Table of contents for 29 June 2022 in MCN

Off-road experts KTM have just unveiled the updated version of their all-dominant desert racer, the 450 Rally. The 450cc single-cylinder all-terrain racer is largely unchanged but now boasts updated engine management via revised ECU mapping, plus a subtly revised tubular frame. The rear suspension is now directly modelled on KTM’s factory bikes too, while there are new graphics and gently tweaked ergonomics. For more go to ktm.com Pan Am deals Harley-Davidson UK are offering a new finance deal on Vivid Black, 2021 model year versions of the Pan America adventure bike. From now until the end of September the bikes are available for £14,000 – a saving of £1595 (the current 2022 version starts at £15,595) or on a 5.9% PCP deal. Following a deposit of £3066.57, you’ll then hand…

A fleet of 36 intrepid bikers riding motorcycles costing no more than £600 set off from Land’s End to John o’ Groats on June 21 for the annual Longest Day Challenge charity ride. The summer solstice event began at 4am and saw riders attempt the route within 24 hours. At the time of writing, this year’s run has raised in excess of £50,000 for Cancer Research UK – adding to an existing total figure of over £250,000. “We raised £75,000 last time, so I think that will keep going up, ” event organiser John McAvoy told MCN. “I still enjoy putting it together and I still enjoy meeting the people.” McAvoy took part in the first run back in 2013, before switching to an organisational role. He continued: “Seeing other…

Yamaha has become the latest major motorcycle manufacturer to significantly expand its green credentials with the announcement of a new $100 million fund for investing in environmental initiatives. Called the ‘Yamaha Motor Sustainability Fund’, the £81.2m pot will be used for investing in companies working to address problems concerning the environment. The fund has been set up to run for 15 years. More specifically it says it is to be used to find new ways of carbon offsetting as well as reducing the CO2 levels and environmental footprint of Yamaha’s existing businesses. In an official statement from the company’s headquarters in Iwata, Japan, Yamaha Motor said that its corporate mission was to, “offer new excitement and a more fulfilling life for people all over the world, ” and those eco-focused…

Readers Wattie, Gary, Ken and John The trip Tour of Ireland How many miles? 1300 How long do you need? Seven days Best time to go Spring to autumn but avoid school holidays Tell us about the trip… The plan was to get to the southern end of the Wild Atlantic Way, Kinsale, and start heading north. So, ferry from Cairnryan to Belfast. We didn’t book accommodation in advance to leave total fluidity of travel. On day two with memories of Thin Lizzy singing about the Wicklow Mountains. Knowing they were close and south, we went that way. Superb experience. Later in the trip we found ourselves on a ferry from Tarbert crossing the Shannon. A ferry crossing always adds to an adventure. We hugged the coastline and stopped at…

What’s happening? With multiple sites along the south west coast of France, close to Biarritz, there’s a whole host of activities to get involved in including the El Rollo Dirt Track, the Sprint Race at Punk’s Peak, WAW Vintage Rally as well as an art exhibition dedicated to motoring and street art. You can exhibit your vehicle while you’re there or just kick back and appreciate the other fantastic machines on display in a great setting – completely up to you. The essentials Running from June 29 until July 3, the pre-sale E-Pass is on sale right now from €65. You get a host of extras booking in advance like discounted prices, entry into prize draws and can even jump the queue. If you’re planning to compete as a pilot…

People who have shaped our world TOPRAK RAZGATLIOGLU 25, Turkey, PATA Yamaha WSB rider 2021 World Superbike champion, 2015 European Superstock 600 champion, former Redbull Rookie and son of a Turkish stunt riding star. It’s a sad fact of life, by the time we hit 35 we’ve usually suffered at least one big loss. Morbid, but true. In situations like that you can’t control what happens, but you can influence how you react. Toprak Razgatlioglu was just 21 when his famous stunt-riding father died in a road accident, yet since then not only has the Turk gone on to become a World Superbike champion but he’s also regarded by top MotoGP competitors as one of the finest riders of his generation. Mentored and managed by Kenan Sofuoglu, the steel-nerved 5-time…

A close look at one of the unclothed bikes being assembled by Bimota’s four-man production team exposes the bike’s radical format. The Z1000SX’s liquid-cooled four-cylinder motor, with offset chain drive to the twin overhead cams, is positioned way forward in the wheelbase compared to the Ninja it’s borrowed from. This delivers a radical 54/46% forward weight bias that helps glue the front tyre to the ground in turns. Bimota boss Pierluigi Marconi explained: “The concept for the KB4 is for it to be like a 600 with a 1000cc engine. We’ve made a really short bike with a lot of weight in front thanks to mounting the engine further forward, made possible by putting the radiator under the seat.” That’s a format Marconi is already familiar with from his time…

Striking appearance has always set the Sinnis Akuma apart from other monkey rivals. Bikes like Honda’s Grom and WK’s Colt look soft compared to the Sinnis’s aggressive angles. For 2022 the Akuma goes further with new blacked-out finishes and classier colours. There are significant chassis updates too, with new larger wheels, plus a sprinkling of new tech. Priced at £2499 the Akuma significantly undercuts the Honda MSX125 Grom, which is its obvious target. So, is this modern Monkey bike we should be buying? 1 Nimbleness assured For this year there are larger 14in wheels, upgraded from the previous model’s 12-inchers. Still small, they improve handling and offer a stable feel in corners, while still making the Akuma very agile at low speed. The handling is smooth too, thanks to the…

Newbie to American bikes with a love of V-twins and singles One of my greatest pleasures in life is to pack up a few belongings and ride somewhere far away on a motorbike. You can keep your Sunday blasts, trackdays and bike nights – I much prefer to explore somewhere new at a brisk but relaxed pace. There’s something incredibly zen to building a rhythm on the road and committing yourself to a whole day in the saddle. Once you shed the imperative to cover ground quickly and submit to the journey rather than the ride it’s hard not to be seduced by motorcycle touring. So, when I heard that there was a festival for Indian riders to be held in Budweis, Czechia, I leapt at the chance to see…

Not been raced. But... Don’t expect to find a drilled sump plug or other tell-tale race signs – by the time the K6 arrived nobody was racing 750s. But do check for gravel rash, bent subframes tyre-change scratches and other wear and tear from track day exploits. Standard is best The GSX-R750 has been the bolt-on modifiers favourite since 1985. Nowt wrong with a few tasty bits, but remember that they don’t add value. Also bear in mind that the assured ‘modern classic’ future of the K6 means folk will be hunting out stockers in a few years. Triumph are famous for triples. Honda are known for their quality, Harley build cruisers and KTM like making bikes for getting dirty. And Suzuki? They don’t have a signature style or engine.…

Jake Dixon has identified the ability to bounce back from serious disappointment as key to a stellar first part of the 2022 season, which he capped by scoring a hard-fought podium at the TT Circuit Assen. For some time, the Englishman had been building toward the Dutch TT, one of his favourite tracks. He duly delivered, scoring a last-gasp pole position on Saturday before claiming third place, his second podium of the year. The fact the Brit described his emotions as “frustrated” at the close of an all-action performance showed just how far he has come. As up to seven riders fought together in the early laps, Dixon found the early going tough with a full tank of fuel. “At the beginning of the race, I was really struggling. It…

There was a snapshot of KTM’s future on Sunday as Jack Miller and Brad Binder fought together on track for fourth place, only for both to lose out to Aleix Espargaro’s last-gasp pass. This was one of Miller’s better races of the season. Handed a long lap penalty for the second weekend in succession for touring in qualifying, the Australian fought back from tenth on lap four to be within reach of a podium with a lap to go. But a failed attempt to overtake Maverick Viñales at the GT Chicane lost him drive. “I lost all my speed onto the front straight and that put me in range of these other two to attack me on the last lap, ” he said. Despite coming away with sixth, Miller was…

Valentino Rossi’s special bond with Assen continued last weekend – and he wasn’t even present at the circuit. Assen was the scene of Rossi’s last MotoGP win in 2017 and back in 2009 he won his 100th GP at the legendary track. And nobody has won more MotoGP races at Assen in history than the nine-times World Champion. And the Netherlands venue helped Rossi write a new chapter in his illustrious career after Marco Bezzecchi – graduate of his revered VR46 Academy – scored the Italian icon’s first podium as a MotoGP team owner. Rossi has won Moto3 and Moto2 races as a team boss. He won a Moto2 title with Assen winner Pecco Bagnaia in 2018. But the significance of his breakthrough podium in the premier class, with Bezzecchi…

If you added up all the people who claimed to be at significant events throughout history, you’d probably need to reset Earth’s axis to redress the balance. But I really was at the Goodwood Festival of Speed to see Wayne Rainey ride up the famous hillclimb circuit – and that’s a moment that will live on in my memory forever. The Goodwood FoS crowd has long been heavily appreciative of motorcycles – and indeed the first vehicle ever launched up the hillclimb course was the Duke of Richmond’s Ducati, with him aboard – but this year’s event had the same emotion and reverence as the time Rossi rocked up for a blast. Stood amongst the crowd there was a wave of emotion as the crackling gaggle of two-stroke grand prix…

The once ubiquitous BSA marque have returned to action at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2022, with their new Gold Star model making its riding debut up the iconic motoring event. First seen as a pre-production bike at the Motorcycle Live show last November, the Gold Star uses a reengineered 652cc single derived from the Rotax motor found in the BMW F650 single, which was discontinued in 2009. It’s now Euro5 compliant and styled to mimic the looks of the classic model from which it gets its name. BSA were once the world’s biggest bike manufacturer, but last produced bikes in significant numbers in 1972. They’re now owned by Indian engineering giant Mahindra, and it’s hoped the new model will see the name bounce back. At the Motorcycle Live reveal…

Suzuki are celebrating their multiple Arenacross titles with a very special V-Strom 650XT inspired by the firm’s RM-Z450 motocross racer. The one-off made its public debut last Friday at the Adventure Bike Rider (ABR) Festival in the grounds of the Ragley Hall Estate, in Warwickshire and was prepped by the SR75 World Team Suzuki racing outfit – who have amassed five Arenacross UK rider titles. The team began by taking the standard 19in and 17in wheels and replacing them with a 21in and 18in respectively. Providing a little more bark is an FMF titanium exhaust can mated to modified headers and there’s a heavy-duty sump guard.…

The Purple Helmets motorcycle display team, best known for their comedy stunt shows at the IOMTT races, performed their final mainland English show last week as part of a farewell tour which ends on the Isle of Man this August. Formed nearly three decades ago, the amateur troupe are known for performing on Honda C90s while wearing oversized brown greatcoats, became so popular they’ve toured the world, starred in videos and even ridden in front of royalty. But with years and age now taking its toll they’ve finally decided to call it a day. Their final show will be at the Great Laxey Duck Races on Saturday, August 20. “We’ve been doing this for 27 years and have had a wonderful time, ” the face and commentator of the Helmets,…

Send your first bike pics to: yourpics@motorcyclenews.com BSA A7 OUTFIT Dave Miller senior, on a family holiday in Hayling Island with mum and dad, grandparents and me at a year old. Dave Miller VELOCETTE 350 MAC This is me with my first Velocette. It is a 1953 350 Mac on its maiden voyage to Hairy Phil’s for a cuppa. Simon Relph SUZUKI GT250 X7 Not my first bike, but my first brand new bike, a Suzuki X7 that I bought in 1979. Les Kendall MZ TS150 It might not be glamorous but this MZ TS150 was a capable machine and one of my very first bikes. Ron Jeynes SINNIS TERRAIN 125 Out touring on my first bike – I’m still on L-plates. My test comes up soon so I’ll be…

FRIDAY 1 July 5pm, BTS2, FIM EnduroGP World Championship 5.30pm, BTS2, FIM SidecarCross World Championship SATURDAY 2 July 7.10am, ITV4, MotoGP Highlights from Assen, The Netherlands 11.20am, EUR2, Bennetts British Superbikes – Jason O’Halloran: Behind the Visor SUNDAY 3 July 6am, EUR2, Live Motocross World Championship – Indonesia: MX2 Race 1. MXGP Race 1 at 7am. MXGP Race 2 at 10am and MX2 Race 2 at 1.30pm MONDAY 4 July 7pm, ITV4, Goodwood Festival of Speed highlights KEY TO CHANNELS: DRT – DISCOVERY REAL TIME DSC – DISCOVERY CHANNEL DHD – DISCOVERY CHANNEL HD EXS – EXTREME SPORTS CHANNEL EUR1 (2, HD) – EUROSPORT 1 (2, HD) MOT – MOTORSPORT.TV CH4 – CHANNEL 4 CH5 – CHANNEL FIVE BBC BBCI – BBC INTERACTIVE ESPN – ESPN CLASSIC CHANNEL ITV DST –…

HONDA PCX125 One of the most popular ways to get across a city and perfectly capable of a little national speed limit work, too. COST £3549 POWER 12 BHP ECONOMY 100.3 MPG Minimum licence required: CBT PIAGGIO MP3 If you’re hopping from a car onto a scooter, you might consider a Piaggio MP3 which uses twin front wheels for improved grip. COST £7250 POWER 26 BHP ECONOMY 47 MPG Minimum licence required: A2 or full car SUPER SOCO TC MAX City centres are a playground for electric bikes, which can be even cheaper to run than their petrol equivalents. COST £4249 POWER 7 BHP ECONOMY 1p per mile Minimum licence required: CBT…

At last month’s Mugello GP, Yamaha MotoGP boss Lin Jarvis ruled Razgatlioglu out of a MotoGP ride for 2023 following the loss of Yamaha’s satellite team to Aprilia – even before Toprak’s much-awaited M1 test last Tuesday at Aragon. MCN caught up with Kenan Sofuoglu, whose hope for Toprak had been a factory ride. “I warned Yamaha to stop talking about Toprak being in a satellite team. I’ve always said: ‘If you want Toprak, we’re only coming to the official team. He will never, ever come to a B team.’ They’ve always spoken too much about the B team. The fact they’ve lost the satellite team doesn’t make any difference to us; our interest is in the factory team. Without an official seat, there’s no point being in MotoGP. “The…

Engineering geek, keen but green track day enthusiast My quest to ride all the BSB circuits in 2022 has got off to a flying start. I’ve now got two MSV trackday stickers on the fairing – Cadwell Park and, most recently, Brands Hatch (track mileage now totalling 187 miles). I rode, textile-clad with a full backpack, down to a hotel near the Kent circuit under threatening grey skies the evening before the trackday, along a route that’s never much fun: A14, M11, M25, M20. When I approached the latter motorway, the heavens finally opened and I got a taste for what was coming the following day… Luckily the R7 is a kitten. It’s comfortable and docile yet the engine is more than powerful enough to overtake at motorway speeds. I…

MCN’s website has expert opinion and buying advice on hundreds of used bikes, regularly updated and packed with insight. Here are three of the latest – visit motorcyclenews.com for more. 2012-17 Kawasaki Ninja 300 Owners’ rating 4/5 Motors spend their lives at high revs but as long as it’s serviced on time, high mileage shouldn’t be a concern. If you’re looking at a first-year model, make sure the ECU and ABS recalls were done. 2016-20 Ducati Panigale 959 Owners’ rating 5/5 Owner reviews show no reliability concerns but costly servicing is mentioned. It’s 7500 miles for an interim service and 15,000 miles to check the valve clearances. 1995-98 Honda VFR750 Owners’ rating 4.6/5 Apart from a few duff alternators and suspension that gets soggy after 20,000 miles, reliability is total.…

Although certain factions within Yamaha insist last Tuesday’s MotorLand Aragon test was a gift to Toprak Razgatlioglu for winning World Superbike last year, we all know that isn’t the case. Had it not been for Razlan Razali’s team defecting to Aprilia, leaving Yamaha without a satellite MotoGP outfit for 2023, there was every chance Franco Morbidelli’s second year of contract would have seen him moved aside to make way for Razgatlioglu alongside Fabio Quartararo in the factory outfit. As it happens, Morbidelli’s bacon has been saved and Toprak will stay in WSB. Nevertheless, the Turk still got a run on the M1 with test rider Cal Crutchlow alongside for support. Although no images have been released, Razgatlioglu has shared his M1 experience exclusively with MCN. “The test was good but…

‘It’s racing. You want to fight your opponents’FABIO QUARTARARO Fabio Quartararo added to the unpredictable twists and turns of the MotoGP championship with a burst of impatience and rare rookie error at the Dutch TT. His first DNF of the season sees the defending champion going into the five-week summer hiatus in a reflective mood. “For two days I will punch myself but then think of all the races I did well in so far, ” Quartararo said. That positive reinforcement is small comfort after Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro and Ducati ace Pecco Bagnaia both clawed back valuable points at Assen. Espargaro’s inspiring fourth place puts him 21 points behind while Bagnaia is 66 points adrift. For Quartararo the bruising Assen crashes – two in ten laps – now mark the…

The fast, flowing nature of Assen’s layout should have signalled an upturn in Suzuki’s fortunes, but Joan Mir could place no higher than eighth, struggling with a lack of performance, with Alex Rins tenth, as the consequences of his fractured left wrist were felt. But one positive: Suzuki are testing with rider Sylvain Guintoli this week. If successful, what the factory was developing for 2023 may be brought to the track for the second half of the season as the team aims to end the year on a high.…

The rise of Aprilia Viñales’ third position means Aprilia are the third firm this year to have both factory riders on the podium Last time at the Dutch circuit, Viñales finished second to factory Yamaha teammate Quartararo… but refused to join the team’s postrace celebrations. At the next race, the Styrian GP, came melt-down. Yamaha accused the former Moto3 World Champion of trying to blow up his bike. He was suspended, and then sacked soon afterwards. It looked like the end, for a rider who had once seemed set to succeed Rossi as Yamaha’s golden boy. Two things threw doubt on his racing future. Erratic results were underscored by difficulty to go fast until halfway through the race. With Quartararo romping to the title, surely it wasn’t the Yamaha’s fault?…

The Goodwood Festival of Speed returned last weekend, with 200,000 motorsport enthusiasts descending on the four-day hillclimb celebration ready to applaud the highly anticipated return of three-time 500GP champion, Wayne Rainey. Twenty-nine years after his career was ended by a crash at the Italian GP in Misano, that left him paralysed from the chest down, Rainey was reunited with his title-winning Yamaha YZR500 GP bike. The spectacle drew emotional applause from the crowd, and he was followed up the 1.9-mile Goodwood hill climb course in a plume of blue haze by fellow former champions Kenny Roberts, Kevin Schwantz, and Mick Doohan, all riding 500cc two-strokes. “It felt like an old friend, ” Rainey said afterwards. “It was always a challenge to race the bike at that level, fighting for race…

Kawasaki has announced the return of its popular Dealer Demo Days which sees a fleet of 2022 bikes ranging from the Z650 up the ZX-10R touring Kawasaki dealers throughout July and being available for demo rides. Fourteen different bikes are available, with the tour starting at Chris Walker Kawasaki in Grantham on Saturday July 2. Test rides must be booked in advance. For full details of the events, go to www.kawasaki.co.uk now. The silent treatment Electric scooter specialists Silence have unveiled this new updated version of their range-topping S01 scooter. Called the S01+, its hub motor has been uprated to 7.5kW (10bhp) with a top speed limited to 62mph. There’s also a new ‘Push-to-Pass’ button which briefly raises top speed to 68mph. Adjustable front and rear suspension and uprated wavy…

This funky, learner-legal supermoto is the latest from Chinese/British brand Sinnis and, if it looks familiar, that’s because it’s the new street-tyred spinoff of the SM-XE 125 trail bike revealed in the June 22 issue of MCN. It’s called the SM-R, based around the same liquid-cooled, DOHC, four-valve, 125cc motor as the XE and joins its sister bike in being the marque’s most powerful learner-legal bike yet. In addition to producing the regulation A1 class 14.8bhp at 9000rpm the road focussed XE pushes out 8.5ftlb of torque at 8500rpm which, through a six-speed gearbox, is claimed to be good enough for a top speed of over 60mph. Best of all though, at just £3399 (the same as the XE), the new SM-R offers competitive performance and a modern, credible spec…

Road City Sneaker 1.0 Riding Shoes £49.99 Stylish riding shoes, at a very competitive price. The Sneaker 1.0 features a denim textile construction, with reinforcements at the ankle, heel and toes, and are certified to the CE standard for riding boots. They also feature a non-slip rubber sole, and a pull loop on the rear to make them easy to get into. www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk. Avant Fender Extender for BMW R1250RT £64 Avant’s Fender Extender is simple to fit and gives extra protection for the exposed surface of the RT’s front engine casing and downpipes. It adds 50mm of extra width and 150mm of length to the mudguard, and has a ‘flared wing’ shape to help direct water, tar, road grime, stones and other debris away from the bike. www.nippynormans.com Oxford Original…

Ever since BMW revealed plans to make a range of small single-cylinder bikes in partnership with India’s TVS back in 2013 there have been whispers of a baby RR sportsbike. And now, after years of speculation, it’s finally happened, with an A2-licence friendly G310RR announced in India and a global release for the model looking likely for later this year. BMW’s G-series project kicked off in 2013 and by 2015 the template for the new range was revealed in the form of the G310 Stunt concept. It would be two years before deliveries of the production version – the G310R – began, but it was clear that the bike was well placed to become a fully-faired sports model. So clear, in fact, that within months TVS showed its faired 2016…

I’ve just finished reading the WoMCN Rider pull-out which came with last week’s issue of MCN and just had to reply… What a great piece put together by Deputy Editor Emma Franklin, and well overdue I’m sure. So many great words spring to mind – educational, inspirational and really insightful. Like superfan Jeanne, I’ve been following Ana Carrasco’s career progression through her racing career for a while now, she is amazing. And I have to admit to being a tiny bit jealous of the women on the Belize jungle tour, what an adventure. Keep up the great work Emma. Mike Powell, email…

1 National Road Rally July 2-3 Looking for a navigational rally taking in some of the best roads in England? Look no further. Organised by the ACU and BMF, the idea is to get as many checkpoints as possible over two days. £33 to enter, free for teams, pillions £12. 2 Great Yarmouth Wheels Festival July 2 From 10am until evening on Saturday and 10am-4pm on Sunday. Show & Shine entry is £6 daily or £9.50 for the weekend. 3 Classic Motorcycle Day, Crich Tramway July 3 With over 200 classics on display. Prizes will be awarded on the day for bikes entered. Tickets £20 for adults, with discounts for seniors, children and families. 4 Santa Pod Summer Nationals July 2-3 There’s set to be a plethora of race bikes…

Bimota may have had a rollercoaster ride in recent decades but the marque will celebrate its 50th birthday next year, and with Kawasaki now owning 49% of the company things are looking up. Following on from the headline-grabbing Tesi H2 tested last year, Bimota have now got their heads out of the clouds and produced the stylish and slightly more affordable (we expect it to be around £30,000 when it hits UK dealers later this year), KB4. After seeing it debut at last year’s Milan Show, we were still expecting something pretty fiery. With the 142bhp, 1043cc motor from the Ninja 1000SX at its heart, the new KB4 could be described as a sports tourer. But that would be doing the sleek and stylish Rimini rip-snorter an injustice. Think more…

Giacomo Agostini, happy 80th birthday. How do you feel? It makes me a little sad because I look at myself and say it’s impossible that so many years have already gone by. I still ride motorcycles, and the other day at Paul Ricard I touched 155mph, I feel good, I do many things as before, not with the same intensity anymore, of course, but I have never stopped. I jump, I run, I go to the pool, I take the shovel, I hoe… I just don’t feel 80 years old. Then, the other day, a friend of mine gave me a meter… A tape measure? Yes, he pulled it out and began to run his fingers over it. “Here you are born, here you finish school, the first races, the…

☆☆☆☆☆ Enginehawk Mother Trucker £329 ‘Everything feels right’ Tested by Mike Armitage for three months/1500 miles Have you seen those bizarre YouTube videos of people taking things out of packaging? I think they call it ‘unboxing’. I’ve got better things to do with my time than to sit watching someone else pull open a cardboard box – but admit that I sort of get it after this Enginehawk jacket arrived. The box is heavy, glossy and perfectly presented, and the inner layers and perfect wrapping give a genuine sense of occasion. And the best bit, of course, is that the jacket within is chuffin’ glorious too. Enginehawk is a still-new British brand from the people behind Ruroc helmets and, while the Mother Trucker name might be a tad cringey, this…

Adventure bikes are many things to many riders, but in reality only a small percentage of heavyweight adventure bikes get used in anger off-road. Therefore there’s a ballooning market for a tyre that not only looks the part but can offer the performance of a sports touring tyre, while being capable of coping with big weight, all on larger diameter wheels. The challenge is real, but with adventure bikes being so popular it’s a challenge tyre manufacturers are stepping up to. Metzeler’s Tourance Next 2 is starting at a good point as it supersedes the proven and longstanding Tourance Next, which has been a great option in the market for over a decade. The latest version is therefore an evolution, but has undergone a host of changes to the tread…

It’s almost a decade since World Superbike saw three different World Champions, on three different bikes, win in three consecutive years. Back then it was Checa for Ducati, Biaggi for Aprilia and Sykes for Kawasaki, between 2011 and 2013. As things stand, modern maestros Jonathan Rea, Toprak Razgatlioglu and Alvaro Bautista could make it a Kawasaki-Yamaha-Ducati title trio for 2020 through 2022. Bautista Champion elect? People are already saying they should hand the ’22 trophy to Bautista. Are they mad? Many of the same people said the same in 2019. Remember what happened? He threw it away. That said, we’re three years on: three years’ more development for the Panigale V4 R and of Bautista honing a superbike, Pirelli tyres, the different circuits and three-race format. He’s a small rider…

ASSEN MOTOGP 16 Nakagami 42 17 Espargaro P 40 18 Marquez A 27 19 Morbidelli 25 20 Di Giannantonio 18 21 Binder D 10 22 Dovizioso 10 23 Gardner 9 FINAL POSITIONS MOTOGP FINAL POSITIONS MOTO 2 11 Aldeguer +9.322 12 Navarro +15.028 13 Chantra +17.443 14 Alcoba +19.188 15 Baltus +19.256 16 Dalla Porta+19.898 17 Ramirez +28.669 18 V D Goorbergh +28.787 19 Kelly +44.544 20 Corsi +44.612 21 Kubo +50.836 FINAL POSITIONS MOTO 3 11 Rossi +12.596 12 Ortola +12.878 13 Fellon +12.976 14 Tatay +17.903 15 Migno +20.915 16 Moreira +30.606 17 Surra +37.419 18 Suryo Aji + 44.008 19 Lunetta +44.132 20 Whatley +44.135 21 Furusato +44.366 22 Carracos +44.486…