Dot Motorcycles Returns with the Reed Racer and Demon

The recent past has seen the revival of two iconic British manufacturers — BSA and Norton — with the former revealing its first new product just a week ago at the Motorcycle Live 2021 show. However, another British firm announced its revival at the show. Meet Dot Motorcycles, a small, Manchester-based manufacturer first founded in 1903 by Harry Reed. RideApart mentions in its article that “In 1908, Reed won the Isle of Man TT twin-cylinder class on a Dot Motorcycle that he’d built by hand, powered by a Peugeot engine. Pretty soon, he was building and selling five different models to the public by 1911.” 

The company had a good run that lasted until it shut shop in 1978. Today, the brand has been revived by Dr. Anthony Keating and his Dr. Daniel Keating, Gary Hewitt, and Ian Martin. They’ve also gotten the help of none other than Guy Martin. The Brit helped test the two motorcycles that the brand recently re-entered the market with — the Dot Reed Racer and the Dot Demon. 

Dot Motorcycles was always a chassis specialist and sourced its engines from other manufacturers. The Reed Racer and Demon are powered by the 650cc liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine from Kawasaki — also seen on the Ninja 650 and the Z650 — with peak output figures at 68hp at 8,000rpm and 47.2lb-ft of torque at 6,700rpm.

The Dot Demon is a scrambler-style motorcycle, while the Dot Reed Racer features a cowled fairing and porthole headlight. Both models are handmade and can be heavily customized. 

At the Motorcycle Live 2021 show, Dot Motorcycles also revealed that it plans to develop its own electric motorcycle in the future.

Image source: MCN

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

2022 rookie profile: Remy Gardner

The following year he left Australia to settle in Spain, where he competed in the Mediterranean Championship. From 2013 he rode in the FIM CEV Repsol with the Calvo/Laglisse team, finishing with a best of P5 in 2013, before taking his maiden podium in 2014. In 2015 Gardner joined the CIP Team with a Mahindra bike, and moved to Moto2™ in 2016, ending the year with Tasca Racing.

Source: MotoGP.comRead Full Article Here

Ducati DesertX Deliveries To Start in May 2022

The Ducati DesertX was unveiled during the sixth and final episode of the company’s World Première 2022 series. The highly anticipated model is Ducati’s interpretation of the rally bikes that competed in the golden age of the Dakar Rally. 

The inspiration for the styling is evident with the twin-pod LED headlights and relatively slim proportions. However, under all that new bodywork is a motorcycle that we’re pretty familiar with. At the heart of the new DesertX is the same 937cc Testastretta V-twin engine that powers multiple models in the Italian marquee’s lineup — like the Multistrada V2. That said, peak output figures at 110hp at 9,250rpm and 68lb-ft of torque at 6,500rpm are slightly lower than on the Multistrada. The DesertX also features shorter gearing, which should translate to better performance earlier on in the rev band — vital while off-roading. 

While the Multistrada is a road-biased adventure tourer, the DesertX has been designed with the dirt in mind. Autocar India reports that the bike features a 21-inch/18-inch wire-spoke wheel setup that not even the Multistrada 1260 Enduro gets. Given its intentions, the DesertX also boasts of some seriously impressive off-road-centric figures; 230mm and 220mm of suspension travel at the front and rear, respectively, and 250mm of ground clearance. 

Consequently, this is a tall motorcycle. A seat height that’s 875mm off the ground is going to deter less experienced riders from hopping on. There’s also the weight — with the 21-liter fuel tank topped up, the DesertX tips the scales at 223kg.

Like with every Ducati, this one features a host of electronics. There’s a total of six riding modes, including Enduro and Rally modes dedicated to off-road use. Riders also can choose from four power modes via a 5-inch TFT dash with optional Bluetooth connectivity. 

You also have the option to choose from a wide range of add-on accessories that include panniers, heated grips, fog lamps, and even an 8-liter auxiliary fuel tank. 

The DesertX will be available in North American dealerships from May 2022, with prices starting at $16,795.



Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

2021 MotoGP™ recap: Spanish Grand Prix

Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) was the first to overtake Quartararo, with the Australian able to hold on to P1 to beat teammate Francesco Bagnaia by just under two seconds. It was Miller’s first victory since that legendary victory at Assen in 2016, his first in the dry conditions. Pecco’s P2 was his third podium in four races, as Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) – on two-year-old equipment – claimed a fantastic third place. Quartararo crossed the line in P13, seeing his title lead slashed to two points over Pecco.

Source: MotoGP.comRead Full Article Here

A recap of SMSP under lights opener and look towards star studded Rnd 2 this weekend

St George MCC Pirelli Summer Night Series Round 1 Report

Words and Images by Half Light Photographic


The St George MCC Pirelli Summer Night Series is back at Sydney Motorsports Park for a second season under the magnificent floodlights at the Blacktown facility. Summer Nights is a quickfire racing experience with three classes running of – if time permits – four races each from 1830 to around 2230.

Greg Avery – AGV Unlimited – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

Underlining the intensity of the action, there are no practice sessions for any class. It’s straight into qualification with eight minutes per class which only allows for a handful of laps to post a time to determine grid positions.

The atmosphere under lights is a fantastic experience for everyone on and off the track. Sunset is around 8 pm and with another 20 minutes or so of twilight, the only light for the last hour and a half comes from the floods.

The Unlimited class is split into two with the Pirelli Unlimited Division 1 class for riders expecting to post sub 1:40 laps (in dry conditions) and AGV Unlimited Division 2 for the remaining riders.

Franco and Josh Soderland - Pirelli Unlimited - St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021
Matthew Franco and Josh Soderland – Pirelli Unlimited – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

The IPONE 600 class has riders fielding not only 600 four-cylinder bikes but also a good mix of Triumph 675 triples alongside Suzuki and Yamaha 650/700 twins.

Round 1 of the Series on December 3 coincided with the final round of ASBK at The Bend so there were fewer ASBK riders at the round than is usual but, with the ASBK season concluded, expect to see a more of them in attendance for Round 2 of the series on December 17. More on that later.

Andrew Black – AGV Unlimited – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

St George MCC events have had an unfortunate funny/not funny reputation of being rain magnets recently and the weather going into Round 1 was, once again, quite threatening.

Fortunately, SMP was spared the heavier storms that were making noise elsewhere in the metro area but there was constant, light, almost mist-like rain for the whole evening which didn’t put enough rain on the track to force riders to swap to wet tyres but it did make for tricky and variable conditions in every race.

Timothy Hunt – IPONE 600 – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

SMP recently hosted four rounds of Supercars on consecutive weekends and the riders reported that there were a couple of areas where cracks in the surface were allowing a bit more water to seep onto the track but not to the extent that it caused any concerns.

Aiden Hayes – IPONE 600 – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

With four hours for three classes to qualify and run four five-lap races each, there’s not much margin for time delays. The track must be clear by 10:30 pm so if time is lost to recovery or medical interventions, there’s a high risk that the last round of races can be affected.

Hussein Ayad – AGV Unlimited- St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

That was the case for Round 1 with the final races of AGV Unlimited Division 2 and IPONE 600 having to be cancelled. That meant qualifying and three races for those classes, with four races for Pirelli Unlimited Division 1.


Pirelli Unlimited

Sean Condon (Bike Biz Fireblade) headed qualifying with a 1:33.7240 which was a spectacular time spectacular given the conditions. Peter Graham (R1) and Timothy Griffith (BC Performance, TAG Avionics ZX-10R) rounded out the top three.

Sean Condon – Pirelli Unlimited – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

ASBK rookie Yanni Shaw would have been disappointed with only being able to post 13th, which gave him a lot of work to do in the races. However this is a reflection of him being well out of practice, this being the first time on track for the big Specialist Heights Access Gixxer since ASBK Darwin back in June. The meeting follows a progressive grid format which means a poor qualifying performance can be overcome with good race results.

Race 1 saw the worst of the conditions for the evening and lap times were in the low 1:40’s. Pole sitter Sean Condon decided that the conditions weren’t worth the risk and pulled into the pits at the end of the sighting lap and played no further part in the evening’s event.

Paul Rose - Pirelli Unlimited - St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021
Paul Rose – Pirelli Unlimited – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

Paul Rose on the Avvero Solutions R1 adapted quickest to the slippery race conditions and was able to translate that into a 5 second lead over Timothy Griffith on the BC Performance at the flag. Josh Soderland on the Gowanloch sponsored R1 crossed the line in third less than a second behind Griffith. This was a spectacular result for Solderland on his first outing on the R1.

By the time Race 2 came around, conditions had improved and it was Timothy Griffith who was able to post the fastest lap of 1:36:6530 and take out the win with Nick Marsh tight on his tail on the Superbike Bike Source Racing R1. Yanni Shaw was starting to get back into the racing groove and bought the Team Specialist Suzuki home in third place.

Timothy Griffith and Yannis Shaw - Pirelli Unlimited - St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021
Timothy Griffith and Yanni Shaw – Pirelli Unlimited – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

Conditions for Race 3 weren’t quite as favourable and Timothy Griffith while on the ZX-10R was able to maintain his form from Race 2 taking out the win, it was Paul Rose on the R1 who took fastest lap with a 1:38:200 and able to hold on for third place from a hard charging Nick Marsh.

Yanni Shaw, continued to build confidence and bought the big Gixxer home in second spot, less than half a second behind Griffith.  Early in the race, St George regular Andrew Burley took a nasty tumble in Turn 2 after a brake issue coming out of T1. Both bike and Andrew came off a bit second-hand but he’s hoping to have everything back in shape before the series ends in late January.

Andrew Burley and Timothy Griffith - Pirelli Unlimited - St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021
Andrew Burley and Timothy Griffith – Pirelli Unlimited – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

Pirelli Unlimited was the only class that managed to get a fourth race in before the time limits on track use expired and once again it was Griffith, Rose and Shaw who took out the top three spots with Griffith pulling out a two-second lead for the win, also taking out fastest lap of 1:36:6940 along the way. Once again, Nick Marsh was just out of the top three trailing Yanni Shaw by just two-tenths of a second.

Timothy Griffith’s strong performance in all four races gave him the meeting win and puts him on 95 points heading into Round 2. Paul Rose, Yanni Shaw, Nick Marsh and Josh Soderland round out the top five with just 9-points covering the four of them.

Timothy Griffith took the overall - Pirelli Unlimited - St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021
Timothy Griffith took the overall – Pirelli Unlimited – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

Timothy Griffith – Unlimited Div 1 – P1

“Super happy to come away with the round win. Misting rain tested the confidence levels, but wow! How fantastic to be able to race under lights again.”

Yanni Shaw – Unlimited Div 1 – P3

“It was so good to be out there and get an eye in on riding these superbikes again. After having our bikes stuck in Queensland for so long it was a relief for everyone to be riding again. The goal for the night was to shake the cobwebs both rider and mechanics and have fun doing it. We tested the bike and spent the night pulling data from various setups so it was a big win for us. It had been almost 6 months since the last race meeting so was well worth it. Conditions were tricky with light rain playing havoc on the mind. The pace across the board definitely showed it had an effect. Hats off to St George for another well run night event at one of the best tracks in Australia.”

Yanni Shaw - Pirelli Unlimited - St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021
Yanni Shaw – Pirelli Unlimited – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

Josh Soderland – Pirelli Unlimited

“Great to be sitting on the R1 for the first time at a race meeting and what a race meeting to choose. Under lights at Sydney Motorsport Park, love this Summer Night fast paced event. Got bumped into the Pirelli Unlimited (fast group) after my qualification time in the AGV Unlimited saw me break the time cut off. Was awesome racing with the fast boys and learnt so much getting pulled around by a few and bumping bars with them by the end of the night. Awesome event, cannot await Round 2 on December 17th.   None of this would be possible without the great support from Gowanloch Ducati, Alpha Team fitness and Evo Racing Suspension.”

Josh Soderland - Pirelli Unlimited - St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021
Josh Soderland was bumped up to Pirelli Unlimited – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

Pirelli Unlimited Results/Standings

Pos Rider Bike R1 R2 R3 R4 Total
1 TIMOTHY GRIFFITH ZX-10R 20 25 25 25 95
2 PAUL ROSE R1 25 16 18 20 79
3 YANNIS SHAW GSXR 15 18 20 18 71
4 NICHOLAS MARSH RSV4 RF 16 20 17 17 70
5 JOSHUA SODERLAND R1 18 14 14 13 59
6 ADRIAN PELEGRIN ZX10R 17 17 12 9 55
7 JOEL TAYLOR R1 0 15 15 16 46
8 PETER GRAHAM YZFR1 14 0 16 15 45
9 MICHAEL JEFFERY R1 9 12 10 12 43
10 CHRISTOPHER LYNCH ZX10R 13 11 8 11 43
11 EDUARDO PEREIRA R1 11 8 11 10 40
12 MATTHEW FRANCO R1 0 10 13 14 37
13 CLINT MCANALLY V4 10 9 7 7 33
14 PHILLIP CLOROS PANIGALE 8 6 6 6 26
15 ANDREW BURLEY V4S 12 13 0 0 25
16 GERGELY NAGY R1 0 0 9 8 17
17 HAMISH MCMURRAY ZX10RR 0 7 0 0 7

AGV Unlimited

In AGV Unlimited qualifying, Josh Soderland posted the fastest lap with a 1:37:8140. As mentioned above, this was the first time Soderland had raced the R1 and he came into the meeting uncertain what his lap times would be and had taken a cautious approach and nominated for the slower class.

Andrew Black - AGV Unlimited - St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021
Andrew Black – AGV Unlimited – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

But with AGV Unlimited class being for riders expected to card no faster than 1:40, his qualifying time gave him the confidence to switch to the faster Pirelli Unlimited for the remainder of the night where he put in some impressive rides. This made Andrew Black (Fireblade), Zsolt Veres (S 1000 RR) and Greg Avery (Ficeda/MotoDNA GSX-R1000) the top three going into the races.

Greg Avery - AGV Unlimited - St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021
Greg Avery – AGV Unlimited – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

With Soderland promoted to Pirelli Unlimited, the three AGV Unlimited races followed the form established in qualifying with Andrew Black taking the win and Zsolt Veres taking second place in each race.

Zsolt Veres - AGV Unlimited - St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021
Zsolt Veres – AGV Unlimited – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

Greg Avery took out third spot in Races 1 and 2 but Jacob Hatch (Motorcity, Jekyl&Hyde, Kabuto Aprilia), who will be heading on to BSB in 2022 to run in Leon Haslam’s Supersport team, scored a podium in Race 3 with Avery coming home in fourth.

Hussein Ayad leads Veres - AGV Unlimited - St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021
Hussein Ayad leads Veres – AGV Unlimited – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

No surprise with this run of results that Andrew Black took out the meeting win and heads to Round 2 leading Zsolt Veres and Greg Avery in the championship. Hussein Ayad (Gixa Core Cut) and Jacob Hatch (Motorcity, Jekyl&Hyde, Kabuto Aprilia) filled out the top five.

Andrew Black - AGV Unlimited - St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021
Andrew Black – AGV Unlimited – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

Jacob Hatch – AGV Unlimited

“It was my first time racing the RSV4 and we didn’t do so well in qualifying but as the night went on we got light misty rain in all three races but I was happy to come away with eighth, fourth and third and not crashing due to the conditions! I had an awesome time and the meeting was put together great , thank you to the St George Motorcycle Club for putting it on and MotoCity for lending me the bike to race on to help with my preparation for big plans in 2022.”

Jacob Hatch - AGV Unlimited - St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021
Jacob Hatch – AGV Unlimited – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

AGV Unlimited Results/Standings

Pos Rider Bike R1 R2 R3 Total
1 ANDREW BLACK CBR1000RR 25 25 25 75
2 ZSOLT VERES S1000RR 20 20 20 60
3 GREG AVERY S1000 18 18 17 53
4 HUSSEIN AYAD R1 17 16 16 49
5 JACOB HATCH RSV4 13 17 18 48
6 CRAIG BOYD R1 14 14 14 42
7 LUKE RUCKLEY RSV4 16 15 11 42
8 AARON SCHERECK RSV4 15 9 13 37
9 TALAL SBBET S1000RR 12 11 12 35
10 STEPHEN KAIRL GSXR1000 11 13 7 31
11 JASON CLIFF S1000RR 9 10 9 28
12 HARLEY BORKOWSKI CBR 0 12 15 27
13 JAMES BERKLEY ZX10 3 8 10 21
14 GAVIN LACKEY 1098S 10 6 2 18
15 JOSHUA OROURKE ZX-10R 0 7 6 13
16 MARTIN BALL GSXRR L7 5 4 3 12
17 WILLIAM BIRDSEY 1098R 7 3 1 11
18 ANDY FISHER S1000RR 0 2 8 10
19 JASON DLUGOSZ RSV4 4 0 5 9
20 BILAL EL CHAMI S1000RR 0 5 4 9
21 DUNCAN MUIR PANIGALE 8 1 0 9
22 JASON HEWETT 848 EVO 6 0 0 6

IPONE 600

IPONE 600 series always puts on some exciting racing and even with the dodgy conditions requiring riders to show a bit more restraint than normal, the three races delivered some excellent battles.

Simon Rees - IPONE 600 - St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021
Simon Rees – IPONE 600 – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

James McIntyre (R6) took out qualifying with a 1:40.2260, a full second ahead of Simon Rees (Castle Hill Motorcycles ZX6). Jack Passfield (Stay Upright Rider Training R6), Carl Kitson (K-Werx R6) and Trent Kilner (R6) rounded out the top five.

Jack Passfield - IPONE 600 - St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021
Jack Passfield – IPONE 600 – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

Aidan Hayes (Hayes Johnston Chartered Accountants R6) was only able to qualify eighth but come the drop of the flag in each race, it was Hayes and Jack Passfield who made the running.

Aiden Hayes – IPONE 600 – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

Passfield took out two wins and one second place, Hayes took one win and a brace of second place finishes. Race 1 saw the closet finish with Hayes crossing the line just a fraction of a second later than Passfield. The Stay Upright rider was able to take more control of the second and third races finishing two-seconds and nearly 10-seconds ahead respectively.

Aiden Hayes – IPONE 600 – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

Behind them, Simon Rees showed great consistency carding two third place finishes and one fourth place with Darragh Murphy taking out third place in the first race.

Darragh Murphy – IPONE 600 – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

Passfield’s consistency sees him take a narrow five-point margin over Hayes into Round 2 of the series with Rees, Murphy and Timothy Hunt (Assetnote Triumph Daytona) holding the other top five positions.

Timothy Hunt – IPONE 600 – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

Aidan Hayes – P600

“Friday night racing is back!! Finally after months of no riding or racing we got to race SMSP under lights for round 1 of the St George Summer Night Series and it was a hit! We finally had a hot day leading into it but there was storms predicted and everyone was nervously waiting for qualifying as we could see the clouds coming in and very light rain. Lucky for the hot day the track stayed mostly dry even with light rain in every session with white flags out on most corners it was tricky conditions as the track felt grippy but at the same time we were never sure how much water was going to be on the tar throughout each corner. This didn’t stop the tight racing battle with Jack Passfield and I as we swapped positions multiple times in race 1 before I got the win by 0.008 secs! Race 2 was not so tight with Jack taking the win & me chasing him. Race 3 I was hoping for a really good battle but I made a mistake in T2 missing a gear shift and giving Jack a nice gap which I couldn’t chase down unfortunately. The night was a hit, 10 races for spectators to watch plus three qualifying sessions all done in four hours it was an action packed night and we are planning on more action in Round 2!”

Jack Passfield and Aiden Hayes – IPONE 600 – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

Special mention goes to Brian Bolster (Sydney West Riders, Well Sprung OZMC Leathers SV650) whose line around Turn 1 on Lap 1 of Race 2 was wide. Really wide. Like ‘what the hell is this green stuff underneath me?’  wide. Bolster had found himself on the outside going through T1 when the rider to his inside had a small moment.

This pushed him wide and he took evasive action on to the grass. Onboard footage confirms that he didn’t back off and re-joined the track before T2 without losing a place. Bolster finished the race in 14th and the evening in 12th and laid down his fastest lap, of 1:43:0400, in the third race. On an SV650. Respect.

Brian Bolster – P600

“Riding my SV650 against the 600s presents many challenges, namely in top speed differences, but also opportunities to work on my riding, like corner entry and mid corner speed. Race two presented me with a new challenge: high speed gardening! I got a decent start, managing to pass a few 600s off the launch. The run into Turn 1 saw a lot of bikes bunching up, so I took the wide outside line to avoid the melee. Unfortunately a few riders ran wide avoiding water and I was forced wider. I decided taking to the dirt was a better option than wet ripple strips and exited the track at 140-ish. Turns out the dirt was reasonably dry, I managed to keep it upright, and after a brief look to make sure it was safe to do so, I re-entered the track just after the 50m board. I was able to tip into a clear spot on the racing line and continue with my race like nothing happened. It was bloody exciting I’ll tell you that much…”

Brian Bolster - IPONE 600 - St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021
Brian Bolster – IPONE 600 – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

IPONE 600 Results/Standings

Pos Rider Bike R1 R2 R3 Total
1 JACK PASSFIELD R6 20 25 25 70
2 AIDAN HAYES YZF-R6 25 20 20 65
3 SIMON REES ZX6 17 18 18 53
4 DARRAGH MURPHY CBR 18 16 17 51
5 TIMOTHY HUNT DAYTONA 16 13 15 44
6 JAMES KEAN ZX6-R 13 14 16 43
7 CARL KITSON R6 15 17 6 38
8 CAMERON PRENTICE ZX6R 9 12 13 34
9 SIMONE BOLDRINI YZF-R6 10 8 14 32
10 TRENT KILNER R6 12 10 9 31
11 JAMES MCINTYRE YZF-R6 14 15 0 29
12 BRIAN BOLSTER SV650 7 7 12 26
13 JOHN HORE GSX-R600 8 5 11 24
14 ALISTAIR KNIPE ZX6R 3 9 10 22
15 CHRISTOPHER DUNNE R6 11 11 0 22
16 MATTHEW SODERLAND DAYTONA 6 4 8 18
17 DANIEL DESA PESIC R6 5 6 4 15
18 ROMEO ARMONE R6 0 3 5 8
19 DAVID BOURNE ZX6 0 0 7 7
20 WILLIAM BINKS GSXR 0 2 3 5
21 ANTHONY GEORGE YZF-R6 4 0 0 4
22 STUART MACLEAN GSXR 0 0 2 2
23 SARAH BATTEN DAYTONA 0 1 1 2
24 CHRISTIAN ROSSI ZX6R 2 0 0 2
25 DAVID CAO MT07 1 0 0 1

St George MCC Pirelli Summer Night Series Round 2

Looking ahead to Round 2 on December 17 the usual suspects will be back for another round of fun under lights and, as mentioned earlier, some more of the ASBK regulars will be on deck. It’s a real buzz for the club guys to have some of the top riders in Australia on board even if the talk after the races is mostly about them disappearing into the distance.

The St George Summer Night Series returns for Round 2 – Jack Passfield

As of the time of writing, St George MCC are expecting Glenn Allerton, Josh Waters, Cru Halliday and Oli Bayliss to join Yanni Shaw for Round 2 of the Series.

This will be one of the last chances to see Oli Bayliss before he heads off to Europe to start his World Supersport adventure with Barni Racing on the V2 Panigale.

Oli Bayliss rode the V2 for the first time last week at The Bend, and this weekend will race it for the first time

Oli’s progress in the last few years from Supersport 300 through Supersport and then to Superbikes, scoring his first Superbike win at Darwin, has been phenomenal and it will be fantastic to see a competitive Australian presence in the WorldSBK arena again. St George Pirelli Summer Series Round 2 will be the first time he’ll be racing on the V2 bike.

Hussein Ayad – AGV Unlimited – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

The series takes a break over the Xmas period and resumes in the New Year with Round 3 of the series on January 8, and the final round on January 28. All at Sydney Motorsports Park and all under lights.

Mick O’Brien – St George MCC

“Summer Night racing is back. Just a shame that the climate still thinks it’s spring. The series is again proving very popular with riders and spectators and truly forging itself into a series that will one day be recognised across the country as a series riders want to be part of. Thank you to Pirelli Tyres Australia, AGV Helmets and IPONE Oils for supporting the series and the riders. Each brand brings something different to the nights and we are excited to see such formidable brands and the growing IPONE brand using this series to showcase their products. It was great to see Round 1 continuing the close racing from lasts year’s series. The short format ensures close racing and plenty of on track action for all to admire. With the added commentary keeping all up to speed from corner to corner with the gap fillers that the two Ronnie’s would be proud of. With the ASBK series finished, we’ve already seen up to 10 of the best established and up and coming racers best join us for Round 2 on December 17. So make sure you get on out to the track with qualifying starting at 6.30pm to see some spectacular action and watch Oli Bayliss’s first race meeting on the V2 Ducati.”

Zsolt Veres – AGV Unlimited – St George Summer Nights Round 1 2021

Bel Kyle – Flaggie

“Flagging at night certainly has more challenges than daytime, mostly with visibility. Throw in some on and off drizzle rain and it certainly increases those challenges. The racers did a great job in the conditions, with very few incidents. It’s still great fun flagging no matter what the weather is doing, and where else can you get that close to the action?”

2021 Pirelli Summer Night Series at SMSP Round 1 Gallery

Source: MCNews.com.au

Motociclo Moto Guzzi NSW Centenario Ride Day a success

Moto Guzzi NSW Centenario Ride Day

Images by Dean Walters


The Moto Guzzi Owners Association NSW recently held their big yearly ride with the support of Motociclo and Moto Guzzi Australia. Despite mixed weather conditions, there was a bumper turn out and MCNews.com.au went along for the ride.

Rain couldn’t put a damper on the Moto Guzzi NSW ride-day with a great turn up

With dark clouds looming and rain pretty clearly on the way I wasn’t sure what to expect upon reaching the starting point of Harry’s Cafe de Wheels in Tempe on a Sunday morning, but I needn’t have worried – the Moto Guzzi community is obviously made of tougher stuff and don’t mind getting their pristine machines dirty.

Harry’s Cafe De Wheels quick ran out of parking!

Machinery of every vintage was already lined up with more trickling in by the minute. I was lucky enough to be on board a Centenario V9 Bobber provided by Moto Guzzi Australia for the day, putting me very much in the spirit of the occasion.

The Moto Guzzi ‘Centenario’ V9 Bobber

Over 100 bikes fill the car park despite light rain coming and going during the morning. A ride to the Headlands Hotel down the coast was on the books to celebrate 100 years of Moto Guzzi. Hence the Centenario V9 Bobber. A Centenario V85 TT was also in attendance.

Motociclo & Moto Guzzi NSW Ride Day 2021

Parking the V9 Bobber up among the other Guzzi’s offered a great look at just how well the brand has stayed true to their heritage, with the air-cooled transverse twin everywhere you looked. That included modern California and V85 TT models, through to older V7s and much more.

Motociclo & Moto Guzzi NSW Ride Day 2021

Obviously the V100 Mandello that was recently announced (link) will see an evolution in the new Guzzi offerings, but not at the expense of that heritage.

Motociclo & Moto Guzzi NSW Ride Day 2021

With a morning coffee under everyone’s belts the group head off from Harry’s, due-south and I’ve got to admit there was something pretty magical about pulling up at the lights alongside five or 10 other Guzzis, with the combined exhaust notes beating away.

Heading out of Sydney on the Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber

Granted some of the older machines with loud pipes were pulling more than their weight in that department, but that’s what motorcycling is all about.

Motociclo & Moto Guzzi NSW Ride Day 2021

The V9 Bobber was a great mount for the day, a relaxed riding position and plenty of performance for trundling along, a crack of the throttle delivering smooth torque when the chance arose to catch up.

It’s been years since I rode a V7, but the additional performance from the updated powerplant was welcome – with that extra 15 hp and almost 10 Nm of torque very noticeable. Traction control is a worthwhile standard inclusion for the slippery weather too, not one I needed as it turned out, but nice to have regardless.

The V9 Bobber is the perfect bike for a day cruising through the National Park

The tyre profiles reward planned corner arcs but capable of a quick turn of direction when the pace picks up a little. Likewise the Brembo brake set-up did the job, with plenty of power and bite at the rear, and a more progressive action at the front.

The 785 mm seat height is inviting for riders of different heights and the overall build quality is something to admire. This is a modern classic that will have people thinking is a proper retro machine. Keep an eye out on MCNews.com.au though for the full review.

A long train of Moto Guzzis made their way down to the Headland Hotel

The rain truly got set in as we got out of Sydney and into the National Park, with Moto Guzzi’s stretching as far as the eye could see at times, although through some of the twistier sections that wasn’t too far.

There was also a huge variety of machines at the Motociclo & Moto Guzzi NSW Ride Day

The languid pace eventually led us to the Headlands Hotel for lunch and presentation of a variety of awards, from the furthest travelled to best Moto Guzzi by popular vote, while the cleanest bike award held a particular challenge after slogging through all the rain!

Council approval at the Headlands Hotel meant some of the bikes could be parked up on the grass

With council approval we were also able to get some of the bikes parked up on the grass next to the hotel, the space quickly filling up.

Motociclo & Moto Guzzi NSW Ride Day 2021

After a bite to eat, those prizes were awarded with Jon Eales winning the cleanest bike award for his 1965 V7 700, a bike originally bought in Milan by Giovanni Medici.

Motociclo & Moto Guzzi NSW Ride Day 2021

Best Tonti went to Martin Schols with his 1981 Le Mans Mk III powered by a Mark V 1000 motor, with Agostini half fairing, seat unit and timing gears. Tonti refers to Lino Tonti, who designed that specific frame used for the big block Guzzi’s from 1971 through to 1992.

Motociclo & Moto Guzzi NSW Ride Day 2021

Best Loopy, you guessed it – original Guzzi twin loop frame – was Steve Eagles with his 1973 Eldorado, while Best Small Block went to Jerry and his 1987 V65 Lario. That small block was developed in the ‘70s and continues in modified form in the V7, V9 and V85 models of today.

Motociclo & Moto Guzzi NSW Ride Day 2021

Mal Gilles’ 2010 V7 Classic took out the most used award with 221,000 km on the clock and Longest Distance went to Steve Ryan who’d made his way all the way from Tamworth on his 1986 Le Mans IV 1000 for the gathering.

Motociclo & Moto Guzzi NSW Ride Day 2021

By popular vote the Best Bike went to Bruce Hollows 1987 Magni Arturo 1000, and dealer Motociclo awarded their own Best Bike choice which was Bruce McGregor’s 2016 California 1400, as the ‘youngest’ of the award winners – bikewise.

The Motociclo & Moto Guzzi NSW Ride Day wraps up with a group shot after the awards

That was a wrap for the day, with riders scattering towards the motorway or back up through the National Park for the scenic route to their respective homes.

Motociclo & Moto Guzzi NSW Ride Day 2021 Gallery

Source: MCNews.com.au

2022 Moto Guzzi V85 TT | Guardia d’Onore Special Edition

2022 Moto Guzzi V85 TT Guardia d’Onore


2022 will see Moto Guzzi introduce a special edition V85 TT to commemorate the brand’s long history of providing motorcycles to the honour guard of the Italian head of state.

2022 Moto Guzzi V85 TT Guardia d’Onore

In fact, 2021 saw two Moto Guzzi V85 TT motorcycles join the Cuirassiers’ California 1400 Touring bike fleet, in a presentation ceremony to President of the Republic – Sergio Mattarella in May.

2022 Moto Guzzi V85 TT Guardia d’Onore

Just 1946 units of the V85 TT Guardia d’Onore will be produced, to celebrate 75-years of partnership between the Mandello Eagle and the Cuirassiers’ Regiment, as well as the year the Italian Republic was established. The models will be numbered with an engraving on the handlebar riser, making their status unquestionable.

Pricing is yet to be announced for Australia, however they expected to arrive in showrooms in September 2022.

2022 Moto Guzzi V85 TT Guardia d’Onore

Included with each Guardia d’Onore edition purchased will be a celebratory case including a brochure with the history of the Moto Guzzi motorcycles used by the Cuirassiers and the stamp collector’s folder containing the postmarked stamp issued on the occasion of the Moto Guzzi Centennial.

2022 Moto Guzzi V85 TT Guardia d’Onore

The V85 TT Guardia d’Onore features the typical black livery with white graphics that characterise the Cuirassiers’ Moto Guzzi machines. The white decorations run along the front mudguard, continuing onto the fuel tank and the side panels and they are also picked up on the oversized Touring windscreen.

2022 Moto Guzzi V85 TT Guardia d’Onore

The latter is part of the standard equipment package, along with the centre stand, the engine guard bars and the supplementary LED lights. A pair of side panniers dedicated to this model are available on request.

2022 Moto Guzzi V85 TT Guardia d’Onore

The adoption of Moto Guzzi motorcycles stems back to transition from horse power to modern cars and motorcycles, with the royal carriages replaced and the escort unit of elite Carabinieri needing a new more suitable form of transport.

2022 Moto Guzzi V85 TT Guardia d’Onore

Moto Guzzi had existing ties in providing motorcycles to the armed forces, and a strong history in racing and over four years the Cuirassiers would adopt the Alce, Superalce, Astore and eventually Falcone Sport into the fleet.

Moto Guzzi at the Girinale

The Cuirassiers had a strict height requirement to join or 190 cm, meaning bikes were needed to suit larger riders, with the Astore being specifically outfitted for the job.

By 1960 the Falcone Sport was the bike of choice for escorting the President of the Republic and Heads of State visiting Italy.

The Cuirassiers (Corazzieri) escorting Nixon

In 1968 the V7 Special would surplant the Falcone Sport as Moto Guzzi moved to the transverse V-twin, the manufacturer’s calling card to this day. In 1975 would then see the V1000 I-Convert adopted.

By the ’80s the Moto Guzzi California models were the Cuirassiers’s motorcycle of choice, starting with the 948 cc California II of 1985, through to the 1380 cc version equipping the California 1400 Touring today.

As mentioned arrival of the 2022 Moto Guzzi V85 TT Guardia d’Onore is expected in September 2022, with pricing to be released closer to the release date.

Source: MCNews.com.au

Fasthouse x Hot Wheels Collection Debuts at Day in the Dirt

Fasthouse and Hot Wheels? Uh, yeah that’s a collaboration we can get behind!

Begin Press Release: 


A CELEBRATION OF ACCELERATION

At the crossroads of high speed and good times, you’ll find the timeless cool of the Southern California motocross community. We pay tribute to tradition with the new Fasthouse x Hot Wheels capsule collection. 
In 1968 when Hot Wheels was born, it became the toy that would spark the passion of generations of gear heads, forever ingrained in the memories of their youth. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that 1968 was also the year Kenny Alexander was tossed a hand-made jersey from his grandma under the roof of what became the inspiration for Fasthouse – where some of the fastest racers from the desert racing scene and later from the legendary Indian Dunes would gather to tell war stories and grab race jerseys and vests made the old-fashioned way.

Fast forward to the present day and both iconic brands have joined forces to create a product line for the tight-knit community of dirt bike lovers, young and old alike. And to continue kickstarting the hearts of the next generation, Hot Wheels and Fasthouse teamed up to select a crew of young rockstars that embody the spirit of speed, style, and good times that those who grew up riding remember so fondly. This is the FH X Hot Wheels youth crew, and it was on full display at the recent 2021 Day In the Dirt.

hot wheels fast house

Also founded by Kenny Alexander, Day in the Dirt is something special that taps into the spirit of Hot Wheels. What started as a one-day event in 1998 has turned into what some people call the “MX Woodstock”. It’s a gathering of family and friends and what they love most – dirt bikes.  It attracts the greats, the near-greats and the not-so-greats, but also the Hollywood stunt community and moto fanatics worldwide. It’s a gathering for everyone, and a big part of that community is the stoked-out kids. Since the debut of the FH x Hot Wheels youth crew out at Mammoth MX back in June, there has been a buzz about this one of kind collaboration. The vibe out at Day in the Dirt was no different. The Hot Wheels youth crew hit the scene, ready to ride and just have a good time.

“Day in the dirt has always been a special race for the Grant family, it was extra special to me this year having all our Hot Wheels groms there representing what the race is really all about… having fun, looking good, and spreading good vibes,” said Josh Grant. “I really liked that Fasthouse brought Moto 4 Kids in to organize racing for the younger generations and get them involved the funnest race of the year.”

hot wheels fasthouse

Day in the Dirt isn’t all about podium finishes, it’s really about racing with your friends and making long time memories. The FH x Hot Wheels youth crew did just that, paired with cool style that the whole community felt a part of. From the race track to the campsites these young rippers were spreading the message of speed, style, and good times. The new FH x Hot Wheels casual collection embodies this lifestyle with its assortment of beanies, T-shirts, hoodies and more in classic SoCal style; with something for everyone to keep warm in the pits, shielded from the sun on a hot track day or just repping your love of two wheel culture around town.

“I love seeing the FH x Hot wheels crew living life and tearing it up, It puts a smile on my face, said Kenny Alexander, Founder of Fasthouse. “Looking forward to the next one!”

As for the product line, this is just the beginning. Coming in 2022, look out for some awesome riding gear to accompany the recent casual apparel drop.

Shop for the Fasthouse X Hot Wheels casual collection here


 

hot wheels fasthouse
hot wheels fasthouse
hot wheels fasthouse






 

The post Fasthouse x Hot Wheels Collection Debuts at Day in the Dirt appeared first on Motorcycle.com News.

2022 Ducati DesertX Adventure Bike Preview

Ducati expands its US model lineup with a true dual sport in the form of the 21/18-inch wheel-equipped 2022 Ducati DesertX ($16,795).

Ducati expands its US model lineup with a true dual sport in the form of the 21/18-inch wheel-equipped 2022 Ducati DesertX ($16,795). (Ducati Motor Holding/)

After teasing us with a couple more off-road prototypes (read the Ducati Reveals Two Scrambler Concepts At EICMA 2019), Ducati gets serious in the dual sport streetbike segment with its 2022 DesertX ($16,795). The DesertX is positioned below Ducati’s recently overhauled and more GS-like Multistrada V4 streetbike which we tested extensively during the 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 S MC Commute Review and Is Ducati’s Multistrada V4 the Fastest Adventure-Touring Bike? motorcycle review articles and videos.

The DesertX is powered by Ducati’s returning 937cc 11° Testastretta L-twin as used in the Multistrada V2 and Monster vehicles. Ducati says the engine is good for 110 hp at 9,250 revs and 68 pound-feet of torque at 6,500 rpm. The six-speed gearbox features lower gear ratios specifically for off-road riding. As usual Ducati fits an electronic quickshifter for immediate and clutchless upshifts and downshifts. The engine drinks from a generous 5.5-gallon fuel tank. Ducati says it will offer an auxiliary 2.1-gallon gas tank as an OE accessory.

The DesertX rolls on a new steel-trellis frame with real off-road-sized 21-inch front and 18-inch rear spoked rims shod with Pirelli’s versatile Scorpion Rally STR rubber (tubeless). An oversized 46mm-diameter fork is used at the front with a linkage-less shock attaching between the frame and swingarm. Suspension travel is rated at 9.1 inches (front) and 8.7 inches (rear). Fully fueled curb weight is a claimed 492 pounds.

A 5-inch color TFT display keeps tabs on vehicle vitals and is positioned in vertical orientation. In typical Ducati spirit, the DesertX will employ rider safety aids, including traction control, ABS, and adjustable riding modes. LED lighting helps the vehicle stand out after dark and the taillight flashes (like Aprilia’s 2021 RSV4 superbikes) during quick acceleration to help alert vehicles behind.

Ducati says the 2022 DesertX will arrive in North America this coming spring.

Source: MotorCyclistOnline.com

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