Indholdsfortegnelse for June 2018 i Dirt Action

CODY WEBB Endurocross is one of the most exciting and mind-blowing forms of offroad racing mankind has ever devised. If you’re after brutality, grace, incredible skill and bar-to-bar battles, endurocross has it every single round. Cody Webb took the 2018 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship title after technical issues knocked out rival Taddy Blazusiak. TYLER BEREMAN Graeme Murray bagged this mad shot of Bereman at the Farm Jam event in Winton, New Zealand, and it pretty much encapsulates what we’d rather be doing right now!…

The FIM Oceania Newcastle International Supermoto is set to return to the Newcastle (NSW) foreshore on the Father’s Day weekend of September 1–2. New to the event, the winner of the Newcastle International Supermoto will be awarded a wildcard entry to Superbiker, held in Mettet, Belgium, in October. Boyd Events will provide the airfare, accommodation and bike hire to the winner. The event will be live streamed and broadcast nationally on SBS Speedweek, Fox Sports Australia, Fox Sports Asia, Motors TV in Europe and MAVTV to the USA, Canada and Mexico. Promoter Graeme Boyd explained: “People are starting to now understand what an impressive event the Newcastle International Supermoto is. Last time we were at the foreshore in 2016 we had a huge crowd of 20,000 on the Saturday and…

Red Bull KTM rider Broc Tickle was provisionally suspended on April 14 after a drug test carried out back on February 10 (San Diego SX) indicated “an Adverse Analytical Finding of 5-methylhexan-2-amine, a specified substance under Section 6 (Stimulants) of the 2018 FIM Prohibited List”. Tickle has stressed he has no idea how it got in his system and his trainer, Aldon Baker, professed to not knowing what the substance was and having to Google it to find out. At the time of writing KTM was standing by its rider, giving Tickle the benefit of the doubt. However, should he be found guilty after further examination by the anti-doping police, WADA, he will lose his position on the team and it's believed there are provisions in his contract that state…

“THE COMPETITORS TURNED OUT IN SOLID NUMBERS FOR THE 2018 A4DE AND SHOWED IT RESPECT” The Yamaha Australian Four Day Enduro is a strange beast. It simultaneously straddles being viewed as the most prestigious enduro in the country and simultaneously being completely irrelevant. Talk to those racing and you’ll equally get a mix of opinions ranging from this being an event that’s significant to win, to it being one that begs the question, why bother? And yet, here it is in its 40th year and still going. Kind of like a dog that gets old and isn’t much fun anymore but you still have a soft spot for it so you give it a pat, the competitors turned out in solid numbers for the 2018 A4DE and showed it respect.…

Josh Green didn’t fire in this Four Day the way he’d have liked but if a misfire is good for third outright, that’s not a shit outcome. His battle with Sanders in the final moto was the race of the day, with the two of them going for it from start to finish and it’s amazing nobody got punted. Josh also finished second in the E3 class. “The goal is always to win but to finish second in class and third outright is still pretty good. Some sections of the course were really good to ride but some of the special tests were pretty dusty because of the lack of rain in the area over recent months,” he said. “Congratulations to Milner and Sanders who rode exceptionally well this week…

Fraser Higlett is one of the best riders to watch with his 100-per-cent-given-at-all-times style. He’s able to push his 250F faster than most humans could imagine and worked hard for his second in E2. “It was an awesome week,” he said. “It was good to be in the top five outright for two days, which was pretty cool. I got a fair few top threes outright in the tests throughout the week too, and obviously I got second in E1 I’ve taken a bit of confidence from the week and know that I can be up at the top end of the field.”…

“I only ride 450s” — I’ve heard that more times than I would like. Australian riders have an obsession with riding big bikes. At times, that’s well within reason; the new-age 450 and 500 enduro bikes are bloody, bloody good! However, too many riders walk past a 250 without a second glance. Is it an ego thing? Maybe. However, some guys probably haven’t ridden a 250F in ten years. A 2008 250F enduro bike versus a 2018 model is absolute chalk and cheese, and the Husqvarna FE250 is the finest triple cream brie. QUALITY CONTROL Sitting on the 2018 Husqvarna FE250, you're presented with all the quality components we have come to expect from Husqvarna — oversized handlebars, quality grips, hydraulic clutch, Magura brakes. A neatly tucked away computer is…

The 2018 Ténéré Tragics ride was a run from heat-drenched Hervey Bay in Queensland to Dubbo in New South Wales via the twistiest and most imaginative routes possible. Offroad heavy, the ride hosted bikes from the very first model Ténéré (1983) to the present-day 660 and 1200. Some were immaculate and some well worn. The crazy Queensland weather threatened to turn things ugly but in the end only a single mid-ride detour was needed and we were treated to one amazing landscape after another. The week started with a surprise of epic proportions when Aussie Dakar and all-round navriding legend Rod Faggotter arrived unannounced to the welcome dinner on the Ténéré 700 World Raid prototype. It’s rare to ever get to see a bike at this stage of development outside…

SWM is back in business through a somewhat complex series of moves best understood if you take it back a bunch of years. The quick version looks something like this: BMW bought Husqvarna and invested a heap of money in a new factory in Verase, Italy, but the Germans just couldn’t sauce that pie. They made a couple of decent models but they made some real shitters, too. While the brand did see growth, BMW bailed and declared that in the future the“focus of the realignment will be on urban mobility and e-mobility”. They sold on to KTM, who moved all manufacturing from Italy back to Austria where it became largely a white KTM. This left the state-of-the-art factory in Verase sitting idle and a heap of workers without jobs.…

Earlier in the issue, you’ll find our group test on the Sherco SEF-R Six Days range. This day was the day I decided that I wanted to race a Sherco SEF-R 450 in the DIRT ACTION Amcross series in 2018. I got some funny looks from mates of mine. With a lineup of 450cc motocross bikes ready to race out of the crate, a Euro enduro bike seemed an odd choice to race. Not to me. I had spent plenty of time on grass tracks on the Sherco 450 SEF-R Six Days and that alone had me convinced it would be a solid machine for some grass-track action. After some discussions with Sherco Brand Manager Stephen ‘Tuffy’ Tuff, a Sherco SEF-R Racing was on its way to Sydney Sherco and…

UNIFILTER PRO PACKS & CLUB PACKS Nobody likes cleaning and re-oiling an air filter. We can think of 17 crappy things we’d rather do without any effort and one of those is spend 15 minutes listening to a Yoko Ono album. But once we get to 16 minutes we’d rather be cleaning an air filter. Unifilter has recognized our universal dislike for this job and is offering a unique service once reserved for those on race teams. Unifilter will supply you with pre-oiled air filters, along with a return post bag with which you send back your dirty filters. At which point they will send you back clean, re-oiled filters and another post bag, ready to repeat the process when needed. Split into two packs and two further variants therein,…

WORLD ENDURO SUPER SERIES – 2018 SCHEDULE Rnd 1. Extreme XL Lagares (Portugal) May 11–13 Rnd 2. Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble (Austria) May 31–June 3 Rnd 3. Trèfle Lozérien AMV (France) June 8–10 Rnd 4. Red Bull Romaniacs (Romania) July 24-28 Rnd 5. Red Bull 111 Megawatt (Poland) September 8–9 Rnd 6. Gotland Grand National (Sweden) October 26–27 Rnd 7. Red Bull Knock Out (The Netherlands) November 10 New for 2018, the World Enduro Super Series is an eight-round championship bringing together a wide range of enduro formats. Mixing hard enduro with classic enduro, cross-country events and beach racing, the championship aims to find the ultimate enduro rider capable of mastering every type of offroad terrain. One of the world’s most decorated enduro riders, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s…

JASON ANDERSON BIO Nation: United States Birthdate: 17/02/1993 Height: 6’2 Weight: 165lbs (75kg) Bike: FC450 Number: 21 Class: SX/MX 450 Career Highlights: 7 career 450 SX wins, 2014 AMA Supercross Lites West Champion, Horizon Award winner 2010 at Loretta Lynn’s, 5 Loretta Lynn Championships In early 2018, the Rockstar Husqvarna team announced they would ride the Rockstar Edition Husqvarna FC model, a machine that was radically different to the naked eye and unproven in a race situation, in their assault on the AMA Supercross Championship. Enter Jason Anderson. Anderson’s fluid, aggressive and unique style, combined with the Rockstar Edition Husqvarna FC450, have stormed to the front of the AMA Supercross Championship and silenced critics of the new machine. Using the best riders in the world to fine-tune and develop what…

Dan Milner, take a bow. Winner of his fifth A4DE, Milner was simply on another level from the start. The KTM rider is on top of his game and it’s an impressive thing to watch as he almost makes it look easy. His style is economical and deliberate, the bike isn’t being punished and he always looks as though there’s more in the tank should someone actually approach his pace. Dan took both the overall win and the E3 class win. He has now taken the win in every class of the modern format. “I’m pretty stoked, that’s for sure,” Milner said. “The last A4DE I did didn’t go as well to plan, so to be able to rack up my fifth A4DE win out here in Cessnock is a…

Luke Styke — what can we say? We’ve been covering him for years on the motocross track and then he switches codes, enters his first Four Day and wins the E1 class. Styke looks comfortable and better than we gave him credit for at this early stage of his enduro career. He is stupidly competitive and he’s figuring it out fast — and that’s not good news for anyone in E1. “When I talk to the off-road guys, they say the Four Day is a great event and a really prestigious one to win so for me to win it means a lot to me and the work we have done as a team. It’s been a really hard event as it presents so many challenges over the week and…

Wil Ruprecht busted his shoulder not long before the race and really had every excuse to pull out — if you’ve ever ridden with a shoulder injury, you’d have some idea of the unrelenting pain. But sixth outright and third in E2 is a momentous and gutsy effort from the young bloke and he deserves a standing ovation. “Six weeks ago it was unlikely I would even be able to ride and it was a race against time to be ready, so to finish third in class and inside the top 10 outright is a good result. My shoulder was OK throughout the week but I guess I just need to build some confidence back in it to race at 100 per cent at a national level,” Ruprecht said.…

The month of March is a glorious time to be an Adelaideian. For 11 months of the year, the capital city of little ol' South Australia is a pretty quiet place, but when the Supercars roll in the place comes alive. Well, it actually starts a little earlier than March, but the peak of the festival season culminates in a hive of activity in the City of Churches. This period features a host of events including WomADelaide, Adelaide Fringe and The Adelaide Festival of Arts, all combining with the back end of the Big Bash cricket season, the Adelaide Cup and, for us motorheads, the biggest sporting event held in this state each year, the Adelaide 500. The Adelaide 500 has become a staple on the must-do yearly events list…

The tranquil banks of the Hawkesbury River presented another picturesque location for the annual Retro Expo, which sees the most incredible machines sit idle on their stands amongst a huge range of bikes from yesteryear. The bikes on display have been painstakingly loved, polished and restored to their former glory. To the right, Jeff Emig's Kawasaki KX500 has been replicated by Johnny Cowles. This bike in incredible. Every part of the bike is beautiful. You could eat your dinner off the engine. Next to it, equally as epic, a signed Ricky Johnson CR250… yes, signed. Wandering between the lanes, everything from 1993 Suzuki RM125s to XR75s are glistening in the sunshine. This event is an absolute must-do but let’s be honest, there’s no point describing this epic event — you…

10 QUICK TIPS TO FIGHT THE FREEZE: 01 Put your vented riding 02 gear away Use a buff to keep your neck warm 03 Hand warmers from the servo are 04 decent early-morning helpers Have a look into thermals or, better still, base layer clothing 05 Remember that it could be cold in the morning but hot in the arvo, so removable jacket sleeves are a bonus 06 Don’t start getting dressed until you 07 know you’ll be riding straight away Stay out of the wind while you’re getting dressed 08 Avoid getting wet — that one should 09 be pretty obvious A coffee, tea or hot chocolate on the way to the ride will warm you better than a sausage roll 10 Once you’ve felt heated hand grips you’ll…

Dane Thompson is the lucky man in charge of riding, racing and developing the 2018 Yamaha YZ450F. Dane raced at a national level as a junior racer, competing in motocross and supercross around the nation. Now, he’s an electrician in a mine and is an A-grade level racer. In 2017, he won the A/B All Powers class in the DIRT ACTION Amcross series. He’s the perfect man to put the YZ450F to the test. Take it from here, Dane… My first experience on the 2018 Yamaha YZ450F was at the 2018 DIRT ACTION 450 shootout where I chose it as a clear winner. I've now been lucky enough to become the project bike rider for 2018, and from the first day I found this bike extremely easy to adapt to.…

01 SHOEI VFX-WR HELMET MOTION ENERGY DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM [M.E.D.S. ] Dual-layer / multi-density EPS liner Multi-ply matrix aim+ shell Chin bar EPS State-of-the-art shell-forming technology 16 intake and exhaust vents 3D max-dry interior system Large eyeport V-470 visor 02 ALPINESTARS INDI VICE LE TECH 7 BOOTS KEY FEATURES New dual compound sole is seamlessly integrated into the base structure for superior durability and features high-performing rubber grip patterning and enhanced feel. The sole and footpeg insert are replaceable The anatomically profiled shin plate features a dual closure system with an internal microfibre flap attached with Velcro® for a precise fit closure while the rugged and durable shin plate is attached securely with a precision adjustable buckle Wide entry aperture for convenience and allows broad-ranging calf fit adjustment and support Innovative…

The last few years in the life of professional motocrosser Jay Wilson have been anything but ordinary. The 2015 MX2 champ has transformed from a young, single man with plenty of doubts and questions about his future and who spent every waking minute thinking about dirtbikes and racing, to a mature, married family man with a balanced outlook and a positive future. But it wasn’t a simple process and there were plenty of dark days for the talented Yamaha racer. In the last three years, Jay has experienced the near death of his brother at a race in Horsham, won a national motocross championship with limited support, lost his ride at Honda, become disenchanted with the motorcycle industry, contested the UK Arenacross championship 10,000 kilometres away from home and missed…

Daniel Sanders has a very different style to Dan Milner — he manhandles his bike and dominates it like a dirty gimp (not as bad as Ivan Long, though). He is incredibly fast and dynamic to watch and he was the only one to nip at Milner’s heels all week. Sanders took home second overall and the E2 class win. “It was good to win the E2 class and lead every day,” he said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get the outright win, which was the ultimate goal. The bike was good and I didn’t have any faults with it all week. I was just trying to keep the body in one piece as much as I could. It was very gruelling, especially later on in the week — each day we…

Lachy Stanford had a good tussle with Broc Grabham all week but the Husky rider had what it took to lock in second in E3. Stanford is one of the riders that will just get faster through the next couple of years and will be in for a long career at the top. “I started the week off a little slower than where I wanted to be, so that put me behind on day one,” Stanford said. “From there we changed a few little things, started building and getting faster. My FE 501 went really, really good. I definitely put it through its paces this week with the dusty conditions and really technical, rocky terrain. It was really torturous on the bikes actually, but it didn’t miss a beat. I…

Ben Grabham is still a bad-arse on a bike. He and Damien Smith went at it in the final moto from flag to flag and it was epic to watch. It was great to see a Beta up the front and mixing up the prevailing gene pool a little. “It has been close to five years since I last raced the A4DE, so to get the chance to come back and race the 40th edition A4DE was great. The organisers did a good job at making it a tough A4DE and due to the dry and dusty conditions it was up there with some of the hardest A4DEs I have raced,” Grabham said.…

DAN REARDON (122) – Dan showed he was the man at this year’s Split Rhythm. He qualified fastest and won every single main event, walking away with a cool $12,000 from race wins and another $3000 for the overall win for the weekend. In fact, Dan did not lose a single race all weekend. BRETT METCALFE (24) – The international star who returned home to be the local favourite. Metty certainly kept the crowd pumped and gave them a hometown hero to cheer on. He came close to topping Reardon a couple of times but could not quite get there. DYLAN LONG (7) – The style master was a big fan favourite; I guess no-one told the crowd he was one of those Victorian GP stealers! Between his massive whips…

The list of quality European motorcycle brands used to be fairly short. Lack of parts, unproven machines and reliability issues all left a range of manufacturers off Aussie riders’ shopping lists. In 2018, however, the amount of quality European motorcycle brands is growing rapidly, with some even returning for a second crack at the Australian market. High on the list is the French brand Sherco. Shercos are certainly not new to us here at DIRT ACTION, as we've ridden most of the range since 2009, so hitting the tracks on the 2018 Sherco Six Days is something we could never turn down. THREE’S A CROWD Three Frenchmen walk into a bar… that alone could start a joke. Or an argument. Today, we're here to have an argument about who should…

The 2018 DIRT ACTION Amcross fired into life at the sleepy town of Tharwa, just outside of the nation's capital. Five-hundred-and-thirty riders were treated to a snaking grass track around the front paddock of the Billa Springs property, juniors attacked it Saturday and Seniors would smash loam on Sunday. Myself and Dirt Action project bike rider Dane Thompson were racing and Damo was there to grab photos of the epic action unfolding. “THAT’S THE GREAT THING ABOUT THE DIRT ACTION AMCROSS SERIES — IT’S A CHILLED AND RELAXED WEEKEND IN A COUNTRY TOWN.” FIRST, LET’S SCHNITZEL My wife Treen, my six-month-old daughter and I piled into our Renault Trafic with the Sherco 450 SEF-R project bike wedged between the necessities of travelling with a child. On Friday morning, we pointed…

BIKE SETUP Grass-track or natural-terrain racing rarely features any jumps, so as a general rule, your suspension setup is softer and plusher than a standard motocross setting. You will be served up with some decent acceleration and braking bumps at most circuits, so it’s important to have your setting dialled. Your rebound adjustment and settings come into play here — chat with your suspension tuner to get some tips to keep your bike handling as well as possible. Roost hurts, so handguards are a great option. A tyre such as the Pirelli Mid-Soft MX32 or the Bridgestone X20 will work well on a loamy grass track. Another handy upgrade to your bike is a gripper seat cover to keep your weight forward when accelerating out of turns and deep ruts.…

WHAT’S INSIDE OUR LAUNCH ISSUE: VINCE STRANG Advice from an ADV guru SCENES FROM THE TRAIL A gallery of some of our favourite moments on a motorcycle to kick things off BMW SAFARI The king of ADV rides is one for every Beemer owner’s bucket list TÉNÉRÉ TRAGICS Five days of fun with the blu cru as we ride from Hervey Bay to Dubbo KTM 1290 ADVENTURE R TESTED Have Kato, will conquer. This beast won’t be stopped TACBIKE One man on a mission to just keep riding HONDA AFRICA TWIN TESTED In fact, it’s a DCT model with Öhlins suspension and we gave it hell TRIUMPH 800 XCX Hard not to enjoy your time on the mid-sized rocket RED EARTH RUN Heading west to see how life is under…