Formats and categories confirmed for 2020 MX Nationals
Section: Competition
MX1 and MX2 classes revert to traditional two-moto format.
Image: Foremost Media.
The MX Nationals has confirmed the formats and categories that will make up the series in 2020, which has been scaled back to nine rounds over six weekends.
It’s now been revealed the MX1 and MX2 categories will revert to a traditional two-moto format at every round this season, abandoning the sprint format introduced in 2019.
The MXD class will also continue with a two-moto format, while the category will contest just five events with the title to be decided at Maitland’s penultimate stop, allowing riders to make wildcard appearances at Coolum’s double-header finale.
The Australian Women’s Motocross Championship will span over at three rounds at Maitland and Coolum, while the Australian Vets 30-39 title will be added to Gympie’s schedule. The Vets 40-plus class will take place at Conondale.
The 125cc Gold Cup returns again for 2020 at the Newry, Maitland and Coolum (Sunday schedule), as the Yamaha YZ65 Cup will run on during round eight at Coolum.
Motorcycle Test by Adam Child ‘Chad’ – Images by CAPS
Kawasaki’s new W800 Street and Café deliver bags of character and soul, something that’s regularly missed by Japanese manufacturers. We travelled to Japan to test Kawasaki’s new heritage range, which can trace its routes back to the W1 650 of 1965.
The old W800 was loved by many. It was simple and straightforward, which appealed to a generation who remember when bikes had kick-starts. Equally a younger audience enjoyed personalising and modifying the W800 and the older W650.
The W800 enjoys a reputation as a characterful refined machine, as well as a platform for modifications
However, the discontinued now ‘old’ W800 was in desperate need of an upgrade, and no longer conformed to tighter Euro-4 legislation. From 2019 Kawasaki have delivered an all-new W800 and there are two variants to choose from, the laid back Street and the racier Café. Although both bikes may appear almost the same as the old model, they are entirely new.
Thankfully Kawasaki haven’t wondered too far from the path of the successful W800, and older W650. In a country led by technology where toilet seats are automatically warmed, they haven’t been tempted to chase horsepower, nor over-complicate a proven recipe. Kawasaki have kept it simple as a retro bike should be.
The 783cc powerplant remains air-cooled and retains the unique bevel gear driven cam, which Kawasaki admit is for cosmetic reason only. They could have opted for water-cooling and even conventional chain driven cams, which would have resulted in more power, but instead have kept with traditional air-cooling.
The W800 remains air-cooled, and pumps out 35 kW at 6500 rpm
Internally the engine has been upgraded with new pistons, but essentially it’s the same, with a quoted 47 bhp at 6000 rpm which means the new W800 is still A2 compliant.
The steel double cradle chassis is all-new and thicker to improve stiffness. The brakes have received a significant upgrade, the rear shoe brake has been replaced with a more modern disc item, and the front also sees an increase in the single disc diameter, up from 300 mm to 320 mm.
The most significant change to affect the handling is the change in front wheel size, the older 19 in front has been replaced with a 18 in front, matching the rear. The non-adjustable fork has also increased in diameter, up from 39 mm to 41 mm. Kawasaki have tweaked the handing characteristics to improve the responsiveness of the steering, to give the W800 a sportier edge.
The front wheel is also now an 18-inch item, with a larger 320 mm rotor
Cosmetically it’s all new. The Japanese built W800 has some lovely detail touches. I love the fact they’ve stayed with the bevel gear drive cams – they’ve gone to that extra effort. The air-cooled engine is a thing of beauty.
The twin swept back exhausts appear to have been stolen from the original Kawasaki 650W, which was launched in 1965 – the first mass production large capacity four-stroke to leave Japan. Everywhere you look there are nice little detail touches, the metal flakes in the metallic paintwork, the ‘old school’ switch gear looks like it’s been taken directly from the ’70s. The seat couldn’t be anymore retro, with the Kawasaki logo printed on the rear.
In Japan on the exclusive product launch, Kawasaki cleverly had an original 1965 W1 on display, which clearly highlighted the similarities between the original and new bike. The family resemblance was obvious.
They both looked like they been produced by the same man, in the same era, only the modern-day bike disc brakes hinted at the new bikes true age. On looks alone Kawasaki need to be applauded. Over the years Japanese manufactures have attempted to build in character and induce some soul but fall short – not this time.
The W800 Cafe (left) and W800 Street (right)
There are two variants to choose from, the Street or the pricier Café. Both share the same basic platform, identical engine, performance, chassis and brakes. The Street is easily identifiable with laid back bars, wide retro seat, chrome spoked rims and small details changes, like a black only bevel cover. The Café comes with racy drop bars, black wheels and engine, plus side tank pads, chrome bevel cover and obviously the front cowl.
Choosing which bike to ride first was the hardest decision of my two-day road test. After a flip of a coin I headed for the laid back Street. The relatively low seat (770 mm) makes the W800 as intimidating as Morris Dancing. I’m 5’7 and was securely flat-footed, while some of the shorter Japanese test riders at even 5’2 didn’t have any issues. The laid back bars, soft seat and wide rubber pegs immediately relax the senses – let’s take it easy.
The W800 Street offers an unintimidating ride
The view from the retro seat is throw-back to the ’70s. I love the simplicity of the switchgear, the ornate clocks are simple with large faces, analogue rev-counter on the right and speedometer on the left. There’s also a small digital display for multiple trips and clock.
The parallel twin, with a long-stoke 360-degree crankshaft starts with a rewarding burble. The twin exhausts sound as good as they look, a blip of the soft throttle results in an authentic exhaust tone and the odd ‘pop’ on the overrun. Kawasaki admittedly spent a huge amount of resources on the exhaust tone.
Obviously it’s Euro 4 compliant, there’s a cleverly hidden cat-converter, but even so they’ve successfully created a charismatic exhaust tone.
Pulling in the one-finger-light clutch with a new back-torque limiter, a neat click into first gear and our Japanese adventure begins.
The W800 is also a standout for boasting strong character
Kawasaki’s new W800 is as effortless and easy ride. You can smoothly change gear at any rpm, even as low as 2000 rpm and then simply short-shift to the national speed limit. The torque is very flat, and the fuelling at low speed is soft, effortless. Once in to fifth gear – top – your left foot can become redundant, the W800 will happily pull from low rpm.
As you can image with only 47 bhp, the air-cooled long-stroke engine could never be described as quick, it’s slow revving and almost lethargic, but it perfectly matches the bikes laid-back feel. If you find yourself constantly revving the W800, then sorry you’ve bought the wrong bike, this is laid back cruising at it’s best.
Cogging back one gear will result in a punch in power. Peak torque is at 4800 rpm but there is more than enough punch from 3000 rpm, which takes care of brisk overtakes with safety.
Peak torque was moved up to 4800 rpm on the updated W800
I only wanted more power when exiting slow uphill corners on many of the mountain passes we encountered. The air-cooled donk was more than enough for 90 per cent of the time, squeezing out an indicated 100 mph without too many woes, in fact the punch from 70-80 mph was more than I expected from an A2 licence legal bike.
The handling like the engine is easy, simple and lazy. Kawasaki have quickened the steering over the predecessor, with a smaller front wheel, but you could never describe the W800 as sharp. The wide bars allow you to have some fun in the twisties, you can throw it around with relative ease, but when the foot-pegs start scraping you know you’re having a little too much fun.
Wide ‘bars offer plenty of leverage on the W800 Street
Even when the pegs start to leave trails of sparks, the handling is natural, it doesn’t feel like you’re at the limitations of the W800’s handling. The new suspension is softly sprung, but still has reasonable control and damping. Some roads in Japan were poor in places but the new W800 took imperfections without jolts and jarring, the ride is smooth.
When you ask a little too much of the new ABS assisted brakes, the front forks travel a little more than I’d like, but they don’t dive to the ground like a scared toddler after a car backfires. With a full four-fingered approach the stoppers have some rewarding bite, and the rear disc brake is a big step from the old shoe item.
W800 Street
The W800 Café
Despite sharing many similarities with the Street, the Café feels like a very different bike. The seat is taller by 20 mm and firmer. Despite being higher it’s still easy to get two feet securely onto the road, as it’s much narrower than the Streets wider and more comfortable seat.
The Café racer bars dramatically alter your body position, you’re now perched further forward with more weight on your wrists. It’s not as natural as the Street, a tad uncompromising around town, but not uncomfortable.
The W800 Cafe offers relatively minor differences for a very different feel and ergo
On the open road the Café feels more alive. The aggressive almost racy riding position encourages you to ride a little quicker, hold the revs a little longer and is accompanied by the same charismatic exhaust tone. Once into the mountain region of Kirigamine I preferred the racy Café, despite having the same engine and chassis I was riding a little faster, a little to the annoyance of the Japanese locals who strictly stuck to the speed limit despite being in the middle of nowhere.
But the Café style does come with compromises. The short narrow bars slows down the steering as you simply don’t have the leverage the wide bars give you to throw it into a corner. At high speed it doesn’t feel as stable at the Street, and furthermore as you have more weight over the front, the forks don’t feel as plush, but this may also have been a result of the increased speed.
In the mountain region of Kirigamine I preferred the racy Café
Despite moving the riders’ weight further forward Kawasaki didn’t change the suspension set up between the Café and the Street. And personally, I’d prefer the standard pegs to be further back, racier but not simply the same as the Street.
Of course, arguably the Café is a styling exercise, and hasn’t been led by performance or handing and in terms of appeal and look, the Café hits the nail on the head. The front cowl is a throwback to the café racer culture, but is more for show than any real wind protection.
Personally, I prefer the looks of the Café over the Street, and on day one I did favour the feel of the racer. But after two days and over 300 km of relatively steady Japanese riding, I favoured the Street.
Kawasaki W800 Cafe
For me the lazy easy handling matches the laid back stance and ride of the Street, it’s the perfect match. And after riding the original 1965 W800 W1, which Kawasaki dragged out of their museum specifically for this event, the new W800 is very much like the original, but with modern technology, better brakes and rideability.
For a short blast to the coast or favourite biker hangout, I’d favour Café, but after two day of touring, I’d choose the Street. And yes, I did say touring. The comfort at legal speeds is exceptional, the ride quality is impressive, I’d certainly take on some serious miles on the Street. This latest model even comes with a larger fuel tank.
Of the two, I’d pick the Kawasaki W800 Street
We took on all types of roads and weather, the standard Dunlop K300 surprisingly coping with all conditions. There’s even an optional rear rack and heated grips. At high speeds it’s a little vibey, mainly through the rubber pegs and there’s no economy, range/distance to empty measurement or even a gear position indicator, but otherwise it’s a hard bike to fault.
If you’re looking for a retro easy-to-ride middle-weight machine the market is flooded with attractive choices. Moto Guzzi’s A2 air-cooled V7 is the obvious competition. You could even throw in Harley’s air-cooled 883, Triumph’s water-cooled more powerful Street Twin or Enfield’s new 650 twin, and this is where the Kawasaki stumbles a little as it’s one of the more expensive of the wide selection of middle-weight retro machines.
The W800 Street is available for $12,999 RRP + ORC, while the W800 Cafe is available for $13,999 RRP + ORC. The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 starts at $9,790 Ride-Away and the Continental GT 650 starts at $9,990 Ride-Away. The Moto Guzzi V7 III Stone in comparison was $14,390 Ride-Away in 2019.
There’s also plenty of competition for the W800, with price being an area some competitors compare strongly
In Kawasaki’s defence, you can see where the money has been spent. The bevel gear driven cam engine, with it’s wide cooling fins is lovely looking, with perfect fuelling. The exhaust has a charismatic tone, the detailing is lovely, the Japanese made Kawasaki feels quality, which arguably justifies the increase in price over the competition.
The W800 Verdict
With over 20-years of professionally testing bikes under my belt, I’ve lost count of the amount of Japanese retro, or cruiser bikes which ride perfectly and look great, but lack character and soul. They simply can’t match the character and soul of similar bikes made in Europe or America. However, the new W800 Street and Café, re-sets that balance. They both have genuine soul, especially the Street which can trace its DNA back to the original W1 from 1965.
Kawasaki W800 Street
Bikes in the class shouldn’t be evaluated on performance, or handling – it’s how it makes you feel; do you feel pride in ownership, does it make you smile every time you open the garage door? Every time I rode the new W800 I smiled, even on day three I wasn’t bored of the easy-to-ride Kawasaki.
Grab your open face helmet, leather jacket, protective jeans and take the W800 for a test ride. Don’t go chasing the revs and performance, relax, turn off your phone and life worries, just enjoy the simplicity and charm the W800 delivers.
Jerez hosted day one of WorldSBK testing overnight and witnessed four different manufacturers topping the timesheets. With four red flags, numerous crashes and rain falling harder, Honda’s Haslam fended off Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha) and American sensation Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team) as day one concluded.
Leon Haslam quickest on day one at Valencia
Back in action as a full factory effort, Team HRC did just about everything on their first public appearance. Leon Haslam topped the time-sheets at various points throughout the day, whilst Alvaro Bautista crashed at turn six earlier in the morning.
Leon Haslam
In his second season back in WorldSBK, Haslam pulled off a memorable story from day one at Jerez, placing Honda on top of the time-sheets in the wet conditions. The HRC Team sport a slender 0.031s advantage over Yamaha going into day two but it is an advantage nonetheless.
Alvaro Bautista
For Haslam’s teammate Alvaro Bautista, he was back out on track in the afternoon after a lengthy time in the garage following his small morning crash, coming up to ninth on the timesheets before finishing the afternoon in tenth.
Alvaro Bautista
The Yamaha contingency was looking strong at Jerez, a circuit they enjoyed wins and podiums at in 2019. Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha) was top at lunch but crashed not long after; the Dutchman being one of many riders to crash at turn 1 through the course of the day.
Michael van der Mark
Toprak Razgatliolgu bounced back from his morning crash and was hovering in the top ten before finishing eighth, continuing his adaptation to the YZF R1 and the new engine.
Garrett Gerloff
Leading the charge from the Independent teams was Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team),with the American impressing on his second visit to Jerez and finishing third after putting in 35 laps.
Garrett Gerloff
Teammate Federico Caricasulo joined Gerloff inside the top ten and was ninth, his best showing in WorldSBK to-date. The Italian made the most the wet track time and just under two tenths behind Razgatlioglu.
Scott Redding
ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati showed strong pace throughout the opening day of the test, as Scott Redding was a firm fixture inside of the top four, hitting top spot early in the day before settling down and dialling in a good number of laps. Racking up more than 45 in total, Redding was utilising the test well, with new chassis and engine parts seeing him placed nicely in fourth. After two crashes for Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati), the Welshman had an afternoon to get back on track – both literally and metaphorically. However, with the rain coming down harder than ever, he was left languising 15th in the class.
Loris Baz
Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) was enjoying his time on track at the Jerez test and was making sure that the YZF R1 Yamaha was working well around the famous Spanish venue. Having been first across various parts of the day, the Frenchman was pushed back to fifth come the end of the day. Other Independent riders who were also having strong showings included Leandro Mercado (Motocorsa Racing) in 11th and Chilean rookie Maximilian Scheib (Orelac Racing Verdnatura) in 12th.
Tom Sykes
A quiet morning for BMW turned into a busier afternoon, with 2013 WorldSBK Champion Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) hitting the top six as the rain eased off. Parts they wanted to test in dry conditions consisted of chassis updates, swingarm configurations and rear shocks. However, with the wet circuit, there was very little they could try. On the other side of the garage, Eugene Laverty beavered away and improved throughout the day; Sykes and Laverty finished sixth and 13th respectively as the rain came back with a vengeance.
Alex Lowes
With Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) opting not to go out at all on day one, Alex Lowes was flying the Kawasaki flag at Jerez. The British rider will switch to the Japanese manufacturer in 2020 and is looking to use the Jerez test to his advantage, with this being their last track action until Phillip Island’s test in February. Utilising wet weather track time to the best he could, Lowes wasted no time in going top just after 1400, before eventually finishing in seventh.
Alex Lowes
Double STK1000 Champion Sylvain Barrier (Brixx Performance) took his Ducati Panigale V4 R to 14th at the end of day one, whilst Sandro Cortese (Barni Racing Team) deputises for Leon Camier and finished 16th in the WorldSBK class. One place behind him was Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team GoEleven), who suffered a turn 7 crash which brought out the fourth red flag of the day.
As the top six are covered by just under a second and the top three all covered by less than a tenth, day two of testing at Jerez promises to be an exciting one. Haslam and Honda going into Thursday on top, and with more rain due, more unpredictability awaits.
Jerez Test Day One Times WorldSBK/WorldSSP
Haslam 1m52.149s
Van der Mark 1m52.180s
Gerloff 1m52.213s
Redding 1m52.508s
Baz 1m52.660s
Sykes 1m53.097s
Lowes 1m53.246
Razgatlioglu 1m53.494
Caricasulo 1m53.676s
Bautista 1m54.824s
Mercado 1m55.361s
Scheib 1m55.884s
Laverty 1m56.015s
Barrier 1m56.105s
Ponsson 1m56.542s
Fuligni 1m57.347s
Odendaal 1m57.669s
Krummenacher 1m57.816s
Cluzel 1m57.959s
Perolari 1m58.154s
Davies 1m58.684s
Cortese 1m59.030s
Rinaldi 2m04.148s
The 2020 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship launches their season in Australia at the thrilling Phillip Island, with the Yamaha Finance round from February 28-March 1. Tickets available at Ticketek. For info www.worldsbk.com.au
Sidi’s highly popular Adventure 2 Gore-Tex Boots are now offered in a new colour for 2020, with a Grey option joining the existing Black and Brown versions, giving even more choice in this premium high-spec adventure boot.
The Adventure 2 Gore-Tex boot features a full grain microfibre and grey suede construction, lined with Gore-Tex waterproof and breathable membrane ensuring high levels of durability and wear, alongside a waterproof boot.
The Sidi Adventure 2 Gore Boot now comes in Grey
PU shin plates offer strong levels of protection in this area, with a large velcro upper closure at the calf, joined by two lower buckles, which are replaceable and adjustable.
An inner gaiter is joined by plastic support at the ankle, with a flex system offering high levels of movement at the ankle, alongside strong levels of protection against movement in unwanted directions.
The calf area also features an elastic panel, while there’s a nylon inner-sole with removable arch support and a non-slip rubber sole.
Sidi Adventure 2 Gore Boot
The Sidi Adventure 2 Gore-Tex boot in Grey (suede) is available in sizes 41 through to 50 for $649.95 RRP. The Sidi Adventure 2 Gore boot is also available in Black for the same price in sizes 41 through to 50, and in Brown (suede) in sizes 41 to 48.
Haslam tops day one of Jerez WorldSBK testing aboard new Honda
Section: Competition
Van der Mark and Gerloff lock out the top three in Spain.
Image: Supplied.
Despite four different manufacturers topping the timesheets, the HRC Team – fielding Leon Haslam and Alvaro Bautista – led the way into the second day with Leon Haslam topping the timesheets by a narrow margin.
With four red flags, numerous crashes and rain falling harder, Haslam fended off Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha) and American sensation Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team) as day one concluded.
Back in action as a full factory effort, Team HRC did just about everything on their first public appearance. Haslam topped the timesheets at various points throughout the day, whilst Bautista crashed at turn six earlier in the morning.
In his second season back in WorldSBK, ‘Pocket Rocket’ Haslam pulled off a memorable story from day one at Jerez, placing Honda on top of the timesheets in wet conditions.
The HRC Team sport a slender 0.031s advantage over Yamaha going into day two, but it is an advantage nonetheless. For Haslam’s teammate Bautista, he was back out on track in the afternoon after a lengthy time in the garage following his small morning crash, coming up to ninth on the timesheets before finishing the afternoon in tenth.
The Yamaha contingency was looking strong at Jerez, a circuit they enjoyed wins and podiums at in 2019. Van der Mark was top at lunch but crashed not long after – the Dutchman being one of many riders to crash at turn one through the course of the day. Toprak Razgatliolgu bounced back from his morning crash and was hovering in the top 10 before finishing eighth, continuing his adaptation to the YZF R1 and the new engine.
Leading the charge from the Independent teams was Gerloff, with the American impressing on his second visit to Jerez and finishing third, setting 35 laps. Teammate Federico Caricasulo joined Gerloff inside the top 10 and was ninth, his best showing in WorldSBK to-date. The Italian made the most the wet track time and just under two tenths behind Razgatlioglu.
Aruba.it Racing – Ducati showed strong pace throughout the opening day of the test, as Scott Redding was a firm fixture inside of the top four, hitting top spot early in the day before settling down and dialling in a good number of laps. Racking up more than 45 in total, Redding was utilising the test well, with new chassis and engine parts seeing him placed nicely in fourth.
After two crashes for Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), the Welshman had an afternoon to get back on track – both literally and metaphorically. However, with the rain coming down harder than ever, he was rooted to 15th in the class.
Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) was enjoying his time on track at the Jerez test and was making sure that the YZF R1 Yamaha was working well around the famous Spanish venue. Having been first across various parts of the day, the Frenchman was pushed back to fifth come the end of the day.
A quiet morning for BMW turned into a busier afternoon, with 2013 WorldSBK Champion Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) hitting the top six as the rain eased off. Parts they wanted to test in dry conditions consisted of chassis updates, swingarm configurations and rear shocks.
However, with the wet circuit, there was very little they could try. On the other side of the garage, Eugene Laverty beavered away and improved throughout the day – Sykes and Laverty finished sixth and 13th respectively as the rain came back with a vengeance.
With Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) opting not to go out at all on day one, Alex Lowes was flying the Kawasaki flag at Jerez. The British rider will switch to the Japanese manufacturer in 2020 and is looking to use the Jerez test to his advantage, with this being their last track action until Phillip Island’s test in February. Utilising wet weather track time to the best he could, Lowes wasted no time in going top just after 14:00, before finishing in seventh.
Sandro Cortese (Barni Racing Team) deputised for Leon Camier and finished 16th in the WorldSBK class. One place behind him was Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team GOELEVEN), who suffered a turn seven crash which brought out the fourth red flag of the day.
As the top six are covered by just under a second and the top three all covered by less than a tenth, day two of testing at Jerez promises to be an exciting one. Haslam and Honda going into Thursday on top, and with more rain due, more unpredictability awaits.
As we celebrate Australia Day weekend and Toby Price’s podium finish in last week’s Dakar Rally, let’s also celebrate three Aussie riders in an equally tough African rally.
Three Australians competed in the gruelling 14-day 2020 Africa ECO Race from France to Senegal.
The event is probably closer to the original Dakar Rally when it was held in Europe and Africa before shifting to South America after a 2008 terrorist threat cancelled the event. This year it moved to Saudi Arabia to “follow the oil money”!
Matt, who was born in Ballarat but now lives in Vancouver, was a late entry replacing a rider in Lyndon Poskitt’s Team Races 2 Places who had to withdraw due to illness. Matt finished the rally in seventh place.
“It was a crazy hard race,” he says.
Matt Sutherland
Andrew (pictured top of the page) from Albury is an experienced international off-road racer. He finished 21st outright and is on a mission to compete in the Dakar next year.
“I came with no expectations other than to finish,” says Andrew.
“I had a couple of bad days and a few really good days.”
He has already had great success in Australia and now has backing from Coca-Cola Energy for next year’s Dakar.
Andrew Houlihan
Peter, who now lives in Saudi Arabia, finished 36th after losing plenty of time in an early stage when he got lost in the sand dunes.
He finished 30 hours off the pace so even finishing the tough event was a great achievement.
Peter Caldwell
African event
Riders struggled over the 14-day event with the demanding terrain, some stranded in the desert for up to 30 hours. One stage has to be cut short due to multiple serious crashes requiring evacuations by helicopter.
The Africa ECO Race is an annual rally raid that starts in Europe and retraces much of the path of the original Paris-Dakar rally, ending on the banks of the famous pink lake – Lac Rose – in Senegal.
The event started after the 2008 Dakar was cancelled one day before it was due to start amid fears of a terrorist attack in Mauritania.
While the Dakar was relocated to South America, diehard fans were disappointed it had left Africa.
So the ECO Race was created to ensure the original format and character of the Paris-Dakar continued.
Matt Sutherland
Andrew says they travelled through “some of the toughest terrain in the world.”
“Whilst the Dakar Rally is the best known rally in the world, the Africa ECO Race is often referred to as the real race to Dakar as it retraces much of the old Paris-Dakar route and finishes at the original end point in Dakar, Senegal.”
This year’s event started under lights in Monaco on 4 January 2020.
Competitors then travelled to the port of Savona in Italy to board a ferry which took them to Tangier in Morocco.
From there they competed for 12 days racing over a distance of 6,500km through the mind-blowing landscapes of Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania and Senegal.
Each stage was between 300 to 750km, with the average day being a distance of 400 to 500km.
The race was won by Italian Allesdandro Botturi on a Yamaha, ahead of mostly KTM riders.
An accident can happen anywhere at any time, and this sense of precariousness will leave you feeling anxious and insecure. Having legal assistance ready at the dial is incredibly handy, but what if something happens and you find yourself in a predicament beyond the borders of your home state? Perhaps you are on a business trip in California and got into a major car accident – but you actually reside in Illinois, where all those who can help you, including friends, family, and your lawyer are also based. It might seem very confusing and scary figuring out what to do at first, and with good reason. The laws in each state are different, and wrapping your head around what your rights are is not the easiest thing to do in the heat of the moment.
If you do get into trouble while traveling, you might want to keep in mind that there are specific laws that apply in different states.The following are a few tips to help illuminate the proper procedures for you.
What is the Jurisdiction?
Let’s start with the most basic issue:jurisdiction lawsusually claim that from the state where the accident took place, you need to file a case. At the same time, plaintiffs do end up hiring the lawyer that they are familiar with from their state to help, and in this event, if this lawyer is going to represent you then they have to be recognized in the state. It doesn’t matter if you have gotten robbed or were involved in a car accident. It’s all the same, and so if you need an attorney to represent you in the state in which an accident occurred, they need to be licensed there. So if you’re from out of state and find yourself in California, for example, and your car gets wrecked, then action needs to be taken immediately. You may think that the first thing to do is call your lawyer, but it might be far more prudent tofind a car accident lawyer in San Diego, CA, than to reach out to your lawyer back home in Illinois who is not certified to work in the other state. You could consult your lawyer to direct you to someone reliable in the current state to help you out.
Alternative option
As an alternative option your lawyer can apply for a limited law license if you really value your lawyer’s work and trust them wholeheartedly. However, bear in mind that the states follow through on this option only in very specific instances and usually reserve them for legal aid services or public defenders. This is also something that may take up time unnecessarily, but it’s important to know that it is an option if you are adamant on having your own lawyer from out of state take on your case.
In more extreme cases, the state makes exceptions and permit in-house counsel. This is when a company employs an attorney from out-of-state to plead their case. Again, this is a rarity, so it’s best not to bank on this being a solution since it depends on your own specific situation.
When the “writing is on the wall”
Hiring an in-state lawyermight be your best option, depending on the nature of your case. There are instances where you won’t have to be responsible for finding a lawyer. If, for example, you are involved in a car accident, then it’s important for you to know that often these kinds of cases are taken care of outside the court, and you’ll be provided with a lawyer, most likely by your insurance company. However, in some cases, it does go to court, and in the event that this happens, and you’re unable to work out a settlement, then it’s time to look for a lawyer yourself who is well versed with the laws of the state in question.
Image: Pixabay
At the end of the day, getting into any kind of trouble when traveling is hugely taxing emotionally and psychologically. You will want to find the best person for the job, meaning the best match for you. It all comes down to sharing a mutual level of trust with your attorney – if you don’t trust the person tasked with protecting you, then it might be an uphill battle. Furthermore, you want to find someone able to work in the state in question. Hiring someone who works in an entirely different state from the scene of the crime might not be the best judgement call when all is considered.
Triumph Australia will join a global recall on various Thruxtons over side stand spring issues and the Speed Twin over a gearshift linkage fault.
A spokesman for the Australian distributor, Peter Stevens Importers, confirms “Australian bikes are affected and customers are being contacted as information comes to hand”.
If an official notice is posted by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission with VINs , we will update this article so you can check your VIN to see if it is affected.
Thruxton recall
Thruxton TFC
The sidestand recall apparently affects 2016-2018 Thruxton, 2016-2019 Thruxton R, and 2020 Thruxton TFC models.
It seems the spring may vibrate through resonance, weakening it and causing it to break.
If this happens, it could allow the side stand switch to activate and shut off the engine.
The replacement spring sits inside a rubber sleeve, preventing the resonance.
Speed Twin recall
Speed Twin
Affected 2019-2020 Speed Twin models may develop a loose ball joint in the gearshift lever linkage thanks tocontaminated thread locking compound.
This could result in excessive movement at the end of the shift lever and riders will find gear shifts more difficult or even impossible.
Triumph can fix this issue by simply applying a new thread locking compound to the existing components.
This follows a Speed Twin recall last year for leaking coolant.
Owners of the above motorcycles should ask to schedule an inspection with an authorised Triumph Dealer “as soon as possible”. If it needs a fix, it will be free of charge.
Bonneville recalls
The “Bonneville” range has been the subject of several recalls since they were introduced in 2016:
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:
Police in all states will be out in force over the Australia Day long weekend with double demerits applying from tomorrow (24 January 2020) in NSW, the ACT and Western Australia until midnight Monday.
in NSW, they’re calling it Operation Safe Return and they are asking motorists to “look after themselves and others in the true spirit of ‘mateship’ this Australia Day long weekend”.
They promise a high-visibility presence.
Be aware that one high-range speeding offence could be enough to get your licence suspended for several months under double demerit points.
Double demerits danger
Riders from Victoria, Tasmania, Northern Territory and South Australiapassing through NSW, ACT or WA during any declared holiday period do not cop the double demerits.
However, Queensland riders should note that there is also a double-demerit points system effectively in place all year round.
The law in Queensland is that double points do apply to speeding offences of 21km/h or greater over the speed limit and seatbelt offences if they occur more than once within a 12 month period.
If you incur the penalty in another state, it still applies as if it happened in Queensland.
“For example if you commit two speeding offences of driving 21km/h over the speed limit in a 12 month period, you will be allocated four demerit points for the first offence and four demerit points for the second offence plus an additional four demerit points,” he says.
“This means that you will have accumulated 12 demerit points within a 12 month period and you risk having your licence suspended.”
How demerit points are recorded
Double points apply in NSW and ACT over the Australia Day weekend, Easter, Anzac Day, Queen’s Birthday, Labour Day and Christmas/New Year.
In WA, the double points apply on Australia Day (unless it falls on a week day), Labour Day, Easter, Anzac Day (unless it falls on a week day), Western Australia Day, Queen’s Birthday, and Christmas/New Year.
If a rider in another state commits a traffic offence in a state during a double-demerit period, the offence is recorded as a double demerit offence on their traffic history in the state where the offence happened.
The state licensing authority will then report the offence to the transport department in your state who will record the offence on your traffic history.
However, the double points will only apply in Queensland under the circumstances described above.
Choice of penalty
Stephen says that if you have committed a traffic offence recently and you receive a Queensland Transport notice that you have accumulated your allowed demerits, you will have a choice of a good driving behaviour period or a licence suspension for a period.
“When considering whether to agree to a good behaviour driving behaviour period and a licence suspension, it is important that a licence holder understands that accepting a suspension of their licence may preclude them from making an Application for a Special Hardship Order or an Application for a Restricted (Work) Licence for the next five years,” he warns.
If you are unsure about how many demerit points you have, you can search your record online at your state’s transport department website or call them and request a copy of your traffic history.
Speaking to motogp.com, Cuzari is hoping Manzi and fellow Italian Simone Corsi can pick up where MV Agusta Temporary Forward left off in 2019. “In terms of sporting results, I prefer to remain conservative. There is greater serenity in the company and this also affects the team, we are much more involved and supported by the MV owner, this is only good for us,” said Cuzari, talking about expectations for 2020.