The year saw Morbidelli make four front-row starts and claim seven top-six finishes aboard his Yamaha YZR-M1. In addition to this, Franco was also vital in helping to secure the 2019 Top Independent Team honour for Petronas Yamaha SRT, finishing 10th in the riders’ championship with 115 points to his name.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
Brisbane-based French chef Michel Bonet has spent a lifetime cooking as well as cooking up some interesting custom motorcycles including an early supermoto.
The 76-year-old was born in Burgundy and came to Australia in 1968 and spends six months here and six months in his country of birth — that is, until the pandemic!
In this article, Michel tells his story about some of his custom bikes:
Being a chef and restaurateur can be sometimes be very stressful and irritating. So for someone that loves motorcycles, there is no better way to unwind than to customise your motorcycles. Unfortunately, starting an apprenticeship as a chef in the late ’50s didn’t give much time to learn anything else. Whatever I had to do on my bikes, someone else had to do it for me.
In the ’80s I had a couple of BMW K 100s and it was in a time where motorcycles had no fairing or a basic fairing.
But I thought I could do better than this – someone had to show them how it’s done!
So with the help of Peter Walker from All Bikes (formerly knowns as Universal Cycle) I dressed up the K 100 exactly the way I’d pictured it in my head.
The Silver Dream was my first attempt as an engineer. But of course this bike wasn’t designed for a full fairing, so it used to overheat.
One day at the petrol station, finishing up paying for petrol, I heard this huge bang. As I looked toward my bike I saw flames billowing out, engulfing the whole thing. Silver Dream went up in smoke.
My second attempt was a slight improvement on the last. This time I wanted to build a supermoto because it was very popular in Europe and not yet in Australia. I remember telling my bikie friends, “This bike would be used for flat track racing in years to come and if good enough, I will sell plenty of them.”
We started with a Honda XL 350 (I had to find a different friend to help me build this one, as Peter had had enough of me) and the result was amazing. The bike looked and felt beautiful. I was picturing myself travelling the world, taking meetings with people wanting to buy my design. But everything always seems bigger and better in your mind. I learnt this when I went to Japan to sell to the Japanese … you’ve heard of that guy who failed selling ice to an eskimo!
However, to this day, I still love that bike, especially the colours green and yellow and the Kangaroo. Something else I had to fight hard for was that paint job – needless to say, I lost that friend too. This poor bike had many more dramas to come to his life … just ask Phill Beaumont.
It took me long enough but I learnt a valuable lesson – leave the bikes alone and stick to cooking. So the next bike I bought was a Bimota YB6 Tuatara and leaving it alone was the best thing I did.
Until 33 years of loyal service later, not to mention 70,000km, as you would expect, she needed and upgrade – a new lease on life – and this time I got it right.
Thanks to me new friend Paul Dale who spent countless hours bringing the Bimota back to its most basic form. It feels better and easier to ride as I don’t have to lean over the tank.
And here we are and maybe I’m not done as a salesman yet! Because on my next trip to Italy I just might drop into the factory and you never know, they may like the design for future bikes.
As I’m past 76 years now and even though it’s easier to ride and easier to service, we all know that a 33-year-old motorcycle is always going to be in need of a lot of TLC, which basically means I’m going to need many more friends!
Paul has saved all the parts and bits and pieces because one day I’d like to donate the Bimota to a Museum in Italy. After all, only 60 of these Bimotas were made in 1987 and at the time it was the fastest production bike in the world and not to mention, the most expensive. Can you imagine how many of my other bikes and free fine dining experiences I had to trade in to get my hands on it?
I wish my story ended there but I’ve started working on my BMW K 100 RT in France (yes, I have friends in France too…well, for now I do).
As you can see the fairing has come off and I painted it the colour of my first motorcycle! But it is still a touring bike, as I use it for touring two-up. When one day I won’t be able to ride it anymore, I will do a real cafe racer.
(If you are interested in reading about Michel’s interesting life story and try some of his favourite recipes, you can buy his book, “A Boy From Burgundy” for just $20 including postage by clicking here.)
Source: MotorbikeWriter.com
The Covid-19 pandemic is and has been one of the biggest challenges our sport has faced. Very soon it will be time to get back on track with two consecutive GPs in Jerez, and we are very excited for the restart of our sport.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every single member of the MotoGP family, including manufacturers, teams, riders, officials, circuits, marshals, volunteers, broadcasters, journalists, photographers, sponsors, partners, service companies and organization staff for their incredible efforts during this difficult time, and for the hard work put in by so many to make it possible for us to go racing again.
After a lot of hard work and effort, in conjunction with authorities we have been able to produce an accepted protocol for events with the aim of minimising the risks of infection. We must take this opportunity to remind everyone of the importance of the safety measures and medical procedures in place that enable us to get back on track.
Before we arrive at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto, we remind everyone that once you have been tested, each member of the paddock must self-isolate as much as possible and avoid all unnecessary contact with others until such time as we arrive at the circuit.
When we are at the circuit, the race weekend and the paddock will look different, as our comprehensive medical protocol ensures the highest safety standards for everyone present at the event.It is essential that all confinement rules are followed strictly, and all participants must only go to the circuit and hotel.
We will be missing many members of the paddock, and we’re grateful for their work from a distance, and of course, for now we will unfortunately also be missing all our fans in the grandstands. This medical protocol must be read and followed to the letter, inside and outside the circuit. Any breaches of the medical protocol will be taken extremely seriously and immediately acted upon by the organiser.
The health of all members of the paddock is our top priority, and we thank you for your cooperation in ensuring we can get back on track safely for another incredible weekend – and season – of racing.
Every single participant is responsible for the future of our sport.
FIM President Jorge Viegas
IRTA President Hervé Poncharal
Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta
Source: MCNews.com.au
A major Australian insurance company has launched a “free” check on the history of used motorcycles and other vehicles so you don’t buy a lemon.
If you are buying a used motorcycle, you should check to see if it is stolen, has money owing on it, has been written off in a crash or has been damaged in a flood or storm.
Buyers used to check the state-based REVS (Register of Encumbered Vehicles) or VSR (Vehicle Securities Register).
Since 2012, this has been nationalised in Australia under the Personal Property Security Register website which now costs $25.
There are several private websites that offer similar services, but they can be quite expensive and may offer information that is not relevant to your purchasing decision.
Be wary if you simply Google-search for “PPSR” as you will also find private suppliers.
These are only useful if you want a more in-depth report that may show things such as odometer regularities, or “clocking” where the seller winds the odd back.
Now Budget Direct insurance company has launched a “free” service.
It says it’s a “car search”, but it also works for motorcycles as Budget Direct does insure motorcycles.
This service may save you a couple of bucks, but you need to know that you have to supply your email and phone number.
After I did a search as a test, Budget Direct contacted me via email for an insurance quote.
I then tried to manually unsubscribe from their email service several times, but it kept throwing up an error.
I have not yet been contacted by phone, but I suspect that may be coming.
So while the service may be free from payment, there could be an associated hassle.
There are several scams that make buying a second-hand motorcycle a risk. Click here for some of the most prominent scams.
At least you can be assured with an official PPSR check that you do not end up buying a lemon, a stolen bike or one that will be repossessed by a finance company because the previous owner still owed money on it.
To make a PPSR check, you will need to supply the vehicle identification number (VIN). Never buy a vehicle from anyone unless they provide the VIN.
You can find the VIN on a registration notice or on the bike’s steering head, front frame or on the bottom of the engine.
It could be on a special plate, or stamped or etched into the frame or engine.
Turn the handlebars to the left and look on the right side of the frame where the steering head goes through the frame.
In a car, a VIN could be in a number of different places: Wheel arches, dashboard, boot, under the spare tyre, doors, door frames, and in the engine bay.
PPSR can also be accessed for various other personal property such as cars, boats, caravans, pant, machinery, shares and even works of art.
You can also search non-material items such as accounts, intellectual property, investment instruments, or licences.
Source: MotorbikeWriter.com
If you want to look on the bright side of the current coronavirus pandemic, some motorcycle events are now being held online including the now-free Black Hills Motorcycle Film Festival.
So even though you may not be able to travel to the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota — home of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally which is surprisingly still going ahead next month — you can still attend this festival.
The film festival is being put together by the Rev Sisters, a newly created partnership of three women motorcyclists who plan and manage motorcycle events.
Earlier this year they announced a series of motorcycle film festivals to be held across the United States.
The first festival, Santa Cruz Moto Film Festival, was cancelled earlier this year due to a ban on public events.
The second festival in the 2020 series, the Black Hills Motorcycle Film Festival, will be held online from 14-16 August and Rev Sisters Co-Founder Michelle Lamphere says it’s free!
“At a time when motorcyclists may need an escape and a channel to reconnect with their moto community, Rev Sisters is offering tickets to this online event at no charge,” she says.
Attendees can watch videos at their own pace from the comfort of their own homes.
The curated collection of more than nine hours of films includes a variety of riding styles from around the world — flat track racing, round-the-world adventure travel, bike building, moto culture and more.
Each film is inspired and creative and will leave viewers yearning to get back out on the road. Winners for each category – ultra short, short and feature – will be announced during the festival.
A third event, the South Jersey Moto Film Festival, is scheduled to air online later this year. Each of these festivals is intended to be a live annual event in future years.
Tickets for the Black Hills Motorcycle Film Festival are available by clicking here.
Source: MotorbikeWriter.com
After qualifying 2nd in Estoril, Acosta managed to go one better in Portimao, taking his first pole position in FIM Moto3™ Jr WCh! Less than a tenth behind was Lorenzo Fellon (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Junior Team) who, after Race Direction revisions, was promoted to from 4th to 2nd on the grid after a lap was reinstated. Championship leader Xavier Artigas (Leopard Impala Junior Team) completes the front row in 3rd.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every single member of the MotoGP™ family, including manufacturers, teams, riders, officials, circuits, marshals, volunteers, broadcasters, journalists, photographers, sponsors, partners, service companies and organization staff for their incredible efforts during this difficult time, and for the hard work put in by so many to make it possible for us to go racing again.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
Plenty of the ‘silly season’ talk has involved KTM and with their line-up confirmed, it means Pol Espargaro is getting prepped to ride for a third manufacturer in MotoGP™. If the rumours are to be believed, the Spaniard will be making a huge move to line-up next to Marc Marquez at Repsol Honda. Signings don’t get much bigger than that for a rider, and once it’s announced, Espargaro will be the talk of the town. Before that though, both Espargaro and KTM will be hoping their relationship can end with fireworks in 2020. Aforementioned, it’s a huge year for the orange army but it’s also a massive six months for Espargaro, who will want as good a year as possible to propel himself into Repsol Honda, where the toughest – yet most exciting – challenge awaits.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
We recently showcased the new white coloured Panigale V2 and now we bring you the news that Ducati have also gone white with an updated livery adorning the 2021 Multistrada 950 S
The new look adds a little more sporting flavour to the lines of the Multistrada, with a MotoGP-inspired graphic and a colour scheme that alternates white, grey and Ducati Red. The 950 S is also available in the classic Ducati Red.
The Multistrada 950, in its S version, bristles with technology: electronic suspension with Ducati Skyhook Suspension Evo (DSS) system, Ducati Quick Shift up & down (DQS), full-LED headlamp with Ducati Cornering Lights (DCL), 5” colour TFT display, Hands Free system, Cruise Control and backlit handlebar controls, as well as Bosch ABS Cornering.
With a nod to increased sure-footedness away from the black-top the 950 Multistrada rides on a 19-inch front for add stability off-road.
The 2021 Multistrada 950 S “GP White”, both in the alloy and spoked wheels versions, will be available in Australian Ducati dealerships this September from $23,900 ride away.
Source: MCNews.com.au
MCNews.com.au recently reported the promising surge in motorcycles sales experience in Australia over the first six months of June (Motorcycle Sales Figures Report Link), with many brands having a very strong June in particular, now BMW Motorrad have confirmed that globally June was their best of that calendar month ever with 20,021 new BMW motorcycles sold in the month alone.
Dr. Markus Schramm – Head of BMW Motorrad
“After a great start to the new year, we were still up by the end of February, with an increase of almost 12 % on the previous year. Then the dynamic development of the Corona pandemic also began to have a negative impact on the demand for motorcycles. But we see clear light at the end of the tunnel again.”
Sales on the pan-European market were largely responsible for the positive development of BMW Motorrad in June 2020. A total of 13,937 BMW motorcycles were sold in Europe. 2,684 units more than in the same month of the previous year – an increase of 23.9 %. In addition to the home market of Germany with an increase of 58.2 %, the markets in France (+72.9 %), the Benelux countries (+ 52.2 %) and Portugal (+ 52.0 %) contribute significantly to the recovery in Europe.
The Asian-Ocean market was also pleasingly robust in the month of June. BMW Motorrad was able to sale 2,997 motorcycles in Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Russia and Thailand, an increase of 17.3 %.
The new BMW Motorrad models F 900 R, F 900 XR and S 1000 XR were particularly high in the buyer’s favor in the first six months of this year flanked by the continuous bestsellers R 1250 GS and R 1250 GS Adventure.
Timo Resch – Head of Sales and Marketing BMW Motorrad
“In the short term, of course, the operational focus is still on tackling the Corona crisis. The team of BMW Motorrad and our international BMW Motorrad retail partners are also doing everything they can to be able to react as best as possible to the wishes and needs of our customers in the second half of 2020 with the clear goal of successfully closing 2020 in a difficult market environment, however, with significantly reduced sales compared to our record year in 2019. Of course, our entry into the Cruiser segment with the BMW R18 will also play an important role here.”
With the best ever sales result for the month of June, BMW Motorrad concludes the first half of 2020 and enters the second half of the year with confidence.
Source: MCNews.com.au
