On August 14th, 1977 Silverstone took over the World Championship status and hosted the British Grand Prix for the first time. It was a major chapter in the history of the sport which just had to happen. A purpose-built safer circuit replacing the legendary road circuit. Others were soon to follow suite. Rijeka in Yugoslavia, Brno in Czechoslovakia, the Nürburgring and the Sachsenring in Germany realised were the future lay. They built new circuits to ensure their futures as World Championship venues while never forgetting the exploits of the riders and teams that had established the very foundations of modern day MotoGP racing with their skill, bravery and in some cases their lives.
After the close racing that occurred in Saturday’s Supersport race one, the expectation was that there would be a repeat performance in Sunday’s race two. However, an incident going into the chicane on the opening lap took out Saturday’s winner Richie Escalante. The HONOS Kawasaki rider and current championship leader was unhurt but unable to rejoin the race. That left the battle for the lead to the other two frontrunners, Sean Dylan Kelly and Brandon Paasch. Then, inexplicably, Paasch appeared to fall off his Celtic HSBK Racing Yamaha, which ended his day.
With both of his fiercest rivals out of the race, that left Kelly with a gaping lead aboard his M4 ECSTAR Suzuki. At the checkers, he won by more than 18 seconds over his teammate Lucas Silva, who celebrated his first-ever podium finish. Third place went to a somewhat somber Aguilar Racing Yamaha rider Jason Aguilar, who appreciated the podium finish but wished that attrition hadn’t played a factor in his result.
“Definitely a crazy race,” Kelly said. “I’m glad I was first into the first corner to avoid everything that happened behind me. I honestly had no idea what was going on. I did hear something in the first corner. It didn’t sound too good, but of course at the end of the day we all hear things while we’re riding. So, I wasn’t too sure what was going on. Today, I really focused on myself. I feel like, yesterday, I was a bit too worried about the fight with everyone, and it obviously didn’t go my way. I mean, okay, P2. Good yesterday, but we’re here to win. Today I just went out with a different mentality and went out there to win, and it showed in the lap times. I just focused on myself. I did very consistent 44’s in the first five laps. I knew I had someone behind me. I wasn’t sure if it was Branden (Paasch) or Richie (Escalante), or even both of them. I really didn’t know. I just kept my head down and did my own thing. Five laps or six laps in, from one moment to the other I didn’t hear a bike. Then on my board I saw plus-12. That’s not very usual. I wasn’t expecting that at all. I kept on doing my laps and then looked back just to make sure if that was right, I didn’t see anyone very close. It felt eternal. But I’m very happy to get these 25 points. Of course, unfortunate that our main rivals went down. It’s racing. At the end of the day, we don’t want anyone going down. I would have liked to do a last-lap battle like my first victory in Atlanta. At the end of the day, my objective is to win the championship, so this is really good for us to get 25 (points) on our main rival. Just super grateful to be here in the first spot. Thank you to my whole M4 ECSTAR Suzuki team.”
The motorcycle industry’s annual week of two-wheeled commuting, Ride Your Motorcycle to Work Week 2020 will run from September 21 to 27 and will take a different approach in 2020.
The 2020 edition of Ride Your Motorcycle To Work Week will see ‘To Work’ temporarily crossed out of the event logo. Instead, the initiative will encourage two-wheeled enthusiasts to ‘Ride This Thing Out’, dust-off their bikes and scooters for good mental health and socially distanced recreation.
Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries Motorcycle Manager Rhys Griffiths said the week was an opportunity to have some fun, whether commuting or recreating.
“There’s no doubt 2020 has been challenging, but together we can ride this thing out,” said Mr Griffiths. “The pandemic has hit everyone hard and the mental health benefits of riding are well documented. Riding makes you happy and right now, Australians need a break. The biggest smiles are always hidden behind a helmet.”
The event also aims to draw attention to two-wheeled transport as a potential solution in COVID-19 recovery.
“Riding has a real role to play in helping Australia get back to work, offering socially distanced transportation and alleviating congestion and parking issues. Our aim this year is primarily about reminding Aussies how much fun they can have on a bike, but our secondary goal is to capture the attention of policy makers who too often overlook riding in developing transportation infrastructure.”
All riders should adhere to any and all Government regulations at all times. The industry initiative offers a DIY guide to ensuring your motorcycle is ready for the road at http://www.ridetoworkweek.com.au/news/pre-ride-check
Russian ace Artem Laguta was elated to bring his Polish winning combination on to the world stage after claiming his first FIM Speedway Grand Prix victory in Wroclaw on Friday.
The Grudziadz rider has been in red-hot form since the PGE Ekstraliga season launched in Poland. And he was delighted to reproduce that scoring in the opening round of SGP 2020.
Artem Laguta, Maciej Janowski, Fredrik Lindgren
He topped the Betard FIM Speedway Grand Prix round one podium ahead of local hero Maciej Janowski, Swedish charger Fredrik Lindgren and Great Britain star Tai Woffinden.
Laguta has regularly piled up the points in Poland, but hasn’t always transferred his high scoring on to the SGP stage. Asked what made the difference in Wroclaw, he said: “There is no special secret. My form has been very good since the Polish league started. The bike is very, very fast. The guys in the workshop do fantastic work. My tuner, Ryszard Kowalski helps with fantastic engines. Everything has been set up for me. We also had the possibility to use Anlas tyres as well. We have been testing them in the last couple of matches and have gained a little bit more knowledge. They are slightly different. They don’t guarantee success, but they help to get success if you can set the bike up correctly. That’s what happened today. The bike was very fast from the start. I made very good starts. We are working hard in the team to make sure everything with the bikes is at the top.”
Laguta, who powered to 14 race points from a possible 15 in the heats, added: “It’s about the whole combination. The tyres helped and the engines from Kowalski Racing, which have been very good for a long time. The communication within the team and with the tuner is very important. That has all been a success. The tyre adds another couple of percent. Not everybody on the Anlas tyres won the races. But if you’re smart and you have a little more knowledge, you can get a benefit.”
Artem Laguta
Laguta admits working on his mental approach in the winter also boosted his bid to transfer Ekstraliga form into the SGP series.
He said: “We have been working very hard on that. I was quite close a few times to winning the Grand Prix, but we were always missing something. The work I did on my physical performance in the winter and also on the mental side of things meant I was really focused. I would like to say thanks to my family for their support and the whole team – everyone who has been working on the bikes. One of our mechanics wasn’t allowed to be in the pits, but he was part of the success as well. The engine tuners at Ryszard Kowalski Racing – the whole crew – have been great. We know the GPs have only just started. We have to stay focused and work hard to finish with a good result. Now we have won, and hopefully we can do it again.”
After racing to second place in round one on Friday night, Magic completed a dream weekend in extraordinary style as he won the round-two final ahead of Wroclaw team mate Tai Woffinden, world champion Bartosz Zmarzlik and Swedish star Fredrik Lindgren.
Maciej Janowski
The Olympic Stadium erupted to salute a rider who spent his youth on the terraces, before learning his craft on the famous track.
Janowski has spent all but two seasons of his career in Wroclaw colours and after watching his idols stand atop the Olympic Stadium podium, he lived that dream himself.
Maciej Janowski, Tai Woffinden, Bartosz Zmarzlik
After charging into a six-point lead at the World Championship’s summit, Janowski said: “That was an amazing night. Thank you to my team. They have done amazing work today. It’s really hard to race on your home track, but I felt I had so much focus and I was ready and prepared for some hard racing. Thank you to all the fans!”
Janowski had speed to burn as he topped the heat scorechart on 13 points, before winning his semi-final ahead of Lindgren, Niels-Kristian Iversen and Wroclaw rider Max Fricke.
He then triumphed in the final showdown, seeing off a strong early challenge from Great Britain hero Woffinden, who also impressed on the Olympic Stadium circuit he has called home since 2013.
Woffinden won a jaw-dropping battle with Zmarzlik in semi-final two, with round-one winner Artem Laguta forced to settle for third ahead of wild card Gleb Chugunov, whose progression in eighth place on the heat scorechart ensured all four Wroclaw riders in the 16-man field reached the semi-final stages.
Janowski leads the standings going into rounds three and four in Gorzow on September 11 and 12 on 38 points. Laguta and Woffinden are second and third respectively, tied on 32.
Swedish star Freddie Lindgren holds fourth place on 30, with Zmarzlik fifth on 27 points. Leading Australian in the standings is Max Fricke on 12-points while Jason Doyle has eight-points.
FIM Speedway Grand Prix Points Standings
Maciej Janowski 38
Artem Laguta 32
Tai Woffinden 32
Fredrik Lindgren 30
Bartosz Zmarzlik 27
Leon Madsen 18
Gleb Chugunov 16
Emil Sayfutdinov 15
Niels-Kristian Iversen 14
Patryk Dudek 13
Martin Vaculik 12
Matej Zagar 12
Max Fricke 12
Mikkel Michelsen 11
Jason Doyle 8
Antonio Lindback 2
Moto News Weekly proudly brought to you by Dunlop
2020 Queensland Motocross Championship – Hervey Bay
After three rounds of the Sunshine State Series, Queenslanders turned their attention to the one and only round of the Queensland Motocross Championship which was held at the sandy and often challenging Hervey Bay track. It is one of the few sand based tracks on the east coast and always makes the riders work hard for their results.
Husqvarna’s Todd Waters rode both MX1 and MX2 categories and after narrowly missing out on taking the MX2 honours Waters did the business in MX1 and dominated all three motos to finish the day on top ahead of Lochie Latimer and Jai Walker.
MX1 Results
Pos
Rider
Total
R1
R2
R3
1
Todd WATERS
105
35
35
35
2
Lochie LATIMER
92
32
32
28
3
Jai WALKER
90
28
30
32
4
Joel EVANS
88
30
28
30
5
Kaleb BARHAM
78
26
26
26
6
Navrin GROTHUES
72
22
25
25
7
Ryan GAYLOR
71
25
22
24
8
Luke ZIELINSKI
69
23
24
22
9
Blake COBBIN
67
21
23
23
10
Cody O’LOAN
62
20
21
21
MX2
The Yamaha MX2 trio of Aaron Tanti, Jesse Dobson and Jay Wilson were up against Husqvarna’s Todd Waters as well as host of other up and coming hot shots. After the first two races, five points separated Tanti, Waters and Wilson – in that order. As the last race blasted off – the running order was Wilson, Waters and Tanti which would have seen a three way tie for the championship if they were to cross the finish line in that order. Just before the half way point, Tanti made a mistake and dropped to fourth place, leaving Wilson and Waters to fight it out with the gap around three to five seconds as they charged through lapped traffic. In the end, Wilson took the race win and with it the Queensland MX2 Championship over Waters by virtue of a better finish in the final race, despite both finishing on equal points. Tanti was third for the day but despite the fall in the last race, showed his sand riding skills have improved significantly. Dobson held down fourth while Japanese rider, Kota Toriyabe took sixth just behind Ricky Latimer.
Jay Wilson took the MX2 title by virtue of winning the final moto despite finishing on equal points with Todd Waters – Image Sam Phillips
MX2 Results
Pos
Competitor
Total
R1
R2
R3
1
Jay WILSON
97
30
32
35
2
Todd WATERS
97
35
30
32
3
Aaron TANTI
95
32
35
28
4
Jesse DOBSON
86
28
28
30
5
Ricky LATIMER
74
24
26
24
6
Kota TORIYABE
69
22
24
23
7
Jake KOWAL
68
23
23
22
8
Joel PHILLIPS
62
20
21
21
9
Luke REARDON
61
16
25
20
10
Zhane DUNLOP
61
21
22
18
2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Rnd 3
Images by Jeff Kardas
The third round of the 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship featured the season’s most competitive afternoon of racing thus far, with compelling battles for victory across both the 450 Class and 250 Class. Indiana’s Ironman Raceway serves as one of the most dynamic tracks on the championship schedule and it was no surprise to see the best riders in the world put their talents of full display at the Guaranteed Rate Ironman National.
Reigning three-time 450 Class Champion Eli Tomac found himself in unfamiliar territory coming into Indiana, sitting seventh in the championship standings and facing a 40-point deficit to leader Zach Osborne. As a result, Tomac and his Monster Energy Kawasaki squad entered the Ironman National looking to turn their season around, and they did just that. The Colorado native captured the 45th victory of his career, emphasized by an impressive Moto 2 win.
Over in the 250 Class, the intrigue of the early season title fight between GEICO Honda’s Jeremy Martin and Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis took another turn when Ferrandis’ dominant Moto 1 win was nullified by a first-turn crash in Moto 2 that left the point leader at the tail end of the field. While Martin was able to take full advantage of the opportunity and earn his second straight victory, Ferrandis was stellar in his recovery effort, salvaging both a runner-up finish and his points lead.
Up next the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will celebrate Labor Day weekend with its first-ever doubleheader from Michigan’s legendary RedBud MX, which will host the fourth and fifth rounds of the 2020 season. The Circle K RedBud I National will begin the holiday festivities on Friday, September 4. The second half of the doubleheader will take place on Labor Day, Monday, September 7, for the Circle K RedBud II National.
450
The opening 450 Class moto saw a pair of familiar rivals out front early as Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Marvin Musquin secured the MotoSport.com Holeshot just ahead of Tomac’s Kawasaki, with point leader Zach Osborne in third aboard his Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing machine.
450 underway
The top three asserted themselves at the front of the pack, while the rookies of Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo and Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton gave pursuit to build a close fight amongst the top five. This group continued to trade momentum through the middle portion of the moto and at one point were collectively separated by just a handful of seconds. As the race wore on, the running order began to spread out, with Musquin and Tomac pulling away. Behind them, Osborne made a costly misjudgement trying to pass a lapped rider, resulting in contact that forced the point leader off his bike. That allowed both Cianciarulo and Sexton to get by, while Osborne continued in fifth. He then almost crashed again a short time later, which caused him to lose fifth to Rocky Mountain ATV/MC-KTM-WPS rider Blake Baggett.
Adam Cianciarulo
Musquin withstood one final push from Tomac to capture his first moto win since suffering a knee injury at this same track one year ago, taking the checkered flag by 2.2 seconds over the champ. Cianciarulo finished in third, just ahead of Sexton, while Baggett rounded out the top five. Osborne lost another position late to finish a season-worst seventh.
When the gate dropped on the second and deciding moto it was Osborne who prevailed to take the MotoSport.com Holeshot ahead of Cianciarulo, while Tomac and Musquin gave chase right behind them. Musquin and Tomac battled for third briefly, but Tomac got the upper hand to secure the position. With a clear track Osborne looked to pull away, but Cianciarulo responded to the torrid pace of the opening laps.
With Tomac closing in from third Cianciarulo put the pressure on Osborne for the lead and successfully made the pass stick, leaving Osborne to fight with the reigning champion. Meanwhile, Musquin lost additional ground after getting passed by Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia for fourth.
Zach Osborne
The top four maintained their positions throughout the middle of the moto, but with 10 minutes remaining this group had closed in on one another and were separated by just a couple seconds. As they encountered lapped traffic Osborne was slowed, which allowed both Tomac and Barcia to get around and drop the point leader off the podium. The lead trio still sat within less than two seconds of one another and Tomac went on the attack, successfully taking the lead away from his teammate. Barcia followed through into second, and then Osborne dropped Cianciarulo off the podium by moving up to third.
The closing stages of the moto turned into a compelling head-to-head battle between Tomac and Barcia, and while Barcia appeared to be faster in some areas of the track, Tomac excelled in different areas as well to keep the Yamaha at bay. In the end, Tomac charged to the finish line to take his first moto win of the season by 1.1 seconds over Barcia, while Osborne finished in a distant third.
Eli Tomac
By virtue of his 2-1 moto results Tomac was able to secure his 45th-career victory just one week after finishing a career-worst 16th overall. The win puts him in sole possession of fourth on the all-time wins list. Musquin finished in second (1-6), while Cianciarulo rounded out the overall podium in third (3-4). Osborne’s strong second moto helped him finish fifth overall (7-3).
“I just had a better feel . The track came to us all day. We had good starts in both motos and that pace was insane there in Moto 2,” explained Tomac. “I had pressure from Barcia for a while there and we were really pushing it at the end. He kept me honest, but I was able to keep it going and get us a win. We’ve got some good tracks for us coming up and hopefully we can keep putting work in to make up some ground in the championship.”
Eli Tomac
Osborne’s strong finish to the afternoon helped minimize the ground he lost in the championship standings. He now holds a 13-point lead over Musquin, while Barcia sits 26 points behind in third. Tomac vaulted from seventh to fourth, and now faces a 27-point deficit behind Osborne.
“The first moto was just really bad for me. I made some mistakes and it was just a mess, really,” said Osborne. “It was a disappointment, but we bounced back in the second moto. I didn’t have the pace to run up front with those guys, but still put in on the box and still have the red plate . We’ll look forward to RedBud.”
50 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish) Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (2-1) Marvin Musquin, France, KTM (1-6) Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (3-4)
Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Ironman Raceway – Crawfordsville, Indiana August 29, 2020 – 450 Class Overall Results
Pos
Rider
Motos
Bike
1
Eli Tomac
2 – 1
Kawasaki
2
Marvin Musquin
1 – 6
KTM
3
Adam Cianciarulo
3 – 4
Kawasaki
4
Justin Barcia
6 – 2
Yamaha
5
Zach Osborne
7 – 3
Husqvarna
6
Chase Sexton
4 – 5
Honda
7
Blake Baggett
5 – 7
KTM
8
Dean Wilson
8 – 8
Husqvarna
9
Broc Tickle
9 – 10
Yamaha
10
Christian Craig
11 – 12
Honda
11
Fredrik Noren
10 – 13
Suzuki
12
Henry Miller
12 – 14
KTM
13
John Short
13 – 16
Honda
14
Joey Savatgy
40 – 9
Suzuki
15
Benny Bloss
37 – 11
Husqvarna
16
Jake Masterpool
16 – 17
Husqvarna
17
Coty Schock
15 – 18
Honda
18
Max Anstie
14 – 37
Suzuki
19
Justin Bogle
34 – 15
KTM
20
Ben LaMay
17 – 38
KTM
21
Jeremy Smith
18 – 22
Honda
22
Tyler Bowers
38 – 19
Kawasaki
23
Grant Harlan
19 – 21
Honda
24
Justin Rodbell
21 – 20
Kawasaki
25
Jared Lesher
20 – 24
KTM
26
Tristan Lewis
26 – 23
Yamaha
27
Mcclellan Hile
22 – 28
KTM
28
Bryce Backaus
25 – 27
Yamaha
29
Scott Meshey
24 – 29
Husqvarna
30
Alex Ray
23 – 34
Kawasaki
31
Dalton Dyer
32 – 26
Kawasaki
32
Carson Tickle
27 – 31
Honda
33
Matthew Hubert
35 – 25
Honda
34
Adam Enticknap
33 – 30
Suzuki
35
Christopher Prebula
28 – 35
KTM
36
Tristan Lane
31 – 33
KTM
37
Luke Neese
30 – 36
Honda
38
Luke Renzland
39 – 39
Husqvarna
39
Chase Felong
29 – DNS
Husqvarna
40
Timothy Crosby
DNS – 32
Kawasaki
41
Jason Anderson
36 – DNS
Husqvarna
Moto News Weekly proudly brought to you by Dunlop
450 Class Points Standings
Pos
Rider
Points
1
Zach Osborne
122
2
Marvin Musquin
109
3
Justin Barcia
96
4
Eli Tomac
95
5
Adam Cianciarulo
89
6
Blake Baggett
81
7
Chase Sexton
78
8
Broc Tickle
71
9
Christian Craig
59
10
Dean Wilson
58
11
Jason Anderson
58
12
Max Anstie
54
13
Joey Savatgy
48
14
Fredrik Noren
37
15
Henry Miller
37
16
Cooper Webb
29
17
Jake Masterpool
28
18
Coty Schock
23
19
Benny Bloss
21
20
Justin Bogle
21
21
Justin Rodbell
19
22
Jeremy Smith
16
23
John Short
13
24
Tyler Bowers
11
25
Luke Renzland
11
26
Matthew Hubert
9
27
Chase Felong
8
28
Justin Hoeft
7
29
Ben LaMay
6
30
Jeffrey Walker
4
31
Jared Lesher
3
32
Cory Carsten
3
33
Grant Harlan
2
250
The first 250 Class moto saw point leader Dylan Ferrandis grab the MotoSport.com Holeshot aboard his Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing machine, just edging out Martin. With the clear track Ferrandis was able to sprint out to an early lead over his Honda counterpart, while the field jockeyed for position behind them. Ferrandis quickly built a multi-second advantage over Martin, who soon was forced to contend with Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM’s Brandon Hartranft from third. Martin responded and soon asserted himself into the runner-up spot, while Hartranft solidified his hold of third.
AMA Pro Motocross 250 gets underway
Out front Ferrandis continued to add to his advantage and eventually opened up a margin of more than 20 seconds on the rest of the field. He went wire-to-wire to earn his third moto win of the season in dominant fashion, crossing the finish line 26 seconds over Martin, followed by Hartranft in third. GEICO Honda’s Jett Lawrence finished in fourth, while Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire completed the top five.
GEICO Honda’s Jett Lawrence finished in fourth in the opening 250 moto
As the field emerged from the first turn to start Moto 2 it was Martin who surged to the head of the pack to secure the MotoSport.com Holeshot ahead of Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing’s Justin Cooper. Behind them Ferrandis was on the ground after an incident with his Star Yamaha teammate Shane McElrath, with the Frenchman finally returning to action in dead last.
Ferrandis had to come back through the pack
With Ferrandis forced to battle his way through the field of 40 riders the window of opportunity opened for Martin to take advantage. The Honda rider was able to put some space between he and Cooper early on and continued to build that lead into a multi-second advantage, with Hartranft once again asserting himself in third. As Martin continued to lead the way out front, Ferrandis was making an impressive climb up the running order. He needed just one lap to break into the top 20, and continued to charge his way into the top 10 before the halfway point of the moto. The Frenchman’s determined comeback didn’t end there. He continually picked off riders, one-by-one, and eventually fought his way back into podium position.
Hunter Lawrence
Martin went unchallenged en route to his second moto win of the season, taking the checkered flag 5.7 seconds over Cooper, while Ferrandis made the most of a moto that started with him in the worst possible position by finishing third.
Martin’s Moto 2 triumph gave him 2-1 finishes for the afternoon, which was enough to put him atop the overall standings for the second week in a row, and the 16th time in his career. Ferrandis’ impressive performance helped him secure the runner-up spot (1-3), while Hartranft earned the first overall podium finish of his career in third (3-4).
Jeremy Martin
“Last week was a special moment , but I didn’t win a moto. It made it more special to get a good start and ride my own race to get a moto win,” said Martin. “Dylan was on it today, but I knew I needed to get a good start and that would put me in a position to win. I know Dylan didn’t get the start he wanted , but my GEICO Honda was working really well in these conditions and I’m just happy to be back on top of the podium. It’s going to be a fun battle .”
Jeremy Martin
By virtue of his damage control in the final moto Ferrandis maintained his hold of the point lead, losing just two points to Martin. The top two are now separated by four points.
“I just ride as fast as I can and pass the most riders I can. I have nothing to lose,” said Ferrandis. “I wish there was more laps, but it is what it is. It’s a disappointment to lose out on the second moto, but this is racing and sometimes things like that happen. We’ll just keep fighting and try again next week.”
Ferrandis had to come back through the pack
Jett Lawrence took fifth overall for the round after carding 4-5 results while older brother Hunter was unhappy with his efforts after taking 16th overall on the back of a 15-14 scorecard.
Jett Lawrence took fifth overall for the round after carding 4-5 results
The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will celebrate Labor Day weekend with its first-ever doubleheader from Michigan’s legendary RedBud MX, which will host the fourth and fifth rounds of the 2020 season. The Circle K RedBud I National will begin the holiday festivities on Friday, September 4. The second half of the doubleheader will take place on Labor Day, Monday, September 7, for the Circle K RedBud II National.
Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Ironman Raceway – Crawfordsville, Indiana August 29, 2020 – 250 Class Overall Results
BMW Motorrad has announced the M Endurance chain, which does not need to be lubricated like conventional motorcycle chains. The M Endurance chain uses a tetrahedrally amorphous carbon coating on the rollers that reduces friction and negates the need for lubricant. Currently, the BMW S 1000 RR and S 1000 XR are the only compatible models.
From Press Release:
For more than 90 years, the maintenance-free, environmentally friendly and comfortable shaft drive has been one of BMW Motorrad’s immovable technical cornerstones. With the M Endurance chain, BMW Motorrad now offers a maintenance-free chain with comparable characteristics for the first time.
Like previous X-ring chains, the M Endurance chain has a resident permanent lubricant filling between the rollers and pins, enclosed by X-rings. What is completely new, however, is that the previously necessary additional lubricant addition for the rollers and thus the familiar “chain lubrication” is no longer necessary, nor is any re-tensioning required from time to time due to the usual wear.
This enormous gain in comfort was made possible by using a new coating material for the rollers: tetrahedrally amorphous carbon (ta-C), also known as industrial diamond. This coating is characterized by extreme hardness and resistance and in this respect it is placed between the well-known DLC coating (Diamond Like Carbon) and pure diamond. In contrast to the metal surfaces used so far, the coating with the ta-C industrial diamond does not wear off. At the same time, this type of coating also offers a drastically reduced friction coefficient.
Thanks to excellent dry lubrication properties and the elimination of wear, the tetrahedral amorphous carbon coated rollers of the M Endurance chain offer maintenance comfort equivalent to that of a shaft drive motorcycle. This includes all the cleaning work that is unavoidable with a conventional chain due to splashed lubricant. Accordingly, the M Endurance chain also offers maximum environmental friendliness.
The M Endurance chain in 525 pitch is now available initially for the two 4-cylinder models BMW S 1000 RR and S 1000 XR. The M Endurance chain is available as accessory or directly from the factory as an option. Further BMW Motorrad models are being prepared for this feature.
Triumph Motorcycles Australia has issued a recall for 217 2019 and 2020 Street Scrambler and Street Twin models over a wiring issue.
The official notice issued through the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission says: “Misrouted harness wiring may become damaged by the lower lug on main frame headstock when the handlebars are rotated. Damaged wiring harness may cause the engine to stall, and increase the risk of injury and death of the rider or other road users in an accident.”
Owners of affected vehicles will be contacted and asked to present their motorcycle to an authorised Triumph dealers to have recall work carried out free of charge. A new VIN label protector will be fitted to the motorcycle to prevent contact between the wiring and the headstock lug. Some motorcycles may also need a rework of the harness.
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:
“Travel light” is the motto of most motorcyclists.
However, if you don’t have any luggage – not even a tank bag, tail bag or backpack – you can still store some essentials in your jacket and pants pockets.
Most motorcycle jackets have a host of inside and outside pockets.
Some adventure motorcycle jackets even have a large pouch in the back which are handy fr carrying a wet liner and/or another pair of gloves.
Without making your jacket or pants too heavy, you can carry several essentials with you.
Phone
The most important these days is your phone.
Above all, it is a safety device. Make sure the locations services are switched on and that you have shared your position with your partner if you are riding solo.
Your phone is also now a camera, torch, GPS, a handy guide for your travels and can even store your credit cards so there is no need even to take your wallet.
I also carry include a tyre pressure gauge, lip balm, sunscreen, Windex, sunglasses rag, multi-tool, earplugs case, headache tablets and my garage remote.
It sounds like a lot, but you can get small and light versions.
Some may be horrified by the above photo which shows the pen-like tyre pressure gauge.
You probably shouldn’t carry a pen or anything similarly shaped as some claim it can stab you if you have a fall.
I’ve never hard of it actually happening and I find the simple pen-like gauge more reliable than digital tyre pressure gauges.
Find a small spray container and fill it with glasses cleaner or Windex to both clean your glasses and your visor. Also, carry a small sunglasses rag that came in your glasses case.
Over the years, my only regret about riding is that I didn’t wear earplugs until too late.
Despite the Honda CBR-600RR only selling in the Australian and Asian markets, the Japanese company has updated the super sport bike for 2021.
It seems a strange move from the manufacturer since the engine doesn’t meet stringent European and American emissions regulations and the fact that the super sport segment is dying around the world.
However, Honda has decided to update the cosmetics to HRC colours and graphics as well as throwing a host of technical features at the once-popular motorcycle.\
The updated 599cc inline four engine still doesn’t meet emissions regulations, but that doesn’t matter in Australia and Asia.
However, peak power has been raised 4.4kW to 88.7kW and shifted up to 14,000rpm.
The engine is also slightly lighter with new camshafts, vale springs and cranks.
Yet the weight of the whole bike has risen from 186kg to 194kg and we’re not sure why.
It could be some of the sophisticated electronics that have been thrown at the bike.
They include a full colour TFT dashboard, LED lighting and electronic riding aids such as new engine modes, traction control, wheelie control and lean-angle-sensitive ABS.
Father’s Day is a great time to share your passion for riding with your grandfather, father or son.
According to recent research, more than one in three motorcyclists got into riding because of their friends or family.
The new research survey was conducted by YouGov and commissioned by ING who is launching their new Motorcycle Insurance.
It also found that a quarter of riders vow to keep biking a family tradition and teach their kids how to ride.
What’s more, riders want to share their joy of riding with friends or their partner (43%).
All in the family
One example of this family biking tradition is Victorian rider Rob Hartnett who says riding is about “friendship, mindset, bonding, shared passions and getting away from all our electronic devices for a while”.
The 56-year-old has been riding since his dad, John, took him on a lap around a race track at just six months and now he is teaching his children to ride and race motorcycles.
From there, he was on minibikes built by his dad, before pushbikes and getting heavily into motorsports and racing.
For Rob, riding is a family tradition.
His mother, Shirley, still rides in her 80s and his 89-year-old dad still rides to rallies after racing for 75 years in speedway and road races.
“My parents met through bikes many years ago and while that was not the same for me, my wife, Leisa, is thankfully a petrol head and loves bikes and cars,” he says.
His three sons also ride. Ben 23 raced junior MX and has his road licence; Finn, 20, and Lachie, 18, rode minibikes and have ridden many kms with Rob.
“We did the junior MX scene in Victoria with our boys when our eldest son, Ben, was racing and it was great family fun,” Rob says.
“Leisa did corner duties which was a baptism of fire for her and we travelled around Victoria and met many great families and friends.
“We often go to rallies together and a couple of years ago all three generations were riding at the All British Rally.”
Encourage kids to ride
Rob believes children should be encouraged to ride as it makes them better car drivers and road users later in life.
“Most of all I encourage it as it’s a way of clearing your mind and focusing on the now,” he says.
“Not the past, not the future but exactly where you are at that time.
“My wife Leisa says when you drive you are in a capsule and then you stop and arrive. On a bike she says you are already in the moment all the time. When you stop, you have already arrived you just get off the bike.
“Riding allows you to experience nature and the world in a unique way.”
Today, Rob considers himself a social rider, taking trips on weekends and attending classic rallies with his wife Leisa.
He’s owned Ducatis, Yamahas, Triumphs, Hondas, a Suzuki and even a Velocette. Rob currently rides a Triumph Bonneville and a Honda Café Racer.
“Riding is a common bond of a group of people with similar interests,” he says.
“No one cares where you come from, rich or poor, what colour you are, your background.
“When the engine starts and the visor goes down we are all one together.
“The joy and camaraderie is a global thing unique to bikes. Watch a junior MX race or a MotoGP race and after every race you see the riders congratulate each other. You rarely see that in car racing.”
Keeping your motorcycle chain clean, lubricated and tensioned is a messy business, but now BMW has developed a special chain that never needs lubricating nor re-tensioning.
BMW has long been known for its maintenance-free shafts, but now they have extended that ability with their M Endurance chain in 525 pitch.
BMW Group Australia Nick Raman Product Communications Manager says the M Endurance chain is standard on the S 1000 RR Race and S 1000 RR M Sport from September 2020 production.
“It is also standard on the S 1000 XR Sport and available optionally on the S 1000 XR Tour from August 2020 production,” he says.
“The ex-factory price for the chain on the S 1000 XR Tour is $160, though we don’t have any information at this point on whether it will be available on other models.”
That’s not too bad considering chains cst between about $50 and $200 for a gold link model and these should last longer.
BMW Motorrad’s global release says “further models are being prepared for this feature”, so we expect the F and G models will get something similar.
However, it may also be suitable for non-BMW bikes.
Company spokesman Gerhard Lindner says: “I think you can put it on every bike with a 525er chain.”
So how does it work?
The M Endurance chain has a resident permanent lubricant filling between the rollers and pins, enclosed by X-rings, so they don’t require lubrication, nor re-tensioning.
BMW uses a new tetrahedrally amorphous carbon (ta-C) coating material for the rollers. It is also known as industrial diamond.
This coating is harder and more resistant than Diamond Like Carbon. The only thing tougher is pure diamond.
BMW says the ta-C industrial diamond coating “does not wear off” and “drastically” reduces the friction coefficient.
“Thanks to excellent dry lubrication properties and the elimination of wear, the tetrahedral amorphous carbon coated rollers of the M Endurance chain offer maintenance comfort equivalent to that of a shaft drive motorcycle,” BMW claims.
“This includes all the cleaning work that is unavoidable with a conventional chain due to splashed lubricant. Accordingly, the M Endurance chain also offers maximum environmental friendliness.”
