Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was unable to turn his dominant 2019 Phillip Island form into victory after a dramatic final lap crash at Turn 10, while battling with eventual race winner Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team). Below you can check out a sequence of fantastic photos taken of the Spaniard’s fall. (Photo credit – Alejandro Cerezuela)
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
“Anyway, it was a good experience here, so happy, we are coming. We are getting closer to the podium, closer than ever, so happy about that. Let’s go to Malaysia and enjoy it a little bit more. In Japan we were fighting for top positions also, the same here. So it looks like in every track now we are competitive. Happy about that, we will see in Sepang.”
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
Looking back at yesterday… wild times! 😂 Definitely a day I will remember for a long long time! 🇦🇺
Source: Jack Miller on Facebook
The CFMoto 300NK is the cheapest 300cc learner bike in Australia at just $4990 ride away, but how does it indeed “ride away”?
We tested the bike and found it a willing partner around town and even out on the highway.
The CFMoto 300NK is powered by a new 300cc water-cooled, single-single engine with 25kW of power in its lithe 151kg frame.
It’s an extremely flexible little engine with capable power delivery around town and passable passing abilities on the highway where it revs at 5700rpm in sixth.
The only time it starts to run out of puff is up steep hills.
With a 12.5L tank and excellent fuel economy, you could ride this bike much more than 300km on one fill.
The EFI engine has a balance shaft and a sixth gear to reduce vibration at highway speed.
We found that after a long ride, there was only a slight tingle in the fingers and none in the toes thanks to the rubber-topped footpegs.
There was also little vibration through the mirrors which are big and wide for plenty of good rear vision. They are no wider than the reasonably wide bars, so lane filtering is fine on this narrow bike.
The whole bike feels very narrow including the 795mm seat which makes it easy for most riders to get a foot on the ground.
The 300NK pillion seat is removable with a key and there is little space underneath. The rider seat is removable with a spanner.
This is a highly manoeuvrable motorcycle in traffic and tight spaces thanks to its smooth fuelling, light weight and narrow frame.
The six-speed transmission is slick and faultless with no false neutrals and neutral easy to select when stopped.
Braking is handled by Spanish J Juan brake callipers and a Continental Dual Channel ABS controller.
They are strong and willing with reasonable feel in both the lever and pedal, but the front fades off under heavy braking.
Suspension may be rudimentary, but it is quite capable as the bike is so light.
Heavier riders may have trouble and the forks gets jittery over high-frequency bumps.
I’m 183mm tall and found the riding position quite neutral, except the pegs are fairly high which cramped my legs. They could easily drop them down a bit as it has plenty of cornering clearance.
Modern features on the 300NK include a full-colour TFT instrumentation panel with convenient gearshift indicator, LED headlight, lockable fuel cap and daytime running lights.
The 300NK instruments are easy to read in most lighting conditions although they can reflect the sun’s glare at certain angles.
They are also light sensitive and change colour in a tunnel or at night.
You can also choose between a traditional analogue-style display or digital representation.
Interestingly, they include “Sport” and “Rain” engine modes, but they are not active … yet! We are told that may come in future models.
The backlit controls are basic and a bit cheap, but tactile and function fine.
We like the modern, angular styling of CFMoto’s range which has been outsourced to Kiska, the Austrian design house which is also responsible for many KTM models.
The company has close ties with KTM, making their bikes in China for the domestic market.
An interesting touch is the rear the tail which has winglets and reminds us of the Ducati Panigale!
It only comes in solid black and we reckon it would look a whole lot better with some graphics or at least a flash of an alternate colour to alleviate the all-black paintwork.
Fit and finish is close to Japanese standard.
Despite our test bike developing an occasional coolant leak from an ill-fitting cap that was replaced as a precaution, we found the bike very strong and reliable.
Novices will find it easy and enjoyable to ride and useful in most road situations.
At this bargain price, it would also make a great second bike for commuting to keep the kilometres down on your prized bike.
| Price | $4990 ride away |
| Warranty | 2yrs/unlimited km |
| Engine | 292.4cc single cylinder, 4-stroke, liquid cooled, 4-valve, DOHC with balance shaft |
| Bore & Stroke | 78mm x 61.2mm |
| Compression | 11.3:1 |
| Power | 25kW @ 7200rpm |
| Torque | 20.5Nm @ 8800rpm |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Front Suspension | Upside down telescopic fork |
| Rear Suspension | Mid positioned monoshock |
| Front brake | 300mm disc, twin-piston caliper, ABS |
| Rear brake | 245mm disc, single-piston caliper, ABS |
| Seat | 795mm |
| Weight | 151kg |
| Tank | 12.5 litres |
| Clearance | 150mm |
Source: MotorbikeWriter.com
The 2020 Australian Superbike Championship calendar dates have been revealed.
The most interesting developments are the return of Wanneroo Raceway in Western Australia, known as Barbagallo. ASBK Superbike competitors will head straight across the Nullarbor after round three at The Bend in South Australia on May 10, before the WA round on May 17. Just as years ago the Mallala and Wanneroo rounds used to run on back-to-back weeks, it just makes sense.
Eastern Creek, or Sydney Motorsports Park for those younger than me, has also been dropped off the calendar once again.
Action gets underway with ASBK running with the World Superbikes at Phillip Island at the end of February, as has become almost traditional.
The final two rounds of the 2019 ASBK Championship will also be in Victoria. Winton will host the penultimate round on the weekend of September 13 before the finale heads to Phillip Island on the first weekend of October.
Wakefield Park in Southern NSW hosts the second round at the end of March while the sole Queensland round will again be at Morgan Park in late July.
M.A. CEO Peter Doyle
“We’re currently witnessing one of the most thrilling ASBK seasons in history, but next year is shaping up to be even bigger and better,” Mr Doyle said.
“We’ve included a couple of events with an international flavour – the World Superbike round at Phillip Island and the International Motorfest at The Bend, and we’re also very excited to be running alongside the Supercars at Perth, where fans will get to witness the best of both two and four-wheeled motorsport.
“Were also going back to some regional venues that have passionately supported our championship. The Benalla Auto Club has been a valuable supporter of ASBK since 2016, and both Wakefield Park and Winton always attract good crowds from their regional communities. Similarly, Morgan Park is a well-run facility that draws motorcycle racing fans from Warwick and the surrounding areas.
“From a racing perspective, we have a good mixture of high-speed tracks like Phillip Island and The Bend, mixed with more technical circuits like Wakefield Park and Winton. This will give riders and teams the opportunity to exploit their specific strengths at different stages of the season.”
Rnd 1; Feb 27 – March 1 | Phillip Island, VIC
Rnd 2; 27-29 March | Wakefield Park, NSW
Rnd 3; 7-10 May | The Bend, SA
Rnd 4; 15-17 May | Barbagallo, WA (SBK only)
Rnd 5; 7-9 August | Morgan Park, QLD
Rnd 6; 11-13 September | Winton, VIC
Rnd 7; 2-4 October | Phillip Island, VIC
Source: MCNews.com.au
British ace completes WorldSBK comeback season in seventh.
Image: Supplied.
Leon Haslam admits adapting to the Kawasaki Racing Team ZX-10RR this season has been a fundamental problem after making his final outing with the outfit in Qatar.
Haslam, who started the WorldSBK season with a podium at Phillip Island, will be replaced by Alex Lowes in 2020, leaving his future under a cloud of uncertainty.
The British ace finished the season relatively strongly with a 5-4-9 scorecard, granting him seventh in the championship standings.
“The season has had its ups and down and I have had a fundamental problem of trying to adapt my style to what is needed on this bike,” Haslam explained. “Getting the bike stopped and battling has been one of the things I have struggled with and normally that is one of my strengths.
“But I have had some positive races, good battles in Australia, Misano and Aragon with Johnny. To win Suzuka this year has been fantastic. I had three good battles in the last three races of the year.”
Speculation at the weekend’s season-finale linked Haslam to a seat at the all-new Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) squad that will be introduced for the 2020 season, which has already signed Alvaro Bautista.
Source: CycleOnline.com.au
Future motorcycle insurance policies could require riders to fit electronic devices that monitor their location and riding activity and warn riders of impending crashes.
Riders have long suspected this could be coming and now there are two such schemes about to begin in Europe.
We recently reported on Vigo Insure where policy holders install a tracking system in their bike in return for premiums as low as $A11 a month.
It is only available in Slovenia and Croatia but is valid in all parts of Europe and will be available soon in other EU markets.
Now Israeli startup Ride Vision is partnering with Italian insurance company Sara Assicurazioni to reduce premiums if riders install Ride Vision’s predictive vision system.
Ride Vision’s system uses their artificial intelligence in their patented Collision Aversion Technology (CAT).
CAT uses cameras and sensors to recognise and analyse “relevant threats without disturbing the rider’s critical focus”, sending a visual and audio alert to the rider of an impending collision.
It is similar to crash avoidance technology that has so far only been included in cars.
However, several motorcycle companies such as BMW, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM and Yamaha are working on similar detection and warning devices.
It also operates as a dashcam, allowing riders to obtain evidence in case of an accident.
Ride Vision’s CAT will be available in Italy from the beginning of next year by Ride Vision’s official distributor Autobynet SpA.
Are these insurance “incentives” the thin edge of the wedge in privacy invasion?
Could insurance companies cancel your insurance if you speed, ride at night, attend a track day, ignore crash alerts, etc?
Perhaps, but the European parliament is very protective of privacy and the companies will no doubt be bound by tough data regulation.
The Vigo Insure policy can access rider data if they are involved in a traffic accident.
However it is limited to the rider’s name, phone number, policy number and accident location.
If the rider doesn’t give explicit consent, the insurance company or any other third party cannot access the ride recordings.
That’s not to say other insurers in other countries will be as considerate if this type of surveillance becomes mandatory on policies in future!
Some may find these great safety devices and enjoy the insurance savings.
And how soon will these devices be made mandatory?
Only a few years ago ABS was optional and now it’s become mandatory. What’s next? Traction control, monitoring devices, crash-avoidance warnings?
Source: MotorbikeWriter.com
Learner riders in Victoria will cop one demerit point for not wearing a hi-vis vest from tomorrow (29 October 2019) under new road rules.
The Victorian Motorcycle Council had called to remove mandatory hi-vis vests for learner riders in its 10-page submission to the review of Victorian Road Safety (Driver) Regulations.
However, it has been ignored.
Learner riders had previously only been fined for the offence.
Now they cop a demerit point for not wearing an approved hi-vis vest or jacket.
They will also now get three demerit points for riding without a “supervising driver (sic) sitting on the seat beside (sic) them” and one demerit point for not displaying an L plate.
VMC media spokesman John Eacott says the rider learner permit changes are “unwarranted” and not a safety issue.
“The application of a requirement to have the Vest of Shame (aka the hi-vis safety vest) ‘securely fastened’ becomes a safety issue on hot days as it leads to heat stress and reduced rider competence,” he says.
“This was highlighted shortly before the RIS when the Minister for Roads and Road Safety was shown the testing procedures at Deakin University of garments for MotoCAP.
“It is bizarre to have a requirement for a hi-vis vest for Learners and then demand it be worn in a manner to reduce rider efficiency. This was brought to the attention of the Department of Transport, but appears to have been ignored and not even mentioned in the summary of responses.”
We asked the Department of Transport for the number fines issued since the rule applied in 2014 and what consituted an approved vest/jacket.
No reply has yet been received but we will update if/when they do.
The VMC also claim the L plate demerit point is unfair as a plate can easily fall off a motorcycle resulting in a rider losing their licence and their only mode of transport.
“There is no road safety risk or road user behaviour targeted by the sanction, therefore no genuine road safety objective served,” their submissions says.
“A motorcycle is an arduous exposed environment, experiencing vibration, winds, rain, road grime/fumes and sunlight/UV exposure.
“L plates are typically plastic, embrittle with time and are not very resilient to these exposed service conditions.
“As a result, an L-plate may fall off during a ride without the knowledge of the rider since plates are affixed to the rear of the motorcycle.”
The learner hi-vis rule was introduced in 2014 despite the state government’s road safety committee citing a European road safety research that found the benefits of wearing a high-visibility vest depended on the time of day and location.
Since its introduction, there has been no study into its effect on crashes among learners and the Traffic Accident Commission does not differentiate learner riders in its statistics.
We could not find any similar hi-vis rules throughout the world except France where all riders must have a minimum fluoro requirement on their jackets.
All riders (and drivers) in France must also carry a hi-vis vest and wear it if broken down on the side of the roads.
Most motorcycle police around the world wear hi-vis gear.
However, it didn’t stop this British copper from nearly being hit by a van driver who just didn’t look even though the police officer had hi-vis gear, flashing lights and sirens.
University of Melbourne Chair of Statistics and bike rider Prof Richard Huggins has called to remove the rule since it was introduced.
The Prof has reviewed several international studies on motorcycle conspicuity and “look but fail to see” accidents and says there is “sufficient doubt” of the effectiveness of hi-vis to call for a repeal of the mandatory requirement.
He says the studies had varied findings suggesting:
Richard also says he regularly wears a hi-visibility jacket when riding, but has still been hit by a car.
“The driver claimed they didn’t see me, from a distance of less than 2m, as they changed lanes on top of me,” he says.
When the law was introduced, the VMC cited Prof Huggins’s research and objected to the rule on several grounds:
Source: MotorbikeWriter.com
News 28 Oct 2019
Section: Competition
Seven rounds confirmed for next year’s ASBK season.
Image: Russell Colvin.
The official 2020 Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) calendar has been revealed, confirming seven rounds will take place next season.
The championship will open in conjunction with round one of the FIM Motul Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) at Phillip Island on 27 February-1 March, before travelling to Wakefield Park in New South Wales on 27-29 March for round two.
Australia’s newest circuit, The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia, will host round three as part of the International Motofest on 7-10 May – this event will feature the Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC), along with the inaugural Australian appearance of the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup.
A week later, the Superbike category joins the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship at Barbagallo Raceway for a two-plus-four race meeting at the Pirtek Perth Supernight, in what will be ASBK’s first trip to Western Australia since 2016.
After a mid-year break, the ASBK will head to Morgan Park in Queensland on 7-9 August, while Winton in Victoria will host the penultimate round on 11-13 September. Phillip Island will host the season-finale on 2-4 October. Notably missing for 2020 is Sydney Motorsport Park, which is set to make its ASBK return this weekend as the 2019 season finale.
2020 Australian Superbike Championship calendar:
Rd1 – 27 February-1 March – Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Victoria
Rd2 – 27-29 March – Wakefield Park Raceway, New South Wales
Rd3 – 7-10 May – The Bend Motorsport Park, South Australia
Rd4 – 15-17 May – Barbagallo Raceway, Western Australia (Superbike class only)
Rd5 – 7-9 August – Morgan Park Raceway, Queensland
Rd6 – 11-13 September – Winton Motor Raceway, Victoria
Rd7 – 2-4 October – Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Victoria
Source: CycleOnline.com.au
Aprilia Racing Team Gresini contender finishes sixth in Australia.
Image: Russell Colvin.
Andrea Iannone has described leading the MotoGP field for a portion of a lap at the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix as ‘thrilling’, the Italian rider equalling Aprilia’s best-ever result of sixth in the premier class.
Aprilia Racing Team Gresini rider, who qualified eighth behind teammate Aleix Espargao, put on an incredible charge in the early stages of the 27-lap encounter, passing Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) for the lead on lap four.
Iannone’ stint at the front was short-lived, as Crutchlow passed the number 29 back just ahead of the finish line, denying him being counted as the leader of the lap.
“It was a positive race for us, but we worked well throughout the weekend,” said Iannone. “I had a good feeling straight away and I realised from the first practice session that it would be a good opportunity for us. There were obviously many details that helped, beginning with the characteristics of this track, and it’s a pity about some contact in the finale.
“I lost a winglet and the bike was no longer perfectly balanced. But it was thrilling to ride the Aprilia out front and for that I wish to thank all the guys here and in Noale who are working their hardest and the CEO who supports us in our growth.
“I hope to be able to bring them more satisfaction. This is only my first season with Aprilia and it was not exactly simple, but we were never lacking in determination and commitment.”
Iannone result of sixth, paired with Espargaro’s eighth place finish, marks the best result two Aprilia’s have landed inside the top 10.
Source: CycleOnline.com.au
