Table of contents for #419 23-13 in Just Bikes

Following a successful motorcycle auction in May, Burns & Co. Auctions have another scheduled for 24 July at their Bayswater auction rooms. May’s auction carried a diverse array of consignments – everything from vintage Nortons and BSAs, classic Harleys, post-war British bikes, sidecar outfits, late model dirt bikes and even a Triumph Metisse desert racer. The full consignment list for the July auction was still being finalised at time of writing, but one motorcycle that has been confirmed is a 1926 Indian Scout. Introduced in 1920, the Scout arrived as a smaller 37ci (600cc) alternative to Indian’s range-leading 61ci (1,000cc) Powerplus. The engine was still a sidevalve v-twin, but incorporated a number of features that improved overall longevity. Various changes followed, including the release of a larger 45ci (750cc) version…

Despite increasing prices for just about everything and ongoing interest rate rises, there’s still a demand for classic and collectable motorcycles, as evidenced by the results achieved at Shannons Timed Online Autumn Auction, which ran from 23-30 May. An overall clearance rate of 81 per cent was reflected in the two-wheel offerings - of 29 motorcycles consigned (20 with No Reserve), only three failed to find buyers. Amongst the No Reserve lots, highlights included a 1954 Sunbeam S7 sidecar outfit, a quartet of Honda Z50 mini bikes, a 1981 Honda CBX1000, 1974 BMW R90/6 outfit, a very rare 1950 Nimbus Model C and a 1929 Harley-Davidson JD, which was the best seller in this group, going for $44,000. The top selling Indians were part of the reserve offerings, which also…

The international reach of JUST BIKES never fails to impress. Since we started featuring custom bikes online and in the magazine, we’ve had builders from Japan, the USA, Spain, Germany, Sweden, the UK and Indonesia reach out to us, wanting to share their creations with our audience. Now, we can add France to that list. Sebastien Vernaison may be a new name to many Aussies, but he’s not a newbie in the field of custom bike building. Born in Lyon, Sebastien was tinkering with cars and bikes from a very young age, but a relocation to Pluvinger in Brittany (the westernmost part of France), saw him get more serious about custom motorcycles, establishing ‘SKM’ (Seb Kustom Motorcycles) a bit over a decade ago. SKM isn’t a full-time gig for the…

BMW Motorrad have announced a new variant in their R 18 heritage cruiser family, with the ‘Roctane’ revealed in May and due for Australian release later this year. Adding larger wheels, special paint options, blackout detailing and hard panniers as standard, the R 18 Roctane is essentially a factory bagger, pitched against the likes of Harley-Davidson’s Road King Special. The fifth variant of BMW’s big cruiser family, the Roctane will join the R 18, R 18 Classic, R 18 B and R 18 Transcontinental. FAMILIAR FEATURES The R 18 Roctane is powered by the same 1,802cc “Big Boxer” flat twin as the other R 18 variants, with max power and torque unchanged at 67kW (91hp) and 158Nm (116lb/ft), respectively. Those peaks are reached at the same points in the rev…

Ducati have revealed a new colour scheme for their entry-level SuperSport 950 S sportsbike. The new livery hit European dealerships in June and is expected to reach Australia later this year, with local orders open now. The new ‘Stripe Livery’ is broadly similar to the previous Arctic White Silk colour scheme and will be offered as an option to the traditional Ducati Red for the 950 S. On an Iceberg White base, the Stripe Livery adds coloured bands in grey and Ducati Red, running from the front mudguard and onto the fairing, with the upper Ducati Red stripe lining up with the SuperSport 950 S’s red trellis frame. The upper red band also carries the ‘Supersport’ name, while the grey band carries ‘950 S’ identification. Other styling touches that visually…

Tickets for the MotoGP Guru by Gryfyn Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix 2023 officially went on sale on 23 May. Premium and hospitality ticket options opened on 30 May, with campground tickets available from 4 July. The MotoGP Guru by Gryfyn Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix 2023 is scheduled for 20-22 October at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit and will be the first Australian GP to have a Saturday Sprint Race under the new schedule that applies to all grands prix this year. “The Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit is one of the most beautiful racetracks in the world, and the Phillip Island community creates a sense of welcoming and excitement that MotoGP riders can’t wait to get back to each year,” said Australian Grand Prix CEO, Andrew Westacott. “The addition…

The top model in Kymco’s scooter range, the AK 550 Premium, has landed in Australia, replacing the AK 550 in the locally-available lineup and bringing a bunch of refinements and technical updates that make this maxi scooter safer, smoother and more comfortable to ride. Standard features include a ride-by-wire throttle, cruise control, traction control, cornering ABS, two riding modes, a power windshield and three-stage adjustable heated grips. While some AK 550 features remain, like keyless ignition and full LED lighting, the Premium adds to or upgrades these, including improved DRLs and the addition of an ignition button as part of a new centre console that combines the most commonly used functions, like seat release, fuel cap release and steering lock. A tripmeter is also included in this group of buttons…

The celebrate this year’s 40th Anniversary of the formation of the Harley Owner’s Group (H.O.G.), Harley-Davidson has launched an online travel portal for H.O.G. members in Australia and New Zealand. Described as the ultimate companion for H.O.G. members planning their next road trip, the H.O.G. travel portal hosts information on the rides of members across Australia and New Zealand, and also highlights all the ins and outs of a motorcycling journey, allowing fellow members to get genuine recommendations from fellow riders on where to ride and where to stay. Using the portal, H.O.G. members can search recommended trips and submit their own ride for a personalised user experience, with special rates on hotel and travel booking services available through the portal, too. On top of the already low prices and…

Tom Sykes’s comeback to the Motul FIM Superbike World Championship with Kawasaki Puccetti Racing lasted just four rounds before he and the team mutually agreed to end the partnership, announcing their intention to part ways after the Catalunya round on 5-7 May. While few were expecting the former WSBK Champion to dominate on his return after a year in British Superbikes, no-one was expecting the results to be so bad. Having ridden for the factory Kawasaki Racing Team for nine years, Sykes had some familiarity with the Ninja ZX-10RR that the satellite Puccetti Kawasaki squad operates. Despite this, the Brit’s best result was a 15th place in Race 2 at Assen in April, and of the twelve races Sykes started for Puccetti Kawasaki, he failed to finish in six of…

While MotoGP as a brand has only been around since 2002 and the Moto2 and Moto3 classifications are even younger, the 500cc, 250cc and 125cc classes they evolved from can trace their origins back to 1949. This year, at the French MotoGP round, the FIM Motorcycle Grand Prix World Championship reached a major milestone with its 1,000th grand prix event. The inaugural FIM Grand Prix World Championship was a six-round affair for the 500cc class, with four rounds for the 250cc class and just three for the 125cc class. A 350cc class was part of that inaugural season, too, with the very first point-scoring race being in the 350cc class at the Isle of Man TT in June, 1949. The TT was part of the world championship until 1976, while…