Harley-Davidson boss Matt Levatich (above) has called on motorcycle journalists to help the industry’s future by not just explaining the product but telling readers what it’s like to ride.
As Harley and the motorcycle industry slump through trade wars, ageing riders, tough finance and a lack of interest among millennials, the finger of blame has been pointed at everyone from manufacturers all the way down to dealers and customers.
This is the first time motoring journalists have been included.
Boss Hog
Matt was talking to a bunch of “motor noters” at the recent media launch of the Low Rider S in Sydney.
MBW at the Low Rider S media launch (Image: Lyndon Marceau / marceauphotography)
“What we need to do as an industry — and I would include all of you in this request — is start leaning into what it’s like to ride,” the company president and CEO told us.
“Why should people ride? What is it that people get from riding? Why is it worth the trip?
“Because it’s hard: It takes a lot of energy, it takes a lot of commitment, it takes a lot of time and it costs a fair bit of money before you actually realise all the things you get from riding.”
The boss Hog says many in the industry, including journalists, have forgotten what it’s like to learn how to ride because we learnt so long ago.
“It’s intimidating, it’s hard, it’s challenging, but it’s an achievement,” he says.
“We need to help people understand why riding is worth the trip and what’s on the other side of becoming a great rider.
“What is the feeling? What’s the transcendent moments you have on a motorcycle that you never have in any other part of your life?
“If we can all collectively start to do that we’re gonna … start to light up people who might be on the outside looking in and wondering why.
“Start thinking about how you talk about what it means to be a rider, not just about what it means to have a great product to ride.
“If we all do that, we will all be stronger as an industry and we will all have a great future.
Quick visit
Matt was only in town a couple of days and was limited to talks to staff, dealers and two media agencies; sadly not us.
We were not allowed to ask any questions, so after his talk I rushed up to ask a quick question before the minders could lead their boss away to safety.
Shame he didn’t talk about Ewan and Charley’s adventure because that could inspire many future riders just as their first two Long Way instalments inspired thousands of adventure riders.
Shaw and Chandler named as Phillip Island Moto3 wildcards
Section: Competition
Duo set to race under the Double Six Motorsport outfit.
Image: Russell Colvin.
It’s been revealed Yannis Shaw and New Zealander Rogan Chandler have been granted wildcard opportunities for the 2019 Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix in the Moto3 category at Phillip Island.
Shaw, who sits sixth in the ASBK Supersport 300 rankings, will pilot the same bike – a former Brad Binder 2014 Kalex KTM – that he raced in the New Zealand Superbike Championship, where he claimed the Moto3 title.
“I’ve always said I’ll get there one day, and since that day I’ve had nothing else on my mind,” Shaw commented. “FP1 and FP2 will be crucial to be able to get a good set-up on the bike before we head into FP3 on Saturday, then qualifying.
“We are drawing on a lot of people we know to be able to get as much data as possible for when the riders were riding that bike in that era to help with gearing and gearbox ratios and other bits and pieces. To be able to finish with a few other riders behind me, I would be over the moon with.
“Anything more than that would be a complete bonus. If it’s wet weather, I would love to be able to be up there in the top 10, as I love riding in the wet weather. On top of that, the wet conditions are a real equaliser, as everyone knows. I know how quick the Moto3 paddock is, so all I can do is give it everything I have to be as competitive as possible.”
Chandler, a New Zealand Superbike Championship Supersport regular, has made a number of starts at the Phillip Island circuit in recent years, previously contesting a selection of ASBK rounds in 2017.
“I think it’s going to be a great experience and I’m sure I’ll learn a lot about what it’s like to race against the best riders in the world,” said Chandler. “Luckily, I’ve raced Phillip Island before, so I’m pretty confident in that area as I won’t have to learn the track so much.
“In saying that, I understand what I’m up against in terms of the level of competition, as the Moto3 World Championship is so cut-throat. I feel confident about where I am speed-wise currently and think the team and I will have a positive weekend.”
The duo will race under the Double Six Motorsport outfit for the 25-27 October event.
Motorcycles should be fitted with automatic crash call technology to reduce emergency response times which are more lethal in Australia’s rural and remote areas, an Austroads report has found.
It points out that motorcyclist deaths have remained stable in major cities over the past decade, but increased in regional and remote Australia by up to almost 50% in recent years.
Delays in reaching crash victims in rural and remote areas include difficulties in locating crash sites and a lack of mobile phone reception, according to emergency organisations and motorcycle rider groups.
The report found the average time for a first responder to arrive at a motorcycle crash in rural and remote areas was 55 minutes compared with 18 minutes in urban areas.
Remote crash victims also took an average of 11.6 hours to arrive at a hospital emergency department compared with 59 minutes in urban areas.
“Retrieval time subsequently impacts on crash outcomes with delays until discovery or delays in accessing the trauma system increasing the risk of mortality following major trauma,” the repot finds.
The probability of a rider dying increased by 2.7% for every 100km from a hospital.
It’s a worrying statistic for adventure riders heading out into the Outback.
As a more rural example, the report says more than half of all Victorian motorcycle crashes occur in the Gippsland region where ambulance response times are 29.9 minutes compared with metropolitan times of 12.7-17.2 minutes.
South Australia and NSW are the only states with post-crash emergency response in their road safety strategy and action plans.
Auto emergency call tech
Austroads claims automatic collision notification (ACN) would reduce crash fatalities by up to 3.8% and calls for the systems in all vehicles, including motorcycles.
These emergency call systems have been available in cars for some time and are now mandated throughout Europe with motorcycles expected to be included in the future.
BMW Motorrad is the first motorcycle company to offer an SOS button in Europe.
BMW SOS button
It is not yet available in Australia because of an eCall hardware update and the lack of a nationwide rollout.
The button alerts the emergency services and provides GPS co-ordinates of the rider’s position.
It is also connected to various sensors on the bike to detect whether the rider has crashed.
However, the report notes that problem with these systems in Australia is the lack of mobile phone coverage in rural areas.
It points out that motorcyclist deaths have remained stable in major cities over the past decade, but increased in regional and remote Australia by up to almost 50% in recent years.
The report suggests “safety improvements on popular motorcycle routes” potentially funded by a levy on compulsory third-party injury insurance for riders as well as speed limits aligned with “road attributes”.
Poor-quality regional roads
Since regional roads are in such a poor state, that means speed limits would come down if Austroads had its way. (Austroads is the prime research authority advising Australian and New Zealand governments and transport authorities.)
The Austroads’ report suggests speeds be set to “minimise the effect of a crash given the current road infrastructure”.
It notes that the ability of riders to survive a crash “decreases rapidly” above 30km/h and says speed limits should be set “within these tolerance limits”.
The report points out that speeds limits in Sweden and the Netherlands are based on “harm minimisation principles in contrast to those set in Australia”.
This has been a hobby horse of Victorian Assistant Police Commissioner Doug Fryer for several years as this 2017 video shows.
Rider numbers increase
The report does acknowledge that the increase in regional motorcyclist fatalities is largely due to the increase in the riding popularity.
Rider registrations are up 5% a year while estimated kilometres travelled is up 4% a year.
It also notes that motorcyclist fatality rates per registered vehicle and per kilometre travelled actually decreased by 0.9% from 2008-10 to 2016.
However, the report points out a shift from urban deaths to regional deaths over the same period:
Regional motorcycle fatalities increased 15.4% and remote deaths were up a whopping 49.3%;
59% of motorcyclist fatalities occurred in regional and remote Australia during the four-year period 2012-2015, an increase of 53% over the previous four years;
Most regional motorcycle crashes were riders running off the road and hitting a tree, barrier, sign or other roadside hazard;
The typical motorcycle fatality or hospitalisation in regional and remote areas is a male motorcyclist who is riding recreationally during daylight hours on the weekend and is involved in a single-vehicle crash; and
Motorcycles are over-represented in crashes with animals with more than 80% involving kangaroos, but it also noted an underreporting of animal-related crashes.
Speed management
The report admits a lack of data on motorcycle crashes.
Yet it says speed limits in regional and remote areas are “high and do not necessarily reflect the risks of travelling on a given road (eg unsealed surface), or the existing infrastructure (eg unprotected trees close to the road)”.
“Speed management is necessary in the absence of adequate infrastructure,” it says.
“The primary means for speed compliance is via enforcement, which is inherently difficult in regional and remote areas due to expansive road networks and a lack of resources.”
It suggests “vehicle-based speed management technologies” which could include speed limiters.
“Any gains in speed management are beneficial,” it concludes.
Safety ‘initiatives’
Austroads reports that “initiatives” to improve motorcyclist safety have included:
Safety suggestions
Apart from a reduction in regional speed limits, the report calls for a number of other moves, particularly targeting riders:
National mass media campaigns targeting motorcyclists;
riders encouraged to ride bikes with ABS and emerging autonomous emergency braking (AEB) technology that detects imminent forward collisions and reacts by automatically applying the brakes without rider intervention;
motorcycle blackspot/black programs for regional areas;
examine more graduated restrictions for novice riders including a minimum period with a car licence before motorcycle licensing as in Queensland and “licensing options” for returning riders.
The report states that AEB technology reduces low-speed rear-end crashes for passenger vehicles, but notes that it is not yet available for motorcycles.
“Once AEB technology has been improved and is readily available in Australia, its benefits should be promoted to motorcyclists in regional and remote areas who are looking to purchase a new motorcycle,” it states.
Securing championship runner-up now the goal for Dovizioso
Section: Competition
Mentality shift for the Ducati Team rider ahead of Aragon.
Image: Supplied.
Andrea Dovizioso says his mentality has shifted to securing runner-up honours in the 2019 MotoGP World Championship, conceding his fight for the crown is over as Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) leads by 93 points with just six rounds to go.
The Ducati Team rider has a firm grip on second heading into Aragon’s 14th round this weekend, holding down a 31-point advantage over teammate Danilo Petrucci.
“I think this mentality started already some races ago, because yes we had some bad luck in some races and it wasn’t our fault, but at the end, every race Marc fights for the victory and he´s the only rider able to do that,” Dovizioso explained at the pre-race press conference.
“So if we want to fight for the championship we have to do something more than what we did – that is clear. So we have to improve our situation. For sure the second position in the championship is very important and we will try until the end.
“But we know Yamaha and especially Rins can be really strong until the end of the season. So we have to be careful about that, take points, and work for the future. It´s the best thing we can do, and this is the mentality.”
Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP duo Maverick Vinales and Valentino Rossi sit in positions four, five and six, with just 20 points separating them. The trio are within striking distance of third’s Petrucci.
Fabio Quartararo crossed the line in second place at the San Marino GP, moving up above Eric Offenstadt in fifth on the list of French riders with most premier class podium finishes behind Christian Sarron (18 podium finishes), Raymond Roche (9), Johann Zarco (6) and Pierre Monneret (5).
In addition, this was Fabio Quartararo’s fourth podium finish in his rookie season. Since the introduction of the MotoGP class in 2002, only three rookies have had more podium finishes: Marc Marquez (16 in 2013), Dani Pedrosa (eight in 2006) and Jorge Lorenzo (six in 2008).
Fabio Quartararo was the highest-placed Yamaha rider across theline for the third time this year, along with Catalunya and Austria, and the top Independent Team rider. He is leading the Independent Team rider classification, 11 points ahead of Jack Miller and 24 ahead Cal Crutchlow.
Misano MotoGP Podium L-R: Quartararo, Marquez and Viñales
Fabio Quartararo is still leading the fight for the Rookie of the Year with 112 points ahead Joan Mir (47 points), following by Francesco Bagnaia (29) and Miguel Oliveira (26), who both crashed at Misano, although Oliveira remounted his bike to finish in 16th.
Marc Marquez is now leading the Championship with 93 points ahead of Andrea Dovizioso; this is the highest margin after the opening 13 races of the season in the premier class since 2005 and the 122-point margin between Valentino Rossi and Max Biaggi after the Malaysian GP.
At Misano, Marc Marquez finished on the podium at 10 successive races for the first time since he finished on the podium 12 times in a row from the last two races of 2013 through the opening 10 races of 2014, which is his record in the MotoGP class.
Maverick Vinales chasing Marquez and Quartararo at Misano last week
Maverick Viñales has stood on the podium for 61st time of his Grand Prix career at Misano, equalling soon-to-be MotoGP Legend Jorge “Aspar” Martinez, Tom Lüthi and Pier Paolo Bianchi. Maverick Viñales stood on the podium for fifth time so far this year, equalling his whole 2018 season. Since he stepped up to MotoGP class in 2015, 2017 is the only season where he has stood on the podium more than five times (seven podium finishes).
Following his third-place finish at Silverstone, in Aragon Maverick Viñales will be aiming to stand on the podium three time in a row for the first time in the MotoGP class. With Maverick Viñales and Fabio Quartararo, this is the second time this year there were at least two Yamaha riders on the podium along the Dutch TT with the same riders. This is already more than the whole 2018 season.
In addition, this is the second time there have been four Yamaha riders within the top five since the introduction of the MotoGP class back in 2002, along with Aragon in 2012, with Jorge Lorenzo, in second behind Dani Pedrosa, Andrea Dovizioso, third, Cal Crutchlow fourth and Ben Spies, fifth.
Misano MotoGP Podium L-R: Quartararo, Marquez and Viñales
This was the fifth time since Marc Marquez stepped up to the MotoGP class in 2013 that he was the oldest rider on the podium along with the Assen last year and Spain and Silverstone this year, with Alex Rins and Maverick Viñales, and Assen this year, also with Maverick Viñales and Fabio Quartararo.
Only one rider has now scored points in all 13 of the MotoGP races in 2019: Danilo Petrucci, who crossed the line in 10th place at Misano, which is his worst result across the line since he was 12th in Australia last year.
Pol Espargaro crossed the line in seventh place at Misano, which is the third top seven finish of a KTM rider in the MotoGP class in dry weather conditions, all scored in 2019, along with France, sixth, and Catalunya, seventh, both with Espargaro.
The only two of the four rookies in the MotoGP class this year to have previously won at Aragon in any of the smaller classes are Joan Mir in 2017 and Miguel Oliveira in 2015, both in the Moto3 class. However, fellow rookie Francesco Bagnaia is the only other rookie who has stood on the podium at Aragon, finishing second in the Moto2 class last year.
At the Aragon GP, Pol Espargaro is scheduled to start his 100th race in the premier class of GP racing.
Pol Espargaro to make his 100th MotoGP premier class start this weekend
Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing at Aragon
This is the 10th time that the MotorLand Aragon has hosted a Grand Prix event and below are some facts and statistics related to the previous GP events:
Aragon first hosted a Grand Prix event in 2010, when it became the sixth different circuit that has been used for Grand Prix racing in Spain. The other circuits that have been used in Spain are: Jerez, Catalunya, Jarama, Montjuich and Valencia.
Aragon
Aragon is one of just five circuits on the current Grand Prix schedule that run in an anti-clockwise direction, along with Austin, Sachsenring, Phillip Island and Valencia.
MotoGP 2010 Aragon – The first race at Aragon was won by Casey Stoner on a Ducati ahead of Dani Pedrosa and Nicky Hayden
Casey Stoner won the first MotoGP race at Aragon in 2010 on a Ducati, the only victory for the Italian manufacturer at this circuit. Since Stoner’s win in 2010, Ducati have had four more podium finishes at this circuit with Nicky Hayden third also in 2010, Cal Crutchlow third in 2014, Jorge Lorenzo third in 2017 and Andrea Dovizioso second last year.
Aragon MotoGP 2011 – Casey Stoner won from Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo – Image by AJRN
Honda is the most successful manufacturer at the Aragon circuit with six MotoGP wins, with three different riders: Casey Stoner in 2011, Dani Pedrosa in 2012 and Marc Marquez in 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2018. Yamaha have had two wins in the MotoGP class at the MotorLand, with Jorge Lorenzo in both 2014 and 2015.
Aragon MotoGP 2011 – Casey Stoner won from Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo – Image by AJRN
The best result at Aragon for Suzuki is the third-place finish achieved last year by Andrea Iannone. Aleix Espargaro crossed the line in sixth place over the last two years in Aragon, equalling the best result of an Aprilia rider in the MotoGP class since its introduction in 2002, from Aleix Espargaro in Qatar in 2017 and Colin Edwards in Japan back in 2003.
In 2017, Pol Espargaro crossed the line in 10th place ahead of his teammate Bradley Smith, which is the best result for KTM at the MotorLand in the premier class.
Spanish riders have had great success across all three GP classes at MotorLand, winning 19 of the 27 GP races that have taken place.
The only non-Spanish riders who have had a Grand Prix win at the circuit are: Casey Stoner (MotoGP in 2010 & 2011), Andrea Iannone (Moto2 race in 2010), Romano Fenati (Moto3 in 2014), Miguel Oliveira (Moto3 in 2015), Sam Lowes (Moto2 in 2016), Franco Morbidelli (Moto2 in 2017) and Brad Binder(Moto2 in 2018).
Casey Stoner’s two victories in 2010 and 2011 and Andrea Dovizioso’s second-place finish last year are the only occasions that a non-Spanish rider has stood on either of the top two steps in the MotoGP class at the Aragon circuit.
Aragon MotoGP 2011 – Casey Stoner won from Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo – Image by AJRN
Marc Marquez has been on pole on four of the six occasions he has raced in the MotoGP class at the Aragon circuit. Since 2010, only two riders have won the MotoGP race after qualifying on pole position in Aragón: Casey Stoner (2010 and 2011) and Marc Marquez (2013 and 2016).
Aragon is one of just four circuits on the current Grand Prix schedule where Valentino Rossi has not had a MotoGP victory, along with Austin, the Red Bull Ring and Buriram, which joined the calendar last year.
The nine Moto2 races that have taken place at Aragon have been won by nine different riders: Andrea Iannone (2010), Marc Márquez (2011), Pol Espargaró (2012), Nico Terol (2013), Maverick Viñales (2014), Tito Rabat (2015), Sam Lowes (2016) and Franco Morbidelli (2017) and Brad Binder (2018). Only three of them have not won from pole in Moto2: Pol Espargaró (2012), Franco Morbidelli (2017) and Brad Binder (2018).
The nine races that have taken place in the lightweight class at Aragon since 2010 have been won by nine different riders: Pol Espargaró (2010), Nico Terol (2011), Luis Salom (2012), Álex Rins (2013), Romano Fenati (2014), Miguel Oliveira (2015),Jorge Navarro (2016), Joan Mir (2017) and Jorge Martin (2018). Only Alex Rins and Jorge Martin have won from pole position at the track in the lightweight class.
Marc Marquez moves above Mike Hailwood
Marc Marquez’ win at the San Marino GP was the 77th of his Grand Prix career, moving above nine-time World Champion Mike Hailwood as shown in the table below of riders with most GP wins. There are just three riders in the history of Grand Prix racing who have scored more wins than Hailwood and Marquez.
Pos
Riders
Wins
MGP/500cc
350cc
M2/250cc
125cc
80/50cc
1
G Agostini
122
68
54
/
/
/
2
V Rossi
115
89
/
14
12
/
3
A Nieto
90
/
/
/
62
28
4
MMarquez
77
51
/
16
10
/
5
M Hailwood
76
37
16
21
2
/
6
J Lorenzo
68
47
/
17
4
/
7=
M Doohan
54
54
/
/
/
/
7=
Di Pedrosa
54
31
/
15
8
/
9
P Read
52
11
4
27
10
/
10=
J Redman
45
2
21
18
4
/
10=
C Stoner
45
38
/
5
2
/
Marc Marquez the victor at Misano
In addition, this was the 89th podium finish in the premier class for Marc Marquez, moving above Giacomo Agostini in fifth place in the list of riders with the most podium finishes in the class.
200th Grand Prix start for Marc Marquez in Aragon
At the Aragon GP, Marc Marquez is scheduled to make the 200th Grand Prix of his Grand Prix career, becoming the 37th different rider to reach that milestone in the history.
In addition, Marc Marquez is scheduled to become the youngest to reach the milestone of 200 Grand Prix races, as shown in the table below of the 10 youngest riders:
Pos
Riders
Age at 200th GP start
200th GP start
1
M Marquez
26 years 217 days
Aragon/2019
2
S Cortese
26 years 284 days
Japan/2016
3
J Lorenzo
27 years
Spain/2014
4
P Espargaro
27 years 7 days
Catalunya/2018
5
B Smith
27 years 110 days
Qatar/2018
6
A Dovizioso
27 years 190 days
Aragon/2013
7
D Pedrosa
27 years 260 days
Catalunya/2013
8
M Di Meglio
27 years 274 days
Australia/2015
9
A Espargaro
27 years 281 days
Spain/2017
10
HBarbera
27 years 288 days
Czech/2014
During his career, Marquez has competed at 24 different Grand Prix circuits. Of these 24 circuits, he has taken at least one GP win at 21 of them. The only tracks where he had not any wins are the Red Bull Ring, Donington and Shanghai. The Chinese track is the only circuit where he has competed and not stood on the podium.
Of these 21 winning circuits, the one where Marquez has had most GP wins is the Sachsenring, where he has won 10 successive times.
Marc Marquez, who reached the milestone of 51 premier class wins at Misano this year, only needs three wins to equal Mick Doohan as the third most successful rider in the class, as well as both Doohan and Dani Pedrosa as the most successful Honda riders in GP racing.
Marc Marquez has qualified on pole position 60 times in the premier class, 88 times overall. Over his 88 pole positions, he went on to win the race on 50 occasions (35 x MotoGP, 8 x Moto2, 7 x 125cc).
In 2019 the Vespa GTS range has evolved further with significant upgrades in styling which now form the basis for the all new GTS Super Tech 300 HPE, which will be available in Nero Volcano (Matt Black) and Grigio Materia (Gloss Grey). This new high-tech Vespa scooter lands in Australia this October at $11,790 ride away.
The Vespa GTS Super Tech takes the flagship role in the Vespa range through new technology not seen previously on Vespa models. Plus this is the first Vespa model in the Australian market to feature the new 300 HPE engine platform.
Vespa GTS Super Tech 300 HPE
Style & Design
Aesthetically the Vespa GTS Super Tech 300 HPE is characterised by wheel rims finished in gloss black with yellow highlights. The yellow finish extends to the front shock spring and compliment with the new Matt Black Volcano and Gloss Grey Materia colours. The seat features new fabric surface cover with dual-colour stitching.
Vespa GTS Super Tech 300 HPE 4.3″ TFT Display
The new GTS Super Tech 300 HPE takes the lead as the Vespa “tech setter” through a fully digital instrument cluster with 4.3″ full colour TFT display. The new TFT panel, in brilliant colour, features speed, tripmeter functions, ambient temperature and fuel level. The TFT also extends to a new smart phone connectivity system called Vespa MIA (MY VESPA) .
At the rear, the Super Tech styling also features a new transmission cover and newly designed silencer cover.
Vespa GTS Super Tech 300 HPE
Improved Comfort
The ergonomics and natural seat position have always contributed to making every Vespa comfortable and pleasant to ride. The new Vespa GTS Super Tech further highlights the ethos of travelling which large Vespas have always embodied, offering a new saddle for greater comfort for both rider and passenger.
The Vespa GTS Super Tech 300 HPE features a new and improved seat
The under-seat compartment makes optimal use of the available space and can accommodate two demi-jet helmets and more. Additional load capacity is granted by the glove box with USB port located inside.
Technology
Vespa GTS Super Tech 300 HPE
As is the case for every Vespa produced between 1946 and today, the body of the Vespa GTS is made of steel and offers unrivalled robust strength.
The GTS Super Tech 300 HPE rides on wide section tyres fitted on 12-inch rims.
The double-disc braking system ensures prompt deceleration backed by the electronic safety systems on the Super Tech with ASR and ABS.
Vespa GTS Super Tech 300 HPE
300 HPE Engine
The new GTS Super Tech is equipped with the latest evolution of the 300cc four-stroke, four-valve single-cylinder engine, liquid-cooled and with electronic injection now designated HPE.
The HPE benefits from numerous improvements increasing performance and rideability, while reducing fuel consumption and noise levels. HPE is the most powerful engine ever fitted to a Vespa with optimised thermodynamic performance and reduced friction; all without impacting on visible size, which is contained to similar dimensions to the previous unit.
Vespa GTS Super Tech 300 HPE powerplant
The cylinder head is an all new casting, with totally redesigned internal components, the ports feature new geometry and larger diameter as do the intake and exhaust valves with diameter increasing by 3mm. The adoption of new piston technology, particularly in terms of its head shape, has resulted in a highly efficient combustion chamber.
The single camshaft system with overhead valves is all new, rockers are now equipped with roller tappets rather than sliders for increased fluidity and durability, reducing mechanical loss. Camshaft profiles have also been reshaped to obtain optimum valve lift profiles, which in turn reduces engine noise.
The introduction of a new high-pressure multi-jet injector matched to optimised intake lengths improves combustion thereby delivering higher torque at lower RPM to ensure smoother, faster speed transitions to suit any traffic condition. The new iridium spark plug ensures greater durability to maintain optimised combustion.
Vespa GTS Super Tech 300 HPE
In the transmission the HPE engine features improvements to match the performance through a higher durability design CVT belt and new materials used in the transmission design to reduce friction and noise. A new cover features sound absorbing material for a reduction in mechanical noise. The transmission is also aided by a new and more rigid clutch drum.
The engine is controlled by latest-generation Magneti Marelli MIUG4 ECU, equipped with greater calculation capacity, it contributes to improving overall engine efficiency and allows for the engine to be started practically instantaneously after just two rotations of the crankshaft. These advancements mean the HPE already conforms with future Euro 5 standards.
Vespa MIA (MY Vespa)
The Vespa MIA connectivity system allows you to connect your smartphone to the on-board electronic system of the Vespa GTS via Bluetooth.
Vespa GTS Super Tech 300 HPE
Vespa MIA and the new Vespa App are specifically designed to connect iOS or Android mobile devices. Once a smartphone is connected to the Vespa GTS Super Tech, associating the phone via the dedicated Vespa App available for download in the App Store or Google Play, the TFT display will show all notifications regarding incoming calls and messages in the centre of the screen. The system also allows for the management of calls, thanks to the practical joystick located on the left-hand control block and the use of smartphone voice commands when making calls or reproducing music with the activation of a playlist.
Vespa GTS Super Tech 300 HPE 4.3″ TFT Display
The display also serves as a navigation tool, accompanying the rider on a pre-set route set up on the Vespa App, with directions and pictograms. The app is an exceptional source of useful information regarding vehicle status, riding parameters and travel statistics which can be viewed on the smartphone. The VESPA MIA technology optimises Vespa GTS usage whether riding in an urban or non-urban environment, thus enhancing the travel experience.
Accessories
In line with Vespa tradition, the new GTS Super Tech features a wide range of accessories with which to personalise the vehicle and increase comfort and functionality are available at as optional extras.
Vespa GTS Super Tech 300 HPE
The top case, which can accommodate a full-face helmet or two jet helmets, is colour matched to two Vespa HPE bike colours, Matt Back Volcano and Gloss Grigio Materia. The top box kit comes complete with a padded back rest to optimise passenger comfort.
Wind and weather protection for rider and pillion can be enhanced with a range of screens finished in methacrylate impact and splinter resistant methacrylate featuring high-quality transparent or tinted design. A thermal leg cover is to install and offers year-round riding comfort. An anti-slip, waterproof footboard mat, outdoor and indoor vehicle covers, a mechanical anti-theft system, inner top box bag, luggage straps and a smartphone bracket are also available through authorised dealers at additional cost.
2019 Vespa GTS Super Tech 300 Specifications
Specifications
Engine type
HPE single cylinder, 4 stroke, 4 valve
Fueling
New Electronic Injection
Displacement
278.3 cc
Bore & Stroke
75 mm x 63 mm
Max. Power
17.5 kW @ 8,250 rpm (23.5hp)
Max. Torque
26 Nm @ 5,250 rpm
Cooling system
Liquid cooling
Transmission
CVT with torque server
Front suspension
Single-arm with coil spring and single shock absorber
Rear suspension
Double hydraulic shock absorber with preload adjustable on 4 positions
“Before then, it was more like a game. I felt more like only having fun, having a free mind and not stressing so much about races. Ultimately, it’s something that’s just fun and not stressful for me. Before 14, I tried to only enjoy it and if I won a race or Italian championship, I was happy but I wasn’t focused 100% on that. I remember Fabio Quartararo, because I raced with him in the European Championship with 80cc in 2011 (maybe?), I remember he was really strong and fast at that time too. Fully prepared, he knew all the tracks. I remember we raced in Montmelo, he was a rider with a lot of experience at 12 years old. He had a totally different approach. Every time, he was with important teams with great bikes and trained a lot from the beginning. I started more slowly, more patient.”
Pablo Nieto – Team Manager: “We are proud to say that in 2020 the Sky Racing Team VR46 will once again on track with 4 bikes in 2 categories, with 4 of the most interesting and talented young Italian riders. A choice made for strengthening the team spirit, a constructive work atmosphere and the mutual help with the confirmations of Luca and Celestino, the arrival of Marco and the return of Andrea. Two teams of fast and experts riders ready to impress everyone and give us many emotions. From a technical point of view, we have made a choice driven by the stability and solidity of the relationships of mutual trust that, over the years, we have built extending our existing partnerships with KTM and Kalex.”
