West, a seasoned competitor with an extensive career in MotoGP, World Supersport, and various international racing championships, brings decades of experience to the partnership. His aggressive yet calculated racing style demands top-tier protection, making Kabuto Helmets the perfect fit for his 2025 campaign.

Read our special exclusive Kabuto feature here…

“I’m thrilled to be partnering with Kabuto,” said West. “Their helmets offer incredible aerodynamics, lightweight design, and uncompromising safety, everything a rider needs to stay protected at the highest levels of competition. I’m excited to put their gear to the test on the track this season.”

Kabuto Helmets, a brand with a strong reputation for innovation and cutting-edge helmet technology, expressed enthusiasm about welcoming West to their roster of elite riders.

“We are proud to have Anthony West represent Kabuto Helmets in 2025,” said Chris Lynis, Kabuto Helmets Australian brand manager. “His experience and passion for racing align perfectly with our brand values. We look forward to supporting him throughout the season.”

Read our Kabuto reviews here… Check out Pit Lane Studio imagery here…

As West embarks on his 2025 racing journey, fans can expect to see him sporting the Kabuto brand, engineered for superior performance and safety. His collaboration with the brand further solidifies Kabuto’s presence in the world of professional motorcycle racing.

For more information on Anthony West and Kabuto Helmets, visit www.kabuto.com.au or follow their social media channels for the latest updates.

The post Anthony West Signs With Kabuto Helmets For 2025 Season appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Friday
Friday’s WorldSBK action at Phillip Island saw Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) dominate proceedings, setting a new lap record and finishing atop the timesheets. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) secured second place overall, while Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha), in third, showcased strong potential with a new lap record in FP1.

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) led the Independent contenders, securing fourth place overall, followed closely by Rookie Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) in sixth. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) had a quiet start finishing tenth overall and Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) took seventh place.

However, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), the Reigning Champion, finished 12th overall, while perennial contender Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) ended up in 16th place in the combined results.

In the electrifying Supersport Superpole session at Phillip Island, Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) showcased his prowess, clinching pole position with a breathtaking lap record despite a late crash, setting the tone for an exhilarating race. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) closely followed in second place, demonstrating impressive speed alongside Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) who secured third. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) positioned himself in fourth, while Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) and Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) rounded off the top six with impressive performances.

Despite facing challenges, Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) and Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) secured spots on the third row, emphasizing their resilience. Meanwhile, Jorge Navarro (WRP-RT Motorsport by SKM-Triumph) overcame a crash to secure ninth, with Niki Tuuli (EAB Racing Team) completing the top 10, ensuring a fiercely competitive grid for Race 1.

Full Friday Superbike and Supersport results here…

Saturday
Superpole
The first session that counts, the first that matters for the larger context of the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship: Tissot Superpole from the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit and the Grand Ridge Brewery Australian Round was electric. With all the hype about unpredictability and the new line-up for this new era, it was a session with stories everywhere you looked. In what is probably the most incredible Superpole session in recent memory to open a season, it was rookie Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) who denied Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) in the closing moments with two rookies lining up 1-2 on the grid for their first race for the first time in WorldSBK history.

Full Superbike Superpole results here…

Race One
WorldSBK Race 1 at Phillip Island provided thrilling action and historic moments with intense battles among the leading riders and strategic maneuvers during the pit stop phase between Laps 9 and 11.

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) stole the show by claiming victory on his WorldSBK debut, achieving a remarkable feat as the first WorldSSP Reigning Champion to win on his first SBK race, marking an unprecedented accomplishment in the championship’s history.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) displayed impressive pace and strategy to claim second place. Making a sensational return to racing, Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) secured third place after leading in the early stages of the race. Locatelli and Iannone completed an all-Italian podium sweep, echoing a milestone last achieved in 1993.

Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) demonstrated strong competitiveness, finishing in fourth position, followed closely by Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK), who initially crossed the line in fourth but was demoted to fifth.

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) struggled to find his rhythm, ultimately finishing in 15th position after a crash, while Jonathan Rea’s (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) difficulties persisted as he crossed the line outside the points in 17th place. Australian Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK), encountered misfortune during the race, as a collision with another rider led to an early retirement.

“Maybe it’s the best day of my life! It’s difficult to already believe it but it is something incredible; I was dreaming about this for many months but now it’s reality. I took pole position; I won my first race and got the lap record. It’s something special that I’ll never forget, said Bulega.

I started to cry a little bit and then, there were good emotions as I saw all my guys on the finish line and all my guys with a big, incredible smile. It was so nice for me. It’s incredible because this team is like my second family, and they always believed in me. When I came here from Moto2, I was in a bad moment, but they kept believing. This is my third year with them, and we started in a very good way. I’ll try to continue giving them a lot of smiles. I’m ready for my first Tissot Superpole Race and I’ll try to do my best.”

WorldSBK Race 1 Results

1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +2.280s
3. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) +2.630s
4. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +4.728s
5. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +5.706s
6. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +8.333s

Download Full Results

Supersport
Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) secured victory after overcoming a poor start and establishing a commanding lead in Race 1 at Phillip Island. Montella’s flawless performance ended a drought of over 400 days for his WorldSSP victories. He led the field with precision, leaving Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) and Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) trailing behind as he crossed the finish line triumphantly. A fierce battle unfolded between Schroetter and Manzi for second place, with Manzi eventually gaining the upper hand to secure the runner-up position.

Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) and Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing WorldSSP Team) engaged in an intense battle for fourth place, with Caricasulo ultimately securing the position in his debut with the team. Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) finished sixth after starting from the back of the grid due to a tire pressure infringement, rounding up the top performers of the race.

“It was a funny race. At first, I didn’t feel comfortable on the bike, and I couldn’t understand why. I just tried to stay close behind Manzi and not let him build a big gap. On the last lap before the Pit Stop, I tried to overtake him, and we both went first to do the Pit Stop. It turned out to be a perfect flag-to-flag because we managed to open a big gap from Manzi, around 5 seconds. We practiced a lot yesterday, and everything came together perfectly in the end! We’ll try to repeat today’s victory tomorrow, but it won’t be easy. Today Huertas wasn’t here, but I think he’ll be fighting for the podium tomorrow.”

WorldSSP Race 1 Results

1. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team)
2. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +6.666s
3. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +6.968s
4. Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) +16.748s
5. Oliver Bayliss (D34G Racing WorldSSP Team) +17.452s
6. Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +17.580s

Download Full Results

Sunday
Superpole Race
In a repeat to Race 1, Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) got a superb start as lights went out, leading the race although Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) came past on Lap 2 at Turn 1. Iannone’s race was interrupted by a mechanical issue on Lap 6 which dropped him out of contention, coming home in 14th. This allowed Lowes to pull out a gap for his first victory in four years by just over a second.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) took second after dropping as low as tenth, charging through the field in the second half of the 10-lap race with aggressive moves on his rivals at Turn 4 and Turn 10. In just his second race with BMW, Toprak Razgatlioglu claimed his first podium as he battled his way P3 in a run to the line with Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati); the two Champions separated by just 0.074s. Razgatlioglu’s podium was his 116th, putting him level with Noriyuki Haga at third in the all-time level. Lowes, Locatelli and Razgatlioglu will start Race 2 from the front row.

Bautista narrowly missed on a podium as he bounced back from a difficult Saturday for fourth, finishing just over a second ahead of Race 1 winner and teammate Nicolo Bulega in fifth. ‘Bulegas’ lost out at the start again but was unable to recover as he did in Saturday’s race, coming home in fifth. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was sixth, but it could’ve been more for the Australian. Gardner had fought his way into podium contention around the halfway mark of the race but was bundled down the order in the closing stages.

Gardner’s teammate, Dominique Aegerter, had a similar story to Race 1. After starting from fourth, the Swiss rider dropped down the order before battling back. He was able to recover to P7, just two tenths behind his teammate. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) secured eighth place in his first Tissot Superpole Race, ahead of Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) in ninth with Aegerter, Lowes and Rinaldi on row three for Race 2. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) fought his way to P10 in the Superpole Race after his Saturday disaster, giving the Ulsterman hope for a good result in Race 2 although he will start in his original grid position.

WorldSBK Tissot Superpole Race Results

1. Alex Lowes | Kawasaki
2. Andrea Locatelli | Yamaha | +1.157s
3. Toprak Razgatlioglu | BMW | +1.738s

[Download Full Results]

Race Two
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) emerged victorious in an exhilarating Race 2 at Phillip Island, securing a remarkable double win. Lowes’ triumph was sealed with a breathtaking last-lap maneuver at Turn 9, overtaking Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in a display of sheer brilliance.

However, the race was not short of drama as Toprak Razgatlioglu’s (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) promising run in the race was abruptly halted on Lap 3 at Turn 9, as a technical issue which led to his untimely retirement. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha), unfortunately crashed out at Turn 11 in the early stages, leading to a red flag and subsequent race restart. He was taken to the medical centre and declared unfit with multiple contusions and abrasions.

Despite the challenges, Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) showcased an impressive performance, swiftly climbing from P6 to challenge Bautista for the lead after the restart. However, it was Lowes who ultimately prevailed, with Bautista settling for second place.

Meanwhile, Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) staged a remarkable comeback before unfortunately crashing out on the final lap while battling for position. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) claimed a well-deserved third place, rounding off the podium. Notably, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) showcased a commendable recovery from a poor start to secure fifth place, with Rinaldi finishing just behind in sixth.

“It was an unbelievable day! The second race was chaos from the start. It was a little bit delayed, and in the first part of the race Toprak’s bike blew up. I was nearly off track, I did well to stay on. Then, Jonathan had a big crash, so I hope he’s okay. I was dropping back a little bit, but just before the red flag, I had a couple of good sectors to get back on my brother. I had some good speed, and the temperature was down a little bit.

My focus in the restart was to make a good start, put myself in the first three or four positions. I knew Toprak wasn’t there, and when he is, you have to ride a little bit more defensively because he’s always going to have a pass. Once I got settled into the race, I was struggling to stay with Bautista a little bit and Michael.

“Locatelli passed me at Turn 4. He was going to hit the back of Bautista, so he went wide and then I managed to stay on the line, stay close to Alvaro because, in my head, I was thinking he was struggling to enter the corner because the grip was going. I knew I could be really fast through Turn 8 and into Turn 9. This was my chance to pass him and try to stop the bike into Turn 10 and 11. I had a little plan, and it went quite well. In the end, I had a lot more grip than Alvaro which allowed me to make this pass.”

WorldSBK Race 2 Results

1. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
2. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 0.048s
3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +1.178s
4. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) +1.275s
5. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +2.346s
6. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) +2.913s

Download Full Results

WorldSBK Championship Standings

1. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 50 points
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 41 points
3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) 29 points

Download Championship Standings

Supersport
The WorldSSP Race 2 at Phillip Island unfolded with high intensity as riders navigated challenging track conditions and a shortened race due to an oil spill. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) displayed impeccable form, securing his second consecutive win at the iconic circuit. Despite facing late pressure from Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), Montella held firm to claim the top spot, as he now leads the Championship standings.

Meanwhile, the battle for the podium raged on as Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) and Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) fought for positions. Unfortunately for Manzi, his podium hopes were dashed as he suffered two crashes during the race, ultimately dropping out of contention. Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) capitalized on the unfolding events, securing his first WorldSSP podium with a commendable third-place finish.

Caricasulo clinched fourth position marking a strong start to his campaign. Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) and Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) rounded out the top six.

“Today was a strange race for sure, because of the delay, but we tried to stay focused on the race. My plan was to push at the first lap to create a gap and it worked, so I’m happy for this. During the race, I managed to maintain this gap with Marcel, and it was fun to push every lap. Today we won the race, and I’m happy about it! It really was an incredible weekend! It’s something that nobody expected, and I’m just happy about it! I want to stay focused on the next race, but then at the same time, enjoy this moment. It’s just the first race and I still have 20 races in front of me, so for the moment my focus is on Barcelona.”

WorldSSP Race 2 Results

1. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team)
2. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +0.203s
3. Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) +1.658s
4. Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) +5.289s
5. Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Racing Team) +5.554s
6. Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +5.677

Download Full Results

WorldSSP Championship Standings

1. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) 50 points
2. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 36 points
3. Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) 26 points

Download Championship Standings

The post WorldSBK Round One Report | Phillip Island Australia, Lowes magic double, Bulega Stuns! appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Meanwhile, Jonathan Nahlous (Yamaha) continued an imposing day for the teenage brigade with two runaway victories in the Michelin Supersport class, and the local Race and Road Supersport 300 brigade is yet to find a chink in the armour of Czech visitor Petr Svoboda (Kawasaki). The wildcard has now won two races from as many starts as he ramps up his preparation for the 2024 FIM Supersport World Championship.

mi-bike insurance Australian Superbike
After edging out Herfoss, Jones and Halliday in qualifying with a new Australian Superbike best lap of 1m30.379s, there was an air of inevitability when Waters blitzed the race one start and Herfoss struggled to get off the line. Waters immediately set about putting the sword to the opposition – but it was early disaster for Ted Collins (BMW) whose race only lasted two corners before he was cannoned into by another rider and crashed out.

Meanwhile, Waters was in charge from Jones (YZF-R1), Voight (McMartin Racing Panigale V4 R), Pearson (DesmoSport Ducati Panigale V4 R) and 16-year-old rookie Cameron Dunker (Penrite Racing YZF-R1). Voight was then, in his own words, “pushed and shoved” by his more experienced Australian Superbike rivals and ran wide at turn four on lap two as a result, dropping him back to sixth position.

The 17-year-old immediately rallied, though, initially battling with his old dirt track nemesis Dunker as he methodically worked his way back into second position by lap eight. He also set a new lap record (1:30.790) during his offensive. Waters’ disappearing act saw him win the race – his sixth in the last nine Phillip Island races – by 1.250 seconds over Voight, followed by Herfoss, the slow-starting Halliday, Jones, Pearson, Anthony West (Addicted to Track YZF-R1) and Dunker.

“That was a really good race and a great reward for all the effort the team is putting in to continually improve every time we go out,” said Waters. “After I pulled out a good lead, I just played it safe as I had no idea how the tyres were going to wear. I’m really happy but we’ve got two races to go and I’m under no illusions how hard tomorrow is going to be. But for now, we’ll enjoy this one.”

Glenn Allerton (GT Racing M 1000 RR) and Max Stauffer (Penrite Racing YZF-R1) completed the top 10, while Arthur Sissis (Unitech Racing Yamaha YZF-R1) joined Collins on the DNF list.

Michelin Supersport
Nahlous’ Michelin Supersport victories were achieved with absolute precision, defeating Mark Chiodo (Honda) in race one and last year’s No. 2 Olly Simpson (Yamaha) in the two 10-lappers. The 17-year-old also set a new lap record of 1:34.682, obliterating Voight’s old mark of 1:34.979.

“I’m over the moon with my weekend so far,” said Nahlous. “Pole position, two wins and a new lap record is something that I am very proud of and a reward for all the hard work we’ve been putting in. “The bike is riding on rails at the moment, and I can’t wait to get back out on track tomorrow.”

Race one saw Nahlous, from NSW, lead from start to finish on his way to a 4.573-second victory over Chiodo and Simpson. Chiodo (Honda) moved into second place just before mid-race distance – his dive underneath Simpson at turn 10 a highlight – but by then Nahlous had already put the winning equation beyond doubt. Nonetheless, an impressive return to Michelin Supersport for the CBR600RR, which was also extremely fast down Gardner Straight in the hands of not only Chiodo, but 2023 Supersport 300 champion Marcus Hamod.

Tom Bramich (Yamaha), back in action after injury cruelled his 2023 Supersport campaign, was also heavily involved in the scrap for second place early on before a gear shifter issue saw him fall through the pack and finish 11th. Jack Mahaffy (Yamaha) was a solid fourth, well ahead of Jake Farnsworth (Yamaha) and Archie McDonald (Yamaha).

Race two saw Nahlous and Simpson scrap hard for the first half before the former pulled away for another easy win, with Mahaffy completing the trifecta from Jake Farnsworth (Yamaha), Hamod and Bramich, who was as far back as 12th in the opening laps. Hayden Nelson (Kawasaki ZX-6R) and McDonald saw out the top eight.

Race and Road Supersport 300
Two from two for Czech Petr Svoboda in the Race and Road Superport 300 class, with the FIM WorldSSP300 rider pulling clear of the pack in the final three laps to win by just over one second from fellow Kawasaki rider Josh Newman – the same 1-2 as Friday’s race one.

Ryan Larkin (Yamaha) put in a stirring final lap to finish third, just 0.03 seconds behind Newman. Mitch Simpson (Yamaha), Tara Morrison (Kawasaki), Valentino Knezovic (Yamaha), Harrison Watts (Kawasaki) and Ryder Gilbert (Yamaha) all flashed across the line in rapid succession to fill positions 3-8 in the eight-lapper. Gilbert again set the fastest lap of the race, today’s 1:47.348 set in ideal conditions. The current lap record for Supersport 300 is of the oldest benchmarks at Phillip Island – Luke Jhonston’s 1:47.187 set in 2020.

The post ASBK Round 1 Saturday | Veteran Josh Waters Takes Victory On Ducati appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

With brilliant weather on the horizon for both competitors and spectators, it will be a packed 16-race program featuring not only the five regular ASBK classes – Alpinestars Superbike, Michelin Supersport, Supersport 300, Yamaha Finance R3 Cup and bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup – but also the return of the bullocking Sureflight Superbike Masters category for immaculately prepared machines manufactured between 1973 and 1990 – some which became instant classics.

Grab the official programme here…

There will also be a static display of ex-racing exotica over the last five decades, and some of them – such as an RC30 in the hands of multiple Aussie Superbike champion Malcolm Campbell – will be wheeled out for parade laps on Saturday and Sunday, too. Yep, a massive amount to see and do…

Michelin Superbike
Intrigue abounds across all the classes, including in the premier Alpinestars Superbike where Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda CBR1000RR-R SP) holds all the championship momentum after winning six of the last seven races and gaining the ascendancy from early-season pacesetter Josh Waters (McMartin Racing with K-Tech Ducati V4R).

However, Herfoss’ recent successes certainly haven’t been about putting the opposition to the sword, with the last Morgan Park Raceway round a case-in-point where he was involved in two towering battles with Mike Jones (Yamaha Racing YZF-R1M) before greeting the chequered flag in both races, with Glenn Allerton (GT Racing M 1000 RR) completing the trifectas.

Jones, the defending champion, is now primed for a last-ditch tilt at the title over the final two rounds – The Bend Motorsport Park (SA) hosts the grand final from December 1-3 – while Waters has won the last eight national-level Superbike races at the Victorian circuit but has had some injury concerns to overcome since Morgan Park after being caught up as collateral damage in practice for the Suzuka 8 Hours world endurance race. Could that bring Waters back to the field?

Max Stauffer (GTR MotoStars YZF-R1M) and fellow Yamaha riders Anthony West (Addicted to Track), Bryan Staring (MotoGo) and Arthur Sissis (Unitech Racing) will also be in the mix at Phillip Island, as well as Broc Pearson (DesmoSport Ducati V4R) and Ted Collins (Livson Racing M 1000 RR).

There’s also extra spice with Goulburn’s Tom Toparis (Cube Racing YZF-R1M) back from a stellar season in the UK to contest Superbike (and Michelin Supersport) at Phillip Island. Toparis finished third in the 2023 British Supersport Championship, while also back from the UK is Jacob Hatch who finished ninth in the British Junior Superstock Championship. He will partner West in the Addicted to Track Superbike team. The Alpinestars Superbike category will have three unofficial practice sessions on Friday followed by timed practice and qualifying on Saturday and two 12-lap races on Sunday.

Michelin Supersport
In 2023, the Michelin Supersport Championship has boasted the largest number of entries in several years and the on-track intensity has reflected how much the level has lifted. Heading into the penultimate round, South Australian Oli Simpson (Simpson Crash Yamaha YZF-R6) has a 13pt lead over rapidly emerging 15-year-old Cameron Dunker from Kurri Kurri (NSW).

In only his second meeting on the GTR MotoStars YZF-R6, at SMSP, Dunker created history by becoming the youngest race winner in the 30-year history of the class. He backed that up with another win and pole position at Queensland Raceway and added another victory at Morgan Park in July. Early season points leader Ty Lynch (Unitech YZF-R6) is just 4pts adrift from Dunker in third spot, and he’s returning to a happy hunting ground after winning the opening round at Phillip Island in late February.

The fly in the ointment could be Toparis, who has no championship considerations to worry about and knows the fast way around Phillip Island. There could be some pyrotechnics coming our way!

Supersport 300
The Supersport 300 class will, as usual, produce three crackerjack races with a 99 per cent chance that all races will be decided by less than a second and the winner won’t be known until the final few metres of the race. Brandon Demmery (Race DNA YZF-R3) leads Cameron Swain (Caboolture YZF-R3) by just 2pts with Marcus Hamod (Motocity YZF-R3) a further 9pts behind in third.

Swain was peerless at the last round, taking pole position and three from three. And after his recent ‘school’ excursion to Europe which saw him finish on the podium during an R3 Cup cameo, he will take a vast load of confidence out of that learning into the round. 

Demmery has been extremely consistent, finishing in the top three at the past three rounds, while Hamod has also freshly returned from an R3 excursion in Europe. He broke through for his first wins at Queensland Raceway and is keen to add to his tally. Fast fact: Since 2018, the average winning margin across 25 Supersport 300 races at Phillip Island is just 1.13sec. Yep, the racing is bonkers!

Yamaha Finance R3 Cup
The two leading protagonists in the Australian Supersport 300 Championship – Brandon Demmery and Cameron Swain – also are on top of the Yamaha Finance R3 Cup but the positions are reversed as Swain leads Demmery by 10pts with Brodie Gawith 7pts away in third.

Extremely tight finishes are a theme at every round. It’s pulsating to the extreme, with riders often relegated from first to 10th in one corner and visa-versa at the next. It’s a case of blink and you’ll miss it. This weekend’s triple race treat will produce more of the same.

bLU cRU Oceana Junior Cup preview
After last weekend’s Phillip Island MotoGP where the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup was the support class, the youngsters who range in age from 11-16 years old will be well primed to continue their on-track antics. The GP crowd was enthralled with the talents of these rising stars. 

As we head into the penultimate round, Bodie Paige has a handy 20pt lead over Archie Schmidt, while the battle for third place heading has 10pts covering Haydn Fordyce from John Pelgrave.

The OJC is the nursery of the future and, like junior programs in the past, has produced riders that are now on the world stage. In the vein of all sports that if you start ‘em young, the world is your oyster. Many of these kids will find pearls instead of oysters. 

Sureflight Superbike Masters preview
The Sureflight Superbike Masters will also make a welcome return to the fold for the first time since round two at Sydney Motorsport Park. And the response from the classic racing community has been emphatic, with a total of 42 riders making the Island pilgrimage to compete across the four Period 5 (bikes manufactured between 1973 and 1982) and Period 6 (1983-1990) classes.

Brad Phelan (Katana, P5 Unlimited), Troy Corser (TZ750, P5 F1), Robert Young (Ducati 888 P6 Formula 750) and Keo Watson (Yamaha FZR1000, P6 Formula 1300) lead the respective Superbike Masters classes. The level of intensity will then ratchet up at Phillip Island, with South Aussie international David Johnson (Suzuki Katana), Scott Campbell (RC30), Denis Ackland (Z1000), the evergreen Albert Tehennepe (Kawaski Harris) and Ryan Taylor (GSX-R1100) among the new additions from the round two protagonists.

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 Round Preview: ASBK Heads To Phillip Island This Weekend! appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

SATURDAY
ALPINESTARS SUPERBIKES QUALIFYING
The dominance commenced in the morning’s qualifying session when Waters went within one-thousandth of a second of equalling the fastest-ever recorded lap by a motorcycle of the Hidden Valley circuit set by Wayne Maxwell last year. He was the only rider in the 15-minute session to record a sub-65 second lap with defending champion Mike Jones (Yamaha Racing Team) second fastest and Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda) rounding out the front row. Josh Waters scored his second pole of the season and scoop up the AMX Superstores Gift Card

Alpine Superbikes Queensland Raceway Front Row (Full Results Here)

1 Josh WATERS (VIC) / McMartin Racing with KTech / Gotzinger Smallgoods Ducati V4R 1:04.963
2 Mike JONES (QLD) / Yamaha Racing Team Yamaha YZF-R1M 1:05.067
3 Troy HERFOSS (QLD) / Penrite Honda Racing Honda CBR RR 1:05.108

RACE ONE
Hidden Valley provides a massive 440-metre drag to the first turn from the front row of the grid so it was vitally important for his rivals to attempt to beat Waters to the turn but it was not to be. Herfoss and Glenn Allerton (GT Racing BMW) managed to be side-by-side, but Waters on the outside managed to hold the corner entry to take the lead from Allerton, Herfoss in third, and defending champion Mike Jones in fourth.

The quartet quickly gapped the rest of the field but after five laps Waters had carved out nearly a second lead as Allerton muscled him trying to force the “Mildura Missile” into a mistake, but Waters responded by breaking the lap record (also held by Maxwell) twice in two laps to set the bar at 1:05.307 and demoralise the opposition.

Waters set up an unassailable lead to establish a race-winning buffer of 2.435 seconds after 13 laps, as Herfoss, Jones and Allerton fought over the scraps. Allerton tried everything to stay in touch with Waters and held onto second spot until the start of the sixth lap when Herfoss overtook him charging into turn one. Jones followed soon after with a very brave, ballsy and committed move on the BMW rider going through the daunting Turn 3.

Behind the leading four, an entertaining battle ensued between Bryan Staring (MotoGo Yamaha), Cru Halliday (Yamaha Racing Team) who will rue another shocker of a start, with Anthony West, (Addicted To Track). Halliday after being eighth early in the race muscled his way to the front of the trio but no sooner had he succeeded that he ran off at turn one and dropped back to an extremely disappointing eighth place.  It was undoubtedly not the result he was after and Cru cut a dejected figure after the race.

Waters increased his championship lead 24 points over Herfoss with Allerton now in a clear third position 29 points adrift of Herfoss with Halliday’s lackluster result putting him a further five points behind with his teammate, Mike Jones clambering his way up the points table to be in sixth, seven points behind Cru.

Alpinestars Superbikes Race One Podium (Full Results Here)

1 21 Josh WATERS (VIC) / McMartin Racing with KTech / Gotzinger Smallgoods Ducati V4R
2 17 Troy HERFOSS (QLD) / Penrite Honda Racing Honda CBR RR
3 14 Glenn ALLERTON (NSW) / GT Racing / Macarthur Motorrad / Spectro Oils BMW M RR

SUNDAY
Race Two
In race two when the drama transferred to the track, Waters repeated his effort from Saturday to lead into turn one from Allerton, Herfoss and Jones. Unlike the day before, Halliday got a halfway decent start to be in fifth after the first lap as Waters led Jones Herfoss and Allerton across the line. Waters accelerated to a two-bike length lead but approximately 440 metres later as the quartet peeled into turn one, Waters was in too hot, had a moment and was forced to run off track allowing the following trio to inherit the lead.

Waters re-joined the race in 16th position to begin his battle through the field and lowered his lap record he set the previous day to be now 1:05.178 – just 0.116 sec off the all-time fastest lap set by Wayne Maxwell last year on the McMartin Racing Ducati. As Jones led Herfoss and Allerton, Jones and Herfoss were all over each other as Allerton faded with brake problems with Herfoss passing Jones when he ran slightly wide at turn six.

Jones regained the lead with six laps to go but a fired-up Herfoss was not to be denied and reclaimed the lead. With just a couple of laps to go, Jones put a move on Herfoss at turn five but Herfoss pinned the throttle on the exit as the pair were side by side heading into the hairpin. In the powder keg of the final few laps, the defending champion tried everything to deny Herfoss but the Honda rider would have none of it as he rebuffed the challenge and reclaimed the lead to take the win from Jones by just 0.169 sec with Allerton a distant third a further five seconds adrift.

Halliday had a better result in race two as he finished fourth five seconds in from Waters in fifth. There were a number of personal best results through the field with Broc Pearson (DesmoSport Ducati) in sixth place putting in his best lap of the weekend on the last lap as he chased Waters. Anthony West in seventh was another improver with Arthur Sissis fighting through the pain of his still-healing broken left wrist in eight. Rounding out the top ten was Max Stauffer who at one stage was in fourth place but ran wide on the ninth lap and finished ninth and Ted Collins tenth.

The drama didn’t take a rest as immediately the bikes returned to Parc Ferme, a protest was lodged by the Penrite Honda Team against the McMartin Ducati regarding an alleged unauthorised part on the front forks of the Ducati Panigale V4 R. Due to the time of the protest and with another race to run, the protest hearing was postponed until a Post-Race Technical inspection of the McMartin machine after the final race.

Alpinestars Superbikes Race Two Podium (Full Results Here)

1 17 Troy HERFOSS (QLD) / Penrite Honda Racing Honda CBR RR
2 1 Mike JONES (QLD) / Yamaha Racing Team Yamaha YZF-R1M
3 14 Glenn ALLERTON (NSW) / GT Racing / Macarthur Motorrad / Spectro Oils BMW M RR

Race Three
With the tit-for-tat protests it was a very tense affair heading into the final race on Sunday afternoon as the track temperature nudged 50 degrees celcius under the blazing blue skies of the Nothern Territory.

The field blasted down the straight and the riders were five abreast. Herfoss was on the inside, Sissis almost went into pit lane as he made his charge from the third row as Allerton cut through the middle of them with Waters beside. Allerton moved into second on the fourth gear flat-out charge to turn five but lost the front and crashed out. He managed to remount but had to reset the electronics as the bike would fire up again. The three times champion managed to restart the bike, but he re-joined the race over half a lap down in last place.

The extremely hot track temperature took away the chance of any lap records as the pace was slowed by about a second a lap, but it sure didn’t detract from the action. As they crossed the line to start lap two, Herfoss led Jones and Waters from Sissis and Staring, Stauffer and Halliday the seven riders 1.8 seconds apart.

The usual suspects of Jones, Herfoss and Waters quickly gapped the rest, but it wasn’t long before Waters lost touch slightly to be over a second off the as the Honda and Yamaha pitched at each other in the battle for supremacy. The lead between Herfoss and Jones swapped a few times during the 16 laps, but Herfoss led across the line on every lap as Waters stayed well clear of the slipstream in an effort to keep the V4’s engine temperature down as well as aiming to have a better corner speed entry into turn one but it didn’t make any difference.

Halliday was on the charge to be up to fifth behind Sissis but as they negotiated turn one on the seventh lap Halliday attempted to go underneath Sissis on the exit, but they clashed, with Halliday coming down and tumbling to the outfield with the frightening sight of the bike hitting the back of Halliday but so fortunately he was not too badly injured. As such Staring inherited fourth and hung onto the position to improve his race two result to gain the confidence that the MotoGo Yamaha is getting closer to the front.

Broc Pearson put in a similar effort to again improve his finishing position to cross the line in fifth. Anthony West also improved for his best result of sixth, to gain some valuable points and put a smile on his face as Sissis was seventh from Stauffer, Collins and Matt Walters on his Aprilia to round out the top ten.

Last year was the turning point in the season for Jones when he took two wins and a second. Twelve months later, Herfoss did the same to well and truly bury the ghosts of two years ago and head to Morgan Park in a very strong position. It was a very heart-warming sight and quite emotional for many in parc ferme as Herfoss celebrated his win.

Alpinestars Superbikes Race Three Podium (Full Results Here)
1 17 Troy HERFOSS (QLD) / Penrite Honda Racing Honda CBR RR
2 1 Mike JONES (QLD) / Yamaha Racing Team Yamaha YZF-R1M
3 21 Josh WATERS (VIC) / McMartin Racing with K-Tech / Gotzinger Smallgoods

The next round of the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship Presented by Motul takes place at Morgan Park Raceway on the 14th to 16th of July.

ASBK Round 4 Gallery, Hidden Valley

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