BMW Australian Enduro Team
BMW Australian Enduro Team News
BMW Motorrad Motorsport Australian Enduro Team
After the successful debut of the new BMW G 450 X on Australian soil at last year’s Australian 4 Day Enduro (A4DE), with 5 times World MX Champion Joel Smets at the helm, BMW Motorrad Australia has announced a new home grown Enduro Team. Aimed at developing and breeding exciting new talent within the Australian Enduro scene the BMW Motorrad Enduro Team consists of five carefully handpicked riders.
The team is made up of some of Australia’s leading ‘up and coming’ Enduro talent competing in the Australian Off Road Championship, with Luka Bussa (Pro Class), Luke Tomlinson (Expert Class) and Alexander Lean ( Clubman Class) . Furthermore, these three young riders will be supported by two riders with decades of experience in Trent Lean and Stephen Clarke who will compete in the Veterans and Masters Class .
Whilst the three young riders harness unlimited ability, they will be guided and coached by Trent and Stephen who will act as key mentors. In addition to their competition and mentoring roles, Trent and Stephen also assume the role of Team Manager and Team Technician. Aboard the highly acclaimed G 450 X, BMW Motorrad is confident this talented Enduro Team will play a pivotal role in BMW Motorrad’s introduction in to the Australian Off Road Championship and cement BMW Motorrad’s position within the Australian Enduro circuit in the coming years.
The BMW Motorrad Enduro team is sponsored by;
Scott (Riding gear/goggles),
One Industries (Helmets/graphics),
Castrol (Oil products),
Metzeler (Tyres),
Braking (Brake components)
Unifilter (Air filter products).
First Taste of Success
After a low key debut at Round 1 of the NSW State Enduro Series the all new BMW Motorrad Enduro Team lined up at Rounds 1 and 2 of the Australian Off Road Championship at Wachope near Port Macquarie, NSW on March 7-8 and achieved some fantastic results. The standout result was Luke Tomlinson’s outright 1st in the highly competitive Expert Class of the AORC.
All riders were very positive about their first serious outing as a team and Luke Tomlinson said,
"I have had very little set up time on the new BMW G 450 X but it felt very competitive straight away, with a little more time on the bike and some minor changes I am looking forward to a great year".
It was Luka Bussa’s first national race in the ultra competitive Pro E2 Class, a class that boasts some serious talent including multiple world champion Stefan Merriman. Luka wasn’t pleased with his results, after the race he said, "the E2 class is so tough, it was my first major race on a 450 and I haven’t raced many cross country style races. It really took it out of me, I didn’t recover well for the races on Sunday. I need to step up my training and get more familiar with my G 450 X, my race bike is so trick, all the other riders were checking it out over the weekend. I know I can improve and get up towards the top 10, it will take a lot of hard work but I am up for the challenge".
AORC Round 1 results 2-2.5 hour Cross Country Race (endurance event)
* Luka Bussa Pro class – 13th in class
* Luke Tomlinson Expert class – 1st in class (20th outright)
* Alexander Lean Clubman class – 9th in class
* Trent Lean Veteran class – 3rd in class
* Stephen Clarke Masters class – DNF (due to dehydration/fatigue)
AORC Round 2 results Sprint format (series of short sprint races)
* Luka Bussa Pro class – 13th in class
* Luke Tomlinson Expert class – 3rd in class
* Alexander Lean Clubman class – 13th in class
* Trent Lean Veteran class – 4th in class
* Stephen Clarke Masters class – 3rd in class
The BMW Enduro Team will compete at AORC (Australian Off Road Championship) and A4DE (Australian 4 Day Enduro) as well as select state rounds. 2009 Enduro Schedule AORC – remaining rounds
* Rounds 3 & 4 – May 16-17, Blayney NSW
* Rounds 5 & 6 – June 27-28, Murray Bridge SA
* Rounds 7 & 8 – August 15-16 QLD
* Rounds 9 & 10 – September 12-13, NSW A4DE – Orange NSW,
BMW Motorrad Enduro Team Riders:
Luka Bussa
Class: Pro Class
Bike: BMW G 450 X
Number: #52
Age: 18
Home town: Moruya, NSW
Years riding: 15
Best result: 2 x Junior State Sprint Champion ISDE team selection 2008
Luke Tomlinson
Class: Expert Class
Bike: BMW G 450 X Number: # 265
Age: 18
Home town: Jerrabomberra, ACT
Years riding: Racing for 9 years
Best result: Outright Clubman winner AORC 2007
Alexander Lean
Class: Clubman Class
Bike: BMW G 450 X
Number: # 545
Age: 16
Home town: Dungog, NSW
Years riding: Riding for 10years, racing for 6 years
Best result: NSW Junior Enduro Sports person of the Year.
Trent Lean (Team Manager)
Class: Veteran Class
Bike: BMW G 450 X
Number: # 302
Age: 43
Home town: Dungog, NSW
Years riding: 30 years, racing for 15 years
Best result: 3rd in class A4DE 2005 1 x 2nd in AORC 2 x 3rd in AORC 3 x NSW sprint titles 2 x NSW Enduro titles
Stephen Clarke (Team Technician)
Class: Masters Class
Bike: BMW G 450 X
Number: # 911
Age: 47 Home town: Salamander Bay
Years riding: Racing for 11 years
Best result: 2x 2ndin AORC 1 x NSW Cross Country title
