For once, a MotoGP weekend that doesn’t need a thesaurus of superlatives or even a long-winded report! If we thought the racing might have been a bit processional, especially in the Main race, then that’s certainly not how Pecco Bagnaia will have viewed it, missing out on pole position but taking dominant victories in both Sprint and Main races and seriously eating into Jorge Martin’s championship lead, as the latter crashed out of the Sprint race.

Martin then lost out on a podium in the main race, thanks to an inspired overtake by Enea Bastiannini on the last corner of the last lap. It must have been sweet payback for the incident in the Sprint race where Martin cut back underneath Bastiannini after an overtake, hitting him and sending the factory Ducati rider into retirement.

Bagnaia never looked troubled, taking the lead at the first and second corners in Sprint and Main races respectively and soaking up all the pressure from behind, whether it was Martin, Marc Marquez or Bastiannini. Even at the end of the Main race, Martin had no answer for Bagnaia’s pace; he would close up to within three-tenths of a second but Bagnaia clearly had something in hand as he effortlessly increased the gap again. Perhaps Martin was really struggling, as evidenced by Bastiannini’s last corner pass, in which case, Martin’s efforts at keeping up the pressure on Bagnaia are to be applauded. A third-place podium will have been little consolation in the face of a huge points swing in Bagnaia’s favour.

In other news, Marc Marquez had another encouraging weekend, even if he had no response for the factory Ducati’s outright pace. A second and a fourth at a track where he expected to struggle are nothing to be ashamed of.

Similarly, Pedro Acosta had another strong weekend, with a third in the Sprint race and a fifth in the Main race. He will have hardly cared, with the ink still wet on a new factory KTM contract in his back pocket. That will be at the expense of Jack Miller, who can only hope that the lifeline of Acosta’s GasGas seat will be compensation.

Apart from that, there was precious little to report on the matter of who will be riding where in 2025. Prior to the weekend, Ducati had indicated that a decision on who would ride alongside Bagnaia in the factory Ducati team would be made at Mugello but Luigi Dall’Igna then announced that nothing would be announced at Mugello, so the saga continues.

Marc Marquez seemed to pour cold water on a possible move to Pramac Ducati and a current GP bike in 2025 but would Ducati be prepared to provide a fifth GP25 for him at Gresini in order to keep him in the fold? With Acosta and Binder holding the factory KTM rides, there’s no space there and, while there is a seat at Aprilia alongside Viñales, there has been little conjecture about such a move for Marquez.

Another option for Marquez could be a 2025 GasGas. Spanish newspaper Motorsport sensationally reported that KTM’s satellite project, Tech3 GASGAS, could offer Marquez a factory-spec bike in 2025, plus the chance to retain key sponsor Red Bull, which is allegedly a sticking point for Marquez heading to the factory Ducati squad. Pedro Acosta had a typically clear view of the whole situation; “At the end of the day, this Ducati thing looks like a soap opera. Every weekend we have a different answer but nobody knows anything.”

It is difficult to envisage any scenario other than Jorge Martin getting the seat – what more does he have to do? – but, just when you think Bastiannini has blown it, he has a great race weekend; is it a case of too little, too late, however?

We were due to head to Kazakhstan next, but that has been postponed to September, so we now have an interminable wait until the end of June for the Dutch TT at Assen. Surely, in that time, there will be more answers than questions as to the look of the 2025 grid? We can but hope.

Breaking News!

Bloody typical! You write a really boring race weekend report and think you’ve done your job; nothing too much to report and even the 2025 rider/team situation has died down, if only for a few days.

And then comes the complete bombshell that Jorge Martin, current championship leader and firm favourite to take the factory Ducati seat alongside Francesco Bagnaia in 2025, irrespective of whether he is able to take the rider’s title in 2024, has signed for Aprilia!

This is monumental, momentous, unprecedented. Well, maybe not that much as it has undoubtedly happened before – Rossi to Yamaha, anyone? – but in terms of the 2025 grid, it has huge implications.

Martin has always said that he would move to a different manufacturer if he didn’t get the factory Ducati seat. In what appears to be a calling-the-shots move, Aprilia has sensationally announced that Martin will ride the factory Aprilia in 2025.

Now, immediately prior to this, it was reported by Autosport magazine that Ducati informed Martin that he was the ‘chosen one’ (for 2025), between the Barcelona and Mugello rounds. Even if Marc Marquez was another name bandied around for the seat, Martin seemed a shoe-in.

Apparently not and perhaps we’ll never know the full reasoning behind the move but there you have it; Martin and Aprilia in 2025.

What that does mean is that Marquez is in pole position to get the second factory Ducati seat, while it has been reported that Bastiannini will head to Tech3 GasGas. Nothing has been confirmed at the time of writing and, as Martin has shown, nothing is certain until contracts are signed, sealed and delivered.

It is with great sadness that we have to announce the passing of renowned South African motorcycling journalist Mat Durrans, who lost a long battle with cancer, while living in, travelling around and working from Europe with his wife Jacqueline.

I worked with Mat for many years, on The Bike Show, and very quickly came to appreciate his deep understanding of motorcycling in all its many forms, not to mention his innate skill behind a keyboard or in front of the camera, both of which he worked hard at; effort that hid a natural ability in both cases.

He was the perfect mentor for someone relatively new to motorcycle journalism – and completely new to TV presenting – and, while he would never shy away from telling you if something you had done was utter rubbish – with justification, it has to be admitted – he was never anything but completely encouraging and willing to let you get on with it once you had proved you could do the job. He was also never above giving praise where it was earned.

Without exception, the seven years I spent working with Mat on The Bike Show were years of huge satisfaction; laughter was never in short supply and everyone who worked on the show had fun, regardless of long hours of seemingly everything going wrong in the pursuit of perfection.

We had many amazing adventures, none of which would have been possible without the huge body of goodwill and trust Mat had built up in the SA motorcycling industry through sheer hard work. Whether it was in the boom years of that industry when money was in abundance or, later, when the industry was going through a slump and finances were stretched, he never lost an ounce of his professionalism or his deep love of the subject.

Throughout it all, he was unflinchingly supported by Jacqueline, who became an invaluable member of the production team, displaying equal talent to Mat, albeit out of the public eye, working behind the camera and in the editing suite.

The body of work Mat leaves behind, whether in print or in the medium of television, is a fitting tribute to one who can justifiably be named as one of the giants of SA motorcycling journalism. He will be missed and we send our deepest condolences to Jacqueline and Mat’s family.

Time to forget all the behind-the-scenes rumour, conjecture and surmise and spend a weekend racing. That is, after all, why we are here.

There was one bit of news that cast a mild pall over the paddock and that was the news that Aleix Espargaro would be retiring at the end of the season. It’s bitter-sweet, really; he’ll be properly missed but he’s a dedicated family man and we can’t wish him anything other than happiness as he gets to dedicate his life to them. Fourteen years of top-flight racing takes its toll on a rider’s family and, if Espargaro can retire healthy, having provided for that family handsomely, then he can consider it a job well done.

Not only that but he’s developed the Aprilia into a winning machine that is one of the more attractive packages on the grid, repaying his employers many times over. Espargaro will in all likelihood take up a testing and development role for one of the factories and that might include the odd wild-card ride so it won’t be the last that we see of him and that’s good for everyone.

On Saturday morning, he proved that last year’s double victory – Sprint and Main – was no fluke as he powered to pole position, with a new lap record on the way. What a dream it would be for him to race in front of his home crowd for the last time and end the weekend with another pair of wins. Even one would do!

What a topsy-turvy qualifying it was. At first, in Q1, it looked a shoe-in for the Marquez brothers as they rode in line astern – Marc following, as he so often does, although this time with the permission of his brother – to set the top two times. But from out of nowhere, Raul Fernandez on the Trackhouse Aprilia set a new lap record, beating the one set by Aleix Espargaro in Friday practice.

On his second run, Fernandez then beat his own time, setting another new lap record, before Fabio DiGiannantonio went out and set another new lap record to bump Marquez out of the top two, miring him down in an eventual 14th on the grid for race day.

And then, in Q2, Espargaro did it again and set yet another new lap record to take pole in his home race, with Bagnaia and Binder joining him on the front row, although that was later turned into fourth on the grid when Fernandez’ previously cancelled lap was reinstated.

Sprint Race

If Espargaro failed to convert pole position into first on the road as the race started, then at least he wasn’t left behind, sitting in a close sixth. But that in no way explains what was happening at the front, which was a whole load of chaos.

First Bagnaia lead from Acosta and Binder. Then Acosta led. Then Fernandez led and Bagnaia was down to fourth. Then Fernandez crashed out of the lead. Binder now leads. Marquez was up to fifth from 14th on the grid. Then Binder threw it away, so Bagnaia led again. Then things calmed down for a few moments, with small gaps between Bagnaia, Espargaro and Acosta. Then Bagnaia crashed on the last lap, leaving Espargaro in front, while Marquez had got past Acosta. Martin, who had been having a lacklustre race with no grip from his rear tyre, found himself in fourth; proper damage limitation as he really wasn’t in contention throughout the race, profiting from the mistakes of those in front of him. He now leads the championship by 37 points from Marc Marquez.

It’s hard to choose who was the most disappointed or, conversely, who was the most overjoyed at the end of the race. Naturally, Espargaro, in front of his home crowd, was overjoyed, but Marquez in second had every right to be just as happy, especially as he had been pushed all the way by Acosta; from failing to get through Q1 to a podium is becoming a bit of a habit.

Fernandez admitted to crying with frustration, Binder was philosophical and Bagnaia seemed simply confused.

Main Race

He might be a two-time world champion, but it’s amazing how inconsistent Pecco Bagnaia can be. I’m racking my brains to think of another rider who crashes out of the lead in one race and then goes on to win the very next race, the next day! Catalunya made it three race weekends in a row where he failed to finish the Sprint race. However, his intelligence in the Main race was unsurpassed as he managed his rear tyre to perfection, dictating the pace in the early stages and not getting caught up in fights with Martin or Acosta when they passed him but saving enough to pass and leave Martin trailing when it was important.

By recent standards, it wasn’t a vintage race. In fact, if it wasn’t for the rookie and the multiple world champion, it could have been a very dull affair. The rookie, of course, is Pedro Acosta, who ran a close second to Bagnaia and led very briefly, before being demoted to third by Jorge Martin, but then made that second again when he got past Bagnaia, who had been overtaken by Martin. It was a ridiculously strong showing – as we have become used to – but was ultimately for nothing as he slid innocuously off on lap eleven. He remounted and re-joined dead last but still managed to finish in 13th place, with a hugely damaged aero, which will be galling for the four Hondas, who finished in line astern behind him.

The multiple world champion mentioned is Marc Marquez who, yet again, converted a Q1 qualifying position – 14th in this case – to a podium finish, this time at the sad expense of Aleix Espargaro, who was mere metres away from a second podium of the weekend in front of his adoring home crowd. What made it more remarkable – Marquez’ performance, that is – is that he was running a soft rear tyre, to everyone else’s medium; how he made it not only last but had performance left in it at the end of the race to resist a very quick and determined Espargaro is anyone’s guess.

If it wasn’t Martin’s best weekend, it also wasn’t his worst, either; no wins but still an increased lead in the championship, albeit by only a few points but, still a lead that will need a lot of misfortune to lose. Mind you, MotoGP 2024 has taught us that any slip can be punished mercilessly by the vultures riding right behind you – in both the race and the championship table – waiting to pounce on your carcass. He can crash out of the next Sprint and Main race and still lead the championship but he’ll desperately want to protect that points lead. Given his success rate in the Sprint races, it would be a brave fool who would bet against him adding to his tally in those races.

As usual, there were a lot of questions and answers. The main questions have to revolve around Marquez and Acosta; when will either of them win a race? Given Marquez’s pace in both the Sprint and Main race, surely he would have been in the fight for the win had he qualified better? As it is, to reach the podium in both races from 14th on the grid makes you wonder what everyone else was doing! On Acosta, we can be a little more forgiving, given that he is still a very raw rookie but, because of his performances, we tend to expect more of him and it is definitely a case of when, and not if, he wins a race. Won’t that set the cat among the pigeons!

The main thing to love about Acosta – and it reminds us of all the greats who have emerged over the years – is that he is a complete natural and no respecter of reputation. He’s got pace and is still finding the limits, which is why he has started crashing in recent races. Marquez said a few weeks ago that he is not crashing so much at the moment because he has not found the limit of the Ducati; god help the rest of the field when he does find the limit, backs off a little and starts winning.

Oh, and there’s another question; what are the other KTM/GasGas riders thinking when a rookie is out-performing them on the same bike? Brad Binder is doing everything expected of him and would be more successful but for bad luck, but Jack Miller has to feel the cold draught of demotion blowing on his neck. It can’t be a pleasant feeling.

Enea Bastiannini did his chances of retaining his seat at the Factory Ducati table no good in Catalunya; even if the team agreed with his decision to ignore the first long lap penalty, resulting in a second being awarded and a 30-second penalty being added to his race time, dropping him out of the points, he was never really in contention, a situation he can’t afford with Martin and Marquez snapping at his heels in the race for a seat alongside Bagnaia.

In terms of that, the likelihood of Marquez joining the factory team might be an administrative nightmare too far. Marquez is a Red Bull contracted rider, but Ducati has ties with Monster Energy. Also, his ties with Samsung, Allianz and Oakley also clash with Ducati’s major sponsors.

With that in mind, one possible outcome would be that Ducati retains Marquez by giving him a factory bike at Gresini. That way, Ducati gets to keep arguably the best talent on the grid, without having to pay him – directly from the factory, that is.

If Jorge Martin unfathomably misses out on the factory Ducati seat, then he will lose faith in Ducati and depart for new pastures. Quite where that might be is unclear, although there is a seat at Aprilia going spare. KTM/GasGas have a surfeit of good riders, so no space there. Would he really want to go to Yamaha or Honda? Of course, he might be in the pound seat as and when either team hits a rich seam of development, especially coming into the new regulations from 2027 onward, but is that too big a risk?

We’ve only a week to wait for Mugello, which is also the date by which Ducati has promised to announce its decision. It will be a relief to have everything for 2025 settled soon, so we can really concentrate on the racing.

BMW has worked hard to shed its rather staid image in the past 15 years. First, there was the S 1000 RR in 2009, followed by the positively playful R nineT in 2014 and the excess-all-areas R 18 in 2020.

When other manufacturers showcase concept bikes, there is always the sneaking suspicion that we’ll never see anything like it in showrooms a year or two down the line. When BMW reveals a ‘concept,’ however, the chances are that BMW is already far down the ‘productionising’ route with the machine, the R nineT and the R 18 being two cases in point.

The Concorso d’Eleganza, one of the world’s richest concours competitions, taking place annually on the shores of Lake Como in Italy, has long been a shop window for futuristic concepts from all manner of car and motorcycle manufacturers and this year was no different, with the arrival of the rather bonkers BMW R 20.

The number gives the first clue, even though it is scarcely believable; that’s right, this is a 2,000cc version of the R 18 boxer motor! With that in mind, you might expect it to be housed in another gargantuan cruiser chassis but nothing could be further from the truth.

What you are looking at, is BMW’s response to the Triumph Rocket 3 or, perhaps, the Ducati X Diavel. In profile, it looks exactly like an R nineT or, more accurately, an R 12 nineT, the current model.

No doubt the engine is a development of that found in the R 18, but the chassis is all-new and the most striking feature is the new swing-arm. For the first time in who knows how many years, BMW is using a double-sided Paralever swing arm with an exposed drive shaft, just like the R 18.

The rear wheel is a 17-inch disc, while the front wheel is a 17-inch spoked affair. Suspension is Ohlins upside down at the front and a single Ohlins shock at the rear. Brakes are unusual in being from Swedish company ISR, with twin six-piston callipers at the front and a four-piston calliper at the rear.

If the petrol tank is not far removed from that on the R 12 nineT, then the paint colour is like nothing BMW has ever applied to a tank; hot pink! When last did you write BMW and ‘hot pink’ in the same sentence…?

While the R 18 hasn’t exactly set the world’s markets alight, BMW obviously believes in the super-large boxer engine concept and, should the R 20 make it into production, will be hoping that it finds a more ready reception. On the basis of these pictures, we’d have to say that they might be right.

Brother Leader Tread KTM walked away with top honours at the third round of the National Cross Country Championship. In an epic battle for Cross Country glory, Scott Heygate stormed to his second Open Class victory of the season and second overall win, adding to the prestige was Matthew Wilson also claiming his second OR3 victory for the season.

The event was hosted on the renowned Scholtz Farm, a venue near Vryburg, delivering some great trails for the round.

Heygate facing stiff competition, implemented a two-lap fuel strategy that paid off, granting him victory after having a thrilling battle with Davin Cocker.

“We took a chance, and it delivered,” Heygate said. “It was an incredible ride with Davin, pushing each other to the limit. I am so chuffed to walk away with another overall win and class win and so grateful for the Brother Leader Tread KTM Team and Uncle Kevin behind me.”

Hot in pursuit of the OR3 championship, Matthew Wilson put in a fantastic ride claiming the top step in OR3 and fourth overall. The 2023 champion is strong in the hunt to claim the 2024 championship and this past weekend proved he is a solid contender.

“I took a gamble on fuel, similar to Scott, and it worked out,” Wilson stated. “Great day overall in Vryburg and the track conditions prepped and marked very well!”

It was a bittersweet day for Brad Cox and Kerim Fitz-Gerald however, facing fuel-related setbacks despite strong starts forced them to retire from the race early on.

Cox, whose season hasn’t quite lived up to expectations, was hoping for a better day, but the odds weren’t in his favour. His focus now shifts to his next adventure, where he’ll be participating in Argentina’s renowned DESAFIO RUTA 40 YPF INFINIA Rally.

He commented on the day stating, “Not the best weekend for me. I started the day off strong but sadly the race ended early on for making a calculated error and running out of fuel. I still felt good on the bike and getting there after my injuries of the beginning of the year. I will be away for two weeks in Argentina which is sure to keep me fit and on point but I am already looking forward to Upington.”

Round three went much better for Kerim Fitz-Gerald as he’s been battling a bit this season due to injuries and making up points wherever he can.

“Round three was a significant improvement for me,” Fitz-Gerald said. “Feeling good and ready for the next challenge!”

We’re incredibly proud of both Scott and Matthew’s performances this weekend,” said Kerim Fitz-Gerald, Brother Leader Tread KTM Team Manager. “Their hard work, fighting spirit, and dedication continue to deliver exceptional results. We look forward to seeing them maintain this momentum throughout the season.”

The third round of the National Cross Country Championship took Husqvarna Racing to the Scholtz farm near Vryburg. Davin Cocker put on an exceptional performance, battling it out for the lead throughout the day with Scott Heygate.

Cocker started out front and maintained a fierce competition and battling it out with Heygate. Despite a pit stop pass and an unfortunate tumble in the thorns during the fourth lap, Cocker displayed impressive fighting spirit. Though uninjured beyond a sore finger and a few thorns, he still managed to claim a strong second place in class as well as a second overall.

“I had a good battle with Scott,” commented Cocker. “Just unfortunate that I couldn’t catch up to him due to all the dust. I was really happy with my ride and my performance, and I’m looking forward to the next round.”

Fellow Husqvarna rider Luke Walker had a rough start to the day, experiencing two crashes during the time trial. This setback unfortunately positioned him further back for the main race. Walker adapted his strategy, focusing on avoiding injury in the dusty conditions and navigating the close competition, just missing the podium and claiming fourth place for the day in the OR3 class.

“I tried to preserve myself and not get hurt due to all the dust and riders being quite close to each other in the first lap,” explained Walker. “I pushed a bit after gaps started to form. I am happy with my day as I managed to get a few points and not fall too far behind in the championship. I know what I need to work on and am excited to get to the next round.”

Team Manager, Kerim Fitz-Gerald added, “We’re proud of the way Davin battled today. He had a solid race and showed great determination and pace. Luke also showed good fighting spirit after a tough start. We’ll be working on some things to get both riders even stronger for the next round.”

‘Propriety’ Definition – Fitness, rightness, the correctness of behaviour…

Back in ’78, I tossed my Honda CB750 F2 away in spectacular fashion at 220km/h on the relatively newly completed Ben Schoeman highway. My front tube blew out, crumpling up inside the tyre, pulling the tyre half off the rim and resulting in an instant loss of control. The bike had a full fairing and clip-on handlebars which contributed to the speed of the bike but did away with handlebar leverage and therewith any vague hope of controlling the bike.

In 1978 motorcycle protective gear was not a patch on what it is today. I was wearing a dedicated motorcycle leather jacket, gloves, Sidi motorcycle racing boots and jeans. When you toss a bike at speed and spend some time sliding down the road you soon discover that the extremities of your body are particularly vulnerable. Your feet, being on the end of your longest and heaviest appendages flail around with abandon. Your lower legs and feet are thus exposed to significant damage. Since that incident, I have been a stickler for ‘all-the-gear-all-the-time’ especially proper, robust, dedicated motorcycle protective footwear.

Leather remains, to my mind, at the top of the pile of materials which can take huge abuse without self-destructing. As you all know by now, I am a lifer, one of those dudes who rides his bike every day, everywhere and while conducting my Financial Services practice. This throws a curved ball in that prospective clients are not always going to want to entrust their hard-earned loot to a fellow that comes across as a ‘motorcycle-heavy’. Well, Stylmartin to the rescue. Browsing their comprehensive catalogue, I identified three leather boot options that offer the protection that I demand with styling that compliments rather than detracts from the corporate image that I at times need to portray.

First up is the Stylmartin Yu’Rock WP boots in what Stylmartin refer to as “full grain writing leather”. They are dark brown ankle boots which extend about 6cm above the point of your ankle bone. This is vital to me as the ankles are particularly vulnerable. When properly laced up there is also an element of support to your ankle which gives a feeling of additional security. The Yu’Rocks are about 1,5cm longer than the other two pairs on review and are also the only pair requiring lacing up each time they are worn. The others have conventional lacing but also have a zip on the inside of the boot which can be used to put them on and to remove them once the lacing is tied to the required tension.

Let’s talk comfort. The fit and construction of these boots are beyond reproach. As is the norm they become almost slipper-like the more you wear them. The beauty of leather is also that it gets more character with frequent wear. Leather gets a patina that tells a story of the life that they have led. Maintain your boots with good leather food and they literally give years and years of reliable service. The Yu’Rocks are waterproof, yet with breathable lining to keep things comfortable. Vibram soles, secured with prominent stitching, ensure good traction and grip. Construction is superb. If looks are anything to go by, they will outlast you! These boots enjoy motorcycle protection CE certification.

The Yu’Rocks have what I would term an almost ‘traditional’ shape, with a wide toe box and round toe. There is a reinforced patch on each shoe to accommodate your gear shift. Given that motorcycles today are virtually all left foot shift it is more in the interest of symmetry and to pay homage to motorcycle boots of yore that the right boot also gets the ‘patch’ treatment. They come laced with brown laces, but you get an extra set of red laces for sheer cool. I’m sure David Kramer would approve! Looks flippin’ kickass is all I can say!

In summary, I would say that these are boots in the classic mould. They fall more on the casual side of smart and as such would probably work best for someone who spends more time in casual attire and not in the corporate environment. Jeans and cargo pants are their natural playmates. The soles are supportive when standing on the pegs on your Bonneville or Ducati Scrambler. They are tough enough to survive the occasional offroad save. Love em! Recommended retail R5550.

Next up is the stylish option for those dudes that are so smooth that they can slide uphill! Enter Stylmartin’s Ace boots. These chaps just reek of quality and style. The natural full-grain uppers are an almost russet brown and complimented by soft tan leather lining. As aforementioned, fastening is by zip with a snug fit ensured by laces. As with the Yu’Rocks, the footbed is anatomic and changeable and, in the case of the Ace, anti-bacterial as well.

Being slightly shorter (by about 1,5cm) they feel a bit lighter and cooler. The toe is slightly pointier and more stylish in an elegant corporate way. These chaps will compliment those smart office pants or suits in a butchy kind of way. As is the case with all the boots tested, the protection factor is top-class. I love the workmanlike robust appearance of the Yu’Rocks, but the Ace crosses the divide into the corporate space that meets my particular need. I get the robust protection but without too much of a biker boy image. The clincher is the classy leather lining and ease of slipping them on and off. Breathable, grippy soles, quality leather and motorcycle certification complete the picture of these consummate smoothies. They have one more trick up their sleeve.

The Ace’s do not have the gear-lever reinforcement patch which would identify them as motorcycle boots. Because these smoothies fly under the radar and worship at the altar of fashion, they have a tough boy trick up their sleeve. They come with an elasticised leather protection patch which you can slip over the toe of your boot to ensure that their stylish exterior remains pristine and unmarred by a gunky gear lever which could scar them over time. Recommended retail R4895.

Rounding off the trio of boots tested is the Stylmartin Jack. There are shades of Model T with this one. You can get any colour as long as it’s black. Full-grain leather uppers with a waterproof and breathable lining. The footbed is changeable, anatomic, and anti-bacterial. Like the Ace, they have dual openings with a zip and laces. The sole is anti-static, anti-slip and oil-resistant rubber, ensuring a firm footing in most environments. These bad boys look like they will take you the extra mile and then some. Motorcycle CE certified, waterproof, grippy, with genuine leather construction and the ease of dual fastening, the Jack is an everyday all-rounder, keeping you protected both on and off the bike. Recommended retail R4895.

I love reviewing superb quality kit like this from a world-class brand. The durability of these boots means that you can amortise the initial cost over the many years of great service and protection that they will give you. Unlike many materials, quality leather improves over time, growing in comfort the more you wear them. We had a word in the army, to sum up that indefinable property assigned to things that got better looking and wearing with use. It was aspired to by recruits dreaming of the day when they too would earn the street cred of the veterans or ‘ou manne’ as we called them in the SANDF.

The word was ‘houding’. Your beret in particular acquired a shape and elements of wear and tear that announced your ‘ou man’ status to all. Leather boots do exactly the same. In the fullness of time, they acquire an aura of toughness to which there is no shortcut. To people who know they tell a story that requires no words. The disposable world we live in requires more Stylmartin boots on discerning feet. That’s a fact!

Stylmartin boots are available in an ever-increasing number of outlets. For details, call Steve Theron on 072 912 4658 or email him at [email protected]

It would be fair to say that the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride (DGR) has become one of the favourite motorcycling events on the calendar; the fact that it attracts over 600 participants is a testament to that.

It’s not hard to see why it is so popular; the opportunity to dress in your finest clothes and ride in a huge group, a party atmosphere, some really interesting bikes, lots of friends and, not least, doing good while enjoying yourself. The only downside is the sad fact that some people take part without contributing financially to the health causes that are at the heart of the event, but that is for their own conscience to wrestle with.

For the second year, Triumph Motorcycles South Africa were the organisers of the event, after long-time organiser Marnitz Venter handed over the reins. Marnitz had done an amazing job, growing the event from a handful of participants in the early years to several hundred ten years later but he felt he had done all he could and, as Triumph Motorcycles is a global partner of the event, it made good sense for the local representative of brand to step in and take over the running.

If, for some reason, you have no idea what the DGR is about, it is a global initiative aimed at raising both awareness and funds for prostate cancer research and men’s mental health. With rides now taking place in over 120 countries around the world every year, over $50 million has been raised.

While the riders are encouraged to dress dapper, there are also rules for the motorcycles; modern motorcycle designs are out, classic and ‘modern classic’ bikes are in (which is why Triumph is such a good fit). It doesn’t matter what it is – café racer, chopper, scooter, bobber, flat tracker, scrambler, sidecar – as long as it has style, then it’s all right.

A couple of years ago, I was privileged enough to ride a stunning recreation of the Easy Rider chopper, Captain America, built by Pat Draper of V-Customs and so generously lent to me for the weekend by its owner. Now, that was an experience!

When it came time to arrange a ride for this year’s event, it was again Pat to whom I turned and, yet again, he came up trumps. One phone call to his friend and customer Roland Egger and an equally stunning Harley-Davidson chopper was mine for the weekend. I am constantly humbled by the generosity and trust shown by the owners of these beautiful works of art and engineering and my eternal thanks go to Roland and to Pat.

Riding away from V-Custom’s premises in Centurion, it took all of a few hundred metres to get used to the ape hanger ‘bars and feet-forward riding position, while revelling in a Harley-Davidson’s bottomless torque and glorious soundtrack through the twin straight-through pipes.

One thing that struck me again was how Pat and his team built a really good-riding custom chopper. The handling might be vastly different to a standard production bike but there are no vices and all it needs is a bit of time to get used to it before you’re comfortable in any situation. Oh, and it’s endlessly cool, as well!

There has been a notable improvement in the organisation of the DGR in the last two years. That’s no reflection on Marnitz’ efforts; it probably has more to do with participants becoming more familiar with the event and behaving themselves on the ride itself. However, the huge amount of organisational work Triumph South Africa puts in must be acknowledged and it was good to see that, in Triumph’s second year of running the event, lessons had been learned and improvements implemented so that 2024 was likely the best one yet.

Getting 600+ motorcycles safely from start to finish of a roughly 60-minute ride, from Mall of Africa to Prison Break Market via Sandton, is no mean feat but it was achieved perfectly, thanks to the assistance of JMPD and the many marshalls Triumph had employed for the day. In previous years, the ride has got a little unruly at times but everyone was on their best behaviour this year.

One of the joys of the DGR, quite apart from the fundraising aspect, the way everyone really gets into the mood by dressing up and the meeting of many old friends, is the mouth-watering array of machinery on display. It’s pretty certain that, whatever you are riding, there will always be something much cooler riding alongside you.

I can’t think of any other event where a loud Harley-Davidson chopper, with ape hanger ‘bars, flame paint job and a loud exhaust could be upstaged, but it happens on the DGR.

And that’s the great thing about the event; egos are left at home and the motorcycling community joins together to raise money for an important cause, wrapping it up in a really fun day out for everyone. Long may it continue.

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If you missed out on this year’s ride and haven’t had a chance to donate, donations can still be made via the DGR website, we entice you to make your mark today.

Lesotho. The mountain kingdom. This landlocked country is a mere 300 km away from where I live, but worlds apart from our South African culture. In Lesotho, they still have donkeys carrying their goods around. Here, horses are still a means of transportation and not just a leisure activity, reserved for Sunday afternoons. Shepherds wear gumboots, a blanket and a stick and sometimes not much else. They have foreign-looking cars and I am sure there are more Honda Jazz’s in one block of Maseru than we have in South Africa in total. That is just scratching the surface of the colourful culture of this beautiful country.

Another thing that struck me was that travellers who do make the effort to visit Lesotho on motorcycles always tend to visit the man-made stuff: Katse Dam, Afriski and Sani Pass. Yet the true beauty and the splendour of Lesotho is not far from these spots, and absolutely worth the visit. That is if you are willing to suffer through the mess that is Maseru. And this was exactly what I had planned.

My journey would start from Pretoria and my first port of call was to sort out the luggage on my Honda CB500X. I normally carry my camera and drone in my backpack, but on longer journeys, this does put a lot of strain on my shoulders. I opted for my SW-Motech Rear Bag to carry all the electronics, and for my undies and socks, I got my hands on the Turkana MadMules 15L bags. These were kindly lent to me by Michnus and Elsebie Olivier, the two South African overlanders behind these rugged bags. They are really well made and they are fully water- and dustproof. They can also be angled forward to clear the Honda’s exhaust. With everything packed and buttoned down, I set off on the N3 towards Harrismith. My plan was to sleep over in Fouriesburg and head into Lesotho the next morning. As I had a lot of time on my hands, I took a leisurely meander through the Golden Gate National Park.

Just before Clarens, I turned left onto the R711 towards Fouriesburg. This road is still in very good condition and remarkably free of potholes. I had dinner at Die Plaasstoep restaurant and the food was top-notch. The next morning, I adjusted the MadMules slightly, as my initial fastening points made the right-side bag sag perilously close to the exhaust. That is the beauty of these bags. They are rackless, so you don’t need scaffolding on your bike. They are also infinitely adjustable for width and angle, so they should fit on any bike.

From Fouriesburg it is a very short trip to Caledonspoort border post. With my passport stamped, I set my course for Butha Buthe. Here you turn left to go in the direction of Afriski, but I turned right, towards Maseru. This is not a pleasant road to ride, so I suggest that if you ever want to visit the south of Lesotho to rather enter at Maseru Bridge. There was a lot of construction going on, and riding through the small villages made for slow going. When I finally got to Maseru, I turned left onto the A2 and by now I was tensed up. You have to be on full alert for the traffic and the abundance of pedestrians. Our taxi drivers have nothing on the ones that roam Maseru in the Jazz’s. Or, as the locals call them, the four-plus-one’s.

About 30 km from Maseru, I rode into the enclave of Roma, and suddenly the roads were a lot less crowded. It was as if all of Lesotho only travelled as far as Roma. I spotted a beautiful sandstone church on a hillside, and seeing that I had time to spare, I made my way up to it. The church in question turned out to be the Saint Michaels church with the Saint Michaels primary school nearby. The Honda drew a lot of attention, and the kids addressed me in English. I got the feeling that Lesotho places a high premium on proper education.

I carried on further on the A5, past the National University of Lesotho and realised that the Catholic church must have done a lot of work in this area. After the Saint Michaels church, I saw the Saint Joseph’s Hospital and Saint Mary’s High School. I continued onward to my overnight stay, and after checking in, I remounted and headed further towards Ramabanta and Semonkong as I wanted to see the famous Maletsunyane Falls.

The road from Ramabanta to Semonkong is absolutely spectacular. It has lots of curves and a few steep passes. It requires your full attention at all times. On one of the switchbacks, a mangled truck was plastered onto a rock face. A stark reminder that this road will bite back if your concentration lapses or something should fail on your transportation. You also share the road with animals, trucks and the occasional rock, so you cannot go gung-ho into a blind corner. But, despite the risks, this is probably one of the most rewarding roads I have ridden in a long time. There are times when you feel utterly alone, with just the wind for company and long sweeping curves stretching all the way to the horizon. I am glad I did this stretch on a motorcycle. Somehow a motorcycle is more than just transportation. It connects you to life itself.

One thing that I noticed on these rural roads were houses that had long flagpoles up with different colour flags. And by flags I mean a coloured piece of cloth. I phoned my friend Tumelo Maketekete about this as I remembered him explaining it when we rode here with KTM in 2019. Because the houses are so far apart, and they have no means of communicating easily, they use different colour flags to advertise their wares. A red flag, for instance, means that that household has meat available. Seeing that they don’t have fridges, the neighbouring communities will then know that they can buy meat there. A white flag means there is some traditional home-brewed beer available. If the flag is yellow, there is also beer available, but this one ferments overnight and has a serious kick to it. It is, according to Tumelo, the fastest way to get drunk!

Just before Semonkong, I saw the signpost for the falls and pointed the Honda down a terrible dirt road. It had big ruts and was in a really bad state. It carried on for about six kilometres before I arrived at a brand new conference centre with a good view of the falls. Unfortunately, the entry fee is a little steep. I had to part with R130 just to see the falls. But after the terrible road, I thought, what the hell, I am not turning around now. I had a late lunch there (also very expensive) and then my phone rang with some bad news on the home front. My mind raced as I was so far from home, that pushing home now would probably not be a good idea. I took a few photos of the falls, and the long shadows spurred me on to get back to my overnight spot before sunset.

While I was riding the road back from Semonkong, I pushed a little more, and here I have to give the CB500X credit. This is such a sweet handling bike, and at every turn, every corner, I felt safe. When I reached my overnight stop, I decided to call it a day, and rather head back the next day.

Sleep eluded me as I was digesting the news I received. I did fall asleep eventually and by daybreak, I was packing the Honda for my return journey. I planned to go straight to Maseru, out over Maseru bridge and onto the N1 as quickly as possible. I wanted to linger more, stop more, and explore more, but that will have to wait until I do this trip again. I had breakfast in Ladybrand and then headed to Clocolan. There I turned towards Marquard and this road has gone to pot. This is nothing more than a pothole with some tar patches, For 30 kilometres I was dodging potholes and oncoming traffic weaving into my lane. When I finally reached Marquard, I stumbled upon the most amazing coffee shop with its own roastery. I immediately plonked myself down and ordered a brew. A few more minutes won’t make a difference anyway.

Next to me was an elderly gentleman who had to tell me about the BSA that he rode at university. This is the thing about motorcycles – people want to share their own motorcycle stories with you. After a delightful cup of coffee and a long chinwag, I set off home. The Honda performed flawlessly, devouring the kilometres while sipping fuel at a rate of 27.3 km/L. To me, the CB500X is more than enough bike for most adventures.

Even though I had to cut my trip short, Lesotho is begging me to come back and explore more. With my slightly better knowledge of the routes, I will plan better next time. My Honda will be ready, and so will I.

The Husqvarna Racing Team kicked off their season at the National Enduro Championship Series opening race this past weekend in the scenic and exciting KwaZulu-Natal region.

The series debuted a revamped format of the series this weekend. Riders tackled a sprint race on Friday, followed by a two-day enduro on Saturday and Sunday. Sunday offered a unique twist with two designated timed sections, allowing riders to manage their pace throughout the day.

Riders Travis Teasdale and Luke Walker dominated their respective classes, putting on a dominant display throughout the three-round event.

Travis Teasdale, competing in the respected E2 class, had an exceptional weekend, carving his way to victory in all three rounds, putting his Husqvarna in the limelight and displaying remarkable pace and control throughout.

After a weekend of impressive riding, Teasdale said, “The first two days were gruelling, pushing my physical limits, but I still had so much fun. Round one and three was a blast – I felt incredibly strong, and I’m pumped about the return of special test racing. It was a fantastic weekend, and I’m happy to be safe and back in one piece.”

Luke Walker, racing in the E1 class, thrived on the new format, finding it both exciting and strategic. He rocketed to a third-place finish in round one and then battled hard for a well-deserved second place in round two. Luke finished round three strong by taking the win in his class.

Walker shared his experience, saying “Friday’s sprint race was a real rush. I love those short, intense battles. Round two was a marathon, testing our endurance and it was hard on the body. Round three with the special tests offered a great mix of technical challenges along with high-speed sections. Overall, I had a blast, and I think it was a fantastic start to the season.”

Team Manager, Megan Prinsloo, was thrilled with the team’s performance, stating, “Travis and Luke had an outstanding weekend. They conquered the demanding terrain and achieved well-deserved top results. Their impressive performance has fuelled excitement for what’s to come in the remaining rounds!”

This past weekend marked the opening race of the National Enduro Championship Series, held in the stunning yet demanding terrain of the Drakensberg area. The KTM Brother Leader Tread Enduro Team, featuring riders Will Slater, Dylan Jones, and rising star Matthew Stevens, faced a tough yet exhilarating three-round weekend.

The weekend introduced a new race format for the series, starting with a sprint race on Friday followed by two days of racing on Saturday and Sunday. Sunday was also a special, featuring two special timed sections where riders were only timed during these sections, allowing them to take it easy during the normal racing in between.

Will Slater experienced a weekend of mixed fortunes. In the first round, Slater’s performance was marred by a few mistakes finishing off fourth. He began the second round on a high note, leading the race but made a silly mistake and suffered a severe crash that led to a leg injury, forcing him to withdraw from the remainder of the event, including the third round.

He commented, “It was a bit of a challenging weekend and the new racing format didn’t play in my favour after crashing and hurting my leg on Saturday so there wasn’t any time for recovery. So it’s back to the drawing board for me but we will come back swinging for the next round!”

Dylan Jones had an eventful and gruelling race. He secured a second-place finish in his class during the sprint race on Friday. However, the second round saw him encountering a mishap in a riverbed, where a sudden turn caused his hand to slip from the grip, resulting in a painful finger injury. Despite the pain, Jones managed to secure third place. The third round was equally challenging as he battled fever and severe pain in his finger, but he pushed through and managed to round off the podium at the end of the weekend.

“I’m not much of a sprint racer so I am stoked on my second on Friday”, said Jones on the sprint for round 1. He went on to say, “I was happy to also feel much stronger during the race on Sunday seeing that I had a fever, just glad that I was able to push through and looking forward to the next round.”

Matthew Stevens had a promising and rewarding weekend claiming two round wins in the high school class. Reflecting on the event, Stevens said, “The past three days were quite tough overall but fun. The race got off to a slow start on Friday, but I managed to finish third.” Stevens blended masterful technique with exceptional poise to dominate the competition, clinching victory on Saturday despite a small misstep, Stevens capped off the weekend with another win on Sunday.

He said, “I felt really good this weekend, only making one mistake. The weekend was really good and I had a lot of fun. I am really looking forward to the next round.”

Team Manager, Megan Prinsloo, praised the team’s efforts, saying, “It was a challenging weekend for the KTM Brother Leader Tread Enduro Team, but the determination and spirit shown by Will, Dylan, and Matthew were exceptional. We are very proud of Stevens taking two round wins this weekend in the high school class. We’re looking forward to the next round and are confident that the team will continue to improve and achieve great results.”

The team now sets its sights on the next event in the series, which will feature another demanding three-round race. The KTM Brother Leader Tread Enduro Team remains focused and motivated, ready to tackle the challenges ahead

I’m getting stuck on how to start these reports; there are only so many times that you can say, yet again, “Well, no one could have predicted that,” or, “Oh my goodness, what a race.” About the only thing that was predictable was Jorge Martin’s dominant Sprint race victory, his 12th since the format was introduced.

But even that wasn’t a given, despite his incredible, record-breaking, pole position lap, the first ever around the Bugatti circuit under 1 minute 30 seconds. Even a late crash in qualifying, which can normally be the kiss of death to a pole position, did nothing to dent his dominance. With Francesco Bagnaia alongside him – and a very fast Maverick Viñales – there was no guarantee that the Sprint race would go the way of Martin. Likewise, there was no guarantee that Marc Marquez would play any part in the front running, having failed to get through Q1 and starting 13th.

It just shows you what we know! While Martin streaked to an immediate lead, Bagnaia had a dreadful start, finishing the first lap down in 14th, before running off-track soon after and touring around to the pits, his race run. Conversely, Marc Marquez pulled a masterstroke and lay 4th at the end of the first lap, which became third after Aleix Espargaro served the first of his two long-lap penalties, and second after Marco Bezzecchi threw away a certain second place near the end of the race, just when it looked like he might have a chance of catching Martin.

It was breathless stuff and the joy on Martin’s, Marquez’s’ and Viñales’ faces was matched by the thunderous look on Bagnaia’s face as he sat in his pit garage, seeing his deficit to Martin grow to 29 points and having team-mate Bastiannini overtake him in the championship standings (all that would change after the Main race, however).

Prior to this, all the talk had been about the new-for-2027 regulations which mandate – as if you haven’t already heard – 850cc engines, no ride-height or hole-shot suspension systems and a huge reduction in aero efficiency.

These measures have drawn varying opinions from riders, although the general view has been that a reduction in the reliance on electronic systems will allow the better riders to rise to the top, rather than making it easy (!) for any rider on the grid to fight at the front (which is surely what has enabled MotoGP to be so thrilling in the past couple of seasons…)

Bagnaia was one of the mildly dissenting voices: “I just care again about being fast, like I am right now,” began Bagnaia. “I want to be competitive and understand the situation, understand the new bikes and then to be the strongest again.

“I’m curious to try the new engine, the 850cc. It will be nice to have a change, but the thing that is strange to me is that we are on top of motorsport development and improving and prototypes have to be the strongest, but we will go to reduce the speed which is a bit strange. But if we want more battles, the only thing to remove is the aerodynamics. The rest is not for a battle, it is for safety.”

Jorge Martin sees the reduction in aero technology as a positive step; “I think it will be interesting for the most talented riders to get used to these new bikes,” said Martin. “I think that with fewer devices the battles will be easier. We will overtake easier and in terms of speed, we will arrive where we are, that’s for sure or we will be close. But I think for the battles and the show it will be better. I’m really happy about that.”

Martin then admitted that current technology involved in MotoGP bikes has levelled the playing field a bit too much; “now, with all the devices and the technical side we have, I think the bad riders – well not the bad riders because they are all good and this is MotoGP – but they close the gap to the best riders. It is much easier to ride these new bikes and going to these new bikes in 2027 will be interesting for sure. The value of the rider will increase. Nobody knows in 2027 so let’s wait.”

Maverick Viñales, spoke about the rule changes and also believes those with more technique will have the advantage; “without the rear ride-height device I think it will be more technical. It will be good for the riders who have more technique. Especially now, you can go full gas on acceleration and just let the bike work. But without the rear device, you have to work a lot more on the acceleration. So the riders who have a little bit more technique will rise up.”

The underlying thinking, of course, is that speeds are simply getting too fast for current circuit safety, especially the older circuits on the calendar with less adequate run-off areas. But another way of looking at it is to realise that a good shake-up of the regulations is necessary to prevent things becoming stale. With a clean slate, all the manufacturers have a chance to reset and potentially steal a march on their rivals; who knows who will get it right and who will get it wrong and who would bet against Honda and Yamaha catapulting themselves back to the front and current leaders Ducati getting their sums minutely wrong and being off the pace? Stranger things have happened.

The last time MotoGP tried to reduce engine displacement was during the 800cc era of 2007 to 2011. The change did little to reduce lap times but spelt an end to close racing for the duration. Now we have an era of unprecedented close racing and it will be a shame if the rule changes put an end to that, however temporary. You just have to hope that Dorna and the teams have done their homework to prevent a repeat of the 800cc era’s relative boredom.

As an aside, with MotoGP reducing engine displacement, a knock-on effect will be World Superbikes having to suffer a performance reduction as well. Can’t have a production-based series out-performing a prototype-based series! Also, what happens to Moto2? Can’t have Moto2 bikes lapping nearly as fast as MotoGP! This discussion is set to run for a while.

And now let’s just take a moment to catch our breath before we talk about that Main race. It is considered very poor journalism to resort to swearing but every now and then, you just have to!

Holy shit, what a race! Not a huge amount of overtaking at the front but the tension in the last ten laps was almost unbearable. In fact, the tension all the way through was pretty strong.

Bagnaia’s done it before; had a terrible Sprint and then came back fighting in the Main race and it was just like that in France. Leading from the start, with Martin snapping at his heels, there was always the fear that one or both of them would disappear into the distance, leaving the rest to fight over the scraps.

But Bagnaia and Martin didn’t streak off into the distance, Aleix Espargaro in third neither catching them nor losing ground. The real fireworks started when Marquez, who had again made rapid progress through the field, worked his way up to and got past Viñales, by that time running in third. In short order, Marquez made up over two seconds to Bagnaia, by now behind Martin, who had passed the reigning champion but had not managed to pull any sort of gap. If a stalemate then ensued, it was at least enthralling, Marquez seemingly unable to make a move on Bagnaia and Bagnaia in turn unable to attack Martin or, at least, attack with any success. When this happens, you don’t need overtaking!

All the way through, there was the greatest chance of one of them throwing it away thanks to the unrelenting pressure, but then they’re not the best in the world for nothing. Marquez pulled a last-lap do-or-die move on Bagnaia and was through. The last few corners were all but unwatchable but you couldn’t take your eyes off the screen. Martin looked as if he had it all covered in the lead but, let’s face it, it was Marc Marquez behind him and, behind Marquez, Bagnaia was not afraid to get his elbows out. The order remained the same to the flag but there was not a single moment when anyone – the riders or the spectators – could relax. Absolutely brilliant.

There’s not been a duff race the whole season and, if this continues, then we’re going to have the second season in a row where the championship goes down to the wire and we’ll all need a good rest!

Love him or hate him – and there seems to be an equal number in both camps – it is great to see Marquez fighting at the front again and it is surely only a matter of time before Marquez wins a race. From 13th to second in both Sprint and Main races; that’s not luck and it’s great to see him fighting at the front again. Don’t forget that he’s riding a year-old Ducati GP23 and still managed to split the factory GP24s.

I would not want to be in Ducati’s shoes right now, with three of the best riders on the grid all deserving a move to the factory squad for 2025 or, at least, a current bike in 2025. Bastianini is doing a good job of showing that he deserves to retain the seat but you can’t ignore the form of Martin, nor the marketing pull of Marquez, who is strengthening his case with every passing race.

Pedro Acosta had a lacklustre weekend by his standards, culminating in his first big mistake of the year. Even when crashing, he makes us draw a sharp intake of breath as somehow he slid between Aleix Espargaro and Fabio Di Giannantonio, with inches to spare at either end of his sliding machine. Isn’t it funny how we have so quickly become familiar with him running at the front?

Brad Binder had a dreadful qualifying, being delayed from getting onto the track in Q1 by a technical issue with his bike, resulting in a desperately disappointing last place on the grid. He converted that into 15th in the Sprint but a much more encouraging eighth in the Main race after a battle with Franco Morbidelli. By any standard, it was an exceptional ride; it’s just that it received no coverage whatsoever.

Oh, and what a surprise, the Hondas and Yamahas had races to forget, Fabio Quartararo’s heroics in qualifying notwithstanding. The new rules cannot come quickly enough for the Japanese manufacturers.

Next, we head back to Spain for the Catalunya GP. After every race weekend we ask ourselves how it can get any better and every race weekend, it does. We’re going to need some strong tranquillisers before the season is out!

SUVs have always been a controversial topic amongst motorists for years, why don’t you buy a bakkie or a sports car instead? You can’t have both, they say. Well, I suppose the same can be said about 1000 cc plus Adventure bikes, particularly the more road-biased 19” front wheel guised machines. Adventure motorcycles, much like SUVs, shine in their ability to conquer a wide range of terrain and in comfort for both rider and pillion. If one word could describe an adventure bike it would be “competent”. Sorry, I’m just tired of the word versatile.

The competency is shown in the ease of seamlessly transitioning between asphalt and dirt, which highlights the fusion of performance and versatility. One moment you are tackling potholed city roads, the urban sprawl and in the next blink of an eye you are carving through South Africa’s best twisties with your lady on the back seat, carrying luggage and without feeling like you’re a taxi. It makes getting to the end destination and everything in between that much more enjoyable.

We have to face it, most adventure motorcycle owners use their bikes as tourers rather than hardcore off-roaders and guess what, that’s exactly what adventure motorcycles were built to do.

To shed some light on this topic, RAD_KTM in Rivonia is currently offering a special on their 1290 Super Adventure S range, with an included “Tech Pack” (worth 21k) and a set of KTM Touratech panniers and top box (worth 31k), all for Katoom’s standard retail price of around R349,999. So, with a special weekend planned for myself and my girlfriend Meredith, we jumped aboard the Super Adventure for a RAD weekend away in Mpumalanga.

Unlike the hardcore offroad tests and track tests, the long open road is a test for both who are seated and machine, as comfort and enjoyment for both two-wheeled explorers get put to the ultimate test. With that said, this particular KTM was already giving positive vibes with its adjustable screen, heated grips and seats, adaptive cruise control, semi-active suspension, panniers and top box with comfortable back padding and a demo pipe from Remus for some happy weekend away V-Twin tunes.

Meredith had dibs on the wider left pannier and managed to fit her hiking clothes, shoes, toiletries and a camera bag. On the right side of the ring, I fitted my change of clothes and a few extra bits and bobs, while the top box took a picnic blanket, snacks, on-the-road coffee and a bottle of Graham Beck Cuvée Clive—I’d say we were pretty set for our time away and with space to spare.

The morning woke to 1301 ccs of Austrian brutish LC8, laying comfortably at 75 degrees in what I think is probably one of the best chassis to tour in the fast lane. We hit the road at 8 a.m. letting all 160 horses and 138 Nm loose on every B-road we could find on the way to Millys. From ‘Meri’s’ place in Montana we jumped onto the R104, formally known as Bronkhorstspruit Road where we headed past Silver Lakes Game Reserve and the Rayton turn-off before finally stopping at Balmoral just outside of Bronkies for our first coffee and catchup.

Over a coffee Meri and I chatted about the adaptive cruise control and the semi-active suspension. With the adaptive cruise control, KTM allows you to adjust your following distance—increasing or decreasing the following distance between you and the vehicle in front of you with a press of a button. We set it at a reasonable length and felt the deacceleration to be super smooth and acceleration once changing lanes more natural to what we as riders would do, which is accelerate at a good 70% throttle. Adjustable cruise control gets a massive thumbs-up from both of us.

Both Meri and I weigh a good 130 kg combined and with our luggage, the KTM must have been carrying around 150 kg. What the semi-active suspension allows you to do is adjust between different damping modes, such as Comfort, Street, Sport and Auto. The damping between these pre-programmed modes changes drastically. We felt comfort great for smoother highway stints, street to be a good all-rounder and sport fantastic for when the road gets twisty and speeds get a little higher. Auto was a bit of a head-scratcher for me and with my stubborn brain, I just preferred selecting the pre-programmed modes instead.

The Tech Pack on our test bike also unlocks the Suspension Pro package and what this does is allow the rider to adjust the preload via the TFT to suit your riding preference or to better suit the added weight of the pillion and luggage. I never like dialling anything to its lowest or highest setting, but I did find 80% and 90% preload to work extremely well for our ride, tailoring the comfort and agility to both mine and Meredith’s preferences—it also worked hand in hand with the pre-programmed damping modes. I also for the first time enjoyed the anti-dive feature, which helped stiffen up the forks under braking and when shifting briskly through the gears. Once again, four thumbs up!

After “nerding out” together over a coffee we picked up the pace, turning onto the R555 which is a bumpy backroad running past eMalahleni and the Olifants River on the way to Middelburg. After Middelburg, we joined the N4 highway for our first proper highway stint riding past the famous Alzu animal spotting before rolling into Milly’s Trout Store at 10 a.m. for breakfast. Over breakfast and after a quick 240 km we were fresh as can be and ready for our trip up to Kaapschehoop for a hike and early dinner.

The ride from Milly’s is where the fun and games begin, especially for those who love sweeping high-speed corners. The Damping was left on sport mode allowing Meri and I to flow through the sweepers all the way down in no time to the Ngodwana mill before turning up the tighter route which snakes its way up to the lovely Kaapschehoop.

Rolling into Kaapschehoop at 12 a.m., saw us kit up for a 3.2 km hike up to the popular viewpoint which looks out over the rolling hills of Mpumalanga, almost like a bird’s eye view. Just perfect I thought, enough to go on one knee to ask Meredith if she’d like to update her relationship status from girlfriend to Fiancé. Needless to say, she said, yes. We then headed back down for an early dinner celebration at Bohemian Groove Café.

Proposal aside, it is short trips like these that we as motorcyclists want to share with our significant other in a reasonable amount of comfort to enhance the experience, but without sacrificing the exhilarating performance we as petrolheads enjoy. As the sun started to set the horses started to pop up like lost but tame dogs as this little quaint town started to settle into the night. It’s memories like these that we two-wheeled lovers want to relive and experience anytime we can and it’s with motorcycles like the 1290 Super Adventure S where these memories are made easier and that much more memorable.

The KTM 1290 Super Adventure S exhibits a remarkable duality that mirrors the adaptability of an SUV. The engineering marvels that underpin the Super Adventure enable riders and pillions to just enjoy all aspects of adventure touring while leaving a lot of the underpinnings to the KTM’s amazing electronics package. As we speak RAD_KTM’s offering is unmatched anywhere and offers the ultimate performance and touring bang for buck in its class. So, make a turn, forget about the “R” that you might take off-road once a year and take the wife out with you on a test ride on RAD’s demo. I promise you now, it won’t disappoint.

KTM has for a long time now seen the writing on the wall, the story of the slow death of the horsepower-rich and torque-poor inline-four supersport motorcycles. Let’s face it, sport bikes are a dying breed, and have been for the last decade. Statistics prove it—more people are interested in function over form, and the extinction of the beloved 600 cc supersport is just one example. To many petrolheads, this may sound like the end times, but there may be a little light at the end of this dark tunnel and right now the brightest light is an orange one.

Before you say it, no, this is not a dressed-up Krämer GP2-890RR track bike, nor is it a new-age replacement of the legendary 1190 RC8 R superbike, but rather this new KTM is the future of supersport machines, welcome to the KTM 990 RC R. I would be lying if I said this new creation doesn’t embody the two above-mentioned machines because it does, in fact when it also screams KTM RC16 winter test GP replica—it embodies all that is KTM, and that is Read to Race, proven by their 341 FIM World Championships.

Man, oh, man has it been long since we’ve seen something as dressed up and as special from this Austrian manufacturer. It has been almost sixteen years since we saw the 1190 RC8 R compete in the local racing scene, on the top stages of WSBK and cruising around on our streets as if it rolled out of a Tron movie. The OG RC8 R machine was in design light-years above the rest and fast forward to the present day I think KTM has done it once again, but this time they have upped the ante.

KTM have jumped the gun on purpose with the KTM 990 RC R. What do I mean? Oh, yes the ‘RC R’ is in its “live”, for us all to behold prototype faze. It’s KTM’s way of showing us as well as all the other manufacturers that they have got what it takes and it goes without saying, that KTM has full belief that the 990 RC R is the future of supersport racing. The live viewing of this development project will be put to the test not just on YouTube teasers and on a workbench but also in wildcard race entries in non-point scoring outings across select European supersport series’, to ignite the anticipation amongst fans further.

So, what do we know then? The RC R is a ground-up build with the best Frankenstein parts from the GP team and then some and what it shares with the 990 Duke is its powerplant and nothing else. We know RC R has just under 130 hp and 103 Nm at its peak rpm and the rider’s weight gets pushed more forward in its newly frontal weight-biased steel frame.

We see a steering head angle of 25 degrees and offset for enhanced steering responsiveness, as well as a further beefed-up stiffness that gives the right feel and stability under acceleration on road and track surfaces while also maintaining agility. When looking at the images you can see that the rear diecast aluminium subframe has a taller and more aggressive pith compared to the Duke.

When it comes to ergonomics the 990 RC R is somewhere between an Aprilia RS 660 and a Ducati Panigale V2. This means the KTM isn’t overly wristy, but also it’s no couch either. KTM have looked at these two machines and has found a balance that suits the racer and the daily rider. How they’ve done this is by loads of experimenting with different rider heights and with their clever six contact point fuel tank sum. The mathematics sees a better connection patch, leaning and ‘tucking in’ to ensure comfort but also support for the rider’s knees, arms, and lower pressure on the hands.

Adjustable footrests play a part, as well as the fully adjustable WP APEX Open Cartridge suspension and lightweight cast aluminium wheels wrapped in Michelin tyres.

As mentioned above the RC R does echo design features found on the RC16 MotoGP bike and that’s thanks to their wind-tunnel-chiseled aero wings. As well as looking cool they function in adding stability for braking and cornering. I would have loved to see a double pipe setup on the RC R, one on the right and another under the rear subframe as on the RC16. Maybe we’ll see a certain power part that gives us that mini RC16 look.

For now, KTM is keeping the headlight a secret, but as Gareth Davidson (product marketing manager for KTM) has pointed out, it will be a single lamp unit upfront and with the hint that the front fairing hole isn’t for ram air, we can get pretty creative in our own minds on how the end product may look. I still think they’ll design something similar to what they had on the RC8, but with a modern twist of course.

The KTM 990 RC R will be a road-going machine but KTM do ensure those that bleed orange that there will be minimal modifications in the guise of powersports to turn your RC R into a track edition. Crafted by KTM in their Austrian factory, the modifications strip away the road-legal essentials, incorporate protective components, fine-tune adjustments, customize further, and revise racing bodywork, including a full exhaust system. These modifications ensure that riders focus on lap times rather than leisurely rides. Additionally, the ease of repair, low maintenance requirements, and extensive official dealer support provide further advantages.

I don’t know about you, but I’m seriously excited to swing a leg over a 990 RC R and maybe for the first time in a long while, bleed orange once again. For now, you can stay in tune with the 990 RC R’s journey, by following KTM’s YouTube channel.

Racing is bloody expensive, we all know that, and no one knows it more than the racers themselves. Not everyone has a wealthy parent to pay the bills; more often than not, the racer has to raise the money himself, as well as organise bikes to ride, mechanics to work on them, travel, accommodation, entry fees, food, spares, tyres, the list is endless. Everyone gets paid before the rider/owner of the team, if he gets paid at all.

South African racer AJ Venter has spent his life facing racing mountains and conquering them and right now he is in Europe, taking part in the North West 200 in Ireland before heading to the Isle of Man for another shot at the TT, taking place over the last week of May and the first week of June.

Every time he takes part in the TT, he gets better, as do the results, but that still doesn’t mean that he can relax for an instant and certainly not when a sponsor pulls out, as has happened to him whilst he is racing and preparing at the same time.

AJ has reached out to the motorcycling community in SA for help and he has set up a Back-a-Buddy page (a bit like GoFundMe) to enable anyone to contribute. It doesn’t matter if it’s R50 or R5,000, anything will help.

If you’re interested in letting AJ fly the South African flag at the TT, please click on the link. 

As soon as he’s back in the country, we’ll pin him down for an interview. We tried to do it before he went but, not surprisingly, he was a bit busy. There will be some good stories to hear when he’s back.

BMW Motorrad Montana and their Rustenburg sister branch invited their customers to an unveiling, and an opportunity to ride their new middleweight GS range. The event was hosted by Grotto to Gravel which is fast establishing itself as a go-to venue for this sort of event. I was intrigued to see the new bikes, so I rode out to the beautiful venue nestled in the Magaliesburg. Grotto to Gravel is the brainchild of Gus and Mariette Maartens, quite possibly two of the nicest people that you will ever meet. Despite Gus going through some serious health challenges, they forge ahead at full steam. In Grotto to Gravel, they have created an absolute haven for motorcyclists with accommodation options and a full-time chef catering to the culinary needs of visitors.

I say that I was intrigued because I was fortunate to have attended the World launch in Almeria, Spain, of the BMW F 900 XR and F 900 R, literally a month before the Covid lockdown (Remember that fiasco?). The 900 motors impressed me. Displacing an actual 895cc and producing 77Kw and 92Nm of shove, they haul the new bikes along with authority! The 850 powerplants were showing their age and the 900cc motors have brought BMW back into the game. The question on everyone’s minds was, when would the new 895cc mills gravitate to the GS range? Well, sports lovers, that time is now.

The full F 900 GS range was displayed and available for customers to ride around Grotto to Gravels’ dynamic offroad track. The event was well attended with Montana’s customers and the Grotto to Gravel faithful in attendance. The bikes are certainly impressive. Watching the BMW GS Trophy riders strut their stuff on the bikes gave us a glimpse of how competent the new bikes are. They are totally new and re-engineered motorcycles, spec’d to go toe to toe with the opposition. The comments of those who rode the new bikes were overwhelmingly positive.

I am not going to go into detail on the individual model specifications as you can browse our Buyer’s Guide for the details and pricing. Perhaps unfairly, BMW’s middleweight options have always lived in the shadow of their class-defining ‘big’ GSs. Let me just say that these bikes are serious offerings and deserve consideration in their own right.

BMW F 900 GS & F 900 GS Adventure

For more information on the bikes featured in this article, click on the links below…

2024

BMW F 900 GS Adventure

Pricing From R250,300 (RRP)

Brand: BMW Motorrad

2024

BMW F 900 GS

Pricing From R253,450 (RRP)

Brand: BMW Motorrad

Both the 900 Adventure and the straight 900 GS look proper with their new-long travel Showa suspension and optional packages. We will endeavour to lay our hands on test units to assess them fully, but in the meantime, if you are in the market for a middleweight Adventure bike, it is well worth visiting your local BM dealership to suss these beasts out.

If you are new here and you are not sure what the IFRD is all about, then stick around for a bit and allow me to shed some light on this inspiring movement. The International Female Ride Day was established to celebrate the women in the motorsport industry, it embodies the very spirit of every woman motorcyclist in over 120 countries worldwide.

This year the IFRD started their campaign #IFRDEveryWoman. The goal of this was to capture the essence of inclusivity and unity among the riders that make up the community of female riders across the globe. I decided that I needed to quote the words found on their website as it is so beautifully put: “Everywoman” is a term that represents the collective experiences, struggles, and triumphs of women from all walks of life. It embodies the idea that there is a common thread that unites women across different cultures, backgrounds, ages and experiences. It celebrates the diversity and universality of the IFRD experience, acknowledging that every woman, regardless of her individual circumstances, has a unique role to play and contribute to the collective narrative of women who ride.” And embody, it did.

On Saturday morning we found ourselves flocking together like a bunch of pink flamingos at various locations across Gauteng. There were three starting points, Fast KTM & ROC Harley, Triumph JHB and World Of Motorcycles; we decided to join the latter, but for the more adventurous ladies, there was also an “off-road” route starting at Fast KTM in Alberton.

After a chilly morning ride to Centurion and a few greetings to our fellow lady riders, we received the briefing, kitted up, hopped on the bikes and were en route to Zwartkops Raceway.

Even though the ride was relatively short, it was a great success with no incidents, only a queue of bikes further than the eye can see—a huge shoutout to the marshals for ensuring a safe and enjoyable ride. There were ladies from all corners of Gauteng as well as plenty of men, some alone and others with their ladies perched on the back; to say that the turnout was brilliant would certainly be an understatement.

We rolled up the hill with Zwartkops Raceway on the horizon and we soon found ourselves rolling into the pits where the ladies had designated parking on the full stretch of the pit lane with Motul making their appearance as we rode in. Seeing all the ladies park their bikes on either side was a sight to behold, not only for the number of riders but the diversity as well. There were women riding bikes ranging from the best-looking Harleys to SuperSport bikes and of course our daring adventure ladies.

The theme for this year was “A Day At The Races” and they did a great job at embracing that theme. The tables were set with black and white checkered tablecloths, the roof had red flags flapping in the wind, as well as the iconic checkered flag as the centrepieces. Not only did they go all out with the décor, but there were amazing prizes to be won which included the first 300 entrants receiving a helmet bag and plenty of goodies!

Of course, a bike event wouldn’t be the same without the dealers making their appearance, so there was a full range of bikes on show giving the ladies a taste of the latest bikes on the market. A few of the dealers that pulled through were Biker’s Warehouse who brought us brands like Suzuki, Husqvarna, Honda, Kawasaki and Sym; KTM Centurion and BigBoy were also present. Having the bikes available to see in person makes a world of difference because everyone knows a woman needs to physically see what she’s buying—googling just isn’t our vibe.

Another brand that went all out was Motul, who brought the ladies an experience that was booming. What was it you may ask, well it was an instant printing photobooth which enticed the women to strike their best pose and let me tell you, those ladies were killing it.

All in all, it was another successful IFRD and after reading that first statement I could truly start to appreciate the actual meaning behind the movement, and this year’s ride certainly embodied exactly that. The diversity among the women who attended was indescribable and you could look around and realize, even though we are so different we all share the same passion for motorcycling; and it is in this that we find common ground and are able to build a community that provides support and friendship that will forever stay alive.

If you missed this year’s ride, be sure to look out for the next one as we continue to grow this initiative of women riders coming together and celebrating ourselves and the community which is International Female Ride Day.

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The Red Bull KTM Motocross Team delivered a supreme performance at the Bloemfontein round of the National Motocross Championship held this past weekend at the Bloemfontein Offroad Club (BORC). The team capitalized on the iconic track’s challenging red dirt layout, securing multiple podium finishes across various classes.

Cameron Durow emerged victorious in both motos of both the MX1 and MX2 classes. His flawless execution on the track reflects a longstanding connection with the venue. “This track has held a special place for me since my early racing days,” commented Durow after the event. “To achieve a perfect weekend here is truly meaningful.” Durow will now focus on the upcoming rounds of the US championship before returning for the South African series’ final four rounds.

Luke Grundy, a rookie in the MX2 class, also had a successful weekend. Despite initial challenges navigating the pack in the first moto, he secured a creditable fifth-place finish. Battling arm pump, Grundy endured the pain in the second moto, securing a strong third-place finish and ultimately placing fourth overall. Reflecting on his weekend and inaugural MX2 season to date, Grundy remarked, “I am pleased with my performance this weekend. There is significant room for improvement, and I believe this year’s experiences will translate into stronger results next season.”

The High School class saw Trey Cox overcome a fall in the first moto that resulted in a sixth-place finish. In the second moto, Trey claimed the holeshot and pulled away from the pack, ultimately claiming victory and the coveted top podium position to finish second overall. He commented on the weekend with a fighting spirit stating, “It’s not about the size of the dog in the fight, it’s about the size of the fight in the dog.”

Red Bull KTM Team manager, Kerim Fitz-Gerald was thrilled with the team’s performance, highlighting individual achievements: “Cameron dominated once again, taking all four motos. While Luke faced challenges, he finished on a positive note. Young Trey showcased incredible fighting spirit, battling back from behind to win the second moto.”

After round three of the National Motocross Championship, the Red Bull KTM Motocross Team finds itself in a commanding position. Cameron Durow maintains an unblemished record, leading both the MX1 and MX2 classes with a perfect score of 100 points. Luke Grundy sits comfortably in fifth place within the MX2 class. Trey Cox holds a strong second-place position in the High School class, trailing the leader by a mere two points.

The Husqvarna South Africa Motocross Team dug deep this past weekend at the third round of the National Motocross Championship in Bloemfontein.

Davin Cocker, piloting his Husqvarna FC450 in the MX1 class with impressive consistency clawed his way back to hard-earned third-place finishes in both motos, securing a solid fourth-place finish overall. Cocker commented: “I am happy with the way I performed today and my team and bike were great as always. It’s unfortunate that I missed the overall podium with the way the points work, but I can’t complain about podium finishes in both heats.”

Teammate Barend du Toit on his Husqvarna FC250, battling through an injury in the MX2 class, had a difficult weekend. Despite the physical limitations, du Toit persevered, placing seventh in both motos for a seventh-place finish overall. “There is not much to say of this weekend. I injured myself early on in the day which is not ideal with such a competitive field in MX2. It really was a day of just pushing through pain to try and get some points.” He continued to say, “I will be back stronger in the next round and show what I am capable of.”

“We’re incredibly proud of the way both Davin and Barend performed this weekend,” said Kerim Fitz-Gerald, Team Manager for Husqvarna South Africa Motocross. “Davin’s reliability and consistency made him a tough competitor, and Barend’s commitment to racing while injured is truly inspiring. The entire team is behind them, and we know they’ll be back even stronger at the next round.”

Back in June 2023, I reported my initial impressions of a recently purchased (back then) urban commuter motorcycle – BMW’s G 310 R. Overall I was happy with the bike, however, I did have a gripe with the gearing at highway speeds, which I endeavoured to rectify along with a few other personal touches. Fast forward to the present time, and I have now personalised the bike to suit my requirements.

First up was to tackle the gearing issue, and for that, I turned to ETG Logistics, who are the importers of the TVS Motorcycles brand in South Africa. TVS manufacture the G 310 R in India and they have a very similar bike that runs the same engine called the Apache RR 310, which is geared slightly differently to the G 310 R. The Apache RR 310 runs a 17T front sprocket, whereas the G 310 R runs a 16T. So after much consideration, I ordered the 17T sprocket from ETG Logistics which was very affordable and then fitted it to my bike (the fitment was very simple, taking about 20 mins only).

Did it solve the gripe that I had? Yes, it did! Now when riding on the highway at 120km/h, the bike feels more relaxed, revving at approx 7000rpm, whereas before doing the conversion, it revved at approx 8000rpm at the same speed. In no way has it affected the low-down torque, in fact, the overall riding experience has improved massively, as now you don’t need to short-shift so quickly through the lower gears, making it such a sweet bike to ride both in and around town and also now on the highways.

Back in December, I took a trip to Sabie and found the long-haul highway ride to and from Johannesburg a doddle, the bike would sit happily at 130km/h, like it was running at its revving sweet spot. Not only that, there’s a lot to be said about riding a small cc motorcycle around the twisty roads of Mpumalanga—certainly a lot of fun to be had.

Next up, and to finish fine-tuning my bike, was to fit a performance exhaust, and for that, I turned to the locally made brand Vykon Exhausts.

Vykon Exhausts is the brainchild of Brad Annasis (from the famous Annasis Racing team), born from the legacy of his late father Gerry Anassis, a top South African Drag racer from the ’70s, whose exhaust manufacturing company Air Age stood the test of time and remained in operation for 54 years. The ethos of Vykon Exhausts is to bring the most modern design technology of today, yet keep the pure fundamentals of the Gerry Anassis old-school basics.

Vykon currently has an array of different styled exhausts, varying in length and size, so depending on budget and design preference, Vykon has you covered.

I opted for their OG sports exhaust named – Vykon, as I liked how the design suits the overall style of the sporty G 310 R, the lines flow seamlessly and are in parallel with the sharp angles of the bike, and the longer size fits the proportions of the bike superbly—it looks top-notch too! Not only that, the Vykon is so much lighter than the standard exhaust, you can literally feel the difference when you hold both together, the standard exhaust weighs a ton in comparison.

Another nice product from Vykon Exhausts is their range of DB Killers, depending on how loud/quiet an exhaust note you are looking for, they can set up your exhaust note accordingly depending on your preferences. For me, I was not looking for an obnoxiously loud exhaust sound, so I opted for their ‘mushroom’ designed DB Killer which has a perforated cone design that helps to reduce the loudness, this gave me the sound that I was looking for—a nice grunty rubble without needing to wear earplugs when riding in the higher rev range.

Being locally manufactured, the pricing is also very attractive, when compared to imported brands such as Akrapovič. In summary, Vykon Exhausts offers a high-quality product with personalised customer service and at a very good price. To me, it is an excellent value proposition for anyone who’s looking to upgrade their standard exhaust.

Overall, I am thrilled with my Vykon Exhaust, it gives the bike the sound that it deserves (without any of the Euro-5 compliance restrictions) and gives it the extra oomph that I was looking for, it’s ‘definitely’ much peppier than in its standard format.

So if you own a G 310 R or G 310 GS, I would recommend the upgrades I have done to my bike as they do improve the overall riding experience…

For more information give the guys at Vykon a call: www.vykon.co.za

This weekend served to remind us why we love MotoGP and why Formula One has become so boring; the word is unpredictability. It is frequently said that Hollywood scriptwriters couldn’t come up with anything to match a MotoGP weekend and, on the evidence of Jerez, they’re right. If Liberty Media had trouble convincing the board that spending $4 billion buying the rights to MotoGP was a good idea, then surely any doubts were dispelled once and for all after both the American and Spanish rounds.

Before the Spanish weekend, there were thousands of permutations of possible events; during the Sprint race, a thousand more were added and then, if the Main race was slightly processional by comparison to the Sprint race, it was still a thrilling, nail-biting fight to the line, with more action than in a season’s-worth of Formula One.

In these reports, I try to avoid giving a blow-by-blow account of what happened, because you all will have watched it, so there’s not much point. If you missed it, there are a hundred other websites you can visit to get the lap-by-lap action.

But a race weekend such as this gets me so fired up and excited that it’s hard not to try and re-live every moment by writing about it. In my previous post, I talked about all the off-track action which can sometimes overshadow what is happening on track. Not this weekend. For once, all the who-will-ride-where shenanigans were pushed firmly to the background as two incredible races unfolded.

The Sprint race was the full embodiment of why we love MotoGP, even if it led to disappointment for fans of many of the riders. Even joy at Fabio Quarataro’s incredible podium finish – from 23rd on the grid to 3rd at the flag, including overtaking eleven riders on the first lap! – was barely dented by his demotion after he became the first of several riders to suffer at the hands of the tyre-pressure rule; incredibly, the first time this has happened all season. At least the penalty is now time added to the rider’s race time – eight seconds in a Sprint race and 16 seconds in the Main race – rather than an outright disqualification from the race results. It’s still terribly unfair and we can only hope that saner heads will prevail in the future and the low-pressure rule rescinded.

Yes, Quartararo’s result was aided hugely by the carnage ahead of him but, by any account, it was a brilliant ride. That it resulted in Daniel Pedrosa’s (apparently, he wants to be called Daniel now, not Dani…) promotion to the podium was a result that no one could be unhappy about. Why he is not still racing is beyond me and, I’m sure, many other onlookers. There can be no doubt that KTM’s current form has a lot to do with Pedrosa’s input; you only have to look at other test riders’ wild card race performances to understand that. They can barely get into the points, let alone challenge for a podium and, yet, Pedrosa was looking as if he’d never been away.

The sight of three riders crashing at the same corner, in line astern on the same lap, was astonishing, especially as many other riders on multiple laps, managed not to crash. If it had been oil on the track, then it would be understandable but it seems it was ground water seeping up from the sub-surface that created a damp patch that could be missed by millimetres, or ridden over with disastrous results. Binder fell into the latter category and it must have been galling.

Binder got a rocket launch, as he always seems to do in Jerez, to lead into the first corner before being overtaken by Jorge Martin, and ran strongly up to his balletic crash in company with Alex Marquez and Marco Bezzecchi. Really bad luck and no blame should be attached to the riders; when you’re pushing as hard as these guys are, then even an inch off line can affect drive onto the following straight; one kilometre an hour into a corner can be too fast; a foot later in braking can mean running wide. And unexpected water on the track can spell disaster.

The main race might have seemed processional from the outside, as is always the case when there are few changes for the lead but, in fact, it was a mesmerising battle between Bagnaia and Marc Marquez. Once Jorge Martin had thrown away the victory – and a potentially huge lead in the championship – then the race gave all the indications of being a straight run to the flag. But that prediction failed to take into account Marc Marquez. Once he had despatched Marco Bezzecchi, Marquez wasn’t permitting Bagnaia any relaxation time as he relentlessly pursued the factory Ducati on his year-old model.

Catching the leader was never a given but Marquez dug deep and reeled Bagnaia in, before we had a few corners of argy-bargy. To be honest, it looked like it would always be difficult for Marquez to make not only the move stick but also for him to get away once in front. Bagnaia might have been patchy this season but his performance in Jerez showed that, when he is on form, there is very little chance of beating him. It also showed that he is not afraid to get his elbows out and meet Marquez’ challenge on equal terms which, of course, he is going to have to do more often as Marquez continues to get up to speed on the Ducati.

Marquez’ rivals have every right to be worried about him. He’s not yet found the limits of the Ducati, as he himself said post-race; “I am smooth, the lap times are coming – this brings me confidence and more confidence. Still, I’m not having crashes through over-riding, so I still have some margin to understand where’s the limit.” Picture the other 21 MotoGP riders holding their heads in their hands, wondering just how they are going to beat the six-time world champion.

What was even more impressive was how fired up both Bagnaia and Marquez were by their battle. Of course, it could all have been so different had they taken each other out; then the boxing gloves would have been laced up but, to our advantage, it was a tough but clean fight between two of the best riders on the grid. Bagnaia has rarely had to fight tooth and nail with another rider for the lead of a race, leading to some onlookers to put him down as boring to watch but there can be no doubt that he is as brave as anyone. His tyres must have been shot towards the end of the race but that didn’t stop him from setting his fastest race lap by two-tenths of a second on lap 23, with only two laps left to run.

An interesting statistic about Marquez is that no other Ducati rider, either in pre-season testing or any race this season, has been faster in left-hand corners than Marquez. Through turns seven and eight at Jerez – the scarily fast left-handers – Marquez was mighty, which enabled him to attack at the turn nine right-hander. It would have been interesting to see, if he made the move stick, whether he could have resisted what would undoubtedly have been a strong response from Bagnaia but we will never know as Bagnaia fought fire with fire and came out on top.

You have to wonder whether Marquez was being a little cautious in the final laps, mindful of the fact that he was battling with Ducati’s factory superstar while also potentially seeking a seat at the top team in 2025. Another incident taking both of them out, as happened at Portimao, wouldn’t have pleased the Ducati hierarchy any. Of course, Marquez might have been settling for a safe second place but it certainly didn’t look like it, being a mere 0.4 seconds behind Bagnaia at the flag: that’s not a rider who has backed off…

As usual, both Honda and Yamaha had dire race weekends, Quartararo’s Sprint performance notwithstanding. Nor was there much to promote a sense of hope in the post-race test on Monday. Honda’s team riders tried a ‘new’ RC213V, as developed by test rider Stefan Bradl, but described it as ‘not the right direction’, while another development showed more promise for the future.

Yamaha tried a new aero and a new chassis, neither of which offered any significant gains, but at least both manufacturers are trying hard, rather than showing signs of throwing in the towel. Of course, spending big bucks on Quartararo’s new contract shows that Yamaha has no intention of giving up and we just have to hope that both Yamaha and Honda return to the front sooner rather than later, if only to spice up the already fantastic show.

Le Mans is up next and who would bet against it being another thriller? One factor to bear in mind is the Ducati GP24’s propensity to suspension chatter when track grip is high, as it is at Le Mans. Jerez is notoriously un-grippy, which is why Bagnaia was able to run at such a fast pace. Conversely, the KTMs were bothered by chatter in Jerez.

For goodness’ sake; it’s difficult to keep up with anything at the moment in MotoGP. No sooner have you written one thing about what’s going on in the paddock, than it’s completely out of date and yet more news, supposition, rumour, conjecture and mere tittle-tattle emerges, giving a completely different picture. Perhaps this should become a daily column rather than a once-in-a-while feature!?

So, what’s new? Well, it seems that Pedro Acosta might have been offered a two-year deal by KTM from 2025, taking him to 2027, rather than to the end of 2025 as per his current rumoured agreement. This is a big statement from KTM, meaning that they want to keep him locked in for as long as possible and stall losing him to a rival manufacturer, on whose radars he must inevitably be.

Then, there are the satellite team shenanigans. Pramac is loudly being touted as moving to Yamaha; negotiations are said to be at an ‘advanced stage.’ Pramac’s current contract with Ducati comes to a close at the end of this year but there is an option to extend that for a further two years, an arrangement that would guarantee the team the use of current bikes, which they enjoy in 2024, and means factory-spec GP25s next year. There is no hint of dissatisfaction on either side of the Ducati/Pramac relationship and, given the success the team enjoyed in 2023 and are currently enjoying in 2024, it would seem a strange move to swap to Yamaha for 2025. Maybe the money on offer is too tempting?

Whatever bikes Pramac is running in 2025, it seems as if Jorge Martin will not be a part of it, as he has stated that, unless he is promoted to the factory Ducati team, he will go wherever a factory bike is on offer. Currently, that realistically means Aprilia or Yamaha, with the factory Ducati team a possibility if Bastianini is moved aside which, on current form, seems unlikely. It seems strange that Martin would quit Pramac and factory-spec Ducatis – and Ducati completely if there is no factory bike – where he has had so much success, narrowly missing out on the championship in 2023 and currently leading in 2024. But he obviously has a high opinion of his talent – and rightly so – and believes only a factory seat will do justice to it.

VR46 would like to stay with Ducati in 2025 and beyond, but only if they can use factory-spec current bikes. If Pramac exercises its option, then GP25s would not be available for VR46, so would that push VR46 into Yamaha’s hands, despite the team allegedly having rebuffed an approach? Possibly not if Pramac move to Yamaha.

Gresini would also like a GP25 in 2025 in order to keep Marc Marquez but that won’t happen if Pramac…. etc, etc. So, if you haven’t already worked it out, the key team here is Pramac; once they have made a decision, then there are either factory spec bikes or the crumbs of year-old bikes to be divided out.

But, hang on; according to Italian magazine, Motosprint, Pramac is also making a bid for Marquez’ services but that all revolves around Pramac staying with Ducati and getting 2025 bikes. With Martin definitely going, no matter what, there would be a space for Marquez, who has a one-year contract with Gresini.

There’s an added complication with the arrival of Fermin Aldeguer from Moto2, who has been snapped up by Ducati and, while his destination is unconfirmed, it is expected to be Pramac….if the team stays with Ducati and doesn’t go to Yamaha. Confused yet?

As for Honda, well, its satellite team LCR is out of contract with the Japanese manufacturer for 2025. Having been with Honda for 18 years, the team has Honda writ large through its entire structure and it is unlikely that the connection will not continue. If LCR chooses to jump ship to KTM, who have made a “friendly phone call” to team owner Lucio Cecchinello, then that would mean that Johann Zarco, who is on a two-year contract with Honda, would have to be moved to the factory Repsol Honda team alongside Luca Marini, who is also contracted for 2025, leaving Joan Mir searching for a ride with another team.

It also appears as if Maverick Viñales is on Honda’s wish list. Viñales is out of contract with Aprilia at the end of this season and, should the team and rider not be able to agree on terms, then could a Viñales/Honda partnership be on the cards?

It’s better than a soap opera!

In the meantime, there is the relatively mundane prospect of a race this weekend to get in the way. Normal service will be resumed on Monday…

Maybe it’s not too apparent in this country, but smaller displacement motorcycles are huge business in both India and in other Asian countries, as well as rapidly gaining popularity in European countries as well. The manufacturers have quickly cottoned on to the fact that, by building motorcycles in purpose-built factories in Asia and India, they can not only gain access to enormous experience and knowledge of partner manufacturers but also have ready markets for their products without the attendant shipping costs.

For Triumph, in addition to its factories in Thailand and Brazil, that means a development partnership with Bajaj in India, and the first fruits of that partnership have arrived on South African soil in the form of the Triumph Speed 400 and the Scrambler 400 X, which were recently launched at Triumph Johannesburg.

These will be interesting models for Triumph; too expensive for the delivery market and, perhaps, too small for the distances SA motorcyclists are likely to cover on country-wide trips. But the market is changing; ever-rising petrol prices are forcing people to look at their transport solutions more closely and, where before a motorcycle would be used for leisure only, more and more a small, nippy bike is becoming an attractive alternative to a car for city work and the occasional longer-distance journey.

A common perception is that “small” equates to “cheap”, as in quality. But, if there is one thing that Triumph doesn’t do, is ‘cheap.’

Both of the new models display that unmistakable element that is a hallmark of modern Triumph; expensive-looking quality. There have been no corners cut whatsoever, either in engineering and build quality or appearance and, while we have yet to ride one, reports from around the world where they have been ridden by the press have only one thing in common; this is a seriously good motorcycle, regardless of the fact that it sits in a particular category whose main criteria is low price.

Looked at from a distance you could be forgiven in thinking that, in the Speed 400 and the Scrambler 400 X you were looking at new Bonneville models. Get up close and the impressions lose nothing by realising that they aren’t of the Bonneville family. Of course, it’s subjective, but they are extremely good-looking and there is a pleasing lack of plastic anywhere – the side panels and mudguards are about it for that material. The more you look, the more you are convinced that Triumph must be about to price itself out of the market.

That would be commercial suicide, but it is hard on first acquaintance to work out how they could be anything but really expensive and thus limit their appeal. Happily (and rather obviously) that is not the case, and while R100,000 for the Speed 400 and R110,000 for the Scrambler 400 X* might sound like a lot – and it undoubtedly is – it’s really not expensive in motorcycle terms in 2024, especially when you consider what you are getting and, also, what the opposition is charging; the KTM 390 Duke comes in at R109,999, while the 390 Adventure is R131,999. These are arguably Triumph’s two closest rival models – one might add the BMW G310, although it loses out on capacity and power – and, while we’ll have to wait to compare them side-by-side, KTM has some serious competition.

The bare bones are these: a 398cc, overhead valve single-cylinder engine, developing 40 horsepower and 37Nm of torque, pulling along 170kg (Speed 400) and 179kg (Scrambler 400 X). You get LED lighting, a combination LCD/analogue dash, traction control and ABS and a USB-C port as standard.

Forget the fact that they’re built in India, Brazil or Thailand. These are beautifully put-together motorcycles and it defies logic that these are Triumph’s first attempts at small-capacity motorcycles: they are quality pieces of engineering and construction and an immediate and worthy entry into this class of motorcycle in SA.

Forget also that they are small-displacement models; these are proper, grown-up motorcycles that give only outright performance away to larger models in the Triumph line-up.

For more information, contact Triumph South Africa on 011 444 4444 or visit the Triumph website – www.triumphmotorcycles.co.za

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* These are introductory prices, by the end of the year, expect the price to increase slightly.

Ryan van de Coolwijk, the Business Unit Head, of Cyber, Collectibles and Business Distribution at iTOO, a Special Risk division of Hollard, also has the insurance of classic and vintage cars and motorcycles as part of his portfolio. He asked me if I would be interested in travelling down to Newcastle to cover the iconic DJ Rally. The DJ bikes start off in Hillcrest and overnight in Newcastle. “Hell yes!” was my reply after giving it at least 3 seconds of serious consideration. Rather than go down on my regular bikes, I chatted to Bruce Allen at Triumph SA about the possibility of hooking us up with a brace of Bonnie’s for the trip. The Modern Classic Bonneville’s would look way more suitable shadowing the DJ bikes.

So it was that Ryan and I picked up a T120 and a Street Scrambler 900 at lunchtime on the Thursday before the DJ weekend. We planned to ride down to Newcastle and then, on Friday, ride down to meet up with the DJ bikes approaching Newcastle for their overnight stop. As always, the trip really only begins once you leave the urban sprawl of Jo’Burg. Having said that, both Bonnie’s made short work of the traffic. The neutral riding position and torque-laden motors punt you past slower traffic effortlessly. I was on the T120 and Ryan the Street Scrambler 900. I owned a Street Scrambler for a while and loved it, so I wanted to spend some time on the T120. The weather was hot and humid, so the blast of air on the naked Bonnie’s was welcome.

We needed to press on with Newcastle over 300 k’s away and not wanting to ride in the dark. The bikes are such a pleasure to ride. Cruising at the speed limit is perfect on a naked bike. The high torque motors, with their muted 270-degree parallel twin motors, are both smooth and refined. The Scrambler has a 5-speed gearbox, whilst the T120 has six speeds. It ambles along feeling absolutely stress-free and relaxed. With its 105 Nm of torque at a mere 3,500 rpm, there is always power on tap. The 900 makes its 80 Nm at an even lower 3,230 rpm. Power on the 1200 is 79 horses @ 6550, with the 900 making a conservative 55 hp @ 5,900 rpm. Torque is what these bikes are about. They both have oodles of creamy shove.

We turned off the N3 at Villiers, onto the old road which runs parallel to the freeway. As we approached the turnoff to Memel, we experienced a bizarre phenomenon never experienced in all my years of riding. Within the space of literally 200 metres, the hot and humid weather turned instantly cold. Talk about a cold front! I have ridden and had the temperature drop during the ride, but progressively, not in an instant. We stopped to pull on our warmer kit and then off we went. Past Memel we hit some mist and then, on the mountain, rain. It was that sort of weather where it wasn’t looking like widespread rain, so you expected the rain to abate. We didn’t feel the need to rain suit up. The rain did stop but as we got into the mountain pass proper, where there was no safe place to stop, it started chucking down. Literally, 20 k’s from Newcastle we managed to pull off the road and get our rain suits on. By this time, we were decidedly damp but the rain kit helped to ward off the cold. We were meeting the friends with whom we were staying at a really cool pub in Newcastle. A couple of ‘vuil cokes’ did much to settle the shivers.

Reflecting on the ride, the Bonnie’s had acquitted themselves well. The T120 is a relaxed ride. Stable and sweet handling, it is not set up too stiff, so it handled the varied road surfaces which we traversed well. The Scrambler’s shocks were a bit soft and bottomed on some of the bumps. Feeding in some more preload transformed the bike’s handling. It turned better and handled the bumpy roads well. Long-distance touring on a naked bike is rather hard work. Triumph offers various accessories to make your ride more comfortable but you then sacrifice “the look”. These bikes are both stunning renditions of classic Triumphs of yesteryear. The clean classic lines are such a huge part of their appeal that I would struggle to fit screens and such. I suppose you could pimp it for trips and then strip it back to its naked best once home.

On the Friday we rode down to Fort Mistake to meet the DJ bikes. It was sunny and warm. After the freeze of the night before it was so pleasant to cruise through stunning scenery on the beautiful Bonnie’s. This sort of riding is these bikes’ reason for being. The essence and simplicity of motorcycling. I gave the bikes a good wash to get rid of the wet road crud and restore the bikes to their full glory. Sitting and sipping on a coffee and ogling the bikes confirmed what handsome and desirable beasts they are.

The T120 has non-adjustable 41 mm Kayaba forks and twin RSU shocks with adjustable preload. It sports 120 mm of travel at each end. The classic Bonneville tank holds 14,5 litres. It is a doddle to get over 20 km/L so a range of over 300 k’s is easily achieved. Twin 310 mm Brembo discs up front and a 255 mm rear disc with a Nissin calliper provide ample predictable stopping power with a good feel, hauling the 236 kg bike to a stop without fuss. The wheels are spoked, in true classic style, laced to beautiful alloy rims. A 100/90-18 wheel does duty up front with a 150/-17 on the back. A seat height of 790 mm makes the T120 accessible to most. The seat is flat and comfy. There is ample space for your significant other to enjoy the ride with you. The exhaust pipes are the classic Triumph pea-shooter design, reminiscent of classic Triumphs from the past. They emit an extremely pleasant throaty burble.

The Street Scrambler 900 is more of a styling exercise than a scrambler in the true sense. It certainly pulls off the look. The twin exhausts sweep along the side of the bike and exit in two trumpet-shaped reverse cone mufflers. It feels significantly smaller than the T120. With a 12-litre tank, it is 13 kg lighter than the T120, at 223 kg wet. Kayaba suspension provides 120 mm of wheel travel. Like the T120 it only has preload adjustment on the rear shocks. Both bikes are well set up and decently damped.

The 900 has a single 310 mm disc up front and a 255 mm rear, chomped on by Nissin callipers. Staying true to the Scrambler theme, the front wheel is a 19-inch. Sizes are otherwise the same as the T120. The seat is a two-piece design, with a smaller pad-type back seat and a reasonably comfortable single front seat. The previous model had an alloy base to which the back seat was mounted, whereas the current bike has a plastic ornamental base. The alloy base is now offered as an accessory. I preferred the old alloy setup which, for me, stuck way closer to the original ‘desert sled’ scrambler theme. The high-riding pipes look superb, but the form is a bit better than the function. You are aware of the pipes splaying your leg ever so slightly on the right.

Cruising up and down the field of DJ bikes, Ryan and I had an absolute ball on the brace of Bonnie’s. Comfy and easy to ride, they are the epitome of motorcycling simplicity and classical elegance. The T120 has superb cruise control which came into its own as I set it to match the speed of the DJ bikes, giving me a hand free to take photos. The torque of the motor allows it to trundle along effortlessly. On the Saturday we rode over the Majuba mountain pass with its long smooth sweeping bends. The Triumphs were an absolute pleasure, railing through the sweeps with accuracy and aplomb. The T120 that I was riding at this point was nothing short of sublime through the bends. I was not pushing it, but riding at a decent clip through the mountains was just so rewarding on the big Bonnie.

The DJ route took us to Volksrus and then Standerton and across to Heidelberg. By and large, the roads are in reasonable nick and pleasant to ride. I made a mental note to take this route to Durban rather than the N3. It is so much more chilled and scenic. Perfect on bikes like the Bonnie’s, where speed is not of utmost importance, but riding pleasure is your aim. Rejoining the N3 at Heidelberg, the weather was now properly hot, in stark contrast to the cool mountain air over Majuba. Rolling into Jo’Burg on the big Bonnie’s was the end of an epic weekend of riding on equally epic bikes. I cannot think of any other bikes that could have been as enjoyable and authentic. It was like a two-day distinguished gentleman’s ride. Admittedly, the bikes were way more distinguished than the riders, but you get my drift, I am sure! A huge shout out to Bruce and Triumph SA for the privilege of riding the splendid brace of Bonnie’s, it is truly appreciated.

Triumph Bonneville T120 & Street Scrambler 900

For more information on the bikes featured in this article, click on the links below…

It would be fair to say that Pedro Acosta is setting the cat among the pigeons in the MotoGP firmament. Mind you, a resurgent Marc Marquez is doing exactly the same thing; both are upsetting the pecking order and, in the case of the rookie, it is a question of when and not if he wins a race.

According to many sources, not least of which is Jorge Lorenzo, Jerez will be the first track of the season where Acosta will have a good chance of winning, being very familiar with his home track, having scored a podium there in 2023 when he was still in Moto2. In addition, both factory KTMs finished on the podium in the MotoGP main race at the circuit in 2023. Could we see a KTM podium lock-out in 2024?

Acosta’s other advantage is that there is absolutely no pressure on him although, that will inevitably come if he continues to challenge the top of the championship table; “I have no pressure, what I have is the desire to go out on the track in front of what are probably the best fans in the world.

“Our objectives for this weekend remain the same as always, to enjoy ourselves to the fullest and try to continue with this work dynamic. It is true that Jerez is one of my favourite circuits, and in addition, our test team has trained here a lot so I am sure that the bike will do well. We also know for a fact that the RC16 does well in Jerez looking at 2023 results, and it motivates me even more to go out and give it my all since Friday in the first session.”

What is even more remarkable is that there is another rider who is already looking at Acosta’s data to try and improve his own performance. Acosta’s team-mate Augusto Fernandez has revealed he plans to study Acosta’s set-up and riding style to try and improve his own performances around a track he also knows well. That doesn’t happen every day with a rookie!

The other big talking point – and it will remain so until all available seats for 2025 are filled – is where will Marc Marquez be riding in 2025. His main focus at the moment is to post good and consistent results that will put him firmly on the radar of every team on the grid – “If you are fast on the race track, more doors are open. So this is my target,” he said – as if a rider of his talented achievements needs any help; he is still a rider whose value is at 100% but the question remains, where could he go?

Surely KTM’s focus will be to retain Acosta, either keeping him in the GasGas satellite team or promoting him to the factory squad alongside Brad Binder? It’s not inconceivable that Binder could be moved aside to the GasGas team, his contract to the end of 2026 notwithstanding but more likely is that Jack Miller would be the one to make the move. Of course, there is always the possibility that KTM might be granted a further two spots on the grid, opening the way to pairing Acosta and Marquez in a team running works bikes. Now, that would produce fireworks!

Marquez is already looking comfortable on the GP23 Ducati so a move up to the factory squad on a GP25 would be an opportunity he would grab with both hands but there will be strong competition from Bastianini and Jorge Martin; the former doing a good job convincing his bosses that he deserves to retain his seat and the latter who is widely believed to be willing to leave Ducati if he is not promoted to the factory team, potentially taking a prime spot away from Marquez.

When Marquez left Honda, it was put forward that he might return to the team in 2025 or 2026 if it showed that it was making big strides back to competitiveness. It is quite clear, however, that this is not the case, as 2024’s dreadful season continues, with no sign that anything will change as the season progresses. Marquez is hungry for an eighth MotoGP title and he will do anything to put himself into a position.

What could be a key event is Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro deciding to call time on his MotoGP career which, Aprilia’s current form notwithstanding, could be on the cards, leaving an opening for Marquez. Whether Aprilia is consistently good enough for Marquez to mount a serious challenge is open to debate but it would be a move to a factory team for Marquez, so perhaps that is a factor that could influence his decision.

One of the big talking points in recent weeks has been Liberty Media’s takeover of MotoGP. Having seen the benefits Liberty’s ownership has brought to Formula One, in terms of increased interest around the world and, especially, America, largely through the medium of television and the Drive to Survive series, would Liberty go down the same route for MotoGP?

It’s not inconceivable, but a questioning voice has been heard, not from inside the paddock but from the world of custom motorcycles. Roland Sands, the legendary high-performance custom bike designer has given his two cents of opinion and it is an interesting and insightful opinion; “Americans aren’t going to care about Europeans going around in circles on motorcycles until there’s a reason for it,” Sands told CNN.

“You’ve really got to build up characters, and you want this feeling of knowing who’s behind the helmet, and Liberty has done a fantastic job of not just doing that (with F1), but also telling the backstory of the teams. Now you feel like you’re in the know. If you’re going to do it for America the show’s gotta be in English, number one,” he said. Because nobody here wants to watch subtitles.

“You need character development, and you gotta make it a party, you gotta get it to a point where people are watching it in a bar. I mean now people will watch soccer here. They get up early in the morning and they go to bars, and they drink beer.”

Sands has identified the need for MotoGP to find a hero character, in the guise of a new Valentino Rossi, to drive its growth in the US. He asked: “What did Rossi bring to the sport? And why was he so fantastic and why did he help MotoGP grow the way it grew? It’s like, people cared about him, he was personable, he was funny, he celebrated, he gave people visual reasons to like him.”

Sands added: “We have to get the riders out there and get people introduced to them and explain why they should care about them, and then why the sport is so gnarly. It’s beautiful to watch, and it’s incredibly intellectually deep, the reasons why the bikes work the way they work, and why they don’t. It’s way more technical than any motorsport, right? And it’s also way more visible than F1 cars because you’ve got rider style, it’s got all the makings for something incredibly interesting.”

Whether the ‘Americanisation’ of MotoGP is something that all fans will appreciate is open to question, but the commercialisation of sport has been going on for so long that it’s too late to stop now. Maybe MotoGP could go the way of the old Grand National series, in which riders competed on dirt ovals, the ‘TT’ courses on dirt, complete with jumps, and circuit races! That could be interesting…!

Pepson Plastics Kawasaki Factory Racing with Michelin, Motul, Bikewise and Scottish Cables enjoyed another positive outing in the third round 2024 GXCC Gauteng Cross Country Motorcycle championship race at Bapsfontein on Saturday. D’artagnan Lobjoit came home fourth overall and in Open Class OR1 Pro, Pieter Holl won another Masters race, Wian Wentzel, second in OR3 and seventh overall backed by Ryan Angilley and Cameron Becker. Geoff Den also ended second in Veterans and Jake Pretorius second in OR4, and Jake Pretorius sixth in OR3 Pro Am.

“We had a pretty good run at Bapsfontein,” Pepson Plastics Kawasaki team principal Ian Pepper confirmed. “The guys added to their great start to the season, and we were a little luckier today. Well done to Pieter on yet another Masters victory, to Dart for a fine fifth overall and third Open bike home, our silver medal riders Wian, Geoff and Jake, Cameron and the rest. Lady luck was however not fully with us today, Jaycee Nienaber suffered a brake failure while running a strong third overall, but that’s racing!”

Pepson Plastics Kawasaki’s legend Pieter Holl remains unbeaten in Masters so far in 2024. “I had a great start and the track was fast but dusty, which made it difficult to ride fast and safe,” Pieter reports. “Warrick van Schalkwyk crept up on me and got past in the second lap, but the highlight of my race was catching and passing him again. My team was right on point and I’m sure that my refuelling must have been quicker than a Formula 1 stop! Thanks so much to Iain and the boys, it’s just great being part of this team.”

“Today was a blast aboard my Pepson Plastics Kawasaki KX 450 XC,” D’artagnan Lobjoit admitted. “It was also good to be back on top of it after being forced out by an injury last time out, but the bike was quick and agile and despite the dust, it was a great day in the saddle. I have to thank Iain and the entire Pepson Plastics team for all the effort and support, but I’m getting my eye back in now, so I am really looking forward to the next races!

“This was probably the dustiest race I have ever done,” Wian Wentzel explained. “To make it worse, I had a mediocre start but made a few important passes early on to put myself in a good position. It was a very smooth day from there, limiting the mistakes and ultimately fighting for the win aboard my little KX 250 X rocketship. The dust just made it difficult to pass safely, so I am very happy to finally put the pieces together and finish strong. And of course, a huge word of thanks to my great Pepson Plastics Kawasaki team!

“The lads did us proud out there again today,” Iain Pepper concluded. “Well done to our whole team, that was another great showing!” Pepson Plastics Kawasaki Factory Racing with Michelin, Motul, Bikewise and Scottish Cables returns to GXCC Cross Country Racing following a short early season pause with a midwinter race on Saturday 8 June.

No race report from the Circuit of the Americas could ever do justice to the spectacle we were privileged to witness: multiple leaders, overtakes, crashes, near-misses, defensive riding, get-out-of-my-way-I’m-coming-through moves and the seeming inevitability of an Aprilia victory cannot be relegated to the written word: you’ll just have to watch it for yourself.

Sheene, Roberts, Rossi, Stoner and Marquez; were riders who made an immediate impact on their sport and went on to become legends because of their achievements. They just had that something extra.

Another way of looking at Acosta’s success was given by Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsport director. The KTM boss insists that Binder can benefit from Acosta’s arrival and performance.

“That helps Brad massively,” Beirer said. “He was often our [only in-form rider] and it was not clear to him, us or anyone else to what extent this was due to the rider or the motorcycle. Now we have a second rider who is performing well. Then it is much easier to analyse where the weak points are and where we need to improve. So that will definitely make us a lot stronger. We will continue to gain momentum!”

This was one of the best races for a good while and, even when Maverick Viñales almost inevitably got to the front, we still couldn’t relax, because what had he done to his tyres to get there? Never mind the possibility that he might throw it all away by pushing too hard in order to stay ahead of that pesky Pedro Acosta, who certainly wasn’t giving up.

As if it needs repeating, this is only Acosta’s third premier-class Grand Prix but nothing about his race looked like anything other than the race of a seasoned champion. Many are the riders who have dreamed of leading a race but who have never managed it, despite being on the grid for more than a year, but Acosta made it look so easy and natural that it makes you wonder what the rest of the grid is doing.

Acosta is running basically the same set-up as he was in pre-season testing and has done little to develop the bike to his style, rather relying on learning the ropes from a stable base. If that is really the case, then his rivals need to watch out.

Another thing that Acosta’s performance has shown is that the KTM is in no way inferior to the Ducati or the Aprilia; the former has long been the yardstick and considered virtually unbeatable by its current rivals – even though it has been beaten on occasion – but it seems that the playing field is being levelled with every passing race.

What this does bring into question is the performances of Brad Binder and Jack Miller. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not putting down either of them, but even they must be wondering what on earth Acosta is doing with his GP16 that they aren’t consistently able to do.

COTA was a nightmare for both of the factory KTM riders; Miller qualified well enough but Binder had a dreadful time in Q1, ending up 17th on the grid. Tenth in the Sprint race was nothing to write home about, but his main race was hampered by losing aero add-ons at the beginning of the race;

“A tricky race for us even though I got the best launch of my life!” Binder said. “I think that was the highlight.

“In Turn 1, I tried to rail the outside to gain as many positions as I could and with the mess between riders there I unfortunately broke my rear wing and front left wing.

“20 laps around COTA with that missing wasn’t much fun.

“The bike pulled to one [side], especially on the straights. And it’s quite unstable so you have to counter-steer quite a lot. When we lose the whole rear wing you don’t have the downforce you set the bike up for. So it’s really tricky to manage after that.” Ninth place was a good result in the circumstances.

Miller, starting in 11th place, was going well at the beginning, but soon began his by-now familiar plummet through the field as his rear tyre lost all grip.

“I felt good in the group for the first six laps and very comfortable,” said Miller, who eventually finished in 13th.

“The bike was working better than yesterday but then from lap seven I ran into some grip issues immediately and it just got worse. I couldn’t carry corner speed.

“It was a bit confusing after we’d done ten laps and pushed so hard [on the same soft rear tyre compound] in the Sprint.

“We’ve got a fantastic package. I was able to fight there with the boys. But an unforeseen issue today. It is what it is.”

It may well be what it is, but it’s happening too often. Both factory KTM riders chose the soft rear tyre, while Acosta was on the medium although it will remain one of those unknowns whether Binder would have been able to follow Viñales through the pack had he not lost aero. Binder and Miller are both proven race-winners and championship contenders and it is frustrating to witness the inconsistency. But they and KTM will get it right, let there be no doubt about that.

What there can also be no doubt about is that, in Pedro Acosta, we have a huge star in the making, if he isn’t already. If we measure talent in race wins and championships, then, of course, he is a beginner with no record in the premier class. But if talent is measured in those indefinable qualities that sets one rider ahead of another, it is clear that, in Acosta, we have a new Hailwood, Agostini, Sheene, Roberts, Rossi, Stoner or Marquez; riders who made an immediate impact on their sport and went on to become legends because of their achievements. They just had that something extra.

What I would love to know is how an established rider, who obviously believes that he can win a championship, views the arrival of a rider who definitely will. Is it envy, a sense of defeat or a strengthening of the resolve? How do they process the inner admission that someone is better than they are, even though the challenger has been around for five minutes, while they are seasoned professionals? Ego plays a huge part in the make-up of any top class athlete, that and a towering self-belief, so how do they deal with the knowledge that someone is better? Would we even dare broach the subject with them?

But I digress. If we are talking about talent, then it is always great to be able to report that Marc Marquez has lost none of his, despite several woeful seasons. To see him fighting at the front with all his old bolshiness is just what we need, especially in light of the presence of the young pretender, who displays so many of Marquez’ traits; towering self-belief and talent, and a healthy disrespect for the reputations of those around him.

Like Acosta, Marquez is still learning how to ride the Ducati but he is learning fast and it is our misfortune that a front brake problem took him out at COTA just as he took the lead of the race. If it was inevitable that Viñales was coming through, no matter what, then it would have been interesting to have Marquez, Acosta and Viñales battling it out at the front.

And so to the man of the weekend, Maverick Viñales. As a demonstration of his renewed enthusiasm, he was perfection: pole position, Sprint and Main race victories. He seems to be one of those riders who needs to feel totally happy to give of his best and, at Aprilia, he is totally happy. While it would be a shame for Aleix Espargaro to be overshadowed by Viñales after putting in so much hard work to get the Aprilia to where it is, just to see Aprilia fighting at the front is enough. Nobody ever said MotoGP was fair on riders.

Ducati, KTM and Aprilia fighting at the front; what’s missing from this picture? Oh, yes, the Japanese! Rarely has a manufacturer suffered such a precipitous fall from the top, let alone two manufacturers! Honda was so bad in America, it would have come as no surprise if the team announced its immediate withdrawal from the sport. Yamaha fared little better, which makes Fabio Quartararo’s re-commitment to the team all the more intriguing.

“…The decision was not as easy [as accepting an offer from Aprilia],” said Quartararo. “But in Portugal, we had a great meeting with the top management of Yamaha engineers about the project from now until the end of the year, and also 2025 and 2026.

“There are some really interesting things that are still confidential in Yamaha. New people. The project is going to be huge. So the decision was made in Portugal.

“It was great because in Portugal [Yamaha gave me] lots of information that made me want to stay. First of all for the project Yamaha is building for the future, starting from [this] January.

“And of course, like I said before, some confidential project for the future that is going to be huge.”

It would be easy to be cynical and assume that the huge salary, rumoured to be in the region of 12 million Euros annually, was the only factor in Quartararo’s decision but, while that must have helped, it can’t be the only reason he decided to stay; he wants to win and, with there being no possibility of a seat at Ducati or KTM, he was obviously swayed by Yamaha’s plans. A resurgent Yamaha will be great for the sport, even if it will be without long-time team principal, Lin Jarvis, who will step down from the rôle at the end of 2024, bringing to a close 25 years of service to the manufacturer.

So, interesting times are ahead at Yamaha. Before that, however, there is a season to run and the next round is in Spain, at Jerez. Will that be where Acosta takes his first win? Or Marquez, for that matter? Will Jorge Martin resume his winning ways? Can Viñales create a winning streak? Has Bastianini got the upper hand over Bagnaia? How much lower can Honda sink?

The questions are piling up.

The ancient Chinese curse goes “may you live in interesting times”. When it comes to the world we live in and to the two-wheelers that are such an integral part of our lives that is certainly applicable. Whilst we can do little about the craziness of the planet, I believe we still enjoy some control over the motorcycle industry, but we may need to think ‘out of the box’, as the old cliché goes.

I spent 10-odd years in the motorcycle industry back in the ’70s and early ’80s. South Africa was experiencing what we termed “a petrol crisis” in the ’80s. Seems that due to sanctions (remember those?), we were struggling to get sufficient fuel. Speed limits were reduced to 80 km/h and fuel stations closed at noon on Saturday and only re-opened at 6 AM on Monday. To a man and showing solidarity against the people who would not sell us motion lotion, we adhered to the speed limits and suffered collectively. I rode my Honda CBX from Cape Town to Pretoria in 22 hours! Bliksem!

The one upside is that everyone, and I mean everyone, bought a motorcycle to conserve fuel. At Club Motors Honda in Pretoria, we moved 50 or more bikes a month. Dealers printed money. What a stark contrast that is to today. I believe we have an even bigger crisis with the cost of fuel today, yet dealers are bleeding. I aim to address this in another story but what I am getting at is that perhaps manufacturers and importers must think differently about how they sell their products.

It is challenging to run a successful motorcycle dealership given the low volumes of current motorcycle sales. We have also had a drastic swing to under 250cc bikes where there are volumes but limited profit. The big dogs sell but in increasingly limited numbers. Even with bottom lines cut to the bone, it is difficult to sustain profitable dealerships. So, what is the answer? Could it not be by adopting a multi-franchise approach? Historically, brand pride and perhaps a smattering of corporate arrogance have been the spanner in the works.

With dwindling sales, and an industry that could really do with a shot in the arm, this stance, in my humble opinion, needs a serious re-think. It is not uncommon, in the USA and in Europe, to find these multi-franchise dealerships with two or three premier brands on their floor. One of the few examples in Gauteng is World of Motorcycles in Centurion. So, what is the advantage of a multi-franchise dealership? Well, the net just gets thrown a lot wider. Let’s stroll through World of Motorcycles facility as an example.

The ground floor is dominated by a sea of red Bologna Bullets (or Ducati’s, if you are not that well versed in Ducati parlance), interspersed with white or insanely cool custom-painted Ducati Desert X’s.

Around the corner is a comprehensive display of bespoke Ducati merchandise for sale.

Upstairs you are greeted by a floor full of Suzuki’s with a backdrop of Suzuki goodies which kind of have you reaching for your wallet if you are a fan of the brand.

Walk on a bit and it is into Team Green territory. Kawasaki’s dominate this floor space and you can look, touch, and feel the Green Meanies to your heart’s content.

With the KMSA exposure come the recreational Kayo dirt bikes. These bikes are decently spec’d and even more decently priced. Just the ticket for shaking off the everyday stress of the wild world we are exposed to.

Oh, and you need commercial units for your business? Look no further. World of Motorcycles offers Lifan motorcycles, also part of the KMSA stable. Here you have the peace of mind of a product offering exceptional value, which has been subjected to a due diligence exercise and enjoying the backing of KMSA.

The word on the street is that World of Motorcycles has another brand that is about to be added to their already impressive stable. I threatened them with Chinese water torture and The Rack but to no avail. Their lips are sealed, but apparently, it will not be long before things are signed and sealed and they can spill the beans. Watch this space for details…

The wider offering of a well-run multi-franchise dealership makes for a pleasant and convenient shopping experience. The mainstream manufacturers all offer great products which generally compete on reasonably even terms. We know that what we pay is what we get, so premier and sometimes more heavily spec’d bikes are going to cost more. The beauty of a multi-franchise dealership is that I don’t have to drive kilometres to consider my options. It’s like the difference between a fixed-menu restaurant and an a-la-carte restaurant. The latter simply gives you more options, so it is ultimately a win-win for all concerned.

Go pay World of Motorcycles a visit at their Centurion store and you’ll get my drift. Happy shopping!

Depending on your viewpoint, aero technology is the new must-have element or a blight on the current breed of MotoGP bike. It’s actually surprising that it has taken so long for the MotoGP engineers to latch onto the benefits of aerodynamic bodywork additions to improve performance, given how long it has been an indivisible element of racing car design. Now it has been adopted, however, it is getting more and more outrageous and definitely affecting the quality of the racing, again much as it has done in the four-wheel world.

Such is the growth of understanding of aero and the realisation of the advantages it can bring, that thoughts have already turned to the rider himself; Aprilia in particular experimenting with stick-on aerodynamic panels for racing leathers, with the view of cleaning up the airflow around that annoyingly un-aerodynamic blob that is the rider.

For many years, motorcycle helmets have been developed in the wind tunnel, primarily for anti-buffeting and anti-wind noise properties, as well as smoothing the airflow over the top and down the back of a prone rider, cutting drag. The problem with this is that every rider is a different shape, so having one size that fits all, in terms of aerodynamic efficiency, has been nigh-on impossible.

Some years ago, we were privileged to be invited to the Shark Helmets factory in France, where we were given a fascinating insight into the sheer volume of research and design that goes into even the simplest helmet design.

So it comes as no surprise that Shark is the first helmet manufacturer to introduce adaptive aerodynamics to helmet design. The AERON GP helmet is the latest generation of Shark’s Racing range and has the ability to adapt its shape to the rider’s position on the bike, notably adding to rider comfort and, therefore, safety, while also having benefits to overall performance.

At the rear of the helmet is an innovative spoiler, equipped with adaptive flaps that can be set in a position that suits the rider’s riding position, offering less air resistance. Shark claims some impressive figures; an 80% reduction in force in the axial direction, which means much less side-to-side shimmy at high speeds; a 50% reduction in turbulence and a 5% reduction in aerodynamic drag.

The helmet features five air intakes and seven extractors, maintaining optimal temperature and airflow inside the helmet. It is made with a COVA structure, a combination of 80% carbon and 20% aramid.

Naturally, the rider will experience the greatest benefits on track and owners will benefit from a Racing package containing a Racing Bag, one “Dark Smoke” screen, five Tear-Offs, two anti-fog masks, five anti-pollution filters and one sheet of stickers. Even though the helmet is aimed primarily at the racing rider, there is no doubt that the casual road rider will also benefit from the improved aerodynamics.

No price has been announced for the SA market, nor has an arrival date, but the Shark website lists a price of 1,079 Euros for the AERON GP helmet, so it’s reasonable to expect a price in the region of R18-20,000 when it lands in South Africa, although it could well be cheaper. Given the claimed advantages, it might just be the cheapest performance gain you can buy.

For more information, contact Langston Motorsport at Langston Motorsports

To buy, or not to buy? This is the question many of us motorcyclists have faced at one point or another. This time we ask ourselves, should we invest in a motorcycle intercom system? The question is to some extent objective, but let’s face it, it’s largely a game of opinions, safety and convenience. Over the years the bad connotations of intercom systems have been left to dry and now they are no longer seen as motorcycle ‘e-bling’.

I haven’t always given the intercom system a green flag, only after breaking out of my motorcycle ‘purist’ shell have I given it some thought and I’m glad I did. The thing is, not all motorcyclists love riding because of adrenaline-based activities, some aren’t even bothered as to how a motorcycle might make them feel, my point is our dopamine-enriched motorcycling lives are split into so many interesting facets and even then some people commute on a motorcycle just to save money.

One thing is for sure, riding with an intercom system replaces the need to use the whole motorcycle sign language book and then some. While an intercom might not enrich the purist or the enthusiast’s means of enjoying 2-wheels, it allows so many riders to have a safer, more convenient, peaceful ride and it also allows them to connect with fellow travellers and loved ones whilst on route.

With the recent upgrade to my long-term and feature-heavy Shark Skwal i3, I thought it was time to join the “Com System Riding Association”. With so many options, it is easy to get overwhelmed and buy the wrong intercom system. There are three questions one should ask themselves before swiping their card; How many people do you typically ride with? What range will suit your group or following distance? Do you or do you not want a hands-free system?

Answering these questions myself, I then had a look at Langston Motorsport’s Interphone U-Com range. Interphone has a brilliant range to suit the needs of all types of riders, with their top-of-the-range U-COM 8R, middle-of-the-range U-COM 7R and entry-level U-COM 6R. I’m the kind of rider that prefers to ride solo or with one other rider who is capable of travelling at my pace, otherwise, my only other riding partner for the long haul sits pillion.

My criteria for an intercom: A decent range of at least 1 km, needs to connect to only one other rider or passenger and simple to use old-school controls (no hands-free).

This welcomed the U-COM 6R from Interphone and with it, three ticked boxes. Although “entre level” it’s no entre level intercom in its styling, functionality or design. The ‘6R’ is slightly chubbier than the 7R and 8R but has the same layout and design as the 7R. The 7R has the upper hand in connecting with four other riders compared to just one on the 6R. Otherwise, they are very similar and connect via traditional Bluetooth (daisy chain) and are both running 32 mm HD speakers. All three units are rated IP67 which means they are waterproof and dustproof—this was tested many times in the last few rainy months.

The 8R takes things to the next level with hands-free voice operation, connecting up to 25 riders, bigger 40 mm HD speakers and increasing its range to 1.6 km vs the 1 km on both the 6R and 7R. The 8R also uses the mesh system instead of the daisy chain link which means if one rider disappears there’s no need to stop to reconnect the system. The best way to visually explain it is to picture the daisy chain working in series and the mesh working in a web of connections, connecting individually to each rider which allows the system to reconnect automatically.

I have been riding with the 6R for the last few months and I must say I have gotten used to all the function buttons without any real struggle (even with gloves and without looking). You’ve got your volume buttons on either side of the com, your phone call button, rider connect button and the on/off button all located nicely spread apart in the centre of the unit. If you do struggle you can connect to your motorcycles TFT or you can make changes on your phone via the Interphone Unite app. Interphone gives you plenty of options for adjustment, but I’m more than happy with the traditional method.

Fitting the com unit is pretty straightforward, you’ve got a clip mount and an adhesive mount. On mine, I went for the clip mount as it fits easily on the Shark. For the interior of the helmet, you’ve got the 32 mm HD speakers that get placed behind the cheek pads and two options of microphones are available depending on whether you ride with an open or closed face. It’s a 20-minute job if all goes well.

In use on varying motorcycle types, I noticed that the 6R works exceptionally well on touring and adventure bikes, but even on my naked and sports bike, the speakers are clear up to 110 km/h. For someone like me who hates traffic and is not fond of the daily commute, having some music or a podcast playing in the background just relaxes the soul.

A nice feature on the interphone is that your music will automatically pause once a call comes in or when Google Maps has her say. The intercom still allows riders their freedom, but without missing out on the small things. If you are just using the 6R in its intercom mode you should have 15 hours of battery life before the battery is drained and a good 8 to 10 hours of music, podcasts, calls and intercom action before the battery dies. On the back of the com, you will see a waterproof covered Type C charge port for the 6R.

At the end of the day for just R4,000 at your nearest dealer, I think the Interphone U-Com 6R is a great investment for the lone wolf. If you are looking to unlock a few more goodies the 7R in my opinion gives you the best bang for your buck, but if you ride in mass on the weekends and want to connect to other devices like a Senna system the 8R is the way to go.

International Female Ride Day (IFRD) is a movement to celebrate women in motorsport and encompasses motorcyclists in over 120 countries worldwide. IFRD has become a Global initiative formed by Motoress in the USA in 2007 and has grown exponentially over the last 16 years.

The 2024 edition of the ride – the eighteenth – will be held on the 4th of May 2024, so get on your motorcycle and join other women in Gauteng in the #IFRDEveryWoman and JUST RIDE campaign.

There are various mass ride starting points throughout Gauteng: Triumph (Sandton), Ducati (Pretoria), FAST KTM/ROC Harley-Davidson (Alberton) and the
end venue is ZwartKops Raceway.

There will be a variety of food options available and various merchandise stalls on the day. There are prizes to be won & the first 300 registrants will receive a Helmet bag and tons of goodies.

To include all riding styles, there is even an organised “OFF-ROAD” adventure ride to the finale for the ladies who like a bit of dirt. The meeting point for this ride will be at Bikers Warehouse (Randburg).

Be sure not to miss out and register, as there are awesome spot prizes to be drawn on the day. For more information visit – www.ifrd-sa.co.za

The Brother Leader Tread KTM team powered through dust and grit this past weekend at the second round of the National Cross Country Championships held at Elim Farm in Gauteng.

Leading the charge was Scott Heygate, who delivered a show-stopping performance by clinching his first-ever South African National Cross Country victory, leaving his competitors in a cloud of orange dust. This win is a testament to his dedication to the sport and that a ‘keep on pushing’ attitude definitely pays off.

Heygate beamed saying, “Today was my perfect day, qualifying P1 in the time trial made my day a little easier, and controlling the race from there. I put my head down and decided that today was my day and I had full self-belief that I am going to own the day!”

He continued, “I don’t even know where to start, it is a childhood dream come true for me! Thank you so much to everyone in my corner for always believing in me, my Brother Leader Tread KTM team, my family, and Uncle Kev, a big thank you to everyone.” Heygate also thanked and complemented the farmer from Elim Farm stating that it’s been one of the best Nationals that he’s been to as well as the Route Director for a great route and safe marking.

Adding to the team’s success this weekend, Matthew Wilson continued his dominance in the OR3 Class, securing another impressive first-place finish after a rocky first round. Wilson’s consistency and phenomenal riding continue to impress, keeping him firmly in the championship hunt.

Wilson commented on the weekend saying, “Time trial started off good for me, I got a P1 in my class with a 26-sec lead from the front from second place. I had a small tumble in the first lap which led the rest of the guys to catch up a bit but I was able to pull away in the second lap, racing steady and consistently and bringing home the P1 in my class. I really enjoyed the layout of the track and the marking was really great too.”

Despite a challenging first-round crash, Brad Cox displayed his fighting spirit, battling back after being challenged with an injured ankle to claim a well-deserved third place in the Open Class, also with his eyes still firmly set on the championship.

Cox commented, “Good to be back racing at home after being busy overseas. I was glad that I was able to line up and race today getting a P3 despite my ankle injury. I was much more comfortable on my bike and pretty much rode by myself the whole day, not the ideal spot to be but we keep on building for the next round in Vryburg.

Kerim Fitz-Gerald also showcased his unwavering spirit after a significant crash early in the Seniors Class race, luckily walking away with no serious injuries. Fitz-Gerald claimed fourth place for the day.

Fitz-Gerald stated, “Round two didn’t go as planned for me, I really wanted to finish the whole race and try race for some positions. Had some bad luck in the first 5km where myself and a fellow rider got tangled up and went through the fence, ended up upside down.” He went on to say, “ I managed to finish only one lap which isn’t ideal for me as there isn’t much racing left to make up points but we will come back stronger for the next one.”

“Great race for Scotty! He dominated by leading from start to finish. Matthew also grabbed first in OR3. The track was fast and tight, but Brad did well coming in third despite his ankle injury. He likely played it safe to avoid further complications. We are incredibly proud of the entire Brother Leader Tread KTM team for their outstanding performances at Elim Farm. This round strengthens their championship position, making the next race even more exciting!” said Kerim Fitz-Gerald, Team Manager.

The Husqvarna Racing Team tackled the second round of the National Cross Country Championship this past weekend in Gauteng, celebrating double podium finishes.

Leading the charge for Husqvarna was Davin Cocker, who battled hard in the Open Class to claim a strong second place. Teammate Luke Walker mirrored the success, achieving another second-place finish in the OR3 Class on the fast and well-marked track.

Cocker commented on the weekend, “Round two was really good, qualified second in Time Trial. I tried to gain as much time as I could to get upfront but unfortunately couldn’t gain enough speed to hang with Scott Heygate. I dropped back a little bit and played it safe to limit my mistakes and came home for that second place.”

The Husqvarna Racing Team is buzzing with the results, attributing the podium finishes to the riders’ strong performances. Both Cocker and Walker displayed their capabilities throughout the demanding race.

Walker said, “I was third in class for the time trial, I made a few mistakes, so I knew what to work on for the main event. The main race started off well and I quickly got into second place. I just rode my own race from there and kept it at a safe pace to bring it home. I really enjoyed the day and I look forward to the next round.”

Kerim Fitz-Gerald, Husqvarna Racing Team manager commented, “We’re stoked to see Davin and Luke grab podiums this weekend. They delivered solid results, putting Husqvarna in the spotlight. We’re excited to see them maintain this momentum for the rest of the season.”