Transmoto Issue 58 ISSUU

PROJECT BIKE SHERCO 450SEF-R PREVIEW AUS-X OPEN
SEPT - OCTOBER
ISSUE #58
RACING
AORC WRAP
ASX OPENER
TESTED
2017 BETA RR RANGE
BMW F 800 GS
PROFILES
JOSH GREEN
JACK SIMPSON

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2017 IS HERE.

MX
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· Flexible TPR knuckle guard and finger inserts for additional abrasion resistance and durability.
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FICEDA.COM.AU

Inside
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2016 // ISSUE #58
64
BIKE: KTM’s 2017 300EXC
The story behind Daniel Sanders’ two-stroke,
which just won the AORC’s Outright title.
12 20
EDITORIAL
Matt Phillips becomes Australia’s most
successful dirt bike export of all time.
FRAMED
Eye candy for those with
an appetite for dirt.
16
HIGH DEF
Cinema-grade content you
really ought to eyeball.
32
BIKE: 2017 BETA RR RANGE
Small but judicious upgrades translate
into big performance gains.
10

44
PICTORIAL: 2016 AORC
We reflect on the series’ landmark
moments and standout performers.
84
PROFILE: JACK SIMPSON
The young bloke who’s taken the off-road
and desert racing scenes by storm.
94
BIKE: BMW F 800 GS
An icon in adventure circles for a decade,
but is it still competitive?
74
SPORT: AUS-X OPEN PREVIEW
The inside line on the biggest Aussie vs Yank
dirt-bike showdown ever!
110 127
PROFILE: JOSH GREEN
The anguish of injuries, and the upside
of being sidelined from racing.
PRODUCT: NECKBRACE GUIDE
Which brand should your neck
be embracing, and why?
118 133
BIKE: SHERCO 450SEF-R
Inside the cost-effective mods made
to our long-term project bike.
PROFILE: 3 PRIZED POSSESSIONS
Tye Simmonds reveals the three
items he treasures most.
11

TRANSMOTO
EDITORIAL
OZ’S #1
EXPORT
ANDY WIGAN
FUTURE7MEDIA
Leaning back in his chair, Fabrizio
Azzalin orders another bottle of
wine from the passing waitress and
resumes his story. Like most Italians, the
CH Husqvarna team owner has a dramatic
streak. He speaks with a strong accent and
flamboyant hands, and he has us buckled
over with laughter. It’s the Sunday night
of the 2013 Enduro World Championship
in Portugal – Rounds 7 and 8 of the
14-round series – and the newest addition
to Azzalin’s race team, Australia’s Matt
Phillips, has just gone 1-1 and consolidated
his lead in the EJ-class standings. Along
with Aussie enduro stalwarts, Geoff
Ballard and Peter “Foodge” Burrell, I’ve
joined Phillips and a few of the CH Husky
team guys at a restaurant in the local
fishing village to celebrate their victory.
The table is overflowing with traditional
Portuguese dishes – fried sardines, garlic
squid, grilled groper – and no one’s too
bothered with minding their manners.
Azzalin tops up everyone’s wine glasses
and launches into a series of hilarious
stories about “the Stefan Merriman years”;
about the Australian’s unconventional
training techniques and bike set-up, and
the other two world titles he should have
won with CH Husky a decade ago. It’s
clear that Merriman opened the long-time
EWC team’s eyes to an alternative way of
doing things, and to the riding talent in
Oz. Azzalin signed two other Australians –
Chris Hollis and now Matt Phillips – in the
years since, and I ponder the coincidence
that all three have also raced for Geoff
Ballard’s Yamaha team.
“I think Italians and Australians both
understand that there is a time to be serious
and a time to have fun,” Azzalin says,
referring to the two nationalities’ cultural
affinity. “Having riders who know how to
enjoy themselves – and win, of course – is
very important to me nowadays. Matthew
Phillips here ... well, he’s a fun guy,” Azzalin
says with a wink at his young charger, who’s
busily de-boning an oversized sardine at the
other end of the table.
Phillips hasn’t said much all night,
but he’s hung off every word of the
conversation. The 20-year-old has fast
become a student of the sport; a sponge
for everything EWC. But don’t think
that Phillips is overawed by the occasion.
The kid is itching to create some EWC
history of his own.
“Winning three FIM world titles arguably makes Matt Phillips
Australia’s most successful dirt bike export of all time.”
How prophetic were those 2013
observations I made about
Phillips itching to create some
history of his own? Very...
A few months after I wrote that, Matt
Phillips wrapped up the 2013 EJ world
title – a first for an Aussie. Twelve months
after that, having signed on with the EWC’s
powerhouse KTM Factory team, Phillips
added an E3 world title to his collection
– the first world enduro title won by an
Australian since Merriman in 2004, and
the first rider in history to win Junior and
Senior world titles back-to-back. In the
2015 season, Phillips ran a close second
to his teammate, Ivan Cervantes, in the
E3-class title chase – despite butting heads
with his team over bike set-up. And in 2016,
after surprising many by leaving KTM
to join the CH Racing Sherco team, the
23-year-old Australian won the Enduro
World Championship’s (EWC) supercompetitive
E2 class and the EnduroGP
(Outright) title, and in doing so handed
Sherco their first ever world title. Making
the achievement extra special is the fact
that 2016 was the inaugural time the EWC
has officially acknowledged an Outright
champion. That, and the fact Phillips
managed to win aboard a 300cc fourstroke
– yet another first for the EWC.
To my way of thinking, that amounts to
creating EWC history. Lots of it! In fact,
winning three FIM world titles arguably
makes Matt Phillips Australia’s most
successful dirt bike export of all time.
Refreshingly, the young Tasmanian remains
just as down-to-earth as he’s always been.
He’s created a lot to be proud of; not least of
which is the pathway he’s illuminated for
the ever-growing talent pool of off-road
racers in this country.
Be sure to check out the highlights video of the final, title-deciding rounds in France. Aside from the outpouring of emotion from
Phillips, Azzalin and his entire support network at the French event, keep an eye out for Sherco’s head honcho, Marc Teissier, who’s
literally bawling his eyes out in the background. That right there exemplifies the sort of passion that makes this sport go round.
12

MANAGING EDITOR
Andy Wigan | andy.wigan@transmoto.com.au
DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER
Kurt Teague | kurt.teague@transmoto.com.au
ART DIRECTOR
Matt Holmes | online@transmoto.com.au
EVENTS MANAGER
Robbie Warden | robbie.warden@3cmg.com.au
SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS
FourOhFour Films | John Pearson
USA CORRESPONDENTS
Jason Weigandt, Eric Johnson
EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT
Jonty Edmunds
CONTRIBUTORS
Geoff Ballard, Garry Blizzard, Mark Brown, Ben Bunda, Jeff
Crow, Simon Cudby, Nick Dole, Ben Foster, Josh Green,
Danny Ham, Ian Hancock, Eric Johnson, Mark Kariya, Scott
Keegan, Derek Morrison, Tony Nolan, Grant O’Brien, John
Pearson, David Pingree, Beau Ralston, AJ Roberts, Ken
Roche, Damian Smith, Ryne Swanberg, Cameron Taylor, Ben
Tuffy, Jason Weigandt, Amanda West, Peter Whitaker
ADVERTISING MANAGERS
Warren Randell | warren.randell@coastalwatch.com
Shane Newman | shane.newman@3cmg.com.au
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
Miles Finlay | mfinlay@coastalwatch.com
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Doug Lees | doug.lees@3cmg.com.au
CEO, 3CMG
ISSN : 1839-0358
Jason Haynes | jason.haynes@3cmg.com.au
SPIRITUAL LEADER
Kim Sundell | kim.sundell@coastalwatch.com
Transmoto Dirt Bike Magazine is published 6 times a year by TDBM
Pty Ltd, ACN 141 679 423, 681 Barrenjoey Rd, Avalon, NSW, 2107.
Phone (02) 9965 7364. Transmoto Dirt Bike Magazine welcomes photographic
and written contributions. Send with a stamped, self-addressed envelope
to 681 Barrenjoey Rd, Avalon, NSW, 2107. We do not accept responsibility
for unsolicited material provided in this way. Transmoto Dirt Bike Magazine
retains reprint rights; contributors retain resale rights. Views expressed by
the authors are not necessarily those of the publishers.
13

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KTM Group Partner

VIDEO
HIGH DEF
16

MX
NATION
Recap the second season of MX Nation; an exclusive online
series – presented by Red Bull – that follows 250cc racers
such as Cooper Webb, Jeremy Martin, Austin Forkner,
Jessy Nelson and more on their journey through the
2016 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
GARTH MILAN/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
EPISODE 1: Preparation Time
EPISODE 2: Fathers and Sons
EPISODE 3: Full Commitment
EPISODE 4: Picking The Pain
EPISODE 5: Rigors of a Rivalry
EPISODE 6: Get Angry
EPISODE 7: The Martin Brothers
EPISODE 8: 450 Class Dreams
17

BEEN M
SEE WHA
©2016 OAKLEY, INC.

T YOU’VE
ISSINGTM

KTM’s #1 SON
What do you do when your title-winning
rider has attracted so much international
attention, there’s every chance he won’t
be around to race with the #1 plate next
season? You orchestrate a post-season
photo shoot to get as much mileage out of
the win as you can; just in case your rider is,
in fact, poached by a factory team. That was
KTM Australia’s thinking in the immediate
wake of Daniel “Chucky” Sanders wrapping
up the 2016 AORC Outright crown. Sanders
and his title-wining 300EXC, fitted with the
#1 plate for the first time, cut loose for this
issue’s cover shot, plus this Framed image
that’s so good, we just had to give it a
double-page spread. Check out page 64
for the fascinating feature about Chucky’s
risky mid-season switch to the 2017 KTM.
KTM IMAGES

1400 REASONS
What’s your idea of the perfect trailride?
Getting together with few good mates? Or
joining a thousand characters you don’t
know? Well, contrary to what you might
think, that latter definition seems to hold
sway for a huge cross-section of riders in
NSW because this year’s 30th running of the
iconic Sunny Corner Trail Bike Ride attracted
a record 1400 entries. So, what’s the appeal?
Well, “Sunny Corner” combines epic trails
with superb organisation, a massive prize
pool, and a real sense of being part of a
larger dirt-worshipping community. It’s an
annual coming together of the two-wheeled
tribe; a celebration of roadtripping, camping,
open fires, mateship, the great outdoors, and
the sheer obsession of riding a dirt bike.
ANDY WIGAN

RED-HOT BULLET
Can you think of a motocross racer who’s
made a more successful premier-class debut
than Jeffrey Herlings? After wrapping up his
third MX2 world title (and his 61st GP win)
the 22-year-old Dutchman made his highly
anticipated full-time switch to a 450SX-F to
contest the 2016 Motocross of Nations at
Maggiora in Italy; and what an impressive
debut it was. Herlings, or “The Bullet”, won
his Open-class Heat Race convincingly
before finishing second to America’s
Jason Anderson in the MX2/Open race, and
defeating his Italian teammate, Antonio
Cairoli, in the MXGP/Open race. The 2017
season might be months away, but the
likes of Slovakia’s Tim Gajser and France’s
Romain Febvre will certainly have their
work cut out in the off-season if they wish
to keep up with flying Herlings next year.
RAY ARCHER/KTM IMAGES

AUSSIES VS YANKS
We’re one round deep in the 2016 Australian
Supercross Championship and, so far, it’s
proving to be the best showdown between
Australian and American racers we’ve
ever seen. Australia is well-represented
in Dean Ferris and Dan Reardon (who
finished in second and third, respectively,
at Jimboomba’s opener) as well as the likes
of Todd Waters, Kade Mosig and of course,
Chad Reed (come November’s AUS-X Open).
Collectively, they’re fending off big names
such as Justin Brayton (Jimboomba’s
winner, pictured), Wil Hahn, Kyle Peters and
Adam Enticknap – and they’ll also have to
battle with Ryan Villopoto and Cooper Webb
at the AUS-X Open’s final rounds of the
championship. Stay tuned to Transmoto’s
website for results, images and highlights.
TONY PEARS

AN INNOVATIVE
LEAP AHEAD
Confidently head off into tougher terrain on a totally redesigned Husqvarna Motorcycles enduro model.
The entire 2017 range features new, compact, powerful motors and sophisticated design innovations. These include new WP Xplor s
sleek new bodywork and a redesigned chassis. Every model is lighter, faster, easier to ride and nothing short of revolutionary.
Click thru for full features/benefits of the new 2017 range
www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com
3
MONTHS WARRANTY
PARTS ONLY
6 PARTS
MONTHS WARRANTY
& LABOUR

uspension,
SEE THE ALL NEW ENDURO IN ACTION
WATCH RIDE BEYOND

56

IRONMAN, PAIRS
& TEAMS OF THREE
OCTOBER 15-16, 2016
GREEN PARK, CONONDALE, QLD
CHECK OUT
WWW.TRANSMOTO.COM.AU
FOR MORE INFORMATION

BIKE
2017 BETA RR
Beta’s enduro models may only get a handful of upgrades for
2017. But, as Transmoto’s European Correspondent discovered
at the bikes’ international launch in Italy, small but judicious
changes can translate into big performance gains.
FUTURE7MEDIA
MARCO CAMPELLI, CRISTIANO MORELLO, ANDREA BELLUSCHI
Perhaps we’ve been a tad spoilt by
Beta in recent years. Since 2010,
when they first introduced their
RR range with the four-stroke engines
built in-house, the dynamic Italian
manufacturer has been unleashing long
lists of annual upgrades and introducing
significantly new models on a two-year
cycle. In 2011, Beta was the first to put a
350cc four-stroke into production. Two
years later, they joined the flourishing
two-stroke market with two immediately
competitive, large-displacement smokers.
And in 2015, they started using fuel
injection for their RR350. So it’s not for
no reason that we were expecting some
pretty big things from Beta in 2017.
On paper, however, the upgrades to the
2017 bikes appear limited. Aside from a
few revisions to the four-strokes’ engines,
the new models’ fork legs are 5mm longer,
the new triple clamps are more rigid, the
Excel rims move from black to silver,
there’s a new digital display, and the fuel
cap has been redesigned. But that’s more
or less it.
With this limited number of notable
tweaks, it’s fair to say the 2017 RRs are
the least-changed models since the
Italian brand’s new era bikes arrived
in 2010. There are no jaw-dropping
surprises or shiny new models; at least,
not yet. Instead, the new bikes feature
a handful of well-considered changes,
designed to make Beta’s highly respected
RR line-up even better.
So, let’s ride the new bikes and
put these upgrades to the test...
32

33

BIKE
2017 BETA RR
IS THE RIDE
MUCH DIFFERENT?
Simply put, yes – albeit not that
different. Compared to the 2016 bikes,
the most noticeable change when
riding the 2017 models is the upgraded
Sachs fork. And the key word here is
progression. We can’t be absolutely
sure whether that’s the result of the
new fork oil that Beta’s now using, or
the fact that the longer stroke of the
2017 fork allows for an improved oil
flow. Most likely, it’s a combination
of the two, plus the revised internal
settings. In any case, the fork’s action
is much improved. With a more
progressive damping character as it
compresses, the 2017 fork absorbs
impacts from big hits way better.
The fork settings used for the RR250
and RR300 two-strokes produces a
firmer, racier feel to the ride in the
initial part of the stroke, making the
front-end on those models a little
livelier over to rocks and square-edged
bumps at slower speeds. On the fourstrokes,
though – assisted by the bikes’
weight and gyroscopic forces – the
new fork offers a really plush feeling
that keeps the wheels in contact with
the ground. And with the fork sitting
up in its stroke more of the time, the
chassis remains better balanced than
the 2016 models. The bike is way less
inclined to hobbyhorse, which makes
it more predictable and sure-footed
over a series of bumps that would have
unsettled its predecessor.
The new fork is also married by a
new set of stiffer triple clamps for 2017,
which save 140g – the only notable
weight reduction on the 2017 models.
Completing the upgraded suspension
package for 2017 is revised settings to
the rear Sachs shock absorber, which
also comes with a different high- and
low-speed compression adjustment
system to allow a wider range of
adjustment and more accurate set-up.
“For 2017, there are
no jaw-dropping
surprises or shiny
new models. Instead,
there’s a handful of
considered changes
that are designed
to make Beta’s RR
line-up even better.”
34

35

BIKE
2017 BETA RR
36

THE OPINION DIVIDER
Though it has zero bearing on
performance, the most talked-about
change on the 2017 RR range at the
launch was the new Excel rims; the
new silver Excel rims. With Beta
fitting the distinctive black rims on
their RR models for many years,
their decision to shift ‘back’ to
silver Excels for 2017 was certainly
an opinion divider. Many seemed
to think the move represented an
aesthetic step backwards for the
Italian manufacturer. Countering
that, Beta’s Head of R&D, Stefano
Fantigini, pointed out that the silver
rims give the new bikes a lighter
look, and that they’re much less
likely to get scuffed by trail debris or
a rogue lever during a tyre change.
A redesigned digital dashboard
might not sound like a noteworthy
upgrade, but it is. And it was warmly
received by everyone at the launch
in Italy for its practical value. Its
long list of functions now includes
a battery voltage reading, which
promises to be useful for the
fuel-injected four-strokes and the
(electric starter only) Xtrainer.
What else? Well, the new fuel cap
features an integrated bleed valve.
As for the new graphics, let’s just say
we’d really like it if Beta would go out
on a limb and be recklessly creative.
We can’t help but think these new
RRs deserve a more distinctive look.
“Improved engine performance at low rpm is
evident across the entire 2017 four-stroke range,
making the thumpers even easier to ride.”
THE LAWS OF AT-TRACTION
Starting with a morning session
in a rock-littered riverbed, before
spending the rest of the day riding
some of the best singletrail that
Tuscany had to offer, there’s one
word that sums up the experience
aboard the new Betas: ‘traction’.
With the dry, hardpacked and stony
terrain providing a great testing
ground, it soon became evident that
all the new RRs put their power to
the ground very efficiently, finding
traction in places we weren’t always
expecting them to.
Improved engine performance
at low rpm is a feature of the entire
2017 four-stroke range, making these
thumpers even easier to ride. But it
was the RRR350 – which gets new
intake and exhaust camshafts for
2017 – that made the most noticeable
improvement on its predecessor.
Pulling like a tractor from low rpm,
the 350 motored effortless up snotty
hills, refused to stall when shortshifted,
and constantly kept driving
the machine forward, not sideways.
Compared to their 2016
equivalents, the relativities between
the various capacities hasn’t changed
that much. The RR350 is still the
do-it-all machine that goes a bit
flat at higher rpm. That’s where its
bigger brother, the RR390, steps in,
offering a bit of extra fun when the
terrain opens up. The RR430 is the
closest you’d get to a traditional 450,
combining a mid-capacity machine’s
agility with broad and forgiving
power. The RR480 is obviously
king of the firetrails, but it’s also
surprisingly easy to manhandle in
tight terrain.
In the two-stroke department, the
RR300 has been widely regarded as
a great all-round machine for several
years now, and the improvements
to the 2017 fork will make it more
attractive to a wider ranger of
rider weights and abilities. As the
best-selling bike in Beta’s RR range
(following the Xtrainer, that is), the
300cc smoker features an engine that
performs much like a four-stroke.
With no aggressive hit as the power
comes onto the pipe, its broad,
smooth and predictable surge of
grunt makes it incredibly easy to get
the rear wheel hooking up. It’s little
wonder why, using such an impressive
powerplant as their race-bike base,
Steve Holcombe and Johnny Aubert
have been dominating the Enduro 3
World Championship this year.
The engine map switch (available
only on the Racing models last
year) is now standard on all Beta
RR models in 2017. Offering two
selectable positions for dry- and
wet-weather riding, the two maps
make a larger relative difference
on the two-strokes.
37

BIKE
2017 BETA RR
“With a more progressive damping character as it compresses, the revised
Sachs fork on the 2017 models absorbs impacts from big hits way better.”
GOOD TIMES AHEAD
Sticking to the two-stroke RRs, one
thing that our trip to Tuscany proved
was how well Beta’s automatic oil
injection system works. After a full
12 months of use to substantiate its
reliability, the system is clearly a
step in the right direction because it
drastically reduces oil consumption
and engine smoke. And for 2017, Beta’s
engineers have designed an extra kit to
fit the system to the Racing models.
Though the full component
specifications are yet to be announced
by Beta Italy for the up-speced 2017
‘Racing’ models, they’re widely
expected to use a different, closedcartridge
fork, along with the usual
extra bling and adjustability features
to make them even more race-ready
than their RR counterparts.
If sales projections come to fruition,
then Beta is set for some good times
in the coming years. The company
says its factory in Rignano sull’Arno
will build 18,000 units during 2016
(that includes 2017 models), which
represents a whopping 30% increase
since last year.
38

ETA & PRICES IN OZ
The 2017 two-strokes will be
available from Australian dealers
in the first week of September
(although most of the first shipment
has already been pre-sold to
customers), while the 2017 fourstrokes
arrive a month later. And
according to Beta Motorcycles
Australia’s director, Gary Grealy, the
pricing for the entire 2017 RR range
– both the two- and four-strokes
– remains unchanged from 2016
(RR250 – $10,990; RR300 – $11,990;
XT300 – $10,190; RR350 – $12,690;
RR390 – $12,790; RR430 – $12,890;
RR480 – $12,990). “With the
Australian dollar still relatively high
and stable against the Euro, and our
excellent sales across the board at
the current prices, we see no reason
to change,” Grealy explained.
Beta’s unique Xtrainer300,
meanwhile, has increased by a
moderate $200 for 2017. “We
introduced the XT300 at a
discounted price to get it into the
bush and under riders’ bums, and
it has proven to be an incredibly
well received bike. We have had to
increase the price slightly for 2017
to get it back in line with normal
margins. But at $10,190 for a 300cc
enduro bike, it is still a bargain,”
Grealy went on to say.
‘Racing’ Editions of all of the RR
models will also be offered in 2017.
It’s expected they’ll be available
before the end of the year, though
full specifications are yet to be
announced by Beta Italy.
39

THE JOURNEY BEGINS HERE
Born on the track and built for the trail, our all-new
2017 Legion line is designed to conquer the trails. Now the
only thing holding you back is how far your bike will get you.

42

43

SPORT
2016 AORC
ANDY WIGAN
ANDY WIGAN // JOHN PEARSON MEDIA
Transmoto’s Andy Wigan reflects on the pivotal
moments and standout achievers of this year’s
12-round Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship.
44

45

SPORT
2016 AORC
Sanders' Dominance
Having won five AORC Outright
titles in seven years since his 2009
debut, KTM’s Toby Price would
have come into 2016 as the red-hot
favourite. But the reigning champ’s
departure left a hole that a number of
top riders were intent on filling, and
that completely changed the series’
dynamic when it kicked off in March.
Once Daniel “Chucky” Sanders had
shown his hand at the season opener
in Queensland, however, it was as
if Sanders simply took up where
his former KTM teammate had left
off. Sanders found a new level of
controlled aggression at the dusty
curtain raiser in Queensland, and
claimed his first ever 1-1 Outright
result. And when he repeated the 1-1
Chucky show at Portland in NSW a
few weeks later, Sanders was widely
regarded as the man to beat; his
happy-go-lucky race-day demeanour
spookily reminiscent of Price. The
Victorian youngster took great
confidence from those opening round
wins and – despite an ankle injury that
caused him to limp through the next
weekend’s racing with a measured
5-5 scorecard – he strung together
another six Outright wins to close
out the title. With 10 round-wins
and 282 out of a possible 300 points,
Sanders’ Outright win was one of the
most emphatic in the AORC series’
12-year history. At just 22, he became
the AORC’s youngest ever Outright
champ, and the first rider to claim the
trophy aboard a two-stroke since AJ
Roberts in 2005. Let’s hope Sanders
fires again at the upcoming ISDE in
Spain and uses that result to ink a deal
with one of the EnduroGP paddock’s
major teams. He sure deserves it.
46

Series Support
When Dirt Bike Promotions
stepped down at the end of the
2009 season, after promoting
the AORC for five years, there
was genuine concern for the
future of the national series.
And to be honest, the notion that
the AORC could successfully
piggyback on a handful of
state rounds – overseen by a
caretaker series coordinator –
sounded a bit fanciful. But here
we are, seven seasons later,
and the Yamaha Australian
Off-Road Championship is
more robust than ever. Thanks
to the cooperation of MA’s
State Controlling Bodies and
their Enduro Committees, 12
rounds were staged across four
states in 2016. Commercially,
the AORC hasn’t lured private
promoters back into the fray,
but both Motorcycling Australia
and Yamaha have tipped enough
into the AORC’s coffers to
underwrite its future, during
which time Australia has evolved
from international mid-packers
to one of the enduro world’s
powerhouse nations. The AORC
has now spawned riders who’ve
gone on to win Enduro World
Championships and the Dakar
Rally, and the Holy Grail of
enduro: the ISDE.
And so it was very encouraging
to see MA ratchet up its
investment into the AORC
this year – by way of an MAappointed
series coordinator
and publicist, a rider liaison
to ensure consistency with
the courses, and RaceSafe
medical support. All of which
highlighted the fact that the
AORC’s series coordinator
up until 2016, Denise Hore,
juggled those roles herself on
a tighter budget. And for that,
the entire off-road fraternity
owes Denise a huge debt of
gratitude. Without MA, Yamaha,
Denise and her core group of
helpers, the opportunities that
Aussies riders are now enjoying
on the world stage would never
have materialised.
47

SPORT
2016 AORC
Green's Injury
For years, Active8 Yamaha’s Josh
Green has almost made an art form
of racing with injuries that would
sideline riders with conventional
pain thresholds. So when Greeny
came into the 2016 season fit,
healthy, focused and injury-free,
it was somewhat of a novelty.
And with the reigning E1 champ
stepping up to Yamaha’s all-new
WR450F and the E2 class for 2016,
many believed he was poised to go
one better and finally etch his name
on the AORC’s Outright trophy.
Ironically, Green came unstuck in
the very first special test at Round
1, obliterating the ligaments in his
left knee. Kidding himself that he
could race through the pain, Green
soldiered on for a few more rounds,
clearly not at his best. But when
he aggravated the injury in South
Oz, he and his team succumbed to
the inevitability of reconstructive
surgery, meaning Green sat out the
rest of the season. While the Yami
rider’s disappearance certainly
made life easier for KTM’s Daniel
Sanders – who sportingly conceded
that Green would have probably
won a few Outrights if he’d stayed
healthy – even the cocksure Green
wasn’t making any bold claims
about his ability to upstage the
rampaging Sanders in the back
half of the season.
48

The Orangewash
Yamaha might have won two of the
three major classes last season, but
2016 was the year of the Austrians.
Yep, KTM claimed 11 of the series’
12 Outright round-wins. They won
the E1 class title with Jack Simpson,
the E2 with Tye Simmonds and
the E3 with Daniel Sanders. And
Sanders and Simmonds ran 1-2 in the
Outright standings. What made the
achievement even more notable was
how little experience all three riders
had had in the AORC. It was Simpson’s
debut season, Simmonds’ second
season and Sanders’ third. And the
whole shebang was overseen by former
enduro and desert racing legend,
Ben Grabham, in just his second
season in the Team Manager hot
seat. By fostering a team culture that
prizes both fun and professionalism,
Grabham managed to bring out the
best in Sanders and Simmonds. And
the scary thing for their rivals is that
Grabbo has signed both riders again
for 2017 – subject to Chucky scoring
a factory ride in Europe, that is. When
you combine this dominance with the
KTM team’s 1-2-3 and 1-2 finishes at
the Finke and Hattah desert races,
respectively, there’s not a lot else the
boys in orange could have achieved
this year. Then again, the Australian
4-Day Enduro is coming up...
49

SPORT
2016 AORC
Hollis' Swansong?
When you look back over the
AORC’s record books, just six
guys have won the Outright
title – AJ Roberts (three times),
Toby Price (five times), Chris
Hollis (twice), Daniel Milner
(once) and now Daniel Sanders.
But only one of them has raced
since the maiden series in 2005:
Chris Hollis. In 12 seasons,
Hollis racked up two Outright
AORC wins (2008, 2011) and
seven class wins, and is widely
regarded by his peers as one
of the paddock’s most talented
and likeable characters. Hollis’
uncharacteristic inconsistency
in 2016 – by his standards,
anyway – led pundits to say he’d
lost some of his drive and focus
this year, and that he was about
to call it quits. When pressed
about the prospect of retirement
after a very respectable third
Outright in the series, Hollis
remained circumspect, but
did confirm he’d be racing
the A4DE in November. If
this season was, in fact, the
32-year-old’s final AORC
appearance, all we can say is
thanks for the memories, buddy.
That, and a sneaky request for
some inside information about
any steals in the Port Macquarie
property market.
50

The Two-Stroke Strikes Back
When Daniel Sanders and his beloved
300EXC went 1-1 at the season opener
in Queensland, it prompted us to go
back through the AORC’s stats to
identify the last time a two-stroke had
gone unbeaten over an AORC race
weekend. The answer? AJ Roberts and
his Husky WR250, way back in 2005.
And if anyone thought the two-stroke’s
win was an aberration back in March,
they had another thing coming. While
the 450cc four-stroke machines of
KTM’s Tye Simmonds and Yamaha’s
Chris Hollis managed to nab one
Outright round-win apiece this year,
Sanders scooped up the rest of them.
And to ram the two-stroke point home,
Sanders and his training partner, Husky
TE300-mounted Lyndon Snodgrass
(pictured above) , went 1-2 Outright
on the slick grasstrack at the final two
rounds; in conditions where you expect
the four-strokes’ tractability to be
unbeatable. Yep, these new-generation
two-strokes have become much more
versatile and rideable, and we’d expect
to see a lot more of them on entry lists –
for trail and race events – next year.
51

SPORT
2016 AORC
E1’s Young Punk vs Old Master
One of the beauties of motorcycle
racing is that it’s more about the
size of the fight in the dog than the
size of the dog in the fight. Which is
just as well, because the variation
in the physiques of the E1 class’
frontrunners was almost comical.
With the pint-sized Jack Simpson
and Glenn Kearney often sharing a
podium with big blokes such as Riley
Graham, Scott Keegan and Stefan
Granquist, it looked like an under 13s
footie team lined up against a fence.
But the class’ most intriguing battle
took place between the 20-year-old
Jack Simpson in his debut off-road
season, and the 35-year-old Glenn
Kearney, who in his 17th season racing
enduro somehow juggles the dual role
of manager/racer for the Husqvarna
Enduro Racing Team. It was a classic
showdown of the reckless young punk
and wily old master, with plenty of
mutual respect. Aboard their 250F
machines, Simmo and GK both carded
Outright podiums during the year,
but it was the young Victorian who,
against the odds, held his nerve and
brought the title home. Magnanimous
in defeat, Kearney sung Simpson’s
praises and forecast a big future in
the sport for the young KTM rider.
52

19s -Class Tussle
Motocross riders tend to hit their
prime in their early 20s. But in
off-road circles, title-winning
riders are more likely to be in
their mid to late 20s, or even
older – for the simple reason that
enduro requires more measured
aggression and race smarts, which
is something that generally only
comes with experience. And
that’s exactly why Transmoto got
behind the idea of introducing
a ‘19 & Under’ class to the series
in 2014; to help riders make that
often demoralising transition
from Junior hero to Senior zero,
and to keep them involved in the
sport. And hasn’t the initiative
worked a treat! The inaugural
winner of the Transmoto 19 &
Under class (now referred to
as Enduro Junior, or “EJ”, in
line with international naming
protocol) was Daniel Sanders – a
bloke who, in the space of just two
years, has gone from Transmoto
EJ champ to an E3-class winner
at the ISDE to Outright winner at
the AORC. But Chucky Sanders is
by no means the EJ class’ only flag
waver. This year’s E1-class winner,
Jack Simpson first sampled the
AORC via the EJ class just last
season. Broc Grabham finished a
very impressive third place in this
year’s hotly contested E2 class,
posting a few Outright podium
finishes along the way aboard a
near-stock Husqvarna. Season
2016 was also a breakout year for
another Husky rider, last year’s
EJ-class runner-up, Lyndon
Snodgrass. Clearly benefitting
from training with Daniel Sanders,
the 18-year-old Snodgrass notched
up four Outright podiums (and a
few Outright test wins) over the
series’ final round rounds, and
promises to be a bloke to watch
next year. Then there are guys
such as Tom Mason and Tom
Kite, who have already shown
they’ve got what it takes to mix
it with the AORC elite.
This year’s crop of EJ talent,
spearheaded by Sherco’s likeable
young ripper, Wil Ruprecht, also
augers well for the sport’s future.
Besides one bad result when he
busted a chain, Ruprecht was
consistently on the box, holding at
bay the raw speed of guys like Nic
Tomlinson (pictured left), Fraser
Higlett, Ben Kearns, Andrew
Wilksch, Dalton Johnston, Jai
Wedlock, Jesse Lawton, Stuart
Holt, Jake McGlashan and
Tasmania’s Jonty Reynders,
who really put the cat among the
pigeons over the final six rounds.
53

SPORT
2016 AORC
Jemma’s Midas touch
Over the past few years, the AORC
Women’s class has felt like Groundhog Day
as the Yamaha-mounted quartet of Jemma
Wilson, Jess Gardiner, Emelie Karlsson
and Tayla Jones all traded class- and titlewins.
But season 2016 was all about Jemma
Wilson. Admittedly, reigning champ Jones
had disappeared to do battle against the
blokes in the E1 class, and three-time AORC
champ Jess Gardiner was beset with a few
injury woes. But Wilson rode on an entirely
different level this season, crediting the
great Stephen Gall as the catalyst for her
turnaround in self-belief and speed. It
was Wilson’s third EW-class title, but her
first since 2011. Demonstrating how much
she wanted it, Wilson withdrew from the
EnduroGP’s final round in France, which
clashed with the AORC’s finale. Now she’s
got her heart set on the win that’s always
eluded her – the Australian 4-Day Enduro.
That and her fourth consecutive ISDE title!
54

Sherco’s
Breakout
Year
With podium finishes in E1 (Glenn Kearney),
E2 (Broc Grabham), E3 (Lachy Stanford) and
EJ (Fraser Higlett), it’s fair to say that, after the
dominant KTM squad, Husqvarna was the most
successful manufacturer in this year's AORC.
But it wouldn’t be fair to overlook the Sherco
crew in just their second year in the AORC.
In spite of a workshop fire that destroyed
their fully prepped race bikes just days before
Rounds 3 and 4, the Motul Pirelli Sherco Factory
Racing Team managed to claim class-wins in
the Transmoto 19 & Under (Wil Ruprecht)
and the Over 35 Vets (Bjorn Osborne), plus
podiums in both the Vets (Kurt Broomhall) and
Over 45s Masters (Derek Grundy). Given that
Australia’s Matt Phillips has just won the coveted
EnduroGP (Outright title) at the 2016 Enduro
World Championship aboard a Sherco, we’d
expect to see even more of an investment into the
Australian-based Sherco team for season 2017.
55

SPORT
2016 AORC
56

Two Biblical Wets
Victorian off-road racers are a tough breed. At
least, that’s what they like to tell everyone. And
by refusing to cancel two of the wettest races the
series has ever seen, Victorian organising clubs
pretty much proved the point. In spite of a social
media chorus of precious young motocrossers
saying there’s no way they’d race in the rain, hail
and fallen trees that greeted AORC riders at the
Hedley round, racing went ahead. And at the
series finale at Penshurst, in the state’s southwest,
the sheer volume of water meant organisers had
to hurriedly alter both the track and race format
to ensure riders weren’t swept away. But the point
is – aside from the fact it would have made Shane
Watts proud – these rounds gave the AORC’s
riders valuable experience in the sort of extreme
conditions that riders regularly come up against
in Europe. And if we want to continue to groom
our off-road racers to be competitive on the
world stage, we need this can-do attitude from
both the organisers and riders; people who are
prepared to take on the elements, no matter what.
57

SPORT
2016 AORC
Outright Battles
Coming into the final weekend’s racing, it
looked fairly certain that Daniel Sanders,
Tye Simmonds and Chris Hollis would
occupy the top-three Outright positions.
For more than half the season, though,
Husqvarna’s Lachy Stanford had looked
like he had second or third Outright in the
bag, but after busting his hand at Round
8, the back-end of his season was more
about survival and damage minimisation.
Having been passed by CDR Yamaha’s Chris
Hollis for third, Stanford came in the series
finale with what looked like a stranglehold
on fourth Outright. But when he knocked
himself senseless in Saturday’s super-slick
conditions and finished outside the top-20,
he suddenly had a battle on his hands, with
just 6 points separating him, Beau Ralston
and Jack Simpson for fourth, fifth and sixth
Outright. In the end, that’s the order they
finished the series in, but when organisers
triple-checked the math at the end-of-year
presentation, they confirmed the trio’s
Outright scores were separated by just 2
points. There was a fair gap back to Broc
Grabham and Glenn Kearney in seventh
and eighth. But behind them, just 9 points
separated ninth through 13th Outright.
58

The WA Posse's Appearance
With former and existing AORC racers
now performing so well on the world
stage, it’s easy to focus too heavily on
the elite riders in our national off-road
series. But as any host club will tell
you, it simply wouldn’t be viable for
them to stage an AORC round without
all the other riders underwriting its
revenue base. And at the series finale,
there was a feel-good story about a
group of 10 young enduro riders from
WA who’d raised enough money to
make the 35-hour roadtrip across
the Nullarbour to be part of the
AORC. The initiative was the brainchild
of WA-based off-road enthusiast
Winton Lawton – a bloke who, over the
past 15 years, has helped Junior Enduro
LOG ON TO
in WA evolve into a thriving scene
that regularly attracts 200 riders.
“To help fund this development
initiative and exposure WA riders to
the AORC, the Off-Road Riding Club
of WA chipped in,” Lawton explained.
“But it was the young riders themselves
– who ranged from age 14 to 18, and
whose parents weren’t in a position
to fully fund the trip – who raised
some $2000 each for their trip to the
AORC finale in Victoria. It would
be my dream to see more WA riders
venturing over East as part of the
development program to test out new
terrain and develop their skills, so
it’s something I would like to arrange
annually,” Lawton went on to say.
Check out www.transmoto.com.au for AORC rider interviews, image
galleries and round highlights footage from the 2016 season.
59

THE AORC
MANAGEMENT
TEAM WOULD LIKE
TO CONGRATULATE...
Everyone who competed in the 2016 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship.
And, in particular, the 2016 top-10 Outright and class winners:
OUTRIGHT
1. Daniel Sanders – 282
2. Tye Simmonds – 226
3. Chris Hollis – 190
4. Lachlan Stanford – 177
5. Beau Ralston – 176
6. Jack Simpson – 175
7. Broc Grabham – 147
8. Glenn Kearney – 140
9. Riley Graham – 113
10. Tom McCormack – 112
CLASS WINNERS
E1: Jack Simpson
E2: Tye Simmonds
E3: Daniel Sanders
Transmoto EJ: Wil Ruprecht
Women’s: Jemma Wilson
Veterans: Bjorn Osborne
Masters: Peter Schaper
J2: Ashden Gramlick
J3: Corey Hammond
J4: Zac Mitten

We look forward to seeing you back for
a bigger and better 2017 AORC season.
STAY IN AORC LOOP VIA:
www.ma.org.au
www.instagram.com/aorc_
www.facebook.com/theaorc

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KTM Group Partner

TWO-SMOK
RACE BIKE
AORC TITLE WINNER
This is the fascinating story behind Team KTM’s midseason
swap onto the 2017-model 300EXC – the newgeneration
two-stroke that Daniel “Chucky” Sanders
just won the AORC’s Outright title aboard.
ANDY WIGAN
JOHN PEARSON MEDIA, ANDY WIGAN
ack in late March, when KTM Enduro Racing Team’s Daniel
“Chucky” Sanders carded a perfect 1-1 Outright result at
the Australian Off-Road Championship’s (AORC) opening
two rounds in Queensland, much noise was made about the
fact it was the talented kid’s first ever Outright victory. And
rightly so, because Sanders rode the wheels off his beloved
KTM 300EXC. What didn’t get much air, however, is the
fact that Sanders’ Queensland performance also marked the first time a twostroke
had won an AORC double-header since way back in 2005; since the
series’ maiden season, when AJ Roberts piloted a Husky WR250 two-stroke
to the Outright title win.
Fast-forward six months, and Daniel Sanders has notched up five (of a
possible six) 1-1 Outright scorecards at the AORC. Unsurprisingly, he also
clinched the AORC title and, at just 22 years of age, became the AORC’s
youngest ever Outright champion. How he clinched the title, however,
was somewhat surprising. Despite conventional wisdom dictating that
it’s way too risky to change race bikes mid-way through a series you’re
dominating, Sanders and his KTM team did exactly that.
So why the hell did they take the gamble when so much was
as stake? Well, as Daniel and his KTM team boss and technician
explain, they pretty much ran out of excuses not to embrace the
all-new, 2017-model 300EXC...
64

ED ’EM!
65

RACE BIKE
AORC TITLE WINNER
66

“Straight after the KTM dealer conference in
early August, we sent Chucky a 2017-model
300EXC. A week later, he called to tell me the
thing was amazing – which is kind of what I
expect to hear all riders to say after they get
given a pretty-looking new model. But Chucky
backed that up by saying he was able to do the
same lap times aboard the 2017 bike as he was
on his modified 2016-model race bike.
“Still, I had no plans for him to race the 2017
bike because we had no parts, no second bike
as back-up, no suspension, and no oversize fuel
tank for the two cross-country races remaining
in the AORC series. Plus, it made no
sense to change our dialled-in 2016
race bike mid-season, especially when
you’ve been dominating with it. So
we went ahead and built up another
2016-model race bike and got Chucky
up to NSW to run it in ahead of the
final four rounds, which kicked off
with a cross-country at Monkerai. I did
suggest that he bring the 2017-model
300 with him, but only so we could help him
get the bike set up for the Six-Day in Spain as
KTM wanted him to race the 2017 there.
“Anyway, while we were running-in the 2016
bike, the new WP Trax shock absorber turned
up for his 2017 ISDE bike. So we guestimated
a setting for that, and then put it and his 2016
bike’s fork into the 2017 bike. Chucky and I had a
spin on it, and we were both blown away by how
much better the new bike was. I immediately
understood why he’d been so enthusiastic about
it. Compared to the 300EXC we’d spent a couple
BEN GRABHAM
TEAM MANAGER
of years developing, this 2017 machine was a
better bike in every possible way.
“As good as the thing was, though, there was
no way we could race on it because we still
didn’t have a spare bike or the oversize fuel tank
to fit it. But, when we got back to the workshop
later that day, we discovered his second bike
had turned up. And then the day after that, a
16-litre IMS fuel tank arrived. It’s designed to
fit the 2016 450SX-F, but we discovered it fitted
the 2017 300EXC perfectly. So it was basically
a situation where we ran out of the reasons not
to race the 2017 bike. It was only three days
“Compared to the 300EXC race
bike we’d spent a couple of years
developing, this 2017 machine was
a better bike in every possible way.
We ran out of excuses not to race it!”
before the cross-country at Monkerai – Round
9 and the 12-round series – but everything just
fell into place. Chucky kept saying that God was
telling us he ought to race the new bike [laughs],
so I finally relented to decided to go with it.
“Watching Chucky race the 2017 300EXC,
you could see that he was really comfortable and
never had to push too hard to stay ahead of his
opposition. At Monkerai, he dominated Saturday’s
cross-country and won every lap of the sprints on
the Sunday. And then on the slick grasstrack of
the final two rounds in Victoria, it was more of the
same controlled speed and dominance.
“I used to think there were some tracks
where, compared to the big four-strokes,
Chucky was at a disadvantage aboard the 300cc
two-stroke – mainly on terrain where you
needed smooth power delivery to get traction.
But after testing 2017 bike myself, I believe
the two-stroke is no longer at a disadvantage
anywhere. The power is so smooth, it’ll hook
up like a four-stroke, and yet it retains all the
advantages of a two-stroke. Plus, the reduced
vibration makes it feel so much more refined.
“But for me, the biggest step forward that
KTM has taken with this bike is the
frame. The bike feels lighter and more
agile, but there’s more to it than that.
The way the new frame flexes – more
longitudinally and less torsionally –
makes the thing handle and turn a lot
better. In a straight line, it works better
than ever, and then when you go to turn
it, it’s got a more responsive, positive
feel. I found the WP 52mm Cone Valve
fork a bit too firm in Chucky’s 2016 bike, but
perfect for me in the 2017. So to me, it feels like
the frame is contributing to the suspension
damping in the new bike.
“All that said, upgrading to the 2017 bike with
an Outright AORC title in the balance was a risky
move. There were a lot of eyes on us, and how we’d
go on this new-generation machine, so closing the
title out was a relief. It was also a really nice way
to cap off the past two seasons that we’ve worked
with Chucky, who is now a world-class off-road
racer at the age of just 22.”
67

RACE BIKE
AORC TITLE WINNER
MICHAEL CARUSI
TEAM TECHNICIAN
“Initially, because we could only get our
hands on the one 2017-model 300EXC,
the plan was to slowly put some effort into
developing the bike, mainly so Chucky could
get comfortable with its set-up ahead of the
ISDE in October. No one was rushing into the
idea of using it to replace his 2016 race bike,
which we’d developed over the course of two
years and had working really well. Plus we all
knew how risky it would be to upgrade to the
new model if there weren’t enough spares to
cover us in case of a major crash. So the idea
was pretty much put on the backburner until,
as Grabbo just explained, the whole project
just fell into place in the lead-up to the
Monkerai round. We were left with no reason
not to give the new bike a shot. After Grabbo
tested the new bike and found it to be so
superior to the 2016 in every respect, I think
that made him more receptive to the idea of
Chucky racing it over those final four rounds.
And once the 16-litre tank arrived – which
gave us the peace of mind that we could get
away with only one fuel stop in the three-hour
cross-country races – there was nothing else
holding us back.
“In terms of the mods done to the 2017 bike,
there really isn’t a lot to speak about. To get
some base settings, we ran the 2017 bike on
the dyno and the stock engine immediately
produced a similar power curve to what we’d
got out of the 2016 race engine after a fair bit
of development. So we knew that’d be a great
platform to work from. We did a little porting
work to the barrel, pumped up the compression
a bit, and tested an FMF muffler. We’ll run
the standard muffler most of the time, but
occasionally fit the FMF if Chucky wants more
top-end or snap at certain tracks.
“The Mikuni carb works well with the
standard 2017 engine, producing smooth and
crisp power. But after we did the porting work
to Chucky’s 2017 race bike, we discovered we
needed to run a richer slide in the carb (a 3.5
slide, from the standard 4), and the only way
we could get this was by fitting a Keihin carb.
We literally couldn’t get our hands on rich
enough slide for the Mikuni, but we’re in the
process of making that happen now.
“Because 300cc two-stroke engines can be a
handful to get it hooking up smoothly in tight
bush, we run the firmer green spring in the
power-valve to delay the opening of the exhaust
port and create a smoother transition into
the mid-range. We then fine-tune the power
delivery with the external pre-load adjustment
to suit the track type or conditions.
“With the suspension, we didn’t touch the
internals of Chucky’s 52mm WP fork. All it
needed was a few clickers here and there and
it worked straight away on the 2017 bike. With
the all-new Trax shock – designed to fit the
updated 2017 swingarm and frame – the first
setting we used worked, and we haven’t changed
it since. And because Chucky was comfortable
on the bike straight away, there was nothing
major in the way of ergo mods required. In fact,
his handlebarsand controls pretty much all
swapped straight over.”
“We ran the 2017 bike on the dyno and the stock engine produced a similar
power curve to what we’d got out of the 2016 race engine after a fair bit of
development. So we knew that’d be a great platform to work from.”
68

69

RACE BIKE
AORC TITLE WINNER
DANIEL SANDERS
TEAM RIDER
“I’m not a fan of changing anything drastic
– especially my race bike – during a season,
especially when things have been going so well.
I generally like to stick with what I know and
like. In the past, I’ve tended to be like that with
my suspension, too; I’d get it set
up well and then stick to those
settings, instead of secondguessing
my set-up every time
we race a new track. But now that
I’ve got the experience and input
of Ben Grabham and the whole
KTM team in my corner, I’m
more open to getting out of my
comfort zone and experimenting.
And I like how the team is really
methodical in the way they test
anything new back-to-back with
what we know.
“So when the 2017 300EXC
arrived, on the one hand I was
open to the idea of racing it. But
on the other hand, I’d built a
28-point lead with the 2016 race
bike and really had no reason to
be replacing it with something
I’d had way less experience
aboard. The only reason I even
rode the 2017 bike was because
I wanted to get a head start on
its set-up for the Six-Day in
Spain. We all knew it was a newgeneration
bike, but we didn’t
want to get ahead of ourselves
by swapping to it prematurely.
But then I rode the thing, and
everything changed.
“The biggest change I
initially noticed with the new
bike was how light and nimble
it felt to throw around. It
turned like a 125, and I found
it much easier to get my weight
forward on the seat to load
up the front-end. And when
I jumped back on my 2016
bike, the extra vibration it put
through my hands and feet
made it feel like a dinosaur.
The counter-balancer they’ve fitted to
this 2017 engine makes its ride that much
smoother and more comfortable, but the
engine’s still got all the punch and power I
need. I almost felt like fitting slicks to it and
riding it on the road [laughs].
“As good as the new engine was, I also
knew that just slotting my race suspension
into a bike with a completely different frame
“I’d built a 28-point lead with the 2016
bike and really had no reason to be
replacing it with something I’d had way
less experience aboard. But then I rode the
2017 bike, and everything changed!”
probably wouldn’t work. But it did. Well, at
first, we didn’t have the updated Trax shock
to fit the 2017 bike, but I found my 52mm
WP race fork worked really well in the new
chassis, and the stock shock wasn’t too bad at
all. So with that set-up and the stock motor, I
did some back-to-back times against my 2016
race bike on the practice tracks I’m really
familiar with, and found I as actually quicker
on the 2017. That really got me
thinking because I knew we
could improve on that a fair bit
by the time we did some engine
work and fitted the Trax shock.
But Grabbo kept pointing out
that the new Trax shock hadn’t
arrived yet, and that there were
a few other things stopping us
from using the 2017 bike – such
as not having a cross-country
tank and the limited spares and
performance parts.
“But literally within a week
of Round 9 and 10 at Monkerai,
all those issues resolved
themselves. The tank and shock
and spare bike all arrived within
a few days of each other, and
we kind of ran out of excuses
not to switch over to the 2017.
So it was really satisfying for
me and the team when I came
out swinging at Monkerai and
won both the cross-country
and sprint rounds pretty
comfortably. I think the guys
back at KTM HQ were pretty
stoked with that too, as it made
their job of selling these 2017
EXC models easier. But I should
make the point that none of
those guys ever pressured us
into swapping to the 2017 bike.
They left that decision entirely
up to the team.
“After my success at
Monkerai, my teammate
Tye Simmonds swapped to
the 2017-model 450EXC-F
for the final two rounds, where
I wrapped up the Outright and
E3-class titles, while Tye ran
second Outright and won the
E2 class. That was such a good way to cap
off what’s been an awesome year, and to give
back to the team and everyone at KTM who’ve
supported us so much.”
70

71

RACE BIKE
AORC TITLE WINNER
LOG ON TO
For a revealing insight into Daniel Sanders’ meteoric rise over the past
two seasons, be sure to check out the exclusive interview we did with the
22-year-old immediately after his AORC title win.
72

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EVENT
AUS-X OPEN PREVIEW
74

KANE TAYLOR
JEFF CROW, KURT TEAGUE, SIMON CUDBY, STEVE COX
The inaugural AUS-X Open was arguably the best two-wheeled
motorsport event to take place on Australian soil in 2015.
Can the 2016 edition live up to expectations?
On March 18, 2015, AME Management
– a small athlete-management, media
and events company based out of Port
Melbourne – announced that they would be
hauling 200 truckloads of dirt into Sydney’s
AllPhones Arena, and giving birth to the largest
action sports event in the Southern Hemisphere;
the AUS-X Open. To say that this was exciting
news for an industry and fan-base that had been
starved from a supercross race of this stature
since the legendary days of the Supercross
Masters series would be an understatement.
However, a month went by and no more
information – other than a date and a location
– had been released. Understandably, sceptics
started to talk and rumours started to fly. Those
rumours were silenced when the hard-working
team at AME announced that Chad Reed and
James Stewart – two of the greatest supercross
racers of all-time – would be contesting the
inaugural event on Saturday, November 5, which
would also serve as the penultimate round of the
2015 Australian Supercross Championship.
The next big announcement to come from
the AME team was the FMX Best Trick contest;
a crowd-favourite freestyle motocross format
that was removed from the X Games back in
2013. Frenchman Tom Pagés and Japan’s Taka
Higashino confirmed their attendance, and the
stage for Australia’s greatest ever action sports
event was set. At this point, everyone knew that
the AUS-X Open was going to be an event to
remember, but no one expected it to sell out so
quickly that the promoters would be forced to
announce a second event that would take place
the following day.
October came around quickly, and that’s
when the infamous James Stewart saga started
to unfold. James decided to withdraw from
the event just two weeks before it took place,
and dedicated fans – who purchased tickets
specifically to see a CR22 versus JS7 showdown
on Australian soil – were outraged and upset.
Fortunately, the AME team was able to quickly
board a plane to America and sign not one, but
two high-profile racers to attend in Stewart’s
absence. Locked in was the sport’s Greatest
Of All Time, Ricky Carmichael, and America’s
hottest motorcycling property, Cooper Webb.
Carmichael warmed to the idea of a circa 2005
dose of nostalgia in a special head-to-head
race with Reed, while Webb was heading Down
Under purely to stamp his mark of supercross
dominance on the Australian scene.
75

EVENT
AUS-X OPEN PREVIEW
From the very first riff of ACDC’s Thunderstruck at the
beginning of the opening ceremonies, the noise made
by fans made it evident that the AUS-X Open had
ticked all the right boxes. As Chad Reed, Ricky Carmichael,
Cooper Webb and Australia’s fastest supercross racers –
such as Dan Reardon and Kade Mosig – started to grace
the floor of AllPhones Arena, fans seemed almost unable
to contain their excitement.
The tight nature of the stadium meant lap times were
faster than standard AMA Supercross races, and although
the track seemed relatively simple on paper, many riders
suffered substantial crashes during Qualifying and
subsequently missed the night shows. Notable absentees
included Adam Monea, Luke Arbon, Luke Clout, Matt Moss,
Kale Makeham, Gavin Faith and Jed Beaton, as they all
succumbed to trouble at different stages throughout the
weekend, ending up on the injury list by virtue.
Eventual 2015 SX2 Champion, Jimmy Decotis, dominated
the SX2 class, winning both Main Events and posting lap
times that rivalled the top SX1 racers. Joining the Hondamounted
US import on the podium on Saturday was
Wade Hunter in second and Jackson Richardson in third.
Richardson was able to go one better on Sunday, securing
second, while the likeable Geran Stapleton finished in third.
From the outset, the SX1 class was absolutely stacked
with talent. One of the main attractions was the battle
between CDR Yamaha’s Dan Reardon and NPE Monster
Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Matt Moss who, from the
way the media, fans and even they were carrying on, were on
the brink of being announced as the headlining act for the
coveted WWE Summerslam event. Throw Reed and Webb
into the mix to mess with the championship points race and
anticipation was at an all-time high. Was a Royal Rumble
about to unfold in Sydney? Thankfully, the answer was no.
Reed blazed to a seemingly easy win on Saturday night,
finishing comfortably ahead of Honda’s American star, Gavin
Faith, and Reardon, who extended his championship points
lead drastically after Moss recorded a DNF following two
crashes. A very displeased Webb finished in fourth after
clawing his way back from dead last, making it clear that
a ‘win or die trying’ approach was going to be adopted for
Sunday night’s race; and thankfully, it was the former.
Sunday’s SX1 Main Event began with Reardon blasting
out of the gate to grab the all-important holeshot. He led
the first 10 laps of the race despite hosting close company
from Reed, Webb and Lawson Bopping, who were all in hot
pursuit. Reardon then proceeded to tuck the front-end after
the finish line on the eleventh lap, and as he went down, the
madness started. As Reed was right on Reardon’s rear wheel,
he was unable to avoid the now-downed rider and went down
himself; and that wasn’t where it ended, as Webb was in the
same situation as Reed and also found himself on the ground.
The top-three were in a frantic scramble to remount first
and chase down Bopping, who had managed to avoid the
carnage and assume the lead. Webb and Reed took off before
Reardon could and were able to make quick work of Bopping.
The two Yamaha-mounted riders proceeded to engage in
an all-out brawl right to the end, where Webb was able to
cross the finish line one second in front of Reed. Everyone
inside AllPhones Arena – and watching at home via 7Mate
on national television – was on their feet.
The inaugural AUS-X Open had exceeded all expectations,
and the bar was set high for the 2016 running of Australia’s
newest and most impressive supercross race.
76

77

EVENT
AUS-X OPEN PREVIEW
This year’s AUS-X Open,
scheduled for November 12-13
at Qudos Bank Arena (formerly
AllPhones), promises to be one
of the greatest races to ever take
place on Australian soil. Four-time
AMA Supercross Champion, Ryan
Villopoto, will temporarily come
out of retirement to contest his
first SX race since winning the Las
Vegas finale two years ago. Joining
RV on the gate for the first time
in his career will be Webb; who
funnily enough, just announced
that he will run the #2 plate from
2017 onwards (following in the
legendary footsteps of Villopoto
and The King of Supercross, Jeremy
McGrath). Webb has made it clear
that he’s very excited to line-up
against Villopoto, as he was still
coming through the Amateur ranks
as Ryan enjoyed most of his time
at the top of the sport. Joining the
two Americans will be the 2015
AUS-X Open Champion, Reed, who
will undoubtedly want to keep the
trophy in the hands of an Aussie.
Huge additions to the 2016 event
will be the 2013 East Coast 250SX
Champ, Wil Hahn, and top-ten
AMA Supercross racer, Justin
Brayton. Hahn has anchored up at
the NPE Monster Energy Kawasaki
Racing Team alongside Mosig, while
Brayton has joined Yarrive Konsky’s
all-American Honda squad, and as
we publish this issue, has already
been able to dominate the opening
round of the 2016 Australian
Supercross Championship. Other
Americans contesting the SX1 class
include the ‘7DeuceDeuce’ of Adam
Enticknap alongside Brayton, and
Kyle Peters on board the KTM
Motocross Racing Team’s 450SX-F;
at the eleventh hour, Peters was
able to fill the boots of the injured
2016 MX Nationals’ MX1 runnerup,
Kirk Gibbs.
While a lot of hype may be
surrounding the Americans at the
moment, Australia’s elite cannot
be discounted, starting with Dan
Reardon. The 2015 Australian
Supercross Champion was able to
put down a faster lap time than Reed
and Webb in the 2015 AUS-X Open’s
SuperPole, and as he missed the back
half of the 2016 MX Nationals due to
injury, he’s had a little more time than
his competitors to prepare himself
for the 2016 Australian SX series. The
silky smooth veteran’s style suits the
slick surface that will come into play,
and he has all the tools at his disposal
to become the AUS-X Open – and
Australian Supercross Championship
– victor in 2016.
Having said that, every rider who
is lining up this year is capable of
running away with the win. Crankt
Protein Honda Racing Team’s Dylan
Long and Jay Wilson will both be
eager to redeem themselves from
finishing fifth and sixth, respectively,
in the 2016 MX Nationals, while
the 2016 MX Nationals’ MX1
Champion and third-place finisher,
CDR Yamaha’s Dean Ferris and
Wilson Coolair Motul Factory
Suzuki’s Todd Waters, will both
want to back-up solid motocross
seasons with a strong supercross
appearance; something that neither
rider has successfully been able to
do throughout their careers.
The fact that the AUS-X
Open marks the final two
rounds of the 2016 Australian
Supercross Championship adds
to the excitement, as entering the
weekend there’ll be an established
few riders who are battling for the
#1 plate. Throw in Villopoto, Webb
and Reed to potentially spoil the
party, and the opening ceremonies
may not be the only time that
fireworks will be erupting.
WATCH: OFFICIAL AFTERMOVIE
2015 AUS-X OPEN SUPERCROSS & FMX
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Unfortunately, the MX Nationals’ MX2 top-three – Jed
Beaton (#1), Caleb Ward (#2) and Nathan Crawford
(#3) – are all currently injured, and remain big
question marks for the 2016 edition of the AUS-X Open.
That doesn’t mean that the SX2 category won’t be stacked
full of talent, though. Honda’s Jimmy Decotis will be aiming
to defend his 2015 crown, and his toughest competition
will come from his teammate, Gavin Faith; the 2012 and
2014 Australian Supercross Champion. Faith won the 2016
AMSOIL Arenacross Championship in the 450 class, and
after contesting the 2015 AUS-X Open on board a CRF450R
– and finishing in second Overall to Reed on Saturday night
– will drop back to a 250cc machine for this year’s event.
Another Honda-mounted competitor to look out
for will be Josh Cachia, who has not raced supercross
since the 2014 season on board a Husqvarna. Speaking
of Husqvarna-mounted riders, SD3’s South Australian
native, Luke Arbon, looked incredibly fast at the inaugural
AUS-X Open before a big crash in practice sidelined him
for the entire weekend. The Serco Yamaha duo of Wilson
Todd and Wade Hunter will also be seeking redemption
and looking to put incredibly difficult 2016 MX Nationals
campaigns behind them when the lights turn on at Qudos
Bank Arena. Other key competitors to keep an eye on
include Hayden Mellross and Jackson Richardson (who
have both returned from the USA and found respective
seats with DPH Motorsports Yamaha and Serco Yamaha),
Raceline Pirelli KTM’s Dylan Wills, as well as Geran
Stapleton and Lewis Woods.
Add key attractions such as the FMX Best Trick
contest, the Monster Energy Pit Party and Australia’s
hottest DJ, Brooke Evers, into the mix and Australian
supercross fans have an unforgettable weekend to plan
for. The 2016 AUS-X Open is set to be a true clash of the
titans, and will be a not-to-be-missed experience for
supercross fans worldwide.
WATCH: 2015 BATTLE
CHAD REED VS RICKY CARMICHAEL
81

EVENT
AUS-X OPEN PREVIEW
The 2016 AUS-X Open’s three biggest drawcards – Chad Reed, Ryan Villopoto and Cooper Webb – speak ahead of
November’s showdown.
CHAD REED
“To be returning to the AUS-X Open for 2016 is awesome. It
was such an awesome event last year, and I’m just generally
pumped to be back. Cooper and I had a great battle last year
on Sunday, and the Australians, like Dan Reardon, were very
fast too. All-in-all, it’s just a great show for the fans.”
RYAN VILLOPOTO
“I’m really excited for the AUS-X Open event this
coming November. Obviously, I haven’t lined up
behind a start gate for quite some time, so I am a
little nervous about that, but we’ll see how we go.
I’d like to be able to race with Cooper and Chad;
we’ll see whether I can do that, though [laughs].
I’ve been riding around once a week, so I should
at least be in some sort of shape. I’m excited to
see Australia, meet the fans and just have an
awesome time.”
COOPER WEBB
“To be invited to the AUS-X Open event again and race against Ryan
and Chad is a real honour. I had an amazing time last year – honestly,
the fans were just incredible and were just so pumped I was there,
which blew me away a bit to be honest. The CDR Yamaha guys run a
great program, so to be able to come Down Under, pit with the best
and have such great fans was awesome. The race on the Sunday with
Chad was the most exciting race I’ve ever been apart of, and with
how enclosed the stadium is, it made it all so exciting – you could
hear everything and everyone. You don’t get that in the States, so
I’m excited for that feeling and adrenalin again. See you there.”
WATCH: THE 2016 SHOWDOWN
CHAD REED VS RYAN VILLOPOTO
82

12-13 NOV
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PROFILE
JACK SIMPSON
84

ANDY WIGAN
JOHN PEARSON MEDIA, ANDY WIGAN
Meet the colourful young character from Victoria who has taken the
national off-road and desert-racing scenes by storm this season.
If Jack Simpson were a dog, he’d be
a Jack Russell Terrier. Cheeky little
rascal. Always tear-arsing around.
Everyone’s mate. Never a backwards
step. No ‘off’ switch. Constantly on
the ‘hunt’. And not afraid to stand his
ground in the company of bigger, more
intimidating dogs. Yep, this 20-yearold
Victorian is one tenacious little
punk who punches well above his
weight – in life and on a motorcycle.
And to prove it, he’s just wrapped up
the AORC’s Pro E1 class title on debut.
But where did Jack Simpson come
from? And how the hell has he managed
to mix it with the AORC’s world-class
frontrunners in his first full season
racing the national off-road series? The
kid’s not one to pump his own tyres, but
if you sit down with him for a chat, you
soon realise his off-road riding history
pre-dates his better-known success in
the MX Nats series in recent years. In
fact, he’s has got a fascinating backstory
that includes riding yarns with
FMX legend, Cam Sinclair, and multiple
Enduro World Champion, Matt Phillips.
While “Simmo” was still covered in
champers after his AORC title win, we
sat down with the pint-sized, down-toearth
Victorian to reflect on his
stellar 2016 season and discuss
what the future may hold.
85

PROFILE
JACK SIMPSON
“When I I was only 10 10 years old, I I started doing
doing Backflips Backflips into Cam into Sinclair’s Cam Sinclair’s foam-pit. foam-pit.”
What don’t people know about
you, Jack?
JS: Lots of things [laughs]. Okay, I’m
into photography and film. I build
drag cars. I ride Harleys. There’s a few
things they probably won’t know.
You’re also a student, right?
Yeah, I attend trade school at Tafe,
where I’m doing a mechanical
engineering course. It’s three years
all up, and I’m now two years in. I like
the idea that I can work with a lathe
and a mill and do things to my own
bikes. I can deck my own heads and
make my own axles; that kind of shit.
Harleys and drag cars seem to fit
with dirt bikes ... but cricket?
Yeah, I know. Not many blokes at drag
races are also into cricket. Dad played
state cricket and AFL when he was
younger, so that’s how I got into it. I’ve
done both my knees, so it was obvious
to lean toward cricket instead of footy.
We hear that Cameron Sinclair
played a part in getting you into
racing bikes to begin with.
Yeah, Cam lived just up the road at
Pearcedale in Victoria. One day, I
went up to his place, where I met
Kade Mosig, Bilko, Adam Jones and
Nate Adams. Can you believe it; I met
all those superstars on that same day?
Anyway, Cam used to come around to
my place, where me, Bronte Holland
and Cam would ride our 50s together
a fair bit. And I’d flog them because I
was only nine and about one-quarter
of their weight. Cam told my old man
that he thought I was pretty handy,
so they put me on a 65 to see what I
could do. After I threw down a few
laps on the 65, Cam told me I’d have
a number-one on my bike within two
years. That definitely encouraged me
to take racing more seriously. I had
to start in C-grade, but sure enough,
two years later, I ran second in the
state on the 65. Cam also introduced
me to his brother, Mick Sinclair, who
worked at Monza Imports. The boys
sorted me out with some Fox gear and
a heap of stuff for my bike, and I’ve been
a Monza-sponsored rider ever since.
Cam told us he tried to steer you
into FMX too.
He did. When I was only 10 years
old, a week after I got all my new gear,
I started doing Backflips into Cam’s
foam-pit. Dad wasn’t that into the
idea I take it to dirt though, so we
focused on motocross instead.
Most people know you as a
successful young motocroser, but
your old man tells us you spent a lot
of time as a nipper in the bush.
After having a year off from two knee
surgeries, I won the first round of
the 2013 MX Nationals in the Under
19s class, and ended up third in the
series. But I always liked riding in
the bush because it’s constantly
throwing different challenges at
you, whereas a motocross track can
get very monotonous. I grew up in
Cranbourne South, where were had
a little paddock I could ride my 50.
But then Dad bought a 400-acre
block up near Maffra, and we’d go
up there riding every second weekend
for about a decade; from when I was
7 to 16. We’d hit the state forest and
goat tracks, and I just couldn’t get
enough of it. I’d burn 30 or 40 litres
of fuel on a weekend. Loved it!
And when did you first take that
trailriding obsession into a racing
environment?
In 2011, I raced my first enduro. It was
in a Junior class of the Hedley AORC
in Victoria. I was on my KTM 150SX
practice bike and I had good dice with
Nic Tomlinson in Saturday’s crosscountry
... until I blew third gear up.
On the Sunday, I got on my race bike
and beat the boys pretty convincingly
86

“Dad wasn’t that into the idea I take it to
dirt though, so we focused on motocross.”
in the Sprint-format laps. I won
every lap and the Overall for the day.
And I remember Matt Phillips really
encouraged me to take the off-road
racing more seriously after that. Matt
had just got into the off-road scene
himself that year.
You actually spent a fair bit of time
with Matt Phillips while growing
up, right?
Yeah, we first met when he came
over and raced the Vic MX titles and
cleaned up. No one knew who this
kid from Tasmania was, but he was
lightning fast. A year later, he was
clearly the fastest guy at the 2008
Aussie Junior MX Championship
in WA, but ran second due to some
red flag incident. We then went to
Tassie and did a few races with Matt
over there, and in 2011 he was the
one that pushed me to have a crack
at my first off-road race at Hedley.
It’s incredible to think that after
running a bit hot and cold on the
Senior motocross scene, Matt got
into enduro in 2011, and now he’s a
three-time Enduro World Champion!
The first time we saw you at the
AORC was this time last year, when
you rocked up at the final two
rounds. You were in the middle of
the MX Nats season, but you had
half an act in the bush.
I had actually ridden another AORC
earlier that year, so that Monkerai
round was the third off-road event I’d
ever done. We were on our way north
to Queensland – for the Toowoomba
and Coolum rounds of the MX Nats
– and Monkerai was kind of on the
way. So we thought we should swing
by and see where I sat in the pecking
order. My bike [#73, pictured above]
wasn’t set-up for the bush – it was
literally my 250SX motocross bike
with two hand guards bolted on – and
I wasn’t physiologically conditioned
to race off-road. I did a few good laps,
but a bunch of crashes cost me any
chance of a win. I was way too gungho
and overriding the course.
Was that weekend a turning point
for you? Because you did enough to
show you could run with, or beat,
the top 19s-class guys.
It was, for sure. Dad and me were aware
that the opportunities in the motocross
scene were only going to get slimmer,
so we talked about the option of going
road racing or enduro, which I’d already
done. Actually, enduro was always
my back-up plan, right from when I
started racing Senior motocross. So
that Monkerai round kind of cemented
my thinking. I think I finished 12 th
Outright that weekend, so it showed
me that I had to potential to run in the
top-10 Outright. I knew that I could go
heaps faster on a bike that was properly
set up, and if I attacked the track with a
different mindset.
Coming into this season, you not
only changed the bike set-up, but
the model you were riding too.
That’s right. The 250cc two-stroke
MX bike I rode last year was way too
aggressive. For this season, I decided
to ride the 250EXC-F, which is a
lot more placid and easier to ride.
I made sure my suspension set-up
was right and I went for mousse
tubes in my tyres for extra grip and
to avoid flats. I didn’t even get any
engine work; I just changed the
ECU’s mapping to let it rev harder.
Right at the start of the year, at the
Vic Off-Road titles, I ran a pretty
close third behind Daniel Sanders
and Chris Davey, and felt much more
comfortable on the bike.
By mid-season in the AORC, you’d
obviously worked it out. You
were leading the Pro E1 class and
challenging for Outright podium
positions. Did that leap forward in
87

PROFILE
JACK SIMPSON
“Getting on the
Australian ISDE team has
been the biggest thing for
me. Now I’d better learn
how to change a mousse
tube properly – for both
the Six-Day and 4-Day!”
the results surprise you?
Not really because I’ve put everything
into it this year and trained my arse
off. I got the right sponsors on board
and made sure I had the right people
in my corner. All of that gave me the
confidence to do well. It felt good for
all the hard work to pay off – for me
and for all the people who’ve helped
me get here. For the first few rounds,
I just took it race by race and showed
people my colours and how fast I
could ride. For the back part of the
season, I suppose I started thinking
more about the championship win.
Your motocross intensity seems to
have paid dividends in the AORC’s
cross-country races, which use
mass starts. Fair to say?
When you look at the guys who’ve
been successful in the AORC, plenty
of them have motocross backgrounds
– guys like Matt Phillips, Toby Price,
Chris Hollis, Daniel Milner, Josh
Strang, Tye Simmonds. That intensity
is an advantage for cross-country.
I think everyone was surprised by
how rough I was prepared to be to get
up front early in the cross-country
races. Enduro riders generally aren’t
used to that level of aggression, so
many of them would let me by. I
ran fourth Outright in a few crosscountry
races this year, and if I’d
had more than a 9-litre tank fitted,
I might have got onto the Outright
podium in one or two of those.
You’ve learned a fair bit from
Daniel “Chucky” Sanders, too.
Chucky absolutely lives, eats and
breathes racing enduro. He might
not quite be a match for those other
guys around a motocross track, but
he’s a machine at both the crosscountry
and sprint formats. He’s a
purebred enduro rider and so I’ve
learned a lot from riding with him
and seeing how he approaches a race
weekend. He’s progressed so much
in one year, it’s incredible.
What would you say the main
cultural differences between
the motocross and enduro racing
scenes are?
Enduro is a much more likable
environment. It’s friendlier, there’s no
backstabbing, and you’re focused more
on racing the clock rather than putting
someone over a berm. The riders and
the team managers and the supporters
all seem to get on a lot better. It’s much
more of a community feel. When I hurt
my foot late in the season, guys I race
against came over to check how I was.
You’d never get that from your rivals in
a motocross paddock. They’d be telling
me to get it amputated [laughs].
How about bike set-up?
I’d say it’s actually harder to get your
bike set-up right for motocross.
If your bike’s a bit too stiff on a
hardpack track, it’s going to beat you
up. With enduro, because the terrain
tends to be more varied, your bike
is set up more as an all-rounder. It
might work better in some sections
than others, but it’s a compromise setup
to begin with, so you can always
ride around that. If you get your
enduro set-up close, you’re laughing.
And training?
I’ve backed off my training intensity
for enduro, and focused much more on
perfecting my technique. That’s where
you make up your time in enduro. I
also spent a lot of time improving my
skills with obstacles such as big logs
and bogholes. The chicken line around
these obstacles is always a lot slower, so
if you want to run top-10, you need to
be good in technical terrain, even when
you’re fatigued. I’m naturally superaggressive
on the bike, so I actually had
to work really hard on backing that off.
Going slow to go fast is a real art with
racing enduro. And now that I’ve finally
figured how to tame myself down, it’s
starting to work. At the AORC’s final
weekend, I went 3-3 Outright, and that
was my best result for the season.
88

89

PROFILE
JACK SIMPSON
“I think everyone was
surprised by how rough
I was prepared to be to
get up front early in the
cross-country races.”
Take us through those final two
rounds in southwestern Victoria.
Did the wet conditions and creek
crossings make you nervous?
I think I had about 14 points’ lead in
the E1 class, so it was a comfortable
lead, but I still had to come out and get
it done. The focus was always about
winning E1, but over the course of
the weekend, it also became apparent
that I had a shot at climbing up to
fifth or even fourth in the Outright
standings for the year. After running
third Outright on Saturday, I think
there was just 6 points between Lachy
Stanford, Beau Ralston and me. And
KTM had put a carrot in my contract
for a top-five finish Outright for the
series. I ran third Outright at the final
round, but that wasn’t quite good
enough to get in front of the boys. In
the end, the three of us finished just
two points apart for fourth, fifth and
sixth Outright. Unfortunately, I stayed
in sixth. That was a bugger cos I didn’t
get to eat KTM’s carrot, but all in all,
it was a really solid year.
And you far exceeded your preseason
expectations, right?
Absolutely. Coming into the season,
we were aiming at a top-three finish in
the E1 class and a top-10 Outright. So
we surprised ourselves. In a good way.
Aside from the AORC win, you
won the 250cc class at Hattah
and Finke Desert Races (finishing
10th and 11th Outright at them,
respectively) and you were selected
for Australia’s Junior Trophy Team
for the ISDE in Spain. A big year!
Yeah, it has been a big year. I raced
Hattah six years back as a Junior, but
my bike only lasted two laps before
blowing up. So winning both desert
races this year felt really good. But
getting on the Australian ISDE team
has been the biggest thing for me. Even
though Chucky is still under 23, he’s
moved to the Senior Trophy Team, so
I was the first call-up for the Juniors,
and I knew that’d raise some eyebrows.
Now I’d better learn how to change a
mousse tube properly – for both the
Six-Day and 4-Day, which is only a few
weeks afterwards [laughs]. I can ride
a bike fast, but I’ve got a lot to learn
about the rules of enduro – all the
maintenance you can and can’t do in
the work periods and at the controls.
I don’t want to make any stupid
mistakes and cost the team. I plan to
learn a lot from all the world-class
riders I’ll be up against in Spain, and
use that experience to come into the
Aussie 4-Day swinging. It’s the perfect
preparation. So, yeah, there’s a lot to
be excited about later this year.
Have you put any thought into what
next season might bring? Have you
had offers from the leading race
teams yet?
I’m passionate about riding bikes,
but the focus of my racing at the
moment is to make enough money
to buy a house and give myself a
future. I see it as a bit of a make-orbreak
few years. I have had a few
different teams approach me, and
a couple of them have made me an
offer. I’m not that fussed who I ride
for. As long as I feel comfortable and
have a fun and relaxed environment
with good people around me – and
making good money on a decent
bike – I know I can win races. That
said, I want to be around the sport
for the long haul, so it’s all about
identifying the best overall package.
I’m just focused on the Six-Day and
4-Day for the time being. After we
get through those events, we’ll sit
down with some teams and talk
about next season.
Thanks, Simmo. All the best for
the ISDE in Spain.
No worries. I can’t wait.
90

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BIKE
BMX F 800 GS
Adventure
ICON
In 2007, BMW launched an unusual parallel twin called the
F 800 GS; a machine that’s been very popular in adventure
riding circles ever since. But with only a facelift for 2016, is it
still competitive? Transmoto’s Llewelyn Pavey investigates.
LLEWELYN PAVEY
As an adventure bike, the F 800
GS doesn’t need much of an
introduction. BMW brought
the bike in as a mid-range alternative in
2007, and it was met with a pretty damn
positive reception. For the adventure
rider, it’s got a lot of positives – namely,
a 21-inch front hoop and chassis
geometry that’s closer to a dirt bike’s
than a dual-purpose machine’s. For
really long distance travelling, it was
a little short on fuel capacity, so BMW
made an Adventure edition. And it was
a little tall, so BMW produced the F
700 GS. But if neither of those ‘issues’
bothered you, then BMW’s F 800 GS
SIMON PAVEY
represented a very capable adventure
bike for a relatively good price.
In the nine years since BMW first
released the F 800 GS, it has had a few
styling changes, and some updates to
various components. But it’s essentially
the same bike with the same key
components. So, is BMW’s 800 still a great
bike? Or have advances in technology
pushed it down the list of choices?
Llewelyn Pavey, Transmoto’s
UK-based adventure bike specialist who
produces the online Brake Magazine ,
set out to answer those
questions by spending a week on
this iconic Beemer in Portugal...
94

95

BIKE
BMX F 800 GS
96

“Whatever you do and however you choose to
ride the F 800 GS, the engine has a weird and
endearing smoothness. It makes for an extremely
relaxing bike to ride over long hauls.”
THE OFF-ROAD ABILITY
The trail rolls out across the hill. All
around, cork trees coat the countryside,
the midday spring sun beating down. Each
turn we make gives way to an even better,
twistier and steeper ribbon of perfect trail.
Eventually the bush closes in, the trail
becomes overgrown and loose. The more
it climbs, the lower the grip. As I roll back
the throttle and let the revs drop, trying to
feel the grip, the 800 tickles the ground,
makes friends with it, and they form a solid
bond. Seconds later, we’re at the top of
another epic hillclimb, looking across the
incredible valley of folded hills. The F 800
GS is an awesome off-road bike. It’s also a
bike with some caveats.
I’ve been fortunate enough to spend a
fair amount of time aboard the F 800 GS in
the past 10 years. If it were the only bike I’d
ridden, I would have had very little issue
with it. However, that is not the case. In
10 years of motorcycle production, some
seriously big advances have happened.
For the better part of a week, my old man
(Simon) and I rode the F 800 GS; thinking
hard about the way it works, why it works
and what we think BMW could do with
updating. The overwhelming conclusion
was that, as an all-round package, the F
800 GS is a bike we love to ride off-road.
The engine is silky smooth and gets
fantastic grip. It’ll rev quickly when you ask
it too. It can be incredibly gentle with the
ground when the grip is low, and will claw
up most hills at a ridiculously slow speed.
The motor is plenty quick enough on the
dirt too, and it has a free-revving character
that rolls along the track without letting
engine braking interfere.
Likewise, the chassis is really very good.
Off-road, the geometry feels right. The
standing position is much like a dirt bike’s,
so the combination of the steering head
angle and 21-inch front wheel allow the
97

BIKE
BMX F 800 GS
“The F 800 GS is an awesome off-road bike.
It’s also a bike with some caveats.”
bike to track the ground and turn well. It
slots into tight ruts as easily as a big bike
can, and is a pleasure to ride. The smoother
you are, the more you get from the midrange
GS, and on the variety of terrain we
experienced in Portugal, it was a brilliant
machine. The endless sweeping corners of
the Algarve coast complement everything
right about the F 800 GS.
As good as it is to ride on the dirt, the
bike isn’t without some niggles. A few of
those are similar to our review of the F
800 GS Adventure; the first of which is the
clutch. Quite simply, it is too heavy. Ten
years ago, it was fine. But KTM, Ducati and
the R 1200 GS have ruined that. An hour of
technical riding quickly takes a toll on even
the most conditioned forearm. Next on
those list of niggles is the feel of the front
brake, which is unquestionably strong but
difficult to modulate. It transitions from
not much braking power to a locked front
wheel preposterously quickly. You can
learn to ride around it, but it’d be nice not
to have to.
The last area where BMW could bring
the F 800 GS into the now is in the
suspension department. It lacks a little
damping control or any adjustability. It
doesn’t deal with big bumps particularly
well, and the fork dives under braking too
much, making the bike a little tough to
control on downhills. In 2015, Triumph
addressed this problem with their WPfitted
XCx model, and it’d be awesome for
BMW to do the same to unleash more offroad
potential from the F 800 GS.
THE ROAD PERFORMANCE
Much like on the dirt, the F 800 GS is a bike
that takes a little getting used to. But once
you understand how it works, it’s great.
The 21-inch front wheel tips in a bit quicker
than a smaller-wheeled bike, which can
make it a bit hard to judge grip levels.
98

99

BIKE
BMX F 800 GS
“It’s the dirt where the F 800 GS made us smile the most. It’s capable,
smooth and finds incredible traction when the terrain gets tough.”
And it’s accentuated by a steep steering
angle and the longer-travel suspension.
That feeling quickly mellows out as you gain
confidence and understanding. On twisty
roads, it corners surprisingly well. It is a
fun bike that rolls along and can be kept at
a good pace, but the skinny front tyre and
slightly too-soft fork are the limiting factors.
The F 800 GS is a bike to think of as fun,
rather than a high-performing machine. It
isn’t a 1290 Super Adventure on the tarmac,
but that doesn’t kill the fun-factor.
The key to getting the most from it on
the road is being a smooth as possible.
If you attempt to push hard, brake hard
and corner fast, it gets confused; the fork
bounces around like a springbok being
chased by a lion, and it stops being fun.
Likewise, being smooth with the throttle
is important. Mid-corner changes of the
throttle position upset the bike when
trying to push on. At a nice mid-range
pace, the type of speed you’d ride when
still really relaxed, the F 800 GS is a
happy bunny.
The engine is a little weird in that respect
too, yet everyone on the test team loved it.
It rides very nicely in a tall gear, but lacks
outright torque to pull that gear out of
the corners. It makes decent power when
revving a little higher and moves well, but
becomes tougher to turn smoothly. It’d
be amazing if it had a little more pull from
the bottom-end to drag itself up to speed.
That additional torque would be a positive
addition to its off-road capability too.
Whatever you do and however you
choose to ride the F 800 GS, the engine
has a weird and endearing smoothness.
It makes for an extremely relaxing bike
to ride over long hauls. It doesn’t need to
be ridden fast to be enjoyable and its
smooth nature makes it feel refined.
Once you move from the twisties, you’ll
find where the F 800 is at its weakest.
Freeway riding is okay; it’ll do it with
relative comfort when compared to a
DR650, but I wouldn’t pick it from the
garage to go and bust out an 800km ride.
The long-distance bum comfort leaves
something to be desired.
100

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The stock unit slopes downward
from back to front prominently, which
makes for a rather uncomfortable
experience in the long run. By the
time you need to stop for fuel on a
long journey, it’s really welcome.
Likewise, the screen is non-adjustable.
At some point with a mid-range
bike, there has to be compromise of
components, and this is one of the
areas where the F 800 GS is keeping
the price down. Non-adjustable, small
and relatively inconsequential, we’d be
surprised if anyone over 5’9” (175cm) can
keep their head inside the bubble of air.
THE LITTLE BITS
While the F 800 GS has some significant
things it does well and others we think
need updating, there are smaller pieces
of the puzzle that deserve mentioning.
First on that list is the footpegs; they’re
really good. Most bikes in the category
come with skimpy, road-friendly, halfbaked
footpegs that are about as useful
as welding the remnants of a spanner to
your frame. The F 800 GS, however, has
a decent-sized peg that grips well and it
makes a world of difference when riding
on the dirt.
The handlebars are not perfect but they’re
a good bend. Comfortable on and off-road,
they work in most situations. I’d like it if
they were little less swept back, but when
compared with some of their rivals, BMW
has done a good job. We mentioned the
clutch before, but we’d really appreciate
it if BMW did away with using the cable.
Cables need too much looking after to stay
feeling good, and hydraulic systems have
very few cons these days.
The sidestand and centre-stand designs
on the F 800 GS are also good. It might
seem trivial, but when the sidestand is
a good length, it makes the bike easy
103

BIKE
BMX F 800 GS
RATED: 2016 BMW F 800 GS
A great all-rounder that, despite wanting updating, still holds its own.
ENGINE
BRAKES
8.2
ROAD HANDLING
COMFORT
OFF-ROAD HANDLING
ECONOMY
OVERALL RATING
to manage in a lot of situations. The
strength allows it to take the full weight
of the bike many times over, so pivoting
the bike on it in the workshop or the
carpark works very well. Likewise, the
centre-stand is easy to use. On top of
that, the stand’s lever is well out of the
way so even my oversized feet fit on the
footpegs without a problem. And that
makes riding in the standing position
a much more pleasant experience.
They’re little things, but they all make
ownership that bit nicer.
CONCLUSION
In 2015, BMW updated the fork and a few
other little parts on the F 800 GS. For
2016, they gave the bike one last facelift
before the new-generation hits showroom
floors in the not too distant future. So
logic would suggest that the F 800 is an
out-of-date bike that has been well and
truly overtaken by machines such as
Honda’s Africa Twin or the incredibly
premium GS and KTM models. But the
reality is that, despite being a little less
advanced in some areas, the F 800 GS is
still a superb bike to ride.
It’s probably not a novice-friendly bike,
as the tall seat and quick-revving engine
can make things ‘exciting’, but amazingly,
it’s the dirt where the F 800 GS made us
smile the most. It’s capable, smooth and
finds incredible traction when the terrain
gets tough. It handles well and puts a
smile on my face, and I’m always sad to
give it back.
The road performance is also good.
It’s enjoyable rather than exciting, but
it gets the job done at a decent pace. As
an all-round machine, it really is very
capable and it still makes for a brilliant
choice as an adventure bike.
The little things we don’t like about
the bike are all rectifiable, especially the
fork – you could easily get the springs
changed or run a cartridge kit and have
an incredible handling machine. More
importantly, it doesn’t seem on paper
an impossible challenge for BMW to turn
the existing F 800 GS into a bike that
would have Honda needing nappies.
So if the development team at BMW
is reading this, congratulations on
building a bike that has lasted nine years.
Now we’d like to order a few changes…
104

105

MITCH EVANS
2016 AUSTRALIAN MXD CHAMPION
CHAM
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2016 AUSTRALIAN MX2 CHAMPION
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PROFILE
JOSH GREEN
110

Last year, Josh Green won the E1 class at the AORC and A4DE, ran second Outright in
the AORC and Enduro-X Nats, podiumed at both Finke and Hattah, and was part
of Australia’s ISDE-winning team. So, with Toby Price’s departure, Green looked
like he’d be the man to beat this season. Sadly, his left knee had other ideas.
ANDY WIGAN
ANDY WIGAN, JOHN PEARSON MEDIA, TROY PEARS
Josh Green has evidently been busy since I last visited.
For starters, his oversized garage has had a major
makeover. Aside from offering commanding views
over his 150-acre Hunter Valley property, it now serves as
a full-blown gymnasium, a workshop for his bikes and cars,
and a workstation for his social media ‘commitments’.
Full of enthusiasm, Green introduces me to his new,
jacked-up Ford Ranger, and details the custom accessories
he’s in the process of fitting to it. He gives me a rundown on
all the gym equipment. He lights up when talking about how
much mouth-watering grasstrack his new tractor can slash
in a morning’s work. And he reflects on his plans to build a
granny flat for his folks.
Yep, it all paints a picture of a guy who’s been trying very,
very hard to keep himself occupied during the six months
that major knee surgery has kept him off the bike. And with
epic riding terrain in every direction, it’s no wonder there’s
not a motorcycle in sight. For a guy who eats, breathes and
sleeps dirt bikes, the temptation would simply be too great.
Green’s enforced downtime prompts me to reflect on his
journey over the past decade. I’d first watched him race in
2007; as a cocksure 17-year-old making his presence felt on
the national off-road scene. And in years since, he’s evolved
into one of Australia most complete off-road racers. Whatever
he’s confronted with – an MX-style sprint, three-hour crosscountry,
super-tech endurocross or high-speed desert race –
Green has consistently been a podium guy for more than five
years now, and that’s why he’s one of Yamaha’s highest-paid
riders. He’s still got that self-assured air about him, but the
arrogance is gone. In its place is a newfound maturity, and a
more calculated approach to his racing.
Instead of doing what we normally do at Greeny’s joint
– ride his sick network of trails and grasstrack – I took the
opportunity to sit down with the laid-up 26-yearold;
to speak about what the time on the sidelines
had taught him, and what his future might hold...
111

PROFILE
JOSH GREEN
"I blew my ACL in the second special test of the very first round
of the season. I felt the best I ever have coming into a season,
and then that happens before I’d even raised a sweat."
Last season would have to be
your best on record. By a long
shot, right?
JG: Yeah, we started the year off
well when I ran second Outright
to Mike Brown at the Australian
Enduro-X Nationals, and then we
took the all-new WR250F to its first
ever major win; first Outright at
the cross-country round at Hedley,
Victoria. That was another cool
milestone for us as a team because
that WR250F is such an important
new model for Yamaha. In the
AORC, I won 12 from 12 rounds
in the E1 class, and ran second
Outright to Toby [Price]. I won the
250cc class at the 4-Day, and I was
the second 250F home at the ISDE
in Slovakia, where Team Australia
scored a historical win. I also went
third Outright at Finke and Hattah,
and won the 450cc class at both
events. So, yeah, it was a great year.
Why the move to the 450 class
this season for the AORC?
I’m a bigger guy, plus Yamaha just
released their all-new WR450F at
Christmas, so my job was to win
aboard that bike.
You and your teammate Beau Ralston
are both big blokes, so how was it
decided who’d ride in which class?
After last year, I guess I was seen as
the team’s lead rider and I was given
the job of racing the 450. Beau and I
could have both ridden 450s in the
E2 class, but he seemed to really gel
with the 480-kitted bike, and decided
with AJ Roberts [Active8 Yamalube
Yamaha team manager] to run the
WR480F in the E3 class.
The AORC seems to be much more
about the Outright these days,
rather than class results.
The Outright is definitely regarded
as more important. I actually think
it would be better to award three
number-one plates in the three Pro
classes, and take the emphasis off
the Outright, but that’s the way it is
at the moment.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t
this the first season in living
memory that you didn’t carry and
injury into the opening round?
It is. But ironically, I blew my ACL in
the second special test of the very first
round of the season. I’d had the best
off-season, and felt the best I ever have
coming into a season, and then that
happens before I’d even raised a sweat.
Even injured, you still managed to
notch up impressive results. Your
Outright scorecard at the first four
rounds read 3-2-3-3.
Well, Daniel Sanders came out
swinging and towelled everyone up
over those opening four rounds. Then
it was me, Chris Hollis, Lachy Stanford
and Glenn Kearney who were fighting
over the other two podium steps. I
posted the quickest lap at the opening
two rounds and won most of the tests.
Initially, you and your team were
very cagey about how bad the
knee injury was. How exactly did
it happen?
We didn’t want to telegraph what was
going on until we knew how bad it
was. So there were a bunch of press
releases where we tiptoed around the
truth. The injury happened when I
stomped my foot in a creekbed at that
first round. I knew I’d done damage,
but I kept racing. On the laps I didn’t
tweak the knee, I’d win the test. On
laps I’d catch my foot on the ground,
the pain caused me to lose a bunch of
time. I felt that cost me the Outright
win at Rounds 1 and 2. In the two-week
112

gap before the following rounds at
Portland, I rested up and didn’t ride
at all. I saw doctors and physios, who
for some reason told me my ACL
was fine. But it didn’t feel real good.
Unfortunately, the tracks at Portland
were off-camber and tight, which
didn’t suit a bung knee. I nursed it
through those rounds and still finished
3-3 Outright. So I figured I’d be okay to
strap it up, keep riding and get through
the season, and then get it fixed at the
end of the year.
So what changed?
I went to see another doctor who
looks after a bunch of the major footy
teams, and this time the MRI scans
showed I’d ruptured my ACL, torn my
MCL, and done a fair bit of damage to
the cartilage. I think I was in denial
because I was still running second
Outright in the AORC and first in
the E2 class. We went out to Alice
Springs after that Portland round to
do some pre-running for the Finke
Desert Race, and I really struggled.
We use Steg Pegz out there to help
grip the bike with our calves, and
that transferred a lot of movement
into the knee. It started clicking and
crunching and became progressively
harder to walk each day after riding on
it. We went straight from Alice to the
Murray Bridge AORC round in South
Oz – where it was really slippery – and
I stomped my foot badly just a few
special tests into the weekend. There
was a massive pop and heaps of pain.
I could hardly walk or carry my weight
on the bike and finished way outside
of the top-10. Aside from the fact that
dropped me to third in class and fourth
Outright, the injury really got in my
head from that point. So I discussed
it with AJ and we decided to there
was no point battling for fifths when
we should be fighting for wins. So we
pulled the pin and I got the surgery.
Knowing I’d be out of action for at
least six months, it made more sense
to get it right, regroup and start again
for the 2017 season.
You’ve had AJ Roberts in your
corner for five years now. He’s a
former three-time AORC champ,
so what wisdom has he imparted
on you?
AJ’s been in the industry for a long
time and he’s learned a lot. He
knows what works and what doesn’t.
Probably the biggest thing I’ve learned
from him is that racing is a full-time
job, and that I’m lucky to have it.
I mean, I’ve worked hard for it and
I’ve earned my position, but it’s still
a really cool job. It’s a short career
– maybe another five or possibly 10
years. Who knows? AJ has helped me
realise that I need to make the most
of everything. He’s also taught me the
importance of building relationships
and loyalty in the industry. For several
years, AJ worked for Gas Imports,
who distribute Thor gear in Australia
– along with a heap of other brands –
and Thor’s now been a team sponsor
for the past four years.
What has being sidelined freed
you up to do or learn?
I’m never going to be one of these
princesses who doesn’t show up at the
races simply because they’re injured.
If I can’t be racing for the team, I still
want to be there to help the other guys
on the team win. So it’s been a good
opportunity for me to get a better
understanding for how the team
works. After the operation, I joined
the team for the Finke Desert Race,
where we camped out and I helped out
with the fuel stops. And as frustrating
as it was not being able to race, it was
really cool to get a totally different
113

PROFILE
JOSH GREEN
"I honestly don’t know what I’m going
to do after racing, but taking on
SOME SORT OF trainer and mentortype
role appeals to me."
perspective on the race. The time on
the sidelines also means I can work
together with Beau to try to help him
improve. Whether its line selection or
bike set-up, you can see things from
the sidelines that are often not so easy
to see while you’re riding. Admittedly,
that’ll probably bite me in the arse
when I’m back racing [laughs], but
it’s all about contributing to the team
the best way I can at this point. I’m
due to go back and see the surgeon in
mid October, which is a month earlier
than they initially thought, so fingers
crossed he gives me the all-clear to get
back on the bike by early November –
which means I can join Beau to defend
our Transmoto 6-Hour title at Stroud.
From what I can see, the time off
the bike has also allowed you to
work on your new property here
at Stroud and develop your rider
tuition business – which is called
Off-Road Advantage, right?
That’s true. I’ve done a lot of work
on the property. Plus I’ve started
coaching some up-and-coming young
racers – guys and girls – and a heap
of blokes who want to improve their
trailriding skills. I especially enjoy
the trailriding coaching because those
guys tend to improve so much really
fast. I’ll generally start on basics –
clutch, brake and throttle control,
body position, flat turns, rutted
turns, etcetera, etcetera – and then
work on uphills, downhills and logcrossings.
Usually, by the time they’ve
got through all that, they’ve already
learned too much. They’ll often want
to go away for a month or two, practise
those skills, and then come back to
fine-tune things or move on to more
advanced skills. I love seeing people
improve. It’s cool to see a guy who
starts off thinking there’s no way
he can ride up and over a log, and
then see him do it easily after I’ve
explained the key techniques. I’m
not sure who’s more pumped about
that – him or me [laughs].
Is the rider coaching about futureproofing
your income or giving
back to the sport?
Kind of both, I suppose. A few years
ago, I started helping out a bunch
of junior enduro kids. I gave a day
of my time to Motorcycling NSW,
who raffled off a coaching clinic with
me to about 10 young riders. I got
a kick out of that. For me, it was all
about putting back into the sport
of Junior Enduro and help to keep
it strong. That led to me helping
out some mates and their friends
who didn’t race, but wanted ride
with more confidence. The rider
coaching business then became a
natural extension of that. Longer
term, I would like to stay involved
in the sport by taking on a trainer
and mentor-type role after getting
my personal training ticket. I think
there’s real value in giving younger
riders advice about everything from
line selection and reading tracks,
to dealing with the media, to bike
set-up, to representing sponsors
professionally. I honestly don’t know
what I’m going to do after racing, but
that’s the sort of thing that appeals to
me. I’ve got my own gym and tracks
here on the property, so there’s no
harm in laying the foundations for
that potential future.
What have you seen in your AORC
rivals, now that you’ve had the
opportunity to scrutinise them
from the sidelines?
Daniel Sanders seems to have been
on an entirely different level from
the rest of the guys for most of the
season. He’s working really hard
and riding really well. And he’s been
super-consistent. He’s got a good
team and he’s confident. He’s just
got every ingredient in place and
that’s why he’s won a majority of the
rounds. I think Tye Simmonds has
definitely improved a lot from last
year, and he got one over Sanders
at Hattah this year. I’ve been
114

115

PROFILE
JOSH GREEN
impressed with how Lachy Stanford
has stepped up this year too. He’s
always been really consistent, but
he seems to ride the bigger-capacity
bikes better and he’s done really well
over the past few rounds to fight
through the pain of a busted hand
and not loose too many points. Chris
Hollis has been uncharacteristically
inconsistent this year. He’s never
really dominated cross-country
races, but he’s often untouchable
on his day in the Sprint formats.
I’m just not sure if he really wants
it as much as he has in the past, or
whether other guys have stepped it
up, but I believe Hollis can still win a
national because he’s brilliant. Jack
Simpson has clearly got his head
around racing among trees this year.
He’s always been fast and aggressive,
but has now learned how to rein that
in a bit and not lose time in technical
terrain. Glenn Kearney, the old dog,
is still doing amazing things and
running top-three Outright here
and there on a 250F. And I have
to mention Broc Grabham here,
too. He’s also come on in leaps and
bounds from last year and seems
to be getting better at every round,
despite not having a whole lot of
support. He’s always been fast at
state events, and he’s now learned
to bring that game to the nationals.
From the looks of him, he’s
obviously been training a lot harder
this year, too.
What do you think season 2017 will
bring? Will Sanders’ departure to
Europe leave the door wide open on
the domestic scene?
First of all, I need to sign a contract for
next season. But Yamaha’s been good
enough to support me through my
surgery, so I’d like to think I’ll be back
with the Active8 Yamaha team again
for 2017. As you say, Chucky is likely to
be in Europe next year, which means
there’ll be a lot of guys who’ll want to
stake a claim on the number-one plate.
I think the frontrunners will be me,
Beau Ralston, Tye Simmonds, Lachy
Stanford, Chris Hollis, Jack Simpson and
Broc Grabham. And where do you think
Daniel Milner will be racing next year?
I reckon we’ll also see a few new faces in
the series. I mean, there are new faces
every year – just like Toby Price was new
in 2009. Every week, I’ll get a call from a
Pro motocross rider who’s sounding me
out about the best AORC round for them
to come along and try. It seems those
guys are starting to see that the off-road
scene in Australia is strong and that
Australia has become a real force on the
international off-road racing stage.
Can Team Australia defend their
ISDE title in Spain this year? And
how gutted are you that you can’t
be there with them?
Yeah, I’m going to really miss the
opportunity to join the boys and see if
we can create some more history. I’m
sure they can bring it home again.
"I’m never going to be one of these
princesses who doesn’t show up
at the races simply because
they’re injured. If I can’t be racing
for the team, I still want to be
there to help the team OUT."
116

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PROJECT BIKE
SHERCO 450SEF-R
Tour
DE FORCE
For six months now, Transmoto’s Grant O’Brien has raced, trailridden and maintained our
2016 450SEF-R project bike. Here are his insights into the ownership experience, and the
cost-effective ways to customise and improve Sherco’s flagship enduro weapon.
GRANT O’BRIEN, ANDY WIGAN
GRANT O’BRIEN, JOHN PEARSON MEDIA, DAVID BURNETT
118

119

PROJECT BIKE
SHERCO 450SEF-R
In racing circles over the past few years,
Sherco’s credentials are impressive. With
a focus solely on manufacturing enduro
bikes, this relatively young French company
has notched up stage wins at the Dakar Rally.
They’ve carried more than half of France’s
national team to an ISDE win. In Australia,
they’ve recently clinched two class wins at the
Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC).
And Australia’s Matt Phillips has just handed
Sherco what is arguably the most coveted
prize in the enduro world: the Outright, or
“EnduroGP” class, crown in the 2016 Enduro
World Championship.
But how does that race pedigree translate
into an all-round machine that lives in
a suburban garage; a bike that’s used for
trailrides, grasstrack blats and the odd enduro
and MX race, and which is maintained by
an average bloke rather than factory team
mechanics? Thankfully, the boys at Transmoto
HQ thought I’d be the perfect ‘average
bloke’ to help answer those questions, and
they handed the bike over to me after the
Transmoto 12-Hour back in March. Having
now been shacked up with this 450cc French
filly for six months, and put about 20 hours’
run-time on the bike, I’ve got a good handle on
both its strong points and the areas it can be
improved. The following pages offer an insight
into how I’ve gone about customising and
improving the machine, and the small things
owners need to keep an eye on.
“It has to be
2016 Sherco 4
one of the b
tractable and
engines I’ve
120

PARTS FITTED...
RADIATOR GUARDS – RRP: $203.95
There are a few quick-fix tricks to repair radiators if they’re damaged during a ride,
but more often than not you’ll be in need of a tow, which is a pain in the arse. Given
that radiators are pricey, why risk it? For less than the cost of a radiator half, you
can have much-improved protection for your cooling system’s most important
components without restricting airflow. I fitted a set of Sherco Racing Hard Parts
genuine billet alloy radiator guards because they’re easy to fit and offer great
insurance against side impacts (from crashes) and front-on punctures (if speared
by a branch or flying rocks). I’d recommend fitting these guards from new because
radiators are undoubtedly one of the most fragile, but important, components of
any dirt bike. If they lose their coolant without you knowing on a ride – and that can
easily happen – you’ll be losing a lump of cash to repair the resulting engine damage.
ALLOY BASHPLATE – RRP: $189.95
As tough as the cast-alloy engine cases are on the Sherco 450SEF-R, they can
easily be damaged by a decent-sized rock that’s flicked up by the front wheel
or by a mate’s ‘friendly fire’ roost on the trail. The bike’s standard plastic bashplate
is light and offers decent protection to the underside of the engine and frame rails,
but I reckon it leaves both the side cases and water-pump cover a little vulnerable.
That’s why I added the Sherco Racing Hard Parts alloy bashplate, which made from
a 4mm 5083-grade alloy. It’s a bit heavier than the plastic unit, but that’s a small
price to pay for the peace of mind that my engine is better protected at all times.
Plus its black polymer coating (the alloy is heated to 300º so the polymer coating
anneals to it) is incredibly long-wearing and noticeably quieter (both from rock
hits and reflected engine noise) than conventional alloy units.
said that this
50SEF-R boasts
roadest, most
user-friendly
ever tested.”
REAR DISC GUARD – RRP: $89.95
Because you mono over many obstacles while the rear wheel drives you forward, a dirt
bike’s rear brake disc tends to be more vulnerable than the front. And although they’re
very strong, a rear disc can easily be bent when it encounters protruding rocks in deep
ruts at the wrong angle. Aside from affecting the braking performance instantly, a
bent disc can also be downright dangerous. So as a precautionary measure, I fitted a
Sherco Racing Hard Parts alloy rear disc guard. It’s light but strong and gives the disc
optimal protection from sideways and underside hits while not looking out of place.
CASE SAVER – RRP: $49.95
Snapping a chain is rare, especially if you run a quality brand. But if one does let
go and impacts with the engine cases, the consequences are likely to be costly.
The same applies if a rock is flung out of your chain at Mach 3. Adding a purposebuilt
billet alloy case saver gives you the peace of mind that your engine cases
are much better protected in these scenarios, meaning there’s one less thing you
have to worry about while out on a remote trail. The Sherco Racing Hard Parts
billet alloy case saver bolts on in seconds, looks trick, and does the job.
Check out the entire range of Sherco Racing Hard Parts and your closest Sherco dealer at: www.sherco.com.au/news-5800/sherco-racing-hard-parts
121

PROJECT BIKE
SHERCO 450SEF-R
PARTS FITTED...
PIRELLI SCORPION TYRES
MX32 MID-SOFT FRONT (80/100-21) – RRP: $95
XC MID-SOFT REAR (120/100-18) – RRP: $119
Choosing the right set of tyres is tricky when you ride a wide variety of terrain. One week, I might ride
loamy singletrail; the next, grasstrack; the next, sand mixed with hardpack sections. So trying to find
a versatile set of tyres to handle all of the above is a challenge. After some advice from off-road ace,
Glenn Kearney, I went with a set of Pirelli Scorpion tyres. I use a MX32 front and XC rear, both mid-soft,
and they’ve proved to be excellent across a mix of terrain. While they excel in more loamy conditions,
it’s surprising how well they perform in more hardpack, rocky terrain. www.pirelli.com/tyres/
SK DESIGNS GRAPHICS KIT – RRP: $279
There’s nothing like a quality set of graphics to freshen up a bike’s appearance, once the standard set
starts getting scuffed or lifting in places. SK Designs Australia produce high-quality graphics and they
made us a set based off their new Sherco graphics design. Aside from looking trick, they also incorporate
logos for Pirelli and Repsol, who are supporting this project bike. SK Designs use new technology with
printing to ensure an exact match for tricky colours, such as Sherco’s fluoro yellow/lime. They also use
a thick, highly durable sticker material that, once stuck, stays stuck. SKDA has an extensive online
catalogue with 200 designs that allow customers to personalise logos and race numbers. www.skda.com.au
SUSPENSION MODS
After 15 hours of riding and
becoming more familiar
with the Sherco’s handling
traits, I realised the standard
suspension just wasn’t handling
the bigger hits as I started to ride
the bike faster. I was running out of
adjustment, so I gave David Burnett
from Queensland-based suspension
specialist, Suspension Matters, a
call to dial it in to suit my weight
and riding ability. And I’m glad I did
because, in one day, he taught me
a lot about suspension and how to
take it to the next level.
David confirmed right away
that I was too heavy for the bike’s
standard springs, and set about
making the necessary changes.
“When we first look at a bike’s
suspension, we always start with the
springs; they are the first and most
important priority,” he says. “The
standard springs on the Shercos
are really only suited to a rider in
the 70-80kg range, and with you
weighing in at 80kg-plus, we went
up one spring rate in both the front
and rear springs.
“I thought the Sherco’s W
well stock, but having
weight and ability
The next step David and his
technicians turned their attention
to was the damping specs. And with
me being an Expert-level rider who
rides a little more aggressive than
the average trailrider (and enters
the odd enduro race), they firmed
the suspension up and got it to sit
higher in the stroke. “The higher
in the stroke we can have it, the
more available travel we’ve got left
122

OBSERVATIONS
Here’s a bunch of small but important things that I’ve learned
to keep an eye on after living with and maintaining the Sherco
450SEF-R for six months:
ENGINE
• It has to be said that this bike boasts one of the broadest, most tractable and
user-friendly engines I’ve ever tested. I’m no Pro, so when I twist the throttle
and the bike drives forward without losing traction, most of the time, it keeps me
on track and saves me a lot of energy in the process.
WHEELS
• The standard rubber rim tape (on the front wheel, in particular) is pretty
flimsy and should be replaced to avoid the risk of a spoke nipple causing a
flat. While you’re at it, replace the standard tubes with heavy-duty items,
move the rimlock four spoke-spaces away from the valve, and replace the
thin little rimlock nut with a beefier item.
BODYWORK
• The redesigned/strengthened subframe for 2016 does create a little
more room around the air filter in the airbox, but it’s still a tight fit. And
that means you need to be careful to ensure no dirt falls into the intake
when you’re removing a dirty filter. Also, make sure the bolt that locks the
filter cage in place locates accurately, and is properly tightened to avoid it
unwinding during the course of a ride.
• The 2016 450SEF-R sure is a sexy-looking specimen, but it doesn’t stay that
way for long because the graphics have a tendency to peel off after a few
rides. The front of both sideplates’ pin-striping decals, and leg area, are
first to lift.
to absorb the next bump,” explained David.
“And that also gives the bike’s chassis a more
stable feel. That stability will make you feel
more confident, and make you want to ride
P suspension worked quite
it specifically set up to my
made a world of difference.”
it faster,” he went on to say.
David’s expertise is in the trail, enduro
and adventure disciplines because that’s
what he and his technicians are most
passionate about. They live and breathe
it themselves, which helps them to relate
to a customer’s needs. David started with
a base setting he knows works well
with the WP suspension on the Sherco
450SEF-R, and used my feedback to dial
both the fork and shock in, pointing out
that, “I interview every rider that comes
through the door before even lifting a
spanner to find out exactly what level
they’re at, their weight, and what type
of riding they do before revalving and
adjusting their suspension. Then I take
this information and apply it to the base
settings I have for each type of suspension.
That gets it very close to the rider’s needs,
so it then only requires minor clicker
or sag adjustments to suit the different
conditions a rider experiences.”
David took me out for a blast at his local
forest trails once the suspension work was
complete, and the difference from standard
was instantly noticeable. I thought the
Sherco’s WP suspension worked quite well
stock, but having it set up specifically to
suit my weight and ability made a world
of difference. The bike is now much more
confidence-inspiring to ride through larger
bumps and across rough terrain. Now I’ve
just got to learn by trial and error how to
fine-tune it for the different locations I ride.
www.suspensionmatters.com.au
• Call me picky, but I reckon hard-nosed enduro bikes like this ought to come
with a clear/translucent fuel tank. Aside from being way more practical,
I reckon it actually looks better too. After all, Sherco fits clear tanks to its
special Factory Model bikes (and, from the looks of it, Sherco’s 2017 models
have answered my plea).
FASTENERS
• Like all bikes, it’s important to check the tension of a few key bolts after a
ride or two. Aside from the obvious stuff (spoke nipples, sprocket bolts), two
common things that come loose if not checked and greased are: 1. The top
three engine mount bolts near the side of the head (if you don’t pull them
out and grease them from new, they tend to vibrate out); and 2. It’s a good
idea to pull out the 10mm head stem pinch bolt and Loctite it as this tends
to come loose. Also make sure you check the Sherco’s fork protector bolts.
Thankfully for 2016, Sherco now runs a nylock nut on the back of the upper
subframe mount bolts (in the 2015 bikes, the bolts threaded straight into the
alloy and often came loose).
• Keep an eye on the lower radiator shroud bolts. One of the bolt-heads on my
bike pulled through the radiator shroud plastics after dropping the bike
gently on its side. There just isn’t enough surface area on the bolt head to
hold the plastic shroud in place under pressure, so a larger washer and/or
alloy collar fixed the problem.
• Access to adjust the rear shock’s preload collar ain’t so easy. In fact, the
collar is near impossible to access without removing the shock first. This is a
pain in the arse when setting up suspension, so I’m looking to source a
special C-spanner that’ll make the job possible with the shock still in the bike.
123

PROJECT BIKE
SHERCO 450SEF-R
“For less than the
cost of a radiator
half, you can have
much-improved
protection for your
cooling system’s
most important
components without
restricting airflow.”
MAINTENANCE
• In the bike’s owners manual, it states
to use a 10W/60 oil in Australia, while in
Europe it says to run 10W/40. The reason
we run the thicker-grade oil is because
of the hotter conditions here, and
according to Sherco’s factory offroad
technician Dave Suter, clutch life
expectancy is noticeably better with the
thicker 10W/60 grade oil. I’ve been running
Repsol’s full synthetic 10W/50 oil during
the winter period I’ve had the bike
and have not experienced any issues
whatsoever. I’ve been changing the oil
and oil filter every five hours of engine
run-time.
• The valve clearances were spot-on
when checked at the first service interval
– around six hours. Dave Suter says he’s
never had to adjust a set of valves on
their race team bikes yet, and has only
adjusted valves on Shercos in his
workshop that were two to three years
old. In other words, the valve train is
proving very durable.
• With fuel-injected bikes, it’s more
important not to over-oil the air filter as
excess oil can be sucked into the throttle
body and upset the sensors. So squeeze
out excess oil from the foam and let it
dry as much as possible before installing.
The Shercos have a protruding lip that
the air filter sits inside, so you know
when it’s located in the correct position
before screwing it tight. That means
you only really need to grease the
sealing surface in extreme, dusty
conditions.
• At the 15-hour mark, I noticed slight
movement in one of the bottom linkage
bolts, so the bearings in the linkage will
need to be replaced before too long. The
lesson I learned is that it is advisable to
grease the linkage seals with waterproof
grease from new to prevent premature
wear.
• Removing the rear shock for servicing
or tuning is time-consuming as you
have to drop the lower linkage,
swivel the subframe back a little, and
remove the exhaust to enable you to get
it out.
MORE ONLINE...
Check out the online videos on www.transmoto.com.au of the Sherco 450SEF-R taking on the 2016 Transmoto 12-Hour,
maintenance advice from the guys at Gold Coast Sherco dealership, Moto Solutions, and for a more detailed insight into
the suspension mods and the fitment of the custom graphics kit.
124

GP CHAMPION
SHERCO 300 SEF-R
overall Champion across all classes
E2 CHAMPION
SHERCO 300 SEF-R
RECOMMENDED LUBRICANT
RECOMMENDED LUBRICANT
RECOMMENDED LUBRICANT

P R O D U C T S H O W C A S E
NECKBRACES
The latest products designed to protect
your neck are lighter, less restrictive,
more effective in preventing injury,
and significantly more affordable
than their predecessors. Here’s
an overview of what’s available.
ANDY WIGAN
For decades, young riders have
worn collars to protect their
neck against impact forces.
Curiously though, it wasn’t until 2006
– when Leatt released its revolutionary
neckbrace – that their parents began
to take neck protection seriously.
In the years since, neckbraces have
been widely embraced by adult riders
around the world, and several other
brands have joined Leatt in the category.
As a result, neckbraces and neck collars
have undergone significant R&D in
recent years, and the major brands’
latest products offer much-improved
fit and function. They’ve also come
down dramatically in price.
But what options do you have in
the way of neck protection? What key
features does each brand boast? How
much do they weigh? Do they come in
kids’ sizes? Can you accessorize them?
And how much do the things cost?
Turn the page for a snapshot of
your alternatives – from the high-tech
neckbraces to the even more affordable
neck collar/roll products – and the
answers to all those questions.
127

NECKBRACES
WWW.CASSONS.COM.AU
LEATT
GPX 5.5 NECKBRACE
Chassis construction:
Fibreglass-reinforced
polyamide
Key features:
Totally new chassis
design.
Updated profile for
the helmet-rim striking
platform.
Improved side clearance
for helmet.
On-board size adjusting
(no parts needed).
Four-angle folding
Thoracic adjustment (0, 5,
10 and 15º) to fine-tune the
fit and improve comfort.
The GPX 5.5 model
comes in Junior and
Adult sizes, while both
the GPX 4.5 and GPX 6.5
models are only available
in Adult sizes.
Accessories included:
Chest strap
Optional accessories:
Cross strap
Sizing options: Junior,
Adult
Weight: 740g (Junior),
790g (Adult)
Warranty: 12 months
RRP: $459.95 (Junior),
$569.95 (Adult)
BUY NOW
WWW.MONZAIMPORTS.COM.AU
ALPINESTARS
BNS TECH CARBON
NECK SUPPORT
Chassis Construction: An
advanced carbon polymer
Key features:
Advanced carbon
polymer construction
optimises frame
strength and lightweight
performance.
Rear stabilizer spreads
energy load over
shoulders and neck,
and away from spine.
Large chest contact
area for greater comfort.
Low-profile on shoulders
to limit collarbone breaks.
Quick-release locking
system with internal
magnet for fast and
secure closure.
Available in two
(XS-M and L-XL) sizes.
SAS (Size Adapter System)
provides adjustable
fitment in size ranges
XS-M and L-XL.
Accessories included:
X-Strap System.
Stabiliser pads to
transfer impact stress
loads away from spine.
Interchangeable EVA
foam pads for rear,
front and shoulders to
fine-tune the fit and aid
compatibility with other
body protection systems.
Optional accessories:
A-Strap System
Sizing options?:
XS-M, L-XL
Weight: 735g
Warranty: 12 months
RRP: $449.95
128
BUY NOW

WWW.ATLASBRACE.COM
ATLAS
AIR NECKBRACE
Chassis construction:
High-impact
polypropylene
Key features:
Split-Flex Frame Design
promotes flex to mimic
natural body movements
for maximum comfort
and mobility.
Independent chest and
back supports sit around
sternum and spine to
increase contact surface
area for better force
distribution and comfort.
Rear Smart Mounts allow
size and angle adjustment
of back supports.
Easy-open release
system.
Super-lightweight
polypropylene
construction for high
impact resistance.
Accessories included:
Hybrid chest strap.
Height adjustment pads.
Optional accessories:
Custom graphics
(templates available)
Sizing options: Youth
(Prodigy, Tyke and Broll),
Adult
Weight: from 375g (Youth),
599g (Adult)
Warranty: Limited lifetime
RRP: from $159.95 (Youth),
$449.95 (Adult)
BUY NOW
WWW.MCLEODACCESSORIES.COM.AU
EVS
R4K NECKBRACE
Chassis construction:
Polyurethane foam base with
Koroyd core and reinforced
nylon upper shell
Key features:
Extremely lightweight Koroyd
offers superior absorption and
remains stable in extremely hot
and cold environments.
Aerodynamic chassis design.
Rapid-lock closure system for
easy front entry.
Integrated X-strap cleats.
Accessories included:
X-strap fastening system
Optional accessories: N/A
Sizing options: Youth, Adult
Weight: 270g (Youth), 445g
(Adult)
Warranty: 12 months
RRP: $269.95 (Youth),
$299.95 (Adult)
NECK
SUPPORT
... AN
ABBREVIATED
HISTORY
● In 2001, after witnessing
the death of a rider
due to a neck injury, a
South African doctor by
the name of Chris Leatt
began designing his first
neckbrace prototypes.
● The first Leatt neckbrace
was sold in South Africa
in 2004, but the first
mass-produced versions
of Leatt’s neckbrace
weren’t available to
consumers until 2006.
● In 2007, multiple AMA
MX/SX champion,
David Bailey, released
an impassioned video
from his wheelchair,
encouraging all riders to
BUY NOW
129

NECK ROLLS
WWW.MCLEODACCESSORIES.COM.AU
O’NEAL
NX2 RACE COLLAR
Construction: Neoprene
outer, foam inner
Key features:
Protects against axial
compression, hyperflexion,
hyperextension and
lateral hyperflexion.
Easily connects directly
to most chest protectors.
Easy front-entry system.
Removable and
BUY NOW
washable liner.
Accessories: N/A
Optional accessories:
N/A
Sizing options:
Youth, Adult
Weight: 310g (Youth),
450g (Adult)
Warranty: 12 months
RRP: $44.95 (Youth),
$49.95 (Adult)
WWW.MCLEODACCESSORIES.COM.AU
EVS
SPORTS R2 RACE
COLLAR
Construction: Closed-cell
PU foam inner, nylon and
synthetic leather outer
Key features:
CE approved, low-profile
design.
Removable and
washable liner.
Easy front-entry system.
Fastening loops allow
direct connection to
chest protectors.
BUY NOW
WWW.OFFROADIMPORTS.COM.AU
Construction: Closed-cell
PU foam
Key features:
Simple, lightweight,
ergonomically shaped
neck protection.
Hypoallergenic,
soft, comfortable and
breathable materials
used throughout.
Fastening system to
ensure a comfortable,
secure fit.
Lightest collar on
the market.
Accessories include:
N/A
Optional accessories:
N/A
Sizing options:
Youth, Adult
Weight: 224g
Warranty: 12 months
RRP: $46.95 (Youth),
$49.95 (Adult)
ACERBIS
NECK STABILISING
COLLAR
BUY NOW
Completely removable
and washable.
Affordable option for
neck protection.
Accessories included:
Fastening system
Optional accessories:
N/A
Sizing options:
Youth, Adult
Weight: 320g
Warranty: 12 months
RRP: $49.95
NECK
SUPPORT
... AN
ABBREVIATED
HISTORY
(continued)
seriously consider using a
Leatt neckbrace. And sales
of the protective product
went through the roof.
● Shortly afterwards,
Alpinestars released
their BNS (Bionic Neck
Support) neckbrace. And
in the years that followed,
Atlas and EVS joined the
category with their own
neckbrace and/or neck
support devices.
● Worldwide sales of
neckbraces peaked in
2010, when some industry
sources have estimated
that more than 75% of
racers wore a neckbrace.
● Most brands reported
a decline in neckbrace
sales from 2012 to 2014
– due largely to concerns
about the devices being
too restrictive, and to
claims that the braces
were causing broken
collarbones and damage
to vertebrae in the
upper back.
● During the past three to
four years, the neckbraces
produced by all the major
brands have undergone
a lot of R&D to improve
both their fit and level
of protection. The trend
has been toward lighter,
lower-profile devices
(for a more comfortable
fit and less restriction
of the helmet), and
larger contact areas with
the chest and back (to
better disperse impacts).
Meanwhile, most brands
expanded their sizing
options – by introducing
extra models or
adjustability, or both.
● The improved fit and
function generated by this
R&D process, coupled with
reductions in price, has
resulted in a resurgence
in neckbrace sales over
the past 12 to 18 months.
It has also broadened the
product’s appeal, with
dealers reporting that
trail-oriented riders are
now joining their racing
brethren in embracing
the idea of cost-effective
neck protection.
130

PRIZED POSSESSIONS
Tye Simmonds shocked the
Australian motocross industry
when he announced his retirement
from full-time racing back in 2013.
The Boy from Bourke was burnt
out, and needed some time away
from dirt bikes to rekindle his love
for the sport. Almost two years
later, a casual bush-bash with Ben
Grabham led to Simmonds joining
the KTM Enduro Racing Team,
and before he knew it, he was the
runner-up at the 2015 Finke and
Hattah Desert Races, and was part
Tye Simmonds
KURT TEAGUE
JARRAD DUFFY PHOTOGRAPHY
of Australia’s winning Junior ISDE
team. In 2016, Tye ran second to
Toby Price at Finke, but was able
to get the win at Hattah, and just
recently wrapped up the AORC’s
E2-class title and finished second
Outright to his teammate, Daniel
“Chucky” Sanders. Yep, taking a
break from motocross racing was
the best move the 24-year-old ever
made. We decided to sit down (or
stand up with) the likeable country
boy to talk about the three items he
cherishes more than anything else.
TRUCK
I approached the owner of Western Plains Automotive,
Greg, about getting a fuel card to help me out with some
travelling, and he called me back two weeks later and said,
“Mate, I can’t get you a fuel card, but you can have a Mazda
BT50 for the year if you want.” I was gobsmacked! This year,
we traded the BT50 in for a Mitsubishi Triton, and Greg was
nice enough to put some of my personal sponsors’ logos
(as per my helmet) on it. He’s a really nice bloke who I’ve
come to get along with nicely. He occasionally he comes
out to Bourke and we hunt, fish and drink beers together.
HELMET
Everyone who knows me also knows that I’m really proud of
my country roots. I’m all about working with local families
and supporting local businesses, so my Troy Lee Designs
helmet is stickered up to thank all those who have helped
me in the past and continue to support me today – the folks
at Mooleyarrah Station, who have always treated me like
family; the crew at Congararra Station, who I work for at the
moment; my uncle’s carvan park, called Kidmans Camp; and
Halls Transport. I’m realy appreciative of all these personal
sponsors, so it’s my way of showing it. It’s the least I can do.
KNIFE
My Pop helped me and my old man out a lot when I started
racing motocross as a Junior. At the end of Canberra’s
2006 Australian Junior Motocross Championships, where
I won three titles, he gave me this wooden knife. It’s just
an ordinary knife that I use to slice up cheese for my
biscuits; but he carved it himself and it means a lot to
me. Pop passed away in 2012, so it’s nice to have the
knife to remember him by. It’s got a lot of sentimental
value, and I guess you could say it’s become a bit of a
good luck charm for me, too.
133

Improved performance
Durability
Smoother control feel
Venhill Brake Lines and MotoSprint Dirt Wheels are available at your favourite motorcycle accessories dealer.
For more information visit www.kenma.com.au or email sales@kenma.com.au
For QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC, NT, SA & WA phone 02 9484 0777. Tasmanians phone 03 6339 2770
Venhill “Powerhose” braided hoses and “Featherlite” control cables are available at your favourite
motorcycle store. For more information visit www.kenma.com.au or email sales@kenma.com.au
For QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC, NT, SA & WA phone 02 9484 0777. Tasmanians phone 03 6339 2770

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