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SCRATCHING THE ITCH
SO, MY KAWASAKI Z900 sold at the Shannons Winter Auction and before I’d even got the money, I’d acquired my latest ‘toy’. It has been an itch I’d wanted to scratch for quite some time – getting hold of a classic two-stroke. The bikes I’d considered were the Yamaha RD350 and RD350LC, Kawasaki H1 500 and the Suzuki GT500 and GT750. I did find an immaculate RD350LC, but it was selling for top dollar and the bike I ended up with has plenty of room to make some good money when the time comes. I’d have loved to have got a Kawasaki H2 750, but the prices these sell for are out of my range. Maybe one day I might get one that needs a full resto, but parts are hard to find for these bikes.
The bike I ended up with is a stunning 1975 Kawasaki H1 500, which is a US import with 9700 original miles. It has been virtually untouched except for the paint. It is supposed to be candy blue, but an owner of a few years ago liked the ’74 model candy lime green colour, so got it painted. The candy blue it originally was is still inside the side covers! Looks like I’ll be hitting up Marc at Sydney Custom Spraypainting to lay down some superb candy blue and some new stripes. The rest of the bike
just needs a clean with plenty of polishing, of which I’ve already done the engine side covers. There are a few other items I’ve put on order, one major item being the rear grab rail. These are quite hard to find, but I’ve bought one that is immaculate, milking the bank account in the process!
I want this bike to be as ‘correct’ as I can get it, that means, buying OEM/NOS parts. This will cost a lot more than fitting some reproduction parts, but I think this bike deserves to have original parts fitted.
I also need to get my Suzuki GSX1100 with the cranky 1260cc engine back on the road. These big engines hate sitting in traffic and it blew the head gasket (again) – a combination of big compression, sitting in traffic and it getting hot and the standard head studs stretching. Shaun at D Moto has machined some more compression out of the pistons and we’ve got an aluminium thicker base gasket, which will help make this a more streetable machine. At the moment all I’m waiting on are the heavy-duty head studs from APE and it can be put back together. Ah, the joys of old hot rod bikes! (insert face plant!)
Enjoy! Cheers, Stuart.
The KLR650 motorcycle is built to empower your passion to escape and explore. Dual-purpose capability allows the journey to go on-and-off-road, and a reputation for enduring reliability helps you focus on the adventure at hand. For decades, this legendary motorcycle has inspired countless stories from all over the world, and the spirit to make new memories continues to beckon today. KLR650 ADVENTURE STANDARD FITMENT:
Our Morocco tour with Edelweiss Bike has been put off for a year. Yes, it’s a real shame but Australian international travel is not likely to kick off again until early 2022. The new dates are 8 October 2022 until 21 October 2022 – the link to book is the same as the current one - edelweissbike.com/ motorcyclistmorocco
Put your name down so you don’t miss out. This will be a brilliant tour.
An avalanche of final-hour bids pushed many of the 165 lots in Shannons Timed Winter Online Auction over the line to deliver total sales of $6,96 million with an excellent clearance rate of 90 per cent.
Among the outstanding results was the top-priced lot of the auction, a stunning, restored 1971 Ferrari Dino 246 GT coupe, for which bidding soared by $105,000 in the final moments of the auction to deliver a world market record result of $640,000.
Very strong results were also delivered by Australian muscle cars, Japanese sporting cars and Classic motorcycles and scooters.
Three Aussie Supercars slugged it out for honours, with a 1969 Ford Falcon XW GTHO Phase 1 topping the trio at $190,000, followed by a ‘no reserve’ 1973 Falcon XA GT that brought $145,500 and a 1970 Holden LC Torana GTR XU-1 that sold for $140,000.
There were also a number of impressive results among the 16 motorcycles and scooters, led by the $70,000 after 50 bids paid for an exceptional 1938 Matchless Model X motorcycle fresh from long-term storage –
GOOD NEWS FOR GUZZISTI
Even if you are not among the full-on Guzzisti, I’m sure you know that March of this year marked the centenary of Moto Guzzi’s foundation. Appropriate celebrations were held in Mandello del Lario, where Guzzis have always been made, and the obligatory book was published. What you might not know is that condensed versions of the book were also published, in English, French, Spanish and German. The English version is an eighty-page black and white (and some colour) book with
almost doubling its pre-auction high estimate. Meanwhile, a 1959 BMW R50 motorcycle and matching German Steib sidecaralso sold above estimate for $52,500.
Two desirable Kawasaki sports bikes – a freshly-restored 1976 Z900 A4 (our Editor’s restoration project) and a hugely collectible, fully restored 1973 H2A 750cc – sold for $35,200 and $32,500 respectively, while a 1961 Lambretta Li 125 Scooter offered with ‘no reserve’ nearly doubled its pre-sale high estimate at $17,500.
All 16 Heritage number plates in the auction were ‘on the market’ within two days of the opening of bidding, with the top result being the $250,000 paid for the NSW three-digit plate ‘809’, followed by the three Victorian threedigit plates ‘827’, ‘623’ and ‘481’, which sold for $160,500, $172,000 and $180,000 respectively. Another highlight of the auction were prices achieved for VIC 4-digit plates, led by 2-688 at $169,999 and VIC 1-991 selling for an excellent $160,000.
Stay tuned for the next Shannons Auctions Spring Auction – 31 August – 7 September 2021.
lots of photos – some of them very familiar indeed, others possibly never seen before. The book was translated into English by my friends Alis Agostini and Peter Bradley, and covers the marque’s history from the inside, so to speak. Alis owned and ran the famous Moto Guzzi dealership in Mandello for many years. The book makes great reading and would be a must-have for all Guzzisti. I for one am going to steal some of the photos the next time I write about Guzzi.
Go to guzzimandello2021.com/en/ home-en/ for a lot more fascinating
material including some videos, and to order your own copy of ‘GUZZI the idea that changed Mandello’. And when you order, ask them about the badge, fridge magnet and cloth patch too.
N E W S
GET IN QUICK
Having recently visited the impressive Adventure Moto store at Dural NSW and spoken with owner, Steve ‘Wolfy’ Smith, I have a tip: if you want to grab some of their top notch adventure products, get in quick as stock is moving fast. Replacement stock is on the way, but as we all have now learnt, that stock can take some time to get here. Stuart just purchased a Klim adventure suit and gloves before it all sold out. Look for the full reviews shortly. adventuremoto.com.au .
BIG MOOLAH
This year marked a momentous occasion, where tens of thousands of dapper gentlefolk around the world came together in all their finery (except in Australia, where the ride was virtual) to celebrate a decade of riding dapper in The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride’s 10-year anniversary on Sunday, 23rd of May. The charity motorcycling event raised an incredible $4.1M USD in 2021, taking the global total of funds raised since the event began to over $31.5M USD.
Not only was the ride run in May for the first time (it will continue to run then), but it brought together over 65,000 classic, custom and vintage motorcycle enthusiasts at a time where events and social connections have been impacted so heavily in 913 cities and 116 countries around the world. Getting riders together and encouraging people to connect
NEW GS?
Is this the new BMW R 1300 GS spied in preproduction testing? Hmm? We’ll have to wait and see, but we daresay it is!
MORE MULLETS
Joining KTM rider Toby Price in the mullet fashion parade is emerging Aussie world rally talent, Daniel Sanders. Daniel raced Rally Kazakhstan for new team, Gas Gas securing two consecutive third-place finishes on the final two stage to secure himself an extremely credible fourth in the event’s overall provisional classification. Clearly a quick learner, the young Aussie overcame a tough couple of days at the beginning of the rally to turn things around and finish just shy of an overall podium result. Awesome stuff!
and communicate has never been more important. Since 2012, the event has managed this for hundreds of thousands of motorcyclists from over 116 countries around the world.
In 2021, the funds raised by the event have been donated directly to its global charity partner, Movember. This is the leading global organization focused solely on men’s health, and from The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, the funds will be directed toward prostate cancer and men’s mental health research and programs. Together, Movember and DGR have worked strategically to help men in motorcycling live happier and healthier lives; so much to the point that they have allocated $1.15M AUD to pilot and deliver programs specifically directed at improving social connectedness, life satisfaction, and mental wellbeing of motorcycle riders.
WOULD YOU EVER HAVE thought HarleyDavidson would produce an adventure touring motorcycle? No, neither would I! However, Harley has been going through a big change at the moment and while continuing with their core product – cruisers, they’ve been dipping their feet into other segments – electric, sports (which you’ll read about soon) and the all-new Pan America adventure tourer.
For the launch we headed off to Kiama for a blast through some twisty bitumen, then a bit of maintained dirt roads, a play at a farm on a grass track and some more bitumen back to Kiama. In short, Harley-Davidson has done an amazing job at producing a mighty fine adventure bike – hard to believe, but you better believe it, Harley is aiming at the top of the tree and while that tree is pretty tall they’re already a long way up it.
Harley split the launch into three groups over a number of days – first up were the ‘softer’ group of journos (sorry, Boris), second were the ‘socalled’ hipsters and whatever you
want to call those types and finally the third group which I was in was the ‘hardcore’ group – dirt bike mags and those that can actually ride a bike to its potential. Putting us last, maybe they thought we were going to send all the bikes back in boxes!
From our group we all wanted some
technical trails to ride on, but this will have to be post launch when I can grab a Pan America with a set of knobby tyres and take it to a regular trail out the back of Lithgow which I know will really test whether this allnew bike can handle the rough stuff. As I said to the Harley staff, “everyone
THE GEAR LEGENDS ARE MADE OF.
LC1/LC2 Available in Black or
Where bike specific SLC side carriers are not available, the Saddle Strap provides a convenient “throw-over” system for Legend Gear Saddle Bags LS1 and LS2 and may be fitted to standard passenger seats making them a great option for most bikes.
If your bike is classic, vintage, retro or custom there is a range of luggage designed to perfectly complement your ride.
Legend Gear from SW-Motech is inspired by the traditional materials of leather and canvas but updated with today’s technology to bring you a suite of luggage that is as tough as it is timeless.
The Legend Gear range of soft, robust luggage includes tankbags, saddlebags, tailbags and many more accessories to make your ride legendary.
“Universal” mounting frames serve as a base allowing you to construct a custom frame that will suit your bike and mount Legend Gear Bags LC1 and LC2.
Bag pictured
will want to know how this bike compares to a GS.” I will find this out when I get to ‘my trail’.
Two models of the Pan America will be available, one with cast wheels and the ‘Special’, which has spoked wheels (spokes on the outer part of the rims so a tubeless tyre can be used) and semi-active electronic suspension that can lower itself (“1-2 inches” – 2550mm depending on the weight of the rider) called, Adaptive Ride Height (ARH) – a first for any production motorcycle.
Have you ever watched MotoGP and seen the bikes suspension lower itself so they can launch off the line better? Well, ARH is a very similar system to this, only it is electronic, not rider activated like the one on
HAVE YOU EVER WATCHED MOTOGP AND SEEN THE BIKES SUSPENSION LOWER ITSELF SO THEY CAN LAUNCH OFF THE LINE BETTER? WELL,ARH IS A VERY SIMILAR SYSTEM TO THIS, ONLY IT IS ELECTRONIC, NOT RIDER ACTIVATED LIKE THE ONE ON MOTOGP BIKES.
MotoGP bikes. ARH has four settings: Auto, Short and Long delay or Locked Mode. So, in Auto mode the system determines how quickly to lower the suspension based on how aggressive the braking action is, with the target of having the suspension fully lowered when the bike comes to a stop. In Short Delay and Long Delay Modes, the lowering function is delayed until the motorcycle comes to a stop, so that full ride height is maintained while the motorcycle is moving at low speeds, such as when negotiating a parking lot. In Locked Mode, ARH will always maintain the normal ride height and does not lower at a stop. This mode might be selected by a tall rider who does not need ARH to be flat footed at a stop, or for off-road
riding when full ride height is desirable at low speeds.
Everyone knows I have long pins, but this type of technology is simply next level and a bonus for all sized riders. Having the ability to ride a motorcycle confidently is perfect for those with shorter legs or those who really want a firm foot flat on the ground. You may have struggled on other bikes, but the Pan America is the perfect bike for you. I used all four settings and my preference became Short Delay. I really like that you can stop on uneven ground and not worry that you’re going to tip over. Other manufacturers will be introducing this technology very soon, I’m sure – it is a feature that is so clever to have and I’m actually surprised no one else
thought of it earlier.
Styling is very polarising and I will admit, when I first saw photos of the Pan America I wondered what type of drugs the designers were on to produce something so ugly. It wasn’t until I saw the Pan America in the flesh that I understood why it looks the way it does. Harley wanted to incorporate some ‘Harley’ into it, and by that, I mean the headlight and cowling have the looks of the Fat Bob and Road Glide – check them out and you’ll see what I mean. Also, the orange with white headlight cowling photos that Harley displayed in marketing this bike before its release really doesn’t do the looks any justice. Check one out in the black, grey or green and they look much more
purposeful and not mismatched like the orange/white.
An all-new engine is fitted as a stressed member in the Pan America. It is called Revolution Max 1250. It isn’t a rehashed Harley engine from the V-Rod – it is all-new. It is a V-twin but Harley didn’t only look at this type of engine layout in the designing phase – they looked at a V4 and other layouts, but ultimately chose a V-twin as they found it to be the most compact.
Massive amounts of testing went into the production bike, every single part and feature was scrutinized by grams throughout the project. In fact, after checking out the internals of Revolution Max you could say it looks more like a full on race engine where every bit of weight has been taken out for maximum performance. The end result of all this lightening of components is 12kg under the base weight of BMWs flat twin with a claimed 25% more features. One million miles of development 50% off-road, 50% pavement were conducted, as well as extreme duty testing of components in a shaker rig. Harley built its own off-road development course modelled to automotive standards and built with narrower trails than a GS is claimed to be able to traverse. Harley also tested prototype components during the making of Long Way Up with Charlie and Ewan who rode dirt modified Livewires. Well, you might even like to call them ‘Pan America modified’ Livewires!
Harley is so confident of the longevity of Revolution Max there’s no need for valve adjustment, which is great for long term ownership.
The numbers – 112kW at 8750rpm and 127Nm at 6750rpm -- are mighty impressive and numbers you probably wouldn’t imagine a Harley-Davidson punching out. How’s it ride? – it is extremely smooth and progressive –exactly what you want in the dirt.
Variable valve timing (VVT) plays a part in that. There’s a separate camshaft for intake and exhaust and each cylinder (making any maintenance easier, too) and through computer control, VVT advances or retards exhaust and intake camshaft timing independently and infinitely through a potential range of 40 degrees of
crankshaft rotation. VVT broadens the overall powerband making Revolution Max very flexible in how it can be ridden and improves torque management and efficiency compared to the same engine with fixed valve timing. This allows the same engine to provide both low-end grunt for acceleration off the line as well as the thrill of highRPM horsepower. The timing phaser is located between the cam drive sprocket and the camshaft, and uses a solenoid plunger to control ported hydraulics.
Engine power settings come in Sport, Road, Rain, Off Road, Off Road Plus and three Custom modes – A, B and Off Road, with each adjusting the electronic suspension setting on the Special model. For
MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF TESTING WENT INTO THE PRODUCTION BIKE, EVERY SINGLE PART AND FEATURE WAS SCRUTINIZED BY GRAMSTHETHROUGHOUT PROJECT.
WANTEDHARLEY-DAVIDSON THE PAN AMERICA TO BE A PREMIUM LEVEL ADVENTURE TOURER SO FINDING THE BEST COMPONENTS IS WHAT THEY DID, REGARDLESS OF THE BRAND.
the first part of the launch I toggled between Road and Off Road Plus, but once we stopped for lunch I setup Custom A with Sport level of power and Balanced suspension and traction off. For the Custom Off Road map I set the power on Road, went with Off Road Soft for the suspension and had front ABS on only, with traction off.
The six-speed gearbox with an assist-slipper clutch is all very smooth to use, however there is no quickshifter, just yet that is. The Harley tech guys wouldn’t confirm or deny, but I reckon it’s pretty safe to say next year’s model will at least come with an up change quickshifter, if not up and down. A chain final drive instead of the customary belt as seen on every other Harley is fitted to the Pan America; a chain can be much easier to fix in the middle of nowhere.
Harley-Davidson wanted the Pan America to be a premium level adventure tourer so finding the best components is what they did, regardless of the brand. If Nissin was better than Brembo, or Showa better than Ohlins for the purpose, they went with that. As for the braking, Brembo was the final choice and with that comes the latest cornering ABS braking electronics and Hill Hold Control. Power and feel are excellent as expected. Tyre pressure monitoring also comes standard.
Back to the suspension, Harley went with Showa front and rear. The semiactive electronics have five available settings – Comfort, Balanced, Sport, Off Road Soft and Off Road Firm. As mentioned I went with Balanced on the bitumen which gave plenty of feel and compliance over rough sections and off-road I went with Off Road Soft, which again, gave the right level of feel and compliance for the dirt roads we went on.
I remember sitting on a Pan America at Harley HQ and thinking how comfy it felt, but did think the handlebar was a bit low for stand up riding – especially for tall riders, my thoughts were the same coming away from the launch – the seat comfort is perfect and the seat to bar / seat to peg height while sitting is great for all day riding. If you’re a bit tall (I’d say anything over 180cm) you’ll need bar risers – but only if you want to do a lot of stand up riding. If you’re going
to use the Pan America as a road tourer, the standard height is fine. A four position adjustable screen works very well and for the majority I had it on the third highest setting. This worked well with my peaked helmet and deflected away large amounts of wind from the body.
A 6.8-inch TFT instrument panel features a touchscreen and displays all instrumentation and infotainment functions. The screen tilts on its mount so it can be set just right for whatever sized rider and for sitting or stand-up riding.
The screen is covered with nonreflective glass to make it easier to view in most lighting conditions. Colours and the design of the display were selected to make the screen comfortable to view and I can attest that it is visible in direct and non-direct light.
The touch screen functions when a rider is wearing gloves but is not affected by rain or other natural inputs. You can also customise the basic display by adding speedometer and tachometer central to the display.
Navigation is supplied by the HarleyDavidson App for iOS or Android, which must be downloaded into your mobile device. It features turn-by-turn navigation directions and if you want to listen to a bit of music, the TFT panel controls this too. Remember that most infotainment functions also require a Bluetooth headset and speakers in your helmet.
As expected, the list of accessories is extensive. Three sets of luggage are available, a tankbag, different seats, bar risers, centre stand, pegs, muffler, air cleaner, heated grips, all sorts of protection, and a couple of windscreens and I’m sure I’ve missed more. You can also kit yourself out in Harley-Davidson adventure wear. Teaming up with Rev-IT, the range includes both the ‘Passage’ and the ‘Grit’ range. “You can get a helmet, jacket, pants, gloves and boots, all made in conjunction with Rev-it.” I got to try the Grit jacket and while you will read a full review in either this or the next issue I have now made this my go to winter road jacket.
For a first dip into the highly competitive adventure touring market Harley-Davidson has done an outstanding job with the Pan America. Do not diss this bike in any way until you’ve seen it in the flesh and actually taken it for a ride. It would be in the top five adventure tourers now on the market – it’s that good. D
Specs
HARLEY-DAVIDSON PAN AMERICA / PAN AMERICA SPECIAL
MODEL: Harley-Davidson Pan America / Pan America Special
COLOURS: Vivid Black, Gauntlet Gray Metallic, Deadwood Green, Baja Orange/Stone Washed White Pearl
VERDICT: Be surprised
IT’S ON AGAIN!
THIRD TIME LUCKY SPRING DELIGHTS GUIDED MOTORCYCLE TOUR, NEW ZEALAND SOUTH ISLAND
NOVEMBER 2021
WE’RE DESPERATE TO RIDE…SOMEWHERE, and there is no better place than the South Island of New Zealand. With the amazing treats that Spring pops up it’s a magical time to tour the South Island.
Let’s make our ‘Third Time Lucky’ tour a massive one – you know you’ve been hanging to get out on an overseas tour so this is THE tour to be on. Book now to avoid missing out on your spot, you know you deserve it!
Day 0
Arrive Christchurch
Meet your bike at 17:00. Welcome drinks at 18:30. Meet your Paradise tour guides and Stuart from AMM.
Day 1
Christchurch to Blenheim310km
We leave after breakfast heading north riding through rural land until we get to the Pacific Coast. After stopping in Kaikoura we continue alongside the mountains and beside the sea until we get to the Store, where the road heads inland. Great riding all day, sweeping bends, twisty climbs through the mountains, beautiful views.
Overnight in Blenheim.
Day 2
Blenheim to Nelson170km
We’ll start the day at the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre with its WW1 and WW2 displays designed by Peter Jackson (included activity) and then ride to Picton. Ride along Queen Charlotte Drive to Nelson, another spectacular road, with beautiful views along most of the 25-mile route into Havelock.
The drive climbs and rounds the headland overlooking Picton, the terminus for all freight and passenger
traffic to and from Wellington. Then we ride over a low saddle between Charlotte Sound and Pelorus Sound, two of the four waterways that collectively make up the Marlborough Sounds. The road then runs alongside several peaceful bays.
Pass through Havelock, the home of ‘Green Lipped Mussels’ which are exported throughout the world. The mussel beds are clearly visible in the sounds. The route from Havelock is hilly and winding, with great roads and passes through miles of pine forests, planted for their timber. The fresh smell of pine forest is wonderful.
The land flattens out as we approach Nelson, the biggest fishing port in New Zealand and the second largest city in the South Island, an attractive cosmopolitan city with up-market shopping and restaurants and its own ‘Mediterranean’ microclimate. Nelson’s diverse geography encapsulates everything from the long golden beaches to untouched forests and rugged mountains.
Overnight Nelson.
Day 3
Nelson to Hanmer Springs - 352km
Leave Nelson, heading south. Our onward journey takes us through Murchison. We’ll head into the mountains and stop to see Maruia Falls
The small settlement at Springs Junction is next on our route, it is
predominantly a service centre for travellers where you can buy petrol or a hot or cold drink.
The road climbs steadily to the summit of Lewis Pass at 865m. Lewis Pass is a fabulous scenic ride and an old Maori greenstone trail. This is alpine riding at its best - successions of sweeping corners and undulations set amidst world-class mountain scenery, following the route of the Maruia River.
At the top of Lewis Pass is the St James Walkway.
The road then follows the Hope River to the Waiau River through an expanse of farmland, straight, open roads with wide bends and superb views.
Turn left to Hanmer Springs and keep an eye out for bungee jumpers on Ferry Bridge as you cross the bridge across the Waiau Gorge.
Hanmer Springs is an alpine resort with famous Hot Springs. Check them out!
Overnight Hamner Springs.
Day 4
Rest, ride or explore Hanmer Springs -
350km
If adventure is what you are after, look no further than the wild beauty of Hanmer; it is a haven for forest hiking, mountain biking, horse trekking, bungee jumping, jet boating, and the Hot Springs. Your guides can give you some great road and easy gravel track routes.
Overview
• Arrive 13 November 2021
Saturday Christchurch
• Tour starts 14 November 2021
Sunday Christchurch
• Tour ends 27 November 2021
Saturday Christchurch
• Depart 28 November 2021
Sunday Christchurch
• 14 riding days
• 15 nights good quality accommodation
• Two Full days in Queenstown
Inclusions
• Motorcycle rental
• Unlimited kms
• Comprehensive motorcycle insurance
• Insurance excess NZ$3,750 or NZ$950 for NZ$30 per day
• BMW trained Kiwi tour-guide lead rider
• Tour-guide, support vehicle and luggage trailer
• 15 nights good quality accommodation
• 15 breakfasts
• Tour Information book emailed to you prior to the tour
• Paradise Riding Knowledge and Safety Briefing
• Welcome drinks
• Omaka Aviation heritage Centre
• Milford Sound Cruise
• Tour celebration Farewell Dinner
Not included
• Anything not mentioned
• All items of a personal nature
Day 5
Hanmer Springs to Hokitika - 355km
Another chance to ride Lewis pass, then through the lower Buller Gorge to the beautiful west coast.
We leave Hanmer Springs, the road follows the Waiau river through an expanse of farmland – the road is open and with wide bends and superb open views – very different from yesterday’s views, the road then follows the Lewis River through beech forests.
Ride through the beautiful Victoria Forest Park – miles of New Zealand beech trees rise up either side of the road. Stop at Reefton, ‘The Town of Light’ which owes its origins to the discovery of rich quartz gold reefs in the 1800s. In August 1888, at the height of the gold rush, Reefton turned on electric street lighting before any other town in the Southern Hemisphere. Gold is part of the town’s culture as well as its past, after re-opening one of its Gold Mines in 2006. Pass Larrys Creek on the Inanganhua River, a great place for trout fishing.
Carry on through the spectacular Lower Buller Gorge, where the road clings to the edge of the river next to the vertical stone cliffs.
On to the dramatic and rugged scenery of the ‘coast road’. Winding its way between the bush clad slopes, studded with Nikau Palms and the surf of the Tasman Sea this has to be one of New Zealand’s most beautiful rides.
You will pass through Punakaiki where you will find the intriguing Pancake Rocks and blowholes.
The pancake rocks began forming 30 million years ago when limestone was overlaid with softer mudstone in a succession of layers. Over years, the elements have eroded the rock, leaving a pancake effect. When the sea is rough, the sound of the blowholes can be heard for miles. It is best to visit the blow holes at high tide.
Arrive at Hokitika. First settled in 1860, it was an important river port where many ships met their demise on the notorious ‘Hokitika Bar’ – a sandbar that shifts with every tide. The centre of the West Coast Gold Rush in the 1860s it was at that time
the most populous settlement in NZ with a population of 25,000 and over 100 pubs. There are some lovely old buildings on the town’s historic walk, and you will notice several galleries specialising in pounamu jewellery and art works. You’ll have time to explore the town in the morning.
Overnight Hokitika.
Day 6
Hokitika to Franz Josef135km
It is the ‘Ice Run’ today! Ride along the West Coast with views across the Tasman Sea.
The scenery changes as you approach Glacier country to native rainforest, green and lush. Travel through Ruatapu and on to the gold town of Ross.
Then it is on to arguably the West Coast’s most picturesque lake, Lake Ianthe, where you can get up close and personal with the local birdlife by taking a natural history cruise with Tamati Nature Tours out onto the forest-lined lake in a Kauri launch.
Continuing along the Hari Hari highway, you cross the Wanganui River and ride through the town of Hari Hari, once a logging settlement but today a popular location for bush walking, bird watching, trout and salmon fishing. Along the main
highway, you will find tearooms, a dairy and craft shops.
Ride past two of Westland’s lakesLake Wahapo, a haven for fishing and home to thousands of native birds, and Lake Mapourika, a kettle lake formed when a large block of ice was left behind by the retreating Franz Josef Glacier some 14,000 years ago.
Our destination today is Franz Josef Glacier; nowhere else in the world at this latitude have glaciers advanced so close to the coast. The glacier is currently 12km long and terminates 19km from the Tasman Sea. The area surrounding the two glaciers is part of Te Wahipounamu, a World Heritage Site park.
The Māori name for the glacier is Ka Roimata o Hinehukatere (‘The tears of Hinehukatere’), arising from a local legend: Hinehukatere loved climbing in the mountains and persuaded her lover, Wawe, to climb with her. Wawe was a less experienced climber than Hinehukatere but loved to accompany her until an avalanche swept Wawe from the peaks to his death. Hinehukatere was broken hearted and her many, many tears flowed down the mountain and froze to form the glacier.
Julius Haast was the first European visitor to describe the glaciers in 1864. He named the northern glacier Franz Josef, after the Emperor of Austria.
The southern glacier was named after Premier William Fox, who visited the area in 1872.
For those who have booked helicopter flights onto the Glacier this afternoon is your first chance. It’s always weather dependent, mountains attract clouds, you will have another chance on the other side of Mount Cook.
Day 7
Franz Josef to Queenstown - 360km
A fantastic ride through Haast Pass today.
The road winds its way through the rainforest of the Westland National Park, with plenty of hairpin bends and undulations.
The cosy township of Fox Glacier is tucked into the forest foothills of the Southern Alps. Named after Sir William Fox, NZ’s Prime Minister from 1869 to 1872, Fox Glacier describes both the glacier and the nearby village. Like its twin, Franz Josef, the glacier descends from the Southern Alps down into temperate rainforest just 300 metres above sea level.
The road gets interesting as it winds its way through the native forest to the amazing Haast Pass, the lowest of the passes. Once a walking track used by Maori heading for West Coast reserves of pounamu (greenstone), Haast Pass was first crossed by Europeans during the 1860s gold rush. Construction of a proper road began in the 1920s and 1930s depression, and was finally completed in the early 1960s.
The Haast district (2006 population: 297) has always been the most isolated part of the West Coast. Until the middle of the 20th century there were only bush tracks connecting it to Hokitika (240km away) and
Wanaka (145km). The opening of the Paringa–Haast section of State Highway 6 in 1965 provided an allweather road link with the rest of the West Coast.
The ride from the West Coast to Wanaka passes through spectacular scenery and nowhere is more startling than the route between Haast and Makaroa.
You are riding through the Mount Aspiring National Park, through giant moss-covered native forest following the path of the Haast River.
Climbing through the Pass you will experience steep twisty sections with waterfall walks along the way – they are well sign-posted along this route so keep a look out.
Heading towards Makarora at the northern tip of Lake Wanaka, the perfect access point to the Mt Aspiring National Park, complete with spectacular mountain scenery, alpine vegetation and river valleys of silver beech.
As we leave the rain forest, we enter the warmer and drier Central Otago. This route was a traditional pathway for Maori journeying west in search of pounamu (greenstone or jade). The basins that are filled by Lake Hawea and Lake Wanaka were gouged out by the Hawea and Wanaka Glaciers. Two arms of the glaciers joined at a narrow piece of land called The Neck.
Ride to Wanaka, alongside clear blue lakes with a backdrop of the snow-capped Southern Alps and Mount Aspiring National Park. For many years, Wanaka was a quiet summer holiday place, although thousands visited for New Year’s Eve celebrations – often rowdy. The ski fields that opened from the late 1970s made Wanaka into an all-season tourist resort. The town hosts the annual
Festival of Colour, an arts festival held in autumn.
We take the route across the Cardrona ranges – the highest sealed road in NZ at 1,076m and a popular ski area. The township of Cardrona began in 1865, when hundreds of settlers came to the Cardrona Valley, eager to stake their claim in the gold fields. As word got around, the settlement quickly developed and a commercial centre was soon formed.
Within three years there were four hotels, three European stores, four Chinese stores, four butcheries, one blacksmith and a baker. As the years passed, Cardrona expanded and by 1871 the population was such that it had become the centre of the butchery trade in Central Otago. Cardrona remained an important commercial centre through the 1870s and 1880s, although it fluctuated with the changing fortunes of the mining industry. The Cardrona Hotel, Annexe and adjoining General Store are now the only remaining buildings from the early gold rush days.
Enjoy the steep descent into Queenstown as well as the hairpin bends along this route.
Day 8 and 9.
Enjoy Queenstown
Queenstown sits on the shores of the crystal-clear Lake Wakatipu, set amongst the dramatic alpine ranges. It is home to the ultimate adventure bucket list, including skiing in winter, bungee jumping, sky diving, canyon swinging, jet boating, horse trekking, and river rafting year-round.
There are so many activities and adventures to choose from around Queenstown – you will have plenty of time on your two leisure days to get out and about. There are some great
rides from Queenstown and your guides will give you all the information you need to enjoy them.
Day 10
Queenstown to Te Anau172 km
Our ride today takes us around the spectacular Lake Wakatipu to the untouched area of Fiordlands. At the southernmost end of Lake Wakatipu is the pretty township of Kingston. We head on to Te Anau and Fiordland.
Nestled on the edge of Lake Te Anau, the largest lake in the South Island and second only within New Zealand to Lake Taupo, the picturesque town of Te Anau is the main base for the glacier-carved wilderness of the Fiordland National Park.
Day 11
Te Anau to Milford and return - 220km
FILL UP WITH FUEL IN TE ANAU - THERE IS NO FUEL IN MILFORD.
The road hugs the shoreline of Lake Te Anau for about 29km until it reaches Te Anau Downs.From Te Anau Downs, the road veers right and enters the Eglinton Valley.
The road then runs parallel to the right side of the Eglinton River for 33km while it passes through Knobs Flat.At Cascade Creek, the road emerges onto the shorelines of Lake Gunn and Lake Fergus.
Stop at the Mirror lakes – on a calm day the mountains reflect in the black water. The road then passes through a saddle and emerges at the upper section of the Hollyford Valley. Stop at the lookout point for amazing views.
After Hollyford, the road veers to the west and rises steadily along the valley to its highest point at the Homer Tunnel. At 1270 metres long, it is the
second-longest road tunnel in New Zealand. The tunnel, carved out by hand through the mountains, is a oneway road, and you may have to wait up to 15 minutes for the lights to change.
Sunglasses off in the tunnel, there are no lights.
The road emerges at the head of the Cleddau Valley and the last 16km descend along the valley to Milford Sound. Keep an eye out for the cheeky, very intelligent Kea Alpine parrots – they have a taste for rubber and plastic, so don’t encourage them anywhere near your bike!
We’ll start the day with a cruise on Milford Sound.
Milford Sound is justifiably the most famous visitor destination in New Zealand. Visitors are drawn by the spectacular sights of waterfalls cascading from sheer rock faces rising 1200 metres or more from the sea, lush rain forests clinging precariously to the cliffs, and the seals, penguins and dolphins that frequent the waters.
With 182 days of rain every year, Milford Sound is one of the wettest
places in New Zealand however the rain creates stunning treats for visitors with dozens of temporary waterfalls created both at Milford Sound and along the Milford Road.
Maori are believed to have discovered Milford Sound more than 1,000 years ago, returning seasonally to the fiord to collect the much-prized pounamu (greenstone). These treks from the east used traditional pathways across passes such as MacKinnon Pass on the Milford Track. The Maori named the sound Piopiotahi after the thrush-like piopio bird, now sadly extinct.
In 1812 John Grono was the first European settler to land in the sound. He named Milford Sound after Milford Haven in Wales, while the Cleddau River which flows into the sound is also named for its Welsh namesake.
Overnight Te Anau.
Day 12
Te Anau to Invercargill200km
A relatively short but great ride through the Southern Scenic Route to Invercargill today. Quiet roads with very little traffic in this mostly unpopulated area.
Great scenery as we ride alongside the sea, not much in between us and Antarctica here.
We have lots to see and explore in Invercargill, all the Burt Munro bikes, gear and memorabilia, plus the most wonderful motorcycle museum, the beach that Burt used to race on, the list goes on.
Overnight Invercargill.
Day 13
Invercargill to Mount Cook Village - 455km
We head north through the magical landscape of Central Otago today, back towards the mountains and lakes. Through the moonscape that surrounds Alexandra, and on to Cromwell and the fruit bowl of New Zealand. Then we ride the Lindis Pass and into Makenzie Country. Blue lakes and Mount Cook await.
Overnight Mount Cook.
Day 14
Mount Cook Village to Christchurch - 330km
The
Ride towards Lake Tekapo and the Mackenzie ranges heading towards Burke’s Pass; separating the Two Thumbs and Rollesby Ranges, Burkes Pass permits easy entry to the high tussock lands of the Mackenzie District.
Pass through Fairlie.
The town of Geraldine is next, in the heart of a prosperous farming area with sheep, cattle, deer, dairy cows, cropping and fruit growing in abundance. Almost 3,000 people live in the township and surrounding areas.
You are now on the scenic route to Christchurch travelling via Route 72. This rural main road follows the western boundary of the Canterbury Plains and takes you through a succession of country towns, including Staveley.
Ride through the lush farmland of the Canterbury Plains through Mount Hutt, the main skiing area for residents of Christchurch.
Like a patchwork quilt made with every shade of green, the Canterbury
Plains lie between the mountains and the sea, formed from the alluvial shingle fans of several large riversthe Waimakariri, Raikaia, Selwyn and Rangitata. The area produces more than 80% of New Zealand’s grains, crops and seeds.
Arrive at Christchurch, the most English of NZ’s cities, built on the banks of the Avon River and sadly damaged by earthquakes. An eclectic mix of historic elegance and contemporary culture, Christchurch is known as the gateway to the South Island.
Described by Lonely Planet as a “vibrant city in transition, coping resiliently and creatively,” Christchurch’s energy is evident wherever you go. The city has bounced back after the Canterbury Earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 with innovative new attractions, as well as some old favourites.
Upon arrival in Christchurch, please return your bikes to our base.
Overnight Christchurch, Tour Celebration Dinner tonight.D
NO POWER FOR THE BEAR And that means no petrol either
THE BIG GREY LOOKED up at me and cocked its head. Was it considering tackling me on my BMW or had it fed too well on the fresh green from recent showers? There is no shortage of kangaroos in Outback NSW, but there are even more of them in national parks – and nowhere more than in Kinchega NP. As I drew level with this one, the brilliant colours of the setting sun behind it turned it into an ominous silhouette.
Wait. Why was the sun setting behind the big ‘roo, off to my right? The sun sets in the west, right? That meant I was headed, roughly, south. Which made me, equally roughly, some 180 degrees off course. I had realized some time ago that I was lost in this featureless flat and darkling plain, but I had not previously figured out that I was going so thoroughly the wrong way.
I braked and turned around on the sand track, noting that my original macropod buddy had been joined by two others. Indeed, as my vision
adapted there seemed to be bloody dozens of them. I took off slowly, hoping I was leaving them behind and continued slowly, trying to stay ready to react to any other ‘roos tempted to tackle me in the darkness.
The fun always ends eventually, and the lights of Menindee promised surcease. I pulled up at my motel, the Burke & Wills, right across from Maiden’s pub and made my first mistake. Well, maybe my second after getting lost out on the track. This mistake was to break the rule that I will always fill up the bike before I settle down for the evening. But I was buggered, hungry and thirsty so I checked in, parked the F 750 GS and headed for the bar.
Punishment was not long in coming. The next morning I discovered that there was a power outage. The servo was closed, but there was an optimistic note about the card-operated selfservice pump off to one side. Terrific. I tried every card I have in my wallet, including the green MediCare one, without success. The machine did not
WORDS & PHOTOS THE BEAR
like any of them.
This was a problem. I had about 60km worth of petrol in the bike’s tank, enough to get me precisely nowhere. Certainly not over the rough gravel and sand track to Wilcannia, which is where I wanted to go. I proceeded to ride around Menindee to ask everyone I met whether they had any spare petrol. Finally, I returned to the motel to book another night’s accommodation. I was clearly stuck in Menindee.
“No, mate,” the manager said kindly. “There’s a big wedding on in town tonight. We’re chocka. So’s everybody else.” But he took pity on me. “Let me see if I have any spare fuel for the mower.”
He did, and he sold it to me at a discount – but it still wasn’t enough to get to Wilcannia. My only option was to go to Broken Hill instead, 118km over a tarred road, and fuel up there before covering nearly 200km to Wilcannia on the Barrier Highway. Ah well, as Our Ned said, such is life.
I’m not sure if this meant anything, but I have never seen as many feral, I presume, goats as I did between The Hill and Little Topar. I was still marvelling at this when I reached Wilcannia and discovered that I was the goat. There was no power there, either, and the card-operated filler at the servo didn’t like my cards any more than the one in Menindee had.
“It’s the phone connection,” said the woman seated at the filler, clearly positioned there to explain the facts of life to anyone wanting fuel. “The pump has its own battery, so it can work, but it needs the phone connection to check your card.” I am going to edit her comments from here on because this is a family magazine. “The [deleted] at the post office didn’t switch on the generator to charge the [deleted] battery for the phone service.“
“Wait a minute,” I said, “you mean people knew about the outage?” – “Of course. It’s for maintenance work. The whole lower Darling is out.” – “What
It’s a long way between… well, anything really when you’re out in
about that big wedding in Menindee?” – “Oh, they asked the power people to change the maintenance date, but it’s too big a [deleted] deal.”
One thing seemed promising. “You must know when the power is coming back on, then,” I said. – “Four o’clock tomorrow afternoon,” she said. I probably didn’t have quite enough fuel for the 100km to White Cliffs, which is where I had a room booked at the pub. That meant an overnight stop in Wilcannia, which I had not factored in and which I didn’t particularly look forward to. Not to mention spending, what… thirty hours here with nothing to do.
“You wouldn’t have a bit of fuel in a jerry can or something, would you?” I asked. – “Not [deleted] likely,” she replied. “Nobody here keeps petrol in small containers. The [deleted] steal them to [deleted] the petrol.” She relented a little. “Maybe the bloke over at the caravan park has some. He’s a bikie.”
She then gave me a bottle of cold
The pub with no beer is no good, but neither is a bowser with no fuel.
SA.
Listen Up! ings Are About To Get More Interesting
All right, nobody has actually complained but I sometimes look at my stories and think, geez, that ran a bit long. The trouble is that there’s so much out there to explore and discover and then write about. There are times, too, when I see something and it reminds me of something else and I rabbit on about that. So I’m going to try a different approach. No, I am not going to stop rabbiting on. When I go for one of my longer rides, like the week-long 4000km trip to the Flinders Ranges and beyond, I start out with a couple of lists. This is not something I have introduced since I started losing my memory. I’ve always done it. I prepare a story list and a shot list. The former is an outline of each potential story including a basic outline of the things to check out, and the photos necessary to make the story work. The latter is a list of all the photos I think I should take, including but not limited to the ones for the separate stories.
Obviously these lists are not immutable. They are simply intended to make sure that I don’t inadvertently miss something that I knew I should cover. Some topics don’t work out, and others go in different directions once I’m out there, and there are always unexpected ones. That’s fine. Serendipity is always welcome.
To make sure I don’t try to fit too much into any one story, I’m going to split them up from now on into individual ones. Stuart can then use them one at a time or even run more than one per issue. Let’s see how it goes. You will notice that I have already started doing this: the technical story about equipping my BMW, in the most recent issue, was the first. PT
What an appropriate little sculpture here in Broken Hill, except it refers to water, not petrol.
Adblue Blues
What’s that extra nozzle? In efforts to keep diesel-fuelled engines on the right side of emissions laws, manufacturers are turning to something called selective catalytic reduction (SCR). AdBlue targets your exhaust’s nitrogen oxide (NOx) content. This is a solution of distilled water and urea, which reacts with the nitrogen oxide inside a catalyst and breaks it down. So, instead of nitrogen oxide leaving the tailpipe, it’s nitrogen and water. While human urine also contains urea, it’s only a few per cent and isn’t strong enough to act as a substitute.
water for nothing, for which I truly thank her. Unfortunately the bikie at the caravan park had just given away his last bit of petrol.
I crossed the bridge back to town –the Darling was flowing nicely – and noticed a car with a trailer holding two adventure bikes in the little riverside park.
“Yeah, sure,” said Mark or possibly David. Mark Douglass and David Crombie had been riding in the Flinders Ranges just like me, but they had fuel in the bike tanks. Some syphoning later (I suspect I can still taste the petrol) my tank was full, and they refused any payment. Thank you, gents. I hope the jiggling syphon that I sent you when I got back to Sydney found you.
The card reader at the White Cliffs pub didn’t work either, of course, so I ran a tab for the VBs and the room. In the morning there was nobody around, so I left a note and headed off. Although the Sun was just up, a big Grey watched me from the roadside bush as I turned onto the Opal Miners Way. It looked just like the one in Kinchega. Fortunately, it acted the same way too. D
I knew not to fill up with diesel, but was AdBlue any use? Noo…
David (or possibly Mark) gets ready to fill my bike from his.
AFEW OF US MIGHT
remember when Aprilia entered the Australian motorcycle octagon and quickly made a name for itself.
Its bikes were like nothing else on the market. They were painted like party girls – a chiaroscuro of competing colours smeared on pure, look-at-me Italian weaponry. And just like party girls, they certainly weren’t for tame, mousey souls.
Aprilia was clearly uninterested in attracting mice to its marque.
And then in 1995, more mice were ignored with the advent of Aprilia’s brilliant two-stroke missiles – the RS125 and RS250. Legitimate race-bikes you could ride on the road. Beautiful, wicked, and brilliant, they were the last gasp of the two-stroke era.
At that time, the various state governments were busily enforcing safety on L-platers by limiting what was available for them to ride, and 250cc bikes were being foisted on wild-eyed teenagers by Safety Karens everywhere.
Happily, it took the Safety Karens a little while to work out that this
particular Aprilia 250cc bike was a giant-killer capable of being ridden at ferocious speeds, with the handling and braking to match its racing heritage.
And then, damn their eyes, they killed them for the L-platers.
But I was not an L-plater. And it did not stop me from howling around on Brother Silverback’s RS250 at every opportunity. He howled around on it less so – being very large and somewhat nonplussed by the two-stroke paradigm of narrow powerbands – and ultimately sold it for those reasons.
I wanted to buy it, but the money was not there.
But one day I will buy one because they’re such insane propositions, I would be mad not to.
Then some strange things started to happen for Aprilia. It kept producing weaponised, high-end
bikes, which easily contended for supremacy with the likes of Ducati and the Japanese – the V4 Tuono is nothing short of brilliant, and the RSV4RR and its Factory option are true masterclass monsters – but it just wasn’t selling them by the bucketload.
People cited the ageing aesthetics, the confusing menus, the lack of rider comfort, and a whole host of mewling bull-porridge, none of which I agreed with…well, maybe the menus, and Aprilia went kinda dark.
That darkness is now at an end, and the light is back on.
The rather moribund mid-range sportsbike class is going to get very interesting very soon.
IT’S LIGHT – AND IF YOU UNDERSTAND THIS CLASS, YOU’LL UNDERSTAND HOW CRUCIAL SUCH A THING IS. AND THIS IS AS LIGHT AS IT GETS IN THIS POND.
And the first potent shot across those bows is this new Aprilia RS660.
Once again, Aprilia has taken to painting its bikes like a party girl dancing on a table with two differentcoloured high-heels on. Aprilia has reached into
its deep bag of racing expertise, and offered up a new and very beautiful bike that ticks all the boxes such a bike needs to tick.
And once again, my heart rejoices because I have been a long-standing lover of how the Noale paisans make their prosciutto.
So, what is the RS660?
It’s light – and if you understand this class, you’ll understand how crucial such a thing is. And this is as light as it gets in this pond.
It’s comfortable, with ergos that quite belie its ability to behave like a track-ready weapon – and dimensionally, it feels like it’s a bigger bike than what it is.
It’s very electronically sophisticated – and look for this TFT screen, its attendant computers, and its much-easier-tonavigate menus, to appear on the new Tuonos and RSV4RRs.
It boasts a level of equipment that reflects its premium price tag – and I’m good with that, since money must never dictate what feeds your soul.
It handles…oh, sainted baby in a Jerusalem manger, does it handle. It’s not tetchy in the least – think surefooted, stable, and sweet.
And it goes, despite the fact it’s powered by an upright twin. I thought I’d be wishing for more bang, but it suited the roads we rode perfectly.
That engine is all new, and comes with a 270-degree crank, so when you’re smashing through the updown quickshifter, it emits the most delightful race-bred explosions out of its optional Akrapovic race system. Few things make me smile like a bike that makes a bang between gear-shifts. And since I rode the fully optioned version at the press launch, and only the fully optioned version (no-one asked me if they could have a go, so I assumed no-one cared enough to want to ride it), I know what I know. And I know I was pleased.
What I knew before I had ridden the RS660 through just about every corner in Victoria, most of which were greasy with the tears of heaven, was that I didn’t much like upright twins – and I certainly didn’t much like the Supersport class.
Those bikes tend to be built for snake-hipped, stoop-shouldered, chicken-chested boys, and I tend to be structured more like a bear.
I had totally changed my mind as the corners came at me.
I was already wondering why I was not crippled after riding it around inner-city Melbourne and doing some freeway time.
Usually, on a supersport, this kind of riding makes me stretch out my legs, wriggle in the seat, and mutter foul curses at the bloke who chose the route.
Not this time.
The seat was comfortable, Aprilia has sat the handlebars above the top triple clamp, and the whole package was quite ergonomically pleasing.
And when we hit the corners, everything else just fell into place. The suspension –
41mm, upside-down, fully adjustable Kayabas, and a single fully adjustable unit up the back, hanging off a very sexy asymmetrical alloy swingarm – is excellent.
There was a distilled rightness to the way the RS660 handled. Aided and abetted by its low unsprung weight, and a wet heft of a mere 183kg, all being pushed by a non-temperamental and beautifully fuelled engine, this is precisely the kind of bike you would enjoy when the road surface is wet.
APRILIA HAS REACHED INTO ITS DEEP BAG OF RACING EXPERTISE, AND OFFERED UP A NEW AND VERY BEAUTIFUL
BIKE THAT TICKS ALL THE BOXES SUCH A BIKE NEEDS TO TICK.
In the dry, and there were a few dry bits, there is no mistaking the RS660s heritage – this is not only one of the best-handling Aprilias ever made,
it’s one of the best-handling bikes you can get. The fact you’re not cramped into a racer’s crouch – an entirely impractical way to ride on the road for anyone over 20 – certainly helps. If you’re comfy, you’re fast.
The engine (100 horsies at 10,500 and 67Nm at 8500rpm) makes most of its torque down low and in the middle, and while it doesn’t breathe fire, it produces more than enough stomp for you to delight in. Power to weight, ladies. Power to weight.
It would appear quite a lot of thought has gone into the RS660 – especially when you consider the asking price, which is around $18,500 plus on-roads. It had better come loaded with well thought-out essentials and high-tech goodies, right?
It does.
The latest Aprilia Performance Ride Control (APRC) is hidden inside the RS660. That’s the king-daddy six-
axis inertial computer system and its attendant gyroscopes that measure what the bike is doing in real time –and then marry that to what you’re up to. It’s all very sophisticated.
The TFT dash will show you five different menus, two of which are customisable, and for the younger players, it can all be linked to the Aprilia app – and that’s all that navigational stuff, a multimedia platform, and even an electronic antitheft application. No other bike in this class offers this level of electronic wizardry. Wicked LED running lights, a steeper and more aggressive cant to the screen, and a double-fairing which assists the bike’s stability, all add to the package. Even the blinkers are built into the lights.
The tank holds 15 litres, which is good for damn near 280km, which you’ll do easy thanks to the ergos –even if you’re built like a meat-bison.
LED RUNNING LIGHTS, A STEEPER AND MORE AGGRESSIVE CANT TO THE SCREEN, AND A DOUBLE-FAIRING
WHICH ASSISTS THE BIKE’S STABILITY, ALL ADD TO THE PACKAGE.
It proportions are right –and you can even get it in some crazy metallic yellowy hue called Acid Gold for the full “Check this out, girls!” experience. Or just go the black or the matte blue, both of which come with disparate wheel colours (an Aprilia tradition), and very snazzy graphics and highlights.
The impression the RS660 left me
with was rather unique. It looks and feels a bit special – which it should for the price. And it’s got that X-factor, which so few bikes manage these days. That X-factor is a heady combo of cuttingedge technology, killer aesthetics, proper real-road ability, and that ephemeral “thing” that guides every red-blooded beast’s aspirational desire to have a hot Italian mistress. Especially one that can cook like the RS660 can.
I loved it – and I’m old and broken, so that’s a big thing.
There can only be one conclusion to that conclusion.
The light is on and Aprilia is back, baby. D
When it comes to places around the world to ride motorcycles, there are so many possibilities for epic riding, sensational scenery and fascinating culture. To help you pick through and inspire you to get out and find your ultimate riding adventure, we’ve compiled destination guides for some of the best places in the world to ride your bike. AMM
The old Wild West of America is a motorcycle adventurist’s dream; countless iconic destinations and vast national parks linked by stunning roads. If you think American roads are all long straights and truck stops, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. Lose yourself in old world Wild West towns, where pickup trucks might have replaced the horses, but the Stetson hats and cowboy boots are standard gear. Outside of the charm
of the towns, you’ll be humbled by the sheer size of the landscape around you. America does big better than almost anywhere else.
The Roads
The stereotypical view of American roads – long, arrow-straight stretches of blacktop disappearing over the horizon – exists for a good reason, but there’s so much more to it than that. There is a great variety of roads at your disposal; avoid the highways and interstates and you’ll avoid the Starbucks-on-every-intersection cliché that makes for boring days on the bike. That being said, America still does big roads really well. When locals tell you about a road of endless tight switchbacks, they’ll be telling the truth, but those hairpins bends will be two-lanes wide with a shoulder
either side. One of our favourite routes to take is the Chief Joseph highway – lots of fast, flowing riding with sweeping bends and plenty of those super-wide hairpins. You can ride it in a big loop with Beartooth Pass, one of the more winding roads, climbing out of Yellowstone Park and into the Absaroca wilderness. Other iconic routes to ride include Monument Valley, Death Valley and of course the Pacific Coast Highway. The PCH has some simply stunning riding along a road halfway up the cliff face – nothing but cliff above, nothing but cliff and ocean below – a really special experience. You’ll find dirt sections to play on in the Valley of The Gods; mostly hardpack smooth dirt roads or for more of a challenge, check out the Mokee (Moki) Dugway for a blend of sand and gravel, cliffs and switchbacks.
It’s a big country with some big views, from coast to mountains to forest; expect some long days in the saddle and include a few of the less challenging roads when you need to make some progress.
The Weather
With such a large region and such a variety of altitudes, there is always going to be a significant spread in temperature and weather. The extremes are, well, pretty damn extreme; in July and August, Death Valley can see temperatures over 50 degrees Celsius, while the winter
record for Yellowstone National Park is minus 54. The best riding season tends to be late Summer (September) to ensure the higher altitude passes are open, while the hotter regions are bearable. Rainfall can be expected throughout the year, so pack a decent waterproof and layer up so you can adjust for the temperature changes throughout the day. Of course, you can always just grit your teeth and tell everyone you’re fine.
The best places to visit
Where do we start? The Pacific Coast Highway and Death Valley have to be
on the list of roads, along with a visit to the California coast, San Francisco, Big Sur and, of course, the national parks. The problem with this place is it’s all special, almost every day brings another bucket-list destination. Out of all the parks, it’s Yellowstone that completely blows you away –geysers, bison and a proper wild west feel make it a really special place. In terms of great towns, make sure you spend some time in Moab; an old time hippie town. There’s a genuine, chilled out, laid-back feel to the place and you’ve got your pick of more national parks right on the doorstep.
Who is Motorrad Tours
Motorrad Tours is an Official Travel Partner of BMW Motorrad, founded by Richard Millington the man behind the words in this feature and run by Chris Hone. Richard and Chris have years of experience and literally millions of miles of route planning and tour delivery under their belts. Along with their team of tour leaders, they have a comprehensive knowledge of the best riding destinations on planet Earth and they’ve spent the last decade perfecting riding adventures around them. From the Highlands of Scotland to the rice paddies of Vietnam, Motorrad Tours trips keep people coming back time and time again. So if you want to see the best a country has to offer the adventurous motorcyclist, give Motorrad Tours a call on +44 (0)1622 776686 or log onto their website www.motorrad-tours.com to see where they are headed to next.
By way of a contrast to all the epic scenery and old-world feel, is Las Vegas. A desert oasis with a legendary reputation for entertainment, Vegas is one of those cliché’s that is definitely worth experiencing first hand.
The bits to avoid
Big highways and big brand coffee stops – there’s so much more to see away from the major routes. Sure, drop on to Route 66 for a few miles to tick that box, but don’t forget this iconic route was designed as an easy to drive route to help escape the dust bowl depression, so it’s not the most
engaging riding from a rider’s point of view. Plus if you stick on it, you’ll miss all the really good bits of the American West.
The food
You’ll eat well and that’s a guarantee. But a good meal out is more than just food on a plate; the atmosphere and surroundings are what turn simple sustenance into an experience. Sat on Main Street in the wild west town of Cody, fresh from the rodeo, enjoying a cold beer and watching the world go by; that’s how to make a rack of ribs taste really special.
Our favourite bit
This is a really difficult one to call – the Wild West is a little like Alaska in this way – every day you’re declaring it the best one yet, struggling to imagine what could beat it. Until the next day. Our favourite town would have to be Moab, and Yellowstone takes the top location award. One thing we will say is if you’re going to do this as a once in a lifetime type trip, do it right and don’t skimp. Spend the extra cash to go rafting in the Colorado river, splash out on a helicopter ride in the Grand Canyon, enjoy a couple of nights in Vegas. Make it special and do all the amazing bits. D
ON THE ROAD FROM GUNDAGAI 2
GOING NORTH OR SOUTH, WE HAVE YOU COVERED
WHEN YOU GET TO Gundagai, usually on the Hume Highway going north or south, don’t just pull in for fuel at the servo on the southern side of the Murrumbidgee. Give the town a chance. The wooden trestle bridge between south and… er, I suppose north Gundagai, or Gundagai proper, is worth rattling over just to see what bridges used to be like when they weren’t squeezed out of giant toothpaste tubes in the sky. They are these days, you know; I seen it meself though I might have been a bit tired. There appears to be no shortage of pubs and motels although last time I stopped in, I had trouble finding a café I liked the look of, but I suspect that might have been more me. If I have had one cup of coffee, as I had on this occasion, I suddenly get all picky. I am, after all, only human. Ursine.
As you leave Gundagai on my recommended route, heading north – or is it west? – towards the freeway bridge… hey, I got booked on that bridge once as I was returning a press bike to Melbourne, and the cop who pulled me up for passing on double lines did a, er, double take when I showed him my licence. ‘If I’d known you were from New South I would have let you go,” he said, indicating the Victorian plate on the bike – you need to stay left to pick up the Nangus road.
Following the river, there are some really nice corners and with little oncoming traffic you can make the most of them. Eventually the road is spat out into the plain that doesn’t become hilly again for a very long way, but by then you will have had your ration of corners for the day.
Continue to Nangus, which is something of a quiet place with a
mechanics’ workshop still offering Golden Fleece petrol. Last time I looked, there were 358 properties listed for sale in Nangus which was quite a surprise since I would not have thought there were anywhere near that
GUNDAGAI, NSW
THE ROAD FROM GUNDAGAI
Apart from the workshop in Nangus that allegedly sells Golden Fleece petrol (I don’t believe it, meself) there is nothing much in the way of commercial development along either of these roads.
Gundagai
I have it on good authority from a bloke with a Triumph in Gundi, as it is sometimes known, that there are feral highway patrol officers who will do anything to get you, including hiding right were the speed limit changes when you enter a town. They are a bit restricted in this of course because there are bugger all towns, but he specifically singled out the hill going into Junee. Be warned, especially of a “bald-headed little ****”.
Gundagai has all the services you might wish for with plenty of pubs, as I mentioned.
Junee
Known as the anorak capital of Australia because of its popularity with train spotters, Junee is a nice enough place with one major attraction: the railway station. This has been restored to within an inch of its tracks and offers a truly stylish morning tea in its café. I had lunch at the Red Cow Hotel instead of the railway café, which was possibly a mistake. But there you go.
Wagga Wagga
The main stop on the Olympic Highway and home to the army at Kapooka and the air force at whatever the base is called, Wagga offers an opportunity to refuel and, well, to refuel. I’m sure it has many other attractions but that is the one I have mostly taken advantage of.
many properties in the town, all up. Nothing against the place, of course.
Just outside town you will be faced with the life-changing decision: north or south? If you’re headed south, perhaps to the wonders of Victoria, you will take the left turn to Wagga. If you’re going north or indeed west, you are best off continuing on to Junee.
Either way you will find a pleasant enough road dipping and swooping a little just enough to keep it interesting before you reach the Olympic Highway – either just north of Wagga (all right, Wagga Wagga, “providing an exciting and yet relaxed lifestyle” according to the council and derived from the Wiradjuri for ‘plenty of crows’) or at Junee (the name means either ‘speak to me’ or ‘frog’ in Wiradjuri, go figure).
The road surface is generally speaking in excellent shape either way, unless there has recently been a flood in which case it may be terrible. That’s Australia for you. D
GUNDAGAI, NSW
THE ROAD FROM GUNDAGAI
Apart from the workshop in Nangus that allegedly sells Golden Fleece petrol (I don’t believe it, meself) there is nothing much in the way of commercial development along either of these roads.
Gundagai
I have it on good authority from a bloke with a Triumph in Gundi, as it is sometimes known, that there are feral highway patrol officers who will do anything to get you, including hiding right were the speed limit changes when you enter a town. They are a bit restricted in this of course because there are bugger all towns, but he specifically singled out the hill going into Junee. Be warned, especially of a “bald-headed little ****”.
Gundagai has all the services you might wish for with plenty of pubs, as I mentioned.
Junee
Known as the anorak capital of Australia because of its popularity with train spotters, Junee is a nice enough place with one major attraction: the railway station. This has been restored to within an inch of its tracks and offers a truly stylish morning tea in its café. I had lunch at the Red Cow Hotel instead of the railway café, which was possibly a mistake. But there you go.
Wagga Wagga
The main stop on the Olympic Highway and home to the army at Kapooka and the air force at whatever the base is called, Wagga offers an opportunity to refuel and, well, to refuel. I’m sure it has many other attractions but that is the one I have mostly taken advantage of.
many properties in the town, all up. Nothing against the place, of course.
Just outside town you will be faced with the life-changing decision: north or south? If you’re headed south, perhaps to the wonders of Victoria, you will take the left turn to Wagga. If you’re going north or indeed west, you are best off continuing on to Junee.
Either way you will find a pleasant enough road dipping and swooping a little just enough to keep it interesting before you reach the Olympic Highway – either just north of Wagga (all right, Wagga Wagga, “providing an exciting and yet relaxed lifestyle” according to the council and derived from the Wiradjuri for ‘plenty of crows’) or at Junee (the name means either ‘speak to me’ or ‘frog’ in Wiradjuri, go figure).
The road surface is generally speaking in excellent shape either way, unless there has recently been a flood in which case it may be terrible. That’s Australia for you. D
“I SHAMBLED AFTER (THEM) because the only people who interest me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn...”
Three months after I first read and was inspired by this quote, and the rest of Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road”, I hitchhiked from Sydney to Perth and back in 11 days for a bet. I made it with a bit under 6 hours to spare. It was 1964, vast stretches including all the Nullabor were unsealed and I was 13 years old.
In the almost exactly 47 years since (the trip was 11 days because that’s how long the June school holidays were then) I’ve been drawn to the crazies, to the manics and the maniacs, to the passionate and obsessed, and to the class we now know and accept as ‘larrikins’.
Give me a sniff of a larrikin, no matter if it’s a living breathing one in a bar or the memories and stories of one long gone, I’m up for the shamble.
And as I turn Super Ten left off the C511 just adjacent to the confluence of the Jamieson and Goulburn rivers and head up to the Courthouse Hotel, there’s the ghost of an exceptional
larrikin in my crosshairs.
Jamieson’s main drag is Perkins St. Its eastern end leads back to the ‘Jammo’ River where the Perkins Brewery once was. Hundred metres or so upstream, the deep section is still called the Brewery Hole and beyond that there’s the Perkins Bridge. It’s late autumn and it’s all stunningly beautiful.
Now Paddy Perkins could fill two of these columns but let’s just say he founded the first brewery here and then headed north to Toowoomba where he founded the Downs Brewery and his company eventually merged with Castlemaine to form Castlemaine-
Perkins.
Yep, XXXX, the most ‘Queenslander’ of all beers is the product of two Irish Victorians.
Anastacia, you can thank ‘em anytime you like.
With business sorted, Paddy turned to politics, got elected, then got reelected and then did it again but he wasn’t above a bit of unorthodox campaigning. His brewery had barrels up to their armpits and it isn’t pork barrelling if it ain’t pork inside, eh?
His supporters backed up their drays and carts, piled them high with barrels of beer and headed out to the polling stations. Meanwhile others were loading sympathisers onto trains to the electorate whilst others were writing
down the names of folks recently dead, recently departed, the neverexisted or the living-in-other localities.
The rest was bloody simple: Send ‘em in to vote, bring them outside and hand them a beer, then another beer, and then a slip of paper with some other bloke’s name on it; send ‘em back in to vote again in the new name. The more you vote the more beers you get.
Sounds legit eh?
Well, Paddy got in but a petition was got up and he was tossed out. He went to ground for a few years but then his mates sorted stuff and landed him a life-membership of the Legislative Council.
Too larrikin for the electorate,
but well within the tolerances of legislators. Don’t ya love it?
Back at Jamieson where it all started, I pull up out front of the Courthouse pub, I’m on the search for a worthy inheritor of Perkins’s larrikin spirit.
I don’t have to wait long.
Jason’s folks bought the pub in ’81 when he was 11 and on the Friday before Good Friday a couple of years later, “there was a whole load of guys in the bar and one of them looked up and said why are the lights on upstairs and we looked up and all the lining boards were lit up and on fire.”
“There was this old guy called Bert Devery and he lived down near the caravan park and he was bawling his eyes out and said he was going down with the ship, said he didn’t
want to live without the pub and we had to drag him out. Right after we pulled out the pool table and got it across the road and a lot of the seats, and then when we couldn’t get any more out we all stood across the road drinking and watched the pub burn.”
The motel section was saved and the bar section was replaced as a single storey, made muchly from bricks saved from the original and cleaned by kids over the following Easter weekend.
Jason and his mates lived on their BMXs and the cop back then didn’t have a car, “So we could get up to mischief around the place and then we’d spot him heading our way we’d just jump on the bikes and he’d be shouting at us in the distance.”
Scottish, Jason’s mate chimes in:
“Then he bought himself a blue light that had a magnet that he stuck on the roof of his own car but if he ever left the car, the kids would sneak down and cut the wires and knock off the light.”
Took 3 or 4 lights until he realised it was a lost cause.
Then Jason and his mates graduated to engines. “During the holidays the cops would stay in the pub and they’d get us to show them where the tracks were and we were on 80s and they were on 250s and they could never keep up, they used to say they’d never seen riders like us.”
Jason reckons the era when he got to legal drinking age, was ‘crazy days’.
“We’d have a blue here and it was like
you see in the western movies, people climbing on the rafters and throwing stuff down and people chucking chairs at each other. It was wild. They’d come in the next day and Dad’d say, well you broke three chairs or maybe a window so you have to work it off doing dishes or behind the bar for so many days and it’d all be sweet.”
Back then the pub had a video rental library and: “Once a month we used to deliver videos up the road, go to Kevie and swap 30 or so rental videos and then to Gaffneys Creek which no longer exists and swap maybe 20 and Dad would say, you’ll notice as we slowly go up the hill how much crazier they get and how much younger the mothers get. You’d be in the pub at Gaffneys and in the bar there’d be a
14 year old with a swollen belly and you’d ask dad is she going to have a baby and he’d say yes and then up in the Woods Point pub there’d be a 12 year old.”
But Gaffneys had its attractions. The pub’s long gone but Scottish fills me in:
“Was a tradition to ride your dirt bike up to Gaffneys and the main road went past the front door and this track went almost vertical from the pub back across the road straight down to the creek and then sheer up on the hill on the other side. There was a rule at the pub that anyone who got up the other side got a hundred bucks so you could go there and just sit out the front drinking beers all day and watch idiots trying to earn the hundred and crashing and falling and tumbling down
the hill with their bikes on top of them.”
Scottish reckons he did it once on a 390 Husky not much before midnight with a few under his belt and their mate Crash managed it “but they refused to pay because they didn’t see it so he went back and did it again.”
And ‘Kevie’ – the Kevington which sadly has also closed at least for now, had its attractions too.
“Every Aust Day weekend they’d get OMG hardcore bikies and there’d be like up to 1200 there, and they all had Harleys but we’d rip up there on our unregistered bikes and do wheelies up and down the street outside and they’d all line the roadside and chuck cans at us.
But they were all good blokes and had their own sergeants at arms and bouncers keeping order and we’d pull up and they’d come over and say mind if I get a photo of myself pissing on your bike and what could you say. But they’d keep it off the seat…told you they were decent blokes.”
One of the highlights was the homemade boat race down the river from Kevington.
“Everyone would build rafts and people around town would store eggs in their shed roofs for weeks to make them rotten and they’d stand on the bridges and hurl these eggs at you as you paddled down. Was insane, but then Scotty, you’ve got to catch up with him, he runs the servo, he’s a mechanic anyway one year he said I’m going to get these bastards back so he put a furphy pump on the front of his raft and connected it to a hose and when he got close to them he’d open up the power and spray them. Almost knocked a few of them over.”
Next morning I catch up with Scotty McKenzie who says it’s all true but it wasn’t a Furphy, it was some other brand, and reckons the next year was better.
“We got these bottles of hotdog dye, mixed it with water and filled the stuff into four or five fire extinguishers. We’re coming down the river and there’s this local bloke with a pure white dog and he chucks an egg or something at us so we open up with the fire extinguishers. Got the dog side on. Suddenly the one side’s white and the other’s bright pink. He’s swearing at us and we’re almost falling in from laughing. We won the race that year.”
Back in the bar I’m hearing the story of Nessy who lost an arm and had it replaced with a hook. He got arrested for assault and when he was charged the cops confiscated his hook.
“But this is where it gets weird,” warns Jason, and I’m thinking yeah, not weird at all up until now, “but ‘Nessy with the Hook’ was a professional shooter and owned a pump action but couldn’t use it with one arm so he had to apply to the court to get his hook back.”
Nothing larrikin about that, eh?
And talking of hooks, I ask Mick, who’s sitting right across the table as I hoe into the best gnocchi dinner I’ve had in memory, what the scar is on his forearm.
“Shark,” he replies, showing it fully to me. “Was swimming off Frankston Pier and had just jumped in when it just grabbed my arm. You can see the teeth marks there. So, I don’t know why but I just punched it hard as I could, right on the snout and it let go and I scrambled up the ladder, blood
pissing out all over the place.”
He tells about strangers wrapping it tight in towels and the ambos coming and the race to hospital and the rehab on the muscles and the tendons.
When I ask Jason how much of that is true, Mike doesn’t give him time to respond.
“Absolutely none of it.”
Then adds: “Did it in a bar fight but the shark story is much better with the chicks.”
They share a story of one NY Eve when “Warwick Capper was here with his girlfriend and about quarter to midnight we all starting getting in line and Capper asked us what we were doing and we told him we were lining up to kiss his missus at midnight and he said, fuck that, just do it now, go for it.”
So they did. Especially a mate named, “Ian”.
There’s a mob of dirt bikers in town, staying down the road and they come in for a drink before they head out in the morning – 9 riders this year.
They’ve been coming here for 15 years during which the chopper’s been called three times to lift out injured riders.
They’ll do about 700kms of dirt tracks in the next 4 days staying in bunk houses and the two backups carry all the equipment and drinks.
It can get bloody cold out there at this season and Geoff, who’s done every ride tells of one year at Harrietville when they ‘found this laundry with a massive industrial spin dryer so three of the boys jumped in and we turned it on. Was pretty fun but not all that effective.’
So now the backups have to get the fire raging before the riders arrive each arvo.
I’ve spent the ashes of the day with half a dozen strangers, had one of the best pub meals in ages, and have cramps in my cheeks from laughing at stories of escapades.
The larrikin spirit of Paddy Perkins is in good hands in Jamieson and as I head to my motel style room, I know this shamble’s been well worth it. D
He loves it!
ISTAYED HERE FOR FOUR days. I NEVER stay anywhere for four days! But it’s that sort of place, filled by that sort of people and surrounded by that sort of riding.
There’s a total of 21 motel style rooms in combos of queens, doubles, twins and bunks, all with ensuites, oil heaters and pedestal fans. A lone rider’ll shell out $65 for the night in a single bed, two sharing a twin room will part with $50 each.
There’s parking in the gated backyard and except for busy Xmas periods, you can park under cover in what’s then used as the outside bar.
In the bar there’re very good open fires (which Shifty claims to light), no gambling but a decent pool table and expansive dining room where you’ll get a very good feed (go the gnocchi or the roast) every day ‘cept Tuesday.
Four beers on tap and a schooner of heavy is 8 bucks, mid-strength 50 cents less.
There’s no common room or makings for a morning brew but right next door Paul runs a damn decent café from 7am and his bacon and egg rolls and coffee are up there with the best.
The place is run by Geoff and Leanne. Their surname is Mason and he’s known to everyone as ‘Mayse’ but he’s spent time on the doors of some rough Melbourne pubs and in deference to Jem (google him) I’ll spell
that ‘Mace’.
Whether you like dirt (try Licola) or bitch (Whitfield or the newly sealed stretch to Eildon), this place is a great hub for a few days riding and with nearby pubs like the Kevie, Gaffneys Creek and Tolmie now all closed, this is a Use It or Lose It joint.
Comfortably 4 helmets, and 6/5 on the character scale. Value for money was 120 where 100 is benchmark. I was shouted a couple of wines and a dinner roast – much appreciated and welcome but did not affect my comments. A great stay.
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Doin’ Up Your Bike
DOIN’ UP YOUR BIKE
WE ALL LOVE A bit of a tinker, that seems to be a thing with motorcyclists so we thought we’d put the call out to the various distributors for items that help you do just that – do up your bike! Even if you’re not looking at doing anything to your bike now, this can be a good ‘reference’ for later on down the track when you do want to think about it. Doing up your bike can be something as simple as a pair of heated grips to going all out and dipping the bike in 24 carat gold! Whatever it is, you’re improving your ride to how you want it to be, and that can only be a good thing.
JUMP STARTERS POWER ANYTIME ANYWHERE
Our Jump Starter Packs contain:
• Carry case
• 220v wall charger
• 12v accessory plug for on-bike charging
• Battery leads
• Combination micro USB / lightening charging cable
A jump starter pack will give you power anywhere, anytime.
It is one of the most important pieces of emergency kit you can carry with you. Whether you’re on an outback track or heading home late at night, a jumper starter will protect you if you’re stranded with a flat battery.
Our jump starters will start motorcycles, watercraft, ATV/ UTV, snowmobiles and petrol car engines up to 4.0L (300A Jump Starter) and up to a 6.0L AND 3.0L Diesel automotive engines (400A Jump Starter).
They will also charge your phone or tablet through the USB outlets and all have a built in LED light.
The jump starter pack comes in a carry case with a 220v wall charger, a 12v accessory plug for on bike charging, battery leads and a combination micro USB/lightening charging cable.
For further information on these and all our products, please check our website for details.
Doin’ Up Your Bike
Corbin Saddles Classic
Solo saddle - BMW R18
Pricing starts from $1699 landed at your door.
The well-known Corbin saddle system now developed for the 2021 BMW R18. Extreme levels of comfort for those long journeys, your backside is rewarded the longer the distance you ride, improving the comfort of all your journeys. Options include pillion saddle, heating and rider and pillion backrests. Classic solo saddle available for most brands of motorcycles.
The very comfortable Dual Touring saddle from Corbin is available for most HarleyDavidsons. Here it is on the 2019-2021 touring range. Looking to improve the comfort of your ride? This is the way. Options include heating and backrests, dual touring saddle. And they’re available for most brands of motorcycles.
Corbin
Touring Fairing - Indian Scout & Scout Bobber range
Pricing starts from $3999 plus delivery
The long-awaited Corbin touring fairing is finally available for the Scout & Scout Bobber range. Available in a multitude of configurations including a 5” smoke screen (as pictured), 10” clear screen, even an audio kit with high quality JL audio 5.25” coaxial speakers. Can be
ordered in single tone, two tone or in primer for your preferred paint shop to do a custom colour scheme to match your motorcycle. Touring Fairing also available for other makes and models.
Ends Cuoio Saddlebags
Paco
swingarm bagIndian Scout & Scout Bobber range
Pricing starts from $349
This very stylish bag is large enough to hold your essentials, most riders use it to hold a basic tool kit and our demonstration motorcycle has a complete puncture repair kit and mini air compressor all packed tightly into this
cleverly designed bag. Available in a range of leather and stitching colours.
Ends Cuoio Geronimo saddlebags - Indian Chief range from $999
Geronimo saddlebag by Ends Cuoio, large enough to store your gear for a weekend away, stylish enough to improve the aesthetics of your ride. Available in a range of leather and stitching colours. Options include locks, detachable bracket and quick release buckles. Contact us directly for a discount voucher code to use when ordering online.
Ferodo offer a range of quality Brake Pads, Brake Shoes, Clutch Plates, Clutch Springs and Clutch Kits for most motorcycle makes and models. For more than a century, Ferodo has led the development of friction materials in their modern form. Ferodo makes motorcycle components to the highestquality standards, using only premiumquality materials. Whether you’re an offroad racer, a touring rider or you just use your bike for commuting to work, Ferodo has the right brake material for you.
Fully 100 % synthetic oil with ester, using improved ester lubricant technology. Improved oil film resistance at high temperatures and high revs, ester technology minimises internal engine friction losses and provides improved performance. Ester with its anti-wear additives and improved shear resistance provides improved gear protection and gear life, JASO MA2 ensures optimal clutch performances at start-up, acceleration and constant speed, API SN provides improved high temp deposit protection, more stringent sludge control.
Doin’ Up Your Bike
RK 520GXW chainGold / Black Scale / Natural
From $189
Made in Japan with the best Japanese technology! Suited for road racing, sport and touring motorcycles up to 1200cc and off-road motorcycles up to 750cc. This extreme performance XW-ring chain is claimed to be the best highspeed, extreme heat performance chains available today. GXW chain will enhance acceleration and reduce horsepower drag losses.
Utilising high tensile strength components and combined with the XW-Ring featuring quad lubrication pools and 6 contact seal points to deliver an affordable, long lasting performance chain.
Outstanding wear life compared to standard or basic ‘O’ ring chains. Each chain pack is supplied with a Rivet Type Joining Link - comprising Pin Plate, Outer Plate, XW’rings x 4 and assemble chain grease. Note: There is NO Clip Type Joining Link available for this chain.
Nelson-Rigg Commuter Tank Bags
Lite Tank Bag 5.8L - $149.95
Sport Tank Bag 10L - $179.95
Coming with a lifetime warranty, the Nelson-Rigg commuter tank bags feature a universal fitment attaching to metal, aluminium and plastic tanks. The dual mounting system is hidden under a nonslip protective base, includes 4 shielded magnets and 4-point strap mount system. 100% waterproof rain cover included, moulded EVA “carbonlike” panels allows bag to hold shape, reflective piping and light grey lined interior, expandable for added storage and mesh pocket under lid, adjustable internal organiser panels. The map panel
is touch screen device friendly, charging cable port pass through and both bags are hydration ready (CL-Hydro-S sold separately). The Lite 5.8L expands to 8.4L and the Sport 10L expands to 14.5L.
Pirelli Angel GT II –
Pirelli Angel GT II – Front from $219.95, DualCompound Rear from $279.95
Angel GT II is the new sport touring tyre in line with Pirelli’s interpretation of Italian Gran Turismo (GT). Development has been focused on consolidating the former Angel GT’s strengths – already a benchmark for mileage and versatility -- with GT II delivering outstanding grip and confidence in wet conditions thanks to the high-silica compound level through to a tread pattern derived from racing Diablo Wet and Rain technologies. This ensures mechanical grip and water drainage, while the innovative tread design and compounds ensure wear regularity to the last mile. The durable rear compound coupled with a tread pattern featuring twin longitudinal grooves and with a specifically dedicated profile, ensure the longest lifespan in the segment.
Renthal Ultralight rear sprockets
Renthal Ultralight rear chainwheels are manufactured to extremely tight tolerances from 7075 T6 aluminium alloy which is 66% lighter than steel, yet incredibly durable. Their advanced tooth profile, concentricity and accuracy of fit provide maximum power transfer and long-life. Renthal’s combination of a high strength base material and exceptionally hardwearing surface result in significantly increased chainwheel life over other brands.
Doin’ Up Your Bike
MCLEOD ACCESSORIES
mcleodaccessories.com.au
NGK Spark Plugs
NGK have over 80 years of experience in spark plug manufacturing and are a world leader in spark plug technology. They have an extensive range of spark plugs, each with its own unique characteristics specifically engineered to its vehicle application and they are designed to suit a broad range of vehicles on Australian roads. With NGK’s dedication to quality, outstanding reliability and state of the art manufacturing techniques, you can rely on NGK Spark Plugs.
Power Volt batteries
Powervolt offers an advanced range of sealed factory activated batteries that utilise Nano-Gel electrolyte, rather than liquid. Completely immersing the active lead material in the batteries with Nano-Gel provides a larger effective surface area and prevents the risk of lead from sulphation. The nature of NanoGel provides maximum coverage of the plates, which is able to withstand severe vibration and prolong battery life.
With this technology, Powervolt has taken all of the most popular conventional battery models and developed upgrade
batteries for these models. These upgrade batteries offer improved battery life and performance over conventional lead acid, as well as being factory sealed and activated. Comprehensive Nano-Gel & Lithium model range ensures coverage for almost all motorcycles on the road today.
Wild Ass motorcycle seat cushion
The Wild Ass motorcycle air seat cushion was designed using proven seating technology.
The cushion eliminates painful pressure points and promotes blood circulation by utilising adjustable interconnected air cells which conform to the rider’s shape regardless of weight or seating position. Additional key benefits are reduction of shock and vibration to reduce lower back pain and air circulation under the rider to disperse heat and perspiration.
Wild Ass is recommended for motorcycle riders who would like reduction of painful pressure points, increased blood circulation, reduced vibration, shock absorption, heat and moisture reduction and greater overall seat comfort while riding a motorcycle.
CTEK battery chargers
Maximizing Battery Performance isn’t just a slogan – it’s right at the heart of everything they do and every product they make. It means they push the boundaries of research and development to bring new battery charging technologies to the market.
Today’s customers expect nothing but the best from these products, whether they’re using them at home, in the workshop, as an essential part of their day-to-day work, or even at the race tracks.
Look around and you’ll see that CTEK’s entire organisation lives and breathes this approach. Where others have diversified, they remain focused on maximising battery performance.
That’s why CTEK is the global market leader in battery management solutions.
provided engine and transmission, the R 50 donated the frame and running gear) turned out to be useful but never really ideal; for a start the Ural sidecar was too heavy. I didn’t build the perfect outfit until I matched a Yamaha Bolt to a replica Steib chair. Still, the Beemer outfit covered a lot of miles and was a lot of fun. I don’t seem to be able to find any photos, so you’ll have to settle for one of the Bolt.
BARKBUSTERS barkbusters.net
RALPH
- KTM SUPERDUKE / BMW R 1200 GS
Aero-GP Lever Protector
Single Point Mount - $139.95
Split Decision
DRIRIDER
dririder.com.au
I owned both in the late 2000s and these bikes meant different things for
Touring 2 Panniers
With many riders now enjoying the thrill of racing and track days, Barkbusters offers a stylish and functional solution to their safety requirements for lever protection.
– $199.95
The Aero-GP lever protector – single point mount is designed for Street and Track bikes and is adjustable for the perfect fit. Functional aerofoils are included for increased wind protection.The Aero-GP meets F.I.M approval standards for use in MotoGP, because we expect to see you all out there… sometime soon!
600D Ripstop construction featuring universal fit expandable soft side bags (18–31L capacity), Velcro fitting and attachment straps, extra side compartments, heat resistant base in case of accidental contact with the exhaust, includes PE boards for shape retention, equipped with rain cover and shoulder strap, anti–scratch non–slip material on inner side and reflective strip for night safety.
Navigator Mini Tank Bag
Magnetic – $59.95
600D Ripstop construction featuring a non–slip anti–scratch base, strong magnets for secure holding, includes waist strap and is sized at 180x130x30 –great for carrying phone, wallet, money and/or cards.
ANDY STRAPZ andystrapz.com
Avduro Panniers – $475
The name Avduro nods its lid to the mix of Enduro and Adventure.
Since their inception in 2003 Andy Strapz panniers have evolved in line with the demands of modern Adventure riders.
Made in Australia from their tried and crashed, 17oz Aussie, Dynaproofed canvas, they are packed (pun intended, sorry) with new approaches to the existing features.
The basics of the pannier bags remain unchanged from those Andy made for himself all that time ago. If it ain’t broke…
Although the basics stood the test of time and Aussie riders, that doesn’t mean the nice little extras can’t be tweaked and improved such as what you’ll find with the Avduro.
ADVWorx luggage
30L & 20L per side soft panniers - $595 & $495
Scoota Bagz – $74
50L, 40L & 30L waterproof duffel and tail bag - $185, $165, $145
A small courier style, shoulder bag with an external flap. A very neat size to carry on the bike.
8L per side soft saddlebag or trail pouch - $140
Steve Smith and Chris Bostelman with their combined 30+ years of adventure travel set out to draw from their experience working with leading soft luggage brands, to make a simple, yet outstandingly robust, and great value for money, resulting in adventure luggage brand... ADVWorx.
me and my riding. Both bikes I bought without test riding, and placed an order prior to their arriving in Australia. It’s proof that marketing hype works! Both represented freedom in every sense -performance or travel, wheelstanding or chugging through the countryside. Both were instrumental in consolidating their brands in their respective markets.
Designed to fit an A4 sized file, Andy’s Scoota Bagz are constructed from 1000–denier (jargon for bloody tough) Korda nylon with waterproof backing and brown oil–less oilskin, a combination of both! Functional and handsome enough for everyday use the Scoota features two external pockets with dividers under the front flap and inside the bag, rear–mounted handle, angled shoulder strap for optimal comfort. And a rugged two–inch side–mounted release clip for helmet–on removal.
e 2010s
STUART – BMW R 1200 GS
Water-Cooled Magic
Superior Strength - Made from robust TPU, bright blue internal liner – easy to see what’s inside, simple fourpoint, allows mounting to any pannier frame, comes with straps for use as a pair or a single bag, all bags with Molle webbing for adding extra bags or extra straps. D
Let it be known, BMW have pretty much always held amazing new bike launches and the introduction of the
“You don’t need to follow me You don’t need to follow anybody You gotta think for yourself You are all individuals…”
Life of Brian
CAN YOU IMAGE A world where there was no way to do up your motorcycle? No bling. No enhanced performance or look. No personalisation and no improvement on the way it left the factory.
Thankfully that world doesn’t exist (yet!) and the Royal Enfield Interceptor which has more than its fair share of options available can reap the benefits. Seats, mirrors, exhausts, racks, in fact you name it and I bet you will be able to track down almost anything. I can’t speak on quality of everything out there, although from what I have seen or sampled as well as other owners talking about their purchases the old adage of “you get what you pay for” has to apply.
Boxes and boxes of kit have arrived since April 7th when we took custodianship of the Interceptor. The one that excited me most had to be the VEREX exhaust system. The courier tracking information from their little factory on the outskirts of Hobart showed I should expect the delivery by late morning. I had stripped off the standard system before delivery in about twenty minutes and weighed it in at 22 kilograms. An hour after the arrival of the superbly manufactured VEREX system I had it weighed and fitted up. Straight up there was an almost 11-kilogram saving. That’s 5% of the weight of the RE! The headers dispense with the material which clogs up the flow and the mufflers themselves are much shorter and look miles better. They come fitted with DB killers which I left out for the first few rides. A quick sprint up the
open road said these do exactly what is claimed. The torque is improved and the extra power across the range can be felt. But boy are they loud. I then fitted the DNA air filter kit and again the gains could be felt. The RE picks up more smoothly and is miles more responsive. I wasn’t impressed so much as ecstatic. What a difference!
To put a round figure on it, I would say there is about a 10% gain in power and torque but it’s the added responsiveness of the combination of the system and the high-flow DNA filter that is exciting. What isn’t so life-affirming is the noise. It is so loud it reminded me of the grid at a Formula European race with Slater pipes for Laverdas and Giannelli two into ones for Ducati Pantahs. In go the DB killers although I still have to say they are loud but in a more acceptable way. If you live in an apartment complex and like to escape early in the morning and not disturb your neighbours, you
will be doing a lot of pushing! Still on looks and quality alone they are worth every cent.
They make that much difference there will be a change to a 16-tooth front sprocket to drop the revs down a little as the added responsiveness has highlighted the extra power and speed.
Next up was part bling, part usefulness, part tricky. TEC Bike Spares dispatched a pile of gear from
As with a lot of product that lands in our hands you should know we pay full price for some items (in this case the French BAAK bits) get an industry discount for some product like theVEREX Exhaust and TEC Bike Spares bits and even get off scot-free for items like the DNA air filter and Featherlight clutch cable.
the UK on a Monday morning and I was unpacking and fitting by Friday lunchtime! Good old DHL beating Aust Post any day. The Royal Enfield standard footrests are known for their lack of adjustability and also, for some riders, tend to be a bother if you are stopped in traffic. I like to also weight my pegs when the pace is up so I was chasing a slightly rear orientated location and wanted some adjustment in the gear and rear brake levers. Big tick there for the well-made TEC kit. They are made of alloy, and I went for the black ones. They are lighter and look a treat. My only complaint is the edges are a bit sharp and am not the only one to mention that without a rubber shroud on the gearlever your boot will show some wear. Even better are the polished alloy levers which like a million on eBay are adjustable. Being a ‘branded’ item they have a look and feel of real quality. Not stopping there, the afternoon was consumed going the whole hog with the oil cooler guard
and sump protection plate. The guard is a big lift over the standard item and covers up some ugliness and is also better quality both in material as well as longevity. The sump protector was a bit of an extravagance on my part. It was something I thought would be my final purchase (for a while) and it just set off the rest of the bike rather well. The factory made a decent item but it lacks the extra venting of the English designed one and also adds time during oil changes. The TEC item is a simple item to remove and given I’m a maniac for servicing it was worthwhile. Our RE copped its’ first oil-change at 400km and I did a valve clearance check and another oil and filter at 2000km switching to full synthetic. At this maintenance time I fitted up the Featherweight clutch cable and rather test my subjective mind to the task got a couple of mates to take a burn on our RE. All three noticed the difference. Smoother and lighter by far.
Next up was the headlight bracket
kit along with the LED indicators and tail light from TEC. This consumed my Saturday morning and I feel it took most of the budget-look away from our 650. There is now a slightly custom look. On went the Clubman handlebars and TEC mirrors. I like the lower and narrower feel of the black ‘bars as I was chasing the closeyour-eyes feel of a BMW R100 riding triangle. The mirrors again are miles better than the factory ones.
You should know that I’m single so there was no treasurer to pass by the next treat! The BAAK side covers and kneepads took me more hours to decide on than actually fit. There must be at least 20 different types available online and I’m happy to have paid a little more than the usual ones you see out there. We are all individuals after all.
Next? Ikon are keen for us to try their front suspension upgrade along with their rear shock absorbers. The Ikons are more retro than some other brands which continue the ‘piggy-
back’ standard look. Stay tuned. We should also check out the factory cattle-dog for a screen and other goodies! D
WORDS - MICK MCDONALD PHOTOS - COMPASS
IT WAS A WARM summer night in February 2020, and my business partner, Jerry, had just called me from Thailand where he was leading the inaugural 90-day Asian Overland ride for Compass Expeditions. The noise around a new virus, known as 2019 Novel Coronavirus, was growing louder but I assured Jerry that“this will all be over by the time you reach the Chinese border”. Nothing could have been further from reality and I don’t think I ever spoke a greater untruth.
Within days we were scrambling to create a new itinerary that didn’t
include China. But when the WHO declared 2019 Novel Coronavirus a pandemic, we realised the game was over. We rushed to get the tour participants south to Bangkok to ship out of a port we had never been to. We had to send all our clients home, our inaugural Asian Overland was over. But worse, much worse, was yet to come.
Within six weeks Compass Expeditions had made the decision to refund, in full, all deposits for all pending tours while we were still financial enough to do so. Pleading
with clients to leave their deposits with us for an indefinite period of time didn’t seem to make sense as none of us knew how long the now renamed Covid-19 would last. We knew that this decision meant throwing ourselves on the financial sword and thus in June 2020 after thirteen wonderful years, Compass Expeditions announced that we were closing the business after all refunds had been processed.
The directors of Compass were lucky enough to get employment, as were our staff, although not immediately.
I was back to trucking, carrying McDonalds fries to Sydney, and Jerry was delivering those same fries with Uber Eats! If anyone had told us in 2019 that by the end of 2020 both directors of Compass Expeditions would be delivering fries for Maccas, we would have suggested they change their drug brands. Surely, we would have thought, the ones they were on “weren’t working”!
It was a bitter blow, but we understood the world was facing a far greater crisis than a tour company winding up. Nevertheless, the ensuing months were a mix of despondency and disbelief.
Fast forward to November 2020 and we were approached by two blokes with whom we’d had previous dealings. They expressed an interest in finding a way in which they might revive Compass Expeditions. They wanted to both kickstart the business and continue our legacy. They loved the back story of how Compass began
and the amazing Compass family that has evolved, believing that Compass was simply too good a company to be quietly consigned to the pages of motorcycle touring history. We are thrilled to announce that, like the legendary phoenix, Compass Expeditions has arisen from the ashes and will in due course once again offer world renowned, unique, exciting motorcycle tours across the globe.
Ben Willox & Brent Thomas have taken a financial interest in Compass Expeditions, thereby allowing us to restart the business and take it into the future. We are thrilled to have these blokes join Compass as we know they have the same business ethos and ethics that we do.
We’ve known Brent, in his capacity as owner of Bikes Abroad, for many years. Brent has dealt with many of our clients in the past, all of whom have spoken extremely highly of the services provided. Whilst we only met Ben recently, we’ve quickly formed
an outstanding relationship and we know him to be a caring, considerate and decent person to bring into the Compass fold.
It is important to note that both Mick and Jerry will still retain an interest and continue to drive Compass Expeditions. Alongside us in the immediate future will be Veronica and Craig. For obvious reasons we will not be offering any international tours in 2021, but we are focusing on some “Aussie” rides.
In the meantime we will take the opportunity to look at refreshing and reenergising our service offerings with the intention of releasing a set of Australian tour dates for late 2021 and hopefully international tours 2022/23, in the very near future. Compass Expeditions is back to stay.
Footnote: Tragically, Craig lost his life in a motorcycle crash not long after the above was written.Vale, Craig Jackson.
That’s Mick, on his way to stock up Macca’s in Sydney with fries.
Jerry is ready to take Mick’s fries out to the customers.
IN THE EARLY AUTUMN of 2019, shortly after my father’s 96th birthday, he passed away. The plan was to settle his affairs, then retire in July 2020. We would go to New York for my wife’s interest in art; the Isle of Man; and do a motorcycle ride across Rajasthan. Dad’s affairs were settled as planned. As for the rest – none of it happened.
In the words of John Lennon, “Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.” In 2020 life presented a virus which would sweep the world leaving no life untouched. My employer asked if I might delay retirement. I could even work from home. Then I was told I would work from home. With nothing better to do I agreed. Eventually I became fed-up, and retired at Christmas.
My final pay included a payout for unused long service leave which covered the purchase of a new Triumph Thruxton 1200. This is my second Thruxton. The first was
a 2010 model 900 purchased from Triumph when it was in A’Beckett Street – a lovely Art Deco building once occupied by Jaguar. That site and Peter Stevens showrooms in Elizabeth Street are to become yet more apartment towers. The century old Elizabeth Street motorcycle precinct as we knew it is gone. Though Mars Leathers is holding on.
I wasn’t unhappy with the first Thruxton, but as the years advanced I thought I should envelop myself in ABS, traction control, power modes and a slipper clutch.
A friend of my brother bought the Thruxton 900. He has a collection of older motorcycles and needed one that would be ready for a ride whenever he felt the impulse. It also had to fit into its surroundings. I was relieved ‘Sid’ (the Vicious is silent) went to a good home and any twinge of regret was erased within the first few hundred kilometres on the 1200.
What better thing to do I thought,
Stairway to Heaven - Dig Café
Das Kaffeehaus interior
than to head out on ‘Sid II’ and investigate the fate of our favourite regional cafes following Melbourne’s second 112-day lock-down? We think these cafes are not only good, but also distinctly different. An internet search suggested the situation was not as bad as I had feared and telephone calls confirmed this. Even though Melbourne folk couldn’t get out of town to support regional businesses, the best survived by a combination of fewer staff, shortened hours and take-away meals.
Our usual route out of Melbourne to the Macedon Ranges and Goldfields is via the Western Ring Road [M80], the Western Freeway [M8], and shortly after Bacchus Marsh, the Pentland Hills Road exit. This road is a remnant of the Old Western Highway and continues through Myrniong, until it terminates at the Myrniong-Greendale Road [C318]. The C318 climbs for thirty kilometres to Trentham (alt. 700m) which I believe is the highest town in the Macedon
HIGHLIGHTS
Riding the mountains of Greece, Delphi, Athens, Meteora, Epidavros, Acropolis, Cephalonia Island, Mani region.
2021 TOUR DATES
SEP 18 - OCT 1, 2021
SEP 20 - OCT 3, 2021
OCT 3 - 16, 2021
2022 TOUR DATES AVAILABLE
Red Beard courtyard wall
Ranges. It’s always much cooler than Melbourne and during winter snow is not unusual.
Red Beard Bakery, Wolff Lane, Trentham. redbeardbakery.com.au
Wolff Lane is off High Street, opposite the town square. Seating was only permitted in the courtyard, so we parked the Thruxton on the other side of the stone wall and found a seat in the courtyard. Closed Tuesday to Thursday.
From Trentham it’s 22 kilometres to Daylesford via the DaylesfordTrentham Road [C317]. In 1971 when I started riding on a Honda CB350, Daylesford was virtually a ghost town. The cinema was closed, there were vacant shops, and run-down miners’ cottages could be had for less than $20,000. Today parking is near to impossible in Vincent Street – even for a motorcycle – and consequently the town centre holds less appeal. We
always pull up at Cliffy’s Emporium on the eastern edge of Daylesford, far from the madding crowd. Apologies to Thomas Hardy.
Cliffy’s Emporium, 30 Raglan Street [A300], Daylesford. cliffysemporium. com.au
This 70 year old institution is, as the name suggests, more than a café. All manner of food stuffs are available ranging through dairy, delicatessen, preserves, and fresh fruit and vegetables. Social distancing is still being observed indoors which limits seating. However outdoor seating has been extended and there is no social distancing required there. We parked right out front and only waited five minutes for a seat. Open for breakfast. Closed Tuesdays & Wednesdays.
Beyond Daylesford, there are two excellent cafes in the villages of Newstead and Glenlyon. Both are
situated on the Loddon River which rises near Lyonville east of Daylesford on the C317.
Newstead is 30 kilometres north of Daylesford via Hepburn Springs [C138] and Yandoit. At the Pyrenees Highway [B180] junction, turn right, cross the Loddon River, and there’s Newstead.
Open seven days commencing with breakfast. This is a two hour ride from home for us so Dig Café is a lunch venue. Each April when attending the All British Rally I have breakfast there and it’s always good. At the time of writing, social distancing was once again being observed within the building, but not out of doors.
Newstead is the home of the All British Rally, run by the BSA Owners Association. Sadly the 2020, and now
Glenlyon General Store
2021 event have been cancelled. We live in hope for 2022.
bsa.asn.au/html/events/abr/index. html
Glenlyon is 12 kilometres east of Daylesford on the DaylesfordMalmsbury Road [C316]. The General Store (est. 1870) is under an avenue of English elms planted in 1898. This is a delightful setting in autumn and a godsend when riding on a hot summer’s day. Rustic is the best description for this business.
Glenlyon General Store, 63 Barkly Street, Glenlyon. glenlyongeneralstore.com.au
Open Wednesday to Sunday for breakfast and closes at 2pm. The Glenlyon General Store is licensed and dinner is served each Friday evening. Hours might extend. Check the website.
The Macedon Ranges and Goldfields can also be reached via the Calder Highway. Depart Melbourne via the Western Ring Road [M80] and Calder Freeway [M79], then shortly after Gisborne exit to the Black Forest Drive [C792]. This is the old Calder Highway. Continue on the C792, then Cobb and Co. Road, the C793 and C794. This route leads to Macedon, Woodend, Kyneton and beyond. The C322 exit is the Mount Macedon Road. Macedon can be reached by turning off this road into Honour Road.
Even before COVID-19, a good freeway and rail link to Melbourne saw these towns filling with tree-changing retirees and commuters. Lock-downs in Melbourne and the transition to
working from home has turned a steady migration over decades into a scramble for real estate resembling a second gold rush.
Mr. Macedon, 23 Victoria Street, Macedon. mrmacedon.com.au
Opens 7am Monday to Friday and 8am on weekends. Very much a metropolitan vibe, which is easily explained by the region’s changing demographic. Macedon is a 70
My final pay included a payout for unused long service leave which covered the purchase of a new Triumph Thruxton 1200.
is however very busy, especially on weekends, so we avoid it. That said, the C793 passes through town and Piper Street [C793] is gastronomic ground zero here. The links below will assist any who are curious. piperstreet.com.au
visitmacedonranges.com/village/ kyneton
To reach Castlemaine divert from the C794 to the Pyrenees Highway [B180] at Elphinston. Castlemaine (pop. 6,750) too has been flooded with Melbourne retirees and those prepared to undertake the long commute. These folk have definitely put their stamp on the town. There are many in Castlemaine, but for me it has to be Das Kaffeehaus, The Mill, 9 Walker Street. Open 8am seven days. I simply cannot go past German pastry and coffee! Use the Botanical Gardens as a navigation beacon.
kilometre, or one hour ride from home. Just enough for a mental health ride when and as required.
The next town is Woodend, where there is the Holgate Brewhouse. By all means go there for lunch. However, the subject matter here is cafes, so I won’t be tempted to digress.
Further north is Kyneton (pop. 6,950). Long since taken over by people from Melbourne, so their every gastronomic taste is catered for. It
The Bureau of Meteorology reports the 2020/21 summer In Victoria was the mildest and wettest since 2004/05. That’s not at all difficult to believe. Autumn is beautiful in the Macedon Ranges and Central Highlands so get out there and pump some money to this region.
I am pleased to note a lot of road resurfacing was carried on these roads during the lock-downs which is good. However, some roads which previously had 100 km/h limits, are now posted at 80 km/h. D
Royal Hotrod
HARLEYDAVIDSON ROAD KING SPECIAL
WHERE DO KINGS GO to find their trusty steed? Harley-Davidson of course and the latest Road King Special is certainly a steed with a ‘special’ kind of difference fit for a king. We spent the last month whizzing around on the new 114 cube Road King Special and as I mentioned in our review of the Street Bob with the 114 engine, it transforms these bikes into something that gives you serious enjoyment. Bulk torque is what makes the 114 cube V-twin such a fun engine to ride with and I’ve banged on before about how good this new V-twin is. I think H-D has finally listened to riders who want an exciting bike to ride, and every bike I’ve ridden that’s fitted with the 114 certainly provides plenty of smiles.
Most people who like this bike like it for at least one of the following two reasons: it’s the most traditional bike in H-D’s line-up and it’s the most basic of the Touring models. Inevitably, there are riders who appreciate both of those aspects. Simplicity is traditional. (Ever see an early dresser? It’s a regular bike plus bags and maybe a windshield. It looks… like a Road King.)
WORDS STUART ︱ PHOTOS NICK WOOD CREATIVE
The Special is an interesting spin on the platform, because it’s most decidedly not traditional. It is simple, however. It’s even more stripped-down than a standard Road King – not that you can buy a ‘standard’ Road King this year, only the Special is available. No stereo, no fairing, no bullshit, and most especially, almost no chrome. Most of the chrome has been swapped for black.
Other stuff that’s blacked out includes, the crash bars, turn signals, engine, air cleaner, exhaust, mirrors, and controls. Paint, however, is not the only difference there and the Deadwood Green of our test bike took some ‘growing’ before I came around to liking it; you can also get the Road King Special in two shades of black
and a Snake Venom – dark green with graphic.
Some parts were modified, and some deleted. The saddlebags are stretched some, and there’s a set of “Turbine” wheels on the bike, an 18-inch wheel under the saddlebags, and a big ol’ 19-incher up front. The front fender is without trim or badging. The rear of the bike gets the fender tip light that has previously been on Street Glide models.
Compared to the ‘regular’ Road King, items that have been deleted are the fog lamps, windshield, passenger footboards and the rear crash bar/ saddlebag guards. Harley made the Special…special by trimming it down for that meaner look.
There’s now also an extensive
electronics safety package. You get switchable traction control, cornering linked brakes and cornering ABS, an assist/slipper clutch, cruise control, vehicle hold control and tyre pressure monitoring, which came in very handy as the light came up on the dash before I could fully feel a rear puncture I suffered. I was able to adjust my speed and ride slower and pull into a service station without the rear end kicking around all over the place, which can happen when you don’t get an early warning!
A Road King Special should be on your shopping list if you like big, heavy bikes that punch out the kays without knocking out the rider, and if you like a big bagger that actually handles very well. As with most cruisers you
will touch the footboards and other hardware down when really going for it, but for the most part you will get good lean angles from the Road King Special without making sparks.
The Road King Special is priced at $36,995 and for that you get virtually no chrome, but I think the big draw card to the Road King Special is that stripped down, blacked out Hot Rod look, it’s the kind of touring cruiser that won’t have people calling you old and tottery. Instead, you’ll be the cool guy with that mean looking H-D.
I think this is a sharp bike that looks the business. It looks like a very mild custom. Of course, it’s not actually a custom, but it does have the nochrome cool-guy look and it’s certainly a departure from overdone customs. It’s
not traditional, but it’s very close to how I would assemble a modern-ish bike if I wanted to do some serious cruising.
The Road King Special can handle anything from a short hop to get some bread and milk to a reasonably long multi-day trip. While I own a ridiculously unrideable bike in my Suzuki GSX1260, I do like the everyday practicality and easy-going nature of the Road King Special. It even lane filters easily, too!
Harley took a traditional bike, put some hot road bones into it, and updated the appearance over what you might consider a ‘classic’ cruisier. Your Majesty, the Road King Special has been built to the royal recipe for you!
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 6.88 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 329km
COLOURS: Vivid Black, Deadwood Green, Snake Venom, Black Jack Metallic
VERDICT: Stripped down hot rod
SOME MOTORCYCLE MANUFACTURERS DO not like you to mess with their bikes. Note the way that guarantees evaporate if relatively minor changes are made to the bikes from various marques. Some others, however, reward you for customizing and upgrading their bikes – although perhaps only if you do so in the context of a competition or some other factory-controlled development. The marque best known for encouraging customizing is HarleyDavidson, although Indian and Yamaha (with its Yard Built initiative) have been busy too. Now you can welcome Royal Enfield to the party.
It makes a lot of sense for RE to get into this. When it made the decision to upgrade the brand and take it seriously into the international market, owner Eicher Motors Limited kept its attention on the established reputation and its strong market share. New models were designed from the ground up, but more or less stayed within the image of the
established Royal Enfield family.
This has meant that while the marque played to its strengths, it also remained a conservative icon. More than one rider was congratulated by old-timers on the wonderful restoration job they had done… when the bike they were riding was brand new. There is nothing wrong with that, but it does lock the bikes into a time warp they will eventually have to escape if they are to become a truly up-to-date international brand.
Partly to ease the transformation, RE has taken a leaf out of Milwaukee’s book and launched a customizing competition for wellknown designers in the Asia Pacific region. As you can see from these photos, the results are quite exciting. But there was more to this effort: the idea was not just to build unrideable fantasy motorcycles, but to make some of them, at least, available as kits for your own Enfield. Not only that; some custom designs also bolt straight on without any cutting or welding.
A high-end kit for the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 by Bandit9 is designed to test the limits of modifying the bike. As RE says:
“The Jaeger kit includes a surgical grade steel tank and front and rear cowl. Dual LED headlights, custom speedometer, handlebars, front and rear turn signals. Custom front fender, handlebars and gas cap. Custom twin exhaust and muffler system. Custom steel mono-block mirrors and swing-arm extender. Custom foot pegs and controls and a weatherproof suede seat. And most impressively it all bolts on directly to the stock frame - no cuts needed.”
Smoked Garage, meanwhile, created what they are calling ‘Off / Grid kits for the Interceptor INT and the Himalayan, and according to RE have been “designed to combine a pure riding experience with Smoked Garage’s creative vision. The inspiration was to create motorcycles that encourage riders to get out and get away from a year of lockdowns
Clockwise from above left: It looks as if Smoked Garage had just as much fun with the Interceptor. Gemini T14 by Thrive is a clean, sharp design. This Mark Hawwa-inspired build is an all-Australian effort. Side-on view of the Smoked Garage Himalayan. Bandit9’s Jaeger kit from the other side. The Rapid Continental GT 650 Racer by Crazy Garage. Attention to detail on the Badit9 build is high. Smoked Garage’s Himalayan looks the part. This Himalayan custom was built for YouTube Content Creator Den Dimas.
& computer screens. They offer the perfect tool to navigate the urban jungle and the wild landscapes that you have longed to see.”
Is that cool or what? Possibly a little over the top, but cool just the same.
And now for a kit created for Den Dimas, apparently one of the most influential ‘YouTube Content Creators’ for teenage automotive enthusiasts in Indonesia.
“Den Dimas reached out to custom builder Thrive and commissioned a bolt-on kit that Thrive can now sell to anyone. The bolt-on parts forgo any chopping, cutting or welding that gives a new look to the base motorcycle.”
The designs are not all available as kits. Crazy Garage built a Rapid Continental GT 650 Racer for RE.
“The custom motorcycle is uniquely differentiated in its style, keeping the original DNA of the Continental GT, and ready to take to the track! It includes high compression pistons, a hot cam, and a heavy-duty clutch. Fueling is controlled by a Dynojet
Power Commander with autotune, which also compensates for the airbox removal and the custom freeflowing exhaust system. There’s a Dynojet quickshifter too, to keep the power hitting the back wheel as much as possible. It’s combined with a quick-action throttle, and a handlebar switch that allows the rider to change the ignition map quickly and easily.”
And finally, why not link one of the recent success stories in international motorcycling? Mark Hawwa - the founder of Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, has produced an Australian build. This is also deliberately a bolton custom build, but there is no news whether it will be available to the private builder. Apparently the parts were sourced individually.
“The Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 was treated with some of the best modifiers in Australia to produce a stunning cafe racer that’s equally at home tearing up the track. The custom build has been developed with no cutting or welding.
It has been modified with an allnew stainless steel system, enhanced engine power with improved handling and suspension. The seat unit with integrated tail light has been designed for the Royal Enfield and comes with various choices of upholstery colour and stitching. Autologue Design also sent over a set of their side covers and that unmistakable front fairing, a Reck 2.0, that helps to give the bike its unique appearance.”
Vimal Sumbly, Head of Business, Asia Pacific at Royal Enfield, says, “The custom builds presented in the Asia Pacific markets reinstates that Royal Enfield motorcycles are the perfect canvas for customisation. With pure and simple construction making them ideally suited for expressing creativity through unique expression of the best custom builders across the globe.” He goes on to point out that “our custom motorcycle program gives builders the opportunity to explore their creativity, as well as inspire other local builders and two-wheeled enthusiasts.”.D
GS
BMW SAFARI
Can you handle this much fun?
WORDS STUART I PHOTOS DEAN WALTERS
YOU KNOW, I’VE DONE a lot of BMW Motorrad Safaris
– whether it’s the GS, TS or GS Enduro I think I’ve now cracked the double digits and each time I’ve been a part of a Safari I have made life long memories, from the people you meet to the amazing roads/trails and scenery. For 2021 the GS Safari went from Townsville to Cairns and I headed up for the first three days – that entailed the opening welcome dinner night and the first two days of riding.
First day was Townsville to Mission Beach, and the second day was to Port Douglas.
Day one was a 470km loop consisting of 80% bitumen and 20% awesome trails. This got everyone in the mood and settled the nerves of many.
Day two, mother nature decided to squeeze the clouds and it rained for almost the entire day. 380km of around 50/50 dirt/bitumen and some slightly more technical trails were to be ridden. I was lucky enough to have
ridden the optional route for the day as it had been closed off for everyone else due to how slippery and technical it was. I also took the photographer in and trying to show off I spun the big BMW R 1250 GSA around on some clay and parked it in a ditch full of vines. We had a great laugh that the bike was upright and ‘fun’ to get out!
The two days’ routes were amazing, the sights were some I’ve not seen before which was pleasantly nice (I didn’t get to see a cassowary, but many did) and a big congratulations must go to the BMW GS Safari crew and the two front men – Shane Booth and Chris Urquhart. Not only do they make the Safari enjoyable off the bike, but the routes they have explored and found to be ridden are simply awesome, time and time again.
Rather than bang on about the riding I think the main thing that makes the BMW Safari’s such great events are the people.
There’s always some notable people that win awards or donate large amounts of money to the Royal Flying
Doctors Service. I too have donated to RFDS when I got stuck in some sand on the GS Safari Enduro that went to Cape York. However, this year a GS Safari banner (signed by all participants and crew) – which later included a free ticket to the 2022 GS Safari in Tasmania – fetched a huge $10,000 at auction during the Farewell dinner. Congratulations Dusty Lawless! And well done TV celebrity, Luke Jacobz as the ever-enthusiastic auctioneer! I had dined and drunk with Luke and had no idea who he was. Uppercut for me. LOL! I think he actually found it refreshing that I wasn’t hanging around him for being a celebrity.
All proceeds from the auction and any ‘nominated’ donations all went to the RFDS and the total came to a whopping $11,175.
A number of awards were handed out at the final dinner, they were…
1. Jane Curran - ORT Voucher - Most improved
2. Anna Cowley - Motorrad MerchYear after year keeps getting better
TRAVEL
and smiling more
3. Dusty Lawless - $1000 BMW Rider wear - Most enthusiasm
4. Jim Keegan - Motorrad / Safari Merch - First GS ride ever and oldest on Safari
5. Peter Petherbridge - Spirit of GS $1500 Safari Voucher - Broke foot, toughed it out to finish the day and attended final dinner
6. Tai Iwrin - Motorrad MerchBiggest smile
7. Sophie Zolakar - Karoo 3 TyresMega Mission. Ride across country to get here and continuing on
Now is not the time to have an afternoon nana nap, Andrew!
8. Bill Bates - ORT Voucher - First crash
9. Stephen Grusavin - Safari Staff Shirt - Not getting eaten by a croc and huge personality
10. Andrew Sabo - $1000 Motorrad Voucher - Father son and now better thank his dad
11. Shane Bright - Safari Fire PitBiggest help and nothing too hard
Well done to all, and, if you’ve never been on a Safari and thought about it – don’t delay, it is some of the best fun you’ll ever have. If the nerves are a bit much, I strongly suggest doing the Off-Road Training the GS Safari guys offer just before the event – it will make your Safari all the more enjoyable. bmwsafari.com . D
e worker bees
A big shout out must go to the guys who are behind the scenes every night of the Safari – the mechanics that change tyres, fix any issues with bikes and in general make sure you and your bike are in tip top condition for the next days riding. Two mentions go to good friends, Scott Norman and Craig Bennett, you blokes worked your rings out.
Big man, Scott. He rides like a demon too!
Stuart gets glammed up… while gritting his teeth
Glammed up
Shoei Glamster Resurrection helmet
Price - $899.90
I needed a retro styled helmet for a range of bikes and what better way to add to my fleet of Shoei helmets than grabbing one of their awesome
Glamster retro helmets. Modern features, comfort and tech, all housed in a retro styled look.
The Shoei Glamster joins the highly acclaimed brand’s J.O. and Ex-Zero helmets to complete their retro-styled line-up. It is a beautiful helmet with a small, sleek shell that is free from much of the clutter you’ll find on ‘modern’ helmets. But make no mistakes; under the hood this helmet has all of the modern safety features that make Shoei the highly-respected name they deserve.
The Glamster uses Shoei’s much lauded Advance Integrated Matrix Plus (AIM) shell design - a composite of 5 layers of fibreglass and organic fibres making for a very strong, slightly flexible helmet. The liner consists of multi-density, shock-absorbing polystyrene, designed to take a punch, big or small. Shoei also incorporated the Emergency Quick Release System in this helmet - paramedics can pull the red tabs at the bottom of the helmet to release the cheek pads and avoid potential neck injuries when removing the helmet in case of an accident.
The EPS liner mentioned above has channels to allow airflow throughout the helmet when you open the forehead
vent. Additional, mesh-backed vents can be found on the chin bar. Airflow through the helmet is decent, but thanks to the shorter/smaller chin bar you get lots of airflow coming into the helmet.
Brushed metal side pods (that require a screwdriver to remove the visor) keep the visor in place (and look old school at the same time) and a rubber seal prevents any water or wind getting in. The visor can be equipped with the included Pinlock insert to stop it from fogging up. I opted for the accessory tinted visor and fitted the Pinlock to that.
The Glamster is Shoei’s first real attempt at blending modern function with classic form, and they have nailed it. It looks the part and is an absolute joy to wear, being both comfortable and very light. I’m so impressed by this helmet; I might just consider forgiving them for picking such a horrendous name for it! Sizing ranges from XS-2XL with a range of graphic and solid colours. There are three shell sizes within the sizing, a double D-ring chin strap and removable chin curtain. See your local bike shop or mcleodaccessories.com.au. SW
True Grit
Harley-Davidson Grit
Adventure jacket
Price - $995
Harley-Davidson has gone all out with the launch into adventure land with a range of adventure rider wear. For the Pan America launch I got to test their new Grit adventure jacket produced by Rev-it. You can get matching Grit pants, gloves, a H-D helmet and boots, and H-D has the top of the range Passage jacket, pants, gloves, helmet and boots as well.
The Grit jacket comes with all the features that makes it a highly versatile, all-weather outfit yet when stripped from its detachable layers, it becomes a true hot-weather riding jacket providing ample airflow that directly reaches the body.
Constructed with what H-D (or Revit) call the “liner to drop” configuration, the Grit jacket consist of three layers. The first is a highly abrasion-resistant outer shell made of PWR Shell ripstop complemented by PWR Shell 500D reinforcements and safety stitching. Next is a detachable waterproof and breathable hydratex liner. Lastly, a snug and warm detachable thermal liner.
I am yet to see how the Grit jacket fares in heavy rain, but riding in a light shower no water came through. Venting works well and riding in winter is certainly one way to test that out!
To make sure you’re armoured on the road, this jacket comes well prepared with award winning Seeflex CE-level 2 protectors at the shoulders and elbows, followed by a Seesoft CE-level 2 back protector insert, which is a multi-
layered foam back protector. The Grit jacket is EN 17092-3:2020 CE-certified (Class AA) according to the new European PPE regulation, providing impact abrasion resistance, and seam and tear strength.
Detailing on the jacket is highly understated, which I like. From the outside the only real way you’ll notice this is a Harley-Davidson jacket is by the bar and shield outline on each shoulder, apart from that, you’d never know. When you look closer there are little details such as the orange stitching, the bar and shield is imprinted into each zip pull and open the front vents and there’s nice orange material in there.
One thing I really do like about this jacket is the adjustability. Just the arms alone have bicep, forearm and wrist adjusters. The collar has a snap adjuster that can be snapped back to allow a bit more airflow around the neck, or closed up. You can also adjust the collar closure in five positions. There’s also a mid-waist adjuster.
Pockets consist of an ample sized
tool pouch on the back, two very ample sized pockets on the front, a chest pocket and a zippered internal pocket. However, probably the best feature I absolutely love about the Grit jacket are the hand pocket warmers. I’ve had one other jacket before with these pockets and they are the best thing since sliced bread. Once you’ve had a jacket with hand warmer pockets, you’ll think every other jacket is missing something. When you jump off the bike and take your toasty winter gloves off, what better than keeping your hands warm than sliding them into the hand pockets. While your mates are cursing about how cold their hands are, you’ll be laughing at them with warm hands. High quality and chunky zippers are easy to use, even with gloves on and the main front has a reverse zipper for when nature calls.
Sizing is true to whatever t-shirt size you wear with sizing going up to 3XL. The Grit jacket won’t be my go-to adventure gear (as I have other more focused gear) but as a go-to road touring winter jacket jam-packed with features, this is a top pick in the wardrobe. See your local H-D dealer or h-d.com.au. D
RIDING THE ALPS A different view
ISTARTED RIDING IN THE Alps when I was 20
on a Yamaha RD350. It wasn’t the best suited with its hair’s breadth power band, but it was mine and I loved it. Long story short, I have been riding in the Alps for over 40 years, and during the last decade as a Motorcycle Tourism Company owner (Paradise Motorcycle Tours) and leading tours as a BMW Motorrad certified International Tour Guide.
Riding the Alps in the summer has changed over the years, some things for the better, others, particularly traffic, definitely for the worse.
Everywhere is open in the summer now, there are more visitors to the Alps in the summer months now then there are in the ski season. Cafes, restaurants and bars that used to have “no bikers” signs, more because of the patina of oil we seemed to leave everywhere are now effusive in their welcome, and every alpine village you ride through is festooned with signs inviting you in for all sorts of ‘Bikers’ Deals’.
Accommodation providers are falling over themselves to offer secure parking for your bike and the best ever deal on Bed and Breakfast. It seems we have become part of mainstream tourism, and that can only be a good thing. Being a rebel without a cause doesn’t seem to work when it’s slashing down with rain, freezing cold and you can’t find a warm bed.
Like all things, timing is everything, and deciding when to ride in the Alps is particularly important.
Most of the passes can be ridden from late May and the rest by the second week of June. I see that
Grossglockner, the second highest pass in the Alps and the highest in Austria is still closed to bikes now, late May. I normally cross it heading south from Munich in the first week in June. There are always alternative routes if the pass you wanted to ride is closed, make sure you research it when you plan your route.
Mid-June to mid-July is usually a good time to ride. The normal influx of bikers that BMW Motorrad Days used to bring into the Alps in the first weekend of July will not be happening this year or in the future it seems, as it has been relocated from Garmisch Partenkirchen, that delightful Bavarian Alpine town, to Berlin.
Most of the motorcycle tour companies don’t operate tours in the Alps from late July until the beginning of September, as that is European School holidays, and a lot of Europe will be in the Alps for that period. Traffic is horrible, and even if you know a pass off the beaten track, you’ll still have to use the beaten track to get to it.
September to mid-October you’re generally okay, certainly all of September.
Clouds love mountains and with that, they bring rain and snow. The tops of passes can be cold, the valleys are generally warm. Bear in mind you’re not at the top of passes for long, and the valleys can be 30C plus. I tend to take vented gear with thermal liners, and 2-piece waterproofs to use as a wind barrier (or rain or snow). Snow is uncommon but is permanent at the top of some passes. I take lightweight thermals but have only used them 4 or 5 times.
The ‘Better Half’ and I on an RT have ridden for 6
TRAVEL
weeks in the Alps with what we can fit in panniers and topbox, including a First Aid kit and tools.
You have such a vast choice of where to ride, it would be criminal to restrict yourself to just one country. As an example, I run a high Alpine Passes tour from mid-June every year. We collect the bikes in Munich and within in a few short hours are riding into the Bavarian Alps, then the Austrian Alps, through Liechtenstein to Switzerland, then Italy and into the Dolomites, in the Austrian Tyrol, and back to Munich. All up 11 days including 2 nights in a hotel in Switzerland and 3 nights in a spa hotel in The Dolomites. We ride a lot of passes. You need to be a competent motorcyclist and not scared of heights.
Riding passes is all about being skilful on hairpin bends, switchbacks or serpentines, or whatever you would like to call them. I had an excellent lesson many years ago. Riding down Stelvio Pass I rode into a relatively wide hairpin, I had seen the bus coming up the hill, and assumed that the Italian driver would stop, as I was in the bend there wasn’t room for both of us...
So, we both stopped in the bend, my left handlebar end and my left pannier are touching the bus. There is a big drainage ditch to my right which is where I’m going to be pushed into sideways if he tries to move, and I’m leaning on the bus as there’s nowhere to put my right foot. We stopped like that for a few moments while I contemplated the lesson I had learnt, and tried to remember if I knew any Italian swear words. There was nothing for it, I elbowed myself off of the bus and leaning right rode the tiny amount of tarmac left. I just got around.
Riding Alpine passes is about traffic management and momentum or lack thereof. Riding downhill or uphill the technique is similar, look at what is coming towards you entering or approaching the bend, and if it’s going to take up a lot or all of the room in the corner, stop. Block your lane, you don’t want people trying to squeeze you to the side, stop far enough back from the corner to give yourself room to swing out wide (there’s nothing coming
AGO CONCLUDED THAT THERE WERE 1004 ALPINE PASSES, OF WHICH THE MAJORITY WERE UNSEALED. CONSIDER THAT WHEN YOU CHOOSE YOUR BIKE.
now, right?) and pull it in tight on the exit. Make sure you have momentum especially uphill, don’t try to go around at walking pace, you won’t make it, and be aware some of the camber can be steep. If you have to take a corner blind you need some speed. You will get into a rhythm and it all becomes easy and a lot of fun.
I always ride Stelvio on a weekday. I wait at the top and wait for a reasonable gap without traffic, and off we go. In 2017 on the third bend down, there was a guy going in the same direction in the middle of the lane. He was in a mouth controlled powered wheelchair. He rode Stelvio, so can you.
I have lost count of the number of times I have ridden Stelvio, sunshine
and rain, in either direction, with friends or leading a tour. Treat it with respect, manage the traffic, and you’ll have a blast.
Stuff to be aware of
You need vignettes for Austria and Switzerland, they’re cheap, buy them at petrol stations and stick ‘em on your bike, on the left front fairing and not on the windscreen. Big fines for not having them.
Speeding? European police are not obsessed with speeding like ours are. Yes, there are long stretches of the German Autobahn that have no speed limit, and the first time you get overtaken at 250km/h you’ll know it. (I managed 242km/h, missus on the back, full luggage, 1200RT) I was not leading a tour. Having said that Switzerland has prohibitive speeding bans, and they will take your licence away for 30km/h over the limit on the motorway. You won’t see many police
cars on Austrian or Italian roads.
Local riders can be annoying, they know the roads, are all Marquez or Rossi in their heads and will come through our group and not give us much room. Ignore them, keep to your line, they’ll soon disappear. We only really see them on Sundays.
Finally, the roads are amazing, the views are stunning, the food is superb, and to be exposed to so many different cultures is such a joy. There is a big choice of motorbike tour companies, if my Alps tour every June doesn’t suit you timewise flick me an email (info@paradisemotorcycletours. co.nz), I’m happy to recommend other companies.
A final thought. It’s easy to ride for many hours and see no traffic at all. The European Alps covers a large area, with hundreds, if not thousands of passes. You are only going to encounter traffic on a handful of the main passes. D
L O N G T E R M E R S
Easy Rider
ROYAL ENFIELD METEOR 350
WORDS AND PHOTOS STUART
IT’S BEEN A COUPLE OF issues since we gave you an update on how our Meteor 350 has been blasting around the universe, well, around the greater Sydney region!
Basically, I’ve been using the Meteor for run around duties, everything from whipping to the shops for bread and milk, to buying larger goods and strapping them to the seat and backrest, which has proved to be very handy indeed.
I also got out for a day ride and despite me loving powerful bikes the comfort and lightness of the 350 has really drawn me to it. Riding is enjoyable and I don’t need to worry if
I’m going to risk my licence – always a good thing!
This ride also allowed me to give the Tripper Navigation a proper workout and I have to say this is one of the best things to ever be fitted to a motorcycle.
Powered by Google Maps and the Royal Enfield App, connect it up through your smartphone via Bluetooth, enter where you want to go and hit the Navigate button. If you’ve got a Bluetooth headset the turn-byturn instructions will tell you the way, otherwise just check the Tripper dial where the navigation instructions are shown – magical stuff! D
Waiting, waiting
THE BIG BAD GSX1100 with the fire breathing 1260 dragon slotted in the tube frame blew the head gasket (again) a little while ago – a result of too much compression, hot weather and sitting in traffic. The result is Shaun at D Moto has machined the top of the pistons to knock some compression out of it and a custom, aluminium base gasket from APE will be fitted to increase the deck height. All of the compression and so on is perfectly fine for a race engine, but on the street, not so much fun as I’ve found out, twice!
I’m also waiting on a set of APE heavy duty head studs from Ballistic Performance in VIC, as the standard head studs are renowned for stretching with big compression. While I’ve been waiting on bits, I decided to go through the ultra-rare 37mm Keihin CR Special carbs. I will be changing the pilot jets to make it less cranky at idle.
I can’t wait to get this animal back running and have some fun... without the risk of blowing the head gasket each time I ride it!. D
W H A T S A Y Y O U ?
WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU, the letters are among the most keenly read parts of the magazine. Please try and keep letters down to no more than 300 words. We do reserve the right to cut them and, you do need to provide a name and at least your state, if not, town or suburb. Please address letters to contactus@ausmotorcyclist.com.au or Australian Motorcyclist Magazine, 17 Weeroona Place, Rouse Hill NSW 2155. All opinions published here are those of the writers and we do not vouch for their accuracy or even their sanity.
LETTER OF THE MONTH
WE LOVE A GREAT IDEA
and John has an absolute ripper here. For that, you win the Motul Chain Pack! Well done, mate. Send me your postal address. SW
DON’T GET KINKY
Hi Peter,
Just read your write up on your GS750. Such a great project. You politely cursed the bungee straps that failed. For many years now, I have been making my own straps from discarded tubes. Get them free from any tyre shop. I have found 4x4 sized tubes to suit me best. Now chain the links together. (No! No! Not with a chain.) Perhaps it’s link them together. The resulting strap or straps are durable, repairable and replaceable free of charge. You can link one end to the frame and secure the other end over an opportune protrusion or tie it off. Great to tie on an esky, tent, swag or any other appendage. They are probably more functional than stylish, but functional they are.
Cheers John Rice Denmark WA
Cool idea, John. I like it. Would you be able to send me a couple of photos? This is worth passing on to all our readers!
Cheers, The Bear
elasticity and protection from all-weather conditions. The padded harness system and waist strap are adjustable, which ensures excellent carrying comfort.
*Tried and tested by us for over two years and still going strong*
WHAT SAY YOU
to improve my biceps
to improve my biceps
Hi Harry,
Hi Harry,
I’m sure your legs look fine to the ones that care…your family. As for your bike not being a very good exercise machine, you better get an adventure bike and do some hillclimbs, that will get the muscles burning! - Cheers, Stuart.
I’m sure your legs look fine to the ones that care…your family. As for your bike not being a very good exercise machine, you better get an adventure bike and do some hillclimbs, that will get the muscles burning! - Cheers, Stuart.
COVID 1
Braidwood. Purpose to ride, have a social
The Nanny State claims to love me, and wishes me no harm,
But it clips so harsh my freedom, that I’d rather lose an arm.
Hi Hugh,
COVID 1
Dear Stuart,
Dear Stuart,
Clearly there is a lot of economic downturn as a result of COVID19 and it is further impacting on car sales and I would think motorcycle sales (which I think have been down anyway pre Covid19).
Clearly there is a lot of economic downturn as a result of COVID19 and it is further impacting on car sales and I would think motorcycle sales (which I think have been down anyway pre Covid19).
PURE SHAKESPHERE
My Life on Bikes
Why it is it that I’m hated, for what I love so well?
I am no public enemy, no demon out of Hell.
Thanks for the kind words, although I don’t think the shiny paper would go too good as shit paper. LOL!
Cheers, Stuart.
And I fear a future that’s too close, so wicked and so cruel,
BORIS
reasons for the daily figures of these deaths, however this pandemic of COVID 19 is not normal and as you would know has the potential for totally overwhelming the hospital and medical resources of all countries. I am not aware of any cancers etc you can catch from shaking someone’s hand or touching contaminated surfaces. So, comparing normal worldwide deaths to COVID19 deaths is like trying to compare apples and oranges.
And the day my motorcycle, will be denied it’s precious fuel.
reasons for the daily figures of these deaths, however this pandemic of COVID 19 is not normal and as you would know has the potential for totally overwhelming the hospital and medical resources of all countries. I am not aware of any cancers etc you can catch from shaking someone’s hand or touching contaminated surfaces. So, comparing normal worldwide deaths to COVID19 deaths is like trying to compare apples and oranges.
reasons for the daily figures of these deaths, however this pandemic of COVID 19 is not normal and as you would know has the potential for totally overwhelming the hospital and medical resources of all countries. I am not aware of any cancers etc you can catch from shaking someone’s hand or touching contaminated surfaces. So, comparing normal worldwide deaths to COVID19 deaths is like trying to compare apples and oranges.
But meantime I’ll just throttle onW, release endorphins from within, And bang on through unending bends.
All the people dissing Boris “Get a Life”. Don’t read it, you know where it is. Last page! Ignore it!
This is where life begins.
Derek Stevenson
would think motorcycle sales (which I think have been down anyway pre Covid19).
There is nobody much on the roads in the ACT except those who by necessity have to go out for work or food and essentials.
really notice the difference between the two. I like the grey paintwork as well, let’s see how the “Highly Durable Paint” goes in real life. Regards, Mark, QLD
There is nobody much on the roads in the ACT except those who by necessity have to go out for work or food and essentials.
There is nobody much on the roads in the ACT except those who by necessity have to go out for work or food and essentials.
GREAT STUFF
The Triumph creaks and cracks and groans, as it rapidly cools down, From hours of spirited riding, far from this madding town.
I have been managing to use the bike for essential trips within the confines of the ACT border but that is a big change from our weekly ride group where we would usually ride out of the ACT to, say, Goulburn or Boorowa or Yass or
I have been managing to use the bike for essential trips within the confines of the ACT border but that is a big change from our weekly ride group where we would usually ride out of the ACT to, say, Goulburn or Boorowa or Yass or
roads, and challenging terrain,
I have been managing to use the bike for essential trips within the confines of the ACT border but that is a big change from our weekly ride group where we would usually ride out of the ACT to, say, Goulburn or Boorowa or Yass or
Where the traffic is much thinner, with fewer trucks around, Less buses and less caravans, and fewer four wheeled clowns.
We are blessed with winding mountain
I haven’t enjoyed a bike mag like this since the old Two Wheels that as a kid I’d eagerly pedal my pushy to the newsagents for every month and read every page once I got it home. I love all bikes and respect anyone
chase these products and then he attempted to re-sell on E-Bay. Serve the bugger right for being a scungy individual!
And endless vast expanses, upon the reddened plain.
concerned was having about 20 people chase these products and then he attempted to re-sell on E-Bay. Serve the bugger right for being a scungy individual!
concerned was having about 20 people chase these products and then he attempted to re-sell on E-Bay. Serve the bugger right for being a scungy individual!
It thrills me and excites me, fills me with endless joy,
All that said, I think your quoting of figures of the people that die daily from cancer, heart disease, diabetes, mozzies and murders is an unfair comparison! Yes to date the total numbers of COVID19 deaths World Wide would be exceeded by a week’s worth or less perhaps of the
I felt your editorial came across as dismissive of the seriousness of Covid19 and smacked a bit of self-centredness in highlighting the inconvenience it has caused you. I like bikes and riding too, but many people have had to alter travel plans etc for the greater good.
I felt your editorial came across as dismissive of the seriousness of Covid19 and smacked a bit of self-centredness in highlighting the inconvenience it has caused you. I like bikes and riding too, but many people have had to alter travel plans etc for the greater good.
I felt your editorial came across as dismissive of the seriousness of Covid19 and smacked a bit of self-centredness in highlighting the inconvenience it has caused you. I like bikes and riding too, but many people have had to alter travel plans etc for the greater good.
That is pure poetry, Derek. Well, of course it is. Thank you. Cheers, The Bear.
Don’t ruin a top read because of one page, personally I love his column (even though I feel he has a firm grip on his nether region). Be a boring read if we succumb to the lowest common denominator.
CHECK ‘EM OUT!
No name provided
who shares the passion, regardless of their ability or choice of machine.
So, I have subscribed, to most of the magazine, but thanks for the spare shit paper at the end :)
All that said, I think your quoting of figures of the people that die daily from cancer, heart disease, diabetes, mozzies and murders is an unfair comparison! Yes to date the total numbers of COVID19 deaths World Wide would be exceeded by a week’s worth or less perhaps of the
My passion and my medicine, not just a useless toy.
But we suffer under bureaucrats, and their evil deep within, Telling me that fines Draconian, will somehow cleanse my sins.
All that said, I think your quoting of figures of the people that die daily from cancer, heart disease, diabetes, mozzies and murders is an unfair comparison! Yes to date the total numbers of COVID19 deaths World Wide would be exceeded by a week’s worth or less perhaps of the
Hugh Jorgan
Hey Stu,
BORIS 2
I think that all the media reporting though is worrisome for Australian people as it is repeated and repeated and like the bushfires you do not get a break from it. Every time you turn on the T.V, look at Facebook, listen to the radio it is in your face or ears.
I think that all the media reporting though is worrisome for Australian people as it is repeated and repeated and like the bushfires you do not get a break from it. Every time you turn on the T.V, look at Facebook, listen to the radio it is in your face or ears.
I think that all the media reporting though is worrisome for Australian people as it is repeated and repeated and like the bushfires you do not get a break from it. Every time you turn on the T.V, look at Facebook, listen to the radio it is in your face or ears.
Check out this collection I found that’s coming up for auction!
I try to reduce my listening/reading/ watching to once or twice a day to keep up with developments - more than that is
“Worldwide Auctioneers has the all no-reserve Denny Kannenberg “Kannonball” Collection Auction, presented by Gas Monkey Garage &
I try to reduce my listening/reading/ watching to once or twice a day to keep up with developments - more than that is
I try to reduce my listening/reading/ watching to once or twice a day to keep up with developments - more than that is
Stuart, I don’t always agree with what Boris has to say but I am well aware of how he writes to get a reaction. As for the couple of blokes that sent letters in the last issue, I think
Richard Rawlings and scheduled for September 10th and 11th in Auburn, Indiana. Full details are available at worldwideauctioneers.com and you can catch an introduction to the entire collection with Richard Rawlings on Gas Monkey Garage’s YouTube channel.”
Cheers, Joe
Hi Joe, Some nice toys in there, that’s for sure!
Cheers, Stuart.
GOING GLOBAL
Hi Stuart, Shaun from the Australian Motorcycle Council. Here is our latest press release which might be of interest to your readers…
“The Australian Motorcycle Council is participating in a series of international motorcycle safety workshops being held in June.
The online event is being hosted by the transport arm of the OECD, the International Transport Forum, in conjunction with the Swedish Transport Administration.
The invitation-only event of 150 participants was originally due to be hosted in Stockholm, in June 2020.
With the advent of COVID-19, the Stockholm workshop was initially postponed to June 2021. Early this year it became apparent that an inperson global event would not be possible, so the format was redesigned into a series of online workshops.
AMC chairman Shaun Lennard has been invited to participate in the sessions on road infrastructure, road management and speed management taking place on 17 June.
“The idea of making roads safer for motorcycles is not new,” Mr Lennard said.
“There are some great ideas we have either been talking about, or have seen in practice, for more than ten years. But things continue to be largely ad hoc.”
“One good example is the Austroads Guide Infrastructure Improvements to Reduce Motorcycle Casualties. This was prepared and released in 2016.
The AMC was closely involved with the development of the guide, and it contains best-practice information. But five years later, it’s still not a default reference point for most Australian road authorities. It should be. I aim to speak about this at the workshop.”
“This workshop also builds on the ITF’s similar event in Lillehammer, Norway, in 2008. One thing missing
TOUR OPERATOR DIRECTORY
from Lillehammer, though, was the follow-up and a commitment to actions that are supported by the motorcycle community. Addressing this is also a focus for 2021.”
The forum opens on Wednesday 9 June, with two sessions open for public viewing.
“With online events, you unfortunately miss those important networking and informal conversations,” Mr Lennard continued.
“However, the digital and COVID world we live in these days can provide some greater opportunities, too.”
“Anyone can stream into the two opening sessions on 9 and 10 June, and we’d encourage people to do so.”
The opening session at 10.00pm AEST on 9 June will include presentations by Mr Jorge Viegas, president of the FIM, and Mr Rakesh Sharma, president of the International Motorcycle Manufacturers Association.
For further information and to register for the two public sessions, check itf-oecd.org/motorcyclists-safetyworkshop-riding-safe-system.”
Regards, Shaun Lennard chairman@amc.asn.au
The guide to the stars - The who’s who in the zoo of motorcycle travel worldwide is what you’ll find here. We’ve travelled with many of them and know them all, so they come highly recommended. In alphabetical order, they are:
ADRIATIC MOTO TOURS – Europe www.adriaticmototours.com info@adriaticmototours.com
CENTRAL OTAGO
MAGIC MOTORCYCLING
ROMANIA MOTORCYCLE
MOTORCYCLE HIRE AND TOURS – New Zealand www.comotorcyclehire.co.nz info@comotorcyclehire.co.nz
– Thailand and Croatia www.magicmotorcycling.com tour@magicmotorcycling.com
MOTORCYCLE TOURS – New Zealand www.motorcycle-hire.co.nz nzbike@motorcycle-hire.co.nz
WORLD ON WHEELS
– Europe, Iceland, South America, India, Asia, Mexico, Africa & Himalaya www.worldonwheels.tours Adventure@WorldOnWheels.Tours
www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au
B E A R T A L E S
LADY LUCK SMILES
BACK WHEN I FIRST started working for a motorcycle magazine full time, I was almost pathetically serious about the job, especially when answering readers’ letters. You can imagine me at my desk, a pile of letters in front of me –‘letters’ were words written on ‘paper’, folded to fit into an ‘envelope’ and then ‘posted’ by ‘mail’ with ‘stamps’ stuck on them and delivered to the recipient every day! Oh yes, that really happened.
One of the most commonly asked questions was “what bike should I buy? I’m looking at (followed by the names of three or four somewhat different motorcycles)”. The choice was not as great then as it is today; there were no ‘adventure bikes’, for instance, and everything on the showroom floors qualified as what we call a ‘naked bike’ today. Fairings, with very few exceptions, were supplied by the aftermarket and fitting them to your bike required a lot of tools and quite a bit of physical strength to bend heavy fiberglass into a position where you could drill a hole to roughly match the location of the place where you wanted to insert a bolt.
This was not reserved to motorcycles. I helped a friend to convert an innocent VW Beetle into a Baja Bug, and the amount of bending and swearing and sucking of bloodied fingers we did before it came together will forever live in my memory.
Possibly the most esoteric bike available at the time was a Yamaha DT1, a crossover machine between dirt bikes and… well, and categories that had not been invented.
Anyway, I would get these letters about what bike someone should buy, and I would send back a sincere and perhaps just slightly boring and condescending request for more information. What sort of riding do you do, I would ask. How tall are
you, and how much do you weigh? How much can you afford to spend? Do you do long distances, do you go scratching on the weekend? And so on.
A letter would come back supplying the requested information, and I would wrack my brains trying to come up with a reasonable suggestion. Once reached, this would be delivered by way of the letters pages, and in most cases I would never hear back. When I did, it would be a note to say thank you, but I bought the XYZ instead. It took me years to work out that these people did not actually want a recommendation at all. What they did want was reassurance that the bike they had already selected was not a dud. When they rode their new acquisition down to the pub and someone said, “you bought a what!?” they wanted to be able to say, “well, the bloke at Two Wheels magazine reckoned it was the duck’s guts.”
That was the hope. If I didn’t recommend the bike they wanted me to suggest, they’d buy it anyway and wear the possible hilarity at the pub. Or lie.
As I said, this went on for years. The hopeful letter, me faithfully doing my research, and the eventual advice that, ah, yes, well, you know, thanks but I bought the one I wanted in the first place. I am not bitter about this, by the way. Just because I wasted hours of the best years of my life when I could have been out riding, researching questions that were settled before they were put to me, I do not hold this against you, you pathetic… no, no, as we have learned over and over again, the customer is always right. Or if not right, then not wrong.
But! I have now developed an answer to that “what bike should I buy” non-question. I no longer ask about potential usage, state of the piggy bank or length of the inside
seam. No. What I do now is write back to say, “Buy the red one.”
Does that sound flippant to you? It is not. In fact it is anything but. It serves both the questioner and the questioned well, every time. How so? Look at it this way. As long as you don’t interpret it too compulsively, you will see that the colour ‘red’ emphasizes and supports the passion which the questioner feels. The bike he or she has their heart set on is not necessarily actually red; but it glows red in the sights of desire. The red one is the one you want, and in many cases it will indeed be red (in colour) anyway. So how much use is advice that simply says, ‘do what you want to do anyway’? It is lots of use, because it reinforces your innate desires, making you feel less tentative, and also gives you a credible defense when those desires are questioned down at the pub.
When you first ride down there, you will know that you’re on the bike that you want, and also the bike that is recommended by me in the magazine or website of your choice. Win-win. And while we’re on the subject of win-win, consider that answering the question that way in the first place has not taken up precious riding time for me. Win-win-win. A trifecta. Why did it take me so many years to work this out? D
N E W B I K E P R I C E S
ADV TOURING
G 310 GS
ost prices exclude dealer and on road costs, however some are ride away – ask your local dealer for the best possible price!
APRILIA
www.aprilia.com.au ROAD
Shiver 900 ABS
Dorsoduro 900 ABS
Tuono V4 1100 RR
Tuono V4 1100 Factory
RSV4 1100 Factory
SCOOTERS
SR MT 125
BENELLI
BMW
www.bmwmotorrad.com.au ROAD
G 310 R
F 900 R
S
R nineT
R nineT
R nineT Scrambler
R nineT Racer
R nineT Urban G/S
R 1250 R $21,240
R 1250 R HP $27,040
R 1250 R Exclusive $26,065
R 1250 R Spezial $26,765
R 1250 R $22,540
R 1250 RS Sport $28,215
R 1250 RS Exclusive $27,215
R 1250 R Spezial
R 1250 RT $32,290
R 1250 RT Sport $33,190
R 1250 RT Elegance $33,465
R 1250 R Spezial $34,215
K 1600 B $36,490
K 1600 B Grand America $44,695
K 1600 GT $36,490
K 1600 GTL $37,990
ADV SPORT
F 900 XR $19,835
S 1000 XR $27,975
S 1000 XR Carbon Sport $29,290
F 750 GS
F 750 GS Tour
F 750 GS Low Susp
F 750 GS Tour LS
F 850 GS
F 850 GS Rallye
F 850 GS Rallye X
F 850 GS Tour
F 850 GS Low Susp
F 850 GS Rallye Low Susp
F 850 GS Tour Low Susp
F 850 GSA
R 1250 GS
R 1250 GS Rallye
R 1250 GS Rallye X
R 1250 GS Exclusive
R 1250 GS Spezial
R 1250 GSA
R 1250 GSA Rallye
$8090
$13,590
$17,305
$13,840
$17,005
$17,990
$18,390
$22,305
$21,805
$18,240
$18,640
$21,505
$TBA
$23,490
$24,940
$29,890
$28,140
$31,390
$25,490
$26,390
R 1250 GSA Rallye X $31,590
R 1250 GSA Exclusive
R 1250 GSA Spezial
SCOOTER
C 650 Sport
C 650 GT
CAN-AM (BRP)
can-am.brp.com
Ryker
Spyder F3
$30,790
$30,540
$14,150
$14,990
$13,799
$29,299
Spyder RT $39,299
CF MOTO
www.cf-moto.com.au
ROAD
150NK
250NK
650NK
650TK $7990
650MT $7990
650GT
700CL-X Classic
DUCATI
www.ducati.com.au
*All Ducati prices are ride away ROAD
Scrambler Sixty2
Scrambler Icon
Scrambler Full Throttle
Scrambler Café Racer
$7990
$TBA
V4
$13,490
$13,990
$17,540
$18,990
Scrambler Desert Sled $19,290
Scrambler 1100 $16,990
Scrambler 1100 Special $18,990
Scrambler 1100 Sport $19,990
Monster 659 $12,490
Monster 797 $13,490
Monster 821 $17,500
Monster 821 Stealth $18,590
Multistrada 950 Red $20,990
950 S Red $23,490 Multistrada 950 S Grey $23,790 Multistrada 950 S Red Spokes $23,750 Multistrada 950 S Grey Spokes $23,990 Multistrada 1260 Red $26,490
1260 S
1260 S
1260
NEW BIKE PRICES
HONDA
www.honda.com.au ROAD Grom
NSS300A Forza $7999
HUSQVARNA
www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com/au
*All Husqvarna prices are ride away ROAD
Vitpilen 401 $7875
Svartpilen 401 $7875
701 Supermoto $18,795 ADV TOURING
701 Enduro
INDIAN
www.indianmotorcycles.com.au
$18,795
*All Indian Motorcycle prices are ride away CRUISER
HAVE ANY OF YOU OLD people noticed what’s going on with motorcycling in Australia?
I’m not sure you have.
Because in order to have noticed, you need to a) Not have complacently surrendered; and b) Be aware of Social Media.
I fear many of you are both a) and b) – which is far worse than just being one or the other.
I spend a fair bit of time on Social Media. Primarily because it’s my way to market as a writer. But also because the entire dynamic fascinates me.
And here’s what I am seeing.
Oddly, and most disturbingly, I am only seeing it in Australia.
The rest of the motorcycle-riding world seems to have maintained its rage and rebellion; its love of danger and its disdain for safety. Certainly, as we get older we’re less interested in measuring the size of our dicks, but we rejoice in the fact that younger versions of ourselves are still keen to measure theirs.
That is not happening here. What’s happening here is nauseating.
The Sauron-level policing mated to the insane nanny-state-ism we have all been subjected to in the last decade, is starting to bear fruit. Vile, disgusting fruit that has poisoned the pure stream that was once motorcycling, and turned it from something wild and wonderful into a rancid blancmange.
This could only have been done in Australia. Riders from any other country on this earth would never have permitted it. But we have. And we have not only permitted it, we have eagerly embraced it, just as our masters always understood we would.
Compliance, obedience, and subservience, love of authority and the craving for safety at all costs, is what this country is really all about.
And none of that is what riding motorcycles is all about.
This attitude is reflected in our
motorcycle media – both digital and what remains of print. Looking at what is being produced, one would think the motorcycle media’s sole purpose is to sell and advertise products on behalf of its advertisers without offending them, or its dwindling and largely disinterested readerships.
Where are the great stories? Where are the passionate tales of adversity and camaraderie; of a two-wheeled life being lived to the full? Where is the laughter? Where is the adventure?
When the Hell did this all become about sipping wine, eating cheese, being safe, being polite, and licking the tasteless boot-leather of the cops?
Is this why the flaming torch of my beloved motorcycling is not being taken up the next generation and carried blazing into the future?
If you look at Social Media, you’ll see new riders are utterly pre-occupied with free parking, phone mounts, virtue-signalling each time some dumb shit ploughs into a car, and when the next wretched Aldi motorcycle gear sale is on.
they go the coffee is nice.
All I see from this is the End Game for motorcycling.
I’m in the twilight of my riding career. If I can get another 20 years out of it, I will be amazed. It is what it is. You can’t live the life I’ve lived without paying the price. I’m good with that. I will not die wondering or wallowing in regret at things left undone.
Will these mouse-hearted owners of motorcycles be able to say the same thing? Will they ever have a single interesting or memorable tale to tell anyone?
A while back, I challenged anyone and everyone in the motorcycle media to write one single, solitary and unforgettable paragraph that sang with a beauty and a passion all of its own. I know I wait in vain.
I would now challenge riders to live such a life.
You’re riding a motorcycle and doing the single greatest, most thrilling, and most fulfilling thing a person can do.
And you’re doing it over and over because it is so accessible. No mountains to climb. No surf-breaks to wait for. Just put on your helmet and go.
fellow riders.
None of them are recounting any tales of great rides – the sad clowns rarely leave the major cities – and if anyone dares post up an image of a wheelie or someone not wearing the “right” gear, then there is a universal condemnation from fellow riders.
They have imagined themselves into a world of safety and niceness, where every rider must support every other rider, the police must be respected and obeyed without question, and the only thing that matters is that wherever
They have imagined every rider must support every respected wherever the riding of a motorcycle shit, you do it right. it shit.
But you really have to go. Riding to the same coffee shops week in and week out is not going. Obeying, complying, and submitting is not going, either. What it is, is shit.
And when you make the riding of a motorcycle shit, that is unforgivable. Why did you buy one in the first place? You thought it might be fun or cool? It is. But only if you do it right. And you’re not doing it right and you’re making Stop it. D
Photo by Barnabas Imre
H-D PAN AMERICA / APRILIA RS660 / H-D ROAD KING SPECIAL / POTM: COURTHOUSE HOTEL / MAP: GUNDAGAI / DOIN’ UP YOUR BIKE / WILD WEST USA
