Retired champion Mladin accused of child sex offences
Section: General
ASBK and AMA championship winner expected to fight allegations.
Image: Russell Colvin.
Former Australian and multiple American Superbike champion Mat Mladin is currently on bail after being arrested upon the accusations of child sex offences.
Mladin, who won seven AMA titles prior to retiring as champion at the conclusion of 2009, currently fields a team in the Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK).
The report states that Mladin was arrested by the Child Abuse Squad on 13 March before spending a fortnight in jail and then appearing in Campbelltown Local Court by video-link on Wednesday.
Mladin has been granted bail on a $50,000 surety, as well as additional strict conditions. It is understood that he and his legal team will be fighting the allegations when court resumes in the coming months.
In addition to his lucrative Superbike career that saw him largely dominant at his peak in the United States, Mladin also spent a single season in the 500GP World Championship with Cagiva in 1993. Mladin was inducted into the Australian Motor Sport Hall of Fame during 2018.
Tenere Tragics celebrates 10th anniversary with Gold Rush Run
Section: General
Motorcycling legends headline the five-day ride in Victoria.
Image: Supplied.
The annual gathering of Tenere Tragics celebrated its 10th anniversary with a fun-packed five-day adventure ride in the picturesque Victorian countryside.
The 2020 Gold Rush Run welcomed the appearance of the all-new Tenere 700 adventure twin and invited a host of celebrity riders to join an 88 strong crew for the popular ride.
Kicking off in the Victorian coastal resort of Lorne, the Tragics were treated to an adventure bike training session from Yamaha legend and regular Tragic Stephen Gall.
The appearance of the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy race truck was explained when not only Tragic technician Gary Benn appeared on his XTZ750 Super Tenere, but CDR boss and MX legend Craig Dack rocked up on a new Tenere 700.
Later that evening Gold Logie winning TV star and racer Grant Denyer snuck in after Dancing with the Stars finished filming in Melbourne. Denyer is a keen adventure rider and was looking forward to joining the Tragic crew and sharing some hilarious stories from both his car racing and showbiz careers.
Dakar hero Rodney Faggotter joined for the last day and entertained the crew with his exploits in Saudi Arabia. Finally, the Tragics were treated to an insight into the fascinating life of global Tenere ambassador and transworld explorer Nick Sanders.
UK-based Sanders had just arrived in Australia on yet another circumnavigation of the globe – and travelled straight to the final night’s stop in Sovereign Hill, Ballarat to explain what motivates him to embark on mega-endurance rides.
“This year’s event delivered gold in spades thanks to a wide range of celebrity entertainment combined with epic trails and scenery – taking in the sights of the Great Ocean Road and the Otway and Grampian ranges – and of course the arrival of the new Tenere 700,” explains Tragics’ organiser Andrew Clubb. “Little did we know that when we ran the first event to the Flinders 10 years ago that the Tragic spirit would still be going strong.”
Black Dog Ride announced for Phillip Island WorldSBK opener
Section: General
Charity ride set to take place on the way to the opening round of WorldSBK.
Image: Supplied.
A Black Dog Ride has been announced to take place on the way to the 2020 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) opener at Phillip Island, where participants will be treated to a host of on-track privileges.
Riders gather Monday, 24 February, with New South Wales participants departing from Queanbeyan and Victorian, Tasmanian and South Australian riders leaving from Marysville in central Victoria.
They’ll head off on a three-day adventure on the road Tuesday morning early, before checking into the island for the 28 February-1 March season-opener.
“Now more than ever, people need a great mates escape,” said Black Dog Ride coordinator Bernie Garvey. “The bushfire tragedy has affected everyone, so here’s a chance to gather with a bunch of bike-loving people, ride the great open road for three days and talk motorcycles to everyone we meet.
“In some cases our initial route went through fire-affected areas. If it is safe to do so, we will still visit these towns, spend a few bucks and chat with people who have suffered. Our final destination of course is the awesome Phillip Island for world superbikes, and in our third year there, we will be talking to fans and just chilling with everyone to enjoy the world’s best production racers in action.”
Gold and Silver Black Dog Ride tickets feature a host of benefits including, a money-can’t-buy parade lap of the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit onboard your own bike, an invite to the Black Dog Dinner on-circuit on Friday night, and a visit to Carl Cox’s Inline 4 cafe at Cape Woolamai.
Supercross jerseys on offer in Australian bushfire relief auction
Section: General
Rare chance to purchase authentic memorabilia from the sport’s top racers.
Image: Supplied.
An Australian bushfire relief auction is currently open online where supporters of Monster Energy Supercross have the rare opportunity to bid on and secure framed authentic jerseys from a wide range of top-level racers.
Organised by Penrite Honda Racing team owner, Konsky Motorsport Group, Ken Roczen (Team Honda HRC) and Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Kawasaki) jersey auctions will close this evening at 8:00pm AEST (1:00am PST) via Australian sporting website Official Memorabilia.
A total of 14 riders from the US and Australia have donated their jerseys to the cause, raising money for those affected by the catastrophic bushfires in Australia. Konsky Motorsport Group has donated the frames and will also cover the cost of delivery.
In addition to the Roczen and Tomac auctions, additional jerseys currently available include Justin Barcia (Monster Energy Yamaha), Adam Cianciarulo (Monster Energy Kawasaki), Chad Reed (Mountain Motorsports cbdMD CR22 Racing Honda) and Dean Wilson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna).
Items that are due to go live for auction later this week include jerseys from Aaron Plessinger (Monster Energy Yamaha), Zach Osborne (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna), Jason Anderson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna), Justin Brayton (Team Honda HRC), Malcolm Stewart (Smartop MotoConcepts Honda), Blake Baggett (Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM WPS), Jett Lawrence (Geico Honda) and Mitchell Oldenburg (Penrite Honda Racing).
The Supercross Bushfire Relief auction can be found at www.officialmemorabilia.com.au, where you can bid on items currently live and purchase your piece of supercross memorabilia for the incredibly significant cause.
An online auction arranged by the retiring Chad Reed following the St. Louis round of 2020 Monster Energy Supercross has gone toward raising vital funding for the NSW Rural Fire Service.
Reed, originally from Kurri Kurri in New South Wales, wore a special set of Fox Racing gear at round two of the season last weekend in Missouri before auctioning it off on eBay post-race.
The jersey and pant combination netted $3300 US when the auction closed, all of which the proceeds will be donated to the NSW RFS to assist in the devastation that has affected Reed’s home country during recent months.
This season marks the final year for Reed in the American-based Supercross series following a career that has spanned near two decades at the highest level. He’s riding with the Mountain Motorsports cbdMD CR22 team aboard Hondas in 2020.
Dirt bike sales across Australia posted a 1.6 percent decline in 2019, while it was Yamaha who topped the segment following the latest Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) report.
The motorcycle market as a whole recorded a 6.1 percent drop in sales, with all market categories except scooters affected by the downturn.
The 2019 market remained relatively steady in terms of its composition, however dirt bikes regained the status as the most popular category and comprised 38.5 percent of the market. Road bikes claimed a 35.8 percent share, ATV/SSVs accounted for 20.1 percent of total sales, and scooters again took an increased share of the total sales with 5.6 percent.
Among individual brands, Honda came in at number one with 23.3 percent market share across all segments, followed by Yamaha in second place with 22.4 percent share, Kawasaki in third with 8,962 sales 10 percent share, followed by KTM 8.6 percent share and and Suzuki with 7.8 percent share..
In the dirt bike segment, Yamaha was the highest seller, followed by Honda and KTM. Overall, Honda, Husqvarna and Kawasaki were the only brands to record an increase in dirt bike sales in 2019.
Road bike sales across Australia posted an 11.6 percent decline in 2019, while it was Harley-Davidson who topped the segment following the latest Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) report.
The motorcycle market as a whole recorded a 6.1 percent drop in sales, with all market categories except scooters affected by the downturn.
The 2019 market remained relatively steady in terms of its composition, however off-road bikes regained the status as the most popular category and comprised 38.5 percent of the market. Road bikes claimed a 35.8 percent share, ATV/SSVs accounted for 20.1 percent of total sales, and scooters again took an increased share of the total sales with 5.6 percent.
Among individual brands, Honda came in at number one with 23.3 percent market share across all segments, followed by Yamaha in second place with 22.4 percent share, Kawasaki in third with 8,962 sales 10 percent share, followed by KTM 8.6 percent share and and Suzuki with 7.8 percent share..
In road bike segment, Harley-Davidson finished ahead of Honda, with Yamaha in third. Husqvarna and KTM were the outstanding performers, with increased sales in 2019 compared to 2018.
Adventure bike receives positive response since EICMA unveiling.
Image: Supplied.
Husqvarna Motorcycles has indicated the Norden 701 concept bike it unveiled at EICMA will go into production following a high level of interest from adventure riders.
Now set to become a key addition to Husqvarna Motorcycles’ street line-up, the dynamic and versatile long-distance traveller will offer the modern motorcycle rider a balance of practical accessibility and comfort.
Forming the brand’s vision of an adventure-touring motorcycle, the Norden 901 is a dynamic, twin-cylinder motorcycle that features advanced rider ergonomics and high performance based on years of rally experience.
Featuring distinct, modern design, it delivers both outstanding street and offroad performance. Class-leading lightness and power delivery is set in a versatile and accessible package, precisely arranged to allow discerning riders uncompromised exploration possibilities.
Delivering effortless rideability and high-end modern equipment the Norden 901 can be used on daily commutes, extended adventures and everything in between. Further details and production schedule are still to be confirmed.
Honda Motorcycles Australia has revealed pricing for its all-new 2020 Honda CBR1000RR-R SP Fireblade, which is due for arrival in the second quarter of next year.
The SP variant, to sole model to be brought into Australia in HRC-inspired Grand Prix Red and Matte Pearl Black colourways, will be priced at MLP $49,999, with pre-orders now being taken at dealerships across the country.
Heavily inspired by the RC213V MotoGP machine and its street-legal RC213V-S counterpart, the 2020 CBR1000RR-R SP is powered by the most powerful inline four-cylinder engine that Honda has ever made.
Sharing the same bore and stroke as the RC213V-S, the 2020 CBR1000RR-R SP delivers maximum power of 160kW at 14500rpm and peak torque of 113Nm at 12500rpm while tipping the scales at only 201kg.
It utilises a cutting-edge aerodynamic package – also influenced by HRC’s multiple championship-winning RC213V – works in tandem with a new Bosch six-axis IMU.
The SP model boasts a new 43mm Ohlins NPX front fork that replaces the NIX fork of the previous model and second-generation Ohlins Object Based Tuning interface (OBTi) offers finer control of settings front and rear. The front discs are larger in diameter and worked by new Brembo Stylema four-piston calipers while the ABS is adjustable for track riding.
KTM Australia will expand its popular Adventure Rallye in 2020, announcing two events that will be hosted in Queensland and Western Australia.
The ‘Queensland Ranges’ tour is set to be staged between 23-19 May, while the ‘South West WA’ Adventure Rallye will take place between 9-15 October.
For 2020, both Rallye’s will feature a six-day format that will focus on offering riders a truly remarkable experience exploring either, South East Queensland and the Wide Bay Burnett regions, or the Southern Forests region of Western Australia – both states which have yet to host a KTM Australia Adventure Rallye.
Open to KTM adventure riders with the following eligible KTM adventure bikes: 390 Adventure, 640, 690, 790, 790R, 950, 990, 1050, 1090, 1090R, 1190, 1190R, 1290 and 1290R models. The Rallye is tailored to suit a wide range of rider abilities, from those in their first few years of adventure riding up to seasoned adventure pros.
Kicking things off for 2020, the KTM Australia Adventure Rallye: Queensland Ranges will start and finish at the beautiful Sunshine Coast hinterland town of Kenilworth. From there the Rallye will head north through the classic hinterland rainforest that the region is renowned for, before hitting the coastal towns of Rainbow Beach and Agnes Waters.
Riders will then leave the coastal regions for cattle country and the iconic ranges – travelling south down the Great Dividing Range to overnights in Cania Gorge, Gayndah and Bunya Mountains before returning to Kenilworth.
Set to explore the iconic South West of Australia’s largest state, the KTM Australia Adventure Rallye: South West WA will kick off in the historic town of York, one hour east of Perth before diving straight into the heart of WA’s prime adventure riding territory.
Overnight stops will include the charming country town of Collie before hitting the quaint seaside village of Augusta, the furthest southwest corner of Australia. The unique and stunning Karri Valley Resort will play host next, before two nights at the legendary motocross town of Manjimup. A final leg north to finish off in Bunbury caps off an outstanding six-days of adventure.
With assistance from local experts who are all Rallye riders themselves, both Rallye routes are set to showcase the stunning landscapes that our great diverse country has to offer. Designed with the larger capacity KTM adventure range in mind, as well as the variety of rider abilities, the route offers plenty of options for riders to choose their own adventure and difficulty of ride.
Registrations for both events open Wednesday, 15 January 2020. Authorised KTM Dealerships in Australia will be receiving Dealer Priority Registration, therefore riders are encouraged to touch base with their local KTM Dealership to ensure they get this Dealer Priority Registration information. For more information, visit www.ridektm.com.au/2020-ktm-australia-adventure-rallye.
