WOW! I can’t even begin to explain how overwhelmed and excited I am to be writing a column for AMCN. This is a huge moment for me, and I’m so stoked to be sharing my journey with all of you.
For those who don’t know me, I’m Tara Morrison, 21 years old, from South Australia. I’ve been immersed in motorcycles for as long as I can remember, and racing is practically in my veins. My first encounter with AMCN was on my first birthday, when my dad turned a rocking horse into a Rossi-inspired rocking bike! From day one, it was clear: bikes were my thing. Motorbikes have always been a part of my life, and I find it amazing to be a part of this community.
Now, starting my third year in the ASBK championship journey, I’m racing in the Supersport 300 class. Last year was a rollercoaster, finishing ninth overall despite missing two rounds due to some injuries – a broken collarbone followed by a gnarly break to my pelvis (with plates and screws to show for it!). Dad joked that if we ever get a flat tire in the van again, it better not have been from any of my screws.
But let’s talk highlights: Being the fastest in both practice and qualifying at a WorldSBK round – only to be narrowly edged out by a world championship regular in the final seconds! But starting from the front row in every race was incredible, and securing a second-place finish was definitely a career highlight.
Another unforgettable moment was racing at the FIM Intercontinental Games in Spain, held at the legendary Jerez circuit. I was part of Team Oceania, with Mike Jones as captain. We were over there battling it out on the international stage. I qualified well and stayed strong in both races, helping Australia secure third overall after all our points were added up. Champagne celebrations and unforgettable memories followed – plus, I made lifelong friendships that I’ll cherish forever.
Motorcycle racing isn’t just a sport for me; it’s my entire life. When I’m not racing, I’m working at a motorcycle shop by day and spinning spanners on my race bikes with my dad and boyfriend, Camo, by night. Most weekends? We’re off to the track, either racing across Australia or getting coached by legends like TT racer Davo Johnson at Champions Ride Days, or Levi Day at his Mac Park On Track Rider Training sessions. If you can make it to even one of these, you have to go! They’re incredible.
On the rare occasions when I do get time away from the track, I love to ride through the beautiful Adelaide Hills near my home so I’m also really looking forward to testing a range of road bikes for AMCN over the coming months – hopefully in the middleweight range, which are the ones most people my age want to buy. So those are the ones I want to test first!
We also have a new and exciting endeavour this year: I’m racing a Yamaha R7, set up just like the bikes in the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship. I’m eyeing up the 2026 season, but if we get the chance to do some wildcards before then, you bet we’ll be there!
My main goal for 2025 is to win the Australian Supersport 300 championship. No small feat but I’m going all in. While there’s no national class for the R7 yet, I’ll be at state title events in both Victoria and South Australia. Just a few weeks ago, I swept the Supersport 300 races at the Vic round and put the R7 on the podium in every race in the Limited Class. What a weekend!
I hope you’re as excited to follow my journey as I am to share it with you. My team and I are always up to something exciting, and I can promise you one thing: we work hard first, so we can play hard later.
Thanks so much for taking the time to read my first column. I’ll check in soon to give you a behind-the-scenes from the first round of WorldSBK/ASBK at Phillip Island – my favourite track that has just given me the highlight of my race career so far!
