An as-yet unidentified male rider has died in a motorcycle crash at Tallandoon, Victoria, this morning (29 November 2019).
Victoria Police and emergency services were called to the heavily wooded Lockharts Gap Road (above) after reports a motorcycle had veered down an embankment about 9.45am.
The male rider, who is yet formally unidentified, died at the scene.
Investigations continue into the cause of the crash.
Lockharts Gap Road remains closed between the Omeo Highway and Sandy Creek.
Victorian Police are appealing to anyone who witnessed the incident or has dashcam footage to contact Wodonga Highway Patrol or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
Our sincere condolences to the rider’s family and friends.
Death toll
Victoria Solo Unit motorcycle police
The tragic death brings the Victorian motorcycle death toll so far this year to 42, which is six more than last year and well above the five-year average of 34.
That’s an increase of 14% over the previous year, while driver deaths are up 12%.
However, cyclist deaths are up 80%, followed by passengers 45% and pedestrians 42%.
All up, Victoria’s road toll is 241 so far this year which is 24% up on the same time last year and 5.7% above the five-year average of 228.
Clearly the current road policing strategy is not working and there is a need to try new initiatives, not just target motorcyclists.
Eastern Region Road Policing Inspector Stephen Cooper said at the time that this year has been “particularly challenging” on Victorian roads, with a “lot of the trauma taking place in country Victoria”.
“At the beginning of the year we saw a lot of fatalities and serious injuries involving motorcyclists,” Insp Cooper said.
“With the warmer weather encouraging riders to get back on their motorcycles, we want everyone to know that police will be out enforcing against those who engage in risky behaviour.”
Electric motorcycles could benefit from Deakin University research which makes lithium-ionbatteries smaller, lighter and less likely to burst into flame.
Research fellows at Deakin’s Institute for Frontier Materials Research, Dr Fangfang Chen and Dr Xiaoen Wang, say their discovery means lithium-ion batteries would no longer pose a fire risk.
They have achieved this by replacing highly volatile liquid electrolytes with a solid material made from common industrial polymers.
Lithium on fire!
While lithium batteries in Tesla and some laptops and phones have exploded in flame, the only known issues with electric motorcycles have involved overheating chargers.
The Deakin Uni finding has the potential to be applied to all lithium-ion batteries, including those used in electric motorcycles.
Dr Wang says almost all electric vehicles using lithium batteries are based on liquid electrolytes.
“If we use solid-state electrolytes in these applications, we will definitely make these batteries safer, with the potential to affect all applications where batteries are used, including motorcycles,” he tells us.
He says it does not specifically address the Energica and Harley charging issue.
But will it add to the cost, size and weight of batteries?
“We are at a finding stage,” Dr Wang says.
“Currently, there’s no all-solid-state battery available on the market that’s free from flammable components, and there’s still many challenges to make solid-state batteries competitive with current batteries in terms of price point.
“Our focus is developing one of the components for solid state batteries, which is the key to making them safer for everyone and hopefully a game changer in the lithium-ion battery world.
“The batteries will be lighter and smaller on the basis of the same energy. So, the same size battery that is in a phone now, using our findings, could last double the time, or alternatively, the batteries could last the same time as now – but be half the size.”
That’s a boon to electric motorcycles where size and weight is more important than in larger vehicles.
Harley-Davidson LiveWire lithium-ion battery
How it works
The Deakin researchers have “reinvented the way polymer interacts with lithium salt, removing the normally highly flammable properties of traditional lithium batteries”, says Dr Chen.
They say they’ve used existing commercial polymer materials to create the new process, meaning the formulation could be applied commercially with little difficulty.
“All of the products that we’ve used to make this safer battery process already exist in the market,” Dr Wang says.
“Polymers have been used as battery conductors for over 50 years, but we’re the first to use existing commercial polymer in an improved way.
“We’ve done this by weakly bonding the lithium ion with polymer, creating solid polymer electrolytes. We believe this is the first clear and useful example of liquid-free and efficient transportation of lithium-ion in the scientific community.”
So far they’ve proven the process in coin cell batteries, similar to a watch battery size, with the next step being to scale up the batteries to bigger applications – such as for a mobile phone.
It may be some time before they are used in electric motorcycles and other electric vehicles.
Honda Australia’s factory off road racing transporter and 50th Anniversary Gold fleet will be on display outside the Crown Casino, in Melbourne until Saturday night, located by the Riverwalk in front of the famous Rosetta restaurant.
Honda’s race truck and golden 50th anniversary line-up to be found at Crown Melbourne until Saturday
This year Honda celebrated 50 years in Australia, marking the milestone with this special one-off Gold fleet that has toured the country throughout the year. The Gold collection includes some of Honda’s current performance products, in striking gold bodywork as the traditional symbol of a 50th Anniversary.
Tony Hinton – General Manager of Honda Motorcycles
“Honda exists to bring joy to people’s lives, we do this through the products we make and through our racing so we are really proud to have the opportunity to show Melbournians this exciting display.”
Honda’s 50th anniversary line-up
Underneath the awning of the transporter will be the 2018 Championship winning CBR1000RR Fireblade race bike, the CRF450R Penrite Honda Supercross bike, the 2020 CRF250R and the gold collection, which consists of the following models:
50th Anniversary CBR1000RR Fireblade
The CBR1000RR Fireblade, which has been a pivitol model in the Honda line up since 1992.
The CRF450L, which is one of the newer models in Honda’s line up and a re-entry into the highly competitive Enduro market.
50th Anniversary CRF450L
One of Honda’s best-selling motorcycle models of all time is the CRF50F, taking out the number-one selling model across all manufactures year in and year out.
Then there is the portable powerhouse, EU22i generator. One of the best-selling Honda products across all categories, powering job sites, sporting events, camping trips throughout Australia.
The ever popular 50th anniversary CRF50F, EU22i generator and HRU19 Buffalo lawnmower
Designed and assembled here in Australia, the HRU19 Buffalo Premium lawnmower plays an important part not only in Honda’s line up but also as a symbol of Australian manufacturing, which is a rare occurrence in modern times.
Head over to check out the display until Saturday. For more information on the Honda range including the special Gold collection, visit: www.honda.com.au (link)
Unlike drivers, any accident involving a rider and pillion is likely to have more serious consequences and a greater likelihood of a criminal charge as injury and death is more likely.
Now the motorcycling enthusiast solicitor advises on the serious consequences of being involved in a motorcycle crash:
Chris Kalpage sets up for a track session
Serious consequences
Most people who have an accident where they are at fault face the consequences of, at least, a charge of negligent driving. Unfortunately unlike a minor car accident where driver and passenger are uninjured an accident on a motorcycle is more than likely to result in injury. If your pillion is injured you are at considerable risk of being charged.
I have acted for clients who have had accidents where their pillions have had deep cuts, broken bones and even died and the rider has been charged. Although, after a protracted court case, they have been acquitted.
In the case of death or serious injury, there are the serious consequences of facing jail time if convicted. Generally, if there is a death and a question of fault, the police are likely to charge and leave it to the courts to determine guilt or innocence.
Scientific evidence
The difficulty in these cases and the expense is the need for scientific evidence especially if there are no witnesses.
In one case, a rider and pillion were riding out by the northern beaches late one evening. A taxi driver who was travelling in the opposite direction said he didn’t see the bike — not that he was particularly paying attention — but heard it. As it had a noisy aftermarket exhaust he presumed it must have been going fast.
He saw sparks in his rear vision mirror as the bike hit the embankment. The pillion was high-sided into a tree. The rider’s body was smashed from top to bottom and how he survived the months of coma, hospitalisation and years of surgery and rehabilitation was a testament to his strength of character and determination.
Sadly his pillion died at the scene, the cause of the accident was uncertain but as a person had died he was charged. If convicted he would be incarcerated.
Not only was he recovering from catastrophic injuries and the fact that his friend had died, he now had all the stress of a court case that could take at least a year to complete.
No one had seen the accident, the rider who had a head injury had no recollection of the event at all.
The DPP who had pressure from the family and deep pockets as a government institution kept putting forward expert reports and theories which had to be countered.
Let alone witness statements from people who had seen a bike doing a wheelie 10km from the crash site. On a road that attracts a lot of riders, no one could identify the rider charged as the bike in question.
I got to the scene within hours of the accident and managed to have photos of the scene and debris left from the bike taken.
Spurious arguments
Various spurious arguments were raised by the prosecution:
Because the radius of the curve was such that a bike could go around the curve at significantly greater than the speed limit the rider must have been traveling faster than the hypothetical speed. Our experts assessed the maximum potential speed that the corner could be taken at as much less. Further, the accident occurred before the corner. They also hypothesised that a mark on the road was a yaw mark and therefore the bike was travelling at a certain speed. It was again positively debunked by our expert. Eventually the best the prosecution could estimate was maybe 1km/h over the speed limit.
The police in attendance stood up what was left of the bike and clicked down through the gears then saying that it was in fourth gear and because the analogue tachometer was at 7000rpm it was traveling at a certain speed.This did not take into account that he had a reverse pattern gearshift and that analogue instruments can jump on impact and freeze.
The remains of the bike were held by police at the station. I attended with an expert who did a forensic examination of the clutch cable that showed the likelihood that on pulling in the clutch and changing gear it snapped and momentarily locked the rear wheel, causing a loss of control. Since the pillion sits higher than the rider with limited hold, she was high-sided into the tree. Therefore, the accident may have been caused by sudden mechanical failure and not the manner of riding.
The prosecution tried to argue that the bike had travelled off the road and up an embankment where the pillion was found because there was a black mark on a tree and the bike was black. As I had examined the area within hours and examined the embankment it was clear that the black mark on the tree was from a bush fire having charred the tree. Secondly, they relied on debris that appeared to be at the top of the embankment, which we established, did not belong to the bike.
However every time we debunked the DPP’s theories, they would get a new expert costing more money.
We then ran a committal proceeding in the local court for a number of days to attempt to avoid going to the District Court. The Magistrate in the local court threw out the prosecution case, making scathing remarks against the prosecution and awarding costs.
Conclusions
Early and careful investigation is vital, while jumping to simplistic assumptions is dangerous. If you wait until you are charged, which can be months later, the crash scene may have changed. The road may have changed, surrounding shrubbery that may have obstructed your view may no longer be there, nor those mysterious black marks on trees.
Secondly just because you lose control of your bike does not necessarily mean that you were riding in a dangerous or negligent manner, even if you are riding over the speed limit.
Finally don’t think it can’t happen to you no matter how careful you are. I have had to defend too many people who hopped on their bike that morning never for one moment thinking it would happen to them.
Disclaimer
This article is for reader information and interest only and is based on New South Wales law. It is not intended to be comprehensive, and does not constitute and must not be relied on as legal advice.
Please be aware that every case is different and the matters raised may not be of specific relevance to your situation but may have a general application. You must seek specific advice tailored to your circumstances. Chris is happy to talk to anyone needing clarification. He can be contacted on 0418 211074.
Team Australia have announced an impressive line-up of riders for the International Challenge at next year’s 2020 International Island Classic, which will be held at Phillip Island over the January 24-26 weekend.
2020 International Island Classic returns to Phillip Island over the January 24-26 weekend- Image Russell Colvin
Reliable intel suggests an American team with even more firepower than 2019 is in the works, so defending International Challenge champion Australia has left nothing to chance by including a cavalcade of champions on its 2020 roster.
Dave Johnson, Jed Metcher, Steve Martin, Shawn Giles and 2019 pacesetter Aaron Morris lead the way, while also on the grid for the locals will be Alex Phillis, Beau Beaton, Cam Donald, Craig Ditchburn, Scott Webster and John Allen.
Dave Johnson – Image by Russell Colvin
Martin, who defeated Morris on a countback in 2019 to win the Ken Wootton Memorial Trophy for the highest individual scorer, says that to win the International Challenge trophy you’ve got, “to ride it like you stole it!”.
Steve Martin
“Winning the 2019 International Challenge is something I’m so proud of, and to continue racing against some of the biggest names in history at the event sparks my passion. The best part is it’s a different rider and bike combo that seems to come to the fore each year, so everyone’s a threat. I’m really starting to get the goose bumps as we close in on 2020 because every year it gets just that bit tougher. And I just love the event where people can get up nice and close to the bikes and are free to wander through the pits.”
Steve Martin – 2019 Ken Wootton Perpetual Trophy winner – Image by Russell Colvin
As well as the speed and consistency of Martin, his teammates also share plenty of International Challenge highlights. Johnson was the dominant force in 2018 and arrives at Phillip Island off the back of victory in the Superbike Classic TT in August at the Isle of Man, podiums in the Macau GP last week and a Superstock TT podium at the Isle of Man TT in June.
Metcher is also well-qualified at Phillip Island, winning the International Challenge crown in 2016 (with the UK’s Jeremy McWilliams); and Giles took the Ken Wootton award in 2013 and 2014 (again sharing the title with McWilliams).
Jed Metcher & Beau Beaton – Image by Russell Colvin
Phillis, Beaton, Donald, Ditchburn, Webster and Allen are also long-time Aussie Island Classic campaigners and have contributed greatly to the local team’s success in the 15 years of the championship.
Australia has claimed the title 12 times and the UK has landed the crown thrice in that period. Line-ups from America and the United Kingdom will be unveiled in the coming week.
Aaron Morris & Shawn Giles – Image by Russell Colvin
2020 International Island schedule
Backing the International Challenge, is the Island Classic program of 52 additional races for machines across the six historic racing categories: Veteran (up to 1919), Vintage (1920-1945), Classic (1946-1962), Post Classic (1963-1972), Forgotten Era (1973-1982) and New Era (1983-1990).
In total, 400 solo bikes will take to the 4.445km Phillip Island circuit over the three days, where each class will be decided after one qualifying session and four races; and the Phil Irving Trophy will be the rider who scores the highest points in non-International Challenge events.
Steve Martin, Shawn Giles, Aaron Morris – Image by Russell Colvin
Qualifying begins Friday for all classes, followed by a full program of racing on Saturday and Sunday. To book tickets and on-circuit camping for an affordable Australian Day long-weekend away at the International Island Classic go to www.islandclassic.com.au (link)
Toby Price all set to defend Dakar Rally title in 2020
Toby Price has been spotted training for the 2020 Dakar Rally, with images out of KTM showing the Australian rider all geared up with the KTM Factory Racing crew for the event which will take place in Saudi Arabia, marking the 42nd edition of the rally.
Tony Price – Image by Sebas Romero
Price returns to defend his 2019 title in January of 2020, with many observing the 2020 running may be the most challenging yet, covering 7900km, with competitors battling through over 5000km of special stages.
Soldiering through the pain of a broken wrist suffered just weeks before the 2019 event, Price went on to take victory, KTM’s 18th consecutive win of the event, leading home fellow KTM rider’s Matthias Walkner and Sam Sunderland.
Tony Price – Image by Sebas Romero
Price just took second overall in the Baja 1000 race in his truck, and also competed in the Finke event earlier in the year in the truck category due to the earlier wrist injury and aiming for the 2020 Dakar.
Toby Price also recently won the final stage of the Rally du Maroc, but it wasn’t enough to elevate him to the overall win, finishing just off the podium in fourth overall, sharing at the time, “I only just missed out on the podium, which is frustrating, but it’s been really good training. I missed out on the podium by just seven seconds but all-in-all I’m pleased with how I rode. Navigation was really tricky here and we had to learn to ride with the minimum of information. I’m hoping that will put us in a good position for January and the Dakar Rally.”
Tony Price – Image by Sebas Romero
Dakar 2020
The 2020 event will kick off in Jeddah in January 5, with the first third of the rally a test of navigation skills along the Red Sea and heading north to Neom and Al Ula, before heading into the dunes between Ha’il and Riyadh.
The Shubaytah and Haradh stages will be contested in the vast “Empty Quarter”of the Saudi territory, before heading into the final Qiddiyah stage, where navigation will again be vital.
Tony Price – Image by Sebas Romero
The 48th event will also see a rebalance of the parameters, with new colour-coded roadbooks only given to competitors minutes before timed sector’s start. A Super Marathon stage for the top pilots will only allow 10-minutes of work on their machines, alongside a traditional marathon the day before the finish. A joker will also be granted to competitors forced to retire in all categories, allowing them to rejoin the Rally in the Dakar Experience classification.
Tony Price – Image by Sebas Romero
2020 Dakar Rally Stages
Stage 1 – Jeddah > Al Wajh, 752 km – SS : 319 km
Stage 2 – Al Wajh > Neom, 401 km – SS : 367 km
Stage 3 – Neom > Neom, 489 km – SS : 404 km
Stage 4 – Neom > Al Ula, 676 km – SS : 453 km
Stage 5 – Al Ula > Ha’il, 563 km – SS : 353 km
Stage 6 – Ha’il > Riyadh, 830 km – SS : 478 km
Rest Day – Riyadh
Stage 7 – Riyadh > Wadi Al-Dawasir, 741 km – SS : 546 km
Stage 8 – Wadi Al-Dawasir > Wadi Al-Dawasir, 713 km – SS : 474 km
Stage 9 – Wadi Al-Dawasir > Haradh, 891 km – SS : 415 km
Stage 10 – Haradh > Shubaytah, 608 km – SS : 534 km
Stage 11 – Shubaytah > Haradh, 744 km – SS : 379 km
Stage 12 – Haradh > Qiddiya, 447 km – SS : 374 km
Tony Price – Image by Sebas RomeroTony Price – Image by Sebas RomeroTony Price – Image by Sebas RomeroTony Price – Image by Sebas RomeroTony Price – Image by Sebas RomeroTony Price – Image by Sebas RomeroTony Price – Image by Sebas RomeroTony Price – Image by Sebas RomeroTony Price – Image by Sebas Romero
Day one of the 2020 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship test at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto has come to a close, with riders and teams testing new parts and new bikes ahead of the new season.
Returning riders and WorldSBK rookies were on track looking for the perfect set-up for their 2020 season, whilst WorldSSP also joined the on-track action. Although four red flags interrupted proceedings, Jonathan Rea pipped Toprak Razgatlioglu and Alex Lowes to finish on top of the pile ahead of day two.
Jonathan Rea – WorldSBK 2020 Testing
Improving the package in specific areas and continuing to experiment with new ideas regarding balance and set-ups for various scenarios, the Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK continued their pre-season testing with a strong afternoon in the south of Spain. Jonathan Rea was the first rider under the 1’40 mark, whilst Alex Lowes elevated himself up to second with just two hours of track time to go.
Over at Ducati, it was a tough afternoon for Scott Redding, who ran on at Turn 5 and beached his Ducati. The British rider re-joined the track but slipped down to seventh with less than two hours to go, although he recovered in the end and finished day one in sixth. Davies was just two places behind and was working on ergonomics, whilst working on rear shock feelings together with Ohlins. Michele Pirro was just outside the top ten in 11th.
Chaz Davies – 2020 Jerez WorldSBK Test
Yamaha were also working on a vast array of things across their bikes, as Toprak Razgatlioglu was the first out on track. Toprak was experimenting with engine braking and was keen to refine his riding position; the Turk finished second overall, splitting KRT duo Rea and Lowes.
Setting 98 laps, Michael van der Mark was also working hard on improving his feeling with new parts on the 2019 bike and finished inside the top four. Loris Baz was as high as third but slipped down to overall, as he continued to work on a solution for his top speed deficit. Niccolo Canepa was out on track too and was the only rider with the 2020 Yamaha R1, finishing ninth.
Toprak Razgatlioglu – 2020 Jerez WorldSBK Test
For the first time for the 2020 season, BMW were on track, meaning Eugene Laverty made his debut with the German manufacturer. Laverty suffered a technical problem which brought out the second red flag, leaving oil on the track at Turn 2.
Tom Sykes spent his day testing different chassis characteristics, whilst also experimenting with a different electronics strategy and swingarm parts too. Tom Sykes finished the day in seventh whilst Laverty was tenth overall.
Eugene Laverty – 2020 Jerez WorldSBK Test
At GRT Yamaha, both Federico Caricasulo and Garrett Gerloff continued their adaptation to World Superbike life. The Italian was not inside the top ten for most of the day, and, like at Aragon, was working on his riding position on the bike. Garrett Gerloff set more than 70 laps on his first time at Jerez and spent most of the day inside the top ten before finishing 12th.
Xavi Fores was still getting used to be being back on a WorldSBK-spec motorcycle and was one place further back in 13th, whilst Caricasulo and Lorenzo Savadori were 14th and 15th respectively.
Federico Caricasulo – 2020 Jerez WorldSBK Test
WorldSBK Jerez Test Day One Unofficial Times
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’39.207 – 63 laps
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team) 1’39.226 – 77 laps
Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team) 1’39.541 – 98 laps
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’39.780 – 88 laps
Loris Baz (Ten Kate – Yamaha) 1’40.128 – 98 laps
Scott Redding (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) 1’40.137 – 65 laps
Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’40.431 – 50 laps
Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) 1’40.659 – 72 laps
Niccolo Canepa (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official) 1’40.854 – 68 laps
Eugene Laverty (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’40.971 – 63 laps
WorldSSP
At the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, the FIM Supersport World Championship was also in action with numerous leading riders on track. A day blighted by red flags gave some teams the chance to bed-in their 2020 set-ups and for the raft of rookies to come to terms with their 2020 challenge.
Randy Krummenacher – 2020 Jerez WorldSBK Test
Ending the day on top however was reigning WorldSSP Champion Randy Krummenacher, making his debut for MV Agusta, whilst Philipp Oettl and Isaac Viñales were in behind.
Learning a new bike and taking his crew with him to the MV Agusta set-up, Randy Krummenacher’s title defence started well, setting 50 laps throughout the day. The Swiss rider was under four seconds from Jonathan Rea’s time from WorldSBK and just over half-a-tenth ahead of fellow WorldSSP rider, Philipp Öettl.
Fresh from a test in Valencia, Oettl was up to speed on day one, with the German finishing ahead of Isaac Viñales, who is on a more-or-less identical bike to 2019 and has the aim of fighting for the title in 2020.
Philipp Öettl – 2020 Jerez WorldSBK Test
Fourth overall was Andrea Locatelli, as the Italian also made his switch from Moto2™ to World Supersport. Setting over 60 laps on the Yamaha R6, the Italian stated he needs to go step by step and set as many laps as possible to understand the bike better.
He was ahead of 2019 Moto2 rival Steven Odendaal, who set 68 laps on his first time out on a WorldSSP bike. Hannes Soomer adapted quickly to his first Yamaha experience and was sixth out of nine WorldSSP riders.
Isaac Viñales – 2020 Jerez WorldSBK Test
Federico Fuligni was back fighting fit with the MV Agusta and was seventh come the end of the day. Firstly, adapting to the bike and then trying to adapt the bike to his style, Can Öncü turned a first wheel in WorldSSP. He was eighth, just ahead of Loris Cresson, as the Belgian rider completed the WorldSSP running order.
WorldSSP Jerez Test Day One Unofficial Times
Randy Krummenacher (MV AGUSTA Reparto Corse) 1’43.150 – 53 laps
Phillip Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) 1’43.210 – 60 laps
Isaac Viñales (Kallio Racing) 1’43.412 – 45 laps
Andrea Locatelli (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) 1’43.474 – 62 laps
Steven Odendaal (EAB Ten Kate Racing) 1’43.843 – 71 laps
Hannes Soomer (Kallio Racing) 1’43.865 – 36 laps
Federico Fuligni (MV AGUSTA Reparto Corse) 1’44.391 – 80 laps
The thrill of riding a motorbike is unmatched by any other riding experience. There is something about driving your bike on the asphalt for long stretches with the wind in your hair. There is sort of a freedom in it.
It is as close to flying you can get while being on the ground. The feeling of taking your cruiser motorbike out on the highway for a cross country ride is one of the best things you can do. But for that, you need your bike to be perfectly adept to handle all road conditions. One of the major aspects of this is to have good tires.
Making sure your bike tires have optimum pressure. Along with that check the bike tire size and guarantee other aspects of it so that your bike can perform at its best. You should also try keeping a spare tire and spare tire bike rack for emergencies for those long trips on the highway.
If you need to find discount tires for your motorbike you can simply search the term “motorbike tires near me” to get suggestions. Now I know what you are thinking, that is only half the story, right?
You want to know what are the best motorbike tires. Well, the following passages are made up of the best road bike tires available on the market so check it out:
Dunlop D404
Dunlop is one of the most renowned tire brands in the world. They are known the world over for their world-class tires for trucks, cars, and bikes. And it is no surprise that a Dunlop tire has made it in this list. The tire we are going to look at is the Dunlop 404.
It has become a phenomenon due to its consistent performance and class. Something we expect from a Dunlop tire. These come with intricately designed treads that allow for greater traction across all surfaces. However, its performance is amazing on wet surfaces.
It has amazing versatility that is rarely seen in the tire industry for motorbikes. It comes in a one size fits all format which makes it a viable option for your cruiser bike regardless of its model and manufacturer.
While these tires do offer ample mileage it is a bit less than a few of its major competitors. Even though it was specially designed and marketed as a touring bike tire. Along with this, another let down is the fact that it is priced high but does not offer the mileage is often a deterrent for the average buyer.
Pirelli Diablo Rosso II
Pirelli needs no introductions. It has been a premier tire company for as long as it has been around. And its innovative designs and products have kept it relevant even to this day. Diablo Rosso II is one of those tires.
These were designed as racing tires which is why they provide amazing grip on the track and road. So whenever you drive you will see that aspect showing through on every type of road condition. Because of this grip, the bike feels more balanced and it was designed in a way so that it does not slip when taking tight corners.
This tire has been consistently performing in the market for a number of years and its track record is what made me add to this list of the best motorbike tire list. However, one thing that I don’t like about this is the longevity of the tires but it may be because it receives a higher dose of abuse than regular tires.
Another thing is that the tire just takes a long time to warm up but other than these minor problems overall the tires are amazing.
Continental ContiMotion
One of the most obvious candidates when talking about best motorbike tires is the Continental ContiMotion. There are no tires available in the industry that comes close to its performance in regards to price.
This you can say is the best value for your money motorbike tire you can find. Continental has one of the best traction control systems in the market. This is why it is considered as one of the best motorbike tires for your cruiser.
Their performance is admirable in both dry and wet conditions. And will last you thousands of miles before even showing the slightest sign of wear and tear. However, once they start deteriorating they deteriorate really fast.
Another thing that you may find hard to deal with is when they are new they don’t perform well enough. But once they are used a little bit they will outperform almost all other motorbike tires in its class.
Cruising with The Best Tires
So there you go; these are the 3 best motorbike tires in my opinion for cruisers. I myself am using the Continental ContiMotion and I am loving the performance I get out of it. But there are plenty of other great tires you can look at. There are plenty of online auto parts stores that sell car and motorbike parts who also have motorbike tires.
Try going to your local motorbike tire store to find the one that is the perfect fit for you. Take great care into finding the right tire so that you get the best out of your cruiser the next time you hit the road.
Team Australia has been selected for the International Challenge at the 2020 International Island Classic, which is due to take place on 24-26 January.
Dave Johnson, Jed Metcher, Steve Martin, Shawn Giles and 2019 pacesetter Aaron Morris lead the way, while also on the grid for the locals will be Alex Phillis, Beau Beaton, Cam Donald, Craig Ditchburn, Scott Webster and John Allen.
“Winning the 2019 International Challenge is something I’m so proud of, and to continue racing against some of the biggest names in history at the event sparks my passion,” said Martin.
“The best part is it’s a different rider and bike combo that seems to come to the fore each year, so everyone’s a threat. I’m really starting to get the goosebumps as we close in on 2020 because every year it gets just that bit tougher.
“And I just love the event where people can get up nice and close to the bikes and are free to wander through the pits.”
Johnson was the dominant force in 2018 and arrives at Phillip Island off the back of victory in the Superbike Classic TT in August at the Isle of Man, and podiums in the Macau GP last week with Josh Brookes and a Superstock TT podium at the Isle of Man TT in June.
Metcher is also well-qualified at Phillip Island, winning the International Challenge crown in 2016, and Giles took the Ken Wootton award in 2013 and 2014.
Phillis, Beaton, Donald, Ditchburn, Webster and Allen are also long-time Aussie Island Classic campaigners and have contributed greatly to the local team’s success in the 15 years of the championship. Australia has claimed the title 12 times and the UK has landed the crown three times. Line-ups from America and the United Kingdom will be unveiled in the coming week.
Ducati will field a Panigale V4 R in the 2019/2020 FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) after partnering with former BMW squad Team ERC Endurance.
It’s understood the team, which will switch to the Italian manufacturer from the 8 Hours of Sepang next month, will receive significant technical support from the factory.
“My passion for the brand and my personal collection of Ducati bikes had little to do with the decision to start up a partnership with Ducati,” said Team ERC manager Uwe Reinhardt. “What really counted was the fast, efficient and substantial commitment they immediately put in place and the support they will be providing throughout the season.
“It’s obviously been a big challenge getting ready to race at Sepang, but we’re under no pressure. It’ll be a trial run in race conditions. As for Le Mans, our only goal will be to cross the finish line of the 24 Heures.”
Ducati Corse sporting director Paolo Ciabatti added: “Team ERC Endurance has support from Ducati, and Ducati Corse electronics engineers will be at each race. The machines use World Superbike technical specifications, and have been prepared at the Ducati Corse workshop by Team ERC’s mechanics with support from our engineers.”
The 8 Hours of Sepang, marking the second stop of the world championship, is scheduled for 14 December.
