ROAD NEWS

V-Twins came to a heady climax as the two frontrunners , Kyle Wyman ( Harley-Davidson Racing ) and Australian import Troy Herfoss ( Indian Motorcycle Racing ) see-sawed for the lead . Racing 280kg + Baggers at speeds of up to 185mph ( miles per hour , as the Americans do ...) is nail-biting stuff but when you go into the final round only separated by two points , it is who blinks first . Steeped in history , the rivalry between the big American brands can best be described as similar to the Ford versus Holden argument in V8 racing in our part of the world but with ten times the population taking sides . Illogical and quirky to many here in NZ , the racing is fantastic and there is something terrifyingly exciting watching top-flight riders sliding the big rigs around . Watch it before you dismiss it . Herfoss claimed a second to Wyman ’ s third in the initial outing on the final day , leapfrogging his American rival , who had a slender two-point lead into the leading spot – by two points . With the 18-race season and the arch-rivalry at stake in the final race , Herfoss , a three-time Australian Superbike champion , was utterly clinical in the final race , not putting a tyre out of place and not backing off the pace at all , even as his lead grew to almost three seconds before a fightback by Wyman closed it down as the tyres were beaten to their overheating carcasses under the strain . Herfoss ’ win breaks the one-all deadlock between the two American motorcycle manufacturers since the series began in 2020 ( a year out due to lockdowns ) and has established itself with a massive audience both in its domestic market and abroad as the unlikely category draws a new demographic to the racetrack .

KIWI RIDER 17