Inside Motorcycles - Volume 26, Issue 01

WE CAN ALL RIDE TOGETHER

Performance meets convenience with the 2023

and style with the perfect three-wheel vehicle for two riders. We can all ride.

in

Learn more at canamonroad.ca/models

On the Cover: With the V-Strom 800DE Suzuki has firmly jumped into the middleweight adventure market. Off-road editor Mark Dzikowski travelled to Italy to take this all-new motorcycle for a ride. You can read about his impressions starting on page 20.

Cover Design: Dawn McClintock

Main Photo: Suzuki Canada Inset

Photo: BMW Motorrad Canada

PHOTO: BMW MOTORRAD CANADA

ZOOM

THIS STORY IS JUST GETTING STARTED

The year 1998 was a milestone for both Jordan Szoke and Inside Motorcycles For Szoke, it was the year that he won the first of his 14 national Superbike championships. For IM, it was the beginning of a journey that celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2023. Twenty-five years doesn’t seemed to have slowed Jordan down as he topped the timesheets during Bridgestone CSBK winter testing in Jennings, FL this winter. Here at Inside Motorcycles, we can’t help but be inspired by Jordan as we look forward to the next 25 years.

PHOTO BY COLIIN FRASER.

BY PATRICK LAMBIE

It takes a village

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Inside Motorcycles. A quarter of a century is a significant milestone for any business. But for a print magazine, existing in today’s environment –where digital platforms have taken over the communication of news and information – is an accomplishment worthy of celebration.

My wife often reminds me that the expression “it takes a village to raise a child” is equally applicable to building a successful business. In the case of Inside Motorcycles, the village started with David Weber, Greg MacPherson, Rob Morton and John Hopkins, who collectively took a leap of faith in 1998 when they launched this magazine just one year after their other publication, Inside Track Motorsports News hit newsstands.

The fact that both magazines are still being produced is a testament to this group’s original vision and the ongoing direction, mentorship and support that David and Greg continue to provide today.

A publication is only as good as the content contained within, and Inside Motorcycles has been fortunate to have some of the most respected motorcycle journalists in the country grace its pages over the last 25 years. The roster of columnists, test riders and feature writers – both present and past – takes on the responsibility of reporting on an ever-changing industry while also maintaining the values upon which this publication was built.

While it may be unfair to single out just one contributor, it is impossible to reflect on the history of this magazine without talking about Mr. Colin Fraser. As a part of Inside Motorcycles since the beginning, he has helped shape the publication, and along the way, the Canadian motorcycle industry itself.

While Inside Motorcycles is built on a collective passion for motorcycles, the reality is that it is a business, which would not exist without the support of advertisers and business partners. The emergence and ongoing expansion of the digital world brings with it new avenues for manufacturers, distributors and retailers to reach and interact with their customers. And to those who continue to believe in and support the realm of print, a sincere and heartfelt thank you.

As always, whenever possible we encourage you to consider and support the advertisers you see in these pages when you are deciding where to spend your hard-earned money.

Saving the best for last, it would be impossible to celebrate the success of this magazine without acknowledging you, the reader. It goes without saying that without you there would be no Inside Motorcycles.

For this reason, the genesis of every issue has always been and will always be what information will be the most relevant and engaging for the readers. To those who have taken the time reach out and provide feedback, story ideas and even completed articles, please know that it is truly appreciated.

To all our readers, regardless of where, when or how you read Inside Motorcycles, thank you for taking this journey with us. Have a safe, adventurous and fun-filled riding season. IM

Inside Track Communications, Inc. PO Box 370, Brights Grove, ON N0N 1C0 (Administration) 78 Airdrie Road, East York, ON M4G 1M2 (Editorial) 416-962-RACE (7223) • Fax: 416-962-7208 • www.insidemotorcycles.com

EDITOR

Patrick Lambie patrick@insidemotorcycles.com

SENIOR EDITORS

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COPY EDITORS

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Elisa Ward

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS

Ed Gatner, Ben Quinn, Tim McGill

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DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Dawn McClintock

Lindsey Broad

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Inside Motorcycles is published 8 times a year by Inside Track Communications, Inc.

PRESIDENT: John Hopkins john@insidemotorcycles.com

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DISCLAIMER

All content within this magazine is provided for general information, educational and resource purposes only. Inside Motorcycles is not responsible or liable for any action that a reader takes in connection with the demonstrated exercises, instructions and riding advice provided in this magazine. Please note that certain activities described in this magazine may be dangerous, especially if proper safety equipment and clothing is not used.

RIDE SAFE

All riders pictured and contributing to Inside Motorcycles are trained riders, riding in safe conditions. Please take care in riding and wear all safety equipment.

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CONTRIBUTORS

Graham Clayton, Lee Martin, Dawn McClintock, Brett McCormick, Suzanne Pelletier, Bruce Thomas, Shelby Turner, Todd Vallee.

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Graham Clayton, Richard Coburn, Don Empey, Shelley Gamm, Les Kalman, Rob

KLX230 Receives Switchable ABS

Elevating the off-road capabilities of Kawasaki’s KLX230, Canadian Kawasaki Motors has announced that updated versions of their 233 cc air-cooled single-cylinder dual sport machine will now be available with switchable ABS.

Providing the ability to shut off ABS when riding off-road and in other situations where rear-wheel slip can actually improve a rider’s control, without sacrificing the safety of full ABS when riding in downtown settings and highways, is a substantial improvement in the overall versatility of the KLX230.

The switchable ABS option will also be available on the KLX230 S which offers all of the KLX230 features with a lower seat height of 830 mm (32.7 in) vs. 885 mm (34.8 in) on the KLX230.

MSRP for the 2023 KLX230 with ABS starts at $5,899. The non-ABS equipped model retails for $5,759.

Visit www.kawasaki.ca for complete specifications. IM

Yamaha Power Assist Bicycles Now Available in Canada

While Yamaha has been manufacturing and selling power assist bicycles since 1993, the company’s eBikes have not been sold in Canada, until now. Currently arriving in showrooms, Yamaha Motor Canada will be offering two version of their new YDX-MORO eBikes.

Powered by the company’s PW-X3 electric motor, both models feature multiple levels of assist which include Eco, Standard, High, MTB, Extra Power, Automatic and Walk Assist. The Automatic mode adjusts the level of assist based on conditions and activity. A three-colour LED interface allows riders to obtain information and manage settings while riding. Both models feature suspension from RockShox, Shimano shifter and derailers, Magura brakes and Maxxis tubeless tires.

The YDX-MORO 05 retails for $6,999 and the YDX-MORO 07 with enhanced suspension components will sell for $8,299. Prices include freight, assembly and fitment.

The MORO eBikes are available in three sizes (small, medium and large) and come with a three-year warranty on all Yamaha components and a one-year warranty on supplier sourced parts. IM

The Rally in the Rockies Returns for 2023

Calgary Harley-Davidson will once again be hosting The Rally in the Rockies in 2023. Festivities will get underway on August 23 with a bike night at Big Sky BBQ in nearby Okotoks and run through to August 27. Featuring rides through the spectacular Canadian Rockies, a vendor village, poker runs, fashion shows, show and shines, DJs and live music, The Rally in the Rockies attracts enthusiasts and riders of all brands from across the country and the US. Other returning favourites include a bike night at the Bomber Command Museum in Nanton, AB and the always popular CHD tug-of-war contest .

In addition to demo rides of the latest Harley-Davidson models at the dealership’s Calgary location, this year’s event will include a second Harley-Davidson Canada demo truck, which will be located in the heart of the Rockies in Kananaskis providing Pan America demo rides. Also new for the 2023 edition of The Rally in the Rockies, Fender Guitars will be sponsoring a Battle of the Bands contest. To register and for additional information visit www.therallyintherockies.com. IM

The 2023 Kawasaki KLX230 with switchable ABS.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CANADIAN KAWASAKI MOTORS.

Photo courtesy of Yamaha Motor Canada.

Barnes Garage Co. Acquires Blackfoot Motosports

Effective March 1, 2023

Calgary’s Blackfoot Motosports has new owners following the acquisition of the multi-brand powersports dealership by Barnes Garage Co.

Established in 1970, Blackfoot Motosports is a leading retailer of motorcycles from BMW Motorrad, Ducati, KTM, Triumph, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki as well as eBikes, power equipment, ATVs and side-by-sides. Blackfoot also offers complete lineups of gear, accessories and parts at its Calgary location as well as online sales.

A press release issued by Barnes Garage Co. stated that the new dealership, now known as Barnes Powersports Blackfoot will retain all existing brands, management, employees and distribution networks.

With the Blackfoot acquisition, Barnes Garage Co. now offers 14 premium brands in seven locations across British Columbia and Alberta.

Visit www.barnesgarageco.com and www.blackfootonline.ca for additional information. IM

Westjet to Offer Motorcycle Shipments

Prior to the spring of 2020, motorcyclists in search of overseas motorcycle adventures had the option of shipping their own bike to their final destination utilizing an Air Canada service that was specifically designed to accommodate motorcycles. Unfortunately, this service was discontinued during the COVID-19 Pandemic and has not been resumed.

Fortunately, according to Westjet’s social media channels, the Calgary-based carrier will be stepping in to fill this void, offering the ability to ship motorcycles to multiple destinations including Heathrow and Gatwick airports in London.

Stay tuned to www.westjetcargo.com for further updates as they become available. IM

Motovan Expands Apparel Lineup

Motovan’s portfolio of apparel and motorcycle gear has expanded with the announcement that it will be the exclusive Canadian distributor for Noru.

Founded in 2020, Noru’s lineup of gloves, boots and apparel has quickly gained market share in the US market and the team at Motovan has expressed confidence that they can replicate this success in Canada.

“We’re very happy to be representing Noru in Canada and helping this brand grow in our market,” said Mike Paladino, VP Motovan. Adding, “Even with established brands, Noru has become the fastest growing apparel brand in the USA and we’re looking forward to replicating that same success in Canada.”

For more information on Noru and the complete line of products available from Motovan, visit www.motovan.com. IM

BMW Motorrad Canada Partners with Ride For Dad

BMW Motorrad Canada has announced a new partnership with Ride for Dad to assist in the charity’s efforts to raise funds and awareness in the fight against prostate cancer.

As part of this partnership local BMW Motorrad dealers will work with regional Ride For Dad chapters to promote events and increase participation. Riders who have raised more than $1,000 for Ride For Dad will be eligible to receive discounts on the purchase of new BMW motorcycles. In addition anyone who raises more than $200 will have the opportunity to win a new BMW R 18 B donated by BMW Motorrad Canada.

Ride For Dad events are scheduled throughout Canada for 2023. To find a ride near you, visit www.ridefordad.ca/find-a-ride/. IM

Undiscovered Alberta

Loved your touring article on Lacombe, AB in Mar/Apr ‘23 IM.

You captured the essence of this neat town.

Regards, Stewart McColl, Calgary, AB

Hi Stewart, it’s great to hear from you. Glad you enjoyed our feature on Lacombe. After living in Alberta for more than 30 years it still amazes me that we can find these untapped gems. – Ed. IM

Greetings from Mirko Zanzani

Hi Graham

Thank you for the magazines and for your beautiful letter.

All the very best, Mirko Zanzani

Mirko was a key source of information and photos for Graham Clayton’s Rapid Classics story on the history of the Motobi championship winning motorcycles and the role that Mirko’s father Primo Zanzani played in the creation of these legendary machines. Mirko was kind enough to send back a photo of the copy of IM that Graham sent him. – Ed. IM

Small-displacement motorcycles headlined the May 2013 issue of Inside Motorcycles. In addition to improved fuel efficiency, affordable insurance and a reduced carbon footprint, sub-500 cc motorcycles introduced in 2013, including the Kawasaki Ninja 300 and Honda CRF250L featured on the cover 10 years ago, also included features and performance targeted at experienced riders. Jumping back to the present in 2023, the trend of combining small-displacement with big performance is hotter than ever as highlighted by the introduction of Kawasaki’s Ninja ZX-4R and Ninja ZX-4RR, both of which are already sought after trackday machines. Watch for IM’s review of the all-new Ninja ZX-4RR in an upcoming issue.

Vintage road racing was featured in the May 2013 issue as well, with a look at a number of Ducati motorcycles getting a new lease on life and a return to the racetrack with the Vintage Road Racing Association. The VRRA continues as strong as ever in 2023, with a four round schedule and expanded number of classes. For more VRRA content, turn to page 40 of this issue for a profile of Patrick Svilans who is campaigning a Aermacchi Sprint this season. For those who want to learn more about the Aermacchi brand and its Harley-Davidson connection, Graham Clayton’s Rapid Classics is waiting for you on page 68.

One of the most notable items in the May 2013 issue was the arrival of Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Famer and member of one of Canada’s most famous motorcycle families, Toni Sharpless as a regular columnist and feature writer. It is a true honour to have Toni as part of the IM team. You can read the latest instalment of The Sharp Edge on page 18. IM

CKX Atlas Adventure Helmet

By Patrick Lambie

Adventure riding continues to be a significant source of growth within the motorcycle industry, including gear and accessories. As part of this trend, Kimpex house brand CKX has unveiled the Atlas adventure helmet. Intrigued by the company’s comments that the Atlas had been designed with a goal of maximum versatility and function, I stepped up and volunteered to test this new helmet on a scheduled dual sport tour through British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley.

Out of the box, first impression is that the unique styling of this helmet would easily allow you to pass for a character in a game of Halo. However, once it was on, it feels as comfortable as any other adventure helmet I own. The Atlas’ fibreglass shell comes in three sizes, which allows for a good fit regardless of where your head is on the XS to 3XL size chart. At 1,700 grams, the Atlas is in a similar weight class as other adventure helmets on the market and the matte finish is of an equally comparable quality. The available carbon fibre shell version reduces weight by 100 grams.

The Atlas incorporates the typical adventure-style peak, but also takes it to a new level of versatility. In addition to a design that provides maximum airflow and limits lift at high speed, the peak can be adjusted up and down, and extended with a single hand. For long stretches of highway riding the peak can also be removed and replaced without tools. I didn’t have a need to remove the peak, but did utilize all of the available adjustments, which were easily accomplished without having to stop riding.

The CKX Atlas is available with multiple lens options including clear and smoked as well as Pinlock lenses and a photochromic lens which adjusts automatically as lighting changes. Switching the visor utilizes the same release mechanism as the peak and requires no tools. The large eye opening provided unrestricted peripheral visibility and also accommodates the use of goggles, including the CKX 210 goggles which attach to the helmet with CKX rapid-click system.

The five adjustable air vents proved to be quite efficient keeping things cool, even as the temperature moved into the high end of the 20s. For those who desire even more ventilation, the muzzle section can be opened and removed, exposing a grill which provides additional airflow.

On the housekeeping front, the liner and cheek pads are removable and washable, which is a must have option in helmets that will be used for high intensity activities such as off-road riding. In place of the traditional D-ring strap setup, the Atlas relies on a ProClip quick release mechanism. While it works fine, I did find myself wishing for a D-ring instead. A very minor complaint on an overall well-done package.

The CKX Atlas has a reasonable starting retail price $449.99 and is available in a wide variety of patterns and colour schemes. Visit www.ckxgear.com complete details.

MSRP: $449.99

Sizes: XS to 3XL

Pros

– Adjustable peak adds versatility

– Solid ADV helmet at an affordable price

Maxima Racing Oils Air Filter Maintenance Combo Kit

The Air Filter Maintenance Combo Kit is the convenient way to clean and oil your foam or fabric air filter with ease. The two pack contains: Air Filter Cleaner aerosol spray and Fab-1 spray-on air filter oil. Air Filter Cleaner is a heavy-duty emulsion-type cleaner designed to thoroughly clean air filters without damaging foam cells, paper or glue. Air Filter Cleaner will remove oil and dirt from air filter elements and easily washes out with water. Fab-1 spray-on synthetic air filter oil provides unequaled protection against the elements. Fab-1’s time proven formula will not plug foam cells or migrate off of filters. Fab-1’s protective coating catches dirt and fine dust without restricting airflow. Water-resistant.

MSRP: $23.99

Cons

– Unique styling may not be for everyone

– Prefer to have a D-ring strap

BRIDGESTONE AMERICAS TIRE OPERATIONS, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

based on Racing BATTLAX V02 (120/605R17 & 200/660R17) vs previous generation Racing BATTLAX V02 (120/600R17 & 200/655R17)

depending upon proper tire and vehicle maintenance, surface conditions, and riding habits.

Dealing with risk

Every year when I need to write this column in February and March, my instinct is always to talk about the winter and why we’re sick of it, and how we should get away to somewhere warm and ride or just embrace the season. After all, we are Canadian. But I’m tired of writing about it and want to talk about something that I’m increasingly thinking about.

My children are still young but getting older and I’ve come to question whether I should push them towards motorcycles or steer them towards more conventional sports instead. On one hand, I want them to experience the joy, rush, fitness, progression and camaraderie of motorcycle riding and racing but on the other hand, I’d hate to admit, I’m worried about them getting seriously hurt, which is unfortunately very common and probable in our sport. Many ex-racers I have met feel the same way and struggle with pushing their children into the sport we love. I have already seen my kids get hurt mountain biking multiple times and I cringe reliving those memories. Even though I don’t like seeing it happen, I’ve come to realize that it’s a fine balance of letting them learn from their mistakes and pushing/encouraging them when their skill level has not kept up to their ambition just yet.

Saying that, I had to reflect on the benefits of high-risk sports like motorcycle racing that led me to the obsession about anything two-wheeled. Extra bonus if there was a motor involved as well. As most of you know, when consequences increase, focus becomes sharper, judgement is heightened and adrenaline kicks in making you hyper aware of your surroundings. But these feelings and wisdom come with age and experience. When taught early in development, those are life skills as well and translate well into adulthood whether it’s dealing with adversity, stress, physical injury or just plain perseverance. However, my children don’t know the consequences of doing dangerous activities just yet and it is still the responsibility of us parents to set a foundation of skills and techniques and teach them about the possible outcomes. But once kids get old enough and capable of making their own risk-assessing decisions, at what point do I let go? When they learn that crashing is part of learning and their skills eventually surpass mine, who am I to deny my kids experiencing these feelings that shaped me into the person I am today?

I’ve reached the conclusion that, for the kids and our benefit as parents, it’s key to invest in proper education and training. This can be us, teaching them early on and then handing over the reigns to professional coaches and instructors. As an example, I recently signed my kids up for their first introduction to motorized sports, an eBike test ride for GasGas’ kids lineup organized by Shane Cuthbertson and his www.rad20.

ca team. My older seven-year-old is pretty timid and she takes a little while to warm up to new things. My almost five-year-old son was gung-ho from the get-go, as long as his sister was doing it too. I could not wipe the smile off his face once he started putting the motocross gear on. Fully kitted up in pants, jersey, helmet and gloves while sporting his shy smile made me proud.

Learning the basics early on, under certified coaches’ supervision, can help children avoid bad technique habits and also teach safe ways of operating the machines. It is no different than any other sport whether it is hockey, skiing, soccer or gymnastics. Setting a foundation that focuses on fun and safety while building necessary motor skills is paramount in early development of learning. Children learn extremely fast due to their body producing insane amounts of myelin. Myelin sheath coats nerves and neurons in the brain allowing for fast and efficient transmission of electrical impulses. Repeated practice of new skills builds these fast super-highways of electrical signals. Having my kids exposed to new sports, like motorcycling which takes a great amount of focus as well as hand, foot and eye coordination can do wonders for their life foundation, way beyond just riding a bike.

So, what have we decided as parents?

I am okay with exposing my children to as many sports and activities as we can manage, even if they are risky and dangerous. I believe the rewards are worth it and if they decide to pursue one of those activities further, we will support them but not necessarily push them into it. Parenting is like politics and religion talk: everyone has an opinion, so this is just my take. If you are interested in some good winter reading about performance and what makes people excel in certain fields and countries, I highly recommend The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle. Even if you don’t have kids or they’re already grown up, having a read while sipping on some Scotch by a cozy fire might be right up your alley. Cheers. IM

Kids enjoying some throttle therapy in the middle of winter in Calgary, Alberta.

PHOTO BY MARK DZIKOWSKI.

Stuntman Karel Soucek

Karel Soucek, “a Czech professional stuntman living in Canada” really came into my focus in 1976 when he attempted a crossing of the famed Whirlpool rapids at Niagara Falls. For those who have not visited Niagara Falls, the Whirlpool is downstream from the Falls in the Niagara Gorge. The Spanish Cable Car travels between Canada and the USA, 250 feet (76 metres) above the Whirlpool on a cable wire 1,770 feet in length.

On July 22, 1976, one year after the successful crossing of the Whirlpool by Henri Rechatin from France using the cable wires on an engineered Bultaco Sherpa T from Sonic Motorcycles, Karel Soucek attempted to cross the Whirlpool on a moped.

Karel’s attempt failed when his moped hit a cable joint bolt less than 20 feet out. A safety harness worn by Soucek saved his life to continue his stunt career as the years progressed.

On June 11, 1977, instead of travelling above the Whirlpool, Karel decided to ‘ride’ the rapids while inside a home-fabricated steel barrel. The barrel Karel constructed

was 9 feet long and 5 feet in diameter with padding inside. The short ride in the rapids turned into a long one when Karel was stranded for three hours until an emergency crew came to his rescue.

Although I was not an eyewitness to any of Karel’s barrel stunts reported in the news, I was in attendance at two of Karel’s motorcycle stunts. To verify details of my memory of events I called Bob Lewis who was well acquainted with Karel.

Bob Lewis, the president of the Oshawa Motorcycle Competition Club at the time, says his first meeting of Karel was during the summer of 1977 at the Don Valley Ski Centre right near where I grew up in Toronto, ON located at Lawrence Ave and the Don Valley Parkway.

The event was called the Kawasaki Classic, basically a timed hill climb up the ski hill sponsored by Kawasaki, organized by John Pugh, owner of Ontario Kawasaki at the time. Jump ramps were provide by Bar Hodson, founder of the Canadian Motorcycle Heritage Museum Foundation, for Karel to jump some cars as an added feature.

Bob describes best what happened that day: “Karel jumped some cars, one of them had a Doberman in the back seat, that’s the one he landed on going right through the back window where the dog was sitting. People were screaming especially this one woman. Everyone was worried about the dog and not so much about the rider.” Turned out both the rider and dog were fine, but the car had significant damage.

Moving on to winter that year in 1977 when ice racing was in full swing, Bob Lewis and the OCMC club organized the annual Bewdley Ice Race held on Rice Lake in Ontario where Bob invited Karel to perform another motorcycle jump.

This time Bob says, “On a borrowed KX250, because I don’t think he had one of his own, Karel successfully over-jumped a row of cars landing past the landing ramp and pocketed a cool $1,000.” The following year, Bob invites Karel again who wanted to

up the ante on the stunt. Bob recalls, “1978 rolls around and Karel said he wants to jump 10 cars 10 times on the same borrowed KX250 wearing his one-piece leather suit with a ‘K’ on front chest. Not sure if he was expecting $1,000 per jump?

“Anyways like the year before he overjumped the ramp landing on the flat ice surface losing control. Once he hit the snowbank at speed it launched Karel into the air while the bike continued upright crashing through the snow fence taking out 4 spectators.” It was a dramatic spectacle in front of a crowd upwards of 5,000 people.

When Karel had healed he was back in the news conducting some testing on the Niagara Escarpment in Hamilton with his stunt barrel. Unknown to the press at the time Karel was preparing to go over the mighty Horseshoe Falls!

On July 2, 1984, Karel clandestinely climbed into his steel barrel, to float in the Niagara River. A few moments later Karel became one of the few people to survive the falls, a drop ride that lasts three and a half seconds at an estimated speed of 75 mph (121 km/h). Karel was banged up when he climbed out of his barrel presumably from the 45 minutes of bouncing off the rocks below until he was rescued and fined.

January 19, 1985 would unfortunately be the day of Karel Soucek’s last stunt. The stunt, to be carried out at the Astrodome in Houston, TX was created by Karel to replicate his successful drop over the Niagara Falls. Raised 180 feet above a 12 foot by 9 foot open tank of water, Karel climbed into a barrel for the last time. Reports say the barrel, marked on the side with “Last of the Niagara Daredevils - 1984” was released prematurely. The barrel with the 37-year-old Karel inside dropped, hitting the edge of the tank.

For all his failures, I admire Karel Soucek’s zest for life and mantra, “It’s not whether you fail or triumph, it’s that you keep your word... and at least try!” Quote by Karel Soucek. IM

Bob Lewis with stuntman Karel Soucek (on bike) in 1978. PHOTO BY JOHN ZAWLINSKI.

Live and learn

Motorcycles give us the opportunity to explore, and I think this is a big piece of why we all fall in love with them. The first time you get on a bike when you’re a kid, the freedom you feel is something unexplainable. A feeling I’ll never stop pursuing. Another part of exploring with motorcycles for me has been figuring out how they work, and learning how to fix them. These adventures can be just as exciting as the riding sometimes!

I’m at a point now where there isn’t much I’m scared to tackle when it comes to working on bikes, and that’s a fairly rewarding place to be in. Being able to work on your own bike saves you money, not to mention giving you something to pass the time with. Fixing problems is something I find rewarding, so I don’t mind having to invest the time to do it. The lessons you have to learn along the way to become competent are part of the process that I enjoy a lot less, though. On the bright side, most of the lessons come with some entertaining stories.

I had the luxury of racing for factory teams during most of my career, and before that my dad always took care of our bikes. When I was a kid, I didn’t have a lot of interest in how things worked; I would help my dad wash bikes and do air filters, but beyond that I didn’t attempt much. I think most kids are this way, and working on your own bikes eventually comes from necessity, not from choice. Once you’re an adult and own your own bikes, you need to be able to maintain them. This is where I arrived when I was in my late teens, I started to work on my own bikes, and would ask for help where needed. I learned some easy lessons, some hard, but all of them have contributed to the large bank of knowledge I rely on today.

I have a funny story to tell from a hard lesson learned, coming from the classic mistake of overlooking the most simple and obvious details.

Back in 2012 when I was racing World Superbike, I came home for the two-month recovery from my neck fracture. At the

six-week mark I started riding motocross again and was training lots on my KTM 250 SX two-stroke at our local sand track to get back into shape. It was a perfect hot afternoon to put some laps in, couldn’t have asked for a better day. My bike was prepped so I unloaded everything, put my gear on and went to do some laps.

I’ve ridden two-strokes my whole life, and had quite a few of them blow up on me, so I know the feeling and how the bike acts. I got about five laps into warming up, and the bike started to act like it was losing compression. I recently had the cylinder ported and polished, so as soon as the bike started bogging a couple times and felt like I had no power, I shut it off to try and minimize damage. Luckily this happened not too far from the pit area, so I pushed the bike back. I wasn’t a happy camper to say the least, but at least I got a good workout in.

Back home I go. I wanted to get back to riding as soon as possible, so was hoping it was just a quick piston and rings with no real damage to the cylinder, and I could be back out the next day. I started tearing

the bike down – off the side shrouds came, drained the coolant, and started to unbolt the gas tank. I got the gas tank loose, picked it up off the bike, and thought to myself, man these plastic tanks are light. Didn’t think much beyond that, was just focused on getting the cylinder off, so kept working.

Cylinder comes off, everything looks fine. Piston and rings look brand new. Now I’m really sour. I pick the tank up again and shake it to confirm there is some gas in it, but hear nothing. Took the cap off and flipped it upside down, nothing. Ran out of gas, and tore the top end off the bike, awesome.

I laugh so hard every time I tell this story. I feel a bit of shame telling the story, but I think we all have some experiences like this one where you fail to check the most obvious details, and jump to a worst-case scenario conclusion without thinking it through.

This is the beauty of motorcycles: you live, and you learn. The living you do around bikes is some of the best possible, and the learning isn’t far behind. IM

Sometimes you need to tear an engine down but check the obvious items first.

PHOTO BY BRETT MCCORMICK.

Let’s Ride

Penticton, BC is the perfect hub for a variety of short, medium and full-day rides. In the South Okanagan region of British Columbia, we have some of the best and varied riding opportunities anywhere! From scenic paved roads to well-maintained dirt roads, plan your perfect summer ride!

2023SuzukiV-Strom800DE

BYMARKDZIKOWSKI PHOTOS:SUZUKICANADA

Next Level “V”

While Suzuki has been producing adventure bikes for a long time and has such hall-of-fame members like the DR400, DR650 and the V-Strom 1000s on their resume, the segment has changed dramatically since those bikes were first rolling off the assembly floor in Japan. With manufacturers fighting for the attention of the middle-aged target demographic’s wallet, the cutthroat middleweight segment seems to become the most competitive. Enter the newest member of the V-Strom family, touted as the most off-road worthy model that slots in nicely between the flagship V-Strom 1050 and the little brother V-Strom 650 with its plethora of various model options.

For the 800DE (DE stands for Dual Explorer) launch, Suzuki chose the roads and trails on the Italian island of Sardinia in late February. The two days of riding was comprised of 80 percent pavement with 20 percent off-piste on some decomposed granite-derived dirt secondary roads.

Before swinging a leg over the bike in person, the V-Strom 800DE technical specifications looked promising and very similar to the formula that other manufacturers have adopted: namely, take a motor design that is, or will be, shared with a street model (in this case the yet to be released Suzuki GSX-8S), tune it for more manageable power curve and throttle response that will not scare the bejesus out of you when the pavement ends and pair it with a suspension package that can keep up with the motor. Saying that, the new V-Strom is a brand-new motorcycle from ground up so it was truly unknown how it would perform under real-life conditions.

Each manufacturer offers something different, whether you’re going for an all-bells-and-whistles machine or the bare bones, with middle-of-the-road capabilities on-road and off-road. Suzuki engineers at the launch said as much, namely that they are targeting the budget-conscious customer that will spend most of the time on-road and on minor gravel roads. They specifically mentioned that they are not targeting hard off-road type riding like a KTM 890 Adventure R, Yamaha Ténéré 700 or even the Ducati DesertX.

The V-Strom 800DE retains the classic V-Strom characteristics with its classic front beak positioned higher to create greater distance between it and the front fender and wheel. The styling is more aggressive with sharper lines and contours on most of the components and graphics, which looks very good in person. I was a little hesitant on how I felt about the looks prior to the launch but admittedly it is a good-looking bike in person. The new vertically stacked hexagonal LED headlight assembly looks very good and complements the overall design but we were not able to test its performance at night. Turn signals and rear tail light are LED as well.

Adventure models will typically spend most of their lives on paved and minor gravel roads, thus comfort is paramount when most days are spent in the saddle. During the pre-ride discussions the Japanese engineers responsible for the design of the 800DE mentioned the effort put into the seat design. With my skinny derriere suffering from immediate pressure points and soreness on long rides, I was eager to test it out.

The Suzuki engineers informed us that the shape of the seat was wide enough on the rear portion to be comfortable when sitting and narrow enough near the front when standing and also paired with a firmer density foam to complete the redesign. The seat height sits at 855 mm (33.7 in) – almost an inch lower than its main competition in the KTM 890 R and the Yamaha Ténéré, which is doable for most riders. For those shorter/taller riders there are seat options to fine-tune the cockpit.

The motocross-derived high-bend and high-sweep handlebar puts the rider in a good neutral position with a typical footpeg height for most adventure bikes. Taking out the rubber footpeg inserts adds legroom on top of providing much better grip for the off-road sections. Taking the inserts out is only four 10 mm screws away and I highly recommend removing then unless the bike will spend most of its life on pavement.

The Suzuki comes with an adjustable windscreen allowing three heights; however, this can only be accomplished by manually unscrewing the four allen bolts and placing the windscreen in the desired position and re-tightening the bolts. Yes, this is not ideal, and feels quite outdated with today’s electronic windscreens but remember “budget rider.” I would way rather sacrifice electronic windshield adjustability if I can have a great motor, suspension and geometry.

Controls layout is basic and easy to navigate through the menus on the five-inch TFT display. With Suzuki’s main purpose to appeal to the budget riders when peddling the 800DE, electronic options are limited. The Suzuki Drive Mode Selector (SDMS) offers three drive modes of A, B and C, where power gets progressively softer from A to C. While I primarily used the A mode on the road and B mode off-road, I only tried the C mode a time or two and did not like the mild power delivery it offered, especially with such a superb powerplant underneath the seat and tank but more on that later.

Traction Control (TC) offers four modes ranging from 1, which is for sport riding with minimal intervention to setting 3 reserved for wet or slippery conditions. The fourth mode is the G mode which stands for Gravel. The engineers encouraged us to use this mode when the pavement ends. While I tested it and it did a decent enough job of maximizing traction while still allowing wheel spin, I still preferred to know what the wheel was doing at all times when on gravel and had the TC in the Off position for most of the testing sessions.

Finally, the ABS comes with two settings, 1 provides minimum intervention and Suzuki recommends this for off-road riding. Setting 2 is recommended for city and all-around road riding while the OFF option completely disables the rear wheel

ABS while maintaining front wheel ABS. When riding on gravel, just like TC, I chose to fully turn off rear wheel ABS for maximum manual control of the rear wheel. This allowed sliding the rear into tight corners and powering out of them without rear ABS or TC on.

As for accessories, for 2023 the 800DE does not come with cruise control, but with throttle-by-wire setup on the bike, it should be a relatively easy addition in the future. Hopefully Suzuki listened to the journalists at the launch as universally that was a common complaint and request for the future. A USB port comes standard and located on the side of the instrument cluster.

The Suzuki features a brand-new steel frame which makes sense in the world of adventure machines with some flex and ease of access for maintenance as well as cheaper to manufacture. Paired with the new chassis is the fully adjustable front and rear Showa suspension. The rear monoshock comes with a remote reservoir and a remote preload adjuster for easy on-thefly adjustment for a passenger or luggage. Ground clearance comes in at a very respectable 220 mm which is the best among all the V-Strom models with the 650 offering 170 mm and the flagship 1050DE 190 mm for comparison. The whole package touches mother earth via a 21-inch front and a 17-inch rear spoked wheels clad in the inner-tube-equipped Dunlop Trailmax Mixtour rubber. The Suzuki comes equipped with dual-pis-

ton Nissin calipers on 310 mm dual floating discs in the front and a single piston setup with a 240 mm disc in the rear for a very good and easily modulated brake system.

When writing bike reviews, I usually talk about the engine early in the review, but for the V-Strom 800DE I decided to make an exception and leave the best for last. By far the highlight of this highly anticipated model is the brand-new 776 cc DOHC, 4-valve per cylinder engine. The brand new parallel-twin powerplant (question arises if it should be called a V-Strom…) generates 84.3 horsepower at 8,500 rpm and maximum of 57.5 ft-lb of torque at 6,800 rpm. This new design’s goal was to shrink the physical size of the motor from front to rear which allows the weight distribution and chassis geometry to be optimized to Suzuki’s liking. Those that follow motocross and supercross know that no matter what generation, Suzukis are always one of the best handling bikes out there so they know what they’re doing. The engine also features a 270-degree crankshaft which usually translates to a smooth power delivery. This is paired with the all-new primary cross balancer design which puts the dual balancers at 90 degrees to each other compared to the traditional one-axis or two-axis at 180 degrees. With all these features combined, this new unit delivers a truly powerful, linear and smooth motor.

The six-speed transmission on the 800DE is geared appropriately for the new motor to maximize the linear characteristics of the powerplant. The bike also comes equipped with a standard bi-directional quick shifter which is an option on many other OEM bikes.

The following day after the technical presentations, loaded with all the tech information, we headed into the twisty roads of southern Sardinia and its backcountry gravel roads. Right off the bat I noticed that the bike did not feel its weight of the reported 230 kg (507 lb) curb weight. Rather, it is quick turning and the flickability was a confirmation of Suzuki’s excellent reputation on building well handling bikes. I attribute this to the refined rider triangle where the wide motocross handlebar and narrower engine allows for more central mass distribution making direction changes effortless. Once the tires warmed up, the narrow winding roads served as a great demonstration playground of the new 800DE, although the ride pace was rather relaxed and not conducive to testing the limits of more aggressive riding.

Right out of the parking lot, the new motor showed its hypedup potential. With silky smooth delivery, virtually vibration-free (I guess those dual 90-degree balancers work) and extremely linear torquey power right off bottom, it was seriously impressive. Even though we were asked not to do any wheelies, it was hard not to power lift the front wheel once in a while in first and second gear. Pairing the nimble feeling of the chassis with this gem of a motor was treat.

The suspension worked well in the twisties but some excessive diving under braking was quite apparent; however, after turning up the compression and rebound front and rear for the off-road portions, it helped this issue. Good to see that the clickers on the Showa suspenders actually do something noticeable. There were a lot of questions during the technical press presentation about the choice of a 17-inch rear wheel for the 800DE.

The 21-inch wire-spoked front wheel (left inset) is paired with dual discs and adjustable ABS to accommodate multiple riding scenarios. The all-new 776 cc parallel-twin engine (above top) quickly proved to be the star of the show, while the five-inch TFT display (above) accommodated easy navigation and setup of the V-Strom.

I was also disappointed with this choice but the Suzuki engineers explained that since this bike will most likely live out the majority of its life on pavement, they didn’t want to sacrifice on street performance by going with an 18-inch version. I’m not sure if it would be possible to retrofit an 18-inch rim on the 800DE and the effect it would have on the chassis, but it would be worth investigating if the bike will be used in more off-road terrain.

Once the pavement ended and turned onto the eroded and decomposed granite gravel and double-track roads, this is what I was very excited about. There is no better testing ground for a motorcycle’s balance, motor, throttle delivery and chassis characteristics than to slide it on some loose marbles. Once I switched off the traction control and rear ABS, I immediately felt comfortable allowing the rear wheel to step out around corners in controllable slides. I started off with the drive mode A but quickly changed to B as I found A mode to be just a little bit too aggressive in the dirt. Similarly, riding mode C was just a little too timid.

The suspension was a little too soft for my liking, but after the Suzuki engineer made adjustments, the fork and shock stayed up higher up in the stroke. I still managed to bottom out the suspension on a couple of small drops but for a bike that is not supposed to be destined off-road, it was good. The bike handled the cobbles, baby heads and other small chop without a problem. Once again, with the pace of the group, we did not have the opportunity to wick it up until late on the second day. The brief 20 or so minutes of spirited riding where I pushed as hard as I felt was reasonable for virtually street tires and a 17-inch

rear, the 800DE handled it like a champ and the faster I went the more fun I was having without any pucker moments. This tells me that the bike is way more off-road capable than Suzuki is claiming. Now if we only had a choice to slap on an aggressive off-road dual-sport tire on an 18-inch rear; we’re in business.

Comfort wise, between the relaxed rider triangle and the seat which my rear end did not complain about, the machine is well suited for long distances. Especially if pavement stretches are mixed in with some dirt, where standing up is the preferred riding position anyway.

Overall, the new Suzuki entry into the adventure market should appeal to a wide rrange of riders: those who are willing to sacrifice some luxuries but still have a very comfortable and capable bike on- and off-road for the price. After all, it all comes down to dollars and cents and having fun adventure riding. If you want every bell and whistle, get a BMW. If you want abundant electronics and top of class suspension, get a KTM 890 R, if you want a lighter, stripped down version, more off-road focused bike, get a Yamaha Ténéré 700. But if you want a bike that can do 80 percent of what the other bikes can do for less, the new Suzuki V-Strom 800DE might be for you. IM

2023 Suzuki V-Strom 800DE

PROS:

+ Excellent motor. Suzuki hit it out of the park with this design + Affordable price

CONS:

- 17-inch rear wheel limits the tire choices for off-road - Non-adjustable windshield

MSRP: Starting from $13,299

Colour: Champion Yellow, Glass Matte Mechanical Grey, Glass Sparkle Black

Engine:

Liquid-cooled, parallel twin

Displacement: 776 cc

Bore and Stroke: 84 x 70.0 mm

Compression Ratio: 12.8:1

Power: 84.3 hp at 8,500 rpm

Torque: 57.5 ft-lb @ 6,800 rpm

Fuel Delivery: Fuel injection

Final Drive: Chain

Weight: 230 kg (507 lb), wet

Transmission: Six-speed

Frame: Steel

Wheelbase: 1,570 mm (61.8 in)

Seat Height: 855 mm (33.7 in)

Suspension (front): Inverted telescopic fork, coil spring, oil damped

Suspension (rear): Link type, coil spring, oil damped

Tire (front):

90/90-21M/C 54H tube type

Tire (rear):

150/70R17M/C 69H tube type

Brakes (front): Dual 310 mm discs

Brakes (rear): 240 mm disc

Fuel Capacity:

REDEFINING THE SUPERBIKE

BY BRETT

Buying new bikes is a big investment these days, and not a decision to take lightly. Luckily, there are some amazing machines to throw your money at. BMW’s new S 1000 RR falls comfortably into the amazing category, leaving little to be desired.

Back in 2020, I spent a day on the S 1000 RR in Portugal, when BMW introduced some big changes for that model update. They made important strides in that year, and it was easy to see their development team knew what was missing previously. The 2020 model came out 24 lb lighter and with an improved swingarm, both steps in the right direction for the bike’s handling.

In the past 15 years peak power has never been questioned in regards to BMW, nor has the electronics package. The chassis step made in 2020 put them at the sharp end of that conversation in my opinion, and now they’ve refined those details even further to make the 2023 version a serious weapon. Winglets are standard this year, so BMW has stepped up to the plate even with the aerodynamics package.

With the chassis puzzle solved on the previous model, and having seen the success come from that, there was no need for major surgery in this year’s updates. The mentionable chassis changes made in 2023 are steering head angle and offset, which they implemented from the 2022 M model after finding it to perform better. These small updates are reduced offset by 3 mm and lowered steering head angle by 0.5 degrees. The frame recesses were modified to add some lateral flex, and now the adjustable swingarm pivot that was only available on the M model previously is standard on all the S 1000 RR models. The weight loss program the last model went through is sticking around for 2023, and the bike weighs in at a respectable 197 kg (434 lb).

We’ve all seen model updates from manufacturers that make you shake your

2023 BMW S 1000 RR

MCCORMICK PHOTOS: BMW MOTORRAD CANADA

A full colour 6.5-inch TFT display (above left) allows the rider to monitor and adjust the S 1000 RR’s impressive suite of electronics. The 999 cc liquid-cooled inline four-cylinder powerplant (above right) produces an outstanding 205 horsepower.

320 mm dual front discs with Nissin calipers (below left) combine with one of the most advanced ABS systems ever produced to provide Superbike-level stopping power. Winglets capable of adding up to 17 kg of additional downforce (below right) are also included as standard equipment on the 2023 S 1000 RR.

head because they take a step forward in a certain piece of the bike, only to jump back a couple steps in another aspect. I’m glad to say BMW didn’t make this mistake with the new for 2023 S 1000 RR.

The new bike encompasses the S 1000 RR legacy with a fast appearance and hard lines – it’s always been easy to pick out on the street and track. I appreciate that BMW put their own flavour into the look of their superbike from the beginning and stuck with it. The sleek look of the bike isn’t just for show, the new winglets add functional downforce to the front wheel.

The cockpit of the BMW is a welcoming place for most riders, they seem to have found a mix that accommodates tall riders like myself and doesn’t hinder the vertically challenged. First impression for me was how skinny the tank feels, and proper spacing on the bars, seat and pegs. No surprise as this was the exact same feeling I had on the previous model. The big TFT dash staring right back at you is well done, and gives the factory bike feel in stock trim. This part of the electronics has come so far in the last decade, no surprise BMW’s design is hitting the mark and pushing limits.

I was excited for the location we were brought to in southern Spain, hard to beat the weather and it was a circuit I’ve never ridden.

Almeria is a proper race track and has everything you require to really test a bike’s personality. Sixth gear straight, some switchback sections, some long radius corners, some fast, some slow, cambered, off camber – literally puts the bike into every situation. This is an ideal landscape to test the bike, but on the same note, not an easy place to get a setup that works on all parts of the track.

I would expect the bike to like some sections and struggle in others on a track like this, but this wasn’t the case. Stable chassis that didn’t pitch on acceleration or braking, light feel in change of direction, and solid feedback everywhere is something worth praising. We were treated to the M carbon wheels for the test, which is such a treat for quick direction changes. There was a first gear chicane and a couple second gear switchbacks that you could put the bike where you wanted with confidence and very little effort.

Front end confidence is everything on a superbike, and the small changes BMW made to this year’s chassis have resulted in a proper race track carving weapon. I was able to put the front tire wherever I wanted all day, no matter the speed or lean angle, corner entry or mid-corner. Stock trim and the telemetry was reading 57 degrees of lean angle on both sides of the tire, without having any big moments – this is crazy stuff. I tried my best to get the bike out of its comfort zone, but couldn’t get it done. I had a couple front end slides during the day, but nothing that even got my heart rate up because solid feel was still there. Even on worn out tires at the end of the day there was no lack of feedback or ability to get the bike turned in every part of the turn.

The bike is really stable in off camber scenarios as well, which isn’t easy to achieve no matter the setup. There were two technical sections where the track fell away a bit while you’re charging downhill, perfect scenario for a bike to start pumping and feel unsettled – but the BMW kept planted without any drama.

The one fast left hander was third gear over a crest, and by the end of the day I had the confidence to trust the slide control fully. Third gear, knee just off the ground, cresting a hill off camber, and I could go from partial to full throttle without a worry – the slide control would engage and no matter how much I turned the throttle it was only giving me back the right amount of power to lock in a small slide and keep driving forward. The slide control is a new feature, and impressed me how well it worked – no ironing out needed.

That leads us into the electronics package, one of the big focuses of this model for BMW. The new electronics have adjustable engine brake, engine power mode, riding mode, traction control, wheelie control, slide control and ABS with brake slide control.

New this year are the slide controls. The updated feature comes from a steering angle sensor addition that allows the electronics to measure your slide, and keep the rear wheel locked in place at a certain amount of slide. You can turn this feature off, but I didn’t find it negatively affecting drive out of the corners enough to consider running without it.

The engine brake control has three modes again, all big enough steps to notice the changes instantly. The engine power mode has two options, and is more of a throttle ride by wire delivery setting – one option holds back from your input a little bit, and the other option is direct 1:1 throttle to power input. I ran it on both settings, and both options give you a different throttle feel which is nice to choose your poison on.

Riding modes change the engine characteristic so you can tailor the power to the conditions you’re riding in, along with your ability. Traction control still has 14 steps and works unreal, along with three modes for wheelie control depending on how much you want the front wheel off the ground. Combine the new winglets adding up to 17 kg of downforce at 300 km/h, and you get some assistance in planting the front wheel to the pavement.

The riding modes can be customized, so you’re not limited to pre-set modes for Rain, Road, Dynamic and Race. Build your own riding modes so you can test out different electronics mid-session, or if you’re sharing a bike with a buddy this is perfect. I used it to change up settings and test out the electronic differences during the sessions, something that used to require a laptop hookup. Still impresses me how far things have come in the last decade with electronics. Two mentionable options if you’re looking for more luxury are heated grips and cruise control – heated grips on cold mornings is something to dream about.

An interesting part of testing the BMW was that I started to mess around with the electronics and find ways the different settings could change the way the bike was handling. I was turning the engine braking up to help the bike get turned mid-corner in some of the slower long radius parts of the track, but this engine braking in the faster sections buried the front more and took away some of the feel I had with less engine braking. Pieces of the setup you can mess with at the push of a button, and get instant feedback to know which window of the suspension you’re riding in.

ABS is updated on the new model, it even has a piece that works alongside the engine braking and slide control, allowing you to control the rear wheel backing in under braking. This feature would take some time to get used to, I messed around with it a bit in the afternoon sessions and it worked well, but I wasn’t comfortable enough to be doing it every lap on repeat. I found the ABS settings were a huge improvement over the previous model, and something I didn’t mind leaving turned on because I could barely notice it intervening. Awesome feature for added safety on the road and track, and it also comes with a “stoppie” feature that allows you to execute controlled stoppies without going over the bars.

Beyond ABS improvements, the brake hardware gets my stamp of approval – and I’m hard on brakes. We rode bikes equipped with the M brakes, and for the 2023 this is Nissin front calipers and Brembo rear.

The front brakes have enough power you can use one finger to pull the lever, and I didn’t run into any brake fade during our sessions – something most stock superbikes struggle with. It was only around 15 degrees and overcast, so temperatures were on our side, but we were still riding hard and putting stopping power to the test.

The bikes were equipped with optional M rearsets as well, which are well worth having because you get two adjustments on the brake pedal position depending on your foot size, as well as really cool footpeg position adjustability with one bolt.

Electronic suspension adjustment makes clickers easy to tweak during sessions, and the base setup BMW had was really solid. I didn’t mess with the chassis settings through the electronic suspension a ton, just a few clicker changes to see the differences and make sure they were noticeable. You definitely get some adjustability in the stock suspension, and once again at the push of a button.

CSBK champ Ben Young and I were pushing these stock bikes pretty hard, and didn’t really get to a point where we were talking about the need for aftermarket suspension. Keep in mind we weren’t hoping to explain hauling our bikes out of any of the gravel traps, but I think Ben got within four to five seconds of the World Endurance factory BMW team testing – not too shabby on a 1:40ish total lap time.

When it comes to getting the BMW moving, we know it has one of the strongest engines in the superbike lineup. The engine on the new machine was optimized with some small changes stolen from the previous M version, producing 205 hp and over 80 ft-lb of torque. Sixth gear on the back straight at Almeria, and I got to see 290 km/h on the dash before having to trust the brakes to get slowed down. The quick shifter works seamless for upshifts and downshifts, which is easy to rely on to click back gears from sixth to second under hard braking.

Not only was the top speed of the bike impressive, I couldn’t get over how even the power curve on this bike is. I kept getting into the rev limiter because I didn’t notice the power dropping off hinting me to shift, it just doesn’t stop pulling. Another aspect from last year’s M model now standard is a 46-tooth rear sprocket to add some acceleration, up one tooth from last year. If you find yourself on the 2023 S 1000 RR, you won’t be searching for more power that’s for sure.

No surprise this bike is a popular choice for Superstock classes when all you have to do is roll it out of the showroom and toss numbers on it to be competitive. IM

2023 BMW S 1000 RR

PROS:

+ Electronics package

+ Engine power and delivery

CONS:

- Expensive to crash

MSRP: Starting from $20,395

Colour: Racing Red, Black Storm Metallic, M Livery

Engine:

Water/oil-cooled inline fourcylinder

Displacement: 999 cc

Bore and Stroke: 80 mm x 49.7 mm

Compression Ratio: 13.3:1

Power: 205 hp at 13,750 rpm

Torque: 83.0 ft-lb at 11,000 rpm

Fuel Delivery: Electronic injection

Final Drive: Chain

Weight: 197 kg (434 lb), wet

Transmission: Six-speed

Frame: Bridge-type frame, cast aluminum

Wheelbase: 1,455 mm (57.3 in)

Seat Height: 824 mm (32.8 in)

Suspension (front): Inverted 45 mm fork, fully adjustable

Suspension (rear): Single shock, fully adjustable

Tire (front): 120/70 ZR17

Tire (rear): 190/55 ZR17

Brakes (front): Dual 320 mm disc with 4-piston fixed caliper

Brakes (rear): Single 220 mm disc with 1-piston floating caliper

Fuel Capacity: 16.5 L

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

Can-Am Ryker Rally

BY PATRICK LAMBIE PHOTOS BY REBECCA LAMBIE

Standing in front of the counter at Calgary’s Basecamp Motorsports with the key fob for a shiny new Can-Am Ryker Rally in hand, I found myself once again asking: “and you’re sure it’s okay to take it off-road?” It’s not that I have ever been shy to push the limits of any vehicle, regardless of the number of wheels, but when picking up a press loaner that you have previously only experienced on asphalt surfaces it is always better to be safe than sorry.

With assurances in place that the Rally edition of Can-Am’s Ryker lineup was not only designed and created with off-pavement forays in mind, but that improvements on this latest version included an upgraded suspension package designed to further its capabilities when the going gets tough, it was time to head out to the parking lot and check out my ride for the day.

I am not sure if I will ever get used to the look and feel of Can-Am’s unique three-wheeled “motorcycles.” Most accurately described as a snowmobile on wheels – which makes perfect sense given the heritage of parent company BRP and their development of the Ski-Doo snowmobile brand – the first hour or so is always spent trying to forget everything you know about riding a motorcycle. There is no leaning or countersteering, lines and lane position are dictated by the outrigger-like front wheels and where motorcycles offer immediate response to rider inputs, the move to two wheels in front is accompanied by understeer that will often leave you wondering if you are going to make the corner.

Now please don’t get me wrong, starting with the introduction of the Spyder in 2007, Can-Am has built a loyal following while introducing many new riders to the world of motosports and offering older motorcyclists a platform to continue riding when physical limitations begin to make two-wheeled pursuits undesirable. With the unveiling of the Ryker in 2019, Can-Am further expanded their reach with the urban-focused offering and accessible price point. Along the way, the manufacturer has continued to focus on building their brand through the creation of new riders with a variety of training programs including specific initiatives designed for women.

In addition to being a stripped down version of the Can-Am’s flagship Spyder models, with lower weight distribution and, in my opinion, better handling characteristics, the Ryker lineup also features the Rally model, reputed to be capable of gravel roads and other less-than-perfect surfaces.

Standing apart from its siblings (in addition to the base and Rally trims, the Ryker Sport is a third option), the Ryker Rally model ships standard with a front push bar, large air intake with pre-filter, hand guards and an integrated LED lightbar in the front hood. Closer inspection reveals additional off-road focused attributes including an aluminum skid plate, A-arm protectors

on the front end and large non-slip footpegs.

Sitting noticeably higher than the other Rykers thanks to the remote-adjustable KYB HPG shocks which have been upgraded from the previous model to include an additional inch of suspension travel (185 mm front and 179 mm rear), the Ryker Rally still retains a very accessible seat height of 676 mm (26.6 in). Positioned directly behind the seat, the Max Mount system, which is included as standard equipment, accommodates the installation of various accessories including a passenger seat or the multitude of cases and racks available to work with the LinQ mounting system.

Ditching the spoke cast rims of the Ryker and Ryker Sport models, the Rally version opts for stronger aluminum rally-inspired rims shod with more aggressive rubber manufactured by Kenda specifically for the Ryker Rally. Rounding out the Rally’s features, an Akrapovic exhaust exits in front of the open side of the single-sided swingarm providing both a visual and auditory statement.

Prior to firing up the Ryker, I took a moment to get comfortable. Thanks to Can-Am’s proprietary and easy-to-use UFit system, a moment is literally all that it takes to reposition and secure the footpegs, brake pedal and handlebar to the rider’s

preference. Reaching forward to engage the reverse gear with your left foot involves a substantial stretch for my 30-inch inseam, but the ability to back out a parking spot makes manoeuvring the Ryker a piece of cake.

Thanks to the use of a CVT transmission, the Ryker is truly a twist-and-go proposition with rider inputs being limited to controlling the throttle, stopping through application of the single brake pedal and steering.

Out on the street, grabbing a handful of throttle, the three-cylinder 899 cc Rotax ACE engine immediately impresses. With 82 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 58 ft-lb of torque at 6,500 rpm, the performance of this engine is notably superior to the 600 cc twin-cylinder powerplant in the base model that we originally tested in 2019.

Leaving the confines of the city behind and travelling along the highway, the Ryker Rally holds a 110 km/h pace with ease. Turing on the standard equipped cruise control and enjoying the smooth air pocket created by the optional windscreen on our test ride, it becomes easy to imagine taking the Ryker Rally on a weekend adventure encompassing hundreds of kilometres.

Abandoning the main highway in favour of a narrow twisting road provided a chance to push the Ryker hard into some paved corners. While the aforementioned understeer is present, the Ryker’s geometry removes much of the top-heavy feel of the Spyder. Coming into corners, the ABS brake setup with 270 mm discs in front and a 220 mm disc at the rear, is highly effective in slowing the 303 kg (668 lb) Ryker Rally. Accelerating out of the corner, the characteristic triple torque is evident as it pulls solidly towards exit points.

Of course, this day started with the objective of experiencing the Ryker Rally once it left the pavement behind, so it was time

to see what it would do out on the gravel fire roads in Alberta’s Kananaskis Provincial Park. A quick photo stop to grab some beauty shots prior to getting our test ride covered in dust and dirt, and we were off.

Engaging the namesake Rally mode (exclusive to this model) releases the rear wheel from the clutches of the ABS and traction control systems allowing the Ryker to slide and drift around corners. Tearing up the gravel roads, the handling of the Ryker becomes more reminiscent of a snowmobile than ever. It also becomes increasingly addictive, drifting nearly sideways through loose-packed corners at a pace that would have made Ken Block proud but still feeling in control, the only thing on your mind is how quickly you can get to the next corner and how much further you can push it.

While there are many who will forever remain committed to life on two wheels, for those looking to try something different, be it of necessity or simple curiosity, the Ryker Rally offers a truly unique combination of on- and off-road capacity. With the comfort and utility to carry you on weekend trips or an evening cruise around town as well as a surprising capacity to eat up miles of gravel roads, the Ryker Rally is the most flexible vehicle in Can-Am’s on-road lineup.

A starting MSRP of $17,499 for 2023 positions the Ryker a full $6,000 above the entry level model, reflecting the cost of the premium suspension, off-road features and other upgrades. Yes, it is a significant price point, but three-wheeled enthusiasts looking for a true all-round performer with unique style and capabilities may find themselves making an addition to their garage occupancy. But don’t worry, with 19 available colour schemes you should have no problem matching your existing vehicle collection. IM

Remote adjustable KYB shocks (above), new rally-inspired wheels and tires (bottom right) and an Akrapovic exhaust (top right) are among the upgrades targeted at improving the Ryker Rally’s performance on the road as well as when the asphalt ends.

2023 Can-Am Ryker Rally

PROS:

+ Bringing new riders on- and off-road + Drift like a pro

CONS:

- It’s not a motorcycle - Premium price point

Suggested Retail: Starting from $17,499

Colour: 19 different options

Engine: Liquid-cooled, inline three-cylinder

Displacement: 899 cc

Bore and Stroke: 74 x 69.7 mm

Power: 82 hp @ 8,000 rpm

Torque: 58 ft-lb @ 6,500 rpm

Fuel Delivery: Electronic fuel injection

Final Drive: Shaft

Weight: 303 kg (668 lb), dry

Transmission: CVT automatic

Wheelbase: 1,709 mm (67.3 in)

Seat Height: 676 mm (26.6 in)

Suspension (front): KYB HPG with remote reservoir 4-position adjustable compression, damping and preload adjustable

Suspension (rear): Mono swingarm with KYB HPG with remote reservoir 4-position adjustable compression, damping and preload adjustable

Tires (front): Kenda 145/60 - R16

Tire (rear): Kenda 205/55 - R15

Brakes (front): 270 mm discs with Nissin 2-piston floating calipers

Brakes (rear): 220 mm disc, 1-piston floating caliper

Fuel Capacity: 20 L

PATRICK SVILANS

BY PATRICK LAMBIE PHOTOS COURTESY OF PATRICK SVILANS

Motorcycle enthusiast, restorer of British cars, creator of movie and television props, and as of 2019, vintage motorcycle racer; Patrick Svilans is part of a new generation of racers who have found a home at the VRRA, competing on motorcycles that were built before they were even born.

Since 1980 the Vintage Road Racing Association has been the Canadian home for vintage and classic motorcycle racing, providing racers and fans alike the opportunity to once again enjoy the bikes they grew up with. As the organization has grown, a new generation of vintage enthusiasts, has also found its way onto the VRRA starting grid.

Inside Motorcycles recently sat down with Patrick Svilans to talk about his experiences in the VRRA, vintage motorcycles and the thrill of racing.

Inside Motorcycles: When did you start riding motorcycles? What was your first bike and what other bikes have you owned?

Patrick Svilans: Motorcycle was one of my first words. My father Peter Svilans has always been into unique vehicles and we share an interest in anything mechanical. I restored ‘60s British cars for a living for 13 years starting as a teenager, then worked with my father who was a curator for a museum of unique postwar European “microcars” such as Messerchmitt and Isettas. He was into scooters and let me ride his Honda Helix when I was 11. I got my licence at 17 and put a ton of miles on our TWN (German Triumph) Contessa, ‘50s touring scooter. I was into travelling and needed something with longer legs and sort of got out of my dad’s shadow by steering toward bigger bikes. My first “real” motorcycle was a Kawasaki EX500 then a Suzuki DR750 (a rare big-single Dakar replica) as I got into trail riding. Between my dad and I we have a bunch of bikes such as a ‘75 Moto-Guzzi 850T, ‘56 Vespa 150, Honda NM4, ‘74 Kawi 100, ‘34 Raleigh three-wheeled cycle car, and my new to me last year Yamaha Tenere 700 everyday driver which I am in love with! I have more projects than time and am poking around with a Honda 450, Yamaha RZ350, Aermacchi Zeffiro 125 and a ‘50s Triumph TR5/ TRW which a friend’s father-in-law very generously donated after seeing too many grey-haired guys at a CVMG meet.

IM: How did you become involved with the VRRA and when did you start racing in that series?

PS: I started in 2019 with no prior racing experience, just a track school and the VRRA school run on the Thursday each season before the first Shannonville race. It was sort of the next step having done lots of different things with motorcycles. I had been going to watch the races for many years and in my mid-thirties, decided that “one day” needed to be sooner than later. My friend from parking-lot motorcycle meets, Holly Varey, had just started racing the year before and she and her racing mentor Gary McCaw were incredibly supportive and polite as I bugged them constantly for information and advice. Every free minute of that year I was preparing in some way. Researching riding techniques, tracking down and preparing the bike, spares and weekend equipment. Figuring out the routine and administration side of things was stressful enough the first time, which was helpful in suppressing the butterflies for the on-track stuff. I rode motorcycles like crazy, but usually alone and not particularly aggressively, so I wasn’t sure I had the “will of the warrior” nor the skills to partici-

pate. I was relieved to find out that good racing is about calmness, smoothness and attention to detail under pressure, rather than pure aggression and a willingness to suspend our instincts for safety. I enjoy the extreme focus of the sport. Everything in the world is secondary to the necessity of your next input. I had the impression that one had to be born into the racing world and if you weren’t in it early, you were too late, but club racing is its own thing and I enjoy being around people who do things for no other reason than their enjoyment and enthusiasm. It has made me a much more confident and safer street rider too. I put the word out that I was looking for a race bike (the VRRA forum is a good place) and another parking-lot bike-meet friend, Ray Roberts, was selling his crashed Aermacchi. There are easier ways into roadracing than a 60-year-old bike, but I am partial to unusual stuff and I knew the bike would spend most of the year next to my couch in my basement apartment so I knew it needed to make my heart flutter (a requirement to get one through nasty mechanical troubles). It’s also good on tires, fits in my Honda Element, and is light enough to push up the steep ravine when getting it out of my apartment.

IM: What sets the VRRA apart from other motorcycle racing series?

PS: The people in this club are exceptional. They are people of character who can tackle the difficulties and stresses of a race weekend while being friendly and kind. There are higher highs and lower lows with racing, and these are people who choose to engage with life more fully. Rather than young people trying to aggressively make a name for themselves, it’s older folks, some with incredible resumes, who have less to prove, and have better stories. Half the fun of the weekends is the pit environment. Lots of the folks have stories such as racing in the Isle of Man on

A VRRA event offers a chance to see vintage motorcycles, like Patrick’s Aermacchi Sprint (above), back on the racetrack where they belong.

a family vacation or thinking they are in bed and realizing they are wedged in a hay bale post-crash. It is definitely fierce competition on the track; however, there’s a family atmosphere. When you’re struggling with something, you’re around people who sincerely understand what it takes to keep these older bikes (and bodies) going. If you’re tinkering in the pits, there’s always someone walking by offering to help. There’s also room for everyone. There are many lifelong racers, but there are just as many motorcycle enthusiasts who are out there to challenge themselves more than others. It is also entirely volunteer run which can be quite demanding, but the club sustains itself through a genuine passion. Also, no other club has such a wide variety of gorgeous machinery.

IM: What bike(s) are you currently racing in the VRRA?

PS: I race an early ‘60s Aermacchi Sprint (CRTT replica). I’m in the pre-65 350 and the period-1 350 classes. Technically it’s a Harley-Davidson as they owned 51 percent of Aermacchi in the ‘60s and ‘70s and put their name on the smaller displacement singles. It’s a single cylinder, 350 cc, air-cooled pushrod engine. It revs to 8,200 rpm which was pretty good back then. They didn’t make a huge impact in Grand Prix racing as the two-strokes came along, but big names like Renzo Pasolini raced them. They were popular with club racers though, and my bike is an example of a kit put together in the ‘70s that turned the street model into a road racer. VRRA member Ray Roberts souped up the engine. It has a “medium” stroke rod, domed piston for 11.5:1 compression ratio, racing cam, dry clutch,

PVL magneto ignition, five-speed gearbox with straight-cut primary gears. 35 mm Dell’Orto carb off a speedway bike that has a trick 90-degree float bowl adaptor as the engine is a unique leaned forward layout where the carb sticks straight up. It has a four-leadingshoe drum brake off of a Suzuki GT750 “Water Buffalo” that’s been lightened, NJB shocks and a fibreglass tank. I love its simplicity! It’s so easy to work on. The engine drops out with about three bolts, the head can come off in place, the carb comes off with one hose clamp. It is however very old and keeps me very busy. It looks like it should be retired as background decor in a coffee shop, which is why I enjoy reminding people that it is still a snarling track weapon (and one of the louder bikes in the club). My father taught me that we are only custodians of these vehicles and it is our duty to show them to others and use them as originally intended and not just as sculptures. People often gravitate towards the bikes of their formative years and my bike is a generation or two off, but there is an inherent value I see in it that goes beyond personal nostalgia. As technology makes bikes intimidatingly more complex, the simplicity of my bike is refreshing. When I go fast on my bike, I know it’s me doing it. When I’m on a modern R1, I feel like the weak link as the bike is impossibly capable. To find the thrilling limit of a modern bike requires a lot more speed, whereas grabbing a handful of cable driven drum brake after a straight feels similar despite a fraction of the speed. My legs are the suspension, versus the latest Ohlins kit.

Generous folks have also offered occasional rides, on a ‘60s Ducati 250, FZR400, and a ‘90s Ducati 900SS.

There is never a dull moment in the pits, whether it is posing with hard-earned awards (above left) or undertaking last minute tweaks between races (above right).

Of course, in the world of vintage motorcycles, the availability of a torch can make you very popular in the pits (left).

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IM: Favourite track to race on and why?

PS: I was most nervous about CTMP (Mosport) as it’s the fastest track we go to with the club, but it has proven to be my favourite. It is so flowing and smooth! My mechanical sensitivity makes me feel guilty about thrashing motors, brakes and chassis so when I brake hard after a straight, I am thinking about the poor steering head bearing. Mosport is less violent and harsh. You can let the bike run rather than fight it. Calabogie is a close second. It can hypnotize you with so many corners, some of which look very similar. I love the forest setting even though it meant I had a scary standoff with a groundhog on a fast straight.

forth for the whole race with a fellow I didn’t know and we just happened to match up well. It wasn’t a battle for the championship and we were at the back of the pack, but it was one of the most fun times I’ve had, and one of the first times I felt competitive and that I belonged in the club.

IM: Goals for the 2023 season?

PS: As well as the obvious goal of improving my lap times, I’d like to focus less on keeping my bike alive mechanically, and more on riding. I spend so much time fixing things that I am often less able to focus on the riding itself. Going to the track alone is stressful, pushing yourself is rewarding but too much too often isn’t fun so I’m aiming to keep things on the fun side. I’ve dragged some friends into the sport and am looking forward to sharing the joys of road racing as they start competing this year. I’m also eyeing the Modern Lightweight class as a potential option this year (to complement, not replace my ‘Macchi of course) but summer is coming quickly.

IM: When you are not racing, people will find you...?

IM: What is your most memorable race?

PS: Each race weekend has lots of standout moments. Emergency repairs, feats of endurance, wins, crashes. My first time at Mosport was important to me. Racing on such a historically significant track which was the site of one of my first memories as a three-year-old. I saw my dad’s friend racing his Lotus 7 and seeing an Austin Mini flip over, the driver getting out, flipping it upright, and continuing the race. After fighting all weekend to keep the bike alive, everything began to feel dialled in and right. I remember smiling in my helmet and saying to myself, I’m on track with my heroes Dave Roper, and Gary McCaw (right before a light rain facilitated a gentle low-side at Moss corner which, as my first crash, was also memorable). With the older classes, sometimes the bikes in the same class don’t match up as well, but multiple classes run at the same time, so you can usually find someone around your speed to box with. The next year at Mosport I ended up having a really fun battle back and

PS: I work as a fabricator and on-set technician making props and special effects for film and TV. I get to build robots, and blow things up. I’m fortunate that my employers support my racing and let me clog up the workshop with my bike and engine parts, and occasionally help me CNC machine a paddock starter to replace the temporary plywood one I had made. I’m also fairly active with the vintage bike club as well as hang around with the dual sport, adventure bike crowd. I used to be involved in the art/ design worlds making mechanical sculptures, but lately I find that bikes do everything I wanted to do with art, but better than I’m able to. Aesthetic and functional beauty, mechanism, discovery, travel, challenge, technique, excitement, it’s all there. Motorcycles are most of my world but I also particularly enjoy the woods and canoe camping. I’ve been a Venturer advisor with Scouts Canada for 18 or so years where I try to get teenagers to get off the computer and into nature. I’m probably hanging around in a parking lot somewhere talking bikes.

IM: What advice would you give to anyone who is considering trying out their racing skills in the VRRA?

PS: It is absolutely accessible! I was hesitant entering an unfamiliar world, but it has been so rewarding! Come to the races and meet people. Find an ambassador (everyone’s helpful and supportive). It is the most cost-effective form of racing I’ve come across. I find some older guys are worried there isn’t an interest from young people, but I believe it’s more about exposure and resources. As self-driving cars are arriving, we need circuit racing! Unlike some track days, you are with more consistent mature riders, who stay on their line. Maybe pick a reliable Japanese bike to start. If you want advice on going super-duper fast, maybe there’s someone else you can ask. IM

Having a job that teaches you the skills and patience required to restore a vintage motorcycle? Awesome. Having an employer who lets you bring your projects to work? Priceless!

A SCENIC NORTHERN ADVENTURE

Featuring Death, Dinosaurs and Chainsaws

By R. Bruce thomas

The scenic route to Alaska is a great ride in three seasons.

After three incident-free hours heading west from Edmonton on the four-lane Yellowhead Highway, my wife Mary and I stopped to refuel the bike in Hinton before turning north on Hwy 40 – the Scenic Route To Alaska. While the route is as scenic as advertised, it wasn’t long before I was longing for some of that super-slab boredom to return.

Signs along the highway soon warned us that there was a caribou migration in progress and that we had to be mindful of the possibility that herds of reindeer might encroach on the highway. While we did not have to deal with the anticipated asphalt antics of the boreal beasts, we did encounter some gallivanting grizzlies and meandering moose, just to keep things interesting. Even though the huge grizzlies were having a grand time in the wide boulevard between the highway and the forest, Mary wasn’t impressed when I slowed down to get a picture. Our first moose, standing on the white line on our side of the road, turned and ran into the woods, but the second one decided to strike a pose in the middle of the road as if it was in a ‘90s Madonna video. The brakes and tires got a serious workout while safely hauling us down from 100 km/h to a stop and avoidance of a too-close encounter with this imposing highway interloper. Larger creatures, although long dead, would feature prominently over the next couple of days.

Our first night was in Grande Cache, a hamlet built on coal mining along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains. We had a great Greek-inspired meal at the Big Horn Grill before walking around town a bit and enjoying the mountain air and scenery. The impressive views during our walk were good enough for us, but countless others from around the world descend on this hamlet at the beginning of August to get even closer to the mountains. Since the year 2000, the 118 km Canadian Death Race ultra-marathon has seen competitors endure nearly 5,200 metres of elevation change while running over three mountain summits. I’m very happy, on the other hand, to sit and twist the throttle when I visit the mountains.

In the morning we walked over to the visitor information centre after breakfast and learned that dinosaur tracks had been

found not far from here. Apparently, there is a world-class dino-track site that includes footprints of the Acrocanthosaurus (a large spined lizard who we would encounter again soon) and a display case holds a casting of some of the footprints. Upon leaving Grande Cache we headed northeast along the scenic valley of the Smoky River for the better part of an hour before the road turned north and took us on to Grande Prairie.

Twenty km west, after filling our fuel tank in Grande Prairie, we arrived at the turnoff for Wembley and the impressive Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum, which sits alongside Hwy 43. Named for the world-renowned Canadian palaeontologist, who was a cofounder of the Royal Tyrell Museum in Drumheller, the Currie museum opened in 2015 and contains an impressive collection of local specimens. How local, you ask? Just 12 km south of the museum is the Pipestone Creek bonebed which is as large as a football field and so dense with fossils that it is known as the River of Death. The museum not only displays specimens from the bonebed, but it has a number of educational programs including getting to dig for fossils yourself as part of their Palaeontologist for a Day program.

From Wembley we continued northwest on AB-43 into British Columbia. Two km after crossing the AB/BC border is the junction with the eastern end of Hwy 52, a large U-shaped southern loop with our destination of Tumbler Ridge at about the eight o’clock position. However, we’d been dodging rainstorms all day and taking this route would have us traverse a 36 km section of packed dirt/gravel that gets pretty messy when it’s wet, so we continued onwards to Dawson Creek where the Alaska Highway begins its 2,232 km journey north to Delta Junction, AK. Mary and I have ridden that famous route before, and it wasn’t on our itinerary for this trip, so we turned west for about 20 km on Hwy 97 before turning south on the western portion of Hwy 52 near Arras. This section of Hwy 52 is all paved and taking this route is only 10 km further to our destination than if we had taken the eastern portion of Hwy 52.

Whichever portion of Hwy 52 that you take you will eventually end up in the small town of Tumbler Ridge. If you love the outdoors this is really a place you should visit. Similar to

(Above): Acrocanthosaurus skeleton in the Tumbler Ridge museum. (Below): Dinosaur tracks on display in the Grande Cache visitor centre.

Grande Cache, Tumbler Ridge was built to house employees for the local coal industry, which has also shut down. Also similarly, dinosaur tracks were found near Tumbler Ridge and, after numerous fossils were discovered, a museum was opened. Due to the geological significance of the area around the town, North America’s second UNESCO Global Geopark was designated in 2014 encompassing an area of 7,822 square kilometres.

Outside the Tumbler Ridge visitor centre, located next to our hotel, we were greeted by Slovakian chainsaw artist Tomas Vrba’s carving titled “Mother’s Instinct,” which was a neighbourly gift after it took second place in the 2011 Chetwynd International Chainsaw Carving Championship; more on that shortly. Inside the visitor centre we learned that, in addition to seemingly endless hiking trails, the area offers fishing, golfing, jet-boat and helicopter tours to impressive waterfalls, plus plenty of options for ATV, off-road or adventure bike riders. They even have a half-marathon, the Emperor’s Challenge, if you feel the need to get off your bike and run over a mountain. Mary and I walked over to the dinosaur museum to get a closeup look at none other than our friend from Grande Cache –the Acrocanthosaurus. His three fingers, smaller size and spiky spinal column differentiate him from his distant cousin the T. Rex, but he was still an impressive specimen.

Leaving Tumbler Ridge in the morning, we headed northwest

(Top): Look at mountains or run over them. The choice is yours in Grande Cache.

(Far left): Impressive skeletons on display in the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum.

(Below left): Don’t get between a mother and her eggs.

for an hour on Hwy 29 to reach Chetwynd, the home of the aforementioned chainsaw carving competition. Every year, each of the 12 invited carvers gets a piece of western red cedar roughly four feet in diameter and eight feet tall and 35 hours to carve their design. It is hard to believe that some of these sculptures were created with a chainsaw as many are very detailed and quite intricate. There are over 150 sculptures on display around the town from previous events. The 16th edition of the competition had taken place the previous weekend and the staff at the visitor centre told us the latest sculptures were in the shop getting weather-proofed and would not be on display for several weeks yet. One year we really should plan to get up there to watch these artists in action.

After a couple of days riding through foothills along the eastern slopes we left Chetwynd on Hwy 97 and had to cross the Rocky Mountains on our way to a night in Prince George. This is a wonderful route going past a ski resort and numerous provincial parks, including Bijoux Falls Provincial Park. While we had seen and heard various rainstorms over the previous days we had luckily avoided riding in the rain.

The rain would likely have done wonders for the many waterfalls we had learned about including Muskeg, Twin, Eaton, Kakwa and Kinuseo falls. Many required long hikes, which my hips and knees won’t tolerate or, as mentioned, jet-boat or

helicopter rides. However, the multi-level Bijoux Falls, in their namesake provincial park, are located right beside Hwy 97 and bore testament to the volume of recent precipitation as the water flow was fierce. Standing 20 metres from the falls to get a picture, I couldn’t avoid the spray.

In Prince George we visited the Central BC Railway & Forestry Museum, and The Exploration Place, to get steam locomotive photos for a Team Strange riding challenge I was participating in over the summer. If we were going to maintain our relaxed pace we would take two more days to get home (to Hinton and then to Edmonton) but we were heading south to visit my cousin Howi in Kelowna. Nevertheless, our relaxed pace showed that this scenic route is accessible and could easily be done in a week or less from Vancouver or Calgary, for example, if you are looking for a different destination.

It is also important to keep in mind that there are lots of options for camping if you are so inclined. On a previous trip through the area some buddies and I camped at the wonderful William A. Switzer Provincial Park near Hinton. There are also plenty of campgrounds near Tumbler Ridge, Chetwynd, Prince George and other locations along the route.

No matter what time of year you go, there is plenty to see and lots of opportunity for adventure on this northern route. IM

(Top left): Strike a Pose! Meandering moose a bit of a traffic problem.

(Top right): Heavy flow at the multi-level Bijoux Falls after days of rain.

(Left): Steam locomotive on display in Prince George.

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Photo: TOAST

True North Strong and Cree

“Are you going to replace that flag?” My wife’s words in reference to our nation’s flag on our garage that was wind and sun worn, tattered and red turned pink. “Not until I start feeling proud of it again,” my knee jerk response. She knew where I was coming from, she knew I felt badly about the news that had come out about the ‘schools and the graves.’ I trust every Canadian knows what I’m referring to.

Enough of that for now. I used that lead in to let you know that I had the honour to be the patron for Nathaniel Bosum into the Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame. The induction, held in Montreal in November of 2022, was actually for the class of 2020 but had been postponed – you know why. Nathaniel, a top Pro motocross and snow cross racer, is the first Indigenous person to be inducted into this illustrious alumni; truly a historic occasion. Sadly, this induction was posthumous as Nathaniel passed away after crashing at a local regional event in 2018. He was two years past his retirement from the Pro ranks and was just out for the fun of it. He was just 27 when we lost him.

Shortly before Nathaniel’s retirement he had ventured into business as an economic development officer after attaining a degree from Dawson College in Montreal. Applying the same tenacity and determination that took him to the top ranks in his chosen motorsports, Nathaniel had a very successful and promising start to his next step in life.

As Nathaniel’s patron it was my responsibility to make sure the CMHoF was forwarded as much information as possible about the inductee, so I had numerous phone conversations and emails with Nathaniel’s father Abel Bosum. The CMHoF manager Vada Seeds told me that in the years she’s been in charge she has never had such a prompt and extensive response to her requests.

In one of my talks with Abel I asked if the Cree would consider donating something for the silent auction held in conjunction

with the inductions and banquet. The silent auction plays a part in funding the CMHoF and we are blessed with the support of the motorcycle industry and sports with donations to that end. What I anticipated from Nathaniel’s band was perhaps some Cree indigenous artwork or maybe a framed photo of our subject in action on his KTM. Instead, their response was absolutely overwhelming. Nathaniel’s Ouje Bougoumou Cree Nation donated a four day all expenses paid fishing excursion into Cree territory, valued at $15,000! The largest donation the CMHoF has ever received and available to the highest bidder. Also up for bids and following shortly after the first gift came a second as the Cree Nation of Mistissini offered a shorter trip valued at $5000.00! These both in honour of Nathaniel, a celebration of life of a great Cree warrior; ‘eeyouistchee’ (from Cree land).

Sadly, Nathaniel’s mother passed away two years ago and did not get to see her beloved youngest son inducted into the CMHoF. She would have been very proud. I know the family and friends of Nathaniel who occupied a complete table at the induction were beaming with pride, their smiles and brimming eyes bore proof.

When Nathaniel was five years of age he was taken to Montreal to see a supercross race and it was that early exposure that ignited a flame within that just a few years later would see him in competition. His skill and determination to improve soon saw him a faster and more talented motor jockey than his older brothers Curtis and Reggie. “We could see very early, when he was nine or ten, that Nathaniel on a motocross bike had something special,” recalls his father, Abel. “But we knew if he was to achieve the next levels he would need some professional assistance.” To that end Abel hired a physical trainer and perhaps more importantly a psychologist. The physical demands of this sport are obvious, but it is often that the difference between a successful outing and otherwise is ‘between the ears.’ The infusion of professional advice and coaching made a big difference. “Nathaniel matured very quickly after that,” his father confirmed. “He became very focused from then on, and his results improved, he was always looking to improve, to get faster and better.” Illustration of faster and better is a heat race win beating his hero Jean Sebastien Roy and constantly riding at or near the front of the pack.

Nathaniel accepted his role as an ambassador for the sport of motocross and perhaps more importantly, an ambassador for the Cree Nation and all indigenous people. The whole of the Cree Nation takes great pride in his accomplishments on and off track and he is a role model not only for their youth but all young people regardless of heritage.

The CMHoF had changed logos this past year and they had two large banners with the old logo that had been used at past ceremonies. We offered one of those to the Cree and they warmly accepted it and had their photo taken on stage with the banner fronting them. The CMHoF banner will be on display in the new community centre the Cree are building and I have a new flag on the garage. IM

Nathaniel Bosum was posthumously inducted into the CMHoF class of 2020. PHOTO COURTESY OF CMHOF.

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Interceptor era

Forty years ago, the racing world was focused on the pending Daytona International season opener, and the AMA’s decision to change the displacement for the Superbike category from 1,025 cc to 750. At the time, this was considered necessary to open up the rules for the eventual World Superbike series. However, it is hard not to think that Honda’s influence on AMA decisions was crucial to the new class limits.

Other manufacturers were not ready for the new rules, and offered conventional, air-cooled models in the 750 range. During the winter of 1982/1983, Honda teased with test photos of their wild new 750, already on track in full-blown racer format.

The VF750F Interceptor was powered by a liquid-cooled, V-four DOHC engine, based on the ground-breaking 1982 Sabre. This engine went from shaft to chain drive, and the redesign forced the elimination of one gear, making the VF a five speed. The chassis was unique and looked it – still steel tubes but now box section for the first time.

There was a 16-inch cast wheel at the front, with an 18-inch hoop out back – not that unusual, and of course you could and would change the wheels for Superbike use. The front fork was a 39 mm Showa with TRAC anti-dive, and the adjustable rear Showa was air assist and worked through a

sand-cast alloy swingarm.

The exhaust was a 4-into-2 design with big central collector under the bike. Hefty at 550 pounds wet, the VF came with a unique sprag slipper clutch, and would have made around 80 horsepower on a Dynojet dyno. The biggest strength of the design was torque, and a chassis way beyond other street bikes of the day.

It would be a year before Honda offered the full blown HRC kit that revolutionized American competition, so initially only their factory bikes were up front in AMA Superbike. Amazingly, Wayne Rainey on a very old-tech Kawasaki GPz750 managed to defeat the Honda squad for the 1983 Superbike crown, but that is another story.

In this era of competition, production racing was a big deal, and every year brought a new machine that changed the dynamics of at least one of the popular classes. In Canada in 1982, the Kawasaki GPz550 was the bike of choice, and as was typical of the day, the top Pros all got good pricing to move them onto the latest bike for that year.

In Canada in 1983, Yamaha’s new liquid-cooled, two-stroke RZ350 was everywhere, although most of the Pros stuck with the monoshock, air-cooled, four-stroke Kawasaki middleweight. Meanwhile Honda offered the focal point of the season, the new VF750F, as well as a air-cooled inline four-cylinder middleweight, the Japanese 400 cc market based CBX550F.

The 500 V-four Interceptor would arrive the next year, and also find considerable success on track and at the dealers. I am fascinated by the fact that current, younger motorcyclists are

regularly excited by just the appearance of these Honda designs from forty years ago!

The Interceptor might seem an odd choice for Canadian racing, since at the time attention was focused on the tight and twisty Shannonville. While the Honda handled well, it was weighty, so hard to stop as well as using up ground clearance at an alarming rate. Remember, 40 years ago production racing was just that, and the bulky and complicated stock exhaust didn’t help matters.

However, racers used to having to rev their inline four cylinder sky high to get the most of the engine quickly adapted to the smooth, predictable and wide powerband of the unique-for-the-time V-four.

It had long been expected that Honda would flex their muscle and build a machine to prove their technical capabilities, and the VF was finally that bike. Serious sports riders were disappointed by the CBX1000 six-cylinder, slightly happier with the arrival of the CB750F, but absolutely thrilled with the high-tech, well-developed Interceptors.

A big part of the appeal of the Interceptor went beyond the strong spec sheet and straight to the overall appearance of the design. The top, half fairing and sculped chin fairing were well integrated, at a time when bikes still showed off their engine – especially if it was the only V-four on offer!

Honda would have lots of success with the format, moving through the second-generation Interceptor VFR to the RC30 and RC45 homologation special world championship winners. For a long time, the V-four was the signature design of the Honda lineup, although marketing considerations in the US forced the development of the inline four-cylinder CBRs in the early 1990s.

For decades, the “donor model” stock Interceptor (750 and 800, with the VFR800F phased out in 2017) represented a highwater mark in overall performance and build quality for Japanese motorcycles. It all started with the definitive sport bike and racer of 1983. IM

Pro Don Gray Wheeler on his new Cy-Jo/Rocket-backed Honda VF750F Interceptor at Shannonville Motorsport Park in May of 1983.

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Szoke Rules at JenningsGP Winter Test

As the top guns of the Bridgestone CSBK series descended on Jennings, FL in mid-March the dominant story of the day was undoubtedly the return of 14-time CSBK champion Jordan Szoke after more than a year absence due to a motocross accident.

Two days later, the future hall of famer left no doubt that he was back and ready to race having topped the timesheets with an overall best lap time of 1:16.386 aboard the LDS Consultants Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R. Reigning CSBK Pro Superbike champ Ben Young managed a 1:16.741 for the second quickest time, with 2021 champion Alex Dumas in third in overall at 1:17.841. Finishing the two day test in fourth was rookie Pierre Simard who delivered a surprising 1:17.926. Szoke’s new teammate, Trevor Dion rounded out the top five with a 1:18.141 lap time.

With the final official preseason test now complete, attention turns to the 2023 season, which will get underway at Shannonville Motorsport Park on May 19, followed by rounds at Grand Bend, Atlantic Motorsport Park and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park before returning to Shannonville for the season finale on September 15 to 17.

More information and the latest news from the Bridgestone CSBK series can be found online at www.csbk.ca. IM

Flat Track Canada 2023 Schedule

Flat Track Canada has announced details of their 2023 championship schedule. Commencing June 10 in Welland, ON, the eight-round season will wrap up in Port Colborne, ON on September 23.

2023 Flat Track Canada schedule:

Round 1: June 10, Welland County Speedway, Welland, ON Round 2: July 1, Hippodrome 3R, Trois-Rivieres, QC Round 3: July 15, Leamington Raceway, Leamington, ON

Round 4: August 5, Flamboro Downs, Dundas, ON

Round 5: August 12, Ohsweken Speedway, Ohsweken, ON Round 6: September 2, Georgian Downs, Innisfil, ON Round 7: September 16,Wheatley Erie Ramblers Club, Wheatley, ON Round 8: September 23, Humberstone Speedway, Port Colborne, ON Visit www.flattrackcanada.com for additional details. IM

Fourteen-time CSBK champ Jordan Szoke was back in the headlines at the Bridgestone CSBK test in Jennings, FL. PHOTO: ROB O’BRIEN/CSBK.

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Jonathan Finn Back on Track

Since retiring from road racing in 2019 at the age of 16, Jonathan Finn’s motorcycle pursuits have seen the multi-time Canadian national champion leave the pristine surfaces of Europe’s best-known racetracks behind in favour of rally racing across some of the toughest deserts on the planet.

For 2023, Finn is currently competing in the FIM – Bajas World Cup, and in his first full year racing rally is currently ranked third overall and second in the Junior category after the first two rounds in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

The 2023 FIM – Bajas World Cup championship calendar includes rallies in seven different countries on two continents:

February – Saudi Arabia

March – Qatar

April – Spain

July – Spain

August – Hungary

October – Portugal

November – Dubai

November – Jordan

Visit www.themotomethod.com to stay up to date with Jonathan’s progress in the FIM Bajas World Cup as well as all his other two-wheeled adventures. IM

2022 Kawasaki Team Green Grand Prize Winner

The 2023 race season is already looking up for 12-year-old Leo Hickey of White City, SK with the presentation of a 2023 Kawasaki KX250 from Canadian Kawasaki Motors as the 2022 Team Green grand prize.

Thanks to a successful season racing with both the Saskatchewan Motorsports Association (SMA) and southern Saskatchewan’s SCRC circuit, Leo was the leading racer among eligible amateur competitors, earning him the 2022 grand prize.

The annual Team Green program supports racers in motocross, arenacross, cross-country, enduro and flat track with provincial and national contingency prices for both Pro and Amateur competitors as well as the grand prize to be awarded to the top eligible Amateur racer.

Open to all competitors racing 2020 or newer Kawasaki motorcycles, the 2023 Team Green contest runs from March 1, 2023 through October 31, 2023. Racers wishing to participate must sign up at www.results. teamgreencanada.ca/ teamgreen2023/register no later than May 31, 2023. IM

Trevor Dion

2022 CSBK Pro Sport Bike Champion

Leo Hickey who recently received his all-new 2023 Kawasaki KX250 competition bike from Reed Leisure Products.

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INSIDE TECH

We haven’t done a spring bike overview and preparation article in awhile, so I thought I would dust off the archives and throw a fresh spin on giving your bike a look over before riding season befalls us here in the Great White North.

Let’s start with a bit of time travel back to the fall when you stored your trusty motorcycle for its winter slumber. Hopefully you did the following basics:

No. 1 – Give it a good clean, front to back and top to bottom. During this process of spraying, wiping and drying every inch of the bike, is usually when you find any issues like minor leaks, loose or missing parts, or worn components and can get them addressed over the off-season.

No. 2 - Immediately after washing, you lubricate the steel parts that shouldn’t really get wet. Most of our bikes are aluminum, plastic and nickel-plated steel (on the outside anyway) and don’t rust or corrode easily, but some bare steel parts remain exposed to the elements and need to be protected and/ or lubricated, primarily the chain and control pivot points. The drive chain has usually between 90 and 120 links which have two bushings inside that would love lubrication. A higher quality O-ring chain was lubed at the factory and hopefully has grease held inside, but even those O-rings get dry and dirty as sand and grit gets packed in there. Your chain, either O-ring

By John Sharrard

Spring Preparation Basics

or standard, would love to be cleaned and lubricated, so fire up the interweb and see how most people do it. I use WD-40, some gentle brushes and then shop towels for clean up. A non O-ring chain will then need a spray of a high quality chain lube to provide the actual lubrication as WD-40 is primarily a cleaner and anti-corrosive spray. Then, you can see how much easier the rear wheel spins when done, which translates to less rolling resistance, smoother operation and better fuel economy.

No. 3 - Pour in a recommended amount of high-quality fuel stabilizer and run the bike to disperse it through the tank and into the fuel rail or carburetor. Fill the fuel tank during this process to minimize room for condensation build-up in the fuel tank. If the bike has a carburetor(s), the small float bowls below the ‘carb’ must be drained. They often have a small drain screw at the bottom to perform this task with a hose routed to the underside of the bike to catch the fuel. Draining the carb prevents that small amount of fuel from going bad and preventing start up in the spring, or worse evaporating and leaving a gummy varnish behind to clog up your fuel jets.

No. 4 - Elevate the bike to get the tires off the cold ground. This prevents the rubber from taking a flat spot from sitting for five to seven months on the floor in one spot.

No. 5 - Remove the battery to monthly put it on a trickle

charger, or take a charger to the bike to do the same, whichever is more convenient.

So now that you went back in time and did all that, lets go over the bike in detail to ensure it’s ready for a season ahead. Starting at the front, the first thing to check are the tires! Are they round when viewed from the front? The reality of riding on the right-hand side of a crowned road is that the left side of the tire will wear first, flat spotting the tire, or at least compromising the rain grooves in the tire. If the tire shows even a modest loss of rubber when viewed on this left side (while sitting on the bike), I encourage you to replace it. Tires with flat spots negatively affect handling when leaning left to right, and the reduced rain groove depth can lead to hydroplaning in a puddle, possibly resulting in a crash. So, if the tires pass a surface inspection, then look at the sidewalls to see if they are cracked. If they are age- or weather-cracked, replace them. Lastly, check the tire pressures for winter pressure loss. Two to four pounds at most is okay over the off-season, but much more than that and I would carefully watch that tire over the season to monitor it for a slow leak. This can be a result of tube damage if it is an off-road tire, or rim corrosion if it is tubeless, or just permeation out of the rubber over time as well. A few times I have caught a tire leak at the valve core. Give it a good wiggle or rotation with your hand to see or hear if it leaks when stressed, as the valve core is often overlooked over the life of the bike and does not usually get changed when your tire is updated. Checking your tires and rims carefully in the spring gives you the ‘heads up’ if a particular tire needs to be watched more carefully over the riding season.

With both of the bike wheels elevated on a stand, finish checking the tread, sidewalls and pressures, and then give it a good spin to check for excessive brake drag. Reach up to the lever for the front tire and push down on the pedal for the rear tire to ensure the brakes engage with minimal travel of the actuator. They should spin freely after you release the lever/pedal. This ensures the brake fluid is moving back and forth properly and not sticking in operation, which would need to be addressed immediately. In previous articles, we have discussed caliper cleaning and servicing if the tire doesn’t spin for at least three to four revolutions with a good roulette wheel spin by hand. If the tire barely spins one or two revolutions, your brakes are dragging excessively which will overheat and fail the brake fluid as well as prematurely wear pads and burn excessive fuel.

Next, I would examine the suspension. The fork at the front of the bike has exposed tubes that have to deal with sand and grit, brake dust and bug guts, all while cycling up and down hundreds of times per minute. The rear shock is a little more protected, but it must fend off rocks and mud thrown at it from the rear tire, with a leak failure only one small stone chip away to the exposed shock shaft. Look for leaks or damp dust around the base of the suspension which indicates a slow leak from these busy suspension seals. Then, with the bike upright and tires on the ground, push gently on the seat or rear fender to ‘test’ the back shock, and then repeat the process with the front suspension. Both ends should move freely and gently resist your downward push and then recover back up to vehicle static sag in about a second. If the bike pops up rapidly, overshoots sag and settles back down, chances are they need servicing, if

not an adjustment for sure.

Now, I usually get ready to fire the bike up (bike talk for starting the engine). If the bike has a carbureted engine, make sure the drains on the carb’s float bowls are gently shut, then turn the gas on, or to Prime if it has that option on the petcock, wait a few seconds and start it up. If you took care of the battery and remembered to reinstall it, the bike should come to life quite uneventfully. If, however, you stored it outside or in some neighbour’s barn, you need to check for rodents before starting up. The top of the engine, under the seat and in the airbox against the air filter are some of the highest rent districts for mice to pick as favourite places to live. Motorcyclists living in the country have had to get creative over the generations with tape, moth balls, drier sheets and steel wool being utilized as strategies to keep rodents out of exhaust pipes and air intakes, so be diligent in checking before starting. Mouse feces and urine, when cooked to the right temperature will give off a smell that will make you consider selling your favourite bike. If you didn’t stabilize your fuel, the bike may not idle smoothly, or even start or run at all. Modern gases are so diluted with cost stretching additives these days, that it only seems to stay volatile for two or three months at best. A high quality stabilizer will help with time and thermal cycling degradation, but if the bike does not want to run, siphon the fuel out and get some fresh stuff in there pronto.

Finally, I perform a walk-around safety (as you should do every morning) and check turn signals, brake lights and the horn for function. Check the throttle for proper operation, especially if you did clean up a mouse nest, as they can damage electrical cables, wires or jam up the throttle return spring. Well, you could probably write a book on bike maintenance with a chapter on off-season storge, but hopefully this gave you some key points to consider for preparation this spring and storing next fall! Until next time, ride with extra caution that first time out as car drivers remember to watch out for our safety! IM

Opposite page: Lubricate your chain and check your brakes for proper function and absence of drag. Above: This Harley tire has lost significant rubber rain groove on the centre line. It would resist turning from a straight line and be dangerous in the wet.

BACK TO SCHOOL

Learning to Race

BY PATRICK LAMBIE

Ready to channel your inner Jordan Szoke? Anxious to show your friends and family that Ben Young has nothing on you? While my aspirations reside on a more realistic plane, the announcement that the Calgary Motorcycle Roadracing Association would return to action after an 11-year hiatus translated to an opportunity to fulfill a long-standing goal of stepping out from behind the camera and actually lining up for a road race.

For anyone considering the plunge into motorcycle road racing, there are some basic requirements – the most obvious items being an appropriate motorcycle as well as leathers, helmet, gloves, back protector and boots. Another item not to be overlooked is the requirement to gain permission to compete from the organizers or sanctioning body overseeing the race. In the absence of a recognized race licence and supporting resume, your journey to the grid is most likely going to involve a pit stop at race school.

It is important to remember that a race school is not where you go to learn to ride a motorcycle and the instructors will be

working on the assumption that you already have basic riding skills. Race schools are focused on taking motorcycle riders with experience riding on the street or at track days or even experienced racers and providing them with the information and skills required to safely compete against other racers on the track.

Most racing series run their own race schools and last summer I found myself joining a group of other aspiring racers at the newly opened Rocky Mountain Motorsports facility near Carstairs, AB for the 2022 CMRA Race School. While the main purpose of my participation was to gather content for this story, I came away with a renewed understanding of what goes into learning to race and thanks to these lessons I left as a better rider, ready to take the next step towards racing.

Manners Matter

All checked in and set up, the first session of the day was in the classroom with head instructor Justin Knapik. While many of the assembled students were undoubtedly anxious for Knapik to explain the finer points of late braking, backing the bike into

When the flag drops it’s time to go racing, but there is a lot to learn before you line up on the starting grid.

a corner and executing a perfectly timed power wheelie past the checkered flag, the topics at hand followed up on the previous night’s classroom session and focused on racetrack requirements, etiquette and safety.

Pushing yourself to the limit riding a motorcycle provides a level of focus that needs to be experienced to be understood; however, at the same time it is critical that every competitor is equally focused on track specific rules such as pit speed, flags and track entry and exit. No different than track days, every race day kicks off with a mandatory racer meeting where this information is communicated. Not all tracks are equal and not all tracks follow the exact same rules, so paying attention is critical.

even 100 mph your bike covers the distance of a football field in just two seconds, timely reaction requires looking well ahead. Combining this with strategic markers and points of reference is also key to maintaining lines as your speed increases.

Body Position

Acceleration and braking are two critical requirements of achieving the best lap times; however, the effectiveness of both can be negatively impacted when the motorcycle is leaned over and the amount of tire area in contact with the track surface is minimized. Taking a motorcycle from the street, where speeds and lean angles allow the rider to remain relatively stationary on the seat, to the track requires that the rider utilize and position their body mass to reduce lean angle and maximize tire contact.

The on-track body position drills highlighted that there is no onesize-fits-all solution for body position. Whether it is different styles of bikes, different sized riders, levels of flexibility or any number of factors, the takeaway from this session is that it is important that each individual rider works to find a style that allows them to maintain maximum control under hard braking and acceleration, full lean angles and when transferring weight from side to side.

Passing Ain’t Easy

One of the areas that I struggle with is passing, so when it was time for the afternoon’s passing drill, I was anxious to pick up some pointers and hopefully advance in this area. Much like the previous sessions of the day, a key element of a successful and safe pass is focusing your eyes on the correct thing. In addition to making sure that each student was comfortable with the close proximity of passing, learning to avoid the natural habit of focusing on the back of the bike you were trying to pass and instead focus on the line that takes you past the bike was a critical part of this drill.

Know Your Lines

Being the fastest racer on track doesn’t always translate to the quickest lap times. Hitting the top speed may offer bragging rights, but the best lap times are often achieved by figuring out the most efficient way around the track. Placing your bike in the correct position when entering and exiting a corner is the most important element of racing and no amount of skill on the throttle or brake can overcome poor line choices. Given this significance, the first on-track session of the day was spent following one of the CMRA instructors around the track at a relaxed pace that accommodated a sole focus on the lines.

The Eyes Have It

The head instructor for our group’s on-track sessions was Brad Gavey who comes with a resume that includes an impressive career competing as well as teaching some of the fastest racers to come out of western Canada. Having ridden with Brad on several occasions, I had already received multiple lessons on the importance of knowing where to look when you are on the track, but admittedly still slip into bad habits every now and then.

Looking at the asphalt just past your front tire is a natural tendency that many motorcyclists have learnt from years of driving cars on the road. While this is a bad idea driving a car, it is a terrible practice when piloting a motorcycle around the track at race speed. Keeping in mind that when travelling at

Launch Time

You can’t win a race on the starting line but you can definitely lose one. The ability to confidently launch your motorcycle from a

Head instructor Justin Knapik providing an overview of the Rocky Mountain Motorsports facility.

Demonstrating the impact that positioning your body mass can have on maintaining maximum traction.

standing start is the difference between being in contention or left behind as the pack races towards the first corner. Revving up your motorcycle and then letting the clutch out can be unnerving and let’s face it, if done wrong you can end up with your front wheel uncontrollably reaching for the sky or worse, but with a bit of practice it is surprising how fast you can get off the line.

Of course, you can’t go to a race school without at least one embarrassing moment and mine arrived during the starting drills. While different bikes and different sized engines may need different rpm at launch, one thing that is a given is that you need to be in gear. Despite repeated warnings from every instructor that a critical step at the start of the race is to take a moment and make sure that your bike is in first gear, when the flag dropped on our second starting drill everyone launched and left me looking like I was in search of a parking spot at the local Costco. Yes, I was in second gear and nearly stalled the bike. On a positive note, I probably won’t make that mistake again.

The Racing Experience

The final on-track sessions of the day were set up as mock races. Randomly gridded, our collective group took off as the starter’s flag dropped – yes, I remembered to be in first gear. Four corners later, the corner worker was waving a red flag. No matter what unique rules your series or track has for a red flag, there are two universal rules that you must follow. First, under no circumstance do you grab a handful of brakes the moment you see a red flag, that is simply a recipe for getting run over by a rider behind you who didn’t see the flag. Instead, the first thing you must do is raise your left hand warning the riders behind that you are about to change your riding, then – and only then – slow down and follow the red flag procedures as outlined at the riders’ meeting. Back in the pits, Brad explained that the red flag drill we had just completed was one of the most important lessons of the day, to the extent that screwing it up would have been an automatic fail. Fortunately, everyone passed.

One more mock race offered the chance to experience the adrenalin and excitement of going head-to-head on the track and by the time the checkered flag came out I was hooked and looking forward to the chance to go racing for real. Unfortu nately, circumstances outside of anyone’s control resulted in the CMRA’s return to racing action being delayed by a year, but I am definitely planning to be on the grid this summer when motorcycle road racing returns to southern Alberta on June 30 and July 1 at Rocky Mountain Motorsports. For anyone wanting to attend the CMRA race school, it will take place on June 29. Visit www.roadracing.org for more details. Whether you decide to race or not, a race school is a great way to improve your riding and an incredible experience, which I highly recommend. IM

No matter where you ride your motor- cycle, where you look is critical and the speed on the racetrack amplifies this requirement.

The checkered flag comes down on a successful race school. Now it’s time to go racing!

Young 2022 CSBK Pro Superbike Champion

HARLEY-DAVIDSON’S RR-250 AND RR-350 GP CHAMPIONS

In 1961 Harley-Davidson acquired 50 percent ownership of the Italian motorcycle company Aermacchi. At that time H-D needed modern affordable lightweight motorcycles, the kind of machines that Aermacchi built, in order to attract new young riders to its brand. Badged as Harleys the new Aermacchi lightweights were a welcome success in the US market.

Aermacchi was already actively involved in road racing in Europe and built both factory bikes as well as over-the-counter production racers. Most of these machines were fairly simple air-cooled, four-stroke OHV, longitudinal singles displacing from 125 to 350 cc. These bikes benefitted from having low weight and a low centre of gravity along with a small frontal area. While typically not the most powerful bikes in their displacement classes, they had good low-end torque, fine handling and they loved to rev. Over the decades, competing in both national race series and GP competition, Aermacchi built up an impressive racing record.

In the latter half of the 1960s two-stroke motorcycles, both street bikes and competition machines alike, began to get the upper hand performance-wise when compared to four-stroke rivals. Aermacchi recognized this and by 1967 was competing in the Italian national championships with a prototype air-cooled,

56 mm x 50 mm, 125 cc piston-ported single that developed 20 horsepower at 9,200 rpm. With good early race results the firm began building a small batch of 125 cc production racers for privateers, though many privateers continued to remain loyal to the Ala d’Oro (CRTT in the US) four-stroke singles.

By 1969 Aermacchi’s evolving 125 two-stroke racer, still with a piston-ported engine, weighed only 80 kg (176 lb) and developed 24 hp. It was at this time, with a big push coming from H-D to build something to compete with the ever more dominant 250 and 350 Yamaha twins, that the decision was made to build competitive 250 and 350 cc two-stroke twin-cylinder racers. The 250 cc bikes were to be air-cooled five-speed piston-port twins with the same 56 x 50 mm bore and stroke dimensions of the 125 single. The planned 350 would be an over-bored and longer-stroked version of the 250 with 64 mm x 54 mm dimensions. The new 250 racer, designed by William Soncini, was completed by March 1971. Its engine developed 46 hp at 10,500 rpm, 11 more than the pushrod single that it would replace. Fitted into a double-cradle steel-tube frame, suspended by a Ceriani front fork and Girling rear shocks, rolling on 18inch alloy-rimmed spoked wheels and stopped by a 230 mm 4L4S front drum brake and a smaller 2L2S rear, the bike with full bodywork and fairing weighed the same 113 kg (250 lb) as

Story by Graham Clayton with Photos courtesy of Harley-Davidson

the old pushrod 250 single. Early testing and race outings on the 250 by new works rider Renzo Pasolini convinced him that it had 250 GP world championship potential. The new 350 cc racer also looked to be promising with about ten more horsepower than the 250.

Much of 1971 was spent developing the bike, but by ‘72 Pasolini and the works team were ready for the 13 race GP season. Only the best seven GP results of each rider were counted for the championship. No less than 48 riders scored points in the 1972 250 GP season. In the end Pasolini lost to Yamaha’s new star Jarno Saarinen by a single point, 94 to 93, despite winning in Italy, Yugoslavia and Spain, plus four second-place finishes. Paso had less success with the 350 ending the season third behind Agostini on the new MV 350 four and Saarinen on his Yamaha.

By 1973 Aermacchi’s works racers were water-cooled, had higher compression and were producing about 50 hp at the rear wheel. That season was meant to be a Saarinen-Pasolini rematch in the 250 championship. That wasn’t to be. In the fourth 250 GP of the season at Monza Pasolini and Saarinen both crashed while dueling for the lead due to oil spilled at the ‘Curva Grande’ during the previous race. Sadly, both men died in what became a 15-rider disaster. Aermacchi’s GP challenge was over, though Paso’s French teammate Michel Rougerie finished the season fifth overall, equal on 45 points with Saarinen who had won the first three GPs.

It was at this point that AMF Harley-Davidson purchased the remaining 50 percent ownership of Aermacchi. Production of their street, off-road and racing motorcycles continued, but as of 1974 were badged as AMF Harley-Davidsons. Dr. Sandro Columbo was tasked with upgrading the RR-250 and 350 racing engines. The revised 250 cc twins employed dual separately removable cranks, had individual water-jacketed cylinder heads and barrels, straight-cut gears, a six-speed gearbox and exposed dry clutch, twin Mikuni or Dell’Orto 34 mm carbs, twin tuned expansion chambers, a Dansi CD ignition and developed 53 hp at the rear wheel at 12,000 rpm, good for 230 km/h (143 mph).

H-D also brought in former Benelli ace Walter Villa as Rougerie’s teammate. Villa’s first of four GP wins on the 250 came in the second round at Imola where he stomped a field full of Yamahas and crossed the finish line 44 seconds ahead of the second-placed Yamaha of Bruno Kneubuhler. With further wins in Holland, Czechoslovakia and Finland, where Rougerie came second, plus a second in Sweden and a sixth in Belgium, Villa’s 77 points (19 more than second-placed Dieter Braun) won H-D their first of what would be three consecutive 250 GP world championships. Michel Rougerie finished ninth overall in the 1974 championship with all other 44 GP points winners that year being Yamaha-mounted.

In the US the RR-250 wasn’t homologated by the AMA until June, just in time for the third AMA 250 GP national of the year

at Loudon. H-D works rider Gary Scott stormed to victory in his heat race, then went on to best Yamaha ace Kenny Roberts by 18 seconds for victory in the 50-Mile final, Harley’s first 250 road race win in four years. At July’s fourth round at Laguna Seca it was Roberts who won with Scott chasing him home. At the sixth and final round Robert’s won again with Harley RR-250 riders Ron Pierce and Jim Dunn finishing second and third ahead of 16 other Yamahas.

For the 1975 250 GP season Harley’s works 250s had been further tweaked with a few more horsepower and a top speed of 240 km/h (150 mph). Gone were the big heavy drum brakes replaced by innovative Campagnolo magnesium enclosed-disc hydraulic conical hub brakes. The customer RR-250s employed dual-disc front brakes with Scarab calipers and a 2L2S drum rear.

Once again only a rider’s six best GP results were counted for the 250 championship. The two works Harley-Davidson racers dominated the 1975 series. Villa won in Spain, West Germany, Italy, Holland and Sweden, and came third in Belgium to rack up 85 points and become 250 champion again. Rougerie scored 76 points with wins in Finland and Czechoslovakia, seconds in West Germany, Holland and Belgium, plus thirds in France and

Opposite page and above: 1974 250 cc GP championship winning AMF Harley-Davidson RR-250 road racer.

Italy which made him the 250 runner-up overall and 20 points clear of third-placed Yamaha-mounted Dieter Braun. After taking the Constructors 250 cc World Championship for five years in a row Yamaha lost the title in 1975 to Harley-Davidson.

Back in America an abbreviated 1975 AMA 250 cc road race series had begun with Gary Scott racing neck and neck at the front of the field in the Daytona 100 Mile race. In the end he finished second behind Yamaha star Kenny Roberts, but ahead of fellow Yamaha ace Steve Baker as well as 37 other 250 Yamaha racers. Scott followed this up with a sixth at Laguna Seca where Roberts won again, plus a fourth at Ontario Motor Speedway where Baker won.

By 1976 Harley’s works 250 GP twins were developing 58 hp at the rear wheel with a 9,500 to 12,000 rpm powerband and a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). Fitted into a double-cradle chrome-moly steel-tube frame with a Ceriani GP fork and DeCarbon twin shocks, the trick Campagnolo brakes with mag wheels, a 24-litre fuel tank and other running gear, including a full fairing, the racers weighed about 105 kg (231 lbs).

Villa again dominated the 250 championship in 1976 with 90 points winning in France, Italy, Holland, Belgium, Finland, Czechoslovakia and West Germany, and finishing second to his new teammate Gianfranco Bonera in the final GP in Spain. Yamaha’s top rider, Takazumi

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Katayama, was the runner-up with 73 points followed by Bonera with 61. Villa also took the 350 GP riders’ crown that year beating his closest rival Yamaha’s Johnny Cecotto 76 points to 65. By then the 347 cc piston-port RR-350 had a 7,000 to 10,800 rpm powerband a developed 68 hp at the rear wheel, good for 266 km/h (165 mph).

Sadly, 1977 would be a turning point for H-D’s RR twins due to financial difficulties at the company. Sponsor funding for the 250 GP team was secured at a reduced level from Nolan Helmets. Villa was joined by new teammate Franco Uncini for what would prove to be a far more challenging season. In addition to the competitive threat posed by Katayama and other top Yamaha riders, Kawasaki and relative newcomer Morbidelli also joined the fray. Despite wins by Villa in Venezuela, Belgium and Finland, and by Uncini in Italy and Czechoslovalia the riders’ title went to Morbidelli’s Mario Lega, while the 250 constructors’ crown went back to Yamaha.

In 1978 H-D parent company AMF sold their Aermacchi operation and its GP team to Italian firm Cagiva who would use it to further develop competitive twostroke racing machines. Uncini switched to a Yamaha for 1978 while Villa’s last podium on an RR-250 was a third at that year’s Dutch TT. Villa also switched to a 250 Yamaha for 1979. IM

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Three time 250 cc World Champion Walter Villa.