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Competition, Motocross, News

Wilson outlines AMA Supercross plans in 2020

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News 24 Sep 2019

Wilson outlines AMA Supercross plans in 2020

Section: Competition

SX2 champion targeting first five rounds of 250SX West championship.

Image: Foremost Media.

Reigning Australian SX2 champion Jay Wilson has outlined plans to contest the opening rounds of the 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship in the 250SX West category.

The Yamalube Yamaha Racing ace, who’s set to defend his crown in the upcoming Australian Supercross Championship, intends to race the first five stops in the American series prior to campaigning in next year’s Pirelli MX Nationals.

Wilson will pilot a Yamaha YZ250F with the assistance of former MXGP contender Josh Coppins – who the Queenslander raced under on his way to the 2015 MX2 title – and current Yamalube Yamaha Racing mechanic Mike Ward.

“Last year myself, Wardy and Josh discussed whether me going to race a few rounds of the supercross in America was an option, but we felt that although I got the championship win last year, with 12 months of extra planning I could put a solid program together and do about five AMA rounds,” Wilson explained.

“I don’t want to go and not be in a position to give it 100 percent, so that’s why I have taken the time to organise it properly, work with the right people, and base myself over there for two months with my girls, then I will come back ready to tackle motocross in Australia in 2020.

“We have partnered up with some long term sponsors of mine, and we have also created some new relationships which will include us working on some cool projects that we will be announcing soon. In addition, we have the opportunity to bring a few more people or businesses on board in a partnership capacity – it’s been a lot of fun putting this all together.

“Over the last few years I have put money away so we could go over and do this properly – we have invested heavily into this ourselves. We believe in what we do, and have a history of success working together with Yamaha – it’s the right time.”

The opening round of the Australian Supercross Championship is scheduled to commence on 12 October at Brisbane Entertainment Centre, while the AMA Supercross series launches on 4 January 2020, in Anaheim.


Source: MotoOnline.com.au

Motorcycle News, Motorcycle Racing, News

Azlan trims Parkes’ ARRC series lead after Sepang double

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Asia Road Racing Championship 2019

Round 6 – Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia

With Barry Russell

ASB 1000 championship leader, Broc Parkes, knew the heat would be on for Round 6 of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship at Sepang. As the home race for his two main title rivals, Zaqhwan Zaidi and Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman, keeping them at bay for two races was always going to be a big ask.

ARRC Rnd Sepang ARRC Sepang Crowd
Round 6 of the 2019 ARRC took place in Sepang, Malaysia

With Loris Baz as his stand-in for YART in the 2019/20 Bol d’Or, the Australian was giving his full attention to consolidating and building on his 188 points total – and the 35 point lead over Zaqhwan – that he took to Malaysia.

ARRC Rnd Sepang ARRC Grid Girls Sepang
2019 ARRC Round 6 – Sepang

Asia Superbike Free Practice

Two Malaysian riders on very different bikes and with very different styles took control of free practice. It was the smooth riding Zaqhwan on the Honda Asia Dream with Showa SP2 who ended up quickest on combined times after stopping the clock at 2:06.502 in Friday’s final session. Meanwhile, the hard charging Azlan on the ONEXOX TKKR SAG BMW led FP1 and FP2 and recorded his best time of 2:06.665 early in the day’s final session.

ARRC Rnd Sepang Zaqhwan Zaidi Wheelie Sepang
Zaqwan Zaidi took control of FP

Yamaha Thailand’s Apiwat Wongthananon impressed again and was placed third ahead of championship leader, Broc whose best time was 2:06.919. Ahmad Yudhistira took the privateer Victor Racing Yamaha to a strong fifth in front of lap record holder, Thithipong Warakorn, who was battling flu as well as his back injury. Yuki Ito had a quiet day by his standards and ended up seventh.

ARRC Rnd Sepang Thitipong Warakorn Sepang
Thitipong Warakorn was battling the flu and still recovering from injury

Italian wildcard, Frederico Sandi, made an excellent debut on the third Access Plus Racing Ducati, recording a best lap of 2:08.266 to end up eighth in front of team regular, TJ Alberto. Thitipong’s Kawasaki Thailand team-mate, Chaiwichit Nisakul, was tenth on 2:08.719, while Yamaha Thailand’s Ratthapong Wilairot spent the day lapping in the 2:09s and finished 11th.

ARRC Rnd Sepang Azlan Shah Drifter
Azlan Shah

Asia Superbike Qualifying

When it got to business time in Saturday morning’s 40 minute qualifying session, Broc put it all together on his Yamaha Racing ASEAN R1 to take pole position with a best lap of 2:06.107, 0.24s better than second placed Azlan and more than half a second quicker than Apiwat, who completed the front row.

ARRC Rnd Sepang Azlan Shah Sepang
Azlan Shah missed out on pole by 0.24s

Zaqhwan, on 2:06.735 led row two from Yuki Ito and Thitipong, for Kawasaki Thailand. Frederico raised more than a few eyebrows by qualifying seventh, in front of Yudhistira and team-mate, TJ Alberto.

Asia Superbike Race 1

It was the platinum version of Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman who jumped aboard the ONEXOX TKKR BMW at Sepang on Saturday afternoon. The two-times ARRC 600 champion kept himself within striking distance of the front during the frantic early laps, made a decisive move into the lead on lap eight and never looked threatened thereafter.

ARRC Rnd Sepang ASB Start Sepang
Asia Superbike 1000 race start

We were also treated to the first ever sighting of a Ducati leading an ARRC race, thanks to a convincing performance by Italian wildcard, Frederico Sandi on the Access Plus Racing Panigale.

Broc and Azlan had leisurely launches from the grid, while Apiwat scorched away from the outside of the front row to take the lead. Zaqhwan chased him, followed by Sandi and Azlan, Broc and Thitipong. Zaqhwan took the lead into turn one on lap two, but then dumped his Honda Asia Dream Racing with Showa SP2 – and his realistic title hopes – into the gravel a few corners later.

ARRC Rnd Sepang Frederico Sandi Ducati Sepang
Frederico Sandi debuted Ducati at the ARRC

Frederico took his Ducati into the lead on lap three and, chased by Apiwat and Azlan, looked comfortable until his Dunlop-munching Panigale made him increasingly wayward from lap seven. Meanwhile, the man flu stricken Thitipong Warakorn, worked his way past Broc onto the rear of the front group as Azlan made his decisive move into the lead. Yuki pulled off the track with a mechanical failure on lap nine.

Thitipong kept pushing and got close enough to Apiwat to make his second place look vulnerable. Azlan made himself comfortable at the front as the two riders behind him, who have a few tales to tell from the Thai championships, locked horns. Thitipong got into second on lap 11 of 12, only for Apiwat to sweep back past him.

ARRC Rnd Sepang Broc Parkes Wheelie Sepang
Australian Broc Parkes claimed fourth in Race 1

However, the Kawasaki Thailand man was not done and, going into the last corner wide and then cutting inside, managed to out-drag the Yamaha to the line by one tenth of a second to finish 1.4 seconds behind Azlan. Broc got the better of Frederico for fourth, leaving Ratthapong Wilairot in sixth, 16 seconds behind the winner and six seconds in front of seventh-placed Chaiwichit Nisakul.

ARRC Rnd Sepang Azlan Wins Sepang
Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman in the lead

Azlan’s fourth win of the season and Zaqhwan’s DNF put the ONEXOX TKKR SAG pilot into second in the standings on 168 points, 33 behind Broc, whose fourth place lifted his total to 201.

Asia Superbike Race 2

It was doubles all round at Sepang as Azlan Shah chalked his fifth win of the year and a Round 6 double. Thitipong Warakorn and Apiwat Wongthananon sealed braces of seconds and thirds respectively.

ARRC Rnd Sepang ZaqhwanZaidi Drifter
Zaqwan Zaidi

The ailing Thitipong shot his ZX-10RR through from row two at the start of the 11 lap race to lead into turn one, chased hard by Apiwat and Broc, who already looked in better shape than he had in race one. Zaqhwan and Azlan, who had made another languid start, led the chase behind the first three.

Zaqhwan soon began to slip back and Frederico Sandi showed that his race one performance had been no fluke by moving his Access Plus Ducati past both Malaysians and Ahmad Yudhistira into fourth place on lap five.

ARRC Rnd Sepang Zaqhwan Zaidi Makoto Tamada Sepang
Zaqhwan Zaidi on the grid

Then Azlan began to move up, passing Frederico, Broc and Apiwat to take second and put Thitipong under pressure. Apiwat stayed close as Azlan went through to take the lead on lap 8, but was unable to get past Thitipong, who was hanging on to the back of the BMW.

ARRC Rnd Sepang Azlan Shah Win SepangBroc remained fourth until lap 10, when Zaqhwan got through. The Honda man almost immediately lost the front, but found his inner Marc Marquez and recovered without losing his track position. Frederico dropped down the order after lap seven, as traction and directional issues again kept him out of contention. Yudhistira lowsided out of the race on lap 10.

Looking nice and comfy on the last lap, Azlan stroked his BMW to win number five in 2019. He crossed the line 1.2 seconds ahead of Thitipong, who just managed to keep Apiwat at bay Zaqhwan finished fourth, while Broc took fifth place just behind him. Yuki, Frederico, Ratthapong, Chaiwichit Nisakul and Ali Adriansyah Rusmiputro completed the top ten.

ARRC Rnd Sepang Azlan Thitipong Apiwat Sepang
The ASB 1000 podium saw Azlan, Thitipong and Apiwat claim top honours in Sepang

That means that Broc Parkes will go into the final round at Chang International Circuit on 212 points, 11 ahead of Azlan’s 193. Zaqhwan is now adrift in third place on 166.

Source: MCNews.com.au

Competition, Motorcycle News, News

Newly-formed HRC WorldSBK squad signs Bautista for 2020

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News 24 Sep 2019

Newly-formed HRC WorldSBK squad signs Bautista for 2020

Section: Competition

Multi-time race winner cements future in Superbike World Championship.

Image: Supplied.

Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) has confirmed the signing of Alvaro Bautista to its newly-formed official factory team that will contest the 2020 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK).

Bautista has scored 15 race wins in his rookie WorldSBK season this year with Aruba.it Racing – Ducati, however after just one campaign with the Italian manufacturer, the Spaniard is set to pilot what is understood to be a new-generation superbike from Honda in 2020, as HRC strengthens its intentions in the series.

“We are very happy to welcome Alvaro Bautista to our WSBK racing project for next year,” said HRC president Yoshishige Nomura.

“His arrival in the Honda racing family underlines our strong commitment to compete at full force in every motorsport category, fighting to achieve top sporting results and looking for the best technological innovations, in order to offer our fans and customers fun, joy and excellent products.

“Alvaro is a very fast, experienced rider who has already shown his strong racing attitude and competitiveness in his GP years and in his first season in the WorldSBK Championship. We are confident that he will make a significant contribution to the growth and development of our project in the exciting and challenging Superbike World Championship.”

Bautista stretched out a 60-point lead in the opening rounds this year before numerous mistakes and crashes demoted him to second, where he currently sits 91 points behind leader Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team).

Former MotoGP rider Scott Redding will fulfil Bautista’s spot alongside regular Chaz Davies, while the future of the Honda-supported Moriwaki Althea squad is unclear.

Source: CycleOnline.com.au

Motorcycle News, News

AFT Twins Champ Crowned at Minnesota Mile

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Nothing’s ever easy in flat track racing, and last Saturday’s race was everything but. None of it stopped Salinas, California’s Briar Bauman from taking his first AFT Twins #1 plate with one round to go (the Meadowlands Mile this Saturday in New Jersey). Huge roostertails of congratulations to BB and Indian.

AFT Press Release:

SHAKOPEE, Minn. (September 21, 2019) – American Flat Track crowned Briar Bauman (No. 14 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) the 2019 AFT Twins presented by Vance & Hines champion following Saturday evening’s wild and tense Indian Motorcycle Minnesota Mile presented by Law Tigers at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota.

Even though multi-time reigning champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) did all that he could by winning his seventh AFT Twins Main Event of the season in runaway fashion, both he and Bauman were well aware all Bauman needed to do to lock up the crown was finish on the podium — something he’d already accomplished 14 times in 16 attempts this season.

While he ultimately made it 15 to clinch the title, Bauman’s crowning achievement did not come without drama or adversity — not by a long shot.

The first of Bauman’s obstacles came early, as he was involved in a high-speed crash in the early stages of the Main Event that also involved his brother, Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750), MobileView Rookie of the Year Brandon Price (No. 192 Roof Systems of Dallas TX/DPC Racing Indian FTR750), Stephen Vanderkuur (No. 21 AMSOIL/Hodder Racing Indian FTR750) and Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Harley-Davidson Factory Flat Track Team XG750R Rev X).

Bauman’s crew worked frantically during the stoppage to repair his heavily damaged machine, beating the odds and getting it back out for the restart. However, as a result of his crash, his path to the podium would have to begin from the back row as opposed to the front.

Immediately following the restart, a second red flag was issued due to another two-rider crash. The local curfew forced a 10-lap reduction in the Main for the third and final restart, which meant Bauman would only have 15 laps to feel out his rebuilt machine, master the tricky racing conditions, and fight his way forward past the world’s best dirt track racers.

Nevertheless, he did so with gusto, owning a bold, high line which he used to claw his way up to the fight for second that was being waged by Bryan Smith (No. 4 Crosley Brands/Howerton Motorsports Kawasaki Ninja 650) and Jeffrey Carver Jr. (No. 23 Roof-Systems of Dallas/Indian of Metro Milwaukee FTR750).

In one final breathtaking moment, Bauman and Smith came together exiting Turn 4 for the final time. That clash allowed Smith to just beat him to the line for second, but in the end, third was good enough for Bauman to realize his lifelong ambitions.

“I don’t know if I can put words on this right now,” an emotional Bauman said. “I’ve dreamed of this my whole life. I used to have posters of Bryan and Jared hanging in my room growing up. And to win it… I can’t even put it into words. I don’t even know what else to say.”

Mees showed his class by taking Bauman on his victory lap.

“My goal was to win these last two races,” Mees said. “Being 35 points down, it was really going to take some extremely bad luck for Briar — which almost happened to him. But he has a phenomenal team and they worked endlessly to get that bike put back together and back up front. I knew once he re-entered the race he was going to get third. Hats off to him and his team, and huge hats off to Indian Motorcycle for clinching their third championship.

“It’s hard to lose that #1 plate, especially after the domination we’ve had the last two years. But it went to the best guy this year, and I’m looking forward to next year to get it back.”

Carver — who scooped three holeshots on the night — finished fourth with Henry Wiles (No. 17 Bandit Industries/DPC Racing/Wilco Racing Indian FTR750) completing the top five.

Roof Systems AFT Singles presented by Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys

Following 15 thrilling laps of Roof Systems AFT Singles presented by Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys action, Mikey Rush (No. 15 RMR Honda/Red Riders Rewards Honda CRF450R) edged Ryan Wells (No. 94 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) by an impossibly close 0.004 seconds for victory at the checkered flag.

Rush didn’t appear headed toward a photo finish on Saturday night when he opened up a 0.799-second lead on the opening lap. That only seemed even more obvious when he stretched that advantage out to more than 1.2 seconds a pair of laps later.

However, ‘16 class champ Wells located a fast line that he used to successfully track Rush down, setting the stage for an incredible test of courage and tactics to determine the win between the two.

Wells looked to be exactly where he wanted to be on the final lap, lining Rush up for a drafting maneuver on the final straight. However, when he attempted to execute it, he managed to pull up alongside Rush but no further — running out of steam just a couple inches short of what he needed to beat his adversary to the stripe.

The narrow victory was Rush’s third win of the season and a satisfying consolation prize on the night he was officially eliminated from contention for the ’19 Roof Systems AFT Singles crown.

“Ryan showed me a killer line, and I stuck with it after he got by me,” Rush said. “I made it work, and I knew my Honda was on point tonight — it runs like a champ. Big thanks to the whole team and everyone who supports us.”

Championship leader Dalton Gauthier (No. 122 D&D Cycles/Gobert Smash Husqvarna FC450) moved a big step closer to winning that title by finishing in fourth, one position behind rookie standout Dallas Daniels (No. 163 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F).

Gauthier may have been a bit too eager to lock the title up a round early; the ultra-talented rider actually jumped the start and was sent from Row 1 to Row 4. All that did was add a bit more drama to Gauthier’s ongoing championship pursuit, as he ultimately overhauled chief rival Dan Bromley (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) — and everyone else that stood in his way short of the podium finishers.

Meanwhile, defending class champ Bromley finished the Main down in 10th, dropping him to 21 points back (281-260). As a result, Bromley’s hopes of a repeat are still alive — albeit barely — with one race to go.

AFT Production Twins

Kolby Carlile (No. 136 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07) made certain the AFT Production Twins championship fight would go down to the season finale with a clutch performance to score his second victory of the season.

Chad Cose (No. 49 Parkinson Bros Racing Kawasaki Ninja 650) threatened to escape at the start, but Carlile put his head down and extracted the most from an evolving high line to systematically reel in Cose. On lap 8, Carlile finally drafted up alongside and dove up the inside of his quarry to snatch away the lead.

Cose attempted to return the favor a lap later but couldn’t quite make it stick. From there, he found himself on the back foot, as the two leaders’ battle stretched them more than a full straightaway out in front of the rest of the field.

Carlile shook free at the end to claim the checkered flag with a 2.195-second margin of victory. Cose had nearly seven seconds on third as their intense battle for the win pushed the two more than a full straightaway out in front of the remainder of the field.

“I really couldn’t have gone any faster,” Carlile said. “I just can’t thank my team enough… and I can’t thank them any better than by coming out here and getting the win, so that’s what I did today.”

Cody Johncox (No. 196 Sunnyside Cycles/Luczak Racing Yamaha MT-07) picked up his second podium of the season in third, successfully outdueling title hopefuls Cory Texter (No. 65 G&G Racing/Holeshot Powersports Yamaha MT-07) and Ryan Varnes (No. 68 Varnes Racing/RoyBuilt Kawasaki Ninja 650).

Varnes recovered from a rough start in which he nearly looped his Kawasaki coming off the line and plummeted back through the field at the start. With his title chances flashing before his eyes, Varnes quickly regrouped and somehow managed to weave all the way up to fourth and latch onto Johncox’s rear wheel in third.

However, a subsequent mishap dropped Varnes out of podium contention and all the way down to an eventual sixth-place result. Even more crucially, it allowed Texter to get back around him and finish in fourth, further extending the points differential separating the two.

In fact, Varnes’ sixth-place finish combined with Carlile’s triumph saw Carilie step forward and seize control of second place in the title chase heading into next weekend’s season finale. The new runner-up now trails championship leader Texter by 15 points (180-165) with Varnes still very much in the mix in third at 162.

Catch the feature broadcast of the Indian Motorcycle Minnesota Mile presented by Law Tigers on NBCSN with flag-to-flag coverage of the Main Events, enhanced by exclusive features and cutting-edge aerial drone and onboard footage. The broadcast will debut on Sunday, September 29, at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT and will re-air on Monday, September 30, at 4:00 p.m. ET/1:00 p.m. PT.

Next Up:

American Flat Track will conclude its epic 2019 season next weekend at the Meadowlands Mile in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Saturday, September 28. As always, FansChoice.tv will provide live-streamed coverage of the full race day starting with the opening practice at 11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT. Tickets are on sale now at tickets.americanflattrack.com.

For more information on American Flat Track visit www.americanflattrack.com.

How to Watch:

NBCSN and FansChoice.tv are the official homes for coverage of American Flat Track. For the 2019 season, NBCSN’s coverage of AFT moves to highly-coveted, weekend afternoon programming slots within two weeks of each event. The complete schedule for AFT on NBCSN can be viewed at http://www.americanflattrack.com/events-nbcsn/. FansChoice.tv remains a cornerstone of AFT’s digital strategy, providing live streaming coverage of every event on AFT’s live page while previous events and exclusive features are available on AFT’s VOD page.

The post AFT Twins Champ Crowned at Minnesota Mile appeared first on Motorcycle.com News.

Motorcycle News, News

2020 Honda Africa Twin 1100 | 5kg lighter | TFT Apple Car Play

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Honda has taken the wraps off a new 2020 Honda Africa Twin and confirmed it has grown into an 1100 model for the new model year thanks to an increase in the stroke from 75.1 mm out to 81.5 mm, to produce the new capacity of 1084 cc. 

Honda Africa Twin Engine
2020 Honda Africa Twin

Torque is up from 98 Nm at 6000 rpm to 105 Nm at 6250 rpm, a six per cent improvement, while power bumps from 94 hp (70 kW) to 101 hp (75 kW) at the same 7500 rpm, a seven per cent improvement.

Honda Africa Twin Mono
2020 Honda Africa Twin

The cylinder sleeves are now aluminium while the cylinder head has been completely revised and is fed by a larger 46 mm throttle body. The Unicam valve-train now lifts the valves higher than before while exhaust control valve similar to that used on the current model Fireblade is now employed. 

Honda Africa Twin Knobblies Front
2020 Honda Africa Twin

A 5 kg weight reduction drops the ready to ride with a full tank of fuel figure down to 226 for the manual, or 236 kg for the DCT equipped machine.

Honda Africa Twin Sand
2020 Honda Africa Twin

Honda also claim the new bike is smaller and slimmer with higher set handle-bars. The seat itself is 40 mm narrower to make it easier for riders to reach the ground while a low-seat option positions the rider between 825 from terra-firma. For those with extra long in-seams an 895 mm tall seat option is also available. The standard seat height can be set between 850 and 870 mm. 

Honda Africa Twin TopThe steel semi-double cradle frame has been extensively revised for better off-road ability and now features a bolt-on aluminium sub-frame while the new swingarm is based off that used on the CRF450R and is 500 grams lighter.

Honda Africa Twin Sand
2020 Honda Africa Twin

Rigidity around the steering head has been changed to offer improved front-end grip while the frame now weighs 1.8 kg less than before. 

Honda Africa Twin Sand
2020 Honda Africa Twin

Ground clearance remains 250 mm, and the 2020 Africa Twin rides on a 1575 mm wheelbase. Rake and trail is 27-degrees-30s and 113 mm respectively. 

Honda Africa Twin RHR
2020 Honda Africa Twin

With a stroke length of 230 mm the Showa cartridge forks features revised internals with rebound and compression damping both full-adjustable. 

Honda Africa Twin Radiators
2020 Honda Africa Twin

The Showa shock gives the Africa Twin 220 mm of rear axle travel and features a large 46 mm cylinder and remote reservoir to reduce fade. 

Honda Africa Twin Preload
2020 Honda Africa Twin

Technology improvements are massive with a new Bosch MM7.10 six-axis IMU that controls the seven-level HSTC traction control system via real-time yaw/roll angle and rate data. 

Honda Africa Twin RHF
2020 Honda Africa Twin

A new three-level wheelie control, cornering ABS with off-road settings, rear lift control and DCT cornering detection facilities are also employed. A dedicated ‘Off-Road’ setting joins the previous ‘Urban’, ‘Tour’ and ‘Gravel’ riding modes. I am very interested in seeing the changes in the DCT shift program now it has cornering sensor input added to its smarts. 

Honda Africa Twin Dash CarPlay
Apple Car Play comes to the Africa Twin for 2020

Apple Car Play also comes to the Africa Twin for 2020 via a 6.5-inch TFT screen with Bluetooth connectivity. I have used Honda’s Apple Car Play system on the current model Gold Wing and it is simply fantastic. A USB charging port is located on the RHS of the display. Cruise control is standard. 

Honda Africa Twin Dash
2020 Honda Africa Twin instrumentation

The Africa Twin Adventure Sports model also gains the option for Showa EERA that has five riding modes. ‘Soft’, ‘Mid’, ‘Hard’, ‘Off-Road’ and a ‘User’ setting that is fully customisable. Rear spring pre-load can also be set electronically through a range of 24 settings while the motorcycle is stationary through 24 settings. 

Adventure Sports also scores a larger front fairing and a five-position adjustable screen. At 24.8 litres in capacity the Adventure Sports boasts six-litres extra fuel capacity over the base model. Due to the extra fuel capacity the Adventure Sports tips the scales slightly heavier at 238 kg, 248 kg for DCT, while Showa EERA adds a further 2 kg if optioned on to the bike. 

The 21/18-inch spoked rims on the Adventure Sports model are now tubeless ready. 

2020 Honda Africa Twin Technical Specifications

Engine
Type SOHC liquid-cooled 4-stroke 8-valve parallel twin with 270° crank and Uni-cam
Displacement 1084 cc
Bore & Stroke 92 mm x 81.5 mm
Compression Ratio 10.1:1
Max. Power Output 75 kW at 7500 rpm
Max. Torque 105 Nm at 6250 rpm
Noise Level 73 dB
Oil Capacity 4.8/4.3 (5.2/4.7 DCT)
Fuel System
Carburation PGM-FI
Fuel Tank Capacity 24.8 L
CO2 Emissions 112g/km MT 110g/km DCT
Fuel Consumption 4.9L/100 km (20.4km/L) MT 4.8L/100 km (20.8 km/L) DCT
Electrical System
Starter Electric
Battery Capacity 12V-6Ah Li-ion battery (20hr)
ACG Output  0.49kW/5000 rpm
Drivetrain
Clutch Type Wet, multiplate with coil springs, aluminium cam assist and slipper clutch DCT – 2 wet multiplate clutches with coil springs
Transmission Type 6 speed manual (6 speed DCT)
Frame
Type Semi double cradle
Chassis
Dimensions (L´W´H) 2330mm x 960mm x 1560mm (1620mm with screen in uppermost position)
Wheelbase 1575mm
Caster Angle 27.5°
Trail 113mm
Seat Height 850/870 mm (low seat option 825 mm, high seat option 895 mm)
Ground Clearance 250 mm
Kerb Weight 238 kg (DCT 248 kg) With Showa EERA 240 kg MT (DCT 250kg)
Suspension
Type Front Showa 45mm cartridge-type inverted telescopic fork with dial-style preload adjuster and damping adjustment, 230 mm stroke EERA – Showa Telescopic inverted fork with an inner tube diameter of 45 mm, and Showa EERA with compression and rebound damping adjustments, 230 mm stroke
Type Rear Monoblock aluminium swing arm with Pro-Link with Showa gas-charged damper, hydraulic dial-style preload adjuster and rebound damping adjustments, 220 mm rear wheel travel. EERA – Monoblock aluminium swing arm with Pro-Link with Showa gas-charged damper, hydraulic remote control preload adjuster and electric control unit with compression and rebound damping adjustments, 220 mm rear wheel travel
Wheels
Type Front 21M/C x MT2.15 wire spoke with aluminium rim
Type Rear 18M/C x MT4.00 wire spoke with aluminium rim
Rim Size Front 21″
Rim Size Rear 18″
Tyres Front 90/90-21M/C 54H (tubeless type) Bridgestone Battlax Adventurecross Tourer AX41T
Metzler Karoo Street
Tyres Rear 150/70R18M/C 70H (tubeless type) Bridgestone Battlax Adventurecross Tourer AX41T
Metzler Karoo Street
Brakes
ABS System Type 2 channel with IMU
Selectable ABS MODE with on-road and off-road setting
Type Front 310mm dual wave floating hydraulic disc with aluminium hub and radial fit 4-piston calipers and sintered metal pads
Type Rear 256mm wave hydraulic disc with single piston caliper and sintered metal pads. 2-Channel with rear ABS off mode.
Instruments & Electronics
Instruments LCD Meter, TFT 6.5inch touch panel multi information display
Security System Immobiliser, security alarm (optional)
Headlight LED
Taillight LED
Electrics Daytime running lights, Bluetooth audio and Apple® CarPlay, USB socket, auto turn signal cancel, cruise control, emergency stop signal, IMU, HSTC, cornering lights, wheelie control

Source: MCNews.com.au

Motorcycle News, Motorcycle Racing, News, WSBK

Alvaro Bautista signed by HRC for 2020 WSBK assault on new Fireblade

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HRC Signs Alvaro Bautista for 2020 Official WSBK Team

Honda Racing Corporation has signed Spanish rider Alvaro Bautista, who will join the company’s official team beginning next season to compete in the FIM World Superbike Championship on the all-new 2020 Firebalde.

A former 125cc World Champion and a 15-time WorldSBK race winner so far in his debut season, Bautista dominated the first half of the current WorldSBK season on Ducati’s new V4R Panigale. 

Yoshishige Nomura – HRC President

“We are very happy to welcome Alvaro Bautista to our WSBK racing project for next year. His arrival in the Honda racing family underlines our strong commitment to compete at full force in every motorsport category, fighting to achieve top sporting results and looking for the best technological innovations, in order to offer our fans and customers fun, joy and excellent products. Alvaro is a very fast, experienced rider who has already shown his strong racing attitude and competitiveness in his GP years and in his first season in the WSBK Championship. We are confident that he will make a significant contribution to the growth and development of our project in the exciting and challenging Superbike World Championship.”

WSBK Rnd Donington R Bautista Pit
Alvaro Bautista

Source: MCNews.com.au

Competition, Motorcycle News, News

Espargaro undergoes wrist surgery following FP4 crash in Spain

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News 23 Sep 2019

Espargaro undergoes wrist surgery following FP4 crash in Spain

Section: Competition

Factory KTM pilot hopeful of return at the Thai grand prix.

Image: Supplied.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pol Espargaro has undergone successful surgery on his left wrist after fracturing it in a nasty crash during FP4 on Saturday at the Aragon grand prix.

Espargaro was ultimately forced out of Sunday’s race, and underwent surgery to have a titanium plate installed on the multi-fragment fracture of the left distal radius.

He’s expected to undergo further medical evaluation this week as the Austrian manufacturer completes two days of testing at the Spanish venue on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“We missed Pol and he was performing well this weekend up until the crash but he had successful surgery this morning and we wish him all the best,” said team manager Mike Leitner. “We have the test on Tuesday and Wednesday now and then we’ll look to Thailand.”

The Spaniard is hopeful of being on the line at the next stop of the MotoGP World Championship in Thailand, scheduled on 6 October.

Source: CycleOnline.com.au

Competition, Motorcycle News, News

‘I kept my cool’ says Miller in thrilling Aragon MotoGP podium

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News 23 Sep 2019

‘I kept my cool’ says Miller in thrilling Aragon MotoGP podium

Section: Competition

Pramac Racing ace scores third podium of the season in Spain.

Image: Supplied.

Jack Miller insists he kept his cool in the closing stages of Aragon’s 23-lap MotoGP encounter yesterday, where he made a thrilling last-lap pass on Maverick Vinales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) for his third podium of the season.

The Pramac Racing ace started from P4 on the grid before quickly finding himself in second, however he was demoted back to fourth following passes from Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and Vinales.

Keeping himself in the hunt, Miller remained calm in the final laps of the race as Vinales evidently struggled with his tyres – the Australian striking on the last time around the Spanish circuit to cross the line in P3.

“I just tried to keep my pace,” said Miller. “We did a lot of runs throughout the weekend, just working on that, and I sort of stuck to it. I switched map really early and tried to save the rear tyre, I didn’t want to get sucked into trying to chase Marc.

“I rode my own pace, Mav came past but I think he was trying to chase down Marc. Towards the end he just started struggling in the long corners – I kept my cool and was able to bring home a podium.”

Miller is ranked eighth in the MotoGP World Championship standings, and second in the Independent Team rider classification.

Source: CycleOnline.com.au

Motorcycle News, Motorcycle Racing, News

Floods, engine failures, flames and disqualifications mar Bol d’Or

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With thunderstorms and more heavy rain forecast during the night Race Direction, after consultation with the Team Managers, decided to suspend the race until 0600 the following morning, when weather conditions were predicted to improve.

Bol dOr Start
2019 Bol d’Or

The Bol d’Or then resumed on a still-damp track with the riders going out behind the safety cars in the same order as the lap before the red flag was raised to suspend the race.

Bol dOr Wet Early
2019 Bol d’Or

F.C.C. TSR Honda France restarted in the lead ahead of Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, YART Yamaha, Webike SRC Kawasaki France, Wójcik Racing Team and Tecmas BMW GMC.

Bol dOr Re Start
2019 Bol d’Or

Loris Baz, stand-in rider at the Bol d’Or for YART Yamaha regular, Broc Parkes, was riding his second consecutive stint aboard the YART Yamaha YZF-R1, and had just reclaimed the race lead after a pit stop when the FCC TSR Honda ridden by Mike Di Meglio suffered an engine failure and dropped oil throughout the 180 degree Le Beausset corner.

Bol dOr FCC TSR YART Wet
F.C.C. TSR Honda suffered an engine failure which then brought down two of their main rivals

Erwan Nigon, running third aboard the SRC Kawasaki, was the first to go down on the oil closely followed by Baz, whose bike then collided with the Kawasaki. Both bikes caught fire and were almost completely destroyed before marshals managed to extinguish the flames. Fortunately, both the riders and the marshals walked away uninjured.

Bol dOr Safety Car
2019 Bol d’Or

After dominating qualifying for the 83rd edition of the Bol d’Or at Circuit Paul Ricard YART saw their aspirations for victory go up in flames.

Loris Baz – YART Yamaha EWC

“I’m frustrated and incredibly disappointed, as you can imagine, but also relieved that the crash wasn’t more serious for Erwan, because my bike hit him and his bike so hard and then they both caught fire with him still next to them. It’s the scariest crash I’ve ever been involved in and I think they could have been a bit quicker with the safety car. It was impossible to see the oil because there were still many parts of the track that were wet and the first I knew about it was when I lost the front. To finish like this is a real shame, as the whole team has done a fantastic job, my two teammates have been so strong on the bike from the start and we had a really good pace, not just in qualifying but also in the race. The restart this morning was tough. Riding through the night is one thing, but having to sleep, get up at four in the morning and then jump on the bike at six for two stints like Niccolò did is not so easy. My first stint on slicks was good and I took a lot of time out of the FCC TSR Honda to take the lead and then pull away. Marvin was ready to take over, but I decided to double stint as I had a good feel for the track conditions, which were still quite tricky. Everything was going really well and then… I’m really sad for the team, because we were so strong, and we should have won here today.”

Bol dOr Start SERT Gregg Black
2019 Bol d’Or
Surviving the trials and tribulations of a 24-Hour race…

Lasting until the end it was Suzuki Endurance Racing Team that tasted victory once again, crossing the finish line of the Bol d’Or one lap ahead of the Yamaha-mounted Polish squad Wójcik Racing Team, who had led the race for some time before being overhauled by Etienne Masson 19 hours in to the race.

Bol dOr Wojcik Yamaha
Wójcik Racing Team, with Gino Rea, Christoffer Bergman and Axel Maurin

Germany’s BMW-mounted Team ERC Endurance joined them on the podium, only to hours later then have their result declared null and void after post-race scrutineering and the FIM jury demoted Team ERC Endurance for non-compliance with the rule regarding fuel tank capacity.

Bol dOr Team ERC BMW Disqualified Later
The ERC BMW Team celebrated their podium only to then be disqualified due to their fuel tank being larger than permitted

Thus the ERC Endurance team had to cede their place on the podium to the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, who were making their FIM EWC debut at the Bol d’Or.

Bol dOr BMW Fuel
The fuel tank on the third place finishing BMW was found to be larger in volume than what regulations permit
17th Bol d’Or win for SERT

Suzuki Endurance Racing Team won the Bol d’Or for the 17th time with riders Vincent Philippe (for whom this is both his 9th Bol d’Or win and his last time competing in the race), Etienne Masson and Gregg Black.

Bol dOr SERT Winners Vincent Philippe Etienne Masson Gregg Black
SERT – Vincent Philipp, Etienne Masson, Gregg Black

The factory-backed Suzuki once again tasting victory – their first in the World Championship since their 2016 Bol d’Or win with Vincent Philippe, Anthony Delhalle and Etienne Masson. 

Bol dOr Paul Ricard
2019 Bol d’Or

Suzuki Endurance Racing Team

Vincent Philippe

“I was focused on the last stint and I really appreciated that Damien allowed me to finish the race. I want to thank the new SERT for their hard work and constant improvement day after day. But I won’t forget the former team without whom we wouldn’t be here.”

Bol dOr SERT Win Vincent Philippe
Vincent Philippe takes the chequered flag and victory

Etienne Masson

“It wasn’t easy to go back on track this morning, but the bike was working well, and we quickly found the right pace. This race was very special because it was the last Bol d’Or with Vincent. We experienced very strong emotions working together and I am really happy to end this story with a victory.”

Bol dOr SERT Trophy Trio Vincent Philippe Etienne Masson Gregg Black
SERT – Vincent Philipp, Etienne Masson, Gregg Black

Gregg Black

“It was a very strange race. The track was very tricky, and the race direction took the right decision for the riders’ safety. We were very consistent all through the race. The team worked really well, and I want to thank them all for this victory because it’s my first victory in a 24-hour race.”

Bol dOr SERT Trophy Vincent Philippe Etienne Masson Gregg Black
SERT – Vincent Philipp, Etienne Masson, Gregg Black

Suzuki Endurance Racing Team started the 2019-2020 FIM EWC at the top of the standings with 49 points and finished ahead of a somewhat unexpected challenger – Wójcik Racing Team.

Bol dOr Wojcik Yamaha
Wójcik Racing Team, with Gino Rea, Christoffer Bergman and Axel Maurin

The Polish Yamaha team led throughout the early stages of the race in the rain with riders Gino Rea, Christoffer Bergman and Axel Maurin, and subsequently held back their rivals.

Bol dOr Wojcik Racing Yamaha Podium Gino Rea Christoffer Bergman Axel Maurin
Yamaha was represented on the Bol d’Or podium by the Wójcik Racing Team, with Gino Rea, Christoffer Bergman and Axel Maurin finishing in an incredible second place aboard their YART Yamaha prepared EWC class YZF-R1.

The fratricidal duel that unfolded between two BMWs in the final stages of the race, with Team ERC Endurance (Mathieu Gines, Julien da Costa and Louis Rossi) facing off against BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team (Ilya Mikhalchik, Julian Puffe and Kenny Foray). In the end, Team ERC Endurance took the chequered flag with a 4-second lead on the factory BMW squad, but were then demoted for fuel tank size irregularities. 

Bol dOr BMW World Endurance
BMW World Endurance Team

Marc Bongers – BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director

“It was a turbulent opening race with a very good result. There has never been a Bol d‘Or like it. On one hand, the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team faced an additional challenge since we did not to find a good rain set-up for the chassis and electronics in the run-up. Ilya also had his first ever experience of Dunlop rain tyres in the race. In this respect, the interruption suited us. On the other hand, as a totally new project it might have benefitted us that the team and bike weren’t subjected to the usual pressures of a full 24-hour distance. But overall, it has to be said that with our speed, the pit stops, the team performance and also in terms of fuel consumption, we were on track. That shows that we have developed a super basis in the short time available. Yes, we were gifted a few places by the problems the top teams experienced, but that’s all part of 24-hour races. Toward the end of the race, we struggled with a minor technical problem which cost us the podium by four seconds. It would have been amazing, but to come away with a fourth place is still remarkable. Congratulations to our customer team ERC, who overtook us eight minutes before the end of the race, thereby securing the spot on the podium.”  (These quotes were made before ERC was later disqualified, thus the factory BMW Team did in face end up with a podium result.)

Bol dOr Team BMW Endurance Ilya Mikhalchik Julian Puffe Kenny Foray
BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team (Ilya Mikhalchik, Julian Puffe and Kenny Foray)

Having started from 23rd position, Omega Maco Racing Team (Pawel Szkopek, Bjorn Estment and Karel Hanika) were 5th past the finish line, ahead of VRD Igol Pierret Experiences (Florian Alt, Florian Marino and Ricardo Brink).

Bol dOr Moto Ain
In the Superstock class it was the reigning champions Moto Ain who took the win with their SST specification Yamaha YZF-R1, piloted by Roberto Rolfo, Robin Mulhauser and Hugo Clere.

Moto Ain ran a near-flawless race to take the Superstock victoruy. The Yamaha-mounted team finished 7th to take the Superstock win, pocketing the 40 points awarded for the victory in this class as well as the 10 points awarded at each of the two intermediate stages of the race, plus 4 bonus points for being the 2nd Superstock on the starting grid. 

Bol dOr MotoAin Superstock P
In the Superstock class it was the reigning champions Moto Ain who took the win with their SST specification Yamaha YZF-R1, piloted by Roberto Rolfo, Robin Mulhauser and Hugo Clere.

62,000 spectators turned out to watch the 2019 edition of the Bol d’Or despite the adverse weather conditions.

Bol dOr Superstock Podium
In the Superstock class it was the reigning champions Moto Ain who took the win with their SST specification Yamaha YZF-R1, piloted by Roberto Rolfo, Robin Mulhauser and Hugo Clere.

The next race on the 2019-2020 FIM Endurance World Championship calendar is the 8 Hours of Sepang, a new race to be held in Malaysia on Saturday 14 December as part of a double-header car/motorcycle event featuring the FIM EWC and the FIA WTCR/Oscaro.

Pos Team Time Gap/Lap
1 Suzuki Endurance Racing Team 24:00:24.254 –
2 Wójcik Racing Team 24:02:08.575 1 Lp.
3 BMW MOTORRAD WORLD ENDURANCE TEAM 24:00:35.677 2 Lp.
4 Omega Maco Racing Team 24:01:09.525 3 Lp.
5 VRD IGOL PIERRET EXPERIENCES 24:01:49.935 3 Lp.
6 MOTO AIN 24:01:53.631 3 Lp.
7 TATI TEAM BEAUJOLAIS RACING 24:02:19.561 3 Lp.
8 TECMAS BMW GMC 24:00:51.968 4 Lp.
9 BMRT 3D MAXXESS NEVERS 24:01:00.611 4 Lp.
10 3ART- MOTO TEAM 95 24:00:45.069 6 Lp.
11 National Motos 24:01:42.315 6 Lp.
12 MOTORS EVENTS 24:02:09.532 6 Lp.
13 Wójcik Racing Team 2 24:01:10.579 8 Lp.
14 GERT56 by GS YUASA 24:01:20.346 8 Lp.
15 Bolliger Team Switzerland 24:01:50.911 9 Lp.
16 MOTOTECH EWC TEAM 24:02:16.514 9 Lp.
17 ITeM17 24:00:37.246 10 Lp.
18 No Limits Motor Team 24:00:51.584 10 Lp.
19 AM Moto Racing Competition 24:01:51.420 10 Lp.
20 ENERGIE ENDURANCE 91 24:01:37.760 11 Lp.
21 Rac 41 24:01:39.554 13 Lp.
22 PLAYERS 24:01:29.202 14 Lp.
23 SUZUKI JEG – KAGAYAMA 24:02:19.902 15 Lp.
24 JMA MOTOS ACTION BIKE 24:00:56.489 17 Lp.
25 Team 33 Coyote Louit Moto 24:01:42.055 19 Lp.
26 Junior Team LMS Suzuki 24:01:25.944 20 Lp.
27 Zuff Racing Honda SwissTeam 24:01:27.785 22 Lp.
28 GIRLS RACING TEAM 24:02:11.495 22 Lp.
29 Dunlop Motors Events 24:00:40.849 23 Lp.
30 Team LRP Poland 24:01:46.479 23 Lp.
31 FSB MATT RACING 24:00:32.067 25 Lp.
32 Bertl K. Racing Team 24:02:16.398 25 Lp.
33 PITLANE ENDURANCE 24:01:24.767 26 Lp.
34 TEAM 202 24:00:41.200 27 Lp.
35 PLR 24:00:42.576 27 Lp.
36 Pecable Racing Team 24:02:03.678 28 Lp.
37 LCR ENDURANCE 24:02:04.503 32 Lp.
38 Falcon Racing Rennes Motos 24:01:24.882 33 Lp.
39 TeamGP 24:02:06.194 36 Lp.
40 EMRT 24:00:40.111 39 Lp.
41 TRT27 BAZAR 2 LA BECANE 24:01:55.584 42 Lp.
42 British Endurance Racing Team 24:00:55.538 48 Lp.
43 LMD63 24:00:56.858 76 Lp.
44 SEIGNEUR MOTORSPORT RACING 24:00:57.237 78 Lp.
45 Space Moto 37 20:37:19.191 132 Lp.
46 F.C.C. TSR Honda France 18:09:19.174 169 Lp.
47 YART – YAMAHA 18:00:45.999 170 Lp.
48 WEBIKE SRC KAWASAKI FRANCE 18:00:04.488 172 Lp.
49 Team Aviobike 18:01:24.258 181 Lp.
50 HRT 100 – Hertrampf Racing Endurance 17:49:36.150 184 Lp.
51 METISS 18:54:55.616 188 Lp.
52 KAWASAKI CATALA ACLAM 17:37:15.013 189 Lp.
53 Team FLAM Racing / InfiniTeamMoto 17:29:48.415 195 Lp.
54 Motobox Kremer Racing #65 02:38:39.676 262 Lp.
55 OG MOTORSPORT BY SARAZIN 00:48:00.386 292 Lp.
56 Team ERC Endurance 24:00:31.399 2 Lp.

2019-20 FIM EWC Championship Points Standings

Pos Team / Equipe Bike Total
1 Suzuki Endurance Racing Team Suzuki 60
2 Wójcik Racing Team Yamaha 48
3 BMW MOTORRAD WORLD ENDURANCE TEAM BMW 42
4 Omega Maco Racing Team Yamaha 30
5 VRD IGOL PIERRET EXPERIENCES Yamaha 29
6 TECMAS BMW GMC BMW 26
7 TATI TEAM BEAUJOLAIS RACING Kawasaki 24
8 3ART- MOTO TEAM 95 Yamaha 20
9 National Motos Honda 15
10 F.C.C. TSR Honda France Honda 13
11 YART – YAMAHA Yamaha 13
12 SUZUKI JEG – KAGAYAMA Suzuki 12
13 WEBIKE SRC KAWASAKI FRANCE Kawasaki 11
14 Bolliger Team Switzerland Kawasaki 11
15 MOTOTECH EWC TEAM Yamaha 11
16 Zuff Racing Honda Swiss Team Honda 8
17 Team LRP Poland BMW 7
18 FSB MATT RACING Yamaha 6
19 Bertl K. Racing Team BMW 5
20 EMRT Yamaha 4
21 British Endurance Racing Team Suzuki 3

Source: MCNews.com.au

Motorcycle News, Motorcycle Racing, News

Beaubier crowned 2019 MotoAmerica Superbike Champion

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2019 MotoAmerica

Championship of Alabama – Round 10

Images by Brian J. Nelson

Seven points were all that separated Cameron Beaubier from year-long championship leader Toni Elias as the 2019 EBC Brakes Superbike Championship reached a crescendo at Barber Motorsports Park over the weekend.

MotoAmerica Alabama Rnd Cameron Beaubier Garrett Gerloff
Cameron Beaubier and Garrett Gerloff celebrate at the Championship of Alabama

What seemed improbable just three days ago turned into reality for Cameron Beaubier on a sunny Sunday in Alabama, the Yamaha Factory Racing rider winning a fourth MotoAmerica Superbike crown by five points over his rival Toni Elias with a sweep of the two EBC Superbike races at Barber Motorsports Park.

Beaubier did everything he needed to do in the Championship of Alabama. He needed to win both races and for Elias to finish third or worse in both. And he got it with Elias struggling to a fourth-place finish on Sunday to give Beaubier the title.

Superbikes Race 1

Cameron Beaubier kept his championship hopes alive on a sunny Saturday afternoon in Alabama, the three-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion taking his fifth win of the season while everything fell into place behind him.

MotoAmerica Alabama Rnd Sat Superbike Beaubier
Cameron Beaubier needed to pull out all the stops on Saturday’s Race 1

Beaubier knew he needed to win, and he did. He also knew he needed help. And he got it with his teammate Garrett Gerloff finishing second. And, finally, he needed Elias to struggle, which he did, finishing third with his teammate Josh Herrin riding shotgun to the Spaniard in the final laps.

Beaubier’s win combined with Elias’ third place narrows the margin to seven points, 349-342, with just Sunday’s finale remaining in the championship.

Elias was disappointed with third place but hopeful of better things to come tomorrow. He knows that to earn the title, third place isn’t going to be enough. On Saturday, the former Moto2 World Champion was a distant third – 18.8 seconds behind Beaubier and just .033 of a second ahead of Herrin.

MotoAmerica Alabama Rnd Sat Superbike Beaubier Gerloff
Garrett Gerloff and Cameron Beaubier claimed the 1-2 result ahead of Elias on Saturday

Behind Herrin came JD Beach, the Yamaha rider closing in on the Yoshimura duo in the final laps and coming up just short at the finish after starting the race from the fourth row.

Sixth place went to Jake Gagne, just ahead of Kyle Wyman, who was some two seconds clear of Cameron Petersen. David Anthony and Travis Wyman rounded out the top 10 finishers.

Superbikes Race 2

Sunday’s victory was the sixth of the year for Beaubier and the 38th of his AMA Superbike career, but more importantly, it earned him a fourth AMA Superbike title, which puts him in a tie with former teammate Josh Hayes for the second most won in AMA Superbike history. Mat Mladin is at the top of that list with seven AMA Superbike Championships.

MotoAmerica Alabama Rnd Sun Superbike
Cameron Beaubier leads the Superbikes

Beaubier’s teammate Garrett Gerloff finished second, the Texan again leading the early laps before playing good soldier and not putting up a fight when his teammate caught up. Beaubier, meanwhile, had made things difficult for himself by running off the track in turn one on the opening lap, but he got the job done.

Cameron Beaubier

“I couldn’t believe what happened off the start. I’ve been feeling so good. My R1 has been working so good all weekend – Friday, Saturday, this morning, warmup, Sunday. I knew what I had to do. I knew I had to get in front and win the race and Toni (Elias) had to get third to win. I thought it was all out the door. I was in the grass. I tried to go around the outside of (Josh) Herrin and everyone knows you don’t go around the outside of Herrin. You end up in the grass. So that’s what happened. I got back on the track. I think I was like around eighth or something like that. These guys were riding so good. They were so hard to pass, and they were trying to pass each other as well. So, I made it really, really tough on myself, but I had nothing to lose. I just put my head down and pushed as hard as I could. I can’t even believe we were in this position going into this race – seven points out of the lead after yo-yo-ing to 30 points back on Toni (Elias), and we’re sitting here with the number-one plate. I just can’t believe it, really. It’s amazing. I just owe it all to my team Yamaha. It really is like a big family. I love all those guys. It’s Rick’s (Hobbs, his crew chief) last year. He’s retiring after this year. He’s been a huge key, if not thekey, to these four championships. I owe a huge portion of it to him. I’m really going to miss that guy.”

MotoAmerica Alabama Rnd Cameron Beaubier Garrett Gerloff
Cameron Beaubier and Garrett Gerloff topped the podium, with Mathew Scholtz third

Gerloff was happy with his performance and his season, a year in which he finished third in the title chase and won four races.

Garrett Gerloff

“This has been a good season for me. I definitely accomplished a lot of goals that I had going into the season. I feel like I had a pretty good year. Definitely some low points, but some really high points also. You can’t have one without the other. I’m really happy with my 2019 season. I really feel like I gelled with the R1 a lot better this year. I never give up and neither does my team. We’ve been working our butts off every weekend since last year to try to get the bike really where I like it and also just working on myself and working on my riding. A big part of that was having Josh Hayes help me out this year. He helped with a lot of different things, bike setup and also some mental stuff and everything. He’s been a huge part. Just can’t thank the whole team enough. I’m always looking for more, so I got bigger and better goals for next year. But just a big congrats to Cam. He’s been riding super consistent all year, super-fast. He’s definitely made me a faster rider. Like he said, it sucks to have a fast teammate sometimes because I was thinking the same thing. If I come in and he’s going a half a second faster than me and I’m like, ‘Dude, where the hell are you pulling this out of?’ But the challenge is always a closed door, but it’s a door that’s waiting to be opened for improvement. That’s the way I look at every challenge that I’ve had. I try to bust through those doors as fast as I can. It’s been a good year. I’m really excited with where we are and just really excited for what the future holds.”

MotoAmerica Alabama Rnd Cameron Beaubier Garrett Gerloff
Garrett Gerloff and Cameron Beaubier

Third place on Sunday went to Mathew Scholtz, the South African some 10 seconds behind the Yamaha duo but almost three seconds ahead of Elias.

Elias was extremely gracious in defeat, especially considering he’d led this championship from the second race until the start of the 20th race.

Toni Elias

“First of all, I want to congratulate Cameron (Beaubier) and Yamaha. They did an amazing end of the season and they deserve this win. For me it is not nice – it’s hard and sad. It will take some days to digest this loss and accept it. We tried hard. We did everything we could. The whole team gave 200 percent. We tried to find grip where there was no grip. I also want to say thank you to my teammate Josh Herrin. He tried to help and did a great job, but it was not enough. I’m very proud of my team, every single person. It’s very difficult for them as well, but we must accept that we tried our best and be content with that fact. We will come back and work harder next year and try to win another championship for Suzuki.”

MotoAmerica Rnd COTA toni elias
Toni Elias

Kyle Wyman was fifth on Sunday, his best result of the season on his Ducati. Wyman was on Elias’s rear wheel as they crossed the line and was just ahead of Cameron Petersen, who also enjoyed his best result of the season in sixth. Josh Herrin faded to finish seventh, less than a second head of Jake Lewis. David Anthony and Max Flinders rounded out the top 10.

Source: MCNews.com.au