“It is with great sadness that I inform you that our father (Graeme Morris) has past away to bowel cancer yesterday. His courageous battle with bowel cancer over the past three years is a testament to his strength and dedication to be there for his family. He was my best friend, a loving father and the best role model you could ask for. Rest in peace dad”… Aaron Morris

“It is with a  very heavy heart and enormous sadness that I advise my wonderful husband of 38 years,  Graeme Robert Morris, has lost his battle with cancer and passed away age 62 on Monday 25th March 2024. A loving and caring husband, wonderful father to Ryan, Aaron , Jayden and David, a brother, son and much loved friend to many”… Wendy Morris

There will be a memorial service for Graeme at Pettigrew Family funerals Mayfield Chapel at 12 noon tomorrow Thursday 4th April. Click here to watch the service live stream.

Graeme was much liked, respected and extremely well known in the industry he was part of for over 40-years. A late starter when it comes to motorcycle racing, Morris was already in his very early 20s before he had a crack at road racing back in 1982 at Oran Park on his own Yamaha RD250LC proddie racer. He would eventually become the first NSW rider to reach A-Grade on production motorcycles.

Lots of two-stroke production success followed, and some four-stroke racing including the 1983 Castrol 6-Hour, where he was noticed by Willing, who ended up signing Graeme for the 1984 season riding a trio of Yamaha models (RZ250, RZ500, XJ900), in production racing, with a view to going overseas from 1985 to the world 250GPs.

Unfortunately a serious accident at Lakeside in 1984 left Graeme in rehab and off the track for almost a year. He had been on the RZ500 and it tank slapped him feet-first into the armco at high speed. He was lucky to survive… He would come back in 1985, and dice up front with Mick Doohan and Michael Dowson just to name a few. There is no doubting Morris had the talent to win a world championship.

Graeme teamed up with Roy Leslie on the Frasers DDT Ducati 851 Superbike in 1990 and had some great races, before switching to SuperStreet in 1991, winning the serious on his Action Suzuki GSX-R750. From there, it was the start of a dominant number of years in Australian SuperSport 600 riding the Maxima Oils Honda CBR600F models, winning two Australian Supersport titles on the way.

Proving the extreme talent and experience Morris had, he was riding against riders like Troy Bayliss and Fred Bayens. Then, into the mid 1990s, taking many wins against the likes of Andrew Pitt, Kevin Curtain, Dean Thomas, Paul Young, Mal Campbell, Shawn Giles, Damon Buckmaster, Paul Free, Sean Brenton, Warwick Nolan just to name a few top riders Graeme gave a hard time to on track in the 600 class, where he was older than most of the field by a fair margin, too.

Away from the racetrack Morris was extremely well known, having worked in the motorcycle industry much of his life after completing his trade as a fitter and machinist out of school. After he retired from racing following the 2000 Bathurst superbike podium, Graeme opened up Graeme Morris Motorcycles in Newcastle, which became a thriving shop and the place where we picked up our CFMOTO and KYMCO press bikes. It was a great family business, which ran for over 20-years until the family closed up to concentrate on Graeme’s fight against this horrible disease. Our condolences go to all of Graeme’s family and friends, and we will have a multi part series on Graeme in the near future. Jeff Ware. 

The post Vale Graeme Robert Morris – 14/10/1961 – 25/3/2024 | Australian motorcycle legend appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

For over 20 years, Yamaha Australia has been a major player in the Australian Off Road Championship and that will continue for 2024 as again the bLU cRU have taken up the naming rights of the long standing championship. Another 12 rounds over six weekends are scheduled and taking in some of the best riding terrain in the country with the nations’ best off-road pilots.

ShopYamaha Off-Road
Spearing Yamaha’s presence at the AORC will be the ShopYamaha off Road Team of Kyron Bacon and Wil Dennett. The two young guns of Australian enduro racing will be out to make their presence felt with Bacon contesting the E1 division (250cc) while Dennett steps up to handle the E2 duties (450cc).

Tasmanian based sensation, Kyron Bacon is fit, fast and motivated to get his AORC number 1 plate back after an injury interrupted 2023 season. Bacon took the E1 and outright honours in 2022, but a broken leg mid-way through the 2023 season halted any chance of retaining the crown, but to his credit, he still managed to charge his way back to a podium position by seasons end and finish the year on a strong note. 

“Last year had some challenges but it also had a lot of positive things I can take from it and I’m fired up and ready to get racing in 2024,” Bacon begins. “I’m well and truly over my injury and riding well and have already spent a few days with the team testing and preparing for the new season.”

“I missed a couple of rounds last year and even though Josh Green has retired, the depth of this years’ championship looks even better. Having Daniel back will be great for the championship and his profile can only add to the AORC and I look forward to racing not just him, but all the other riders in this years’ championship and doing my best to keep the number one plate on Yamaha for another year,” Bacon said.     

Alongside Bacon will be Wil Dennett who steps into the E2 division after the retirement of long-time racer, Josh Green. But make no mistake, Dennett earned his way onto the premier team with some sensational performances in the Under 19 class in 2023, that included plenty of Outright podiums and top five results.   

Racing with bLU cRU support in 2023, Dennett was comfortably the most improved rider in last years’ championship and the steep learning curve looks set to stay with his progression to the ShopYamaha team and under the guidance of AJ Roberts.

“I have been a Yamaha rider for a long time and it’s awesome that I have been able to work my way up through the ranks with their support and make it to the premier team,” Dennett says with enthusiasm. “Last year was awesome for me, and it was topped off when AJ called at the end of the season and offered me a ride. I’m not sure who was more stoked, me or my dad.

“I have to keep working hard and I have big shoes to fill with Josh retiring but I’m looking forward to it. The extra support from the team gives me more time to ride and train, my bikes will be better prepared, and I have worked hard over the off season to improve my riding and fitness, so I will be ready for the opening rounds.”

Yamaha Ballard’s Off-Road Racing
Jess Gardiner and her team are back for another season and looking to keep the momentum going from a successful 2024 season that saw her and Danielle McDonald win their respective championships as well as finish on the podium in the worlds team championships (ISDE) in Argentina.

Continuing with a three-rider outfit that will now see McDonald join Gardiner in the senior women’s class after dominates the junior girls while Jeremy Carpentier will fly the flag in the E1 class on the WR450F.

Gardiner will be gunning for eighth AORC championship, but it is highly likely, her main opposition will be parked right beside her in the JGR tent. Gardiner has been a mentor for McDonald over the past few seasons, but this year, they go head-to-head over 12 rounds. Will it be the gritty determination of the veteran in Gardiner that climbs the mountain again, or the young, fast and stylish McDonald that brings the gardiner train to a halt?

For Carpentier, the all new WR450F has been like a breath of fresh air and he has gelled with the bike the moment he threw a leg over it. The light, agile and exciting new model that was built for Australian conditions has Carpentier charged up for the new season and ready to create some damage in the E2 class.

Yamaha bLU cRU Support
A new layer of support was introduced by Yamaha for the 2023 and the success was instant. The three-rider team of Cooper Sheidow, Wil Dennett and Jett Yarnold finished the year with two AORC championships and a third place in an outstanding debut. The support given to Wil Dennett enabled him to move up to the ShopYamaha team while Sheidow and Yarnold return for another season with Yamaha bLU cRU Support.

Sheidow is the current E1 champion after a consistent and impressive start to his time on Yamaha. He was in the heat of the battle right from the opening round, filled in for the inured Bacon with the ShopYamaha team and when the pressure was on at the final round, Sheidow kept his composure and secured the championship for himself and Yamaha.

The South Australian rider established himself on the national scene in 2023 and with a season under his belt on Yamaha as well as the continued support of the ShopYamaha team, expect Sheidow to continue his upward trend in the 2024 season.  

Yarnold stepped out of juniors and made in an immediate impact, taking third in the EJ (under 19 championship), and finishing on the podium at most rounds. Yarnold adapted well to the team surroundings and will enter this year’s championships as one of the favourites in the development category.

GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing
Yamaha Junior Racing made the move into off road racing in 2023 with the two-rider line up of Marcus Nowland and Harley Hutton. Both return for 2024 with YJR support and will continue to fly the flag at AORC events.

Hutton won multiple rounds in 2023 and showed he is the real deal when it comes to off road despite his young age. He will again contest the J2 (85cc) class for 2024 and will be out to get the number one plate on his YZ85.

For Nowland, he had an up and down year but gained valuable experience in his first year on the bigger capacity bikes. Now settled and comfortable on the 250cc machine, Nowland will be aiming for the top as he embarks on the new season.

The 2024 AORC gets under way in March and will run 12 rounds ending in September. 

The post Yamaha Continues Massive AORC Support For 2024 appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

The bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup is back with a grid full of adrenaline filled thrill-seekers ready to do battle it out over six rounds this year and begin their journey in road racing. The category has been a huge winner for both Yamaha and the ASBK championship as it has introduced hundreds of riders into circuit racing and been a successful breeding ground for many riders. The first batch of riders are now entering Australian Supersport classes and others contesting international championship events.

The R3 Cup returns and with three rounds to be contested in this year’s series branded as the ShopYamaha R3 Cup. ShopYamaha is Yamaha’s online market place and can be found via the Yamaha Motor Australia website – ; https://shop.yamaha-motor.com.au/

Starting in Australia nearly a decade ago, the R3 Cup is now a worldwide racing program that sees all riders compete on Yamaha R3 machines and provides them with the opportunity to develop their skills and compete internationally with two Australian riders invited to the R3 Cup Supefinale in Portugal last year. Yamaha also offer the only manufacturer track side support at the ASBK rounds via our YRD program. Need technical advice or a part to get you through the weekend, then head over to see Stewart and Janice Winton at the YRD truck and they will be too happy to help you out.

And, just because you race a Yamaha at the ASBK rounds, Yamaha offer a lucrative bonus program for each round and the championship that has seen Yamaha dish out over $100,000 per season in recent years. Put yourself on the podium and your next stop is the bank. Add to that sponsorship of the ASBK Championship, a race replica, five bike display at each round and the presence of the Yamaha Racing Team and you have the biggest backers of racing in Australia.  

Yamaha Racing Team
The boys are back for 2024! Despite not winning the 2023 Superbike Championship, the duo of Cru Halliday and Mike Jones put a YRT R1M on the podium at every round last season. The final results saw Halliday in third and Jones in fifth but on track shows they were both far more competitive than the results show.

Halliday keeps his long-term relationship going for 2024 and showed there is plenty of fight and motivation in the New South Welshmen with his strong finish to the year. Halliday started the year well, with podiums in the six of the first seven races and then finished the year with a second place at Phillip Island, highlighted with a race win, and a second-place finish at the final round at The Bend. 

“YRT is my racing home and I’m looking forward to another year of racing with the team,” Halliday begins. “The last couple of years, both Mike and myself at been very competitive at every track and it’s a credit to the guys on the team for the hard work they do and the bikes they build. My motivation is as high as ever and its time I rewarded my family and the team with a championship win so I’m all out to get that done in 2024,”

Mike Jones will bring back his familiar number 46 for the 2024 season as he fights to regain the number 1 plate again. The three-time ASBK champ had a luckless season in 2023 and despite producing some of the closest and most exciting racing ASBK has seen, Jones couldn’t recapture the magic that saw him win the 2022 crown.

But there were lessons learnt and improvements made at every circuit on the schedule, so Jones comes into the 2024 season confident that he can produce the kind of riding that has seen him climb the mountain three times before.

“I took a few weeks off after the final round last year and had the chance to reflect on what I did well and what I can improve on this season and I believe that I’m still not at my peak as a rider. Last year I set a number of personal best times at the majority of the tracks and I think myself, the team and the bike can go even faster in 2024. I know the guys haven’t stopped back in the workshop as they prepare for the season and we have a number of riding days and tests scheduled prior to round one to ensure we are in a good place when the championship starts,” Jones comments.

The opening round of the ASBK Championship is ran in conjunction with the first round of the FIM Superbike World Championships (WSBK) on February 23 -25.

Editor’s Note: If you are reading this article on any website other than BikeReview.com.au, please report it to BikeReview via our contact page, as it has been stolen or re-published without authority.

The post Halliday And Jones Spearhead Yamaha ASBK Presence appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Having showcased remarkable potential during his debut year in the Supersport, Hayden made headlines with an impressive pole position at Morgan Park in the 2023 season. Despite being his first year in the championship, Hayden secured an admirable 8th place overall. Now, with BCperformance making a bold return to the Supersport category after a hiatus since 2018, the anticipation for the upcoming season is palpable.

Hayden Nelson expresses equal enthusiasm for this new chapter, eagerly embracing the challenges that come with riding the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R 636. The young rider is poised to make waves in the Australian Supersport Championship, and BCperformance Racing Team is confident that Hayden’s skill and determination will contribute to a thrilling and successful season.

“I’m really excited to join BCperformance for 2024. Although the new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R 636 has not been raced in ASBK before. Its Australian debut at the Sydney Summer Night Series has shown it to be a competitive bike. I can’t wait to ride the bike and continue the development process with the team. I will be working hard to get up to speed with the bike and tyres as quickly as I can and pushing to be ready to achieve strong results from round 1.”

Using Kawasaki machinery for a 12th year, BCperformance will be throwing all their weight behind Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR mounted Paris Hardwick, who rejoins the team for a 2nd term after finishing his debut season as the Superbike Rookie of the Year and is also eager to get back to business…

“2024 will be my second year with BC Performance, I’m feeling really settled in the team and really appreciate Kelvin and the team helping me learn my way around the superbike. I’m looking forward to my second year in ASBK and really want to make the move up to be in the mix of the top ten.”

Team Manager Kelvin Reilly is looking forward to getting things underway… “It’s going to be a busy and challenging year with 2 riders in 2 different classes and I am keen to get started, we are excited to have Hayden onboard and looking forward to seeing what we can do with the new ZX-6R 636. Paris has been working really hard in the off-season and with his rookie season behind him, I feel he will start to show his speed. Thanks to Kawasaki Motors Australia, Landscapesupplies.com.au, Australian United Timbers, Maximair, and New Holland for their continued support”

The post BCperformance Racing Team Ready For The 2024 ASBK Season appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

As a dual Australian champion, Tungate, from Kurri Kurri (NSW), now joins a revered group of riders who have won the Duke of Edinburgh trophy on multiple occasions, including Fricke, Chris Holder, Leigh Adams, Jason Crump, Craig Boyce and Bill Sanders.

Despite a disappointing final round, Fricke’s exceptional body of work, particularly in rounds 2-4 – including top-scoring results in Wodonga and Mildura – saw him still finish second in the championship, 6pts ahead of Jack Holder and Jaimon Lidsey.

To bookmark what has been an exceptional championship, Holder then won a run-off against Lidsey to officially finish third overall, with the leading quartet now locked in for the 2024 Speedway GP qualifiers which culminate in the Czech Republic on October 4. The top three riders in that event earn spots in the 2025 Speedway GP series.

“My main goal throughout the championship was to be consistent and try to make as many finals as possible to keep the pressure on,” said Tungate. “I’m proud I was able to do that, but it wasn’t easy in the face of such strong opposition. There were a couple of hiccups along the way, but I remained hungry and determined throughout and I’m delighted to win my second Aussie title. And to wrap it up at Gillman, one of the best speedway tracks in the country, was really satisfying. Thanks to all the riders who competed, and I especially want to acknowledge Max (Fricke) who put on a great show and is always exceptionally hard to beat.”

The Australian Championship was turned on its head early on at Gillman after Fricke only scored 2pts in his opening three rides – an exclusion and two third places – while Tungate was peerless with four wins in succession. Fricke wasn’t done yet, though. A magnificent rearguard action him win his final two races to sneak into the semi-finals – but that was where his gritty fightback ended as he finished last in the opening semi-final behind Tungate, Jack Holder and Chris Holder.

The weight was then lifted from Tungate’s shoulders, as he only had to finish the final to guarantee championship success – and that he did, finishing second behind Brady Kurtz and in front of Lidsey and Jack Holder.

The post Tungate Wins The 2024 Australian Speedway Championship appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Responding to the dynamic demands of the local events calendar and the request of the township of Jerez de la Frontera, the FIM and Dorna WorldSBK have agreed to delay this year’s curtain closing event by one week.

In a bold step towards inclusivity and diversity in motorsport, the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship (WorldWCR) debuts in 2024, reflecting a broader vision and commitment to fostering the growth of women in circuit racing.

2024 Women’s World Circuit Racing World Championship Calendar

The WorldWCR is a groundbreaking initiative designed to maximise the opportunities and potential of young female riders, providing them with a global platform to showcase their skills, as emerging international talent will have the chance to compete under the same conditions as the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, with six rounds running alongside WorldSBK events.

The post 2024 Women’s World Circuit Racing Championship Calendar appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Team Australia will be led by six-time Australian champion Charli Cannon (pictured) in her debut for Honda, and she will be joined by fellow ProMX stars Emma Milesevic (Honda), Madison Brown (Honda), Taylor Thompson, (Yamaha), Tayla McCutcheon (Kawasaki) and Madi Healey (GasGas).

After some last-minute reshuffling, Team New Zealand will be represented by Karaitiana Horne, Taylar Rampton, Breanna Rodgers, Hannah Powell, Letitia Alabaster and Melissa Patterson, with four-time FIM women’s motocross world champion Courtney Duncan also on hand to provide wise counsel.

The FIM Oceania Women’s Motocross Cup will be held over three motos of 12 minutes plus one lap, which will be incorporated into the Woodville senior women’s races. The team which has the lowest score will be declared the winner. Tickets can be purchased at the gate for the 62nd Woodville New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix, with racing on both Saturday and Sunday (January 27-28).

The post FIM Oceania Women’s Motocross Cup On This Weekend! appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Oli Bayliss – World Supersport
The D34G Racing squad have confirmed they’ll be retaining the services of Oli Bayliss for this year, as he’ll be looking for a much better 2024 following an injury-interrupted 2023, which saw him struggle to produce his best due to spending so much time on the sidelines.

The D34G Racing squad have confirmed they’ll be retaining the services of Oli Bayliss for this year, as he’ll be looking for a much better 2024 following an injury-interrupted 2023…

Eager to put in a strong off-season of training to hit the ground running at his season opening home round at the iconic Phillip Island circuit, he’ll be hoping to get the ball rolling in a positive direction from the off, as Bayliss is keen to repay the faith shown in him by his team.

“I’m very excited to be racing for Team D34G Racing again. I feel like last year I didn’t get to show my speed due to some injuries and unlucky moments. I really enjoyed being with these guys and I’m happy to be going around the clock one more time to show how fast we can be. A big thank you to all of my sponsors, supporters and the whole D34G Racing for giving me this opportunity,” he declared.

Team owner Davide Giugliano is equally looking forward to seeing what the hotshot can achieve. “Obviously I’m really excited to dive into this new season and I can’t wait to get to the track. I’m really happy with this year’s rider line-up. We will continue with Oli and for him it’ll be another season of growth and we’ll try to maximise the work done this year, which for him was a bit of an unlucky one due to injuries. In any case I’m happy with him and he surely has mine and the team’s full trust,” 

Tom Edwards – World Supersport
Having impressed in the World Supersport Challenge series last term on his way to winning races and being crowned vice-champion, talented Australian Tom Edwards has secured a ride with the D34G Racing team for 2024, where he’ll be teammates with countryman Oli Bayliss.

Chomping at the bit to get stuck in and stamp his mark again in the Challenge category that competes in the European World Supersport rounds, it’ll be fascinating seeing if he can adapt quickly to the Ducati after being on a Yamaha.

“I’m very excited to be joining the D34G racing team next season and to be staying in the WorldSBK paddocks. I made a lot of progress towards the end of last season, and I’m looking forward to keeping that momentum going. I’m confident that the team and I will work well together and be competitive,” he said.

“It’ll be great to be under the leadership of team owner Davide Giugliano with all his experience. Can’t wait to get on the V2 and test it out in the new year, I think it’ll really suit my riding style. I’d like to thank Davide, the D34G team, my sponsors and my supporters for the opportunity.”

Jett Lawrence – AMA Supercross
Jett Lawrence began his first 450 AMA Supercross race in fine style by claiming a memorable victory to become the first-ever rookie in history to win on their premier class debut. Launching out of the gate masterfully to bank the holeshot, this saw him ideally placed to avoid the early chaos to ride his own race. And that he did, on his way to leading every lap against an absolutely stacked field at Anaheim.

Making a real statement with his seven-second win under the bright lights, there was no denying the gifted 20-year-old, who emphatically carried his exceptional form from last year into the season opener.

Jett Lawrence began his first 450 AMA Supercross race in fine style by claiming a memorable victory to become the first-ever rookie in history to win on their premier class debut…

“It’s an unreal thing to grasp, winning my first 450 Supercross. With how many years the sport has been around, you’d think someone has done it before, so I’m definitely grateful and happy to do it for Honda; it’s an awesome feeling getting into the history books for them. The season’s off to a great start, and hopefully we can keep doing the same throughout the season,” explained a delighted Jett.

Heading into the second round in San Francisco, and this bout certainly didn’t go to plan here because of the savage muddy conditions throwing a real spanner in the works for everyone. Forced to negotiate the rain and the sloppy and unpredictable conditions, Jett struggled to find his groove. To his credit, though, he fought through some missteps to claim ninth in the shortened main.

Next stop on the calendar was San Diego, which posed a great opportunity for him to rebound, in a round where the weather played its part too inside Snapdragon Stadium, with the rain making things challenging once more. Although it wasn’t anywhere near as bad as San Francisco, it still made the racing treacherous.

Starting the weekend with a nasty crash on press day, this left him with a jammed thumb. But, to his credit, the phenom battled the pain and a rough start to ride to a solid fourth. Engaging in a robust duel with Jason Anderson, the pair’s altercation after the race stole the headlines, with them clearly annoyed at one another in the heat of the moment. Jett has since apologised for his role in the disagreement. Sitting third in the standings and well and truly in the title hunt, he’ll be hoping to get back on the box when the series heads back to Anaheim.

Hunter Lawrence – AMA Supercross
Hunter Lawrence’s step up to the 450 class certainly wasn’t what he envisaged, as the Honda star failed to make the main event in Anaheim on his class debut. Enduring a night to forget that was littered with bad luck and adversity, the determined Aussie was justifiably disappointed afterwards.

“That obviously wasn’t how we planned for my 450 debut to play out, but there’s only one way to go from here, and it’s one I’m very familiar with: put my head down and get back to work,” he asserted.

Responding positively in the muddy quagmire in San Francisco, there was much to admire about how he rallied to secure a credible 10th. Ready for more at round three in San Diego his day at the office started off on the right foot, for he grabbed seventh in qualifying before the rain arrived.

Managing the hazardous track wisely to progress from his heat and into the main, it was terrific to see him claim a confidence-boosting seventh in the main. “We had a good learning curve. Unfortunately, our result didn’t really reflect the riding in the main event – I feel like we rode very well. A lot of positives and an improvement on last weekend, so we just have to keep on building. Our time is coming,” he told the HRC website.

Aaron Tanti – AMA Supercross
Making the full-time step to race 450 AMA Supercross for 2024, the former Aussie champion and WSX heavy hitter disappointingly suffered an injury after a nasty practice crash in the lead up to Anaheim 1. Forced to delay the start of his crusade, this latest setback came at a terrible time, for he’d only just returned to training following breaking some ribs at the WSX round in Abu Dhabi.

“Well not the post I want to be doing leading into A1. Not long ago I had a practice crash and I thought everything was okay, but when I rode a few times after and I had some issues and unfortunately found out yesterday that I need to get them fixed. Devastated to say the least, but I’ll be back when I can to continue the series. Thank you to everyone supporting me and the whole PRMX team,” he stated.

Toby Price – Dakar Rally
The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing star produced an accomplished showing in his 10th Dakar Rally to claim fifth in the brutal event. Riding with intelligence and consistency as he navigated the 12 stage slog smartly, his best finish was second in the final leg.

When speaking after the completion of the gruelling Dakar Rally, Price cut a reasonably content figure, saying: “For us, it’s definitely been a really tough event this year. Thankfully, it’s always a good result when you can get to the finish line in one piece at the Dakar, and here we are, happy and healthy.”

“Looking back over the week, we were never far off the pace, just made a few too many mistakes out there and as you know that can cost some serious time at Dakar. The whole Red Bull KTM team have been incredible over the two weeks and have worked so hard. It’s a shame we’ve not been able to reward them with a podium. Big credit to the top guys as well, they got it done this year, so congratulations to them.”

Daniel Sanders – Dakar Rally
Although his preparation for the iconic Dakar Rally was far from ideal courtesy of him suffering a broken femur back in May, the popular pilot put in a valiant effort to finish a very respectable eighth.

Considering he underwent his final surgery in November, and this makes his achievement all the more impressive. Bagging many top five results and displaying just what a class act he is on the big stage, there was plenty to admire about his character-filled performance.

Bagging many top five results and displaying just what a class act he is on the big stage, there was plenty to admire about his character-filled performance…

“Coming in I didn’t have much preparation at all. I broke my femur really badly eight months ago and I only had December on the bike to prepare, so all I could really do was spend as much time on the bike as possible. But we were able to get the bike good and here we are at the finish line,” he shared.

“My last surgery was only three months ago, and the bone still isn’t fully healed. I didn’t expect to be here back in November so I’m really happy to finish another Dakar. It’s certainly been a challenge this year and I’ve missed a lot of racing during the last two years, so my goal now is to stay healthy, then return bigger and better next year. I’ll be doing everything I can to make that happen.”

The post Aussies Racing Abroad: February 2024 appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Former racer Barrie Baxter, Chairman of the Torrens Trophy Nominations Committee said: “It gives us enormous pleasure to award the 2023 Torrens Trophy to Triumph for its amazing work in the Moto2TM World Championship, motorcycling’s number two grand prix series. The company has provided engines for the entire Moto2 grid for the past five seasons, proving to the world that its engineering and technology can thrive in arguably the toughest bike racing series of them all”.

It doesn’t really need to be said that these riders demand everything and more from their engines, which must therefore be capable of surviving serious abuse. During Triumph Racing’s five years in Moto2 its three-cylinder 765 engines have covered more than one million kms, achieving 95 race and outright lap records, enabling 21 different riders to win a Moto2 race. 

Triumph Racing has thus done a great service to the MotoGP paddock and to the Triumph name, proving that a renowned brand has risen again to prove itself at the very forefront of high-performance motorcycling.

Nick Bloor, Triumph Motorcycles CEO added: “This award is a real honour, and a tribute to the hard work and passion of our Triumph Racing team. Our world-class engineers are always looking at new ways to enhance the engine performance, from speed, power and torque, to revs, cylinder pressure and compression ratio. This has enabled us to deliver improvements on track each season, from shorter race times to faster top speeds, which has contributed to closer, even more exciting, racing.  

“Moto2 is also an excellent platform to showcase the durability, reliability and class-leading performance of our 765 triple engines on the road. Over the last five years we’ve used the race engine programme to drive enhancements and gain insights that we’ve used to further develop and evolve our new Street Triple 765 range, which has successfully driven demand and sales across the world. It’s a partnership that we are excited to be continuing until 2029.” 

Triumph’s five Moto2 champions since 2019 are Alex Marquez, Enea Bastianini, Remy Gardner, Augusto Fernandez and Pedro Acosta. Four of these riders will be in MotoGP this year and almost half the current MotoGP grid has scored grands prix victories on Triumph-powered Moto2 bikes – another massive testament to the power of Triumph.

This year Triumph Racing will also enter the motocross world championships for the first time, while also attacking the hugely popular American Supercross and Pro Motocross championships.

Five Previous Torrens Trophy winners

• 2022 Mike Trimby, for his tireless work to improve circuit safety and represent the riders, teams and commercial side of MotoGP.
• 2021 The Crescent Yamaha team for winning the riders’, teams’ and manufacturers’ titles in the FIM World Superbike Championship.
• 2020 Emma Bristow for claiming her seventh consecutive FIM Women’s Trial World Championship.
• 2019 Peter Hickman for his three Isle of Man TT victories and for setting the world’s fastest road race lap record of 136.415mph at the Ulster GP.
• 2018 Tai Woffinden for being the most successful British speedway rider in history.
• 2017 Jonathan Rea MBE for being the first rider to win three consecutive World Superbike Championships.

The Torrens Trophy
The Royal Automobile Club has always had a close association with the motorcycling world.  The Club formed the Auto Cycle Club in 1903, which went on to become the Auto Cycle Union in 1947.  The first motorcycle race was held on the Isle of Man in 1905 for cars – two years before the first Tourist Trophy for motorcycles.  

The Torrens Trophy recognises an individual or organisation considered to have made an outstanding contribution to the cause of safe and skilful motorcycling in the United Kingdom, or to have made an outstanding contribution of technical excellence to further the cause of motorcycling in the UK, or to have shown outstanding skill in international motorcycling sporting events in the United Kingdom.

The Torrens Trophy was first awarded in 1978 in memory of Arthur Bourne, a motorcycling journalist who wrote a column under the name ‘Torrens’. Arthur Bourne was also a Vice-Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club. It is awarded only when the Club feels that the achievement justifies it.

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The Desmo450 MX was presented on the PalaCampiglio stage in the racing livery that it will sport in competition this year – in the Italian Motocross Pro – Prestige MX1 Championship – by the Ducati Corse R&D – Factory MX Team managed by Corrado and Marco Maddii. Ducati say the target of this first season of racing is mainly to acquire data and information in racing to contribute to the development of the Desmo450 MX that will go into production in the second half of 2025.

It will be Alessandro Lupino who will take part in all the rounds of the Italian Championship, as well as in an intense testing program, in which he will be joined by Antonio Cairoli. The race debut of the Ducati Desmo450 MX is planned for March 16 and 17 in Mantua for the first round of the Italian Motocross Pro Prestige MX1 Championship.

Claudio Domenicali (CEO Ducati Motor Holding): “It is a great pleasure to inaugurate another Ducati racing season in Madonna di Campiglio, a location that perfectly expresses the values of ‘Made in Italy’ of which we are proud ambassadors and which last year represented the starting point of an unforgettable season. The path that has led us to be the best in the world in racing is undoubtedly made up of the hard daily work of these years, but also of our ability to work as a team and have fun while putting our maximum effort into what we do.”

“One of the strong elements of our brand is the ability to create a system and today we demonstrate this by jointly presenting the official teams for the 2024 season: the Ducati Lenovo Team, the Aruba.it – Racing Ducati Team and the novelty represented by the Ducati Corse R&D – Factory MX Team. Seeing the three bikes next to each other was a great emotion for me because, although different from each other, they are part of a single project. This belonging is underlined by the basic colour of the liveries, Ducati Red, the same for all, and also by a completely new graphic that recalls the curve present in the Ducati logo, inspired by the most exciting part of riding a motorbike: the bend. At the same time, these bikes are also an expression of the path that Ducati has taken in recent years, investing in its future.”

“The entry into motocross is in fact the clear example that our will to improve and our desire to win have no limits. In these two days we will have the opportunity to give ourselves the right energy for a season that promises to be full of challenges, in which we will try to confirm our leadership in the main track racing world championships and demonstrate our capabilities in a new terrain such as specialist off-road. Challenges have always encouraged us to bring out the best and we feel absolutely ready.”

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