2021 MotoGP™ recap: British Grand Prix

However, all was not lost for the Espargaro family as elder brother and Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Aleix occupied P3. History beckoned for the Noale factory, but they had to contend with some last lap fireworks, Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) doing everything in his power to deny them a maiden premier class podium. Despite the late attack, Espargaro held his nerve to power over the line in third, sparking wild celebrations as he delivered the goods for Aprilia.

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Derbi 2.002 Gran Prix 6V | lightweight 200 cc parallel-twin

1976 Derbi 2.002 GP 6V

With Phil Aynsley


The mid to late 1970s was a turbulent period for the Spanish motorcycle industry. Bultaco, Mototrans and Ossa closed their doors while Montesa was taken over by Honda and Sanglas by Yamaha. Which left Derbi as pretty much the sole survivor of the major brands to remain in original hands.

1976 Derbi 2.002 GP 6V

Perhaps one contributing factor for this was the company’s desire to keep at the front of current technology. This 1976 2.002 GP 6V is a good example. The 2.002 referred to the ‘200 cc’ capacity and two-cylinders, at a time when single-cylinder motors were the norm.

It was the most advanced bike produced in Spain at the time and used a 187 cc 2-stroke parallel-twin motor that originally had a five-speed gearbox that was quickly changed to a six-speed. Other features included a digital gear indicator and a twin leading shoe front brake.

1976 Derbi 2.002 GP 6V

Later versions had a single disc at the rear and twin discs at the front. The engine capacity was also increased to 199 cc which resulted in output rising from 23 hp at 7600 rpm to 27 hp at 8600rpm. Weight of the 2.002 models was around 125 kg, depending on the version.

The last version of the 2.002 was the 250T of 1978. Apart from the capacity and power increases the 2.002 name was dropped.

Source: MCNews.com.au

Earl Hayden passes away after long battle with cancer

AFT Statement on passing of Earl Hayden

Progressive American Flat Track offers its condolences to the family and friends of Earl Hayden, patriarch of the fabled Hayden family, who passed away overnight following a long battle with cancer. He was 74 years old.

The news will be deeply felt across the two-wheeled racing community. Hayden was a universally beloved figure whose presence graced dirt track and roadracing paddocks across the globe for decades.

Earl Hayden on the grid with son Nicky in 2008 – Image AJRN

A dirt track racer for some twenty years, Hayden brandished the #69 himself before it became synonymous with his late son (and 2006 MotoGP World Champion) Nicky. The story of its origins (Earl claimed he had to choose a number that read the same whether he was upright or upside down) remains an eternal reminder of Earl’s legendary sense of humor.

As a father, Earl fostered an environment that produced three of the most successful and popular motorcycle racers of the past generation. Along with Nicky’s crowning achievement on the world stage, he and his brothers, Tommy and Roger, were each AMA national roadracing champions. Additionally, all three were top flight dirt trackers; Nicky and Tommy boasted premier class Grand National Champion race victories, and Roger joined them on the podium in a historic all-Hayden sweep of the podium at the 2002 Springfield TT.

Earl Hayden holds court here in 2009 – Image AJRN

There was a direct line connecting their combined success to the incredible support and many sacrifices of Earl and his wife, Rose, who together moved mountains with regularity to ensure their children had every possible opportunity to maximize their potential.

Rather than run dry, that well of generosity spilled out beyond just his immediate family, as Hayden served as a mentor and supporter of countless other aspiring racers, particularly those from the Owensboro, Kentucky area.

Earl Hayden (2009) – Image AJRN

He is survived by his wife Rose, sons Tommy and Roger, daughters Jenny and Kathleen, and his grandchildren. Nicky preceded him in death following a tragic bicycling accident in 2017.

Earl’s good nature, gravelly voice, and easy smile will be sorely missed.

Earl Hayden on the pit wall in 2006 – Image AJRN

Source: MCNews.com.au

New Zealand’s only Bimota DB1 ‘DB1RS’

Bimota DB1 ‘DB1RS’

With Phil Aynsley


Known as either the DB1SR, according to the homologation plate, or the DB1RS going by the stickers – you’ve got to love Italian bike manufacturers – this was the final major version of the iconic DB1. It was followed by 7 SR Serie Finale bikes in 1990, however before then 153 were produced from 1987 to 1989.

Bimota DB1 ‘DB1RS’

While the earlier versions used the 750 cc Pantah engine in standard form, the SR’s motor was in a much higher state of tune – with Montjuich specification cams, higher compression pistons, a two-into-one exhaust derived from the racing R model and 41.5mm Dell’Orto carburettors matched to intake ports enlarged to 34 mm. Wheels were two-piece Marvic/Akront units. Four-piston Goldline Brembo front calipers were also fitted.

Bimota DB1 ‘DB1RS’

Most SRs were painted as a reverse of the standard model (as seen here) but some US spec bikes were painted in tricolour and had different wheels and stickers. The SR made 15 hp more than the standard DB1 – meaning 82 hp at the crank. Top speed was 228 km/h. This was the only RS sold new in New Zealand and is ridden regularly.

Source: MCNews.com.au

2021 MotoGP™ recap: Austrian Grand Prix

With just five laps remaining, the specks of rain seen across the rolling Styrian mountains had turned into a full-blown shower, drenching the tarmac and allowing a chasing trio of Martin, Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) back into the victory fight. Two laps later, five frontrunners entered pitlane to switch bikes, while KTM’s Binder, incredibly, decided to stay out.

Source: MotoGP.comRead Full Article Here

MotoGP™ slang explained – Part 2

SATELLITE TEAM/RIDER:
Now known as Independent Teams or riders, these setups are one step below and full factory team. These teams lease the bikes from their respective factories for the season. The Independent Teams in MotoGP™ are: Pramac Racing, Gresini Racing MotoGP, VR46 Racing Team, WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team, LCR Honda Castrol/Idemitsu, and Tech3 KTM Factory Racing.

Source: MotoGP.comRead Full Article Here

Harley-Davidson Pan America Review | Motorcycle Test

2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America Review

Motorcycle Test by Wayne Vickers – Images by RbMotoLens


There are two things I thought I’d never say about a Harley. The first, is that I jumped it, the second is that it could probably be louder. Now I’ve never spent much time on Harleys. Not that I dislike them, they’ve just not been for me thus far.

My younger days were spent on sports-bikes and dirt-bikes, then as middle age kicked in I figured I no longer needed to prove to myself or anyone else how fast I was. So in recent years I’ve spent most of my time aboard adventure bikes.

And then Harley go and build this! The Pan America. A Harley adventure bike! Only slightly less expected than the electric Livewire I rode recently. Which had some shortcomings… Turns out though, I think this one is a better resolved product. Quite a bit better.

DOHC V-twin churning out a solid 150 hp and 127 Nm

As always, Trev has a very thorough run through of the tech bits over here from when he rode it, but here’s my key summary and highlights. 

  • A new Revolution Max 1250 ‘trail ready’ DOHC V-twin churning out a solid 150 hp and 127 Nm that’s also used as a stressed member of the frame,
  • Customisable semi-active front and rear suspension – 47 mm Showa BFF (Balance Free Forks) on the front, adaptive ride height, 191 mm front and rear travel,
  • Decent radial Brembos, trick looking tubeless wheels (19 on the front and 17 on the rear) and aggressive off road tyres,
  • 210 mm of ground clearance, quick adjust seat height of either 830 mm or 870 mm,
  • Customisable ride modes and settings, integrated app via Bluetooth, 
  • All up tipping the scales at 258 kegs wet. 

There’s a fair bit to take in there. Let’s talk about the new engine first. The first thing you notice when you fire it up is the exhaust note, which with the stock muffler, is quite muted. In fact, I’d say it’s overpowered by the mechanical noise of the engine. Quite un-Harley-like I thought.

1,252 cc, DOHC, 60-Degree V-Twin

Hopefully a more open can could liberate a little of the trademark Harley throb, because it sounded much like any other V-Twin from on board, which seemed like a bit of a missed opportunity. I was probably hoping for a little more soul. 

That’s about where the negativity ends though, because as a standalone engine, it performs rather nicely indeed. Excellent fuelling with smooth, solid power from right off the bottom. It just does its thing and does it easily.

On the tarmac it pulls hard – it’ll make the knobbies squirm for traction but the TC ensures it never ever gets out of shape. Just piles on the speed at will. And likewise on dirt, even down near idle it never gets bogged down and will happily lug like a tractor. It’s quite an impressive thing for a new engine out of the box. Kudos HD.

150 horsepower at 8750 RPM – 127 Nm at 6750 rpm

And the rest of the driveline follows suit. Both the clutch and box are pretty damn good. There’s no quick-shifter – but it shifts nicely without one. Not having one probably suits the slightly relaxed riding approach overall I’d say. More on that in a bit.

The next big one to talk about is the adjustable height and semi-active suspension. Now I’m just on 6ft, so the seat height was never really going to be an issue, but I did try the seat in the low position and it makes a massive difference to stand-over and the ease at which you can put your feet down.

So those of the shorter inseam, or indeed those perhaps more accustomed to a ride with low seats (aka, most Harley riders) are probably going to get a benefit from that… It will certainly feel a lot more familiar in the low setting than what a higher seat height might.

So it’s a smart design and clever move making it so easily adjustable. You simply remove the seat and slot it into either the upper or lower mount position and are done. 30 seconds all up. And its comfy too. You’d be able to log up big hours in the saddle without issue.

Seat Height 850 mm (830 in low position or 870 in high position)

The semi-active suspension is the other ace up the Pan America’s sleeve. Trev loved it. Me… well I found it a bit unnecessary at my height and something else to potentially break at first. I have to be honest, having the suspension lower then raise as you’re coming to and away from a stop was a bit unnerving to begin with.

I kinda like my bike to be consistent. And I figured those cables dangling out there down on the left by the front wheel were ready to snag on something if you’re getting into really snotty stuff. 

8000 km service intervals are a bit short compared to much of the competition but due to hydraulic lash valve clearances never need checking so servicing ‘should’ remain relatively affordable.

And then I rode it some more and realised that snotty is not really what it’s aimed at. It should have been obvious by the 19-inch front that this is at the extreme opposite end of the Adventure spectrum compared to the KTM 1290 Super Adventure R I most recently had to compare it to.

Where the big Kato screams ‘attack’ almost everywhere off-road, the Pan America has a far cooler head, steadier approach and encourages you to explore tracks rather than tearing it up. No it won’t go everywhere the Kato will. But it’s not meant to. This is not a big dirt bike. It’s more of an ‘any-road’ tourer. And so those cables won’t really be an issue. 

320 mm twin discs. Radially mounted, monoblock, 4-piston calipers, with cornering ABS

That said, it still handled the bulk of my standard gravel Adventure loop with ease. The only thing I avoided was a specific steep hill climb that has a couple of solid ledges to navigate. I probably would have managed, but didn’t want to push the envelope too much. Riding back to back with the big Kato – you just have to go at a more comfortable pace.

It will lift the front, it will jump, but you probably want to keep both of those to the small side. There’s a lot of weight there and only so much clearance and suspension travel… Once you do find your pace and rhythm though, it’s an enjoyable thing and quite easy to ride. It rarely feels heavy or cumbersome, it just… works.

On the go – in the dirt, it will bottom out if you push the bike too hard, but if you maintain a pace without going too nuts it’s a fairly capable thing. The off-road soft suspension setting is much better for solo riding. Loaded up with gear the hard setting might make sense but it’s way too harsh when smacking potholes or bumps if you aren’t loaded up. 

As with all the settings I cycled through, they do make a noticeable difference. I found the throttle set at +1 to be way too abrupt from idle. But the standard setting was pretty much bang on.

Electronically adjustable semi-active damping control.

And on tarmac, it does what you’d hope a 150 hp Harley would. That tyre profile ensures it tips in eagerly, from there it settles nicely and transitions naturally on exit. It’s surprisingly well balanced throughout the corner and will change lines easily enough too. For a big bike.

I mentioned that the seat is comfy earlier, and should expand on that. The cockpit itself is a properly nice place to be. The seat is super supportive and my butt approved of the shape, the ergos overall are good for both sitting and standing. The reach to the bars feels natural too.

Along with the two-position adjustable seat height, you can switch between three brake pedal positions as well – without using a tool. So dialling the bike in to suit you and how you ride is a doddle.

2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America

Let’s talk electronics for a bit. It feels like it has a million ride modes. Including two that are customisable. Again, some might take advantage of all of them. I did like the fact that you can customise which ones actually get displayed and ignore the ones you don’t want. See ya rain mode – you aren’t necessary. Not when you already have traction control and when street mode is so nice and predictable.

The best mode however is hidden. The ‘proper’ off-road mode that disables the rear ABS and TC only appears when you press and hold the mode button for a bit. That’s the one you want to be playing with off-road if you want to be able to get some decent slides going and steer with the rear. It’s good. Not just good for a manufacturer’s first crack at a new segment, but proper good. 

Worth pointing out that neither custom mode can have the TC turned off, you can only change it to ‘off road’ mode. Even the hidden mode retains some TC by the feel of it. But it’s diluted enough to achieve big grins.

2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America

Switchgear-wise, they’ve moved the indicators back to a traditional ‘all on the left’ location (having the right indicator on the right hand side makes no sense to me and shitted me on the Livewire). There’s a fair bit going on with the switchgear. Nothing overtly worse than I’m seeing on a lot of other bikes though – not sure that’s a great trend. Simple is good, please.

Fair bit of switch-gear on both bars

Overall styling is, well, ‘unique’ forward of the handlebars… Not sure I’m a fan of that headlight box treatment but it’s definitely better in the metal than in pics.

Rear brake a large 280 mm disc. Floating single piston caliper, with cornering ABS

From the bars back though it looks tough. Those tubeless wheels look very trick, but with the perimeter positioning of the spokes they’re an absolute pain in the arse to clean. 

$31,995 Ride Away – $33,480 with spoked rims and adaptive ride height

Crash bars look like a sturdy, well thought out design and follow the good build quality all over, the only thing to call out there is that I reckon the plastic strip on the tank will scuff easily. It was already starting to show marks on the bike I rode.

2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America

Other niggles? Only a couple really. The dash has some text that’s too small to read and is grey on black, which makes it harder again. It’s accentuated by rain drops… It’s not a bad layout in theory and I’m sure it looks great on the designer’s screen, but I found it unnecessarily small in font size across the board and a few little layout details that could have been improved upon. I admit I’m a bit anal about dash designs though… that’s what years of being a digital designer will do to you.

6.8 inch viewable area TFT display with speedometer, gear, odometer, fuel level, clock, trip, ambient temp, low temp alert, side stand down alert, TIP over alert, cruise, range and tachometer indication, BT capable – phone pairing to access phone calls, music, navigation (H-D App ONLY)

And the side stand is a bit shit. It’s difficult to find with your foot, is short and the way it’s ‘sprung’ means that it will still allow the bike to lean over further after it first touches down on the deck. Which means the ‘foot’ will also slide sideways on your concrete floor. Not ideal.

21 Liter fuel capacity – Wet weight with full tank 254 kg

All in all though, the Pan America surprised me. Certainly those aggressive tyres help things in the dirt but it handled most obstacles fairly easily – again – as long as you stay aware of the suspension (and wheel size) limitations. It’s not a dirt bike, but lives at the softer end of the adventure spectrum, while still having plenty of hump on the road and behaving itself on both surfaces quite nicely. I’m happy to report that this Harley is one that stacks up. 

Price wise, well there’s a decent price of admission. Thirty three and a half big ones if you pony up for the spoked wheels and adaptive ride height – which I’d argue most will. There is certainly some competition at that price point, but it’s a different proposition to most by the badge alone.

That alone will garner some sales, especially from existing Harley riders looking to step sideways to something that will take them off the beaten track. And this will do just that. Nicely done

A nice set of pipes would go down a treat and add a bit more soul

Why I like the Harley Pan America

  • Impressive new model debut
  • Mechanically it’s pretty damn good everywhere
  • The adaptive ride height and low seat height combo will definitely win fans
  • A different kind of (off-) street cred and meets the design brief very nicely

I’d like the Pan America more if…

  • Can we get an exhaust note that’s a bit more… Harley?
  • That side stand needs some work
  • And the dash design does too
  • Design is perhaps a little polarising

Harley-Davidson Pan America Specifications
Engine Liquid-cooled, DOHC, 60-Degree V-Twin
Displacement 1,252 cc
Bore X Stroke 105 mm x  72 mm
Power 150 horsepower at 8750 RPM
Torque 127 Nm at 6750 rpm
Compression Ratio 13:01
Fuel System Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)
Exhaust 2-into-1-into-1; catalyst in header
Charging Three-phase, 45 Amp system (300 Watts @13 Volts, 1200 rpm, 585 Watts max power @ 13 Volts, 2250 rpm)
Electric Power Outlet USB C-Type , Output 5V at 2.4 Amp
Drivetrain Chain Driven
Front Fork 47 mm USD Fork with compression, rebound and preload adjustability. Special model only: Electronically adjustable semi-active damping control.
Rear Shock Linkage-mounted piggyback monoshock with compression, rebound and preload adjustability. Special model only: Automatic electronic preload control and semi-active compression & rebound damping on Special model.
Suspension Travel 190 mm front and rear
Rake 25 degrees
Trail 4.3″
Wheelbase 1580 mm
Ground Clearance 210 mm
L x W x H 2265 mm x 965 mm x 1510 mm
Seat Height 850 mm (830 in low position or 870 in high position)
Front Tyre 120/70R19 60V Michelin Scorcher Adventure, Radial
Rear Tyre 170/60R17 72V Michelin Scorcher Adventure, Radial
Wheels  19 x 3 in. (F) 17 x 4.5 in. (R) – Cast alloy, spoked rims optional
Front Brake 320 mm twin discs. Radially mounted, monoblock, 4-piston caliper, with cornering ABS
Rear Brake 280 mm disc. Floating single piston caliper, with cornering ABS
Display 6.8 inch viewable area TFT display with speedometer, gear, odometer, fuel level, clock, trip, ambient temp, low temp alert, side stand down alert, TIP over alert, cruise, range and tachometer indication, BT capable – phone pairing to access phone calls, music, navigation (H-D App ONLY)
Oil Capacity 4.5 l
Coolant Capacity 2.2 l
Service Interval 8000 km
Fuel Capacity 21 litres
Fuel Economy 4.9 l/100 km
Weight (Fully Fueled)  254 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating 455 kg
Warranty 24 months (unlimited mileage)
Ride Away Price $31,995 Ride Away – $33,480 with spoked rims and adaptive ride height
2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America
2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America

Source: MCNews.com.au

Parilla 175 Gran Sport production racer

Parilla 175 Gran Sport

With Phil Aynsley


One of the most successful “production racers” to come out of Italy was the Parilla 175 Gran Sport, seen here as a 1959 model. Giovanni Parrilla went into the motorcycle business in 1946 with two new race bikes penned by Giuseppe Saimaggi.

Parilla 175 Gran Sport

The first, a bevel-driven SOHC, was raced in late ’46 then officially launched at the ’47 Milan Show. The DOHC version soon followed and both bikes had their successes (the DOHC bike winning its class in the 1950 Milano-Taranto) helping to establish the brand.

Saimaggi, together with Alfredo Bianchi, then created the famous high-cam engine which was first seen in the 1952 175cc Fox road bike. The camshaft was located at the top of a tower on the left hand side of the motor and driven by a chain. Very short pushrods then operated the rockers. The motor was later enlarged to 200, then 250cc with most of the later being exported to the US (some in the Wildcat) – 1963 Moto Parilla 250 Wildcat | 114kg | 26hp.

Parilla 175 Gran Sport

The slightly higher tuned Fox Sport made 14 hp and the 175 Grand Sport/MSDS (Macchina Sport Derivato dalla Serie) production racer (together with the 250GS) was the top of the line model that remained competitive until factory closed in 1967. Indeed American racer Ron Grant finished second on a 250GS in the 1964 US GP.

A small interesting point is that as a great fan of the Manx Norton, Giovanni Parrilla paid homage to it by using the same silver/black colour scheme for his factory racers.

Source: MCNews.com.au

Calabresi will be the new Pramac Racing’s team manager

Claudio Calabresi will replace Francesco Guidotti as Team Manager for Pramac Racing. Claudio was chosen to lead the Team because of his top-notch managerial experience, earned throughout a career in global energy companies, lastly as Executive Vice President Commercial Director of Eni Refining and Marketing, and his great passion for motorcycling.

Source: MotoGP.comRead Full Article Here