NZ Suzuki Series got underway in Taupo with Adventure bike racing adding some extra flavour

2024 NZ Suzuki Worldwide Sequence Dates
Spherical One – Taupo

A handful of riders simply out having enjoyable and having fun with themselves, or a severe race class the place handlebar-to-handlebar battling ought to be anticipated. The Journey Bikes class, included within the Suzuki Worldwide Sequence for the primary time this season, might so simply stay as much as each these interpretations.

The racing was quick and frenetic in all the varied bike classes on the first of three rounds within the 2024 Suzuki Worldwide Sequence in Taupo final weekend and the newly-minted Journey Bikes class was no exception.

This racing was extremely anticipated, notably for the reason that class included a handful of former and present New Zealand champions from different bike classes.

The present nationwide champion within the supermoto class (for modified dust bikes) is Whanganui’s former worldwide star Richie Dibben and his entry into the category on board an 800cc parallel twin Suzuki V-Strom bike probably made him a robust favorite for the win, and that’s truly the way it turned out too, with Dibben qualifying quickest then ending 1-2-1 within the three Journey Bikes races over the 2 days.

This was sufficient to offer him the sting over fellow Suzuki stalwart Sloan Frost, the Decrease Hutt man on one other Suzuki V-Strom bike, a 1050cc v-twin model.

Multi-time former New Zealand superbike champion Frost completed 2-1-2, to assert total runner-up, whereas New Plymouth’s multi-time former New Zealand formulation three champion Rodney O’Connor took his GASGAS machine to finish the Journey Bikes podium.

“The Journey Bikes class all took place due to an concept from Suzuki New Zealand and what lots of enjoyable it has been,” stated Frost.

“I’ve raced all kinds of bikes over time, and I at all times wish to win, however this was a brand new expertise for me to race an journey bike,” stated the 43-year-old.

“I even rode the Suzuki V-Strom into city in Taupo to select up some issues … it had a quantity plate and the whole lot, so was completely highway authorized.

“Then I went racing it and was tremendous shocked by the bike. Neither Richie nor I have been certain what the boundaries of the bike may be, however we received progressively quicker every event we have been on the racetrack. It’s such a forgiving bike and simple to trip.”

Suzuki Worldwide Sequence organiser Alan ‘Flea’ Willacy was equally happy by the reception that this new Journey Bikes class obtained.

“We are able to see this class rising in stature, with these bikes widespread throughout all the nation and Suzuki main the best way with their V-Strom mannequin machine.”

In the meantime, the 35-year-old Dibben double-classed on the weekend, additionally racing in his more-familiar supermoto class (for modified dust bikes), though he did actually have his work minimize out attempting to tame visiting British rider Davey Todd, the 29-year-old a category winner on the Isle of Man earlier this yr.

North Yorkshireman Todd and Kiwi hero Dibben have been out on an identical Suzuki RM-Z450 bikes and the 2 of them battled handlebar-to-handlebar on the entrance of the sector, a great distance forward of the chasing bunch.

Whakatane’s Mike Kyle completed 3-3-3 to finish the supermoto podium, whereas fourth total was one other Suzuki star, Whanganui’s Roger Bland, who completed 4-4-5 within the supermoto class at Taupo.

Spherical two of the sequence is about for Manfeild, on the outskirts of Feilding, this coming Saturday and Sunday.

Began in 2008, this yr’s sixteenth annual Suzuki Worldwide Sequence (it skipped a yr in 2021 as a result of COVID-19 pandemic) climaxes as traditional with the world-renowned Cemetery Circuit public avenue race occasion in Whanganui on Boxing Day (December 26).

Different class leaders after the primary spherical of three within the 2024 Suzuki Worldwide Sequence in Taupo on the weekend have been Whakatane’s Mitch Rees (formulation one/superbikes); Canterbury’s Jake Lewis (formulatwo/Supersport 600); Taupo’s Karl Hooper (formulation three); Waiuku’s Hamish Simpson (Supersport 300); Wellington’s Malcolm Beilski (Components Sport, Senior); Whanganui’s Jeff Croot (Components Sport, junior); Glen Eden’s Daniel Mettam (Submit Classics, Pre 95, Senior);Tauranga’s Darrick Kattenberg (Submit Classics, Pre 95, Junior); Hastings’ Gian Louie (Submit Classics, Pre 89, Senior); Auckland’s Scott Findlay (Submit Classics, Pre 89, Junior); Panmure’s Adam Unsworth and Whanganui’s Bryce Rose (F1 sidecars); Whanganui’s Tracey Bryan and Kendal Dunlop (F2 sidecars).

Journey Bikes by GIVI (Quick Monitor) Outcomes

Journey Bikes by GIVI (Quick Monitor) Spherical Outcomes
Pos	Competitor	Whole	Q	R1	R2	R3
1	Richie Dibben	73	1	25	25	22
2	Sloan Frost	69	–	22	22	25
3	Rodney O’Connor	60	–	20	20	20
4	Jordan Burley	54	–	18	18	18
5	Mark Bramley	47	–	15	16	16
6	Craig Flood	46	–	16	15	15
7	Heath Botica	–	–	–	–	–

Decrease Hutt’s Sloan Frost (Suzuki V-Strom 1050RJ) – Picture by Andy McGechan

F1 – Whites Powersport SHOEI Premium Helmets Outcomes

F1 – Whites Powersport SHOEI Premium Helmets Spherical Outcomes
Pos	Competitor	Whole	Q	R1	R2	R3
1	Mitch Rees	73	1	25	22	25
2	Davey Todd	69	–	22	25	22
3	Tony Rees	60	–	20	20	20
4	Alastair Hoogenboezem	52	–	18	16	18
5	Peter Hickman	50	–	16	18	16
6	Rogan Chandler	45	–	15	15	15
7	Dale Finch	42	–	14	14	14
8	Rhys Lindsay	35	–	11	12	12
9	Isaac Markham-Barrett	29	–	9	11	9
10	Marcus Learn-Bloomfield	27	–	8	9	10
11	Scott Moir	26	–	13	13	–
12	Dave Sharp	25	–	12	–	13
13	Matt Drayson	24	–	7	10	7
14	Ray Clee	22	–	6	8	8
15	Richard Markham-Barrett	21	–	10	–	11

F2 by Darbi Ipone Outcomes

F2 by Darbi Ipone Spherical Outcomes
Pos	Competitor	Whole	Q	R1	R2	R3
1	Jake Lewis	73	1	25	22	25
2	Luca Durning	69	–	22	25	22
3	Morgan McLaren-Wooden	60	–	20	20	20
4	Ashton Hughes	52	–	18	18	16
5	Zak Fuller	49	–	15	16	18
6	Dillon Telford	46	–	16	15	15
7	Haydn Fordyce	42	–	14	14	14
8	Justin Scott	37	–	12	13	12
9	Wolfgang Schuster	33	–	8	12	13
10	Taylor Mason	32	–	11	10	11
11	Paul Jenkins	30	–	13	11	6
12	Tahana Parker	27	–	10	7	10
13	Dylan Byrne	27	–	9	9	9
14	Jordan Walters	21	–	7	6	8
15	Hamish Tarr	21	–	6	8	7
16	Karl Hooper	–	–	–	–	–

F3 by i-Instruments Outcomes

F3 by i-Instruments Spherical Outcomes
Pos	Competitor	Whole	Q	R1	R2	R3
1	Karl Hooper	76	1	25	25	25
2	Isaac Markham-Barrett	66	–	22	22	22
3	Tyler King	60	–	20	20	20
4	Luke Ryder	52	–	18	16	18
5	Nathan Jane	48	–	15	18	15
6	Jesse Stroud	44	–	13	15	16
7	Ashley Payne	37	–	10	13	14
8	Azlan Blackwell	37	–	12	12	13
9	Scott Findlay	30	–	9	10	11
10	Bruce Telford	28	–	14	14	–
11	Rob E Edwards	28	–	8	8	12
12	Keiran Mair	22	–	11	11	–
13	Shaun Parker	22	–	7	7	8
14	Ray Clee	20	–	4	6	10
15	Billee Fuller	18	–	–	9	9
16	Johnathan Cianci	17	–	6	4	7
17	Dillon Telford	16	–	16	–	–
18	Sam Johnstone	15	–	5	5	5
19	Chris Smith	12	–	3	3	6
20	Paul Simpson	8	–	2	2	4

Components Sport Junior & Senior by Q West Boat Builders Outcomes

Components Sport Junior by Q West Boat Builders Spherical Outcomes
Pos	Competitor	Whole	Q	R1	R2	R3
1	Jeff Croot	73	1	25	25	22
2	Blane Hannah	62	–	20	22	20
3	Fabiano Paiva Santos	56	–	18	20	18
4	Kurt Hughes	50	–	16	18	16
5	Callum Wilson	47	–	22	–	25
Components Sport Senior by Q West Boat Builders Spherical Outcomes
1	Malcolm Bielski	67	–	20	22	25
2	William Crosby	60	–	18	20	22
3	Heath Botica	56	–	22	16	18
4	Luke Temple	54	–	16	18	20
5	Richard Markham-Barrett	51	1	25	25	–
6	Jason Bardell	43	–	15	14	14
7	Shane Miller	42	–	13	13	16
8	John Oliver	41	–	11	15	15
9	Shanon Dellow	35	–	10	12	13
10	Ian Reed	35	–	12	11	12
11	Mark Temple	28	–	8	9	11
12	Ronan Bullock	23	–	6	8	9
13	Abbin Abraham	19	–	9	10	–
14	John Webster	17	–	7	–	10
15	Sam Willacy	14	–	14	–	–

Fashionable Sidecars F1/F2 by Carl Cox Motorsport Outcomes

Fashionable Sidecars F1 by Carl Cox Motorsport Spherical Outcomes
Pos	Competitor	Whole	Q	R1	R2	R3
1	Adam Unsworth & Bryce Rose	76	1	25	25	25
2	Phillip Legislation & Angus Ravenwood	66	–	22	22	22
3	Peter Bradder & Vincent Kerslake	38	–	20	–	18
4	Darryl Williams & Paul Jenkins	20	–	–	–	20
5	Barry Smith & Stu Dawe	–	–	–	–	–
6	Darryl Williams & Danny Sommerville	–	–	–	–	–
Fashionable Sidecars F2 by Carl Cox Motorsport Spherical Outcomes
1	Tracey Bryan & Kendal Dunlop	75	–	25	25	25
2	Bruce Roberts & Tim Swainson	62	–	20	20	22
3	Glen & Jan Spencer	60	–	18	22	20
4	Peter & Michael Dowman	23	1	22	–	–

Submit Classics Pre 89/95 Jnr & Snr by Inferno Designs Outcomes

Submit Traditional Pre-89 Junior Spherical Outcomes
Pos	Competitor	Whole	Q	R1	R2	R3
1	Scott Findlay	72	–	25	22	25
2	Dean Bentley	62	–	22	18	22
3	Martin Grey	60	–	20	20	20
4	Tim Kendall	47	–	16	15	16
5	Mark Hodson	34	–	–	16	18
6	Nathan Jane	26	1	–	25	–
7	Andrew Ross	18	–	18	–	–
8	Marc McKenzie	–	–	–	–	–
Submit Traditional Pre-89 Senior Spherical Outcomes
1	Gian Louie	76	1	25	25	25
2	Barry Lengthy	44	–	22	–	22
Submit Traditional Pre-95 Junior Spherical Outcomes
1	Darrick Kattenberg	76	1	25	25	25
2	Eddie Kattenberg	66	–	22	22	22
3	Peter Smith	60	–	20	20	20
Submit Traditional Pre-95 Senior Spherical Outcomes
1	Daniel Mettam	76	1	25	25	25
2	Jay Lawrence	66	–	22	22	22

Tremendous Motard by Bike Torque – Quick Monitor Outcomes

Tremendous Motard by Bike Torque – Quick Monitor Spherical Outcomes
Pos	Competitor	Whole	Q	R1	R2	R3
1	Richie Dibben	73	1	25	22	25
2	Davey Todd	69	–	22	25	22
3	Mike Kyle	60	–	20	20	20
4	Roger Bland	52	–	18	18	16
5	Will Younger	50	–	16	16	18
6	Mitch Rowe	41	–	15	15	11
7	Alex Luff-Scott	39	–	12	12	15
8	Mark Oliver	37	–	10	14	13
9	Chris Andrews	36	–	14	13	9
10	James Clarke	34	–	11	11	12
11	Craig Scott (Cudge)	33	–	13	10	10
12	Tony Hirini	25	–	9	9	7
13	Luke Martin	24	–	4	6	14
14	Jonathan Grady	24	–	8	8	8
15	Marc McKenzie	20	–	7	7	6
16	James Carley	16	–	6	5	5
17	Donald Standen	8	–	5	–	3
18	Rob E Edwards	8	–	–	4	4

Supersport 300 by Stihl Store Wanganui Outcomes

Supersport 300 by Stihl Store Wanganui Spherical Outcomes
Pos	Competitor	Whole	Q	R1	R2	R3
1	Hamish Simpson	73	1	22	25	25
2	Tyler King	67	–	25	22	20
3	Cameron Leslie	54	–	20	18	16
4	Logan Rowell	51	–	18	20	13
5	Keiran Mair	42	–	16	16	10
6	Chris Smith	37	–	14	15	8
7	Lincoln Wright	32	–	11	14	7
8	Megan Kemp	31	–	13	13	5
9	Ramachandran Gnanasekaran	29	–	12	11	6
10	Nixon Frost	26	–	15	–	11
11	Royd Walker-Holt	22	–	9	10	3
12	Simon Beard	16	–	–	12	4
13	Andrew Ansell	15.055	–	6	9	0.055
14	Thomas Hutchings	14	–	5	8	1
15	Sebastian Mitchell	12	–	10	–	2
16	Alexander Le Comte	11.053	–	4	7	0.053
17	Diego Petrucci	9	–	–	–	9
18	Debbie Tapper	9	–	3	6	–
19	Georgia Elvin	8.054	–	8	–	0.054
20	Luke Martin	7	–	7	–	–

The 2024 Suzuki Worldwide Sequence is supported by Suzuki New Zealand, Mondiale VGL, Auto Tremendous Shoppe Tawa, Givi, I-Instruments, Bridgestone tyres, Sharp As Linehaul Ltd Whanganui, TSS Bikes, Ipone, Inferno Design and Digital, Kiwibike Motorbike Insurance coverage Specialists, Cemetery Circuit Ltd.