A_R_R_2015_04

12 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

NEWS

N

orton Motorcycles has announced a

new limited-edition model. Only 200

Dominator SS models will be produced in

2015 with 50 reserved for the UK market

and 150 for the rest of the world. Pricing will

be announced when it is fi nalised, but it is

expected to be about $38,000.

The new bike is a fully homologated

road bike developed out of the limited-

edition Domiracer and powered by

Norton’s 961cc 60kW parallel-twin.

The SS comes with Ohlins suspension

and Brembo Monobloc brakes as

standard.

Meanwhile, the new Norton

Commando motorcycles have fi nally

arrived in Australia from $29,990 through

dealers in most states. The Norton range

of Commando 961 has three model

variants all powered by a 58kW/90Nm

961cc parallel twin. The traditional Sport

will cost $29,990 (plus on-road costs), the

sporty Cafe Racer is $33,990 and the street

naked SF is $35,990.

Australian Norton dealers: Fraser

Motorcycles City, Sydney and Melbourne;

Rocker Classic Motorcycles at its new

Redcliff e location at 102 Su on St,

Qld; Italian Motorcycles, Adelaide; and

Cyclespot Group, Auckland. A West

Australian dealer is yet to be announced.

Australian dealers will have demo bikes

on hand for potential customers.

S

outh Australia is believed to be the

fi rst place in the world to off er free

courses for returned mature-aged riders.

Motorcycle advocate Nev Gray was one

of the fi rst to undergo the one-day rider

tests, which began in February.

“For about 11 years we have been

pushing for returner riders to enter

some sort of rider training as they are

crashing way out of their zone,” he says.

Nev says he believes it is a world fi rst

because it is off ered free and he hopes

it will be mirrored by other states. The

ACT runs a masters course for returned

riders, but it is subsidised, not free. The

one-day course will be conducted at the

RideSafe Range and will include an on-

road component.

“South Australia is motorcycle

heaven,” Nev says, referring not only

to the returned rider course, but also

the strong relations between riders

and the authorities. He says the South

Australian motorcycling community

has been granted $6.5m by the state

government for motorcycle safety and

infrastructure improvements such as

lower rub rails on the barriers in the

Adelaide Hills.

“Basically it’s for anything that

motorcycle riders would like done,” he

says. “It just came out of the blue and

there it was.”

Nev is a member of the Motorcycle

Reference Group (MRG) which started

in 2003 as the Motorcycle Taskforce. It

includes representatives of motorcycle

goups, the RAA, government, transport

department and the police. Nev

represents the Ulysses Club and

Motorcycle Riders Association of South

Australia in the MRG.

■ Yes please!

■ Everyone’s happy the Black Dog

Ride is heading back to the centre

TECHNICALLY

SPEAKING

Beaudesert motorcycle technician

Josh Pamment is now riding a shiny

new CBR650F as the inaugural winner

of the Honda Certifi ed Technician

Excellence Award.

The Queensland Honda motorcycle

technician was one of 230 around the

country assessed for the award and

one of fi ve regional fi nalists fl own to

Melbourne for the award dinner. The

others were Bryce Thompson (NSW),

Tom Ames (NT/SA), Troy Winzer (Vic/

Tas), Brook Lawson (WA). They all

received VIP tickets to the Australian

MotoGP.

Honda training services manager

Keith Lewis says the company started

its Honda Certifi ed Technician Training

Program fi ve years ago.

r Josh Pamment (white shirt) is Honda’s 2014

Excellence Award winner

New recognition for

Honda’s best techs

Norton’s new Dominator SS

WORLD FIRST RETURNED-

RIDER COURSE FOR SA

“The free, one-day course

will be conducted at

the RideSafe Range and

will include an on-road

component”

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