Articles by Mike Ryan

The big news out of leg 6 of the 2011 Australasian Safari was the retirement of high profile entrant, Cyril Despres. The Frenchman hit a fencepost on the first of the day's two stages and suffered soft tissue damage to his foot.

Hailed in its day as 'the fastest privately owned machine in the world suitable for road use', a 1929 Brough Superior SS100 known as 'Moby Dick' will be the star lot at Bonhams' Stafford auction, held in conjunction with the International Motorcycle Show in Staffordshire, UK this coming October 16.

A Moriwaki Kawasaki that New Zealand's Graeme Crosby set the UK road racing scene alight with will be one of the highlights of Bonhams' Stafford auction in the UK this coming October 16.

What do top riders James Stewart, Ricky Carmichael and Chad Reed have in common? The answer lies in their origins: all three champions began their careers buzzing around on a Yamaha PW50. This year, the iconic two-stroke fun machine is celebrating its 30th year in production.

On the eve of the penultimate round of the 2011 FIM Superbike World Championship, Spain's Carlos Checa looks a certainty to take the title. With a lead of close to 100 points over his nearest rival, the championship is all but Checa's, but the Spaniard doesn't want to make it a "walk in the park".

After a brief Moto2 campaign last year, Damian Cudlin will get his chance at a MotoGP ride this weekend. The 29-year-old Australian will substitute for the injured Loris Capirossi at the Japanese Grand Prix. After dislocating his right shoulder at the Aragon round, Capirossi's injuries have not healed sufficiently for the Italian to compete at this weekend's round 15 of the MotoGP Championship.

The Smith brothers continue to make the 2011 Australasian Safari their own, with the pair recording another strong finish on their Honda CRF 450X bikes. Leg 5, run around a huge salt lake, saw the challenge of Yamaha's Shane Diener evaporate when he had a mechanical failure on the leg's second stage.

Twenty years on from its initial launch, Honda is revving up for the Australian release of the high performance 2012 CBR1000RR Fireblade. The latest model promises superior handling and greater rideability - goals facilitated by enhanced technology and a newly strengthened suspension - along with a decrease in weight and upgraded styling.

Motocross and enduro riders across Victoria are revving up to take part in the KTM Ride4Kids. Now in its 10th year, Ride4Kids brings together the dirt bike community for the biggest motorcycling charity event in the country, raising funds for Challenge, a not-for-profit organisation supporting children and families living with cancer.

The longest leg of the 2011 Australasian Safari saw the stranglehold of the Honda-mounted Smith brothers broken, as Yamaha's Shane Diener won the leg and strengthened his third position overall in the moto division.

Husqvarna's keenly anticipated all-new mini bike CR 65 2012 model has arrived in Australia.

Excitement is mounting at the Yamaha camp as riders, teams and fans get set to celebrate Yamaha's 50th anniversary of Moto Grand Prix at Phillip Island on 14 to 16 October 2011.