Vol 71 Issue 14

Australian Motorcycle News

Australia's oldest and most-respected motorcycle magazine

Australian Motorcycle News2 min read
Dakar, ASBK, MotoGP…
THIS YEAR’S DAKAR certainly didn’t pan out the way the Aussie contingent would have hoped, with two-time winner Toby Price the highest ranked Australian in 10th overall and both Daniel Sanders and Andrew Houlihan not making it beyond Stage 7 of what
Australian Motorcycle News1 min read
Australian Motorcycle News
Editor: Dean Mellor Deputy Editor: Kel Buckley Sub Editor: Phil Branagan News Editor: Hamish Cooper Staff Journalist: Pete Vorst Founding Editor: George Lynn Art Director: Brendon Wise Sir Alan Cathcart, Michael Scott, Ben Purvis, Mat Oxley, Neil Mor
Australian Motorcycle News2 min read
Harley’s Next Big Thing
AHEAD OF ITS worldwide launch on 27 January, AMCN can reveal Harley-Davidson will be putting the biggest engine it makes into production models. A trio of new Low Rider models will get the 117 cubic-inch (1923cc) engine, the motor previously reserved
Australian Motorcycle News1 min read
What Else?
CAST ALUMINIUM WHEELS replace wire wheels on the Softail Standard and Street Bob 114 while there are new paint and chrome options and minor styling upgrades across the entire cruiser range. The Touring range picks up mainly cosmetic changes with conf
Australian Motorcycle News1 min read
Brute From Brabus
YOU’RE LOOKING AT an early prototype of the first motorcycle from Brabus, the German company that has been turning out high-end, Mercedes-based vehicles since 1977. Brabus has teamed up with KTM and filed a fast-tracked trademark application for the
Australian Motorcycle News2 min read
BUSTED! 2023 KTM 990 Duke
A COMPLETELY REVAMPED 990 Duke looks set to join KTM’s fully faired ‘RC 990’ MotoGP-inspired sportsbike we busted in prototype form last issue (pictured, right). Our latest spy pic shows a much more production-ready Duke than the earlier mules we hav
Australian Motorcycle News1 min read
Briefs
INSPIRED BY the original 1990s Dragster, the reborn Italjet goes on sale this month in Australia for $9990 ride away. Endorsed by MotoGP rider Andrea Dovizioso, the little marvel has a trellis frame and centre-hub steering and it’s powered by a 181cc
Australian Motorcycle News1 min read
Z Marks Its Big 50
KAWASAKI IS celebrating the 50th anniversary of its Z brand with the 50th Anniversary Edition of the Z900 and Z650 nakedbikes, and the Z900RS and Z650RS retro-sports. The Z900 cemented a place in Australian racing history with four Castrol Six Hour w
Australian Motorcycle News1 min read
Ducati, Ktm Record Sales
A POLICY TO aggressively develop model ranges is paying off for Ducati and KTM, with record sales set in 2021. Ducati’s worldwide sales grew 24 per cent, with Australia a standout market with a 50 per cent increase. AMCN’s Motorcycle of the Year, Duc
Australian Motorcycle News1 min read
Recall Roster
→ MODEL 2021 Honda CMX1100 and CBR1000SPL → IMPORTER Honda Australia → NUMBER OF AFFECTED MOTORCYCLES 109 → ISSUE Due to a manufacturing issue with the moulding of the radiator cap, coolant fluid may leak from radiator reservoir tank. → POTENTIAL HAZ
Australian Motorcycle News2 min read
Briefs
“I WANTED TO KILL THAT CAMEL… BUT HERE THEY CONSIDER THE CAMEL MORE IMPORTANT THAN WOMEN” Dakar novice and ex-MotoGP racer Danilo Petrucci describes his feelings after the crash that nearly cost him an historic stage win in Saudi Arabia. The reported
Australian Motorcycle News1 min read
HOT & NOT
Former V8 Supercars supremo Tony Cochrane’s SX Global has been chosen to run and develop the FIM Supercross World Championship over the next decade. Aussie start-up Savic launches a new website where you can design your own version of its electric mo
Australian Motorcycle News1 min read
Mah-who?
BSA COMPANY’S PARENT Classic Legends is a subsidiary of the $19.2 billion Mumbai-based Mahindra & Mahindra/M&M Group, a major vehicle producer and the world’s largest manufacturer of tractors. M&M owns 60 per cent of Classic Legends, with the rest ow
Australian Motorcycle News1 min read
The Gold Star Is Back
FIVE YEARS AFTER buying the historic BSA brand name, Indian conglomerate Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has unveiled a new-age single cylinder bike that pays homage to the brand’s mighty Gold Star. It marks the return of BSA nearly 50 years after demise o
Australian Motorcycle News1 min read
Re’s Icy Reception
ROYAL ENFIELD’S WIDELYpublished ride to the farthest reach of Antarctica has polarised opinion. On lightly modified single-cylinder Himalayans, two factory employees spent 15 days riding 400km from India’s Antarctic base to the South Pole in temperat
Australian Motorcycle News1 min read
The Year Was… 001995
Australia enjoyed an incredible 500 GP year with Mick Doohan (Honda) and Daryl Beattie (Suzuki) finishing the season first and second, respectively. It’s the only time Aussie riders have done a one-two in the premier class. In the Superbike World Cha
Australian Motorcycle News3 min read
President’s Approval
SAMMY MILLER MBE was guest of honour at the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall, London for the Guild of Motoring Writers Annual Dinner and Awards last month where he became the first motorcyclist to be awarded the coveted President’s Trophy. Previous
Australian Motorcycle News6 min read
Access
I am sitting here reading the road test on the new Ducati Monster (AMCN Vol 71 No 13), and I note that it only has a 14L tank. What is it with modern manufacturers that most of them can’t put a decent-sized tank on their bikes? I bought the first-mod
Australian Motorcycle News2 min read
Keeping It Simple
How good is this little YZF-R7 for a Christmas present?! Thanks Santa [Yamaha]! This is our latest long-term testbike and Pete Vorst got to rub out the chicken strips at Sydney Motorsport Park on its very first run. We’ve been hanging out to ride the
Australian Motorcycle News1 min read
Mental Twisties
SPOT THE DIFFERENCE ANSWERS WILL BE REVEALED IN THE NEXT ISSUE AN AMCN NECK SOCK EMAIL YOUR NUMBERED ANSWERS TO AMCN@AMCN.COM.AU FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN! ■
Australian Motorcycle News1 min read
Socials
Post of the issue The return of the Italjet Dragster stirred the emotions of our readers Don’t Forget #amcn_mag Wayne Johnson weighed in on the Suzi vs Kawa rivalry Want to see your pride and joy featured in AMCN? The only thing we love more than wri
Australian Motorcycle News3 min read
From The Volt
My first taste of two-wheeled electrification came 15 years ago when I went for a short ride through Sydney’s CBD on Vectrix’s then-futuristic VX-1 maxi scooter. It didn’t matter that it was big, heavy and slightly awkward looking – what maxi-scooter
Australian Motorcycle News1 min read
Two With The Tester
On suspension, we have changed the cartridge on the front and back to reduce the damping to improve comfort [because] the destination of this bike is different to the Panigale. We didn’t change the spring in the rear, because with a longer swingarm w
Australian Motorcycle News1 min read
Who’s Buying It?
> 798cc triple > 140hp and 87Nm > 175kg (dry, claimed) > 890cc parallel-twin > 121hp and 99Nm > 166kg (dry, claimed) > 998cc inline-four > 160hp and 110Nm > 210kg (wet, claimed) ■
Australian Motorcycle News7 min read
Street Smart
Reinventing hard-edged sportsbikes into performance nakeds is a trick Ducati has successfully accomplished multiple times. Now, for 2022, Ducati has stretched its Streetfighter range again with the launch of the Streetfighter V2. And while it’s the b
Australian Motorcycle News8 min read
King Hit!
These days an adventure bike should be excellent both on the road and off it, right? They should, but the reality is most adventure bikes have a road bias that’s pretty easy to recognise the minute you drop off the tar onto the dirt. KTM’s 1290 Super
Australian Motorcycle News9 min read
Contact Sport
After the sold-out showroom success of its all-new 2021 Trident 660, which since its debut last March has found over 15,500 customers in its first 10 months of production, Triumph has unveiled a second variation on that entry-level theme, as it seeks
Australian Motorcycle News1 min read
Those Rivals
$10,959 (plus on-road costs) $12,399 (ride away) $14,490 (ride away) $14,690 (ride away) ■
Australian Motorcycle News1 min read
Talking In Threes
Given the strength of the Bonneville name, why choose a triple? We were really looking for something that was more of a contemporary model platform, rather than part of our Modern Classic family, since we’d certainly be competing against bikes with t
Australian Motorcycle News9 min read
Digging Up Gold
Classic Legends/BSA Company CEO Ashish Joshi is the man in charge of relaunching BSA, but prior to this has had extensive experience of handling other historic British brands. After working for 15 years at Royal Enfield, rising to become its European
Australian Motorcycle News2 min read
The History Of Bsa
BSA WAS ORIGINALLY a maker of guns and ammo after its formation in June 1861 under the Birmingham Small Arms banner, and by 1863 had completed a factory on 25 acres at Small Heath, turning to manufacturing bicycles in 1880. The company’s first motorc
Australian Motorcycle News9 min read
Addicted To Speed
Despite his immense popularity and fame, Toby Price is one of the most laidback and down-to-earth blokes you could ever meet. No matter where the two-time Dakar winner is racing, and no matter the racing format, he always finds time for his fans, sig
Australian Motorcycle News9 min read
Stop Turn, Go!
Motorcycle racing is very simple – all you’re trying to do is get down the straights as quick as possible and around the corners as fast as possible – but also incredibly complex. And MotoGP has never been more complicated than it is now. In the old
Australian Motorcycle News2 min read
Topgear
Whites Powersports $299 (03) 8720 6000 whitesmoto.com.au The Monimoto 7 is a smart GPS tracker for motorcycles and other vehicles. It calls and sends vehicle locations to your phone in less than a minute if motion is detected. It uses LTE-M (LTE Cat-
Australian Motorcycle News9 min read
FRIENDS, FOES & FIREWORKS
Tazio Giorgio Nuvolari was born in Italy in 1892. When he was 12 years old, his uncle put him on the back of his motorcycle and took him toa week-long car racing event. And a few weeks later, his uncle taught him to ride. Nuvolari was hooked. He star
Australian Motorcycle News3 min read
Gold Standard
IT WAS 1986. Nicko and I had sold our mining plant and I’d taken my split to see how far I could get around the world. A few months and several countries later, I’d bought a bicycle in Kathmandu with a view to riding to Bombay. Nepal’s in the mountai
Australian Motorcycle News3 min read
Decision Time
EVERYONE KEEPS ASKING me if I’m going to change my retirement plans and time is fast running out for a decision, as the first official ASBK test is only a week away. To be honest, I’ve been weighing up the options since clean-sweeping The Bend’s fina
Australian Motorcycle News7 min read
12 Days of Dakar
SAM SUNDERLAND (GASGAS Team) fully deserves his second Dakar victory, putting together three stage wins and a savvy performance throughout. The key to his win was knowing when to ease off, ceding positions and time to the competition, placing him in
Australian Motorcycle News3 min read
What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
RIGHT NOW IS the best time of the racing year. Because with nobody having turned a wheel in anger, anything is possible. Well, almost anything. It’s unlikely that the 2022 MotoGP title will go to Andrea Dovizioso, who at 36 takes over from Valentino
Australian Motorcycle News4 min read
Mick O’Brien
It looked like a brave decision to launch such an unusual event two years ago, whose idea was it? I’m to blame! The St George Motorcycle Club has a close relationship with the Australian Racing Drivers Club, who run Sydney Motorsport Park for the NSW
Australian Motorcycle News1 min read
Gassit
Australian Motorcycle News road test photographs are posed for by skilled, professional riders under controlled circumstances. Attempting to imitate their actions may be dangerous. Australian Motorcycle News supports and endorses rider training and w

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