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The LiveWire offers exceptionally accurate throttle response. It’s sensitive, but in a good way, facilitating an intimate experience at the controls. Four combined power/throttle maps are offered (Sport, Road, Rain, and Range). The rider can also customize three separate maps (A, B, C), by selecting various degrees of power, throttle response, regeneration (similar to engine-brake effect on an internal combustion engine-equipped motorcycle), and traction control.
Source: MotorCyclistOnline.com
In Moto2™, Tom Lüthi must surely lead the list of those likely to be fighting at the front from the off – as he has pretty much every season he’s raced in the intermediate class – and his Liqui Moly Intact GP teammate Marcel Schrötter will expect to be in the mix too. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Flexbox HP 40) reigned the early part of 2019 and has some serious speed, as does former teammate and now EG 0,0 Marc VDS rider Augusto Fernandez, who ran reigning Champion Alex Marquez close during the middle of last year. Jorge Navarro (Speed Up Racing) was a consistent contender and got incredibly close to race wins too, and then there’s Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46), Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing), Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team)… all have shown some serious pace. There will be one race winner’s name missing from the timesheets, however: Sam Lowes (EG 0,0 Marc VDS), as he recovers from a shoulder injury sustained at the previous private test.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
VisionTrack Ducati Panigale V4 R of Josh Brookes
Defending Bennetts British Superbike champions Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM) got their season off Josh Brookes & Christian Iddon to a high-flying start when they launched their 2020 livery from the plush and world-famous surroundings of The View from The Shard in London earlier this week.
VisionTrack Ducati Launched In London with Brookes and Iddon
In keeping with their reputation as Britain’s most successful BSB team, who have now won a total of seven BSB titles and over 100 races, they chose Britain’s tallest building to unveil the factory-supported VisionTrack Ducatis to be ridden by Josh Brookes and Christian Iddon this season.
VisionTrack Ducati Panigale V4 R of Josh Brookes
In front of a select number of celebrity and VIP guests and with the bright lights of London in the background, as well as the open-air Skydeck some 244m (800ft) above the capital’s streets, team owner Paul Bird welcomed sponsors both new and old to the exclusive event, the first of its kind to be held in the 95-storey skyscraper, designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano.
Josh Brookes
An ultra-successful season in 2019 saw the Penrith, Cumbria-based team win their seventh BSB title with rookie Scott Redding being crowned champion just five points ahead of Brookes, who between them won 21 of the 27 races to end up 1-2 in the standings.
Brookes subsequently became the third most successful rider in BSB history with a total of 49 wins, just one behind Ryuichi Kiyonari, with the Australian from Bringelly in New South Wales having accumulated 251 starts and an additional 83 podiums since his debut in 2009.
Josh Brookes is the third most successful rider in BSB history
As well as his domination en route to the 2015 BSB title, Josh has now been runner-up four times in his BSB tenure as well as winning the 2005 Australian Superbike Championship. He also has two World Supersport Championship victories to his name.
Iddon from Stockport, but now based in Newcastle Upon Tyne secured the 2019 BSB Rider’s Cup with a great performance late in the season having suffered a broken leg earlier in the year and although he didn’t miss any races, it hindered his chances of the title. Still to win a race in BSB, he has secured 12 podiums from his 135 starts since his debut in 2010.
Christian Iddon
Prior to embarking on a successful road racing career, ‘Iddo’ was a multiple British Supermoto champion who has experience in World Superbikes and World Supersport, including a third place at Magny Cours in 2013. His best result in BSB is seventh in both the 2017 and 2019 seasons.
Both riders will have at their disposal a pair of brand-new factory-backed VisionTrack Ducati V4 Rs in the 12 round series which kicks off at Silverstone on April 10/12th.
PBM Ducati of Christian Iddon
Images by Jamie Morris
Source: MCNews.com.au
Hear the first words from the riders, who will line up on the grid in KTM colours, including Pol Espargaro, who has ridden with the factory team since it joined the class in 2017; and rookie to the class Brad Binder; as well as satellite team riders Miguel Oliveira and Iker Lecuona.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
Kawasaki’s popular Ninja 1000SX receives a multitude of upgrades for 2020. We sent international journalist Adam ‘Chad’ Child to Spain to wheelie, I mean test, the latest version of this popular sports-tourer.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX Review
Kawasaki’s first Z1000SX was introduced in 2010 and I was lucky enough to attend the world launch in Spain. I was immediately impressed with their new sports-tourer. Kawasaki had cleverly listened to the, let’s face it, aging bike market and gave it precisely what was required: a comfortable tourer that was also capable of being sporty and fun. It was loosely based on Kawasaki’s Z1000, and customers loved it, as did Kawasaki dealers.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
In 2014, I was back in Spain to test the updated 1000SX, with improved braking, revised suspension, cosmetic tweaks, and a livelier engine. I owned a 2014 model, and covered nearly 30,000 miles in all conditions and loved it, a brilliant all-round bike. 2017 saw another upgrade, with the introduction of a six-axis IMU offering greater riders aids. Other changes aside from the obvious cosmetic differences was a lowered rear, by changing the shock linkage and new clocks. The engine was also cleaned up to meet Euro-4 but didn’t lose any power or torque.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
For 2020, Kawasaki have significantly improved the SX and rebranded it the ‘Ninja’ 1000SX, which puts it in the same family as their corporate flagship, the supercharged Ninja H2 SX.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
The improvements include a new TFT 4.3inch full-colour dash with Bluetooth connectivity. New styling, which includes a new single-exiting exhaust that saves on weight and a manually four-way adjustable screen.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
Other significant changes include revised suspension, the addition of an up-and-down quick-shifter, cruise control, four electronic rider modes, and a larger and comfier seat for both rider and pillion, increased by 20 mm which raises the seat hight from to 835 mm, from 815 mm. On spec alone this is a significant upgrade for the now Euro5-compliant SX.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX Quick-Shifter
The new clocks add a spoonful of superiority to a bike that has already surpassed the Japanese competition in kerb appeal. Yes, $17,199 plus on roads for the base model (without panniers), is a reasonable chunk of money, but for a high-quality and powerful sports-tourer it’s also competitively priced and considerably cheaper than BMW’s R 1250 RS, arguably the Kawasaki’s closest competition. Suzuki have the cheaper, GSX-S1000F, but there isn’t the option of hard panniers, and despite being similar in power, the Suzuki is a little more basic in specification and rider aids.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
The new clocks, which have two displays (sports and touring) are strong and offer four riding modes: Sport, Road, Rain plus a personalised Rider mode that allows you to change the engine’s power characteristics and reduce or remove the traction control — and do so on the move. There’s also an easy-to-use cruise control, which, like all the controls, became second nature after 160miles in the SX’s (super-comfy) saddle. Everything is operated by the new array of buttons on the left, bar and although are not immediately intuitive, are simple and easy to operate even in thick gloves.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
With 260 kilometres on day one followed by a full-on second day of riding, Kawasaki wanted the press to feel the full benefit of their modernised version of best-selling SX. A new, 835 mm thick, seat is far comfier than before – after two days of riding there were no aches or gripes. On the old model, after two hours in the saddle you started to move around to prevent numb-bum syndrome, the 2020 is superior.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX cockpit is a more comfortable place to spend time
The new four-way, manually adjustable screen is a little on the small side, even when fully erect, but there is a larger screen available in Kawasaki’s accessories catalogue. You’re not meant to manually adjust the screen on the move, but the addition of cruise control does make this easier.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
On the motorway, with the cruise-control set to 135 km/h, revs hovering at 6000 rpm and a noticeable but never overwhelming buffeting on my upper body, I couldn’t have been more content. The helpful clocks were feeding me economy data as well as an estimated tank range: two fast hours in the saddle, no problem. On test we averaged around 5.5 litres per 100 kilometres, which with a 19-litre fuel tank gives a theoretical tank range of well in excess of 300 kilometres. With improved comfort, 250 kilometres plus in one stint wouldn’t be an issue.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
The SX is desirable, attractive, comfortable, and dripping with rider aids like cornering ABS and lean-sensitive traction control. The rider aids are first rate, comparable to leading road-going superbikes from a few years ago. They are not intrusive, and allow you to ride with a guardian angel on your shoulder. But for me it’s the SX’s sporting edge that elevates it above the competition.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
The SX has always been on the sporty side of sports-touring, and I believe that balance has for 2020 swung even more towards sports. Despite its size and weight, the SX handles well enough for knee-down levels of lean — in safety.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
The new Bridgestone S22 tyres give exceptional feedback and grip in all conditions. In fact, that new dash has a lean angle indicator that I managed to push to 52-degrees, and even at those extreme peg-scraping levels of lean the SX felt secure and planted. When you add full loaded luggage and a pillion, ground clearance is further reduced, but the remote pre-load on the side is easy-to-use and will reduce the rear sag when you’ve added weight.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX handy remote pre-load adjustment
The Kawasaki’s turn-in and front-end feel are excellent. Kawasaki have only tweaked the fork internals slightly, increasing the oil flow, which softens the compression, but it’s a notable improvement over the old bike.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
The drive from the torquey and smooth in-line four-cylinder is effortless. Give her a big handful, though, and she’ll quickly remind you that there are 140 horses waiting to be unleashed. Make no mistake this isn’t a slow bike. Despite complying with Euro-5, the engine hasn’t lost any peak power or torque.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
The SX has the handling and power of a pure sportsbike from just 10 or so years ago, yet is supremely comfortable – with panniers plus a plethora of safety aids to keep everything in-line.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
At times I was conflicted. How do you ride a sports-tourer as sporty as this? Should I take it easy and enjoy the views around Corndora or go for knee-down, peg scraping glory? Truth is, the new SX is genuinely ecstatic in both scenarios and, while the old bike needed a tweak on the suspension to make it steer like a ZX, that isn’t the case anymore. The new SX handles from the crate.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
But it’s never all good news. The additional quick-shifter is relatively slick on up changes, especially at high rpm, but the same can’t be said on clutchless down changes, particularly below 5000 rpm. It’s not as slick as I was expecting and a little disappointing as the similar system on Kawasaki’s ZX-10RR is effortless and smooth.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
Also, with the integrated panniers fitted, the distance between the rider’s and pillion’s feet is restricted, especially if you ride on your toes, in race boots. I’ve ridden the old model extensively in the past with my wife as a pillion, and never had a problem, but it’s worth mentioning. If you ride extensively two-up, try before you buy.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
I’ve without a doubt the new Kawasaki Ninja Z1000SX will carry on the sales success of its predecessor. After all, the new model is even sportier yet even easier to ride over a huge distances and has an even higher level of spec’ and appeal. Imagine, if you will, a truly practical and comfortable sportsbike, and, hey-presto, you have the SX, a bike so good you feel compelled to ask why you would you want anything else.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
Kawasaki Ninja 1000 SX Specifications and Review
| Specifications | |
| 2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000 SX | |
| Engine Type | Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, In-line 4-cylinder |
| Displacement | 1,043 cm³ |
| Bore x Stroke | 77.0 x 56.0 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 11.8:1 |
| Valve System | Electronic Valve |
| Fuel System | Fuel Injection |
| Ignition | Digital |
| Starting | Electric |
| Transmission | 6-speed, Return |
| Suspension – front | Telescopic Fork |
| Suspension – rear | Horizontal Back-link |
| Wheel travel – f/r | 120 mm / 144 mm |
| Ground Clearance | 135 mm |
| Brakes – front | Dual Discs 267 mm (effective diameter) |
| Brakes – rear | Single Disc 214 mm (effective diameter) |
| Wheel Size Front/Rear | 17M/C x MT3.50 / 17M/C x MT6.00 |
| Tyre Size Front/Rear | 120/70ZR17M/C (58W) / 190/50ZR17M/C (73W) |
| L x W x H | 2,100 x 825 x 1,190 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1,440 mm |
| Seat height | 835 mm |
| Fuel capacity | 19 litres |
| Curb Mass | 235 kg |
| Max Power | 104.5 kW (142PS) @ 10,000 min |
| Max Torque | 111.0 N.m (11.3 kgfm) / 8,000 min |
| Colours | Metallic Graphite Gray with Metallic Diablo Black Emerald Blazed Green with Metallic Carbon Gray and Metallic Graphite Gray |
| Warranty | 24 Months Unlimited Kilometres |
Photography by Tim Keeton and Graeme Brown
Kawasaki Ninja SX Screen
Kawasaki Ninja SX Panniers
Kawasaki Ninja SX Panniers
Kawasaki Ninja SX Muffler
Kawasaki Ninja SX Lights
Kawasaki Ninja SX Lights
Kawasaki Ninja SX LightRear
Kawasaki Ninja SX Dash App
Kawasaki Ninja SX Dash
Kawasaki Ninja SX Controls
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX cockpit is a more comfortable place to spend time
Kawasaki Ninja SX Cockpit
Kawasaki Ninja SX Adam Mono
Kawasaki Ninja SX Adam
Kawasaki Ninja SX Adam
Kawasaki Ninja SX
Kawasaki Ninja SX
Kawasaki Ninja SX
Kawasaki Ninja SX
Kawasaki Ninja SX
Kawasaki Ninja SX
Kawasaki Ninja SX
Kawasaki Ninja SX
Kawasaki Ninja SX
Kawasaki Ninja SX
Source: MCNews.com.au
Ahead of the 2020 season-opening Yamaha Finance round of the Motul FIM Superbike World Championship at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit next weekend (February 28-March 1), the paddock has united to stage a charity auction to help out the victims of the recent Australian bushfires.
Five-time world champion Jonathan Rea has donated gloves and boots for the auction, with all funds raised going to BlazeAid, a volunteer-based organisation which works alongside rural families and individuals impacted by fires and floods.
Jonathan Rea in Melbourne today
Rea spoke about the bushfires at a media conference in Melbourne today, after the disaster struck a very personal note for the Kawasaki factory rider.
The family of Rea and his Australian wife, Tatia, owns a house just out of Bright in the heart of north-east Victoria, and for three weeks they watched from afar as the fires threatened their home, evacuations took place, and they saw farms and communities surrounding Bright ravaged.
Rea and his Australian wife, Tatia
“During the height of the fire, it got to within 5km of the house and Tatia’s parents were told to leave,” said Rea. “We were at home and keeping a constant eye on the emergency apps, and in the end we were very fortunate.
“It’s great the WorldSBK paddock is doing something, as it’d be easy to come here and then move on. Everyone has been sensational with their support.”
For full details on the auction and to make bids, visit https://www.charitystars.com/collection/bushfires-action.
The auction ends on March 3, 2020.
The statistics don’t lie
Rea is now the most successful WorldSBK rider of all time, topping all the key metrics: titles won (five), number of race wins (88), podiums (168) and fastest laps (67).
His dominance over the last five years has been profound, and the hard-nosed 33-year-old will now strive for six titles in a row against a manufacturer, machinery and rider base (both factory and privateer) that’s the strongest it has been during his reign at the top.
Jonathan Rea
Competition for Rea will come from all quarters, including Spaniard Alvaro Bautista (Honda) who won the first 11 races in 2019 before Rea came home with a wet sail; Briton’s former MotoGP rider Scott Redding making his debut in the production series on a factory Ducati; his new teammate Alex Lowes; his old teammate Leon Haslam (Honda); Yamaha guns Toprak Razgatlioglu and Michael van der Mark; Chaz Davies (Ducati) and BMW duo Tom Sykes and Eugene Laverty.
Haslam, Bautista and Laverty are all past WorldSBK winners at Phillip Island (Bautista doing the double in 2019), so the anticipation ahead of round one is palpable.
“Phillip Island is the closest thing to a home round for me, so I always enjoy racing there,” said Rea. “There’s always expectation and nervous energy ahead of a new season, but I’m trying to take a more mature approach in 2020.
“Last year, I was super excited at the start of the season, but the wind was then knocked out of my sails a little bit in those first four races,” continued Rea, referring to Bautista’s early season dominance.
“Of course I’d love to leave Phillip Island with three race wins, but it’s a 39-race championship and it’s more important that I leave Australia healthy and with a platform for the rest of the year.
“More than ever, consistency is going to a vital asset in 2020. I’ll just continue to focus on myself, and after the first 4-5 rounds everyone will eventually find their place.
“I had to come from behind to win the 2019 championship, and that was a valuable lesson in just focussing on my own form and not worrying about everyone else.”
Rea showed them a clean pair of heels at the Jerez test in November
Final pre-season testing will be held at Phillip Island on February 24-25, and then the paddock reconvenes three days later for the real business of racing.
Rea heads into the test after strong testing form in Europe
“I’m going to focus on polishing the package during the test,” said Rea. “The last two years I haven’t nailed setup at Phillip Island, and the goal will be to finish up with a bike that turns naturally – which places less stress on the tyres.”
2020 Kawasaki Racing Team WSBK livery
There will be three WorldSBK races at Phillip Island: two 22-lappers at 3:00pm on Saturday and Sunday, and a 10-lap Sprint at midday on Sunday.
Add in World Supersport competition and round one of the 2020 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship featuring four classes – Superbike, Supersport, Supersport 300 and the Oceania Junior Cup – and there will be a total of 15 races.
Buy your ticket and save
If you’re ready for fab adventure of the high-horsepower kind, book now for a weekend getaway at the World Superbikes next February 28-March 1 at Australia’s sensational Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit for the Yamaha Finance round. Book at https://tickets.worldsbk.com.au/
· Purchase a three-day General Admission ticket with Free Paddock Access just $125* Add on-circuit camping for $110* per adult for four-nights making a three day entry/four night camping ticket $235*
· Kids 15 and under, accompanied by a full-paying adult, are free for entry and to camp
· Want to upgrade to grandstand access and under-cover viewing? Opt for a Bar SBK ticket – three days for $265* giving access to three under-cover viewing areas at the circuit’s most thrilling corners – Doohan Corner, Siberia & Lukey Heights. Bar SBK ticket holders also get access to the exclusive grandstand at Doohan Corner, along with parking at Siberia & Lukey Heights and prime Superscreen viewing from each facility
*All ticket prices quoted are advance (more expensive at gate) and subject to Ticketek charges
** Kids 15 and under free to enter and camp, accompanied by a full-paying adult
Source: MCNews.com.au
News 18 Feb 2020
Section: Competition
Factory Yamaha rider bouncing back from pre-season incident.
Image: Foremost Media.
Yamaha Active8 Yamalube Racing’s Josh Green has declared himself fit for Toowoomba’s opening stop of the 2020 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) after recently suffering a heavy fall while training.
The New South Welshman clashed with a gumtree last month while riding, resulting in a concussion and a number of minor injuries. It forced the number 99 to be sidelined for numerous weeks before making a return to the bike over the weekend.
Green remains vague on the injuries he’s bouncing back from, although he’s adamant he feels good going into Queensland’s double-header this Saturday and Sunday.
“I’m definitely going to line-up on the weekend,” Green confirmed to MotoOnline.com.au. “Basically I just hit a gumtree – I don’t remember the crash because I had a concussion, and I had a few injuries here and there, but I’m not going to make a comment on that. It was just a few injuries, but nothing too serious, although it was enough to put me off the bike for a few weeks.
“I got back on the bike Sunday and had a ride, so I should be good. I feel good, I’m definitely sore, but I can actually ride, so that’s a win – it’s all good.”
The long-time Yamaha contender will continue to pilot the WR450F in the E2 category this season.
Source: MotoOnline.com.au
News 18 Feb 2020
Section: Competition
Western Australian returns from brief visit to America.
Image: Foremost Media.
Penrite Honda Racing newcomer Kyle Webster has indicated that testing with KYB suspension was the key takeaway from his brief visit to America.
The MX2 title favourite linked up with the American arm of Penrite Honda Racing in the States, where he managed to ride twice in a week-long stay.
Despite the relatively minimal bike time, the 23-year-old believes he made headway in his suspension development, and is now awaiting the arrival of an updated KYB set-up to use locally in Australia.
“I think it was a good experience to be there and see how they do it,” Webster explained to MotoOnline.com.au. “I’m really happy with my program here in Australia, so it’s hard to see where I could make it better.
“But, I ended up doing some suspension testing with KYB over there, so my bike’s handling really well and I’m looking forward to getting it back here – I think that will make it better.
“I’m not too crazy about suspension set-up, and those guys do it every day, so it was cool for me. I rode Pala and State Fair, so they were two completely different tracks – I found the bike worked really well at both them, and that’s what I’m looking for – I want my bike to be able to work well everywhere.”
Webster will race rounds two and three of the New Zealand Motocross Championship before Horsham’s opening round of the MX Nationals, scheduled for 4-5 April.
Source: MotoOnline.com.au
Three weeks ahead of the start of the Supersport World Championship, MV Agusta Reparto Corse has unveiled its 2020 livery. The new racing colours were presented in Schiranna, the historic headquarters of the Italian company.
2020 MV Agusta Reparto Corse WSSP livery – Timur Sardarov, Ratmir Sardarov, Federico Fuligni, Raffaele De Rosa
The colour scheme features MV Agusta’s signature red and grey and the F3 675 will also be proudly sporting world champion Randy Krummenacher’s number 1 on its fairing. The Swiss rider will be joined by De Rosa and Fulgini in Andrea Quadranti’s team for the 2020 quest for the world Supersport title.
2020 MV Agusta Reparto Corse WSSP livery
Andrea Quadranti
“The long preparation to the championship is now behind us, and we are ready to face the first round of the World Championship at the end of this month in Phillip Island. During the two-day tests at the beginning of the weekend we will be able to refine the set-up work done in the Jerez tests and our riders will take care of the rest. Krummenacher is determined to reconfirm his title, but De Rosa won’t certainly give up the opportunity to fight for it either. Fuligni expects to make a qualitative leap that will keep him in the top rankings. We are all eager to confront our opponents and are determined to play a leading role in the 2020 season.”
2020 MV Agusta Reparto Corse WSSP – Fuligni & De Rosa
The 2020 Supersport World Championship is about to begin, with the bikes now boxed-up and sent to Australia.
Source: MCNews.com.au
