The 2022 BMW R 18 B and R 18 Transcontinental are great bikes once they get rolling, but they can be ponderous to maneuver at lower speeds – especially sharp turns – due to the stock handlebar’s 45-degree rearward sweep. Enter the Tour Commander bar from HeliBars.
The new Tour Commander bar is specifically for the R 18 B and R 18 Transcontinental and is 1 inch wider than stock, with a more relaxed wrist angle (a 22-degree angle versus the stock 45 degree angle), providing more comfort and better steering leverage and control.
The relaxed 22-degree wrist angle and increased width of the Tour Commander from HeliBars can be seen in comparison with the stock bar above it.
The bar can be rotated forward almost 6 inches above stock bar height for taller riders or mounted 3 inches closer for shorter riders. The bar is currently available in black powdercoat starting at $479.
Stay tuned! Rider will announce its 2022 Motorcycle of the Year on Thursday, Sept. 15.
Eligible contenders include more than 60 new/updated motorcycles that have been released and were available for testing in the past year since we selected the Yamaha Tracer 9 GT as our 2021 Motorcycle of the Year.
Yamaha Tracer 9 GT, Rider’s 2021 Motorcycle of the Year (Photo by Kevin Wing)
We’ll announce two MOTY finalists each day over the next week on social media, and we’ll unveil the winner on Thursday, Sept. 15. You can follow us here:
Check out our 2022 motorcycle buyers guide, which lists most of the contenders (a few early 2023 models were also in the running). See the full list below.
Add your comment to this post about who you think should win!
North America’s largest rally is set to kick off mid-October.
Begin Press Release:
Sonora Rally Goes Back to the Future
A Fresh Take on a Classic Event
Autumn is just around the corner. Days become shorter, the sun shines a bit softer, and the rally season is soon coming to an end, making way for a fresh, impending World Championship. But not before an intimate local race, typically opening the year, can make its mark on the community. October 17th – 22nd, teams from all over will find themselves South of the Border to face a few adversaries on the clock: Mexico and themselves…
The Sonora Rally is proud to have again this year Method Race Wheels as the Presenting Sponsor and Yokohama Tire as the Official Tire Sponsor. But perhaps a bit more exciting is the introduction of another major player. US powersports brand, POLARIS INC has come onboard as an important partner of the organization. As the new Official Bivouac Sponsor, they’ve joined a formidable cadre of industry powerhouses, including Method and Yokohama, to bring Canadians, Americans and Mexicans alike an incredible competition right outside their backdoor. And as many other famous motorsports events have also proven, the multifaceted trials, terrain, cultures and cuisines here attract people from around the globe. Providing premiere products for performance, pleasure and utilitarian needs, Polaris’ side-by-side lineup is the perfect platform for contenders either striving for the top step or solely attempting a strong finish.
Fresh faces and budding relationships just add substance to the already evolving logistics. Significant changes have occurred in the present itinerary to diversify itself from the previous Covid-affected year, which should give attendees a taste of nostalgia. At last! The rally is finally going back to its roots. Starting with a great send off from Parque La Ruina at everyone’s favorite Mexican state capitol, Hermosillo. The familiar vistas and textured topography of “Seri Land” – the local native reservation – will take the tournament through many treasured locations on what might feel like those same stages of the past. But in fact, these routes will offer participants new obstacles, new WayPoints and new memories to take home with them.
Whether it’s by Bike, Quad or UTV, this year is going to be one for the books, especially with the inclusion of the Malle Moto (or “trunk”) category. The moto-only group stands out for its demand on the riders. Completely self-sufficient save for (very) few services, pilots are allotted only the tools, parts, equipment and any necessary personal items that fit in their single issued box. In most cases, this doesn’t include the single spare set of wheels and tires, headlight, tent or travel bag which the administration will transport for them as well. But it’s still quite minimal. They must be the athlete, the mechanic and the coach, all at once. Any apparent assistance could lead to disqualification, so this is not for the faint of heart. And as new regulations for the Road to Dakar competition will no longer accept current or former Factory Pros in any applicable sport, the diverse list of amateurs has grown immensely in the Bikes sector. With some even choosing to bring only a trunk. Ballsy.
Finishing the Dakar in 2020, Kyle McCoy was eager to dive into the saga of such an infamous race. And what he found was startling. Now realizing that no American, in 43 years, had ever finished, let alone won, the Malle Moto class, he set out to create an all-star team of grassroots riders to break some long-overdue records. And so, the American Rally Originals (“ARO”) were born. Their goal is no small feat. Evidently, the US barely has a presence the grueling “Original by Motul” class, yet these five men – McCoy, Paul Neff, David Pearson, Jim Pearson and Morrison “Mo” Hart – each intend to reach the proverbial checkered flag, in arguably the most difficult division of Dakar.
“It’s like choosing to run the Iditarod rather than taking a dog sled.” – David Pearson, Team Manager.
Knowing that the Sonora Rally is the only event of its kind in North America which truly offers the proper training ground to prep for the international rally raid circuit, this is their last stop in a big push to the finish line in Saudi Arabia. And they’re sharing that experience with similarly unhinged entrants. Those brave souls who want to take a difficult challenge and make it brutal now have the opportunity to compete just as the pioneers of the sport did in the 70s and 80s. This class is an ode to the “good ol’ days” when Malle was the only way. It’s a firsthand take on a historic race for a fraction of the price without sacrificing any of the grit, the authenticity or the incredible bivouac food.
Registration for Sonora Rally 2022 is still open, but space is very limited. More than ever it’s an opportunity to test your limits, have an adventure and reach for your rally dreams. To learn more or to register, visit: https://sonorarally.com/ Or, check them out on Instagram @sonorarally & @aventura.eventos. If you’d like to contribute to the American Rally Originals race efforts, visit their GoFundMe page to donate and learn about the team.
Long ago I wrote a story about traveling across the USA on an old, 1971 360cc Yamaha Enduro motorcycle. It was called Toxic Tour with the subtitle, The First Annual Blue Haze Across America Tour. I had grand plans of organizing a two-stroke only cross country motorcycle ride like the Three Flags Tour put on by the Southern California Motorcycle Association. Editor Brian Catterson’s warning to never call anything “the first annual” until a second one happened proved prescient. The Second Annual Blue Haze Across America Tour never happened.
The main reason it never happened is because I have no idea how to organize and plan such a massive undertaking. I guess I thought the event would just magically take place because I uttered the words out loud. Motorcycle events require many selfless people working behind the scenes to make the idle talk happen. I still like the idea of an all two-stroke pan-USA motorcycle tour but someone else will have to make it a reality. Robert Pandya comes to mind as someone who could pull it off.
R.I.P.
Which brings us to the (hopefully temporary) defunct Motorado Motorcycle show. The Motorado was a great, classic motorcycle show held each year in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Motorado died out around Covid time and try as I might, I can’t find any information online about a 2022 show. Motorado’s Facebook page responded to my query with “ Unfortunately no show this year, lack of interest.” Adding these bits of information together I suspect there won’t be a Motorado show in 2022.
The thing is, I really enjoyed riding whatever moto-clunker I had that would run the 200 miles to Santa Fe. It was always sunny and warm in September; a great group of riders and motorcycle fixers gathered to chat bikes. You could buy an ice-cold beer from the restaurant located at the venue and sit on a bench looking at a Husky 400 or a Triumph T160. All those pleasurable feelings are gone now.
I admit I’m part of the problem, as I never volunteered to work the show or even joined the Motorado club. I cherry picked all the fun and left others to clean up the mess. I miss the Motorado and want something like that to happen again in Santa Fe. So I’m going to make it happen again, even if it’s only on the tiniest scale.
Working within my expansive limitations, the inaugural ExhaustNotes Santa Fe Vintage Motorcycle Hang Out will take place on Saturday September 24, 2022. The event will be held at the same mini-mall location as the previous Motorado shows were held. The address is 7 Caliente Road near the intersection of Highway 285 and Avenida Vista Grande.
The mall is about a block west of 285 and a block south of Avenida Vista Grande. You can see the mini-mall from the intersection. Since it will take me a few hours to ride up there the start time will be noon. Feel free to get there earlier if you like; don’t wait on me as my old RD350 may break down on the way north. The show will end whenever we want to leave. I plan to hang out until 3pm-ish then head south towards home. I don’t like to ride in the dark.
The Inaugural Hang Out is free to attend and there are no rules or classes as the show is not organized or judged in any way. It is literally a hang out. No trophies will be awarded. Try to ride an old motorcycle if you can so we have something interesting to look at. If you have vintage dirt bikes or a non-running street bike trailer them in.
7 Caliente RdSanta Fe, NM 87508
There is a nice restaurant in the mini-mall called Santa Fe Brewing Company. The Brewing Company has good beer and air conditioning so I might hang out there for lunch. For the vegans there is an excellent bagel/coffee shop next to the hardware store. At least it was there last time I visited.
Since this is a non-organized, non-sponsored event I have made no arrangements with the mini-mall management. There is no special parking but the east side of the mall has a large dirt lot that no one parks in. We could line up the bikes there and be out of the way of normal commerce. Swag, like T-shirts or ball caps will not be available so dress accordingly. I will bring some ExhaustNotes stickers along but I find it hard to believe anyone would want them when they have no idea what or who ExhaustNotes is. Ask me and I’ll give you one.
Look, I harbor no illusions about the success of this event; I fully expect that I will be the only one that shows up. I’m prepared to sit alone for a few hours and talk to myself about the purple RD350 that I’ll ride to 7 Caliente Road. Wes Baca from Albuquerque might make the show on his H2 Kawasaki or his CT70 Honda so that will make two of us.
What I really want is the old Motorado show back, but until that happens we can go through the motions and enjoy a fine day in Santa Fe, New Mexico chatting about and looking at old motorcycles. And that’s a pretty good way to spend a Saturday.
Even if you can’t attend please share this blog on your social media. You never know who might be interested and live close enough to burble their vintage bike over to Santa Fe. When you get there, look for the little old man drinking a beer and sitting lonely next to a purple RD350 Yamaha. That will be me.
What little tike wouldn’t want to rip around on the KTM SX-E 3?
Begin press Release:
KTM GROWS THE E-MINI RANGE WITH THE KTM SX-E 3
MURRIETA, Calif. – KTM North America, Inc. is pleased to introduce the latest innovation in the E-Mini range with the addition of the 2023 KTM SX-E 3. Positioning itself at the grassroots level, the 2023 KTM SX-E 3 charges into the electric lineup as the ideal starter package for aspiring young riders. With a tailored power output, smaller wheels, and lower seat height, it is the perfect choice for riders still finding their feet – and throttle.
KTM’s electrified motorcycle family now includes the new KTM SX-E 3, a beginner-friendly e-mini that joins the KTM FREERIDE E-XC and KTM SX-E 5. Following its success building the Micro-E class at Loretta Lynn’s Amateur National Motocross Championship, the KTM SX-E 5 has become a favorite with young mini racers and their parents. This innovative machine has paved the way for the new KTM SX-E 3, taking its position as a true entry-level motorcycle and a steppingstone into the world of motocross.
Like the KTM SX-E 5, the KTM SX-E 3 delivers the same high-quality and advanced technology as its more powerful counterpart. Featuring the same chromium molybdenum frame, durable suspension, and advanced lightweight construction, the KTM SX-E 3 retains all the “big bike” attributes, but in more user-friendly packaging.
The KTM SX-E 5 and KTM SX-E 3 share the same permanent magnet electric motor, but the KTM SX-E 3 has a lower output of 3.8 kW (KTM SX-E 5 = 5 kW). Housed in a die-cast aluminum battery casing, 60 Li-Ion cells provide a capacity of 648 Wh in a low 48 V configuration (KTM SX-E 5 = 84 Li-Ion cells with 907 Wh), resulting in approximately 2 hours of ride time between charges.
Upfront, 35 mm non-adjustable WP XACT USD forks take care of the bumps, providing 144 mm of wheel travel. On the rear, a WP monoshock is mounted directly to the swingarm, offering 133 mm of travel, and is perfectly matched to the front forks.
In keeping with its smaller dimensions, the KTM SX-E 3 is fitted with 10″ black-anodized lightweight aluminum wheels front and rear, wrapped in MAXXIS MX-ST tires. This complements the stock seat height of 600 mm / 23.6 in.
The KTM SX-E 3 also features an adjustable seat height, which can be reduced to 555 mm / 21.8 in by lowering the bodywork/seat, mounting the rear shock in an alternative position, and lowering the front fork in the triple clamps.
Additionally, the KTM SX-E 3 is fitted with a roll-over sensor, which will cut power after a tip-over. This is supported by a wrist-worn lanyard key, which also stops the motor. In terms of accessibility, the low noise and zero emissions make the KTM SX-E 3 more approachable to younger riders by being less intimidating and more accepted in areas where riding is often restricted.
Keeping the KTM SX-E 3 charged is easy thanks to an external charger supplying up to 900 W. This can be connected to any 110- or 230-Volt socket and plugs directly into the battery pack for easy charging, with a full charge from empty taking approximately 70 minutes.
The KTM SX-E 3 sets the benchmark for electric-powered mini-motorcycles, showcasing KTM’s commitment to creating opportunities for broader electric mobility by changing mindsets, starting in the mini-cross arena.
Look for the 2023 KTM SX-E 3 at authorized KTM dealers from October onward.
The following feature was originally published in the September issue of Rider and tells the story of a young aspiring motojournalist in the early 1990s rubbing elbows with his heroes – Grand Prix world champions such as Wayne Rainey, Kevin Schwantz, John Kocinski, and Mick Doohan – at the famous Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey County, California.
Wayne “Mr. Clean” Rainey and the author, Glen “Baby Face” Weaver, who forgot to remove his freebie Honda cap before posing with Yamaha’s World Champion rider. Photo by Eugene Leydiker.
It was that shriek. Something wicked this way comes.
On a foggy spring morning in 1989, my teenage self eagerly pressed against a spectator fence overlooking the Turn 1 summit at Laguna Seca Raceway, and I could hear and feel the wickedness approaching. Wayne Rainey was winding up his beast.
This was the era of absolute lunacy on brutally unforgiving analog 2-strokes. Before programmable powerbands, quickshifters, or even fuel injection, Grand Prix motorcycles dared riders to tame them by feel alone.
Soaring torque outputs with old-school carburetors. Tires struggling to provide enough side grip. Simply surviving on a 500cc GP bike required exquisite throttle timing with adroit pressure on the controls. And as Americans raised the ante, success demanded peak physical conditioning to precisely wrestle one’s mount into submission for an hourlong race.
Even with four world championships, Eddie Lawson still had to push his own bike back to the pits after the plug chop.
Easily the most mesmerizing show on Earth.
I soaked it all up for three glorious days. There was Rainey’s howling two-wheeled drift over that hill at 150 mph. Shrieking engines and the rich smell of exhaust heavy with 2-stroke oil. Warm coastal sunshine after the fog burns off. The delightful exhaustion and feeling of brotherhood being among the cavalcade of streetbikes rumbling away from the track each evening.
Wayne Rainey sweeps into Turn 9 at Laguna Seca during the 1991 U.S. Grand Prix. Photo by Eugene Leydiker.
Of course, I wanted even more. I wanted to get as close as possible to these superstars, the fastest men on the planet. Could a wide-eyed young fan like me slip behind the scenes into the rarefied air of international racing drama?
Starting Line
My personal motorcycling adventures had begun nearby just a couple of years earlier. Attending college in Santa Cruz had fortuitously put me at basecamp to some of the most wonderfully twisty asphalt on the West Coast, including State Highways 9, 35, and 84 near Alice’s Restaurant.
Real racers and wannabes sliced through these legendary routes, especially on Sunday mornings. For the most part the roads were smooth, banked, and lightly traveled – ideal for carving it up with weapons of dramatic lean angles and extreme acceleration.
Summer work had afforded me a hopped-up Honda 600 Hurricane in sexy charcoal gray and red. I fell in love with this rocket, and we became inseparable, exploring this sport-riding playground every chance we got. Exposure to racing taught me to approach those fabulous curves as combinations to smooth out the sequences and find a flow.
Full of unearned confidence after acquiring a very fast bike, the author poses in Seaside, California, at 18 years of age. Photo by Sandra Weaver.
A stretch of Highway 84 running west from Sky Londa quickly became my favorite. The pavement was older, but its long constant-radius sweepers allowed me to settle in at high tilt and enjoy the roller-coaster ride.
No matter the destination, zipping up my leathers and mounting the throaty Hurricane made me feel like a superhero. I often rode up to campus late at night just to take in the twinkling lights below. I became Batman, brooding atop Gotham City.
The author admits it was only luck that saved him from fines and crashes during his early sport-riding years. Photo by Ben Pobst.
But how does one go from hero to immortal? How could I get close to those racing gods?
My buddy Eugene had enrolled down south at UC San Diego. During a visit, he showed me his school’s notorious satire rag, The Koala. On a lark, their goofball writers had managed to secure an interview with one of the San Diego Padres.
Then it hit me. If those college kids could access MLB players, perhaps we could pull the same trick at Laguna Seca. It seemed a long shot, but Santa Cruz did have a rudimentary student-run newspaper called The Redwood Review. I convinced the sports editor to submit media requests for us on their crude letterhead.
Word came back – we had qualified as local press. We would soon be rubbing elbows with world champions!
And so, on April 19, 1991, trying to play it cool, Eugene and I eased through the first security checkpoint. No fans allowed – just teams, officials, and reporters. It was like being dropped into one of the highlight videos I’d been recording on ESPN.
The author looks over his shoulder, certain he will be busted at any moment by paddock security. Photo by Eugene Leydiker.
Laguna Seca Paddock Pass
Racers were easily spotted getting ready for practice or debriefing with mechanics afterward. Between sessions, a few took refuge in motorhomes, but most strolled around to chat with one another or bask in the California sun.
As the action began, Eugene and I split up to maximize our all-access photography credentials. In certain corners, like the top of the world-famous Corkscrew, Laguna’s terrain allowed me to perch almost near enough to touch the riders’ leathers as they swept by. The bikes were so shiny, their engines spoke of such daring, and that acrid exhaust filled my nostrils. Best parade ever.
Mick Doohan drops his Honda NSR500 into the Corkscrew, where photographers could get very close. Photo by the author
Then I started worrying about my amateur appearance. Would youth and lack of serious camera gear betray me? I tried to relax and learn from the professionals. I carefully observed how they chose angles and timing, hoping for something extraordinary. In the days before digital, we exposed lots of film and hoped for the best.
Eugene and I reconnected often at the main media tent to relish the busy scene made more interesting by international flavor. A variety of languages could be overheard as journalists from around the globe covered this sole American round of the World Championship.
As we devoured complimentary box lunches, high-quality press kits filled with glossy photos began appearing like party gift bags. Hats, notebooks, and other promotional swag abounded. I greedily grabbed one of everything and, like a shameless tourist, donned a garish pink Honda cap.
Heat of Battle
The story on track was looking familiar as Rainey dominated practice. He masterfully prepared his Yamaha to run fastest on the capricious cold tires and full fuel load that spooked others at race start. Rainey’s plan was to break away early to dispirit the competition. Make them give up hope.
Four-time world champion Eddie Lawson often employed psychological warfare from the other direction, running quickest at the end of events while rivals suffered fatigue and waning traction. Unfortunately, Lawson was off the pace in a development year for his Italian Cagiva team. Suzuki’s ever jovial Kevin Schwantz struggled all weekend in search of rear-end grip.
Kevin Schwantz guides his Suzuki into an extreme lean angle through the double-apex Turn 2 at Laguna Seca. Photo by the author.
The factory Honda squad always had a chance with their demon of power-sliding at the controls. Australian Mick Doohan enjoyed leveraging his distinctive sideways body position to get the NSR500 spinning and howling, but we wondered if his tire could endure that abuse on such a tight circuit.
Mick Doohan, his girlfriend, and 250cc ace Luca Cadalora await the start of a press conference. Photo by the author.
Prospects for a challenge at the front likely fell to Rainey’s new teammate, John Kocinski.
Kocinski had undeniable natural talent and ample mental fortitude thanks to his successful 250 title campaign the previous season. Both Californians were pupils of Grand Prix maverick Kenny Roberts, training together at Roberts’ famed Modesto ranch, where riding 100cc bikes flat-track style kept everyone sharp.
Kocinski’s colorful character added to the intrigue. “Little John” liked expensive men’s fashion, and his fastidious nature even drew ribbing from team boss Roberts. When a Spanish rider bought Kocinski’s used motorhome, he complained the curtains had shrunk from over-laundering.
At Saturday’s headlining press conference, Kocinski made things clear. “Don’t bet against me,” he said with a seriousness characteristic of champions. “I’m going out there tomorrow to prove I’m king of this place.”
John Kocinski allows the front wheel of his YZR500 to loft as he transitions his body for the next turn. Photo by the author.
Eugene and I had arrived early for prime seats at the press conference, still in disbelief that we were about to address these titans. Alas, dreams of investigative glory quickly dissipated. My mind went blank under the pressure. I managed only tepid, conservative questions met by bland, professional answers, especially from Honda’s Wayne Gardner, who seemed to regard the assembly with a casual disdain.
Then a reporter behind me asked Gardner about his two consecutive crashes in Turn 6, and the mood suddenly became much livelier.
“You gotta be a real dick to ask a question like that,” Gardner mused. He turned to fellow Australian and teammate Doohan to back him up. “Don’t you have to be a real dick to ask that?”
Doohan smiled nervously. The reporter was now beet red, wishing he were somewhere else. After a bit more grumbling, Gardner furnished a terse reply about staying focused. As the press corps continued to murmur, I recalled watching videos of Gardner riding post-race victory laps, giving the universal “piss off” gesture to his competitors.
It’s Better to Burnout Than Fade Away
There was one more event on the afternoon schedule: a public burnout contest. With no idea what to expect from this hooliganism, I certainly wasn’t going to miss it.
Many of these bikes bore witness to their owners’ mania. Customizations included wheelie bars, ear-splitting pipes, and of course, massive rear tires. Not their first rodeo. Even more entertaining were those dressed in mischievous attire. My favorite was the Grim Reaper on a classic Kawasaki.
The Grim Reaper lights up his Kawasaki during Saturday night’s trackside burnout contest. Photo by the author.
The most skillful burnouts included working up through the gears and spinning sideways, painting a full circle onto the concrete. Roasting the rubber until it popped brought a roar from the large crowd.
Other photographers hung back against the grandstand fence, but I had learned something about angles. I strolled out near the marshals to frame contestants against the boisterous audience. A perfect backdrop. One of the workers handed me a beer as I snapped a few choice pictures. Life was good.
Spectators and photographers watch as a rider on a Kawasaki with a wheelie bar does a burnout. Photo by the author.
We took in Monterey’s vibe after dark. Normally quiet and conservative – known for golf, seafood, and sanitized-for-your-convenience tourism – the city was transformed into a scene from The Wild One as thousands of bikes streamed in from across the country.
We’re not just talking crotch rockets. There were just as many hell-raisers on Harleys and other raucous low-riders. Downtown Alvarado Street became an impromptu dragstrip where all the rowdies could be seen and heard well into the night.
Laguna Seca Flag Drop
On Sunday, the time for fine-tuning was over. At the green flag, Schwantz and Rainey bumped while powering side-by-side over the hill, but by Turn 3, Rainey was in the zone, executing perfect lines in a razor-sharp dance of man and machine.
“Stormin’ Kevin Schwantzkopf” led Mick Doohan into Turn 5 during Sunday’s race but would fade to third at the checkered flag. Photo by Eugene Leydiker.
All eyes were on Kocinski carefully working his way into second place and a clear view of his teammate’s tailpipe by lap six. Rainey’s strategy would pay off once again, however. His imposing 4-second lead seemed to rattle Kocinski, who grabbed too much throttle out of Turn 2 and was slammed to the asphalt.
Kocinski runs to pick up his downed Yamaha after crashing at the exit of Turn 2 during the race. Photo by Eugene Leydiker.
He instantly sprang up and sprinted for his bike. Watching from the media center balcony, I started screaming into my voice recorder, and Eugene was perfectly placed below to get the money shot: a photo of Kocinski desperately trying to bend his Yamaha back into shape.
Kocinski desperately tries to bend his YZR500 back into shape after highsiding himself and his bike onto the asphalt. Photo by Eugene Leydiker.
Rainey sped away, and Doohan provided entertainment on his way to second place. Surely the weekend’s most astonishing sight was his Honda laying down 50-foot black streaks over Turn 1 at top speed, often with the front wheel simultaneously pawing the air. Gardner was decidedly less spectacular as he ran off course in Turn 6 for the third year in a row, though he stayed on two wheels this time.
Kocinski did not hang around to congratulate the winner. Infuriated by his mistake, he tried speeding away on the shoulder of Laguna’s exit road in his rental car. When stopped by police, Kocinski reportedly deployed the old “Do you know who the <bleep> I am?” gambit. This ended in his arrest. Three weeks later, a British reporter made the mistake of opening a Kocinski interview with: “I understand you had a run-in with the local constabulary?”
Champagne flows freely from the winner’s rostrum after the 500cc final. Photo by the author.
At the end of the weekend, we didn’t want to leave. This was now holy ground, a sprawling cathedral for what was fast becoming my religion. I’d even spent time with writer “Nasty” Nick Ienatsch, whose magazine articles had pulled me into the sport. Thrilled that Ienatsch was my first official interview, I listened raptly as he described privateer racing efforts on a 250 GP bike. Would this kick off my own journalism career?
Motojournalist Nick Ienatsch chats with family and friends next to his Del Amo Yamaha TZ250 prior to a practice session. Photo by the author.
My paper’s sports guy was enthusiastic for a big spread, but the editor cut our final layout down to one page. I pressed onward, eager to build on my momentum. I soon began writing for more appreciative audiences in larger publications.
But those are tales for another day. First and foremost, I remain a huge fan, especially of the guys who did it by feel alone.
Yamaha’s all-new YZF-R1 GYTR/GYTRPro. Media sourced from Motorcycle.com.
Meet the track-only YZF-R1 GYTR/GYTRPro – Yamaha’s first-ever GYTR (Genuine Yamaha Technology Racing) package for their biggest supersport offering.
This thing is the closest you’ll ever get to having a WSB-spec bike under your caboose (discounting, of course, those WSB-contracted legends that yoink about on the daily).
In giving us the package deal all set to go, Yamaha’s deliberately freed up space in the ol’ garage; care to know the pretty penny needed to get her in there?
Yamaha’s all-new YZF-R1 GYTR/GYTRPro. Media sourced from Motorcycle.com.
According to Motorcycle.com, you’re hovering aruond the €25,000 – €30,000 mark for the privilege of ownership…though the price certainly comes with a list of perks.
Over 25 bonus performance-orientated parts, ‘bring the bike in line with FIM Superstock 1000 rules,’ including full Öhlins suspension, an Akrapovič Race pipe, Brembo master cylinder brakes (complete with Brembo Z04 brake pads and stainless steel brake lines), underslung rear calipers, a handy wiring harness, and a brand spankin’ new ECU – all of which will likely complement whichever color you decide to dress your race cowl.
Yamaha’s all-new YZF-R1 GYTR/GYTRPro. Media sourced from Motorcycle.com.
“With our R series, combined with the GYTR Racing parts, we try to cater to two target groups,” enthuses Yamaha Europe’s racing product management lead, Leon Oosterhof to MCN.
“The first is what we call the track enthusiasts, who are basically trackday riders wanting to enjoy a few trackdays a year, but when they go, they really want to enjoy it…the technology and…cool machine.”
Yamaha’s all-new YZF-R1 GYTR/GYTRPro. Media sourced from Motorcycle.com.
“There is a part of that market, of course that will always prefer to choose a used machine as a base and that’s understandable, but that’s not something we as a manufacturer can tap into. What we are trying to do is to try and be very accessible in what we offer.”
Like what you see?
Yamaha’s all-new YZF-R1 GYTR/GYTRPro. Media sourced from Motorcycle.com.
Be sure to drop a comment below letting us know what you think – we love hearing from you.
Stay tuned for all things bikes, and as always – stay safe on the twisties.
The jury is out – and of all the machines on the Misano’s Wednesday circuit, Yamaha’s Monster Energy team saw the quickest rider!
Doing the honors was none other than Fabio Quartararo, who – according to a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha via Roadracing World – is really liking the bike Yammie gave him.
This past Wednesday saw reigning 2021 MotoGP Champion, Fabio Quartararo, logging the quickest times at the Misano Test. Media sourced from Motorsport Magazine.
The relevance of this is night and day; if you recall, Quartararo refused to sign on with the Japanese marque until they were able to give him a bike worthy of his talents at the yoink – and fair.
This is MotoGP’s reigning 2021 Champion, after all.
“His improved feeling with his YZR-M1 put the Frenchman in a great mood as he tested fairings and winglets in the afternoon,” states the report.
This past Wednesday saw reigning 2021 MotoGP Champion, Fabio Quartararo, logging the quickest times at the Misano Test. Media sourced from Roadracing World.
“Quartararo clocked 288.3 km/h in the pre-lunchtime running on Wednesday, third on that metric at less than 2 km an hour slower than Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racig) Recorded on one of the Bologna Bullets…‘El Diablo’ admitted he used a slip stream to achieve that speed, but was still quite happy with what the Iwata manufacturer has rolled out.”
With the 2022 World Championship not too far away (and a purported new chassis situ for Team Blue), we’ll be looking forward to seeing the results hit the 2022 docket.
This past Wednesday saw reigning 2021 MotoGP Champion, Fabio Quartararo, logging the quickest times at the Misano Test. Media sourced from Roadracing World.
Join us after Sept 16 for the festivities, drop a comment below letting us know what you think, and as ever – stay safe on the twisties.
