A rider crossing a lane to filter between traffic t-bones another lane-filtering rider in this video released by the Queensland Department of Transport.
The Department posted the video on Facebook with this message:
You’re only allowed to lane filter in Queensland if you hold an open licence for the motorcycle you’re riding, your speed when filtering is 30km/h or less and it’s safe to do so.
We’re not sure if the riders are fully licensed, but they do not seem to be going over 30km/h.
As for the safety, the fact one t-bones the other seems to suggest it is not safe.
Illegal manoeuvre
Also, the rider on the right of the screen is illegally filtering up a merge lane and over painted chevrons.
Their message probably should have pointed that out.
You can only ride on a painted traffic island for up to 50m to enter or leave the road, enter a turning lane that begins immediately after the island or overtake a cyclist.
You must also not drive on a painted traffic island if the island is surrounded by double continuous lines and/or separates traffic flowing in the same direction—like an onramp in this situation.
RACQ safety officer and Bonneville rider Steve Spalding says it is not only against the law, but dangerous.
“The rider could find themselves trapped between merging vehicles with no room to escape the situation,” he says.
The rider also should have looked behind him when moving into the gap between the lanes.
There are many dangers as well as challenges in lane filtering, but one danger we may overlook is fellow lane-filtering riders.
The Spaniard endured a high-speed accident last while testing at the Automotodrom Brno. The rookie required trackside assistance before being transported to the circuit’s Medical Centre, where he was diagnosed with no major injuries, except for a pulmonary contusion that required him to transported by helicopter to the Brno Hospital. Mir underwent further checks by the doctors, who confirmed the initial diagnosis. He was kept in hospital under observation, and finally will be released.
Injured Lawrence declares MXoN availability for Team Australia
Section: Competition
Australian contender confident of return ahead of Assen’s 2019 event.
Image: Supplied.
Injured Geico Honda rider Hunter Lawrence has declared his availability if selected for Team Australia at this year’s Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN), despite recently breaking his collarbone.
Lawrence suffered the injury after experiencing a mechanical malfunction while training, however he’s hopeful of making a return for the final rounds of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, while ensuring he’ll definitely be ready for the prestigious event in Assen, The Netherlands, on 28-29 September.
“I’ll do that still, that’s eight or nine weeks away now, so I’ve got plenty of time,” said Lawrence when speaking to Swapmotolive. “I still want to race as many nationals as I can – if I can do the last two, that would be sick for the team and myself. It’s two more tracks I haven’t ridden, so if I can do them, it’s better for next year.
“At the same time, it depends how much I lose with bike skills, fitness etc. You don’t want to come back from fighting for race wins, come back, work my arse off and get 12th. We’ll see how we go, but for sure, nations, if I get selected for that, we’ll definitely be doing that.”
Lawrence has featured on the Australian squad two times in his career, finishing first overall in MX2 in 2017 followed by runner-up honours at last year’s edition.
Carlo Guzzi designed this supercharged 250cc machine in 1937, originally for record-breaking (although it did see some racing use) and it had a long competition career – running all the way from 1938 through to 1952.
Carlo Guzzi Supercharged 250C
The Cozette supercharger (manufactured by Guzzi) was gear driven and mounted above the gearbox. Depending on whether a petrol or methanol fuel mixture was used, output was around 38 hp or 45 hp at 7900rpm.
Carlo Guzzi Supercharged 250CSeen here with the smaller chamber
A large, cylindrical ‘expansion’ container was used between the carburettor and supercharger in early versions of the bike. This was replaced by a smaller chamber between the supercharger and inlet on later bikes. This model is fitted with the smaller chamber.
Carlo Guzzi Supercharged 250C
Record attempts began in April 1938 with Nello Pagani raising the 50km average speed record to 180.810km/h. Then in November Tenni Ombono set new 50km, 5 mile, 10km, 100km and 1 hour records.
The Carlo Guzzi Supercharged 250C set the 50km average speed record at 180.81km/h in 1938
More speed records were set the following year. The final achievement by the 250 was in 1952, when with a third wheel fitted and 60kg of ballast, it set a sidecar speed record of 221km/h.
The Carlo Guzzi Supercharged 250C even ran as a sidecar to set a record!
In racing the 250 finished third outright in the 1938 Milano-Taranto and won the Italian Championship (both with Pagani riding). In the 1939 German GP the 250 beat the DKWs to first and second places.
Racing success was also seen in 1938, with Pagani winning the Italian Championship
Oceania Junior Cup regulars set for Red Bull Rookies selection event
Section: Competition
Grenfell and Buchanan fast-tracked through to European selection event.
Image: Russell Colvin.
bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup contenders Angus Grenfell and Cormac Buchanan have been nominated to be fast-tracked through to the 2020 Red Bull Rookies Cup selection event.
The pair’s nomination is a big tick for the Oceania Junior Cup, which was introduced this year as a road race academy for aspiring road riders from Australia and New Zealand. The pathway program has the support of MotoGP promoter, Dorna, under the Road to MotoGP program, and the FIM through FIM Oceania.
Currently in its 13th season, the Red Bull Rookies Cup has a proven reputation for producing elite talent, with graduates collecting six world championships and 95 GP wins, while 30 alumni are now competing in professional categories from Moto3 to MotoGP.
“I’m really excited about this fantastic opportunity and I can’t thank the OJC series enough for putting my name forward to go to the Red Bull Rookies selection event, and for the series for accepting me,” said Grenfell, who sits in second place in this year’s OJC Championship fight.
“Obviously, I want to get into the 2020 Red Bull Rookies series, but the main thing is I want to get some riding experience and simply see what it’s like to ride in Europe and what the European riders are like as well.”
Buchanan, a New Zealander, couldn’t contain his excitement ahead of a huge step in burgeoning career: “It’s a really big honour, as only two people get selected from the Oceania Junior Cup. It’s great that Angus and I will be representing OJC and, for me personally, representing New Zealand.
“Not a lot of riders from New Zealand have gone over to do the Red Bull Rookies selection event in the past. So, it’s a real focus for me to represent strongly, and I’m proud to fly the Kiwi flag.”
The selection event will take place at a European circuit later this year, with a venue and date still to be confirmed.
For the first time, women’s riding jackets are among a new crop of leather and textile jackets tested by MotoCAP as researchers start advising riders about their service at seminars across the country.
The world’s first motorcycle clothing safety ratings program has added six textile jackets and nine leather jackets to its growing list of 128 products.
It includes seven jackets designed exclusively for women and two advertised as “unisex”.
The only other women’s gear tested and rated in the past year since MotoCAP began were women’s leggings.
Top jackets
For women, the $650 Dainese Mike Lady jacket scored the highest MotoCAP protection rating with three out of five stars.
Dainese Mike Lady jacket
The unisex $1495 Klim Badlands Pro also scored well with a protection rating of three.
Klim Badlands Pro jacket
For men, the $500 Merlin Hixon men’s jacket scored the highest MotoCAP protection rating of this batch with four stars.
Merlin Hixon jacket
All 15 jackets listed were awarded between half and two stars for the MotoCAP thermal comfort rating.
The latest round of testing results come as researchers from the Deakin University who carry out the MotoCAP testing have been giving seminars to riders to explain what the service is about.
Senior researcher Christopher Hurren will give a seminar this Saturday (10- August 2019) at the Scarborough Community Centre, 163 The Esplanade, Western Australia.
He was invited by Dave Wright of the Motorcycle Riders Association of Western Australia who successfully applied for a grant under the Road Safety Community Grants Programme.
Riders and rider group representatives can attend from 10-11.30am and motorcycle dealers and motorcycle clothing retailers from 1-2.30pm.
Contact Dave Wright for more information and to reserve your place via 0418 954 424 or email, or visit their Facebook event page.
It follows seminars by leading researcher Liz de Rome for Q Ride in Queensland a few weeks ago and for the MRA in Victoria a few months ago.
Chris says he will brief riders on MotoCAP aims, how a rider can use it to select the right gear, what is tested and why, plus “some of the science that we do to back up our work”.
When Chris delivered a similar presentation in New Zealand in February as part of the “Shiny Side Up” tour, the main questions were:
Q: Who funds the program?
A: MotoCAP is a not-for-profit organisation in partnership with and funded by: from NSW – Transport for NSW, SIRA and the NRMA; from Victoria – VicRoads, TAC and RACV; from South Australia – DPTI, MAC and RAA; from Queensland – TMR and RACQ; from Western Australia – the Western Australian Road Safety Commission; plus the Australian Motorcycle Council and the New Zealand Accident Compensation Corporation.
Q:How many garments are tested a year?
A: It was launched in September 2018 and has so far tested 128 articles of clothing including 64 jackets, 29 pants and 35 gloves.
Q: Are any companies getting on board with the program?
A: Despite invitations, no manufacturer has yet come forward to have their gear tested.
If you are interested in having a MotoCAP researcher talk to your riders group, click here to contact them.
Smith’s BMW Peter Hickman continues to show peerless form as the 32-year-old came straight from the podium form displayed last weekend in British Superbike competition at Thruxton, to the ultra-fast Dundrod Circuit where he immediately dropped in a 131.237 mph to dominate the opening qualifying session in Northern Ireland overnight.
Last year’s Ulster Grand Prix treble-crown winner was the only rider who broke through the 130mph barrier in a session that was brought to an end nine minutes early because of a heavy rain shower.
Hickman was 4.763 seconds faster than Conor Cummins (Milenco Padgett’s Honda). Davey Todd was third fastest just 0.846 seconds further back.
“My plan was to go and do a steady lap, put in two fliers and then come in and that’s what we did.” Hickman explained after setting his quickest time on his third circuit.
Hickman made a lengthy pit stop after the third lap to lower his S1000RR’s gearing but failed to improve his time as the conditions worsened. Cummins also set his fastest speed during the opening laps, lapping at 128.229mph on his second circuit.
“It was slippery on the approach there after the second lap.” Cummins said.
Conor Cummins
All of the fastest riders pitted after three laps when rain began to wet the road on the Leathemstown section of the course. Only three of the top ten quickest men went faster when they rejoined the fray from the pits with Davey Todd (Wepol Penz/BMW) lapping at 127.709mph and Lee Johnston (Ashcourt Racing BMW) at 127.395mph to slot into third and fourth.
Dundrod lap record holder Dean Harrison (Silicone Kawasaki) was fifth fastest, just a 1/100th of a second behind Johnston.
“We were steady away but it was drizzling all the time at different places I wasn’t sure of the line.” Harrison said.
Derek Sheils (RK Racing/Burrows Suzuki) and Paul Jordan (Dafabet Devitt Kawasaki) posted 6th and 7th fastest times. Sheils was well down on the speed trap times at 184 mph compared to Dean Harrison’s fastest mark 196.9 mph on the Flying Kilo. Hickman’s BMW was also 4.5mph slower than the Silicone Kawasaki.
Michael Dunlop posted 8th quickest time on the Tyco BMW after a lengthy pit stop, 7.3 seconds slower than Hickman.
Michael Dunlop
South Australia’s David Johnson (Honda Racing) clocked a 125.368mph lap and Jamie Coward (Prez Yamaha) 124.683mph completing the top ten.
The first races on the road based Dundrod Circuit took place in 1922 and in 1935 and 1948 the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme gave it the title ‘Grand Prix d’Europe’. The Ulster Grand Prix was included as one of the races in the inaugural 1949 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season (which we now know as MotoGP), a place it held until 1971. The Ulster GP also counted towards the Formula TT Championship between 1979 and 1990.
2019 Ulster GP Wednesday Superbike Qualifying
Peter HICKMAN BMW 3:23.022 / 131.237mph
Conor CUMMINS Honda 3:27.785 / 128.229mph
Davey TODD BMW 3:28.631 / 127.709mph
Lee JOHNSTON BMW 3:29.145 / 127.395 mph
Dean HARRISON Kawasaki 3:29.157 / 127.387 mph
Derek SHEILS Suzuki 3:29.680 / 127.070mph
Paul JORDAN Kawasaki 3:30.108 / 126.811mph
Michael DUNLOP BMW 3:30.340 / 126.671mph
David JOHNSON Honda 3:32.526 / 125.368mph
Jamie COWARD Yamaha 3:33.693 / 124.683mph
Phillip CROWE BMW 3:33.767 / 124.640mph
Michael SWEENEY BMW 3:33.980 / 124.516mph
Sam WEST BMW 3:34.300 / 124.330mph
Brian McCORMACK BMW 3:34.304 / 124.328mph
David JACKSON BMW 3:34.446 / 124.246mph
Dominic HERBERTSON Kawasaki 3:36.000 / 123.352mph
Ryan KNEEN BMW 3:36.792 / 122.901mph
Shaun ANDERSON BMW 3:38.527 / 121.925mph
Xavier DENIS Honda 3:39.867 / 121.182mph
Josh DALEY Kawasaki 3:40.500 / 120.834mph
NB: Dean Harrison’s lap record of 3 minutes 17.928 seconds / 134.614 mph was set in 2017
A 23-year-old male rider has died after his motorcycle left the road and hit a tree in Coffs Harbour overnight.
Police say emergency services were called to Donn-Patterson Drive, near Bonalbo Close, about 1.30am (Thursday 8 August 2019).
“The rider was treated at the scene before being taken to Coffs Harbour Hospital, where he later died,” police say.
“He is yet to be formally identified but is believed to be a 23-year-old man.”
Our sincere condolences to the young man’s family and friends.
Officers from Coffs/Clarence Police District attended and established a crime scene, which has been examined by specialist forensic police.
An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash has commenced and a report will be prepared for the Coroner.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.
Overnight crashes
This is the fourth death of a male rider in his 20s in overnight crashes in NSW and Queensland over the past three weeks.
While the Coroner is yet to investigate the matter, we cannot pass judgment on what happened.
There could be a number of reasons for the crash, but night riding is particularly dangerous and has its own set of hazards.
It;’s not only dangerous in the country, but also suburbia where this crash happened.
At night there can be wildlife and stray pets on the road that are difficult to see until too late.
Drunk pedestrians and drivers could also have been involved.
We have put together 10 safe tips for riding at night and hazards to look out for.
Six weeks after having hosted Formula 1, the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg (Austria) will this weekend play host to the 11th appointment of the MotoGP season.
The many undulations of the track complicate the riders’ choice of timing braking: there’s a 65 metre (213 feet) difference between the highest and the lowest point, and the steepest slope has a 9.3 percent incline.
According to Brembo technicians, who equip the entire MotoGP grid, the Red Bull Ring is very demanding on the brakes. On a scale of 1 to 5, it earns a 5 on the difficulty index, the same score given to the tracks in Barcelona, Motegi and Sepang. Our home track at Phillip Island is the least demanding circuit on the MotoGP circuit when it comes to brakes.
On one full lap, the MotoGP riders use their brakes 7 times for a total of 28 seconds.
Formula 1 cars also brake 7 times in each lap, but for a third of the time, totalling just 9.8 seconds.
Over the 28 race laps at Spielberg each MotoGP bike uses its brakes for some 800 seconds, that’s just over 13 minutes.
Last month, on the other hand, the winner of the Formula 1 GP completed the 71 laps of the Austria GP, two and a half times the race distance, using Brembo calipers for just 10 minutes and a half.
Brembo MotoGP Braking Hardware – Image by AJRN
Average deceleration per lap for the MotoGP is 1.23 g, which is second highest value of the championship. Summing up all of the forces applied by a rider on the Brembo brake lever from the starting line to the chequered flag, the result is about 0.9 tonnes.
The most challenging section is Turn One, since it is located at the fastest point on the track, despite being slightly uphill: the MotoGP bikes reach the bend at 312 km/h (193.9 mph) and then brake for 4.4 seconds to slow to 99 km/h (61.5 mph). Riders put 5.9 kg (13 lbs) pressure on the brake lever and are subjected to a 1.5 g deceleration.
Formula 1 single-seaters reach this same section at a slightly higher speed (331 km/h, 205.7 mph), but are able to enter the turn at 158 km/h (98.2 mph) and, most importantly, can slam on the brakes without fear of the rear end rising in the air: thus braking only lasts 1.57 seconds and 99 metres (325 feet), less than half the distance (229 meters, 751 feet) required by the MotoGP bikes.
The braking time and distance are even greater for Turn Four, partly due to the downhill slope: 274 metres (899 feet) and 5.7 seconds to come down from 292 km/h (181 mph) to 85 km/h (53 mph). Here deceleration is 1.4 g, while for Formula 1 drivers it gets up to 5.2 g. The pressure of the Brembo HTC 64T brake fluid in the MotoGP bikes climbs to 11.9 bar (173 psi), while it peaks at 12.6 bar (183 psi) for the Castrol Edge in the F1 cars.
Turn Three is the slowest on the track with a speed of 64 km/h (40 mph) on entry. Riders clamp on their brakes for 5.5 seconds putting a 5.1 kg (11.2 lbs) load on the lever. The comparison with the four wheelers is less stark since the F1 brakes are used for 2.59 seconds to drop to 84 km/h (52 mph) after braking.
The F1 qualifying record at Red Bull Ring is 1m03.003-seconds. That time is more than 20-seconds faster than the MotoGP qualifying lap record set by Andrea Iannone in 2018 at 1m23.142s. The MotoGP race lap record is currently held by Andrea Dovizioso at 1m24.277s.
The Red Bull Ring in Spielberg brings the series into the realm of passionate KTM fandom with packed and dedicated spectator zones, all of whom will be cheering the Red Bull KTM crews in the midst of another season of achievement and landmarks. Almost 93,000 visitors lined the green slopes on race day in 2018.
KTM will be able to count on plenty of support from their home country this weekend
KTM continue to go their own way in regards to the chassis and suspension on their MotoGP project. While every other team on the grid use Ohlins suspension, and thus have a massive amount of data to draw on from almost the entire MotoGP grid at every event, KTM use their own WP suspension.
2019 KTM RC16 MotoGP
Also going against the established grain in regards to MotoGP, and modern sportsbikes in general, KTM also continue with their trademark orange painted steel trellis frame.
KTM RC16 MotoGP
For the first time on home turf near their Austrian HQ at Mattighofen, KTM will have a quartet of RC16s on the MotoGP grid, and the full scope of the factory’s ‘ladder’ through road racing will be evident again with the fifth round of seven of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup kicking off proceedings with the very first race of the weekend on Saturday evening.
Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsport Director
“Our home Grand Prix is something we really look forward to every year. Of course it comes with expectancy and enthusiasm but it is one of the best chances to show – and to reward – all the KTM people that have worked for this project that spreads through all the factory. We like to think that we’ve given Austrian fans something to be proud of and seeing that big grandstand full of orange is special. We have pushed hard to establish a structure that we hope will produce some very good results and positive benefits for KTM in road racing and will soon near the success we’ve had in so many other areas of our racing programme. Red Bull Ring is a great place when it is full and you can hear and see those bikes at top speed. We hope everyone has a great time.”
KTM will be able to count on plenty of support from their home country this weekend
In the premier class KTM have enjoyed another campaign of milestones since ending only their second term in MotoGP with a maiden podium result at Valencia last November. Pol Espargaro – third that day at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit – has qualified on the second row of the grid on two occasions (Circuit of the Americas and Automotodrom Brno), achieved a best race classification of 6th at Le Mans and registered five top ten results (as well as points in every round).
Pol Espargaro
“It’s been a pretty good year, for the moment I think we’ve done good races and qualifying, been in the top ten a lot of times and we’ve been in top positions a few times in qualifying and practice sessions. We’re developing the KTM quite well, getting into good positions and having fun in the races, and now we’re at our home GP which is so important and so nice. Last year I couldn’t race here, it was very frustrating waiting for that race the whole year and then having that huge crash just the race before, being in hospital watching the guys. So finally we’ll be there and with the KTM fans, I’m so happy to be there and try and do the best race possible, hopefully the best race of the season which is going to be difficult…but we’ll try!”
Pol Espargaro gets up close and personal with the RC16 for a photo shoot at KTM HQ
Team-mate Johann Zarco has spent the season trying to adapt his style and mould the idiosyncrasies of the RC16 to his liking but is making progress – as evidenced by his mastery of damp conditions to clock Red Bull KTM’s first front row qualification slot with 3rd at Automotodrom Brno last weekend. The Frenchman has accumulated points in all but two Grands Prix.
Johann Zarco
“I’m feeling happy at the moment, it’s always nice to come here to the factory. As a rider and loving the mechanical side of it, it’s always nice. And it gives you some extra motivation, because when you see this place and everyone working here, you feel maybe it’s possible to do even better. So I’m feeling good and I cross my fingers we’ll have a good weekend.”
KTM will be able to count on plenty of support from their home country this weekend
The alignment with Red Bull KTM Tech3 in 2019 has been a fundamental part of the firm’s progression at the peak of the sport. The laps and effort totalled by Miguel Oliveira (the rookie impressing with his pace and dedication) and Hafizh Syahrin has added valuable data and understanding of the finer margins in MotoGP: a competition regularly split by hundredths of a second. Oliveira has pointed in six of the first ten fixtures of the year and along with the full contingent of KTM MotoGP riders the Portuguese rookie and his Malaysian team-mate visitied the nearby KTM HQ at Mattighofen ahead of this weekend’s race.
Miguel Oliveira
“I’m super excited, it’s a home GP for us with KTM and Red Bull, all the bosses are going to be there! It’s definitely a nice moment in the project to put in a good result for them, we have a good army of orange KTMs up there on the grid and hopefully we’ll have a strong weekend.”
KTM riders post outside of KTM HQ
Hafizh Syahrin
“This is the second time I’ve been here, the first time was at the beginning of the season in winter, it was too cold and driving out it was full of snow! It’s great coming somewhere like here, we’ve done a lot with the other riders and I’ve enjoyed it. And we’ve seen how they make the bikes. I drove the truck out the factory and it was an amazing experience.”
Hafizh Syahrin hamming it up for the camera at KTM HQ
When it comes the other categories, Aron Canet leads the ever-unpredictable Moto3 contest on his RC4 while Red Bull KTM Ajo will again field the exciting and evolving talent of the Öncü twins. In Moto2 the same prolific team will give the new version of the RC12 its second run out in 2019 around the Austrian curves and in the capable hands of former Moto3 World Champions Brad Binder and Jorge Martin.
Brad Binder
“It was super cool. It’s my fourth trip to the factory this year but it’s the first time I’ve really had to do anything! It was cool to see how everything works. So thanks to the guys for having us – or putting up with us – today! This is a big weekend for us, a huge weekend for the team, KTM and Red Bull, so obviously I want to get a great result for the guys. We’ve done a lot of hard work this year and they really deserve it, so looking into the weekend I hope to make it my best of the season so far.”
Even the lift at KTM HQ is factory spec (L-R Zarco, Öncü, Binder and Oliveira)
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