Kawasaki World Superbike Racing Team Unveils 2011 Ninja ZX-10R Racer

The all-new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R race bike has been unveiled to international press at the Nürburgring race track, and at the same time the riders for the 2011 World Superbike Championship season were introduced.

NÜRBURGRING, September 02, 2010 - The presentation of the new bike and riders comes just before the German round of The World Superbike Championship, which will take place at the Nürburgring race track this weekend.

The new Ninja ZX-10R race bike has been eagerly anticipated by everyone involved in the Superbike racing project for a while now and therefore the Kawasaki Superbike Racing Team are extremely keen to get started with the new Ninja ZX-10R.
The team unveiled the first edition of the race bike during a press conference that marked the start of the Nürburgring WSBK round, which will be held this weekend.

The unveiling of the new Ninja ZX-10R will mark a new start for Kawasaki in the World Superbike Championship. From 2011, the Kawasaki World Superbike Racing Team will receive more means and more support from the mother company in Japan. 

Since 2009, the Kawasaki Superbike Racing Team have evolved and restructured continuously in order to be in a position to utilise the new bike's potential to the maximum next season. 

The initial race team bikes themselves will be full factory bikes, built and sent to the team from Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) in Japan. The bike is unveiled only now, as Kawasaki starts the European testing trajectory.  Competing in the World Superbike Championship with the all new Ninja ZX-10R will show and expose Kawasaki at the highest level of motorcycle racing. The rules of the championship mean that Kawasaki starts off with and stay within the concept of the production bike which will be available at the local Kawasaki dealership. 

Kawasaki is a racing company and the Ninja brand has a solid racing history and pedigree. The new machine will give Kawasaki the possibility to revive the image of being a successful racing company as the company already shows in so many other of motorcycle racing categories within which Kawasaki competes today.

The unveiling of the new Ninja ZX-10R at the Nürburgring was the only chance for people to see the bike close up before next months. The next opportunity to be eye-to-eye with the new Ninja ZX-10R race bike will be the Intermot show in Cologne, starting the 6th of October. We can't wait to see the production version in the flesh, and Bikebiz will bring you all the details as they come to hand.

After a remarkable 2009 season that saw her win the Australian Womens Motocross Championship in her rookie season, Tori Dare has taken control of 2010, in the lead up to this year’s championships. The young 17 year old from the New South Wales south coast has claimed the NSW women’s title and holds an unbeatable lead in the Amcross Series.

It hasn’t all been plain sailing for Tori, as a heavy first turn accident in one moto of the state title rounds saw her crashing hard. Courageously she restarted after being a lap down to the lead riders and incredibly rode to fourth in the moto.

Other than that one race, Tori and her Bikebiz YZ250f Yamaha have been untouchable. “It has been a great lead up to the Australian championships. I have been training super hard on both the YZ250F and the 450F and I don’t think I have ever been fitter or stronger” enthused Tori…

Tori has set her sights on dominating the Womens scene in Australia for the rest of 2010 and has high hopes of an opportunity to race overseas in the near future. “Any opportunity to race in the U.S or Europe just to prove myself and hopefully score a ride in a major series is the immediate goal for us.”

Tori would like to thank all the people supporting her racing, and special thanks to the major sponsors, BIKEBIZ , AXO,BEL RAY, KENDA and SHARK.

The amazingly popular Yamaha XVS650 models have been a top seller for Bikebiz, and for good reason.

They are a full-sized cruiser with outstanding performance, unique styling, and both models are learner legal. Most of our customers end up wanting to dress their cruisers up from standard fare, so we've put together two unique bikes that showcase some of the more popular modifications.

          Our XVS650 Classic (bugundy pictured) is only $13,990 ride away, and features

• Whitewall Tyres
• Ventura Mid-West Chrome Handlebars
• Jardine Slash-cut Exhaust Pipes

          Our XVS650 Custom (black model pictured) is only $14,499 ride away and features

• Vance & Hines Shortshot Exhaust Pipes
• Hyper Charger
• XV1700 Custom Grips
• Double-T Handlebars
• Red Wheel Tape

For more information or to order yours now, please call us on (02) 88 300 500 or pop in to 7 Great Western Highway, Parramatta.

The biggest dirt bike enduro event in the Southern Hemisphere is set to be held at one of Australia’s most breathtakingly beautiful stretches of coast in 2011.

Motorcycling Australia (MA) would like to announce that the 2011 Australian Four Day Enduro (A4DE) will be hosted by the Gum Valley Veterans and Natural Terrain Motocross Club. The event will be held on 20-23 April 2011 on land situated in and around the Gum Valley Motocross Park which is located at Koumala, near the Queensland city of Mackay.

The Gum Valley club has around 300 members and has successfully hosted two rounds of the Australian Motocross Championship in recent years.

Next year's A4DE trails will be run on private land adjoining the venue, making them be easily accessible for spectators and safety crews. Gum Valley club founder and land owner, John Hand, is extremely excited by the prospect of hosting Australia's biggest Enduro event in 2011. "Our club consists of a wide variety of members and is all about having fun, but at the same time we pride ourselves on the ability to host quality national events," Hand said.

"We will definitely look at trying to bring the spectators closer to the action at next year's 'Four Day', and are confident that all riders, teams and fans will enjoy a memorable event.

"The tests and trails will provide riders with a diverse range of terrain on which to compete, ranging from sandy loam cross-tests to Enduro forest tests, while the final Motocross will be held at the famous Gum Valley Motocross Track. Hand, a multiple Australian and Queensland Enduro Champion from the early 1980's, is also confident that the changed format - running the event from the Wednesday and finishing on the Saturday - will prove successful. "We've brought it forward in order to maximise the excitement for the Motocross on the final day, both for riders and fans," Hand said. "It will also provide us a great opportunity to focus on making the presentation ceremony one to remember."

Born and raised in South Africa, Grant started riding at four years old on an Italjet 50. He progressed to 80s, 85s, and up to 125s. After a bad crash that put him out of action for a year, Dad bought him a quad as an easy way to get back into it. Grant immediately took to them, and after some practice tried his hand at racing. “Dirt & Quad” magazine took notice and approached him for some journalism work at the age of 16. He tested and wrote on all new bikes, has featured on thirteen magazine covers, and appeared on TV many times reviewing and demonstrating bikes.

In 2008 Grant was approached by Superbike Magazine to ride and test road motorcycles, from super motards to drag bikes. He was also invited to be a tester for the Big 4 shootout (four tracks in four days in South Africa).

Along his journey, Grant managed to make it into the record books as well, with a world record for longest wheelie on an ATV. He’s also jumped 39m dunes in Namibia and participated in stunt shows there.

If you are interested in ATVs and quads, Grant Morris is at our Parramatta store ready to answer any questions or offer advice on bikes, riding gear, and advice on how to get involved in the sport at a social or race level. Feel free to call him on (02) 88 300 506.

Previous classifications:

1. Under 100cc
2. 101cc to 300cc
3. Over 300cc

From 1 July 2010:

1. Under 225cc
2. 226cc to 725cc
3. 726cc to 1,125cc
4. 1,126cc to 1,325cc
5. Over 1,325cc

The change are designed to allow more levels of price differentiation for risk based on engine capacity and claims experience. The new classifications result in a major realignment of prices. Some motorbike owners will benefit from sizeable decreases in greenslip prices, whilst others will be required to pay significantly more.

Hardest hit will be motorbikes at the bottom of the 226cc to 725cc classification, such as 250cc motorbikes. 250cc motorbikes were previously classified with 101cc to 300cc motorbikes. For a 250cc motorbike the survey shows an average increase in price of 88.9% in the Sydney Metropolitan area and 107.3% in Country areas.

The biggest winners are motorbikes in the upper range of the 226cc to 725cc classification, such as 400cc and 650cc motorbikes. Those motorbikes were previously classified with all motorbikes over 300cc. For both 400cc and 650cc motorbikes the survey shows an average decrease in price of 27.3% in the Sydney Metropolitan area and 29.6% in Country areas.

Interestingly, the survey also shows that for an older rider with good claims and driving records, the benefit of shopping around to compare prices will in some cases save several hundred dollars, whereas for a young rider with bad claims and driving records, the benefit of shopping around will generally be less than $20.00.

(Source: http://www.greenslips.com.au/news.html )

What a brilliant weekend! Coaching classes, course to ourselves, perfect weather.. Who could ask for more?

Here's a snapshot of the weekend - click on the pics to see more great pics.

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I'd lived with adequate Rivit waterproof gloves for some time, but what they (and most gloves) struggled with were concurrent heavy rainy days. Once the water penetrates, no matter what method (under or over sleeves) you use, it can take a long time to dry them. And even dampness on the outside from not drying completely can mean a very cold ride home. Most thermal gloves aren't designed to warm your hands as much, rather retain the heat your hands have (so always try to start with warm hands on a cool ride!).

After a lot of research and annoying as many experts on the subject as I could (you know who you are!) I ended up with the Rev'it! GT H20 gloves. These are a waterproof sports glove, meaning they're not too bulky. They're made from supple cow leather and goatskin, and that's the first thing to hit you. They feel so soft and plush. It's like trying on a glove you've owned for 10 years, they're plush and conform to your hands like nothing I've ever felt. A lot of leather gloves can be stiff and require many rides to reach this level. Nice start. 

The waterproof layer is breathable, meaning that if these are your sole set of gloves, you'll be able to get away with them all year 'round. 

Another great feature IMO is the dual wrist closure. It has the usual wrist velcro at the end, but then another flap closes on top of that one meaning you can tighten the cuff down really well. This is fantastic. If you wear them over your jacket sleeve, it means you can really eliminate any wind gaps. If you wear them under in the rain like I do, it means you can keep them taught against your clothes, and that they're not too bulky for your jacket to close over. It seems like a little thing, but if you've ever struggled with thick-cuffed gloves you'll understand! The tight closure also ensures added wrist protection and assures you the glove will not slip or come off in the event of a crash.

Another great thing about the gloves is the silky liner. Fleecy is nice, but can get sticky and caught up when removing them if your hands are hot. The silky liner means removal is made far easier.

Protection is more than adequate on this glove, featuring leather-covered hard knuckle protection, padded digits, and abrasion areas on the palm and side. There is also a handy flap that covers the secondary velcro closure, so it doesn't get caught and opened on your grips. The index and middle fingers are given a second layer with a coarser texture, designed to give better grip on your levers.

How do they perform? They're sensational. I recently tested another brand and found them great in all areas except for warmth. And that's the risk when they're sports gloves. But these, I can assure you, kept my hands at a good level of warmth on my entire commute (over an hour) in the rain and at about 9 degrees. For the first time in many weeks I haven't needed to use my thermal glove liners in them either, and as hinted at before they didn't require any breaking in whatsoever. They remained 100% dry, where this kind of testing would easily show up any weaknesses in the membrane. 

I'm confident these will perform just as well in colder climates, and so these come highly recommended if you're after a glove which lets you retain good feel at the bars and levers, whilst offering warmth and rain protection. These are truly a year-round glove. - Cameron Pope, Bikebiz.

After many years with an Arai Corsair RX-7, when it came time for a new motorbike helmet I chose an Arai Vector (called Chaser in some other regions) for my daily commute and the odd weekend stint.

The Vector is a lower priced, mid-range model in the Arai lineup, and lacks the extensive vents and chin spoiler of the RX-7RR and Profile helmets above it. It's also a slightly different (and more generic) helmet shape so if you're not fitting an RX7 well, it's worth giving this model a try. The liner is also more felt-like than the coarser cotton on the models above it.

Standard for all Arais is the extremely high quality craftsmanship, the vibrant paint, the functional venting and the liner quality. In fact one thing to note about the vents on the Vector is that sure there are fewer, but they work extremely well and I've never once felt sweaty even on the hottest of summer days. The 2-position chin vent is especially effective and forces air right onto your chin or nose depending on setting. The majority of the time I keep the top and rear vents closed. Why? I noticed on a week-long bike trip that the helmet is noticably quieter with these vents closed. Which leads me to my next point - wind noise.

Such a contentious topic with Arai helmets. The common myth is that the side 'pods' catch wind and retransmit the turbulent noise to your ears, directly behind the pod. My response to that, after 7 years with Arai helmets and about the same with other brands, is that the most important factor in determining wind noise is your bike. If you have a faired bike with a screen that directs air right at your head and neck (which many do) then you're doomed no matter which helmet you buy. If you have a naked bike, enjoy the quiet and calm conditions until you hit about 80km/hr, then you'll get knocked around as expected but the Vector can still show itself as a quiet helmet. The second most important factor pertaining to wind noise is fit. If the helmet is looser around the neck port, then wind will penetrate and reverberate. A tight fit will reduce this. Don't be afraid to buy a helmet that fits in all other areas, and then replace eg the cheek pads for the next thickness up to really lock it in if you need. Also I advise not putting off a pad replacement after the helmet has a few years or thousands of kms on it. You can easily forget how snug it should be, and will notice a reduction in wind noise.

So to summarise that, it's no louder than most other helmets. I recommend a quick read at the Arai website too, some great info here.

Removable liner - the cheek pads pop out very swiftly, and here's the best bit. The liner material can be pulled off the foam for washing. Why is this good? Because you can wash and dry your liner in the same afternoon. Most helmets' liners can't be seperated from the foam, and so you may have to wait days for it to dry through. It means you can easily keep your helmet fresh and clean with minimal effort. A huge plus in my books.

Last thing to note with the Vector (and all Arais) is the visor removal system. Again a contentious point, but take it from me that once you're used to it, it is THE fastest system on the market. Once the visor is completely open, you pull two clips and pull the visor off. There's no pushing involved, and the tabs are so easily located that you can do it with your eyes closed. To install, simply locate the visor tongue into the pod where the visor would sit in the up position. Push it concertedly until it snaps in. It may need a slight jiggle but you soon master the sweet spot. There is no tab to lock down. No clip to press. No buttons. Nothing. You just push it in. How can there be any better way!? The other thing I love about the visor is that it has no ratchet. So when you pull the visor up it doesn't click into the notches, it slides up smoothly. Why do I like this? Because if you're at lights with the visor all the way up, you can take off then slam it right down in one swift action. Simple. You don't have to hold it and pull all the way down, you just snap it with one finger. It also holds its position well. You can leave a 1cm gap for air, and it will hold. Magic. 

So you probably get the idea that I like this helmet. It's lightweight, looks fantastic (I went for the Spike graphic), has some very unique (and great) features, and you'll only need to replace it due to a crash or old age, rather than worrying about it falling apart.- Cameron Pope - Bikebiz.

Bikebiz is your one-stop motorcycle accessories supermarket! We have motorbike helmets from Arai, Shoei, Shark, AGV, KBC, Nolan, Zeus and many more.

The bike looks fantastic. Being a full sized bike (many learner legal bikes are built around a scaled down frame), it feels very solid to sit on. Very reassuring, especially for this 185cm pilot. I noticed that it feels a tad softer than the XJ6 to sit on. Unsure whether it's in my head, or if Yamaha used a softer spring set. 

Having the Yamaha XJ6 engine in this (a re-tuned R6 engine) is fairly exciting. It gives you peace of mind knowing it's a motor that's been around for a while and thus is well sorted. This is confirmed when you fire it up and it simply purrs. No hesitation whatsoever.

If you haven't seen or ridden the XJ6, let me tell you it's an extremely torquey and near-perfect city bike. The FZ6R has some minor differences to this bike, mainly being an FZ1-style seat, full fairing, and of course is learner legal.

Taking off is an easy affair with a generous take-up (friction) point on the clutch. The flywheel is fairly heavy too meaning that if you stumble on the clutch, you can save it easily rather than having it stall right away. And with a nice low seat height, it's perfect to learn on.

So how does it ride? Superbly. The inline is just super smooth, and you can run the bike up to any legal limit very swiftly. One of the first things I try to ascertain on a learner legal bike is whether it's got sufficient overtaking power. The FZ6R ticked this box for me. With a redline of 12,000rpm, you can cruise around at 3,000rpm with ease and have plenty on tap, or you can hover at 5,000 and be ready for anything you might encounter.  

I have to laugh as I type this, but it's typical of most new Yamaha models these days. The handling is just so sure-footed. I didn't have to ease into a few corners to test it out. I just hit the first sharp bend I encountered and the bike turned in easily and held its line very well. The shortcomings? Well for an experienced rider it lacks ground clearance. So if you're getting off the seat and putting your knee down a little, you'll scrape the footpegs. Shouldn't be an issue for new riders. The only other thing I noticed is that with the softer springs, if you hit a bump mid-corner, or need to hit the throttle/brakes mid corner for any reason, the bike can become unsettled very easily. The best way to avoid this is to make sure you're 100% set up, for body position as well as speed, before you enter the corner. It's the price you pay for having a lower spec bike than pricier sports models, but not too significant for its intended purpose.

To cover the other points, the dashboard is taken from the FZ1, a fully featured and easy to read unit. Large numbers for the speedo combined with a large analogue tacho is exactly how I like it - and a 6-stage fuel gauge makes timing your fuel stops a breeze. There's sufficient under-seat storage for your wet weather pants and a puncture repair kit. Since the bike shares many parts with the XJ6, there is also a well established market for goodies such as pipes, huggers, bars, taller screens, luggage and much more.  

To summarise, I love that this is a full sized, R6-engined bike that handles exceptionally well. It's a great bike to learn on because there are no surprises to pop up just when you least expect. With some licensing rules you need a bike for 3 years on your Ls, so you don't want something that is going to bore you after a few months. This will not dissapoint. If you're an experienced rider then you'll most likely want to look at the XJ6N or XJ6S for a similar experience but with more pep, otherwise I highly recommend you go and get your licence, then call us to arrange a test ride on our demonstrator asap! Well done Yamaha Motorcycles. - Cameron Pope, Bikebiz.

(note: International video shown, local description and colours may vary)