On Track Off Road No.184

WorldSBK

EYES ON
YOU
Will they see Red or Green or be left feeling Blue?
Phillip Island feels more open than ever for the
launch of WorldSBK. Why? Catch Steve
English’s insightful teaser further in the
magazine and start a sweepstake as to who
will rule most of the three races in Australia.
Photo by GeeBee Images

MXGP
OPEN
DOORS
The MXGP standings are refreshingly blank after
being splashed with orange from the first laps of
2018 until the very last. With Argentina and the
’19 opener looming into view who can spring a
surprise in Neuquen? Have a look at our MXGP
‘questions’ and exclusive chat with this Monster
Energy Kawasaki star in this new issue
Photo by Ray Archer

MotoGP

ALMOST
READY
TO RUN
The covers are all off and the
liveries revealed…so 2019
MotoGP can really get down
to business with the Qatar
test at the end of the week.
In our opinion the winners
of the ‘best new clothes’
award comes down to Red
Bull KTM Tech3 or Monster
Energy Yamaha but the
sight we all still want to see
is JL99 circulating in those
iconic Repsol Honda colours.
They might be a bit blurry
trackside though
Photo by Repsol Honda HRC/
CormacGP

AMA SX
THE
CHARGER
Cooper Webb is not only making his mark on the
2019 AMA Supercross season by prevailing at the
sole multi-race winner as the halfway point
approaches but in also creating record-breaking
scenes like the fractions of a second that accompanied
his last corner victory charge in Arlington. The Red Bull
KTM star is part of one of the most open and fascinating
450SX contests seen in years
Photo by James Lissimore

JORDON SMITH - TLD / RED BULL / KTM | LIMITED EDITION MIRAGE - WHITE | SOLD AT FINER DEALERS WORLDWIDE | TROYLEEDESIGNS.COM | @TLD_MOTO

AMA SX
LOSE O

AMA SX TEXAS
ARLINGTON
AT&T STADIUM · FEBRUARY 16 · Rnd 17 of 17
450SX winner: Cooper Webb, KTM
250SX winner: Austin Forkner, Kawasaki
Blog by Steve
NE
Matthes, Photos by James Lissimore

AMA SX

AMA SX

AMA SX TEXAS

AMA SX

AMA SX TEXAS

AMA SX

AMA SX TEXAS

AMA
BLOG
NO ROLLING OVER ON THIS ONE...
Just one week after the fallout regarding the controversy of
lime that was errantly put down on standing water in San
Diego and left riders with burns and some parts on the
bikes being destroyed, Feld Motorsports had another issue
on their hands in Dallas dealing with the incoming sponsorship
of CBD oil companies.
Marijuana guidelines are relaxing
in a lot of states or in some cases
being legalized. CBD oil, which
is a non-intoxicating marijuana
extract that is being credited with
helping treat a host of medical
problems, has even been used
by some riders to cure aches
and pains from the racing. We’re
seeing more companies pop up
selling the oil, some that are associated
with marijuana companies
and some are just selling the
oil. Privateer Dean Wilson found
himself covering the logos earlier
this year when Feld told him
that because of the vagaries of
the laws from state to state, NBC
- the network TV provider - has
standing policy against accepting
advertising from marijuana
or CBD oil companies. This was
a bit of a mini-controversy to
start the series but in one sense,
Wilson got more publicity out of
it when the logos were forced to
be covered up.
Well Chad Reed started this
whole thing back up last week
in Minneapolis when he debuted
a helmet that had CBDMD.com
logo on it. Reed, being the rebel
that he is, didn’t clear it with
anyone beforehand and caused
a bit of a stir before the race. His
stance was that this company,
unlike Wilson’s, just focused on
the oil itself and wasn’t selling
marijuana with another branch of
the company ala Dean.
“I think it has its place. I really
do. For me personally, a hundred
percent the reason why I started
using it is I moved to Charlotte
and couldn’t ride my bicycle because
it was so cold,” Reed told
me. “So I started running again.
I was just like, dude, I can’t run.
My ankle just hurts daily. So I
kind of almost caved into ‘I’ll try
it’. Everybody talks about it. So
I tried it and long story short, I
didn’t even know but ended up
with the one brand I bought was
cbdMD. They’re locally in Charlotte.
It was kind of funny how it
all worked out. But I think shortterm
sucks, but I think that longterm
they’re here to stay.”
So Reed was allowed to race
with it and Feld went back to the
drawing board with its lawyers
and the AMA. We saw a press release
get issued by the AMA late
last week:
• The law regarding CBD products,
including their lawful sale,
possession, advertising, and
sponsorship of them, is unsettled.

By Steve Matthes
Notwithstanding the change in
federal law in December 2018,
there are no federal regulations
in place yet on how these products
can be advertised or promoted.
No CBD and related products
are not completely legal in all
50 states and there are various
restrictions on their sale and
promotion.
• Signage or promotional displays
for CBD-related products
will not be allowed in the pit
areas.
• No rider will be allowed to race
with logos or other promotional
displays on their person, their
uniform, their gear, or on their
bike.
So that was it, Feld brought the
lawyers back to meet with the
riders first on Saturday morning
before Dallas and then with the
media after that. Basically it was
explained that yes, the bill that
was signed in congress makes
the path to marijuana, and therefore
CBD oil, being completely
legal on a federal level but it’s
still up the states to decide what
they want to do and that’s a long
way down the road.
So the policy that shaded Wilson
still stands and Reed’s helmet
had to be covered up.
The bill being signed and reported
in the news confused fans
and teams. Not to mention the
sight of some CBD oil companies
being plastered on riders competing
at the recent X-Games
on another network. And I don’t
know if you’ve looked around
the pits these days but the sport
could use a bit more outside
money coming into it.
We’re all pretty sure, and the Feld
rep agreed, that shortly all of
these concerns will be alleviated
and TV networks will accept the
dollars these companies, that are
doing very well, will be throwing
at them. It’s a larger question
that exists outside of our small
sport right now but, like the
energy drinks fifteen years ago,
could really give the sport a bit
of a jolt. The effects of the CBD
oil can be debated over and over,
this isn’t the column for that
but just know that some people,
including Ken Roczen, use it and
are fans of the oil’s therapeutic
properties.
It’s also legal to use via the
WADA drug code, which is a
bonus obviously.
“Obviously it’s frustrating. I feel
like they’re reacting a little bit
too quick on it. I think it’s one
of those things where it’s of ‘an
opinion’. I don’t know that there
are a lot of facts,” Reed said
about the decision “I think they
have certain information that
they’re reacting to. When I asked
those same questions to the cbdMD
people, they obviously are
not as concerned. It’s an ongoing
fight for them. So I think shortterm
it sucks but I believe it’s
something that they’re not going
to be able to turn a blind eye to. I
think that daily, hourly from what
I understand…”
As great as the racing has been
on the track, and it truly has, the
off-track issues have been a real
developing issue in 2019. We’ll
see what comes of this in the
coming months but one thing
for sure, between the lime in
San Diego and now this, the fans
have been really treated to some
juicy topics this year. Stay tuned!

DEANWILSON

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PRODUCTS
answer
For Spring 2019 Answer have introduced two new
colours for their Syncron men’s line (blue/white
and yellow/black) and two more for women (pink/
black & blue/purple). Expect to pay 105 dollars for
the set.
In addition the Americans have upped their game
with protection by introducing the Apex range.
‘This includes two versions of roost protectors, CE
certified base layers, knee and elbow guards,’ they
claim. ‘Developed and tested by our top athletes,
these products pass the test for both performance
and protection.’ The torso units come in two versions:
the Apex 1 roost guard (chest protector),
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from ventilated in-moulded honeycomb hexframe
with EVA foam padding and have adjustable waist
and shoulder straps. They are also designed to fit
as easily as possible under a jersey and to maximise
flexibility and movement for the rider. Answer’s
catalogue allows off-road riders to go head-to-toe
in their well thought-out, cool looking and valuefor-money
wares; now it seems the brand have
some serious stock in the important elements that
go under riding kit.

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© SCOTT SPORTS SA 2018.19 | Photo: Octopi Media

MALCOLM STEWART

FEATURE
MOST CLEMENT
CONDITIONS…
By Adam Wheeler, Photos by Ray Archer

FEATURE
In the first months of 2009 I remember
asking factory Yamaha rider and
reigning MXGP (then ‘MX1’) world
champion David Philippaerts who he
thought would be one of the biggest
threats for the forthcoming season. It
was quite surprising to hear the Italian
utter “Clement Desalle”. The Belgian,
then just nineteen years old, had caught
the eye with some bursts of speed on a
250cc two-stroke in the premier class
and was a feisty prospect that did not
move over or show much respect to the
older and experienced names of the
class.
“IT’S INTERESTING TO SEE WHERE
EVERYBODY IS BUT YOU CAN NOTICE
IN OTHER SPORTS AS WELL THAT
SOME GUYS ARE ALWAYS PUSHING
MORE AND MORE; LIKE THERE IS NO
LIMIT FOR PREPARATION...”
Desalle had been a promising youth
prospect, known to the establishment
but eschewed the 250s and MX2 to jump
straight in at the deep end. Struggling a
little with his English and already distinctive
for his intensity and aloofness #25
was easy to capture as the pantomime
villain against the flamboyance of Tony
Cairoli, the liveliness of Marc de Reuver,
the steadfastness of Josh Coppins
and the smooth, uncontroversial form of
Steve Ramon.
Although in a privateer LS Honda setup
(his mechanic at the time is now his
Team Manager at Monster Energy Kawasaki
Francois Lemariey) Desalle fulfilled
Phillippaerts tip: he won two Grands Prix
that year, finished third in the championship
and firmly ‘arrived’ at the highest
level. A good example of Clement’s forthright
character, directness and his unwillingess
to always play the PR game came
in the second victory in the season-closing
Brazilian Grand Prix at Canelinha.
When asked if the triumph mattered
more at the heavily Honda-backed event
the Belgian replied “no, because Honda
do not support me much…”

The honesty was weirdly refreshing and a
little shocking in the nicety of MXGP.
In 2019 Desalle starts his twelfth year in
Grand Prix and before the arrival of Jeffrey
Herlings was easily the second best
rider in the division in terms of numbers:
over twenty winner’s trophies and six
times in the top three of the championship
standings.
He was consistently Cairoli’s closest
threat; only injuries to his shoulders
made proceedings a little more straightforward
for the Sicilian.
Now almost 30 and father to two-year
old Emma, Clement has been quietly
developing Kawasaki’s new KX450F this
winter in what will be his fourth term in
green.

FEATURE
He is arguably back at the peak of his
game: third in 2018, injury-free, confidence
imbued, the only winner aside from Cairoli
and Herlings. He has transitioned from a
period where a broken arm and damaged
back interrupted his goals with Kawasaki,
and from that aggressive and occasionally
sensational racer to one that is more
measured and appreciative of the true
value of consistency.
Desalle has a strong motocross background
and the role of his family as a
support structure and solace from the
frequent pain and stress of racing is paramount.
He has been well brought up: he’s
respectful and mannered but also assured
enough to skip the bulls**t and follow his
own path and beliefs.
“FOR ME IT IS THOSE LITTLE THINGS
THAT GIVES YOU A STRONGER
FEELING AND THAT MAKES THE
DIFFERENCE. I ALWAYS WANT
EVERYTHING TO BE PERFECT BUT
I KNOW YOU CANNOT CONTROL
EVERYTHING...”
He can sometimes seem spiky, but like all
enigmatic people at the top of their profession
and skill he’s frequently misunderstood.
Take his interview technique: he can
sometimes brush away a topic or answer
in cliché but he thinks about what he says
and how his words are conveyed. Ask a
question and the answer will evolve as his
thoughts churn. Get into a conversation
and it’s engaging, interesting and sometimes
revelatory.
We’re talking on the morning of the KRT
photoshoot that should take place down
the road in the HQ of the WorldSBK crew
and in the shadow of the Circuit de Catalunya
grandstand. ‘Should’ in that Desalle’s
hire car was broken into the previous evening
and his Airoh helmet and other pieces
of kit and personal belongings have gone
missing. Despite the infuriating inconvenience
Clement is still in the mood to
chat…
The big news to hit MXGP recently involved
Herlings’ injury. What’s your take
on that? Is it possibly something that was
on the cards considering the speed and
amount he rides…?
It’s so difficult to always be on the limit.
Every week, every training. I hear he was
riding a lot. Everybody has their own style
of training but to keep at the limit all the
time without any injury is very hard to do.
We don’t know how it is for him. He was
very difficult to beat last season and even
with that injury [the broken collarbone in
the summer of ‘18] then he was still strong
afterwards. With this guy you never really
know and we don’t know the whole story.
I’ll just keep focussed on me and we’ll see
when it comes to the gate in Argentina.
2018 was good: the only non-KTM rider to
win, third in the championship and injuryfree…
Yes, back in the top three with two really
strong guys in front: Cairoli, that I have
fought with for many years, and Herlings
who was almost unbeatable last year. So it
was good because I kept consistent. There
were a lot of positives but of course I want
more and we’re working with the team and
the bike for that and have taken onboard
all the feedback from 2018. We’ve been
analysing…but I think, mentally, it was a
good.

Can you give an example of something
you wanted to work on through the winter
with a view to fighting the KTMs?
It is difficult to be precise with something
like this…a few people will say that the
sand races were difficult but in the same
way I want to modify this perception of
me because it is not true. I was second
in Ottobiano and two years ago I won the
GP in Assen. A sand race is just ‘another’
Grand Prix and, as a rider, the same way
to work and feel has to come together. In
Lommel I was a small setting ‘off’ with
the bike and you quickly lose a few positions
because of something like that. But
coming back to the question…we have a
new bike this year and I think it can help
me in a few moments [during a race]. I
think that is already important. From my
side I made some small changes with
physical preparation, some more details
with nutrition and we’ve had some
help to look at things closely. Overall I’m
pleased to see how this might help with
improvement. I already take good care
about my diet but this is going more
‘into’ what I am doing and eating: I think
it can help a little with the feeling on a
bad day. Sometimes you wake up and
you feel that it will be a hard GP and over
the course of twenty races it is important
to try and feel you best when it counts. I
am also trying to sleep a bit better with
some techniques. I’m a really active guy
and sometimes it is difficult to relax.
As a professional athlete it is interesting
for you to see or many find out how others
have done their preparation? There
is the battle on the track, with the bikes
and then with the individual ideas and
approaches…
Yeah, sure. It’s nice. At the first race you
think ‘where am I?’ in comparison with
the others. In the end, with experience,

FEATURE
you know where you are and every year
brings a bit more knowledge and knowing
what to expect. Last year I had a
slightly different way to work and I could
feel it was better during the season: I
had a good feeling for longer and this
was curious. It’s interesting to see where
everybody is but you can notice in other
sports as well that some guys are always
pushing more and more; like there is no
limit for preparation. Sometimes there
are too many questions about what you
could do. It’s important to know what is
good for you and what works.
So it can be easy to get lost…
Yes…but I don’t have this problem. I was
better last year at not being so anxious
and critical. I was stronger in my head in
a good way.
Maybe when you are young you don’t
have the support or the resources of being
an experienced factory rider but you
have the strength and the ‘abandon’ to
attack a race. As you get older that situation
must turn around…
That’s true but I still feel – not the craziness
– but the aggression, and in a good
way. This is also important because you
cannot afford to back-off or be lazy. It’s
true that it is good to have balance and
this is something that really comes with
experience.
Your MotoGP counterpart is probably
Jorge Lorenzo: an athlete with great
technicality that is always striving for
that little bit extra perfection and is
serious and dedicated with how he goes
about it…
That’s good because I’m a fan! I like to
analyse, especially when it comes to
equipment as well. We’ve had a lot of
new stuff recently but I like to evaluate
everything in real detail. I know sometimes
other guys might think ‘he’s crazy…’
to go into the smallest details…

ut for me it is those little things that gives
you a stronger feeling and that makes the
difference. I always want everything to be
perfect but I know you cannot control everything.
I want to maintain the feeling of ‘I
can do it better’. But, like I said to my Dad
sometimes after a race, I know I am doing
what I want with my life and for that I am
lucky, and there are parts of a race that are
very satisfying such as knowing a particular
technique through one section saved me hitting
a bump and won more time. That helps
with my motivation.
But you also seem to be someone who is
quite hard on himself…
Yes, that’s true and that’s my character. I
know I can be quite hard to live with!
I know sometimes it will look like I am
being negative: to always want to be better
means not always being happy! But it
is more about the search for details…and I
know that some of them are not really important
in life generally.
People might think ‘Desalle is negative’ but
it is just a different style to be better and
to analyse how to do that. I’ve changed my
mentality in the last few years to look at the
more positive parts of what I do and having
my daughter Emma has helped with that.
Also helping with leaving some obsessive
thoughts at the door. There are times when
you cannot ‘leave it outside’ though: things
have to be better and a solution must be
found. You cannot swing to the other side
and say ‘everything is OK…’ and then end
up having a problem and losing the moto.
If we do that then we are fighting to be 7th,
8th or 9th. That’s not what we are searching
for. Again it is about finding a good balance.
It’s a complicated sport: the need to find
the area of satisfaction with results, with
speed but also health. It’s a lot to manage…
It’s not easy! And sometimes you have to
think about it. On some tracks I feel like
I see a lot of ‘green lights’ and I can just
go. But that’s not the case on some others
and you have to play around with what you
can and are prepared to do. Last year I was
struggling on some tracks on Saturday and
could turn it around to make the podium on
Sunday. In Turkey for example it was not so
easy because the track was really fast. So
you have to play around with what you know
you have to do on a weekend. You know the
feeling you have on that one day and you
have to do the best you can with it. Sometimes
it can go well and sometimes you can
lose the whole championship because you
didn’t want 9th or 10th place. That’s happened
to me. I’ve seen ‘red lights’ around
the track and have known it’s better to take
what I can rather than throw the championship
away.

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fly racing
www.flyracing.com
Fly Racing are reinforcing their position in
the helmet game with serious intent. The
‘Formula’ embraces the latest and maximum
safety measures thanks to technology like
Conehead, varying densities of EPS and an
Adaptive Impact System (AIS) that blends
a high-performance ecosystem of structural
design and energy mitigating materials. Each
layer of AIS is made from RHEON enhanced
Energy Cells, so this is complex and effective
stuff.
Fly have moved way-and-beyond functional
helmets as part of a full riding gear
catalogue: the Formula is virtually a gamechanger.
The company describe some of the
internal mechanics as: ‘the seven strategically-placed
cells in the EPS liner are designed
to feel natural inside the helmet, resulting in
a seamless fit for the rider.
Their unique shape and maze-like structure
allow the Impact Energy Cells to compress
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rotational impact. This slight movement
maximizes absorption of low speed linear
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A control release system for the peak and
‘true functional ventilation’ further increases
the appeal and aspects of the Formula. In
fact Fly claim it ‘outperformed all helmets
tested in both high velocity impact crashes
as well as forces created by rotational and
low speed impacts.’ We’ll have more details
in a separate story on the website soon but
it’s fantastic to see the company making a
massive forward step in terms of innovation
and a better safety offering to the market.

FEATURE
6 QUESTIO
FOR 2019
MXGP
ARGENTINA IS UPON US. WHAT
DO YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE
NINETEEN ROUNDS OF MXGP
STARTS AGAIN?
By Adam Wheeler, Photos by Ray Archer/Yamaha/KTM/Bavo

NS

FEATURE
1) WHO WILL MAKE
THE ORANGE
LOOK OVER THEIR
SHOULDERS?
2018 MXGP was an anomaly.
There were only three winners
in the premier class. Two of
those scooped a total of just
three Grands Prix between
them. One rider owned all the
other seventeen. In 2017 there
were six victors, in 2016 seven.
World Champion Jeffrey
Herlings has already rolled
out the carpet to invite others
to a scene of more parity
in the category thanks to his
broken right foot. Tony Cairoli,
world #2 and one of the three
‘chosen ones’ of 2018, may
have had one of his driest
seasons last year but Herlings
was not exaggerating when he
claims he saw the 222 riding
better than ever at the age of
32. It will be curious to see if
the lack of a Herlings-pacemaker
will see the nine-times
number one push at the same
or higher intensity or taper-off
his race speed to cope with
the threats around him. Cairoli’s
consistency makes him the
next immediate benchmark
for the title assuming that
Herlings will have missed too
many points by the time he is
fit and race-ready.
A KTM will again be the main
target…but expect more
winners in 2019 because
Herlings’ chastening infliction
of result on his peers last
summer has forced brands,
teams, riders and support
structures to heavily evaluate
their ‘packages’ to combat
the dominance.
Where would you put your
money? Three names pop up
instantly. The only Japanesemachine
mounted MXGP winner
in 2018, Monster Energy
Kawasaki’s Clement Desalle
(with a new KX450F to-boot),
Team HRC’s Tim Gajser
(embracing his first healthy
off-season in two years) and
Monster Energy Yamaha’s
Romain Febvre.
Febvre in particular has
made some alterations to his
training output in an effort
to regain some of that fearless
and energetic form that
drove him onwards to a 2015
championship. 2016 was
ruined by a concussion, 2017
was speared due to a misstep
with set-up of the factory
YZ450FM and 2018 was a
lumpy ride of injury set-backs

and the odd bright spot until he
hit his head again and broke a
rib forcing #461 to sit out the
final Grand Prix and the Motocross
of Nations in the USA.
With some uncharacteristic
bravado the 27 year old told
us exclusively that “overall
this is the best winter I’ve had.
I feel I’m in a great position
with a really good shot of going
for the title.” This would
be common pre-season speak
for many riders but Febvre has
made changes by working with
former world champion Jacky
Vimond (and thus training and
riding frequently with brandmate
Ben Watson) and also
morphing his training regime.
“A lot about technique on
the bike, that has been one
of the main points and when
I’ve trained alone in the last
few years this was not really
something I was looking at
too much,” he admits. “Another
thing is my one-lap speed.
I’ve been doing more interval
training to help with that. In
the past I’d do long motos for
fitness and would forget about
putting raw speed first. I’m
still doing those motos but
in a different way and that’s
been the biggest change.”
“AS WITH MANY, FEBVRE IS
LOOKING TO FIGHT THE KTM
MENACE…AND HE’S DO-
ING THAT BY NOT THINKING
ABOUT THEM AT ALL...”
speed was much better and
just a few mistakes held me
back – which I think is normal
as it’s been five months since
my last raced.”
Febvre, now five years with
Yamaha, is one of the fastest
riders in MXGP but is also
renowned for being something
of a loner and very
self-reliant and independent.
The new bond with Vimond
and collaboration with Watson
(“we’ve been training together
a lot and I think it is something
we’ll continue through
the season as well. It helps
that he’s in a different class;
we still push each other but it
doesn’t get negative or overly
competitive on the track”) are
signs that an elite-level racer
is not prepared to have race
results dictated to him on a
weekly basis.
6 QUESTIONS FOR 2019 MXGP
As with many, Febvre is looking
to fight the KTM menace…
and he’s doing that by not
thinking about them at all.
“I’m focussing a lot more
on myself in 2019 and that’s
been part of the mental side
of the job with Jacky,” he
reveals. “It’s part of racing as
well. Last year I was perhaps
too worried about certain
other riders and now I don’t
really care what they are doing.
It’s a much more different
approach for me, and we
saw in the first few pre-season
events that it’s working: my
Tim Gajser, a debutant MXGP
World Champion like Febvre,
has a similar tale of injury
woe (2017 lost to at least
two separate crashes and
2018 wrecked by the horrific
Mantova jawbone smash in
pre-season). Include Gautier
Paulin’s return to Yamaha (the
bike with which he won on
his MXGP wild-card debut in
2011) and some interesting
combinations with satellite
KTMs (the ‘Max’s’: Anstie and
Nagl) and there should be a
slightly more colourful aspect
to MXGP podiums.

FEATURE
2) WHAT ABOUT
JEFFREY?
The World Champion should get
a medical update on his broken
right foot around the time of the
first Grand Prix at the beginning
of March. While his rivals are
accustomed to some ‘flexibility’
with the truth when it comes to
how fit Jeffrey actually is (perhaps
a hangover of disbelief
after his return from collarbone
surgery to win in Indonesia last
July) there is little escaping the
complexity of multiple fractures
to the foot, and how the ailment
will have to be carefully
assessed before he can contemplate
the kind of punishment
riding a dirtbike will cause.
There is also the damage to
his conditioning, race pace
and confidence. The 2018 collarbone
break (also a training
accident) was a momentary
bump of turbulence in a fastflight
to his destination. This
latest episode is a case of a ‘severe
delay’. Herlings will return
and he will win and he’ll have
frustration to exorcise but the
hundreds-of-thousands-of-euros
question is ‘when?’
3) WHO WILL WIN
THE KTM BATTLE?
No, not that battle. Tony Cairoli
remains the Austrian factory’s
best hope of an eighth premier
class championship since
2010…and he won’t be alone
for 450 SX-F back-up. Former
teammate Glenn Coldenhoff
– the reaper of RedBud – is
back on his Standing Construct
KTM after recovering from neck
injury and has two capable
teammates in the form of Max
Anstie and Ivo Monticelli (surprisingly
rapid at Hawkstone).
Max Nagl has already shown
some speedy potential on his
return to the brand where he
finished as MXGP championship
runner-up (and the reunion
with Sarholz KTM means
re-nesting where his career
started in Grand Prix) and
Britain’s sole winner in MXGP,
Shaun Simpson, is another one
looking for inspiration in the
orange. Simpson won Grands
Prix in 2015 with KTM and as a

privateer and is also competing
on British shores again in
’19. Former British Champion
Graeme Irwin may have been
forced to end his career due to
complications with a scaphoid
problem but the world championship-winning
brand is still
not short on plenty of top ten
MXGP presence.
4) IS THIS GAUTIER
PAULIN’S LAST ROLL
AT GLORY?
There is an aura of mystery
at Wilvo Yamaha. One of the
best and most resourceful
satellite teams in the paddock
is primed for a third term in
‘blue’ but while expectations
remain high their possibilities
are unknown. A rider of
Gautier Paulin’s quality and
dedication should lead to
strong results as they chase
their second Grand Prix victory
but an arguably bigger
question mark lies over the
Frenchman’s friend and equally
technical teammate Arnaud
Tonus. The Swiss’ moto success
at his home round (in a
rookie 450 season) in 2017
helped towards another shot
in 2019. Tonus’ fortunes that
weekend of the summer at
Frauenfeld virtually summed
up his career – skill and speed
to win but then an injury in
the second moto knocking all
that momentum away. Arnaud
hasn’t posted Grand Prix
points since the final round of
2017 so Paulin will not have
an unmotivated fellow racer in
the awning.
And what of the Motocross
of Nations talisman himself?
2019 sees Gautier poised
under the heaviest guillotine
blade of judgement yet. Factory
support at Kawasaki, Honda
and Husqvarna produced
excellent highlights but also
problems with championshipconsistency.
It feels like Gautier
has been labouring under
the cloud of being one of
the best motocrossers of the
modern era not to win a title
for several years but let’s not
forget his age (29 in March),
experience and the real
chance that his decision to
6 QUESTIONS FOR 2019 MXGP

FEATURE

ace with Wilvo Yamaha could
result in the enclave of support
he has been searching for
since he last departed Yamaha
in 2011. If #21 feels good then
he’s capable of magic and he
is long overdue some regular
scraps with others for the top
platform of the box rather than
just the second and third steps.
Nineteen trophies in the last
four seasons mean he is the
most prolific and ‘probable’
outside of the KTM clutch.
5) ANY ROOM FOR
THE NEW BREED?
The MXGP ‘rookie’ spotlight
falls on just two MX2 achievers
in 2019: Pauls Jonass and
Vsevolod Brylyakov (the Russian
thankfully having recovered
from the shoulder injury
that pushed his career into the
balance). There are several
more names that carry exciting
potential. In the case of the
Rockstar Energy IceOne Husqvarna
team the realignment
from championship contention
(a position assumed since 2015
and when Max Nagl held the
red plate for Kimi Raikkonen’s
squad) to the propulsion of
‘talent in progress’ comes with
the signing of 2017 MX2 world
champion Jonass (frantically
trying to regain ground for riding
and testing after winter
knee surgery) and the surprise
conscription of Arminas
Jasikonis. The tall Lithuanian is
just 21 years old (a year younger
than Jonass) and shone as
a fill-in with the now defunct
factory Suzuki team in ’17.
Steering a largely stock Honda
in ’18 ‘Jasi’ kept his name in
the MXGP frame but has faced
injury interruption. IceOne represents
a fantastic opportunity
and staff inside the KTM group
and Husqvarna circles are
already tipping #27 as the ‘one
to watch’.
There is genuine excitement
around Monster Energy Yamaha’s
Jeremy Seewer. The Swiss
weathered a late team/brand
switch at the end of ’17 to negotiate
a very satisfactory maiden
MXGP season. So much so that
he was elevated into the works
Yamaha set-up and under the
watch of Mino Raspanti and
Michele Rinaldi. Seewer progressed
every single season to
reach the position of MX2 title
challenger in 2017. He will be a
player in 2019: lay a monetary
note for a first MXGP podium
finish now. With Red Bull KTM
already rocked by Herlings’ setback
the podium could be open
for more infiltration.
6) IS PRADO
UNBEATABLE?
Sadly for fans of MX2 and riders
with high goals in 2019
the reigning world champion
looks to already be reaching
‘Herlings-esque’ levels of potential.
While almost meaningless
as a gauge of Grand Prix
speed his total lockout of the
three round Italian Championship
(and three podium finishes
against the 450s) should not
be dismissed lightly. Training
partner and mentor Tony Cairoli
may be biased and paying
a degree of lip service when he
claims the eighteen year old
has improved further in the
winter time but – ominously
– that’s to be expected with
someone of the capacity and
youth of Spain’s first ever #1 in
the principal classes. He won
in 2018 by building a vessel of
momentum and in the wake of
a tough pre-season disturbed
by a broken elbow. Starts, sand,
hard-pack, on-track skirmishes,
first laps speed: it’s hard to
find Prado’s weakness, which
means the teenager’s toughest
opponent could be himself and
the resistance to mistakes that
could cause injury or another
handicap.
6 QUESTIONS FOR 2019 MXGP

FEATURE
Other teams and brands first
need to equal Prado’s vicious
starting prowess. He was easily
the dominant holeshotter
from all classes in 2018 and
while his build is slight there
are other riders with similar
physique in the division.
KTM+technique+weight+belief
means an already mighty antagonist.
As a remedy and answer then
look to the very few that managed
to compete or even beat
#61 last year. The onus falls
to HRC’s Calvin Vlaanderen
and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s
Thomas Kjer Olsen. In
the meantime there is a litter
of other riders that could
rattle the boat on a given
weekend, names like Watson,
Geerts, Jacobi, Beaton, Sanayei,
Sterry, Mewse, Pootjes
and even Red Bull KTM rookie
Tom Vialle.

6 QUESTIONS FOR 2019 MXGP

MXGP
BLOG
REMEMBERING THE FIRST ONE...
Almost twelve months ago MXGP World Champion Tony
Cairoli was stood on the first podium of the 2018 season,
breathing heavily, slightly bewildered and a little p***ed off.
At the back of the Italian’s mind,
somewhere and somehow, there
was also a flicker of calm. Nine
world championships, eight-three
grand prix wins, fifteen years and
two of the last three spent dealing
with the annoyance of injury all
carried a deep reserve of experience.
The first Grand Prix on a calendar
can mean a hell of a lot. It is
also the initial thrust of many in
the fight. It is fascinating to watch
how professional racers tackle and
then cope with the aftermath of a
championship opener. In Cairoli’s
case the defending No.1 came to
the Neuquen circuit in Argentina
after strong pre-season, another
Italian domestic crown, the incentive
of a tenth world title and the
knowledge that Red Bull KTM
teammate Jeffrey Herlings would
represent his hardest ever challenge.
He earned the first Pole
Position of 2018 and then won the
first moto by a second from the
Dutchman.
Cairoli was a lap away from making
it 1-1 before Herlings’ emphatic
assault and victory, thus earning
the overall triumph and putting
Cairoli – who’d erred several occasions
while leading – on the
second step.
It was clear the defeat stung. Some
of Tony’s post-race comments carried
the tone of frustration but he
was also swift to (at least publicly)
default to the position of acknowledging
a strong result to begin the
campaign.
The nerves and excitement of the
first race (and on a circuit that
almost all the riders like to attack)
means that Grand Prix #1 carries
special significance…but depending
on the classification on Sunday
afternoon a rider may then dismiss
or harness the overall emotion and
feeling from that unique twentyfour
hours. Cairoli was fast, mostly-consistent
and represented the
sole affront to the Herlings threat.
He could have soaked-up a win
that could have been a big statement
against his foe and the rest
of MXGP - and those that were
perhaps questioning his age and
ability to tussle with younger opponents
- instead he was having
to equate the day as 47 points
banked.
In a different place emotionally,
try telling Herlings the day at
Neuquen only signified points. For
the Dutchman it was a risky and
thrilling repost to Cairoli’s A-game.
He rallied from the arm-pump that
affected his Saturday Heat race to
pound an exhilarating stamp on
the series. You could argue that
(while there were still hundreds of
miles of racing laps to run) he laid
the first slab of a dominant championship
in that Argentina volcanic
ash. The belief and confidence
flowed from that moment. Herlings
is also wise to the tremendous
highs and lows of this sport so
would not have sailed too far on
that one-day achievement but

By Adam Wheeler
he - and maybe others in MXGP –
knew something that brewing that
Sunday.
It is possible to count the hours
until MXGP 2019 bounces free of
the start devices. Once again Cairoli
is the man of the pre-season
events and he is almost unbeaten
in three rounds and weeks of Italian
competition (teammate Jorge
Prado actually holds that distinction
in MX2 and must be odds-on
to sweep Neuquen). He might
have had to realign his orientation
on Neuquen however. Considering
Herlings’ strength in 2018 an
equal-points finish would represent
a very good day at the races
if the Dutchman was still in commission.
Tony may have said in
these very pages that he is “out to
win” in 2019 but he has all those
FIM medals because he knows the
price of a GP top three and top five
result in the premier class. Now in
Argentina he must be aware that
anything like the performance levels
of 2018 means that extra dose
of elation.
Or does he? Many riders in the
off-season talk of ‘focussing on
themselves, their programmes,
their own potential’. It means when
they all push into the gate for
that very first moto on Sunday in
South America they will be looking
along the line wondering whether
their whole approach and winter
of work has actually hit the mark.
It is hard to imagine they are not
curious about the others. They
will have seen crumbs of speed,
fitness and form in races like the
Italian series and Internationals
at Hawkstone Park and LaCapelle
Marival but that is also a time
when tests are ongoing and experienced
campaigners will not be
rushing to find limits. Riders even
talk about not ‘wanting to peak’ in
the first Grands Prix of a seventh
month trawl across the globe so
that could add extra irrelevance to
Argentina and the results sheets.
A host of different physical and
mental regimes and individual stories
with confidence, set-up, team
chemistry and confidence will be
colliding in the din of revving throttles
behind the gate.
It is revealing to hear Romain
Febvre saying that thoughts of his
rivals in 2018 was actually detrimental.
Surely some appreciation
and analysis of the others is smart
strategy? Perhaps in a sport where
the parameters and boundaries
move week-on-week depending on
track, conditions and fitness then
it’s just too much to digest.
Round one can be a confusing
situ of smoke and mirrors but - as
presumed with Herlings - it can be
a launch pad, and Jeffrey isn’t the
only one. Pauls Jonass was rarely
more comprehensive in 2018 than
at Argentina and cleared-off with
the next two Grands Prix. Back in
2015 Max Nagl won in Qatar and
then Argentina also and led the
championship for the first half of
the season.
However, while interesting and
often surprising the ‘power’ of the
first round is debatable. Cairoli is
actually the strongest example for
this. #222 has won in the premier
class in 2009, ‘10, ’11, ’12, ’13, ’14
and 2017. Guess how many times
he claimed the opening Grand Prix
in that period?

MXGP
BLOG
Just twice: 2012 and 2017. In
2011 he struggled through an
injured knee and was 9th overall
in Bulgaria: the worst ‘opener’
in his career in the MXGP division…but
he still gathered the
bigger prize. And yet…we can
surmise that his vitality in conquering
the last Grand Prix of
Qatar two years ago was also a
‘latch-freeing’ exercise towards
the ninth world championship?
After all it was his first Grand
Prix win without pain or restriction
after 2015 and 2016.
in Grand Prix. Who will make the
two flights and 27 hour trip back
to the UK with some shiny metal
and a (possibly beneficial) glow?
Grand Prix number one: it’s not
easy to deduce it’s importance
but it can be an early and possibly
vital part of a racer’s story
come the wind-down of another
year.
Pre-season activities can also
muddy the water. I’ll still put a
20 euro note on the table that a
rider like Kemea Yamaha’s Ben
Watson (whose 4th position at
Neuquen kickstarted the next
level of his GP career) will be
fighting for the MX2 podium in
Argentina…but the Brit’s 2019
races so far have seen a litany
of issues both bike and rider
related. On the other hand countryman
Adam Sterry made a
fantastic GP debut in Argentina
two years previously and shone
at last weekend’s Hawkstone
Park International but now has
to step-up and prove his chops

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FEATURE

THE
NEW
LEAF
THE FUTURE OF MXGP:
YOUTHSTREAM AND INFRONT
TALK NEXT STEPS
By Adam Wheeler, Photos by Ray Archer
On the last day of the first month of the New Year the
FIM MXGP Motocross World Championship moved into
a new era. There had been whispers for some time that
the series was being packaged and placed in a shop window
but the acquisition of promoters Youthstream by Swiss sports
marketing company Infront was the first serious shift in the
foundations of Grand Prix racing since the current incumbents
purchased the television, marketing and global rights from
Dorna in 2003.
Youthstream, under control of the Luongo family – principally
father and son Giuseppe and David – have a long association
with motocross, stretching back into the 1980s as race and
championship promoters. The firm’s stint at the helm of the
FIM World Championship began in the mid-1990s as Action
Group before the sale to MotoGP rights holders Dorna in 2000.

FEATURE
Reborn as Youthstream in 2002 they
bought back motocross a year later by
observing Dorna’s hesitancy and insecurity
with the profit-making model applied
to the sport.
They have been overseeing Grand Prix
(through the four-stroke MX1/MX2 formula
and up to the present MXGP/MX2
definition today with heavy influence over
the EMX European Championships as
well as other disciplines like the FIM Junior
World Championship, Veterans and
FIM Snowcross) ever since.
Former professional footballer David
Luongo has been steering the work and
direction of the company at ground level
for the last five years and has seen excellent
headway in the presentational aspect
of MXGP, a larger global footprint, a
surging social media audience and reach,
renewal of the Monster Energy title sponsorship
deal and improved dialogue with
the motorcycle industry and co-promoters
such as AMA Pro National runners
MX Sports. There have been bumps in
the road: the SMX ‘Supermotocross’ Cup
venture in 2016 was an attempt at European
motocross in a Supercross setting
and with AMA-level ambitions but was a
victim of an already overcrowded international
dirtbike calendar.
Infront are no strangers to FIM racing.
They supervised the WorldSBK championship
for six years between 2007-2012
before continuing their part in the merrygo-round
hand-off of power by allowing
Dorna to assume rights over both MotoGP
and Superbike.
The Infront-Youthstream alliance means
a fresh front on the organisation and
promotional face of MXGP for another
seventeen years. It comes at a time when
the FIM have a new president (Jorge
Viegas) for the first time since 2006 and
with staunch MXGP supporter Dr Wolfgang
Srb unexpectedly dipping out of
the election process for the position and
seemingly from the FIM political picture.
The announcement on January 31st naturally
provoked a raft of questions: How
will MXGP change? What will Infront do
with the championship? How much influence
will Youthstream retain?
Asking key figures such as David Luongo
and Julien Ternisien, Infront Vice President
Summer Sports, for their initial
strategies for Grand Prix was the next
point of call and both willingly (if, understandably,
a little guardedly) gave their
opinions on several enquires.
Their accessibility is to be applauded but
there is little doubt that all cards (if any)
will be laid on the table at this stage.
MXGP, as an elite representation of the
sport, is very far from being a broken
series and the last thing Infront will want
is to destabilise the remodelled ship as it
veers out from port.
There is an element of unpredictability
to the partnership though, and the extent
of Infront’s activity and engagement in
MXGP and Youthstream’s working practices
(and whether they can both sail
along) is water yet to be charted. Back
in 2001 Dorna employed virtually a full
roster of Action Group management to
assist in the transition of what an unstable
and politically ‘hot’ period for the
sport. Why? Grand Prix was run as a full
125, 250 and 500cc calendar for the first
time but with the unpopular one-moto

format. Before the mid-point of the 2001
season Dorna cleared out Action Group staff
from their organisation. They had introduced
a new level of TV production and maintained
prize money but the calendar shrank to
twelve fixtures, investment already halted in
2002 (and was cut for 2003) and the Motocross
Des Nations that same year tumbled
to the nadir of cancellation and last minute
revival as a boycotted ‘B-list’ event in Spain.
MXGP & THE FUTURE

FEATURE
The joint Youthstream-Infront press
release claims that a firmer hand will
remain on the tiller this time and it will
be a familiar one. ‘The management
of the Monaco-based company will
remain unchanged under the direction
of President Giuseppe Luongo together
with David Luongo as CEO and Daniele
Rizzi as COO,’ the document states.
“From the very beginning of our discussion
it was clear from both parties
that the management, the people and
the philosophy of Youthstream should
not change,” offers David Luongo exclusively.
“Thanks to our work, choices
and strategy during the last decade
we brought MXGP to an amazing level,
and in that respect Infront will help us
to reach the next steps of our developments.”
“Infront aims to develop a new motorsports
and extreme sports platform,
and thank to the knowledge and the
expertise of Youthstream we are be the
best partners to work on that.”
“No changes are planned,” he reiterates
“as the structure and the format
of our different championships are
working very well but the expertise and
relations of Infront in the TV rights,
Marketing world wide and the window
on Asia will for sure bring the MXGP
to the next steps in term of popularity
and awareness.”
The role of Infront as a passive Big
Brother and facilitator of MXGP to
wider circles is the strongest party line
coming out of the deal. Judging by
their efforts and stance in WorldSBK
this is their MO. “When Infront stepped
into WorldSBK it was hardly noticeable

from the management and
sport point of view, they just
left the championship management
as it was and they looked
after the Media and production
side; I guess this is what is
going to happen also with MX,”
Biel Roda, Marketing & PR
boss of WorldSBK Champions
Kawasaki Racing Team told
us. “They will let management
keep working as they’ve done
in the past and be a partner in
the Media/TV production side.
It will be a mix of experience of
the existing management plus
the strength of a big multinational
behind.”
Youthstream’s objective to take
Grand Prix ‘more global’ has
sparked debate among teams
and fans and is based around
the concerning expense of
racing in the 21st century as
well as some of the suitability
of far-flung circuits where
facilities and knowledge of the
sport might not be as elevated
as in the European heartland
of motocross. The Grand Prix
of Qatar from 2013-2017 was a
well-supported (and well-liked)
cash-driven floodlit spectacle
with initial good intentions to
expand the sport in the Middle
East and connection point
from west to east, but it was
far removed from the earthy
roots of motocross as a decent
circuit experience for fans.
Then for every slick, atmospheric
and popular Grand Prix
in Brazil – for example - there
were also others that didn’t
quite hit the same heights for
organisation or facilities.
Regardless of the rate of efficacy,
expansion has been
a success in terms of giving
new (or starved) audiences a
flavour of MXGP and deepening
the richness and diversity
of the series. As an FIM World
Championship MXGP (as long
as it is reasonably sustainable
for teams and those who
make up the show) has a duty
to explore other territories,
markets and cultures, to find
new fans and re-inspire the old
or distant ones. From a sporting
point of view the fact that
riders have to tackle sapping
Dutch or Belgian sand one
week, marbley Czech soil the
next and then the heat and
humidity of Asian hard-pack a
few days later only hikes the
demands and challenge of the
championship further.
In 2019 MXGP will visit China
and Hong Kong for the very
first time. The calendar also involves
two rounds in Indonesia
for the second year in a row,
a journey to a popular stop in
Russia and the championship
opener in Argentina in two
weeks time. The zeal to keep
stretching Grand Prix is unlikely
to shrink…and it seems
with Infront there is even more
‘back-up’ to make that happen.
David Luongo says the bond
between the companies is not
a snapshot decision.
“We have relationship and
communications with Infront
and its top management for
years thanks to the great
respect both companies and
people have to each other,” he
states. “It has been a several
months of discussion to cover
all the aspects of such acquisition,
and we would like to
thank Infront for their great interest
in MXGP and our work
in general.”
“The most important point
for us was for Infront to feel
comfortable with the special
family spirit of the motocross
and its DNA,” he adds. “We
met people [there] that are really
passionate about motorsport
and it is very promising.
The deal cannot be compared
with the Action Group/Dorna
agreement because the MXGP
FIM World championship is
definitely in another dimension
today in term of popularity.”
“We have been monitoring
Youthstream for a couple of
years as we were looking for
new properties in motorsports
and as we always thought it
was a fantastic product,” says
Infront’s Julien Ternisien. “Infront
will take an active role
at Youthstream board level,
thus also being involved in
key strategic decisions for the
company. We will also take
an active role in all aspects
of commercialising the media
and marketing rights to the
MXGP & THE FUTURE

FEATURE
series represented by Youthstream as well as
in supporting YS to accelerate the international
development of MXGP.”
When prompted to identify the strengths of
MXGP, Ternisien’s reply backs-up Luongo assertion
that Infront have looked carefully into
the potential of the sport. “[It] is one of motorsport’s
fastest growing and most promising
properties,” he says, “one of few sports where
the results are completely unpredictable and
[is] great for fans. The growth the sport has
recently shown is part of a long-term strategy
with a focus on supporting and developing
young riders from the very beginning.
Commercially, we see potential for further
optimisation in sponsorship, media sales and
digital marketing activities.”
“We will collaborate very closely to further
improve fan experience, content offering and
ultimately grow the global community in motocross,”
he offers on Infront’s expected influence.
“We aim at taking the sport to the next level of
commercial success by activating our extensive
media and sponsorship network as well as our
full suite of innovative sports solutions. This
goes hand-in-hand with improving media sales
and accelerating digital marketing activities,
including further improving the MXGP-TV OTT
platform for fans all over the world.”

“Just to provide a benchmark: In the five
years Infront was a partner to WorldSBK it
contributed significantly to the successful
international development of the series and
proved its capabilities in adding value. Key
achievements included: Streamlined positioning
of the series including implementation of
major re-branding project, significant increase
of broadcast coverage (+80% cumulative live
/ re-live audience; +58% live coverage; +40%
number of broadcast partners), improvements
of media production, e.g. implementation
of HDTV standard, on-board cameras and
new onscreen graphics, implementation of a
online and social media strategy, increased
geographical spread and international appeal
(new races in Russia, India, Indonesia; return
to Laguna Seca and Jerez de la Frontera)
and added major international brands to the
sponsorship rooster, including Eni as new title
sponsor and Tissot as timing sponsor.”
“Those examples are just of illustrative nature
and of course this doesn’t mean we will be
able replicate all achievements for MXGP,” he
adds.
David Luongo: “I am sure this collaboration
will bring new ideas but for the moment the
line is the continuity of our work and to finetune
the championships. It is a ‘new gate’ that
opens for our sport and we are super, superexcited
and happy about this new challenge.
For sure it is not the end of my family in our
favourite sport but it is the opening of a new
chapter.”
With Monster Energy again the dominant
brand in MXGP and now Infront an active
partner the championship has enjoyed a flurry
of positive business activity, and it will be interesting
to see how any immediate and midterms
results of these negotiations will flow
down into the state and infrastructure of the
paddock and spectacle.
In a difficult decade for the motorcycle industry
an accepted wisdom has been ‘the more
dynamic and reactionary and speculative the
brand, the more maximisation of their potential
and capability to hit the waves’. During
that time MXGP has been chiselled here-andthere
and the open surge into social media
distribution has produced impressive gains
but it is time to try ‘twisting’ instead of ‘sticking’
and it seems there is now the means to
do that.
MXGP & THE FUTURE

FEATURE
WHAT COULD
CHANGE?
TV – Live television production
is one of the biggest
budget swallowers for Youthstream
and might be one area
that Infront could introduce
measures and/or improvements.
From full coverage of
the four motos for MXGP and
MX2, to broadcast of just the
second motos and then provision
of a magazine ‘highlights’
show MXGP is adaptive with
its TV package. But don’t
expect too much deviation,
especially on the live outlay
(that would involve tinkering
with the root of the sport
itself). “For the time being
we have no immediate plans
to change the format of live
coverage,” says Ternisien. “It
is well established and known
to the fans. Having said this,
we will of course have discussions
with all parties involved
throughout the season and
see if there is need and/
or potential for future optimisations.”
It is the biggest
commercial asset for the
championship however and
undoubtedly the first area of
evaluation.
MXGP is chugging away on
the channels that count. A
measurement of Infront’s
expertise could see the rate of
content or numbers involved
surge further in 2019 and
2020.
Distribution – Where, when
and how MXGP can be found
and enjoyed is another focus
point. Bountiful presence on
Youtube and social media is
a bonus as is the (excellent
value for money) MXGP-TV
streaming pass but mainstream
TV exposure is an area
of the business constantly in
flux and the addition of the
series to the Eurosport catalogue
was a very bright move
in recent years. For fans in
the UK, especially, the sight
of Grand Prix motocross on
principal sport or TV channels
has been in short supply. “We
will collaborate to improve
our TV coverage thanks to
the power of sale of such a
group,” Luongo says. “Infront
has offices of representation
all around the world which
will give a big boost to find
new markets.”
Social Media – Even more
spread? 715,000 followers
on Instagram, 2.6 million on
Facebook, 64,000 on Twitter,
155,000 on YouTube (with millions
of video views) means

WHAT WON’T
CHANGE?
Format – Two motos per class
is a time-honoured format and
was only ditched (to much
derision) from 2001-2003 in
an effort to streamline the
sport to increase the chances
of mass appeal through television.
Youthstream experimented
with a ‘Superfinal’
in the 2013 overseas Grands
Prix that mixed the top riders
of MXGP and MX2 for the
second race but what should
have been a simplification of
motocross actually created
confusion and posed questions
over the safety of 450cc
and 250cc motorcycles tackling
the same obstacles at
the same time. Expect four
motos to remain in place even
if it remains cumbersome for
live television coverage and
the packages that broadcast
networks will be prepared to
take.
Rules – There will be questions
over the innovation
aspect of MXGP (especially
with other series like MotoGP
making a big push behind
electric bike racing in 2019)
but the FIM and Youthstream
have always been resolute
that the motorcycle should
not take priority over the capabilities
of the rider. Expect a
dim view of more electronics
and other aspects that could
inflate the costs of racing even
further, but perhaps the Infront/Youthstream
axis could
start to develop ideas like live
telemetry for the benefit of
TV/entertainment purposes,
much in the same way AMA
Supercross has started to do.
MXGP & THE FUTURE
Calendar – A pan-global
twenty-round series is unlikely
to be reduced. Even more
exploration of non-European
markets could be on the cards
and the continuing search to
re-introduce MXGP to Japan,
South America, the Middle
East and the biggest nut to
crack: north America.

PRODUCTS

husqvarna
Elegant, practical and functional, with a
touch of style: pretty much what you’d expect
from Husqvarna with their first Vitpilen &
Svartpilen collection. The brand themselves
describe the range as: ‘revamped premium
garments and lifestyle accessories that allows
Husqvarna Motorcycles enthusiasts to
confirm their style with clothing and accessories
designed to meet the dynamics of a
modern life.’ We’re talking two different jackets,
three variations of casual/riding pants,
three different glove offerings and two crash
helmet variations.
www.husqvarnamotorcycles.com
One of which, the Pilen (made by French firm
SHARK) perfectly captures the Street character
of the eye-catching white bikes. The
Eliminator – shown here – is equally distinctive.
Hit any of the links to go direct to the
page for a browse or curious look. There is
also a pair of high-top riding ‘trainers’ made
for the firm by REV’IT. Highlighted here is the
Pilen jacket (again by REV’IT) which contains
CE approved protection in the shoulders and
elbows, a back protector slot and includes a
removable thermal layer and hood. A bikerfit
‘Progress’ jacket made of cowhide means
there is another choice.

SBK
BLOG
FINALLY ARRIVING..
More than Europe’s
largest MC store
I’m H.A.P.P.Y. I know I am, I’m sure I am…
I am writing this sitting in my office
when I should be sitting on a plane
at 39,000ft travelling to Australia.
Despite making the application
three weeks ago, my Visa still
hasn’t come through and I have
been unable to leave.
It has only been in the last five
years that we have had to apply
for this temporary, short stay work
Visa and at the cost of $290AUD
the efficiency doesn’t seen to have
matched the $200 increase in that
time. Up until now it has taken no
more than 7 days to process but for
some reason this year it has disappeared
into a black hole. Added
to that the customer services help
desk is of the chocolate teapot variety,
I am going nowhere fast.
This, added to another couple of
headaches that are persisting at
the moment, places me slap bang
on the centre of the F**ked Off
Zone…….and a race wheel hasn’t
even turned in anger!
That was yesterday and with the
help of a few emails from a person
I know who knows some people,
my visa arrived, a day late, and I
rebooked the flights for this evening
(Friday). With my bags already
packed and good to go it has afforded
me a little free time and I
have taken the chance to get out
and pedal my bike on what is an
unseasonably bright and sunny day
in Glasgow. Some welcomed fresh
air and exercise before I sit in a big
tin can for the best part of a full
day.
With the stress of getting the travel
organized it was nice to finally
arrive in Melbourne on a sunny
Sunday morning. I even scored a
cheeky little upgrade from Emirates
on the way to Dubai so I took
advantage and had a proper sleep
on the first leg of the journey.
It was straight to the track from the
airport and into a full day of photoshoots,
mainly team shots and set
up pictures for press kits but it is
time consuming for the amount of
content generated and takes a lot of
post production editing. I pushed
through the jet lag to get it all
finished so I could concentrate fully
on the track action today.
Like every season before, this is
when the talking stops and we see
who are the real contenders for the
championship.
There are many potential challengers
to Jonathan Rea’s crown but I
have this nagging feeling that we
are waking up on Groundhog Day.
Kawasaki introduced their rider
line-up, who we all knew anyway,
and their 2019 livery at a launch
event, in San Remo, just off the
Island, on Saturday evening. Yours
truly should have been there but
thanks to my Visa fiasco I had to
get Vaclav Duska Jnr to stand in for
me and I must say a big thank you
for doing a sterling job. I had shot
the bike and riders in Seville at the
end of February and apart form an
additional bit of branding here and
there, the bike looks exactly the
same. Kawasaki has made all their
changes to engine internals that
you can’t see.

By Graeme Brown
With an increase in horsepower on
the production version of the Ninja
ZX-10RR, the race machine will now
have parity with the other manufactures
when it comes to the top end
of their rev limit. The engine characteristics
have changed to make
it more responsive. One complaint
JR had last year was that losing
top end revs meant that in some
corners he struggled to find the
right gear to get sufficient drive. I
remember he told me how tough
Misano was last year for that reason.
It was tough, but he claimed
a double win. That therefore can
only lead me to think that with an
improved bike the 2019 championship
is his to lose rather than go
out and win it.
For me the obvious challengers are
the same ones as before – both
Ducati and Yamaha riders, Tom
Sykes, now on the new BMW, and
his team-mate, Leon Haslam. Who
will it be and will they have enough
to claim the title themselves?
Standing trackside shooting on
Monday morning one thing struck
immediately, Alvaro Bautista looked
lightning fast, way quicker than
anyone else.
Experience has told me that that
never translates to the timesheets.
However, today I would be put back
in in my bock. Bautista topped the
timesheets all day, but only by a
few tenths from Alex Lowes on the
Yamaha. Rea finished third fastest
of the combined sessions, but in
the afternoon he fell behind team
mate Haslam, albeit the wind had
got up, and the morning times
remained the fastest over the whole
day.
Sykes and Davies were further
down in the final scores. The Yorkshireman
still learning and adapting
to his new steed whilst I fear Davies
may still be suffering from the back
injury that sidelined him in Jerez
and Portimao.
The other quick fella today, and
looking the part, was Alex Lowes
on the Yamaha. Alex is a rider
with a style that always ‘looks’ fast
and today it was great to see him
knocking on the door. Pre-event he
was quoted that he feels he can be
an ever present on the podium this
year.
It’s a bold statement but on today’s
showing at least, why not?
However, one swallow doesn’t make
a summer and we have another
full day of testing tomorrow. By the
time you read this you will know if
what I have written is irrelevant –
well more so than normal - and in
any event Saturday’s podium places
will be decided on Saturday after
22 laps of one the best motorcycle
racing circuits on the planet, not
from a day of testing.
I have slowly moved out of the FO
Zone and back into my normal
slightly grumpy, mildly miserable,
West of Scotland self. That’s just
me but I am in the Happy Zone.
At 9:15am I was standing on the
outside of Siberia corner, camera
in hand, blue skies above and
the southern ocean off to my left
watching a string of motorbikes
creep out of pit lane, down to turn
one and make there way round the
Southern Loop towards me. I can’t
think of many better places to be
on a Monday morning.

FEATURE
ESSENTIAL Qs
2019 WORLD SUPERBIKE IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER AND
THIS COULD BE ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING SEASONS IN
YEARS: THERE ARE NEW BIKES, NEW RIDERS, A NEW WEEKEND
FORMAT AND PLENTY OF INTRIGUE AHEAD OF THE 13 ROUND
CAMPAIGN. WE DECIDED TO TACKLE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS
PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE REGARDING THE SERIES AS PHILLIP
ISLAND LAUNCHES PROCEEDINGS THIS WEEKEND.
Words & Photos by Steve English and GeeBee Images

: WORLDSBK

FEATURE
IS THIS THE END OF
AN ERA?
Don’t count on it but whether
2019 is the year that Jonathan
Rea finally trips-up is a
legitimate talking point in the
WorldSBK paddock. The four
times champion has dominated
WorldSBK in recent years
but for the first time since
joining Kawasaki, he might be
forced to look over his shoulder
at a bag full of rivals.
The foundation of Rea’s success
has been built on dominance
over his teammate.
With Tom Sykes put in his
place, Rea felt the confidence
that comes from being able
to focus on a single title
rival. Typically this has been
Chaz Davies, but for 2019 the
Yamaha has looked strong
in testing and the blue machine
has four capable riders.
Ducati has an all-new bike
and with WorldSBK regulars
Davies and Eugene Laverty
joined by MotoGP refugee
Alvaro Bautista the Italian
manufacturer has the personnel
capable of getting back to
the front. Add in a motivated
Sykes on a brand new BMW
and you’ve got a mouth-watering
grid.
Fighting a title battle is hard
enough but fighting it out
over multiple fronts is even
more difficult. Rea is going to
have to go through a wall of
opposition this season. The
Kawasaki is the most versatile
machine and Rea is the

greatest Superbike rider of all
time but he won’t count out his
rivals in 2019. At races where
Rea isn’t quite able to perform
to the maximum, he might
suddenly find himself behind
a host of bikes and fighting for
fifth rather than the safe podiums
that we’ve seen in recent
years, on his rare off-days.
This could be the year where
the drive for five ends in disappointment
for Rea.
DO NEW FORTUNES
GO ALONG WITH
A NEW BIKE FOR
DUCATI?
Ducati have put their flag on
the mast. The Panigale V4 R
has to win the title. The Italian
manufacturer has changed
tact, broken from their tradition
of a twin-cylinder machine
and fallen into line.
Ducati has said that: “we
aren’t committed to an engine
format, a trellis frame or
anything other than winning.
We’ve made these changes to
make sure that Ducati can win
again.”
“FIGHTING A TITLE BAT-
TLE IS HARD ENOUGH BUT
FIGHTING IT OUT OVER
MULTIPLE FRONTS IS EVEN
MORE DIFFICULT. REA IS
GOING TO HAVE TO GO
THROUGH A WALL OF OPPO-
SITION THIS SEASON.”
No pressure on Davies and
Bautista in that case.
The Spaniard comes with lots
of hype. He is expected to
win and win regularly. Ducati
replaced Marco Melandri because
podiums at every other
race wasn’t enough. They
wanted more. Now arguably
the biggest question entering
the 2019 season is whether
Bautista can get the job done.
He’ll go to Phillip Island having
endured a difficult transition
to WorldSBK. Ducati has
their new bike and are still
learning to understand it. Bautista
is learning how to feel
the Pirelli tyres and a Superbike.
It’s a big shift and one
that many riders have struggled
with in the past. Can the
Spaniard be different and join
Max Biaggi and Carlos Checa
as MotoGP castoffs who won a
title in WorldSBK? It remains
to be seen but Phillip Island is
the best place in the world to
start because with two days of
testing in advance he can get
up to speed, have his bike settings
in the ball park and race
at a track he knows and loves.
‘PI’ is a track tailor made for
almost every rider on the grid.
If there’s a rider who doesn’t
like Phillip Island, I’ve yet to
meet him. Bautista fought for
the MotoGP podium in Australia
last October and now he
starts his SBK career here.
BMW AND HONDA:
THEIR CHANCES IN
2019?
After more than 15 years
Honda Racing Corporation is
back in WorldSBK. The last
time there was a full factory
effort from HRC in WorldSBK,
ESSENTIAL WorldSBK Qs

FEATURE
the landscape was very different.
Castrol Honda and Colin
Edwards won the title at Imola
in one of the most talked about
races in recent history, and if
you’d said then that the big ‘H’
would have only five wins in the
last five years you’d have been
taken for a fool.
Ultimately resources were spent
in MotoGP and other projects
but now, finally, Honda are ready
to once again invest in WorldS-
BK and to try and win big. But it
will take time. The Fireblade has
left much to be desired since the
new model was introduced. However
going forward this could be
the start of something big. Honda
will win again in WorldSBK
but it would be a shock if this
occurs in 2019. This season is
almost certain to be a learning
year for the Moriwaki-run effort,
where Honda evaluate the championship.
As the term progresses
they should make some strong
steps forward.
BMW on the other hand looks
the part, has a brand new bike
that looks to be fast and have
invested heavily. Tom Sykes is
the headline signing but don’t
underestimate their technical investments
with Pete Benson and
Pete Jennings as crew chiefs.
Benson is a multiple Grand Prix
world championship winning
technician, and they don’t come
cheap. The Shaun Muir Racing
partnership is an interesting one
and one that can succeed.

The team has shown that
when it has its ducks in a row
it can be a good team but
now with BMW support - and
their financial clout behind
them this could be the start of
something big.
The bike has been quick in
testing. Whether it’s quick
enough to win races remains
to be seen but don’t rule it
out. Sykes will have Superpole
successes with this bike
and the 2013 world champion
finally has the engine characteristics
he’s been chasing for
years.
He’s motivated and hungry.
He’s a former world champion
and he’s spent four years
being punched in the face by
Rea. Sykes is backed into a
corner but he’ll be looking to
come out swinging. If he’s fast
in Phillip Island, a traditional
bogey track, he can be fast
anywhere.
TOO MANY INDIANS
AND NOT ENOUGH
CHIEFS AT YAMAHA?
Michael van der Mark, Marco
Melandri, Alex Lowes and
Sandro Cortese. Between
them they have a 250ccGP
championship, two World Supersport
titles, a Moto3 crown
and a youngest ever British
Superbike champion. It’s not
a bad line-up by any stretch
of the imagination. Is it good
enough to get Yamaha back to
winning titles?
The problem for Yamaha
might well be that there’s
actually too much competition.
If you’re looking for a
first crown since Ben Spies
ESSENTIAL WorldSBK Qs

FEATURE

“THE EXTRA AFFAIR WILL BE A TEN LAP
RACE. MEANING WE WILL HAVE SHORT
SPRINTS AT LAGUNA SECA BUT AT A
LONGER CIRCUIT LIKE PORTIMAO, IT WILL
BE MUCH MORE TACTICAL AND SHOULD
ENCOURAGE A BALLS TO THE WALL,
WINNER-TAKES-ALL MENTALITY. “
ESSENTIAL WorldSBK Qs

FEATURE
in 2009, you need an alpha.
You need a leader. It’s up to
the Yamaha riders to find that
pecking order as quickly as
possible. Making that even
more complicated is that
Crescent Racing are the established
Yamaha squad and
the designated reference
team, and they have to contend
with GRT Racing. GRT
are making the step up from
the Supersport class and are
keen to show their potential.
They will want to be the top
Yamaha squad just as much
as their riders want to assert
themselves.
With the teams able to share
data it will be interesting to
see how that pooling process
operates. Will Alberto Columbo,
Chaz Davies’ old crew
chief, be able to filter the info
and improve the package? It
certainly looked that way during
testing.
The R1 was fast and consistent.
Lowes was the standout
but van der Mark has never
been a rider that has been
known for his testing performances.
He’s a racer and
when the Superpole session
begins in Australia he’ll be
right there. Lowes on the
other hand has been spending
the winter changing his riding
style and no athlete was busier
at the January tests than
the Englishman. It was a close
run fight between Rea and
Lowes to be the most impres-
sive rider during those tests.
Can the 2013 BSB champion
make the step up in 2019 that
many have been waiting for?
He’s now a race winner and
has the belief that he can win
more.
Van der Mark knows that he
can beat Rea in a straight up
fight. The Dutchman fractured
his scaphoid - the same injury
that ruled Jorge Lorenzo out
of MotoGP testing - in Qatar
last year but Van der Mark is
now almost back to full fitness.
It’s just in time for the
start of the campaign and he’s
going to be a contender once
again.
Melandri and Cortese are
the wildcards. The Italian is
always a potential race winner
and if he readapts to the
Yamaha he’ll be a force to
be reckoned with. He did the
double ‘down under’ last year
and he’ll be out to start his
season with podiums again.
Melandri thought his career
was coming to an end in 2018
so he’ll race with nothing to
lose this year. Cortese has
been making steps all winter.
He’s a former Moto3 and
Supersport champion; and
while it will take time for him
to learn a Superbike he could
have some good results.
WILL THE NEW
FORMAT WORK?
In a word...yes! The new format
will see extra track action
each weekend. We’ll have the
normal Saturday and Sunday
races along with the Superpole
session. That session
will change this year to being
a free-for-all, with the entire
grid on track together. Winner
takes all and the fastest will
be on pole for Race 1. It will
also set the grid for the allnew
Superpole Race. This is
the biggest change, but having
extra action on the Sunday is
a real positive for the crowds.
The extra affair will be a ten
lap race. Meaning we will have
short sprints at Laguna Seca
but at a longer circuit like Portimao,
it will be much more
tactical and should encourage
a balls to the wall, winnertakes-all
mentality.
We go to racetracks to watch
the big classes. Supersport
300 and the Supersport categories
offer great action but
just like Moto2 and Moto3,
it’s the top dogs that get the
attention. The fans pay to see
Rea and Davies, Van der Mark
and Sykes. They’ll get an extra
chance this year and that can
only be a good thing.

WHAT’S GOING TO
HAPPEN?
Despite the evidence of increased
parity it’s still tough
to bet against Rea. He’s the
man to beat until someone
takes the title from him. That
being said, Rea isn’t invincible
and there’s now a pack of riders
that will be thirsty for that
chance. The biggest question
going into the season is going
to be if they can do it consistently
enough.
ESSENTIAL WorldSBK Qs

BLOG
WEAR IT WELL VALE...
More than Europe’s
largest MC store
Having recently celebrated my 40th birthday (I know,
thanks), there is an important life question that I have found
myself mulling over quite a lot: at what age is it still acceptable
for a man to wear a tracksuit?
You see, I am a big fan of the
tracksuit: sporty, comfortable, and
the closest you can come to looking
like an athlete without having
to bare your arms. There comes a
stage in every man’s life, however,
when you put on a tracksuit and
look less like Usain Bolt and more
like Elton John. The moment that
happens, you need a good friend
around to let you know.
So, what about the 40-year-old who
still goes to work in a trackie top,
cargo shorts, Monster Energy cap
and Nike Air high-tops? As a new
MotoGP season dawns, just weeks
after celebrating his own landmark
birthday, I fear Valentino Rossi
might well be facing the biggest crisis
of his professional career. And,
sadly, I don’t think Uccio is going to
be the guy to help him out on this
one.
Thankfully, Valentino has plenty
of other friends around the world,
as the occasion of his big FOUR-O
reminded us. Did you even see the
roll call on the video posted by motogp.com?
Global sports stars from
Diego Maradona to Roger Federer,
Marc Webber to Mick Doohan, and
a bunch of Italian pop stars and
actors who wouldn’t dream of an
Adidas two-piece, all chipped in
with their best wishes to make up a
star-studded birthday showreel.
And they’re just the ones who made
the cut!
Those who didn’t were forced to
post their own videos and photos,
on the auspices of wishing Valentino
a happy birthday although
in reality what they were actually
doing was trying to convince their
followers that they are good friends
with the man they fawningly call
the #GOAT by reposting a fan selfie
they took when they were supposed
to be working in what amounts to
nothing more than a self-serving,
social-media-age, heavyweight
name drop.
Ah yes, that’s the other thing about
turning 40: you become a cynical
old bastard. But having mastered
every other trick in the book, I’m
pretty sure VR nailed that one years
ago too.
I’m guessing Tom Cruise wasn’t
available to send a video, which is
a shame because if anybody knows
anything about growing old in style
it’s 56-year-old, self-confessed MotoGP
fanatic Tom.
In the most recent Mission Impossible
film the guy was wearing a
leather jacket with jeans and shoes,
and yet he still managed to not look
like your mum’s new boyfriend.
But, then, he did also commandeer
a helicopter in mid-flight, making
it hard to say which was the more
impressive stunt in the movie.

By Matthew Roberts
Cruise made his own personal
idolatry of the number 46 public at
Laguna Seca in 2008, when he was
so desperate to spend more time
with Valentino after meeting him on
the Sunday morning that the rider
actually had to tell his PR manager
to make up an excuse so that the
actor wouldn’t try and visit him
again in his motorhome before the
race.
After the famous battle that ensued
that afternoon between Rossi and
Casey Stoner, I was waiting – as I
always did during that period – to
conduct the post-race interviews in
the television reporters’ pen at parc
fermé. It was an exclusive area, with
just the BBC and Italian TV represented
at the flyaway races outside
Europe at the time, and it always
felt like a massive privilege to be
the one of the guys getting the first
word with the protagonists so soon
after such a momentous race.
As I waited for an elated Rossi and
seething Stoner to return from their
cool-down lap and planned my first
question to both, a figure appeared
alongside me between the steel
barriers that I sensed was not the
familiar, rotund, profusely sweating,
effervescent, bearded mass of Sky
Sport Italia’s Paolo Beltramo.
In fact, right there next to me was
one of the biggest stars in Hollywood,
hijacking my primo real
estate so that he could congratulate
the race winner in person.
Within seconds, in my earpiece, I
was given the instruction from my
producer back in London to grab his
thoughts about the race.
“Tom… a quick word for the BBC?”
I offered, politely.
Taking my hand gently in his soft,
moisturised palms, Cruise smiled
kindly back and nodded his head,
saying, “No, I’m sorry, but I can’t do
that.” Anybody watching our exchange
via the live television cameras
that surrounded us would have
thought he was being friendly and
accommodating. But that famous
Top Gun smile held about as much
sentiment as a happy birthday video
message from Kimi Raikkonen.
The truth is, not everything is as
it seems, and as long as Valentino
Rossi continues to defy the laws of
ageing on track, who could dare to
tell him what is appropriate for his
image off it?
Whether he starts to look like Elton
John one day or not, when that guy
decides to stop having fun, it will be
a sad, sad situation for all of us.

PRODUCTS
alpinestars
Some jacket highlights from Alpinestars’ Spring
collection (that also features many variations
of footwear and boots). The Atem V3 garment
(700 dollars) is based on the successful leather
suit and comes in four different colour combinations.
The race profiling is clear from the
construction of the 1.3mm leather ‘chassis’ to
the aero back hump and the focus on cooling
with taslon fibre and nylon closures. This is not
just for sport though. Handy additions like a
waterproof inner pocket and Alpinestars’ Hyper-
Res Stretch Fibre mean it’s a comfy fit.
The Caliber jacket (549.95 dollars) has chest
and back pad compartments and a removable
thermal lining and is a step more toward street
‘fashion’ rather than the track orientation of the
Atem. Moving further along the spectrum is the
Crazy Eight (399.95) in grey or beige and this
leather piece could be easily worn without a
motorcycle in sight. On the whole Alpinestars’
portfolio of jackets and the myriad of materials
and needs is tremendously vast. Peruse
the website for the right model and purpose
(as well as full specs) and then get along to a
dealer to try.

www.alpinestars.com

MOTOGP
BLOG
DON’T BE FOOLED...
More than Europe’s
largest MC store
It would be easy to assume that Honda are in a spot of
bother after the first test of 2019 at Sepang.
Of the four riders they have in
MotoGP, three are injured, Jorge
Lorenzo badly enough to be
forced to skip the test in Malaysia.
Of the other two, Marc Márquez
is still a long way off full fitness,
recovering from deeply invasive
shoulder surgery, and Cal Crutchlow
was riding around with a kilo
of metal in the foot he nearly
destroyed at Phillip Island. Only
Takaaki Nakagami was fully fit,
but he is not part of HRC’s development
programme.
The standings at the end of the
three-day test might even reinforce
that impression. LCR
Honda’s Crutchlow was the first
of the RC213V riders, in a reasonably
respectable sixth place.
Nakagami was the next Honda
rider, in ninth, nine tenths slower
than Danilo Petrucci’s quickest
lap. Marc Márquez got no further
than eleventh, a few hundredths
behind the Japanese LCR Honda
man. It was hardly the domination
we have seen in earlier years.
Is Honda really in as much trouble
as the Sepang test appears
to show? I rather suspect that
precisely the opposite is true.
Given just how close the field was
– twelve riders within a second
by the end of three days – the
relative rankings should be taken
with a pinch of salt. It is always
tempting to read too much into
the fastest lap times, and the
injuries of the Honda riders make
those times even more deceptive.
Injuries make riders less willing
to push right to the very limit at a
test, but that doesn’t mean they
aren’t providing useful feedback.
The trick is to focus on what you
are in a position to test, leaving
the rest for later.
In Marc Márquez’ case, that
meant not worrying about the
tendency of the front end to fold
under extreme pressure, and
concentrate on improving rear
grip and acceleration. “This test I
wasn’t concentrating on the front,
as I wasn’t pushing like always,”
he said at Sepang. “I’m not riding
with my normal riding style on
corner entry. We tried the engine,
then we tried a completely different
character of the bike. We
are not going into the details at
the moment, we are just going for
very big things, if it’s working or
not working, and get some information.
The most important thing
is to work on the engine, because
from Qatar until the end of the
season, we cannot touch it.”
It was top speed Honda are
chasing, the one area where they
really came up short against
the Ducati. This is a question of
honour: they are not called Honda
MOTOR Company for nothing.
But the trick is to balance top end
speed with manageable acceleration,
the quicker and more easily
you can get out of the corner, the
faster you go at the end of the
straight. At Sepang, the Hondas
were consistently within a couple
of km/h of the Ducati, their work
over the winter having paid off.

By David Emmett
The 2019 bike features a different
air intake, which flows directly
through the headstock, instead
of being routed round the frame.
That allows for a bigger airbox,
which in turn means more power.
New exhausts also appeared on
the bike, to help manage the extra
horses on tap.
Ignore the headline times, and it
shows just how strong the 2019
Honda RC213V is. In terms of race
pace, both Márquez and Crutchlow
were impressive. Márquez did
not do many laps, but he made all
of them count, circulating consistently
in the high 1’59s and low
2’00s. Crutchlow posted plenty
of laps in that range too, a sign
that both men were focusing on
development, rather than engaging
in the manhood-measuring
contest which testing can quickly
descend into. “Marc didn’t push
himself,” Crutchlow noted. “I think
he pushed the bike to a good
limit and he was competitive. He
could’ve gone faster. He’s testing,
as am I.”
But even when trying to be as
prudent as possible and focus on
bike development and avoiding
risks, Márquez couldn’t completely
suppress his competitive instincts.
On the first day of the test,
a quick lap on his final run put
him at the top of the timesheets.
That, too, was a matter of honour,
as well as proving to himself that
he hadn’t lost any speed over the
winter.
That fast time is just another
piece of the jigsaw falling into
place. The Honda riders were
happy at the Valencia and Jerez
tests in November, and content
with the progress made at
Sepang. In previous years, Honda
riders left Sepang worried how
far behind schedule they felt they
were. This year, no such concerns
were expressed. Given that Marc
Márquez has won five of the last
six championships that should really
worry his rivals.

MotoGP
THE BIG PUSH

WHAT WAS SAID AND WHAT WENT DOWN IN
AUSTRIA AS KTM UNVEILED THEIR LARGEST
AND MOST AMBITIOUS PROBE INTO MotoGP
By Adam Wheeler, Photos by KTM/Sebas Romero
“To give a rough idea
of what we are
talking about: on
the front-end we have the
riders…but behind we have
180 people. I would say
half of them in the forefront,
half in the background
– engineers
and technicians. Total
budget? We’re talking
about 40 million
euros. It is not an issue
of money finally.
It is [about] the best
people…and that’s
the KTM family.”
KTM Group CEO
Stefan Pierer can
normally be relied on
to throw some candid
and unexpected information
to media and guests.
Projects that might have been
brewing in secret for years in
the vaults, clay model pits and
test benches in Mattighofen
can sometimes be talked
about with lucid enthusiasm
by the Austrian who has reignited
three prominent brands
in the industry and has hiked
up his vision towards the
world’s premier motorcycle
racing series.
Pierer uttered those words
towards the end of the 2019
MotoGP presentation in the
new City Hall in Mattighofen.
A snowball-throw away from
KTM’s almost-finished ‘Motohall’
that was due to host
the event and is apparently
set to open in April [have a
read about the manufacturer’s
new project in this story on
the KTM Blog]. At one point
he was joined not only by
the nine riders in all three
classes (five world championships,
over sixty wins and one
hundred and fifty podiums
between them) but also an
envious collective of experienced
management: Pit Beirer
(responsible for the frantic recruitment
drive that includes
the whole Tech3 MotoGP and
Moto3 structure), Mike Leitner,
Aki Ajo and Herve Poncharal.
That KTM are investing so
heavily and banking so hard
on what Pierer says is a “five
year programme” was clear to
see. 2017 was a debut, 2018
was a tricky injury-hit second
term but also had bright moments
and that landmark podium
in the damp at Valencia.

FEATURE
Watching the array of technology
and talent on display
gave appreciation for some of
that 40 million budget: still a
hefty whack for Europe’s largest
motorcycle manufacturer
now spitting out more than
200,000 two-wheelers a year.
Apart from all the riders and
three different kinds of MotoGP
machine under the lights
(kudos for the Torro Rossostyle
blue/chrome Red Bull
livery and there is, of course,
that potent test team of Mika
Kallio and Dani Pedrosa in
the wings) the Austrian drinks
brand was also omnipresent.
Thanks to their backing KTM’s
acquisition of the Tech3 squad
filled several purposes.
Principally it is to accelerate
their scaling of the MotoGP
standings. “In the premier
class two motorcycles is not
enough to be able to develop
technology up until the highest
level,” said Beirer. “So
having a second team in the
MotoGP gives us an amazing
feeling that our system is in
place. “
It also doubles the amount of
RC16s circulating the nineteen
circuits of the series and
forms part of a ‘progression’
philosophy that Red Bull are
keen to implement. Hafizh
Syahrin (attempting just his
second season in MotoGP
and an important focus point
for the Asian market and ‘hot
spot’ in MotoGP) and Miguel
Oliveira (a rookie for 2019 and
twice a near-title winner for
KTM also their very first rider
to come through the KTM
‘ladder’ of Moto3/Moto2) are
very much ‘work in progress’
talent. Tech3 might have been
used to grand prix podiums
and contention for spoils
thanks to the likes of Andrea
Dovizioso, Cal Crutchlow, Pol
Espargaro, Bradley Smith and
Johann Zarco in recent years
but the new line-up definitely
nudges the emphasis of their
roster towards youth and
promise.
“We started this slowly,” said
Red Bull Motorsports Manager
Thomas Überall “and grew it
very ‘safely’ over the years
and we are very happy to have
two MotoGP teams in the
end: one that is fighting for
podiums – I can say this now
because we did it last year –

and the second team where we
can bring up the riders from
other classes and they can
have their first steps into MotoGP
with less pressure than
perhaps the factory team. This
is really what we want to do,
and is just great.” The parallel
for Red Bull with their F1 outlay
was immediate (even the link
with the Torro Rossi ‘blue’).
“We proved it already in four
wheels,” Überall underlined.
“We had Red Bull Racing and
just one year later Torro Rosso
which is the junior team in
Formula One and we do something
very similar in MotoGP
now. This will hopefully bring
us some success for the future
and, hopefully, brings us the
first world champion on the
road in the top class of MotoGP
very soon. No pressure to
the riders!”
Tech3 is thus the ‘cradle’ and
the cooking pot for KTM and
their MotoGP tilt but Oliveira
was quick to dismiss the notion
that he and Syahrin are in any
way a form of ‘testing mule’
for the Espargaro/Zarco factory
duo. “I don’t feel that we
are a ‘second’ team,” he stated.
“I think it is just a big group
of guys that want to work and
push KTM to be at the top. We
are working quite close together.
KTM brought many parts [to
the Sepang test] that we suggested
at the end of last year.
So we are going forward. Of
course my goal is to get closer
to them but we must bear in
mind that they are two riders
with a lot of experience and Johann
has showed his potential
on other bikes. I just have to
keep calm and focus on where
I want to go.”
Oliveira was one of the most
erudite speakers at the hourlong
spectacle. The Portuguese
sometimes comes across as
intense and staid but he is
perceptive and shrewd and a
contrast to the bland platitudes
straight out of the racer’s PR
handbook provided by the likes
of Marco Bezzecchi (when will
Pro athletes learn that it is sincere
thoughts and feelings or
good anecdotes or stories that
capture imagination and interest?
It’s a minor but significant
part of the job).
In the same talkative vein,
Herve Poncharal is accustomed
to surprises in his three-decade
stint as leader of one of
the championship’s leading
satellite teams. 2019 might be
a season of transition and education
away from the glare of
KTM’S BIG MotoGP PUSH

FEATURE
podiums and front-rows that
he enjoyed with Zarco for the
last two years but the quotetastic
Frenchman is a Grand
Prix stalwart so his words
carried some impressive
weight when he claimed: “I
have been working with a lot
of different motorcycle manufacturers
but this is clearly the
best, the biggest and the most
advanced racing department
I have ever seen in the motorcycle
industry. When you see
this then you know they are
serious about racing. ‘Ready
to race’: it is not just something
on the t-shirt.”
The initial taste of the orange
for Tech3 last November
looked a little disconcerting
but Oliveira, in particular,
made great strides during five
days of hot and sweaty work
at Sepang for the first of two
MotoGP tests the previous
week. “I can tell you – without
being politically correct and
I always say what I think and
feel - in between what we tested
in November and what we
tested in Sepang the amount
of new parts is impressive
and also the amount that has
been done: the improvement
of the feeling for our riders,”
Poncharal added. “ I would
like to thank all the engineers
for their work during the winter
break, which was short.
There is still some catch-up
to do but we had a great test
in Sepang and we didn’t just
focus on the one lap but we
took every tyre until more than
race distance and we tried to
understand the package and
give the right information to
the engineers.”
“KTM built a very strong support
structure around us, a lot
of new faces, so at the moment
we have a group but we
need to make this group feel
like one, to understand each
other better and this is the
purpose of the winter test but,
honestly, so far we are very
happy and proud,” he said,
revealing that Tech3 might
have switched colours and
technology after an eternity
with Yamaha (it would have
been two decades in an official
capacity this year) but
there is also a human aspect
to the change. “We know this
year is an exciting challenge:
when you have to catch up it
is always exciting.”
Zarco is Poncharal’s old vanguard.
Espargaro is probably
more of the de facto team
leader thanks to his experience
of the RC16 and the setup
however the Frenchman is
not only the most successful
rider of the entire KTM pack
but the one that will face the
most scrutiny. Amazingly his
union with KTM represents
the first time in his career
that he can enjoy the status of
‘factory’. “When I go into the
garage…that feeling is pretty
nice: to have all that support,”
he said to presenter Alex Hofmann.
“Everyone is important.
We need the time to develop
everything and have the bike
that will win races but we are
on the way and that is exciting.”
The sweep around the other
riders (Brad Binder and Jorge
Martin two of the last three
Moto3 world champions,
Bezzecchi and Philipp Öttl
and sensational teenager Can
Öncü) revealed some interesting
titbits. South African
Binder is arguably KTM’s
main hope in a bewildering
first Moto2 term with Triumph
engine power. Facing his third
year in the intermediate class
Binder was given the (by now)
usual question about the
shifting demands of the category.
“[There is] Definitely a
lot more bottom power, a lot
more aggressive than what we
are used to with the old Moto2
bikes,” he offered. “It will be
a year of a lot of development
with everybody having to build
a new chassis. I think we started
off in a good way and we’re
in a good place.”
Moto2 is a step in the dark
for the whole grid but Binder
manages to combine a humble
and friendly demeanour
with one that houses a

KTM’S BIG MotoGP PUSH

FEATURE
fierce desire for excellence.
He doesn’t mince his words
when it comes to competition.
“I have never entered a
race and not tried to win,” he
signed-off. Rookie teammate
Jorge Martin is still recovering
from a broken left arm
and right foot but is on the
KTM fast track having won the
Red Bull Rookies Cup in 2014,
Moto3 and now embarking
on the next rung. He’s chased
by fifteen year old Öncü, who
continues to tackle the attention
and interest in his efforts
with the same kid-like aspect.
The Turk is the third Rookies
champion in the nine-rider
crew (Zarco is the very first,
#1 in 2007) and wasn’t afraid
to talk up his chances. There
as the expected acknowledgement
that 2019 would be ninth
month process of learning but
he also grinned: “if I’m clever
and fast it is also possible to
win the title!”
Ever-present on stage was
Beirer. It was somehow fitting
that a video of his battling,
aggressive and entirely encapsulating
performance to win at
the 1997 Motocross Des Nations
circulated on social media
that morning. The German
does not lack intensity, and
has moulded the vast racing
division into a unit that gathers
trophies on Dakar trails,
motocross tracks, supercross
stadium layouts, beach races
and enduro trails for fun.
The MotoGP affair was reminiscent
of the 2010 pre-season
presentation in MXGP. On that
February day in Italy Beirer
not only introduced Tony
Cairoli and the De Carli setup
in KTM colours for the first
time but also the innovative
350 SX-F: both would change
the face of the premier class
of the FIM Motocross World
Championship. Fittingly athletes
like Marvin Musquin and
Jeffrey Herlings were also
on the platform. “It’s a very
special moment for me and
another milestone seeing this
structure,” he commented.
“We have been building since
2012 and it is all in place
now.”
Beirer also paid credit to the
Moto3 foundation of KTM’s
MotoGP presence. “Without a
Moto3 project we would not
have a MotoGP bike today and
you have to work so closely
and carefully to make gains
there,” he said. “It is our base,
and it leads us directly onto
why we are in Moto2 because
it is the next step.”
Before Stefan Pierer’s revealing
final statement the CEO
had time to express his feelings
and goals to the company’s
biggest single venture.
“We see on the TV or the
internet how many tenths of a
second are missing and that
really drives you to do everything
you can to touch the top
of the podium.
That’s our philosophy and
that has driven us to success
over the last thirty years but
in this racing world we are
still beginners: this is our third
year. By the end [of five years]
we want to see the podium
and for the upcoming racing
season I’d like to see single
digit results; that’s realistic
because we are still collecting
data and we miss all the
experience of our competitors.
For 2019 – in gambler’s speak
– it’s ‘all in’.”
In the same exposition Pierer
also reiterated the support
for the “front-end staff” of the
KTM family and the need for
patience but there was a
feeling that the company
is hovering
a left foot near
sixth gear
for their
MotoGP
goals. 2019 really
will be a crucial year for the
grid’s newest but arguably
most fascinating players.

“FOR THE UPCOMING
RACING SEASON I’D LIKE
TO SEE SINGLE DIGIT
RESULTS; THAT’S
REALISTIC...”
KTM’S BIG MotoGP PUSH
XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXX
‘THERE WERE CONCERNS THAT THE 450S
WERE TOO FAST, TOO HEAVY AND TOO MUCH
FOR THE ATHLETES AND WERE LEADING
TO A SPATE OF INJURIES... NEAR-CRISIS
MEETINGS WERE BEING HELD.’

MOTOGP
BLOG
SPARKING INTO LIFE...
As someone brought up on a strict diet of two-wheel racing,
I was struck by a video filmed by colleagues last November.
Stood trackside at Jerez’s famous stadium section
to observe MotoE’s first official outing, the footage captures
a gaggle of Italian manufacturer Energica’s hybrid
machines filing past in a flurry. Yes, the Ego Corse - the
MotoE World Cup’s bike of choice – looked like a grand prix
motorcycle. And it was certainly travelling at racing speeds.
But what about the sound, or lack
thereof? Gone were the peaks and
wails of an engine and the clanks,
cuts and spits that accompany
downshifting and electronic aids.
Noises one has become so accustomed
to hearing from racing
machines. Instead there was a
near-silent robotic whirr followed
by a whoosh of displaced
air - an experience straight from a
DVD extra on an upcoming sci-fi
release. Watching them circulate
on track was more Blade Runner
2049 than elite level motorsport.
That first MotoE shakedown
raised several questions that remain
unanswered.
For a sport so visceral, so dependent
on assaulting the senses when
observing nearby, can the lack
of sound (and smell) really be
redressed? Will the racing really
be that competitive? There was
a considerable variation between
the fastest and slowest riders present
last November. And perhaps
the biggest challenge for machine
supplier Energica: can these
machines really travel at racing
speeds for a full race distance?
But fast-forward two and a half
months and the first electric
motorcycle sprint held at world
championship level is edging ever
closer.
Make sure to mark May 5th in
your diary, a day in which a small
bit of two-wheel history will be
made. The five-round series, comprising
of six outings (a doubleheader
at the final fixture to ensure
championship tension goes
to the last weekend) starts with a
7 or 8 lap shootout at Jerez. Trips
to Le Mans, the Sachsenring, Austria’s
Red Bull Ring and Misano
will follow.
Whether you view electric bikes
as a threat to the current status
quo, or are just straight up disinterested,
it’s worth paying at
least a passing attention to how
the coming year unfolds; not least
because of electric-powered vehicles’
ever-increasing influence on

More than Europe’s
largest MC store
By Neil Morrison
our lives in the coming years. It’s
believed as many as 60 million
electric powered cars will occupy
the world’s streets by 2040. Enel
X, the series’ title sponsor, estimates
the majority of vehicles
(55%) sold in that year will be
powered by electric, not gasoline.
Beyond that, the majority of evidence
suggests MotoE won’t be
anything other than a fun spectacle.
Showcased at a recent ‘Summit’
conference in Barcelona, the
grid will comprise of 18 identical
Energica Ego Corse prototypes,
machines capable of reaching
165mph. Only ride height, suspension
settings and final gearing can
be altered. Those working behind
the scenes have placed entertainment
among the top priorities.
Provide close, exciting racing, it is
reasoned, and fans will respond
accordingly. Bradley Smith, one of
the class’ leading entries, agrees:
“The lack of noise doesn’t matter;
it’s about the racing. That’s what
the spectacle is and that’s all a
racer wants.”
The annual TT Zero race has been
the highest-profile electric bike
competition to date. But with just
six finishers in the 2018 event,
and budgets varying from the
might of HRC (Mugen) to the student
run ‘University of Bath Zero’
entry, the race was something of
a non-event in terms of spectacle.
Understandable then the general
response to MotoE’s creation has
been lukewarm at best.
By contrast MotoE promises to
be an eight-lap dash that Dorna
hopes will resemble a Red Bull
Rookie freight train – only this
is at the forefront of a new kind
of a new hybrid technology. The
strength of the field - ten nationalities,
seven different grand prix
winners and five former world
champions – and the teams
present (each MotoGP satellite
squad has a presence on the grid)
- should, on appearance levels at
least, merit a level of professionalism
befitting of a world series.
In an ideal world, this should be
as close to ‘regular’ racing as possible.
That’s partly why Nicolas Goubert,
Executive Director of the
new series, was so insistent on
machines having the capacity to
run at full speed over full race
distance. “Riders will have the
same power from the first to the
last lap,” he told attendees at the
recent ‘Summit’. “We don’t want
strategies. We want races to be
the same as normal, and saving
energy is not normal for bike
races.”
No doubt, there’ll be teething issues
to overcome. Energica has
done crash tests. But just how
quickly will action be able to resume
when, inevitably, a bike falls
and becomes gravel-stricken? The
inherent risks of electric shocks
in such situations mean marshals
will be forewarned as to whether
a machine will be retrievable.
Should a light fitted to the bike’s
rear flash green, the machine is
not sufficiently wrecked and can
be collected safely by trackside
personnel. Flash red, however,
and action must stop while a
truck will collect the bike from the
gravel.

MOTOGP
BLOG
This could well be a time consuming
affair in an already packed
schedule.
And while the field boasts undoubted
quality, there is a fair
variation in terms of talent and
experience. Just how will Luca
Vitali, a rider with just one year
in the 125cc World Championship
behind him, and most recently
seen in the European Superstock
Championship perform against
the likes of Bradley Smith, a top
ten finisher in MotoGP as recently
as last year? Can a 46-year old
Sete Gibernau, last seen competing
on the world stage in 2009,
really be expected to fight against
riders half his age?
But like it or not, this will be plying
a greater influence on racing
as we know it in the years ahead.
So why not jump aboard and see
where it takes us? I, for one, welcome
our new, soon-to-be electric
overlords.
Fair questions. But considering
dashes will last less than 15 minutes,
MotoE promises to be short,
sharp entertainment shoehorned
into a proven programme. Dorna
is keen to express this isn’t a
replacement for its current championships,
but rather an alternative
to combustion engine racing.
How that unfolds in the upcoming
seasons remains to be seen.

Photo: R. Schedl
Please make no attempt to imitate the illustrated riding scenes, always wear protective clothing and observe the applicable provisions of the road traffic regulations!
The illustrated vehicles may vary in selected details from the production models and some illustrations feature optional equipment available at additional cost.
CHALLENGE
CONVENTION
Some rules are made to be broken. We’re not saying you should break
the law – but we are saying that the laws of physics are merely
guidelines. The KTM 690 SMC R challenges the status quo by writing
its own rule book. Experience this all-new, rule-bending, big-bore
outlaw and start your own chapter.

PRODUCTS
oakley
Arguably one of the most famous and desirable
sport-lifestyle eyewear brands (with a strong and
popular off-road goggle model, the Airbrake) Oakley
have an agreement with MotoGP and several
of their athletes meaning special edition products
around the likes of Valentino Rossi, Marc Marquez
and the series itself.
In 2018 Oakley unveiled eight limited edition
models around eight of the rounds and circuits of
the championship: Losail, COTA, Le Mans, Mugello,
Catalunya, Assen, Phillip Island and Valencia
(some of which – now sold out – are shown here)
and it remains to be seen whether the same kind
of initiative will be run this year. Rossi is one of
Oakley’s ambassadors so has a signature edition
based around the Latch design (173 dollars) but
with matte black frame and a #46 bag. Marquez’
– according to the official website – is based on a
more robust Sliver (163 dollars). Maverick Viñales
has a sporty ‘blueish’ Mainlink Sapphire Fade (180
dollars).

www.oakley.com

TEST

GETTING
HYPER
KEEP YOUR
DUCATI FUN
UNCHECKED
Words by Roland Brown, Photos by Milagro

TEST
Ducati’s Hypermotard has been the
archetypal hooligan machine ever
since its launch in 2007. Back
then, the Hyper was an 1100cc aircooled
V-twin; all sharp-nosed supermoto style,
wheelie-happy performance, unapologetically
up-yours attitude and as much practicality
and common sense as a delinquent
teenager.
Since then Ducati have revised the Hyper
several times, notably when giving it a
new 821cc liquid-cooled engine in 2013,
and enlarging it to create the Hypermotard
939 three years ago. The Italian
firm has managed to make the hardcore
V-twin slightly more versatile, comfortable
and even sensible without detracting
from the urban outlaw image or sense of
crazy fun that have always been key attributes.
This year’s updated models, the Hypermotard
950 and upmarket 950 SP, represent
another step towards sophistication
and sense, again with the aim of ensuring
that this doesn’t spoil the party. In tune
with the 2019 theme of mid-sized bikes
adopting open-class electronics, both Hypers’
key addition is arguably an IMC (Inertial
Measurement Unit) that allows cornering
ABS and high-level traction control.
The 90-degree V-twin engine is tweaked,
though typically the Hypermotard 950
name doesn’t signify a change in capacity,
which remains 937cc. Increased compression
ratio and new camshafts add a few
horsepower to bring the total to 114bhp at
9000rpm. A new high-level exhaust also
helps although its main benefit is a clear
view of the rear wheel on its single-sided
swing-arm.
The engine mods save some weight, contributing
to a 4kg saving that drops the
kerb weight to 200kg, or 2kg less for the
SP with its fancy forged Marchesini wheels
and carbon-fibre front mudguard and engine
covers.

DUCATI HYPERMOTARD 950

TEST
Mind you, the smaller, 14.5-litre fuel tank
accounts for a kilo of that weight loss. Other
changes are the slightly wider handlebar,
hydraulic clutch activation, and Panigale-like
TFT instrument panel.
A reshaped seat makes getting your feet
down slightly easier, but the standard Hyper
is still a tall bike, albeit a slim and manoeuvrable
one. Its character remains thrillingly
raw and minimalist, as you sit bolt upright,
gripping the wide bars, with nothing to divert
the wind from your chest, and the Ducati’s
deep, distinctive V-twin exhaust note throbbing
from those under-seat silencers.
As before there’s a choice of three riding
modes: full-fat Sport, softer Touring, and
Urban with reduced output. Such is the Hypermotard’s
sweet fuelling and flexible power
delivery that even Sport is very rider-friendly,
albeit with plenty of instant punch from as
low as 3000rpm, at which point the V-twin
is kicking out 80 per cent of its maximum
torque.
There’s enough smooth top-end power to get
the Hyper charging to about 130mph, though
its rider’s neck muscles get a severe workout
at much about 80mph. With such useable
delivery, the main benefit of switching modes
(easily done on the move) is that traction
control, ABS setting and anti-wheelie change
automatically to suit. In Ducati tradition
there’s plenty of opportunity for fine-tuning,
so for example you can turn off the antiwheelie
in Sport mode, or allow stoppies by
setting the ABS to its lowest position.
The Hyper is ideally suited to country lanes
but makes a fine bike for A-roads, where it’s
stable through sweeping curves despite its
long-travel suspension and the forces being
transmitted through the bars. The standard
950’s Marzocchi forks and Sachs shock are
adjustable and well damped; the Brembo
Monobloc front calipers give fierce stopping,
and the Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tyres

DUCATI HYPERMOTARD 950

TEST

WORLDSBK POR
DUCATI HYPERMOTARD 950

TEST
stick even to damp winter roads. Shame the
gearbox quick-shifter, which works superbly
in both directions and is standard fitment
on the SP, is a near-£200 accessory on the
standard 950.
Drawbacks shared by both models include
the lack of fuel gauge and smaller tank’s
reduced 14.5-litre capacity, though the typical
range of about 120 miles is adequate for
a bike like this. The hand-guards offer at least
some useful wind protection on a cold day.
As a weapon for sunny-day blasting the Hypermotard’s
main drawback is arguably that
even the standard model is more expensive
(at £10,995 in the UK) than enticing alternatives
including KTM’s 790 Duke and Triumph’s
Street Triple RS.
That’s even more true of the Hypermotard
950 SP, which justifies its higher cost
(£14,295 in the UK) with Öhlins suspension
that is firmer and longer, improving ground
clearance and cornering ability in conjunction
with sportier Pirelli Supercorsa rubber.
The SP’s seat is even taller, at a lofty 890mm,
and despite the extra travel its suspension is
so well controlled that the bike feels slightly
firmer and sportier.
For track days the SP is the Hyper to go for,
but for road use most riders would probably
be better off with the standard 950 plus
accessory quick-shifter, for its lower seat as
much as for its lower price. Either way, the
950 is the most sophisticated, safest and
generally best Hypermotard yet. Equally importantly,
it’s still every bit as boisterous and
irresponsible as its predecessors – just as a
supermoto style V-twin should be.

DUCATI HYPERMOTARD 950

BACK PAGE
Tony Cairoli. Photo by KTM/Bavo

BACK PAGE

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ROAD
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