Bridgestone’s new Battlax Adventurecross AX41 tyres have arrived in Australia to get adventure riders dirtier, taking them further off the beaten track.
The problem with making an adventure tyre more aggressive is that it usually compromises on-road stability and shortens the life of the tyre.
The biggest destroyer of adventure tyres is the braking force that shaves the trailing edge of the block tread under hard braking on asphalt.
Battlax block
However, the new Battlax Adventurecross AX41 has a changed block profile and tread pattern to counter the deformation under braking, reducing wear.
That’s great news, especially for those riding heavy one-litre-plus adventure motorcycles that chew up expensive adventure tyres.
Bridgestone has also redesigned the tyre dimensions to increase the total amount of blocks on the tyre.
The Japanese manufacturer says the new tyre has a 30% increase in the cross section area compared with the previous Adventure A41.
They also claim this increases compound rigidity and strength over the A41 to “ensure the balance between durability and off-road performance”.
Bridgestone rates them as 40% on-road and 60% off-road.
2019 WorldSBK Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R livery revealed
Álvaro Bautista & Chaz Davies headline Ponte San Pietro team launch
The 2019 Superbike World Championship Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team has officially unveiled the new Panigale V4R in team livery, as well as introducing Álvaro Bautista who joins Chaz Davies on the team, having competed the last nine years in MotoGP.
2019 WorldSBK Aruba.it Racing Ducati team presentation
2019 is a particularly noteworthy year for Ducati, as the manufacturer introduces a four-cylinder Superbike for the very first time in the Panigale V4 R, having won 17 Manufacturers’ and 14 Riders’ titles since 1988.
The Panigale V4 R, developed on the basis of experience accumulated in MotoGP, features a number of evolutions from the previous model, not only from an engine point of view, but also in terms of chassis, electronics and aerodynamics.
Álvaro Bautista
With regard to the riders, the arrival of Álvaro Bautista is equally significant, the Spaniard highly motivated and ready to face a new professional challenge in Superbike after nine years spent racing in MotoGP.
The 34-year-old from Talavera de la Reina is a rider with considerable experience, having also raced in 250cc and in 125cc, the category in which he won the title in 2006, and he has rapidly adapted to the new technical scenario.
Álvaro Bautista
“I can’t wait to start this new adventure. The balance of the winter tests is really positive. The project is a new one and there’s still a lot of work to be done but lap after lap we found a good base to work on. I still have to adapt to this new technical situation, particularly the tyres, but the performance shown in just six days of testing is undoubtedly encouraging. Phillip Island is a spectacular track and I’ve always liked it, there couldn’t be a better place to begin this exciting new adventure and we’ll do our best to be ready.”
Álvaro Bautista
He will line up alongside the 31-year-old Welshman from Knighton, Chaz Davies, three-time championship runner-up in the last four seasons, who has put the past year’s bad injuries behind him and who will tackle his sixth successive season in Superbike aboard a factory Ducati.
Chaz Davies
Chaz Davies
“I’m very excited and motivated about the season that’s about to start. After five years and many great memories with the twin-cylinder bike, the time has come to begin a new challenge and I can’t wait to get back on track with the Panigale V4 R. My last tests were hampered a bit by the twinge I felt in my back, but my overall physical condition is much better than last year and in any case we managed to complete our test schedule. We’ve still got two more days of testing left and they will be fundamental to define the last details, and then finally we’ll be racing again. The start of the year is going to be even more exciting than ever, and having a new bike – as well as a new team-mate – is going to be extra motivation for me.”
Chaz Davies
The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team will now set off for Australia, where the traditional pre-season tests will be taking place at Phillip Island on 18th and 19th February in view of the opening round of the 2019 Superbike World Championship held at the same track on the following weekend, from 22nd to 24th February.
Claudio Domenicali – CEO of Ducati Motor Holding
“This year we will truly witness a historic turning-point. Racing is an inseparable part of Ducati, just think of the many examples in which the technology and know-how developed on the track have then been applied to production models. The Panigale V4 is a perfect example of this philosophy: it’s the first Ducati production bike to be fitted with a four-cylinder engine and equipped with technology coming from MotoGP. In just twelve months it has become the new benchmark for style, technology and performance, with more than 6,100 units delivered across the globe, and it has allowed us – for the first time ever in company history – to achieve a global sales record in the superbike market segment. Now we also want to take it to the top on the track, its natural habitat, by making it become the king of SBK in the 1000cc R version.”
Second DNF of 2019 demotes factory Yamaha rider to seventh in the points.
Image: Supplied.
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia was forced to prematurely exit Saturday night’s main event in San Diego, as extremely treacherous conditions caused a technical malfunction with his YZ450F.
Admittedly frustrated with his recent turn of misfortune, the number 51 is targeting a podium return when the series heads to the first east coast stop of 2019 at Minneapolis in Minnesota.
“It was a crazy day, lots of rain so the track was super wet,” Barcia explained. “I got a bad start in the heat race and got some water under my goggles, so I had to ditch them in the first turn and ended up stalling as well. I came from about last to fourth, so, ultimately, I was super happy with that ride.
“In the main event, I had a much better start than I’ve had lately. I felt like I was riding well enough to contend for a podium, or battle for the win, but I had a technical issue, and it took us out of the race.
“I just have to move on from this weekend and stay positive and keep on doing the things I have been doing and return to the podium sooner rather than later. The goal is Minneapolis, to get right back there. It’s been a tough few weeks but we’ll keep charging and never give up.”
Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac won the enduring encounter, granting him the championship lead over Marvin Musquin (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Ken Roczen (Team Honda HRC), which also represented the top three in San Diego.
Official team presentation takes place at Ponte San Pietro.
Image: Supplied.
Aruba.it Racing – Ducati has officially launched its team for the 2019 FIM Motul Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK), showcasing the Panigale V4 Rs that will be piloted by Chaz Davies and Alvaro Bautista in a team presentation in Ponte San Pietro, Italy.
There are two major changes for the Italian squad regarding both the bike and the riders, as it lines up for the 32nd season of world Superbike racing with the all-new Panigale V4 R, while former MotoGP talent Bautista joins the outfit alongside regular Davies.
“I can’t wait to start this new adventure,” Bautista stated. “The balance of the winter tests is really positive. The project is a new one and there’s still a lot of work to be done but lap after lap we found a good base to work on.
“I still have to adapt to this new technical situation, particularly the tyres, but the performance shown in just six days of testing is undoubtedly encouraging. Phillip Island is a spectacular track and I’ve always liked it, there couldn’t be a better place to begin this exciting new adventure and we’ll do our best to be ready.”
Davies added: “I’m very excited and motivated about the season that’s about to start. After five years and many great memories with the twin-cylinder bike, the time has come to begin a new challenge and I can’t wait to get back on track with the Panigale V4 R.
“My last tests were hampered a bit by the twinge I felt in my back, but my overall physical condition is much better than last year and in any case we managed to complete our test schedule. We’ve still got two more days of testing left and they will be fundamental to define the last details, and then finally we’ll be racing again.
“The start of the year is going to be even more exciting than ever, and having a new bike – as well as a new team-mate – is going to be extra motivation for me.”
Phillip Island will host an official test on 18-19 February, which takes place days prior to the season-opener at the iconic Australian venue, scheduled for 22-24 February.
Eighteen riders started the ASBK Supersport test, with Oli Bayliss making the step up to the Supersport category this year, but no one could get near last year’s class runner-up, as Tom Toparis totally dominated all bar one of the eight sessions.
Toparis has left the Cube Racing Team where he’s been since he started road racing. After his years racing Kawasaki’s in both the 300 class and Supersports, Tom will be Yamaha mounted this year, basically doing it alone in a family run affair with a few sponsors like Landbridge Racing.
Tom Toparis
“It’s been a good weekend, for the first time at the Island on the Aussie Supersport bike. It’s good to get out and do some laps and learn. The bike’s really smooth and I think that’s the most important thing.”
Tom Toparis – ASBK 2019 – Official Phillip Island Test
The youngster from Goulburn (NSW) will also be doing a Wild Card in the Supersport World Championship at Phillip Island later this month on an up-specced Yamaha R6 which should give him a great opportunity to step up the leader board after his experience in the event last year, when he finished 14th in the race.
It was Tom’s first outing on the new bikes at the test and so there was a lot of setting up to be done to adapt to the characteristics of the Yamaha after his years on the Kawasaki.
Tom Toparis
“The new Yamaha R6 is just really smooth, straight out of the box. The chassis is a lot more… a bit more like a Moto3 bike. It feels a lot stiffer and a lot more race orientated and a lot more aggressive, the styling of it. The brakes are good, we can make the tyre last for a long time, which is really good. We just have to make a few decisions about what we’re going to run. We’re just messing around with a few little things, we went pretty fast this morning. We’ll see how we go and hopefully my little mate Oli won’t beat me anytime soon. We’ll be back in a couple of weeks to test the WorldSBK, I just rode it around today, no tyres or anything to get a bit of a feel for that too…”
Tom Toparis – ASBK 2019 – Official Phillip Island Test
Second fastest was South Australian Nic Liminton, also Yamaha mounted. It’s a welcome return for Liminton as he was sidelined for most of last year as he battled – and overcame – testicular cancer. It’s a confronting moment for a teenager, as it would have been an extremely difficult time for the close knit Liminton family but thankfully he is back to full health, and keener than ever to get on track again racing.
Nic Liminton – ASBK 2019 – Official Phillip Island Test
His times were slightly off his PB around the track as they are fine tuning their new Yamaha’s but understandably Nic is just over the moon to be back riding and racing in a few weeks, after his reality check of 2018.
Nic Liminton
“We had a lot to get through as we set up the new bikes back but I am so happy with where we are right now. I am just so happy to be back getting ready to race a full season. This is my first time ever on the new Yamaha R6. The suspension we’re still dealing with, hopefully we’ll get it all sorted by the race, but at the moment – the Ohlins – if we can get it dialed in, I reckon we can have a very good race. We had a base setting on the suspension at the start and we thought that was going to be amazing, but we changed a few things and we’ve got it to a pretty good point now. With a few more practice sessions we’ll be in a better place. Track time is definitely a bit of an issue, we don’t have much of it, compared to some of the other riders, so we’ll just try and learn as quick as possible and then hope the race is going to be good. Top three is where I want to be, I think Tom’s in a league of his own at the moment, but if we can slowly close the gap through each round to him, I want to be where he is by sometime this year. That’s the goal.”
Nic Liminton – ASBK 2019 – Official Phillip Island Test
We know the kid can ride but it was still a bit of a surprise to see Oli Bayliss third fastest over the two days. Ok, he has had a few sessions at Morgan Park on the 600 to get a handle on it but coming to Phillip Island is an entirely different bunch of coconuts.
Oli Bayliss – ASBK 2019 – Official Phillip Island Test
The last time he rode there was on a 300 Proddie bike with massively different lap times, so it was a huge challenge but he took it in his stride and was only two-tenths off Liminton’s best time, with plenty of more experienced Supersport pilots behind him. Broc Pearson, also on a Yamaha, was less than a tenth of a second off, in fourth fastest, snapping at his heels.
Oli Bayliss
“We’re still getting used to the track, we’ve ridden the bike four times, but on this track zero, so the first day actually surprised me. I didn’t realise we were going to go this fast, but I’m absolutely loving it, and it’s a great track to ride, and so much fun. I didn’t think I was going to get going this fast so early on. I was here three months ago and we were doing 1:49s and now we’re doing 1:37s, so it’s like a 12 second, 13 seconds difference and it’s just different to get used to how much more power it has than the 300. The weekend was very good. Very, very, very, very good! It was really helpful and it’s given me a lot of confidence going into the race. Our times weren’t bad, we were third or fourth overall and we are getting there. Hopefully practice at the race meeting we can crack a 36, maybe even a 35. It’s going to be hard, but with a bit of help, with another rider being towed along and a few other changes to the bike – I’m losing a bit of top speed, so if we can get all of those problems sorted out, hopefully we can go a bit faster. I’ve three of my best mates out there, Tom [Toparis], Ty [Lynch] and Broc [Pearson], so it’s going to be weird racing them all, but also going to be really fun. Hopefully we can still be friends after the finish, if shit happens!”
Oli Bayliss – ASBK 2019 – Official Phillip Island Test
Pearson who was fourth fastest, was his usual rapid self but a big get off at Turn One towards the end of day one slowed things down a bit, as on day two he never quite got to the times of the previous day and on his own admission says that he always has trouble with the track.
Broc Pearson – ASBK 2019 – Official Phillip Island Test
Broc Pearson
“We started off Day One really good, and I think I prepared well for this season, I’m a lot fitter and a lot more flexible. Yesterday morning started really well, I missed the first session due to some electrical issues, but we got out there in the second one. Instantly I was into good times, so I was really confident. Leading into the last session I was first on the times at about the middle mark of the session and went back out and had a new set of tyres and was pretty confident to go a bit faster. I ended up making a mistake in Turn 1 and had a bit of a fall, and then Day Two just hasn’t gelled so much. I sort of get over that kind of stuff and don’t get effected but I think I found a bit of a limit yesterday that was like hitting a wall today, getting to a speed that I couldn’t really pass. So I think I just need to work on a few things with my riding, I don’t think it’s mental or physical, it’s just time on the bike, which I don’t get much off. So hopefully we can get a bit of that between now and end of the month.”
Broc Pearson – ASBK 2019 – Official Phillip Island Test
Another debutant in the class is the 2017 Australian Supersport 300cc Champion, Reid Battye, returning to the domestic title chase after a disastrous season in Europe last year. After winning the title Reid had high hopes of competing in the Supersport 300 World Championship that Tom Edwards competed in, but a botch up with registering for the over-subscribed grid saw the teenager left out in the cold and living in Italy.
Reid Battye – ASBK 2019 – Official Phillip Island Test
He returned to Australia half way through the year and so has not had much riding but was impressive in his first outing on the new Suzukis and was fifth. Like Bayliss, Battye will definitely be a threat once he gets more in tune with the bikes and he has the added bonus of Phil Tainton fettling his bikes between meetings. Expect him to give it a big shake
Reid Battye – ASBK 2019 – Official Phillip Island Test
Just adrift of Battye was Sam Lambert who has had an on-again off-again relationship with the class in recent years but in that time has proven to be one that is in the upper part of the field but has lacked the budget to complete a full season. Let’s hope the Northern Territorian can stick around for the entire season as the sound of the MV Agusta he is riding on full noise is just majestic, and he is not too far off the pace.
While Toparis may have had a distinct edge in lap times over the others the difference in times between second (Liminton) and seventh (Aiden Hayes) was just over a second, and the rest were close behind.
Tom Toparis lead the time sheets by a hefty margin- ASBK 2019 – Official Phillip Island Test
Add a few more that were not at the test and others that are rising through the ranks like Scott Nicholson (who is in his own team this year); Aiden Hayes who is hoping to contest the entire season; as well as Ty Lynch who is gaining advice from Jed Metcher to improve his performances; Rhys Belling; Jack Passfield; Dallas Skeer; and the ever competitive Chris Quinn, and the 2019 Supersport category will have plenty of spice to compliment the other classes.
Supersport Combined Practice Times – 2019 ASBK PI Test
Many riders are taught to leave a two or three-second gap between their bike and the vehicle they are a following as a safety buffer. But is it really enough? Is there such a thing as leaving too much space?
How to judge gap
We are taught to use a visible roadside reference to determine our following distance.
It works like this: As the vehicle in front passes a landmark (such as a light post, sign or tree), we start counting “1000, 2000, 3000” by which time our bike will pass the same roadside landmark.
That’s a three-second gap.
It’s much easier than trying to estimate distance and it’s easier, because the distance naturally increases the faster you are riding.
Gap variables
However, is a two-second or three-second gap enough?
The problem is there are several variables.
First is the vehicle in front. If it’s a late-model car, it will stop quite quickly.
Cars usually have better stopping power than motorcycles because of their increased contact with the ground. Click here for more on this subject. So maybe add a second or two.
Lane-change assist
Older cars, trucks, vans and laden utes cars will not be able to stop as quickly, so two seconds might be fine. However, be aware of any unsecured loads that could fall off a truck or ute.
Second is your motorcycle. How are its brakes?
There is a substantial difference between motorcycle stopping abilities, depending on many variables such as weight, tyres, suspension, brake discs, callipers, ABS, linked brakes and even the brake lines (hydraulic or cable).
(ABS may not make some riders stop any shorter, but it will allow the rider to steer out of harm’s way.)
And then there’s the skill of the rider. Have you been taught the correct way to use the brakes? Click here for MotoDNA emergency braking tips and go out and practise!
(Go to 30-second mark of the video)
Assessing space
To assess your bike’s braking abilities, find a quiet piece of road or carpark to practise your emergency stopping.
Take a friend and get them to measure how far it takes you to stop from various speeds.
Once you have the distance for each speed, compare it with how far you travel at that speed.
For example, at 100km/h you travel 28m a second, so your two-second gap leaves 56m to safely stop and three seconds leaves 84m.
Here is a list showing distance travelled at various speeds with stopping distances for 2- and 3-second gaps:
If your measured stopping distance at those speeds is more, then you may need to consider lengthening your gap.
Don’t overdo gap
However, don’t be too alarmed and add several seconds, because there are two more variables to consider.
The first is the fact that if you leave a big gap between you and the vehicle in front, another vehicle is likely to slot in which means you have to pull back even further.
If they jump in suddenly and then stomp on the brakes, it’s only creating more danger.
Also, the vehicle in front will not stop immediately when they apply their brakes. They also have stopping distances that vary with speed.
Not much of a surprise: the median age of motorcyclists is trending up.
Begin press release:
We know that more motorcycle owners these days are women, and now we know increasing percentages of all owners are married and college graduates, and they’re generally older, according to the 2018 Motorcycle Industry Council Owner Survey.
“Demographics are changing for Americans across the country and it’s no different for motorcycle owners,” said MIC President and CEO Tim Buche. “For decades, the MIC Owner Survey has told us a lot about who we are, and we’re now learning how things have shifted since our last study was done in 2014. Some of the stats are encouraging, like the increasing number of women owners, while other data, such as the rising median age, show where we have more work to do.”
Gender, Age, Marital Status
Male Owners – 81 percent
Female Owners – 19 percent
Education, Income and Work Status
College Graduate
2018 – 24 percent
2014 – 20 percent
2012 – 17 percent
Median Household Income
2018 – $62,500
2014 – $62,200
2012 – $64,100
Employed – 71 percent
Retired – 24 percent
The owner survey also uncovered trends among the emerging group of millennial motorcyclists. More than half have taken a training course and use their bikes frequently for commuting. Sixty-nine percent say they are interested in electric motorcycles, citing fuel and the environment as top drivers.
“For the past several years, manufacturers have offered more great entry-level motorcycles at affordable prices,” Buche said, “while at the same time focusing on increasing the industry’s outreach to millennials.”
The Motorcycle Industry Council exists to preserve, protect and promote motorcycling through government relations, communications and media relations, statistics and research, aftermarket programs, development of data communications standards, and activities surrounding technical and regulatory issues. As a not-for-profit national industry association, the MIC seeks to support motorcyclists by representing manufacturers, distributors, dealers and retailers of motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, ROVs, motorcycle/ATV/ROV parts, accessories and related goods and services, and members of allied trades such as insurance, finance and investment companies, media companies and consultants.
The MIC is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., with a government relations office in metropolitan Washington, D.C. First called the MIC in 1970, the organization has been in operation since 1914. Visit the MIC at mic.org.
Si queréis ver cuál ha sido mi oficina este invierno… mañana no os perdáis el video completo! 💪🏼
If you want to see my winter office… don’t miss the full video tomorrow! 😉
#MM93
Riders such as Johann Zarco (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and teammate Pol Espargaro have been putting in the laps for KTM, alongside factory test riders like Mission Winnow Ducati’s Michele Pirro, HRC’s Stefan Bradl, Yamaha’s Jonas Folger and Aprilia’s Bradley Smith.
A vital schedule is on the cards for the 11 teams with new evolutions discovered over the winter being put to the test, just over a month ahead of the first race under the lights in Qatar. Join us on February 6th, 7th and 8th for reports, reactions, interviews and highlights during and after each day, with the riders on track between 10:00 – 18:00 local time (GMT +8). In addition, starting at 17:30 local time, we will have live After the Flag episodes at the end of each day, giving you in-depth analysis of the days ongoings as well as live reactions from the riders.
