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Swedes create a hub-steer BMW… THE only clue to the origins of this hub-steered special – dubbed the ‘Harrier’ – are the distinctive BMW Boxer cylinder heads poking out of the side. And the only standard parts are the R1200S engine and shaft drive. Every other component, including the hub-centre steering, has been carefully crafted specifically for the bike. Swedish custom builder Stellan Egeland finished the bike last week, and plans to enter it in the European custom bike championships in March. The hub-steering set-up was made by braking components specialist ISR, which also manufactures the aggressive-looking brake master cylinder and clutch lever. Ohlins shocks are fitted front and rear. Among the neat design touches are a round LED rear light that wraps around the exhaust end-can. A carbon-fibre seat unit
doubles as an exhaust heatshield, and is moulded on to the hand-made, brushed aluminium tank. The minimalist look is completed with a carbon-fibre front mudguard. Egeland plans to ride the bike on the road and on
‘The Harrier is designed to be ridden fast – and we’re working on making it fun’ track. He intends it to be a testbed for the radical hubsteering set-up. “I wanted to build something modern that could be ridden fast,” he said. “We’re going to spend a lot of time working with the geometries of the front end to optimise it and make the bike fun.”
New bike rumours from MCN’s man in the know... HONDA CB1100F EDGING CLOSER Finished last week: Swedish custom builder Stellen Egeland will use the bike as a testbed
Single Ohlins shock up front
…and so do Spaniards A SPANISH design company has turned the dull BMW R1200R into a funky hubsteered machine. DeChaves Garage’s D1200R was originally planned as a modified standard machine, but as development progressed the bike gained a unique new chassis to accommodate the hub-steer front-end. The R1200R donates just
THE MOLE
the engine, wheels, airbox, handlebars and dash. The chassis and suspension were created by DeChaves, and the angular tank and seat are also designed in-house. The Akrapovic exhaust is designed for BMW’s HP2 Megamoto; the rim-mounted front brake disc and sixpiston caliper are from a Buell, and shock absorbers are by Ohlins.
LEDs surround the silencer
Quality twin discs up front
THE big rumour circulating in Spain this week is that the Honda CB1100F concept shown at the 2007 Tokyo show is edging closer to production. Detailed drawings have surfaced showing a production-ready design specification, much like sketches of the Fury cruiser did before it appeared last month. Also lending weight to this rumour is the fact that 2009 is the 40th Anniversary of the original CB750’s introduction to the world, so the timing couldn’t be more perfect for a modern machine inspired by the original superbike. Watch this space for confirma-
tion of the new bike’s finished spec when we have it.
BLACKBIRD REPLACEMENT READY TO FLY HONDA is speeding ahead with the new V4-powered replacement for the Blackbird according to my factory insiders. Not only is track testing of the new V4 well into its advanced stages, but it also looks most likely that some of the technical aspects of the revolutionary machine are nearing final spec. What means to me and you is a 1200cc V4 motor, a fair bit of electronic trickery and an appearance very similar to the V4 concept (pictured below) seen at shows in 2008.
Funky custom grew out of plans for a modded standard bike! DeChaves created the chassis, suspension, tank and seat
Honda’s V4 concept is said to be undergoing track testing
FEBRUARY 4, 2009 MOTOR CYCLE NEWS X 13
www.motorcyclenews.com MORE COLOUR FOR MORINI IN MARCH MOTO MORINI has given its 1200 Sport model a makeover with a new black and orange paintscheme, which will be available from March. It’s the third colour option available on the 1200 Sport, which was launched in July last year.
1200 Sport in black/orange
Noise ruling threatens British tracks steve.farrell motorcyclenews.com
BIKE racing and tracks days are under threat from a High Court ruling last week over noise nuisance. Croft circuit lost an appeal against an order to pay three local residents £150,000 compensation. It’s feared it will unleash a flood of similar claims from neighbours of circuits – and put Croft and
other tracks out of business. Croft issued a statement saying the judgment had “serious implications for the circuit and the motor racing industry generally”. Other tracks also expressed grave concern. Donington Park owner Simon Gillett called it a “dangerous precedent” and said it was “hard to underestimate” its possible impact. “It looks incredibly serious,” he added.
Richard Phillips, MD of Silverstone, also expressed concern, but added: “We understand that the circumstances surrounding the Croft case, specifically the demographics of the circuit, were fairly unique and hope that the ruling does not result in implications for other UK circuits.” Last Monday, London’s Appeal Court upheld a High Court judgement that Derek
and Julia Watson and their daughter, Jill Wilson had suffered “actionable nuisance”. The three have owned property within 300 metres of Croft circuit at Vince Moor East, Daltonon-Tees, since 1990. Croft has hosted motorsport since the mid-1960s, but since 1994 the number of race days has gone from 10 a year to over 140. Richard Jones QC, repre-
senting Croft Promosport Ltd, told the Court the ruling exposed the company to an “uncertain number” of claims from other neighbours and had serious implications for its future. In a new blow, Appeal Court judge Sir Andrew Morritt ruled the High Court had been “illogical” to deny an injunction against the circuit last April. It has now been hit with an injunction restricting noisy events to 40 days a year. Damages of £109,600
awarded to the Watsons and £40,000 to Mrs Wilson will be reduced, as the sums were based on losses to the value of their homes. Croft must also pay the three residents’ legal costs, estimated at £700,000, plus its own lawyers’ bill (at least £300,000). The circuit was ordered to pay £120,000 immediately and refused permission to appeal further. A circuit spokesman said: “This decision has serious implications for us and for the motor racing industry.”
ARAI OFFERS REDUCTION ON RACE TRAINING ARAI has offered wannabe racers the chance to cut the cost of the ACU’s Competitor Training Course by buying a top-of-the-range Arai RX-7 GP helmet. The course usually costs £50, but Arai UK will send a £25 voucher to anyone who buys an RX-7 from an official Arai dealer and fills in an online application form. Go to www.whyarai.co.uk for further details.
26 X MOTOR CYCLE NEWS FEBRUARY 4, 2009
MYKEL NICOLAOU
ROAD TEST
Survival of the q
With a new CBR600RR, 675 Daytona and ZX-6R, 2009’s supersport class is the most h adam.child motorcyclenews.com
HE supersport class is one of the most fiercely contested. Machines
T
like Honda’s CBR and Yamaha’s R6, with their astonishing but unintimidating performance, value and decent versatility have been bestsellers year after year. Manufacturers use
the latest technology developed in racing to advance their machines. Every year at least one or two of the leading contenders are updated and replaced.
For 2009 it’s harder fought than ever. THREE new (or significantly updated) machines enter the fray, each hoping to take the crown from last year’s track champion, the
Yamaha R6 (which is unchanged for this year along with the Suzuki GSX-R600). Triumph, on the back of winning the 2008 British Supersport series, has a
new upgraded 675. The triple has been improved with more power and torque, weight has been reduced by 3kg and the brakes are better, as we found in our first UK test
(MCN, January 28). Honda has a new CBR, even though it looks very similar to the ’08 model. The already-strong engine has received a minor tweak but the most
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Heads up, from left: the Daytona 675, GSX-R, CBR, R6 and ZX-6R are put to the test
Three out of the five international riders set their fastest time on Triumph’s revised Daytona
TRIUMPH 675 LAP TIME 1:34.375
1ST
quickest
I CAN almost hear you saying it: British bike wins the British MCN track test. But I was the only British rider on the group test and it WAS a clear winner on track. Three out of five riders set their fastest times on the Triumph. And the other two riders set their second fastest times on the triple-powered 675. In fact, Spanish road tester Sergio Romero set almost identical times on the R6 and 675 so the Triumph was close to making it four out of five. As reported in last week’s back-to-back test, Triumph haven’t played around too much with an already excellent bike. Remember in last year’s Master Bike track test, the 675 was only just pipped to the post by the R6. On track, it’s all about the beautifully fuelled triple, that’s the British bike’s killer punch over the competition. Power is instant, even low down in the rev range. From 7000rpm to 12,000rpm it leaves the others for dead with a huge amount of torque. The Triumph and the racy R6 are like chalk and cheese. Exiting long corners you can leave it in third and use the mid-range. On the apex, you’re able to wind in the power forcing the rear tyre into the track early on. It’s the same on very slow corners. It will drive from
nothing, pulling hard and revving higher than before on the exit. None of the bikes have the torque to pull so early on. On the others you have to change your line and go in hard, turn and then scream the bike off the rev
‘You can carry mind-blowing corner speed on the 675’
limiter on the exit to catch the Triumph. This makes the 675 super smooth to ride. You don’t have to be focused on the rev counter, like a sniper focused on a long- range target. It does feel a little tall compared to the others, seat height is relatively high and the narrow triple engine gives the bike a tall feel. But, with huge ground clearance, it means you can carry mindblowing corner speed. According to our datalogger, it was once again one of the fastest mid-corner. The brakes have received a little upgrade and the front forks now have high- and low-speed compression adjustment. It’s as good as Continues ov er
The 675 emits a distinctive sound from the triple’s end can
Triumph’s stylish clocks with rev limiter lights on the right
hotly contested in years – but which is the best? significant improvement is the introduction of Honda’s ABS system, the first on a sports 600. And Kawasaki most certainly means business with its all-new ZX-6R,
which brings MotoGP technology to the class with its ‘big piston’ forks to reduce dive. This world first shootout at Calafat in Spain has but one aim. It’s a 100%
track test – our marathon UK road test will comes in a couple of weeks. So, we’re not concerned with comfort, mpg, or cost of ownership here – simply which is the best on track.
To ensure a level playing field, each bike is fitted with the same ‘control’ track day rubber, Metzeler’s new Racetec K3 tyres in standard sizes. This is what happened…
The Daytona came out a clear winner with three riders setting their fastest time on it
32 X MOTOR CYCLE NEWS FEBRUARY 4, 2009
ROAD TEST THANK YOU Thanks to Midlands Superbikes (01858-469164) for the loan of the Yamaha YBR125
Life begins at 125 Budget level 125s are an affordable first taste of biking. But can they do open roads as well as city centres?
MONSTER PICTURES
SPECS
SPECS
HONDA CBF125
YAMAHA YBR125
Price Annual road tax Power (claimed) Torque (claimed) Fuel consumption Warranty
Price Annual road tax Power (claimed) Torque (claimed) Fuel consumption Warranty
£1795 £15 11.13bhp 8.27ftlb 87.5mpg Two years
Honda claims 11.13bhp
Stylish exhaust heat shield– looks better clean
£1899 £15 9.86bhp 7.08ftlb 87.3mpg Two years
TECHNICAL SPEC
TECHNICAL SPEC
Engine: 124.7cc, four-stroke single. Electric start. Five gears. Fuel injection. Chassis: Telescopic forks nonadjustable. Twin rear shocks adjustable for preload. Brakes: 240mm front disc. Rear drum. Tyres: 80/100 x 17 (f), 100/90 x17 (r)
Engine: 124cc, four-stroke single. Electric/kickstart. Five gears. Fuel injection. Chassis: Telescopic front forks non-adjustable. Twin rear forks adjustable for preload. Brakes: 245mm front disc. Rear drum. Tyres: 2.75 x 18 (f), 90/90 x 18 (r).
Clear analogue clocks
The HondaCBF125 doesn’t look like a budget, entry-level machine
YBR125 coped well in heavy town traffic
245mm disc on the front
Roomy dual seat and rack
Yamaha has easy-to-read speedo and tacho
FEBRUARY 4, 2009 MOTOR CYCLE NEWS X 33
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The Yamaha and Honda had speed to spare while the Pulsar struggled on the motorway
Brakes are budget quality
SPECS KYMCO PULSAR Price Annual road tax Power (claimed) Torque (claimed) Fuel consumption Warranty
£1499 £15 10bhp 6.79ftlb 70.3mpg Two years
TECHNICAL SPEC Engine: 124cc, four-stroke single. Electric/kickstart. Five gears . Carburetted. Chassis: Telescopic front forks non-adjustable. Twin rear shocks adjustable for preload. Brakes: 245mm front disc brake. Rear drum. Tyres: 2.75 x 18 front, 350 x 16 rear.
Red line is at 55mph Lacklustre performance lets down the Pulsar
trevor.franklin motorcyclenews.com
HERE are few things in life that absolutely will not change with time. Vying to be first to wherever, or just the fastest L-plate rider on the road are just two of them. It was 30 years ago when I first got to grips with a bike on L-plates, and 21 years since I rode to the South of France on a restricted 125cc. Both events ended with a cricked neck and ripped shoulder muscles from riding flat on the tank. I’m now 47, with a deep feeling of deja vu. On top of the Kymco Pulsar’s fuel tank is 15-stone of body mass. Beneath it is a Chinese-made singlecylinder 125cc four-stroke engine, and it’s revving its head off. I think the two are connected. Unlike my gonads, which, because of the vibration, are detached from their wiring and bouncing around inside their hairy holdall like bingo balls. At an indicated 55mph the Pulsar is red-lining. When it hits an indicated 65mph the engine speed has moved to industrial sewing machine velocity and acceleration (joke) has hit a brick wall. The vibration has calmed, though. Either that or a black hole has formed in my undercrackers because of two high-speed particles colliding. Meanwhile the Yamaha YBR125 and Honda CBF125 riders are bolt upright, and have extra speed to spare. They’re laughing at my struggle to overtake an empty HGV. The YBR and Honda then pull away from the Kymco – even though their speedos show the same recorded 65mph. By the time 70mph shows they’re many yards ahead. Not long after this they’re out of sight and I’m alone fighting off the attentions of white van man with trailer in tow. Round one, motorway commuting, goes to the Japanese brands (although the Honda’s built in India and the Yamaha in China). Maybe the Kymco will fare better on the speedcapped streets of London? Instant braking and supple forks make short work of town life, from the Honda rider’s point of view. The
T
Buses weren’t a problem for all three bikes – on the flat!
‘Bus lanes are cool if they don’t go uphill and drivers behind keep to speed limits’ Yamaha forks have the same amount of lengthy travel as the Kymco, but the movement is more refined. The reason for the Kymco’s 1980s fork action is the single front brake. A dead feel at the lever combines with damp-like pad material/poor disc metal, so strong brake action only happens after a yard or so of heat build-up, or with a milkman’s finger grip on the lever. All three bikes are light and agile to be steered into any gap. If only the riders were equally lightweight and slim, then moving alongside queues and the opposing flow of cars would be easier. Traffic-free bus lanes are cool as long as they don’t go uphill and the following bus driver isn’t sure where the next speed camera lies. Taxi drivers are a law unto themselves when it comes to bikes in their path. Lion and twolegged Scrub Hare spring to mind. Short and slow-revving 125cc engines deliver lowly torque and power outputs and demand a million gearchanges in heavy traffic. This is not a problem with the Honda and Yamaha, but this Kymco Pulsar has a problem with too much play in the gear linkage, a lifeless gearshift selector and consequently an overheated
clutch. No matter how hard the Kymco lever is stamped on, or lovingly tapped, second and first gears frustratingly play hide and seek far better than third and fourth. Plier teeth marks on the clutch cable sleeve suggest a fix of sorts has been tried and failed. Needless to say I volunteer someone else to ride the Kymco the 74 miles back to MCN’s straw shack. Surprisingly, the Pulsar is a lot less cramped than the Yamaha which gives up (milder) vibes at high rpm. The ride home entails full throttle and much slipstreaming antics between the two Japanese machines – the Pulsar only gets wrenched throttle action trying to keep up. But, bless it, despite the irritating gearbox and lack of speed – and the anger vented upon it – the little Kymco completed its task.
VERDICT THE spindly feel of the chassis, cheap action of the component parts and lacklustre performance conspire against the Kymco to knock points off what could be a useful, cheap, across-town machine. The Yamaha and Honda aren’t streets ahead in performance, and all three bikes will easily fulfil the fun and experience criteria of motorcycling. But the Honda has the edge because it doesn’t look or feel like a cheap, entry-level, low-thrills machine that it is sold as. Try another view: if these bikes were beds the Kymco would be a slatted park bench, the Yamaha a blow-up single mattress, and the Honda a memory foam divan.
SERVICE WITH A SMILE BUDGET bikes mean budget running figures, or do they? With their engines pushed to their limits it means they have to undergo far more frequent service schedules. This is partly offset by the laughingly brief time spent in the workshop (fair labour charge) and piddly consumable needs (eg one spark plug only). Here are examples of service costs for each of the
machines on test: KYMCO PULSAR DC Motorcycles, Nottingham (01159-562555) Service every 1500 miles. Cost: £63, excluding service items (spark plug £3.20, engine oil £11.98) and consumables. YAMAHA YBR125 Webbs Yamaha Centre, Peterborough
(01733-223444) Service every 4000 miles. Cost: £158 (£250 for 8000mile service) all in, excluding consumables. HONDA CBF125 Pidcock Honda, Long Eaton (01159-469555) Service every 2500 miles. Cost: £44, excluding service items (spark plug £9.20, engine oil £10.35) and consumables.
46 X MOTOR CYCLE NEWS FEBRUARY 4, 2009
SPORT
Relentless GSX-R is a real threat Why the team’s all-new GSX-R1000 could be a serious BSB contender
SWINGARM The new three-piece stock fabricated swingarm has already been ditched for a custom-made arm produced by Italian company Febur, who the team have worked with before. The Febur arm closely mimics the shape of the stock gull-arm. There are six different factory linkage options but running Showa suspension means access to information from other factory teams. The team have made their own adjustable tie-rod for rapid adjustment of the ride height.
FRAME/SUB-FRAME The new frame is fabricated from just five parts. Last year TAS ran the frame as stock, even at the TT. And Neil plans to do the same this year. The stock road bike sub-frame is a one-piece die-casting. Neil said: “We’ve three options: 1) to keep to the stock subframe, if we can make the seat height adjustable; 2) to use the factory sub-frame, or 3) to make a one-piece carbon-fibre seat/subframe. That might be an important factor if we need to look at weight issues.”
SUSPENSION The team switched to Showa in 2008 (from Dutch-made WP) with technical support from British importer K-Tech. They will continue to use the Japanese-made equipment this year, but Neil said: “The difference this year is that we’ll have access to factory stuff, though there’s several different variations of forks and shocks. It’s still under negotiation whether we’ll get a factory technician or not.”
‘This year we’ll have access to factory stuff’ PHILIP NEIL, RELENTLESS TEAM BOSS
Relentless by TAS team boss Philip Neil (leaning on bike) and new rider Ian Lowry (third left) gary.pinchin motorcyclenews.com
HILE most of the pre-season hype has been about how the new Yamaha R1 will perform, the all-new Suzuki GSX-R1000 K9 has been overlooked. That’s probably no surprise as the Suzuki has been an underperformer in recent BSB competition. But don’t rule it out as a serious competitor in this year’s BSB championship. That’s the message from Relentless by TAS team boss Philip Neil as they start their development programme for the coming season. No matter which manufacturer has new models this year, the bottom line is every bike in BSB will be new, now that FIM World Superbike regulations have been reintroduced following one year of ‘hybrid’ rules, with supersport-tune engines and superbike chassis. The new GSX-R1000 may look very similar to the ’08 bike at first glance, but it’s a very different animal. The majority of changes are geared to the race track, which can only benefit new Relentless superbike riders Atsushi Watanabe and Ian Lowry, as well as Crescent Suzuki’s Sylvain Guintoli.
W
Neil said: “There’s a bunch of race track influences: shorter engine, longer swingarm. From what I’ve heard so far from Atsushi, who has tested the new bike very early – and talks to Yukio Kagayama who has also ridden it – the new bike
‘It is so narrow it feels more like a 600’ PHILIP NEIL, RELENTLESS TEAM BOSS
is so much more nimble than last year’s model. “Rake and trail are similar to the 2008 bike, but the central mass has been altered dramatically by raising the engine as well as shortening it. It also means the rider’s weight can be shifted rearward to give him more feel.” The other big plus is the reduction in the physical size of the machine. Neil added: “The new bike is so much narrower, it feels more like a 600 than a 1000cc superbike. That’s got to be a big benefit to the riders who have to muscle the bike around.” Much has been made of the switch of Watanabe from the Crescent team to Neil’s TAS outfit. The suggestion is that
factory support has shifted from Crescent to TAS, as a result of the move. Considering Crescent boss Paul Denning runs Suzuki’s MotoGP squad, it seems unlikely their BSB team’s relationship with the factory will be that different, but Neil confirms there is more factory support for his superbike effort now. Neil said: “We’re not getting factory bikes as such. We’re getting parts and technical support which is still a big thing for us.” What he won’t freely talk about is just how much of the factory parts catalogue his team will be able to make use of. But he admits having Watanabe on the team is a big benefit in terms of this. Neil said: “Having Atsushi has elevated our team to a higher league and we do have direct contact with the factory, but it’s not as simple as you think. Atsu will make it easier, especially as he tested the Alstare bikes in Japan before they even got them.”
ONLINE LATEST BSB NEWS Keep an eye on www. motorcyclenews.com for all the latest news on the new BSB season
ENGINE New GSX-R engine is very different to the ’08 version. It’s shorter by two inches (achieved by vertically stacking the gearbox shafts, which meant relocating the clutch higher) and has a bore and stroke of 74.5mm x 57.3mm (compared to the 73.4mm x 59.0mm of 2008). The valves are bigger (inlet 31mm from 30mm and exhaust 25mm from 24mm). Neil said: “We’ve only just started on development, with some mild porting work and camshafts. Everything else is stock at present. We’re still using the stock rods, but expect to run titanium rods.”
FEBRUARY 4, 2009 MOTOR CYCLE NEWS X 47
www.motorcyclenews.com PADDOCK GOSSIP CLUTCH Michael Laverty, who likes to carry more corner speed than most superbike riders, struggled last year with the slipper clutch. He either had the engine braking systems working to perfection on the way into corners, or on the way out but could never find a setting to suit him for both. Neil said: “Sigma are developing one for us, based on the production clutch and using the stock basket, but giving us more slipper mechanism options.”
GEARBOX TAS has a massive range of options – both from the factory and Yoshimura – with the set-up determined by rider preference. Neil said: “We run different ratios for road racing compared to what we need for BSB. We have five years of experience on British tracks, so gearbox set-up is not an issue. We ran the same internal ratios all year with Laverty and used Yoshimura components.
CAMSHAFTS This year, BSB rules have no restrictions on the lift and duration of camshafts (compared to the ‘supersport’ rules of 2008, under which the duration but not the lift could be changed). Neil said: “We’ll work with different people. Our engine builder Stephen Fleming comes up with his own configuration [and gets the cams ground by an outside company] but we’ll also try Yoshimura and factory cams.”
ENGINE MANAGEMENT There’s a switch from Motec electronics to the Magneti Marelli SRT system for 2009. It uses the same dash as the Marvel 4 system that top MotoGP teams use. Neil said: “The only thing we’ll be lacking is the ability to set the traction control for each corner.” The plus point is the team can still inter-change data with Alstare Suzuki, who are using Marvel 4.
WHEELS/BRAKES The team will continue with Dymag wheels, having given the Britishmade kit the ultimate durability test on the TT Mountain circuit for several seasons. Brake master cylinders will be from Brembo. Factory support means a huge range of Brembo options, such as different lever ratios, different lever styles and different master cylinders, all to suit rider preferences. The team will test Brembo and Braking discs back to back.
K9 GSX-R IS NO ‘OLD DOG’
Michael Laverty’s K8 failed to live up to expectations in BSB
APPARENTLY Suzuki don’t like calling the latest GSR-R1000 ‘K9’, even though the 2008 model was called the K8 and the year before’s the K7. But after the K7 and K8 spectacularly failed to live up to expectations in BSB while the Suzukis were delivering success after success in other superbike competition around the world, the last thing Suzuki needs is a plethora of ‘old dog’ canine connotations about the new bike before it turns a wheel.
BRITAIN’S top World Endurance racing team, Phase One, have signed Spaniard Pedro Valcaneras to line up alongside Australian brothers Damien and Alex Cudlin. Phase One team owner Russell Benney said: “Two weeks ago I was presented with a dilemma; Pedro made himself available for the whole season. He had been on my shopping list last autumn but due to a personal sponsor issue he could not do the full world championship, so I ruled him out. That situation then changed, so I decided to accept Pedro for the whole season in favour of Sebastian Scarnato who was available for only the short races.” British Superbikes is getting younger. Even though there’s a perception the series has lost all the hot young talent and that the replacement riders are older guys like Glen Richards (right) at 35, this year’s average age is just 26.56 compared to last year’s average age of 27.12. Youngest rider this year is 21-year-old Jason O’Halloran. Oldest is Chris Walker at 36. He celebrates his 37th birthday on March 25, while Rob Mac Racing Yamaha team-mate Michael Rutter is also 36 but doesn’t celebrate his 37th until September. The future of last year’s British Supersport title-winning Triumph team is uncertain. They lost their Embassy backing and Glen Richards is now riding for HM Plant, but the man who prepared all the bikes, John Trigger, reckons everything is in place for Paul Young to continue racing the triple, if they can secure a title sponsor. Trigger said: “We’ve got Triumph support but only if we have the backing to continue to race at a certain level.” Scott Smart has been thrown a lifeline by Winchester-based Ducati dealer Moto Rapido. The former BSB star will race an 1198S in the National Superstock series with official support from Ducati UK, Ducati Corse and sponsors Solent Scientific. Jon Kirkham (above) will ride the new Lloyds British Jentin Yamaha R1 in BSB this year. The 24-year-old ended last year as runner-up in the National Superstock series and won the Henderson Yamaha R1 Cup. The NCT Triumphs that James Westmorland and Lee Jackson will race in the British Supersport series are to be tuned by Cheltenham-based Race Techniques who have prepared engines for Jentin Yamaha and Phase One.