Monthly Archives: September 2021

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WorldSBK heads to France with leaders tied on points

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2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship
Round Eight Magny-Cours

This weekend the Superbike World Championship circus moves to Nevers Magny-Cours circuit for the eighth round of season 2021.

Inaugurated over 60 years ago in 1960, the Nevers Magny-Cours circuit is 4411 metres long and has nine right-handers and eight to the left, with a minimum bend radius of 5 metres and a maximum of 474.45 metres plus a finishing straight which measures 250 metres in length. The maximum slope uphill is 2.38 per cent, with a 2.68 per cent descent.

Mangy Cours
Nevers Magny-Cours

This track is characterised by sudden deceleration and re-acceleration changes, interspersed with medium length straights and plenty of altitude changes. In its default layout it also provides a hairpin (Adelaide) with one of the heaviest braking points present among the international circuits, arriving from a fast straight. The asphalt has a smooth and regular surface and therefore offers little natural grip, especially in case of low temperatures or in the wet. Moreover, in some points the riders are called to brake in the downhill sections putting the front tyre under stress.

After twenty-one races, the WorldSBK Riders Standings of the Superbike World Championship has never been so close, with Jonathan Rea, and Toprak Razgatlioglu on level points (311 points), followed by Scott Redding with 273 points.

Razgatlioglu took his first ever win at Magny-Cours back in 2014 in the STK600 class, of which he’d be Champion in 2015. Then, he took a first STK1000 podium there in 2016 with second, before in 2019, his first WorldSBK win in a final lap shoot-out with Jonathan Rea came from 16th on the grid. He doubled up in the Superpole Race but with it being wet in 2020, he’s yet to show his strengths at the track on a Yamaha.

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu

“For me, France is a special place because of my first wins in 2019, but like I have said before: we focus only on the next races ahead. I am not thinking about the championship! I like the Magny-Cours circuit a lot, it has fast sections and areas for hard braking which I enjoy. My team has been working hard at every round to give me the best R1 for the races, and we have been ready to fight everywhere. It will not be easy, Jonny and Scott [Redding] are very strong, but we will see.”

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu

However, if Toprak’s ready for the challenge then so is his title rival Jonathan Rea – he’s won eight races at Magny-Cours, all of them for Kawasaki and apart from 2016, it has been every year. Add on to that the fact he’s been on the podium in all but one race at Magny-Cours on a Kawasaki (Race 2, 2017), then you’d be hard-pushed to find someone with a better track record.

However, Rea’s coming into France on the backfoot, having relinquished his Championship lead and, in the last six races, handed 37-points to Razgatlioglu. Both enjoy the track and have already had final lap battles there before.

Jonathan Rea

“After the last few races, on new circuits for us, I am really excited to got to Magny Cours. It is a circuit where I have a lot of special memories, where we have been many times in the past, so we have a lot of data. Thankfully we had a full day of really nice weather at a Portimao test last week to keep working with the set-up of our Ninja ZX-10RR. I felt very good there and the condition fo the bike was very good. The bike set-up for Magny Cours is very similar to Portimao. It has a lot of heavy braking area but also changes of direction which really suit our bike. Now, with six rounds remaining in the championship we are past the halfway point and the next races will come along in very quick succession. The target is of course to win and to build some positive momentum into the last part of the year, which is going to be very intense. But I am excited, very motivated and can’t wait to get to France.”

Jonathan Rea

Edging closer with each round is Scott Redding, as the Ducati star is now 38-points behind the top two in the title race, having been 81 back just six races ago. Redding’s been in top form lately; seven straight podiums and all of them within the top two positions. It’s a devastating run of form which neither Razgatlioglu nor Rea have matched so far this year. Redding’s in the best form of his career and with a win at Magny-Cours in 2020 to keep his title hopes alive, he’s one of the favourites.

Scott Redding

“Last year I enjoyed racing on a circuit that was new to me. It’s clear that this time I’ll have a little more experience and that could be important to get off to a good start right away. My goal is to continue on the path we have taken in the last few very positive races.”

Scott Redding

In stark contrast, Redding’s Ducati team-mate Michael Ruben Rinaldi had a subdued weekend at Navarra where he took 15 points, but a return to the top six will be welcome at Magny-Cours, as he did in 2020.

Michael Ruben Rinaldi

“We can’t hide the fact that the last period has not been particularly positive for us. Now it’s time to turn the page. The contract signed for next season will give me great serenity to start working well with the team since FP1 on Friday.”

Michael Ruben Rinaldi

Toprak’s Pata Yamaha team-matre Andrea Locatelli also  hopes be back on the podium, having now established himself as a solid front-runner. He took a WorldSSP win at Magny-Cours in 2020, can he convert that into strong pace in WorldSBK though?

Andrea Locatelli

“Last year Magny-Cours was a new circuit for me in World Supersport, so I will focus on the references with the R1 WorldSBK in Free Practice in the beginning. I think we can do very well there, I like the layout and we have been strong now for the last three rounds. The goal is to get closer to the front, so I hope we can keep working and carry the momentum this weekend. For sure I would like to improve on our “standard” position of fourth, which is becoming something funny with my team! If we can work on a good set-up on Friday, I think it will be possible to push on the maximum to get some good results again.”

Andrea Locatelli with Aussie crew chief Andrew Pitt

Rea’s Kawasaki team-mate Alex Lowes aims to fight for the podium despite a persistent injury, but he was on the podium twice at Magny-Cours for Kawasaki in 2020, so the pace is there.

Alex Lowes

“For Magny Cours I have some good memories from last year on the Kawasaki, with the podiums in rain conditions. I am hoping it is dry this time because we didn’t get any dry laps last year in Magny Cours, so I want to try the Ninja ZX-10RR around there in the dry. It is a track I have always enjoyed going to and I have always gone quite well at. I have said it for the last few races but the target is to be back, fighting for the podium. So that is the target for Magny Cours.”

Alex Lowes – Image 2snap

It was an impressive weekend for BMW at Navarra, as they seemingly found form in the hotter conditions in comparison to where they had come from in the past couple of seasons. Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) achieved his tenth front row for BMW at Navarra and capitalised on that with two top-six finishes in Race 1 and the Superpole Race, before taking fifth in Race 2. He was on the front row at Magny-Cours in 2020 as part of BMW’s first ever Superpole 1-2, when Eugene Laverty took pole.

Tom Sykes

“I am definitely looking forward to the French round of the WorldSBK at Magny-Cours. It’s a circuit which has given the BMW podium success in the past and obviously for me my target is to add to that. The aim is also to maintain our recent improvement in form that we found for example at Navarra. That is the target for the weekend. Of course, there is still work to be done with the new BMW M 1000 RR so we will try our best to find the best balance and compromise to do this inside the race weekend.”

Tom Sykes – Image 2snap

On the other side of the BMW garage, Michael van der Mark didn’t have the same weekend as Sykes, with seventh, eighth and ninth being the Dutchman’s results at Navarra. However, six Magny-Cours podiums could propel van der Mark back to the sharp end.

Michael van der Mark

“Magny-Cours is a track which I really enjoy riding. It always suits me. It has a bit of everything; fast and flowing sectors, stop-and-go corners, so it is a bit of a mix. Regarding the set-up of the bike, you also need to find some compromise here and there because it has all these different type of corners. I really love the first sector; that is one of my favourite parts of the track, but also the last sector is always nice for some good overtaking. I am looking forward to the weekend. We have improved our BMW M 1000 RR a lot and at Navarra, we struggled more with the high temperatures and I think we will not have that at Magny-Cours, so hopefully we have a bit more stable weekend. At Navarra, we made a big step lap-time wise in qualifying. Unfortunately for me it was so tight that I was still tenth, but if you look at the lap times, I made a huge step. We improved the performance there, so that is what we really need at Magny-Cours as well.”

Michael van der Mark – Image 2snap

Over at Honda, it was another difficult round endured by Team HRC as Alvaro Bautista and Leon Haslam worked hard to break into the top ten once again. For Bautista, there was just one point-scoring ride across the weekend with eighth in Race 2, whilst Leon Haslam’s only points came in Race 1 with 13th. Both lie outside the top ten in the Championship but could break into it it this weekend, with Bautista level on points with previous team-mate Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven).

Alvaro Bautista

“Magny-Cours is always tricky, largely due to the weather as you never know if it’s going to be wet, mixed conditions or whatever. Last year we barely had an opportunity to ride in the dry, so we don’t have much data in those conditions. The track has a bit of everything anyway, hard braking, long turns, and many changes of direction. It’s a tricky one, but we’re keen to continue our development and are focused on rounding out the season in the best way possible. I want an enjoyable end to my season with HRC.”

Alvaro Bautista – Image 2snap
Leon Haslam

“Magny-Cours has been good for me in the past. Last year I battled hard with Toprak and others for fourth place, before unfortunately suffering a highside just before the end of the race. In the wet, I’m confident that we can fight for the podium this time, while in the dry, I know we’ve made progress and hopefully it can be a kinder circuit to us than some of the others so far.”

Leon Haslam
Leon Haslam

The Independent battle is as fierce as ever and whilst Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) has taken a slight dip in form across the last two rounds, he’s comfortably clear of the next-best Independent rider Chaz Davies by 43 points.

However, closing in on Davies is young Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing), who is now just five-points behind the Brit and has leap-frogged Leon Haslam in the standings.

For Gerloff, he was fast in the rain of Magny-Cours in 2020, whilst Chaz Davies took a double win back in 2016 and won again in 2017. Axel Bassani’s form is somewhat unknown in WorldSBK, but back in World Supersport, he took his best ever finish with fourth in 2016.

The rest of the Independent battle is being fought further down, with Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) in 14th place, but going to his home-round full of confidence after two wins in the last three races held at the track in WorldSSP.

Tito Rabat (Barni Racing Team) tackles Magny-Cours for the first time and is three points behind Mahias, whilst Yamaha’s Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) will also go to Magny-Cours for the first time, after what seemed like a bit of a breakthrough at Navarra.

Isaac Viñales (ORELAC Racing VerdNatura) returns to action after a positive COVID-19 test prior to Navarra, with Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Racing) next up, just five points back.

Jonas Folger

“Magny-Cours is a great circuit. We competed as wildcard starters in the French Championship there last year. I am happy that we did that, as it means that I am familiar with the circuit now. It is a very challenging circuit, including a real range of corners. There is a pretty long straight, some slow corners. Sometimes it flows and then you have a bit of stop-and-go – it has a bit of everything. I hope that we make a good start to the weekend, work well with the BMW from the word go and that our race results then build on recent races.”

Jonas Folger

Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport Yamaha) heads for his home round and will hope to impress, whilst Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team) aims for points once more. Loris Cresson (OUTDO TPR Team Pedercini Racing) and team-mate Jayson Uribe also aim for points, particularly Uribe who is yet to score.

Motul French WorldSBK Round schedule

Source: MCNews.com.au

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It’s getting to make or break for Brookes to make it in to the Showdown eight

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2021 Bennetts British Superbike Championship
Round 7 – Snetterton

The Bennetts British Superbike Championship makes its annual visit to Norfolk’s Snetterton circuit, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this season, this weekend (3/4/5 September).

The circuit’s two-wheeled heritage will be commemorated at the event, as the country’s leading riders battle for Snetterton’s most prestigious two-wheeled title, the ‘Pirelli Race of Aces’. The overall prize will be awarded to the highest combined points scorer across the three races.

The stakes will be high at the East Anglian circuit, as the battle to be crowned 2021 Bennetts BSB champion at the Brands Hatch season finale in October intensifies. Just six races now remain to decide which eight riders will battle for the crown in the end of season Showdown.

Championship leader Jason O’Halloran has played his cards right so far this season to become the first and only competitor so far to confirm his Title Fighter status. The McAMS Yamaha rider claimed his ninth win of the season last time out at Cadwell Park, which cemented his position. The Australian is now continuing his focus on scoring vital Podium Points at the circuit where he claimed his first Bennetts BSB race win.

Jason O’Halloran – McAMS Yamaha

“Cadwell Park was another really strong weekend for us. We had found a good direction, but Hicky had been doing an amazing job and he was super strong, so I pushed him as much as I could in the first two races. To win in the last one was the icing on the cake. I wanted to win there for many years so I was chuffed to bits. We confirmed our place in the Showdown and strengthened our position with the Podium Points, as they are what we need to build up before the final championship fight. I can’t wait to get back to Snetterton although it is a bit of a difficult one for me. On the Honda, I was really strong and I had my first win there, and had a lot of podium finishes. Since I have got on the Yamaha it has been a track that perhaps hasn’t been as strong as some other tracks for us. I am not sure why, but the last couple of years it hasn’t quite gone our way when we have been at Snetterton, but I am really confident ahead of this weekend. It’s a track that I love and I feel that the improvements that we have made will make the Yamaha stronger this year. I think we should be in a position to challenge for top positions. We have two rounds left now before the Showdown and we just need to keep scoring as many Podium Points as possible.”

Jason O’Halloran has amassed a huge championship lead

Christian Iddon and Tarran Mackenzie are joint second in the standings following a challenging weekend in Lincolnshire. The pair have both been race winners so far this season, and will be eager to return to the top this weekend to close the deficit to O’Halloran.

Iddon has fond memories of Snetterton; it was the track where he celebrated his first Bennetts BSB race win last season so he will be determined to strike again this weekend. Mackenzie meanwhile, is determined to make amends after sitting out the Sunday races at Cadwell Park with a finger injury.

Christian Iddon

“It will be good to go back to Snetterton which has great memories for me as that’s where I won my maiden BSB race last season. We tested there earlier this year and although the weather disrupted the time we had on track, unlike places like Thruxton and Cadwell, I’m going there with a good base setting and have ridden the VisionTrack Ducati there before. The plan is to secure my place in the Showdown and get as many Podium Points as possible and hope to put an end to this run of bad luck I’ve been having.”

Christian Iddon

Tommy Bridewell had a consistent weekend at Cadwell Park with a trio of top three finishes, with race two marking his 50th in the championship. The Oxford Products Racing Ducati rider is aiming to repeat the hat trick of podium finishes he delivered at Snetterton last year, with just a narrow five-point margin currently separating him from Peter Hickman.

Hickman had a weekend to remember at his home round, becoming the sixth different race winner of 2021 and securing FHO Racing BMW their first victory in the Superbike class in the team’s debut season. He will be hunting another podium haul this weekend in his bid to give the team its first Showdown appearance.

Danny Buchan was forced to miss the Cadwell Park races after his high-speed crash at Donington Park, which dropped the SYNETIQ BMW rider to sixth in the overall standings, but he returns ready to stack up the points again this weekend.

Glenn Irwin trails him in the standings by just 11 points ahead of the next three races, and the Honda Racing rider is bidding to replicate the form that took him to a victory and the ‘Race of Aces’ title last season.

Glenn Irwin

“What we achieved at Donington Park and Cadwell, this weekend at Snetterton is only going to be better again, I think. We’re a few weeks down the line with the shoulder and I don’t think it’s going to be an issue this weekend. We’re making progress everywhere; I’ve had a good few weeks training and the boys have been hard at it in the workshop with the Fireblade. The Showdown is coming closer and we’re in a good position, I’m aware of the gap behind me, but I am conscious of Danny [Buchan] ahead by 11 points, so we need to strengthen that position while scoring some podium credits.”

Glenn Irwin

Lee Jackson meanwhile is the rider in a precarious position as the FS-3 Racing Kawasaki contender holds the final place inside the top eight of the standings and only by a narrow two-point margin from Bradley Ray with local contender Ryan Vickers also hoping to shuffle the Showdown pack.

A resurgent weekend could also yet see Knockhill podium finisher Rory Skinner, or reigning champion Josh Brookes, still make the cut in six races’ time at Silverstone if they finish the main season with a strong display. While defending champion Brookes has been coy and reticent to complain too much about his predicament this season, paddock gossip suggets that a big increase in engine performance for 2021 that has not been matched with improvements in the electronics or throttle connection is what has been holding the 38-year-old back.

Josh Brookes

“The results at Cadwell were an improvement although we didn’t make big strides forward but I’m hoping the momentum will continue at Snetterton. We are making progress and the plan is to continue in that direction, but Snetterton is a very technical track which always proves a challenge and I’m not expecting it to be easy. But I remain positive and hope to continue this mini resurgence with results and getting on with putting up a decent fight towards the front.”

Josh Brookes

Bennetts British Superbike  Championship Standings

Pos Rider Points
1 Jason O’HALLORAN (Yamaha) 342
2 Christian IDDON (Ducati) 223
3 Tarran MACKENZIE (Yamaha) 223
4 Tommy BRIDEWELL (Ducati) 205
5 Peter HICKMAN (BMW) 200
6 Danny BUCHAN (BMW) 165
7 Glenn IRWIN (Honda) 154
8 Lee JACKSON (Kawasaki) 133
9 Bradley RAY (BMW) 131
10 Ryan VICKERS (Kawasaki) 114
11 Rory SKINNER (Kawasaki) 111
12 Josh BROOKES (Ducati) 105
13 Andrew IRWIN (BMW) 92
14 Gino REA (Suzuki) 64
15 Kyle RYDE (BMW) 53
16 Danny KENT (Suzuki) 49
17 Dan LINFOOT (Honda) 46
18 Xavi FORÉS (BMW) 39
19 Storm STACEY (Kawasaki) 27
20 Dean HARRISON (Kawasaki) 17
21 Joe FRANCIS (BMW) 11
22 Tim NEAVE (Suzuki) 7
23 Ryo MIZUNO (Honda) 4
24 Luke HOPKINS (Honda) 2
25 Bjorn ESTMENT (Suzuki) 1
26 Takumi TAKAHASHI (Honda) 1
27 Joe SHELDON-SHAW (Kawasaki) 1

Quattro Group British Supersport Championship Standings

Pos Rider Points
1 Jack KENNEDY (Kawasaki) 182
2 Bradley PERIE (Yamaha) 179
3 Ben CURRIE (Kawasaki) 176
4 Kyle SMITH (Triumph) 152
5 Lee JOHNSTON (Yamaha) 141
6 Harry TRUELOVE (Yamaha) 138
7 Eunan McGLINCHEY (Kawasaki) 119
8 Brandon PAASCH (Triumph) 104
9 Jamie van SIKKELERUS (Yamaha) 72
10 James HIND (Yamaha) 67
11 Korie McGREEVY (Yamaha) 53
12 Rhys IRWIN (Yamaha) 53
13 Sam MUNRO (Yamaha) 47
14 Phil WAKEFIELD (Yamaha) 46
15 Scott SWANN (Yamaha) 38
16 Joe DUGGAN (Kawasaki) 25
17 Cederic BLOCH (Kawasaki) 20
18 Ben TOLLIDAY (Yamaha) 14
19 Joseph LOUGHLIN (Yamaha) 9
20 Stephen THOMAS (Triumph) 6
21 Dominic HERBERTSON (Kawasaki) 4
22 David KRAWIECKI (Yamaha) 4
23 Jody LEES (Kawasaki) 4
24 Charles HARDISTY (Yamaha) 4
25 Max WADSWORTH (Yamaha) 1

Quattro Group British GP2 Championship Standings

Pos Rider Points
1 Charlie NESBITT (Kalex) 285
2 Mason LAW (Spirit) 190
3 Cameron HORSMAN (Chassis Factory) 146
4 Jack SCOTT (Harris) 144
5 Cameron FRASER (Chassis Factory) 109
6 Dan JONES (Spirit) 102
7 Jamie PERRIN (Spirit) 90
8 Jake ARCHER (Kalex) 86
9 Harry ROWLINGS (ABM Evo) 84
10 Conor WHEELER (Harris) 81
11 Harvey CLARIDGE (Chassis Factory) 56
12 Aaron RIDEWOOD (TCR Yamaha) 26

Pirelli National Superstock Championship Standings

Pos Rider Points
1 Tom NEAVE (Honda) 138
2 Alex OLSEN (BMW) 133
3 Billy McCONNELL (BMW) 123
4 Fraser ROGERS (Aprilia) 120
5 Luke MOSSEY (Kawasaki) 112
6 Taylor MACKENZIE (BMW) 112
7 Chrissy ROUSE (Kawasaki) 95
8 Lewis ROLLO (Kawasaki) 86
9 Keith FARMER (Kawasaki) 47
10 Ian HUTCHINSON (Yamaha) 47
11 Luke STAPLEFORD (Suzuki) 46
12 Tim NEAVE (Suzuki) 41
13 Luke HEDGER (Suzuki) 40
14 Tom OLIVER (Suzuki) 40
15 Levi DAY (Suzuki) 39
16 Brayden ELLIOTT (Suzuki) 39
17 Tom WARD (Suzuki) 34
18 Richard KERR (Honda) 25
19 David ALLINGHAM (BMW) 18
20 Jordan WEAVING (Kawasaki) 17
21 Shane RICHARDSON (BMW) 12
22 Damon REES (BMW) 11
23 James EAST (Aprilia) 6
24 Brent HARRAN (Suzuki) 5
25 Joe SHELDON-SHAW (Suzuki) 5
26 Ashley BEECH (Suzuki) 3
27 Lee WILLIAMS (Kawasaki) 2
28 TJ TOMS (Kawasaki) 2
29 Callum GRIGOR (Kawasaki) 1
30 Matt TRUELOVE (BMW) 1

Pirelli National Junior Superstock Championship  Standings

Pos Rider Points
1 Joe TALBOT (Kawasaki) 154
2 Jack NIXON (Yamaha) 152
3 Zak CORDEROY (Yamaha) 122
4 George STANLEY (Kawasaki) 122
5 Liam DELVES (Kawasaki) 84
6 Eugene McMANUS (Kawasaki) 72
7 Louis VALLELEY (Yamaha) 55
8 Asher DURHAM (Kawasaki) 52
9 Sam LAFFINS (Kawasaki) 45
10 Owen JENNER (Kawasaki) 44
11 Max COOK (Kawasaki) 39
12 Adam HARTGROVE (Yamaha) 37
13 Daniel BROOKS (Kawasaki) 36
14 James ALDERSON (Triumph) 35
15 Franco BOURNE (Kawasaki) 34
16 Kade VERWEY (Kawasaki) 31
17 Aaron SILVESTER (Yamaha) 27
18 Charlie FARRER (Yamaha) 27
19 Simon REID (Yamaha) 25
20 Caolan IRWIN (Yamaha) 18
21 Jack BEDNAREK (Yamaha) 13
22 Seth CRUMP (Kawasaki) 10
23 Matt BOWER (Kawasaki) 7
24 Cameron HALL (Kawasaki) 7
25 Harry FOWLE (Triumph) 5
26 Luke VERWEY (Kawasaki) 4
27 Kier ARMSTRONG (Kawasaki) 2
28 Lewis JONES (Kawasaki) 1

HEL Performance British Junior Supersport Championship Standings

Pos Rider Points
1 Cameron DAWSON (Kawasaki) 145
2 Ash BARNES (Yamaha) 116
3 Kam DIXON (Kawasaki) 108
4 Tom BOOTH-AMOS (Kawasaki) 95
5 Lucca ALLEN (Yamaha) 82
6 Adon DAVIE (Kawasaki) 80
7 Zak SHELTON (Kawasaki) 62
8 Joseph THOMAS (Kawasaki) 61
9 James McMANUS (Kawasaki) 59
10 Declan CONNELL (Kawasaki) 44
11 Mikey HARDIE (Kawasaki) 37
12 Osian JONES (Kawasaki) 35
13 Joe FARRAGHER (Kawasaki) 30
14 Connor SELLORS (Kawasaki) 21
15 Chloe JONES (Yamaha) 21
16 Harry COOK (Yamaha) 17
17 Lewis JONES (Kawasaki) 16
18 Finn SMART-WEEDEN (Kawasaki) 14
19 Kieran SMITH (Kawasaki) 13
20 Elliot DUFTON (Kawasaki) 10
21 Annabel THOMAS (Kawasaki) 9
22 Joe ELLIS (Kawasaki) 8
23 Jack  FERRIS (Kawasaki) 7
24 Chris MOFFITT (Kawasaki) 7
25 Jacob STEPHENSON (Yamaha) 6
26 Bradley WILSON (Kawasaki) 5
27 Cameron BROWN (Kawasaki) 5
28 Christopher JOHNSON (Kawasaki) 4
29 Alessandro VALENTE (KTM) 2
30 Kieran KENT (Kawasaki) 1

Honda British Talent Cup Championship Standings

Pos Rider Points
1 Evan BELFORD (Honda) 188
2 Casey O’GORMAN (Honda) 165
3 Carter BROWN (Honda) 165
4 Johnny GARNESS (Honda) 154
5 Jamie LYONS (Honda) 142
6 James COOK (Honda) 108
7 Ollie WALKER (Honda) 98
8 Cormac BUCHANAN (Honda) 75
9 Harrison CROSBY (Honda) 75
10 Kiyano VEIJER (Honda) 74
11 Sullivan MOUNSEY (Honda) 74
12 Bailey STUART-CAMPBELL (Honda) 69
13 Ryan HITCHCOCK (Honda) 44
14 Troy JEFFREY (Honda) 42
15 Rhys STEPHENSON (Honda) 36
16 Rossi BANHAM (Honda) 35
17 Corey TINKER (Honda) 26
18 Lucas BROWN (Honda) 25
19 Mason JOHNSON (Honda) 21
20 Luca HOPKINS (Honda) 16
21 Harley McCABE (Honda) 15
22 Rossi DOBSON (Honda) 15
23 Harrison MACKAY (Honda) 7
24 Julian CORREA (Honda) 5
25 Lucas HILL (Honda) 4
26 Josh BANNISTER (Honda) 1
27 Alexander ROWAN (Honda) 1

Ducati Performance TriOptions Cup Championship Standings

Pos Rider Points
1 Josh DAY (Ducati) 168
2 Chris WALKER (Ducati) 129
3 Elliott PINSON (Ducati) 114
4 David SHOUBRIDGE (Ducati) 96
5 Edmund BEST (Ducati) 93
6 Craig NEVE (Ducati) 79
7 John McGUINNESS (Ducati) 77
8 Carl STEVENS (Ducati) 50
9 Michael TUSTIN (Ducati) 49
10 Sam COX (Ducati) 47
11 Alberto SOLERA (Ducati) 45
12 David JONES (Ducati) 43
13 Daniel BOUCHER (Ducati) 21
14 Seb BULPIN (Ducati) 18
15 Luke JONES (Ducati) 16
16 Matthew JONES (Ducati) 13
17 Dijon COMPTON (Ducati) 12
18 Jacque FOLEY (Ducati) 10
19 Lee DEVONPORT (Ducati) 8
20 Ben FALLA (Ducati) 7
21 Ewan POTTER (Ducati) 6
22 Oliver SAVAGE (Ducati) 6
23 Lee McLAUGHLIN (Ducati) 5
24 Max LOFTHOUSE (Ducati) 3
25 Matt STEVENS (Ducati) 3
26 Richard SPENCER-FLEET (Ducati) 2

Source: MCNews.com.au

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Italy retains ISDE lead Day 4 | Verona fastest overall

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ISDE 2021 – Day Four

Day Four of the FIM International Six Days of Enduro saw riders tackling new conditions, heading south from Rivanazzano Terme Airport, with a 198 km section of new trails and special tests offering new challenges as competitors pass the halfway mark.

In the World Trophy team competition there was no change at the top of the class results, with Italy continuing to lead on home soil. In the Women’s World Trophy, the USA once again dominated, while in the Junior World Trophy, the USA dropped from second to fourth following a costly crash from Austin Walton (Husqvarna). Andrea Verona (GASGAS) ended the day as the fastest outright rider.

Josep Garcia went into Day 4 in the lead
Josep Garcia went into Day 4 in the lead

World Trophy – Day 4

With team rider Andrea Verona (GASGAS) arguably hitting his best form of the competition to date, and with three of their four riders placed inside the top five of the overall individual results, Italy was again the team to beat in the World Trophy competition.

Davide Guarneri
Davide Guarneri

Placing one-minute and forty seconds ahead of Spain, with two days of competition remaining, Italy extended their overall lead to just over five minutes.

Andrea Verona

“It took me four days, but finally I managed to get an overall day win. I really enjoyed the tests today, but the ground was very hard, which made them very, very slippery. It was easy to make mistakes with no ruts or berms, like we had on the previous days. It’s been a great day for the team also, taking a few more seconds from Spain. I’m here as part of the Italian team, so I’ll continue doing my best for them as well as pushing hard for the best individual result I can get.”

Although unable to stop Italy claiming yet another World Trophy day win, Spain again produced a spirited team performance, despite a heavy crash for their fastest rider Josep Garcia (KTM) early in the day.

Collectively, Spain’s riders extended their advantage over third-placed USA by twelve seconds. Outside of the top three, but well-positioned to strike if any of the leading teams run into troubles, Sweden rode well, with another notably strong performance from Mikael Persson (KTM).

Lorenzo Macoritto
Lorenzo Macoritto

World Trophy Team Overall Results – Day 4

POS TEAM DAY  4 TOT
1 TEAM ITALY 2:40′ 21. 16 9:50′ 38.35
2 TEAM SPAIN 2:42′ 01. 88 9:55′ 39.78
3 TEAM UNITED STATES 2:42′ 14. 17 9:57′ 39.95
4 TEAM SWEDEN 2:42′ 59. 16 10:00′ 08.84
5 TEAM FRANCE 2:43′ 35. 47 10:00′ 54.10
6 TEAM PORTUGAL 2:47′ 50. 20 10:19′ 57.49
7 TEAM CZECH REPUBLIC 2:47′ 39. 70 10:21′ 39.09
8 TEAM CANADA 2:48′ 50. 26 10:25′ 16.85
9 TEAM GERMANY 2:50′ 27. 37 10:28′ 18.94
10 TEAM BELGIUM 2:50′ 48. 59 10:29′ 53.41

Junior World Trophy

The day’s biggest result shake-up came in the World Junior Trophy category. Second behind Italy at the end of day three, following a big crash from Austin Walton (Husqvarna), which resulted in a sizeable loss of time, the USA dropped to fourth on day four.

Italy was the fastest team in the Junior World Trophy, completing the day more than one-minute ahead of France to now sit six minutes and twenty-six seconds ahead in the overall results. With the USA running into troubles, France was able to capitalise and inherited the runner-up position, but sit a long way behind Italy. Sweden is holding strong, and now hold third behind Italy and France.

Junior World Trophy Team Overall Results – Day 4

POS TEAM Day 4
1 TEAM ITALY 2:42′ 46. 29
2 TEAM FRANCE 2:44′ 03. 88
3 TEAM SWEDEN 2:45′ 01. 92
4 TEAM CHILE 2:53′ 30. 57
5 TEAM PORTUGAL 2:54′ 29. 95
6 TEAM CZECH REPUBLIC 2:54′ 47. 85
7 TEAM UNITED STATES 2:55′ 02. 58
8 TEAM NORWAY 2:56′ 25. 50
9 TEAM BELGIUM 2:59′ 46. 00
10 TEAM NETHERLANDS 2:59′ 53. 16

Women’s World Trophy

Despite their troubles in the Junior World Trophy class, the USA powered ahead in the Women’s World Trophy competition on day four, much like on every other day of this year’s ISDE. With no change in the top three in the class, USA remain ahead of Great Britain and Spain. With one full day of competition and the final motocross races remaining, the USA sit a sizeable eleven minutes and thirty-four seconds ahead.

Mireia Badia
Mireia Badia

On day four alone the USA were close to three minutes faster than their closest challengers, with Brandy Richards (KTM) the only female competitor to end the day with combined special test times of less than sixty minutes.

With Great Britain’s trio of Jane Daniels (Fantic), Nieve Holmes (GASGAS), and Rosie Rowett (KTM), standing firm in second, Spain hold third, and like the USA and Great Britain ahead of them, Spain look all-but assured of a podium finish.

Sandra Gomez

“We’re in third, Mireia (Badia – GASGAS) is flying, so we have to stay focused on these final two days and keep pushing to the very end. I started the event really well, which was a little unexpected. The special tests are really fast, and I’m a much better rider on technical special tests. I’ll keep pushing, I’m doing my very best, and I’m enjoying the race. I just want to do my best for the team and hope we finish on the podium.”

Raissa Terranova
Raissa Terranova

Women’s World Trophy Team Overall Results – Day 4

POS TEAM DAY  4 TOT
1 TEAM UNITED STATES 2:00′ 50. 64 7:25′ 34.17
2 TEAM GREAT BRITAIN 2:03′ 29. 92 7:37′ 08.82
3 TEAM SPAIN 2:04′ 31. 88 7:39′ 05.38
4 TEAM PORTUGAL 2:08′ 07. 63 7:51′ 20.13
5 TEAM FRANCE 2:07′ 16. 31 7:53′ 04.18
6 TEAM SWEDEN 2:11′ 29. 62 8:06′ 27.58
7 TEAM GERMANY 2:17′ 54. 12 8:37′ 21.64
8 TEAM ITALY 2:17′ 06. 13 8:48′ 26.62

Andrea Verona tops the stage overall

In Enduro1, the day’s overall fastest rider Andrea Verona (GASGAS) topped the class comfortably.

Andrea Verona tops Day 4 at the 2021 ISDE
Andrea Verona tops Day 4 at the 2021 ISDE

With Sweden’s Mikael Persson (KTM) continuing his impressive performances to claim the runner-up spot, just as he had on day three Davide Guarneri (Fantic) rounded out the day four as third fastest in E1.

Davide Guarneri

“I arrived at the ISDE with a big ankle problem. I twisted it five days before the race. I wasn’t able to walk the tests so well, but thankfully things have got better. I made two big mistakes on the first day, and since then I’ve been getting my rhythm back, and improving, which is the most important thing. I’m feeling better and better, but now I have to think about our position as a team in the World Trophy competition.”

Enduro2 was topped for the fourth day running by Josep Garcia (KTM). Finishing ahead of Taylor Robert (KTM), and Michael Layne (Yamaha), Garcia was one of a number of riders to crash on day four.

Josep Garcia

“I started the day well but in the long enduro test I had a big crash and then exited the track twice. I found it difficult to concentrate and lost a lot of time after that. I kept pushing, took some time back, but with one of today’s special tests cancelled I ran out of time to close the gap. I was close to the overall win, but finally second behind Verona.”

Italian teammates Matteo Cavallo (TM), and Matteo Pavoni (TM), again finished as the top two in the Enduro3 class, with Spain’s Jaume Betriu (KTM) making it three E3 class riders inside the overall top three.

The FIM International Six Days of Enduro continues on day five with competitors taking on the one-hundred and ninety-eight-kilometre Valle di Curone lap for the second and final time.

2021 ISDE Day 4 Results – Individual Top 20 Overall

Pos Rider Total
1 VERONA Andrea 53’02.82
2 GARCIA Josep 53’05.71
3 PERSSON Mikael 53’33.88
4 CAVALLO Matteo 53’36.13
5 GUARNERI Davide 53’42.21
6 ROBERT Taylor 53’45.19
7 MACORITTO Lorenzo 53’51.69
8 PAVONI Matteo 53’53.77
9 BETRIU Jaume 53’57.80
10 ESPINASSE Theo 53’57.94
11 MICHAEL Layne 53’59.16
12 OLIVEIRA Dante 54’04.70
13 ELOWSON Albin 54’09.25
14 CRIQ Antoine 54’13.95
15 AHLIN Max 54’15.42

2021 ISDE Individual Standings after Day 4

Pos Rider Cat NAT  Man Total Gap
1 GARCIA Josep E2 ESP KTM 3:14’11.98 –
2 VERONA Andrea E1 ITA GAS 3:15’17.29 1’05.31
3 PERSSON Mikael E1 SWE KTM 3:16’38.21 2’26.23
4 CAVALLO Matteo E3 ITA TM 3:17’22.38 3’10.40
5 ROBERT Taylor E2 USA KTM 3:17’40.75 3’28.77
6 GUARNERI Davide E1 ITA FAN 3:18’53.62 4’41.64
7 ESPINASSE Theo E1 FRA HON 3:18’54.00 4’42.02
8 BETRIU Jaume E3 ESP KTM 3:19’07.29 4’55.31
9 OLDRATI Thomas E2 ITA HON 3:19’44.27 5’32.29
10 MICHAEL Layne E2 USA YAM 3:19’53.69 5’41.71
11 ELOWSON Albin E2 SWE HUS 3:20’01.34 5’49.36
12 BLANJOUE Hugo E2 FRA KTM 3:20’18.13 6’06.15
13 GIRROIR Jonathan E1 USA GAS 3:21’08.12 6’56.14
14 SIPES Ryan E3 USA GAS 3:21’18.24 7’06.26
15 BASSET Antoine E3 FRA BETA 3:22’05.82 7’53.84

Images courtesy of ISDE

Source: MCNews.com.au

Motorcycle News, News

Honda: 2022 CB500F, CB500X, And CBR500R Updates For Europe

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Honda is slapping the CB500F, CB500X, And CBR500R with a boatload of upgrades – and Europeans countrywide are going to benefit from the new 2022 perks.

Honda tells Motorcycle.com that over 106,000 of these CB and CBR500 units were sold since the reveal of the bikes in 2013 – a number that reflects the huge popularity of the lineup.

A view of the 2022 CBR500R
2022 Honda CBR500R

The importance of drawing in such a diverse crowd of riders isn’t lost on the Japanese manufacturer, who has stated the following:

“Honda’s research …figures show that 45% of CB500F and 37% of CBR500R owners are new riders, with 45% and 60% respectively under the age of 34, illustrating how instrumental they have been in bringing new young riders to the world of two wheels.”

A view of the 2022 CB500X, view from the seating position
2022 Honda CB500X

“Conversely, over 75% of CB500X owners are experienced riders, with a further 15% having been drawn back to motorcycling by the all-around appeal offered by the compact adventurer with its rugged styling, long-travel suspension, and upright riding position.”

This is an important statistic to factor into the upgrades for this year, especially since the CB and CBR bikes have such a wide range of fans. 

A view of the new Honda 2022 CB and CBR Lineup: The 2022 CB500F, the CB500X, and the CBR500R.
From Left to Right: 2022 Honda CB500X, 2022 Honda CB500F, and the 2022 Honda CBR500R.

With the upgrades (new swingarms, inverted Showa 41mm SFF-BP forks, light wheels, dual front disc brakes, and retuned FI settings), Honda plans on giving the crowds a lighter, cleaner-handling bike with a little extra torque effort for their euros.

“Inherited from the four-cylinder CB650R and CBR650R middleweights,” says Honda, “new Showa 41mm SFF-BP USD forks are the highlights of the new front end set up, delivering improved handling and ride quality.”

A view of the 2022 CBR500R
2022 Honda CBR500R

“These are now matched to lighter Y spoke aluminum wheels on the CB500F and CBR500R, complete with new dual 296mm wavy front discs and radial-mounted Nissin calipers.”

“The adventure-focused CB500X shares the same new brake and suspension updates as its siblings and also features longer front suspension travel and a lighter, larger 19-inch front wheels.”

A view of the CB500X
2022 Honda CB500X

As for the swingarm, we’re getting a unit that’s more flexible laterally but stiffer rotationally. 

The result? Bang-on handling, especially when dealing with titchy corners.

 “The punchy 500cc engine at the heart of each machine still produces the maximum 35kW allowed for the A2 license holder, but for 2022 it now features new PGM-FI settings to further enhance both torque feel and overall character.” 

A view of the 2022 CB500F
2022 Honda CB500F

As for the paint choices, we’ve got a list:

CB500F

Grand Prix Red

Pearl Smoky Gray

Mat Axis Gray Metallic

Pearl Dusk Yellow

CBR500R

Grand Prix Red

Matte Gunpowder Black Metallic (with a new set of track-loyal graphics!)

CB500X

Grand Prix Red

Matte Gunpowder Black Metallic

Pearl Organic Green

A first close-up view of the 2022 CR500R, front wheel.
2022 Honda CBR500R

Time will tell when the Western Hemisphere gets these upgrades – I’m personally jazzed to filth that we’ve got a sprinkle of gold in there with the color schemes.

A view of a rider enjoying the new 2022 Honda CB500X in Grand Prix Red
2022 Honda CB500X

Enjoy the sun, and make sure to check out a pair of special edition bikes that Honda partnered with FCR Original to create.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

News, Reviews

2022 Suzuki Hayabusa GSX1300R Review

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Suzuki never envisioned its Hayabusa hypersport bike becoming a cult classic, but it did. Over the bike’s 22-year history Suzuki has sold more than 100,000 Hayabusa sportbikes in the US and twice that number worldwide. It’s a large enough part of the company’s history that Suzuki overhauled this hypersport bike and positioned it as the most premium streetbike offering in the new model lineup. This video review is the third in a multipart series. Read and watch the 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa GSX1300R MC Commute Review for Part 1 and the 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa GSX1300R Track MC Commute Review for Part 2. Learn more about the Hayabusa’s technical improvements in the 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa GSX1300R First Look Preview article. Also read the 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa GSX1300R First Ride Review from its European press test ride event.

Related: 2020 Suzuki Hayabusa GSX1300R MC Commute Review

Gear Box

Helmet: Shoei X-Fourteen

Custom Helmet Paint: Tagger Designs

Suit: Alpinestars Race Replica V2

Gloves: Alpinestars GP Plus V2

Boots: Alpinestars Supertech R

2022 Suzuki Hayabusa Technical Specifications and Price

PRICE $18,599
ENGINE 1,340cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled four-cylinder; 4-valve/cyl.
BORE x STROKE 81.0 x 65.0mm
COMPRESSION RATIO 12.5:1
FUEL DELIVERY Fuel injection w/ 43mm throttle bodies, ride-by-wire
CLUTCH Wet, multiplate, slipper/assist
TRANSMISSION/FINAL DRIVE 6-speed/chain
FRAME Alloy twin spar
FRONT SUSPENSION KYB fully adjustable 43mm fork; 5.0 in. travel
REAR SUSPENSION KYB shock, fully adjustable; 5.0 in. travel
FRONT BRAKES Radial Brembo Stylema 4-piston caliper, 320mm discs w/ Cornering ABS
REAR BRAKE 1-piston floating caliper, 250mm disc w/ Cornering ABS
WHEELS, FRONT/REAR Spoked alloy; 17 x 3.5 in. / 17 x 6.0 in.
TIRES, FRONT/REAR Bridgestone Battlax S22; 120/70-17 / 190/50-17
RAKE/TRAIL 23.0°/3.5 in.
WHEELBASE 58.3 in.
SEAT HEIGHT 31.5 in.
FUEL CAPACITY 5.3 gal.
CLAIMED CURB WEIGHT 582 lb.
WARRANTY 1 year, unlimited mileage
AVAILABLE April 2021
CONTACT suzukicycles.com

Source: MotorCyclistOnline.com

Motorcycle News, News

There’s a New Triumph Tiger 1200 for 2022

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New Triumph Tiger 1200

Triumph has released some teaser photos of the new Tiger 1200 planned for 2022, which they say is lighter and more powerful than the previous model.

The new Tiger 1200 has been under testing, which is now nearing completion and Triumph claims their biggest cat is now significantly lighter than its closest competition. That could be a game-changer for a motorcycle that has, up to now, always been at the heavy end of the ADV weight chart.

Triumph claims the new Tiger 1200 will combine a powerful 3-cylinder engine with a new chassis that will offer class-leading agility, control, and handling. We look forward to testing these claims when we ride the bike.

New Triumph Tiger 1200

The post There’s a New Triumph Tiger 1200 for 2022 first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com

MotoGP, Motorcycle News, News

Classy Quartararo top dog after a Silverstone special

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After a dramatic British Grand Prix, here’s a full round up of how things played out in MotoGP™ Fantasy

The Monster Energy Grand Prix of Britain has come and gone, with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) becoming the seventh different winner in seven visits to Silverstone. It was a huge result for the runaway Championship leader as his main title rivals fell by the wayside, but how has it affected things in MotoGP™ Fantasy?

Who made the Dream Team?

There is little in the way of surprise here as Quartararo was the weekend’s highest-scoring rider. A combination of a front row start, setting the race’s fastest lap and victory helped him to a very healthy 42-point haul. At $4.5 million, the factory Yamaha rider will take a big chunk out of your budget, but he remains an absolute must-have.

While it wasn’t to be a repeat of his dramatic 2018 victory at Silverstone, Alex Rins earned a first podium of the year with a P2 finish. It’s a result that will come as a huge confidence boost for the Team Suzuki Ecstar rider, having started 10th on the grid. Advancing his grid position by eight places saw the Spaniard help himself to a tidy sum of 41 points, making him the other gold rider from the British GP’s Dream Team.

Quartararo: “I’ll start thinking about the title in Misano”

For the second GP running, Iker Lecuona (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) makes it onto a Dream Team as a silver rider. Starting 18th on the grid, the Tech 3 rider rose to seventh by the time he took the chequered flag and helped himself to 31 points. Valued at just $1.9 million, and having taken 70 points from his last three GPs, could the Spaniard prove a shrewd differential addition to your team next time out?

It was a historic day for Aprilia as Aleix Espargaro led them to their first ever podium in the MotoGP™ era, and as a further reward, he makes our MotoGP™ Fantasy Dream Team as well! Collecting five points for his qualifying performance, six points for advancing his grid position and 16 points for a P3 finish, it means the number 41 bagged 27 points for efforts at Silverstone.

Emotional Espargaro details his five year podium journey

Which constructor picked up the most points?

It was a close run contest in the constructors choice battle, with Aprilia coming out on top with 27 points. Benefitting from their sole rider on track finishing on the podium, the Noale factory edged out KTM by just 0.5 points to top spot. With six different manufacturers in the top six at Silverstone, it means that only four points separated the top five constructors from the weekend. 

The British GP Dream Team collected an impressive 181 points between them and cost just $12.2 million.

“This is just the start” – Aprilia boss on debut podium

How many Motul 300V boosts were used?

3106 gamers applied one of their three Motul 300V Boosts available to them.  The highest score in MotoGP™ Fantasy from the weekend was 168 points, with the gamer in question also using one of his boosts.

When is the next round of Fantasy and what can be won?

We don’t have to wait long before MotoGP™ is back in action, with the Aragon GP underway from September 10th. As always there will be plenty of great prizes up for grabs each week, including tickets to a 2022 Grand Prix and VideoPass subscriptions, while those in it for the long haul will have their eye on a signed 2020 replica Joan Mir helmet at the end of the season among other great prizes.

Follow the story

Every practice session, qualifying battle and race, exclusive interviews, historic races and so much more fantastic content: this is VideoPass!

Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here

MotoGP, Motorcycle News, News

Dixon stays in MotoGP™ for Aragon in new Petronas line-up

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John McPhee: “It’s a fantastic opportunity for me to try the Moto2 bike in Aragon. As with every rider, it’s their dream to progress through the categories, and I feel like I am at the level, and have the ability to make this step up to Moto2. Of course, the challenge will be extremely difficult because it’s my first time ever racing a big bike, with my only real experience being 15 laps of Barcelona in 2019 which was a ‘thank you’ from the team after my win at Le Mans.

Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here

News

Honda 500 range significantly updated for 2022

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Honda CBR500R – CB500F -CB500X

Honda’s versatile 471 cc parallel-twin 500 platform receives some significant upgrades for model year 2022 and will arrive in Australia later this year, the last quarter of 2021.

Honda CBR500R

The pricing for the updated range will be announced closer to the release date and while in recent COVID times the prices of the CB500F, CB500X and CBR500R have crept up a little, as of now they are still all well under the 10k mark, and we hope they continue to stay under that marker.

Honda CB500X

We are big fans of the 500 Honda models, the sporty looking CBR500R, stylish CB500F naked and practical CB500X are all great motorcycles, but for us older blokes the practicality and ergonomics of the CB500X make it the stand out of the range. It is a ripper of a do-it-all motorcycle that is far more enjoyable than the uninitiated would expect.

CB500X has always been our pick of the litter

In some ways we also prefer the 500 twins over the comparable four-cylinder 650 cc offerings in the Honda range. The 650s really feel nobbled to meet the Australian LAMS registration scheme for new riders, thus they can feel a bit unnatural, while in contrast the little parallel twins work their hearts out and provide a more rewarding ride as a result as their power delivery feels more fluid.

In LAMS form we much prefer the 471 cc parallel twin of the 500 series over the artificially constrained 650 cc four-cylinder models

For 2022 the 500 models score 41 mm Showa big-piston inverted forks (SFF-BP) to raise their suspension credentials while the rear shock has a new spring rate and damping settings to match the new forks and offers five-stage pre-load adjustment.

Showa 41mm Separate Function Fork Big Piston (SFF-BP) inverted forks

Brakes also go up in spec’ with the single 320 mm rotor now replaced by a pair of 296 mm discs and radial-mount Nissin two-piston calipers.

The single 320mm and two-piston caliper front brake from the previous model has been replaced by dual 296mm discs and Nissin radial-mount, two-piston calipers.

Honda claim this means there is now effort required through the lever which is a change that will be most appreciated.

Less effort at the braking lever will be appreciated when pressing on

CBR500R and CB500F chassis geometry has been changed to a more forward weight bias for sportier handling response. All three models score stiffer new swing-arms.

A more forward weight bias should result in sharper cornering performance

But of course in the youth focussed learner market looks can be everything, and here Honda have also gone to work and updated the styling of the range.

Honda CB500X
Honda CBR500R
Honda CB500F

It is unclear as yet as to whether Honda’s very popular CMX500 learner legal cruiser will also score any significant updates for 2022.

Honda CBR500R

We look forward to experiencing the new chassis and braking package on the CBR500R, CB500F and CB500X when the machines arrive late this year. We are big fans of the current models so I am sure they will not disappoint.

Honda CBR500R

Specifications

Honda CBR500R Image Gallery

Honda CB500F Image Gallery

Honda CB500X Image Gallery

Source: MCNews.com.au