BMW Motorrad has launched a 2020 heritage collection of rider gear to appeal to riders of their R nineT models as well as the upcoming R 18 cruiser.
“BMW Motorrad has announced the launch of a serial-production motorcycle for the second half of 2020, which will mark its entry into the cruiser segment,” their press release says.
BMW R 18 cruiser concept
R 18 cruiser
While BMW Motorrad Australia can’t confirm pricing or arrival of the cruiser nor the heritage gear, they have incorporated a website page for the cool cruiser collection. It should start arriving in shops next year.
It’s obviously designed to appeal to younger riders with its casual look and feel rather than sports riders.
Their heritage clothing segment was started in 2014 to coincide with the launch of the R nineT models.
The return to cruiser models will give the company a new market niche.
We expect to see the R 18 cruiser unveiled at the ECMA Motorcycle Show in Milan next month.
The BMW Motorrad Heritage Collection 2020 features a wide range of new items, from leather jackets to denim outfits, as well as motorcycle gloves and signature boots.
BMW says their early classic motorcycle colours and graphics are incorporated into the designs, such as black metal parts with fine white “TwinStripes” and the original BMW metal emblem.
“The copper-coloured details and visual accents displayed in these garments hark back to the materials used in classic BMW motorcycles,” they say.
There are also old-style engineer boots and open-face cruiser helmets in the heritage collection.
The first BMW motorcycle was the 1923 R32 with an air-cooled, two-cylinder flat-twin boxer engine.
In 1978, BMW Motorrad was one of the first serial-production manufacturers in the world to introduce a rider equipment range.
Safety
“All the materials and textiles used are robust and long-lasting and they fulfil the highest standards of safety and functionality,” BMW says.
All items will be European-approved.
None of the gear has yet been tested by Australia’s MotoCAP, the world’s first rider gear safety and comfort rating system.
Riders have been warned to be on the lookout for fake NGK CR9EIX spark plugs which could cause engine damage due to melted centre electrodes.
The plugs are among large batches of counterfeit motor vehicle spark plugs purchased online, according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI).
“Placing vehicles at great risk of major damage, 60% of the hundreds of spark plugs purchased in trap buys are verified frauds, passing off low-quality materials and inferior construction as genuine parts,” the FCAI says.
They say the plugs have inferior ignition causing poor fuel economy and difficult engine start up.
They also overheat quickly.
Riders would notice a major drop in power, particularly under heavy acceleration or load.
While most of the fake plugs were for car companies such as Honda, Nissan, Mazda and Toyota, NGK CR9EIX fake motorcycle plugs have also been identified.
Have a look at the product name on the spark plug. If the font type is different from the one shown in the photo on the left and if the font is smudged in some way, the product might be a counterfeit.
2. The caulking
Take a close look at the crimping portion of the plug. If you can see a machine cutting mark on it, be alert: this is indicative of a fake product.
3. The hexagon
Next, check the hexagon. If there is no Lot Number and/or a different font type is used compared to the one shown below left, it’s not an original product.
4. The C-Groove portion
Then look at the C-Groove portion of the spark plug. If you can see a machine cutting mark on the surface of the metal shell, again, this is a sign of a counterfeit.
5. The electrodes
Lastly, take a close look at the shape of the electrodes. If yours differs from the left-hand picture, be warned.
“The best way to avoid a fake? Make certain your parts are purchased from the authorised dealer network,” he says.
“We have experts examining the packaging and spark plugs and even they can barely tell the difference. You won’t know it’s a fake, until it’s too late.”
The automotive industry is working with relevant online trading platforms to remove listings and ban sellers of the illegal counterfeits from their sites.
A North Carolina Harley rider has been awarded $US4m (almost $A6m) after a crash with a driver who failed to yield right-of-way in what is believed to be the world’s biggest motorcycle crash payout.
The 29-year-old rider was travelling about 15mph (about 24km/h) when he was struck by a vehicle that accelerated away from a stop sign without seeing the motorcycle.
America is renowned for its excessive compensation payouts, mainly due to high medical costs.
According to a study by US Jury Verdict Research, theaverage motorcycle accident verdict is about $A560,000 and the median verdict award just over $US70,000.
Crash payout
In Australia, payouts for motor vehicle crashes are a lot less and rarely over $1m.
In July this year, NSW lawyers Gerard Malouf and Partners secured a personal injury about of $800,000 for a motorcycle rider after a crash.
The claim not only included rider’s injuries, but also the pain and suffering of his family.
In the North Carolina case, Attorney Mark Jetton of Jetton & Meredith lawyers claimed for physical injuries, medical expenses and lost wages.
The young rider needed to be airlifted to hospital where he spent six days and now requires on-going therapy and medication.
Compensation claims
Compensation can be determined by a number of factors, such as physical and mental injuries, the rider’s age, hospital expenses, on-going medical costs, pain and suffering, motorcycle damage and loss of earnings.
Sydney riders are claiming $82 parking fines they received are unfair as the jurisdiction of the area changed from City of Sydney council (COS) to state government without clear public notice.
Previously the riders were able to park free in the Rocks, Pyrmont and Darling Harbour areas including outside designated bike-only zones as long as they adhered to the time restrictions.
However, the state reclaimed the land in January, according to the council, and installed private company parking meters at the end of August 2019.
The COS website was only changed on 17 September 2019 after several motorcyclists complained, according to Property NSW.
“Disputed infringements issued before the website was updated have been waived,” they say.
Fines unfair, say riders
Jin and his yamaha custom
However, riders Jin Weng and Andrew Johnstone missed the change on the website and say the fines are unfair as there was not enough notice provided that the change had occurred.
Property NSW say “signage informing motorists and riders of the change of operation was placed on the meters from the time of the transition, which was managed in collaboration with City of Sydney, and notices were distributed to residents”.
However, Jin claims the road signs are “exactly the same” and the website was updated nine months after the change of jurisdiction.
“Motorcyclists cannot be expected to read the website everyday before parking a bike to ensure a road ownership hasn’t changed,” he says.
Andrew says he was unfairly slapped with an $82 fine along with about eight others in the bike-only zone in the Rocks.
Andrew and his scooter
The zone ends at 6pm and then it is four-hour meter parking.
“I got done at 7.23pm. Previously under Sydney Council Laws there was no meter fee payable. Now this has changed,” Andrew says.
“I never saw anything on the signs for parking. Maybe the signs were on the meters themselves which naturally we would never look at.
“But the website just states part of the Rocks and the link does not link to an exact map and it says to check signs. Signs are no different to any other signs across the city.”
Jin received a parking fine Cumberland St outside a City of Sydney recreation centre because new parking meters were installed by a private company on a road at the doorstep of the COS recreation centre.
“Other areas within Sydney not under the COS jurisdiction have clear indication at the location that it is managed by a different authority such as areas in the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain.
“Sufficient notification should have been given when the changes occurred, the signs and parking meters at Cumberland St is exactly the same as anywhere else in the city of Sydney,” Jin says.
Loss of spaces
The loss of free motorcycle parking follows the reduction of CBD kerbside parking last year to accommodate bus, pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure.
It prompted a petition for more motorcycle parking space.
Emma launches petition
Petition organiser and commuter rider Emma MacIver says the city is lagging behind Melbourne and the rest of the world and Motorcycle Council of NSW parking subcommittee claimed council’s lack of consultation with riders on the issue was “disappointing”.
Emma’s petition has gained almost 2000 signatures.
A rider in his 20s has died in head-on collision on the Brisbane Valley Highway at Ironbark, near Ipswich, overnight.
Queensland Police say the crash happened about 10.55pm.
They say the motorcycle, ridden by the man from nearby Mt Crosby was heading west when it collided with a sedan travelling in the opposite direction.
The rider died at the scene and the driver and sole occupant of the car was airlifted to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital where she remains in a serious condition.
Police have no further details at this stage and Forensic Crash Unit officers are investigating.
We will update with further details as they are available.
If you have information for police, contact Policelink on 131 444 or provide information using the online form 24hrs per day.
You can report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers, a registered charity and community volunteer organisation, by calling 1800 333 000 or via crimestoppersqld.com.au 24hrs per day.
Our sincere condolences to the rider’s family and friends, and our best wishes to the driver for a full and speedy recovery.
I really did not know they were still building the original two-wheel drive motorcycle, but they are, cranking out new Rokons at the rate of about six per week at Rokon International HQ in Rochester, NY. Like most of life’s finer things, Rokon began in California, and now CA is the only place you can’t have the road-legal-elsewhere model – the Ranger – one of three Rokons. Great little story over here at Seacoastonline.com.
The collection marks Yamaha Motor Europe’s efforts to preserve both the racing and production history of the brand, containing a broad spectrum of significant machines from 1961 to the present day.
Yamaha Motor Europe Collection Hall
Present alongside the historic consumer products are an impressive selection of fabled racing machines, whose histories are littered with success, from the early days of Dakar, to the tarmac tracks of the Grand Prix Championship.
Yamaha Motor Europe Collection Hall
Stephan Peterhansel’s 1991 Dakar winning Yamaha YZE750 can be seen alongside the 2009 World Superbike Championship dominating YZF-R1 that Ben Spies took to victory in his maiden year on the world stage.
Yamaha Motor Europe Collection Hall
Motocross fans can enjoy many legendary race machines, including Stefan Everts 2006 MX World Championship winning Yamaha YZ450F, and an evolution of that machine that kept up the victory achievements, Adrien Van Beveren’s 2015 l’Enduropale du Touquet winning YZ450F.
Yamaha Motor Europe Collection Hall
The Yamaha Motor Europe Collection also provides a unique insight into Yamaha’s development past, with the 2007 MT-03 concept on display, along with icons from the past, including the 1961 Yamaha MF1, 1969 YL1 and the 1968 YAS1. Add in the 1986 XJ650 Turbo amongst many others and the collection is truly a feast for a two-wheel enthusiast.
Yamaha Motor Europe Collection Hall
Racing legends from Yamaha’s on- and off-road history, including Giacomo Agostini, Christian Sarron, Stephan Peterhansel and Stefan Everts were present at the launch alongside Yamaha Motor Racing Managing Director Lin Jarvis, YART Yamaha EWC Team Manager Mandy Kainz and Yamaha Classic Racing Team founder Ferry Brouwer.
Yamaha Motor Europe Collection Hall
Eric de Seynes, President Yamaha Motor Europe N.V.
“The Yamaha Motor Europe Collection Hall is dedicated to the memory of our past in racing, and to the memory of what has revved the heart of our customers. A “home” for our iconic models and it has two vocations: first to inspire our engineers and designers in their process of creating future models, and second, support the credibility and the emotional value of our novelties, in the respect of our past creations.”
Yamaha Motor Europe Collection Hall
Not open to the public…
The Yamaha Motor Europe Collection Hall is not open to the general public. The collection units will be travelling around Europe and can be viewed at various shows and events organized by the national Yamaha Motor distributor.
Round 15 – Thailand, Buriram International Circuit
Thailand will mark the 15th round of the season and the precursor to the three-week back-to-back tour which takes in Japan, Australia and Malaysia, making this a very busy time both in terms of logistics and racing action for the whole MotoGP paddock.
The first time MotoGP visited Buriram, the race was a duel to remember. To add a little more to the history books at the PTT Thailand Grand Prix second time around, this year the Championship hangs in the balance as Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) has the chance to win title number eight. So what are the chances? Fairly high.
The reigning Champion won here last year and he’s 98 points clear with only four races remaining. To boil the maths down to its simplest form, Marquez has to score two or more points more than Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and be 100 points or more clear when the flag falls on Sunday. He already has too many wins to be caught on that count.
Marc Marquez
“We had a great weekend in Aragon and it was a delight to win in front of the home crowd. I want to carry this confidence and energy to Thailand so we can put in a strong weekend. Our approach doesn’t change even with the circumstances, we will do our work to be as strong as possible come Sunday. Last year we had a very exciting race here in Thailand so hopefully we can put on another good show for the fans!”
2019 Aragon MotoGP Race results: 1 – Marc Marquez (SPA – Honda) 41’57.221 2 – Andrea Dovizioso (ITA – Ducati) +4.836 3 – Jack Miller* (AUS – Ducati) +5.430
Winning races and Championships is far more than a numbers game, however. It’s no mean feat beating Dovizioso, and Marquez knows that better than anyone. Buriram 2018 is the one last corner duel against the Italian Marquez has won, so if we’re on for a repeat performance, the number 93 will have to pull it off again and upend the last corner statistics once more…
Grands Prix aren’t just about the title fight though. Last year Yamaha weren’t far behind the leading duo and Maverick Viñales and Valentino Rossi will be gunning to put Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP back on the podium, and Danilo Petrucci, Dovizioso’s teammate, needs a result. After a tougher run of form in the last few races, Buriram could be a good track for the Ducati man to bounce back, and he’ll want to – quickly.
Why? His fight for third with Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar). After Rins’ stunning win at Silverstone, the Spaniard has floundered on race day and he’s another who needs a good haul of points, although it could be tougher going for the Hamamatsu factory machines at the venue. He’ll want to at least try and take the fight to Petrucci though, with the two close in the standings fighting for third overall – just a point apart.
Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) is another who will want to maximise the Ducati’s potential at Buriram and take some good points. An impressive third podium of the year at MotorLand saw him deny Viñales the chance to finish on the podium three times in a row for the first time in the premier class, and crucially Miller also finished two places ahead of Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT).
The ever impressive Quartararo is well on top in the fight for Rookie of the Year, but he’s also fighting for top Independent Team rider and Miller is his key rival as it stands. The Frenchman is only six points clear of the Australian as we head into the flyaways…
Fabio Quartararo
“I think it’ll be a little better for us than Aragon was because there’s a lot of long, slow corners that will suit our bike. The more-experienced riders have less of an advantage there as it’s only the second time racing there, so we’ll work hard to adapt quickly and do our best. This is my favourite time of the year, heading into the four races in Asia and Australia, because I love travelling and I’ll have a chance to rest after Thailand too.”
Fabio Quartararo – Aragon 2019
Meanwhile, KTM will want to use Buriram to hopefully see Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) back on track – but also to gain some more daylight over Aprilia in the manufacturers’ Championship.
With Pol Espargaro sidelined through injury in Aragon and Aleix Espargaro and Andrea Iannone putting on an impressive show for Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, the Noale factory closed in a little – and it will be interesting to see how Mika Kallio, replacing Johann Zarco, can go in Thailand as he aims to score for KTM as well.
Of course there is also the KTM Tech3 squad of Miguel Oliveira and Hafizh Syahrin, and as always Tech3 Team Manager Hervé Poncharal gave us a great preview of the event from their pit garage.
Hervé Poncharal – Red Bull KTM Tech3 Team Manager
“The next round of the calendar is the Thailand GP in Buriram, which is a place, where we have great memories from last year and myself personally I have to give away the trophy for the best Grand Prix organization in 2018, because it was clearly an incredible event, it was well organized, we had a nice paddock, saw great racing, met friendly people and they were very efficient. I think the whole paddock will travel to Thailand with a smile on their faces, as last year nobody knew what to expect and now we know it and we are positive about rediscovering everything there. This is obviously an important round being the first on in South-East Asia, which is the place in the world where anything related to the motorcycle business is booming and it is an important market, where all the manufacturers want to shine. We’d love to do well with KTM there. I believe that Miguel will be almost 100% fit, because he already felt so much better after just one week in Aragon, so we are quite confident, that he is almost back to his form and the understanding of the bike we’ve had in Spielberg and Silverstone. We are positive and confident, that Miguel can do well, also because I think he likes that circuit. This will be another interesting place to rediscover everything with our new bike and a new rider coming from Moto2. We are looking forward to see this. Hafizh, is almost a local boy there with a lot of support and fans coming to cheer for him. I know, that there’s almost a love story between him and the Buriram circuit, because it was the first time he tested a GP bike in February 2018 there, he felt really good and was fast. We were truly impressed and decided to hire him for the full season, so for him everything started in this place. He likes the circuit and sure, he aims to please the crowd, plus the heat will be no problem for him, because he already flew to Malaysia straight after Aragon, therefore he will be better accustomed to the weather and the time than the other riders coming over from Europe. We also expect a lot from him, in addition he could be pleasantly surprised by a few updates coming from KTM for Hafizh. Hopefully we manage to handle that well and will receive a great result. Now it’s time to pack our suitcases, leave to the airport and fly to beautiful Thailand.”
Miguel Oliveira
After a crash ruled Jorge Lorenzo out of the 2018 Thai GP, the five-time World Champion is looking forward to the prospect of racing in Buriram for the first time. Consistent times in practice during the Aragon GP showed that Lorenzo’s condition and feeling with the RC213V is improving and he is aiming to continue this trend in Thailand.
Jorge Lorenzo
“Last year I did not have the best weekend in Thailand with a big crash ruling me out of the race. I am looking forward to completing the race there and we saw from Marc last year that the RC213V is strong at this circuit. After the difficult race in Aragon, I am hoping we can have a good weekend. During practice we showed that our pace is getting better and delivering on this potential is our objective for Thailand.”
Jorge Lorenzo
Talking Tyres
Michelin has already despatched its ranges of tyres for these four fly-away races via a mixture of sea and air freight, where the range of Michelin tyres travel in temperature-controlled containers so they arrive at the circuits in the ideal condition ready for race-action.
The first race of this fly-away tour is an especially testing one for Michelin, as the specific layout of the 4,554m, 12-turn Buriram circuit demands a special rear tyre to contend with the high temperatures that are produced due to the track’s long straights.
Available in a soft, medium and hard compound with an asymmetric design with a harder right-hand side, the Michelin Power Slick rear for the Thailand circuit has a different construction to that which is used all other racetracks throughout the season, with the exception of Spielberg in Austria. These two tracks have similar configurations and use this specific construction to control the build-up of heat that is generated and give the riders the drive and control they need and expect from a Michelin rear tyre, without any compromise to performance from overheating.
“This is our third visit to Buriram following the test and race there last year and each time we have learned more and been able to assess the tyres and makes changes for the next visit. It is a very severe track on rear tyres and creates a lot of heat for the rubber, so we have a special construction – which we also use just in Austria – to counteract this situation. Last year we were told it would be cooler and wet during October, but it was hot and dry, so we have prepared a range of tyres that can contend with all conditions. There was a big crowd at Buriram last year and it was a great event, we are sure it will be the same this year and that Michelin will play a part in giving the fans a race to enjoy.”
Time Schedule
Tune in on Sunday 6th October as lights go out for the MotoGP race at 1800 Sunday night for those Australian states that are lucky enough to enjoy the change to Daylight Savings Time this weekend. Full time schedule further down the page.
MotoGP Championship Standings
Pos
Rider
Bike
Points
1
Marc Marquez
Honda
300
2
Andrea Dovizioso
Ducati
202
3
Alex Rins
Suzuki
156
4
Danilo Petrucci
Ducati
155
5
Maverick Viñales
Yamaha
147
6
Valentino Rossi
Yamaha
137
7
Fabio Quartararo
Yamaha
123
8
Jack Miller
Ducati
117
9
Cal Crutchlow
Honda
98
10
Franco Morbidelli
Yamaha
80
11
Pol Espargaro
KTM
77
12
Takaaki Nakagami
Honda
68
13
Joan Mir
Suzuki
49
14
Aleix Espargaro
Aprilia
46
15
Andrea Iannone
Aprilia
32
16
Francesco Bagnaia
Ducati
29
17
Miguel Oliveira
KTM
29
18
Johann Zarco
KTM
27
19
Jorge Lorenzo
Honda
23
20
Tito Rabat
Ducati
18
21
Stefan Bradl
Honda
16
22
Michele Pirro
Ducati
9
23
Sylvain Guintoli
Suzuki
7
24
Hafizh Syahrin
KTM
7
25
Karel Abraham
Ducati
5
26
Bradley Smith
Aprilia
0
27
Mika Kallio
KTM
0
Moto2
Two wins on the bounce had given Augusto Fernandez (Flexbox HP 40) some serious momentum in Moto2, but a mistake at MotorLand Aragon has seen the Spaniard slip to third overall and over 40 points off the top – now leap-frogged by Jorge Navarro (Beta Tools Speed Up).
Is time running out for those on the chase to catch Alex Marquez?
Alex Marquez
Mathematically, it isn’t, but it would likely need some serious drama to intervene in the rest of the races to really derail the story of the season so far.
That story, ultimately, is one of consistency. Marquez has lost out once through a mistake of his own, and he’s reaping the rewards of the combination of speed and settling when it’s necessary. Navarro just behind him has been a fairly consistent presence each race weekend too, although he’s yet to stand on the top step. That means that if Marquez does start to feel the pressure, Navarro could end up challenging for the crown from the rare position of not being a race winner…yet.
Others have seared their way to glory, however, and there’s something to be said for reeling in the wins – that’s what put Fernandez where he is. And Brad Binder’s (Red Bull KTM Ajo) two wins in the latter half of the season have helped put him just 53 points down, in fifth. Given an incredibly tough start to the season for Austrian factory KTM, that’s something to really write home about – and the tracks coming next get the South African grinning.
Tom Lüthi (Dynavolt Intact GP), meanwhile, is still looking for a bit more of his early season form. The Swiss rider has kept reeling in the points, but he’s not been on the charge like we’ve seen. Can he bounce back as we head into the flyaways? Will teammate Marcel Schrötter mix it up with the frontrunners again once he’s back from injury? And what of Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46), the only man on the grid who’s previously been on the podium at the track?
Home hero Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), though, will likely have most of the crowd on his side. There may be a title fight happening at the top, but the intermediate class rookie will be the true hero of the hour for the Thai crowd.
Moto2 Championship Standings
Pos
Rider
Bike
Points
1
Alex Marquez
Kalex
213
2
Jorge Navarro
Speed Up
175
3
Augusto Fernandez
Kalex
171
4
Thomas Luthi
Kalex
169
5
Brad Binder
KTM
160
6
Lorenzo Baldassarri
Kalex
138
7
Luca Marini
Kalex
126
8
Marcel Schrotter
Kalex
116
9
Fabio Di Giannantonio
Speed Up
94
10
Enea Bastianini
Kalex
81
11
Tetsuta Nagashima
Kalex
63
12
Remy Gardner
Kalex
60
13
Sam Lowes
Kalex
60
14
Xavi Vierge
Kalex
59
15
Iker Lecuona
KTM
55
16
Andrea Locatelli
Kalex
42
17
Jorge Martin
KTM
37
18
Nicolo Bulega
Kalex
32
19
Mattia Pasini
Kalex
27
20
Stefano Manzi
MV Agusta
13
21
Somkiat Chantra
Kalex
13
22
Dominique Aegerter
MV Agusta
12
23
Marco Bezzecchi
KTM
11
24
Simone Corsi
NTS
10
25
Bo Bendsneyder
NTS
6
26
Jake Dixon
KTM
4
27
Joe Roberts
KTM
4
28
Lukas Tulovic
KTM
3
29
Khairul Idham Pawi
Kalex
3
30
Jesko Raffin
Kalex
3
Moto3
At MotorLand Aragon, Aron Canet (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) was on fire and key rival Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing) had a difficult day at the office. In short, 25 points for Canet vs an eleventh place for the Championship leader mean it’s almost as you were in the tightest title fight of the season, with just two points separating them on the way to Thailand. The see-saw rivalry of the summer is back and Buriram could be an interesting place to head next.
We’ve only raced once at the Thai track and last year’s first contact makes good reading for Dalla Porta. He came second, only a tenth down, and Canet? He didn’t race. The Spaniard arrives with no former knowledge of the venue after he missed the event last year due to injury, so it could prove more of an uphill struggle for him. With the rest of the grid, minus the rookies, joining Dalla Porta in having more experience, that only adds to Canet’s challenge.
Tony Arbolino (VNE Snipers), especially, is not yet out of reach of a charge for the top, although the Italian had a more difficult first race at Chang International Circuit last season. John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) did too, but the likes of Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) and Marcos Ramirez (Leopard Racing) showed some good form – as did Dennis Foggia (Sky Racing Team VR46), who took his first podium. Will the rest of the field avoid the attrition of 2019?
Toprak Razgatlioglu to Partner Michael van der Mark at Yamaha in 2020
Toprak Razgatlioglu will join Michael van der Mark at Yamaha for the 2020 FIM Superbike World Championship.
Razgatlioglu, who claimed his first WorldSBK race victory in Magny-Cours at the weekend, will partner Michael van der Mark in the Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team.
Toprak Razgatlioglu – 2019 WorldSBK Round 11, Magny-Cours
Razgatlioglu arrived in the WorldSBK paddock in 2015 to contest the European 600 Superstock Championship, which he won in his debut season. A move up the European 1000 Superstock Championship followed, where the young Turkish rider was a title contender for two years before stepping up to the WorldSBK class in 2018.
Razgatlioglu immediately made his mark in the premier production class, securing two podium finishes in his debut season with second place at Donington Park and third place in the penultimate round in Argentina.
The 22-year-old has developed even more strongly in 2019, securing his first top-three finish of the season at the Italian WorldSBK round in Imola and finishing on the podium at every round since. Razgatlioglu secured his maiden WorldSBK win with a scintillating performance in Race 1 at Magny-Cours, which he started from 16th position on the grid. The young Turk backed that up with victory in the Superpole sprint race the following day.
Eric de Seynes – President, Yamaha Motor Europe
“Toprak Razgatlioglu is the most exciting young rider in WorldSBK and I’m both happy and proud that he will race for Yamaha in 2020. When you consider Toprak’s progression this year, only his second in WorldSBK, his prodigious talent is obvious, but so is his warrior spirit. Like his teammate for next season, Michael van der Mark, he’s a rider who always finds that little bit extra on race day and is prepared to push to the limit to overcome any obstacle. We saw that clearly in Magny-Cours, where he came from the sixth row of the grid to claim his first WorldSBK race win. We have also seen this season that Yamaha has closed the gap to our rivals on track and I’m excited to see what Toprak can do on our Yamaha YZF-R1 in 2020. With Michael and Toprak I think we will have one of the strongest and most dynamic rider line ups on the WorldSBK grid next year.”
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