Table of contents for #431 24-12 in Just Bikes

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Following the opening of pre-orders in late April, Royal Enfield’s Shotgun 650 has arrived in Australia, reaching dealerships in mid-May. An all-new addition to the Royal Enfield range, the Shotgun 650 is powered by the same 648cc parallel twin as the Interceptor 650, Continental GT 650 and Super Meteor 650, but brings an all-new aesthetic. While Royal Enfield don’t refer to the Shotgun 650 as a bobber, it clearly has elements of that genre, like the solo seat (795mm high) and shortened rear mudguard, in its styling. A reshaped fuel tank (13.8lt capacity) and side covers are further differences against Royal Enfield’s other 650s, while the headlight nacelle is unique to the model. Blackout wheels and an all-black engine treatment are standard. Style aside, the Shotgun 650 is based closely…

Bimota will make a return to the FIM Superbike World Championship next year, replacing the Kawasaki Racing Team (KRT). After thirteen years in WorldSBK in its current form, KRT will be rebranded as ‘Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team’ (BbK) from 2025, with Kawasaki providing the engines and Bimota the chassis for the new racing programme. Several KRT personnel will transfer over to BbK, but whether the current rider lineup – Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani – will be part of the new team is unclear. Lowes’s contract expires at the end of this season, but Bassani has a deal for “2024 and beyond” with KRT. Bimota’s return to World Superbikes rekindles a presence that began in the inaugural season of the production bike championship in 1988. Back then, with the…

When Harley-Davidson launched their first ‘Enthusiast Collection’ range last year, the trio of “Fast Johnnie” bikes arguably didn’t resonate with a lot of aficionados, at least locally. For this year’s offering, they’ve hit the right note… Unveiled at Daytona Bike Week back in March, alongside the ‘Hydra-Glide Revival’ that is the Icons Motorcycle Collection limited-edition for 2024, this year’s Enthusiast Collection offering is once again made up of three models. Last year, the Fast Johnnie paint and graphics were applied to the Low Rider ST, Street Glide ST and Road Glide ST. For 2024, only the Low Rider gets a return gig, with the new arrivals being the Ultra Limited and Tri Glide Ultra. It’s a good choice, as this year’s Enthusiast Collection finish is a lot less “sporty” and…

ACT ACT MOTORCYCLE CLUB The Club caters for riders aged 4 to not out; for beginners, weekend warriors, club racers and Pro's. We got riders regularly racing in their fifties! Meetings held 1st Wednesday of every month. All club meetings are held at the Roos Club in Queanbeyan 6pm Website: www.actmcc.com P.O. Box 3150, Manuka, ACT, 2603 (Membership Officer) Ph: 0418 633 447 AUSTRALIAN ARIEL REGISTER A National Association of Ariel owners and enthusiasts. Quarterly mag, annual National Rally. Website: www.australian-ariel-register.com 180 Kosciusko Ave, Palmerston, ACT, 2913 Col Hill (Secretary) Ph: 02 6242 0495, secretary@australian-ariel-register.com CANBERRA BRANCH OF BIKES AUSTRALIA We're looking for new members in the ACT region. If you're into bikes (2wheels and a motor) give us a call. ACT Badge Ph: 02 6258 4811 CANBERRA DISTRICT DUCATI CLUB For Italian motorcyclists…

Harley-Davidson’s ‘Number One’ custom build competition for 2024 has been run and won, with a heavily-modified FXR selected as the ultimate winner. Built by John Cage, the winning FXR featured an extensive mechanical makeover, multiple bolt-on parts and a brilliant custom paint job. Setting Number One apart from the ‘Breakout Boss’ challenge that straddled 2022 and early 2023, this year’s build competition was opened up to allow more models from the Harley-Davidson family. As such, more riders than ever before submitted their bikes for the public voting stages, followed by the finale that was judged by a panel of Harley experts. Number One categories covered three styles – ‘Heavyweight Cruiser,’ ‘Bagger’ and ‘Club Style’. Heavyweight Cruiser was fairly self-explanatory, open to Softails like the Breakout and Fat Boy, as well…

It’s been a long time coming, but Craig Dack has finally been inducted in the Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame, joining contemporaries like Stephen Gall and Jeff Leisk. The four-time Mr Motocross winner and five-time Australian Motocross Champion received his Hall of Fame induction plaque and medallion at a ceremony held during this year’s Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. Rightly regarded as Aussie motocross royalty, Dack was one of the first riders to carve out a professional existence in the sport at a time when – thanks to the genius marketing and promotion then went into Mr. Motocross – riders were emblazoned on everything from soft drink cans to cereal boxes. That omnipresence helped Dack become a brand in his own right, wearing the ‘Dack Attack’ moniker as he cut…

Remy Gardner has achieved his first podium finish in the Motul FIM Superbike World Championship. Round 3, at the Assen TT Circuit, saw the Aussie finish third in Race 2, after fourth place finishes in Race 1 and the Tissot Superpole Race. This is Gardner’s best result since joining World Superbikes with the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team in 2023. For Gardner, the 2021 Moto2 World Champion and former MotoGP rider, the shift to production-based bikes was a challenge initially, but he improved at the tail end of last season, posting fourth place finishes in the final two rounds. This season, Gardner’s best result prior to the Dutch round had been sixth in the Superpole Race at Phillip Island. At Assen, wet conditions challenged all riders, but Gardner was on…

When on press launches for new adventure bikes, it’s rare the launch will be held in the sort of territory and terrain you’ll ultimately ride the bike in, should you choose to purchase it. As such, I was rapt that the Australian launch for the new Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 was held in the Victorian High Country – a section of Australia I’m very familiar with and have ridden many times. The location wasn’t the only thing I enjoyed on this launch… Having already been exposed to the new Himalayan 450 at EICMA last year, I knew what I’d see when Urban Moto Imports invited myself and a bunch of other motorcycling journos and brand ambassadors to the new model’s Australian launch. I’d only seen the bike though, not ridden…

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Donington Auctions’ first motorcyclespecific auction for 2024 was a success, with an impressive clearance rate amongst the 262 lots and total sales in excess of $500,000. Along with 30+ motorcycles, the online simulcast auction held on 1-14 April included engines, frames and other parts, plus trophies, clothing, books, brochures and other motorcycling collectables. “With 100 per cent of lots attracting bids and 98.1 per cent of those lots sold, the auction can be considered a great success,” said Cameron Sabine of Donington Auctions. “There were almost 350,000 online views of the auction, which demonstrates the continued interest in classic and collectable motorcycles.” As previewed by JUST BIKES ahead of the auction, the star lots included immaculately restored Italian bikes and barn find British classics. Of the former, a 1974 Ducati…

After an absence of 24 years, international-level motocross is coming back to Australia in 2025, with Darwin to host a round of the FIM Motocross World Championship (MXGP). A deal struck between the Northern Territory Major Events Company (NTMEC) and MXGP rights holder Infront Moto Racing will see an MXGP round held in Darwin from 2025 to 2029, with an option to extend beyond the initial five-year term. The last time the FIM Motocross World Championship came to Australia was in 2001, when the likes of Stefan Everts, Joel Smets and Mickael Pichon rode at Broadford. Back then, Andrew McFarlane showed he was more than a match for the world’s best, taking a runner-up finish in the 500cc moto, while a young Chad Reed impressed in the 250cc class and…

At this year’s Americas GP, victory for Maverick Vinales saw him become the first rider in MotoGP to win a premier class main race for three different manufacturers. While a handful of riders have achieved this feat in the 500cc two-stroke era, none have done so since the switch to four-strokes in 2002 that heralded the start of MotoGP. This includes highly-rated talent, like Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo, who have ridden for three manufacturers. Vinales’s main race victory came on top of securing pole and winning the Tissot Sprint at the Circuit of the Americas (CotA); a circuit he hasn’t won at since entering the premier class in 2015. It was also the Spaniard’s first main race win since he joined Aprilia midway through the 2021 season and Aprilia’s…

A radial tyre for all-weather use, the Eurogrip Protorq Extreme features a highly rigid carcass that provides superior handling at high speeds and excellent puncture resistance. Constructed from an Advanced Tri-Polymer, the tread compound has a high structure carbon, resulting in a well-balanced tyre that offers optimum grip, mileage and durability. The Protorq Extreme has a steel belt around the carcass at an angle of zero degrees to the direction of rotation that helps in self-righting, for enhanced confidence when cornering. COMING SOON Due for release in Australia this July, the Protorq Extreme will be available in 110x70x17, 140x70x17 and 150x60x17 sizes. The OE tyre for Aprilia’s LAMS-legal RS 457 sports bike, the Protorq Extreme is also ideal for the likes of KTM’s 390 Duke and RC 390, the Honda…

JUNE JUNE, FRIDAY, 21ST, 2024 - NSW ALL MOTORCYCLE EXPO EVENT Hosted by Goulburn Motorcycle Grand Prix Association Inc. Friday night Street Cruise and static display. Marshaling 5.45 Cartwright Place Goulburn, Street cruise commences 6pm. Saturday 22 June 2024 All events will take place at the Goulburn Show Groundswith an expo of sponsors, exhibits, motorcycles and feature track events and a freestyle motorcycle show. Sunday 23 June 2024 will offer all of the same as Saturday, PLUS, it will feature our Grand Prix Rally over the original 1924 track. Full details of this can be found by clicking onto the Rally Invitation and Information option. Here, you will be able to register for the rally and become part of one of the most significant events to take place in Goulburn…