Here we are with our third edition of Cycleview on CycleOnline.com.au and, as the season draws closer, excitement most certainly ramps up. In fact, we’ll finally see some top-level racing take place locally this weekend at Phillip Island with the annual International Island Classic.

This year will see an assortment of quality older model machinery in the mix, combined with some highly-rated racers aboard them challenging for the honours. Fingers crossed things go the home team’s way again in 2019 and we can keep the trophy on home soil for another year.

It’s also been announced that the Island Classic has attracted Destination Phillip Island as title sponsor, securing an international broadcast deal as a result. In Australia we’ll see the weekend receive delayed coverage on both SBS and Fox Sports, plus there will be streaming on the event’s website.

This week will also see a Superbike World Championship test take place at Jerez, where 11 teams will be collectively riding and there’s a lot of change that has taken place into the new year. The question remaining is, can anybody step up and genuinely challenge Jonathan Rea for the crown? Time will tell.

Image: Supplied.

This week has seen some added movement in MotoGP as the new-look Mission Winnow Ducati team was unveiled, complete with fresh branding in relation to Phillip Morris International, but not product-specific. The GP19’s new livery is vastly updated and will most definitely stand out on track this year, in which the Italian brand is in search of its first title in over a decade.

Here’s how PMI describes Mission Winnow: “Mission Winnow has a simple goal: drive change by constantly searching for better ways of doing things. From world-leading engineers and scientists to cutting-edge creatives, the people at PMI, and our partners at Scuderia Ferrari and Ducati, have the know-how to challenge the status quo, drive revolutionary change and to be champions.”

The not-so-good news to arrive this week was that Jorge Lorenzo has been injured in training and will be forced to miss the Sepang test. He’s since undergone surgery on his scaphoid in Barcelona, but plans to return in time for Qatar testing in a month’s time, which hopefully will be the case in preparation for the opening round.

Repsol Honda’s official launch will take place today in Madrid, marking the 25th year that Repsol and Honda Racing Corporation will team up in the MotoGP World Championship. It’s understood Lorenzo will be there with world champion teammate Marc Marquez and it will be the first time that we’ll be able to see their 2019 RC213Vs in the latest livery.

That’s it from me for another week, here’s Jeremy with more…

Image: Supplied.

Early this morning, Triumph hosted its Triumph Factory Custom (TFC) concept launch in the UK, unveiling a limited edition Thruxton and the re-introduction of the big-bore Rocket. Both are elegantly styled motorcycles packed with some neat features, and if you can get your hands on one, it would be an absolute treat.

It’s really got me thinking – the quality of design and styling in the latest motorcycle releases has been extremely high as of late. Personally, I’ve always been a fan of classic and custom motorcycles, and I always have a soft spot for a manufacturer’s interpretation of a modern-classic.

But, I’ve always had a great appreciation for sharply designed, perhaps even futuristic, motorcycles. There seems to be more choices than other for different styled motorcycles, whether they’re based off the same platform or an own model in their entirety – there’s just so much to choose that’s of such a quality design standard.

Triumph’s updated modern take on the Rocket TFC has struck a chord with me – it still retains its classic Triumph styling, yet it’s been sharply finished off with an adequate amount of modernity and flowing lines. It’s certainly not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s sure to attract some fresh interest from riders like myself.

There’s really never been a better time to be in the market for a new motorcycle, especially with offerings such as Honda’s Neo Cafe CB range, Yamaha’s MT and XSR platforms and MV Agusta’s Brutale line, plus there’s also Kawasaki Z offering and Suzuki Katana due in 2020, and even the new generation of Harley-Davidsons!

That’s all for this week folks, we’ll catch you next Wednesday!