A motorcycle ride may be one of the best ways to overcome winter blues, and it’s a way to keep reminding you that spring is on its way. Riding out in the crisp and cold air is revitalizing. Riding motorcycles during sub-freezing winter temperatures can be scary to some riders. But for others who enjoy the thrill of it, winter is nothing but a new riding season, with some challenges and fun all on its own.
Motorcycle Fall Hazards
It’s a fact that not all winter days are snowy and icy; however, if you want to be a seasoned rider no matter what the season, watch out for hazardous surfaces that surface during winter. Being alert during your winter ride can sharpen and hone your skills in perfect time for spring.
Here are some of the motorcycle fall hazards during winter:
1. Black Ice
Winter presents a lot of challenges like black ice. This kind of ice got its name because it’s thin enough to show through the black color of asphalt, which technically makes it hard to notice or see. Black ice typically forms on the surfaces of the road, much similar to frost forms found on your lawn.
The Black ice can take place when the temperature of the air is above freezing and when the surface temperature of the road is below freezing. You have to watch out for that formation in areas near bridges and places where the road surface is under a shade. Drive slowly in the sites where there are rampant rain run-offs or melted snow.
The height for black ice is late in the evening and early dawn so you have to be extra careful when you ride during those times in winter.
2. Salt and Sand
Salt is capable of lowering the temperature that water freezes at and starts to melt ice on the road. Sand can make your wheel skid. This combination can make roads a lot safer during the winter storms. But when the roads are dry, the sand and salt will accumulate in places and will be become slippery like ice.
You should be vigilant for sand and salt accumulations at the edge of all lanes because car tires often sweep them off. Be more cautious when you turn across the area with intersections. Slow down in turns and choose your lines wisely, as it can be difficult to predict when you spot a lot of salt and sand accumulations in blind spots.
3. Potholes
Smooth roads will begin to degrade during the fall season and within the first winter weeks. Potholes will upset your steering and can damage your wheels and tires. A pothole that’s filled with thin ice is an accident waiting to happen.
Winter potholes happen when water infiltrates fine cracks at road surfaces and can seep in between layers of pavement. When this water starts to freeze, this will expand and create a gap between these layers of pavement. Right after the ice melts, this sizeable new gap will collect more water. This repeated cycle of thawing and freezing again undermines the surface’s pavement until it begins to break and will start to create a pothole.
4. Frost Heaves
Frost heaves develop from the repeated cycle of freeze and thaw that creates potholes. They tend to cross the travel lane linearly. They usually appear as long, inverted cracks, but sometimes the road pavement is heaved with no signs of cracks. Passing these sudden bumps can upset your suspension and steering.
5. Slippery Roads
Even without black ice, some roads become more slippery during the winter months. There can be several reasons like water, stones, or ice fragments. While some icy roads are manageable for four-wheel vehicles, these kinds are more dangerous for motorcycles. If you’re not careful, you could skid off the road or fall off a sharp turn.
6. Motorcycle Damage
Perhaps the most critical fall hazard is the effect of cold temperature on your motorcycle. As you know, cold weather can freeze your tires and riding will increase heat around your tire.
Depending on the weather’s temperature, a quick and brief stop will efficiently cool your tire that will provide a lack of traction. Know the proper way to heat your tires. If you can, avoid stopping in zero degree areas.
Protect yourself at all costs. For your motorcycle, maybe choosing a bike protected with carnauba wax can help mitigate damage. Check out thevehiclelab.com’s article on carnauba wax for more information.
Overnight in Argentina five-time World Champion and newly crowned 2019 World Champion, Jonathan Rea, did a fantastic double astride his Kawasaki ZX-10RR, winning both the Tissot Superpole Race and Race Two.
After his second place in Saturday’s Race One, which six riders declined to race in due to safety concerns (Link), the Northern Irish champ reminded everyone that he is the reigning World Champion on Sunday.
WorldSBK Tissot Superpole Race
The Tissot Superpole Race was won by World Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR).
After choosing to change the rear tyre, switching from the X1351 SC0 development solution used in Race 1 to the standard SC0 tyre, the Northern Irishman started well straight away from the third spot on the grid and moved into the race lead on the opening lap, managing to maintain the position all the way to the finish.
Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R) was unable to exploit his pole position start, finishing second, more than two-seconds behind the winner.
An outstanding third place went to Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing / Kawasaki ZX-10RR) while finishing behind him were Chaz Davies on and the Yamaha pairing of Alex Lowes and Michael Van Der Mark.
WorldSBK Tissot Superpole Race Results
J. Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
T. Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
C. Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
A. Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team / Yamaha YZF R1)
M. Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team / Yamaha YZF R1)
S. Cortese (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK / Yamaha YZF R1)
L. Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
T. Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team / BMW S1000 RR)
L. Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
J. Torres (Team Pedercini Racing / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
L. Camier (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team / Honda CBR1000RR)
E. Laverty (Team Goeleven / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
M. Rinaldi (Barni Racing Team / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
M. Melandri (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK / Yamaha YZF R1)
A. Delbianco (Althea Mie Racing Team / Honda CBR1000RR)
M. Reiterberger (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team / BMW S1000 RR)
R. Kiyonari (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team / Honda CBR1000RR)
WorldSBK Race Two
In Race Two Jonathan Rea started from pole position because of his victory in the earlier Superpole Race and led the field. Rea held sway up front until the seventh lap when Álvaro Bautista momentarily managed to snatch the lead.
Alvaro Bautista muscles in on Jonathan Rea
However, Rea was having none of it and on the next lap he took back the position he had lost, and maintained the lead all the way to the chequered flag.
Mid-way through the race Chaz Davies was up on the back of the leading duo and on lap 11 managed to sneak past his team-mate to take second place.
Chaz Davies
The two Aruba Ducati men then diced for a few laps but towards the end of the race Bautista could not match the late race pace and lost touch with Davies before then being overhauled by both Razgatlioglu and Van der Mark in the final laps.
Razgatlioglu
Jonathan Rea the eventual victor by five-seconds over Davies with Razgatlioglu rounding out the podium a further nine-seconds in arrears. Rea extended his consecutive point-scoring finishes run to 45 in a row, the first time a rider has ever achieved this feat.
Toprak Razgatlioglu
Further down the field, Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) had a great race, climbing all the way up to the fringes of the top ten. The home hero picked off Jordi Torres (Team Pedercini Racing) and at Turn 10 with eight laps left then dived up the inside of factory Kawasaki rider Leon Haslam to take eighth place. A lap later, and Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven) sneaked ahead of Haslam and Torres.
Leandro Mercado
With four laps to go, Mercado got the better of Rinaldi at Turn 15, sparking a massive roar from the partisan crown trackside. However, Laverty got ahead of the pair of them on the front straight, pushing Mercado back to eighth whilst the Irishman went in pursuit of his best result since Aragon to take seventh place behind Alex Lowes.
Tom Sykes had retired seven laps into the race with a mechanical issue.
WorldSBK Race Two Results
J. Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
C. Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
T. Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
M. Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team / Yamaha YZF R1)
A. Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team / Yamaha YZF R1)
E. Laverty (Team Goeleven / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
L. Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
J. Torres (Team Pedercini Racing / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
L. Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
M. Rinaldi (Barni Racing Team / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
L. Baz (Ten Kate Racing – Yamaha / Yamaha YZF R1)
L. Camier (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team / Honda CBR1000RR)
M. Melandri (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK / Yamaha YZF R1)
S. Cortese (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK / Yamaha YZF R1)
M. Reiterberger (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team / BMW S1000 RR)
R. Kiyonari (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team / Honda CBR1000RR)
#ARGWorldSBK at Circuito San Juan Villicum: Race 2 1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 2. Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) +5.158 3. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing) +14.511
WSBK Championship Standings
Rea 601
Bautista 460
Lowes 305
Van der Mark 304
Razgatlioglu 299
Haslam 257
Davies 249
Sykes 219
Melandri 173
Torres 132
World Supersport
GMT94 Yamaha Supported WorldSSP rider, Jules Cluzel, secured his third race win of the season with a dominant performance in a thrilling WorldSSP race at Circuito San Juan Villicum overnight. The Frenchman, who celebrated his 31st birthday on the weekend, took over the race lead from his team-mate and pole sitter, Corentin Perolari, two laps into the race and simply rode away from the field to victory.
World Supersport
From the start, it was an all-French affair at the front of the race, with first Perolari and then Cluzel leading the way, pursued by their fellow countryman Lucas Mahias. Cluzel was quick to take advantage of the battle for position going on behind him and with a series of fast laps, including a new lap record, the GMT94 Yamaha rider had pulled out a gap of three seconds at the front by half race distance.
Corentin Perolari leads World Supersport
While Cluzel was focused on pulling away, Bardahl Evan Bros. Yamaha Supported WorldSSP rider, Federico Caricasulo, was steadily making his way through the field, picking off riders as he went to eventually head the group chasing the race leader.
With Mahias, Perolari, Kallio Racing Yamaha’s Isaac Viñales and Bardahl Yamaha teammate, Randy Krummenacher, in his wake, Caricasulo started pushing to reduce Cluzel’s lead, whilst simultaneously defending against attacks from a hard charging Mahias.
Lucas Mahias
With six laps to go Mahias overtook Caricasulo to take second, dragging Krummenacher past the Italian in his wake and Perolari took advantage when the Bardahl Yamaha rider ran wide to also force his way past, relegating Caricasulo to fifth.
Mahias pushed hard to close the gap to Cluzel, but the GMT94 Yamaha rider’s lead proved unsurmountable and he crossed the line with more than a two second advantage to take his third race win of the season. The result saw Cluzel close the gap to championship leader Krummenacher to 22 points and, numerically at least, still a championship contender going into the final round of the season in Qatar.
Lucas Mahias chased Cluze hard but was not able to bridge the gap
Mahias took second place, with Viñales getting the better of a five-way battle to claim a second successive podium finish in third.
Pole sitter Perolari held off the Bardahl Yamaha riders to finish fourth, with Caricasulo fifth and Krummenacher forced to settle for seventh place behind Raffaele De Rosa, after losing ground following contact with his team-mate on the penultimate lap.
Krummenacher retains his lead in the championship standings but saw his advantage over teamate Caricasulo reduced from 10 to 8 points with just the final round in Qatar remaining.
Jules Cluzel – P1
“That was an amazing feeling. Ahead of the race I thought we could secure a good result today, but nothing like this. It was a dream race; I pushed at the beginning, but I didn’t know what pace the others were capable of until I saw that I was pulling away at the front. I could see the gap going up, but when it got to 2.2 seconds it got more difficult as it stayed like that for quite a while. But I wanted three seconds, so I pushed harder and with six laps to go my advantage was slightly more than that. Then I started to relax a little bit and just tried to manage the gap to the end of the race. Like I said, an amazing feeling and massive thanks to the team because this weekend we made a big step and today I had one of the best feelings on the bike.”
Isaac Viñales – P3
“That was an incredible race, but a hard one too! I lost quite a lot of time in the first few laps and had to chase back onto the leading group, then I made a mistake and lost contact again, which meant another chase to recover the couple of seconds lost. I managed to fight my way to the front of the group in the closing stages and then hold everyone off to finish on the podium for the second time in as many races. I’m really happy.”
Argentina WorldSSP Race Results
Jules Cluzel Yamaha FRA 32’45.310
Lucas Mahias Kawasaki FRA 00’02.406
Isaac Vinales Yamaha ESP 00’03.473
Corentin Perolari Yamaha FRA 00’05.700
Federico Caricasulo Yamaha ITA 00’05.768
Raffaele De Rosa MV Agusta ITA 00’06.331
Randy Krummenacher Yamaha CHE 00’07.066
Thomas Gradinger Yamaha AUT 00’14.045
Kyle Smith Honda GBR 00’17.035
Ayrton Badovini Kawasaki ITA 00’25.822
Peter Sebestyen Yamaha HUN 00’30.018
Hikari Okubo Kawasaki JPN 00’30.406
Christian Stange Kawasaki DEU 00’31.573
Loris Cresson Yamaha BEL 00’41.953
Hannes Soomer Honda EST 00’48.523
#ARGWorldSBK WorldSSP at Circuito San Juan Villicum – Race 1. Jules Cluzel (GMT94 YAMAHA) 2. Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +2.406 3. Isaac Viñales (Kallio Racing) +3.473
Honda Motorcycles Australia has recalled 1400 CFR450L dual-sport bikes over an issue with the horn dropping off!
The official recall notice, issued through the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), says the horn bracket may fatigue and fracture “due to insufficient strength and riding vibrations”.
“If the horn bracket fractures, the horn may detach and increase the risk of an accident or injury to the rider and other road users,” the notice says.
Owners will be notified in writing to contact their nearest Honda Motorcycle dealer and arrange to have their motorcycle horn bracket replaced for free.
Even though manufacturers and importers usually contact owners when a recall is issued, the bike may have been sold privately to a rider unknown to the company.
Therefore, Motorbike Writer publishes all motorcycle and scooter recalls as a service to all riders.
If you believe there is an endemic problem with your bike that should be recalled, contact the ACCC on 1300 302 502.
To check whether your motorcycle has been recalled, click on these sites:
Oil leaks from cracks in the rubber hose of the BMW S 1000 RR’s oil cooler have prompted an Australian recall on the 2019 model.
The official notice from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission says the oil leak may spray on to the rear wheel of the motorcycle “increasing the risk of an accident or serious injury to the rider and other road users”.
Owners should contact an authorised BMW Motorrad dealer, or call the BMW Group Australia Customer Interaction Centre on freecall 1800 813 299 to arrange for inspection and replacement of the oil cooler, where required.
The recall on oil leaks affects 77 bikes. The full list of Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) is included at the end of this article.
Even though manufacturers and importers contact owners when a recall is issued, the bike may have been sold privately to a rider unknown to the company.
Therefore, Motorbike Writer publishes all motorcycle recalls as a service to all riders.
In Australia, recall notices are issued by the manufacturer and the Department of Infrastructure through a voluntary industry code under the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
While any recall is not good news for the manufacturer, it shows that they are largely diligent in fixing problems.
Despite hundreds of recalls by various automotive manufacturers, only the Takata airbag recall has ever been mandatory. All others have been issued by the manufacturer.
If you believe there is an endemic problem with your bike that should be recalled, contact the ACCC on 1300 302 502.
To check whether your motorcycle has been recalled, click on these sites:
Six riders elect out of the opening encounter due to track conditions.
Image: Supplied.
The opening race of the Argentinean round at the Circuito San Juan Villicum would see a frantic race for WorldSBK’s second visit to South America. Coming out on top and returning to the forefront of the battle for wins, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) stormed to success.
With the race getting underway, it was Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) who got the launch and barged his way ahead of Bautista at turn one, but Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) capitalised on the two ahead of him nearly colliding to take the lead.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing) was right in contention and nearly clashed with 2020 teammate van der Mark. Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was a strong fifth place whilst Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) had risen to sixth early on.
The race settled down, and the leading four began to battle with each other. Bautista set a strong pace out front, but Jonathan Rea’s relentless pace meant that a battle soon ensued out front. Swapping and changing between the top two in the championship.
A pattern began to form, with Bautista’s Ducati strong in a straight line but Rea’s Kawasaki able to be all over the Spaniard in the corners. Waiting to pick up the pieces were Razgatlioglu and van der Mark, whilst Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) began to pick his way through the field.
With 16 laps left to complete, Michael van der Marks started to drop back from the leading three, as the pace increased. Bautista began to slam in fastest lap after fastest lap and two laps later, Razgatlioglu was the next to be jettisoned from the leading group.
Jonathan Rea valiantly remained with the Spaniard, getting ahead briefly at turn six, only for Ducati power to prevail. Rea would stay on the back of Bautista for a few lap laps, but the five-time Champion couldn’t live with the pace of Bautista.
Meanwhile, Tom Sykes had dropped back, as had eighth-place starter Alessandro Delbianco (Althea Mie Racing Team), down in tenth and battling hard with home-favourite, Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura), both having superb races inside the top 10.
Behind them, Michael Ruben Rinaldi (BARNI Racing Team) had suffered badly and pulled into the pits, although he returned to the track later on. Further ahead of the battle for the lower positions in the top 10, Alex Lowes was being reeled in by Leon Haslam.
The battle between the two was now turning from contract signatures to on-track positions, although the ‘Pocket Rocket’ looked like he would have more pace than Lowes in the closing stages. However, it wouldn’t be the case and Lowes would eventually hold on to fifth position.
With Bautista clearing off at the front, the battle for second ignited, as Razgatlioglu closed in on Jonathan Rea. The Northern Irishman was making mistakes, particularly at turn six, allowing the Turkish star to get on terms. But neither would be able to challenge an incredible Bautista, who returned to winning ways after taking a round off at Magny-Cours.
Rea took second and resisted Razgatlioglu’s onslaught. The Turk wrapped up the accolade of Best Independent Rider in 2019. Fourth went to a determined Michael van der Mark whilst teammate Alex Lowes completed the top five.
Sixth position was Leon Haslam, who faded in the closing laps, whilst Tom Sykes was seventh and top BMW. Eighth place went to Jordi Torres (Team Pedercini Racing), as the second Independent rider home. Leandro Mercado made it to ninth position to the delight of the home crowd, making up for missing FP3 and the Tissot Superpole session.
It was a second top ten of the season for a sensational Alessandro Delbianco, with the Honda rider making it all five manufacturers inside the top ten.
Before the race began, there was a division about riders racing due to the dusty track conditions. The following riders elected not to race, meaning 12 riders took to the track for race one: Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), Sandro Cortese (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK), Marco Melandri (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK), Leon Camier (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team), Ryuichi Kiyonari (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team) and Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven).
In WorldSSP qualifying, Corentin Perolari (GMT94 Yamaha) claimed pole position over Ayrton Badovini (Team Pedercini Racing) and Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha).
From Friday morning, it was immediately clear that the Argentinian track conditions were not the best. After the problems that arose last year, this year about 70% of the track had been resurfaced, but it did not improve the grip due to the vast amount of sand on the asphalt.
For this reason, riders Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R), Sandro Cortese (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK / Yamaha YZF R1), Marco Melandri (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK / Yamaha YZF R1), Leon Camier (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team / Honda CBR1000RR), Riucki Kiyonari (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team / Honda CBR1000RR) and Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven / Ducati Panigale V4 R) decided not to participate in the race as a form of protest.
The remaining twelve riders who lined up on the grid rode the race regularly over a distance of 21 laps on a 49-degree track temperature.
Argentina World SBK Race One
After taking pole position in the Superpole session held in the late morning, in Race 1, Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R) maintained the race lead from start to finish.
Argentina World SBK Race One
At the start, both Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing / Kawasaki ZX-10RR) managed to get past Michael Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team / Yamaha YZF R1), moving in behind the Ducati-riding Spaniard.
Argentina World SBK Race One
In the opening laps, the first four riders were within a gap of less than six-tenths of one another. On the seventh lap, Rea had a go at overtaking the race leader, but the Ducati rider was able to fend off the attack. The Northern Irishman made another attempt on the following lap and it seemed as if he would be able to overtake Bautista, but the Spaniard maintained the upper hand, once again staying ahead of the reigning World Champion.
Argentina World SBK Race One
From about the mid-race point, the gaps between the riders increased and the positions stayed the same until the end.
Argentina World SBK Race One
Álvaro Bautista winning the race ahead of Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing / Kawasaki ZX-10RR), third.
Tom Sykes
Michael van der Mark beat his team-mate Alex Lowes to fourth place while Leon Haslam was sixth ahead of Tom Sykes.
P1 – Alvaro Bautista (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati)
“It’s my first time riding here in San Juan and I am so happy that I was able to get the victory at this amazing track with all these amazing people supporting us! Today was really difficult riding on the slippery surface of the asphalt. I just tried to keep calm and avoid mistakes. I didn’t really focus on my performance but more on not making any error, trying to ride as smooth as possible. I hope tomorrow we will be able to enjoy other amazing battles”.
P1 – Alvaro Bautista
P2 – Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
“To be honest, it was a really difficult race today. The conditions of the track were not perfect and it was more about trying to manage my race. I feel really good with my bike and I want to thank all my guys because we made a last-minute change for these conditions and I think it worked. I tried to be with Bautista, but then I made a mistake because I was riding over my head to stay there. I made a few mistakes but I really hope that the track will be a little bit better tomorrow, but for today I am quite content with the podium”.
Toprak Razgatlioglu
P3 – Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing)
“It has not been so easy for me, but I think all riders were struggling today. In the final two laps, I pushed to the limit in the attempt to reach the second position. But then I saw it was impossible for me to reach Johnny, so I decided to settle there in the third position and bring home another podium. I am really happy about this result. Let’s see how will be tomorrow”.
#ARGWorldSBK at Circuito San Juan Villicum: Race 1
J. Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
T. Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
M. Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team / Yamaha YZF R1)
A. Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team / Yamaha YZF R1)
L. Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
T. Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team / BMW S1000 RR)
J. Torres (Team Pedercini Racing / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
L. Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
A. Delbianco (Althea Mie Racing Team / Honda CBR1000RR)
M. Reiterberger (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team / BMW S1000 RR)
M. Rinaldi (Barni Racing Team / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
#ARGWorldSBK at Circuito San Juan Villicum: Race 1 1. Alvaro Bautista (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) 2. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +1.562 3. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing) +3.327
Championship Standings after Race 1, Round 12
Jonathan Rea (GBR) Kawasaki (564 points)
Alvaro Bautista (ESP) Ducati (440 points)
Alex Lowes (GBR) Yamaha (290 points)
WorldSSP
The World Supersport grid took to the San Juan circuit for their Tissot Superpole session in Argentina, more important than ever before at it is match-point for the title this weekend. As the track temperature increased, it became increasingly harder to set a competitive lap time. However, remaining in fine form from topping FP2 on Friday, Corentin Perolari (GMT94 YAMAHA) mastered the hot conditions and the heated battle for pole, taking his first ever World Supersport pole.
The 25-minute session got underway in a bad way for Loris Cresson (Kallio Racing), as the Belgian rider crashed at Turn 1, meaning he had a mountain to climb. It was looking like it would also be a tricky weekend for the BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team duo of Randy Krummenacher and Federico Caricasulo, as the top two in the Championship were languishing outside the top five.
Unlike in the WorldSBK, lap times came on stronger throughout the session and with just three minutes to go, it was looking like a French 1-2-3 on the grid for Sunday’s race. However, it would all be spoilt as the times tumbled in the closing stages, with a variety of riders firing shots at the front row.
In the end however, it was Corentin Perolari who remained at the top of the timesheets and took a career-first pole position in World Supersport. The young Frenchman – who is the seventh youngest WorldSSP pole-sitter in the class’ history – had never achieved a front row until now, proved that his Friday pace was no fluke and he took the pole position by just under a tenth of a second from Italian sensation, Ayrton Badovini (Team Pedercini Racing). The veteran was back on the front row for a second successive round. Completing the front row and eager to keep his title aspirations alive, Jules Cluzel (GMT94 YAMAHA) will be eager to capitalise on his front row advantage.
Heading up the second row, Magny-Cours pole-sitter Kyle Smith (Team Pedercini Racing) made it two Kawasaki’s in the top four. The British rider, who was a constant front row threat, is seeking a first podium of the year in WorldSSP. Fifth place belonged to another Kawasaki rider, as 2017 World Supersport Champion Lucas Mahias secured a second row start, making it three French riders in the top five. Championship leader Randy Krummenacher will start this title quest from sixth place, as he is off the front row for a second round in succession.
Row three features more big names, with Isaac Viñales (Kallio Racing) looking for a second consecutive podium in World Supersport from seventh on the grid. He was able to pip Federico Caricasulo, as the rider second in the standings was only able to finish eighth. One place behind, it was a career-best starting position for Christian Stange (GEMAR Ciociaria Corse WorldSSP Team), who was top Honda. Completing the top ten was Hungary’s Peter Sebestyen (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda).
There’s plenty of work to be completed for plenty of riders outside the top ten, as Hikari Okubo (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was 11th, ahead of Raffaele De Rosa (MV AGUSTA Reparto Corse) in 12th and Thomas Gradinger (Kallio Racing) in 13th.
Pole position – Corentin Perolari (GMT94 YAMAHA)
“I have a very good feeling with my bike here in Argentina. I am extremely pleased with the first position. Since the beginning of the weekend, I’ve been feeling comfortable on my bike and I think that starting for pole position will help me do a good race tomorrow. Thanks to my team for all their effort”.
WorldSSP at Circuito San Juan Villicum – Superpole
A male rider has died after his motorcycle struck a telegraph pole in Ingleburn, south-west Sydney, yesterday (12 October 2019).
Police have identified the rider as a 49-year-old man from Macquarie Fields.
“He was riding a back FL series Harley-Davidson — witnesses said at high speed — when he hit the power pole,” police say.
“He sustained major head injuries, dying on impact.”
The crash happened about 12.50pm on Collins Promenade, Ingleburn.
Officers from Campbelltown City Police Area Command established a crime scene and commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
A report will be prepared for the information of 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.
Our sincere condolences to the rider’s family and friends.
Roadside hazards
Roadside poles on Collins Promenade
A 2017 United Nations road safety report recommended the removal of roadside hazards such as poles as they are a proven cause of serious motorcycle crash injuries and deaths.
The 108-page World Health Organisation “Powered two- and three-wheeler safety” report says a motorcycle crash with a fixed roadside hazard is 15 times more likely to be fatal than a crash on the ground with no physical contact with a fixed hazard.
They also increase the severity of injuries in such crashes, it says.
The WHO report also suggests the removable of other roadside hazards such as trees, guardrails, utility poles and drainage structures.
It says the severity of a motorcycle, scooter or powered-two- or three-wheeler (PTW) crash with a roadside object depends on the speed, impact angle, surface area of the object and the impact absorption properties of the object.
They cite a study that found roadside objects were the primary cause of fatalities and another Australian and New Zealand study presented at the 2015 Australasian Road Safety Conference that concluded that almost all roadside objects are hazardous to PTW users.
“This is mainly due to the fact that all objects have been designed for safety of cars and their occupants rather than for PTWs,” it says.
The report says creating a roadside “clear zone” would not only minimise the risk of a rider hitting a hazardous object, but also provide room for them to correct errors.
“Choice of location of roadside equipment used for lighting or signage can also have a negative impact on PTW safety,” it says.
“Guardrails and crash barriers are often used to separate vehicles from roadside hazards but the design of such devices needs to take motorcyclists into account.”
Alvaro Bautista topped the timesheets in Argentina overnight on the Spaniard’s first visit to Circuito San Juan Villicum.
However a dirty track for the opening day of practice saw many riders keep their powder mainly dry, choosing to sit out most of the sessions and wait for other riders to do the donkey work of putting rubber down and cleaning up the circuit.
Jonathan Rea opened his weekend strongly. The undulations and aggressive direction changes suited the Northern Irishman’s style and he finished the day in second overall, despite leading the FP2 session almost to the chequered flag as track temperatures nudged 50-degrees celsius.
Jonathan Rea
“It was really difficult to find a feeling out there because you cannot push anywhere near the limit. It is like riding on marbles and the track did not get much better. I expected a big step in the afternoon session. Even though the track looked cleaner the grip wasn’t there. A really frustrating day because you are kind of reluctant to do anything with the bike set-up in readiness for the track ‘rubbering-in’ some more.”
Jonathan Rea
Chaz Davies sat out most of the morning session and finished the day fourth overall just behind Barni Ducati rider Michael Ruben Rinaldi.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi
Tom Sykes worked his way through set-up changes to find enough grip from the BMW to finish the opening fifth on the charts.
Tom Sykes
“The circuit layout here at San Juan is fantastic and is so enjoyable to ride, its just a shame that the current track conditions are not great. Its not safe and is so easy to get caught out, you can go 15cm off line and you are at risk of crashing which is far from ideal. Having said that, the guys here done a spectacular job with the track and is certainly an amazing place to come race. Today we finished up P5 which I am pleased about, we made a few small changes on the bike throughout the session which was an improvement. We are only +1.000 second off the top two guys but other than that we are right in the mix, hopefully we can improve a bit tomorrow and be at the sharp end come the race.”
Tom Sykes
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing) returned to action for the first time since his debut race winning weekend in France last time out. A late crash at Magny Cours in the final race left him with a painful left ankle, but he persevered to finish sixth on Friday’s combined times.
Toprak Razgatlioglu
Leon Haslam was unfortunate in the afternoon session to fall almost as soon as he started, at Turn 16, suffering an off-throttle highside trying out a different option rear tyre and injuring his knee and thumb as he fell.
Despite his heavy hit Haslam got going again to finish seventh overall, after a typically gritty recovery at the end of FP2.
Leon Haslam
“I fell on an out lap, with zero-lean angle and zero brakes, as I had an off throttle high-side. It is the first time I had used that tyre. I went back out on my second tyre after the crash and I had zero grip. I could not even get to my knee because compared to the morning conditions they were a lot worse. We changed the tyre near the end and slowly got going.”
Leon Haslam
Fresh from the news that he is joining Kawasaki next season, Alex Lowes was ninth on day one in Argentina but Sandro Cortese had the honour of being fastest Yamaha in P8.
Alex Lowes
“I’m a bit disappointed with the condition of the track; it’s really dirty and it hasn’t improved as expected over the course of the day. The racing line is getting a lot better but if you get a bit offline then you’re on to the dirty part of the track. Hopefully the line will get a bit wider ahead of the race tomorrow. It’s a great track, the layout is fantastic, and the weather has been perfect today, but the problem with the dirty track means we’re a lot slower than we should be. But then the conditions are the same for everyone and we just have to deal with them the best we can. This afternoon we tried something with the bike that didn’t work as expected in the greasy conditions, which was important because now we know in which direction not to go tomorrow when, hopefully, track conditions improve.”
Alex Lowes
2019 – WSBK Argentina – Day One
BAUTISTA Alvaro SPA Ducati 1’43.614
REA Jonathan GBR Kawasaki 0.104
RINALDI Michael Ruben ITA Ducati 1.229
DAVIES Chaz GBR Ducati 1.252
SYKES Tom GBR BMW 1.320
RAZGATLIOGLU Toprak TUR Kawasaki 1.331
HASLAM Leon GBR Kawasaki 1.397
CORTESE Sandro GER Yamaha 1.530
LOWES Alex GBR Yamaha 1.655
VAN DER MARK Michael NDL Yamaha 1.723
TORRES Jordi SPA Kawasaki 2.010
MERCADO Leandro ARG Kawasaki 2.909
BAZ Loris FRA Yamaha 3.025
MELANDRI Marco ITA GRT Yamaha 3.104
DELBIANCO Alessandro ITA Honda 3.940
KIYONARI Ryuichi JPN Honda 3.999
REITERBERGER Markus GER BMW 4.073
CAMIER Leon GBR Honda 4.374
LAVERTY Eugene IRE Ducati 6.989
WorldSSP
The World Supersport Championship could well be decided this weekend, with Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) looking to become the first ever Swiss WorldSSP Champion. After day one however, it was Corentin Perolari (GMT94 YAMAHA) who made hay whilst the sun shone, whilst big names were littered throughout the top ten.
Leading the charge of the WorldSSP field into Saturday, Corentin Perolari left it late to go to top slot in FP1. The Frenchman put in a strong lap time late on and was just under half-a-tenth clear of his nearest challenger. Having languished down the field in FP1, Federico Caricasulo (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) put in a sterling comeback in FP2 to be right in the mix going into a crucial Saturday Superpole day. The Italian put in strong lap times at the very end of the session, initially going to the top before being pushed back to second place. Completing the top three after day one was Championship leader, Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team), as he looks to better his teammate to secure the WorldSSP crown.
Corentin Perolari
Having been top of FP1, Ayrton Badovini (Team Pedercini Racing) slipped to fourth place but rounded out a strong opening day in Argentina in fine fashion. The Italian will look to repeat his podium success of Magny-Cours this weekend and looks like he has good pace. Fifth place belonged to Jules Cluzel (GMT94 YAMAHA), who will need to find more pace if he is to keep his Championship hopes alive this weekend. Sixth place went to 2017 WorldSSP Champion, Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing). The Frenchman starting his weekend in solid style as he looks to secure a second consecutive win of the season, following on from his magnificent in Magny-Cours.
Top MV Agusta honours went to Raffaele De Rosa (MV AGUSTA Reparto Corse), as the 32-year-old begins his chase for a first victory in World Supersport. Behind him was Magny-Cours pole-sitter and ESS Cup Winner, Kyle Smith (Team Pedercini Racing). Making it four manufacturers inside the top nine was Peter Sebestyen (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda), as he seeks more top tens on his first visit to Argentina. Christian Stange (GEMAR – Ciociaria Corse WorldSSP Team) rounded out the top ten on day one, confirming his top ten pace from FP1.
British rider Alex Lowes will join Jonathan Rea in the official Kawasaki Racing Team set-up in 2020. Lowes is a proven race winner and 18-times WorldSBK podium finisher, having been a regular in the series since 2014.
Lowes, a BSB champion before he joined the WorldSBK ranks, is a regular podium challenger and currently sits third in the 2019 WorldSBK points table, with two rounds and six races remaining. As well as his WorldSBK experience Alex has won the prestigious Suzuka 8 Hours race three times in succession, from 2016 to 2018.
Guim Roda – KRT Team Manager
“KRT welcomes a 27 year old rider with a lot of pace and good experience. Our target is to ‘polish’ Lowes and try to make him a candidate for the title too. And he has a long career ahead. He has shown very good skills during these years and for sure the potential is there. We’ll try to use all the tools at our disposal in KRT to help him show his best.”
Alex, brother of Moto2 rider Sam, will take the next steps on his career path inside the championship-winning KRT squad, riding alongside five-time champion Rea.
Steve Guttridge, Kawasaki Europe Racing Manager
“All at Kawasaki would like to send a warm welcome to Alex, who will join the elite Kawasaki Racing Team for next season in WorldSBK – partnering up with the all-time greatest Champion Jonathan Rea inside our Factory team. Alex is known to be a very hard worker and shows 100% commitment in every race. This attitude, combined with his talent and a clear enjoyment of his job, means that we are very confident that, along with the great staff we have inside KRT and on the Ninja ZX-10RR, this will be the start of a very exciting new era for all.”
Cambox V4 Pro is a slim action camera that fits around a helmet’s visor aperture to give a more accurate viewpoint of what you see when riding.
Unlike the many bulky helmet cameras that fit on top, below or beside the helmet, this curved unit fits close to your eyes for a more “normal” viewpoint. It will also fit any type of helmet or even a hat.
It easily fits to your helmet with a self-adhesive velcro system.
The Cambox V4 Pro is the latest development of their slimline Cambox cameras.
This new model is claimed to be up to three times lighter than most other cameras at 65g.
It should also have less wind resistance and less likelihood of damaging rotational forces on your neck in a crash.
Since it is so small, you can fit it inside the visor aperture (so long as there is room) so it does not protrude outside the helmet.
The French developers have launched a Kickstarter crowd-funding program to go into production with the Cambox V4 Pro available in January 2020 for €499 (about $A810).
Early supporters of the crowd-funding campaign can order one for a 38% discount at €309 (about $A500) in black, blue, red or green.
Apart from its slimline design, it still does most of the things other action cameras provide.
It has 4K/60fps, 12 megapixels video with a 150-degree lens and slow motion option at 240fps.
They also claim it has stereo sound from two mics at either end, although we are not sure how much that will separate the sound.
It has wifi/bluetooth connectivity to your phone so you can view your videos or share them straight away on social media.
Cambox V4 Pro is powered by a rechargeable lithium battery that has more than twice the power of their V3 model.
