MRW Issue 27

ISSUE 27
MAKETHE
SA LAUNCH TEST
FIRSTMOVE
EXCLUSIVE FIRST RIDE: 2023 BMW S1000RR ICONIC SUPERBIKE: HONDA RC45

EDITOR’S NOTE
Hello MRW fans and welcome to issue
27 of our digital magazine.
Tis the season to be jolly and what
better way to help get in the festive
mood than with another great issue of
MRW. We’ve got a great issue ahead
for you to enjoy. From the latest,
greatest 1000cc screamer superbike
to new and old scooters, and some
dirty bikes. The most action-packed
magazine in SA by far!
2022 has proved to be another very
challenging year for the motorcycle
industry in SA, but we have managed
to make the most of it and continue to
bring you nothing but the best content.
We strive to bring you all up-to-date
content that is quality and relevant.
Honestly speaking, I think we as the
MRW team have done a great job. It
has been challenging in some ways
having me over in the UK now but
at the same time, it has been very
rewarding as we have been able to
bring the SA market some exclusive
content no other SA motorcycle media
company has, or will be able to get.
We’ve put the SA motorcycle media
market on the global map more than
ever, and brought the SA public closer
to the MotoGP, World SBK, BSB, and
World Endurance paddock plus all our
SA stars.
We hope you enjoy the final issue for
the 2022 year and continue supporting
us and helping spread the MRW word
as far and wide as possible heading
into the new year.
Until then, we wish you all a Merry
Christmas and a happy and healthy
festive season and New Year!
Cheers, Rob
CONTRIBUTORS
Shaun Portman
Beam Productions
Adam Child “Chad”
Sheridan Morais
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SCOOP! 2024 HONDA
CBR1000RR-R
Rumour has it that Honda is preparing an updated
version of their CBR1000RR-R superbike model for
2024. Pictured here is a rendering done by Webike.
net in Japan which says we can expect “significant
evolution not only in engine power but also in styling
with more advanced winglets!”
We love the look of this design and hope that the
powers that be at Honda have seen this and can
replicate the production models to look similar.
The schedule would have it appear at the Tokyo
Motor Show (renamed the Japan Mobility Show) in
October 2023 or the Eicma Milan Show in November.
In Japan, it is expected to be launched in January
2024, so it should be certified for racing and ready
for the 2024 season.

NEWS DESK
Honda debuts new in-line
twin CB750 Hornet
Ten years after the mid-sized naked
sportbike CB600F Hornet went out of
production, Honda is plotting its return with
claims of a class-leading power-to-weight
ratio from its brand new 755-cc inline twin.
The motor will also power the upcoming
revival of the Transalp.
Honda hit the jackpot in 1997 when it
detuned a CBR600 supersport four-cylinder
engine, and built around it a naked sporty
roadster with quality parts and more than 90
hp at the crank. The CB600F Hornet became
an overnight success in Europe, remaining
in production through a series of updates
and facelifts until 2013. At that point, Honda
substituted it with the tamer CB650F which
over time evolved to the CB650R.
In order to power the 2023 CB750 Hornet,
Honda couldn’t rely on its existing NC750
motor as it lacks the necessary punch and
sporty disposition. Evolved from half a
Honda Jazz (aka Honda Fit) car engine,
the NC750 is an undersquare, low-revving
twin designed for relaxed commuting and
astounding fuel savings.
The new engine is an inline twin with
Unicam cylinder heads which use a single
camshaft to control four valves – a setup of
CRF450R and Africa Twin fame. Measuring
755 cc in capacity, it produces 90.5 hp at
9,500 rpm and 7.7 kgm at 7,250 rpm at
the 270-degree crankshaft, via a six-speed
gearbox and a slipper clutch.
Honda suggests that at 2.81 kg/kW, the 2023
CB750 Hornet tops its class, also thanks to its
relatively low weight. With the 15.2-l fuel tank
full, the bike tips the scales at just 190 kg.
It is equipped with a series of adjustable
electronic support systems that include
traction control, wheelie control, engine
braking and engine power modes. The
rider can harness the Hornet’s power via
four selectable riding modes, consisting
of three presets – sport, standard, and
rain – and a user-programmable mode,
as each dials in different values for the
aforementioned systems.
This engine sits in a new steel diamond-type
frame that weighs 16.6 kg (36.6 lb) – two
less than that of the outgoing CB650R –
suspended on a Showa kit that features
41-mm SFF-BPTM inverted forks and a
Pro-Link monoshock, offering only spring
preload at the rear in terms of adjustability.
Braking is handled by Nissin, with two 296-
mm (11.6-in) disks and four-piston radially
mounted calipers at the front, as well as
a rear single 240-mm (9.5-in) disc with
a single-piston unit. The whole system is
supported by a traditional two-channel
ABS system, without cornering abilities that
would require a more elaborate and costly
inertial engine control unit.

NEWS DESK
rather more conservative silhouette. It comes at a time when Honda seemed
to have withdrawn from the race for power in most market segments, as for
several years the Japanese giant had turned its focus to more practical and
economical model series, like the CB500 and NC750. Even the Africa Twin
displayed Honda’s disregard for impressive figures, with the adventure bike
persisting around 100 hp in a class that has moved above the 140-hp mark.
With the 2023 CB750 Hornet, Honda seems to realign its strategy, by
designing a naked sportbike that will not be shy of any competitor in its
capacity class; and we already know that this is just the first step.
Good news for the SA market as it seems the new Hornet could be making its
way into the SA market for 2023. It will be a great addition, if priced right, as
it’s a model that makes perfect sense for the SA scene.
The 2023 CB750 Hornet uses a 5-inch
color TFT display, equipped as standard
with Honda’s innovative Smartphone Voice
Control that’s compatible with both iOS
and Android devices. The standard kit also
includes self-canceling indicators and an
emergency stop system that flashes the
hazard lights when it detects hard braking
at speeds over 56 km/h (34.8 mph).
Honda will offer the new Hornet in four
colors, supported with a long list of
accessories and upgrades that are grouped
in three packs: Sport, Style and Touring.
These include some stylish bits, as well
as several parts to enhance the bike’s
talents towards specific roles, ranging from
aerodynamic add-ons and luggage to an
adjustable quick shifter.
The new Hornet had been teased with a
concept sketch during last year’s EICMA
show in Milan, and was unveiled at the
2022 Intermot in Cologne, Germany, with a

NEWS DESK
Back on topic: this electric-driven motorbike
has a 100 V 21,5 kWh battery – no mystery
there; it’s written all over the sides.
Aerodynamics are not accounted for, as the
boxy body couldn’t care less about drag. It
doesn’t seem user-friendly in any aspect:
the seat is repulsive to even gaze at, let
alone ride on. The rider’s knees are the only
crash bars available; the tall mid-section
screams with eagerness to puncture the
motorcyclist’s ribcage on every possible
occasion.
Apart from the two straight-angle rails
that flank the charging port cap and shine
menacingly right under the biker’s torso, the
lack of cushion acts as a second repellent.
The rearward-positioned footpegs and
down-low handlebars indicate a sporty
tenure (the large rear wheel chain sprocket
backs this first impression).
Twin radial front brakes also hint at highspeed
performance, as do the fat tires
and minimalistic bodywork. The designers
describe their work as “highly modular” with
“cost-effective materials such as sheet metal
to build a self-supporting monocoque frame
also doubling as the exterior panels of this
brutalist motorcycle.”
One circular display is the digital interface
between the rider and the jagged electromechanical
two-wheeled chisel. The dismal
color combination of gray soot and grim
reaper ash only adds to this vehicle’s nuclear
fallout prospective habitat.
Solid, the Dutch company that
commissioned the Belgians to design this
motorcycle, needed a proof of concept for
their drivetrain. However, what came out
was far-fetched from the objective motoring
industry mainstream ideas.
Meet the Solid CRS-01
E-Bike Concept
Solid CRS-01 is an electric motorcycle that
is made to withstand time, elements, and
design trends. Straight lines, sharp edges,
flat surfaces, and overall uncomfortable
looks inspire an apocalyptic version of
future reality. It makes motorcycling sound
as if it were a punishment rather than the
leisure adrenaline shot of today.
Crafted by the pens and imagination of
the Belgians from the design studio of
VoyagerCo., the motorcycle is a technology
demonstrator for the Dutch EV company
Solid. Yes, this oddity broke the digital
realm’s boundaries and made it into the real
reality of the palpable three dimensions. (If
anyone questions the limping grammar of
“real reality,” please explain the concept of
virtual reality).

NEWS DESK
Italjet 500GP
Dragster
Unveiled at EICMA in Milan last month, this scooter hybrid
is certainly going to cause a stir.
Not only is this scooter drop dead gorgeous but it’s
also geared – powered by a 450cc single-cylinder,
43bhp liquid-cooled, 4-valve, six speed engine derived
from the Fantic Caballero. We’re told that engine has
also been breathed on by Italjet.
Designed by the genius mind of Massimo Tartarini
who said when asked about the project “This time we
even surprise ourselves!”
The devil is in the detail and there’s plenty to look at on
this mobile work of art. This thing is true automotive
exotica.
Italjet have christened this new category of exotica
“Urban Geared”and say the 500GP has the feeling
of a real motorcycle with the lightness and agility
of a hyper scooter.
The six-speed manual transmission is another
first for a modern production scooter and will
no doubt help this creation to blur boundaries
between the motorcycle and scooter worlds.
Italjet Dragster fans will instantly notice that the
iconic single-sided SIS front suspension set up
has been replaced with more conventional upside
down front forks, which is probably a wise move for
this application. The 47mm forks will help this scooter
to handle and the Brembo callipers all round will be a
welcome addition to the stopping department too.

NEWS DESK
As with anything from Italjet you
won’t expect to see this concept in
your local scooter shop for a while
yet, the Bologna based company
plan to introduce the 500GP to the
market in 2024, although we’ll take
that with a generous sprinkling of
finest Parmesan.
“Once again, we have achieved our
goal: to create a vehicle that did
not exist. For DRAGSTER 500GP
we were inspired by the world
of sports bikes. We wanted
to create a vehicle capable of
combining the fun you feel riding a
motorcycle with the lightness and
agility of a scooter. DRAGSTER
500GP marks a new chapter in
the history of two-wheelers and
confirms us again as a brand that
anticipates trends” comments
Massimo Tartarini, President and
CEO of Italjet Spa “
“At EICMA we are also pleased
to present the final version of
DRAGSTER # e01 Electric, the green
model for those who want to focus.”

NEWS DESK
BMW R 18 Isle of Man
If you’re a bit tired of seeing customized
Harley-Davidsons all day long, know there’s
a relatively new kid in town, and sooner or
later it may become about as visible as its
American cruiser rivals: the BMW R 18.
The German-made bike has been around
for a decent amount of time now, but it
kind of feels it isn’t exactly capturing the
imagination of riders all over as it should.
BMW is hard at work trying to make the
cruiser stick, including by having its partners
customize R 18s.
The most recent such stunt took place last
month, when BMW Motorrad unloaded no
less than seven custom R 18s. We’ve already
discussed the Black Jack, and it’s now time
for the second bike in the series, called
BMW R 18 Isle of Man.
This thing was made with help from Polandbased
BMW Dobrzanski Team Customs, and
it’s meant to honor both the place revered
by motorcycle riders all over, and German
racer Georg Meier.

NEWS DESK
Meier was the first foreign national to win
the Senior TT on Isle of Man. He did so back
in 1939 as part of the factory BMW team,
and riding a BMW RS 255 Kompressor.
It’s the location, the rider and the RS 255 this
custom R 18 is meant to honor. To that end,
the bike sports on its side the number 49,
the one Meier started with in the Isle of Man
race all those decades ago.
What’s more, it is wrapped in a color called
Isle of Man green metallic, something you
may be familiar with as it’s used on the
BMW M4. And there are even maps of Isle of
Man, some hidden in there, others displayed
in hard-to-miss places like the fuel tank.

NEWS DESK
Bartolini and Baldassarri claim
100km dei Campioni win
Elia Bartolini and Lorenzo Baldassarri have
won the eighth edition of the 100km dei
Campioni at the VR46 Ranch in Tavullia, Italy.
Hosted annually by Valentino Rossi and
the VR46 Riders Academy, this year’s
100km dei Campioni pitched 40 stars of
the motorcycle racing world against each
other in teams of two – eight of whom
compete in the premier class. It was Luca
Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and
Rossi who started on pole, with Bartolini
and Baldassarri getting the holeshot from
second on the grid.
At the end of the 50-lap race around the
VR46 Ranch layout, Marini and Rossi – last
year’s winners – had to settle for P2, with
Celestino Vietti (Fantic Motor) and Niccolo
Antonelli taking the final spot on the podium
in third. Rounding out the top five were four
more Italians in the form of Franco Morbidelli
(Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and
Andrea Migno in P4, with 2022 MotoGP
World Champion Francesco Bagnaia
(Ducati Lenovo Team) and Marco Bezzecchi
(Mooney VR46 Racing Team) in fifth.
The Saturday’s special ‘La Americana’ race,
competed on the oval layout, was won by
Marini ahead of Morbidelli and Vietti.

NEWS DESK
2022 IN REVIEW:
Ducati World Superbike
The titles in the MOTUL FIM Superbike
World Championship headed to Italy and
Bologna as Ducati took a WorldSBK triple in
2022 by winning the Riders’, Manufacturers’
and Teams’ Championships after an
incredible season. The Riders’ title belonged
to Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
as he took Ducati’s first Championship
since 2011, while the Italian manufacturer
were able to end their Manufacturers’
Championship drought stretching to the
same year. After racing concluded for the
season, Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Team
Manager, Serafino Foti, reviewed the
manufacturer’s “amazing” season.
The 2022 campaign started for Ducati
when re-signing Bautista after two seasons
away, after the Spanish rider came into
WorldSBK with Ducati in 2019. He initially
took the Championship by storm, winning
his first 11 races, but missing out on the title.
He switched to Honda for 2020 and 2021
but returned to Ducati for his title-winning
campaign on the Panigale V4 R and Foti
discussed Bautista’s campaign which
featured 16 wins and 31 podiums in 16 races.
Comparing it to 2019, Foti said: “To be
honest, the approach of Alvaro this year is
completely different. At the beginning of this
year, he said every time, ‘okay, please, see it
race by race’. Also, at the end of the season,
the same approach, he was not focused on
the Championship. This year, compared to
2019, was much better regarding consistency.
It was unbelievable. He made only one
mistake, at Donington, and this has made the
difference. He won a lot of races, like in 2019,
but he was more consistent than before.”
2022 proved to be an incredible year
for Ducati as they took the triple of
Championships in WorldSBK, adding to their
success from MotoGP where they also
completed the triple. Foti was keen to praise
the team members who helped Ducati enjoy
so much success in 2022 as well as stressing
that Ducati will enjoy this success, with
the manufacturer waiting 11 years between
WorldSBK titles.
He said: “It was an amazing season because,
after many years, we have never given up,
we have worked really, really hard and finally
we reached our dreams. This is amazing.
Without these fantastic guys, it would not
have been possible to achieve this so I would
like to say thanks to all the team, all the
engineers and all the people involved in this
project. Everyone did a really great job and
we are really, really happy. We will enjoy this
moment. This is the maximum level because
the World Championship is the maximum
level. Of course, the racing spirit of Ducati
is amazing. Everyone pushes in the same
direction and really hard. We did a lot of
jobs, we worked really hard and finally, we
are here. This year was amazing but because
everyone was working really well, and no one
gave up.”

NEWS DESK
Three Ducati riders in total featured on
the podium this season as Michael Ruben
Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) claimed
four rostrum visits and Independent rider
Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) took
three as he continued to impress in his
second WorldSBK campaign. Bassani also
claimed the Independent Riders’ title for
2022 while the Motocorsa Racing team,
using Ducati machinery, claimed the
Independent Teams’ honour.
best is difficult! We will try to do the same.
Now we will disconnect for one week or two
weeks, and then we need to work really hard
because we have the test in January. We
need to continue winning next year.”
Discussing Rinaldi’s and Bassani’s season,
Foti said: “For Michael, we expect more for
next year because we want to see him on
the podium in all the races. But, anyway,
he finished fourth and after the top three
guys. There are three World Champions.
Also, Bassani won the independent title. We
will try do the same next year because the

NEWS DESK
Bautista and the Panigale V4 R was after the
Spaniard’s return to the Italian manufacturer.
Although Yamaha and Razgatlioglu were
able to run Bautista close throughout the
season, Bautista wrapped up the title with
a round to spare in Indonesia to become
the third different Champion from a third
different manufacturer in three seasons.
Looking back on the key moments of
2022, Denning said: “What needs to be
acknowledged is that the Bautista-Ducati
package and the level that Jonathan and
Kawasaki got to this year was far, far higher
2022 IN REVIEW:
Yamaha World Superbike
After taking the MOTUL FIM Superbike
World Championship crown in 2021,
Yamaha and the Pata Yamaha with Brixx
WorldSBK squad were once again in the
title fight in 2022 but had to settle for
second place with Toprak Razgatlioglu
(Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) in the
Riders’ Championship after a hard-fought
campaign. After the season ended, Team
Manager Paul Denning looked back on the
2022 campaign for both Razgatlioglu and
teammate Andrea Locatelli who ended his
second campaign in WorldSBK in fifth place.
Razgatlioglu ended the 2022 campaign with
14 wins and 29 podiums to finish in second
place, taking one more win than in his titlewinning
campaign and the same number
of podiums. After taking his first win of the
season at Misano, Razgatlioglu won 14 of
the next 25 races to haul himself into title
contention, but a Race 1 crash at San Juan
allowed Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing –
Ducati) to pull further clear of Razgatlioglu
in the standings.
Reflecting on Yamaha’s 2022 season,
Denning said: “We won 13 races last
year with Toprak and 14 this year. As
it’s turned out this year, with Alvaro
making one mistake in the whole
season which was Donington when
he tucked the front and had a DNF, as
a team, as a rider, you just had to be
perfect everywhere. Not being perfect
cost us the chance to bring the fight
to Phillip Island. Alvaro deserves the
Championship. The bottom line is we
didn’t quite have enough to win the
title but, by any other measure, it was a
very successful season.”
Denning also looked back on the
season as a whole and how much of a
formidable package the combination of

NEWS DESK
than last year. With exactly the same tyres
from Pirelli, and the exact same regulations,
we were destroying pole position lap
times, destroying race distance lap times
sometimes by an average of a second a lap
and that includes Aragon and Assen; we
were so much faster than we’ve ever been
there before. In that single measurement,
you could say that was a great step. But the
bottom line is it wasn’t enough to run with
those two guys. Toprak was leading when
he and Jonathan crashed together at Assen;
that didn’t help as well because suddenly
those two difficult first events were capped
off by a DNF.
“The points deficit, we got to within 30 at
the end of Magny-Cours, should’ve been
better than that as we had a small problem
which contributed to Toprak’s crash in Race
1 and 11th place finish. Bottom line was we
nearly got there but then the Barcelona
race and Alvaro’s triple followed up Magny-
Cours. From there, it became pretty difficult
with only a couple to go. Toprak was just
outstanding all year. There’s a couple of little
things he knows he can do better in terms
of how we prepare for the race weekend
when things are perhaps not working as
well as they should be. We need to continue
developing the bike and Yamaha are working
very hard in that way and, operationally,
there’s a couple of things as a team. When
your competitors are that strong, you can’t
have any weaknesses, so we need to get rid
of those and make a step forward.”
Razgatlioglu’s teammate, Locatelli, embarked
on his second season with the factory team
and had a rollercoaster season. He scored
two podiums, at Assen and Indonesia, on his
way to fifth in the Championship standings;
his second top-five finish in WorldSBK in his
two seasons. Despite a tough middle part of
the season, Locatelli responded in the final
couple of rounds with six top-five finishes in
Indonesia and Australia.
Talking about Locatelli being up against
Razgatlioglu, Denning said: “That
comparison is difficult for any rider. I
genuinely believe it’s like being linked up
with Marc Marquez, it’s always going to
be very difficult. Good quality riders can
be churned out the other end of those
relationships. He went through a flat period
in the middle of the season where we
struggled with a couple of technical things
and he struggled with his confidence. We
brought something to Indonesia that really
helped his level and helped him re-gain his
confidence. That showed with his podium
performance and a really strong weekend.
Fighting with and beating the new World
Champion has given him confidence.
Following Indonesia and Australia, Loka
has a much better base to start his winter
testing at.”

NEWS DESK
2022 IN REVIEW:
Kawasaki World Superbike
One of the defining themes of the
2022 MOTUL FIM Superbike World
Championship campaign was the incredible
three-way fight between Jonathan Rea
(Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), title
winner Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing
– Ducati) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata
Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK). Despite
his best efforts, Rea finished third in
the Championship while it was also the
position for Kawasaki in the Manufacturers’
Championship, and KRT’s Team Manager,
Guim Roda, looked back on the thrilling
campaign after the Australian Round.
Kawasaki racked up 34 podiums throughout
2022 with riders Rea and teammate Alex
Lowes, but only six wins as Bautista and
Razgatlioglu shared the majority of them.
Rea was able to claim five pole positions
throughout 2022 as he edged closer to
the all-time Tissot Superpole record of 51,
held by the returning Tom Sykes (Kawasaki
Puccetti Racing), as he took third in the
Championship despite incredible fights
against both Bautista and Razgatlioglu.
Reflecting on 2022, Roda outlined where he
hopes to find gains for 2023. He said: “We
struggled a little bit more than the others
when the track surface as not grippy enough
and this happens in summertime with hot
conditions. We need to improve this area
especially. Other than that, of course, engine
power is a thing we should improve so we
have to understand how to cut this gap to
be more competitive, especially compared
to Bautista and his characteristics and ways
to extract the maximum from the Ducati.
Of course, BMW, Honda and Yamaha are
working hard with their bikes. We need to
work hard and react a little bit.”
The fights between the leading three riders in
2023 often led to them being referred to as
the ‘titanic trio’ and on several occasions, the
battle for the win came down to a last-lap
showdown. Meanwhile, Lowes was aiming to
fight for the podium after enjoying an injuryfree
campaign as he took four podiums on
his way to sixth in the Championship; his
joint best for Kawasaki since he joined the
Japanese manufacturer in 2020.

NEWS DESK
Praising both Rea and Lowes for their
2022 seasons, Roda said: “It’s the season
where Rea’s fought the most, that’s for sure.
Unfortunately, he could not get the title
back with better results, but I think it’s the
season he really tried harder and we should
be able to give him a better package to be
more comfortable to fight with the others.
Basically, for Lowes, 2020 was a Covid year
and only had eight rounds; not a lot of time
to learn how to ride the bike. It was difficult
in three months for him to understand. He
struggled last year with injuries, so he was
getting a big penalty for that.
“This third season he could start to work a
bit more to understand how to manage the
bike and stay strong enough. He’s showing
the potential to stay in this fourth position
behind the top three. I think he was more
consistent than others but unfortunately
two or three more podiums from Rinaldi
and Locatelli made the difference. In
terms of average and consistency, race
by race, I think he’s the fourth guy in the
Championship right now. We are sure we
will give him better tools next year, and he
will understand how to ride much better
and he will be closer to the top three.”

NEWS DESK
2022 IN REVIEW:
BMW World Superbike
Change was in the air at the BMW Motorrad
WorldSBK Team in 2022 as Scott Redding
joined the team for the MOTUL FIM Superbike
world Championship as the German
manufacturer looked to build on their racewinning
2021 campaign. Three podiums fell the
way of BMW but they were locked into a battle
with Honda for fourth in the Manufacturers’
Championship standings, eventually coming
out on top after a last-round showdown. Team
Principal of the BMW factory team, Shaun
Muir, looks back on a rollercoaster season for
the German manufacturer and outlines his
ambitions for next season.
only Eugene. From the whole group, both
Bonovo and the factory team, we were all
struggling really to find our level. As soon
as Michael got back, effectively Estoril, he
was injured again. It took Scott maybe four
rounds to get any real feeling. He had an
okay Assen and then moving forward from
Assen it started to come to him a little bit.
He definitely needs more time on the bike
and more testing, but we became a little bit
caught up in trying to get Scott comfortable
instead of developing the bike, and I
think that was one of the areas where we
would’ve done things slightly differently.”
The season started at MotorLand Aragon
in April with Redding scoring only a single
point over three races at the Spanish
BMW’s campaign was disrupted by two
separate injuries to Michael van der Mark, first
in pre-season testing where he missed all the
action and then on his return at the Estoril
Round which forced him to sit out until after
the summer break. It meant the BMW factory
team had no reference for Scott Redding on
the M 1000 RR as Illia Mykhalchyk replaced the
Dutchman. Despite showing impressive pace, it
was Mykhalchyk’s first outing on the WorldSBKspec
BMW machine as he made his debut in
the Championship.
Evaluating how BMW’s season started and how
van der Mark’s injuries impacted the team, Muir
said: “When we look at where we started with
Scott, we had a really, really tough time in preseason
testing. Scott found it really difficult.
Went to Aragon and he was really lost. Didn’t
have Michael. Mykhalchyk stood in for Mickey
so we completely lost our reference point and,
obviously, Loris was new to the Bonovo team,
so we didn’t have a reference on that side;

NEWS DESK
venue, before improving his results and
scoring three podiums in three rounds
at Donington Park, Autodrom Most and
Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours; the latter
his best result of the season with second
place. The best results of the season came
after BMW introduced a raft of upgrades
including a new swingarm, helping them
to beat Honda in the Manufacturers’
Championship,
Muir added: “When the updated bike
comes out, it’s got some ergonomic
changes to that. The chassis should be
better for us, the engine characteristics
should be better for us, the gearbox will
be better for us. We’ll have an evolution of
the Kalex swingarm which is well publicised
that we got in the middle of the year. I think
that made small differences but not the
main differences. I think the main difference
for us was that Scott settled down. Loris
Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) started to find
some pace as well, but it was clear to us
that we just needed more time and more
laps under our belts. Coming out of that
three podiums on the spin, and the steps
we’d made in terms of the balancing of
the chassis, I’d like to say, with the proper
base setting that Scott could refer back to
and the Kalex swingarm, the new link we
had, it really gave us a complete new base
setting that we could move forward with.
That’s effectively what we did in the middle
of the season, but we didn’t manage to
kick on from there and quite a few others
have done that, so that’s where we lost
momentum.”
Muir also discussed where BMW have been
making strong improvements throughout
the last couple of seasons as the German
manufacturer aim to become a consistent
podium challenger and race winner with
Redding and van der Mark. Their last
win game in a mixed-conditions race at
Portimao in 2021 when van der Mark took
victory, which ended a nine-year drought
for the brand, and they will be looking to
repeat that win sooner rather than later.
Discussing this, Muir said: “One of the big
things we’ve worked on between last year
and this year was getting race consistency
out of the tyre and that’s definitely
something we have improved upon. We
just really haven’t had those results to show
for it, but we certainly haven’t been sliding
down the grid at two-thirds race distance
which we would do frequently in the past.
There isn’t a one tick item that’s going
to give us that success we’re looking for.
It’s the consistency of all those parts: the
electronics, the engine, the chassis. That’s
where I feel, going into winter, we’ll be able
to consolidate a little bit more. It needs a fit
Michael. It needs Scott to really be on his
game to take us forward.”

NEWS DESK
2022 IN REVIEW:
Honda World Superbike
Big changes came to Team HRC for
the 2022 MOTUL FIM Superbike World
Championship season, with two rookie
riders and changes to both the suspension
and brake providers for the Japanese
manufacturer. Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge
joined the team for 2022 and scored one
podium and one pole position between
them, with both riders finishing in the top
ten of the Championship, and Team HRC’s
Team Manager, Leon Camier, reviewed
the season as a whole after racing had
concluded in Australia.
Looking at the whole 2022 campaign,
Camier discussed the arrival of Lecuona
and Vierge into the team as well as the
decision to switch providers; a decision
which was first revealed in pre-season
testing. The team’s one podium came
courtesy of Lecuona at Assen in Race 2,
as he took advantage of drama ahead
of him to finish third, while he also took
the manufacturer’s first pole position in
WorldSBK in six years.
Reviewing 2022 and discussing Honda’s
progress, Camier said: “It’s been definitely a
lot of progress. With two rookies, we were
confident they could come in and perform
well but also the base of our package
became a lot more stable this year, I would
say. There were quite a few changes, as
we know, from suspension and brakes
and these things which were quite a few
unknowns. Our idea was to do it now and
try and progress and to develop everything
for future profits. In general, I think the
year’s gone very well. We were really fast
many times with both riders. Many top sixes
and a podium; it was a little bit gifted, but
we had to be there to fight for it anyway.
In general, I think it’s been a good year and
we’re quite confident the future will keep
progressing. It’ll take time for sure. It’s not
something we turn around in one day. Japan
are working hard but they’re not super-fast
to make changes always and, when they do,
they want to make sure it’s to the right way.

NEWS DESK
things we know we can improve. That’s
the goal. It’s important to have a little bit
of time off over Christmas to reflect and
we already understand quite a few things
where we need to go to improve which is
important. We will have lots of meetings
and discussions over the winter to see how
we, as a team, can improve.”
Camier has now completed his second
season as Team Manager at the Japanese
manufacturer’s factory team after coming
in for the 2021 season. After overseeing
so many changes to the team in a short
space of time, Camier also looked back on
his journey at the helm following his own
riding career, believing it to be a job where
he is learning constantly and every day
throughout his time in charge,
He said: “It’s been a constant learning,
every day! I’ve honestly really, really
enjoyed it because it’s a completely new
world. There are many points to it, it’s not
just me stepping in and doing what I think
needs to be done. There’s a lot from Japan
that we always take into consideration,
their views and expectations on things.
It’s very important. We’re working on the
communication between technicians here
and in Japan. It’s not a simple situation. It’s
a lot of responsibility to jump into straight
away and it’s never ending learning. It’s a
work in progress all the time.”
It’s a bit of a philosophy from them. We’ll
keep making progress and we will arrive
with a package that we can be consistently
competitive with.”
Honda and BMW were the two
manufacturers to receive the newly
introduced super concessions system
for this season, allowing them to make
a chassis change by accumulating
concession points through their results.
Camier discussed this at the end of the
campaign as well as looking ahead to
Honda’s development path and how the
engineers at the track and those in Japan
are working to get the best out of the
CBR1000RR-R.
Camier added: “The super concession thing
is a slow burner. It’s not that you get one
thing and, all of a sudden, you’re going to
be competitive straight away. There are
so many moving parts to a team. Teams
have been in this paddock for 15-20 years
and it takes time for you, as a team to
get there. We’re the third year as a team.
There are many little parts we need to
keep improving in the team and on the
bike as well. It’s a new bike. With the first
year of Covid, nothing was really done.
Last year and this year there’s been good
progress. The hard part is the last part
and that’s where we are now. For us, as
HRC, we have to keep working on our own
project and focus on our own issues and

NEWS DESK
Corser on WorldSBK in 2022: “It’s
been fantastic to watch… this is
what makes WorldSBK so special!”
The MOTUL FIM Superbike World
Championship campaign was an
unforgettable affair in 2022 after an
incredible three-way fight between Alvaro
Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), Toprak
Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx
WorldSBK) and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki
Racing Team WorldSBK), with Bautista
coming out on top. Two-time WorldSBK
Champion Troy Corser sat down to discuss
the unbelievable season, his favourite rider
to watch in WorldSBK, Ducati’s success and
speaks about two Australian riders looking
to make their mark in the paddock.
After 12 rounds and 36 races, the
WorldSBK campaign concluded at the
iconic Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
with the action in Australia capping off
an unforgettable season. Australia’s Troy
Corser, who took the 1996 and 2005
WorldSBK titles, took time out to reflect on
the action throughout the season as Ducati
ended an 11-year drought for the title,
Bautista redeemed himself after 2019 and
the titanic trio fought throughout every
race in 2022.
Looking back on 2022, Corser said: “It’s
been fantastic to watch. To see three riders
at that level on different manufacturers,
racing so close, and the respect between
the riders I see on the track… they’re racing
hard but fair, they’re not causing any
problems to the other riders. For me, this
is what makes WorldSBK so special. For
Ducati, with the history of their success in
WorldSBK, it’s difficult to believe it’s been
11 years since they won the Championship.
I’ve always said Bautista is a great rider and
to work with the engineers and personnel
in Ducati, I think it really brought the best
out of him as a rider and he brought the
best out of the team. It’s great. He’s a good
character, very nice with the fans and the
public and everybody.”
Corser also spoke about six-time Champion
Rea, revealing he was the rider he enjoyed
watching the most on track. During the
Australian Round, Rea equalled Corser’s
record for number of starts in WorldSBK
on 377. He said: “I’d probably say Jonny
Rea. Jonny’s the rider, when I watch, who
looks like he’s very in control all the time.
I’ve obviously known Jonny for a long,
long time from when he first entered the
Championship back in WorldSSP back
in the day. Spent some time with him
also, helping him as much as possible. To
actually watch him now, to see what he’s
achieved as a rider, is pretty special. It’s
another record where I’ve been waiting
for it to be broken. For Jonny to meet this
milestone, it feels nice. Like I said, he’s a
rider that I’ve always enjoyed helping and
watching him win and for Jonny to take my
record, I guess you could say, it’s good.”
An Australian rider will be on the
WorldSBK grid as Remy Gardner joins
the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team
from MotoGP, making his debut in the
Championship aboard the Yamaha YZF-R1
machine. Corser spoke about Gardner’s
chances when he joins WorldSBK, while
also discussing Oli Bayliss who made
his debut in WorldSSP this year with the
BARNI Spark Racing Team and took a best
finish of sixth in tricky conditions at the
Circuito Estoril.
Discussing Gardner and Bayliss, Corser
said: “For Remy, for me, it’s a little bit
difficult to see where he’ll finish in
WorldSBK. For sure, he’s a very talented
rider, but it’s a different paddock. He has
a lot of talent, he’s very fast, but to put a
whole season together here, it’s not easy.
He’s learnt a lot in MotoGP but I think
the Superbikes are probably a little bit
harder to ride. I wish him all the best. We’ll
wait and see, it’s difficult to say before I’ve
seen him on a Superbike. Oli Bayliss, for
sure, has a lot of pressure, I think, because
of his father, Troy’s, success and with the
name. He seems quite calm and relaxed.
He still needs a bit of experience, a bit
more time on the bike. But it’s fantastic to
see Troy have his son out there, I’m sure
he’s very proud to see his son. I’m sure
it’s very stressful also, for him and Kim!
I’d like to say he could be another World
Champion but there’s a long way to go at
the moment for him, just to get results and
get experience.”

NEWS DESK
Reflecting on his first outing with Puccetti
Kawasaki, Sykes said: “It was nice to be on
familiar territory. The test itself, honestly? I
was talking to a friend before the test and
he asked me my expectations. I gave him
my answer, and we went past that answer.
I am really happy, to be honest, because
all things considered, it was really nice to
get to work with all the Kawasaki Puccetti
Racing team to start the relationship. And
just really try to understand some key
points. Unfortunately, there was a bit of
disturbance from track conditions. The
test was very compressed but, honestly,
I was pleasantly surprised with the end
result. From here we know we have got a
clear plan. Overall, we know where we can
work forward now. I am happy and looking
forward to more time with the team and
track time with the bike in the next test.”
The 2023 WorldSBK season will be the
first time since the 2018 campaign that
Sykes has ridden on a Kawasaki machine.
He raced with the Japanese manufacturer
between 2010 and 2018, winning the 2013
title and finishing second on a further three
occasions, before he made the switch to
BMW for 2019. Three seasons with the
German manufacturer came to an end
at the end of the 2021 campaign and
Sykes returned to the British Superbike
championship, racing on Ducati machinery.
Sykes “really happy” after
first Puccetti Kawasaki test
Tom Sykes returned to MOTUL FIM
Superbike World Championship action on
Friday as he linked up with the Kawasaki
Puccetti Racing squad for the first time
since it was announced he would race
for the team in the 2023 season. Sykes
and the team headed to the Circuito de
Jerez – Angel Nieto for their first winter
test together, with Sykes taking part in the
second day only after rain and a wet track
interrupted the running on day one and
limiting it on day two.
Sykes posted a best lap time of 1’40.949s
during his test, which was only during the
second half of the second day when track
conditions improved, as he completed 35
laps on his ZX-10RR that he will race on in
2023. His lap time was around one second
off the pace set by his former teammate,
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team
WorldSBK), with Rea setting a 1’39.911s as
he, like Sykes, only took part on the second
day of testing.

NEWS DESK
Discussing on his return to the ZX-10RR,
Sykes said: “I jumped on the bike and of
course there is familiar territory there.
Obviously, got out on track, and there
were still some things missing to make
it comfortable. Things like the handlebar
position and other things. For me, the day
before the test, I went there with a bit of
an expectation. If I could meet that target,
then I could accept that as a good starting
point. I have to say I met that target and
expectations. I know there’s work to be
done. It was great to spend time with
Manuel and understand his goals and
expectations. I have to say I’m quite happy
with that initial test especially considering
it was quite a busy second afternoon to the
test. We needed to have a look at some
key items, and we did not have the luxury
of long runs. Considering I only had 34 laps
on the package, I really feel that there’s a
big room for improvement and that only
gives me motivation moving word.”
Team Manager Manuel Puccetti also
discussed Sykes’ first test, saying:
“Unfortunately we had to settle for a few
hours where the track was dry, but they
were enough to be fast right away, and
not far from the lap times of the official
Kawasaki riders. Team and rider worked
very well together, and Tom was quick to
adapt to electronics that he hadn’t used for
over a year. We managed to try many new
things, which we will try again at the end of
January here in Jerez. Sykes’ debut on our
bike was undoubtedly a positive one, which
gave enthusiasm to the whole team.”

E X C L U S I V E T E S T
WORDS BY ADAM CHILD ‘CHAD’ | PICS BY BMW MOTORRAD
THE SUPER TECH
BMW S 1000 RR
BMW has upped their superbike
game with the new 1000 RR.
Featuring significant upgrades and
more advanced electronics, the 2023
machine will have the competition
worried, especially in terms of its
track performance.
The RR adopts the steering geometry,
adjustable swing-arm pivot and ride
height adjustment of the M-Sport, plus
a few more top-end horsepower from
the excellent ShiftCam engine along with a pair
of distinctive aero wings. Electronics have taken a
significant step forward with a new DTC Side Control,
MSR engine brake torque control system, BSA Brake
Slide Assist, ABS Pro, cornering ABS for use on track
with slicks fitted, and even an ABS Stoppie feature
– see, the Germans can have fun. Many of these new
features are due to the new steering angle sensor.
We headed to Almeria in Spain to see if the new S
1000 RR can make you ride like Scott Reading, or at
least make you feel like you can.

POWER
206.5bhp @
13,750rpm
TORQUE
113Nm @
11,000rpm
WHEEL
BASE
1457mm
SEAT
HEIGHT
824mm
WET
WEIGHT
197kg
AROUND THE TRACK
Changes to the chassis are not dramatic and
essentially stolen from the proven M 1000 RR.
The S 1000 RR also gets the M chassis kit, with
an adjustable swingarm pivot point, while BMW
has revised the rear shock and 45mm USD forks
for 2023. As fitted to our test bike, electronic
damping adjustment is an optional extra with
the DDC ‘Dynamic Damping Control’ package,
(Dynamic Package heated grips, cruise control,
dynamic damping, riding modes pro) £1,400)
altering the suspension settings to suit the
selected riding mode.
Quoted weight remains the same, 197kg fullyfuelled
for the standard bike, 195.4kg with the
optional ‘Race Package’ that adds forged alloy
wheels instead of die-cast rims, and 193.5kg
with the ‘M Package’ option that swaps them for
lightweight carbon wheels, which were fitted to
our test bike, (M Pack carbon wheels, M colour,
M Seat - £4,480).
The Flex Frame uses the engine as a stress
member, the wheelbase has increased and
chassis dimensions are more relaxed, the
steering head angle is shallower, again very
similar to the M 1000 RR. Wing appears for the
first time, generating up to 17.1kg of downforce
at 300kph, or 186mph, 7.6kg at 200kph, 11.9kg
at 250kph.
We had the advantage of perfect conditions
in southern Spain in Almeria as well as preheated
Bridgestone slicks. BMW fitted the
M-Sport carbon wheels and set the DCT
suspension to match the high-grip tyres and
track temperatures. Conditions could not have
been better.
The changes are not huge but are significant.
Within a few laps, you feel at home on the
S 1000 RR; like a bike you’ve been racing all
season. You immediately click and understand
how the new chassis translates to the rider.
The BMW isn’t a sharp, cutthroat sports bike as
its aggressive ‘winged’ looks suggest. Instead,
MID-CORNER GRIP
AND FEEDBACK ARE
EXCELLENT, AND
BODY POSITION
CHANGES DON’T
APPEAR TO UPSET
THE CHASSIS OR GRIP.
it’s its ease of use that shines. The steering is
sublime: look where you want to be and you’re
there. Apexes are hit with perfect accuracy lap
after lap and with minimum effort. You don’t have
to force it; everything input is met with a willing
and natural response.
Mid-corner grip and feedback are excellent, and
body position changes don’t appear to upset
the chassis or grip. Get on the power early and,
instead of drifting wide, the BMW continues to
hold a line like it’s in an invisible berm.
Stability, too, is implacable. Towards the end of
the Almeria lap there’s a tight chicane where you
make some time by clipping or riding over the
kerbs. In the morning session I was hitting the

kerb harder and harder, leaning over further,
even braking deep over the first kerb – yet
the S 1000 RR never skipped, slid or showed
any indication of misbehaviour. It was almost
comical how hard I was hitting the kerbs without
a murmur of irritation from the suspension.
With the large TFT dash reading just over
280kph at the end of the straight, high-speed
stability wasn’t in question either.
The new, larger screen takes the majority of the
wind blast so you can get tucked in, relax and
release your grip from the bars, which remain
unflappable. It’s hard to be certain but this
may in part be down to the new aerodynamics
as well as to chassis changes like a longer
wheelbase.
ABS Pro is new for 2023 and is essentially
cornering ABS designed to work with slick tyres
(with optional Pro mode). Combine that with
the new MSR engine brake control, and BSA
Brake Slide Assist (in optional Pro mode) and it’s
a formidable braking package.
It’s amazing what you can get away with, and
almost takes the calculation of braking out of
the rider’s hands, it’s that good. The ABS Pro is
designed to work with slick rubber and allows
you to brake breathtakingly deep and late
without fear of locking the front tyre.
The new BSA works with the ABS and the
MSR and is for track use. The clutch must be
engaged, revs need to be high, and deceleration
needs to be rapid. This new clever system
work with the new steering head sensor, plus
other parameters like brake pressure, again
information from the 6-axis IMU.
The system, which features a new steering
head sensor and draws on parameters such as
brake pressure, can calculate how much you are
steering into a slide when braking heavily and
the rear end starts to come around or ‘back in’.
It took me most of the day before I could jump
on the brakes (front and rear) and allow the
system to bring the rear back in line with the
front. I’m no WSBK rider, and it took me a while
to activate the system and then trust it. But
when the system kicks in, it’s impressive.
IT’S AMAZING WHAT YOU CAN
GET AWAY WITH, AND ALMOST
TAKES THE CALCULATION OF
BRAKING OUT OF THE RIDER’S
HANDS, IT’S THAT GOOD.

MORE TECH THAN BEFORE
The updates which will have the competition
worried are the introduction of the ‘Slide Control’
function which allows the rider to preselect
one of two possible drift angles that can be
achieved before the Dynamic Traction Control
system intervenes. The clever system uses the
prementioned new sensor on the bike’s steering
angle to work out how far out of line the rear
wheel is. The BSA Brake Slide Assist uses the
same sensor, along with other data, including
information from the IMU. In theory, you can now
truly power slide and steer from the rear.
I guess this will be relevant or useful to only a
small majority of riders. For starters, you have to
turn down the DTC (traction control) enough to
get the rear spinning because you can’t power
slide unless the rear is spinning and has lost
grip. To make a rear Bridgestone slick ‘let go’ in
perfect conditions in sunny Spain requires skill
and bravery, and after six long sessions on the
same rear tyre, I still don’t think I managed to
provoke a true power slide that activated the
system. But it’s nice to know it’s there when that
mistake does happen and the rear does start
spinning, perhaps after clipping a kerb or just
giving it too much on a worn tyre.
BMW has improved the Shift Assistant Pro
quickshifter for 2023, too, making for smoother
shifts, and even added a purpose GoPro mount
on the rear seat unit.
POWER
Torque remains unchanged at 113Nm (83.3lbft)
at 11,000rpm but they have added an extra
tooth on the rear sprocket to give the sensation
of more drive. Peak power is up a fraction,
154kw or 206.5bhp/210hp. Peak power is higher
up the rev range at 13,750rpm, just 250rpm
higher. It is not a massive jump in power, but it
didn’t need to be.
I’m sure the clever Germans could have
matched or even bested their superbike
rivals but, frankly the S 1000 RR didn’t need
any more horses in the first place. The slight
increase will only be noticeable when ridden
back-to-back with the now-old bike, while
the change to the final gearing is a more
noticeable, creating quicker acceleration.
The ShiftCam engine is the key element to
the BMW’s overall package and ensures the
S 1000 RR is ultra-versatile. The S 1000 RR
shares the same engine and power and torque
curves as the naked M 1000 R, all be it with
different gearing, and is able to pull from
30mph in sixth gear to an indicated 280kph
on Almeria’s long straight. And it’s still pulling
strongly when I go for the brakes.
Engine performance on track is incredible but
very similar to the old bike. Power delivery
anything but peaky; you don’t need to be in
the last 20% of the rev range to make things
THE S 1000 RR
SHARES THE SAME
ENGINE AND POWER
AND TORQUE CURVES
AS THE NAKED M
1000 R, ALL BE IT WITH
DIFFERENT GEARING,
AND IS ABLE TO PULL
FROM 30MPH IN
SIXTH GEAR TO AN
INDICATED 280KPH
ON ALMERIA’S LONG
STRAIGHT.

happen. Instead, the RR pulls cleanly through its midrange,
and you can even afford to short shift to give the electronic
rider aids an easier time. Equally, you can bounce the S 1000
RR off its soft rev limiter and make it scream.
The fuelling is excellent, amongst the best I’ve ever
experienced on a 1000cc sports bike. You can be so precise
with the throttle, getting on the power sooner and sooner.
There’s no snatchiness, which gives the rear tyre an easier life,
and allows you to accelerate progressively, feeling the grip.
The usability of the motor, backed up by new and advanced
rider aids, means you can use every horse in the stable,
and nothing goes to waste. For a 207bhp rocket, the RR is
incredibly easy to use and probably the least intimidating
bike in this class. I’ll take a usable 207bhp over a peaky
230bhp all day long.
DARE WE SAY PRACTICAL
We didn’t manage any road miles on test but the
Dynamic Damping Controlled suspension allows
the suspension to change automatically for road
conditions, and despite its track capabilities cruise
control, heated grips, and even hill control are still
available. You could even go one stage further and fit
genuine luggage from BMW.
The rear seat unit is new, with the integrated GoPro
mount but the seat height remains the same 824mm.
We obviously didn’t test fuel consumption on track, but
BMW’s official fuel consumption numbers for the S
1000 RR are unchanged for 2023, at 44.4mpg under
WMTC conditions.
THE USABILITY OF THE
MOTOR, BACKED UP BY NEW
AND ADVANCED RIDER AIDS,
MEANS YOU CAN USE EVERY
HORSE IN THE STABLE, AND
NOTHING GOES TO WASTE.

VERDICT
The 2023 BMW S 1000 RR isn’t tremendously
different to the already excellent 2022
machine. Power has only gone up a few bhp,
the final gearing has changed, while on-paper
performance is or should be about the similar as
the old bike... But that doesn’t tell the full story.
Fact is, the S 1000 RR didn’t need any more
power. 207bhp is as much as necessary, thank
you. What counts is usability and the ease of use
of the horsepower it already possesses – and in
this respect, the RR feels as friendly as a decent
supersport 600. It’s so unintimidating you can
just jump on and thrash it.
The changes to the chassis, even the addition
of new aerodynamic wings, aren’t groundbreaking,
but certainly, make a difference,
dependant on speed, and are proven to work
on the M-Sport. We had the ideal conditions in
Spain on slick rubber but, wow, what a handling
package. The chassis’ feedback, stability and
huge stopping power are astonishing. It’s so
easy to pilot you can cut fast laps all day long
without feeling you’ve done a few rounds with
Mike Tyson. You never feel like you’re in a fight
with 200-plus bhp; only that the RR working
with you.
For more information on the new
BMW S1000RR coming to South
Africa click on the “FIND OUT MORE”
tab on the advert placed on the right.

The new electronic rider aids have upped the Beemer’s
game to the point they are not merely on a par with the
competition, but arguably above. Some of the rider aids may
only appeal to highly skilled riders, but the traction control
is superbly effective and the updated quick-shifter is near
as dam it, perfect. The engine, chassis, and rider aids are so
good, it’s so rewarding and easy to ride, the RR really feels
like a PlayStation game (albeit one that hurts should you get
it completely wrong).
BUT RIDDEN IN ISOLATION,
I’M RUNNING OUT OF
SUPERLATIVES FOR THIS
VERY SPECIAL BMW.
The big and obvious test will be when the Beemer goes up
against the competition in this technologically advanced
superbike category. Honda’s Fireblade is a proven race
winner on the track, Ducati’s V4 Panigale has more power
and stunning electronics, and don’t forget Aprilia’s more
powerful and sublime RSV4. It’s going to be a close one.
But ridden in isolation, I’m running out of superlatives for
this very special BMW.

S A L A U N C H : I N D I A N M O T O R C Y C L E S
JUST CRUISING
The Indian brand is now under a new
umbrella in South Africa and having
recently attended the “new” SA
Launch we can see that the brand is
in good hands and will be stronger
than ever in the SA market.
Words: Luis Miguel Falcão | Pics: Beam Productions
It’s not often that I am inspired by much these days,
having reached the tender age of 55 where I’ve pretty
much been there and done that, but I’m glad to say, life
still occasionally dishes out some happy surprises. Due to
Sleepy Shaun’s hectic schedule and big-brother “Uncle” Rob
being overseas reporting on the Moto-GP scene, I was asked
to fill in on the re-launch of Indian Motorcycle South Africa.
Tuning Fork (Pty) Ltd has taken over the distribution of Indian
Motorcycle and hosted the motorcycling press to a truly
professional and well managed launch of Seven Indian models.
This means that from now on we can expect international level
dealership support and service all under one roof with a few
more branches opening up soon around the country.
A Short History of an Icon
The iconic Indian Motorcycle brand has been around since
1901, and climbed to fame with the racing domination of
“Wrecking Crew” race team in the 1950’s. Then in 1967,
68-year-old New Zealander Burt Munro made motorcycling
history by setting an official land speed record of 294,5 km/h
on a seriously modified 1920 Indian Scout (unofficially he set
a top speed of 325,6 km/h). Jumping forward to 2011, Polaris
took over the iconic brand and since then the world has been
privileged to experience this amazing brand of motorcycles
once again. Now that I have reminisced enough on days-gonebye,
let’s get down to evaluating their current model line-up.

The Indian Scout - R325,000
The Scout is a truly fun classic cruiser whose ancestor
came into existence way back in 1920. In South Africa three
models are available (Scout, Scout Bobber & Scout Bobber-
Twenty), but you can customise and accessorise them to
your individual desire so that no one has a motorcycle quite
like yours.
The Indian Scout is a true legend that is easy to ride and
offers superb comfort and surprising performance from its
100hp liquid cooled 69 cu in (1,133cc motor). The 72 ft-lbs
of torque gives the Scout a brisk acceleration and you can
ride it in top gear all day long. The engine craftsmanship

is simply a work of art, and one cannot help but stare at the beauty of
modern-day engineering. The seating position is relaxed with slightly raised
handlebars and forward controls, making long-distance travelling a breeze.
I was not only surprised by the way it tracked perfectly on whatever line I
chose, but also how easily the Scout changed lanes, accelerated, and stayed
planted under hard braking. Handling around town and in traffic is confidence
inspiring as the Scout turns quickly and effortlessly. These dynamics will
make any rider become rather cheeky because it handles better than you’d
ever imagine a cruiser should handle. The overall craftsmanship of the Scout
range is simply superb, and I’d imagine that this is the kind of motorcycle that
most enthusiasts would park in their lounge if they could.
The Indian Scout is a motorcycle for riders who appreciate timeless heritage,
stand-out style, impeccable craftsmanship coupled with superb comfort
and handling. To me the Indian Scout embodies the spirit of Rebellious Self
Expression and is the perfect weapon of choice for “Cruiser Motorcyclists”,
who cannot help but stand out in any crowd.

The Scout Bobber and Bobber-Twenty - R335,000 / R350,000
The Scout Bobber and Bobber-Twenty are the type of motorcycles you
should seriously consider if you’re in the market for a fun and stylish cruiser.
With its blacked-out styling, minimalistic ergonomics, and superb handling
characteristics, you’ll want to ride these “Bobbers” at every chance you
get. The Scout Bobber comes with drag-bars and mid controls, making it
a very maneuverable machine, whereas the Bobber-Twenty with its raised
handlebars and forward controls, make for a more comfortable long-distance
ride. Personally, I found the Bobber-Twenty my favourite pick of the Scout
range. I simply love the blacked-out styling, with the option of a single seat
and after-market slip-on exhausts. I also love the way that the speedometer
goes leisurely from 0 to 120 km/h and then from 120 km/h to Warp Speed in
an inch. This motorcycle turns heads even when standing still.

The Scout Bobber’s are motorcycles for enthusiasts who love aggressive
performance from a mid-sized cruiser coupled with a never-say-die old
school spirit. This is a tough-looking, bad-boy image motorcycle will make
you feel like you’re on an episode of “Sons of Anarchy” or cruising along with
the “Dark Night” on any dark Sunday night. Try as you might, you’ll never be
able to be inconspicuous if you ride this loud art-in-motion.
What sets all “The Scouts” apart from their competitors is their timeless style,
the impeccable build quality and super smooth torquey motor that makes
for effortless cruising whether you’re “jolling” around town or going for a
long ride to your favourite weekend destination. In my opinion the Scouts
are serious competition to the likes of Harley-Davidson’s Forty-Eight (67
HP, 73 ft-lbs torque) and Sportster S (121 HP, 94 ft-lbs torque) and Truimph’s
Bonneville Bobber. Except with the Indian Scout, you’ll definitely stand a
head higher than the rest of the crowd.
What sets all “The Scouts”
apart from their competitors
is their timeless style, the
impeccable build quality
and super smooth torquey
motor that makes for
effortless cruising whether
you’re “jolling” around
town or going for a long ride
to your favourite weekend
destination.

The Indian FTR Carbon R - R430,000
The Indian FTR 1200 was my personal favourite
of the two-day test simply because I am a fan
of naked Sports Bikes. The FTR front end steers
with confidence-inspiring precision as the fully
adjustable front and rear Ohlins suspension
makes the motorcycle handle like a great sports
bike. The 120 hp engine pulls from low in the
rev range and accelerates smoothly through
the gears to well above the speed limit – with
minimal engine vibration! The seating position is
perfect (I’m 176cm tall) and even the taller riders
felt comfortable. The seat is super comfortable
and sat perfectly comfortable on the bike while
my feet flat footed the ground when the bike
was upright.
Yes, the FTR 1200 Carbon R, may pay homage
to the famous USA Indian Flat Trackers of old,
but this motorcycle really is a modern-day
Naked Sports Bike for enthusiasts that enjoy a
fast highway ride or a day on the racetrack. To
me the Indian FTR is what a modern Café Racer
should be, and the quality craftsmanship is
simply jaw dropping. The multi-coloured touchscreen
display is perfectly positioned, and the
clarity of the dials is fantastic even on a sunny
day. The LED Headlight creates a striking front
view. From the side the red trellis-frame and
Flat-Tracker styling makes me imagine that its
cosmetic parents were a Ducati Monster and
the discontinued Harley Davidson XR 1200. It
certainly handles as well as any Ducati Monster
and way better than the XR could ever have
dreamt of.

The Indian FTR is beautifully finished with
plenty of carbon bits and the rear yellow spring
and gold nickle upside-down Ohlins front
shocks, together with the red frame and carbon
coloured tank make this a modern work-of art.
SINCE 1901, INDIAN MOTORCYCLE HAS
BEEN THE CHOICE OF RIDERS WHO MAKE
THEIR OWN RULES. CHOOSE WISELY.
All Indian models comes standard with ABS
Braking. The Akrapovic exhaust has a rough
sound but won’t wake-up the neighbour’s baby
when you fire her up for your early Sunday ride.
It comes standard with cruise control and three
different ride modes (Standard, Sport, and Rain)
that can be changed on the fly. What more can
anyone want from a modern-day motorcycle?
I would add a quick-shifter and then this one is
definitely going onto my bucket list!
To be continued…. Part 2 = Next – The two
Indian Chief’s, The Vintage and the Challenger.
2023 SCOUT BOBBER TWENTY
2023 SCOUT BOBBER
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
2023 SUPER CHIEF 2023 CHIEF DARK HORSE
LUIS MIGUEL FALCÃO
About Luis – Luis is a current published
international author and motorcycle
enthusiast with 46 years of riding experience.
He has been Head Road captain of two HOG
chapters and was an instructor at Michelin
Superbike School for over 10 years. Luis
owns a variety of motorcycles and still is an
active Track day enthusiast. He is not married,
and has no kids which explains why he still
acts 33!
2023 CHALLENGER 2023 FTR CARBON
INDIAN MOTORCYCLES SANDTON
19 EASTERN SERVICE ROAD, KELVIN, 2090,
SANDTON
011 259 7800
INDIAN MOTORCYCLES LYNNWOOD
CORNER LYNNWOOD ROAD & SIMON VERMOOTEN ROAD,
DIE VILGERS, 0183 PRETORIA
012 501 0120
WWW.INDIANMOTORCYCLE.CO.ZA
*Colours shown are for illustration purposes only. Contact your nearest dealer for available colours.

HONDA
I C O N I C S U P
RC45
E R B I K E
Still to this day, 28 years from
when it was released, the
Honda RC45 is considered one
of the best superbikes ever
created and earns its place as
an Iconic Superbike.
The successor to the legendary RC30,
Honda’s RC45 (or RVF750R) was a limited
run homologation special created to help
Honda re-establish supremacy in World
Superbike. Though it was ridden to back-to-back
titles in ’88 and ’89, by 1993 the RC30 had grown
noticeably long in the tooth and it was clear that a
new race weapon was needed to dethrone Ducati
and its mighty twin. Honda’s answer came in 1994 in
the form of the RC45.
Like the RC30, the RC45 was powered by a liquidcooled,
749cc, DOHC, 16V, four-stroke, 90-degree
V4, though unlike its carbureted predecessor, the
RC45 was bestowed with tunable electronic fuelinjection
borrowed from the development of the
NR750. The bike also benefited from knowledge and
experience gained in Honda’s RVF factory endurance
race program. The RVF’s V4 boasted low-friction
pistons, ceramic and graphite impregnated cylinder
liners, titanium conrods, and a close-ratio six-speed
gearboxes with undercut shift dogs.

The Euro and Japanese-spec RC45s made 118
hp at 12,000 rpm and 56 ft-lbs of torque at
10,000 rpm while the American model only
generated 101 hp — though the US version could
be brought up to the Euro’s 118 via a simple
tweak of the PGM-FI box. From day one Honda
offered a supplementary race kit for the RC45
– for a very steep price – which was capable of
bringing output up to an insane 190 hp.
Until the RC45, all of Honda’s V4 machines
used a consistent bore and stroke of 70mm x
48.6mm, but the RC45 ended that tradition
instead using a 72mm x 46mm setup. The
RC45 also used gear-driven cams like the
RC30, however, the drive was relocated to
the side of the engine to allow for a narrower
package. Wrapped around the V4 was a twinspar
aluminum chassis that had been slightly
reworked with tweaked dimensions and slightly

thinner walls. Suspension on the RC45 consisted of upside-down 41mm forks
and a gas-charged shock absorber out back paired with Elf’s single-sided
swing-arm which was slightly longer than the unit on the RC30. Both ends
were adjustable for rebound, preload, and compression. The RVF’s riding
position was still sporty but not nearly as hunched over as its predecessor’s,
with a 50mm lower seat height.
Honda was able to achieve a good deal of success with the RVF750R, with
Miguel Duhamel winning the 1995 AMA Superbike Championship and the
1996 Daytona 200, Ben Bostrom nabbing the 1998 AMA Superbike title,
in addition to Aaron Slight, Kocinski, Carl Fogarty, and Colin Edwards all
securing WSBK wins on the RC45, plus a trio of Suzuka 8 Hour wins in ’97,
’98, and ’99. While Honda’s current flagship supersport is powered by an
inline-four, the firm still uses V4 engines in its current crop of MotoGP missiles
that can trace than development back to bikes like the RC30 and RC45.
It was far in advance of the
competition – a race bike with
lights. The whole feel of the
machine is of a racing bike, and
a top-notch one at that. – MCN.

CHARLEY’S
CHAT
So now you okes all know how you can be
my Bonneville are not used to, I start noticing
riding along all lekker on your boney happy
all sorts of goeters in the countryside which I
with yourself with your exhaust pipe blasting would not normally have checked because as
away underneath you somewhere and as you’re you okes all know, when you’re skieting along at
skieting along each time you cut past a car
two-forty you keep both your eyes glued to the
you catch a lekker grill as the sound of your
tar in front of you and you don’t have time to
exhaust bounces off the cabbie’s door and then start checking out namby pamby girly nonsense
rebounds back up again up inside your helmet like pretty scenery and flowers and stuff.
until the sound jangles your eardrums and you
scheme that you’re having the best day of your And so now while I’m riding along slowly like
life but then you pull one small tiny move and this I start taking in all the animals like cows
suddenly your whole world is turned upside
and goats standing in the fields smiling and
down? Well, that’s exactly what happened to checking back at me and my boney as we come
me just last Saturday arvie as I was jolling down roaring past and so I give them a bit of a blip of
towards a small town called Val that sits on the the throttle and check at how they run away in
road between Heidelberg and Standerton where terror and generally things are going along all
I was gonna hook up with some old chinas of lekker for me but then I get to this one part of
mine who’d tuned me to pull into their spot for a the road where there’s a bit of an uphill and just
few dops and a braai for the weekend.
as I get near to the top of the rise suddenly on
the side of the road I check this sinkplaat shack
with the words ‘Dingaan’s Palace’ painted on the
side and there’s a whole bunch of okes sitting
around parking in the sun in between a bunch
of lorries and troks and each oke’s got a moerse
quart of beer in his hands and they’re all tuning
with each other and catching a lekker relax.
So now just past Heidelberg I chuck a left onto
the Standerton road which these days is all
buggered up and full of potholes and moerse
melted creases in the tar and soon instead
of riding all lekker smoothly I find myself
concentrating a moer of a stack on trying not
to bliksem off my boney and after bumping
along like this at two-forty kays an hour for a
while I finally scheme that maybe I should slow
down a bit to about one-fifty before both me
and my poor boney get bliksemed to pieces by
the doff road.
But now that I’m crawling along at this much
slower speed which of course both me and
But now you okes must realize that I wasn’t
actually expecting to suddenly check this
kind of rustic rural bar-type scene gaaning
aan here in the middle of nowhere and so I
catch a bit of a surprise and before I even get
a chance to start scheming about what to do
my brain becomes aware that there’s beer and
it automatically sommer makes my right-hand
grab a fistful of anchors and in the end both me
and my Bonneville come skidding to a halt in
the middle of a moerse cloud of dust.
So now I’m sitting there at the side of the road
on my boney with red sand settling down
all around me and I’m checking at these big
okes slukking back quarts of beer and I start
scheming that maybe it wasn’t such a clever
idea of mine to sommer just pull in here in the
middle of nowhere with all these roff looking
trok driver okes sitting around but I’m mos from
Jo’burg and I can’t now suddenly start looking
all scared and stuff and so I hit kill the motor
and skop out my sidestand and climb off my
bike while the trok driver okes check me out a
bit skeef at first but then they carry on with their
dopping and ignore me. I stand there all alone
in the hot sun checking back at them like I’m
Steve McQueen just come out of some moerse
motorbike desert race and then slowly catch a
casual stroll into Dingaan’s Palace where it takes
a while for my eyes to get used to the dark and
when I eventually get my focus working lekker
I check that there’s a moerse Coca-Cola fridge
full of ice-cold Black-Label Quarts.
I lean across the mud counter and tune the
barman for a Castle but he just laughs and tunes
that they’ve only got Black-Label Zamalek quarts
and so thirty seconds later I’m sitting in the
sun with the lorry drivers slukking beer out of
a moerse Black-Label bottle and before I even
know it I’ve already downed a whole quart and
I’m just about to get up to go get me another
one when the oke next to me sommer grips my
empty bottle from out of my hand and tops
me up from out of his own bottle and we carry
on laughing and tuning with each other about
how kak the roads are and all the clever moves
that trok drivers have to learn like how to scale
diesel without getting caught and how you can
sommer check a lorry’s tyre pressure with one
skop against the tyre and how they can without
even slowing down change drivers on the
highway and our stories get bigger and better all
the time and so I also start tuning them about the
time when a snake bit my tyre and how I fixed
the puncture by cable-tying the snake’s head
against the wheel so that the air didn’t escape
but I could check that they schemed I was talking
nonsense and so I started explaining more and
more about my story but soon I could see they
didn’t believed me and so in the end I looked at
the time and tuned them that it was getting late
and that it was time for me to go.
So now I don’t know if the beer was a bit off or
not but as I got up I started to feel a bit dizzy
and the tip of my nose even started to get a bit
of a buzz and I almost fell over the pile of empty
bottles lying around but I knew it couldn’t have
been the beer because Black-Label tastes a lot
like Castle, especially after six or seven quarts
and of course I couldn’t now just sit down again
or these okes would scheme I couldn’t handle
my dop and after a bit of a balancing act found
myself sitting on my boney where the spinning
“I stand there all alone in the hot sun checking
back at them like I’m Steve McQueen just come out
of some moerse motorbike desert race and then
slowly catch a casual stroll into Dingaan’s Palace...”
in my head slowly started going away. I hit the
starter and my bike roared to life.
The trok drivers were still sitting there checking
me and my boney out as I dumped the clutch
and then I remembered the oke telling me about
how he checks his tyre pressure and so I leant
over my handle-bars and as I pulled off I grabbed
the front tyre and gave it a good squeeze just to
make sure my pressure was lekker…
Like I tuned you, sometimes you just need to
pull one doff tiny move and your day can get
stuffed up…

WORDS BY ADAM WHEELER (KTM BLOG) | PICS BY ROB GRAY (POLOARITY PHOTO)
2022 MOTOGP
EXPLAINED
WORKING
TOWARDS #2
IN THE WORLD
Was 2022 MotoGP a success or a strive against adversity? Or both?
After its sixth season on track, we asked long-term Red Bull KTM
Factory Racing Technical Manager Sebastian Risse to summarize
the journey of the company’s most advanced motorcycle.
In 2022 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing classified
as the second-best team in MotoGP. Brad
Binder and Miguel Oliveira clocked two wins
and five podiums with their KTM RC16s and
Binder was the rider that ‘gained’ most positions
through the 20 rounds of the season. The South
African bookended the year with 2nd places at the
opener in Qatar during March and then the closer at
Valencia in November.
The early achievement at the Lusail International
Circuit was especially sweet considering the floodlit
facility had been such a troublesome venue for the
factory. Qatar was the site of KTM’s debut as fulltime
members of the MotoGP grid in 2017; the KTM
RC16 was 2.5 seconds away from the leaders that
season. By the end of 2018 the steel-framed V4 had
reached the podium and then victory in 2020 and
has tasted winners’ Prosecco each year since.
2022 – the last term of the conventional Grand Prix
format before MotoGP pivots to Saturday ‘Sprint
races’ for 2023 – was a story of continual work
and transformation for KTM. Binder, for example,
only had one front row start all season as the crew
negotiated new aerodynamics developments
(with only two ‘forms’ allowed to be homologated
for the season), a limited Michelin tire allocation
and difficulty in finding razor one-lap speed for
qualification. When it came to race pace and
competitiveness on Sunday the picture was far
rosier, but it was still a tumultuous campaign of work
and understanding for the crew. Sebastian Risse was
able to give us a few underlying notes…as well as a
few clues as to what to expect from 2023.

From the pre-season tests to
Valencia: What’s been the main
story of 2022 with the KTM RC16?
We ended 2021 with the conclusion
that the main area we were lacking was
acceleration and drive out of the corners.
On one hand we saw a big impact on this
from aerodynamics and also on turning
– the way you pick up the bike – so it
was our main focus during the 2022 preseason.
We’d been quite conservative
with aerodynamics previously, but we had
the goal to be more radical for ’22. We
changed the approach from trying to find
an aerodynamic solution for the bike to
taking an aerodynamic idea and fitting the
rest of the bike set-up around it as well
as reconsidering some choices when it
came to hardware. We wanted a rounder
package with something more radically
aerodynamic. This definitely opened some
doors. We saw at Mandalika in Indonesia
[round two] that we’d addressed our
acceleration problem and we were quite
positive about the start of the season.
We had some great results but then we’d
come to some other circuits where we
struggled to understand how we could
make this package work. It was related to
track layout, tires and, of course, the bike.
We had to work out how we could make
it ‘rounder’ especially with the front tire
allocation. It took a while. We struggled in
the last overseas and the first European
rounds to look for more margin with the
front. Then we came to a phase where our
recipes to react to a situation were always
a compromise. We’d look for more turning
or more stopping, and at some tracks
acceleration was still an issue…but for a
different reason than the year before!
We learned more and more about finding
better compromise. We tested some new
components in Aragon that helped us.
Overall, it was a combination of factors
that affected us but we came up to quite
a competitive level…it just wasn’t for all
the tracks that we wanted. To sum-up I
think we made gains with our acceleration
but it was quite a raw approach in the
time given. We tried to look for better
but due to the homologation during the
season you cannot change the aero, for
example, so we were working a lot in the
background. I think our bike will be much
more rounded for ’23.
A story of continual work and
transformation for KTM featuring new
aerodynamics developments
OVERALL, IT WAS A
COMBINATION OF FACTORS
THAT AFFECTED US BUT
WE CAME UP TO QUITE A
COMPETITIVE LEVEL…IT
JUST WASN’T FOR ALL THE
TRACKS THAT WE WANTED.

You’ve been with the KTM MotoGP
program from day one. KTM had some
new staff and specialists coming into
the frame for 2022. How did that affect
the way to work?
It is always a challenge to get the maximum out
of new circumstances when a situation changes.
I think we did a good job because I see the team
working really well together and we’re very
close with the staff at the factory. One of the
main targets was to achieve more objectivity
with what we were achieving, so more research
compared to development, more understanding
and more analysis of what is going on…and
having more resources for this as well as using
those resources in the right way! This was a
structure building up during the season, and
you come to a phase where this extra scientific
approach doesn’t bring as much direct success
as a trial-and-error approach.
Was it slower as well?
I don’t think so…but the processes had to be
developed and you need a certain lead-time.
Imagine just shooting into the air: you’d get your
results immediately and if it goes the right away
then great. But if you are studying something
and really honing on the right area then this takes
time to make the precise shot… but you made
a big step with what you want to do. Once the
process is running then projects enter different
phases and more and more things pop up both
in the work and then on the racetrack. There was
a time where we had to bridge the development
improvements with getting the best out of a
current race bike package. I think it also helped
us because we understood our bike better
this way. Overall, I think we have much better
momentum to make next year’s bike on target.
What area of the 2022 KTM RC16
was a success?
I think we definitely found something on the
engine compared to 2021. We have opened a
big book with electronics but this is something
that never stops and you keep learning. Our aero
looked quite radical but it was also just scratching
the surface of the potential you can get out of it
because aero is one part of the bike that carries a
lot of compromise and you need experience with
radical solutions to put it all together and make it
more versatile.
One of the first big jobs after the
Valencia test is a visit to the wind
tunnel. How does that resource work
for you and for the ideas towards 2023
aerodynamics?
Basically, it is part of a continual process.
Aero development goes on all year because it
involves a lot of parts and shape, knowledge and
development as well as understanding to make
something better. The wind tunnel is just one
piece of that puzzle. We do a lot of simulations
and invest a lot of resources into analysis of
the track data. At different stages you need
THERE WAS A TIME WHERE
WE HAD TO BRIDGE THE
DEVELOPMENT IMPROVEMENTS
WITH GETTING THE BEST OUT OF
A CURRENT RACE BIKE PACKAGE.

validation from the wind tunnel to fit together. So,
it is important, and it is also something where the
rider can be directly involved and look at the bike
from a different point of view because they normally
only have one perspective and they are busy in that
position! We have had some interesting comments
and opinions from those wind tunnel sessions.
Generally, it is a tool to align the other tools.
What was your favorite moment of the
season? The time when the comments, the
emotions and the data all came together
to show the KTM RC16 working to a very
high level of its capacity?
Brad Binder aboard the RC16 around the
floodlit Lusail International Circuit. It
was a perfect start into the new season
– to end up on the podium in Qatar was
something very special.
You can scale that easily with results! I don’t mean
just with the ranking on Sunday. Clearly, we had
many races where we struggled for one fast lap
in qualifying but once we scratched options on
Saturday night and went for it on Sunday we had
some very good races where we were not even
on the podium. One crucial point of the season
was Qatar and round one. That was a nightmare
track for us every year until now. To end-up on the
podium there was very special but it did worry us
because when you fix your weak points so radically
for a track that didn’t suit you then you wonder
what will happen on the tracks that suited you
before! This is also what we sometimes discovered
during 2022. It was not always straight forward
when it came to knowing what to expect before a
ONE CRUCIAL POINT
OF THE SEASON WAS
QATAR AND ROUND
ONE. THAT WAS A
NIGHTMARE TRACK
FOR US EVERY YEAR
UNTIL NOW.

ace weekend. In Indonesia Miguel was so strong
and with such an eagerness to show what he
could do having seen Brad on the podium in
Qatar. He had a super-weekend. OK, it was wet,
but I’m sure he would have done very good in
the dry also. We had a momentum that was
really impressive at that point.
As a technician it must be irritating
when the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ tracks for
KTM swap around…
Yeah! You never get anything for free when you
are looking for gains! If you get even the smallest
thing then it’s fine.
Lastly what about the Sprint races for
2023? Explain how this will be different
or difficult from the confines of
the pitbox…
As a team, as an engineer, it will create a very
challenging situation. As a rider even more so.
We go from a session where we had to think
about one ultimate lap-time to parameters like
tire management. In one way managing tires
now will be less important and will give us data
to be ready for the ‘normal’ race. This will be
very interesting for us. Basically, now we will
have to be ready on Friday nights in the same
way we used to be for Saturdays. It will be more
intense and much more work but we see it as an
opportunity to be better than others and that’s
the target.
BASICALLY, NOW WE WILL HAVE TO BE READY
ON FRIDAY NIGHTS IN THE SAME WAY WE
USED TO BE FOR SATURDAYS. IT WILL BE MORE
INTENSE AND MUCH MORE WORK BUT WE SEE
IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE BETTER THAN
OTHERS AND THAT’S THE TARGET.

W O M E N I N M O T O R S P O R T
ELISABETTA BONETTI
Elisabetta Bonetti was certain that she
would end up working in the publishing
industry, and her dream came true when
she decided to follow her passion. She
became a Marketing and Sponsorship
Manager for LCR Honda and has been a
part of the team for almost 10 years.
Elisabetta grew up in a family where
watching MotoGP and Formula 1 was an
important part of the weekend activities.
Even though she enjoyed watching
motorsports, she also loved writing and decided
to study Italian literature, so she could work in
publishing. Once she decided to take her passion into
account, she changed direction.
“Publishing is a very difficult environment,” Elisabetta
told Females in Motorsport. “So I decided that if I had
to make sacrifices, I was going to do it for something
that I really love.”
Her aim was to find a job in the motorsport industry
after her Masters in sports. LCR Honda’s commercial
director called her when she finished her degree
and announced that they were looking for someone
new to join the marketing team. She had always
wanted to be in the paddock and could not say no
to this amazing opportunity, especially since the job
connected to all her interests.

“At the beginning I thought that this was not going
to be the right job for me, because I’m a shy person,”
she says. “But I quickly understood that the job is not
just about looking for sponsors, since you also need
to organise marketing activities, and that became
my favourite part. It involves writing and I get to use
my creativity, so I get to do the things I really love.”
Her work entails two tasks: looking for new sponsors
and organising marketing activities. Whenever
she is working in the office, she gets in touch
with companies if she feels that they can benefit
from a partnership with LCR Honda. They look for
companies that are interested in operating on a
worldwide market, since the MotoGP races take
place all over the world.
Approaching a new company adds a challenge, since
Elisabetta needs to convince them that a partnership
is beneficial.
“It’s easier when you approach a company that
already has some partnerships, because they know
what the benefit is,” she says. “Part of my job is
to teach new companies how it can benefit them,
because they often think that they need to pay
money to see their brand on a bike, which is true, but
there is so much more to it.
“I do a lot of research before I reach out to new
companies, since I want to try and impress them.
This means that I learn something new every day.
Based on that research, I arrive with some ideas that
connect to their goals. Sometimes they listen to my
ideas and sometimes they don’t, but that’s part of
the game. ”
Sometimes they listen to
my ideas and sometimes
they don’t, but that’s part
of the game.

You only work in MotoGP if
you are really passionate
about it, since that gives
you the energy to go on.
When she is at the race track, she is responsible
for customer care, looking after the guests that
have been invited by sponsors. She also organises
marketing activities, such as photoshoots, and has
a lot of meetings with new customers. When they
come to the track they can see what the MotoGP
paddock is like and meetings are often more
successful because of it.
Due to her customer-facing role, two skills are
vital: patience and flexibility. Guests are sometimes
overexcited when they arrive in the MotoGP
paddock and Elisabetta needs to be patient and tell
them what they can and cannot do.
Flexibility is also key, because not everything goes
to plan in motorsport. Something unexpected can
ruin your plans and you need to be able to adjust to
that. Being flexible also means that you sometimes
engage in tasks that are not part of your role.
“I always joke about it with my colleagues, because
it has happened in the past and it will happen in the
future,” she says. “There have been times when I was
talking to a customer about a contract with lots of
zeros in the morning and in the afternoon I would be
cleaning the hospitality.”
Elisabetta is happy to be a part of a small and
independent team like LCR Honda. There is room for
creativity, which you may not have at a big factory team.

“We can do a lot of things,” she says. “If I was
working for a factory team, I would definitely
have less freedom. A factory team must
maintain a certain image, so I don’t think they
are going to do crazy photoshoots like we did
for sponsors in the
past. It’s very fun and
being able to create
anything you want
gives you a lot of
energy.”
The highlight of
her career was LCR
Honda’s first class win
in 2016. Cal Crutchlow
claimed his first
victory after starting
10th, which was
also the team’s first
MotoGP class win.
“It [the win] was not
because of me, but it’s great to be a part of it
knowing that I was able to support this win with
my job and the sponsors,” she says.
Sometimes I need to take
a step back and remind
myself that I am working in
motorsport.
in motorsport. People have asked me if I am a
grid girl. Even in 2022, some people still think
that every single woman working in motorsport
is a grid girl…”
Support is essential
to get more women
to work and race in
motorsport. Elisabetta
explained that the
women in the MotoGP
paddock have their
own support group to
keep spirits high.
“Whenever young
girls and women are
presented with an
example, they are
more likely to follow
that path,” she says.
“Just talking about it
and showing girls that
there are a lot of women in motorsport is a very
good thing because they can see that they can
do it.”
Working in MotoGP is a dream, but the
environment is also utterly demanding. There is
little space for your private life and you miss a
lot of important celebrations, like weddings and
graduations. If there’s one thing you undoubtedly
need to work in MotoGP, it is passion.
“I’m lucky because I do not have to go to every
race, but some of my colleagues are away from
home for more than 150 days per year, which is
a lot,” she says. “You only work in MotoGP if you
are really passionate about it, since that gives
you the energy to go on.”
Even though women are a minority in the
MotoGP paddock, Elisabetta has always felt
respected.
“In the paddock it is fine,” she says. “The guys
think that it is completely normal if a woman
is in a certain role. But when I go to visit a new
company, the experience is different. They
assume that I am the secretary or the assistant.
“They are still surprised that a woman is working
Her advice for women that want to work or race
in motorsport is to excel in something that you
are very passionate about. You need to find
something you’re good at and become the best.
“The worst thing you can do is be good at
everything,” she says. “Tell me why I need you.
Why are you good at this position? Why do I need
to choose you? Why are you better than others?”
Elisabetta is living her dream but, like all of us,
sometimes forgets to appreciate it. The moment
she realised that she was really working in
motorsport was really special to her. It reminded
her that she had to appreciate her job more.
“I was asked to tell students about my
experience,” she says. “That day I realised that
I had made it. Sometimes I need to take a step
back and remind myself that I am working in
motorsport.
“I want to be a better version of what I am now
and become a better Sponsorship Manager.”

FIRST
LOOK!
FIRST RIDE
crossover
ADVENTURE
SA LAUNCH TEST: HONDA CB500X
DARE TO
TAKE THE
NEXT STEP
KTM’S UPDATED 790
& 890 ADVENTURE
MODELS REVEALED

NEW
BIKES
DARE TO
TAKE THE
NEXT STEP
KTM has been a pretty busy bee this
year, and it continues to be so even
now, at a time when most bike makers
out there called it a day and are settling
in for the holidays ahead. In the last
days of November, the Austrians pulled
the wraps off the 2023 790 & 890
Adventures, bikes meant to further “the
limits of possibilities of the Travel and
Adventure motorcycle sector.”

2023 KTM 890 ADVENTURE
The bike, an evolution of the existing model, still uses
the LC8 engine of the range, rated at 105 hp and 100
Nm of torque at 6,500 rpm. The center of gravity
too remains low, the 20-liter (5.3-gallon) fuel tank is
still there, and so is the steel subframe, so off-road
adventures are still ensured.
What changed on this thing is first and foremost the
way the bike feels and behaves. That was achieved
with a series of upgrades, including the fitting of
revised settings and adjusters for the WP suspension,
which in turn also offer “more response and travel
glide experience.”
Then, when talking about visual changes, the most
important upgrade is the front mask, now integrated
with the fairing section. All of this was done in a bid to
“offer more security and more load-bearing capability
for larger GPS devices” as per KTM.
Speaking of such infotainment devices, they have
changed as well, and now offer something KTM calls
“travel friendliness.” That means better TFT menus
and app options, refreshed Ride Modes, and a higher
screen. In this ride comfort category, albeit not a piece
of technology per se, the 2-piece seat has also been
reworked.
As a touch of freshness, the 2023 KTM 890
Adventure will be offered with two new color options
(undisclosed) and new graphics.
2023 KTM 890 ADVENTURE Highlights:
// Upgraded ergonomics and bodywork for more
protective and comfortable riding
// Low weight, proven race-derived chassis for perfect
performance yet practical compromise
// Revised WP Suspension settings and adjusters
for more response and travel ‘glide’ experience
// Optimized travel ‘friendliness’ with better
TFT menus, App options, reworked Ride
Modes, higher screen and more versatile
and comfy 2-piece seat
// More Offroad orientated tyres with
PIRELLI SCORPION STRs
// Two fresh color options and new racier
graphics set

2023 KTM ADVENTURE 790
Adventure riding is one of the best
experiences one can have riding a bike. It’s
all about eating up the miles through any
terrain that the vast unknown can throw at
you. It is the pinnacle of getting out there,
out of your comfort zone, and exploring
the world on two wheels through any
conditions, no matter what. Now, with a task
like this, you can expect that the machines
used are nothing short of amazing. They
have to be tough to withstand constant
abuse on and off the road, yet comfortable
and economical enough to be able to easily
conquer massive distances. In this category
falls KTM.
KTM is probably among the first few
names that pop into your head when you
think about motorcycles. For the past few
decades, it built a reputation for the top
spot when it comes to off-road bikes, and
they keep bettering themselves with each
product.
Their Adventure line-up is one of the best
options you can choose from when it
comes to bombing all over the world in your
next escapade. You have a lot of different
configurations, but the 790 variant might
just be the best option.
While yes, the Adventure 790 is not the
fastest and most powerful one you can
have, it offers the best of both worlds. You
get good fuel economy, more than enough
power, comfort, and reliability to ensure that
absolutely nothing can stop you.
For the 2023 model year, KTM gave their
beloved 790 an overhaul, to push it even
further on the best adventure bike ladder.
While the engine remains mainly untouched,
with a few exceptions on the reliability side
of things, it still has 95 hp (96 ps), while the
manufacturer and great mid-range torque
and throttle response.
What they really went to town on is making
an already great bike, feel even better and
be even more economical. KTM worked
their magic in the weight distribution
department, making the 790 feel even more
stable at high speeds. They also made sure
to keep you in one piece in case of any
mishaps, throwing all the safety tech they
had at this bike, in the form of the latest 6D
sensor, which, in plain English, means that
the traction control and ABS reached the
state-of-the-art status.
The Adventure 790 might just be the best
choice if you fancy running away from all
the stress and going head-first into the
unknown, and with a relatively affordable
price of around 14,000 dollars, you would
be hard pressed to find a better option to
deliver you these thrills.
2023 KTM 790 ADVENTURE Highlights:
// Superb performance and technical specifications in
relation to price and segment competition
// Austrian created and designed, Chinese-built to the
highest production standards
// Bodywork and ergonomic refinements for same
unbeatable handling and light sensation
// EURO 5 emissions ready LC8c engine with more
rideable power and behavior
// New screen, front mask, 5” TFT display with
redesigned menu system
// New PIRELLI SCORPION STR tires with large tread
blocks for more offroad focus

NEW
BIKES
SAME STANDARDS,
NEW BENCHMARK
The conclusion of another year
and fast approaching dates for
brand new racing calendars can
only mean one thing: the chance
to get as close as possible to
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
equipment, prestige and potential
with the arrival of the 2023 KTM
450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION. The
latest limited-edition version of the
company’s outstanding dirtbike
comes as the AMA Supercross
campaign gets ready to launch
ahead of the longest and most
spectacular season to-date.

The 2023 KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION is a
fully optimized and race-ready sculpture of the
current KTM 450 SX-F that created a fresh standard
in the industry for handling, power, engineering
and competitiveness upon its presentation during
the summer of 2022. The SOHC 4-stroke engine
delivers a knockout 68 hp and weighs less than 27
kg. The motor oozes usable torque from every square
centimeter and is harnessed through launch control, a
Quickshifter, two maps, a redesigned airbox, exhaust
system and a series of other modifications befitting a
motorcycle expected to fight for title success.
The altered ergonomics have improved the rider
‘triangle’ for tight centralization and enhanced
feeling. The innovative ‘anti-squat’ concept of
the frame and chassis (with reinforced aluminum
subframe) compliments the revised engine position
for increased centralization. The whole bike is
augmented with cutting-edge hardware from WP
Suspension and the forks and rear shock can be
adjusted easier than ever thanks to the tool-free
configuration. The suspension benefits from refined
settings, which have been mined from all the R&D
work and data sourced from Motorsports.
The new generation of KTM SX-Fs blasted out of
gates and straight into contention during 2022.
Cooper Webb and Marvin Musquin were both
searching for AMA 450SX podiums and victories
while the KTM 250 SX-F saw the quarter-liter
incarnation immediately racking Grand Prix wins and
ultimately the 2022 MX2 world title with Tom Vialle;
who now takes the bike into AMA 250SX Supercross
for ’23.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing will soon roll into
action. The stadium lights will flick on and illuminate
the 2023 AMA Supercross season from January 7
at the Angel Stadium, Anaheim in California, before
visiting 12 states for 17 rounds and then wading
into the three-race spectacle that is the inaugural
SuperMotocross contest in October. Those riding and
racing the 2023 KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION
might not reach the speed or skill of Musquin, Webb,
Aaron Plessinger or Vialle but they can look the part
and reach the nearest performance specs to nudge
nearer to the dream.
2023 KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY
EDITION HIGHLIGHTS
// Factory racing seat (orange)
// Factory wheels (black rims, orange
hub, orange sprockets, black spokes)
// Akrapovič ‘slip-on’ line // Semifloating
front brake disc
// Factory racing front brake disc guard
(carbon reinforced version)
// Factory racing skid plate (carbon
reinforced version)
// Factory racing triple clamp (orange
anodized)
// Factory start device (wp)
// ODI lock-on gray grip set
// Hinson outer clutch cover
// Vented airbox cover
// Orange sprocket
// Golden chain
For the 2023 KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION,
KTM has applied a litany of KTM PowerParts to boost
the function, the aesthetics and the exclusivity of
the model. The bike is immediately distinctive due to
the orange frame and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
graphics set. These details define the KTM 450 SX-F
FACTORY EDITION on any track or trail. Elsewhere
the orange factory racing seat, wheels, triple clamp,
carbon skid plate, carbon front brake disc and guard
come with an Akrapovič slip-on exhaust kit, Hinson
clutch cover, WP start device and ODI lock on grip
set among other additions.

NEW
BIKES
THAT
FACTORY
FEELING
Husqvarna Motorcycles is
pleased to announce the new
FC 450 Rockstar Edition. A
proven model that is continually
evolving, the latest version is
enhanced by a selection of
race-tested components to
provide all motocross riders
with a competitive edge.

Technical Accessories. Adjustable Factory Racing
triple clamps, an FMF Racing Factory 4.1 silencer, and
Factory Racing wheels headline the hardware with
a Factory Start device, GUTS Racing high-grip seat
cover, ProTaper handlebar, and soft ODI grips offering
assured comfort and control.
Ensuring all riders are fully equipped for their next
event, a concise, high-quality selection of race-team
inspired casual clothing has been created. With two
styles available within the range of t-shirts, hoodies,
jackets, and headwear, riders can choose to express
their passion for Husqvarna Motorcycles or replicate
the same pit presence as Rockstar Energy Husqvarna
Factory Racing.
The 2023 FC 450 Rockstar Edition will be available
from early 2023 through authorised Husqvarna
Motorcycles dealerships.
The latest factory team replica machine
is equipped with a new silencer, wheels,
protective parts, and revised suspension
settings, which give riders of all abilities a
definitive on-track advantage. Retaining
its class-leading performance, the FC 450
Rockstar Edition is finished with the latest
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
graphics.
Revised shim stack settings inside the
WP XACT 48 mm front forks and XACT
rear shock enhance the balance of the FC
450 Rockstar Edition to ensure improved
stability at high speed without effecting its
proven cornering agility. This considered
refinement boosts self-confidence, allowing
all levels of riders to master the racetrack
with complete confidence while consistently
posting faster lap times.
All riders can easily customise how
the 450cc SOHC engine performs
depending on either their preference or
track conditions by using the handlebarmounted
Map Select Switch. The intuitive,
multifunctional instrument houses clearly
marked buttons to engage one of two preset
engine maps, activate launch control
and traction control, and enable Quickshifter
for seamless upshifts, even when under
heavy load.
The FC 450 Rockstar Edition is expertly
assembled and comes complete with
an extended list of competition-focused

WORDS BY SHAUN PORTMAN | PICS BY BEAM PRODUCTIONS
MAKING
SENSE
Finally, Honda’s brilliant CB500X has made its
way to the SA market and we got our first taste
of this great machine. It looks fantastic, is very
adaptable, and is priced for the real world.
It just makes sense. Welcome CB500X!

Honda in general is still
among one of the most
popular motorcycle brands
in the world. They have a
huge range of motorcycles
in every capacity, two or four-wheeled,
adventure, scooter, superbike, cruisers
and tourers. They have recently updated a
small-capacity adventure bike which they
released to the world back in 2013. Yes, I am
talking about the CB500X. Now in its third
carnation, after receiving a small update
from the first to the second version, the
eagerly anticipated third generation is a far
cry from the CB500X’s roots.
POWER
47bhp @
8,600rpm
TORQUE
43Nm @
6,500rpm
WHEEL
BASE
1445mm
SEAT
HEIGHT
830mm
WET
WEIGHT
199kg
Unfortunately, we as South Africans have
not received a fraction of Honda’s model
line-up, but with the introduction of the
CB500X into the SA market, this might just
pave the way for a lot more range of models
to make their way to our shores. There is
talk of Honda SA launching the brand new
Transalp and Hornet naked sports bike
sometime next year, which will be a muchneeded
boost for their current model lineup.
On to the launch of the current bike
though. Honda SA invited some journos out
to ADA Rider training out in Harties to be
one of the first people in SA to sample the
much anticipated Honda CB500X over two
days. Now I must confess- I couldn’t wait for
the launch to see the CB500X in person so
I snuck a visit to Honda East Rand Mall to
take a quick peek and see what all the fuss
was about. The CB500X, to me, looks like a
scaled-down version of Honda’s VFR1200
Cross Tourer, a beautifully magnificent bike
in its own right. All the lights and indicators
are LED which not only looks good but also
ensures that you can see and be seen at the
same time.
I would only get to sit on the bike at the
launch though, and straight away I could
feel its narrowness and manoeuvrability. It
actually feels a lot lighter than its claimed
kerb weight of 199kg and Honda has done
CB500X KEY HIGHLIGHTS
• Lively twin-cylinder powerplant delivers usable power and torque across the rev-range,
plus sporty sound from its dual-exit muffler • New PGM-FI settings improve torque feel
and character • New radiator design more stylish and lighter • Assist/slipper clutch eases
upshifts and manages downshifts • Homologated for EURO5 • 41mm Showa Separate
Function Fork Big Piston (SFF-BP) USD forks • New dual 296mm discs matched to Nissin
two-piston calipers • New lighter weight front wheel and swingarm
• Revised headlight LEDs for improved high/low beam plus position lights

this by giving the X the perfect weight
distribution and a low centre of gravity
without compromising on ground clearance.
A low seat height of 830mm ensures that
even the most vertically challenged folks
will be able to be sure-footed and confident
when riding Honda’s updated offering. Build
quality is typical Honda so you can be rest
assured that nothing will fall off and that
the liquid-cooled, parallel twin motor, which
derives from the CBR500R will last forever.
The CB500X punches above its capacity in
the looks department with a sleek, yet sharp
design. You would be forgiven to think that
it is a 750cc or higher at first glance.
THE CB500X
PUNCHES ABOVE
ITS CAPACITY IN THE
LOOKS DEPARTMENT
WITH A SLEEK, YET
SHARP DESIGN.
The route we would be riding would be
some road but mainly a mix of rocks, sand
and clay-like mud thanks to all the recent
rain we have been getting. Still fitted with
the standard road-biased 110/80-19 front
tyre and 160/60-17 rear tyre it did get
interesting at times, especially in the mud
but because the CB is so light and nimble
and the motor so torquey, all you had to
do was idle through most of the obstacles
that came your way even though the nature
of this motor is to be revved high through
the gears most of the time. The 47hp and
43Nm of torque I had on hand really came
in handy through most of the first and
second-gear riding we did off-road. The sixspeed
transmission is silky smooth in typical
Honda fashion and will take you to a top
speed of just over 170kph, although it is at
its happiest cruising at around 125-130kph.
Honda has fitted this third-generation
CB500X with a 19” front and 17” rear
tubeless mag wheel combo, which works
well but I would have liked to see a proper
and typical spoked adventure wheel setup
on both ends. Then again, no one will
generally do the type of riding that we did
on the day so is it actually really needed?
The Showa 41mm SFF-BP USD forks, preload
adjustable and Prolink mono with 5
stage preload adjuster, steel hollow cross
swingarm work surprisingly well and one

The CB500X is like
a happy little Jack
Russell excited to go
wherever you take it
no matter how hard
the terrain is.
will battle to bottom them out but more or
any proper adjustability would have been a
nice touch. The CB500X steering is direct
and solid and through the turns on the road
doesn’t stray off line which gave me the
confidence to push harder and harder. On
the odd occasion when I needed to slow
down, the Dual 296mm x 4mm disc with
Nissin radial-mount two-piston callipers upfront
did the job perfectly.
The brakes are responsive and fade-free.
Another little gripe I have on the CB500X is
that the ABS cannot be turned off, a button
like that on the CRF300L where the ABS
can be turned off on the rear and softened
on the front would again have been a nice
little touch. Saying that the 2 channel ABS
did not interfere as much as I thought it
would in all riding conditions.
The 17.5-litre fuel tank will ensure that refueling
the CB will be a task not undertaken
that often. If you are civilised you can
expect to reach over 400km on a tank or
even more if you believe Honda’s claim of
3.6L/100km. The windscreen is sufficient
and doesn’t break your vision of what’s
ahead. I was lucky enough to also sample
a CB500X fitted with genuine Honda
Accessories, namely crash bars, a tank
bag, a touring screen, spotlights and a
top box. These accessories made the X
look even more finished and adventurous,

which is what most of the SA riders will
want. A centre stand would have been nice
as standard but I am told that one could be
fitted as an accessory.
OVERALL THOUGH,
I MUST SAY THAT
THIS LITTLE CB500X
DID EXCITE ME TO
NO END AND WAS
HEAPS OF FUN, ON
THE ROAD AND IN
THE DIRTY STUFF. IT
IS A MULTI-USE BIKE
WHICH CAN BE USED
100% OF THE TIME.
As you can expect the electronics are
simplistic and so is the LCD Meter with
Speedometer, Bar Graph Tachometer, Dual
Trip Meters, Fuel Level and Consumption
Guage, Clock, Water Temp, Gear position,
and Shift UP Indicator. The rev counter sits
in the left-hand corner and is rarely visible,
especially in direct sunlight. I do think that
Honda could have done a much better job
with the dash, making it either bigger as a
whole or a gauge-like meter like that of the
older VFR1200s.
Overall though, I must say that this little
CB500X did excite me to no end and was
heaps of fun, on the road and in the dirty
stuff. It is a multi-use bike which can be used
100% of the time. Priced at only R120 000.00
and available in Honda dealers nationwide
there is only one thing that I have left to say.
I really wish the CB500X had been here, with
us in SA since its release in 2013! It is the
perfect bike for our market.