FREE 2012 NOVEMBER NEWS, REVIEWS, FEATURES, QUADS PLUS LOADS MORE BIKES TESTED
KAWASAKI NINJA 300
MUSCLED UP LAMS
KTM
FREERIDE
350
TRAIL BOSS
IN THIS ISSUE
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 2
In this edition of Cycle Torque we’ve got some really interesting motorcycles, a great touring piece about visiting the Isle of Man, lots of news and some really insightful columns on the state of motorcycling. The quarter-litre class is growing up – both Kawasaki, with the Ninja 300, and KTM, with the Freeride 350, have launched new bikes which might have been 250s in the past. Both are lightweight, versatile machines in the their respective categories, and both should do well. At the other end of the spectrum we have the Yamaha Vmax, the original muscle machine. What an incredible machine - our video shows it leaving way too much tyre on the road… Smarty loved the new KTM 450SX-F (September 2012) so it was always going to be interesting to read his take on the update 250 and 350SX-F, which you’ll find in this issue. Thanks for downloading Cycle Torque, please share stories and links with your friends, and give us a review on iTunes. – Nigel Paterson Publisher
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NEWSLETTER
CONTENTS
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 3
RIDDEN
REGU LARS
2013 KTM FREERIDE 350 LAUNCH
KAWASAKI NINJA 300 TEST
26
2013 KTM 250 SXF/350SX-F
34
YAMAHA VMAX TEST
60
LAUNCH
50
5 16 18 20 22 23 24 25 58 66 70 78 90
NEWS SMALL TORQUE PIT BITS DIRTY NEWS EDITORIAL GUNTRIP RACE TORQUE DIRTY TORQUE BOOK SHOP MARKET TORQUE BIKE STUFF USED & REVIEWED TORQUE BACK - LETTERS
FEATU RES COVER PHOTOS: KTM IKAPTURE/KTM, NINJA PATERSON
42
TOURING FEATURE – UK AND ISLE OF MAN, PT 2
80
QUAD TORQUE NEWS
82
WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP, 2012
84
CATAVOLT ELECTRIC BIKE
86
2012 BMW GS SAFARI
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 4
NEW TO RIDING? WE WANT YOU! Motorcycle Boot Camp is an event perfect for that younger generation who have always dreamed of owning a Harley but haven’t taken the next crucial step – walking into a H-D dealership! A social platform to connect with other riders, learn the basics and get the technical aspects of customisation and performance of your new Harley-Davidson.
GO TO
www.h-d.com
NEW 72 SPORTSTER MODEL HITS THE STREETS FOR 2013!
NEWS TORQUE
INTERMOT, one of the biggest motorcycle shows in the world, was held recently, and a number of motorcycle manufacturers used the show to release their 2013 models. Cycle Torque selected a sample of what was on offer to give you enticing options on where to spend your motorcycling dollars next year.
KTM
IBMW
Besides the amazing new Freeride 350, the biggest news from Austrian giant KTM was the new 1190 Adventure. More than just an updated Adventure, the new bike shares a lot of mechanical DNA with the RC8R sportsbike.
The biggest news from BMW is the fact the R 1200 GS has received liquid-cooling. While the bike looks much the same as the outgoing model it does have many innovative ideas. The engine for example has what BMW calls ‘Precision Cooling’. In essence only certain parts are liquid-cooled, while others retain the air/oil-cooled set up. This has allowed BMW to use radiators which are placed well out of the danger zone in case of a minor crash.
There’s 150 horsepower from the bigger engine, and styling updates too. An R version will be available.
There are also updates to the electronic system, and the bike has more power modes for the rider to choose from. On the sports front BMW has released a HP4 version of the S 1000 RR, with semiactive suspension which adjusts on the fly from inputs received by the motorcycle’s electronics. Launch control is now part of the bike’s digital arsenal, and the bike comes from the factory with a full Akrapovic exhaust system.
Liquid-cooled 1200 GS
EXCITING INTERMOT
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 5
EXCITING INTERMOT
NEWS TORQUE
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 6
ITALIANS Ducati unveiled its new 1200 Multistrada which too boasts an semi-active suspension system. The Sachs Skyhook suspension has by all accounts improved the 1200 Multistrada which has been out for a couple of years now. It must be good if that’s the case because the electronically adjustable Öhlins suspension on the current 2012 S-model is very good. Looks haven’t changed much but we expect the new machine will be popular. Also getting lots of interest from the showgoers was the Ducati Panigale RS13, which is most likely the bike Carlos Checa will ride in the WSBK championship next year. An R version is expected to be released to the public in 2013. Aprilia’s RSV4 Factory ABS also wowed punters, and it has a few electronic updates including a two litre larger tank and an advanced ABS system. The complete Aprilia Performance Ride Control package has also been updated and refined. Moto Guzzi showed three new versions of its V7 Racer, Special and Stone models.
Panigale RS13
1200 Multistrada
Biaggi & the RSV4 Moto Guzzi V7 range
2013 Street Triple
TRIUMPH 675 enthusiasts will love the new naked Street Triple which has been massively updated in the styling department. It has an all-new chassis and the exhaust has been repositioned down low. There is also an R version available with fully adjustable suspension, as before. Yamaha’s Big Bang triple
JAPANESE Kawasaki’s big news was a Z800 naked bike, set to replace the Z750. With 111 horsepower, and adjustable suspension the Z800 looks to be a package which should be popular with buyers. Suzuki had a number of new models on show, with the 1000cc V-Strom Concept bike the most interesting. With an all-new look, and of course the stonking 1000cc V-twin engine it will hopefully bring back a few more adventure riders to the Suzuki fold. It certainly looks more off-road oriented than the earlier 1000 V-Strom. If it’s priced right we can see people flocking to Suzuki dealerships to buy one. Suzuki also celebrated the one millionth GSX-R by displaying a limited edition GSX-R 1000. A new Boulevard was shown too, the 1462cc Intruder C1500T. Looking bad in all black the bagger, Suzuki claims it’s the most powerful machine in the 1000-1600cc cruiser class.
Honda CB1100
Yamaha announced it has been developing a three cylinder inline engine with a crossplane crankshaft, like the R1. At this stage the engine is a concept but may well be the basis for a middleweight 675 style sports machine to replace the R6? You can see the engine being used in numerous applications. For the touring set Yamaha had its revamped FJR1300 on display, with new bodywork, fly-by-wire throttle control and traction control. Yamaha says the cost should remain much the same as the outgoing model but to keep costs low Yamaha hasn’t been able to give the FJR sophisticated electronic suspension and a more complex traction control/power mode system. That said, the FJR might be an ageing design but it’s still a fantastic road burner. Honda didn’t have much to show, with the CB1100 being perhaps the headline act. Japan and Australia have already had the bike for a couple of years now but the Europeans are getting it for the first time in 2013. n Suzuki’s 2013 Intruder
Kawasaki Z800
Concept V-Strom 1000
EXCITING INTERMOT
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 7
NEWS TORQUE
Vale Andrew Johnson
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 8
VICTORIAN race legend Andrew Johnson sadly and unexpectedly passed away on 21 September, 2012. He was 56. Racing for the Preston Motorcycle Club, the man known as ‘Ajay’ was an Australian Grand Prix winner in both the Unlimited and 500cc classes at Bathurst, and won the 1980 Castrol Six-Hour with Wayne Gardner. Johnson made a name for himself as a Honda Racing Australia team rider from 1982 on Superbike, production and GP works machines. He retired in 1984, having won that year’s Arai 500 at Bathurst, after suffering a serious neck injury in 1983. In 1973, Johnson’s left hand was badly crushed in a work accident that never stopped his rise to the top of Australian road racing. He became one of the fittest and strongest racers of his era, a point not lost on former Honda team-mate Malcolm Campbell. “Ajay had that huge right arm of his that he built up, and everybody knew about his handshake,” Campbell remembers. “You really had to brace yourself because he could squash your hand if you weren’t ready. Everybody knew about it, and he caught quite a few blokes out - that was Ajay.” In 1994, Johnson was appointed manager of the Honda Racing Australia’s junior motocross team that featured Ajay’s son Shannon, Jono Porter and Troy Carroll. When Shannon went road racing Ajay was there to guide his son, who captured the 2002 Australian Supersport Championship. The pair shared the same spirited approach to racing that earned them both plenty of admirers. Ajay raced with and against some of the finest riders Australia has produced including Wayne Gardner, Rob Phillis, Malcolm Campbell, the late Greg Pretty, Dennis Neill, Roger Heyes, Mick Cole and Ron Boulden, and beat most of them. His legacy and spirit will live on forever. Rest Easy Ajay – Darryl Flack
It’s not where you’re going, It’s how you get there!
NEWS TORQUE
Inazuma SUZUKI has added a brand new bike to its line-up, the Inazuma 250, powered by a 250cc fuel injected twin cylinder engine. There’s lots to like about the Inazuma, especially if you are a commuter. It’s a modern design with sharp looks, and the six
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 9 speed gearbox and the 180 degree crankshaft and balancer shaft reduces vibration, so the bike and rider won’t be stressed, even on the freeway. It’s built to suit a budget, therefore the only suspension adjustment is the seven-way spring pre-load on the rear. Due to arrive this month, the Inazuma will retail for $4,990 + ORC and is backed by Suzuki’s two-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Colours available are Pearl Nebular Black and Candy Cardinal Red. n
NEWS TORQUE
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 10
Triumph tourer
S P E C IA L
OFFER
E TA P F O R M O R
Triumph is back in the touring sector with the release of the Triumph 1200 Trophy, its answer to bikes like BMW’s K 1600 GT and R 1200 RT, Honda’s ST1300, Yamaha’s 2013 FJR1300 and Kawasaki’s GTR1400. This bike is expected to have a decent hit of sports in there too, but essentially it is being targeted to touring riders. The Trophy will be powered by the same 1215cc, shaft-driven three-cylinder engine that was developed for the Tiger Explorer. The 132-horsepower package will get a counter-rotating balancer shaft to smooth out any vibrations and that will work in conjunction with a torsional damping system designed to transfer power from the gearbox to the shaft drive. Ride-by-wire technology is used, incorporating cruise and traction control. We can tell you if it’s as good as the system on the Tiger Explorer then you will be hard pressed to fault it. An electronically adjusted screen is fitted standard and even has a memory function which sets the screen at the position it was when you were last riding. Luggage capacity is 31 litres for each pannier, and a a 55 litre top box. An SE model will most likely be available in Australia, which gets you Bluetooth, USB input and iPod/MP3 player compatibility, adjustable WP suspension and a tyre-pressure monitoring system. There’s no word on the price of the Trophy yet but Cycle Torque will be attending the national launch early in 2013. Look out then for the full test. n
NEWS TORQUE
Big bang TE HUSQVARNA’S TE250 and 310 enduro models have had a power injection for 2013. Both models feature an all-new high performance cylinder head featuring twin overhead camshafts and speed-resistant valve operation, utilising individual finger followers and four lightweight valves, and a new fuel injection system ensures enough fuel gets in to compliment the other engine changes. Maximum output on the TE 310 R has been boosted by nearly five per cent and peak torque by around eight per cent, while the new TE 250 R will benefit from an increase of around eight per cent in both power and torque figures. In addition to the redesigned cylinder head and new fuel injection system, a new exhaust header design contributes to the 2013 models performance increase. TE 250R retails for $10,995 and the TE 310 at $11,695. Both models feature Husqvarna’s 12 month parts and labour factory backed warranty and are available at Husqvarna dealerships now. n
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 11
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NEWS TORQUE
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 13
Moto Racer YAMAHA Australia is building a dedicated road racing bike from a YZ450F motocrosser. And the best thing is, you can buy one yourself. The bike qualifies to race in the newly formed GP450 class that is rapidly becoming popular around the globe. This entry level class makes use of relatively inexpensive MX bikes that are available from nearly every manufacturer. These models are lightly modified to become genuine road racers that are capable of similar lap times as 125GP bikes at most circuits. Yamaha Racing Developments (YRD) boss John Redding’s goal is to attract newcomers to road racing by offering a fun and affordable entry level race bike. “The 450GP class is aimed at encouraging newcomers to the sport. With the help of Yamaha Motor Australia, the RRP of the YZ450GP machine is subsidised to help competitors enter this new and exciting race class. Plus if racers are serious about competing and have an existing YZ450F, we can supply kits for them to build themselves,” adds Redding. YRD is offering for sale a limited quantity of ready to ride 2013 YZ450GPs fitted with the road race kit which includes Marzocchi 43mm USD forks, modified shock, rear sets, clip on handlebars and 17 inch road wheels. You even get to keep all the MX parts taken off the donor YZ450F. Retrofitting the MX gear is possible at any time because the GP kit does not require any permanent modifications to install. YRD will sell you the whole package for $16,625, which includes the donor machine. For more info contact John Redding at YRD on yrd@bigpond.com or 0438 105303. n
Manufactured in Australia by Rideworx T 02 4271 8244 Find what fits your bike at:
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NEWS TORQUE
Getting technical
GLENN Merriman from Fineline Motorcycles in Taree (NSW) and Greg Dodt from Yamaha Country in Gympie, Qld are representing Oceania in Yamaha’s World Technician Gran Prix (WTGP) in Iwata, Japan, on 23 and 24 October 2012, after we go to press with the November issue. Glenn, the 2011 Oceania Technician Gran Prix winner says: “I am extremely excited and honoured to be given this opportunity to go to Japan to compete with Yamaha technicians from around the world” 2009 Oceania Technicians Grand Prix winner Greg Dodt explains: “I am stoked to have the opportunity to compete against other technicians from around the globe. It is an opportunity of a life time to challenge the world’s best Yamaha technicians.” n
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 14
NEWS TORQUE Norton mania THE annual Norton Day will be held at Speers Point Park, right next to Lake Macquarie near Newcastle. All bikes are welcome, but of course Norton machines will get special treatment. According to Hunter Valley Norton Owners Club secretary Kerrigan O’Neill the Show N Shine will have lots of different classes where you just might win a trophy.
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 15
Highway Performance Bikes
So if you have a bike which you think is cool bring it along on Sunday November 11, from 8am - 2pm. Entry is free. n
A Compass for Boorman COMPASS Expeditions is teaming up with Charley Boorman and his good friend, and manager, Billy Ward for two motorcycle tours in Australia in February and March 2013. Both tours are 10 days in length; one ride will start in Sydney and travel via the Blue Mountains, Broken Hill, Flinders Ranges and the Great Ocean Road before culminating in Melbourne. The second ride will begin in Melbourne and cross to Tasmania before crossing back to Melbourne and riding the spectacular Victorian High Country and the Snowy Mountains. “We are very excited to have Charley lead for both these rides” says Compass Expeditions co-founder Mick McDonald. “Both Charley and Billy are great personable guys that are good fun to be around and to have them leading some rides for us is very exciting, it will be a fantastic experience for all involved” continues Mick. For more information call 1300 887 327 or go to www.compassexpeditions.com n
NEW BIKES
Buy Michelin, get fuel
USED BIKES
EVERY Australian motorcycle rider who purchases a set (one front and one rear tyre) of selected Michelin motorcycle tyres from an authorised Australian retailer until November 18th 2012 will receive a $20 EFTPOS fuel card. Riders will be able to choose from some of Michelin’s most popular brands including Michelin Pilot Road 2 and 3, Power Pure, Pilot Power 2CT, or Pilot Power tyres. The $20 fuel card can be used at any fuel station around Australia that accepts EFTPOS. n
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SMALL TORQUE
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 16
ANDY’S BIKES
“This is a strong outcome for new road motorcycle sales and a stabilisation of both ANDY Caldecott was an off road motorcycle racer who won the Australian Safari Rally four the off-road and ATV segments,” said new FCAI Chief Executive, Tony Weber. “We generally see times consecutively (2000–2003) and was a sales of motorcycles grow in the final quarter competitor in the Dakar Rally in 2004, 2005 of the year as the weather gets warmer, so (came 6th) and 2006. During the 2006 Dakar there is still the potential for 2012 to be a Rally he won the third stage, but later died strong year in all motorcycle segments.” from a neck injury when he crashed during the ninth stage, 250km into the 599km special Sales to the end of September showed Honda stage. He was the 23rd death in the 28 years of as the leading manufacturer in terms of the rally. He was born in Keith, South Australia, volume with 17,536 units, followed by Yamaha where he operated a motorcycle shop and with 13,735 units and Suzuki with 8,674 units where the local speedway was renamed in his sold. honour. Andy’s wife Tracey has loaned the two bikes HOP ON A HYO Andy used to compete in the Dakar Rally to the National Motor Museum. In 2005 he rode Hyosung’s ‘Massive Run Out’ savings continue a 2005 Motorex KTM 450 and in 2006 he rode with the versatile GT650S being added to the line up of bikes that have been reduced a 2006 Repsol KTM 700, which was rebuilt by up to $1000 on selected 2012 Hyosung after his unfortunate accident. The bikes will be displayed with Andy’s team mate and great models. The GT650S features a comfortable friend David Schwarz’s 2005 Motorex KTM 450 riding position with upright ’bars and a frame mounted half fairing for protection from the bike, which is already on display. elements. The GT650S has been reduced by a whopping STRONG GROWTH $900. CONTINUES FOR ON-ROAD Savings range from $500 for the GT250 ($4,490 + ORC) to the GT650R which is now MOTORCYCLES only $6,990 + ORC, as saving of $1000. Other OFFICIAL figures released by the Federal models are in the deal so check out your local Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) Hyosung dealer ASAP. show that 78,830 new motorcycles, ATVs and scooters were sold to the end of the third quarter of 2012. This is an increase of 2.1 per YAMAHA SUPERJET cent (1,604 units) over the same period in WHEN it’s too hot to moto, Yamaha reckons 2011. it’s great to get out on its SuperJet, a stand-up The Road segment continued to drive growth, PWC which carves through the turns and offers increasing 9.4 per cent to 31,071 units to the watersport fun and training. end of September. With an RRP of just $11,143, free Yamaha ATV sales, predominantly to the agricultural Marine Insurance, 5.99 per cent interest, a sector, grew a modest 1.0 per cent (to 16,188 three year warranty and a free GoPro Hero2 units) compared with 2011. sports HD camera included, the SuperJet offers However the news was not all positive, with excellent value. purchases of off-road bikes decreasing slightly Participating dealers also have demo units by 1.0 per cent (to 24,033 units) and Scooters available to try before buy. Check out www. continuing to see softening sales with a yamaha-motor.com.au. n decrease of 11.6 per cent compared to last year with 7,538 new units retailed.
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SMALL TORQUE SUZUKI 2012 MODEL CLEARANCE
and safety advanced hi-performance sportsbikes available, such as our incredible EXCLUSIVELY for the month of October (the 1199 Panigale.” Will has been a Ducati Ambassador for November issue of Cycle Torque comes the past three years. “My new Panigale is out in October so you still have time), awesome, what a bike! I can’t believe how participating Suzuki dealers are offering fantastic deals across their extensive range lucky I am to have a Panigale to ride, it’s the pinnacle of Ducati’s products right now and of 2012 models, cruisers, off-roaders, fun bikes, farm bikes and ATVs as well as all-new I’m stoked. I loved riding my Ducati 1198S and can’t wait to get some miles aboard motocross machines in the Suzuki 2012 the Panigale … the technology Ducati has Model Clearance campaign. incorporated into the Panigale is incredible.” Headlining these great deals, is the entire said Davison. 2012 Suzuki road bike range has up to a $1,000 Factory Bonus on every single 2012 road bike. MOTOGP AND WSBK JOIN Enduro riders aren’t forgotten, with a $500 HANDS Factory Bonus on one of Australia’s favourite BOTH the MotoGP and World Superbike enduro motorcycle, the Suzuki DR-Z400E Championships will be run essentially by and Suzuki’s most popular street-legal trail one company from 2013. bike, the DR650SE. The merger has been brought about by Aussie farmers will not miss out either, Bridgepoint, a European private equity firm. with the number one selling farm bike in They are the major shareholder in Dorna Australia, the hard working, Trojan available and purchased Infront Sports and Media in for only $4,490 ride away from participating 2011. dealers. Under the new arrangement, Dorna If you are into four wheelers, then Suzuki’s Sports will manage both championships ATV range has up to a $750 Factory Bonus while Infront will take move more into a on selected models. marketing and advising role. For further information on the Suzuki 2012 “A true win-win situation has been created,” Model Clearance, customers should visit Philippe Blatter, President and CEO of participating Suzuki dealers, who can be Infront said. found via the Dealer Locator on www. “Under the new structure, the two leading suzuki.com.au. motorcycle road racing events are now set for sustainable further growth and development. DUCATI FOR DAVISON DUCATI Australia has given V8 Supercar “We’re very excited to have the two top driver Will Davison a brand new Ducati 1199 motorcycle road racing series under one Panigale S superbike recently. roof,” said Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna. “As our performance ambassador, Will “We fully expect to develop and strengthen mirrors many qualities with that of Ducati.” the distinct nature of both MotoGP and said Warren Lee, CEO – Ducati Australia / WorldSBK as separate properties and remain NF Importers. “Being a highly successful V8 committed to working with teams and Supercar driver and champion requires an manufacturers, circuit owners, sponsors unwavering determination to be number 1, and broadcasters to give fans the best just as Ducati with its pursuit to design and experience yet.” n deliver the most cutting edge, technically
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 17
PIT IBITS BROOKES SECOND IN BRITISH SUPERBIKES FORMER multiple Australian Champion Josh Brookes has finished runner-up in the British Superbike Championship, riding a Suzuki GSX-R1000. Brookes went in to the triple-header final round capable of still catching series leader Shayne ‘Shakey’ Byrne, (Kawasaki) but the British legend was able to hold the young Aussie at bay to win another title.
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 18 disciplines being involved. Taking over Mallala Motorsport Park, South Australia, on 11 November, the 3 Hour endurance race will be run in conjunction with round five of the Australian F1 Sidecar Championship and F2 cup, the SA Junior Road Race Championship, the Mallala 50km and 75km races and a bunch of Bucket racing.
The main event consists of three classes, both available in either the 1000cc or 600cc categories. These are 2+2 Team (two riders on two bikes), 2+1 With the British Chmpionship now arquably the most team (two riders sharing one bike) or the grueling solo competitive national title in the world, runner-up is no rider on one bike. Prize money and trophies have also mean feat. been upped since last year, with a cool $1000 going to Brookes will remain with his Tyco Suzuki Team in 2013 the outright victor. as he continues to capture the title. Also sidecars and juniors from around Australia will be at Mallala competing. The sidecars will be fighting out the final round of the 2012 Australian Championship JUNIOR SPEEDWAY while the juniors race for the state championship. THE Cleanaway New South Wales Junior Speedway Support classes include the 75km race, open for Solo Championship was staged at the Allen Park 1000cc and 600cc individual riders, and the 50km race, track at Somersby recently with riders from all over accommodating the Limited and Historic machines. New South Wales as well as some Queenslanders Interested riders are asked to visit the Phoenix contesting the event. Motorcycle Club of SA website for full race details and Cowra rider Ben Cook came out on top ahead of a field entry forms on www.phoenixmcc.org.au or contact of promising young talents. Rick Dowsett on 0403 386788. Cook top scored in the heats with 14 points and he was joined in the Final by Queenslander Bryce Brigden and Newcastle rider Denny Cox, who both scored 11, AUSSIE ISDE PODIUMS and Boyd Hollis, also of Newcastle, who won the B AUSTRALIA has closed out a successful campaign at Final. the 2012 FIM International Six Day Enduro (ISDE) in Germany, with the Senior Trophy team collecting silver Also on the program on Sunday was the Aircom and the Women’s Trophy team taking bronze. Systems New South Wales Junior Sidecar Championship with the small field turning on plenty After six grueling and exhausting days on the Saxony of exciting action. track, the Senior Trophy Team of Toby Price, Matt Phillips, Glenn Kearney, Josh Strang, Daniel Milner and Victory went to the combination of Jackson DunnChris Hollis took second place in the World Trophy Gilbert and passenger Alanah Cornwell who beat Jackson Bond / Liam Cox and Tom Pearce / Denny Cox team competition, cementing their place as Australia’s most successful ISDE team. in the final. For further information about junior speedway racing call 0412 506503.
MALLALA 3 HOUR IS BACK AFTER the resurrection of the the Mallala 3 Hour last year, the historic endurance race will be once again held this November, with a widespread array of racing
Jess Gardiner, Tanya Hearn and Tayla Jones collected bronze for Australia in the Women’s Trophy team competition, marking Australia’s second consecutive podium finish in the category. The Junior Trophy Team of Lachlan Stanford, Mitcham Harper and Luka Bussa rode brilliantly but fell just shy of a podium result, coming home 4th behind France, Great Britain and USA. n
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PIT IBITS
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 19
SCHOLARSHIP FOR BRAD SHAW
Superbike, V8 Supercar and GP legends for track and classroom coaching sessions with both adults and juniors. VICTORIAN road racer Brad Shaw has been awarded a According to Mark McVeigh, former International 250GP 2012/2013 Sport Australia Hall of Fame Scholarship. road racer and founder of motoDNA, the event featured The 17-year old from Kyabram is one of five young road race mentoring and coaching sessions with 13 young Australian athletes to receive the annual scholarship, which riders from the MRRDA series and provided an opportunity is provided to help athletes climb to the highest levels of for the juniors to receive first hand mentoring advice from their chosen sport. likes of Craig Lowndes, Kevin Magee, Glenn Allerton and Shaw is the first motorcyclist to be selected for the Sport Steve Richards. Australia Hall of Fame Scholarship and Mentoring program “We had a number of up-and-coming stars of the sport and joins a long list of successful past scholarship holders participate in the event, including three kids selected from right across the Australian sporting spectrum. for the 2012 Red Bull rookies tryout in Europe and Sam Under the scholarship program, Shaw will receive a $5,000 Clarke, who was awarded the FIM 2012 Philip Island Moto3 sporting grant, a return Etihad Airways flight, and personal wildcard,” McVeigh said. mentoring by a Sport Australia Hall of Fame Inductee. Backing on the success of the Big Day Out launch, McVeigh Shaw plans to use his Sport Australia Hall of Fame has announced a range of upcoming workshops and scholarship to compete in both Australia and Europe over track days that range from level one road rider track day the next twelve months. introductions to level four master classes. McVeigh said motoDNA brings together a century of motorcycle racing knowledge, gained at the highest levels ASBK INCREASES PRIZE MONEY of MotoGP, World Superbikes, Suzuka 8 hrs, European $75,000 in prize money will be injected into the QBE and Australian championships. “It’s been combined into Australian Superbike Championship in 2013 and competitors will benefit from reduced entry fees across all motoDNA’s state-of-the-art holistic high performance motorcycle education program, catering for advanced road classes of competition. riders to International racers.” According to International Entertainment Group (IEG) To find out more, visit www.motodna.com.au and www. in addition to reduced entry fees, each competitor will receive 12 complimentary guest tickets to the Queensland facebook.com/motodna or email info@motodna.com.au. Raceway and Eastern Creek events, $720 in value per competitor. KELSO THE KING 2013 class structures will be announced shortly however THE 2012 Australian Junior Long Track Championships were confirmation is available that the Prostock class will decided at Eagleton in New South Wales recently, with compete independently of Superbikes. Husqvarna Racing’s, Joel Kelso adding yet another title to There will be an option for competitors in the Prostock class his rapidly expanding list of Australian titles. to compete at three of the rounds with the Superbikes in a Kelso won both the Australian Junior Dirt Track Champion separate Prostock Cup title. and the Australian Junior Long Track Champion for 2012. IEG has also stated that television coverage will be 2012 Australian Senior Track Championship extended to the Prostock class. MOTORCYCLING Australia (MA) has released the Supplementary Regulations and Entry Form for the 2012 Australian Senior Track Championship. RACING DNA The event will be hosted by the Tamworth Motorcycle Club NEWLY formed high performance motorcycle academy at Oakburn Park Raceway in Tamworth, NSW on Saturday 17 motoDNA celebrated its launch recently with an event November. attracting some of the biggest names in racing with coaches and participants ranging from Craig Lowndes to The Supplementary Regulations and Entry Form are Kevin Magee. available to view and download at the MA website: www. The launch event titled “Big Day Out” at the Broadford race ma.org.au/suppregs. n track in Victoria was well received and brought together
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DIRTY NEWS 2013 PC TEAM CONFIRMED
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 20
Tom Pages, Levi Sherwood, Taka Higashino, Andre Villa and top in all areas, which requires the full attention of the MONSTER Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki team owner Mitch Edgar Torronteras will entertain the crowd with their world whole team,” commented Pyrhönen. class freestyle. Payton has finally confirmed that in 2013 his team will be ICE1RACING motocross owner, former Formula one world Blake Baggett, Darryn Durham and new members Martin champion Kimi Räikkönen, is confident that his new look Davalos and rookie Justin Hill. team will be able to reach the goal he as set for them in HOLDER IS 2012 WORLD 2013 ”Along with the international riders the team will aim At the time of writing Payton was noncommittal on SPEEDWAY CHAMPION to finish among the top five in the overall classification running a 450 program for 2013. IT ALL all came down to the wire at the GP of Poland with next season and to take several GP podiums.” stated Aussie Chris Holder (pictured above)entering the final Räikkönen. “We want to be on the top and I believe that round with just a two point lead over Nicki Pederson. we now have a good chance.” KAWASAKI CANS U.S OFF-ROAD Pedersen in turn had an eight point lead over Greg At this point in time it is uncertain who else will line up for PROGRAM Hancock, yet Holder managed to win enough points the ICE1 Racing team in 2013 or if 2012 Australian team KAWASAKI has followed in Suzuki’s footsteps and dropped before the final race to clinch the title. member Dean Ferris will be returning to the team next all support for riders competing in GNCC, WORC and other “It’s unbelievable. I’m so happy right now. You race year. forms of off-road racing in America, and Destry Abbott, speedway to be the world champion. You always believe who is one of the leading Kawasaki off-road riders has you can be the champ and not many guys get to do it,” aired his feeling about the decision. Holder said. “I’ve done it now and it’s unreal. I’m pretty “As many of you have already heard, based on the number proud of myself that I got this far and I couldn’t have done STRIJBOS AND EBB WIN THE of emails and phone calls I’ve received today, Kawasaki has it without my family, girlfriend, brothers and mechanics. MAXXIS BRITISH MOTOCROSS made the tough decision to dissolve their Team Green offFinal world championship standings: 1 – Chris Holder 160, NATIONALS road program! I was extremely heartbroken when I heard 2 – Nicki Pedersen 152, 3 – Greg Hancock 148, 4 – Tomasz THE final round of the Maxxis British Motocross the news yesterday, not only for myself, but for my Team Championship has been run and won and HM Plant KTM Gollob 142, 5 – Emil Sayfutdinov 133, 6 – Jason Crump Green family and fellow team-mates as well! UK’s Kevin Strijbos secured the MX1 British Championship 126, 7 – Antonio Lindback 122, 8 – Fredrik Lindgren 119, “I’ve considered everyone I’ve had the pleasure of meeting 9 – Andreas Jonsson 88, 10 – Hans Andersen 69. title while team-mate Elliott Banks-Browne turned a 16 at Kawasaki like family for the last fifteen years, and I’m point deficit into a five point advantage to take the MX2 extremely sad to see this amazing program come to an title. end. At this point I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do BOOG JOINS DEAN FERRIS AT ICE1 Kevin Strijbos had this to say at the trophy presentation. or what direction I’m going to go, but no matter what I RACING? “The whole year was pretty good for me. It was good that I plan on staying in this industry! I’m sure you’ll continue to ICE1Racing has signed former Factory Kawasaki rider could wrap up the title in the first race and not just for me see me on a Kawasaki no matter what happens! They’re a Xavier Boog for the 2013 season, with the goal of breaking but for the whole team too. This is my first national title in great company and a great group of people, and I’ll always into the top five in the MX1 overall. the MX1 class so I’m very happy. I want to thank everyone consider myself a Kawasaki guy! – the whole team, my mechanic, my girlfriend and also The French rider, who finished seventh in the world Harry Everts who has helped a lot throughout the year. I’m championship this season, is very happy to have the happy for everyone and it’s good we could pull it off.” opportunity to be able to continue his bid for world 2013 BERCY SUPERCROSS championship glory with the new team which was only MX1 series standings: 1 – Strijbos 530, 2 – Simpson 477, 3 NOVEMBER 9/10/11 formed at the beginning of 2011 – Krestinov 363, 4 – Matiss Karro 308, 5 – Law 272, 6 – Barr THE annual Paris Supercross will be held on November 261, 7 – Whatley 240, 8 – Snow 229, 9 – Coutts 212, 10 – 9-11 at the Palais Omnisport de Bercy and the American ”I am very happy to join the ICE1 Racing team.” stated Stephen Sword 198 riders will be Justin Brayton, Eli Tomac, Jake Weimer, Kyle Boog “Although the team is fairly new in the world Chisholm, Wil Hahn and Tyler Villopoto (yes, Ryan’s brother championship circus, they are experienced and the team Elliott Banks-Browne’s (known as EBB) was obviously rapt. who raced in Canada this year). knows what it takes to win” “Coming into the weekend I knew there was the possibility that I could win the championship but I never thought it The French team will be Christophe Pourcel (on a KTM), The team has taken a new direction for 2013, moving the would happen so I’m so happy!” Gregory Aranda, Cedric Soubeyras, Fabien Izoird, Nico team’s base to Belgium and concentrating their efforts Aubin, Cyrille Coulon, Valentin Teillet, Tim Gajser, Josse fully on the MX1 class under the guidance of new team MX2 series standings: 1 – Banks-Browne 447, 2 – Pocock Sallefranque and the ‘has been’ Eric Sorby. manager Antti Pyrhönen. ”Our plan is to move the team 442, 3 – MacKenzie 343, 4 – Irwin 335, 5 – Bradshaw 334, operations to Belgium and concentrate fully on the MX1 6 – Lenoir 318, 7 – Nico Aubin 269, 8 – Edmonds 238, 9 – Unfortunately there will be no Australians at the event as it class in the world championships. We want to reach the Tombs 183, 10 – James Cottrell 168. n is on the same weekend of the third round of ASX.
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 21
ip-inspired h s n io p m a h c e th u’ll see d Look deep and yo 013 RM-Z450 an 2 e th to e d a m upgrades Suzuki ce helping racers n e ri e p x e f o rs a e m, Suzuki RM-Z250. From y iu d o p e th f o p to reach the around the world high-performance f o r e w o p e th understands that n in the details. e ft o is g n ri e e in g n e . New exhausts. s rk fo A W O H S w New engines. Ne out, Suzuki RM-Z d n a e d si In . re o m New frames and sight to behold. a re a s le c y rc to o m
EDITORIAL
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 22
Entrapment
Tyre tracks allegedly made by the 4WD used by police in the ‘sting’.
I HAVE recently received both a phone call and email from a rider who was concerned about the manner in which he was issued a Traffic Infringement Notice (TIN) by a NSW police officer. Before we go into the details of what happened I must say that I wasn’t there and cannot confirm if the details happened exactly as described by this Cycle Torque reader, but as a former NSW police officer myself I would hope they weren’t exactly as described. That said there seems to be enough anecdotal evidence to suggest the police in these situations aren’t playing fair.
The rider feels very upset by the incident The suggestion that NSW Police Traffic and and feels he was coerced into the situation, Highway Patrol officers are instructed to almost entrapped even. entrap motorists is false and misleading. He started to ask on forums and the like if any other riders had been caught in a similar way and has received lots of feedback (some of which I have seen myself ) from other riders caught in similar ‘stings’.
The NSW Police Force Traffic and Highway Patrol Command is committed to improving road safety for all motorists, motorcyclists included.
Overtaking a vehicle by crossing double white lines is against the law. Any time a The situation involves the rider cruising Now, I know traffic police have used video motorist breaks the law, they put their own along the Old Pacific Highway, just north cameras to gather evidence of similar lives and the lives of other road users at risk. of Sydney. As the rider comes around the offences in the past, especially in areas NSW Police officers will attempt to stop and bend a 4WD parked on the side of the road with high crash statistics. To be honest I book anyone they catch breaking the law on suddenly pulls out in front of the rider, not don’t have an issue with this, if you want to NSW roads. forcing him to apply the brakes suddenly, ride like a goose and put other road users It is also worth noting that there are no grey but nonetheless giving him slight cause in danger then you deserve what you get. Nissan X-Trails within the NSW Police Force for concern re the driver’s actions. The But I have a major issue with police using Traffic and Highway Patrol fleet. 4WD continues along the road in the same this technique to book riders. direction, travelling below the posted I did expect this response and I also believe speed limit, then moves over to the left as Most of my police service was in traffic it is right. I cannot ever envisage HWP and driver/rider training and as you might police to be told to use this method to if to ‘invite’ the rider to come past, almost expect I do know lots of serving and retired as if the driver is saying ‘sorry for pulling entrap road users. I know in the 18 years police officers. I spoke to three former out on you’. The rider sees it is clear and I was a police officer I was never told to highway patrol (HWP) officers, two of safe, overtakes the 4WD, over double entrap motorists due to the ramifications whom were actually my bosses at different unbroken separation lines, and continues if it goes wrong, and the fact it is very times. When I described the incident on his merry way, wondering what that unethical. they all were horrified, citing terms from was all about. A few hundred yards or so My personal take on what is happening entrapment to unethical, to downright down the road the rider is pulled over by is certain areas are a magnet for dangerous. Once again I must state that I police officers, sitting stationary on the motorcyclists, and these areas naturally have only one side of the argument. side of the road and he is informed he’s have higher than normal motorcycle been filmed overtaking a vehicle over I have since contacted the Police Media accident statistics. Therefore it is the local double unbroken separation lines. Of Unit which I found very helpful and this is HWP supervisor’s job to involve these areas course the ensuing fine and potential loss the response I received back from them: in any traffic enforcement to try and reduce of licence ruins his day.
the accidents. A decision to use unmarked vehicles and video cameras to gather evidence is either a statewide directive from Traffic Command or it’s a local initiative somewhere which has caught on in other areas. And it’s perfectly legal and safe. But if a HWP supervisor is instructing his officers to use dodgy techniques like the one described then he or she is a fool. I see it more likely the officers directly involved are using it themselves, and if this is the case then they need their noses pulled fast and hard by their hierarchy. As for no unmarked Nissan X-Trails being on the fleet, that’s a non-event. There are unmarked 4WD vehicles owned by most local commands and it’s easy for the HWP section to borrow one for a day if necessary. I really hope the police are not acting in this way, it is unnecessary and dangerous. Unfortunately, in my experience just because you are a police officer doesn’t mean you always make the right choices. If you are riding dangerously then you deserve to be pinged. But if you are put in danger by police or coerced into committing an offence you would normally not do then this is not on. – Chris Pickett
GUNTRIP
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Landmarks RECENT road modifications notwithstanding, it takes 22 minutes 38.2 seconds to circumnavigate the 37.73 miles of the Isle of Man Mountain circuit at an average speed of 100mph. Anyone interested in the metric equivalents of those numbers clearly lacks romance in his soul. This little morsel of lost trivia came to mind during recent discussions with Mr Big, the one and only Chris Pickett, about his planned three-man invasion of the Isle of Man for next year’s Manx Grand Prix. They’re taking an 888 Ducati for Picko Snr and Picko Junior’s 848, and I can’t think of too much stuff that’s better suited to the task: light, good-handling hardware with stout, beefy powerbands that should make light work of the mountain circuit’s varied terrain. I don’t know how much power either bike makes in modestly tweaked racing trim, but I don’t think anyone would point and laugh if I suggested 90bhp (oh, bloody hell, all right – 67kW). Add to that good tyres – a three-lap race of the Island runs to 113.2 miles – and it seems entirely fair that, should the weather run his way, Picko might think a 100mph lap to be within his/their reach.
one R G McIntyre, who set the first official three-figure lap at 101.03mph, on his first flying lap of the marathon eight-lap Golden Jubilee Senior TT in 1957.
That magic lap speed is the stuff of continuing legend. Yes, the world has moved on: John McGuinness’s absolute mark stands at 17 minutes 12.3 seconds at 131.578mph (and is itself three years old). That was set on McGuinness’s Honda CBR1000R Superbike, which no doubt gives around 200 horsepower and is probably capable of 190mph on its back wheel.
But for me, the highlight of TT week 1961 was a near miss. Bob McIntyre had a poor week, going home to Glasgow with just a second place to Hailwood in the 500cc race. Yet it might have been very different, at least in the 250cc race. This was a five-lapper and, along with Hailwood, Jim Redman, Tom Phillis and a clutch of Japanese development riders, Bob Mac had an RC162, Honda’s third incarnation of its tiny four-cylinder grand prix racer. This weighed 126kg and produced a claimed 45bhp, and Mac obviously liked it,
Yet a lap at 22 minutes 38.2 seconds gives the holder entry to a large but nevertheless exclusive club, presided over by the spirit of
There have been hundreds of 100mph laps of the Island since, all of them to be respected and celebrated – and perhaps a double handful that dramatically underline the real merit of the achievement. Inevitably, Mike Hailwood’s name rises to the top. In 1961 he bagged three TTs in a week and would have made it four but for an uncooperative gudgeon pin in his 7R AJS. In the Senior race he put in the ride of his life to harass Gary Hocking’s MV, then took over the running to average 100.61mph for the entire six-lap, 226-mile race – and this, for the first time ever, on a 52bhp single-cylinder Manx Norton.
In 2012 Michael Rutter broke the 100mph barrier for the first time on an electric bike. scorching off into the distance from the start of the five-lap Lightweight event, ultimately setting a record lap of 99.58mph before the bike expired with a seizure. Imagine that for a moment: we’re going back more than half a century with all that that entails, and a bloody 250. But for my money the most impressive 100mph lap on a pretty glorious list goes to Bill Ivy, who somehow scrambled round to post a 100.32mph record in the 125cc race of 1968. We never saw the best of Little Bill. He won just the one world championship, the 1967 125cc title for Yamaha, and was just 26 when he died in a freak accident during practice for the 1969 East German GP, denying the world any more of his astounding talent – which, I believe, gained its clearest expression at the 1968 125cc TT. He was riding Yamaha’s RA31A V4, a nine-speeder that delivered useful power only between 15,000 and 17,000rpm, made a maximum of 42bhp and was said to be good for 135mph.
Unlikely ingredients for a world-class ride, but Ivy duly finished second to teammate Phil Read, according to orders for the team’s championship strategy, and not before posting that incredible 100.32mph lap – and then deliberately costing himself time by stopping to ask a group of spectators who was leading the race. A 100mph lap of the Isle of Man Mountain course is within the reach of more and more competitors every year, but that doesn’t make it any less worthy of respect. It’s one of the landmarks of motorcycle sport and one of the yardsticks by which we measure progress. So next time McGuinness or Cam Donald shatters the Isle of Man lap record, spare a thought for Bob McIntyre, Mike Hailwood, Bill Ivy, our own Tom Phillis and a score of other greats who almost as a matter of routine did the impossible – or as close to it as makes no difference. – Bob Guntrip
RACE TORQUE
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Show me the money! THE $100,000 winner-take-all prizemoney announced for the FX-500 at Eastern Creek in November 2013 sets a clear record for the most dosh for winning a motorcycle race in Australia. In fact, it’s probably up there with anything ever offered around the world. To date, the biggest pay day in Aussie bike racing history goes to Daryl Beattie, who picked up $27,000 at the 1990 Arai Cup at Eastern Creek after winning two 20-lap Superbike races. The $10,000 threelap Dash for Cash finale was won by Michael Dowson after Aaron Slight, Rob Phillis and Beattie all crashed out. At $3333.33 per lap, Dowson’s win stands as a local loot per lap record. The FX-500 will pay $780 a lap. It has everything to do with the general direction of MotoGP, and the politics and personalities in the teams for whom he has raced - Ducati and Honda. The actual riding and racing is what Casey loves, and he would rather walk away from all the bullshit rather than have that love sour. As we watched Pedrosa stalk and pounce on Lorenzo in the closing stages at Brno, one could not help but sense that Casey would be at home watching, burning with frustration that he couldn’t be out there mixing it with his great foes and plotting to vanquish them. Making the frustration all the more palpable is that Casey’s hopes of defending his 2012 world championship are over, and the chatter problems that have so bedevilled the Honda all year appeared to disappear at Brno.
say Casey was the world’s best CEO earning millions beyond his wildest dreams, and after ten years in the job, he was getting fed up with the politics, the back-stabbing, and the lack of recognition that The FX-500 means we now have two major endurance events in Australia. exists in most industries. Why, he even found out that his company wanted to dump him when he Australian men to be ranked number one in the world (Rafter’s went on extended sick leave, so he left for greener reign was so short he never played a match as world number pastures to work for the world’s number one company, one). What happened in men’s tennis is what’s happening achieving extraordinary success again. Then when confidential in world championship motorcycle racing. Both sports were conversations of his contract negotiations were leaked to force him to make a decision, he cried enough is enough, and basically dominated by Australians and Americans for over two decades, but other nationalities have emerged making both sports truly said, ‘I don’t need you or your money anymore, I’m outta here. I international. America’s last world number one, the recentlylove what I do, but I’m sick of all the crap that goes with it’. The analogy with a regular job is important; most elite GP riders retire retired Andy Roddick, recorded just one major victory in his The timing of the race was also poignant. Almost 25 years to because of injury, burn-out or declining form, all internal factors. career, the 2003 US Open, with no US up-and-comers on the the day, Wayne Gardner won the 1987 Czech Grand Prix at Stoner’s motivation is common or garden variety career change horizon. Likewise, US riders have won only four MotoGPs in the newly-built Brno Autodromo, a result that went a long the last 10 years. The difference is that in GP racing, organisers, that thousands of people contemplate every year, one forced way to sealing Australia’s first world 500cc championship. In teams and sponsors are actively pushing for more American upon him by external factors. the years since, Australian riders have enjoyed tremendous and English riders to enter the fray to increase TV ratings and The decision to put Casey on a 125GP bike 14 years ago, rather success in the blue ribband class with grand prix wins to Kevin broadcast revenues in those markets - the reality is that Casey than go through the accepted path of Supersport and Superbike, Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo winning and Valentino Rossi losing has Magee, Mick Doohan, Daryl Beattie, Garry McCoy, Troy Bayliss, proved to be the correct one. Gardner, Magee, Doohan, Beattie Chris Vermeulen and Casey Stoner for a total of eight world been bad for MotoGP ratings in Europe. and Bayliss all cut their teeth on Superbikes, but the Stoners championships. With Casey leaving, the 25-year hegemony of Australian riders at the elite level is coming to an end with Arthur opted to go for the quarter-litre option when moves to a 1000cc The other reality is that Australian fans have been able to cheer for Aussie riders ever since SBS beamed the very first live grand Sissis and Jack Miller fighting a swarm of Moto3 hopefuls to even four-stroke GP formula were first mooted. Fourteen years later prix Down Under when Eddie Lawson bested Gardner in the get a shot at a top MotoGP ride, perhaps several years down the and it is coming to an end, along with Australia’s influence as a 1986 Misano GP. In WSBK, Troy Corser and Bayliss flew the flag for road racing superpower. Sure, we have Josh Brookes giving the track. That’s a tough one for Aussie race fans. well over a decade thanks to Fox Sports, with Andrew Pitt, Karl BSB a huge shake this year, but in all honesty, our standing in It is also tough for Stoner, who has four or five more good years Muggeridge, Chris Vermeulen and other Aussies doing likewise world championship competition is in decline. It happened in in him, but he simply cannot stomach the introduction of CRT in WSS. Without a genuine world title contender in 2013, we’ll tennis in the late 1970s when Aussie legends John Newcombe, and the mistrust with sections of the GP paddock. Nobody would still keep watching but perhaps with less cheering. Rod Laver, Tony Roche and Ken Rosewall all retired, ending be feeling Casey’s imminent absence from MotoGP more than a 25-year run as a tennis superpower alongside the USA. – Darryl Flack Casey, which is why Wayne Rainey says he doesn’t understand Since then Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewwit have been the only Stoner’s decision to quit. The best way to rationalise it is this; just
DIRTY TORQUE
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 25
Moto Parents - the end result. PARENTS of motocross riders are a rare breed and their approach to the task of mentoring their child or children varies from the laid back ‘whatever will be will be’ approach to the ‘if you don’t win you’re in deep shit’ approach. Let’s take a look at moto parents and the effect they have on their child’s racing career. No matter the personality or temperament of a Moto Parent, the one thing you will be pushed to criticise is their commitment to their child’s racing, be it at your average club day or the world championships.
The End Result? For every Alessi there are 1000s of young racers who fall by the way side thanks to the pressure their parents put on them.
We have all heard of or witnessed children being verbally and physically abused by their parents for not performing to their expectations and I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for parents who commit a huge amount of time and finances into their child’s pastime to get poor results, but I can’t see how a smack around the head or belittling a child in front of their peers can possibly garner better race results.
I believe the ultimate Moto Parent is the one that understands their child, stays in the background and offers the support needed to get the most out of their young racer. My brother Paul and I were just a couple of young dirt bike riders from Mt Isa and thanks to the guidance of our father Bob we were able to stick it to some of the best racers in Australia and here I am today, at almost 50 years of age still racing and getting paid for my thoughts on the sport I love.
The End Result? Of all of the riders that I can remember over the years that had abusive parents (or parent, it was rarely both parents) not one of them went on to do anything worth mentioning in the sport.
Paul won several Junior Queensland titles and would have the Australian Junior Motocross Championships in Darwin back in 1978 if it wasn’t for a mechanical failure but I can tell you this, he was the fastest junior racer in Australia that day.
And for some of the riders it was a pity because some of them had genuine potential, but with the short fused parent watching and critiquing their every move it was simply too much pressure and their performance on the track was affected. In fact, most of them quit racing once they got old enough to make their own decisions.
Why could we get to that level? Because Paul and I never felt that I had to win a race for our parents. Sure, dad offered advice, but never criticised and I am sure over the years got frustrated when we did something dumb but he never let it show when we got back to the pits.
Then there are the parents who are generally hard and uncompromising with their children. There is no open abuse with these parents but they try and keep their child in check and/or motivated by being critical of their defeats or bad moves on the track. This is a pretty fine line to run because from my experience some children can accept the criticism and rise to the occasion when need be while others will just crumble under the pressure. There are some famous parents in this category. Tony Alessi is probably one of the most famous hard-nosed parents and he can thank his lucky stars that Mike has been able to make the most of his career despite Tony’s ‘coaching’. Unfortunately his brother Jeff hasn’t been able to handle the situation and is going nowhere in the sport.
Mark and Caleb Grothues.
Well, the reason why I couldn’t find them was because their pit area consisted of a small Oz Trail quick shade that was held together by zip ties and duct tape, NOT what I expected at all. The pits were riddled with large set-ups and team quick shades lined up one after another and here was Caleb’s little pit area looking pretty sad in comparison.
Anyway, I did an interview with Caleb and it was obvious that this was a full privateer father and son effort based on mutual respect and understanding. Who is Caleb Grothues? This young Western I can remember reading something similar about Jeremy McGrath’s Australian went to the famous Loretta Lynn National earlier this year and came 2nd in the 65 (7-11) Mod and 4th in the 65 (10-11) father and I even spoke personally to Stefan Everts about how his Stock classes against the fastest Americans and then following it father Harry approached mentoring in the early years and again up with a convincing 1-1 in the Junior World Championships in it was a similar story to Paul and I. Harry gave Stefan the right Sevlievo, Bulgaria. support and understood his son enough to know when to get involved and when to back off. And at Coolum Caleb won two more Australian Championships on his KTM65 and KTM 85. Yep, THAT Caleb Grothues. And think of Chad Reed’s childhood. He grew up with his cousin Craig winning everything in sight while Chad’s parents just kept supporting their child’s dream. Is it any wonder that we, the general public don’t know the names of Chad’s parents? Or Ryan Dungey’s? Or Ryan Villopoto’s?
Caleb’s results are there because his father plays a pivotal role in his racing and Caleb isn’t out on the track busting his hump because he fears some form of abuse from Mark if he doesn’t perform. Quite the opposite, Mark offers Caleb advice and support when needed and always has Caleb’s best interest at heart.
And to ram the point home I met Mark and Caleb Grothues recently at the 2012 Australian Junior Motocross Championships at The end result? If a rider has the desire and talent to be a champion I can think of numerous high profile racers in this country who Coolum. I walked around the pits looking for the number 60 KTM it is going to happen and all they will need is love, guidance and have been over-parented during their early careers, put under too and for the life of me couldn’t find them and had to wait until it understanding from their parents. much pressure, and as a result still override and crash far too often, was Caleb’s first race to track him down. – Darren Smart costing them race wins and subsequently championships.
2013 KTM FREERIDE 350
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 26
Launch CYCLE TORQUE REPORT
TRAIL BOSS
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 27 CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 27
If you are finding new age enduro bikes a bit of a handful in the bush then KTM’s Freeride 350 could be the answer.
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2013 KTM FREERIDE 350
Launch
n TEST BY TODD REED : PHOTOS BY iKAPTURE
CYCLE TORQUE REPORT
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 28
n RIDING GEAR: SHOEI HELMET, FOX NYLONS, ALPINESTARS BOOTS.
Not everyone wants an MX bike with lights to blast around the bush at race pace. This is where KTM’s new 350 Freeride comes in, it is designed for exactly those people. At first glance you wonder what the Freeride is all about, it has an electric start four-stroke 350cc engine in a very nimble, almost trials bike looking chassis, and it’s road registrable too. The Freeride is aimed at those of us who enjoy a ride in the local urban bush or forest areas as well as the open trails which are some of Australia’s most popular riding areas.
Engine Based on the highly successful 350 EXC-F engine, the electric start 350 Freeride engine has been reengineered to suit the Freeride concept. The kickstart has been removed to reduce weight and make the design more compact. All new die-cast aluminium engine cases save weight and add strength. A downpipe style exhaust system was developed to meet the design concept and noise targets set by the KTM design team. The air intake system is vastly different to what you would normally find on a 350 EXC-F engine, with a pod style filter positioned underneath the seat and a smaller, narrower intake boot leading down to the EFI system. Further underneath the hood, the EXC-F’s titanium valves were replaced with four stainless steel valves. The need for the more expensive titanium valves was not present on the 350 Freeride, with the 10,000rpm rev
TRAIL BOSS limiter, down from 12,000 on the EXC-F, the choice to go for the more durable and cheaper stainless steel version certainly seems to be a sensible one.
only new fuel and ignition map settings required to suit the intake, exhaust and overall power output.
Common features which have carried forward from the EXC-F design are the diaphragm single-spring clutch which has proved to be extremely tough and durable, the six speed transmission has also carried over albeit with vastly different secondary gear ratios which allow the fitting of an 11 tooth front and 48 tooth rear sprocket. The Keihin engine management system, which is the technical name for the fuel injection, also found its place on the 350 Freeride. Only minimal changes were required with the engine management system, with
Chassis, Suspension and Ergos A completely new chassis design, with three independent sections, each made from completely different materials, bolt together to give a sturdy yet flexible and compliant structure. The main front section of the frame is made from chrome-molybdenum steel which houses the engine and front suspension system. The backbone piece of the frame is a forged aluminium piece, which bolts to the steel front frame. The PDS rear
shock bolts to the aluminium backbone and gives the rear end somewhat of an independent feel. The rear subframe is made entirely from a high strength plastic material. The subframe houses all of the major electrical components and has no load bearing from the rest of the bike. The design is very lightweight and considering it has no force or load in this section it is a very smart and cost effective design to move to a plastic material. CNC machined triple clamps hold onto the 43mm WP upside down forks, both of which have been specifically developed for the Freeride and with 260mm of travel the setup offers outstanding handling and extensive capabilities for any rider. A cast aluminium swingarm further stabilises the characteristics of the Freeride KTM and weighs in at only 3.2kg.
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 29 YC Ltours E T Owithout R Q Uany E hesitation. N O V E The MB E R plus 2 0with 1 2the-350 29 at how quiet the bike was, the boys from C KTM trail biggest led us into the bush for the day to explore the sights and scenes of the NSW Blue Mountains. We began by winding along open fire trail sections where we moved along quickly and comfortably on the Freeride 350. After working our way deep into the bush we moved onto some challenging single trail which is where the 350 is really designed to shine. To start with, I found the 350 a little unbalanced, unstable and was wishing KTM had fitted the 21” front wheel with a knobby tyre, as I was constantly looking for traction. The boys from KTM had mentioned this in the preride brief, the Freeride 350 is not your typical offroader, so if you ride it like one you might be disappointed.
The KTM Freeride 350 is certainly
a game changer…
So I slowed down and took things a bit differently. Racing The Freeride comes equipped with the Freeride around like an EXC-F wasn’t working all Dunlop trials type tyres on the 21” front and 18” rear wheels. Stopping the bike are newly developed braking that great. I jumped in behind the more experienced systems made by Formula, featuring a 210mm rear and KTM offroad race team riders Brad Williscroft and Ben Grabham, and although I lost sight of them pretty 240mm front disc brake. The fuel tank is neatly tucked quick, I couldn’t help but notice that both of them never away at the front of the bike and requires the rider to seemed to have their backsides on the seat. They were lift the seat using the seat locking system to re-fuel the tank. This also allows the seat to reach all the way up to standing up absolutely everywhere and just cruising the front of the bike and the chance of hitting the family around up on the pegs. jewels on the fuel cap is no longer a problem as it is Well, what a change a quick observation can make, I tucked away under the seat. went from struggling like a rookie to feeling like a pro all in the space of about 10 minutes. By taking some weight off the front when I was sitting down and making my On the trail body more central by standing up, the nervous and unstable feeling I had was gone. Even when cornering, After setting up the handlebars and levers to my liking the bike was better when you were standing up. I fired the KTM into life. You quickly notice that the Freeride puts out an extremely quiet exhaust note, you We continued on through the single trail and attacked could take this thing down the street and no-one would some loose snotty hills and nasty rock shelves, all of even hear you coming. Once I got past being amazed which the torquey little 350cc engine pulled through
engine is the rideability and how easy it is to make the most out of the power. Although it feels slow at times the engine is very torquey and even at slow speed going up difficult rock sections the engine kept motoring on with consistent traction and didn’t break out into a wheelspin.
After clearing our way out of the single trail we commuted along the roadways down to the next town for our lunch break. The Freeride 350 comfortably sat on the 80km/h mark and was quite safe and comfortable cruising along the tarmac. The suspension is set up well and is quite comfortable for the average guy, at 80kg I found the standard setting to be right on the mark and was never looking to change anything all day long. It’s a plush and forgiving set up that still holds up well when you land a bit too hard from a nasty drop off. The handlebars and controls are comfortable, with the Hydraulic clutch being a standout feature. The seated position is comfortable and allows the rider plenty of room to move around.
Verdict: The KTM Freeride 350 is certainly a game changer, it’s a capable and safe bike for the majority of riders and will provide countless hours of fun for all. Its sleek look is very appealing, and very quiet exhaust note makes it easy to take this bike for a spin even in the most urban bushland areas. This design almost harks back to the days when this was your typical trail bike. At $9,995 + ORC (six months parts and labour warranty) it is a bargain and we expect to see plenty of Freeride 350s and their happy owners seeing trail time in the near future. It might even entice some recently retired off-road riders back out of MORE retirement. n
2013 KTM FREERIDE 350
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 30
Launch CYCLE TORQUE REPORT
Super-quiet exhaust.
Funky headlight.
Chassis based on the EXC. S P E C I F I C AT I O N S : 2013 KTM FREERIDE 350 Engine Type: Liquid-cooled single Capacity: 350cc Transmission: 6-speed Fuel Capacity: 5.5 litres Frame Type: Steel/alloy/plastic Seat Height: 895mm Weight without fuel: 99.5 kg Front Suspension: USD 43mm WP Rear Suspension: WP PDS Brakes: Single disc front, single caliper rear Tyres: 2.75-21 front, 4.00-18 rear Price (RRP): $9995+ORC www.cycletorque.com.au/more
www.cycletorque.com.au/more http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=n2eUucG4gwU
www.ktm.com.au
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 31 CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 31
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CYCLE TORQUE TEST
KAWASAKI NINJA 300
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 35
The Ninja 250 has been a huge hit with learner riders.
We think the 300 will be even more so.
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CYCLE TORQUE TEST
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 36
KAWASAKI NINJA 300
n RIDING GEAR: SPYKE LEATHERS, GLOVES AND BOOTS.
KAWASAKI’S Ninja 250 poured out of dealerships as learner riders hungry for a sporty and hassle-free ride jumped on the Ninja train. The Ninja 300 is an updated and more powerful version, and really is a better take on something which was already very good. Kawasaki has had its finger on the learner market for years. Prior to the Learner Approved Motorcycle Scheme, learner riders loved the Kawasaki ZZR250, then the GPX250, and then the Ninja 250. All bikes used essentially the same parallel twin engine, obviously with a few changes along the way to modernise it.
Why a 300 Not every learner wants a LAMS bike pushing the 660cc legal limit. That’s why the Ninja and its earlier derivatives were massively popular. Here was an easy to ride learner bike with enough power to excite, and an overall size which seemed to suit both male and female riders. They always looked cool too. While the Ninja 250 loved to rev and was at one time the most popular learner bike in Australia, there’s always a better way to build a mousetrap. Kawasaki obviously thought some extra cubes would make the bike a better proposition, and fitting fuel injection and a slipper clutch has brought it right up to date. There’s a raft of changes inside the engine, but the
extra capacity to take it from a 250 to a 300 comes from stroking the engine. The end result is an extra eight horsepower (now 39), but also a corresponding increase in torque. So although it still loves to rev right up to its 13,000rpm redline, it’s also a bit easier to ride around town if you’re a bit lazy. The same basic steel frame is used and a single disc is more than enough for the front end, n TEST BY CHRIS PICKETT : considering it only weighs around PHOTOS BY NIGEL PATERSON 170 kilos ready to roll. ABS is an option too, if you’re a bit safety pre-load adjustments. conscious. Not many small capacity learner bikes Tyres won’t cost a bomb either, with a 110/70offer ABS so this will be seen as a big plus by 17 and 140/70-17 combination providing lots of prospective buyers we think. options. You can get some pretty sticky tyres in Seat height is also suited to smaller rider; not that these sizes too, so pushing the limits of the Ninja’s all learners are tiny, but at 785mm there won’t be handling isn’t out of the question. too many riders unable to get on with the Ninja 300. As you would expect the suspension is basic, with non-adjustable 37mm forks fitted, and a gas charged Uni Trak set up at the rear which has five
On the road
Wow, you can have a lot of fun on this bike, even for experienced riders. One of our regular contributors
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 37 rode the bike and he was amazed at how comfortable the bike is, and how well it went for its size. “You could ride this thing all day,” was one of his comments. He’s around 5’ 9”, so if you are a 6’2” learner you might be a tad cramped, although you will be still able to cope OK. There are some changes to the frame which stiffen things up a little, and the suspension has some changes too. Fork damping has been softened up, but extra oil in the forks ensures the feel is more progressive and the forks don’t bottom out with larger riders on board. A shorter spring has been fitted to the rear shock, which also has slightly stiffer damping. Overall the bike feels planted even if the road is rough, which is something not all smaller capacity road bikes can boast. Of course if you start to ride it like a lunatic you can stress the suspension, but that’s really taking the bike out of its design brief. We think the bigger rear tyre helped here. It’s not always the smart thing to do to increase rear rim and tyre width on smaller bikes but Kawasaki has got it right in this case, it just makes the bike feel more ‘solid’ on the road. Most people think bikes like this are only for city use but this isn’t the case. The last LAMS 250 we rode any distance on country roads was Honda’s CBR250R, a great bike. Likewise with the Ninja 300, it’s more than happy cracking along at 100km/h on country roads, which gives riders a lot more options for regular use. The six speed gearbox almost acts like an overdrive, and the big bore update has changed the characteristics of the engine.
Where before not much was happening below 8,000 rpm, now the 300cc parallel twin cylinder engine is happy to pull strongly from 6,000rpm. Top speed is close to 160km/h if you are on the small side, but let’s hope no learners want to test it on a public road - take it to the track for some advanced rider training or a ride day, you’ll have a blast. We can see owners actually doing some touring on the new Ninja, as well as sports riding. Put a rack and bag on, a tankbag and away you go. Remember the days when learners went touring on RZ250s, CB250s and the like? If you buy a Ninja 300 don’t be afraid to enjoy it out on the open road. It will keep up with traffic no problems. And how good is the fuel economy. Try close to 52 mpg, or around 18.5 kilometres a litre – impressive. While the Ninja 250 was a sporty jigger, the 300 is sportier again, at least on the styling front. It has new 10 spoke wheels, similar to the design of the ZX-14, and the bike looks like a squat ZX-6R. It’s very attractive, and there’s three colour choices; Special Edition Lime Green ($6399), Ebony (black), Pearl White ($6199). ABS adds $500.
Verdict We expect the Ninja 300 to somersault and back flip its way out of Kawasaki dealers. It’s a pretty amazing package for a small bore learner bike. Throwing stars and nunchucks are extra. n
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CYCLE TORQUE TEST
KAWASAKI NINJA 300
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 38
Aggressive modern front end.
http://www.cycletorque.com.au/video
Luggage hooks are standard and convenient.
Digital speedo and analog tacho.
In concert with ABS, the Ninja has some of the best brakes on any LAM.
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 39
SPECIFICATIONS: n ENGINE TYPE: LIQUID-COOLED PARALLEL TWIN n CAPACITY: 296CC n TRANSMISSION: 6-SPEED n FUEL CAPACITY: 17 LITRES n FRAME TYPE: TUBULAR STEEL DIAMOND n SEAT HEIGHT: 785MM n WET WEIGHT: 172KG n FRONT SUSPENSION: 37MM TELESCOPIC n REAR SUSPENSION: UNI-TRAK n BRAKES: SINGLE DISC FRONT AND REAR. n TYRES: 110/70-17, 140/70-17 n PRICE (RRP): FROM $6199
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CYCLE TORQUE TEST
KAWASAKI NINJA 300
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 40
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UK AND ISLE OF MAN – PT 2
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 42
Touring CYCLE TORQUE FEATURE
Cycle Torque’s tour of the Isle Of Man wasn’t just about sightseeing, there’s some learning to do as well.
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 43 traffic. Our days pretty much consisted of doing laps, going up to the pits on Glencrutchery Road at Douglas, and getting top vantage points for practice and racing. Deciding which spot to see the bikes from takes a bit of planning if you don’t want to be stuck there for hours. There’s a number of good spots which offer drinks and food, like Creg-ny-baa hotel which has a good sized parking area, and a couple of grandstands. To see the bikes howling down the long straight from Kate’s Cottage certainly gets the blood pumping, and we found this a fantastic spot. Another top spot was Kirk Michael, where we enjoyed a pint of ale while the bikes whizzed past.
HAVING your accommodation at the Isle Of Man sorted by someone in the know is obviously the way to go. Dave Milligan from Get Routed (www.getrouted.com.au) has loads of experience on the Isle Of Man, running tours for many years. As a result, he’s got inside knowledge on where the best places to stay are, and even where you can get the best curry. He had us staying with Steve and Sally Black at Peel. Their four-storey terrace overlooks
Peel Harbour, with Peel Castle a stunning backdrop. We were made to feel very much at home, and you couldn’t have asked for better accommodation, unless you were talking five or six star I guess. In many ways I prefer the bed and breakfast option because it’s much more personable.
Any event like this attracts enthusiasts and you meet lots of people which like the same thing as you. Everywhere we went we met locals who were right into the racing, plus people who had come to watch the racing for many years, a number of them former competitors. On the last day of racing we sat next to two Welsh guys who kept us laughing for hours.
Racing a motorcycle around the Mountain Course requires much more preparation than for short circuit racing, more in fact than either of us realised. Prior to heading over we were lucky enough to be introduced to Steve Robins via a mutual friend. Steve is an Australian Rocket 3 enthusiast who has had TT racer Mark Parrett Alex and I were very keen to ride the circuit as much as possible, but the weather was against us riding his Rocket 3 at the Manx for a couple quite a bit of the time. You needed to do your lap of years now. Both Steve and Mark were very helpful, giving us tips on how to prepare the bike, early too, otherwise you’d be held up by regular what spares to bring, and what extra punishment MORE
Continued on next page
UK AND ISLE OF MAN – PT 2
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 44
Touring CYCLE TORQUE FEATURE
Continued from previous page the Isle Of Man circuit puts on machines. Wandering around the pits we met loads of different riders, all keen to give advice when asked. One character we met was a Scottish guy riding a decidedly second hand looking 600cc Kawasaki in the Post Classic Junior class. He had lots of mechanical woes with the machine, but just getting it to the Isle Of Man was a story in itself. As part of a project to teach kids from underprivileged backgrounds some skills, he got a group of them to prepare the bike. Despite fixing constant mechanical problems the kids were always upbeat and I think it was a great success story, even if the bike failed to finish the race.
a career spanning from the ’60s right through to the ’80s. He gave Alex and I some great advice, and like lots of the pointers we received from racers, they were stuck in the old brain box.
Next step was a lap of the circuit on the Newcomers bus. This was very interesting, we were able to chat with other riders, learn tip-in points etc. But at basically 60 kilometres for one lap, trying to remember exactly where to go isn’t an overnight thing. And even though we managed to do a few laps of the circuit on bikes ourselves it’s hard to get the ‘right’ line because the road wasn’t closed, and you need to be on your side of the road. But once again, tips from the instructors We even managed to run into Mick Grant, former were very important, especially the one where you shouldn’t shut off as you go over a jump. works Honda, Suzuki and Kawasaki rider, with
Basic stuff really, especially if you are a dirt rider, but not something which is easy to do at 160km/h over a blind crest. There’s lots more to the Isle Of Man than just racing of course. It really is a beautiful place, and if you are into lush scenery, walking along a pebbly beach, or throwing a line in to catch some mackerel then you’ll be right at home. The Isle Of Man has a long and proud history too, so if you are a history buff there’s lots to do and see.
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 45
The island has a refreshing take on what is often seen as dangerous activity. Of course the TT and Manx GP are just two of the more prominent events which most other countries in the world wouldn’t allow, but one evening we were treated to beach racing on Peel Harbour. MX and quad racers giving it the berries was fantastic fun, and even Johnny Rea, Irish WSBK star and IOM resident, was there cheering on a friend. As the Manx GP includes classic racing as well as modern motorcycles, a number of classic clubs use it to hold rallies, and there’s the Jurby Festival which is simply huge. At Jurby Airfield over 100 pretty special machines cracked around the circuit, including the evergreen Sammy Miller on the 1950s V8 Moto Guzzi. The sound of the 500cc V8 was glorious. We even got to see a factory Desmosedici race bike being fired up. Ex-Factory Honda RC45s, MV Agusta classic race bikes, and even an early ’70s Honda Gold Wing turned into a cafe racer – cool. Alex even got to meet TT star Michael Dunlop at the Jurby Festival. If, like me, you are into old machines, whether they have two or four wheels, you would have to
be just as happy looking at the loads of classic cars, and even trucks on display too. If you love planes, the Spitfire doing a flyover would have taken you to heaven. It was sad to ride onto the ferry at Douglas but we still had a couple of days to tour through the UK back to London and the bike hand-overs. Unless you get off the beaten track you will be stuck with motorways which can be boring. Having the Garmin GPS system with us helped immeasurably, especially trying to find our way back to Wimbledon on a sunny Sunday afternoon. When it’s that busy on a Sunday you quickly realise how big a city London is. For 2013 the Isle Of Man government has planned a major revamp of the Manx GP. It will be called the Classic TT Festival, with new classes of racing catering for classic bikes up to 1992. The Manx Motorcycle Club will still hold
the modern races too, so any readers keen to go over in 2013 will see more of everything. Now the holiday is over it’s back to work preparing ourselves and our bikes for next year. In upcoming issues you’ll be able to see how we go getting our machines and bodies up to the level required to cope with the Mountain Course. n
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UK AND ISLE OF MAN – PT 2
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 46
Touring CYCLE TORQUE FEATURE
Camper vans, bikes, friendly people everywhere…
http://www.cycletorque.com.au/video
Alex meets a hero, Michael Dunlop.
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 47
UK AND ISLE OF MAN – PT 2
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 48
Touring CYCLE TORQUE FEATURE
YOU might not think a learner-legal adventure bike is an ideal machine to tour the UK on, but it was a lot better than many of you might think. BMW supplied us with a G 650 GS Sertao which uses a liquid-cooled 650cc single cylinder engine producing just under 50 horsepower. It uses chain drive and a six speed gearbox, and our machine was ABS equipped. We picked up the bike from Vines Bikes south west of London, and our baptism of fire so to speak was a two up trip with all our luggage. Luckily we brought throw over panniers along for the trip, so everything was packed into this, and the top box, and we used a Ventura tank bag with suction caps to fit some small items. Where was the room for the two full back packs? Alex was pillion and he had two spare arms so that’s where they hung from. It would have been a comical sight seeing two fuller figured lads squeezed onto the Sertao, and I’m lucky I already have children because the distance between my private parts and the tank was at a minimum. It was during this 60 kilometre journey that I became impressed with the Sertao. Even lugging us and the gear the LAMS bike coped very well, and kept up with traffic easily. When it was solo time the bike toured up the freeway, and the screen gave good protection. As the weather turned cold the heated handgrips became a pleasing feature too. Once at our destination the Sertao was relieved of its luggage carrying duties and it proved in the right hands it could be ridden at quite a quick pace. Yes, it did a few laps of the IOM TT circuit and many a sportsbike was given the hurry up. With long travel suspension you might expect handling at speed to be a bit wayward but while it’s no race bike it did handle well and was stable in all the conditions we threw at it. But the ground clearance and suspension is the very thing which sets it apart and gives the Sertao another string to its bow, so to speak. We were able to go places and visit vantage points where more road focused bikes would just struggle to go. The IOM has lots of narrow lanes and the Sertao was a hoot to ride down them. Since then we have ridden the bike in the recent BMW Safari (see separate story) which consisted of lots of dirt roads, and we loved it. Power isn’t everything, and the Sertao proves this, especially on unsealed roads and bush tracks. The Sertao is much more than ‘just’ a learners bike. Whether you’re a first time adventure rider or an experienced one we’re sure the Sertao has something to offer you. – Chris Pickett
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 49
With 4 distinct riding modes featuring push-button rider friendly performance and safety technologies, the Multistrada 1200 lets you select, engage and take command of every ride. Sport mode unleashes the true sportsbike credentials expected from Ducati’s epic Superbike and MotoGP race winning pedigree. The Multistrada stays agile as the Ride-by-Wire technology and Ducati Traction Control (DTC) delivers 150hp to effortlessly push its 189kg through twists and turns on some of our best roads while the Testastretta 11° engine
lets off the growl of an icon – to reassure everyone, you’re on a Ducati. With 24,000km Desmo Service Intervals too, it means that you’ll get to do more of what you love best, riding your Multistrada 1200. Ask your local Ducati dealer about the Multistrada 1200 series and test ride one for youself. Endless Transformations, Infinite Experiences.
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 50
2013 KTM 250 SX-F / 350 SX-F
Launch CYCLE TORQUE REPORT
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 51
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 51
There’s a fine line between KTM’s 2013 250 SX-F and 350 SX-F, on paper and on track.
MORE
2013 KTM 250 SX-F / 350 SX-F
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 52
Launch CYCLE TORQUE REPORT
KTM has ruled the MX1 and MX2 classes in the World Motocross Championship over the last few years and all of the data gained from those wins has evolved the machinery that we, the consumer get to race each year. For 2013 the KTM 350 and 250 SX-F also get the benefit of the input from Roger Decoster and Ryan Dungey so there are serious advancements in chassis, ergos, swingarm, suspension and the engine. The only way to win 13 world championships in 13 years is to have machinery that is not only competitive but reliable so for 2013 the 250 and 350 SX-F have a raft of changes that are designed for exactly that, and they have an immediate effect once you start punching out laps. The ergos are slimmer, the ’bars are more swept back, the suspension/chassis package feels firmer and both motors roll from zero to the rev limiter without a glitch. A quick check on the spec sheet confirms that I am not as dumb as I look.
redesigned camshafts, larger 44mm EFI system, redesigned airbox and intake boot, new CNC billet clutch all wrapped in all new die cast cases that save a heap of weight.
Yes, the chromoly chassis has been given some extra rigidity around the steering head, there is a new beefier swingarm and the suspension has been firmed up. Changes to the motor include a new Pankl conrod, new head design with larger everything and
New on the 250
There is no kick starter with any of the 2013 SX-F models and that may be a concern to some riders but I am pretty sure the hard core motocrossers won’t give a toss.
n REPORT BY DARREN SMART : PHOTOS BY NIGEL PATERSON
Here’s a rundown on what’s exactly new for 2013.
CYLINDER HEAD: The basic design of the new DOHC cylinder head with four titanium valves, two camshafts and finger followers follows the same design philosophy as the 350 SX-F but
n RIDING GEAR: SMARTY WORE BOTH FLY AND JT RACING NYLONS DURING THE LAUNCH, PLUS AN M2R HELMET, ZACSPEED GOGGLES, AND ALPINESTARS BOOTS.
internally it is designed for the 250 engine. Compared to the predecessor the new 250 SX-F has larger ports, an optimised combustion chamber, larger
intake valves (30.9mm to 32.5 mm) and new camshafts, all combining for a power increase of 5 hp. CYLINDER AND PISTON: The newly
designed cylinder carries a extremely lightweight box-in-box piston with a 78mm diameter compared to 76mm from last year, this allows higher rpm and gives space for larger valves due to the larger bore. CLUTCH: The new 250cc engine is fitted with the same clutch as the 350 SX-F featuring a lightweight, one piece CNC machined basket made of steel, which allows the use of thin steel linings for maximum compactness. The Brembo hydraulic system provides easy and precise operation and feel. CRANKSHAFT: The completely new crank shaft has a 2.5 mm shorter stroke and carries less inertia for more spontaneous power delivery. Like all the KTM factory bikes the crankshaft is fitted with a Pankl connecting rod featuring a plain bearing (no more needle bearing), which allows higher rpm and less maintenance (crankshaft service every 100 hours instead of 50). TRANSMISSION: The new 6-speed gear box is adapted to the new engine design and provides the same final gear ratios as the predecessor.
jacket. CYLINDER AND PISTON: The newly designed cylinder has a new water jacket and carries an extremely lightweight box-in-box piston with a 88mm diameter. CRANKSHAFT: Like all the KTM factory bikes the crank shaft is fitted with a Pankl connecting rod featuring a plain bearing (no more needle bearing), which allows higher rpm and less maintenance (crank shaft service every 100 hours instead of 50).
Combined Changed ENGINE CASES: The new models are now fitted with completely new engine cases produced in high pressure die cast instead of sand cast. This is a precise casting method for thinner wall thickness. This means a massive weight reduction together with the elimination of the kickstart casting.
EFI: 44mm Keihin EMS with a new throttle body for higher airflow. Together with an improved injector and a new injector position (spraying upwards) the new EMS contributes a lot to the massive power increase. A new New on the 350 throttle position sensor (TPS) is more CYLINDER HEAD: The basic design of resistant against water and is protected the new DOHC cylinder head with four by a plastic guard. The wiring harness titanium valves, two camshafts and is further improved with longer lead finger followers, stronger intake valve wire and critical connectors are now springs, better spring seating washers protected via rubber caps. The small and valve retainers, newly developed in-line screen is now positioned in the ports for better gas flow and new water quick-change fuel line connector for
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 53
easier access. The idle adjuster is now water pump and allowing a compact isolated from the cold start button and and lightweight engine design. located in the back of the throttle body. STARTER: A reliable and lightweight AIRBOX: Newly designed airbox and electric starter (no kick starter cover provides more space for the available). TWIN AIR filter. New intake snorkels ALTERNATOR: New 65 Watt alternator allow for better airflow and higher secures the energy needed to run the performance. The exchange of the electronic fuel injection and charge the airfilter is possible without any tools battery for the electric start. in just a few seconds. The airbox cover A diaphragm spring makes it possible features standard clips to be fixed, to implement an additional rubber optionally it can be secured by an damping system, guaranteeing additional screw. reliability for the transmission and EXHAUST SYSTEM: Future noise limits good traction. The hydraulic clutch will be a real challenge so KTM put a lot by Brembo in conjunction with the of effort into developing new exhaust diaphragm spring guarantees a very systems for all 4-stroke models, which light operation and good controllable meet the tough limits of the 2013 modulation of the clutch. season and even improve the bikes RADIATORS AND COOLING performance. SYSTEM: New WP radiators are the The header pipe on the 250 and 350 base for the proven cooling system SX-F get new tapered hydroformed which is transferring the cooling liquid sections and HRS (Header Resonator from the cylinder through the frame System) which significantly improved triangle. power delivery and reduced noise while the new 4-stroke silencers come SWINGARM: The new swing arm is reinforced and now allows the with tapered inner tubes and are individually developed for each model. mounting of a larger rear axle (from 20 to 25mm) to work together with the CRANKSHAFT: New lightweight new frame concept for improved riding PANKL crank shaft and connecting rod stability. The linkage now has lighter features a pressure lubricated plain nuts, bolts, washer and bearing cups. bearing (no more needle bearing), REAR SHOCK: The settings for the which allows a high rpm limiter and shock have been completely updated doubles the maintenance intervals. with firmer valving. COUNTER BALANCE SHAFT: A FRONT FORKS: 48 mm WP closed laterally mounted counter balancer cartridge Upside-Down forks have reduces vibration while driving the MORE Continued on next page
2013 KTM 250 SX-F / 350 SX-F
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 54
Launch CYCLE TORQUE REPORT
Continued from previous page completely reworked settings and harder springs. A newly developed fork oil provides reduced friction and improved durability for more constant damping characteristics during its entire life cycle while there is a new seal rings SKF with optimised material. FRAME: Modern and lightweight frame design made of chromoly steel with additional reinforcement in the steering head area while the cradle tubes around the engine is made of thinner profiles. Newly designed head stays (connection between cylinder head and frame). BODYWORK: Completely reworked to further improve the bike ergonomics and indicate that model year 2013 means a new generation with a new front fender with new mounting system, front start number plate, modern radiator shrouds and airbox covers design produced in 2-component process (orange/black plastic in one mould).
with new routing of fuel pump, hoses and micro screen (fuel filter) located inline in the quick release.
disposal what was the 2012 250 SX-F like to ride? KTM claim that there is an increase of five horsepower over the TRIPLE CLAMPS: CNC machined triple old motor and I won’t argue, the motor is so user friendly it offers the ability clamps improve the bike´s stability to pull the power on very early in the and provide improved fork clamping, corner and hang on to each gear until supporting the fork action due to the 14,000 rev limit…yeehaa! reduced friction and better bending characteristics. In addition the lower The hydraulic clutch and the six speed clamp features a weight reduction of gearbox allowed me to keep the 250 80g due to the reworked design. The motor in the meat of the power all of front fender is attached by two screws the way around the track and there on the bottom and two in the front. were several times that I was thankful for the Brembo brakes because some WHEELS: High strength EXCEL rims, of the corners come up a little faster CNC machined hubs and new spokes than I had anticipated. This motor rips! coated in black. HANDLEBARS: 827 Renthal Fatbar handlebars featuring the equivalent bend of the 996 Twin-Wall. New 2-compound grips with KTM logo provide excellent contact to the bike. BRAKES: The rear caliper carrier is adapted to the larger rear axle. GRAPHICS: A completely new graphic design in conjunction with the new bodywork.
FUEL TANK: The 7.5 litre fuel tanks have been reworked for 2013 to match The ride – 250 SX-F and 350 the shape of the new rad scoops for improved ergonomics. In addition they SX-F back-to-back. feature a new inner screw-type fuel cap So with all these improvements at my
The general feel of the 250 was definitely different to previous models with the ’bar/seat/footpeg combination giving what I consider a more conventional riding position so it took no time to get into the swing of things out on the track. The chassis offers good feedback and I felt that the WP suspension sat higher in the stroke when cornering yet slid through the stroke with minimal spiking or deflection on flat landings, square edged bumps and g-outs.
The rear suspension in particular sat higher than in previous years and there was less squat under acceleration
without any harsh or kick through the rear when hanging off the throttle through bumps. Tipping into corners and maintaining speed through turns is effortless thanks to the balance of the chassis and suspension coupled with the smooth power delivery and once under hard acceleration coming out of the corner there isn’t any tendency for the bike to want to run wide. Jumping off the 250 and straight onto the 350 gave a pretty fair indication as to how many parts these models share. I mean, I could hardly tell the difference, they share the same seat height at 922mm and just about everything else but the 350 motor definitely offers extra speed between corners. The 250 now shares the same clutch as the 350 so that obviously felt the same but the 350 has, and only needs a five speed gearbox and weighs a piddly extra 2kg than the 250. Sure, there is a little more push from the larger CC motor going into corners but as I belted out laps on the 350 I found myself using exactly the same lines as I was on the 250 with the main difference being that I was arriving at the next corner a little quicker and it felt like I was using less energy to get
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 55
350 SX-F
250 SX-F
the same result lap time wise.
the 350 motor felt a lot stronger than the last model I rode and he said that the 2013 motor is basically a replica of Cairoli’s motor from the 2011/2012 seasons.
nailed it with the 2013 KTM 250 and 350 SX-F. And to ram the point home The rpm limit on the 2013 motor is my mind wanders back to a session I 13,400 rpm (up from 13,000) and did just before lunch when I was out there were only a few spots on the on the track turning laps on the 350 track where revving it that hard was and wondering if there was anyone necessary but on those short little As a person who follows the sport of else on the track that is loving this bike straights where you’re just trying to get motocross with the dedication of a as much as I am when Ryan Marmont to the next corner as quick as possible 16-year-old boy who just found his I rarely changed gear, I just pulled the dad’s Playboy collection I have watched came blasting by me on one of the other 350s at absolute warp speed and throttle to the stopper and let it run with interest KTM’s evolution in the I was convinced right there and then. through the revs and almost every time motocross world over the last decade I had to hit the brakes before redline, or so and to ride what is the end result No Darren, you are not the only one out here loving the new KTMs. and again, I thanked my lucky stars that of all that hard work and appreciate the Brembos work as well as they do. how far KTM has come is pretty cool. One of the great things about doing a KTM launch is getting to talk to Rob Twyerould between rides and when I got off the 350 I mentioned to Rob that
What I can say with all of the confidence I can muster and backed with over four decades of racing motocross is that KTM has absolutely
and 350 SX-F. Sure, the 350 has a little bit more grunt than the 250 but I think making a choice between the two bikes will come down to your mindset or prejudices on capacity, and possibly what your top budget is (250 – $10,495, 350 – $10,995). There’s not a huge difference between the two bikes, and it’s tough to say one brand of machine is substantially better than another brand these days, as much of it comes down to a rider’s personal ‘feel’ of a bike rather than actual performance and handling. That said I think the 250 SX-F will surely be a class leading Lites Smarty’s view racer, and the 350 SX-F could well start I guess if you’ve read to this point you’d to become the thinking man’s open class racer. n see I’m impressed with the 2013 250 MORE
2013 KTM 250 SX-F / 350 SX-F
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 56
Launch CYCLE TORQUE REPORT
The complete 250 motor.
http://www.cycletorque.com.au/video The 350’s balance shaft: smoother peformance.
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 57
S P E C I F I C AT I O N S : 2013 KTM 250 SX-F (350) Engine Type: Liquid-cooled single Capacity: 240cc (350cc) Transmission: 6-speed (5-speed) Fuel Capacity: 7.5 litres Frame Type: Chrome Moly steel Seat Height: 992mm Weight without fuel: 102.9kg (104.9) Front Suspension: USD WP Rear Suspension: WP Brakes: Single disc front, single caliper rear Tyres: 80/100-21, 100/90-19 Price (RRP): $10,495 ($10,995) www.cycletorque.com.au/more
There’s a whole heap of high perfomance accessories available in the KTM PowerParts catalogue.
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I lifted up my cracked UV visor with my thumb. ‘Which way does the track go and what’s the lap record?’ I called out over the noise of the valve gear rattling and clanging between my legs. The flag marshal’s eyebrows raised in disbelief. I could see him muttering, ‘And who the hell do you think you are - Mike Hailwood?’
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Airbrush Bible offers something for anyone interested in the art of airbrushing. Whether your goal is reality flames on a motorcycle tank, or a threedimensional eagle in mid-pounce, this new book from Wolfgang Publications offers how-to sequences done with some of the best names in airbrushing. To teach skulls, there’s Vince Goodeve. For Pin-ups, Tom Nguyen walks the reader through a 20 page start-to-finish sequence.
CYCLE TORQUE TEST
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 60
YAMAHA VMAX
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 61
Do motorcycles get any tougher than the VMAX
MORE
CYCLE TORQUE TEST
YAMAHA VMAX
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 62 n TEST BY CHRIS PICKETT : PHOTOS BY NIGEL PATERSON
n RIDING GEAR: SHARK HELMET, IXON JACKET, ALPINESTARS GLOVES, HORNEE JEANS, THOMAS COOK BOOTS.
WHEN it comes to utter badness they don’t come much nastier than Yamaha’s VMAX. It’s a good nasty though, as anyone who’s ridden a new generation 1700cc VMAX can attest that it’s one of the most breathtaking motorcycles ever built. During our photo shoot, conducted on a closed and private road of course, I was having fun frying the rear tyre for the camera. It reminded me of a seminal Aussie car movie, Running On Empty. In one part, the hero and his bad and black blown 57 Chev are practising drag strip starts when his mate says, “you’re puttin’ on the agony, mate, but you’re missin’ all the style! It was exactly the same for me but geez it was fun trying. It’s a perfect example of the horsepower some of our muscle bikes are putting out these days. Horsepower which was unthinkable a couple of decades ago. The original VMAX arrived way back in the ’80s, in the time of bright colours and bad haircuts, and wasn’t exactly a shrinking violet. Neither is the new VMAX, and in fact you could say it’s a perfect time for the
model to be reborn, because it looks like bright colours and bad haircuts are back in. If you want to stand out then the new VMAX is right up your alley. It’s a very attractive motorcycle in an odd sort of way. Obviously the design uses many of the original’s styling cues, thankfully it doesn’t have the old one’s bad brakes and dodgy handling.
In the showroom If you love V-Four engines, like I do, then this is arguably the best production motor ever built, if you go purely on horsepower. And there’s plenty of that from the 65 degree four-valve liquid-cooled motor. Try close to 170 ponies at the back wheel. Torque is substantial as well.
A five speed gearbox is fitted, you could probably do with only four gears, and a shaft drive is the third component of the drivetrain package. The frame is a fairly basic alloy affair, and even though Yamaha calls it a ‘Sports Torque’ model, the chassis
layout, general dimensions, rake and trail etc dictate the bike is more at home going fast in a straight line than playing racer around corners. Massive fully adjustable 52mm forks grace the front end, as do six pot radially mounted calipers and 320mm discs. You might think those
brakes would be more at home on a superbike, but remember this bike is fast! The link type rear shock is also fully adjustable and offers 110mm of travel, while the forks offer 120mm. It’s no adventure bike but then again the VMAX does offer more suspension travel than your average cruiser. 15 litres of fuel goes into a tank situated under the seat, as the fuel tank up high is actually a dummy, with an instrument panel recessed into the top of it. There’s no fairing, but the massive tacho and shift light sort of act like a mini screen anyway. It isn’t exactly light, tipping the scales at 310 kilos with a full tank, but luckily its seat height is a low 775mm, so for smaller people, riding one isn’t an exercise in self preservation.
On the road It’s a very easy bike to ride in my opinion. Around town it has a presence on the road, and plenty of drivers will want to look in your direction at the traffic lights. It has more grunt than you are ever likely to need, and the engine is a big smoothy. As you crank open the throttle it just rumbles underneath you and catapults you into the future. When you start to test it out on tight roads you will be aware of the bike’s weight, especially if you are having a bit of a go. To ride it fast in this type of scenario does require you to be
physical with the VMAX to get it to turn in. With its front end geometry it naturally wants to understeer but once you get used to it you change your riding style to suit.
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 63
Even on bumpy roads the VMAX copes quite well, with the suspension soaking up most of the hits, and it’s a fun bike to ride. It does have a slipper clutch fitted but I never really felt it working. Maybe I wasn’t riding it fast enough, but then again it’s not really a bike where you’ll be wanting to leave your braking as late as possible. That said I found the best way to ride it is the point and squirt model, and the big six-piston calipers allow you to do this pretty easily. The idea is not to carry too much corner speed which can highlight ground clearance issues.
The final word The VMAX is in a very small class, which appeals to a limited number of riders. The only real competition I think it has is the Ducati Diavel, which is very similar in design concept, style and horsepower. The looks aren’t for everyone, but I like it. If I could fault the stylists on anything it’s the valanced rear guard which sort of looks a bit out of place.
Overall though, it’s a tough looking bit of kit. At $31,299 it isn’t cheap but it is only available in very limited numbers and it does make a big statement. n
MORE
CYCLE TORQUE TEST
YAMAHA VMAX
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 64
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http://www.cycletorque.com.au/video
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SPECIFICATIONS:
www.cycletorque.com.au/more
LIQUID-COOLED CYCn L ENGINE E T O RTYPE: QUE N O V E M BV-FOUR ER 2012 - 65 n CAPACITY: 1679CC
www.yamaha-motor.com.au
n TRANSMISSION: 5-SPEED n FUEL CAPACITY: 15 LITRES n FRAME TYPE: ALLOY DIAMOND n SEAT HEIGHT: 775MM n WET WEIGHT: 310KG n FRONT SUSPENSION: 52MM TELESCOPIC n REAR SUSPENSION: LINK TYPE n BRAKES: DUAL SIX-PISTON CALIPERS FRONT, SINGLE REAR. n TYRES: 120/70-18, 200/50-18 n PRICE (RRP): $31,299
WWW.CYCLETORQUE.COM.AU/MORE CALL FOR A QUOTE
The big V-Four engine looks nice, goes even better.
Ram air gives the rider access to more horsepower. As if it needs it.
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CHARITY RIDES BIKERS FOR KIDS
THE annual Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Hunter Valler Bikers for Kids Toy Run kicks off from Griffith Park, Stockton (ferry terminal) from 10am on Sunday, December 2. The run will travel along the harbour foreshore (Fullerton St), over Stockton Bridge, Kooragang Island, Industrial Drive, Honeysuckle Drive and Wharf Road before ending at the Newcastle Foreshore (Frog pond ampitheatre) where toys and cash will be handed over to the Salvation Army. Last year the Bikers for Kids Toy Run raised $75,000 for the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal. The switch to Stockton last year was a great success. Riders enjoyed the 25km run to the destination as well as being able to see their destination across the harbour from the Stockton starting point. It’s a scenic ride and comes with an RTA green-light Police escort which means limited interruptions to airport and cross town traffic. At the destination there will be the usual band, stalls, childrens entertainment and displays. For more information contact Big John on 0415 490 710
RYLSTONE STREETFEAST THE Rylstone StreetFeast is on again on Saturday, November 3 in the mainstreet of Rylstone, NSW.
Now in its 11th year it has grown to become the Rylstone district’s premier event promoting local tourism and showcasing regional food, produce, wines and olive oils. A diverse range of entertainment will be offered during the day with the “Long Lunch” being the feature event, kicking off at 12.30pm and featuring ever popular local chef Rachel McCarthy. As in past years, the Long Lunch will be staged under the avenue of trees in Louee Street and will cater for 350 people seated at tables enjoying local food, wine
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 69
and entertainment. Live music will feature all afternoon Ride co-ordinator Paul Brown has a special reason for on stage and through the Long Lunch. selecting Bishop Auckland as the destination. Market stalls will offer a wide range of art, craft and local wares. Other entertainment during the day includes local singer and songwriter Rob Binks, girl band Random EFX who have just won the Enviro Song Writing Contest, Fat Wombat Band, local choirs, community band, Scots Marching Band from Bathurst and Gulgong Circus Group that features talented children performing circus routines. Children also are welcome as there will be a supervised “Circus School”, jumping castle, face painting etc. StreetFeast is administered by a not-for-profit incorporated association which aims to raise enough money to cover costs and any leftover funds are donated to worthwhile regional organisations and charities.
His mother was born there in 1933 and passed away in a nursing home earlier this year. She was diagnosed with in 2004 but showed signs well before then. “I watched helplessly as this cruel disease slowly took my mother from a vibrant alive person to someone I barely recognised, unable to speak, walk and even feed herself,” Paul said. “As this disease progresses sufferers recall times long passed. My mother would often call out for her mother, telling me she wanted to go back home to Bishop Auckland,” he said. “She last saw her mother in 1963 before migrating to Australia and mourned her passing in 1968, unable to attend the funeral in the UK.
For any further information contact Rachel Mann on 0429 794 281 or check out www.rylstonestreetfeast. com.au where you can also access a map on how to get to this lovely part of NSW.
“I am determined to return my mother’s ashes to Bishop Auckland and to lay them beside her mother’s grave in the tiny cemetary in the grounds of St James Church, Coundon.”
THE RIDE TO REMEMBER
With his 19-year-old son Aaron, Paul intends to carry his mother’s ashes on this mammoth charity ride to take her home to her birthplace.
THIS is a charity motorcycle ride that is being planned to raise funds for the research into Alzheimer’s and Dementia. The 19,000km ride starts in Brisbane, travelling anticlockwise via Rockhampton through central and southern Australia passing through Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney ending back in Brisbane completing the Australian leg. The bikes will then be shipped to Vladivostock, Russia where riders will travel overland across Russia through Eastern and western Europe and on to Bishop Auckland in the UK. Along the way riders are hoping to raise as much money as possible for Alzheimers research and making more people aware of this sould destroying disease.
Paul has been endorsed by Alzheimer’s Australia and is seeking sponsorship or support for anything that can help his ride, whether it be bikes, clothing to wear or even help with documentation, visas, anything. He is developing a website so sponsors can be acknowledged and it will also hopefully include up to the minute GPS tracking of the ride’s progress. The website is www.theridetoremember.com and donations made through the site go to the Alzheimer’s Australia Qld website. 100% of donations go direct to Alzheimer’s Australia. You can contact Paul on 0422 124 542 or email eurotechpaul@gmail.com n
IBIKE STUFF FALCO BIKER BOOT MADE in Altivole, Italy by the Gianni Falco Motorcycle Boots Company these quality boots have full grain leather cowhide upper and lining with authentic pull tabs and squared toe as well as a hard wearing oil proof grip sole. Mens sizes from 41-47, Ladies 36-41. PRICE: From $199 AVAILABLE FROM: Good motorcycle shops MORE INFO: www.cycletorque.com.au/more
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CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 71
SPORT TOURING TO THE MAX
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DUNLOP’s new Sportmax Roadsmart II combines multi-tread compound, jointless belt construction and advanced pattern design to provide big-bike riders with outstanding durability, wet weather braking, supersport like grip in both wet and dry as well as an extended level of performance. The Sportmax Roadsmart II extend high-quality handling characteristics further into the tyre’s lifetime. PRICE: Check your local Dunlop dealer. AVAILABLE FROM: Dunlop stockists nationwide MORE INFO: www.cycletorque.com.au/more
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CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 72
BELLA FOR SUMMER
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BE BEAUTIFUL this summer in Motodry’s Bella ladies mesh jacket. This mesh/textile jacket is a true ladies fit and also has a waterproof liner as well as 3M reflectives and YKK zips. Black in sizes 8-22, black/purple in 8-22 and white/purple in 8-22. PRICE: $179.95 AVAILABLE FROM: Good motorcycle shops MORE INFO: www.cycletorque.com.au/more
IBIKE STUFF
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 73
A TANK FOR THE TIGER
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SAFARI Tanks Australia has a new 30 litre tank for the Triumph Tiger 800XC. The standard 19 litre tank gives a range of about 350km, but the new 30 litre boosts that to beyond 500km. The tanks are strong and durable and come in clear, white or black. PRICE: $950 incl locking cap, freight extra AVAILABLE FROM: (03) 5729 5556 MORE INFO: www.cycletorque.com.au/more
IBIKE STUFF
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TRIUMPH 110 YEAR ACCESSORIES
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TO MARK the celebration of 110 years of existence Triumph has released a range of signature anniversary pieces from keyrings, coffee mugs, pins and now a clothing collection. The iconic British motorcycle marque continues to inspire. PRICE: See your local dealer AVAILABLE FROM: Triumph dealers nationwide MORE INFO: www.cycletorque.com.au/more
IBIKE STUFF
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LOSE THE BOOM FIND YOUR VOICE
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DESIGNED by the Yanks who built those helmet microphones you see on tank drivers’ heads. The UClear intercom system can cope with just about any background noise, and you can link 10 of these babies together to get a great range - awesome for adventure bike or cruising expeditions. Fit just about any helmet, boomless microphone, compatible with most Bluetooth music, phone and GPS devices. hands-free voice activated phone call pick-up. Patented technology isolates voices and eliminates wind and background noise. The HBC100 is the basic rider to pillion unit, HBC200 has rider-to-rider and can link 10 riders together over 7km. PRICE: $199 HBC100, HBC 200 $269, twin pack $499. AVAILABLE FROM: All good bike shops MORE INFO: www.cycletorque.com.au/more
IBIKE STUFF
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VERSATILE BORA
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THE second in the range of the Mistral Bike-Pack system, the 31 litre Bora uses moulded semi-hard panels for the base and front. Bora features a “clam shell” design making it easy to pack and unpack. Slash pockets in both sides are handy. Constructed of PVC laminated 1680 denier ballistic fabric with high quality water resistant zips. You can even zip two Bora packs together to give 62 litre capacity or zip one to a Mistral to give 78 litres of storage. PRICE: Pack $159, Touring kit $459 AVAILABLE FROM: Good motorcycle shops MORE INFO: www.cycletorque.com.au/more
IBIKE STUFF
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AMC PAZZO LEVERS
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THEY’RE back. Australian Motorcycle Components are now officially distributing premium quality CNC machined Pazzo levers. Manufactured in Canada to exacting standards. Stocks are on order for the most popular bikes and AMC will restart their build to order option for lever and adjuster colour combinations. PRICE: From $230 fixed, or $249 folding. AVAILABLE FROM: Good bike shops MORE INFO: www.cycletorque.com.au/more
USED & REVIEWED FORMA FORMULA WE’VE had a pair of Forma adventure boots kicking around Cycle Torque for a year or so now, and they are the first pair Nigel and I go for if adventure riding is on the cards. We do have other off-road boots but these are MX/Enduro style and can be a bit bulky on adventure bikes, especially if you plan to be in them for a full day. The Forma boots are very comfy, and they are waterproof. We’ve done thousands of kilometres in them in all sorts of conditions and they have proven to be very tough as well. I like their appearance too, it’s a brown suede sort of look. We couldn’t be happier with these boots. We do need a second pair though, it saves the blue over who’s wearing them. The price is now down to $349 due to the falling Euro. They were a bargain before the price drop. – Chris Pickett PRICE: $349 AVAILABLE FROM: Direct from Andy Strapz on 03 9770 2207. MORE INFO: www.cycletorque.com.au/more
C CY YC CL LE E T TO OR RQ QU UE E N NO OV VE EM MB BE ER R 2 20 01 12 2 -- 7 78 8
USED & REVIEWED
C YCCYLCEL E T OTROQRUQEU E N ONVOEVM 2 021021 2 - 7- 97 9 EB MEBRE R
BITE ME ONE of the helmets I’ve been wearing for a while now is the Shark Race-R Pro. First up the colour is fantastic, enough graphics without being over the top. Not all helmets wear well, and for me this is usually around the ears. Maybe mine are extra sensitive, who knows. But the Race-R Pro fits spot on, in fact it’s a very comfortable helmet, especially at the top of my head. It’s almost a perfect fit really. The finish is high quality, as is the interior. It looks as though the inside has been design for as much style as the outside, and the inside looks to have not worn at all, despite the fact I’ve been wearing it for close to 12 months, not every day, but regularly. I’m not a huge fan of the magnetic chin strap retainer which stops the left over strap from flapping around. It’s a bit fiddly to operate. Overall though, I’m a happy camper when I’m wearing the Race-R Pro. – Chris Pickett
PRICE: Plain $849.95, Graphic $899.95 AVAILABLE FROM: Good motorcycle stores MORE INFO: www.cycletorque.com.au/more
MORE
QUAD TORQUE
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POLARIS has added more power to all 2013 850cc Sportsman models, and the introduction of the new Scrambler XP 850 H.O. offered in both a sporty Limited Edition package and a base model. The Scrambler XP 850 H.O. is perfect for riders wanting a bit of go and handling in a four-wheel drive ATV. The unit offers 77 horsepower from the 850cc twin cylinder, high output EFI engine with Polaris’ exclusive On-Demand, True All-Wheel Drive.
There will of course be the regular Sportsman range for those not wanting the sportier Long travel Sachs suspension is used, and the anti-kickback steering with a dual A-arm Scrambler. From the Sportsman 400 H.O. to the Big Boss 6X6, there's something to suit front suspension, Rolled Independent rear suspension and high ground clearance makes your needs. sure only the gnarliest of terrain will be a limiting factor for the Sportsman. Go to www.polaris.com for more information. n The Limited Edition model comes with Electronic Power Steering (EPS) and Fox Shocks.
ATTENTION Australian Farmers, Suzuki is offering a Factory Bonus of up to $750 on selected models of its farm ATV range. Until 31 October, 2012 (after Cycle Torque goes to press with this issue), Suzuki dealers will apply a $750 Factory Bonus on all KingQuad 400 2WD variants, KingQuad 500 and KingQuad 750, and a $500 Factory Bonus on the Ozark 250, KingQuad 400 4WD variants, KingQuad 500 and KingQuad 750 power steer models. The first manufacturer on four wheels, Suzuki’s ATV range offers purpose built features for Australian rural conditions with benefits such as fuel-injection, a choice of automatic or manual transmissions, selectable 2WD or 4WD and an option of two power steering models included in the KingQuad line-up. The Suzuki ATVs included in this promotion start at just $5,990 for the Ozark 250, up to $13,990 for the KingQuad 750AXi 4x4 Power Steer. For further information and pricing details on Suzuki’s ATV deal, interested customers should visit their local Suzuki dealer, who can be found through the Dealer Locator on www.suzuki.com.au. n
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 81 BRP has unveiled its new Side-by-Side Can-Am Maverick. BRP says its Maverick 1000R offers industry- leading performance, precision-engineered handling and a driver-focused design unlike any sport side-by-side vehicle to date. According to BRP the Maverick has the most powerful engine within the industry, but also leads its class in torque, acceleration and power-to-weight ratio. Powering the Maverick 1000R family of side-by-side vehicles is the well proven Rotax 1000R V-Twin power-plant, boasting 101-horsepower (75 kW). Another all new design for the Maverick include compact Torsional Trailing A-arms (TTA) independent rear suspension, which is aimed at improving traction while also reducing unsprung weight and eliminating bump steer. “The Can-Am Maverick side-by-side vehicle is sure to please the most dedicated hardcore off- road sport enthusiasts with its unmatched and aggressive styling industry-leading performance, both of which unquestionably reflect the Can-Am brand,” said Chris Dawson, vice-president and general manager, International division. BRP also introduced its 2014 Can-Am Maverick MAX 4-seat model, available worldwide next year. For more information on the new Can-Am line-up, visit www.brp.com. n
POLARIS Industries announced that its one millionth product, a Polaris RANGER 800 Midsize side-byside vehicle, rolled off its Spirit Lake, Iowa assembly line recently. “One million units built marks an extraordinary milestone for our Spirit Lake operation,” said Bennett Morgan, Polaris President. “For nearly two decades Spirit Lake has been a manufacturing centre of excellence and a vital contributor to our success. Thanks to the adaptability of both our outstanding people and the facility itself, Spirit Lake has, in its 18 year history, produced each of our product lines (Snowmobiles, ATVs, Side-by-Sides and Motorcycles).” The Spirit Lake facility was established in 1994, and has increased employment from 477 in 2009 and currently employs 750 people while operating three production lines building Polaris Rangers and Victory Motorcycles. A second facility adjacent to the main Spirit Lake plant manufactures the Indian Motorcycle, and a third facility in Milford, Iowa manufactures GEM (Global Electric Motorcar). Country Manager of Motorcycles in Australia and New Zealand Peter Harvey said “one million products is a huge achievement for Polaris and we are looking forward to the next million! With Victory Motorcycles continuous growth in Australia and New Zealand and Indian Motorcycles not too far away from our shores, we are sure that the next million will represent exciting times for the company in Australia and New Zealand.” n
CYCLE TORQUE FEATURE ‑ WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP, 2012
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Biaggi wins World Supers, Just MAX Biaggi has won his second World Superbike Crown and sixth World Championship, the 2012 title by just half a point.
A TORRID final round at Magny-Cours, France saw Briton Tom Sykes shave the Italian’s lead from 30.5 down to just half a point, coming so close to stealing the title from the 2010 champion’s grasp. Sykes finished third in the first race in France, gaining a critical 20 points back on Biaggi, who crashed out in the wet conditions. Sykes won the second race, run in the dry, while Biaggi managed to finish fifth, scoring enough points to win the title. “This is the fourth world championship out of six that I’ve won in the last race. I guess I must like a difficult challenge!” said Biaggi. “The 2012 season was tight to say the least: we started off well winning at Phillip Island after completely revamping my team, but we also had some difficult moments. We definitely worked for the title and maybe that’s why it’s an even sweeter victory.” Sykes was disappointed to have come so close to winning the title, but was very happy with the achievement anyway. “We were on pole, took a new circuit record, got a podium and then a win and pulled back 30 points on Max Biaggi. Not easy against a rider of his level,” said Sykes. “Yes, obviously there is a massive disappointment on one hand because we were only half a point from the world championship. But on the other hand, being realistic, we are very happy and we have – by
far – overachieved on expectations this year. “We have been very strong and I think this weekend we have been particularly strong; hopefully next year we can be very consistent from the start.”
Max Biaggi
At the start of the Final round three riders were mathematically able to take the title, BMW’s Marco Melandri the third, in with an outside chance. Melandri kept his title chances alive with second place in the first race to Sylvain Guintoli (Ducati) but crashed heavily in the second, taking him out of contention. The 2012 World Superbike Championship will go down as one in which no-one was consistent enough to dominate. Crashes, broken bikes, mechanical failures and the weather all played a big part. Biaggi and Sykes both failed to score points in four races, Melandri a massive eight (some races were missed due to injury). 2011 Champion Carlos Checa finished fourth overall,
and also failed to score in eight races. Checa’s title defence started with a DNF in the first race then three wins on the trot - but he would only win one more race in the whole season, and barely made the podium in the second half of the season at all.
Marco Melandri
Carlos Checa
Although it was a 28-race (14 round) championship, stoppages resulted in half points being awarded at Monza and Silverstone, and it turned out these were critical decisions – if both races had gone full distance and the positions remained unchanged, Sykes would have taken the title.
Broc Parkes, Honda Kenan Sofuoglu
Bryan Staring
On the other hand, if Melandri hadn’t been injured in Germany he may have taken the title after winning four of the previous eight races and finishing on the podium of two others. He’d taken the championship lead off Biaggi and was looking very strong. Sykes’ DNF in the second race at the penultimate round, Portimao in Portugal, was also decisive: it gave Biaggi the lead he needed going into the final round. In previous years the championship winners have barely dropped a race, indeed it’s unusual to see them not finish any race on the podium. 2012 was very different, and thus very open until the final chequered flag fell. That made for great, unpredictable racing, although with too many injuries. Roll on 2013: it kicks off at Phillip Island February 22-24.
WORLD SUPERSPORT Kenan Sofuoglu easily won the Supersport tile for
Kawasaki, the Turkish rider at home on Supersport machines - his forays to Superbikes and Moto2 were unrewarded. Australia’s riders were the luckless Broc Parkes, who finished fifth in the final standings, and Jed Metcher in 14th.
SUPERSTOCK 1000 FIM CUP Australia’s Bryan Staring (Kawasaki) went into the final round with a faint hope of winning the title, but a crash put him out of contention, although he did remount to finish fifth. BMW’s Sylvain Barrier took the title. – Nigel Paterson
CYCLE TORQUE FEATURE ‑ CATAVOLT ELECTRIC IBIKE
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ELECTRIC PASSION From humble beginnings, Team Catavolt is taking on the world
wasn’t much back then, I used a DC motor and some lead acid batteries. I commuted on it and it’s got a range of 35 kilometres. It’s chain driven, has a top speed of around 180km/h and does the quarter mile in 14 seconds. It uses a golf cart motor, and it’s still registered today,” said Jon. The desire to go faster and prove the power of electricity spurred Jon to continue the development of his ideas.
FROM a tin shed in suburban Newcastle to the banked arena of the Daytona road racing circuit, Team Catavolt is pushing the boundaries of not only technology, but the acceptance of electric motorcycles. You get the impression that Jon Eggenhuizen has dreamed of this day for a number of years, and as he prepares to fly to America to take on the world’s best electric powered motorcycles on the race track you might think this is the final act in the play. Far from it though, Jon has bigger ideas, and is committed to seeing them to fruition. “I’m an electrical engineer, and back in 2003 I built my first bike using a Honda V750. The technology
The Lake Gairdner speed trials were again cancelled due to rain so we had a bike but nowhere to run it. We then heard about the TTXGP electric road racing championships in Australia, so we put the standard “After that the idea emerged to attempt the land speed record, and that’s how the swingarm back in the bike and put a hub motor in. We raced it for two years and won the Australian name came up. Catavolt, a bit of a play on Catapult. We took it to Lake Gairdner in 2007 but the Championship each year. event was called off so we had to truck it back which They say racing improves the breed and this has been was disappointing, and then in 2009 we went back. On the case for Team Catavolt. the first timed run we blew up the motor. In 2010 we again had a go and reached an average of 177km/h, but “When we first raced the bike at Wakefield Park we were we actually peaked at over 200km/h. That record still a bit disappointed with the lap times, at 1m 30s. Over stands today. It was a world record at the time, and is the year we dropped that down to 1m 19s, and now we still an Australian record.” are down to 1m 14s, which compares well with many combustion engine race bikes. The Dailim isn’t what To go faster required more power and more investment you’d call a sports bike, but we are still quicker than our in time and money. competition who use Yamaha R1 frames and the like. “We decided to go for the 200mph record so I built Along the way the design of the machines changed to another bike using the Dailim frame and a 150kw motor. make production easier.
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“We now use a hub motor in the rear wheel. They are designed in America, and we lace it up to a wheel here. You simply pull out the old wheel, put the new one in and bolt up a small torque arm. Then you are ready to go. Of course the engine is removed and the battery pack sits where the engine used to be.” It’s one thing to race the bikes on Australian tracks with limited competition but shipping the bike to Daytona is an altogether bigger project. “They call it Biketober Fest, and the electric race is for the top four machines from the European, American and Australian championships. It hasn’t been easy to raise the money but we feel it’s necessary for us to go. We have had lots of support and even the local MP has helped us out of his own pocket. “We want to go to the Isle Of Man next year if possible to compete in the Electric TT, to take our own technology and try and compete with these American teams like MotoCzysz. We want to convert a Honda Fireblade and we’d like to have our regular rider Jason Morris ride the bike there. He’s been a great help with developing the bike and he really understands the electric drive and how to race it. Plus he’s a local guy so that’s great. The MotoCzysz turns the power down so it can last the whole race
on the Isle Of Man, but we can use full power the whole race and let Jason manage it. If he needs more speed on a certain section then he can use it. Racing is great fun but it’s hard to make money from it. Jon plans to build customer electric powered road machines, in the short term using the Dailim rolling chassis. “The little Dailim is a nice looking bike, and it’s designed for commuting. You plug it into any 10 amp power point and in 3-4 hours you are ready to go another 150 kilometres. “The commuter version has a constant 300 Nm of torque through the whole rev range, so it’s like being in the powerband all the time (the race bike has over 500 Nm of torque) . It weighs between 165-170 kilos depending on what features you get on the bike, so it’s got a good power to weight ratio. “I’ve quit my job and this is what I want to do full time.” Look out for a test of the road registered Catavolt commuter in an upcoming issue of Cycle Torque. – Chris Pickett
2012 BMW GS SAFARI
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Touring CYCLE TORQUE FEATURE
Last year’s GS Safari concentrated on the desert. For 2012 it was very much about mountain greenery.
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BMW’s regular GS Safari has become very popular with dirt-capable-BMW owners. Some 180 riders entered the Safari this year, but perhaps ‘enter’ is the wrong word, as the event is not a competition, it’s all about riding at your own pace, enjoying your machine, and the company of like-minded riders. If you’re not into adventure riding, BMW also runs an annual Touren Sport Safari which caters for BMW road bike owners. This year’s event kicked off at Ballina on the NSW North Coast. Many riders had actually travelled thousands of kilometres just to get to the start of the 2012 GS Safari, and immediately before the start of the Safari BMW held a two-day off road riding course for GS owners new to the hobby, so they wouldn’t feel too intimidated by the upcoming route. This wasn’t compulsory but I can tell you the BMW off-road riding courses are well worth doing, even for a skills brush up if it’s been a while since you’ve done any adventure or off-road riding. BMW doesn’t hold your hand during the Safari, and to be honest I think most GS owners prefer it that way. Once you pay your $580 entry fee, which included opening and farewell function meals, and the Thursday night group dinner, it’s up to you to get yourself, machine and gear to
the start, and organise your own accommodation. BMW also supply a truck which transports your panniers/ luggage if you wish, and it seemed most took up the free offer. There was also a Dakar Rally type of truck owned by Rob Turton of Overlanders Motorcycles which had lots of tyres on hand for riders to buy, and no doubt they sold a few. BMW’s Miles Davis had already pre-ridden the route, and each evening a riders briefing is held, giving you the lowdown on what to expect for the next day, and that’s where you get your route sheet for the next day too. I tagged onto the Safari from Armidale, and according to some of the participants I spoke to the weather hadn’t exactly been kind to them for the first two days of the journey (Ballina-Glenn Innes-Armidale), and some of the road conditions were a little challenging too, due to the wet weather. Tuesday evening was wet and cold but Wednesday dawned bright and blue, the way it was to stay for the rest of the trip. When setting the course it seems evident that BMW wants it to be a true off-road adventure without being too challenging, where crashes and injuries can come into play. Usually there are a number of ‘hard’ sections
where you can either choose to take the easier route, or test yourself on the harder one. My first day on the bike saw me cruising along some nice country back roads on a G 650 GS Sertao until we hit open dirt roads which meandered through some extremely beautiful farming areas. It wasn’t challenging but was lots of fun all the same. There weren’t many spots to grab a bite to eat on the run so riders were pre-warned to pack some lunch for the day. Most riders stopped at the Georges Creek Nature Reserve for a rest and and power bar, and plenty were raving about the natural beauty of the area. By the time I had cruised into Crescent Head I had covered near enough to 100 kilometres of good dirt road, and some great country tar roads as well. It was at Crescent Head where you either chose the hard way or the easy one. About a third of the 180 riders decided the hard way was the right one for them. On this occasion the challenging route was the Plomers Track, through the picturesque Point Plomer. This is a 4WD
Continued on next page MORE
2012 BMW GS SAFARI
The sand on the hard route from Crescent Head to Port MacQuarie caught a few out.
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Touring CYCLE TORQUE FEATURE
Continued from previous page track with lots of pot holes and sand. Some riders on the bigger 1200cc GS machines struggled a bit, especially in the sand, but everyone got through OK. One ferry crossing later and we were arriving en masse into Port Macquarie. Day four started with some skill testing and tuition at Port Macquarie’s motocross track. It was fun seeing riders on GS 1200s attempting the tighter obstacles, and plenty got into the spirit of things and had a go. Around lunch time it was back into the forest, and straight after the MX track it was into the bush and up a couple of steepish climbs littered with erosion banks. Fantastic fun. Lunch for most was at the little mountain hamlet of Comboyne, just after a stretch of track which was simply amazing, winding itself up and around some mountains, finished off with a little stretch of unbelievable tar – awesome. The mountain air even smells special, and then to spend an hour or so enjoying a late lunch topped that part of the ride off. The run back to Port Macquarie was mainly fire trail type of stuff, and lots of fun too. The final day saw a run back through Comboyne, down to Nabiac and on to Forster where the final night shindig was held. Once again, a great day of riding, with some wonderful scenery and tracks to sample. You don’t have to be an experienced adventure rider to be a part of the GS Safari. Of course it does help, but the level of ability is quite wide ranging among the participants, as is the age gaps between the youngest and oldest. Plenty of riders looked to be
well into their ’60s, with the youngest rider most likely Daria Twist from South Australia, on her second GS Safari, this time on an F 800 GS, with her dad Colin on an R 1200 GS. Daria looked lucky to be out of her teens yet she was out there checking out the country on an adventure bike, and every time I saw her she had a massive grin on her face. In fact I don’t think I saw anyone not enjoying themselves. www.bmwmotorrad.com.au is the website you need to keep an eye on for information about next year’s GS Safari. You must ride a BMW GS, whether it be a single or a big twin, to be eligible to enter. n
BY FAR the most popular bike on the GS Safari was the R 1200 GS, from the base model right up to top of the line GS Adventures kitted out for serious off-road work. Sure, the R series adventure machines are big but in the right hands are very capable machines offroad. To get the best out of them in the rough stuff you need to be a confident rider, and it seemed to me there were lots of confident riders on this year’s Safari. I spent two days on the F 650 GS Sertao (see piece on this bike in the IOM touring story, page 30) and one day on the base R 1200 GS. It was fitted with Electronic Suspension Adjustment (ESA), traction control and ABS. I love ESA, and the system on the GS is dead easy to use, with a touch of a button you can adjust the suspension from soft all the way to sport, and adjust the preload depending on your load and whether you have a pillion on board. The traction control can be tuned to stop wheelspin, or give you enough to rear-wheel steer the bike on the throttle while preventing the rear end from looping out completely. You can also turn it off. I preferred the bike with ABS turned off and traction control set to allow some wheel spin. Once I got used to the extra weight of the big girl after spending the previous day on the lightweight Sertao I started to feel much more at home. BMW’s R series adventure machines have been the benchmark for many years now, and for good reason. They can take heaps of gear, are very handy offroad in all but extreme conditions, and are still a very nice road bike. In fact many riders use the R 1200 GS purely on the road because of the terrible state of Australia’s roads, as the bike’s long travel suspension is made for it. The new water-cooled R series adventure bike will most likely be available some time next year. Will it be light years ahead of the current air/oil-cooled model? I don’t think so, so now might be the time to grab a current model before they all go.
– Chris Pickett
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LETTERS
K C A B I G N I TO RQ U
Saved by a Spyder
THE Buckets Way from the Pacific Highway to Gloucester has had its fair share of fatalities, and I nearly became one myself recently. The Buckets Way starts off well sealed, but in a very short distance, the patched potholes make their presence felt. It takes a lot of concentration to keep my Can-Am Spyder from bouncing off the road. And the further you ride, the more difficult it becomes. Still, if you were put off by rough roads then, sadly, you just wouldn’t ride at all in NSW. Our B and C roads must be the worst in the country. I’ve only ever ridden in NSW and Victoria, and so I can only compare our roads with those south of the border; to put it bluntly, ours are a disgrace. But I digress. In spite of the road, I was enjoying the ride – how could you not! But, a few kilometres after Limeburners Creek Road turnoff and a few kilometres before the Allworth turnoff, I came around a corner and saw a semi-trailer coming toward me. He was on his side of the road, and I was on mine. However, overtaking the semi was an idiot in a dark blue/green Commodore on my side of the road. He had already used up the separation line allowing for safe overtaking, and now he was overtaking over a solid separation line and heading straight for me. I didn’t have a lot of time to react because the idiot just appeared from behind the semi. My first reaction was to stomp on the brakes. I’m glad that I didn’t try the non-existent hand controls because, as you all know, the Spyder doesn’t have them. As I was braking, I steered toward the edge of the road. In fact, with so little room, I actually had to steer such that my left tyre went off the road and into the gravel by the roadside. Things happened so quickly that I didn’t have time to come off the power. So here I was, the Spyder was half off the road bouncing (bouncing is such a gentle word, it was actually bucking like an out-of-control Brahman bull) over the bumps and holes as the car and semi-trailer went sailing past. How I missed the car, only God knows. I must have only missed it by a hair’s breadth. As I regained control of the Spyder, I came off the brakes and eased it back onto the road. My heart was racing at a million miles an hour. As you could imagine, I slowed down somewhat. If I had been in a car, there was no way I could have missed the idiot or missed the trees that lined the road. But at least I would have had all the metal of
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the car and airbags to help protect me. If I had been on a motorcycle, I may have squeezed past the car, but more likely, I would have laid it down in the gravel on the side of the road, and maybe even slid it into a tree. Thank God I was riding the Spyder with its ABS brakes and stability control. Without them, I would have been in a lot of trouble and, probably, a lot of pain as well. Peter Uren
WRITE A LETTER!
WIN A GREAT PRIZE
This month Josie has won a Cargol Turn & Go puncture repair kit. Available from better bike shops everywhere and there’s a video of one being used on the Cycle Torque website. Send your letters (and/or great bike pictures) to The Editor, Cycle Torque, PO Box 687 Warners Bay, NSW 2282 or email chris@cycletorque.com.au.
Mal’s Ipad
GREAT mag awesome on the iPad, I even bought an iPad specially for it because I heard so much about it. I’m loving it. Even better when you have lots of doctor appointments you got to go to like myself, hence waiting rooms. One question though why are there missing parts, for example the ad for the Jamie Lord ride in Brisbane. Or is it a case of the operator doing something wrong. Mal Heffernan Hi Mal The Jamie Lord Ride was featured in the iPad edition - in the scrolling text of the Small Torque section in the August issue. We gave away the space for the ad in the print edition, but didn’t have suitable material for the iPad.
Guntrip feedback
GUNTRIP’S column in the September issue proves why we live in a nanny state and many are happy to do so. It is also evidence that Australians are scared little pussies with no balls (I am Australian). Compare the comment that the couple of deaths at Bathurst is the good reason there is no longer any motorcycle racing there with the enduring thrill of Isle of Man and its many deaths and injury. The riders race there in full knowledge and acceptance of the risks. I note that IOM does not have a police compound. No need. No-one over there is an escaped convict unlike all Australians. Lou Baker – Yep, there’s never been a riot in the UK… yeah, right. You nearly had a point until you ruined it with your last sentence Lou.
Lady rider
I would like to congratulate you on your magazine Cycle Torque. My husband and two teenage sons love all things motorbikes and brought home the June edition of Cycle Torque. I was pleasantly surprised to read a motorbike magazine which contained interesting, informative stories and did NOT contain sleazy, degrading pictures of women and motorbikes which are so apparent in other publications! I just want to say thank you for setting a high standard of publication and for providing a magazine which does not contribute to the sexualisation and objectification of women. We will continue to support your sponsors. Keep up the great work! Josie PS. And well done for remembering that plenty of women ride and enjoy motorcycles too!
Help your community
I RIDE with the local RAT group here in Hobart. One of our members is a Leukaemia survivor and is organising a ride in November in support of the Leukaemia foundation. It got me thinking - there are lots of charity ride events but there are rarely big numbers of riders. I’d like to encourage all my fellow motorcyclists out there to get behind charity rides in your area. They involve doing something we all love, supporting good causes, supporting business when we buy our coffees etc, and we get to meet a bunch of new motorcycling friends. I hope I get the chance to meet you at a charity ride in the near future. Anthony Love
CYCLE TORQUE NOVEMBER 2012 - 91
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