Tag Archives: News

Roczen ‘can’t catch a break’ as string of bad luck continues

Image: Supplied.

Ken Roczen believes he ‘can’t catch a break’ as a string of bad luck continues to strike the likeable German following an unfortunate encounter at Nashville’s 14th round of the 2019 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship last weekend.

The Team Honda HRC rider was primed to challenge for a season-first victory, setting the fastest time in qualifying prior to winning his heat race.

However, just laps into the main event, the number 94 fell victim to a suddenly crashing Joey Savatgy (Monster Energy Kawasaki) at the end of a rhythm lane, leaving nowhere for Roczen to go, ultimately taking him down and demoting him to the rear of the field before recovering for eighth.

“I don’t even know what to say because nothing surprises me at this point,” Roczen admitted. “I feel like I just can’t catch a break. Things started out so great and I really felt like tonight could have been my night. Everything was flowing well in qualifying and I got another heat-race win.

“My bike was working great and I was having fun. I didn’t get the start that I wanted in the main event but was making passes quickly. Unfortunately, [Joey] Savatgy went down while I was right behind him and I hit his bike. There was nothing I could do – I had nowhere to go.

“By the time I got going again I was last, so I just tried to dig deep and do whatever I could to make up as many positions as possible. I’m not happy with eighth but it’s okay considering what happened. We’ve got a few more opportunities to make it happen, so on to Denver.”

Roczen sits fourth in the championship standings as the series heads to Denver this weekend for round 15.


Source: MotoOnline.com.au

Myers emerges victorious in inaugural KTM Ultimate Race

News 10 Apr 2019

Myers emerges victorious in inaugural KTM Ultimate Race

Australian qualifiers Robertson and Nowak finish 10th and 12th respectively.

Image: Supplied.

Scott Myers has defeated the desert in order to become the winner of the first ever KTM Ultimate Race after six days of racing in the Moroccan sands as part of the Merzouga Rally.

Entry to the KTM Ultimate Race was available to any rider who took part in one of the six KTM Adventure Rallies held during 2018 and at the start of this year.

The special qualification events tested the riders to show if they had the excellent machine control, navigational skill and competent mechanical ability required in order to line up on a rally-prepared KTM 790 Adventure for a special class held within the Merzouga Rally.

Only the top two riders from each event would be chosen and, further proving this was the opportunity of a lifetime for these KTM Adventure riders, they were supported like KTM Factory riders at the KTM Ultimate race.

Backed up by four mechanics and 14 members of KTM staff, in the lead up to the event and throughout, the competitors were also coached by some of the world’s finest and fastest off-road riders like Chris Birch, Marc Coma and Quinn Cody.

The race began on 31 March with a short prologue and finished on 5 April, with competitors having to cover five stages – including a marathon stage three with an overnight in a bivouac and no outside mechanical support. In total, almost 1100 kilometres of hard off-road riding and navigating would push them to their physical and mental limits.

Myers was consistently in the top places for all stages and took the early advantage with victory in the prologue. Radek Burkat from Canada retaliated for the stage one win and New Zealand’s Kevin Archer fought strongly to take stage two. But it was Myers, again, who took the honours in the gruelling marathon stage three and sealed the win with runner-up in stages four and five.

After an emotional conclusion to the race, not only does Myers have the honour of being the first ever KTM Ultimate Raxe victor, he will also get to keep his race-winning machine along with receiving an all-expenses paid package for two people to see the 2020 Dakar Rally. Australian qualifiers Steve Robertson and Robert Nowak finished the event in positions 10 and 12 respectively.

Source: CycleOnline.com.au

Vlaanderen hopeful of Mantova return following surgery

MX2 contender suffers ankle and leg injury at Trentino.

Image: Supplied.

Honda HRC’s Calvin Vlaanderen is hopeful of returning for the MXGP of Lombardia at Mantova after undergoing surgery on his right ankle and fibula, which he sustained injury to during timed practice at Trentino on the weekend.

Fitted with a cast, Vlaanderen will endeavour to start physio in the coming weeks, with the goal of making a come-back at the next round of the world championship, scheduled for 12 May at the Italian venue.

“Obviously I’m extremely disappointed to have this happen to me at the weekend,” said Vlaanderen. “I was feeling really good on the bike and was in the process of setting the fastest lap when I just twisted my ankle. I didn’t crash or anything so it was a real shock to see the x-ray show that I fractured my fibula.

“Thankfully, with the support of the team and the excellent Dr Claes, I have since had the surgery which went extremely well. I hope to have the cast off in less than a couple of weeks and begin physio and cycling shortly after that, with the goal of being fit and ready to go for the fifth round of the MX2 championship in Mantova in May.

It’s a bitter blow for the South African talent, who displayed strong form in the opening rounds, holding down P3 in the championship standings prior to the weekend’s round commencing.


Source: MotoOnline.com.au

2019 Motorcyclist Alley Rally In Photos

Motorcyclist magazine hosted the third edition of its Alley Rally this past Sunday. The event shows off narrow corridors and hidden passageways that connect Los Angeles, and is best explored behind the handlebar of a motorcycle. The ride kicked off over coffee at downtown LA’s Lucky Wheels Garage.

Cardo Systems was on hand, outfitting riders with its recently introduced Packtalk Bold Bluetooth-enabled communication device. The headset easily slips inside most any modern motorcycle helmet and allows you to connect to your smartphone, and communicate in a group intercom format with other riders.

Editor-in-Chief and Los Angelite, Chris Cantle delivered a guided tour, sharing interesting factoids about California’s largest city. The ride concluded at the Petersen Museum, where participants were allowed free access to its exquisite collection of cars and motorcycles. Have a look at some of our favorite photos and we’ll see you again next year.

RELATED: Motorcyclist’s Alley Rally Event In Photos

Source: MotorCyclistOnline.com

Indian Motorcycle Sponsors 2019 Handbuilt Motorcycle Show

Indian Motorcycles will be supporting the custom scene in Austin this weekend by sponsoring the 2019 Handbuilt Motorcycle Show.

Begin Press Release: 


INDIAN MOTORCYCLE SPONSORS 2019 HANDBUILT MOTORCYCLE SHOW

Indian To Showcase Displays & Offer Scout & Scout Bobber Demo Rides; Super Hooligan Race Series Powered by Indian Motorcycle Continues With Round Three

MINNEAPOLIS (APRIL 9, 2019)Indian Motorcycle, America’s first motorcycle company, today announced its sponsorship of the 2019 Handbuilt Motorcycle Show in Austin, TX. Throughout the show from April 12-14, Indian Motorcycle will feature displays and offer demo rides for showgoers. Additionally, the Super Hooligan National Championship Series, powered by Indian Motorcycle, will continue with round three.

As a sponsor for the sixth annual Handbuilt Motorcycle Show, Indian Motorcycle will display its all-new FTR 1200, including variations featuring Indian’s Tracker, Rally, Tour and Sport accessory collections. Indian Motorcycle will also offer Scout and Scout Bobber demo rides throughout the entire show, with test ride helmets available from Hedon Helmets. On Saturday, April 13, showgoers can step outside to watch Hooligan racers compete on a TT style track during round three of the Super Hooligan Series, powered by Indian Motorcycle. Furthermore, out-of-town visitors can rent an Indian motorcycle from Mission City Motorcycle, who will make deliveries to the Austin area.

2019 Handbuilt Show

“The Handbuilt Show is an incredible representation of custom motorcycle culture and the pioneering spirit from builders and craftsmen who create one-of-a-kind, hand-built machines,” said Reid Wilson, Senior Director for Indian Motorcycle. “We’re excited to be involved with the event and look forward to seeing everything the show has to offer this year.”

The Handbuilt Show was founded by Revival Cycles, a custom motorcycle shop in Austin. Driven by their passion for the artistic design of motorcycles, the team at Revival Cycles created the Handbuilt Motorcycle Show for fellow gear heads to come together and celebrate craftsmanship.

The Handbuilt Motorcycle Show will take place April 12-14 at the Austin American Statesman located at 305 South Congress Avenue, Austin, TX. For more information, visit RevivalCycles.com. To learn more about Indian Motorcycle visit IndianMotorcycle.com.

The post Indian Motorcycle Sponsors 2019 Handbuilt Motorcycle Show appeared first on Motorcycle.com News.

Talking With Richard Molnar About Building The World’s Most Advanced Norton Manx

Richard Molnar is a familiar figure in the vintage racing scene, and his name has become synonymous with the Norton Manx since he acquired manufacturing rights in the early ’90s, along with the original jigs, fixtures, and drawings. Molnar Precision Limited, which Richard operates with son Andy, has developed the Manx further than its mid-century designers could have ever properly conceived. The team’s four-valve Manx produces 70 hp at 9,500 rpm at the rear wheel and weighs a scant 275 pounds wet, proving the past is most respected when it isn’t left to gather dust.

The Lancashire, England-based outfit built the first four-valve Manx for the Classic TT after the event was reimagined in 2013. Molnar knew it was the right time to return to the island after an 11-year absence, following the team’s 500cc victory with roads ace Richard “Milky” Quayle.

“With the twin-cylinder Paton machine reigning supreme for the past few years,” Richard Molnar relates, “we had to develop the Manx to compete. The obvious way to do that was to build a four-valve engine. We called it the Manx Evolution. Evo for short. We believe that this is the exact route Norton would have taken had it been able to continue to develop the engine.”

It’s not just the engine that’s been improved. Using the 1961-spec drawings and modern manufacturing techniques, Molnar can build featherbed frames with a faithful purity unknown since their inchoate form materialized in their designers’ minds.

“No Featherbed frame has been exactly to the original drawing,” Molnar says. “Originally, the technology didn’t exist to bend tubes that accurately—nor the machinery to manufacture jigs to assemble them accurately. And since then, frames have been produced to ‘best-fit.’ We’ve used high-tech 3-D CAD, tube bending, and lasering to ensure our featherbed chassis are exactly as the designers intended. They are noticeably better than anything manufactured before.”

Molnar says a properly fettled Manx can lap a race circuit as quickly as a modern race bike of similar capacity and output. Andy Molnar adds: “Both Dan Cooper and Michael Dunlop have done 108 mph laps [around the Snaefell Mountain course] on the Evo.”

Vintage racing is about winning. That means the quest for speed is contingent on a dedication to innovate—just as it is with modern machines. It’s gloriously paradoxical and unquestionably romantic. It’s an admirable fixation. But for the Molnar’s, it’s about more than just chasing lap times.

It’s about preserving history and respecting racing origins—not by enshrining the bikes in hands-off museums or private collections—by keeping them in their natural habitat: the racetrack.

“We believe it would be a crime for these fantastic machines to not be out there racing anymore,” Richard insists. “If we provide the parts, people can race them to their full potential without the worry of crashing or blowing up. We ensure this racing machine can stay racing as it was intended until the end of days. That means a lot to the people who watched them back in the day and grew up with these bikes. And it allows the younger generation to see these amazing machines in action.”

One thing’s for sure: The only dust the four-valve Molnar Manx will gather is from getting down and dirty at the track.

Source: MotorCyclistOnline.com

Green bridging the gap on world class AORC leaders

Image: John Pearson.

New South Welshman Josh Green believes he’s bridging the gap on world class leaders Daniel Sanders (Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team) and Daniel Milner (KTM Enduro Racing Team) in the unofficial Outright times after a strong showing at Dungog’s third and fourth rounds of the 2019 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC).

Piloting the all-new WR450F this season with Yamaha Yamalube Active8, Green wound up third on the Outright results sheet on both days of racing, finishing just 40 seconds shy of the talented duo in Sunday’s proceedings.

A pair of runner-up results in the E2 category at Dungog sees the number 99 maintain his P2 ranking in the championship standings as the series now heads into an extensive break.

“The WR450F is an amazing bike and every time we race it, we learn more about its strengths and how to make them work for me,” Green explained. “We didn’t change anything major but just some fine tuning to the power and suspension made the bike more ridable for me and I’m so impressed with how it runs.

“This weekend was better for me and I was able to grab third outright each day so that’s a step in the right direction. Milner and Sanders are world class riders, but I’m busting my butt trying to close the gap on them and this weekend I felt we were a little more competitive with them in a lot of the special tests.

“The team did a fantastic job as always and we are already making plans for the up-coming rounds to keep the momentum building.”

The AORC will return to action on 20-21 July at Kyogle in New South Wales.


Source: MotoOnline.com.au

Haslam upbeat following improved race two in Spain

Kawasaki Racing Team entry experiences mixed weekend.

Image: Supplied.

British talent Leon Haslam is feeling upbeat after exiting Aragon’s third round of the 2019 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) with a string of positive improvements in the final encounter.

The Kawasaki Racing Team newcomer experienced a slump in results during race one and the Superpole outing, where he lodged a 9-7 scorecard, however he rebounded in race two, finishing a respectable fourth.

“Starting from the fourth row was not ideal in the first two races so we used the sprint race to get back into it,” Haslam commented. “The team has done mega-well from really struggling on Saturday morning to being able to battle for second place for Johnny – what a turnaround.

“I am really happy about what we have done here and I feel quite positive. In the sprint race I did not get the best of starts but it got me a better grid position for the final race. We made some steps in being able to pass people in the last race as well.”

Haslam sits fifth in the championship standings, five points shy of fourth’s Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official). The WorldSBK returns to action this weekend at Assen in The Netherlands.

Source: CycleOnline.com.au

Dungog podiums inject confidence into Higlett

Husqvarna talent makes motivating improvements at rounds three and four.

Image: John Pearson.

A pair of podium finishes at Dungog’s third and fourth rounds of the 2019 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) have injected confidence into Fraser Higlett after a challenging season-opener last month.

The talented Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team rider pushed on for third in the competitive E1 category during Saturday’s third round, backing it up with runner-up on honours in Sunday’s encounter that saw him finish just nine seconds shy of victory.

It’s a motivating improvement for the youthful contender, explaining he gelled with the Enduro format that was hosted throughout both days of racing in New South Wales.

“I’m really happy with my results this weekend, especially after how I went at the first two rounds,” Higlett explained. “It was good to be back up on the podium both days at Dungog and it’s a confidence booster for me entering the rest of the season.

“There’s something about the Enduro formats that work for me and the weekend’s track conditions were some of the best you’ll get, so it was an awesome couple of rounds.”

The Australian Off-Road Championship now heads into an extensive break, returning to action on 20-21 July at Kyogle in New South Wales.


Source: MotoOnline.com.au

Aragon double-podium a breakthrough for Davies

 

Image: Supplied.

Following a dismal start to the year, Chaz Davies broke through to claim a double-podium at Aragon’s third round of the 2019 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) on the weekend.

The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati contender struggled to come to grips with the all-new Panigale V4 R in the opening rounds, while his teammate and WorldSBK rookie Alvaro Bautista has gone undefeated.

The British talent performed strongly in all three outings, completing the Spanish round with a 3-4-3 scorecard that has boosted him to seventh in the series rankings.

“I’m really satisfied with today’s result,” said Davies. “More so for my team and my side of the garage than me, because they’ve been working so hard all through the winter. It’s not easy when things are not going so well, but we’re always working hard looking for answers and trying our best whether it’s 10th or here on the podium.

“It was a strong weekend for me, but I’m a bit disappointed about losing second place in race two. At the start of the last lap, I went in deep at turn one and left the door open for Johnny, after which there wasn’t much chance of getting it back.

“At any rate, I was happy to back up yesterday’s result with another third position. It wasn’t easy in the wind, but we worked well this weekend to make big progress and I hope to build on that next weekend at Assen.”

Bautista leads the championship with a commanding 39-point advantage over four-time defending champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) as the series heads to Assen in The Netherlands this weekend.

Source: CycleOnline.com.au