MRW Issue 36

ISSUE 36
EXCLUSIVE
FEATURE
FROM CHAMPION CREATOR, TO CHAMPION
DESTROYER
THE DECLINE OF HONDA MOTOGP
HYBRID BYE-BYE YAMAHA
KAWASAKI NINJA 7 MM93 TO GRESINI X-MAX 300 SCOOTER

EDITOR’S NOTE
Hello MRW fans and welcome to issue 36 of
SA’s only motorcycle magazine.
The big news is finally out and even though
we all knew it was coming, it’s still been a
massive shock to the system.
Marc Marquez will be leaving the Repsol
Honda team and HRC at the end of the
2023 season after 11 very successful
seasons together. Never thought I would be
typing that message out, but there you are.
It’s a subject that has so many topics and
unanswered questions to it, way too many
for me to go on about here so make sure
you watch the full “Talking MotoGP Marc
Marquez” video we have up on our YouTube
channel (or click on the video link featured
here in my column) where both myself,
Paul Scott, and all our fans who tuned into
the live chat go through all the topics of
discussion surrounding this.
Now that Marc has announced he will be
leaving that leaves Honda in crisis mode.
Who will they get to replace Marc, how do
they replace an 8-times world champion,
who leads the project going forward, etc...
All these questions and more were touched
upon in the video we did but we also take
a closer look at the Honda project and its
failings in this issue highlighting the fact that
so many top riders, and world champions,
have come to the Repsol Honda team
and failed. How did Honda not see what’s
happening now not coming? Were they just
blinded by Marc’s success? Did they not
heed the warnings shown by the failures of
Lorenzo and Pol?
Oh, sorry to sidetrack a bit but as I type this
I see the official announcement of Marc
Marquez joining the Gresini Ducati team has
just come in. See the news section for more
on this...
A great feature done by Paul Scott for you
all to enjoy. On top of that, we have plenty
of great features as always packed into this
digital magazine - from the latest motorcycle
tech and features to the latest models
revealed and tested - road and dirt. So, go
now and enjoy the magazine and I will catch
up with you all on our social media channels
and in next month’s digi magazine.
Cheers for now.
Rob Portman
CONTRIBUTORS
Shaun Portman
Beam Productions
Adam Child “Chad”
Sheridan Morais
CONTACT
DETAILS
EDITOR/OWNER
Rob Portman
082 782 8240
rob@motoriderworld.com
ANYTHING & EVERYTHING
Shaun Portman
072 260 9525
shaun@motoriderworld.com
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NEWS DESK
KAWASAKI LAUNCHES
WORLD’S FIRST
HYBRID STREETBIKE
– WITH “E-BOOST”
Kawasaki has managed to squeeze both a
combustion engine and a full electric powertrain
into its new Ninja 7 Hybrid streetbike – and it
doesn’t look as ungainly as you’d think. The
benefits? Fuel economy, electric boost, and some
other neat tricks.
This middleweight, sparsely faired roadster –
which we first saw as a prototype in 2020 – runs
a newly designed 451cc parallel twin combustion
engine capable of outputting a fairly reasonable
43.5 kW (58.3 hp) on its own. Right behind the
cylinder heads sits a 9-kW (12-hp) electric motor,
running off a 48-V lithium-ion battery mounted
under the seat, and when both are combined, the
hybrid system will make up to 51.1 kW (68.5 hp).
For a little while, anyway. Like Kawasaki’s piddly
E-1 and Z E-1 electric bikes, peak power is only
available in a temporary “e-boost” that shuts down
to prevent the motor from overheating. On the
E-1s, there’s a 15-second time limit. On the Ninja 7
hybrid, it’s not specified – but it may well be less,
given that the motor’s sitting in such a hot spot
behind the engine.

NEWS DESK
Either way, Kawasaki says the new hybrid will rocket off the line like a
literbike thanks to a helping of electric torque, and that in regular use
it’ll give you the “overall performance” of a 650-700cc class bike, with
the fuel consumption of a 250. That certainly sounds nice.
There’ll be sport-hybrid, eco-hybrid and full-electric modes to choose
from, and a “walk mode” that’ll assist riders in pushing the thing
around, in forward or reverse. The combustion engine will run an
auto stop/start system to avoid wasting fuel.
The gearbox is interesting too – it doesn’t come with a clutch lever,
but Kawasaki says it’ll have “manual or automatically selected gears,”
and that it’ll also run an “Automatic Launch Position Finder” system
that instantly makes sure you’re in first gear every time you stop.
Questions remain. Kawasaki is yet to specify the weight of the Ninja
7 Hybrid, for starters, or the price, or the size of the battery, or how
far it’ll go in full-electric mode, or how far it’ll go on a tank of gas. In
particular, it’ll be fascinating to know what kind of weight penalty and
sticker shock a hybrid system might represent for a streetbike.

NEWS DESK
HONDA’S NEW
MOTORCYCLE E-CLUTCH
The idea of a clutchless motorcycle just feels wrong
to some riders. After many years trying to sell fully
automatic motorcycles, Honda has come up with a
“best of both worlds” E-Clutch system that lets you
use or ignore the left lever as you please.
Honda is the only motorcycle manufacturer still
pushing the option of fully automatic dual-clutch
“DCT” transmissions for two-wheelers, but
according to ADV Pulse, it’s had some success; in
2019, customers took the DCT option on 45% of
Africa Twins, 52% of NC750Xs and 67% of Gold
Wings sold in Europe.
The DCT, as frequently seen in the automotive
world, is a six- or seven-speed gearbox with two
separate electronically-controlled clutches. It
can do near-seamless gearshifts with very little
interruption of the power delivery, since, for
example, second gear can be disengaging at the
same time that third gear is engaging. You can
run it in fully automatic twist-n-go mode, or hit
little thumb buttons to take a bit more control, like
paddle-shifting a sports car.
But it takes away the clutch lever from the left
handlebar, as well as the gear lever from the left
foot. And while that’s just fine and dandy for some
riders, others (us included) bristle a little at the idea.
We’re a conservative lot, bikers, when it comes
to new ideas. To many folk, if a bike doesn’t have
a clutch lever, well it’s a stinkin’ scooter and we
don’t want nothin’ to do with it. To others, the left
lever serves as a one-finger trigger for clutchup
wheelies, so to remove it is to cripple a key
capability of our vehicles.
On the other hand, we don’t think many of us
would argue that we’re desperate to keep hanging
on to clutch levers in stop-start traffic. And that
might be the genius of Honda’s latest attempt, the
E-Clutch, which it describes as “the world’s first
automatic clutch control system for a multi-gear
manual motorcycle transmission.”
Essentially, you keep your regular manual gearbox
and clutch lever, and you should be able to ride
exactly as per normal if you use the clutch lever.
But if you don’t, the bike will electronically control
the clutch for you, handling starts, stops, upshifts
and downshifts in a way Honda describes as “more
natural than a rider’s manual clutch operation.”
So presumably, any time you touch the lever,
you’re overriding the automatic clutch. But you
can easily stop at the lights in first, and take off
again like a twist-n-go if you feel like it, and you’ve
effectively got a bidirectional quickshifter once
you’re on the move.
Honda says the E-Clutch system is lightweight
and compact, and it can be installed “without
major changes to existing engine layouts.” It’ll
obviously need to talk to the bike’s ECU a lot,
so I doubt it’ll become a retrofit accessory,
but Honda says it’ll start building this tech into
its “FUN motorcycle models over time.” So,
presumably things like the Grom.
We reckon it sounds like a great idea, a more
relaxing way to get around, without any real penalty.
Beginners can hop on, zoom about without fear
of stalling, and still develop a feel for the clutch
lever that they’ll need if they move to another bike.
And hooligans can merrily hoist their front wheels
skyward by flicking the clutch when inspiration
strikes – not that Honda’s the kind of company that
would encourage such shenanigans.
There’s no word yet on when it’ll hit the road.

NEWS DESK
YAMAHA PRESENTS
BIZARRE, TWISTING, SELF-
BALANCING MOTOROID 2
Well, not all of the rest of the bike, because it looks
like the battery box, slung underneath the central
spine of the Motoroid 2, can also swivel, so as to
dynamically alter the weight balance of the bike.
The swingarm and battery box seem to be linked
so they tilt together, in what Yamaha calls an Active
Mass Center Control System (AMCES).
The front wheel appears to steer in a mercifully
normal fashion despite its chunky, girdery looks...
That is, until you look up at the handlebars and
realize they’re rigid handgrips, and there’s no
mechanical connection to steer the front wheel.
It’s unclear how exactly you’d be supposed to
control this thing, but through a combination of
electronic steering and the AMCES, Motoroid 2
can self-balance, hop up off its own kickstand
and ride around of its own accord. Through facial
recognition and gesture control, riders can ask it to
follow them around and such.
All of this was in evidence, in one form or another,
on the original Motoroid concept, first presented
nearly six years ago. So what’s new? Well, new
cosmetics and bodywork, for one, plus a brutally
large pair of gleaming training-wheel sidestand legs.
The handgrips have been reshaped and relocated,
and there’s now a pretty sick-looking headlight unit
up front.
Where the original Motoroid shown in the video
above had a pair of gentle-looking arms that would
fold down behind you and grip your hips like a
prison roommate, the new version drops this idea
and forces you to outsource any such assistance.
One of the strangest concept bikes in all of
motorcycledom has been reworked for 2023.
Yamaha has unveiled a second version of its
futuristic Motoroid concept, complete with a
twisting swingarm, AI facial recognition, and the
ability to self-balance.
The company says the Motoroid 2 is an exploration
of the question “what will human-machine
interfaces actually be like in the future?” The
answer, by the looks of things, is “weird.” So what
the heck is this thing? Well, an electric motorcycle
with a hub-driven rear wheel, that seems a good
place to start. But that hub is mounted on a
swingarm that runs up to a motorized, pivoting
mount point right under the seat that allows the
entire swingarm and rear wheel to be swiveled
back and forth, effectively tilting independently of
the rest of the bike.

NEWS DESK
Instead, now there’s a very futuristic-looking set of
translucent white bodywork, impregnated with blue
mood lighting, and this appears able to fold right
upward, tilting the seat backward toward the rear
wheel in the process. Yamaha doesn’t feel it needs
to explain why exactly you’d want to flip the “tank”
like this; maybe there’s some storage under there,
or perhaps it’s just a mating display.
The company says the Motoroid 2 has “a distinctly
lifelike feel when somebody is riding on its back,”
and “a presence more like a lifetime companion”
despite the new lack of hip-gripping.
Where does it all lead? Certainly not toward a
production bike. But Yamaha has built a working,
self-balancing version of this bonkers AI moto
concept, and seen fit to spend some more time in
the intervening years tarting it up into a secondgen
concept, which is something you don’t see all
that often.
Very odd stuff. It’ll be on display later this month at
the Events Japan Mobility Show 2023.

NEWS DESK
YART WINS 2023 FIM
ENDURANCE WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIP
Austria-based YART was one of six teams in
EWC title contention starting the legendary
24-hour event, but it endured a nervy
conclusion to the race due to a temperature
issue that forced the team to make multiple
pit stops for running repairs.
With defending champion F.C.C. TSR
Honda France retiring at 03h30 following
a technical failure and the BMW Motorrad
World Endurance Team dropping out of
the lead fight due to two unscheduled pit
visits, YART essentially needed a top-nine
Formula EWC finish to secure the EWC’s
biggest prize.
Running with a special livery to
commemorate the 25th anniversary of the
Yamaha R1, the Bridgestone-equipped
YART trio of Niccolò Canepa, Marvin
Fritz and Karel Hanika rode faultlessly,
eventually finishing in fourth position to
secure EWC gold, having held the race
lead on numerous occasions.
“The team did an amazing job, I’m
really proud of them and my teammates
were riding superbly,” said Czech
Hanika. “Big thanks to Yamaha for this
opportunity. Every rider participates in
this championship because they want to
win and that’s why we are here trying to
do our best.”
Having experienced a season of more lows
than highs, Yoshimura SERT Motul was
determined to end the 2023 campaign
on top of a race that would mark Sylvain
Guintoli’s final EWC outing with Suzuki
power. Despite Gregg Black and Étienne
Masson competing as a duo for the final
nine hours after Guintoli fell ill, Yoshimura
SERT Motul triumphed by a clear margin.
That was despite Black being one of eight
riders to fall on oil at the end of the Mistral
Straight yesterday morning, which triggered
a lengthy safety car period.
“It’s incredible,” said UK-born, Francebased
Black. “We’ve had a pretty hard
season but we’ve been performing, so to
finish the season like this with this result is
just incredible. The team did a great job,
my team-mates also. It was a hard one but
we got it and we got the pace and we could
win the Bol d’Or. We’re really happy.”
Having taken the coveted EWC crown
at Circuit Paul Ricard 12 months ago,
F.C.C. TSR Honda France hit trouble
shortly before 3am when Mike Di Meglio
was forced to push the #1 Honda after
it stopped at the entrance to the pitlane.
Despite its best efforts, the team was
forced to retire with a terminal technical
issue at 03h26. Along with team-mates
Josh Hook and Alan Techer, Di Meglio
knew hopes of another EWC title would be
salvaged if its main rivals also stopped. In
the event, it was a frustrating finish to an
otherwise strong season.

NEWS DESK
BAUTISTA LIKE WINE: better with age and
more impressive each round
WHAT WE LEARNT: tenacious
Toprak exceptional, Bautista
doing his generation proud
11 rounds down, one round to go – but what
are the key takeaways since World SBK got
back from our August break?
The sun is setting on the 2023 MOTUL FIM
Superbike World Championship season but
there’s still one round remaining; in the last
three rounds – which have been in four weeks
– there have been an abundance of stories
right the way through the order. We’ve put
some of the key themes since we came back
from the August break below, with them also
serving as things to watch out for in the final
round of the season.
TOPRAK’S TENACITY: a remarkable effort
It’s always been clear that Toprak Razgatlioglu
(Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) will
never give up but Race 2 at Portimao elevated
the meaning of that. He duelled with Alvaro
Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) like we’ve
never seen before, with some of the latest
braking witnessed. It’s the race that everyone
has been talking about for just how good
Toprak Razgatlioglu was in combat and
just how much he pushed himself, the bike
and emptied the tank to try and topple the
Championship leader. Resilient, relentless
and irrepressible, the 2021 World Champion
performed to the highest level.
As the reigning World Superbike Champion,
Alvaro Bautista has already demonstrated
that he can perform at an amazingly high and
hard level late on in his career. The Spaniard,
who is 38 years of age and will be 39 by
the end of the year, is one of the last of his
generation to come through the 125cc class
and up through the 250cc Championship
and then MotoGP. The same era as Dani
Pedrosa, Jorge Lorenzo and Casey Stoner
and whilst they were often ahead of him in
MotoGP, Bautista’s transition to WorldSBK
has seen him become the best version of
himself, with more understanding, different
approach but still having a mindset to stay
young in his training and keep adapting in
his racing. As he said in the most recent Hot
Headlines at Portimao: “The devil knows
more for being old than for being the devil”,
whilst in comparison to other rivals, he said
Toprak was one of the toughest ever.
BMW COMPETITIVE WITH GERLOFF: a
sign of a bright future
BMW may have struggled in recent years
for consistency but one rider is doing the
business; Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action
BMW) has been fast since Donington Park
but since Magny-Cours, he’s been getting
the results to back it up. A pole in France,
fighting well at Aragon – a track they struggle
at – and taking a best of the year in P4,
the American has been riding very well
and is edging the manufacturer closer to
the podium and doing so on merit. Toprak
Razgatlioglu moves to BMW in 2024 and
it’s going to be very interesting to see what
he’ll be able to do if uptick in performance
continues. Gerloff has great feel, a great team
around him and is a good development rider
and BMW are coming good, with some of it

NEWS DESK
owed to him. He could still finish P8 overall in
the standings.
REA ON THE LIMIT: Kawasaki’s shortfalls
too big for Rea to make up?
A Sunday to forget at Portimao for Jonathan
Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
and an Aragon Round where he wasn’t able
to make the difference, although he gave
it an astonishing attempt in the Superpole
Race. Rea is having to be so perfect to get
the maximum out of his bike – which isn’t
enough at every track – that mistakes are
coming because to be on the limit like that
for an entirety of a race is almost impossible.
A small mistake at Turn 12 in the Superpole
Race backs that thesis up from Aragon,
when he just ran fractionally wide, giving
Bautista the momentum to be closer by the
time they got onto the back straight on the
last lap. It may not have changed anything
in the outcome but it looked like Rea had
it sorted until then. The two mistakes at
Portimao also come from each opportunity
being critical. However, even WorldSBK’s
GOAT can’t make miracles. We remain to see
what Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) will
bring to KRT when he arrives in 2024.
Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) and his teammate
Xavi Vierge will also help. Jerez is much the
same. The Honda is competitive but some
tracks make it seem worse than what is real.
HONDA IMPROVE: what’s the key?
Honda have had a better last couple of
rounds and we can perhaps expect them
to continue that form at Jerez. So, why the
improvement? Donington Park, Imola, Most
and Magny-Cours are all extremely quirky
tracks, where a rider’s experience can make
the difference but where the setup of a bike
has to be perfect. A set-up generally always
has to be perfect but at tracks like Aragon
and Portimao, which both have quirks to
them but are much more ‘European’ or
‘Grand Prix’ in style seems to suit the Hondas
better. Plenty of testing at the tracks for both

NEWS DESK
CUSTOM SUIT
ORDERING PROCESS
1.
DESIGN
DOUBLE SUCCESS: Ducati
celebrates WorldSBK and
WorldSSP Manufacturers’ titles
2.
MEASUREMENTS
3.
ORDER CONFIRMATION
& DEPOSIT
4.
PRODUCTION
The MOTUL FIM Superbike World
Championship paddock descended on the
Autodromo Internacional do Algarve last
weekend and it was a weekend for Ducati
to celebrate. The Italian brand wrapped
up the Manufacturers’ Championship in
both WorldSBK and WorldSSP on Saturday
during the Pirelli Portuguese Round. Perhaps
Twocati would be more appropriate given
their double Manufacturers’ Championship
celebrations at the weekend but, terrible puns
and wordplay aside, it was a memorable
achievement for Ducati especially given their
WorldSSP crown came in only their second
season back.
DEFENDING THEIR TITLE: a second
successive crown in WorldSBK
After taking the 2022 title, when they claimed
it from Yamaha, Ducati set out to retain it in
2023. A new Panigale V4 R was introduced
and that bike, in the hands of Alvaro Bautista
(Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and teammate
Michael Ruben Rinaldi, has won 25 out
of a possible 33 races this year with one
round spare (although the Manufacturers’
Championship was won with their 23rd win of
the season, in Race 1 at Portimao). Bautista
has 24 of them as he goes in search of a
second Riders’ Championship in two years.
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NEWS DESK
Rinaldi’s sole win came at MotorLand Aragon
as he took advantage of his teammate’s crash
to win the race. It means Ducati now have 19
titles to their name, 13 more than their nearest
competitors.
THE OTHER CONTRIBUTORS: Ducati’s
Independent stars shine
On the rare occasions where Ducati’s
factory riders faltered, two Independent
stars were there to pick up the baton for the
manufacturer. Kawasaki-bound Axel Bassani
(Motocorsa Racing) and Danilo Petrucci (Barni
Spark Racing Team) both scored valuable
Manufacturers’ Championship for the factory.
Bassani was top Ducati on two occasions –
when he finished fifth in the Tissot Superpole
Race at Mandalika and second at Imola – while
‘Petrux’ was on one occasion, when he took
third at Most in Race 1.
TWO SEASONS AND A RETURN TO THE
TOP: WorldSSP title goes to Bologna
With the introduction of a new ruleset for
2022, Ducati returned to WorldSSP with their
Panigale V2 machine. They finished second
in the Manufacturers’ standings with no wins
and 17 podiums, but with a year of experience
under their belt, 2023 was a different story.
15 wins so far this year meant they secured
the Manufacturers’ Championship – their first
in WorldSSP – with three races to go, having
won it in the same race Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.
it Racing WorldSSP Team) won his title.
Bulega took 14 wins for Ducati with the other
coming from Federico Caricasulo (Althea
Racing Team), who was top Ducati on three
occasions: Mandalika in both races, including
his Race 2 win, and Barcelona in Race 2
when he was sixth. Federico Fuligni (Orelac
Racing VerdNatura) also contributed to the
Manufacturers’ standings with his seventh in
Race 2 at Most.
DUCATI SAYS: “a special thank you to our
riders, who with their results, have allowed
us to reach these goals”
Reflecting on Ducati’s 2023 success, Gigi
Dall’Igna, Ducati Corse General Manager
said: “Today is a really important day for us.
For the second consecutive year, Ducati are
the best manufacturer in WorldSBK with the
Panigale V4 R, but not only that. The Aruba.
it Racing WorldSSP Team rider Nicolo Bulega
was crowned World Supersport Champion
and for the first time we too are Champions
in WorldSSP with the Panigale V2, which
made its debut in the World Championship
last year. We are extremely proud of these
results, a sign of the great commitment we
have always put into the production-based
World Championship. I thank all the men and
women at Ducati Corse who, with passion,
did their job impeccably. Congratulations
to Nicolo and his team for this incredible
success and a special thank you to our
WorldSBK and WorldSSP riders, who with
their results, have allowed us to reach these
goals. Now we just have to stay focussed: the
WorldSBK riders’ title is still open, and we will
do our utmost to defend the title obtained by
Alvaro last year.”

NEWS DESK
NICOLO BULEGA CROWNED
2023 WORLDSSP CHAMPION
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Ducati WorldSSP
Team) has been crowned the 2023
Champion and the Italian takes the honours
of being Ducati’s first title winner in the FIM
Supersport World Championship. Bulega
made his debut last season and, while he
did not stand on the top step of the rostrum,
showed his potential with plenty of podiums
and a big step forward was made this season
as he claimed the title in stunning fashion.
GET TO KNOW: all about the latest
Champion…
23-year-old Bulega was born in Emilia-
Romagna and is the son of former WorldSSP
rider Davide Bulega, who competed between
1999 and 2001. He rose through the ranks
and made a name for himself in Moto3 and
Moto2 before two seasons in WorldSSP
from 2022 where he was crowned Champion.
Speaking to the Official Programme for
the Indonesian Round, Bulega described
his heroes as Valentino Rossi and Zlatan
Ibrahimovic while he races with the #11 as it’s
the same number that his dad raced with.
THE EARLY YEARS: a 2015 title and
promotion to the World Championship
After showing his potential in Italy and across
Europe, Bulega stepped up to what was
then the FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World
Championship in 2014 and finished sixth
in the standings. He returned for a second
year and won the title ahead of Grand Prix
stars Albert Arenas, Aron Canet and 2020
MotoGP World Champion Joan Mir. Bulega
took one win that season, at Jerez, compared
to Arenas’ three but his consistency helped
him to the title with the Italian only outside
the top five on two occasions out of 12 races,
with this characteristic echoed in 2023. On
the back of his success, Bulega took part in
the 2015 Valencian Grand Prix with the Sky
Racing Team VR46, scoring four points on
debut.
PODIUMS IN Moto3: Bulega’s potential on
display
He remained with the same team for 2016,
his first full season in Moto3, and got off to
a stunning start. Sixth in Qatar was followed
up with second at Jerez in Round 4, and a
consistent run of top-ten finishes followed.
He took third at the Japanese Grand Prix
but 2017 proved to be more challenging
with no podiums, on his way to 12th with 81
points. His final year in the lightweight class
was marred by retirements with Bulega not
scoring points until Assen, the eighth race of
the season.
A THREE-YEAR STINT: a move to
Moto2 beckons
It took until just his fourth Moto2 race in
2019 to score his first points, with ninth at
Jerez, and he followed that up with tenth at
Le Mans. He finished the campaign with 48
points with a best finish of seventh at Brno;
it would turn out to be his best Moto2
campaign in three years. He was 20th with
32 points and 26th with 12 points in 2021 in
what proved to be his final Moto2 campaign
before a switch to WorldSSP for the 2022
campaign, coinciding with the return of Ducati
to World Supersport as he linked up with the
Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team. It would
prove to relight his career path.
THE WORLD SUPERSPORT SWITCH: a
podium contender from the start
Bulega’s first WorldSSP round came at
Aragon in 2022 and he was immediately on
the pace with fifth in Race 1 and a maiden
podium in Race 2. Nine visits to the rostrum
came that year for the #11 but a first win
eluded him as Dominique Aegerter (GYTR

NEWS DESK
GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and
Lorenzo Baldassarri (GMT94 Yamaha)
diced for the title. He finished his rookie
year fourth in the standings, 22 points
behind Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti
Racing) in third.
A TITLE-WINNING CAMPAIGN: a multiple
race winner and a consistent season
With the Ducati Panigale V2 now in its
second WorldSSP season, refinements
were made and the year of experience
Bulega put in his pocket allowed him to
take the next step as he became a race
winner. Victory came at Phillip Island,
with a double, at the opening round of
the season before a podium in Indonesia.
Another double at Assen, plus victories at
Barcelona and Misano despite the best
efforts of title rival Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate
Racing Yamaha) put him in pole position
for the title. The Ducati star was able to
keep winning with more visits to the top
step at Donington, Most and Magny-
Cours, allowing him to pull out a 60-point
lead heading into the Aragon Round. A
double at Aragon extended his lead to 85
points, with Manzi P11 and P2, but it wasn’t
enough to win the title and the fight lasted
one more round. With Bulega needing
to leave Portimao Race 1 with a 75-point
advantage over Manzi, he wrapped up the
2023 title in style on Saturday with victory;
becoming Ducati’s first Champion in
WorldSSP.
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD? A
factory Ducati seat guaranteed…
Bulega’s future was known before the
title was wrapped up. For next year, the
Italian will partner Alvaro Bautista at the
factory Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team,
replacing Michael Ruben Rinaldi. He
follows in the footsteps of 2020 Champion
Andrea Locatelli, who moved straight into
the factory Yamaha seat and has been
a regular top-six finisher, and two-time
Champion Dominique Aegerter who moved
to WorldSBK for 2023 after his second title.

NEWS DESK
END OF AN ERA: HRC AND
MARC MARQUEZ TO PART
WAYS IN 2024
With a year still remaining on the four-year
contract between HRC and Marc Marquez,
both parties have mutually agreed to end their
collaboration upon completion of the 2023
MotoGP World Championship season. Both
parties agreed it was in their best interests
to each pursue other avenues in the future
to best achieve their respective goals and
targets.
This brings an end to 11 years of
collaboration between the #93 and HRC in
which they achieved six premier class World
Championships, five Triple Crowns, 59 wins,
101 podiums and 64 pole positions together.
Marquez took his debut victory in the premier
class aboard the Honda RC213V at the Grand
Prix of the Americas in Austin, Texas in 2013
to become the youngest premier class winner
and would become the youngest premier
class World Champion later that year. In 2014
he defended his title and won the opening 10
consecutive races of year, going on to also
claim titles in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 as
an HRC rider with the Repsol Honda Team.
Both parties will continue to give their full
support for the remaining rounds of the 2023
MotoGP World Championship season.
HRC wish Marc Marquez the best in his future
endeavors.
There are still so many questions surrounding
this. Watch our special “Talking MotoGP -
Marc Marquez” episode where we dive into
this very complex and very exciting topic.

NEWS DESK
IT’S OFFICIAL! MARC
MARQUEZ TO JOIN GRESINI
The Gresini Family is pleased to announce
the arrival of Marc Marquez for the 2024
season. The Spanish rider, a multi-time World
Champion, recently announced his separation
from Honda and starting next season, he will
be the new standard bearer of Gresini Racing
MotoGP alongside his brother Alex.
The Marquez brothers make a dream pairing,
with Marc joining a satellite team that has
already shown it belongs with the
best since the squad’s return to the
status of independent team in the
premier class.
is absolutely fantastic and I’m extremely
happy to be able to make it official. In less
than a season we got really close to his
brother, and we’ll welcome Marc the same
way, as we’re sure he has all the potential to
be competitive on the GP23 from the get-go.
Last but not least, I would like to thank Fabio
Di Giannantonio for his professionalism, and
we wish him all the best for the continuation
of his career.”
Marc Marquez: “I’m excited about
this new challenge. It wasn’t an
easy decision because it’s a big
change in every way. But sometimes
in life, it’s important to get out of
your comfort zone and put yourself
through the paces in order to keep
growing. Bike-chance-wise, I know I
will have to adapt my riding style to a
few things, and it won’t be easy. But
I’m also sure that the whole Team
Gresini will help me a lot. I can’t wait
to get to know the team and start
working with them. I’d like to thank
Nadia, Carlo and Michele for the
trust and respect they showed me.
Nadia Padovani: Gresini Racing
Team Owner: “This is a historical
moment for the Gresini Family. The
fact that Marc Marquez chose to
race with us in the upcoming season

NEWS DESK
Here’s all the main talking points from what he
had to say at the press conference:
The dream partnership comes to an end
“It has been a super difficult decision, the
toughest decision of my career because to
break 11 years of relationship with Honda, a very
successful relationship was super difficult. Yes,
last week was hard on the emotional side because
all my staff, friends and family are there inside that
box.”
A difficult decision
“Sometimes you need to leave your comfort
zone. And yeah, my comfort zone was Honda
but yeah, it’s true that it’s been a while and I’m
suffering a lot.”
The reasons behind the decision
“I’m not enjoying it so I made a change to enjoy
my racing again because if I’m not there’s no
point in continuing my racing and continuing my
career, and what I want is more and more racing
in my career. The first target will be to try to enjoy
it. So for that reason, I chose the Gresini team
because it’s a big family. They have the best bike
on the grid and my brother is there so.”
New challenges on the horizon
“It will be a big challenge for me and a big
challenge for the Gresini team but they’ve already
done very good results with Alex my brother and
with Enea Bastianini in the past. But it’s what I say,
it will be a big change in every aspect and what
I’m looking for is to enjoy it, and to smile in the
helmet. If I smile, everything will come.”
Tough times
“When you’re injured and you’re in a difficult
moment, you can’t make decisions. That’s what I
learned in the past. There you have to be patient.
But then in the second part of the season, of
course, we’ve had some nice talks with Honda.
Race by race it was super difficult because every
weekend my mentality was changing a bit, with a
lot of doubts. But at the same time, I had contact
with the Gresini team and I told them I wouldn’t go
forward with any contract, just if you want to wait
for me, wait for me, but I can’t promise anything.
My decision was last Tuesday after the Japan GP.”
Onto pastures new
“The easiest way was to stay at Honda with the
situation under control, the bike under control, my
team there, and a big salary, so that was the easy
solution. But then if I want to take care of myself
and my career I need to find a new challenge and
the new challenge and best place was the Gresini
team in 2024.”
Options on the table
“One year off was one of the possibilities. As I
said, racing without enjoying has no meaning. I’ve
enjoyed many things in the past, but I want to fight
in the present. It doesn’t matter if you have one or
eight World Championships, you have to fight for
the present. This was my target. But yeah, I had
different options. I won’t say because I respect all
those teams and all those options.”
The key moment
“On Wednesday I had the phone call with Japan,
which we thought was the best option for the
project because I believe that they need time,
they need to put all the budget on the bike. A
manufacturer or brand has a lot of time, but
athletes, we don’t have a lot of time. If you lose
a year, that’s one year less that you have in your
career. So yeah, look, I’m looking forward to
finishing these last few races well with Honda
because it has been 11 years where we have we
won six World Championships. We will discover
how the future will be with a new team and the
new bike.”
The dream team continues?
“I am trying to bring at least one mechanic that I
think won’t be a problem, but I can’t bring all the
team for two reasons: One, I will not destroy the
Repsol Honda Team because we’re in October.
And reason two I won’t destroy the Gresini team
because they are a family where they already have
their mechanics.”
An ever-changing situation
“The decision was not clear. It looked like the last
two months I was playing with you, but honestly,
every week the situation was changing. When
I showed that video in Misano, I was 90% at
Honda. Even at the Test, I was there, but then
the situation changed... in the end last Tuesday I
made the decision.”

NEWS DESK
MARQUEZ SIGNS ON TO JOIN
EXCLUSIVE TOP FIVE CLUB
Former MotoGP commentator Nick
Harris takes a deep dive into other great
World Champions that jumped to different
machinery during their careers
The news on Wednesday afternoon still came
as a shock. The rumours had been rife for
a couple of months but seeing it in black
and white made me fully realise this was
big, very big. After 11 years HRC and Marc
Marquez are parting company. Six premier
class world titles, 59 Grand Prix victories
and 101 podiums relegated onto the history
book pages. One of the truly great World
Champions still hungry to win more titles
making a monumental decision to leave his
extended family. A 30-year-old Champion
seeking fresh pastures to give him the chance
to join a very exclusive club.
In the 74-year history of Grand Prix racing only
five riders have won the premier class world
title on two different makes of machinery.
It’s a very special list. Geoff Duke, Giacomo
Agostini, Eddie Lawson, Valentino Rossi and
Casey Stoner need no introduction. Next
season Marquez grabs the chance to join
them realising time was running out at Honda.
He had to move before he was too old.
Duke switched to Gilera in 1953 after winning
the 1951 500cc world title for Norton. It was
a great move for both. The combination went
on to dominate the Championship for three
successive years. In 1972 Ago won his last
500cc Championship for MV Agusta. The
two-strokes were coming, and he switched to
Yamaha in 1974. It was a massive moment for
the sport, and a year later Ago became the
first two-stroke winner of the premier class
winning the last of his 15 world titles.
Without a doubt, Lawson’s move to Honda
from Yamaha in 1989 was the biggest
surprise. I was the Media Manager of the
Rothmans Honda team at the time. Lawson
had won three 500cc World titles for Yamaha
and was expected to continue meeting Honda
head on. I was dispatched to California on a
secret mission to interview, photograph, and
film Eddie at home in Uplands before the
announcement he was joining his great rival
Wayne Gardner in the same team. Eddie just
loved the new challenge and made it world
title number four with second place in that
final round in Brazil.
Rossi’s move to Yamaha was so brave and the
defection of a rider brimming with confidence
and at the very top of his game. Typically, Vale
had been drip-feeding his intention to leave
Honda for months. His bye-bye baby helmet
was a clear indication he was leaving a Honda
team that he had brought three premier
class titles on both two and four-stroke bikes.
The move to Yamaha was announced after
that final Grand Prix of the 2003 season in
Valencia. The rest is history.
Stoner’s move to Honda from Ducati was
certainly no such shock but produced the
same result. Casey had brought Ducati
their first premier class title in 2007 but
the Italian factory was struggling, and the
Australian switched to Honda in 2011. He
dominated the Championship in typical style,
and was 90 points ahead of Jorge Lorenzo
at the finish. The biggest bombshell from
Casey came just two years later when he
announced his retirement in a shocked press
conference in Le Mans.
It’s now certain that Marquez will be on Ducati
next season. As with those five other World
Champions, some people will question his
ability to make the switch. Great riders are
World Champions for a reason. Eddie Lawson
proved his point by winning the title for Honda
in that first year and then returned home to
Yamaha the next season.
Could Marc do the same? Don’t rule it out.

NEWS DESK
MARC MARQUEZ & GRESINI:
FACING A HISTORIC
CHALLENGE TOGETHER
The MotoGP 2024 Rider Market has unfolded
as a whirlwind of activity. Despite initial
expectations that the grid would remain
relatively stable due to existing contracts
with key Championship riders extending until
2024, MotoGP continues to be a realm of
uncertainty, where change can occur in the
blink of an eye.
Early Rumors
In the early part of the season, speculations
about potential rider changes started
circulating. Would Jorge Martin (Prima
Pramac Racing) make a move to Yamaha?
Was Franco Morbidelli’s (Monster Energy
Yamaha MotoGP) future in MotoGP
secure? What about Moto2 starlet Pedro
Acosta’s (Red Bull KTM Ajo) prospects?
How would KTM fare in the mix? The air
was filled with uncertainty, and just when
it seemed that puzzle pieces were falling
into place, unexpected moves shook up the
status quo. Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol)
signing with Yamaha and Marco Bezzecchi’s
(Mooney VR46 Racing Team) decision to
forgo a latest-specification bike in favor of
staying with his current team added further
twists to the market.
With all these developments and more, the
silly season was in full swing, but the most
surprising turn of events was yet to come. In
2020, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team)
announced a four-year partnership that
bound him to the golden-winged factory until
2024. That contract was inked just before he
embarked on a challenging journey marred
by injuries and numerous technical issues
with his bike.
In this scenario, the idea of the #93 potentially
departing from the Japanese factory gained
momentum. Initially, there were speculations
about the Spaniard moving to KTM and later
to Gresini Racing alongside his brother, Alex
Marquez. However, a pertinent question
arose: Is being part of a factory team a
prerequisite for success in MotoGP?
Throughout the history of the MotoGP era,
an independent team has never secured the
Riders’ World Championship, and no rider
with Marquez’ level of accomplishments
has ventured down a similar path. It’s worth
recalling that when Valentino Rossi left
the factory Yamaha team to join Petronas,
he had a bike identical to the factory ones
and unwavering support from the factory.
Similarly, Jorge Martin currently benefits
from similar support. While the #46 may not
have had as fruitful an experience, the #89 is
enjoying an outstanding season, supported
by impressive statistics. Currently, the
Spaniard sits second in the standings, trailing
leader Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo
Team) by just three points, showcasing
impeccable form.
The most recent instance of capturing the
premier class title without belonging to
a factory team dates back to 2000 when
Valentino Rossi made his rookie debut with
the Nastro Azzurro team, managed by Honda
Europe. A year later, he secured the final
title of the 500cc era. Rossi followed in the
footsteps of Eddie Lawson, who claimed
three 500cc titles with Yamaha in 1984, 1986,
and 1988. Lawson transitioned to Honda in
1989 under the guidance of Erv Kanemoto.
Despite the factory team already having
Wayne Gardner and rookie Mick Doohan,
Lawson managed to clinch his fourth World
Championship with Rothmans Honda.
At first glance, it might seem far-fetched to
entertain the idea of winning a Championship
with an independent team in the current
landscape. However, within the highly
competitive era of the World Championship,
one thing is clear: anything is possible. Just
ask Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi.
Both have genuine opportunities to claim the
Championship in 2023. Additionally, in the
case of the Italian, he could achieve this feat
in the current season with his Desmosedici
GP 22, a machine that, in theory, possesses
inferior technical equipment.
How far can Marquez go with a Ducati? Can
he rewrite MotoGP history with his ninth
World Championship alongside Gresini
Racing? The 2024 season promises to deliver
exhilarating excitement!

NEWS DESK
FERNANDEZ AND ACOSTA
SET TO GET ON THE GAS
FOR 2024 MOTOGP
project next year. The likeable 32-year-old
was part of this joint decision for both the
short and long-term future of the company’s
MotoGP goals. Pol is greatly appreciated for
his commitment and experience; right from the
very first days of the Pierer Mobility Group’s
MotoGP entry up until his dedicated quest to
return to competitiveness after injury sustained
earlier in 2023. The #44 is an important asset
for supporting talented young athletes and
maintaining the strength of the current racing
set-up and his humility is evidenced by his
willingness to assist the next generation hoping
to follow in his footsteps. Pol’s character,
energy and abilities mean he will still be a
prominent member of the MotoGP program
on both sides of the pit wall.
Pit Beirer, GASGAS Motorsports Director:
“We had an important and difficult decision
to make for our GASGAS team for 2024.
Augusto has made impressive first steps in
MotoGP and we are totally convinced he has
the speed and the intelligence to keep on
progressing. Pedro is a very special talent
who has already won so much, so quickly
and 2024 will be about him learning to take
the next step with the big boys in MotoGP. I
want to thank Pol for everything he has done
and all he continues to do for us. This guy is
super-tough and super-determined and that’s
why we want to count on him as an important
part of our structure. Pol’s openness and
proactiveness deserves my deepest respect.
It underlines his greatness as a person that
he gave us a helping hand in this situation.
It also shows his passion for the sport and
his thoughts for the future. With these pieces
in place and with Hervé, Nicolas, and all the
team and their experience we have an exciting
year ahead for the GASGAS brand.”
Reigning Moto2 World Champion and
notable 2023 MotoGP rookie, Augusto
Fernandez, will remain with the GASGAS
Factory Racing Tech3 squad for his second
term at the highest level. The 26-year-old
Mallorcan caught the eye with points-scoring
performances in all but two of the 14 Grands
Prix so far this season and has posted a
personal best of 4th place at the French
Grand Prix. In Japan last weekend he notched
his second-best classification with 7th place
through tricky rainy conditions at Motegi.
Augusto has shown potential and maturity
while also progressing with his adaptation to
the 2023 GASGAS RC16. He will be joined
by the man who could be next in line for the
Moto2 gold medal.
Pedro Acosta is in only his third full season
of World Championship competition but
the prolific 19-year-old won the Moto3 title
(2021), Moto2 Grands Prix as a rookie
(2022) and has snared 11 podiums from 14
rounds this year to head the standings by
more than 50 points. Acosta has the ability,
the racecraft and the sheer natural talent
to join the MotoGP grid and complete a
remarkable journey through the company’s
talent structure from being Red Bull
MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion in 2020 to
premier class racer in 2024.
GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 rider, Pol
Espargaro, will fill a crucial and very valued
position for the Pierer Mobility Motorsport

NEWS DESK
CHANGES TO THE
CONCEPTS OF WORLD SBK &
WORLD SS CHAMPIONSHIPS
TECHNICAL REGULATIONS
The Superbike Commission, composed of
MM. Gregorio LAVILLA (Dorna, WorldSBK
Executive Director), Paul KING (Director of
the FIM Circuit Racing Commission), Biense
BIERMA (General Secretary of the MSMA),
coordinated by Paul DUPARC (Manager
of the FIM Circuit Racing Commission
– SBK Secretary of the Commission), in
the presence of Ludovic REIGNIER (FIM
WorldSBK Technical Director), Dominique
HEBRARD (FIM CTI Technical Manager) and
Roland BERGER (FIM CTI Director) met on
numerous occasions in recent weeks.
With the Superbike World Championship now
being mature, the FIM, Dorna and the MSMA
have decided to work on the long term and
have defined some concepts on which this
Championship will have to evolve.
The stakeholders are keen to include them in
an even more virtuous policy with regard to
the environment and to continue to balance
the performance of the machines while
limiting their performances for safety.
For the WorldSBK class, the following
concepts have been then decided and will be
appropriately drafted in the Technical Rules
that will be written for the 2024 season:
FUEL FLOW CONTROL
To incentive the environmental guidelines
and give a platform for manufacturers to
increase their machine developments in these
areas for the future, it has been decided that,
from 2025, a fuel flow control system will be
mandatory to use. Therefore, in 2024, two
bikes from each manufacturer will be required
to fit a fuel flow meter and log data during
both practices and races to validate the
concept and define the value for 2025.
FUEL TANK REDUCTION
AND REGULATIONS
In 2024, a new fuel tank maximum capacity
will be set at 21.0 litres.
COMBINED WEIGHT
In 2024, a combined weight for rider and
machine has been defined by FIM-DWO-
MSMA agreement.
RPM LIMITS (this point was discussed in
combination with the combined weight)
In 2024, RPM limits will be set prior to the
beginning of the 2024 season by FIM-DWO-
MSMA agreement and will not be reduced
during that season (with the exemption of
FIM-DWO RPM reduction intervention in case
of superconcession overshooting). Article
2.4.2.2 (balancing calculation) related to RPM
reductions will be cancelled.
CRANKSHAFT AND THE BALANCE SHAFT
Crankshaft and balance shaft weight
may be modified by +/- 20% from the
homologated weight measured during
the FIM homologation inspection and the
corresponding parts ‘kit’ must be a listed part
in the FIM eligible parts list.
CHECKPOINT AND CONCESSION
TOKEN CALCULATION
From 2024, this will be reviewed every two
events instead of three as present.
SUPER CONCESSION AND
CONCESSION PARTS
The outline approval will be one month prior
to the event and final detailed approval 14
days prior to the technical control day of the
event removing the necessity to describe
the super concession parts in the FIM SBK
regulations. A specific communication will be
put in place instead.
On Saturday October 28th, a formal meeting
of the SBK Commission will take place during
the final round of the Championship. During
this meeting, various sporting and disciplinary
points will be raised and possible additional
technical points could also be discussed.
The resolutions of this Superbike Commission
have been approved by the Permanent Bureau.
A regularly updated version of the FIM SBK
Regulations which contains the detailed text
of the regulation changes may be viewed
shortly on the FIM website.

HJC i100
HJC’s new i100 is a clear departure from its
regular system helmet range.
Modern styling makes it look like a premium
full-face lid when closed, its angular shape
and muscular profile giving it an aggressive,
sporty look and feel.
When in the open position, the chin guard
swings all the way back keeping the top of
your head free from wind buffeting. The i100
is double homologated, meaning it can be
worn both in the open and closed position.
From a safety perspective, the i100 complies
with the latest ECE 22.06 standard and
features a large visor that offers a wide
field of vision. Furthermore, it comes with a
Pinlock anti-fog film, and an anti-fog dropdown
visor for sunny days.
A powerful channel ventilation system can
easily be adjusted according to temperature
and the helmet’s inner liners are completely
removable (and machine-washable), with
eyewear compatibility.
The i100 is offered from sizes XS-2XL in 3
shell sizes to minimise weight and to benefit
from its engineered weight distribution for all
day riding comfort.
To complete the easy-to-live-with package,
it attaches securely via a quick-release
micrometric buckle and is fully compatible
with HJC’s SMART 10 & 20 Bluetooth comms
systems.
Now available from all Powered By
Autocycle Centre accredited stores.
Visit poweredbyautocycle.co.za for full
dealer listing.

FIVE RFX2 Road/
Track gloves
The RFX 2 AIRFLOW has considerably
evolved and echoes the characteristics
of the latest RFX 2, making it a standard
in ventilated gloves. For sport and road
use, it features the ventilated topside TPU
shells of the RFX 1 and RFX 2, but includes
specific materials (perforated leather,
mesh fabric) that offer optimal airflow.
The mixed-material palm, in full-grain
leather, perforated leather, and synthetic
leather reinforcements for optimal grip,
features a TPR protective slider shell on
the hypothenar. Its PU cuff, a legacy of the
exceptional RFX Race glove, offers extra
protection on the forearm and gives the
RFX 2 a truly sleek and stylish look. The
thumb and topside are in mesh fabric for
maximum airflow. It also features gel
reinforcements on the thumbs, for greater
comfort at the controls.
The RFX2 Airflow offers high-level
protection, excellent fit, and, more than
anything, effective ventilation that makes
it the perfect glove for riding a sport bike
in summertime.
Now available from all Powered By
Autocycle Centre accredited stores.
Visit poweredbyautocycle.co.za for
full dealer listing.

THE FIVE
EFFECT
EXCLUSIVE FEATURE
“We think that each type of
motorcycle and rider deserves a
specifically adapted glove. But this
hasn’t stopped us from offering
certain multipurpose, cross-category
products. Our ambition is to offer you
the widest possible selection, so you
can determine the perfect type of
glove for…YOU.”
Franck Fazio – Founder

FIVE craft: we are Glove specialists.
FIVE: The name rings out loud and clear, since the
company’s mission is to protect hands (and the
FIVE fingers that come with it…) during activities
that require high-performance technical gloves,
such as riding a two-wheeled machines. For over
fifteen years now, FIVE has been helping riders
enhance their enjoyment at the handlebar, while
protecting hands from injury in case of a fall, by
equipping millions of motorcycle enthusiasts
around the world.
Gloves are an item designed for safety, but also
for comfort - this is their vision.
Their commitment can be stated
in three words:
PROTECTION / FITTING / DESIGN.
PROTECTION – because your hands are
essential. Imagine having to spend even a single
day without using one of your hands due to an
injury, even one that’s not serious. The smallest
activity would be truly difficult, and the discomfort
would be highly distressing. Protecting your hands
is crucial. We don’t always think about it, but as a
reflex, we tend to put our hands out in front of us
if we fall. They are, therefore, particularly exposed.
Our goal is to reduce the risk of specific injuries
related to motorcycle riding.
each time you touch the controls, whether you’re
accelerating, braking, or changing direction.
Feeling every move at the controls (and, by
extension, every movement of your motorcycle) is
essential. It’s even further proof of safety. And this
should happen with a certain amount of comfort.
Their desire is clearly to enhance the enjoyment
you feel when riding your motorcycle.
DESIGN – because FIVE consider a functional
aesthetic to be especially important. In their view,
the shape of each piece that makes up a glove
stems from the role it plays in its use (protection,
comfort, ventilation, abrasion resistance, etc.).
This is why FIVE design and craft each element
independently, without using any standard
pieces, so that a FIVE glove is exclusive and
distinctive. Their designs are often imitated, but
never equaled! So, you might as well choose the
original, FIVE.
Hands have the particular complexity of being
extremely sensitive parts of the body (sensitive to
cold, heat, and collisions), highly exposed in case
of a fall, and replete with a number of small, fully
articulated elements (bones, tendons, muscles,
blood vessels). More than anything, it’s through
our hands that we experience one of our five
senses, the sense of touch. In other words, the
very least element of a glove that’s badly designed
or wrongly placed is immediately uncomfortable.
A badly fitting glove or one that’s not right for
your body type or riding style can considerably
diminish your riding pleasure, or even ruin
what promised to be a great ride, because your
attention would be focused on the discomfort
rather than the beauty of the landscapes you’re
experiencing. A glove should therefore perfectly
mold to the curves of your hand as it grips the
handle bars and controls and allow for total
freedom of movement of each and every joint.
This is why FIVE gloves are pre-shaped and why
they take care to perfectly position protective
elements.
As you can see, you can’t just design a pair of
gloves like you do a piece of clothing. The glove
is not just a simple extension of your jacket,
contrary to what non-specialist brands may lead
you to believe. In terms of gloves, the approach
has to be even more technical, due to the small
size of the pieces assembled, their number, and
the freedom of movement of the hand that is
hard to obtain, yet indispensable. Because, by
definition, layering levels of fabric and protective
elements can swiftly end up hindering the
mobility of the hand, if real expertise isn’t used.
This is why FIVE made the choice to become
THE Glove Specialist, because they believe in
the virtues of specialization and expertise.
It’s hard to imagine how complex designing
an effective, high-performance glove can be.
Designing an “aesthetically pleasing” glove,
like many brands do, is relatively easy. Creating
a glove that’s functional and both elegant,
comfortable, and protective, no matter the size,
and for mass production, presents a whole other
challenge. This is their vocation. They are no
smarter, nor more intelligent, than general gear
providers. They want to offer gloves that are far
better than average, because that’s all they make.
FIVE dedicates all their efforts and endless hours,
day after day, with each passing month and every
year, to just one product: gloves! And this is how
they can keep developing our expertise and
constantly improving the quality of their products.
FITTING – because gloves form the link between
you and your motorcycle. To truly savor piloting
your motorcycle, this connection should be
seamless, allowing for perfect responsiveness

A FIVE glove frequently offers
just that much more.
Beyond the idea of comfort and perfect fit, a
FIVE glove often offers so much more than
competitors’ gloves, if you truly look at the details.
It’s not necessarily obvious when you purchase
them, but this makes a huge difference when you
wear and use them, in terms of comfort, the level
of protection, and durability. When you compare
the materials that make up FIVE gloves from the
rest of what’s out there on the market, you’ll see
that, compared to products that are “supposedly
comparable” (in terms of price, for example),
FIVE frequently offers so much more. From
authentic, full-grain leather, when competitors
are offering synthetic leather…to real Carbon,
when others only offer basic plastic with a carbon
look…to Kevlar lining, when other manufacturers
offer no reinforced lining. And then, there’s the
external stitching, which offers greater comfort
but is harder to make, as opposed to standard
seams, etc. Their motto: offering the best possible
product at the best possible price. The qualities
of a FIVE glove can truly be appreciated once it’s
worn, even more than in-shop.
Using the finest components
and materials: this is the FIVE hallmark.
FIVE utilize optimal technology in our products,
which leads them to select renowned technical
partners, such as GORE-TEX (weatherproof
membrane), PRIMALOFT®, 3M® Thinsulate
(thermal lining), and Dupont de Nemours®
(Kevlar) Gütermann® (for threads that are durable,
yet don’t cut into the skin), and adopt their
innovations for our most advanced products. For
example, FIVE were the first to use Nanofront®,
an absorbent, non-slip material from Japan, on
the palm of our high-end motocross glove, for
peerless grip.
Not content to simply design products –
They make them in their own factories.
FIVE technicians and colleagues are on site to
make sure that each glove that emerges from
our production lines is consistent with the initial
guidelines set forth by our R&D department
in France and the technical lab in Italy, which
has developed expertise in gloves over several
generations and ensures that our patterns (and
our gloves) are in perfect working order…from the
smallest to the very largest sizes!
FIVE gloves are designed to cover the hand, but
they are also “hand” made, by expert workers
and seamstresses. Making a glove requires a
considerable number of manual steps, whether
it’s making pieces of the protective elements,
cutting, embellishing, assembling, or sewing
the elements that compose it. These workers
handle the fabrics and rigid pieces and assemble
them using a “plain old” sewing machine,
with almost unbelievable dexterity. One of the
essential aspects of the comfort and proper fit
of a glove is the attention given to its assembly.
At FIVE, the precision standard in terms of the
stitches assembling the fingers, for example, is
two times more precise than standard practices
in the industry. This lower tolerance for gaps
in the alignment of stitches creates an extra
constraint for our workers and requires them to be
particularly attentive. Nevertheless, it is absolutely
essential for a perfect fit, and this is one of the
keys to FIVE’s expertise.
At FIVE, the precision
standard in terms of the
stitches assembling the
fingers, for example, is
two times more precise
than standard practices
in the industry.
Producing in our own factories allows us to
maintain perfect control over our output, including
in quality management. It is precisely because
our gloves are assembled by human beings, and
not by robots (which would be unable to copy the
movements of a seamstress), that sometimes a
slight gap identified at the moment of assembly
creates the need for stitching that may loosen over
time. This remains an exception and affects less
than 1% of our total output (0.6%, to be exact), a
level well below industry averages. We are proud of
this low rate (zero errors simply does not exist) and
take responsibility for it, to the advantage of our
clients, with Premium product support through our
international sales network, in order to provide total
satisfaction to users of FIVE gloves.

The development of FIVE gloves
is based on real feedback.
It’s in collaborating with top-level riders and
listening to the needs of and feedback from
thousands of users throughout the world that
FIVE are able to develop ever more comfortable
and protective gloves. They test the gloves under
the extreme conditions offered by top-level
competition, before FIVE bring them to market.
And the innovations they decide to use for racing
benefits the amateur products in our range.
Their official riders take part in MotoGP, Moto3,
Superbike, Supersport, Endurance, Supermoto,
Motocross, and Enduro world championships…
They wear FIVE gloves on racetracks throughout
the world and actively contribute to the evolution
of their products.
And so, when Michele PIRRO took a spill at over
300 kms/h at Mugello in 2018, and got up without
a scratch on his hands, FIVE were truly happy and
proud to be his equipment partner. Unwittingly,
he helped them study how their gloves perform
in a real-life situation, well beyond any they we
carry out in a lab. In the same way, when Peter
HICKMAN or Dean HARRISON won the Isle of
Man Tourist Trophy (the fastest and undoubtedly
most dangerous road race in the world), when
Jeremy GUARNONI triumphed at the 24 Hours of
Le Mans in 2019, and when Thomas CHAREYRE
was crowned 7-time Supermoto World Champion,
or Steve HOLCOMBE took the Enduro 3 and
Enduro GP World Championship titles, all of them
wearing FIVE gloves, we can’t help thinking that
their products do, in fact, deliver the goods for the
most demanding riders and athletes. The proof
is in the pudding they say, and there is plenty
pudding there.
Though riders are at the very heart of their
product development strategy, it’s also a matter
of passion. Because all everyone at FIVE share
a love affair with motor sports. In fact, they have
several former professional riders now working
for them, and they feel blessed to share great
friendships with a number of champions, who
have worn or still wear their gloves. FIVE are
always proud to see their official riders raising up
their trophies and breaking out the champagne on
the podium, wearing FIVE gloves, a sign that these
gloves have truly done their job during the race.
But, above all, they design and make their gloves
for their clients. For you, who ride every day or
simply for pleasure. Thus, FIVE always listen
to you and want to have your feedback on the
products, so they can learn from experience and
ensure that future generations of their gloves
include all these evolutions.
FIVE glove users represent a large community, a
family, that just keeps growing all over the world.
And so, they’ve included a “sign of recognition
and belonging” on some of the styles (not on all
of them, so they don’t go over-the-top with it…) in
the form of a V-Sign: a red V that can be spotted
from afar, obtained by applying the color red to the
inside of the index and middle fingers. The V for
victory or the friendly gesture that two bikers make
when they cross paths in some parts of the world.
Make the right choice in gloves.
To choose the right glove for you, several factors
come into play. The type of motorcycle you’re
riding. The season you’ll be using it in (Should it
be ventilated? Does it need to be heated?). The
average distance you’ll be covering. How often
you’ll be using it. The level of protection and
comfort required. Your budget. Though, in theory,
the more a glove protects, the less comfortable
it is, their entire job at FIVE is about flipping this
equation and making an ultra-protective glove truly
comfortable…and vice-versa.
Obviously, no glove can totally protect you in case
of an accident. That being said, FIVE gloves are
designed to limit the risks of injury and meet CE
Moto standards (with the corresponding label sewn
inside, which features the Moto icon required in
certain countries) on 3 different levels: CE (gloves
without protective shells), CE KP1 (gloves with
protective shells, providing an adequate level of
protection), and CE KP2 (gloves with protective
shells, providing a superior level of protection).
Choosing a FIVE glove shows a certain pragmatic
spirit: You want the best possible glove for riding
your motorcycle, and you know that you’ll find
it among the many styles that make up their
collection and that are available in the SA market
through all “Powered by Autocycle” dealerships
across the land. For more information, feel
free to pop into your nearest dealer or visit
poweredbyautocycle.co.za

EXCLUSIVE FEATURE
FROM CHAMPION CREATOR, TO CHAMPION
DESTROYER
THE DECLINE OF HONDA MOTOGP
Words: Paul Scott | Pics: HRC & Box Repsol
What do Jorge Lorenzo, Alex Marquez,
Pol Espargaro, Joan Mir, Alex Rins, and
Marc Marquez all have in common? Their
careers at Honda were all cut short, or
limited, due to serious injuries received
whilst piloting the RCV213 MotoGP bike.

Now I am fully aware that MM93 is still active on
a Honda as is JM36 and AR42. HOWEVER at
what level are they riding …… 75%, 90%, certainly
not 100% of their capabilities, and after more
than 3 months off the bike, AR42 tried to make
a comeback in Japan, but his injury is still not
healed enough to allow him to participate at
anywhere near the level required in MotoGP today.
But let’s wind back the clock a few years.
From 1983 until 2019 Honda had won 24
Constructors championships. The most by any
manufacturer in the modern era, and up until that
point it had all come fairly easily. By that I mean
Honda was always a force to be reckoned with,
and fighting for the championship consistently.
Was 2019 the turning point, or was it just the 1st
year that we got to see how exposed Honda was?
So yes, the constructors championship went to
Honda in 2019, but it had cut short the career
of arguably one of the smoothest riders ever to
grace MotoGP. Jorge Lorenzo.
Jorge had been lured to Honda midway through
2018 and in his second year of a 2-year contract
with Ducati. A 3 times MotoGP champion with
Yamaha, he had been expected to conquer the
Duke with ease … a task more difficult than he,
and Ducati, had anticipated. However, in 2018
he won 3 races and put this down to the fact that
even though it had taken time, Ducati had listened
to him, and made the changes he asked for. The
most obvious being the change to the fuel tank.
But by the time he won on the Ducati, the ink from
his signature on the Repsol Honda contract was
already dry, and unbeknownst to him, the writing
was now on the wall.
Jorge, a very smooth, precise, and consistent
rider unfortunately found the Honda to be a rather
difficult bike to master. He missed the first test
due to injury, and then just never seemed to gel
with the bike. He found the bike difficult to turn,
especially mid-corner to corner exit, and this was
one of his biggest strengths, which had now been
negated. He felt the adaptation to the Honda
was too slow and he started over-riding the bike
resulting in many crashes and ultimately injuries

that forced him to re-look at his options and by
mid-August he had decided to throw in the towel.
This was the last hurrah for the 5 times world
champ, and not a fitting end to what had been a
stellar career.
Due to Lorenzo bailing out at a rather late stage,
the pickings for Honda were limited, but one Alex
Marquez stepped up to the plate. No doubt with a
few encouraging words from 6 times world champ
and older brother Marc. The dream family team
was complete. But fate stepped in and at round 1
in Spain Marc suffered an almost career-ending
fracture to his right humerus. Younger Brother
Alex was now the sole representative in the
Factory Honda team, with no MotoGP experience,
and no Marc to get help from. Alex persevered,
but like Lorenzo, found the bike very difficult to
understand. He felt by the time he thought he was
near the limit, he was down and in the gravel. The
feedback from the bike not being what he had
hoped for and he was severely lacking front-end
feel. The results were not there, too many crashes,
and after just one season Alex was banished to
the privateer LCR team, but still on an RCV.
2021 saw the almost return of the still injured Marc
Marquez, and now with the vastly experienced
Pol Espargaro (2013 Moto 2 world champ) as
his teammate. Pol was fresh off the KTM where
he had shown some flashes of brilliance, but
being a new package, always felt the KTM project
wasn’t progressing fast enough, and so HE felt
he would be the difference Honda and HRC
were looking for. Pol started 2021 with a steady,
albeit unimpressive 8th and had a very mediocre
year, with the best result being 5th at Silverstone.
2022 started well with a 3rd in Qatar but never
progressed from there, and soon Pol was
complaining about the other side of the garage
getting preferential treatment. Pol has always
been known to crash a few times per year, but
2022 put him right up there with the second most
crashes for MotoGP, Alex Marquez (LCR HONDA)
was third highest for the year. Pol went on to sign
a 2-year contract with Gas Gas and left Honda,
saying that the 2 years at Honda were the 2 most
stressful years of his life.
Enter Joan Mir. Due to the demise late in 2022
of the Factory Suzuki team, the 2020 world
champ was left with limited options for 2023.
Would he have chosen the Repsol Honda ride if
a Ducati seat was available? I somehow doubt
it, but beggars can’t be choosers and so Joan
signed for the Factory Honda team. His Suzuki
teammate and then 4 times GP winner (now 5)
Alex Rins, put pen to paper on an LCR Honda
deal. Probably also due to limited options after
the Suzuki bombshell.
Well, halfway through 2023 Joan Mir must be
thinking he would have been better off staying at
home. So far he has only seen the chequered flag
on 3 out of 28 occasions. (the new sprint format
included) . A dismal time by anyone’s standards,
but specifically for a rider who on the Suzuki was
silky smooth and very seldom out of shape. His
ex-Suzuki teammate had managed to win in COTA
on the LCR Honda but then suffered a severe leg
fracture in the Mugello sprint race ruling him out
of any other races to date.
In the meantime, 2023 has seen a fully fit, 6-time
MotoGP champ, return to action. He has been
very vocal about the Honda and was demanding

ig changes almost from the first test day. He, like
the other Honda riders has suffered from grip and
traction problems, and is finding that the 2023 bike is
just not competitive against the new crop of European
machines. And by new I mean bikes that have evolved
so fast over the last 3 to 4 years that they almost
seem like new bikes to the championship.
I think Honda has progressed at the same rate,
from 2010 till today. As per the norm, their lap
times year on year have improved. This takes into
account changes in tyre manufacturers over the said
period. The problem is that the opposition European
manufacturers have progressed at a far faster rate,
thus making the Honda almost obsolete vs the Duke,
KTM, and Aprilia. Please note that the other Japanese
bike, Yamaha, is in a very similar situation at present
regarding results.
2014 saw a certain Gigi DallÍgna leave Aprilia to
become CEO of Ducati Corse ( Race Division ).
2015 saw the first aerodynamic wings appear on
the Ducati MotoGP bike, and as they say, the rest is
history. Many other firsts were seen on the Ducati in
the following years. Holeshot devices, rear ride height
adjustments, etc., and all the other manufacturers
were forced to play catch-up.

They need to work, still we are far. If
this is the base. Or the bike. We are far.
Honda it seems, was reactive to all these changes, as opposed to
proactive. At the same time, Shuhei Nakamoto retired after being
at the helm of HRC for 7 years. Now did this upset the balance and
ambiance within HRC? Takeo Yokoyama was the Technical Director for
HRC from 2013, but he was the first to be relieved of his post at the
end of 2022. Marc and I have no doubts the other Honda riders, were
putting pressure on Honda to listen to the riders and make changes
faster. With the demise of the Suzuki MotoGP project, Honda quickly
grabbed Ken Kawauchi hoping this would be the end to their troubles.
Well, 9 months later Honda is no closer to a solution than they were in
Nov 2022. In mid-September 2023 Shinichi Kokubu had been booted
from his position as Technical Director at HRC. Calls are being made
by Marc for Honda to hire European engineers to help sort out the
problems as soon as possible. But will this help? Yes and no. Yes,
in that no matter who they hire, it is a long-term project. Just look at
Ducati. Big changes from 2015, but only reaping the real rewards from
basically 2021 onwards. That’s a six-year journey. If Honda thinks they
are going to change it in 3 or 6 months, well NO, ain’t gonna happen.
Honda and HRC have clearly taken note that they have a bike that in
this formula, is uncompetitive. Just what they will ultimately do, and
how long it will take, is the million-dollar question.
The King is Dead, Long Live the King !!!!!!

Words: Shaun Portman | Pics: Beam Productions
FIRST
RIDE
CITY
SLICKER
YA M A H A X- M A X 3 0 0
It has been a while since we last had a scooter on
test here at MRW. With the ever-increasing cost of
fuel and living, we were eager to find a solution to
save both time and money on your weekly commute.
Let me explain before all the die-hard bikers say- but
it’s a scooter? Firstly, it’s not just any scooter, it’s a
Maxi scooter, and more importantly than that, it’s a
Yamaha X-Max 300. Scooters like the Yamaha X-Max
are the perfect utensil to replace your current car or
motorcycle for the weekly trip to and from the office.
They offer great protection from the elements with
their bodywork, are cheap to maintain, easy to ride,
have more than ample storage compartments, and
most importantly, are simply sublime on fuel.

POWER
27.6 bhp @
7,250 rpm
TORQUE
29 Nm
@ 5,750rpm
TANK
CAPACITY
13.2 L
SEAT
HEIGHT
795mm
WET
WEIGHT
183kg
The amount of money and time you will save while
using a bike like this as your primary commuter
means that the bike will essentially pay for itself
with the money you save. In the long run, this
will translate to you having this as your everyday
commuter, leaving your special pride and joy to be
enjoyed on the weekends, reducing mileage and
wear and tear on it.
The Yamaha X-Max has been around since 2006,
available in four different engine capacities (the
125, 250, 300, and the 400, not in SA though,
unfortunately). The X-Max line-up is enjoying
strong commercial success in Europe but in other
countries, not so much. Why is this? Well, people
have yet to catch on to the practical and moneysaving
side of things when it comes to scooters
of this caliber. It is also an ego thing, especially in
South Africa where excuse the pun- the “bigger is
always better” mentality comes to the forefront and
people do not want to be seen on a scooter as it’s
seen as not cool or something only a lady will ride.
This couldn’t be further from the truth though and if
you spend enough time, as I did on the X-Max 300,
your mindset would completely change.
First off, looks-wise, and I am sure that you will
agree, the X-Max is a pretty bike, the best-looking
maxi scooter on the market today in my opinion
with the Ducati Supersport looking front LED
headlights, sleek lines, and edgy sporty looks.
From the front, you wouldn’t say it’s a scooter at all,
only when looking at it from the side you see that

typical maxi scooter shear size and length which
gives it away. It’s rather heavy for a 300 at 183kg
and the 2180mm length might be off-putting for
most but it’s important to remember that it is
not your typical maxi scooter, being lighter and
more nimble than your normal run-of-the-mill
maxi scoot. It’s the perfect ‘in-between’ scooter
in terms of size and capacity, still being powerful
enough to be ridden as far as you want or need to
go. If you have never ridden a scoot of this nature,
I urge you to.
Anyway, let’s get back to the road test of
Yamaha’s new X-Max Scooter. I lived with the
X-Max for just over a week, riding it on both short
commutes and longer highway trips, clocking
just over 600km in our time together. Power from
the Blue Core 292cc, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled,
SOHC, 4 valves, single-cylinder motor is gutsy,
producing 27.6hp and 29Nm of torque. You
can safely lane split and pull off ahead of traffic,
which is important as a motorcyclist. The power
is delivered so smoothly, smoother than a baby’s
bottom as they say, and I never felt like I needed
more power out on the roads at any point. A
perfect tool for the job then out on the roads,
cruising on the highway at speeds between
120kph and 150kph. Down some longer
downhills I topped the X-Max out at 165kph
which is mightily impressive for a 300cc scooter.
The riding position is comfy and typical scooter
as you can stretch your legs out when needed.
The seat is thick and soft and finished off in a
high-quality non-slip leather material with detailed
stitching you would only expect to find on much
higher specced machines. It has a narrower
profile up-front allowing shorter riders’ legs to
be closer together, making it easier to reach the
ground from from the 795mm high seat. The
rider’s backrest has been placed further back,
giving more space for the rider to move about as
they so wish without compromising passenger
space and comfort. The storage facilities are also
ample, with under-seat storage being big enough
The power is delivered so
smoothly, smoother than
a baby’s bottom as they
say, and I never felt like I
needed more power out
on the roads at any point.
to accommodate two helmets and some. You also
have two cubby holes, one situated in front of
you on the left which is operated and lockable on
your keyless ignition switch, which also features
a 12v auxiliary point, and one on the right, which
isn’t lockable and does tend to open slightly if the
roads get bumpy. The keyless ignition is simple
to operate, just push and twist the dial to start
the 300, open the fuel cap, lock the steering, and
unlock/open your left-hand cubby hole and seat.
The X-Max 300 doesn’t lack gizmos for a scoot
and boasts two screens on the dash. The upper
one is a 3.2-inch speedo and clock which also
displays your fuel gauge and ODO, Trip, or Trip F
reading, depending on what you want displayed.
The lower is a 4.3-inch TFT which does everything
else. It’s linked to the MyRide app so once
connected to your smartphone via Bluetooth,

you can get detailed trip information, and
bike information or connect to the turn-byturn
Garmin-powered navigation as well as
read messages, play music, and make or
receive calls so long as you are using an
intercom system, which will also make the
X-Max 300 viable as the perfect delivery bike
for companies. You can toggle through the
system via buttons on the switchgear. Believe
it or not, the X-Max also has Traction Control,
which can also be turned on or off in the
settings menu. I think it’s there more as a
gimmick as I couldn’t feel a difference whether
it was engaged or not. There are additional
functions as well with regards to the graphics
for the Tacho, Eco, and a speed visualizer that
uses GPS to inform you if you are exceeding
speed limits. The brighter it gets the more you
are exceeding speed limits.
The X-Max handles well, better than most
scooters, mainly thanks to its 15” front and
14” rear wheels which are bigger than most.
The suspension is plush allowing you to throw
the bike into corners and ground clearance
is ample enough to not worry about scraping
the centre stand which is normally a concern
on maxi scooters of this type. Nothing is
adjustable though and when riding hard,
especially on bumpy surfaces you can feel the
suspension protesting with a knock here and
there. The X-Max also has the added benefit of
ABS which cannot be disabled. It’s competent
as are the brakes in general which all add up
to help give a quality feel to the ride.
Fuel economy is the biggest plus with the
X-Max though. Riding flat out on mostly
highways, I achieved over 300 km on a
13.2-litre tank, generally averaging around 3.7
litres per 100km. With more subtle and normal
riding, I wouldn’t be surprised if you saw close
to 400km out of a tank. Keeping costs down in
a world where everything else generally seems
to be going up? Now that’s a win in my book!
Priced from just R114 950.00 the Yamaha
X-Max 300 is a viable and practical option in
an ever-changing world.

PETROLHEAD’S
EXCLUSIVE FEATURE
PARADISE
HONDA COLLECTION HALL MOTEGI
Our inside man, Mr. James, recently
attended the Motegi MotoGP round in
Japan and whilst there took in some
of the best motorcycle eye-candy on
the planet; The Honda Collection Hall
- a Honda Enthusiast Dream Museum.

The Honda Collection Hall at Twin Ring Motegi
in Japan houses 350 examples of Honda’s
engineering prowess, from motorcycles to
automobiles to robots and beyond. Part of Honda’s
Mobility and subsidiary that operates Twin Ring
Motegi and the Suzuka Circuit, the Honda Collection
Hall opened in 1998 with inspiration provided by
Honda founder Soichiro Honda. The head person
at the Honda Collection Hall is Kuniyoshi Iwata, and
he has a unique perspective on one of the most
important motorcycle museums in the world.
Iwata earned his position via success as a Grand
Prix mechanic in the 1980s and 1990s. After a
career distinguished by working in the GP paddock
on the NSR500s ridden by Freddie Spencer (1983
and ’85 500cc GP Champion) and Mick Doohan
(1994-8 500cc GP Champion), Iwata now supervises
a five-man team that keeps the all machines at the
Honda Collection Hall in running order.
The Rossi
NSR500 they
won’t let him have
“We maintain the machines, so they are ready for
running at any time,” Iwata says. “I think it’s a very
important job and I’m proud of it. The machines are
strong and tough, but maintaining them when they
are very old is difficult. Most of the parts we use in
the machines are one-off parts. Luckily, we get a
lot of support from Honda R&D Center Asaka [for
motorcycles] and from Honda Racing Development
Sakura [for cars].”
In addition to the NSR500 two-stroke Grand Prix
racers, the Honda Collection Hall has Honda racing
motorcycle dating back to the 1960s and forward
to the RC213V ridden to MotoGP championships
by Marc Márquez. Of the wide range of Honda
motorcycles, Iwata does have a soft spot for the firstyear
Honda NSR500 Grand Prix racer. He explains
his fondness for the 1984 NSR500 is “because
it’s the very first Grand Prix bike I worked on as a
mechanic.”
The Honda Collection Hall isn’t only for racing
motorcycles. It has Monkey bikes, scooters, the
first CB750, and many other crucial motorcycles in
Honda’s history. It all starts with a generator-engine
powered Honda motorcycle from 1948 that began
Soichiro Honda’s fabled career.

Automobiles are also an essential part of the museum,
and it all starts with the 1963 Honda T360 pick-up
truck. It also happens to be Iwata’s favorite four-wheeler
on display. “I like the T360 because it was the first
Honda four-wheeler on sale. I remember seeing a T360
delivering rice when I was a kid,” Iwata recalls, “and I
understand the philosophy that Soichiro Honda used in
the development of the car.” There are plenty of fourwheeled
machines on display, for the modest T360 to a
throng of championship cars from Formula 1.
One of the reasons all of the vehicles at the Honda
Collection Hall run is for events such as Honda Racing
Thanks Day at Twin Ring Motegi. Last November, 17,000
people cheered as Eddie Lawson’s 1989 500cc GP
Championship motorcycle went out on the track—piloted
by retired MotoGP legend Dani Pedrosa. Another crowd
favorite was Ayrton Senna’s 1998 Formula 1 World
Championship winning McLaren-Honda MP4/4.
“I feel very happy when I see the machines we maintain
being ridden and driven,” Iwata admits. “Also, it makes
me very happy when I see people enjoying watching the
historic machines. Our machines run at events in many
countries, but the Honda Racing Thanks Day is always
very special for us because it happens so close to the
Collection Hall, and it gives us the chance to run many of
our historic machines.”
In case you were wondering, Kuniyoshi Iwata does get
to ride some of the motorcycles at the Honda Collection
Hall. While he doesn’t put in hot laps on the NSR500, he
does do low-speed shakedown runs to make sure they
perform as expected at events.

Watch it all on our
YouTube Channel
SA LAUNCH
GASGAS
UNITED IN THE DIRT
2024 MODEL LAUNCH
a king
reborn
FIRST LOOK
BMW R
1300 GS
FIRST LOOK
2024
HONDA AFRICA TWINS
& DUCATI DESERTX RALLY

SECOND
LOOK
in the
SECOND LOOK
spotlight
TRIUMPH’S NEW 250CC MX
BIKE MAKES AN ENTR ANCE
AT LOS ANGELES COLISEUM
Triumph’s new 250cc motocross bike was
revealed in public for the first time, at the
SuperMotocross World Championship
Final on Saturday 23 September, at the Los
Angeles Memorial Coliseum in California.

Triumph’s new 250cc motocross bike was
revealed in public for the first time, at the
SuperMotocross World Championship
Final on Saturday 23 September, at the Los
Angeles Memorial Coliseum in California.
Spectators witnessed two new Triumph
motocross bikes enter the arena to a blaze
of pyrotechnics and fanfare.
The hotly anticipated new productionspecification
bike was ridden by Jeff
‘Six Time’ Stanton, who won his last
Championship at the Coliseum and is the
current manager of Triumph’s Adventure
Experience in the US. He was joined
by the GOAT, Ricky Carmichael, whose
bike featured his own graphics and nonstandard
specification components.
Below is the latest picture
realeased of the new Triumph
MX racer - it looks so good.
The date for the full reveal of the new bike
was announced as 28 November 2023 on
giant screens around the stadium.
Talking to his fellow commentators after
his ride, Ricky Carmichael said: “I’m so
happy to finally show the fans what we’ve
been working on for the past 4 years. The
bikes feels great, it looks great, and it’s
fast. I’m really pleased with what we’ve
delivered and I can’t wait until we can
share the final details on November 28th.”
Jeff Stanton added: “The Coliseum is a
special place for me, and to be back here
on the Triumph is an absolutely honour for
me. The new graphics look like nothing
else in the paddock and give the bike a
really sharp and distinctive new look that I
think the fans are going to love.”
To mark the moment, Triumph also
launched its new Triumph Racing website
and social channels. Follow the action @
OfficialTriumphRacing on Instagram and
Facebook.

FIRST
LOOK
sEeing
red
Pics by ZC
Marketing
GASGAS ’ UNITED IN
DIRT TOUR 2023!
The GasGas United in Dirt festival
hit South Africa! For the first time
ever, a motorcycle launch was
open to the public free of charge.
Big Red Barn in Olifantsfontein
is where the brand new 2024
motocross, cross country, and
enduro range were launched, with
media and public alike getting the
ride the new machines for the first
time on the following Demo day
at Legends Adventure farm. The
event was a great success!

For the first time in SA, the GASGAS United in
Dirt Tour took place giving the media and public
alike the chance to sample the new 2024 range
and give them a real flavor of what GASGAS is
all about. It’s not often that anyone, including the
media, has the opportunity to ride all kinds of
different dirt bikes in a single day, which is just
one of the reasons why the GASGAS United in
Dirt Tour is so awesome! If you’ve never seen
what goes on at the United in Dirt Tour, check
out our highlight video from the event on our
YouTube channel.
The event kicked off with an unveling of all the
new 2024 machines on the Friday night followed
by an open invite for all to come and sample the
new range. A great mix of shredding laps around
a motocross track aboard one of the awesome
new-generation dirt bikes, while also mastering
a loop through the woods aboard a class leading
(and world championship winning) enduro bike.
Besides the riding aspect, the United in Dirt
Tour is also about bringing like-minded people
together – the thrill seekers out there who have a
serious passion for dirt bikes and love anything
with two wheels, just like everyone at GASGAS.
As the sun set on what was a fantastic day,
stories from the day are shared over a cold beer,
ensuring everyone has a super-chilled finish to
what’ll be a day to remember.
On hand at the event was a team of
GASGAS product experts. This friendly and
knowledgeable group of guys and girls really
know their stuff, so any help that was required
with bike set-up, or questions, or maybe some
feedback to share, they were on hand to help.
A massive well done to the team from GASGAS
South Africa for putting on a great event for all to
enjoy and experience first-hand the quality of the
new 2024 model range.

SPICED UP! 16
ALL-NEW DIRT
BIKES FOR 2024!
PRESENTING THE BIGGEST AND BEST EVER
LINE-UP OF GASGAS MOTOCROSS, ENDURO,
AND CROSS COUNTRY MODELS
GASGAS revealed an all-new generation of
motocross, enduro, and cross country bikes
for 2024 at the united in the Dirt event for the
SA public and media to enjoy! Listening to the
reaction from all on the day, the new range is
more red, more awesome, delivering incredible
performance. It’s safe to say that things have
well and truly been spiced up, with every model
equipped with the latest technology. There’s
barely a single part on any bike that hasn’t been
improved or refined, which just goes to show
how new these dirt bikes really are. Oh, and
they’ve also expanded their enduro range too!
Motocross | Turning up the heat!
To GASGAS, it doesn’t really matter if you ride
motocross for fun or race to win. What matters
most is making sure that all five of our new bikes
deliver the very best performance for guaranteed
good times in the dirt. For 2024, they have
turned up the heat in the moto scene. Starting
with the little 2-stroke ripper – the beloved MC
125 – through to the MXGP race winning MC
450F 4-stroke, GASGAS have a bike to suit all
types of riders.
The motocross models are already considered
among the best handling dirt bikes out there
but that didn’t stop their engineers from
making them perform even better! With each
one assembled using new steel frames, new
aluminum subframes, and new swingarms, the
perfect combination of razor-sharp cornering
and straight-line stability is further refined to
maximize the fun factor. And to bring the MC
125 and MC 250 2-strokes bang up to date,

Enduro | It’s time to rock ‘n’ roll!
So easy, and so much fun to ride. That’s what
makes our the generation of enduro bikes so
competitive! Spicing up the riding experience
in the woods, on the trails, and through every
extreme section, these new bikes are as good
as it gets when it comes to enduro performance.
New bodywork not only makes these bikes easy
on the eye, but once you’re onboard, you’ll soon
notice the larger, and smoother, contact areas,
which allow you to grip the bike tighter as you get
on the gas across challenging terrain. It’s 2024.
It’s time to rock ‘n’ roll!
The outgoing generation of GASGAS enduro
bikes was already super agile through the trees
and super stable at higher speeds. However,
thanks to the new motors across the range that
are both lighter and more powerful, the handling
characteristics are amplified further! This was
achieved by our engineers repositioning the
motors inside the new frames to centralize
weight and balance things out a little better.
Sounds like a small change, but it’s something
you’ll really notice when you hit the trails.
both bikes fire into life with the simple press of the
new electric start button. There’s none of that kickstart
nonsense here anymore. Plus, they’re now fueled
by cutting-edge throttle body injection for a crisper
response and much-improved on-track performance.
Across the board, all 2024 models are now powered by
new, lighter motors, which produce both more torque
and high-revving power than ever before. They’re then
fitted neatly inside new frames with a slight backwards
tilt to lower the front sprocket, centralize the weight, and
make the best handling motocross bikes on the planet
handle even better!
“Across the board, all 2024
models are now powered
by new, lighter motors,
which produce both more
torque and high-revving
power than ever before.”
GASGAS also added two new models – an EC
450F and an EC 500F. Both big-bore bikes are
more suited to open going and flowy trails and
feature all the same top-level components as the
rest of the range. We’re talking Braktec brakes,
WP suspension, and enduro-specific PANKL
transmissions. Knowing just how beneficial a
rear suspension linkage is, you’ll find one fitted
to every GASGAS enduro bike, to make sure that
each one soaks up small chop and hard hits with
ease. Make no mistake, the best enduro bikes
out there just got even better for 2024!

Cross Country | Spice it up!
The awesome line-up of five cross country bikes doesn’t
go unchanged either. Brand new from front to back and
top to bottom, all five models are designed to perform
in both the tight stuff, and wide open spaces. Built to
the same high standard as our motocross and enduro
bikes, the cross country models combine essential parts
from our motocross and enduro ranges such as the fuel
injection, larger fuel tank, and 18” rear wheels, to make
riding cross country more fun than it’s ever been.

RACING
NEWS
on
the
gasgas
JORGE PR ADO CROWNED
2023 MXGP WORLD
CHAMPION ON MC 450F
Jorge Prado has been the class of the MXGP pack
since the first round of the 2023 FIM Motocross
World Championship and cemented that position
earlier on – he was crowned world champion with
three motos to spare. The championship was the
first for GASGAS’ MC 450F.

Jorge Prado clinched his world title via a brilliant
victory in the first moto – the power within his MC
450F helped him jump into the early lead and
he controlled proceedings from that point on. A
minor fall in the second moto robbed him off the
overall victory – he eventually ended sixth and
lost the win via a tiebreak – but the grand prize
was firmly within his grasp. 10 pole positions,
219 laps led, 16 Grand Prix podiums and 14
moto wins underline the dominant campaign
that resulted in him being crowned champion.
The statistics that Prado compiled will become a
benchmark for years to come.
Jorge Prado: “I am so
happy! It is a pity about
that mistake in the second
moto, but I am the new
world champion. So much
hard work has gone into
this, from myself and the
team, and I knew that I
could make this happen.
I have held the red plate
since round one – I
cannot ask for anything
better. This is a dream.”

FIRST
LOOK
the perfect
start
HUSQVARNA MOTORCYCLES
UNVEILS L ATEST ELECTRIC
MOTOCROSS MACHINE
Designed for children (between 90-130 cm in height
with a maximum weight of 35 kg), the EE 2 is built
to the highest of standards and offers multiple
adjustment options, ensuring different sized riders
and riders of greater or lesser ability enjoy riding
a machine that fits them perfectly. Offering fast
recharging and expertly assembled with premium
components throughout, the EE 2 is ultimately
designed to ensure youngsters learn the essential
skills needed to competently ride offroad.

The new EE 2 is the smallest of three models in
Husqvarna Motorcycles’ electric minicycle line-up,
standing alongside the proven and popular EE 3 and
EE 5 machines. To set itself apart, the EE 2 features
an innovative motor that is housed inside the rear
wheel hub and offers a peak power output of 1.8 kW.
The motor is both dust and waterproof, and most
importantly for parents, it is maintenance-free.
A quick-to-recharge and easily swappable Husqvarna
BLi300 battery provides power for children to enjoy
up to 100 minutes of riding time aboard the EE 2.
Additionally, the battery utilises the same design as
most modern power tools, which means non-stop
riding is possible when fully charged spare batteries
are available. The battery fitted as standard can
achieve an 80% recharge in just 35 minutes with a full
charge taking one hour.
The EE 2 can be quickly adjusted in multiple ways
for a personalised riding experience. For taller riders,
the seat height can be increased from the standard
height of 470 mm to 500 mm with a couple of simple
steps – lowering the WP forks through the triple
clamps and repositioning the WP shock. The power
delivery can also be altered easily using the Multi-
Functional Display unit. Conveniently positioned in
front of the seat, this intuitive device allows parents to
select one of three power modes. These begin with
a walking pace option, through to the least restrictive
setting that allows for a top speed of 33 km/h.
For the highest levels of reliability and performance,
the EE 2 is assembled with an aluminium frame,
swingarm, and skid plate, with hydraulic disc brakes
and a Rollover Sensor ensuring complete control
and safety. Rounding out the construction of the
new model are components from specialist offroad
brands including WP suspension, KENDA tyres, and
ODI grips.
Husqvarna Motorcycles is proud to now offer a trio of
exciting electric minicycles following the introduction
of the entry-level EE 2. For when riders outgrow this
new machine, the larger EE 3 and EE 5 models are
designed to deliver pure motocross performance with
their premium WP suspension, powerful motors, and
comprehensive specification.
Ensuring children of all ages can ride
with unrestricted comfort and a high
level of safety, the Functional Offroad
Apparel Collection is a concise range
of high-quality riding gear complete
with modern styling. Additionally, a
selection of Technical Accessories
is available for all three minicycles
with each component designed to
personalise the ergonomics for a
customised riding experience.
The 2024 EE 2 arrives in October
with the larger machines in the
e-powered minicycle line-up, the
EE 3 and EE 5, already available at
authorised Husqvarna Motorcycles
dealerships worldwide. Availability
may differ from country to country.
For details on pricing and availability,
please refer to your national
Husqvarna Motorcycles subsidiary or
importer.

FIRST
LOOK
freshly
ground
2024 HONDA AFRICA T WIN
ADVENTURE SPORTS BRE AKS COVER,
GETS 19-INCH FRONT WHEEL
The front wheel on the 2024 Africa Twin
Adventure Sports model is now 19 inches in
size instead of 21 inches. Riders who primarily
utilise these bikes for long-distance trips on
paved roads will benefit from this update.

Honda has unveiled its updated 2024 Africa Twin
range, highlighting significant enhancements
made to the Adventure Sports model. This
motorcycle has been around for a long time
and represents Honda’s premier dual-sport
option. Both the CRF1100L Africa Twin and the
Africa Twin Adventure Sports, two of Honda’s
motorcycle offerings, have received substantial
upgrades to improve the riding experience. The
improvements have taken the shape of a better
appearance, engine modifications, and some
alterations to certain components. The Africa
Twin’s front fairing has been tweaked slightly to
enhance its aesthetic.
On the styling front, this touring motorcycle
has undergone minor changes to its upper
fairing and side panels. Improvements for longdistance
riding are anticipated with the addition
of the new five-position changeable screen and
other upgrades. Additionally, the Electronically
Equipped Ride Adjustment function is now
included as standard. The rider can adjust the
system’s stiffness to their liking, with options:
Hard, Soft, Off-road, and Mid. When it comes
to the mechanicals, the Adventure Sport
model is offered with a 19-inch front wheel and
shorter suspension travel all around. Showa
fully-adjustable manual suspension is now an
available option for the motorcycle, as is the
Showa Electronically Equipped Ride Adjustment
(EERA) kit, which allows the rider to make
instantaneous changes to the motorcycle’s
damping both on and off pavement.
The new Africa Twin is offered in two colour
options: Matt Ballistic Black Metallic and Grand
Prix Red. On the other hand, the Adventure
Sports variant is available in Pearl Glare White as
well as the iconic Tricolour option. Both of these
variations are anticipated to be introduced in
India at some point in the upcoming year.
improvement of the Dual Clutch Transmission
(DCT) gearbox, resulting in raised smoothness
specifically in the initial two gears. Moreover,
the engine’s compression ratio has been
slightly increased, leading to a higher peak
torque at 112Nm, now achieved at 5,500rpm as
opposed to the previous 103Nm at 6,250rpm.
Both motorcycles also feature a new 5-position
adjustable front windscreen and minor
adjustments have been made to the front fairing.
The 2024 bikes underwent significant
mechanical tweaks. One notable change is the

FIRST
LOOK
adventure
without
limits
DUCATI DESERT X R ALLY IS SO
FIT FOR OFF-ROAD IT CAN MAKE
SHORT WORK OF ANY TERRAIN
The Ducati DesertX is a relatively new entry in the
motorcycle segment. The Italians first showed the
bike back in 2021, introducing it as a stylish offroader,
a motorcycle for the dunes, if you will.

In the few years that have passed since that
time the bike maker didn’t bother to increase
the offering in the range, so up until now we’ve
only had a single model to properly enjoy. Come
January of next year, though, that will change
thanks to the introduction of the bike’s Rally
version.
What that means is that soon enough the model
will have its own, purpose-built cross or enduro
version, one that could just as easily be used for
recreational purposes or during high-intensity
competitions. And the gear Ducati installed on
the bike is so impressive that we’re pretty certain
the Rally can make short work of any terrain.
At first glance the bike feels the same as the
DesertX it is based on. We have the same tubular
steel trellis frame as the core of the ride, holding
in its embrace the 937cc Testastretta twincylinder
engine. Just like in the standard version,
it is rated at 110 hp and 92 Nm of torque.
The engine makes the spoked rims of the bike
spin. Keeping true to the original DesertX, which
by all intents and purposes was the first Ducati
to wear a 21-inch front wheel in conjunction with
an 18-inch rear one, the Rally uses the same
dimensions. As standard, they are equipped with
Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires, but optionally
people can go for Scorpion Trail II ones.
The centerpiece of the Ducati DesertX Rally
however is the suspension system. Ducati
went to KYB to supply the hardware, and what
resulted is impressive to say the least.
At the front, the Italians used a closed cartridge
fork which helps increase the wheel travel by 20
mm compared to the standard version, bringing
it to a total of 250 mm. The shock absorber at the
opposite end, backed by a larger piston and an
aluminum swingarm, brings travel to 240 mm, also
up by 20 mm compared to the regular DesertX.
Aside from increasing the bike’s capability of
going over uneven terrain, the new suspension

system also keeps it higher off the ground. As
per Ducati, the ground clearance of the Rally is
280 mm, 30 mm more than what we got before.
Despite fitting the above gear on the ride, the
Rally is just one kg heavier in terms of dry weight
– the regular DesertX tips the scales at 211 kg.
As far as the systems backing up the ride go,
we get the usual goodies, including cornering
ABS, traction control, and wheelie control. Some
of these functions, alongside all the others that
require rider input for configuration, can be
controlled by means of a 5-inch TFT screen.
There are six riding modes to choose from
(Sport, Touring, Urban, Wet, Enduro, and Rally),
and the bike supports smartphone connectivity,
allowing access to functions such as music
control, call management, and turn-by-turn
navigation.
Although even in standard configuration the bike
is impressive, Ducati offers a wide choice of
personalization options for the DesertX Rally. For
instance, the bike’s range could be increased by
up to 40 percent thanks to an optional 8-liter fuel
tank - the one fitted on the frame is rated at 21
liters.
Then, the engine’s power output, both hp and
torque, can be increased by as much as seven
percent when choosing to fit a Termignoni
aftermarket exhaust system instead of the
original one.
And finally, luggage capacity, when all the
case options are exercised, grows to as much
as 120 liters (4.2 cubic feet).
As said, Ducati will release the DesertX Rally
into the wild in January next year, but the
bike has already proven what it is capable of.
During this summer’s Iron Road Prolog held
as part of the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo 2023 in
Austria, a DesertX Rally prototype ridden by
enduro and supercross champion Antoine
Meo managed to snatch the win in the twincylinder
category.
But that’s a feat for the most experienced
of riders. The rest of them will have to start
from the ground up, and Ducati has thought
about these guys and gals as well: the Ducati
DesertX Rally will also be offered in a detuned
version for A2 license holders. This one has
all the capabilities of the larger bike, but can
only develop 47 horsepower.
The Italian bike maker keeps one key aspect
about the new bike under wraps, and that’s
the price. We’re told nothing about how much
the Rally will cost, meaning that as usual
when it comes to Ducatis such a piece of
information is something to be discussed
between buyer and dealer.

FIRST
LOOK
more
adventure
NE W V-STROM 800RE JOINS
V-STROM 800DE TO ENHANCE
SUZUKI’S ADVENTURE BIKE LINEUP
Following the launch of its all-new V-Strom 800DE
earlier this year, Suzuki has announced a new
V-Strom 800RE that will further expand its adventure
bike stable, ensuring the V-Strom range is truly ready
for any terrain, any horizon, any adventure.

Born to roam, the V-Strom 800RE will provide a
more road-focussed offering than its more offroad-ready
sibling. With DE denoting the V-Strom
800DE’s positioning as a dual explorer, the
adoption of RE for the latest V-Strom 800 model
highlights its abilities as the road explorer.
At its heart, the new V-Strom 800RE uses the
same new 776cc parallel twin engine as its
stablemate, with its double overhead cam and
270° crankshaft design delivering a broad
spread of torque throughout the rev range –
peaking at 78Nm at 6800rpm – and a rumble
and character more akin to Suzuki’s famed
V-twins. Peak power is 83.1HP at 8500rpm.
It also uses the same steel main frame,
engineered for a balance of straight-line stability
and agile handling. The narrow steel tubes also
help maximise fuel tank capacity, which comes
in at 20 litres. However, the new V-Strom 800RE
differs from its more rugged counterpart most
notably by swapping 21” and 17” spoked wheels
and tubed tyres for 19” and 17” cast aluminium
wheels, wearing Dunlop tubeless tyres.
Like the V-Strom 800DE, high quality suspension
is still provided by Showa, but with a focus on
delivering superior on-road performance. 150mm
of travel at the front and rear comes courtesy
of preload-adjustable inverted front forks and
a link-type monoshock adjustable for preload
and rebound damping, delivering sure-footed
roadholding and a plush ride for long days in the
saddle. Stopping power comes from radiallymounted
four piston Nissin calipers.
Further underlying the V-Strom 800RE’s prowess
as the tool to explore all roads it comes with a
seat height of 825mm, while aluminium, rubbercovered
footpegs are set 14mm further rearward
and 7mm higher than the V-Strom 800DE, and
aluminium tapered handlebars are 13mm lower
and 23mm further forwards. They’re also 15mm
narrower. A taller and wider screen offers more
weather and wind protection on longer rides.
Nestled underneath the screen is a 5” colour
TFT screen with dual display modes for day and
nighttime riding. All the navigation of menus and
features is done via a simple, easy-to-use rocker
switch on the left-hand handlebar. There’s also a
handy USB port located on the left-hand side.
Displayed on the bright, clear screen is all the
information required by the rider, including the
current setting selected from its three-mode
traction control system – which can also be
switched off – and the current power mode
selected, from Active (the more sportier and
direct throttle map), Basic (ideal for cruising or
city riding), and Comfort (perfect for wet or cold
conditions). There are also two ABS settings,
providing differing levels of intervention.
Sharing a similar DR Big-inspired look as the
800DE, complete with iconic beak and full LED
lighting front and rear, the V-Strom 800RE will
come in Pearl Vigor Blue, Metallic Matt Steel
Green, and Glass Sparkle Black.
There will also be a full suite of genuine
accessories available including a choice of
three-piece aluminium or plastic luggage, heated
grips, and a centre stand.
A ride-by-wire throttle connection provides a
natural feel and connection to the rear wheel,
while a standard-fit bi-directional quickshifter –
allied to a slipper clutch – makes gear changes
slick and seamless. There’s also Suzuki’s low
rpm assist and easy start function.

FIRST
LOOK
a king
reborn
BMW HE ATS UP THE TOURING
ENDURO SEGMENT WITH THE MOST
POWERFUL R 1300 GS EVER MADE
BMW Motorrad likes to call itself the inventor of the touring
enduro segment, something that happened more than four
decades ago, when the R 80 G/S first came to life. As such, it
must also feel great pressure to keep leading the segment.
And this is where the new R 1300 GS comes in.

Built on what the previous iteration had to offer,
but significantly improved, the ride should at
least in theory ensure the German’s domination
of the segment. Especially since the changes
made to the new variant have to do with the
bike’s most important assets: the engine and its
suspension system.
For the new R 1300 GS BMW will continue to
offer the mighty boxer engine configuration it’s
so fond of. In this case, we’re talking about a
unit exactly 1,300cc in displacement, only now
rocking a new camshaft drive arrangement and
the gearbox located underneath.
This setup, along with some other tweaks BMW
is likely unwilling to share, places the engine’s
output at 145 hp and 149 Nm of torque. Those
are numbers that make the unit the most
powerful boxer engine BMW ever made, taking
the R 1300 GS with it to the same title.
As far as the suspension system is concerned,
it has been revised to include a new and stiffer
steel shell main frame, while the rear frame,
made of steel until now, was replaced by a
diecast aluminum one.
It’s when it comes to optional equipment that
the differences make themselves felt the
most. For instance, riders can opt to get the
Dynamic Suspension Adjustment (DSA)
handling the front and rear damping with a
corresponding adjustment of the spring
rate. Furthermore, the new adaptive
height control system allows the ride
to be gifted with 20 mm more
spring travel.
The bike can now be set up
in four riding modes instead
of three, namely Rain,
Road, Eco, and Enduro. It
comes fully loaded with Active
Cruise Control (ACC), Front
Collision Warning (FCW)
and Lane Change
Warning (SWW).
The new BMW R 1300 GS:
“Next level GS” featuring
new boxer engine and new
suspension, with significantly
reduced weight and increased
GS competence all round.
“With the new BMW R 1300 GS we will once again take the
competition by surprise. It is defined by an even broader spread
of product substance, while the reduction in complexity and
vehicle weight, combined with focused equipment, enable the
essence of the boxer GS to be showcased even more strikingly.
With a new engine, outstanding handling and impressive ride
qualities, it will set the pace both on and off the road.”
Thilo Fuchs, Head of Water-cooled Boxer Models.

Visually, the new enduro king sets itself apart from
its predecessor thanks to a new aluminum fuel tank
and a redesigned LED headlight. There is a 6.5-inch
TFT screen on board for infotainment needs, but
also a charging compartment with an integrated USB
socket for the rider’s smartphone.
Overall, with the many changes it made BMW
managed to shave 12 kg off the R 1300 GS
compared to the previous version making it an even
more solid proposition in its segment.
The bike will be offered in four variants, namely
Basic, Triple Black, GS Trophy, and Option 719
Tramuntana. As far as colors are concerned, the
entry-level comes in Lightwhite solid paint, the
Triple is painted black, the Trophy shows up in
Racingblue metallic, while the top-of-the-range
Tramuntana is wrapped in Aurelius Green.
The German bike maker is asking $18,895
(R350,000 converted - SA price not confirmed
yet) for the cheapest of them all, and the bikes are
expected to be on the dealers’ lots in early 2024.