Since it launched in December 2021, $920,000 has been raised with one week to go until it closes.
Together with Series A Preference Shares which raised $4.6m the Sydney-based motorcycle technology start-up is on track to raise about $6m to build more varieties of their MK1 helmets and expand into the world market later this year.
Company spokesman Charlie Stack says they now have sold Forcite MK1 helmets to 1380 riders with 14,000 more registering their interest across Australia, US and Europe.
“The equity crowdfunding campaign speaks to our DNA of community involvement in the company,” says Charlie.
“Since the early days of Forcite, we have involved motorcycle riders in the design process with a test pilot group of 8000 riders giving us feedback and input on our technology.
“We have had many reach out to ask if they could invest, thanks to equity crowdfunding this is now possible and our campaign on Equitise is on track to raise over $1m.
“Being part of the motorcycle community is a pillar to our business, 60% of our staff ride and we’ve always wanted the input from motorcycle enthusiasts.
“On the road, we’re getting a very good response from Aussie riders who are loving the integrated tech, alerts, navigation, app and lightweight design.”
The MK1 helmet features Forcite’s patented RAYDAR helmet system, combining Formula 1 LED technology, audio interactivity, military-grade camera recording and a fingertip handlebar controller.
Forcite’s smart helmet is designed to deliver road alerts and visual and audio turn-by-turn navigation without a phone, enabling riders to see or predict things before they happen to avoid danger.
It also automatically records dashcam footage of multiple lanes without distracting the rider.
All the technology is incorporated into the helmet without the need for an externally mounted device.
Forcite Chief Executive Officer Alfred Boyadgis claims the helmet’s technology which warns of road hazards with flashing lights, can reduce the number of accidents and save lives.
Alfred with early-design helmets
“Thanks to input from riders across Australia, Forcite has created a more dynamic, exciting and safe riding experience with our smart helmet technology.” Alfred says.
“Our expert team of designers, developers, and engineers are also motorcycle enthusiasts who use Forcite technology daily so they can constantly test, learn and make iterative improvements after every ride.
“They have their fingers well and truly on the pulse. With this investment from venture capital and equity crowdfunding we’re expanding globally and building our R&D pipeline for the next generation of Forcite motorcycle helmets and in-bike technologies.”
Charlie says their next model, the MK1S, will launch in April.
“We also have a number of partnerships in the works with global motorcycle manufacturers to integrate smart technologies within bikes as smart bikes and E-bikes take off,” he says.
The first owners of the helmet have their own Facebook group and there is a Founders club where the riders give the Forcite design engineers feedback and ideas to improve on the smart helmet.
Six iconic Ducatis from noted Queensland and Sydney collectors – all offered with no reserve – are among 32 classic motorcycles in the Shannons upcoming Timed Online Summer Auction from February 22-March 1.
I’ve already got my tongue hanging out looking at these photos and wondering whether the increased equity in my home from rising house prices will allowed to get a bank loan to buy one!
However, be aware that prices have skyrocketed at auction for collectible vehicles since the Covid pandemic hit.
If you are still enticed by these bikes but it’s your first time buying at auction, we suggest you click here to read our top 10 tips first.
Now, to the Ducatis … There are “project condition” 1970s 900SS and 750S models and, not one, but two highly desirable and collectable 900 Mike Hailwood Replicas (MHR) from 1979 and 1981.
circa-1974 Ducati 750 Sport
The 750 Sport is one of Ducati’s most revered performance models, with the circa-1974 example being auctioned in its 1970s fashion colour combination of yellow-orange with black trim and alloy spoked-wheels.
It is in ‘project’ condition which means it requires some mechanical recommissioning to get back to running condition.
Shannons tips it sell in the $A30,000-$40,000 range.
For a similar investment there is a ‘survivor classic’ big-bore twin cylinder circa-1976 Ducati 900 Super Sport that comes to auction in very good original condition after being in storage since mid-2010.
circa-1976 Ducati 900 Super Sport
The current owner of the 1975 Ducati 900 Super Sport says that Brook Henry at V2 in Perth stripped, assessed and replaced the bike’s original engine with one rebuilt from a 1975 860 GT.
A rare and fully-restored 1979 Ducati MHR 900 is estimated to fetch $48,000 – $58,000. It is a replica of the special chrome moly-framed Super Sport model with a highly-tuned 900cc engine that ‘Mike the Bike’ Hailwood rode to a sensational victory in the 1978 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy against more powerful Honda opposition.
Twelve months later, Ducati released a race replica based on the TT-winning Super Sport, complete with a stunning red and green fairing and reworked exhaust to extract more power from the big V-twin.
Just 4601 900 MHR bikes were made between 1979 and 1984, with each of the survivors now a blue-chip collector’s item.
1981 Ducati MHR 900
A second Ducati MHR in the auction is a very original 1981 ‘survivor’ that is being offered in ‘project’ condition – having not been started in recent years.
Listed on the Bevel Heaven registry, this MHR even has its original windscreen and crankcase seal in place, indicating the casings have never been apart, making it ideal for collectors.
Supplied with original registration certificates, some service history, and showing just 25,914km on its odometer, it is expected to be in demand at its projected ‘no reserve’ selling price of $25,000-$35,000.
Another appealing Ducati ‘project’ in the auction is a circa-1973 Ducati 750 GT that has been garaged since 2011 and is offered complete, but not running ($20,000-$25,000).
Another Italian collectable in the auction is a limited edition 2019 MV Agusta Brutale 800RR ‘Lewis Hamilton Edition’ offered with ‘no reserve’ and expected to sell in the $38,000 – $46,000 range.
2019 MV Agusta Brutale 800RR ‘Lewis Hamilton Edition
Build number 004 of just 144, this one-owner superbike has just 99km showing on its odometer.
The LH44 was first delivered to an enthusiast from Mount Vernon, NSW in December, 2019, and has remained in his collection ever since. It comes with an MV Agusta trickle charger, electronic master key and full books.
British bike fans are not neglected in the auction with a super-rare 1988 Norton Commander P53 being offered.
1988 twin rotary-engined Norton Commander P53
Originally out of the UK, this big Norton tourer is powered by a twin-rotor 588cc Wankel rotary engine – one of just 253 Norton Commanders built with a rotary engine.
Its twin-rotor 588cc Wankel rotary engine produced 63kW at 9000rpm and 75Nm at 7000rpm and was mated to a five-speed gearbox, sitting on a 1486mm wheelbase.
In this configuration, the Commander was primarily a tourer with full bodywork and a tall windscreen, with its twin panniers integral with its fibreglass bodywork.
Two types of Commander were produced, the P52 single-seat model for police use and the dual-seat P53 civilian tourer. Befitting its touring role, the Commander’s final-drive chain was protected by a full enclosure, while parts such as wheels, forks, switchgear, clocks and brakes were brought-in Yamaha items from its XJ900.
Showing just 9900km on its odometer at the time of cataloguing in just over 30 years, the burgundy Commander P53 has a full fairing, dual panniers and black seat. It is expected to sell in the $24,000-$30,000 range.
The Commander is one of a diverse range of 33 motorcycles, scooters and three-wheelers in the Shannons Summer Online Auction – 18 offered with no reserve.
To view all auction lots, visit www.shannons.com.au To talk to a Shannons Auction Team member directly, call the 1300 078 500.
The final day of testing for Motul FIM Superbike World Championship teams and riders at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve came to a close on Wednesday with lap record pace on display from both Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), with the pair lapping the 4.592km circuit in the 1m39s using Pirelli’s new SCQ tyre.
Rea was the first rider to dip below the 1m39s bracket just before the midway point of the session with a 1m39.851s but reigning World Champion Razgatlioglu was able to better more than two-tenths with just over an hour of testing remaining; the pair split by just 0.235s. Razgatlioglu’s time of 1m39.616ss beat his own pole time from 2021 by almost 0.5s. Razgatlioglu set six lap times in the 1m39s bracket, using the A557 tyre used throughout 2021, across five different runs, on laps 28, 45, 48, 49, 53 and 61, while Rea only set one lap time in the 1m39s.
For comparative purposes, the MotoGP qualiying lap record is 1m38.862 (Quartararo 2021) and the race lap record 1m39.450 (Rins 2021).
Razgatlıoğlu and his Pata Yamaha team-mate Andrea Locatelli will next be in action at a private MotorLand Aragon test on 3-4 March, alongside the GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team who will complete their first outing of 2022 with riders Garrett Gerloff and Kohta Nozane. The target at Aragon for Yamaha will be to re-confirm the development plan completed over the winter and find a strong base set-up at a track that hasn’t often played to the Yamaha R1 WorldSBK’s strengths.
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu
“After a long time, we ride for first time yesterday and I am very happy to be back with the team and on my bike. On the first day, we try the electronic updates and we work through every session to try to find the best set-up. Also, today we were working a lot to find a good set-up but it is not 100 per cent yet because this is all still very new. This is step-by-step and now Yamaha will look at the data and we try again at the next test. I’m very happy with these two days, we set some very good lap times with the race tyre also. Thank you to my team, they do an incredible job like always.”
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu
Paul Denning – Team Principal – Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK
“It’s great to be back at work, especially in beautiful weather in early February at the Algarve International Circuit. It’s been a long time off the bikes for Toprak and Loka, neither have turned a wheel since our fantastic last day of the 2021 season. Yesterday was a case of getting them up to speed as much as it was about the technical details. We didn’t have a big test program here, but the modified riding position parts that Yamaha brought were immediately very positive for both riders, improving the feeling on corner entry and their general feeling to control the bike. We’ve also worked on some electronic updates, which required patience for both riders, but in the end we were able to get through that full program as well with competitive lap times. To end the test quickest was great, particularly considering this is our first running of the year. We’ll just keep working away and we look forward to the next stages of development in Aragón in a few weeks’ time.”
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu
This week Kawasaki Racing Team’s Jonathan Rea and his crew worked had been working on chassis and electronic set-ups, with the results of a long run in the afternoon session being particularly positive, especially in terms of tyre usage over full race distance. Jonathan also set his best lap time on one of the new SCQ development tyres that single make supplier Pirelli brought to his test.
Jonathan Rea
“We got a lot of laps in at this test. We have been going back and forward because we had a couple of chassis items we were not sure about. Finally I think we can be pretty confident that we have confirmed a couple of items we found in Jerez at the previous tests. We finally put the package together. In the middle of the day Pirelli brought some tyres that we had to try and then we worked on our plan in the afternoon. We did a long race simulation at the end – and some practice starts that were much better than the ones on the first day. During the long run the feeling was that the set-up was taking some feeling away ‘from my hand’ but it is actually better. Normally in Portimao there is a big tyre drop after ten or 15 laps, but today I did not experience any drop in the long run. I’m pretty happy with that and we will keep working on that side of things. It is important to be fast but it is important to be fast at the end of races. I think we can safely say we managed that today. So, all-in-all, it was a pretty solid day. I think we have a pretty good handle on what our base set-up is going to be to start the year.”
Jonathan Rea
Pere Riba, Crew Chief for Jonathan Rea
“Over the two days Johnny set a lot of laps. Today, at the end, he was tired because we made so many laps and even in the afternoon we made a real long run, 19-20 laps. We made a good test. We have been focusing during the tests in Jerez and Portimao to understand some items to build the base to start the season in Motorland Aragon. Here, we had a chance to compare things again in these two days and the weather was very good. We collected very helpful information to understand the next step to build the package. We also focused with the electronics to give a little bit to Johnny in some areas. We are all happy and now we have time to analyse some things and prepare for the next test. We have had the first impressions of our competitors at this test and I think everybody knows who will be fighting for the championship. It is a little bit more clear. Now, we will try to prepare everything for the next test.”
Jonathan Rea
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) completed the top three as he continued to adjust to life back at Ducati. Despite a Turn 8 crash that brought out the Red Flags, the Spanish rider was able to add 68 laps to his tally for the test with a best time of 1m40.055s, set on Pirelli’s SCX tyre. Bautista has been able to try a new swingarm on his Ducati Panigale V4 R and a smaller fuel tank to suit his stature throughout the test as well as trying Pirelli’s SCQ tyre to be used throughout the 2022 campaign.
Alvaro Bautista
“I am very satisfied with these two days of testing. The feeling is already good and I am having a lot of fun. I feel that the experience I have gained over the last few years is helping me. If I have to be honest, I have found myself on the bike better than I expected. We worked a lot on the tyres today, trying out the new solution brought in by Pirelli. I am only sorry for the crash this morning: I made a mistake, luckily without consequences. I can’t wait to be at Misano“.
Alvaro Bautista
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) came home in fourth place as he looked at his outright performance on the ZX-10RR after hailing Tuesday’s running as one of his best days in Kawasaki colours. Lowes added 83 laps to his tally for the two-day test with a best time of 1m40.335s. The British rider also wanted to try the SCQ tyre throughout the test with the tyre supplier bringing new solutions of the tyre compared to what was available at the Jerez test.
Alex Lowes
“We have had a really good test here and I think I did 162 laps over the two days. That is the best thing for me because I have not done a full day’s testing for over a year because of the all the injuries I have had. So to do 160-odd laps at a good pace, no mistakes, and while working hard on the bike; I am really happy. That is one box ticked off. In terms of settings on the bike we made some improvements but it looks like the other guys have also made some. I am really happy with the work we have done but we still need to find a couple of tenths or so before the start of the season. This is the best I have felt on the bike in a long, long time. I am really happy and we are going to work hard with my crew chief Marcel during this little break before we have our Montmelo test at the end of March.”
Alex Lowes
Marcel Duinker – Crew Chief for Alex Lowes
“We had a very good test and clearly Alex made an impressive recovery from his 2021 injuries over the winter. He did not feel any type of fatigue. He is at full strength, so it is impressive how well he recovered in the last two-and-a-half months. A lot of respect for that. Alex was able to increase his speed lap-by-lap over these two days. We did not make any change to the bike set-up we just tested our updated material. This Portimao test was the point for us to have a clear idea about our bike specification for the coming season. From today we can say that we know what we will race for about 99% of the bike. This was our target and we reached our target. Alex was fast, ridiculously consistent when he did his long runs, and I am happy he could match his race speed to the competition. On race tyres and over distance he can match their speed. We are very confident and we have two more tests in front of us before the start of the season. Now, we can start to look at the smaller details because all the big items are done.”
Alex Lowes with crew chief Marcel Duinker
Around three-tenths off. Lowes was Italian rider Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) who completed 77 laps as he and his team worked on some new parts as well as the setup of electronics on his YZF-R1.
Andrea Locatelli – P5
“It was our first days of testing for this year and the feeling with the bike came immediately good for me. We worked a lot with the race tyre, so we didn’t focus on one fast lap, but to work around the bike. We understand a lot more now, and we can for sure arrive in Aragón more ready. Now, we will see what we can do together for the new season. We improved a lot on the rider position as well, which is important for my feeling on the bike. We need to find more on the set-up, but we will also have new parts to try at the coming tests. My team has worked hard and I’m very happy for what they have achieved over the winter, I am sure we will be ready for the first race.”
Andrea Locatelli
Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) headed up the Independent riders on day two of the test despite an afternoon crash at the high speed right-hand Turn One. The German rider was okay following the crash that brought out the Red Flag although cost him some valuable track time ahead of his rookie season. Oettl, who had been looking to improve his Ducati’s set up for him, completed 63 laps on Wednesday with a best time of 1m41.061s, putting in a late lap to jump up to sixth in the standings.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was able to try a new swing-arm on his Ducati Panigale V4 as well as the new SCQ tyre from Pirelli, with the Italian completing 52 laps for a best time of 1m41.143s.
Michael Rinaldi
“It has been a tough two days of testing. On the first day, we lapped without working on the set-up in particular: the feeling was positive, and – with the race tire – we had better results than last year’s race. Today we concentrated on some new solutions without trying to set the lap-time. Unfortunately, because of the pain in my back, I wasn’t able to try the new SCQ brought by Pirelli“.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi
French rider Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) was able to get his hands on some new parts for his Yamaha YZF-R1, components that had been used in 2021 by the factory squad, including a new fairing and screen. While testing these items, Ponsson racked up 51 laps with a best time of 1m42.374s.
Christophe Ponsson
Rookie Luca Bernardi (Barni Spark Racing Team) rounded out the WorldSBK field on his second day of action on his Ducati bike, with the Sammarinese rider adding 54 laps to his tally. On his first time with a WorldSBK machine, and his first time on track since an injury sustained at Magny-Cours, Bernardi posted a best lap time of 1m42.961s.
WorldSSP rookie Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) topped the timesheets for the second day running on his Ducati Panigale V2 machine with the Italian manufacturer returning to WorldSSP for 2022. Bulega first tested the bike in November at Jerez and added another 48 laps of experience to the bike in Portugal, with a best time of 1’43.876s.
Nicolo Bulega topped the World Supersport Times
Another rookie, Maximilian Kofler (CM Racing), was second in the standings on day two of testing with the Austrian racking up 58 laps with a best time of 1’45.511s. Nicholas Spinelli (Barni Spark Racing Team), testing in place of Oli Bayliss who fractured his ankle in a crash on day one, added 46 laps to the team’s tally over the course of the Portimao test with a best time of 1’46.946s.
2022 Portimao WorldSBK Test Times Day Two
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) 1’39.616, 66 laps
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’39.851s, 87 laps
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’40.055, 68 laps
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’40.335s, 83 laps
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) 1’40.674s, 79 laps
Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) 1’41.061s, 63 laps
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’41.143s, 52 laps
Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) 1’42.374s, 51 laps
Luca Bernardi (Barni Spark Racing Team) 1’42.961s, 54 laps
The Honda CBR500R (upper left), CB500X (lower left), and CB500F (right) have been updated for 2022.
If you’re looking for a light, dependable, affordable middleweight motorcycle, then Honda has several options to choose from. In addition to its Rebel 500 cruiser, there are three models in the Honda CB/R500 lineup that have been updated for 2022. The CB500X ABS adventure bike, CB500F ABS naked bike, and CBR500R ABS sportbike offer improvements in suspension, braking, and handling.
“It’s hard to find more versatile motorcycles than Honda’s 500cc CB/R models, and if you factor in affordability and reliability, nothing else even compares,” said Brandon Wilson, American Honda Manager of Sports & Experiential. “Each of these machines has been successful at addressing riders’ wide-ranging practical and recreational needs and tastes, and we’re pleased to offer them to U.S. customers in 2022, with improved performance for the new model year.”
Honda also confirmed the 2022 return of two additional street models – the CB1000R ABS naked bike and the CBR300R sportbike. All models in this announcement are available now.
2022 Honda CB500X ABS
2022 Honda CB500X
Honda’s middleweight adventure bike is powered by a liquid-cooled 471cc parallel-Twin with PGM-FI and DOHC with 4 valves per cylinder. The CB500X ABS benefits from a 5-pound weight reduction thanks to a lighter front wheel and a lighter swingarm (curb weight is 439 pounds). Other upgrades for 2022 include a new inverted 41mm Showa SFF-BP (Separate Function Fork-Big Piston) fork and dual front disc brakes. The CB500X ABS has a 32.8-inch seat height and a 4.7-gallon fuel capacity. It’s available in Pearl Organic Green/Black with an MSRP of $7,199.
2022 Honda CB500F ABS
2022 Honda CB500F
For those who prefer the sporty look of a motorcycle with minimal bodywork, the CB500F ABS naked bike fits the bill. Like the CB500X, for 2022 it gets an inverted 41mm Showa SFF-BP fork. It also gets dual front disc brakes with radial-mounted Nissin 4-piston calipers and lighter wheels. Curb weight has been reduced by 4 pounds, to 416 pounds. The CB500F ABS has a 31.1-inch seat height and a 4.5-gallon fuel capacity. It’s available in Matte Gray Metallic with an MSRP of $6,699.
2022 Honda CBR500R ABS
2022 Honda CBR500R in Grand Prix Red
Honda’s CBR sportbikes have always offered a balance between performance and practicality. For 2022, the CBR500R gets an inverted 41mm Showa SFF-BP fork, dual front disc brakes with radial-mounted Nissin 4-piston calipers, and lighter wheels. Curb weight remains the same at 423 pounds. The CB500F ABS has a 31.1-inch seat height and a 4.5-gallon fuel capacity. It’s available in Grand Prix Red or Silver Sword Metallic with an MSRP of $7,199.
2022 Honda CB1000R ABS
2021 Honda CB1000R Black Edition
Honda’s CB1000R ABS is the flagship model in the Neo-Sports Café lineup, blending aggressive naked-bike style with apex-strafing performance. It’s powered by a 998cc inline-Four derived from Honda’s CBR100RR line and features fully adjustable Showa suspension. It returns for 2022 in a menacing Black Edition with Graphite Black bodywork. MSRP is $12,999.
2022 Honda CBR300R
2022 Honda CBR300R in Grand Prix Red
The CBR300R offers the look of a fully faired sportbike in an accessible package that’s perfect for new riders. It’s powered by a liquid-cooled 286cc single-cylinder engine with DOHC and four valves. There are single-disc brakes at both ends and compliant suspension with adjustable rear preload. Seat height is just 30.7 inches and curb weight is 354 pounds. Fuel capacity is 3.4 gallons, and the CBR300R gets an EPA-tested 71 mpg. It’s available without ABS for $4,899 or with ABS for $5,099, in Grand Prix Red or Matte Gray Metallic.
For more information or to find a Honda dealer near you, visit powersports.honda.com.
After the Shakedown Test and the two-day Sepang Test in Malaysia, the paddock is back on the road and heading for the island of Lombok in Indonesia. The FIM MotoGP™ World Championship returns to the country for the first time in over two decades, and it’s the brand new Pertamina Mandalika Circuit playing host.
There’s plenty on the agenda over the three days as riders aim to get to grips with the six left- and 11 right-handers, and the straight is much shorter in comparison to Sepang. It’s sure to be an interesting three days as both rider and factory get their final preparations underway.
The test runs from 9:00 local time (GMT+7) until 17:00 on the 11th, 12th and 13th of February. As it was from Sepang, Live Timing will be available across the three days on motogp.com and on the official MotoGP™ app, as well as a range of updates, reports, highlights and more.
After The Flag will also be back in action with a live show each day, showcasing a host of interviews, analysis, features and footage of the track action. Once again, After The Flag will be hosted by MotoGP™’s Matt Birt and Louis Suddaby, and will link up live with Lombok for rider interviews and analysis, as well as unmissable insight from pitlane reporter Simon Crafar on the ground. The programme starts half an hour before the end of the test and continues for an hour after track action concludes at motogp.com.
Every practice session, qualifying battle and race, exclusive interviews, historic races and so much more fantastic content: this is VideoPass
Road testing the 2019 Tracer 900 GT in Washington’s Klickitat River valley, with Mount Adams in the background. (Photos by the author & Brian J. Nelson)
Winding through a dark canopy of evergreens, the road played hide-and-seek with the Clackamas River, offering a glimpse here and there of clear water pouring over rocks as it made its way downstream to the Willamette, then the Columbia, and finally the Pacific. A break in the canopy was like popping out of a tunnel and I set my eyes on a patch of gravel next to the road, just a few feet from where the river made a sharp turn. Down went the Yamaha Tracer 900 GT kickstand, off went the ignition. I hadn’t seen a car for miles. It was just me and the trees and the river. Just what I was looking for.
Emerging from a dark tunnel of trees on the West Cascades Scenic Byway, I found the perfect sunny spot to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Clackamas River.
The previous day I logged 250 miles aboard the Yamaha at the bike’s press launch. The event was based in Stevenson, Washington, a small town in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, and I spent a long, hot day testing the GT on local backroads. Weighing just 500 pounds and packing a punch from its 847cc inline-Triple, the Tracer 900 GT is a light, agile, comfortable sport-tourer, perfect for a solo traveler. Yamaha entrusted me with the keys to one for the long ride home to Southern California.
With snow-capped volcanic peaks, wild and scenic rivers, dense evergreen forests, and countless roads that follow the contours of the land, the Cascade Range is a motorcyclist’s paradise.
For years I’ve heard and read about how good the riding is in the Cascades, a mountain range that runs from British Columbia down through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. Whenever possible, I like to fill in the blank spots on my mental map –to experience first-hand what roads and scenery are really like. So I sketched out a route from the Columbia River to the California border that zigzags several times over the Cascades, winds its way through four national forests and one national park, and follows three designated scenic byways. Like any good motorcycle route, it would take at least twice as long as a more direct path.
The ride route from Stevenson, Washington, to Red Bluff, California.
With the GT’s saddlebags packed and a tailbag strapped to the passenger seat, I hit the road at 6 a.m., crossing the mighty Columbia – and into Oregon – on the Bridge of the Gods, a steel truss bridge named after a natural dam that was created by a landslide at the same location nearly 1,000 years ago. The narrow, 90-year-old bridge has no pedestrian walkway, but it’s where the Pacific Crest Trail crosses the river, so weary hikers with heavy packs must contend with cars and trucks.
The Bridge of the Gods spans the Columbia River, which forms the border between Washington and Oregon.
What makes the Cascades special is its many stratovolcanoes –the cone-shaped variety we learned about in grade school –that rise thousands of feet above the surrounding mountains. I’ve ridden along the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada in California dozens of times, and every time I pass through the town of Lone Pine, I struggle to pick out Mount Whitney – the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states – from the neighboring peaks that are nearly as tall. On the Tracer 900 GT press ride we saw several volcanic peaks, Mount Adams (12,281 feet) and Mount St. Helens (8,363 feet – before it blew its top in 1980, it was 1,300 feet taller) in Washington, and Mount Hood (11,249 feet) in Oregon, standing head and shoulders above the landscape, easily visible from miles away. They’re part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, a series of 12 volcanoes stretching from Mount Silverthorne in British Columbia to Mount Lassen in California, which is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire –more than 450 volcanoes scattered along the outer edge of the Pacific Ocean.
When Washington’s Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980, it literally blew its top, erasing 1,300 feet from its peak. This view is from McClellan Overlook, off Curly Creek Road, in Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
Like a good omen, snow-covered Mount Hood greeted me as I turned south on State Route 35, the beginning of Mount Hood Scenic Byway, where I rode through apple farms on a sunny, cloudless July morning. The previous day topped out at 105 degrees, and the heat wave wasn’t done with me, but early in the morning the byway along the East Fork Hood River was still in deep shadow and my teeth began to chatter. On went the heated grips, and I tried to hold onto the physical memory ofbeing cold, hoping to recall that feeling during theheat of the day (it never works). With graceful curves and smooth pavement, the byway is a pleasure to ride, especially when the screen of trees falls away and Mount Hood takes center stage, framed perfectly in brilliant blue.
Mount Hood Scenic Byway, one of many scenic byways that meander through the Cascades, cuts a wide arc around its namesake peak.
After cutting a wide arc around the eastern and southern sides of Mount Hood, my first crossing of the Cascades came to an end in Sandy. Turning south and then east on State Routes 211 and 224, I picked up the West Cascades Scenic Byway, heading southeast along Estacada Lake and North Fork Reservoir, two finger lakes created by dams on lower sections of the Clackamas River. As the byway crosses into Mount Hood National Forest, it enters a deep, narrow valley as it climbs up into the Cascades, where the Clackamas flows wild and free. The Tracer and I were in a groove, experiencing this road together for the first time –bends, kinks, dips, rises, bridges, blind corners, and fleeting views of the river, the contours of which give the road its character.
A postcard view of Oregon’s Mount Hood from Bennet Pass Trailhead, just off State Route 35 on the Mount Hood Scenic Byway.
With the low-fuel light on, I pulled into Detroit, a crossroads on the shore of Detroit Lake. Folks were starting their summer weekend early. Subarus laden with kayaks and pickups overflowing with camping gear were parked in lots, coolers were being filled with ice and beer. I refueled and scarfed an egg salad sandwich in the shadow of Rivers Run Deli, trying to stay cool while enjoying a view of the marina and the lake’s milky blue water. When traveling solo and covering a lot of miles in just a few days, I rarely stop for long. Just a few minutes here and there, then I’m back in the saddle, trying to cram 10 pounds of riding into a 5-pound sack.
Roads in the Cascades often carve their way through lush forests, with the curving pavement winding in and out of shadows.
From Detroit to Chemult – south, zig west, zag east, back over the Cascades –all I remember are trees, and a cross-section of America. Stopping to use the bathroom at a McDonald’s, I had to negotiate my way through a crowd of boisterous kids wearing matching blue T-shirts bearing the name of their church summer camp, ready to fill their bellies with Happy Meals. Outside, two young women were sitting on the curb, holding a sign: Family in Need. And next door I topped off the Tracer’s tank after the flirtatious – not to mention bald and tattooed – gas station attendant handed me the nozzle. (In Oregon and New Jersey, you’re not allowed to pump your own gas, but attendants often let motorcyclists break the law.) I was just passing through, little more than an observer. Experiences like these give me something to mentally chew on while ticking off miles.
The 500-mile Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway runs through Oregon and California, connecting volcanic peaks in the Cascades.
Passing through Chemult, a truck stop on U.S. Route 97 brought back memories of stopping there to refuel during my one and only SaddleSore 1000 ride back in 2013 – a very long day that I’m not likely to repeat. Turning west on State Route 138, the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway took me to Crater Lake National Park, where I queued up behind a rumbling Harley and a line of cars and RVs outside the northern gate, keeping my faceshield closed to prevent the army of mosquitos from waging war on my nose. Crater Lake was high on my list of must-see places, and it didn’t disappoint. Created thousands of years ago when a volcano collapsed, the caldera lake is nearly 2,000 feet deep – the deepest in the U.S. – and because it is filled only by rain and snow, the water is pure and a brilliant shade of blue. But I was pressed for time and there were construction delays on the East Rim Road, so I’ll have to go back to ride the full loop.
Taking in the brilliant blue of 2,000-foot-deep Crater Lake, a collapsed volcano filled with thousands of years’ worth of rain and snow.
On the not-politically-correct but wonderfully twisty Dead Indian Road, I descended from the green heaven of the Cascades into the dry, brown hell of Ashland. It’s actually a lovely little town, home to Southern Oregon University and the world-famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival, but it was over 100 degrees and I had been in the saddle for 12 hours. I was in desperate need of a cold shower, a colder beer, and some pizza.
The next day I left the Cascades, riding a few miles south on Interstate 5 into California, where I filled up at a Chevron in Hornbrook. On both sides of the interstate and all around the gas station, the ground and vegetation were charred black from the Klamathon Fire, which roared through just days earlier. It was one of many wildfires that would plague California and other western states in the weeks and months ahead.
More blanks filled in on my mental map: State Route 96 along the Klamath and Trinity rivers, which cuts through rugged, remote country. In 1941, a group of armed men stopped traffic near the town of Yreka, handing out a Proclamation of Independence for the State of Jefferson, which was in “patriotic rebellion against the States of California and Oregon.” Although the new state never materialized, the movement is still active, and the State of Jefferson Scenic Byway runs along Route 96 from State Route 263 to Happy Camp. After that, 96 becomes the Bigfoot Scenic Byway. Regardless of one’s views on state politics or mythical forest dwellers, the riding along Route 96 is sublime and traffic is almost nonexistent.
Sasquatch sighting in Happy Camp, California, on State Route 96, where the State of Jefferson Scenic Byway turns into the Bigfoot Scenic Byway.
At Willow Creek, I turned west onto State Route 299, known as the Trinity Heritage Scenic Byway because it follows the path of 19th-century gold miners and pioneers. It snakes its way through the heavily wooded Trinity Alps and climbs over a pass before making a long descent to the coast. Even in mid-July, U.S. Route 101 through Arcata, Eureka, and Fortuna was socked in with chilly fog. At Alton, I turned east again, heading inland on State Route 36 –not a designated scenic byway, but known as Serpent to the Sea. Traveling west-to-east, it passes through a few rural communities before entering Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park, where enormous coast redwoods rise hundreds of feet above the roadside.
Beyond Bridgeville, Route 36 turns into a narrow goat path as it goes over a ridge, but it’s currently being straightened and widened to accommodate big trucks and RVs –an improvement for them but not for motorcyclists. East of Dinsmore, Route 36 was freshly paved, like having a racetrack all to myself, scraping the Tracer’s peg feelers in corner after corner. And on it goes, over more mountains with endless curves and finally roller-coastering its way through ranch land with blind crests and sudden drops and quick turns. As I approached the town of Red Bluff, just before Route 36 crosses I-5, I found the well-known sign that warns motorists and entices motorcyclists: curvy roads next 140 miles.
This sign tells motorcyclists everything they need to know. Good times ahead!
The thing about riding roads as good as these is that it becomes addictive. Now that I have experienced the Cascades and California Routes 96 and 36 for myself, all I want to do is go back for more.
Flash back to one month ago, and there were still major doubts whether or not Marquez’ name would be on the entry list for the opening event of the season. The number 93 was still recovering from a diplopia diagnosis, an injury sustained during a training incident prior to the Algarve GP in 2021. It ruled him out of the remainder of that season, and there were fears it would interfere with the current one, but after putting in well over 100 laps in Malaysia, Marquez’ targets for 2022 have changed dramatically.
Near the desert town of Mojave, trails and service roads lie on top of the underground aqueduct. (Photos by Rob Day & Rob Glass)
The Los Angeles Aqueduct is an engineering marvel, a 233-mile channel that carries Sierra snow melt from California’s Owens Valley into the San Fernando Valley. Its five-year construction, completed in 1913, changed the face of Southern California. Without it, there would be no Los Angeles.
But because of it, there was tragedy. Draining the Owens Valley destroyed an entire farming region and turned to dust a lake once grand enough that steamboats crossed it. Building a dam to hold the stolen waters resulted in the second deadliest disaster ever to strike California when the dam collapsed.
Los Angeles Aqueduct ride route from Pearsonville to Santa Paula, California
Much of the aqueduct is open waterway, but the rest is a covered concrete channel. And most of that channel functions as a public road. We took a trio of Harley-Davidson Pan Americas and tried to see how much of it we could ride.
It was a hot May morning when we set out from Zakar, a compound that serves as base camp for RawHyde’s adventure motorcycle training school in the Mojave Desert. We wanted to beat the worst of the heat, so shortly after dawn we dashed up State Route 14 to U.S. Route 395 and exited at 9 Mile Canyon Road to catch our first leg of the aqueduct.
German-made steel plates were fashioned into massive pipes for this section of the aqueduct.
On maps, it’s called “Los Angeles Aqueduct.” Under our tires, it was a crunchy, crusty roadway, often covered entirely in sand and gravel, that followed the contours of the lowest reaches of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. We had to leave the hills after a few miles as the aqueduct went underground, running in tunnels through the foothills. (The aqueduct includes 142 such tunnels, comprising 52 miles of its total length.)
Back on the slab, we stopped for cold drinks at Robber’s Roost Ranch, and again at Jawbone Canyon Store, the “Mad Max” meets “Motocross Zombies from Hell” waystation popular with the off-road bike and buggy crowd. Further south, we were able to pick up the aqueduct again from Pine Tree Canyon Road. From there, we had a spirited 13-mile run of sand and concrete climbing high above the flat desert floor before dropping us down into the town of Mojave.
This store, located on Route 14 near the Jawbone Canyon OHV area, is a favorite of desert off-roaders.
The aqueduct left the mountains, taking us with it for a higher-speed run across the Antelope Valley. From Oak Creek Road we accessed the aqueduct again, then barnstormed our way through wind farms, skirted past Willow Springs International Raceway, crossed Tehachapi Willow Springs Road, and ran across the desert for 30 miles of flat-out fun.
It was a good chance to test the new Harley-Davidson off-roader in a desert setting. I had been impressed on previous rides by the bike’s behavior, but in the sandy sections I came to admire it even more (especially with the optional knobby tires). So did my colleagues. By the end of this stretch, even those of us who own GS or GSA machines agreed the Pan America handled the sand better than our beloved BMWs.
Portions of the aqueduct, which originally had a rounded top, now function as concrete roadways – where the sand hasn’t buried them.
Along here we also got to see several different types of aqueducts. There were sections with a flat concrete top, older sections covered in curved concrete ribs –the standard before someone figured out you could use the top of the aqueduct as an access road if you flattened it –and even a mile-long section of above-ground pipe, built from massive 12-foot-diameter rounds brought in by mule teams.
At State Route 138, we stopped at the Neenach Cafe and Market for a cold drink. From there, we rode tarmac into the foothills, through the towns of Lake Hughes and Elizabeth Lake, past the legendary motorcycle stop The Rock Inn and into Green Valley and San Francisquito Canyon.
Water ran through the aqueduct to a huge pumping station in San Francisquito Canyon. Hundreds of lives were lost when the dam broke, but some of its 100-year-old turbines still operate today.
It was in this canyon that William Mulholland and the brain trust behind the mighty aqueduct decreed that Los Angeles’ water should be stored. A concrete gravity dam –virtually identical to the Mulholland Dam that still holds up Lake Hollywood –was constructed in a narrow section of the canyon. The St. Francis Dam was completed in 1926. Two years later, and only hours after Mulholland had inspected the dam and deemed it safe and stable, the structure gave way.
Just before midnight on March 12, 1928, a wall of water 180 feet high surged down the canyon. More than 12 billion gallons of water left the dam within the next hour. Entire communities were engulfed and swept away. At least 431 lives, and perhaps many more, were lost.
Emerging from the hillsides, the huge aqueduct pipes carry water overhead as it traverses mountains.
We rode our Pan Americas along a dirt path toward the original dam site. Beside the trail were massive chunks of concrete, some as big as a Winnebago, remnants of the fallen structure. Returning to the road, we continued down the canyon to Power Plant 2, where aqueduct water runs through turbines to create electricity. We’d only intended to admire the exterior of the building. But a building superintendent, noticing our bikes in the parking lot, let us in for an impromptu tour of the remarkable facility, which still uses the same turbines that were installed more than a hundred years ago –some of them recovered after the disaster from miles down the canyon.
Our interest wasn’t only in the disaster. There was a motorcycling purpose to our visit, too. The last person to see the dam before it blew was a motorcyclist named Ace Hopewell, who heard rumblings above the noise of his engine and stopped to listen before riding on.
There were motorcycle heroes, too. State Motorcycle Officer Thornton Edwards and Santa Paula Police Officer Stanley Baker were notified of the dam’s collapse, and at great risk to themselves raced from street to street in Santa Paula sounding the alarm. The two riders are credited with saving hundreds of lives, as the people they woke from sleep were able to escape being swept away by the rushing waters.
This statue in Santa Paula honors the two police officers who rode through the night to warn residents after the dam had collapsed.
To pay tribute to these men, we rode south from Power Plant 2, across Castaic, past Magic Mountain, along the part of State Route 126 that was once home to the motocross track known as Indian Dunes, and into the town of Santa Paula. To fortify ourselves we stopped at Rabalais’ Bistro for strong coffee, hot beignets, and plates of gumbo, red beans and rice with andouille sausage, and shrimp and grits.
At sunset, we stood near the old Santa Paula train station and admired local artist Eric Richards’ metalwork statue entitled “The Warning.” It depicts the two valiant motorcycle officers, one astride an Indian and the other a Harley, as they made their rounds that deadly night. As dark began to suggest itself in Santa Paula, we headed back, making as quick a trip as possible on pavement to return to our starting point. We’d ridden 180 miles to get to the statue of the two heroes, 50 of that on sandy aqueduct. It took us 100 miles of high-speed pavement to get back to Zakar.
Water pumped through the aqueduct powers electrical generators, which now get assistance from wind turbines in the Antelope Valley.
Dorna Sports and Pertamina are delighted to announce an agreement for the title sponsorship of the Grand Prix of Indonesia. From 2022 until at least 2024, the official name of the event will be the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia.
After more than two decades, the FIM MotoGP™ World Championship returns to Indonesia in 2022 as the Pertamina Mandalika Circuit, a stunning brand new development on the island of Lombok, plays host. Indonesia is one of the most important markets for MotoGP™, with an incredible amount of passion for motorcycle racing and motorcycles amongst the population of more than 270 million, and the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia is all but guaranteed to become one of the most vibrant on the MotoGP™ calendar.
This new title sponsorship agreement strengthens both Pertamina and Indonesia’s presence in the sport further, in addition to sponsorship of the Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team in the Moto2™ World Championship and the brand new Mandalika venue itself. The Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia ensures Pertamina, Indonesia and the island of Lombok remain front and centre on the international stage.
Brahmantya Satyamurti Poerwadi, Corporate Secretary of Pertamina Group: “As National Energy Company, Pertamina is always committed to energizing Indonesia. By bringing MotoGP to the Pertamina Mandalika Circuit for the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia, we’d like to show to the world that Indonesia is listed among the countries with huge motorsports fans. This event also aligns with Pertamina’s products and services, opens up new opportunities in global-scale business developments and supports national economic growth.”
Marc Saurina, Senior Director of Global Partnerships at Dorna Sports: “We are delighted to welcome Pertamina as the title sponsor of the Grand Prix of Indonesia, with three events already confirmed as this new partnership begins. As title sponsor of the new Mandalika venue and thereby a presence in the Moto2 World Championship already, Pertamina’s commitment to motorcycle racing was already proven and this new agreement only serves to strengthen the relationship further. It’s fantastic news for Indonesia, MotoGP and for the event. After more than 20 years away, we cannot wait to return to Indonesia and enjoy the pure passion the country has for our sport.”
Takaaki Nakagami revealed his RC213V’s latest look as he launched his 2022 campaign following LCR Honda Idemitsu’s Team Presentation on Wednesday, February 9th. You can check out some of the best images from the launch, by clicking the button below.
