers – BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director
“It was the last test before it really gets serious – on this same track. Again, we had productive days under perfect weather conditions without any large technical issues so we could clearly conduct our test plan. Already, the satellite teams have shown added value for us because we can get more confirmation and we can share the test points so we can get through more work. That is very positive, we still have some homework to do before the first race but I am confident we will get there and already in some areas it’s a clear improvement, like top speed, brakes and so on. Overall I am happy and I am very much looking forward to finally race.”
Tom Sykes
As it was Laverty’s first test of 2021, the Irishman started with a similar bike to Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Action) from a previous test at Jerez before adding new items such as the 2021 swingarm. Laverty completed 197 laps across the three days with a best time of 1’50.604s.
Sporting his new-for-2021 livery, Folger was on an identical machine to the factory riders, Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and team-mate Michael van der Mark, as he gears up for his first full-time WorldSBK campaign. Folger completed 116 laps across the three days on the M 1000 RR, with a best lap time of 1’50.815s. At the factory outfit, the team were trying new components on the chassis including material previously tried in 2019, confirming what they had tried at the Supported Test.
Jonas Folger – Bonovo MGM Racing
“That was our final test before the start of the season. We once again used the time to test all our options and directions, from the chassis to the electronics. We learned a lot, so we are well-prepared for the first races.”
Jonas Folger
Sykes finished the test as the fastest BMW rider with a time of 1’49.857s with van der Mark around one second back from his team-mate; Sykes and van der Mark adding 187 and 173 laps to the team’s lap total respectively.
Tom Sykes – BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team
“It has been a very productive test. We have done such a lot now with the electronics all over, the traction control, the engine brake, the power level maps. We’ve also been working with different chassis configurations and set-up and were also trying some things with the engine. Apart from that it was quite some other fundamental things that we have been trying. So overall, they have been very busy days. A big thanks to the whole BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team that has put in very long hours on all the preparations. We just need to go back now and use all this information but certainly there has been a lot gathered and I really feel we can improve the whole package of the new BMW M 1000 RR. I am looking forward to the first races now.”
Tom Sykes
Michael van der Mark – BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team
“They have been fantastic days. All days, the weather was good. On Monday, it was a bit cold but then it got warmer and warmer so we got a lot of different weather and track conditions and this was really good. It was perfect to test here just before the first race. A lot of things to try, a lot of things to improve but I am really happy with the progression we are making. Of course it’s always difficult to see where you are at a test but we will find out at the race weekends. I am looking forward to some good battles again and to fight with the other guys on track.”
Michael van der Mark
Eugene Laverty (RC Squadra Corse) made his first appearance of the 2021 off-season as he tested for his new team on the BMW M 1000 RR for the first time.
Eugene Laverty – RC Squadra Corse
“First and foremost, I am so happy to be back on a bike after six and a half months off. The big surprise for me was that after this period I was able to get back on my bike and within two exists be on a good pace. So we had three really good days, good weather, surprisingly fast lap times and my main focus has been to improve the baking performance and we did that. So, job well done and I am really happy with my RC Squadra Corse team. Now I am looking forward to the first round here at Aragón after our successful test.”
Eugene Laverty
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) made a welcome return to action following a positive COVID-19 test ruling him out of Yamaha’s previous test at the same venue. The Turkish star wasted no time in making up for lost time as he completed 93 laps on the first day and a total of 174 laps with a best lap of 1’49.763s across both days with Yamaha trying out new front brake components.
Toprak Razgatlioglu
Toprak’s team-mate, Andrea Locatelli, continued to get to know his Yamaha YZF R1 ahead of his rookie campaign; racking up 172 laps across Tuesday and Wednesday.
Andrea Locatelli
Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven) took to MotorLand Aragon on Monday and Tuesday before heading to the Circuito de Navarra for two more days of action, setting the best lap time on Monday and completing 149 laps in total across Monday and Tuesday.
Davies, who has a new team for 2021, posted a best time of 1’49.313s as the only Ducati representative on track in Alcañiz. The only other rider at the track from the WorldSBK paddock was Isaac Viñales (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) with the Spanish rider racking up 139 across Tuesday and Wednesday on his ZX-10RR, posting a best lap time of 1’51.724s.
The first round of the FIM Superbike World Championship will be held at Motorland Aragon from 21-23 May. It will be followed one week later by the second round at Estoril in Portugal, between 28-30 May.
WorldSBK Aragon Test Times
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’48.528s (147 laps)
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’49.182s (186 laps)
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) 1’49.763s (174 laps)
Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’49.857s (187 laps)
Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven) 1’49.913s (149 laps)
Eugene Laverty (RC Squadra Corse) 1’50.604s (197 laps)
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) 1’50.702s (172 laps)
Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’50.781s (173 laps)
Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Action) 1’50.815s (116 laps)
Isaac Viñales (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) 1’51.724s (139 laps)
This stunning custom based on a classic air-cooled BMW has us wondering whether BMW will produce more retro models to complement their popular R nineT family.
It was produced by British custom motorcycle shop Sinroja Motorcycles and they call it the R17 which is interesting since BMW recently returned to cruisers with their R 18.
The R 18 was actually born after BMW gave the R 18 engine to a couple of custom houses to see what they could do with it.
In fact, the R nineT was also born after famed LA designer Roland Sands built a modern custom project to honour the venerable R 90.
So it’s not improbable that BMW would look at this classic as a potential for a more retro model in its line-up.
While the R nineT family is popular, I always thought Roland Sands’ version was better and BMW made the r nineT just a little bit too modern looking.
Birju Sinroja started Sinroja Motorcycles in Leicestershire, England, five years ago and has been working on the R17 for two years ago.
Here is their account of the rebuild:
The bike started as a BMW R80 TIC (police specification) that was a true barn find.
The first step was to strip the whole bike, taking it back to bare metal by sand blasting the frame and then cleaning up any unnecessary tabs and bracketry. From there a new subframe was fabricated to create a clean line. We also fabricated and repositioned the footrest for rider and passenger to fit their ergonomic needs. The handmade mudguards are finished with simple braces, holding them up to nicely balance the lines of the bike and provide some protection from dirt on the road.
All classic customs that leave Sinroja workshop get a full crank-up engine rebuild and the R17 was no exception. We stripped the almost 40-year-old powertrain all the way to crank, replacing all key components like big end bearings, chains, guides, pushrod tubes etc, and rebuilding it to better than factory standards. This engine received our 1000cc (originally 800cc) conversion with machined and ported heads and high compression pistons to up the power. All the cases are vapour blasted and painted black with fins polished for great looks. The gearbox and bevel drive got a full rebuild with all fresh bearings, seals, gaskets etc and some unique Sinroja upgrades. Carburettors were also fully rebuilt with bigger jets to help with upgraded engine. The exhausts were fabricated in-house and then finished by Motone’s one-off end cans.
Handling is vastly improved with a complete custom suspension set-up. Yamaha R6 forks have been reworked with Nitron Suspension racing range cartridges and fully adjustable Nitron rear shocks. The forks retain the R6 calipers for improved braking performance to further increase rideability. Fastec Racing created the billet machined yokes. The custom 18- inch wire wheels were built by Hagon using custom-made rims and stainless spokes.
A brand-new wiring loom from TowzaTronics replaces all of the original wiring. At the heart of all of the electronics is a Motogadget M-Unit Blue. It controls all aspects of the electronic system and also allows Bluetooth phone connection with a diagnostic support function. The M-unit also allows keyless ignition system via the owner’s phone. The R17 is fitted with Motogadget switches, bar end indicators and grips along with 7-inch halo headlight. Rear indicators are from Rizoma and double up as brake and running lights. The final element is a beautiful dash hosting the Motogadget speedo.
The stunning black/Corris Grey livery draws inspiration from the client’s love of Land Rovers and Range Rovers. The stitching on the seat mirrors that of the car and even the saddle leather came from a Land Rover. The aesthetics are finished with a machined Sinroja emblem that sits proudly on the tank.
This bike came with a perfect brief in my opinion. We had pretty much a free reign on what to do. It’s great to be in a place where customers just let you do what you want and have that trust and faith in skills we have. The end result is something we are super proud of indeed. A timeless design and giving rebirth to an old airhead that had been neglected for years in a barn is just a great feeling.
I am super-content with this test. We managed to tick everything off the list we had, which we prioritised with race simulations. I did one each day, at the time of day the races will be held – in fact we left them a little bit later, to the peak of the temperatures at 3pm. We expect the race weekend will be a little bit hotter than it is now. We have a lot of good information about those. I used both rear tyre options, so we have a lot of good information. Step-by-step we worked some more on my riding, some electronic items. But, more so myself, getting a rhythm and understanding how the tyre behaves over a lot of laps and setting up electronic strategies to utilise during the race. I want to thank the guys because they rebuilt the bike completely as we have been trying to understand where there has been some issues coming. So to rule everything out they have built me a completely new bike and they worked tirelessly. Kudos to all the team staff for this whole winter test programme. It has been very busy but I am looking forward to going to round one in a few weeks’ time and seeing where we stack up
.
Twisted Road, a ride-sharing community responsible for thousands of motorcycle rentals all over the country has just released a new program dubbed “One, Two, Free”. The program gives those who wish to rent motorcycles even more opportunities to hit the open road by giving them free rental days in the community.
The launch of the new program benefits those who wish to rent motorcycles and encourages them to rent for an extended time, again and again. The recurring One, Two, Free program gives the rentee the ability to one free day or to accumulate those earned days for future rentals after two rentals.
Founder and CEO of Twisted Roads, Austin Rothbard said “We continue to find ways to make riding more affordable,” and when asked how to take advantage of the new program he said “This program is simple. No fees, no membership, no limits, no promo codes.”
“We’ve made this as simple as we could. The free rides just appear in the rider’s accounts once the first two rides have been taken. It’s like getting a free cup of coffee after your 10th cup. Only it’s a free day of riding. And instead of buying 10 rides, you only need to ride twice.”
The company allows motorcycle owners to earn cash while renting their own bikes on the platform. Twisted Road offers extensive insurance on rentals to ensure everyone is taken care of.
Though Twisted Road isn’t the only major player in the peer-to-peer rental industry, we’re happy more platforms like this exist to give riders a chance to get on two wheels without spending $20K on a new motorcycle. For more information on Twisted Road, head to their website.
The Husqvarna E-Pilen electric motorcycle concept takes its styling from the brand’s other road bikes, the Vitpilen and Svartpilen. (Husqvarna/)
Husqvarna intends to have an electric motorcycle among its ranks soon, and we’ve been given a glimpse of the shape it will take with the E-Pilen concept.
The E-Pilen streetbike will look familiar to anyone who’s kept up with Husqvarna the past few years, as it takes its styling cues from the brand’s distinctive Vitpilen and Svartpilen models. Primarily in the shape of the tank, the minimalist café look, single round headlight, and tailsection. It’s a good fit for an electric bike and even though the details of the bike are obscured by all that dramatic lighting, it looks like Husqvarna will have an elegant, well-proportioned machine at the finish line.
As it stands now, the E-Pilen would be a great urban commuter. (Husqvarna/)
Husqvarna assures us its emobility line development is well along its way but for now the details of the E-Pilen are sparse. The concept provides 8kW of power and a little over 62 miles of range on a charge. It also has a swappable battery so riders can easily exchange battery packs, but the company continues to explore the benefits of fixed battery configurations as well. No additional specs are provided at this time.
Highlighted by a minimalist design approach. (Husqvarna/)
Husqvarna has already dipped its toes in the electric pool with its EE 5 motocrosser for kids, so we’ll be looking forward to seeing what the brand eventually offers up to adults. There’s no indication of when Husqvarna plans to release additional details on the E-Pilen however.
Husqvarna plans to have a family of electric bikes in the future. (Husqvarna/)
Check out the video below to see a bit more of the proposed machine.
“I don’t like these words. Yes, with the techniques we have now, but I’m curious to see if I can train in a different way, I can change a little bit the position of the bike to gain something. I don’t know. I’m curious because it’s close to ten years that I’m in MotoGP, and I really never had this problem. So, it’s something new. We have to try to understand. Now I’m a little bit worried, not for Le Mans, but yes for Mugello. Mugello is I think the worst circuit of the calendar and I really suffer a lot the last part of the race. I wasn’t the only one. So let’s see if I can fix it by there.”
The silver pairing in your Spanish Grand Prix optimal team were Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar). Yamaha’s Morbidelli was the highest points scorer on Saturday after grabbing an extra five bonus points for topping Q1 before then qualifying second on the grid. On Sunday, the Italian collected a further 16 points, his biggest haul of the season, meaning he features in our optimal team for the first time in 2021. Mir produced yet another Mir performance on Sunday as he rose through from tenth on the grid to take fifth, and 22 points as a result.
Serco Yamaha entry moves to third in the MX2 standings.
Image: Foremost Media.
A fifth-place finish at Canberra’s second round of the 2021 Penrite ProMX Championship proved to be a critical points haul for Jesse Dobson, the Serco Yamaha rider putting in a courageous ride less than two weeks after undergoing collarbone surgery in a bid to keep his title hopes alive.
The Queensland-based contender broke his collarbone in a practice crash during the lead-up to Canberra, forcing him to wait until the opening lap of practice to determine if he could even race the pair of motos.
Dobson went 8-5 across the two outings for fifth overall, promoting him to third in the championship standings while positioning him just two points shy of second’s Rhys Budd (Yamalube Yamaha Racing).
“Going into the weekend, there was still a big question mark on if I could even ride a dirt bike,” Dobson told MotoOnline.com.au. On Monday I actually called a friend and was talking them – I told them I couldn’t even put my socks on.
“I didn’t know how the weekend was going to go, so with what I could salvage, it was really good. If I could ride, I wanted to be around the top five depending on the shoulder, but I was just taking it race by race.
“If I could only do one race, that’s better than not being on the start gate at all with the cards I’ve been dealt in the last two weeks. I managed to finish the whole day and move up one position in the points – now I’m only two points off second. Overall, I’m pretty happy with how it all turned out.”
The number 14 sits 33 points behind series leader Kyle Webster (Honda Racing), who has gone undefeated across the first four motos of the season.
Track sessions at the Women’s only ride days are open for all levels of rider from beginner to advanced. 
