Issue#110 Jan/Feb 15 by Australian Road Rider Official

JAN/FEB 2015 (No. 110) AUS $7.95* NZ $9.10 (BOTH INCL. GST)

Hot

Models!

All the new bikes for 2015 plus 8 posters inside!

ROAD WARRIOR! Ultra-modern Indian Scout on the warpath PLUS

TRAVEL SPECIAL

Yamaha MT-07 Triumph Commander

Good Olâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; U.S. of A. How you can tour America

Trip preparation tips | First aid for riders | Bike set-up: Make it fit you!

STYLE RACER » » » » »

Bring racetrack style to the streets. With its clean lines, the new KTM RC 390 shows clearly how much performance it has to offer. Its muscular and agile attitude is designed for attack. Fully faired, it exploits every aerodynamic advantage. The KTM RC 390 is high-tech packed into a hot design with perfect workmanship.

Water-cooled 373.2 cc DOHC engine 44 hp (32 kW) of power / 35 Nm max. torque Extremely sporty power-to-weight ratio Aerodynamically optimum fairing Racing geometry

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CONTENTS#110 “If you’ve never got your kicks on Route 66, never ridden Ventura Highway in the sunshine, if you’ve never been down Thunder Road nor been taken back to the Black Hills, then you really are missing out” — Mark Hinchliﬀe. Our USA travel special features all the inspiration and information you need to visit one of the world’s best motorcycling destinations.

USA TRAVEL SPECIAL

2015 NEW MODELS

BIKES TO RIDE

New Year marvels: A supercharged production bike, 160hp adventure tourer, revolutionary electronics and a whole lot more.

NEWS FOR ROAD RIDERS

Land of opportunity: An insider’s guide to all the ins and outs of travelling the USA by motorcycle. The Rockies: Exploring Colorado’s spectacular Rocky Mountains. Paciﬁc Coast Highway: Riding one of the world’s greatest coastal roads. Sturgis: Rubbing elbows at motorcycling’s big bash.

Honda middleweight maulers, Easy Rider clones, Gentleman Riders, destruction of Zen gardens and loads more.

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Indian Scout: A machine that redeﬁnes tradition. Yamaha MT-07: A learner bike not just for learners. Triumph Commander: Triumph’s no-fuss, big, bad boy. The long list: Victory goodbye, Ducati and Project Bolt.

FEATURES 94

Adventure Film Festival: Just the inspiration you need to travel abroad on two wheels.

96 96

104 110 116

Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride: Chaps in chaps doing chap-like things. Trip preparation: Get yourself and your bike ready for a big ride. Bike adjustment: Get out the tools and tailor your bike to you. First aid: How a vital ﬁrst-aid skills course for motorcyclists was born.

YARNS AND LAUGHS 6 32 35 37 39 145 146

Mathochism: The truth behind the lie. Boorman: Looking back. Seddo: Mr Smith. Zoe: Weekend escape. Reynolds: Where’s the love? Frauds: Buyer beware. Last look: A great new year.

128 132 138 140 144

Readers rite: All about the ride. Price guide: New-bike news and prices. Subscribe here: Win a Yamaha Bolt! Bike supermarket: Products, services and other cool stuﬀ. Advertiser listing: Where’d you see that ad again?

MONTHLY MAIL GEAR ON TEST 120

Look good, stay cool, stay safe and capture it all: Yamaha MT cargo pants, Raci-Babi Do-Rag, Ventz and Hitcase Pro.

28 30 102 124

Big shot: Destination USA. Route 66: Win a US trip! Stay with us: Rider-friendly places. Whatz new: A mixed bag of new stuﬀ.

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MATHOCHISM

THE TRUTH BEHIND THE LIE Time to set the record straight about an ill-informed opinion of a 300hp production motorcycle s it small-mindedness? Ignorance? Intentional alarmism? Maybe a kind of fascism? Whatever it is, it’s not truth. I’m talking about the ridiculous comments by Victoria’s senior traﬃc policeman, Bob Hill, about the Kawasaki H2R, the supercharged superbike that’s scaring the pants oﬀ safety-crats and road wowsers everywhere. He implies that the bike will cause carnage on our roads. “Reports of a new high-powered motorbike potentially being made available for sale in Australia are very concerning,” Bob was quoted as saying in an article wri en by one of Victoria’s infamous tabloid rags. Does he not realise there are already “high-powered motorbikes” available in Australia? Let’s look at a couple of simple facts for him, shall we? The lesser, roadgoing version of the Kawasaki, the H2, will have just less than 200hp — ballpark with a heap of sportsbikes that are already on sale … and have been for some time. The Hayabusa cracked 300km/h 15 years ago and, in spite of the fearful campaign against such excess, it has not been the scourge of the streets. Not even the Hayabusas people turbocharged. But the backlash by the safety Nazis was so great that motorcycle manufacturers announced a voluntary agreement to limit their fastest bikes to 299km/h. Much safer, eh? MV Agusta

6 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

said bugger that and named its next superbike the 312 in honour of how fast it would go. The world still did not end. Maybe if we use metric ﬁgures — 150kW — Bob might not worry so much. Then again, maybe he’d heard reports about the H2R, the 300hp version. OMG, Mr Hill! What he didn’t take into account was the enormous level of electronic assistance that bike will have, so much that it will make such an incredible amount of power manageable, even through the puny rear tyres that can be squeezed onto a motorcycle wheel. See, the cops and other headline-grabbers don’t take anything like that into account. Nor do they take

history into account, or they’d recognise that their shock and horror would be entirely misplaced. I recognise the reality of the situation and feel growing contempt for them, their propaganda and their laws (right or wrong). Victorian police commissioner, Ken Lay, complains about “hoons” giving him “the bird”, but what does he expect? Ken is a master at taking a few details about fatal motorcycle crashes and using them to denigrate the entire two-wheeled community, using nothing but emotional language and scant, selective stats to make his point. Not that I’m doing things much diﬀerently in this rant. It’s just that I’m tired of the same old bull from senior

police, politicians and safety experts. I too look at many of the published ﬁgures and I rarely see the same results as they spray to the media. I also look beyond the quick grabs they give to today’s media and see historic pa erns that bare absolutely no resemblance to the death and destruction predicted by Ken and his kind. Kawasaki’s bold H2s are statements in themselves: “This is what we can do if we want to.” And good for Kawasaki. Someone has to do it, regardless of how much it irritates the powers that be. If the authorities weren’t made to look like fools on a regular basis, we’d still be following a walking man carrying a red ﬂag every time we went for a ride. — MICK MATHESON ARR

The iconic 4-bikes-in-1 Multistrada 1200 S Touring further evolves to take you wherever your heart desires with performance, comfort and safety, and now with the innovative Ducati Skyhook Suspension (DSS), to actively respond to any challenges thrown up by the terrain. The second-generation Testastretta 11Â°, 150hp L-twin engine has reintroduced the Dual Spark concept for incredible engine smoothness and response, this increases torque to an impressive 124.5Nm. Equipped with electronic 48mm USD forks and rear mono-shock, both with the new DSS technology, the semi-active system constantly re-adjusts damping to maintain optimum vehicle

equilibrium â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as if it was suspended from the sky. With a dry weight of just 206kg the Multistrada 1200 S Touring comes standard with 4 Riding Modes, 3 Power Modes, Ducati Safety Pack (ABS + Traction Control), Ride-by-Wire, Hands-Free, Quick detach 58 litre Side Luggage, Heated Grips, Centre Stand, new higher and wider screen and two 12v power outlets; it really is the ultimate bike to go wherever you want to go! If you want to experience the Multistrada 1200 S Touring visit your local Authorised Ducati Dealer for more information or to book a test ride today.

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full comprehensive cover with discounts for low usage and experienced owner riders. This policy does not cover the bike whilst in use.

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Editor Mick Matheson

Editorial roadrider@universalmagazines.com.au

Deputy Editor Ma Shields

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Designer Shant Safarian

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Photographers Anne Baker, Josh Evans, Gold & Goose, Tim Munro, Anne Kierren/Red George Media

US Advertising Representative Stacey Swanson marketsas@gmail.com Ph 925 292 9470

Contributors Charley Boorman, Ariel Hill-Matheson, Mark Hinchliﬀe, Zoe Naylor, Greg Advertising Production Reynolds, Geoﬀ Seddon, Ian Royall, Ian Cassel Isaac Oosterloo Publisher Janice Williams

we cover lams bikes for all age riders go to our website to check out our great prices. Call us or visit our website for more details

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www.ThisRoadBikeInsurance.com.au Any advice in this document is general advice & does not take into account your objectives, ﬁnancial situation or needs. You should consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and your objectives, ﬁnancial situation or needs before acting on this advice. The insurance is underwritten by Thistle Underwriting Services (TUS). TUS acts under an authority to bind cover on behalf of QBE Insurance (Australia) Ltd (“QBE”). Current as at 1 Feb 2014.

Circulation enquiries to our Sydney head office (02) 9805 0399. Australian Road Rider #110 is published by Australian Publishing, Unit 5, 6–8 Byfield Street, North Ryde NSW 2113. Phone: (02) 9805 0399, Fax: (02) 9805 0714. Melbourne office, Suite 4, Level 1, 150 Albert Road, South Melbourne Vic 3205. Phone (03) 9694 6444 Fax: (03) 9699 7890. Printed by Webstar Sydney, distributed by Network Services, Phone: (02) 9282 8777. This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Enquiries should be addressed to the publishers. The publishers believe all the information supplied in this book to be correct at the time of printing. They are not, however, in a position to make a guarantee to this effect and accept no liability in the event of any information proving inaccurate. Prices, addresses and phone numbers were, after investigation and to the best of our knowledge and belief, up to date at the time of printing, but they may change in some cases. It is not possible for the publishers to ensure that advertisements which appear in this publication comply with the Trade Practices Act, 1974. The responsibility must therefore be on the person, company or advertising agency submitting the advertisements for publication. While every endeavour has been made to ensure complete accuracy, the publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. * Recommended retail price ISSN 1329 – 8626 Copyright © Australian Publishing Pty Ltd MMXIV ACN 003 609 103 www.universalmagazines.com.au Please pass on or recycle this magazine.

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BY NEWS EDITOR MARK HINCHLIFFE (HINCHM@HOTMAIL.COM)

NEWS FOR ROADRIDERS Honda’s small sensations Honda rides on the success of new segment for market growth

■ KTM’s 390 Duke has helped propel the Austrian brand up the sales charts

earners or “downsizers” continue to dominate the motorcycle sales ﬁgures as 2014 draws to a close, according to the latest information from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI). The top-selling bike was again the Honda CT110, followed by the Ninja 300. But the gap is narrowing to Honda’s CBR500R, which increased in sales by 44.2 per cent to 1502 for the year to date, while Ninja sales have slumped 21.4 per cent to 2146. FCAI motorcycle spokesman, Rhys Griﬃths, says the rising popularity of learner-approved motorcycles may have more to do with people downsizing than new riders coming to the market. Rhys believes some riders may have tired of “bigger and faster” and are downsizing to more practical yet fun bikes. He cites the sales success of the current crop of 500cc Hondas and the popularity of mid-sized adventure bikes ■ After the postie bike, Kawasaki’s Ninja 300 is still Australia’s best selling motorcycle

10 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

such as the Kawasaki KLR650 and the Honda CB500XA, which have pushed aside the new water-cooled BMW R 1200 GS — the biggest-selling bike in Europe. As for the rest of the motorcycle sales ﬁgures, they are pre y much the same as the past few quarters with Honda on top, road bike and ATV sales up (three and 4.4 per cent), oﬀ-road down 3.5 per cent and scooters slumping a massive 19.1 per cent. Total sales are down 0.8 per cent, which is marginally lower than the last quarter at 0.5 per cent.

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS Honda Yamaha Kawasaki Suzuki Harley-Davidson KTM Polaris BMW Triumph CF Moto Husqvarna Ducati BRP Vespa Hyosung Kymco Aprilia SYM Husaberg TGB MCI Victory Royal Enfield Daelim Indian Torino Arctic Cat Moto Guzzi

17,261 (-0.1%) 13,954 (-1.3%) 7888 (-7.2%) 6919 (-9.8%) 5967 (+3.3%) 5500 (+6.8%) 3893 (+34.1%) 2203 (+33.5%) 2074 (-5.3%) 1607 (-11.9%) 1546 (+3.3%) 1428 (+12.5%) 1378 (+7.4%) 813 (+23.2%) 788 (+10.2%) 724 (-29.7%) 676 (-12.2%) 535 (-29%) 401 (-39.4%) 388 (-50.8%) 330 (-38.9%) 305 (-16.2%) 283 (+169.5%) 244 (-20.3%) 241 220 (+47.7%) 198 (+132.9%) 191 (+10.4%)

NEWS Once again, Honda was the biggest seller, followed by Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Harley-Davidson, whose So ail Breakout continues to sell its

tyres oﬀ. It costs almost $28,995 on the road, yet it is the seventh-best seller surrounded in the top 10 by small-bore trail bikes and LAMS machines.

■ Honda’s CBR500R has been a great success story for the Japanese brand

The real thing? T

he world’s most expensive bike is the Captain America Harley Panhead chopper from the 1969 cult ﬁlm Easy Rider … or is it? The bike has sold for a staggering US$1.54 million (approx. AU$1.76 million) at the Proﬁles in History auction in California. But there is now a cloud over its authenticity.

■ Peter Fonda rides the real deal. But is the bike recently sold a fake?

The American-flag-decorated chopper ridden by Peter Fonda in the movie directed by Dennis Hopper was once endorsed by Fonda as the original bike. The chopper was partially destroyed in the film’s finale and rebuilt by Grizzly Adams actor Dan Haggerty. Three other bikes used in the film were stolen even before the movie hit the cinemas.

KTM was a standout performer with a 98.3 per cent increase in road bike sales, thanks to its 390 Duke. However, this was oﬀset by a 4.7 per cent drop in oﬀroad sales for a total 6.8 per cent rise. Despite a 2.9 per cent decrease in BMW R 1200 GS sales, the company recorded a massive 33 per cent increase in sales, mainly for its GS Adventure, S 1000 RR sportsbike and R 1200 RT tourer. Other top performers were Ducati, up 12.5 per cent and, of course, Indian, which started selling late last year and has recorded 241 sales so far this year with the Scout and Roadmaster about to arrive. Road motorcycles continue to be a popular choice in 2014, with Australians purchasing 10,744 new road bikes in the third quarter of 2014, bringing the yearto-date total to 32,416. The 32,416 sales represent a three per cent increase on September 2013 sales.

The chopper was partially destroyed in the film’s finale and rebuilt by Grizzly Adams actor Dan Haggerty. Three other bikes used in the film were stolen even before the movie hit the cinemas But some doubt still remains about the authenticity of the bike. Dan admits he has authenticated and sold two Captain America bikes, while Peter has authenticated at least one other bike but later withdrew it, saying he had been duped by Haggerty. Gordon Granger of Texas bought a supposed original Captain America in 1996 from Dan for $63,500. Haggerty later said it was not an original. The bike that has just sold at auction was owned by Michael Eisenberg, a Los Angeles real estate agent and collector of Hollywood memorabilia. Eisenberg bought the bike in early 2014 from John Parham, a Midwestern motorcycle parts magnate who had bought it from Haggerty 12 years earlier. Meanwhile, Peter says he has no idea which bike is original, or even if an original exists. The mystery surrounding the bike only makes it more alluring … and valuable! AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 11

NEWS

Brammo for OZ Innovative electric sportsbikes for Aussie roads

arly adopters slapped down a deposit for the Brammo electric motorcycle even before it was approved for Australia. The Oregon-built Brammo Empulse and Empulse R are being certiﬁed for sale in Australia and will be available at $16,670 and $19,350. They are being imported by ElectroMotive Force (ELMOFO), a subsidiary of Solar Power Australia, which is an industrial design and engineering company for solarpowered systems and ba eries. Managing director, Bre Sutherland, believes Australia is ready for electric vehicles. “A lot of the early adopters will be tech heads, not necessarily riders,” he says. “Some of the guys that work here that have never ridden bikes have now got their licences. I think it will bring in a new breed of motorcyclists.” Bre has been riding dirt bikes most of his life and has only started riding road bikes. He says he got involved in importing Brammo because he believes in ecological vehicles. “We should all be driving vehicles that can be recharged from the sun,” the electrical engineer says. His company has already built an

electric DeLorean sportscar and a race car, which competed successfully in the Australian Supersports series against radical petrol vehicles. The car holds the two quickest lap times around the famous German Nürburgring. The Brammo Empulse and Empulse R sportsbikes are also no slouches. Both have 54 horsepower (40kW) and the Empulse produces 63Nm of torque while the R has 90Nm and hurtles to a top speed of 177km/h. It has a 10.2kWh lithium-ion ba ery, which takes eight hours to recharge on an American 120V main, but should be a lot less on our 240V system. It comes with a 3kW on-board charger. Range is about 200km in the city and 90km on the highway, or 129km combined. The Empulse might be American powered but it has a lot of exotic European parts, including an Italian aluminium frame and tubular steel subframe and swingarm with Marzocchi forks, Sachs shock, Brembo brakes and 17-inch Marchesini wheels. The seat is 800mm oﬀ the ground, wheelbase is 14763mm and it weighs 213kg. It rides on 120/70 and 180/55 tyres. The Empulse

■ Brammo’s Empulse R is expected in Australia soon. Model not included

12 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

comes in red or black and the R also comes in silver or yellow. Unlike most other electric vehicles, the Brammo Empulse doesn’t have a single gear but has a six-speed transmission and a wet, multiplate clutch. The instruments also strangely feature an analogue tachometer and an LCD screen in a waterproof housing. The screen displays ba ery charge, speed, odometer, energy use, gear position, ba ery status, estimated range and system status. Brammo may also be the first to produce an electric cruiser. While Harley-Davidson has developed the Project LiveWire electric concept, it’s a sportsbike. However, Brammo has plans to develop an eCruiser. Bre says that if Brammo goes ahead with the eCruiser and a motorcrosser called the Engage, he will consider importing them too. However, ELMOFO has no plans to import the Brammo Enertia Plus city bike with 130km range and a 16kW/40Nm motor. Bre says it has taken two-and-a-half years to convince Brammo to allow his company to import the Empulse and about seven months for certification, which is only a rubber stamp away. “We have the first bikes on the ship now and we’re hoping it will all be approved by the time they arrive,” says Bre . He hopes to have demo bikes available in most capital cities. Bre says they have had a lot of interest from motorcycle dealers and electric vehicle companies wanting to stock the bike. “Currently, it’s like the chicken and the egg. We need more charging stations on the roadways, but we need more electric vehicles to make it commercially viable,” he says. ELMOFO is based in Newcastle but Sutherland believes dealerships will start in the capital cities. So far, the only other roadworthy electric motorcycle on sale in Australia comes from Californian electric company Zero.

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American Samurai T

he Buell 1125 was a revolutionary motorcycle that was never given its due by riders. But one American company thinks the radical sportsbike makes a great platform for a very limited-edition custom. Ronin Motor Works in Denver, Colorado, is that company and, in keeping with its name, it has built 47 bikes from the 1125 and has called them the 47. The number is relevant because there were 47 Ronin Samurai legendary warriors. The 1125 was a revolutionary sportsbike with a peripheral brake disc, belt drive, fuel in the frame, oil in the swingarm, under-bike exhaust and the ﬁrst Buell with water cooling. It was axed when Harley-Davidson shut down the Buell arm of the business in 2009. But Ronin Motor Works bought 50 of the bikes and has spent the past four years developing its custom build, reworking the liquid cooling and exhaust, changing the forks and stripping away the ugly panel work. The 1125 was a very confronting-

14 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

■ When Japan and America meet, you get this sharp piece of kit

Ronin Motor Works in Denver, Colorado, is that company and, in keeping with its name, it has built 47 bikes from the 1125 and called them the 47. The number is relevant because there were 47 Ronin Samurai legendary warriors looking bike, especially from the front, so the custom team has worked on changing that. Thanks to the bullnose and linkage forks, it has an even more radical-looking front now! Ronin worked on making several parts into a single part: the ba ery box and footpegs are integrated into a single cast unit; the lights are housed in the linkage fork legs; and LED indicators are

seamlessly built into the handlebar ends. They also eliminated the key ignition for a key fob immobiliser along with custom gauge and ECU. The bikes will be released in differentsized blocks, with the first containing 12 units. Of those, five have already been bought at $US38,000 (approx. $A43,680) each. Buyers will also have to organise their own shipping.

HOW DO YOU MAKE THE ULTIMATE TOURING VEHICLE EVEN BETTER? WE FOUND THREE WAYS.

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©2014 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its afﬁliates. Products are distributed by BRP Australia Pty Ltd. *Tested at a constant speed of 100 km/h. Fuel mileage may vary depending on the following: Spyder RT models, personal riding habits, weather conditions, trip length, vehicle condition, vehicle conﬁguration and other conditions. Up to 325 kilometres tested at a constant speed of 120 km/h. Break-in mileage may also vary. See an authorised BRP dealer for details. Some models depicted may include optional equipment. Always ride responsibly and safely. Always observe applicable local laws and regulations. Don’t drink and drive.

NEWS

Illustrious victory Huge success for charity ride in aid of prostate cancer

n just three years, the Distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride has become a roaring success, this year raising more than $US1.2 million (approx. $A1.38 million) for prostate cancer research around the world. Australia raised $484,162 towards that total with rides in all capital cities and other major centres. Tens of thousands of riders turned out in more than 235 cities in 55 countries. Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) events coordinator, Sophie Askew, says she was amazed and overawed by the response. “It really

■ Tally ho ,chaps

16 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

seems to have struck a chord,” she says. Riders rolled in on a vast array of bikes, even though the ride is supposed to be limited to cafe racers, trackers, bobbers and other trendy customs. This year, Triumph joined as a major sponsor and about half of the bikes at the DGR were Triumph Bonnevilles, Thruxtons or Scramblers. However, there were also a lot of Euro exotics, many old Jap customs, rat bikes and a fair gaggle of Monkey bikes. Associate professor Anthony Lowe, CEO of PCFA, says the Distinguished

Gentleman’s Ride allows people to have fun while spreading the word about prostate cancer. “If you take all the most recent mortality numbers for prostate cancer around the world, we are dealing with a disease that claims 1300 men each day. It is inspiring to see how an Australian concept has spread like wildﬁre across the globe and is playing a major role in helping organisations like ours continue the ﬁght against one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in our country,” he says.

NEWS

More for less D

ucati has announced it will introduce new engine technology that will boost power and torque, improve fuel economy, reduce emissions and won’t affect servicing intervals. It’s called desmodromic variable timing (DVT — yeah, like deep vein thrombosis!) and it’s all very technical. How it differs from variable valve timing, which is common in most cars, is that it works with the desmodromic valve system where the valves are li ed mechanically rather than on springs. Desmodromic systems can be difficult to set but they seem to last longer, and Ducati says the new system doesn’t

From Dakar to the bush Dakar legend instils wisdom on Aussie adventure seekers

he highlight of the first of four Horizons Unlimited meetings across Australia in October was the presentation by Dakar Rally rider Christophe Barriere-Varju. Christophe was one of several special guests to present lectures and workshops at the meeting aimed at inspiring and educating motorcycle travellers to explore the world around them. The first of the annual meetings was held at Beaudesert in Queensland. This year, Horizons Unlimited expanded its horizons to a fourth Australian state, with the first meeting in Western Australia at Fairbridge Village. It was followed by a meeting at Cavendish, Victoria, and Riverwood Downs, NSW. Horizons Unlimited founders, Susan and Grant Johnson, a ended all the Australian meetings as well as six overseas events. Susan says they started the group in 1997 at the end of an aroundthe-world trip on a BMW R 80 GS for three reasons: “To inspire people to go a li le further, to inform them about all the things to do and to make contact with other people who travel.”

18 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

affect the 30,000km intervals for valve clearance se ings. For the technically minded, it means variable timing on both the intake and exhaust camsha s with variable overlap angle. Meanwhile, riders will reap the benefits of more power and torque, as well as eight per cent be er fuel economy. DVT in the Testastre a boosts power from 111kW (150hp) to 119kW (160hp) and torque from 124Nm (91.8lb/ ) to 136Nm (100lb/ ). The first engine to get the technology is the 1198cc Testastre a 11° V-twin, which powers the Multistrada.

She says the highlight of the first meeting was the keynote address by Christophe who competed in the 2010 Dakar Rally and made a film of his exploits called Dream Racer. The emotive movie has gone on to win film awards and Christophe has become a popular speaker at many motorcycle events. He says he is now raising money for a 2016 assault on the rally in a solo buggy. “His main theme was to follow your dreams,” says Susan. “Our whole mo o is about achievable dreams. It’s about ge ing over the fear that the media and government instil in us that you can’t go anywhere or you will die. But if people meet others who have done it, then they overcome that fear. If I can do it, so can you.” Horizons Unlimited organiser, Shane Kuhl, says they had about 150 people over the three-day weekend in Queensland a ending workshops, lectures and visiting the various trade stalls. He says one woman flew from Melbourne just to

r Dakar legend Christophe Barriere-Varju

The new engine technology boosts power and torque, improves fuel economy, reduces emissions and doesn’t affect servicing intervals

■ Ducati’s DVT system: more performance, less consumption

deliver a first-aid address. Brian and Shirley Rix of Victoria also a ended to give a presentation about their 170,000km adventures on a 2008 BMW R 1200 GSA. They have also presented at meetings overseas. “It’s a great way to meet people. This is our tribe,” says Brian. The meeting a racted a lot of riders on adventure bikes but also a wide range of other bikes, from big tourers and trikes with trailers to scooters and even a Monkey bike. The popular annual events not only offer travel advice to riders of all skills and experience levels but also mechanical training, rider tips and workshops such as changing flat tyres and picking up dropped bikes. Shane gives a presentation on bike modifications and says the biggest failing is that riders spend money before they think it through. “They fret about it instead of just riding,” he says. “Just get the bike you love, set a date and go.”

COMING SOON

triumphmotorcycles.com.au

NEWS

Indian surprise D

an Harwood has had a couple of big surprises in his life recently — the first was discovering he had testicular cancer and the second was finding Mark Holden at his front door telling him he’s just won an Indian Chief Vintage. The 34-year-old Redcliffe father of three won the Indian in the Blue September competition to raise awareness of cancer in males. He had no idea he was even entered. His wife, Renee, had entered the competition for him. “I thought it would be the ultimate pickme-up for him,” she says. Not long ago, Dan found a lump which was diagnosed with testicular cancer and had surgery. “I’ve had one dose of chemo and I reckon I should be fine,” he says. Blue September ambassador, Mark Holden, who has also ba led cancer, says Dan’s early detection of his cancer

was critical to his survival. “That’s the message of Blue September. Men don’t tend to take care of their bodies and notice unusual lumps,” he says. “Dan has saved his own life with early detection. “It’s great to see an Aussie ba ler, a family man who has had his struggles, get some good luck at last,” says the former Australian Idol judge and now Dancing with the Stars contestant. Dan says he had always wanted an Indian Chief since the brand was revived by Polaris last year. “I’m a bit shocked at the moment,” he says. “I don’t know which colour I’ll pick yet. Let me think about it. The ﬁrst place I’ll take it is for a ride down by the sea. That would be awesome.” Dan has been riding for about 10 years and has progressed from dirt bikes to a 2001 Suzuki Bandit. “But ever since

Indian came back out, I’ve wanted to get one,” he says. Indian Motorcycles, a major sponsor of Blue September, donated the 2014 Indian Chief Vintage motorcycle worth $31,490. Entrants had to donate at least $10 to Blue September and write in 25 words or less why they deserved to win the bike. Blue September, which has raised more than $3 million since its inception six years ago, raises funds for Australian Prostate Cancer Research and the Australian Cancer Research Foundation. Visit: blueseptember.org.au

Going the distance Riders get together in aid of prostate cancer

t didn’t take much to convince TV presenter and bike fan James Tobin to take part in the Long Ride to Uluru to raise funds for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia in October, 2014. “Like everyone, I’ve had people close to me aﬀected by cancer — some who have survived and some who haven’t,” says the 34-year-old Weekend Sunrise weather presenter, Sunrise reporter and Beauty and the Geek Australia host. James rode a Harley-Davidson Project

Rushmore Street Glide and presented segments on Sunrise along the route of the eighth annual Long Ride. “Cancer affects so many people around the world, but the difference with prostate cancer is it doesn’t get quite as much a ention as other forms.” Long Ride founder, Chris Dunne, contacted James to lead the ride because he knew of his love for riding. “It was just a er I had finished the Tour to Cure pushbike cycling tour — l

r TV presenter James Tobin and Long Ride founder Chris Dunne

20 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

love riding pushbikes, anything on two wheels,” says James. James was joined by 414 riders from across Australia who hit the road in October, travelling over seven days from capital cities and meeting at Uluru. Along the way, they helped raise awareness about prostate cancer and more than $300,000 in much-needed funds to support families aﬀected by the disease. Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia CEO, Anthony Lowe, says the annual Long Ride provides an opportunity to highlight the fact that men in rural and regional areas have a 21 per cent higher prostate cancer mortality rate than men in capital cities. “It provides a great opportunity to raise awareness in areas that are o en under-resourced or unequipped to assist men with a prostate cancer diagnosis,” he says. Donations supporting The Long Ride and the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia can be made at pcfafundraising.org.au/event/ TheLongRide2014

NEWS

Bike theft dropping Has motorcycle the ﬁnally turned the corner?

hile motor vehicle the as a whole has been decreasing in the past few years thanks to a uniﬁed nationwide a ack on crime, motorcycle the has continued to rise. But now it appears to be trending down, according to the second-quarter ﬁgures released this week

by the National Motor Vehicle The Reduction Council. There were 1946 motorcycles stolen in the second quarter, which is down 14.8 per cent from the previous quarter. Although winter motorcycle the is always down, it decreased 3.7 per cent in the same quarter

r Bike theft is dropping, but it is still happening!

Where were they stolen? State

Location

Stolen

QLD

Brisbane (City)

Change -31.8%

Cockburn (City)

96.6%

QLD

Gold Coast (City)

47.4%

QLD

Moreton Bay (Reg)

-20.8%

VIC

Melbourne (City)

171.4%

Stirling (City

-9.5%

Gosnells (City)

24.1%

VIC

Darebin (City)

30.8%

NSW

Sydney (City)

-8.8%

ACT

Greater ACT

76.5%

(2014 Quarter 2 compared with 2013 Quarter 2)

22 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

What was stolen? Yamaha Honda Suzuki Kawasaki KTM Harley-Davidson SYM Longjia Kymco Triumph Vmoto Bolwell Piaggio Hyosung TGB Vespa Husqvarna Polaris CFMoto Aprilia

377 367 165 149 130 43 40 39 37 35 35 34 33 27 26 22 21 17 16 13

last year and joyriding or short-term the was down 9 per cent from 2013. While joyriders seem to be on the wane, proﬁt-motivated motorcycle the by “professional” thieves is only down marginally and still represents more than a quarter of all vehicles stolen and not recovered. Western Australia remains the state with the highest recorded the s, with oﬀ-road bikes and scooters being the biggest targets. However, the situation is improving thanks to an initiative by the the council and WA police to supply alarms to scooter owners in high-risk suburbs. In the second quarter, 517 bikes were stolen in WA, which was down 13.3 per cent. Victoria was next with 441 (down 10 per cent), then Queensland at 368 (up 6.8 per cent), NSW 355 (no change), SA 120 (down 16.7 per cent), NT 72 (up 56.5 per cent) Tasmania 43 (up 4.9 per cent) and ACT 30 (up 76.5 per cent). The most popular brands stolen were, of course, the biggest sellers, which are the Japanese brands. However, scooter brands are always big targets for thieves because they are lighter and easier to steal.

NEWS

The cost of music N

oisy motorcycle exhausts could soon be costly for a Canadian council, police department and motorcyclists. Canadian Richard Jones has ﬁled an $850,000 lawsuit in Edmonton’s Court of Queen’s Bench, naming the city of Fort Saskatchewan, the local Mounties’ detachment and the Fort Saskatchewan Motorcycle Association, among others, as defendants. The 70-year-old says the peace and quiet of his Zen Buddhist backyard sanctum has been destroyed by weekend warriors on motorcycles with loud exhaust pipes. “The cretins are totally destroying what this town used to be,” he says. The issue of loud exhaust pipes has been bubbling away in several Canadian municipalities in recent months and has governments cracking down on loud motorcycles and cars. Be careful it doesn’t start happening in your neck of the woods.

The 70-year-old says the peace and quiet of his Zen Buddhist backyard sanctum has been destroyed by weekend warriors on motorcycles with loud exhaust pipes

r Richard’s new Zen Buddhist garden made him a lot more at peace with the world and noisy motorcycles

Euro Pledge E

uropean motorcycle brands, including BMW, Triumph, KTM and Ducati, have pledged to work on vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology to make riding safer. The Safe Ride to the Future initiative was announced by the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) at the 10th International Motorcycle Conference in Cologne, Germany. Vehicle-to-vehicle communication is already being integrated into some Ford, BMW, Audi, Volvo and GM cars. They use Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G connections to enable communication to avoid crashes and send automatic

24 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

warnings about adverse weather and road conditions. It also allows infrastructure, such as traﬃc lights, to interact with vehicles to reduce congestion and boost fuel economy. BMW has run trials on twoand four-wheeled vehicles and a er signing a memorandum of understanding, all Euro manufacturers have pledged to have one of their models available for sale that supports the system by 2020. They also pledged to examine the integration of eCall, which sends a message to emergency services in a crash. In addition, manufacturers have called for further training for new and existing riders.

After signing a memorandum of understanding, all Euro manufacturers have pledged to have at least one of their models available for sale that supports the vehicleto-vehicle communication system by 2020

r Big Brother will soon be watching us on the roads and beyond

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NEWS

Crossed out O

ur Border Crossings story in issue #109 had a small glitch in the printing process and the last page of the layout went on holidays before we did. So a month later, here it is. Our apologies for the inconvenience caused and we hope the suspense hasn’t been too much! Here it is:

The tang of stale body odour hung in the air around the customs oﬃcers who’d quickly started what we thought was the usual game of hassle. Ah, so we don’t have entry stamps for our bikes in our passports — I had a mental groan at this point; here comes a ﬁne. Apparently when

we’d crossed into Guatemala, the Aduana should have stamped our passports to confirm that our bikes had entered the country with us. They hadn’t done so and we hadn’t known that they should. Birgit wasn’t having any of it. She told the officers in a firm but friendly way, “It’s not our problem. Your officials should be well trained enough to do their jobs properly, and if they aren’t, then it’s up to you to sort out the situation.” The officers looked a bit stunned for a moment and then, seeing the friendly but determined look in her eye, the senior officer gave in. “You are right,” he said. “One day these young

Coastal move T

he Gold Coast Harley-Davidson dealership has relocated its showroom and celebrated with a massive party with customers ge ing the presents, including a Harley Iron 883, won by customer Louise Lucock. The party highlights were a performance by Grinspoon singer Phil Jamieson and a Show ‘n Shine, which a racted almost 100 entries. The new Gold Coast HarleyDavidson industrial-inspired showroom has moved to a prime location just oﬀ the Paciﬁc

26 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

Highway at Nerang. Long-time motorcycle industry professional and former butcher Steve Schilling is the dealer principal and he says he’s looking forward to cooking up barbecues for customers at the store’s new outside barbecue area at Friday night Beer & Beef special events, as well as Saturday a ernoons, or before Sunday social rides. “This new location allows us to treat customers in the genuine Gold Coast style — relaxed and friendly,” says Steve.

officers will learn. Please accept our apologies.” Didn’t expect that! Fear border crossings? You’ll be surprised at how much fun they can be, how many surprises they can hold, how much you can learn, and how many amazing people you’ll meet. Talk straight, be friendly, and enjoy the sensation of being between worlds. It’s a ball. ARR Sam Manicom travelled around the world by motorcycle for eight years, covering five continents and 200,000 miles. He is the author of four highly rated travel books — Into Africa, Under Asian Skies, Distant Suns and Tortillas to Totems. His first book is now released as an audio book for download. All his books are available from www. adventuremoto.com.au and www.sam-manicom.com.

Gold Coast Harley moves up on the coast

r Louise Lucock aboard the 883 Iron she won

BIGSHOT “The Paciﬁc Coast Highway is one of the great roads and if you’re over that way, you owe it to yourself to ride it.” This issue’s USA travel feature includes all the inspiration and information you need to visit one of the world’s great riding countries PHOTO: Mick Matheson

28 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

THE THINGS YOU SEE

Roadrider A U S T R A L I A N

T H E

R E A L

R I D E

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 29

SUBSCRIBERS’ CHANCE TO WIN

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SUBSCRIBE! Roadrider A U S T R A L I A N

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ARE GIVING TWO LUCKY READERS THE CHANCE TO WIN A TRIP ON THE 2015 “STURGIS WITH A TASTE OF 66” TOUR

TOTAL PRIZE PACKAGE VALUED AT $23,500 – INCLUDING RETURN ECONOMY FLIGHTS AND $2000 SPENDING MONEY

TO GO IN THE DRAW TO WIN, TELL US WHAT THE MOST EXCITING PART OF THIS RIDE WOULD BE FOR YOU

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On your itinerary, you will journey the real America, meeting the fair-dinkum folk that call the heartland of this amazing country home, eating in true American diners and staying in historic hotels and motels along the way. Beginning in one of the US’s premier cities, Chicago, you will venture across eight states (Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California), encountering numerous cultures and tackling all sorts of geography, from the magnificence of the Great Lakes to the Corn Belt of Illinois, the rolling hills of the Ozarks, the mesmerising Llano Estacado and the Painted Desert. You’ll be crossing the High Plains, climbing through Alpine regions, the Grand Canyon and dropping into the blistering Mojave Desert, before we reach the Land of Milk and Honey and topping it all off in the light-spangled Las Vegas. You will also visit iconic Route 66 sights such as the Wagon Wheel and Wigwam Motels (Pixars inspiration in the animated movie Cars), the 1929 Chain of Rocks Bridge, St Louis Gateway Arch, Devil’s Elbow Bridge, Gary’s Gay Parita gas station, 4 Women on the Route, 9-foot highway, the Blue Whale of Catoosa, 1933 Texaco Station, Big Texas Steak Ranch, Santa Fe, Cadillac Ranch, Jack Rabbit Trading Post, Apache Death Cave, Twin Arrows … and much, much more!

AND QUOTE C/ARRR66 TODAY!

■ Playing silly buggers in the Aussie bush

DO IT ALL AGAIN Charley’s wrap up of the year reminds him he has to do it all again!

CHARLEY BOORMAN ’m walking along in the pits at Phillip Island. I’ve got Mick Doohan to my le and Eric Bana to my right, and we’re cha ing away. Walking towards me, Chris Vermeulen gives us a big smile and a high ﬁve as we march on through crowds to the grid. It’s Sunday, it’s race day. I can see Rossi walking out, like a gladiator, to mount his bike and I’m thinking, “Does this get any be er?” Billy Biketruck, who manages many of my projects, is with us. He’s not one for keeping his gob shut but I glance across the grid and he looks in shock. Kate Peck, leading Australian model and

32 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

adventure girl, is this year’s ambassador for the race. She’s cha ing away to Billy and his jaw is somewhere by his knees, his eyes are glazed and I’m wondering whether I should call the police! With the whole Jack Miller phenomenon taking place and, of course, Valentino winning the race that day, there was no be er place on earth to be than Australia’s Phillip Island. As things transpired, we see the Marquez brothers winning their respective titles, Jack Miller missing out a er a costly mistake in Assen, and Valentino coming second place in the championship a er a period during the year where we thought he was history. I read Mick Doohan’s tweet with a big smile … Mick Doohan — Twi er: “Good morning from Aus Marc. You are a super star, #13. I couldn’t be happier for you, your brother and family. What next...?” Mick Doohan’s record of 12 wins in a season has stood for 17 years and now Marc Marquez breaks it with 13. But to

read how Marquez plays it down due to there being more races this year — 13 wins out of 18 as opposed to 12 wins out of 15 — is just fantastic. How humble this lad is. Now, home in London and coming towards the end of 2014, I can’t help but to think of my year in Australia. Topped oﬀ by the MotoGP at Phillip Island but also my a empt at the Mazda3 Celebrity Challenge Race earlier in the year and, of course, my adventure bike trip around Tasmania — it’s been a hell of a year in Oz.

MAZDA3 CELEBRITY CHALLENGE The Celebrity Challenge was such a fun opportunity. To race around the Albert Park circuit — well, what a privilege. Before the event, we had a week of training from Australia’s very own Mark Skaife and his race training team, resulting in the necessary CAMS licence. We were ready to rock ‘n’ roll. The ﬁrst real action was on the Friday where we were really going at it for qualifying. I must admit, I felt pre y

CHARLEY BOORMAN cocky and quietly confident, coming third against Bre Emerton and Robbie McEwen. The Saturday race saw Rachael Finch having a big drama. I remember her question in the training classroom: “…so we’ve got all the roll cages and stuff in the cars, but do you think if we mess up that these cars could actually roll over?” The official answer was a pre y confident “No”. On Saturday, you could hear the crowds gasping as Rachael’s car flipped and slid along on its roof! Serious stuff. Minutes later, she was out and bowing to the crowd — a er fixing her hair! She’s such a great, fun character. The final on Sunday was pre y entertaining. My car had a problem with its on-board computer stuffing me into what they sadly called “limp mode”. Though I started at the back of the grid, I was making good headway through the field. So much headway, I started to think… “You know what, Charley, you could win this!” Then bang, Torah Bright, who drove like a demon, clipped my rear end as she re-entered the track from a full sideways excursion into the ki y li er. It fired me into the biggest tank slapper I’ve ever known, eventually spinning and slamming me into the Armco. My dreams of a race career were over and the race was won by Bre Emerton with Rob Mills and Tim Robards (The Bachelor, 2012) coming second and third respectively — a great performance and real crowd pleaser.

THE OUTBACK ADVENTURE RIDE Each year, working with Compass Expeditions, a leading Australian

r You can read what is going through Charley’s mind as he looks through the crash net of the Celebrity Challenge race car …

It fired me into the biggest tank slapper I’ve ever known, eventually spinning and slamming me into the Armco. My dreams of a race career were over … adventure tour company, I head up a twoweek bike trip. My 2014 ride was superb, starting in Melbourne, touring Tasmania and then looping north to the Blue Mountains to finish in Sydney. Tarmac twisties like you’ve only dreamt of and such a fantastic group of people — several of whom subsequently signed up for my big African adventure later in the year. In 2015, we’re returning to the gravel, in fact the outback. Starting in Sydney and finishing in Melbourne via the Flinders Ranges, Barossa Valley, Grampians and the Great Ocean Road. We’ve done this before and Chris Vermeulen joined us last time, to the surprise of all the riders

— yep, your 2003 World Supersport Champion sort of knows how to handle a bike, both on- and off-road. I learnt so much with him on that trip, he’s a truly technical rider. No wonder he’s employed so much these days in testing. He can really translate what’s happening with a bike at speed. The outback trip is predominantly offroad, but with some tarmac workarounds. It’s not the Dakar Rally, it’s an adventure ride, so you don’t need to be Mr Enduro — but some off-road experience would help. However, one of the great things about these rides is the social buzz. A group of like-minded people travelling across the wilderness, sharing the fun and the challenges, topped off with tales of near misses and daring skill as we gather for the medicinal evening beers, it makes for a great holiday. I’ve made such good friends on bike trips — great fun. You can get all the information for this year’s trip and your questions answered from compassexpeditions.com. My TV series Extreme Frontiers has focussed on Africa, Canada and recently the USA. We’re now looking at Australia as a possible next series. Let’s face it, just with WA, NT and Queensland alone: you have some pre y extreme shenanigans going on! Maybe we can head from Cairns to Darwin and on to Broome? What do you reckon? Would love to hear your ideas — I’m all ears! For me now, it’s time to pack for the annual Motorcycle Live show at the NEC here in the UK — find out all the gossip, do a few talks and play on bikes. You don’t have to say it, I know, I’m a very, very lucky boy! ARR

The Outback Adventure 2015 — from Sydney to the outback with Charley as your guide!

r A bit of celebrity spotting at the MotoGP!

You can join Charley in March, 2015 either on your own bike or a rented bike for two weeks of amazing riding. Hear Charley’s stories direct from the horse’s mouth and get to know the man behind the award-winning TV series Long Way Round. Places are limited. Contact Jerry at Compass Expeditions for information and bookings via jerry@ compassexpeditions.com or visit compassexpeditions.com.

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 33

SEDDO

THE SHARP MIND IN A BLUNT BODY GEOFF SEDDON

Seddo reflects on one of life’s great ones gone, Mr Smith ne of the challenges of being a columnist is almost always writing about oneself. We do it a lot, and the bloke who did it best was Peter Smith. I met Smithy in the early ‘80s when we both got a start on Peter “The Bear” Thoeming’s

Bike Australia. Bill McKinnon was another who got his ﬁrst byline there before landing a full-time gig at Two Wheels. Before we knew it, young Bill was the editor and poached us both — me as a road tester and Mr Smith as a columnist — our loyalty to The Bear crumbling at the prospect of being paid. Apart from brief periods when illness intervened, Smith’s column was a highlight of TW through to his passing at age 57, ﬁve years ago this month. Many things about Smithy were larger than life, most noticeably his girth and his beard but also his brain and his heart. He was well read, generous to a fault, possessed a

Many things about Pete were larger than life, most noticeably his girth and his beard but also his brain and his heart

■ Mr Smith was one of life’s great characters

great command of English and had an encyclopaedic memory. Physically, he was already a wreck, the result of a near-fatal crash on a Triumph in the early ‘70s, which also led to bouts of alcoholism and depression. We became good friends and went on to work together on a bunch of magazines, some of which were about motorcycles. He was my deputy editor on Streetbike when I pulled the pin in 1993 and, rather than step into the big chair, he resigned to give me a hand on Performance Cycles. Smithy rode an XS1100 outfit in those days. I was a one-man band and found flogging advertising space a real struggle. Smithy responded by showing up at my house early one morning with a list of every motorcycle workshop between Gosford and Newcastle. I bundled my nine-year-old son, Tom, into the chair with me and what would have been an onerous day became an unforge able hoot. Smithy was the wrong shape to ride a solo fast but was a wickedly quick sidecar pilot. Despite us selling halfa-dozen ads, he refused even petrol money for his effort. Tom was with me the following year, riding pillion on a GoldWing, when we travelled west to Mount Hope for the Chumps Rally. Smithy had moved out there to exorcise some demons, living in an isolated house he’d bought for loose change and filled with SR500s in bits. The outfit was gone, his only transport an abandoned Mini Moke, which had neither rego nor brakes but on which Smithy unlocked some secrets of the outback for a wide-eyed 10-year-old and his only-slightly worried dad.

When Performance Cycles folded, I got a real job as chief sub-editor on The Picture, then one of Australia’s most popular magazines. The subs desk included writers of the calibre of Paul Toohey, Jack Marx — both of whom later won Walkley Awards — and Smithy, who had moved back to a shed in Marrickville, in Sydney’s inner-west, and was ge ing around on a KH100 Kawasaki. Our stock in trade was outlaw biker beanos, mostly for their wet t-shirt competitions, but we had to be very careful of what we wrote. Smithy penned a cracker one day on an Odin’s Warriors party, into which he wove tales of Valkyries, Valhalla and Norse mythology. Even worse, it was funny, which set off all the alarm bells. I gingerly faxed the copy to the club president, unsure how he’d react. We actually believe in all that stuff, he responded, and Pete had totally nailed it, off the top of his head! Smithy later worked with me on Ralph as the grog editor. Once again, his knowledge was profound and his copy first class. But it was during this time that he suffered a stroke, which le him unable to ride a bike for many years and he retired to a big shed in Quirindi, NSW. The stroke also snuffed out his renowned ability to play the blues harp, sadly for keeps, although he did eventually get back on a V-Max not long before he died. I think about Mr Smith almost every day, the sharp mind in the blunt body. He was a wonderful man who brought a smile to hundreds of thousands of readers over 25 years. He is sadly missed. ARR AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 35

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ZOE

HEAD FOR THE HILLS ZOE NAYLOR

ike most of us, one of my favourite things to do is jump on a bike and take to the open road, travelling new routes that I’ve never taken before. On a recent stay in Melbourne, my partner and I decided to take a weekend trip out to the Yarra Valley and then onto Kinglake and Marysville for the day. Most of us will never forget the 2009 bushfires that swept through Kinglake and Marysville. The fires took many lives and burnt 90 per cent of the local town of Marysville. Having also experienced firsthand what a fire does to a community (we have property in Bilpin, NSW, that was affected by last year’s State Mine fire),

■ Marysville has come a long way since the devastating Black Saturday bushfires

The road to Marysville is very scenic and the Yarra Valley itself is one of my new favourite spots to visit I appreciate how important it is to support small communities whose livelihood totally depends upon tourism. Marysville is nestled at the base of a valley and is one of the quaintest, cutest places I’ve ever visited. Thank goodness for community faith and spirit because the people who stayed on a er the devastation have managed to rebuild this place into a visual and exciting destination that is further enhanced when you arrive there by motorcycle. The Phoenix Museum inside the visitor information centre has an incredible exhibition sharing ﬁrsthand accounts of the Black Saturday bushﬁres and the town’s recovery story since. I easily spent a few hours ge ing lost in the stories and

heroic accounts. I also loved meandering through Marysville’s various gi and speciality shops. We bought our li le one a vintage tea set from the town’s vintage store and chowed down a scrumptious lunch at the beautifully decorated Fraga’s Cafe. A leisurely visit to the lolly shop and a wander through the sculpture garden will ensure your day in town is full before jumping on your bike to head back to the Yarra Valley or Melbourne City. Each place you visit and each person you meet in Marysville has a story to tell. And the money and time that has been spent rebuilding the infrastructure there has not been in vain. The road to Marysville

is very scenic and the Yarra Valley itself is one of my new favourite spots to visit. There are plenty of wonderful places to stay, depending on your taste and budget. We dined for lunch at Stones of the Yarra Valley (would love to live in a building like this) and the boutique, organic Bella Vedere restaurant for dinner. Make sure you arrive at Bella Vedere early enough to enjoy a meander around the restaurant’s self-sufficient permaculture garden. The tantalising smells from this aromatic garden are unforge able. The latest bike I have been trialling is the Aprilia Tuono. This bike would be ideal for a ride like this. It’s just like riding two bikes in one. It’s got all the power and gusto of a sports bike but the uprightseated position of a naked bike. Before riding this bike, I wasn’t that familiar with Aprilia as a brand at all, but can now say I am impressed by its competitiveness. One of the best things about trialling all these different makes and models is that I am slowly becoming more discerning about my own taste and preferences. At this stage, I can definitely say I have a penchant for the sports bike. Not necessarily because I want to go faster, but because I like the forward riding position. Feeling that forward energy over the handlebars gives me a greater sense of control and it makes me feel more at one with the bike. ARR AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 37

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GREGOR

WHERE’S THE LOVE AT? GREG REYNOLDS

What has happened to the wave? hen I started riding, almost every motorcyclist waved as you passed them on the road. Admi edly, there were substantially fewer bikes on the road back then, and motorcycling was much more Spartan pursuit, so the wave was an acknowledgement to other riders who were experiencing something similar to you — a small expression of the invisible bond that tied us all together. I have always waved to other bikes on the open road for that reason and because I think it is a mark of respect to other riders and the wider brotherhood of motorcycling. In recent years, the wave has become less and less common so I decided to conduct my own survey. On a recent four-day, 2500km ride into the wide open spaces, I waved to 100 bikes coming the other way and counted the responses. I was riding the Victory Cross Country Tour, which shouldn’t inﬂuence the results one way or the other. I didn’t count bikes passed within town limits or those that didn’t have time to wave because of where I met them on the road, or their level of commitment. A er three days, the results were appalling. Ninety-two bikes — eight waves and

six discernible nods! I may have missed a few nods looking for the wave but I don’t really rate the nod anyway. Day four rescued the stats slightly when ﬁve of the ﬁrst eight bikes waved but, overall, the results were very disappointing. Only 13 waves out of 100 fellow motorcyclists. A partial breakdown of the stats may be of some interest. Nine of the bikes were Harleys and only one waved. He may have thought I was a Harley, or he may only

Harleys. Only one of them returned my wave despite me riding a bike of a similar genre. I know these figures are far from definitive but I think they give a pre y fair indication. The fact is that only 13 per cent waved and less than one in five acknowledged me in any way. Of course, waving is optional but it puzzles me why the vast majority elect not to raise a hand. Are these riders frightened of losing control of the bike, or is it related back to rider

I personally thought that by now the wave may have evolved into a system of different waves as a form of communication between bikes. The “g’day mate” wave is fine but a “wildlife ahead” wave or a “police ahead” wave or an “all clear ahead” wave could be invaluable wave to American Iron, but at least he waved. Seven of them were Ducatis and only one waved. He was an old guy packed up for touring on an ancient 750GT. He showed the true spirit by raising a hand despite being cranked well over in a sweeper. Six of the bikes were trailies and two were touring, but none could muster a wave. There were three separate scooters all packed up and touring on their own. None of them waved! Personally, I thought they would be thrilled to be acknowledged as a fellow tourer by the big Victory, but not so. Maybe they were intimidated! There were seven cruiser-style (or heavy tourer) bikes other than

training where learners are told never to let go of the bars? I thought that some form of brand loyalty or genre snobbery may have been at play, but my survey didn’t back that up. Have riders really become so complacent and self-contained that they just don’t bother to acknowledge their fellow motorcyclists? We are all out their enjoying the freedom and the ride, so surely they feel some affinity with other riders. I personally thought that by now the wave may have evolved into a system of different waves as a form of communication between bikes. The “g’day mate” wave is fine but a “wildlife ahead” wave or a “police ahead” wave

or an “all clear ahead” wave could be invaluable. Of course, we would all have to know and use the system and, from my observation, we are a far too disconnected mob to ever get that happening. I know motorcycling is a largely solo pursuit, but are “modern” motorcyclists so self-absorbed that they don’t want to be a part of any wider brotherhood? Perhaps that sense of camaraderie on the road is less relevant in the modern world, where most people carry their best friend and lifeline in their pocket! Maybe it is only older guys like me still waving — those who can still remember and relate to the camaraderie of earlier days. Is it possible that I am overstating the signiﬁcance of a simple gesture? What do you think? Maybe 87 per cent of you could write in and let me know why the wave is dying! In the meantime, I refuse to drown in a sea of complacent, non-waving mediocrity, so I will continue to wave to all fellow riders. Just to let them know that the invisible bond hasn’t disappeared altogether. See ya out there. ARR

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 39

STORY: MARK HINCHLIFFE AND MATT SHIELDS he Intermot show in Cologne in October, 2014 and the EICMA show in Milan in November displayed the wares of the international motorcycle industry, and the signs for the future are looking very positive indeed. A er a few years of production and development focussed on machines that would ensure sales and therefore

ongoing viability of a company, we are back to an age of technological advancement. Alternatives on the general theme of “more power, more torque, be er control, be er economy, cheaper production costs” are the result of the motorcycle world having to learn to exist at a cheaper cost. And now we are ge ing it at a production level. There were standout machines from every genre. The most talked about was Kawasaki’s H2 — both the world’s

most powerful production bike in the 300-horsepower Kawasaki H2R track-only weapon, and the ﬁrst mass-production supercharged motorcycle since the start of last century. Ducati’s gorgeous Scrambler, Yamaha’s revolutionary R1 and BMW’s exciting new S1000XR were but a small selection of a new year’s list that has something for everyone. Read on as we take you around the showrooms of the world’s motorcycle manufacturers.

New sensatio

40 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

2015 NEW MODELS

With the New Year upon us, we look at the swag of new models about to hit showroom floors, including a few bikes we can only dream about! AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 41

■ Caponord Rally

Aprilia has unveiled a harder-edged Caponord adventure bike called the Rally. It comes with wire wheels instead of cast spokes. The front is a 19-inch wheel, up from the current 17-inch rim, making it more oﬀ-road oriented. It also has a bashplate for the sump, LED running lights, hard panniers with aluminium covers and a larger screen for longer touring in rougher conditions. The Aprilia Caponord Rally will retain the 1200cc V-twin engine and Aprilia’s hi-tech ride-by-wire thro le, three engine maps, traction control, cruise control, switchable ABS and ADD suspension system that automatically adapts its calibration to match the road surface and riding style. On the back of last year’s Superbike World Championship there are two new RSV4 superbikes for 2015. The RSV4 RR has more power through a host of engine updates and a longer swingarm to get the power to ground be er. Subtle styling tweaks have also been rolled in.

■ RSV4RF

42 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

APRILIA There is also a limited-edition RSV4 RF built in a batch of 500 and it is essentially the same machine as the RSV4 RR with a WSBK-esque paint scheme, Öhlins suspension and forged aluminium alloy wheels. The up-spec wheels and suspension are also available as a Race Pack for the RSV4 RR. Like the RSV4s, the Tuonos have been gi ed more power through an increase in capacity from a longer-stroke engine. The 3mm increase in stroke takes the Tuono out to 1077cc and makes for a 3.8kW outright increase in power and a whopping 15kW more power at only 8000rpm than the 1000cc Tuono! Outright power is 131kW and peak torque has been pushed out to 120Nm. The chassis has been revamped with a 6mm longer swingarm and the electronics have been tweaked to suit the extra power. The styling has also been updated on the seat and fairing while a lower seat and narrower handlebar makes for a more comfortable riding position The RR, like the superbike RSV4 RR, carries Sachs suspension front and rear, while the up-spec Factory model gets Öhlins kit and forged aluminium wheels in place of the RR’s cast aluminium wheels.

■ RSV4RR

■ Tuono 1100RR

2015 NEW MODELS Apart from unveiling the updated S 1000 RR — the first super bike with cruise control — BMW also revealed two more watercooled models, including the R 1200 R and return of the beloved RS. They use the same flat-twin boxer engine as the GS, GS Adventure and RT, producing 92kW at 7750rpm and developing peak torque of 125Nm at 6500rpm. Meanwhile, BMW says it “refined” the S 1000 RR’s torque delivery and peak torque of 113Nm (up just 1Nm) while increasing power by 4kW to 146kW and reducing weight 4kg to 204kg with a full tank of fuel and Race ABS. The most exciting news would have to be the unveiling of BMW’s S 1000 XR — one of the most highly anticipated models

of 2015. Carrying a 118kW and 112Nm version of the S 1000 RR superbike’s engine, the XR has beaut stuff like two riding modes, ASC (Automatic Stability Control) fi ed as standard and options to build on these with the likes of BMW’s ABS Pro and Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) systems. The front suspension is conventional 46mm USD forks and rear monoshock that can also be run with BMW’s Dynamic ESA (Electronic Suspension Adjustment). BMW has also updated the F 800 R, giving it an increase of 2kW, lower gearbox ratios for first and second gear, upside-down front forks, radial-mounted brakes and lighter wheels as the chassis upgrade. To top it off, the 800 R gets more aggressive styling.

BMW ■ S 1000 XR

■ R 1200 RS

■ F 800 R

BROUGH SUPERIOR ■ SS100

The latest version of the reborn Brough Superior SS100 was unveiled at the 2014 EICMA show. With an engine made in-house and styling echoing that of Brough’s heydays, things such as ceramic brakes and a titanium frame set it apart from the mass of retro machines on the market these days, but it will no doubt carry a price tag ► to match.

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 43

DUCATI While most motorcycle companies dazzled the Intermot show with technology, Ducati dazzled with the simple retro brilliance of its Scrambler. It is powered by the 803cc L-twin of the Monster 796, but “redesigned to give smooth acceleration throughout the rev range”. Power is up 8kW to 64kW and torque is up 10Nm to 79Nm. There is not one, but four models and they will start arriving early next year. The base model is the 10-spoke magwheeled Icon in Ducati Red at $12,990 (plus on-road costs) or 1962 Yellow at $13,140, which is much cheaper than the Monster 796 at $15,990. It will be followed by models called Urban Enduro (wire wheels, fork protectors, handlebar crossbrace, sump

guard, chunky brown seat, wire mesh headlight protector and high front fender), Classic (wire wheels, aluminium mudguards and chunky brown seat) and Full Thro le (bobbed tail, low aluminium handlebars, black low-proﬁle seat, double Termignoni muﬄer and cast wheels). All these models will cost $14,990. Ducati Scrambler sits on an 18-inch 10-spoke alloy front wheel and 17inch rear with “enduro-derived” Pirelli tyres. The Kayaba suspension consists of a 41mm upside-down fork and a monoshock with adjustable spring preload and Brembo brakes with a single disc up front and two-channel ABS. Taking the desmodromic engine to a new level, Ducati has updated the Multistrada with a more economical

and powerful variable valve timing system and rolled in an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to advance the traction control system. A longer, height adjustable seat, lower pillion seat, adjustable windscreen and cruise control are other goodies. The S model gets antiwheelie control, integration of the IMU to the DSS (Ducati Skyhook Suspension) and cornering lights. Ducati has pumped its base-model superbike Panigale out to 1285cc for 2015. With more torque, more power and less weight, the Panigale has an improved electronics package with Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), available with Cornering ABS, Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) and on the S version, the Öhlins Smart EC, an event-based control system for the suspension. Claiming 153kW and 145Nm, the Superquadro engine can now cope with clutchless downshi s via Ducati’s Quick Shi (DQS) system. A change to the steering head angle and height is designed to improve rear-end traction.

■ Scrambler

■ Multistrada 1200 S DVT

44 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

2015 NEW MODELS

■ True Adventure

HONDA Honda has given the VFR800X, or Crossrunner, a makeover with a new exhaust, slimmer dual radiators, improved low and medium power and torque, optional top box, and new instruments. Honda has also revised the subframe to make it stiﬀer and lighter, added a sump guard to protect the engine underside from road rash and made the ■ CBR1000RR SP Marquez

seat adjustable with two height options. Honda Australia marketing chief, Glyn Griﬃths, says the new Crossrunner will arrive in late January or early February. There will also be a limited run of 60 Marc Marquez Repsol CBR1000RR SPs due to arrive in March 2015. One machine we don’t know when or if it will ever arrive is the RC213V-S, ■ RC213V-S

a prototype road-going GP bike. It’s the stuﬀ dreams are made of. Complete with road-going lights, mirrors and treaded tyres, like Ducati’s Desmosedici RR, let’s hope this bike makes it to production. While Honda didn’t unveil a production Africa Twin like we’d hoped, the company did show a prototype machine under the True Adventure banner that looks like a modern-day interpretation of the ’80s adventure machine, and it was looking very production ready, too. With an oﬀ-road biased chassis and some serious engine potential, this could be just the bike adventure tourers have been hoping for. ► ■ VFR800X

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 45

KAWASAKI ■ GTR1400

The biggest news of 2014 was of course Kawasaki’s supercharged production motorcycle. In both a 300hp track-only version and a road-going 200hp (147kW) version, the Ninja was the most exciting thing to happen in motorcycling for a very long time. While the road-going machine boasts comparable power ﬁgures of other litre bikes, its torque is comparable with much bigger engines with 134Nm at hand. Unfortunately weighing in at a porky 238kg, the H2 will nonetheless be an exciting motorcycle to ride with the 998cc engine dispensing intense acceleration. Apart from the show-stealing H2s, Kawasaki revealed its 2015 Versys 1000 and 650 adventure bikes with be er aero and dual headlights. Both have revised fairings that make them more dynamic as well as improving their downforce from be er aero. The 1000 also has a new windscreen with a wider range of height adjustment, from 30mm to 65mm. ■ Z300

46 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

■ Versys 1000

The adventure bikes retain their engines, but the 650 has been retuned for be er high-rev performance and increased fuel efficiency. The 1043cc engine in the 1000 remains the same, but comes with three-mode traction control, power modes and a slipper clutch. Kawasaki has also improved the longtravel suspension and 17-inch wheels, which now come fi ed with Bridgestone T30 Sport Touring tyres as standard. The chassis on both Versys models has been reinforced to support extra luggage and the 1000 now comes with a onekey clean-mount pannier system and a centrestand as standard. The Versys 650 gets an LED taillight, hand-adjustable windscreen, stronger brakes with a larger rear disc (250mm) and a bigger 21L fuel tank. Pricing and arrival in Australia is not yet confirmed. Kawasaki also released a nakedbike version of its highly successful Ninja 300 sportsbike, the Z300. ■ Ninja H2

With the same engine and chassis as the Ninja, and styling based on the bigger Z range, the li le nakedbike is bound to be a hit with entry-level riders. The new Z300 ABS will retail for $5,999 plus ORC and we’re looking at an early-2015 release. Another machine to hit the range will be the single-cylinder Z250SL in ABS and non-ABS trim. We’re looking at a March release and prices will be $5299 and $5999 plus ORC for ABS and non-ABS variants. There is also an updated 1400GTR for 2015. It has a host of changes including a revised ﬁrst-gear ratio, new steeringstem seal, stiﬀer rear suspension, larger windshield with a three-position vent, new seat, new exhaust heat shield, revised linked-brake-system se ings, new brake master cylinders and tyrepressure monitoring now standard. The Vulcan 900 range has also been updated and there is now an S model to take it to a three-bike line-up along with the Custom and Classic.

2015 NEW MODELS ■ 1050 Adventure

KTM

KTM has thrown the Super Duke R 1301cc V-twin engine at its Adventure model as well as a host of hi-tech rider safety aids, such as cornering ABS, semi-active WP suspension, cornering headlights, cruise control and optional electronic hill-hold control. KTM is calling it “the safest motorcycle in the world”. It also gets heated seat and grips, a new windshield adjustable with one hand and a larger 30L tank, up from 23L. There is now a baby in the Adventure range alongside the 1190 and 1290, the 1050 Adventure. Smaller, lighter and with lower fuel consumption, the 1050 Adventure is equipped with traction control and ABS as standard. The engine delivers nearly the same power and torque of the 1190 up to 95hp (70kW), but is milder, making it a great entry-level machine in the world of adventure tourers. KTM has also displayed two variants of its production-ready Freeride E electric bike, the SX racer and the road-legal XC, aimed at commuters and learners. ► ■ 1290 Super Adventure

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 47

2015 NEW MODELS

MOTO GUZZI

■ MGX-21

■ Eldorado

■ Audace

■ V7 MK II

Moto Guzzi has modernised its retro V7 with two-channel ABS and traction control and calls it the V7 II. It also steps up from a ﬁve-speed gearbox, like the Bonneville, to a six-speed, which will give the bike greater touring capabilities from

its 17L fuel tank. The retro theme continues with Moto Guzzi’s Eldorado, a modern-day interpretation of the machine that made its mark in the USA in the late ’60s. The Audace is another new machine looking aggressive and carrying the same 1400cc

V-twin engine as the California, which, for 2015, will come in a Touring SE version with two-tone paint, passenger backrest, 35L panniers and cruise control. One prototype from Moto Guzzi was the GX-21, a very futuristic-looking cruiser concept for the 94-year-old brand. ►

MV AGUSTA Joining the Multistradaesque Turismo Veloce 800 and Dragster 800 in the MV range are two new machines carrying the three-cylinder 800cc engine. The Stradale 800 is a Ducati Hyperstrada-like machine that’s ready to tour fast. The other machine is the Brutale Dragster RR. Built to thrill, the RR carries more power and more electronics to earn the right to carry the Brutale name synonymous with no-compromise ■ Brutale Dragster RR nakedbikes. ►

48 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

■ Stradale 800

2015 NEW MODELS

SUZUKI While Suzuki unveiled its superbike with optional ABS, Australia will only get the non-ABS model. However, Suzuki Australia says it will closely monitor the market for the need of an ABS model. Meanwhile, the Japanese brand also unveiled two GSX-R-powered litre bikes, an oﬀ-road small V-Strom and a styledup Bandit 1250 at Intermot. The GSX-S1000 is a new nakedbike and the GSX-S1000F sports tourer adds a fairing. Both come with ABS and are powered by retuned GSX-R1000 engines with more low-to-mid-range output. They have a new aluminium chassis, three-mode traction control (Wet, City and Sport), aluminium swingarm from the GSX-R1000, adjustable shock, fully adjustable upside-down KYB forks and Brembo monobloc brakes. The revamped DL650 V-Strom not only gets a Dakar-style beak and fairing but also more oﬀ-road capabilities with wire-spoked aluminium rims, instead of three-spoked mags, and tubeless dualsport tyres (110/80R19 and 150/70R17). The Bandit 1250 is now a lot more stylish with some welcome cosmetic

■ GSX-S1000

■ V-Strom 650 XT

■ Bandit 1250

■ Burgman 200

■ GSX-R1000

■ GSX-S1000F

50 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

changes to the half-fairing that wraps more precisely around the radiator for be er wind protection. Instruments have also been updated and modernised while the seat is now adjustable for height by 20mm. Suzuki has also introduced a midsized scooter to its range in 2015 with

the Burgman 200. The engine is a liquid-cooled, single overhead camsha , fuel-injected single tuned for low-tomid-range performance for ge ing around town and short blasts out of town. Like the big burgers, the 200 has loads of storage and is built for comfort at a budget price of $5490. ►

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2015 NEW MODELS ■ Tiger 800 XR

■ Tiger 800 XC

■ Tiger 800 XRx

TRIUMPH To kick things off, Triumph has revealed three Bonneville variants. The T214 is named a er the 214mph (344km) speed record set by Johnny Allen in 1956 at Bonneville on a Thunderbird streamliner. It comes in the same blueand-white paint scheme, plus loads of chrome, a red seat and smaller headlight. Only 1000 will be made and Triumph has launched a Land Speed clothing range to go with the T214. Australia is one of the first markets to get the bike and pricing has been confirmed at $14,490 plus on-road costs, which is $500 less than a T100 SE. The Newchurch is named a er Neukirchen, the location of the Tridays festival in Austria. It comes with lashings of black on the mudguards, headlight bowl, bars, mirrors and springs, which are offset by the

black-and-red alloy wheels. It has a custom low-profile seat and a modern Bonneville tank badge. It’s not a limited edition and arrives in Australia in April in red/white or blue/white. Price is $12,990 plus on-roads. The Bonneville Spirit special edition is like a T100 Black but it gets the Scrambler headlight and the shorter rear mudguard from the Thruxton. It arrives next autumn at $13,990 plus on-roads. The Tiger 800s have come in for a revamp for 2015. There will be four variants in total of the 800: a roadfocussed XR and up-spec XRx, and an off-road-focused XC and up-spec XCx. New features across the range include standard fit traction control and switchable ABS, Triumph’s class-leading, second-generation 95hp 800cc triple engine that produces lower emissions

and 17 per cent be er fuel economy, ride-by-wire thro le, new styling, and a 20mm range of adjustment on the seat. The XRx and XCx get cruise control, three riding modes to control thro le response, ABS and traction control, while both XC models get WP suspension. Triumph added an RX version to its popular Street Triple based on the R with the Daytona 675 rear subframe and tail for limited pillion access. Extras include a quick shi er, belly pan, front cowl and unique red and silver paint. It arrives in February at $14,990. A limited-edition Rocket X is built to celebrate 10 years as the world’s largestcapacity mass-production motorcycle. Built in a batch of 500, the bikes are individually numbered, have a custom paint scheme, blackened exhaust, handlebar and mirrors as well as black wheels with a silver paint scheme. There will also be a Thunderbird Nightstorm Special Edition with custom “ghost ﬂames” paint work (phantom black and silver frost). ►

■ Rocket X

52 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

■ Street Triple RX

■ Tiger 800 XCx

■ Bonneville Newchurch

■ Bonneville Sprint

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2015 NEW MODELS ■ YZF-R3

■ XJR1300 Racer

■ YZF-R1

Yamaha revealed the spunky MT-07 Moto Cage stunt bike variant, a modernised XJR1300 and a “Racer” custom version. The Moto Cage is an MT-07 with stunt parts such as frame-mounted engine guards, a bash plate and knuckle protectors or handguards. It also has an adjustable ﬂy screen, new passenger seat and red graphic highlights on a ma -grey base colour with a red front wheel and black rear. Yamaha has also updated the everpopular XJR1300 with a slim fuel tank, solo seat, aluminium bodywork, fourinto-one black exhaust, shortened subframe, tapered aluminium bars, compact headlight and new instruments.

Suspension has been upgraded with an Öhlins rear suspension and DLCcoated front fork. Long-time fans of the bike may not like the modernised look, but it may a ract a new breed to the brawny muscle street bike. The Racer variant comes loaded with carbon bodywork and clip-on bars inspired by Yamaha’s collaborations with custom builders such as the Wrenchmonkees and Deus Ex Machina. It will certainly appeal to a younger audience. Both XJRs are powered by an unchanged DOHC 1250cc engine, which is the biggest in-line-four air-cooled engine on the market. The biggest news from Yamaha for 2015 would have to be the YZF-R1.

Featuring the most significant model update in five years, the new R1 gets a MotoGP-derived electronics and styling package. There are significant changes in the big-bang engine and to the Deltaboxframed chassis. An important addition to the range is the sports-touring FJ-09. Carrying the model prefix of Yamaha’s superb tourers of years gone by, the new FJ-09 runs Yamaha’s 847cc, 120° in-line triple, long travel suspension, a comfortable ride position and fat rubber. Learners get more, too, as the baby sportsbike has grown to 320cc in the liquid-cooled, in-line two-cylinder, DOHC, fuel-injected engine YZF-R3. The bike has top-notch chassis components and one of the most potent engines in its class with 31kW and 30Nm on tap.

■ MT-09 Street Tracker

■ MT-07 Moto Cage

■ FJ-09

YAMAHA

ZERO ■ Zero's line-up

54 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

American electric motorcycle company Zero has extended its range, added antilock brakes and upgraded components, such as fully adjustable Showa suspension speciﬁcally tuned for each model, improved brakes with Bosch ABS, and quality Pirelli tyres. Most importantly, Zero has found

an extra 10 per cent ba ery life for its S-based bikes. Zero still oﬀers two diﬀerent basic ba ery packages, now 9.4 and 12.5kWh, or you can option up to the 2.8kWh Power Tank option for a total of 15.3kWh. For the S and SR, that gives you up to 297km in the city, 185km at 90km/h, and 151km at 112km/h. Zero Motorcycles Australia managing director, James Deutsher, says the company will keep a lid on prices for the 2015 models, arriving early next year. ARR

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Indian's Brave It takes balls to front up to tradition by redefining it STORY: MICK MATHESON PHOTOS: GOLD & GOOSE aying New Zealand is the spiritual home of the Scout is probably drawing a long bow, but that’s the way the guys at Indian put it as we prepared for the debut ride on this reinvented legend of motorcycling. For my money, its home is certainly the US of A. It’d raced, ridden the Wall of Death, gone to war and been buried with its parent company long before its unlikely rise from the grave to fame in the land of the long white cloud. Even then, when Kiwi Burt Munro built the world’s fastest Indian in his Invercargill shed, he set the record in the States.

56 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

INDIAN SCOUT

But NZ, where they hosted the press launch, is OK by me. What’s history if not a story to be reinterpreted for future generations? And as reinterpretations go, the new Scout is an absolute ripper. It’s as loyal to the legacy of its 1920s ancestor as it is representative of everything that’s great about modern cruisers. Indian has taken the size, shape, style and soul of the longdead Scout and created a modern version that moves you like it should. It’s fast, it’s thoroughly good looking and it’s a much more accessible machine than the portly Chief it follows. With 100 horsepower, a deceptively small chassis and a price of 18 grand ride-away, it sets a new standard for American cruisers and will make even the best metric middleweights worry. If the Scout succeeds, it’s going to aﬀect the market in all sorts of ways. ►

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 57

■ Old Scout lines are visible in things such as the backbone’s curve, the fat tyres and the slab-sided tank

Will it succeed? I’ll put money on it. The Scout’s so good, it’ll take something special to prevent it from fulfilling its mission, which is to be Indian’s volume leader, a stone in Harley’s shoe, and the favourite ride of a wide range of customers. Indian can’t say who’s going to buy it — they’ve had interest from older blokes who want a more manageable bike; from women; and from the 30-somethings who may prove to be the majority of buyers. Indian predicts the Scout will double its Australian sales volume in very short order. The company’s off to a good start here, preselling the first two shipments. This is a brand-new bike from the ground up. The engine dominates its appearance and the riding experience. We’ve seen few cruisers powered by anything like this, a double-overhead camsha design with four valves per cylinder and a liquid-cooling system that it doesn’t try to hide. The V-twin format is about the only link to the 1920s, though it has been widened to 60°. The designers sculpted a few hints of the past into their very pre y powerplant, like the curves of latent pushrod tubes cast into 58 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

the cylinders but, in every sense, this is a modern engine. Its performance says it all. This short-stroke 1133cc Indian makes 74kW (100hp), more than most cruisers of any capacity. You need 8100rpm up before you get that much power, and the creditable torque of 98Nm doesn’t peak until 5900rpm. This engine loves to rev and will easily run out to its electronic speed limit of about 180km/h. If you want grunt, the Scout’s got it. Happily, that revviness doesn’t detract from its low-speed performance. Its eﬀorts in top gear are truly admirable. Despite pulling 3300rpm at an indicated 100km/h, well below its torque or power peaks, you can overtake and accelerate strongly from there. Not only that, you can let it run as slow as 65km/h without changing down a gear and it’ll still pull away strongly. Running through the gearbox, you rarely feel the need to rev the Scout out to the 8100rpm mark before changing gears, as there’s plenty of muscle in the midrange. Unless you’re really silly about it, you can’t go wrong with this extremely ﬂexible power delivery. The clutch feels light and modern, and the gearbox is the best American

r Brakes could be better. Even a four-pot front caliper would help

INDIAN SCOUT

r With its race face on, the Scout goes much harder than the majority of cruisers out there

motorcycle transmission of them all — lighter, smoother and quicker than many Japanese ones. So, like the original Scout, performance is central to the bike’s purpose. This is where its relatively light weight comes into it. It’s not light like an R1, and it's only about 2kg lighter than the 1200cc Harley Forty-Eight, but the Indian genuinely feels light, much less than the Harley. Its 253kg wet weight is signiﬁcantly less than both the 950cc and 1300cc Yamaha V-Stars, for example. The Scout feels really light standing still and on the move. Indian’s correct when they say it’s an easy bike to handle, no ma er how small the rider. Its good balance, low centre of gravity, super-low seat of 642mm and lack of long reaches to handlebars or footpegs ensures it’s a breeze to manoeuvre and ﬂick around. There’s a catch, though: the steering stops are very limited, so ►

QUICKSPECS

r The engine throws away traditional cruiser ethics in r Indian’s tan leather is now made to resist performance and appearance, and it looks great weathering and reduce the need for care

Model: Indian Scout Price: $17,995 (ride-away) Colours: Indian Motorcycle Red, Thunder Black, Smoke Silver, Thunder Black Smoke (ma ) Warranty: 24 months, unlimited distance Servicing intervals: 8000km Engine: Liquid-cooled, 60° V-twin with DOHC and four valves per cylinder Bore x stroke: 99 x 73.6mm Displacement: 1133cc Compression: 9.5:1 Power: 74kW @ 8100rpm Torque: 98Nm @ 5900rpm Transmission: Wet multiplate clutch, six-speed gearbox, belt drive Frame: Steel and cast-aluminium backbone Dimensions: Seat height 642mm, weight 253kg (wet), fuel capacity 12.5L, wheelbase 1562mm, rake 29º, trail 120mm Suspension: Front, non-adjustable fork, 120mm travel. Rear, twin shocks, preload adjustment, 76mm travel Brakes: Front, 298mm disc with twopiston caliper. Rear, 298mm disc with one-piston caliper. ABS Tyres: Front, 130/90-16 (72H). Rear, 150/80-16 (71H) Verdict: Unique, modern and a potential new benchmark

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 59

■ The Scout’s a surprisingly small bike, and very easily managed

r Basic suspension has preload adjustment hidden under the top cover

the Scout has a barge-like turning circle that makes it a bugger for doing U-turns and wiggling through stationary traffic. That problem goes away as speed rises, and then the steering is slow but light and eager, tipping you in with a hint of aggression that outweighs the effect of the long wheelbase. Clearance is definitely good for a cruiser, but control’s so easy, you’ll soon scrape the long footpegs, followed by the sidestand on the le and exhaust on the right. The Scout’s good fun on a winding road. If you push it really hard and fast, the basic suspension will begin to complain, but what cruiser has ever remained rock-solid when you try to do 160km/h through an imperfect sweeper? Rather than criticise it, I reckon the Scout holds up quite well on a hard run. Back at a more respectable pace, Indian has tuned 60 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

r Speedo looks classy and houses the basic amount of r The highlights emphasise the engine’s use of info a rider needs twin-cam, four-valve heads and liquid cooling

in a commendable balance of tight handling and crusin’ comfort. On bumpy roads, I copped no jolting bo om-outs, only gentle ones as my 75-odd kilos bore down on the seat, though I’m sure it’d be less comfortable with a pillion’s weight. The very steep angle of the twin shocks provides a progressively ﬁrmer action as they compress and it seems to work well. I suspect Indian had nowhere else to put the rear suspension in this compact chassis and therefore elected to take advantage of them as a styling element — one that I’m not quite sold on. The tyres wear the Indian brand but are made by Kenda. They’re an unfortunate example of cost cu ing and don’t provide enough grip in the wet. The Scout’s grunty engine is too much for the rear on a damp road, and the feedback from both ends is just vague enough that

you’re not quite sure if a tyre’s sliding until it’s moved a fair way. The saving grace is the very slow and deliberate way the long Scout slides, giving you plenty of leeway to deal with it. You must ride cautiously. In the dry, it’s not an issue and the tyres obviously contribute handsomely to the bike’s lovely steering but, unless you’re a fair-weather rider, I’d seriously consider switching to something else. I wasn’t that impressed by the brakes either. There’s only one twin-piston caliper up front and a single-piston caliper on the rear. It’s adequate but you work harder to pull up quickly and stopping distances could be be er. ABS is standard, but I’d say you’d need it more because of the lack of traction than any excess in braking power. Indian could have done be er with the

INDIAN SCOUT LONG-RANGE SCOUT You can tour very comfortably on a Scout. Indian has come to market with a swag of accessories that permit you to add a pillion seat and pegs, luggage rack, lovely leather saddlebags and your choice of screens in different heights. You can also change your footpeg positioning and handlebar height for tailored comfort. I rode a Scout with higher handlebars, which I liked. The saddlebags hook and plug into lugs that bolt to the rear guard and its solid subframe. They have hard plastic interiors to give them shape and are made of the same high-quality leather as everything else on the Scout. Quick-release clips are hidden under the metal buckles of the flaps. They look great. The screen, on the other hand, looks awkward. In practical terms, it needs a lip on top to deflect some of the wind, which comes buffeting over the top. I was more comfortable without it. The rack is small but useful, much like the pillion seat. I can’t see many pillions still smiling after a long day on that little pad but if you’re only sometimes two-up, it’s better than nothing. Still, long days in the saddle will come with plenty of rest stops as the little 12.5L fuel tank calls for another drink.

■ Tyres don’t give you confidence on wet roads but, if it slides, the Scout is gentle

switchblocks, too, which are functional but lack any of the design ﬂair lavished on the rest of the machine. Maybe I’m being picky, but they appear at odds with things such as the two-tone speedo, the high-quality ﬁnish on the frame, the deep chrome and the sexy teardrop mirrors (which, incidentally, provide a clear view that’s slightly smaller than most rearviews). Adjustable hand levers would be welcome. As it is, the levers’ span is good for small hands and not bad for big ones. And while I’m bitching, I can’t overlook

the pissy 12.5L fuel capacity. I didn’t get to measure consumption on the ride, but you’re rarely going to do more than 200km at a stretch with that li le petrol. Maybe you’ll enjoy the chance to show oﬀ your Indian. I had heaps of people approach me about it. Most knew it was the new Indian, if not which one, and they all admired it. One exclaimed: “At last, I can stop wanting a Harley!” In the American scheme of things, the Scout sits in the market somewhere between Harley’s Sportster and its V-Rod, ► ■ The chassis is built for fun in the bends, with sweet steering to encourage you

INDIAN LEATHER The brown leather that looked so cool on early Chiefs faded very quickly in the Aussie sun. Indian defends its choice of the natural leather, saying that during development of the Chief, it’s what people said they wanted. Apparently the reality of having to actually look after real leather didn’t match the romantic notion of a natural, old-fashioned product — almost no one lavished care and attention on it. So now all Indian’s brown leather is more heavily treated with protectants and preservatives. However, Indian went a step further, trying and succeeding in recreating a “natural leather” look by subjecting the treated leather to a beating that puts the kinks, creases and grains back into the finish. Now, they say, it’ll stand up to the weather — no matter how inattentive the owner is. The treatment can be applied retrospectively, so first-round buyers are not left out in the, er, sun.

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 61

THE PROFILE OF A SCOUT In the new Scout, the triangle from rear axle to steering head (with a gentle arch) to front axle and back is almost identical to the 1920s Scout. On those lines, Indian has shaped its new bike into a tribute to the original that doesn’t in any way tempt you to use the word “retro”.The unambiguously liquid-cooled engine is framed by modernity and not in the least bit disguised by the old-school curves, colours and fat tyres. The tank has a curve in its profile but slabbed sides, as it did back in the day, and the light-tan leather seat carries cues for the pan-like shape of a sprung saddle. The new Scout’s headlight could almost be used if you were restoring the Scout your grandfather abandoned in the shed when he was 20. You can clearly see the heritage in the details as well as the profile. In its own right, the new Scout looks fast and strong in that curious way a cruiser can. And when you look closely, the paint is beautiful and the polished and machined highlights on the engine are simply stunning.

62 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

■ The Scout certainly doesn’t hide its liquid cooling but its radiator is still subtle

INDIAN SCOUT

r ABS is standard on the Scout

r Traditional leather contrasts with cast aluminium in the Scout

r Switchblocks are disappointingly dull in the context of the rest of the Scout

■ One for the road: the Scout loves a meandering country ride

and somewhere that’d irk Victory’s entrylevel, though larger, cruisers. Indian has made some eﬀort to pitch it against the Sportster, particularly the XL1200C, and elements such as price, torque, weight and engine capacity are all very similar. However, almost in the same breath, Indian executives say the Scout can’t really be compared with the Sportster and therefore isn’t a direct competitor. About the only thing the Scout has in common with the V-Rod is its modern, liquid-cooled look. Otherwise, the V-Rod outweighs and out-powers the Indian. I can see a few valid comparisons with Yamaha’s Bolt (small, light, funky), but not much else. The reality is that while you can and should make comparisons between the Scout and the Sportster,

the new Indian is a unique and new approach to cruiser design. I find it intriguing that Indian has a acked the oh-so-traditional Sportster with such a post-hipster motorcycle — that is, an American cruiser that embraces contemporary aesthetics such as liquid cooling, cast-aluminium frames and efficient, high-revving engines. That recipe hasn’t worked for anyone else and, yes, I include the V-Rod in that statement because it didn’t change the world for Harley. I can’t imagine Harley contemplating such a radical departure from tradition as its Sportster fights against the inevitability of old age. However, maybe now such a change would be possible because the Scout has found the way forward.

The Scout has its shortcomings in that its brakes could be improved, its steering lock is limiting, its tank is small and its tyres should be be er, but it is so far ahead in performance and such a standout in appearance that it is hard not to like — very much. From initially being underwhelmed when I saw the photos, I rapidly warmed to the Indian when I saw it in the metal. As you probably know, I’m a sucker for an old-fashioned engine but, quite contrary to my expectations, the up-to-date performance of the Scout endeared it to me in a big way. Like the Scout of the 1920s, this Indian raises the performance level. It’s a good bike on any level and great fun. It may prove to be the most signiﬁcant model Indian releases in the modern era. ARR AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 63

Li &ers Learners

64 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

YAMAHA MT-07

STORY: MICK MATHESON PHOTOS: JOSH EVANS wo things before we go any further. First, when they sat down to write the rules for the Learner Approved Motorcycle Scheme, “they” included a bunch of old blokes who’d learned to ride on 1960s bikes and they knew there was nothing excessive about a slow, heavy 650cc dunger. Second, if you take the time to wade through the research, you’ll ﬁnd the common conclusion that we simply don’t know how eﬀective power restrictions are

for the safety of novice riders. Mixed results, assumptions, lack of proper measurement, lack of real interest … whatever the reason, it’s very hard to ﬁnd anyone except government authorities extolling the infallibility of the LAMS 660cc, 150kW/tonne limit on learner bikes. Now to the point: the MT-07. It has completely re-aligned my learner-bike compass. It is a LAMS bike, but how? Boy it’s got some grunt! Yamaha Australia is absolutely correct when it says the latest MT-series oﬀering will appeal as much to experienced riders as it does to learners. I could happily live with it, even

a er 30-odd years of riding on the road. And it’s exactly the kind of bike I’d have bought when I started. Travelling long country miles all the time, I skirted the 250cc capacity restrictions of the day and went straight to a 450, which stayed just three months before I replaced it with a more suitable 900. Obviously, I lived to tell the tale. Since then, I’ve always questioned laws that limit learners. I know my personal anecdote is not science by any stretch of the imagination, but science hasn’t given us the deﬁnitive answer. The 150kW/ tonne ﬁgure was plucked from obscurity ►

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 65

■ The little MT-07 has the torque for relaxed day-tripping

Yamaha has drafted another excellent motorcycle in its surge of re-establishment following the post-GFC slowdown

r The pistons inside the Aussie version are slightly smaller than the worldwide model, reducing capacity to suit our LAMS laws

r Full-size, good-quality rubber provides ample traction for the 07’s power

66 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

only because it was a nice, round figure that locked two-stroke race replicas out of the playground. Why pick on the strokers? Because they were deemed too difficult to learn on. And that, my friends, is probably the clue to the answer: a learner bike should not be difficult. The MT-07 is easy. It’s manoeuvrable and compact with flexible, smooth power delivery. No intimidation, no surprises. Yet, at the same time, if a stunt rider was on his Ls, this is the bike he’d choose to pull wheelies on and roll into smoky burnouts. I rolled into smoky traffic the moment I began my test of the MT-07. The Yamaha was a delight. Its name implies it’s in the class of 700cc bikes but its diminutive body argues otherwise. Ultra-slim and so light, at just 179kg fuelled up, it slips between lanes of cars like an eel in a channel. The seat is so narrow, it makes the 805mm seat height feel

much lower. You sit on top of this bike, neither cramped nor stretched, and in a commanding position over both its mass and its handlebars. You have ideal control of the short steering geometry, so quick adjustments to your line come with precision and instant response. My growing unfamiliarity with the rat race increases my trepidation when the city’s peak hour envelops me, and I felt a bit of what it must be like to learn on two wheels in the big city, but the MT-07 was my friend and gave me confidence. It responded firmly to light braking inputs, too, and didn’t try to stand up if I was banked over and needed a dab of front brakes. However, there’s no ABS option and an injudicious jab with your right boot will lock up the back tyre. Yamaha Australia argues cost is a significant factor for its buyers, and I’m sure that’s true, but for me, the lack of ABS is a good reason to look more keenly

YAMAHA MT-07 ■ There’s plenty of corner clearance and the Yamaha’s happy to explore it

QUICKSPECS Model: Yamaha MT-07 Price: $8999 (plus on-road charges) Colours: Deep Armour, Competition White, Racing Red, Ma Grey Warranty: 24 months, unlimited distance Servicing intervals: 10,000km Engine: Liquid-cooled parallel twin with 270° crank phase. DOHC, fourvalves per cylinder Bore x stroke: 78 x 68.6mm Displacement: 655cc Compression: 11.0:1 Power: 39kW @ 8000rpm Torque: 58Nm @ 4000rpm Transmission: Wet multiplate clutch, six-speed gearbox, chain drive Frame: Steel backbone Dimensions: Seat height 805mm, weight 164/179kg (dry/wet), fuel capacity 14L, wheelbase 1400mm, rake 24.5º, trail 90mm Suspension: Front, 41mm fork, 130mm travel. Rear, monoshock, preload adjustment, 130mm travel Brakes: Front, two x 282mm discs, four-piston calipers. Rear, 245mm disc, single-piston caliper Tyres: Front, 120/70ZR17 (58W). Rear, 180/55ZR17 (73W) Fuel consumption: 4.9L/100km Theoretical range: 285km Verdict: A high-performance LAMS with quality, value and open-road ability

o The dramatic taper of the seat’s front section makes it seem lower than 805mm

o All-LCD dashboard is tiny but conveys the essential information

at the opposition’s bikes. At first, I paid li le a ention to the engine’s contribution, and later I realised I still wasn’t paying it much heed. When I did focus on it, I figured out why it’d made such a small initial impact. It’s so flexible and forgiving that it just does what it’s told. For a restricted bike, this mid-sized twin has a stunningly wide powerband, running from way down near 2000rpm up to the top end above 8000rpm, though you won’t o en be tempted to bother going to the 10,000rpm limit. If it’d been snatchy and slow below 3500rpm, I’d have forgiven it.But it wasn’t. It pulled smoothly and steadily in higher gears from just over 2000. I’d spent the first part of the ride changing gear whenever it felt right, not watching the tacho. I was generally running in the midrange of 3500-7000rpm and ge ing along very nicely, thank you. The mid-range contains all the zoom you need for commuting, with more revs and power available when you need it. Once I le town and cruised fast, I used a few more revs at times but still didn’t have to wring the Yam’s neck, ever. Then I hit the bendy bits, knocked it back a gear and had some fun. Running at higher revs and using the gearbox for all it was worth, it was obvious the 07 is fast by LAMS standards, with good drive out of corners, and fast enough by the standards of a rider who knows what real speed is. A new rider learning how to corner is going to get excited when

he or she opens the taps a er ge ing an apex right, but the joy for an experienced rider will be keeping up the momentum and ge ing those gear-change points just right. If you like the test of a sweethandling, lower-powered bike, you’ll know what I mean. The super-light and willing nature of the entire chassis set-up defines how much fun this is in corners. The suspension is basic but commendably well-tuned. Under such a responsive frame, it’ll get upset if you’re a brute with it, but dance with the MT-07 like a star and you’ll flow through corners, kissing apexes and delighting in the swing from side to side. The bike leans a long way, but it didn’t take me long to scrape the footpeg extension, so happy it is to get down low. On one road, it rekindled longdormant memories of the fun I used to have there on a sporty 250, only faster. In the corners, the upright riding position on the small chassis didn’t give me space to crouch comfortably, whether to tuck down out of the high-speed breeze or to get down with it when cranked over. I’m 183cm and I reckon you’d have to be a fair bit shorter before you could call this riding position sporty. It came good on the transport sections, where I only had to lean forward a bit to balance my body on the wind and there was no buffeting at all. The thin and hard seat was the only thing that tarnished the ride. Just making miles, the engine manages ► AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 67

■ The overall design is tight and compact, improving the bike’s balance

LITTLER AUSSIE BATTLER

to keep adequate power in reserve in top gear at 90-110km/h. This underlines how good the torque is and Yamaha tells us that MT does indeed stand for “Monster Torque”. It’ll monster most other LAMS bikes, that’s for sure. If you’re going to do plenty of country riding on your Ls and Ps, I reckon you shouldn’t even consider a 250 but go straight for something with real torque, like this. It’s what makes the bike comfortable and conﬁdenceinspiring on the open road. While there’s a bit of vibration at these ■ 39kW engine has fun, if not frenetic, acceleration out of corners

68 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

speeds, it’s nothing bad, partly because of the 270° cranksha in the parallel twin. It’s certainly not buzzy like the li le 125, 250 or even 400cc engines. Like the MT-09 triple, Yamaha designed a lot of cost-cu ing technology into the 07, but you wouldn’t know it to look at the details and quality of ﬁnish. It might cost only nine grand, but it doesn’t have cheap and chunky castings, cut-price switches, daggy plastics or dodgy tyres. In fact, the tyres are good and some bits are pre y snazzy, including

The MT-07 for Australia and New Zealand has a smaller engine than the worldwide version. Like Triumph’s 660 Street Triple and Ducati’s Monster 659, our MT-07 has been built specially for our LAMS-governed market, at the request of Yamaha Australia. The cylinders have 2mm less bore, down from 80mm to 78, on the same stroke of 68.6mm, for a capacity of 655cc instead of 689. Compression is down a poofteenth from 11.5:1 to 11.0:1. We’re not told what other differences there are, but softer cam timing is a good bet. This brings the power down to about 39kW, a fair drop from the Euro version’s 55kW. Europe also has a learner-legal version of the MT-07, one with just 35kW but the same 689cc of the full-power model. Yamaha and other brands have had LAMS bikes of less than 660cc restricted in the same manner in the past. Eventually, our legislators may see their way clear to dropping any capacity restriction on LAMS bikes. At the very least, it’d save Ducati, Triumph and Yamaha the hassle of having to make unique engines purely for our market. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, the LAMS power-to-weight calculation is based on a formula that goes into more than the simple maximum power and wet or dry weights figures. I’m not sure why they even talk about 150kW/tonne because the figures we see on the paperwork have no direct bearing on it. Most over-250cc LAMS bikes fail the face-value calculation.

YAMAHA MT-07

FROLICKING LAMS

It has completely realigned my learnerbike compass. It is a LAMS bike, but how? Boy it’s got some grunt! the ﬁnish on the engine covers, the svelte components making up the rear end and much more. It’s a sexy-looking bike, no doubt, and there’s room for heaps of customisation, especially if you’re looking for bits to bling up or searching for a project to minimise even further. The fuel tank seems to dominate this li le machine but it’s only 14L in capacity. Don’t think that’s too small, though, because this engine is genuinely light on petrol, sipping at less than 4.5L/100km if you’re gentle. Around town, you’ll

probably average more than 5.0L/100km but this is one of the rare bikes that has managed an average of less than that during a test for me. Yamaha has dra ed yet another excellent motorcycle in its surge of re-establishment following the post-GFC slowdown. It works really well, standing out as one of the be er and more entertaining mid-capacity nakedbikes out there, and you’d think it should cost a bit more when you compare it with some of its rivals. It undercuts many 600-660cc LAMS bikes by quite a margin, matches Benelli’s four-cylinder BN600S and is beaten on price only by smaller, slower learner bikes. You can’t argue with its value in that market, though its lack of ABS has to be factored in. For fully licensed riders, the 07 is still reasonable value, but you have to ask yourself whether you’d spend the extra two grand on the MT-09, for example, a bike that will blow the 07 out of the park. Many riders are complaining that

Professional stuntman Dave McKenna came along to show off the MT-07’s larrikin side, pulling wheelies, stoppies and burnouts for our entertainment. While the 07 won’t replace the MT-09 that he loves, Dave made it look so easy on the learner-legal twin. This is what a highly skilled and experienced rider can do on the precise and responsible little Yamaha, though we reckon a novice trying to emulate him is only going to fry the clutch. After all, “easy” doesn’t mean “excessive”. The secrets to the MT-07’s capabilities lie in the way its comparatively high performance as a LAMS bike is benign rather than aggressive.

Yamaha only brings in the restricted LAMS version of the MT-07, but given that LAMS sales make up 40 per cent of the road-bike volume, I can’t criticise Yamaha for its choice and if I was the potential buyer, I’d happily steer to the 09 if power was a key factor. Either way, the Aussie MT-07 is a great bike with a willing, manoeuvrable chassis, ample power for the real world and no bad habits. As both an entry-level and mid-range machine, it delivers. ARR AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 69

In Charge A move away from the glitz and glamour, Triumphâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Commander is a no-fuss cruiser built to get the job done

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TRIUMPH COMMANDER

STORY: MICK MATHESON PHOTOS: TIM MUNRO riumph Australia had gone some way to customising this Commander before handing it over to be tested. It only did a few things but the subtle difference was effective. Black billet mirrors replace the larger chrome originals. Triumph’s own accessory exhaust system gives the huge twin a deeper, tougher voice. But the best change, one that’s very easy, is unbolting the pillion seat. The smoother, lower lines of the rear end complete the Commander’s cruiser styling. It’s so much more handsome like this that you barely notice the low-profile li le luggage “toaster” rack that Triumph bolted onto the rear guard. Some things didn’t need any a ention. The hidden wiring cleans up the handlebars. The liquid-cooled engine is almost bere of visible plumbing. Now that I had a taste of what the Commander can look like, though, I added my own wish list of additional modifications. I’d get rid of the remnant pillion footpegs, of course, and swap the rider’s footboards for a set of forward-set footpegs. Then I’d think about whether I’d change the handlebars, just for the hell of it. What I’d want to do most of all would be to ditch the rear shocks in favour of shorter, low ones that bring the rear guard down over the back tyre because, unladen, the gap looks wrong. Short-travel rear suspension would undoubtedly spoil the Triumph’s high standards of ride and handling, but when is a custom project ever without its compromises? Even though it’s essentially the same bike as the Thunderbird LT that we tested in issue #105, the Commander has a different identity. A large and unladen bike, only a hint of customising takes it further away from the glamour of the touring version. The Commander isn’t much like the base-model Thunderbird either. Its frame is altered and its engine bigger, just for a start. In black especially, it’s a substantial-looking thing. ►

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 71

■ The Commander in standard form, with pillion seat and so on. All colour schemes are two-tone

It’s a good riding position for hanging in there when you hit the throttle hard and unleash this rippling strongman of a motorcycle Swing a leg over it and sit in the very low saddle and the bike feels solid — and large. The tank is wide, the triple clamps broad and there’s a lot of metal ﬁlling the lower portion of your view. There’s a mass of brilliant chrome and polished alloy there, with a single meter in the middle of a teardrop-shaped console. The seat is a beauty, the same as the Thunderbird LT’s super-comfy and expansive perch. Your feet rest a li le way forward on the footboards and when you reach for the handlebars, your arms rest at medium height with a wide-ish spread that’s great for low-speed control and not too bad for comfort once the speed rises and the wind pressure increases. Heading out for a ride, and remembering how the LT had felt without a screen, I wondered if I’d be bearing the brunt of the wind. But 72 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

the Commander has lower handlebars, le ing you lean into the wind a bit more and enabling you to take advantage of the 400km fuel range if you sit on around 100km/h. It’s a good riding position for hanging in there when you hit the thro le hard and unleash this rippling strongman of a motorcycle. The 1700cc engine is full of grunt, one of the best big twins of all. For all practical purposes, you’ve never got less than 100Nm of torque available, ever, and the biggest, fa est, chunkiest part of the curve runs from 2000rpm through the 3550rpm peak of 151Nm to 4000rpm, from which it’s still great but slowly tapering. But that drop-oﬀ is no problem as the power’s still growing, waiting to peak at 5400rpm a er a nearly linear climb from the bo om. This broad mass of performance is backed by six quick-

r Art Deco blinker bracket, low-profile tail light and slim accessory rack enhance the rear’s lines

r The Commander comes with footboards but we can see many owners switching to pegs

TRIUMPH COMMANDER

r Speedo is the main meter, with an inset fuel gauge and small LCD display of other data

r The excellent seat is the same as the touring Thunderbird LT’s

QUICKSPECS Model: Triumph Commander Price: $22,490 (plus on-road charges) Colours: Phantom Black/Storm Grey, Lava Red/Crimson Sunset Warranty: 24 months, unlimited distance Servicing intervals: 10,000km Engine: Liquid-cooled parallel-twin with DOHC, four valves per cylinder, 270° crank phase Bore x stroke: 107.1 x 94.3mm Displacement: 1699cc Power: 69kW @ 5400rpm Torque: 151Nm @ 3550rpm Transmission: Wet multiplate clutch, six-speed gearbox, belt ﬁnal drive Frame: Tubular-steel double cradle Dimensions: Seat height 700mm, weight 348kg (wet), fuel capacity 22L, wheelbase 1665mm, rake 29.9º, trail 133mm Suspension: Front, 47mm forks, 120mm travel. Rear, twin shocks, progressive springs, preload adjustable, 109mm travel Brakes: Front, two x 310mm discs, four-piston calipers. Rear, 310mm disc, two-piston caliper. ABS Tyres: Front, 140/75ZR1&. Rear, 200/5ZR17 Fuel consumption: 5.4L/100km Theoretical range: 400km Verdict: Big, ballsy, grunt-ﬁlled fun

shi ing gears to run through — not that you need many of them on any given thrash. Launch hard from the line and it roars through first gear and second; third and fourth are the ones you’ll use most to feel the rush as the Commander takes charge out of corners. It responds quickly to the thro le, the massive torque always eager to please. Triumph has armed its big cruisers with handling that’s rarely matched in this class. The Commander has decent clearance, notably good suspension and deceptively light steering, a bunch of traits not o en present together in a heavyweight cruiser. Its brakes are pre y good, too, the front having a powerful, sporty bite and the rear responding strongly when you stand on it equally as strong. The wheels are 17-inchers, compared with the LT’s 16s, and they have sportier, lower-profile Z-rated rubber. I mentioned an urge to fit short rear shocks, but it really would be a shame to discard the good ones Triumph provided, with their 109mm travel and plush, controlled action (slightly plusher than the LT, which is designed to carry heavier loads). They take the harshness out of it around town, provide lovely ride quality and yet hold it all together

nicely when you up the pace. And for just cruisin’ around, the Commander is excellent. The smoothness of the engine and ride, the tractor-like ease of the power, the unshakable stability and the nice balance contribute to a relaxing ride. It moves gracefully. It’s big enough to be cumbersome in heavy traﬃc but you’d still commute on it if you wanted to, and you wouldn’t be put oﬀ those weekend rides by the beaches just because of the volume of cars trying to share the pleasure. The Commander stacks up well for value against almost anything you’d like to compare it with, especially when you factor in the high quality and all that ontap performance. The one obvious bike that beats it, though, is the Thunderbird LT. The T-bird might cost $1000 more but it’s two bikes in one — a tourer when all dressed up and a single-headlight Commander when stripped. But do you want panniers, a screen and the nice-guy styling of the T-bird, or is your purpose more pure? Personally, I lean towards the tourer but I can see why Triumph stood the Commander next to it. The Commander makes a clear statement about what a heavyweight cruiser should be and how well it can go. ARR ■ With its pillion seat removed, the rear end looks much cooler

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 73

THE LONG LIST

We say goodbye to the Victory Cross Country Tour, drop the Ducati and strip the Bolt back to basics

VICTORY CROSS COUNTRY TOUR I handed the Victory Cross Country Tour back recently with 12,000km on the clock. It has been quite a journey, which has reaffirmed, yet again, that preconceived notions have no place in road testing. The Victory turned out to be a real surprise packet. The first few weeks were spent commuting, a role it only handles grudgingly. It feels its bulk in stop-start traffic, and a feeling of remoteness from the rubber-mounted, pullback handlebars didn’t help in tight spaces. It was obviously yearning for the open road and that’s where it showed its class. The Cross Country Tour is a luxury tourer extraordinaire with all the appointments. The four-speaker stereo has a jack for your iPod or phone and there are three power sockets. Two stage heated grips and heated rider and pillion seats and the list goes on. Long running boards, deep comfy seat and ride position, voluminous panniers and top box, cruise control etc. Now, a er 40-plus years of motorcycling, I usually have a few aching joints both during and a er a long ride. Not so on the Victory! One-thousandkilometre days were possible without the fatigue caused by aches and pains. A major bonus! I will admit that the comfort slowly seduced me, especially in winter, but where the big Victory really surprised and impressed me was on the back roads. I had a huge amount of fun punting it to its limits on twisty roads without

DUCATI MULTISTRADA GRANTURISMO The Ducati has fallen. A er 11 scratch-free months here, it has been knocked to the ground. I watched it happen and couldn’t believe it. One minute it was parked in the shed on solid concrete, surrounded by steel and tin. The next, all hell had broken loose, the bike was on the ground and I was making a run for it. A freak storm hit. I’ve never experienced a wind like it. A blast of 100km/h-plus 74 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

having to achieve massive speed. Roads such as the Bells Line and Pu y Roads, Bucke s Way, Thunderbolts Way, Waterfall Way, Bruxner Highway … were just a few that the Victory gobbled up. Its suspension is plush enough to soak up the bumps over all surfaces, but controlled enough to give good feel in the tight stuff. Ground clearance is extremely good for a bike of this type and you just about have the panniers on the deck before the running boards scrape. They swivel up anyway, so hi ing a bump mid-corner when cranked over is not a drama. The good brakes and punchy 1730cc engine mean you can really hustle if you want, as long as you keep it smooth. The Cross Country Tour could definitely benefit from some freer breathing pipes performance-wise. The stereo was o en

louder than the stealth-mode standardissue pipes. Fuel consumption suﬀered accordingly when I gave it the big stick, with the worst being 9.2L/100km. My best was 5.4L/100km, with an overall test average of 6.6L/100km. The standard-issue tyres were hard enough to last the entire 12,000km. They were OK in the dry, but diabolical in the wet. The big V-twin felt totally understressed and bulletproof, and it stayed crisp and reliable throughout the test. Similarly, the gearbox and driveline feel super robust, so I would expect ultrareliability in the long term. This Victory is close to the ultimate heavy touring package. I enjoyed it so much that I reckon if I had six bikes of my choice in the shed, the big Victory would be one of them! — GREGOR REYNOLDS

wind slammed into the front of the shed and shook the thing so violently, I thought it’d collapse. The peak of the gable flexed alarmingly and a piece of corner tin flew away. The roar was incredible. Then, suddenly a roller door ripped free of its runners and flapped inside like a rag on the clothes line. It whipped the back of the Ducati and punched it forward off its centrestand. With rain and hail flying in like shrapnel, I fled out the side door. Trees went down, roofs went missing and, up the

road, a whole shed was demolished. There are ﬁve roller doors on the new shed. The one that gave way just had to be the one where the unblemished Multistrada was parked, didn’t it? I could have cried. Yet the Granturismo fared be er than I expected. Its crash bars have now proved their worth, copping the brunt of the impact and showing barely a scuﬀ for their trouble. The worst damage is a bare patch on the outer edge of the side panel

LONG-TERMER TESTS

covering the fuel tank — no big deal — and what seems to be a cracked pannier mount, though it still holds. You can see a mark on the corner of the le pannier if you look closely. Mirrors, blinkers, screen etc all came through needing nothing more than a bit of a polish.

Next time, I think I’ll try applying a paint-protection coating such as Road Warrior Plus. If it’s as good as they say, it’d take the “ouch” out of a stupid and annoying incident like this one. Bloody weather! Meanwhile, I’ve decided to reprogram

PROJECT BOLT

Mounting it up to the bike as soon as I could pry the box out of the courier’s hands, very quickly I had a bike with a diﬀerent sort of character. From an “I wanna go fast cruising, don’t stop at that cafe” bike to a machine that was having a bit of an identity crisis. One thing that didn’t suit the change in the bike’s demeanour was the pissy bikini fairing. Once I ditched that, I just had to throw on the Cobra exhaust that was si ing there all pre y and new. It looked loud and fast. My abundance of pre- and primary-

Last issue’s work focussed on ge ing the brakes bled, control cables lengthened and wiring rerouted to accommodate the ﬂa er, wider handlebar. I’m a big fan of the relaxed, wide sweep of the new bend and it gives the Bolt a more aggressive–looking demeanour. No sooner was I ready to do the ﬁrst lap of the block on the Bolt did a Mustang Springer Saddle arrive in the post. This is the kind of thing I like, though cruisers have never been my kind of thing.

Urban mode to become my night-time Enduro mode. When you switch to Enduro mode, the rear end rises, but the side eﬀect is that the headlight is then angled down too far to see well. I pulled out the manual to remind me of the process, delved into the bike’s onboard programming menu and reset the damping, ABS and TC rates to suit gravel roads rather than city streets. Urban already had appropriate thro le and power se ings. In my situation, where I’m on dirt roads far more o en than I go a city, I was happy to sacriﬁce Urban mode; I’m content to use Touring or even Sport when I go to town — the sharp thro le response of Sport is particularly useful sometimes. And now, if I’m on gravel at night, I can have a well-lit ride with all the correct electronic assistance, albeit without that bit of extra rear suspension travel. I like this technology caper! — MICK MATHESON

school-aged children stop me from ge ing away as long as I once did, so I took the rack off and it went in the box of Bolt bits. The reflectors on the rear guard annoyed me, so they are gone too. The fork boots didn’t look right, so I put them in the box as well. It was all starting to look like the cruiser I would have and I hadn’t even thumbed the starter. I had become a person I have always vowed I wouldn’t be. I was modifying it before I rode it and figured out what I needed. The old needversus-want dilemma. I consoled myself that this was a project I was asked to do and at the end of the day, it was only time and effort required to turn it into a totally different style of cruiser by just swapping parts around. With a thumb of the starter, the Bolt roared into life. The sound is aural ecstasy. It’s probably illegal, too, only because I can be heard five streets away from home, but it might just be the local acoustics … With so li le work and just a bit of time swapping things over, a machine that I scratched my head about at first is now one that I’d own, but it’s not for everyone. The ride is as the bike looks. Low, fast and very relaxed. There’s a move away from sportiness but being a sportsbike person, this isn’t a machine I’d ever consider for that kind of thing. This bike facilitates personalisation so simply and with great effect. — MATT SHIELDS AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 75

STORY & PHOTOS: MARK HINCHCLIFFE merica is not only a vast land of much diversity, it’s also a land full of great riding, friendly folks, stunning scenery and hassle-free travelling. Here, we dispel the myths and give you the inside line to making your adventure to the land of Stars and Stripes as easy and enjoyable as possible.

A MYTHS

There are many myths about riding in America. The ﬁrst is that the roads are ﬂat, straight and boring. OK, there are massive interstates that are all that, but at least they can get you over some of the vast distances very quickly. However, there are also many roads that follow rivers and coastlines or roll over massive

mountain ranges leaving you breathless with excitement. Second myth is that it’s not very interesting countryside. Yep, the middle can be as ﬂat as Meatloaf at an AFL ﬁnal, but there is an incredible array of natural wonders, from the Grand Canyon to Yellowstone National Park, as well as those that are man-made, such as the Golden Gate Bridge and the Statue of Liberty, which span the country. As for cultural diversity, the Americans virtually created multiculturalism. Spanish challenges English as the most spoken language and they have a melting pot of religions, food and cultural festivals. And don’t forget Cajun French in the southern regions. Third myth is that the Americans are boisterous and obnoxious. That’s just Americans on holidays. Get them in

their own backyards and they are much quieter and great hosts. Fourth myth is that America is expensive. No way! You can buy a bike for about half of what you pay here, fuel is about 80c a litre, there are very few toll roads, accommodation is reasonable and food can be dirt cheap — just avoid restaurants where tips can be as high as 25 per cent. Tipping is the norm, but no need to show oﬀ … leave it at 10 per cent. And only if you were given good service. That’s what the tip is for.

GETTING THERE It may be the land of the free and welcome visitors with open arms but you will still need a visa, a clean criminal record and no intentions to earn any money while you are there. And if you do have a record, they

Land of op If you’ve never got your kicks on Route 66, never ridden Ventura Highway in the sunshine, if you’ve never been down Thunder Road nor been taken back to the Black Hills, then you really are missing out

76 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

DESTINATION USA already know about it. Not telling the truth at Customs/Immigration will be your ﬁrst and only mistake. Before you leave home, it is vital that you apply for a visa or visa waiver. Go to cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/ esta for all the info you need. It’s cheap at less than $20, depending on the exchange rate. Don’t think you can get your visa when you land in the States. Airlines won’t even let you on the plane until they have seen a visa in your passport. If, like me, you are a working journalist, you will even have to go to one of the US embassies in Australia, pay a stack of money and a end an interview. If you plan a long stay and want to work your way around the USA, apply for a B3 visa, provided just for Aussies. It’s hard to a ain but is almost always

under-utilised, meaning the yearly quota always has plenty of vacancies.

LANGUAGE Despite the large population of Latin Americans and high proportion of Spanish spoken, you should have no trouble with English — just speak slowly. Americans don’t seem to be able to pick up our slurred and fast-spoken accent too well. Try speaking with an American accent. For example, say “Briz-bain” and “Mel-born” instead of Brisbane and Melbourne. And sometimes, your best efforts will still be useless. In one drivethrough in LA, a friend ordered a burrito with NO cheese. A er three different servers, the manager finally came on the speaker and said “sorry sir, we don’t have that cheese in stock”.

There are also some Americanisms that you will have heard in movies and need to use. For example, in restaurants, you don’t ask for the bill, you ask for the cheque. But Yanks do love our Aussie accents. Make sure you have Aussie ﬂags on your jacket, helmet and bike and take some kangaroo pins to give out to people you meet. They’ll love you for it and shower you with good ol’ southern hospitality.

COMMUNICATION It’s the land of the iPhone, so mobile (or “cell”) coverage is comprehensive. You can buy a local SIM card pre y cheaply from any of the many telecommunications stores or a vending machine at the airport. Wi-Fi is free in most hotels, restaurants and cafes, so you can easily stay in touch. It’s also handy for making bookings. ►

portunity

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 77

DESTINATION USA MONEY

o The stunning Wyoming Rockies

Their currency is all the one size and colour — hence the name greenbacks — making it diﬃcult to distinguish a $5 bill from a $100, so be careful when paying someone. Don’t be rushed. The exchange rate was at parity, but is trending down. Still, it’s not as bad as it was about 10 years ago when our dollar bought only 50c. Before you go, check with your bank and ask for a credit card that doesn’t charge international transaction fees every time you use it or charge a fee to get cash from an ATM. Most banks now oﬀer these facilities.

LAWS American laws are very similar to Australia, so you shouldn’t be tripped up. However, be aware that the drinking age is 21. While prohibition ﬁnished back in the 1930s, not every county turned “wet”. Bourbon county is dry, Christian county is wet and you can’t buy whisky in some counties where it’s made. Some have “moist” laws where you can get a drink with a meal, but you can’t get takeaways. You won’t be able to buy any alcohol on Indian reservations such as Monument Valley. Also, while some states have now legalised medical marijuana, you may still require a licence to buy and smoke it. As for helmet laws, there are only three states (Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire) where there is no helmet-use law. Some 20 states have compulsory helmet laws for all riders, while 28 require minors to wear a motorcycle helmet and six of those require riders over 21 years to have $10,000 in insurance and wear a helmet in their ﬁrst year of riding. Your Australian rider’s licence will be recognised in the US, but some rental companies may require an international licence.

It’s called gas and it’s cheap. However, their premium is only 91 RON and a lot of their fuel contains ethanol, which may not be suitable for your highperformance bike if you’ve shipped it over from home. Ethanol blends work just fine in American motorcycles, so you should be right if you have hired or bought in the States. Be aware that, because of drive-offs, many gas stations require you to pay first or use a credit card at the bowser. You get pre y accurate at estimating how much fuel your tank needs!

TRAFFIC

INSURANCE

Like many of their laws, road rules can vary from state to state and even county to county. Many places allow you to turn right on a red light. Someone behind you will probably honk, which means you can go. Some places also allow riders to stop and then go through a red light because bikes are deemed too small to trip the traﬃc light sensor. Traﬃc jams can be as huge as you have seen on TV shows and movies. I’ve been

Get it. Get lots. Get as much as you can. You are riding, which is dangerous, and American health care and hospitals are prohibitively expensive. For these reasons, your premium can be expensive. Check with your bank, which may have a cheaper insurance tied in with your credit card or may automatically include it if you’ve bought your ﬂight with their card. You can also arrange travel insurance

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stuck in gridlock even out in the desert near Las Vegas. Remember, there are 310 million people in the US and most of them are out driving around in big RVs, cars, trucks and buses. However, you can also ﬁnd some desolate, lonely stretches. The great thing is that you are never too far from a gas station.

FUEL

through your travel agent at a competitive rate.

SHIP, RENT OR BUY? It’s always best to ride your own bike for safety and convenience. You are familiar with its performance, handling characteristics and shortcomings. You also know exactly how much luggage you can fit and carry. You could freight it yourself, but the paperwork can be a nightmare and the last thing you want when you get there is to find your bike has been quarantined. Save yourself the hassle and engage an Australian company that specialises in motorcycle shipping. They will handle everything, ensure your bike is properly secured for the trip and make sure it clears customs and is re-assembled and ready for you at the other end. The only drawback is that you may be without your bike for a couple of months before and a er your holiday. Renting a bike is easy. Americans do it all the time. Many fly from east to west in winter just to go riding, so there are plenty of hire companies. Many then ride home, leaving a stack of rental bikes on the east coast that need to be returned to the west. Some companies offer really cheap deals for you to ride these bikes back again. Not only are there plenty of dedicated bike hire companies but the industry is so healthy, almost every motorcycle shop also has hire services. However, bike hire can be expensive. ►

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DESTINATION USA Some are asking $1000 a day for bike hire for the 75th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August, 2015. There are some cheap hire companies, but you should avoid these as there are tales of scurrilous dealers who follow you, steal the bike back with a spare key, then charge you for it. Stick with big, reputable companies. Another option is to buy a bike. This is an a ractive deal because new bikes are very cheap in the US. And since many people declared bankruptcy during the GFC and simply handed back their expensive hire-purchase bikes, there is a glut of cheap second-hand bikes on the market with low kilometres. The problem with this is the time taken to search around and ﬁnd a bike, then the hassle of registering and insuring it, not to mention how long you could wait to sell it again. But it does work out very cheap, if all goes according to plan. This is deﬁnitely an option if you have a friend in the States who can arrange the buying and selling to save you time.

TOUR GROUPS Most bike rental companies also arrange guided tours. These take the hassle out of navigating, ﬁnding accommodation and tourist a ractions along the way. There are many themed tours such as Route 66 tours that follow the famous route, Easy Rider tours that mirror the cult movie’s epic trip and tours that travel to some of the country’s famous motorcycle rallies. There are companies that arrange it from Australia so you will mainly be travelling with Australians, which can be familiar and comfortable. There o Stepping back in time at Silveton, Colorado

80 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

There is an incredible array of natural wonders, from the Grand Canyon to Yellowstone National Park, as well as those that are man-made, such as the Golden Gate Bridge and the Statue of Liberty, which span the country are also American companies that can organise tours where you get to meet a whole bunch of riders from America and around the world. Most guided tours have an allinclusive cost that even includes your airfares and meals. That certainly makes the planning easy.

NAVIGATION

for booking. They are cheaper that way. In fact, you can do it on your phone right out in front of the motel and walk in 10 minutes later and they will have a record of your booking. Americans are RV crazy and all national parks and tourist venues have well-equipped caravan parks where you can pitch a tent or rent a cheap cabin.

Ge ing around the US is dead easy. Everything is well signposted and the roads are in great condition almost everywhere you go. A GPS or map app on your phone will help, but even paper maps are ﬁne because of the logic of their road network. Here’s a cheeky tip: buy a GPS from a major chain, keep the receipt and return it before you leave saying “it does not cover Australian maps”. They rarely ask questions and happily refund in full.

WHEN

ACCOMMODATION

WHERE TO

In the summer months, you may have to book ahead as everyone is on holidays. But there are so many hotels everywhere you go, you can usually snag a room at the last minute. Try using one of the online hotel sites

If you avoid snow and the deserts in winter and summer, just about everywhere else is worth going. If it’s challenging roads you want, aim for the vast Rockies in the west or Appalachian Mountains in the east. There are also some great coast roads, such as the Big Sur on Highway 1 from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Virtually every national park has beautifully paved roads and some even ban trucks, commercial vans and billboard advertising. However, national parks have some very big and dangerous wildlife that will either dent your bike or eat you, so beware. Two of the most beautiful roads anywhere for scenery and wild ﬂora and fauna are the Natchez Trace and Blue Ridge Parkways, although the speed limits are reduced. Otherwise, point your ﬁnger at a map and just go … like Jack Kerouac. Once you’ve done it, y’all will come back! ARR

Avoid winter as snow can reach right down into the south in the middle states of the USA. However, the southern coasts on both sides are ﬁne in winter. In summer, you should avoid the deserts and southern states where temperatures can stay above 100°F (approx. 37.7°C) for days on end. Even in summer, you can still encounter snow in northern states or in the Rockies where some towns are at a higher altitude than Mount Kosciuszko.

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DESTINATION USA: THE ROCKIES STORY & PHOTOS: MARK HINCHLIFFE e pull into the Kum & Go gas station in Smalltown USA, ti ering like schoolboys inside our helmets. Rusty old Dodge and Chevy pick-up trucks li er the forecourt and a dishevelled old man with a silver beard and wild hair under a trucker’s cap shuﬄes out to his truck. I expect him to grab his shotgun from the gun rack and threaten to put buckshot in our pants as he yells: “If any of you claim-jumping varmints don’t get

oﬀa my property, pronto, dagnabbit.” It’s these cultural experiences in the quaint li le former gold-fossicking towns that add to the Colorado Rocky Mountain high. Riding the Rockies is something all bikers should do at some stage in their lives. It is a wonderful blend of these Smalltown USA cultural experiences, spectacular scenery and smooth, winding roads where the speed limits really are just advisory. We ﬂew into the Colorado capital of Denver, which has the largest-area

airport in the country, although no direct connection to Australia. It’s called the Gateway to the Rockies and a racts millions of tourists all year round. Tourism is the capital’s biggest business by far. In the winter, they come in their luminous-coloured snow gear to ski the many resorts throughout the mountains. And, in the summer, they come for the hiking and biking — pedalled and powered. There are several local bike hire shops in the city including the nationwide

EagleRiders and Mile High HarleyDavidson, which has 110 Harleys for hire, the largest contingent in one place in the nation — such is the popularity of riding the Rockies. Denver is like a franchise of a modern American city. All the major brands are here, there is a host of great eating spots (Italian food, Tex-Mex and the town’s specialty: big steaks) and many homeless wandering the streets, particularly in the warm months. Despite the massive dumps of snow in winter, Denver has 300 days of sun, on average, with very hot summers and regular a ernoon electrical storms that sweep up the Rockies most evenings and bucket down over the city. If you have time in the capital, it’s ► AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 83

DESTINATION USA: THE ROCKIES

worth spending an hour or so at Forney’s Museum of Transport, which has a bunch of old cars, trains and about 60 bikes, mainly Hondas and Indians. Once you pick up your hire bike, you will find riding in Denver nowhere near as difficult as many other American cities. Unlike California, the motorists here have good lane discipline and a more even temperament. When a group of us made a rather dangerous merge across traffic and lane-split down to the first lights, no one honked. But, be advised, lane spli ing is not legal here. Also, be aware that even though your light may be red, you can still turn right if the coast is clear. If you don’t, the guy behind you will honk. Riding out of the flat plains of the city, due west into the Rockies is like riding up one long freeway ramp with a constant gradient. It’s steep, three-lanes wide and the right lane will be filled with trucks and caravans with their hazard lights on as they struggle to cope with the climb. It’s illegal to pass on the opposite side of the road and few

84 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

Route 70 takes you into the interesting parts of the Rockies where just about any turn-off will dump you into a resort town on good-quality, twisty roads motorists hog the le -passing lane. Stay with the flow of the fast traffic and you will find you are doing much more than the posted 65mph (about 105km/h) speed limit, but the Jefferson County Sheriff patrol cars don’t seem to mind. As you climb, the temperature drops rapidly, which can be a relief from the torrid temperatures of the Colorado plains. This is route 70 and it takes you into the interesting parts of the Rockies. Just about any turn-off will dump you into a resort town on good-quality, twisty roads. Venture further away from the resort towns and you get that quaint Smalltown USA feel where cantinas, gun shops and cute Baptist churches li er the main streets. But it’s the roads you’ve come for and you won’t be disappointed.

They may not have as many tight corners as they do in the Australian Alps, but the surfaces are smoother, the asphalt is grippier and the speeds are higher. The scenery varies from steep alpine slopes covered in pine trees to vast open prairies and craggy bare rock canyons where you expect to see cowboys and Indians. It’s about a two-hour ride down to Pikes Peak, the famous site of the annual hillclimb sprints, but our ride takes us west and looping north before returning. This is more sparse territory where you have to watch out for cri ers such as wild mountain goats, deer, moose and ca le. Be sure to get your riding in early in the day before the temperature builds up and the storm clouds roll in with their thunder and lightning show. ARR

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California The Pacific Coast Highway is one of the world’s great roads and if you’re over that way, you owe it to yourself to ride it 86 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

■ Stop in one of the many turnouts to admire the gnarly coastline

■ Seal of approval? Wildlife is prolific along the California coast

DESTINATION USA: PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY STORY: MICK MATHESON PHOTOS: MM, SHUTTERSTOCK, H-D orro Bay’s beauty lay in its mystery the first time I arrived. Wrapped in a low winter sea mist, only disjointed bits of it showed. Buildings on a hillside. A road down to the invisible coastline. Hints of a waterfront. An enormous bald rock somehow hovered above it, yet out over the water. It didn’t make much sense until eventually the mist cleared to reveal Morro Rock’s part in the scene. The volcanic plug and the man-made causeway connecting it to the mainland protect Morro Bay’s tranquil harbour. I ate a wonderful seafood dinner at a restaurant on the pier and watched sea o ers paddling about below me. That was the first time I rode the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) between LA and San Francisco. Two of us had flown into Los Angeles that morning, picked up rental bikes from a shop near the airport and set off for an overnight run to San Francisco. We had a meeting there and then had to be back in LA for more business, so what be er way to se le in? I loved it so much, I repeated the trip a few times. I went to the GP at Laguna Seca one year and made sure I began the trip from LA, just for the ride. The spectacular race track is just off the PCH near the San Fran end. The track’s infamous Corkscrew looks terrifying when you’re standing right next to it!

To do this trip from LA, just follow Highway 1. It hugs the coast through Malibu, blends with the more major Highway 101 at Oxnard, through Santa Barbara and on. For a while, it won’t hurt to take 101 and even detour through the hills on Route 154, though, if you’re into planes, you might want to stick to Highway 1 so you can swing past Vandenberg Air Force Base. All the roads reunite in Pismo Beach, which is about three hours from Santa Monica, on LA’s western edge. Call it half a day if you’re not on a mission. That’s a nice warm-up ride, which begins with typical LA beachiness and traﬃc and gradually moves you into a more relaxed America. You can stay happily at Pismo Beach but Morro Bay is just up the road, at the beginning of what I consider to be the start of the “proper” ride along the PCH. Also known here as the Cabrillo Highway, it’s still Highway 1 and now follows the coast pre y faithfully, passing smaller towns, farmland and forests on the way. The coastline is stunning. The sea ba ers against cliﬀs, some of them rising 100m or so to the road. There are many small beaches tucked between headlands, and many look wild. The sand is dark and coarse, there’s dri wood and seaweed on them and you’ll frequently see seals lounging on them. Huge seals too. At the right time of year, you’ll spot whales migrating up or down the coast. ►

Dreamin’ ■ You’ve got to cross the Golden Gate Bridge when you’re in San Francisco

■ Wind howls in off the ocean here and the sea mist is a constant, chilly companion

■ At either end of the ride, the road wanders inland a little way into farmland

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 87

DESTINATION USA: PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY ■ Morro Bay’s famous rock dominates the little harbour town, which is a good place to stop

■ Bixby Bridge spans a canyon in this rugged terrain

The man-made sights on the way are equally impressive. Hearst Castle, one of the most opulent examples of American because-I-can extravagance, has been turned over to the state, so you ■ Beach access isn’t easy around here!

88 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

can drop in and tour it. There’s a small winding road heading out the back of it, Burne Creek Road, which I’ve promised to explore next time. You’ll ride through many li le towns and past shops along the PCH and a stop at one is a good experience. Being an old sea-hugging road, the PCH has more than its share of excellent cornering. From open sweepers to steeply cambered hairpins, it dishes up every kind of bend. On the whole, the surface is good, too, with lots of grip and only a few dodgy sections. The corners come in batches, giving you a bit of a rest in between. When you’re not right on the coast, you’re o en veering sharply inland along the edge of a canyon, tipping le and right on its contours until a tight turn spins you around the other way to follow the canyon’s other side back to the coast. It’s always a ba le between keeping your eyes on the road and taking in the view, but you can’t have it both ways because there’s rarely much room for error. Be er to stop and see the sights, or at least po er along when you want to enjoy a few glances. There are endless stopping places. The most fun and most scenic parts of the highway coincide, of course. And the climax of both is undoubtedly along the Big Sur section, a 140-odd kilometre stretch in the middle of the ride from LA to SF. For a while, you feel you’re deep in the Los Padres National Forest and there are some nice places to stay there if you’re ready to call it a day. Pop out of the trees at the northern end of the forest and you’re on the last great stretch of the PCH for now, as

you approach Monterey. From here to SF, it’s a lot more built up but stick to Highway 1 and you’ll avoid a lot of it as you stay near or even right on the coast until you’re just about into San Fran proper. Feeder roads such as Route 84 offer quick runs onto the freeway system if you prefer and in the case of 84, you get a fabulous run through the hills to get there. San Francisco is a great city, and it’s not too hard to find your way around. You must, of course, cross the Golden Gate Bridge while you’re there. Even be er, there’s more great riding if you continue up the coast into Northern California and on. But that’s another story. As is Yosemite National Park, an easy ride inland from here. In fact, you have many options, which sums up the US all over, really. Whatever you do, don’t opt to ride back to LA via Highway 101. You might as well stay home and ride the Hume, except the food’s be er on our road. I’ve made the mistake of riding the PCH at peak holiday time, when it was chockas with tourists. I’ve also ridden it in the off-season, the US winter, when it was chilly but nothing that we’re not used to back home. The road was almost deserted and accommodation was easy to find. I suppose it’d be horrible to hit a patch of bad January weather (it can be dire, trust me) but on the PCH, I’ve been lucky. Funny thing is that even in the heat of summer, when the sea mist rolls in, it’s cold. But the mist o en dissipates a li le way inland, where it’ll be 30°C or more. The PCH is one of the great roads and if you’re over that way, you owe it to yourself to ride it. ARR

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DESTINATION USA: STURGIS

Mecca This is motorcycling nirvana — nothing like it on earth STORY: MARK HINCHLIFFE he annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is the most fun you can have with your chaps on. It’s like Halloween for adults. And it’s located in the Black Hills of South Dakota in north-west USA, which is motorcycling nirvana. One in particular is Iron Mountain Road (Route 16A), which, in 27km, has more than 400 bends, 22 switchbacks or hairpins, three tunnels with views of Mount Rushmore and three pigtails! What’s a pigtail, you ask? It’s where the road curls back on itself and then dives underneath in a 360° turn! When I visited the 74th annual rally in 2014, a mere 460,000 riders a ended.

The roads were choked with bikes and very few cars, the front and back yards of most houses were filled with tents, the many, many bars were filled to overflowing and the half-naked promo girls were bouncing everywhere. This August 3-9, you can double all that, as about one million are expected to invade the small 6000-population town for the commemorative 75th rally. Accommodation in most camping sites, hotels and motels within a 100km radius is already booked solid. But there are still alternatives and, if you are keen, you’ll find something. It’s certainly worth it. The Sturgis CBD becomes one huge bike park, with motorcycles in four

rows up the main street, where almost every shop is leased out to motorcycle merchandisers, ta ooists and bars. The surrounding streets are also filled with more bikes, bars and badasses. Outside town, the roads are lined with semi-permanent bars that are like big circus tents. They have names such as Buffalo Chip, Easyriders, One-Eyed Jacks, Broken Spoke Saloon and, of course, the famous Full Thro le Saloon. Here, you can walk in and find guys — and gals — doing shots off the naked midriff of a waitress! Some of these bars have a cover charge, but most are free. However, if there is a big-name act on, tickets can be expensive and they go quickly. You’d best check out the Sturgis website and order your tickets in advance. The biggest acts feature at Buffalo Chip and last year included Alice Cooper (who seems to be a regular), Queensrÿche, The Cult, Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top and Mötley Crüe. No entertainment has yet been confirmed for 2015, but you can bet it will be big. Of course, there is a strong police presence. It’s a small town so most police are shipped in from around the state.

■ The Sturgis main drag in action

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 91

DESTINATION USA: STURGIS They seem to enjoy their li le holiday and are generally courteous. Their presence also seems to keep the peace. Despite all the alcohol and bare female skin, you feel safe walking around the streets, even late at night. Some of the bars avoid trouble by ve ing riders at the door and posting signs that say “no guns” or “no colors” on bar entrances. Like any rally, there are the usual events such as show and shines, parades, demo rides, dynos, escorted rides and competitions — just bigger and louder. While most of the fun and debauchery is centred on Sturgis, you won’t miss out on much by staying in one of the many quaint and iconic cowboy towns in the region with names as tantalising as their architecture and residents, including Deadwood, Custer, Spearfish, Hill City and Rapid City. Many of the smaller towns close off their main streets and restrict traffic and parking to motorcycles, while most stores are leased out to motorcycle-related retailers. Even the li le hamlets in between that consist of just a camping site, general store and gas station will host a free party with a marquee, beer on tap and a rocking band playing in a cow paddock. The party simply never ends — in time or place. Beers can be as cheap as $1, although, at some bars, you can be hit with a he y bill for a margarita. Food is also cheap from the many fast-food outlets. Some of it is good and some is just plain greasy cheeseburgers but there is so much variety, you’re bound to find something to suit your taste. You’ve got to try the buffalo wings (chicken wings) in a tasty spicy and tangy sauce, washed down with the local beer. However, if they offer a range of sauces, don’t try the ghost sauce as it could hospitalise you. Most of the bikes lining the streets are cruisers, Harleys, in particular. That’s to be expected as Harley has more than 60 per cent of road motorcycle sales in North America. But the rally is free to any biker, so it a racts adventure bikes, trikes, big touring bikes, sportsbikes and even some strange motorcycle-powered vehicles. It’s just nice to ride on roads where bikes are the dominant species. While Harley has a major influence over the rally, it isn’t the only game in town. The revitalised Indian brand and Victory have chosen to have a huge presence and release their new models at 92 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

Despite all the alcohol and bare female skin, you feel safe walking around the streets, even late at night the rally. In 2013, they debuted the Chief range and last year, the Indian Scout and Roadmaster were introduced, as was the Victory Magnum. To a lesser extent, Yamaha, or Star, as the company likes to refer to its cruiser models, is also present. While the surrounding canyon and mountain roads are wide, winding, scenic and smooth, there are so many motorcycles that it’s difficult to get stuck in for a spirited ride. In fact, most riders cruise along at 5-10m/h (8-16km/h) under the speed limit, taking in the views and stopping at the many quaint country cafes, diners and bars along the route. Unfortunately, there are still crashes and fatalities. Emergency services say daily calls jump from five to more than 20. However, the local paper reports that as the riders a ending the rally are ge ing older, emergency services are treating people more for heart a acks, strokes, diabetes and dehydration, rather than for road trauma. The Black Hills Life Flight service picks up crash victims from remote areas but, in 2014, also had to pick up a biker from Custer State Park who was gored by a buffalo. Hospital casualty wards report they get a lot of head injuries because almost no one wears a helmet as the state only requires riders under 21 to wear one. You

will look very conspicuous if you are one of the one per cent who wears a helmet when you ride. Police say bike crashes are caused by tricky roads, the high volume of traffic, a mix of big pick-up trucks and small bikes, alcohol, unfamiliar roads, inexperience and ina ention because people are there for a good time, not to watch what they are doing. Surprisingly, speed is not listed as a big factor, but that’s probably because most riders are just out cruising. While most rally-goers are greying, the rally a racts a wide range of riders from novices a ending their first rally to 89-year-old grandmother Gloria Struck who rides her Harley-Davidson Heritage So ail Classic almost 3000km each year from New Jersey. Gloria has owned 14 motorcycles during the past 65 years and was inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum’s Hall of Fame in 2011. Sturgis isn’t the only rally or “bikefest” in the US. The next biggest are the Daytona Bike Week in March and the Laconia Motorcycle Week in June. Another notable rally is in Hollister, California, which celebrates the rally featured in the 1953 Marlon Brando movie, The Wild One. But they all pale into insignificance next to Sturgis. Visit: sturgismotorcyclerally.com. ARR

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aking place in Bright, in the heart of Victoria’s Alpine region, on February 13-15, 2015, the Adventure Travel Film Festival has some amazing motorcycle stories to share. Such as Christophe Barriere-Varju’s remarkable determination to complete the gruelling Dakar Rally, as he deﬁes extreme physical hardship and personal tragedy. His documentary, Dream Racer, shows the Dakar Rally in its purest form — no sponsors, no multimillion-dollar team, not even a mechanic … just one man, a motorbike, his tool-roll and the world’s most dangerous motor race. A er watching Dream Racer, you can meet Christophe who will be at the festival to talk about the Dakar and his plans to a empt the demanding rally again. If the thought of competing in the Dakar is a bit too much for you, how about riding a pizza-delivery bike from Malaysia to the UK?

94 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

In 2011, Ed March posted his pizza bike to the other side of the world with the aim of riding it home. There was no plan, no script, no backup crew and no one to tell him what a stupid idea it was. Over the next eight months, Ed and his trusty motorbike Ninety travelled through 17

If the thought of competing in the Dakar is a bit too much for you, how about riding a pizzadelivery bike from Malaysia to the UK? countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, India and Iran. In Vietnam, he got very drunk with a li le old lady and in Bangkok, there were wedding bells.

Where will he sleep tonight? What happens when you bribe a Cambodian army weapons store with £200 (approx. AUD$366)? Can you get to Everest Base Camp in a pair of trainers? These are all questions that Ed March didn’t even know needed answering. Join Ed as he shows you what the world is really like when you have a big smile, a small bike and an even smaller budget, in his ﬁlm, C90 Adventures: Malaysia to UK. Keen for another country-hopping adventure? It took just 10 seconds for Darren and Dave, both keen motorcyclists and amateur ﬁlm-makers, to decide to travel half way around the world and “just do it!” The task was simple: ride from Darren’s home in the UK to Dave’s home in Australia. The trip would take them through Europe and onto the mighty Russian steppes, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, before riding through the Himalayas and winding up just 80km from Mount Everest.

ADVENTURE TRAVEL FILM FESTIVAL

motion It seemed as if every time they were in the most remote areas, mechanical trouble would challenge their zeal and wit. But these were also the golden moments of the adventure, where the very best of human kindness by complete strangers saved the day on more than the odd occasion. Eventually, they ventured into the deserts of Australia, where Darren discovered a queue of animals and insects seemingly waiting to kill him, before the pair safely arrived in Sydney, four months and 18,000km later. Their ﬁlm, Continental Dri , tells the story of a world that is jam-packed with wonderful people ready to hold out the hand of friendship and go out of their way to help a couple of hapless motorcyclists. In addition to these moving motion pictures will be the chance to meet some local motorcyclists who’ve stepped out of their own comfort zones and hit the road. Ron Fellowes fulﬁlled a lifelong dream when he rode his 102-year-old Belgian FN motorcycle from Nepal to Belgium, where the bike originated. With no backup team or GPS, and on a single-speed machine

with inept braking, his odyssey had all the hallmarks of impossible. The 68-year-old confronted danger from terrorist a ack, sandstorm, deluges, unforgiving terrain and a close brush with death, and pushed on with fierce determination. The 14,000km journey was one of exhilaration and despair on a nine-month, heart-stopping ride, with Ron relying solely on his wits, mechanical skills and sheer bloody-mindedness to achieve his goal. Also at the festival will be Brian Rix and Shirley Hardy-Rix, talking about riding two-up on roads less travelled. In two rides, they’ve covered more than 140,000km through 54 countries on six continents. They’ve ridden from London to Australia through Iran and Pakistan, and from the bo om of South America to Alaska. Two-up can cause some extra difficulties, but that doesn’t deter them: they’re off to Russia in 2015. Live to dream and be inspired at the 2015 Adventure Travel Film Festival. There are some great rides in Victoria’s Alpine region so hit the road and head to Bright.

The Adventure Travel Film Festival will inspire you to take to the road and enjoy everything the world has to offer The Adventure Travel Film Festival began four years ago when British adventurers Austin Vince and Lois Pryce curated the first festival in the UK. They showcased some of the myriad films that were sent to them from all over the world by largely unknown film-makers. Today, the festival is a must-do for everyone who has experienced (or would like to) the highs of travelling the world as well as new cultures, people and places. “Anyone from anywhere can take to the open road, the high seas or the vast deserts and create a film that will inspire others to take the plunge into the world of adventure travel,” says Austin. Austin and his adventure-travel-writer wife, Lois, need no encouragement when it comes to ge ing out and enjoying life to its fullest. At the end of their 9600km ride across the US in a Ural sidecar, Lois summed up their love of life with the statement: “There’s always another trip.” ARR

What: The Adventure Travel Film Festival When: February 13-15, 2015 Where: Bright, Victoria Tickets: Weekend pass $95; day pass Saturday $55; day pass Sunday $55; child weekend $55; family weekend pass $190 (two adults, two children) For more information, visit adventuretravelfilmfestival.com

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 95

Tally STORY: IAN ROYALL PHOTOS: ANNE KIERREN/ RED GEORGE MEDIA nce upon a time, the word “biker” would conjure up images of old, hairy geezers with insect-encrusted beards and gnarly, oil-stained ﬁngers who could pull apart a Bonneville before breakfast. They’re still out there, God love ‘em, but so too is the new breed: hipsters with sharp suits and manicured facial hair. Think baristas on cafe racers. And so it came to pass that the old blokes and the young dudes — and everyone in between — got together for

96 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

ho! Ian Royall dons his tweed jacket and flat cap to report on the spectacle that is the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride

DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN’S RIDE

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DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN’S RIDE the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride (DGR). The ride is an annual worldwide charity event for prostate cancer research and awareness. Participants don dapper gear (think suits, ties and waistcoats), twist their moustaches (real or stuck-on) and ride at a gentlemanly pace through the city on classic or custom bikes. Tally ho, chocks away, toodle-pip old chap and all that. It probably ﬁts in the “Just Crazy Enough to Work” category. The bike parades around the globe feature Bonnevilles, Thruxtons, Nortons, Japanese classics, cafe racers of various ﬂavours, plus machines chopped, bobbed and bra ed or any other category you wish to make up. Just add clubman handlebars, a plank seat and a single gauge and you’re set. The event has gone from nothing to quite a lot in just three years. This year, more than 20,000 riders took part

■ Looking cool, looking the part, cruising down Easey Street, Collingwood

98 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

in over 220 cities including 19 locations throughout Australia — the capital cities, of course, as well as places such as Nowra, Stanthorpe and Horsham. It’s hard to imagine a motorcycle event that could match it for numbers, never mind for style. DGR founder, Mark Hawwa of the Sydney Cafe Racers, says the event is “founded on classic manners, classic motorcycles and classic trends”. Mark’s philosophy for the event was to have fun ﬁrst, but also break stereotypes that some people have about men on bikes, all the while raising funds for men’s health issues. Triumph Motorcycles jumped on board this year as the main sponsor, boosting the event’s proﬁle. Marketing manager for Triumph Australia, Mark Berger, says it was the beginning of a threeyear deal. “But we have no intentions of corporatising the event. We are there to

■ Group photo at the Shrine of Remembrance

r Dinner suits everywhere you look

r Barista on the move: two short blacks please

r Arriving in Easey Street

give support to Mark Hawwa and the team, and help with promotion,” he says. “We won’t be measuring this in terms of sales. In Australia and around the world, there’s a real push and drive for retro and classic bikes — old Honda 250s, classic ‘70s bikes through to some of the modern versions.” There is indeed a boom in the custom bike scene — a worldwide cultural phenomenon that has brought a certain cachet to reviving or modifying handsome old bikes. It’s a lifestyle thing. Sydney’s dapper chaps rode 31km around the inner-city, including the Harbour Bridge twice. The Brisbane DGR a racted about 300 riders who technically were probably in breach of the state’s anti-bikie laws. These well-dressed rebels gathered at Oliver’s Motorcycles in Moorooka, then took in landmarks Story Bridge, Suncorp Stadium and Mount Coot-tha for the group photo and ended at the Morrison Hotel in Woolloongabba. In Melbourne, more than 350 bikes turned up for the city’s revelry, including pillions and a couple of sidecars. Compare that to the 100-or-so riders last year. Or the mere dozen or so in the inaugural event the year before that. DGR organiser and ride leader for Melbourne, Pete Sheringham, says he wonders what might happen in 2015. “We were gobsmacked when 100 turned up last year, now look at this!” A handful of distinguished women joined in, too, looking suitably elegant. And it’s the one time that a lady moustache is acceptable, especially when drawn on with an eye-liner pencil. It was the kind of day when shenanigans such as wearing a kilt on a motorcycle earned respect rather than ridicule. Kilt-clad Alistair Walker described his ride experience as “just beautiful”. Adding, “But I think that it’s probably even be er and more entertaining for everyone else!” While the a ire varied so too did the machinery, some old steeds fresh out of the shed or a bit worse for wear. One rider ended up carrying the exhaust from his custom ‘70s Honda up St Kilda Road. Half of Melbourne heard about it too. Other riders spent the night before pu ing their bikes back together. The petrol tank on David Chetcuti’s 1976 Honda CB550K only came out of the paint shop at 2.30pm the day before. “So there I was at 7am, ﬁ ing the tank and AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 99

BY THE NUMBERS Riders worldwide: 20,000+ Cities worldwide: 220 Countries: 57 Money raised for prostate cancer research: $1.65 million (prostate cancer kills 1300 men a day worldwide. Get your prostate checked! Visit prostate.org.au.

■ Arriving in style. Cigar anyone?

pu ing petrol in it for the ﬁrst time,” he says. “But I didn’t get around to pu ing the badges on … It went well except the ba ery just died at the end of the day.” A troop of fully pimped monkey bikes were also punching well above their weight. Some 20 times above, if you do the maths. The chaps and lady chaps of Melbourne started their journey in Carlton, snaked through the CBD to the pits area of the Albert Park Formula One track and then to the Shrine of Remembrance for the group shot. The ride ﬁnished at the Kustom Kommune, the community, crowd-funded workshop in Collingwood, for chats, drinks, snacks and tunes. 100 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

The Kustom Kommune co-founder, Jimmy Goode, says it was a memorable day with extra cash raised from the bar, raffle and food going to charity. The workshop is celebrating its first year in existence and has 300 members. Jimmy says the boom in customised and old bikes is, in part, due to it being a relatively easy and cheap thing to do. “In Victoria at least, the club permit scheme really helps as it’s easy to get an old bike on the road … So many people are inspired to get into motorcycling again. It’s affordable and accessible,” he says. “It’s a scene that you can get into no ma er what you ride.” While the day was a blast and a terrific hoot, it did have a serious side and

everyone was mindful of the cause. Globally, more men are aﬀected by prostate cancer than women are by breast cancer. And if ever a demographic needed reminding about ge ing their prostate checked, it’s us gentlemen riders, especially those of more senior years. Think of it this way: if you nip prostate cancer in the bud, think of how many more years riding you will enjoy. But as successful as these charity events are, men’s health awareness and visibility runs a distant second to those of women — think Pink Ribbon Days, Mother’s Day Classics and the like. So c’mon chaps, pull your ﬁngers out (mind the pun). But back to the DGR in Melbourne,

DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN’S RIDE where Pete says its runaway success comes with growing pains. “The bigger it is, the harder it is to manage. If 500 people come along next time, it’s going to be a problem,” he says. “We will be a lot stricter on what bikes are allowed and also on the dress code. “The whole idea is to keep it a style of bike; that is cafe racers, classics, brats, trackers, scramblers, bobbers.” But, for now, it’s a jolly good day of fun. “You get to ride a motorcycle and wear a suit. And people do like to dress up. And, gee, they went to a lot of effort,” says Pete. “Dress like that during the week and you’d get called an idiot or a squid.” Next year’s route will be different in most cities to keep it interesting, and Pete wonders that certain bikes might even be excluded next year, in Melbourne at least, to rein in the numbers and maintain the integrity and the intention of the event. For kilt-wearing Alistair, he’ll be back in 2015, probably on his Ducati Pantah. “And yes, I’m already thinking about my outfit for next year,” he says. “It’s a really positive experience. It’s for people with a passion for motorcycles who can get involved in a great cause … and it’s just a fun thing to do!” ARR

r Smiles and smiles … and smiles

r Riding an old Guzzi makes you smile

r Kilt-wearer Alistair Walker in pit lane, Albert Park

■ Triumphs at the double

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Come stay with us FACILITIES:

FACILITIES: The Mallacoota Hotel Motel is conveniently situated in Mallacoota’s main street close to shopping, playgrounds, tourist information and easy access to all that Mallacoota and Croajingolong National

51-55 Maurice Avenue, Mallacoota VIC 3892 (PO Box 43) P: (03) 5158 0455 F: (02) 5158 0453 E: inncoota@bigpond.net.au www.mallacootahotel.com.au

Park have to offer.

• • • • • •

Bistro TAB Sky Channel Bottleshop Beer garden Air conditioned rooms • Secure parking • Saltwater pool

Just minutes to the fabulous beaches and

APSLEY ARMS HOTEL 33 N Derby Street, Walcha NSW 2354 Where the Oxley Hwy meets Thunderbolt’s Way

Experience a real Australian bush pub circa 1880. Modern accommodation with self-serve continental breakfast included. Bistro and bar meals. Reviewed and recommended in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Pub Food Guide.

walking tracks of the

P: (02) 6777 2502 www.apsleyarms.com.au

Wilderness Coast.

FACILITIES:

Ellie-cats at

Monkey Creek 227 Bells Line of Road, Bell, NSW 2786 E: ehajwan@gmail.com P: 0435 879 435 www.hattershideout.com.au

Ellie-Cats at Monkey Creek is for every body and anybody. We have a wide range of meal and drink choices. We do our best to accommodate all different diets and tastes. We are a friendly and experienced team who pride ourselves on customer service and presentation. Come for the view, stay for the coffee.

• Open 7 days from 9am • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Coffee, Drinks • Walk-ins welcome • Good for groups • Outdoor seating • Parking • Accommodation available - Cave & Lodge, Monkeys in the Attic and Lyre’s Loft.

FACILITIES: Head along to the Great Southern Inn, Eden, known as “that nice pub on the coast”. Drop in and enjoy some drinks at the bar, have a bite to eat and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere. Stop in for a light lunch or delicious 158 Imlay Street, dinner overlooking Eden NSW 2551 Twofold Bay. Eden’s staff buys the freshest E: greatsouth@bigpond.com ingredients from their P: (02) 6496 1515 www.greatsoutherninn.com.au best local suppliers.

Great Southern Inn

juice at the Snow Goose. Situated in the town centre, close to Mt Selwyn

Snow Goose Hotel Motel

(for snow skiing) and

Cnr Baker & Denison Streets Adaminaby NSW 2629 P: (02) 6454 2202 F: (02) 6454 2608 E: thesnowgoosehotel @bigpond.com

bushwalking. Enjoy a

beautiful Eucumbene for boating, ﬁshing, barbeques and meal in the country

Restaurant Bar Bottle shop Motel/Hotel rooms Backpacker accommodation • Lock up area for bikes • Games/ recreation room

• • • • •

HILLTOP HOTEL OMEO 107 Day Avenue Omeo VIC 3898

style dining room

P: (03) 5159 1303 F: (03) 5159 1304 E: thehilltophotel@gmail.com

and family bistro with weekend entertainment.

• Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner • Seats up to 150 guests for your function • Daily specials • Accommodation available • We are in the ‘Good Pub Food Guide’ for 2013

FACILITIES:

FACILITIES: Hang loose, hit the

• Discount for group bookings • Clean, modern accommodation • Great food & friendly bars • Garage for bikes • Guest lounge room with TV • Function room • Bistro area & The Green Room wine & cider bar

Situated at the top of the hill in picturesque Omeo Victoria, The Hilltop Hotel open 7 days, is under new management also new chefs with a mouth-watering menu. Accommodation basic but clean! Keeping prices low so you can make the most of your stay. Entertainment available for group bookings give us a call today.

• Free wiﬁ • Meals 7 days dinner and lunch • Bike lock up available • Beer Garden • Self-serve continental breakfast • Handmade pizzas Tue/Fri nights • Pool comp every Tuesday night • Accommodation/ meal packages for 2 or more nights stay • Cooked breakfast available on request

FACILITIES:

www.mallacootahotel.com.au

28 River St, Maclean NSW 2463 P: (02) 6645 2412 E: info@macleanhotel.com.au www.macleanhotel.com.au

Some country pubs choose to blend contemporary style with period features, while others still cling to their history and heritage, an aspect many visitors love and respect. But whether you prefer old-world charm or chic modern, a stylish suite or a cosy room with simple furnishings, our eclectic mix of rooms to stay offer something to suit all tastes, plus each one exhibits a high standard of cleanliness and maintenance.

• 2 mins off Paciﬁc Hwy on the Clarence River • Single, double and bunk rooms • Group bookings • $10 daily meal deals • Breakfast, lunch and dinner packages • Secure bike storage • Recently renovated • Full tab, live music and bottle shop

Come stay with us FACILITIES:

Omeo Highway, Anglers Rest, VIC P: (03) 5159 7220 E: lana@blueduckinn.com.au www.blueduckinn.com.au

The Blue Duck Inn stands in splendid isolation on the Cobungra River, surrounded by a million acres of National Park. Situated on the Omeo Highway between Mitta and Omeo, the Duck provides perfect accommodation for all the Motor Bike enthusiasts. The Duck is known for its ﬁne local foods and wine. An experience not to be missed.

• Perfect spot to stop for lunch and enjoy a cold one on the verandah overlooking the river • Accommodation in 2 bedroom self contained cabins • Choice of cooked or continental breakfast hamper available on request

FACILITIES:

5557 Omeo Highway Mitta Mitta, VIC 3701 P: (02) 6072 3541 www.mittapub.com

The newly renovated Mitta Pub is situated on the Omeo highway which we are glad to say is ﬁnally fully sealed. The historic pub is nestled on the banks of the snowy creek and provides the perfect place to relax and explore the stunning Mitta Valley.

FACILITIES:

FACILITIES: Motorcyclist owned motel located centrally to Victorian High country & Yarra Ranges. Ideal stopover to/from Phillip island and great ocean road. Only 1.5 kms off Hume Hwy on the doorstep to great road/adventure riding. Great pubs, cafes, restaurants close by. 53 Clifton st. Euroa 3666 VIC Ring and mention P: 0357952506 E: info@castlecreekmotel.com.au this advert for www.castlecreekmotel.com.au best rates

CASTLE CREEK MOTEL

• 17 units • Cooked/continental breakfasts • Single/double/twin & family rooms • Great rates on group bookings • Free Wiﬁ • Bike covers available • Free shuttle to pubs/ restaurants • Most rooms recently refurbished • Tours can be organised

• Open 7 days week lunch/dinner • 3 bars • Extensive beer garden • One cabin that sleeps four • Five queen sized rooms • Dorm room that sleeps seven • Extended food menu Thur - Sun • TVN

& ACCOMMODATION

26 E Fitzroy Street, Walcha P: (02) 6777 1117 E: royalcaf@bigpond.net.au www.walcharoyalcafe.com.au

A great dining experience with function room, licensed bar and excellent accommodation. With a relaxed & friendly environment we are the perfect spot for a quick bite or to celebrate a night out with a group. Come and see why Royal Cafe is the place that’s got it all ...

• • • • •

Dine in or takeaway Healthy & tasty menu Function room Licensed bar Excellent accommodation • Queen to single rooms to semi self contained cottage • Lock up sheds & drying room available

FACILITIES:

Explore the stunning Hunter Valley vineyards, Broke or Wollombi, visit historic Maitland and Morpeth village or ride through the picturesque valleys of Dungog, Gloucester and the Barrington Tops from the Thomas family’s Hotel Cessnock (located in the heart of Cessnock) or Shenanigans, the hotel with the most “craic” in Maitland.

234 Wollombi Road, Cessnock NSW 2325 P: (02) 4990 1002 E: info@hotelcessnock.com.au www.hotelcessnock.com.au 458 High Street, Maitland NSW 2320 P: (02) 4933 6566 E: info@shenanigans.com.au www.shenanigans.com.au

www.hotelcessnock.com.au www.hattershideout.com.au

• Dinner, Bed & Breakfast packages available • Spotlessly clean B&B, pub-styled rooms • TVs in all rooms, many with air-con • Award winning bistros at both Hotels • Open 7 days • Limited secure bike/ vehicle parking available by request

Be prepared When it comes to a big riding trip, there is nothing more important than being ready for the unexpected

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TRIP PLANNING STORY: ISAAC OOSTERLOO here really is nothing be er than the sensation of undertaking a long-haul motorbike journey. It allows you all the pleasures of the road ahead, done in your own way and style. It’s a way of travelling that is amazingly enjoyable, and can be a truly freeing and life-changing experience. We are incredibly lucky to have the wide, open spaces of Australia to explore. The huge distances, relatively low population and endless array of amazing natural wonders make it the ideal country to travel via motorbike. And the fact that most of this great continent operates on a wet/dry season basis means you can plan your journey accordingly year-round. If you have a healthy bike parked outside, the right gear stashed away and the right a itude, you can basically roll

out of any town in Australia whenever the hell you want. Add to this that fuel for a bike is incredibly cheap, the road quality in this country is generally pre y good and there are free camp sites just about everywhere (more if you make your own), it really is much easier than it sounds. However, there are some things you must plan for. You can pack and plan a motorbike trip to the end of your days. Go over your gear repeatedly until you feel damn sure that you have covered every possible scenario that could happen when you are out there on the big, bad road — but you probably haven’t. Things are always going to happen when you are out there — an endless possibility of scenarios that can and will unfold around you when you ride oﬀ and leave all of the comforts of home behind. But that’s what an adventure is and isn’t that why you le in the ﬁrst place?

When you adventure travel on a bike, you have to get very used to the idea that you are the source for everything you need. The option to duck into the nearest shop to grab the necessary item is a long way away now. You need to cover all bases and carry what you need on the bike. And the limited space of what you can actually strap on to the back while still maintaining a decent weightto-balance ratio can make things quite diﬃcult. The best thing to do is simply ensure that you have the right gear to keep yourself and your bike on the road. This entails supplying future you with adequate food, water, warm gear and tools for basic bike maintenance. A fuel can is a necessity if crossing the desert or doing long hauls between service stations and will save your life eventually. Also, try not to ride at dusk or night as this is when Australian wildlife is most active and visibility is poor. You do not ►

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 105

want to hit a kangaroo at 110km/h on a lonely highway. Traditionally, most bikers carry swags on long-haul journeys. The iconic imagery from Easy Rider of two guys with swags strapped on the backs of their bikes, which they can then throw down by a roadside ﬁre anywhere they choose is appealing, but I have found a traveller’s hammock to be a much be er option. These days, many companies manufacture hammocks that far surpass any of your average back deck hangers. I recently rode around the circumference of Australia with a close friend, and we both used Tenth Wonder

Hammocks, which are produced by a couple of English blokes out of Vietnam. It truly is an amazing bit of kit. Made out of lightweight parachute material, the hammock itself consists of main ropes, which tie to trees, poles, random strangers’ decks for the night etc. Above that sits two smaller elastic ropes that tie in with a mosquito net, which rises above the sleeper when you enter the hammock, creating a bug-free cocoon. For wet weather, a tarp is designed to tie in closely above the hammock, which, when pegged down with four tent pegs, creates a weatherproof cap. I have slept warm and dry with all my gear and bike safely

protected beneath me in one of these, in the middle of a North Queensland tropical storm for that ma er. And I cannot overstate this enough: get a really good pair of thermals. They will help you get through those long, cold nights in the wilderness and come in handy so many times on your journey. A good head torch is another item worth its weight in gold. Other key items that are incredibly handy to have around are a decent multi-tool and a good knife. What you need to carry with you are items that are versatile because when adventure touring, your environment and circumstances are constantly shi ing

More important than anything, though, you need the right attitude. When you truly let go and ride out of your comfort zone, it is massively important that you do so with an open mind towards whatever and whoever comes your way

■ Luggage needs to be unobtrusive to your riding position

■ You don’t need much for a comfortable night’s kip

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TRIP PLANNING

■ A glorious sunrise

■ You don’t need a dual-sport to go bush

■ The wide open road. Cue The Triffids …

■ The modern-day Swiss army knife. Pliers and solid screwdriver bits make it a motorcycling essential

and you need the right items to be able to deal with this. Trust me on this, you will leave with more than what you need and discard what you don’t along the way. It is always be er to ride with a lighter bike. As human beings we need water, food and sleep in good balance, especially when doing something like long-haul motorcycling. It is a diﬃcult endeavour. The constant state of mental focus needed to keep a big bike on the bitumen hour a er hour, mot to mention the physical strain, takes its toll a er a while. Therefore, it is important to make sure you have the right capabilities for

cooking. I have found that a small metho burner accompanied with a solid billy (I named mine Dennis Hopper) works well. As well as the necessary canned goods, I have always tried to carry fresh fruit and vegies with me. I found apples and carrots work well and are good things to carry as they stay fresh for a few days a er purchase, even in the warmth of saddlebags. Whenever I am in the wild, I will try as much as possible to source food from the bush. I only go with what I know, though, as a lot of fruit and berries can be poisonous. I have found, however, that young green coconuts in Northern ► AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 107

■ In search of the next adventure

Australia are a great source of sustenance and completely worth the effort of breaking into them. Then there is your water. Make sure your water source is OK. No ifs, no buts. Carry a lot of water. You will need it. Yes, it’s heavy but it sure beats dehydration. I usually ride with no less than 3L on the back and fill it every chance I get. More important than anything, though, you need the right a itude. When you truly let go and ride out of your comfort zone, it is massively important that you do so with an open mind towards whatever and whoever comes your way. You have to be able to make friends in seconds, then ride on minutes later. You need to be able to see that the cold night/rainstorm/bad mood you are in is a fleeting thing and will pass soon. Basically, you have to be quite strong mentally to be a good traveller and adventure rider — because you will be tested. You earn everything through your own efforts, and this is a fantastic 108 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

way to grow as a person. Also, being open to those you meet on the road allows you the chance to develop strong friendships and bonds with people as you pass. These are the people who will help if you are in trouble. These are the ones who will invite you into their camps for great nights and fantastic memories. These are the people you can sit with and swap stories of the road until dawn. These beautiful, random strangers are what you will remember at the end of it all. As far as bike maintenance goes, it is a very good idea to check your tyre pressure, oil, spark plugs and run a spanner over everything at regular opportunities. To ensure you can carry as much gear as you need, travel with saddlebags and a luggage rack on your bike, and check the strapping that holds your bags every morning. Carry some basic tools and get to know your bike and its mechanical conﬁguration. Listen to her engine for any imperfections and keep a close eye on her. You do not

want a bike going down in the middle of the desert, and that is something that I learnt the hard way. When you are out there on the road, she is all you will have. Give her all the love in the world and she’ll give it back. Then there is the question that I am o en asked: “What is be er, to ride with a mate or go it alone?” My answer: It depends on what you are looking for. I’ll put it this way, if it is a travel journey, I always like to ride with a mate. You get to have a fantastic ride throughout the day, in Australia’s pristine wilderness, then sit back over a ﬁre with some beers or rum and recap with a mate. Great times. However, if I broke up with my girlfriend, lost my job and felt that everything was going down the drain, I would want to jump on my bike and ride oﬀ alone. It’s an amazing way to have space, on your own terms, when you need it. What adventure motorcycle travelling in Australia does is allow you to witness and be fully integrated in the stunning

TRIP PLANNING

A fuel can is a necessity if crossing the desert or doing long hauls between service stations and will save your life eventually array of natural wonders this country oﬀers. You can travel the tropical beaches and hinterlands of Far North Queensland, New South Wales’ Northern Rivers country, and the deep and wildly primal desert areas of the Territory and Northern Western Australia’s Kimberley region. Then you have the vast red of the interior, the Margaret River region of South West Western Australia, the Nullarbor Plain, South Australia’s wine country, the Great Ocean Road and the untouched wilderness that is Tasmania. These are just a selection of the more well-known motorcycling regions in this country, and are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what is out there. In my personal experience, it is always the unheard-of spots, which are found a er a hard day’s ride, that are the most magical.

The hidden and unnamed places that stay with you long a er you have packed a bike with the dawn and rolled out of there. We are lucky to have this country as our home. It should be explored. It deserves to be, and doing this on the back of a bike is one of the best ways to do so. At the end of the day, though, as cheesy as it sounds (go a cater for the cynics out there), it is all about release. You can pack and plan. Pack and plan. Endlessly. For no real reason, apart from to satisfy that practical side of yourself that needs the reassurance. There will come a point, however, where you’ll sit on a fully laden bike with the road in front of you. You will look at it for a few seconds and then let go of the clutch and begin. ARR

r Having water to access constantly keeps you hydrated and, therefore, ensures your brain is working properly

r Head torch and a mate that can change a tyre — priceless

■ Travelling with a group is a great way to pool resources and share the adventure

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 109

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BIKE SETUP

Ge ing Adjusted

Does your ride feel not quite right? With a few subtle tweaks, you could have a much more comfortable and controllable machine beneath you

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 111

r Some monoshock systems have simple ride height adjustment as standard. Others don’t and require new links or adjustable rods to be fitted

rSometimes reupholstery or a new seat is the only way to make a seat shorter

r Loosen off the four handlebar mounts to move your handlebar forwards or backwards for a different feel

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STORY: DAVID CAUCHI PHOTOS: ARR ARCHIVES hen you start to ride motorbikes, you tend to learn from your peers. When I started riding, I began on a scooter with no knowledge about bikes, riding skills or bike gear. I began my education by reading everything I could and learnt through other people’s experiences and knowledge. I soon began to understand the joys of riding, as well as some technical things. I admit to being a total bike whore and I have had many bikes and scooters over the years. As a result, the one thing I have learned more than anything else is about ergonomics. On my ﬁrst scooter, I thought I was quite comfortable, however I was completely ignorant of the fact that the levers could be adjusted to be er ﬁt my small hands. The importance of ergonomics should never be overlooked. Rider comfort and access to the controls, seating and se ings is what makes for a be er ride and heightens safety. Accident prevention is the responsibility of the

rider. Immediate access to controls in a critical incident is what could save a life. Good ergonomics are crucial for longhaul rides when touring this big brown land. Rider fatigue is accentuated by a lack of rider comfort and this has the potential to put road users at risk. If si ing on your bike hurts, why put up with it? Is grabbing the levers a pain? What about clutch and rear brake pedals — are they comfy? Do you need a screen to reduce wind resistance on a naked bike? Or you may have just bought a brandnew bike or picked up a bargain and it’s now si ing in the garage, ready for you to look at and admire — a er all, you worked bloody hard for that bike! This is when you make that bike your very own. Here are some tips for achieving that comfortable machine. Remember, I am no bike mechanic so they are all adjustments anyone can do. You could get the bike shop to do it, however there will be a service fee.

SEATING I am a short bloke, so I am forever limited as to what type of bike I can ride by

BIKE SETUP the seat height. A good low seat height is 770mm. Most cruisers will have low seats. Some scooters will have low seats, however the larger-engine-capacity models will have higher seats. Sports and adventure bikes o en have high seats and you may need to invest in ge ing some of the padding removed to lower the seat height. The alternative is to ﬁt a ermarket lowering-kits. I know that BMW oﬀer factory-

fi ed lower seating at a cost. Some manufacturers do offer adjustable seats, but not on all models they make. However, it has been my experience that I have had to invest in lowering the bike to fit by using special lowering kits, or by ge ing the seat reupholstered. This is an expense that many people should not have to go through and, with be er designs, we should be able to adjust our own bikes.

LEVERS If you look at your front brake and clutch levers, you may see a turn dial. You use this to adjust your lever span. It’s simple — push the leaver away from you, hold, turn the dial and squeeze the lever to get the feel of the span of the lever. The lever assembly is bolted onto the handlebars. You can rotate it by loosening the bolts and rotating the lever down or up so the grab seems natural for you.

■ At the push of a button, BMW has a system to improve comfort!

r MV’s eccentric footpeg adjuster alters the height of the footpeg

r Like the brake lever, gear levers are usually height adjustable

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â&#x2013; With production lines there to assemble, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up to you to tune your ride to your physical requirements

The dial is used to adjust the lever to suit your handspan.

this, you will need to adjust the levers and mirrors as well.

HANDLEBARS

REAR BRAKE AND GEARSHIFT LEVER

If you have an adventure or touring bike, and on some small-engine sportsbikes, the bars are bolted on the top of the forks. You can rotate the bars up or down to suit your ride position; it may take a few a empts to get the adjustment just right. To make the adjustments, simply remove the cover caps on the top of the bolts, and using the correct Allen key. You can loosen the bolts and then li or lower the handlebar. Note: when you have done

Some manufacturers allow you to rotate the assembly of the rear brake and gear pedals by simply unbolting and rotating them to suit your leg length. Sometimes you may make minor adjustments by slipping in a washer to push out the unit. You could also spend some cash and buy an a ermarket assembly that be er suits your ride style and leg length.

r There are some great aftermarket adjustable clip-on systems around

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FOOTPEGS Some footpegs have rubber tops and others metal. You can buy new pegs to make the ride more comfortable. Footpegs are also part of the rear brake and gear-change assembly, and you may be able to buy a be er set that suits your ride style. Some Hyosung and Suzuki models have adjustable footpegmounting positions.

WINDSCREENS We all know that on some bikes there are screens which form part of the bodywork. Touring and adventure bikes

r Span-adjustable levers are a standard fitment on many motorcycles and there are some beautiful aftermarket ones around too

BIKE SETUP

r Winding in or out the rose joints adjusts the gearshift lever height

o en have either electric or manual adjustable screens. Make the eﬀort to ensure the screen suits your ride style. On sportsbikes, a bubble or alternate screen may give you be er airﬂow.

REAR SHOCKS Now, this is very technical. In the past, I got the bike shop techs to adjust them to suit my weight. Shocks are about bike loads and suspension travel. Some bikes will have easy wind-on knobs to raise or lower preload on the shock. Many will need tools to adjust things such as ride height. This is an area of bike set-up that is best le to the experts if you are in doubt of what you can do. I know some importers may think I’m having a whinge, however I am a consumer, like you, dear reader, and to build a be er bike is about listening to your customers. Bike designers keep forge ing to include, as part of the design, the ability to adjust

r A few clicks on a rear shock can dramatically improve ride comfort

your bike to suit you, the rider. In a perfect world, where development cost is not a concern, all bikes and scooters would have adjustable levers, pedals, seats and footpegs. Seats would have adjustable rubber mounts that could be swapped for lower or higher se ings; footpegs would be engineered to be raised and lowered and be moved forward or backward to be er suit a range of riders. The ﬁnal adjustment is you! When we ride, our personal safety is our responsibility. Every time we ride, we want to get be er with our skills. I have undertaken Advanced Rider Training, which dramatically improved my skills as a rider. Go on, have some fun and do a training course to improve your skills. A good bike that has been adjusted to suit the rider, coupled with rider training, means an enjoyable and safe ride. Are you wearing a good-quality

r Rolling the brake master cylinder up or down gives a very different feel

helmet? Have you got some gloves, a Gore-Tex jacket and some pants with Kevlar lining? This is also part of rider adjustment — protecting yourself. So, now that you have read all this, please go back to your bike and have a good look and start to make those li le adjustments. Begin with the handlebars and then brake and clutch levers, mirrors and footpegs. Is that seat good for you? How are the shocks/springs? Once all the adjustments have been made, you will be surprised at how comfortable your bike is and how enjoyable your ride. When you’re comfortable on the bike and can reach levers with ease, then you are safe and can ride at your best. Keep it safe fellow riders, and enjoy! ARR Special thanks to the guys at Peter Stevens Motorcycles, Adelaide, for their help.

r Have a look under dust boots for adjusters

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First response After one coupleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience, this vital first-aid skills course for motorcyclists was born

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FIRST AID FOR MOTORCYCLISTS FIVE STEPS AT AN ACCIDENT SCENE 1. Assess the scene Take a moment and a deep breath to assess the accident scene. It can be confusing, confronting and chaotic. You need a few seconds to overcome sensory overload and to identify who needs help. 2. Check for danger Look for sources of danger to yourself and others. Do you have other people nearby who can help reduce or eliminate danger? Ask them to control traffic and bystanders. You may need to move a casualty away from a petrol leak or fire.

STORY: ROGER FANCE he wallaby came out of nowhere and jumped straight into the front wheel of Tracy’s motorbike. The morning started out crisp and bright as we rode through the Bylong Valley on a glorious spring day. About 1km earlier, we had stopped while Tracy tucked her neck warmer under her helmet straps and cinched her helmet tighter. No idea of the chaos to come. I knew it was bad. Tracy was slammed down onto the road like she had fallen from a five-storey building. The bike cartwheeled as shrapnel filled the air. The wallaby was catapulted across my path. My bike’s momentum carried me through as I lost sight of Tracy tumbling down the road to my le . A sense of dread consumed me as I hit the brakes, jumped off the bike and ran back to my wife. Her injuries were serious but not life-threatening. She was wearing full leathers and her skin was saved. She was moving her legs but her collarbone and wrists were clearly broken. Later, we would find out she had 14 breaks to her ribs and had a partially collapsed lung. We were a long way from anywhere but there was a phone signal and a firstaid kit. It would take one hour for an ambulance to reach us and another hour for the helicopter to air-li her out. A few years earlier, Tracy was at the scene of a friend’s motorbike accident. A ute made an unexpected right turn into a fire trail. The rider lay on the road semi-

conscious and not breathing normally. His airways were swelling and it was clear something had to be done, and fast. He had been leading a large group so there were many riders at the scene, all with their own ideas of how it should be managed, especially around the question of helmet removal. Uncertainty about what to do, combined with the shock of such a high-impact collision, made it a long, anxious wait for the paramedics and helicopter to arrive. Seeing first-hand how critical it is to have good first-aid skills, and act decisively at an accident scene, inspired Tracy to become a senior first-aid instructor for St John Ambulance. Being an experienced first-aid-for-motorcyclists trainer and a keen rider, she began to realise that a standard first-aid course didn’t go anywhere near covering the vital things motorcyclists need to know. Riders weren’t learning about accident scene management to reduce danger to themselves and others. They weren’t learning about things that can be done to prevent accidents in the first place or lessen their impact, nor were they learning about what to do for a rider in a full-face helmet who had stopped breathing normally or how to move a casualty if absolutely necessary by themselves. And they weren’t learning about what was needed in a motorbike rider’s first-aid kit, or the means for effective communication in remote areas. The catalyst for starting First Aid for Motorcyclists came about when our club,

3. Get a response Determine if the casualty is conscious and responsive. Ask the casualty to stay still, open his eyes and tell you his name. The casualty may be anywhere in a range of consciousness. If you can, get as much information from the casualty as possible to pass on to the paramedics. 4. Send for help It is vitally important that you do this as soon as possible. If you have someone with you, get them to call for an ambulance while you continue to assess the casualty for breathing and injuries. 5. Treat the casualty If the casualty is unconscious and breathing, roll into the recovery position and continue to assess and control the injuries. If not breathing, you need to get the full-face helmet off, clear the airway and commence CPR immediately.

the Ducati Owners Club of NSW, asked Tracy to deliver training for its members. Knowing she was an accomplished firstaid instructor, the club provided seed funding for her course. Tracy began the many hours of extensive research needed to develop a half-day session. We weren’t trying to create a standard first-aid course replete with a certificate at the end of it — there are plenty of firstaid course providers. Instead, we were trying to create a punchy course that is directly relevant to motorcyclists and the ► AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 117

FIRST AID FOR MOTORCYCLISTS

sometimes-bad situations in which they find themselves. Our course includes key elements of a standard first-aid course combined with new modules wri en specifically for motorcycle road-related trauma and accident scene management. The course is endorsed by Royal Rehab, the Motorcycle Council of NSW Inc, Stay Upright, Honda Australia Rider Training (HART) and Skill Master. We wanted the course to be as handson, as information rich and as practical as possible. That is why, over a threeand-a-half-hour period, participants are jumping up at regular intervals to learn how to perform CPR on a manikin, to remove a full-face helmet safely for a non-breathing casualty, to move a casualty away from danger and to manage bleeding, breaks and burns. Students learn how to do all these things in the worst-case scenario of being alone. Learning is enhanced by videos that demonstrate how to pick up a motorbike if necessary, how to manage an accident scene to avoid other road users causing further danger and injury and how to perform hands-only CPR if helmet removal isn’t an option. Students also take part in accident scenarios

We were a long way from anywhere but there was a phone signal and a first-aid kit. It would take one hour for an ambulance to reach us and another hour for the helicopter to air-lift her out and discussions, collaborating and sharing ideas on how to best manage an incident, they learn about basic accident prevention and how to create and abide by group riding rules such as a buddy system and a pre-ride brieﬁng to enhance communication and safety. Our club has a long, proud history sponsoring Royal Rehab in Ryde, which provides specialist rehabilitation for people who have experienced injury or illness. Royal Rehab’s community relationship manager, Jim Towers, has been a fantastic support for First Aid for Motorcyclists, making a modern, state-ofthe-art learning environment available for our training in central Sydney. We run a First Aid for Motorcyclists course once a month or on demand if a club wants to book a course for its members. This is not your usual ﬁrst-

aid training course; at First Aid for Motorcyclists, the focus is entirely on learning motorcycle-related first-aid trauma management and understanding how to confidently manage an accident scene. The highly specialised areas of training include knowing when and how to remove a helmet and perform effective CPR, how to move a casualty in danger and manage bleeding, fractures, shock, head, neck and spinal injury. The training is targeted, specific and relevant; whether you commute or enjoy longer day rides in the country, this highly specialised course will provide you with the knowledge, skills and confidence necessary to provide immediate and critical first aid to a rider who’s come down. You will learn how to effectively handle the accident scene, preserve life and promote recovery until emergency services arrive. Remember, motorcyclists are more likely to come across other riders who have gone down. ARR

HOW TO The cost to attend is $55. For more information, visit firstaidformotorcyclists.com.au or contact Tracy Hughes on 0408 956 435.

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Retromod

1984 SUZUKI 750 KATANA

E E T K AT STR N Named d

DESIRE How to turn an $800 pile of junk into a work of road-riding art WORDS JUSTIN LAW | PHOTOGRAPHY OWEN STUART

HIS Suzuki Katana is wonderfully minimal. The original pop-up headlight and bikini faring is gone, the CBR600 F4 ducktail sharpens the rear and the cockpit view is free of clutter. Owner David Anderson has realised his vision of a retro street fighter that he’s dubbed Street Kat from a bike that started as a basket case. There was something about the 1984 Suzuki Katana GSX 750 that appealed to the Melbourne bike parts distributor. The bike was highlighted in Aussie flick Shame and that’s where he saw it and started imagining how it would fit in with his penchant for café racers and love of Suzuki’s stylish classic. “I had an ’81 650GS Katana for 15 years and when I saw this on eBay I thought, yes, this is the one,” he says. “Going to a basic street fighter was the idea. The original ducktail was damaged and I saw some pictures of an 1100 from Germany that was similar – it had the CBR tail, but still with the Katana fairing. I wanted to clean the front right up.” The bike he’d found was identifiable only by the owner’s description because it was hardly in a condition you would call an ideal starting point. “It was just 10 boxes of parts – it had been completely butchered. It was a rolling frame with an engine in it and that was how I got it. “Someone had started working on it as a street fighterr and done a terrible job. They sprayed the frame while the e engine was still in it, so half the engine was covered in paint. It was an absolute mess.” That meant a quick, cheap sale with David picking it up a for $800 and going straight to the professionals – Bikecraft in Mordialloc, Victoria. “Another guy had started rebuilding the subframe butt e,” it was just a horrible job with bird shit welds everywhere,” says Bikecraft’s Brad Wiseman. “The instruction from Dave a was to pretty much do what we did, but we had to start by getting rid of all the work that had been done before.”

retrobike

Retromod

1984 SUZUKI 750 KATANA

The skill of the custom builder lies in achieving a cohesive whole from disparate parts, and then having it all work together on the street. If you didn't know better, you'd swear it was stock but it's anything but

ISSUE #17

retrobike

At Your Fingertips WANT to hide those pesky switchblocks? Do what Dave did and wire in a set of GripAce digital pushbutton controls. It’s a simple strip unit that fits into any grip or can be mounted on the handlebar next to it, with a single wire routed through the handlebars to the CPU. Holding the left grip, you can feel a row of four small buttons under your fingertips. From right to left, the first button is for your right indicator, the next the horn, the third button is the left indicator and high and low beam is controlled with the last. Hold in the first two (horn and right indicator) to start the bike. “I wanted clean bars, and after a friend showed me GripAce digital switches, I decided that this would be ideal,” Dave says. He couldn’t find a local distributor so now sells them himself through his Keband Custom Parts business. Visit www.gripace.com.au or phone Dave on 0419 378 461.

retrobike

ISSUE #17

NEW LOOK retrobike

The engine was sent to Dynobike to install a Wiseco big-bore kit that Dave had imported from the US, taking the original 747cc out to 810. That was the only real modification to the powerplant, with most of the work going into the rolling stock and subframe. To transform the old Kat’s handling, it was decided a 2002 GSX-R1000 K2 had all the necessary parts – it was a class leader at the time. The original 16-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels are now a pair of 17s, and the old rebound-only adjustable conventional forks (with their fabulously ineffective hydraulic antidive system) have been replaced with the K2’s sexy upside-down fully adjustable items. The front end wasn’t such an issue because Bikecraft makes its own billet triple trees (with a neat design flourish) to suit. The trouble was fitting the new rear end to the old square-tube cradle frame. The first-generation single shock was replaced with the Gixxer Thou’s awesome fullyadjustable unit along with the substantial alloy swingarm it’s attached to. “I wanted a wider rear wheel and the only way to do that was to replace the swingarm,” Dave says. “To make it fit we also had to modify the front sprocket, which I had done in the US.” The 530 chain conversion sprocket, with a spacer to offset it for the wider rear wheel, was sourced from Rob Wilton (www.parts.suzukikatana.com) who stocks a bunch of useful upgrade bits. However, fitting the swingarm was more involved. “We had to modify the frame to mount the swingarm and shock,” says Brad. “That was the tricky bit and took a bit of trial and error, but we got there.” Once that was done, it was time to move onto the sitting bit. “We fabricated the whole subframe – it was time consuming to get it all right,” Brad says. “Dave had the idea of using the Honda CBR600 F4i tail and we sat it on there and looked to see where we could go with it. “The tail piece had to be trimmed and welded to make it match up with the tank, so it isn’t totally original, and we made the sections between the tailpiece and the tank as well.” The old two-up Katana seat was cut in half and the front section re-covered in custom leather, while the F4i’s pillion pad under the cowl was re-covered in red to match the Suzuki lettering on the tank. “It kinda keeps that old Katana red and silver two-tone thing going,” Dave says. With the Honda’s silver cowl on, the ducktail is neatly matched to the height of the iconic fuel tank. It was the first of the ‘hornet thorax’ look with the aggressive lines resembling a sword – hence the name Katana – and it set this model apart from the rest when it first appeared. Keeping that style was important and in this reimagining has been enhanced with the sharper tail, which makes up for ditching the trademark fairing and pop-up headlight. “The headlight wasn’t with the bike when I got it,” says Dave. “The units on it now are Dominators from the UK.” Brad custom-made ISSUE #17

retrobike

TOO SEE MORE PLEASE CALL 1300 303 414 TO ORDER THE LATEST ISSUE.

TESTING,TESTING

YAMAHA MT CARGO PANTS These pants are so comfortable, I wear them frequently. Sometimes I’ve even removed the body armour and worn them when I don’t have any plans to ride the bike. Relatively light and cut to be loose but not baggy, Yamaha’s MT cargo pants are also pre y trendy. They’ve been released as part of the MT series catalogue and they feature the MT logo, but I wouldn’t let the lack of an MT motorcycle stop me wearing the pants. Made for Yamaha by Spidi, they use light but strong pure-co on fabric throughout, almost what you’d call a light canvas. There are no synthetic linings or anything. In a critical area, it’s double-layered for protection. The thread holding it all together is thick and the important seams are double-stitched. The bulk of their protection comes from four pieces of foam armour, covering your hips and knees. They’re CE approved but not overly bulky armour, and you’ll hardly notice the presence of the hip pads even when you sit down. However, for all the armour and so on, the MT cargo pants are still lightweight and will only provide a limited amount of abrasion resistance if you go sliding down the road. Keep this in mind when thinking about buying them. The upside to their light weight is their 120 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

comfort, especially now that the hot weather’s here again. I’ve ridden in them on chilly days with a good pair of thermal pants underneath and was warm enough, but the MT pants are best as summer riding gear. They’re cooler than anything else, including regular denim jeans. You can move freely in them, another plus, which comes from their loose cut as well as the inclusion of stretch panels above the knees. When I copped a day of on-and-off showers recently, another li le benefit of the lighter co on came to light. The pants dry off quickly when the rain stops. Judging by my pair of 34s, the sizing is on the larger side — I’m more a 33 and these seem more like a 35, but that’s be er than it being the other way around. I very much like the fact that they’re a long-legged cut so when I’m si ing on the bike, I don’t have my ankles bared to the breeze. The positioning of the knee pads, which fix to strips of Velcro, allows for a good range of vertical adjustment, too, so you can get the armour placed where it’s most comfortable. The tapered cut of the trousers is all the go these days. It doesn’t, however, prevent you from pulling them down over the top of a pair of motorcycle boots, not if you don’t have a particularly bulky pair, anyway.

Looking good, staying cool, staying safe and filming yourself while you do it all. What else do you need this month?! The stylish design goes further. Lines of stitching and the pockets and added layers all do their part. The zips are metal, looking much more purposeful than plastic, but they’re also a bit sharptoothed so, er, take care with the ﬂy, fellas. All the zips have large tabs to pull on. The two leg pockets are sealed with zips, one horizontally across the top and the other, less usefully, with a vertical zip. You get two regular front pockets and two rear pockets that close with ﬂaps and press studs. There are cheaper riding pants than these $300-or-so ones, of course. That choice is yours. You can also choose to kit yourself out in the matching polyester-mesh $400 MT Techno jacket, but I haven’t had a look at one to be in a position to pass judgment on it. I’m certainly happy with the MT cargo pants. They are excellent casual riding pants that are super comfortable and trendier than I’ll ever be. — MM

DETAILS Price: $299 Sizes: 28-40 Info: Yamaha dealers or yamaha-motor.com.au

PRODUCT REVIEWS

VENTZ These li le gadgets have been around for a li le while and I’ve always been keen to give them a run. I got a pair recently and managed to do quite a few kays with them wedged onto the sleeves of a few jackets. Ventz are exactly what the name suggests. Slipped into the bo om of your jacket’s sleeves, they funnel air in and up your arms, the idea being to cool you down while you ride. They do it well. You’d be surprised how much heat builds up around your arms when your jacket is covering them and your gloves prevent much air, if any, ge ing inside the sleeves. The ho est

jacket I have is Harley’s Triple Vent, provided for review earlier this year, and its thick, black leather absorbs plenty of sun, which, despite the huge vents in the jacket’s torso, is harder to disperse from the sleeves. In this case, the Ventz were the ﬁnishing touch the H-D jacket needed. Now, when I open up the vertical zips, a stream of air can pass up my arms to complement the one going around my body, before it all exits out the back. My adventure-riding RST suit has twoway zips in the bo om of the sleeves so that I can open them up to let air in. It’s good but there was always the issue that the opening was facing out to the side, not into the wind, so I never got a direct blast. Inserting the Ventz into the RST, everything changed and, like with the Harley jacket, the cooling eﬀect increased greatly, making a great jacket be er again.

In both cases, the vents on the rear of the jackets, which let air out, enhanced the work of the Ventz. All that air coming in has to get out again to make room for more cool air. In jackets with li le or no venting out the back, I’ve found the Ventz still provide a good effect. The movement of air up the sleeves forces air to circulate in the rest of the jacket. Figures published by Ventz, using a sensor to measure temperature changes inside a jacket, indicate drops of almost 10°C over a 10-minute period, including being stopped in traffic for some of it. Wearing Ventz adds another few seconds to your dress-up time before you get on the bike but ge ing them in place is not fiddly or awkward. If the temperature drops or it starts to rain while you’re on the go, you can quickly rip them off and drop them into your tankbag or pocket — obviously more safely if you stop first, but in the right circumstances you may not have to. A coarse mesh filter stops the Ventz ingesting too many bugs and other debris. The design is simple, with a gentle curve on the base to follow the contours of your arm and a clip to hold them to the jacket, though it hangs onto some be er than others. They are made from tough, sha erproof materials and look like they’ll last years. Blasting some air up your sleeves is an effective way of keeping cooler on hot days, and Ventz do it. They put the finishing touch on vented jackets too. — MM

DETAILS Price: $29.99 Colours: Black, blue, red, white, yellow Info: 0740976645, ventzaustralia.com.au

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HITCASE PRO The popularity of video cameras on motorcycles has grown astronomically over the past year. Well, from what I’ve seen out on the road anyway. It’s common to see helmet or handlebarmounted ones on bikes. The reasons for running them are typically for evidence in the event of an accident or self-indulgence. The la er is why you’ll ﬁnd them on everything from the weekend ambler through to the weekday commuter. At the same time, the popularity of GPS units on bikes has become just as high. Gone are the days where the ride was the adventure. Time is short and ge ing to the destination as quickly as possible is essential. A good whack of the Aussie population owns iPhones, which feature perfectly good cameras and GPS programs, not to mention a plethora of applicable apps for what most people need. So why spend a load of money on a compact video camera and GPS unit when you can simply use your phone? Don’t have a way to mount it or keep it dry and safe, you say? The Hitcase is the solution. Waterproof to 10m, fully sealed and shock absorbent, the Hitcase is made for the iPhone 4/4s and 5/5s. It protects your phone from the elements all while allowing you to make full use of all its bu ons and touchscreen. You can even take calls when the phone is in the case. The phone goes into the Hitcase simply and quickly. The case adds a bit of bulk to the size of your phone — you won’t be sliding it into your pocket too easily. But that’s not what it is made for. The Hitcase is for rugged outdoors use, like on the handlebars of a motorcycle. The mounting system allows a quick

“You can have a mount on your helmet, handlebars and chest and go between them in seconds.” and simple release of the case, which you can a ach to whatever you desire. You can have a mount on your helmet, handlebars and chest and go between them in seconds — a fuss-free alternative to some of the clunkier compact video camera designs. There is a 3x wide-angle lens ﬁ ed to the case that gives a much more impressive camera angle on your video. There’s a plug in the base of the case that exposes the headphone jack if you want to use it. Hitcase has its own app, dubbed Vidometer, which allows you to overlay speed, altitude, shock and G-force on your videos. Great for those hard and fast rides, not so much for your daily commute! There’s plenty of other apps that will extend the possibilities of how you can use your iPhone, not to mention the bunch of accessories for the Hitcase that

enable you to use your iPhone in the car, on weekends at the snow, even out in the surf or on a pushbike if that’s your thing. The video captured through the Hitcase’s lens is an improvement. Use of the iPhone’s bu on and touchscreen is less ﬂuid with the case ﬁ ed and sound is a bit damped, but they’re small prices to pay for what the case provides. The Hitcase Pro retails for $129.95 and accessories start at $14.99 and top out at $49.99 for some of the mounting options. — MATTHEW SHIELDS

DETAILS Price: $129.95 plus accessories Info: 03 9013 2625, s3performance.com.au

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PRODUCT REVIEWS RACI-BABI DO-RAG We had our tongues gently nestled into our cheeks when we published a short article on helmet hair in issue #106, but there was indeed a serious side to it, and anyone with long hair and a motorcycle will know how serious it is. It’s not always about the messy look, it’s about the genuine hassle of tangled, kno ed hair and the damage that can be done when it’s whipping about in the wind. Vanity and practicality — they both have their place. Raci-Babi has a product specifically designed to cosset your curls while you ride. The Diva-Do Do-Rag is not only a great title for a pop song, it’s a clever bit of headwear for under your helmet. Made from stretchy polyester, it’s light and fits neatly into a pocket when you take it off at your destination. The Do-Rag is almost a cross between a head scarf and a sack. To put it on, bundle up your hair behind you and cup the Do-Rag’s elasticised main section underneath it. This makes a neat pouch for your long hair to sit in. You then bring the tie-ends of the Do-Rag up over the top of your head, down and around the bundle of hair and tie a knot. Your hair’s now nestled inside a secure and windproof “sock” that’ll ensure it stays neat and tidy throughout your ride. Once you get the hang of tying the Do-Rag, the bundle will always be placed comfortably below the back of your helmet, so there are no pressure points against your head. No braids, no pins, no knots. The Do-Rag can come undone if you tie a loose knot, but that lesson is an easy one to learn. Of course, I am not the person to trust with such opinions. I haven’t had long hair since I accidentally got a mullet in 1993 (just in time for my

passport photo, to my embarrassment for the next 10 years). Anne and Kirstie served as my crash-test dummies and gave me the good oil. Speaking of oils, Raci-Babi claims the Do-Rag, being made from “active wear” material, wicks away moisture but doesn’t leech essential oils from your hair. Certainly the girls, who both have ﬁne and dry hair, didn’t complain at all, and I can add a personal opinion here because I tried Raci-Babi’s Wick It, a helmet liner made from the same material. My oily hair was happy too. So was my helmet, which hasn’t go en dirty as quickly as it normally does. The Wick It is designed for people with short hair, not for the sake of the hair but for the sake of comfort. The Wick It did

add a li le comfort under my helmet, in the same way I’m sure the Do-Rag would, by reducing sweatiness and providing a low-friction layer between head and helmet. It’s shaped to ﬁt on your head like a beanie. Anna Hood, who created the Do-Rag, says she made it initially for herself and her very long hair. It’s obvious the Diva-Do Do-Rag has been invented by someone who had intimate knowledge of the problems of helmet hair because it works well. — MM

DETAILS Price: From $US39.95 Colours: Heaps! Info: raci-babi.com

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 123

WHATZ NEW

MUSTANG SEATS FOR TRIUMPH ROCKET III Mustang has released touring seats for Triumph’s Rocket III. Mustang’s two-piece seat set for the Rocket III brings the rider 13mm lower than stock and almost an inch further back. The combination of controlled-density polyurethane cushion and the more relaxed riding position makes a real difference in the long haul. A wide 430mm bucket for the rider and 305mm passenger seat provide

SHANNONS BUSINESS DIRECTORY Released by Shannons Club, the Shannons Business Directory has been created to provide motoring enthusiasts with a resource listing of automotive businesses, products, services and a whole lot more. The directory 124 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

comfortable support for long journeys and there is an optional removable builtin rider backrest. The set is available in a two-piece studded or vintage-style seat with an array of accessories for the Rocket III Touring, including studded or vintage fender bibs as well as studded or vintage tank bibs with an optional storage pouch. Price: from $US509 (two-piece Vintage seat) Visit: mustangseats.com

has a huge range of searchable categories and subcategories, Google maps and keyword search functions, complete business descriptions, as well as locations, trading hours, contact numbers, email contacts and website addresses. A valuable tool for two and four wheels.

BERIK 2.0 JACKET With a nice blend of comfort and performance features, the new 2.0 jacket range was inspired by the racetrack and built for the road. Made with a full-grain leather and highendurance nylon body, the jackets include a polyester internal fixed mesh lining that is fully breathable for your comfort, and the thermo vest liner can be removed to make the jacket even cooler. With CE-approved internal protectors at the shoulders and elbows and top-notch construction materials, the 2.0 is great for riding in the warmer months. The men’s Protect jacket comes in black and yellow or white colour combinations, while the Absolute is available in those colours in both men’s and women’s cuts. Price: $599.95 (men’s Protect); $499.95 (men’s and women’s Absolute) Visit: ficeda.com.au

NEW AND INTERESTING STUFF TRI NATURE Though Tri Nature’s line of environmentally friendly, highperformance cleaning products are named for cleaning cars, the products are also perfect for cleaning your bike. Made in Australia from natural and renewable materials with no animal testing, Tri Nature’s Carma Car Care products contain no phosphates, nitrates or petrochemicals. Containing 100 per cent plant-based cleaning agents, they deliver a professional finish without the toxic odours and residues of ordinary automotive cleaning products. The car wash concentrate, interior protectant, interior cleaner and wheel wash combine to make a great cleaning team, while going easy on Mother Nature. Price: $14.95 each Visit: trinature.com

SW-MOTECH FOR BMW R NINET SW-Motech has expanded its product range for the BMW R nineT to include an array of tank bags and accessories featuring its own quick-lock system. Also available are tail bags and carrier systems for different application requirements, as well as a variety of crashprotection gear and a mirror extension, with further products set to be released soon. Visit: sw-motech.com

HIGH-FLOW K&N FILTER FOR H-D TC103 TOURING MODELS K&N’s washable and reusable high-flow air filter is designed and manufactured for increased performance and longer life. While the air filter box used on 2014 and 2015 Harley-Davidson Touring models equipped with Twin Cam 103 engines is capable of increasing intake airflow over the older design, it is also fitted with restrictive disposable filters. Owners of 2014-2015 Road King, Electra Glide Ultra Classic, Tri Glide Ultra, Electra Glide Ultra Limited, Street Glide and 2015 Road Glide or Freewheeler models can all run these filters. What’s more, they are made in the USA. Price: $106.95 Visit: ctaaustralia.com.au

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 125

NEW AND INTERESTING STUFF TOURATECH BAR RISERS BMW R1200GS/GSA Bar risers by Touratech for BMWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s watercooled R1200GS and GS Adventure are now available in three different heights: 15mm, 25mm and 40mm. While some other bar risers can require replacement of brake lines or other controls, the aluminium Touratech risers use the stock brake lines and levers. Price: from $103 (15mm riser) Visit: touratech.com.au

CORBIN SUZUKI V-STROM SEAT Corbin now offers a seat for the 20132014 Suzuki V-Strom 1000. Built from high-density Comfort Cell foam on a fibre-tech base for excellent support and superb fit, the seat is topped off with a custom leather cover for a custom look. It is also available with the optional extra of electric heating and in a wide variety of leather styles and colours at no added cost. Price: $US393, $US533 (heated) Visit: corbin.com

126 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

ELITE PRODUCTS Elite Products has relocated its complete trailer-building operation to NSW. Located in Helensburgh, just south of Sydney, Elite is now manufacturing and selling all of its trailers and accessories from its new premises. The company also offers maintenance and upgrades to all trailers, such as installing batteries, charging systems and

front pods. Elite is also set to be manufacturing stainless-steel fuel tanks that will be fitted under trailers. Keep an eye on the website for photos and further details. Visit: eliteproducts.com.au Unit 11/21 Cemetery Road, Helensburgh NSW Contact: 1300 734 700, 02 4294 9367 or

NEW AND INTERESTING STUFF TW STEEL VR46 COLLECTION TW Steel in partnership with MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi’s VR46 lifestyle brand has released a distinctive watch collection based on “The Doctor’s own unique style”. In 40mm and 45mm

TRUE LASER TRACK True Laser Track is a patented laser alignment system for the Can-Am Spyder. Via machined adapters that attach to the steel centre-front spindle where

the wheel bearing is located, the True Laser Track allows the exact centre of the rotating front wheel mass to be used to set the steering alignment. The adapters ensure measurements are incredibly precise — to the width of

sizes, the watches have carbon cases, reinforced mineral crystal and a water resistance of 10 ATM. The watches incorporate a carbon-fibre design dial featuring the VR46 logo, a steel case back and crown and a powerful Miyota three-hand movement with the dial encompassing a 24-hour indicator and date display.

a human hair — and alignment can be complete in less than an hour. This system has also been endorsed by BRP for use on Spyders. Visit: spydercomfort.com Contact: Peter +64 9428 5916 or

RAD GUARD FOR YAMAHA MT-07 Rad Guard has a new guard available for Yamaha’s MT-07. Designed for a simple fit, the guard is fitted using existing mounting points on one side and a pin system on the other. The expanded mesh sits off the radiator’s core by 10-15mm so even if there is a direct hit from any road debris, it will not hit your radiator with Rad Guard’s robust frame system holding the protective mesh in place. Price: $156 Visit: radguard.com.au Contact: 02 6658 0060 AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 127

READERS RITE WINNER Having ridden only relatively small motorbikes for many years now, with my current ride being a Kawasaki Ninja 250, I have been convinced to step up to something more suitable for longer day and overnight trips. My thoughts lie along the lines of a Honda 500X ABS as I feel more comfortable with a lighter, economical bike that I can handle in a conﬁned space as I have not much room for parking in my carport. Also, living in the country, I do have to think about servicing and the availability of spares. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Your magazine continues to provide me with a huge amount of reading because it covers such a wide range of topics. Brian Coogan, Email You won’t go wrong with the 500X, as it will ﬁt the circumstances you’ve described. It won’t feel as sporty as the Ninja, so it might be worth considering the F- or R-model Hondas if you prefer that sportiness, but the extra suspension travel of the X will suit the state of country roads you probably have where you live. The bo om line is to try to get a test ride. If you can put a bit of pressure on your dealer for it, you may get a chance. You certainly won’t regret the step up in power and performance, especially on those longer rides. — Matho

EAST ISLAND ECTASY New Zealand is close to my heart. A er all the foreign touring I have done, including 19 fantastic American tours, I have no qualms whatever saying that New Zealand is the points leader by a country mile. It ticks every box — a big one being the huge lack of crowds to spoil the enjoyment. I feel qualiﬁed to say this because, as you may know, I have had a connection there since 1984. At that time, I led a tour sponsored by the Bear, and soon a er that joined forces with Te Wai Tours in 1987. That company has expanded very 128 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

successfully and today dominates the New Zealand motorcycle tour business. Te Wai provides the bikes used by Edelweiss for their tours, and also Ron Ayers. Te Wai staff also own 50 per cent of NZ Bikes. They also do Germanspeaking tours for the German ADAC. Speaking to John Rains this morning, he wants me to duck over for a quickie to help run-in eight new BMWs from Auckland to Christchurch depot. A nice opportunity to try the new BMs. One advantage of doing a New Zealand tour, not mentioned in the magazine, is the opportunity to meet other foreign tourers. I personally have friends literally all over the world that can be traced back to meeting them on a New Zealand tour (last count was 36 NZ tours). Some of our most amazing trips would never have happened had we not met people in New Zealand. My best friend in Flagstaff, Arizona, (USA) — where my American GS lives — has a garage full of machines including the Ducati Multistrada, new KTM 1190, BMW Adventure, a Porsche 911 Carrera and a Porsche Cayenne, plus several classic 356s. It’s like a pig in mud there. We have toured with him to Africa, Alaska, Eastern Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Peru. He and friends toured China in 2006, but unfortunately we missed that one. It was a logistical nightmare, but the stories never end. Te Wai these days has unlikely group customers from Russia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Mexico. The internet has had a profound effect on the motorcycle touring business. Currently, my Flagstaff friend and Al Jesse, who also worked as a guide for Te Wai in the early 1990s, are researching a Morocco adventure in 2015. Our names are on the very short list. None of this would have ever happened without the New Zealand connection. We’re off to Canberra tomorrow for a quick trip on the Multistrada. It needs a new front tyre. Peter, Email

on’t forget to write! We mean it. We love to hear from you and everyone else does too; these pages are among the most popular in the magazine. Preferably, keep le ers under 300 words so we can ﬁt more in, though we will allow the odd exception without taking to it with the editorial knife. Yes, we will chop ’em when we have to. Do include your real name and some contact details, just in case we need to clarify something. Please write to roadrider@universalmagazines.com.au or send mail to Road Rider, Unit 5, 6–8 Byﬁeld Street, North Ryde NSW 2113 — Matho

WIN THIS, LOOK HOT Every issue we’re giving away this beaut pack of Motul cleaning gear worth $49.95. All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is write to us. We’ll pick what we think is the best letter every month and the top blokes at Motul will fire out this pack to whoever wrote it. Simple. Pack includes some of the best washing and detailing products on the market: •

Wash & Wax, a waterless cleaner that leaves a wax coating

•

Moto Wash, good for all surfaces

•

Scratch Remover, a micro-abrasive cream for painted surfaces

•

Helmet & Visor Clean, to keep your lid and your view pristine.

Email roadrider@universalmagazines. com.au or mail to ARR at 5/6-8 Byfield St, North Ryde NSW 2113. We’ll do the rest.

LETTERS DRESSED FOR SUCCESS When are the motorcycle clothing design dudes going to give some time and dedication to the suited-up city business lovers of bikes? I can’t tell you how many times I need to get to TV stations, business meetings and events quickly during peak hour. That means no time for cars, I can’t ﬁnd a taxi when I want one, and the bike is the best way to get there on time, even suited up. But I can hear the howls from all you safety Sams already: “Get that leather jacket on and where are your riding boots?” Well, I have my Kevlar jeans on. I’ve bought a pair of RM Williams Gardener boots. They are the best workwear boots for motorcyclists from RM, I reckon. They last. Steel toes, hard heels, rubber treads and ready for the oﬃce too. So that brings me to the sports jacket. There is a massive demand for business sports jackets with some protection for motorcyclists. Yes, we should wear our standard guard-loaded jackets but sometimes it’s not that practical. Can someone please produce a wardrobe of sports jackets, of all

THE BLIND TRUTH We have had two articles in ARR on the likely ineﬀectiveness of possible legislation requiring motorcyclists to wear high-visibility jackets. I totally agree. The problem of collisions between vehicles is not the fault of car drivers failing to see motorcycles, but of failing to perceive the motorcycle. How many motorists are surprised at the collision? How many plead, “I did not see them”? Well, they did see them. They just did not perceive them. The diﬀerence between seeing and perceiving is not subtle. It is large. The eye is triggered by light to produce nerve impulses carried by the optic nerves to the primary visual cortex where the brain recreates the image. The image is passed to the secondary visual cortex for interpretation. It is this interpretation that the brain then passes to the cerebral cortex, seat of our consciousness, for our awareness. This explains why, as described in an earlier ARR article, accidents between cars and motorcyclists are less common in countries with high proportions of

colours, with some shoulder, elbow and back protection for the city rider? It will go off. And I’d be the first in line. By the way, the deep Jade Pearlcoloured Harley in the picture is a cracker. I know it’s been well reviewed here previously, but it’s a remarkable beast. I had a two-week test drive of a brand-spanking-new Harley Night Rod Special recently and this will be a difficult withdrawal period — 1300ccs of sheer, cool grunt ... and when you asked this thing to put in, it fair-dinkum growled. Growled with a smile. It sounds big, without sounding loud. It glides through corners with ease, despite the big, chunky rear tyre. It’s long yet easy to manoeuvre, even in a business suit, and the dual-disc Brembos are brilliant without being sensitive. The tank is under the seat and although it made me look like a dork at the petrol station, I love the new design and the frame cra ed on the outside of the bike as well. That’s thinking beyond the envelope. The design highlight for me is the exaggerated twin-gauze aluminium cooling fins. Too hot for words. I’ve never had so many people pull me up,

motorcycles on the roads. Drivers there are so used to motorcycles that they do perceive them all. I said that the distinction between “seeing” and “perceiving” is not subtle. An easy example is your blind spot. Close your le eye and look ahead at a point in front of you. To the right of that point is an area that you cannot see at all — your blind spot. Can you see a hole in your view ahead? No, because your brain ﬁlls in the hole with what it expects to be visible and passes the ﬁlled-in interpretation to the consciousness. You cannot perceive what the eye does not see. We can demonstrate the blind spot with a blank sheet of paper. Draw a 5mm cross to the le of centre. About 100mm to the right, draw a similarly sized circle. Hold the page up in front of you at arms length, with the cross and circle level with your eyes. Close your le eye, focus on the cross and bring the page towards you. At a distance of about 350mm, the circle will disappear. Continue bringing the page towards you; at about 250mm distance the circle will reappear. The point is that you are not usually

as I hopped on or jumped oﬀ a bike. It is an incredible motorbike. And once someone manufactures a motorcyclefriendly sports jacket, I’ll be in heaven, cruising the city from meeting to meeting. And always in sight of the bike, of course. Chris Smith, Email

aware of this hole in your visual field. Your brain fills it in and presents its filledin representation to you. You perceive the interpreted image. Another example: look ahead. Your visual field is about 200º. If you hold your arms out sideways and move them back to the very edge of your visual field they will both be pointing slightly behind you. You are actually only seeing colour in the middle third of your view ahead, the middle 70º. What? But the whole view ahead is seen in colour. Yeah? No. The outer third is seen in black and green, the colour is mostly added in based on experience and expectation when the brain interprets the image. This can be demonstrated with a volunteer seated in front of you fixing their gaze on one point ahead. You have four 200mm discs of paper, coloured red, blue, green and yellow, stuck on the ends of a ruler, kni ing needle and piece of wire — something about 300mm long. Hold it so only one colour will be visible and bring this forward at arm’s length from behind your volunteer’s visual field and ask them to state what colour AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 129

LETTERS they see. You may have to bring the disk forward some distance before they will state a colour. And half the time they will be wrong because with a choice of four colours, half the time the brain will “guess” the wrong colour to present to the volunteer’s consciousness. We could go on for several pages with other examples of the diﬀerence between seeing and perceiving. My point here is that all car drivers will see motorcyclists, but not all will perceive us. How can we increase the number of car drivers that perceive motorcyclists and adjust their driving accordingly? Car drivers with experience of riding a motorcycle will be more likely to perceive us. With the remainder, we could stage competitive low-power scooter competitions around a course at local shows. This brief experience of motorcycling may increase their perception rate. Also, we could encourage perception by competing to see which car drivers see the most motorcyclists on their daily journeys, so they are actually looking for us. Hopefully others will come up with be er ideas. Meanwhile, it is le to motorcyclists to remember that we may be invisible to car drivers and to drive defensively, keeping an adequate safety bubble around us as we navigate city traﬃc.

ALPINE RALLY Mick, I can give you some history on the Alpine Rally. The pictures of me and members of the Light Cycle Club in issue #106 have the year 1969. In fact, it was 1970, as I am riding the Kawasaki F4 Sidewinder — a 1970 model. The ﬁrst event was in 1968, called the Snowy Run, organised by Paul Giles and we stayed at the Dalgety Hall. The following year was held at Yarrangobilly in the Brindabella Ranges and the event was renamed the Alpine Rally. I a ended all these until about 1973 and have a few photos of the ﬁrst one at Dalgety. In 1968 and ’69, I rode my 1962 R60 complete with white Avonair fairing and in 1970, decided to take the F4 Kawasaki to play in the snow. The two in the 1982 picture are Light Cycle members Alan and Karen Dale. Hope that makes the unreliable history a li le more clear … I still ride my BMW John Glew, Email ’85-model R80 RT.

130 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

Hi-vis waistcoats are not the solution. Being seen is not the problem; it is not being perceived that causes collisions. Anthony Wheeler, Email I was si ing by the side of the road the other day, with my bike, watching the traﬃc as I waited for someone to join me. I watched a woman turn out of a side street directly in front of a bright-blue hatchback (one of those you really can’t miss, surely!) without any clue. She was paying enough a ention to see my reaction and shot a very accusing look at me, clearly challenging me to justify my shocked expression. I simply pointed behind her; she saw the li le hatchback braking and swerving past her tail light. She suddenly looked a bit contrite. She had absolutely no idea how close it was to a very bad crash. Of course, we’ve all been that li le blue hatchback, haven’t we? — Matho

RIDING ON Hey Road Rider team. My daughter has mild intellectual and physical disabilities. As a teenager, she loved pu ing around on the back of my li le Virago 250. The years have gone by, she’s a young woman now and the Virago was replaced by a Hornet 900. She’s still keen to get out on the bike and eventually I’d like to take her on much longer trips. Does the team have any

suggestions on suitable bikes to do the job? Obviously, it would need to carry the rider and pillion in comfort, be safe and non-intimidating, have a relatively low seat height, particularly for my daughter (she struggles ge ing on the Hornet), and not cost me the earth to buy and run. Danny Bandini, Far North Queensland There’d be many bikes that’d ﬁt the bill, Danny. Have you considered a larger cruiser-style bike than the Virago? One with a nice wide pillion seat and perhaps a backrest for your daughter could be ideal and would certainly meet the criteria you’ve mentioned. You may have to upgrade the rear suspension for regular two-up riding, as the overall standard of rear shocks on cruisers is pre y ordinary, but that’d be all. Without knowing your budget, I’d suggest you look at a mid-sized Japanese one like the Yamaha 950 or 1300 XV series, just for a start. — Matho

STANDING ON PEGS Well, a er all that reading about weight distribution — up, down, in and out — it still does not explain to me why all BMW riders stand up on the pegs when they are crossing a wooden bridge. Perhaps Beemers have a fear of wooden bridges just like Dracula with the wooden cross, or is it just a BMW thing? Ian Gregory, Regents Park, NSW

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ROAD BIKE & SCOOTER PRICE GUIDE Can I afford it? Is there something better for the money? ew bike prices can go up and down like the stock market, so in every issue we’ll bring you the sticker prices. To be completely up to date with things like factory discounts and incentives, check the Road Rider website (www.roadrider.com.au) where we will bring you all the special deals, bonus oﬀers and cashback promotions we can ﬁnd. We have included the importers’ websites, which is the place to go if you’re looking for more information. You’ll see that we haven’t listed every bike on the market (yet) but we aim to get

there with all of them. Sometimes even we struggle to find the details of the smaller, newer importers. Meanwhile, enjoy this most meaningful of Australian bike listings, covering the bikes you’re interested in. The prices are the most up-to-date ones available from the distributors. They may change, of course, subject to specials coming and going. We’ve also made it abundantly clear which prices are ride-away and which don’t include on-road costs; the difference to your final payout can be significant, so don’t compare apples with oranges.

BRAND & MODEL

PRICE

DB8 SP .............................................. The sweetest candy ........................$47,990+orc

www.aprilia.com.au

DB8 Oro Nero ................................... Expensive excitement ....................$84,990+orc

N APRILIA

WE SAY

Aprilia prices are maximum recommended advertised ride-away price.

Tesi 3D Naked................................... The full skeleton on show ..............$55,990+orc DB9 .................................................... Muscle streetfighter ........................$44,990+orc

Road Shiver Sport 750 ABS...................... Oh so good.......................................$13,990ra Dorsoduro 750 ABS ......................... With ABS ..........................................$12,990ra Tuono V4R APRC .............................. Upright sportsbike ..........................$21,990ra

DB9S.................................................. Sharper on the street ......................$46,990+orc DB10 .................................................. Sharp style .......................................$37,290+orc DB11................................................... Testastretta 11 at last .......................$56,990+orc

RSV4 R APRC.................................... High tech, high spec........................$23,990ra RSV4 R Factory APRC ABS ............. Racing black .....................................$29,990ra Dorsoduro 1200 ATC/ABS .............. Insane in the brain ..........................$14,990ra Adv Touring Caponord 1200 ATC/ABS ................ Truly great all-rounder ....................$22,990ra Scooters SR50R Carb SBK .............................. Biaggi replica ...................................$3990ra SR MT 50 2T ..................................... Entry point........................................$2450ra SR MT 125 4T ................................... Cheap commuting ..........................$3290ra Scarabeo 200 ie................................ Crisp performer ...............................$4990ra SR Max 300 ...................................... Do it all..............................................$6490ra SR Max 300 ...................................... New 2014 Model..............................$7290ra SRV 850 ATC ABS ............................ Large with the lot ............................$14,990ra BENELLI

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Road BN302 ................................................ Expected sometime this year ........$TBA BN600i............................................... Base-model mid-sized four ............$8990+orc BN600S LAMS ................................. New LAMS model ...........................$8990+orc

Bimota has put a price on the powerful, fine-handling BB3, the first BMW-powered sportsbike the Italian company has made in some years. At $72,888+orc, it is undoubtedly up there in the exotic category

BN600R ............................................. New sporty naked bike ...................$9990+orc BN600RS LAMS ............................... Another new LAMS model ............$9990+orc BN600GT .......................................... Available soon .................................$TBA BN600GTS ........................................ LAMS Model ....................................$TBA TNT 899 ............................................. Mid-sized entertainer ......................$16,990+orc TNT 1130 ........................................... Naked dynamite ..............................$19,990+orc TNT 1130R ......................................... More explosive ................................$22,690+orc Tre-K 1130.......................................... Out of the ordinary..........................$18,490+orc

BMW

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Road S 1000 R ............................................ Naked supermodel..........................$19,290+orc S 1000 RR.......................................... Still the one to beat .........................$22,400+orc HP4 Competition.............................. For serious sports riders.................$32,450+orc R nineT .............................................. Simplicity with max style ...............$21,250+orc R 1200 RT .......................................... Have your cake and eat it ...............$30,790+orc

Adv Touring TRE-K Amazonas ............................. Be an individual...............................$19,690+orc

K 1300 R ............................................ Evil Wulf ............................................$21,990+orc K 1300 S ............................................ Autobahn eater................................$23,990+orc

BIMOTA

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K 1300 S Motorsport ....................... Flashy sports-tourer for 2015 .........$28,990+orc

Road

K 1600 GT ......................................... Power touring ..................................$35,990+orc

BB3 .................................................... 1000cc BMW, Italian flair ................$72,888+orc

K 1600 GT Sport ............................... Luxury but lighter, sportier ............$36,490+orc

DB5R.................................................. Light and lovely sportsbike ............$37,990+orc

K 1600 GTL ....................................... Euro luxury touring .........................$37,590+orc

DB8 Bi Posto ..................................... Sleek and powerful .........................$47,990+orc

K 1600 GTL Exclusive...................... VIP .....................................................$42,500+orc

132 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

PRICE GUIDE Adv Touring

$12,990+orc

G 650 GS ........................................... You’ll be surprised ..........................$9990+orc

Ducati Scrambler Icon (’62 Yellow) As above but yellower ....................$13,140+orc

G 650 GS Sertao............................... Rough it or not.................................$10,990+orc

Ducati Scrambler Urban Enduro ... For the burbs and backroads .........$14,990+orc

F 700 GS............................................ Not really a 700 ...............................$12,890+orc

Ducati Scrambler Classic ................ Living in the ’70s .............................$14,990+orc

F 700 GS ........................................... Low suspension model ..................$13,140+orc

Ducati Scrambler Full Throttle ........ Flat track performer.........................$14,990+orc

F 800 GS............................................ Great adv tourer ..............................$16,690+orc

Monster 821 Dark ............................ The little beast steps up..................$15,990+orc

F 800 GS............................................ Low suspension model ..................$16,940+orc

Monster 821 Plus ............................. The Monster with more..................$16,490+orc

F 800 GS Adventure ........................ Go further .........................................$18,650+orc

Streetfighter 848 .............................. Precision fighter, special price .......$18,990ra

F 800 GT ............................................ Dynamically designed ....................$16,300+orc

Panigale 899 ..................................... Smaller, sweeter superbike ...........$19,990+orc

R 1200 GS ......................................... All-road master ................................$21,950+orc

Hypermotard .................................... A hooligan on wheels .....................$16,990+orc

R 1200 GS Adventure ...................... Luxuriously roughing it ..................$24,550+orc

Hypermotard SP .............................. With tricked-up suspension ...........$20,990+orc

Scooter

Hyperstrada ...................................... Manners & madness ......................$16,990+orc

C 600 Sport ....................................... Sporty maxi......................................$13,990+orc

Monster 1200 ................................... The new generation ........................$19,990+orc

C 600 Sport Special Edition ............ Here in October ...............................$15,090+orc

Monster 1200 S ................................ With better bits ................................$23,990+orc

C 650 GT............................................ Let’s tour!..........................................$14,990+orc

Panigale 1199 ABS............................ Updated 2014 Model.......................$26,990+orc

C 650 GT Special Edition ................ Seat heating .....................................$16,665+orc

Panigale S ABS................................. Electronic Öhlins! ............................$33,990+orc

C 650 GT SE LS ................................ Low suspension model ..................$16,465+orc

Panigale Tri Colour ........................... Make you melt .................................$39,990+orc

BOLLINI

Panigale R ABS................................. Race passion ....................................$42,990+orc

www.motorsportimporters.com.au

Cruiser

Road Speed 200 ......................................... Economy ticket ...............................$2290+orc

Diavel Dark........................................ A true power-cruiser .......................$23,990+orc Diavel Carbon................................... Deal with the devil ..........................$29,990+orc

Cruiser Retro 200........................................... New release .....................................$TBA

Adv Touring Multistrada 1200 ABS...................... 4 in 1 with ABS ................................$22,990+orc

CAN-AM (BRP)

www.brp.com

Multistrada 1200 S Touring ............. See the world...................................$28,490+orc

Road

Multistrada 1200 S Pikes Pk ........... Flashy paint job ...............................$31,990+orc

Spyder RS SM5................................ The “Spyder” experience ..............$19,990+orc

Multistrada 1200 Granturismo....... Tour perfection ................................$30,490+orc

Spyder RSS SE5 .............................. Supersports auto.............................$23,990+orc Spyder ST SE5 ................................. The sports-touring Spyder .............$25,490+orc Spyder ST LTD SE5.......................... The ST with more............................$28,990+orc Spyder RT SM6 ................................ New 1330cc triple engine ...............$31,490+orc Spyder RTS SE6 ............................... RT plus semi-auto and more .........$39,990+orc Spyder RT Limited SE6.. ................. The full touring triple ......................$41,990+orc CF MOTO

www.cfmoto.com.au

Road VNight ............................................... Great learner ....................................$2690+orc Jetmax 250 ....................................... Freeway capable scooter................$4190+orc Leader................................................ Not fussy ..........................................$2190+orc 650NK ................................................ May ruffle some feathers ...............$6290+orc 650TK................................................. Bargain touring................................$7749+orc Cruiser V5 ....................................................... Where’s the engine?........................$4190+orc CONFEDERATE

www.urbanmotoimports.com.au

Cruiser X132 Hellcat...................................... Badass ..............................................$79,990+orc X132 Hellcat Combat....................... American war machine ..................$94,990+orc X135 Wraith ...................................... Available soon .................................$TBA DAELIM

www.daelim.com.au

Road

The Ducati Monster family will expand in 2015 with the announcement of the Monster 821 Stripe and Monster 1200 S Stripe. The Stripe versions will feature a red paint scheme with a white double-sided stripe on the mudguard, tank and passenger seat cover. Available early next year. Prices yet to be revealed

VJF250............................................... Adequate style .................................$3990+orc Cruiser

ERIK BUELL RACING

Daystar 250 EFI ................................ Fat, feet-forward cruiser .................$4920+orc Scooter Bbone ................................................ Its clothes are off .............................$3490+orc Besbi .................................................. Small and cute .................................$2190+orc S1 ....................................................... Nice style ..........................................$2990+orc DUCATI

www.ducati.com.au

Road Monster 659 ABS ............................. Monster the LAM ............................$12,990+orc Monster 696 ABS ............................ Easy to handle .................................$13,990+orc Monster 796 ABS ............................. Full sized, adequate power ............$15,990+orc Ducati Scrambler Icon (Ducati Red) ..........................................................Entry-level

www.urbanmotoimports.com.au

Road 1190RS Carbon ................................. 175hp, 176kg of joy .........................$56,990+orc 1190RX ............................................... Sporting masterpiece .....................$26,490+orc 1190SX ............................................... Superbike basis ...............................$23,490+orc 1190AX............................................... The adventurous one......................$TBA HARLEY-DAVIDSON

www.harley-davidson.com

All H-D prices are ride-away. Cruiser XG500 Street 500............................. Learner legal ....................................$9995ra XL883L SuperLow ........................... For the shorties ................................$14,750ra XL883N Iron 883 ............................. Iron tough.........................................$14,995ra

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 133

XL1200C Custom ............................. Customary show off........................$18,750ra

Scooter

XL1200X Forty-Eight........................ Retro cool .........................................$18,995ra

Dio 110 ............................................... New kid in town ..............................$2549+orc

XL1200V Seventy-Two .................... Vintage muscle ................................$18,495ra

PCX150 .............................................. Stylish and practical........................$4199+orc

XL1200T Super Low ........................ Cool little tourer ...............................$19,250ra

NSS300 Forza ................................... Sporty and flexible ..........................$6999+orc

VRSCDX Night Rod Special............ Drag bike ..........................................$27,250ra

NC700D Integra................................ Motorcycle or scooter? ...................$11,199+orc

VRSCF Muscle .................................. Muscle me........................................$26,995ra FXDB Street Bob .............................. Versatile ............................................$22,495ra FXDBB Street Bob Special.............. Street smarts....................................$23,995ra FXDL Low Rider ............................... Not laying low .................................$23,495ra FXDWG Wide Glide ......................... Let your hair hang down ................$24,995ra FXDF Fat Bob.................................... Lay off the burgers, Bob! ...............$25,495ra FLD Dyna Switchback ...................... Dress up, dress down .....................$26,250ra FLS Softail Slim................................ Slim, yet PH fat!...............................$26,250ra FXST Softail Standard..................... The original ride ..............................$27,250ra FLSTFB Fat Boy Lo........................... Low bruiser ......................................$28,750ra FLSTF Fat Boy .................................. Big bruiser ........................................$28,995ra FLSTN Softail Deluxe ...................... Classy dude......................................$28,995ra FLSTNSE CVO Softail Deluxe ......... 110ci, LEDs plus ...............................$44,995ra FXSB Breakout ................................. Urban street styling ........................$29,495ra FLSTC Heritage S’tail Classic ......... Visually beautiful .............................$29,995ra FLHRC Road King Classic ............... Be the king .......................................$32,495ra FLHXS Street Glide Special ............ The original bagger ........................$34,995ra FLHXSE CVO Street Glide............... 110ci ripper .......................................$46,995ra FLTRXS Road Glide Special............ Dynamic, fixed-fairing tourer ........$34,495ra FLTRXSE CVO Rd Glide Ultra ......... Maybe H-D’s best tourer.................$48,995ra FLHTK Electra Glide Ultra Ltd ........ Works burger ...................................$37,995ra FLHTKSE CVO Ultra Ltd .................. 110ci mega-tourer ............................$50,995ra HONDA

www.honda.com.au

Honda has announced a new racetrack-to-road edition CBR1000RR SP. Due in stores around March 2015, there will only be 60 of these bad boys available, so get in quick. Available for $23,499+orc

Road CB125E .............................................. Cheap commuter ............................$2099+orc

HYOSUNG

CB300FA............................................ 250cc weight, 300cc power............$5699+orc

Road

CBR300.............................................. Big H attacks the Ninja 300 ............$5699+orc

GT250 ................................................ Great beginner.................................$2990+orc

CBR300 ABS ..................................... The anti-lock brake option..............$5999+orc

GT650 ................................................ Naked value and style ....................$5190+orc

CBR300R ........................................... Special edition .................................$5799+orc

GT650R.............................................. Easy, sporty, affordable ..................$5490+orc

CBR300R ........................................... Special edition ABS.........................$6099+orc

Cruiser

CB400 ............................................... Bulletproof .......................................$10,099+orc

GV250 Aquila.................................... Little cutie .........................................$3990+orc

CB400A ABS ..................................... Foolproof ..........................................$11,199+orc

GV650C Aquila Classic .................... LAMS value......................................$6490+orc

CBR500R ........................................... Sporty little twin ..............................$7499+orc

INDIAN MOTORCYCLE

CBR500R ABS................................... ABS option .......................................$7799+orc CB500F ABS...................................... Sweet as ...........................................$7499+orc CB650F ABS...................................... New naked four ...............................$9999+orc CBR600RR......................................... Versatile supersport ........................$14,390+orc CBR650F ABS ................................... Mid-ranger with torque ..................$10,599+orc NC750SA ABS .................................. A little boosted for 2014..................$8799+orc

www.hyosung.com.au

www.indianmotorcycle.com.au

Cruiser Scout ................................................. Sportster meets V-Rod? ..................$17,995ra Chief .................................................. Leading the tribe back! ...................$28,995ra Chief Vintage .................................... Signature heritage aesthetic..........$31,495ra Chieftain ............................................ First Indian tourer/bagger ..............$35,995ra Roadmaster ...................................... Full-dress tourer ..............................$38,995ra

CTX700A ........................................... A fairing for the open road ...........$7399+orc CTX700DA ........................................ Dual Clutch Transmission ...............$10,899+orc

KAWASAKI

www.kawasaki.com.au

VFR800 .............................................. Tried and true package ...................$14,599+orc

Road

CBR1000RR....................................... Ride what Casey rides ....................$16,899+orc

Ninja 300 ........................................... Even better again! ...........................$6199+orc

CBR1000RR ABS .............................. Blade with braking backup.............$17,899+orc

Ninja 300 ABS .................................. A LAM with ABS..............................$6699+orc

VFR1200F ABS ................................. For the tech heads ...........................$16,999+orc

Ninja 300 SE ..................................... Tastes like lime ................................$6399+orc

GL1800B F6B .................................... Stripped Wing ..................................$25,199+orc

Ninja 300 SE ABS............................. Lime LAM with ABS........................$6899+orc

GL1800 Goldwing Luxury............... The ultimate luxury tourer .............$35,799+orc

ER-6n/nL ABS ................................... Quirky ...............................................$9999+orc

Cruiser

Ninja 650/L ABS ............................... Mid-sized gem .................................$10,499+orc

VT400 ................................................ Classic-styled LAM ..........................$9399+orc

Ninja ZX-6R (599) ............................. Striking .............................................$14,999+orc

CTX700N ABS .................................. A bike for everything ......................$9099+orc

Ninja ZX-6R ABS (636) SE .............. Bigger, gruntier, prettier .................$16,649+orc

VT750C Shadow .............................. Classic appeal ..................................$11,749+orc

Z800 ABS .......................................... Sharper .............................................$12,999+orc

CTX1300............................................ V4 cruiser with unique style ..........$18,499+orc

W800SE............................................. Nostalgic, relaxed cruising ............$12,499+orc

VT1300CX Fury ................................ Chopped dragster ...........................$15,599+orc

Z1000 ABS ........................................ Let it seduce you .............................$16,499+orc

GL1800C F6C Valkyrie ..................... Valkyrie returns with muscle .........$20,199+orc

Z1000 ABS SE................................... Special edition .................................$16,799+orc

Adv Touring

Ninja 1000 ABS ............................... A sword with soul ...........................$16,999+orc

CB500X ABS ..................................... Adventure sports.............................$7599+orc

Ninja 1000 ABS ................................ 2014 model .......................................$16,999+orc

VFR1200X Crosstourer ABS ........... Smooth and comfy all-roader .......$17,499+orc

Ninja ZX-10R .................................... Non-ABS 30th Anniv model ..........$18,999+orc

134 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

PRICE GUIDE Ninja ZX-10R ABS ............................ 30th Anniversary model .................$20,699+orc

California 1400 Touring.................... All a Cali should be ..........................$25,990ra

1400GTR ABS ................................... Transcontinental ..............................$24,999+orc

Adv Touring

Ninja ZX-14R ABS SE ...................... Special edition..................................$20,299+orc

Stelvio 1200 8V NTX ABS ............... Big Brute ...........................................$22,990ra

Ninja ZX-14R ABS SE Öhlins .......... Öhlins, white, gold, scorching ........$21,999+orc

MV AGUSTA

Cruiser Vulcan 900 Classic SE ..................... Classically glamorous .....................$12,499+orc Vulcan 1700 Classic ABS................. Great blank canvas ..........................$19,999+orc Vulcan 1700 Nomad ABS................ Add a bit of bling .............................$22,999+orc Vulcan 1700 Vaquero ABS............... Go to the dark side...........................$24,499+orc Vulcan 1700 Voyager ABS............... Plush ride ..........................................$25,999+orc Adv Touring

Road F3 675 ................................................ Sweet.................................................$18,490ra F3 800 ................................................ Track performance ...........................$20,490ra F3 800 Ago ........................................ Giacomo’s replica.............................$32,990ra Brutale 675 EAS ............................... Bit of oomph at a good price..........$15,990ra Brutale 800 EAS ............................... More power ......................................$17,490ra

KLR650 .............................................. Bargain with a capital B ..................$8099+orc Versys 650 ABS ................................ Appealing all-rounder .....................$9999+orc Versys 650L ABS .............................. LAMS model.....................................$9999+orc Versys 1000 .........................................Bitumen burner ..................................$15,999+orc KTM

www.mvagustaimports.com.au

All MV Agusta prices are ride-away.

www.ktm.com.au

Brutale 800 Dragster ....................... Nanananana Batman! .....................$20,490ra Rivale 800 ......................................... Rivals the best urban motard .........$19,990ra Brutale 1090 ...................................... More charm ......................................$17,990ra Brutale 1090 ...................................... ABS model........................................$19,990ra Brutale R 1090 .................................. Raw, yet refined ...............................$18,490ra

Road

Brutale R 1090 .................................. ABS model........................................$19,490ra

390 Duke ........................................... Ninja beater? ....................................$6995+orc

Brutale RR 1090 ................................ Unleash the brute within ................$21,490ra

390 RC ............................................... All new available soon ....................$TBA

Brutale RR 1090 ................................ ABS model........................................$24,490ra

690 Duke ........................................... Sharp and bright ..............................$11,495+orc

Brutale 1090 Corsa........................... Top jock .............................................$28,990ra

690 Duke R ........................................ The sportier motard.........................$13,495+orc

F4 1000 .............................................. Beauty and the beast within ...........$22,490ra

1190 RC8 R ........................................ The orange flash ..............................$25,495+orc 1290 Super Duke R .......................... Ballsy streetfighter...........................$23,495+orc Adv Touring 690 Enduro R .................................... Extreme riders only .........................$14,395+orc 1190 Adventure................................. High-tech adventurer.......................$19,995+orc 1190 Adventure................................. With EDS ...........................................$22,995+orc 1190 Adventure R ............................. Add more adventure .......................$22,995+orc 1290 Super Adventure .................... The ultimate Adventure ..................$TBA KYMCO

www.kymco.com.au

Road CK 125 ............................................... No nonsense ....................................$2095+orc Cruiser Venox 250 ......................................... Value and looks ................................$5295+orc Scooter Like 125 ............................................. Fall in love .........................................$2995+orc Super 8 125....................................... Cool jigger.........................................$2595+orc Espresso 150 .................................... I’ll take a double shot ......................$2799+orc Like 200 ............................................. Classic performer.............................$3395+orc People GT300i .................................. For the people ..................................$5995+orc

MV Agusta’s four-cylinder Brutale and F4 ranges now come as an ABS option. We have shown both prices here. You can grab the pictured Brutale 1090 ABS for $19,990+orc or the non-ABS version for $17,990+orc

Downtown 300i ABS ....................... All-rounder with ABS ......................$7495+orc F4 1000 .............................................. ABS model........................................$25,490ra LARO

www.laro.com.au

Road

F4 1000 RR ........................................ Exotic weapon ..................................$31,990ra F4 1000 RR ........................................ ABS model........................................$35,990ra

V Retro 250 ....................................... DT250 clone ......................................$2990+orc Cruiser Cruiser 250........................................ Learner’s ride ....................................$3999+orc

PGO

www.motorsportimporters.com.au

Scooter Ligero 50 ........................................................................................................$1990+orc

MEGELLI

www.megelli.com

Ligero 150 ......................................... Good, small package .......................$3290+orc

Road

X-Hot ................................................. It’s a hottie .........................................$3990+orc

250S ................................................... Nice looker ........................................$4250+orc

Gmax ................................................. Go to the max...................................$4700+orc

250R ................................................... Italian styling ....................................$4850+orc 250SE................................................. Sportsbike handling ........................$5650+orc

PIAGGIO

www.piaggio.com.au

Scooter MOTO GUZZI

www.motoguzzi.com.au

Typhoon 125 ..................................... Blow you away ................................$2990+orc

Moto Guzzi prices are maximum recommended advertised ride-away price.

Fly 150ie ............................................ Buzz around the city........................$3090+orc

Road

Liberty 150ie ..................................... Big wheel freedom..........................$3690+orc

V7 Stone............................................ Minimalist retro................................$13,490ra

Beverly 350 ....................................... Higher performance........................$8490+orc

V7 Special ......................................... Faithful to the original V7 ................$13,990ra

Yourban 300 ..................................... Leaning three-wheeler....................$10,490+orc

V7 Racer SE ...................................... Limited edition marvel ....................$15,990ra

X10 500.............................................. Big features ......................................$12,490+orc

1200 Sport 4V SE ............................. Grunter ..............................................$18,990ra Griso 1200 8V ................................... Grand slam .......................................$20,990ra Cruiser California 1400 Custom................... Kalifornia attitude.............................$22,990ra

ROYAL ENFIELD

www.royalenﬁeldaustralia.com

Road B5 Bullet 500 .................................... Fire your guns..................................$6995+orc

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 135

G5 Deluxe ......................................... She’s deluxe .....................................$7445+orc

Scooter

C5 Classic/Military ........................... Individual style ................................$7995+orc

Galetta Retro..................................... Plenty of features ............................$2195ra

C5 Chrome ........................................ Lots of eye candy ............................$8495+orc

Aero Sport ........................................ Cut the wind.....................................$2195ra

SUZUKI

Famosa ............................................. City chic ............................................$2395ra

www.suzukimotorcycles.com.au

Messina Classic................................ New retro (Vespa) beauty ..............$3495ra

Road Inazuma 250 ..................................... Let your inner zoomer out..............$4990+orc

TRIUMPH

TU250XL3 ......................................... Retro learner ....................................$5990+orc

Road

DR-Z400SM ...................................... Everyday motard .............................$8990+orc

Street Triple 660 LAMS .................... Learner-legal thrills..........................$12,490+orc

SFV650/LAMS .................................. Commuting and fun duties ............$10,490+orc

Street Triple 675 ABS ....................... Streets ahead ...................................

GSX650F/LAMS ............................... Silky smooth ....................................$10,490+orc

$12,990+orc Street Triple 675 R ABS.........................................................Even further

GSX-R600 ......................................... Angry bee .........................................$14,990+orc

ahead................................................. $13,990+orc

GSR750 ............................................. Cracker of a motorcycle..................$12,490+orc

Daytona 675 ABS ............................. Supersport gem ..............................$14,990+orc

GSX-R750 ......................................... The legend continues .....................$15,990+orc

Daytona 675R ABS........................... Track day heaven .............................$16,990+orc

GSX-R1000 ....................................... Even lighter and faster ...................$18,490+orc

Bonneville ......................................... Tradition reborn...............................$12,490+orc

GSX-S1000 ....................................... Naked superbike for 2015 ..............$TBA

Bonneville ......................................... Two tone ...........................................$12,990+orc

GSX-S1000F ..................................... 2015’s new super-tourer .................$TBA

Bonneville T100 Black ...................... Livin’ in the ’70s...............................$12,490+orc

GSF1250S Bandit ABS .................... Long-distance ease .........................$12,990+orc

Bonneville T100 A2........................... Nostalgia rules.................................$14,250+orc

GSX1250FA ...................................... A little bit of everything ..................$14,990+orc

Bonneville T100 SE .......................... Special edition .................................$14,990+orc

GSX1300R Hayabusa ...................... Soar like an eagle ............................$19,290+orc

Bonneville Newchurch SE .............. April 2015..........................................$12,990+orc

Cruiser

Bonneville T214 Land Speed LE ..... Coming soon ...................................$14,490+orc

VL250 Intruder.................................. Bang that drum ...............................$6690+orc

Bonneville Spirit SE......................... April 2015..........................................$13,990+orc

LS650 Boulevard S40 ...................... Big single cylinder...........................$7990+orc

Scrambler ......................................... Dirt track racer..................................$14,390+orc

VL800 C50 ......................................... Traditional .......................................$10,990+orc

Scramber .......................................... Two tone ..........................................$14,990+orc

VL800 C50T....................................... All-new class ....................................$12,990+orc

Thruxton ........................................... To the café!.......................................$14,390+orc

VZ800 M50........................................ Neat bobber .....................................$10,990+orc

Thruxton Ace SE .............................. Ace Café special edition .................$14,990+orc

VL1500 C90T..................................... Bad boy.............................................$17,490+orc

Speed Triple ABS.............................. It’s a gem ..........................................$16,990+orc

VLR1800 C109R ................................ Classic looks.....................................$18,690+orc

Speed Triple R ABS .......................... Sex on wheels ................................$19,990+orc

VLR1800T C109RT............................ Now as a tourer ...............................$18,990+orc

Street Triple RX SE ........................... Inspired by the Daytona 675 ..........$14,990+orc

VZR1800 M109R............................... Beaut and brutal ..............................$18,990+orc

Sprint GT........................................... All world capabilities ......................$15,990+orc

VZR1800 M109R............................... Black edition .....................................$19,490+orc

Trophy SE.......................................... Superb tourer ..................................$27,490+orc

VZR1800Z M109RZ ......................... Monster energy ...............................$19,490+orc

Cruiser

VZR1800Z14...................................... Special edition .................................$19,490+orc

America ............................................ Easy urban rider ..............................$13,090ra

Adv Touring

Speed Master ................................... All round goodness ........................$13,090+orc

DL650 V-Strom/LAMS ..................... Deservedly a big seller ...................$10,290+orc

Thunderbird ABS ............................. Aptly named flyer............................$19,490+orc

DL650 V-Strom XT............................ Re-styled and updated for 2015.....$TBA

Thunderbird Storm ABS ................. Thunderous......................................$20,990+orc

DL1000 V-Strom ............................... Powerfully competent ....................$15,490+orc

Thunderbird ABS TT ........................ Brand new ........................................$19,990+orc

Scooter

Thunderbird ABS HAZE .................. Shiny and new ................................$21,990+orc

AN200A Burgman 200 ABS ........... The smallest city burger .................$5490+orc

Thunderbird Commander .............. 2014’s tough new T-bird...................$22,490+orc

AN400A Burgman ABS ................... A stylish maxi ..................................$10,090+orc

Thunderbird LT................................. T-bird goes touring ..........................$23,490+orc

AN650A Burgman ABS ................... Overhauled ......................................$13,590+orc

Rocket III Roadster ABS...What’s not to love about 2300cc? ..................$21,490+orc

SYM

Rocket III Touring ABS...................... Reasonably easy to ride .................$23,990+orc

www.scoota.com.au

Adv Touring

Scooter Classic 150 ........................................ Noble ride.........................................$2799+orc VS 150 ............................................... Branch away ....................................$3199+orc Symphony 150 ................................. Sporty big wheeler..........................$2999+orc HD Evo 200 ....................................... Whacko!............................................$4599+orc Firenze 300........................................ Full of features .................................$5999+orc MaxSym 400i ................................... Ride-away price ...............................$7999ra TGB

www.triumphmotorcycles.com.au

www.tgbscooters.com.au

Tiger 800 ABS .................................. ABS option .......................................$13,890+orc Tiger 800XC ABS ............................. Bash it hardcore ..............................$15,990+orc Tiger 800XC SE ................................ Special edition .................................$16,990+orc Tiger Sport ABS ............................... More growl for the road .................$15,990+orc Tiger Explorer 1200 ......................... True adventure-tourer.....................$20,490+orc Tiger Explorer Wire Wheels ............ The tougher version .......................$20,990+orc URAL

www.imz-ural.com.au

Road

Scooter Bellavita 125 ..................................... Very chic ...........................................$3990+orc X-Race 150 ........................................ You’ll need knee sliders..................$2590+orc Bullet 150 .......................................... Small-calibre projectile...................$3390+orc Xmotion 300 ..................................... Smooth mover ................................$4990+orc Bellavita 300i .................................... Very chic, and bigger ......................$5490+orc

T ......................................................... Cult status outfit ..............................$18,500+orc Adv Touring Tourist................................................ WWII replica.....................................$20,400+orc Bondi Tourist ..................................... Beach to bush tourer ......................$20,400+orc Ranger ............................................... Even tougher ...................................$21,600+orc Bondi Ranger.................................... New 2014 model..............................$21,600+orc

TORINO

www.torinomotorcycles.com.au

Torino ride-away prices are mostly Sydney-based and may vary elsewhere. Cruiser Veloce 250 ......................................... American styled ..............................$4695ra Titan 250 ........................................... Chop chop ........................................$TBA

136 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

VESPA

www.vespa.com.au

Scooter Primavera LX125 3-Valve ................ For the designer in you ..................$5290+orc Primavera LX150 3-Valve ................ With a bit more oomph ..................$5990+orc

PRICE GUIDE Sprint 150ie 3V ................................. Sporty looks .....................................$6290+orc GTS150ie 3V ..................................... Practical ............................................$6690+orc GTS250ie FL ..................................... Style in a great package .................$7490+orc GTS300 Super FL ABS .................... Vroom vroom ..................................$8790+orc GTS300 Super Sport FL .................. Sportier style....................................$8690+orc GTV300ie .......................................... Powerful Italian ................................$8990+orc PX150 ................................................ The purist’s ride ...............................$6490+orc VICTORY

www.victorymotorcycles.com.au

All Victory prices are ride-away. Cruiser Vegas 8 Ball ...................................... Sink the 8-ball ..................................$19,995ra High-Ball ........................................... Ol’ skool cool ...................................$19,495ra Hammer 8 Ball ................................. Hammer that 8-ball .........................$20,995ra Judge................................................. A younger Victory............................$20,995ra Gunner .............................................. Very cool bobber .............................$19,995ra Hammer S......................................... Hammer it! .......................................$22,995ra Hammer LE....................................... New limited edition.........................$23,495ra Jackpot .............................................. Showroom custom .........................$23,995ra Boardwalk Black ............................... Cool classic in black ........................$22,495ra Boardwalk Two Tone ........................ Cool classic in black and red ..........$22,995ra Cross Roads Classic ........................ Chromed-up cool ............................$24,995ra Cross Country .................................. Comfortable touring .......................$26,495ra Cross Country Tour .......................... Ultra-comfortable touring ..............$28,495ra Ness Cross Country ......................... It’s got attitude .................................$29,995ra Magnum ........................................... Cross country bling .........................$29,995ra Vision Tour......................................... Space age looks ..............................$30,495ra VIPER

www.urbanmotoimports.com.au

SUZUKI BOULEVARD S40 STORMS LAMS MARKET Suzuki is staking a claim for the lead in the cruiser market in Australia with the new LAMS-rated Boulevard S40. The current top seller in the category is the Yamaha XVS650, which starts at $10,499 (plus on-road costs), but the 652cc Boulevard will arrive in January for just $7990+orc. The classic-styled cruisers will face off in the learner-approved cruiser sales war against the Harley-Davidson Street 500, which arrives a month later at $9995 ride away! The basis for the new Suzuki has been around in various guises since the 1980s but it wasn’t until 2005 that it became the S40. It hasn’t been available in Australia until now. It gets its name from the 40-cubic-inch, air-cooled, SOHC engine, just like the rest of the Boulevard range (50, 90 and 109). Taking the imperial measurement as the model name is designed to take people’s minds off the fact it is a “metric cruiser”.The traditional styling with spoked wheels, raked forks, duck tail and plenty of chrome also gives customers the impression of a classic cruiser a bit like a 1970s Harley. It should prove a suitable bike for learners with its low seat height, five gears, low-maintenance belt drive, light 173kg weight, low centre of gravity, and manageable power and torque. It arrives in a choice of Moon Stone Grey or Candy Red colour schemes and is backed by Suzuki’s twoyear, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Cruiser Black Diamond ................................. 2500cc of raw grunt ........................$54,990+orc Diamondback ................................... Cruising superpower ......................$54,990+orc YAMAHA

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Road YZF-R15 V2.0 ..................................... New version 2.0...............................$4299+orc SR400 ................................................ The classic single is back! ..............$8999+orc XJ6NL................................................ New 2014 model..............................$9799ra XJ6NL SP .......................................... White edition....................................$9999ra FZ6R................................................... Full fairing, LAM model ..................$9999ra FZ6R SP ............................................. Special edition .................................$10,499+orc YZF-R6 ............................................... WSS champ .....................................$15,999+orc MT-03 ................................................. Torquey LAMS single .....................$9999+orc MT-07 ................................................. Learner legal thriller ........................$8999+orc FZ8N .................................................. Hot all-rounder ................................$12,990+orc FZ8S................................................... Enjoy the road and corners ...........$13,990+orc MT-09 ................................................. Three-cylinder thriller .....................$10,999+orc MT-09 Street Rally ............................ Limited stock ....................................$12,999+orc TDM900............................................. Mixed-up marvel .............................$13,599+orc FZ1N .................................................. Ready for anything..........................$15,699+orc FZ1S................................................... With protection ................................$16,499+orc YZF-R1 ............................................... Gimme traction ...............................$19,999+orc XJR1300 ............................................ Refined cool .....................................$13,999+orc FJR1300A Touring Edition ............... Police-spec tourer............................$23,999+orc FJR1300A .......................................... Sophisticated, sporty tourer ..........$24,999+orc FJR1300E ........................................... Electronic suspension.....................$26,999+orc Cruiser XV250 Virago .................................... Great small package .......................$6499+orc XVS650 Custom ............................... Popular custom ...............................$10,499+orc XVS650A Classic.............................. And as a classic ...............................$10,990+orc XVS950A ........................................... Mighty mid-ranger ..........................$13,999+orc XVS950CU Bolt ................................ A younger, hipper cruiser ..............$11,999+orc XVS950CUSP Bolt ........................... R-Spec with better shocks ..............$12,499+orc

XVS1300A......................................... The pick of the bunch......................$15,999+orc XVS1300AT Tourer ........................... With more features .........................$18,299+orc XVS1300 Stryker.............................. Mean looking chopper....................$14,999+orc XVS1300 Stryker Special ................ Matte Grey .......................................$15,299+orc XV1900A Roadliner ......................... Art Deco piece..................................$21,499+orc XV1900AT Star Tourer ..................... Art with flair .....................................$24,099+orc VMAX ................................................ Big, angry animal ............................$31,299+orc Adv Touring XT250R .............................................. New fuel-injected model ................$6299+orc XT660R .............................................. Seamlessly good .............................$11,499+orc XT660Z Ténéré .................................. Freedom machine ...........................$13,999ra XT1200Z Super Ténéré .................... Leisurely rider ..................................$19,990ra XT1200ZOE Super Ténéré ............... Outback edition................................$21,890+orc XT1200ZE Super Ténéré .................. Electric suspension .........................$21,999+orc Scooter XC125 Vity ......................................... Your new friend ...............................$2699+orc YW125 ............................................... BW’s ..................................................$3399+orc TMAX 530 ......................................... Tougher, sportier, now ABS ...........$13,499+orc

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 137

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A CELEBRATION OF

CLASSIC MOTORCYCLES W H ERE I T ALL BEGAN The Classic Motorcycle

The Classic Motorcycle

A stunningly restored 1924 Indian In 1887, John Boyd. Dunlop, a Scottish Powerplus Scout inventor and one of the founders of the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre In 1887, John Boyd Dunlop.

ONLY $19.95 88 |

| 89

Motorcycle The Classic Motorc cycle

The Classic Motorcycle

AMF The American Machine and Foundry group owned Harley-Davidson from 1969 through to 1983 and was the same mob that effectively created and owned tenpin bowling until the ‘80s. AMF was founded on the success of the first automated cigarettemanufacturing machine. They also owned Aermacchi, an Italian brand. In this time there was a 250 Aermacchi re-badged as a Harley-Davidson Sprint, Pacer, Bobcat and, wait for it… Scat. That was the last of Harley-Davidson’s American made strokers until they rebadged 65, 125, and 250cc Aermachhi HarleyDavidsons until 1978. The 1972 MC-65 Shortster was the kids minibike of the era to compete with Honda’s legendary minibikes, while the SX175 was a very late response to Honda’s XL175. Sadly, they weren’t a match for the Japanese and European dirtbikes of the era.

The Indian Prince was a single-cylinder motorcycle that was produced from 1925 through to 1928.

The 1915 Indian Light Twin was powered by a 680cc V-twin and was particularly popular in the international market.

INDIAN Founded in 1901, Indian motorcycles have been produced in the US, rebadged in Europe and featured an at-the-time innovative chain drive and streamlined styling when first released. Their first, and America’s first, V-twin was built in 1906 and the bike was quickly put to long haul tests and speed runs to show its speed and reliability. The New York police department used Indians as their first motorcycle unit, while the Indian loop frame design in 1908 is one that most manufacturers would start using over the next few years. They continued to be innovators in the 1910s developing the swingarm, using leaf spring suspension, electric lights and electric starter, before 1916 when the company had to focus its production on supplying the war effort. The ‘20s and ‘30s were a successful time for Indian. The Ace, Scout, Chief, Big Chief, Prince and Four where the machines that took the company to the forefront of motorcycle production in the US. Thanks to shareholder DuPont, Indian embarked on outdoing Harley-Davidson on paint schemes, thanks to the DuPont paint

that could be sourced cheaply. It allowed for 24 colour options on a new Indian in the ‘30s! The depression also hit in the ‘30s and Harley-Davidson’s new overhead valve twin was a hit. Then things slowed down again for WWII, with Indian ceasing most civilian production and building 5000 Chief sidecars for the French government. Nevertheless, the Indian Company was at first tracking along well. But by the early ‘40s profits had dropped and production was subsequently dropped to the point that in 1945 only 2000 motorcycles were built and the Chief was the only model to be built the following year. At the end of WWII, the company battled its way through poor model choices and production woes. Production stopped at Indian in 1953, with the company’s best years well and truly behind it. After this point there were rebadged Royal Enfields and the sale and dispute over ownership of the name. In 1999, the brand had an attempted relaunch that lasted until 2003. In 2008, the brand was once again resurrected by the same guys that brought back to life the Chris-Craft boat company. Production started the same year and in 2011 Polaris acquired the company. Today there is a Thunder Stroke III engine running the all-new Indian Chief.

“PRODUCTION STOPPED AT INDIAN IN 1953, WITH THE COMPANY’S BEST YEARS WELL AND TRULY BEHIND IT...” 92 |

| 93

The ﬁrst 100 years of motorcycling certainly produced some incredible bikes, most of which are featured in this 160-page celebration of the classic motorcycle. With more than 100 glossy images for your enjoyment, from historic and vintage-era bikes through to classic, retro and even modern-day motorcycles, no matter what your era, brand or region, we have it covered in The Classic Motorcycle. There are sections on British, European, American and Japanese classics, as well as a chapter documenting the history of the motorcycle. There are some stunning racers in here, as well as a comprehensive model index.

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POSTIE BIKE CHALLENGE

COUNTERFEITING

It ain’t what it seems Don’t believe the brand name when it comes to buying over the net STORY: MARK HINCHLIFFE otorcycle riders have been warned to avoid buying cheap motorcycle accessories and rider gear over the internet as they could be inferior quality or fake. Some of these products have wellknown brand names, yet are being offered at a quarter of the price. They look like the genuine product, but are they really? Mechanics, importers and the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) have warned riders that if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Now I know what you are thinking — these people all have vested interests in making consumers buy locally and paying more. However, it is worth noting their warnings and exercising some caution as a fake product could cause expensive damage or depreciation to your most prized possession, or leave you, the rider, vulnerable. One Brisbane mechanic says he became suspicious about some oil brought in by a customer and bought over the internet, so he had it tested by a chemical company. “It turned out to be 75 per cent canola oil with a heavy yellow dye in it. Everything turned yellow on the inside of the bike, a Yamaha MT-01, and there was quite a bit of damage to it,” says the mechanic who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of upse ing customers. He has supplied photographic evidence of the fake oil. Other stories have emerged of fake spark plugs iridium that cost only $5 when they usually cost up to $30. However, the fakes are either too long and cause damage to the valves or too short and don’t spark. But all result in instant loss of power and reduced engine performance. Other fake products include motorcycle brake fluid, which, in some instances, has turned out to be car brake fluid, and air filters that collapse and get sucked into the engine causing massive internal damage. It is understandable that mechanics

are refusing to use products supplied by their customers. You might think that is because they want to charge you more for their products. However, they are concerned about the authenticity and quality of these consumables and don’t want to be blamed for damage that may occur. FCAI motorcycle spokesman, Rhys

“It turned out to be 75 per cent canola oil with a heavy yellow dye in it. Everything turned yellow on the inside of the bike, a Yamaha MT-01, and there was quite a bit of damage to it”

r Care instructions can be a dead giveaway about whether clothing is real or not …

Griﬃths, says the biggest concern is the safety risk posed to riders by fake bike accessories such as footpegs, levers and other integral parts that could fail under duress with “serious consequences for safety”. “There probably should be some sort of regulation with these bits and pieces as they can be safety hazards,” he says. While the FCAI isn’t doing anything about the proliferation of fakes in the motorcycle industry, the organisation is currently working on the ma er in

the motor vehicle industry, which could flow through to motorcycles. Rhys says the FCAI is concerned about repairers and insurance companies using cheap and inferior fake accessories rather than genuine parts to repair damaged cars. Meanwhile, riders should check their insurance policy to see if the fine print mentions anything about using genuine factory parts for repairs. Some insurance companies make a big deal about this as a rider benefit but if they don’t, then the fine print might be worth close scrutiny. Meanwhile, the rider gear market is also being flooded with cheap fakes, according to importers. Bernie Nolan of Monza Imports says there is a proliferation of fake gear sporting well-known brand names such as Fox, Dainese and Alpinestars. “It’s so easy these days to make fakes. People can download the logos over the internet and print it on just about any product,” he says. “It can be difficult to spot the difference. For example, a lot of fake leather is actually made of goat or sheep, not cowhide, but you can’t tell the difference except with a close inspection of the grain.” He says the danger for riders is that fake rider gear may not have the proper protective materials. “Usually they have fake armour as well, despite having CE labels and stickers.” Some reputable motorcycle gear companies are following the example of Nike by employing investigators to find importers of illegal fakes and perform raids. If motorcycle shops are found stocking counterfeit gear, importers can refuse to supply them with products under the Trade Practices Act. So, how can riders protect themselves from buying an inferior fake? It can be difficult, because they can look the same and even arrive in similar packaging. However, closer inspection will reveal fakes. Telltale signs are misspelling on the packaging, Chinese characters, missing cap seals and a lack of care labels with washing instructions. ARR AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 145

Time for a break ell, that was a monster issue full of all stuff motorcycling, wasn’t it?! So big is it that we need a bit of an extended break and, since this January issue will be on sale until the end of January, the February issue will be on sale in February, rather than four weeks’ time in January. And so on and so forth from this point on. Makes sense, right? Anyway, what you need to know is only this: • Ducati Monster 821. Bigger is always be er, but there is a point where a bit bigger becomes too much. Ducati has found the perfect medium with the 821 balancing impressive real-world performance with excellent efficiency. • Yamaha Tricity. “Three wheels is be er than two,” said no one until they experienced the MotoGP-inspired handling characteristics of Yamaha’s Tricity. It has turned quirky into practical. • Harley-Davidson Fat Bob. Ever wondered how to make an impossibly cool-looking motorcycle ride, steer, handle and stop? Meet Bob, he is a bigger gentleman … • Northland, New Zealand. Located in the north of the North Island of New Zealand and so justifiably named Northland. We all know what New Zealand looks like on a map and we all know how corrugated that coastline is. We all know how wonderful New Zealand roads are and that the weather is best up north. Welcome to paradise. • The Great Ocean Road. Like America’s Pacific Coast Highway (page 86 of this current issue), the GOR is one of the world’s most spectacular coastal roads but is fraught with danger, annoyances and wonder. We’ll give you a beginner’s guide to making the most of this magical ride. • BMW TS Safari, Tasmania. This sounds like our dream 20th birthday party: six days on the road, big party in the middle and then doing six days off-road a er that. • Hill End, NSW. This place is gold, quite literally said some lucky bloke in 1851 and by 1872, it was the largest inland

146 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

LAST LOOK

COMING UP ARR #111 GOES ON SALE ON FEBRUARY 19. AND THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE IN THE ISSUE: se lement in New South Wales, trailing booming Bendigo in its day. Then it had 28 pubs, an opium den and oyster bar. Our kind of place. Today, it has charming relics and gorgeous countryside that only give a hint of what this place used to be. • How to make motorcycle videos. We all know instructional videos are great to watch and have spent many a night in the shed, searching YouTube,

with the volume low and shed door down, learning how to do something you don’t know how to do. We all admit to that one. But wouldn’t you rather unashamedly learn how to do something on paper so you can ﬂick back to it on the bench rather than scrolling the li le bar on the bo om of your phone screen? Thought so. What else would you do with your time oﬀ except ride?!

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