Innehållsförteckning för #338 17-10 från Just Bikes

F ollowing top-of-the-table times in all three of this year’s pre-season test sessions, Movistar Yamaha’s new recruit Maverick Vinales carried that form into the first race of the 2017 MotoGP season at Qatar’s Losail circuit. The 22-year-old, who scored his first MotoGP race win last season with Suzuki, won the opening round and has already become a bookies’ early favourite for the 2017 championship. START AT THE TOP At Losail, Vinales took pole in his first race for Movistar Yamaha, sharing the front row of the grid with Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda). MotoGP rookie Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Ducati) made up the second row. The starting positions were a little fortuitous, though, as heavy…

Tickets are now on sale for Honda’s premium VIP suite at this year’s Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island. Situated on Gardner Straight, Honda’s VIP suite offers some of the best seats in the house, with inside, outside and grandstand seating, CCTV screens, prime super screen viewing and great views of the track. Each 3-day ticket includes fully catered hot lunches each day, plus morning and afternoon tea, free non-alcoholic drinks (including barista coffee) and a cash bar for alcohol. Further to the premium seating and meals, Honda VIP ticket holders also receive an event program, Honda gift and access to exclusive daily pit walks with the chance to get up close to the Honda race team garages. Tickets for Honda’s VIP suite at the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix…

Following the announcement that Victory Motorcycles will end production (see JUST BIKES #335), Victory Motorcycles Australia says they’ve notched up record sales for the brand, with local demand so great that additional stock may be brought in from other markets. This past February and March were two of the largest sales months Victory Motorcycles has ever experienced in Australia, with a significant 44 per cent increase recorded in February against an overall road bike market that declined by 17.2 per cent. Victory says enthusiasts, collectors and investors have been buying up motorcycles across the range. “Honestly, we have seen a bit of a buying frenzy,” said Peter Harvey, Country Manager - Victory Motorcycles. “We are seeing a mixture of bargain hunters who are after a great bike at a great…

BMW Motorrad Australia has announced dates for their 2017 Safari programme and also launched a new concept - GS Tours by BMW Safari. Now in its 23rd year, the BMW Safaris will reach new heights, according to BMW Motorrad Australia General Manager, Andreas Lundgren. “I am looking forward to this year’s BMW Safaris. Taking the Enduro Safari to the very tip of Cape York is an exciting endeavour, as is locating the TS and GS Safari in the great expanses of Western Australia,” Lundgren said. “We are also pleased to launch the GS Tours by BMW Safari. The new programme will give BMW GS riders further opportunities to experience the unique character of our motorcycles.” BMW Safari Dates 2017 2017 GS SAFARI ENDURO - CAPE YORK, QLD 5 - 12…

Ducati has confirmed 2016 was another great year for the Italian brand, with 55,451 new motorcycles sold worldwide and turnover of 731 million Euro (around AU$1.2 billion) for the year. Total sales were up 1.2 per cent on 2015: the seventh successive year of sales growth, while turnover was up 4.1 per cent compared to 2015. While the US remains Ducati’s number one market, with 8,787 sales in 2016, European markets have shown notable improvement in the past year, with sales in Spain up by an impressive 38 per cent, Italian sales up by 20 per cent and sales in Germany increasing by 8 per cent. On much smaller volumes, Ducati sales in China, Argentina and Brazil were up by 120, 215 and 38 per cent, respectively. Speaking at the…

The MY17 version of Honda’s CBR 500R mid-sized sports/commuter has arrived, with the main change being the lower price of $7,499 (MLP) – a $600 drop over last year’s model. Available in two colour choices: Graphite Black/Candy Energy Orange; and the bestselling Matte Gunpowder Black Metallic, the MY17 CBR 500R is powered by a torquey 471cc liquid-cooled parallel twin, described by Honda as a ‘next generation’ power unit. Outputs are a claimed 34.4kW and 42.4Nm across a smooth, wide powerband. ABS is standard, as are LED head and tail lights, 41mm front forks, preload adjustable rear suspension, 320mm front and 240mm rear brake discs, 15.7-litre fuel tank and 785mm seat height. Available accessories include panniers, topbox, higher windscreen, heated grips, carbon fibre tank guard and more. LAMS-approved, the new CBR…

The success of Get Routed’s most recent bike shipment to Athens in 2015 has led to the destination being added to the bike shipping specialists’ regular schedule, starting from 2018. Athens shipments will be every two years, with pickups from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne (subject to a 10 bike minimum at each port) in February, to allow for transit and unloading in Athens by the beginning of April. Get Routed’s Dave Milligan says the April arrival usually means good weather for bike touring, with daily temperatures around 18 to 25 degrees Celsius. There are fewer tourists at this time, too, so travelling is less frenetic and accommodation is both cheaper and more readily available. Milligan said the 2018 Brisbane and Sydney shipments are just over half full and the Melbourne…

Responding to increasing concerns over ATV safety, especially for younger riders in rural areas, Polaris has released the ACE 150 EFI: the first single-seat off-road recreational vehicle for youths with a protective cab frame. Modelled along the lines of the larger cabframed Polaris ACE 500, ACE 500 HD and ACE 900 XC ATVs, the ACE 150 EFI offers a comparable level of protection for kids aged 10 and up. Beyond the integral cab frame, additional safety features include four parentallycontrolled speed limit settings for the 150cc four-stroke engine - from 16km/h up to 47km/h - that allow the vehicle’s performance to increase with the youngster’s ability and confidence. A seat belt, side nets, whip flag, parking brake and daytime running lights are also standard, as is a helmet and DVD…

MOTOGP MotoGP official App Described as the best all-inclusive tool for following the 2017 MotoGP World Championship in detail, the brand new Official MotoGP App is now available. Available for iOS and Android, the App comes with premium features, including live and OnDemand high-definition video from every session of every race weekend (with a VideoPass subscription), with the ability to watch up to four of the six available feeds simultaneously, a pause and rewind function, plus a back catalogue of 45,000 videos stretching back to 1992. There’s also a Live Timing feature (accessible via the Timing Pass subscription) that’s been extensively updated for this season and also available Live and On- Demand. Live Timing includes weather info, split times, sector tracking and other exclusive data. The Timing Pass subscription also…

M otorcycling fans of a certain age need no explanation of who Giacomo Agostini is. So for those knowledgable fans, and their less enlightened younger brethren, the chance to see the 15-time world champion is a thrill. To see him saddle up and ride the MV Agustas that helped deliver those championship is extra special. Fans at this year’s QBE Insurance International Festival of Speed - InterFOS - at Sydney Motorsport Park got to see ‘Ago’ and much, much more at an event that continues to grow in prominence and popularity. The 2017 event, held this past 24 – 26 March, proved to be twice as big as last year’s InterFOS, with around 15,000 spectators through the gates. AGO’S SHOW While he’s now 74 and has been retired from motorcycle racing…

The 41st Historic Winton is fast approaching, with this year’s festival for classic race cars and bikes scheduled for 26 – 28 May at Winton Motor Raceway near Benalla in northern Victoria. Conducted by the Austin 7 Club, with assistance from the Historic Motorcycle Racing Association of Victoria, the 41st Historic Winton will feature an estimated 400 classic cars and motorcycles competing over two days, covering everything from the 1920s to the 1980s, across a number of classes, including sidecars. Themes for this year’s all-historic race meeting cover a number of automotive anniversaries, while 110 year milestones for Douglas and Excelsior (US) motorcycles will be recognised, as will the 80th Anniversary of the Triumph Speed Twin. Owners of these makes and models are invited to bring them along for display…

Following its announcement late last year (see JUST BIKES #334), Kawasaki’s Versys X-300 has arrived in Australia. The newest – and smallest – member of Kawasaki’s adventure bike family, the Versys X-300 features the same 296cc liquid-cooled parallel twin engine as the Ninja 300 and Z300, but boasts an all-new frame, specific suspension package, spoked rims and a number of touring-friendly standard and optional features. New Frame, New Shocks, New Wheels Unlike the Ninja 300 and Z300, the Versys X-300 uses a steel backbone frame, specifically designed for this model and created to deliver the rigidity needed for touring on mixed surfaces. The frame features a reinforced rear shock mount and lightening holes in a number of areas to reduce weight. Complementing this is a suspension set-up consisting of 41mm…

Ducati Australia has announced an adventure riding training and event programme called ‘D-A-R-E’ (Ducati Adventure Riding Experience). The new programme has been created in conjunction with Motor School, a registered training provider with over 23 years of experience, led by George Foessel. Foessel and his team of experienced instructors worked with Ducati to develop a programme to enhance the off-road riding experience of Ducati adventure bike owners and enthusiasts. Consisting of two levels (for beginners and more experienced riders), each programme has been designed to ensure owners have the skills needed to get the most out of their machines across a variety of terrain. The Level 1 programme consists of fundamentals, like bike set-up, electronics overview and pre-ride inspection, followed by clutch/throttle/brake control and balance, then on-bike training, covering things…

Suzuki’s MY17 version of the DR200S enduro has arrived, with this latest version ADR approved, so it’s fully road registerable throughout Australia. The DR200S can fill a number of roles, from farm bike to country commuter and weekend trail bike, to the first ‘full-size’ machine for younger riders stepping up from mini-bikes, all with the versatility of ADR compliance, so you don’t have to trailer it to your favourite off-road trails. Powered by a 199cc air-cooled four-stroke single, the DR200S claims fuel economy of 44.9km/litre from the 12.5-litre fuel tank, while the tough steel tube frame and suspension package (tele fork front, linktype rear with preload adjustment) suit the demands of trail and rough road riding with 205mm of travel. Electric start, a 5-speed transmission and quick-action clutch are other…

I n 2016, KTM Australia hosted their first ever Adventure Rallye, which attracted 121 participants on a five-day journey through Victoria’s high country. Following that successful event, many asked, ‘Could it get any better?’. Well, at the conclusion of the second KTM Australia Adventure Rallye this past March, it seems the answer to that question is an emphatic ‘Yes!’. THE CONCEPT KTM’s Adventure Rallies are a worldwide initiative, with multi-day events held in various countries, exclusively for owners of KTM adventure bikes. Each rally is designed to offer opportunities for riders to put themselves and their orange machines to the test, but it’s not just for those with tons of adventure riding experience. KTM understands that not everyone is at Toby Price’s skill level, so the routes and trails selected for…

W hen thoughts of a modern classic custom build cross your mind, the usual choice is to opt for one of the later model Triumphs. And for good reason; their traditional parallel twin engine configuration, rich brand history and vintage-inspired aesthetic make them hard to go past as a donor bike. Kurt, who commissioned this build, knew they were a great option, too, but looked past the well-worn path of Brit twin customisation in favour of something a little less popular, but equally as appropriate and impressive. Enter his 2013-model Kawasaki W800. TURNING JAPANESE Often lauded as being more “Britishlooking” in stock form than the late model Triumphs it’s inspired by, Kawasaki’s W800 is an excellent alternative to British twins for a late-model modern classic build. Kawasaki have some impressive history…