Indholdsfortegnelse for May 1, 2015 i Just Bikes

BMW are not known for learnerlevel motorcycles for a very good reason – they don’t really have one! Sure, the G 650 GS fits under the LAMS capacity limit, as do the C 600 Sport and C 650 GT scooters, but a small capacity road bike hasn’t been part of BMW’s modern arsenal – until now. Previewed in the form of the ‘Concept Stunt G 310’ in October, November’s unveiling of the new G 310 R roadster marks the beginning of a new era for BMW Motorrad, with the new entry-level machine designed for what the company calls the “world market”. BMW are working in collaboration with TVS Motor Company on the G 310 R, with the Indian company responsible for manufacturing the new model to BMW quality standards. ALL-NEW…

The first unit from revitalised Italian motorcycle brand SWM – the RS 650R - is now in Australia. Based heavily on Husqvarna’s TE630, the RS 650R is a dual-sport/adventure bike, powered by a liquid-cooled 600cc 4V DOHC single. Other spec features include GET ignition, a Mikuni EFIfuel system, Marzocchi front forks, Sachs rear shock, Brembo brakes and a 21/18-inch front/rear wheel combo. SWM Brand Manager, Stephen Tuff, says that while the RS 650R will be a favourite with dual sport riders, its LAMS-legality, high spec levels, 144kg weight, 12-litre fuel tank and abundance of available accessories make it a bike versatile enough for a number of applications, from daily commutes to rides around Australia. “The dual-sport end of the market is burning bright right now and the RS 650R will…

After a five-year stint with Honda Racing Corporation that saw him win the 2011 MotoGP World Championship, serve as a test rider and compete in this year’s Suzuka 8-Hour race, Casey Stoner will next year return to the brand that helped deliver his first MotoGP title – Ducati. Announced on 23 November, the new arrangement will see the 30-year-old serve as a brand ambassador for Ducati at various events, including the annual World Ducati Week celebrations. Stoner will also undertake test ride duties for Ducati Corse to assist in development of current and upcoming generations of Desmosedici MotoGP machinery. Stoner rode for Ducati in MotoGP from 2007 to 2010, winning a total of 23 races and his first MotoGP World Championship in 2007. The move to HRC and the Repsol…

Honda has revealed details of the 2016 version of their LAMS-legal CBR 300R sports commuter. In Honda dealerships by the time you read this, the 286cc single features a broad power band and abundant bottom-end torque, as well as a sixspeed transmission and slick styling inspired by the bigger CBR models. The steel diamond twin-spar frame and suspension are tuned for a sporty feel, but not at the expense of stability or comfort, with the bike’s LAMS credentials including light weight, low seat height and a comfortable riding position. Available in non-ABS (300R) and ABS (300RA) equipped versions, the MY16 CBR 3000R comes in a choice of three colours, including the Special Edition (pictured) finished in Candy Energy Orange and Matt Gunpowder Black metallic. See your Honda dealer for pricing…

In its 80th anniversary year, the classic property trading game Monopoly has taken on a new form: the ‘MotoGP Monopoly Edition’. Produced by Spanish company, Eleven Force, the MotoGP special edition sees Monopoly’s classic street names replaced with riders from the current MotoGP grid (Rossi, Marquez, Pedrosa, Espargaro, Dovizioso, etc.), as well as other motorcycling legends (Alex Criville, Angel Nieto, etc.). The traditional houses and hotels have been replaced with famous stands and circuits, but given this version’s Spanish origins, it’s biased towards ‘local’ tracks, like Jerez, Catalunya and Aragon. It’s dual language, too, so all cards and labels are in English and Spanish. Continuing the racing theme, the ‘Chance’ and ‘Community Chest’ cards are replaced with ‘Pole Position’ and ‘Podium’ cards. The MotoGP Monopoly Edition is now available from…

The Kustom Kommune, Melbourne’s community motorcycle garage, has announced a new membership structure that’s better, cheaper and more convenient for current and future members. The previous hourly rate has been replaced by an annual flat fee. For only $299, the new membership fee will allow unlimited ride-in-ride-out access to the Kommune and all its facilities for 12 months, with further discounts and bonuses available to members. For projects that require your ride to be off the road, on-site storage at the Kustom Kommune (Easey Street, Collingwood) is also available for $149/month. Storage spots are limited, though, to a maximum of 25 bikes. For further details, contact the Kustom Kommune on (03) 9417 5123, or go to: kustomkommune.com.au…

More than two months after the event, Australia’s senior World Trophy team at the 2015 International Six Day Enduro have finally been declared winners of the event. On day three of the September event, several riders were disqualified for missing a Route Check. This included riders from the French and Spanish World Trophy teams who were battling with Australia for the outright win. Controversially, these disqualifications were overturned two days later and the French team was declared winners of the FIM World Trophy, with Australia second and Spain third. The overturning of those disqualifications during the event were contested immediately afterwards. More recently, the disqualifications of eight riders were re-instated, then appealed by the French, Spanish and British teams at the start of November. In a release issued by the…

The 2015 MotoGP World Championship season will be remembered as one of the best ever, and it will certainly be in the memories of Movistar Yamaha team mates, Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo, but each for very different reasons! Rossi led the championship at every round bar the one that mattered, while Lorenzo, after a poor start, put on a dominant display to add the 2015 crown to MotoGP titles already secured in 2010 and 2012. THE GRAND FINALE Both Rossi and Lorenzo came to the final round at Valencia on 8 November as the only riders with the chance to win the title; Rossi holding a seven point advantage over his team mate – 312 to 305 points. Defending champion, Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez, knocked himself out of any…

In its sixth year, the 2015 Wildwood Rock Extreme Enduro upped the ante with a course that was a challenge for the pro riders, let alone the Clubman and other classes. Held at Wildwood (30km northwest of Melbourne), the 14-15 November event saw organisers prepare a course, 11.5kms long in total, that boasted more challenging and interesting objects for riders to navigate than ever before. If the fork-lift tyres, barrels, waterholes and logs weren’t enough, there was the old Force Accessories-backed Bedford bus that every entrant had to ride through. Yes, a bus...Seriously! Arguably tougher than the man-made obstacles were Mother Nature’s objects. Some of the steep and rough hills thrown the riders’ way were simply out of this world. And let’s not forget the Beta Rock Garden section, which…

More than 1,400 exhibitors, masses of new model bikes, concepts galore, a custom bike competition, live supercross and flat track racing, test rides, gear supermarket and much, much more make EICMA heaven for fans of two wheels - it’s as simple as that. This year’s EICMA attracted almost 630,000 visitors across six days, and saw the debut of 25 new model motorcycles, along with many more concepts and customs. The good news for us is that many of the latest production models that debuted in Milan will be coming to Australia. The following is a highlight of some of the many attractions at EICMA 2015, as well as a window of what you’ll be seeing in local motorcycle showrooms in the near future. DUCATI If visitor interest is anything to…

The 2016 edition of the FIM World Superbike Championship will see major changes made to the World Supersport support class. Following technical and sporting rule changes applied to World Superbikes this year, similar changes will be implemented for World Supersport in 2016, designed to make the series cheaper and boost competition. According to the FIM, new technical rules will reduce teams’ costs, with bike specs modified to bring them closer to machinery used in most national-level Supersport championships. The additional benefit of this is that it will allow an easier transition for national teams as wildcard entries at World Supersport rounds, thus increasing competition. The Europe-only Superstock 600 class will be dropped, replaced by a subcategory within World Supersport exclusive to the European rounds. This will provide additional exposure for…

The latest offering in ONEAL’s 5 Series motorcross helmet range features a bunch of new designs, including the very cool, WWII fighter pilot-style ‘Wingman’, as well as ‘Digi Camo’, the stealth-style ‘California’ and two different colour choices in the ‘Vandal’ graphic. Under the cool graphics is a polycarbonate/ABS shell that exceeds DOT, ECE and AS safety standards. The 2016 design also features new rear vents for improved aerodynamics and airflow, as well as the existing intake and exhaust vents. The plush liner is removable and washable, as are the cheek pads, with replacement liners, cheek pads and peaks available. Great value at only $159.95 RRP each, the ONEAL 5 Series MX helmet range for 2016 is now available from good bike gear retailers. Visit cassons.com.au…

There are plenty of professional custom bike builders out there, and we’ve featured plenty of them in these pages, so it makes a nice change to have a look at the creation of an amateur builder; one that, despite not having a “name” in the industry, is still capable of building something that looks and performs incredibly well. What you’re looking at here is the ‘RDT 350’ and virtually every element of this dirt track-inspired custom is the work of one man – Peter Rowland. PETE’S PLAN Completed last year, the RDT isn’t the first custom to come out of Peter’s Wollongong workshop, but it’s arguably the most impressive. Based around elements of classic RD 350 and DT 250 Yamahas, the custom was created over a twelve month period, with…