A handful of riders just out having fun on adventure bikes and enjoying themselves, or a serious race class where handlebar-to-handlebar battling should be expected.
The Adventure Bikes class, included in the Suzuki International Series for the first time this season, could so easily live up to both these interpretations.
The racing was fast and frenetic in all the various bike categories at the first of three rounds in the 2024 Suzuki International Series in Taupo last weekend and the newly-minted Adventure Bikes class was no exception.
This racing was highly anticipated, particularly since the class included a handful of former and current New Zealand champions from other bike categories.
The current national champion in the supermoto class (for modified dirt bikes) is Whanganui’s former international star Richie Dibben and his entry into the class on board an 800cc parallel twin Suzuki V-Strom bike possibly made him a strong favourite for the win, and that’s actually how it turned out too, with Dibben qualifying fastest then finishing 1-2-1 in the three Adventure Bikes races over the two days.
This was enough to give him the edge over fellow Suzuki stalwart Sloan Frost, the Lower Hutt man on another Suzuki V-Strom bike, a 1050cc v-twin version.
Multi-time former New Zealand superbike champion Frost finished 2-1-2 to claim overall runner-up, while New Plymouth’s multi-time former New Zealand Formula Three champion Rodney O’Connor took his GASGAS machine to complete the Adventure Bikes podium.
“The Adventure Bikes class all came about thanks to an idea from Suzuki New Zealand and what a lot of fun it has been,” said Frost.
“I’ve raced all sorts of bikes over the years, and I always want to win, but this was a new experience for me to race an adventure bike,” said the 43-year-old.
“I even rode the Suzuki V-Strom into town in Taupo to pick up some things … it had a number plate and everything, so was totally road legal.
“Then I went racing it and was super surprised by the bike. Neither Richie nor I were sure what the limits of the bike might be, but we got progressively faster each occasion we were on the racetrack. It’s such a forgiving bike and easy to ride.”
Suzuki International Series organiser Alan ‘Flea’ Willacy was equally satisfied by the reception that this new Adventure Bikes class received.
“We can see this class growing in stature, with these bikes popular across all of the country and Suzuki leading the way with their V-Strom model machine.”
Meanwhile, the 35-year-old Dibben double-classed at the weekend, also racing in his more-familiar supermoto class (for modified dirt bikes), although he did really have his work cut out trying to tame visiting British rider Davey Todd, the 29-year-old a class winner at the Isle of Man earlier this year.
North Yorkshireman Todd and Kiwi hero Dibben were out on identical Suzuki RM-Z450 bikes and the two of them battled handlebar-to-handlebar at the front of the field, a long way ahead of the chasing bunch.
Whakatane’s Mike Kyle finished 3-3-3 to complete the supermoto podium, while fourth overall was another Suzuki star, Whanganui’s Roger Bland, who finished 4-4-5 in the supermoto class at Taupo.
Round two of the series is set for Manfeild, on the outskirts of Feilding, this coming Saturday and Sunday, and no doubt more diabolical dicing and devious derring-do will punctuate proceedings.
Started in 2008, this year’s 16th annual Suzuki International Series (it skipped a year in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic) climaxes as usual with the world-renowned Cemetery Circuit public street race event in Whanganui on Boxing Day (December 26).
Other class leaders after the first round of three in the 2024 Suzuki International Series in Taupo at the weekend were Whakatane’s Mitch Rees (formula one/superbikes); Canterbury’s Jake Lewis (formulatwo/Supersport 600); Taupo’s Karl Hooper (formula three); Waiuku’s Hamish Simpson (Supersport 300); Wellington’s Malcolm Beilski (Formula Sport, Senior); Whanganui’s Jeff Croot (Formula Sport, junior); Glen Eden’s Daniel Mettam (Post Classics, Pre 95, Senior);Tauranga’s Darrick Kattenberg (Post Classics, Pre 95, Junior); Hastings’ Gian Louie (Post Classics, Pre 89, Senior); Auckland’s Scott Findlay (Post Classics, Pre 89, Junior); Panmure’s Adam Unsworth and Whanganui’s Bryce Rose (F1 sidecars); Whanganui’s Tracey Bryan and Kendal Dunlop (F2 sidecars).
The 2024 Suzuki International Series is supported by Suzuki New Zealand, Mondiale VGL, Auto Super Shoppe Tawa, Givi, I-Tools, Bridgestone tyres, Sharp As Linehaul Ltd Whanganui, TSS Motorcycles, Ipone, Inferno Design and Digital, Kiwibike Motorcycle Insurance Specialists, Cemetery Circuit Ltd.
DATES FOR 2024 SUZUKI INTERNATIONAL SERIES:
• Round 1, Taupo, Dec 7th and 8th;
• Round 2, Manfeild, Feilding, Dec 14th and 15th;
• Round 3, Whanganui’s Cemetery Circuit, Dec 26th.
Words & photo: Andy McGechan
