Table of contents for September 26th 2018 in MCN

My feet were beginning to feel cold, and both my kids appeared to be turning a funny shade of blue, but the anticipation of watching a full day of MotoGP action unfurl just feet in front of Silverstone’s Copse grandstand where we were sitting was keeping our spirits high, if not so dry. But this year’s British MotoGP never started, so I had to coax my damp and despondent family back to the car and drive home feeling like I’d let them down by promising a thrilling day of racing. But it can – and almost certainly will – happen in 2019. The ramifications of that historic failure may still be rattling on – see page 6 – but I’m very hopeful that solutions will be found. So here’s my…

• Re-inspection before 2019 race • Teams advised event not certain • Track problem still unresolved The future of the British GP is in doubt after Dorna’s top boss confirmed to MCN that, following last month’s rain-lashed debacle, Silverstone is not currently licensed to hold a MotoGP race and needs to make significant changes to regain FIM homologation for 2019. Concerns about the track surface continue and senior figures in the paddock have told MCN that teams have been informed the 2019 British GP might not happen unless immediate changes are made to bring the circuit up to standard. This has now been confirmed by MotoGP boss Carmelo Ezpeleta, who said Dorna have been clear with Silverstone about what it needs to do to get back to spec. Under new…

• ‘Gangs have travelled to Devon from as far away as Birmingham’ After a surge in motorcycle thefts across Plymouth, with over 60 stolen in the last six weeks, Devon and Cornwall Police are to give away 80 locks and chains to help keep riders’ machines safe. The move, which is part of an anti-theft campaign will see the chains being given away at a bike security event take place aimed at educating bikers into making sure their machines stay under lock and key both at home and away. The event, which takes place this Sunday at Milehouse Car Park in Devonport, will see officers from the local area handing out the chains being offered on a first-come-first-served basis. In addition to the local officers there will also be members…

Strain gauges are vital to measure vibration. “As bikes moved from soft steel frames to lightweight aluminum, vibration became more of an issue,” says Heimrath. Handlebars, footrests and electronics are very susceptible to vibration. Yamaha are the leaders with their knowledge of musical instruments.” We were shown a test S1000RR. “This S1000RR measures vibration, even on the exhaust pipe. The strain gauge has to withstand up to 800°C and costs €3000. But you need very small light sensors otherwise the sensor can change the vibration themselves.”…

It’s Britain’s best road test route. A tough 250-mile mix of A and B-roads, a stretch of busy motorway, plus plenty of towns, villages, blind corners, ballistic straights, and a huge range of grippy to slippy tarmac. There are two cafés, an off-road section for adventure and trail bikes, track time for sportsbikes, and Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground and the dyno for hard and fast data when needed. You want answers? We’ve got ’em. 1 Fault nearly halts play The Morini has been playing up during its performance testing, stuttering at low revs, and the problem persists for the first couple of hours of the 250, then goes away and occasionally reappears. Hopefully it’s a problem just with this test bike. The Aprilia’s battery dies the day before, too. I have…

This week’s Golden Moment isn’t on our MCN250 route, but just off it, on a cut-through from Stratford to Banbury. This is where the Moto Morini really impressed the day before. I’m leading the way from Fish Hill to Stratford and the direct route home, via the fast and flowing A422. I’ve been on the Corsaro for three days now and know how it ticks. I’m in tune with the rpm the V-twin needs to surge out of corners – a gear too high and there’s not a lot of grunt, too low and the motor revs run out fast like a diesel. I know exactly the Morini’s rate of turn and how to make it dance through this A-road gem with the lightest bar touch, and how it likes…

1 Three-dimensional design 3D scanning allows the design team to take their ‘test mule’ into the digital realm. The required part is then designed using 3D modelling and a prototype produced with a 3D printer. 2 Raw materials Aircraft grade aluminium is used for billet products. These blocks will be part of a Panigale V4 S tail tidy. 3 Cutting edge Brother Speedio R650X1 milling machines ensure a perfect job every time. Here one is making GS crash protection. 4 Powder-coating This tough, durable layer not only provides protection to the aluminium underneath, but it also gives the finished item a particularly top quality feel and superb durability. 5 Human touch All Evotech products are hand-finished, such as these radiator guards receiving their printed logo. 6 Ready to go Products…

At first glance not much has changed with BMW’s new R1250GS. It has identical styling to the 1200 and the same chassis but when it hits dealers in just three weeks, you’ll find it better equipped and if you tick the options boxes you’ll get more advanced rider aids, too. But the big news is the new 1254cc ‘ShiftCam’ engine, featuring variable valve timing – a first for a BMW, offering more torque, top-end power and better mpg. But how much benefit is there from 84cc more punch and the clever new shifting-cam tech? 1 A gruntier GS Forget the all tech for a moment, because from the comfort of its skyscraper-tall cockpit, all the ride-by-wire controlled ‘ShiftCam’ does is give you a GS with more low-down grunt than ever,…

HOGGIN THE BRIDGE SHOW, CALDICOT, MONMOUTHSHIRE SEPTEMBER 30 Severn reasons to get riding Raising money for meningitis and local charities, this event has grown with evening entertainment on the Saturday and a show and ride-out on the Sunday. The route From the Severn estuary head north to Chepstow. At Tintern Abbey, take a moment to view the ruins, before you continue on the twisty road. As you reach the outskirts of Monmouth turn left to Mitchel Troy. Run parallel with the A40 and follow signs for Raglan. Nip along the A40 for one junction. At the roundabout take the second exit to Usk. After five miles you reach Usk and as you reach the A472 turn right, through the centre of the town. As you cross the river, take a…

1 What to look for Fitting pattern bodywork to your bike is a good idea if you’re a trackday regular because a whole set can often cost less than replacing even a small original panel after a slide. When sourcing a pattern fairing look for one that has dimples in the moulding where the fasteners go, and comes with Dzus clips to join the bellypan and fairing halves. 2 Unclip the connectors With your bike on paddock stands, start removing the original panels along with lights and indicators. When unplugging lights from the bike’s loom, depress the plastic spring tab on the connector before pulling it apart as this will prevent damage. Keep all of the fasteners in a tray as some of them will need to be used later…

2015 Moto3 world champ Danny Kent’s time in the grand prix paddock could be set to come to a premature end, with the Briton harbouring doubts about whether his Speed Up team will retain his services for even the final rounds of this season. After crashing out of Sunday’s race and having already been dumped by the squad for next year despite signing a two-year contract, he told MCN afterwards that his GP future is uncertain. “I was told I was testing on Monday but then they put another rider on the bike and it feels like the team have given up on me,” Kent confessed to MCN. “They told me that Edgar Pons would be riding it instead but not to replace me – but then, when I got…

Jorge Lorenzo lambasted his 2019 team-mate, Marc Marquez after Sunday’s Aragon Grand Prix, pinning the blame for his crash in the first corner on the Repsol Honda rider. Having qualified on pole, the painful high-side ended Lorenzo’s chances of handing Ducati their first ever four-in-a-row streak and instead allowed Marquez to extend his championship lead with a victory. Hitting out at Marquez despite many putting the move down to nothing more than a racing incident with no malice from the reigning champion, Lorenzo was bitter about what he deemed to be unsporting behaviour. He said: “From the outside, I entered the corner too fast, I leaned too much, I went on the dirty track and I crashed. But from what I experienced, I entered on the same line I’ve used…

Cal Crutchlow admits his crash out of Sunday’s race, which cost him the chance of another podium, was down to him. After looking strong all weekend and believing he had the pace to beat everyone bar Lorenzo, Dovizioso and Marquez, the Brit felt he could battle for the final podium spot – but it wasn’t to be. “I lost the front. I knew I had to push from the start to get past Pedrosa and Espargaro but normally you get some warning or bad feeling before a crash like that. We know how important it is to get a good start and I didn’t get one. I had to get past them to have a chance at the podium but it wasn’t a good weekend in the end.”…

• ‘We are not afraid of the competition’ • Harley want to export half their bikes Harley-Davidson got everyone’s eyebrows dancing recently with their bold new Pan America adventure bike and naked Streetfighter – but while both will be brave attacks on new markets for the US giant, H-D Vice President Marc McAllister says they have the expertise to pull it off. He told MCN: “Our product development power gives us the ability to understand what the product needs to be technically and engineer a very capable motorcycle.” Targeting the European adventure bike market is incredibly important for Harley, due to declining sales in the US and competition from the likes of Indian. McAllister believes the adventure class in Europe, which saw 160,000 bikes sold last year, offers the firm…

Indian may be about to unveil their FTR1200 street tracker (see p17) but Bury St. Edmonds bike dealers and customisers Krazy Horse have beaten them to it – developing a road-going version of their Hooligan series flat-track racer that you can buy yourself. Bits and pieces The Street Hooligan kit builds on a standard Scout or Scout Sixty (the bike is essentially the same, bar the engine and gearbox) with a variety of dress up and performance parts. The standard kit comprises a stunning handmade 2-into-1 exhaust with ECU remap, CNC machined billet alloy controls, flat-track seat and subframe, brake light, indicators, front fork brace and, for the true dirt track look, a pair of handbuilt 19in wheels with Talon billet hubs. All that lot adds up to £4995 on…

The Bonham’s auction at the Devitt MCN Ally Pally Show and Supersprint saw £1.2m of bikes go under the hammer and 97% of the machines offered were sold. Auction-goers bid on an array of interesting classic road and race machines with some surprising results. Two Kawasaki Z1s went for a combined total of over £50k, a 1974 Yamaha ‘Fizzy’ FS1-E fetched over £5k and a 1969 Honda CB750K was sold for a massive £27,600. Despite a troubled last few years, MV Agusta’s classic bikes attracted fevered bidding, too. A 1978 MV Agusta 861 Magni made £59,800, a 1971 750S fetched £67,850 and a virtually unused 750S America went for a whopping £74,750. However, the bargain of the show was surely an unused, as-new Kawasaki H2R which sold for £30,475 –…

• ‘The Ryker is available with either a 600cc twin or 900cc triple motor’ Can-Am have released a new cheaper model called the Ryker, which is aimed at a younger audience. Starting from £8699, the Ryker follows the same three-wheeled concept as the Spyder but it’s designed to be more accessible. Available with either a 600cc Rotax twin, or a 900cc Rotax triple, the Ryker has an automatic transmission with a driveshaft to make it as easy to use and as maintenance-free as possible. There’s also a dazzling array of accessories, giving riders over 75,000 ways to customise it. and there’s even an off-road focused Rally model that boasts a specially developed Rally Mode, which enables riders to drift on gravel or dirt roads (but never wet roundabouts, obviously). A…

The engine has had a makeover for the new bike Indian have been teasing us with the FTR1200 for nearly a year, revealing their gorgeous FTR1200 Custom concept in November last year. And now new patent images have emerged suggesting that the production bike hasn’t fallen too far from the concept tree. Just like the FTR750 race bike, the FTR1200 will have a steel trellis frame, with the engine acting as a stressed member. The swingarm will also be a steel trellis with a monoshock, although it will now be side-mounted rather than centrally positioned. The engine appears to have had a makeover for its newly exposed position, while the rad has shrunk compared to the unit on the Scout, a move which appears to have necessitated a low-slung oil…

‘We wanted a different kind of biking event’ MCN returned to Ally Pally in north London at the weekend for the Devitt MCN Ally Pally Show and Supersprint joined by stars, race bikes and thousands of spectators. “We wanted to put on a different kind of biking event in the capital: one with noisy live action that you couldn’t see anywhere else at its heart,” said MCN’s MD Rob Aherne. “We also wanted to find a way of bringing MCN back to Ally Pally because it’s such a lovely venue and we’ve run some great events here in the past. And when we came up with the idea of running bikes down the middle of the Great Hall, the whole thing just fell into place.” Aishling Cahill travelled from Sutton…

On a recent jaunt with four biking mates I rode up to Beauly in the Scottish Highlands from Yorkshire on my Daytona 675. On the second day I had an argument with a patch of diesel/oil in the wet and low-sided at around 20mph on the Applecross road resulting in a holed engine case. A campervan stopped and the people helped me pick my bike up and made me a cup of tea then Anne from the Applecross Inn let me use her phone as I had no signal. A recovery truck driven by young Luke from Lochcarron Garage arrived in 45 minutes to pick me and my bike up and take me to their garage. Duncan, the garage owner, then arranged train transport for me to return to my…

I’ve met quite a few famous people over the years. It’s always interesting. I guess the biggest guy I’ve met is Prince William. I got a secret phone call saying “The Duke of Cambridge is coming to the TT and would like to meet with you,” and I just said “Oh right. I’ll have to check my diary”. I turned to Becky and said “They want me to see the Duke of Cambridge. Is he part of the prawn sandwich brigade?” I had no idea it was Prince William! I first met him in 2003 when I rode the Triumphs with Jim Moody and Bruce Anstey. He was only 21 back then and I wondered whether he’d remember me all these years later, and he did. He watches the racing…

In this most glamorous of queues, we’re nuzzled up behind World Superbikes past and present, BSB weapons, MotoGP missiles and 500cc GP monsters, waiting to start our run up the famous hill. Sitting beneath cloudless blue skies and baked in a July heat wave, everyone is smiling, but we decide not to fire John Hackett’s 1991 Ducati 888 Corse into life until at the last minute. Hackett tells us it’s not particularly fickle, but this Italian stallion is incredibly rare and in these temperatures, sitting with it ticking over for too long, could be a one-way ticket to a cooked engine. Weighing around 150kg, it’s two sacks of potatoes lighter than a new Panigale V4, so it’s as easy to push as a bicycle as we get closer to the…

THE STUDENT Andrew Pool, 57, Yorkshire BMW R1200GS rider Andrew started riding when he was 17, then took a break for a while. He got back into bikes ten years ago. Andrew’s riding problem ‘I rarely filter through traffic as I mainly ride in rural Yorkshire. But, when I do I’m unsure of the rules and if I’m doing it correctly.’ THE TUTOR Mark Edwards, Rapid Training A police motorcyclist for 18 years, Mark has been training people to be faster, safer, better riders on the road for 20 years. Mark’s action plan ‘I’ll clarify some rules and give guidance on how to approach stationary traffic, what to do and what not to do, for safe filtering.’ HOW TO FILTER THROUGH TRAFFIC DANGER ZONE Filtering is hazardous. Be wary of…

‘I’ve always been into Kawasakis, there’s just something about the brand that I connect with,” says proud ZX-10RR owner Charlie Forder. “I find their bikes really easy to get on with,” he says, “I served my time on a ZXR400 to get some riding skills under my belt before progressing to a ZX-6R 636. “Then all of my riding friends went on to bigger machines, such as Fireblades and BMW S1000RRs, so I felt it was time to step up a size and join them. “I bought a brand new Z1000SX in 2015 because it came with panniers and I quite fancied doing some touring, but I owned it for three years and never ended up going anywhere. So I got to the end of the finance term and decided…

Retro is in. Retro is cool. Retro is modern and fashionable – the ideal blend of style and reliability, and nostalgia. Couple the innate style of the classic twin-shock era with the modern world’s engines, suspension and brakes and you should get the best of both worlds: something attractive, personal, that goes well and won’t break down like an old Meriden Bonneville will. £4000 ’99 KAWASAKI ZRX1100 1164cc | 123bhp | 790mm seat height • Dealer price up to £9000 (as-new)• Private price up to £5500 (mint)• This one: Private sale, £4000 Born as the ZRX1100, a homage to the 1980s Z1000/1100R Les Dawson, sorry, Eddie Lawson Replica, it eventually gained a useful 25bhp in the identical-looking ZRX1200 guise. Heavy, fairly clumsy handling, but still wonderful fun to ride. B…

• ‘I go to the gym then ride dirt bikes for hours’ • ‘The men are brave but make dangerous moves’ • ‘I have to carry 13kg so it’s worse being small’ She’s 21, stands five-foot-one, and weighs eight stone. But don’t let that fool you. Ana Carrasco is one tough little Spaniard. She’s the first woman in the 100-years-plus history of the sport to lead a motorcycle road racing world championship. She was also the first woman to set pole and the first to win a race. Now, with just one round remaining of the World Supersport 300 Championship, she has a ten point advantage against an entire field of men. Oh, and she’s also half way through a four-year law degree and trains six hours every day. Are…

Glenn Irwin will replace Leon Haslam in the Bournemouth Kawasaki team for the 2019 Bennetts British Superbike season. The Northern Irishman will leave the Be Wiser Ducati squad at the end of this year and move to the factory-backed Kawasaki outfit in place of Haslam, who heads back to the World Championship with Kawasaki next season. With Haslam looking set to leave BSB as champion, Irwin has big boots to fill as Bournemouth Kawasaki’s number one rider but he feels the change will bring about the best in him ahead of one of BSB’s most open years yet. “I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about my future over recent weeks and felt that in order for me to go to the next level a change was required,” Irwin told…

Aleix Espargaro says his sixth place in Sunday’s race was all down to him, as he and team-mate Scott Redding continue to struggle with the 2018 Aprilia RS-GP machine. Matching his best-ever result for the factory and their best result of the modern era, he says that the slow progress means he can claim the lion’s share of the credit for the ride. He said: “It’s not nice to say it, but the bike is the same so the result is mine. It’s difficult to maintain the motivation, but having a new young crew chief who supports me is helping. We’ve changed the balance of the bike and put more weight on the front so it turns better, but I put a big effort into the race and it paid…

• ‘KTM’s new 790 Adventure is a dead cert’ At the launch of the new R1250GS, BMW said that unlike previous years the GS Adventure version will be on sale almost straight away, too. With the F850GS Adventure also believed to be imminent, that means BMW will be bringing us two seriously capable off-roaders in one year. They’re not the only ones either; in fact it looks like 2019 could be a bumper year for the super off-roaders. Ducati are expected to pull a similar move as anyone currently buying the Multistrada Enduro or Enduro Pro is getting the old engine, rather than the new 1260. Meanwhile it’s still strongly denied that the firm will create an Enduro version of their 950, which is a real shame, especially in light…

The Brutale 800 is a byword for radical styling and bonkers performance, and is one of the most advanced in its class. For 2018 MV have improved fuelling while moving peak power lower in the rev range, and fitted a slicker gearbox with a bi-directional quickshifter. The wheelbase is longer, wheels lighter and suspension is reworked. Price too steep? Choose from a host of barmy siblings and ancestors instead. 2018 BRUTALE 800RR What is it? The latest incarnation of the naked Brutale with a more powerful Euro 4-compliant engine, slicker gearbox and the latest rider aids. MCN says “It’s light and flighty, sounds delicious and is immense fun ont he road or track.” Want to buy one? £13,840, www.bennettsmotorcycles.co.uk £2000 deposit, £195.71 per month over 36 months. 2015 TURISMO VELOCE…

• ‘It’s great on mud, rocks and shallow sand’ Twenty-one-year-old #ride5000miles member Cameron Southery is bidding to be one of the youngest to circumnavigate the planet – and he’s doing it on a 2006 Suzuki GS500F! Starting in Europe in August, he’s just completed his 5000-mile marker while in Mali, with 15,000 miles still to go. He plans to ride through Africa, before heading to India, Malaysia, Australia and then North America. While most riders choose a big-capacity adventure bike for a trip like this, Cameron’s choice was dictated by expediency – he took the bike he owned. “I had already done an 11,500mile solo Europe trip on it. I put some handguards and crash bars on it and made my own pannier rack out of steel. The bike has…

Suzuki have released the third and final teaser video of their new Katana ahead of its release at Intermot next week. There have been murmurings of a new Katana for some time, with some suggestions that it could be powered by a new turbo-charged parallel twin; however, MCN’s Japanese sources say it will be based on the GSX-S1000. Sharing the engine architecture of the exemplary GSX-R1000 K5, the engine is a torquey lump that revs its way to a 148bhp peak. Building a Katana on this base should make for a versatile machine that will offer an alternative option to the current crop of naked retro machines. There’s nothing official from Suzuki yet but we’d expect it to cost slightly more than the faired GSX-S1000F, so around £11,000.…

Readers Thomas, Nigel, Mark, Ann Marie, Harry and Greg The Ride Around Ireland with Club Kawasaki When to do it Spring to autumn Miles 1263 Time required Five days Don’t miss this “Ballycastle for its famous fish'n'chips. I went for the deep fried mackerel, fish cake and chips. Delicious.” WE'RE OFF! We rode from Southampton, Corby and Ayslebury to Holyhead TITANIC Stopped off at the Titanic Centre in Belfast. What a fantastic place! JOEY'S BAR We paid our respects to Joey, Robert and now William MALIN HEAD We met this guy from Korea who's riding around the world SEND US YOUR TRIP PICS EMAIL YOURPICS@MOTORCYCLENEWS. COM…

HONDA FIREBLADE How’s that for a first bike? A 1997 CBR900RR FireBlade. It’s still one of the greatest machines of all time.Wesley Keane RALEIGH 350 My father with his dad on the back of his 1937 Raleigh 350 single. He has never seen another example since. Chris Rich SKYTEAM ACE My grandson learning clutch control. David Manton YAMAHA RD250F 1979 on my RD250F... afro hairstyle and nature treks? I’ve an XJR1300 now. David Lindsay YAMAHA RD50 My brother’s first bike. How come he got the RD50 and I didn’t get the pony I asked for? Stephanie Valentine HONDA ELSINORE I was reading MCN’s articles on the Bonhams auction and the value of the Honda CR125M Elsinore. I had one as my first bike, aged 14. Paul Wilson GIULIETTA My first…

Aprilia’s clocks went colour last year with the Tuono’s most recent update. As is the norm they feature more information than you’ll ever need, all squeezed tightly in. But it’s clear and easy to read, unlike the Morini’s superbike-style AIM 5” TFT display. It has multiple layouts, but in bright light it’s impossible to read. The functions only work via the dash buttons, not the switchgear, so it’s tricky to scroll to the information you need when riding. APRILIA APRILIA SWITCHGEAR Cruise control, mode scrolling, and selecting rider aids are done via switchgear buttons and joystick. Paddles alter traction control. MOTO MORINI MOTO MORINI SWITCHGEAR Old school but switchgear is simple. While the Aprilia’s buttons layout looks random, you know where you are with the Morini’s simple charm. FUNCTIONALITY…

Evotech Performance stands as a shining example of the synergy between old school British engineering and modern hi-tech production methods – a combination that’s helped them to become a paragon of high-quality aftermarket motorcycle accessories. Renowned for tail tidies, radiator guards and crash protection kits, the Lincolnshire company can attribute much of its success to a genuine passion for the products it offers along with a relentless attention to detail that runs throughout the manufacturing process. The firm was established in 2003, but can trace its roots back to the mid-1970s when Rob Drury founded parent company Drury Precision Engineering Ltd to produce replica vintage motorcycle parts. All work was done in sheet metal by traditional methods, and it was there that current directors Chris Vines and Dan Rack cut…

2013  Moto3 The first woman in the class, she made history by scoring a point in Malaysia 2014 Moto3 Carrasco was forced to miss the final three rounds due to a lack of team funding 2015 Moto3 Carrasco’s season was wrecked when she shattered a collarbone in preseason testing 2016  Moto2 CEV With no offers in GP she went to Moto2 CEV, but failed to score points 2017 WSS300 Joined the ETS Kawasaki squad, finishing eighth overall after victory in Portimao 2018  WSS300 Heads to climax of the 8-round series with 10-point lead over Scott Deroue…

Yamaha MotoGP boss Lin Jarvis has hinted at major changes at the factory next season as they continue to struggle with the current M1. Now in Yamaha’s longest losing streak since 1972 and with Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales managing no better than eighth and tenth in Sunday’s race, Jarvis says it’s time for a shake-up in Japan. With the Yamahas struggling with both engine braking on corner entry, rear grip under acceleration and completely unable to challenge for wins as a result, the veteran team boss told MCN after Sunday’s race that changes have to be made. “I don’t want to go as far as to say that people’s positions should be reviewed, but the only way to get out of a problem scenario is to investigate deeply to…

Bennetts British Superbike front runner Jake Dixon will make the switch to Grand Prix racing for 2019, as he joins the Angel Nieto KTM Moto2 team for next year’s championship. As reported by MCN last week, the Brit’s experience as a Triumph test rider looks set to stand him in good stead as the series switches from the four-cylinder Honda to the higher capacity three-cylinder British engine. Dixon will get his first outing on the KTM in November, when he joins the rest of the 2019 grid for an official pre-season test at Jerez following the final round of the 2018 season.…

Suzuki will lose their status as one of MotoGP’s concession teams for 2019 after both Andrea Iannone and Alex Rins fought for the podium at Aragon on Sunday. With both men getting involved in the scrap between Marquez and Dovizioso, it was eventually Iannone who bagged third place, just 1.259s adrift of Marquez and with that third place earning Suzuki another concession point the team has now reached the six point limit for the season. Showing stronger pace than he has for most of 2018 to return to the podium for the first time since Jerez in May, Iannone admitted that while Suzuki might have been strong in Aragon, there are still a long way off from being title contenders. • ‘We worked well here but the Honda and Ducati…

MotoGP title rivals Marc Marquez and Andrea Dovizioso remain divided on whether this season’s crown is still up for grabs despite a dramatic victory for the Repsol Honda rider in Sunday’s Aragon Grand Prix. Marquez now leads Dovizioso by 72 points, but the young Spaniard maintains there are still opportunities where he could throw it all away. Despite looking stronger than ever to beat both Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone in Sunday’s thrilling and tactical scrap, the reigning champion is adamant the 2018 title is not yet in the bag. “The job isn’t finished yet, and it won’t be until I’ve enough points to make sure I can’t be overtaken,” said Marquez. “We could make the mistake of thinking it’s already there. I did that in 2014 and crashed two races…