On the other side of the garage is a rider who is no stranger to the podium, with Maverick Viñales claiming 28 rostrums during his premier class career, including nine victories. The last of those wins came at the 2021 season opener, taking P1 at the Qatar GP while he still donned the factory Yamaha colours. Since then, it has been a turbulent time for the Spaniard; the highs of marriage and becoming a father mixed with a souring relationship with the Iwata factory. Mid-way through last year, he surprised the paddock by announcing he’d signed a contract with Aprilia before competing in five races, scoring points in two. Now familiar with the RS-GP, Viñales will surely be aiming to bring home a first-ever race win for the Noale factory.
By finding and telling exceptional stories, Izaskun Ruiz has become a leading journalist in the MotoGP™ World Championship
Once upon a time, there was a little girl who was magnetised by the news, more specifically, those bringing her the news. Even as a young girl she knew that was her calling, that one day she would play witness to and commentate on current events. Like the journalists she listened to, she wanted to allow the viewers to feel that they were there, where history was being written.
That little girl was Izaskun Ruiz, today known as one of the most popular and influential sports journalists in Spain, currently a reporter with DAZN, as well as being an authoritative international reference for the MotoGP™ World Championship. Sport and journalism, a combination that came about (almost) by chance. Her goal was clear, as was her path, so Izaskun enrolled in a Journalism course at the University of Navarra in Spain.
“In my second year I started an internship at a local television station, and they gave me sports. It was a natural combination: for years I had done rhythmic gymnastics at a competitive level, so sport had always been an important part of my life.”
After overcoming her shyness to allow her dream to become a reality, Izaskun started to work as a journalist, reading news on radio and doing the first television reports on the matches and sporting events that were assigned to her: “There was always a professional supervising my work but I was allowed to put my hands in the dough so I could try, make mistakes and learn.”
After finishing her studies, she moved to Madrid to do another internship, but this time in the editorial office of TVE, Televisión Española: “I started by following sport and then I was offered my first job as a weather presenter. That experience allowed me to learn how to work live and, later, I went back to following sport.”
Having become the presenter of the morning edition of the sports news, in 2010 the opportunity arose to devote herself to a single project. “We followed a lot of sports and for 2010-2011, TVE bought the rights to the MotoGP™ World Championship and they asked me to be a part of this team.
Entering the MotoGP™ paddock
Having worked in a number of sporting environments, the MotoGP™ paddock proved to be particularly welcoming, according to Izaskun, but also demanding: “Until I had the chance to make myself known, I felt a bit detached from some people,” she explains, “but you gain professional respect by working every day. It’s hard to get it and it’s easy to lose it, that’s why you can never relax, ” she emphasises. “So, through the way you present yourself, the questions you ask, the way you tell what you are told, you build a reputation.”
A long lap before returning to the track
The first year I was thrown into the pit lane and it took me the whole season before I got to know who all the people involved in the different teams were and the way they work,” she continues. “The second year I started to enjoy myself, to realise how I could enrich our work. At the end of that season, TVE did not renew the television rights to MotoGP™ but Izaskun found herself reporting on the 2012 London Olympics, Dakar and the World Swimming Championship for the Spanish broadcaster.
“I really enjoyed working in MotoGP™ and I was left with the desire to do more,” explains Izaskun, who left TVE and Madrid in 2014 to move to Barcelona in order to satisfy her desire to continue what she had started on Movistar’s screens. “At the time, the station’s reference points were Ernest Riveras and Javier Grima, two professionals with whom I had already worked and whom I admire greatly, so knowing that they were there was an important security. In addition, working with skilled people allows you to learn a lot and to progress.”
Immersed in an environment where engineering is at its most sophisticated, Izaskun found that analysis and asking the right questions were the tools she needed to ensure accurate and correct information: “I think the key to our work is knowing what to ask and who to ask. I am surrounded by people who are super-specialised in this field and who can explain the work that goes on in the pit better than anyone else. So, I’m in the paddock to identify what’s interesting to people at home, and then try to get the most out of the people I interview.”
Through her work, Izaskun has contributed to the narrative of characters who have written indelible pages in the history of the sport: “Every time I interview a driver I feel the emotion of the first time. In 2010 three Spaniards won: Jorge Lorenzo, Toni Elias and Marc Marquez. At the time I had contact mainly with 125cc riders, so I knew Marc from the beginning of his career in the World Championship. I remember the first time I went to the garage to interview him, he impressed me because he was a kid but you could already see that he had something different and he showed it with his sporting talent.”
A place that rewards ability
Throughout her ten seasons in MotoGP™, Izaskun highlights the importance of seeing more and more women involved in different professional roles within teams and organisations: “When we were at Movistar we organised a column to talk about the women who work in the paddock so that the girls who follow the sport could find references and say: ‘this world can be for me too’. That was the aim.
Focusing on the female professionals in technical roles, Izaskun emphasises: “No one is there because they are women, but because they are good at their job and being women they have had to work harder to be where they are. This shows that sport is not interested in gender but in people’s abilities.
And in 2021 we saw a woman on the MotoGP™ podium for the first time, as she recalls: “Jennifer Anderson, who works with Marc Marquez, spent many years at KTM alongside Pol Espargaro. The fact that she stood on the podium to celebrate Marc’s victory in Austin is significant. I was thrilled, I don’t remember ever seeing a woman representing a MotoGP™ team on the podium before.
Focusing on the present builds the future
Dedicated to reporting during Grands Prix and the stories of the stars who make the paddock come alive, Izaskun explains the power of this environment: “The world of sport is very inspiring. If you have played sport at a competitive level you have an idea of the sacrifices and efforts needed to achieve certain results. So to find out how much work and sacrifice goes into winning a medal is motivating and I love being able to be around people with strong and compelling stories.
Carrying out an interview isn’t just about asking questions, it requires finding the right words so that the interviewee feels comfortable to answer with frankness and sincerity. A skill that belongs to Izaskun and that has made her a reference point for her many admirers. “When I receive compliments from female students or enthusiasts, I feel proud and wonder if I deserve to receive such gratifying words. And, at the same time, it makes me think about the impact of what I do and how I do it.”
This story began with the image of Izaskun as a little girl sitting fascinated by the links made by journalists from every corner of the world on TV, and ends with Izaskun in front of the camera with a microphone in hand and a mission to accomplish: “I would like to convey authenticity and be able to make the same emotion that I experience at that very moment to those who are listening to me, allowing them to perceive the greatness that there is in a sport like MotoGP™.”
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The KTM 1290 Super Duke R Evo is known as “The Beast,” and its little brother – the KTM 890 Duke R – is known as “The Super Scalpel.” For 2022, both are offered in an all-new Atlantic Blue colorway inspired by the KTM RC16 GP racebike. KTM’s trademark orange is powercoated on the chromoly-steel trellis frame for contrast.
The KTM 890 Duke R debuted in 2020, with the “R” designation reserved for high-performance “Ready to Race” models. It features fully adjustable WP Apex suspension, a WP steering damper, Brembo Stylema monoblock front calipers, a Brembo MCS front master cylinder, a PASC slip/assist clutch, Michelin Power Cup tires, and a state-of-the-art electronics package that includes cornering ABS with Supermoto mode, lean-angle-sensitive Motorcycle Traction Control, and selectable ride modes (Sport, Street, and Rain). An optional Track mode adds sharper throttle response along with on-the-fly TC adjustability over nine levels.
The 890 Duke R’s 889cc parallel-Twin engine has DOHC with four valves per cylinder, and it is tuned to deliver an additional 6 horsepower over the standard 890 Duke. When we tested the 2020 KTM 890 Duke R, it sent 111 horsepower at 9,500 rpm and 67 lb-ft of torque at 7,000 rpm to the rear wheel.
Riders can dial in suspension settings to suit their tastes. The fully adjustable 43mm inverted WP Apex for has separate compression and rebound functions in each leg. The fully adjustable WP Apex shock offers high and low speed compression adjustability along with adjustable rebound and a remote preload adjuster.
A full-color TFT display provides a wealth of information for the rider, and it allows for convenient navigation of the various menus and settings. An LED headlight is paired with an LED daytime running light for eye-catching visibility and excellent illumination. The flat, tapered aluminum handlebar can be adjusted to four positions within the triple clamp and rotated among three positions. Seat height is 32.8 inches, fuel capacity is 3.7 gallons, and dry weight is 366 pounds (curb weight with all fluids was 405 pounds for our 2020 test bike).
Pricing and availability for the 2022 KTM 890 Duke R have not yet been announced. For more information or to find a KTM dealer near you, visit ktm.com.
2022 KTM 890 Duke R Specifications
Engine Type: Parallel Twin, 4-Stroke, DOHC Displacement: 889cc Bore/Stroke: 90.7/68.8mm Starter: Electric; 12V 10Ah Transmission: 6 Gears Fuel System: DKK Dell’Orto, 46 mm Throttle Body Lubrication: Pressure Lubrication with 2 Oil Pumps Cooling: Liquid Cooling with Water/Oil Heat Exchanger Clutch: PASC (Power Assisted Slipper Clutch), Mechanically Operated Ignition: Bosch EMS with Ride-By-Wire Frame: CroMoly Tubular Steel, Engine as Stressed Member Subframe: Cast Aluminum Handlebar: Aluminum, Tapered, Ø 26/22 mm Front Suspension: WP APEX USD Ø 43 mm Rear Suspension: WP APEX Monoshock Suspension Travel Front/Rear: 140 mm/5.5 in; 150 mm/5.9 in Front/Rear Brakes: Disc Brake 320 mm/240 mm Front/Rear Wheels: 3.50 x 17”, 5.50 x 17” Front/Rear Tires: 120/70ZR17”; 180/55ZR17” Steering Head Angle: 24.3º Wheelbase: 1,482mm ± 15mm / 58.3 ± 0.6 in. Ground Clearance: 206mm / 8.1 in Seat Height: 834mm / 32.8 in Tank Capacity: 14 L / 3.7 gal Weight (without fuel), Approx: 166 kg / 365.9 lbs
It pains me to say it, but a chat with Troy Herfoss this week, after the Penrite Honda rider had another two days of testing under his belt at Queensland Raceway, left me as down in the dumps as he seems…
I have said it before, and copped flak for it, but will say it again anyway, Troy is the benchmark that in recent years other ASBK riders generally measure themselves against. Sure, Wayne Maxwell has won the championship the last two years, is in amazing form, is fast everywhere and is the current yardstick, he is the man to beat. Even if Troy was heading into season 2022 fit and fired up, Wayne would still be the championship favourite. Wayne’s form, and the set-up provided to him by the Boost Mobile Ducati squad at The Bend where, really, he walked it in, was some of the impetus that saw me start the conversation around parity in ASBK, looking towards 2023 and beyond.
But anyway, let’s get back to Troy…. This yarn is all about him.
The first time I saw Herfoss ride was at a backwater Supermoto meet in Toowoomba. I had never heard of him, don’t think anyone else had either outside of the close knit dirt track scene… But here was this lanky kid, complete with puppy fat, totally sideways into every turn, but with a level of bike control I had never witnessed. It sounds loose, but it was not loose, it was pinpoint precision.
A young Troy Herfoss when racing Supermoto in 2006
I was well accustomed to seeing Supermoto bikes sideways, I was a big proponent of the discipline, enjoyed riding it myself, and after witnessing the spectacle of it on the Eastern seaboard, invested countless hours introducing Supermoto back to my home state of Western Australia.
So yes, sideways I was well accustomed to. But this kid was on a dime, every turn, every lap. His accuracy blew my mind. It is all well and good to be broadside sliding into a turn from way back, heck even this old hack can do that. But to do it lap after lap, on the exact same tip in point, the same smooth trajectory into the apex of the turn, followed by a perfectly fluid transition back to throttle and drive out, left me mouth wide open.
I rang Phil Tainton, Team Manager for the hugely successful Suzuki Australia road race team at the time, directly from the circuit, I told him if he is looking for a kid to give a go in road racing then he needs to sign this kid from Goulburn and put him on a 600 RFN. That’s Navy speak for ‘Right Fucking Now’. Phil never took heed of my advice at that early juncture, but he did sign Herf a few years later and was rewarded with an Australian Supersport Championship for Suzuki. I wish he listened to me first time around….
Herfoss went to America and beat the best that America had to offer, winning the AMA Supermoto Championship before he went road racing a few years later.
In the interim, before Phil signed him to the Suzuki road race squad, Herfoss headed overseas and won the American AMA Supermoto Championship. A nobody 21-year-old Aussie kid going up against the biggest names in the sport back then, Ward, Fillmore, Nicoll, Dymond, and he beat them all. Well, it was three AMA Supermoto Championships all up before he was done with America. Seems as though my initial judgement that he was a bit special was on money after all….
It is now over five months since that second bout of surgery, and Herfoss is still far from right…
Troy Herfoss – January 2022
Troy Herfoss Interview
Trevor Hedge: “So how did you go with the testing?”
Troy Herfoss: “Compared to where I was last year… shit.”
Trev: At Phillip Island I could see there was a pretty obvious struggle going on there, I didn’t want to interrupt and there wasn’t too many smiles going on in the pit garage, so I thought I’d leave it be and as I said to you in the interim, we would have a quick chat after you’d had a couple more days on the bike. So what’s holding you back, is it you, your physical condition, or the bike, or a combination of the two? What’s the real issue?
Herfoss: “It’s so hard, I honestly don’t know. It’s gotta be me because I’ve ridden that bike fast everywhere. I ran that bike at QR before Darwin and we’d done two days, and to be honest we didn’t go real fast, and I was about 1.2s slower than last year. So not miles off, but I still just don’t feel anywhere near where I should be.”
Trev: Like you’ve just said yourself, you can’t put your finger on it, is it a confidence thing? After so long away from the absolute maximum attack that we’re used to seeing you ride like?
Herfoss: “Yeah, if I didn’t go and race at Eastern Creek I would seriously be thinking I was in dire straits right now. But the fact is I went, I’m riding around testing and I’m literally five months and 15 days from my last surgery which was a pretty serious surgery, and I haven’t even got my six month scans yet to say its healed properly. I’m out there riding a bike, so I’m very cautious and the only thing that is keeping me going at the moment, was the fact that when we went to Sydney I rode all day at the track day, I was really slow, but we did the night program and I got on track with other riders, and bang I was travelling.
Lachlan Epis, Ben Burke and Troy Herfoss racing at SMSP in January – Image Half Light
“So I’m just hoping that I am just not firing on all cylinders, and when I get there to Phillip Island to the race with the bit of work we’ve done and set-up, the bike is easier to ride and my race pace is on, I’m ready to attack again.
“In training I feel like I’m getting a lot fitter, I’m on the bike better, not in pain as such. I definitely don’t like being the guy that halfs anything, and I don’t like excuses, so I’m not going to talk about that. I hate when people make excuses all the time and I’m not that guy. I don’t need to talk to my injuries too much, I’m well enough to ride a bike.”
Trev: And of course, we’re only just two weeks out from Phillip Island and then it’s a couple of weeks after that that we’re up in Queensland, so it’s going to be coming thick and fast over the next month now.
Herfoss: “It really is, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t stretched, I am. It’s just hard to get an idea – I know where I am at – but I don’t know how our performance will go at Phillip Island and who will be competitive. Even today in QR, there’s guys who are really strong and then guys who are also going fast, and you wonder how long can they go fast for.
“So it’s just going to be… I think it’s still possible I can be competitive come the final round. But I’m going to have to just do my best in the first rounds, and you know, Wayne’s in great form, so he’s going to probably take a fairly clean sweep at Phillip island, based on the test. That’s without me chasing which I think – most years I’ve been chasing him. It doesn’t scare me too much, but I would definitely like to be a little bit stronger.”
Trev: I was going to talk about other things with changes in the team, but I guess where we are at now, it probably doesn’t even really matter.
Herfoss: “Honestly, that’s really it. It’s hard to know what to do, I’ve got good guys helping me, and I’m experienced, I don’t have a crew chief as such, we’ve been working with Phil Tainton a little bit, that’s been fun. We’ve had Phil helping us, but it is very hard, even talking to a guy as experienced and as good as Phil, it’s still very hard to really get the feel across. So yeah, at the moment we’re just trying to get by really. It’s so hard at the end of every day, because you don’t know if your body is the issue, or is it the inexperience in the team with a few changes we’ve got, which I don’t think is it. But I’m struggling in areas where I’m always really strong, and the reason I’m strong in those areas is because I’m fit and confident. I think that the team structure is definitely not what’s holding us back at the moment.”
Trev: So who’s going to act as your crew chief at the first round or two, at this stage?
Herfoss: “To be honest, I’m not sure… Phil wants to help, he’s been a friend of mine for a long time, he got me started in road racing, he wants to help, he’s just so busy. I just think it’s hard for him, to commit to a whole year and he’s one of those people who if he’s going to do it he does it properly. At the moment I have Charlie and Ian Colzo here with me this week, and big Granger is with me as always. It’s sort of between them three and we’re just putting our heads together and hopefully making logical smart decisions.”
Phil Tainton and Glenn Granger – Phillip Island Test – Image RbMotoLens
Trev: Obviously we know, racing has a whole lot of factors to it, but certainly a lot that happens between the ears is a big part of it. So what are you doing to try and keep mentally strong and try and get that confidence to attack into the turns, etc, between here and then. Or is it just that you have to wait for your body to be up to it, and that’ll be the trigger that perhaps makes that switch in your brain, that goes righto, let’s get serious?
Herfoss: “I think the nerves and the pressure of race day is what I thrive on, and I know just from the low key race at Eastern Creek that at the race I was ready to go. I was attacking in race two and I’d done the fastest lap of the night, and I felt like I was part of the race and then kinda at Phillip Island I just felt like I wasn’t there. I didn’t feel any adrenaline, sort of… the bike didn’t feel right and I wasn’t willing to push the bike.
“Today and yesterday there’s been a frustration creeping in which is a good sign, which is me feeling like I wanna go again. I think it’ll just be a point where I get to, where the bike is feeling good and I can see someone leaving me for dead and I’ll be back on race mode. It is a hard thing, I haven’t been through this before in my life and it is hard at the moment, to know what’s the matter with me.”
Troy Herfoss – January 2022
Trev: Cool mate, that all does sound pretty brutal but I hope you can keep your head up, everybody knows how fast you are, what a champion you are, and how awesome we’ve seen you ride that motorbike so many times. We all look forward to seeing you back at your best. Hopefully that’s sooner rather than later.
Herfoss: “Thanks Trev, at the moment it feels like it’s never going to happen, but when I realise it’s been only five months, that’s not that much time really since my second operation, seven months since the crash, we’ll be right, just keep chipping away at it. My motto at the moment is ‘just keep fronting up’. It’ll be right.”
Day one of testing for the 2022 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship teams and riders at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve concluded got underway at the fantastic circuit overnight.
Jonathan Rea, who was looking to confirm items that he and KRT had tested in two previous tests at Jerez, as well as trying new chassis and electronic components, posted a best time of a 1’40.621s after completing 71 laps on his ZX-10RR.
Jonathan Rea – Image 2snap
Jonathan Rea
“It is nice to get back on the bike, especially at Portimao, which a track I enjoy. After our shakedown test recently in Jerez our biggest target is to reconfirm the positive items we have tested during December and January. That will give us good info, because if we can confirm these items at a couple of circuits, it means we are on the right way. The idea is just to keep building the package. I feel we have definitely improved the bike since last year. I was able to make a long run in Jerez and we found some positives with the bike and my riding style, so it is important to try and maybe focus on getting some information on how the tyres behave and the new items after many laps. This is the first real test where everyone is together – which is always nice to draw some comparisons.”
Jonathan Rea – Image 2snap
Toprak Razgatlioglu ended the day in second place after posting a 1’40.722s and completing 69 laps on his 2021-spec Yamaha YZF-R1 machine. The team has brought electronic updates to the test to try once Razgatlioglu and team-mate Andrea Locatelli got up to speed having not ridden the R1 since Indonesia, as well as some new components to aid with rider positioning on the bike.
Toprak Razgatlioglu – Image 2snap
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) claimed third place on a strong day for the Spanish rider as he returns to Ducati, finishing just 0.132s down on Rea’s fastest time.
Alvaro Bautista- Image 2snap
Although Bautista’s primary aim for the day was to work on finding speed and re-adjusting to the Panigale V4 R, he was able to try out a new swing-arm on his machine as well as a new item around the fuel tank of his bike. Bautista completed 82 laps, the most of the entire field, on day one of his second test with Ducati since re-joining, with a best time of 1’40.753s.
Alvaro Bautista- Image 2snap
Michael Ruben Rinaldi’s (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) comeback from injury sustained in Indonesia culminated in the Portimao test with the Italian finishing in fourth place after day one. The Italian was aiming to try out a new swingarm for his Ducati Panigale V4 R machine and then having to decide whether to stick with the 2021 spec or switch to the 2022 spec swingarm for the upcoming season. Rinaldi’s best time was a 1’41.261s after he completed 81 laps.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi – Image 2snap
Despite a crash at Turn 14 around halfway into the afternoon running, Locatelli was able to finish fifth in the standings with a best lap of 1’41.440s and 70 laps to his name. Like with Razgatlioglu, Locatelli’s main focus throughout the test was getting back on the bike after so long without riding and while the crash cost him some time, he was still able to put in plenty of laps as he racked up a total of 73.
Alex Lowes – Image 2snap
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) claimed sixth place in the standings on day one as he, like teammate Rea, looked to confirm new items as well as test a new component on the rear of his ZX-10RR. The British rider also had new electronic components to try but the majority of the focus was on the chassis. Lowes completed 80 laps on day one with a best time of 1’41.477s.
Alex Lowes – Image 2snap
Just two tenths behind Lowes was rookie Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) on his first day on the Ducati Panigale V4 R as he makes the step up from WorldSSP to WorldSBK. Oettl’s main goal for the day was to understand the bike and team as he prepares for his maiden WorldSBK campaign, with the German rider completing 57 laps on his way to sixth in the standings, with a best time of 1’41.707s.
Philipp Oettl – Image 2snap
French rider Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) was seventh in the standings as he got back on his Yamaha YZF-R1 machine for the first time since the end of the 2021 season, with Ponsson trying new components aimed at improving his position on the bike. He racked up 57 laps on day one with a best lap time of 1’43’167s.
Danilo Petrucci was riding a Panigale V4 R as he prepares to take on MotoAmerica this season. Image 2snap
Another rookie, Luca Bernardi (Barni Spark Racing Team), rounded out the WorldSBK field on his return from a back injury sustained at the 2021 French Round. Riding the Panigale V4 R for the first time, the Sammarinese rider completed 61 laps with a best time of 1’44.053s.
Oli Bayliss crashed at Portimao’s turn five during his first day of testing for the 2022 World Supersport Championship overnight in Portugal. The tumble came only nine laps into his first session on the bike.
Oli Bayliss – Image 2snap
Oli was transported to the hospital of Portimao, where medical scans reveal a fracture of lateral malleolus on the right ankle.
Oli will try to recover for the next test scheduled for the 16th-17th March at Misano World Circuit.
The Barni Racing Ducati Panigale V2 of Oli Bayliss – Image 2snap
After the confirmation that the injury would have prevented Oliver to take part in the second day of test in Portimao, the team – in agreement with the Australian rider – decided to call Nicholas Spinelli to continue the development of the Panigale V2. Nicholas, who is already experienced with the bike having ridden the twin-cylinder of Borgo Panigale last year in National Trophy, will be on the saddle tomorrow in the second day of test at Portimao.
A whole host of names are present from the intermediate class, with Somkiat Chantra (Honda Team Asia) topping the first day’s action thanks to a 1:42:213. In the lightweight class, Dennis Foggia’s (Leopard Racing) 1:46:298 to end Tuesday quickest. There was also a debut on Moto3™ machinery for Ana Carrasco, who was recently confirmed as part of the BOE SKX line up for 2022.
Pol Espargaro: “I approach this season with more experience which at the end is one of the most important things in MotoGP™. We have just five days of testing and knowing already how the team is, how the bike is, what I’m going to find there is already something very important, very big. You know through the year with a new bike we are going to improve it and make it even greater, but I think that the beginning point is great, and I think that from Qatar on we will feel ready to fight for something great which is our target. Let’s keep working now in Indonesia.”
Triumph today signalled that their exciting TE-1 project, a collaboration between Williams Advanced Engineering, University of Warwick and Integral Powertrain, backed by the British Government investment via the UK Office for Zero Emission Vehicles, is one step closer to charging up British motorways.
Triumph recently completed Phase Three of the project with their development partners and were responsible for the production of the complete chassis and rolling stock.A Gates Carbon belt drive is utilised on the TE-1 prototype.The suspension and braking package look high end thanks to Ohlins, who made a unique prototype shock for the TE-1, and Brembo’s top notch M50 Monobloc’s grace the front end.
Triumph TE-1
Williams Advanced Engineering were responsible for the battery pack, vehicle control unit, DC-DC converter, integrated cooling, charge port, and styled carbon covers.
Integral Powertrain: Final prototype powertrain with scalable integrated inverter and combined motor with silicon carbide switching technology and integrated cooling.
Triumph TE-1
The motor is claimed to achieve peak and continuous power densities of 13 kW/kg and 9 kW/kg respectively which is 60% higher than new APC technology roadmap targets for 2025. All of this has been achieved using materials and processes compatible with volume automotive production and importantly using a length scalable motor platform. Integral claim the power unit will be capable of producing more than 500kW!
University of Warwick conducted the final pre-live trial simulation, with all results indicating that the project is on course to deliver the intended performance and durability outcomes
Key project achievements during this phase include test results that exceed current benchmarks and targets set by the UK Automotive Council for 2025, providing a platform with great potential for future development in electric motorcycle performance.
The overall objective of the TE-1 project has been focused on developing electric motorcycle capability, in order to provide an input into Triumph’s future electric motorcycle offering, driving innovation, capability, and new intellectual property, and enhancing the credibility and profile of British industry and design.
“The inverter concept, which is also scalable by tuning the number of Silicon-Carbide power stages for different diameter motors, has really delivered on performance. The TE-1 unit is capable of >500kW! “
With Phase Three signed off now the project moves into Phase Four which is a six-month extensive live testing programme both with rolling road testing and track testing.
This is a huge task that will involve countless man hours invested to achieve the best throttle calibration, powertrain mapping and output tuning, the development of different Rider Modes and assessing the range and battery life in various scenarios. They must also ensure the bike is tuned in a manner that it keeps its cool via thermal optimisation.
No internal combustion engine but still significant cooling systems are required
The handling and braking regeneration strategies, along with the tuning of the traction and wheelie control functionality will take place on the racetrack.
At the completion of the live testing phase, somewhere are the middle of this year, the prototype demonstrator will be updated with its final body panels and paint scheme, in preparation for active track demonstration, and media engagement.
At this time, the full results of the project including the final specifications and testing outcomes will be published, as well as insights and key facts on how the TE-1 delivers on the project targets for innovation and sets new standards for the motorcycle sector overall, including final battery and range performance.
Nick Bloor – Triumph CEO
“It has been truly exciting to see the progress made during phase 3 of Project Triumph TE1 with the final prototype motorcycle now going into real life testing. Everyone involved at Triumph are proud to have been part of this innovative British collaboration. Personally, I am thrilled with the results we have already achieved with our partners, and the exciting preview of the potential electric future to come. We look forward to continuing the ambitious and innovative work on the TE-1 demonstrator prototype through the live testing phase and sharing the outcome with Triumph fans across the world.”
Triumph TE-1
PROJECT TE-1 – PHASE 3 FINER DETAILS
The Triumph TE-1 team began phase 3 by successfully building an initial mule bike which incorporated the battery, inverter, motor, and chassis into one machine for the first time. Using this platform, all of the project partners worked collaboratively to optimise software integration across the complex systems, involving hundreds of hours of detailed testing to ensure the functionality of all the features and software aspects behave accurately and intuitively, as a customer would expect.
This was validated in real life simulation work carried out at WMG, involving detailed powertrain rig testing and simulations to assess safety critical items relating to motor function and vehicle control. Durability testing on the primary transmission has also been conducted to ensure a full understanding of the fundamental differences in electric motor load application for vehicle use cases, efficiency, and consequences to gear life.
Alongside this work, the Triumph-led design of the bespoke chassis has focused on delivering the phase 2 styling intent as closely as possible. Phase 3 of the project is now complete with the fully assembled TE-1 demonstrator prototype, the photographs of which are revealed for the first time today.
Triumph TE-1
Steve Sargent – Triumph’s Chief Product Officer
“During phase 3 we have focused on building the physical foundation of Triumph’s first electric prototype motorcycle. I am pleased with the outcome of Triumph and the TE-1 partners’ efforts in creating a demonstrator bike that is not only visually so desirable with clear Triumph DNA, but also packaged with an exhilarating and thrilling brand-new electric powertrain that has such potential for the future.
“I look forward to continuing the development of this demonstrator vehicle through phase 4 and using our knowledge and capabilities to bring all of the partners’ cutting-edge technology together into a final result which will guide Triumph’s electric strategy for the future.
“Our experience tells us that at this stage of a project there is no substitute to genuinely riding a bike when developing driveability, handling and character, and we have ambitious targets focused on delivering a riding experience that is new and exciting, but ultimately intuitive and familiar. I am really looking forward to my first opportunity to ride the completed prototype.”
Triumph TE-1
Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE)
Following completion of Phase 2 of the programme in March 2021, which delivered a fully bench tested battery, Williams Advanced Engineering have now concluded work on Phase 3 which contained some critical gateways for the project.
In addition to supporting a number of hardware and software solutions; specifically integrating Triumph’s motorcycle control software to work in harmony with WAE’s controller and battery management system, the team have enhanced the integration of the mechanical and electrical solutions; optimising battery layout to balance mass and positioning within the chassis.
The demonstrator bike is now undergoing final battery level validation and calibration to ensure the performance results meet best-in-class power and energy density targets and for the rider, ensuring there is no compromise in performance at low levels of charge.
Dyrr Ardash – Head of Strategic Partnerships – Williams Advanced Engineering
“Following an extended period of testing, we are thrilled to finally see the results of our work on a physical bike. By working with the team at Triumph, we have continued to push the boundaries of battery technology, keeping the rider in mind at all times. Because we have designed the battery from the ground-up, design has not been compromised and we have been able to push the boundaries of current technology, offering both performance and all important, range”.
Triumph TE-1
Integral Powertrain Ltd.’s e-Drive Division
Andrew Cross – Chief Technical Officer at Integral Powertrain Ltd.
“We are absolutely delighted to complete our part in this project and deliver what we set out to achieve which is a scalable, ultra-highly integrated motor and inverter, with no phase cables, busbars, or separate cooling circuits.
“For the TE-1 application, the motor achieves peak and continuous power densities of 13 kW/kg and 9 kW/kg respectively which is 60% higher than new APC technology roadmap targets for 2025. All of this has been achieved using materials and processes compatible with volume automotive production and importantly using a length scalable motor platform.
“The inverter concept, which is also scalable by tuning the number of Silicon-Carbide power stages for different diameter motors, has really delivered on performance. The TE-1 unit is capable of >500kW! This gives us the opportunity to optimise this platform for production.
“The integrated motor and inverter unit is now on the bike and is delivering on the target performance and cycle efficiency we engineered, modelled and simulated to achieve. We’re very much looking forward the feedback from bike-level testing and the benefits of our high efficiency on range.
“We’re really proud to have been a key part of this exciting project which has been a landmark for electric motorcycles and British industry.”
Triumph TE-1
WMG, University of Warwick
Truong Quang Dinh, Associate Professor of Energy System Management and Control at WMG, University of Warwick
“WMG have been working closely with Triumph to support the development of the motorcycle control unit via a comprehensive real-time evaluation process using two bespoke physical rigs.
“A 3D physical motorcycle model has been created and integrated with the first rig to allow the evaluation and refinement of the control unit under real-world driving scenarios, ensuring it behaves well before the integration into the initial prototype bike.
“The second rig has been utilised to support Triumph in evaluating the power and energy performance of the whole drivetrain as well as confirming its durability.
“We have also focused on control research and development at other levels, including advanced traction control and optimal brake blending strategies. The findings in energy system modelling, simulation and control, especially real-world case studies with electric motorcycles, gained through this TE-1 project have been utilised to develop teaching materials on energy systems, hybridisation and electrification technologies across education programmes at WMG.”
Jim Hooper, Principal Engineer of Electric Vehicle Projects at WMG, University of Warwick
“WMG have also been helping Triumph understand the opportunities and wider implications of electrification towards their business. This has included investigating the opportunities for electric two-wheeler charging networks, the need for domestic electric motorcycle recycling, the necessity to develop local battery supply chains and the direction that Triumph will need to take to ensure that they can design, develop, manufacture and distribute electric two-wheeled vehicles in the future.
“The findings from these studies are also providing direction to national and local governments, specifically around areas where policy intervention can support electric motorcycle adoption.In many studies undertaken by WMG, bespoke computer-based models developed at the university (such as the university’s own UniWarp software), have been instrumental in understanding the best possible direction or action required for different scenarios. This approach has enabled WMG to quantify the environmental impact of electric motorcycles and has defined methods by which this can be further improved through new vehicle features, vehicle system sizing or new external collaborations.”
