Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) will be looking for a bit more after ending up off the podium, and so too will Sam Lowes (El Marc VDS Racing Team) and his teammate Augusto Fernandez, the most recent winner at Assen in Moto2™. Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) and Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) both crashed late and will want some redemption too, and Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing) had an incident with Augusto Fernandez. To complicate their lives a little more, both Roberts and Dixon have Long Lap penalties for Assen as well… the former for crashing under yellows, the latter for the aforementioned incident. Dixon does, however, have a fair bit of experience at Assen from the BSB paddock.
Assen is also a track where many of those on Acosta’s tail have a little more experience – not that it made too much difference at the Sachsenring – but for Garcia he’s only raced there once, so he’ll be pushing to come out swinging and get reacquainted. The more veteran crew of Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3), Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing), teammate John McPhee, Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team), meanwhile, will be gunning to get back nearer the front after some misadventures for most in Germany, and they do know Assen pretty well: McPhee, Migno and Fenati all have podiums at the track, and Antonelli is the only rider in the field to have qualified on pole there.
I’ve previously featured Paton’s later two-stroke GP bikes, but Giuseppe Pattoni is best known for his four-stroke 500 racers.
Ex-Billie Nelson Paton 500 4-stroke Racer
He was the chief mechanic for F.B. Mondial’s GP team, then with former company engineer Lino Tonti, went on to found their own company to produce race bikes. The first of which was a 125 cc single, then a 250 cc parallel-twin which eventually (and after Toni had left to join Bianchi) was ridden by Alberto Pagani to third at the IoM.
Ex-Billie Nelson Paton 500 4-stroke Racer
The English businessman Bob Hannah then stepped in to fund the team and the 350 (’65) and 500 (’66) twins that were developed from the 250. Fred Stevens finished sixth in the 1967 World Championship and fifth in the Senior TT on one 500 that started its life as one of the two 250s built (and thus had a wheelbase 100 mm shorter than the 500 seen here).
Ex-Billie Nelson Paton 500 4-stroke Racer
This bike is the ex-Billie Nelson machine that he finished fourth on in the 1969 championship and has a 1380 mm wheelbase. Later versions, from 1971, incorporated 4-valve heads which produced a further 5 hp compared to the 58 hp at 10,400 rpm (rear wheel) of the ’68 bike.
Ex-Billie Nelson Paton 500 4-stroke Racer
The 500cc Paton’s went on to finish in second place in the Italian Championship in ’71 (third in ’70 and ’72) with rider Roberto Gallina and with a Bimota frame took fourth in ’74 with Armando Toracca aboard. Virginio Ferrari rode for the team in ’75 and ’76 but the 4-stroke design was very outclassed by then and Pattoni and his son Roberto began to develop their new 2-stroke motor.
The 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship may well be underway but crucial testing has been undertaken at the Circuito Navarra, a new venue on the calendar for this season. In the north of Spain in Los Arcos, the all-new venue for WorldSBK welcomed day two testing action and it was once again a Yamaha on top with Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK), whilst Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) made it a Yamaha 1-2.
Toprak Razgatlioglu worked tirelessly over the two days but a small bit of drama in the morning when he ran out of fuel didn’t dampen the Turk’s spirits as he completed an astonishing 190 laps.
Toprak Razgatlioglu topped the test
Toprak wasn’t the only one to suffer from running out of fuel as team-mate Andrea Locatelli also suffered a similar fate. Locatelli did briefly top the timesheets just before lunch but finished the test early after a positive two-day test where the bike kept getting better and better.
Andrea Locatelli
Gerloff was working across the two days on an array of things, from set-up to configuration, aiming to refine the set-up on the 2021 motorcycle.
Garrett Gerloff
It was a difficult test on the other side of the garage for Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), who after a crash on day one – which left him with a micro-fracture to his middle finger on his right hand – sat out day two and was replaced by substitute Niccolo Canepa who helped develop some new parts and concluded the test in ninth place overall.
Kawasaki Racing Team’s riders Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes had another new experience to add to their bank of WorldSBK knowledge on the new Ninja ZX-10RR thanks to the two-day confidence building test session at the Circuito de Navarra. Although controlling their track time to save on their limited number of testing days available in 2021 both Rea and Lowes learned valuable lessons at the 3.933 km long Navarra circuit.
Jonathan Rea
Rea concentrated on making sure both he and his Ninja ZX-10RR would arrive at Navarra for race weekend ready to put in the best performance possible, rather than pushing for a fast time at this particular test. In his first experience of this relatively new circuit in Spain Rea found it challenging and fun to ride, with all kinds of corners and a greater change of elevation in some sectors than he had been expecting. After the first day he changed his riding approach and found benefits on a track neither he nor the team had any data for until this test.
Jonathan Rea
“It has been a really positive two days. I learned the circuit and it is a very difficult circuit to go fast at, to be fair. It has lots of little intricacies and challenges. From a technical point of view it is very challenging. I enjoyed working it out. On day one I learned the track quite quickly but I wasn’t comfortable to keep pushing the bike. On day two I woke up after sleeping on all my feelings and the data we gathered on day one, and I was able to be quite fast straight away. I carried that rhythm through. We found a lot of valuable information that will be good for race weekend and it will definitely allow us to make a shortcut in our set-up time when we start out in free practice one. This track has some mixtures of everything. Some super-fast corners but also some very tight and twisty sections in sectors two and three. The race is going to be a nice one. The main priority here was to learn and I am looking forward to Donington now for our next race weekend.”
Pere Riba – Crew Chief for Jonathan Rea
“The test has been positive. Yesterday we did a half day on track. Johnny was learning the layout and where the most important places were. It is a very different track to ride compared to the ones we are used to. Also, technically, we started to collect information because this is an all new track for us. We had no data, nothing. We found the base but day one was not an easy day because it was a very different track, very bumpy. But we did the job. Today we kept focusing on the most important points and leave here with some base settings to start the race weekend in Navarra. Finally, Johnny was fast with the SC0 tyre and also on the SCX tyre he was strong. Considering we did a half day yesterday and a half day today I think we are in a good place to start the race weekend.”
Jonathan Rea with Pere Riba
For Lowes this ‘mid-season’ test was an important one to allow him and his technical crew to try some new things based on the experience of the first three rounds on the new Ninja ZX-10RR. He was able to set fast early times, but fell twice on day two. Unhurt, Alex’s confidence was not dented and he now looks forward to his home round in the UK in early July, and the return to Navarra later this summer.
Alex Lowes
“I really enjoyed the Navarra circuit in my first time there. I had a good feeling on the bike and I was able to try everything that I wanted to and with a couple of things we tried on corner entry we were partly thinking about Donington, which is our next race. This was also positive. Unfortunately today I had a couple of crashes; made a couple of mistakes. Apart from that, it has been a great test. I leave here happy with the bike, enjoying the Ninja ZX-10RR, and it was a really good test for us. That gives me some confidence going into the next round, which is my home round at Donington Park. So we are really happy.”
Alex Lowes
Marcel Duinker – Crew Chief for Alex Lowes
“This was the first time we had been to Navarra and the target was to learn the track as much as possible, and of course to prepare ourselves for the race in August. From the very beginning Alex was fast, one of the fastest on track, and he learned the layout very quickly. We also confirmed our base set-up was working well here. Of course we also tested a few items. After three rounds of the season we know more or less where to improve. So we did a couple of small tests on the bike which worked out very positively. On the second day Alex had two crashes, which can happen; it is part of the job sometimes. But we also reached our target of confirming our machine set-up for race weekend. Overall it has been a really positive test here. Now we can switch off for a couple of days and get ready for Donington and the next round.”
Alex Lowes with Marcel Duinker
Also finishing up at midday was the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, as Tom Sykes and Michael van der Mark continued to work on a variety of areas of the new BMW M 1000 RR. The team worked on suspension settings across the day and focused on getting the bike set up as it would happen in a race weekend. However, they were left wanting more after day one when their chassis solutions didn’t give the expected results. For van der Mark, he finished sixth and said his side of the garage is still aiming to make the bike stop and turn better, whilst Sykes was seventh and pretty pleased with a productive test in northern Spain. For the Independent BMW of Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Racing), he was eighth and found the new chassis to offer better braking stability, whilst he was left wanting more grip. Overall, he commented that the new chassis had more good points than bad.
Tom Sykes
HRC got through its initial work programme swiftly and smoothly and the team decided to continue non-stop for the entire opening day, completing tasks that it had originally planned to address over two half-day sessions.
Alvaro Bautista
“Today we used the time we had to understand the Navarra track and collect some references for when we return for the races. The circuit is very small and narrow, with a lot of first gear turns. It is definitely different from what we are used to and challenging because it’s not easy to tackle with a superbike. Another aspect is the asphalt, which is very bumpy, so all in all I think it will be a demanding round. I’m happy we had this test because, in addition to working on the bike set-up for this layout, we also did some electronics testing which we needed to complete, despite having to stop about an hour early because of the rain. It was definitely a useful test, and now we look forward to the next round at Donington Park.”
Alvaro Bautista
Leon Haslam
“We had to finish the test session a little early because I had a small crash with around one and a half hours to go and once the bike was ready, the rain came. So, we missed the last hour of track time, but we tested many of the items we wanted to try. The track is obviously very different to most others. It’s quite bumpy and reminds me of some of the old English tracks but, honestly, I think it will be a fun one to ride. For sure we have collected some positive information during this test.”
Leon Haslam
After the first three rounds of the FIM Superbike World Championship and now this Navarra test have been completed the next points-scoring round will take place at Donington Park in the UK, between 2-4 July.
Day 2 results with total number of laps across the two days
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) 1’36.877 – 190 laps (Day 1: 97, Day 2: 93)
Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +0.048s – 140 laps (Day 1: 74, Day 2: 66)
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.093s – 112 laps (Day 1: 67, Day 2: 45)
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK +0.174s – 138 laps (Day 1: 85, Day 2: 53)
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.486s – 110 laps (Day 1: 63, Day 2: 47)
Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.710s – 138 laps (Day 1: 78, Day 2: 60)
Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +1.023s – 128 laps (Day 1: 85, Day 2: 43)
Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Racing) +2.153s – 106 laps (Day 1: 52, Day 2: 54)
Double defending BSB champions VisionTrack Ducati will get their title defence underway at Oulton Park this weekend with Paul Bird’s team looking to make it a hat trick of back-to-back titles, with Josh Brookes carrying the #1 plate on his factory-supported VisionTrack Ducati Panigale V4 R.
Josh Brookes
Brookes added the 2020 crown to his 2015 BSB success and remains with the team for a third successive season where he’ll once again be joined by Christian Iddon. Iddon, originally from Stockport but now living on Tyneside finished third in last year’s 18-race title chase and in his debut season with the PBM team scored his first win at Snetterton.
Both riders have undertaken an extensive pre-season testing schedule in the run up to the opening round of the season and are confident they can get off to a good start. At Oulton Park last year, Brookes won a race and Iddon followed him home, as well as bagging a pair of other second places around the Cheshire venue.
Josh Brookes
“Oulton Park is going to be interesting and I’m excited to start the season there. It’s a unique track and I have some good form there and a history of good results over the years which is a positive for us. We tried a lot of things in testing but as we know, the bike is a proven winner, so it’s been difficult to make massive improvements to it. But we never stop working and there is always something to try and refine. As for me, I’m more of a race guy than a tester and it’s all about getting results from the races so hopefully we can make a good start to the season.”
Josh Brookes
This season comprises a total of 33 races over the 11 rounds between next weekend and mid-October meaning a very busy schedule for teams and riders with every round being a triple-header. Both Brookes and Iddon know the importance of making a good start to help boost their title aspirations.
Christian Iddon
“I’m really excited to get racing again although it’s very disappointing we won’t have a full Christian Iddoncontingent of spectators for this round, especially with it traditionally being my local track. But I’ll be doing my best to put on a good show for those at Oulton Park as well as those watching on television and listening on BSB Radio. I feel much more relaxed on the bike than I did last year so hopefully we can make that count and kick the season off well. A good haul of points is important at round one to give us a stable platform for the season ahead.”
Christian Iddon
Sadly, for the opening round, because of the delay in easing of government restrictions, only 4,000 fans will be allowed to attend each day but those missing out on attending can rely on live television and radio coverage until hopefully fans will be allowed back into circuits from round three at Brands Hatch in late July.
John Mowatt – Team Co-Ordinator
“As a team we are really looking forward to getting the season underway as it seems such a long time since we last rode competitively. Testing has gone well, and the idea was to try as many things as possible, so we know what works and what doesn’t so we achieved what we set out to do. We are now looking to get our season off to the strongest possible start at what is our local circuit and for the first time since 2019, in front of some spectators.”
Franco Morbidelli will miss this weekend’s DutchGP due to an injury to his left knee sustained in training overnight.
The injury is sufficient to mean Franco will miss this weekend’s event and he is undergoing medical assessment to determine the best course of action for recovery.
Morbidelli had been looking forward to Assen, after the global pandemic forced its cancellation last year, as it is somewhere that he has enjoyed success in the past. In 2017, when competing in Moto2, the Italian secured pole position, the race win and posted the fastest lap.
Franco currently sits 11th in the MotoGP World Championship with 40 points.
Indian Motorcycle has announced new 14 new Indian Motorcycle Rental affiliates in locations throughout the United States and Canada. With 25 total locations, Indian Motorcycle Rentals are now available in many of the top riding destinations, including San Diego, Sturgis, Austin, Nashville, Milwaukee, Atlanta, Panama City Beach, Vancouver, and more.
Indian Motorcycle Rental affiliates will each house a fleet with various models from the current model year lineup. Each rental fleet will be updated every 12-18 months to ensure riders have the opportunity to experience the latest Indian models, including the all-new Indian Chief and refined 2022 FTR lineup.
Riders with a valid motorcycle license can visit Rentals.IndianMotorcycle.com to confirm bike availability and make reservations.
“As stay-at-home restrictions from the past year contributed to a surge within motorcycling, we’re excited to offer more ways for riders to experience what Indian Motorcycle has to offer,” said Aaron Jax, Vice President, Indian Motorcycles. “Whether in need of a bike for commuting, for an upcoming ride, or simply for an extended demo experience, Indian Motorcycle Rentals provide a premium experience for locals and visitors alike.”
Each motorcycle rental will include damage coverage as part of the rental fee. Riders are required to have a motorcycle endorsement and be fully geared up, including a DOT-approved helmet, long pants and close-toed shoes. Additional protective gear such as gloves, riding jacket and high-visibility or reflective clothing, is also recommended. Loaner helmets are also available for those riders in need.
After the Milan Motorcycle Show (EICMA) was cancelled last gear due to the pandemic, the organisers have confirmed the world’s biggest motorcycle expo will return in November.
EICMA chairman Pietro Meda says the 100-year-old event is scheduled from 23 to 28 November next in the halls of Fiera Milano in Rho.
“EICMA is back after a stop of a year, strengthened by the renewed importance that the mobility market has given to two wheels and to the industry of reference,” he says.
“Milan will once again be the world capital in this sector. Our aim is to give back to exhibitors and the public what is theirs: a great container.”
However, no manufacturer has yet confirmed their attendance and there is a concern that many will be missing after a year of successful virtual live-streamed product reveals.
In February, BMW Motorrad announced it would not show at EICMA and the biennial Intermot in Frankfurt.
The pandemic has also forced motorcycle companies to abandon their usual media launches where they flew media from around the world to an exotic location at great expense.
Instead, media reveals have been done online via invitation.
Some have also been opened up to the public, such as launches by Harley-Davidson whose next online launch will be the new Bronx sports bike on July 14.
Bronx Streetfighter
Not only have companies found these launches reach further and faster than conventional shows and media launches, but they are also cheaper.
So it remains to be seen how many will attend EICMA and continue its future beyond 100 years.
Australian riders want better infrastructure and security devices on their motorcycles and scooters, according to a new survey.
While motorcycle thefts were down 26% to 7318 in the 12 months to April 2020, the issue is still important to riders who expressed a strong attachment to their vehicles, the survey has found.
The survey of 186 riders was conducted by the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council and Motorcycle Council of NSW.
Most respondents were owners of cruiser bikes, followed by tourers and sportsbikes, with an engine capacity of between 726cc and 1125cc. They were mainly recreational riders, taking their motorcycles out once or twice a week. Six were owners of scooters/mopeds.
Motorcycle security at home
The survey pointed to a high level of awareness among motorcycle riders of the need to protect their bikes from theft when at home.
Almost all riders surveyed indicated that they have access to off-street parking at home (98%), with 72% keeping their bikes in a locked shed or garage.
Keeping keys out of sight in the home was the most common security practice employed by riders (59%), followed by using a steering lock (48%) and an immobiliser (40%).
Of the small number of riders who did not use security devices, keeping their bike in a secure and/or alarmed garage was considered sufficient protection, or they were not concerned because their bike was insured.
Most riders (70%) considered it unlikely that their bike would be stolen from the home.
This may in part be due to the high level of compliance with security practices and devices amongst the group.
However, with more than half of all motorcycle theft occurring from the home (57% in 2020), it is important that motorcyclists understand the importance of employing secure practices when home as well as out in the community.
Motorcycle security when out
The majority of respondents indicated that they park their bike on the footpath or street when in a public space (71%), with just 17% utilising a secure public car park.
Use of a steering lock was the most common theft prevention practice (61%), followed by an immobiliser (41%) and a disc lock (31%).
Twenty-three riders indicated they did not employ security practices when out, with the fact that their bike is insured being the determining factor.The inconvenience of carrying security devices was also seen as a deterrent.
Interestingly, motorcyclists’ perception of theft risk while out was more ambiguous when compared to the ‘at home’ results.
While 47% of respondents did not consider it likely that their bike would be stolen when out, close to a third were unsure – indicating they felt it was neither likely nor unlikely.
This points to an increased risk perception when in a public space, as well as potentially a sense of being unable to control what happens to a bike parked on the street as opposed to at home.
It is worth noting that the majority of riders surveyed were not daily commuters.
Theft perceptions
The survey highlighted motorcyclists’ strong attachment to their bikes.
Forty-five per cent indicated they would be ‘extremely upset’ if their motorcycle was stolen, with a further 44% who would feel ‘violated’ by knowing someone had interfered with their personal property.
There was also an overwhelming belief that if their bike were to be stolen, it would be unlikely to be recovered (79%), potentially heightening the sense of attachment.
Seventeen per cent had been a victim of motorcycle theft in the past.
Scooter riders
Scooter/moped owners were less inclined to secure their bike in a locked garage or shed (33%), with half parking somewhere at home that was not visible from the street.
This may be because scooter riders are more likely to live in inner-city residences where there is no access to a locked garage or shed.
Among this small sample group, keeping keys out of sight when at home was the security measure most employed (50%), followed by having an immobiliser and using a generic motorcycle cover.
One respondent did not take any security measures at all.
The majority (83%) did not believe that their scooter would be stolen from the home (a higher proportion than owners of other bikes).
Scooter riders were more likely to ride daily. When out, most scooter riders did not employ security practices indicating they were either unsure or perceived it to be unlikely that their scooter would be stolen when out.
Almost all scooter riders said they would be very upset if they were to become a victim of theft.
Overall, survey responses indicate a slight trend towards fewer security practices employed amongst scooter riders when compared to owners of other motorcycles.
(Image: Met Police)
How to improve security
Most respondents were keen to see improved public infrastructure for securing parked motorcycles, including:
Increased posts/bollards with chains/anchor points;
More secure parking bays;
The ability to secure bikes to a parking space;
More CCTV;
Installation of lockers for helmets and other riding equipment; and
Better lighting in parking areas.
Riders also indicated a need for improved motorcycle security by manufacturers, including:
More widely available and affordable GPS tracking;
VIN-based microdots on all motorcycles;
Fitment of alarms and immobilisers as OEM;
A factory alarm with the use of RFID in key; and
A compulsory register of unregistered/off-road bikes.
Criminal charges have been dropped against the daughter of renowned Australian neurosurgeon Charlie Teo for driving on the wrong side of the road and crashing head-on into a bike ridden by former Comanchero William “Jock” Ross (pictured) at Wiseman’s Ferry in September 2019.
Police had alleged that Nicola Annabel Teo, 24, was driving her LandCruiser on the wrong side of the road for 200m before the crash with the 72-year-old Harley rider who suffered extensive, head leg and internal injuries and still walks with the aid of a crutch.
Nicola with her LandCruiser
Teo had been charged with dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, negligent driving, not driving on the left hand side of the road and not giving particulars to the police.
However, this week NSW Police prosecutors dropped all charges just before the matter was to be heard in the Downing Centre District Court.
That means Nicole, who pleaded not guilty, will not face any penalties and will retain her licence.
The Director of Public Prosecutions has not offered any reason for the decision to drop the case.
Jock’s injuries forced him to quit his job with the Rural Fire Brigade.
The Glasgow-born former soldier was one of five founders of the Comancheros on the New South Wales Central Coast in 1966 and was ‘supreme commander’ when they were involved in the 1984 Milperra Massacre.
Nicola with her LandCruiser
Four Comancheros, two Bandidos and a 14-year-old girl died in the infamous shootout.
Jock received gunshot to the head and suffers permanent vision loss and a brain injury.
He was jailed for murder in 1987 over his role in instigating the massacre and was released in 1992 after serving five years.
Bringing you the Best Motorcycle News from Around the Web!
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok
Motorcycle security when out
