Last April, the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California debuted Custom Revolution, the first major museum exhibit focused on “Alternative Custom” motorcycles. Organized by the Motorcycle Arts Foundation (MAF), the exhibit had more than 325,000 visits and was so popular the Petersen asked MAF to organize a follow-up. Meet Electric Revolution, a successor that maintains the emphasis on quality workmanship but focuses on zero-emission drivetrains. It is the world’s first all-electric motorcycle exhibition.
MAF co-founder Paul d’Orleans (you may also know him as The Vintagent) was again asked to guest curate the exhibition, and he brought together 21 machines that encompass more than 40 years of technological progress. The oldest machine is Quicksilver by Mike Corbin, which was the first electric motorcycle to do the ton and eventually set a record of 161 mph at Bonneville.
The rest of the motorcycles offer up tremendous variety, including one-off racers, factory prototypes, customs built specifically for Electric Revolution, and production machines that you could put in your garage today. We attended the opening night reception and were impressed with the quality and variety of machines that were on display, particularly Mark Atkinson’s “Racer X” and Joey Ruiter’s “Moto Undone.”
Electric Revolution will be open to the public until November 24, 2019. You can purchase tickets at the Petersen Museum.
The biggest news is that after three editions with the BMW R 1200 GS, for 2020 the chosen motorcycle for BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy Oceania 2020 is the new BMW F 850 GS.
2019 BMW F 850 GS Adventure Tour
Equally importantly, BMW Motorrad has revealed the ‘when’: The seventh edition of the International GS Trophy will take place on the dates February 9–16, 2020.
As in Mongolia, that’s an eight-day competition to account for the distances and sheer logistics involved in this edition.
The route of the International GS Trophy is always a closely guarded secret, but in this instance BMW has revealed two of the most significant aspects.
BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy Oceania 2020
1. For the first time the route is a one-way journey. (All previous events have been a circuit with the same start and end point).
2. The route is one-way on account it will take in both New Zealand’s North and South Island! For anyone who knows New Zealand this is excellent news as the two islands offer very different environments and terrains – and neither is to be missed!
2019 BMW F 850 GS Adventure
The Netherlands and Argentina have now also entered the fray which means that in 2020 BMW have first time entrants from the Middle East, North Africa and the Netherlands while a Nordic team makes a comeback to the event.
BMW International GS Trophy Mongolia 2018
As before, in Thailand (2016) and Mongolia (2018), the incredibly successful ‘Follow The Trails’ tours will be available after the Int. GS Trophy has concluded.
2018 BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy Central Asia – Winners South Africa
This is an opportunity for every GS fan to experience the route and the ride that the competitors followed. The motorcycles are the original GS Trophy machines used in the event and the trails are exactly those the event followed. The tours are led by BMW Motorrad offroad instructors, there’s a support team, medics and all accommodation plus food and petrol is included.
BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy 2020 Oceania
More details on the ‘Follow The Trails’ tours will be announced soon. Also, an exciting new teaser video has been created for this edition, highlighting the look and feel of New Zealand for the Int. GS Trophy Oceania 2020: www.gstrophy.com
Delay in government approvals prompts official cancellation.
Image: John Pearson.
After initially postponing the event late last month, Motorcycling Australia (MA) has now revealed the 2019 Yamaha bLU cRU Australian Four Day Enduro (A4DE) at Moruya in New South Wales is officially cancelled.
The Motorcycling New South Wales (MNSW) Enduro Committee and Far South Coast Motorcycle Club have confirmed that due to government approval delays surrounding the environment in which the 41st edition was to be held, the postponement of the event has officially been changed to cancellation.
It’s the second time the A4DE has been cancelled in three years, with a lack of entries for Toowoomba’s 2017 edition ultimately calling off the event.
Ensuring that Moruya has the opportunity to host a national enduro event, MA’s can ensured that 2020 will feature a two-day, two-round Enduro format in Moruya for the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC).
This new two-day Enduro event will provide both club and competitor to experience a multi-day Enduro competition in preparation for the 2020 A4DE and FIM International Six Days Enduro (ISDE).
Repsol Honda rider optimistic on increased seat time.
Image: Supplied.
Multi-time MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo believes understanding how to transfer his positive feeling with the Honda RC213V in high to low grip situations is key to making improvements.
Injury during the pre-season cut the Spaniard’s time short aboard the Repsol Honda machine, however with added seat time, he’s confident he can gain the understanding needed to return as a race winning contender.
“After the disappointment in Argentina I am ready to get back out on track and ride again,” said Lorenzo. “The result didn’t show it, but we made good progress last time and we are understanding the bike more and more.
“When the conditions offer grip, I feel very strong on the Honda – the team and I just need more time riding to understand how to have this strong feeling when the grip is less.”
With two races under his belt, Lorenzo is positioned 14th in the points rankings, while teammate and reigning champion Marc Marquez controls the standings heading into the Circuit of the Americas stop this weekend.
In total, there have been 31 previous Grand Prix events hosted in the USA: Laguna Seca (15), Indianapolis (8), Austin (6) and Daytona (2).
A total of 72 Grand Prix races for solo motorcycles have been held in the USA since 1949: 500cc/MotoGP – 31, 250cc/Moto2 – 21, 125cc/Moto3 – 18, 50cc – 2.
Marc Marquez carried a Nicky Hayden flag in Texas last year
Marc Márquez has won on each of the 10 occasions that he has raced in the MotoGP class in America; six times at Austin, three times at Indianapolis and at Laguna Seca in 2013.
Only once in these 10 appearances in MotoGP in America has Márquez not qualified on pole position: Laguna Seca in 2013 when he qualified in second place on the grid behind Stefan Bradl. He qualified on pole last year in Austin but started from fourth after being given a grid penalty following Q2.
COTA MotoGP 2018
The only riders currently competing in the MotoGP class who have won in the class at any of the American circuits are Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo and Marc Márquez.
Maverick Viñales finished second last year at the Austin circuit, equalling the best result for a Yamaha rider at the track after his teammate Valentino Rossi in 2017 and Jorge Lorenzo back in 2016.
Circuit of the Americas 2018 MotoGP – Round 3 – Race Results Marc MARQUEZ – SPA – Repsol Honda Team 41’52.002 Maverick VIÑALES – SPA – Movistar Yamaha MotoGP +3.560 Andrea IANNONE – ITA – Team SUZUKI ECSTAR +6.704
Ducati riders have three podium finishes in the MotoGP class at the Circuit of the Americas, with Andrea Dovizioso, third in 2014 and second in 2015, and Andrea Iannone, third in 2016. Last year, Dovizioso was the highest-placed Ducati rider across the line in fifth.
The best result for a Suzuki rider at the Circuit of the Americas is the third place for Andrea Iannone last year.
Aleix Espargaro’s 10th-place finish last year equalled the best result for an Aprilia rider at the Circuit of the Americas for Stefan Bradl back in 2016.
COTA MotoGP Grid Girls – Image by AJRN
Pol Espargaro finished 13th last year in Austin, which is the best result at the track for a KTM rider.
All 18 podium finishers in the six previous MotoGP races held at Austin have been riders from either Spain or Italy.
The three riders who finished on the podium in the Moto3 race last year in Austin (Jorge Martin, Enea Bastianini and Marco Bezzecchi) have all moved up to the Moto2 class in 2019.
The six Moto2 races that have taken place at the Circuit of the Americas have been won by six different riders, four of them are now competing in the MotoGP class: Nico Terol (2013), Maverick Viñales (2014), Sam Lowes (2015), Alex Rins (2016), Franco Morbidelli (2017) and Francesco Bagnaia (2018). Only Rins and Morbidelli went on to win the race after qualifying on pole position.
COTA MotoGP Grid Girls – Image by AJRN
The six Moto3 races that have taken place at the Circuit of the Americas have been won by five different riders, two of them are now competing in the premier class: Alex Rins (2013), Jack Miller (2014), Danny Kent (2015), Romano Fenati (2016 and 2017) and Jorge Martin (2018).
MotoGP Rider Stats Updates
Marc Marquez’ win at Termas de Rio Hondo was the 298th for Honda in the premier class of Grand Prix racing, the 142nd in the MotoGP era since 2002.
2019 MotoGP – Round Two – Argentina Race Results M. MARQUEZ REPSOL HONDA TEAM 41’43.688 V. ROSSI MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MOTOGP + 9.816 A. DOVIZIOSO MISSION WINNOW DUCATI + 10.530
With his second-place finish in Argentina, Valentino Rossi became the 14th different rider over 40 to have stood on the podium in the premier class of Grand Prix racing along with Jack Ahearn, Fergus Anderson, Jack Brett, Jack Findlay, Robin Fitton, Les Graham, Ernst Hiller, Harry Hinton Sr., Karl Hoppe, Enrico Lorenzetti, Nello Pagani, Frank Perris and Percy Tait. Valentino Rossi became the first rider over 40 to stand on the podium in the premier class since Jack Findlay in Austria back in 1977.
Valentino Rossi – P2 in Argentina 2019
Austin is one of just four current circuits where Valentino Rossi has not had a MotoGP victory, along with Aragón, the Red Bull Ring, and Buriram.
Neither of the two Yamaha factory riders have won at least one of the two opening races for the second successive year. The last time that the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team did not have a win in either of the first two races of the year in two successive seasons was in 2002 and 2003.
Andrea Dovizioso has led across the line for a total of 18 laps in 2019. Other riders who have led races this year are: Marc Márquez (26 laps) and Alex Rins (3).
2019 MotoGP – Round Two – Argentina Race Results M. MARQUEZ REPSOL HONDA TEAM 41’43.688 V. ROSSI MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MOTOGP + 9.816 A. DOVIZIOSO MISSION WINNOW DUCATI + 10.530
Jack Miller was fourth across the line in Argentina as the top Independent Team rider, which is his best result since he was also fourth last year in France.
Alex Rins, who started from 16th on the grid in Argentina, finished in fifth place, which is his ninth successive top six finish since San Marino last year.
Jack Miller
Takaaki Nakagami finished seventh in Argentina, which is his best dryweather result since he stepped up to the MotoGP class. He is now in second place in the Independent Team riders classification with 16 points behind his teammate Cal Crutchlow (19).
With Yamaha, Suzuki, Ducati, Honda, Aprilia and KTM finishing inside the top 10 at the Argentina GP, this is the first time that riders from six different manufacturers have finished within the top ten since Australia last year.
Miguel Oliveira finished in 11th place at Termas de Rio Hondo as the second-placed KTM rider behind Pol Espargaro, becoming the first Portuguese rider to score points in the premier class of Grand Prix racing.
With Miguel Oliveira, Fabio Quartararo in eighth and Francesco Bagnaia in 14th, all of the four rookies this year have now scored points. Francesco Bagnaia (2018) is the only one of the four rookies in the MotoGP class this year to have previously won at COTA in any of the smaller classes.
Marc Marquez The Record Breaker
Marc Marquez qualified on pole position for the 81st time in his Grand Prix career in Argentina and the 53rd time in the MotoGP class in Argentina, two less than Valentino Rossi.
Marquez smashed them in South America
This was Marquez’ fifth pole position at Termas de Rio Hondo, equalling his number of premier class pole positions set at Phillip Island, which is one less than in Austin and at the Sachsenring.
Marc Marquez won for the 71st time of his Grand Prix career in Argentina, five less than Mike Hailwood who stands in fourth place in the list of riders with most GP wins. This is Marquez’ 45th win the premier class, two less than his team-mate Jorge Lorenzo.
Marc Marquez – P1 in Argentina 2019
Marc Márquez’ win at Termas de Rio Honda is the fifth time that he had won at any circuit in the MotoGP class after qualifying on pole position, leading across the line on every lap and setting the fastest lap of the race along with Jerez (2014) and Austin (2014, 2016, 2018).
This is Marc Marquez’s 32nd win in the premier class after qualifying on pole position. 41 of his 45 wins in the class came after qualifying within the top three.
Marc Marquez crossed the line 9.816 seconds before Valentino Rossi, which is Marquez’ biggest winning margin in dry-weather conditions since he stepped in the MotoGP class in 2013.
Marc Marquez
This is the biggest winning margin in dry-weather conditions in the MotoGP class since Jorge Lorenzo won in France back in 2016 with a winning margin of 10.654 seconds ahead of team-mate Valentino Rossi.
Marc Marquez has scored 45 points in the first two races, which is the second-highest points accumulated by Marquez in the MotoGP class, after 2014 when he won the two opening races and scored 50 points.
Last year in Austin, Márquez claimed his 10th successive win in the MotoGP class in the USA, his 12th including his Moto2 wins at Indianapolis in both 2011 and 2012. Giacomo Agostini holds the record in Finland with 13th successive wins at Imatra: 8 x 500cc (1966 – 1973) and 5 x 350cc (1969 – 1973).
MotoGP by numbers..
118 – At the Argentina GP, Marc Marquez stood on the podium for the 118th time in his Grand Prix career, three less than Phil Read who stands in sixth place on the list of riders with most podium finishes.
94 – Crossing the line in third place in Argentina GP, Andrea Dovizioso finished on the podium for the 94th time in his Grand Prix career, one less than Mick Doohan. In addition, it was also his 53rd podium finish in the premier class, one less than Randy Mamola.
71 – Marc Marquez won for the 71st time in his Grand Prix career at Termas de Rio Hondo, the 45th time since he stepped up to the premier class in 2013.
60 – Valentino Rossi crossed the line in second place in Argentina, which is his 60th second-place finish in the premier class (the 11th behind Marc Marquez). His 50th second-place finish in the premier class came in Argentina back in 2016.
24 – With his second-place finish in Argentina, Rossi extended his record of finishing on the podium every season for 24 successive years – the record. The second-longest run of successive years with Grand Prix podium finishes is 20, set by Angel Nieto. In addition, Rossi extended his record of finishing on the podium at least once in all his 20 seasons competing in the premier class.
15 – Since the opening Grand Prix in Qatar, 15 different riders have stood on the podium across all classes. Only Marc Marquez, Andrea Dovizioso and Lorenzo Baldassarri have finished on the podium more than once in the opening two Grand Prix of the season.
10 – In Argentina, Valentino Rossi was on the podium to end ten successive races without a podium finish since the German GP last year (259 days).
2.092 – The 15th-place finisher in the Moto3 race in Argentina, Raul Fernandez, crossed the line just 2.092 seconds behind race winner Jaume Masia; this is the fourth closest top 15 of all-time in Grand Prix racing.
Broadford MX Nationals entry for AORC champion Sanders
Section: Competition
Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team contender taking aim at the premier class.
Image: Foremost Media.
Reigning Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) E2 title holder Daniel Sanders will enter this weekend’s third round of the 2019 Pirelli MX Nationals at Broadford in Victoria.
Fresh from a double E3 class victory and top Outright honours at Dungog last weekend, the Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team rider will contest his first motocross race since 2013, taking aim at the premier class.
The popular contender, who’ll pilot a Husqvarna FC 450 opposed to his regular FE 501, is utilising the round to establish areas of improvement in his riding as the AORC heads into a lengthy break.
“I’ve only raced one motocross race properly, and that was in the 2013 MX Nationals at Wonthaggi in MXD,” Sanders told MotoOnline.com.au. “This one’s at Broadford, and I thought if it doesn’t clash, I wouldn’t mind having a crack at it. I ride with Longy (Dylan Long) a bit, and he says I should do one, and yeah, I’m going to have a crack at it.
“I don’t know if they’re friendly or not like us off-road riders, but it will be cool to go race those guys and see how my pace goes up against them.
“There’s not much preparation for it, but I’ve done a few laps around Broadford, so I’m looking forward to having a crack around there. We’ll be doing a display race at the endurocross track there as well, so it will be a pretty busy Sunday.”
Sanders’ will be joined in the MX1 field by fellow AORC champion Daniel Milner (KTM Enduro Racing Team), who contested Appin’s mud-filled season-opener.
Silverstone BSB test strengthens O’Halloran’s form ahead of opener
Australian contender tops final official pre-season test.
Image: Supplied.
Jason O’Halloran’s first hit out on a UK circuit aboard the McAms Yamaha YZF-R1 at Silverstone’s official Bennetts British Superbike Championship (BSB) test has strengthened his form ahead of the season-opener, scheduled for 19-21 April.
The Australian has discovered commanding pace in pre-season testing across Europe since transferring to the Yamaha squad, confirming his speed in the final official test where topped the timesheets.
“We’ve had a really good pre-season,” said O’Halloran. “All the guys in the McAMS Yamaha team have done a great job. From Monteblanco to Portimao and now today, the first time I’ve ridden the bike in the UK, everything has gone really well.
“It was nice to get back on to a UK circuit and confirm our pace as sometimes European tracks in high temperatures can be a little misleading when you come back to the cold British tracks. It’s nice to leave here on top heading into next weekend, now it gets serious.”
Fellow Australian Josh Brookes (BeWiser Ducati) lodged the third fastest time, while compatriot Ben Currie (Quattro Plant JG Bournemouth Kawasaki) was ranked 15th.
The FIM have announced the first set of what they dub ‘Balancing and Concession’ updates for the 2019 WSBK season.
Ducati have had 250rpm lopped off their top end rpm limit which is now reduced to 16,100rpm.
Honda have had their wsbk rpm limits increased by 500rpm, to 15,050rpm.
Other rev limits remain the same and the Ducati continues to enjoy an almost 1500rpm advantage over the latest Kawasaki ZX-10RR.
As the gap on points between Ducati and Kawasaki remains slim at seven-points, neither brand will be allowed a concession parts upgrade during the season, while the other manufacturers will be allowed one upgrade.
Factory Yamaha rider hoping for 100 percent recovery by Pro Motocross opener.
Image: Supplied.
Justin Barcia has elected to sit out the remaining three rounds of the 2019 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship in an effort to lift his health to 100 percent ahead of the upcoming Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
Barcia suffered a concussion during a practice incident in February, prompting him to miss a selection of races, however the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing rider endured another heavy fall at Nashville last Saturday, worsening nagging injuries.
“At this point it seems that the best thing to do is to let my body recover,” Barcia commented. “I’m just going to keep on training, skip the last few supercross races and let my body heal up.
“Thinking about that now, I probably should have done that a few weeks ago because I was injured already but I really wanted to be at the supercross race with my team and fans, and put on a good showing. For right now, I’m going to regroup and be ready for the first outdoor.”
Team manager Jim Perry added: “Monster Energy Supercross is a demanding series, racing every weekend. Justin has been battling injuries from the midpoint of the season and needs the time to recover and heal up. Sitting out the final three events is a hard call, however, getting back to 100 percent, the place he started the season is the number-one goal.
“It will be a bummer not seeing the number 51 YZ450F line up at the gate this weekend, but we will continue moving forward supporting Josh Grant for the final three events.”
Josh Grant will be the sole rider representing the factory Yamaha outfit in the remaining supercross rounds, already enlisted as a fill-in for team regular Aaron Plessinger. The opening round of Pro Motocross is scheduled for 19 May at Hangtown.
