Versatile Suzuki Racers Lead The Way In Series

The bikes are truly versatile and so are the riders, as Suzuki stalwart Richie Dibben has just demonstrated over the past few weeks.

The Whanganui legend battled allcomers in the Supermoto class (for modified dirt bikes) throughout the 2024 Suzuki International Series and, as perhaps expected for a man with the No.1 already plastered across the front and sides of his bright yellow bike, he also ended the series the way he’d started it … with the national No.1 still firmly in place.

But there was never anything that could be taken for granted by the immensely-talented former Kiwi international, with 2024 Isle of Man champion Davey Todd again arriving from the United Kingdom to keep him honest.

North Yorkshireman Todd and flying Kiwi hero Dibben were racing 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, at each of the three venues – Taupo on December 7-8, at Manfeild on December 14-15 and at Whanganui’s grand finale, on the world-famous Cemetery Circuit, on Boxing Day.

Neither rider finished worse than runner-up all series, but 35-year-old Dibben seemed to have the measure in the end, qualifying fastest at all three rounds and then winning six of the eight Supermoto races, with the 29-year-old Todd claiming the other two, a classic Suzuki 1-2 to wrap up the series.

Father-of three Dibben said he loved the intense racing and it was “great to have Davey back here” again this season.

“We were pretty close together on track and it may not have looked like it, but we trust one another and we were totally under control at all times,” said Dibben, who broke his own lap record for the Supermoto class at Whanganui, now down to just 50.534 seconds.

Todd said he enjoyed his visit so much that he declared a return trip next season was certainly on the cards.

“This was my second visit to New Zealand. I loved every minute of it, and I want to come back,” was the succinct summary from Todd as he relaxed at the end of the day’s racing in Whanganui.

“If I could make this an annual thing, it would be fantastic.

“I brought my own superstock road bike over with me to race in the Formula One/Superbikes class, but I also rode every other bike I was offered. I rode four different bikes at Whanganui, although I have to say that was probably a little over the limit because I am feeling it now.

“I could do it, but I didn’t have as much energy as I wanted. I felt a little weak at the end of the day’s racing. But I can’t wait to be back. I love all the people over here and have been treated like family.”

Todd finished third overall in the F1 class and finished runner-up, behind Whakatane’s Mitch Rees, in the marathon Robert Holden Memorial feature race at Whanganui.

Meanwhile, dual-class hero Dibben also led the way in the newly-minted Adventure Bikes class this series, although his winning margin was extremely tight as he fought off a stern challenge from Suzuki’s multi-time former New Zealand Superbike champion Sloan ‘Choppa’ Frost, from Lower Hutt.

The Adventure Bikes class, included in the Suzuki International Series for the first time this season, was bristling with talent, with multi-time former national formula three road-race champion Rodney O’Connor (GASGAS) also providing fireworks near the front of the field.

Dibben was on an 800cc parallel twin Suzuki V Strom bike, while Frost had a 1050cc version of the same bike.

The racing was incredibly tight, with Dibben winning round one in Taupo by four points over Frost, then Frost responding to better Dibben by three points at Manfeild’s round two and they were virtually equal at the final round of the series on the public streets of Whanganui’s famous Cemetery Circuit on Boxing Day (Thursday).

It was gripping stuff and it came down to the wire for the class win here, with Dibben beaten by Frost in the first of two races at Whanganui, giving the Wellington man a narrow two-point advantage as they started together on the front row for the eighth and final race of the series on Thursday afternoon.

In the end, Dibben edged out Frost for the win in that deciding final showdown and he therefore took the class win by a solitary point from Frost, another Suzuki 1-2 result for the series’ main sponsors to cherish.

Suzuki had another big win to celebrate too as Cambridge 19-year-old Morgan McLaren-Wood (Suzuki GSX-R600) kept hold of his lead in the Formula Two/600cc class and he even extended it to a whopping 36 points over Whanganui’s eventual runner-up Luca Durning (Ducati) by again totally dominating this class on Boxing Day.

The Suzuki man qualified fastest and then won both F2 races on Thursday, before also going out in the all-capacities Robert Holden Memorial feature race and finishing a creditable fourth, the first of the smaller bikes, behind 1000cc superbike riders Mitch Rees, Davey Todd and Tony Rees.

Class winners in the 2024 Suzuki International Series: Whakatane’s Mitch Rees (formula one/superbikes class); Cambridge’s Morgan McLaren-Wood (formula two/Supersport 600); Auckland’s Tyler King (in both the formula three and Supersport 300 classes); 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); Lower Hutt’s Dean Bentley (Post Classics, Pre 89, Junior); Panmure’s Adam Unsworth and Whanganui’s Bryce Rose (F1 sidecars); Whanganui’s Tracey Bryan and Auckland’s Kendal Dunlop (F2 sidecars); Whanganui’s Richie Dibben (in both the Supermoto and Adventure Bike classes).

Robert Holden Memorial feature race top five: 1. Mitch Rees, 2. Davey Todd, 3. Tony Rees, 4. Morgan McLaren-Wood, 5. Wellington’s Rogan Chandler.

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 and photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com

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