Australasian Dirt Bike — September 2017

18 | SEPTEMBER 2017 http://www.adbmag.com.au

SOIL SAMPLE HOT OFF THE PRESS

GARDINER EXTENDS LEAD

Jess Gardiner is creeping further

aheadintheEuropeanEnduro

Championship after another victory at

round two in Estonia. The 24-year-

oldis13pointsclearofHusqvarna’s

HannaBerzeliuswithtworoundsleft.

JONES CLOSES

Husqvarna’sTaylaJoneshasclosed

thepointsgaptoKTM’sBeccaSheets

to just 10 with four rounds to run in

theGNCC.Joneslosttheleadafter

missing round six due to illness

• Joneshaswoneveryroundshe’s
  entered. Fellow Australian Mackenzie
  Tricker is third.

TOMAC FINDS GROOVE

Kawasaki’sEliTomachasfound

hisfeetintheAMAProMotocross

Championship and regained the points

lead with three consecutive overall

wins. Rocky Mountain KTM’s Blake

Baggettissecondinthepointswhile

worksriderMarvinMusquinisthird.

In the 250 class, Husqvarna’s Zach

OsborneleadsfromAlexMartinand

Jeremey Martin.

CAIROLI IN FORM

KTM’sTonyCairolileadstheMXGPby

91 from Kawasaki’s Clément Desalle.

TheItalianriderhaseightmotowins

to his name with seven rounds still to

go. Teammate and MXGP class rookie

Jeffrey Herlings has picked up the

pace and has fi ve wins to sit fourth

in the standings, 96 points behind

Cairoli. Husqvarna’s Gautier Paulin

is third.

WIN STREAK ENDS

The Indian Wrecking Crew’s winning

streak in American Flat Track has

ended but the team still holds the top

three spots in the points table. Jared

Mees won the Rolling Wheels Half-Mile

in Elbridge, New York and is eight

points clear of teammate Bryan Smith

after being disqualifi ed for twice

jumping a start in Lima, Ohio, where

he was the promoter. Briar Bauman

won that one for Kawasaki, with mile

specialist Smith only sixth.

NEW

AUSSIE

ORDER

SUZUKI HAS LIFTED the

covers off the 2018 RM-Z

motocrosser and RMX450Z

enduro. The RMX won’t be

heading our way while the 250

is yet to see the upgrades

delivered on the fl agship RM-

Z450. Instead it features new

graphics, new seat colour, black

rims and white sideplates.

It retains the 249cc fuel-

injected engine, tuning couplers,

Suzuki Holeshot Assist Control,

KYB PSF2 spring-cartridge fork

and KYB shock. Despite Suzuki

Australia introducing an ADR

version of the RMX in 2015 it did

not gain traction in the market.

“The RMX450Z does not

come ready for ADR from the

factory so we need to fi t all the

necessary gear (here) to be ADR

complaint,” national marketing

manager Lewis Croft said. “It

sold in very limited numbers

and the factory can’t justify the

cost. We can’t absorb the cost

to ADR the bike in Australia and

we don’t want to pass that cost

on to the Australian consumer.”

The 2018 RM-Z250 is on

dealers fl oors now and still

retails for $9990. RM-Z250 and

RM-Z450 purchases include a

Suzuki-branded pit tent.

New Yella

RACING, RACING

ANDMORERACING

Sports

Corner

BETA EXPANDS

XTRAINER RANGE

BETA’S RANGE CONTINUES to grow

with the addition of the Xtrainer 250.

Based on the Xtrainer 300 currently

residing in the ADB garage, the 250 is

claimed to offer gentler power.

Targeted at less experienced

riders, the Xtrainer 250 retains the

low seat, electronic oil injection,

adjustable power valve, map switch,

adjustable front and rear suspension

and sub-100kg dry weight.

The 250 Xtrainer joins eight

enduro models offered by Beta.

Australian availability and pricing is

yet to be confi rmed.

Honda CRF50F 787 (777 last year)

Yamaha WR450F 762 (924)

Honda CRF230F 703 (615)

Honda CRF110F 592 (592)

Yamaha PW50 551 (523)

Yamaha TTR50E 517 (462)

Kawasaki KLX110 508 (464)

Suzuki DR-Z400E 442 (456)

Honda CRF250L 433 (393)

Yamaha YZ250F 400 (416)

A

OFF ROAD TOP 10

HONDA’S CRF450R DROPPED out
of the best-sellers list at the end
of June after leading earlier in the
year. It has been replaced by the
CRF50F, which lifted from third
according to the Federal Chamber
for Automotive Industries (FCAI).
Yamaha’s WR450F was the next
biggest seller, topping the enduro
category for the fi rst six months
of 2017, despite a 17.5 per cent
decrease compared to last year.
Yamaha’s Sean Goldhawk told
ADB: “The WR450F continues its
claim as Australia’s favourite
motorcycle largely due to its
combination of high performance,
clockwork reliability and
corresponding high resale value.
The WR is fresh off a Finke win that
underlines its ability in typically
dusty Australian conditions.”
KTM and Husqvarna occupied
seven spots in the enduro top
10 with Yamaha claiming the
remaining three. The 500EXC-F
was KTM’s best seller and second
in the enduro category with 354.
It was trailed by the 300EXC (347),

Latest

sales

figures

350EXC-F (323) and 450EXC-F (217).

In motocross, the YZ250F

topped the sales charts with

400. “The YZ250F received major
     upgrades this year with around
     15% more horsepower, slicker
     gear shifting and chassis and
     suspension mods,” Goldhawk said
     “We anticipate the soon-to-be
     released 2018 YZ450F will leapfrog
     the 250F in the retail charts. This
     is down to a number of factors like
     electric start, smart phone tuning
     capability and suspension, frame,
     engine and ergonomic upgrades.”
     The CRF450R was second with
     357 sold, up 58 per cent on the
     same period last year. Honda
     Australia’s Glyn Griffi ths said: “The
     CRF450R has always been a good
     seller for us, but the 2017 model
     has really helped gain market
     share in the motocross segment.”
     Honda’s Africa Twin leads the
     adventure touring category with
     404 sales, a lead of 168 over the
     Suzuki DR650SE. BMW’s R1200GS
     was the third best, with 203 sales.
     KTM’s new adventure range should
     make an impact in the second half
     of the year.
     The fun bike category saw the
     CRF50F and CRF110F perform best
     while Yamaha’s PW50 was third.
     The Honda CRF230F topped the
     trail category ahead of the Suzuki
     DR-Z400E and Honda CRF250L.