On-Track Off-Road Issue 185

MXGP

DOES EXCELLENCE EVER FADE? Just how good in this guy? 33 years old, 9 world championships, 87 Grand Prix wins and owner of 3 of the 4 MXGP motos held this season so far after a very decent British round of the FIM World Championship last weekend. Assuming he endures the ‘lottery’ aspect of motocross then the time will soon come when the talk turns to #10 Photo by Ray Archer

AMA-SX

MAKING THE BREACH

Dylan Ferrandis completed an ‘All-French’ evening at round 12 of 17 in the AMA Supercross series and his 250SX West victory was another landmark in a distinctive career. The SX triumph had been coming…even if it does feel like a long time since he was the scourge of Jeffrey Herlings in MX2. Ferrandis now joins the small Euro/Gallic club of winners in the stadiums Photo by James Lissimore

MotoGP

LET’S GO AGAIN MotoGP visits Argentina this weekend and scene of one of the most astounding and theatrical races of recent years just twelve months ago. How has the sport and the series moved on from the unforgettable images at Termas de Rio Hondo? Neil Morrison takes some perspective in his excellent new Blog inside Photo by Monster Energy/Milagro

MXGP

BRITISH GRAND PRIX

MATTERLEY BASIN · MARCH 23-24 · Rnd 2 of 19 MXGP winner: Tony Cairoli, KTM MX2 winner: Thomas Kjer Olsen, Husqvarna

By Adam Wheeler, Photos by Ray Archer

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MXGP FEATURE

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MXGP FEATURE

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JVH IN THE RED Jeremy Van Horebeek is in the initial throes of a career renaissance after some lean and mediocre years with Yamaha and in the distant wake of a defining season in 2014 where he claimed his first (and only) MXGP win todate as runner-up the world. JVH is somewhat scorned after being snubbed by most of the paddock in the depths of last summer and is certainly riding with renewed perspective on his status and that of the sport. Almost rivalling HRC’s Tim Gajser for results and potential after two rounds the inevitable question arises as to Van Horebeek’s potential value for Honda. The irony is that the Belgian receives marginal support from the manufacturer (HRC are independent as a race division, the rest of the MXGP operation is marshalled by Honda Motor Europe) and is proving the brand’s point in terms of the competitiveness of their stock customer base.

“Mid-February Jeremy and the Honda SR team made the decision that they wanted to go MXGP racing and they did contact Honda Motor Europe for help but at that time there was nothing we could do,” explained OffRoad Manager Gordon Crockard.

“The plan for 2019 was signedoff, budgets were agreed and every euro had been allocated.

The timing of the request was impossible to respond to.

We went to Argentina with this feeling of gratitude to Van Horebeek, Honda SR and Honda France and all the people that put Jeremy on the line. It was fantastic that they were prepared [for the season] but timing was the issue for us and we could only say that we’d support them in any way we could: and that is an ongoing process.”

Crockard, who won 250cc Grands Prix for Honda in 2001, empathised with Van Horebeek’s plight but was also quick to highlight the positivity of the privateer’s progress. “He is doing exceptionally well and I can relate to from my own personal experience as a non-factory Honda rider in my career and taking podiums and winning races,” he said. “So I’m right behind him in terms of what he is doing and the promotion of the customer CRF. Anyone can create that bike and it demonstrates the ability of that product. It helps on two fronts: to the consumer that we want to buy our bikes and also to the rest of this paddock to show that you don’t need the ‘magic bike’. Riders in previous years have complained that they couldn’t get the results because they don’t have factory material.

What Jeremy is doing is a great argument against that claim and will really help for future years in dealings with riders.”

While Van Horebeek’s bright run of speed and form is an advertisement for Honda there is also the awkward PR situation of a rider potentially excelling for a brand and then receiving little compensation or assistance for the job he is doing, especially if #89 feels like ‘emphasising’ his privateer status repeatedly in the media. For now at least JVH will have to persist with his lot at Honda SR and the underdog ‘forgotten’ tag seems to be suitably fuelling the fire.

“People can say ‘but you’re Honda: why don’t you have any euros?’ but this is subject of budgets, plans, management.

There is nothing we can allocate at the moment but It is not a closed door or subject,” Crockard stresses. “It is wonderful he is doing so well because it helps my case to say this guy is delivering the goods and he should be given support and help. It is an ongoing process that I am working-on internally. This is a new dynamic where a guy has showed up on his own - with his own bike - and is making the MXGP podium; we are continuing to work on it. Would be go any better on a factory bike? We don’t know.”

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WORLDSBK MXGP GBR POR

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MIND THE (GOGGLE) GAP Observant visitors to Matterley Basin may spotted the new ‘Goggle Lane’ at the end of the pit straight. This area/initiative is new for 2019 and in reaction to the amendment to the FIM rulebook stating that riders must circulate during races with eyewear; if goggles are ditched then racers have until the following lap to either pit or enter the Goggle Lane to grab a new pair.

MXGP athletes were informed about the addition to their potential race strategy at the opening round in Argentina where they were also told – allegedly – that there would be no ‘hard enforcement’ of the rules for 2019 as the paddock acclimatises to the presence and use of the Goggle Lane.

Anstie rightfully cited the example of Calvin Vlaanderen’s misfortune at the 2018 Motocross of Nations as justification. The HRC man was forced to ditch his eye protection in the RedBud mud and subsequent medical/ cleansing treatment meant he could not enter the final moto in the USA and the Netherlands missed out on what would have been a sure-fire victory. “It’s so they don’t have the situation like with Calvin at the Nations,” affirmed the Standing Construct KTM rider. “Maybe if they had the Goggle Lane [there] then he wouldn’t have had that issue. It is a good thing that they recognised it and they are trying to see what happens. It might be only one or two races where we’ll use it. We’ll see. 90% of the time you don’t need to change goggles.”

“I haven’t tried it yet but it seems like a good idea to me,” voiced Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Thomas Kjer Olsen. “It is so dangerous to ride without goggles and to go right through the pitlane takes a while. I haven’t seen it being used yet but it could work.”

“They said they were not going to penalise anyone if you don’t stop,” revealed Max Anstie at Matterley Basin. “I think for this year it doesn’t matter. They’ve done it [established the Goggle Lane] to make it faster and to make the riders want to do it.”

HRC’s Tim Gajser pointed out the potential ‘tactical’ problem with the Goggle Lane and onelap rule for the future: will a rider take more risk with dirty or malfunctioning goggles rather than lose time making a forced change? It is a scenario that could well arise, particularly towards the end of races and for final positions. “For safety it is better but from the other side nobody will want to lose time by throwing the goggles away and might persist with muddy ones or try to look with one eye to try and not stop,” he said. “It has a positive and some bad about it.”

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MXGP

WHERE IS ALL THE GOLD?

Not since the 2007 FIM Motocross World Championship has the premier class missed a defending #1 in the gate for the opening rounds of the series (2006 winner Stefan Everts had retired at Ernee, France) but the situation of both reigning champions MIA was not only a startling blow for Red Bull KTM but an extremely rare occurrence in MXGP.

#84 will be able to ride by April 22nd and if the repaired right foot can cope with the build-up of saddle time and tests through a variety of tracks and conditions then Herlings would still have struggled to be 100% for the start of the Nationals at Hangtown on May 18th (and also contemplate all the relocation and transition hassle of being based in the USA).

Jeffrey Herlings’ presence in Munderfing and KTM’s race HQ in the week before Matterley Basin clarified his direction for 2019, and put-paid to rumours of his defection to the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Nationals for the summer. There had been teasing statements from the world champion once Herlings realised the chances to recapture his crown were effectively scuppered by his broken right foot. However there was some resistance to the suggestion. KTM invest too much into their peerless MXGP squad to be without another star rider for the year when the roster had already been cut from five to four athletes and one of those was GP rookie Tom Vialle. Herlings was enamoured with a new target and a fresh scene (as well as the prospect of more collaboration with famed South African trainer Aldon Baker) but once the reality of his rehab and recovery was underlined by KTM management then he could hardly complain.

The champions are hoping that

With the subject swiftly removed from the table Herlings has less pressure to hurry his return to the MXGP field. The initial estimate is that he’ll miss Grands Prix in Holland and Italy and might appear for the first time at Mantova on May 12th, which is the first of three events in a row.

Eying a quicker comeback, Jorge Prado is in the quandary of resting/rushing for an improvement in his left shoulder and the haematoma that effectively ‘locked’ him out of the British round.

“I did everything to try and come to Matterley but it just wasn’t possible,” he said exclusively of the repercussions to his practice spill that developed into a more serious issue. “The week after Argentina I crashed while training. It was pretty big but I didn’t feel anything and kept on riding and doing my motos. The day after I did some gym workout and felt quite stiff with the neck and back. I just assumed it was

from the crash. I kept riding and training and everything was going well and I felt strong.”

“Then suddenly one day I woke up and couldn’t get out of bed!” he explains. “I had so much pain and could not run or even breathe. It was hard to move. We went to two doctors in one week and they couldn’t see what was wrong but in the end we found out three days before the GP. I still cannot even move well today [Friday]. It is a bummer I’ll miss the GP because of a stupid injury. I mean, I kept riding after the crash! And then one day I could not even walk. I had two compressed vertebrae but this was not the big deal, it was more the shoulder blade and the bleeding that was occurring underneath; it got to the point where it was putting pressure on my lungs and affecting the nerves, which meant I could not move my arms. We cannot do anything to speed it up, just rest and see if we can do good in Valkenswaard.

The championship is long so I’m not stressed about it.”

With Prado’s absence and Herlings’ continued abscond, the factory team have already suffered more ‘DNS’ in 2019 compared to all of the previous season when they had five riders on the works SX-Fs. Another example of the frivolity of fortune in the sport.

MXGP GBR

MXGP BLOG

THE HARDEST JOB...

Who’d want to organise a Grand Prix?

I was a little surprised to reach Steve Dixon on the phone last week for a quick chat to construct a Telegraph story about the rigours of formulating his tenth British Grand Prix; the ninth at the grasssite Matterley Basin circuit which effectively means it is used just once a year and signifies special logistical upheaval. Not that Steve, a thirty year veteran of team management and grand prix racing, is unreachable – quite the opposite in fact – but that he’d had the time or the head space to comment on all the commotion around him.

Compared to his first venture in 2005 at the defunct Matchams Park on the edge of the New Forest and a quest to re-establish his home round of the FIM World Championship that had fallen into the doldrums, Matterley has become a familiar and systematic process for Dixon. I’d wager that very few people in the UK will know more about the myriad of environmental, legal and regulatory issues that surround a race meeting of a similar nature.

Staging this event with the instability of climate, attendance figures and the ever-present question of sustainability – simply covering costs – must be like standing in the middle of the waiting zone surrounded by forty revving bikes. For Dixon the annual challenges for Matterley have come down to the varying level of infrastructure and presentation that have squeaked and heaved depending on the amount of notoriously difficult budget available.

Without the benefit of government/tourist board funding or the presence of heavy (almost title) sponsors the guy must be sweating at every opportunity: the assurances from partners and suppliers to get the event running, the count through the gate and then the count-up of the takings to get everybody paid.

For a fixture that costs upwards of a quarter of a million pounds to run, the possibility to trim and save must be one of the operational protocols, and anybody who has dealt with Steve will know that

making money from Matterley is not at the top of his priorities. “I still cannot really give an answer as to why I do it,” he said to me. “I think if people were not prepared to give their time and their knowledge for sporting events like this then they wouldn’t exist and that goes for pretty much any sport I believe.”

The second round of the 2019 MXGP series occurring in the UK was a massive gamble. Memories were still fresh of the cold, rain-hit mudder of the 2017 Motocross of Nations at the end of September and with all the inconvenience and hassle that entails.

Dixon claimed that running the Grand Prix in March shaved 25% away from his costs; for example the price of fencing being much cheaper at this time of year compared to the summer when music festivals and other outside events are looking to bank on better odds of British weather. There was also the appeal of being the initial European date.

By Adam Wheeler

It is the time when fans and most of the paddock enjoy their first taste of MXGP as the seasonopener in Argentina is a continent too far for the Eurocentric race teams. The scheduling was still not too kind in this respect as the British Grand Prix is followed immediately by the Dutch round on the ‘all-weather’ sand of Valkenswaard just south of Eindhoven and then the hard-pack of Arco di Trento in northern Italy. The political buffoonery and indecisiveness in the UK at the moment is hardly enticing more European visitors but those from the mainland would be more likely to wait until Valkenswaard – even if that race shivered in snow and sub-zero temperatures last year in a similar spot on the agenda.

The gamble worked. Sunday splashed welcome sunshine and blue skies to temper the chilly breeze and the public crowded what had been a sparse site on Saturday. Dixon talked about one of the exasperating elements of cash-feeding the Grand Prix in that fans are likely to make snapshot decisions on the day and not take

profit of early bird offers. Some scepticism is understandable and many would have eyed the weather forecast before making a final decision on whether to head to Winchester but it was clear that Dixon was longing for some of the financial help that music festivals typically enjoy when the public buy their tickets quickly and far in advance.

There was a rougher edge to this Grand Prix. It was also the first race for Youthstream and the full might of their circuit set-up so it felt hurried and a little chaotic. It was noticeable via the small things such as security staff lacking information or briefing, generator power in the living area or the absence of lighting in the parking and paddock zones. Where the event really counted though – the track and the spectacle – then Matterley delivered. The course was a splendid mix of rough ground but high speed and vast jumps. It invited throttle-straining pace but also dared riders to take risks. It asked questions of their willingness to push and to paraphrase track creator and caretaker Johnny Douglas

Hamilton “that’s motocross”. It is still so popular for the racers that have to find the lines and tackle the bumps. Hamilton felt that the terrain was at an optimum point of moisture, and this was another element in which the Grand Prix was fortunate. It would have been perilous to rip the track deep and well in advance due to the propensity of the English rain (and across the channel riders described their frustration at not being able to train due to the deluge in Belgium) and in the end the crew were scrabbling to ensure the right amount of watering was in place.

Hamilton’s verdict was backed up by the fact that very little dust was evident by the end of the second MXGP moto and a programme that had seen two support classes also in action.

In a podcast with Shaun Simpson and Paul Malin (OTOR’s second ProTaper-backed recording and easily found on the website) we talked about Matterley Basin’s status as the home of the British Grand Prix. It has been the port of call as the UK’s top off-road gathering since 2011 and while its

MXGP BLOG

geographical location means a long trip for everyone north of London it has the size to accommodate MXGP and flexibility from the land owner (as well as other permanent additions such as water piping and communications link). For all the hassle of having to cart infrastructure on site and subsequently dismantle, Dixon still feels there are very few sites or existing circuits that can meet the requisites of Grand Prix. It would be interesting to get spectators viewpoints: those that are British GP regulars or have visited Matterley for the first time. Reach out to us on our Twitter feed to offer an opinion.

Across the weekend there was (ambitious) talk of the first Australian Grand Prix since 2001 taking place in a horseracing stadium complex in the city of Perth. It’s sounds speculative but also curious. I’m not adverse to new experiments with MXGP because it only adds diversity to the calendar and thus the richness of the show and the depth of the challenge.

I’ve left some new or ‘alternative’ Grands Prix unimpressed, by what was either the impact of the racing or the plausibility of the organisation but in almost every case I’ve been able to respect the attempt to offer something different or try transporting motocross to a fresh scene or audience.

People might turn their nose up at the ‘dilution’ of sport and its organic roots and could consider the temporary sandy circuit at a place like Assen as an aberration but the FIM World Championship does have venues steeped in history like Teutschenthal, St Jean D’Angely, Valkenswaard, Loket, Uddevalla. Perth could be mega. It might also be a forgettable and ill-advised mistake.

Matterley Basin is not the oldest or most characteristic venue on the MXGP trail but it is generally loved by the riders and, still, draws the public. The Grand Prix is one of the very few ‘old models’ where promoter and organiser combine to make it happen on a shoestring and this is another area of risk.

Dixon and his crew need some help and protection to not only ensure that Matterley survives but can even look to longer stability and event upgrades without thinking that this extra effort constitutes ‘burnt cash’.

To call yourself a real adventurer, you need to lay claim to visiting places that few others have been before. Designed to provide explorers with real-world travel capabilities and deliver unrivalled offroad performance, the new KTM 790 ADVENTURE is made for you to go find these roads less travelled.

Please make no attempt to imitate the illustrated riding scenes, always wear protective clothing and observe the applicable provisions of the road traffic regulations!

The illustrated vehicles may vary in selected details from the production models and some illustrations feature optional equipment available at additional cost.

FIND ROADS WITH NO NAME Photo: F. Lackner

PRODUCTS

24MX This is an enticing offer from the largest motocross/motorcycle one-stop site in Europe.

These 3x3m easy-ups race tents are now available at 65% off their normal retail price (just 59.99 in the UK with a 79.99 version that includes the 3 wall section attachment).

The product has some outstanding reviews and – with some willing hands - can be assembled in just 4 seconds (hence the term ‘easy-up’). 24MX claim it is very durable and designed for regular use. The legs are made from steel and the canvas is weatherproof PU-coated polyester.

www.24mx.com It can stretch up to 3.2m of height, providing 9m2 of space and has a tensile strength of 30kg/5cm. The whole structure weighs 25kg and comes with a carry bag when folded up, meaning it will conveniently tuck away into a corner of a van. For road racers/riders then 24MX’s sister site XLmoto have the same structure, and the black awning will be an essential asset for paddock set-up and for creating a decent piece of work or promotional space. Great cost as well.

F E ATU RES • Eighteen bold new colorways across the Fuzion and 2.0 Square handlebar pad lines • Durable high-density closed-cell pad foam provides impact protection and keeps the elements out • Revised cover designs improve fit and finish • Unique color-matched pad foam

Photo: Juan Pablo Acevedo

@ P R O T A P E R

P R O T A P E R . C O M THOMAS KJER-OLSEN DOMINATES MX2 OF GREAT BRITAIN

FEATURE

THE HEAD LINE HOW THE FIM ARE CHANGING THE PERCEPTION OF HELMET SAFETY

By Adam Wheeler, Photos by CormacGP, Ray Archer, Fly Racing, 6D, Leatt, Alpinestars

FEATURE

T

he crash helmet game is changing. The most simple, most obvious form of motorcycling safety has progressed from leather ‘skull caps’ as little as seventy years ago to the kind of material composite and ‘suspension’ technology perhaps more advanced than the equipment found on the bikes themselves.

In the past companies large and small, specialised and speculative have fabricated their own ideas of protection and performance adhering to the DOT, Snell and ECE tests and criteria for impact resistance and strength. The development of shell materials, EPS liners and internal weaves have allowed brands to further address issues connected with concussion and the potential fatal consequences of brain injury, such as rotational acceleration (where the brain essentially shears away from its roots). It is a subject we’ve looked into thanks to OTOR’s contacts with firms like 6D Helmets and then other procrastinators like Leatt and MIPS. While a helmet with added safety specs is a boon for street or off-road riders, the additional advantages compared to normal ‘light, tested, ventilated’ units were largely ‘take it or leave it’. The vast helmet industry offered a mammoth spectrum of price, efficiency, design and innovation.

Over the last half decade and in response to the growing advances in ‘lid’ health funcionality, a proactive invesitgation and stance by the FIM – controllers of world championship motorcycle racing – has stirred the pot. The governing body sought a new test protocol to define a fresh standard of safety for every

“THE FIM RACING HOMOLOGATION PROGRAMME IS THE VANGUARD FOR MORE DEVELOPMENT WORK THAT WON’T ONLY INVOLVE HELMETS...”

for related products and the FRHPhe has already been implemented in road racing (off-road is coming) with a raft of press releases over the last six months informing the media and public of the latest model or company to pass the new control.

Not only is FRHPhe a delicate and problematic scheme for the FIM (where they

FRHPhe & THE FUTURE OF LIDS

motorcycle racer that takes to a grid, gate or timing line. The FIM Racing Homologation Programme for helmets (known as FRHPhe) was a first bold move considering the sheer scale of the multi-national businesses – many of whom are steeped in history, knowledge and established manufacturing processes – would be affected. Motorcycle racing is one of the largest promotional windows

FEATURE

had previously diverted to existing international standards for approval in their competitions) but it is also brave and exhaustive. “The process of defining the testing protocol took approximately two years,” reveals the FIM’s Erica Manfredi.

“Many meetings were organised between FIM, the industry, the testing laboratories and other stakeholders. A testing protocol was published in 2017 with pass/ fail criteria corresponding to a phase 1.

A phase 2 has already been announced with more stringent criteria and the potential evolutions are under discussion.

The helmet testing is carried out in laboratories approved by FIM. So far there is one at the University of Zaragoza and two more will be added for the near future.”

“It is difficult to give numbers as applications and tests are still ongoing,” she adds concerning the workload. “The majority of helmet brands with products used for motorcycle competition have worked hard and have had at least one model FIM-homologated in all or some sizes.”

Unsurprisingly the FRHPhe has been met with varying levels of enthusiasm/opposition, which begs the question: why do it?

The FIM have overseen other strides in motorcycling competition safety, ranging from stipulations over circuit’s medical facilities and resources to minor regulations such as the compulsory use of chest protectors in Grand Prix motocross.

FRHP had its next target. “FRHPhe was established in order to take account of a more complete and demanding evaluation of performance, and give specific and exclusive recognition to helmets that meet more demanding criteria,” Manfredi states. “Of course the FIM was aware that the implementation of an FIM Helmet Standard would be an uphill struggle, but believed that the key to its success was to work directly with the industry and with experts in the field of helmet testing and to establish a solid and robust testing protocol.”

For a section of the industry – those motivated by the same progressive attitude as the FIM as to what head protection can offer – FRHPhe was like another (larger) star on the banner. The road racing homologation process is well underway but off-road (motocross, supercross, rally and enduro) is awaiting finalisation.

It’s mystifying why off-road specialists are stretching ahead of their road counterparts for the performance aspects of helmets. Road lids traditionally have a preoccupation with shell strength and aside from innovations like the quick release system have evolved their products in terms of comfort (noise, visibility, fit, aerodynamics, cooling), structure (twopiece hinged full-face) and other minor technical adds-on such as Bluetooth compatibility. Off-road helmets are perhaps more rudimentary but can be even more complex when it comes to design and are far more likely to wear or suffer damage/a crash.

Ironically for the first results of FRHPhe it is the road helmets that are receiving the FIM stamp while the technologies (or idiosyncrasies) of off-road have still to be verified for world championship contests.

Since Californian pioneers 6D introduced their ATR-1 (the ATS being the street model and the firm have since expanded into cycling) and the Omni-Directional Suspension – a ‘damper’ system between the liners – at the turn of the decade it has prompted renewed thinking about how the energy of a crash or impact at low, mid and high velocity can be better managed.

Their efforts, testing and unique (and costly but successful) manufacturing drew attention to similar philosophies, such as

FRHPhe & THE FUTURE OF LIDS

“THANKS TO FRHPhe RACERS WILL SOON NOT HAVE MUCH OF A CHOICE...BUT FLY ARE QUICK TO POINT OUT FOR ALL THE STRESS AND TOIL TOWARDS IMPROVEMENT CONSUMERS WILL MAKE THEIR OWN MINDS UP ABOUT WHAT DEGREE OF PROTECTION THEY WILL PREFER...”

FEATURE the Swedish MIPS mechanism (licenced and used by firms such as Fox Racing, Answer and Troy Lee Designs), Leatt’s turbine idea, Bell’s Flex and Fly Racing’s Adaptive Impact System.

6D’s Bob Weber explains that the FIM still need to refine FRHPhe for a different sport.

“The implementation of the FIM’s FRHPhe testing for off-road would be a step in the correct direction, assuming that the test was

modified for off-road type crashes, which will require lower impact velocities for starters,” he says. ‘The addition for rotational energy management testing will bring the safety for riders up, even at phase one for a starting point opposed to doing nothing.’

‘It is pretty amazing that the FIM has been able to make a decision, put in the work into developing a testing protocol and get many

Leatt, helmed by South Africa Dr Chris Leatt who founded and developed the neck brace, claim that the Capetown-based operation have added the latest helmet test equipment to their comprehensive laboratory. Their GPX 6.5 (and 5.5) models was the result, with the Turbine Technology advocating 30% less head impact at concussion level and a 40% reduction for rotational acceleration. All the preposition and discovery through millions of dollars

FRHPhe & THE FUTURE OF LIDS

helmet manufacturers onboard to a new test standard,’ Weber adds. ‘Erica and her team had an uphill battle with some of the helmet companies in the manufacturer’s consortium to make the needed changes. For 6D this was not as hard as we have already completed the work and only needed to raise the impact velocities for our testing parameters… and spend a lot of money in doing so to meet the new standard.’

FEATURE us reduce rotational energy (angular velocity) and rotational forces (from angular acceleration) during impact. We have invested in state of the art equipment to help us develop and improve our technology and our latest helmet rig allows us to evaluate linear and rotational impacts at both repetitive load speeds as well as high speed impacts and is the same specification used by the FIM for their new Racing Homologation Programme for helmets.”

The most recent addition to this new sphere of the market was Fly Racing who raised eyebrows with their ‘Formula’ helmet and the Adaptive Impact System formed from energy cells made by Rheon (an ‘active’ strain-rate sensitive material that dissipates energy) and the Conehead liner formation. Fly are perhaps more renowned for their wide catalogue of motorcycling wares and poplar off-road gear lines but Creative Director and a lead figure on

and years of studying motorcycle crashes for their neck brace research allows some special understanding when it comes to their work on helmets.

“The ‘best practices’ test methodology on rotational acceleration is still a work in progress and there is a healthy debate on this matter within the helmet community and FIM,” he says. “We believe that test standards should be revised to include rotational type testing, as well as other test methods that would help evaluate the helmet’s ability to mitigate the chance of concussion or serious head / brain injuries.”

“The need to mitigate the risk of concussion or more serious head/brain injuries remains a high priority for Leatt,” he adds. “As cost is not LEATT’s main USP, we are able to constantly evaluate different technologies to help

“We have aligned with Dr. Dan Plant and his London based team, Rheon Labs, which are leading the study and development space of impact and rotational materials,” he explains.

“We are in the best position we have ever been to effect change in helmet safety. Today, we build the best helmet you can buy for motocross with real and fair benchmark test data available for the world to dig in in and learn all about it. The investment to realize all this was for sure a high cost, in fact the Formula helmet was the most expensive product FLY Racing has ever developed. For test comparisons, we invested in over $30,000 worth of competitor benchmark helmets alone. Our team spent 3 years heavily focused on the project.’

After their renewed dive bomb into the helmet segment Lathrop says that protective capabilities are now priority number one. ‘Most of the helmet developers I have talked with agree that it is time for the helmet standards to implement a rotational impact criterion. For that we are happy to see this type of standard moving forward. As with any safety test methodology, implementation is time consuming and requires a high level of scrutiny and review.’

Alpinestars entered the helmet fray after almost half a decade of refining their SM-8 and SM-10. Safety, characteristically, was at the top of the design brief. “Alpinestars has approached the development of helmet technology in the same way as all other market leading innovations it has brought to the motorcycling and motorsports world over the last 55 years,” the firm said to us of the models that boast

MIPS and a number of other features, in particular rigid shell construction. “In the case of the Supertech range of motocross helmets, this has meant four years of focused endeavour before the helmet appeared at Round 1 of the AMA Supercross series in 2018.”

The Italians did admit however that the strides of their newfound helmet peers were not an instigating factor. “The criteria that Alpinestars set for its Supertech helmets are defined by its own long-held beliefs about the needs of riding motorcycles to the limit and the key features that make riding the great experience that riders seek when getting out on their bikes. These criteria are not influenced by other manufacturers products or trends in the market but are shaped by the vision that Alpinestars Product Development Department has for the evolving needs of riders. Homologation standards are an important component in giving a baseline guide for performance but do not define the ultimate product performance or benefits.”

Unfortunately past experience in trying to contact Bell’s marketing team have proven fruitless, so their fascintating Flex technology (which 6D concede holds decent merit) remains on the periphery of this story.

Two of the most recognisable helmet names, Arai and Shoei, felt unwilling or unprepared to vocalise on FRHPhe, which could be expected if the companies are in the throes of testing their own new theories due for release soon (or they may be frantically trying to modernise).

‘The Arai team is in the process of crafting a statement regarding the FIM and the Racing Homologation Program,’ was one response, while Shoei would simply state: ‘We, SHOEI, are not in a position to comment on the homologation. We are developing and manufacturing our products which are complied with the required homologation.’

FRHPhe & THE FUTURE OF LIDS

the Formula, Jerry Lathrop, emphasises that “FLY Racing has been specializing in helmets and safety gear development for over 20 years.

As a gear brand, it is common that our expertise in helmets is a bit overlooked, but it is a very big part of what we do at our headquarters in Boise, Idaho.”

FEATURE “The process of implementing the standard has been long and sometimes tough,” admits Manfredi. “Nevertheless the more motivated manufacturers drove the others and everybody is now on the same page. Today, the FIM Helmet Standard is considered worldwide as very advanced and many other standards, institutions, etc. are adopting or adapting the key aspects of it. The FIM Helmet Standard has a solid scientific basis and has been presented, discussed and approved in the most important forums and events, with the biggest worldwide experts in helmet testing and in head injury biomechanics.”

“OF COURSE FRHPHE ONLY CARRIES RAMIFICATIONS FOR COMPANIES THAT USE RACING AS AN R&D TEST BED. COUNTLESS OTHER HELMETS PASS THE INTERNATIONAL TESTS AND NEVER SEE THE EXPANSES OF A RACETRACK. THIS DOES NOT STOP THE FIM BELIEVING THAT IT COULD BE A WATERMARK...”

The FIM are conscious that any guideline with such wide-ranging influence has to be watertight and pay total due diligence to an industry that invests millions and millions in R&D and production. Their dependence and trust on existing research and the scientific findings is illustrated by the (so far) ‘cool’ approach to something like neck protection: a device and theory that has seen a number of firms investigate and ultimately manufacture since Leatt presented their case in the middle of the last decade. “The FIM has so far quite neutral

(neither recommending them/making them mandatory, nor banning their use),” says Manfredi on the subject of neck braces. “This is due to divergent opinions in the medical and scientific community. So for the moment these are not included in the FRHP and more research is needed going forward.”

‘We are in constant communication with them to ensure that we stay on top of this possible new standard development for the off-road market,’ says Chris Leatt on the subject of FRHPhe. “There are also several other working groups, linked to regulating bodies and organizations (involved with helmet test standards), that are actively discussing the effects of rotational impacts and ways to incorporate them into existing helmet standards.

At Leatt Corporation we are constantly innovating and looking at new ways, be it new materials, clever application of existing materials or smart designs, to try and improve the impact protection levels for all the helmets in our product line.”

“The FIM Helmet Standard criteria and thresholds are based on data and findings drawn from internationally recognised scientific publications and works,” Manfredi further justifies. “These references were taken into account in order to select suitable injury criteria and limits related to determined and quantified injury risks.”

But the very nature of a motorcycle crash involves a dizzying array of possibilities and scenarios and that feeds into the complexity of the trials. It is far from simple. “The testing method that is being used, and the testing apparatus for the rotational testing, may require a new approach in the future to help eliminate

FRHPhe & THE FUTURE OF LIDS

the inherent variables that are present during rotational testing,” says Weber.

“These are due to complicated physics issues that have been studied for many years, and argued from many different groups of people and universities, and need to be developed further to allow for more repeatable test data outcomes by different testing labs. In addition, the injury metrics that are to be used are still in a state of debate from industry experts in the field of biomechanics, the equations used and the weighting as to what is most important for protection. With all this, the FIM has had a tough job in getting the first rotational test standard up and running that the industry helmets can be compared to as a starting point.’

Of course FRHPhe only carries ramifications for companies that showcase and use racing as a research and development test bed. Countless other helmets pass the international tests (DOT, Snell and ECE) for the safety sticker and never see the expanses of a racetrack. This does not stop the FIM believing that FRHPhe could be a watermark. Manfredi: “As the latest state of art methods of testing (such as the innovative oblique test, and linear tests at higher and lower speeds) were included in the Standard, the FIM is hopeful that the Standard will serve as an inspiration for and cascade to international standards for road use.

This would be confirmation that we have done a good job and we would be very happy to see safety on the road benefit from our work.”

‘As the leading authoritative body within the motorcycle industry, the FIM has taken a proactive and bold stance to be the first to say we can demand more safety for the riders, and not leave it entirely up to the governments of the world,’ says

Weber. ‘It is not easy to get an industry to change its methods and there is an associative cost to not only the manufacturers, but also to the consumers as a whole, and the FIM has tried hard to understand these issues with a balanced approach over an iron fist.’

‘While the FIM has a good start, one of the dangers is that the FRHPhe does not get the needed consumer attention and support, and starts to become less of a concern and the future advancements for more stringent requirements are implemented,” Weber adds. “It will take a lot of ongoing effort and expense for the industry to continue to push the safety requirements to new levels, and as helmet manufacturers

FEATURE

Alpinestars, a brand that bases so much of their product development in their comprehensive racing programme, sees the immediate correlation value of FRHPhe. “Racing offers the most demanding test environment for new product technology and also gives the strongest possible assurance of protection standards,” they said to us. “Top level racing is uniquely demanding and not only are minimum safety standards a vital development for rider well-being but also provide a visible and formally established protocol that ensures all equipment being brought to racing is produced to a suitably high standard. These standards, by extension, provide a directly relevant homologation requirement for customers using the technology for their own leisure riding and racing.’

Thanks to FRHPhe racers will soon not have much of a choice but Fly are quick to point out for all the stress and toil towards improvement consumers will make their own minds up about what degree of protection they will prefer. Much in the same way how some people will ride motorcycles wearing shorts and trainers instead of leather trousers and reinforced boots and how some bikers around the world still don’t advocate the use of crash helmets at all. ‘I think there are all levels of need out there,’ says Lathrop. ‘Not everyone can afford the latest technology, nor does everyone follow these technologies. For that reason, some price point products should exist so all can afford to protect themselves. Today’s standards such as DOT and ECE serve a huge role in saving lives every day.’

Leatt says his peers should not cower from what the FIM are proposing and pushing. “As long as the standards are well conceived and applied, no manufacturer should balk at meeting them. Customers demand cool helmets that are protective, manufacturers have an ethical obligation to produce the safest helmets practicable.”

FRHPhe is here to stay and the influence in MotoGP and circuit racing has caused consternation with a delay from February 2019 (and the start of the season) until June 2019 for the enforcement of the homologated models with just AGV, Bell, HJC, Kabuto, X-Lite Nolan, Shark and Shoei’s X-Fourteen receiving the blue stamp so far. Companies that did not submit their lids for laboratory testing before the end of February could miss the test and approval window for ’19. From the start of 2020 FRHPhe homologation will be mandatory.

Elsewhere airbags are now obligatory in MotoGP and it seems with each passing season the FIM are including more and more safety measures into their disciplines; MXGP will soon enforce goggle use on track.

FRHP is the vanguard for more development work that won’t only involve helmets. “The FIM Racing Homologation Programme has been established with this very purpose in mind: a framework to grant special recognition to all products related to safety and as a requirement for FIM competitions,” offers Manfredi.

“The main aim of this Programme is to meet the need for an advanced evaluation of the safety performance of different kind of products: among the items under the recent spotlight are off-road helmets, racetrack paints and protective barriers for tracks. There is a lot of work to do with a twofold objective: safe venues and safety for riders.”

FRHPhe & THE FUTURE OF LIDS

we need to be pushing side by side with the FIM to meet these new requirements as they are defined. ‘

PRODUCTS

fly racing Five very inviting new colourways of Fly Racing’s Kinetic Mesh racewear for their ‘19.5’ release.

The company have the catchy ‘Flow air/Filter dirt’ tag for the gear that can easily be spotted on the forms of Blake Baggett and Zach Osborne in AMA Supercross. Fly highlight the benefits as: ‘utilizing ventilated dual-mesh construction coupled with dynamic multi-directional stretch-rib paneling for flexibility and a ratcheting closure system on the pants for a secure fit, Kinetic Mesh is meticulously tested and researched for maximum rider comfort.’

The garments come in standard fit, which is important for riders not over-enthusiastic about some of the tight ‘performance’ kit doing the rounds of the shelves and hangers. The pants are resistant due to the Dupont stitched Kevlar leather heat shield knee panels and 900 denier material.

All-in-all Kinetic Mesh is a serious and reasonably priced option for your next gear purchase.

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Blog by Steve Matt

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VIVRE

thes, Photos by James Lissimore

SEATTLE

CENTURY LINK FIELD · MARCH 23 · Rnd 12 of 17 450SX winner: Marvin Musquin, KTM 250SX winner: Dylan Ferrandis, Yamaha

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THE RIGHT TIME? When it’s your year, it’s your year. I’ve been saying that for a while when it comes to Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb and his improbable run to this 450SX championship.

Case in point this past weekend in Seattle, Webb didn’t look like his usual self all day, the big whoops seemingly able to get the better of him. In the main event he rode in fourth for most of the race and although he was catching Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac for the last spot on the podium, in the end he couldn’t do it and lost seven points to the suddenly hot Marvin Musquin.

The points spread was gonna be down to seven with five rounds left.

But after the race Musquin was docked seven points for jumping on a Red Cross flag (for the downed Justin Brayton and Chad Reed, both riders look to be out a while unfortunately) and although he gets to keep the win, Marv loses those points and the purse money. You may remember a similar penalty being applied to GEICO Honda’s Jeremy Martin last year when he won Indianapolis.

It’s a newer rule, one that doesn’t take a win away from a rider but does incur a penalty. For this situation, it was the right thing to do, Musquin needed to be penalized but it was only a few seconds of a twenty minute race, in the past riders have had all their hard work taken away for something that’s been pretty miniscule.

But back to Webb, after the penalty was applied, Webb and Musquin scored the same amount of points and voila, the fourteen point advantage is back for Coop with five rounds remaining. It just feels like things are going the way for the #2 on the KTM right?

For Musquin though that’s two wins in a row after going winless all season long. He’s been on fire lately and truthfully should have more than just the two victories but couldn’t quite get it all together. Generally his successes have come in the second half of the season so look for him to

keep this roll going. Will it be enough to catch and pass his upstart teammate? Stay tuned and I think before this thing is all said and done, there will be some friction between them.

Ken Roczen admitted in the team PR last week that he can’t quite figure out what’s been going on with him lately as he’s lacked energy and fire that he normally has. I’d agree with him based on the fact that he went four weeks without a podium. In Seattle, he was very good all day long and scored a runner-up finish. He’s in California this week at the Red Bull facility getting some blood work done to try and figure out what exactly has been going on but there’s some hope based on his Seattle ride. He got close to Musquin at times but couldn’t make anything happen but it was the best #94 we’ve seen for a month.

By Steve Matthes

Tomac finished a quiet third, he didn’t get the start he needed and spent some time working through some good riders to get that third. He was charging hard and was the fastest man on the track about four to five laps into the main. He rode amazing in Seattle last year to win so one would think his charge might’ve carried him past the top two rides. But then something…happened. He lost his speed and lost touch with the top two pretty badly. In fact, if there was one more lap in the race he would’ve had a big problem on his hands with Webb. It was another performance that left you scratching your head a bit and both Tomac and Roczen sit third and fourth in the series standings. Definitely not something we expected to see at this point.

Rockstar Husqvarna’s Dean Wilson is having a real solid season.

Considering he started the year without a ride, the adaptation to a factory saddle with Jason Anderson’s injury has been pretty smooth. Two weeks ago Wilson won a heat race for the first time this year, in Seattle he qualified

fastest. Baby steps indeed for the oft-injured rider that’s looking to score a second career 450SX podium one of these weeks.

“I feel like my riding has been really good the past four to five weeks. I’m always real close in timed qualifying,” Wilson told me this week. “My speed is good.

Heat races are getting pretty good. I’m in the battle. Starts are pretty good. Today main event was a lot better. I was probably sixth off the start and then was just kind of in a battle, rolling some stuff because we’re stuffing each other. The guys got away.”

In the 250SX class, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo protected his points lead with a second place behind Monster Star Yamaha’s Dylan Ferrandis. With three races remaining, the lead for Cianciarulo stands at 13 over the Frenchman and those two are emerging as the top two guys after the start of the season saw Ferrandis teammate Colt Nichols and TLD KTM’s Shane McElrath take turns battling for wins.

Nichols has had some crashing issues lately and McElrath has a back injury that knocked him out of Seattle and most likely out of the next two races also. The fact that McElrath was set to point out of the 250SX class and this back injury flared up is, I’m sure, entirely coincidental.

Anyways, Ferrandis’s win was impressive, he held off a charging Kawasaki for most of the main event and lappers proved to be an issue throughout. The win was the first in 250SX for Ferrandis and completes his decision to come over here as a good one. He’s won 250MX races and has now completed everything. He’ll go into 2020 as a 250SX favorite. The oft-injured rider, going back to his GP days, seems to have figured things out and although there are still some sketchy moments, Ferrandis has adapted rather well to the USA style of racing, helped by his coach David Vuillemin, who knows a thing or two about winning over here as a Frenchman.

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“Honestly, this ride gives me confidence, too. He’s (Ferrandis) always coming from the back and he’s always got speed and whatever. When I was behind him, I felt like I had him,” Cianciarulo told me after the race. “I just didn’t pull the trigger, and that’s on me. He was the better guy tonight. But I got plenty of confidence. I’m good.”

Still, it feels like Cianciarulo’s time to finally capture a championship that’s eluded him so far as injuries have struck more than a few times. With an eye to jumping up to 450’s next year, the kid’s last chance looks to be 2019. He’s as fast as ever and seems to have everything figured out. It ain’t over by any means but the once Golden Child is making good on his incredible promise.

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The range has been expanded by the Hakan that ‘offers the protection of a high wrap sports frame with equal parts day in and day out performance’.

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SBK BLOG

HERE, THERE AND...

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The WorldSBK Championship has a little bit of a break whilst all the freight returns from the far east and before the first European round at Motorland Aragon in a couple of weeks. My focus has changed in that time to MXGP. The plan for 2019 is to attend a limited number of events and help manage the photography service for one of the main manufacturers in the championship. The past weekend was my first event at Matterley Basin in the UK. It was a challenge changing the focus from road circuit to MX both in terms of the action and the set up of the race track and paddock.

I did bump into a couple of familiar faces on Sunday though, in the shape of Alex Lowes and Paul Denning from the Pata Yamaha WorldSBK team. Alex was in good spirits and had had time to reflect on the previous weekend in Thailand. It’s a track he has gone well at before, scoring his first WorldSBK podium there, and last time out he felt he was becoming a serious challenger…to Jonathan Rea at least. I had actually spoken to Jonathan the day before and they both commented that Bautista and the Ducati Pani-

gale V4R are just on another level at the moment. However, something that Alex pointed out was that both Chaz Davies and Eugene Laverty didn’t seem to have the same speed as the Spaniard.

Personally I am not convinced that Davies is 100% fit but no mention has been made of it since the tests in Jerez and Portimao. At that time he was suffering from a recurring back problem that they thought was a throwback to the accident he had with Rea in Misano in 2017. I may be offering an excuse for Chaz but the old adage is certainly true that you don’t become a bad rider overnight.

We will find out in a couple of weeks as he and Bautista have been testing in Aragon in the last few days.

The significance of that is two fold: the Motorland track is a favourite of Davies. If he and the team have found a breakthrough in set up then the extra time in Spain will

give them a chance to confirm that before FP1 two weeks on Friday.

The other significant point is - as I said last time - Ducati are throwing everything at their attempt to win the championship. To have the budget to rent the track and have a complete set of bikes to test, whilst the other race bikes are still on the way back from Thailand, is tantamount to the level of effort they are putting in.

Reflecting on the past month I think we may just be at a juncture in bike development where Ducati have raised the bar. Paul Denning responded to an article shared on Twitter at the weekend that the bike they race uses the base R1 road model as the starting point. The R1-M on the other hand is a specifically race derived road bike but in any event that the performance difference between a 15k and a 40k road bike would be huge without some form of tuning.

By Graeme Brown

I also read this week that Yamaha have applied for various patents for their reverse rotation crankshaft and variable valve timing for their engines, technologies widely used in MotoGP. The article went on to say that Honda and possibly Kawasaki were going down the VVT engine route as well for new 1000cc road machines expected in the next year or so. Most manufacturers are coming to the end of their current model cycles and all will have to update their existing bikes to comply with the upcoming Euro5 emission regulations in 2020. It is widely accepted that VVT is the best way to retain the high power output needed to counteract the losses incurred by complying with the emission regulations. In race terms we may be on the cusp of another performance revolution.

Ducati and BMW have played their cards first. It could mean that Ducati steal a march on this year’s WorldSBK title but if Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha bring new models to the market for 2020, WorldSBK could be in for exciting times.

It was interesting on Sunday that Alex also picked up on something that I had noticed in the dynamic of

the MXGP event and the difference to WorldSBK. There were a lot more families, in particular young children, at the motocross. My experience of road racing events is that there is predominantly a middle aged male demographic but there was a completely different feel to the paddock in MX. For one it is also a lot more compact. You have to, and can relatively easily, walk everywhere. The start line, the paddock and the trade stands were all cheek by jowl. At a road race circuit I wouldn’t be able to my job to the level I do without a paddock scooter and the facilities for the fans are much more spread out.

In terms of manufacturers marketing it would also seem that the way to attract the next generations to the world of motorbikes would be through the off-road market. This is easily done in a country like the US where there are thousands of square miles of open space and places to go riding off road are easily found. In Europe and especially in the UK, there is a constant conflict between land owners, residential areas and off road riding. I saw a fair few electric trials bikes on the weekend and that may be

the future. It also reminded me of a little lad that lives at the end of my street who has a Yamaha PW50. He has the full gear as well and rides along side his dad, down the lane at the back of our houses, whilst they are walking the dog. A little twist of the throttle and off he goes, waits for dad and the dog to catch up and Braaap, off he goes again.

I love it but I can imagine some of my neighbours getting a bit antsy when he is a teenager and starts pulling wheelies up the street. With electric bikes we could get more kids on bikes and have less of the perceived nuisance value.

It’s a bit of an intense period of work for me with four races on the bounce. This week I am off to Valkenswaard in the Netherlands for MXGP before heading straight to Spain for WorldSBK at Motorland Aragon. This is also when we have the only back to back races in WorldSBK, where we go direct from Motorland to Assen. After that, I may be at the MotoGP race in Jerez, but that’s still under negotiation. At this rate I will be pinching a battery from one of those little trials bikes and plugging myself in.

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THE CRUCIAL DIFFERENCE...

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How do you know when it’s the rider who is making is the difference and when it’s the bike?

It always amazes me how many people profess to being able to recognise this subtle nuance of elite level motorcycle racing, based purely on how fast the whole package goes in a straight line.

To my memory at least, nobody had even mentioned the superior potential of the Ducati during preseason, free practice or qualifying, until the end of that first lap when Rossi’s M1 got blown into the sand.

Back at the opening round of the 2007 MotoGP World Championship in Qatar, Casey Stoner stunned the world with his debut victory for Ducati, muscling the notorious Desmosedici around 80% of the circuit well enough to stay on the back wheel of Valentino Rossi’s Yamaha and make use of his bike’s 12km/h top speed advantage over the M1 on the straight – pretty much the only place on the whole track where he could dare to venture a pass.

The advantage of the Yamaha at Losail – presumably – was its famously sweet handling through the fast, flowing sections of the track.

But since the vast majority of us are generally not qualified to see such subtleties in the way a MotoGP bike is behaving via our television sets, we tend to forget that they are happening. As such, at the time, Stoner wasn’t given credit for how he actually had to ride the thing to stay in touch.

‘Ducati power!’ screamed the commentators. ‘Not fair!’ cried Rossi’s partisan fan base. None of them could fathom how else this surly young Australian upstart might be able to usurp the Greatest Of All Time under the setting desert sun, if not for his clear straight-line edge.

We know now, of course, that in the hands of any other rider an infinite amount of horsepower would not have been enough to balance out the shortcomings of a whole generation of Desmosedicis (incidentally Alex Barros, Loris Capirossi and Alex Hofmann – all on the same bike - posted higher top speeds

than Stoner during that Qatar race in 2007).

The Australian, it later became apparent, was in fact a genius. Over time, with the benefit of hindsight, even his erratic performances on the LCR Honda in 2006 became generally and rightfully regarded as flashes of brilliance amidst a brutal first season at the top table of MotoGP, where Valentino always got his dinner first.

Eventually, even the staunchest Stoner critic would be forced to concede that the only advantage the Desmosedici ever really had over the other bikes out there was the soft, fleshy bit sat on top.

The reason I bring this up, as you might have guessed, is that the start of the 2019 World Superbike Championship has echoes of those early 800cc Stoner-Ducati days over a decade ago. Once again, Ducati have conjured up a brandnew bike with some serious grunt and once again they have a rider

By Matthew Roberts

capable of taking full advantage.

Yet, once again, it seems to be the bike that is taking most of the credit.

The vagaries of the WSBK ‘balancing rules’ may soon see Alvaro Bautista penalised for his utter domination of the championship so far on the undeniably irresistible Ducati V4 Panigale. And, from a neutral perspective with a vested interest in the closest possible racing, you won’t hear me complain about that.

There are mitigating reasons why the other Ducatis haven’t been anywhere near as competitive yet: Chaz Davies’ injury-hit preseason, Michael Ruben Rinaldi’s lack of experience and Eugene Laverty’s early struggles with the obvious limitations of a customer team. When these issues get ironed out, we may well see another V4 running away with Bautista at the front.

But until that happens, I don’t care who you are how or much you know about motorcycle racing, it is impossible to suggest that the Spaniard has an unfair advantage underneath him.

Up to now, all you can say for sure is that Bautista has demonstrated his quality, experience and incredible physical conditioning to help make the difference over a hugely competitive rival in Jonathan Rea and the Kawasaki. The way he has clicked with the new Panigale and the Pirelli tyres is another throwback to Stoner’s immediate affinity with the Desmosedici and the Bridgestones.

Whether Bautista can maintain that for a whole season is a different matter. With a new bike there will always be new developments to try, some of which won’t work, and we have yet to see how the whole package adapts to new circuits and a range of conditions. We also have yet to see Kawasaki and Rea’s response.

Bautista too has questions to answer. When things don’t go his way, will he still be quick enough to take a second place? Will any amount of top speed help him when he can’t find a setting on a cold, damp Saturday morning at Magny Cours?

For now, to the naked eye it might look like World Superbikes and in particular Jonathan Rea has an immediate problem with the Ducati’s top speed. But, as always with racing at this level, the reality is much subtler than that.

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MOTOGP BLOG

THE WAY TO WIN...

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Did Andrea Dovizioso win the opening race of the 2019 MotoGP season at Qatar? By the time you read this, we might know.

He certainly crossed the line ahead of Marc Márquez. But his fate is to be decided by the MotoGP Court of Appeal in Switzerland, who heard the protest entered by Aprilia, Honda, KTM, and Suzuki against Ducati’s use of the aerodynamic spoiler attached to the swing arm of the GP19.

The question the Court will have to address is whether Ducati’s spoiler is legal. And here’s where it all gets horribly difficult. The official FIM rules for MotoGP only discuss aerodynamics in terms of the fairing and the mudguard.

So naturally, engineers seized upon the loophole left by the rule makers’ lack of imagination, and started attaching aerodynamic components to the places the rules didn’t mention. In Ducati’s case, the bottom of the swing arm, inspired in part by Yamaha’s rain deflector fitted in the same place last year.

Judged solely by the rulebook, Ducati’s parts are legal. But there is more to it than just the rulebook. MotoGP Technical Director Danny Aldridge also issued a series of additional guidelines for factories to use. Part of those guidelines stated that spoilers attached to swing arms were legal, but only if they were used to deflect water or debris from the rear tyre, or for cooling. Any device whose purpose is to generate downforce is explicitly banned.

This is where the dispute ultimately arises. Ducati says its spoiler helps to cool the rear tyre.

Aprilia, who had a similar device rejected in February, says Ducati’s device must generate downforce based on the computer simulations they did for their own spoiler. The decision to ban Aprilia’s spoiler, but allow Ducati’s, led Aprilia to protest.

I know just enough about aerodynamics to realise that I know absolutely nothing, so I won’t attempt to pass judgement on the legality of Ducati’s spoiler. But it has been clear for some time that the Pandora’s box of aerodynamics has been irrevocably opened, and there is no going back. When Dorna’s spec ECU restricted antiwheelie, Ducati reached for wings to keep the front wheel down, and the other factories quickly followed. The knowledge gained from those wings opened up new and unexpected areas to explore, and so here we are.

The biggest problem is that aerodynamics is a bottomless pit in terms of cost. The more money you throw at it, the more returns you see, though the marginal gains keep declining. But when Andrea Dovizioso beats Marc Márquez by just 0.023 seconds after 42 minutes of racing, even the smallest gains are worth the cost.

By David Emmett

“When you are competing at this level, and you are competing against Honda, and against Márquez, who as we know is an exceptional rider, every fraction of a hundredth of a second counts,” Ducati’s Sporting Director Paolo Ciabatti told me after the race.

“So if we have something that is legal, and we think it gives a fraction of a millisecond advantage to Andrea on saving the tyre for the last part of the race, why not?”

For Aprilia, the lack of clarity in the regulations makes the situation much worse. Massimo Rivola, Aprilia Racing CEO, and who came to Aprilia from Ferrari in F1, said it was not their objective to have the result of the race changed, but if costs are to be contained then the rules have to be made much clearer. “From my experience in Formula 1, if we decide to go to the aerodynamic field, it will cost a fortune to everybody. Probably for a very little gain, especially in the areas which are now free. And it is very difficult to police. So, you spend a lot of money, and the federation cannot control the rules.

I expect that everybody understands that there is a need for some clarification.”

The biggest problem for MotoGP is that aerodynamics is a new frontier, and has consequently become another Wild West. Factory engineers pore over each new rule looking for what is not mentioned, and take that absence as permission to explore what is possible.

Scrutineers lack the expertise to tell when engineers are barely toeing the line, and when they are pushing their luck. That is hardly surprising: aerodynamics is a vast and complex field, and not something you can catch up with in the space of a few months.

Consequently, we are likely to be stuck with the controversy for some time to come. MotoGP needs expert help, both in understanding the problem and drawing up a process to deal with it. In the meantime, the factories will have to find a way to live with the results of races, and not protest at every turn. It’s going to be an interesting year.

PRODUCTS

husqvarna Another highlight of the new Husqvarna clothing range and the brand’s link with the Dutch firm REV’IT. The Pilen Pants from Husky’s Street collection feature level 1 CE certified protection, triple seams, a comfort seat with regular fit, COOLMAX for moisture wicking control and other small elements like reflective detailing and a front zipper with a cover. The jacket compliment (‘Pilen Jacket’) looks pretty damn cool and works that way as well with a removable thermal liner meaning it can still be used in chilly spring conditions. There is ‘safety stitching’ and CE certified protection in the shoulder, elbows and back.

www.husqvarnamotorcycles.com

There are ample pockets and storage provisions and other notable specs such as laminated reflectors, a detachable hood and an adjustable waist tab. The Pilen gloves are short cuff with a sporty fit, fully perforated panels and are made from: 39% drum dyed goatskin, 28% goat nappa, 17% polyurethane, 10% polyester, 6% cow nappa. As with every piece of the Pilen collection the styling is very much on-point and elegant. Bell’s Eliminator (made exclusively for Husqvarna with a fibreglass shell, countersunk EPS loudspeaker pockets, a Provision anti-fog visor and washable lining) helmet completes the overall look.

THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN

By Adam Wheeler, Photos by CormacGP

TALKING WITH MARC MARQUEZ’S GARAGE ORCHESTRATOR SANTI HERNANDEZ

FEATURE

F

ifteen-odd minutes with Marc Marquez’s Repsol Honda Crew Chief Santi Hernandez is a privilege but nowhere near enough time to unravel some deep insight about the marvel hero of MotoGP. It is tempting to quiz the friendly bearded technician about the incessant plight to refine the RCV racebike to permit the world champion to perform his acrobatics, the continual reparation of the 93 machine with Marquez’s hefty crash tally or concern over

how much more punishment the Catalan’s body can take after a winter dominated by injury recovery.

Instead we want to ask more about Hernandez and his roots in the sport and how his story has become intertwined with his 26 year old racer’s, now that they have only missed a title twice in the nine years they have worked together.

Hernandez is one of the key figures in a consistent crew of eight people for Marquez.

There are also four mechanics, a Chief Mechanic, Electronics engineer and Data engineer.

Half of the group are based in Barcelona, others from German, Italy and Japan. Marquez himself does not have a big entourage: just his father Julià, trainer/coach Jose Luis and manager Emilio Alzamora.

Hernandez conducts most from the hot seat next to Marquez in the #93 pitbox.

You started at Showa…

Yes, in 1996 and I started to learn as a technician. I was working with Juan Martinez and Antonio Gimenez and every year progressed up until Alberto [Puig] created a team for the world championship around Bradley Smith when he came out of the Spanish Championship. We were in the 125s and that was my first taste of being a crew chief.

“WHEN YOU ARE TAKING A BIKE TO 350KMPH YOU NEED TO BELIEVE IN THE PEOPLE THAT ARE TOUCHING THE MACHINE YOU ARE RIDING. SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT GOOD RELATIONSHIP BUT NOT EVERY RIDER NEEDS IT...”

So that was quite a change of roles: more hands-on with people and moving away from the bike?

Yes. Just before the arrival of more electronics around the two-strokes and the introduction of the four-strokes things like the chassis and suspension were more important: or at least it was the area where you could ‘play’ with them

more. The electronics were not developed like they are now and you could manage many things. There was more emphasis on the chassis for change and it was important to have that knowledge. It was a great experience to work in Showa because you learned a lot about the bike but also, in the paddock, you are dealing with many chief mechanics and you can see and take-on many things to increase your understanding. At Showa I only had to care about suspension but the job of Chief Mechanic involve much more.

It was a great opportunity. The transition? It did not feel like ‘night and day’ because I was already in that race environment but the electronics really gained much more value: so much on the bike can be managed by it. [thinks] The group is bigger. You have more engineers and specialists looking after different areas and with a lot of knowledge. Now the job now is about hearing from the rider, and managing the opinions of everybody to try to understand where we can find the problem and what we can touch to solve it.

Obviously you need some good people skills and the ability to motivate a group…

This is something I like. I follow football and I’m curious about how coaches manage the group. In a football team you have twenty-two players

THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN: SANTI HERNANDEZ

Despite offering to do the interview in Spanish, Santi’s English is impressive and the enthusiasm is warm. The guy looks intense but, like Marquez himself, looks like he can switch between joviality and determination in an instant…

FEATURE and it is not easy to handle all of that. I like to see how people do it and I think there are parts of the job that are the same here except that you only have one ‘player’ and that’s the rider but there are many other parts to the team.

It’s not easy to manage characters and opinions and each member of the team has one, and they might believe their opinion is the best. So you need to be able to understand and work like a group, a team.

You also have to know that it’s not always possible to say ‘I’m right and this is what we’ll do…’ You have to listen to everybody and I learned that from Jeremy Burgess. He said to me ‘to learn you have to listen…’ if you just talk, talk, talk

then you will gain nothing. So you have to take the positives from everything and everyone around you and decide what is the best option.

That must require a lot of patience…

Yes, you have to be openminded. It’s like the rider: if you want to improve and learn then you need to have that open approach and be ready to listen. Of course it is not easy, and to get what you need from the group then you need to create a nice dynamic, which can be tough. I started the job when I was young and without much experience and it was the same when I came to MotoGP with Marc: I didn’t have any experience in the

class. If I look back then the most important thing is motivation and passion. A guy with lots of experience as a mechanic might not be able to guide a group, whereas a guy with very little experience can have the right attitude to make the job and I think that was my case. You have to enjoy what you are doing. If you are here just for the money then you will not get the right result. If you want to learn and give the maximum all the time – like the rider – then this is the way.

It’s curious that you are interested in football coaching and strategy. Are you a Guardiola/Barca fan?

THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN: SANTI HERNANDEZ XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXX

FEATURE

The football coach…it’s different. When he talks then it is like the rider talking here. The rider is the leader. It is very important that he believes and curates that group around him. I can create many things but if the rider does not follow then it is very difficult. Marc is a good leader.

You have your ‘Messi’. Now, looking back, and the story with you and Marc: could you have ever imagined that it would twist and turn and rise like it did?

It’s pretty cool. I never spoke to Marc before starting to work with him in 2011 in Moto2. But I was surprised at the first test in Jerez how such a young rider could stop and explain to me what was going on with the bike. He had zero experience with a four-stroke and a Moto2 bike. I’d worked and spoken with lot of riders but his comments were amazing. I didn’t expect that.

It would be easy for me to say now ‘oh, back then I saw he would do so much…’ but honestly, at that time, I had no idea how much he would win or achieve. But I did think he was someone special compared to the others. It was a big responsibility for me. The same if you are with a talent like Messi. You can help them

to get better and better and to win more and more but you can also cause the journey to go the other way. It depends on how you do it. It was a big challenge.

How has the relationship developed?

We’re friends and that’s the feeling through the team but we have always kept the same way to work: when practice starts we ‘close the door’ and make it totally professional.

Why? Because he needs to be totally honest with me and I with him. If you put the friendship first then sometimes you cannot say what you think.

We both speak clearly but we have a good relationship; and that is something you need to work towards. For me the most important time is when we are in the garage. He is very professional and pushing quite a lot. He gives 100% all the time and we need to do the same. He wouldn’t be happy otherwise.

Rea/Riba, Dungey/De Coster, Cairoli/De Carli: several of the great champions have that team or double-act link.

So it must be crucial…

Of course. When you are taking a bike to 350kmph you need to believe in the people that are touching the machine

you are riding. So it is important to have that good relationship but not every rider needs it. It depends on their character. Maybe Marc needs it but if you took another rider with great potential also and did the same thing then it would not work. You should not copy. You need to find what you need.

The way Marc has ridden the Honda. Has the work been easier/harder? How do you begin and how do you find a new level?

Every year is more difficult.

It is like football again: when you win the title every year then you have to go through a process of forgetting what you did in the past. If you end up being second or third in the world then this wasn’t the target: this is why it becomes more difficult. The success gives me motivation because we are living something that not many can. We must enjoy what we have because it is maybe one opportunity in life and you have to take it to the maximum. I’m with the best team and the best rider and we are getting good results.

Even though it is difficult I am in a position where I cannot give up and have to push and push more.

THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN: SANTI HERNANDEZ

MOTOGP BLOG

PICKING UP THE PIECES

More than Europe’s largest MC store

For a country that can boast a landscape as stunning as Patagonia and cities as rich in history, culture and zest as Buenos Aires, the Province of Santiago del Estero where one can find Termas de Rio Hondo is surprisingly unremarkable. Well, unremarkable by Argentinean standards anyway.

The flat, green fields and quiet, dusty towns that mark the region are a far cry from the scenery that adorns the country’s tourist board campaigns. Just as well for the area, then, its local racetrack ticks all the boxes.

qualifying – set using slick tyres on a wet-but-drying track – to the subsequent furore that surrounded the grid formation, the spectacle was only getting started when 23 riders set off toward turn one five rows behind the Australian.

Even by MotoGP’s recent theatrics, last year’s 24-lap contest in Argentina still stands out. The record for closest top tens and top 15s have repeatedly fallen over the past 24 months, and multirider freight trains have become a common sight, but the sheer volume of mouth-gaping drama on show during the 2018 event went way-beyond the 40 minutes and 36 seconds of race time.

Such was the commotion behind the lead group of four, Cal Crutchlow’s victory – the 750th for a Honda rider across all class - over an unlikely trio of riders including Johann Zarco, Alex Rins and Miller had to take an undeserved backseat in the weeks that followed. Marc Marquez’s on-thelimit display was something to behold; a last-to-fifth sweep through the field that left a string of scuffed leather in his wake but showed that even the very best can occasionally lose their heads.

To see him getting affronted by a hoard of Valentino Rossi fans in

As trite as it sounds, last year’s event really did have it all. From the downright daring of Jack Miller’s pole position lap in

the paddock before father Julià screamed them away, led one to fear for his safety – a state that wasn’t helped by his shrugging in the face of Yamaha-led indignation later that Sunday evening.

Sepang 2015 aside (a weekend where championship pressures were approaching unbearable) has a race in the past 20 years ever enjoyed such a comprehensive fallout in the weeks that followed? Even by the end of 2018, there was tweaks and changes to the decision-making process that date back to this particular cloudy afternoon.

First, there were rightful questions aimed at Race Direction and the FIM Stewards during a race.

Marquez was not alone in feeling the brunt of ill will of his fellow riders. Danilo Petrucci came in for intense criticism from Aleix

By Neil Morrison

Espargaro after the Italian touched the Aprilia man early into the race. Johann Zarco was the subject of Dani Pedrosa’s ire after a first lap collision pushed the then Honda rider off-line, which resulted in him flying toward the clouds.

But ultimately Marquez’s antics were what caused a change.

“What else does he have to do to be black flagged? Remove the black flag from the rules, we are not using it,” said Espargaro the elder at the next race.

There were subsequently heated exchanges at the Safety Commission meeting on the Friday at the Circuit of the Americas. As a result, Dorna, and Race Direction and the FIM Stewards, vowed to penalise each on-track incident one degree harsher than before.

The results were immediate: Pol Espargaro and Marquez received grid place penalties during qualifying for round three. Scrutiny surrounding the decision making of the FIM Stewards intensified.

This in turn led to the appointment of Freddie Spencer, who now heads the Stewards Panel, an appointment that allows Race

Director Mike Webb to get on with the job of race directing.

Such was the confusion regarding the start in Argentina, as riders scampered to pit lane to change from wet to dry tyres, rules regarding such situations were soon revised and clarified. From Mugello, it was determined a rider would have to start the race from his original grip position but serve a ride-through penalty.

And while Marquez and Rossi were never going to reach the back slapping love-in levels of 2013 in the wake of their Sepang contretemps, there had definitely been a thawing in relations prior to this encounter. Before then, the pair could occasionally be seen swapping brief exchanges in press conferences. Rossi even went as far as seeking the Spaniard out for compliments in parc fermé at Phillip Island the year before.

This exchange put paid to that.

From there, relations reverted to rock bottom. Rossi’s feelings could be handily surmised by the reaction of best friend Alessio ‘Uccio’ Salucci in the Movistar Yamaha garage as Marquez approached post-race to offer an apology with

Repsol Honda team manager Alberto Puig and personal manager Emilio Alzamora in tow.

Even when he warred with Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo, Rossi didn’t reach for the extremes in his exchanges with the press as he did here. “He [Marquez] destroyed our sport,” “He doesn’t have any respect for his rivals” and “He hopes that you crash” were just a number of highlights from the verbal barrage he aimed at his great rival later that Sunday evening.

Some may argue Marquez maintained a quiet dignity in the wake of it all. But a refusal to accept his wrongs from that afternoon did little to endear him to the watching public. It wouldn’t have done him any harm to acknowledge his role in part of the chaos that had played out. Instead his reaction was a little too adamant he was not in the wrong - a rare blemish in an otherwise near-impeccable year.

PRODUCTS

scott sports One for the training/mountain bike enthusiasts this and Scott have been shouting about the new addition to their electric cycle range with the Strike eRIDE. The company outline the advantages of the model as thus: ‘With its 140mm geometry and a fully integrated Bosch drive unit, the Strike was developed to fill the gap between the Spark eRIDE and the Genius eRIDE. True to SCOTT’s approach to wheelsize versatility, the Strike eRIDE can swap between 27.5’’ and 29’’ wheels on the same frame. Thanks to its comfortable geometry and ergonomic contact points, it targets both new E-Bike enthusiasts and experimented riders looking for the best

www.scottsports.com

combination of comfort and performance.’

Drive unit covers and battery optimisation have been chiselled to target the two main areas for the Strike: comfort and performance. One modification has been to use the four bar link suspension system to create a more ‘straight up’ riding position. For more details click on any of the links here. Scott is an innovative and premium brand when it comes to their bicycles and reading-up on the Strike eRIDE allows full appreciation why.

PERFECTION BLENDED TEST

KTM PACK MORE FUN INTO ADVENTURE Words by Roland Brown, Photos by Marco Campelli & Sebas Romero

TEST

KTM 790 ADVENTURE & R

I

t’s a surreal feeling for this occasional off-road rider to be following KTM’s Dakar Rally team manager and former rider Jordi Viladoms along a bumpy Moroccan desert track at speed, kicking up clouds of dust from a spinning rear wheel, having recently ridden over a series of gleaming golden dunes. Launches of new adventure bikes don’t normally involve such spectacular views or challenging terrain.

Then again, most adventure bikes don’t arrive with the sense of purpose that surrounds the 790 Adventure and the even more dirt-friendly Adventure R that I’m aiming through this vast desert playground. A year after KTM debuted its new parallel-twin platform with the 790 Duke, that naked roadster’s long-awaited dualpurpose siblings are here.

The anticipation has been building.

Large-capacity adventure bikes have been popular for so long, getting increas-

ingly powerful and expensive, that a gap has opened up for a new breed of more manageable middleweights. KTM seems an obvious contender to fill it, given the Austrian firm’s rapid growth and long experience of dual-purpose bikes, not to mention a competition heritage that includes a remarkable 18 consecutive Dakar wins.

Expectation increased last year, when the Duke was launched combining a rev-happy 799cc engine, sweet-handling tubularsteel framed chassis and superbike-style electronics. This was big-bike technology and thrills in a cut-down package. The 790 Adventure promises more of the same with versatility thrown in.

For Adventure use the Duke’s dohc, eightvalve engine is softened with new cams and injection, boosting midrange and trimming 10bhp off the top-end to leave a max of 94bhp at 8000rpm.

TEST The frame is redesigned to hold a fairing, bigger radiator, aluminium bash-plate and a fuel tank that runs down each side of the motor to give a generous 20-litre capacity while remaining slim at its top.

Both Adventures run wire wheels in 21in front, 18in rear diameters, with suspension their biggest difference. The standard 790’s WP units give 200mm travel at each end, with shock preload the only adjustment; the R is multi-adjustable and gives 40mm more travel. Along with a taller seat, the R-model has a shorter screen, high-level front mudguard and comes with more off-road oriented tyres (Metzeler Karoo 3 instead of Avon Trailrider).

The standard 790, especially, immediately seems very manageable. Its height-adjustable seat allows most riders to get both feet on the ground, and at 189kg dry it feels notably lighter than large-capacity adventure bikes, especially as its tank shape keeps the centre of gravity very low. Its choice of riding mode (Street, Offroad or softer still Rain) is displayed on a colourful TFT screen.

Throttle response is sweet, the twin-pot engine responding cleanly at low revs, picking up the pace at about 6000rpm, and revving from there with a superbly loose, freespinning feel thanks to twin balancer shafts.

Cruising at 80mph-plus is stable and effortless, helped by the useful if slightly blustery wind protection from a screen that unbolts to allow 40mm of adjustment. Flat-out the bike would be good for about 130mph.

Roadgoing handling is excellent: stable at speed, enjoyably agile despite the big 21in front wheel, and impressively precise given the generous suspension travel, which is well-controlled – thankfully, given the minimal adjustability. Comfort on a short ride seemed pretty good; range should be well over 200 miles.

KTM 790 ADVENTURE & R

TEST

“ON FIRMER SECTIONS IT WAS THE KTM’S OUTSTANDING SUSPENSION QUALITY THAT SHONE, ALLOWING IT TO BE BLASTED DOWN RUTTED TRACKS AND ACROSS OPEN DESERT SCRUBLAND AT SPEED...”

WORLDSBK POR

KTM 790 ADVENTURE & R

TEST

Plenty of adventure bikes would make more relaxing roadsters, but few would be more fun.

A brief desert blast suggested off-road performance would also be very good but the launch left most of the rough stuff to the Adventure R, shod for the event in suitably knobbly tyres, plus a few accessories including gearbox quick-shifter and Akrapovic silencer. Following Dakar ace Jordi on the sandy tracks where the KTM team train was mindblowing, especially on a bike so superbly suited to the job.

The flexible engine played its part, aided by the sweet quick-shifter and a Rally riding mode (included with the R, an accessory on the standard 790) that allows traction control adjustment while riding. The sophisticated, IMU-governed system encourages controllable slides on dirt but needs backing off on really loose surfaces. That helped make the Adventure R improbably cooperative for my first dune-riding experience, though occasionally I was glad of its relatively light weight when picking it up…

On firmer sections it was the KTM’s outstanding suspension quality that shone, allowing it to be blasted down rutted tracks and across open desert scrubland at speed, soaking up even big bumps yet with the damping control to remain amazingly composed. It’s clear that for off-road riding the R, in particular, has a significant edge over most rivals.

Perhaps both Adventures’ only slight drawback is that, with the standard model costing roughly 25 per cent more than the Duke (at £11,099 in the UK) and the R ten per cent more again (£11,999), they’re close on price to some well established larger-capacity machines. But as the KTMs’ lightness, agility, sophistication and versatility mean that for some trips and situations they’ll be the pick of the bunch regardless of capacity, that’s arguably really not a drawback at all.

KTM 790 ADVENTURE & R

BACK PAGE

British Grand Prix. Photo by Ray Archer

BACK PAGE

ON TRACK OFF ROAD

‘On-track Off-road’ is a free, bi-weekly publication for the screen focussed on bringing the latest perspectives on events, blogs and some of the very finest photography from the three worlds of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the AMA Motocross and Supercross series’ and MotoGP. ‘On-track Off-road’ will be published online at www.ontrackoffroad.com every other Tuesday. To receive an email notification that a new issue available with a brief description of each edition’s contents simply enter an address in the box provided on the homepage. All email addresses will be kept strictly confidential and only used for purposes connected with OTOR. Adam Wheeler Editor and MXGP/MotoGP correspondent Ray Archer Photographer Steve Matthes AMA MX and SX correspondent Cormac Ryan-Meenan MotoGP Photographer www.cormacgp.com David Emmett MotoGP Blogger Neil Morrison MotoGP Blogger & Feature writer Sienna Wedes MotoGP Blogger Matthew Roberts Blogger Graeme Brown WSB Blogger and Photographer Roland Brown Tester Núria Garcia Cover Design Gabi Álvarez Web developer Hosting FireThumb7 - www.firethumb7.co.uk Thanks to www.mototribu.com PHOTO CREDITS Ray Archer, CormacGP, GeeBee Images, James Lissimore, Marco Campelli & Sebas Romero, Monster Energy Cover shot: Tony Cairoli by Ray Archer

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